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Matchbox Maniac
Desert coastlines have always intrigued me. Two seemingly different environments, yet they make an appearance together on occasion. They are an odd couple. They are no peanut butter and jelly or tea and scones, but they work.
Once we left Lima's city limits, where green lawns, bushes of flowers and palm trees were on sprinkler system life support, the frigid air of the Humboldt Current made itself known, sucking the landscape dry. The Pan American cut alongside mountains of jagged rock. Chipped away from cliff faces, broken boulders lay scattered, some caught in place during their spiraling decent through loose gravel, others making it to the Pacific Ocean where they sat in piles. Where the mountain was too immense, the road tunneled its way through the innards of the beast.
Brad could hardly focus on driving, his eyes darting from the road to the waters below. "Oh I bet there are so many fish down there". And yes there were. Small villages hung off the edge of the mountain, seemingly selling only seafood.
We had come down with a bad case of seafood obsession after our arrival in Lima, with ceviche and fillets of grilled fish as our lunchtime staples. The most mind boggling experience was in the Lima market at the intersection of two walkways. The past has shown that in Latin markets, vendors group together by product type. The fruit stands in one walkway, the flower arrangers in another, and comedores in a cluster, vying for your dollars. Yet, as we rounded the corner, unexpectedly there sat a cevicheria in a maze of smoothie stands. It was bustling. Elbows pinned to our sides, we shimmied into the seats of two barstools and ordered the standard bowl. What came out, however, was nothing near standard. Two bowls overflowed with chunks of fish, clams, and vegetables marinated in lime juice. Cancha, popped maize kernels, fresh herbs, and a brothy spicy aji sauce transformed the dish into a hot steaming stew. I'd go back in time for this meal.
Back on the coast, we chose a random seafood joint and filled up on more ceviche.
With our tummies full, we drove on. Just as the highway began to stray from the coast, we veered off to Paracas National Park, stationed on a hammerhead shaped peninsula. In all directions, valleys of hard packed sand unrolled before us. Sand dunes freckled the landscape, windswept and dusted on one side with a spattering of white shimmering salt. The road disappeared and the desert appeared before us like a skateboard park. With no dotted lines to steer in between, donuts formed in the sand and tracks crept up the side of steep dunes. Brad, like a kid with his favorite Matchbox car, took Nacho to his limits.
Yet, Nacho was no Matchbox car, which, with the flick of a wrist could jump rivers and fly through the air. Nacho was a different breed; more of a house on wheels than a sports car, sputtering to a stop before ever mounting a sand dune.
"Quick Sheena! Take a picture. I can't hold Nacho here much longer". Poor Nacho would lose traction and Brad would gently reverse him back down to safe ground.
Our campsite was spectacular. The valley of desert broke off at the coast, exposing sediment that had formed in flaky sheets of rock. The rocks ended abruptly and a sweeping coastline of red beach took its place, teeming with birds and the occasional seal. Like a rice cracker, salt formations pockmarked the ground and gaping crevices fell down to the red sand.
Without reference points, the landscape was deceptive. Everything looked close. Nothing looked steep. We spent a morning, out of control and laughing, running down the sides of the sand dunes, nearly front flipping with every leap.
To the East of Paracas, we continued on down the freeway through the Ica desert, a land of more sand dunes and dirt formations. Just as our throats became parched from the heat, we were granted with fields of grape vines. A checkerboard of vineyards began popping up, leaving the sheets of sand behind, until they were eventually overtaken by the town of Ica. Shipped all throughout the world and to every nearby village and city, they are the world's best producer of pisco, a white grape brandy, produced since the 16th century with the arrival of the Spaniards. Pisco, while commonly drunk alone, has also been the main ingredient in a variety of mixed drinks, with the most common easily being the Pisco Sour. Here is the traditional recipe: blend 3 oz pisco,1 oz lime juice, ½ oz sugarcane, 1 egg white, and 4 ice cubes.
While in Ica, we stopped at a small bodega called El Catador. We were shown the pisco making process which, in one long run on sentence goes like this: grapes are crushed under a huge adobe platform with a 150-year old huarango trunk (here our guide insisted he take our photo), the juice is poured into clay containers called botijas de barro, and then distilled in boilers of copper basins.
While eating handfuls of purple speckled corn, we sampled all the varieties of pisco. We left with a bottle of "love potion" pisco, which our guide insisted was so smooth and sweet, and that we'd drink the whole bottle before realizing it, resulting in the inevitable.
Our drive continued on. Farther South, we entered the flat pampas of the San Jose desert , an ancient sketchbook containing 70 pages of plant and animal figures, all within a range of 1000 square kilometers. The media used: scraping of dirt. Sometime in the past (no one knows exactly when), canals 20 centimeters deep were scraped into the manganese and iron rich surface. What gave way below was a layer of lighter colored rock. In the 1970s, when Peru discovered these drawings, the Pan American highway already ran straight through one of the figures. For travelers, this made for a very quick sightseeing adventure. We veered off the highway and travelled up a set of rickety set of stairs to a lookout tower. From above, we could see three sets of Nasca lines: a set of hands, a lizard, and a tree.
Pretty cool. All in a day's drive.


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Having spent virtually all of my adult life within "Anglo-Saxon" cultures and institutions (not least in the hyper-English milieu of The Economist), I must have adopted Anglo-Saxon ways of thinking.
And what are those?
In this post, I'll try to describe them, by contrasting the Anglo-Saxon mind with what I consider to be its foil or opposite.
Which is to say: French thinking.
And I'll do that with just three little examples plucked from life:
- gardens
- cities
- laws
1) French and English gardens
In 1992, I spend my summer in Tours, France — allegedly learning the local language but mostly biking along the Loire and its tributaries with friends, visiting the various chateaux in that area.
I was twenty-two at the time, and gardening was not necessarily foremost in my thoughts. And yet, the gardens of those chateaux left an impression. That's because I had an intuition that they explained a lot else I was observing in the country
Look at the garden of the Chateau of Villandry, above. Or look at the same castle from another view:
The principle that guides this and all "jardins à la française" is the expression of mastery over nature.
A landscaper imposes, through his reason, absolute and mathematically Cartesian symmetry and order onto what would otherwise be disorder.
It is a top-down notion of order. In fact, these gardens are best viewed from above, which is why almost all the chateaux are laid out so that there is a viewing platform above the jardins (as in the picture).
English landscaping developed largely in response to French landscaping and spread to many non-French parts of Europe.
The difference is striking. Here, for instance, is a view of the Englischer Garten, a huge park in the center of Munich, where I grew up:
Yup, those are sheep, in the middle of Munich.
Munich's Englischer Garten was conceived during the Enlightenment by an Englishman, and the German landscapers to this day observe its "Anglo-Saxon" landscaping philosophy. Here, for instance, is a recent addition, a theater:
Let's try to make the philosophy behind this landscaping style explicit:
If the French approach is to display top-down mastery of nature with an imposition of order, the English way is to integrate the human into nature, to adjust to the spontaneous or "bottom-up" order of nature itself.
The best way to enjoy such a garden is in fact "from below" — ie from the ground. You're assumed to be in the garden, not looking down on it from above.
To give this the subtlety it deserves: English gardening does not deny the ability of man to create order (after all, there still is a landscaper). But the landscaper takes a much more humble approach to nature, choosing to see order in its disorder and incorporating its "accidents".
Let me use a different phrase: The English landscaper "muddles through".
2) Paris and London
Now think of the two cultures' capitals as a "tale of two gardens," writ large.
The "landscaper" of modern Paris was Baron Haussmann (Alsatian, hence the German name, but French). Between 1852 and 1870, he imposed order on the medieval street warren that Paris had been.
Here is the new Paris as he conceived it:
Boulevards (in red) as straight as swords now cut through the organically evolved webbing of streets, to clear vistas and let armies parade.
And that's not enough. Along these straight boulevards, the houses must meet regulations as precise as Cartesian math. They stand in a row like soldiers being mustered:
Now London:
A century before Haussmann (and shortly after Descartes' death), medieval London was burnt down in the The Great Fire of 1666. To the French, this would have been an opportunity to remake London in a rational and orderly way. There even was an equivalent of Baron Haussmann: It was Sir Christopher Wren, the great architect of many churches, including St Paul's Cathedral.
What did Sir Christopher do? It was very English. He largely honored the network of streets as it had evolved over time. Using legal jargon, you might say that he respected stare decisis ("stand by things decided").
Adhering to precedent, he then proceeded to … muddle through.
And that's what London has been doing since. This is its street grid today:
In fact, that picture does not do its organic beauty/chaos (depending on your point of view) justice. London, unlike Paris, is not one city (even politically). It is many cities and towns that grew together. Each bit retains its own charms and problems, and the connections are haphazard and arbitrary.
London cabbies, in fact, spend years learning what they call "the knowledge" to navigate this maze. And London's streetscapes are full of surprises, both positive and questionable:
3) Code Napoléon v Common Law
French law is a code. In some ways it goes back to Roman law, but its direct ancestor is the Code Napoléon of 1804.
Napoleon, being not only French (well, sort of) but a product of the Enlightenment, believed in the power of reason to impose order (here meaning justice) from above on the chaos of life, the infinite number of situations that can arise and must be adjudicated. The result was a document. Here is its famous first page:
Legal thinking in France and all other civil-law systems is therefore a process of deduction: You find the general principle in the code, then apply it to the instance in real life.
English law is not a code. In fact, England does not even have a written constitution (as its Anglo-Saxon nephew America does). Sure, there are statutes, laws written by legislators over time. But the core of the system in all Anglo-Saxon countries is the common law.
And what is it? In essence, it is the history of all former cases.
For about a millennium, the English have been considering each new case by comparing it with precedents, a bit as Sir Christopher Wren built St Paul's on the site of the former church that had burnt down.
Which issues does this case raise? Aha, then it must be like X. But it is different, so it must also be like Y. And so on.
The process is inductive: The Anglo-Saxon mind starts with the particular, searches for a general principle, returns to the particular, adjusts the general principle, and so forth.
Put differently, the English mind muddles through.
Conclusion: Churchill vs Balladur
This post has been muddling through by inducing from particulars to generals. I will leave you with two quotes by former prime ministers that I think say it all:
Edouard Balladur of France:
What is the market? It is the law of the jungle. And what is civilization? It is the struggle against nature.
Winston Churchill:
The English know how to make the best of things. Their so-called muddling through is simply skill at dealing with the inevitable.

