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Urgent Help Needed in Koodamkulam
As you all might be aware around 15000+ people are gathering everyday for more than 4 days from 3 south Tamil Nadu districts as part of an indefinite hunger strike to stop the Koodamkulam Nuclear Plant.
More than 100 people are on indefinite fast and some people's health are turing bad as well. They are more or less in a isolated situation within the village of Idinthakari near Koodamakulam. There is a huge battalion of Police waiting outside the village venue. The police is trying to block the free passage of people into the village. The state administration and central administration has neglected the protest till now. The non-violent protest needs to be sustained, but people are losing their patience. The leaders who are very few in number though exhausted after 4 days of sleepless nights are trying their level best.
Many political party leaders have visited and given lectures and gone but no worthwhile action from their part yet. The movement has been trying for sometime to get national level leaders of independent social movements to participate, but no major person has come there yet.
It needs the immediate support from across the country.
For Details Contact
Jones – 09894825951
Udaya Kumar – 09865683735
Pushparayan – 09842154073
Sajeer A R +91-9447218282
Murali permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 1:18 AM
Look. we can go there first thing tomorrow and join the "oppressed". But, what exactly is the problem? Environment? Money? Education? Health? Sex? What?????
Please give us ONE compelling reason why the project should not go through.
I am ambivalent (read Pro Project as of now.)!
I think the Business Of Protesting is becoming a Big Business. Can you, as a Woman or a Man in Good Standing assure me that you have Absolutely NO PERSONAL BENEFIT from this exercise?????
Vivek permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 9:57 AM
Dear Murali,
Since you seem to be more or less optimistic about the safety of nuclear power plants, that too in areas of high population density, I suggest that rather than you going to Koodankulam first thing tomorrow morning, that the nuclear plant to come to you. Why don't you petition for them to locate it next door to your house, so that your children can grow up playing in its shadows?
tnjoyi permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 6:43 AM
joe permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 11:10 PM
solidarity with koodamkulam struggle
Vasudevan permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 7:31 AM
Mr. Murali,
You think "the Business Of Protesting is becoming a Big Business.".
Did you think so, when all of you were flocking around the so-called 'civil society' was holding the incompetent Govt. to ransom. Why the agitation, you ask. Read yourself and take a position, don't be ambivalent. At least please don't be supercillious.
V. Geetha permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 9:30 AM
The struggle against setting up a nuclear plant in Koodangulam is at least two decades old – from the beginning there has been concerted opposition. The temp of the struggle may have varied, but from 1989, there have been protests. In this most recent instance, the local fisherfolk, with the support of the Catholic Church which is central to the life and activities of the region have decided to go on a sustained hunger strike. Several prominent political leaders, especially from the Communist Party of India have been there with the protesters along with writers and local activists. The present ruling party sent two of its ministers there to invite the protesters for talks, but the talks appear to have broken down. The ministers meanwhile have raised the bogey of the struggle being a 'conspiracy' and against the current political dispensation. Their reasoning is: why have the protesters kept quiet all along and chosen to band together now?
The point is that the everyday momentum of the protests there has acquired a certain focus now precisely because there is a new government, and in relentless good faith we all hope that we might get a fresh hearing on an old theme.
It would be useful to remember here that new power projects, whether it is the Koodangulam atomic power project or the proposed thermal power project off the coast of Nagapattinam affect the lives and livelihood of one of the most resilient of our communities, the hardworking and often ignored fishers of the region in an immediate sort of way, while having the potential to cause incalculable damage to the larger lived environment. With the memory of Fukushima fresh in all our minds, it is not surprising that the anti-nuclear plant movements have decided to engage in the next round of militancy.
Sridhar permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 10:38 PM
Even in Andhra Pradesh State the government proposed for 17000 mega watts nuclear energy plants in Srikakulam, Guntur and Kadapa districts. The Human Rights Forum and several rights organisations are fighting against it through several protests and by familiarising the people about the dangers of nuclear power plants. All the 'bold' guarantees that were promised and propogated by the governments and scientists who shown Japan's case as instance for not to afraid of Nuclear energy, are proven shallow with the Fukushima incident. One may take HRF struggle as a model where it deployed varieties of campaigns against nuclear energy plants as an example and fight against it. Though many a agencies provided examples and instances for alternatives to our demands for power, the governments are blindly buying nuclear power idea, may they are well funded and the politicans may have stakes in it. May be the governments and scientists are thinking only nuclear power demonstrates their 'modern' attitude, the mode of thinking of past several decades shows this.
Sridhar permalinkSeptember 20, 2011 8:23 PM
can anyone reflect and report on paramakudi, Tamil Nadu, where 7 dalits shotdead
by police
Murali permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 10:05 AM
Dear Ponni,
Your points about my prerogatives are well taken.. and my apologies if my comment sounded like I were questioning the integrity of honest persons. I understand that I have no right to do that and that certainly was not my intention.
As for the rest of your view points about energy sources and the rest – well, I'm not convinced. Anyway, let's leave it at that.
After a few days, can you please just remove my first comment and this one and let's be done with it.
Vivek permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 10:23 AM
Just to add on the question of fish (and humans) at risk around Koodankulam, the risk posed by nuclear reactors is almost always understood only in terms of "disaster scenarios", like Chernobyl and Fukushima. What is less often talked about, and still very poorly researched, is the continual effects of the *low-level radiation* that surrounds any nuclear plant. For instance, consider the studies done by Cornelia Hesse-Honeger on the effects of nuclear energy plants on strange mutations in insects, in select areas in Europe and America (areas where the rates of leukemia in humans are also significantly higher):
And here if you want to read it, is a discussion, taken from Hugh Raffles' book Insectopedia, the chapter on Hesse-Honeger, concerning the debate around low level nuclear energy:
"In outline, it's quite simple. The international nuclear regulatory agencies—principally the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation—calculate the dangers of radioactivity to human health using a threshold. Although many scientists admit that the mechanisms of radiation damage to cells are poorly understood, that the composition of emissions from nuclear installations vary substantially, and that different bodies (not to mention different organs and different cells at different points in their development) respond to contamination in quite distinct ways, the threshold establishes a universal tolerance level below which emissions are considered safe. In the tense days following the disaster at Chernobyl, it was the logic of a fixed threshold that allowed government experts to reassure their nervous publics that the dangers were negligible.
"The ICRP derives its threshold from a linear curve extrapolated from rates of genetic (reproductive) irregularities, cancer, and leukemia among the survivors of large-scale nuclear events. Since those calculations began, the prime data set has been drawn from survivors of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The initial radiation dosage at those sites was extremely large and distributed in a short period. The resulting curve emphasizes the effects of exposure to artificial radioactivity at high values. Low-level radiation, such as that emitted over long time periods by normally operating nuclear power plants, appears relatively, if not entirely, insignificant, its effects falling within the range of the "natural" background radiation emitted from elements present in the earth's crust. The assumption is that large doses produce large effects; small doses, small effects.
"A number of scientists unaffiliated with the nuclear industry and frequently in alliance with citizens' groups from areas close to nuclear plants describe an alternative curve. Following work carried out in the 1970s by the Canadian physicist Abram Petkau, they argue that the effects of radiation are best captured not by the official linear curve, in which a double quantity produces a double effect, but by a "supralinear" curve, which registers far higher effects at low doses. In the supralinear curve, there is no safe minimum dose above zero.11
"These researchers often begin with epidemiology, carrying out their own population surveys downwind or downstream of nuclear installations, looking for statistically significant correlations between localized clusters of disease and sites of low-level radiation emissions. Working from the assumption of a causal relationship between emissions and sickness—an assumption reinforced not only by the epidemic proportions of some of these clusters but also by the secrecy of the industry—their focus is on the identification of the mechanisms by which low dosage disrupts biological function.
For example, Chris Busby, a British physical chemist and anti-nuclear campaigner, emphasizes two critical but overlooked variables: cell development and the random behavior of artificial radioactivity.12 Under normal conditions, Busby argues, a cell (any cell) is hit by radiation approximately once a year. If the cell is in its normal quiescent mode, it is fairly robust. However, during times of active replication—a repair mode that can be triggered by various forms of stress—the same cell is highly susceptible to radiation. At those moments, it exhibits considerable genomic instability, and two radioactive "hits" produce a far greater effect than just one.
"Moreover, Busby says, the ingestion of radioactive materials through food and water has effects quite distinct from those of external exposure. Certain types of internal radiation associated with, for instance, drinking contaminated milk can produce multiple hits on an individual cell within hours. If a cell receives a second hit of artificial radiation while it is in active replication mode, he claims, it is up to 100 times more likely to mutate.
"In Busby's second-event theory, the level of vulnerability of a cell to radiation is a function of its state of development at a given moment. And this vulnerability is further exacerbated by the random, discontinuous waves characteristic of artificial radiation. Cornelia explained the randomness of artificial radiation to me using the analogy of bullets: it doesn't matter how many are fired, whom they're fired by, or even when and where they're fired; you need only be hit by one at the wrong time and in the wrong place to suffer its effect. The ICRP linear curve assumes a constant distribution of particles and a predictable effect. If, as many argue, those are invalid assumptions, the levels of environmental susceptibility to the effects of radioactive contamination are likely to be dramatically elevated—indeed, they are likely sufficient to explain the epidemiological evidence of elevated mortality in human, animal, and plant populations in sites subject to more or less routine radioactive emissions."
September 16, 2011 11:24 AM
Please visit DiaNuke.org
For latest updates and resources on Koodankulam and other anti-nuke struggles in the country.
Asit permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 5:22 PM
we should cirulate this information as much as possible
joe permalinkSeptember 16, 2011 7:51 PM
When it was the hazare tamasha the whole brahmanised media made a revolution of it. But when it is concerned with larger question of man's survival and sustainabiility , no takers
a tamilian permalinkSeptember 17, 2011 3:04 PM
The C.M has assured that the reactors are safe and it is likely that the state govt. will reject the demands of protesters.The project was planned in late 1980s. The protests started at that time but they had waxed and waned.The collapse of Soviet Union resulted in delays in the execution of project. But since 2000 progress has been made in construction and the project is in advanced stage.I wonder whether the state will abandon it now after sinking in so much money and it is a joint project with Russia. So abandoning this will send wrong signals to other countries like France.Hence it is likely that state may concede some demands as long as they do not result in the shutting down of project.
Tamilnadu lacks coal resources and hydro resources have been almost exhausted. So thermal, nuclear and renewables are the options.Solar and wind are getting attention and investment and policy framework encourages investments in them.For thermal power plants it is better to locate them in the coastal areas with adequate pollution control measures and steps to ensure that livelihoods are not affected.Tamilnadu imports coal from Indonesia, (and Australia?) via sea besides from other states within India through rail and sea. Such is the situation in that southern state that demand always outstrips the supply. With surge in demand state cannot afford to say no to new power plants.That is the reality as power cuts are hated by all sections of society. So if there is no Koodankulam the thermal power capacity has to be increased to compensate that. I agree that there are pollution and environmental issues including livelihood issues. But the best way to tackle them is to ensure that pollution control measures are implemented in toto and livelihood issues are addressed to ensure that no section is deprived of its source of livelihood and sustenance. The Sethusamudram project had been stalled thanks to efforts of Subramanain Swami. Had it been implemented it would have damaged the gulf of mannar ecosystem beyond repair and affected livelihoods of thousands of fishermen. Yet the left parties, the dravidian parties and others including some who today oppose Koodankulam and thermal plants supported it, welcomed it because it would have destroyed Ramar Sethu a sacred site for Hindus.
Swami wanted the project to be reworked in such a way that the sacred site was saved. They i.e.left parties, the dravidian parties and others including some who today oppose Koodankulam did not even ask for that but wanted it to be implemented in such a way that the sacred site would be destroyed. ADMK, VHP and some minor parties opposed the project, environmentalists opposed it. But the invoking of faith related questions only could result in it being halted. These characters who till the other day did not care about the fragile ecosystem of gulf of mannar and the coral reefs and livelihood of fishermen in Ramanathapuram ares are today talking of livelihood issues of fishemen in some other areas.I dont think that the general public in tamilnadu will support the demands against the Koodankulam project. They may remain indifferent. Let someone/group come up with alternative power plan for TamilNadu and argue that the state can do without Koodankulam and so many thermal power plants. Then the arguments against thermal plants may be credible and deserve a serious consideration.By and large the left, periyarists in Tamilnadu swear by Periyar, modernity, and is anti-Gandhian, and hence their opposition to thermal plants contradicts their overall ideological framework. In other words one wont find an A.K.N. Reddy or a group like Prayas among them.
September 20, 2011 4:37 PM
In solidarity with sruggle at Koodamkulam.


