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The Meet:
The University of Arizona men's and women's cross country teams begin their 2000 campaign Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Purdue Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind. The Wildcats will face host school Purdue, along with contentions from Butler, DePaul, Iowa, and Illinois (men only). The women run their 6,000-meter race at 9:15 a.m. (CDT), and the men's competition follows at 10 a.m. Weather in West Lafayette is expected to be excellent for race day with highs in the upper 70s under partly cloudy skies.
Who's Going:
Both the men's and women's teams will send nine runners to the first couple of meets, including this one. Competing for the Arizona women will be: Kimberly Bates, Jennifer Burris, Tara Chaplin, Erin Doherty, Katrin Engelen, Nicole Gurnicz, Harisimran Khalsa, Beth Hoge and Andrea Schwartz. The men will field a team of: Andrew Carlson, Mike Cramer, Kevin Engelhardt, Mike Howard, David Lopez, Matt McInvale, Tom Prindiville, Steve Smith and Rick Weis.
For the Women:
All five of the Arizona women's finishers at the 1999 NCAA Championships will compete for the Wildcats this season. Led by junior Tara Chaplin, Arizona's No. 1 runner last year, the Wildcats are a deep and talented team from 1-9 in the running order. Senior Katrin Engelen qualified for the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 10,000m and has carried her fine running streak in the cross country season. Juniors Erin Doherty and Jennifer Burris were both solid contributors in the team's top-4 last year and are in great shape again. Four newcomers and another returnee add more depth to the Wildcats' squad this season, too. Sophomore Kimberly Bates was a quality No. 5-6 runner last year and will help in that capacity again. Sophomore Nicole Gurnicz transferred during the off-season from Boise State and gives the Wildcats another solid runner with collegiate experience. Sophomore Harisimran Khalsa and freshmen Beth Hoge and Andrea Schwartz will also push for spots in the top seven that will travel to future meets.
And the Men:
Arizona finished 10th at last year's NCAA Championships, and four of the top five runners from that race return to the team this year. Senior David Lopez was the team's No. 2 runner last season and is poised to fill the role of the departed Micheil Jones, although juniors Steve Smith and Mike Cramer will have plenty to say (with their feet) in the race for the team's top spot. Juniors Tom Prindiville and Rick Weis has shown in fall practice he is capable of running with the front pack, and four freshmen will be amongst the challengers for the Wildcats. Andrew Carlson, Mike Howard, Kevin Engelhardt and Matt McInvale form one of the top freshmen classes in the nation this season with a wealth of distance running ability. With the veteran core and crop of quality freshmen runners, the Wildcats will once again be one of the top teams in the nation.
Going Polling:
The Wildcat men began the season ranked No. 5 in the Mondo NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country poll, as voted on by the U.S. Cross Country Coaches Association. Arkansas led the poll eight first-place votes and 392 total. Stanford came in second, also with eight first-place votes, with 390 votes. The top-5 rounded out with Colorado (367), Iona (302) and the Wildcats (301). The Arizona women are 31st, in the receiving votes column, of the FinishLynx NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country poll.
Arizona Head Coach Dave Murray:
The dean of Arizona coaches, Dave Murray (Arizona 65, 68) begins his 34th season as a head coach at Arizona. He has been at the helms of the men's cross country program since 1968, and the women's program has been under his direction since 1976. Murray has also been the head track and field coach since 1982, and his one of the most respected coaches in the nation. Murray has 146 All-Americans to his credit, 106 in track and field, 40 in cross country.
Murray's Musings:
"This meet is going to be a good chance for us to see where we are in terms of our conditioning and against competition other than ourselves. We have a lot of people back on both teams, and they give us a very solid core of runners. But we also have a number of talented newcomers who are really making an impact for us, some who I think are going to be in our top four or five this year. Most of the kids came in this year in very good condition, so I think that we are going to be very race-ready from the start. Basically, this is just going to be a good chance to get out and run in a real race."


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Artist: Cadaver
Album: ...In Pains
Genre: Rock
Into The Outside
A virus brought decay to your chromosomes
Disturbed the DNA you lost your self-control
Material energy has brought you this blur
Psychotherapy your last chance to be cured
The mental atmosphere beyond your universe
Is filled with cosmic fear can you break the curse
As you're lying numbed they're entering your mind
As deep as they can come to see what they can find
The spaceship rotates into the outside
A world of emptiness
Camera obscura
Dark... the dark big void
Approaching the land where it's sunset at dawn
To cure is their mission, a challenge too big
Too big for a human being
Take off
Free yourself
You've had enough
Fight against
Be strong
This surgery
Will last long
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Heart Procedures
In the case surgery is required to treat your heart disease, Banner Health offers extraordinary care from some of the most experienced and skilled cardiologists, surgeons, emergency physicians, clinicians and counselors.
In some Banner hospitals, surgeons are using robotic surgery to help perform some minimally invasive cardiac procedures.
The following is a list of surgeries provided at many of Banner's heart treatment centers.
Types of Procedures
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
- Defibrillators
- Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)
- Maze (for atrial fibrillation)
- Atrial (ASD) or Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) Repair
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization (also called cardiac cath, coronary angiography or heart catheterization) gives your doctor a view of the heart valves, the heart muscle and coronary arteries at work. If your doctor finds a problem during a catheterization, he or she may treat it right away.
Cardiac Catheterization Preparation Guide
Watch a video to learn more about cardiac catheterization
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
CABG surgery can restore a healthy blood supply to your heart by creating a new way for blood to flow around (bypass) a blocked coronary artery.
During your surgery, your surgeon will take a healthy blood vessel from another part of your body and graft it around the blockage. The number and type of bypass grafts you will have depend on the number of blockages you have and where they are located.
The blood vessels most often used for grafts are the mammary arteries, located in the chest, or the saphenous veins from the legs. You can do without these vessels because other vessels will take over their work. If your surgeon uses a saphenous vein, you will have an incision on the inside of your leg.
Watch a video to learn more about coronary artery bypass graft surgery
A defibrillator monitors the heartbeat. It gives out a high-energy electrical impulse to stop very fast and abormal heartbeats and returns the heart to a normal rhythm. It can be external (placed on a chest) or internal (surgically placed in the chest).
Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)
The LVAD is an implantable mechanical device that circulates blood throughout the body when the heart is too weak to do it on its own. The device takes blood from a lower chamber of the heart and helps pump it to the body and vital organs, just as a healthy heart would.
The LVAD is inserted into the heart with a lead that attaches outside the body to a system controller, which continually checks its performance. The system controller attaches to a power source which must always remain connected.
The Maze procedure is a surgical treatment to correct atrial fibrillation. It is also often paired with heart valve replacement surgery.
Atrial fibrillation means that electrical impulses "get lost" in the top chambers (atria) of the heart, which makes them quiver instead of beating normally. During the Maze procedure, the surgeon cuts the areas in the atrium that give off the abnormal signals. As these cuts heal, scar tissue blocks the abnormal signals and forces electrical impulses in the right direction — just as the walls in a maze force movement in the right direction.
In some cases, the Maze procedure alone can restore normal heart rate. Sometimes, patients also need pacemakers.
Pacemaker implant
A pacemaker insertion is the implantation of a small electronic device in the chest (just below the collarbone) to help regulate electrical problems with the heart. When a problem develops, such as a slow heart rate, a pacemaker may be recommended to ensure that the heartbeat does not slow to a dangerously low rate.
Watch a video about pacemakers
The pericardium is a sac that surrounds the heart. Normally it holds just enough fluid to cushion and lubricate the heart muscle. Disease, infection or injury can cause fluid to build up in the pericardium. The pressure of this extra fluid can lessen the heart's ability to pump as it should. Pericardial window surgery can drain the extra fluid and help the heart pump effectively again.
After making a small incision below the end of your breastbone (sternum) or between the ribs on the left side of your chest to access the heart, the surgeon will make a small cut (window) in the pericardium so that the extra fluid can drain. The surgeon may place a catheter in the pericardial window so that fluid can continue to drain for a short period of time after the surgery.
Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve
Banner Health is one of the first in the nation to offer the Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve as an alternative to open-heart surgery for patients with aortic stenosis.
The Sapien Transcather Heart Valve can be placed without the invasive open heart surgery which was previously required to treat such patients. That feature makes heart valve replacement possible for those who may not have been strong enough to undergo open heart surgery.
To replace the diseased heart valve, the Sapien valve is compressed into the end of a long, thin, tube-like device called a delivery catheter. The delivery catheter, slightly wider than a pencil, is inserted into the femoral artery through a small cut in the leg and threaded to the site of the diseased valve. The heart valve is then released from the delivery catheter and expanded with a balloon and is immediately functional.
Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)
TMR surgery can increase the blood supply to your heart. Your doctor may suggest you have TMR if medication, angioplasty or CABG surgery has not or cannot control your angina.
During TMR, your surgeon will use a laser to create new channels through the heart muscle of the left ventricle. These channels will allow blood from the left ventricle to move in and out of the heart muscle, giving it the oxygen-rich blood it needs.
Heart Valve Surgery
Heart valve surgery can improve the flow of blood through the heart's chambers and on to the body. Your doctor will discuss the different types of heart valves that are available if one or more of your own valves need to be replaced.
Your doctor may recommend either an artificial or tissue valve, depending on your specific condition and general health. There are advantages and disadvantages with both types:
- Artificial (mechanical) valves are made from man-made materials.
- Advantage: Mechanical valves are strong and last for many years.
- Disadvantage: Blood clots can form more easily on mechanical valves than on tissue valves, so your doctor may prescribe Coumadin or another blood thinner for you to take every day.
- Tissue valves are natural and soft.
- Advantage: These valves are soft, and blood clots are less likely to form on them, so you may not have to take blood-thinning medication long term.
- Disadvantage: Tissue valves are not as durable or long-lasting as the mechanical valves.
Listen to a podcast about valve replacement and valve repair surgery
Learn more about valve replacement and repair
Atrial (ASD) or Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) Repair
An atrial septal defect is an abnormal opening in the wall (septum) that separates the top chambers of the heart (atria). A ventricular septal defect is an abnormal opening in the muscular wall separating the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles).
Your surgeon can close the opening by suturing it closed or by sewing a patch over the opening.
Ventricular Aneurysm Repair
A ventricular aneurysm occurs when a weakened area of muscle in one of the heart's ventricles balloons out. This can occur following a heart attack. Your doctor may advise surgical removal of the aneurysm to prevent blood clots from forming or to control symptoms of heart failure. During surgery, the surgeon will remove the weakened area then sew the walls of the ventricle back together. He or she may also patch the area to make the repair stronger. ventricular aneurysm repair
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
An aneurysm in your aorta can slow down or block blood flow to your lower body and cause back pain. Removing the aneurysm can protect you from the possibility of a blood clot forming or the aneurysm rupturing. The aneurysm can be repaired with stitching or grafting.
An aneurysm can occur lower in the abdomen. Your doctor may repair an aneurysm in this area surgically or by using a nonsurgical treatment called endoluminal graft (ELG).


