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|Edelle Flexhorn
Unless anyone opposes... you make your way to the only multi-story building other than the barn and knock on the door. A few moments later a jovial plump woman opens the door and smiles as she greets you. "Hello young ones! What can I do for you? " Teri peers into the building and notices the dwarf, Roughrider, sitting at the table with a cup of tea sitting before him. He wears some official robes, like those of a policeman or a paladin. "A room for the night? Well I suppose I could have the boys cuddle up. Now young miss there, of course we can't have you mixed in with all of them. You're welcome to stay in the guest room. But, if you're going to be using the bunkhouse, that's for workers. I'll ask you to give me some help in the morning to pay off the debt. How does this sound? "
|Thervold Windwalker
Mama D looks surprised and then a bit annoyed by Thervold's question. " No, Sonny, this is not a hotel...." She laughs at the second part of your comment. "Commonplace it may be, but it's still work that needs to be done. I can see you're quite the jokester. Anyways, the water pump is out by the barn and the food line is set up outside of the grand stands. As for entertainment, that starts in the morning, don't you worry. It's going to be quite a rodeo this year. "
|Thervold Windwalker
You are assigned to various tasks around the festival to ensure things run smoothly. You gain a good idea of where things are and of the most prominent competitors. As you pass by tents near where Roughrider is staying, some people begin to recognize you.
"So you're the stand-in's who didn't earn their coin? Just had it handed to you? Interesting. How is ol' Garry anyways? " The reactions are obviously mixed, but none seem less friendly to you than your bunkmates.
At the end of the day, you feel that you have earned a well deserved rest and you settle in to the bunk house. Edelle has trouble sleeping, however. Isolated again from her allies due to her sex, and carrying the group's dragon coin, much rides on her shoulders, to say nothing of the larger picture with the two Kronos. The rest of the group feels a palpable discomfort in the room. The ranch-hands are staying awake in their beds, just watching you. Some times they will ask a question. "From Startville, eh? ...When did you leave?... Hear there was a nasty storm that way about then?..." Eventually, they quiet down and let you rest. You think, perhaps, they are just nervous or excited for the Rodeo in the morning.
You awaken early in the morning as the ranch hands get up to go about their chores. They direct you to a few different things that can be done to help out.
I guess I should not have said anything. :)
Casvian awakes and to his surprise he can see. He is so happy, then he remembers the chores. "Oh well I guess the easy life is over." He then goes to find a job that does not involve socializing. Loading the animals from the pens seems like a good idea.
|Thervold Windwalker
|Edelle Flexhorn
Thervold directs people about. He revels in the social chaos of sending people off in different directions. The people with dragon coins, Edelle included, are sent toward the table where Teriwynth is set-up. He takes a close look at each coin, checking for counterfeits. He then takes names and statistics of the competitors. Some of the stories these people have about gaining the dragon coins are fascinating. Teriwynth thinks of ways he can spin these stories into his performances. While all of this is going on, Alric and Casvian lead the animals into smaller pens and take individual beasts into the final chute where they are about to be released.
Thervold reaches into his pocket and admires one of the coins that he found in the water just a couple nights ago. Someone in the crowd walks up, looking at the coin. "Ah, you're one of the competitors as well? Going to register right away, I imagine? "
Edelle says hello to Teriwynth as she hands him her dragon coin. She is directed toward the barn where several bunks have been set up. There is also a box for accoutrements at the foot of the bed. Several men and women are already in the barn, and a few more come in behind you. You recognize one of the ranch hands as he comes in. There is a hush that falls over the crowd as a dwarf with a large ornate belt makes his way in and takes the empty bunk on Edelle's right. He introduces himself to you and extends a hand to shake. "Rufus, but people around here call me Roughrider. I'm the winner of the Wyvern Rodeo here three years running. I look forward to competing with you. "
|Edelle Flexhorn
"Indeed, but you realize, of course, that this is not just a show of strength. No, one must have wit, be quick on their feet, and must be pure of heart. These are the qualities of a true winner. " Roughrider pauses for a moment. "Pardon me, I do tend to preach and philosophize. It's part of the job, I suppose. I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name Miss...? "
|Edelle Flexhorn
Sorry for being so rude Rufus, I'm Edelle Flexhorn.
And while this rodeo thing is pretty new to me I'll be giving it my best go. With an arching of my back and flourish of dexterity Strength isn't my thing, I'll see how my wit and purity stack up in the competition
Do you have any tips for preparing at this late stage?
|Thervold Windwalker
Roughrider smiles at the woman, clearly impressed by her "I don't think you need my tips, but I have always heard that it is best to calm the mind and think about something else before a test. Fortunately for us, we have the feast tonight to keep us distracted." Roughrider absent-mindedly sets out some ornate robes for the festivities. You recognize these as being the garb of a religious man.
Thervold stops a competitor before he hands in his coin to Teriwynth at the registration table. He asks the young man what the prize is "Well, for starters, you get bragging rights of being the best in the land, but if glory isn't your thing, they say that the magic belt given as a prize protects you from harm. And, of course, there's the cash prize taken from the proceeds here. The coffers are quite full this year with the delay pushing the rodeo back. People are just bursting with excitement Hey! Wait a second, aren't you supposed to be the guy directing people? Shouldn't you know this already? " The young man waves it off and registers with Teriwynth who takes a moment to pat the handsome young man down for any forbidden items and check his bag.
