text:
Head Coach Skip Holtz
Sept. 14, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. -East Carolina University Head Football Coach Skip Holtz addressed members of the media prior to this week's game against North Carolina. The following are selected comments:
On West Virginia's Jarrett Brown:
"Looking back and going through the film, I tip my hat to West Virginia and the job that team did. I was really impressed with Jarrett Brown. I was impressed during the game and I was even more impressed after sitting down and watching the film.
"I was impressed with his poise, strength, power, athletic ability and the way he threw the ball. I told somebody after the game that I think I'd rather play Pat White than play Brown again. Brown has so many weapons because he can run the ball and throw it very well, too. With Pat White, you didn't need to rush him as hard, but you had to corral him. If you don't rush Brown, he's going to sit back there and pick you apart. He was really impressive."
On East Carolina's Defense Against West Virginia:
"Defensively, we played pretty hard up front I think we just gave up too many big plays.
"We're a zone coverage defense. I really thought from a zone coverage standpoint, we did a lot of good things. We had 10 zone coverage sacks in the game when Brown dropped back and had nowhere to go with the ball. He was forced to take off running and he would scramble for 20 yards or get out of the pocket and turn and hit us with a big play.
"The negative with what we did in zone coverage was let the ball behind us resulting in four big plays. That defeats everything you're trying to do. That's why we played zone defense instead of man, to prevent the big, deep play. Looking back and knowing that we were going to give up four big plays, I probably would have been much more aggressive and not given Brown the space to run around."
On His Team's Approach To Its First Road Game:
"Overall, I was really pleased with our team's focus, attitude and effort in the game. I was really pleased with a lot of positive, intangible things this team did in its first road game of the season."
On East Carolina's Offense Against West Virginia:
"There were some things, obviously, I wish we would have done better on both sides of the ball.
"Offensively, I think we ran the ball decently at times. I think the passing game was a little bit out of whack. It's never just one guy. I know Patrick Pinkney is going to take the brunt of it being the quarterback. As a quarterback, you probably get too much credit when we win and too much blame when we lose.
"We had four dropped passes in the game. We only had 16 completions, so when you drop four of them, that's not a good percentage.
"I think their defensive tackles gave us some problems with pressure. When you look offensively, I think the passing game was a little bit out of sync. That's something we have to address and get ready to go for this weekend."
On East Carolina's Special Teams Against West Virginia:
"Outside of the missed field goal from the six-yard line, I think that's one of the best games our special teams have played since I've been here. I thought the way our kickoff team covered kicks, I thought they did an excellent job. Our punt team was tremendous in the way they protected the punter and got down the field. Dekota marshall's effort was incredible on Saturday.
"Our special teams caused two fumbles and gave our offense some good field position. Our punt return had a couple nice returns as well. They returned it back to midfield one time. Travis Simmons had a great return for 38 yards that gave us a scoring opportunity. I thought our special teams across the board played exceptionally well."
On Being In A Close Game In The Fourth Quarter:
"We started fast and it was 10-0 at one point. But there were a couple big plays and some missed scoring opportunities. Even with all the negatives we talked about with giving up the big plays, not being able to contain the quarterback and missing out on some scoring opportunities, halfway through the fourth quarter, it's a 28-20 football game that you're right in the middle of. It's unfortunate that it ended the way it did. From a team standpoint, there are some things we have to get straight, but there are a lot of positives to build on."
On His Team's Attitude After The Loss:
"You worry about your team's attitude when you reach your first loss, especially a team that has high expectations and goals. Meeting with the players Sunday, they're a little bit down as expected. But I think their attitude is right where you want it to be. Their attitude is that we've had our opportunities and we have to keep getting better. We have to keep improving and making plays.
"One of our seniors at the end of the game, when West Virginia was running out the clock and we were putting in some of the back-ups on defense, told our players to not just go through the motions, but to make these reps count. He wasn't standing in the back and pouting. That is exactly the attitude I want them to have."
On Playing North Carolina This Week:
"With all that being said about West Virginia, the challenge escalates that much more this week for a number of reasons - it's an in-state game that is very emotional for our players, fan base and alumni. With the North Carolina and East Carolina fan bases being so intertwined, there's an awful lot that goes into this game emotionally. It's going to be difficult.
"When you look at North Carolina, it's a very good football team. I'm impressed with the athleticism Coach Davis has put together over the last few years. They've always had some good players, but now, top to bottom, I'm very impressed with their athleticism."
On North Carolina's Defense:
"Defense is the strength of this football team. They have nine returning starters from last year, five of them we played against here two years ago. It's not that their only year starting is last year, they've been starting for two years. There are some really good players in the bunch.
"The defense has only given up 174.5 yards per game, 10.5 first downs per game, eight points a game, 14 percent conversion rate on third down, which is unheard of, and 1.9 yards per rush. This is a very good defensive football team. They remind me a lot of the Virginia Tech team we played two years ago that finished No. 1 in the country in total defense.
"It starts with the front four, who all return. Marvin Austin is an absolute beast. He's a great player who beats blocks frequently. Robert Quinn on the perimeter is all over the field. We thought our tackles were challenged last week? They're really going to be challenged this week with the pressure their defensive ends can bring off the perimeter. The front line is so big, strong and athletic. Our offensive line is going to have a heck of a challenge this week.
"Quan Sturdivant in the middle is a big, fast, physical, hard-nosed football players. I've really been impressed with him. He has been all over the field, especially last week against Connecticut. You can really tell he has taken a leadership role. He's a great player.
"When you look in the secondary, Charles Brown their lockdown corner. I don't see a lot of weaknesses in this defense. They're going to play man coverage, get after you and put pressure on you. At the end of Saturday's game against Connecticut, when Connecticut did an onside kick and recovered it, Connecticut got to about midfield and North Carolina just came after them. Then Connecticut started going backwards. This defense is going to be a heck of a challenge."
On North Carolina's Offense:
"Offensively, their numbers are not as impressive as the defense's. I know that T.J. Yates has been one of the most impressive quarterbacks I've seen since I've been here. I've felt that way about three quarterbacks during my time here - with Brown when we left West Virginia Saturday, about Case Keenum of Houston and when Yates left here two years ago.
"I think he's a great competitor. He was just a young player at that point. He has really matured.
"I know they're struggling a little bit at this point offensively, but it's certainly not because of him. He's throwing the ball well. They're young at wide receiver and have basically a new offensive line.
"I think Shaun Draughn is a special running back. When you look at their offense, they have running backs capable of big plays and a quarterback who is capable of throwing the ball down the field."
On North Carolina's Special Teams:
"Looking at the special teams, they're very solid and our special teams will be challenged with both their return games.
"I think their kicking game is good. They put a lot of pressure on your punter. We're going to have to spend more time on the kicking game because of all the pressure that they get. We're going to have to look at doing some different things to help our punt team out."
On Injuries Last Week:
"The main injury is that Dominique Lindsay hurt his shoulder. At this point, we just have to see where it goes. They're going to do an MRI and look at his A-C joint. He's kind of doubtful this week.
"Emmanuel Davis, who we have missed at the boundary corner position, should be back and we'll get a good gauge on him during practice this week.
"It's the same thing with Levin Neal. He started running with the team last week and we're just going to see where he is.
"Hopefully we'll get those two back in the secondary and that'll help sure some things up."
On If His Experienced Team Is Living Up To Expectations:
"At times they are. You look at it and Derek Blacknall doesn't have any experience. He's a redshirt sophomore who started at strong safety and played the whole game. It doesn't matter how experienced some players are when you have to put 11 guys out there. That's the great thing about this game.
"It's the same thing on offense. Kevin Gidrey has never been a tight end. He had been a fullback for us but now he's a tight end.
"There are flashes when we're as solid of a football team as I expected us to be. When you look at the four big plays and giving up the deep balls, West Virginia had 509 yards of total offense, but 267 of them came on eight plays. For 60 plays, I thought we were a great defense. Four eight plays, I think we had a couple of break downs and there are some things we have to sure up.
"On offense, it's the same thing. There's not one position that's hurting us. We're just not clicking. I don't think we need to change our personnel. It's just that right now there's just a little something missing.
"In the first half of both games, I've been pretty pleased with our offense. We talked as a staff yesterday about evaluating what we're doing at halftime. We're not doing anything different at the half than we have the past four years, but for some reason, we just haven't been able to gel. I don't think it's that our guys are getting tired.
"I think there are a lot of things we have to improve on. This is a team game where you can have nine guys playing their tails off and two making mistakes - then you don't look very good. Only one guy on defense can come up and play the run, but if quarterback throws the ball up into the end zone and it turns into six points. That can make 10 guys look like they're not playing well, when really those 10 guys are doing exactly what they're supposed to do.
"It's the same on offense. If one guy misses his block, and the defender makes a tackle in the backfield, it's a loss of five yards. We've got to keep practicing and getting better. I don't know any other way to do it than to keep our noses to the grindstone and stay persistent. We have to continue to take game-like reps on the practice field."
On What Playing North Carolina Means:
"It is a big game. We're all intertwined and live among each other. It's kind of like the Appalachian State game in that it is a huge rivalry game.
"I'm excited to have the opportunity to play this game. I understand the significance, magnitude and history of this series. Not just on the football field, either. It extends to the way this university has been developed. I know there are a lot of things that makes this a huge rivalry game. I know, and our players know, the importance of this game.
"Many of our players were told they weren't good enough to play at North Carolina. This will be a game that they put a chip on their shoulders for. I'm excited to go play this game.
"Today it's the biggest game on our schedule. It'll be more emotional than probably any other game on our schedule. But in significance, I have a difficult time putting it ahead of our conference games and other goals we're trying to accomplish."
On His Team's Other Options At Quarterback:
"We talked about our other options are. At this point, I don't think this is all Patrick. If the four drops are caught, he's 20-for-40 . If the defensive tackles don't get to run free, Patrick completes five more passes to go 25-for-40 and we're talking about how he had a heck of a day and we're not having this discussion.
"Patrick is going to take the brunt of it when the offense is not going well and a lot of the credit when the offense is doing well. I don't think this is all Patrick. But it's something we've considered and talked about.
"After these first two games, we have to make sure we're getting the most out of the quarterback, tight end, tackle and the rest of our positions.
"We've talked about playing a couple of the young quarterbacks like Josh Jordan. Do you play him, simplify your offense and get him some experience? We've talked about moving Rob Kass back to quarterback. The unfortunate thing about moving Rob is that he is giving us 20 good reps at the fullback position. If you take Rob away from fullback then you take a hit at that position. I don't have all the answers at this point and that's what this week of practice is all about."
On The Offensive Plan Against North Carolina:
"You have to try to highlight your strengths and find their weaknesses. It's tough to find weaknesses on North Carolina's defense.
"One of the positive things about our offense is that it is multiple and can do a number of different things with two-back, one-back and no-back sets. We're going to have to look at the best way to attack North Carolina. We will adjust a little bit to give our players the best chance of success. We're still going to run our offense, but there will have to be some wrinkles put in it."
On Jamar Bryant's Injured Hand:
"Jamar Bryant played a great game. He dislocated his finger on a catch over the middle on third down. He came out, the trainers popped the finger back in and Jamar went back into the game. He played a great game. He's a tough young man. He made a great play in the end zone on the first deep ball that Patrick threw that I really thought was inbounds.
"Jamar played a heck of a game and he should be fine. He may be one of the toughest receivers I've ever been around. He had surgery on his thumb two years ago and the doctors told him it would be a minimum of four weeks before he could catch a ball. In about five days he was out at practice. He's a competitor. He won't miss anything."
On Patrick Pinkney's Go-To Receivers:
"Jamar and Dwayne Harris are the two Patrick has the highest comfort level with. Alex Taylor is doing some really good things and playing well. Alex is starting to play a little bit more of that role. That's also a role we think Kevin Gidrey can play.
"I think our wide receivers, running backs and tight ends did an excellent job in camp. We probably caught the ball better in camp than ever before.
"In the first two games, we have 28 completions and eight drops. Those numbers will get you beat in the passing game. We're just not being consistent enough.
"Dominique Lindsay was one of our best receiving threats in the backfield and with him questionable that takes away another threat. We can only work with what we have, tough, and continue to develop that talent."
On East Carolina's Running Game Against North Carolina:
"With them giving up just 1.8 yards per rush I think we can improve drastically and still not be as productive as we were in the opener against Appalachian State.
"Against West Virginia, when we handed the ball to the running backs and let them run downhill, I thought we ran well at times. We did not run well consistently. When you start adding in lost yards, sacks and the last two possessions when we're trying to overcome two scores and you're throwing every down, your running stats don't show up as much in the end.
"When we break down the film as a coaching staff, I think that's probably one of the better things we did on Saturday was to turn and hand the ball off. That's going to be a challenge this week with their front four.
On The Strength Of East Carolina's And North Carolina's Defenses :
"I think there are two good defensive football teams playing and two offensive teams that are struggling a little bit. Neither one of our passing games are where we want them to be. I think it'll be a heck of a football game.
"I don't think this game is going to be 42-41. When you look at both team's defenses, I don't think that will be the case. I see it playing out as a low-scoring game. One mistake could be the difference in this game."
On Frustrations On Offense Against West Virginia:
"We did have some great field position a couple times with the two muffed punts and good punt returns. Our return team set us up on the 30-yard line once and at midfield once. We just weren't able to convert.
"The thing we didn't do was turn the ball over or take sacks. We would have liked to get it into the end zone, but as long as you're able to get points out of it, you can keep yourself competitive. You really shoot yourself in the foot when you're down on the six-yard line and miss a field goal like we did Saturday."
On The Kicking Competition:
"I let them compete during the week and Ben Hartman had a better week in practice statistically. We give them a certain number of kicks during the week from different areas on the field. We chart it all and that determines who is going to kick. They will compete again this week."
On An Emphasis On Special Teams This Week :
"It's going to be a focal point this week. They have blocked some punts. They're good at what they do. They have some very good athletes and they come after you.
"They're one of the few teams I've seen who really pressures the spread/shield punt that everybody is going to now. They really do a nice job with it. We're going to have to work hard this week. We're going to look at putting in a few wrinkles this week to help our punter."


