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Our tendency, when we get a little more money, is to live up to our means. A slightly larger house or a slightly larger car, and we have the same stress each month when our bills arrive and the same feeling that we're poor compared to so and so up the road.
Here's a photographic look at what some children around the world consider their most prized possessions. And it's not their toys.
What Limits Your Perspective?
Perspective is in low supply here in the States. I don't mean this in a derogatory way. It's just a fact. We live sheltered. We don't live without heartache. We don't live without pain. We just live with limited perspective.
A Precious Perspective
One sentence from a little girl an ocean away immediately and forever changed my perspective.
A Pocket Full of Pay
Even though I was excited that I found money in my pocket, wouldn't it have been nice if it was more? Then I'm reminded that over 1 billion people on this planet will work all day today and not get paid what I just found in my pocket.
There's a Stain on My Carpet
So there's this stain on the carpet in my living room. Right there in front of the sofa. It's a blotchy, brown spot where my 3-year-old son, Morgan, spilled some food. Oh, I've tried to clean it. But it's a stubborn stain. I think it might be there for good. And that's frustrating.
A Big-picture Perspective
Becky is going through a difficult time right now. Her husband has survived cancer twice, but the doctors have found another spot on his lung. Scared that the cancer has returned, she described her feelings to me.
"I remember walking around the office and thinking 'Does anyone know that my world has collapsed today? Does anyone…
My Best Day in Ministry: A Changed Perspective
Haley Birdyshaw, a supervisor in our contact center, took a group of employees on an exposure trip to Guatemala. The trip was a life-changing experience.
When you watch the Catalyst 2009 do you feel it was manipulative? Is it all right to ask people to give, or act, in the middle of experiencing an emotional moment?
Nathan Creitz, author of ChurchEthos: "a blog that encourages thinking Christianly about the habits and customs of the Church and about our reputation with…
Catalyst 2009: It Could Have Been Me
As I write this, there are tears splattered on my keyboard and mascara smeared on my cheeks. I'm not much of a crier, perhaps being desensitized as a result of reading painful stories every day. But this video of Jimmy Wambua meeting his sponsor has made me cry like a baby.
The reason why…
A Different Perspective
Recently, my husband and I had the opportunity to have one of the Leadership Development Program Moody scholars stay with us. You've met Richmond, Michelle and Tony. Well, "Jimmy from Kenya," as he likes to call himself, is our newest scholarship recipient.
With Jimmy from Kenya (a.k.a. Jimmy Wambua) as a house guest, we were…
India Sponsor Tour
The India communications manager wrote this short article about the recent sponsor tour to India for the country office's internal newsletter. So we thought we'd share her perspective with you.
In the midst of turbulent economic times, political uncertainty and a global food crisis, 29 of our sponsors proceeded with their decision to come to…
In the Midst of Poverty
Abortion. War. Recession. Poverty. Terrorism. Injustice. Abuse. Hate. In a world full of so much evil, it's easy to forget that God is still sitting on the throne. That He hasn't abdicated His power. That He hasn't forgotten or abandoned us.
The Question Game
Warning: This post may be bit uncomfortable…
Before I sponsored my first child back in college, I had a lot of questions:
Where is all my money going?
Will this child actually know about me?
Is she really the one writing these letters?
Does she really need my money?
Wow! Those questions are somewhat embarrassing to write out, but I…
New Fall Fashion
It's fall here in Colorado. The time when the trees and wildflowers turn vibrant yellow and red. The time of brisk blue skies and chilly nights and warm sweaters. The time when I stand in front of my closet and complain, much like a 14-year-old, "I have nothing to wear!"
Recently, I had a chance for…
The Global Village
Here's a healthy dose of perspective courtesy of Jim Tressel, author of The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life..
If we could shrink the earth's population to village of precisely one hundred people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, the village would include . . .
60 Asians,
12 Europeans
15 from the Western…
This past weekend was pretty amazing. Getting a quick trip home, full of family and friends, was just what the doctor ordered. Although, work was on my mind … especially Friday.
Curtis Fletcher informed me before I left on Thursday that he would be attending the entire cabinet meeting as a representative for Rick…
A Field Perspective on Sponsor Tours
Wanna peek into my e-mail inbox?
I have the great pleasure of "talking" (read: e-mailing) each day with some of our great staff around the world. They always challenge me with their perspective.
I've been reading along with all the posts and comments about visiting your sponsored child, as I weigh the decision of when…
Sardines or Lessons From the Field
I can't get this photo out of my head. In my job each day, I look at tons of photos from the field, but some stick with me.
Edwin Estioko, our Communication Specialist living in the Philippines, took this picture of the Camilo family. A family of eight who share this little home together. What…
Budget, Schmudget
Numbered out! When you're an arts and letters person like me, waking up to figures, budget targets and terms like "capital depreciation" are like, well…an alarm clock that just makes you want to keep hitting the snooze button.
But face reality I must. Waking up helps, too.
Truth is, there's some very exciting stuff going on at…
One Man's Crawl Space, Another Man's Castle
What shapes your perspective on poverty? Are you ready to have it shaken up?


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What a nice combination! One gives you a little lift and the other hopes to give you a little lift sooner rather than later (ahem).
I enjoyed Aircell's reception at the WAEA single focus workshop yesterday evening, and true to form, I handed off my camera to an attendee (thank you!) for a pic in front of the Boeing 787 test aircraft at Paine Field (if you squint, you'll see it in the background).


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BIN 36 New Year's Eve
Bin 36January 1st, 2009 5:00 am - 10:00 am
Tickets: $ 175
This is a Food and Wine Lover's Dream New Year's Eve! We are pulling the corks on the best wines in our Cellar and pairing these exclusive wines with Executive Chef John Caputo's Three Star Food. Dance the night away with the music of the Josh Burke Quintet, Ring in the New Year with a Midnight Champagne Toast with Hats and Horns.
$175 per person Package includes, 5 hour Full Premium Bar, Dining Stations, Phenomenal Wines, Dancing, Champagne Toast, Donuts and Coffee for the Trip Home (also includes tax and gratuity)
See Below for Menu and Wine Highlights
21 and Over
Carving Stations
Whole Roasted Striped Bass with Champagne Butter
Prime Rib of Beef with Black Pepper Hollandaise
Whole Suckling Pig with Pomegranate Glaze
Assorted Salads such as
Seasonal Mixed Greens with Pears, Brie & Star Anise Vinaigrette
Grilled Persimmons, Arugula and Goat Cheese
Artisan Cheeses from the BIN 36 Cheese Bar
A Raw Bar with Fresh Shucked Oysters, Shrimp, King Crab Legs & Mussels...
Other items of Note
Pumpkin Crepes with Winter Vegetable
Artichoke & Preserved Lemon Ravioli with Brown Butter
Twice Baked Potatoes filled with Lobster, Mascarpone & Chives
The Indulgent Dessert Station to Keep the Party Going
Featuring a Decadent Assortment of Desserts
House Made Chocolates and Truffles
Coffee & Donuts for the Trip Home!
Wine Highlights
NV Brut Rose, Billecart Salmon, Champagne, France
NV Brut Duval Leroy, Champagne, France
2005 Chardonnay, Williams Seylem, Russian River Valley, CA
2003 Puligny Montrachet, Vincent Girardin, "Les Combettes," Burgundy, France
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bryant Family Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA
2006 Zinfandel, Martinelli, "Giuseppe & Luisa", Russian River Valley, CA
2004 Pinot Noir, Sine Qua Non "Covert Fingers," CA
2004 Vosne Romanee, Domaine Gros, Burgundy, France
2000 Pinot Noir, Dumol, Russian River Valley
2001 Pinot Noir, Dumol, Russian River Valley
2003 Pjnot Noir, Goldeneye, California
2006 Pinot Noir, Roar, Garys Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, California
2007 Chardonnay, Rombauer, Carneros, California
2001 Pouilly fume, Dageneau, Silex 2006 Marsanne/Roussanne, Hermitage, Betts & Scholl Barossa Valley, South Australia
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Shafer Hillside Select, Napa, California
2005 Pinot Noir, Lazarre, Sierra Madre, Central Coast California
2006 Pinot Noir, Sea Smoke, Ten, Santa Rita Hills, California
2004 Syrah, Sine Qua Non, Poker Face, California
2005 Syrah, Sine Qua Non, Atlantis Fe203 1a, California
2005 Syrah, Sine Qua Non, Atlantis Fe203 1b, California
2005 Syrah, Sine Qua Non, Atlantis Fe203 1c, California
2004 Mourvedre/Syrah/Grenache/Cunoise Tablas Creek, Esprit de Beaucastel, Tablas Creek Vineyard, California
2006 Zinfandel, Martinelli, Giuseppe & Luisa, Russian River Valley, California
2005 Zinfandel, William Selyem, Baciagalupe Vineyard, Russian River Valley, California
2004 Margaux, Pavillon Rouge, Chateau du Margaux, Bordeaux, France
2003 Cotes de Castillon, Clos Les Lunelles, Bordeaux, France
Dress Code
Dress to the Nines or wear what ever you like! Don't Forget Your Dancing Shoes!
339 N Dearborn St
Chicago, Illinois
Phone: 312-755-9463
Comments & Questions
Chicago New Year's Eve Events
New Year's Eve 2012
Chicago New Year's Eve 2011
Chicago New Year's Eve 2010
New Years Resolutions & Tips
Before the clock strikes, visit our tips on how to make New Years Resolutions to help keep them this year.
Be safe when you celebrate. Our New Years Eve safety tips are always worth repeating.


