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Erik Kain, Contributor
I write about video games: the industry and the culture.
(Update 3/12/12: Please read my latest thoughts on this whole affair here. Other pieces in the series can be found here and here.)
(Update: Please read my latest piece on this issue here, in which I discuss the day-one DLC in more depth.)
Minutes after it was available to review on Metacritic, the negative reviews began popping up for BioWare's latest Mass Effect installment.
[Updated below with a comment about my review of A Dance With Dragons]
Two days later, despite Metacritic deleting a number of reviews deemed to be spam or in violation of their posting policy, the game is still hovering just over a 3 out of 10 score on PC and PS3, and at a 5 on Xbox 360. This stands in stark contrast to its reviewer score which hovers in the mid-90s across all systems.
So what's going on? I posted earlier that it was a reaction to the same-sex romance options in the game, and certainly there is some truth to this. But it doesn't tell the whole story. Not even close.
That post has been one of the most-commented-on posts I've ever written, and virtually all the comments angrily decry my theory on the same-sex sex scenes (though a few espouse overtly homophobic views as well.)
Rather than homophobia, many have argued, there are a laundry list of other sins the game committed:
1) The ending was terrible. Now, the game having only been out for a few hours when most of these reviews came in, I find this hard to swallow. Commenters have pointed out that the end had already been leaked, that the script and many of the cutscenes had also been leaked. But even if that's the case, doesn't that mean that these reviews are entirely dishonest? You can't review a game based on its script alone, or on a video of its ending.
A game is more than in its parts, and judging it entirely by leaked pieces is no way to judge it at all.
2) First day DLC (downloadable content.) BioWare chose to give players the option to purchase extra content on the first day the game was released. For reasons I don't entirely understand, this has many gamers upset. Note, this is not required by anybody. Nobody is forced to purchase any DLC now or ever. Many games release DLC later on in a game's lifespan. BioWare released it on the first day. Even if this rubs you the wrong way, scoring it at a "1″ or a "0″ because of first-day DLC is beyond puzzling.
(Update: After discussing this issue more, I can see where this complaint is coming from. Chopping out part of the game and then asking people to pay extra for it is certainly different than simply offering extra content on top of a fully loaded title.)
3) BioWare hasn't stayed true to the first Mass Effect game. This is a more compelling argument. The RPG elements of the game, many argue, have been watered down so much that it's hardly recognizable. But even so, the reviews came up within hours of its release. It's hard to see how so many people could have formed cogent opinions of the changes in this short of a time. Just as importantly, the game didn't change that much between ME2 and ME3. If the second installment was such a huge disappointment, why even bother with the third? Unless, of course, you're so angry at the developer that you don't actually bother with the third, and review it without playing it out of spite.
More on this later, but this one gripe, that BioWare has abandoned its old fans, seems the most convincing and the most sympathetic…
4) BioWare sold its soul to EA. EA owns lots of game developers now, and comes out with lots and lots of games. Some are good and some are bad. Games are a business, and EA is out to make money for better or worse. But so are the rest of the developers. I have no particular love of EA, and I know that they've done things in the past that have burned plenty of gamers. They're certainly no Valve. But even so, limiting our gaming experience to non-EA games seems wrongheaded. A game is more than the developer or distributor behind it.
5) The voice acting and writing were bad. The voice acting and writing seem about par with most narrative games. I agree that the writing and acting isn't spectacular. The pacing can be really botched at times. But this is pretty much the case across gaming. Uncharted 3 was really great all around – its acting and writing superb. That game was cinematic gaming at its best. ME3 is imperfect, but so is Skyrim and many other games. Gaming hasn't reached that level yet where its acting and writing and pacing and so forth really live up to the stuff we expect from great film and television. There's no excuse for this, honestly, but ME3 is hardly alone.
So then what's going on here?
Daniel Nye Griffiths wrote an excellent piece back in February about a well-coordinated onslaught against a BioWare writer, Jennifer Brandes Hepler, who was targeted viciously online by gamers angry at BioWare who made her the avatar of their fury. A digital burning-in-effigy took place, which is frankly a little hard to read.
Daniel writes:
Hepler's Twitter account has now been disabled at her own request, but the wormcasts of the messages by and about her are still here (warning – both NSFW for language and deeply depressing). If one can wade through the abuse and imaginative terminology, it turns out that, surprisingly for the new frontier of video games, the argument seems to come back to those election-year favourites of guns (or swords, or arquebuses), gays and God. Although in this case the god is a dwarven spirit occupying a magical anvil.
He also pulls a quote from a gamer, "Bastal" which went viral recently. The post, titled "Bioware Neglected Their Main Demographic: The Straight Male Gamer" reads:
Its ridiculous that I even have to use a term like Straight Male Gamer, when in the past I would only have to say fans, but it is as if when the designers were deciding on how to use their limited resources [...] they went "We have straight males, straight females, gays and lesbians. How do we make all these groups happy?"
In every previous BioWare game, I always felt that almost every companion in the game was designed for the male gamer in mind. Every female love interest was always written as a male friend type support character.[...] It makes things very awkward when your male companions keep making passes at you. The fact that a "No Homosexuality" option, which could have been easily implemented, is omitted just proves my point. [...]
When I say BioWare neglected The Straight Male Gamer, I don't mean that they ignored male gamers. The romance options, Isabella and Merrill, were clearly designed for the straight male gamers in mind. Unfortunately, those choices are what one would call "exotic" choices.
Daniel sees the culture war playing out in the gaming world, and on some level I think he's right. This was my first suspicion when I saw the Metacritic scores, and you can see a similar thing if you go back and look at the negative reaction to Dragon Age II which had its own injection of same-sex relationships.
Gamer abandonment syndrome.
The reviews themselves don't tend toward homophobia for the most part, however. A couple dozen talk about it, but most focus on the five items I list above. Maybe this is to hide behind the skirts of respectable criticism – another suspicion I had at first – but I'm starting to think it goes deeper.
Even with the leaked scripts and videos, and even if some people got their hands on pirated copies of the game prior to its release, the sheer volume and negativity of the user feedback smacks of coordination.
A number of people have suggested that this is a coordinated strike from the online forum 4chan, possibly utilizing reddit as a way to amplify the negativity. I have no way of knowing if this is true, but I have no doubt in my mind that there is coordination here. There is absolutely a vendetta going on against BioWare, and it's almost certainly for more reasons than just the inclusion of same-sex romance.
Perhaps, as with the culture wars in our politics, a few ringleaders are capitalizing on things like homophobia to drive these angry responses. Whatever the case, no red flags would have been raised had the game simply gotten mediocre user reviews. The reasons listed for all those super-low scores are simply not good enough.
Sometimes these grudges are born out of half a dozen reasons, out of an incoherent set of gripes, and with social media and the internet the pack mentality sets in quickly. Maybe this is the flipside to what just happened with Rush Limbaugh.
Limbaugh's "slut" comments went viral online and soon his advertisers were running for the hills. Maybe the other side of that coin is that if enough vocal people hold a grudge against a company like BioWare, they can organize to effectively work to damage that brand. In a sense, whatever gripe you may have about gaming, gay rights, and BioWare can all converge into a single momentum.
I've been asked numerous times if I considered that all these bad reviews were in fact because the game itself just sucked. Whoever is coordinating this anti-BioWare fatwa will have to do better if they want to convince people that this is the case. Too many similar complaints came up far too quickly; too many zeros and ones were given for this to be believable. Sock puppetry can go both ways. If a mediocre game has absurdly high user reviews I would be similarly skeptical of their legitimacy. Radical reactions online should give us pause.
And even if the number one gripe in all of this – that BioWare has abandoned its core fan base – is true, the response from that old fan base is unhelpful at best.
Troll Age
Daniel writes, "However liberal their capitalisation, these fans cannot turn back the giant, and no matter how many fiercely they flame, the heat they generate will continue to dwindle. We no longer live in an age of dragons, after all."
No indeed. We live in an age of trolls.
So a word of advice: if you do have it out for BioWare, and you want to convince people that their games just suck no matter what, don't take it so far. Give out mediocre scores – a 5 or a 6 or even a 7. It's more believable. What's going on right now doesn't seem real – even if everyone participating has a legitimate bone to pick.
Besides, this sort of obvious campaign has a way of backfiring. If you're upset that ME3 is too much like a shooter, or that EA is too money-grubbing, well these are legitimate complaints. Maybe ME3 really is trying to profit off of Call of Duty's success, and maybe BioWare should be criticized for this. The problem is, when you go so negative – when you start sounding like a spammer – nobody listens anymore. It all falls on deaf ears. It's preaching to the proverbial choir.
I don't think I was right to say that gaming culture is too homophobic for ME3. That is too broad a generalization, and some commenters have pointed out that other instances of same-sex characters from other studios have not produced the same backlash.
There are many homophobic gamers out there, and many who are not, and probably these two demographics overlap when it comes to the BioWare hate we're seeing. No, this is something more. But it's also really pointless. You can't keep hitting someone with a stick and expect them to listen. Just don't buy their games and explain why in a way that might actually draw their attention. Try to win people over, not bash their brains in.
I think there is a real, legitimate gripe buried beneath all the vitriol. I think gamers who felt let down by the simplification of BioWare's games – who loved Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 1 – have every right to be angry with the company. But the attacks on its writers and the coordinated onslaught on sites like Metacritic are the wrong way to fight this particular war.
A commenter elsewhere has reminded me of a time when I was in very similar shoes as those the old fans of BioWare's games are in. It's a useful mirror to hold up to my own face right now. Since I wasn't a player of the original ME or DA games it's especially useful.
I'm a big fan of George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books, but when his latest, A Dance With Dragons, came out I was sorely disappointed. And yet! All the big literary reviewers were calling it the best book so far. It was widely lauded with perfect scores and glowing reviews.
The only problem was that the book, by and large, was terrible. Okay, that's only half true. Half the book was brilliant and the other half was just awful. So I wrote my review partly in protest of the big literary reviewers who I felt were dishonestly representing the book as a triumph when it was anything but.
Now, for me Mass Effect 3 was a fine game. It did what I thought it should do, but I didn't play Mass Effect 1 so I don't really understand where original fans of the series are coming from. That's my fault. In any case, the rest of my critique stands, but I want to say that I do understand where you're all coming from.
Follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Read my Forbes blog here.
Do a little research before you post a report about Internet conspiracies and mass coordinated efforts of the anti-gay community. Go to BioWares website, EVERYONE HATES THE ENDING! Gamers invest time in video games, learning the plots, developing their characters and building relationships with in the game. ME3 promised to give the player the ability to effect the galaxy in a huge way but instead gave them three main endings with different colored explosions and nothing but plot holes and unanswered questions. I'm sure people are just jumping on the band wagon as happens when a company makes a mistake, but the core fans, the ones who put money in BioWares pockets are leading the charge against a lazy and incomplete ending to a 5 year series of amazing games.
go back to reddit everyone knows there was a lil coordination
I agree with pretty much everything you say here Erik.
And even for someone like me, who halfway through has the feeling he won't come out thinking it's great, there is no way anyone could believably rate the game below a 7.
I have HUGE problems with the game, and the direction of the franchise, and practices of BioWare, EA, and so on.
But even I would not go lower than an 8, because whatever dissappointments the game delivers, it's only because of expectations raised by its previous accomplishments and success.
Most games are a load of rubbish. No one in their right mind could think ME3 is worse than the average title (I'm looking at you Binary Domain).
My only issue is with #2 on your list of complaints. I can't access the links at the moment, but I think there are stories floating that look at what content was on the shipped discs that shows the day one DLC was really content that was locked out, rather than bonus material. But for now I'll leave it to your investigative chops to see if that rumor has legs.
It doesn't justify them objectively. But as a rhetorical device for voicing consumer disatisfaction, well, isn't that why they let people do user reviews in the first place?
Publishers and Developers have decided to make games into services (rather than just products). As a result, perhaps these things should be reviewed like services as well now.
If Netflix started locking previously viewable content behind a new "bonus" paywall for "gold" subscribers or something like that, and they got a bunch of "bad" consumer scores, would we bat an eye at that?
For a trilogy of games, intentionally made that way, and intentionally stretched over the course of numerous pieces of DLC and bonuse digital goodies, is it really such a stretch to look at the Mass Effect series as a service that BioWare began providing to consumes years ago, and which has recently made some unpopular decisions?
"to remain profitable", really? Even though video games IS the most profitable entertainment industry right now? You know, above movies, TV and music.
Yeah no. Binary Domain IS better than Mass Effect 3. The gameplay is more innovative and seamlessly integrates companion interaction into the gameplay rather than segmented off so it can be isolated and removed in "action mode." The graphics are more smooth, the animations are better, more crisp, it runs at a higher FPS, and the enemy AI is better, the bosses battles are more interesting, and the writing does not resort to juvenile appeals to sex at every turn while trying to act progressive because they turned everyone bisexual or what have you.
I find it hilarious that people are getting so bent of shape that people are giving ME3 a low score they feel it doesn't deserve, while reviewers give it 100′s across the board. Hypocrisy much? Yes in all honesty this game deserves more like a 5 or 6, not a full zero, but why isn't anyone calling foul at all of the 100′s either?
Yes we live in "troll age" but you also speak nothing of how corrupt the review process has become. We live in an age where major gaming websites are at the mercy of publishers and act as shills for whatever company is nicest to them, while publishers strong arm the more honest ones out of business. It's sickening, and that's why there is so much backlash.
These websites have their own credibility at stake, the game that they shoved down our throats with ad spreads covering their entire websites, they don't want to admit that this game is actually mediocre, or take any of the criticisms seriously. If you want the truth from gamers, gamers should be able to expect the truth from reviewers.
No offense, but gaming isn't really Forbes specialty, it's a large group thats covers a variety of topics and as such is insulated and more independant to a much larger degree than a possible upstart focusing only on gaming. Not that I think you're totally off the hook now. You don't think there's anything fishy about a game getting 100′s across the board? And since we are in "troll age," why Mass Effect 3? And why do EA/Bioware make such a big deal about it? Many games get abysmal user scores but their developers and publishers don't go through such great lengths to try and excuse it or distort public opinion.
If a site gives a particular company a poor review, that company has an incentive not to give them copies of their game for review, or at least delay it. Timing is everything when sales of videogames are so front-loaded at launch. If a site gives a company a good review, that company will give them copies of their game in advance because they know they've got their back. This will generate traffic for their sites and make them more money and earn them more relevance, while the dissenting opinions fade away into obscurity until their business is no longer viable. The incentive structure has basically evolved into this – if you want to survive, kiss up to the strongest publishers.
I think the inclusion of a new character based on IGN employee Jessica Chobot speaks volumes for EA/Bioware's priorities, while they give an old fan favorite Tali the shaft in terms of resources allocated. Actin buddy buddy with review sites is a very clear conflict of interest and a choice designed to maximize not the quality of the game, but simply the score and "critical" reception. It's like hiring Ebert to be in your movie so he'll warm up to your film, except Ebert is already well known, isn't a young girl who is just trying to advance her name. The score is everything.


