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[Page 1029]
The German military entered the city. People slowly returned to the shtetl, which had been turned into a large mountain of ash. Many families traveled to the nearby shtetlekh, which fortuitously were not burned. Several families along with ours moved in with Motl Szczupakewicz, whose house had remained undamaged. With the little food we had hidden, we lived meanwhile in fear for what the future would bring us.
The German murderers immediately on their arrival began their terror against the Jewish population. Young and old were grabbed for heavy work, with beatings without reason. We were quickly broken physically and emotionally. However, deep in our hearts a weak hope smoldered that the war would end quickly and we would all survive. The situation changed quickly. Poland was divided between Germany and Russia and our shtetl became a border city between both parts.
[Page 1030]
We lived under Russian rule over the course of 20 months. It was a strenuous life, but yet we lived. We worked in various cooperatives. People returned to Czyzewo. Building began again a little on plots divided by the government. It appeared that things were beginning to be normal.
One morning, we again unexpectedly heard the thunder of artillery guns and saw how the Russian military was running in haste. The Germans were soon in the street. A panic broke out among the Jewish population. The German murderers immediately gave an order that the Jews must put on yellow patches and bestowed murderous blows just for sadistic pleasure.
A Judenrat [Jewish council] was chosen that consisted of four people. They were responsible for carrying out the German orders exactly. The order that a sum of money and gold had to be provided came immediately. People saw a bit of a consolation in this; perhaps
[Page 1031]
our lives would be ransomed for money? However, time revealed that this was only an illusion and disappointment came quickly.
On a certain day, an order came: All people without regard to age and type should come to the market. No one could imagine that this was the call to the death camp. They consoled themselves that they were again being taken to work.
The S.S. men took the sick from their beds and small children from their cradles and, with the help of the Polish police, searched for all of the hidden Jews and brought them together to one place; my sick grandmother was among them.
Only those who were considered capable of work were chosen. All of the others were loaded in autos, driven somewhere and we do not know what became of their remains.
Those remaining were taken to several houses outside the city and they declared:
Only those capable of work remain here. Later, the areas will be fenced in as a work camp.
I, Ruchl Kachan, Horowicz's daughter and several others (I cannot remember their names now) worked in the Czyzewo courtyard near Sokolowski. In order not to have to endure being bothered by the hooligan policemen who would come to visit the work camp every night, we received permission to remain overnight in a house in the courtyard. Ruchl Kachan and I lay on a small bench.
The bad news about the annihilation of the Czyzewo Jews spread quickly to the surrounding shtetlekh. It also reached Sokolow. Although the Jews there also lived in a ghetto, they had nevertheless
[Page 1032]
convinced themselves that they would avoid the misfortune because they had better conditions. Therefore, my uncle sent a special messenger that we should all come to him in Sokolow.
My mother, sister and I traveled with him. However, my father in no way wanted to go because he bore a certain responsibility. He was afraid that because of his departure others would suffer. The Germans would punish them for his disappearance.
After several months in Sokolow, we returned to Czyzewo. We could not remain there calmly, not knowing what was happening to our father. Therefore, we decided to return and whatever happened at least we would all be together.
We imagined that we would live because we still belonged to the labor camp. But on a given day the commissar's Christian cook secretly told us that the alarm clock was set for 12 midnight. This was a bad sign.
Returning to Czyzewo, I was registered for work with the German commissar. Two men also worked there, Feywl Niewad and another one, whose name I do not remember now. My mother and sister worked on the highway.
Returning to the labor camp at night we saw all of the Jews in great despair because they had learned the Poles would carry out their orders very early.
The question was in everyone's mouth:
What do we do?But no one could answer. Some ran to the forests, others
[Page 1033]
ran to hide with Christian acquaintances, but what Christian wanted then to hide a Jew? Others ran to their work, thinking that they would not be taken from their work. My mother and my sister also ran to the highway work. Alas, I never again saw them among the living.
My father did not want to hide at first. He said that wherever he hid they would find him and shoot him. He was then in the Judenrat. What would people say if he also hid?
He went around and recited Psalms.
It was very difficult for me to leave my father and escape. I sat with him until he actually forced me to escape. Perhaps I would succeed in getting Polish documents and as a Christian perhaps I could survive.
These were the last words that I heard from him.
My thought was that I would hide somewhere overnight and in the morning we would be able to see each other. But the two men with whom I worked at the commissar came in and convinced me that I should go with them through the camp fence and we would go to the courtyard of the commissar where his beloved animals were located. From there we would be able to observe everything that was happening in the camp.
It was dawn, still dark, when the wild S.S. members surrounded the camp, gathering everyone there, loaded them into wagons and took them to Zambrow. We here, in the commissar's courtyard, waited for a miracle.
[Page 1034]
We sat in the animal garden. When the Christian servant brought food for the animals she also brought a little warm food for us. But none of us could swallow a drop. We had a premonition of what awaited us.
When the S.S. finished their work in the camp they came to the commissar, found us hidden in his garden and they reacted like animals. We were sure that they would shoot us at once, but the commissar arranged that meanwhile we would be taken to jail.
This was on a Sunday when the pious Christians went to church. Two policemen took us with loaded rifles the way criminals are taken. The two men were led into a cell and I into another. I counted the minutes the entire day, knowing that these were my last hours and the end would be at night.
Around five o'clock at night the keys in the door of my cell were heard. The policemen reported to me that more hidden Jews were found; they would all be placed in jail.
This was true. All were actually crammed together in the jail that was near the gmina [administrative district office]. Now we knew that everyone was being brought together in one place and we would be sent to Zambrow.
But in the morning we received an order to go the work camp. There we were shown three small houses in which we were told to remain. Whoever dared to go out would immediately be shot. Everything that the Jews still possessed was taken out to a clearance sale to the neighboring Poles.
[Page 1035]
There were about 15 people in the camp then, women and men. We were sure that we would soon be taken to Zambrow. Several decided to escape into the forest. Others hid with Christians. I was never brave, but my will to live was so strong that I decided to escape to the Christian world.
Before going away I learned that my mother and my sister Faygl were hiding somewhere. I sent them word that they should go with me, wherever fate would determine for us. But my sister ordered me to go alone because their faces could betray me. They had decided to return to the labor camp.
Before leaving the camp I heard that Ruchl Zilbersztajn was hidden in one of the small houses and when she wanted to quickly move to a second house she was murdered by the police.
Due to the provocation of the Poles, it became more difficult to find a hiding place anywhere. We, therefore, made peace with our fate and waited to be taken to Zambrow.
Making use of a moment when there were few policemen, we succeeded in going over to the other side of the camp. Wrapped in a thick peasant-like shawl, I went in a wagon to a village near Zambrow where I had a Christian acquaintance. I could not travel too far. I did not have any documents. Despite this I hoped that perhaps I would be able somehow to help my parents who remained in the Zambrow camp.
[Page 1036]
Alas, I no even had a chance to try to do something because everyone had been sent to Auschwitz from which no one returned.
I succeeded in acquiring Christian documents under the name of Janina Zarczicka. I worked in the village and hoped for a miracle, a redemption.