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Pop-Up tent trailers make a great alternative to the higher priced off road trailers. While they aren't and never will be as capable as a trailer designed for off road use they do offer a nice cost effective compromise. One that might even get the more finicky member of the house into the outdoors. You could pay a lot extra for an "off road" version of one of the popular brands but after looking at the ones available I have come to the conclusion that for the most part they are nothing more than the stock version with a SOA and larger hubs.
There is an alternative, we got this used pop-up for a fraction of the cost of a new trailer;


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Yay! A new episode of I Love New York 2! New York looks nothing short of aroused.
Are you that excited, too?
We open on the best thing we could possibly open on:
Midget Mac working out! And, yo, he's ripped!
His back looks like a chest!
If he keeps at it, he's going to be wider than he is tall. Also, in the shot above, his face totally reminds me of Rosie O'Donnell's. Talk about wider than tall! (Bud-up-kick) Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all recap.
Well, after all, when life bends you over, it uses no Vaseline. I say this is fine practice for the brutal lifestyle that Celebreality presents.
The guys are shipped to their challenge:
Big Ant explains why there's a body of water between New York's body and the guys:
"New York wants a guy that'll do anything to give her what she wants." That's literally a lot to ask for. New York not only wants what she wants, but she wants what she wants to be delivered in a way that she wants. A second season really does something to a person's sense of entitlement, no? Anyway, the guys must give New York gifts that they apparently have brought from home, but to do so, must get across the water to her.
First up is Yours…
He makes it across the water without incident.
Instead, the incident occurs when he gives New York his gift, which he spent 6 hours drawing himself:
That is so hot. It looks like Nell Carter in a downpour. "I didn't know I was plus-sized, you know," says New York. It's always terrible to be confronted with people's perceptions of you isn't it? The thing is that Yours seems for real about this, although he could just be a decent actor who knows how to re-gift. There's seriously nothing New York-esque about that picture. Even the cleavage is off!
And here's where it ends up:
Perfect place for it!
It's next. He has trouble paddling. But it seems to be a conceptual problem, not really a mechanical problem.
He finally makes it over and his gift for New York is a T-shirt with his handprints.
First of all, I think we were gypped by not being privy to the creation of these gifts. I wanna see It covered in paint! I bet he ate some of it. Who can resist paint? Also, just as you're being struck by the shirt's kindergarten chic, It puts a decidedly adult spin on things: he points out that the handprints are exactly where her boobs are. It explains what led him to this wonderfully respectful creation: "You got voluptuous, attractive, um, milk…milk storages." Newsflash, It: breasts offer so much more than just milk. You should try playing with them sometime! Taking no issue with the grammatical dubiousness off "milk storages," New York retorts in an interview: "I'm not havin' it! These aren't milk storages. These are fine, new, paid-for breasts!" So she does admit to the aug!
Up next and up awesomely is Midget Mac.
We know that Midget Mac is scared of water from last episode, but in a story that, of course, begins with Midget Mac referring to himself in the third person, he fills in the details: he saw his uncle drown at a family reunion when he was little. Uh, littler. God, what this guy lacks in height, he totally makes up for in pathos. So basically, this is hard for him, but he has such love for New York that he can get over his phobia.
It all goes well until…
His flotation device pops! New York interviews, "I'm gonna have a dead midget on my hands!" So much compassion, her heart spills out into her cleavage. That's not a breast aug; it's love.
Anyway, after an assist from the apparently kindhearted Buddha…
…Midget Mac is back on track!
Except for when he attempts to climb up on the dock and receives absolutely no help from New York.
She should have just dangled an aug. They're good for flotation too, right?
The gifts keep coming. Unsure gives New York something extra special…
Yay! Sausage! Just kidding, it's a jacket from Dolce & Gabbana. Sorry, make that Dolce & Gabbana!!!!!!! It is ill-fitting…
…both in the sleeves and its intentions: Unsure originally bought the jacket for his sister, a fact related to the guys by Cheezy, who's every much the geek he was made out to be on first sight. It's so reassuring when people live up to their stereotypes isn't it? Anyway, the guys are pissed…
This isn't the last we've heard of Dolce & Gabbana!!!!
Dog tags…
…sexual chocolate…
…and Punk's pecs follow…
…before we get to what's eventually deemed the best gift of the day…
…a pair of Manolos courtesy of Tailor Made. The heels seem to help New York forget Tailor's perceived personality defect and she picks him and Buddha to share a date with her. Midget Mac gets one, too, alone, since he overcame so much to get to her. It's almost as though Midget Mac can't not be inspirational. Did I ever tell you he's your hero? He is!
I mean, he's practically doing God's work.
His date with New York is absolutely adorable. And creamy! "We share a bond. Any man that loves ranch as much as I do is close to my heart." Their bond over ranch dressing is, at least, a slight upgrade for Celebreality interpersonal communication. I mean, it's better than bonding over having blonde hair a la Rock of Love, you know? New York and Midget Mac are way complex! And I'm just talking about their cholesterol! New York tells Mac, "I wanna dress your salad." Wow, they can show that on TV?
So kinky it should have black bars over it.
And really, so should this:
Smacking sounds accompany because how could they not?
But in all, it's nice to see New York actually giving this guy a shot and not treating him like a novelty in her stable of studs.
At the end of the date, she blows him a kiss:
And what happens next is so adorable and pure that I have no smart-assed commentary for it. I'll just present it for what it is. He catches it…
…and puts it in his pocket for safe-keeping…
That is so precious, it's quietly breaking my heart. I'm tearing up. My heart is warmer than a group of puppies in a basket. I now know what it is to love. Thank you, Midget Mac and your stored pocket kisses.
Things don't stay heartwarming for long.
I love how "a couple" means half the house…
Well, whatever. This isn't America's Most Smartest Model. These guys don't need to know from numbers. Anyway, they fill in New York on that D&G jacket — it's a re-gift! Can you believe that bastard? "Well, you me, I don't like gossip and I don't like hearsay. I like to get to the bottom of s***." Remember how In Living Color had that character that exposed the universal truth of gossips? "I ain't one to gossip," is their motto. The thing is that you can both enjoy gossip and getting to the bottom of s***. They aren't mutually exclusive! Have no shame, New York!
Anyway, she confronts Unsure.
He fesses up to it: the jacket was originally intended for his sister. "Your sister must be heavyset," says New York. So. Much. Ha.
While she seems unfazed by the mass tattletailing that led her to verbally spit on a family member of Unsure, Knock Out is pissed.
They go back and forth and New York interviews that…
"Knock Out, he's just stirring up s*** for the hell of it!" If she seems angry, it's because she doesn't like it when people do her job for her.
Then, it's time for her date with Tailor Made and Buddha. To prepare, he orders New York an armful of flowers…
…and melts his skin off…
He looks so handsome like that!
Their date will take place at a go-kart track. Instead of racing, however, New York decides that she'll wave the flag.
With New York out of the way, we can get to the real point of the show: incidental homoeroticism! Like, Buddha and Tailor Made are totally at one with each other on the track…
After much suggestive racing (Buddha bumps Tailor Made in the rear…seriously), Buddha reigns supreme.
Meanwhile, back at the house, the flowers Tailor Made ordered arrive…
…It figures that these are from him because his brain has the storage capacity of a first-generation MP3 player. His flash memory is…not so flashy. Also, to tip the girl who delivers the flowers, he pulls something out of his mouth. Here, I'll let him tell it: "'Cause I ain't had no money like that. I think I had a lemon. I's like here, I don't got none, so yo, here, you want this?" I think what It's really trying to say is: when life gives you flowers, present it with a chewed-up lemon. And that's one to grow on.
Back to the date:
Buddha loves black women. Also, his last relationship ended with a restraining order conjured by him. Pesky ex-girlfriends! To this, New York responds: "Any time a man has to take a restraining order out on a female, that means he was doing something right." How's that for a pearl of wisdom? Tyler Perry, move over: there's a new philosopher spouting moral platitudes to a largely urban audience in town.
Meanwhile, Tailor Made loves women, period. And may still love one in particular…
For you see, he's still married! His divorce is a work in progress, but you know what? So is democracy. New York doesn't see the political parallel and banishes TM to the bleachers.
And then, home:
Have you ever seen anything more inviting? It's like the next step of mutation after Quasimodo. Way to live up to that name, there, boy! Anyway, It's bent on pretending that the flowers were from him. He, at some point, says to the camera that one of his boys must have sent them on his behalf. Wow, that's some crew he's got. I wonder if they dress his salad, too.
It presents the flowers to New York, but more importantly, he presents her with his tongue:
She is shocked and amazed.
I think that thing she's doing with her mouth is the reaction It hoped to provoke. Just…lower. New York interviews about her brush with It's sexuality: "His tongue was covered in mucus, it stunk and it totally messed up my tongue. So I took off immediately." No she di'nt! She said his tongue stunk! You never, ever, ever insult the smell of a man's tongue! How emasculating.
Buddha, a keeper of that elusive trait of reason, calls It on his s***.
He grills It on how he ordered the flowers (like, what address did he give?) and where they came from. It's response is characteristically unintelligible. "Man, I ain't say where I was at. I said I'm in a mansion with, like, 15 dudes. Whatever, whatever. So I said, boom boom bam bam boom." So, when he gets in trouble, do you think he just babbles at people until they shut up? I bet that tactic works more often than it should. Still, everyone knows that he's lying and continue calling him on it. At one point, he says that the flowers perhaps came from "Larry Fishburne!" It's totally plausible that Laurence Fishburne is sitting at home, sending flowers to a mansion that a reality show is being filmed at but won't air for months. You know those Hollywood types. They're all connected and hooked-up and whatnot.
Then, two more confrontations:
Unsure complains about being in the house to Cheezy, with a caveat:
I wonder what was going on in the moments leading up to that rule?
Of course, Cheezy runs to New York who, in turn, confronts Unsure. When he tells her he wants to be around people who don't stab each other in the back and always do the right thing, she cracks up in his face.
For you see, such people do not exist in New York's world. He might as well have told her that he wants to be amongst unicorns.
Done! But not over.
And then there's the whole Tailor-Made-is-still-married thing.
He begs her to talk to his estranged wife. She concedes and what she hears irritates her thyroid something fierce.
Then eliminations. Midget Mac says that if she keeps him, he'll do a little dance:
Well, apparently he'd do it either way. He should have kept it a secret — it's so awesome, he could use it to barter.
New York shows up with some frizzed-out hair. I seriously think it's the hottest wig she's rocked yet.
Before the ceremony begins, she notices Unsure in the crowd. Why? Not sure!
She calls him up, throws the Dolce & Gabbana!!!! at him (it's even heavier, what with all those exclamation points)…
…and literally kicks him out…
Who says saying goodbye is hard?
Bye, Unsure!
See you on the Internet!
Then, the chains. The first to be called is Buddha.
After he tells her he has love for New York, she responds with, "I know!" As charming as a bracelet, that one.
Midget Mac is called, and he really does do a little (albeit different) dance…
What he says next is completely amazing (it's all about the delivery, so if you can, please listen to the file): "Hey…(grunting) and I'm 'bout to do a cartwheel!" And then he does. I like to think that Midget Mac is always thinking of me and my level of entertainment. Thanks for never letting me down, MM!
As it gets down to the last few guys, New York finally calls It to get his chain, citing the roses he gave her. Tailor Made, who's been such a kitty cat about this whole thing, finally speaks up. He hasn't said a thing about it till now! What a weenie.
New York likes weenie, but she likes roses more and she still believes they're from it. He gets his chain but not before Sister Patterson intervenes.
She asks him straight up, "Did you by roses?" This is then looped to hilarious effect. Thank you, editors! I could never get sick of hearing that wonderful woman say, "Roses," like the flower that she is. It admits that he didn't, but I guess he gets an A for effort, because he's allowed to stay.
New York surveys her men and eventually calls up Tailor Made to get the last chain. He ostentatiously pushes past Midget Mac and 20 Pack to retrieve it.
You'd think New York announced free hair-plug installations or something. Anyway, it turns out that his story checked out with his wife — they're on the brink of divorce and he does, indeed, have love for New York.
This means that Knock Out and Yours are out. On Knock Out's elimination, New York reflects: "The thing I don't like about Knock Out is his face. He looks like a pinto bean with eyes. And plus, he's violent. And he gave me diarrhea chocolates, so he had to go." Disagree with her philosophy all you want, but try, just try to denounce her colorful flair for language.
Pinto bean parallel aside, is it weird to anyone else that New York dissed Knock Out's face? He's like one of the most handsome guys on the show! If she doesn't want him, I have a pot of chili that's just begging for him.
Yours throws a minor fit…
The eliminations this season are exceptionally tumultuous, aren't they? Yours nuzzles New York's breasts on his way out…
At least got some action for his trouble!
Sister Patterson gets mad because she feels that New York is unfairly dismissing the Mama's Boys. New York tells the remaining guys to say good night to her and Sister Patterson tells them not to bother. She leaves while slapping her own butt.
More of that, please! I can't wait to see what part of her body she'll slap when she's really pissed.
Related content
I Love New York 2 show page


