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In January of 2008, the Jugendamt (Germany's youth welfare office) and police officials surrounded the Gorber family's Uberlingen home in a surprise raid. Mr. Gorber was away from home at the time of the raid, visiting his wife at a local hospital where she had been admitted, due to complications from her pregnancy with their ninth child. Despite the children's repeated protests, all but the oldest son, age 21, and a daughter, age 20, were taken into custody by the authorities.
The siblings reported that the 7-year-old was gripped around the waist by a youth home music teacher, dragged kicking and screaming across the courtyard, and thrown into a van. The terrified 3-year-old clung to his 20-year-old sister so tightly that even the police and Jugendamt official could not separate them. Both had to be taken to the youth home, where at last the little fellow's strength gave out and he was taken into custody.
The children received psychological exams, which reported that they were all normal and well-functioning. Although these evaluations attested to appropriate parenting, the judge at the Gorbers' trial indicated that he was unwilling to allow the five children of school age to return home, because he did not believe the father's assurances that he would enroll the children in school.1
After a 10-month ordeal, a judge restored custody of the children to the Gorber parents, but ordered that the children be enrolled in public school and the 3-year-old participate in a playgroup for "socialization outside the family."2
For homeschoolers, Germany isn't a friendly place. German authorities routinely fine, jail, and remove children from homeschooling parents. An outsider might wonder where this behavior comes from—is it rooted in some unique aspect of German culture? Could America or other western countries be influenced and begin acting like this? What, if anything, can be done about this grossly disproportionate treatment of a small group of parents who are simply seeking to educate their children at home? What is so threatening to German authorities about a few hundred (or even thousand) families swimming against the stream of the popular culture?
Even as it appears that freedom for American homeschoolers is secure, we would do well to remember that, not long ago, homeschooling parents here were facing truancy charges, jail, or loss of custody. Recent events like the Rachel L. case in California and annual state legislative battles illustrate that, while homeschooling may seem safe in America, there are those who constantly seek to restrict the freedoms homeschoolers now enjoy.
In a world where distances have been compressed through information technology, events from all over the world can impact us here. And, as international
law and opinion influences American courts and policy makers, we must pay attention to the experience of homeschoolers in other countries. One of HSLDA's missions is to make sure that the German experience does not migrate here. We also hope and pray that Germany's homeschool experience will parallel America's, where, over time, freedom came to homeschooling parents.
Germany's Basic Law, similar to our own federal Constitution, states, "the care and upbringing of children is the natural right of parents and a duty primarily incumbent upon them. The state shall supervise them in the performance of this duty."3 In interpreting this provision of the Basic Law, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court "stressed that the State's obligation to provide education did not only concern the acquisition of knowledge, but also the education of responsible citizens who participate in a democratic and pluralistic society."4
These provisions of Germany's Basic Law are interpreted by the courts to prohibit homeschooling. When he sentenced Juergen and Rosemary Dudek to 90 days in prison for homeschooling, Judge Becker, a county court judge in the state of Hessen, wrote in an unpublished opinion on July 22, 2008, that education is "not only a passing on of knowledge and skills" but that public schools "serve as a suitable and necessary instrument to
not only
pass on knowledge but to bring [up] a responsible person." The school is responsible for "rearing up responsible citizens who will equally and responsibly participate in the democratic processes of a pluralistic society."5 And compulsory public school attendance is necessary to create "social competency in relationship with people who think differently, practice tolerance
." School attendance "fulfills the general goal of [this] integration."
Judge Becker goes on to defend the necessity of public education:
The general public has a legitimate interest to work against the development of any religious or other ideologically motivated parallel societies and to integrate minorities. This integration does not only take for granted that the majority of the population doesn't marginalize religious and ideological minorities, it also demands that they don't marginalize themselves and that they don't close themselves off from a dialogue with people of different views and beliefs. The presence of a wide spectrum of convictions in a classroom can effectively further the ability of all students to more tolerant dialogue as a prerequisite of the democratic process of the formation of the will.
According to the interpretation of the German courts, homeschoolers, by withdrawing their children from public education, subvert the state's effort to foster pluralism and tolerance. This threatens what the state sees as its interest to create "responsible citizens."
Homeschoolers are not the first minority group that Germany has considered a threat. Seventy to eighty years ago, Adolph Hitler, the German fuehrer, used a racist form of fascism to eliminate Jews, blacks, Catholics, handicapped persons, and other "minority" groups. No one argues that the plight of homeschoolers in Germany even begins to compare to what was suffered by those minority groups in Germany before and during World War II. And modern Germany is clearly not to be compared to Nazi Germany.
Yet, in light of this history, it is difficult not to wonder why modern German authorities treat homeschooling parents this way. What is it about Germany that enables such uniform and repressive measures against parents and families who seek to home educate? Exorbitant fines in the tens of thousands of dollars, jail time, and court hearings to take away custody are the tools nearly all German authorities are using to repress homeschooling.
This is especially out of the ordinary when nearly all other western European democracies allow for homeschooling by either constitution, law, or practice. Even formerly communist eastern European countries are loosening up their laws and regulations to allow homeschoolers freedom. Far from escaping the rigidly uniformitarian ideas about society that prevailed in Hitler's Germany, today's authorities seem to be perpetuating it through their treatment of German homeschoolers.
The view of homeschooling as a threat seems to stem from modern Germany's understanding, or perhaps misunderstanding, of pluralism and a concern over parallelgeselsschaft or "parallel societies." Judge Becker noted that it is the role of the Federal Commission on Education to "rear up responsible citizens who will equally and responsibly participate in the democratic processes of a pluralistic society." He also noted that "the general public has a legitimate interest to work against the development of any religious or other ideologically motivated parallel societies and to integrate minorities."
But how does pluralism allow for this treatment of homeschoolers? Isn't pluralism supposed to stand for tolerance of different people?
Pluralism, defined by the dictionary as the "existence of different groups within society,"6 is used in many contexts to describe diversity within a particular system or environment. People talk
about political pluralism, educational pluralism, philosophical pluralism, and religious pluralism.
True pluralism protects the human rights that have been the basis for free societies across the world. The American Founders appealed to the notion of natural rights as coming from the Creator of the universe in the Declaration of Independence, when they wrote,
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.[emphasis added]
A freely elected democratic government, such as the American Founders envisioned, does not exist to form or mold society; it exists to protect the rights and freedoms of its people from internal and external threats and to apply the rule of law equally to all.
However, all too often, the modern state does take on a role of shaping society. It does this under the leadership of political organizations that seek to further their own society-transforming agenda—and increasingly toward some form of socialism. Because the state has coercive power through its functions to make and enforce laws, it has the power to shape society if, at least in democratic societies, it can obtain a majority.
Within a democratic political context, however, true pluralism stands for the idea of many different groups co-existing and cooperating peacefully within a common society. This understanding includes two important implications.
First, a common political society must exist. At a minimum, there are five elements that ought to be shared by a common political society: common boundary, common language, common economic system, common legal system, and common political authority that reflects the will of the people with respect to laws that apply equally to all. Without these common structures, there is no common society—merely different groups living autonomously within a geographic area.
Second, for different groups to exist, these groups must have something that makes them distinctive, be it racial, cultural, ethnic, religious, or philosophical. If there aren't distinctions, then there is just one big, homogenous group—and that isn't pluralism. Again, pluralism is defined as the existence of different groups within society.
How governments interpret pluralism and human rights varies, however. The European Convention on Human Rights, to which Germany is a signatory, states that "No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relations to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions."7
In Article 26 section 3, the UN Declaration of Human Rights provides that "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children."8
So, say the German authorities, you can have your rights as parents to choose whatever form of education you think is best for children—as long as you pick our public schools. Or you can pick among the few private schools that have been approved (by us). Or if you want to teach your own children, you can do it—just do it after school hours or on weekends.
In Germany, the government applies its police power to enforce its version of parental rights. In 2007 in the Paul & Plett case, the Bundes Gericht Horst (Germany's highest criminal appeals court) ruled that parents who homeschool are guilty of abusing their parental rights. This is important, because such a determination allows the Jugendamt to allege that homeschooling parents are abusive and to remove children from their custody. This case is being appealed by the International Human Rights Group to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
German courts have reasoned that the state's interest in integrating children into society is more important than the German parents' right to decide what is best for their children.
This compelling state interest stems from Germany's fear of parallel societies, groups of people who live within the common political society but do not share the minimum common characteristics. These subsocieties within the larger society do not seek to interact but rather to remain isolated. Such a parallel society limits contact with the common political society and seeks to operate and perpetuate its own civic institutions and legal functions, perhaps even rejecting a common language.
If we accept the idea that government exists to maintain order by establishing a rule of law that applies equally to all within its jurisdiction, then, indeed, parallel societies are dangerous. In such parallel societies, the rights that should be protected and enjoyed by all citizens of the society could be repressed in the name of some other philosophy, legal system, or religion, perhaps. If this were true, it would mean that not all citizens would receive equal protection under the law. Because it is the duty of the state to protect the rights and equal application of the law to all people living within its jurisdiction, this cannot be allowed.
For example, the idea of Islamic subpopulations that apply religious law within their geographic boundaries and foment radical Islam are a concern for German authorities because of the large and growing Islamic population in Germany. There are documented cases of persecution of foreigners in Germany in particular Muslim communities. But, while parallel societies may indeed be an enemy of a democratic society, dogmatic and coerced uniformity by government is the enemy of a pluralistic society.
So are homeschoolers really a parallel society? Do homeschooling families isolate themselves from a common language, a common law, and a common set of civic institutions or even an economic system? Empirical data and research clearly establish that this is emphatically not the case. While homeschoolers may not participate in the public education system, this does not make them a parallel society. Homeschoolers ought be considered a definable social group, but, according to research, they engage at higher levels on average than their public and private schooled counterparts in the civic institutions of free democratic societies, rather than isolating themselves.9
The question is not whether a free society can or must be either democratic or pluralistic—it can and should be both. I would suggest that no responsible homeschooler would advocate for the creation of what I have defined here as a parallel society.
What we see in German education is not pluralism but rather support of a state-controlled and coercive system of education, whose stated purpose, at least as far as the German judiciary is concerned, is not to promote pluralism but rather to standardize and integrate children into society.
In Germany, the natural effect of sending children to public schools is to impose a level of nationally (or state-) applied and coercively mandated uniformity. Children study the state-approved curriculum, are institutionalized for a majority of their time with children their own age, and are expected to conform to a nationally mandated set of standards. This is educational uniformity—it strips away distinctives in people groups and undermines a pluralistic society.
Those who would shape society know that in order to do so, they must control education, because the children of today are the culture of tomorrow. Children are impressionable, and those with whom they form the closest attachments will most impress upon them the moral and social norms that they carry into adulthood. Hitler sought to unify German society in the 1930s by abolishing the states, taking control of all private and public education, and requiring that all children attend nationally controlled schools, saying,