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SIKESTON -- Melvin and Joan Moss have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jill, to Jeff Hall, son of Jeff Hall of New Madrid and Leslie and Paul Gillean of Sikeston.
A 1999 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School, the future bride is a 2003 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. She works as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City.
The prospective bridegroom is also a 1999 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School and currently attends Columbia College in Columbia. He is employed by Kroger Co. in Columbia.
Plans are being finalized for a May 29 wedding.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gender: BoyIcon: Mouse
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JUN 25, 2013 - Chicago Tribune
A Must Read - Share
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas lawmaker who was a single mother at the age of 19 and is now a rising star of the state Democratic party was attempting to block a Republican drive for sweeping new abortion restrictions on Wednesday by speaking continuously for 12 hours.
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Every since the Garden of Eden, God has so arranged the world that work is necessary. He faithfully gives us hands and strength to do it.
Just think about it: the enjoyment of leisure would be nothing if we had only leisure.
Work is actually a blessing.
But the blessing doesn't come with just any work.
The blessing comes in work well done.
Ho-hum, half-hearted work doesn't cut it. Pesky twinges of guilt surface if I realize my work isn't up to par. I have not only disappointed myself, but have failed to live up to the full potential God intended.
Nothing dampens the joy over completing a task quite like guilt.
Nehemiah shared these wise words about work as he raised up people to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem:
Good work reflects God. He strengthens our hands to accomplish it. Pondering that truth changes my perspective and generates a necessary attitude adjustment. It causes me to pay attention to the steps along the way instead of neglecting them in favor of the end result.
Work is a blessing. It gives meaning to rest.
So today, I'm praying that God helps me remember that He strengthens my hands for His good work.


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United States Department of Agriculture
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3.Progress Report:


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SEP 12, 2013 - New Statesman
A Must Read - Share
The banking group reaches agreement with HM Treasury.TSB will receive £240m from the Lloyds Banking Group to improve its profits by £200m in aggregate over the next four years.
The group, which accepted the Office of Fair Trading's principal recommendation, has reached an agreement with Her Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury) yesterday.
Under the agreement, the group will transfer the economic benefit of a portfolio of residential mortgages of approximately £4bn together with the associated capital, as well as provide business and IT services to TSB.
In addition,
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Less of a Euro Headache, More of a Nightmare
The sovereign-debt crisis is certainly a headache for the euro.
But replacing Jean-Claude Trichet at the European Central Bank could prove to be a nightmare.
Axel Weber's decision to count himself out of the running for the ECB presidency has highlighted two important problems for the single currency.
First, any replacement will not be as hawkish as Weber. In an interview over the weekend, the arch-hawk made it clear that his views were not popular and he was stepping out of the race because he risked undermining the credibility of the ECB by being in the minority.
For the euro, that is bad enough.
But as the days have passed since Weber's announcement, there has been little sign either from European leaders or financial markets that there is another highly favored candidate waiting in the wings.
Various names come and go but there is nothing like the momentum of support for anyone else that led Weber to be seen as number one for so long.
The vacuum of expectations left behind is already starting to damage the euro as financial markets now respond to the inevitable horse-trading among politicians before the emergence of what will frankly be a second-rate compromise candidate.
French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has been quick to show her non-hawkish sentiments, claiming that inflation is not a concern.
This, of course, is coming when just about every other major country is keeping a close watch on the possible threat that higher food and other commodity prices could pose to their economies.
The particular concern for the euro is that the horse-trading will be part and parcel of the continued haggling over a longer-term solution to the currency bloc's sovereign-debt crisis, which shows little sign of going away.
On the contrary. Not only is Ireland still likely to seek renegotiation of its bailout terms after an election at the end of this month, but the steady rise in Portugal's funding costs suggest that it is only a matter of weeks before Lisbon too seeks a bailout.
News that the European Finance Ministers have just agreed to an increase in the European Union crisis fund to €500 billion has provided limited comfort. The funds won't be made available until 2013 and leave the European Financial Stability Facility unable to cope if the next likely contender for EU funds – Spain – starts knocking on the bailout door.
A measure of just how well Spain is doing in the funding stakes will come later this week with the results of an auction of 10- and 30-year bonds. If, that is, the ECB doesn't run to the rescue to prevent another run on the euro-zone debt markets.


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The game is over, as the referee blows the whistle.
Chris Bush crosses the ball. Michael Rankine slots the ball right footed into the goal. Hereford 4-1 Southport.Assist on the goal came from Chris Bush.88
Free kick awarded for a foul by Steve Akrigg on Danny Leadbitter. Steve Akrigg dismissed for second bookable offence. Frankie Artus goes off and Rob Purdie comes on. Danny Leadbitter takes the free kick.85
(Hereford) makes a substitution, with Jamie Edge coming on for Josh O'Keefe.80
John O'Sullivan leaves the field to be replaced by Osayamen Osawe.72
Dominic Collins goes off and Danny Leadbitter comes on.71
Scott Brown challenges Chris Sharp unfairly and gives away a free kick. Scott Brown is cautioned. Free kick crossed by Dan Walker restarts the game.63
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Interview with Independent Congressional Candidate Tisha CasidaJuly 19, 2012
Pueblo County resident Tisha Casida is running as an independent candidate for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District representative this fall against incumbent Republican Congressman Scott Tipton and Democratic challenger Sal Pace. The 30-year old, small business owner with an MBA from Colorado State wants lower taxes, economic reform, and an end to the Federal Reserve.Casida dropped by KDNK recently to talk about her candidacy. Here she tells Amy Hadden Marsh why she thinks she's a better choice than Tipton or Pace and how "sustainability" crosses party lines.