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Office of Student Activities
1150A SUB Drive
P.O. Box 7751
Havre, MT 59501-7751
Contact e-mail address:
We are proud to announce our 2013-14 Concert Reciprocity Program. Along with the Northern Showcase Concert Association, Great Falls, Fort Benton, Gardiner, Helena, Malta/Sidney/Glasgow, Hobson, Lewistown & White Sulphur Springs are joining together to provide additional entertainment to their members. Individual concerts are available at a cost of $5.00 per show to Northern Showcase Concert Association members. For more information regarding this huge offer, check out the Great Falls Community Concert Association website at greatfallscommunityconcert.com.
2013-14 Series Brochure & Ticket Prices
The purpose of the Northern Showcase Concert Association is to promote an appreciation of the arts and provide stimulating, entertaining and educational experiences for the campus and community.
Northern Showcase is in its 32nd year of providing a performing arts series for the community of Havre. The committee responsible for Northern Showcase was originally comprised of only faculty members from Northern Montana College but has since been expanded to include college staff members, students and members of local and surrounding communities. Northern Montana College changed its name to Montana State University-Northern in July 1994.
In 2008, the Northern Showcase organization merged with the HiLine Community Concert Association (HLCA) to become the Northern Showcase Concert Association (NSCA). Members of the HLCA have joined the Northern Showcase committee. There is simply less money in our community and more demand on it, so the two organizations decided this merge was best for the future success of the fine arts in our community. Traditionally Northern Showcase has offered 3-5 performances during the academic year in the areas of theatre, dance, musical groups and/or individuals. NSCA will provide 5 performances this year as a result of the merge. NSCA has traditionally received support from the student body, private donors and season ticket sales.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gulfport Music Festival Tickets
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Myra Eder
Myra Eder is a veteran journalist who spent 25 years in the newspaper business, covering everything from politics and business to arts and entertainment. For the last three years, she has been an independent writer working on a variety of business and publicity projects. She writes SouthScene for Patch, a weekly arts and entertainment column for the southwest suburbs. An arts and entertainment blog she launched nearly two years ago is widely read in the Southland and beyond. In her spare time, Eder reads about astronomy and cosmology and occasionally volunteers at Adler Planetarium. She and her husband are avid theatre-goers who enjoy both community and professional productions and classic sci-fi movies and film noir from the 1940s and '50s.
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cos·mosnoun \ˈkäz-məs, 1 & 2 also -ˌmōs, -ˌmäs\
the cosmos : the universe especially when it is understood as an ordered system
: a tall plant that has usually white, pink, or red flowers
Full Definition of COSMOS
Examples of COSMOS
- the origins of the cosmos
- <an essay that ponders the place of humankind in the vast cosmos>
Origin of COSMOS
Other Astronomy Terms
Rhymes with COSMOS
cosmosnoun (Concise Encyclopedia)
Any of the garden plants that make up the genus Cosmos in the aster family (Asteraceae), containing about 25 species native to the tropical New World. Heads of flowers are borne along long flower stalks or together in an open cluster. The disk flowers are red or yellow; the ray flowers, sometimes notched, may be white, pink, red, purple, or other colors. Most annual ornamental varieties have been developed from the common garden cosmos (C. bipinnatus).
Learn More About COSMOS
Previous Word in the Dictionary: cosmorganic
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What made you want to look up cosmos? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


