text:
What Wasn't Said
J. Peter Nixon September 8, 2012 - 10:42pm
One of the most well-received speeches at last weeks Democratic National Convention was the one given by Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobby founded and supported by American women religious. Campbell was one of the principal organizers of the Nuns on the Bus tour that tried to raise awareness about poverty and the failings of the federal budget proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI).There was much in the speech with which I heartily agree, such as its criticisms of the Ryan Budget and its defense of the Affordable Care Act. Indeed, I had a hard time finding anything in the speech with which I disagreed. It was what wasn't said that bothered me.
At a convention where the Democratic Party's full-throated support of abortion rights was emphasized by speaker after speaker, Sr. Simones speech did not mention abortion at all. There was one tangential reference toward the end, where Sr. Simone stated that extending health insurance to the uninsured was part of my pro-life stance. The line provoked a roar of applause, no doubt because it allowed the overwhelmingly pro-choice crowd to rest secure in the (false) conviction that most pro-life advocates care nothing for the poor.
When the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released its doctrinal assessment of the Leadership Conference on Women Religious earlier this year, it noted that while there has been a great deal of work on the part of LCWR promoting issues of social justice in harmony with the Church's social doctrine, it is silent on the right to life from conception to natural death This comment provoked a great deal of criticism and numerous counter-examples were offered by the LCWRs defenders.Unfortunately, I think that Sr. Simones speech is an example of the problem the CDF was trying to highlight. While I have no doubt that her personal motivations for speaking were noble ones, there is no question that the leaders of the Democratic Party put her on that podium for a very specific reason. She was there to symbolize the support of the Church (or at least part of it) for the partys agenda. I do not think Sr. Simone sought such a role, but once it was thrust upon her, it came with a responsibility to present the social teaching of the Church in its fullness.American women religious have a noble and long-standing tradition of speaking truth to power. With respect to the unborn, however, are not the leaders of the Democratic Party an example of a power that needs to hear truth?Would it have been so difficult to invoke the late Cardinal Bernadins concept of a seamless garment? To recall, in the spirit of Hubert Humphrey, that the moral test of government is how it treats those in the dawn of life, the twilight of life, and the shadows of life? To highlight the political heroism of Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), who stood boldly for both health care reform and the right to life and lost his congressional seat as a result?I do not wish to hold Sr. Simone uniquely accountable for a problem that exists across the Churchs ideological spectrum. For years, politically conservative Catholicsand more than a few bishopshave presented a truncated version of Catholic social teaching that appears to suggest that the only morally acceptable option for Catholics is to pull the lever for the Republican Party.The solution, though, is not to become a mirror image of the other side. It is for Catholics to develop a truly independent voice that can hold both parties accountable, supporting them when they defend the common good and the dignity of the human person and challenging them when they do not. Its clear we have a long way to go.
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I'm uneasy criticizing Sr Simone for what she didn't say in a small statement which was mainly about the Ryan budget and nuns on the bus. Are we going to criticize every short statement every bishop or pope makes which is also silent on abortion ? I don't think so. Especially as at this convention Sr Simone would reasonably expect Cdl Dolan to have explicitly challenged the DNC on abortion and life issues, which he did.It is simply wrong, unreasonable and ridiculous to expect every statement every Church representative ever makes to, as Peter Nixon puts it, "present the social teaching of the Church in its fullness".God Bless
Sister Simone spoke for seven minutes at the Democratic convention. She was not invited, nor was it her purpose, to present the whole body of Catholic teaching. She was there to do again what she and her sisters had done on the bus, criticize Paul Ryan's budget from a Catholic perspective. Yet in the course of doing that, she spoke of active concern for the poor "as part of my pro-life stance." Far from being tangential, that phrase, spoken in that setting, gave grit and substance to her message, showing that it proceeds from a coherent and inclusive belief in the sacredness of human life that must be admired even by people who may not share it.She said, This I believe, and this too! And the delegates applauded her courage and genuineness.
I'll repeat the comment I quoted on another thread: the nuns are being criticized for not doing the bishops' job. By the way, Abp. Dolan didn't mention the word abortion either.
Sister Simone had seven minutes. She failed to mention the divinity of Christ, the communion of saints, the Assumption, the Vatican's current stand on Jerusalem -- which is not what either platform reflects -- and, by name, abortion. Where she was speaking, it probably would take more than seven minutes to lead the bulk of her audience past Point One on abortion.She had been on a bus trip to heighten awareness of what the so-called "Ryan budget" would do to the sisters' work among the poor, the marginal and the neglected. That would be what she wanted to talk about and what the Democrats would be interested having a national audience hear. She said that was she was saying is "part of my pro-life stance." Pro-life, in that context, means the opposite of "pro-choice." It may have given some of her hearers a new way of thinking about the "pros." That was a truthful word spoken to power. And the rest of her message (it needs to be said) would have been inconvenient truths to many in her audience. The Democratic Party is no longer the party of the poor, the marginal and neglected, although they are vestigially mentioned in its rhetoric.Nothing prevented the Republicans from inviting a Catholic to talk about abortion, but they didn't. Whoever gave them such a speech probably would be open to charges of failure to speak up for the poor and immigrants (and all the other things Sister Simone omitted). And why would we be surprised?I am for all-Bernardin all the time everywhere. But some of his brother bishops were already antsy about him while he was lived. The Church's lack of Tee-totalers began before, and runs deeper than, this year's party conventions.
Cardinal Dolan did not mention abortion, not once, in his closing prayer. I fact, he didn't even say he was pro-life, as did Sr. Simone. The only place where he made any oblique reference to abortion was here: "We praise and thank you for granting us the life and the liberty by which we can pursue happiness. Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of natures God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community. May we welcome those who yearn to breathe free and to pursue happiness in this land of freedom, adding their gifts to those whose families have lived here for centuries."Get off Sr. Simone's back and on the bus.
The simple fact of the matter is that pro-life Democrats are in a much better position than pro-life Republicans to encourage the Democratic party--and hence, the country--to embrace a pro-life agenda. That's why it is such a tragedy when they do not take opportunities to do so. Speaking truth to power is so hard because often we are too close to the power to see it for what it is. Note the reaction of the "power" of those who hold the majority opinionn on this blog to Mr. Nixon's temperate and really quite modest request.
Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!
I think she spoke about the most important problems of the Ryan and Republican budget, and mentioned abortion as many times as Jesus did. It wasn't apropos at that time.
I would like to see a progressive pro-life platform that does not entail outlawing abortion. I could support additional reasonable restrictions on elective abortions if the proposals also included, among other things, an ambitious comprehensive proposal to eliminate child poverty, which is currently around 20%. I think at this time only pro-life Democrats could put forward a proposal like this; I don't believe Republicans would support a massive expansion of the safety net for children, even if it came with additional legal restrictions on abortion. Or am I mistaken on this?
I would have liked to have heard something more explicit, but given all the vetting speeches have to go through I'm impressed she got that much in. I think the disappointment should be much less focused on Sister Simone than on the intense focus on abortion rights (Melinda Henneberger called it the AbortionPalooza convention) and the shutting out of pro-life Dems. They have played such a key role, and they are getting hammered by their own party and its pro-choice leaders on one side and by bishops and rightwing Catholics on the other. It's a real shame.
I too wish that the Pro-life Democrats were given a voice, but I think that the pro-choice voices were quite subdued.This morning on ABC's "This Week", Cokie Roberts registered her disappointment about how much the pro-choice agenda was presented at the Democratic Convention (just as I am renewing my membership in Democrats for Life). She said that 30% of the Democrats are pro-life. I would like to verify that. The Republicans have taken the pro-life agenda as one of their main political talking points, but they have nothing but rhetoric. They have big money from Republicans, Carl Anderson, Supreme (?) Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and the supposedly non-partisan Susan B. Anthony List to name a few. They had enough money to bring down pro-life Democrats who voted for the ACA. This small group of pro-life Democrats can't compete with that kind of money. But I am hopeful. I recall David and Goliath.
I didn't hear Cd. Dolan deliver the benedictions at either of the conventions, but the text reported in the press for the DNC benediction appears to have more than an oblique reference to abortion:"Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected."As to Sr. Simone, I also don't question her pro-life bona fides, but I agree with Peter that she was added to the list of speakers primarily for political purposes (as were all of the speakers). Her speech was no doubt as studiously vetted for conformity with the platform as were all of the other speeches, excluding perhaps Clinton's and Obama's. It would be interesting to know if the draft Sr. Simone submitted to the DNC had more specific reference to unborn life, and if her "as part of my pro-life stance" was on the teleprompter.
Jean, Cardinal Dolan did in fact mention abortion more explicitly than that. His words: "We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected." It's here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/cardinal-dolan-benediction-rnc-... I agree with Peter's comments. I admire Sr. Simone's work a great deal, and I think her comments about the Romney/Ryan budget were right on. And for the work she does on a daily basis, she deserved every bit of the raucus applause she received at the convention. But her proclamation that "we care for the 100 percent!" without challenging, for just a few seconds, the "abortion-palooza" (as Melinda Henneberger called it) in progress is disappointing. Paired with that single line I cited from Cardinal Dolans convention prayer, what a fine witness the two would have offered that unlike either party the Catholic Church does indeed stand in defense of life in all its stages and circumstances, and that it is beholden to no party or platform.
Let me play devil's advocate for a moment and ask this question: "Why should we care?" It is not as if this is China with forced abortions. Each abortion in the United States is the result of an individual woman's decision. In their own bizarre way, even the most ardent pro-lifers don't really question a woman's right to seek an abortion. Pro-lifers are adamantly opposed to holding women legally responsible in any way for procuring an abortion. What they seek to do is punish abortionists and try to make it more difficult for women to procure abortions. I do not want to carry on the discussion here that recently ended over on Mirror of Justice, but it is crystal clear that pro-lifers are adamantly against holding women legally responsible for procuring abortions. Not jail time, not counseling, not community service, not even a fine waived in the first two cases of procured abortion.This is a battle that in many ways makes no sense. I know that there are many sincere people who are appalled by legal abortions in the United States, but again, my question is, "Why should we care?" Why should the Democratic Party not support abortion rights? As I say, legally speaking, even the most ardent pro-lifers aren't willing to tell women they can't get abortions. Lip service is paid to Pope Paul II and Mother Teresa saying abortion is a mother murdering her own children, but if the pro-life movement doesn't take that seriously, why should anyone else? If abortion were successfully ended in the United States today, I don't think anyone would be willing to deal with the economic consequences. In New York City, 41 percent of pregnancies end in abortion. Would anyone in their right minds honestly want to see a 70% increase in the birth rate in New York City, with the increase being mostly among poor blacks and Hispanics? Now, I personally would be willing to pay increased taxes to help more poor people have and care for their babies, but what about the Republican party that gets so much credit from certain quarters for being "pro-life"? I am not interested in further debating the issue of whether or not women should be held legally responsible for abortion. But I would like someone to explain, sort of from the ground up, why we should care that the Democrats support abortion and the Republicans (pretty much to no effect) oppose it. I certainly don't see why it should make a big difference in the way anyone votes for president. I am beginning to wonder why abortion should even be a political issue.
If it were really about babies, there would be HUGE efforts put into research to stop the 80% (?) of pregnancies that end in spontaneous abortion.Instead of picking on a nun, why not bash all the MEN who spoke at the conventions and said nothing about holding MEN responsible for the pregnancies they beget? MEN should be held responsible for support of all their offspring though age 21. Never a peep about that from the "pro-life" movement. Those who congratulate themselves for being "pro-life" lose even more credibility when they fail to push for legislation designed to bring to justice all men and women whose pregnancies are aborted, deliberately or spontaneously. Try them. Convict them. Imprison them. If it were really about abortion, there would be real sex education and access to birth control. Instead, the "pro-life" people are opposed to those obvious solutions. Planned Parenthood is regarded as an enemy by "pro-life" hypocrites.Picking on a nun for not RUSHing to the barricades is . . . typical.
According to the Constitution, as interpreted by the 'Supreme Court (six justices of whom are currently Catholic, five of them -- a majority -- appointed by Republican presidents) women have a right to abort. That is the Constitution that politicians of both parties take an oath to uphold. I understand that the Republican devotion to the Constitution is so deep their platform cancels the first three words, but our mostly Catholic high court gives pro-choice politicians the high moral ground, if it comes to that; they are keeping their oath. Do the others swear with forked tongue?
Excuse me if I find protestation that Cardinal Dolan's speech was somehow more anti-abortion than Sister Simone's.It seems clear to me that Sr. Simone's utterances are being scrutinized more closely because the Vatican has raised questions about whether the nuns have done enough in the way of fighting abortion. The insidiousness of the question is that it's not clear what level of activity or vehemence in a speech would be "enough."At least Proska isn't griping about Sister's "plunging neckline" this time round, so I guess that's progress.
At the end of the day, a lot of this can become analogous to how many times "God" is mentioned in the party platforms. It's window dressing on both sides.
Agree. If the God-botherers really believed in God, they wouldn't use Her/Him as a bludgeon.
Both the Democrats and Republicans extoll American free speech, and then they vet the speeches at their nominating conventions. The conventions aren't conventions anymore, they're ads for the thinking of the majority of party politicians only. Sometimes I think Thomas Jefferson was the only American who really trusted free speech.
Can someone explain to me how pro-life Democrats have played a key role in the party in, say, the last 20 years? How do they play the role of anything but the abused wife who stands by her man?Also, for the record, I do not generally gripe about plunging necklines, except on men and nuns.
This whole election cycle is going to be a series of one "gotcha" after another. I am beginning to think: the winning party will win will be the one with the nastiest digs and innuendos that will influence non-thinking voters.The amount of money spent on these ads is reprehensible.