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text: May 6, 2013 20:54 Georges plans to strengthen N.O. edition Georges plans to strengthen N.O. edition Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- John Georges discusses his ownership of The Advocate during a news conference Wednesday. Participating were, from left, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden, former publisher of The Advocate David Manship, Dathel Georges and Gov. Bobby Jindal. Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- A news conference marking the sale of The Advocate to Georges Media Group was attended by Peter Kovacs, editor of The Advocate; Dan Shea, chief operating officer and general manager; and John Georges, publisher and chief executive officer. Timothy Boone| Advocate business writer Comments New Orleans businessman John Georges, the new owner of The Advocate, said Wednesday that he plans to strengthen the New Orleans edition of the newspaper to better meet the demand of the community. "We have a unique opportunity to grow this newspaper," Georges, the chief executive officer of Georges Media Group and publisher of The Advocate, said during a meeting with the newspaper's employees Wednesday. "It just happens that there's a geography to the south that's dying for quality journalism seven days a week." While Georges praised The Advocate's New Orleans edition, which was launched in the fall when The Times-Picayune decided to pare back to a three-day-a-week edition, he said there are ways to improve the publication and increase readership by tailoring the edition to New Orleans readers. The goal is to get the new changes in place by September, he said. Georges completed a deal Tuesday to purchase The Advocate from the Manship family of Baton Rouge. Financial details were not disclosed. The Manships have owned Baton Rouge newspaper properties since 1909. The New Orleans area accounts for about a fifth of The Advocate's weekday circulation of 98,000. The Sunday circulation is about 125,000. Georges said if The Advocate could double the number of subscribers in New Orleans, the newspaper would "be in great shape." He said there are opportunities in the city because The Times-Picayune was "wounded and confused." The Times-Picayune's decision to reduce the frequency of its print edition generated widespread public outcry in New Orleans. On Tuesday, a few hours before it was announced Georges completed the purchase of The Advocate, The Times-Picayune said it will launch a tabloid edition for three of the days on which it ceased publication. But the newspaper will not offer home delivery of those editions. Georges introduced the two veteran Louisiana journalists who will be the new senior executives at The Advocate: Dan Shea and Peter Kovacs. Shea and Kovacs were co-managing editors of The Times-Picayune, but they were laid off last summer when the newspaper let go nearly one-third of its staff in preparation for its reduced printing schedule. Shea is the chief operating officer and general manager of The Advocate; Kovacs is editor. Both men have "full authority" to do what they want, Georges said. The Advocate has a unique short-term opportunity to strengthen its position in Baton Rouge, develop a digital strategy and gain market share in New Orleans, Shea said. But Shea said nothing would be taken away from Baton Rouge to strengthen the New Orleans edition. "We have an opportunity here to be a small, nimble family-owned company that reaches out, that looks for the best ideas and best practices in the industry, that has a stable, local, committed ownership," he said. "We have been given a gift at a time of shrinking markets that there is another business that is turning away from its customers and not giving them what they want." Kovacs said The Advocate has a good market position in Baton Rouge and is a well-regarded company. "It would be a mistake to use our well-regarded brand name to fund an experiment," he said. "We're trying to give the people of New Orleans a more New Orleanian paper." Georges said Shea and Kovacs will have the final say about The Advocate's New Orleans edition. "But one would assume they're going to want to do more content in New Orleans," he said. Shea said there is a balancing act that has to go on. "We have to have enough specific metro New Orleans content there to make the paper attractive to get more people to buy it. In turn, that leads to advertising," he said. "But we're not going to give away the store. We're not going to hurt our franchise here." Georges said he is "extremely proud" to own Louisiana's largest daily newspaper and aware of the enormous responsibility he has to the newspaper's 450 employees and the Baton Rouge community. "Our core business is metro Baton Rouge," Georges said. "We want to protect the flagship." That involves serving the community, taking care of employees and paying the bills, he said. At a news conference Wednesday to discuss the ownership change, Gov. Bobby Jindal, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden all praised the Manships. "As a Baton Rouge native, I have grown up not only reading The Advocate but (also) about the generous contributions the Manships have made to the Greater Baton Rouge community," Jindal said. "But we're not saying good-bye to the Manship family. They will continue to be an active part of our community. They will continue to own WBRZ (TV) and I know they will continue to be very, very generous supporters of many worthwhile causes." Landrieu said that under the leadership of Georges, the newspaper could play an even larger role in Louisiana by serving as a unifier for metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge. "Everybody in our business knows that the future of Louisiana is about regions pulling together and working together," Landrieu said. "When we pull together as a region, we can compete with anybody in the world. It really is The Advocate that has that perspective and that viewpoint." Georges, 52, said he used his own resources to purchase The Advocate. His billion-dollar company has business interests ranging from wholesale grocery distribution to Galatoire's restaurants in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. During his 2007 run for governor of Louisiana, Georges estimated his net worth at "probably" more than $100 million. Richard Manship, the former CEO and president of Capital City Press, praised Georges as a visionary who is up to the responsibility of running the newspaper. "John believes in Louisiana and knows The Advocate can fuel its growth," Manship said. "Not a three-day-a-week paper, but a seven-day-a-week paper." Georges said there are similarities between running a newspaper and his family's business, Imperial Trading, which distributes groceries to convenience stores in a dozen states. Both involve the logistics of widespread distribution and dealing with tight profit margins, he said. Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe


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A delegation of Syrian opposition leaders met informally Friday with Security Council members for the first time, to press their contention that President Bashar Assad has no interest in a peace deal as long as he believes he is winning on the battlefield.
Delegation members said they had asked Russia, the government's most powerful foreign backer, to stop supplying weapons.
The delegation, led by the coalition's newly elected president, Ahmed al-Jarba, met the day before with Secretary of State John Kerry and beseeched him to expedite U.S. military aid to the opposition.
Al-Jarba has rejected any alliance with the jihadists who have joined the insurgency, stressing what he has called a commitment to a pluralistic democracy.