The youth of today is ever the people of tomorrow. For this reason we have set before ourselves the task of inoculating our youth with the spirit of this community of the people at a very early age, at an age when human beings are still unperverted and therefore unspoiled. This Reich stands, and it is building itself up for the future, upon its youth. And this new Reich will give its youth to no one, but will itself take youth and give to youth its own education and its own upbringing.10
Sharply contrasting with that view, the United States Supreme Court in the case Pierce v. Society of Sisters penned this famous quote:
The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the State to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.11
This is why educational freedom is so important to a pluralistic society. An exclusive and state-controlled system (a monopoly) of education with the purpose to standardize children in the name of "integration" is no friend of pluralism. A nation that coerces unquestioned, unexcepted uniformity in such a critically important area of public life has abandoned the principles of pluralism and individual liberty.
HSLDA has worked with German homeschoolers for nearly a decade to re-establish this educational freedom that marks truly pluralistic societies. Before 1938, parents did have the right to educate their children at home. After Hitler nationalized education and made criminals of parents who did not send their children to the state schools, homeschooling was eradicated. The homeschooling movement began and grew slowly in Germany in the 1980s and 1990s. Then, in 2000, HSLDA helped establish a German homeschool defense organization known as Schuzh. Schuzh is led by a husband and wife team of German lawyers, Armin and Gabrielle Eckermann. Although not homeschoolers, these two lawyers have worked tirelessly to minister to and defend homeschoolers from many parts of Germany.
Because the average homeschooling family in Germany is not wealthy, funding to support litigation and other activities encourages and materially assists German homeschoolers. The Alliance Defense Fund has partnered with HSLDA through grants to help fund important cases that may provide opportunities to bring homeschooling to the public's attention and that may give the German court system an opportunity to repent of their repressive and harsh rulings against homeschoolers.
In 2006, when the European Court of Human Rights rejected the homeschooling case of Konrad, it became clear to many that, if even an appeal to the European court system failed, homeschoolers could not rely on German courts to deliver freedom. Only change through the legislatures would bring the needed reforms to allow parents to freely homeschool. HSLDA has developed a new strategy of focusing on legislative efforts and creating public awareness as a necessary condition for changing German laws and regulations. This strategy can be viewed at HSLDA's Germany home page.
Within the past three to five years, other organizations of German homeschoolers have formed with the aim of influencing the public and legislatures to allow homeschooling in Germany. These organizations are meeting with local and national politicians and ministers of education to ask them to help create change to protect the rights of parents to homeschool.
In 2006, one of these groups, Netzwerk Bildungsfreiheit,12 sponsored a conference in Germany with the European Forum for Freedom in Education,13 a Europe-wide organization dedicated to creating freedom in education across the continent. The conference brought together hundreds of homeschoolers and supporters from all over Europe and was a great encouragement to German homeschoolers. Netzwerk leaders are brave families who, in the face of constant threat of persecution, continue to homeschool their children. The Netzwerk seeks opportunities to meet with German politicians and has been successful at bringing homeschooling to the attention of state education ministers, representatives, and the news media. Another organization, the Bundesverband Naturlich Learning (Association for Natural Learning), sends out newsletters and organizes events to support homeschoolers and bring awareness of the need for change in Germany's education laws.
Historically, the news media in Germany has been hostile to homeschoolers, painting them as out-of-touch, ultra-isolationist, radical fundamentalist Christians. In an increasingly secular country like Germany, this is a serious charge. However, in more recent years, some homeschoolers have seen a shift toward growing sympathy in media coverage. This kind of news coverage is vital to changing the stereotype that homeschooling creates dangerous parallel societies. In January of this year, premier German magazine Der Spiegel ran a feature story on homeschoolers, featuring the Dudek and Neubronner families. The coverage of homeschooling was more favorable than ever before.
Some legislators are beginning to take note. In the legislature of the German state Baden Wurttemberg, the minority Free Democratic Party (FDP), which is something like the Libertarian party in America, has taken an interest in homeschooling. In May of 2008, I attended a meeting with one of the FDP parliamentarians, who admitted that the current state of affairs should not continue for homeschoolers and that some form of toleration had to be found so that parents did not have to live in fear of persecution for homeschooling.
International attention may also help persuade Germany to grant more freedom to homeschoolers. Kathy Sinnott, an Irish Member of the European Parliament who has homeschooled her own special needs child, understands the problem. MEP Sinnott has championed petitions from homeschoolers before the 725-member European Parliament's Petitions Committee. The Petitions Committee hears grievances that citizens have against their governments. After hearing the grievance, the committee votes whether to refer the matter to the Council of Ministers, who then take the matter up with the member state and try to get it to take some action to address the problem. In July 2008, MEP Sinnott—also Vice President of the Petitions Committee—said this about the petition of Rina Groenveld, an Irish homeschooling mother living in Germany because of her German husband's employment:
This petition brings into question workers' mobility. One of the guarantees of the internal market is the freedom of movement of workers in the EU. There is an increasing awareness that workers have families and that flexibility to meet their needs should be part of employment law. However, Germany's approach to home schooling compromises this and forces families to choose between a job and the best interests of the children. The need for family friendly employment policies must be recognized throughout the EU. We need to have flexibility in the education of children temporarily resident because of work. There is also an issue around the attitude to non-German families in the German children's courts. I hope the dialogue between the Commission and the German State will resolve this discriminatory situation.14
HSLDA is encouraging the American government to take a more vocal position on this human rights issue. Germany is an ally, and we can use our friendship to point out that homeschooling is a freedom that should be protected, not repressed. The experience of scores of countries from all over the world shows that homeschooling supports pluralistic democracy and is not a threat to society.
In my conversations with Juergen Dudek, homeschooling father of seven, he never fails to tell me how much it means to him to have the support and encouragement of homeschoolers in America. Juergen and Rosemary Dudek have been homeschooling their seven children since 1998. They have tried to accommodate the government by attempting to register their home as a private school. This forestalled the authorities from taking action against them personally until the state denied the private school application. After this, the local school office decided it was time to "get serious."
Juergen remembers a pivotal statement from a judge in 2006, handling one of the cases relating to one of their children:
"If your conscience is so important to [you]—then why don't you just leave the country?" It was our first confrontation with the way homeschoolers were to be taken care of in Germany: just push them out of their homeland when their time comes. When the school authorities realized that we weren't just fooling around but—despite our fine—went on educating our children at home, they sent our case to the state prosecutor one day before the hearing. This prosecutor and judge took a rather relaxed stance on the issue. They didn't want to see us heavily sentenced and worked out a fine of 300 euros and demanded that we apply for the status of private school for our homeschool, the criminal procedure being suspended.
In May of 2007, Juergen wrote to me, just days after I met him during a trip to Germany, where I presented a paper in support of homeschooling.
I've been wanting to write you since our return from Burg Rothenfells at the end of April. Once again, thank you for your talk on "Pluralism and Parallel Societies." Remember, you gave me your manuscript? I tried to make use of some of its points for our defense just a couple of days later, but it all just didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was: "Your kinder (children) are going to school tomorrow, ja? If no, then we know what to do with people like you." Okay, it wasn't exactly like that. But at least this was the state prosecutor's message: "Don't worry that you won't be able to pay the fine. You won't need to, because I'm going to send you to prison."
In a recent letter, Juergen tells me that he detects "a slight but distinct shift in the German media. It is as if something is holding them back from condemning homeschooling as easily as they used to
they are asking more and better questions." He credits this to a growing perception by the public that there is something wrong with the state-run school system that is "less and less capable of providing a good education, any education at all."
Juergen understands that the issue is ideological more than political or legal.
I've been thinking a lot about
the implications of all this in
our political culture. I've confronted politicians on county and federal levels with the situation of homeschooling families. All answers by politicians—educated, rational people—are pointing in the same direction. Germany is working hard in doing it "better" this time—a dictatorial state, where the authorities have all the power to tell the good from the bad, where the motto is mainstreaming (Gleichshaultung)
and those who can't agree with
it are expatriated. To us, it isn't just a question of law—rather,
it's a question of politics and
ideology using law to achieve its aims.
At times, he has difficulty seeing
how the German culture in which
he grew up will change to embrace
freedom for homeschoolers. "Nothing short of revolution could change
the authorities' attitude towards
people behaving somewhat 'outside
the system' (as they see it). But there
is prayer—your prayer, prayer by
brothers and sisters in Christ who feel strongly about His Kingdom to come
in the hearts of the little ones."
And because of that prayer, Juergen seems ever hopeful. He recalls Isaiah 8:12–13: "Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread" (New International Version).
As the Dudeks face a new trial after an appeals court overturned their 90-day prison sentence on the grounds of legal errors in the regional court's ruling, Juergen writes that he and Rosemary are totally confident that God is protecting them. He quotes Isaiah 33:22: "The Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us" (New International Version).
There aren't a lot of homeschoolers in Germany. In this country of nearly 100 million people, homeschoolers number merely in the hundreds, while in England, a much smaller nation, reports indicate over 100,000 homeschooled children. With a population three times the size of Germany's,15 the United States has over 1.5 million homeschooled children, based on a conservative estimate by the U.S. Department of Education.16
Whenever I speak with German homeschoolers, they invariably tell me how much the support of U.S. homeschoolers means to them. To these homeschoolers, America is a light shining on a hill and our prayers, letters, phone calls, and other support are a lifeline to these isolated families. Some U.S. homeschoolers have even undertaken trips to provide encouragement to the Germans (see sidebar).
Samuel Adams, one of the United States' Founders, said, "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate and tireless minority keen to set brushfires in the minds of the people."
If U.S. homeschoolers continue to
pray and encourage their German brothers and sisters, these brushfires in the minds of the German people will spread and result in positive change for a persecuted minority whose hope is fragile but firmly rooted in their faith in God and their desire to do what is best for their children.
1. Home School Legal Defense Association, press release, August 1, 2008, http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/Germany/200808010.asp.
2. HSLDA, press release, November 18, 2008,
3. Germany Basic Law Article 6 §2.
4. European Court of Human Rights, Fifth Section, Decision as to the Admissibility of Application
no. 35504/03 by Fritz KONRAD and others against Germany. (2006) at 4. Summarizing the German Constitutional Court's Ruling in the domestic case of Konrad v. Baden Wurttemberg (2003).
5. On December 24th, 2008, a German appeals court overturned Judge Becker's ruling and his
sentence. The reversal was on the grounds of
technical legal errors and not because the appeals court disagreed with Judge Becker's reasoning.
6. Encarta Dictionary English (North America) 2009.
7. European Convention on Human Rights Article 2 of Protocol No.1.
8. UN General Assembly, Third Session, UN
Declaration of Human Rights (Paris, 1948).
9. Brian Ray, Homeschooling Grows Up (HSLDA, 2003).
10. Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925).
11. "Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression," vol. 1, ch. 7, Nizkor Project, http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-07-means-44.html.
12. The Network for Educational Freedom,
13. European Forum for Freedom in Education,
14. Kathy Sinnott, press release, July 17, 2008.
15. U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. and World Population Clocks—POPClocks," www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html.
16. Stacey Bielick, "1.5 Million Homeschooled
Students in the United States in 2007," National Center for Education Statistics, 2008, http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009030.pdf.
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Programmers often copy code from one program to another. Unfortunately when patches to buggy code are not propagated to all code clones, this leaves one or more programs still vulnerable. To study how widespread the problem of unpatched code clone truly is and to provide a tool that can help developers fight against it, we developed ReDeBug, a system to quickly find unpatched code clones in code bases at the scale of entire OS distributions.
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By submitting your source code (as a tarball), you can check if your code has the below CVE vulnerabilities. If a match is found, a report showing both the original buggy code and unpatched code clones found in the submitted code is presented.