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Shipping and Delivery Information - For item EUT6396-X7022 if ordered by 1 pm Pacific Time


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Earlier breast cancer detection saves lives, and many doctors say that requires careful and frequent breast exams to spot any changes or abnormalities. As a woman, it's in your best interest to protect your health by following the experts' advice — and in the past, that meant doing monthly breast self-exams.
But in recent years, the necessity of doing these monthly exams has been questioned, and now guidelines for women from the latest United States Preventive Health Services Task Force have changed — this group no longer urges women to do self-exams. Not only that, it also has raised questions about the benefit of getting routine breast exams done by your doctor, saying that there is not enough scientific evidence to know if these exams are causing more harm than good.
What harm could come from a self-exam or a breast cancer screening exam by your doctor? The task force considered such things as the anxiety, extra imaging tests, and the stress and cost of biopsy procedures done because of "false positive" breast cancer screening exams, those in which a tiny, non-cancerous lump was felt.
But not all experts agree. The American Cancer Society still urges women in their 20s to discuss breast cancer screening self-exams with their personal physician, and then to make their own decision about doing the exams monthly, occasionally, or not at all.
Women are encouraged to remain aware of their own breasts, even if they choose not to do formal self-exams, and to get any changes checked out by a physician.
The Breast Self-Exam
A breast self-exam is simply a breast exam that you perform yourself, carefully feeling your breasts for any changes or abnormalities. The idea is to become familiar with your breasts and know what's normal for you. Basically, you want to be on the lookout for any change in your breast tissue or skin, such as any:
- Bumps or lumps
- Sore or tender spots
- Dimpling of the skin
- Redness or swelling of the skin
- Patches of flaking or scaly skin, particularly over the nipple
Here's how you do it:
- Lie down on your back, with one arm stretched above your head.
- With the pads of your index, middle, and ring fingers of the opposite hand, reach across your chest and select a starting point on the breast. Press down, moving the pads of these three fingers in a slow circular motion over a dime-sized area. First apply light pressure, then repeat with moderate pressure, and then with firm pressure over that same area.
- Pick up your fingers and move slightly to cover an adjacent, slightly overlapping area of the breast and repeat the circular pressing motions. Continue to move your hand in an up-and-down pattern across your breast, repeating the circular motions with varying amounts of pressure, moving all the way across your breast in that up-and-down line. Include your underarm area as well.
- Make sure that you cover the tissue in the entire breast, including the nipple, using various levels of pressure to detect any lumps, bumps, or changes in your breast.
- Switch hands and repeat on your other breast and underarm area.
- Also carefully inspect your breasts in a mirror, looking for any changes in the skin, such as puckering or dimpling.
If you spot any changes, it doesn't mean that you have breast cancer, but it does mean that your breast needs to be evaluated by a doctor.
The Clinical Breast Exam
A clinical breast exam is a breast exam performed by a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional. The American Cancer Society recommends that women in their 20s and 30s have a clinical breast exam at least every three years, while women over 40 should have this exam every year as a complement to yearly mammograms.
A clinical breast exam is performed to look for the same things as a breast self-exam — any lumps, changes in the skin, or any other abnormalities that could mean breast cancer. It's also a good opportunity to talk to your doctor about your breast health and breast cancer risk, how often you should do self-exams, and when to get mammograms.
Here's what you can expect during a clinical breast exam:
- Your doctor will examine your breasts while you are sitting upright, looking for any abnormalities in the skin or lack of symmetry in the way the breasts hang; she will have you move your arms in a few different positions.
- Your doctor will feel around your collarbone and beneath your arms, looking for any swelling or abnormalities in your lymph nodes.
- Then, you'll lie down on the exam table while your doctor uses her fingers to press on your breasts in a pattern of up-and-down rows, examining every part for any abnormality.
Any abnormalities will be followed up with a mammogram or ultrasound and possibly other breast cancer detection procedures.
Breast cancer detection is a team effort with a number of different strategies — you don't have to rely on just one breast cancer screening method. Despite the questions raised by new guidelines, many doctors will still counsel their patients to do regular breast self-exams and get clinical breast exams and yearly mammograms.
The goal is to diagnose breast cancer as early as possible, giving you the best possible chance against the disease.
Last Updated: 5/17/2010