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Lock That Barn Door
by Carol Faulkenberry
December 11, 1997
An old proverb reminds us that it is too late to lock the barn door after the horse has been stolen. Well, friends, the thieves are now standing outside the barn, and they are planning to steal the horse, the saddle, the bridle, and the oats, and leave us with nothing but the manure. If you have any intention of keeping what you value, it's time to get off your duff and act now.
In the spring of 1997, Rep. Ernest Istook, a Republican from Oklahoma, introduced into the House of Representatives a proposed Religious Freedom Amendment to the Constitution. As with all bills, this was referred to a committee for study. In this case, it was the House Judiciary Committee. Just before Congress adjourned in November, the committee approved this slightly amended version of the proposed amendment:
"To secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any state shall establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United States nor any state shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion."
The bill's nearly 150 cosponsors hope to bring it to a vote in the House of Representatives shortly after Congress reconvenes in early January.
Amending the Constitution is not easy. A proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Then it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Nevertheless, the Constitution has been amended 27 times. Popular amendments have sometimes been ratified very quickly. The twenty-sixth amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18 in 1971, was ratified slightly less than six weeks after being approved by Congress. A nation sick of the Vietnamese War felt strongly that young men subject to the draft should have the privilege of voting for those who had the power of declaring war, so the states responded rapidly.
The proposed Religious Freedom Amendment is extremely popular with the politically powerful religious right. The large number of cosponsors indicates that it has tremendous support in the Congress. Throughout the country, it is being supported by a number of religious groups, including the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Traditional Values Coalition, Concerned Women for America, Focus on the Family, the American Center for Law and Justice, the Family Research Council, the General Council of the Assemblies of God, and -- of course -- the Christian Coalition, which has said it will "spend whatever resources are necessary to mobilize our grass-roots network" for passage. It is entirely possible that this amendment could be part of our Constitution before summer rolls around.
If you think the amendment sounds rather harmless, please read it again, carefully, and think about what it says.
Nobody's right to express his religious beliefs, heritage or traditions on any public property could be infringed. This means that any and all prayer, reading of the Bible or other religious texts, religious instruction, display of religious pictures and icons, hymn singing, or even preaching in public schools, courtrooms, etc. would be perfectly constitutional, so long as those who did not wish to participate were not forced to do so. (Let us remember that sending a child to stand in the hall while his class has a morning devotional brands him as being "different" and often makes him the object of ridicule and harassment from other children.)
And please notice that final clause, the one that says that the government shall not deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion. Yes, this means that the government could not deny you Social Security benefits just because you had taken up the worship of humpback whales. Far more important, it means that neither the federal not the state government could deny private religious schools funding equal to that which they give public schools. And what about government grants? Many scientists apply for, and receive, grants to finance research. Suppose some "scientific" group applies for a grant to finance a search for Noah's ark? If you think the tax-exempt status of churches creates an unfair burden on the taxpayer, you ain't seen nothing yet!
If you value your freedom, your first amendment rights, your hard-earned money, right now, this minute, is the time to let your representative and your senators know that you oppose the Religious Freedom Amendment and will forever vote against any bozo who votes for it.
So you don't like to write letters? You regularly do things you don't like to do because you know they are important. Fighting against this amendment is one of the most important things you will ever do -- important to you and to all future generations of Americans.
You don't write well? You don't have to. And you don't need fancy stationery. Buy a post card and write, "If you want my vote, do not vote for the proposed Religious Freedom Amendment." For that matter, you don't have to write. You can phone or e-mail. You don't have to impress anybody with your eloquence. You just have to get your point across.
You don't know the addresses or phone numbers of your representative and senators? Worse yet, you don't know who they are? Call the public library. Or the local newspaper.
You're too busy? You just don't have time? Not having time to stand up for your rights is about like not having time to breathe. Turn off the idiot box for an hour, and you'll have plenty of time.
You think that what you say won't make any difference? Maybe it won't. But if enough of us speak up, it will make a difference, for what congressmen want more than anything else is our votes. And they are aware that people who care enough to write to them are people who vote. One thing is certain. The more of us who are silent, the more Congress will hear the strident voices of the religious right. You can't expect your voice to be heard if you keep your mouth shut.
Lock that barn door now, or the next sound you hear will be the thunder of galloping hooves as that thief rides your horse away into the sunset.
Alabama Attorney General's
Guidelines Distort Ruling
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 11, 1997
Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor wants it both ways. Earlier this week, the state's top law enforcement official released a series of guidelines to public school officials outlining what he says is and is not permissible in terms of religious activity.
This action follows growing tensions in schools across Alabama in the wake of federal Judge Ira DeMent's ruling which struck down the state's controversial school prayer law, and the clarification by the judge about what practices would not be permitted. DeMent gave a thumbs-down for "student led" prayer or other religious activity during any official school event, including graduation ceremonies, athletic contests and the beginning of or during classroom activities. The decision has drawn opposition from fundamentalist groups in Alabama such as the Christian Family Association, as well as elected officials like Governor Fob James and Attorney General Pryor.
But on Monday, Pryor released his own set of guidelines amongst considerable media fanfare, which generally echoed earlier standards set by the Department of Education. The combative Attorney General, who earlier had praised student protest walk-outs directed against Judge DeMent's order, seemed to be retreating to a more conditional stance. He still described the federal order as "vague" and "overly broad," and told school officials, "I wouldn't say ignore it, but nor would I say go strictly by it and it alone."
Pryor was joined at a press conference podium by Ed Richardson, the state school Superintendent. Richardson added that "balance" was the key behind avoiding state-church entanglement, and cited the example of permitting schools to include "Frosty the Snowman" along with religious hymns like "Silent Night" during seasonal plays and other holiday activities. Some groups have argued that the inclusion of cultural or commercial holiday symbols can "secularize" what otherwise would be a strictly religious display or activity.
The guidelines echoed themes from last summer's Department of Education report on what was permissible in public schools. They included allowing students to voluntarily engage in individual or group prayer during non-instructional time, discussion under the circumstances about religion, distribution of religious literature at set times, displaying religious symbols on clothing, and having access to meeting rooms and other facilities comparable to that enjoyed by non-religious groups.
Pryor's guidelines, though, included potentially litigious areas such as teaching about religion, including the use of the Bible as a resource, and the role of religion in the history of the United States. Critics worry that these curriculum units are often biased and have the effect of proselytizing select religious beliefs.
Christmas Displays Rally
Prayer Backers in Alabama
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 18, 1997
Trees, Nativity Creches Become Poignant Theopolitical Statements
Christmas may be a time for some people to emphasize peace on earth and goodwill, but in Alabama this month is becoming an occasion for hard shell political and religious messages over volatile issues like prayer in government. The state has become the focus of important First Amendment state-church separation concerns over cases like county Judge Roy Moore, who orchestrates prayer in his courtroom and displays the Ten Commandments, and a recent federal decision which overturned Alabama's controversial school prayer law. Both issues have divided communities, as well as political and even religious groups. Many leading public officials have come out squarely in support of prayer and religion; and hardly any government event isn't being used to raise awareness of the issue.
This past week, for instance, the state capitol building in Montgomery resembled a Christmas time church service. Governor Fob James presided over a tree lighting ceremony, and more than 100 school kids from throughout the state placed over 500 ornaments on the branches. That wasn't quite good enough for religious organizations, though, who within hours moved onto the capitol grounds and set up a manger scene. "I think it's a good," said James, who argued that "The Capitol belongs to the people of Alabama."
Leading that effort was T. J. Lee of the Association for Judeo-Christian Values; he told reporters that the creche was not meant as a political demonstration but rather a "wake up call" for Christians and other religionists. "It's certainly not our intention to do an in-your-face sort of thing. But what we have found and the trend we are seeing across the country is an anti-Christian sentiment and also an anti-Christian bigotry that exists." Lee added that, "We've gone past putting everybody on a level playing field to actually removing all Christian roots and heritage from public schools and the public square."
Another manger scene was planned by other groups, many of them active defenders of Judge Moore and the discredited prayer law. They include the Eagle Forum, Alabama Family Alliance and the Alabama Christian Education Association. Members of those groups said they would gather on the steps of the capitol to sing religious hymns. That event was to be emceed by Rev. Mickey Kirkland, who ran for governor in 1994. But Kirkland made not be the best choice at a time of year which supposedly urges Christians to embrace tolerance and brotherhood. At one prayer rally in support of Judge Moore, for instance, Kirkland -- minister of the Lighthouse Baptist Church -- implored his audience to "hate" the American Civil Liberties Union, which had represented Alabama freethinkers in the original legal challenge to Moore's courtroom antics. Kirkland insisted that, "The ACLU hates Christianity, the Christ of the Bible, and we hate the ACLU!" The minister also called attorneys for the plaintiffs "blood-sucking parasites."
Alabama Locker Room Bravado
"Prayer Warriors" Turned Athletes?
by Al & Carol Faulkenberry, Barb Buttram and Larry Mundinger
with Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 18, 1997
Federal Judge Ira DeMent, in overturning Alabama's 1993 prayer law which permitted student-led religious activities, has released guidelines delineating how his ruling applies to private and school time behavior. While private or informal prayer is permitted, any religious ritual involving official school events (often where students are a "captive audience," as in the classroom) is banned.
The cycle of impromptu student walkouts which began within days of DeMent's action seems to have ended -- at least for the time being. State officials such as Attorney General Bill Pryor appear less combative and confrontational; but Alabama is proceeding with a legal challenge to Judge DeMent's ruling. In the meantime, the resistance to that ruling has shifted from classrooms to athletic fields. DeMent's guidelines prohibit orchestrated prayers at official athletic events; but does that apply to a prayer call for spectators, and leave athletes free to invoke a deity on the sidelines or in the locker room?
According to press reports, pre-game prayers seem to be a widespread custom throughout the state -- something being emphasized now in the contentious climate fostered by the school prayer issue. The Birmingham (Alabama) News noted this past week that prior to the Class 5A championship game, former-NFL linebacker-turned-evangelist, John Bramlett, showed up to a pep rally for Etowah High School football players. It was not clear whether other students were at this event. Coach Raymond Farmer gushed, "You could have heard a pin drop (when Bramlett finished)."
"There will be a life-long impact as a result of what John Bramlett had to say," promised an assistant coach.
Other examples of religious involvement in public school locker rooms in Alabama include the case of Aliceville High School coach Jerry Dismuke, who reportedly leads his team members in a prayer before and after games. "And Ben Harris, coach of Saturday night's winning 5A Blount team, is known for requiring his players to meet him on Sunday morning to go to church," noted the News in its December 14 issue. The paper also reports that Etowah High School's football squad has had a "team chaplain," identified as Rev. David Carpenter of the Siberton Baptist Church, for the past five years.
Bramlett's involvement in locker room proselytizing resonates with a number of religious right practices. Every since evangelist Bill Bright founded his Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951, high school and college athletes have been major targets for recruitment into fundamentalist groups; Bright's "Athletes in Action" is an example, and part of his call for "spiritual multiplication" where high profile members of a community -- in this case, athletes within a student body -- are encouraged to use their position to advance a "parachurch" ministry and "spread the gospel." Athletes are urged to be examples of "clean living" and religious righteousness, although from a wider cultural perspective this has not always been the case. Indeed, the first of the "bi time" American evangelists, Billy Sunday, was a former pro baseball player in the early days of the game, and frequently complained of the widespread womanizing and "immorality" which was allegedly rampant in sports. (See"Preacher," a biography of Sunday by Roger A. Bruns, N.Y., Norton, 1992)