But fate wanted something else for us and one day Czyzewo Christians, who I knew very well, traveled through the village. They noticed me; they did not say anything and I thought that they would not denounce me. But at night, Marcziniak, the Czyzewo policeman, arrived in the village with an order from the commissar to shoot me on the spot.
The peasants in the village had a little heart and they let me know that they would ask the murderer that he not do it.
The order was that I must come out at four o'clock in the morning into the garden in the courtyard where the murderer would need to carry out the execution.
I strongly doubted whether the good peasants would convince the murderer and, therefore, I spent the night in a nightmare between hope and doubt. I asked myself: is it possible that people would watch a person being shot without asking why and not providing any resistance?
At the chosen time, four o'clock in the morning, I came to the garden where Marcziniak, the murderer, was already waiting. I also saw some Christian acquaintances walking there who assured me that for appearance's sake, Marcziniak would shoot into the air so that it would be known in the village that he had exactly carried out the
[Page 1037]
commissar's order. They told me that a wagon was ready with which I would go away to Lomza immediately after this.
In no way could I believe my ears; was it possible? Were they successful in convincing the well known murderer!
But it happened as the good peasants promised me. I immediately left for Lomza.
I was also afraid of the bright light of day. Each day it became more difficult to hide. Several Christians from the place where I was staying volunteered for work in Germany. I joined this group.
After going through various inspections I sat a lucky one on the train that took the workers to East Prussia.
After arriving in Interburg [Insterburg], the labor office sent us to various areas for field work.
I toiled hard for two years with the German peasants. But I lived with the hope that it would end some day.
The day finally came. We heard the Russian artillery fire. The German peasants became very frightened, left everything and ran to the American side. They took us, the workers, with them because they were sure that they would quickly return to their estates and it was a shame to lose the slave workers.
A heavy battle with the Russians took place in the city Keslin. Finally the Russian tanks entered the city where a great number of Soviet prisoners, as well as all of the foreign workers who had wrested themselves from their German overseers, waited for them.
[Page 1038]
Taking their rucksacks on their backs, they immediately began to march back home.
There were no train movements then. So they went on foot.
I traveled for two weeks in this way.
I arrived in Poznan with many other Polish woman and men where we found trucks on which to travel.
On the entire road back I still had hope after everything that perhaps there had been a miracle and I would meet someone from those closest to me.
Arriving in Czyzewo, I went up to an acquaintance in the suburbs of the city in order to learn how the situation appeared in the shtetl. As soon as she saw me she ran into the city calling the several Jews who had miraculously survived.
The two Szwarc sisters, Dina Frydman and Grosodzin's sister came. They asked me to come to them to spend the night where we would tell each other of our experiences.
We did not say one word going through the paved streets of Czyzewo. A great pain pressed on our hearts. I felt as if everything was drenched in the blood of those closest to us.
I took out a document with my correct name at the gmina and went back to the Christians to spend the night and in the morning to drive through the cities to look for someone from my family, because I already knew that I had nothing to look for in Czyzewo. Everything was lost.
Avraham Iglo and the girls accompanied me to the Christians and calmly returned home. At night I heard shooting. I asked the Christian what this can mean. Her answer was:
The Russian like to shoot at night.[Page 1039]
But I had a bad premonition and could not fall asleep.
I left very early for the train station. There, a Christian acquaintance told me about the misfortune that had happened to several Jews from Czyzewo who were miraculously saved from the gas chambers or from other dangers and who had barbarically been murdered at home this night by the Polish bandits.
[Page 1040]
I left with the first train for Sokolow, with the hope of finding a trace there of our many branched family.
But here, too, the brown death killed everything that had the name, Jew.
Also here, I did not find anyone.
As it appears, the fate, the blind fate preferred that I survive in order to be able to tell about those who can no longer speak.
May their memory be consecrated.
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for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
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Updated 1 Dec 2012 by MGH


text:
Canadian Solar Inc., one of the world's largest solar power companies, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Canadian Solar Solutions Inc., completed the sale of SparkleLight, a 10 megawatt (MW) AC solar power plant to a subsidiary of BluEarth Renewables Inc. SparkleLight, located in Beavertown, Ontario, is the third of four planned solar power plants being acquired by BluEarth from Canadian Solar. The facility is valued at approximately C$66 million (USD$57 million) and uses Canadian Solar's CS6X-300/305P modules made in Canada.
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SEIA is the solar energy industry's go-to source for the latest coverage on solar power, including U.S. and international policy, research and polls, business and financing trends, and more. Our staff strives to support the media covering solar energy issues and guide our members on effective media outreach with clear statements, background materials, news and multimedia resources.
SEIA is committed to informing policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of solar energy for today's communities, our economy, and our country.
Learn more from our statements and industry news below.
Solar Featured in New 'State of American Energy Report'
WASHINGTON, DC - Signaling the growing importance of solar energy to America's future, the widely read and cited annual "State of American Energy Report" – released today by the American Petroleum Institute (API) – includes, for the first time ever, a comprehensive section on the rapid growth of the U.S. solar energy industry and its impact on our nation's economy and environment.
Nevada Continues Strong Solar Investment
With the addition of another major solar power plant supplying clean, renewable energy to America's sunniest state, Nevada was second in the nation in added solar capacity during Q3, according to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association's (SEIA) most recent U.S. Solar Market Insight® quarterly report. The Copper Mountain 3 project added 171.4 megawatts (MW) to Nevada's solar portfolio.
Utah's Solar Industry Beginning to Take Hold
A new growth industry is emerging in Utah, where residential solar installations in Q3 alone were equal to the amount installed in all last year. In addition, added solar capacity in Q3 was more than six times the capacity installed over Q3 2013, according to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association's (SEIA) most recent U.S. Solar Market Insight® quarterly report.
Utility-Scale Solar Drives Industry Gains in Georgia
Solar energy continues to make significant headway in Georgia, with installations so far this year more than double the same period last year, according to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association's (SEIA) most recent U.S. Solar Market Insight® quarterly report.
Stanford's Solar-Powered Car In Darwin, Australia
Greetings from the Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, Australia! It's been a while since we last posted from Port Augusta – and a lot has happened. Since departing from the Southern coast, we ran an approximately 1250km mock race, camped in the Outback while driving through the Northern Territory, settled down in Darwin at the Racetrack, drove a few laps, and (mostly) completed the scrutineering process for the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.
Ikea to Sell Solar Panels in British Stores, but U.S. Must Wait
Within the next year, British shoppers will be able to waltz into an Ikea Corp. store, home to Malm beds and Dinera plates, and buy solar panels.
IKEA Starts Selling Solar Panels for Homes
Swedish flat-pack furniture giant IKEA will start selling residential solar panels at its stores in Britain, the first step in its plan to bring renewable energy to the mainstream market worldwide.
Solar Energy: An American Success Story
A bright future for the U.S. as more and more households adopt solar power.