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This is so absurd. After reading this, I really think the land of the free is a thing of the past...
Driver Arrested For Having EMPTY
Compartment In His Car
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World Made By Hand.
James Howard Kunstler. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008.
Warning: this review gives away minor elements of
the plot, but nothing major beyond what you could glean from the book flaps
and the book's web site, or which is quickly revealed in the opening
Is World Made By Hand the "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
novel of peak oil activists? Will it have the same galvanizing effect on
a world confronted with fossil fuel depletion, as the other, more famous
anti-slavery novel had in the United States before the Civil War?
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is not new -- think of Dr. Strangelove, The
Day After, and Forty Days of Rain. But what is new in World
Made By Hand is that the apocalypse is not a nuclear catastrophe per
se, but at its root an oil-depletion and energy-depletion
Kunstler does an excellent job in creating a visceral feel for what
it would feel like to be alive in Union Grove, a fictional small town
north of Albany (which we suspect is based on Saratoga Springs), in the
wake of such a catastrophe. There's a bit too much violence in the
book for my taste, though I think that most readers will not be bothered
by it. If it were a movie, it would be rated R for violence, though in
written form the novel comes across as PG-13. It would also probably be
rated R for some sexuality, though that isn't really a strong theme in
the book and it doesn't bother me. Actually, Kunstler may have been a
bit too reticent about exploring the sexuality of the New Faith
community, something which is alluded to at various times but never
fully described. (Maybe he's saving that for the sequel.)
The Setting
Kunstler's fictional disaster is not a straight line effect of the
decline of oil supplies. Rather, it is a series of second-order
political disasters resulting from attempts to cope, badly, with a
declining economy that can no longer be supported by oil. One minor
weakness of the book is that this connection is never spelled out.
Promotional material for the book has said that it is a novel of
"the long emergency," referring to his previous nonfiction
book on the incipient crisis over declining oil supplies. But if you
just picked this book up in a bookstore or off a library shelf, you
might not get that point. The characters know that there used to be oil,
and there isn't any longer, but the connection is not visible to them.
All they remember is the accompanying social and political disasters.
The time is a decade or two in the future, and the United States has
turned the world against us through intervention in the Middle East. The
"Holy Land War" has ended disastrously; there has been a
military coup, and a nervous return to civilian rule; Los Angeles, and
then Washington, D. C. have been targeted with nuclear bombs. Much worse
than this, however, are the devastating epidemics of the "Mexican
flu" (avian flu, probably) and encephalitis which have swept away
sizable chunks of the population. Kunstler is cagey in not spelling out
what year this is or how much of the population is gone, but he leaves
clues that the year is about 2020 and about half the population of the
U. S. is gone. The economy, the electrical grid, and most law and order
have all collapsed. There may be a President, and he may be in
Could It Happen Here?
So how persuasive is his book? Is there still time to turn the public
back from the lunacy of ignoring fossil fuel depletion? Or is the book so far
fetched that it is an embarrassment to environmental activists
everywhere? I, for one, do not find Kunstler's vision all that
unrealistic, and I hope that it's turned into a movie. Or perhaps
better yet, it could be turned into a video game, where you control one
of several factions in Union Grove: the regular townspeople, the New
Faith church, Stephen Bullock's semi-feudalist outfit outside of town,
or Wayne Karp's gang of rednecks who control the town dump. You could model
it after one of the "city building" games, like Caesar III
or Zeus: Master of Olympus, in which Union Grove expands its
economy and links up with other communities in the vicinity.
No one knows how far-fetched Kunstler's apocalypse is. With our fiasco
in Iraq becoming tremendously unpopular, I would hope that the idea of
"decisive" U. S. intervention in the Middle East to secure oil
supplies would be dead as a doornail. But peak oil has still to really
hit the American economy, and when it does, who knows what kinds of
crazy military interventions may be proposed, especially if the
"100 years in Iraq" Republicans manage to actually win this
November. Avian flu is a time bomb waiting to happen; factory farms are
a breeding ground for a virus that has already affected humans, and if a
contagious variety evolved, it could be far more deadly than the flu
epidemic of 1918. Finally, if we really did convince the Muslims
that we had a "clash of civilizations" between Christianity
and Islam, well, Pakistan has the bomb already, so it's just a
question of getting it close enough to Los Angeles or Washington, D. C.
to explode.
So while each element of this basic scenario may seem unlikely, they
all could happen, and if they did, it would be a world-changing
disaster unlike anything since the fourteenth century, indeed unlike
anything since the beginning of civilization. It's a novel, for crying
out loud, and if we don't grant the basic premise, we wouldn't have
a novel, we'd have an economic or political treatise, which wouldn't
be nearly as interesting (and which in any event Kunstler has
already given us in The Geography of Nowhere and The Long
The Culture of Union Grove
Granted that, how realistic is Kunstler's fictional world? Much of
it is quite convincing. The rather rapid decay of the infrastructure,
given the quick decline of the goverment which maintains it, is very
instructive. Alan Weisman, who wrote The World Without Us -- a
nonfiction book telling us how most of what we have created would decay
if humans suddenly departed the scene -- wrote a blurb promoting the
book, and Kunstler has evidently read and understood Weisman's book. Trees
are growing up through the pavement, the town dump is pillaged to
recover resources no longer easily available, and even bicycles become
impossible with the collapse of an industry to support their
The main form of entertainment is acoustic music that heretofore has
been cultivated only by musicians and contra dancers interested in that
genre. I found this intriguing, because I'm a big fan of this kind of
music. Fiddle tunes like "Possum Up a Gum Stump," and shape
note hymns in the Sacred Harp and related traditions spring up
everywhere in the novel. Before the radio came to Appalachia in about
1920, that was what entertainment was -- and obviously after the grid
collapses, that's what we'll probably revert to. The hero is
propelled to early prominence in the novel because of his abilities as a
fiddler. At this point, Kunstler's world is rich with down-home
community spirit and it almost becomes a utopia instead of a
Most especially prominent in town politics is the role of religion.
Given Kunstler's secular-left tendencies and his open contempt for the
Christian right, religion comes out looking pretty good in this novel.
In fact, there are not one but two competing religious groups in the
novel, one roughly representing the "main line" Christian
churches, and the other roughly representing "evangelical"
churches -- though really, the New Faith church is not so much
fundamentalist, as it is a syncretistic combination of Billy Graham, the
Amish, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later known as "Osho").
This is really terrible to say, but the church and corresponding
institutions in other religions, as flimsy as they are, are one of the
few strong and truly local institutions left in American life today.
Everything else, from entertainment to industry, has pretty much been
taken over by national or international groups, but religion remains
truly a local affair. So it should not be surprising that it is the
institution that comes out of the woodwork to dominate the life of Union
How Would Union Grove Actually Work?
I have a few minor complaints about the novel. First, as I mentioned
above, the connection of this collapse with fossil fuels is unclear.
Surely Kunstler could provide at least one character who could say,
"yeah, I remember in the old days people warning about 'peak oil.'"
In fact, if the year is about 2020, then the collapse apparently
occurred fairly quickly and fairly completely. There would be quite a
bit of oil, and even more coal, still in the ground, but because the
economy has collapsed, the technology and infrastructure to mine it (or
to transition to anything resembling "solar and wind") is
In fact, there is one respect in which Kunstler's novel may
actually be more optimistic than is warranted, and that concerns
keeping warm in the winter. Even if the U. S. population was (say) half
or even a third of what it is today, is there enough wood in the U. S.
to sustain that sort of population through winter, given our leaky
houses, and the presumed lack of technology and infrastructure to
insulate them? By placing his novel in the summer, Kunstler evades this
postulates an almost total collapse of communications with the outside
world. "There may be a President, and he may be in
Minneapolis" summarizes what Union Grove knows about the outside
world. Wait a minute here. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
the United States had a population and a technology less developed than
that in World Made by Hand, and they knew about the outside
world. It took weeks for news of the Battle of New Orleans and the end