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All Boards
Got a question? Something on your mind? Talk to your community, directly.
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Hundreds of motorcyclists and others got a head start on Thunder in the Valley on Wednesday evening with Richland Bike Bash.
This marks the first year that the Richland Township Fire Department-sponsored Bike Bash is not an official part of Thunder, but leaders say the break did not seem to hurt the opening night.
"It has been fantastic," Richland Lt. Rob Hudson said at the event. "This has been possibly our busiest Wednesday night ever."
By going on its own, Bike Bash was able to recruit a specific mix of vendors tailored to the traditional Richland crowd, Hudson said.
"We went out and sought vendors that work best with our customers," he said. "We provide a very diverse group of vendors. We really know our crowd."
Many were return visitors, including John Shonis and Lance Hayman of the Bloomsburg area near Wilkes- Barre. But the two bikers weren't in any hurry to find the beer tent or the outdoor stage. They meandered their way through the mass of parked motorcycles, checking out each machine.
"It's like a rolling form of art," Hayman said. "Everybody has their own personalized design."
"It's a personal expression," Shonis said.
Riders included locals, such as Karlee Sabol and Jim Yarina of Richland, who come every year for to party and ride with other bikers.
Others traveled some distance, including Hollsopple native Scott Hay of Woodbridge, Va., outside Washington. This will be Hay's first Thunder in the Valley.
"I took a week's vacation," Hay said. "It's good to see the hometown doing big things."
Hay said he likes bike rallies but admits, "This is my first big one."
Wednesday's opening night entertainment featured Full Kilt and the Michael O'Brian Band keeping the crowd involved with their signature blend of Celtic and rock music, laced with audience participation and comedy.
Richland Bike Bash continues through Saturday, with Pivot taking the stage from 8 to 11 p.m. today.
Meanwhile the official Thunder in the Valley activities kick off today in downtown Johnstown.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat e-edition.


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Music festival's big plans for overnight camping (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Music festival's big plans for overnight camping
5:10pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in News
ORGANISERS of the Alresford Music Festival want to introduce overnight camping to attract more people.
The festival, now in its fourth year, proposes to offer festival-goers the chance to stay on the recently-purchased field next to Arlebury Park. They believe it would be a good way of solving the problem of a lack of late-night public transport.
Organisers would also like to have greater use of the facilities at Alresford Recreation Centre, such as the bar, showers and toilets. They aim to attract 5,000 people to the one-day event in July, producing a healthy profit which is shared between local charities.
Town councillors said they needed more detailed information on overnight security and insurance before they could make a decision. The issue will be discussed at the next town council meeting on February 14.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Fishing in the City
Fishing in the City
San Francisco Bay Area
Enhanced Fish Stocking of Lakes in the Urban Bay Area
To enhance anglers abilities to enjoy lakes close to home, the Fishing in the City program provides supplemental stocking of 1 pound rainbow trout and 1 to 2 pound catfish at lakes around the Bay Area.
The following lakes may receive fish fall through spring. Call (707) 944-5581 or go to Fish Planting Schedule for the latest CDFW fish stocking information. Many lakes are also stocked by the local park districts.
- Alameda County
- Horseshoe Lake
- Lakeshore Park Pond
- Shadow Cliff Lake
- Temescal Lake
- Lake Elizabeth
- Contra Costa County
- Contra Loma Res.
- Heather Farms Pond
- Hidden Valley Pond
- Lafayette Reservoir
- Marin County
- Bon Tempe Reservoir
- Scottsdale Pond
- San Francisco County
- Merced Lake North
- Santa Clara County
- Campbell Perc Pond
- Cunningham Lake
- Sandy wool Lake
- Spring Valley Lake
- Solano County
- Lake Chabot
- Sonoma County
- Lake Ralphine
For more information about the Fishing in the City program in the San Francisco and South Bay areas, contact Ethan Rotman: firstname.lastname@example.com • (415) 892-0460


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CONNEAUT — Julian Rae Caine, age 53, of Conneaut, died unexpectedly Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013.
Julie was born in Conneaut on Nov. 21, 1959, the daughter of Edward and Anne (Barbour) Perkoski. She was a 1978 graduate of Conneaut High School and worked for a short time with Crawford Container. She later went to school at West Virginia Northern Community College where she attained a Registered Nursing Degree.
Julie returned to Conneaut and was employed with the Lake Erie Correctional Facility as a Registered Nurse.
Julie was member of St. Mary/ St. Frances Cabrini Parish. She enjoyed drawing and was very artistic. She had a knack for writing and also loved to volunteer in her spare time at the Animal Protective League. Most recently, she traveled to Milwaukee to celebrate Harley Davidson Motorcycle 101st Anniversary with her special friend, Phil Stratman.
Julie was preceded in death by her parents; and her sister, Donna Perkoski.
She is survived by her son, Brian Caine of Morgantown, W.Va.; sisters, Joanie and Bill Norton of Conneaut, Patricia "Patty" and Roger Knapp of Conneaut, Krissie West and Rachael Soltys; her very close friend, Valerie Somppi; and several nieces and nephews.
Julie's legacy lives on with her gift of sight through eye donation.
Calling Hours will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 30th, at RAISIAN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 581 Harbor St., Conneaut.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 31st, at St. Frances Cabrini Church, 744 Mill St., Conneaut, with Fr. Philip Miller, of Corpus Christi Parish, officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memory Gardens, Route 20, North Kingsville, Ohio.
Memorial contributions may be made to Julie's family. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Obituary and condolences at www.raisianfuneralhome.com and starbeacon.com.


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August 1, 2014
(AP) -- A challenging economy and volatility in the stock market may be creating a bull market for investment scams.
State Commerce Department director Kimberly Zurz says whenever markets are up or down, con artists prey on the investing public. She's warning Ohioans to be wary of anyone claiming to offer quick ways to make up for recent losses in retirement accounts or other investments.
Zurz advises to be on guard against high-pressure pitches for unregistered securities and nontraditional places to put your money, such as foreign currencies or oil and gas investments.
State officials say it's best to hang up on aggressive cold callers and to delete spam e-mails for investment opportunities.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)


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daily working in the woods
Fit perfectly into my ancient Jungle Mocs; breathed new life into them.
Sized as Expected


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Issue A scheduled task (i.e. Active Directory Synchronization) has been configured on the SafeGuard Enterprise Management Center to run on a specified date, but the script is not executed. Both, the 'Last Run Time' and 'Last Run Result' status show 'None'. Known to apply to the following Sophos product(s) and version(s) SafeGuard Management Center 5.60.0SafeGuard Enterprise Server 5.60.0
First of all, when running SafeGuard Enterprise 5.60.x, make sure that the SafeGuard Enterprise Server and Management Center was patched with the 5.60.x backend fix (available via KBA 116701 "Sophos releases cumulative patch solving several SafeGuard Server/Management Center issues of version 5.60.x").
If the execution of the scheduled task fails without an explicit error message in the 'Last Run Result', make sure that the account used to authenticate the SafeGuard Enterprise Scheduler service can access the SQL services that host the SafeGuard Enterprise Database.
In addition, the service account needs appropriate rights to the SafeGuard Enterprise Database. The service account must have the following SQL rights on the SafeGuard Enterprise Database to be able to read and write the scheduled tasks into the database:
If the service account is not able access the SafeGuard Enterprise Database, perform the following changes to grant the account access to the database:
db_datareader, db_datawriter, public
Schedule a new task after the changes have been done. The scheduled task should now run as expected. If the task still fails to run, please raise a case with Sophos Technical Support.
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The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), a private non-profit organization helps people by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources. NCAT is looking for an Information Technology Support Specialist interested in working for a national non-profit with a diverse staff and a large website presence. This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled IT professional to work in a fast paced technological environment.
The successful candidate will have good computer hardware, software and troubleshooting skills and work as a member of NCAT's outstanding information technology team. This specialist will perform both computer hardware and software related tasks. The IT specialist loads and upgrades new software; troubleshoots and maintains hardware; provides computer support and related training to staff; maintains web sites and intranet pages; ensures timely workstation backups; and configures and troubleshoots organizational email. The specialist is responsible for updating virus and malware protection on all systems, and for maintaining a software and hardware inventory. The position is based in NCAT's Headquarters located in Butte, Montana.
[1] http://www.dawson.edu/javascript:void(0);


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Product Recall: Voluntary recall of 260 cases of Velveeta Original Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Products. Click Here.
18 SKUs of Knudsen Cottage Cheese, 9 SKUs of Breakstone's Cottage Cheese, 5 SKUs of Simply Kraft Cottage Cheese and 2 SKUs of Daily Chef Cottage Cheese. Click Here.
BEAT pudding mix, milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP.
SPREAD onto cupcakes immediately or store frosting covered in refrigerator up to 24 hours.