Teriwynth looks at the sun and realizes that it is about time to close up and start the qualifying event. Everyone else seems to be registered. He looks to Thervold, who clutches the last dragon coin in his hand. "Well, are you joining up, or not? "
|Thervold Windwalker
With the last name registered, the horns begin to sound and Thervold barely has enough time to set down at the last bunk before being filed out toward the arena. The crowd is enormous. Maybe a thousand or more people mill about, snacking, conversing, and making merry. Some groups wear like clothing of the same colour. These groups sit nervously together and wave as their corresponding competitor enters the ring to take part in the first event. Before any of this starts, Mama D enters the tower with the announcer. Suddenly, her voice booms over the crowd. "Welcome everyone to the eleventh annual Wyvern Rodeo!" There is much cheering as people hurry to their seats. The crowd settles into quiet after a moment. Mama D speaks again. "I would like to thank you all for coming and I want to wish everyone luck as the days go on. Thank you. " More cheering. Suddenly the voice changes to that of a nasally speaking man. His voice is not unpleasant, but something about it seems fake. "How about another round of applause for Mama D everyone! Yeah! It looks like we're going to have a great competition this year. Now, as you know, each of these athletes has been chosen by the Wyvern herself over the past year. As we go between events, I'll be sharing some stories with you about how these brave men and women came to be awarded with their dragon coins. We will start with the reigning champ, Mr. Rufus RedHammer, but folks around here call him the Roughrider. " With this there is much cheering as Roughrider walks out into the centre of the ring wearing his belt and waving to the crowd.
As the cheering settles down, the voice returns. "Alright folks, without any further adieu, let's get this rodeo started! "
|Thervold Windwalker
Alric walks purposefully across the walkway in front of the grand-stands, scanning the crowd for any faces he recognizes. Casvian tags along and they come across Teriwynth, looking bored. He joins them for something to stay occupied with, but he can also tell that something is about to happen. The initial scan of the crowd is fruitless, but Alric suspects they are on the opposite side of the arena with the contestants and workers. He, Casvian, and Teriwynth cross over that direction. Alric sees two of the men standing next to the arena drinking as they watch the first rider go. They are conversing casually as the three of you approach.
The first event, bareback riding begins easily enough. The first three competitors successfully remains on the horses for the required eight seconds. Roughrider is next in line and he manages to stay on, but the horse gives him quite a hard time. He manages to pull off a strong landing though, and comes off of the horse with some flare. The next two competitors both fall off in less than four seconds. Finally, Edelle and Thervold are announced and asked to take their place on the horses. three (3) ride checks and any other actions you would like to take. I will be posting a map hopefully tonight after family supper.
|Edelle Flexhorn
Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
If that 4 is about to throw me of an acrobatics check to land back on the horse (If a monk can't pull off some magic here, who can):
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24
If I stay on till the end I attempt a summersault on dismount
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Wyverns are the lesser cousins of true dragons. They are intelligent, though not particularly bright. Normally Wyverns are aggressive brutes, but here im not so sure. I saw those men messing with one the other day, and it only asked for help. I wasn't able to find out more before it flew off, but I know there is no way a "Wyvern Rodeo" could become a regular event without some cooperation. Even if you could catch a wyvern once, it would come back for blood as soon as it can, and if you kill it, well, they aren't exactly common stock. So most likely, a wyvern is volunteering yearly for this. Which means we have more that a few questions for those louts.
So, do we want to ask first or just shake 'em down?
|Thervold Windwalker
Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Thervold clenches his teeth and holds on for dear life. He wishes he was anywhere else other than on this stupid Wyvern and thinks the rewards really aren't worth this. He realizes this might have been a stupid thing to do.
Edelle is released into the ring with a powerful horse. She thinks that the announcer called it "Highbrow" or something like that. The ride is a thrilling challenge. Her mind races and her body flows along with the movements of the horse...
that is until the last two seconds....
The horse delivers an unexpected twist and Edelle is tossed several feet into the air. She attempts to wing herself back onto the horse, and she very nearly succeeds. Her foot lands back in one stirrup, but the force of her fall means that she can't quite swing back into the saddle. She has one last hope. She drags her one arm along the side of the horse as her body sinks. The horse nearly tips over onto her, but this slow fall is enough to keep her off of the ground for last of the eight seconds. The crowd is in stunned silence for a moment as the judges contemplate. Finally, an announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, in a marvelous display of skill, Ms. Edelle Flexhorn just barely makes it into the next round! " The crowd roars and stands on their feet for this display of prowess.
Moments later, the ring is cleared and Edelle sees her allies standing by the arena. Alric looks quite upset, but Teriwynth is ready to congratulate her on a successful ride. He winces horribly in time with the crowd. Edelle has just enough time to look back and see Thervold thrown from his mount in the first few seconds out of the gate. He lands flat on his face and gets a mouthful of dirt. Adding injury to insult, the horse he was riding, Karma, bruquely lands on top of Thervold with a stomp that very nearly misses his rib cage. Instead, Thervold has the wind knocked out of him and nearly loses his lunch too. 6 points of damage. The attendants in the arena quickly get the horse away from Thervold and assist him in getting up out of the arena.
"How about a hand for this young man. Show him your support, he needs it. " The crowd responds with a half-hearted pity clap as Thervold curses all horses forever. "It was a stupid contest anyway. " He whispers under his breath before rejoining his allies outside the ring.
With the group fully assembled, the two ranch hands notice the growing crowd that seem to be watching them. They shift uncomfortably in their boots and try not to make eye contact, but they make no attempt to start conversation other than to tip their hats at Edelle as she approaches.
As the rodeo continues, Roughrider finds Edelle in the crowd. He walks up to her with a wide smile on his face and as soon as he is standing next to her, Edelle feels somehow soothed. "Congratulations, Edelle, that was quite a save you made there. I'm very excited that you will be joining us at the feast tonight. I would be honoured if you would sit next to me." The confidence of this dwarf man is impressive and his intentions seem pure.
After a few moments, the ranch hands finish their drinks and they watch nervously as the next name is called. "Riding our best horse in show, Sliver, is a local man, Ryon. This hometown fellow is sure to have a challenge. " The crowd gasps as the horse comes out, bucks twice and then lopes about like a limp fish. Eight seconds pass and Ryon halts the horse and hops off as though he were on a leisurely ride. The announcer is speechless for a moment and the crowd is unsure of how to react. Finally, the loud voice returns in the air "Ladies and Gentlemen, in a display of horse-whispering only seen in the Humming hills, Mr. Ryon! " At this point, the two other ranch hands look around nervously and move off away from the arena. They are clearly nervous about something.
|Edelle Flexhorn
The men have a mixed reaction about your question. " Golly, Buttercup doesn't have much to do with us. Mama D was the one who trained 'er. Right from an egg, they say that she can tame any beast. That girl's as loyal as any animal could ever be. No need to accost anything. "
Roughrider continues to speak to Edelle "Certainly so. I do enjoy a good conversation. I understand that you are a woman of the cloth yourself? To what order do you belong? "


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History: 90+ (probably more now last measured 3 or more years ago) curve Kyphosis - unable to have surgery currently due to severe reactions/allergies to pain medications
I have been having a chronic dry cough for a few weeks with shortness of breath and some chest pain. I currently suffer from mild asthma and restrictive lung disease (from the actual kyphosis) but this is seems much different. I usually only get problems when I moved around and do activities. This is when I am just sitting around or even going to bed.