of the War of 1812 to cross each other in the mail, but the news did
travel -- why wouldn't the news travel, albeit slowly, in Kunstler's
Kunstler is (perhaps purposely) vague about what percentage of the
population has been destroyed by disease, perhaps just as a hedge
against these kinds of objections. Based on clues in the book, it
appears that from 30% to 80% of the population has been wiped out in
Union Grove, a pretty wide range. Is Union Grove more or less lucky than
the rest of the world? We don't know. Perhaps they were lucky and the
reason there's no communication with the outside world is that it isn't
Unhappiness in Union Grove
There is another aspect which isn't completely convincing, and that
is the high rate of depression among characters in the novel. The hero
comes into contact with several minor characters who commit suicide. One
of the key female characters in the novel seems perpetually depressed
and periodically breaks into tears.
Sure, this could certainly happen, but it's misleading. Depression and suicide are more typically
consequences of not having a social connection, rather than simply
declining living conditions or adverse circumstances. Suicide among Jews
in Europe during the Second World War was quite rare, and (while the
data is sketchy) apparently remained rare among survivors, although it
increased as time went by so that elderly survivors 60 years after the
death camps had three times the "normal" suicide rates.
Moreover, the evidence appears to be that suicide in the U. S. increased a bit at
the beginning of the Great Depression but then, at the depth of the
Depression, actually started to decrease, a decrease which continued
through the Second World War all the way to 1945, the end of the crisis
From "Vital Statistics of the United States, 1940 -
1960," available at this
CDC site.
It's true that the suicides in Kunstler's novel were socially
isolated characters, but it's misleading to imply that this would
plausibly be a pervasive problem. One of the features of Kunstler's
world is full employment -- there is a labor shortage, something
specifically stated in the novel. There are greatly reduced living
standards, but everyone has a job and no one, apparently, is going
hungry. This implies a high degree of social
cohesion. Even Kunstler's characters know this: after one of the
suicides, Brother Jobe comments that it was a pity, because he could
have offered the person a place in his community.
Social Cohesion
Which brings me to the next feature which I can complain about, the
social cohesion of Union Grove, or really the lack of social cohesion.
Union Grove is a place in which, pretty much, anything goes. There is no
police force, there is no court system. There is a murder in town early
in the novel -- in broad daylight -- in which the perpetrator, the
victim, and the circumstances are pretty well known to everyone. Yet it
takes the entire length of the novel for the key characters to come to
grips with this situation, after they've taken a rather lengthy detour
of the countryside -- a detour in which they find similar lawless
conditions elsewhere in the vicinity.
The only corresponding situation in history would be the Black Death
in the fourteenth century, which eliminated 30% - 50% of the population
of Europe, affecting rich and poor alike. But you did not see an ongoing
breakdown in social order at that time. In fact, the Black Death barely
caused more than a slight delay in the Hundred Years War. Some towns did in
fact "collapse" if their population fell below critical
levels, but in many or most places, the living buried the dead, filled their
shoes, and life carried on as before. It's true that feudal Europe was
much less technologically developed, but I would not automatically
assume that a social disaster means social chaos. It could mean exactly
the opposite.
We shouldn't automatically project the social dynamics of the
1990's and early 2000's, when we had Enron, day-traders, stock options,
and culture wars, onto the post-apocalyptic Union Grove. I suspect that
a more likely alternative would be the social dynamics of the 1950's,
where social interaction was more tightly controlled. In the 1950's, as
the old saw goes, the problems in schools centered around running in the
halls and chewing bubble gum, but in the 1990's it was guns, drugs, and
violence. Depending on your situation, the 1950's were not necessarily a
better place to live; it was also a tightly controlled world in which
people complained about being a cog in the machine, and the 1990's
offered an unprecedented freedom of opportunity.
So this wouldn't mean that Union Grove would necessarily therefore be
some sort of utopia. But it would more likely be a rather tight small
town reminiscent of what it was like in 1950 rather than 1990. If a
brand new church wanted to move to Union Grove, they might not have gotten into town without extensive
negotiation. If someone was murdered in Union Grove in broad
daylight, the leader of the rednecks who controlled the town dump might
have just given the murderer 24 hours to get out of town.
In Kunstler's defense, the general drift of these possibilities I have mentioned
(and others of similar nature)
occurred to some of the characters. The community brushes them
aside, only to be forced to return to them as the novel progresses. But
I would say that a town and a set of characters that cannot figure out
the need for some sort of law and order after half their population is
wiped out due to disease and Washington, D. C. is blown to smithereens,
is a little slow on the uptake.
Kunstler may be a curmudgeon, but he's our curmudgeon, so we
like him. Here's hoping that people read the book and that it prompts
them to think about the kind of future we're creating, and to reflect
on the fact that the world postulated in World Made By Hand is
very possible. In fact, all it would really take to bring it about would
be, well, just to continue what we're doing now.
Keith Akers
March 26, 2008 (slightly revised March 27)
After looking at what others have said about Kunstler's novel, I feel
I should add one more thing, about the "supernatural"
element in the book. My apologies to readers of this
review: what follows will not be comprehensible unless you've
actually read the book.
When I read the book through the first time, I actually did not
notice a supernatural element. Then I started looking at what
other reviews were saying about the book, and among them came across an
interview of Kunstler posted on the book's web site -- in which Kunstler
explicitly mentions that there is a supernatural element. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!
At first I didn't know what he was talking about. What
supernatural element? And then it occurred to me: there was one
plot element (towards the end) that did not seem to make a lot of
sense. (Basically I don't want to give this element of the plot
away and it would take too long to explain it anyway, so I will just
identify it for those of you who have already read the book.) The
hero wakes up, saying:
My clothes were damp. It took me a moment to remember what I
was doing there. I had no idea what time it was. I felt
hungover despite not having drunk anything . . .
My clothes were damp. It took me a moment to remember what I
was doing there. I had no idea what time it was. I felt
hungover despite not having drunk anything . . .
Subsequently, he discovers an unusual coincidence in some recent
deaths, something that must have happened -- in fact -- in the very room
he found himself in. Uh, I think that this coincidence is the
"supernatural element."
Sorry, at the time I didn't think it was supernatural at all!
When I read the book, I said to myself, "that's odd. I wonder
what the explanation is?" There were two possibilities that
occurred to me as I was reading it: the first was that the event had a
perfectly natural explanation, in fact the explanation that the hero
suggests to Brother Jobe, and Brother Jobe just shrugs his shoulders,
not admitting or denying it. After all, the hero had suffered some
serious trauma in the previous 24 hours, and his memory might be a bit
The second was that I hadn't understood the scene correctly, that I
was missing some plot details that had been gone over earlier, or that
the truth would be revealed a bit further down in the novel. I
waited for further clues, but there were no other clues. The book
ends. Oops. Well, I said to myself, maybe I'll go back and
re-read the book and I'll understand that section.
Now I get it: it was a supernatural occurrence!
Doing a Google search on other reviews of World Made By Hand,
I can find no other references to this supernatural element except in
one other review that said that it hit a "sour note" in an
otherwise fine novel. I agree. If I hadn't been told
that this was a supernatural event, it might have never occurred to me,
and I'll bet there are a significant number of other readers who will
feel the same way.
It would be fairly easy to change, since nothing else in the
novel seems to depend on it. Maybe in version 2.0 of this book,
he'll change this element or explain it further, or add an
"epilogue" in which he explains just "what the heck"
he is talking about. Maybe add some sentences
recounting the story and adding:
"To this day, I do not have an explanation of that amazing
coincidence. Over and over again, I turn over what is in my
memory, as if it were a drug-induced hallucination. It stands in
my life as a gap, a yawning chasm, a black hole in my brain, for which
I have no explanation. When I try to fill in this gap, I attribute
it to the role of Divine Providence, or supernatural forces, possibly
even demonic forces, which intervened in our town that day --
perhaps the same demonic forces which led our late, supposedly great,
nation down the path to destruction."
There is nothing else that suggests the supernatural in the novel, so
basically I think that this is a problem for the novel. Sorry, Jim, I just didn't get