Pro-life people like myself are against artificial birth control because life is a good thing-we're made in God's image and God is good.Artificial birth control interrupts the goodness of life and can be detrimental to health.It upsets the balance of nature.Natural birth control-though it stops life from happening - does not upset the balance of nature but is part of it[it is natural to wish to space the timing of when to have children in a marriage].Artificial birth control is not a minor tweaking of nature but eradicates nature.Hence it renders any striving to live in harmony with God's laws "which are written in our hearts"-irrelevant.Artificial birth control is ungodly. The bludgeon is artificial birth control and abortion which perversely has been inverted to seem harmless if not good.I was pleased that Sister Simone used the phrase "part of my pro-life stance" and took it to mean she is also against abortion.
Sr. Simone was exploited by the DNC. I believe they knew they could count on her to address social justice Catholics who could be expected to tune in. Knowing her connection with LCWR, they could also count on her to say virtually nothing about abortion as the worst of social injustices.
Sister Simone gets a great round of applause at the Democratic convention after she has explicitly identified herself as pro-life, and it's not enough? She ought to be given a medal for possibly even slightly rehabilitating the term pro-life among those who are usually unsympathetic or hostile to anyone claiming that title. I'm really surprised that Sr. Simone not speaking about abortion, when she was invited to speak about something else (!), would be an issue. Peter's sincerity is palpable, but anyone who imagines this is a situation that requires nothing more than "speaking truth to power" has not had a discussion lately with people who don't share their views! The polarization that the abortion issue has undergone is so severe that, in my view, it's MORE important to build bridges and alliances than to parade credentials and sharpen distinctions. Of course, we've had lots of sharp distinctions already. Many tough words have been spoken by the Church's official representatives and self-appointed ones too. Look where it has gotten us.
Maybe someone should come up with a standard statement, kind of like the Miranda Warning, that Catholics could insert into their speeches so they wouldn't be subject to criticism about not being sufficiently anti-abortion. It could be on a little card that all Catholic speakers could carry with them. Alternatively, it could be written to rhyme so that upon hearing it a couple of times, you wouldn't forget it and could easily repeat it.
"... they could also count on her to say virtually nothing about abortion as the worst of social injustices."Maybe because it isn't? I don't see social injustice on a continuum so much as in a complicated cluster of causes and effects. Some social injustices cause abortions. Abortion creates other social injustices.In any case, let me ask our friends here, who think that affirming that one is "pro-life" is saying "virtually nothing," to suggest language that would have been more palatable.Peter Nixon suggests that wording such as, "this is part of my pro-life stance, which, in the words of Hubert Humphry, must include those in the 'dawn of life,' the twilight of life,' and the 'shadows of life.'"It strikes me that that would be wholly insufficient, since "dawn of life" could be construed to mean those just born, not just human life at the moment of conception. If Catholics in the political arena are to be kept "pure," it seems to me that they must distinguish when they believe life inviolate begins. Honestly, Sister amplifies and spreads the good word in the USCCB's letter of concern about the Ryan budget, and all people can do is bitch that the nuns are disobedient. On what planet do you people live?
I want to be more sympathetic to Peter's essay. I'm not sure how hard it would be to go off script, though we can't deny the affirmation of her pro-life "moment."On the other hand, I'm very sympathetic to what I hear from LCWR members who want to distance themselves from the political pro-life movement. "Alternatively, it could be written to rhyme ..."Indeed."What they seek to do is punish abortionists and try to make it more difficult for women to procure abortions."That would be completely counter to the GOP thinking in the 60's. The AMA lobbied, very successfully in hindsight, to eliminate the stigmatization of being an abortion provider. Mischief managed, now back to political manipulation of bishops. Good show.
Correction. Our well liked Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI) didn't seek reelection. It is incorrect to say he lost when he didn't run. This was a personal decision, as a sister at our church and close friend of Mr. Stupak's told me the decision weighed on him quite heavily, as a tried to reconcile our faith with the details of the ACA. Specifically, the contraception, abortion issues now being protested. Unlike most politicians, who would have compromised their values and went on with an entrenched politican career, he chose not to. We need more like him and less like Pelosi and McConnell.
Mark Proska asked: "Can someone explain to me how pro-life Democrats have played a key role in the party in, say, the last 20 years? How do they play the role of anything but the abused wife who stands by her man?"I think the party outreach to pro-life Democrats and others with more centrist views after the Kerry debacle of 2004 was a significant part of Obama's success in 2008. And pro-life Democrats effectively delivered health care reform. So that is not inconsequential. As to the parting analogy, I think it's off target. For one thing, pro-life Democrats advocate for themselves in the party and speak out publicly.
Peter - bravo.
How about just wearing a badge a la supermarket employees: Ask me about abortion.
Abe, that would be a good strategy if the Church wanted anyone to seek dialogue on the issue. The Church is not seeking dialogue or entertaining a plurality of ideas. It is "no abortions ever for any reason." Democrats for Life, bless them, are trying hard to move the DNC to embrace a less draconian pro-choice stance, but if Sister's speech is viewed as falling short of the mark on abortion, I can't imagine how Dems for Life suggested changes to the party platform would be considered much better:http://www.democratsforlife.org/
Peter's point is puzzling to me. Is the point merely proclamation--prophetic indictment--for its own sake or is it trying to change minds and win hearts? It seems to me that Sr. Simone's strategy at the DNC has more of a chance of doing the latter than the strategy Peter seems to wish her to have adopted.More importantly, my suspicion is that the bishops have burned all their bridges to the Democrats and the Obama administration. If Obama is reelected (see Nate Silver), it will be the nuns that carry the message of a holistic approach to the sanctity of life. My own view is that Obamacare's comprehensive coverage will do more to reduce the abortion rate than eviscerating the social safety net will.
Almighty God, Father of Abraham, Grandfather of Isaac, and Great-Grandfather of Jacob, we thank thee for the knowledge that fertilized eggs are babiestheir lives more precious than any others, especially our own, until they are born. Preserve and protect them from baby killers and from any politician that would allow their murder, except in cases of rape, incest, and threat to the life of the mother. Vouchsafe that we may first figure out the meaning and pronunciation of vouchsafe, and then that we may always remember it is the task of law to pursue a reform of society and of conditions of life in all milieux, starting with the most deprived, so that always and everywhere it may be possible to give every child coming into this world a welcome worthy of a person unless this would require the expenditure of tax dollars or interference with the free market. Remind us that since it must be treated from conception as a person, civil law must demand that the embryo be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being by all those except the pregnant mother herself, who is to be forgiven anything in advance, for she knows not what she does. Grant that she may be too distressed or ignorant of canon law to fulfill all the conditions for latae sententiae excommunication, but should it be incurred, may she see it for what it isa love tap from Holy Mother the Church calling her to reconciliation. Let us remember, Almighty God, that all these things are self-evident truths, and those who claim to disagree are either self-deluded or liars who secretly approve of infanticide. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, over and over, endlessly, again and again, ad infinitum, world without end even from alleged global warming. Amen.
This thread has been going on for more than a day and a half. Reviewing it, I jfind that I agree more with what the women have had to say on the subject than with the men, including myself. This does not surprise me. It shouldn't, considering the topic, surprise anyone else, guys.
Each abortion in the United States is the result of an individual womans decision.David,So what. Almost all killings are the result of an individual persons decision; that does not somehow make them moral. As to Sr. Simone, she actively participated in the 'Abortion-palooza'. If I were her, I certainly would not want to try to justify my participation to my Maker.
"the political pro-life movement."Todd --You point to an important distinction here. There are people who are pro-life (like myself) who refuse to join the "pro-life movement" that indulges in name calling such as "murderer" and "baby-killer". People like me think that this political pro-life movement has done much good, but it has also made any progress in changing minds all but impossible. You don't change a person's mind by calling him or her a murderer or a baby-killer, you just close their minds to your own arguments, as self-defeating an exercise as I can imagine.Not only that, it is a serious injustice to accuse someone of murder when the accused person does not realize that that there is in fact a baby involved. To commit murder you must *know* that you are killing a person. Without that understanding, you have killed but not murdered. Also, it has been the tradition of the Church until recently that early abortion is NOT the killing of a person, and, therefore, it is not the sin of murder. It follows that to accuse those who participate in it of murder is a serious sin, and this is the sort of highly unchristian behavior (calling non-murderers "murderer") that stops the cause of the unborn dead in its track. Of course, it also does no good to make fun of people (like me) who think that many abortions *are* in fact the killing of babies, though not necessarily murder. That is the issue as I and others see it, and we have given a great deal of *philoosphical effort* -- not theological -- to try to find the correct answers. To dismiss our thinking as naive or as just theological wishful thinking is just as foolish and unfair as calling all pro-choice people "murderers".In other words, the sheer name-calling on both sides is a very large part of the problem.
Bruce --You are judging the state of conscience of someone else who has shown mountains of evidence that she has acted in the interest of the weakest among us.Cut it out. You simply don't know what has gone on in the mind of that generous woman. Are you a mind reader??? "Judge not, that ye be not judged".
If it were really about babies, there would be HUGE efforts put into research to stop the 80% (?) of pregnancies that end in spontaneous abortion.Gerelyn,I'm surprised and dismayed by this statement. The commandment in not "Thou shalt not die"; its "Thou shalt not kill'. The problem with abortion is not that embryos die, but rather that they are killed with malice and aforethought by other humans.
The Republican Party has no interest in actually outlawing abortion. It is a powerful wedge issue, that's all.
Ann,I said I would not want to defend the actions I know of if they were mine. There is a difference. But obviously you feel free to judge me.
So what. Almost all killings are the result of an individual persons decision; that does not somehow make them moral.Bruce,There is no consensus that abortion is the killing of a human person. Even many people who call themselves pro-life justify abortion in cases of rape, incest, and threat to life or health of the mother. It is not a "social injustice" to take the life of an unborn child if it is not a person. I am not sure a case can even be made that legal abortion is a "social injustice" or even that aborting an unborn child perpetrates an injustice on the child itself. On top of that, I wonder whether abortion could actually be successfully prevented in the United States even if it were criminalized. And given how contentious an issue abortion is today, I shudder to imagine the consequences of pro-lifers managing to ram through significant anti-abortion measures.I remain to be convinced that prohibiting abortion would make the United States a better place to live. We can invent fantasies about what aborted babies will say to us in an afterlife, but they are just thatfantasies. If people seriously wanted to reduce the number of abortions significantly, it seems to me they would stop the war over legal abortion and do something to prevent unwanted pregnancies, encourage private adoptions, provide more help to women who wanted to keep their babies, and so on. But I don't think political parties are interested in reducing the number of abortions. They're interested in having abortion as an issue.
The problem with abortion is not that embryos die, but rather that they are killed with malice and aforethought by other humans.Bruce,If the problem is not that embryos die (and I agree), then this is not an issue of social justice. It's an issue about the moral lives of the people who perform and procure abortions. If they believe that they are doing something wrong, then they need to repent. If they don't believe they are doing something wrong, then abortion is no problem for them. It is not as if society needs the babies that are aborted. It is also not as if babies that are aborted need to be brought to term and grow to adulthood. It is beyond presumptuous to try to view abortion from the view of the aborted. It simply makes no logical sense. One's attitude toward abortion is really a matter of religious belief or nonbelief, and if everyone would respect everyone else's right to believe, we wouldn't have this extremely divisive battle.
"As to Sr. Simone, she actively participated in the Abortion-palooza. If I were her, I certainly would not want to try to justify my participation to my Maker."So did Cardinal Dolan.
Proteios1@ 10;06 mentions pro-life Bart Stupak [D.Mi] not running again for congress. When he 'stood up' to Obama for prolife I sent him a check for re-election. After two months he decided not to run and sent the original check back with a nice note. Name one other pol from either party who would do the same? Even Lincoln would have kept the check.
"Peters point is puzzling to me ... If Obama is reelected (see Nate Silver), it will be the nuns that carry the message of a holistic approach to the sanctity of life."Cathleen, it seems to me that Peter's point is precisely that one of the sisters' number had the platform and the audience to carry the message of a holistic approach - and she declined to do so. She didn't present a holistic pro-life message. She presented a very selective pro-life message, one that didn't challenge anyone in the hall. She spoke only partial truth to power. Perhaps it's true, as David G and some others have pointed out, that a more straightforward enunciation of Catholic pro-life views wouldn't have survived the Democratic Party's pre-speech vetting process. If that is the case, then that would seem to be important for us to know. Goodness knows, it wouldn't be the first time the Democratic Party has refused a convention speaking slot to a Catholic with a pro-life message.
Jim Pauwels,How many Catholic speakers at the Republican National Convention argued against the American love affair with guns or argued for better treatment of illegal immigrants or poor people? National political conventions are not occasions for inviting religious people to stand up and critique the party in the convention hall. The logical outcome of doing what you seem to want is for the Democratic Party to give the Republicans equal time at their convention and the Republicans to give equal time to the Democrats. The Democratic Party supports abortion. The Republican party claims to oppose it. It makes no more sense for the Democrats to schedule pro-life speakers as it does for the Republicans to schedule pro-abortion speakers. The Catholic Church has no shortage of venues to make anti-abortion speeches. It doesn't need the Democratic Party to grant it speaking time at the convention.
1) If they dont believe they are doing something wrong, then abortion is no problem for them.2) It is not as if society needs the babies that are aborted.3) Ones attitude toward abortion is really a matter of religious belief or nonbeliefDavid,Your statements have no basis in fact. 1) Moral wrongs remain wrong even if the person committing them believes they are morally good. The secular saying "ignorance of the law is no defense" is apropos.2) You have absolutely no basis for this conclusion. 3) Humans killing other humans is not a religiously founded belief. Basic biology and all our lives are testaments to the fact that fertilized eggs are the start of human life.
Could someone identify what were any substantial pro-life gains that might have occurred when the Republicans controlled the White and both houses of Congress a few years ago? (during the George W. Bush administration).Putting aside the rhetoric, what have the Republicans actually done that is more pro-life than the Democrats?


