text:
It's Always The "Conservatives" … (Update)
It couldn't possibly be independents and libertarians objecting as well could it?
School districts from Maryland to Texas are fielding angry complaints from parents opposed to President Barack Obama's back-to-school address Tuesday – forcing districts to find ways to shield students from the speech as conservative opposition to Obama spills into the nation's classrooms.
The White House says Obama's address is a sort of pep talk for the nation's schoolchildren. But conservative commentators have criticized Obama for trying to "indoctrinate" students to his liberal beliefs, and some parents call it an improper mix of politics and education.
"The gist is, 'I want to see what the president has to say before you expose it to my child.' Another said, 'This is Marxist propaganda.' They are very hostile," said Patricia O'Neill, a Democrat who is vice president of the Montgomery County School Board, in a district that borders Washington, D.C. "I think it's disturbing that people don't want to hear the president, but we live in a diverse society."
The White House moved Thursday to quell the controversy. First it revised an Education Department lesson plan that drew the ire of conservatives because it called for students to write letters about how they can help the president.
One more time for the slow and stupid, i.e. the media – this is about a president presuming to speak directly to our children without our permission. It's not so much about the message, it's the presumption. To me that's a presumption which he has no right to make. If he wants to speak to the nation on national TV I, as an adult, have the ability to choose whether or not to watch him or instead a Braves' game. If he wants to talk about education and address children, I'll put mine in front of the TV if I think what he'll have to say is useful and necessary. That's a parent's job and a politician – any politician – presuming he is above such parental control or choice is just flat wrong.
As this was originally planned, although it appears some school districts are now going to provide an alternate activity for those who object, this was to be a captive audience forced to watch the message. Many parents, not just conservative parents, understand the ability for something like this to be abused. Again, it's not so much about the message as it is about the precedent.
Lastly, many of the objections haven't been focused on the speech but the fact that this is an organized event with a lesson plan that, until the outcry, had some portions where were obviously political. And that's the opinion of more than just conservatives (the White House dropped some of those more obvious portions from the lesson plan).
So to boil it down so even the media can figure it out – it isn't just conservatives objecting to this. More importantly, it's about the 3 "p's" – presumption, precedent and politics.
Oh, and concerning the tu quoque?
Obama isn't the first president to be criticized this way. O'Neill recalled President George H. W. Bush made televised address to students in October 1991 as campaign season was heating up. A handful of Democrats denounced Bush's address as pure politics. Bush asked students to "take control" of their education and to write him a letter about ways students could help him achieve his goals, strikingly similar to Obama's messages.
Yeah, that was wrong as well. Okay? This president as with any president has more than enough to do without presuming he's welcome to become the national daddy. Why don't we refrain from centralizing that too and concentrate on taking over another car company or something instead?
UPDATE: Speaking of outrage (and disengenuousness) – I have to ask, given this bit of outrage from the left (and speaking of tu quoque), would this line of reasoning have survived an attempt by George W. Bush to do the same thing?
More broadly, Obama is the leader of this entire nation. It doesn't matter if you voted for him–or even if your head threatens to explode every time you think about him. He is the president, and, as such, it's a big deal that he's speaking directly to students about the importance of education.
Just sayin'…
Townhall Protesters Winning Public Relations Battle
Despite being called "brownshirts", "un-American" and a "mob" of "astroturfers", a Rasmussen poll indicates the public believes the townhall protesters to be a genuine reflection of the concerns of their neighbors:
Forty-nine percent (49%) have a favorable opinion of those opposing the health care reforms at town hall meetings. That's up eight points from 41% a month ago. Thirty-five percent (35%) have an unfavorable view of the town hall protesters, unchanged from last month.
Fifty-nine percent (59%) now say the town hall protesters are citizens reflecting the concerns of their neighbors. That's up ten points over the past month.
Thirty percent (30%) believe the protests are phony efforts drummed up by special interest groups and lobbyists.
Those are phenomenal numbers – within a month, the favorables for the protesters move up 8% despite an organized effort to demonize them while those who see the protesters unfavorably remains both flat and in the minority.
Another encouraging sign is the fact that most of those polled think that Congress members ought to shut up and listen:
Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters nationwide say that it's more important for Congressmen to hear the view of their constituents rather than explain the proposed health care legislation. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 37% hold the opposite view while 7% are not sure.
The desire for Congress to listen may stem from the fact that voters believe they understand the legislation better than Congress.
Apparently Americans are in the mood to remind Congress members it is they who are the hired help and it is time they remembered it.
People ask, "what is the utility of a poll like that"? It is a temperature check, a mood indicator, a warning, if you will, that whatever is being contemplated by legislators and the president had best be checked against this trend. It isn't a favorable trend for what they want to do and the utility comes in realizing that an tailoring something which won't see them ushered unceremoniously out of office in a year or so.
Like, for instance, ramming something through that their constituents don't like, but the party base does. The point to be taken here is if the protesters are the tip of the iceberg and most feel they truly represent the feelings of their neighbors, what do you suppose might happen in November of 2010 if legislators disregard the very strong signals being sent?
The president's speech next Wednesday should be very interesting given these polling indicators. Will he continue to plow ahead trying to force a square peg in a round hole (and pay the political consequences) or will he bow to political reality and radically modify and shrink his goals for health
care insurance reform?
Breaking: Van Jones A Remarkably Bad Liar
Perhaps indicating why he has never been a politician, Van Jones lays a whopper on the American public (my emphasis):
A top environmental official of the Obama administration issued a statement Thursday apologizing for past incendiary statement and denying that he ever agreed with a 2004 petition on which his name appears, a petition calling for congressional hearings and an investigation by the New York Attorney General into "evidence that suggests high-level government officials may have deliberately allowed the September 11th attacks to occur."
Van Jones, the Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, is Number 46 of the petitioners from the so-called "Truther" movement which suggests that people in the administration of President George W. Bush "may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war."
In a statement issued Thursday evening Jones said of "the petition that was circulated today, I do not agree with this statement and it certainly does not reflect my views now or ever."
He did not explain how his name came to be on the petition. A source said Jones did not carefully review the language in the petition before agreeing to add his name.
Jones' statements are so laughable that one could be forgiven for thinking that this is a parody from The Onion (it's not; I checked the URL … twice).
He and the Obama administration are really expecting us to believe that Jones didn't know what he was signing? That just begs the question, what did he think it was? Why did Truther group come to him for a signature in the first place? What made them think he would sign it? Did they know of Jones' apparent disdain for reading what he puts his name on and figure he would offer up his John Hancock without any issue? Or did they, being composed of several other statist weirdos (Cynthia McKinney, Howard Zinn), activists (Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans of Code Pink), and radicals (Ed Asner, Ralph Nader), know full well that Jones would happily sign the petition because it fits in with his own radical views?
Don't expect any answers to these questions to be forthcoming.
At this point, the White House isn't answering any of these questions, but they will have a difficult time sticking with the "I didn't read it" defense for very long. To be sure, lots of excuses will be offered up by the media in an attempt to provide cover for Obama's administration, but this isn't a story that can just go quietly away. They tried to do that with Rev. Wright, but the buzz from non-MSM sources kept it alive until Obama was forced to throw Wright under the bus (with his own grandma!). Expect the same here.
Hey Children, What's That Sound …
Nope, not another post about the kiddie speech. Instead the title is from an old protest song from the '60s (by Buffalo Springfield I believe). The sound is the sound of real, honest to goodness change being driven by government excess – not the veneer of change pushed by a certain candidate in the last election.
Daniel Henninger writes about it today in the WSJ. He sees it happening everywhere (he uses Japan as an example) and he believes it all pretty much boils down to this:
No matter the ideological cast of these governments, they all hold in common one policy: the inexorable upward march of national indebtedness. It has arrived at the edge of the cliff.
It is the point the liberal left in this country still doesn't understand. The looters have finally been noticed by looted and the looted aren't at all happy.
That's it. That's the problem. And that's why there's so much unrest.
As measured by the OECD, the growth in gross debt as a percentage of GDP since the dawn of the new century is stunning. The data isn't exactly comparable across individual countries, but the trend line is unmistakable.
In the U.S., debt as a percentage of GDP rose to 87% in 2009 from 55% in 2000. In the U.K., to 75% from 45%; Germany, to 78% from 60%; France, 86% from 66%. There are exceptions to this trend, such as Canada, New Zealand and notably Australia, whose debt has fallen to 16% of GDP from 25%. But for all the countries in the OECD's basket the claim of indebtedness on GDP grew to 92% from 69% the past nine years.
In short, the lumpen electorate works, and the lumpen bureaucratariat spends. They get away with it because they have perfected the illusion that no human hand causes these commitments. The payroll tax just happens. Entitlements are "off-budget," presumably in the hands of God. This is government without the responsibility of governance.
Unable to identify who or what has put them in hock to the horizon, national electorates are attempting accountability by voting whole parties out of power.
That, among other reasons, is why the Republicans are out of power. And, if the Democrats continue down the path they've charted, is why the Republicans may find themselves back it power. And it wouldn't at all surprise me, given the gawd-awful track record of the Republicans, that they too will misinterpret their reinstatement and be gone again in 2 years.
It is about the size, cost and intrusiveness of government, stupid!
The "lumpen electorate" has finally had enough. They want to keep what they earn. They want less government. But that's an anathema to politicians who have built whole lives and careers on providing more government. It's like an addiction – they can't stop what they're doing or how they're doing it.
And, unfortunately, even though the masses seem unhappy with the size and cost of government, they too are addicted to a certain level of government. They too have an addiction to break.
The question, of course, as far as libertarians are concerned, is how these two addictions can be addressed and overcome so that government's size and cost can be scaled back to a proper and legitimate size? And where are the leaders to do this?
Until they emerge – and there is nothing to say they will – this cycle of unrest which sees the swapping out of political parties will continue. But you have to believe that at some point, the disenchantment with the current political regime (and both parties make up that regime) will come to a flash point. What that flash point will entail – the range of possibilities is vast – is anyone's guess.