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SoManc is back with DYE Precision Ltd.
Dye Precision Ltd. is pleased to announce the re-signing of the UK Paintball Team, SoManc.
We are very happy to be working with SoManc again. After finishing well in the Millennium Series SPL 2010, it's great to see the SoManc name return.
Steve Brown, SoManc Captain:
We are delighted to announce that we are going back to our roots. Not only have we reclaimed the SoManc name but we have also teamed back up with DYE, the Company where it all began! We are really looking forward to our exciting future back with the DYE family and the players can't wait to get their hands on the amazing new NT11′s and to be rocking the fantastic C11 gear. DYE + SoManc = WOW!"
SoManc will be using the new NT11, combined with the DYE Rotor, I4 goggles and C11 playing kit. Look out for the team at the opening CPPS event in March.


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The Ten Best Shows In St. Louis This Weekend: May 4 to 6
This weekend is Cinco de Mayo, which for all of you non Spanish-speaking types translates literally to "The Five of Mayo". What this cryptic phrase actually means is unclear, as is the origin of the association between Mexico and mayonnaise, but for some reason it seems to happen every year on the fifth of May and we end up drinking a lot of tequila because of it. Whatever, any excuse to party. While partying this weekend, we recommend you check out one of the great shows in town -- our picks are below, with *NEW* brief explanations as to why we thought they were notable. Check it out, and let us know what you're up to this weekend in the comments.
Antennas Up - Sunday @ Lemmons
*And before you get all uppity, yeah, I know what "Cinco de Mayo" is. Esta un broma por gracia solemente.
Andre Williams
@ Off Broadway
8:00 p.m. | $10
Andre Williams laid some groundwork for hip-hop half a century ago and his wit and soul haven't ebbed much in the interim. Go for the screening of Agile, Mobile, Hostile: A Year With Andre Williams, stay because it's Andre Fucking Williams. (KM)
@ Pop's Nightclub
6:30 p.m. | $26 to $28
Formed in 1990, Clutch has been playing its brand of hard rock for three decades and nine full lengths now, forming a rabid cult following and repeatedly touching the edges of mainstream success. (DH)
DJ Cobra
@ Horizon at Harry's
8:00 p.m. | $10
Andrew Bagg, better known as DJ Cobra, is the open-format DJ to the stars -- he played Paris Hilton's 30th birthday party, for example -- with a notable connection to St. Louis: DJ Cobra got his start opening for Nelly on tour in 2003. (DH)
Tef Poe War Machine 2 Listening Party
@ The Gramophone
9:00 p.m. | $5
Perhaps the most critical voice in St. Louis hip-hop, Tef Poe has been working on the follow-up to his breakthrough War Machine for a long damn time. It's here and everyone from the longtime fans to XXL is taking notice. (KM)
@ Ambassador
6:00 p.m. | $30 to $60
Fort Meyers' goon-affiliated (or maybe not, really) rapper Plies has made guest appearances on tracks with a veritable who's who list of performers in the last few years, including Usher, Gucci Mane, Young Jeezy and many more. (DH)
Location Info
Off Broadway
3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
Pop's Nightclub
401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, IL
Category: Restaurant
2144 Market St., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
The Gramophone
4243 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
9800 Halls Ferry Road, North St. Louis County, MO
Category: Music
3163 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
Off Broadway
3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
El Lenador
3124 Cherokee St., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
Star Clipper
1319 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO
Category: General
Lemmons - CLOSED
5800 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO
Category: Music
Sponsor Content


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In recent years, programs have been developed to avoid unnecessary incarceration of Veterans who have deployed to war and subsequently developed mental health problems. The programs aim to assist Veterans who become involved in the justice system to get treatment for mental health problems that may exist. These programs are especially needed given the numbers of Veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2008 the Center for Mental Health Service of the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) convened a conference with the goal of looking at ways to decrease the involvement of Veterans with the justice system and to provide them with mental health treatment. The conference was attended by representatives from law enforcement, corrections, the courts, community organizations, Federal agencies, and Veterans' health and advocacy organizations. Out of this forum emerged recommendations for a Veterans Treatment Court (1).
Veterans Treatment Courts are based on the Drug Court and Mental Health Court models introduced in the 1990s (2). As in these models, the goal is to divert those with mental health issues from the traditional justice system and to give them treatment and tools for rehabilitation and readjustment. While each Veterans Treatment Court is part of a community's justice system, treatment courts often form partnerships with VA and with Veterans' organizations. Since the first Veterans Treatment Court was established in 2008, the number of courts has been growing fast. By August, 2010, there were 41 Veterans Treatment Courts in the United States (2).
One example of how a Veterans Treatment Court works is the court in Tulsa, OK (3). When a Veteran is arrested, police officers ask whether the detainee is a Veteran. If so, the Veteran's eligibility for Veterans Treatment Court and for VA benefits is determined. Only Veterans charged with non-violent crimes who are in need of mental health or substance abuse treatment are eligible for treatment court.
A Veteran's participation in treatment court is voluntary. Veterans who choose to participate are assessed by a mental health professional, and their treatment needs are determined. Most Veterans receive treatment through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) network. While Veterans Treatment Court allows the Veteran to remain in the community, a judge regularly checks on progress while the Veteran is in treatment. If the Veteran fails to meet the requirements of the program - for example, fails drug screens or disobeys court orders - the Court will impose sanctions which may include community service, fines, jail time, or re-arrest back through the legal system.
In 2008 the first Veterans Treatment Court was started in Buffalo, NY. According to a report by its founder, Judge Robert Russell (4), the Buffalo program provides medical and mental health treatment, training and job placement services, as well as housing, transportation and other supportive services. Veterans are also provided with mentors: other Veteran volunteers who provide further support for the program participants. Upon completion of the Buffalo program, many participants have had their charges reduced or dismissed. At the time of Judge Russell's report, there was a 0% recidivism rate among Veterans who had completed the program.
To provide direct services to justice-involved Veterans, whether or not they live in a community that has a Veterans Treatment Court, VA has developed the Veterans Justice Outreach initiative (VJO). VA is committed to the principle that when mental illness plays a role in non-violent crimes committed by Veterans, both the Veteran and the community are better served by treating the Veteran's mental illness rather than incarcerating him or her (5-6). Under VJO, each VA Medical Center has a designated justice outreach specialist. VJO specialists function as a link between VA, Veterans, and the local justice system. They serve both incarcerated Veterans and justice-involved Veterans who have not been incarcerated.
VJO staff work with the courts to help eligible justice-involved Veterans get mental health assessment, treatment planning, and referrals to VA services. Specialists communicate with officers of the court about Veterans' compliance with VA treatment programs, and they may also assist in training law enforcement personnel on issues such as PTSD or traumatic brain injury. For information and a list of VJO contacts, see Justice Outreach.
Efforts such as Veterans Treatment Courts and the VA's Veterans Justice Outreach initiative may prove helpful to Veterans who become involved in the justice system. The goal of these programs is to divert eligible Veterans from the traditional legal system and to make sure they get needed treatment and support. This is important for all Veterans, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, who may be in need of treatment for PTSD or other mental health problems.