Changing cultural mores, as well as the economic underpinnings of both school and professional athletics, have changed the parameters of just how far coaches, ministers and institutions can go in demanding that athletes lead "clean lives" and maintain certain standards of decorum. Outrageous but talented athletes such as Dennis Rodman "push the envelope," but seem to enjoy wide fan support. The involvement of homosexuals in certain athletic activities has blended social issues with pure athletic concerns. And events on the court or playing field reflect the wider changes taking place in a pluralistic American society.
The curious melding of religious right theopolitics with athleticism is typified in the burgeoning Promise Keepers movement founded by former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney. The Promise Keeper's "men only" events often take place in athletic venues such as stadiums and arenas which, according to PK activists, are identified as the traditional "turf" for males. One redolent theme of Promise Keepers and other religious groups which seek to proselytize and recruit athletes, is the idea that men are "at risk" from a combination of mostly moral or sexual factors -- pornography, lack of being "right with Jesus," or accepting "responsibility" as the "head of household." Public confession, a ritual which emphasizes past misdeeds, is framed as part of an excruciating process if one seeks to become a "godly man" and "prayer warrior" in the battle against evil.
Like "Coach" McCartney and other religious right gurus who boast of past failures in life and marriage (alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, wife battering, adultery), Bramlett carries a similar message into churches and high school locker rooms. He is described by the Birmingham News as once having been a "mean" NFL linebacker, "living a life of abusing drugs and alcohol." In 1973, he "gave his life to Jesus Christ," and has been a full-time evangelist for the past 12 years. And following the doctrinal template of Promise Keepers, Bramlett draws "support" from a wife who tolerated past transgressions, and has forgiven her "new" husband. The former linebacker has also authored a book, Taming the Bull, which details his conversion from a gridiron tough-guy to an evangelical Christian tough-guy.
Whatever the alleged merits of such a story, Bramlett's message is clearly one of religious proselytizing -- and as such has no place in a public high school locker room, auditorium or class room. High school athletes, while not quite the "captive audience" which all students become in the context of a class or other mandatory school activity, nevertheless should not be required to pass a "religious test" by attending church, or listening to religious messages as part of their amateur athletic career.
Although claims have been made which purport to show a positive relationship with religious belief or church attendance and, say, health or economic achievement, the correlation in athletic performance remains even less clear. Rev. Bramlett's exhortations to the Etowah High School prayers -- which, says the paper, resulted in "two coaches and eight players surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ" -- appears to have had little effect on the championship game.
Etowah lost to Blount High School, 21-0.
Religious Display Erected in Federal Park
Catholic Groups Borrow Tactics Used By Protestants
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 18, 1997
A nativity scene was erected this past Sunday at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, and according to "religious rights" organizations, passes constitutional muster because it is associated with freedom of expression, not belief.
Members of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights -- a group which has protested freedom of expression in media by objecting to programs it finds "offensive" or "anti-religious" -- erected the creche in a portion of the park which some say is a "public forum."
"The cradle of liberty is now home to a cradle of the Baby Jesus," gushed the Philadelphia Daily News. The display was installed on the Judge Lewis Quadrangle across from the historic Liberty Bell, near a similar area where Orthodox Jewish Lubavitchers will raise a 32-foot electric menorah to commemorate Hanukkah for the 22nd year. This is the first time a creche has been displayed, however, according to Park officials. The News added that, "This is the first nativity scene at Independence Mall, and the first ever supported by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on public property."
Catholic League officials said they had obtained a permit for the display, and were inspired in seeking "equal time for Christians."
Arthur Delaney, chairman of the League's Philadelphia chapter, said, "The Christian-Judaic culture we share in this country is now fully symbolized by the displays of the crib, the Christmas tree and the menorah." The display has been dedicated and blessed by Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua.
Religious Establishment or Free Speech?
In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that private and religious groups should be permitted to erect displays on public property, but only in areas where demonstrations or expression of free speech had traditionally occurred. But that standard has a considerable legal gray area; courts have ruled, for instance that the Lubavitchers could display a menorah inside the Georgia Statehouse in Atlanta. In the Philadelphia case, the quadrangle site has a long history of being a venue for free speech and protests, whereas the area of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall itself remain "off limits," according to the News.
Ironically, at least in the case of the Catholic League, the guarantees of free expression are being used by an organization with questionable credentials in the cause of civil liberties.
The only group which appears to speaking out against the Philadelphia display is the Jewish Community Relations Council which says that it opposes both the menorah and nativity erections. A former official with the organization says that it has "always taken the position that those displays are inappropriate for everyone." But the Philadelphia Daily News observed that the JCRC has sponsored Israel Independence and Holocaust memorial events on public property, and even endorsed Pope John Paul II's masses "so long as religious symbols are displayed only when people are present."
For separationists, the Philadelphia display -- and the efforts of religious groups to exploit "free expression" zones -- pose troubling questions. Many of these groups, of course, care little for "free expression" from other organizations. Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists has charged that the "free speech" argument is disingenuous. "It applies only to themselves," said Johnson, "not groups they might disagree with." She wondered if the Catholic League or the Lubavitchers would be such zealous "free expression" supporters and permit the an atheist display, or a symbol erected by a non-mainstream religious group.
And what areas are truly "free speech" zones? In the Philadelphia case, the quad area is known as an area where demonstrations have taken place; it is important, though, that other areas not be conveniently included in that designation to appease powerful religious interests, or create the appearance -- and fact -- of government endorsement.
Lawsuit to Challenge
Municipal Seal
with Religious Symbols
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 19, 1997
After heated meetings of the local council and a referendum by voters, the City of Stow, Ohio has been sued in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union for its use of religious symbols in its municipal sea. The action, filed on Tuesday, charges that the seal is unconstitutional, and "endorses religion over non-religions and additionally a specific religion over all others."
In early November, 1996, the city received written notice from the Union that it would initiate legal proceedings. The controversy had begun the year before, though, when two local residents complained to the city's legal director that the municipal seal violated the constitutional separation of state and church by including a Christian cross and a Bible in one of the design's quadrants. The complaint followed a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to let stand a lower federal court decision which ordered officials in the town of Edmond, Oklahoma, to remove a cross from that community's insignia. The Oklahoma legal challenge had attracted national attention since it was considered a definitive resolution on the issue of whether or not government escutcheons could include religious symbols or mottos; judges had ruled that such practices violated the First Amendment, and were an endorsement of religion and often the specific religious belief of Christianity.
The Stow Law Director, Tom Watkins, cognizant of the Edmond ruling, then informed council officials and advised them that the city seal was in violation of the law. At a heated meeting last February, the Stow City Council voted 4-3 to retire the seal. Supporters of the symbol, however, organized a group known as Concerned Citizens for Constitutional Freedom and launched a petition drive to include a motion on the November, 1997 ballot; it ordered that the seal be retained. Some 57 percent of voters approved that measure and the political hot potato landed back in the hands of the Stow City Council.
Some officials expressed concern that continued challenges over the constitutionality of the municipal seal would be prohibitively expensive for the small community. State-church separation activist Rob Sherman, who has successfully challenged similar religious graffiti on community seals throughout the nation, warned officials that they had few if any legal grounds for their positions.
An Expensive Resistance
This could be a long and costly lawsuit for Stow, and any other communities which insist on retaining religious imagery on their municipal decorations. The suit, filed in the Ninth Circuit will be assigned to a judge in either Akron or Cleveland; trial could take up to a year.
Stow could pay dearly for the stubborn refusal of some voters to recognize the need for state-church separation. The city has estimated legal costs to run as high as $150,000, not including reimbursement of costs to the plaintiffs. Further appeals at the appellate court level could quickly run up another $300,000; and efforts to carry the case to the U.S. Supreme Court would add on more charges, and take up to two years just to find out if the justices would even hear the case.
So far, there is no evidence that religious groups such as Pat Robertson's American Center for Law and Justice will take up the Stow, Ohio case; an ACLJ official, however, told the Freedom Forum online that, "the suit is just another attempt by the ACLU to purge religious symbols in our country."
Judge DeMent Denounces
Attorney General Bill Prior
For ''Political Posturing"
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 19, 1997
U.S. Federal Judge Ira DeMent, who recently struck down Alabama's controversial prayer law, accused state officials on Wednesday of distorting the court's guidelines over religious activity in public schools. Denouncing what he termed "political posturing," DeMent singled out Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor, charging that the state's top law enforcement official was claiming that many student activities were prohibited by the federal order when, in fact, they were not.
"The political posturing that has followed this case encourages divisiveness and apprehension, benefits neither the citizens nor the schoolchildren of Alabama, and clouds the real issues raised by this suit: the coercive religious practices engaged in or allowed by state official in DeKalb County," wrote DeMent.
DeMent announced that he was also rejecting an appeal from Attorney General Pryor to shelve major portions of his guidelines pending review by a higher courts. Pryor had challenged portions of the ruling as "vague and overly broad," and said that his office would be appealing to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court. The judge also said that school officials in DeKalb County had thus far taken the necessary steps to comply with the guidelines; but he warned that shelving any part of his order would violate the rights of those who had filed suit against the prayer law.
Passed in 1995, that legislation permitted a wide range of "student initiated" religious activities.
DeMent also cited the statements of Alabama Governor Fob James, who as late as November 4 told the public that he would "resist Judge DeMent's order by every legal and political means, with every ounce of strength I possess." The judge responded that the position of state officials like Pryor and James, "essentially argues for preservation of majoritarian will. As the attorney general should know, however, the will of the majority makes for sound argument in election disputes and Political grandstanding, not in the analysis of First Amendment jurisprudence."
According to the Huntsville (Alabama) Times and dispatches from Associated Press, the Wednesday ruling "cites numerous religious activities that Pryor said have been banned by DeMent but in fact are permissible ... They include reading the Bible in study hall, class discussion of the meaning of Christmas and Easter, saying grace before lunch, and distributing religious materials to classmates during non-instructional time."
DeMent also accused Pryor of distorting his ruling by citing the hypothetical situation of a student valedictorian who purportedly could not cite the importance of a religious figure (such as Mother Teresa) to his or her academic success. DeMent said that since this was not devotional speech or ritual, it was permitted by the constitution.
Wednesday's ruling altered only "twelve words out of the court's 3,714-word" order, according to the decision. In addition to citing Governor James' combative posture, it rebuked Mr. Pryor for telling school officials that activities like singing "Silent Night," voluntary reading of the Bible during study hall, individual prayer before lunch, non-orchestrated prayer at athletic events for injured players and other activities were banned.
Part of DeMent's ruling cited a November 7 football game incident, which noted that prior to the start of a Sylvania High School game, students were asked to pour onto the field and join members of the school band and the cheerleaders in forming a prayer circle to protest the court's order. A loudspeaker system was used to inform students that the action had the support of the governor.
Evangelist Gary Bauer
Joins the Fray
by Larry Mundinger (with Conrad Goeringer)
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 19, 1997
Gary Bauer's influential Family Research Council has begun running advertisements on Christian radio stations. Larry Mundinger monitored the following pitch which aired on Birmingham station WDJC-FM:
"I'm Gary Bauer for the Family Research Council. By now you've heard about a federal judge's sweeping order that restricts the right of Alabama's school children to express their religious faith. Well, we're working on a federal law to stop such assaults on our constitution. We want all Americans, including school children, to be free to acknowledge the Creator. We also want public institutions such as the courts and schools to be free to post the Ten Commandments. Our nation's founding declaration acknowledged God as the source of our most cherished rights and liberties. I comment those Alabama parents and students who are standing up for their rights of free speech and religious expression. I will stand with you in this fight..."
