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The World According To Sonia
US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on judicial activism, the court's Catholic majority, growing up poor in the Bronx and her NO. 1 book, 'My Beloved World'
By Kevin Uhrich 01/30/2013
Overcast skies and chilling rain added an air of intrigue to what was supposed to be an otherwise uncontroversial interview with US Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who was visiting Pasadena last week as part of a tour promoting "My Beloved World," a touching memoir of growing up in the Bronx that's reached No. 1 on The New York Times best seller list.
The lovingly written remembrance chronicles the many influences in Sotomayor's early life — raised in an extended working-class Puerto Rican family and overcoming both the loss of her father and the difficulties of living with Type 1 diabetes, then going on to excel in academia at Princeton and Yale before ultimately rising through the legal profession to become President Barack Obama's first appointment to the High Court in 2009.
Average citizens might not consider a Supreme Court justice visiting Southern California a big deal, but US Marshals apparently do, as they checked the 58-year-old Sotomayor into a five-star hotel in West Hollywood under an assumed name. Lucky to find a spot on Sunset Boulevard midday Friday, I sat parked on the world-famous street a few doors from the hotel for about a half-hour in my late-model KIA as the rain came down in fits and starts, scribbling last-minute notes and preparing mentally to meet my "contact," a security agent in a tan-colored suit wearing a curly-wired earpiece who met me in the hotel lobby and accompanied me to an upper floor to meet the justice.
The cloak and dagger aspect of all this seemed a bit out of character from what I thought I knew about Sotomayor, the nation's first Hispanic justice, an honor that is merited but not without some murkiness. Although the family of fellow New Yorker, Justice Benjamin Cardozo [1932-1938], was of Portuguese and Jewish descent, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials and the Hispanic National Bar Association consider Sotomayor the first Hispanic justice, according to newspaper clippings from 2009.
Just the same, Sotomayor remains the court's third of four women members and one of its more politically liberal jurists, who is perhaps most famous for "saving baseball." In March 1995, Sotomayor, then a Manhattan US District judge appointed by former President George H.W. Bush, issued a preliminary injunction against Major League Baseball, preventing it from implementing a new collective bargaining agreement with its players and using replacement players. Upheld at the appellate level, Sotomayor's ruling ended the baseball strike of 1994. After that, the lifelong Yankees fan became a candidate for canonization by many in the supposedly liberal media.
Soon, after being checked out by security, any sense of apprehension I may have had disappeared as the justice greeted me as though I were an old friend, warmly welcoming me into the suite's oversized bedroom for a one-on-one talk about her book, a consuming passion that's been in the works since she's been on the bench. In the discussion, we also talked her career and her thoughts on the direction of the current court, which some observers believe — and best evidenced by the 5-4 decision upholding the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare," and the 5-4 ruling in favor of unlimited individual campaign spending in the Citizens United case — has never been more politically divided. This is a contention that Sotomayor strongly disputes.
Her trip to Southern California followed the swearing in of Vice President Joe Biden, to whom she administered the oath of office on Sunday, Jan. 20, as required by the Constitution. On that day, Sotomayor asked that the informal ceremony be performed early so she could make a book signing in Manhattan that afternoon, and Biden and his family reportedly gladly acquiesced. The following day, Martin Luther King Day, Sotomayor repeated the ritual in the formal inauguration gala staged for the public. Since then, the junior justice has been all over TV, even appearing on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" — all in an effort to pump the book.
By early Friday afternoon, Sotomayor, dressed in a simple but elegant blue on white dress, her short, dark hair freshly combed for an event-filled afternoon and evening, was just finishing a phone interview while in the midst of preparing for a talk with KPCC's Patt Morrison in Pasadena prior to a signing at Vroman's Bookstore later that day when she took time out to speak with the Pasadena Weekly.
Congratulations on the book.
It's the first time I had tried something that wasn't legal. And it was such a joy to find that I could actually discover my literary side, not my legal side. And, as I do all things, I didn't do it alone. I did it with the help of a lot of people, and it was wonderful to learn a new skill.
What was going through your mind as you were swearing in the vice president [on Jan. 21]?
I walked out with my colleagues, and I understand from the news that the president, as he was leaving the platform, turned around … and said, 'This will be my last time.' In juxtaposition, this was my first time, and I as I walked out and looked over the expanse of the National Mall, my breath just stopped. It was as though I couldn't breathe, to see that many people assembled to participate in a national moment. It just sent a chill through me. And as I sat down, it became a surreal moment, and I have had many of them over the past few years … I've been on such an improbable journey, just each time it gets better and better. The Supreme Court, who would have ever imagined that? And [swearing in] the vice president? Equally as improbable, probably more improbable, making No. 1 on The New York Times book list. For a kid who had to teach herself how to write in college, that is a dream.
And had to learn English as a child …
And had to learn English when she was younger. That was a dream that I didn't think was in the realm, not of possibility, but wasn't even an option, not in my wildest fantasies.
You talk in the book about how you learned the power of dissent by beating up your younger brother (Dr. Juan Sotomayor). You didn't beat up your brother, did you?
(Laughs) Oh, yes I did beat up my brother. (Laughs again) He'll tell you, I really beat him up.
Certainly you have had some great challenges in your life: battling diabetes, losing your father at an early age and growing up with a single working mother, but I get the impression that you were still a happy kid, with this large family support system around you the whole time.
Well, no, that isn't accurate. My earlier childhood, generally, was an unhappy one. You deal with an alcoholic father, and you deal with the early death of a parent, you deal with childhood diabetes — these are not minimal events in anyone's life, and two of them, at least, are permanent; not growing up with a father and having a chronic disease that is an everyday part of life. They are challenges. Both of them present lifelong what is fair to call burdens, but also opportunities — opportunities to be either kept down by them or to choose to find some good from each. And I think that's what this book is about; it's to offer people my way of meeting those challenges and perhaps provide inspiration for others who face them, too, if not copy the way I did it, because no one can copy your exact path.