text:
Strode News
- 25/07/12 - Strode College Personal Trainers put School Children Through their Paces
Newly qualified Personal Trainers from Strode College put their skills to good use recently when they put a group of children from St Dunstan's school in Glastonbury through their paces.
Twenty four enthusiastic year tens visited Strode Sports Hall for the fitness session which included a variety of unusual exercises including tractor tyre flipping, tug of war, box jumps and Turkish get ups.
The session, which introduced the school pupils to some fun and effective new exercises, also gave Strode's new Personal Trainers the chance to develop and hone their newly acquired expertise.
Julian Grundy, Course Manager for the part-time CYQ Level 3 Personal Training course at Strode, said: "Everyone who took part in the event thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This was valuable practice for our students as it got them working with real people which helps build the confidence they need to instruct. The St Dunstan's pupils were great; they really embraced the prospect of some hard exercise!"
Strode College currently runs two part-time programmes leading to qualifications in the Fitness Industry - CYQ Level 2 Fitness Instructor and CYQ Level 3 Personal Trainer. Anyone who has a passion for health, fitness and exercise and is interested in a career in this area should call Strode on 01458 844436.
Photo: Pupils from St Dunstans School with some of Strode's newly qualified Personal Trainers who put them through their paces.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Flexible Work Regulations Take Effect in the U.K. By Alex Denny, Victoria FitzGerald and Emma Vennesson 6/30/2014 The United Kingdom's new Flexible Working Regulations 2014 are now in effect. As of June 30, 2014, the regulations introduce a number of significant changes, including the following: All employees with 26 weeks' service can now make a request to work flexibly. The right is no longer limited to parents of children under 17 (or 18 if the child is disabled) and certain careers. The previous strict statutory timetable for considering flexible working requests has been replaced by a new duty on employers to deal with requests in a "reasonable manner" and within three months of a request being made. A statutory code of practice (currently in draft form) will set out guidelines which employers must follow when dealing with flexible working requests. It is important to note, however, that employers can still refuse a request on one of the eight statutory grounds which are unchanged and include the (broad) "burden of additional costs" and "detrimental impact on quality" grounds. Although these changes may sound alarming to employers, it should be remembered that it is a "right to make a request for flexible working" and not a "right to flexible working." It will be interesting to see what impact these changes have in practice but, in the meantime, we recommend that employers review their existing flexible working policies. Alex Denny is a partner, Victoria FitzGerald an associate and Emma Vennesson an associate in Faegre Baker Daniels' London office. Copyright 2014 © Faegre Baker Daniels LLP. All rights reserved. Quick Links: SHRM Online Global HR page Keep up with the latest Global HR news ADVERTISING LINKS