Alabama Freethought Association
To Erect Sign At State Capitol
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 19, 1997
Members of the Alabama Freethought Association were planning to gather for a press conference on the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama this afternoon. The group plans to erect a sign which reads:
Today's Birmingham News quotes AFA activist Adam Butler, who says, "The use of a state owned property surrounding the capital [sic] building for religious purposes is completely inappropriate." The reference is to the erection of a nativity creche earlier this week by Christian groups.
Group Denies God
on Steps of State Capitol
Reuters News Service
December 22, 1997
Montgomery, Alabama (Reuters) -- A sign denying the existence of God was placed on the steps of the Alabama state capitol on Friday in the latest turn in a war of words over the exercise of religion in public places.
"There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell," said the sign by the Alabama Freethought Association, a group of atheists, agnostics and secular humanists.
"There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds," it said.
The sign was left at the foot of the Capitol steps opposite a nativity scene set up by the Association for Judeo-Christian Values, a religious rights organization.
Members of the secular group said they were reacting to the the nativity scene, which had been placed there on Wednesday in response to a U.S. District Court injunction on October 29 against school-sponsored religious activities in DeKalb County.
Governor Fob James took part in the rally against the injunction and strongly criticized the court decision.
The governor had said other religious expressions would be allowed on the grounds of the state capitol, but he declined comment on the atheists' actions.
Freethought Association spokesman Adam Butler said the group wanted to ensure equal access was granted to the capitol grounds for supporters of all outlooks, religious or secular.
"If during the next few weeks we are indeed given equal access and our sign is allowed to stay, then we do no oppose the nativity scene's presence here, at least not from a legal standpoint," he said.
The Freethought Association was one of the plaintiffs in an American Civil Liberties Union case against Etowah County Circuit Judge Roy Moore, who was sued last year for displaying the Ten Commandments on the wall of his courtroom.
Second Sign Expressing
Non-Belief Stolen From
State Capitol Grounds
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
December 22, 1997
An effort by the Alabama Freethought Association to erect a display on the grounds of the Alabama state capitol building seems to running into problems, especially from thieves.
Last Wednesday, Christian groups set up a nativity creche by the capitol in Montgomery, an act which drew the enthusiastic support of leading public officials including Alabama Governor Fob James -- an unabashed supporter of prayer and religious expression in the public square. So members of the AFA decided to test the proposition that the nativity scene was just another example of "free speech" which, theoretically, should apply to all citizens of the state, religious and non-believer alike. AFA members prepared a sign which on one side stated:
Following a press conference last Friday, members of the group then erected their sign, which according to reports in the press is separated from the nativity creche by "a broad expanse of the Capitol steps." AFA activist Adam Butler, a student at the University of Alabama, said the organization opposed the blatant endorsement by Governor James of the Christian display, which he labeled as "religious propaganda."
"Even though it is legal for this display to remain here, it is completely inappropriate for a government setting," added Butler.
AFA member Carol Faulkenberry said that the sign "should stay here [at the capitol] as long as the Nativity scene does. I want to make sure everybody had freedom and rights to believe and say what they feel."
Interestingly, the freethought sign had a Bible verse written on the back:
That seemed appropriate in a state where the battle over issues like public school prayer and the display of religious icons in government venues -- such as the courtroom of Etowah County Judge Roy Moore -- has attracted national attention. But it didn't stop someone from boosting that first sign over the weekend, which prompted Mr. Butler to tell reporters that "the theft of the sign has only prompted Alabama activists to work harder." The group put up a second wooden sign, eight feet by four feet, dwarfing the original display which was a tame 22 inches by 14 inches. "The larger the sign, the less chance there is that someone will try to steal it again," theorized Butler. He noted that the new and improved board had several hefty sand bags which secured it.
State officials, including Governor James, declined comment over the propriety of the theft, and the blatant violation of both civil rights and one of the Ten Commandments:"Thou shall not steal."
Skullduggery In The A.M.
Carol Faulkenberry said that this morning, police at the State Capitol arrested an unidentified individual who was trying to boost the second sign -- all 32 square feet of it. The sign has been impounded as evidence of the theft, and Carol tells us that AFA is hard at work constructing a third and (hopefully) final size. She thanked any religious enthusiasts who might have boosted the signs, saying that because of those actions, "we are getting far more media coverage than we would otherwise have expected."
Plastic Jesus Violating
Atheists vs. Christian Coalition
and City Over Creche
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
January 9, 1998
The Christmas decorations are coming down in the community of Somerset, Massachusetts, but that hasn't put an end to a legal fight between American Atheists Regional Director Gil Lawrence and city officials who have picked up support from the local Christian Coalition. At issue is the decades-old practice of erecting a Christian nativity scene in front of the Town Hall. Every year, says Mr. Lawrence, in early December, members of the community fire department assemble the creche which measures about eight feet long, and has statues of biblical characters -- Joseph, Mary, the magi and "a few small barnyard animals." The wooden cradle is left empty throughout the Christmas season, though, until Christmas Eve when the Town Hall custodian carries a plastic Jesus doll from a government building storage area and places it in the cradle.
It is clearly an endorsement of religion, and a specific religion -- Christianity -- says Lawrence, who for years has sent out a blizzard of letters to news media and government officials in protest of this "establishment of religion." Lawrence is now in court, thanks to representation by the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU first sent a letter to Somerset officials, which quoted an opinion by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who described circumstances in one case, County of Allegheny v. ACLU, 109 S. Ct. 3086. O'Connor wrote that a creche -- similar to the Somerset display -- was unconstitutional because its location "...at the seat of county government conveys a message to non-adherents of Christianity that they are not full members of the political community, and a corresponding message to Christians, that they are favored members of the political community."
Lawrence then attended the next meeting of the Town council, only to discover that the issue was to be discussed at a closed (and possibly illegal) "executive session" with the city's attorney.
The next step was surprisingly abrupt in its timing, and shocking in its results. "Less than eight hours after the meeting," says Lawrence, "a five-foot-high plastic, lighted Santa Clause was added to the lawn next to the nativity scene." That act ignored something that had already been mentioned in the ACLU warning letter, though, and drawn unfavorable comment from courts in a related case. The City of Jersey City, New Jersey had tried a similar ploy, including Frosty the Snowman and a sleigh in order to sanitize and "secularize" its nativity display.
Enter Christian Coalition and the "Heavenly Father"
The local chapter of Christian Coalition promptly organized a rally in defense of the plastic Jesus (and, presumably, Santa) which attracted over 200 persons. TV and other news media covered the event extensively, and CC Chapter head David Amaral told the crowd that "The ACLU needs to get a life, and turn its attention to more important issues." Amaral also pledged to contact the American Center for Law and Justice, a "religious rights" group established by televangelist Pat Robertson, and get "Christian attorneys to help the community of Somerset fight this case." He added that "Christianity was fully expected [by the Founding Fathers] to be taught in public schools and in politics." Echoing a refrain established by David Barton and other anti-separation groups, Amaral also insisted that the words "Separation of church and state" do not appear in the U.S. Constitution."
The Christian Coalition leader also charged that Christianity "has been hijacked by historical revisionists and liberals in the Supreme Court," and that "our society is crumbling" because of "Godlessness." A local minister then led the faithful in a prayer to the Heavenly Father that he might "grant the light of Christmas."
Town administrators continue to take a stubborn position regarding their nativity scene. Administrator John McAuliffe told the local Herald News that he supports keeping the creche on town property, and noted that the Fire and Police Headquarters building has a Santa clause and Jewish menorah on display as well.
Mr. Lawrence is now awaiting word as to when and where this case will be heard.
Atheists Actively Challenge
Atheists End Decalogue Hopes
in Charlotte, North Carolina
by Conrad Goeringer
from AANEWS by American Atheists
January 9, 1998
A proposal to display a copy of the Ten Commandments in the Charlotte, North Carolina government center may be dead following protests by local American Atheists and other state-church separationists. According to activist Jim Senyszyn and AA State Director Wayne Aiken, the Decalogue display is not on the agenda for future city action, and local media considers it a "dead issue." Aiken and Senyszyn, though, may have delivered the final blow last week during a press conference where the pair rebutted a number of disingenuous claims made by Ten Commandments supporters, including Councilman Don Reid who had introduced the original measure.
The 14-page handout, crafted by Mr. Aiken, was in the form of a report to the public titled "Inaccurate and Improper Usage of Quotes from Founding Fathers at [Charlotte] Council Meetings on November 24, 1997." It was at that meeting that debate over Reid's proposal was originally held. Aiken charges that the "debate on the Ten Commandments display [was] ... an attempt to revise the history of the founding period of this country and deny the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state."
Aiken and Senyszyn also charged that many disingenuous claims made by Reid and others on the council, as well as members of the audience and others who supported the Decalogue display, could have used materials from evangelist David Barton and his "WallBuilders" group. Barton is best known for his book and video "The Myth of Separation." He maintains that the separation of government and religion is "Not a teaching of the Founding Fathers, not an historical teaching, not a teaching of law [except in recent years], not a biblical teaching. In addition, Barton is the source of what critics say are misleading and even inaccurate quotes from historical figures, and quotes which are seriously distorted or taken out of context. His most egregious error involves the famous reference by Thomas Jefferson to the "wall of separation." Barton said that, according to Jefferson, the "wall" was to be "one direction," supposedly to keep the government out of the affairs of church, but was not designed to prevent religious interference in the affairs of state. No scholar can find evidence of Jefferson ever having said anything resembling this -- especially in his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, where the "wall of separation" metaphor appears. Barton inaccurately claimed in his anti-separationist book, "The Myth of Separation," that the "wall of separation" phrase had been taken by the U.S. Supreme court in 1947 from a speech Jefferson supposedly made in 1801. Barton quotes Jefferson as saying, "That wall is a one directional wall. It keeps the government from running the church but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government."
Historians are at a loss to find evidence of this quote in the historiographic record.
Mr. Aiken's report also challenged Councilman Reid's claim that, "This country was build on Judeo-Christian principles, the basis of which is the Ten Commandments, no one can deny that..." Aiken notes: "The Constitution of the United States and the legal system which comes from it was influenced by many sources, but primarily the philosophical works of Locke, Hume and Rousseau -- thinkers most commonly associated with the 'Age of Enlightenment.' This radical, new world view affected nearly every aspect of life, including traditional Judeo-Christian doctrines, particularly the relationship between spiritual establishments and temporal government." Aiken adds that "The uniquely American approach involved a complete separation."
Councilman Reid's call for display of a Ten Commandments plaque was reportedly inspired by a proposal from a local evangelist that Judeo Christian documents should be show cased in government buildings throughout the nation. Another impetus was the effort of groups like the Christian Family Association to display the Decalogue as an act of "putting god back in government," and supporting Judge Roy Moore, the embattled Alabama county jurist who displays the Commandments in his court room, and opens proceedings with a Baptist invocation. Moore's unconstitutional ritual is now under legal challenge.
Although the Charlotte proposal may be dormant thanks to the efforts of activists like Mr. Aiken and Mr. Senyszyn, the example in that city shows that the campaign to blend religion and government is one which is national in scope. It is also a movement which relies on questionable and even inaccurate view of history being promoted by hard core religious right organizations like WallBuilders. Some of David Barton's misinformation and dubious quotes have been deleted from newer, revised WallBuilder materials, but the old material continues to circulate in churches, religious activist groups, Christian and right-wing radio talk shows and other venues. The sources now used by the Barton organization are still controversial, and critics charge that they are taken out of context, or used selectively. Separationists need to be vigilant, not only in maintaining state-church separation as in Charlotte, North Carolina, but in defending the historical record as well.