The Ivanpah Solar Project: Generating Energy Through Fields of Mirrors
When I visited the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, which sits in the Mojave Desert on the border between California and Nevada, I had to be careful where I looked. The engineers warned me not to look directly at the receivers arrayed on top of the centralized solar towers, which collected the desert sunlight concentrated by thousands of mirrors on the desert floor. The solar receiver was as bright as the heart of the sun, glowing with a retina-melting white. I had to force myself to look away.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Most Recent Articles by Tom Rapsas, MRM-Gillespie
Happy customers, best advocatesJan 21, 2008
As a direct marketer, you already know the importance of identifying your company's best customers and keeping them happy. Yet, few marketers go the extra mile to turn their top customers into active proponents of your brand.
Company of the Week
SK&A is a leading provider of U.S. healthcare information solutions and databases. As part of IMS Health, SK&A researches and maintains contact and profiling data for over 2 million healthcare providers, including 800,000+ prescribers. SK&A's data supports research and marketing initiatives for life sciences, medical device, managed healthcare, direct marketing, publishing, education and more. SK&A's proprietary databases are telephone-verified twice per year from its world class Research Centers. SK&A enables multi-channel marketing and sets the standard for data quality and reliability. SK&A's customers include many of America's most recognized healthcare, publishing and pharmaceutical institutions.


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On Sept. 10, 2011, Marcie Jo McCloskey and Joshua Allen Loner exchanged their wedding vows in Loganton.
Marcie is the daughter of Arthur and Rose McCloskey of Lock Haven. Josh is the son of Hayes and Debra Rishel of Renovo.
Maid of honor was Melissa Bay of Lock Haven, cousin of the bride. Bridesmaids were Samantha Confer of Loganton, cousin of the bride and Samantha Rishel of Renovo, sister of the groom.
Article Photos
Mr. and Mrs. Joshua A. Loner
(Marcie Jo McCloskey)
Groomsmen were Michael Goodling and Nathan Weaver from Renovo, friends of the groom. Ring bearer was Hayes Rishel Jr. of Renovo, brother of the groom.
The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Jason Schrack. The wedding had a fall theme and took place in the back yard of Joan and Larry Johnson's home, cousin of the bride.
Marcie is a 1997 graduate of Lock Haven High School and is employed by First Quality Products.
Joshua is a 2004 graduate of Bucktail Area High School. He served in the U.S. Army from 2004-08. He is employed by First Quality Products.
The newlyweds reside in Lock Haven with their dog Goliath.


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Richard Wieman
Solid Waste Utility Manager
City of Columbia, Missouri
What do you do with cellulose casings produced from more than a billion hot dogs a year? The answer for the City of Columbia, Missouri and Kraft Foods is: COMPOST.
The City of Columbia has operated a compost facility since state regulations prohibited the placement of yard waste in landfills in 1991. Columbia is in central Missouri, on Interstate 70 halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis, with a population closing in on 80,000.
Columbia's Public Works Department provides a full range of solid waste management services. It collects yard waste, recyclables, bulky waste, household hazardous waste, and residential garbage from 32,000 households. In addition, it competes with private haulers to collect refuse from the commercial sector, which generates 74 percent of the solid waste collected by the department. The department also owns and operates a 530-acre landfill and 11-acre compost facility located 10 miles from the center of town.
Columbians generate 55,000 cubic yards of yard waste annually. In response to the state yard waste ban, Columbia constructed an 11-acre compost facility which includes an approximate one-acre asphaltic concrete working pad for staging and grinding of materials, a composting and windrowing area, and two holding basins (primary and secondary) for storm water management. The site is regulated by a NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit monitored by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The equipment mix includes a Peterson 5400C horizontal grinder, a Morbark 1100 tub grinder, Scat windrow turner, and two 721 Case wheel loaders with grapple buckets and a grapple loader truck combination.
The City collects residential grass, leaves, and small brush weekly from the curb with standard rear-loading packer trucks. Lawn care and tree companies are charged $16.25 per ton for material brought to the compost facility that requires grinding or further processing. All material that enters the site is tracked and weighed at the landfill scales. The site also accepts other wood waste such as pallets and clean lumber for the same per ton fee. In addition, the City operates two residential drop-off sites close to the center of town. These two sites accept residential yard waste only. The yard waste at these sites is ground and given back to residents as mulch or transported to the compost facility for further processing.
While yard waste and wood products have been the mainstream of feed stock for the operation, Columbia has continued to seek out opportunities to increase the amount of material that could be diverted from the landfill through composting. Two very interesting ingredients that have recently been added to the compost recipe are clean drywall and cellulose wiener casings (hot dog processing wrappers).
Drywall was selected for composting because of its ease of segregation. The City began accepting drywall March 1, 1999, and has received over 1069 tons that otherwise would have been landfilled. Contractors have a financial incentive to bring clean drywall to the compost facility because composting fees are half the normal landfill fee.
Operational problems have been minimal. Drywall is dusty to grind, but mixed with yard waste, it is manageable.
Cellulose wiener casings are by far the most interesting composting project Columbia has tackled. Missouri Department of Natural Resources approved this pilot project that began November 22, 1999. To date just over 1,165 tons of wiener casings have been composted or are in various stages of decomposition.
The casings come from the local Kraft Foods-Columbia Food Facility that produces more than a billion hot dogs a year. As a by-product, Kraft generates 32 tons of casings per week. Without the composting project, this material would be deposited in the landfill.
Composting 32 tons per week of wiener casings proved to be quite a challenge. The casings are a cellophane-like material housing millions of wieners as they travel through the smoke and cooking process. This cellophane-like casing is stripped away from the wieners prior to packaging and shipping.
The casings are segregated from Kraft's waste stream at the plant, then processed through a grinder that reduces their size from as large as 140' by 3" to approximately 2" segments prior to depositing them in a forty cubic yard trash compactor. The casings are then transported to the compost facility. This occurs three times per week with each container weighing approximately 12 tons. Prior to grinding, the casings look like cooked spaghetti, all tied together.
The composition of the casings is primarily cellulose and water, with small amounts of glycerin and propylene glycol. Critical to rapid composting are the variables of proper carbon/nitrogen ratio, aeration, moisture content, and particle size. Casings have sufficient carbon and some water, but are missing nitrogen and a bulking agent for aeration. However, this material is certainly compostable. The ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio for bacterial decomposition is 30:1. Primarily carbon, the wiener casings will decompose, but very slowly. Casings mixed with a nitrogen source will decompose more rapidly.
To enhance the decomposition process, casings are mixed with ground yard waste. The yard waste (comprised mostly of grass, leaves, and brush, and clean drywall) provides some valuable nitrogen, but perhaps more importantly, it acts as a bulking agent to improve the porosity. Porosity is necessary for aeration, which directly affects the time it takes for organics to decompose and its potential for odors.
Casings are laid down adjacent to windrows of yard waste. Using a wheel loader, yard waste is folded over and into the casings producing a 50:50 ratio of yard waste and casings by weight.