subset: commoncrawl


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this rack cost without electronics?
I love this rack and want to know how much would it cost? anyone here have midatlantic racks? I am assuming the cost is over a thousand dollars? I dont think the rack I have now will able to hold heavy equipments. Right now its ok but when i plan to add amps, then it will placed upstairs :D


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A Scottish chieftain is in love with the daughter of Lord Ullin. The Scots have close knit clans and are very proud of their clans. This often resulted in feuds and fights. Lord Ullin does not approve of his daughter's choice and threatens to kill the chief's son. The two lovers escape and come to a large lake called the loch. It is a stormy night and going into the lake in this weather could be quite dangerous. The chieftain's son offers the boatman a silver pound to ferry them across. The boatman is quite surprised at this request and would like to know who they are. The lover tells him. They have been running for 3 days now. He is sure that if caught he will be killed. His blood will stain the heather. The brave boatman offers to take them across. He says that he does so not for money, but because of the charming lady. It is not for her silver bright but for her winsome lady. The dark clouds gathered. The storm grew fierce. The lady pleaded with the men to hurry. She would rather venture into the stormy waters than meet the wrath of her father. I'll meet the raging of the skies. But not an angry father. The lovers were taken into the stormy waters. But the winds were hard and the tempest too strong. The boat soon capsized and the frail occupants of the boat fell into the lake and were soon drowned. Just at that moment Lord Ullin reached the bank. His anger had melted away and now he was close to tears his wrath was changed to wailing. He saw the raised hand of his child, before she sank into the water with her lover. He called out to her in grief, promising to accept her lover the chief's son. But he was too late. The lovers had met their watery grave.