When it is reached, politics and government as we know it now, will change forever. I cautiously believe we're moving in that direction. When and where are anyone's to guess, but I'm beginning to believe we've moved beyond "if" and have a "when" in our future. Or at least I hope so – because it seems obvious that we need some very drastic changes in direction.
What we've got to work toward is a change that emphasizes freedom and enhances liberty. And that isn't by any means the only possibility such change would bring.
The old Chinese curse seems to be in full bloom right now – "May you live in interesting times". I can't think of times, during my life, that have been any more interesting.
Leadership And Afghanistan
Yes, I'm again addressing presidential leadership, or the lack thereof. While it appears that President Obama has finally decided he has to "step up" in the health care insurance reform debate, he's seems to be AWOL in that department concerning Afghanistan. Abu Muqawama lays it out pretty succinctly:
I do not think it would surprise any reader of this blog, though, to note the speed with which the debate has shifted on the war in Afghanistan. What was, 12 months ago, "the good war" has now become, for paleoconservatives and progressives alike, a fool's errand. And the Obama Administration has thus far shown little energy for defending a policy and strategic goals (.pdf) they themselves arrived at just five months ago. I thought that once the president had settled on a policy and strategic aims, the rest of the administration would then go about executing that policy. That's the way it's supposed to work, right? Yet the policy debate seems to continue within the White House, with the Office of the Vice President apparently pushing for a much more limited approach than what was articulated in March by the president himself and following a lengthy policy review. No wonder, then, the uniformed military is getting nervous about the administration's support for their war. Either the White House has been too busy with health care, or they have failed to notice how quickly the debate has shifted under their feet (as with health care).
Of course the assumptions Abu makes in his paragraph above are only valid if there's someone in charge and leading the effort. A decision was supposedly made in March, in terms of policy and goals, and the assumption was made it would be executed. But apparently that's not the case. And, as in the case of health
care insurance reform, the evident lack of leadership has caused there to be a noticeable shift in the debate and a tremendous drop in support for the war effort. Again, a major policy issue is left to twist in the wind for lack of a leader.
Abu Muqawama, obviously recognizing this problem, throws out a solution:
What needs to happen? Well, first off, I guess we should decide what we're trying to do in Afghanistan. (Again, when we set about reviewing ISAF operations in June and July, we thought this question had already been resolved in March.) Once that question is settled, the administration needs to go about defending and explaining their policy. Until then, it's understandable why everyone from voters in Peoria to Mullah Omar in Afghanistan (?) are confused as to what, exactly, U.S. policy is at the moment.
This is a very critical issue that needs to be resolved now. That means the Commander-in-Chief needs to act like one and do what is necessary to resolve this policy issue. He needs to make a decision, give guidance to the proper agencies which directs them in how he wants his decision implemented and, finally, take responsibility for the war.
As a certain someone is learning, governing and actually leading is much harder than standing off to the side and tossing bricks while regaling everyone with how much better you could do the job. Thus far, the job performance has been anything but impressive.
Those Who Refuse To Learn From History …
As the president gears up for a new push to pass health
care insurance reform with a "major speech" to a joint session of Congress this coming Wednesday, it's always instructive to peek in periodically at a system that is the practical end state he's claimed he's always wanted – the single payer system.
Today, as usual, we take a look at the National Health Service in the UK.
In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, a group of experts who care for the terminally ill claim that some patients are being wrongly judged as close to death.
Under NHS guidance introduced across England to help doctors and medical staff deal with dying patients, they can then have fluid and drugs withdrawn and many are put on continuous sedation until they pass away.
What's the criticism of the insurance industry? That a bureaucrat somewhere is making a life or death decision, correct? Of course that's precisely the same thing that happens in a single-payer system, except it is a government bureaucrat making the decision.
In an insurance system, what are your choices? Appeal. Or tell them to stuff it and pay for the care yourself. But in such a system it is highly unlikely that any insurance company is going to try to issue "guidance" to doctors telling medical staff how to deal with dying patients like what the NHS has done. They wouldn't presume to do it (and if they did, the option is to find an insurance carrier that doesn't).
However, when it's a single payer system and, as in the case of the UK, everyone works for government, such as the UK, then such guidance is completely within reason given the system. After all the basic presumption of such a system is that, in fact, bureaucrats do have a right to call the shots.
The scheme, called the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP), was designed to reduce patient suffering in their final hours.
Developed by Marie Curie, the cancer charity, in a Liverpool hospice it was initially developed for cancer patients but now includes other life threatening conditions.
It was recommended as a model by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), the Government's health scrutiny body, in 2004
And there is no appeal as there's really no one else to whom you can go.
A number of doctors there are concerned about the guidance. Dr Peter Hargreaves, a consultant in Palliative Medicine at St Luke's cancer centre in Guildford, is one of them:
He added that some patients were being "wrongly" put on the pathway, which created a "self-fulfilling prophecy" that they would die.
He said: "I have been practising palliative medicine for more than 20 years and I am getting more concerned about this "death pathway" that is coming in.
"It is supposed to let people die with dignity but it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"Patients who are allowed to become dehydrated and then become confused can be wrongly put on this pathway."
He added: "What they are trying to do is stop people being overtreated as they are dying.
"It is a very laudable idea. But the concern is that it is tick box medicine that stops people thinking."
He said that he had personally taken patients off the pathway who went on to live for "significant" amounts of time and warned that many doctors were not checking the progress of patients enough to notice improvement in their condition.
The key of course, and the reason for the "pathway" is contained in the second sentence I've put in bold – "overtreated". Code for spending money on someone in the last stages of life. Obviously, it is much cheaper to put them in a drug induced coma and let them die than it is to attempt to keep them alive. Hargreaves sees that as a "self-fulfilling" process, where patients who would actually respond to more care and live "significant" amounts of time longer are condemned to death in an uncaring system more concerned about cost than life.
From the beginning one of the primary targets of health
care insurance reform has been cost. The claim is that government can help lower those costs. The further claim is it can do it by introducing "competition" into the system. But there's little in the proposals that anyone can find that actually does that. Instead it appears to most that things like the "public option" are actually designed to move us toward the eventuality of a single-payer system. The NHS provides us almost weekly examples of the cost containment strategies it implements in which extending life takes second place to cutting cost.
If cutting cost is the top priority of a system, any system, those are the types of decisions someone is going to be making. Most likely, if the patient isn't involved in paying for the service, it isn't going to be the patient or his family making them. It is going to be some bureaucrat with a budget line busily engaged in the priority of "cutting cost" making the decision.
Why Obama's Kiddie Speech Is "Creepy"
In all honesty, I don't have a big problem with Obama's impending speech, primarily for tactical reasons. If he gives the speech that the right is worrying about (i.e. indoctrination towards his policy preferences such as universal health care, cap and trade, etc.) then his political world will crumble. Obama is smart enough to realize this. And I, as I expect are most American parents, am vigilant enough not to let such a message get too far with my kids. However, it's the fact that any of us have to be on guard to such a speech that makes it creepy. Well, that and the President's track record of seeking to use children to advance his own goals.
However, there is a current of thought that thinks it's hypocritical to challenge Obama's address to the nation's children while ignoring others:
All this over a video address to kids telling them to stay in school.
I've got to wonder how these people felt twenty years ago when a Republican did it:
President Bush pleaded with young people around the nation today to stop using drugs and "not to look the other way" when others do.
In a 15-minute nationally televised plea from the White House library, the President presented the latest round of an anti-drug campaign that began a week ago with another nationally broadcast message announcing a $7.9 billion package.
In the speech, Mr. Bush said that saying no to drugs "won't make you a nerd."
"Presidents don't often get the chance to talk directly to students," Mr. Bush said. "So today, for each of you sitting in a classroom or assembly hall, this message goes straight to you.
"Most of you are doing the right thing. But for those of you who let drugs make their decisions for them, you can almost hear the doors slamming shut."
Equating drugs with death and displaying the badge of a slain 22-year-old rookie policeman, Mr. Bush said, "I keep this badge in a drawer in my desk to remind me of that."
Yea, I'm guessing they were pretty quiet back then when Bush 41 was advancing his ideological agenda and fighting the War On (Some) Drugs.
While I understand Doug's disaffection with the Republican Party and its die-hard adherents (with good reason), I really don't understand this line of attack. Is it really the same thing for a president to encourage kids to stay off of drugs as it is for a president to encourage school children to contemplate the many ways that they can fulfill the government's wishes?
When Bush 41 was delivering his speech to the nation's youth, he was at least spreading a message that had individual importance. There's no question that avoiding recreational drugs is healthy way to live one's life. It doesn't justify the War on (Some) Drugs, but it's not necessarily a message advocating fealty to government authority. In fact, the quotes above speak more to individual responsibility rather than respecting the president's wishes: i.e eschewing drugs won't make you a nerd, don't let drugs make your decision for you, etc.
Again, I'm not trying to condone the destructive policy pursued by the federal government with respect to certain drugs. But when a president encourages our children to stay off them, I'm hard pressed to see that as some sort of intrusion into the realm of the parent or individual, much less a blatant call for nation's kids to ponder what it is they can do to further the president's goals.
Therein lies the rub.
President Obama has already shown that he's not above using children to advance his political agenda, so it's not surprising that those opposed to his aims would be a bit skeptical of his speech. Adding to the wariness is the fact that he only seems to make these speeches when he needs help with bolstering his political capital (e.g. the "race speech" after Jeremiah Wright blew up in his face). After the battering his health
care insurance reform plans took in August, it almost seems too convenient that he would suddenly want to address all the school kids in the nation, right about when he's planning to try and save the one program he truly wants to enact.
On top of all these legitimate worries is the fact that Obama's administration has prepared lesson plans for the kiddies to absorb in the afterglow. Surely it's not the first time that a president has done so, but have any other post-speech plans been so blatantly pro-subservience? I mean, look at these suggested lessons:
What do you think the President wants us to do?
Does the speech make you want to do anything?
Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?
What, no questions such as "do you agree with the President's position? Why/Why not?" Or how about, "Why should you do anything the President says?", or "What are the pros and cons of the President's proposals?"
Some of these wouldn't make any sense if all Obama is going to do is encourage kids to stay in school and try theor best. But, then again, neither do the administration's lesson plans. Nor the fact that Obama intends to do a live address rather than a taped PSA of some sort. All of which, again, provides plenty of reason to be skeptical of Obama's speech.
In light of all the above, and regardless of whether anyone is being hypocritical or not, shouldn't we all be a bit skeptical when the President of the United States decides to address our children when, at the same time, he is politically vulnerable and seeking some means of righting his listing ship? Maybe Republicans who are complaining now should have had more to say 20 years ago (if they were even politically aware back then), but that doesn't mean they are wrong now. Charging hypocrisy does not negate the potential ill that may result from being less vigilant to government indoctrination. It only make that ill more possible
Big Brother Has Such A Nice Smile!
Is anyone else even slightly creeped out by this upcoming presidential address to our kids and grandkids?
Maybe its just me but there's something just not quite right about it all. Oh, I suspect he'll be very careful about what he has to say and probably keep it pretty general in tone and nature. But there's just something about a politician addressing young children without an alternate or dissenting voice that smacks of, oh I don't know, some novel I read years and years ago.
In fact, I'm pretty sure they made a movie of that book.
You know, it's one thing for a teacher to use a politician's words or deeds in class as an example of some point they're trying to make in a lesson. But it is quite another to have a captive audience with no choice as to whether they listen or watch sitting in front of TVs because a politician decided that would be a good idea.
Maybe it's my cynical nature that's coming to the fore. Who knows, this may be nothing but a "hey youngsters, good luck in school and try to do your best" speech. But then I wonder why, if that's so, he assumes the right to make such a speech best left to moms and dads. Of course he did tell us this week to make sure we wash our hands, sneeze in our sleeve and stay home if we're sick. So addressing real children after treating us all like children isn't a real stretch.
The real reason there's a growing creep factor to all of this is that not only does he presume to have the right to address our kids, his speech has a lesson plan. It's one thing to have a politician give a speech and everyone go, "ok, that's nice" and get back to work. But it is entirely creepy when that politician has a lesson plan sent out to accompany the speech. For the pre-K to 6th grade group the plan suggests pre-speech questions like: "Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?"
Now that doesn't tend to border on indoctrination or anything does it? "Obey you young skulls full of mush. Elected officials are good. Listen to them. Question authority? Not till you get to the 7th grade."
7th – 12th graders get a little more sophisticated lesson plan than do the little guys. And guess who it is all about?
Short readings. Notable quotes excerpted (and posted in large print on board) from President Obama's speeches about education. Teacher might ask students to think alone, compare ideas with a partner, and share their collaborations with the class (Think/Pair/Share) about the following: What are our interpretations of these excerpts? Based on these excerpts, what can we infer the President believes is important to be successful educationally?
Yeah, you see, this seems to be more than "hey youngsters, good luck in school and try to do your best", doesn't it?
After the speech, the 7-12 crew will have a "guided discussion" in which questions like, "What is President Obama inspiring you to do? What is he challenging you to do?", will be pondered.
And the poor little tykes in preK to 6 (preK?)? Well they get the full cult of personality treatment:
Students could discuss their responses to the following questions:
What do you think the President wants us to do?
Does the speech make you want to do anything?
Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?
What would you like to tell the President?
Boy, you know what I'd like to tell the President if I was in one of those classes?
Leave our freakin' kids alone. And don't ever assume you have either the right or privilege of addressing them about anything ever again without our permission.
But, you know, that'd probably be some sort of overreaction or something. After all, I'm sure his intentions are sweet and pure and good and he only want's to be our national daddy. And anyway, I don't even have a lesson plan.
The Iranian Answer To "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques"
Iran, as we all know, is a theocracy. That means Islamic law and thus Islamic clerics, have great influence. One of the clerics which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regularly consults, has recently laid out the Iranian version of "enhanced interrogation techniques". It is rather revealing, both about the mentality of those that we're fighting (and make no mistake, we're engaged in a war with Iran, even if only through surrogates) and the religion they claim.
It appears, at least in the version of Shi'a Islam this cleric claims, that the use of rape, torture and drugs are perfectly permissible for use against enemies of that state – after ritual washing and proper prayers, of course.
"Can an interrogator rape the prisoner in order to obtain a confession?" was the follow-up question posed to the Islamic cleric.
Mesbah-Yazdi answered: "The necessary precaution is for the interrogator to perform a ritual washing first and say prayers while raping the prisoner. If the prisoner is female, it is permissible to rape through the vagina or anus. It is better not to have a witness present. If it is a male prisoner, then it's acceptable for someone else to watch while the rape is committed."
Lovely – religiously sanctioned rape and sodomy. And, of course in the case of Iran, that means state sanctioned rape.
These questions were apparently raised after allegations of rape surfaced in connection with election protesters the regime had jailed. Oh, and you'll love this little disclaimer:
This reply, and reports of the rape of teen male prisoners in Iranian jails, may have prompted the following question: "Is the rape of men and young boys considered sodomy?"
Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi: "No, because it is not consensual. Of course, if the prisoner is aroused and enjoys the rape, then caution must be taken not to repeat the rape."
Because we certainly wouldn't want anyone enjoying it – no word about what they're supposed to do if the rapist enjoys it. Rinse and repeat, I suppose.
As for women?
A related issue, in the eyes of the questioners, was the rape of virgin female prisoners. In this instance, Mesbah-Yazdi went beyond the permissibility issue and described the Allah-sanctioned rewards accorded the rapist-in-the-name-of-Islam:
"If the judgment for the [female] prisoner is execution, then rape before execution brings the interrogator a spiritual reward equivalent to making the mandated Haj pilgrimage [to Mecca], but if there is no execution decreed, then the reward would be equivalent to making a pilgrimage to [the Shi'ite holy city of] Karbala."
What a job description – a "rapist-in-the-name-of-Islam" who, while committing what any other civilized country would consider a heinous crime punishable by life behind bars is promised "Allah sanctioned" pilgrimage equivalents, depending on the status of his helpless prisoner. Always a nice bonus to get your Haj credits while performing such a valuable service for the state.
As we rip ourselves apart debating the cruelty of blowing second-hand cigar smoke in the face of a detainee caught trying to kill Americans, consider what our adversaries gladly reveal about their own moral code. That's not to condone or rationalize torture by our side. It is instead to provide a reality check for those who need it.
Iranians love to tell the world how they are one of the world's oldest civilizations and will expound at length about the contributions their civilization has made to the rest of the world. While it's true that Persia has indeed make a number of outstanding contributions over the centuries, modern Iran is a religiously warped and perverted state which apparently regularly churns out religious leaders such as this whack job. The problem is he's not hidden away in some mental hospital jibbering only to some health care professional who shakes his head in amazement before quietly closing the door of his cell and leaving him there alone until the next session.
Instead he's an adviser to the President of the country and what he says is being acted upon throughout the prisons and jails of Iran. What a miserable, awful place. It is hard to imagine living in a country in which religious leaders not only condone but encourage and incentivize the behavior you read about above, isn't it?
For you lovers of the state, this is a cautionary tale – anything can be made legal, as demonstrated above. And, as a wise man once said, "the state is coercion". The combination, unfortunately, can, and does, bring exactly what Iran now suffers.
Independents Disapprove Of Obama's Job Performance
At least in the domestic realm. Those are the latest poll results tracking the president's job performance approval by CNN/Opinion Research Corp.
Obama retains majority support on foreign affairs at this point (although I don't expect that to remain favorable for long), but a majority of independents, the key to his electoral victory last year, are not at all impressed with this performance domestically:
Fifty-three percent of independents questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday say they disapprove of how Obama's handling his duties in the White House, with 43 percent in approval. That result marks the first time in a CNN poll that a majority of independents give the president's performance a thumbs-down.
Here's the key line in the article:
"Obama won a majority of the vote among independents last year, and that helped put him in the White House," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Losing their support makes it more difficult for Obama to govern from the center."
So that leads the question, "how does Obama recapture this key electoral demographic"? The obvious answer is by moving toward the center. But if he does that he'll have to scrap the more controversial parts of his health
care insurance reform bill and there'll be hell to pay with his base.
But it is even more complicated than that.
Is the fight over health care responsible for the downturn in Obama's numbers?
"Yes, in part, but his standing on some other issues has taken an even bigger tumble," adds Holland. "Among all Americans, his rating on health care has dropped 13 points since March. Compare that to his 16 point drop on the deficit and 17 point dip on taxes and it looks like there is growing discontent with Obama's overall domestic agenda — not just his health care policy."
Again, emphasis on the point the left seems incapable of grasping – independents disapprove of the whole domestic agenda – health
care insurance reform is only the flash point.
So coming up with a new bill aimed at the health care issue, even if more acceptable than what is presently being proposed isn't going to necessarily change the approval rating or bring independents back into the Obama (and Democratic) fold.
As an aside, this is interesting as well:
The survey also indicates that 37 percent of Americans think the media has treated Obama fairly, down 18 points from February. One in four say the media has been too critical of the president, up seven points from February and 36 percent say the media has not been critical enough, up 10 points.
If you add the 37% who think the media has treated Obama fairly, with the 18% who've dropped out of that category you just about have the percentage of the vote which elected Obama. My guess is that 37% that think he been treated fairly are mostly the independents he and the Democrats have been losing over the past few months.
Back to the topic – it is fish or cut bait time for Obama and the health care debate is where he'll finally have to show his true colors. Is he going to try to woo the independents back by proposing moderate reforms and attempting to move back toward the center? Or will he double down, push the controversial portions of the legislation his base demands and all but declare his liberal colors? He's not going to be able to please both his base and independents. So he's going to have to make a decision and make it soon – look for his "major speech" on health care to be that decision point.