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: [NSW-Fic]
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: Las Vegas Nevada
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The parking lot was only partially full, day shift was in full swing, and I sauntered past the cars and tethered animals. "Hey, Morg!" I looked up, seeing a cobalt blue gryphon, with a smiling blonde on it's back. "What do you think of my new ride?"
"Sophie, you know you're supposed to park that over at the helipad."
She dropped in, the talons clawing at the tarmac as she jumped down. "Go on, Blue-boy." The gryphon took off, headed for the helipad as he was supposed to. "I got permission from the chief to drop here. What's this I hear about a new assignment?"
I sighed. "Yeah, the new Deputy Chief was upset that I was in SWAT. Said it was like having a thoroughbred horse hauling a wagon." I snorted. "Not that he asked me. He's going for commissioner in the next election."
"But a special unit! You should be happy?"
"Sophie, I haven't been happy since the Shift."
Her face fell. "I'm sorry, Morg. I forgot what happened that day."
I shrugged. "No biggie. Everyone lost something that day." I looked up. "Not again."
There was a picket line outside the main doors, and I almost turned around. These weren't the usual haters with their MONSTERS GO HOME placards. These were cops. HUMANS, NOT MONSTERS one of the signs said.
Them again. The Union had tried to make the force all human right after the Shift. The force had a bad rep sometimes and seeing things in uniform afterward hadn't helped. One of the sweetest guys I knew suddenly turned into a troll that night and while his disposition hadn't changed, rights advocates screamed at having a troll in charge of lock up. So they forced him out.
The days and weeks following the Shift were hell for a lot of people. Men would wake up and find themselves married to Elves or demons and vice versa. The spousal murder rate went up 25%, especially when the people already had grievances. One man beat his wife to death when he awoke and saw an angel. Seemed he'd been cheating on her, and he thought it gave her miraculous powers to detect his deceit.
Those who had changed ran for cover, but in some neighborhoods, fought back. A kid who had been bullied turned into a were-bear as the bullies were beating him, leaving seven dead. That case had been close in court; was he guilty of murder, or was it self defense?
They made enclaves for their own defense, and where they gathered mobs of rioters followed. Though any mob with half a mind didn't follow too close. A section just east of the Strip off Tropicana was the focus of the Demons of the city and they at least gave warnings. Bodies ripped apart and hanging from light posts gave the normal people the clue pretty damn quick. The Angel enclave north of Fremont and Las Vegas Blvd near where I live wasn't half as polite.
We'd still be in a five or six way civil war if 9-11 hadn't happened. It's not often you get to see a miracle on camera live.
It started with four planes being hijacked all within a few minutes. Thirty minutes after the first plane had been reported, it hit one of the World Trade Center buildings. Fifteen minutes later another hit the other.
Then it happened. The parish priest at St Patrick's cathedral had always been a gentle man, and when he woke up after a long night, he might have thought his dreams had come true as angel wings spread. He'd found he could conceal them, but he didn't when that second plane struck.
On the news cameras you can still see it. Two building gushing flame and smoke, then everything reversed. First one plane then another came back out of the buildings.
I wonder how many would have died if he hadn't intervened.
A dragon that had decided to nest in the East Bronx was next. As the two fighters screamed in from Otis Air Force base she leaped into the air, ripping the wings from the first plane, even as it tried to repeat that hell dive. The fuselage was caught then dropped with casual indifference on the runway at Kennedy.
A demon now going by the name of Asmodeus flew in through the cockpit of the second plane, and turned the terrorist crew into gobbets. Then he tapped the autopilot, and let the plane climb back out of the city, leaving the towers as they stand today.
All of the bills banning non-humans from holding public office, declaring them illegal and enemy aliens fell apart much to the President's relief. But that didn't stop them from passing them for anyone who hadn't lived here their entire lives.
This picket was against them.
"Make a hole." I shouted. They looked at me, and most backed away. I have a rep for not having a sense of humor.
"We're not budging." One guy with more muscles than brains stood directly in my path. "We're not letting any more freaks join the force."
"You're not letting us hire them?" I asked with a gentle purr. His tone suggested that maybe…
"You're kind don't belong here!" He roared. The others started to move back, clearly divorcing themselves from his loud mouth. Some of them knew me, and knew he'd really ticked me off
Sophie might have stopped me, but she knew my history. She sighed as I started forward. "Move it or lose it." I snarled.
He lowered his sign, aiming the shaft of PVC pipe at my chest. Then he thrust.
It was instinct, years of fighting with a sword. The blade was there and I cut three times. The sign shredded as the pipe spilt leaving him a foot long length in his hands.
"Nothing human has that, freak."
"Never heard of heroes and Paladins?" I asked. "I gave an oath to protect and defend when I joined the Army, when I joined the police department. I was raised to believe an oath must be followed. The Gods choose those who serve them and I am one." I flipped the sword. "You can even touch it. But if you try to take the blade it will kill you."
He looked at it and backed away.
"Now I'm going to tell you how it will be. You have a right to protest, I grant that. But if you damage any property in this little spree, if you hurt anyone, or cause them to be harmed, I will use this blade to seek you out and bring you to justice. . Not the justice of law, but the justice of what is right and wrong. Nothing in this world will hide you"
"Oh now you're threatening?" The guy just wouldn't shut up.
"Where I come from, they call that a promise, not a threat. Now unlike you, I'm late for work. Get out of my way or take your best shot."
He considered it, he really did. Then he stepped aside. I stalked past him into the building.
The sergeant on the desk was sighing, head in hands as a small man and his lawyer squared off with him. "Listen sir, until her bail hearing your sister is in a holding cell. End of story."
The small man growled, face changing, lengthening. The sergeant leaped to his feet, his own muzzle lengthening, his voice dropping to a growl. "Back off kitty cat before you get ripped into shreds!"
I walked into the elevator hitting the button. Sixteen floors up, I was in the Deputy Chief's office.
"I don't want it." I said for maybe the fifteenth or sixteenth time.
He sighed, his wings spreading. He looked up at me with that angelic calm. "Morgan, it's federally mandated. Every city has to have a combined team, that is Federal law as of eight AM."
I didn't say what I was thinking. The problem with being chosen by a god is that some of them get upset when you use those words. "Fine. So we have to set up these gottverdamnt teams. What do they consist of?"
"One each, a Paladin, a mage, a shaman, and one of each race."
"So what, eight?"
"Nine. The Faerie think they should be counted separately."
"Fine. When do I meet these losers?"
"Right before the press conference. So if you will?" He motioned toward the conference room. I followed him in. The room was empty at the moment, but that would change.
Two humans came in. One was a tall woman with waist length coal black hair in a long dress. A pentagram had been tattooed on her left cheek, a seal of Solomon on the right. She held a long staff in her left hand, strong fingers clenched on the wood as if it were a lover's hand.
"Morgan, meet Danika and Loki."
"No relation." The man said. He walked into the room as if he owned the place, pouring a cup of coffee. "Want some mud Danika?"
"Please." Her voice was soft, the kind men dream about. But her eyes were hard. The learning curve for magic is steep when you're young.
An elf came in, that light step so much a part of their race. "Brachian." The Deputy Chief introduced. He held up the pot, and the elf sneered walking around him.
"What, no coffee?" Callahan asked.
"It's bad for them."
"Very, very bad." Brachian said. His voice reminded me of Elrond from the Lord of the Rings movies.
"No. Caffeine, remember?" I replied. "We have them in the cells every night. Either it hits like cocaine, or like heroin, sometimes even like alcohol." He set the cup down, pouring some water over a tea bag, then reached for a muffin. "The same goes for chocolate."
A dwarf came in, introduced as Droman. He leaped up into a chair, looking around the room with slightly concealed glee. All of faerie kind not specifically tied to the two Elvish courts were represented by him.
The Dragon wasn't going to be here, Vrumigan, a red dragon would meet us on the helipad on the roof.
"Last but not least, Andiel from the angels and-" He was turning toward the door as the last two entered. I was on my feet, glaring as they entered.
"You!" I snarled.
She smiled hesitantly, black wings spreading instinctively as if she considered flight. "Hello, Art."
"What, you know Lilith?"
"She was almost my wife." I bit out.
'To argue with those who have renounced the use and authority of reason is as futile as to administer medicine to the dead.' Now who said that?
From the one who brought you;
What we die for...
KOTOR excerpts
Star Wars: The Beginning
Star Wars: Republic Dawn
Return From Exile
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One of the most interesting groups of bowlers around the Los Angeles area is a women's daytime travel league that roams around the San Fernando Valley for its Tuesday afternoon competition.
The travel league alternates weekly stops among Corbin Bowl in Tarzana, Brunswick Matador Bowl in Northridge and Canoga Park Bowl.
Most of the women are seniors, but there are others much younger.
It's an intimate scratch league that's basically been around since the 1960s and lists players on its official score sheets by their first names, such as Kelly and Connie and Petra and Jonna.
Make no mistake about it: The women take bowling seriously.
One woman, Ileane Hanin, was overheard talking at Corbin Bowl about competing later that night in another league – the Valley Mixed 4 league – that gives handicap points to bowlers.
Ileane, who averages 151, apparently was worried about the size of the handicap points her team had to give way.
Said Ileane: "I'm going to have to bowl m a-- off."
To which teammate Kelly Gold joked to a reporter: "Well, she better."


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The Baltimore Ravens had a very busy Friday of free agency, re-signing linebacker Daryl Smith, signing wideout Steve Smith and losing tackle Michael Oher to the Tennessee Titans.
Bringing back Daryl Smith became critical after the market for linebackers was really starting to thin. The Ravens signed Smith to a four-year, $16.1 million contract.
The contract is probably a bit more than the Ravens would have liked to have given Smith, but he is coming off a strong season and has a good track record.
The biggest news of the day was the team agreeing to a three-year, $11 million contract with veteran wideout Steve Smith.
The Ravens were considered the favorites to land the wide receiver as soon as word leaked out that the Panthers would be releasing him.
He will be a perfect fit for the Ravens. His intensity will give the Ravens an edge they really missed without Ray Lewis, Anquan Boldin and Bernard Pollard on the team in 2013. He will also be an ideal slot receiver, a guy with the toughness to make key grabs over the middle and move the chains.
The addition of Smith also gives the Ravens a bit more flexibility in the NFL Draft. While the team is still very likely to select a wide receiver at some point, it's no longer a desperate need, which will allow them to look at other positions in the first couple of rounds.
Also notable is the loss of right tackle Michael Oher, who signed a four-year deal worth $20 million to return home and play for the Titans. The Ravens likely had interest in bringing Oher back, but certainly not for that length or financial commitment.


