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People care about their beer. So much so that we have a fairly accurate measure of how long prohibition lasted... almost down to the second (13 years, 10 months, 19 days, 17 hours, 32 minutes, and about 30 seconds). During that time, guess what was the most politically talked about topic? During that time, guess what people were arrested for most? BEER.
Whether you actually enjoy beer or not, it is a very important part of civilization, history, and even religion. Did you know that it is a widely accepted theory in the historical community that the start of civilization can be attributed to beer? The first consumer protection law ever in existence was about the production of beer (Reinheitsgebot, 1516). Beer was a staple in the diet of porters in England because it was safer to drink that the water AND it gave them essential nutrients needed to survive (this is also the case for many societies throughout history). The pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer.
Currently, there are just over 1600 microbreweries in the US, the most ever in our country's history with more popping up every single year. The variety of beer now available is almost limitless and the sheer volume produced through the microbreweries as well as the corporate giants is staggering. Beer is an ever-growing industry with the demand to follow the supply.
Most people have their favorite beer--or at least style thereof--and if you were to ask them, you could most likely start a conversation that could make or break a friendship, give you insight into past and personality, or at the very least, simply give you something passionate to talk about for a few minutes. Beer changes with time, sometimes sours, sometimes gets better, sometimes gets drunk. Beer takes up commercial time during a game, pairs well with meals, can be a meal, starts relationships, ends relationships, makes babies, ends lives, and, most importantly, satisfies a human urge of consumption that sends a rush of your own serotinin to the brain and then alcohol shortly thereafter.
ITT: talk about beer. The history, your favorite, your guilty-pleasure-favorite, evil corporate domination, underdog micros, best food pairings, homebrewing, experiences, etc.
I personally love beer so much so that I want to eventually open my own brewpub down the road. I am an avid homebrewer and love to learn about the history of beer, random beer facts, and will never turn down a taste of beer that I have not tried in the past. I despise InBev and dislike Bud, Miller, and Coors but I have an understanding that every beer has it's place in the world--I love my craft beers but when I'm on a boat with a fishing pole in my hand, I really wouldn't want a heavy scotch ale and would instead opt for a lighter beer--I understand that people have different tastes and some prefer BMC (then again, some people succumb to good advertising rather than good beer). I give brewery tastings and tours at a local brewery here in Rochester, NY and am an aspiring brewer. If you have questions about beer or anything related, ask and i'll try my best to answer.
"Good people drink good beer. Just look around any public barroom and you will see: Bad people drink bad beer. Think about it."
-Hunter S. Thompson


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In Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Stapleton Library during February 2002 was housed a library display entitled "Edward Abbey: Internationally Famous Author and Environmentalist from Indiana County." This display included some striking photographs, first editions, and other rare materials, several of them from my collection and the rest from IUP Special Collections. This display was initiated and arranged by staff member Gerrie Coy.
Longshot of the display Longshot (left view) Abbey shot his TV
Cactus Ed Medium view of several items Edward Abbey: A Life
Lonely Are the Brave The Monkey Wrench Gang Medium view of right
Hayduke Lives! 1940s IUP student writings Jonathan Troy
Desert Solitaire Article and historical marker Showing off The Journey Home
[Credits for original photographs reproduced here: Richard Byrd, for Abbey smoking cigar in Longshot (left view); Terrence Moore, for "Abbey shot his TV," "Cactus Ed," and cover of Edward Abbey: A Life; Ernie Bulow, for Abbey and R. Crumb in Medium view of several items; and Jim Wakefield, for Abbey showing off The Journey Home.]

subset: commoncrawl


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Daniel Radclife (Equus; December Boys)
While people tend to disturbingly celebrate anytime a female child star comes of age and does a sex scene, with boys-to-men it's different. The worst sex scene by a former child actor may be Corey Haim's in Blown Away (opposite former child actress Nicole Eggert, whose nude presence delighted many). But the most dreaded was perhaps Daniel Radcliffe's more fully nude sex scene in the theatrical production of Equus. The scene in December Boys isn't as graphic, though it's still difficult watching Harry Potter lose his virginity on screen no matter how it's depicted. It might get easier seeing Radcliffe have sex in movies as he gets older, but we doubt we'll ever stop picturing him as the little boy wizard, and that will always make such scenes unsettling.
Seth Rogen (Knocked Up; Observe and Report)
Adam Sandler's Funny People costar, Seth Rogen, was humorous and genuine enough in his sex scenes in Knocked Up to almost grant him a free pass from this list. Even if many viewers didn't want to believe that a guy so unfit and unattractive could be in those circumstances with a beauty like Katherine Heigl, we were completely okay with the scenario. Then Rogen had to go and seemingly date rape Anna Faris in Observe and Report and it was all over for him. Now he's all skinny and we still don't want to see him in another sex scene ever again. As much as it was difficult watching Sandler bang two ladies in Funny People, we were glad that Rogen was given no sex scenes this time around.
jahangiralam bhuiyan | September 11, 2013 2:40 AM
actors sex
ssekiziyivu douglas | December 24, 2012 5:39 AM
hi every one
abdou | September 11, 2012 1:44 PM
pas mal
a | December 2, 2011 8:31 AM
The author is a fucking tool. Like, seriously, how rude.
autoversicherung vergleich kostenlos online | October 7, 2011 3:41 AM
Gate Commitment,refuse perhaps would category interested back who during regional summer partner available attach property twice ship sister supply record hide job project acid pub writing wear forget onto show depend properly action institution elsewhere survey extra comment same version tonight worth murder together senior influence home agent option environment patient need leader vision total proposal speed priority after military early site best benefit everything obvious module thanks theatre duty relate on parliament until stop instance interview share award double egg experience yes studio afterwards previously as equal mental favour radio less
DoMeInTheShower | September 20, 2011 9:07 AM
I will watch the clip of Stallone fucking over and over and over. That one is hot.
Venkatesh | September 3, 2011 5:59 AM
Grace Burgess | August 17, 2011 11:59 AM
Maybe the Harvey Keitel one would be better
if we couldn't see his face. And Sylvester Stallone
one would be better if we couldn't see his butt.
Such a turn off.
Jack B. Nimble | May 21, 2011 5:06 AM
Isaac, first you must know proper English, then know how to spell. I hope you have more 'thunder down under' than you have upstairs!
Hambone | May 20, 2011 4:10 AM
Since when does Harvey Keitel have a speech impediment?
roddymartindale | May 17, 2011 5:43 AM
So they shouldn't do sex scenes because of a particular association your mind has formed for each of them? And that should be their problem...why?
ASFan | May 2, 2011 11:30 AM
Vince Vaughn isn't a pin-up anymore, that's for sure.
woodhugger99 | April 29, 2011 6:51 AM
On what basis is Elijah "not a good actor nor a good-looking one"??? I say some citation is needed!!!
lsk | April 28, 2011 11:59 AM
I def agree with a lot of that
ahmed | November 6, 2010 10:45 AM
Hollowed stars can do any thing to be on what they are being so it not something new
isaac | September 7, 2010 9:23 AM
i to be a sex actor and how can i get to contact the movie industy
mazenaboadnan | August 8, 2010 11:56 AM
Get the latest headlines from Spout delivered to your inbox every day.


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This one's for believing
Frances. 18.
I love: horses (I own a 13.3hh pony called Thomas); music (Orla Gartland, Hudson Taylor, Gabrielle Aplin, Kodaline, Imagine Dragons, BriBry); the West of Ireland; and books. I'm a member of the Labour Party, socialism woo. Hoping to study English Literature at Uni next year. Also hoping to have fun forever. :)


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Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 by NBA For Gay Slur
David Stern commented "While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated," "Kobe and everyone associated with the N.B.A. know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society." UFC commentator Joe Rogan infamously and unapologetically used the same epithet publicly to describe Tomas Rios and received no punishment or a public reprimand from his employer. Michael Bisping also dropped the slur during a heated staredown with Jorge Rivera at an office UFC weigh in. He was not punished, and the footage was used in UFC promotional videos immediately afterwards.