Perhaps I'm confusing happiness with something else because of the loving tone you use to describe the people in your life.
I think that's part of the reason for writing this book, because I get very upset when I listen to or read about the treatment of the neighborhoods I lived in. It's too frequently popular to look at neighborhoods like Fort Apache, where I spent my childhood, to just look at their negatives. It's easy, because of the crime rate; they are drug infested, they are rodent infested areas, and the negatives are just so easy to talk about and to focus on. I wanted to focus on the people and the emotions and on the support they provided for each other, and to remind people that these are still communities facing huge challenges, but they are still communities. So my loving tone was to give insight to something deeper than the superficial.
Which brings me to my next question, about the values that developed in you through these experiences. How have they played a role in your decision-making on the Supreme Court?
The question that everyone asks, the question I was asked during my confirmation process (pause) … Every judge, every single one of us, comes with our own set of life experiences. When we pick judges, whoever that picking authority may be is looking at the professional experiences: Have you been a prosecutor? Have you been a defense attorney? What type of law have you practiced? Have you had government service or not, and in what form? The reason for valuing that is because there is a belief that if you had a very professional experience, that it brings value to the process of judging. But that's no different than life experience, because the professional experience is interwoven with the life experience. If you are a judge who has worked in a state system, and you know the challenges that states are having to meet budgets, to structure processes that can deal with overwhelming numbers of cases, then you are going to be a judge who, when you think about a legal issue that's before you challenging a state process, you are going to look at that question and not make your decision based on that, because that's sort of like imposing your own personal experience as an outcome determinate. That's not going to convince anybody. I write an opinion that says, 'I know the answer because I experienced X, Y, or Z.' No one is going to be persuaded. You're not going to convince anybody that that answer is law, or what law commands. And no one is going to be convinced enough to follow whatever it is that you dictate the state has to do, or not do. But it gives you an opportunity to understand what the state's argument means, to make sure that it is part of the discussion, and part of the consideration among the justices about what makes sense legally in terms of what you are doing. It is so hard to explain to the public, who really only look at what judges do as a bottom line. … They don't understand that it's not the decision alone that you are judging. It's the process: How have the judges dealt with the argument? Did they miss it? Did they hear it? Did they at least try to account for it in explaining why they are doing X or Y? That's how I think life experiences make a difference.
Supreme Court justices are said to fall into one of two camps: originalists, or those who derive literal meaning from the words of the Constitution, and judicial activists, or activist judges, which is how you have been described (the justice laughs). How would you describe your style of reasoning?
I'm a common law judge. I believe in deciding every case on its facts, not on a legal philosophy. And I believe in deciding each case in the most limited way possible, because common law judges have a firm belief that the best development of the law is the one that lets society show you the next step, and that next step is in the new facts that each case presents. So I don't know what people mean by 'judicial activism.' But if you read my decisions and read the decisions, as opposed to the outcomes, and not judging the outcomes, but judging the reasoning, you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. I'm talking about [the fact that] every one of my decisions looks at the facts of the case and tries to decide as narrowly as we can to answer the question presented. … I loathe these large pronouncements about cases that are not before us, and issues that are not before us, because I want to wait for those to develop. I am a common law judge — case by case, issue by issue. And, I'm very centrist on process.
You were raised Catholic, attended Catholic school, as did I … Doing a little research, I found that Clarence Thomas is Catholic, as are Justices Scalia, Alito, and I'm not sure about Kennedy, but I can guess …
He is. It's 6 to 3.
I did not know that. So how has that experience, growing up Catholic, shaped your attitudes on such issues as capital punishment, abortion rights and same-sex marriage?
(Pause) … I know how it shaped me as a person. In fact, I was just talking with another journalist before you came, and I said to her that I think being a Catholic made me a better person. It taught me how to choose good over evil, and how to be a more caring human being. I don't think it has translated into choices that I have made as a judge, because those are controlled by law. As a Catholic, you can have two views on capital punishment. You can think, let Caesar do what Caesar needs to do, and the law says you can impose capital punishment, so you impose it. You can [also] be a Catholic who says we can't kill, we can't kill babies and we can't kill adults. If you let a decision be driven by your personal views, then you are not doing what a judge needs to do, which is enforce the laws of the society that you are in. But you can control your own behavior, and that is the choice that the church and God gives us — what kind of people are we going to be.
The court has been perceived to be divided, at least on a number of cases, the Affordable Care Act is one, Citizens United is another. Is the court more ideological now? Do you believe it is ideologically divided?
No. I think if you step away from our decision-making you will see the justices crossing whatever the public thinks their ideological lines are. Frankly, the reality is that I think the public has chosen to identify themselves with certain judicial approaches, and they almost believe that we follow them instead of them following the court and the court's view of how to address issues, and it becomes quite interesting for me to watch, because I don't see us doing what the public does, which is [asking], 'What kind of candidate do I want to be?' No justice thinks of him or herself in that way. They approach each case with a view of what they think is best and what the Constitution means, and how it can best be given effect. Obviously, you have nine men and women, each equally passionate about the work they do. That's why you have nine; to ensure every viewpoint is expressed.
What do you see as the major benefit to the nation and the court with your appointment as the first Hispanic and the third of four women to the court?
(Long pause) … I hesitate, because I don't see my appointment as a benefit. I think others may perceive it that way …
To the nation, not just to the court …
Yes, yes to the nation …
Don't you see some symbolic value?