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Miami Will Likely Be Underwater Before Congress Acts on Climate Change – NationalJournal.com
Miami will likely be underwater before the Senate can muster enough votes to meaningfully confront climate change. And probably Tampa and Charleston, too—two other cities that last week's National Climate Assessment placed at maximum risk from rising sea levels.
Brownstein, BJ Clinton's favorite junk journalist, is an idiot. That goes without saying. What's interesting is that he's so out and proud about demonstrating his idiocy.
Apparently he seems to think that Congress can wave some sort of magic wand and stop Miami from sinking beneath the waves, even on his own terms for what is causing the oceans to rise.
But then, Brownstein voted for Barack Obama because he thought Obama would make the oceans recede, too.
Check out my new bestseller, Lightning Fall: A Novel of Disaster. Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit.com says: "Bill Quick has authored a terrific thriller that is also an all too plausible warning. Highly recommended!" Available in Kindle e-book or trade paperback formats.


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Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW) -- Pay raises for the Richmond County sheriff and solicitor general were denied during an Augusta Commission committee meeting on Monday.
Sheriff Richard Roundtree and Solicitor General Kelly McIntyre had both previously requested reviews of their salaries.
Roundtree currently makes just under $110,000, while McIntyre makes $97,000.
Both requests were denied with a 5 to 4 vote.
"Their certain qualifications that they bring to the table and certifications that the previous folks who sat in those offices did not bring. So they're not raises, they're called compensation for certifications and experience," Augusta Commissioner Alvin Mason said.
Mason says he hopes both Roundtree and McIntyre will continue to do good work for the city and that commissioners will approve those pay raises in the future.


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The new commemorative Maker's Mark bottles showing the face of University of Louisville's athletic director Tom Jurich are on sale now.
The bottles are selling out quickly and a total of 8,500 bottles are for sale across Louisville.
The bottles are a part of Maker's Mark latest UofL themed products to aid fundraising for the school's Academic Center of Excellence.
The white bottles, with a suggested price tag of $50 went on sale Friday.
Only six bottles can be purchased at a time.
One Cardinals fan is so diehard he showed up at Party Mart on Brownsboro around 4 a.m.
According to UofL, the Maker's Mark partnership has so far generated $2.5 million toward the academic center.
Other faces on recent bottles include Rick Pitino and former football head coach Charlie Strong.
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A close up of the 'monster'-men who carried out Houla massacre
A British newspaper today revealed pictures of Assad's Shabiha militia for the first time. The loyalist thugs are shown bragging about their muscles and tattoos and posing with guns and machetes.
These are the same men who are blamed for the massacres of dozens of women and children in Houla, Qusayr and Qubair. Dr Mousab Azzawi, head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights recently treated some of the Shabiha in Latakia, and according to the Daily Mail's report, diagnosed them as deficient:
"They were like monsters. They had huge muscles, and big bellies and beards. They took steroids to pump up their bodies. I had to talk to them like children as they like people with low intelligence", he said.
The Shabiha, meaning 'ghosts' in English, are paid around $200 a day, an excellent salary in war-torn Syria and are fanatically loyal to Assad's Alawite sect. "That is what makes them so terrifying — the combination of strength and blind allegiance to the regime," said Azzawi.
British foreign secretary, William Hague, said yesterday that his country may send troops to Syria if the massacres continue. Many people have compared the downward spiral to the early stages of the Bosnian war.
What do you think about Assad using the Shabiha militia in Syria? Tell us your opinions below.


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This tasted like straight up dessert. I thought "thin mint" was a generous description, but this combo didn't disappoint.
The lemon flavored stevia has actually been pretty versatile. I have mixed it into greek yogurt with unsweetened coconut shreds for a delicious snack, added it to my homemade salad dressings, used it for asian style marinades, and even created a new Brussels Sprouts obsession.
What flavor stevia would you like to see? I think maple or cinnamon would be delicious. How about cake batter?
Favorite Fruit? I am going to go with grapefruit or strawberries, but I have developed a love for lichis after living in South Africa.
*I was sent the NuNaturals products free of charge, but the opinions are all my own.


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The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) defines service-learning as "a structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection. Students engaged in service-learning provide community service in response to community-identified concerns and learn about the context in which service is provided, the connection between their service and their academic coursework, and their roles as citizens and professionals."
Service-learning goes beyond mere "volunteerism" which many prospective medical students already engage in as part of their eligibility for matriculation. Service-learning goes beyond charity and altruism demonstrated by community service as they have equal focus on both the service being provided and the learning that occurs.
For the participants in community and global service-learning, UCF College of Medicine service-learning projects:
At UCF College of Medicine, the study global of health issues and participation in international medical experiences provide outstanding medical, cultural, and service learning opportunities to our students and faculty.
For more information about our global service-learning programs, please visit http://www.globalhealth.med.ucf.edu.


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Darkness settles over Jordan Pond in Maine's Acadia National Park as northern lights swirl above. "It was my last night in Acadia, and I was setting up for a long exposure of starlight in the night sky," recalls photographer Michael Melford, "and this brilliant red aurora appeared. I was in a panic to make sure I caught it."
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7:30 -- Joe Louis Arena
Wings: 31-15-6 (68 points) 2nd in West | Rangers: 29-22-4 (62 points) 7th in East
I'm going to try and re-jump-start my writing by pretending like you will read a TTD game preview (It won't work. In fact, I think it was a Super Bowl prop bet). Now's as good a time as any considering the apparent return of our fallen egg-headed hero:
(Khan) "Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Pavel Datsyuk is expected to return to the lineup Monday at home against the New York Rangers. Datsyuk has missed 19 games with a broken right hand."
We went 10-7-2 with Pavel nursing his dominant dangling hand, and seemed to have a tough time battling inconsistency, the other team's offense, and most of all, sheer boredom. Pav makes any hockey game 65% more watchable with his presence, and I'd have to assume he makes the game more fun to play for his teammates. Even on the bench. One time Datsyuk told Tomas Holmstrom a joke during a TV timeout, to which Homer replied, "I don't speak Martian, but I bet that joke was really fucking funny." Then he went out and scored a double hat trick and became a licensed elephant trainer all before the start of the 3rd period. This team has missed their best forward in ways that numbers can't measure. So here's some numbers:
In the first 33 games before the injury, the Wings allowed 2.64 goals per game. In the 19 games since, they've allowed 3.21, and also, they suddenly can't score. (By the way, no Stanley Cup-winning team has ever been shutout back-to-back games in the regular season. Did that scare you at all? Because I completely made it up. It happened to the 2007 Anaheim Ducks.) The jump in goals allowed obviously isn't entirely due to one man's injury, but rather a whole bunch of injuries, and probably our seemingly annual, seemingly unavoidable mid-winter malaise, and probably Doug Janik to some degree (I'm just whoring for cheep applause at this point). But that multiple Selke-winning guy being out of the lineup sure didn't help.
I expect a big spark to re-enter the lineup tomorrow as the Wings slowly get back into winning form.
3-2 Wings. Two assists from Pavel and both Ranger goals scored by Henrik Lundqvist's new buddy Justin Bieber.


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Rationale for Cursive Writing
Dr Montessori began with cursive writing because it was the script that adults communicated with in her day.
There were however many benefits for adopting this approach not least of which that the movements of cursive writing are more natural and easy to form. The hardest movements for the hand to make are a perfect circle and a perfectly vertically line. These are the components that make up printed script. Dr Montessori chose lower case cursive because the gentle curved lines are an extension of the natural movement of the child's hand.
Children who learn to read print first may encounter some difficulties with letter recognition. Children who are introduced to cursive lower case have almost no instances of letter reversals. With printed script it is quite easy to mix up b and d and p and q.
When writing in cursive the act of connecting the letters that form a word help the child's mind to see those letters as a word. The letters of each separate word are connected and then there is a space distinguishing it from the word that follows. This will make it easier for someone else reading the child's writing to be able to distinguish each separate word.
The most compelling reason for using the cursive script is that the children who learn to read cursive words first make a very quick transition to reading print. In fact, they very often have an innate curiosity about all forms of lettering and an enjoyment in puzzling out unusual alphabetical signs.