The inclusion of wiener casings into the compost facility has required major operational changes. Before the inclusion of casings, the composting operation was primarily passive, with minimal turning and watering, as there was abundant site processing capacity. The annual addition of 1,664 tons of material has caused the adoption of more active composting methods to assure site processing capacity is not exceeded. Windrows of a 50/50 mixture of mulch and casings are turned and watered weekly to enhance decomposition and minimize odors. Finished compost product is produced in 4-6 months.
Initial questions arose as to what impact the cellulose casings might have on the environmental quality of the compost, the facility, and the surrounding area. Analyses by Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Process (TCLP) for Metals, Volatile Organics, Semi-volatile Organics, Pesticides and Herbicides were performed on compost grab samples. No pesticides, volatile organics, or heavy metals were detected in the finished product.
Results from samples taken from storm waste basin, in accordance with the site's NPDES permit, showed no exceedance of the effluent discharge limitations.
Soil nutrient analysis and germination tests were performed on separate compost samples aged from 1 week, 4 months, and 6-8 months by the University of Missouri-Columbia Soil and Plant Testing Lab. Electrical conductivity was observed as relatively high (6-10 mmho/cm) from the soil analysis. This is an indication of salinity, which should not be a limiting factor in the use of the compost as a soil amendment. All remaining results were well within expected levels for standard compost.
Germination tests results indicated finished casing/yard waste compost would have no negative effects on plants. Seedlings developed in the compost as well or better than in the control sample.
The initial casings received during the first few months have been fully composted and have been used on the landfill to establish vegetation. We are confident of the continued successful composting of these materials into a high quality soil amendment.
Columbia's Compost Facility has nearly a decade of operational history. It is hard to say where the next decade will lead. It is also hard to imagine a more interesting compost project than hot dog dirt, but you never know what's going to turn up.
To contact Richard Wieman, call 573-874-6298 or send e-mail to email@example.com.


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Is she taking a stab at me for being a single working mother?
Or am I being sensitive? Here is the message
Hi. I was going through A------'s phone and I seen messages between her and R--- and I just want you to know that, the reason my daughter is not allowed over your house is because of what happen, im not saying it couldn't happen here but we are always home. if im not here my husband is here if he's not I am. There's always supervision here. I just don't want my daughter at someone's house with out the proper supervision. I know you work and its just you, and that's what im saying. I know my daughter is no angel but I have heard conversations regarding R-----, and I would really keep an eye on her. I don't know if what I've heard is true but I just thought I should let you know. I know as a mom I would want to know anything my daughter was doing that was inappropriate.
The incident she was talking about what when her dd was staying the night at my house. It was about 11 at night and I was in bed. I heard this crash in my house so I went to investigate. I heard a boys voice so I went to check on the girls. Their door was locked and I banged on the door for them to open it. When I went in, the girls (my 2 girls and A) were sitting on their beds and I asked who that was and they denied knowing what I was meaning. So I looked around the room and found a boy under their bed. I freaked out. Apparently this boy had run away from home and snuck in the bathroom window upstairs. Right away I tried to call this boys mother but he ran out the door. I told A that I was calling her mother and she beat me to it. When her mother arrived I talked to her mother to explain what happened and we grounded the girls from each other and some other punishments for this incident.
1st. last weekend they were begging for this girl to come over and A was getting angry that I wasn't letting her come over. I don't trust her.
2nd. My girls do not go anywhere. They don't go to friends houses to stay the night or even just to hang out. If they even go outside it's in the back yard.
3rd. during the summer I did allow them to go to the park that is around the corner but after hearing some things that these girls were planning I put a stop to it.
4th. I lost my job last month so I am not working at this moment and always home
5th. When I was working, I got off at 4pm and the girls got home from school at 4:45 (yes it is quite late because of the long bus ride home) So they were never home alone.
6th. on the weekends my sister would stay a majority of the day with them and no friends were allowed here even if my sister was here.
So what do you ladies think? Am I being overly sensitive or is she taking a jab at me for working and being single?
I am a little on the defensive side I know that but I am just curious what others think.
I would just let it go at this point. Teenagers are going to try and push the limits, no matter who's house they are in. She is upset that her daughter isn't behaving like she would want and you are an easy target to blame. It is not unreasonable for you to be in bed at 11. She will get over it.
I think you're being sensitive and defensive. If the tables were turned, you'd feel the same.
I think that you may be a little sensitive, but that the other mother may think she's above all of it and her kid cannot do any wrong. They are teenagers and they will try to push boundaries regardless of whose house they are in. Because it happened at your house, it's easy for her to point fingers and say it's your fault and cast aspersions on you and your daughters...what she fails to see is that it could've happened at her house as well and very well could be happening now but she has blinders on when it comes to her teenage daughter.
If it happened that many months ago and she's just bringing it up now, she's being a jerk. She's probably not worth your stress or energy.
As a mom, I have a 13 year old boy, You are doing what every parent should be doing. I see no wrong here. Keep up the good work. We need to know who are children are hanging out with and were they will be and if there is going too be another parent. NO PARENTS NO HANG OUT!!! My parents growing up knew were we were and who houses we were at for the weekend, Plus they had the phone numbers.
Look, these things can happen to anyone. But from the other mom's perspective, it happened under your watch, so it's easier for her to put the blame on you and yours than to acknowledge that her child is up to no good. It's totally normal for a mom to be leary of others as is. She is just doing what she thinks is safest for her child. If the girl is trouble, then you don't want her around anyway, right? Let the other mom figure it out on her own.
She's not taking a jab at your for being a single working mother. She's taking a jab because the girls pulled one over on you.


text:
Barneveld residents remember deadly tornado 30 years later
It was 30 years ago that a deadly tornado ripped through Barneveld, killing nine and injuring 200. For many, the memories are just as vivid now as they were on June 8, 1984.
Most of the town was sound asleep when it happened.
"The windows started to shake and I knew it was something serious so that was my wake up. I looked at the clock and it said 10 to 1:00 a.m., and the power went off," said Mary Ann Meyers. She lived with her two teenage daughters at the time. When she got out of bed to check on them, their room had blown away.
"It was like I lost my breath. I just remember gasping," Meyers said.
She found the girls in the back yard under debris. They were OK, but the family couldn't call for help, the phone lines were down. They couldn't drive for help, their car was wrapped around a tree.
"And at this point, you still thought, you might be the only one involved," she said. "But it soon became very evident that it was far and wide throughout the village."
The next day Meyers would learn two-thirds of the town had been destroyed. Worse, lives had been lost. Yet amid the tragedy, she remembers not only did the community come together, communities across the state showed their support as well.
"What you think of most is the people that reached out to us and helped in any way possible," Meyers said. "You realize, you can't run away from your troubles. You deal with them the best you can."
That's exactly what Meyers did. She took on the role of village president the following year, leading the rebuilding efforts until 1991. She even rebuilt her own house, and still lives there to this today.
"It'll always be a part of us. It's like a chapter in that book of life that you aren't going to forget ever," Meyers said. "But you can't dwell on it either."


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Austria Bank Capital Needs Decisive for Aaa Rating, Moody's Says
Austria's top debt ranking is most threatened by the potential for another round of state aid for the nation's banks, Moody's Investors Service said, the second such alarm from a rating company in as many months.