What I am trying to say is why do you think people take comfort in a judicial system? I think it is because they believe they are being judged, whether by juries or judges who are members of their society. I believe there is some comfort for people when they can look at a Supreme Court that is diverse. Diverse, just not in ethnic backgrounds and religious and [experiential] backgrounds, because I think it does give comfort in the process of judging when people can say I am being judged by my equals. To the extent that there have been large portions of our population as large as the Latino community, but people who have been migrants, people who have chronic diseases, people who have had backgrounds similar to mine, I think that brings them some sense of being part of the process and not an outsider looking in.
You speak in the book about accomplishing a lot of things that were only possible by taking small steps at a time. What do you mean by that and how have you applied that in your approach as a justice?
I'll give you one tiny example. I think, but haven't tracked it completely, that in my first couple of years on the bench, the number of pages that I wrote in opinions were much longer than ones I am writing now. I've been slowly learning how to be more concise and get to the point faster. Even something as small as that; sort of step by step, crafting and learning how to craft shorter and more powerful pieces. It is not something that comes automatically. That's something, I think, you work at. So, I've been working at that, and I think if anyone bothers tracking that, they will see an improvement in that score. Not quite yet, but I'm beginning to be exposed in my cases to almost all the major constitutional questions that the court faces. There are new issues each day. The Affordable Care Act was a totally new issue for the court, but the principles underlying it had been rehearsed in prior cases I had been on. I think in another couple of years, I will have touched on almost all of the major constitutional areas. My very case was First Amendment, Citizens United, so I got baptized really quickly. My point is, although I had dealt with almost all of these areas as a court of appeals judge, most of my cases were applying principles that had been firmly established over the years.
Settled on.
Settled on. Now I'm dealing with knowing what the cutting-edge question are, and I think that I'm close to having touched on every one of them. So it's a process of educating yourself. Each case that comes about, I have to go back and read all the major decisions again, because I'm looking at them in a new way. I'm looking at them for how other justices thought the best approaches to these issues were, selecting among their approaches and tweaking them to fit what I think makes the most sense in addressing the question in the way I think that precedence demands and the way the law guides you. But I have to find that way. None of court cases are black and white.
Last question …If you had some advice for that young Latino kid who's just getting through school and thinking of quitting, or a young single mother who doesn't know where to turn, what would you tell those kids?
Don't let fear stop you. Don't give up because you are paralyzed by insecurity or overwhelmed by the odds, because in giving up, you give up hope. Understand that failure is a process in life, that only in trying can you enrich yourself and have the possibility of moving forward. The greatest obstacle in life is fear and giving up because of it.
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February 27, 2013 —
I've been selling real estate in Sullivan County, primarily to second-home buyers from "the city," for over a decade. It's been challenging since the real estate market started tumbling, both here and around the nation, in 2007. Both the volume of sales and prices have fallen here about 30% since then. Second homes are a discretionary purchase, and during the darkest days of the recession, buyers were hoarding their acorns.
Last March, the tide abruptly changed. The economy was looking brighter, mortgage rates were low and there were two years of pent-up buyer demand, particularly among young families in New York City, for a country getaway. Talk to almost any realtor focusing on the second-home market here, and they'll tell you they've been much busier over the past year than they've been in years.
So it came as a surprise, when I pulled sales data for 2012 from the two multiple listing systems serving Sullivan County, to find that sales were flat. The number of closed single-family home sales in 2012, 476, was just about the same as 2010 and 2011, as was the median sales price $134,000.
So far, that increased buyer interest hasn't translated into a noticeable pick up in sales. There are lots of buyers looking here, but they're also looking elsewhere. Six or seven years ago, most of my clients were only looking Sullivan County. We were the hot new country destination and got a lot of ink in the city press. A month wouldn't go by without an article about Livingston Manor, Jeffersonville, Narrowsburg, Callicoon, Bethel Woods, The Chapin Estate or Catskill Farms. Sullivan was cool.
That's not the case today. Second-home buyers are casting a very wide net, looking in Dutchess, Columbia, Ulster and Delaware counties along with Sullivan. It's tough competition, as the torch of cool has passed to places like Roxbury, Millerton and Hudson. We need to embrace the second-home market as a significant industry and job creator, and compete with those counties for second-home buyers as fiercely as we compete for other industries.
One of the biggest issues we face right now is the spectre of fracking. Second-home buyers are afraid of it, and those other areas are seen as risk free, while Sullivan has a scarlet "F" on its back. Almost every realtor working in the western part of the county has lost buyers because of it, even in the towns with bans.
A second big issue here is property taxes. Buyers run for the hills when they see taxes of $12,000 on a house selling for $300,000, a not uncommon occurrence here. Assessments in many towns are way out of line with market value, with newer or renovated second homes often over assessed and longtime primary homes under assessed. Towns need to bite the bullet and do town-wide revaluations to bring things back in line.
We're also losing on the connectivity front. The county needs a plan to extend wired Internet (cable or DSL) to every house in the county. For most second home buyers, reliable wired high-speed Internet is as crucial as water, and they'll go where they can get it.
Lastly, our hamlets and villages are assets, and can't be left to wither. Strategic planning meetings and beautification campaigns only go so far. There needs to be a concerted effort to fill storefronts and help businesses remain viable in hamlets like Livingston Manor and Jeffersonville.
Buyers have choices, and we need to court them. All levels of government, from the county to the town level, need to consider whether decisions like passing property rights resolutions or deferring town-wide reassessments promote or inhibit second-home ownership here. This is a garden that needs to be tended and not ignored.