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« September 2013 |
| November 2013 »
Posted in Awareness, Current Affairs | Permalink
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With the opening of the Health Insurance Marketplace on October 1, there has been much media attention provided to the difficulty of navigating the website. There are four options available for applying for health care coverage:
The fourth option is perhaps the one that you may not have heard of. The assister is also called a "Navigator". A Navigator can help you get information about health insurance options and tax credits and help you enroll in health insurance exchanges. For more information provided by Enroll Missouri on Navigators in Missouri or to find a Navigator near you, click here.
Continue reading "Get Assistance in Navigating the Health Insurance Marketplace" »
Posted in Awareness, Current Affairs, Medication & Supplements | Permalink
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Last week, we wrote about "Living Better, Aging Well" in recognition of World Arthritis Day (October 12, 2013). When considering what it means to age well, it is important to consider what data is available to us describing how aging is perceived in the United States. For the second year, USA Today, the National Council on Aging (NCOA), and United Healthcare insurance surveyed U.S. adults for the United States of Aging Survey, published in July 2013. The survey contained a representative population sample from adults aged 18-59 and adults aged 60 and older. What this means, is that in comparison to the total population of adults in the U.S. who are in those age groups, a similar percentage of adults from each group were included in the 4,000 persons surveyed.
More than half of seniors surveyed indicated the importance of community connections, especially with family and friends. To learn more about what matters most to seniors in the United States, please see the infographic below, or click here.
Continue reading "Aging in the United States" »
Posted in Awareness, Current Affairs, Physical Activity, Research, Self-Management | Permalink
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October 12, 2013 is World Arthritis Day. This day, established in 1996 by Arthritis and Rheumatism International, is celebrated annually to raise awareness for the issues affecting people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and osteoarthritis). More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States (52.5 million) have arthritis. Arthritis can have negative effects on a person's health, especially on day-to-day activities. With the holidays approaching, conditions like arthritis can really take a toll. Walking, climbing stairs, preparing for guests, playing with small children, bending to put things in and take out of the oven can be impactful on all of our joints. For persons with arthritis, they may be limited in their ability to do these things.
Continue reading "Living Better, Aging Well – Improve Your Health through Self-Management Education and Physical Activity " »
Posted in Awareness, Current Affairs, Physical Activity, Self-Management | Permalink
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Next Tuesday begins Medicare's Open Enrollment period (October 15 - December 7). The Open Enrollment is a time for Medicare beneficiaries to review costs and/or coverage from their Medicare plan. Changes can be made to the health plan and/or the prescription drug plan.
With the Health Insurance Marketplace opening on October 1, and having a deadline of December 15 in order to get a plan by January 1, it could be easy to compare the two. And, it's easy to get confused! For individuals who have Medicare, it is not likely that they would also need to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), if you are already enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B, you do not qualify for health insurance through the Marketplace. More information on Medicare and the Marketplace, specifically for adults age 65 and older, can be found here. If you are ages 55-64 and are looking to purchase a Marketplace plan, but are wondering how it will work with Medicare when you are eligible, you can view more information here.
Continue reading "Medicare Open Enrollment Starts October 15" »
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Monday, October 17, 2011
my boy, my shop and lookie what i saw!
7 comments:
- La Table De Nana said...
Very handsome son:) I love horse shots too:)
- October 17, 2011 at 12:11 PM
- see you there! said...
Your boy is a heartbreaker, you'd better hang on to him while you can.
The horse/barn photo is perfect. You are getting to be quite the photographer.
- October 17, 2011 at 1:16 PM
- nancygrayce said...
Good looking son! They do grow up don't they and it is harder on us than them I think!!!
- October 17, 2011 at 8:27 PM
- Kathleen Grace said...
Ahhh Phyllis, if only endless photo shoots could keep the kids at home:>)
That cocktail shaker is so cute even I am tempted to buy it and I don't drink!
- October 18, 2011 at 3:19 AM
- helen tilston said...
Hello Phyllis
Your son looks happy at home - perhaps he has to travel away and then will appreciate returning home to stay.
Wishing you and him guidance in the right direction
Helen xx
- October 20, 2011 at 6:33 PM
- Lorraine Young Pottery said...
Yes red barns are such a perfect backdrop! we have lots of beautiful old barns here in New England too.
:-} Lorraine
- October 26, 2011 at 7:04 PM
- Lena said...
I love the photograph of the horse and barn Phyllis, thank you.
You have a handsome son. It is really something isn't it, to watch them grow into young men?
- November 1, 2011 at 1:05 PM


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Nice room close to city center I.
Size35 m²
Floor No.(with elevator)
- Family/child friendly
- Internet/WiFi
- Kitchen
- Suitable for events
- Elevator in building
- Balcony/terrace
- Washer/dryer
|Roháčova, 130 00 Prague, Czech Republic
|Property type
|Private room
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
|2 weeks ago
thank you for your interest in my living, I glad that you stopped by at my listing.
This private room is very near the city center, cozy, bright and fully furnished.
The room is facing the courtyard overlooking the garden, is spacious with possibility to accommodate four guests. The linen are provided. There is high speed internet connection in the flat with WiFi. My place/room has got a private access and is one part of the flat (it meens has the own balcony, kitchen, batroom and toilet).
For accommodated I have prepared maps and points of interest from Prague, also I am sending prepared g map where you can find in Prague interesting places, bars, city views, where advantageous to change money, etc.
The city center is well accessible by bus, tram (it takes 10 mins) or by walk across the Vitkov park. Tram and bus stop is located 2 min. from the apartment. The night city transport from the city center goes every 15 minutes directly to my place. Opposite to the apartment is situated the cafe with quality coffee, close is located the most famous restaurant with tanked Pilsner Urquell beer. There is patisserie, bakery, supermarket close by. The location is very safe.
Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Still reasonably cheap and safe to travel. No matter if you are going just for a short break or for longer - there's so much to see and do. There's something magic about that city. We don't know if it is Franz Kafka who's attracting many Jewish to see Old Synagogue. We don't know if it is view from famous cafe Slavia over river and castle where former president used to go. Definitelly Prague has got a GENIUS LOCI...
Home rules:
1/ leave the flat as clean as it was before your arrival. I am not charging you cleaning fee. If you decide to not clean the flat at all, please leave 10EUR for the cleaning lady and I will add another 5EUR (I am giving this job to old ladies or single mothers only to get better their financial situation). I have a good experience so far with that.
2/ To protect the wooden floor, please, take off your shoes and use the slippers next to entrance or yours and please, do not pull the heavy luggages across the wooden floor. Keep in mind that Wimdu do not provide insurance, all demages/loses will be charged.
3/ It is strictly forbidden to smoke at any part of the flat, balcony (if there is any), coridor and main entrance of the building. Security and neighborhood reason
4/ Please, do not be loud at the flat, corridor/hall of the building as there are living other people too.
Thank you, Jakub :-)
|Price for > 1 guests
|£ 9 per guest/night extra
|Check-in After
|On arrangement
|Check-in before
|On arrangement
|Check-out Before
|On arrangement
|Cancellation Policy
We stayed two nights in the room and it as very lovely. Jakub is a ver y nice and comprensible person to. In the room de found touristic information that helped us to have a nice time in praha. :)
The appartment was comfortable and a pretty place to stay. It was close to the old city. So I found everything Okay and special Jacub a kind, a friendly, a helpful and in all regards: an excellent host.
Good place and near to the city! Jakub is so nice, he gave a lot of important informations that help my trip. Awesome!
We enjoyed our stay There. It was very clean and comfortable and calm. It is the peferct place if you want to explore prague. If you are many people just keep tab on the warm water otherwise some have to take a cold shower.
Very nice host and good room to spend some days!
Excellent house.
Jakub is an excellent person, really nice.
We had with my girlfriend an excellent weekend
The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
Jakub has a great appartment. it is very clean, and comfortable. Nearby are trams which take you everywhere in the city. Jakub is very kind, and answers very quick if you have a question. We have had a great stay!
Thats was our first Travel with a Wimdu-lodgings. All in all was correct and good. The flat is clean. The landlord - Jakub - is very friendly and caring. We was
satisfied, although we are`nt 20 -years! This is a very good alternative to a expensive hotel. We suppose our next Travel we making again with Wimdu.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


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LANSING -- Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero is set to announce Monday night the details of his budget proposal.
And it's gonna be painful.
News 10 has learned from Bernero spokesman Randy Hannan what the capital city can expect to see from the mayor at the city council meeting.
Here's the breakdown:
1. The city's looking at about a $20 million gap between revenues and costs. In fact, Hannan says Bernero's proposed budget is the smallest in 10 years -- at about $100 million (the 2011 budget was $108 million).
2. That means Bernero could call for layoffs of 200 positions city-wide, with 120 of those slated for the police and fire departments, which have largely escaped cuts over the past five years.
3. Lansing could also close three of its fire stations.
4. Here's the one caveat: If voters approve a four-mill property tax increase in May, the city could get back about $8.5 million, which would mean fewer cuts to public safety.
5. Hannan also notes that Gov. Snyder's planned cuts to revenue sharing be smaller than first expected. Under incentive plans proposed by Snyder, Lansing could get back as much as $4.6 million.
Even still, those two combined would still leave Lansing with a projected $7 million deficit. As Hannan said, cuts are coming "either way."