Moody's cut Austria's outlook to "negative" and may strip its Aaa rating if lenders require a second bailout, given the nation's finances have worsened since 2008, the company said yesterday. The outlook could return to "stable" if banks can bolster capital without state help, Moody's said. Standard & Poor's cited bank risks when it cut Austria to AA+ last month.
"We don't think the Austrian debt level is worrisome or out of sync with debt levels in other European countries, but the potential contingent liability is bigger than in other countries, and the debt ratio is at the higher end of the triple-A rating category," Kathrin Muehlbronner, Moody's head analyst on Austria, said in an interview.
The nation's biggest banks, including Erste Group Bank AG, Raiffeisen Bank International AG and UniCredit SpA's Bank Austria unit, are the biggest lenders in eastern Europe and face major losses in Hungary. Austria nationalized two banks on the brink of collapse in 2008 and 2009, and will remain saddled with their non-performing or unsellable assets of more than 30 billion euros ($40 billion) as they are wound down for years.
Moody's says Austria's debt-to-gross-domestic-product ratio was about 75 percent in 2011, compared with a median of 52 percent for Aaa-rated countries. The government has responded to the debt crisis with a 26.5 billion-euro plan to raise taxes and cut spending.
'Volatile Countries'
Austria was among nine European sovereigns to have ratings cut or their outlook changed yesterday. Bond investors shrugged off the reports from Moody's today, with borrowing costs falling at Spanish and Italian debt auctions on optimism the crisis is easing. Austrian bonds were little changed, with the 10-year yield rising 1 basis point to 2.88 percent at noon local time.
"Investors are making up their own minds, and the low yields we are seeing shows that our measures have an impact," Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said today.
Austria still has more work to do, Muehlbronner said.
Its banking system is "relatively large, has a very large exposure to the more volatile countries in central and eastern Europe, and is also reliant on wholesale funding," with lower credit ratings than banks in other Aaa countries, she said. "Austria is not necessarily out of the woods."
Repaying Aid
Erste, Raiffeisen and the other Austrian banks have lent a combined $266 billion to borrowers in eastern Europe, about 70 percent of the Alpine nation's gross domestic product. That figure doesn't include the Italian-owned Bank Austria.
A large part of the banks' loans are refinanced with local deposits, limiting the risk for the parent company, though that's not the case in Hungary and Romania, which has prompted the Austrian central bank to issue new rules for lending in eastern Europe.
"We take note of the attempt by the Austrian regulator to reduce the funding mismatch in the central and eastern European countries where it is present, but we think that this is going to take a while," Muehlbronner said.
Erste has shelved plans to repay 1.2 billion euros in state aid after writing down assets that will lead to a loss for last year. Raiffeisen hasn't given a date to repay its 1.75 billion euros in state aid, while Bank Austria didn't get any aid.
No Additional Aid
All three institutions have ruled out asking for more, and Finance Minister Maria Fekter said today that no other bank has done so.
"We're monitoring the overall situation of banks and whether they are on a sound footing," Fekter told journalists, calling Moody's outlook change "regrettable."
Austria nationalized Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG's Kommunalkredit unit in 2008. The state will back its "bad bank" KA Finanz AG for years to come as it winds down 24 billion euros of assets including credit-default swaps on Greece. That bank may need fresh capital this year, depending on the terms under which Greece swaps its debt.
The state also nationalized BayernLB's Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank International AG in 2009. That institution's wind-down unit is holding about 10 billion euros of assets that are non-performing or unsellable.
Volksbanken, which was relieved of Kommunalkredit in 2008 and received 1 billion euros of state aid in 2009, will report another loss of at least 825 million euros for 2011 and has failed to repay 300 million euros of state aid last year.
Wind-Down Unit
The bank is planning to spin off a wind-down unit, which some of its owners would like to foist on the government, Format magazine reported last year. Fekter has said her desire to nationalize Volksbanken is "very limited."
While the concerns about Austria's banks are "not new," Moody's said that the country's debt level is higher than when it last supported banks in 2008 and 2009 and is on an "upward trajectory."
"Some of the measures in the Austrian budget package haven't been confirmed yet, such as the financial transaction tax or the tax treaty with Switzerland," Muehlbronner said. "There is some uncertainty whether everything will be in place."
France and the U.K. also had their top ratings put on a negative outlook by Moody's yesterday, while Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain's ratings were cut.
"This Moody's report does not just refer to Austria, it refers to a significant part of the overall developments of Europe," European Central Bank Governing Council member Ewald Nowotny said today in an interview broadcast by state-run ORF radio. "The savings package is part of the overall perspective, but it shows it was important to conclude this package."


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First Alert Weather: Aug. 25, 2014UPDATED 6:31 PM MDT Aug 25, 2014
Watch Joe's ReportVideo Transcript
12 hour planner There will be showers and thunderstorms around for the first part of the evening however the showers and thunderstorms will start to increase a bit overnight as more moisture moved up from the south Radar Showers and thunderstorms are pretty scattered across the northern half of the state but when you look over southern New Mexico you can see definitely an increase in locally heavy downpours this flow of moisture will be spreading south to north over the next 24 hours AT 4:31 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER THE SAME AREAS ACROSS EASTERN LEA COUNTY. HOBBS IS BEING IMPACTED BY THIS HEAVY RAIN. AT 3:36 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN AND PERHAPS SOME SMALL HAIL FROM A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER FAR EASTERN CHAVES COUNTY. STRONG FLOWS AND HIGH WATER LEVELS ARE EXPECTED IN ARROYOS... SMALL STREAMS AND OVER LOW WATER CROSSINGS. RAPID RUNOFF CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED IMMEDIATELY OVER AND DOWNSTREAM FROM WILDFIRE BURN SCARS. Satellite map There's an area of low pressure that will help draw up a new surge of monsoon moisture however as it passes to the east later in the week conditions were really dry Future track Showers and thunderstorms will be increasing overnight and during the day tomorrow there will be some pockets of heavy rain so stay away from arroyos during active times of weather As you can see condition start to dry out on Wednesday and that's the trend continuing into the holiday weekend Zones It will be hot throughout southeastern New Mexico with most of the organize thunderstorms in the Sacramento mountain There'll be locally heavy downpours over southwestern sections of the state conditions will start to dry out toward Wednesday and Thursday The four corners will see scattered to boomers showers and thunderstorms of pockets of heavy rain Periods of heavy rain with numerous showers and thunderstorms will be common throughout Los Alamos and Santa Fe make sure to stay away from arroyos during active weather North eastern New Mexico will have pockets of heavy rain in and around the higher terrain The metro area will see scattered showers and thunderstorms on the increase and again there will be some locally heavy downpours Scattered showers and thunderstorms this evening would Lowe's dropping into the 60 Seven day forecast Tuesday will be the most active weather day with Luke we have you down for as possible in the afternoon and evening it will be noticeably less active on Wednesday then as we get into the upcoming holiday weekend look for more sunshine more warmth and drier conditions LOOKING AT TRAFFIC WATCH 7, TRAFFIC AROUND THE CITY IS RUNNING FAIRLY SMOOTHLY FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL AND WORK WEEK. PARTS OF I-25 NORTHBOUND AROUND CENTRAL ARE EXPERIENCING SLOWER SPEEDS BETWEEN 57MPH AND 65MPH. WESTBOUND I-40 AT 12 ST IS ALSO EXPERIENCING SLIGHTLY SLOWER TRAFFIC AT 59MPH. NO MAJOR SLOW DOWNS OR ACCIDENTS TO REPORT. BACK TO YOU THERE'S A NEW RISING STAR
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Skip to comments.LDS Church signs letter on traditional marriage: U.S. religious leaders aim to sway Senate vote
Posted on 04/25/2006 11:31:45 AM PDT by Utah Girl
An LDS official and 49 religious leaders from around the country have signed a letter that calls for a U.S. constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
Members of Utah's gay and lesbian community called the letter, written on behalf of the Religious Coalition for Marriage, a political "distraction" and hurtful.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, signed on behalf of the LDS Church. The letter is intended to help sway the U.S. Senate, which is expected to vote in June on a resolution that calls for the marriage amendment.