[David Knudsen lives in Hortonville, NY. He is Associate Broker at the Catskills Buyer Agency in Liberty, NY. You can read his blog at blog.catskill4sale.com/]

subset: commoncrawl


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To read the TJBlog, and add to the commentary yourself, go to the GBW Premium Message Board, The GBW Victors Club, for:
TJBlog: eight dashing through the A2 snow today.
Sat early-AM: The Recruiting Weekend
The Michigan Insider Top Stories
Ambry Thomas Commits to MichiganMichigan picked up another major piece toits 2017 recruiting puzzle with Detroit (Mich.) King cornerback Ambry Thomas committed to the Wolverines.
The Michigan InsiderYesterday at 6:17 PM
Watch: Butt 'proud' of career, ready for FSUWatch: Jake Butt reflects on his career at Michigan as he prepares for his final game against Florida State.
The Michigan InsiderYesterday at 9:05 AM
Watch: Glasgow still can't 'fathom' OSU lossWatch: Ryan Glasgow still can't 'fathom' Michigan's loss to rival Ohio State.
The Michigan InsiderYesterday at 3:44 AM
Oghoufo talks Irish, Wolverines2018 LB Ovie Oghoufo is still committed to Notre Dame, but Michigan among others is in hot pursuit.
The Michigan InsiderYesterday at 3:41 AM
Beilein praises defense, Wagner in Texas winMichigan coach John Beilein praises U-M's defense and the play of Moritz Wagner in the Wolverines' 53-50 win against Texas.
The Michigan InsiderTuesday at 8:43 PM


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Cubs Delayed [UPDATE #3] 10:40 PM Start Time
The tarp is on the field, and the Cubs game will not start on time. We'll keep you posted if and when a new start time is announced..
[UPDATE] Looked like the game was going to start around 8:00 PM CST, but another wave of rain came through, still expecting baseball tonight.
[UPDATE #2] It's now 10:00 PM CST, and we are still in a delay, and nothing has been called yet, still waiting. Almost three hours and counting, at least 30 minutes of field prep after tarp is off, game might not start till 10:30 PM CST at the earliest.
[UPDATE #3] First pitch, 10:40 PM CST, not kidding.
– George
3 Comments
Thanks, George. Go Pirates! 104 years and counting….
George – fuck (just so you won't post my actual e-mail address to be slaughtered by your bretheren) If you need a Cardinals antagonist just let me know. I would be proud to play the part. I love the rivalry and would be happy to add fuel to the fire and help bring some views to your blog. Let me know… firstname.lastname@example.com


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by Anton Shilov
Chief executive officer of Nvidia Corp. said that the graphics chip designer not only completely supports the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit against Intel Corp., but also that the legal action will eventually help the evolution of the graphics processing unit (GPU).
"We support today's action by the FTC, which has fully recognized Intel's behavior as an impediment to progress in the computer industry and to consumer choice. As the FTC states, when Intel fell behind in innovation within its core CPU market, it moved to smother competition in the GPU marketplace. This has curbed innovation and investment, and reduced consumer choice," said Jen-Hsun Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, in a special statement.
It is interesting to note that while FTC did accuse Intel of "smothering potential competition from GPU* chips", it did not indicate such moves slowed down the innovation and investments made by GPU companies. In fact, the investigation of FTC is focused around Intel's business practices on the market of central processing units (CPUs), not graphics processing units. FTC did say that Intel's practices could generally impact the market of GPUs.
Mr. Huang believes that discounts Intel provides to its customers who acquire Intel Atom processors and chipsets in bundles are unfair and undermine Nvidia's ability to popularize its GeForce 9400M (Ion) core-logic on the growing market of netbooks and nettops. The highly-ranking executive believes that the tactics is both aggressive and anti-competitive. In addition, Intel and Nvidia are in the middle of a legal dispute, which result should determine whether Nvidia can produce and sell chipsets compatible with Intel microprocessors with integrated memory controller that are based on Nehalem, Pineview and, eventually, Sandy Bridge micro-architectures.
Meanwhile, to remedy the anticompetitive damage alleged in the complaint, the FTC is seeking an order which includes provisions that would prevent Intel from using threats, bundled prices, or other offers to encourage exclusive deals, hamper competition, or unfairly manipulate the prices of its CPU or GPU chips.
Even if the FTC wins the case against Intel in court, it will forbid Intel to bundle CPUs with core-logic sets with or without integrated GPUs and/or provide certain discounts. However, future microprocessors by Intel Corp. for mainstream and entry-level markets already contain integrated graphics circuits. As a result, there will hardly be a lot of opportunities for Nvidia on the platform market other than in the form of standalone graphics chips. Nevertheless, Mr. Huang believes that the lawsuit will still do a lot of positive for the market of GPUs.
"The GPU is critical for common applications like graphics, video and photo processing. Today's filing is sorely needed to stop Intel from using unlawful tactics to lock out the GPU and block consumers from its revolutionary benefits," said Mr. Huang.
Recently Intel admitted the importance of GPU-computing by announcing plans to support video transcoding acceleration with its next-generation integrated graphics processors.
"Today's FTC announcement highlights the industry-changing impact of the GPU and the importance of our work. Our innovation is making the PC magical and amazing again. I can now imagine the day when Intel can no longer block consumers from enjoying our creation and experience computing in a way we know is possible," said the head of Nvidia in an alleged internal letter to the employees of the company.
*The FTC does not officially disclose what it means by GPUs. Intel does not produce discrete GPUs. X-bit labs believes that the FTC uses general term GPU to refer to both chipsets with integrated graphics processors (IGPs) and discrete graphics chips since the success of the former limit market opportunities of the latter.