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THE COUPLE | The Mentalist's Jane and Lisbon
THE LATEST | After snuffing Red John with his bare hands, Jane gave his partner in crimesolving the courtesy of a goodbye voicemail, before jogging off into the sunset and going on the lam.
HMMM... | Jumping ahead two years, we learn that even while laying low on an idyllic isle, Jane has gone out of his way to stay in touch with Lisbon – via letters than she obviously relishes curling up with at night. And the hug they shared upon reuniting, at the FBI? It seemed to linger a bit, no?
THE FORECAST | Cloudy with a chance of 20-to-life. Pressed to join up with the FBI "or else," Jane chose the latter. Plus, was (FBI agent!) Kim really just playing a part as she and Jane bonded on the beach?
THE COUPLE | Hart of Dixie's Zoe and Wade
THE LATEST | Wade takes too many of Tansy's anxiety pills to prep for a dentist appointment; loopy, he wanders into a hay maze, finds Zoe and kisses her.
BITTERSWOON! | Drugged-out Wade walks away post-kiss as if nothing happened, and, the next day, Zoe made him promise that it would never happen again.
THE FORECAST | Sun peeking through clouds. The kiss could be the first step toward a Zoe-Wade reunion, especially if annoying Joel finds out and skedaddles back to NYC. But Wade's flirtation with Vivian may get in the way of a happy ending for him and Zoe...
THE COUPLE | Beauty and the Beast's Catherine and Vincent
THE LATEST | Vincent is intent on taking murderous revenge on Cat's bad dad Reynolds; Cat tries to plead with him to resist his beastly urges and let her arrest Reynolds for his crimes.
SOB! | To save her father, Cat is forced to shoot her former lover, leaving him wounded and both of them heartbroken.
THE FORECAST | Cloudy. It's going to take a miracle for these two to reconcile. He has to forgive her for shooting him, and she has to forgive him for almost killing her father. Plus: Vincent and Tori, as outcasts, seem more bonded than ever.
THE COUPLE | Sleepy Hollow's Abbie and Ichabod
THE LATEST | Ichabod is sad about being alone for the holidays; the duo discover that Abbie's ancestor delivered Ichabod's missing son.
SWOON! | Ichabod tells Abbie that "[her] company holds the greatest value to [him]." Abbie comforts Ichabod with kind words and rum.
THE FORECAST | Cloudy with sunny breaks. Ichabod is a married man with many missions (stopping the apocalypse, finding out what happened to his son, etc.), so a full-fledged romance with Abbie is a long-shot. Continued adorable banter and flirtation, though? Less so.
THE COUPLE | Castle's Rick and Kate
THE LATEST | While Rick aka "The Baby Whisperer" went cuckoo/goo-goo for an abandoned infant whom he dubbed "Cosmo," a hands-off Kate confessed that she's not much of a toe-nibbling baby person.
OH, BABY! | That said, Kate allowed that she will feel much differently once they have a child of their own – plus, by episode's end, a beaming Beckett and the bambino were getting on famously.
THE FORECAST | Pregnant with possibilities! With that potential baby bump smoothed over, nothing is left to get in the couple's way. Well, aside from the looming threat of death at the hands of 3XK and/or his groupie Dr. Niemann.
THE COUPLE | The Originals' Hayley and Elijah
THE LATEST | Hayley nursed Elijah back to health after his werewolf bite, refusing to leave his side; Klaus worried that his child with Hayley would call Elijah "daddy" instead of him.
SWOON! | Hayley was completely committed to Elijah's recovery, even after he acted out.
THE FORECAST | Storms ahead. Elijah and Klaus are heading toward a huge showdown over Hayley and her baby.
THE COUPLE | Chicago Fire's Dawson and Casey
THE LATEST | Casey expressed an interest in spending more time with Dawson; though she was afraid to go down that road at first, she agonized over whether to call him.
SWOON! | Just as she decided not to call him and headed out the door, Casey was there, about to ring the bell. They locked eyes and finally kissed.
THE FORECAST | Sunny with a chance of rain. Although we love Dawson and Casey together and hope for a happy future, mixing work and romance is always a recipe for drama.
THE COUPLE | NCIS: Los Angeles' Kensi and Deeks
THE LATEST | After spending an ambiguously intimate night together, the two struggled to keep it cool at the workplace.
BITTERSWOON! | Just as Kensi and Deeks were starting to admit their feelings for one another, Hetty went and tore Kensi away from him, sending her on a top-secret, remote and "indefinite" assignment.
THE FORECAST | No sun for a while. Kensi's reassignment is the perfect cover for portrayer Daniela Ruah's maternity leave, but we're heartbroken not to have and Densi action for the foreseeable future.
THE COUPLE | Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Ward and May
THE LATEST | At the end of "The Well" -- and though the series has been teasing Ward/Skye all season long -- the team's stone-faced ass-kickers slipped into a hotel room to… relieve stress?
WHAM-BAM! | The latest episode confirmed they've been up to much more than decompressing -- and more than that one time! In fact, Ward and May have their staggered report-to-work sked down to a science.
THE FORECAST | Pretty super. May obviously has no problem with emotionally detached sex -- hell, she is out the door before Ward can even make morning-after small talk. So unless S.H.I.E.L.D. or Coulson have a rule about amoré amongst agents….
THE COUPLE | Glee's Marley and Jake
THE LATEST | Jake dealt with a Bree-f pregnancy scare; he tried to win back Marley, but she couldn't get over his betrayal.
DANCE! | We're sad about Jake and Marley, but... that Janet Jackson mash-up though!
THE FORECAST | It's raining high school angst! We expect the love square between Jake, Marley, Bree and Ryder to continue for a while this season.
THE COUPLE | The Good Wife's Alicia and Will
THE LATEST | Bangin' flashbacks (get it, because hair and sex) showed Alicia and Will in happier times; in the present day, the former flames faced off in court.
SOB! | Sad Will is sad! It was hard to watch Will plan his courtroom take-down of Alicia while he remembered better days gone by.
THE FORECAST | Persistent storms. The firm-vs.-firm showdown is far from over, and Alicia and Will are still at the center of the battle.


text: This fancy dress will definitely grab anyones attention in the club or at any party! This one of a kind dress is stylish and chic. Wear this out with your gals or even on a romantic date with that special someone. This dress features v-neck, sleeveless style, cutout front, shimmer, shimmer, peplum and tight fitted. 100% Polyester Style: clothing-dress-iii1-kd4525black


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Mar 2, 2009 10:03 AM
With a killer snowstorm keeping us indoors for the foreseeable future, we're dreaming of soft sand, gentle breezes, icy beverages, and uh, shirtless Cabana boys. And at the center of our warm weather fantasy are these AS01 Madeline Sunglasses ($15). Very 1950s mod, these funky shades offer UV 400 protection to keep your eyes safe from the (currently fictitious, but eventually inevitable) glare.
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:


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National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC)St. Norbert College is an institutional member of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), which provides honors students the opportunity to attend the national conference. There, they may present original research, organize a panel or be trained as a moderator along with networking with other honors students from across the country.
Listed below are a few opportunities sponsored by the NCHC.
Partners in the Parks
Partners in the Parks is an outdoor learning program sponsored by Southern Utah University and Cedar Breaks National Monument in cooperation with the National Collegiate Honors Council. In 2015 eight projects were created at several national parks across the country offering catered opportunities for collegiate honors students and faculty. Participation in a Partners in the Parks experience fulfills one Honors course requirement.
NCHC Portz Scholars Nominations
Every year all NCHC institutional members are invited to nominate one paper written by an undergraduate honors student to represent their college for the Portz Scholars competition. Please nominate a deserving honors student to represent St. Norbert College! To find out more information, please visit the Portz Scholars Nominations webpage.
National Annual Convention
While the National Collegiate Honors Council is active throughout the year, it is at our annual national conference, held in the fall, that members from across the United States gather to share ideas and take part in panels, workshops and lectures about all different aspects of honors programs. There are numerous opportunities for honors students to participate in the NCHC conference as presenters, panel participants, moderators and more. Each year for the past three years, the SNC Honors Program has worked with students interested in participating in the national convention. This year's convention will be held in Chicago, IL, from Nov. 11-15, 2015.
Here a few highlights from our previous conferences:
- In 2012, three honors students attended the conference in Boston.
- One student presented a poster, another a research paper and a third as a campus representative.
- In 2013, four honors students attended the conference in New Orleans.
- All four student were student panel moderators; one student presented at a panel discussion on the topic of "Honors Elitism: Erase It or Embrace It"
- In 2014, two students attended the conference in Denver.
- Both students were student panel moderators.
- Fall 2015, seven honors students were selected from a national pool of applicants to present their individual research projects at the conference in Chicago.