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#80 to #65 - ivoryhammer (10/29/2013) [-]
#82 to #81 - ivoryhammer (10/29/2013) [-]
Play 6, it blows 7 out of the water.
#84 to #83 - ivoryhammer (10/29/2013) [-]
4 and 6 are the best ones, I hate 7, 8 and 9 are good, and I hated 10.
#85 to #84 - aleeyam (10/29/2013) [-]
why do you hate 7? i mean, Sephiroth is a bad antagonist, and Aertith death (and the character in general) didn't touche me in any way, but Cloud and the OST are very cool points to the game IMO. Also, i'm a huge fan of the live stream theory (if it exists in real life or not, i believe in that ****). But i must say, 4 is the best (even if none dies in the end, aside from Tellah and Edward's GF, dr.whocrying.gif)
#86 to #85 - ivoryhammer (10/29/2013) [-]
It just wasn't a fun experience, I didn't like any of the characters except Tifa, the story didn't get me invested, the graphics looked bad, even for PS1, it felt like a huge drop from the quality of Final Fantasy 6.
#88 to #87 - ivoryhammer
Reply +1(10/29/2013) [-]
Oh yeah, it's Uematsu's best work hands down, even he says it is.

subset: commoncrawl


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Navistar CEO's Compensation Rose By 27% in 2010By Bob Tita, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRESCHICAGO -(Dow Jones)- Navistar International Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Daniel Ustian's total compensation for fiscal year 2010 rose 27%, reflecting improved market conditions for the commercial truck and engine maker. Ustian's base salary, incentive pay, executive perks and awards of stock and options totaled $8.43 million for the year ended Oct. 31, compared with $6.64 million the year before, according to a regulatory filing late Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The cash portion of Ustian's compensation rose 32%, as a result of a $1.94 million bonus given to him in recognition of managerial decisions and strategic initiatives "to develop a business model that provides profitability at the bottom of the business cycle." The Navistar board specifically credited Ustian for creating the company's military truck business in 2004. Navistar hadn't built vehicles for the U.S. military since Korean War. But revenue from military trucks, which reached $3.9 billion in 2008, helped the company withstand a severe drop in commercial trucks sales in recent years. The board also alluded to Ustian's leadership on resolving protracted disputes with suppliers and guiding the company through the termination of an engine-supply contract last year with Ford Motor Co. (F). The company had provided diesel engines for Ford pickup trucks since the 1980s. Ustian, 60, has headed the Warrenville, Ill., company since 2003. For the year ended Oct. 31, the Illinois based company earned $223 million, or $3.11 a share, compared with $320 million, or $4.46 a share in fiscal 2009. Last year's results benefited from a one-time gain from the end of the Ford engine contract. Overall revenue in fiscal 2010 rose 5%, to $12.1 billion. The company expects demand for trucks in fiscal 2011 to strengthen from rising freight volumes in an improving U.S. economy. Ustian's equity awards were worth $3.31 million on the day they were granted, up from $2.77 million a year earlier. Navistar's stock price has climbed nearly 50% since January. The value of Ustian's deferred pension benefits, which wasn't included in his annual compensation calculation, increased to $1.04 million from $883,752 the year before. Navistar's stock ended Wednesday's regular trading session down 3.38%, or $2, at $57.17 a share. -By Bob Tita, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4129; firstname.lastname@example.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires 12-22-102129ET Copyright (c) 2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/company-news-story.aspx?storyid=201012222129dowjonesdjonline000518&title=navistar-ceos-compensation-rose-by-27-in-2010#ixzz19c6cr57g
Yeah but at least the stock has done well. The guy over at Sprint made a LOT more and look at them.Yeah it's high but this sector is in a good recovery with Paccar and Cummins as well.Things could be a LOT worse.You could have invested in EK...LOL
Things could be a lot BETTER too.
Have you stock holders thought that there must be collusion between the B of D's and upper mgt. The out rageous salary and benefits paid to upper mgt and board members are unjust. CEO's and other mgt receive up to 2,000 times the entry salary of employees. Remember, this waste drastically cuts into the amt of dividends paid. Wake up stock holders.
Navistar doesn't pay dividends and hasn't for decades, well before Dan's tenure as CEO began.


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You're probably chomping at the bit to start writing a script, right? But before we do that, let me show you a script. There are two basic types of script templates that you work with inside story, film scripts and TV scripts, and we're going to focus on film scripts in this course because they're the most common. So let's just take a look at a film script. To do that I want to import a film script. Here we are inside the Test project. When you are inside the Project view here and inside a particular Project and then you have access to this button here Import. Click on that. You can see all the Supported Script types here, see that there is a Story Document-- which is an Adobe Story Document--so you expect that, and the Story Interchange Format also from Adobe Story, but down below you've got Final Draft.
Final Draft is a company that makes a product called Final Draft, then Movie Magic, which comes from a company called Movie Magic-- Movie Magic Scriptwriter or Screenwriter, then you can have a PDF or Microsoft Word. And Microsoft Word probably is the most commonly used scriptwriting tool. And then Final Draft is probably next, then Movie Magic follows that, and then you can put just but anything in a PDF file. So we are providing a Final Draft Script here, there it is this is created inside Final Draft, so just double-click on that or click on it and click on Open, that will import that script.
Okay, here's that script, and it is laid out in a typical film script template format. There are few little gotchas along the way, which we're going to fix when we edit this script, but for now it pretty much matches the typical film script template. Let's just take a look at it. Every scene starts off with an Exterior or Interior or both, it will be EXT., like that, or INT. or IO. then a period. There has to be a period after that indicates, okay, that's the Exterior, Interior. The next thing is the SET followed by the time of day. That is typically how each scene is set up, and down below there might be action--basically describes the scene.
Here is the character name in all uppercase. That's not necessary to put that in the action here. Story will identify characters. It'll look for non-speaking characters when you have a description like this to tell you later to make sure you've got the character there, even though it's not going to say anything in this particular scene. So there you go. It's just the description, typical scene setup. Let's scroll down a little bit more here. Here is another scene. It says INT., meaning Interior. That's the SET, that's the time of day. Now there is plus here, because it says this SET, ARCHITECTURAL CREATIVE COMMONS is not in your SetList, BEACH is in our SetList, the time of day is in our SetList, that's fine.
But here this guy is not. So one of the cool things about story is that you have a SetList already, but story doesn't recognize this one, then you can add it. So I'm going to click on this little plus sign there, that adds it to our SetList. We're going to take a look at it now, there is our set BEACH, LIVING ROOM, and PARK, plus this one now has been added to it. That's good, click that OK, that plus sign goes away now. Then here is another description, another action description, and down below it says REPORTER (V.O.). First of all, REPORTER is a new character, so you get the plus sign there. So I click on that, that's going to add REPORTER to our CharacterList, and here we go, we have REPORTER now, all uppercase there, okay? And V.O. means Voice Over, means that the REPORTER is actually not on the scene, not even going to be on camera. It is just someplace else, maybe a telephone call, something like that, and you hear the reporter's voice.
Here is another new character again, Voice Over, so you don't see the character. The character won't be on scene. I am guessing that the script, that it really didn't intend to have this person completely out of the scene and just hearing voices, probably meant that he is off camera, but we'll let that stay there for the time being and maybe work on it later, and we can add JOSEPH to our list, or not. We'll just let it go for now. Let's scroll down a bit farther. You see the CONT'D means Continued. What that means is this character was talking, this little description here, then the character continued, so you need to include that there to remind people that this is the same person who was just talking moments ago. There was nobody else interrupting him between there.
MORE means that if the character is going to continue reading to the next page, so let's put it automatically. We have a page break. Now you may say, you know, you want to just drop this down to the next page and put a page break here. Well, one of the really cool things about this layout with this font size and the width of the dialog and things like that is that there is a rule of thumb when you do scriptwriting using a film template like this, that basically one page of dialog and description equals one minute of finished screen time. So you can see the number of pages in the script. If it's 100 pages long, it should be about 100 minutes long, meaning an hour and 40 minutes.
So it's kind of a rule of thumb, ball park figure to help you decide how long your project is going to be. That's why they don't put in big spaces here at the bottom. They want to make sure it continues like this so you can really estimate the time. That's also useful when using the production tools here inside Story, because Story then looks at the lengths of the scripts and then sets your production time and schedules based upon the number of pages in your script. It's a very slick little feature. So we have VOICE OVER and CONT'D, an extra one there, so we'd edit that out. Another plus sign here for MR. DALTON, a new character, click on him, I'll add MR. DALTON as a character, we have a LIST there, there is MR. DALTON.
This time it's lower case there, even though it's upper case over here, but that's the way it's supposed to be. So close that down, scrolling down a little bit more, I'm going to go down to Page 7 here. I'm going to show you a parenthetical comment as I go along. Sometimes you give some kind of parenthetical comment to say something about how the character is feeling, so if I scroll down, eventually we are going to run across parenthetical comments. There is the (speaker phone), so it's indicating that he is on the speaker phone. That's a parenthetical comment, we know it's part of the action. O.S. means Off Screen.
Off Screen means you don't see them. Let's scroll down further here, and there are standard things inside scriptwriting. I'll go to Page 7 here. Let's see here. Here is a little mistake, it says EXT. AFTERNOON. You put the time at the end, not ahead of the SET, and so if I click this little plus sign, it's going to add a SET named AFTERNOON, so this is something we need to fix later, but it's important that you follow the templates. I'll click that for now and look at the SetList, and now we have SET called AFTERNOON-BEACHFLASHBACK.
So we're going to want to edit this, so that we don't have AFTERNOON appear first. We want it to come after, so I am going to click on that and say Delete, Yes. So I think you can see how scripts are laid out. We're going to use this film template to create a script in another movie.
- Explaining the Story Plus workflow
- Differentiating between Story Plus and Story Free
- Creating character and set lists
- Viewing and editing scripts
- Adding comments to scripts
- Creating schedules
- Exporting scripts
- Attaching scripts to clips in Premiere Pro
- Using speech analysis in Premiere Pro