subset: commoncrawl


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My little ninja has been obsessed with ninjas (see last years Ninja Turtle birthday), so we're throwing him a ninja vs. godzilla birthday at SkyZone where the kids can practice their ninja flip kick skillzzz :)
I created this rad godzilla for ninja training by cutting out a large piece of cardboard and painting it with poster paint. The plan is for the kids to chuck foam ninja stars through his mouth and win fun prizes.
Take-out boxes are super cute for party favors. I filled them with tiny ninja figurines, temporary tattoos, edamame jelly beans, and a ninja star on top.
I designed and printed all the paper goods. These party circles are a cute and easy way to top cupcakes. I printed them on cardstock and punched them out with a 3″ round punch I bought from Michael's for under $10. Then I taped them onto popsicle sticks to put on each cupcake.
I created stickers, water bottle wraps, food signs, and edamame baggies filled with green jelly beans. I'll post a DIY tutorial for the edamame coming soon! :)
Happy Ninja Birthday!
Follow me on instagram + twitter for more creative ideas & DIY projects!


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Mariela Alfonzo remembers when she really got the message about what's important to real estate developers. She was discussing big-box stores with an investor in Orange County, California, who had put a lot of dollars into strip malls and megastores.
Alfonzo, an urban design researcher, adjunct professor at NYU-Poly, and consultant who has done extensive research on what makes places truly walkable, explained to him all the ills of this type of development. Big-box malls are bad for the environment, she said, and destructive to communities. They have horrible aesthetics, discourage physical activity, and are damaging to public health.
"Do you even look at what you're buying?" she asked.
His reply was the equivalent of a shrug. "But they make money."
If she could convince him that walkable communities would be more profitable, would he invest in that type of development instead, she wanted to know? In the end, he told her, the answer is in the bottom line.
That's when Alfonzo realized that all the quality-of-life arguments she could muster about walkable communities, all the academic research she could conduct, all the idealism she felt about changing the way cities and towns are constructed, wouldn't make a difference unless she could make an economic case.
"There's always a drive to understand the economic value of walkability," she says. "For people in a decision-making capacity, especially now, after the recession. If you explain the economic piece, people get it right away."
That "economic piece" has to be based on data, not vague notions of what is "good for the community." Alfonzo wrote her dissertation on failed malls that were being redeveloped, "ostensibly to develop a sense of community," she says. As she researched the cases more closely, though, she discovered that the nebulous "community benefit" wasn't the driving factor. "A sense of community was important, but it was really about the economic bottom line."
Since then, Alfonzo has worked on creating and refining hard-data tools to quantify just what makes a place appeal to pedestrians. She began by working as part of the team that created theIrvine Minnesota Inventory, a comprehensive index defining and measuring 160 factors that contribute to the pedestrian experience: metrics like accessibility, pleasurability, perceived safety from traffic, and perceived safety from crime. She's currently adapting that tool for use in a walkability study she'll be conducting in China.
She went on to incorporate the IMI into an algorithm she calls the State of Place index, which was used in that recent Brookings Institution study she worked on with Christopher Leinberger that linked walkability to economic performance.
Now she's using that algorithm in her business, Urban Imprint, aiming to help developers and governments to create better places that will also produce economic results. Alfonzo's State of Place tool is much more fine-grained than Walk Score, which has become a standard for people seeking to evaluate real estate choices such as home-buying or renting on the basis of walkability. It uses the IMI to measure things like outdoor dining, benches, street trees, sidewalks, number of vehicle lanes, and the like. Then State of Place takes it to the next step, generating 10 "sub-scores" that rate connectivity, density, safety from crime, safety from traffic, public space/parks, proximity to commercial destinations, physical activity facilities, aesthetics, pedestrian amenities, and form.
"State of Place is not only measuring walkability and quality of place, it also acts as an economic indicator, not unlike an S&P-type rating," says Alfonzo. "In that regard, it can be used by investors, lenders, retailers, developers, etc., to make investment and siting decisions."
Not only that, Alfonzo thinks her system could help cities and towns to fix places that are broken.
"Stakeholders can customize their interventions and investments based on their urban design profile and, because each of those ten dimensions matters differently to the economic bottom line, users of the index can identify those changes that will be the most effective and generate the most bang for their likely limited buck," she says. "In other words, it's an economic development tool."
That's exactly how Alfonzo's first client, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, is using State of Place.
Having a start-up business is a big challenge, says Alfonzo, much different from doing academic research or consulting. But she's come to understand that if she's going to get decision-makers to pay attention to making better, more humane places, appealing to them from a business perspective is the only way to go. She points out how these days, "walkability" is a buzzword that comes up all the time, whereas just a few years ago, no one was talking about it except academics and advocates.
"Part of the reason that walkability is being pushed forward is that it's economically viable," she says. "You're dealing with people for whom design is not on the table. I want to show it as a way to generate value."


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In my blog earlier this week, I wrote about highlights from the new Outsourcing Track at HR Tech as well as the RPO meetings I attended. In related news, my fourth global RPO market analysis report was published on Monday.
In addition to walking through the exhibit hall and attending technology demonstrations, my additional meetings at HR Tech included:
- Patersons: Its 2012 revenue growth is 70% YTD, driven by multi-country payroll. Safeguard World International has also reported similar success due to high growth for multi-country payroll services according to a business update two weeks ago.
- IBM: The company is experiencing increased demand for its RPO and learning services and many of its key learning clients have renewed in 2012. New learning contracts include one in South Africa and pipeline activity includes a large global bank. The Kenexa acquisition will bring in new RPO and talent management opportunities that IBM will enhance with its social and analytics capabilities.
- Hogan Assessments and SHL Assessments: Both companies provide personality assessments to predict work performance. SHL has also issued a talent management report with key findings showing that Eastern Europe ranks 1st in supplying IT and essential business skills; the U.S. ranks 23rd.
- Secova: The benefits administration provider offers online enrollment, a 24/7 call center, eligibility verification, billing management, and leave management services that are delivered from their ISO/IEC 27001:2005 certified platforms. Services are provided from California, New Jersey, and Chennai.
- Equifax Workforce Solutions: This was formerly operating as TALX, which rebranded as a result of its increased emphasis on the provision of workforce analytics and business intelligence to help clients improve their company's performance.
- HireVue: Offers a Digital Interview Platform that saves time, travel, and costs by allowing clients to create online interview guides with scientifically proven questions. Candidates then record answers via a webcam, which recruiting and hiring managers then view on demand, including from smart phones, to build digital talent pools.
- JobVite: Provides a modular SaaS-based recruiting platform for applicant tracking, recruiter CRM, and sourcing talent.
Highlights from ADP include having ~30,000 clients for its cloud-based HCM platforms including:
- ADP Workforce Now: Launched in October 2009, it supports clients with 50 – 1,000 employees. The majority of its 20k+ clients purchase the broader HCM suite.
- ADP Vantage HCM:Piloted in October 2011 with general availability launched in June 2012, this platform, which targets employers with >1,000 employees, already has >30 clients. ADP has been adding ~5 – 6 new clients a month with a high percentage buying talent management, benefits (H&W), and time & attendance in addition to payroll. New wins include:
- A national restaurant chain with ~24,000 employees
- An employee healthcare staffing company with 15,000 employees
- A retail chain with 4,500 employees.
- ADP GlobalView: It now includes ADP Talent Management globally and has won several major clients including an electronics manufacturer with 85,000 employees in 29 countries including the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, which recently added the compensation module.
- ADP Talent Management: It provides recruiting, performance, learning, compensation, and succession in 14 languages and 80 currencies for ~4,000 clients.
- ADP Mobile Solutions: Deployed globally and offered in 12 languages, the app has ~30,000 clients and ~450,000 users.
See you all next year at HR Tech in Las Vegas October 7 – 9, 2013.
Interested in reading the latest HRO news from NelsonHall? Subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here.