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Howard Johnson Commerce hotels are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Howard Johnson hotel rooms in Commerce, CA for your group or personal travels. We list the best Howard Johnson Commerce hotels so you can review the Commerce Howard Johnson hotel list below to find the perfect place.
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Puxico upsets Scott City at Bloomfield
BLOOMFIELD -- Charleston advanced to the 2A District 2 semifinals on Tuesday night, rolling past Greenville 92-43.
Lezcano Dean the charge, scoring 19 points with five rebounds and four steals. He also hit three treys in the win.
"I thought Dean played a super game tonight," said Charleston head coach Danny Farmer. "We started out struggling a little bit offensively and he really picked his game up."
Dean scored 10 of Charleston's 23 points in the first quarter as the Bluejays jumped out to an eight-point lead. The lead increased to 40-26 at halftime, then Charleston blew the game wide open with a 27-1 run.
"We pressured them the whole game," said Farmer. "We were man-to-man, full-court the whole night and by the second half (Greenville) wore down."
Charleston cleared the bench late in the third quarter as all 14 players saw action. The Bluejay bench was able to outscore Greenville 25-16 in the final frame to give Charleston the uncontested 92-43 win.
"We played the whole team tonight," said Farmer. "I have a lot of confidence in my B-team, they had a great season. I kind of see them as just subs now."
Jordy Mixon scored 16 points. Kewain Gant contributed 14 points and seven rebounds. Joshua Strayhorn hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points, and Trentez Lane came in and dished out six assists with three steals.
Jason West paced Greenville with 15 points. Jarred Green added 11.
Charleston (17-8) will face Puxico on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Puxico head coach Chuck Powers ran the 2-3 zone for the first time against Scott City on Tuesday, and the Rams had no answer for it. The Indians pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far, holding on for a 61-48 win.
Puxico, who was seeded sixth, led by as much as 22 on the third-seeded Rams, then held off a late Scott City run to preserve the victory. Derek Binford led the charge for the Indians with 21 points. Mike Stewart and Cainan Jordan each finished with 10.
D.J. Walton paced Scott City with 25 points, scoring 16 in the fourth quarter.
Puxico (11-14) will face Charleston on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
In Thursday's other semifinal, top-seeded Notre Dame will face fifth-seeded Kelly at 6 p.m.


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National Guard at War at Home to Prepare for Real Thing in Iraq
By ROBERT F. WORTH
Published: December 27, 2003
One day last week, Capt. Vincent J. Heintz and his men were trying to quell an unruly demonstration by a group of Iraqi villagers when a lone suicide bomber rushed the crowd. A blast rang out, and the scene dissolved into a chaos of smoke and angry Arabic voices.
But not for long. Within minutes, the soldiers were dusting the snow off their uniforms and bantering with the villagers, actually Iraqi-Americans flown in to Fort Drum, N.Y., from Michigan. Everyone filed into a nearby warehouse, sat down and listened patiently as an Army officer gave some tips on how to survive when these National Guardsmen face the real thing in Iraq, three months from now.
The drill — part of an elaborate four-day simulation at this snowbound Army base near the Canadian border — represents the Army's best effort to prepare its new civilian soldiers, who will soon begin heading to Iraq in ever larger numbers.
Captain Heintz, a 36-year-old prosecutor from the Bronx, belongs to a battalion of bank clerks, police officers, firefighters and even a 46-year-old biologist. Most National Guard volunteers lack the full-time experience of regular Army units, and they signed up without expecting that they would ever fight in a real war.
Since the war in Iraq began, much has been said about the unexpected burden being carried by the National Guard and reservists. More are being sent abroad, and for longer tours of duty, than at any time in decades. But recent months have added a grimmer element: large numbers of American men and women who are not battle-tested are being killed in Iraq. A quarter of all deaths since May 1 have been reservists or members of the Guard, many of them older, less physically fit and lacking the combat experience of their recruit counterparts. The Guard and reservists, who share the same assignments as other military personnel in Iraq, make up about 30 percent of all American troops there, and by March that figure is expected to grow to 40 percent.
The challenge to the military, then, is much more urgent than dealing with frustrated National Guard families who want to see their loved ones during the holidays. It is how to keep these civilian soldiers alive, and to teach them the skills they will need in a very short period of time.
Some of Captain Heintz's men say they worry that their inexperience will make them targets for the insurgents who have been killing American soldiers on an almost daily basis. Others insist that their hybrid background is ideal for dealing with terrorists.
Many responded at ground zero when the National Guard was called up in the days and weeks after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"My knees aren't quite as strong as a 26-year-old captain's," said Captain Heintz, a squarely built man who exudes a bullish confidence and works in the rackets section in the Manhattan district attorney's office. "But we have guys who work on the electrical systems for the Long Island Rail Road. We have 11 languages spoken in this company."
One thing is certain: The newly minted soldiers are being given a vivid taste of what they will face in Iraq during their five months of training. The drill at Fort Drum, which is being replicated at bases across the country, required six weeks of preparation and battle scenes worthy of a Steven Spielberg film.
More than 100 Iraqis were flown in from Dearborn, Mich., to play the angry villagers of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's birthplace. The call to prayer blasted from a makeshift mosque, and there were even angry signs — as in Iraqi cities — hanging from the walls. To complete the simulation, real Red Cross workers and soldiers dressed as journalists milled about, getting in the soldiers' way at every opportunity.
If not for the snow, the fir trees and the fact that the temperature hovers around 15 degrees, the scene might almost have been mistaken for central Iraq.
For Captain Heintz's battalion, which is headed for the central Iraqi region near Tikrit, the drill began much the way a real mission will take place.
Early Sunday morning, they headed out in Humvees into a fenced area of woods and ponds about 50,000 square kilometers in size. Their mission was to take command from a departing Army battalion, and then quell a loose-knit group of armed insurgents in and around the town.
The action began almost immediately, with a few hidden insurgents firing mortar and rifle rounds from behind trees and buildings. Most were inaccurate, but a few hit their mark.
To help the soldiers become accustomed to real combat, they carried rifles that fire laser signals, and sensors on their jackets that register a laser hit. Soldiers who were shot — the sensor emits a high-pitched whine — had to open a special envelope placed in their front jacket pockets that contained the key to their wounds. Their fellow soldiers would have to respond accordingly, like arranging an evacuation by helicopter for serious casualties, or calling in a medic for a minor wound.
Around noon on Day 2, a group of theoretically wounded soldiers stood inside an unheated canvas tent, shivering and cursing.


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text: Pair Of Engraved Initial Bookends by Letterfest Engraving £40$69.26€47.19$53.02 12 customer reviews(12) In stock This item is not available for delivery to %{country}. Favourite Favourite View your favourites letter 1 (required) letter 2 (required) designdesign (required)Big LetterLetter in Circledesign (required)Big LetterLetter in Circledesign (required)Big LetterLetter in Circledesign (required)Big LetterLetter in Circle quantity by Letterfest Engraving Location: North Devon, GB read seller's profile see seller's complete range more items from this seller Personalised Location Coordinates Stone by Letterfest Engraving £24$41.56€28.31$31.81 Personalised White Marble Trivet by Letterfest Engraving £36$62.34€42.47$47.72 Personalised Teacher Star Slate by Letterfest Engraving £25$43.29€29.49$33.14 Personalised 'Home Sweet Home' Large Tile by Letterfest Engraving £36$62.34€42.47$47.72 Sport Keepsake Slate by Letterfest Engraving £32$55.41€37.75$42.42 Personalised Pet Pebble With A Pawprint by Letterfest Engraving £18$31.17€21.23$23.86 view all you may also like PRODUCT DETAILS CUSTOMER REVIEWS DELIVERY RETURNS Made in Britain can be personalised eco-friendly ask seller a question save for later A pair of engraved initial bookends made from British Yorkstone - you can have the same or two different letters engraved on each stone. A perfect present for anyone who loves books. Designs available - either just the letter, or a letter within a circle. Please note this is natural stone so variances in textures and colouring occur and sometimes the engraved surface has an attractive rippled effect. It is tumbled yorkstone so the edges are chipped and bevelled for a rustic, natural look. made from: British Yorkstone - Colours are beige/sandstone. dimensions: Size: 10x10x5cm. Letterfest is winner of the Creative Business of the Year 2011 and Best Customer Service 2012 product code: 167231 12 customer reviews see more customer reviews read about our product rating system ratings guide trusted independent customer feedbackforum excellent bad good poor This product is dispatched to you by Letterfest Engraving. Delivery is by First Class Royal Mail MAINLAND UK order now and receive this item by price Standard Delivery Wednesday 7 September £2.75$4.76€3.24$3.64 NON-MAINLAND UK estimated delivery price Not currently available for this region INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY estimated delivery price Not currently available for this region You have 28 days, from receipt of cancellable goods, to notify the seller if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item. Please note: goods that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements, perishable products and personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken are non-refundable, unless faulty. Read more about our returns policy.Should you choose to return or exchange your order you will need to deliver the item(s) to the UK, where this seller is based. Letterfest Engraving's return policy Please see notonthehighstreet.com's returns policy.