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Managing Your Requirements 101 – A Refresher Part 3: Why base line your requirements?
VijaySankar Tags: requirements-management requirements-analysis requirements baselines rational 15,127 Views
Note: This is the third post in our series of Managing Your Requirements 101. Read the first two posts here - What is requirements management and why is it important? How to write good requirements and types of requirements U sually...
from Blog: Requirements Management BlogModified on by VijaySankar


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MISSING BABY -- Detectives Briscoe and Logan become suspicious of a man who reports his infant daugther missing. When the child turns up dead in an ice cooler, ADAs Kincaid and McCoy try to prove the mother was a victim of Munchausen by proxy.


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Foodservice Equipment Repair & Maintenance offers care and maintenance tips for foodservice equipment to help foodservice professionals extend the service life of equipment as well as guidelines for disposing and replacing units.
Soft-serve equipment holds product in a frozen state for long periods of time until portions are dispensed.
Proper servicing of foodservice equipment can be a very demanding and rewarding proposition for both the service agent and the operator.
CFESA's 11-point checklist shows foodservice operators what to look for when identifying possible service needs.
Almost any kind of foodservice operation can use a commercial disposer to process food waste. By specifying disposers, operators can reduce garbage odors, which can attract insects and vermin to dumpsters, and these systems also can decrease the amount of overall waste, which will help lower hauling costs.
Grills and griddles come in a variety of sizes and types that are geared for a wide range of menu items. Operators need to carefully weigh their options when specifying these units.
Griddle and grill maintenance is important from a safety standpoint, since grease build up represents a significant fire hazard. As a result, foodservice staff and service agents should perform a number of regular tasks to keep these units in safe operating condition.
When properly maintained, grills and griddles can last 10 years or more. However, here are four issues that indicate replacement may be necessary.
Service agents offer 12 tips to help keep warewashers running.
Due to the high use of these units, proper maintenance is critical to prolonging the life of a refrigerated prep table. Here are five tasks that foodservice operators should regularly perform to keep these units operating at peak performance.
Refrigerated prep tables are used to prepare and store ingredients for menu items and are a key piece of equipment for production.
When taken care of properly, refrigerated prep tables can provide many years of service. Yet, there are signs that may indicate the unit has reached the end of its service life.


