text:
Received via email on 5/16/08 from David Kass of the CFTC:
Dear Mr. Weir, you probably have already seen our new report on the silver market…
The public may not always see the results, but we do put in a lot of time monitoring these markets to ensure that they are not being manipulated.
David Kass, Senior Economist
Market Surveillance Section
Division of Market Oversight
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Attention: David Kass @ CFTC (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Dear David:
This will be my final correspondence with officials at the CFTC as I have concluded that your organization is not competent enough to understand or conduct a proper investigation into the ongoing silver market manipulation. All further requests for information, enforcement and actions will be forwarded to A. Roy Lavic, Inspector General of the CFTC as well as Michael B Mukasey, Attorney General of the United States of America.
The following is my analysis of your investigative paper entitled "Report on Large Short Trader Activity in the Silver Futures Market". (http://www.cftc.gov/newsroom/index.htm). Although the report suggests that the CFTC is only looking at the short trader activity from 2005-2007 and not the entire silver futures market manipulation picture, your reference to the report on the CFTC website (New Study Finds Silver Futures Market is Functioning Properly), your email to me above and the CFTC press release announcing the report all promote the false impression that the CFTC has investigated the silver manipulation issue thoroughly in your conclusion that there is no silver market manipulation.
Release: 5499-08
For Release: May 14, 2008
New Study Finds Silver Futures Market is Functioning Properly
Study Finds No Evidence of Manipulation
Washington, DC--The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) Division of Market Oversight (DMO) today released a report that re-examines long-term and recent allegations of misconduct in the silver markets and finds that there is no evidence of manipulation in those markets for the trading period examined…
First of all I would like to state that the four most important questions I posed to you on March 26, 2008 have not been addressed and there is currently another "unsolved crime" in the COMEX silver manipulation story. The questions were concerning the downward price manipulation of silver from $21/oz to $17/oz in 4 trading days from March 17-20, 2008 where there was no physical silver available for purchase. These questions that I posed to you over 2 months ago remain unanswered:
1) The $4 drop in the price of silver was directly in contrast to the availability of physical silver for the majority of market participants. Please explain why the CFTC believes this is a normal market occurrence in line with the physical market dynamics.
2) The silver supply shortage that exists today clearly exposed the manipulative nature of the 310M+ oz short position. Why is it allowed exist and why is it allowed to grow?
3) The CFTC's 2004 letter concerning the manipulation of silver states as its main argument that the reason there is no manipulation by the few large silver shorts is that there is no supply deficit. Now that the silver shortage is very apparent around the world, what is being done to stop the manipulation of the price of silver due to the silver shortage?
4) With thousands of complaints filed with the CFTC regarding silver manipulation, why wasn't the CFTC able to preemptively stop the serious silver shortage that is now clearly deterring silver investors from obtaining physical metal at today's "below market" manipulated prices? What is being done to make sure that the majority of physical silver purchasers are not locked out of the market ever again?
I am still waiting for the CFTC to answer these questions ESPECIALLY in light of your recent declaration the silver markets are NOT being manipulated.
Now let's talk about your investigative techniques, methods and expertise used in your investigation of silver manipulation. According to your report and analysis you draw the following conclusion: "There is no evidence of manipulation in the silver futures market" based on these factors:
1) Silver cash and futures prices have risen dramatically between 2005 and 2007, with silver outperforming the gold, platinum and palladium markets, suggesting that silver futures prices are not depressed relative to other metals prices.
2) NYMEX silver futures prices tend to track closely the price of physical silver.
3) Concentration levels for the top four short futures traders in the silver futures market are comparable to those observed in the gold and copper futures markets, and generally are lower than the levels seen in the platinum and palladium futures markets.
4) The composition of the traders comprising the top four short futures traders, in terms of net positions, changes over time. These traders represent a diverse group, and their futures positions are driven by an even more diverse group of customers.
5) There is no observable relationship between short-futures-trader concentration levels and silver prices.
6) There is a slightly positive relationship between the total net position of the large short futures traders and silver prices; this suggests that larger short futures positions are associated with higher, not lower prices.
The CFTC feels that this report was a HOMERUN in your fight against proving the silver manipulation promoters wrong in their quest to prove silver market manipulation. Using this baseball analogy, I intend to show how many complete WIFFS were made in your attempt to hit the ball out of the park.
I will address your final conclusions one at a time:
1) Cash and futures prices have risen dramatically…
The fact that the prices have risen "dramatically" points more to the fact that the price of silver was and is significantly UNDERVALUED rather than fairly valued. Did you ever ask yourselves WHY silver is rising so dramatically? There shouldn't be "undervalued assets" in a freely traded market. Dramatically rising prices is more evidence of the many years of manipulative price suppression by market participants. (STRIKE 1)
2) NYMEX silver futures prices tend to track closely the price of physical silver…
WRONG. The CFTC uses the London Metal Exchange as a price gauge for the physical price of silver. David Morgan pointed out in a recent article entitled "Silver Price Manipulation" that the LME traded 30 BILLION oz of silver last year alone!
That would equate to 120M oz of physical silver being transferred every trading day. To picture how far off of physical reality this is, imagine 1,250 three ton capacity armored cars being loaded and unloaded out of LME warehouses EVERY DAY! Impossible! The LME has NOTHING to do with the realities of the physical silver market. There are currently reports of silver shortages around the world including from your counterparts at the US Mint. The #1 proof of COMEX manipulation according to your 2004 letter is if the COMEX prices diverge with the physical market. The recent 20% COMEX silver price dive with no physical availability of silver is the smoking gun of silver price manipulation. (STRIKE 2)
3) Concentration levels for the top four short futures traders…
First of all, the Gold Anti Trust Action Committee (GATA) has already proven that the gold market is manipulated so if silver is tracking gold then silver, by definition, is manipulated also.
I'm not an expert on the COT reports but Ted Butler is. He is known around the world as the #1 expert on your COMEX Commitment of Traders Report. This is undisputed. His conclusion is that the 80% short concentration by less than 8 traders when there are THOUSANDS of other market participants is 100% proof of short side manipulation no matter how much the CFTC wants to deny it. Read his research for yourself (http://www.investmentrarities.com/tb-archives.html). But the bigger question here is why doesn't the CFTC hire or consult with Ted Butler? And why don't they talk to David Morgan or Jason Hommell or Izzy Friedman all of which are world renowned experts on all aspects of silver. In the latest CFTC report the ONLY people consulted with were the 10 LARGEST SHORT TRADERS! Imagine a cop walking up to a gang of bank robbers and asking them, "Did you just rob that bank?" After the obvious "No sir" the cop walks away and tells the world "They said they didn't do it so the bank was never robbed!" Sickening display of improper investigative work. (STRIKE 3).
4) The composition of the traders comprising the top four short futures traders, in terms of net positions, changes over time. These traders represent a diverse group, and their futures positions are driven by an even more diverse group of customers…
Of course they do but they all have the same goal of suppressing the price of silver just like the members of the Silver Users Association. Since the mining companies have been pretty much silenced on the subject of silver price manipulation, the only group advocating a freely traded silver market are individual silver investors which only make up less than 10% of the annual physical silver demand (at the moment). The remaining 90% of silver is consumed in industrial, photography, jewelry and silverware applications ALL of which have a significant financial interest in keeping the price of silver as low as possible!
The charge of manipulation is this: YES, they are conspiring together to artificially suppress the price of silver for their own benefit. It is easy to do without CFTC intervention and is most likely coordinated by computer trading programs trading back and forth on high volumes to set the price where the manipulators want it to go. I can supply you with the name of the company who most likely orchestrates these trades if you are ever interested in performing a real investigation into silver market manipulation. (STRIKE 4)
I don't know why this is even mentioned as they do not necessarily have to correlate for there to be manipulation in the silver markets. The fact that 80% of all the silver shorts are controlled by only a handful of participants trading these positions back and forth like a hot potato should be enough evidence that they are in complete control of the short side of the market. It is also clear that if this huge short position was never allowed to happen then the price of silver would be much higher than it is today. Let's face facts: the short position is gigantic, it is controlled by a few traders and the price of silver is below where it should be had the position never been allowed. (STRIKE 5)
6) There is a slightly positive relationship between the total net position of the large short futures traders and silver prices; this suggests that larger short futures positions are associated with higher, not lower prices.
In March 2004 the net short position of the 4 or less traders on the COMEX was approximately 150M oz and the price of silver was around $6/oz. In March 2008 the net short position of the 4 or less traders had DOUBLED to over 300M oz and the price of silver had risen above $20/oz. My question for the CFTC is WHAT WOULD THE PRICE OF SILVER HAVE BEEN IF THE EXTRA 150M OZ SOLD BY 4 OR LESS TRADERS NOT BEEN ALLOWED????
Would the price of silver be $40/oz? How about $100/oz? An ounce of common sense will tell you that it would not have been lower. So now, because of these 4 or less short traders, the price of silver does not reflect its "fair market value". Prices are set on the margin so it's anybody's guess as to where silver should be trading today had the 150M oz of paper shorts not been added to the mix. Yes, there is a positive relationship between the total net position of the short futures traders and the silver prices BUT, given the fundamentals of silver, that relationship SHOULD have been exponentially higher in price and substantially lower in manipulative shorts by the 4 or less traders. (STRIKE 6)
I have just bothered to address your 6 main points of proof that there is no silver manipulation but there are many more statements littered throughout your latest letter that are either flat out false or meant to mislead the reader. Out of these top six homeruns all I see are six strikeouts.
In my opinion the CFTC made no attempt to investigate the potential that the commentators and investors claiming silver manipulation could actually be correct. There was no analysis of the silver market fundamentals, no investigation (or audits) into physical silver available for delivery against the short positions, no investigation of potential collusion between the 8 largest shorts, no analysis of silver leasing, swapping or lending, no interviews with market analysts or commentators, no analysis of silver market slam events and no attempt to explain the COMEX silver crime committed on March 17-20, 2008.
Mr. Kass, I had high hopes when we started our correspondence last year that you could somehow bring some truth and honesty to the COMEX trading floor. You have let me down.
They say you can't fight city hall but where would the United States of America be without our founding fathers who DID fight their corrupt government? They fought for our future and now I am fighting to preserve the truth, honesty and freedom that this country was founded upon. The market rigging operation you are facilitating is not only illegal but completely un-American and you should be ashamed of your participation in it.
I am going to continue the fight and given that the CFTC refuses to stop the long term manipulation of silver that fight will now have to be against the CFTC.
I wish you well in our upcoming battles.
Bix Weir
A. Roy Lavic, Inspector General of the CFTC
Michael B Mukasey, US Attorney General


text:
Top Definition
Refers to a driver who insists on driving only at the speed limit and no faster, regardless of the current driving conditions or lane. Usually encountered when one is late or in a hurry. Variant of the term Speed Demon.
Sorry I'm late, I got stuck behind some Speed Limit Demon in the fast lane.
Beküldő: Winston Zedimore 2005. február 22.
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?