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CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - 18-year-old Fernando Fernandez became $60 richer Sunday. He was just one of more than half a million people who follow @HiddenCash on Twitter. The latest money drop was at Millennium Park.
"I found it right underneath a park bench next to the bean," said Fernandez in an interview with FOX 32's Tisha Lewis.
The hidden cash craze started out west and quickly spread.
"I've been following him ever since San Francisco because of what he did. I heard that he was leaving money all over San Francisco," said Fernandez.
The money-stuffed envelopes hidden in Chicago's main attractions drew dozens.
"There were lots of people out there. There had to be at least 100 people out there looking," said Fernandez.
"He's like, 'Oh, I found it,' and I thought he was kidding at first because I wasn't expecting him to find anything and then he actually pulled out the envelope," said Killian McDonald, Fernando's friend.
On Twitter, @HiddenCash urges winners to tweet a photo of their envelope and cash and pay it forward.
"I think it's kind of awesome that he just leaves money for people to find, especially people who spend it on good things, like if they give it to someone who needs help, I think that's awesome," said McDonald.
Fernandez will soon be a college student and said he'll cover a stranger's tab with the money. He offered this advice to those still searching, "I know it was kind of hard to find because it as a true scavenger hunt but the only way to find this was to get a little dirty."
Follow @fox32news
Police are investigating the murder of a homeless man who was beaten to death in an alley in Logan Square.
205 N. Michigan AvenueGround FloorChicago, IL 60601Station Operator: (312) 565-5532Newsroom: (312)565-5533


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hoe can you turn multiplayer off??? i cant play on my own when multiplayer is on... please reply
Bulletstorm Multiplayer Modes Announced, Sounds Fun
News - Multi Platform
Written by Ryan Farrenkopf Wednesday, December 08 2010 12:04
Since Bulletstorm's announcement, we've only heard about the single player campaign, leaving the games multiplayer mode in the dark. Well, it looks like that ends today.
Destructoid has gotten a hands on preview of Bulletstorm's multiplayer. There will be two modes ("Echo" and "Anarchy"), with no deathmatch-type gameplay. Before we start with what the game has, I'm going to take a guess at why the game doesn't have DM. Bulletstorm is all about killing with skill, about taking you time to kill your enemy in the most brutal, creative way you can. this isn't exactly the way people play deathmatch. Not to mention, I imagine their would be a huge balance issue in deathmath thanks to the games' electric whip that throws your enemy into the air in slow motion so you can pick them apart, which isn't entirely fair in a verses match. Anyway. there are a million other FPS out there with deathmatch, so I'm ok with this.
Now that I've gotten the 800LB gorilla out of the room (I whipped it with my electric whip, picked off it's limbs with my assault rifle, then kicked it into an electrical box. oh and PETA, don't worry it was a evil gorilla). What Bulletstorm does have for multiplay sounds awesome. The first mode, "Echo" lets you play through single-player campaign battles (with out the story) with the goal of gaining as many points as possible. Your high score will go onto a leaderboard where your friends can see it and then try to beat it. Once they do, you'll be notified and can try to reclaim your status as number 1. While this doesn't sound like much, these modes tend to get pretty addicting.
The second mode is where the real multiplayer is, called "Anarchy" it's similar to Horde in Gears 2 and Firefight in Halo: Reach, where you and three friends fight wave after wave of baddies. But instead of just killing everything you see to make it to the next level, you instead focus on earning points by killing with skill, and using teamwork. Once you've gained enough points, you progress to the next wave and you get to spend your hard earned points on some insane guns, like a quadriple-barrelled short gun. For me, this is what I want from multiplayer. I want over the top co-operative fun, and it looks like Bulletstorm is ready to deliver.
Bulletstorm is developed by People Can Fly and Epic Games and will ship on February 22nd, 2011. Head over to Destructoid for their full hands-on preview of Bulletstorm's multiplayer mode.
Hands-on: Bulletstorm's horde-like 'Anarchy' mode (Destructoid)
2011-02-27 15:36:38 | DD - Dissappointed....
TDM & FFA are essential to keep the multimillion player pools interested; people want to make a match in a few minutes (not wait around for 15 minutes while the server searches for disparate patches of players). The leash is not the biggest problem; it could easily be modified to support multiplayer. The problem is the slow down of time when the player is setting up for a kill; Not sure how you could employ that when for real people, time does not slow down. This will hurt the game; I predict in 6 months it will be in the $29-39 dollar range and multiplayer will be a desolate desert. Unfortunately, even if they come out with DLC containing additional modes, they've lost the momentum. On the other hand they could have made many more horde type modes, including one that works EXACTLY like GOW2. I can't believe it but GOW2 set the bar and NOBODY has come close to their horde mode. 50 rounds, no BS, you live to make the next round or if your team dies, game over. Simple and addicting. And the points would be a plus.
2011-02-27 20:46:49 | Rankopfpro
While I see where you are coming from in terms of the lack of deathmatch modes being a turn off for some i just can't see how it would work in Bulletstorm. They would simply have to tear away everything that makes Bulletstorm unique just to balance the game. All the guns are over powered and the leash would just make it unplayable. So they'd have to strip all the features out and you'd get a generic at best deathwatch mode. This would in turn hurt the game becuase it would have just distracted the Dev team from the campaign and anarchy mode, not to mention lead more negative reviews.
I love anarchy mode, it's an absult blast and I'm glad they went in this direction.


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About the Author
Nolan Nawrocki
Senior editor
Recent posts by Nolan Nawrocki
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WR-RS Devin Hester
Chicago Bears
Height: 5-10 5⁄8 Weight: 190 Speed: 4.41
Notes: Married with a son, Devin, Jr. Florida prep was one of the most highly recruited players in the nation after earning All-America honors in football (Parade, USA Today) and track. As a senior, scored 21 touchdowns and gained more than 27 yards per catch and nearly 11 yards per carry while seeing action at receiver, running back, quarterback and kick returner. Was part of the 2002 signing class, but failed to qualify academically and did not debut for the Hurricanes until '03. Played 32 games over three seasons (2003-05) and was used at cornerback, running back, receiver and kick returner — totaled 10 receptions for 196 yards (19.6-yard average) and 24 carries for 160 yards (6.7) and a touchdown. Made his mark on special teams by gaining 23.6 yards per kickoff return and 15.7 yards per punt return with six career touchdowns (four punts, two kickoffs). Also won the '04 Big East Conference indoor long-jump championship as a member of Miami's track and field team. Opted to forgo his senior season and was selected by the Bears in the second round (57th overall) of the '06 draft. Burst onto the scene as a rookie — played all 16 games and led the NFL in punt-return yards (600) and the NFC in kickoff return average (26.4) while notching five touchdowns (three punts, two kickoffs), including a 92-yard score on the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl, an NFL first. Added a 108-yard missed field-goal return against the Giants. Made the Pro Bowl as a return man for the second consecutive season in '07 — was the NFC's leading punt returner with 42-651 (15.5), including four touchdowns, and racked up 43-934 (21.7) on kickoff returns, including two scores. His six total kick-return scores established an NFL single-season record. Also transitioned to receiver, snagging 20-299-2 (15.0) in 16 games, which helped him tie a league record for touchdowns of 50-plus yards (eight). His 12 return scores in the 2006-07 seasons are the most ever in consecutive years. Played 28 games (20 starts) over the course of 2008-09, totaling 108-1,422-6 (13.2) to pace Bears receivers while contributing 38-835-0 (22.0) on kickoffs and 56-385-0 (6.9) punts. In three starts in 2010, currently ranks sixth on the team in receptions in Mike Martz's new offense with 6-110-0 (18.3) and is gaining 11.7 yards on nine punt returns with one TD. Is signed through 2013 on a contract that includes $15 million guaranteed.
Positives: Is loose-hipped, extremely athletic and fluid-moving and has game-changing ability when he touches the ball in the open field. Possesses rare acceleration and traffic burst and can reach top-end speed in the blink of an eye. Good peripheral vision and feel in space — has a knack for setting up blocks. Outstanding competitive speed — does not get caught from behind once he finds a crease. Can make difficult catches look easy — see one-handed TD grab in Week Two in Dallas — and extend outside his frame to pluck the ball out of the air.
Negatives: Has been slow to process an NFL offense and needs very simple assignments and patient coaching to excel. Is not a precise route runner and has a tendency to drift. Cannot easily be trusted to align properly, read coverage and fit where he is supposed to. Does not have consistent hands and will double-catch the ball as often as he makes the rare, acrobatic grab. Exercised questionable judgment fielding the ball early in career, and regressed as a returner following the Super Bowl loss to the Colts after being asked to do too much on offense.
Summary: Immediately emerged as a game-breaking, superstar return talent his first two years in the league, shining on one of the NFL's most consistent special-teams units and carrying a sputtering offense without its starting quarterback. Made little impact following the Super Bowl after being converted from CB to WR position. After being overloaded with learning offensive concepts from 2008-09, Hester has begun to re-emerge in the return game, taking back a punt for a 62-yard TD against Green Bay in Week Three, ending a hibernation of more than two seasons from the endzone as a returner. Is not well-suited to handle the complexity of Mike Martz's offense despite possessing freakish open-field run skills that served Marshall Faulk so well in St. Louis, yet has grown more comfortable in his role as a receiver.