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The news could be spun a number of different ways, since the company has been reported to send its lawyers after just about anything with Monster in its name, citing brand protection as its motivation. But the move actually makes sense. While Monster Cable started out as a premium wire and connective cable company, it has long since moved on to other consumer electronics products, including power management, powered speakers and, of course, headphones.
While the company's name and product packaging will change, its website URL will not. The popular job search engine, Monster.com, will keep its URL of the same name. So, for the time being, MonsterCable.com will continue to the be go-to Web address for the consumer electronics juggernaut.
During that same press conference, Lee also announced that rock band Chicago will be handling the celebrity musical entertainment at Monster's annual Dealer Awards shin-dig. The concert is scheduled for January 11th at the 85,000-square-foot Paris Ballroom in the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Editors' Recommendations
- Monster fires 'toxic' COO, alleges threats of mutilation, death
- Exclusive: Beaten by Beats, here's how Monster is reinventing itself
- Monster Cable blacklists Facebook, Sears and eBay as 'rogue sites'


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The cave Peshna has the biggest entrance in the Balkans! Located 6 km from Makedonski Brod on the regional road to Samokov it is one of the most attractive natural beauties of Macedonia.
Unfortunately, not many people know about it, even the Macedonians are still discovering it, so it is a hidden gem and an unexplored tourist destination, although it was proclaimed a natural heritage of Macedonia. It was our, me and my husband's first visit to the cave, although it's only 1,5 hours drive from our city. We were making plans for this visit for few months but there was always something we had to postpone. And now the moment to see this wonder of nature has come.
As we were approaching by driving and we saw the huge hole in the hill we were like OH MY GOD! We knew it was big but didn't expect to be that huge. Before we went there, of course, we were exploring on the internet and we saw the photographies of the cave, but believe me, nothing can prepare you for what you will experience on the spot.We parked the car in front of the restaurant nearby and continue walking. It was enjoyable and exciting 10-15 minutes walk to the entrance. The road that leads to the cave is enclosed with trees and bushes and leads right to its incredibly huge entrance.As we were getting closer the sound of the river was getting stronger. This was probably the best period of the year to be there because there was a lot of water coming out of the cave making beautiful waterfalls. I knew there was suppose to be a small lake at the end of the cave, and listening to the water I was excited to see it. Unfortunately, it was gone. Probably the water has changed its path during the past years. The cave had been researched and what was discovered was not a bear in hibernation 🙂 , but it was a lake, two hundred meters underground. This lake has an endemic species of fish with skin that resembles the human skin, something that has been found in the inhabitants of Postojna Caves in Slovenia.
I expected the cave to be deeper and flat, at least it looked like that on the photographies, which was disappointing for a second. Then I saw how high it was and that I can explore the inside, climbing the steep ground, over the small and large rocks. There aren't any stalactites on the ceiling of the cave, but I'm sure you will enjoy the wonderfully shaped rock. This natural masterpiece leaves you breathless with its magnitude, grandeur, and beauty. It is 40 meters high and about 124 meters deep. There are an endemic species of bats that are very important for the ecosystem, there is one of them in the next photograph! Oops, it's my husband. We didn't manage to see the bats, but there were many other birds, like pigeons in different colors. These huge rocks, that are over 2 meters high, are standing there for centuries. It was perfectly safe to move around, only if you go with small children maybe it's not the best idea to let them around unattended. It was a real serenity for me. When we climbed high and we could see the whole shape of the entrance of the cave, like a giant eye looking at you. We simply seat and relaxed, letting our thoughts flow along the sounds of the running water. The ceiling and walls of the cave shine with amazing colors, from light green to deep purple. From a different angle, it looks completely different. I just couldn't stop shooting, and it was difficult to choose which photographies to use for the post since all of them are special in some way.Sunlight reaches the far end of the cave so you will have no problem walking around it. To make the next photograph my husband had to climb on the remains of the huge walls.Peshna Cave in The New York Times was described as identical to the imaginary caves in "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The remains of the fortress built inside the cave, look like Helm's Deep fortress in "Lord of the Rings'. The remains of walls inside the cave are connected to another site nearby, more with a story then by road 🙂 As you are driving toward the cave on the hills before the turn to the cave, you will notice the remains of a medieval fortress. According to the legend, King Marko had four sisters and he built homes to two of them in this area. One of the sisters was Deva and her house was here on the hill. You can still see some remains of the building at the top of the hill and if you like and have time enough you can hike to the top.
For the other sister Peshna, King Marko build a home at the entrance of the cave. She was using the echo of the cave to communicate with her sister. Two villages in this area, Devic and Peshna, were named after the two sisters.The whole region boasts a pure, untouched nature where you can have a picnic by the Treska river which runs several hundred meters from the cave. There are the Peshna motel and its fish farm. Near the cave, there is a traditional restaurant "Dedo Ilija" where you can try traditional Macedonian dishes.It was an amazing experience and I do recommend it to everyone. Make Peshna Cave your next adventure!
My country is indeed bestowed by nature. Thank you for your time spent reading.


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Fact check: Will holding your breath for 10 seconds reveal if you have coronavirus?
The Claim: Holding your breath for 10 seconds every day can self-check for COVID-19
Amid the sea of misinformation circulating social media, a self-check for COVID-19 is popping up on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp. Social media users claim people can test themselves for COVID-19 every day by attempting to hold their breath for 10 seconds.
On March 13, one Facebook post with more than 150 shares explained the test, "Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness, etc., it proves there is no (COVID-19 caused) Fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicates no infection."
What experts say: The breath test is inaccurate
University of Maryland Chief Quality Officer and Chief of Infectious Diseases Dr. Faheem Younus tweeted on March 16: "Wrong: Most young patients with coronavirus will be able to hold their breaths for much longer than 10 seconds. And many elderly without the virus won't be able to do it."
On March 17, Dr. Thomas Nash, a New York Presbyterian Hospital internist, pulmonologist and infectious disease specialist, told Reuters the breath test was "just made up."
Different posts mistakenly source the claim to an unnamed Stanford Hospital Board member, a Japanese doctor or Taiwanese experts. On March 13, Stanford University tweeted, "Misinformation about COVID-19 symptoms and treatment falsely attributed to Stanford is circulating on social media and in email forwards. It is not from Stanford."
Stanford Health Care spokeswoman Lisa Kim told CNN on March 17 that the "dangerous" claim was not from Stanford Medicine and "contains inaccurate information."
The March 13 post claimed the breath test checked for fibrosis caused by COVID-19. The post read, "By the time they have fever and/or cough and go to the hospital, the lung is usually 50% Fibrosis and it's too late."
Fibrosis is defined as "the overgrowth, hardening, and/or scarring of various tissues" caused by "chronic inflammatory reactions induced by a variety of stimuli including persistent infections, autoimmune reactions, allergic responses, chemical insults, radiation, and tissue injury."
Dr. Robert Legare Atmar, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine called the post's language "extremely alarmist" to CNN on March 17.
Nash told Reuters that "fibrosis takes months if not years to develop."
Although COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia in some patients, which can eventually lead to fibrosis, Nash said this virus "is brand new and no one on the planet knows if it causes fibrosis."'
The post also claimed the development of pneumonia was the second symptom of COVID-19, but according to the World Health Organization only patients with severe cases develop pneumonia.
Along with fibrosis and pneumonia, the post misrepresents COVID-19 symptoms as feeling "like you're drowning."
Atmar said COVID-19 patients likely wouldn't experience that symptom, "That does not sound like any other respiratory virus people are infected with and many patients with coronavirus have not had nasal infection at all."
In addition to the breath test, Facebook posts suggest ineffective methods to protect against the virus such as drinking large amounts of water, gargling saltwater and exposure to heat and sun.
A similar March 12 Facebook post with nearly 200 shares read, "Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water and other fluids will help wash it down ... the hydrochloric acid in your stomach will kill the germs. If you do not drink enough water regularly, the virus can enter the airways and into your lungs".
Younas debunked the water method on Twitter, "Virus may gain entry via throat but it penetrates into the host cells. You can't wash it away. Excessive water will make you run to the toilet."
PolitFact and Snopes both discredited the claim that "you should also gargle as a prevention" method. Both found that while gargling does ease throat discomfort there is no evidence that it kills the virus.
The March 13 Facebook post also claimed that COVID-19 "hates the sun" and could be killed by just "26/27 degrees," which is about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. PolitiFact debunked the claim that sun exposure kills the virus. The WHO warns that hot baths and warm climates do not prevent the spread of COVID-19.
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user, Todd Richardson, for comment and received no response.
Our Ruling: False
Social media posts claim holding your breath for 10 seconds is a self-check for COVID-19. We rate this claim as FALSE because it is not supported by our research. The breath test is an ineffective way to test for fibrosis, which has not been linked to COVID-19. Patients should not expect a drowning feeling and pneumonia only occurs in severe cases. Drinking liquids, gargling saltwater and sun or heat exposure are not effective methods of preventing COVID-19 contraction.
People who are concerned that they've contracted COVID-19 should use the Center for Disease Control's Self-Checker Tool for guidance or contact a doctor.
Our fact-check sources:
- University of Maryland's Dr. Faheem Younus
- Dr. Faheem Younus' Twitter
- Reuters: False claim: Doctors offer advice for preventing COVID-19
- Stanford University's Twitter
- CNN: Coronavirus myths
- U.S. National Library of Medicine, fibrosis
- WHO on coronavirus
- Dr. Faheem Younus on Twitter
- Politifact, on gargling and coronavirus
- Snopes, on gargling and coronavirus
- PolitiFact, on sun exposure and coronavirus
- WHO, on coronavirus myths
- CDC on coronavirus testing and symptoms


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Spring has Sprung! Liven up your cookie baking this season with the unique look of wafer paper! This PINK BLOSSOM pattern is perfect for spring and summer, birthday parties and more.
A fun after school project for kids is to make MINI ALPHABET COOKIES and let the kids have a decorating party. Make a batch of icing and get an array of sprinkles and decorations for them to use!
Or can always get that extra special look with a few EDIBLE SUGAR BUTTERFLIES atop a fresh made cake or cupcakes.
Happy spring fancy friends!