subset: commoncrawl


text: HTC One users are still waiting on Android 4.2.2, which was recently pulled from the air by HTC. Any day now though, we should be hearing that a new Android 4.2.2 update is on its way, but the boys over at Geek.com got their hands on a leaked build, and have a brief video where Russell Holly goes through some of the minor added features. I think the most noticeable features are the quick button settings, and the swiping up for Google Now. So check out the video and let us know what you think.


text: Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.The first sentence asserts that all persons born within the US are US citizens. This granted citizenship to all newly-freed slaves (today, it has the unintended effect of granting citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants--another topic of debate). The second sentence has two important parts. The "equal protection clause"--a generic statement that government should not engage in discrimination against any particular group of citizens, but not defining what groups are worthy of protection, and to what extent--is the justification for much civil rights legislation enacted since; some say the equal protection clause is a RootPasswordToTheConstitution?. The "privileges and immunities" clause is of particular interest to this question. The SupremeCourt? has intepreted this clause to extend some (but not all) of the Bill of Rights onto the states. Prior to the 14th Amendment, the Bill of Rights were only constraints on Congress. It was perfectly legal for the states to enact, for instance, sedition laws (and many Southern states did just that in the period before the Civil War, making it a crime to advocate abolition of slavery). Since then, the SupremeCourt? has ruled that states may not abridge the freedom of speech, either. Not all parts of the Bill of Rights, however, have been extended to the states. The RightToBearArms?, for instance, still remains a restraint on the Federal Government only--local jurisdictions remain free to outlaw firearms if they like. And--the $20 jury threshold also remains a Federal-only restriction. As most lawsuits filed between persons are filed in state courts (being matters of state law), states can have their own rules. Likewise for the "trial by jury" clause for criminal cases; states can (and do) use judge-only trials for petty offenses like speeding tickets. (Though in most cases, such petty offenses don't result in "loss of life or limb").


text:
Ethan Hawke – already the father of two children with his ex-wife Uma Thurman – is about to become a father again, this time with Ryan Shawhughes, described as the former nanny to his children.
"I can confirm and they are thrilled," says Hawke's rep Mara Buxbaum. "No further details will be made available."
Speaking in December 2006 about the joys of fatherhood, the 37-year-old actor-author said, that his two children with Thurman – daughter Maya, now 9, and son Levon, 5 – provide "the greatest pleasure in my life. It's the only role that, if I fail, I will consider my life a failure."
As for sharing parental duties with fellow New York resident Thurman (they split in 2004, after seven years of marriage), and yet managing to keep their distance from one another, Hawke also said, "We live down the street from each other. If we lived down the street from each other in Minneapolis, I'd have to watch every car go in and out of the driveway. I'd know how late she stayed out."
Given how things turned out, he said with relief, "I don't have to know any of that stuff."
In Touch was first to report the story.
Ethan Hawke to Become a Father, Again
The Latest
People Exclusive


text:
TRENTON — A second State Police commander transferred after revelations that troopers from his headquarters escorted a high-speed caravan of sports cars will retire, according to documents obtained today by The Star-Ledger from the state Treasury Department.
Maj. Robert Catullo applied for retirement April 28, according to the documents, provided under the state's Open Public Records Act. The application came a day after he and two other commanders were transferred in one of most significant State Police shake ups in recent history.
Catullo, 54, a 30-year veteran of the force, was required to retire by the end of the year because of the State Police's mandatory retirement age of 55. He did not return a message seeking comment, and the State Police Retirement Board has not yet approved his departure and pension.
Prior to his transfer, Catullo led Troop B, which oversees operations in all of northern New Jersey. The job of commander there is one of the most powerful and coveted within the State Police and includes overseeing the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which will host the 2014 Super Bowl.
The troop is also responsible for working closely with the U.S. Secret Service to escort and protect dignitaries, including presidents, cabinet members and military generals.
Catullo was transferred after The Star-Ledger disclosed details of the high-speed caravan, which the State Police and state Attorney General's Office have said was escorted March 30 without authorization by two troopers assigned to Troop B.
One person who witnessed the caravan — whose participants included Brandon Jacobs, a former running back for the New York Giants — deemed the event "Death Race 2012."
A day later, the troopers involved — Sgt. 1st Class Nadir Nassry and Trooper Joseph Ventrella — were suspended without pay, and a station commander, Lt. Philip Gundlah, was temporarily reassigned pending an investigation by the Attorney General's Office and the State Police.
The investigation, as well as one into a previous high-speed caravan in 2010, is continuing.
On April 27, Catullo and his deputy commander, Capt. Michael Cerisano, as well as a region commander, Capt Warren Moore, were reassigned, sources told The Star-Ledger.
The State Police told the newspaper a total of 10 commanders were moved "in a realignment aimed at the Operations Branch" and in light of internal investigations that were still open.
The division did not say how many of the transfers were tied to the high-speed escort scandal, or what role the reassigned troopers might have played. Asked last month about the transfers, State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes said Troop B "needed a fresh perspective."
Also last month, the State Police Retirement Board approved Cerisano's retirement. Cerisano, 53, a 28-year trooper, would have had to leave by next December because of the division's mandatory retirement age.
He submitted his retirement paperwork March 30, the same day as the most recent caravan under investigation. Reached by telephone last month, he declined to comment on his retirement.
Related coverage:
• N.J. Police Superintendent will not testify at 'Death Race 2012' hearing
• 'Death Race 2012': Policy on police escorts not consistent with top cop's explanation
• Editorial: New Jersey's probe into "Death Race" must have teeth
• Life in the fast lane: Driving club linked to 'Death Race' celebrates lifestyles of the rich and excessive
• 'Death Race 2012' scandal leads to State Police shake-up
• State Police boss: Responsibility for high-speed caravan deemed 'Death Race 2012' rests with local command


text: Whan Tekken 1 came out and I played it it was the best. I loved all the moves and characters.(My favourite being Paul and king.) I couldn't wait untill the next one(Tekken 2)came out.When I first played it I was like "What amazing graphics!". Iwas glued to the tv for hours. It must have been almost midnight when I stopped playing because I got tired. I never got bored playing it. When I heard that Tekken 3 was coming out I pre-ordered my copy. When I got it, I was shocked at the graphics. I mean I thought that Tekken 2 had amazing graphics but Tekken 3, it was better than the rest. sharp cleat graphics. Great music. It felt like 5 minutes had passed but it was like 3 hours. My parents had to scream in my ear to get me to go to bed. When I showed my friends they were like "Awsome!". When Tekken tag came out, I was at the acrade playing it all the time. I love it when you do that special charge up move and K.O. your oponent. I still enjoy playing the Tekken series today. Even though they may not be the best game today. Do you agree with me?


text:
No storms here in the Thousand Islands or Dardanelles or Tierra del Fuego or wherever I might be. So where is your god now, SciGuy?
Actual dialogue overheard between small girl and weary mother:
Child, sobbing: I don't care about anybody else. I only care about me.
Mother, in singsongy mommy voice: Mommy doesn't just care about herself, does she? Mommy cares about other people, doesn't she?