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Mark your calendars and come help us celebration the 10 year anniversary of the PIsmo Beach Kite and SUP Expo!Read More »
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Lesson Fundraiser for KinsleyThomasWong of Xtreme Big Air
To keep the support coming so Kinsley can recover as quickly as possible, James is making a contribution to the KINSLEY THOMAS WONG DONATION FUND by being the instructor for Xtreme Big Air this season. Half of every lesson will go straight to Kinsley's Fund.Read More »
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Support Website Set Up for Local Extreme Sportsman Involved in Kiteboarding Incident On Thursday, July 15, 2010, Kinsley ThomasWong of Xtreme Big Air in San Luis Obispo County, CA, was enjoying one of his favorite sports, kiteboarding. A wind gust ...Read More »
Kinsley Wong Update 7/18/2010
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Skip to comments.Biden: Chance of filibuster on Alito stronger
Posted on 11/20/2005 10:16:45 AM PST by GeneD
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chance of a filibuster to halt the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Samuel Alito rose on news he once opposed 1960s Supreme Court rulings on reapportionment based on the principle of equal voting rights, a top Democrat on the Senate judiciary panel said on Sunday.
Sen. Joseph Biden, a Democrat from Delaware, told Fox News Sunday that a decision by Democrats to filibuster would depend largely on Alito's answers during judiciary committee questioning scheduled for January.
Prior to the Warren court's decisions, some state legislators were elected on a geographical basis, giving thinly populated rural areas more political heft than urban centers.
"If he really believes that reapportionment is a questionable decision -- that is, the idea of Baker vs. Carr, one man, one vote -- then clearly, clearly, you'll find a lot of people, including me, willing to do whatever they can to keep him off the court. We don't know that. We have to hear it," Biden said. "That would include a filibuster if need be."
Asked if this increased the chances of a filibuster, Biden said: "Well, I think based upon that job application where he said he strongly held these views, yes."
Why, I remember when ol' Plugs, and sKerrry, and even Algore were just a bunch of yappy young pups back in the Reagan years. Dangerously ambitious young men to be sure, but braying hounds just like today.
<< GeneD
Senator Coburn said in a DVD he taped for our banquet since he was held up in D.C. for votes that there was no chance of a filibuster because they will not permit it for a Supreme Court nominee.
Biden is full of himself and trying to make hay with the left winged wacko's in his Party. >>
Biden is full of himself and IS the [Unhinged] left winged wacko in his Party.
Well ....
Except for all of the others.
He heeeeeeee! They grew older, and learned NOTHING!
Biden is interpreting that to mean that Alito is against voter districts containing roughly the same number of people, because he (and the Warren court) thought that only courts are enlightened and fair-minded enough to actually do that.
I hope your last thought every night is that our country will be shaped by these decisions for the next 100 years.
It's a beautiful thought. Question is will the "soft" Republicans unite behind their leader's choice?
Hmmmm.....what is this one person on vote insanity?
Presidential electoral college and US senate are fundamentally opposite of such a concept.
What you outline is proof that the founders did not intend that both houses of Congress operate under principles of proportional representation.
Why would the founders have required something of the states that they didn't require of the federal government, especially since the federal government is the creation of the states, not vice versa?
States should be allowed to have their Senates built along historical and geographical lines -- not along strictly population lines. It is a travesty that they were required to do something where the Constitution embodies precisely the opposite principle.
The Warren Court was flat-out wrong on this, and it is a decision that should have been overturned long ago.
One would like to think that Alito would have the balls to stand behind his earlier opinion, but he will doubtless be given the instructions to "dance", just as he has on abortion.
Pure infringement on states rights. He should be lauded for calling it right. Not filibustered.
I hope he explains his position clearly and makes a strong case for why he is right.
See #109. The same logic applies to electoral college.
What a bunch of dummy heads these DEMs are? The fact that they need to be constantly reminded of basic constitutional structure is proof that they dont' deserve to hold any power ever.
Go ahead, Biden. MAKE OUR DAY!!
Bring it on. Nothing could be worse for the Democrats than to filibuster a Supreme Court nomination.
Absolutely! I was thrilled today to hear Biden bichin about Alito's stand on the infamous "Cow don't vote" decision that over shifted both houses of each state legislature to overly represent metro-sexuals and under represent rural-sexuals!
This bad decision that has skewed the balance between people and places has been one of my most passionate causes. If it were to be revisited and overturned, Prop 77 in CA's special election would probably have not been needed at all!
But I fear you are right about the "dancing" orders. Maybe he could just nuance the whole thing like John Kerry... Oh no! Perish the thought!!!
I think it was Joel Klien on Chris Matthews syndicated show today that declared that Alito will be confirmed no matter what and that if Dems didn't like it, they needed to start winning more elections for a change!!!
"When the hearings on Samuel Alito were postponed until January, it was almost certain the only purpose for postponement was to find fodder for the confirmation opponents to use against him."
Exactly, big mistake.
It's getting late so I'll just bookmark this thread and get back to you sometime soon with some more analogies and examples of the desperately destructive effect this has had on property rights of rural America in particular.
That, however, is not the only thing that has been terribly crippled and thrown out of balance in our exceptional World Super-Power Superior Republic with it's currently mangled democratic process!!!
He is as full of it as the rats in the house were before the vote on pulling out of Iraq was forced on them.
Biden is incapable to telling the truth and writing something that is his own instead of stealing it.
Meant to address #105 to you too.
Darn, I meant #121
Like nuance is a useful thing in this world of grownups, in the 21st century.
I would like to ask you for some more information on the "Cow don't vote" decision, starting with, what is it? :) I heard Biden's comments on Alito's stand on reapportionment and I wanted to get informed as to what that stand was. I think I have gathered so far (from Gordongekko909) that Alito thinks the lesser of two evils is letting state legislatures draw district lines as opposed to courts, and that it is Constitutionally sound to allow state legislatures to do so.
With the looming political fight, I just want to be able to explain to others what Alito's views are on issues and why. I know about the issue of reapportionment, but I don't know how to explain Alito's view of it to others with proof. This "cow" thing sounded promising so I thought I'd ask. :) Thanks.
Sen. Joseph Biden is disgusting. I can't think of a single good quality he has.
It would be good for the country to have this whole idea of one-man, one-vote rehashed in the Senate. It has always been an incomplete idea, because without a flat tax, one man one vote is a license for democracies to redistribute wealth. The poor will always outnumber the rich, but they both have equal property rights. It should be one man, one vote, one tax. If we have flat representation, i.e. one man one vote, we should have flat taxation, not progressive taxation.
The 16th Amendment/nightmare actually says "...and without regard to any census or enumeration". I can't believe what has been done to our Constitution. We have progressive taxation, with flat representation.
Yeah, right.
If Pryor, both Nelsons etc.. say this it will be ON. Biden is full of hot air and his comments don't mean a damn thing. Completely irrelevant.
that pos is judging people? another kennedy clone
Well, yes, except it was the House Republicans that showed that brilliance. Part of the reason the House called a vote was to clean up the mess the Senate Republicans made their Dem lite resolution earlier in the week.
By my count House Republicans by defending the WOT, our troops, President...bought their re-elections. The Senate Republicans are still in the hole.
The dems have to come up with something nasty, and Alito's high on the list.
That is because he doesn't have any positive attributes : )
Dear Senator Biden:
Bring... It... On!!!
More precisely, the Warren Court was at least half-wrong.
Leaving aside the question of whether the US Supreme Court should be ruling on the internal affairs of states at all, at the very least, only the lower legislative body should have been affected by these decisions.
To make both bodies subject to proportional representation renders the entire idea of a bicameral legislature meaningless. The upper chamber of a bicameral system has always been non-representative, whether it be the old Roman Senate, the House of Lords in England, or the Senate in Canada.
We should go back to having state legislatures choose US Senators but that is another issues...
I just don't believe in term limits. I want the freedom to vote for the person who I want in office. If that person happens to be a person who has held that office awhile and has proven him/her self, then I don't want a law forbidding me to vote for them. I also think that who holds power would shift. I personally think that unelected, behind-the-scenes people who can spend their entire lives in DC would gain more power. They are often unseen and we can't vote them out. Regular elections are the best term limits that I know--ones decided by the voters.
how dare you call this narcissistic blowhard a whore and a liar?
Hey thanks. I forgot to mention the narcissism!
Well then impeach Stevens and Ginsberg and we will call it even.
When, for God's sakes, when will Bush and the Admin and the GOP Congressmen realize that the RATs are waging a war against the GOP for opportunistic purposes, and they don't give a damn about the future of our nation. I have had enough of Bush saying Murtha is great, Kennedy is a fine Senator, and other BS like that. Mexico invades our nation and Bush does nothing. Iran builds IEDs and kill our troops and Bush does nothing. Syria funnels thugs into Iraq to kill our troops and Bush does nothing. The RATs wage war against the GOP and Bush does nothing. The GOP at large does nothing.
To say there is no spine in the GOP is a gross understatement.
I'm a little pressed for time today and I hate that because this is my favorite subject. I left the "s" off of what should have read "Cows Don't Vote" and made it harder to understand the imfamous old phrase the Warren Court used to blastpheme the US Constitution and desecrate it!
Another way to put it that is even more dramatic and bizzare is... Try to imagine the upper house of the US legislature with only one representative for 8, or 9 western states!!!
"Maybe we need an AGE limit for members of Congress too. How old is Biden, 63? Not too old but he first got elected in 1972. He and too many others believe they should hold these seats for life. Many members are in their 70s and 80s."
No, what we need is a Constitutional Amendment that limits House and Senate terms to two. That is the only way to fix Washington.
The Dumbest Man In The US Senate, per the great one, proves again earns his nickname. What a moron!
Interesting to note that when he was first elected, he was Constitutionally unfit to hold office. He did remedy the situation, however, a couple of weeks later.
Skip the article and click on the posted cow link. (If I only had a nickel for every time I've said those words...)
Yep, Biden is a loser, in the mold of a Kennedy or Schumer.
Hey! Tell 'em to look at the last link in Reply #8 at the end of that ancient thread for vast amounts of top quality "Find Law" information!!! (in addition to the "cow link")
I should be writing a speech right now, so I'll be looking at this later myself.
Agreed. A long read, but well worth it. My problem is that somehow I managed to miss the cow quote. DANG!
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Brandon Boykin was close to being out of the Bulldog door.
Georgia's senior cornerback basically had his bags packed for the NFL shortly after a solid junior year, and it seemed like he'd thrust himself over the fence and onto the side filled with millions.
After all, there was one point in which Boykin was considered one of the top corner prospects available for last year's NFL draft.
Boykin, along with others juniors thinking of foregoing their senior seasons, went to meet with Georgia coaches when a snowstorm -- a blizzard by Georgia standards -- shut down Athens, Ga.
Conveniently trapped with his coaches for a couple of days, Boykin was left with his thoughts. He took more time to mull over turning pro and discussed feelings with coach Mark Richt.
"I felt like it was kind of a sign from God," Boykin said.
Boykin took that sign, turned down his shot at jumping to the league and decided to stay in school for one more year.
Looking back on his decision, Boykin couldn't be happier with sticking around. He's headed to the SEC championship game to face No. 1 LSU (12-0, 8-0), he might have helped save his coach's job and he got one more go-round with his teammates.
Just thinking about giving all that up seems like madness to Boykin.
"I feel foolish for even considering it just because of the impact of this senior season on my life and the way that it turned out and just how much more I've learned and just the overall effect of coming back for a senior year," Boykin said.
And while this year has had an effect on Boykin, he and his fellow seniors have had a profound effect on the rest of this team.
Richt gets a lot of credit for leading the 14th-ranked Bulldogs' turnaround after its 0-2 start, but this senior class helped push the Bulldogs out of their early rut and toward their run back to the Georgia Dome.
To Richt, this senior class' positive influence began when the NFL-ready ones returned for 2011. They showed they not only wanted to be around the program but they wanted to bring a championship back to Athens. Their buying into Georgia's offseason training was infectious with younger players.
"Boykin and Ben Jones and Cordy Glenn and guys like that, they had the opportunity -- they knew they were going to be NFL players or have a shot at that, but they chose to stay and wanted to have a special season," Richt said.
So when that 0-2 start sent Georgia fans into a panic, the seniors stood tall, making sure the Bulldogs didn't fall to the enemy that is adversity. The seniors made sure there was no internal dismay or finger pointing. The focus remained.
While people were ready to dub this as the "same old Georgia," Boykin took it upon himself to step forward and say something to his team after the opening loss to Boise State.
"I kind of wanted to make it a point to just step up and tell everybody to continue to grind and we were a great team, no matter what this first game had," he said. "And after the second game as well, people would continue to stay positive. It definitely worked out for us."
Sophomore linebacker Jarvis Jones said the seniors' attitudes definitely rubbed off on the underclassmen. The younger players watched as the upperclassmen went longer in harder in practices. They owned the film sessions. That approach forced younger players to replicate the seniors' efforts.
It wasn't just that the seniors wanted to energize this team and get it past a rough opening to the season, they wanted to win and make their last season memorable.
"They really didn't want their last time here at the University of Georgia go out like it started," Jones said, "like most people thought it was going to be."
Georgia has now won 10 straight, sports a quarterback leading the SEC with 32 touchdown passes and has a defense that ranks fifth nationally. The Bulldogs are plus-10 in turnover ratio and are in play for a BCS bowl berth.
The Bulldogs' level of play has helped guide them to their strong finish, but Jones said the poise and leadership of the senior class kept the spirits of the other players up. As long as the old guys stayed the course, the youngsters would follow suit.
"They're the reason why we kept our faith," he said. "We gelled closer together, and we just kept believing in each other. Every day, they were like, 'Just believe. Just come out here and work hard, and we control our own destiny.'
"Every day, that's what we did."


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Dear American person
Living, as you do, in the spiritual home of peanut butter, you can, if you poke around a bit, find an extraordinary variety of peanut butters and peanut oil. So why on earth should you buy peanut butter from the other side of the world?
Because you won't find any American peanut butters quite like ours. Despite the fact that our Hi-oleic nuts were developed in the US, they just can't be grown in America. It's something to do with cross pollination with ordinary peanuts that makes them revert within a season. The trick is to declare your whole country Hi-oleic, which is what Australia and Argentina have done.
Argentinian Hi-oleics are, however, harvested younger than their Australian cousins, making them sweeter, but with a less intense flavour.
So, that's why you won't find any American peanut butter quite like ours. And hey, if you don't find it the best tasting peanut butter you've ever eaten, we will give you your money back.