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By Mike Harrington
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Empty arenas (above) and early edition stories get me poring through game notes so you get some extras prior to tonight's 7:30 start. Cheap plug: Be sure to come back for the live blog around faceoff time. Numbers to watch:
---Minus-39: The Panthers' NHL-worst goal differential. No one else is worse than minus-22.
---2: The number of Los Angeles Kings scouts listed on the press box roster, including assistant GM Ron Hextall (yep, the fighting ex-Flyers goalie). Bet they're watching more Sabres than Panthers.
---3: Number of goals the Panthers scored in losing the last three games. Of course, Tampa was on a three-game skid Tuesday and we know how that turned out.
---21: Number of one-goal games the Sabres have played, going 9-8-4. The Sabres have played 12 of their last 14 decided by a goal, going 6-3-3.
---30: The Sabres have the NHL's worst power play (12.5 percent) and the Panthers are the worst team on the PK (74.0). Something has to give, right?
---42: The number of goals the Panthers have given up in the first period and the Sabres have given up in the second period. Both are the worst figures in the league. Florida has been outscored, 42-24, while the Sabres have been outscored, 42-26.
---139 of 145: The save totals for Panthers starting goalitender Jacob Markstrom over the last four games.
---600: The number of career NHL games Steve Ott will play when he steps on the ice tonight. Christian Ehrhoff hits No. 600 Saturday at home against Washington.
taggedFlorida Panthers


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Monday, January 28, 2013 — Thelma Bernice Lane Carter, 92, died Jan. 25, 2013. Visitation: 10-11 a.m. Jan. 30, 2013, Trinity United Methodist Church (E. First St., S. and Wyandotte Ave.) in Big Stone Gap, Va. Funeral: Follows visitation at the church. Interment: Powell Valley Memorial Gardens (5650 Powell Valley Road).
In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be sent to her church, Trinity United Methodist Church, PO Box 217, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219.
To view the obituary online and offer condolences, please visit www.holdingfuneralhome.com.


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By ALEX PIAZZA
PESHAWBESTOWN -- Jaime Barrientoz no longer wants to worry about his local American Indian tribe's financial struggles.
So he submitted an initiative this week that would transition nearly every member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians' Tribal Council from full- to part-time status.
"I think that they have too much time on their hands," said Barrientoz, 37, of Traverse City. "Put them back to part time and you'd save about $1 million a year."
The initiative proposes that Tribal Chairman Derek Bailey remain full time, but the other six council members would transition to part-time status.
Barrientoz plans to present his initiative to council members at a Nov. 25 tribal session. Council members then will have 14 days to recommend any changes to the initiative.
"In that time period, the council may have an issue over whether this is appropriate," said John Petoskey, the band's general counsel.
If Barrientoz fails to receive enough support to get his initiative on the tribe's May 2010 election ballot, "nothing would prevent me from doing it again," he said.
He served on the tribal council from 1997 to 2002, but was considered part-time his first year. Barrientoz received a $100 stipend for each meeting he attended, and did not receive health care benefits.
Council members were moved to full-time status in 1998 because their "job was so comprehensive," Petoskey said.
The transition to full-time resulted in an increased salary and health care benefits for council members, Barrientoz said.
Barrientoz said the band was able to shift council members to full-time in 1998 because of revenue spikes, but his workload never increased.
But gaming revenues are in decline, and the band has been forced to make extensive budget cuts.
Those cuts resulted in reduced health care benefits for some tribal members. Tribal law also required council members to take 10 percent and 20 percent pay cuts.
By switching back to a stipend payment plan, Barrientoz said the band could avoid further cuts.
"Money needs to be saved for these tough economic times," he said.
Bailey and other council members did not return calls for comment.


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Young Adults
Arts Award
Young people aged between 11-25 can achieve Arts Awards at levels 1, 2 and 3 on the national qualifications framework. Visit www.artsaward.org.uk for more information. Here at The Fitzwilliam Museum we can play a part in your Arts Award course, or design and deliver a Bronze Arts Award with you from scratch. Please contact Rachel Sinfield on 01223 332904 or email email@example.com for details.


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At the 2008 World Championships I drew Diego Vandeshrick (defending European Champion and World silver medalist) in the first round of kilo. I found out 3 days before I fought him that he was my first match and was a little shaken when i heard. Over the next few days i spent a lot of time visualizing fighting him. I watched him during the Team Kumite, and we were in the same ring fight Open Weight, so I got a lot of chances to see him fight. The more I saw him and the more I visualized our upcoming match the more confident I grew. When the fight finally came i entered the ring believing I was going to win. We went back an forth for 3 minutes, but in the end i won the match in Encho Sen.
I love the preparation leading up to a tournament, and the electric feeling I get when I'm on my way there. I love the smell of an empty arena when we arrive at the tournament in the morning, I like to walk around the competition area to get a feel for the space. I love the tension in the air when you're standing in a room full of people you're about to do battle with; you politely nod at each other rather than saying hi because you know that in a little while you're going to be adversaries. I love the feel of being in the ring, I feel like a gladiator when I'm fighting and everyone is watching. We are the few, the elite, the chosen ones representing our country in competition.
No News Articles found


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Lyness, Lewis Selected for JAG Internships
February 14, 2011
You might think the U.S. Department of Defense primarily knows Vermont Law School as one of only two law schools in the nation that bar military recruiters from campus because of the "don't ask, don't tell" law. But Pentagon officials also know VLS as the source of highly qualified students for summer internships and graduates for post-law school jobs in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, the judicial branch of the U.S. armed forces.
Each year, VLS typically has one to three students enter the JAG Corps' summer internship program and another one to two VLS graduates enlist as JAG officers. That's about 1 percent of each graduating class, which is the national average for all U.S. law schools. The JAG Corps also periodically sends officers to take classes at VLS. Those figures haven't been affected by VLS's stance on the "don't ask, don't tell" law, which prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the U.S. military. The law's repeal is slated to go into effect later this year.
The JAG Corps in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are involved in a broad range of cases in military justice, contract law, international law and other branches of the law.
"The JAG corps provides very high-quality training, together with a lot of responsibility in a hurry, for VLS students and graduates," said Professor Steve Dycus, an internationally recognized authority on national security law. "Our students are also attracted by this unique opportunity to use their legal skills to serve the nation. There is no higher professional calling."
Mike Lyness '12 and Erica Lewis '12, who both support VLS's position on "don't ask, don't tell" were among 50 legal internship candidates accepted for the Army JAG Corps this summer out of 1,600 applicants. Lyness, 25, who grew up on a farm in New Jersey, graduated from Lafayette College. He enrolled at VLS because of an interest in environmental law enforcement, but he's since become interested in a JAG career. He decided to apply for a JAG internship after taking Dycus' national security law class and meeting Jake Rouchka '10 and Cole Flannery '11, who had been accepted into the Army JAG Corps.
Lyness, who likely will be stationed in Washington state this summer, said he's honored to have been selected for the JAG internship - and that his and Lewis' selection is another sign that the Defense Department continues to recognize the quality of VLS students and alumni. "I give VLS credit for taking such a firm stance on 'don't ask, don't tell' even though it's come at a cost," he said.
Lewis, 27, graduated from the University of Southern Florida and chose VLS because of the U.S.-China Partnership in Environmental Law. After her JAG internship this summer, she'll be an intern for the Beijing Arbitration Commission in the fall. The Florida resident would like to practice international and operational law and also is interested in dispute resolution. She's considering a career in international diplomacy and human rights but said the JAG Corps is a highly respected institution.
"I feel the military will be able to make good use of my background in Spanish, Mandarin and Italian," said Lewis, who likely will be based in South Korea this summer. "I like the idea of working for the military because it is necessary to the functioning of our democratic system and essential to ensure national security as well as promote our interests abroad. I hope to gain valuable insight into military life that enables me to make a well-informed decision if I decide to apply to be a career officer."
Like Lyness, Lewis supports VLS's stance on the "don't ask, don't tell" law. "I am proud of VLS for holding firm in its non-discrimination policy. DADT is a law that can stand only as long as the American people allow it to stand."