text:
Being a child of the '90s, I pictured my 20s like the cast of MTV's The Real World: hot clubs, dancing, fancy drinks, beautiful young people. • The reality of life in greater Brandon has shown me that my own Real World, and that of everyone here in his and her 20s, consists of something very different: Drinks are expensive, any place in Tampa is at least 30 minutes away, and it's usually old men reliving their prime who approach young women. • Do most of us make the drive to Hyde Park when we want to go out? Yes, but that's not as realistic during the week for those of us who graduated and now hold down "grownup" jobs. And those of us without adult jobs are on a even tighter budget. • While Applebee's or the Brandon Ale House may not be the reality we pictured when we sneaked into another room as kids to watch the Real World: Vegas, they do serve as alternatives to trekking to Tampa. • So before you buy a one-way ticket to New York and live off ramen in search of a nightlife, here's a sampling of SouthShore and Brandon area establishments frequented by us 20-somethings.
Acropolis Taverna
6108 Winthrop Town Center Ave.
Specials: Every day from 3 to 7 p.m. drinks are 2-for-1. Margaritas and sangria are 2-for-1 all day every day.
Ambience: Lots of loud live Greek music. The servers dance in a line around the restaurant, napkins are thrown in the air, plates break, and, on the weekends, a belly dancer makes her way around the restaurant. There is always a good mix of families, couples on dates, and groups of women looking for a fun girls' night out.
Age Requirement: No restrictions for entrance.
Et Cetera: Acropolis is a fun atmosphere any night of the week, but for a weekend dinner, this is a great place to eat and have a good time with friends. "This isn't where I come if I am trying to get a date, but I love coming here when I want to have sangria and hang out with my friends," said Amanda Tyler, a 23-year-old local.
Brandon Ale House
1817 W Brandon Blvd.
Specials: Every day all day there are $6 pitchers of beer and $5 doubles of Captain Morgan and Smirnoff. They also have a 1.25- pound full rack of baby back ribs on Monday and 1.15-pound live lobster for $14.95.
Ambience: Casual sports bar atmosphere with televisions on each wall. This is where you go to have a beer and watch a game. There are pool tables in the middle of the restaurant so you can eat, watch the game and shoot some pool.
Age Requirement: No restrictions for entrance.
Et Cetera: Ale House is the place to go when you need a laid-back night out in jeans with friends. The crowd is usually people in their 20s, and it usually draws a larger crowd during football season or when there is a fight on. If you are trying to meet someone in a suit who's drinking a dry gin martini, this may not be the place to go, but if you're looking to meet people in a laid-back environment, this a place worth checking out.
Green Iguana
6264 Winthrop Town Center
Specials: Mondays are $5 burgers, Wednesday night is dollar drink night ($1.25 well drinks, Bud and Bud Light drafts) from 10 to close, and Saturday is Ladies' Night from 10 to close and ladies drink free until midnight.
Ambience: Casual bar atmosphere during the afternoon, but it has more of a club feel at night. "It's not too sporty; they always have music going and the food is good. It's a really good spot to pregame," said Rafael Ruelas, 29.
Age Requirement: No restrictions for entrance, except for certain nighttime events: men 21 and up, women 18 and up.
Et Cetera: Green Iguana draws a lot of people who are looking for the club vibe without the drive to Tampa. If you are from the area, you will most likely run into people from high school, but if you can manage a blank stare, it shouldn't distract you from a good time.
Park Square Cellar
16132 Churchview Drive
Specials: 2-for-1 on all draft beers, glasses of wine, and mixed drinks, and complimentary popcorn.
Ambience: Sophisticated with bar lighting, a few flat screens to watch a game, and live music on the weekend. This is where you go when you want to feel like a grownup. The crowd is all adult, but the environment is perfect for meeting someone for a drink after work.
Age Requirement: No restrictions for the dining room; for the bar it's 21 and over.
Et Cetera: Ladies are probably going to be chatted up by an older cat or two, but, if we're honest with ourselves, that's always a little ego boost.
829 Providence Road; 1905 SR 60 E; 10243 Big Bend Road; 1204 Townsgate Court (Plant City)
Specials: Half-price appetizers from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and after 10 p.m. Monday it's 39 cent wings all day. Girl's Night Out Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. includes a live DJ, drink and food specials. Happy hour includes 2-for-1 on select draft beers.
Ambience: After 10 p.m., Applebee's turns into "Club Applebee's." There's even a website: clubapplebees.com. On full moon nights, there's a Full Moon Party that includes black lights and music. Everyone wears white and the tables have glowing neon tequila bottles. The crowd is all local young adults.
Age Requirement: No restrictions until after 10 some nights, when it is 21 and over.
Et Cetera: Club Applebee's may seem like an oxymoron, but in an economy where young adults are on fixed budgets, this is a great place to go out and have fun without breaking the bank. Music, inexpensive food and a chill environment let you kick back when you don't feel like driving to Tampa and don't want to blow your paycheck on one drink.
The Rack
1025 W Brandon Blvd.
Specials: Sunday hospitality gets half-off after 7 p.m. (bring your last paycheck stub to get a hospitality card), Monday is Crab Night, $14.95 2-pound orders of fresh crab legs with butter and corn on the cob, and $5 liters of beer, Tuesday is happy hour all night (typically it's 11 a.m. till 7 p.m.), and Wednesday is half-off specialty sushi rolls.
Ambience: Casual and chic. There are flat-screen TVs around different rooms for watching games, a billiard room with darts, a bar, and a sit-down sushi restaurant. The age requirement ensures that you're surrounded by other young adults.
Age Requirement: 21 and up.
Et Cetera: The Rack is great when you're with a diverse group of people: You can shoot pool, grab food, have a drink and hang out without missing the game. "I love their specials, and it makes me feel like I am going out without having to go very far," said Kersten Busche, a 23-year-old University of Central Florida graduate.
Best of the rest
AmberJack's Grill, 11238 Boyette Road, has a Wednesday karaoke night, ladies' night on Thursdays and a DJ on the weekends. You can check the weekly specials on the grill's Facebook page. Smokey Bones, 136 Brandon Town Center Drive, is open until 2 a.m. each night and offers 60-cent chicken fingers every Thursday after 9 p.m. Boomerangs, 2016 Town Center Drive, has martini specials, Filthy Electro Nights (Thursdays) and Latin Nights (Fridays). Tadpoles, 115 E Brandon Blvd., has $5 burgers every Tuesday. Catch more specials on the Facebook page. The Loft, 10315 Causeway Blvd., offers 2-for-1 drinks every day from 5 to 7 p.m., a DJ on Saturday nights, and the nightclub is open from 10 p.m. till 3 a.m.
Felicia Porzio can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
Content tagged with "giving"
Download Scaling The World's Highest PeaksArticle about Hank Skade
October 10
Lewis & Clark Law School officially launched its Centennial Year with a fundraising effort in support of three important areas of the school. We encourage you to explore how the Centennial Campaign is advancing the Law School today and ask for your support during this important year. Your gift to the Centennial Campaign recognizes the accomplishments and innovation of the law school over the last 100 years, and will help guarantee exceptional first-rate programs and national rating for the next 100 years.
Three areas that you gift will support:
1. Scholarships
2. Faculty Support
3. Annual Fund
Centennial Cornerstone - $100,000
Help lay the foundation for the next 100 years of excellence at Lewis & Clark Law School by making a generous pledge of $100,000 to support a four-year sponsorship of a "Centennial Scholar". Selected scholars will be recognized in the media and with a name plaque over their campus office door.
In recognition of your generous gift, a special Centennial Cornerstone plaque with the names of donors will be on permanent display at the Law School.
For more information, please contact Joset Grenon, firstname.lastname@example.com
June 27Hubert Walker leaves gift of educational access for students of the College of Arts and Sciences through a new endowed scholarship, the Hubert E. and Frances D. Walker Memorial Scholarship Fund.
May 31For Maggie Riggs Allee R.N., J.D. '93 the future is always present, something she thinks about and shapes every day.
September 8Kent, class of 1995, continues to inspire others. In 1997 his parents established the college's first scholarships in biology and ceramic arts, helping Swanson scholars pursue graduate-level science experiences as undergraduates, study ceramics and other arts, immerse themselves in cultures overseas, engage in community leadership projects, and embrace outdoor adventures.
April 28Mindful giver Steve Crow.
February 5Natural Giving
September 28
How much of my Annual Fund gift supports the critical needs of students and faculty?
September 25Grateful for all she gained at Lewis & Clark, Mary Jean Thompson B.M. '57 has made a bequest supporting music. Her gift will help dedicated students discover and pursue their passions the way she has: con brio, with brilliance and spirit.
April 28Luella Lilly set national swimming records, graduated magna cum laude from the College in 1959 after three and half years, and–as teacher, coach, administrator, and mentor–enhanced opportunities and respect for women scholar-athletes during times of unprecedented change and challenge.
February 5The story of Christine Swanson.
August 6Eager for a life exploring far horizons, and seeking a college with strong international study programs, the young man from Montana and young woman from Idaho came to Lewis & Clark.


text:
GMAA Spring 2002
Adam and Eve Before and After the Fall: The Impact on Marriage
Absolute Relativity: Christian Decision Making Moral Relativism
Gender Issues Related to Evangelism
Honest God Talk: Is Biblical Lannguage Patriarchal?
Hollywood and Sex: Exposing Modern Media
Should We Kiss Dating Goodbye? Biblical Standards in Relationships
A Christian Response to Homosexuality
A Christian Response to Abortion
How to be Feminine in a Feminist World


text:
Hennessey Venom GT Spyder Lotus Exige
Aerosmith singer, Steven Tyler has recently purchsed the a Hennessey Performance Venom GT Spyder (based on the Lotus Exige). The stunning model with its retractable roof houses a 7.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with 1,244bhp and 0-200mph time of under 16 seconds. It sells for around £700k and only 5 will be built in 2013, of which 3 are already sold.