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The following was submitted by West Chester Area School District.
With prom and graduation seasons just around the corner, the mission to protect teenage lives in motor vehicles received a significant boost at West Chester Bayard Rustin High School when Police Officer Chris Daly presented his proprietary "Drive to Survive" program before an audience of 11th and 12th graders. Safe vehicle operation was only part of the educational and interactive morning assembly, which also included a focus on teen behavior and initiatives for making sensible choices. Funding for this unique program was provided by Rustin's Parent Teacher Association and the Students Against Drunk Driving Club.
Rustin Principal Dr. Phyllis Simmons strongly endorsed the event, saying, "This program is a wonderful collaboration by our PTO, SADD Club, administration, and staff, and will educate our students on how and why to safely operate a vehicle. We want to help ensure the safety of all our students while they're driving."
In Pennsylvania alone, 72 young people aged 14-19 died in automobile accidents in 2011, the last year for which full statistics are available. Many more were injured and left debilitated due to vehicle incidents, many of which involved bad decision-making. "In order to ensure preventable car accidents don't occur in the first place," said Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon, "The Drive to Survive program focuses on avoiding situations known to law enforcement as likely to lead to death and destruction. The message presented really helps young people think about driving safely because automobiles are a great luxury but can be very dangerous if operated carelessly."
In the absence of outside funding, hosting safety programs such this might not be possible, so the financial backing of the PTO was essential. "The Rustin Parent Teacher Organization is grateful to be able to work with the administration and the SADD Club to fund a program like "Drive to Survive" that will help keep our kids safe on the road," said Gina Lombardi, co-president of the Rustin PTO.
Officer Daly, with the Borough of West Chester Police Department, continually refines his highly-respected presentation and ensures that the program has the maximum impact possible on high school students, many of whom have only been behind the wheel of a car for a short time. Passengers in student-driven cars also have a responsibility to keep things safe and sensible.
According to club member and 11th grade student Natalie Conners, "The Rustin SADD club is very excited to have the "Drive to Survive" assembly coming to our school. The program will teach students new information about safe driving, and it will aid SADD's continued effort to work with our student body in making positive decisions."


text:
O'Dowd overwhelms Castro Valley
-- Staff
Kunz propels Hornets to victory over Jets
-- Staff
Gauchos top Panthers
-- Staff
On deck
Stars of the week
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This barren, desert prison is where O.J. Simpson lives
Some here call it the 'O.J. House,' the only gated community in a vast stretch of desert rich in gold and silver, pioneer trails and proud, isolated towns north of Reno.
Love it? Hate it? Summer road trips
Do you have cherished or awful memories of family road trips? See what our staffers have to say, then send us your thoughts.
(Photo by Stuart Wilson/Getty Images)
Why Bradley Cooper pulled shift at Burger King
Actor was preparing for "Adam Jones" role in London.


text:
|July 9, 2014
Finishing Touches at USA Children's & Women's Hospital
The University of South Alabama Children's & Women's Hospital expansion nears completion with the new lobby and courtyard. The art-filled courtyard will offer a relaxing place for patients and families to meet in fresh air, and the lobby will house a new gift shop and information desk.
The Department of Pediatrics at the University of South Alabama offers a three-year residency program in an environment that is both stimulating and friendly. Our residency program is designed to prepare the pediatrician-in-training to practice effective primary care pediatrics in the community as well as providing flexibility, allowing those interested in subspecialty training, academic pediatrics and research the necessary background to pursue their professional goals.
USA Children's and Women's Hospital is a free-standing facility dedicated to providing quality care to the children and women of the Gulf Coast area.
The Mobile, Alabama area has affordable housing, superb seafood, a wide variety of entertainment options and a temperate climate that makes outdoor activities possible year-round. Please explore our site to learn more about us!


text:
CME's Swap Data Repository provides public data on swap transactions and stores confidential trade and position data for regulatory purposes, in accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act. CFTC has approved CME Swap Data Repository as a swap data repository (SDR) for credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, commodities and foreign exchange asset classes.
View cleared, non-cleared and bilateral swap transactions reported to the CME Swap Data Repository, published by asset class in real-time — after any applicable regulatory-mandated delays. Access history on all previous publicly reported swap transactions.


text:
Nov. 17, 2009
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In Saturday's home finale, Florida State will recognize the outstanding contributions of defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who will retire after 26 seasons with the Seminoles at the end of the season.
Andrews freely admits that his 2009 defensive unit has been prone to mistakes that have been costly, but he's never questioned the effort of his players. Despite the significant drop-off from the long-accustomed standard of excellence, the defense came up with timely stops - and two big takeaways - in last week's win over Wake Forest.
Improving on that effort against Maryland would be a fitting tribute to Andrews and go a long way toward sealing a victory and the accompanying 28th consecutive bowl berth for the Seminoles.
One defensive unit, in particular, has made significant strides over the second half of the season. FSU's starting linebacker trio of Nigel Bradham, Kendall Smith and Dekoda Watson have stepped up their productivity in the second half.
With 19 tackles in his last two games, Bradham has grabbed the team lead in tackles from Smith by the narrowest of margins - 66-65. Over the last five games Bradham has registered 39 stops, including a team-high 27 of the solo variety. That's a vast improvement from his 27 tackles (18 solos) through the first five games.
"Nigel has been playing pretty good all year," said veteran linebackers coach Chuck Amato. "He made a couple open-field tackles the other day (at Wake Forest). He made an open-field tackle against (C.J. Spiller) up at Clemson. Nigel's really starting to get confidence in himself; confidence in what he's doing. The vision is stretching on all of them."
Smith's improving field vision led the middle linebacker straight to the ball and his first career interception against Wake Forest. Jumping a route over the middle, Smith picked off a Riley Skinner pass that set up a second quarter touchdown drive, good for a 21-7 lead.
That vision is also paying dividends when it comes to tackles. Smith has 35 stops (19 solo) over the past five games; up from 30 tackles (18 solos) in the first five.
"They're linebackers," said Amato, who also praised the trio for their improved film study habits. "They're supposed to make tackles and they're not missing as many tackles. They have really done a lot on their own, which is good."
Watson's second half production has dipped, in large part due to a groin strain which limited to only three snaps in the final series against North Carolina. The lone senior of the bunch, Watson has remained a loyal supporter as the teams' defensive captain while working his way back to full healthy.
"He's a person who wants to excel so much," Amato said of Watson.
The efforts of the linebacking corps, which struggled to finish plays earlier in the year, has not gone unnoticed by the man in the tower.
"It has stepped up and it's very important," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said of the unit's performance. "As I look at each one of them, they're beginning to make more plays, which they have the ability to do. They have good speed. They have to be careful of over-running plays, because of their speed. They've adjusted better."