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"For they loved the praises of men more than the praises of God"-John 12:43.
There is not a better scripture to explain why those that refuse to acknowledge God's authority will continue in their purposeful rebellion against anything Biblical they choose not to agree. There were those in the Bible that knew God's will on a variety of subjects, however in order to stay popular with the people, they chose to disregard what scripture said.
Should one pick up the Bible, one can easily know what God has declared in His Word on any subject or find scripture that addresses any practice of man that has come along well after the Bible was written. Prophetic utterances have also been given to deal with the events of the future.
In Isaiah there is a declaration (Isaiah 46:10) that establishes God's authority irrefutably in stating what will happen in the future based on what God has already declared in the beginning. One just cannot have more demonstratable authority than that.
One of the more interesting issues concerning grace and salvation is whether one can lose their salvation after it was obtained through Jesus Christ. An entire doctrine has been created by those subscribing to "once saved always saved".
Although this sounds extremely spiritual and gives tons of authority to the cleansing blood of Christ…..Is this "once saved always saved" true by God's standards?
Being in awe of the redemption power of Jesus' blood would have one lean heavily towards the affirmative of salvation being always a given to those going through the process of receiving such an extraordinary gift of grace. But what DOES the Bible teach about the impossibility of losing your salvation?
You can cherry pick scripture to make anything plausible. Regarding eternal security one can go to John 10:28-29 and read,
"And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand".
It would seem quite clear that security is assured, but when one really focuses on what Christ said, He declared that "no man" can pluck someone away or perhaps even no external force can accomplish the task of stealing away one's salvation. But what about the person saved being deceived or willingly doing something to cause the loss of salvation?
1 John 4:4 declares, "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world", and to "resist the devil and he will flee from you in James 4:7, but there are many Christians claiming Bible knowledge that actually do not have it and are being enticed to practice other doctrines contrary to Bible teaching.
One is emphatically encouraged in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God". The warning is clearly stipulated that one can wrongly divide the word of truth and be in doctrinal error.
The Bible uses history to reinforce truth that is intended. When the Israelites left the bondage of Egypt, all represented salvation from the bondage of sin, however many lost out by sinning and separating themselves from the will of God. There are examples of those losing their salvation and were judged accordingly.
There are numerous references of being blotted out of God's book; Exodus 32:33-And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book; Psalm 69:28-Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous; Psalm 109:14-Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out; and Revelation 3:5-He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father , and before His angels.
One has to be written into the book of life before one can have it blotted out due to sinful behavior. Whether referring to the children of Israel leaving Egypt or the final dispensation in Revelation, it is obviously clear one can be "blotted out" and lose their salvation. Being blotted out of the book of life makes it crystal clear.
The Bible states one can lose their salvation after the gift of salvation was given.


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Holy means "set apart." Christians set apart an entire week - Holy Week - to recall the events surrounding the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Find information and activities for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Arts & Faith for Holy Week
The Seven Last Words
The Stations of the Cross
Passion and Resurrection Intergenerational Parish Event
3-Minute Retreats
In the Name of the Lord
The Lord's Supper
The Passion of the Lord
Easter Vigil
© 2013 Loyola Press. All rights reserved. 800-621-1008. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.


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A recent Rachael Ray Show featured Shannon Leavitt and her 10-year old son, Kaden both of Pocatello, Idaho who have a strong desire to 'pay it forward" to others in their community. The :Leavitts thought they were on the show to just discuss with Ray about how their 'pay it forward' campaign has touched so many lives and inspired others across the United States.
During the show Shannon Leavitt told Rachel and the audience about the inspiration for her 'Pay it Forward' campaign which was her son Kaden who always gad the volition to do good deeds for others Eventually Leavitt joined her son in the endeavor and now, about a year later, the whole family has gotten into the act.
The :Leavitt's "Pay it Forward" campaign is designed to give back to their community through simple acts of kindness. Rachel Ray's camera crew followed the Leavitts around as they paid for someone's meal at the restaurant where Leavitt works, buying gas for a young man who ran out of gas and handing little business cards to each person they help..
According to localnews8.com, one man from California had four thousand of the cards printed for the Leavitts. Each of the cards has a simple message,: "Please do a good deed, whatever it may be. Than pass this card to that person and tell them to do the same thing...pay it forward..."
Rachael Ray rewarded the Leavitts for their efforts with a little pay it forward of her own, money to help them expand their acts and touch more people with their good deeds and also a trip to Disney World.
The Leavitts tried to invite Ray on the trip with them but she respectively declined.
While the whole idea of the Rachael Ray show was to honor the Leavitts for what they are doing to make their community a better place to live the true message of the show should not be ignored. The Leavitts story should be an inspiration for everyone to start "paying it forward' in their own neighborhoods. As the Leavitts show it doesn't take a lot of money to to start helping others.


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The Purchase College Fencing Club will hold its first Classical Fencing Invitational Tournament Saturday, March 29 in the Small Gym of the Physical Education building on the Purchase College campus. This invitational tournament features fencers ages 17-25 from across the United States who will compete in foil beginning at 1 PM. Spectators are welcome. Admission is $5.
A small exhibit of classical fencing will be on view beginning at 12 PM when doors open, and a demonstration of classical and historical fencing will begin at 12:30 PM.
Purchase College is located at 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, N.Y.
Classical fencing is very different than Modern Sport fencing. It approaches the sword as a martial art with fencers training as people did for hundreds of years before the sport was created.
For more information and a schedule of events visit www.ahfi.org/events/.


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Eating healthy starts with healthy foods. The idea is to choose foods that provide the best nutrition. Historically our bodies had a built in way of determining good food, it was through taste and flavor. Fresh fruits, vegetables and meats are going to be more nutritious than processed foods. Farm raised, local and organic can also help determine good food. The main goal should be to eat food that is nourishing and appropriate.
A good rule of thumb when looking for quality foods is to think small. Often people grab the largest examples of the fruits and vegetables. Many smart cooks realize that smaller is often better. Small berries and grapes can arise from difficult growing conditions which will concentrate the flavors. Many other fruits and vegetables get "woody" when they get big. Most people have had the experience of a monster size strawberry that looked great but had a hard flavorless texture. Many vegetables like zucchini and cucumbers taste better when they are picked small. Some of the strongest hot peppers in the world are also the smallest.
Smaller fruits are also more durable in transport, as the small fruits bruise less easily. This is because there is a better ratio of outer skin to internal soft fruit. For those fruits where the skin or peel is considered the most nutritious part- the small size fruits give the best ratio amount of peel to the amount of fruit.
Hunters and fisherman often describe the trophy size large animal as tasteless and tough. Smaller younger animals are often better tasting. Also in a world that has a lot of pollution, smaller animals are less likely to accumulate environmental toxins. Small bait fish like sardines and smelt are likely to have a much lower level of heavy metals and other contaminants than large carnivore type fish like salmon and tuna which accumulate toxins from the fish they eat. The older and larger an animal is, the more likely it is to have picked up more environmental toxins.
Not all foods are better small. Many of the mini carrots in stores are large carrots that have been shaved to size. It is important to look at many factors when buying fresh foods. It is important to remember that bigger is just not always better.


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Arrests made in string of car break-ins
Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 11:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 12:30 a.m.
An 18-year-old man faces multiple charges in connection with a string of car break-ins, according to a news release from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
Bryant Keith Neal was charged with 19 counts of breaking and entering a vehicle, third-degree burglary, first-degree theft of property and first-degree robbery.
Investigators said Neal committed the robbery with Nicholas Anderson, 17, on July 25 at Branscomb Apartments. Anderson was charged as an adult with first-degree robbery.
Anderson and Neal are in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. Neal's bond was set at $380,000 and Anderson's was set at $60,000.
The vehicle thefts occurred in the Hinton Place, Southridge, Saddle Brook and Maxwell Loop Road areas.
Investigators with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office in cooperation with agents of the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force performed an undercover operation that identified Neal as a suspect in the car thefts. Authorities said the operation also led to the recovery of a stolen gun.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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When using certificate authentication with ssh, the instructions I have found indicate you should create a key-pair as
id_rsa.pub &&
id_rsa. The public key is then sent to the remote system to be added to
authorized_keys (or
authorized_keys2 frequently in the case of OS/X). Obviously, the originating system needs access to its private key
I recently broke this by renaming the
id_rsa file and fixed it by restoring the file to its original name; so presumably, ssh uses the file
~/.ssh/id_rsa. Is this correct? Is it configurable? I had presumed that I would use different private keys for different remote systems, to limit the impact of a compromised private key; is this simply impractical, and it's better to just re-use a single private key?


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Clifford Bale, Jr, 90, of Westfield Center, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 28, 2013. He was born in Akron to William and Catherine Bale on October 30, 1922.
Cliff graduated from Kenmore High School in 1940. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army, was co-owner of Lake Bowling Alley in Barberton, was a Deputy Sheriff for Summit County, and a member of Norton and Westfield Center Police forces. He worked for St. Paul Insurance Co. and then joined Westfield Companies. He was a claims adjuster and managed the Westfield Country Club Golf Course prior to his retirement. After retiring, Cliff resumed his studies at Indiana University. He completed his degree and graduated with honors at the age of 72. He was a 32nd Degree Mason with 65 years of membership.
Cliff was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma; and sister, Katherine Lowry.
He is survived by his children, Rene (Tom) Watts of Westfield Center, Debbie (Bob) Stone of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Tom (Jessica) Watts of Delaware, Ohio, Mike (Erin) Watts of Indianapolis, Indiana, Douglas Davis of Chicago and Margi Watts of Berea.
Private graveside service will take place at Lakewood Cemetery.
Cox Funeral Home, 330-745-3311