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subset: commoncrawl


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NCAA Compliance Meeting Dates Set
- Release Date:
- July 3, 2013
- Contact:
- The Office of Sports Information
- (716) 649-7900 ext. 333
Mark Your Calendars! The annual Student-Athlete Compliance Meeting dates have been set.
Any student wishing to participate in Hilbert College's Division III athletics program MUST attend their assigned NCAA Compliance meeting date, which is listed below.
Each student-athlete is required to complete the annual Hilbert College and NCAA paperwork. Each student-athlete will be advised of Hilbert's Sports Medicine policies and procedures and complete additional paperwork for the 2013-14 academic year.
It is mandatory that each student-athlete present a copy of an approved physical from their primary doctor dated within the last six months (March 1st).
Please follow this Link for a copy of the required Sports Medicine paperwork which can be mailed in prior to, or turned in at, your assigned meeting date.
Winter and Spring Sports Teams
Thursday, September 12 Bogel 101, 7:00 pm
The spring sport programs will be practicing in the fall, so do not miss your opportunity to get involved. You must be cleared and meet academic standards in order to practice in the non-traditional fall season (baseball, softball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's volleyball).
Please contact Kelly Starchok, Hilbert's NCAA Compliance Coordinator: email@example.com with any questions.
Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college's engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college's first graduate programs and new Accelerated Degree Programs geared to adult learners.
Upcoming Events
- First Year Student Orientation
- Aug 14, 2015
- Summer Session A2 Ends
- Aug 21, 2015
- First Year Student Orientation
- Aug 28, 2015