One of my doctors (who treat me for something else) mentioned that he thinks my blood flow is being cut off and that might be a reason I cannot breath and am coughing with other symptoms. My Pulse ox is 99 but I feel like I have lower oxygen at times. My inhaler doesn't seem to help much at all.
Anyone else have these type of symptoms. I am going to my primary to see if anything else is going on and then might have to go to pulmonologist too. Thanks everyone. Blessings!

subset: commoncrawl


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Score win for Amtrak
For weeks, Amtrak supporters, including a number of state legislators from the area, have been saying – "we think we can, we think we can" – when discussing saving the Pennsylvanian.
Now they finally can say – "we knew we could, we knew we could" – as a deal was reached that will maintain passenger rail service between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, including stops in several area towns.
The Corbett administration announced Thursday that the state has agreed to provide Amtrak with a $3.8 million subsidy annually to keep the Pennsylvanian on track after Oct. 1.
Without the agreement, the Pennsylvanian likely would have followed the mighty steam locomotives that once were a familiar sight in the area into oblivion.
It's good news to learn that passenger rail service – a piece of our area's rich railroading history – won't be lost in the foreseeable future.
It's even better news for the thousands of people who use the trains for transportation.
Amtrak said in fiscal year 2012, nearly 27,000 people either got on or off a train in Altoona – an average of 74 a day, which isn't too shabby considering there is only one stop eastbound and one stop westbound in Altoona daily.
Tyrone saw more than 3,100 people board or depart trains there, while the total for Huntingdon topped 5,800. Some Juniata College students said earlier this month at a rally that Amtrak service was critical in their decision to attend the Huntingdon County institution.
While the number of rail passengers boarding or disembarking in Altoona admittedly is minute compared with the multitude of area residents driving cars, the totals from Amtrak far exceed the number of passengers taking commuter flights at the Altoona-Blair County Airport, which are subsidized by federal taxpayers, just as Amtrak's current service is.
However, the federal Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 says that as of Oct. 1, all states must fund Amtrak routes of less than 750 miles, like the Pennsylvanian. Unless states provide subsidies, these routes are to be dropped.
Amtrak originally was seeking $5.8 million a year from Pennsylvania to keep the Harrisburg-to-Pittsburgh line running. But the Corbett regime was able to negotiate that amount down by about a third.
Administration officials are banking on the Legislature and governor agreeing to a transportation funding plan this year that will make it easier to come up with the $3.8 million promised to Amtrak. We just hope a transportation deal can be worked out in the next few months.
Reaching an agreement to preserve the Pennsylvanian was hard work, and we're glad everyone kept chugging along until they reached the top.


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Dancing For Our Sperm!
Joanna Bliss
Dancing For Our Sperm!
Then the scene shifts and Joanna wears a filmy black nightie and thong. She keeps up with the dance moves even as we see her knockers swing back and forth under the transparent material. We get some more good cleavage shots, but then the nightie comes off so we can enjoy Joanna's bells on the bare. She presses her pink-polished fingers over her tits and juts out her rack at us as our DDF cameras shoot upward.
Finally Joanna appears in a gray patterned dirndl-style top and pink panties. This off-the-shoulder fashion is particularly sexy with a gal of her glorious endowments, and she dances her way into our dreams with even more seductive images as the scene comes to a most arousing conclusion with her bare boobs aimed right at us, ready for our sperming!


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Fading embers hold clues to puzzle of gamma-ray bursts
Space Science News home
Fading embers hold clues
to puzzle of gamma-ray bursts
to puzzle of gamma-ray bursts
Afterglow points
to long-sought shock-wave features
September 10, 1999: Sometimes the big fireworks aren't the whole show. Watching the embers fade away can help you understand what was hidden by a blinding flash of light - or gamma rays. In a new set of observations, astrophysicists have discovered that an afterglow can start in gamma rays during a gamma-ray burst, thus suggesting that more than one activity is causing what appears to be a chaotic explosion.
Right: Hubble Space Telescope visible light image of a gamma-ray burst taken a few days after it appeared on Jan. 23, 1999. Studying the gamma-ray signatures of fading fireballs in the few minutes immediately after a burst is yielding clues about what happens during the explosion. Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute
Gamma-ray bursts are one of the most mysterious events in modern astrophysics. They occur about once a day at completely random points in the heavens. Their cause remains unknown, although recent observations have allowed scientists to start narrowing the possibilities.
"Figuring out gamma-ray bursts is a lot like doing a jigsaw puzzle, except the pieces are all face-down," remarked Tim Giblin, a graduate student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. "Every once in awhile, we see something in the data - like this afterglow - that allows us to turn over one or two pieces. It helps us to make measured progress towards a better understanding of these events. Nature doesn't give up all of her secrets so easily."
December 3: Mars Polar Lander nears touchdown
December 2: What next, Leonids?
November 30: Polar Lander Mission Overview
November 30: Learning how to make a clean sweep in space
Left: Two graphs depict the dying afterglow of GRB 980923. The upper graph shows the burst profile from when it triggered the BATSE detectors to more than a minute after onset. The lower graph spans from almost a minute after the burst started to 5 minutes after burst onset. The vertical scale of the lower graph is exaggerated to show the faint glow against the background noise. Links to 800x850-pixel, 60K JPG. Credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
In March 1997, scientists made the first observations of an afterglow to a gamma-ray burst. The faint x-ray glow observed in GRB970228 by the Italian-Dutch BeppoSax satellite led a team headed by Jan van Paradijs of the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the Universiy of Amsterdam to discover an optical counterpart.