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Appeal for witnesses to canal path attack (From Romsey Advertiser)
When news happens, text ROMS and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Appeal for witnesses to canal path attack
10:03am Friday 22nd February 2013 in News
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an attempted robbery along a canal path in Romsey.
The incident happened on Wednesday night last week as the victim was walking on the Old Barge Canal path and officers say four people aged between 18 and 25 are believed to be responsible. Anyone with information is asked to contact Romsey police on 101.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Chest Problems
Topic Overview
Chest pain and heart attack
Chest discomfort or pain may be a key warning symptom of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms may include:
- Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
- Sweating.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both shoulders or arms.
- Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.
- A fast or irregular heartbeat.
If you have any of these symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength or 2 to 4 low-dose aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself. Since most of the damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack occurs in the first 6 hours, emergency treatment may prevent damage to the heart muscle and death. For men and women, the most common symptom is chest pain or pressure. But women are somewhat more likely than men to have other symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain.
Chest discomfort or pain that comes on or gets worse with exercise, stress, or eating a large meal and goes away with rest may be a warning symptom of heart disease. If you are having this type of discomfort or pain now and you are not being treated for angina, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength or 2 to 4 low-dose aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself.
Other causes of chest discomfort or pain
Most people fear that chest pain always means that something is wrong with the heart. This is not the case. Chest discomfort or pain, especially in people who are younger than age 40, can have many causes.
- Pain in the muscles or bones of the chest often occurs when you increase your activities or add exercise to your schedule. This is sometimes called chest wall pain.
- Burning chest pain that occurs when you cough may be caused by an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus.
- Burning chest or rib pain, especially just before a rash appears, may be caused by shingles.
- An injury such as a broken rib can be quite painful, especially when you cough or try to take a deep breath.
- Swelling (inflammation) of the thin layers of tissue (pleura) covering the lungs and the chest wall may occur. This is called pleurisy.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause pain just below the breastbone. Many people will say they have "heartburn." This pain is usually relieved by taking an antacid or eating.
Other, more serious problems that can cause chest pain include:
- A collapsed lung (pneumothorax), which usually causes a sharp, stabbing chest pain and occurs with shortness of breath.
- A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism), which usually causes deep chest pain with the rapid development of extreme shortness of breath.
- Lung cancer, which may cause chest pain, especially if the cancer cells spread to involve the ribs.
- Diseases of the spine, which can cause chest pain if the nerves in the spine are "pinched."
Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor.
Home Treatment
Home treatment is not appropriate for chest pain if the pain occurs with symptoms of a heart attack. If you think a heart attack might be the cause of your symptoms, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength or 2 to 4 low-dose aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself.
Home treatment for people who have been diagnosed with chest pain (angina)
Most people who have been diagnosed with angina have a pattern to their angina attacks that they can recognize. If you and your doctor have made a home treatment plan for your angina attacks, follow that plan. If the pain gets worse or does not go away or if you are unsure how to use your plan, call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
You may be able to control how much your angina bothers you by making changes in your lifestyle. You may find it helpful to:
- Avoid strenuous activities that bring on angina.
- Eat balanced, nutritious meals. Try to limit the amount of fats and fatty foods you eat.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Don't drink more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day if you are a man, or 1 alcoholic drink a day if you are a woman.
- Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
- Reduce stress. For more information, see the topic Stress Management.
- Control your blood pressure with diet and medicine. For more information, see the topic High Blood Pressure.
- Avoid extremely cold or hot environments.
- Take all medicines as instructed by your doctor.
- Follow the exercise or activity program you and your doctor developed.
If you do not need 911 emergency medical treatment for your chest pain or angina, take your pulse before reporting your symptoms to your doctor. Your heart rate and rhythm at the time of your chest pain may help your doctor evaluate your symptoms.
Home treatment for minor pain in the chest
Home treatment for minor chest pain depends on the cause of the pain. Minor chest pain often improves with home treatment. A visit to your doctor may not be needed.
Chest wall pain
For chest wall pain caused by strained muscles or ligaments or a fractured rib:
- Rest. Rest and protect an injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness.
- Ice. Cold will reduce pain and swelling. Apply an ice or cold pack immediately to prevent or minimize swelling. Apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day. After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply warmth to the area that hurts.
- Do not wrap or tape your ribs for support. This may cause you to take smaller breaths, which could increase your risk for developing pneumonia or partial lung collapse (atelectasis).
- Medicated creams that you put on the skin (topical) may soothe sore muscles.
- Gentle stretching and massage may help you get better faster. Stretch slowly to the point just before discomfort begins, then hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Do this 3 to 4 times a day. It is really helpful after the use of heat.
- As your pain gets better, slowly return to your normal activities. Any increased pain may mean that you need to rest a while longer.
|Try a nonprescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain:
Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.
|Be sure to follow these safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine:
If you have other symptoms along with your minor chest pain, see the Related Information section for topics that relate to your other symptoms.
Symptoms to watch for during home treatment
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:
- You have increased difficulty breathing.
- Chest pain is not relieved by home treatment.
- Chest pain lasts longer than 1 week.
- Chronic pain has become worse or other symptoms have developed with the pain.
- Symptoms become more severe or frequent.
The following tips may prevent chest problems or injuries.
- Stay in good overall physical shape. Do stretching and range-of-motion (ROM) exercises for your arms and shoulders.
- Maintain good posture. Stand straight and relaxed, without slumping.
- Warm up well and stretch before any activity.
- Wear protective gear during contact sports or recreational activities, such as hockey or football.
- Wear your seat belt when in a motor vehicle.
- Make sure your child's backpack is the right size with good support. Carrying heavy backpacks may increase his or her risk of chest problems or injury.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:
- When did the chest pain begin?
- How long does the pain last?
- How often does the pain occur?
- How severe is the pain?
- What does the pain feel like?
- Where is the pain located?
- What were you doing when it started? Is the pain related to activity? Is it related to eating? Is it related to body position?
- Does the pain start in the chest and spread to another part of the body? Or does it start somewhere else and spread to the chest?
- Did you have other symptoms with the chest pain? What are the other symptoms?
- Has this ever happened before? If so, did you see a
- What was the diagnosis?
- What tests were done?
- How was it treated?
- Have you had a chest injury or a fall?
- How and when did an injury occur?
- Have you had any chest injuries in the past? Do you have any continuing problems because of the previous injury?
- What activities make your symptoms better or worse?
- What home treatment have you tried to relieve the pain? Did it help?
- What nonprescription medicines have you taken? Did they help?
- Do you have any health risks?
Related Information
|Healthwise Staff
|Primary Medical Reviewer
|William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
|Specialist Medical Reviewer
|David Messenger, MD
|Last Revised
|April 14, 2011
- Top of Page
Next Section:Check Your Symptoms
Previous Section:Topic Overview
- Top of Page
Next Section:Home Treatment
Previous Section:Check Your Symptoms
- Top of Page
Next Section:Prevention
Previous Section:Home Treatment
- Top of Page
Next Section:Preparing For Your Appointment
Previous Section:Prevention
- Top of Page
Next Section:Related Information
Previous Section:Preparing For Your Appointment
- Top of Page
Next Section:Credits
Previous Section:Related Information
- Top of Page
Last Revised: April 14, 2011
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & David Messenger, MD
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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The Daily Star
---- — Are you retired?
Like many retirees, you have worked for many years, raised your family, and participated within your community. Now it is time for you to look at what you want to do every day, a way to give back and make a difference.
Offices for the Aging are just the place to start to look into that option. Not only will you find compassionate individuals working there, but there are a host of opportunities from which to choose. Time commitments and personal strengths are some ways to help guide you in your process. The opportunities here in our Schoharie office can also be seasonally based.
If you love to drive, one popular option is transporting seniors to medical appointments. Our medical transport volunteers use their personal vehicles to bring older adults who do not drive to their doctors or dentists. They receive a small stipend for mileage and travel the county as they bring people to the various providers.
If you have enjoyed doing your own taxes over the years, then the AARP-sponsored tax preparation program is a great seasonal option. There is training that supports the volunteers as they work through the new changes to tax law. A Web-based program assists with the calculations and provides all the forms needed. This opportunity runs February through April.
If speaking on the phone is something you love, then our friendly caller program is for you. We connect volunteers to those who are home-bound and lonely so that weekly calls (sometimes daily) can be made to check in and find out how older adults are doing. These are often the lifeline to the outside world and mean so much to the person who is getting the call. You don't need to have any special training, just the gift of chatting.
One of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities is the Ombudsman Program. The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is a resident-focused advocacy program. The Ombudsman volunteers are advocates for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes, assisted-living facilities and similar adult-care facilities. They work to resolve problems of individual residents and to bring about changes at the local, state and national levels to improve care. While most residents receive good care in long-term care facilities, far too many are neglected, and unfortunate incidents of abuse do occur.
Trained volunteers regularly visit facilities, monitor conditions and care. Volunteers provide a voice for those unable to speak for themselves. In-depth training gives these special volunteers the tools and information necessary to assure the frailest individuals of their basic rights to the services and care they deserve. The coordinator provides monthly in-service meetings with training to make sure everyone is kept up-to-date on changing issues. A small time and mileage stipend assists with the cost of travel to our local facilities.
So if you have time on your hands and would like to assist with older adults, please call us. We will discuss your options and go from there. Thank you for considering us when you decide how you would like to spend your time.
Nancy Dingee is director of the Schoharie County Office for the Aging. 'Senior Scene' columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/seniorscene.


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August 1, 2014
LIHEAP otherwise known as the Energy Assistance Program has run out of funds.
The Energy Assistance Program helps low-income residents pay for winter utility bills, but with the funding gone, those who rely on this extra boost worry about the next few months.
LIHEAP says they will continue to take applications. They anticipate receiving additional funds from the state of Illinois.