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Pleated Bodice Jumpsuit
Style # 203505
With rich cobalt blue and luxe pleated at bodice, this bebe jumpsuit is a chic way to up the ante on your fall style. Comes with non-slip detail, slight pleated bust and detachable halter strap. Try it with a pair of studded sandals and a statement necklace to maximize your look.
- 100% polyester.
- Center back to waist: 9" (23 cm). Rise: 11" (28 cm). Inseam: 28" (71 cm). Leg opening: 8" (20 cm).
- Dry clean.
- Imported.
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size 6.
Rated 5 out of 5�by 2 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5�by AG29 Great Great item, great prices, Happy customer!!! The only minor set back was the delivery, it took a little longer then I expected.... November 19, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5�by Chery True to size Just got this item and its fabulous love the way it fits I'm petite 5" 110lbs got a size o November 10, 2012
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What is 8tracks?
8tracks is internet radio created by people, not algorithms.
Know your music? Make an online mixtape with 8 or more tracks. Add a title, cover art, tags, and share your mix with friends or find your audience on 8tracks.
Just want to listen? Stream playlists for any mood or occasion, from every genre and country, delivering the best source for music discovery on the web.
For free music on the go, check out our mobile apps on iPhone or Android.


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Wind: 0 mph
By Warren Select Board
Dear Townspeople of Warren,
This letter is an attempt to provide some clarity about the tax rate for the year 2013.
First: At Town Meeting and at all the publicly warned budget meetings leading up to Town Meeting, the select board made it very clear that we were increasing the town budget significantly, or 32 percent. Specifically we said that much of the increase was due to road projects that had not been done in the past and that we believed were essential to our road safety and continuing maintenance of the roads overall. The opportunity to veto line items, including the Inferno Road and Plunkton Road paving projects and the West Hill slump stabilization project, was given, but a vote on the budget passed with a clear majority.
Second: The town portion of your tax bill is the only part that the town has any control over. Therefore, it is impossible for us to know in advance what the total tax rate will be. However, based on the fact that we voted on a higher budget, it logically follows that the tax rate would increase.
Third: Two years ago, the select board made the decision to lower the tax rate due to the fact that we as a board felt that it was not the town's job to accumulate money for non-defined future projects. If we had maintained the old rate, this year's increase would not have been as large a percentage. We stand by that decision to keep the money in the taxpayers' control until needed and agreed upon by the town as a whole.
Fourth: Our tax rate is in line with the state average. You will not be paying less elsewhere!
Fifth: All of the select board members live in town and also pay taxes! We are not exempt from any of the tax requirements.
Below is an exhaustive analysis of the data as it relates to the above points. Please read through it before forming an opinion. Also, please treat the town employees with respect and allow them to do their jobs. They do not set the budget, the select board does, and all members are willing to talk to townspeople about this matter.
Town meeting does not easily address tax rates, but it does set the foundation for the money the town needs to raise to cover municipal operations for the fiscal year.
In March at Town Meeting, the municipal budget was approved by the voters present. The budget approved at that time was for $3,879,956, which includes two amendments totaling $11,000. This was an increase over the prior year of 32 percent. This is part of the answer.
Another factor in calculating the tax rate is the amount of money the town receives from non-tax generated sources, such as grants, state highway allocations and fees. For the 2013 tax calculation, it is estimated we will receive in total $738,211 from non-tax-generated sources putting the net amount needed to be raised at $3,141,745.29. In the prior year, the town received $893,184 in non-tax-generated sources, which is a 17 percent difference. In 2012, the town needed to raise $2,035,015 through the municipal tax rate, a difference of $1,106,730.29, or a 54 percent increase from the prior year. Another part of the answer.
The last component in the calculation is the Grand List, which is generated by the town listers, elected officials of the town. The Grand List in its simplest form is the taxable value of all the property in the town. The listers spend the year monitoring property sales and reviewing properties to try and maintain the list to as close to market value as is possible. The state reviews all towns' Grand Lists and determines their accuracy by issuing a CLA adjustment for each town. Warren's CLA adjustment for 2013 is 103 percent, 100 percent being perfect match between market and appraised value. The most current Grand List is $7,081,768.36, down $109,513.39 from last year's Grand List of $7,191,281.75, a 1.5 percent drop. The last part of the mathematical calculation component of why the actual tax rate increased 76 percent.
If we kept all things constant from last year except spending, the tax rate would have been $0.42, not much difference from $0.44. Thus, real impact of the tax rate comes from spending; the highway component, including bridges, of the town budget makes up most of the spending increase over last year's budget, $802,514, a 63 percent increase. There are many elements to this budget component and most are in line with the previous year, with the exception of oil – price increase, chloride – price and use increases, used for dust control on dirt roads, erosion control – mandated by state guidelines – and the two significant line items the select board added were the West Hill Road slide repair and the Inferno Road rebuild. These two projects totaled $836,809, 75 percent of the increase in funds needed to be raised by tax generation. These were line items identified and discussed in detail at Town Meeting.
In summation, it isn't without very serious consideration of the impact of all taxpayers within the town that the select board sets the tax rate. It also has given equal consideration to protecting the infrastructure that the town has invested millions of dollars. The choice this year to deal with two heavily traveled roads that had serious need of repair for safety as well as minimizing future sizable expense was well thought out by the board and those thoughts shared at Town Meeting.
Warren Select Board


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First as a reporter and then as a PI, Tess Monaghan has learned how to survive and thrive on the streets of Baltimore. But a new case will force her to confront her own past, and a man she loved and lost. It starts when she gets a newspaper photograph of her old boyfriend with a tantalizing shard of headline attached: In Big Trouble. The answers lie far from Baltimore, deep in a world of good-time music, old-fashioned ambition, and rich people's games. For Tess must find out what happened to a man she thought she knew, to a woman who may have changed him forever, and to the victims of a killer who dances to a different - and deadly - drummer.
©1999 Laura Lippman (P)2012 AudioGO
Audible has changed my life! Dry , itchy eyes were destroying one of my greatest pleasures - reading. Now I am experiencing books again!
"Tess on the Road"
Tess NOT in Baltimore?? Though our heroine admits that she just plain doesn't see any point in traveling, this story is terrific, even if she spends much of her time feeling homesick.
Set in Austin and San Antonio, Texas, "In Big Trouble" explores Tess' relationship with her lover Crow in new ways. In unfamiliar surroundings, she learns a great deal about him and, ultimately, about herself. The story is filled with dead bodies, sad histories, and red herrings. Great stuff!
"Tess in Texas ... great!"
One of those stories you wish would go on longer. I think this one was more visual than any so far. Performance was great also - just that little thing about Blanco. As a native Texan and Austin transplant, hearing it as 'blahnco' instead of 'blanko' is grating.
"A surprising change of scenery"
Former journalist Tess strays from Baltimore to, of all places, my stomping ground. So I was particularly excited to listen to one of my most favorite mystery writers. The story is as intricate as the others, and I'm accustomed to Deborah Hazlett's voice. I assume her various Baltimore dialects are spot on, but she missed it big time trying to replicate a Spanish-speaking Texan's dialect. Plus, it grated on me when locations were mispronounced, or at least they were not spoken as the locals would.I also felt like Lippman tried too hard to prove a knowledge of the new location. Looking up her bio I was surprised to see she had reported from San Antonio and does know the area well beyond what a visitor would know. Do Audible authors have the opportunity to approve the recorded version of their books?
Beyond my parochial comments about Tex-Mex dialect and the way we pronounce certain Spanish locales, I love Lippman's Tess and Hazlett's voice. I can't wait to listen to the next one.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