text:
the News - Friday, April 18, 2008
this week's FRONT PAGE (PDF)
Special GREEN issue to celebrate
global efforts toward conservation
in the print edition:
ONLY in the print edition:
FACES OF JAZZAFFAIR no. 35
photo gallery of Jazzaffair 2008
Working toward an
In any movement there are
pioneers among the doers. Among those
who pioneered going green in Three Rivers
was James and Bettina Birch, who two decades
ago moved to the North Fork and established
"Back in 1989, the Birch family
came to Three Rivers and offered locally
grown, certified organic fruits and vegetables
to the community," Bettina said.
"[The produce] was locally grown
with no carbon imprint… organic,
no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides,
yet many in the community preferred to
drive to the big city to purchase their
In retrospect, Bettina offered
that perhaps green was not the "in"
thing to do in 1989. James Birch has continued
to offer locally-grown, certified-organic
fruits and vegetables that are now available
at Village Market.
There is no doubt that supporting
local businesses is key to building an
earth-friendly community. But there are
several factors that discourage many from
joining the movement, not the least of
which is added cost.
The SEQUOIA NATURAL HISTORY
ASSOCIATION (SNHA) announced recently
that they are no longer offering the traditional,
disposable shopping bags and are replacing
the former bags with new green, reusable
bags similar to what grocery stores offer.
These new bags will sell
for $1.95 and eventually there will be
several sizes. The idea, according to
Mark Tilchen, SNHA executive director,
is that the customer can use these bags
when they go shopping anywhere.
The dilemma for all businesses,
Tilchen said, is that while a greening
world works to get people out of the "must
have a bag habit," most businesses
realize that they must cater to their
customers. SNHA is looking at other products
that also decompose faster and are more
For customers who experience
anxiety about the use of plastic bags,
Tilchen said, there is a product made
from corn.
These bags actually have
a dated shelf life as they start to decompose
immediately, Tilchen said.
It's becoming the norm
in America, Tilchen recently told his
sales staff, not to ask the customer if
they want a bag when making a small purchase.
Now cashiers are waiting for the customer
to request a bag.
It's practically a
given that nonprofits like SNHA should
be on the forefront of going green but
for private businesses that must also
weigh the upside versus the bottom line,
there can be a costly learning curve.
THE GATEWAY RESTAURANT, after
attending several industry trade shows,
voluntarily implemented some green measures
upon learning about new green standards
being implemented in urban areas.
Glenn McIntyre, owner of the local eatery,
said besides the obvious environmental
benefits, he believes that discriminating
patrons feel better about eating out at
an establishment that is making an effort
to do their part.
"I want to eliminate the use of
Styrofoam completely," Glenn said.
"Our to-go platters are made from
compostable sugar cane but they aren't
cheap," he said. "We charge
50 cents extra for a to-go order, but
so far the feedback from our customers
has been all positive."
In-house diners can still
request a free doggie bag, Glenn added.
"We have also switched our industrial
cleaners to a citrus-based product that
is earth-friendly," Glenn said.
"But there were some unforeseen
costs in the learning curve of that product."
What he was referring to
is an incident that occurred shortly after
the first 30-gallon drum of the natural
solvent was delivered to the parking area
adjacent to the rear door of the kitchen.
A marauding bear treated the all-natural
product more like food and pushed over
the container, spilling more than $300
of the product in the parking lot.
"Since that happened we learned
our lesson and now store the container
in our bear-proof garbage cage,"
Glenn said.
One other item of note relative
to the local green scene is that this
week's water testing results for
the Kaweah River indicates that the rivers'
waters are in very good shape. The highest
readings of E. coli bacteria were measured
in the South Fork and are still well below
the murky thresholds of August and September.
That according to Randy Pares,
COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT (CSD) general
manager, who conducted water testing earlier
this week.
"Those results are constantly updated
on the district's newly redesigned
website, and the public is invited to
log on whenever they like," said
For current water quality
information, visit: www.3riverscsd.com
Chief Zapalac
sheriff's race
Woodlake Police Chief John
Zapalac has accomplished a lot in his
more than three decades of law enforcement.
He's been a deputy sheriff, SWAT
officer, a detective, a sergeant at Bob
Wiley Detention Center, a violent crimes
unit supervisor, and since 1997, the chief
of the Woodlake Police Department.
In 2006, after running a
hard-fought, albeit unsuccessful, campaign
for the office of Tulare County's
top cop against incumbent Bill Wittman,
he knew he was in for a tough row to hoe.
Undeterred, he is committed to running
again because meeting difficult challenges
head on are nothing new for Chief Zapalac.
Chief Zapalac's strategy
this time around is to start his campaign
sooner and work even harder, hence last
Tuesday's visit to the Sequoia Cider
Mill Restaurant in Three Rivers to kickoff
the 2010 campaign.
"When I look at what's going
on in the unincorporated areas like Three
Rivers, I see there is a whole lot of
room for improvement," Chief Zapalac
said. "When a citizen reports a
crime and they are told that no officer
is available until the next morning that
is not acceptable."
During his recent visit to
Three Rivers, Chief Zap, as he his known
to his multitude of friends, said that
response times and river trespassing will
be his top priorities for Three Rivers.
"These problems we have in communities
like Three Rivers are not insurmountable,"
Zapalac said. "If I'm elected
sheriff in 2010, the community will know
that the Tulare County Sheriff's
Department is here to serve, and I can
assure all citizens that there will be
a greater law enforcement presence."
DUI a factor
South Fork mishap
The least distraction while
driving the narrow roads around Three
Rivers often figure in a major accident.
Last Monday's (April 14) mishap
turned out to be a near-miss but underscored
what happens all too often when a driver
uses poor judgment.
The accident occurred south
of Heidi Drive on South Fork Drive at
3 p.m. when a 1995 Toyota pickup being
driven up canyon by a 46-year-old Three
Rivers man suddenly crossed the roadway's
centerline and sideswiped an on-coming
vehicle. That pickup, a 2006 Nissan Titan
being driven by a 59-year-old Three Rivers
man, sustained minor damage.
According to a preliminary
report filed by the CHP investigating
officer, the driver of the 1995 Toyota
pickup parked his vehicle but then left
the scene of the accident on foot. He
was later contacted and arrested for driving
under the influence (DUI).
The motorist was taken into
custody and later released. The CHP reported
that more than one-half of all fatalities
involve a driver who is impaired and even
when nobody is injured the financial impact
of being charged with DUI routinely exceeds
What does clean
smell like?
It's time for spring-cleaning
and selecting cleaning products has rarely
required much thought. Perhaps it's
what mom and dad used. Maybe it's
on sale. Maybe it's because it smells
But since when did clean
have a smell? Clean doesn't smell
like pine, lavender, or roses. Or bleach
or ammonia. In other words, we've
been taught that clean means chemicals.
Think of the toxic cocktail
that is potentially created in and around
our homes that, of course, are super-insulated
and airtight because that's what
we've been told to do to conserve
on the heating and cooling. As we inhale,
there are toxic fumes due to mopping,
scrubbing a toilet, cleaning an oven,
shampooing the carpets or upholstery,
clearing a drain, dry-cleaned clothes,
mothballs, spraying or "bombing"
insects, and even washing the dishes and
doing laundry.
We are exposing our children
to these poisons and, because they are
smaller and their lungs still developing,
they are much more vulnerable than adults
to the negative effects. Years ago, lead,
asbestos, and DDT were found to have detrimental
effects and were outlawed, but there are
new risks in modern homes.
Asthma, cancer, autism, birth
defects, allergies, hyperactivity, and
SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) are
all serious health issues that may be
caused by environmental factors, although
there has not been sufficient testing
to determine the long-term ill-health
effects of exposure to commercial cleaning
products. Even if for only this reason,
it is time to rethink how we clean our
The chemical industry is
completely unregulated in the U.S. There
is no legislation that requires cleaning
companies to list the ingredients in their
So they don't because
they are afraid of giving their secret
formulas away. In addition, they are never
going to willingly admit that their products
contain potential carcinogens. That would
be committing economic suicide.
Americans today spend an
average of 90 percent of their time indoors
— at home, in school, or in our
workplaces. We are most likely breathing
one or all of the following on a daily
basis: dust mites, bacteria, pet dander,
mold and mildew, cooking and cleaning
particles, cigarette smoke, carpet fibers,
and pollutants brought in from outside
such as pollen, pesticides, fungicides,
herbicides, dirt, heavy metals and, yes,
animal feces.
There is no Clean Air Act
to set standards for inside the home.
It's solely up to us.
It's important to purchase
only products that fully disclose all
their ingredients, so a consumer can determine
if the product consists of synthetic or
vegetable-based, toxic or naturally-derived
ingredients. It is advised to steer clear
of products that contain nonylphenol ethoxylate
(NPE), alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE), petroleum-derived
or petrochemical blended fragrances, heavy
metals, formaldehyde, synthetic pine oil,
chlorine or chlorinated or brominated
solvents, volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
phosphates, and they shouldn't be
contained in aerosol cans.
Ultimately, products should
be biodegradable (at greater than 90 percent
in 30 days), derived from replenishable
plant sources and renewable resources,
concentrated (smaller container for more
product), and have a pH level between
4 and 10.
There are some common household
items that can be used in place of toxic
cleaning products. They include white
vinegar, lemon, salt, olive oil, cream
of tartar, ketchup, and baking soda. Also
useful would be to find nontoxic soaps,
including hand dishwashing liquid and
automatic dishwashing products. And if
clean still has to have a smell, then
use antibacterial essential oil.
Each day, more nontoxic cleaning
agents finding their way onto store shelves.
As consumers become educated about their
cleaning products, healthier and more
sustainable alternatives will become more
widely available and at lower costs. And
soon, we can hope that schools, hospitals,
corporations, and government agencies
will also implement green-cleaning programs.
There are books that contain
recipes for safe and healthy cleaning.
Also, the Internet is an indispensable
resource; just search "natural window
cleaner," "natural oven cleaner,"
"natural drain cleaner," and
Green cleaning not only lowers
a family's exposure to dangerous
chemicals; it saves money, simplifies
your life, promotes healthy living, and
provides alternative products for the
next generation so they will use natural
products like their parents did.
Not so cool
Several old refrigerators
are an eyesore along North Fork Drive
near Finger Point, an area that is remote
yet accessible enough to be popular with
illegal dumpers. These appliances contain
many hazardous components and ozone-depleting
To properly dispose of a refrigerated
appliance, contact the county Public Works
Department or the local trash-collection
company, Waste Connections, and inquire
about their bulky items disposal methods.
Meds on land, in
Over 80 percent of waterways
tested by the U.S. Geological Survey show
traces of medications such as acetaminophen,
hormones, blood pressure medicine, codeine,
and antibiotics. Currently, wastewater
treatment plants are unable to remove
these compounds, allowing them to enter
the environment.
Across the globe, pharmaceutical
waste is contaminating waterways. Our
bodies do not completely metabolize all
medicinal compounds, so they are excreted
into wastewater.
Another pathway for pharmaceutical
waste in the environment is through the
disposal of unused and expired medications
down drains, toilets, or in the trash.
Do NOT dispose of any medication
down the toilet or in the trash.
Unfortunately, there is not
an easy answer as to what to do with unused
medication. Hazardous waste facilities
are prevented from taking them, pharmacies
are forbidden by law to accept them, and
they should never be thrown in the trash
to end up in a landfill.
Just as it is easier to toss
an old refrigerator over an embankment
than properly dispose of it, the proper
disposal of medications is another dilemma
for the conscientious consumer.
Private industry and local
governments need to be proactive in these
issues so everyone from every walk of
life has the access to and knowledge of
how to properly discard no longer needed
or wanted items.
Rethinking towns
by John Elliott
In 1956, the Federal Highway
Act set out to disperse our factories,
our stores, our people, and in short,
set in motion a revolution in this nation's
living habits. Unprecedented numbers of
automobiles allowed cities to expand rapidly
into rural areas.
Within a generation, areas
in the so-called Sun Belt, from Florida
to California, and to some extent in the
vicinity of every large urban area, were
transformed into vast smog-filled deserts
that were neither city, suburb, nor country.
Clusters of new housing tracts, office
parks, and shopping malls sprawled outward
from urban centers as more families took
flight from the inner cities.
By the time the first Earth
Day was celebrated in 1970, community
planners were being challenged to meet
the housing and transportation needs of
a population that has been growing exponentially
and consuming resources like there is
no tomorrow.
In Urban Sprawl and Public
Health: Designing, Planning, and Building
for Healthy Communities, the authors
present a compelling argument that all
is not well in these modern communities
and that "tomorrow" is already
here. If we don't make some sweeping
changes there will be dire consequences
for future generations. For example, the
proportion of Americans who are overweight
has been rising at an alarming rate; in
1960 it was 24 percent; in 1980 it was
47 percent; in 2000 it was 64 percent
with more than half of that number defined
as obese.
Overweight is rapidly overtaking
tobacco as the major cause of death in
the United States. And if obesity is the
healthcare crisis of our time consider
another legacy of society overly dependent
on automobiles. On an average day 120
Americans are killed as a result of automobile
Authors Frumkin, Frank, and
Jackson, demonstrate that these alarming
trends can be attributed to the way we
have built our livable space for the last
In the last two decades,
our built environment has changed profoundly.
In the more than 200 years since our nation
was founded, of all the land developed,
25 percent has occurred since 1980.
No one chooses to be obese,
in poor health, or stuck in traffic. But
for many people that is the reality of
a lifestyle that is suffering simply because
of the choices we have made in using our
buildable space. For many of us, things
don't feel quite right but we are
so caught up in maintaining the status
quo that we don't have a clue where
to search for solutions.
The modern America of obesity,
inactivity, depression, and loss of community
has not happened by chance. We have legislated,
subsidized, and planned it this way, and
that's the bad news. The good news,
according to the authors, is that we can
also plan our way out of this predicament.
But to do that it's
going to take some lifestyle changes and
a vision of a very different world. It's
a world where people can walk to shops,
schools, friends' homes, or transit
stations, mingle with neighbors and admire
trees, plants and waterways; the air and
the water is clean; and there are parks
for children and activity centers for
teens and senior citizens; and convenient
work and recreation places for the rest
of us.
As the mistakes of poor planning
begin to affect a greater segment of society,
some will call for policies of no growth.
But "no growth" is not an
option; the challenge is to grow in ways
that are healthy, socially just, and environmentally
Want to be part of the solution
and not the problem? Make your next read
this one.
Rethinking food
by Sarah Elliott
This book could be written
in seven words: Eat food. Not too much.
Mostly plants.
But since we've gotten
away from this obvious, basic-sense diet,
author Michael Pollan needs more pages
to re-explain to us how to eat. Necessary,
yes, because we, as a nation, are confused
and very disconnected about this issue
of sustenance.
Following The Omnivore's
Dilemma, which traced food from farm
to table and was not always appetizing,
In Defense of Food is a thoroughly
researched description of why we should
not eat anything that our great-grandmothers
wouldn't recognize as food and how
we face an uphill battle against a multi-billion-dollar
industry of food manufacturers (two words
that do not belong together), marketers,
and nutritional scientists.
To illustrate the power of
the food industry, as of 1938 it was illegal
to market any food product that could
be confused with a natural food item without
having the word "imitation"
on the package (think butter and margarine).
But to slap this label on was a death
knell for the product because shoppers
thus informed would choose real over fake.
Today, the "imitation"
label should be prevalent in every supermarket
aisle, but is nowhere to be found. That's
because, according to the book, the FDA
repealed the regulation in 1973 in a rather
omnibus way. This was a turning point
for the processed-foods industry because
the law now stated that if the manufactured
food was perceived as a nutritional equal
to its natural counterpart it was no longer
considered imitation… or fake (consider
fat-free half and half; it's actually
possible with the help of a lab).
This book also reveals the
fallacy of the diets that we have been
programmed to observe. We know that all
food is comprised of one or more of the
organic compounds known as fat, protein,
and carbohydrates. Now think back on how
we've been told to eat, or not to
eat, over the years.
Remember when fat was the
enemy? If we eliminated fat from our diets
we wouldn't be fat.
So we ate fat-free and lots
of it. And we got fatter. Many didn't
realize that fat-free actually had as
many calories and, to preserve the flavor,
more sugar.
Then it was protein. In order to maintain
optimal health, we needed to avoid meat
and eggs.
More recently, it's
carbohydrates that are evil. Eliminate
the carbs and the weight will melt away.
These days, we really ought
to know better. And Pollan's not
convinced that it's the individual
nutrients that keep us healthy (some calcium
here, vitamin D there, iron, C, folic
acid…), but rather, the reaction
in our bodies of all the nutrients together
as they occur naturally in the whole food.
Since the second half of
the 20th century, we have tended to define
healthy food by what's not in it.
When trying to find out what a healthy
diet is, we don't ask, "What
should we eat?" It's always,
"What should we not eat?"
Today, the choice is between
food and processed food. And if it has
more than five ingredients, it's
probably not food.
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly


text:
Derrick Miller
The Duncan Banner
A scholarship set up in Christopher Lane's memory will have a healthy sum to start.
More than $9,000 was raised through the Chris Lane Memorial Run, which featured 5K and 1 mile runs. Sonya Hill, run organizer, said the total is about $9,300 and is based on online donations, registration and pre-registration. The scholarship funds are being placed into an account at Arvest Bank.
"I'm excited," Hill said. "I was anxious to hear the numbers."
The running event took place Monday. More than 500 people participated in the event. Hill hopes this becomes a yearly occurrence.
Hill said she was happy with the money raised, but wished she had more time to plan so more money might have been raised for the scholarship.
"I think if we had had more than two weeks, that number would have gone higher," Hill said. "It's still a good number to start a scholarship on."


text:
Reading Activities for Ages 8-10
Learning Benefits
1. Shopping Together
Tired of listening to your child's wish list every time you go shopping? Challenge your child to think before she demands something by reading label and price information. If she wants snack foods, ask her to choose two types, compare their nutrition information, and make her best case. At electronic stores, she can compare features of different items by looking at packaging and even start checking out tech specs.
2. eBooks
eBooks are generally very similar to their printed counterparts, and kids this age love to read using digital and mobile devices whenever possible. Scholastic's Storia eBooks, for example, are identical to the printed versions, from typesetting to illustration. However, readers of Storia eBooks also benefit from built-in features such as an age-appropriate dictionary, highlighter and note-taking functions, as well as engaging optional read-alouds. And many kids love the extras that generally come with eBooks, including learning games and activities, videos, audio components, and more.
3. Audio Books
Some 8- to 10-year-olds start to feel too old to be read to at bedtime. That doesn't mean that you can't still share a story. Pass the hours you spend in the car with a book on CD. Pick a funny story read by an actor with a talent for voices — The Fantastic Mr. Fox read by author Roald Dahl is one that is sure to please.
4. Magazine Subscriptions
Scholastic News, Ranger Rick, National Geographic for Kids, Cricket — these are just a few of the many magazines specifically for children this age. Your child will enjoy getting mail addressed to him. Or, look at magazines online together.
5. Board Games
Board games are a great way to firm up recognition of sight words, as well as spelling and vocabulary skills. Try favorites like Password, Blurt, Boggle Jr., Apples to Apples, and Buzzword Junior.
6. Joke Books
What 9-year-old doesn't appreciate a good pun? Find a book of jokes at a library or bookstore. Encourage your child to memorize a few of her favorites. She can entertain her friends and family, and improve her memory as well.