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Member of the reality-based community of progressive (not anonymous) Massachusetts blogs
Via an email from the Patrick administration, I hit a link on Boston.com regarding a fascinating hard-brake-right from Baker on the transgender antidiscrimination bill.
Despite the nondiscrimination policy put into place under his tenure at Harvard Pilgrim, which includes "gender identity," Baker (despite the fact his own Lt. Gov. sponsored the bill) pushed against the bill at his (apparently boring) convention:
On Saturday, after critics of the bill highlighted Tisei's support for the legislation in phone calls to delegates and in petitions at the convention, Baker quickly issued a flier calling it the "bathroom bill and saying he would veto it if elected.
Now, I'm not under the impression that this bill is all that damned draconian. At best (or worst, if you're afraid of equal rights for people you don't understand), it makes it clear you can't discriminate against someone who identifies, say, female, from using the women's bathroom, nor could you fire someone who has nontraditional gender identity.
Conservatives want to claim that this bill will force unisex bathrooms and locker rooms. Oh noes! First, unisex bathrooms are no big deal (for gawd's sake people). But that's not what this bill does anyway, and to state otherwise is to grossly misrepresent the legislation for a political reason.
And as a political move, it's pretty dumb. Since knocking off Mihos from the primary ballot, Baker should be spending the rest of the race tacking into the middle, instead of pandering to the far right. In fact, Cahill seems to be sewing the social conservatives up anyway, so, Baker'd be better served trying to wedge moderate voters away from Patrick instead of making them disgusted. Maybe he thinks tacking to the far right on trans issues won't piss off moderates, who maybe don't feel strongly (for or against, I imagine) on this issue, but the general tactic of shifting social-right in a state like MA - where, if people are conservative at all, it's fiscally and anti-incumbent - when he is, essentially, already running in a general election, and he already has someone trying to run from his right, just seems suicidal. It sure looks like Baker has the embarrassing potential to come in third, doesn't it?
Not that I want to give Baker any good advice, but I'm not impressed with his campaign brain trust.
In other news, Baker and Cahill are going after the same conservative voters. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.
Sorry to be off topic, Lynn, but I cannot figure out how to email you since the link/instructions on the blog home page are incoherent (replace spaces, ['s symbols) - WTF?
Wanted to be sure you were aware of amazing comments made by Mr. Hayden concerning you, employment of his family by GLTECH, Cassen et al. Ref: http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_14904355
For parents with young children the idea that "unisex bathrooms are no big deal" is grossly niave. Singular bathrooms commonly referred to as "family bathrooms" with one door, one toilet, one sink, and a singular lock on the door that are open to use by both males and females are no big deal. However, "unisex bathrooms" with multiple stalls where anyone can enter are a big deal.
As children get into their early teens they search for more independence. Going to the mall and probably using the bathroom alone is a natural progression. I have to ask Lynne, do you have children? Have you been through this age with your child yet? Sure, you take your young children by the hand into the bathroom but at some point you do let them go it alone. I personally don't want to have to add another worry to the growing list of worries that I have to consider when deciding if my child can go somewhere.
To assume that a man couldn't dress in women's clothing under the pretense of being transgendered and attack a young girl alone in a bathroom is not only niave it's dangerous. "Real" transgendered individuals are most likely not going to do this. However, how do you propose we discern who is transgenered, in the proces of transgendering, or who isn't really transgendered and just exploiting a weakness in the system?
Personally, even as an adult, I would be uncomfortable with someone who was born male but dresses as a female in the bathroom with me. Not because I have prejudice against transgendered individuals but because I could not be sure who I was really in the bathroom with. Is it a guy that used a disguise to get in the ladies room and is going to attack me or or is it truly a transgendered individual?
As is suggested in many defense training sessions, I don't even get on an elevator if it's just a guy and me. I walk with my keys in my hand available for use etc etc. But I have to throw caution to the wind because someone might get offended? I don't think so.
I don't want my young children put at risk because of someone else's idea of what they think is correct.
"To assume that a man couldn't dress in women's clothing under the pretense of being transgendered and attack a young girl alone in a bathroom is not only niave it's dangerous. "Real" transgendered individuals are most likely not going to do this. However, how do you propose we discern who is transgenered, in the proces of transgendering, or who isn't really transgendered and just exploiting a weakness in the system?"
What's stopping any predator from doing this now?
Bogus argument; try again.
"Not because I have prejudice against transgendered individuals but because I could not be sure who I was really in the bathroom with."
Actually, yes you do or you wouldn't be making this argument. See above.
Thanks for the heads up, JC. BTW the way the email is listed that way for discouraging spam - just posting your email on a website will cause spammers to be able to gleam your email from the code and put you on more spam lists. It's pretty simple - replace the " [nospamat] " with an @.
RE coed bathrooms, oh Mary, you'll have to get over it. First, it's MOOT. That is not what this bill does anyway. For heaven's sake.
Second, guess what? People are different from you. Someone who was born male but thinks of themselves as female have it pretty tough in life, trying to figure out who they are and why do they have to be so different? I think a little uncomfortableness on your part is pretty tiny compared to the way they have to feel EVERY day of their life, trying to explain to people why, for instance, they dress female but go into the men's room.
You'll get over it.
FYI, a man could credibly dress as a woman NOW and get into the woman's bathroom, how naive are you? That is a dumb reason to oppose equal rights for those with nontrad gender ID. And if it's SOMEONE YOU WORK WITH then I hope you know whether or not that person is trustworthy already.
I think you are covering up another sort of uncomfortableness with your "am I going to be attacked???? OMG OMG" paranoia. Come on, give it up.
As for unisex bathrooms, I suppose you think that pedophiles lurk everywhere? I dunno, your uncomfortableness seems kinda weird to me. No I don't have kids, but I know about kids, as I have nieces and spent a lot of time taking care of kids my whole life. If your kids are near their teens I think they can handle it. I bet they can handle it better than you can.
I went to school where coed dorms meant coed bathrooms (not enough bathrooms to go around on every floor). I got used to it just about three days in. It's NO BIG DEAL. And yes, those coed bathrooms INCLUDED showers.
Just because an idea is new or you're older and aren't used to it, doesn't mean your uncomfortableness is reason to deny someone some civil rights not to get fired for their born difference, or allow them to act like the way they are inside without prejudice. I love my mom dearly but I doubt she'd be much comfortable around a GLBT, because as far as she knows, she doesn't know any, and wouldn't know how to feel about it. I've heard the phrase, "I just don't want to see it" from her before. However, I don't want her lack of comfortableness to dictate whether my gay friends can get married or not. Sorry.
Heh, JC, did that article get scrubbed or something? I only see a brief mention of Hayden, and no real quote from him bitching about anything, just a mention of his role in preventing a nation-wide search for a Cassin replacement. Which I am posting on because it's so, very, exasperating, but I missing the part about bloggers, his family, etc.
Lynne… don't know if you have kids, but the amount of work that goes into this tells me you don't. If you have kids, you have a different view on the restroom thing. It is a big deal.
And really, honestly, why is that?
Predators aren't going to be limited by who goes into what bathroom, I got news for ya.
So what's a real reasoning?
And I assume you are commenting on the unisex thing, not the transgender thing? Because no one has presented any sane argument to refute that someone id'ing and dressing like a woman/man should be denied the right to use the corresponding restroom.
Does anyone seriously want bathroom police checking to make sure everyone is using the "gender-appropriate" facility? As Lynne and I each have implied above, that's pretty much what it would take. (And the Right complains about government intrusion against our personal liberties? Seriously….)
This "bathroom" argument is an obvious smokescreen for personal prejudice and insecurity, which — last time I checked — are not protected by law. If you're worried about your kids' safety, then there are other steps you as a parent or guardian can take to minimize the danger.
Since when do we consider the use of the ladies bathroom by a man a "civil right"? You're cheapening what real civil rights are all about. Seriously, are you dealing with a full deck?
Certainly you're right in that a man can dress as a woman regardless and go into a bathroom right now. The difference is that you'd have us legislate that as a civil right where as I would see it as a potential problem to avoid. There are other bathrooms you know. And quite frankly, the mens bathroom always has a shorter line. Half the time I wish I could get in that line and get out quicker. But I respect that it is the MEN's room and wait my turn in the long long ladies line.
And as always, throw in the "predators aren't going to be limited by who goes into the bathroom". No kidding? Really? I did not know that. But why make it easier for them? Just like the death penalty isn't a detterent to murder. Correct,it's a punishment for those that did commit murder. So let's just not do anything to possibly stop something from happening because it might offend someone.
If I walk in a ladies room and I see a man dressed as a woman it would be a cause for concern and I would report it to the establishment. If you have your way I can't do that and if it is a predator he gets free reign on any unsuspecting female. I also don't want a guy dressed as a guy in the ladies room. They don't belong there.
First off, the intent of the bill is to protect transgender people from violence and from discrimination in housing and employment. The "bathroom" spin is simply a red herring; as I said above it's a smokescreen for those who are would rather pretend either that transgender people don't exist or that they aren't discriminated against because of who they are.
As you say yourself, "let's not do anything to possibly stop something from happening because it might offend someone." The funny thing is that the only one's who seem to be "offended" by this bill are those who have their own insecurities about gender identity (or bathrooms or whatever) and the only thing being "stopped" is treating transgender individuals with the same dignity as any other human being.
And if the line is shorter for the men's room, by all means feel free to use it! I doubt anyone would be offended….
Wow, hostile much?
"Since when do we consider the use of the ladies bathroom by a man a "civil right'?"