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Beijing angers Tokyo by declaring air defence zone
Japan has condemned as "dangerous" a move by China to assert its territorial rights over disputed islands in the East China Sea. Jim Middleton speaks to China Correspondent Huey Fern Tay.
Source: The World | Duration: 3min 13sec
Topics: territorial-disputes, world-politics, china, japan


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Why I Climb
2300 climbers. 41 states. 5 countries.
Why do I participate in Climb Out of the Darkness?
Because twice I was in a place so dark and frightening that I didn't think I would ever find my way back.
Because I went undiagnosed for so long the first time that I barely functioned on a basic level.
We're snapping a Huggies Snug N Dry #UltraHug selfie for Climb Out of the Darkness!
Did you know that Huggies Snug N Dry is hosting an #UltraHug Contest? From now until June 25th, post a selfie of you and your kid(s) on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #UltraHug and share a local community organization or cause that you support. On July 6th, voting will narrow down contestants and the winner's cause will receive a $2,000 grant from Huggies! What a cool way to make a difference in your community.
4 Reasons I am Happier After Surviving Mental Illness
It was eight months after I had my first child before I realized that the "new" me was actually sick. I was diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD). Antidepressants and talk therapy brought me back from the abyss. I later realized that I also suffered from postpartum anxiety (PPA) and postpartum OCD (PPOCD). When we decided we wanted a second child, I talked to a therapist and a psychiatrist about it. We had a plan. It's a good thing we did, because at 34 weeks I was dealing with intrusive thoughts that were increasing in severity. I went back on antidepressants and this time I was able to function and enjoy my baby when she arrived.
Our Climb Out of the Darkness: Team Green Bay #climbout
Team Green Bay! That's right – it was just our family of four this year (Hubster was taking the picture above) representing Team Green Bay for the Climb Out of the Darkness for Postpartum Progress. Was I disappointed about that? Yes, I admit to being a bit bummed out that no one wanted to join us. But I don't want that to take away from the personal significance of this year's climb.
I'm Back! Climb Out of the Darkness with Postpartum Progress.
Something big happened yesterday. David Gray performed his song, "Back In The World," on the Today Show. Mr. Gray has graciously allowed Postpartum Progress to use his beautiful, and perfectly appropriate song, as its official song for Climb Out of the Darkness 2014. Postpartum Progress released this official video yesterday. Every time I watch it, I'm moved to tears.


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Get an overview of this hotel3.5-star Brussels apartment in Ixelles, near Horta Museum
Located in Ixelles, this apartment is within a 15-minute walk of D'Ieteren Gallery and Horta Museum. European Union Parliament Building and Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Property Features
This apartment features self parking, dry cleaning, and laundry facilities. WiFi in public areas is free. Additionally, express check-out and multilingual staff are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 19 apartments feature kitchens with refrigerators, stovetops, microwaves, and dishwashers. Free WiFi and sofa beds are standard, as are TVs with digital channels. Limited housekeeping is available.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
B-Aparthotel LouiseChaussée de Vleurgat 261 Brussels 1050
Renovations & Closures
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
B-Aparthotel Louise features multilingual staff, laundry facilities, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. This Brussels apartment also offers express check-out and an elevator (lift). Onsite parking is available (surcharge).
- Total number of rooms - 19
- Number of floors - 5
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-out
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Separate living room
- Free Wi-Fi
- Kitchen
- Laundry facilities
- Sofa bed
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- DVD player
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Free toiletries
- In-room safe
- Desk
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Premium TV channels
- DVD player
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Microwave
- Kitchen
- Housekeeping - weekdays only
- Private bathroom
- Shower/tub combination
- Hair dryer
- Television
- Sofa bed
- Electric kettle
- Cookware, dishware, and utensils
- Dishwasher
- Stovetop
- Digital TV service
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Cribs/infant beds (surcharge)
- Separate bedroom
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
- Sofa bed size
- In-room climate control (heating)
Nearby Things to Do
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Bicycle rentals on site
To make special requests for accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-in time ends at 2 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of EUR 10 per pet, per night
- 1 per room (up to 10 kg)
- Restrictions apply
- For more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Special cancellation policies or charges may apply for group reservations (more than 8 rooms for the same hotel / stay dates).
Parking height restrictions apply
Optional extras
- Self parking fee: EUR 15 per day
- Pet fee: EUR 10 per pet, per night
- Late check-out fee: EUR 25
- Crib (infant bed) fee: EUR 5 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 15 per night
Hotel Name
- B-Aparthotel Louise
- B-Aparthotel Louise Apartment
- B-Aparthotel Louise Apartment Brussels
- B-Aparthotel Louise Brussels
We should mention
Children 16 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section).


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Showing 1-24 of 94 items found in Events
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The Lambs Farm Farmyard will open daily March 25th through October 30, 2016. Meet Miss Wiggles, the 450-pound pig with an affinity for Bavarian Crème donuts and Oreo Cookies®, and meet all of the new miniature animals, including Levi the miniature horse. Climb into the petting zoo with goats, sheep and lambs. Check out the llamas, alpacas, cows, horses, ducks and more. Enjoy a ride on the old-fashion carousel or the train. Then challenge friends and family to a round of mini golf! Farmyard memberships are available. Day passes for all activities available for $8 for adults and $12 for children 2-12.
Six Flags Great America Fright Fest
It's Thrills by Day, Chills by Night at Fright Fest Presented by Snickers®. Six Flags Great America will be totally transformed into a Halloween playground, Fridays - Sundays. Have a ghoulish good time with hair-raising shows, electrifying street entertainment and thrilling haunted houses. Plus, experience all the rides in the dark. There will also be a special trick-or-treat trail just for kids. The park will also be open an extra bonus weekend of November 5th and 6th.
Kane County Flea Market/April 2017
Monthly Flea Market at the Kane County Fairgrounds. "The Best in the Midwest or Anywhere". Up to 1000 dealers display and sell antiques, collectibles & Fancy junque. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
31st Annual St. Charles Scarecrow Festival
More than 100 handcrafted Scarecrows on display. View and vote for your favorites. Huge juried craft show, carnival, great food, continuous free live entertainment, many free children's activities, make your own scarecrow, and much more! A celebration of the autumn season!
CITY:St. Charles
Pumpkinfest will be held September 24-October 31, 2016. Includes tractor drawn hayrides, corn maze, New this year are the Buffalo Creek Mining Co, pony & camel rides, Animal Land, Pumpkin Playland, kiddie rides, Parakeet Encounter, Pig Races (Sat, Sun & Mon) Pumpkin Patch Café, homemade apple cider & pumpkin donuts made daily. Antique tractor display, fall produce, birthday parties and school groups by reservation only.
MainStreet Libertyville's Farmers Market
This year we have more vendors than ever, so you'll be able to find more fresh food and flowers, and also have more fun shopping for them. This market can provide you with the opportunity to get to know your food and the producer who grows it or makes it. Enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, fresh baked goods, cheeses, meats, potted plants, cut flowers bouquets, coffee & donuts, kettle popcorn, jams, jellies and sauces.
Kane County Flea Market/Nov. 2017
Monthly flea market at the Kane County Fairgrounds. "The best in the midwest or Anywhere". Up to 1000 dealers display and sell antiques, collectibles & Fancy Junque. Food served all day,
CITY:St. Charles
Don't miss one of McHenry County's biggest celebrations, now in its 34th year. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Parkside Pub in Huntley comes alive with revelers celebrating this nutty occasion. Featuring bands, beer and lots of turkey testicles, thousands of visitors from around the region kick off the holiday season under a huge heated tent just 3 miles north of I-90. Shuttle service is available from many locations around the area. And hotel rooms are available, if needed. This is a 21 and older event -- valid ID required.
Kane County Flea Market - December 2016
Monthly flea market at the Kane County Fairgrounds. "The Best in the Midwest or Anywhere". Up to 1000 dealers display and sell antiques, collectibles & Fancy Junque. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
Kane County Flea Market - March 2017
"Best in the Midwest or Anywhere" monthly Flea Market with more than 1000 dealers displaying and selling antiques, collectibles & Fancy Junque. The monthly Flea Market is held the first Sunday of each month and the preceding Saturday. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
Kane County Flea Market - October 2016
"The Best in the Midwest or Anywhere." Up to 1000 dealers. 1st Saturday of the month and the following Sunday. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
Autumn Drive in McHenry County
Welcome to a different kind of fall festival! Spend a leisurely day with family and friends on the country roads of McHenry County. Family farms in rural McHenry County open to the public for three days the third weekend in October. Each stop along the way offers a unique country experience with antiques, arts & crafts, pumpkins, apples, pottery and more. Pick up your map at 16105 Garden Valley Road, Woodstock, then start exploring.
Grayslake's Fall/Winter Farmers Market
Come out to downtown Grayslake on Saturdays for the Fall Farmers Market. The market will offer seasonal produce, baked goods, wine and cheeses, spices, organic selections, ready-to-eat food, live entertainment and much more. The fall market is located at Centennial Park 147 Center Street in downtown Grayslake. For details and vendors please visit the website.
Olde England comes alive in Historic Downtown Antioch with lifelike figures representing scenes from the Dickens Era. The Dickens Holiday Village is back and the handcrafted Dickens characters made by our volunteer artists will bring a Public Art Program that is free for everyone to enjoy! Antioch will proudly displayed 45 Dickens characters for people to tour. Each character has a plaque describing the scene and also serves as an educational tool for students. Take a self-guided tour with one of our Dickens Walking Brochure Maps or reserve a tour guide for groups of 24 or more. Plus there is plenty of Dickens Fun for everyone in November and December. You may enjoy Dickens Teas, an Antioch "Oliver" dog afternoon, Dress like Dickens event, and much more.
The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival
The Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest will boast fan favorites including all you can carve pumpkins, Trick or Treating, costume contests, Pumpkin Parade, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo, carnival rides, kids crafts, two stages jam packed with solid entertainment, food and beverage vendors galore and a Superhero 5K Pumpkin Run/Walk. As always, all lit jack-o-lanterns will be placed on pumpkin walls throughout the Festival grounds, with ceremonial wall lightings Friday and Saturday nights, and the grand lighting on Sunday evening.
2015 Elgin Short Film Festival
The 7th Annual Elgin Short Film Festival promises to be an entertaining evening of some of the very best in short films by some of the very best up-and-coming filmmakers.You are invited to the award ceremony and screening of finalists taking place in Elgin, IL on Saturday, September 26, 2015.
An exciting weekend workshop, just for dancers ages 8-13! Camp PULSE features the masterminds behind your favorite Nickelodeon and Disney TV Shows and Movies, including: Shake It Up, iCarly, Camp Rock, Victorious, High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and MORE! Dancers and teachers walk away from our conventions inspired and motivated to reach their next goals in dance. Our faculty and staff are proud of their dedication to building genuine relationships through personal interaction with dancers, parents and teachers. We realize there are many options out there for a dancer's education, and we hope you will join us for a dance experience of a lifetime!
Kane County Flea Market July 2017
Monthly flea market at the Kane County Fair Grounds with more than 1000 dealers displaying and selling antiques, collectibles, & Fancy Junque. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
Kane County Flea Market August 2017
More than 1000 dealers offer antiques, collectibles, furniture, and so much more! Held the first Sunday of the month and the preceding Saturday afternoon. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
Kane County Flea Market - November 2016
Monthly flea market at the Kane County Fairgrounds. "The Best in the Midwest or Anywhere". Up to 1000 dealers display and sell antiques, collectibles & Francy Junque. Food served all day.
CITY:St. Charles
Kane County Flea Market May 2017
Hours: Sat. 12-5, Sun.7-4. Admission:$5 adults, children 12 and younger, free. "The Best in the Midwest or Anywhere" - Up to 1,000 dealers display and sell antiques, collectibles, & fancy junque. A country breakfast is served on Sundays
CITY:St. Charles
Prairie State Winery Wine Downs
Enjoy live music & locally made Prairie State Wine during their Friday Night Wine Downs. The event is BYO "Nosh", so order in, bring your favorite wine snack and wine down Friday nights. See website for listing of performers and the weekly location (switches between Genoa and Sycamore Tasting Rooms) - Held most Fridays. Visit their Calendar of Events for each month's dates and location!
Come out, take a stroll and shop for fresh produce, flowers, herbs, spices, baked goods, and a myriad of other products. Also enjoy live entertainment including local musicians, a pet parade, a scarecrow building contest and comprise the market. Please visit the website for more information.
This Farmers Market includes local vendors offering a variety of fresh produce, meats, flowers, cheese and artisanal foods. Fun for the whole family and good food too. A new addition to the market is a tented seating area where market goers can relax, have a snack, and enjoy live music. Each week will feature live music and lots of family fun.