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Cellar/Tasting Notes "Soft wood frames exuberantly fresh and expressive aromas of green fruit, green apple and pungent stone notes. There is outstanding volume and plenty of raw power to the tautly muscled large-scaled flavors that terminate in a focused, driving and wonderfully persistent finish. This is a big wine..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "Bold, direct and voluptuous. Nectarines, honey, flowers and spices all wrap around the palate in this big generous Charmes. A vein of minerality runs through the fruit, giving the wine its sense of energy and proportion. In 2010, the Charmes is especially rich, layered and unctuous." WA
Cellar/Tasting Notes "A delightfully, pungently intense bouquet of hedge flowers and resinous herbs rises from the glass of Dagueneau 2011 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Silex, anticipating the bittersweet presence of herbal essences and inner-mouth floral perfume that are allied to nut and citrus oils on a dense, subtly..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "Aromas of grapefruit, peach, smoky oak and spices. At once tactile and juicy, with terrific cut and concentration to the flavors of white peach and ginger. The acidity and lift of this very tactile, young, long 2012 suggest that it will evolve gracefully."
Cellar/Tasting Notes "A powerhouse, with verve to the finely cut, racy acidity, showing a sense of finesse and seamless integration of the firm frame. The silky texture carries layer upon layer of toasted brioche, currant and pear pâte de fruit flavors, with notes of grated ginger and coconut, cappuccino foam and spun..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "Here the beautifully layered nose is openly exotic with spicy aromas of mango, apricot, peach and mandarin orange. The medium weight plus flavors are more concentrated still with a sleek muscularity that contributes to the unctuous but not heavy mouth feel, all wrapped in an extract-rich, suave..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "Resplendent in its new shiny gold label, Krug is a majestic Champagne. Its velvet texture, dominated by mature flavors, is toasty and rich, dense and complex. In the mouth, its beautiful roasted almond, spice and ripe pears all balance impressively. Could the wine be getting even better? No..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "A gracious, sensual wine, the aromatically demure 2001 Corton-Charlemagne reveals a light to medium-bodied personality. Displaying outstanding depth, its softly textured character is filled with fresh talcum powder, mineral, and pear flavors."
Cellar/Tasting Notes The Limited Edition is an ultimate expression of the playful and creative collaboration of artist/sculptor Jeff Koons and Dom Perignon. Gathering inspriation from his Venus Balloon created for the Dom Perignon Rose 2003, Jeff Koons redesigns the gift box and bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne 2004...
Cellar/Tasting Notes "The 2004 Dom Perignon continues to develop beautifully. A vibrant, focused Champagne, the 2004 clearly reflects the personality of the year. Freshly cut flowers, white peaches and pears are woven together in a Champagne that impresses for its focus and energy. Chiseled saline note support the..


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stock_exchange1 dataset
NYSE Daily 1970-2010 Open, Close, High, Low and VolumeFree Download — Historical NYSE stock data from 1970 – 2010, including daily open, close, low, high and trading volume figures. Data is organized alphabetically by ticker symbol. Tickers are filed in spreadsheets titled with the corresponding letter of the alphabet (for example, Daily Prices for CAE appear in the NYSE_daily_prices_C file, and Dividends for CAE appear in the ...


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By Frank Dimon
For The Daily Item
For Zack LeBarron, the first round of the PIAA Class AA Northeast Regional wrestling tournament was all about change. For teammate Eric Hunt, Friday night was simply a question of getting past the round.
Last week, LeBarron barely escaped with a wild 11-9 decision over Midd-West's Corey Stauffer in the semifinals of the District 4 tournament. So with a slightly altered game plan that featured more half-Nelsons than the cradle he preferred a week earlier, LeBarron maintained his unbeaten record with second-period fall over Stauffer to advance to this morning's 106-pound semifinals.
Hunt, who blanked Mifflinburg's Cooper Wagner, 3-0, in their district quarterfinal bout at 113, came out slow against Wagner shortly after LeBarron had wrapped up his victory, falling behind 6-1 in the first period. But Hunt stormed back and pinned Wagner in 3:45. He now sits one win away from Hershey.
The Defender duo's success was continued throughout the evening as 14 other area wrestlers are one morning semifinal victory from the state tournament.
"I was loose (in the top 106-pound position) last week," said LeBarron, who will face Line Mountain's Cameron Newman in the top half of a pair of dandy bouts at 106. "I just tried to change it up because I figured all week that he was practicing for the cradle. So I just tried to stay tight and run the half."
The strategy paid off with a couple of sets of back points as LeBarron built a 9-0 lead before the fall.
"I wasn't surprised because I wasn't at the top of my game last week," LeBarron said.
Hunt said he's not a first-round wrestler.
"I have never been a first-round wrestler and I started a little slow," Hunt said. "After I turned him the first time (in the second period) I knew I was on a roll and I wasn't gonna stop. (Wagner) came out a lot different than last week. It felt like he had a lot more energy (Friday) that he did last week."
Hunt will face Troy's Ethan Calkins in the semis.
Warrior Run enjoyed a perfect night when Garrett Moser, at 182, pinned Tom Bogorawski in just 1:12. Moser will face Benton's Logan Womelsdorf in the semis.
Southern Columbia and Mifflinburg both advanced three wrestlers. Southern's Kent Lane (126) outlasted South Williamsport veteran Andrew Gipe, 9-4, and will face Montoursville's Keith Batkowski. Blake Marks (152) pinned Maurice Wood of Nanticoke in 1:07 and gets Nick Stephani of Troy. Jake Becker (285) picked up his 100th career victory with a 6-2 decision over Elijah Gresham of Wilkes Barre GAR and takes on Mifflinburg's Nazar Mironenko.
Mironenko stopped Wyalusing's Dalton Chilson, 11-6, and both Mifflinburg Walter brothers won. Cole cruised past Nate Jones of South Williamsport with a second period fall at 132 and will face Williamson's Trevor McWhorter. Ty blanked Lewisburg's Max Reed, 15-0 (5:12) and will face Isaiah Bobatas of Montgomery.
Lewisburg and Milton both moved two wrestlers into the semis. At 106, the Green Dragons' Brian Friery decked District 2 champion Patrick Heck of Wyoming Area in 35 seconds and will face Muncy's Angelo Barbario. Brandon Smith (220) pinned Montoursville's Connor Bassett in 1:44 and gets Central Columbia's Eric McCracken.
For the Black Panthers, Ryan Preisch (152) and Ryan Solomon (195) both won. Preisch's 14-0 shutout of Towanda freshman Dayton Wickwire assured a highly-anticipated showdown with Hughesville's Kyle Barnes in the semis. Solomon got his seventh straight fall of the post-season with a 35-second effort over Connor Route of Canton. Solomon's semifinal will be South Williamsport's Tyler Jenkins.
For Line Mountain, Newman earned his semis slot against LeBarron with a 16-0 (5:25) technical fall over Zack Meckes. His teammate, Seth Lansberry, also won, beating William Lee of Lackawanna Trail, 16-3. Lansberry will face District 2 champion Nick Heck of Wyoming Area.
Midd-West endured the roughest night, advancing just one of its four wrestlers to the semis. Zach Heeter (145) won a 10-3 decision over District 2 champion Manny Mirailh and will face Billy Barnes of Williamson.
Still alive in the wrestlebacks are: Midd-West's Stauffer, Tanner Ebright (120), and Alex Leiberman (170), who was stunned by South Williamsport's Justin Knee, 4-3; Lewisburg's Reed; Southern's Brett Shepard (113); Shamokin's Zach Biddiscombe (220); Mifflinburg's Wagner; Milton's Zack Bennett (132); and Mount Carmel's Blake Panko (138).


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MA in Social Change graduate Christine Boyle
A Unitarian Universalist and multireligious theological school
Preparing spiritual leaders for the 21st century to
offers a graduate school experience that is
Global in its scope
Relational in its educational practice
Adaptive in its modes of teaching and learning
Picturing the flow of the academic year gives a sense of how Starr King's Emergent Educational Design works:
August Intensive Period - The whole Starr King learning community gathers in Berkeley for
Fall Semester - Starr King students pursue their studies in diverse locations and modes:
January Intensive Period - Students and faculty gather again in Berkeley for:
Spring Semester -- Starr King students pursue their studies in diverse locations and modes:
May – Commencement Celebrations
Summer Period – June - July Time for rest and recreation. Students have options to enhance their studies through:
The Flow of the Academic Year creates a rhythm…
Spiraling out, spiraling in…
an organic process of gathering together and scattering to learn and serve…
connecting with one another, and turning to diverse, specific, particular locations….
Reflecting and acting,
A rhythm of educational engagement
That focuses
And dances…
That centers and expands
That honors differences and creates connections…
A way of teaching
that accompanies and challenges,
that nurtures intellect,
and impels creative action,
that forms people for vocations as ministers, scholars,
activists, artists, chaplains, teachers
grounded in spirit and dedicated to:
Creating just and sustainable communities that counter oppressions…
Cultivating multireligious life and learning…
Calling forth compassion, wholeness, and liberation.
The Starr King Emergent Educational Design centers education on the transformative power of relationships and honors the "interdependent web of all existence." Each each student works in relationship with a core faculty advisor who guides and accompanies their learning process. Cohort groups invite students into creative interchange with one another. Courses, immersions, internships and fieldwork projects relate theological studies to the lived realities of specific communities, cultures and traditions.
Working within a counter-oppressive and multi-religious framework, Starr King students and faculty continually consider the relationships and intersections of religions, the arts, race, class, gender, embodiment, ecologies, cultural representations, sexualities, spiritual practices, justice and peace issues, technologies, and global economic realities. In the preparation of religious leaders for the 21st century, none of these can be treated as peripheral or "add on" considerations, because of all these issues are integral to the realities, beauty, and complexity of human life, understood as a relational whole.
Relational learning cultivates right relationship with self, with others, with communities of accountability, and with the sacred "ground of all relating" which is understood and honored in many ways in diverse religious traditions and spiritual practices.
Constructive learning respects that students have knowledge, experience, and agency to bring to the learning process. Internalized and systemic oppressions are countered by constructive learning which calls forth the presence and full engagement of students as creators rather than empty vessels or passive recipients of knowledge. Intentionality, self-awareness, and attention to social location are involved. Constructive learning cultivates human capacities and ethical virtues that empower courageous, engaged religious leadership; it is a way of teaching and learning that brings compassion and justice to the world.
Relational/constructive learning represents an evolution of progressive educational practices that are deeply rooted in Starr King's history. Unitarian Universalist religious leaders in the 19th century pioneered revolutionary innovations in education to "call forth and direct aright all the powers of the soul" (William Ellery Channing). Their approach made education both a spiritual practice and an impulse for social change, igniting movements for women's rights, worker's rights, indigenous people's rights, the abolition of slavery, ecological conservation, non-violence and resistance to war, and openness to the wisdom of all the world's religious traditions.
Relational/constructive learning calls forth empowered and engaged spiritual leaders, rooted in love and committed to justice.
Rumi Immersion in Turkey, December 2011
Another way to describe it...
August Intensive Period: The whole Starr King learning community gathers in Berkeley
Fall Semester: September through December - Starr King degree students pursue their studies in diverse locations and modes:
January Intensive Period: Students and faculty gather again in Berkeley
Spring Semester: February-May Starr King degree students pursue their studies in diverse locations:
Summer Period: June-July Starr King students have an opportunity for rest and renewal, or may continue to pursue their studies