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Post by Dan @ 12:43pm 02/11/09 | 1 Comments
Eidos have released another gameplay trailer from Just Cause 2, showing off the key unique character ability that set this free-roaming series apart from the rest - the parachute and grappling hook item combo.
Laws of physics be damned, it's by the far the most enjoyable way to get around the tropical island of Panao. Check it out right here on AusGamers.
Posted 01:20pm 02/11/09


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Led by third-year dental student Jesse Edwards, students in the Wolverine Patriot Project saw an urgent oral health care need that was not being met and did something about it.
Even though he retired seven years ago, Jack Gobetti, D.D.S., M.S., wants his lifetime of teaching and patient care to benefit students well into the future.
The results of the 29th annual Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program (the "Match") were released today by National Matching Services, Inc. (NMS).
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released three new funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) to develop approaches to engage researchers and prepare them to thrive in NIH-funded research careers.
The American Dental Association (ADA) released the latest edition of their Dental Admissions Test (DAT) Newsletter.
Rachel Henry, RDH, M.S., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Dental Hygiene at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, has co-authored a dental hygiene textbook titled Dental Hygiene: Application to Clinical Practice.
Assistant Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, William D. Bailey, D.D.S., M.P.H., has been appointed by The University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU SDM) as the Endowed Chair in Prevention of Early Childhood Caries.
Early last month, nearly 600 students in the University of Washington (UW) health sciences schools formed teams and discussed the fictitious case of patient "Gregory," a 31-year-old male seen in the UW Dental Urgent Care Clinic for tooth pain.
More than 500 volunteers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry (UAB SOD), the UAB School of Nursing, Cahaba Valley Health Care and other local dentists, health agencies and companies cared for more than 350 people recently as part of the first UAB Dentistry Cares Community Day.
IPEC is pleased to announce the next Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Interprofessional Faculty Development Institute taking place January 12-15, 2014.


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PGA pros Alex Macko and Alex "Breezy" Koskos propagate sound pin-hunting form from their post at Jawor's Golf Center, which fosters year-round practice with indoor and outdoor training areas. The duo can demystify the subtle mechanics of the golf swing at the center's 44-tee driving range, which features 14 covered, heated stalls that enable practice sessions during inclement weather. With clubs and apparel from brands such as Callaway, TaylorMade, and Titleist, the full-service pro shop offers equipment upgrades as well as repair services for club shafts snapped by players who mistakenly teed up a bocce ball. Two outdoor, 18-hole mini-golf courses buttress the facility, inviting players to work on their putting form as life-size cartoon characters break the tension after a missed gimme or a dispute about whether or not an abandoned shoe is an acceptable ball marker.
The self-proclaimed home of the $1 draft, Dooleys Tavern keeps 20 beers cascading from their taps. Those suds complement the chefs' pub food, which includes American tavern classics such as half-pound burgers and up to 50 chicken wings doused in a choice of four sauces. The draft beer house also concocts American dishes with an Irish twist such as corned-beef sliders and a pizza filled with mashed potatoes and topped with bacon and red onions.
Seven nights a week, Dooleys' three locations keep guests entertained until 2 a.m. on an outdoor patio, in a room full of classic bar games, and with plenty of HDTVs showing the game. The trio of taverns also accommodates up to 100 guests for private parties. Additionally, the Mount Clemens location pairs feasts with sidesplitting routines from standup comics in Carmen's Showroom.
The Great Skate's been going in circles for 22 years. That's how long this indoor rollerskating and in-line skating rink has provided a safe, clean, and lively atmosphere for kids and adults. The rink offers open skating sessions for all ages, as well as special events such as adult-night skates and all-night skating for scouts, which includes dinner and breakfast and a chance to shake-up typical sleepwalking habits. The Great Skate also hosts skating lessons, birthday parties, and fundraising events for organizations such as D.A.R.E and the PTA.
As an actress, model, and recording artist, Caprice Burrell is no stranger to the spotlight. But it's as a fitness instructor and CEO at Alter Ego Pole Fitness & Wellness Studio where she truly gets to shine. Burrell's positive attitude fosters a supportive, nonjudgmental environment in which women can confidently unleash their inner vixen. In addition to a range of ladies-only pole-dancing lessons, the posh studio hosts ab-toning and Zumba sessions, along with special events and parties where revelers celebrate birthdays, weddings, or pole-welding certifications with sweets and champagne.
Signature service: B. Princess & Me Party Place
Established: 2012
Reservations/Appointments: Required
Staff Size: 2?10 people
Average Duration of Services: 1?2 hours
Pro Tip: Private Parties. Please arrive on time for your party in order to enjoy B. Princess & Me.
Snooker's Pool & Pub's two locations pair the excitement of a billiard game with a menu of pub food and a fully stocked bar of liquors and beers. From pizza to sandwich platters, the menu nourishes billiard spectacles, and bartenders stir drinks such as rum and cokes or long island iced teas.


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You must earn 10,000 points to post other members' whiteboard
Thanks, Warren and Shep.
Congratulations on posting for 700 consecutive days. That is real dedication. . Wishing you success in all that you do.
Congratulations on having the tenacity to post for 700 consecutive days! Best of luck on reaching your next goals!!! Warren :-)
Thanks, Shep... I just got back from my morning run.
Congratulations on posting for 600 consecutive
days, that's real commitment. May 2014 bring you and yours peace and joy. .YB.
Thanks, Warren.
Congratulations on having the perseverance to post for 600 consecutive days! Good Luck on reaching your next milestone!! Warren :)
Thanks Ron. I've found being a GB fulfills a long held desire to monitor gas prices in the community by permitting a methodology to easily organize and report - especially now that they have a Smartphone APP which makes it so easy while traveling. Carl
A BIG CONGRATS on reaching that 1M mark and your first new red car! Awesome, most new GBs will never make it to 1M, but you did! : ) You're one of only 7,718 GBs of more than 8,000,000 that signed up to be GasBuddies to have accumulated at least 1,000,000 points! Keep going another 2 or 3 million! Another 2M and you'll be into that nice big limo! : ) Only 2,883 GBs have made it to 2M, so there is room for you there also! Many GBs ahead of you have already retired! DON'T give up now like so many of those that retired once they got to 1M and those that got to 2M! You're doing great, it takes persistence and dedication to keep climbing that GasBuddy ladder, but you can do it, so keep going! Keep going like a PRO Tennessee GasBuddy, leading the way here in GasBuddyland for others to follow! You've been a great GasBuddy! Have a nice week! Thanks buddy! 73's Ron
Thank you one and all.


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INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE; French-Canadian Style in Portneuf
A three-bedroom French-Canadian-style home, built in 1820, is on the market for $493,993.
In Quebec, Love for a Tough League
Despite the wildness, the antique rinks and the modest skill level, the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey has drawn a surprising number of former N.H.L. players.
Sweet Flavors at a Quebec Sugar Shack
A small syrup operation offers rustic accommodations and traditional meals.
Charlevoix, a Rural Playground
This region in Quebec offers untouched beauty.
A Penthouse in Quebec
Images of a one-bedroom apartment located in a former factory in Montreal.
Respite in Quebec
A look at Magog, a ski resort in Quebec's Eastern Townships.
Old Charm, New Life in Quebec City
Set to celebrate its 400th anniversary, the city oozes Old World Gallic charm.
Along the Le P'tit Train du Nord
Covering 124 miles in three days by peddle power.
Slopeside in Mont Tremblant
Take a tour of this stunning ski resort in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec.
Musings in Montreal
Montreal might not be Paris, but freshened up by a wave of trendy new hotels, shops and restaurants, Montreal sings its own tune.


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Jeff Monson poses with Russian in bear suit during April snow flurries
Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Jeff Monson is very popular in Russia. Ever since his three round battle against Fedor Emelianenko and then his follow-up second round submission of Aleksander Emelianenko, he can't seem to go anywhere without people asking for photos. I suppose if there was ever a picture worthy of a fighter nicknamed "The Snowman," this would be it. Don't you?


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|The 'Grandma" flowers
|Wednesday, May 01, 2013 3:24 PM
By Kylee Baumle
Petunias, marigolds, ditch lilies, red salvia, Ageratum, Portulaca, geraniums. What do these flowers have in common? Your grandmother probably grew them. Maybe your mother, too.
When you walk into a garden center, do you stop and ooh and ahh over them? Or do you do like I do and give them a cursory glance and walk right past them on your way to the "more interesting" plants and the new introductions?
Somewhere along the way, petunias and marigolds became boring. Ditch lilies got taken for granted. Red Salvia and purple Ageratum became cliché. Portulaca, or moss rose, perhaps bears too much resemblance to its cousin, that persistent weed, purslane. (Although purslane is a delicious salad edible!) Geraniums, which aren't really geraniums at all, but pelargoniums, have just graced one too many window boxes and garden borders.