text:
From the Third Department of Paediatrics (Drs Priftis and Douros), University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory (Drs Litt, Manglani, and Slack), HPA Microbiology Services, Colindale, Health Protection Agency, London, England; Respiratory Unit, Department of Paediatrics (Dr Anthracopoulos), University of Patras, Patra, Greece; Microbiology Department (Dr Thickett), Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, England; National Meningitis Reference Laboratory (Dr Tzanakaki), National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece; Microbiology Department (Dr Fenton), Western Bank, and Department of Respiratory Medicine (Dr Everard), Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, England; Department of Pediatrics (Dr Syrogiannopoulos), University of Thessaly, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Department of Clinical Microbiology (Dr Vogiatzi), 'Penteli' Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Correspondence to: Mark L. Everard, MBChB, DM, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TH, England; e-mail: email@example.com
Funding/Support: The authors have reported to CHEST that no funding was received for this study.
Reproduction of this article is prohibited without written permission from the American College of Chest Physicians. See online for more details.
Protracted bacterial bronchitis is a major cause of persistent cough in childhood. The organisms most commonly isolated are nontypable Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. There are no studies addressing typing of these organisms when recovered from the lower airways.
Isolates of these two organisms (identified in BAL samples from children undergoing routine investigation of a chronic cough thought to be attributable to a protracted bacterial bronchitis) were subject to typing. Samples were collected in Sheffield, England, and Athens, Greece. The majority of the children from Sheffield had received pneumococcal-conjugate vaccines 7 or 13 (PCV-7 or PCV-13) conjugate vaccine but only a minority of Greek children had received PCV-7.
All 18 S pneumoniae isolates from Greek BAL samples are serotypes contained in PCV-13 while 10 are contained in PCV-7. In contrast, 28 of the 39 samples from Sheffield contained serotypes that are not included in PCV-13. All 26 of the nontypable H influenzae samples obtained in Sheffield produced distinct multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis profiles. There was a significant difference between children from Athens and Sheffield in the distribution of serotypes contained or not contained in the pneumococcal vaccine (P = .04). More specifically, immunization with pneumococcal vaccine was related with isolation of S pneumoniae serotypes not included in the vaccine (OR, 0.021; CI, 0.003-0.115; P < .001).
The data suggest that both vaccine and nonvaccine Spneumoniae serotypes may play a role in protracted bacterial bronchitis and provide some hints that serotype replacement may occur in response to the introduction of conjugate vaccines.
Lower respiratory tract bacterial infection may manifest as one of two discrete clinical syndromes. The first, classic bacterial pneumonia, which affects the respiratory zone of the lung, is a generally acute and potentially life-threatening illness. The second, persistent infection of the conducting airways, is quite a different form of pulmonary infection causing a chronic disease referred to as protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB).1‐6 In PBB (defined as the presence of chronic wet/moist cough for > 4 weeks), in the absence of any alternative diagnoses (and resolution after appropriate antibiotic treatment),1 the causative bacteria do not appear to be in a rapidly dividing planktonic state as in an acute pneumonia. Instead, the bacteria appear to exist in biofilms similar to those seen in conditions such as chronic otitis media,7‐10 in which the organisms are replicating at a low level within structures that provide protection against both host responses and antibiotic therapy. Hence, the resulting symptoms tend to be persistent with intermittent exacerbations. While not usually life threatening in the short term, colonization of the conducting airways is responsible for considerable and often unrecognized or underestimated morbidity.11,12 Impairment of host defenses appears to be necessary for the bacteria to become established. Impaired mucociliary clearance, especially after viral infections, seems to be a significant risk factor for the establishment of bacterial infection, whereas in some patients, varying degrees of immunodeficiency may play a role. This form of disease characterizes the bacterial lower respiratory tract infections in both cystic fibrosis (CF),13,14 in which there is impaired mucociliary clearance probably due to collapse of the periciliary fluid layer, and primary ciliary dyskinesia. In young children much more commonly, it appears to be secondary to a significant viral lower respiratory tract infection, which is most common in the first 2 years of life and following which it is known that cilia may take many weeks to recover.15 Other risk factors include tracheomalacia, impaired clearance associated with neuromuscular conditions, poorly controlled asthma, and aspiration.16,17
The organisms most commonly identified in chronic endobronchial infection are generally those also responsible for acute pneumonia in previously healthy individuals, namely Haemophilus influenzae (particularly nontypable Haemophilus influenzae [NTHi] strains) and Streptococcus pneumoniae.2‐6,18,19 It is known that certain serotypes of S pneumoniae are associated with both invasive disease and pneumonia, and these have been targeted in the 7, 10, and 13 valent pneumococcal-conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on the market. Their introduction has had a significant impact on the incidence of invasive disease and pneumococcal pneumonia, though estimates of the impact of the vaccines on the incidence of pneumonia vary from 7% to 35% depending on the rigor of the diagnostic criteria used.20‐22 Although the overall incidence of pneumococcal disease has been reduced by the introduction of these vaccines, one of the consequences of vaccination has been serotype replacement with an increase in the proportion of pneumococcal pneumonia caused by some of the many dozens of pneumococcal serotypes not covered by the conjugate vaccine.23
To our knowledge, there have been no studies, to date, looking at the serotypes of S pneumoniae associated with bacterial bronchitis. As the nature of the condition is quite different to that of pneumonia, it is possible that different serotypes to those causing pneumonia are more commonly associated with PBB. It may also be possible that the introduction of PCV will favor nonvaccine serotypes in niches such as the conducting airways, resulting in alterations in the serotypes responsible for this chronic disease. Similarly, for NTHi, there may be organism-related factors that determine the likelihood of colonization of the lower airway.
The aim of our study was to determine specific serotypes of S pneumoniae and NTHi in BAL samples in a childhood population with PBB in England and in Greece, and to compare the S pneumoniae serotypes between the two countries and between children with and without pneumococcal vaccination. These questions were explored independently in one center in Greece and one center in England. Both countries have introduced PCV. In England, PCV-7 was introduced for all children aged 0-2 years in June 2006, while in Greece coverage was not universal at the time of the study with parents having the option to purchase the vaccine.24
To explore the potential contribution of serotype-related factors to the likelihood of colonizing the lower airways, S pneumoniae cultured from BAL undertaken on children with bacterial bronchitis were sent to reference laboratories for typing. Samples of NTHi from Sheffield, England, were also typed using multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). This study involved retrospective reviews of data generated from children being investigated for chronic cough thought to be due to a PBB who had undergone bronchoscopy to confirm the diagnosis. Because of the difficulty of identifying pathogens within a few weeks of completing a course of antibiotics, the usual practice in both centers is to perform bronchoscopy on children only if they are at least 4-6 weeks free from antibiotics. The Ethics Committees of the 'Penteli' Children's Hospital and the University General Hospital Attikon (Athens, Greece), where all bronchoscopies were performed, approved the study as part of a larger research protocol (decision no. 7/03-08-07).
Data from Greek children who had PBB (according to the definition given earlier in this section) and a positive BAL culture during the period June 2005 to February 2008 were included in the study. Children with CF, immunodeficiency, neuromuscular disorder, foreign body inhalation, and primary ciliary dyskinesia were excluded from the study. Quantitative cultures for common aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, fungi, and mycobacteria were performed. Samples were considered to be positive for a particular bacterial species if they yielded growth of ≥ 105 colony-forming units/mL or growth of ≥ 104 colony-forming units/mL if only one pathogen was isolated. When S pneumoniae were identified, they were sent for further characterization to reference laboratories. The vaccination status for PCV-7 of all children prior to bronchoscopy was assessed. For the Sheffield leg of the study, an ethics committee approval was not necessary since this was a retrospective study, and no personal data were used.
BAL samples from children undergoing routine bronchoscopy for a clinical diagnosis of PBB at the Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust in which S pneumoniae and/or NTHi were cultured were subsequently sent to the Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory, Health Protection Agency Colindale, for further typing. Clinical diagnosis of PBB was set based on the aforementioned definition. Children with conditions such as CF, immunodeficiency, neuromuscular disorders, foreign body inhalation, and primary ciliary dyskinesia were excluded from the study. Samples were obtained during the period December 2008 to December 2010. S pneumoniae isolates were identified using standard methods of colonial morphology, optochin susceptibility, and bile solubility, and serotyped by slide agglutination using type-specific pneumococcal rabbit antisera (SSI Diagnostica, Statens Serum Institut). NTHi were identified and biotyped using standard methods,25 and their species were confirmed using an ompP2-specific polymerase chain reaction.26 Serotyping was performed using standard slide agglutination and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction-based capsular genotyping.27 NTHi were typed by MLVA using the four-locus scheme of Schouls et al,28 and types were assigned using the international reference database.29
For statistical analysis, comparison between groups was performed with the use of the χ2 test. For the exploration of relations between vaccination status and pneumococci serotype isolation from BAL, we used binomial logistic regression.
Sixty-five Greek children (36 boys) with PBB and a positive BAL culture were included in the study. The median age at the time of bronchoscopy was 4.8 years (range, 0.9-14.4 years). The most prevalent isolated bacterial pathogens among the Greek BAL samples were NTHi (61% of samples) followed by Moraxella catarrhalis (32%), S pneumonia (27.6%), and Staphylococcus aureus (6%). Polymicrobial growth was seen in 23 samples (35.4%) mostly with two species isolated; in two patients, three species were identified. Of the 39 samples from patients in Sheffield in which S pneumoniae was isolated, 17 contained this organism alone. NTHi was also cultured in 19 samples: one sample grew S pneumoniae and Mcatarrhalis, while in two cases, both M catarrhalis and NTHi were cultured in addition to S pneumoniae. Of the 26 samples harboring NTHi, this species alone was identified in 10 samples; it was cocultured with S pneumoniae in eight samples, with M catarrhalis in three samples, with group A Streptococcus in 2 samples, and once each with S aureus, group C Streptococcus, and group G Streptococcus.
Distribution of pneumococcal serotypes from the two centers is presented in Table 1. Among the 18 S pneumoniae typed isolates from Athens, the most prevalent pneumococcal serotypes were 6A and 19F. Ten of 18 isolates were PCV-7 strains with 19F accounting for one-half of these; all are included in PCV-13. Only two of the 18 S pneumoniae-positive children (11%) had been vaccinated with PCV-7. These two children isolated serotypes 1 and 19A in their BAL cultures. The relevant vaccination coverage among the 47 S pneumoniae-negative children was 34% (P < .01).
PBB = protracted bacterial bronchitis.
Additional serotypes in 13 valent conjugate vaccine.
Serotypes in 7 valent conjugate vaccine.
The samples from Sheffield included S pneumoniae isolated from 39 children aged 6-154 months (median, 38 months), and NTHi isolates from 26 children aged 7-145 months (median, 44 months). Only 11 of 39 samples obtained in Sheffield contained pneumococcal samples covered by the serotypes included in PCV-7 and PCV-13 which was introduced during the later period of the collection of samples. Of these 11 subjects, nine were too old to have received the relevant PCV as part of their routine immunizations. The rest of the 39 children had all received PCV vaccination.
The comparison of our data showed that there was a significant difference between the two cities in the distribution of serotypes contained or not in the pneumococcal vaccine (P = .04). This was due to the different immunization rate between these two groups of children. More specifically, immunization with pneumococcal vaccine was related with isolation of S pneumoniae serotypes not included in the vaccine (OR, 0.021; CI, 0.003-0.115; P < .001).
Of the 26 NTHi isolates, eight were identified as biotype 1, nine were biotype 2, three were biotype 3, two were biotype 5, three were biotype 6, and one was biotype 7. Genetic typing using MLVA produced 26 distinct types, of which 22 have not been previously described.
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine serotypes of S pneumoniae and genetic types of NTHi isolated from the lower respiratory tract of young children with a PBB. A wide range of pneumococcal serotypes was identified in both cohorts. In England, the vast majority of serotypes were ones not contained in the available conjugate vaccines, and a minority of samples containing PCV serotypes were identified in children too old to have received the relevant vaccine. In contrast, all samples from Greece contained vaccine serotypes. During the period of sample collection, PCV-7 was available but was not part of the universal schedule; hence, only a minority of children had been immunized at that time as reflected in the levels of immunization noted from the children included in the study among whom only 18 of 65 had received PCV-7. These results suggest that the introduction of PCV-7, and subsequently PCV-13, has contributed to a change in the pattern of pneumococcal serotypes contributing to this disease through serotype replacement.23
Our data indicate that it is about 50 times less likely to isolate PVC serotypes from the BAL of immunized children. However, we cannot estimate from our data whether this effect is only a consequence of individual immunity or whether it is due at the same time to a concurrent change of serotype circulation in immunized populations. PCV-7 programs have had a significant impact on nonvaccinated members of the community with, for example, a significant fall in pneumococcal disease in the elderly following the vaccination programs targeting young children.23 Unlike the impact of PCV vaccines on pneumonia and invasive disease, anecdotally, the introduction of PCVs has not impacted on the incidence of PBB, with a steady increase in referrals over the past decade continuing in Sheffield despite the introduction of PCV-7. Indeed, over a 10-year period there has been an eightfold increase in the diagnosis in Sheffield (M. L. Everard, MBChB, DM, unpublished data, March 2012). It is possible that limiting the ability of more virulent organisms to colonize the host provides a niche for less virulent organisms to occupy, with no impact on the overall incidence of S pneumoniae colonization or with an increase in prevalence. Virulence factors carried by the PVC serotypes often carry a biologic penalty, and it is possible that less virulent serotypes are better suited to a biofilm existence. It is also possible that it may be more difficult to eradicate nonvaccine serotypes, the more virulent and previously more successful serotypes.
The NTHi biotype and MLVA results argue against a hypothesis that a limited subset of the organism is particularly adept at colonizing the conducting airways. This is an extraordinarily adaptable bacterium, able to modify its behavior and gene expression in different environments.30‐33 On the other hand, the NTHi isolates from these patients may share a key unknown virulence factor that is carried in the bacterial population independent of genetic type.
It should be noted that, in line with conventional microbiology, a single colony from each sample was identified. It is probable that there may be more than one type of each organism within the airways of symptomatic subjects at any one time. Indeed, multiple different types of particular organisms have been found in the upper airways when protocols designed to identify a range of types have been adopted.34‐37 Furthermore, the complexity of the interplay of potential pathogens with the resident flora (other potential pathogens and within species) is just starting to be unraveled.38‐45 Traditional concepts of organisms briefly colonizing the upper airways and then disappearing without any significant impact and infection by a single serotype (or genetic type) appear to be oversimplistic and are based on findings in acute severe disease states such as pneumonia and septicemia rather than an understanding of what may prove to be a chronic biofilm-type disease such as PBB, COPD, and chronic otitis media.7
The data presented in the study represent data from two sources. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to look at serotype replacement in populations in which vaccination has been introduced. To our knowledge, there is no published data on serotypes in this condition, and this is the first publication that attempts to address the issue. It is possible that subdata can be collected from Athens in a few years' time to compare information but, at present, there are no means of addressing the issue. Our study raises the potential importance of serotype replacement in response to conjugated vaccine development; additionally, the current PCV approach may not be appropriate for more chronic conditions.
We did not specifically look at the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated bacteria. Although, anecdotally, we have not seen any laboratory evidence of a change in antimicrobial susceptibility, and in our experience these organisms continue to be susceptible to the standard antibiotics. A specifically designed study would be needed to address this issue.
In summary, the data from two populations suggest that a wide range of S pneumoniae serotypes and NTHi genotypes are capable of colonizing the conducting airways. Our data suggest that children with PPB immunized with PVC are highly unlikely to isolate vaccine serotypes in their BAL cultures, although it is not clear whether this is due to individual immunity or to the concurrent change of serotype circulation in immunized populations. Our results also provide a hint that serotype replacement is occurring following the introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines. Whether this impacts on the overall incidence of PBB and the difficulty of treating the condition is unclear.
Author contributions: Dr Everard is the guarantor of the manuscript.
Dr Priftis: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, designed and coordinated the study, performed fiber-optic bronchoscopies, and wrote and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Litt: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the serotyping of isolated bacteria, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Manglani: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the serotyping of isolated bacteria, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Anthracopoulos: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, participated in the design of the study, performed fiber-optic bronchoscopies, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Thickett: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the BAL cultures, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Tzanakaki: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the serotyping of isolated bacteria, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Fenton: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the BAL cultures, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Syrogiannopoulos: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, participated in the design of the study, carried out BAL cultures, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Vogiatzi: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the BAL cultures, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Douros: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, performed fiber-optic bronchoscopies as well as data collection and analysis, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Slack: contributed to the writing of the manuscript, carried out the serotyping of isolated bacteria, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Everard: contributed by designing and coordinating the study, performing fiber-optic bronchoscopies, and writing and approving the final version of the manuscript.
Financial/nonfinancial disclosures: The authors have reported to CHEST that no potential conflicts of interest exist with any companies/organizations whose products or services may be discussed in this article.
cystic fibrosis
multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis
nontypable Haemophilus influenzae
protracted bacterial bronchitis
pneumococcal-conjugate vaccine
Become a CHEST member and receive a FREE subscription as a benefit of membership.
Individuals can purchase this article on ScienceDirect.
Individuals can purchase a subscription to the journal.
Individuals can purchase a subscription to the journal or buy individual articles.
Learn more about membership or Purchase a Full Subscription.
Institutional access is now available through ScienceDirect and can be purchased at myelsevier.com.
Some tools below are only available to our subscribers or users with an online account.
Download citation file:
Web of Science® Times Cited: 14
Customize your page view by dragging & repositioning the boxes below.
Enter your username and email address. We'll send you a reminder to the email address on record.
Athens and Shibboleth are access management services that provide single sign-on to protected resources. They replace the multiple user names and passwords necessary to access subscription-based content with a single user name and password that can be entered once per session. It operates independently of a user's location or IP address. If your institution uses Athens or Shibboleth authentication, please contact your site administrator to receive your user name and password.