text:
It might have been the combination of Dippin' Dots, corn dogs, ice cream and saltwater taffy that made my kids act as voracious as the famed Giant Dipper roller coaster at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk last weekend.
We were there in all our glory, indulging in all the "fruits" of the venue, eating like ravenous pigs. Slurpie stains covered the henna tattoos crawling down our kids' forearms as they washed those processed, fluorescent-blue liquids down with sticky clouds of multi-colored cotton candy.
The aftereffect was amazing! No listening, no rule-following, manners crashing along the Santa Cruz coastline, coupled with the germs flowing from every ride they enjoyed. The behaviors of our three little angels (tilted halos that day) were definitely something to remember. As a good friend recently said, each experience with kids is "either a good time or a good story." And as for our jaunt to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, well, it was a bit of both.
Lots of laughs, tons of rides, and we kept going and going… and then we crashed, but not as in the "fell right to sleep" crash. Bedtime was nuts, wired 'til 10 p.m., even though we were home, bathed and ready to slumber by 8 p.m. The kids were spun so tight from a day of sun, fun and noxious overeating, it was no wonder they couldn't rest their little heads—their brains were working a mile a minute. Stimulation and sugar are never a quick route to Dreamland.
Yes, diet matters. The weekend of carnie-fun fell just before the eve of the first day of school, and I was lucky enough to be assigned an article on how food affects behavior, focus and academic prowess in school. Thank God for that timely cue, as I was reminded that countless studies indicate children act up and have disciplinary problems in school directly after lunch because of the poor food choices that were made at lunchtime.
So, while cruising the aisles of the grocery store that Sunday, I tried to follow my health-conscious list and include all the essentials for a good school day. With each whole-grain and antioxidant, I silently thanked one very smart nutritionist who reminded me how to pack lunches that would provide my kids with the brain-food they need to make the most of their day.
Here are some of the tips I followed in hopes of packing a lunchbox full of nutritious power-foods that I hope will keep my kids full and focused:
- Pay close attention to the balance of your child's lunch rather than counting calories to ensure you've packed a well-rounded meal. Make sure there's a good balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
- Avoid the empty calories hidden inside juice boxes and offer water instead. If your child doesn't like water, try flavoring it with fruit or a hint of juice.
- Avoid the dessert in a lunchbox; with so little time for a child to eat lunch, that brownie is more appealing than those apple slices.
- Make things easy to eat, easy to open and easy to consume.
- Include fun finger foods that your child will enjoy eating such as crackers and cheese or cucumbers and hummus.
- Use unprocessed items, avoid those bags of Doritos and Oreos. Instead opt for blueberries and pretzels.
- The more colorful the better. Most natural foods are colorful; choose your items based on this.
- Be creative. Nobody likes the same old sandwich every day. Use last night's leftover grilled chicken and wrap it up in a whole-wheat pita with some hummus, or make a salad or bean dip.
- Cut up veggies with a hummus or bean dip or fruits with a yogurt dip.
- Be careful about nitrates in lunchmeat and always pack a cold pack with items that need refrigeration such as yogurt or milk.
- Always go for whole grain.
- Nuts, yogurts, cut-up fruits and veggies and cheese make for a very protein-packed lunch.
Happy early-morning packing, moms!


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Lord Ganesh, who is known to us by various other names like Ganapathi, Vinayaka or Vigneshwara is the God who helps us in overcoming all the obstacles of life? He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He is the elephant headed God who is worshipped as the very first deity before beginning any ceremony. Worshipping him endows the man with courage and confidence needed for any endeavor. Every project is started with the worship of this God.
Below is given lord Ganesh's Aarthi.
Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh deva
Mata jaki Parvati, Pita Mahadeva.
Ek dant dayavant, char bhuja dhari
Mathe sindur sohai, muse ki savari,
Jai Ganesh...
Andhan ko ankh det, kodhin ko kaya
Banjhan ko putra det, nirdhan ko maya,
Jai Ganesh...
Pan chadhe, phul chadhe, aur chadhe meva
Ladduan ka bhog lage, saht kare seva,
Jai Ganesh...
Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh deva,
Mata jaki Parvati, Pita Mahadeva
Salutations to you , O Lord Ganesha, born of Parvati, the daughter of the Mountain King, Himalaya, and the great Lord Shiva. O Lord of compassion, you have a single tusk, four arms, a bright mark of vermilion on your forehead, and for conveyance the mouse. Glory, glory, all glory to you O Lord Ganesha. You bestow vision on the blind, chastened bodies on the leprous, sons on barren women and wealth on the impecunious. Glory, glory, all glory to you O Lord Ganesha People offer you betel leaves, blossoms, dry fruits and laddus, while throngs of saints and seers attend you. Glory, glory, all glory to you O Lord Ganesha.


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|Wellesley (ˈwɛlzlɪ)
|Arthur. See (1st Duke of) Wellington
|his brother, Richard Colley, Marquis Wellesley. 1760--1842, British administrator. As governor general of Bengal (1797--1805) he consolidated British power in India
town (township), Norfolk county, eastern Massachusetts, U.S., just west of Boston. Originally part of Dedham, it became the Western Precinct of Needham when that town was set off in 1711. Incorporated as a separate town in 1881, it was named for the estate of Samuel Welles, who had settled the site in 1763. Although some manufacturing appeared in the late 19th century, the town's character and initial growth were mainly influenced by Wellesley College, founded there as a seminary for women in 1870 by Henry Fowle Durant; its campus borders Lake Waban. The campus of Babson College (1919) features a huge world globe 28 feet (9 metres) in diameter and weighing 25 tons, as well as a relief map of the United States that is 60 by 40 feet (18 by 12 metres). Also located there is Dana Hall School (a girls' boarding and day school founded in 1881) and a campus of Massachusetts Bay Community College (1961). Area 10 square miles (26 square km). Pop. (1990) 26,615; (2000) 26,613.
Learn more about Wellesley with a free trial on Britannica.com.


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"What I heard they liked most was my work ethic and desperation to win pucks and I think that would fit in in many systems."Anaheim prospect Stefan Warg and his solid understanding of what it takes to make the NHL.
I have a really solid defensive play. I can play really physical and knock guys off the puck to make plays. My weakness would be my offensive part of the game that I need to work on to get more shots on net. My best part of the game to bring to the NHL is my defensive play and working for my team.
Anaheim Calling interviews Ducks prospect and Prince Albert Raiders defenseman Stefan Warg
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The Yahoo Blog has announced the launch of Yahoo Underground, a new site backed by Yahoo News that's meant to look at fringe cultures. April Fool's joke? Could be, given how the post stresses "Beginning today, April 1…." Then again, the main feature about last year's World Science Fiction convention? Um, well, that seemed pretty normal to me. I mean, it wasn't April Fool's funny — it just made me again wish I had made it.
Related Topics: Channel: Content | Yahoo: News