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Gold Key | PHR Hotels & Resorts in a public/private partnership with the City of Norfolk will develop a 20-story luxury Hilton Hotel with 300 rooms, state of the art 50,000 square foot convention center, 3 full service restaurants, fitness center, pool and 600 car garage. With an expected opening of 2nd quarter 2016, the $126 million project will generate 500 construction jobs, 250 hotel employees and $2 million in tax revenue. Learn more
With the purchase of the iconic Grand Cavalier Hotel on the Hill, the Cavalier Oceanfront, the Cavalier Beach Club and other oceanfront parcels, Gold Key | PHR Hotel and Resorts will redevelop the most prestigious real estate in Virginia Beach. The $250 million plan includes investing $40 million to restore the 86 year old Grand Cavalier Hotel on the Hill to its previous five-star experience and creating a premier destination for weddings and events. The oceanfront development will feature a franchised hotel, a pool complex, spa and fine dining. Further development will include an upscale community with weekend cottages. Learn more
Visit CavalierHotel.com
With the acquisition of Barrier Island Station Resort, Gold Key | PHR Hotel and
Resorts is expanding its exclusive vacation ownership resort portfolio to the Outer Banks
of North Carolina. The resort is now known as Beachwoods.
The resort is located in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on 100 acres of maritime
forest and adjoins nearly 700 acres of wildlife preserve. The eighty-four
spacious units range in size from one to four bedrooms featuring full kitchens
and luxury appointments. The resort has numerous and varied amenities providing fun and relaxation for all ages and is designed for the whole family.
Visit Beachwoods.com


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By 13th Sustainment Command Expeditionary Public AffairsDecember 14, 2009
CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION TAJI, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi Army Soldiers delivered kits filled with school supplies to Iraqi schoolchildren at Al Waleed School Dec. 6 near Contingency Operating Location Taji, Iraq.
A volunteer committee founded Operation Back to School, delivering its first gifts in October and performing seven missions total to improve the lives of schoolchildren in Iraq, said Maj. Robert Edwards, a committee member with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 155th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 155th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).
Program volunteers assemble the kits or assist with the distribution at school sites, said Lt. Col. Kent Wong, a program manager for Operation: Back to School with the 821st Expeditionary Training Squadron, 321st Air Expeditionary Training Group, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing.
"A lot of the schools are very poor, in a poor area, and a lot of the school kids don't have the basic necessities," said Wong, a Houston native. "Some of the kits we give the school kids, they've never seen some of the supplies before. It's great that we're able to provide this to them."
Volunteers gather to fill the kits and pack them into boxes every Friday afternoon, said Edwards, a Saltillo, Miss., native. This includes special kits for teachers, to help better educate their students, he said.
Every week, more volunteers join the ranks of service members working to educate the next generation of Iraqi leaders, he said.
Area children come from families in varying financial states, so some do not have access to the same school supplies as others, said Spc. Raheem Townes, operations specialist with the 1479th Civil Affairs Detachment, 1st Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.
The kits contain everyday items children need for school, said Spc. Lorraine Perez, an Operation Back to School volunteer with the 3666th maintenance Company, 96th Sustainment Brigade, 13th ESC.
"We put in three folders, a Composition note book, loose paper, colored pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, scissors and a ruler," said Perez. "I think they're going to appreciate everything they have and take care of it."
The committee for Operation Back to School has solicited donations, using its Web page and advertisements in the Taji area, said Edwards.
"(Service members) send word back to their families and friends and then, by word of mouth, it spreads," he said. "The word's gotten out. We've received donations from all over the country."
Edwards said the operation saw a huge response from schools, organizations, other units and individuals.
"Up to this point we've gotten over 5,000 kits, donated over 500 soccer balls and we put together two sets of soccer goals to leave at the schools," he said.
The mission focuses on children who attend rural schools with anywhere from 300 to 400 students, said Edwards. The schools are outside the major city areas and have had little exposure to U.S. Forces, he said.
Joint Forces move the packed boxes to schools where Iraqi Army Soldiers distribute them to the students. Because these missions are a surprise to students and faculty, the children can be leery at first, he said.
"The kids have been lied to; they've been told we're evil and this, that and the other by the bad guys, the insurgency," he said. "We're here to counter that and show them that we're humans and we're there to help."
Edwards said sometimes the children are unfamiliar with the supplies, but with the aid of an interpreter, the items' uses are explained to them. The children respond well to the Soldiers' presence and accept the gifts, he said.
"It's fostering a partnership between them and us, as well as showing Iraq's future leaders, the children in the schools, that the Iraqi Army is there to help them," he said. "They are not something to be feared, like they have been in the past under (Saddam Hussein's) regime."
The program is a step toward helping the next generation of Iraqi citizens, said Wong.
"The school supplies may only last for a couple months, but I think the long-term benefit of this is the relationship between our country and the country of Iraq," he said. "The people, the kids, will recognize that America is (here to help) them and they care about (them)."


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MARIETTA - Belpre mother Amy Young was driving with her grandson on a Saturday morning in September when she got the call from the Washington County Sheriff's Office that her daughter Ashley had been found in Marietta, dead of an apparent methadone overdose at the age of 29.
"She was my best friend. It was devastating," Young shared.
She was one of several people who shared their stories, raised concerns, asked questions, and put forth ideas Thursday during a community drug abuse forum at Washington State Community College.
Article Photos
Photo by Brett Dunlap
Chief Deputy Mark Warden of the Washington County Sheriff's Office talks about the role of classroom education in the fight against drugs during a forum hosted Thursday by Attorney General Mike DeWine, far right, at Washington State Community College.
Photo by Brett Dunlap
Washington County Commissioner David White speaks during a community drug abuse forum hosted by Attorney General Mike DeWine Thursday at Washington State Community College.
Around 60 community members attended the forum - the eighth that Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has hosted across the state to address Ohio's growing drug epidemic, especially in relation to heroin.
Heroin deaths have been jumping drastically in recent years and likely surpassed 900 in 2013, said DeWine.
"We have no indication that number has even plateaued," he said.
The goal of the community discussions, said DeWine, is to talk about what communities are doing and share ideas about how to better address the problem.
From Young's point of view, her daughter could have greatly benefited from an in-patient drug treatment program. But those programs are hard to find locally and even harder to afford, she said.
"She had Medicaid. If you don't have great insurance or aren't a millionaire, they don't want you," said Young.
The desire for more resources to educate, prevent and treat was a common theme throughout the forum.
Among the panel of local experts, including law enforcement, health care professionals, counselors and educators, was Adam, a recovering addict who chose to retain anonymity by not using his last name.
After stints in rehab and many nights behind bars at the Washington County Jail, Adam said he was able to find success in a treatment program in prison.
The county lacks the kind of targeted drug treatment program he got in prison, said Adam.
"We fail as a community if we don't offer special accommodations - a real rehab. There is no in-patient facility," he said.
Washington County Commissioner David White noted that the county budget is already strapped.
"I guess my question is, where do we focus our resources?" he asked.
Another community member pointed to the county's former drug court program, which had been successful in the past.
The drug court is a specialty docket that allows a court to set aside time and a dedicated staff for rehabilitating drug-related offenders.
Washington County ran a drug court between October 2004 and August 2008 through a federally funded grant.
The county has tried to re-establish the program but has been turned down by the state three times for a grant that would fund it.
Adam agreed that the former drug court provided good structure for struggling addicts.
One attendee, the grandmother of a heroin addict incarcerated in the Washington County Jail, questioned why it has taken the community so long to tackle the issue.
"Why did it take us so long to recognize this and focus some attention on it?" asked Carol Gaughan.
There have periodically been community coalitions that have formed to address the issue but their work had not yet resulted in local treatment facilities.
Gaughan's comment echoed another over-arching theme of the forum - the need for more community involvement.
Noted Keith Tiemeyer, corporate operations director for SelfRefind, funding for programming has its limits.
"The money is going to run out. The government doesn't have enough money for this," he said of the drug war.
In visiting the many Suboxone clinics the company operates - in Marietta as well as multiple other Ohio and Kentucky locations - Tiemeyer said he has noticed that communities that do see great improvements are the ones who work for them.
"The energy to change has to come from within the community itself," he said.
Athens-based obstetrics Registered Nurse Pam Born said her obstetrics clinics delivers nearly 500 babies a year with seven to 12 percent of the mothers known to have substance abuse issues.
While Born lamented things like long waiting lists for treatment programs and insurance regulations that make combined medical care and substance abuse treatment difficult, she did note that the community has been a huge factor in helping addicted mothers have a support base.
"Community people come in, teach them to scrapbook, knit....They learn to see what normal is," she said.
Many, including Young, praised the job local law enforcement has been doing at combating drug abuse.
"I think (Washington County Sheriff) Larry Mincks is doing a great job, but I think as citizens we really need to take a stand," she said.


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What Our Listeners Say
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"Keep up the good work. I am a young parent of young children. I need all the help I can get."
"[Family Album is] easy to understand. [It] seems based on good research but is not overly academic. Boils down complex info into easy to use tools."
"The host is very engaging. She makes me feel relaxed."
"Practical information for the entire community presented in a friendly, non-threatening format (unlike "talk radio")."
"I really like to hear about the latest research on fostering a healthy family environment."
"[Family Album Radio] often promotes family discussion when we hear the show together."
"It is good, objective information for everyone."
"[We enjoy] the diversity of topics and the simplicity with which complex family research is presented."
"It's well put together and I find it interesting."