text:
"Conditions were:
6 deck, S17, DAS, DOA, Early Surrender 3/6 with 5 cards burned off the top. Enprision rule for fractional dollar blackjack payouts or surrenders.
Limits were $5 to $100 US. 3 tables available but managed to full.
Some dealer errors, but each table gets a full time supervisor seated on a high chair at 3rd base.
Cards started to be spread prior to wash, but that was stopped supervisors. Running counts were not suspiciously biased however it was a very small sample.
They were happy to let players who were falling down drunk play, as well as a father who had left his children at the door looking in for an hour while he played slots."
Most other posts about DR said to enjoy the beaches, forget the BJ.
HC, no sur, pen 5/6, Das, 2 level shuffle. Table 10-500, VIP 100-2000$. Very big casino.
was horrible.. they have their own versino os Spanish 21.. called Casino Loco.. which allows for double double downs… but they remove most of the 10s from the deck
Thought I was playing regular blackjack.. ha!
Machine shufflers are ok.. except the table players gasp for air
I probably saw 3 to 4 10's the whole shoe.. total .. now.. it's been a while.. but it marred my mind like nothing else the whole trip.. and that's saying a lot since my husband ended up in the hospital.
Melia was a little better but still .. bring a 100$ play the peso bj.. and have fun.. with the drinks
dominican republic
The BlackjackInfo Knowledge Base contains over 200,000 messages posted by the BlackjackInfo community.
Posting and replies to the knowledge base are no longer available, but comments and replies are welcomed on the blog.


text:
Bonnie Pitt, 88, of Amarillo, died Friday, Nov. 9, 2001.
Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. today in Paramount Terrace Christian Church with the Rev. Bob Schroeder of the church and the Rev. Frank Williams of Covenant Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in Memorial Park Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St.
Mrs. Pitt was born in Stippeville, Kan., on May 17, 1913, and was the sixth child of 10 children born to Ira and Pearl Cook. She was married for 54 years to Thomas E. "Tom" Pitt.
She was a devoted homemaker, an accomplished seamstress and a talented china painter. She was a 60-year member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, where she taught primary Sunday school and also served as Sunday school superintendent. She also served as a Girl Scout leader.
She was preceded in death by her husband on May 23, 1985.
Survivors include three daughters, Jerry Siess, Lucy Karr and Tomi Nell Townsend, all of Amarillo; a son-in-law, Carter Karr of Amarillo; a sister-in-law, Leona Bell of Amarillo; a brother-in-law, Otto L. Pitt of Amarillo; two sisters, Virginia Pitt of Amarillo and Noma Marlatt of Germantown, Md.; a special niece, Judi Parr of Amarillo; nine grandchildren, Sherry Adkins, Dr. Tom Karr, Kathy Siess, Laura Lane and Cliff Siess Jr., all of Amarillo, Teresa Rollins of Allen, John Siess of Lafayette, Ga., Bryan Townsend of Cleveland and Brady Townsend of Lakeway; 18 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be at 3 St. Andrew's Drive or the Siess home on Tascosa Road.
The family suggests memorials be to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1400 Wolflin Ave., Amarillo, TX 79109; Paramount Terrace Christian Church, 4000 Mays, Amarillo, TX 79109; Alzheimer's Association, 2200 W. Seventh, Amarillo, TX or to a favorite charity.
Amarillo Globe-News, Nov. 13, 2001
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


text:
Salem Community
Daughter, Jonnah Nickole Sears, born Oct. 20, to John M. Sears and Nickole Shields, Wellsville.
Jonnah weighed 7 pounds and was 21 inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Rick Shields and Lori Sheffield of Wellsville and Liz Peterson and Chad Smith of Salem.
Paternal grandparents are John and Marilyn Sears of Wellsville.
Great-grandmother Frankie Shields of East Liverpool.
Son, Hunter Thomas Frank, born Nov. 3, to Thomas and Brianne Frank, 1327 E. Third St., Salem.
Hunter weighed 7 pounds and 5.4 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. He joins a brother, Noah, 4 1/2.
Maternal grandparents are Jake and Pat Gray of Salem.
Paternal grandparents are Earl and Sue Frank of Braceville.
Great-grandmother is Philomena Fagan of Salem.
Daughter, Mahayla Patricia Metz, born Nov. 3, to Brian Travis and Dawn Renee Metz, 10341 Stratton Road, Salem.
Mahayla weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces.
Maternal grandparents are James and Connie Ballard of Berlin Center.
Paternal grandparents are Sanford Metz of Salem and the late Patricia Metz.
Great-grandmother is Elsie Ballard of Dorothy, W.Va.
Daughter, Aubrey Rose Knight, born Nov. 4, to Steve Knight and Gloria Perkins, 193 Woodland Ave., Salem.
Aubrey weighed 6 pounds and 3.5 ounces. She joins siblings, Trevor, 15; Austin, 13; Chase, 12; Alexis, 11, Kyle, 11; and Mackenzie, 10.
Maternal grandparents are L.J. and Ginny Tidd of Salem.
Paternal grandmother is Sandra Welsh of Lisbon.
Great-grandmother is Gloria Judy of Salem.