The LDS Church joined other religious bodies and leaders in signing the letter "to protect and preserve the institution of marriage between a man and a woman," according to a church statement on its Web site at www.lds.org.
The statement went on to advise LDS Church members to be civil and respectful of each other when participating in public debate on moral, social and political issues that can become "divisive."
LDS Church spokesman Dale Bills declined comment Monday. Bills referred questions to the church's statement on its Web site.
While only one of 50 signatures on the letter was an LDS leader, 16 were Catholic bishops and archbishops.
The large turnout for the Catholic Church follows a vote last month by the Administrative Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to reaffirm its support of a federal marriage amendment. In 2003 the committee issued the statement, "Promote, Preserve, Protect Marriage."
The LDS Church has previously aired its opinion on marriage in the document "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." Read publicly in 1995 by LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley, the proclamation says, "Marriage between a man and a woman is essential to his eternal plan" and that children should be reared by a father and mother.
The recent letter from religious leaders is posted at www.religiouscoalitionformarriage.org. The letter is intended to sway the Senate in favor of the resolution for the "Marriage Protection Amendment."
The resolution calls for a constitutional amendment that would provide a national definition of marriage. The Senate is expected to vote a second time on the resolution June 6. The resolution passed the House but failed once before in the Senate. Approval by the Senate would send the resolution to voters for a final say.
"We are convinced that this is the only measure that will adequately protect marriage from those who would circumvent the legislative process and force a redefinition of it on the whole of our society," the letter reads.
Signatures on the letter include leaders from the Baptist, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox and Lutheran churches, two rabbis and officials from religious groups like Focus on the Family, led by founder James Dobson. A complete list of signers is posted on the Web site for the Religious Coalition for Marriage.
A federal amendment would echo what took place in Utah in 2004, when 66 percent of voters passed Amendment 3, which changed the Utah Constitution to specifically ban gay marriages.
Utah's only gay state senator, Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, said the recent letter is an attempt by Republicans to rescue their "pitiful" place in the polls right now by pandering to their right-wing, religious-fundamentalist base.
"Honestly, that's what this is about," McCoy said Monday. "This is an attempt at electoral distraction."
McCoy added that for every church represented on the letter, there is a faction of that church that believes the exact opposite.
Inactive LDS members Millie and Gary Watts co-chair Family Fellowship, a support and education group for an estimated 1,700 LDS families with gay and lesbian members. The Watts are parents of six children, including a gay son and lesbian daughter.
"I feel badly that the (LDS) church has to again re-emphasize its belief that marriage is between a man and a woman," Millie Watts said. "It hurts. It may unite other families, but it hurts my family."
Rather than frown upon gay relationships, Watts would like to see society and its churches spend more time on encouraging monogamy and helping to fortify relationships, gay or otherwise.
Valerie Larabee, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, said she wasn't surprised by the recent letter. "I wish that we would pay more attention to helping people than hurting people," she said.
Larabee said the letter contributes toward gay and lesbian people not being treated equally. "If you alter the Constitution," she added, "you're not going to have equality."
Members of Utah's gay and lesbian community called the letter, written on behalf of the Religious Coalition for Marriage, a political "distraction" and hurtful.
There are gays and lesbians everywhere. Hadn't you noticed?
There are gays and lesbians everywhere. Hadn't you noticed?
LDS thinks marriage is a man and woman?
Don't they mean a man and women?
Used to be the love that dare not speak it's name. These days it's the love that won't STFU.
This is political tricks and nothing more.
typical homoadvocates.
They dismiss as irrelevant that which does not advocate same sex genital playing.
It never fails--say anything about Utah and the idiots that think the Church still practices polygamy come out of the woodwork and show their asininity in public forums. Gag!
Polygamy has been in the LDS since its inception.
Mention anything Mormon and the hypersensitive nutcases come out.
Get over yourself.
I don't care about the polygamy, I just think the entire premise behind LDS is hogwash.
Perhaps he was speaking to when the husband after death raises one or more wives. I've read the book of Mormon you had better watch who you refer to as an idiot.
No, it hasn't.
Your hurt feelings are outweighed by the higher good of the common good, Ms. Watts.
Sorry. Feelings don't trump everything else.
no they are not everywhere, they are just squeeky wheel lound mouthed sex fetishists who get excited when people know about their deviancies in the bedroom.
2.7% (their number) of the population is not everywhere.
No, not since 1890, when the LDS changed their rules. Any polygamists now are outside the church, as demonstrated in the new HBO series, "Big Love".
I know the Watts family. They have two children who are gay/lesbian. They don't have much to do with the LDS church anymore. It is very sad.
And you are quite right. Just because a small minority doesn't want their feelings hurt does not mean we should not stand on principle and say that marriage is between a man and a woman.
I'm hooked on Big Love. Just cracks me up!
It was "revealed" to JS in 1831. He didn't practice it until 1843, but some sources say 1833.
All depends if you're talking about time [LDS say "no" here"], once upon a time [obviously yes, from the original leaders on down], or eternity [another "yes"--something LDS common folk don't want non-LDS common folk to understand].
In other words, LDS believe in past-tense polygamy, future-tense spiritual polygamy. They just frown on present-tense polygamy.
Me too! It's fascinating to watch the interplay between the husband and three wives, which strikes me as realistic. The wives never have enough of his time or attention; he's struggling to earn enough to support three households and to satisfy each wife.
When I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it might be driven by the LDS' strong objections to the show. According to my lapsed-LDS neighbor, the church prophets (if that's the right word) have put out a call to all Mormons to write to HBO protesting the show.
Mr. Cat and I are addicted to this show. I believe it about the call to arms to write HBO. I had an email from an LDS friend of mine all about it. I don't have the heart to tell her that we like it!
HBO won't care about protests but they DO care about ratings. Don't ya love the symbolism at the opening when they are all sitting at the table on a "planet"?
btw, I love the "affair" with his first wife! The whole show makes my head spin!