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I can relate to my sponsored child . . .
I can relate to my sponsored child . . .
Ana, our child from Mexico enjoys singing. We're musicians, so we relate to her in this way.
As Compassion artists, when we talk about Compassion and encourage our audiences to sponsor we try to find ways that people may be able to practicly relate to their child/ren, so we're interested to hear other comments as well!
We also planned to blog about this subject in the future, so we'll link to this post when we do.
Love in Christ,
Andy and Miranda – In Him
Our sponsored child is around the same age as my son. This helps the whole family relate to him because we are so familiar with someone his age. It also so reminds me of his innocence because I see the same in my son's eyes. There is also a connection over baseball.
We really are all God's people, no matter where we live or how much money we have.
I also was an orphan, as is my child in Ethiopia, and I know that faith in God, much love, and enough money for security are especially important to vulnerable children such as orphans…I think we orphans must stick together and help each other. My child and I pray for each other daily and have much gratitude for each other.
My sponsored child is the same age as my cousin's son, give or take a couple of days (March 2/March 5).
Also, another cousin lives in my child's country (aunt to the child mentioned above; the cousins are sisters).
Other than that, I can't really relate to my child. I recently learned how Gabriel wakes up his mother on Sunday morning, completely excited to go to church. I haven't been excited to go to church since I was a child–if then.
I can relate more to a blog post from before Christmas, (by Meredith) telling about a child her parents had sponsored in her name when she was a girl. She was amazed at the girl's spiritual maturity–she had to walk in faith because that was all she had. The author never learned to walk in faith, because she never had to. I'm still struggling with that truth–simply by being born in the West, with the blessings that we take for granted, we forget to rely on God for everything.
I have sponsored 3 kids through compassion… and have visited 2 of them…and I don't think I can relate to the poverty but I can relate to the spiritual struggles they have.
The first child I sponsored was a very different experience. Compassion just sent me a child randomly. She was a 10 year old girl. Not my choice, I expected a 6 year old boy! But over time I found out that her father had left the family when she was young and she never really had a father figure.
Many of the spiritual struggles of why does God let bad things happen or life seams overwhelming at times are the same things I have struggles with from time to time. I have a big house and a nice family but sometimes life is overwhelming. I could tell her about my feeling of working long hours and life's struggles… like she was my child. I think it brought her comfort to know she could encourage me… and in turn I could give her hope about her future.
She has left the program and is now in college but I still pray that God will bless her and give her a better life and a strong faith in God.
Our sponsored girl, Joan, is from Uganda and is the same age as our 5 year old daughter. From the letters I've received, her mother seems to express such joy and thanksgiving to God for what Compassion has done and continues to do. This is one of the main reasons how I relate to them…I'm so thankful for the generosity of people.
Musee is our sponsored boy from Kenya. He dreams of one day being a doctor…in this way of having such incredible hope in achieving his dreams, I can relate to him.
My 13 y/o sponsored child wrote that he was having a tough time with other kids teasing him at school. I went through exactly the same thing at 13 so was able to respond with an "I've been there to" post. It's amazing that young teens the world over are the same, no matter the environment…
I've got two sponsored girls in Ethiopia.
The 18 year old,Meskerem,loves sports,dogs and lives with her mother..I have those things in common with her!
My beloved Kalkidan,the 6 yr old,is just so sweet..We don't have quite alot in common yet-but she did mention the great coffee in Ethiopia so I told her that I LOVED coffee!
I sponsor a 12-yr-old boy from Ethiopia. We share a birthday and have three siblings. We also like math. I just heard some wonderful news in January that we now share the same faith in Jesus!!!!
In February, I was not looking to sponsor another child as I was searching Compassion's website. Yet when I came across the profile of a five-year-old girl who had a crippled foot, my eyes filled with tears. I began to "see" myself. I have a birth defect, too. I've been very blessed – I can walk and have only used braces for the past few years. Yet, I still know how it feels to be "different."
The toughest part is that in many ways I cannot relate to these children. I do know that Jesus has felt every pain and HE can relate! Sometimes that is what I tell my children.
I can relate to my sponsor child…b/c both of us will have to OVERCOME the world if we want to see our dreams become a reality!!! Him a basketball player and me a triathlete. "Take heart I have overcome the world!!!" Thank you JESUS!!!!!!!
because regardless of how much money we have we both have to BELIEVE!!! Believe we are sons of God!!! Believe God has a plan for our life!!! And count it all joy when we experience weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties!!!
I think I might have just gotten a job promotion (albeit a part-time job but a promotion nonetheless!!!) I can see how with the hope, excitement, and joy this possible promotion gave me I am that much more BOLD!!!
I can relate with my sponsor child by receiving good news and being emboldened!!!
I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for YOU!!!"
because I set out to do something and fail!
because I say I am going to do something and do it!


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Rocket Ventures fund changes outreach, ownershipWritten by Duane Ramsey | | firstname.lastname@example.com
Rocket Ventures LLC, a local venture capital fund, has committed to expand its outreach and opportunities across the entire 18-county Northwest Ohio region with a change in ownership and leadership in 2014.
The Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) and University of Toledo Innovation Enterprises (UTIE) have agreed to end their joint venture with Rocket Ventures. RGP now serves as the sole owner of Rocket Ventures LLC.
In another development, Bob Savage has agreed to serve as president of Rocket Ventures. Savage will continue to manage the Rocket Ventures fund with his associate Ben Trumbull as they have in the past.
Rocket Ventures will draw greater participation and investment from throughout the region by removing the perception of the entity being tied too closely with Toledo and UT, according to Harlan Reichle, chairman of the RGP board of directors.
"Our mandate from the State of Ohio is for Rocket Ventures to service the entire region. Some feedback we received indicated Rocket Ventures as being Toledo centric," Reichle stated in the joint press release from RGP and UT announcing the change.
"It made sense for it to come back to RGP. We see it as a positive move to enhance the regional perception and collaborative partnerships. We're very excited about it," said Dan Slifko, chief operating officer of Rocket Ventures, who has been involved in the fund since its inception.
Rocket Ventures was established in 2007 as a $22.5 million pre-seed, early-stage venture capital firm operating under RGP. Funding for Rocket Ventures came from $7 million in private investments and $15 million in grant money from the Ohio Department of Development's Third Frontier Program.
Of that original $15 million, $9 million was earmarked for operation of the fund which expired in 2012 after five years and $6 million that went directly into the venture capital fund.
The $7 million in private investments met the matching funds required by the State of Ohio. It came from 46 collaborative investment partners, both individuals and mid-size corporations, representing all 18 counties in the NW Ohio region, reported Slifko.
The intent of the joint venture in 2011 was to combine the talent and business expertise of RGP's Rocket Venture program with UTIE's physical incubation space and tech transfer division. The joint venture operated as Rocket Ventures LLC until the recent divestiture of UTIE's investment in the fund.
"UTIE will continue to work closely with the Regional Growth Partnership as an important community partner dedicated to the economic development of the region," Rick Stansley, chair UTIE's board of directors, stated in the announcement.
Both Savage and Slifko indicated that they expect to continue working with UT when it is appropriate. Savage said that several UT officials have expressed a desire to continue a relationship with Rocket Ventures.
The firm received a $2 million grant as the operating budget for the fund in 2013 and 2014 as one of the six regions in Ohio funded by the Third Frontier Program. All six regions are expected to apply for grant money to continue funding operations in 2015 and 2016, said Slifko.
The final results for 2013 are incomplete but Slifko reported that 45 companies were supported by Rocket Ventures with grants, loans, dollar investments and/or services from its staff of five individuals. Of those 45 firms, 19 are portfolio companies in which Rocket Ventures has invested directly from the $13 million fund.
In 2013, those 45 companies generated $45 million in sales, $18 million in payroll, and received $18 million in non-state investments from other sources. Maumee Assembly & Stamping in Maumee is a Rocket Ventures services client that has 100 employees.
Venture Med, a local medical device firm developing a vascular prep instrument, is one of the 19 portfolio companies operating with investments from Rocket Ventures, Slifko reported.
Since the first investment was made by Rocket Ventures in 2008, the program-to-date results include $133 million in sales, $74 million in payroll, $102 million in investments and $34 million in grants. During that period, those companies paid $9 million in sales tax and payroll income tax, according to Slifko.
"That's a total of nearly $350 million in economic impact in the NW Ohio region with 335 fulltime jobs created by those 45 companies. It really was a tremendous program funded by state and private investments," Slifko said.
"We're coming to the end of the first Rocket Ventures fund," said Slifko, who expects all funds to be committed or invested by the end of 2014.
The question remains…Will there be a Rocket Ventures II fund?
"We would like to raise more private money to fund Rocket Ventures II," Slifko said.
Tags: arlan Reichle, chairman of the RGP board of directors, Dan Slifko chief operating officer of Rocket Ventures, Maumee Assembly & Stamping, northwest ohio, Ohio Department of Development's Third Frontier Program, Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), Rocket Ventures LLC, University of Toledo Innovation Enterprises (UTIE)


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ACTS Seminaries . . . Taking a step
Perhaps it's time to step out and explore how seminary education at ACTS can prepare your mind and shape your heart for ministry? Men and women currently involved in ministry have found a way to sharpen their theological focus and ministry skills by attending full-time or part-time studies.
We understand your unique need to balance studies, ministry and family. Let us help you to develop a plan to further your education while you continue to serve in ministry. We will help you pursue a solid theological education and develop your ministry skills in a strong mentoring environment.
An Experience That Shapes You
While our academic programs form the core of the ACTS experience, ministry preparation, like life, doesn't just happen inside the classroom. So students have many other opportunities to learn and grow, both on campus and in the surrounding communities.
You will make friends with students from around the world who are just as passionate about knowing and serving God as you are. Our diverse student body come from Canada, USA, Israel, Hong Kong, South Africa, India, Korea, Japan and many other countries. This mixture of cultures, genders and denominational perspectives help to create a rich learning environment.
Most of our students continue to work while attending classes. The "real-world" questions and challenges they bring to the classroom help to further enhance the practical implications of what you are learning.
When it's time to take a break from studying, you can choose from all sorts of opportunities for recreation, both on and off campus. ACTS is located on the campus of Trinity Western University in Langley, BC, right in the heart of the lush Fraser Valley.
Go for a nature walk on campus or why not head into Vancouver for dinner? We're just a short drive away from beautiful outdoor vistas - mountains, forests and beaches, and thriving urban culture! Whether you enjoy hiking and biking or shopping, sightseeing or enjoying the arts, the surrounding communities and countryside will more than meet your needs.
A Mentoring Environment
Mentoring was the way Jesus led and taught His disciples. By spending time in close relationship with them, He passed on his knowledge and character, teaching and training them to carry on the ministry after He was gone.
Through a mentoring relationship, one person empowers another by sharing their God-given skills and resources. Mentors come alongside you to share their wisdom, widen your perspective, sharpen your skills, encourage you to reach your potential and open doors to help make it happen. Through it all, mentors get to know you deeply as they help you identify and respond to God's call on your life. ACTS provides several opportunities to help students develop dynamic mentoring relationships.
Faculty/Student Relationships
The primary mentoring relationship at ACTS is between professor and student. We recognize that exposure to a diverse group of mentors is the best way to prepare you to carry out a wide range of ministry tasks. That's why we have assembled a group of instructors who come from a variety of denominational and ministry backgrounds. Several of our faculty have written books or published recognized research. But more importantly, all are actively involved in ministry.
Ministry Experience
While studying at ACTS, students are actively involved in ministry. These opportunities allow you to develop your ministry skills and apply your knowledge while serving the community through various projects.
As you network with other experienced ministry leaders in your area, you can try your hand at several different tasks and create connections to build on after you graduate.