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SUNRISE, Fla. – Strikeforce welterweight Jay Hieron may have (once again) earned his shot at a 170-pound title fight, but he hardly impressed en route to booking his appointment.
Hieron earned a rather one-sided unanimous-decision win over fellow contender Joe Riggs in a 15-minute affair that did little to excite the fans in attendance.
The bout served as the featured preliminary card fight of Saturday night's "Strikeforce: Miami" event at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., which preceded the night's Showtime-broadcast main card.
Hieron stunned Riggs early in the fight with a right hand, but "Diesel" recovered well. While Riggs answered back with a few jabs, Hieron secured the lacking-in-action opening frame with a few kicks to the legs and body.
Much of the final two frames saw Hieron in top position, looking to inflict damage on his foe with a ground-and-pound attack. A cut over Riggs' eye became worse as the final round wore on, and it became increasingly evident his only option for victory was a stoppage. Riggs tried a kimura from the bottom, but Hieron shook it off and returned to his pounding assault.
When the final bell sounded, the winner was evident, though fans appeared relieved the bout had finally concluded.
While Hieron was passed over in favor Marius Zaromskis for a crack at Nick Diaz and the vacant welterweight belt, his second Strikeforce win should put "The Thouroughbred" in line for the next shot.
"Joe Riggs is a tough guy," Hieron said following the win. "I came to Strikeforce for a title shot, but I wanted to … beat him and prove that I deserved a legitimate shot.
"It was a great win for me, but I don't care who is next."
Hieron (19-4 MMA, 2-0 SF) now has seven-straight wins, dating back to his days with the IFL. The loss snapped a four fight win streak for Riggs (32-11 MMA, 3-3 SF).
The Hieron vs. Riggs bout, which many MMA fans and observers felt belonged on the evening's main card, was instead featured on a free Internet stream at EASportsMMA. Unfortunately for all parties involved, most MMA fans reported technical difficulties with the live feed.
Debuting welterweight Joe Ray looked to push the action early in his preliminary card bout, and an opening flurry wobbled opponent John Clarke. A clinch from Clarke bought him some time, but Ray was determined to get the finish.
After a restart, Ray scored again with his hands, followed by his knee, and then tossed Clarke to the floor. Ray quickly moved to mount, and the punches that followed sealed the result at the 3:14 mark of the opening round.
"I caught him with a few lefts," Ray said following the win. "I thought I had him."
Ray (1-0 MMA, 1-0 SF) earns an impressive win in his pro debut, while Clarke (0-1 MMA, 0-1 SF) falls short in his own first outing.
Gomez earns decision in lackluster bout; Alfonso shocks da Matta
Featherweights David Gomez and Craig Oxley opened their preliminary card bouts perhaps exactly as one should have expected from a pair of 0-2 fighters. While Gomez earned an early takedown, he did little to capitalize on the position and instead appeared content to simply maintain control from the top for most of the opening frame.
The second frame briefly offered a bit more action as the fighters looked to trade leg-locks, but Gomez continued to get the better of Oxley on the ground. The pattern and the pace of the fight had been firmly established, though the product hardly entertained the crowd.
Gomez again showed his ground prowess in the final frame as he calmly ground-and-pounded his way to a lackluster, though on-sided, unanimous-decision win.
Gomez (1-2 MMA, 1-0 SF) wins for the first time in his young career, while Oxley (0-3 MMA, 0-1 SF), competing in MMA for the first time since 2001, remains winless in three tries.
In a matchup of 140-pound Brazilian submission aces, it appeared Pablo Alfonso would simply use an effective left hand to end the fight. But Marcos da Matta looked to change the flow of action but taking the left out of the equation and moving the fight to the floor.
While he was effective in his goal, da Matta's strategy backfired.
Alfonso moved smoothly into an arm-bar as he crashed to the floor, torqued the hold, and forced the tapout just 1:47 into the fight.
Alfonso (6-2 MMA, 1-0 SF) has now won two-straight fights, and five of his six career wins have come by submission. An American Top Team product, da Matta (7-1 MMA, 0-1 SF) loses for the first time in his career.
Hassan delivers brutal finish; Kelly hands Homasi first loss
The evening's second contest drew a bit of early ire from the crowd as welterweights Hayder Hassan and Ryan Keenan opened slowly. Things quickly changed.
A few flurries traded in the first left Keenan on the canvas, and Hassan asked his foe to stand and eat another combination. Hassan earned the first round with the tactic, and he would use the second frame to claim the win.
The second round opened methodically again, and Keenan looked to score with leg kicks. Hassan answered with a heavy combination the dropped his opponent to the floor. Hassan dove in to deliver more damage, but the referee quickly halted the bout to protect an unconscious Keenan.
Hassan (3-1 MMA, 1-0 SF) now has three TKO finished in his three career wins, while Keenan (3-1 MMA, 0-1 SF) was handed his first career defeat.
In the evening's first contest, after some initial back-and-forth action, welterweight John Kelly took control late in the opening round and kept the momentum going until he earned the finish.
Previously undefeated Sabah Homasi was forced to defend on his back in the first frame while Kelly tried to finish the fight from the mount position. Homasi escaped as time expired and survived to see the second round, but he never threatened a comeback.
Homasi actually brought the action to the floor in the second, but Kelly deftly escaped, worked to the back, and sunk in a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Kelly (4-0 MMA, 1-0 SF) now has four stoppage wins to open his career, while Homasi (2-1 MMA, 0-1 SF) loses for the first time as a pro.
A preliminary card bout between Michael Byrnes and David Zitnik was scrapped due to time constraints, though Strikeforce officials said they hoped to contest the bout later in the evening.
- Jay Hieron def. Joe Riggs via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Joe Ray def. John Clarke via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:14
- David Gomez def. Craig Oxley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Pablo Alfonso def. Marcos DaMatta via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:47
- Hayder Hassan def. Ryan Keenan via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:42
- John Kelly def. Sabah Homasi via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:48
For complete coverage of "Strikeforce: Miami," check out the MMA Events section of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
(Pictured: Jay Hieron)


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Column: Not too laid-back, Carroll builds a foundation in Seattle that might be too good
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – He was supposed to be too nice, too laid-back, too much of a rah-rah guy for the NFL.
That was always the knock on Pete Carroll. When people called him a "player's coach," what they really meant was that sooner or later, his own players were going to pull the rug out from under him.
You heard it when Carroll got to Seattle four seasons ago — fresh off building a USC program that captured two national titles, but at times resembled a fraternity — and went 7-9 in each of the first two years. The same way you did when Carroll was run out of New York exactly 20 years earlier, like some wide-eyed tourist who'd just had his pocket picked.
He proved he could dominate the college game, and his hair turned gray in the interim. Yet you heard it again during the buildup to this Super Bowl, when Carroll refused to crack down on star defender Richard Sherman for talking too much, or running back Marshawn Lynch for talking too little, or essentially passing off the rash of drug busts — seven Seattle players have been suspended by the league for substance-abuse or performance-enhancers since 2011 — as youthful mistakes.
"What," Carroll said late Sunday night through a widening smile, "are you supposed to say to that?"
Exactly what the Seahawks said with their play just moments earlier, making a statement in the Super Bowl by destroying the Denver Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning 43-8.
"I think he does a great job of just making every day seem like it's a championship game," said cornerback Byron Maxwell.
"I don't want to say it feels like a regular game," he added, "but it feels like a regular game in a sense. He does a great job of that."
There were dozens of stats that spoke volumes about how enthusiastically Carroll's players warmed to the tasks. But few leapt off the page as vividly as the large Gatorade stain covering the back of Carroll's shirt.
"If it were fake," receiver Doug Baldwin said about Carroll's approach, " it wouldn't work. ... "You'll run through a wall for that guy."
It takes only a minute or two around Carroll to see why he inspires that kind of fierce loyalty. He rambles sometimes, but he always listens. On the podium after the win, he didn't gloat and more than once, he leaned away from the microphone and off to one side to make sure heard the questions being thrown at him from every side.
"It played out the way we wanted it to play," he said. "All phases contributed. It was not really a question in their minds that we wouldn't perform like this."
Carroll rarely tears into his guys, and while that nice-guy persona worked wonders in college, it nearly got him laughed out of the pros.
Coaches are hired to be fired, or so the saying goes. But the Jets team he inherited in 1994 — after working as an assistant from coast to coast — practically guaranteed it by flat-out quitting on him in his only season there.
They took his constant calls for shared responsibility as an invitation to take the rest of the season off. One moment the Jets were 6-5 and the next time Carroll looked up, they were 6-10. Even so, he never saw it coming.
When the Jets' late owner, Leon Hess, finally got around to firing Carroll, this is what he reported back, "Pete was shocked. He's a great, high-principled man. He didn't expect it."
Carroll was so principled, in fact, that he didn't change his approach; not when he got another NFL go-round with the Patriots, nor when he wound up back in the college ranks and on the West Coast, at laid-back Southern California. He still gave his assistants a wide berth, still played his hunches when it came to both trick plays and untested players — the kind of experiments that got him mocked in the hidebound NFL — and still insisted on spreading around the responsibilities, and especially the credit.
Carroll gambled a career that he could get it right in the NFL, provided he had the right people. It involved gathering up an armful of kids and another armful of undrafted free agents. Ultimately, it brought out the best in just about everybody that crossed his path.
"We didn't ask them to do things that we don't always do," Carroll said finally, "and they trusted in that."
Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at email@example.com and follow him at Twitter.com/JimLitke.