text: Some quick good news: da Feds have captured Warren Jeffs, the fugitive leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints, a polygamist offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church. Jeffs is, naturally, playing the "religious persecution" card. Of course it's persecution to object to the idea of 50+ year old men swapping around barely pubescent girls as sex toys. Check the comprehensive listing of articles about the activities of Jeffs and his disciples over at Rick Ross's cult-watchdog site.


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Veterinary technicians, assistants and office staff represent an important and diverse group within the animal care industry. Prospective students interested in these career paths play an integral role in many areas of veterinary clinical practice. Under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, successful graduates may perform a variety of tasks including medical, surgical, laboratory and clerical procedures. Due to the highly interactive nature of these careers, a genuine compassion for animals is essential.
Volunteer State Community College offers 2 possible study paths related to animal care careers:
- Veterinary Assistant
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Veterinary Technology
Veterinary Assistant Certificate
A certificate in Veterinary Assistant requires 22 hours of college courses encompassing both general education and animal care/veterinary assistant. The program may be completed on either a full or part time basis. This path is designed for students who seek employment as non-licensed, veterinary assistants.
Career Options
- Veterinary assistant in private practice
- Research assistant for teaching hospitals
- Animal care provider for pet stores/groomers
- Humane Society staff
- Animal husbandry for corporate farms
|Credit Hours
|Credentials Earned
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Veterinary Technology
The Veterinary Technology program provides students with both classroom and clinical experiences. Students will spend a portion of their clinical experience in various veterinary settings including referral centers and private clinical practices. Both full-time, four semester and part-time six semester options are available. This curriculum is designed to prepare the student for the national board exam and licensure as a veterinary technician (LVT). The Vet Tech Program has limited seating. Applications are due in the Spring for the following Fall semester.
Career Options
- Agricultural Businesses
- Large Animal, Small Animal, or Specialty/Referral Veterinary Practice
- Laboratory Animals and Research Facilities
- Exotics or Zoo Species
- Local and National Government Regulatory Positions
- Wildlife Rehabilitation
|Credit Hours
|Credentials Earned


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@deltabadhand: true. they never said exactly what time of the day. I mean were there accounts for leap year and everything else?
@Mjl-428: It's the Mayan's they never missed any prediction. They completely knew the Spanish were coming, but they knew they were no match for their ridiculous moustache's.
We're doomed, see you in hell you guys and girls, I'll be the guy sitting on the throne of skulls from aborted babies with a sash knitted together from gay marriage certificates.
@2eo: then I guess I'll meet my true love then as we're both being tortured for eternity
Well if one views 2012 as a time for potential rebirth and positive change then all items on the list except for Whitney passing can be seen as wonderful growth and change.
We aren't where we should be, we aren't where we are going to be but thank everything we aren't where we were.
what ever happened to the guy that predicted the end of the world earlier this year??
last I heard it was close to the end of the world for him… Did it happen??
@2eo: You won't see any of us. Sorry to disappoint you.
Well it's 1026am on the 21st where I live … still looking good outside .. very hot (like 32 celcius)
@queerty1958: I will, don't mistake my massive blood alcohol level with actual blindness, it may be a blur but I know it's you nonetheless.
Whitey Houston "crossed over" back in the early 80's. It is known she sold her soul back then which is the result of her "passing on" (as you may have meant in place of the word death that has become so offensive with the PC crowd) in 2012.
If it indeed is going to happen . .
Then it must be guided by a power greater than I …
Therefore, I will go to work as usual . …
Gurl, all I know is if there is heaven, Whitney is up there locked in her bathroom smokin' crack in peace (what does a bitch have to do to get some privacy up in here??) with her sex toys. Happy Apocalypse!
Everyone is misusing the word Apocalypse. It doesn't mean the end of the world, just a traumatic loss. Its original meaning from the ancient Greek is apo-=to take away,+ calypse= a masculine cover, and refered to what Jews did to their foreskins. It was concidered a tragedy for the Greeks who enjoyed their prepuces and never committed circumcision unless it became necessary, like from an infected injury. The Jews did it because they lost the knowledge of how to properly care for their prepuces from believing in a superstitious false heavenly godfather and having sex with animals and getting UTI's and STD's leading to delirium induced audio and visual halucinations. This same cinario caused the Islamic religions to develop, also. An Apocalypse/Apocalyptra(fem. word form) happens every day to the least of our brothers and sisters because of religious paranoia.


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"Catholic Answers Live came along early in my journey through RCIA two years ago, and has been a staple for my spiritual diet ever since."
"I protest that I do not intend to assert or determine anything that has not been manifestly determined by Sacred Scripture or by the authority of the Church. Wherefore I submit all I have said or shall say to the correction of Holy Mother Church and of all learned men."


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Incompetence or… ?
At the February Shohola supervisors' meeting, I characterized the board's pulling of our highly regarded and knowledgeable Upper Delaware Council (UDC) representative on the day of an important UDC vote as incompetence. Shohola instead sent an alternate who abstained from the vote, stating that he didn't know enough about the subject being voted on.
Mr. Hoeper's inexplicable response to this charge of incompetence was the accusation that I had once told him, "You will never become supervisor unless you learn to be a politician, Greg." He then continued, "and I says, you know what, Shirley, I will never learn to be a politician."
If Mr. Hoeper thinks back on it, he will remember that he was already a supervisor when we had that conversation. I had asked him to use diplomacy in his position of power, and he'd replied that he didn't want to be a "politician." I explained that once you take a position in government, even on the township level, you are a politician.
So what does this have to do with the UDC vote?
I said at the township meeting that the sending of an alternate to the UDC meeting who didn't know what he was voting on was incompetence.