text:
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
Yield: Serves 8-10
"We use natural peanut butter in our recipe so you should cut back on sweeteners if using a brand containing sugar." Devastatingly delicious! --The Inn at Weston, Weston, Vermont
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- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup chopped peanuts
- 1 cup coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1 cup ground unsalted peanuts
- 18 ounces crunchy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup milk
- Ground peanuts for garnish
Instructions:Prepare crust by combining graham cracker crumbs, chopped peanuts, coconut, cinnamon, and melted butter. Press into a 10-inch pie plate and set aside.
Mix softened vanilla ice cream with ground unsalted peanuts. Place in freezer while you combine peanut butter, honey, light corn syrup, and milk. Spread half the ice cream mixture into prepared crust using an ice cream scoop. Cover with half of the peanut butter mixture and freeze for 30 minutes - till somewhat set. Repeat ice cream layer and top with remaining peanut butter mix. Pat ground peanuts around the edges and freeze until firm.
Updated Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008
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Gorgeous full length sleek satin strapless wedding gown in diamond white (between ivory and white) with beautiful draping. Button loose in back, otherwise in Perfect Condition. Worn once for 3 hours for my elopement private wedding. Elegantly designed with a sweetheart neckline, accented with a pleated bodice. The draping continues down the skirt and ends with gentle pick ups. Size 10 but taken in slightly along the bust through waist to accommodate my smaller size (I wear a size 6 or 8 in street clothes. I am 5′ 7″). Loops sewn in at the bottom for lifting your dress while you walk (bustle). I felt like a princess and you will too. No reason to pay more for a sparkling dress in pristine condition. I also have beautiful wedding shoes in size 8 only worn for 3 hours: Grace (Lindsey) silk satin sandal with beaded cross straps, ankle straps. I paid $120 but will sell for $60.
- Alterations: Enter details here regarding any alterations or additions made, any damage to the dress, etc...
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- Location: San Rafael, CA
- Will Ship to: Anywhere at Seller Expense
- Payment Methods Accepted: Escrow.com
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text:
|Rowland Heights, CA
|High School:
|Los Altos
2012 -- Finished the season ranked 13th by GolfWeek and 19th by GolfStat ... Earned NGCA Second-Team All-America honors and First-Team All-Pac-12 acclaim ... Also selected Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention ... Led the team in Top 10 and Top 20 results (9) and rounds under par (14) ... Best finish was T2 at the Pac-12 Championship ... Also recorded T3 results at the ASU/PING and Pacific Coast Intercollegiate ... Placed fourth at the Regional Challenge ... Member of the DHR for Fall, Winter and Spring quarters.
Summer 2011 -- Tied for 10th in stroke play at the U.S. Women's Amateur with scores of 73-69--142 (E) ... In match play, she advanced to the Round of 16 before falling 3 & 2 to teammate Stephanie Kono ... Defeated Kelly Shon in 20 holes in the Round of 64 and Mackenzie Brooke Henderson 3 & 2 in the Round of 32 ... At the 109th North & South Amateur, she advanced to the second round before falling 6 & 4 to Courtney Gunter ... In the first round she beat Madison Overby, 3 & 1 ... Tied for 29th in stroke play at the 2011 U.S. Women's Amateur Publinks with scores of 81-73--154 (+12) ... Advanced to the semifinals of match play before falling, 2 & 1 to Marissa Dodd ... Won her first round match 2-up against Ciera Min ... Beat Christine Wolf 5 & 4 in the second round ... Won 1-up against Lauren Cate in the third round and beat Brittany Altomare 7 & 6 in the quarterfinals.
2010-11 -- Ended the season ranked 19th by GolfWeek and 20th by GolfStat ... Earned 2nd Team GolfWeek and NGCA All-America honors ... Tied for fourth at the NCAA Championship with scores of 71-71-70-75--287 (-1) ... Earned 1st Team All-Pac-10 honors ... Tied for first at the Landfall Traditions event with scores of 73-69-72--214 (-2), her first collegiate victory ... Tied for first at the Pac-10 Championship with scores of 68-72-70--210 (-6) before falling in a playoff ... Placed second at the PING/ASU Invite with scores of 67-74-72--213 (-3) ... Tied for third at the Regional Challenge with scores of 70-74-76--20 (+7) ... Tied for 13th at the SDSU event with scores of 77-72-74--223 (+7) ... Two-time DHR selection (Fall and Spring).
Summer 2010 -- Competed on the victorious U.S. Curtis Cup Team ... Was 1-2-0 in her matches against Great Britain and Ireland ... At the USWAPL, she tied for seventh in stroke play with scores of 72-72--144 (E), but lost in the first round of match play ... Tied for 47th in stroke play (74-75--149, +5) at the USWAM and lost in the first round of match play.
2009-10 -- Earned Second-Team All-America honors from the NGCA and GolfWeek ... Ended her freshman season ranked 25th by GolfWeek and 28th by GolfStat ... Earned Second-Team All-Pac-10 honors ... Was the Bruins' top finisher at the conference championship, tying for third place ... Also was the Bruins' top finisher at the NCAA Championship, tying for 27th ... Recorded four Top 10 and seven Top 20 results in 11 starts ... Tied for fifth at Turtle Bay with scores of 70-74-72--216 (E) ... Tied for sixth at Stanford with scores of 67-72-73--212 (-1) ... Her first-round score at Stanford was a collegiate best ... Tied for 10th at the Betsy Rawls event ... Fired a 68 (-4) in the final round of the PING/ASU tournament and tied for 17th.
USGA Events -- Veteran USGA competitor who has played in several U.S. Women's Amateur tournaments and three U.S. Women's Opens ... In 2009, she advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur ... At the Amateur, she tied for sixth in stroke play with scores of 72-70--142 (E) ... Won 4 & 3 in the first round vs. Jenny Shin ... Won 3 & 1 in the second round against Brooke Beeler and 1-up in the third round against Michelle Shin ... Defeated Jessica Korda 3 & 2 in the quarterfinals before falling 3 & 2 to eventual champion Jennifer Song ... Also participated in U.S. Women's Ams in 2005, '07 and '08 ... At the 2008 USWAPL, she tied for 13th with scores of 76-75--151 ... In the first round she beat UCLA's Ryann O'Toole 4 & 3 ... Won 1-up in the second round against Jennie Lee ... In the third round she beat Tzu Chi Lin in 20 holes ... In the quarterfinals she won 3 & 2 against Stacey Kim before falling 4 & 3 to UCLA's Tiffany Joh, the eventual winner, in the semifinals ... Played in five U.S. Girls Championships (2004-08), advancing to the third round in 2007 ... Qualified for three U.S. Women's Opens (2007, '08, 09), and tied for 71st in 2008 with scores of 72-75-80-81--308 (+16).
Junior Golf -- Four-time AJGA All-American and a first-team selection in 2008 when she recorded five Top 10 results, including a runnerup finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions ... Also a member of the Ping Jr. Solheim Cup (2007, "09), the Canon Cup West Team (2006, '08 and '09) and the Jr. Ryder Cup Team in 2008 ... She was on the winning team for the '09 Jr. Solheim Cup, all three Canon Cup West teams and the Jr. Ryder Cup squad ... Won the 2005 AJGA Future Legends with scores of 70-73-73 -- 216 and the '04 Ashworth Jr. at Hot Springs with scores of 75-70 -- 145.
High School -- Three-time MVP at Los Altos HS in Hacienda Heights where she played for Coach Neal Shapiro ... Three-time All-CIF selection and a first-team pick in 2008 and '09 ... Led the Conqueros to the 2008 Knabe Cup title and won medalist honors ... Holds the Los Altos HS record with a five-under par 31 for nine holes.
Personal -- Has two younger brothers ... Began playing golf at the age of eight ... Was a competitive swimmer until eighth grade ... Collects keychains as a hobby ... Chose UCLA because "the coaches were friendly, funny and caring, the team was like a family and because of its good academics and athletics" ... Lists her greatest thrills as "playing in three U.S. Women's Opens and making the cut in 2008 and having Nancy Lopez as my captain of the 2009 Ping Jr. Solheim Cup Team" ... Full name is Tiffany Kristen Lua ... Born in Monterey Park ... Psychology major.
Career Statistics
Top 10
Top 20
Rnds < Par
Rnds < 70