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I am not at work!!! Please let me savor that first glorious part of my day!
I am also now in Fort Wayne, Indiana and ready for the Federation of Genealogical Societies' 2013 Conference. I came in to town this morning barely in time for a Volunteer Orientation, got checked in early, and spent the afternoon chasing down leads on my Great-Aunt's lines at ACPL's Genealogy Center.
I happily hit on a few great compiled genealogies (with citations and annotations) on both the Baggett and Bone families who settled in Bond Co., Illinois. I also had a few possible hits on her Snow line, another Bond Co, Illinois family. The Genealogy Center was hopping this afternoon but they're certainly prepared with extra work tables, volunteers helping direct traffic, and, I'm fairly certain, copy machine repair on speed dial… the machines were getting a workout.
It's been such a bizarre month that I never had time to even mention that I'd be here, and on a couple of occasions I had the passing thought that I'd have to cancel… but I am so glad I made the trip! A conference like this is enlightening, entertaining, and a great chance to meet up with fellow researchers.
I am looking forward to everything! Volunteering, attending sessions, and sneaking over to the Genealogy Center whenever I have time.
Happy hunting!


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One household, zillions of files of music, movies, and games. And today LaCie introduced another solution for sharing all of them—the CloudBox.
Twitter Is Shifting Right | Future Tech
Available in configurations of 1TB for $120, 2TB for $150, and 3TB for $180, the NAS kit lets everyone who's hooked up to share their stuff remotely. Setup is supposed to be a breeze, too—just plug in, connect to the internet, and the software will appear on your screen. Then you can stream movies to any network-connected Xbox 360, computer, or TV, as well as download music and photos from where ever. It's a pretty surefire solution if you have tons of files you want to stash and share with little to no hassle. [LaCie]


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How to Prevent Low Back Pain
Anyone can experience low-back pain—and a lot of us do. According to one estimate, about 80% of adults have low-back pain at some point in their lives.
Pain can start suddenly, maybe because you tried to lift something heavy. Or it can develop over time, due to age-related changes in your spine. Most low-back pain is temporary, lasting a few days or a few weeks and going away on its own. But while the pain lasts, it can limit your mobility.
There are a variety of steps you can take to prevent low-back pain. Here are a few.
Stay Active
Back pain occurs more often in people who are not physically fit. Weak back and abdominal muscles may not support the spine well. Work with your doctor to develop a plan for regular exercise that keeps your back muscles strong.
Keep a Healthy Weight
Being overweight, obese or gaining a lot of weight in a short time can put stress on your back and lead to low-back pain. For a healthier back, try to stay within 10 pounds of your ideal weight.
Sit Upright
Sit in a chair that has good lumbar support and is at a proper height for the task. Keep your shoulders back. Keep your knees and hips level. Look straight ahead without neck strain. Keep your computer monitor at arms' length. If you're going to be sitting for a long time, raise your feet up onto a low stool.
Look at Your Shoes
If you have back pain after standing or walking, take a look at your shoes. Shoes with high heels or heels with uneven wear can hurt your posture and put stress on your back.
If you're going to be lifting a heavy item, ensure that you have a clear path to move it. Keep a wide stance, and bend at the knees, not the waist. Keep the load as close as possible to your body. Avoid bending from your back, and don't twist. Better yet, try to avoid lifting very heavy objects.
Smoking decreases blood flow to the lower spine, which can contribute to spinal disc degeneration. Smoking also increases the risk for osteoporosis, or weak bones. Coughing due to heavy smoking also can cause back pain. Ask your doctor for help quitting smoking.
Set the seat height and distance so that your knees are slightly bent and your back is supported. Recline your seat slightly to decrease any strain on your back. If your car seat does not have adequate lumbar support, place a cushion or rolled-up towel behind your back. Take frequent breaks during long drives to get out of the car and stretch or take a short walk.
If back pain strikes despite all your best efforts, you might need to see a doctor.
Sources: Arthritis Foundation; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; North American Spine Society
Visit our "Health Information" library to read this full article and to find other helpful resources!


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In-room Ironing for Guests: A Guide for Hotels
Normally I enjoy ironing. Minimal attention is required, enough to avoid burning one's self or the garment, making it an ideal activity for deep thinking. Yet I dread ironing in hotel rooms. It's as if hotels sought out a consultant … Continue reading
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The Middlebury Campus, our student paper, covered three stories about LIS this week.
- E-books Reduce Student Burden – about the e-textbook pilot, quotes Rebekah Irwin.
- LIS Launches New Site Archiving College History – about Midd History Online, quotes Andy Wentink, Rebekah Irwin and William Guida '12.5, a student research associate in LIS.
- New Science Data Librarian Blends Info and Academics – about Wendy Shook, who is quoted in the piece.
TV Advertising To Students Most Effective; Email Best Reach from a 2012 College Marketing Report from the Barnes & Noble College Marketing Division


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In the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to review and comment on what seems to be a very unusual if not unique venture—a "first book of evolution" designed for children in the toddler to preschool age range. This is Grandmother Fish (referred to NCSE by Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer), which you can read about here.
This is still a work in progress, but promises to be a simple yet accurate first introduction to some of the most basic features and events in vertebrate evolution. It conveys the core message that all life is related, that we are all cousins, in a way which connects the reader, the child being read to, and a series of "grandmothers" from fish to human. After reading it, I felt something akin to Thomas Henry Huxley's self-reported reaction to Charles Darwin's exposition of natural selection: How extremely stupid not to have thought of that! The creators of Grandmother Fish have started a Kickstarter campaign to support the completion of the book. Check it out.
I have written before about crowdfunding of evolution and climate change education and some of the creative projects folks are bringing before the general public in hopes of turning them into reality. See my previous post for links to some successfully funded projects from last year. Additional projects that we have noted in 2014 include a set of evolution animations, a cladistic card game, a DNA card game, and an evolution-themed board game. (Mention here does not constitute endorsement by NCSE.)
If you know of other recent, relevant crowdfunded projects please leave a comment.


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Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:40 pm
Our friend Kathleen Wanner of the Vermont Wood Manufacturer's Association VWMA is fond of the saying, "local wood = local good". It captures Vermont's passion for supporting small, local businesses that emphasize sustainable use of the working landscape: our forests and fields.
Consider for a minute, your impact on local economies when you buy American made furniture versus imported furniture (most furniture in America is imported from Asia). If, for example you buy Vermont made wood furniture, you are supporting the local land owner who grew the trees, the forester who manages the land for sustainability, the logger who falls the trees, the sawyer who slices and dices the wood, perhaps a wholesaler (and/or retailer) who inventory the wood, the furniture maker who builds your furniture and (unless you buy directly from the furniture maker) the retail store that sells you the new bedroom set. That's why we say "local wood = local good".
Here's a typical Forest to Furniture scenario that happens routinely all over Vermont:
A local logging company or tree service harvests the trees.
Chuck Mayotte from Mayotte's tree service in Guilford looks to find the highest and best use for the trees he removes. Sometimes trees will be used for firewood, but when Chuck comes across high quality logs or those with special character, he sells them to area furniture makers.
Local sawyers cut the lumber into planks or beams.
Vince Johnson is a local sawyer in Vernon with a portable sawmill that he drives to the woodlot at harvest time. He sawed black locust and norway spruce logs for us at Stonehurst, our new fine furniture gallery. They are currently being used to build a deck behind our showroom.
Kerber Mills is another local sawyer with a small mill in Guilford, VT. Clint Kerber milled the cherry and maple wood for our hardwood floors at the Stonehurst showroom.
Local furniture makers transform the wood into fine furniture.
So… what do you think? Does the story (and the benefit to local economies) behind local wood furniture add enough value to sway your buying decision? Or is imported furniture just too darned affordable to pass up? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook!
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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.


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First things first, I haven't read To Kill a Mockingbird. I know, I know. What have I been doing. But in my defense, I've never tried reading all the classics like a lot of other people. I just read what I read when I read it. Also, I just bought the book from Amazon. Ha. Because it is one of those books that I'll read at some point. I doesn't have to be next month or next year, but I'll read it eventually.
But I do know just a little teeny tiny bit about the book. Every person who knows anything about books has heard of Scout and Atticus Finch. But honestly, besides knowing that there's a legal aspect to the book, I know nothing. So don't go ruining it for me! Seriously. That's how you get blocked on WordPress.
So now to the present. Turns out that Harper Lee wrote another book way back in the 50s. Set in the same town as To Kill a Mockingbird and around some of the same characters. Most notably, Scout. This new book is called Go Set a Watchman. Based on what I've read from numerous articles, the story follows an older Scout as she returns home to visit her father. That's about all that I can find at this point. But really, does it matter what the book is about? The book could be about dinosaurs taking over America and ruling the world and people would want to read it. Why? Harper Lee.
The book is set to be released on July 14 of this year. The first printing alone will be two million books. Will you be getting your hands on the new book? I might, if two things happen. First, if I get around to reading To Kill a Mockingbird prior to the release date. And second, if they decide to release it on Kindle. Since we all know how long it took for her first book to make it to eBook format. And because I don't buy hardcovers.
I'm off to start her first book! Kidding. It's not here yet. There are dozens of articles noting the new book's release, but here's one from The New York Times.