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Rest EZZzz Lounge Set
Sit or Snooze in Style! Thanks to handsome contrast stitching that accents the sides of both pieces. Teefeatures an easy on/off v-neck front, roomy fit, & handy chest pocket. Shorts have a 360° elastic waist with drawstring, hidden MagicCling™ fly, 2 side pockets & 1 back pocket. Light cotton/polyester is machine wash. Order now!
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Ruth Parker Graves, 78, of Port Arthur, President Emerita of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), passed from this life September 10, 2013 in Annandale, Virginia, with family by her side. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas B. Parker and Eunice (Chardin) Parker, and brother, Earl William Parker.
After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, Ruth immersed herself in college life at Baylor University, where she was active in the student government and community projects while earning a B.A. in history, English and philosophy. She went on to earn an M.A. in history and literature from the University of Texas (Austin).
She had a keen mind and a love of knowledge that made her an excellent college lecturer. But her first jobs were a far cry from academia. She taught preschoolers, then children with special needs, then high school drop-outs. From these experiences, she developed great admiration for classroom teachers and the special brand of creativity that motivates children to learn.
Ruth also helped set up child care programs for migrant farmworker families in Texas, and in 1961 went to Washington, D.C. to work with the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. She quickly discovered that she loathed bureaucracy, yet still believed that innovative programs could make the world a better place – if grounded in practicality and common sense. Over the next 14 years, she held a number of challenging public and private sector positions that taught her to navigate the seas of red tape and the whirlpools of politics.
But even as she learned how to get things done within the Capital Beltway, and plied its waters for more than 50 years, some part of her was ever anchored near the Gulf Coast of Texas. She said there was probably some salt water in her veins.
Ruth joined RIF in 1975 and retired in 1997. As Executive Director and then National President, she guided the fledgling organization into national prominence. She expanded the reach of the nonprofit children's literacy organization from 313,000 to 2.7 million young people per year.
During her tenure she enlarged the organization's mission to help meet the literacy needs of families, including teen and low income parents, and children in homeless shelters. To assist in this outreach, Ruth guided the organization into alliances with the U.S. government, major corporations and foundations, and hundreds of service organizations. Her profound respect for grass roots wisdom helped increase the number of local RIF volunteers from 8,000 to over 200,000. Her management of RIF earned the organization a rare "A+" rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy.
She received numerous honors and awards for her work, but was particularly proud to be named (in 2001) as one of the Alumni 150, a special recognition by the Baylor University Alumni Association for graduates of significant achievement.
Admired for her leadership and advocacy for children, she was much beloved by family and friends for her kindness, grace and ability to surprise. She had an astute, analytical mind, was a strong writer and a ruthless editor. But she could also summon her Southern charm when "pecan pie" sweetness was required.
She gave more than a thousand speeches and interviews on RIF's behalf, yet she was an intensely private person, shy at heart. She knew how to be a proper lady, and generally was, but also had a quick wit and sometimes naughty sense of humor. Though not especially sentimental, she faithfully remembered birthdays, was a generous and creative gift- giver, and often saluted her Gulf coast heritage by including a "lagniappe."
She is survived by her husband Glenn; son Christopher and his wife Stephanie; and two grandsons, Douglas and Henry. Local family include niece Mary Jennings and husband Danny of Rosharon, and nephews Tommy Parker and wife Pat of Bridge City, and Brad Parker and wife Michelle of Groves.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), P.O. Box 33728, Washington, D.C. 20033 or through the Donate/Ways to Give pages at www.rif.org.
Ruth Parker Graves
Ruth Parker Graves, 78, of Port Arthur, President Emerita of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), passed from this life September 10, 2013 in Annandale, Virginia, with family by her side. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas B. Parker and Eunice (Chardin) Parker, and brother, Earl William Parker.


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This activity is sponsored by the Great Books Council of San Francisco, a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to provide the opportunity for all people to discover, discuss, and learn from outstanding works of writing and by the General Collections Department of San Francisco Public Library.
Every month we will read and discuss a famous short story, essay or speech from the book, Introduction to Great Books – First Series. For more information, please go to www.greatbooks-sf.com.
For registration: email firstname.lastname@example.com or call Jim Hall at 415-387-2125
Próximos Eventos
- The Boris Rozenfeld Russian Bibliophiles Club
- Sábado 26 de Julio de 2014Biblioteca Central, Sala Latino/Hispana B
- Mission Bay Book Club
- Miércoles 30 de Julio de 2014Mission Bay, Mission Bay Program Room
- Adolescentes: Club de Lectores
- Sábado 2 de Agosto de 2014Ortega, Ortega: Sala de Reuniones
Próximas Clases
- Bernal Book Club
- Jueves 31 de Julio de 2014Bernal Heights, Bernal Heights: Sala de Reuniones


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Pirates finalize deal with pitcher
PITTSBURGH – Jeff Karstens is staying with the Pittsburgh Pirates, finalizing a $2.5 million, one-year contract on Thursday.
Karstens can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses based on innings.
The 30-year-old right-hander was 5-4 with a 3.97 ERA in 15 starts and four relief appearances last year, when he missed time because of separate injuries to a hip, groin and shoulder. He made $3.1 million.
Karstens gives the club insurance after free agent left-hander Francisco Liriano injured his right arm last month, a deal that has led to a two-year contract not being finalized.
Karstens will be joined in spring training by two of the team's most promising pitchers in former first round picks Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon. Both received invitations to join the team in Bradenton next month to spend some time with the big club.
Cole, the top overall pick in the 2011 first-year player draft, went 9-7 with a 2.80 ERA in 26 minor league starts last year. The 22-year-old right-hander rocketed through the team's farm system in 2012, beginning the season in Class A and ending it in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Taillon, the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, went 9-8 with a 3.55 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 26 combined starts between Class-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona in 2012.
The Pirates also signed veteran outfielder/first baseman Brad Hawpe to a minor league contract. The 32-year-old Hawpe has a career .276 batting average with 124 home runs and 490 RBIs in 893 career games. He last played in the majors with San Diego in 2011, when he hit .231 with four home runs and 19 RBIs.
Pacino gets role as Joe Paterno
LOS ANGELES – Al Pacino will play Joe Paterno in a movie about the late Penn State football coach.
Producer Edward R. Pressman confirms Brian De Palma will direct "Happy Valley," the tentative title of the film, based on Joe Posnanski's best-seller "Paterno."
"'Happy Valley' reunites the 'Scarface' and 'Carlito's Way' team of De Palma and Pacino for the third time and I can't think of a better duo to tell this story of a complex, intensely righteous man who was brought down by his own tragic flaw," Pressman said in a statement. No start or release dates were given for the film.
While Pressman said the plot remains "under wraps," Posnanski's book followed Paterno's final years, as the winningest coach in college football history saw his career end in disgrace in 2011 with the sex abuse scandal involving assistant Jerry Sandusky.
O'Brien wins Bryant award
HOUSTON – Penn State coach Bill O'Brien won the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Coach of the Year Award on Thursday night.
O'Brien led the Nittany Lions through an 0-2 start and NCAA sanctions to an 8-4 finish in his first season at Penn State.
Other finalists for the award were Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, Ohio State's Urban Meyer, Kansas State's Bill Snyder, Stanford's David Shaw and Vanderbilt's James Franklin.
Snyder, Sumlin and Shaw were each finalists at the end of last season.
Former Brigham Young coach LaVell Edwards was the ceremony's other honoree, receiving the Bryan Lifetime Achievement Award given by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.
Edwards retired in 2000 with 257 victories, 22 bowl appearances and one national championship in 1984.