Gee, that's the point, isn't it? That person is NOT a man. They may have been born a man, as a physical gender, but they identify a woman. Therefore, denying them the chance to be a woman in the fullest sense they can is cruel and a serious lack of civil rights. This bill would allow them to do so, and it's NOT all about the bathroom, which you seem to be overwrought over.
"Seriously, are you dealing with a full deck?"
Seriously, do you have an ounce of empathy? Do you understand what it would be like to be, essentially, born in the WRONG BODY? To have your physical gender conflict with how your brain works? To be one thing inside your head, and another thing when faced by society? Now picture growing up like this, confused, shunned by peers, and under actual THREAT of bodily harm. Step into that person's shoes for two seconds. Do you think people CHOOSE that? Don't you think they want very much to be normal? Well, THEY CAN BE - if they are allowed to live their lives unmolested as the gender they ID with.
Because imagine that same person, growing up in a society which doesn't think it's any big deal. No one shuns them in the work place, they just accept them. They can act like the gender they identify with with no worries that someone is going to beat the shit out of them or move to the other side of the street in disgust. In essence, that person won't BE different, because they aren't treated different. I like that world a LOT better than the one we live in now, where someone can fire a nontrad identity person because, oh no, they feel a little ookee. Your ookee feelings are not a reason to stop people from living their lives the way they need to to be happy. IT HARMS NO ONE to give them rights to use the gender-correct bathroom. You want to SEE harm, because you have an oookee feeling and want to justify it. Too bad. Get over it.
BTW gender ID goes both ways. There are people born female who ID male. "Long lines at the bathroom" notwithstanding.
I know people who identify with a different gender than they were born with. They are perfectly sane, normal people who just want to live.
You, apparently, would prefer them to live in pain in the darkness.
I would just like to add that gender identity is much more complex than simply what chromosomes one happens to be born with. I think the lack of empathy on GLBTQ issues is due to not understanding that the traditional binary model of gender — i.e., you're either male or female — is inaccurate.
Lynne, the Hayden remarks are in comments the idiot posted in response to the article. The first, which concerns you is quoted below. He has others defending Cassin's raises, employmment of his family members et. cetera. He's quite a piece of work!
Mikey says…
"I did use my last meeting to ask my fellow school board members to scrap the search and appoint Mary Jo Santaro and I stand by that. I did agree with Fred Bahou and his opinion that the school did not do enough to promote the school for the search. I think Fred is just playing to the paper and Left in Lowell and Lynne Lupin who went out her wayand smeared me to get Fred elected. Mary Jo is the best choice for Superintendent and no one will ever get me to think otherwise. Now everyone can have a good time knocking me without putting down their real names because I have family members working at the school who by the way are fully qualified for the jobs they hold So go ahead and punch away the floor is all yours"
God, he can't even spell my name right! It's not like it's hard. Or hard to find, either. Though give him credit, he remembered the e at least.
I went out of my way to smear him…LMAO…HE's the one who put up the website! Which of course is still there. LMFAO!! I smeared him WITH HIS OWN WORDS, and with the facts. Honest, honest Iago.
"no one will ever get me to think otherwise."
I think one can leave off the "otherwise" there…
He *would* be one to leave comments in Topix. LMAO! That place is a cesspool. And a pretty poor place for someone to respond to an article in any case.
It's good to know that Hayden understands that you are the one who exposed him for what he is. Thanks.
Just FYI I am in total agreement with gay marriage. I have a number of gay friends and family members and it doesn't matter to me one way or the other. I'm talking about the issue of safety.
Why is it that when someone disagrees or has a difference of opinion with a liberal stance they are immediately branded as predjudiced and insecure? I'm so tired of that.
Again Lynne, I may have missed it in your post. Do you have children?
Unisex restrooms are the norm, or at least more prevalent, in Europe. The stalls are individual and have more of a door than we're used to here and there are no urinals. The sink area is common to all users. I don't understand the question about having children. They would still have privacy in the individual stalls and the sink area wouldn't be any more dangerous than any other public place.
The problem with your logic is that there is no actual connection between the protection of the basic civil liberties of transgender individuals — i.e., protecting them from discrimination in the workplace and in housing — and the safety of children in public restrooms. These are two *very* distinct issues that have become conflated for political purposes.
Re: prejudice.
From your argument it would seem that you a) view transgender individuals to pose an inherent safety risk to children. This implies that you have preconceived notions about such people as a group. This is the literal definition of prejudice — pre-judging. This bias may not be fully conscious, but since you articulate it, it must exist to at least some extent.
On the other hand, if your concern is actually b) that sexual predators will suddenly start cross-dressing and pose an added risk to the safety of children, there is nothing that prevents this from happening now and nothing — short of police at restroom doors checking one's "equipment" — that will prevent this from happening in the future, regardless of what happens to this particular piece of legislation.
Again, transgender equality and sexual predation are two very distinct issues. If you can separate out the apparent bias against transgender individuals from your concern about sexual predators and the safety of children, then you might realize what how duplicitous this "bathroom" argument actually is.
Also, re: kids — see post #4 above where Lynne writes:
"No I don't have kids, but I know about kids, as I have nieces and spent a lot of time taking care of kids my whole life."
(Trying to spare Lynne another rant here…. )
Sorry…. Just want to clarify one point above:
"… there is nothing that prevents this from happening now and nothing — short of police at restroom doors checking one's "equipment" — that will prevent this from happening in the future, regardless of what happens to this particular piece of legislation."
This is not entirely true.
What I should have said is: Even if the pending legislation is defeated, there would still be other steps — such as police at the doors — required to provide a somewhat greater measure of safety in public restrooms than already exists. The question is whether the costs of implementing these steps are worth the marginal increases in safety.
No wonder our society is going literally down the toilet. When we waste time, money and resources (not to mention killing trees to print these bills, MY GOD THINK OF THE TREES!) on this kind of garbage. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few warped, twisted individuals who get their jollies pushing the societal envelope. Bottom line I don't care what you do in your own bedroom, what you wear or what you would like to be its a simple matter of plumbing. Depending on your personal plumbing determines which bathroom you use, if you have the proper equiptment use the proper bathroom. Not if you think you might possibly want to maybe change on every other Tuesday when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing 13 mph I feel like a woman. Give us all a feaking break!!!
Lynne I love how you try to demonize anything you do not agree with. (Mary #9) is exactly right and you, typical of the left throw words like hostile out. I have news for you I don't care what they perceive themselves as or how they see themselves, if you are born a man you are a man, and vice versa. There is no discussion, transgender is a made up term to try to explain someone's feelings. Irrelevent, science not psychology is the issue here if they feel that strongly that nature got it wrong fortunately for them science has reached a point where that can be corrected, but until they make that decision they are what they are.
Oh give it up dude. Who is taking you seriously?
I mean, DUH I'm liberal. It's right in the damn subtitle of the blog. If you don't like it, please, feel free to stop reading.
Also, you're an unfeeling person and I hope to god that you never have a family member go through what transgendered and nontraditional identity people have to go through.
It's science, dude, get over it. Gay or straight or transgendered is not a state of mind. It is a state of BEING and just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it's not true.
Seriously, if it was just about how someone felt, don't you think they'd sure as shit want to feel some other way?? Would anyone CHOOSE to have someone like you treat them like crap?
Get over it. Your way is the old way and it's changing, and the young people of this country are NOT bigots, and are accepting of people who might be different from them. Too bad for your comfort level but I don't see where in the constitution we have to cater to people who have no empathy?
Not to pile on, but as I wrote above:
… gender identity is much more complex than simply what chromosomes one happens to be born with. I think the lack of empathy on GLBTQ issues is due to not understanding that the traditional binary model of gender — i.e., you're either male or female — is inaccurate.
Frankly that goes for our "identity" in general — whether we experience our lives as a male or a female (or something in between), or gay or straight (or something in between), or black or white (or something in between), or Republican or Democrat (or something in between)… you get the idea. All identity is "constructed" from a complex of interconnected processes. We do serious harm to ourselves and others by not recognizing the fact that reality does not necessarily conform to a simplified black-or-white "ideal".
And this isn't some whacked out post-modern leftist intellectual mumbo-jumbo either; there's at least 2500 years of rigorous study to back this up… though you can always "check the work" for yourself if you're still skeptical.
Just as I said Lynne, when I called you on using words like hostile now I am unfeeling. I would be willing to bet you that I know more and have known more gay people than even your liberal self. I will tell you the great majority of them are in complete agreement with my view because the transgender issue only hurts their own cause. Just out of curiosity have they discovered transgenderism in any other species of mammals or is it only a human phenomenon. When arguing the case for homosexuality liberals love to point to cases of same in other species as evidence of it being a natural part of life. I wonder if transgenderism has ever been determined or is it AS I SUSPECT is a choice and state of mind.
To the larger issue why should I or any other person, maybe an old man or woman using a facility, or a young child be made to feel uncomfortable to accomodate a miniscule percentage. It seems to me they should adjust to the rest of society. But the typical liberal solution is throw more of taxpayer dollars at it, build some more bathrooms to accomodate everyone but where does it stop.
Just curious Tim? 2500 years of study on transgenderism. Really, they were studying this and called it such. Just because some college professor says transgenderism is legitimate does not make it so. Just look at the lying global warming academics who cooked the books to further there agenda.