Or was it…
After careful consideration of Messrs. Hoeper and Fluhr's extremely weak responses to me at the supervisors meeting, I'm forced to reconsider, and have come to the conclusion that the board's decision could indeed have been politically motivated.
Perhaps I should hope the decision was incompetence, because if it was politics, then Mr. Hoeper is indeed a politician; and if he was unaware of the decision, then our township is now running on only one supervisor.
Incompetence or politics—either way, it's a bad situation for our township. Shohola deserves better.
Shirley Masuo
Shohola, PA
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One of Hawaii's two oil refineries is up for sale after Tesoro backs out of the island market. Experts suspect Hawaii's push toward renewable energy is one of several factors affecting the market.
International oil consultant Fereidun Fesharaki says he was not surprised by Tesoro's announcement to sell its refinery and 32 local stations.
It's a move he expected first by Chevron, which owns the state's other oil refinery.
"Refineries look at the long term and they see a no-growth market, expensive crude, and possibly losing ground," said Fesharaki.
The downsides of refining oil in Hawaii have been building for years: all crude oil is imported and from the Asian market, which is proving to be even more expensive than the Middle East, especially after Japan's earthquake and tsunami.
Then there is the push toward renewable energy to lower Hawaii's carbon foot-print and wean off that expensive crude oil.
The state is investing in photovoltaics, wind farms and electric cars.
The state's goal now: 40 percent renewable energy by 2030.
Fesharaki says there's a problem.
"Often people in Hawaii think if you use sun, wind or ocean it's free. It's not free," he says.
He says, right now, renewable energy costs are even higher than oil costs: about 100 dollars a barrel for oil and up to 200 for renewable energy.
He expects it will be our grandchildren who will see renewable energy prices at reasonable levels.
"The renewable push will be slowly and I emphasize very slowly over 20 to 40 year period of time," he estimated.
In the meantime, he believes another alternative is in order and within our reach.
The federal government has already labeled natural gas as what they call a "transition fuel."
That definition allows natural gas companies to take advantage of tax breaks and incentives, which are reasons to do business and bring business to Hawaii.


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Sowing seeds of hunger
Over the last decade, HIV/AIDS has had a devastating impact on southern Africa, where up to 80 percent of the population is dependent on small-scale agriculture for their food and livelihood. The primary victims of the disease are the food-growers, leaving only the people who are too sick, too young or too poor to farm and feed themselves.
Year: 2003


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Viviscal Extra Strength Hair Nutrient Tablets
- Overview
- Ingredients
- Features
- About the brand
Viviscal Extra Strength is the world renowned 100% drug-free dietary supplement, aimed specifically at promoting existing hair growth when women are suffering temporary thinning hair. Viviscal Extra Strength nourishes thinning hair and promotes existing hair growth* from within. At Viviscal we understand hair. Statistics show that a whole range of factors, including stress, hormonal changes, over styling, poor nutrition, age, menopause, post-pregnancy, and medication can impact the health of the hair. Viviscal Extra Strength dietary supplements are scientifically formulated with the exclusive marine complex AminoMar, which helps to nourish thinning hair and promote existing hair growth* from within. These nutrients help nourish hair during the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. Only Viviscal dietary supplements contain the proprietary marine complex AminoMar (450 mg per serving), along with zinc, vitamin C and horsetail extract. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.*
How does Viviscal work?
Viviscal normally works in four stages over a 6-month period, but most users can start to see an improvement after only 3-4 months.
• Stage 1 (up to month 2): Viviscal works to nourish the hair follicles from
• Stage 2 (months 2 & 3): Viviscal strengthens and promotes the growth of existing hair
• Stage 3 (months 4 & 5): Promotes growth of hair where it has temporarily slowed down or stopped. These hairs may be thin or wispy at first, like baby hair.
• In the 6th month the hair becomes stronger, thicker, healthier and more vibrant.
Amino Mar™ Marine Complex, Horsetail (stern) Extract Silica, Millet Seed Extract, Vitamin C, Niacin, Biotin, Iron, Zinc (as Zinc Oxide), Other ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Maltodestrin, Film Coating Powder Blend Clear 01 (Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose, Glycerol,), Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Artifical Orange Flavoring, Modified Starch, Contains Fish Ingredients (shark)
Recommended daily intake: Take 2 tablets daily for a minimum of 6 months or until the desired results have been achieved (1 in the morning and 1 in the evening, taken with water after food). Thereafter, take 1-2 tablets daily as required.
Keep out of reach of children. Not recommended if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult doctor if on medication. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake.
Viviscal is not suitable for those with an allergy to seafood (fish and
shellfish) or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Viviscal is the world leader in hair growth supplements. The product is 100% drug free and backed by seven clinical trials proving it's efficacy. The active ingredient is a deep sea marine protein called AminoMar™ which nourishes the hair follicle from within, encouraging strong and healthy growth.
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UselessDoes nothing. Zero. No improvement at all!
Take any brand Biotin 10,000 mcg instead - works wonders!Aug 19, 2016Greta V. / Los Angeles, CaliforniaHAIR TYPELight Brown / Fine or Thin Hair
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Don't Buy ThisThis product contains shark cartilage. The practice of shark finning involves fishermen slicing off the fins of the shark and then returning them to the ocean to drown. This is an unproven ingredient and completely unnecessary. Save your money and don't waste it on snake oil potions!Mar 3, 2016Jemma
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Used For 6 Months And Then StoppedI took these tablets -Visceral almost everyday for 6 months. After a couple months I saw new hair growth along my hair line. However after 6 months I did not see new hair growth on my scalp where my hair is thinning. Also, when I stopped taking the tablets I noticed more than usual hair loss.
so I can't really say this works.