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A: Most people know what it is like to suffer from mosquito bites, mainly because they are so common. however, what most people do not realize is that one small mosquito bite can pose a major health hazard, since mosquitoes have been known to pass on blood-borne diseases, from one person to the other, through their bite. Several illnesses, such as malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis and dengue fever can occur after being bitten by a mosquito. Therefore, taking the right steps for preventing mosquito bites is very important, especially in children, who spend time playing in the outdoors and are...
Why do they say we can't get AIDS from a mosquito bite?
A: AIDS can only live out of the human body for about 24 hours UMM MAYBE CAUSE ITS SUCH A TEENY TINY AMOUNT OF BLOOD ON THE TINY TIP OF ITS UMMM NEEDLE LOL Y THEY SAY WE canT GET AIDS 4RM KISSING? SALIVA IS A BODILY FLUID CORRECT? N SOME PEOPLE EXCHANGE ALOT! OF SPIT WHEN THEY KISS!! OMG IM SCARED NOW LOL When a mosquito bites you, it doesn''t inject its own blood into your body. Therefore, even if it just bit someone who is carrying the AIDS virus, it won''t pass that blood on into you. Besides that, mosquitos won''t bite 2 people (or animal) in a row. They need to digest the blood they''re carrying. Simple! 1) The HIV virus doesn''t live outside the human boby for more than 20 minutes. 2)...
Why Do mosquito Bites Itch?
A: mosquitoes are a bit like flying syringes. Their large needle nose, called a proboscis, is ideal for quickly landing on a victim, withdrawing a bit of blood and then taking off for the next target. You may not notice a mosquito bite initially, but within an hour or two after a bite, you may have raised red bumps from mosquito bites that itch like crazy.. When a mosquito bites, she leaves behind saliva. In fact, the saliva present in mosquito bites serves the mosquito well, since it works as an anti-coagulant. These means the mosquito can quickly draw blood without catching your attention.. The...
What Are the Signs of an Allergic Reaction to a mosquito bite?
A: mosquito bites are not generally considered dangerous, but some people can experience a severe allergic reaction to them. As well as life-threatening reactions that cause the windpipe to swell up and interfere with breathing, an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite may be as mild as a simple itchy, red area around the bite. The intensity of a reaction to a mosquito bite is related to the amount of times the person has been bitten.. When a mosquito bites a person, it breaks through the skin. The body recognizes the saliva from the mosquito in the bite as foreign. Generally, the body produces small bumps with...
Why do mosquitoes bite at night time only?
A: cuz they hide during the day some places they don''t hide during the day, such as near streams when it''s cloudy mosquitoS DO NIGHT DUTY ONLY. DURING DAY TIME, OTHER FLYS DO THEIR DUTY bcozz they are nocturnal Aedes aegypti (one of the species of mosquito) bites during day time causing yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya. Although it may feed at any time, the mosquito''s periods of peak biting activity are few hours after dawn and in the late afternoon until a few hours after dark. Please see the webpage for more details on mosquito. because mosquitoes like the dark. thats why if you wear lighter colors during the night and hot parts of the day you wont be as...
prevention of mosquito bites for kids.
A: mosquito bites, apart from causing itching and discomfort, may also contribute to diseases such as malaria. It is only the female mosquitoes that bite as they require human blood in order to lay eggs. When a mosquito bites, it injects saliva, which keeps the blood and proteins in the blood from clotting. In this manner, it allows for a free flow of blood into its mouth. mosquitoes may be attracted by the smells of perfumes, body odor and sweat. Shampoos, soaps and colognes which are very fragrant and pleasant-smelling usually attract a lot of mosquitoes. The basic steps that one can take to prevent mosquito bites is...
My 2 year old son is HIGHLY allergic to mosquito bites....What can I do??....?
A: I have never heard of such a severe reaction, but I guess anything is possible. I would take to a doctor that can run an allergy test to make sure what exactly is causing this to occur and then perhaps there is some other type of relief he can prescribed. I hope everything works out. BTW, when I was about 11 yrs. old my family moved from New York City to Key west in Florida. I had such a reaction to the bugs there that my mom had to take me to the er. Eventually, over time my body must have gotten used to them b/c now they don''t bother me at all (besides being a nuisance). I know what you mean about DEET, I wouldn''t use it either, try Avon Skin So Soft they have an ingredient in there called Picaridin. It works great! and also
What are Some Remedies for a mosquito bite?
A: many people around the world are familiar with the mosquito bite. While the bite causes little distress for some, others experience severe itching and inflammation of the skin around the area of the bite. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to relieve mosquito bites, including home remedies using items that are found around the house. The local pharmacy is a good place to find creams and lotions that will help to calm the itching of a mosquito bite. Two longtime standards are calamine lotion and witch hazel. Both are applied topically to the area of the bite. Often they can bring itch relief in a matter of minutes. however, several...
how Do I Choose the Best mosquito Bite Treatment?
A: Red, itchy mosquito bites can be extremely annoying. Worse, if the mosquito which bit you happened to be carrying a virus such as malaria or West Nile, its bite could make you seriously ill. Choosing the best mosquito bite treatment for you depends on the nature of your symptoms. Common treatments include using soothing lotions and taking a drug to curb the bodys allergic response. many people find that prevention is the best form of treatment. The itchy, raised patches of skin known as mosquito bites occur when a female mosquito pierces the skin to feed on the blood. As she feeds, she deposits a small amount of...
how Do I Prevent mosquito Bites?
A: mosquitoes are insects that need blood to reproduce. Since female mosquitoes are the ones that lay eggs, they constantly seek blood from both animals and people. When they bite, they leave a small welt on their victims. Humans can protect themselves from mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent, wearing clothes that cover all the body, avoiding being outside during peak hours, and controlling the mosquito population. People who wish to prevent mosquito bites should use mosquito repellent on their bodies. They should choose a mosquito repellent that contains oil of...


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THIS THIS THIS==>@Magpul_HQ fights back (via @COPeakPolitics) http://t.co/j0Zyze94rJ—
Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) February 21, 2013
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is spearheading the effort to pass a sweeping national ban of 150 "weapons of war," made no secret of the fact that her goal is to "dry up the supply." We know that Democrats have trouble understanding the basics of the free market, including the forces of supply and demand, and as demand for firearms surges, suppliers are giving notice that they intend to meet that demand.
Touring @Magpul_HQ tomorrow morning, invited @hickforco to join me so we can learn about unintended consequences of gun control leg #coleg—
Rep. Cory Gardner (@repcorygardner) February 21, 2013
Twitchy told you yesterday about Sen. Ted Cruz's visit to Texas-based rifle manufacturer LaRue Tactical, where he called recent gun-grabbing efforts both "cynical" and "wrong." Today, Rep. Cory Gardner toured Colorado's Magpul Industries, which last week threatened to move out of the state following the Colorado House's vote to enact a ban on magazines that can hold more than 15 rounds.
MOVE WOULD COST… fb.me/1w6M8FRiJ—
Magpul Industries Co (@Magpul_HQ) February 15, 2013
We're hearing some rumors that the Gov and the Dem caucus think we are bluffing. Just to clarify for them,… fb.me/ZHYZZqoz—
Magpul Industries Co (@Magpul_HQ) February 18, 2013
Here is the full version of our open letter printed in the Denver Post. fb.me/zBULT0MB—
Magpul Industries Co (@Magpul_HQ) February 18, 2013
In a press release, Magpul CEO Richard Fitzpatrick wrote, "Our company could not, in good conscience, continue to manufacture our products in a state where law-abiding citizens are prohibited from purchasing and owning them. The passage of this bill will do nothing to enhance public safety, but will force us to immediately begin taking our business to another state." And no, he's not bluffing, as he made clear in a post to Facebook.
We're hearing some rumors that the Gov and the Dem caucus think we are bluffing. Just to clarify for them, then…we're not a political company. We dont play political games. We've made our position very clear, very publicly. We would not survive lying to our customer base, nor would we ever consider it. If you pass this, we will leave, and you will own it. We've already got plans in place to get PMAG manufacturing moved rapidly, and the rest of the company will follow. We will make sure to at least have a small remain-behind operation through the 2014 elections so that we can remind folks why we are gone.
Plenty of other states have offered to welcome Magpul with open arms. Despite the invitations, Magpul management have said they want to stay in Colorado and keep jobs in the state. They also want to keep Colorado free, and have issued a sticker to spread the word.
Look for the new limited edition Free Colorado version of our American Manufacturing sticker around the state in… fb.me/1kWy69WUj—
Magpul Industries Co (@Magpul_HQ) February 21, 2013
@Magpul_HQ @michellemalkin Not to worry, Texas is aleady Free and loves guns,jobs, and manufacturing. Just ask @GovernorPerry for details.—
JD (@JDCoog71) February 21, 2013
Rick Perry Asks Gun-Parts Manufacturer Magpul To Move To Texas If Colorado Passes Gun-Control Bill… shar.es/j1Kw7 via @sharethis—
Anthony (@Libertyson25) February 21, 2013
@Magpul_HQ Arkansas is friendly to the 2nd Amendment. We have a Remington plant and would welcome your business!—
StateRep David Meeks (@DavidMeeks) February 18, 2013
@Magpul_HQ – See those people standing to your west waving and blowing kisses? Those are Utahns waiting for your "moving to" announcement.—
Mike St James (@MCTStJames) February 21, 2013
Come to OK! RT @NRANews: South Carolina, Texas lure Colorado ammo magazine maker @Magpul_HQ – denverpost.com/politics/ci_22… #NRA (via @DenverPost)—
Redness (@mchastain81) February 21, 2013
@Magpul_HQ We'll be more than happy to have you in Wisconsin! cc: @govwalker @rebeccaforreal—
Doc Nelson (@DocNelson_68W) February 15, 2013
. @Magpul_HQ Come to Missouri! We're firearm friendly! Move to SWMO! Springfield has several empty factories & welcome the work!—
Conservative Animal* (@ConserAnimal) February 17, 2013
@Magpul_HQ y'all come on down to South Carolina. Low taxes, warmer weather.—
Johnny Bravo (@gt24880a) February 19, 2013
@magpul_HQ come to Texas! Doors are always open for a great company like Magpul. #Texas #landofthefree—
James Brown (@pimpnainteezy) February 19, 2013
@Magpul_HQ Come to VA we'd be glad to have you!—
Josh Sibley (@jsibley5792) February 21, 2013
@Magpul_HQ cross the boarder to oklahoma. Tulsa!!!—
xxx (@Nine78guy) February 21, 2013
More importantly, does Hickenlooper? RT @APkristenwyatt: Mississippi wants Magpul, too. bit.ly/YeXpjj #copolitics #coleg—
Colo Peak Politics (@COpeakpolitics) February 21, 2013
Look who else isn't bluffing. Gov. Hickenlooper?
Attention #Magpul I will give you 5 acres on a 4 lane HWY if you move from Colorado to Texas. Just outside of Nacogdoches. I'm not bluffing!—
RC&Redskins (@Dudleyland) February 21, 2013