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By Justin Jones, Staff Writer
Friday, July 27, 2012 —
Bethany United Methodist Church is celebrating a century of fellowship and growth as it turns 100 this Sunday.
Bethany UMC plans to kick off its celebration July 29 with the church's homecoming service, followed by a covered dish luncheon.
The events surrounding the 100-year celebration at Bethany UMC will continue throughout the summer and into the fall.
As the staff researched the church's early history, they found that late July seemed to be the most accurate time when the first members joined the church.
Pastor Richard Clough Jr. said 17 people joined as charter members of Bethany, without a building or land to build a church.
Marlene Huneycutt, the church's historian, said the church has record books dating back to 1912. Records show that three families played a leading role in organizing the church.
According to Huneycutt, Eliza Saphronia Rummage Holt was instrumental in organizing the church, even giving it the name, Bethany.
R.A. Huneycutt and J.B. Thomas were other early members that shaped the church's history records.
Thomas owned property along U.S. 52, and sold the land to the church for $100. He and his family later sold more property to the church which allowed for expansion.
The land was purchased on Oct. 17, 1912, and a building was constructed that same year.
At the time, it was a wooden frame church, which basic structure is still used today, although the church has been updated with multiple renovations.
Rev. Scott Owens served as the church's first pastor.
In planning for the 100-year celebration, Rev. Dan Gaddy was selected to preach the homecoming sermon. Gaddy served as pastor of Bethany UMC from 1988-1993.
He now serves as pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Clyde.
In addition to the events scheduled for homecoming Sunday, the church has planned a list of activities to mark the 100-year anniversary.
On Aug. 5, a play titled "Eliza's Journey" will be shown in the Sunday service which tells the story of how Bethany UMC began based off stories of its earliest members.
Two weeks later on Aug. 19, the church will welcome the best homemade ice cream in a friendly competition. At the end of the month, the church's revival with Rev. Caroll Flack from First United Methodist Church in Dallas, N.C. will run Aug 26-28.
According to Clough, the church plans to rent a hot air balloon in September courtesy of ReMax and allow members to enjoy rides over Albemarle. The series of events will conclude with a ceremony that even leaves Clough anxious.
"We're going to have another event in October as we open our time capsule that they had when the building was built," Clough said.
"No one knows' what's in there. I've held the box, but didn't look inside it."
The box, which Clough believes was either placed in 1912 or 1928, when the church was renovated, may contain early sermon manuscripts or something unique to the church at the time. Clough said no members claim to know what lies inside the box.
"I don't have a clue, but it looks like a old toolbox, sort of rusty," Marlene Huneycutt said.
She said the church will fill a new time capsule which can be shared to future members of the church at another centinnial homecoming.
The time capsule currently rests inside the building under a plexiglass covering. The time capsule opening is set for Oct. 14.
More information on Bethany United Methodist Church and its 100-year celebration can be found on their website www.bethany-umconline.org.


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RALEIGH — The benefits of breast milk seem to multiply with each new study, from warding off dangerous infections in newborns to reducing the cancer risk of children as old as 15.
And as more benefits come to light, demand for the milk increases among doctors and mothers seeking to feed babies breast milk even if their own mothers cant provide it in some cases by trading or buying it online.
For much of the Southeast, Sue Evans is the keeper of this coveted elixir in its safest form. As director of WakeMeds Mothers Milk Bank, one of only two accredited sources for human breast milk on the East Coast, the longtime nurse makes sure that thousands of vulnerable babies are fed safe, donated human milk.
Evans has run the center since 2007, taking it over after 14 years as a mother-baby nurse, a lactation consultant devoted to helping mothers breastfeed, and an assistant in the milk bank. Shes also secretary of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, which sets guidelines for the nations 13 accredited milk banks.
Lately, her job has also included educating potential donors about milk banking amidst the growth in online marketplaces for human breast milk. Largely unregulated, these sites have drawn donors away from hospital-based banks just as the demand for human milk has risen dramatically.
A study published last month in the journal Pediatrics analyzed thousands of samples procured through such websites, and found that three in four had harmful bacteria such as salmonella.
The milk at WakeMed is collected from mothers in several states, pasteurized at the bank and sent to hospitals from Florida to Tennessee to Pennsylvania, where it is fed mainly to premature infants. Donors are carefully screened, and the process of collecting and distributing the milk is tightly regulated.
Bonnie Gustavison, director of women and childrens services at WakeMed, calls the little-known bank a hidden miracle. She says Evans nursing background and expertise in all aspects of breastfeeding have helped her work with new mothers as well as handle the technical aspects of milk banking.
Its great because she can identify with these mothers and work with them to get the best supply she can, Gustavison says. And shes very meticulous to make sure its all done as safely as possible, with the newest standards in mind. Shes very dedicated to what she does.
Teaching mothers
Evans, 52, grew up in New York state, and wanted to be a nurse for as long as she can remember, though shes not sure why; no one in her family had any connection to the medical field.
I guess I had just watched medical shows on TV, she says.
She started working as a nurse when she was 18 after finishing her last year of high school while also attending community college at the urging of her father, a guidance counselor.
She continued working as a nurse in different positions, including intensive care and general surgery wards. She started moving south seeking warmer weather and worked in Virginia and Florida, where she met her husband.
The couple and their three boys moved to Raleigh in 1992. Despite her many years of nursing experience, Evans had never worked with new moms and babies and had little interest in a job in the maternity ward. But it was the only position available at WakeMed, so she took it.
I found right away that it was my niche, she says. Its such a happy time, and you can teach the mothers so much.
One of the things she helped the new mothers with was breast feeding, which at the time was not as common a choice for new moms. Evans breast fed her three children and had been breast fed herself.
She eventually decided to train as a lactation consultant, working full time helping mothers and babies with nursing as the trend toward breast feeding grew. But she didnt do it long before the milk bank needed help, allowing her to take her strong beliefs in the power of breast feeding to a different arena.
Evans says she was reluctant to leave her job for a more administrative role at the bank. But she knew it was important work.
This was totally different from anything I had ever done, but I saw the need for it, Evans says. I knew that these babies need to start their lives with this milk to have the best chance they can have.
Sustaining the tiniest babies
WakeMed was one of only a handful of hospitals to have a milk bank when it opened in 1992, the same year Evans arrived at the WakeMed maternity ward. The closest accredited milk banks now are in Texas and New England.
The bank itself is just a few small rooms with freezers, a collection of coolers and paperwork, a small office, and a pasteurizing machine. It started out providing about 4,000 ounces a month, and now produces up to 20,000 ounces a month.
These days its hardly even a bank. Thanks to the ongoing shortage of human milk, much of the milk it receives is shipped back out to hospitals, or fed to babies at WakeMed, as soon as its pasteurized.
The vast majority of it goes to the smallest premature babies, who most need the benefits of human breast milk, and whose mothers are often not able to produce enough of it.
WakeMed neonatologist James Perciaccante says milk from the bank has been particularly helpful in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis, an often fatal disease that is most prevalent among premature babies. WakeMeds rates of the disease are below average, says Perciaccante, even though they treat the tiniest babies in the county.
The only thing we can do to reduce this is breast milk, says Perciaccante, medical director of the neonatology ward. The bank has made a huge difference for us.
Milk donors needed
Evans would love to have enough milk to feed older and larger babies as well, but she needs more donors.
About 150 mothers currently donate to the WakeMed clinic, most of them working mothers who pump more milk during the workday than their own children need. A few continue to pump after an infants death as a gift for another child.
Interested mothers go through a phone interview, fill out a lengthy questionnaire and have their blood screened. They arent paid for their efforts, which Evans says is ethical, but leads some mothers to choose online trading places where they can sell their milk.
If you pay them, you have to wonder if the mom is going to sell her milk and let her own baby go without, she says. Our donors do it because they want to help babies.
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Recipe of the Month - March 2011
Low-Fat Oven Fried Chicken
Love the taste of fried chicken but hate the excess calories and fat? Here's a solution that's sure to please. Spicy yogurt sauce adds both flavor and practicality, acting as a base for the seasoned bread crumbs to keep the chicken moist during baking.
Makes 6 servings
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon margarine, melted
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine the yogurt, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl; mix well. Coat the chicken with the mixture. (The chicken may be covered and refrigerated overnight or baked immediately).
- Prepare a shallow roasting pan or jelly roll pan with nonstick pan spray. Combine the bread crumbs and margarine in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken with the crumbs; place in the pan.
- Bake chicken for 25 minutes, or until tender.
Serving size: 1 breast half
Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories - 240, Fat – 8 g, Saturated fat – 2 g, Sodium – 721 mg, Fiber – 1 g, Protein – 26 g
From The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes by The American Diabetes Association and The American Dietetic Association. Copyright © 1999, 2007 by The American Diabetes Association and The American Dietetic Association. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. for National Nutrition Month 2011.
To view our previous featured recipes, view the Recipe Archive.


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Originally Posted by Skittl1321
To take this as far off topic from the dog park as possible, I was rowing today and the row boats treat the river like a road, however we know that not everyone knows the "rules" of the river, usually kayakers just stay in the middle, and we don't care where the little motor fishing boats are as long as they are kind enough to go no wake when passing us. Today there were FIVE kayakers rowing in a line across the river, and NONE of them would move to let me pass. I finally managed to position myself on the far side of the river (which I was nervous about since I knew a faster rower was going to be heading back downstream soon), but since I am slow as a snail (I've only been doing this for 3 weeks) it takes me awhile to get ahead of them, and one of them decides to "race" me- meaning he was paddling as hard as he could (a rec kayaker is nowhere near as efficient as a rec rower), to stay directy in front of me, to not let me move ahead. What a jerk...
Was it Russell Crowe? Seems he got lost in his kayak and had to get a lift back from the Coast Guard.
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