Lastly I tried the topical lotion but it just burned my scalp. it was much too harsh for me and my scalp was red for hours. I had to wash it off to alleviate the burning sensation.Jul 24, 2015Jennifer C.HAIR TYPEFine or Thin Hair
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Viviscal Extra Strength WorksSo I've had 3 surgeries within the past 5 months. One was a cosmetic procedure that went wrong then had to be corrected. The third was due to an athletic injury. I am very healthy. I follow a Mediterranean diet and am very active and athletic. Have always had healthy hair. It's fine hair but there was a lot of it. I just turned 45 my hair is getting gray in spots. After the first 2 surgeries my hairstylist told me my hair was thinning noticeably around the crown which is a common side effect from anesthesia. Plus work is exceedingly stressful. When the third surgery came along I knew I had to try something. There were spots on the top of my head where the scalp was starting to show. I began taking viviscal 6 weeks ago and I already see a difference. I have had no excessive breakouts I think because I work out so much and drink a lot of water. I also take coconut oil supplements and a multivitamin daily. My skin is clear. My hair is growing faster and is noticeably thicker there are no more spots on top of my head where you can see scalp. It is shinier too. My lashes are fuller as well. I am plucking my eyebrows more frequently but nothing crazy. I have noticed a few stray hairs on my chin that freaked me out but plucked and done. I wasn't expecting results till the 4th or 5th month. I will continue to take this product for at least the 6 months as recommended. Can't wait to see my stylist she's not going to believe the results I'm getting so far. Worth every penny.May 2, 2015Jennifer G. / NYHAIR TYPEMedium Brown / Fine or Thin Hair / Chemically Treated Hair
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Possible Side EffectsI have been using viviscal for 3 months until now. My hair stopped falling and looks stronger! However, I started to feel dizzy sometimes during the day and "aired head" .
I stopped taking viviscal for 4 days and this symptoms seems to be going away. I don't feel completely normal yet.
I read a review that viviscal has estrogen, and since I am on hormone replacement therapy, I am assuming that's why a was feeling dizzy while taking viviscal.Feb 16, 2015Cristina R. / FloridaHAIR TYPEMedium Brown / Color Treated Hair
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This Is A Good Product.This is a good product.Jun 23, 2014Lisa R. / USHAIR TYPEBlack / Normal Hair
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Acne Disaster!!!!I had been using the regular strength Viviscal for about a year. I was VERY pleased with the results. Then you guys decided to make an extra strength. What a DISASTER this stuff has been for my skin! YOU RUINED a perfectly good product!!! I can't even take 1 pill a day! This stuff broke my 75 year old Mother out! I have managed to get the regular potency through the official website. WHY do they not make it available in stores? The choice to choose between either one would be wonderful! I can't always buy 3 boxes at a time! Iam giving the Extra Strength a big fat ZERO!Apr 30, 2014WendyHAIR TYPEBlonde / Color Treated Hair / Fine or Thin Hair
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On Month #6 And No Drastic ChangeI am 35 and my hair was always super long, till I got it cut about 1.5 years ago...just a few inches...then 6 months ago I went for my annual restyle and my hair was trimmed maybe an inch at most...it has literally stopped growing. My stylist recommended VIVISCAL and for 6 months I have been using it....I can only tell my hair is growing by the roots coming in, but I don't see a HUGE difference...maybe an inch? My ends are breaking off so badly though-not sure why. I don't think it has to do with the product but to be honest, I expected much more hair growth using this product. Some say their nails are super strong, mine never were. I am now using BIOTIN (gel supplement) and my nails are incredibly hair...has my hair grown? Can't really say....I almost want to quit but will try this out for another month or two...Apr 3, 2014Lisa
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Grows Hair, But Grows Fibroids As WellI took Viviscial extra strength for a year and I was very pleased with how long my hair grew. However, I now have a fibroid the size of a 5 month pregnancy!!! My doctor stated that products that contain estrogen or estrogen-like products like Viviscal can be the culprit in the rapid growth of fibroids. I had 3 fibroids the size of peas for 3 years. Within 1 year, 1 fibroid grew so large that it now has my stomach/uterus grossley enlarged. I have a myomectomy scheduled for April to remove the massive invader. If you have a hysterectomy then you won't have to worry about this horrible side effect!Mar 18, 2014Td L.HAIR TYPEDark Brown / Thick or Coarse Hair
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Use This Even If Your Hair Is NormalIf you want amazing hair, hair you see on commercials, hair that is strong, long and shiny, try this product. It is worth the monthly investment and will change your hair forever.
I came across this product when looking for ways to make my hair grow faster during the winter. At first I took the recommended 2 pills per day but I am lucky and have thick hair so I reduced it to one per day thus extending the life of the product.
Be patient, you will not see results over night but you will see them soon enough!
I go to a top rated Beverly Hills salon and told my stylist about this product 2 years ago and she tells all of her clients who are experience thinning or hair loss and they all have had such positive results.
The best part of this product, as compared to other supplements such as Biotin, is that there is nothing you don't need in this supplement and your body can absorb all of the nutrients making it the most cost effective.
Feb 16, 2014J / Los AngelesHAIR TYPEBlonde / Normal Hair
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Overnight low temperature at Wanakena on Saturday night was a brisk 24 below zero. That didn't keep roving photographer Sylvia Lake from enjoying the wintery beauty of the Adirondacks.
Footbridge at Wanakena
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i lived in star lake for about 13 years .then moved to plattsburgh . i do miss all the snow in the winter. but not the black flies in the spring.36516904
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Target date funds offer DC alternative
Finding ways to improve defined-contribution pension schemes, where the risks are taken by the individuals instead of their employer, is the subject of increasing attention as DC schemes become the primary form of occupational retirement benefits.