text:
Angelo Delvonne Crowell
Position: LB
Height: 6-1 Weight: 235 lbs.
Born: August 16, 1981 in Winston-Salem, NC
High School: North Forsyth
College: Virginia (school history) (Crowell college stats)
Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 3rd round (94th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 19 (5014th overall since 1950)
Relatives: Brother of Germane Crowell
Other SR Links: College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Promote your website or business by sponsoring this page for $5 on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Your message will replace this ad.
Output includes all games from 1920 to 2015.


text:
Mar 6, 2007 5:09 PM
You can now set your own sense of style in the kitchen with this adorable Baby Blue Mocha Apron ($40) by Domistyle. Silk screened and beautifully accented with a baby blue floral design on a chocolate brown background, they're made of poly-cotton and come with an adjustable neck strap.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


text:
EDUP EP-N8508 802.11n Wireless LAN USB Ultra Mini Nano Network Adapter
Extend the range of your current wireless network with this EDUP EP-N8508 Wireless LAN Mini USB adapter.
The compact, mini design makes this adapter ultra portable and easy to take with you anywhere. The EP-N8508 complies with IEEE 802.11n (Draft 2.0), IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b standards. Its USB 2.0 interface makes connected a breeze!
Your network is secure with 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2 encryption methods, 802.1x authentication standards security features. This 802.11n wireless LAN mini USB adapter is ideal for environments with the need for high-speed wireless data traffic!
- Realtek RTL8188CUS Chipset
- Complies with wireless 802.11b/g/n standards with data rate up to 150Mbps
- USB 2.0 interface
- Data Rate: Transmitting: up to 150 Mbps, Receiving: 150 Mbps
- Supports 20 MHz/40 MHz frequency width
- Auto-detects and changes network transmission rate
- Provides two work modes: Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc
- Supports Soft AP
- Green Power Saving : supports smart transmit power control and auto-idle state adjustment
- Security: 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2 encryption methods, 802.1x authentication standards
- Frequency Range: 2.4 ~ 2.4835 GHz
- Channel: 13
- Support Network Protocol: CSMA / CA with ACK
- Transmission Mode: DSSS
- Sensitivity: 54M: -68dBm @10% PER,
- Sensitivity: 11M: -85dBm @8% PER,
- Sensitivity: 6M: -88dBm @10% PER,
- Sensitivity: 1M: -90dBm @8% PER,
- Sensitivity: 256K: -105dBm @8% PER (typical value)
- System requirements: Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000, Mac OS X, Linux
- Dimension: 14 x 17 x 6mm (approx.)
- Net weight: 20g
EDUP EP-N8508 Package Content
1 x EDUP EP-N8508 150Mbps 802.11n Wireless LAN USB 2.0 Mini Adapter
1 x CD Driver
1 x User Manual
Free shipping & Only $7.99
No products found.