Recently saw a documentary on one of the polygamous groups that live on a compound....I believe the show is modeled after this group. Anyway, they interviewed many of the women and men and it comes VERY close to "Big Love".
"Do they bug ya?"
Only when they're marching down the street in leather chaps with a sparkler sticking out of their butt shouting "I'm normal, respect me"!
Pray tell. Please answer: Contrary to what Jesus said ("At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven"--Matthew 22:30), do not LDS believe that since "families are forever"--in other words, intact forever, that LDS folks are "still practicing" polygamy in eternity right now? Yes or no?
Since eternity knows no time boundaries, how can polygamy be a past doctrine, a future-tense doctrine, and a present-tense spiritual doctrine [since polygamous folks live in eternity co-adjacent to us in another dimension] and still it is somehow almost "anathema" on the present-tense physical/social level?
How many thousands of women have been sealed to LDS men "for eternity?" And, does this sealing still go on even among those inside the LDS church?
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I can't wait to find out how Bill's going to deal with Roman. Can't post any more right now, though--gotta go to work (sigh).
Most excellent question, Colofornian.
LDS know the only reason polygamy isn't practiced now. It wasn't any "revelation" either!
I've heard Utah is 70% LDS. So, Mr. McCoy was not elected without the help of LDS voters. It'd be interesting to find what his level of support was among LDS.
Plural marriage has been outlawed in the church for over 100 years and is an excommunicable offense today. Bring yourself up to date and please let wisdom and knowledge replace your shallow and illfounded attempt at religious humor.
But, if you're an LDS in eternity taking to yourself additional wives who were "sealed" to you for eternity, it's not only something that will not get you excommunicated from your degree of glory, it's actually something prominently practiced in that spiritual dimension by LDS men-turned-gods [like Joseph, Brigham, and all the rest of the now-deceased polygamous general authorities], right?
The founder of your religion, and writer of your canon books was an ardent polygamist. And that's less than 170 years ago...hardly a blink in religious history.
135 years without polygamy isn't a very long time at all.
Small "o" orthodox Christians however have for 2,000 years frowned on polygamy...forbidding it expressly for Church leadership in the Bible (I Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6) and historically forbidding it even for lay persons from the 4th Century onwards....meaning Smith could not have held any leadership post in any Church--nor even membership there for the last 1600 years or so. How can one breaking the New Testament command on polygamy--and firmly teaching others do do so too--be considered a true prophet?
It's actually less than 120 years since the edict came down. Also, remember that polygamous families weren't banned from the church; just the official act itself. So LDS polygamous families were still widely intact well into the 1900s--less than a century ago. I mean there's an awful lot of baby boomers whose grandparents were born within polygamous families...so that's not so long ago.
Many others have written about "less official" LDS polygamous marriage rites that were conducted on a case by case basis, though not publicly condoned, in the 1890s and on into the 20th century.
Thanks for the comments. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have worked hard to pass initiatives across America to preserve marriage to be between a man and a woman. We have worked in conjunction with our friends and neighbors and with other faiths who have the goal: to preserve traditional marriage.
There are places in Utah where it is still practiced. There are Mormon sects that still do it (although not officially.)
...did I EVER say anything was wrong with polygamy? I was making a joke.
Now get over yourself.
OOOO! Wow! I didn't know that. Thank you so much for that information.
Is there any other laws of left wing political correctness I should be observing now?
I used to live in Utah. I've had Mormon friends all my life.
Yes, I am aware of all this.
"...did I EVER say anything was wrong with polygamy? I was making a joke.
Now get over yourself."
I very much doubt any one whom takes their religion seriously, would take ridicule from a total stranger as a joke.
Yeah, and freedom is at the heart of liberalism too. :)
There are no Mormon sects that practice polygamy in Utah. We cannot support anyone in polygamy or we are excommunicated. We cannot practice polygamy or else we are excommunicated. The groups that form usually have fundamentalist in their name, or some other version cobbled together.
And there are no other Mormon groups that practice polygamy anywhere. If they practice polygamy, they are ex-Mormons.
You couldn't be more wrong, but it's useless to argue to people who do not know the facts.
That's your opinion and you are entitled to it.
You are correct! I had a moment of ire there, and won't use that word again. It only makes others angry and does nothing to promote good Christian communications.
"I was making a joke." How would you react to a "joke" (ridicule) about anything your own religion may teach or practice (or no longer practices)?
This is a true statement. I know LDS were prominent in helping to pass Prop 22 in California. So it is good that LDS have been willing, from their leadership on down, to be on the forefront of this issue. It is indeed commendable.
I only wish the same was true on other socio-political issues. Like abortion, for example. By and large, many LDS folks are pro-life. But we don't see this translated into the public arena. Of course, LDS, as a body of faith, is not alone here. The same could be said of many denominations in the historical Christian faith.
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This document describes the process to move Cisco Security Agent (CSA)-Management Center (MC) 6.x to a new server. For customers on Release 6.x who look to move to a new server, you need to perform the steps outlined in this document. The process is different than when you reinstall and restore the configuration since CSA is homed to a specific server.
Use this process to move CSA-MC 6.x to a new server.
If all steps are completed properly, the clients should report to the new server.


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The Origins of Halloween Have Rich Significance and History
What are the traditional names for Halloween? The original myths surrounding Halloween do derive from historical observation of a number of cerermony laden cultural dates of observance. Samhain, the Day of the Dead, All Soul's Day- these are the alternative names for Halloween. It is the one day and evening in which humanity is to 'hallow', to sanctify, respect or play homage to the dead and thereby acknowledge their ever flowing energy that continues to flow through us. Today the celebration of Halloween could seem to be nothing more than a colorful carnival enabling an opportunity for scary costumes, childish tricks and fun through trick and treating with the family, or attending a fabulous adult's only naughty Halloween party with lots of sexy titillating joviality, thrills and pranks. But there is a deeper sculignificance of Halloween as indicated by many Halloween myths.
Some Interesting Halloween Myths and Symbols
But where did the legend of Halloween begin and what are some of the infamous Halloween myths and legends that still linger today? Adults, teens and kids alike are intrigued and drawn to listen to scores of ghostly tales and legends on this one special scary night of the year to be nothing less than absolutely terrified in the name of fun!
Did you know that the fear of Halloween is called 'Samhainophobia'? The name 'Samhain' was the original title for Halloween given by the ancient Celts. The holiday or celebration of Halloween started in America in the early 19th century and was severely frowned upon before that. The infamous costumes and frivolity of Halloween only began in the 20th century although masks to ward off evil spirits originated with the Celts much earlier. The colors associated with Halloween are black and orange and are symbols of Halloween. Black is symbolic of death and orange is reminiscent of fire, autumn and pumpkins. Black cats are symbolic in Halloween myths as familiars for witches and wizards that worship the famous night of All Hallows Eve!
Today Halloween celebrations are a far cry from its historic Celtic origins in Ireland, Scotland and Britain as this now infamous festivity in the US sees lots of new additions including a vast range of diverse costumes and the especially the popular children's 'trick or treating' ritual.