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Homayoon Sanati, MD
Medical Director, MemorialCare Breast Center at Long Beach Memorial & Orange Coast Memorial
- MemorialCare Medical Group
- Breast Oncology
- Oncology & Hematology
Office Location(s)
Long Beach, CA
(562) 933-2824
Jump to navigation
A physician who specializes in the medical treatment of cancer. These physicians have extensive knowledge on how cancers behave, grow and attack the body. The physician utilizes their knowledge to determine your risk of cancer recurrence as well as advantages a various course of treatments such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or targeted therapy. Generally, your medical oncologist manages your overall care and monitors your progress during your course of cancer treatment. The oncologist reviews your lab and imaging results, and coordinates your medical care throughout treatment and recovery.


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Cisco's effort to get to the cloud has had technical and business challenges, but a partnership with Salesforce could help. » Read More
By: Luke Graham
Start-ups, such as Lemonade and Teambrella, are using peer-to-peer strategies to disrupt to the trillion-dollar insurance industry. » Read More
Swan joins the chipmaker from private equity firm General Atlantic and will report to Chief Executive Brian Krzanich. » Read More
Despite an uphill battle, Mark Hurd, one of Oracle's CEOs, said he thinks Oracle's strategy will win the cloud battle. » Read More
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Matt Hunter is the senior technology editor at CNBC.com.
Ari Levy is CNBC.com's senior technology reporter in San Francisco.
Harriet Taylor is a CNBC.com technology reporter based in San Francisco. She covers Apple, Uber and the sharing economy, cyber security and emerging Silicon Valley trends.
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Josh Lipton is CNBC's technology correspondent, working from CNBC's Silicon Valley bureau.


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Taking a page from the playbook of boxing promoter Don King, the Golden Bears have seemingly uttered every variation, synonym, or analogy imaginable for the word ahead of Saturday's game at Memorial Stadium (noon, Fox).
"It's going to be a great challenge," right tackle Matt Summers-Gavin said. "They play a very physical game, real stout. Real tough guys, but we got tough guys too, so it will be a great battle."
"It's always probably one of the most physical games of the year, if not the most, and we always look forward to that," center Brian Schwenke added.
That punishing style is best embodied by the Stanford (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) front seven, the backbone of the seventh-best run defense in the nation, allowing just 89.5 yards per game and a conference-low 2.8 yards per carry.
The Cardinal stand in direct opposition to the Cal (3-4, 2-2 Pac-12) ground game, which has found its footing the last two weeks by amassing 503 yards during its two game winning streak. Four players had at least eight carries for 50 yards last week at Washington State, paced by 112 yards and two touchdowns from senior running back C.J. Anderson.
Finding running lanes will be far more difficult, as Cal head coach Jeff Tedford conceded.
"You're not going to run through these guys," Tedford said. "You are going to have to be patient. You are going to run hard. You are going to have to sustain blocks. Nobody just runs up and down the field on these guys. You can't abandon it either."
But the return of a key offensive lineman could provide an emotional and physical boost, as redshirt senior Dominic Galas is likely to make his first appearance this season after tearing his pectoral muscle shortly before the start of fall camp.
"He is coming off the ball hard and doesn't look like he has any apprehension," Tedford said.
Galas could play any of the three interior line positions, but is likely to see time at right guard, where he was projected to start before his injury.
"The thing Dom really provides is he has got that bulldog attitude," offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik said. "He is a warrior. He is a tough competitor and you love that about him."
There will not be any reinforcements coming on the other side of the ball, despite defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast joking about adding a 6-foot-8 defensive back or two to challenge Stanford's reliance on tight ends to compliment their power running game.
"I don't think we can sign any. We're out of scholarships." Pendergast quipped.
Senior Stepfan Taylor has rushed for 100 yards or more in four games this year, including a season-high 153 yards to upset USC. Known for his consistency and completeness as a runner, receiver, and in pass protection, Taylor needs only 95 yards to pass Toby Gerhart for the school career-rushing record.
"He's not the flashiest guy, but the biggest thing about him is you got to tackle him," inside linebacker Robert Mullins said. "When one guy gets to him, you have to wrap up. We have to swarm to the ball because the first guy might not make the tackle. If we're all running to the ball, if we get five hats on him the whole game, that's what we key on."
"They lead with the run," Tedford said. "They are patient with it. They don't give up on it. And their defense plays extremely well, which allows them to stick with the run game."
Needless to say, Cal is energized by the chance to showcase its newfound aggression. The offense is ready to showcase its improving offensive line, while the defense is playing with more intensity, as demonstrated by safety Avery Sebastian knocking two Cougars out of the game last week.
"When you get those physical teams, you want to go out there and knock them down and really hit them in the mouth. That's what we plan on doing. This is a good opportunity to show how physical we are," Schwenke said.
"I'm really excited about it. I can't wait to play this game."
Dan Greenspan is the publisher of Cal Sports Digest and writes about the Pac-12 for Fox Sports Next. Follow him on Twitter @DanGreenspan.


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Defined contribution retirement plans becoming more prevalent
January 06, 1999
In 1994-95, 66 percent of full-time employees participated in one or more employer-provided retirement plans. Although the participation rate was the same as in 1990-91, there was a shift in the type of plan: "defined contribution" retirement plans were on the verge of overtaking "defined benefit" pensions.
[Chart data—TXT]
In 1994-95, 39 percent of full-time employees participated in "defined contribution" plans with employer contributions, up from 34 percent in 1990-91. In contrast, 42 percent of full-time employees participated in a "defined benefit" plans, down from 48 percent in 1990-91.
Savings and thrift plans are the most common form of defined contribution plan, with 24 percent of all full-time employees participating in 1994-95. In these plans, participants contribute a predetermined portion of earnings, all or part of which the employer matches. Other defined contribution plans are deferred profit sharing; employee stock ownership; and money purchase pension.
Data on retirement plans and other employee benefits are available from the BLS Employee Benefits Survey. Defined benefit pension plans provide employees with a fixed retirement payment using predetermined formulas. Defined contribution plans are accounts set up for each participant, to which the employer and often the employee make fixed contributions; the retirement payment is not fixed, but determined by these contributions. For additional information, see "Factors Affecting Employer-provided Retirement Benefits" (PDF 57K),Compensation and Working Conditions, Winter 1998.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Defined contribution retirement plans becoming more prevalent on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/1999/jan/wk1/art03.htm (visited September 30, 2016).
Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics
A look at healthcare spending, employment, pay, benefits, and prices
As one of the largest U.S. industries, healthcare is steadily growing to meet the needs of an increasing population with an increasing life expectancy. This Spotlight looks at how much people spend on healthcare, current and projected employment in the industry, employer-provided healthcare benefits, healthcare prices, and pay for workers in healthcare occupations.
Employment and Wages in Healthcare Occupations
Healthcare occupations are a significant percentage of U.S. employment. Some of the largest and highest paying occupations are in healthcare. This Spotlight examines employment and wages for healthcare occupations.
Fifty years of looking at changes in peoples lives
Longitudinal surveys help us understand long-term changes, such as how events that happened when a person was in high school affect labor market success as an adult.