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Part Two 2: Quick Ripening of Intense Feelings
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Part Two 2: Quick Ripening of Intense Feelings "In the few spare moments when I have time to think of personal things, my thoughts inevitably wander back in your direction. The quick ripening of our intense feelings for one … Continue reading →
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Manziel is a backup, but Browns vets support him
BEREA – One day after Cleveland Browns veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer held onto his starting job, receiver Nate Burleson defended the league's most-scrutinized backup.
"We have arguably the best No. 2 (quarterback) in the NFL," Burleson said of Johnny Manziel, the team's polarizing star rookie.
Burleson, ever candid as he heads into his 12th season, called himself a "Johnny Football fan" in going out of his way to insist Manziel will learn from his most viral preseason moment: flipping his middle finger toward the Washington Redskins bench during Monday's nationally televised preseason loss.
"I don't mind the guy making mistakes, especially young in his career," Burleson said. "God knows I've made a lot of mistakes over my career. I just didn't have five high-definition cameras on me at all times. I'm fine with the guy making decisions and manning up to it.
"From what I've seen in Johnny and the way he approaches this job, he loves this sport and he wants to be great at it."
Burleson said it might be a blessing that the former Texas A&M quarterback won't start the season atop the depth chart after coach Mike Pettine appointed Hoyer his starter Wednesday, citing his poise and experience.
"It's not a bad thing for him to be the No. 2 Week 1," Burleson said of Manziel. "He's a rookie and still has a lot of learning to do as a professional and a player."
Nonetheless, players are grateful the summer-long quarterback question has temporarily at least been resolved.
With Hoyer slated to work at least the first half with the starters when the Browns host the St. Louis Rams on Saturday as Manziel plays after halftime, players are hopeful a struggling passing attack will find some rhythm.
"I'm pleased that we made a decision and at least we're going to get couple of more weeks here getting good quality practices with Brian as the starting quarterback," All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas said, referencing Cleveland's Sept. 7 season opener at Pittsburgh. "(I)t's nice to have consistency in the guy who is taking the snaps first team because it gives everybody a chance to grow.
"That's how you get better. It is difficult switching between guys that you never get consistency with."
Cleveland's starting offense has yet to score a touchdown in seven preseason possessions.
"We're not executing well enough," Thomas said. "It's a new offense, different quarterbacks, a lot of new guys at different skill positions."
While Burleson hopes Manziel is Cleveland's future rock star, Hoyer has been a locker-room rock, taking just five days off amid his comeback from surgery to repair a torn right anterior cruciate ligament suffered in October.
"He was 3-0 last year when he was inserted and obviously was a huge factor in all of those victories," Thomas said, citing Hoyer's impact once he cracked the lineup.
"The guys that were around here know what he can do when the pressure is on. We're hoping to see a lot of that same stuff from him this year."
By his own admission, Manziel has a lot of learning to do when it comes to improving his play from the pocket and mastering the playbook of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
"Playing the hypothetical game of who would have been the starter, either one of those guys would do a great job for us," Thomas said. "Everyone on this team wants the best quarterback that gives us the best chance to win in Week 1.
"Coach chose Brian because of that factor. The whole team is behind him. If they would have chosen somebody else, I think the team would have been behind the other player if everyone felt he gave us the best chance to win."


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As an academic who specializes in Victorian literature and a steampunk who enjoys taking on the persona of Dorian Gray on occasion, I get a lot of questions and not a few strange looks from my colleagues and students when I explain what steampunk is (or at least try to) and why I so thoroughly enjoy being part of this subculture and avidly devour its fiction. Though most people are definitely interested in steampunk or pretend to be for my sake, I often get the sense that they wonder why a "serious" academic like myself is interested in steampunk culture and literature – that I have crossed some sort of academic nerd line in the sand and may be slightly strange for doing so.
What this attitude misses is how speculative fiction and the subcultures that embrace it, most especially steampunk, can welcome diversity and difference in ways that rare in mainstream culture and give both energy and verve.
[Read "Queer Cogs: Steampunk, Gender Identity, and Sexuality" on Tor.com]


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(This post was previously published several years ago but I thought it was worth repeating…Enjoy!)
Yes I said "fun with couscous". Recently I discovered Israeli Couscous or Pearl Couscous. I had seen it in a recipe some time ago and had a hard time locating it so I gave up. Then I was in my favorite Italian grocery and came across it. It was also a BOGO so I bought it! Of course by now I couldn't remember or find the recipe I originally wanted it for! But it didn't matter, I was all about finding a new recipe or recipes. For those of you who say you don't like couscous, this is a great variety to try. It's much larger than normal couscous and had a wonderful silky texture. It's not grainy like the regular variety.
First time I made it I served it cold! I had some leftover tomatoes and cucumbers and made a Mediterranean style cold salad with it. It was a huge hit! I served it at a barbecue at my house and people were asking for 2nd and 3rd helpings! So of course I've made it several times since!
Not to get into a rut with my new-found side dish I decided to make a hot side dish last week. This time it came out like a creamy cheesy risotto! OMG it was incredible! And it only took about 10 minutes to make! Did I mention this couscous only takes 8-10 minutes! No constant stirring, no long drawn out process, just a quick and easy side dish that you can add ANYTHING to. I've even added it to a soup instead of noodles! I am all about the couscous these days!!
It's possibilities are endless! So today I am going to include both my cold recipe and my hot risotto style recipe. Enjoy and go buy some couscous!
Recipe #1:
Mediterranean Couscous Salad
1 cup uncooked Israeli/Pearl couscous
1 ¼ cup liquid (water, chicken broth, veggie broth, etc)
Chopped tomato, about ¼ cup(remove seeds and insides, gets too watery)
Chopped cucumber, about ½ cup
1 cloves garlic, minced (or you can use garlic powder)
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
t teaspoon dill (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil
1: Boil liquid and add couscous. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't overflow. Stir occasionally.
2. When the liquid is all gone, drain and rinse well under cold water.
3. Add rest of ingredients, mix well and add a little olive oil (1-2 tablespoons). Mix again and chill.
4. When ready to serve place in serving bowl and drizzle a little more EVOO over the top and mix.
Makes 2-4 servings
Recipe #2
Couscous Risotto
*This recipe I used what I had leftover in the fridge to add to the couscous. I had made broccoli rabe the night before so I chopped it up and used that. You can also add chopped mushrooms or anything else you wish. Even change the cooking crème variety. Make it yours!
1 cup uncooked Israeli/Pearl couscous
1¼ cup liquid (water, broth, etc.)
leftover veggies, chopped well
Few tablespoons Savory Lemon & Herbs Cooking Creme (Philadelphia brand)
¼-½ grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1. Boil liquid and add couscous. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. When liquid is gone, keep heat on low and add the veggies, cooking crème and parmesan cheese. Stir well till heated through.
3. Serve immediately.
Makes 2-4 servings