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Marilou is the team's whirlwind with her energy, her excitement and her love of life. Always ready to try and discover new experiences or new directions. Her positive attitude keeps her grounded and people around her seem to feel this vibe and we guess they like it - just like we do. Or maybe it's the small green eyes and the giant smile charming them. That is part of the reason why this blog is 100 percent dedicated to Marilou.
Before writing those words and even before this story itself happening; I thought I already knew, how this was about to turn out... What a mistake I made!
After having spent a month in Cumbuco and around, it was time for the me to meet up with the guys. Beany and Tim were just arriving from the cold, Philip and Chris were about to, momentarily, leaving their daily tasks (taking care of their girlfriends and (in Chris case) newborn baby) and on my side I was saying goodbye to my girlfriends...
It was NOW time for another episode! We agreed on nothing big: just a simple trip, kiting and taking this time to share a 'get together' CORE moment. Sounded all very nice, but sincerely, I was a bit afraid. Even if I was definitely ready for it, one part of me was also apprehending or wondering how things were really gonna turn out.
Last souvenirs I have from our experience while filming The Core Diaries are somehow amazing, but also just crazy to some points. Finding yourself in a flat with 8-10 guys, partying every single day or just having random schedule, forgetting that cleaning after yourself is a minimum and helping out everyone, is OK for a week or so but for one or two months, it's getting quite long and challenging.
When in the morning you find some pee on your shorts and you blame it on the guys, I think that says it all! (It was the cat they finally assured me...)
Our experience was already taking place in this 'homy-friendly-family-Tropical wind Pousada' with Manni, the owner. Somehow he found himself taking care of us with all is warmth and generous heart. Making us his personal wheat, ginger, lemon and potato type of vegetable, 200% pure and green juice and giving us some simple but full of wisdom advices. Thank you Manni, we all appreciate it so much!
Before hitting the road, we had the good idea to get some basic swimming in. As packing in +35 degrees can be a mission itself, we were all in need of fresh water. Of course, with a name like CORE, there is never a simple thing as swimming. We found ourself trying ridiculous and impossible sort of pyramids and games in the water. After passing close a few time to hitting our heads in the cement, we decided to stop and finally started our mission up north.
Life was already very good with me; my head was not cracked from the games in the pool plus: I was chosen to be with Chris B for the four hour drive. It later turned out to be closer to a seven hour drive... Like I said, the rest for me was, just fun and safe, as I quite like Chris B's driving skills. Not that the other groups were not safe... but for example: 5 minutes after our start, the first car (driven by the terrific duo of Tim and Philip) lost their roof! Ok, it's still hard for me to understand how, but hey what can we do?
Getting finally to destination, after a few more anecdotes, there was a 'misunderstanding' and it seems our reservation was for the next night. We basically had no room/bed available. All a bit exhausted, we were not ready to drive another hour to get to some civilization. We chose the option: camping around the pousada as a perfect option for us. Therefore they started to install hammocks everywhere (while the guys slept outside with the stars and the mosquitos, I slept inside in a very comfy one). So far, this experience was so good for me, that even when rooms were available, I found myself sleeping in this same hammock.
The next day, the kiting started as soon as light was on. We used the afternoon to rest and relax and went back every evening for a massive sunset session. Sand banks, wind and flat water was at the rendez-vous, so everyone had plenty of space and time to practice their favourite moves. I would say, that more than free styling, we had so much fun playing around. With all six of us, it seems there was always someone with a funny or slightly crazy idea to try.
Actually nothing was sensible in any way, and not that I expected things to be. This is another proof that no matter what we expect in life, you are not the one to choose. You can for sure make things happen, make a difference, but the real magic, only comes when you really let your mind go and be as open as you can. Did I say that I even had some great meditation session with Beany, that we had amazing chats, learning and so many laughs. This 'CORE get together' was again a very special moment.
I am thankful to all: friends, drivers :), pousada owners (for some who had run like crazy to bring us considerable amount of food night and days) and once more, I feel pretty lucky and happy to had the chance to share this incredible moments of kite-magic and simplicity! Now, I'm saying a goodbye to Beany and Tim who are up for another journey and soon I'll be leaving Brazil and saying my last goodbye to Bernie, Chris and Philip, till our next 'rendez-vous'. Thanks guys!
Life is a journey. Kiteboarding has taken us to the best spots on the planet and allowed us to get to know the local kiters from all corners of the globe. At the same time we have been able to delve into the technology behind the products that we use on a daily basis and catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the kite industry. There are many interesting characters behind the products and it became clear to us, that CORE is not only made up of a team from the Fehmarn Island but instead is made up of people from the world's beaches. Therefore we became a part of something much bigger.
The idea behind our web-experiment CoreNation is to allow us to share our experiences with you. We want to take you with us on our journeys and share our adventures, experiences and our daily work with you. Enjoy!


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The Florida Constitution authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to enact rules and regulations regarding the state's fish and wildlife resources.
To do this, the seven Commissioners meet five times each year to hear staff reports, consider rule proposals, and conduct other Commission business. Because stakeholder involvement is a crucial part of the process, we conduct Commission meetings in different locations across the state offering citizens the opportunity to address the Commission about issues under consideration.
This section of MyFWC.com connects you to all you need to know about Commission meetings, including schedules, agendas, minutes, and other information.
FWC Facts:Right whales have broad, paddle-shaped black flippers, which is very different than the long, white flippers of humpback whales.
Learn More at AskFWC
Get FWC News Feeds
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission • Farris Bryant Building
620 S. Meridian St. • Tallahassee, FL
32399-1600 • (850) 488-4676
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By Justin Skelnik | Photos by Ross Dettman | Illustration by Christina Moritz
The end of the 2009-10 hockey season was a moment Chicago Wolves defenseman Andrey Zubarev had been waiting for a long time. His team, Atlant, was swept out of the Kontinental Hockey League's playoffs in March, signaling the end of his seventh professional season in Russia. With his season over, he immediately made the career move he had waited years to make – signing a National Hockey League contract.
"I wanted to come over to play in North America sooner, but I had a contract in Russia I couldn't break," Zubarev said. "Right when the Atlanta Thrashers drafted me in 2005, I tried to come over, but I still had a few years left on my contract. I kept trying to talk to my teams in Russia to let me be released from my contract to come over to try to make it to the NHL but they wouldn't let me.
"I waited patiently until my contract was over and I came over here to try and make the NHL. Now, it has happened and maybe I am late coming over here, but I can't change it. Late is better than never."
Leaving Russia to come to North America to play hockey was an easy decision for Zubarev. However, he knew that a difficult transition, both on and off the ice, awaited him in the United States.
"I knew it was going to be tough when I first got to the U.S. because I didn't speak that much English," the 24-year-old Zubarev said. "I could count and knew a few basic questions, but I needed to learn a whole new language. It was pretty difficult at the start, but now I don't think it is that tough."
When Zubarev arrived to the Thrashers training camp in September, he was happy to meet fellow defenseman Arturs Kulda. Kulda went through the same process when he moved from Latvia to Canada to play junior hockey in 2006.
"Kulda helped me a lot this year," Zubarev said. "It is so much easier when guys help each other out. He helped me so much because he speaks Russian and knows a lot about American hockey and the lifestyle here. He has already gone through what I am experiencing now."
Kulda was happy to help Zubarev get accustomed to his new surroundings in Atlanta and eventually in Chicago.
"I was happy to help Andrey with his transition when he got here," Kulda said. "We are a team and everyone tries to help each other out. He didn't speak English when he came here but he could communicate with me since we both speak Russian. I went through a similar situation so I was able to help him understand how things work here in hockey and in life.
"At the beginning of the year, I would translate what the coaches would say into Russian for him and when we are paired together in games, we speak Russian to each other because it is easier for him to understand. I think he has handled the transition very well so far."
Even though Zubarev had Kulda helping him out with the language, he also tried to be proactive in speaking with everyone else on the team. He knew that often times they wouldn't understand certain things he was trying to say, and at times he was frustrated. But Wolves forward Fredrik Pettersson, who is
also playing his first season in North America, advised him to listen a little bit more when American players spoke to help him understand how to say things.
"I was frustrated a bit when I thought I was speaking correctly but the guys didn't understand," Zubarev said. "It turned out I was saying certain phrases backwards. But I took Freddy's advice and the more I listened, the less times I found myself saying things with words out of order."
In addition to living in a new country and learning to speak a new language, Zubarev also had to learn a whole new style of hockey. In Europe, hockey is played on international ice, which is 210 feet long and 98 feet wide and goal lines are 13 feet from the end boards, compared to a standard NHL/AHL rink which is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, with goal lines 11 feet from the end boards. Playing on a smaller ice surface, Zubarev found himself with less time to make decisions with the puck.
"Because the ice is smaller here, you have to do everything a little quicker," Zubarev said. "Now I don't have the time to look around like I used to and
I have to make quicker decisions. Also, I had to learn to always keep my head up because someone can level you with a hit here. But overall, I like this type
of hockey."
Zubarev skated in eight of the Wolves first nine games this season but wasn't pleased with his on-ice performance. To make matters worse, he suffered an injury in a game on Oct. 28 that kept him out of the lineup until Nov. 23. Not the start to his North American career he was hoping for.
"I wasn't happy with the way I played at the beginning of the season," Zubarev said. "I just made too many mistakes, plain and simple. Then I got injured the first time and I thought, what's next? I'm already playing in a foreign country, learning a new style of play and now injured. But I stayed positive."
He missed 11 games because of his injury but in his first game back, he suffered another injury that caused him to miss another four weeks of action.
"When I got hurt again in my first game back after injury, I really thought what could go wrong next. It was really tough to be in Chicago alone, rehabbing, while the team was on the road. But I just kept telling myself that this wouldn't last long and to fight through it. I think the two injuries really helped me grow as a player. Now I know how to deal with adversity."
Once Zubarev got back on the ice after his second injury, he admits he was a changed player. While he was out with his injuries, he reflected on his earlier games with the Wolves and realized that he was thinking too much during games and trying to make the perfect play every time he was on the ice. Since the injuries, he has relaxed more during games and knows that mistakes happen and he just has to have a short memory and move on to the next play.
"After my second injury, I think I started to play a different style of hockey," Zubarev said. "I started to play like I play in practice. In practice, I just go out and play like I know how to. In the games, I used to grip the stick too tight and get really nervous. Now I am playing more relaxed and I think it has really improved my game."
With his comfort level and confidence growing each day, Zubarev has his sights set on achieving another milestone in his pro career – making his NHL debut.
"I feel really comfortable playing in North America right now," Zubarev said. "I know I still need to keep working hard and improve some parts of my game but I know what I need to do to get to the NHL.
"Hopefully, it won't take as long as it took me to get over here."