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Juan Delgado and Indhira Santos argue that although the right issues are on the G8 table, what it is still lacking, after one year of continuously increasing prices, is comprehensive action: the G8 leaders' statement on food security lacks a clear plan in the first two policy areas -trade and aid- and remains vague in the field of biofuels. Click here to download this comment. Read more
Bruegel blog
The non-response of the G8 to the food crisis
9th July 2008
Back to basic with the EU budget
9th October 2007
The effectiveness and impact of EU structural and cohesive funds has been poorly monitored. Indhira Santos argues that when moving on in the reform process there is a need for an independent and rigorous evaluation of EU policies. Click here to download this comment. Read more


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Multilingual communication opens doors around the world that for many English-only
speakers stay closed. But it's more than just conversation. It's the study of others' history
and art, a means to enhance listening skills and creativity, and an opportunity to develop a
deeper understanding of another culture and your own.
What will set you apart from other candidates? In a global economy and an evolving
American cultural landscape, multilingualism will leap off your resume. Check out our
Careers page to learn more about the professional options across a variety of industries that
await you after graduation.
We encourage MCL majors and minors to spend a semester abroad immersing themselves
in the unique customs and day-to-day cultural experiences that wait beyond our borders.
Applying your skills outside of the classroom – and the U.S. – is vital to mastering the
nuances and intricacies of a new language.
Kalmanovitz Hall 328
2130 Fulton St.San Francisco, CA 94117
Hours: M-F, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Telephone: (415) 422-2802Fax: (415) 422-6928
Email: email@example.com
Program Assistant:Krislyn email@example.com


text:
Listen to part 3 of our Ministry Today interview with Louie Giglio and find out how this youth leader is reaching the world (and Atlanta) through the Passion events.
Part 3:
Part 1: Find out innovative ministry tips for pastors.
Part 2: Learn how to keep Christ the focus in a me-focused culture.
The Charisma Podcast Network is now live. Featuring a variety of programs including news, leadership, inspiring stories, women's topics, sports, and even more.
Subscribe now for free!


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Back to Lang, Railsback & Associates
University of Bergen (Norway), Ph.D., Biology, 2004
University of Illinois, M.S., Environmental Engineering, 1981
University of Illinois, B.S., Civil Engineering, 1979
Lang, Railsback & Assoc., Consulting Research Scientist
Humboldt State University, Adjunct Professor, Department of Mathematics
Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Research Associate
Entrix, Inc., Staff Scientist
U.S. Army, Fort Richardson, Alaska, Environmental Engineer and Environmental Branch Chief
U.S. Army, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Environmental Engineer
Registered Civil Engineer, California license no. C 041059
Graduation with highest honors, University of Illinois
Member: American Society of Civil Engineers, American Fisheries Society, Ecological Society of America
Member, Board of Directors, Swarm Development Group (a non-profit corporation supporting agent-based simulation in the study of complex systems)
Invited presentations on modeling ecological complexity: Environmental Research Center Leipzig-Halle (Germany), Los Alamos National Laboratory Center for Nonlinear Studies, Santa Fe Institute, Simon Fraser University, University of Michigan Center for the Study of Complex Systems, 5th International Conference on Ecological Informatics
Reviewer for journals including Adaptive Behavior, The American Naturalist, Biological Reviews, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Ecological Applications, Ecological Modelling, Ecology, Environmental Biology of Fishes, Environmental Management, Environmental Science and Technology, Games and Economic Behavior, Hydrobiologia, Journal of Fish Biology, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Reviews in Fisheries Science, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
Grimm, V., and S. F. Railsback. Model the real, artificial, or stylized iguana? Artificial life and adaptive behavior can be linked through pattern-oriented modeling. Adaptive Behavior 17:309-312, 2009.
Harvey, B. C., and S. F. Railsback. Exploring the persistence of stream-dwelling trout populations under alternative real-world turbidity regimes with an individual-based model. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 138:348-360, 2009.
Railsback, S. F., and C. Chamberlin. Low energy homebrewing. Zymurgy 32(2): 24-31, 2009.
Railsback, S. F., and J. Kadvany. Demonstration flow assessment: judgment and visual observation in instream flow studies. Fisheries 33: 217-227, 2008.
Harvey, B. C., and S. F. Railsback. Estimating multi-factor cumulative watershed effects on fish populations with an individual-based model. Fisheries 32: 292-298, 2007.
Railsback, S. F., S. L. Lytinen, and S. K. Jackson. Agent-based simulation platforms: review and development recommendations. Simulation 82: 609-623, 2006.
Grimm, V., U. Berger, F. Bastiansen, S. Eliassen, V. Ginot, J. Giske, J. Goss-Custard, T. Grand, S. Heinz, G. Huse, A. Huth, J. U. Jepsen, C. Jørgensen, W. M. Mooij, B. Müller, G. Pe'er, C. Piou, S. F. Railsback, A. M. Robbins, M. M. Robbins, E. Rossmanith, N. Rüger, E. Strand, S. Souissi, R. A. Stillman, R. Vabø, U. Visser, and D. L. DeAngelis. A standard protocol for describing individual-based and agent-based models. Ecological Modelling 198: 115-296, 2006.
Grand, T. C., S. F. Railsback, J. W. Hayes, and K. LaGory. A physical habitat model for predicting the effects of flow fluctuations in nursery habitats of the endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius). River Research and Applications 22: 1125-1142, 2006.
Grimm, V. and S. F. Railsback. Agent-based models in ecology: patterns and alternative theories of adaptive behaviour. In: Billari, F., T. Fent, A. Prskawetz, and J. Scheffran (eds.), Agent-based Computational Modelling; Applications in Demography, Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences. Physica Verlag, Heidelberg, 2006.
Grimm, V., E. Revilla, U. Berger, F. Jeltsch, W. M. Mooij, S. F. Railsback, H.-H. Thulke, J. Weiner, T. Wiegand, and D. L. DeAngelis. Pattern-oriented modeling of agent-based complex systems: lessons from ecology. Science 310: 987-991, 2005.
Grimm, V. and S. F. Railsback. Individual-based Modeling and Ecology. Princeton University Press, 2005.
Railsback, S. F., B. C. Harvey, J. W. Hayes, and K. E. LaGory. Tests of theory for diel variation in salmonid feeding activity and habitat use. Ecology 86: 947-959, 2005.
Railsback, S. F., H. B. Stauffer and B. C. Harvey. What can habitat preference models tell us? tests using a virtual trout population. Ecological Applications 13: 1580-1594, 2003.
Railsback, S. F. and B. C. Harvey. Analysis of habitat selection rules using an individual-based model. Ecology 83: 1817-1830, 2002.
Railsback, S. F., B. C. Harvey, R. R. Lamberson, D. E. Lee, N. J. Claasen and S. Yoshihara. Population-level analysis and validation of an individual-based cutthroat trout model. Natural Resource Modeling 15: 83-110, 2002.
Ropella, G. E. P., S. F. Railsback, and S. K. Jackson. Software engineering considerations for individual-based models. Natural Resource Modeling 15: 5-22, 2002.
Huse, G., S. Railsback and A. Fernø. Modelling changes in migration patterns of herring by numerical domination. Journal of Fish Biology 60: 571-582, 2002.
Railsback, S. F. Getting "results": the pattern-oriented approach to analyzing natural systems with individual-based models. Natural Resource Modeling 14: 465-474, 2001.
Railsback, S. F. Concepts from complex adaptive systems as a framework for individual-based modelling. Ecological Modelling 139: 47-62, 2001.
Kondolf, G. M., M. W. Smeltzer, and S. F. Railsback. Design and performance of a channel reconstruction project in a coastal California gravel-bed stream. Environmental Management 28: 761-776, 2001.
Railsback, S. F., R. H. Lamberson, B. C. Harvey, and W. E. Duffy. Movement rules for spatially explicit individual-based models of stream fish. Ecological Modelling 123: 73-89, 1999.
Railsback, S. F. Reducing uncertainties in instream flow studies (essay). Fisheries 24 (4): 24-26, 1999.
Railsback, S. F. and K. A. Rose. Bioenergetics modeling of stream trout growth: temperature and food consumption effects. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 128: 241-256, 1999.
Van Winkle, W., H. I. Jager, S. F. Railsback, B. D. Holcomb, T. K. Studley, and J. E. Baldrige. Individual-based model of sympatric populations of brown and rainbow trout for instream flow assessment: model description and calibration. Ecological Modelling 110: 175-207, 1998.
Van Winkle, W., C. C. Coutant, H. I. Jager, J. S. Mattice, D. J. Orth, R. G. Otto, S. F. Railsback, and M. J. Sale. Uncertainty and instream flow standards: perspectives based on hydropower research and assessment (essay). Fisheries 22 (7): 21-22, 1997.
Railsback, S. F., R. F. Blackett, and N. D. Pottinger. Evaluation of the fisheries impact assessment and monitoring program for the Terror Lake Hydroelectric Project. Rivers 4: 312-327, 1993.
Chang, S.-Y., S.-L. Liaw, S. F. Railsback, and M. J. Sale. Modeling alternatives for basin-level hydropower development, 1, optimization methods and applications. Water Resources Research 28: 2581-2590, 1992.
Railsback, S. F. Mixing characteristics of submerged and surface wastewater outfalls at McMurdo Station. Polar Record 28: 149-154, 1992.
Chang, L. H., S. F. Railsback, and R. T. Brown. Use of a reservoir water quality model to simulate global climate change effects on fish habitat. Climatic Change 20: 277-296, 1992.
Railsback, S. F., J. M. Bownds, M. J. Sale, M. M. Stevens, and G. H. Taylor. Aeration at navigation dams in the upper Ohio River basin. Journal of Environmental Engineering 116: 361-375, 1990. Closure to discussions published in Vol 118: 447-451.
Beauchamp, J. J., D. J. Downing, and S. F. Railsback. Comparison of regression and time-series methods for synthesizing missing streamflow records. Water Resources Bulletin 25: 961-975, 1989.
Railsback, S. F., E. E. Herricks, and V. Alavian. Aquatic insect habitat modeling. In: Proceedings of a Symposium on Acquisition and Utilization of Aquatic Habitat Inventory Information, Portland, Oregon, October, 1981. Western Division, American Fisheries Society. 1981.
Sale, M. J., S. F. Railsback, and E. E. Herricks. Frequency analysis for instream flow analysis. In: Proceedings of a Symposium on Acquisition and Utilization of Aquatic Habitat Inventory Information, Portland, Oregon, October, 1981. Western Division, American Fisheries Society. 1981.
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|Project by Jarred
|posted 10-20-2012 03:04 PM
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Here are various Christmas ornaments.
The first ornament is made from redheart, sassafras, and a tiny bit of curly maple as the sun.
The second ornament has redhear, birdseye maple, and curly walnut.
The third ornament is redheart. The transparent thread suspending it has knots under each section so that the parts spin independently of each other.
The holly ornament is made of redheart.
Thanks for looking!
-- No reserve. No retreat. No regrets.