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How Do Honey Bees Make Hives?
Worker honey bees make hives to store honey and feed themselves throughout winter when they cannot go outdoors to forage for food. Honey bee hives are made of six-sided tubes, which are the shapes for optimal honey production because they require less wax and can hold more honey. Some hives develop broods which become dark in color over time because of cocoon tracks and travel stains. Other honey bee hives remain light in color.
Wild honey bees make hives in rock crevices, hollow trees and other areas that scout bees believe are appropriate for their colony. Similar to the habits of domesticated honey bees, they construct hives by chewing wax until it becomes soft, then bonding large quantities of wax into the cells of a honeycomb. When worker bees crowd together within a hive, the hive remains at around 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, the temperature necessary to control the texture of the wax.
Although worker bees only live for approximately six weeks, they spend their lives performing tasks that benefit the survival of their colony. Around the time a worker bee turns 10 days old, she develops a unique wax-producing gland inside her abdomen. Workers forage for food and gather nectar from different flowering plants. When they carry nectar within their pollen pouch, it mixes with a specialized enzyme. After returning to the hive, the worker bee transfers the nectar from her tongue to another worker's tongue, where the liquid from the nectar evaporates and becomes honey.
The glands of worker bees convert the sugar contents of honey into wax, which oozes through the bee's small pores to produce tiny flakes of wax on their abdomens. Workers chew these pieces of wax until they become soft and moldable, and then add the chewed wax to the honeycomb construction.
The hexagonal cells of the honeycomb are used to house larvae and other brood, as well as to store honey, nectar and pollen. When beekeepers extract honey from hives, the comb is easily left intact, though beekeepers sell honey comb as well.
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Heavy black exhaust fumes are unwelcome visitors barging in bus windows we have quickly opened to escape the heat. We are two hours from the Guatemala City airport and there's no quick way out of here.
Not now.
We are officially committed on a nine-day course.
Our tag team of new age missionaries has set out to make monetary modifications; while our first visual encounters threaten to submerge us in a sea of hopelessness. Poverty has clearly permeated every community in this war-torn country. So, in self-defense, we make jokes about the "chicken bus," the obnoxious horns, and the extra-large Taco Bell.
Still, it's hard to ignore the little tin huts and greasy auto repair shops that are all around us as we head deeper into the abyss. The obnoxiously rude blaring bus horns continue to assault the senses and the smell of blackened filth seems to sit all around us.
Just as the sun is setting low over our arrival in this third world country, we pull into the place that will be our refuge. There is barely enough light to see and a hot shower is considered a luxury. Even when we have hot water, it is so contaminated we are warned not to get it in our eyes or mouth.
The temperature has dropped to a brisk 54 degrees with a noticeably cooler breeze blowing. The rain started, but quickly stopped, and everything feels just a little damp. It might dry out in the heat of tomorrow, but more than likely another little cloud will drift in again.
Yet, we feel incredibly blessed.
We were expecting much worse conditions.
Our guard goes down and we settle in.
Morning comes with hot pancakes and coffee.
Our arrival is anticipated in the Guatemalan village of Patzicia where their reactions, and ours, are mixed with apprehension, anticipation, and excitement. It's a pleasant place with happy home visits, a few minutes at the market, and a spontaneous soccer match.
We are good to go on.
Bland refried black beans for the next breakfast, with grainy unseasoned corn tortillas, signal that the trip is about to change. Our initial introduction into this mission is finally morphing into the real reason we are here. Happy home visits segue into an introduction to small hidden huts not fit for human habitation.
They are homes for families with five or ten children. The despair runs deep. The necessities for their existence are lacking at every level. Our hearts sink. Our emotions steel. We take inventory of what we have to give and we get to work.
Prayer is priority as our God sees and He knows and He is able. We dole out compassion, understanding, encouragement, and love. We offer up hugs, and smiles, as laughter seeps through the cracks and out into the courtyards.
God is in this place.
And, he has more for us to see.
Up on a remote mountain, where we experience a million miracles just riding safely in that chicken bus, we see and smell a society so far removed from our own that we are stunned!
Children, under the age of five, are dying here in San Antonio Nejapa on days when the smoke inhalation is more than their little lungs can filter and fight.
We are anxious to help solve this unnecessary situation and we set about installing new
The inventors of this quickly assembled contraption should be honored at the city gates, as they have been given the great gift of God's wisdom.
We are humbled.
Truly humbled to help.
Our iPhones are pulled out of pockets and backpacks for the sole purpose of taking pictures so this moment of meeting on God's terms is recorded outside of our hearts for others to see.
We have to share their story. We have to tell about the stoves.
They are not expensive. In fact, their affordability is astonishing. Who among us would not give $110 to save the life of a child?
Time is running out.
It's not the setting of the sun, but thick white clouds coming down on the mountain that send us back to our weeklong refuge.
The revelation of all that we own will be a bit more relevant tonight. We gather together around a fire to sing praise songs, share stories, and make plans with a new purpose.
It doesn't have to be us. It can be anybody. It can be you. There are volunteers trained in the art of stove assembly. They just need people who are willing to pay for the life of a child.
We walk reluctantly back to our rooms.
There is still barely enough light to see.
We know that a hot shower is a luxury they have never had.
"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will reward them for what they have done."
— Proverbs 19:17
© Copyright 2016, KeziahCarrie. All Rights Reserve


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Movie review: 'Tigertail' is a heartfelt story about love and family
At its heart, the new Netflix flick, "Tigertail," is a tribute to writer-director Alan Yang's father, a sugar factory worker who fled Taiwan for New York City as a young man and learned the hard way that the land of hope and opportunity wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. But Yang, the Emmy-winning co-creator of the streaming comedy series, "Master of None," insists his wrenching story of love denied and lost isn't autobiographical. Yet it rings hauntingly true, for it's the story of not just Yang's father, but every immigrant who suddenly found themselves a stranger in a strange land.
Like last year's smash, "The Farewell," Yang's simple but stirring tale is all about family and losing touch with your roots. It even stars Tzi Ma, the terrific character actor so affecting as Aquafina's father in "The Farewell." Here, he plays a similar patriarch transplanted via his own volition, separated from the mother he holds dear. Where the two films differ is in that instead of an examination of an extended family, "Tigertail" almost entirely focuses on Grover, a Taiwanese James Dean played by a smoldering Hong-Chi Lee as a youth and Tzi as an elder.
Given Hong-Chi's considerable charisma, it's little surprise that the film's best scenes involve him and his sexually charged romance with his seductive girlfriend, Yuan (Yo-Hsing Fang), a childhood sweetheart he's reconnected with in Huwei, a Taiwanese township whose name literally translates to tiger tail in English. Their affair is electric and dreamy, whether the budding rebels are doing a chew-and-screw at a snobbish restaurant or sharing terrific harmonies on Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay."
The problem is Grover adores another woman even more: his widowed mother (Kuei Mei Yang), who spends hours on end working beside him as a slave laborer in the local sugar factory. After a near-tragic accident, Grover throws up his hands and reluctantly accepts a dowry offer from his boss, marrying the rich man's dull, chronically introverted daughter, Zhenzhen (Kunjue Li), and relocating to New York in search of riches and a home where Grover's mother can join them.
It's a transaction as old as Faust and one forcing Grover to put his dreams ahead of his heart. It's a choice that will haunt him the rest of his life, and forever mar three other lives as well: Zhenzhen (played in later years by Fiona Fu), their daughter, Angela (Christine Ko), and Yuan (the great Joan Chen). How Grover reconciles these three broken hearts provides the backbone for "Tigertail," but the marrow is in the unrelenting guilt lurking inside himself. This internal struggle provides Azi a golden opportunity to seize upon his considerable acting abilities to create a character that is mean, bitter, but utterly deserving of your empathy. That's some trick.
What may bother some, besides an intrusive score, is how Yang has structured his film, wildly hopscotching from Grover's life as a child living with his grandparents in the rice paddies of Taiwan, to his youth in Huwei, his young adulthood in the United States and finally as a rueful old man. I found the time-hopping jumble a little disconcerting at first, but once I got into the rhythms of Yang's technique I waded smoothly into the flow, especially in the final 20 minutes, which are melancholy, yet cathartic and hopeful.
For a first-time director, the complexity of what Yang has undertaken is really something. And his finesse in creating drama is particularly impressive since Yang has spent his entire career in comedy, be it working at the Harvard Lampoon, writing and producing the cult hit "Parks and Recreation" and conjuring "Master of None," which like "Tigertail" explores the culture clashes inherent to immigrants and their families.
By the end of "Tigertail," my grasp of the pain and challenges of up and leaving all that you love behind was tightened considerably. And given our government's unwarranted assault on immigrants, it couldn't be timelier. Yet, what strikes you most, is the struggle between Grover and his daughter to break free of their cold, uncommunicative impasse, a relationship already frayed by divorce and Grover's inability to see Angela as something other than a flesh-and-blood reminder of his choice to forgo love for opportunity. But then Angela is equally close-minded, and watching their resolve melt on a trip back to Grover's childhood home (an eye-opening journey Yang says he took with his own dad) is beyond rousing. It's truth personified.
Al Alexander may be reached at email@example.com.
Cast includes Tzi Ma, Joan Chen, Christine Ko and Hong-Chi Lee. In English, Chinese and Taiwanese with English subtitles. Now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
(PG for some thematic elements, language, smoking and brief sensuality.)
Grade: B+