The optical glow was observed by Hubble Space Telescope and many other telescopes, and persisted for months after the burst itself had come and gone in gamma-rays. This discovery allowed the first direct redshift/distance measurements for gamma-ray bursts, and sealed the answer to a decade-long question of "How far away are the bursts?" The answer is typically several billion light years, putting bursts near the edge of the observable universe.
Since March 1997, scientists have been able to catch several more optical and x-ray counterparts to gamma-ray bursts, including one caught "in the act" on Jan. 23, 1999. Observing these counterparts, and knowing the distance to bursts have allowed scientists to begin to explore the question "What could cause something like this?"
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As is usual in science, the answer to one question - the distance scale - prompted many more detailed questions about the nature of the events. The afterglow from GRB980923 is providing some insight.
GRB 980923 was observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) aboard NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory shortly after 3 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 1998. It lasted about 400 seconds before it faded below BATSE's ability to detect, and it was the 12th brightest of more than 2,000 bursts seen by BATSE since its mission started in April 1991. Aside from being very bright, the burst also displayed a very unusual brightness profile.
|Web Links
catch another gamma-ray burster in visible light - May 18,
1999. Several telescopes observe optical counterpart
Cosmic Gamma Ray Bursts NEWS & RESEARCH
GOTCHA! The Big One That Didn't Get Away - Jan. 27, 1999. For the first time, images of visible light from a gamma ray explosion is captured by a robotic telescope.
Gamma-ray Bursters cross the 'Line of Death' - Oct. 13, 1998. A study of gamma ray burst spectra shows one more thing that these mysterious, cosmological gamma ray bursts are not.
Blast from the past: the latest clue in solving the gamma-ray burst mystery (May 6, 1998).
Gamma-ray burst identification earns top prize (Jan. 12, 1998)
Twinkle, twinkle, massive fireball - reports from the 4th Huntsville Gamma-ray Burst Symposium (Sept. 17, 1997)
Discovery may be "smoking gun" in gamma-ray mystery (March 31, 1997).
The first 40 seconds of the burst emission are highly variable, with the burst source rapidly changing its intensity. Then the variability stops, and the intensity smoothly diminishes over time according to a simple mathematical curve.
"It's as if the variable part of the burst simply switched itself off, leaving the smoothly-decaying gamma-ray afterglow or tail," said Giblin. It's like watching an ember die after it falls out of the fire.
Furthermore, the spectrum of this smoothly-decaying emission - how the gamma-rays are distributed in energy - is markedly different than the spectrum in the variable phase. The emission from the tail looks similar to the emission expected from hot, charged particles cooling and slowing down as they spiral in the presence of a strong magnetic field, what scientists call a 'cooling synchrotron spectrum.' In this process, a particle's energy is converted to the gamma-rays that are detected by the spacecraft.
"Because the spectrum is consistent with this kind of cooling in the burst environment doesn't mean that this has to be the explanation," noted Giblin. "but it sure is suggestive. And if this is what's going on, we've begun to use the tail emission as a probe of the physical conditions in the burst environment."
Left: A color-color diagram, a technique that Giblin recently applied to gamma-ray bursts, shows the burst itself falling into a distinctive crescent pattern that is typical of gamma-ray bursts, while the tail has a uniquely different pattern. Right: Evolution of the spectral index with time shows the burst (bottom left) followed by the afterglow (upper) on a different course, a characteristic of colling synchrotron radiation. Links to 647x616-pixel, 87K JPG (left) and 659x613-pixel, 72KB JPG (right). Credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
The analogy to fireworks is a limited one since what we see on the Fourth of July is chemical combustion. Much of what is emitted by a gamma-ray burst may be the result of shock waves as hot, dense materials slam into each other at high speed.
Theorists have hypothesized since as early as 1994 that the emission we observe from gamma-ray bursts might be produced by shocks within a rapidly expanding fireball and by shocks created by the interaction of the rapidly expanding medium with surrounding material that was relatively cold and undisturbed until it was hit. The prompt gamma-ray emission that BATSE observes as a burst might come from the internal shocks, while the decaying counterparts may be caused by the secondary interaction between the blast material and the environment surrounding the burst site.
Such "shock heating" and emission are commonly observed in astrophysics, for example as recently as in the first-light image from Chandra X-ray Telescope of the supernova remnant Cas-A.
Left: The "first light" image of Casseopeia A by the Chandra X-ray Observatory shows the fading shock wave from a 320-year-old supernova. Cas A was almost feeble compare to a gamma-ray burst, but produced similar shock-wave heating effects. Credit: NASA and Chandra Science Center.
One can envision this by thinking about a snowplow. The snow plow (an expanding blob of material) crashing into the snow (stationary material) excites the snow so it is energized and emits radiation such as visible light, x-rays, or gamma-rays. In the case of a gamma-ray burst, the blob of material is moving at speeds close to the speed of light, causing exceptionally energetic emissions.
What's more, the blob of material is immensely large and powerful. In order to appear so bright from such a great distance, a gamma-ray burst must release as much energy in a few seconds as our Sun will produce in its entire 10-billion-year life.
With bits like the prompt afterglow now turned face up, Giblin and other astrophysicists hope they can piece together more of the gamma-ray burst puzzle.
Giblin's work, along with the work of nearly every other scientist in the field of gamma-ray bursts will take center-stage at the 5th Huntsville Gamma Ray Burst Symposium, to be held Oct.19-22 in Huntsville, Ala.
Held every two years, the Huntsville Symposium is among the premier international scientific meetings focused on the phenomena of gamma-ray bursts. At the last meeting in 1997, the first-ever Hubble images of a burst optical counterpart were revealed, which helped fix the billion-light-year distances to gamma-ray bursts.