The jack-o-lantern would have to be a favorite symbol of Halloween and was originally believed to ward off an 18th century old Irish man named Jack that was cursed by the devil to roam the earth forever more after his death because he played too many tricks on the devil to go to hell and was too mean for heaven. Jack-o-lanterns offer protection from Stingy Jack and all the other mean spirits that are believed to walk the earth on the eve of Halloween. The original Jack-o-lanterns were ma de from turnips and potatoes rather than the now popular pumpkin lantern.
How about this fabulous twist for a great pumpkin craft idea for children this Halloween instead of a traditional jack-o-lantern? Pumpkin painting is a fabulous fun activity for kids and parents alike. Goofy, silly and hilarious faces are sure to ward of the spirits of infamous Halloween mythology. Get creative with painted pumpkins, witches, fairies, goblins, scarecrows, spiders and ghosts.
The supernatural aspect of Halloween dates far back to a time when people held the belief that the barrier between the physical and spirit worlds were particularly thin during this one special night of the year. The original ancient Halloween symbols have become nothing less than commercialized propaganda with a huge range of 'spooky' Halloween paraphernalia for Halloween themed entertainment decorating purposes. But as Halloween is a time for plenty of harmless fun, why not put on a witch's hat or a pair of devil ears and have some fun this Halloween? After all, the witching hour will soon be upon us.


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To their neighbors in Brooklyn's cozy Boerum Hill, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams were just glamorous versions of people everybody knew: a funky young couple living in a renovated row house who adored their little girl. Last summer, the pair of low-key movie stars happily snapped pictures of then-1-year-old Matilda as she was fitted for her first pair of shoes: Mary Janes with tiny Velcro straps. "She was curious about what was on her feet, and she was holding on to the benches to stand up," recalls salesman Bobby Moscovici. "And Heath and Michelle were just so happy and proud." For a pair who dreaded the red carpet, making memories like those in Brooklyn made it all worthwhile. "We have a very, very sweet life there," Michelle Williams told PEOPLE in 2005. "The thing I hope the most is that it stays the way it is."
That sweet life is gone now – replaced by mourners and paparazzi crowding the sidewalk outside the place they once called home. A day after the mysterious death of 28-year-old Heath Ledger on Jan. 22, a distraught Williams – who split from the actor late last year – and her daughter made the sad trip back to Brooklyn. There, Williams, 27, was comforted by her mother, Carla, and other supporters, who tried to shield her from photographers and shuttled in deliveries of food. On Jan. 28 Williams joined Ledger's family, in from Australia, and his former girlfriend, the actress Naomi Watts, at a private memorial service in Los Angeles. The service was a prelude to Ledger's funeral, set for early February in his native Perth. "You can't even imagine what Michelle is going through . . . she is so heartbroken," says a Williams pal. "It's one thing to lose someone so close to her, but the fact that she lost Matilda's father is crushing. Her family is getting her through this."
Investigators are still awaiting the results of toxicology tests that should show if any of the prescription sleeping aids and anti-anxiety pills found in Ledger's apartment were a factor in his death. But many who spent time with him in the last months of his life paint a portrait of man whose demons drove him away from the family he loved and into a lonely, nomadic life of insomnia, casual affairs and, according to several sources, serious drug use. These sources tell PEOPLE Ledger was known to use cocaine, and that his behavior ultimately destroyed his relationship with Williams. "Heath's drug use was something that affected them profoundly," says a source close to Williams. "Michelle didn't want their daughter around that. She was very clear that Heath loved his daughter and was a good father." But "she couldn't always rely on him." This conflict over his drug use and its effect on his relationship with his family, says another source, had left Ledger distraught and physically "a mess."
A Fairy Tale Gone Wrong
Lucy Nicholson/Landov


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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Brett Brackett hasn't just enjoyed a career year, he's enjoyed a career in a year.
Brackett entered his senior season best known for being a great leader off the field, which earned him a surprising nod as captain. It was surprising because he had never really done much on the field, making just 17 catches for 189 yards.
No one could have expected the type of breakthrough he's enjoyed this season.
Article Photos
Brackett has more than doubled his career receptions, grabbing 35 to rank second on the team to Derek Moye's 43. Brackett also ranks second on the squad to Moye in receiving yards (474) and touchdowns (five).
There's no way anyone would have considered Brackett a potential NFL player before the season. But now?
"If you're a football player, you want to play in the NFL, no matter what the chances are," Brackett said.
He has increased his chances measurably by showing off his receiving skills, and at 6-foot-6, 246 pounds, it's not out of the question that Brackett could find a home in the NFL as a tight end.
"From my freshman year to now, my desire to play in the NFL is no different," Brackett said. "People's outlook on me playing in the NFL might be changing, may be different, but my want to do that has never changed."
Brackett, who has always been in the spotlight as the president of Penn State's Uplifting Athletes organization, hopes to get a chance to shine for NFL scouts.
"Obviously I'm going to try to see what I can do," he said of a potential pro career.
The big question is whether he can play tight end, which is largely a blocking position in the NFL more so than a primary receiver.
"I'm playing it right now, playing in a slot/tight end role," Brackett said.
He's only gained notoriety on the field as a senior, but Brackett has many more memories of his career at PSU.
"I've loved my five years here," he said.
Aside from Brackett, the player who has made the biggest improvement from last year has been Collin Wagner.
The place-kicker made 15-of-22 field goals in 2009 and struggled from long range, hitting on only 1-of-5 beyond 40 yards. He's been much more reliable this season, hitting 18-of-23 attempts, including 8-of-11 beyond 40 yards.
The senior who probably has seen his stock drop the most this season has been tailback Evan Royster, who got off to a slow start before hitting his stride in recent weeks.
Royster, considered by some to be as high as a second- or third-round draft pick, now will need a great showing at the NFL Combine to come anywhere close to that.
Cory Giger is at 949-7031 and email@example.com.


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Islamabad: Pakistan will play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches against Australia between Aug. 28 and Sept. 10 in the United Arab Emirates.
The Pakistan Cricket Board released the schedule on Thursday, with Sharjah hosting the first and third ODIs on Aug. 28 and Sept. 3 and Abu Dhabi staging the second match on Aug. 31.
All three Twenty20 matches will be played in Dubai, on Sept. 5, 7 and 10.
The ODIs will start at 6:00 p.m. local time to counter the extreme daytime heat in the UAE. The T20 games will begin at 8:00 p.m.
Pakistan have been forced to host their home matches at neutral venues since gunmen attacked a Sri Lanka team bus in a fatal assault on 2009.


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Bradley T. Sheares, the U.S. marketing chief of Merck & Co. Inc., has been replaced in a shake-up of the drugmaker's marketing division, the company said yesterday.
Sheares, based in Upper Gwynedd, Montgomery County, was succeeded by Adam Schechter, current general manager of Merck's joint venture with Schering-Plough Corp., said spokesman Raymond Kerins.
The shuffle at Merck U.S. Human Health came two months after chief executive Richard Clark installed a new global marketing chief, Peter Loescher, as part of a restructuring prompted largely by the Vioxx recall and litigation.