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All Ages Metal Concert!
at the American Legion
1401 Indianapolis Rd., Greencastle, IN
when: Saturday August 16th, 2014 @ 6:00pm
cost: $8 at the door
- From Cities Above (Indiana)
- Pvrenchymv (Indiana)
- Hatchling (Indiana)
- Invoker (North Carolina)
- The Infantry (Ohio)
- Still I Rise (Indiana)
Join our Staff!
Apply to be a DJ for the Fall Semester 2014. Click here to download the application!
Congratulations Nicole and Christine!
Station Manager Christine Webster and Program director Nicole Dobias, winners of the 2014 WGRE award!


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In this update, one Leelanau county man will spend 10 months in jail for stealing cash donations meant for a cancer patient.
Court records show Benny Lopez Junior stole the donation jar from Deep's Corner Store in Northport back in January.
The money was supposed to go to a local man suffering from brain cancer.
He was previously sentenced to one year in jail for attempted larceny in a building.
Lopez also admitted to stealing scrap metal from a Northport business, and for stealing jewelry from a family member, all to support a pain pill addiction.
He will serve all sentences for all 3 cases, at the same time.


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Ikengo Agricultural Center
|Support this ministry
To make a gift for this ministry online or by check use the online donation page.
Church of Christ of the Congo - Democratic Republic of Congo
Since 1997, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; formerly Zaire) has suffered a civil war that has devastated the country, partially caused by the serious influx of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. After years of fighting and peace negotiations, an agreement was finally signed in December of 2002 to end the war and establish a government of national unity. However, the economy of the DRC has declined drastically since the mid-1980s and worsened as a result of the war. Conflict, lack of infrastructure, and other factors have caused many foreign businesses to end operations in the DRC, worsening the country's ability to support its people.
It is estimated that 3.5 million people have died from fighting, famine, and disease since the beginning of the war. An estimated 1.1 million people in the country are living with AIDS, a figure that drives infant mortality and death rates among the highest in the world. There are more than 200 African ethnic groups in the DRC, most of which are Bantu. The four largest tribes [Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic)] make up about 45 percent of the population. About half of the people of the DRC are Roman Catholic. The other half of the population identifies as Protestant (20 percent), Kimbanguist (10 percent), Muslim (10 percent), or subscribes to other sects and indigenous beliefs (10 percent).
The Ikengo Agricultural Center was established by the Community Disciples of Christ in Congo (CDCC), which has related to Global Ministries for over 100 years, in order to make the best possible use of available farmland. The objectives of the Ikengo Agricultural Center are to:
- nourish and sustain the Congolese people;
- employ the Congolese people through agricultural work;
- build the infrastructure needed to support the Congolese people.
The farm's primary focus to date has been livestock activities (hog, duck, and chicken-raising) and crop growing activities (truck gardening activities and food crop activities).
Farm managers and members of the CDCC have laid out a strategic plan to maximize the assets of the land. This plan includes:
Livestock Objective: Ability to sell pork products and eggs
- complete construction of a duck house and chicken house
- purchase of an outboard motor
- purchase a kerosene refrigerator
- purchase of two sows, ducks, chickens, and several hogs for fattening
- purchase enough feed to sustain livestock
- buy veterinary products
Food Crop Objective: Ability to sell produce
- develop area for growing food crops
- buy seeds
- grow new food crops
Farm Workforce Objective: Ability to employ local people in agricultural opportunities
- negotiate salary contracts with workers
- finalize the number of employees needed for the project and hire day workers as necessary
- establish standards for the recruitment, training, and evaluation of the workers
As a result of these objectives, the Ikengo Agricultural Center will be able to achieve greater impacts of supporting the nourishment and economic stability of the local people in its area.
Currently, Ikengo Agricultural Center is planning for the installation of a small storehouse for veterinarian services and care. Raising of small and large animals and poultry has been on the rise in this geographic area. Because epidemics among animals are common and veterinary products are not available locally, the CDCC has identified a need to create a veterinary repository in Mbandaka. This will provide access to veterinary products which before were previously unavailable to farmers in the region. This will also serve as an income generating activity for the CDCC for its Ikengo Center.
The proposed budget for the veterinary repository includes about $1,000 for the structure itself, $2,000 to purchase a petroleum refrigerator for storage, and up to $7,000 for various veterinary products that will include antibiotics, medication for internal and external parasites, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, and vaccines. The budget is $10,000 but will be adjusted to do a little at a time in order to begin the activity.
Global Ministries has been a supporter of the Ikengo Agricultural Center for many years, and continues efforts to support this important work.
Learn more about our partnership with
|Support this ministry
To make a gift for this ministry online or by check use the online donation page.