text:
Online Event Session 1: The Shaman's Path in Our Time
Join Hank Wesselman for this online event presented by Sounds True, the first of three in this series.
Session Highlights: Shamanism as an ancient form of meditation; remembering that we are holy beings; cultivating a direct transpersonal connection with spirit realms; spiritual revolution and the transpersonal community; indigenous traditions and the modern world; Journey of Personal Divination guided practice; and more.
Upcoming events
Related posts
- Shamanic Dreaming
- The Re-emergence of the Shaman in Our Time
- New Beginnings: The transition from 2012 to 2013
- Thoughts About the New Spiritual Complex
- The Seven Laws of the Great Spirit
- The New Mysteries: Deity Mysticism
- New Mysteries: The Christos
- New Mysteries: Seven Stages of Re-enchantment
- The New Mysteries: Sophia's Dream
- The New Mysteries: An Indigenous Prophesy


text:
Highlights from the VT loss on Sunday courtesy of Raycom Sports…
Posted on 01 February 2010.
Highlights from the VT loss on Sunday courtesy of Raycom Sports…
Posted in 2009-10, 2009-10 Season, Games, HighlightsComments (0)
Posted on 31 January 2010.
The Hokies showed a lot of character this afternoon crawling back from a 19 point deficit in the second half to challenge the canes in the final minutes, but only to come up short 82-75. Behind the play of some tenacious pressure defense, Tech had 7 steals and forced 11 turnovers in the second half to trim the double-digit miami lead to single digits. With just over 30 seconds remaining and miami leading 75-70, the canes missed a front end of a 1-and-1. The Hokies rebounded with a chance to make it a one possession game. Malcolm Delaney drove the ball down the lane only to miss a wild, off-balance shot. That was the Hokies last chance to steal a victory as the canes went on to make their free throws and stretch the lead beyond the Hokies reach.
It was a tale of two halves for the Hokies on defense. Tech came into the game leading the conference in scoring defense, and the Hokies showed that in the second half. In addition to the opportunity in the final 30 seconds, Tech had several other prime chances earlier in the second half to cut the lead to less than 5 points, but just couldn't convert on offense.
Dorenzo Hudson led the Hokies with 22 points on 8 of 14 shooting. Jeff Allen pitched in 19 and J.T. Thompson scored 14. Malcolm Delaney had a bit of an off-night on offense today, going 0 for 5 from three point lead and scoring 16 total, which is about 4 points under his average. It is the second straight game that Malcolm has not made a three-pointer.
After the Hokies got out to a 4-0 start, the canes outscored Tech by 21 points to take a 47-30 lead at the half. The canes shot 70% from the field in the first half, including 5 of 8 from three point territory. The first half today was the exact opposite of the first half in the first meeting between these two teams in Blacksburg. The Hokies shot lights out in the first half of the game in Blacksburg. Not this time around. Tech shot 38% from the field in the first half, including 2 of 9 from the three point line. miami made the Hokies look pitiful on defense as Tech gave up the most points in the first half all season. miami spread things around with 11 assists and 10 players scoring. Only Delaney, Allen, and Hudson scored for the Hokies in the first half.
As the first half was winding down with the Hokies trailing by 8 to 10 points, you hoped Tech could repeat the late half spurts that they put together in Charlottesville on Thursday. Unfortunately, the opposite happened. Dorenzo Hudson made two critical fouls on three-pointers that helped miami stretch their lead eventually to 17. Another key factor in the first half was Malcolm Delaney picking up 2 fouls in the first nine minutes of the game.The Hokies did hang tough with him out of the lineup, but you don't know what could have happened if Malcolm had played his normal minutes in the first half. He did eventually return before the end of the half.
All in all, you have to be happy with a split on the road this week and I'd rather have the win at uva than at miami. With unc and clemson coming up at home this week, I'd be happy with another 1-1 week.
Posted in 2009-10 Season, Game RecapsComments (7)
Posted on 29 January 2010.
Don't forget to come to the Clarendon Hard Times to watch the game and enjoy free bar nachos (with $10 purchase)!
Let's hope there isn't a hangover from Thursday's big win! A win here would give the Hokies their second ACC road win and put Tech in prime position to finish 8-8 or better in the conference and get a NCAA bid.
The c-a-n-e-s canes blew into Blacksburg with hurricane-like force on January 13th. The u stood at 15-1. Two and a half weeks later the canes are wheezing worse than someone having an asthma attack, having lost four games in a row, including an 81-66 loss to the Hokies:
The Hokies led by as many as 35 in the first half that game, taking the canes behind the woodshed early. The key for the Hokies was hot three-point shooting. Tech hit 7 of 9 from deep in the first half. The Hokies shot 62% from the field as a whole (18/29). miami did get within 15 somewhat early in the second half, but Tech kept the canes at arm's length the rest of the contest. Tech shot just 29% (7/24) and were 0/7 on threes in yet another example of a poor second half for the Hokies. Luckily, it didn't matter since VT led by 27 at the half.
Since then, it hasn't been much better. The canes lost by 18 at uva, by 4 at home to bc (the eagles swept them), and by 22 at maryland. In all three road contests (including the VT game), they trailed by at least 20 at some point, and by at least 34 in the VT and terps games. In the bc game, the u blew a 17 point second half lead. Needless to say, they are reeling.
Here's all you have to know how bad the canes have played in the ACC – they are last in the ACC in scoring (in conference games) at 64 ppg and second to last in scoring defense at 73.8 ppg. That's how you get to be 1-5 and in last.
That said, home teams are 25-10 in league action, so any win on the road is a blessing. The canes are 1-1 at home, beating the now surging wake forest demon deacons and losing to the bc eagles. Don't expect this to just be a cake-walk for the Hokies.
Keys to Winning:
Quick Start: Expect one of two things from the canes on Sunday: A) Head Coach Frank Haith has lit a fire in them all week in practice and they will come out and play inspired ball, or B) they will come out flat and uninterested as they did Tuesday. Even if they do come out fired up, if the Hokies can build an early lead as they have in most of their ACC contests, expect miami to lay down and not put up much of a fight the rest of the way.
Going Deep: miami leads the ACC in threes per game, hitting 8.1. They did make 6 against Tech the first time… but on 27 attempts. The canes were just 2/10 at the half. If Tech can take this part of their game away again, it will really limit the offensively challenged canes. But teams do shoot better at home. On offense, we can't expect the Hokies to hit 7 of 9 first half threes again. Hopefully they can hit open looks though over the course of the game.
DC vs JA: Dwayne Collins has gone just 2/10 and averaged just 6.5 ppg in the last two meetings with VT. He had 23 points on 7/10 shooting in the OT loss in miami last year. Will that Collins show up or the more recent one? He was benched for the start of the maryland game this week but did play with some fire towards the end of the game (after they were down 30). We'll see if Collins shows that early in this game. Jeff Allen has averaged over 13 ppg in the last three meetings against the canes. He had 14 against the canes in Blacksburg. Tech needs him to have a big game, especially since you can't count on a hot three-point effort again and because miami doesn't have anyone that can stop him inside.
|Virginia Tech
|23 Delaney – 6?3?
|3 Grant – 6?1?
|5 Hudson – 6?5?
|23 Dews – 6?4?
|1 Bell – 6?6?
|31 Jones – 6?6?
|0 Allen – 6?7?
|20 McGowan – 6?9?
|14 Davila – 6?8?
|21 Collins – 6?8?
|33 Thompson – 6?6?
|1 Scott – 6?5?
|11 Green – 6?4?
|30 Thomas – 6?7?
|24 Boggs – 6?4?
|42 Johnson – 6?9?
|4 Raines – 6?9?
|45 Gamble – 6?9?
Since the two teams played just 2 1/2 weeks ago, here's the link to the preview from then if you would like more on the canes and for my interview with our canes buddy, Kartik Krishnaiyer:
Posted in 2009-10 Season, Game Previews, GamesComments (1)
11/14 - Hokies 71, md. eastern shore 46
11/19 - Hokies 73, liberty 63
11/22 - appalachian state 65, Hokies 63
Cancun Classic
11/25 - n. iowa 73, Hokies 54
11/26 - Hokies 78, miami ohio 63
11/30 - Hokies 83, morgan state 63
12/03 - penn state 61, Hokies 58
12/07 - radford 68, Hokies 66
12/14 - Hokies 65, alabama a&m 55
12/20 - Hokies 64, the citadel 61
12/22 - Hokies 87, vmi 74
12/27 - Hokies 87, presbyterian 65
12/30 - west virginia 82, Hokies 51
01/03 - syracuse 68, Hokies 66
01/06 - louisville 78, Hokies 63
01/18 - unc 68, Hokies 53
01/22 - notre dame 85, Hokies 60
01/25 - uva 50, Hokies 47
01/27 - Hokies 70, pittsburgh 67
01/31 - wake forest 73, Hokies 70
02/03 - syracuse 72, Hokies 70
02/07 - fsu 73, Hokies 65
02/09 - Hokies 65, georgia tech 63
02/14 - clemson 64, Hokies 54
02/18 - miami 72, Hokies 46
02/21 - nc state 69, Hokies 53
02/25 - duke 91, Hokies 86 (OT)
02/28 - uva 69, Hokies 57
03/02 - boston college 66, Hokies 59
03/07 - miami 82, Hokies 61
ACC Tournament
03/10 - Hokies 81, wake forest 80
03/11 - miami 59, Hokies 49
Final Record:
11-22 overall
2-16 in ACC
9-9 home
0-11 away
2-2 neutral


text:
IDEAL Program
Igniting the Dream of Education and Access at Lipscomb
Vision: The IDEAL program at Lipscomb provides education and career development to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) while encouraging friendships and increased independent skills that lead to a better quality of life.
Who: Students between the ages of 18-26 who have completed high school and have a documented intellectual or developmental disability (ID/DD) are encouraged to apply.
What: IDEAL is a two year, non-residential certificate program that is designed to encourage and support students with ID/DD to experience college as their peers do. IDEAL students take classes, go to sporting events, complete internships, eat in the cafeteria, attend chapel and enjoy just being a college student.
When: IDEAL is no longer accepting applications for the 2016-2017 school year. To be placed on our contact list to receive information about admissions for the 2017-2018 school year, please submit your information using the "Request Information" button to the left.
Mallory Whitmore, Program Director
Dr. Misty Vetter Parsley, Faculty Advisor
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! @LipscombIDEAL
There are no upcoming events.