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The VideoGamer.com - Episode 46 As we prepare to leave the old VG Towers and move into a shiny (or soon-to-be-shiny) new office, we're recording in the living room. It's a bit weird, but hey. This week we mostly talk about Max Payne 3 and transgender hitmen. - Show Notes Date: 23/05/2012 Length: 01:44:41
The VideoGamer.com - Episode 45 It's as we were with Neon, Martin and substitute podcaster Andy sending their sultry tones done your DSL this week. The trio chat Diablo 3 and the perfect gaming woman. - Show Notes Date: 16/05/2012 Length: 01:39:10
The VideoGamer.com - Episode 43 Hello! Wednesday is all about podcasts, but one Wednesday podcast stands loud and proud above all other podcasts that get published on Wednesday, and that's the glorious VideoGamer.com Podcast. There's going to be plenty to see and do this week. - Show Notes Date: 02/05/2012 Length: 01:30:55
The VideoGamer.com - Episode 42 Welcome to episode 42 of the VideoGamer.com Podcast. 42 is famously the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything – but far more importantly 42 will be the last episode of the podcast featuring none other than Tom Pearson - Show Notes Date: 25/04/2012 Length: 01:33:47
The VideoGamer.com - Episode 41 It was all set to be snoozeville this week with people in and out of the office, and little that took our fancy on the news front, but somehow the crew managed to discuss, fat people, pretty people and buffets. - Show Notes Date: 18/04/2012 Length: 01:25:07


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Seems like most of us consider our ipod/phone/mp3 player as standard running equipment these days...
I was just curious to hear what people listen to and what's a good running song I should add to my playlist?
Coach Jesse
iPhone app WorkoutBeats lets you play those tracks in your iPod library which have a constant tempo by automatically creating tempo playlists between 50 and 200 bpm (beats per minute).
You can then either play one of the playlists or create your own workout schedules which allow you to combine different tempo playlists for your personal workout needs.
Check it out on www.appstore.com/workoutbeats.
In version 1.1 it also offers registered third party apps free access via Apple-approved interprocess communication to its tempo playlists and workout schedules.
Aside from that it can be run in parallel to your favorite tracking app.
At rljios
Cool! I can't wait to try this out on my next run.
Coach Jesse
I listen to a lot of Beatles on my long runs, and Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, and Lady Gaga on my shorter runs.
I write a running blog geared towards motivating runners of any pace or distance at http://www.iamrunningthis.com!
Couch to 5K graduate, September 2012
First 10K, June 2nd, 2013
First Half Marathon, September 2013
Training for my 7th half marathon, May 2016 and first Triathlon, Tri for a Cure, July 2016.
Twitter: @iamrunningthis
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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Tue 8th May at 9:30pm - Late
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→ Waverley 14 min walk


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Source: The Information
quote: People were already on edge after realizing Google was 'reading' every Gmail and Gchat message to target ads.
quote: Then the concern with Nest and targeted ads on those systems
quote: Now we have a system letting Google into our homes 24/7 with live feeds. Are people that stupid to actually give Google access to their lives like this? Microsoft already proved they had the 'technology' to passively monitor items it sees in the cameras field of view and target products as such.
quote: Google has a portion of its market that simply doesn't care about the ramifications of any of these personal tech decisions.
quote: There's a really small undercurrent of privacy-advocation on both the private and public sides that I really hope evolves into some real privacy rights in the digital era for consumers and citizens.
quote: So before you accuse others of being stupid and too trusting, just you know, really think about it.


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A "brutal" winter in the United States and a glut of cheap sucralose from China has led to a dip in sales and profits at Tate & Lyle.
The bulk food ingredients and sweeteners group said yesterday that its pre-tax profits was £290 million in the year to March, down from £301 million the year before. Its total sales were 3 per cent lower at £3.14 billion.
Much of the dip in performance had been noted in February, when Tate & Lyle warned of a significant slide in prices — about 15 per cent — for sucralose sweetener, which it sells under


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Cedar Valley Publishing Books » Books
A brightly illustrated, interactive Kindergarten book, written in Spanish
and English, that features the core curriculum necessary for a successful
Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten, written by and for parents, kids and
teachers, features 32 pages of wonderfully illustrated core Kindergarten
curriculum. Intended for use by small children, the book is easy to hold,
interactive and very durable
Meet Mrs. Good and the delightful Cedar Valley Kids - and learn the contents of
this award-winning book in both Spanish and English!
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A second video has emerged today, December 21, 2012, that shows the same Islamist terrorist and chemical Jihadist from the 'Chemical Brigade of al-Reeh al-Sarsar (Almighty Wind)' of the "Free Syrian Army" (FSA) that appeared in an earlier video clarifying certain facts about who his 'brigade' is and what they will do next to Syrian government supporters and Alawites.
In the video, another experiment is performed by the masked terrorist where a rabbit is killed by forcing it to drink a fatal chemical mixture. The terrorist then proceeds to explain that his chemical mixture will poison the Nabh al-Sinn (Spring / Fountain of al-Sinn) in Lattakia, a source of potable drinking water for a large civilian population in northwestern Syria.
The terrorist claims that his group is formed from 'academics' with Master's degrees in Chemistry and that they got together via online social networking sites. The video has a hardline Jihadi al-Qaeda-type music playing in the background.
The terrorist also denies any links to Syrian or Turkish intelligence. He also says that his group does not belong to al-Qaeda, although he does not approve of the fact that the US placed al-Nusra Front (al-Qaeda in Syria) on terror list.
The masked man also talks about giving a 1-month negotiation period after the second statement is issued. At the beginning of this video, the speaker says that this video is the first statement, which implies that the negotiation period has not started yet.
The video ends with a message to Alawites, whom these terrorists also refer to as enemies of Allah, stating that the group is not in Gaziantep, Turkey, but rather inside Syrian territories.
Warning: The video contains footage of a rabbit dying. To all faint-hearted and animal rights activists, please do not watch the video (Not for Shock, 18+, aimed at documenting crimes of FSA terrorists)


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Take a sneak peek at the new NIST.gov and let us know what you think!
(Please note: some content may not be complete on the beta site.).
Version History | Disclaimer
Atomic Reference Data
|Contains total energies and orbital eigenvalues for the atoms hydrogen through uranium, as computed in several standard variants of density-functional theory.
© PhotoStocker/2010 Shutterstock.com


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WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — A woman has waived a jury trial on charges in a hit-and-run crash that killed another woman in northeastern Pennsylvania almost six years ago.
Jury selection in the trial of 29-year-old Megan Panowicz was scheduled Monday, but she has opted for a bench trial in Luzerne County on a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident.
Authorities in Kingston allege that the former Forty Fort resident was the first of three drivers to hit 32-year-old Sharon Shaughnessy as she tried to cross a street in August 2008.
Prosecutors allege that she turned herself in the following day, saying she panicked after hitting the victim while she was changing radio stations.
Defense attorney Robert Panowicz said his daughter would take the stand in her own defense.
Location, ST | website.com