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NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops' coaching tree has grown many directions. The brightest branch belongs to Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin.
If it wasn't obvious five years ago when Sumlin left his post as OU's receivers coach/co-offensive coordinator to become head coach at Houston, it was when Sumlin led Texas A&M to a 10-2 mark in its first season in the SEC.
"He's incredibly bright in everything that he does," Stoops said of his former assistant. "Relates well with his players. Excellent recruiter. All the things you want. Kevin was great here, and he's doing a great job there."
"That's my new agent right there," Sumlin joked upon hearing his old boss' raves.
Sumlin could have his choice of agents after this season. The turnaround he guided in College Station was one of the best coaching performances of 2012. It also came a year after he guided Houston to a 12-1 finish in his last season with the Cougars.
Sumlin revealed Wednesday that much of what he's implemented during his five seasons as a head coach were learned during his time as a Sooner assistant from 2003-07.
"I was fortunate to come into a situation after the national championship, really compete for a couple more, be a part of some great, great teams with some great coaches, be involved in some great football games," Sumlin said.
"I think the biggest thing that I got out of the experience in five years was the culture that Bob had created, the winning culture, how to do things … That's not easy to do. That's something that obviously changed, was brought back when he got there, and has continued … I'd say that's probably the biggest thing that I got out of that five years."
Stoops and Sumlin will meet as head coaching adversaries for the first time when No. 12 OU meets the No. 10 Aggies on Jan. 4 at the Cotton Bowl inside Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
If you're hoping for some bad blood to build between the two over the next couple weeks, it's unlikely to happen.
Stoops and Sumlin have a relationship that goes all the way back to the 1990s when both were assistant coaches.
It made it a very easy hire when Stoops was looking for an offensive assistant following the 2002 season.
Sumlin had been elevated mid-season to coordinate R.C. Slocum's Texas A&M offense, and did so with great success, even at OU's expense, when the Aggies upset the No. 1 Sooners 30-26.
"Heck, Kevin and I used to run around South Florida together recruiting when he was at Purdue (and) I was at Kansas State. We were chasing the same kids all the time," Stoops said. "But, again, I've known what a quality coach Kevin was before then. But at that time I liked the fact he was familiar with the conference, too."
The Sooners went 54-13 and won three Big 12 championships during Sumlin's time in Norman. He remembers those five years fondly.
"There's a bunch of great wins, a bunch of great games. The Big 12 championship game in Kansas City against Nebraska (in 2006), that was a great moment. A lot of great wins," Sumlin said. "I think the culture that he (Stoops) created, not only for the team, but … for our families, because our families, our wives are still close.
"It's a complete family culture. As I said, it's not just one single experience in five years; there's a bunch of things that go into a great experience like I had at Oklahoma."
Sumlin a bright light in Stoops' coaching tree
NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops' coaching tree has grown many directions. The brightest branch belongs to Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin.
- Cowboys begin practice; Tulsa shows up
- Former Sooner starting to find niche with Shock
- Sooners' secondary gets ready for some changes
- Oklahoma running back claims self defense
- Switching positions: OU's Bell has size to change from QB to TE
- Sooners moving on: OU ready to get past Sugar Bowl
- Big 12 MEDIA DAYS: Great expectations: Sooners believe predictions are valid
- Big 12 MEDIA DAYS: Could be familiar to Sooner faithful
- Big 12 MEDIA DAYS: OU notebook
- COLUMN: Big 12 commissioner levels while the NCAA stays silent
- More OU Headlines


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Art Carden, Contributor
I'm an economist interested in the ordinary business of life.
On a couple of different occasions, I have used this space to call for an end to the economic, moral, and cultural disaster that is the drug war (1, 2, 3). American governments at all levels have been fighting the war on drugs for over four decades now, and it's overwhelmingly clear that it's time to cut our losses, admit that the whole thing was a mistake, and work toward restoring the lives that have been destroyed by the drug war.
I'm surprised–and saddened–that this isn't more of an issue in the Presidential race. Both major party candidates are bona fide drug warriors. Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson have called for an end to the drug war, but unfortunately, candidates from outside the major parties have a difficult time getting noticed by major media outlets. I hope that changes, but in my experience news outlets tend to pretend that there are literally only two people on the ballot.
Most major media outlets also tend to treat legalization as if it is a crazy idea that is absolutely outside of serious discussion. The people behind Seattle Hempfest, meanwhile, have been working to change that. For just over two decades, volunteers have been holding "the world's largest cannabis law reform event." I'm not a cannabis user myself, but I am a concerned citizen who is distressed about the erosion of basic liberties, the crime, and the mass incarceration that the drug war has brought us.
As I've mentioned before, prohibition is a textbook example of a policy with severe unintended consequences. The prohibition of marijuana and other drugs has produced unintended consequences not at all unlike those that resulted from the prohibition of alcohol in the twentieth century.
As events like Hempfest demonstrate, prohibition has done very little to stop people from getting drugs of all kinds, and it has also done little to prevent the emergence of a thriving community of marijuana enthusiasts. Some people know a lot about classic cars. Others know a lot about fine wine. Still others might be really into crazy straw design or connoisseurs of still pictures of Joe Biden eating a sandwich.
In the same way, there are a lot of people out there who know a lot about pot. How much? A picture is worth a thousand words. Once again, Brian Wallace from Nowsourcing, Inc. has been kind enough to share this handy infographic. If nothing else, this suggests that while pot prohibition has led to a the incarceration of a lot of people, it hasn't exactly kept the drug out of the hands of enthusiastic users. Marijuana prohibition has been a terrible mistake that has ruined far too many lives. It's high time we own up to it.
Edited 8/17/2012, 11:15 PM: The infographic was replaced because there was a typo in the original version.
Only in this skewed Randian nightmare we now live in. Not that long ago self-sufficiency used to be a praiseworthy trait. And not long before that self-sufficiency was the hallmark characterisitic of adulthood. This dependency thing is the root of the rot destroying this country.
I absolutely agree with you.
It's about time the federal government recognized that a lot of Americans like to get high on something other than alcohol. If our legislators really cared about keeping people safe they would legalize every recreational drug that's safer than booze.
That would keep alcohol as the most harmful recreational drug legally available and at the same time give people the right to legally choose safer alternatives to alcohol. A great deal of the violence, disease and harm that's currently caused by alcohol could be prevented by giving alcohol users the right to substitute marijuana for alcohol.
You do mention that you are opposed to drug prohibition. Ideally all prohibition is of negative consequence to the human experience globally. When or if you research about prohibition of hemp you will learn you have been lied to. Your parents were lied to as well through the format of propaganda and, yellow journalism. Thank you for publishing this article. Please check out Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://leap.cc
Great Op ed! Thank you for spreading the knowledge
If you believe in safe access than please tweet or post the link to http://StopTheBanLA.com or all dispensaries will be shut down!
Pr. Carden,
This is ultimately a *electoral* issue. Any candidate who would offer a bill to legalize marijuana, or would support such a bill, would face a political opponent who would use that bill against him or her. "He (or she) is 'SOFT ON CRIME'" the voters would hear. It would be (and has been) conservatives who offer up this argument. There has never been a conservative legislator who has tendered or voted for such a bill who has face a liberal opponent who has made that argument while the reverse would and has happened.
The truth of the matter is that opposing the legalization of marijuana is strongly supported by *conservative* voters, they do not like the idea. No conservative politician is going walk way from a so powerful a weapon when facing a liberal opponent nor will that conservative politician give a more conservative candidate that same weapon to use against him or herself. In practice only (some) liberal voters and politicians support legalizing marijuana.
This brings us to larger truth, conservatives are not libertarians because conservatives like government and government intrusion into the society. They like laws and regulations and government programs which cost tax payer dollars. Conservatives are no different from liberals in this matter. Conservatives simply want *different* laws and regulations and government programs than liberals want. They want government to intrude into society when it suits their political purposes.
When Rep. Ron Paul was booed at the Republican candidates' debates for repeating the Golden Rule, that shows just how "libertarian" conservative voters really are. Anyone with power is not a libertarian and any libertarian with any power is not keep it long.
Libertarianism is jut political camouflage for conservatives which they will drop the moment it is no longer politically useful.
Estimates show that marijuana is America's number one cash crop. However, marijuana remains untaxed. This is a new source of income for our nation, an income we desperately need.
Over 500 of the nation's top economic professors have shared their opinion in supporting the removing the prohibition and imposing the taxation and regulation of marijuana as a way to slow the federal deficit.
Ending marijuana prohibition would save the US $7.7 BILLION annually. That is nearly as much as Congress' proposed Budget Control Act. Think of the jobs it would create, the court time I would save and the jail space it would free up for actual criminals.
Sign the petition below. Also, create a group, this will connect every member directly to their elected officials.
Hello Patrick Shane,
Yes, that is all true but who will win an election supporting legalization of marijuana? Until candidates who support legalization can get elected and stay elected, it is all just theory.
I was sitting here, clinging to my bible and guns, drinking beer and listening to Rush Limbaughs call to behead all non white people, filling out insurance coverage for my precious tea bags if god forbid the worst happens, and behold, you make me spit my beer out all over my computer, that i bought from taking advantage of some poor person while I got rich on Oil contacts in Iraq.
The govement doesn't want passive soldiers…think about this …this is the real reason it's illegal.
Here's to hoping Obama in his second term is going to do with marijuana legalization what he did with gay marriage: fake oppose and then come around when Biden forces him to.


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Family Guy Keychains & Keyrings
Family Guy Keychains
Family Guy keyrings feature the characters from the animated hit TV sitcom about the adventures of the Griffin family. This somewhat odd New England family is headed by Peter Griffin who tends to get into strange predicaments. A favorite is the family dog Brian that talks, enjoys dry martinis, and likes to torment the diabolically clever baby Stewie. Collect all your favorite characters.
-These 3 D figures are attached to a sturdy metal ring.
-No minimum order required. Quantity discounts are available.
-Family Guy key chains measure: 2" long