text:
1304 12th Street D
Manhattan Beach, CA
- 2 br
- 3 ba
- 1,179 sq ft
- 0.27 Acres
DOM: 0 Days
Posted by Dave Fratello on Friday, March 1st, 2013 at 9:21am.
With our new site setup here at MBC, we're able to deliver twice-monthly Manhattan Beach market updates in a new, friendly format.
First, let's get the quick overview on active inventory:
Active listings by region of Manhattan Beach:
You can see the complete report on active listings, with live links to every property, in this single post on our data blog: "MB Inventory as of 2/28/13."
We're also providing a report on pending and closed sales by region of MB.
In a fashion to the report on active listings, you'll find the report on sales organized by sub-region of Manhattan Beach.
Here's a link to the post on our data blog: "MB Pending/Sold as of 2/28/13."
For closed sales, we provide the past 6 months' worth of sales by region. This is the typical window of time used by appraisers.
Enjoy the new reports!
Manhattan Beach, CA
DOM: 0 Days
Manhattan Beach, CA
DOM: 1 Days
Manhattan Beach, CA
DOM: 1 Days


text:
MUSKEGON, MI – Goalie Eric Schierhorn had a little trouble hanging on to his stick in his USHL debut for the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
Stopping the puck, though, wasn't an issue.
Scott Pooley scored the game-winner off a nice feed from Robbie DeMontis with 1:11 remaining in the overtime to give the Lumberjacks their third one-goal win in three games.
The Lumberjacks built a 2-0 lead, but needed Schierhorn because they were outshot 44-29.
Regular starter Jordan Uhleski was serving a one-game suspension for a fight in Friday's win against Team USA and five other players were sidelined with injuries.
"We're looking for results and we're getting the results, but we have a lot of stuff that we can do a lot better," Muskegon coach Todd Krygier said. "Schierhorn had a fantastic game and basically stole the game."
Schierhorn said he had some pregame jitters and couldn't explain how he lost his stick a handful of times during the game.
"I don't try to, but for whatever reason, it got away from me like three or four times," he said. "It's never good, but the defense helped me out and gave me their stick. It was all good."
The Lumberjacks feel good to have found Schierhorn, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, who has spent plenty of time playing in the lower 48 states.
He attended Shattuck-St. Mary's, a prep school and hockey power in Minnesota in eighth grade and moved his freshman year to play for a AAA team in Kansas City before he was found by Lumberjacks general manager John Vanbiesbrouck last summer.
"Coach Vanbiesbrouck saw me in New York at the national select camp and told me to come here and I wasn't going to complain," he said. "I love it here, everyone is great. My billet family is great. They really help us with school aspects. They keep us up to date. The teachers are awesome. Everything is first-class. They give us anything we need to become the best hockey players we can. It's awesome."
Connor Hurley, who played a season on a bantam team with Schierhorn at Shattuck-St. Mary's, and C.J. Smith got the first-period goals to give Schierhorn an early cushion.
Smith scored on a rebound and Hurley flashed his talents with some nifty puck handling and a wrist shot past Indiana goalie Samu Perhonen, who was pulled after giving up two goals on the first four shots.
"That was huge for the guys early," Schierhorn said. "It allowed me some breathing room and obviously it turned out those were two huge goals and it turned out to be a huge win."
Indiana got goals from Dwyer Tschantz and Scott Conway. Conway's tied it at the 16:09 mark in the third period.
Otherwise, Schierhorn was solid and needed to be as the Lumberjacks played with the puck in their end of the ice a lot of the night.
"We're giving up a lot of shots, but I don't think we're giving up a lot of prime scoring opportunities," Krygier said. "Teams are just throwing the puck at the net and hoping for the best and I think we should do a little more of that, but in general Eric controlled the rebounds and we cleared the front of the net."
With the win under his belt, Schierhorn hopes he can be a good 1-2 goalie combination with Uhelski, who served as Kevin Lindskoug's backup with the team last year.
"He told me to have fun and relax out there," Schierhorn said of Uhelski. "He kind of knows the ropes. He played a year in this league and it's good to have a goalie with experience as my partner."
Schierhorn said the 3-0 record is a good starting point for the season. The Lumberjacks play a two-game home series next weekend against Fargo.
"I'm expecting for us to be a good team," he said. "We're young and we have a lot of room for improvement and this is just a start basically and it's only up from here."
Mark Opfermann covers sports for MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. Email him at email@example.com and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.


text:
Feeling crafty? Try painting your nails with a patriotic print. Crazy nail art usually leaves us stumped, but these eight Fourth of July-themed tutorials -- from traditional stars and stripes, to a patriotic leopard print, to a funny hot dog motif -- break down the looks into easy steps. Click through the slideshow below to watch.
Show us photos of your own creative nail art by tweeting us at @HuffPostTeen!
Patriotic Nail Tutorials For July 4th!
Get top stories and blog posts emailed to me each day. Newsletters may offer personalized content or advertisements.Learn more


text:
Samsung readies less sockety servers for 3D stacked memory
Samsung has worked out a way to stack memory chips vertically, increasing memory density and decreasing power needs. It says next-generation servers are going to have fewer memory sockets – 30 per cent fewer – implying that unless you can stick more memory in a socket, you're going to have less of the stuff. What it's done is …
Surely the main advantage of copper interconnects is they're cheaper than doubling the number of wire bonds. The chips are bussed on the DIMM anyway so I can't see how shortening the signal path my a few mm is going to make a 40% power difference all by itself. There's going to be fractions of a puff less per bus line.
Are modern SDRAMs even wire bonded any more or aren't they more likely to be flip chip? I guess if you're stacking them the top one would have to have wires.
Okay I am not well versed in this but increasing the amount of memory on a DIMM will increase bandwidth needed. Is there enough bandwidth available to allow this?
Re: Bandwidth
There are plenty of applications that would benefit from keeping more of their dataset in RAM that aren't bandwidth-limited. Also, if you replace two chips with one then you need shorter wires on the motherboard to keep them all joined to the processor. That lets you clock the bus faster and there's your extra bandwidth.
But if we're only looking at stacking two units of memory then the gains are admittedly marginal. It will be interesting to see if they can scale the technique.
Kat Hall
Iain Thomson
Chris Mellor
Alexander J Martin
Popular Stories
- Windows 10 backlash: Which? demands compo for forced upgrades
- Exclusive Virgin Media costs balloon by MEEELLIONS in wake of Brexit
- Microsoft deletes Windows 10 nagware from Windows 7 and 8
- Review Margaret Hodge's book outlines 'mind boggling' UK public sector waste
- Exclusive 'Faceless' Liberty Global has 'sucked the very soul' out of Virgin Media


text:
Simple Definition of blasphemy
: great disrespect shown to God or to something holy
: something said or done that is disrespectful to God or to something holy
Full Definition of blasphemyplural
1 a : the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God b : the act of claiming the attributes of deity
2 : irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable
Examples of blasphemy in a sentence
She was condemned by the church for uttering blasphemies.
<in the 17th century the Quakers were persecuted for beliefs and practices that older churches regarded as blasphemies>
13th Century
First Known Use of blasphemy
13th century
Other Christian Religious Terms
Law Dictionary
Legal Definition of blasphemy
: the crime of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or a religion and its doctrines and writings and especially God as perceived by Christianity and Christian doctrines and writings
Additional Notes on blasphemy
In many states, blasphemy statutes have been repealed as contrary to the First Amendment.
Learn More about blasphemy
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for blasphemy Spanish Central: Translation of blasphemy Nglish: Translation of blasphemy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of blasphemy for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blasphemy
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up blasphemy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