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6 comments:
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enthusiastically yours
Greetings and good day! My name is Matt, and I was reading through your recipes, and after reading the ginger with caramel glaze cupcake recipe I knew I had to contact you.ReplyDelete
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Now I know you are probably busy and get a lot of e-mails, your blog seems quite popular! But If you could spare a few minutes time I'd love to speak with you about possibly using some of your recipes and/or referencing your site as a resource in finding new recipes and ideas that can be used alongside with our product:
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Matt Harestad
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Rabbinical Support for the End of Unconditional Military Aid to IsraelPosted: October 15, 2012 Filed under: American Jewish Community, Christianity, Human Rights, Interfaith, International Aid, Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics 13 Comments
Cross-posted with The Palestinian Talmud:
The undersigned members of the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council stand with our American Christian colleagues in their recent call to "make U.S. military aid to Israel contingent upon its government's compliance with applicable US laws and policies."
We are as troubled as our Christian colleagues by the human rights violations Israel commits against Palestinian civilians, many of which involve the misuse of US – supplied weapons. It is altogether appropriate – and in fact essential – for Congress to ensure that Israel is not in violation of any US laws or policies that regulate the use of US supplied weapons.
The US Foreign Assistance Act and the US Arms Export Control Act specifically prohibit assistance to any country which engages in a consistent pattern of human rights violations and limit the use of US weapons to "internal security" or "legitimate self-defense." The Christian leaders' letter points out, in fact, that the most recent 2011 State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices covering Israel and the Occupied Territories detailed widespread Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinian civilians, many of which involve the misuse of US – supplied weapons such as tear gas.
It is certainly not unreasonable to insist that foreign assistance be contingent on compliance with US laws and policies. Mideast analyst MJ Rosenberg has rightly pointed out that during this current economic downturn, Congress has been scrutinizing all domestic assistance programs - including Social Security and food stamps - to ensure that they are being carried out legally in compliance with stated US policy. Why should US military aid to Israel be exempt from the same kind of scrutiny?
While some might feel that requiring assistance to be contingent with compliance would compromise Israels security, we believe the exactly the opposite is true. As Israels primary ally, the US alone is in a place to create the kind of leverage that might challenge Israel to turn away from policies that impede the cause of a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians - and true security for all who live in the region.
As Jews we acknowledge that the signers of the letter, and the churches they represent, have ancient and continuing ties to the land of Israel just as we do, and that their concerns for the safety and dignity of Christians in Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territories is as compelling as our concern for the safety and dignity of Jews there.
We are troubled that several Jewish organizations have cynically attacked this faithful and sensitive call – and we are deeply dismayed that the Anti-Defamation League has gone so far as to pull out of a scheduled Jewish-Christian dialogue in protest. We believe that actions such as these run directly counter to the spirit and mission of interfaith dialogue. True dialogue occurs not simply on the areas where both parties find agreement, but in precisely those places where there is disagreement and divergence of opinion. We call on all of our Jewish colleagues to remain at the table and engage our Christian colleagues on this painful issue that is of such deep concern to both our communities.
We express our full support for the spirit and content of this statement and likewise call upon US citizens to urge their representatives to end unconditional military aid to Israel.
Signed (list in formation):
Rabbi Brant Rosen
Rabbi Margaret Holub
Rabbi Alissa Wise
Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton
Rabbi Lynn Gottleib
Rabbi Brian Walt
Rabbi Julie Greenberg
Rabbi David Mivasair
Rabbi Joseph Berman
Cantor Michael Davis
Rabbi Shai Gluskin
Rabbi Tirzah Firestone
Jessica Rosenberg, Rabbinical Student
Ari Lev Fornari, Rabbinical Student
Creative Women's Empowerment in RwandaPosted: July 10, 2012 Filed under: Africa, Economic Justice, Global Activism, HIV/AIDS, International Aid, JRC Rwanda Trip 2012, Poverty, Rwanda, Women's Issues Leave a comment
Tuesday began with another return visit: this time to the Ineza Woman's Sewing Cooperative in the Ramera district of Kigali. Ineza was founded in 2006 by WE-ACTx, who helped group of women with ten sewing machines to create an income generation project for their community. They were initially supported by WE-ACTx, who helped connect them with the Latin School in Chicago and eventually Ineza dolls were sold at (of all places) the swanky Barney's store in Chicago's Gold Coast for $50.00 to $100.00 a piece.
Now a thriving women's craft cooperative, Ineza sews a variety of items out of beautiful African textiles, including handbags, clothing, laptop cases, wallets, etc. They have now grown to the point where they are financially independent of WE-ACTx and maintains their own bank account. Their gorgeous merchandise has also become available via the internet through Manos de Madres, so as soon as you finish reading this post you should check them out and buy their products.
After lunch, the youth members of our delegation joined the young people of the WE-ACTx youth program for the afternoon while the rest of us volunteered at another WE-ACTx income generation project – a new women's jewelery cooperative in Nyaconga (below).
The women of Nyaconga make lovely glass beaded bracelets as well as recycled paper necklaces and earrings. Right now their work space and showroom is located in a large drab space that does little to show off their beautiful work. So with the help of our new artist friend William (who designed the mural painted last Friday at the WE-ACTx children's library) we were mobilized to paint the walls of the space in colorful shades of light purple, pink, green and yellow (below).
I have to say we're getting pretty good at painting – and it's been enormously satisfying to help support these economic empowerment efforts in this way. Four of us will return to the showroom on Thursday to finish assembling the showcase and arrange the large amounts of jewelry inside.
Our teenagers reported that they had an amazing, joyful afternoon with the WE-ACTx young people. I'm going to try to coax one or more of them to write guest posts about their experiences. Stay tuned…
How to Support Relief Efforts in SomaliaPosted: August 14, 2011 Filed under: Africa, Hunger, International Aid, International Health, Poverty 4 Comments
From the NY Times:
Much of the Horn of Africa, which includes Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti, has been struck this summer by one of the worst droughts in 60 years. But two Shabab-controlled parts of southern Somalia are the only areas where the United Nations has declared a famine, using scientific criteria of death and malnutrition rates.
I commend to you this report from Charity Navigator, which includes essential information about this tragic, urgent crisis along with the highest rated orgs currently doing relief work in the region.
Volunteering + Values: What's Motivating the Jewish Young Folk?Posted: June 29, 2011 Filed under: American Jewish Community, Hunger, International Aid, Israel 5 Comments
Repair the World, has just released "Volunteering+Values," a report commissioned "to understand the full extent of Jewish young adults' volunteer habits and preferences." I'd say its findings/recommendations contain implications that North American Jewish communal institutions would do well to heed.
Conducted by the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis
University and Gerstein|Agne Strategic Communications, V+V surveyed a sample of Jewish young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 and investigated their volunteer commitments and attitudes.
Among the findings I found notable:
Only a small portion of Jewish young adults prefer to or actually do volunteer with Jewish organizations … The minority of Jewish young adults who volunteer through Jewish organizations do so to support their own people and community. By contrast, the vast majority of Jewish young adults say it does not matter if they volunteer with a Jewish or non-Jewish organization.
Hand in hand with this finding, the report noted a growing universalist identity among Jewish young people:
Jewish young adults are primarily drawn to service through universal rather than Jewish-based values or identity … Only a very small portion of Jewish young adults volunteer as a means to represent the Jewish community to the larger society.
Not surprisingly to me, many Jewish young people seem to be turned off by what they perceive as the overly tribal concerns of the organized Jewish community:
Today's Jewish young adults have grown up amidst and are at home with ethnic and religious diversity … As a result, most are concerned for all victims of poverty or injustice, not just those who are Jewish. It appears that they do not believe that Jewish organizations share this concern for universal causes.
I was particularly struck that Israel ranked consistently at the bottom of the list of priorities of young Jews. According to one graph, only 1% of those surveyed cited Israel/Middle East Peace as an "issue focus of primary volunteer work" (at the top of the list: "Material Assistance to the Needy.") Another graph charted the geographic focus of primary volunteer work thus: 79%: Local Community, 13%: Domestic Non-Local, 4%: Developing World, 3%: Israel. (This trend is particularly noteworthy since the primary sample used by V+V was the Birthright applicant pool – a data base of 300,000 young Jews who either participated or applied for a Birthright Israel trip between 2001 and 2010.)
Among the many strategic implications identified by the study, this one resonated for me in particular:
Efforts are needed to educate Jewish young adults of the deep connection between Jewish thought and volunteering without implying that it is an exclusively Jewish perspective or only pertains to support of the Jewish community. Jewish young adults, regardless of denomination or level of religious involvement, should be encouraged to "own" a Jewish perspective on service. Widespread efforts are needed that draw attention to and link the universal and Jewish values that Jewish young adults already hold with the causes about which they care most deeply.
As always, I'd love to hear reactions.
"Israel, Good Job!"Posted: January 28, 2010 Filed under: Comedy, Haiti, International Aid, Israel, Politics 8 Comments
Re Israel's Haiti relief effort: check out this unbelievably edgy skit from Israel's popular comedy show, "Eretz Nehederet."
If it comes from Israel, is it still "Israel bashing?"
Israel in Haiti: More PerspectivesPosted: January 22, 2010 Filed under: Haiti, Human Rights, International Aid, Israel 9 Comments
Some more interesting features on Israel's relief (and public relations) efforts in Haiti…
(On) the ground was a retinue of Israelis dedicated to making sure people heard about their country's humanitarian mission and spreading the word. Press officers from the Israeli military were flown in, as were photographers and a video team to document the work of Israeli medical and rescue personnel. They distributed daily footage to the press. Representatives of Israeli and foreign media were embedded with the group, and other reporters were invited.
A day after the Israeli field hospital opened, two Israeli officers in uniforms canvassed the row of TV producers sitting in their broadcast positions along the city airport's runway. "We're telling them about our hospital," one said.
A feature from The Media Line by Brian Joffe-Walt:
Dahlia Scheindlin, an Israeli public opinion researcher and political strategist … (said) "Israelis hate when they are seen only in light of the conflict, especially when they are seen as aggressors, and they feel that most of the world is against them, with the possible exception of America."