text:
...and it will go on.
Margaret Ann Kiegel
Actual letters home during WWII to one man's family. Mixed in are letters from some of the members of the flying crew, about the same incidences as in the home letters. Only these letters are not written with the idea that your Mom is reading them.
Daughter to the pilot
Comentario publicado.
Inicia sesión
o crea una cuenta para publicar un comentario.
Publicado 18 de diciembre de 2010
Sitios de Blurb


text:
Track & Field Completes Two-Day Lee Calhoun Invitational
April 14, 2013
Final Results (Lee Calhoun Invitational)MACOMB, Ill. - The UIC men's and women's track & field teams wrapped up competition in the 27th Annual Lee Calhoun Invitational Saturday on the heels of nine individual top-10 finishes, including seven on the men's side.
The Flames' men's team finished 12th out of 20 teams, while the women's squad took 11th of the 15 teams in contention.
In the men's events, UIC recorded a pair of top-five finishes, with Angelos Karkalis collecting a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meter run (3:59.94) and Justin Higginbotham placing fourth in the triple jump (14.27 meters). Additionally, Seyi Ogunleye took seventh in the triple jump (13.66 meters), while Anthony Hollingsworth (22.13 seconds) and Roy Mwale (49.56 seconds) both finished eighth in the respective 200-and 400-meter dash.
Other standout performers on the men's side included Gunnar Sterne in the 1,500-meter run (4:03.03; 10th) and Marcus Garcia in the 3,000-meter run.
In the women's events, Sharon Mwale claimed a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meter (4:45.28) and Tess Ehrhardt finished 8th in the 1,500-meter run. Finally, freshman Lauren Lindholm collected an eighth-place tally in the 3,000 meter, crossing the finishing line in 10:654.95.
Both the men's and women's teams will make the trek to DeKalb, Ill., to take part in the Huskie Open next Saturday (April 20).


text: Nov 4, 2013 12:16 Questions raised about transparency in LSU hospital deals Questions raised about transparency in LSU hospital deals MELINDA DESLATTE| Associated Press Nov. 2, 2013; 11:39 a.m. Comments BATON ROUGE — The contracts that turned over management of LSU hospitals to private companies have drawn concerns about just how much the public will know about the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that flow to the facilities. The deals allow for legislative audits of public spending. But they also include sweeping clauses that allow the hospital managers to determine what's considered public record and what should be hidden. Lawmakers and Treasurer John Kennedy have raised questions about access. Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration, which brokered the deals, insists the contracts allow for public scrutiny of taxpayer dollars. Hospital managers say the public financing requires layers of review from federal and state officials to ensure money is spent properly. Privatization deals for seven LSU hospitals and their clinics have taken effect so far. Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe


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I've been using Ubuntu 11.04 for a few days. I installed face authentication login(I think it's 2.1 something) with the terminal. It was working well, but now what happened a few times later is it scanned my face, passed and says 'Face verify authentication has started', for half an hour without moving. I just can't get in. Please reply, I'm really in trouble. I have to solve this problem before my school opens.
closed as off-topic by bain, chaskes, Sneetsher, Mahesh, Eric Carvalho Jul 10 '14 at 11:35
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
If you are using the pam-face-authentication system (as described in this OMG! Ubuntu article), you can disable it by going to the text mode terminal and editing a couple configuration files:
To edit a file, you can use this command:


text:
I've been tasked with trying to make the 6000 Pro Microtower work with 3/4 monitors. The machine itself has VGA and DisplayPort outputs from the motherboard. I've installed a Radeon 4500 HD Video card, which has the ability to power 2 displays. I was thinking with the on-board outputs, I should be able to at least power an additional 1-2. I've tried different on-board drivers, but no luck.
Has anyone tried something like this with any of the HP machines?


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Awarded New Investigator/Doctoral Dissertation Grant
Urban African American and Hispanic Men's Perpetration of Multiple Forms of Violence
FOA Number: CDC-RFA-CE07-009 Dissertation Grant Awards for Doctoral Candidates for Violence-Related Research in Minority Communities
Project Period: 09/01/2007 - 08/31/2008
Application/Grant Number: CE001222
Principal Investigator: Michele R. Decker, M.P.H.
The President and Fellows of Harvard College
677 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-432-5461
E-mail: email@example.com
Despite extensive evidence of increased rates of violence among African American and Hispanic men, information specific to these communities for describing the etiology of sexual assault (SA), intimate partner violence (IPV), peer violence (PV) are often lacking in etiological research concerning these outcomes. Identification of potentially modifiable protective factors across multiple levels of the socio-ecological model is critical to enhance our ability to design effective violence prevention programs tailored to these high-risk groups.
Objectives: To address this unmet need, the current study seeks to inform risk and protective factors across the individual, family / peer and community levels of socio-ecological model specific to 1) African American and 2) Hispanic men concerning perpetration of 1) SA, 2) IPV and 3) PV. Design: The proposed study will employ secondary data analysis of a community-based, cross-sectional dataset collected from a large urban sample of men ages 18-35 largely comprised of two minority groups, specifically African American (11=1350) and Latino (n=8oo) men. Setting and Participants: Participants were recruited at three urban community health centers for a study designed to assess the etiology of men's IPV perpetration across a diverse population, thus the data offer tremendous depth concerning risk and protective factors of interest across multiple levels of the socio-ecological model. The proposed analyses, stratified by race / ethnicity and informing multiple forms of violence perpetration, were beyond the scope of the original study however this rich dataset is optimal for this purpose. Analyses of these community-based data will inform the influences of individual, family/relationship, and community risk and protective factors on the past-year perpetration of SA, IPV, and PV, for these two high risk groups.
- Page last reviewed: March 10, 2010
- Page last updated: March 10, 2010
- Content source:
- Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control


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Skype's file transfer function is quite convenient -- except when the file transfer starts taking ages and you're left drumming your fingers and staring at a progress bar that moves slowly. While there's no sure-fire way to make the files you send and receive via Skype just zip through, there are things you can do to help.
Hang Up
Because Skype is intended primarily as a calling program, voice and video calls are prioritized above all else to avoid their disruption. Because of this, files will transfer more slowly when you're on a call. Of course, whether you hang up on a call for the sake of the file transfer depends on the importance the call and the file transfer -- but if you badly want the file transfer to be done quickly and the call can wait, it's certainly worth a try.
Free Up Bandwidth
Multitasking may be a way of life, but if your connection's bandwidth is limited, the more you're doing with it the slower files will transfer through Skype. Try shutting off anything else that might be straining the connection -- streaming, online gaming, other downloads -- and see if the situation improves.
It Goes Both Ways
File transfer speeds depend not just on you, but also on the person at the other end. If you've done everything you could, there's no visible improvement and the file transfer speed is important, suggest to the person at the other end that he follow whatever steps you took to increase speed.
Style Your World With Color
See What's Trending this Fashion Season
Explore a range of cool greys with the year's top colors.View Article
Does Presidential Blue Bring Out Your Eyes?
Barack Obama's signature color may bring presidential power to your wardrobe.View Article
Stay on Trend This Fashion Season
Explore a range of deep greens with the year's "it" colors.View Article
Can You Rock It Like Rihanna?
Let your clothes speak for themselves with this powerhouse hue.View Article


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Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez is set to be the new face of Spanish brand Tous Jewellery. The "American Idol" judge will front the line's new advertisements. The brand's boss Salvador Tour claims Lopez was a great "illustration" for them. "Jennifer is not just an amazingly beautiful woman, but also a talented actress, musician and dancer sharing […] Continue reading J-Lo to be new face of Spanish jewellery brand
Tag Archive: jewellery
The owner of the jewellery store from where actress Lindsay Lohan is accused of stealing a necklace didn't want to press charges against her. Lohan was officially charged with felony grand theft in a Los Angeles court Wednesday over allegations she stole a necklace from the Kamofie & Company jeweller's in Venice, California last month. […] Continue reading Jewellery store owner doesn't want charges against Lohan
Joan rivers Jewellery is one of the premier manufacturers of jewellery for women. This is a house that has been known for coming up with the most innovative and creative and beautiful designs of jewel Continue reading Joan Rivers Jewellery
Cheryl Cole dazzled in an off-the-shoulder sequined gown, which she wore at a London party. Flanked by Girls Aloud band mate Kimberley Walsh, the newly divorced Cole sparkled in the gown. The 27-year-old was at central London's celebrity restaurant Nobu to promote Promise, a capsule ring collection she is launching with jewellery firm de Grisogono, […] Continue reading Cheryl Cole sparkles in sequined gown as she launches jewellery range
The jewellerygifted to Oscar-nominated actress Anne Hathaway by her crooked ex-boyfriend is set to go under the hammer. Online bidders can contend to buy high-priced gifts bought by convicted con man Rafaello Follieri, whose victims – including supermarket magnate Ron Burkle – will be paid back out of the proceeds, reports the New York Post. […] Continue reading Anne Hathaway jewellery set to go under the hammer


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Before Dan decided to build a ManCave out of an abandoned dance studio, stick in cameras, drag in four motley producers off the street and create a popular radio and television show (while also hosting a little show called Football Night in America on NBC), he held several odd jobs. Patrick worked as a FM DJ, a sports broadcaster in Dayton, Ohio, and at CNN Sports. For 18 years, he helped build ESPN in many roles, most notably, co-host of SportsCenter.
Besides winning the undying love from the four Danettes, Dan has won several real awards:
As for some of the places you can see and hear Patrick, the Dan Patrick Show has been syndicated on radio since 2007, simulcast on DIRECTV since 2009, simulcast on NBC Sports Network since 2012, as well as streamed live on Danpatrick.com. He also is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, and has hosted NBC's Olympic coverage in 2012 in London and 2014 in Sochi.


text: Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church/Purpose Driven Life has gotten behind Crossover's new facility. He and his wife have personally donated and in this video you see them encouraging others to also support. Crossover's pastor - Tommy Kyllonen (Urban D.) has spoken and performed at several Purpose Driven Church conferences in both California and Africa.