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NEW YORK (AP) — After a season of earthquakes, tsunamis and political violence, television networks from ABC to E! are betting that many Americans will want to rise before dawn next week to bask in the splendor of the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Coverage generally begins at 4 a.m. EDT for the April 29 wedding, or 1 a.m. PDT on the West Coast, where the issue may be whether to stay up very, very late.
"Collectively people are eager for a bit of a break," said Mark Lukasiewicz, NBC News executive in charge of planning coverage for that network and its cable offshoots. "It will be a chance to focus on something that has a little bit of fun and pageantry in the grand British style."
"Nobody," agreed ABC's Barbara Walters, "does a wedding like the British."
Cable television was in its infancy when William's parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, were married in 1981. The broadcast networks were the place to see that wedding, and they'll be back this year. But viewers will have several other options, including bypassing television altogether by watching an online stream.
Lukasiewicz's assignment for NBC Universal alone illustrates the variety.
On NBC, the "Today" show team will be in London for live coverage, joined by the network's top anchor, Brian Williams. MSNBC will have its own team, led by Martin Bashir and Chris Jansing at first, then the "Morning Joe" cast. Cable sister E! Entertainment will show the ceremony live, led by Giuliana Rancic. Telemundo is covering the event for Spanish-speaking viewers. The MSNBC.com Web site is streaming the wedding live. NBC News also is producing a royal wedding app for the iPad, whose features include shortcuts to connect people following the wedding through social media.
Most of the stars of U.S. television news will be in London next week not only to cover the wedding itself but the advanced preparations. Their bet is that interest in the royal nuptials will approach that of Charles and Diana's wedding.
"The young people in my office are very excited," said Walters, who was on hand for the 1981 wedding and will team with Diane Sawyer to lead ABC's coverage next week.
U.S. interest in the wedding has been slow to catch fire, but BBC America has noticed improving ratings for its pre-wedding programming lately, said Perry Simon, general manager of channels for BBC Worldwide America. Americans don't really start paying attention until it gets closer to the actual event, he said.
BBC America's job, he said, has been to stoke that interest.
Simon was riding in a cab in London when word of the royal engagement came down. He immediately pulled out his smartphone to contact fellow executives; he wanted BBC America to "own" the story of the wedding on U.S. TV.
Rather than appeal specifically to a U.S. audience on the day of the wedding, BBC America will air a commercial-free simulcast of what the main BBC network is showing. Americans will be able to experience the wedding the way many British citizens will be — in their own living rooms. BBC One news anchor Huw Edwards will lead the BBC's team.
"There is nobody better prepared and more appropriate to present the event in all of its grandeur," Simon said.
Other networks offer a farewell of sorts, a coming out party and a chance to see an old friend.
Katie Couric, who is taking her "CBS Evening News" broadcast to London midweek, will anchor CBS' wedding coverage starting at 4 a.m. Friday. Not only is the morning hour familiar to many of her fans from the "Today" show, there's a good chance it will be the last major news event where she is CBS' lead anchor. Her CBS contract expires June 4.
CNN's wedding coverage will be anchored by Piers Morgan, Richard Quest, Anderson Cooper and Kiran Chetry. Morgan, a veteran Brit newsman with extensive contacts with the royal family, will have his most prominent role with the network since joining in January as Larry King's replacement. CNN also will stream several camera angles of the festivities online and through tablet apps.
A familiar face has appeared from London lately on Fox News Channel: former ABC "Good Morning America" co-anchor Joan Lunden. A former colleague at ABC who is now at Fox suggested that Lunden come on to help with wedding coverage and she jumped at the chance. Lunden and David Hartman of "Good Morning America" were on duty at ABC for Charles and Diana's wedding.
"I am having a ball," Lunden said. "It's been really enjoyable."
She spent time earlier this month filing reports from London for Fox and is preparing stories that will air on the day of the wedding (Shepard Smith and Martha MacCallum will co-anchor Fox's coverage). A previous speaking engagement will prevent Lunden from being on the scene next week.
Networks also are providing options for people in the United States who aren't awake for a ceremony that will reach a climax around the time many alarm clocks are going off in the East. BBC America, for example, will immediately repeat its coverage — twice — as soon as it is over.
Walters will anchor a two-hour prime-time "20/20" on Friday recapping the wedding. At the same time — 9 p.m. EDT — Ann Curry will host a two-hour "instant documentary" about the wedding on "Dateline NBC." Couric's prime-time special on CBS will be titled "The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty." Fox News also will present prime-time highlights, along with CNN, through London-set shows by Morgan and Cooper.


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November 11, 2013
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There's a new talent in the South African music space that goes by the name of Vusi Nova. One thing for sure, the Soweto born artist can sing!
Taking a step back to the oldies, the artist decided to do a rendition of Etta James – I'd Rather Go Blind.
Originally written by Ellington Jordan and co-credited to Billy Foster, Vusi's take on the song is something else. The talent impressively swings so well; sticks close to the melody throughout and maintains the high notes like he's just doing a vocal warm up.
Truth be told, the youngster really did justice to the song. This one will not go down unnoticed. After all; it's a beautiful rendition.
The video of this jam is also on another level. The set-up and overall video texture is up to standard. Watch below and don't forget to leave a comment.