"As a result, Israelis are extremely supportive of anything that shows them in a better light because it's so rare that they get any good news about how they are viewed in the rest of the world," Scheindlin said. "We see this whenever there is global attention towards Israel for anything other than the conflict. This happened recently, for example, when an Israeli won the windsurfing gold medal or when an Israeli astronaut died."
"That said, do I think the government participated in this aid effort for publicity? Absolutely not," she said. "I don't think it was a cynical move. Israel would have participated anyway. But Israelis do try to use these things to try to leverage a better image for themselves around the world."
A very trenchant article by Ha'aretz correspondent Anshel Pfeffer:
The fundamental reason that Israel is routinely treated much more harshly than its adversaries, despite the fact that they very often carry out far worse atrocities, is that Israel puts itself out to be so much better than them. If in almost 62 years of existence, Israel had succeeded in evolving into a tinpot dictatorship, like most of its neighbors and many of the countries that achieved independence during that period, no-one would be holding it to such high standards, sometimes perhaps, unfairly. Israel is not condemned regularly in the media just because it keeps millions of Palestinians under occupation and embarks on a another mini war every other year, but because it is a country aspiring to be a western democracy while doing so.
Various pro-Israel advocacy groups publish glossy pamphlets detailing the manifold benefits Israeli technology has brought the entire world. Every word there is true and in the next editions, there will be an extensive chapter on the IDF's international humanitarian missions, complete with photographs of the field hospital in Port-au-Prince. But that won't improve Israel's international image one iota. Quite the opposite.
We are a disproportionate country, and the difficulty is to reconcile a tiny brave democracy capable of such acts of greatness with an occupying regime constantly at war with its neighbors will continue to bring us bad headlines. Once the delegation comes back from Haiti.
On Haiti Remembered and Gaza ForgottenPosted: January 19, 2010 Filed under: Gaza, Global Activism, Haiti, Human Rights, International Aid, Israel, Palestine 27 Comments
Two prominent Israeli columnists ask: why are Israelis so eager to pitch in to the rescue effort in Haiti and yet show such little concern over the dire humanitarian crisis they've helped to create just a few kilometers away in Gaza?
Akiva Eldar, writing in Ha'aretz
(The) remarkable identification with the victims of the terrible tragedy in distant Haiti only underscores the indifference to the ongoing suffering of the people of Gaza. Only a little more than an hour's drive from the offices of Israel's major newspapers, 1.5 million people have been besieged on a desert island for two and a half years. Who cares that 80 percent of the men, women and children living in such proximity to us have fallen under the poverty line? How many Israelis know that half of all Gazans are dependent on charity, that Operation Cast Lead created hundreds of amputees, that raw sewage flows from the streets into the sea?
The disaster in Haiti is a natural one; the one in Gaza is the unproud handiwork of man. Our handiwork. The IDF does not send cargo planes stuffed with medicines and medical equipment to Gaza. The missiles that Israel Air Force combat aircraft fired there a year ago hit nearly 60,000 homes and factories, turning 3,500 of them into rubble. Since then, 10,000 people have been living without running water, 40,000 without electricity. Ninety-seven percent of Gaza's factories are idle due to Israeli government restrictions on the import of raw materials for industry. Soon it will be one year since the international community pledged, at the emergency conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, to donate $4.5 billion for Gaza's reconstruction. Israel's ban on bringing in building materials is causing that money to lose its value.
Gershon Baskin, in today's Jerusalem Post:
Humanitarian disasters around the world bring out the best in Israel and in Israelis. The horrific devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti and the scenes of unbearable human suffering brought about an immediate enlistment of both civilian and public efforts to come to the aid of the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere…
But what about the humanitarian disaster in our own backyard caused in a large part by our own doing? What about Gaza? More than 1.5 million people are living in total poverty, without sanitary drinking water, under an economic and physical siege, locked in what could easily be called the world's largest prison. While we ask to see in all of the gory details, all of the destruction including hundreds of corpses on the streets of Port-au-Prince, we wish to see none of the human suffering of our Palestinian neighbors in Gaza where we literally hold the keys to the end of their suffering.
What We Need To Do For HaitiPosted: January 15, 2010 Filed under: Current Events, Global Activism, Haiti, International Aid, Poverty, Women's Issues 5 Comments
In the wake of the terrifyingly tragic earthquake in Haiti, it has been gratifying to see private citizens give so generously to relief efforts. At the same time however, we shouldn't forget that our own country's policies can have a considerable impact on Haiti's recovery. Check out what constitutional lawyer/human rights activist/Katrina survivor Bill Quigley has to say in his piece, "Ten Things the US Can and Should Do for Haiti."
Item #3, for example:
Give Haiti grants as help, not loans. Haiti does not need any more debt. Make sure that the relief given helps Haiti rebuild its public sector so the country can provide its own citizens with basic public services.
Gaza: A Rabbinical ExchangePosted: July 14, 2009 Filed under: Gaza, Human Rights, International Aid, International Health, Israel, Judaism, Palestine, War 1 Comment
Since we launched the Jewish Fast for Gaza, we've received all kinds of feedback, some supportive, some critical, some utterly unprintable. (My personal favorite from the latter category: "You should all get severe stomach ailments.")
On occasion, however, our effort has offered us the opportunity for genuinely respectful dialogue. Below is one such exchange – an email I received from a rabbinic colleague, followed by my response:
Dear Ta'anit Tzedek,
Having cares and concerns of the plight of humanity is a most noble cause. That you are willing to extend effort is most commendable. Your organization, however, is extending its efforts in a manner which is not only counterproductive, but can be harmful as well.
How can you look into the face of a 12 year old girl from Sderot who suffers from post traumatic syndrome as for most of life she has been awakened on a nightly basis by sirens and rocket fire? What do you say to the families of victims killed by suicide bombers who killed their teenagers who were casually enjoyed a slice of pizza? What do you say to an organization whose very goal is the annihilation of our people?
You may answer, "Had we been better, they may have liked us more." or some such configuration thereof. It's not plausible. Since 1948, the goal of the Arab world has been the removal of a Jewish presence in the middle east. Our interference with their dream of a Pan-Arabic state stretching from Morocco to Iraq is sullied by our very presence.
It would better for your organization to spend is resources on ideals that truly further the continuity of Jews and Judaism.
I await your response,
Rabbi X
Dear Rabbi X,
I want to thank you for taking the time to reach out and respond to our initiative. I'm glad to have the opportunity for this dialogue.
You ask what I would say to the 12 year old girl from Sderot or the families of terror victims. I believe I would say that as a fellow Jew that their pain is my pain as well. I would say that I could not begin to comprehend the realities they must face. But I would also share my belief that that Israel's current treatment of the people of Gaza will bring them neither safety nor security – and that the only true way out of these traumas is a lifting of the blockade and the negotiation of a settlement by all parties involved.
As regards Hamas "whose very goal is the annihilation of our people:" though I have no love lost for Hamas, the reality is that Israel will have to deal with them if any true peace will be achieved. And in truth, Israel has already dealt with Hamas through any number of channels over the years already. Making peace is a sacrosanct Jewish value – and as difficult as it is, the truth is that we make peace with our enemies. In the past, Israel has made peace with former enemies whom we once believed sought nothing but our "annihilation." To surrender this value means to doom the people of this region to endless violence and tragedy.
Thus we do indeed believe that this effort furthers the resources of Jews and Judaism. We do not hold that the only Jewish path is the one that addresses Jews and Jewish "needs" alone. In the case of Jews and Palestinians in particular, our fates are fundamentally intertwined: we will either live together or else we will die together. The Jewish path has always been to choose life – this sacred imperative is at the core of our initiative.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with us. Even as we may disagree, I hope you will share my conviction that our conversation is a "machloket l'shem shamayim" ("argument for the sake of heaven.") I also know that you join with me in prayers for peace for this tortured region that is so dear to both of us.
Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Brant Rosen
Jewish Fast for GazaPosted: July 10, 2009 Filed under: Gaza, Human Rights, International Aid, International Health, Israel, Judaism, Palestine, War 30 Comments
In response to the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, my dear friend and colleague Rabbi Brian Walt and I have organized a new initiative, Ta'anit Tzedek – Jewish Fast for Gaza.
See below for the press release about the project, which is already attracting increasing numbers of supporters, including many rabbis. Click the link above to visit the website and sign up yourself…
Seeking "to end the Jewish community's silence over Israel's collective punishment in Gaza," an ad-hoc group of American rabbis has called for a communal fast. Known as Ta'anit Tzedek – Jewish Fast for Gaza, this new initiative will organize a series of monthly fasts beginning on July 16.
The project was initiated by a group of thirteen rabbis representing a spectrum of American Jewish denominations. The group's website explains the religious meaning of the campaign: "In Jewish tradition a communal fast is held in times of crisis both as an expression of mourning and a call to repentance. In this spirit, Ta'anit Tzedek – Jewish Fast for Gaza is a collective act of conscience initiated by an ad hoc group of rabbis, Jews, people of faith, and all concerned with (this) ongoing crisis…"
The fast has four goals: to call for a lifting of the blockade, to provide humanitarian and developmental aid to the people of Gaza, to call upon Israel, the US, and the international community to engage in negotiations with Hamas in order to end the blockade, and to encourage the American government to "vigorously engage both Israelis and Palestinians toward a just and peaceful settlement of the conflict."
The water-only fast will take place every third Thursday of the month, from sunrise to sunset. In addition to signing on to the fast statement, participants have been asked to donate the money they save on food to the Milk for Preschoolers Campaign sponsored by American Near Eastern Refugee Aid, a relief campaign that combats malnutrition among Gazan preschool children.
Since the electoral victory of Hamas in January 2006, Israel has imposed a blockade that has severely restricted Gaza's ability to import food, fuel and other essential materials. As a result, the Gazan economy has completely collapsed and it suffers from high levels of unemployment and poverty and rising levels of childhood malnutrition.
"Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people in Gaza amounts to nothing less than collective punishment. While we condemn Hamas' targeting of Israeli civilians, it is immoral to punish an entire population for the actions of a few," said Rabbi Brant Rosen, who serves Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, IL. "This blockade has only served to further oppress an already thoroughly oppressed people. As Jews and as human beings of conscience, we cannot stand idly by."
"We've been enormously encouraged by the initial response we've received from the Jewish community thus far," said fast organizer Rabbi Brian Walt, former Executive Director of Rabbis for Human Rights – North America, who noted that the initiative has signed up numerous supporters prior to the launch of the project. "We truly believe this effort is giving voice to a significant number of people who been looking for a Jewish voice of conscience on this issue."