I'm talking 2500 years (at least) of rigorous study into the conditioned nature of personal identity — or "self" as we like to call it. Again, this isn't high-minded theoretical stuff. As the current discussion shows, our ideas about who we are have very real implications about how we treat each other.
We use labels — like male/female, black/white, gay/straight — to identify our selves, and often these labels serve a very useful purpose indeed. However there's the danger that we mistake a conventional label for reality. We think of things in terms of either black/white, male/female, without realizing that these are just conventional frameworks for describing our experience: the reality of what makes up "blackness" or "whiteness", or "maleness" or "femaleness" is much more fluid and nebulous.
To try to bring this back to the original context, what exactly is it that makes one "male" or "female"? Is maleness or femaleness simply defined by one's genetalia, or does the actual experience of being male or female contingent upon a wider range of factors? Tell me from your own experience, What makes you a "man" or a "woman"? What makes you who you are?
Once we've had a chance to reflect on these questions we realize how utterly stupid and pointless it is to worry about whether someone is properly equipped to use a particular bathroom. As long as no one is being harmed — so excluding things like workplace discrimination or sexual predation — do the concepts of "male" or "female" really matter? Or is it simply better to honor the inherent worth and dignity of each person in whatever flavor he or she comes?
And while realizing that intersexuality is NOT the same as transgender, here's an illustration of how sex and gender aren't as cut-and-dried as we're often led to believe:
What are the bathroom police to make of this?
Well, gee, dude, how else do you describe someone who states, "if you are born a man you are a man, and vice versa. There is no discussion, transgender is a made up term to try to explain someone's feelings."
That's pretty unfeeling to me. If the shoe fits, bud.
I mean, one might as well give up on trying to give you a teaching moment, you have no interest in learning about differences in other people and just want to spew rather hateful stuff about them on a blog. If Tim (with his very wise, thoughtful, and generously nice commentary) can't convince you, you can't be convinced. Doesn't mean I won't call you what you are - unfeeling, and kinda hateful. Certainly, you are the opposite of empathic.
And it has nothing to do with spending taxpayer dollars. Hey, if you don't like a free, open, and equal society, you can always move to Uzbekistan. Or Iran, where they punish gays and certainly transgender people. Just trying to be helpful.
Being GLBT is NOT a choice, and sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling LALALALA doesn't change that. You are a relic, a dinosaur. And I rather pity you. It's sad to harbor such lack of understanding for others in one's life…I'd rather embrace the differences in us, not condemn them because I feel all "oogey."
By the way, "openyoureyes" (ironic much?), this is personal to me. I know and like people who are transgendered. Do you have personal experience with a friend or family member who is going through this? I bet you haven't, or else you'd be singing a different tune.
How the frack does it harm YOU to share a bathroom with a transgendered person? It doesn't. There is no clause in the US Constitution that you have a right to be comfortable all the time. The Declaration of Independence didn't say that we have a "Right to Life, Liberty, and to never feel oogey".
You say they should get used to it? I say YOU should get used to it. Condemning people who are different to a life of rejection is inhumane. "Separate but equal" is NEVER equal. Get. Over. It. Our world is changing to become more tolerant, change or be left behind.
If you were perfectly comfortable in your OWN sexuality, you wouldn't be as threatened by others'. Think about that for a moment.
Ah the argument of the factually challenged when losing to a conservative call him/her homophobic, mean or prejudiced and question their sexuality to put them on the defensive. Ouch, that really hurt Lynne, I guess I need to rethink my position. By the way where does it say in the Constitution (which I sincerely doubt you believe in considering your support of unconstitutional measures such as Obamacare) that a transgendered (made up term) person has the right to be comfortable and I or anyone else does not. You gloss over the safety concerns of this issue but they are very real. It will make it easier for pedophiles and sexual deviants to do what they do and I don't care how much you try you cannot argue otherwise. And by the way you can say you know trangendered people until you are blue in the face the fact is you do not because THEY DO NOT EXIST, they maybe confused as to their sexuality but not their gender.
Lynne, I share your frustration. The problem is that no amount of screaming, yelling, and breating is going to make openyoureyes or mary or anyone else see the light. As you say, "If Tim… can't convince you, you can't be convinced." (Though I will demur by saying that it's not whether *I* can convince anyone of anything, merely whether I can help someone better his or her own understanding.)
I've found from my experience that the more heated and vitriolic a discussion becomes, the less likely that any actual communication takes place. And then we all lose.
The point is that people don't always see things in the light of wisdom. Often times this ignorance — and I don't use this word pejoratively, merely descriptively — leads to real suffering for those whom we love and care about. This can be frustrating and scary and we get our defenses up and sometimes we lash out in reaction to the perceived threat. Unfortunately this very rarely improves the situation.
So what can we do? Well, we only can try our best to *help* others see things correctly. But we can only go so far: true understanding has to come from within, and ultimately that is up to each one of us to work out for him or herself.
1) If you're concerned about sexual predators then you should focus on legislation that specifically deals with *that* issue, not confuse it with an effort to protect certain individuals from violence and discrimination in housing and in the workplace. Again: these are two very distinct issues that are best addressed separately.
2) The critical issue is not the *comfort* of transgendered individuals or anyone else. The issue is whether antidiscrimination laws explicity apply to transgender individuals. The fact that we need to be explicit about including transgender individuals in antidiscrimination legislation says enough.
… or maybe it doesn't say enough.
It honestly doesn't matter whether or not any of us thinks "transgender" identity exists. What matters is whether employers and landlords should be able to use gender identity as a basis for discrimination. The arc of history suggests that our antidiscrimination laws are becoming more inclusive (race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, etc.), not less so.
Sigh. It's statements like this that are stupid: "I don't care how much you try you cannot argue otherwise."
Um, yes I can, I have, and you are simply wrong.
Tim, The problem with trying to be nice to people who can't seem to empathize with people who are different from them is that they are willfully ignorant; in which case there really isn't anything you can do, not being nice, not yelling at them, that will change it.
Actually I'm not posting to change the ironically-named openyoureyes; I've given up on that person a long time ago. It's for the other people out there who might be persuadable. Shaming someone who has views like this is a perfectly legitimate way to bring this sort of thing out into the open where it belongs, ridicule it, and hence marginalize this viewpoint and make it undesirable to hold on to.
I've said this is personal for me; I feel the pain of people who have gone through trying to be themselves and being hurt for it, and it makes me angry that people like this guy want to keep those people hurting rather than accept who they are. It SHOULD be a shameful thing to think that way; it's shameful to say racist things, and it's just as shameful in this case as well. If this guy doesn't want to learn and grow as a human being I can't stop him from being willfully ignorant, but I sure can use the powerful weapon of shame to keep him from doing any more damage to people I care about.
I know that's not a very Buddhist way of doing things, but then again, I'm not a Buddhist.
I question the premise of "willful" ignorance (causes and conditions and all that); but either way if you're trying to convince "other people out there who might be persuadable" — a very laudable goal, I'd say — the question remains whether you'll be better off using honey or vinegar.
There are skillful ways of working with "wrong views". Since you've kindly outed me as a Buddhist ( ) I don't mind using the Buddha as an example of someone who was very skillful at exposing bogus views for what they are. (He was particularly harsh on the Brahmins and Jains of his era, btw.) His rhetorical style was very similar to Socarates in this respect, in fact, and entailed inviting his debating partner to come to see the "wrong view" for himself — but he never attacked the person or tried to shame him. He saw that this was futile and counterproductive.
Your pain and frustration are legitimate — I share them, in fact — and it's important to acknowledge those feelings. But it doesn't help to direct those feelings *at* someone else. The oft-quoted verse from the Dhammapada is that "Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased." How then can we direct our feelings of pain, fear, frustration in ways that are skillful and non-hateful — ways that can actually ease suffering and bring people together rather than exacerbate suffering and push people further apart? To me this is ultimately what politics is all about — learning to live together skillfully — and at least as much depends on how we express ourselves as in what is expressed.
Oh, and you don't need to be a Buddhist… just be a Buddha.
Educate me if you feel it so important. How does it supposedly HURT so many of your friends who suffer from this dilusion Lynne to ask that they use a bathroom. Why does it hurt them but you so easily dismiss my or any other person's discomfort in such situations. How do you casually say get over it to parents who are concerned that their children are not exposed, literally and figurtively to this perversion at a young and impressionable age not to mention the potential for physical harm. You can call me a hater all you want which is typical of a true liberal but if you truly espouse a liberal point of view you would accept my opinion for what it is and embrace what is my right to express. But you do not because it is in opposition to you and your agenda. I wonder if you are so vitriolic toward the muslim community? They advocate the destruction of the west and death to all infidels yet I never see any animiss thrown their way. Probably because it is the talking points that do not allow such things to be said because the feelings of some (like our President, and don't kid yourself he is one) might be hurt.
Hey Tim, I've got news for you with regard to post #31 "We can only try our best to try to help others see things correctly" I see things quite correctly thank you. How arrogant it is of you to feel that your point of view is the only one worthy of discussion. I thought that this country and forum was about the exchange of ideas and GASP! freedom of expression. Not in the world of state controlled everything which you and Lynne seem so happy to embrace. Let's just run the hammer and sicle up the flagpole and salute.
Man convicted in MGH bathroom attack
I note in particular that the article does not mention whether the perpetrator was in drag.
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