Evidence for an Early High-Energy Afterglow Observed with BATSE from GRB980923. T. W. Giblin (UAH/MSFC), J. van Paradijs (UAH), C. Kouveliotou (USRA/MSFC), V. Connaughton (NASA/MSFC), R. A. M. J. Wijers (SUNY), M. S. Briggs (UAH/MSFC), R. D. Preece (UAH/MSFC), G. J. Fishman (NASA/MSFC). Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters (Oct. 10, 1999, V. 524).
In this Letter, we present the first evidence in the BATSE data for a prompt high-energy (25-300 keV) afterglow component from a gamma-ray burst (GRB), GRB980923. The event consists of rapid variabilty lasting ~40 s followed by a smooth power law emission tail lasting ~400 s. An abrupt change in spectral shape is found when the tail becomes noticeable. Our analysis reveals that the spectral evolution in the tail of the burst mimics that of a cooling synchrotron spectrum, similar to the spectral evolution of the low-energy afterglows for GRBs. This evidence for a separate emission component is consistent with the internal-external shock scenario in the relativistic fireball picture. In particular, it illustrates that the external shocks can be generated during the gamma-ray emission phase, as in the case of GRB990123.
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The problem of workplace bullying landed in the spotlight in October after Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin claimed he had been singled out for race-based bullying on a number of occasions and left the team. Now, the Dolphins may face one or more legal claims arising from the alleged behavior. Employers can be liable for claims associated with bullying because the conduct is often related to one or more legally protected characteristics, e.g., a bullying victim's ...
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They are generally quiet, but will alarm bark if necessary, so they make good watch dogs. They are sensitive hounds, and very good around children and other dogs alike.
They generally make good house dogs, but are active and athletic, therefore need a lot of daily exercise. They do not make good kennel dogs.


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The 3.6 km long ring wall in Visby, Gotland
Photo: © Mats Jansson/www.gotland.info
In the 1360s Visby on Gotland was one of the crown jewels of the Hanseatic League and a rich and prosperous merchant city. Goods from all over the world were bartered and traded inside the 3.5 km long town wall that surrounds the merchants' old stone houses and churches.This part of Visby has been adopted by UNESCO as a World Heritage site because of its unique cultural value.
Visby's glorious past is celebrated each year in the first week of August at Medieval Week, with a jousting tournament, theatre and music and a medieval market. At this time of year the town's streets are filled once again by merchants, jesters and musicians of the Hanseatic period.
During summer each year Visby is a bustling town of cafe's, restaurants and nightclubs catering for the Swedish and international yachting crowd.
Source: User generated
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Laura James Wins 'America's Next Top Model: College Edition' - See Her Photos!
It was a nail biting episode last night as three model wannabes battled it out to win "America's Next Top Model: College Edition."
It was down to Kiara Belen, Laura James and Leila Goldkuhl, and poor Leila fell twice during the haunted house-themed runway show.
Leila's huge mistake opened the door for the other two competitors, but ultimately Laura, who is the daughter of former "Dynasty" star John James, showed she was the fiercer contestant.
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Happy First Day of Fall *plus* Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Today is the first day of Fall. There's a lot of chatter from folks about their displeasure that Summer is over, even more chatter that it never really begun, but why not embrace Fall? Fall is cozy sweaters, scarves, soups, stews, and bundled walks with the dog. There's not much better than that in our opinion. Yay Fall – we love you!


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Former local man missing off sunken HMS BountyBy Eric Blaisdell
STAFF WRITER | October 30,2012AP Photo / Mark Duncan
In this July 7, 2010 file photo, the tall ship HMS Bounty sails on Lake Erie off Cleveland. The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued 14 members of the crew forced to abandon the HMS Bounty caught in Hurricane Sandy off North Carolina.MONTPELIER Relatives of the missing captain of the HMS Bounty, the three-masted sailing ship that sank Monday morning in Hurricane Sandy, say he was born and raised in Vermont.
Robin Walbridge, 63, has been the captain of the ship since 1995.
His sister, Lucille Walbridge Jansen, said he was born in St. Johnsbury and graduated from Montpelier High School.
Walbridges wife, Claudia McCann, said the U.S. Coast Guard told her that Walbridge was missing after the ship lost power, took on water and sank off the coast of North Carolina.
The Coast Guard initially rescued 14 others, and one other person was missing. Late Monday the Coast Guard said that crew member, Claudene Christian, was pulled from the water unresponsive and taken to the hospital. Crews continued to search for Walbridge.
My brother was very devoted and committed (to his crew), Walbridge Jansen said Monday. He certainly would make sure that every member of his crew was safe before he would turn any concern to himself.
The HMS Bounty originally was a prop for the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Marlon Brando. Since then the ship had been used for private parties, weddings and tours.
Walbridge Jansen said the Bounty left New London, Conn., on Thursday bound for St. Petersburg, Fla., where it was based. Walbridge was trying to skirt the storm before the diesel engine on the ship failed.
Walbridge Jansen recalled that her father would load the family into their Volkswagen Beetle to take vacations in Maine when she was a child. There Walbridge found his love of boats.
He really wanted a lobster boat, she said.
After Walbridge graduated from high school, he worked as a cook at Lake Morey in Fairlee, where he had more exposure to boating, she said.
After that, he just kind of did anything he could with boats, said Walbridge Jansen, who lives in Massachusetts.
The peak of his sailing career was when he trained the sailors of Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution, for its 1997 voyage after being dormant for 116 years.
Walbridge Jansen said her brother was always at sea.
His life is the Bounty. He ate, drank and breathed Bounty, she said.
@timesargus.comMORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryMONTPELIER Gov. Full Story
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This is part of an exclusive online series by Nation's Restaurant News and Chain Store Guide, profiling the restaurant industry's top 10 growth chains. Go to NRN.com's Special Reports page to read more profiles highlighting the industry's fastest-growing players based on five-year unit growth rates. Home of the Charburger, Foster's Grille restaurants can be found in Florida, Kansas, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia. The restaurants are intended to be casual neighborhood ...