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Browse Archives By:Date Alphabetical
Dec 27 2013
House of Hyacinth: The Final Guest Room Post!
By Ree's BFF, Hyacinth. For this final installment of the House of Hyacinth guest bedroom saga, I wanted to fill you in on the behind-the-scenes work which led to that gorgeous barnwood wall. Though many of you wondered if the wood wall was stenciled, it is actually carved. [...]
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Dec 02 2013
House of Hyacinth: The (Finished!) Guest Room
By Ree's BFF, Hyacinth. For earlier installments in the House of Hyacinth Guest Bedroom saga, click here: House of Hyacinth: The Guest Room – Part 1 House of Hyacinth: The Guest Room – Part 2 I ultimately determined that Kara and Tim were not internet scam artists, but [...]
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Nov 12 2013
House of Hyacinth: Installment 2
By Ree's BFF, Hyacinth. In case you missed the first installment of the House of Hyacinth saga, you can find it here: House of Hyacinth, Installment 1 After the latest series of texts from the alleged, would-be, supposed, so-called, not-so-much barn wood purveyor, I began rethinking [...]
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Nov 05 2013
House of Hyacinth: The Guest Room
Note from PW: This is the first of a handful posts outlining my BFF Hyacinth's recent guest room makeover. It's all I can do not to post the final "after" photo now, as it will knock your socks off. But first, here's a little background from Hy herself. (In [...]
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Oct 25 2010
Hyacinth's Finished Living Room
Note from PW: For those of you who've missed this series, last summer (2009!) my good friend Hyacinth embarked upon a living room makeover that took her on a journey over hills and valleys…and she wound up with a room that just didn't come together like she'd hoped. [...]
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Jun 24 2010
Breaking and Entering
I like to go over to Hyacinth's house when I know she's not home and walk right on into her house. I don't know why—I just do. Actually, I do know why. I like to look in her refrigerator for food that I might want to eat! Hyacinth's a good cook [...]
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Jun 14 2010
Progress in the House of Hyacinth
Note from PW: For those of you who've missed this series, last summer my good friend Hyacinth embarked upon a living room makeover that took her on a journey over hills and valleys…and she wound up with a room that just didn't come together like she'd hoped. [...]
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May 20 2010
Bye Bye, Eyeballs
By Hyacinth. (Note from PW: If you'd like to read about Hyacinth's project from the very beginning, here's the complete archive.) If you've followed the House of Hyacinth series, you've undoubtedly marveled at the decorating disaster of the eyeball [...]
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May 13 2010
Note from PW: Before I post my next round of photos from our Orlando hotel, here's an update from Hyacinth on her living room project. I can't believe the transformation in the photo below! Since I'm not a designer, it never occurred to me that the bones of [...]
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Apr 26 2010
A Glimpse into Hyacinth's Future
By Hyacinth I have to admit that I was a bit dubious about how an internet-based design project would play out, but since I'm always game for an adventure, I thought I'd let 'er rip! Thankfully, it's working swimmingly, even though not one [...]
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Apr 22 2010
Interior Design as a Form of Government
By Hyacinth. Note: For all the fun and games relating to Hyacinth's living room re-do, read the archives here!) As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm not a designer by trade. I'm a homeschooling mother, which means I get to re-learn everything I didn't [...]
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Apr 14 2010
Choose Hyacinth's Wall Color!
By Hyacinth. One of the liberating things about nearing the mid-century mark in birthdays is that you begin to discern what your strengths are not. For example, I can embrace the fact that I stink at coaching soccer, playing video games, and cooking eggs. I am slightly disturbed, [...]
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Apr 01 2010
I Found My Id Between the Sofa and the Ottoman
by Hyacinth (Note for all installments of Hyacinth's living room project, click here: House of Hyacinth.) As I mentioned in my last post, I've been rescued not just by you guys, but also by Design Team Hyacinth, a triumvirate of talent that is currently devising ways to save me [...]
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Mar 22 2010
Design Team Hyacinth to the Rescue
By Hyacinth. Though the big world out there—particularly Capitol Hill—can be a place where misanthropes and malcontents argue and debate the issues of the day until they're purple in the face with bulging eyeballs, the readers of this site, I've found, are [...]
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Mar 16 2010
House of Hyacinth: The Ill-Fated Rug
By Hyacinth. Doom, despair, and agony on me Deep, dark depression Excessive misery If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all Doom, despair and agony on me. Yes, I'll admit it – I watched Hee Haw in my youth. I had to fill the time with something [...]
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Mar 09 2010
A Bright Spot, By Hyacinth
Lest you think I'm in a state of thumb-sucking despair over the state of my new family room, I wanted to assure you that I can still find a bright spot here and there. Here's one of them: This little number gives my soul a tingle! I discovered it during my Ikea [...]
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Mar 02 2010
House of Hyacinth: The Good, the Lame, and the Dirty
Part II: The Lame, by Hyacinth I should have listened to you. You tried to tell me, and I raged against it. But you knew. You knew! Remember this post from last summer when I was crafting my plan to put fabric on foamboard and cover the wall behind my bookshelves? You tried [...]
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Feb 24 2010
House of Hyacinth: The Good, The Lame, and the Dirty
By my BFF, Hyacinth. Part I – The Good Last summer, I foolishly embarked upon a major decorating project three weeks before our homeschooling year began. I thought you guys—P-Dub's readers and friends—might like a glimpse into a different kind of project, so I [...]
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Feb 15 2010
The Philosophy of Decorating, by Hyacinth the Philosopher
Note from PW: Hyacinth's insubordination continues. Rather than begin her series of posts with an in-depth look at her new living room, she's gone all existential on us and written a post about the importance of finding your own decorating style. I'd fire her if I [...]
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Feb 12 2010
Hyacinth: An Update
Hyacinth had the audacity to homeschool her kids all day, and is still putting the finishing touches on her family room post/saga/epic/tragedy/romance/mystery. Since we left you hanging last fall, I wanted to check in and assure you that we'll get the update up as soon as [...]
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WWE Royal Rumble 2013 DVD
Product Actions
- Format: Color, Full Screen, NTSC
- Language: English
- Number of discs: 1
- Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- DVD Release Date: February 26, 2013
- Run Time: 180 minutes
WWE kicks off The Road to WrestleMania with the 2013 Royal Rumble and this year The Rock is back to electrify the WWE Universe once again! Will the Peoples Champ finally bring the WWE Championship home to Team Bring It for the first time in over ten years? Plus 30 or more Superstars compete in WWE's historic over-the-top rope main event where one resilient Superstar earns a chance to main event WrestleMania! Sheamus emerged from the pack in 2012 and went on to claim the World Heavyweight Championship on the grandest stage. Who will add their name to the illustrious list of Royal Rumble winners this year and will they have a date to go one-on-one with the WWE Champion at WrestleMania 29? This is truly a monumental edition of one of the WWE's most long-standing events and a must-have for all WWE fans.
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W01075$39.99Royal Rumble Volume 1 DVD Set$39.99Description


text: bareMinerals bareMinerals The Alter Ego Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) won't be available until May, but hang onto your seats, because it's such a lovely duo. This is one of the best eyeshadow formulas on the market, and bareMinerals didn't let us down with their expansion of their Ready line-up. Alter Ego consists of two shades: Wicked and Daring.