text:
Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire
In response to the events of 9/11, the Bush administration launched a "war on terror" ushering in an era of anti-Muslim racism, or Islamophobia. However, 9/11 did not create Islamophobia, an ideology which has become the handmaiden of imperialism. This book examines the historic relationship between Islamophobia and the agenda of empire-building.
"This is a timely and crucial book. From historical roots to ideological causes, Islamophobia is studied in a holistic, profound and serious way. The reader will understand why we need to stop being both naive and blind. There will be no peaceful and just future in our democratic societies if we do not fight this new type of dangerous racism."
—Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, Oxford University
"Deepa Kumar's book Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire is powerful, necessary and a true work of solidarity."
—Ali Abunimah, founding editor, Electronic Intifada
"A much-needed handbook on the history of Islamophobia... Crucial as it is for its historical immediacy as an ethical response to fear-mongering, Islamophobia is also an insightful analysis of the workings of a transnational and transhistorical white empire."
—Race & Class
"Deepa Kumar's Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire could not be more timely. In this deftly argued book, Kumar unearthes a genealogy of colonial construction that goes back to the earliest contacts between Muslims and Europeans. But the real power of her argument is when she grabs the politics of ideological domination by the throat and, with an astonishing moral and intellectual force, sets the record straight as to who and what the players are in turning a pathological fear of Muslims into a cornerstone of imperial hegemony. This is a must read on both sides of the Atlantic, where from mass murderers in Europe to military professors at the US military academies are in the business of manufacturing fictive enemies out of their fanciful delusions. Deepa Kumar has performed a vital public service."
—Hamid Dabashi, Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature, Columbia University
"This important book sets out to debunk Orientalist myths in particular that historical encounters between Islam and the West can be understood through a clash of civilisations framework. The author explores the specific historical and political contexts of this relationship from the Crusades to Obama providing a nuanced and extensive analysis. Kumar presents these arguments with a force and passion that is supported by a wealth of evidence. A must for scholars of Islam, social and political science and international relations."
—Elizabeth Poole, author of Reporting Islam: Media Representations of British Muslims
"In this remarkable primer Deepa Kumar expertly shows how racism is central to contemporary US imperial politics in ways similar to previous imperial wars, including the one that constituted the United States over the dead bodies of indigenous "redskins." An antiracist and antiwar activist, as well as a model scholar-teacher, Kumar has written a comprehensive and most readable guide to exposing and opposing the hatred of Islam."
—Gilbert Achcar, Professor of Development Studies & International Relations, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
"Against the historical backdrop of the rise of pax Americana in a unipolar world, Deepa Kumar's Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire stands out as a powerful and comprehensive overview of Islamophobia, forcefully underscoring its role as a keystone to maintaining US political and economic power abroad while simultaneously managing American politics and critical dissent at home. Prof. Kumar meticulously maps historical developments within the formation of American Islamophobia and names the players, institutions and strategies central to the phenomenon, insightfully marking its permutations within Right wing civilizational discourses and the soft power and humanitarian discourses of American liberals."
—Stephen Sheehi, author of Islamophobia: The Ideological Campaign against Muslims
"Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire will be indispensable to anyone wanting to understand one of the most persistent forms of racism in the US and Europe. Kumar demonstrates that Islamophobic myths did not arise spontaneously after the end of the Cold War but are rooted in centuries of conquest and colonialism, from the Crusades to the 'War on Terror'. Arguing with precision and clarity, she shows how these myths have been systematically circulated by liberals as much as conservatives, and usefully lays bare the complex ways in which the US foreign policy establishment has, in different contexts, instrumentalized Islamic political movements and exploited anti-Muslim racism. Kumar's text will be a crucial corrective to those who fail to see that the origins of the 'Islam problem' lie in empire not sharia."
—Arun Kundnani, author of The End of Tolerance : Racism in 21st century Britain
"Deepa Kumar's Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire is a comprehensive study of the system's most recent choice of political scapegoat for its failings; the world's one billion Muslims. Taking her cue from the 'red scare' persecution of the American left in the aftermath of World War One, she labels this latest phase of capitalist paranoia, 'the green scare."
—Sean Ledwith, Counterfire


text:
Harris County officers tell KTRK-Channel 13 that they are looking for a teenager accused of stabbing a family member in west Harris County early Monday.
The unidentified 18-year-old allegedly stabbed a 57-year-old man in the arm and lower chest area at a home on Bucktrout near Carters Grove at about 5 a.m., KTRK says.
An arrest warrant on an aggravated assault charge has reportedly been issued.
The victim was taken to a hospital, but there are no details on his condition.
No further information is currently available.


text:
West Ranch softball had a long road to climb this season in its quest to repeat as Foothill League champions.
Losing key starters in catcher Janelle Lindvall and pitcher Bailey Foster, coupled with the high level of talent at rival schools around the valley, had even West Ranch head coach Bob Shults tempering expectations.
Not only did the Wildcats repeat as champions, they did so with a 10-0 league record and made the quarterfinals of CIF-Southern Section Division I — the farthest West Ranch has gone in program history.
They couldn't have done it without Stanford-bound shortstop Kylie Sorenson and sophomore pitcher Lexi Sorensen.
And for their efforts, Sorenson has been honored with her second straight All-Foothill League Player of the Year award. Sorensen was named Pitcher of the Year.
Sorenson becomes the first Foothill League player to be named the league's MVP in back-to-back season's since former Valencia pitcher and current Team USA member Jordan Taylor accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2008.
"It's really nice to have it two years in a row, but it's even better to win league two years in a row," Sorenson said. "Especially going 10-0. It's a good honor to be Player of the Year, but my biggest memory is going 10-0 with this group of girls."
Sorenson led the Wildcats with 27 RBIs, 15 doubles and eight home runs and hit .433 on the year.
In the Wildcats' final game of the season, Sorenson delivered a two-RBI double to tie the score at 3-3 before things got away from West Ranch late in the contest.
Sorensen was equally impressive, entering the year with no varsity experience and taking over for last year's Pitcher of the Year in Foster.
The sophomore pitcher went 20-9 with a 2.77 ERA in 171 2/3 innings pitched and 135 strikeouts.
"Lexi just came out and totally just shut teams down and found her zone every single game," Sorenson said. "She didn't let umpires get to her, didn't let names like (Saugus') Maddy Jelenicki or (Valencia's) Kristina Brackpool get to her. She just pitched her game. It was great to play with someone like that, especially at such a young level."
A look down the All-League team shows just how deep the talent at West Ranch was.
Sophomore Keeley Walsh, Princeton-bound senior second baseman Haley Hineman, and Oregon-bound junior Lauren Lindvall were named to the first team.
Senior Rachel Shotzbarger, junior Alyssa Rodriguez and UCLA-commit and junior catcher Jelenicki earned first team honors from Saugus.
Valencia, which tied Saugus for second place in the league standings, was represented by Penn State-commit Brackpool, UNLV-bound senior pitcher Sydney Mundell and freshman Ally Johnson.
Hart senior Janae Coleman and Canyon junior Julianna Carlos rounded out the first team.
On the second team was West Ranch senior catcher and Long Beach State-commit Lauren Lombardi, Saugus freshman and Oklahoma-comitt Mariah Lopez and sophomore Kaela Morrow. Valencia junior and Fresno State-commit Wendy Cardinali and sophomore and Cal-commit Nicole Joseph, Hart seniors Sierra Quiala and Paxton Provost, Canyon junior Tiffany Dyson and Golden Valley junior Emily Smith rounded out the second team.


text:
This Week: Cabarete wave riding veteran Brent "Skip" Schippidinni recently relocated to Mancora, North Peru, to pioneer what may be the next emerging hot kiteboarding spot in South America. Drawn by the country's fabled left hand point breaks, endless down ...Read More »
Asnews: Kite/Paddle board 4 Cancer and win new 08 Quivers!
This Week: Great Lakes waterman Joe Bidawid and co-founder of the Women's Kiteboarding Association, Tonia Farman. Both have been personally affected by loved ones with Cancer and are spearheading two events this August to raise awareness and funds for this ...Read More »
Asnews this week: A New Era for Designer Simone Vannucci
This Week: pro rider and designer Simone Vannucci, formerly of RRD. Simone just branched out on his own this year and is gearing up to roll out Royal Kiteboarding's first product line up, mid next month. He joins us to ...Read More »
ASnews this week: What's up with the Big Air Wind Jam
This Week: This week, our guests are Gabe Brown and John Gomes, who are involved in the organization of the upcoming Big Air Wind Jam in San Francisco, this July 25-29. The all new event will feature the first ever ...Read More »
Asnews interviews Will James as he launches Blade Kites US demo tour
This Week: Will is one of the early kiteboarding pioneers whose name, face and riding shots have appeared in virtually every kiteboard magazine worldwide. Passionate about the surf side of the sport from the beginning, Will just launched Blade's US ...Read More »
Asnews Interviews Board Shaper Dereck Camacho
This Week: Dereck Camacho was born in Trinidad, grew up and Singapore and Hawaii, and lived in Antigua and Barbados before finally settling down in Florida. He is the founder of Kitescoop.com and started shaping surf and windsurf boards in ...Read More »
Live Webcasting from US Wind & Water Open Starts Friday!
ASnews.net and The Kiteboarder Magazine will be webcasting LIVE from the US Wind & Water Open (formerly The Velocity Games) May 11, 12 and 13, wind and internet connection cooperating! Check out the live action and interviews anytime after 12noon ...Read More »
Velocity Games now US Wind & Water Open, Other Updates
FYI, the name of the event has changed from the Velocity Games to the US Wind & Water Open. Here are some other updates: Podcast and live webcasting: May 10 we will podcast from the event opening night mixer and ...Read More »
Asnews Interviews Eclipse Kiteboarding This Thursday
This Week: Just six months ago, pro-rider Dimitri Maramenidis took many of us by surprise and launched Eclipse Kiteboarding. Together with his partner Chris Cousins, the two have been busy setting up their network and getting Eclipse kites into the ...Read More »
ASnews Podcast: The Resurrection of F.One in the US
This Week: ASNews.net interviews guests Nico Ostermann and Bruce Johnson, the new US distributors for F.One. F.one was one of the original kiteteboarding companies, founded by French waterman Raphael Salles in 1996. 100% dedicated to kiteboarding, the company has enjoyed ...Read More »
ASnews this week: Kiteboarding in the Olympics?
This Week: Kite Course Racing continues to grow in popularity as the Cabrinha Race series gears up to begin their season, and The Velocity Games hosts the competition format for the first time this May. Race Series Organizer John Games ...Read More »
Asnews Interviews Best on New Yarga: Listen and Win a Kite!
This Week: Managing director of kite design and R&D Peter Stiewe joins ASnews.net this week from Best's new testing facility in Western Oz. Peter has been designing traction, LEI and windsurfing sails for more than 10 years. He will be ...Read More »
ASnews.net Interviews Special Guest This Week
Dave pre-kiteboarding…. THIS WEEK: Dave Loop has come a long way since his days with the band Screams of Pain. An avid windsurfer, Dave landed his dream job with Naish in 1997, first repping the company's windsurf line, then their ...Read More »
Happy New Year from The Kiteboarder and ASNews.net
From our family to yours, the staff at The Kiteboarder and ASnews.net wishes everyone a very happy, healthy and windy new year for all! NEWS UPDATE: ASnews.net has been on vacation for the holidays but will be back ...Read More »
ASNews.net Podcast #61: Bahamas Kite Race Update, Entropy and Florida Riding
ASNews.net PODCAST #61: Asnews.net caught up with organizer Neil Hutchinson (live) on the heels of the first qualifying race for the Bahamas Kite Race finale. Neil talks about the race from Jupiter with 49 racers blasting downwind a distance of ...Read More »