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Today's News: Our Take - Homeland: Is Mira Saul's Rock or a Liability?
Homeland has dropped a number of twists this season, but one of its most recent could potentially strike acting CIA director Saul Berenson very close to home.
Just as Saul (Mandy Patinkin) seemed to be putting back together his marriage with Mira (Sarita Choudhury), the show threw us a curveball. After Mira broke things off with her former lover Alain Bernard (William Abadie), he broke into Saul and Mira's house and planted a bug on their computer. So, is Alain a spy who is using Mira to get intel on Saul's operation or just an obsessed scorned lover? Sunday's episode (9/8c, Showtime) holds the answer.
Homeland postmortem: Show boss breaks down the "magic trick" of Season 3
"Episode 9 will answer the question of who he is, and Episode 11 will answer how it fits into the greater scheme of things," executive producer Alex Gansa tells TVGuide.com. But regardless of who he is, could this wreck Saul and Mira's relationship once and for all? "Mira really wasn't unfaithful," Gansa says. "She and Saul separated; Saul made it very clear that he was unable to meet her demands on the home front."
But could the unintended professional betrayal be more devastating? "I view Mira as blameless in the affair. She was being used. I think she can be excused for that because she was in Mumbai. She was halfway around the world and not in Saul's life anymore. Her defenses were down. If she was in Washington, D.C., I don't think she would have in a million years gotten involved with anybody else because of the very fact that that could be used against the director of Central Intelligence."
So are Saul and Mira on the road back to happiness? TVGuide.com chatted with Choudhury to discuss her character's true feelings for Saul and the price of being married to the CIA.
At the beginning of the season, Mira came running when Saul needed her. What does that say about their relationship?
Sarita Choudhury: There's so much deep love between them that, when something as big as the bombing at Langley happens, something that is so epic, you do run. Your heart speaks the truth for a minute. Her love for Saul is that true.
Homelandpostmortem: Brody's Back - but for how long?
But we learned that she was having an affair. Do you think she began that relationship out of resentment that Saul didn't put up more of a fight for her to stay?
Choudhury: One of the reasons she leaves is because she wants him to stay in his job and not worry about coming home late. She left, in a weird way, to give Saul his freedom. I don't think we premeditate that much in terms of our actions. I don't think it was pre-planned to do anything against Saul, but sometimes someone else does enter your life and maybe remind you of who you are.
When she does get back, the relationship with Saul was still strained. Did that deflate Mira?
Choudhury: [She gave] the energy of coming back and showing Saul that she cares only to find him in this odd slump. And in those early episodes, he wasn't making decisions on any level. That kind of stagnation, for someone like Mira, is almost degrading. She has to go on living her life at that point.
If she left Saul was to free him up, do you think bringing Alain to the states was a way to push Saul out of that slump?
Choudhury: That's interesting. I definitely think his inactiveness creates her activeness. But I don't think on a conscious level, she was with Alain to push Saul into a reaction. I think the frustration led to her just saying, "Someone in this house will make a decision this time."
Well, conscious or not, it did activate Saul. But right away, he has to leave again. Does
Mira think this cycle can ever be broken?
Choudhury: I think part of her could take a plate and throw it across the room and be very dramatic. But then a part was like, "OK, I do know his job, and I can tell on his face he is sad about it." We're having wine. We're relaxing. There's a part of her brain that always works in terms of, "This is his job. Let him go away for the week. Let's hope he calls me every night. Let's hope when he comes back, we're having a laugh again." That's where the change will be.
Postmortem: Homeland boss weighs In on Saul's shocking decision
And she does decide to break things off with Alain.
Choudhury: It would be hard to try and love Saul and be with another man. When Saul said, "You know what? I was wrong. This does affect me," I think that was enough for her to be like, "Thank you. I am breaking it off." She just needed to know it affected him on any level that she exists and that he would fight for her. That's what she needed to know.
But then of course we find out that Alain has a secret. Is he a spy or just obsessed with Mira?
Choudhury: I can't talk about it, but I can say that is exactly the question they want the audience to be thinking about.
Hypothetically, if he were a spy, how would Mira feel about being used as a pawn?
Choudhury: Mira would probably think, "Fair game." I've been used, and I used. Because she's fully in love with Saul, and on some level she used Alain. I don't think her ego would be hit.
But in the same way that the affair was a betrayal, this could also lead to a huge professional betrayal.
Choudhury: You're right. That is huge. But because it's not something she willfully did, Saul wouldn't blame her. Although it was careless.
Homeland video: Damian Lewis has the hardest-working nostrils in Hollywood
Because Saul has to keep so many secrets, does Mira ever feel like she's genuinely close to Saul?
Choudhury: I think she signed up for it, and she knows it. I think the difference is in the early part of their marriage, they would have fun with intellectual or philosophical ideas. Now, the job itself is so much, what she's fighting for [is,] "You don't have to tell me about your job, but you do have to be present."
Alex has said he wanted this season to be about the cost of intelligence work on the people who do it. What is the cost or impact for Mira as the wife of someone like Saul?
Choudhury: With Homeland, you never know what your story's going to end up being. So I always end up creating a few lies in my head for her that probably will never come to fruition because I know deep in my soul this woman is not a housewife. I think being married to someone like Saul, you have to want that life. She would not be happy with someone who just came home every night. And that's the bigger truth: the same things she gets upset about, she actually fell in love with. It's that double-edged sword.
It seems like Saul has a ticking clock on his time at the CIA.
Choudhury: And I think she might know it more than him, you know? Because he plays everything so fully, he's not thinking of whether this is the end of a career or what he's going to do next. I think she actually is thinking about that for him a little more.
Does Mira hope that perhaps Saul will realize he can step away? Perhaps this relationship can rescue him?
Choudhury: Wow, that would be so beautiful. I think it's going to be part of it. Even in the scene, him making breakfast and just having normal moments at home, I think that's what the hope is. But with Saul you never know. It's kind of unpredictable what he's been doing this season.
Homeland airs Sunday at 9/8c on Showtime.
(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS, Showtime's parent company.)
View original Homeland: Is Mira Saul's Rock or a Liability? at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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A Paraphrase with Notes, on the Acts of the Apostles, and Upon All the Epistles of the New Testament: Being a Compleat Supplement to Dr. Clarke's Paraphrase on the Four Gospels. With a Short Preface to Each Epistle, Shewing the Occasion and Design of It; the Several Arguments Set at the Head of Each Chapter; and a General Index to All the Principal Matters, Words, and Phrases of the New Testament, Excepting the Revelation. For the Use of Families, Volume 2
D. Midwinter, A. Bettesworth, 1737 - Bible
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Page 321 - Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Page 272 - And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned ; but now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God ; for he hath prepared for them a city.
Page 23 - But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Page 382 - No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.
Page 392 - And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
Page 289 - By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.
Page 77 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Page 225 - For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him...
Page 98 - Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world ; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth...
Page 271 - By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.


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Like millions of other Americans, I have been struggling for several weeks now, trying to figure out what political and human rights issues I really want to focus on, determining just what I can do to make a difference.
I've cruised through Meet Up, looking for a group that I wanted to join. I was looking for a group that was established and actively engaged in doing things that would have an effect, that might help gain some ground on this slippery and dangerous slope of the Republican run on our civil and legal rights. I found plenty of groups but none that seemed, from the outside, to be poised for success in this arena.
In the course of these weeks, I did join a start-up Indivisible chapter in a nearby town, an interesting experience but too young in its life to know what it is going to do and how it's going to do it.
So, instead of looking for groups to join, I decided to study the issues, of which there are many, and find those that I really wanted to go after. I found them.
If you live in Pennsylvania, you live in one of the states where voting districts were drawn for political purposes, not to ensure that your vote counts in an election outcome.
It's called gerrymandering. When districts are gerrymandered, politicians are picking their voters, not the other way around. Many districts are no longer competitive. A growing number of candidates run unopposed. Voters like me feel their votes don't count and, frankly, we are NOT be represented by the likes of Toomey, Meehan and Smucker.
Fair Districts, PA is working with state senators and representatives to take redistricting out of the hands of politicians and put it into the hands of an independent commission just the way the state legislature did in California in 2012.
So why join this fight? Because bipartisan legislation establishing an independent commission to draw up Pennsylvania's congressional and state legislative district maps has been introduced in Harrisburg. But it needs our support.
Every township in the state is getting citizens to sign petitions asking local governing bodies for resolutions of support for Senate Bill 22. These resolutions will go to our state representatives as will a demand for passage.
Pennsylvania's window of opportunity to affect redistricting is closing fast – the bill must be voted on and passed by state legislators this year and next year then be on the referendum in 2018 for voters – you and I — to pass. So redistricting is one issue I want to work on.
Re-elect US Senator Bob Casey
We have two Senators in Pennsylvania who are supposed to represent our views, our politics and our stand on issues in Washington, D.C. ONLY Bob Casey is doing that. The Republican party wants Pennsylvania because it's a swing state. It also wants PA because Bob Casey is not following the Trump agenda and is not simply mouthing platitudes delivered by other DC politicians.
So what? The Republican party and all of its financial resources are gunning for Casey in the 2018 election.
When it comes to Cabinet nominations, the Russian interference in US government, La Donald's attacks on programs like Affordable Care and Medicaid and executive orders affecting immigrants, Bob Casey has stood tall. Senator Casey's statements reflect some thought and insight — they are not party platitudes. They are honest assessments of the people and policies the Republican majority would like to install in government and implement across the country.
U.S. Senator Bob Casey must be re-elected in 2018.
Toppling Toomey
Pat Toomey is the poster child for what a bad politician looks and acts like. He refuses to hold face-to face meetings with his constituents but has plenty of time to meet with donors and political advisers.
In my search for issues to tackle, I went to a Tuesdays with Toomey rally in Philadelphia and was surrounded by about 400 people holding signs, clapping and shouting in response to a line up of good speakers and terrifying issues like demolishing the EPA, destroying ACA and unleashing ICE on people least able to defend themselves.
Toomey did not meet with this group; that's no surprise – the Senator from Pennsylvania has not been seen by his constituents for days. He held a town meeting on the phone – pre-screened questions and scripted responses, most of which were actually insulting. I know because I attended Toomey's virtual town meeting and blogged about what a joke this exercise really was.
His so-called statements on everything from the confirmations of Jeff Sessions and Betsey DeVos to the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court are either rehashed versions of the official Republican statement or verbatim quotes from La Donald. If Toomey had a brain, he parked it at the front door of the Senate Chamber 6 weeks ago and hasn't bothered to check to see if it's still there.
Toomey has to go.
My Action Plan
As disappointed as I was with the DNC,I am becoming active in the local Democratic party. It has the established infrastructure and contacts to hit the ground running and help effect change.
I am going to start working to ensure redistricting is taken out of the hands of Harrisburg politicians, gerrymandering comes to an end, Senator Bob Casey gets re-elected and, Pat Toomey is ousted from the Senate…in priority order! If we don't get our government back at a state level and rip out the Republican cartel, we will continue to lose elections and lose ground. PA is a swing state folks. This is important!
Mr. Trump, you are not going to divide us up by gender, by race, by who we love. Your bigotry is bringing us together in a progressive movement. We are not going to retreat on women's rights, immigration rights, workers' rights, health care rights, racial justice or climate change.
And guess what La Donald? If we work together, we shall overcome!