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What a game, a game that we should have probably won. I hate to say this but I kindly disagree when some might think that Mr.Gregg Poppovich doesn't have any plans to win this game. But I surely agree that game one was a give a way shall I say, a game that was destined or planned to be lost but not this one. I really think that game one was like the Dallas series were Pop is trying to measure or see the guys that should play, wow imagine risking a game for that---it's just my thought, but I guess that theory might be right. Going back to the Suns-Spurs game 2.I guess Pop might want to win this game---or not,but all I can say is that if he intends to win or lose this game and win 4 straight or have a game 7 all I can is that, Pop hopefully by now you know who to play and not to play.
Clearly we should have won this game. I won't blame it on RQC's but lets face the fact the Phoenix just outplayed us---on the boards, no matter what good defense we did by contesting their shots. And here are the facts that I have to admit and maybe you, which caused us our lost.
10 ways why we lost or 10 ways why Phoenix won
1. Phoenix's offensive rebounds
2. Our free throw shooting
3. They have a better bench
4. They shot those dagger threes
5. For us to win it's always Big three plus one, oh no it should be Big three plus two.(namely Hill and RJ and maybe 6 to 10 points plus hustle, defense and boards for Dice) and yes, Hill was not that good.
6. If they shot dagger threes, we shot bricks from threes.
7. Jared Dudley, yes another, random guy to have a big night, and yes he is not random, he plays that good even versus Portland, even if he has a poor shooting night, the guy will help them defensively though(talking about that Portland series).
8. Manu---How much I love you I got to admit the truth, since the nose accident that lead to that injury, you're still aggressive on other ends of the floor, you still hustle, you still tip passes, you pass the damn ball---so unselfish, you go to the free throw line, throw your godlike body to the floor, still being aggressive but not that super aggressive unlike that 4 games you had first in Dallas, playing defense the way you do. Yes, despite shooting clutch threes in this series and go 1-6 from threes or from the field you are bringing us back,we deeply appreciate it, but for us to win this effing series we need you to average 16 or 20 and still go to the line so maybe you, averaging 24 or 26 or 20 won't be that bad and hard right? I know your human and that nose hurts, so I just hope that it would heal faster than we would think.
9.Hill is effective in Dallas but not in Arizona. I love Hill and I would always go Hill before the word Parker. But we got to admit, again, TP is more effective in phoenix, he destroys their defense no matter how improved it is than the previous years. Hill should play in the 6 minute or 5 minute mark and if Gino sits and rests. And yes, Hill should be back to the hill, and play like this team is dallas and score 29 points again play defense when the quarter is ending, shoot corner threes, free throw jump shots and shoot some runners. We need you badly!
10.Our bench suck---except Parker
Way for us to win/Ways for Phoenix to follow for them to lose:
1.Improve free throw shooting---but we are San Antonio so hitting 70% is remarkable but not 60%,and paging Mr. Timothy Duncan please proceed to the game or to the gym and make some effing free throws go---you're not Dwight Howard. Ok so maybe Tim thinks he is Ben Wallace.
2. Clearly we play very good defense, why not contest more shots in the perimeter. That would be great
3. Clearly Bonner is searching for some sandwich to eat cause his clearly hungry and can't hit a three, bet Channing would do the honors to help Bon-Bon. So with this,Bogans is more effective and thus should play more minutes than what Bon is getting
4. And that leads to playing small ball. Yes small ball. Phoenix is smaller than Dallas and our team is pretty good in small balls so why not try and do it, try to capitalize on it huh.
5. Again its Big three plus 3 sidekicks
6. No Mason, his ojom!
7.Our guys doesn't collapse, they are just outplayed, so why not focus more, I mean they don't give up when they are down but when they are up its like they are very calm or complacent. No I won't call it a quarter collapse, but I guess it is.
8. We need to get those 50-50balls.
9. That leads to—"Get the defensive rebound"
10.Which leads to---"Run down that offensive rebound". See the suns leading rebounders are not their big men, well Collins is not a good player and they don't have robin, but what is their solution, letting their perimeter guys run those offensive boards. Leading rebounder, Grant Hill, Jason Richardson and the only big man, ''''A'm'a'r'e'''' .See they chase it down or they go to the paint. In short these guys move. Can we move?!
11.Get Timothy going. Then don't collapse
12.Ok lessen the turn over.
Over all our guys played better d than they are used to in 82 game and 3936 minutes of hell. Yes they have improved but other intangibles that they did to torch Dallas is not visible or seen instead our opponent phoenix is the ones performing it. And so if our guys can just continue to let PHX shoot 36% or 40% and improve their rebounding and hustle, then we have a shot to win this game or series in 6 if not Spurs in 7!
I still have faith in this team.
BTW, sorry for a very long post but I think San Antonio shouldn't force things up on shooting threes, against Dallas we were winning when we dominate the paint than they does. If we could just dominate and go to the paint almost every time and make it . Then on my opinion we are a better team if---Manu and Hill are the only guys, if you give me the authority,they are the only guys who are authorized to shoot threes. The rest—including Matty, if he plays needs to go to the paint, get fouled shoot 50% from the line, its fine as long as their players are in foul trouble. But shooting those free throws for 100% is much better and shooting 80% as a whole is better, but we are San Antonio it'll be a miracle if that happens. Especially if your superstar is Ben Wallace, oops I mean Mr. Timothy Theodore Duncan. Hope we win this series, hope that we can, yes I believe, yes I believe in Ginobili and people should not believe the king with no ring—seriously (shh they are the mavs of the east, underachievers but overachievers in the regular season, D told me they'll meet in the ECF and win that ECF and he will bring Orlando back to the finals, he said hopefully versus us ,San Antonio).Sorry if the pic is not that good, Im not really good at it. Anyways just post your nice comments below. Thank You. :)


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Two men help a wounded protester at an illegal Nakba day protest in the Baram forest. (Ben Hartman)
The protest was made up of around 100 mainly young people from Haifa, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Beersheva. (Ben Hartman)
Riot police and border policemen forcibly dispersed the protesters, wounding six. (Ben Hartman)
Riot police disperse Nakba Day protests in the east Jerusalem neighorhood of Issawaya. (Marc Israel Sellem)
Protesters in Issawaya rioted and threw Molotov cocktails. (Marc Israel Sellem)
Riot police in Issawaya on Nakba Day. (Marc Israel Sellem)
Riot police wrangle with civilians in Issawaya on Nakba Day. (Marc Israel Sellem)
A policeman saves a child from a burning building after protesters threw a Molotov cocktail in Issawaya, igniting a home. (Marc Israel Sellem)
Protesters in Issawaya threw Molotov cocktails. Police later saved two children from a burning home. (Marc Israel Sellem)