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Since forming in 1998, The Elders have set the music scene on its ear, thanks to a skillful blend of American-roots rock and amped-up Celtic folk; a cross-pollination of elements that is high-octane and progressive, yet rooted in tradition. The Elders Hoolie was recorded live at the historic Uptown Theater in Kansas City, Mo. on St. Patrick's Day, 2012.
Support KCPT and join The Elders for their CD release party at Knuckleheads Saloon on October 11 in Kansas City. The Elders will take the stage in the evening after local country rockers The Grisly Hand.


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Mr. Atwater: I went to see a priest about my drinking problem several months ago, and he told me it had something to do with grief.
Nobody close to me has passed away recently, and I'm probably the only one who's been knocking on death's door. The only things I feel sad about are I can't drink and my old friends don't really want to hang out. The doctor told me that I had to stop drinking, so I haven't had a drink in a couple months and I started to go to Alcoholics Anonymous with my neighbor. But I'd still like to know what the priest meant about the grief.
Dear Reader: Alcoholism is a disease of paradoxes, and this is one of them. It may seem inconceivable now that you are sad to see something go that was killing you, but when you're desperate, a bad friend is better than no friend at all.
Alcoholics drink because they cannot accept life on life's terms, and one of the hardest things to accept is losses; lost dreams, lost childhood, lost opportunities, etc. As the alcoholic drinks to ease the immediate pain of his losses, he loses families, jobs, friends, cars and finally sanity or life. Ironic that the very thing he uses to ease the pain only serves to inflame it.
Alcoholics don't really drink because they are sad, they drink because they have not been able to accept their sadness. They deny it, make it the fault of someone else, avoid it and continue to drink.
In the short-term, it's harder to take responsibility for your sadness and face it than to blame, avoid and drink. The long-term, of course, is a different story.
Everyone, including alcoholics, face losses every day. The healthier among us learn from losses, allow their feelings and have learned to incorporate the process of grieving into their lives. Others, however, disallow or negate grieving and say, "I don't want to feel negative." They store up their sadness and grief. Only when this emotional tumor has become large enough and created enough symptoms does it become unavoidable without assistance. For some, this assistance is chemical.
While drinking, you had no chance to face your grief. Sober, you have the opportunity to take responsibility for yourself and your feelings and to do the emotional work you've been avoiding.
Take one step at a time, and each day sober will bring you closer to resolving the sadness you've probably been lugging around for a long time.
• Rick Atwater is a licensed clinical professional counselor.


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Nissan concept suggests next SUV
Resonance Concept bows at Detroit Auto Show
Nissan showed off some ideas for its next SUVs Tuesday at the 2013 North American International Auto Show.
Those ideas came in the shape of the new Resonance Concept. The concept SUV is roughly the same size as Nissan's Murano SUV, which is due for a redesign in 2014, and Nissan leaders say you can expect to see a lot of the Resonance styling in future Nissan SUVs.
Up front, the SUV has boomerang-shaped headlights similar to those seen on other recent Nissan cars. Moving back, the blacked-out pillars help the roof look like it's floating above the greenhouse.
The rear of the SUV is sharply tapered and features boomerang-shaped taillights that echo the shape of the headlights.
Inside, the car is all concept, with a giant touch screen in the center console. Wood and leather covers pretty much every surface, and the roof is glass, giving the five people inside a panoramic view.
"This design is not meant to appeal to traditional two-box SUV shoppers, but rather to those whose fashion and design choices make a statement. For Nissan, this concept makes our statement about the future of this segment," said Francois Bancon, Nissan's general manager of product strategy and planning.
Powering the Resonance is a hybrid system combining a 2.5 liter engine with an electric motor.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Lace Printed Full Skirt
Style: 570118613
Out of Stock
Full swing skirt is tucked with pleats and elegant black and white printed lace for a timeless touch. Lush woven knit gives a luxe feel for any day or night look.
- Sits below natural waist.
- Pleats from waistline for full flare.
- Side seam pockets.
- Hidden side zip with hook-and-eye closure.
- Fully lined.
- 98% cotton, 2% elastane. Lining: 100% polyester. Machine wash, cold. Imported.
- Regular center back length: 27"
- Petite center back length: 25".
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Custom Promotional Awards
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WHAT IS IT? Complete wheelsets that can be customized with graphics on the rims.
WHAT'S IT COST? $789.95 (RAD hubs and Excel Notako rims); $789.95 (basic wheel with standardized RimWrapz graphics: skulls, chains, bandana or solid colors); $914.95 (basic wheel with your custom logo on the rims). Colored spokes, hubs and nipples are available for extra charges.
CONTACT? www.rimwrapz.com or (888) 575-4648.
WHAT STANDS OUT? Here is a list of things that stand out with RimWrapz' complete wheelset.
(1) RimWrapz. The unique part of these wheels is the graphics. Many graphics companies offer sticker kits for the outside of the rim flange. RimWrapz are applied across the complete area of the rim (save for the flange). This means the graphics are less susceptible to damage from rocks, rim-clean and tires.
(2) Components. The KX450F hubs on our wheels are RAD Manufacturing's strongest Econo Hubs?CNC-machined from 6061-T6 billet aluminum with oversized bearings. The RAD spokes are stainless steel, and the nipples are 7075 aluminum.
(3) Weight. Our front wheel weighed 7.6 pounds and the rear weighed 9.55 pounds. Upgrading to RAD Eagle hubs would have saved 5 ounces on the front and 4 ounces on the rear.
(4) Durability. The RimWrapz graphics still looked new after two months of testing. We rode rocky tracks, blasted them with a pressure washer and even scraped dried mud off them in-between motos. The Notako rims are good enough for practice wheels, but we do not recommend them for pro riders or brutally rough tracks. We had to be attentive about spoke tightening?especially on the front. Still, the name held true; we didn't "taco" the rims.
(5) Options. RimWrapz graphics are offered in several different patterns, a multitude of colors and flag motifs. They also do custom jobs like our MXA logo graphics for an additional $125. There are two upgrade options for hubs and rims. The rims, hubs, spokes and nipples are all available in multiple colors.