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AdWORKS speaker to address creativity, innovationWritten by Kyle Cappelletty | | email@example.com
Creativity and innovation will be the focus of this year's AdWORKS conference as keynote speaker Jim Link addresses the topic of idea generation.
The fourth annual event, sponsored by the Advertising Club of Toledo, brings organizations together for mutual support, education and inspiration. The purpose is to get representatives from different industries to share ideas and foster creativity within business and marketing.
Patrick Giammarco, owner of PWG Marketing and the chairman of AdWORKS 2012, said he expects more than 200 businesses, government and nonprofit leaders from across Northwest Ohio to attend.
"Be it advertising agencies, media, universities, manufacturing or professional services, creativity and innovation are critical leadership competencies for all organizations," Giammarco said. "It is imperative that Northwest Ohio organizations continuously manufacture new ideas and innovative products and services to stay competitive in today's market."
AdWORKS will be held Nov. 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn. 6165 Levis Commons Blvd., in Perrysburg. Registration is from 7:30-8:30 a.m. The conference is expected to last until 12:30 p.m. and will feature a book signing with Link. Cost is $49 for members, $79 for nonmembers and $39 for students.
Link, an author, business owner and educator, has spent much of his life generating new ideas for some of the biggest corporations across the world.
"In the book and in my workshops, I challenge the notion that creativity is something we just unleash," Link said. "I want people to know the truth, that there is no magic wand or corporate ping-pong table that will suddenly make you more creative. The key is figuring out how to build your creativity, not unleash it. That's what I'll be teaching people at the AdWORKS conference."
In 1994, Link started one of the world's first idea companies, Idea-Link Inc. Since then, Link has worked with many leading companies around the world, such as General Mills, Nestle and 3M.
"I've always been an idea person, even as a teenager," Link said. "I was lucky enough to find a way to turn that skill into a business as an adult.
"When I worked at General Mills I realized everyone was tied up with meetings and execution. Yet, at the same time, we were being asked to be more innovative and generate more ideas. That's when the idea of an idea company emerged, to help companies create more and better ideas in less time."
Recently Link turned his efforts toward helping others become more creative. His recently published book, "Idea-Links: The New Creativity," was named one of this year's Groundbreaking Indie Books by Independent Publisher magazine.
Formed in 1909, the Advertising Club of Toledo provides professional education and training for individuals actively involved in the creation and production of advertising and marketing communications materials.
"The Advertising Club of Toledo could not be more excited to have Jim Link speak at AdWORKS 2012," Giammarco said. "Jim is an engaging teacher who will conduct his New Creativity training workshop and share techniques and disciplines necessary to developing creativity as a core skill."
For more information, visit adclubtoledo.org/adworks or contact Patty Schoepf at firstname.lastname@example.com or (419) 866-4199.
Tags: Advertising Club of Toledo, AdWorks, Idea-Link, Idea-Links, Jim Link, Patrick Giammarco


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If you could pick just one metal band that was totally better than all other bands, beyond a shadow of a doubt within your own mind, what would it be. We are talking about bands with like 40 songs, and each and every one of them is not just good, but amazing.
my entry: Cradle of Filth -- Nominated for absurdly fucked-upness while still maintaining an air of civilized folk. And of course, really badass music. Those who have not yet experienced the awesome should begin their adventure here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49ZJqqrr ... playnext=1
if you think your puny human brains can handle the pure, unwithheld experience, here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEZhUeMaixk


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I'm new to this board but I found this topic and I thought I would share some research I've done. I know you mentioned fish oil, have you considered cod liver oil. It contains the vitamin D that fish oil lacks. I don't know if any of you have heard of the Weston Price Foundation, but they have a ton of info on this subject, plus pregnancy and breastfeeding.
At first it may seem a little extreme, some of what they have researched, but with pre-e being so mysterious as far as causes, I think anything that we can do nutritionally is worth a shot. The website is www.westonaprice.org if anyone is interested. My whole family is going to start on the cod liver oil as soon as it comes in. All the sites I've looked at recommend Carlson's or Premier.
My girlfriends swear by the stuff. They both have been taking it a while. They also are into the whole foods, raw milk and cheeses and buy their meat from farmers. I haven't taken that step yet. I am slowly changing my eating habits though. High protein has always been a priority with me when preg. now I'm incorporating it into every day living as much as I can.
Do most people on this site eat like 80-100 grams of protein daily when preg. It is suppose to be so important it would be interesting to see how many with PE did this. I didn't stick to it like my last birth which was my best. I know I couldn't do anything to avoid my son's death because we new nothing about this, but I plan on doing everything I can to be as healthy as I can next time.
As far as exercize--has anyone tried Pilates? I hate to exercize but I started Pilates a few months before I got pregnant and I loved it. I don't feel like it is as hard as Yoga for me. Unfortunately I didn't feel well enough in my preg. to continue. I try not to feel any guilt about that because I think it might have staved off the PE. or at least the severity of it.
I'm sorry this is so long. It has only been 2 weeks since Jared's death so I am still trying to sort out all this crap in my head so I may ramble on unintentionally.
Again, thank you to all those here that share their stories so the rest of us know we are not alone.
Michaela 34
DH Ken 37
DS Joshua 7 yrs
DD Kennedy 4 yrs
DD Kathryn 3yrs
Our little angel Jared 34 wks stillborn 10/31/03 due to PE


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Who Has the Best Clavicut?
From Kristen Bell to Anna Paquin, celebs are showing off trendy mid-length hairstyles that just graze their collarbones. But who wears this season's hottest cut best? Play to vote!
Your score: 0
Whose hairstyle is chicer?
See how many out of 20 you can get right. Score by clicking on the photo with the most votes.
Good luck!


text: I am happy today because I am getting more needful things done. (I enjoy sneaking in sK references.) Meetings with the attorney are almost over, and those that remain are easier to cope with. I'm enjoying life more than I was in months, maybe ever--a life which has become simple because I'm learning not to make it more complicated than it is, which induces me toward (shudder) getting chores done in a more timely fashion due to less sheer dread. I'm happy for the things in life I find therapeutic, not least among which is the privilege of being able to express myself here at the SKMB.


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I am 23 weeks pregnant tomorrow. I am 40 next month. This is my 13th pregnancy and 7th baby. I had pre-e with my first and third and Class I HELLP in 2005 with my 5th. Dh and I decided after #5 that we were done. HELLP scared us half to death. Dh thought for sure I was going to die in the 12 hours after I delivered. Anyway, in 2007, we had a *very* unexpected BFP. After we got over the shock, we were glad. Then we lost that baby. So we decided to actively TTC and we did and we found a great dr we trusted and who knows what he is doing when dealing with women with hypertension issues. We had a good pregnancy and I delivered at 36 weeks after 2 weeks in the hospital. The we decided, again, that we were DONE. Fast forward to 2011 and we started thinking we could have one last munchkin. We started TTC and lost one after another. We had three miscarriages before seeming to conceive a "sticky baby." Then that baby died at 12 weeks pregnant. We waited 3 months and started TTC again.
So, here we are, 23 weeks pregnant with a baby boy. We are super excited and scared to death. I keep forgetting to take my meds for my blood pressure and it is frustrating me no end. I freak out when I don't feel him move for a whole day. Every ache, every pain, causes me to panic. My last appt was on 1/11 and my next appt is on 2/8. I wonder if I can wait that long to hear his heartbeat again. I get myself convinced that he is going to die and I'm not going to know it.
After forgetting to take my meds last night and this morning, I wasn't feeling well and was seeing stars. That was when we realized I hadn't taken medication for over 24 hours. I took it then and laid down. But now I am not feeling well and I am *sure* it is not related, but my mind is running away with me. I am scared of a stroke, pre-e, baby dying, you name it. I think the overwhelming fear is what is making me feel so sick.
Not sure where I am going with this... <sigh>
(What I mean when I say I am scared for no reason is that there is no reason to think anything is wrong EXCEPT my own fear. There is nothing going on that I should actually be concerned about.)


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What if common infections could kill in great numbers again?
Is our optimistic faith in science about to be shattered? Are we heading back to the dark ages in medicine? Before the early 20th century, treatments for infections were based primarily on folklore. Louis Pasteur, Alexander Fleming and other scientists worked hard and suffered to produce the treatments that we all now take for granted. Chief among these are the antibiotics that most of us take as a first defense against all sorts of common infections. Before the era of...Read More »


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The Green Sprouts Warming Plate will keep baby's food heated without the use of electricity. Just add warm water through spout to keep food warm during mealtime. As an added bonus, the Warming Plate has a non-slip suction on the bottom to keep it securely in place. Dishwasher safe.
BPA, PVC and phthalate free


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According to reports provided by the Aiken Department of Public Safety:
An unknown man took nearly two-dozen automotive batteries from a store on Richland Avenue on Tuesday.
A vehicle break-in was reported on Cherbourg Place on Tuesday.
According to reports provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office:
An unknown man said, "It's a party!" before fleeing a store on Sand Bar Ferry Road in Beech Island with three cases of beer on Tuesday.
A burglary was reported at a home on Alley Street in Warrenville on Tuesday. A firearm and electronics were reported missing.
Additional burglaries were reported on Frances Drive in North Augusta and Augusta Road in Warrenville.
Vehicle break-ins were reported on Huber Clay Road in Warrenville and Victory Lane in Warrenville.
Money was reported stolen from a jar on the counter of a store on Old Ninety Six Indian Trail in Monetta on Tuesday.
An Aiken man reported jewelry missing from his Reynolds Pond Road home on Tuesday.
A vehicle was reported stolen from Augusta Road in Clearwater on Tuesday.
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