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I am a Penn State graduate, class of 1972, and as a health and phys ed graduate and with a degree in sports medicine, I am well acquainted with most things athletic at Penn State. I beg to differ with Thomas Day and his opinion!! The new Penn State he describes sounds really familiar to me as the Penn State I attended at that time. After graduation, I lived in State College and raised my family there. I went to the same church as Jerry Sandusky, was in the same church circle as Dottie Sandusky, and my kids grew up with their kids. I continue to take great pride in my Penn State heritage. The press has jumped on a bandwagon of headlines and innuendo, as does the Freeh report. I taught football players in my classes, and some were not successful in my class, and did not play football again–with no interference from the staff in the football program. I am very proud of Penn State, the great scholars it has produced, and the great men that the football program, and yes, Joe Paterno, produced. For whatever errors he made in judgment by not following up in 2001, he should not be crucified as he is being now. And Penn State has always set an example of great stewardship in the town and around the country in supporting worthy causes. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water.
Daily Archives: July 18, 2012
ESPN report on failure of Penn State Board of Trustees
byDan Van Natta, Jr. ESPN
In November 2004, four of Penn State's leaders, including then-president Graham
Spanier, sat down at Joe Paterno's kitchen table on a Sunday morning. The men
asked the iconic coach to retire. Paterno said no, and that was
That same month, seven members of Penn State's board of trustees
proposed sweeping reforms that would have strengthened the board's oversight
power of Spanier and other campus leaders, including Paterno, according to
documents obtained this week by "Outside the Lines." The group told the full
board, "Decisions scrutinized with the benefit of hindsight need to withstand
the test of being informed decisions."
But the board never took a vote on
the proposal. Spanier and then-board chairwoman Cynthia Baldwin considered the
reforms — and, just as Paterno had done, said no, three current trustees
The revelation comes to light five days after former FBI director
Louis Freeh's firm released its school-sanctioned report on what the university
did to protect children in the wake of the arrest of former defensive
coordinator Jerry Sandusky and the board's Nov. 9 firing of Paterno and Spanier.
The report, which blasted the board for poor governance and a failure of
leadership, has led some trustees to say they now regret the good-governance
proposal never was put to a full vote by the board's 32 members eight years
Joel Myers, a longtime trustee, said the Freeh investigators told
him that if the good-governance proposal had been adopted by the board back in
2004, "This (crisis) could have been avoided."
The 2004 proposals are
eerily prescient considering how the trustees, according to the Freeh report,
were left in the dark by Spanier, Baldwin and trustee Steve Garban as the
Sandusky criminal investigation escalated in 2011. If the proposals had passed,
the trustees say the measures might have made a difference in the way the board
had responded to the Sandusky matter.
Two trustees said Freeh's
investigators had asked them and other trustees about the 2004 good-governance
proposal and appeared determined to find out why it had not been adopted. One
trustee also said Freeh's investigators told them they had obtained emails
between Spanier and Baldwin and others discussing the merits of the trustees'
proposal. The trustee also said Freeh's investigators said that the emails
showed "Spanier and Baldwin put a stop" to the good-governance proposal. "They
didn't want the added scrutiny," the trustee said.
"It was a big, missed
opportunity," said Al Clemens, another longtime trustee. "Back in 2004, we just
knew there wasn't enough accountability, and it seemed like a reasonable step to
try to protect the university. It seemed like the right thing to
Joel Myers, a longtime trustee, said the Freeh investigators told
him that if the good-governance proposal had been adopted by the board back in
2004, "This (crisis) could have been avoided."
After the good-governance
proposal was discussed in a private board session in 2004, at least four young
boys were sexually abused by Sandusky. Two trustees who spoke on condition of
anonymity said they fear the board's failure to adopt the good-governance
proposal will be used by victims' lawyers in the negligence lawsuits against
Penn State.
"This could increase our liability," a current trustee said,
"possibly by millions."
Yet there is no mention in the Freeh report of
the trustees' failed good-governance proposal or the Spanier and Baldwin emails.
A spokesman for the Freeh Group declined to comment.
The board's failure
to improve its good-governance practices is a curious omission from the Freeh
report, which made the trustees' governance failure a main focus of its
According to the Freeh report, the Pennsylvania attorney general's office told
then-university counsel Baldwin on Dec. 28, 2010, that Paterno, athletics
director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz would be subpoenaed to
testify before the Sandusky grand jury. Baldwin did not seek outside counsel's
The Freeh report found that Spanier and Baldwin dealt with the
escalating Sandusky crisis throughout 2011 with no outside advice from lawyers
with experience dealing with grand jury investigations. Spanier and Baldwin also
failed to seek the full advice of the board on how to handle the
This failure was noted by the Freeh Group, which referred to the
administrators' "over-emphasis on 'The Penn State Way.' " As defined by Freeh,
"The Penn State Way" is "an approach to decision-making, a resistance to seeking
outside perspectives, and an excessive focus on athletics that can, if not
recognized, negatively impact the university's reputation as a progressive
Baldwin and Spanier representatives have both said the
Freeh report contains many errors, though no specifics have been
Maribeth Schmidt of the alumni group Penn Staters for
Responsible Stewardship said the board's inaction and the omission of the failed
good-governance proposal in the Freeh report are disturbing.
"This new
development certainly raises additional questions about the integrity of the
Freeh report and further demonstrates that its objectivity is severely in
question," she said in a statement. "The members of Penn Staters for Responsible
Stewardship would certainly expect that any misstep by the board — especially
one this significant — which occurred in the years included in the Freeh
investigation would have been documented and reported in its entirety."
The closest Freeh's investigators come to mentioning the board's
evolving governance procedures can be found in the fine print, in footnote 557:
"See Standing Orders of the Penn State board of trustees, Order IX. This
statement on the general policies of the board of trustees was initially set
forth and approved by the board on June 11, 1970 and amended from time to time,
the most recent being January 19, 1996."


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Opinion: Apprenticeships - the old-school solution to housing's skills crisis
Published by Anonymous for 24dash.com in Housing
Opinion: Apprenticeships - the old-school solution to housing�s skills crisis
By Paul Rigby, learning & development manager, Forrest
The announcement earlier this month that a cross-party commission is being launched to investigate the quantity and quality of apprenticeships in construction will come as welcome news to the scores of social housing providers struggling to meet new build targets – providing some reassurance as to the sustainability of the construction sector, so badly affected by a skills drift due to recessionary pressures.
Although apprenticeships have a long history in construction, there's little doubt that their popularity has waned in recent years. Research from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has revealed that the number of people completing construction-related apprenticeships has plunged by almost 75 per cent since the financial crisis, from 14,250 four years ago to just 3,760 in 2012/13. The board estimates that the construction industry will need to recruit an extra 120,000 apprentices over the next five years to ensure that there are enough skilled workers for the future.
Whilst the decline in construction apprenticeships at first correlated with the downturn in activity, the qualification's fate has not improved as order books have grown. With the latest Office for National Statistics report showing public housing work has increased by nearly 30 per cent in the last 12 months, this widening skills gap is threatening not only the supply of affordable housing in the UK, but the health of the wider economy.
To deliver the pipeline of new homes, registered providers (RPs) and their contractor partners must work together to create more, relevant apprenticeship opportunities.
Creating opportunities
In an effort to bring new skills into the sector, some RPs stipulate the number of apprenticeships they want their supply chain to provide in the terms of new contracts. While imposing quotas can be an effective means of encouraging training, this needs to be done on a job-by-job basis.
Being too prescriptive or setting unrealistic targets could mean recruiting more trainees than there is work available for – or not enough. Giving real thought to the scope, length and complexity of a works programme, and whether it is practical and safe to offer training for the duration, will help to guide the number of apprenticeships that an organisation is able to stipulate. Clients need to work with potential suppliers at the procurement stage to decide what is feasible and come to a number together. Often, a shared apprenticeship scheme (such as that offered by CITB) can be utilised to enable the completion of a formal apprenticeship where individual projects have limited duration or insufficient long-term placement. The scheme has been developed to ensure the completion of 500 new apprenticeship starts each year.
Consideration should also be given to the types of roles needed to deliver the work. Modern apprenticeship opportunities range from site operatives including brick-laying, joinery and plumbing, to 'white collar' professions such as quantity surveyors and project managers, which are proving more and more popular as the rise in tuition fees has seen increasing numbers of young people choose not to go to University. Non-traditional occupations such as back-office administration and customer support are also vital to ensuring an organisation runs efficiently and sustainably, and apprenticeships in these functions can offer an excellent ground for high-quality skills development.
Re-imaging apprenticeships
In addition to meeting the skills shortage, social housing providers would be advised to look at how they can use apprenticeships to create social value on a local level.
Offering apprenticeships in the local community will provide convenient and locally-relevant training programmes that appeal to social tenants, helping to keep skills and jobs in the area and supporting the local economy, as well as lessening the burden on local welfare requirements.
There is also a misconception that apprenticeships are only suitable for school leavers, but there's no reason why older candidates can't be engaged. In fact, bringing people who have lost their jobs during the recession or are now looking to start a new career after a period of absence back into work can actually be hugely beneficial.
For example, as part of a 10-year refurbishment and maintenance partnership with Bolton at Home, Forrest recruited half of the 20 apprentices required through the council's Urban Care and Neighbourhood Centres, which aim to create positive experiences for those not in education, employment or training. I can confidently report that these candidates are among our best and brightest, often being more enthusiastic, motivated and determined to succeed second time round.
By rethinking how they approach apprenticeships and working with their contractor partners, social housing providers will be better able to develop the skills they need to support high quality house building in the future.
Landlords stop selective licensing scheme
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Does it matter if being bullied goes with working for Mike Miles?
Dallas school trustees are looking into a narrower question, but I'm interested in what their special investigator Paul Coggins finds out about the atmosphere inside the administration of Superintendent Mike Miles.
Is bullying part of the deal for cabinet-level employees? Is it true that Miles bullied former communications chief Rebecca Rodriguez? Or that departed chief of staff Jerome Olberton got in her face, too, and Miles did nothing to correct him after Rodriguez complained?
There's a reason that Miles has lost so many top staffers in the year he's been on the job, and the atmosphere he creates may be part of it.
I hope Coggins' inquiry provides a glimpse of what it's like to work for Miles. Trustees ought to want the school district to be a place that can recruit top talent. Smart, committed, hard-working people typically have choices in where they can work, and they're not going to hang around where someone makes them feel miserable.
Some of my colleagues are less interested in Miles' style than the results on standardized tests that he wrings out of the campuses. My view is that if staff is stressed, hostile and bitter, any gains are going to be short term and hard to sustain.
Miles has never headed an apparatus this big, having come from a Colorado district that was about as big as our own neighboring Wylie ISD. It takes staff to run a bureaucracy, but staff is not going do get the job done if he can't keep his hires on the job.


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Wachtell's Martin Lipton Pens Another "Attack of the Killer Hedge Funds" Memo
The Wall Street Journal reports today on the activist posture taken by investment firm Knightspoint Group against The Sharper Image. We sure hope that the retailer is on Martin Lipton's mailing list.
For at least the third time in the past few months, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz's famed corporate lawyer has written to clients about the perils of activist hedge funds. The Law Blog landed a copy of the latest memo, which is dated March 7 and titled "Attacks by Activist Hedge Funds." The memo is in the form of a checklist, but says that like "all such checklists, it is only an aide memoire for developing an individual, specifically crafted plan for avoiding becoming the target of a hedge fund attack or, if an attack is mounted, dealing with it." (The Law Blog is creating its own aide memoire to help it remember to use the expression aide memoire.)
Lipton compares the preparation necessary for a hedge fund attack to that of a "hostile takeover bid." "Failure to prepare," writes Lipton, "reduces a target's ability to control its own destiny." Although response to a hedge fund attack is "an art, not a science," Lipton provides his clients with a 30-point checklist of things to do in order to prepare for . . . an ATTACK!!!!!!!!