One current area of focus is the way in which schemes reduce their members' investment risk as they approach retirement, and this was the subject of a panel session at last month's Financial News annual pensions conference.
The basic idea of shifting members' investments from equities to bonds and cash as they approach retirement is widely agreed to be sensible. However, attitudes are changing towards the way in which these shifts should be managed.
The most common way of doing it, called "lifestyling", follows a pre-set path of reducing the equity allocation in the years before the member retires. A new way, referred to as "target date", gives the pensions provider more discretion in timing the moves.
Speaking at a panel session, Catherine Doyle, a DC specialist at BNY Mellon, said: "The performance of some lifestyle funds in 2008 showed us the shortcomings of this mechanistic approach. Research we did with Cass Business School [published last October] showed that a more dynamic approach to asset allocation radically improved the outcome. There is an appetite for something more sophisticated."
Emma Douglas, head of Mercer Workplace Savings, part of the pensions consulting firm, also said the entirely mechanistic nature of lifestyle funds was a flaw: "You're going to switch out of equities and into bonds at the end of the month no matter what the market is doing. As an industry, I think we can do better than that, we can make lifestyle more intelligent. That's where a target date fund comes in."
This was not the universal view, however. Jerry Gandhi, chief operating officer of Now: Pensions, a provider of workplace pension schemes, said: "Lifestyle and target date are different words for the same product. A mechanistic approach is probably better, because judgment calls in the area [of dynamic asset allocation] have historically been very bad."
Patrick Heath-Lay, director of finance and strategic delivery at B&CE, which provides pensions for employees in the construction industry, said his organisation has stuck with lifestyling. Employing asset managers to make asset allocation decisions is expensive, and Heath-Lay said: "The more sophisticated you make the instrument, you have a cost, particularly to members with very small funds who will move on in a very small amount of time and could quickly find their fund being eaten up by that charging approach."
But Paul Bannister, chief executive of the BlueSky Pension Scheme, which provides pensions to electricians and others in the electricity industry, is a convert to target date funds. He said: "We have made the complete switch from lifestyle to target date because lifestyle ignores market conditions.
"There is a slightly higher cost. They cost 0.1% extra per annum for the members. But we married it up with our annual management charge and the two together were acceptable to the membership.
"[On the basis of] what we've seen so far, [the extra cost] will comfortably be gobbled up by the smoother returns we get from the target date funds. In the short period that we've had these funds it's proved the right thing to do so far."
But BNY Mellon's Doyle says that administering target date funds could become a headache, and a UK pensions provider could end up having many vintages of target date funds – one maturing in 2020, another in 2021, and so on – with few assets in them.
Bannister said: "It's going to reduce the amount of work we do. The manager does a lot of the work for you. The small increase in the charge reduces some of our workload, so it should allow us to make savings."


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A Fashion Blogger-Inspired Closet/Office
Three years ago, a leader in the French art scene and his life partner, who works in the fragrance industry, decided it was time to move out of their Paris townhouse rental and buy their own place. They came across a 2,600-square-foot Haussmanian apartment in Nouvelle Athènes—or "New Athens"—a section in the north of the city named for its interesting architecture, constructed in the early 19th century. Back then, Nouvelle Athènes was the epicenter of Paris culture—among its residents were Victor Hugo, Camille Pissarro, George Sand, Frédéric Chopin, and Paul Gauguin. The owner liked that idea as much as the flat, which was on the second floor and retained its original herringbone oak parquet and soaring 11-foot-high ceilings. But he wanted a second opinion. He rang the designer duo Kelli Wilde and Laurent Champeau, who had just left Tino Zervudachi to start their own firm. They liked it too, and had loads of ideas on how to refashion it. He agreed, bought the place, and became their first client.
The Jean-Michel Frank-style armchairs in the living room were purchased at the Clignancourt flea market, the rugs were custom made in Belgium, and the drawing is a 2005 untitiled work by Richard Serra; the original paneling was restored and painting in Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion in Skimming Stone.
The strength of the Champeau-Wilde partnership is their bicultural point of view: Wilde is a Seattle-born American who arrived in Paris in 1987 as a student and worked in art galleries before joining Zervudachi's renowned firm; Champeau is a born-and-raised Parisian who studied at L'Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués. This New World–Old World mix comes through in their work, and particularly shines in the Nouvelle Athènes flat.
A 2006 mixed-media work by Anselm Reyle hangs in the entrance hall; the stone floor is bordered in marble.
12 Ideas For Stunning Fall Tables


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Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing
IPRM working group structure updated; mandate endorsed at Senate meeting
Nov 29/12
A motion was passed at Lauriers Senate meeting Nov. 26 that updates the composition of the Integrated Planning and Resource Management (IPRM) working committees.
All of the IPRM working committees including the Planning Task Force, the Academic Priorities Team, the Administrative Priorities Team and the Resource Management Team will now be comprised of 2/3 elected members and 1/3 appointed members.
The motion that Senate endorse the mandate of the Integrated Planning and Resource Management task force ("the Planning Task Force") was also approved, with the addition of a friendly amendment stating: that Senate acknowledges that implementation of approved recommendations of the Planning Task Force will be in accordance with the powers of Senate, the Board of Governors, and the President as enumerated in the WLU Act.
The mandate will now go to Lauriers Board of Governors for approval.
Lauriers IPRM website will be updated as necessary to reflect these decisions made at Senate as soon as possible.
Nominations for the IPRM working teams close Friday, Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m. To submit a nomination, please email Orna Duggan, Director, Institutional Research & Planning, at firstname.lastname@example.com
Information about the IPRM working groups election process and December timeframe will be communicated early the week of Dec. 3.
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