(6) Virtual wheel builder. The wheel builder feature at www.rimwrapz.com is fun, even if you aren't planning to buy wheels. It shows you a virtual wheel and lets you change components and colors. When you make a change, it immediately shows up on the wheel and you can see the price list for a complete breakdown of the cost.
WHAT'S THE SQUAWK? There were three areas of concern. (1) The downside of the RimWrapz is having to unlace the wheel to mount the graphics. If you aren't buying a complete wheel from RimWrapz, you can send your wheel in for installation and truing, or do it yourself to save money. (2) The basic wheel combinations are competitively priced, but every colored component and upgrade adds to the bill. The total can grow in a hurry. (3) For hardcore racing, we'd step up to Takasago Excel A60 rims (about $240 more).
RimWrapz decals on the rims are cool and offer the maximum level of customization, but these decal-covered wheels are a major luxury.


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If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Freeciv is clearly a labor of love among its many volunteers. Since the code for this open source version of Civilization was released in 1995, hundreds of volunteers have added to it and improved it, even though the original developers haven't been heavily involved in years.
Freeciv runs on Linux, Windows, OS/2, and Amiga, and features online and network multiplayer capability. Initially, fixing the networking and multiplay proved to be the biggest challenges for the Freeciv team. Nowadays, the toughest jobs remaining include sprucing up the game's graphics and re-doing the artificial intelligence (AI). Continued efforts like these have become goals not unlike the strategy behind Freeciv's gameplay -- building and improving upon things over time.
As it turns out, Freeciv is not the first open source version of Civilization. The idea for Freeciv came about one day when three Danish students were in their university's computer science lab, playing Openciv, a free multiplayer Civilization clone written in Python using Tk/Tcl. "We soon gave up on the game, as it performed terribly. At that point, the idea was born to write our own version in C," says Peter Unold, now a 30-year-old graduate student in Aarhus, Denmark. Along with two other fellow students, Claus Leth Gregersen and Allan Ove Kjeldbjerg, he created Freeciv while studying computer science at Aarhus University.
Making their own knock-off of Civilization, which would work better than Openciv, was not necessarily their sole motivation. The project was seen as a good way for all three to gain some skills in X11 programming and client/server game development. Because their goal was to learn these things as quickly as possible, a basic working version of Freeciv was finished in only three weeks.
While Freeciv was more stable than Openciv, it was not an entirely complete game. It was playable, just not very fun because there were a couple of technical problems that needed to be addressed. But Unold and the other two authors of the game moved on to other projects and responsibilities. Fortunately, with its source code made available to the public, Freeciv quickly gained a following, and a succession of administrators and volunteers picked up where Unold and his colleagues left off.
One thing that proved especially challenging to fix up was the game's client and server system. The problem was deciding what should be done in the client and what in the server. "If the client had to query the server for information, you would incur extra latency from the network that would annoy the user," says Trent Piepho, a 25-year-old computer scientist from Seattle, Washington, who contributed lots of fixes and improvements to the Freeciv code in 1998. "But if you did something in the client, you had to worry about people modifying the clients to cheat."
"I also remember how we tried to limit network traffic by having the clients do as much [of the] calculation as possible -- thick server/thick client," Unold says. "We later gave up and went with a thick server/thin client solution."
"Some don't agree, but I think the strict client-server separation in Freeciv is elegant," says Thue Kristensen, a 22-year-old university student from Copenhagen, Denmark, who was once one of the administrators maintaining Freeciv. "It is my feeling that in all the commercial titles with multiplayer, each client has a complete copy of the game world. Having the strict separation in Freeciv means that cheating is impossible [because it] eliminates unintentional cases of revealing too much information."
Related Reading
Physics for Game Developers
The client cannot make changes on its own; all it can do is ask the server to make changes. An example during gameplay would be the way a diplomatic action against a city is executed. The player does this by moving a diplomat into the city and then choosing an action from a pop-up menu. This actually works by sending the move request from the client to the server, which then sees it is a diplomat moving into a city and tells the client to pop up the menu. When the player chooses from this menu, the choice is sent to the server, where it is executed, and the results manifest themselves in the client.
"Letting the server tell the client to make the pop-up (and not letting the client act on the order itself) is smart because the server, when executing a goto, will move the unit without interaction," says Kristensen.
Networking matters aside, there was also work to do on the gameplay itself. While designing the multiplayer feature, Unold came away with the opinion that strategy games like Civilization do not fare well under this format: "Imagine five people playing a game of Freeciv. After 30 minutes, one of the players is crushed. The game is probably going to continue for another 3-4 hours, with no way for the unlucky player to re-join."
Unold and his fellow Freeciv creators tried to find a way to keep players in the game by designing artificial players that would start the game along with the real players, but whose control could be taken over by a real player who had been crushed. "It worked, but wasn't really quite satisfying for anyone," Unold said.
The result of this fix, instead, became a test of one's patience. The crushed players who take over AI players are expected to continue putting up as good a fight as possible, and it takes much longer for the winning player to finish the game. This is an issue which was not fully resolved to Unold's satisfaction before he left the project. "We all hate to lose, especially if losing means a long painful process," he says. "In general, multiplayer takes too long to play."
Another multiplayer issue stems from the fact that players makes their moves simultaneously. A battle unit in Freeciv has both an attack strength and a defense strength. During a multiplayer game, when two opposing units are placed close to each other at the end of a round, the game turns into an action game at the beginning of the next round, since each player wants to either attack or run away as quickly as possible. The only good solution to prevent this would be to disallow simultaneous movements. This, however, says Unold, "would turn the game into a boring waiting game."
Luckily, this quirk turned out to be not necessarily a bad thing. Gregersen, who is now a 30-year-old programmer in Aarhus, Denmark, points out: "The design of our multiplayer model (everyone can move simultanously) created a new variant of Civilization. Even though it has basically the same rules as Civilization II, hardcore Freeciv players play it as if it's a real-time action game like Age of Empires."
Under its present administrators, improving Freeciv's AI is the top priority, particularly the client-side AI and server AI. This may entail writing completely new AI code. The issue with the AI is not that it does not work; many good Freeciv players find that the AI is fairly challenging. The problem is being able to modify it.
"The AI code is badly documented, both overall and in the individual functions," says Kristensen. "It makes it hard to make improvements to it. It also makes it hard to make changes to the codebase as a whole if those changes touch the AI."
Other areas in need of improvement are artistic. Jeff Mallatt, a 42-year-old engineer from Arlington, Massachusetts, who formerly maintained Freeciv, points out that the project's greatest weakness is that, while it attracts plenty of programmers, hardly any artists, musicians or technical writers have contributed.
He gives an example which illustrates this problem, and explains the notable absence of sound in the game: "A functioning sound system has been implemented -- in fact, at least two have been implemented -- but not ever finished. The reason: no sounds! The system is worthless without sounds. And no matter how much we beg for sound (or artwork or user documentation) contributions, we rarely get anything. I don't mean to make it sound like Freeciv is in desperate need of more contributors. Contributors of any resource are welcome. It's just that some areas are under-represented."
It being one of the more successful projects in the open source community, one would think after being in such active development for so long that Freeciv might rival its commercially-sold counterparts in quality and features. It does not, and similar strategy titles like Civilization II and Alpha Centauri clearly have slicker user interfaces, smarter AI, and generally better gameplay overall.
So what then has been Freeciv's enduring appeal among the hundreds who have contributed to its development over the course of six years? Maybe, as Unold suggests, it goes back to the idea of building elaborate stuff, a theme which code-tweaking and the premise of games like Civilization share:
"Playing Civilization is like playing with Lego bricks. Build a civilization from the ground up, taking care of little issues like building roads, irrigating, city planning, etc. It's so geeky and we love it."
Howard Wen is a freelance writer who has contributed frequently to O'Reilly Network and written for Salon.com, Playboy.com, and Wired, among others.
Return to the Linux DevCenter.
Copyright © 2009 O'Reilly Media, Inc.


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Deputy Reserve graduates honored
CHARLES TOWN – The Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Reserve Academy held its commencement ceremony for class 2 of 2013 at Wright Denny Intermediate School on Saturday, welcoming 14 new deputy reserves into local law enforcement.
The Jefferson County Deputy Reserve Academy is a county-sponsored training program for volunteer officers. Those enrolled undergo 150 hours of training over a four-month period. During this time, they are exposed to different training scenarios, participate in 40 hours of patrol car ride-alongs, learn self-defense and get tased and pepper sprayed. Some academy graduates work with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, and others work in Berkeley County.
Corporal Ben Williams, Supervising Deputy for Jefferson County, told those in attendance how valuable the reserve deputies are.
"They assist with patrol, arrests, directing traffic, event security and responding to accidents," Williams said. "Today we want to recognize their value in assisting law enforcement."
Pete Dougherty, Jefferson County Sheriff, acknowledged the group of graduating reserve deputies and thanked them for their future service.
"I got to watch this class grow. You have done great work to get here today and I thank you for what you will do for Jefferson and Berkeley counties," Dougherty said.
Other county and state officials in attendance addressed the group and thanked them for giving their time. Dale Manuel, President of the Jefferson County Commission, Sakala Rutherford, representative for Senator Joe Manchin III, and Senator John R. Unger II congratulated the graduating JCDSRA class.
In addition to their certificates for completion of academy training, the graduates were awarded 10 college credits from Blue Ridge Community Technical College as well as recognition certificates from the West Virginia Legislature.
Sen. Unger was presented with his own reserve deputy badge as a token of appreciation for his work with the academy.
"Now that I have a badge, can I be exempt from speeding tickets?," Unger joked during his acceptance speech.
Following the badge pinning, Corporal Williams presented the Outstanding Cadet award. This award goes to someone in the academy who was very involved with their training and who demonstrates an understanding of what it means to be in the reserve. Deputy Clinton Blevins received the award for Jefferson County and Deputy Daniel Nicolae received the award for Berkeley County.
Deputy Joshua Foster, chosen by his classmates as class spokesman, spoke during the ceremony.
"When I started, I was not sure what I was getting into. Now I know it was the best decision I could have made," Foster said.
He thanked Lieutenant Ken Andrews and Corporal Williams for their training.
"This is a family more than an institution," Foster said. "They made us a part of the family."
– Staff writer Mary Stortstrom can be reached at 304-263-8931, ext. 138, or twitter.com/mstortstromJN.


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CERF High level Conference: Statement by Ms Bea ten Tusscher, Director Humanitarian Aid Department MFA
CERF High level Conference: Statement by Ms Bea ten Tusscher, Director Humanitarian Aid Department MFA
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ladies and Gentleman, distinguished delegates,
On behalf of the Netherlands, I would like to acknowledge the success of the Central Emergency Response Fund as a crucial mechanism for timely, predictable and flexible funding for humanitarian emergencies throughout the world, including for underfunded emergencies.
I would like to highlight a number of important success factors for the Fund. Firstly, resource mobilisation. The annual funding target of USD 450 million should be maintained as a minimum. More donor commitments are needed. And for the sake of predictability, more multi-annual commitments and disbursements early in the year are needed.
Secondly, the coordination and management capacity and funding of the CERF-secretariat. The CERF-secretariat should have sufficient human and financial resources.
Thirdly, the involvement of NGO's in the Fund's processes. Within the restrictions of the resolution governing the Fund, NGO's should be more involved in common needs assessments, in implementation of the Fund's activities financed through UN-agencies.
And last but not least, accountability and performance. The challenge is for the CERF to continue to demonstrate that it really makes a difference. Therefore a needs driven, coherent and coordinated response is important as a solid basis for showing concrete results on the ground.
With regard to the contribution from the Netherlands, I take pleasure in confirming our continued support. We will continue to contribute 40 million euros on a yearly basis for the next three years despite our declining aid budget.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
Comments/Questions? Email firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Keyhole Tunic
Style: 570106599
Out of Stock
Sumptuous, metallic-infused sweater in a long, lean silhouette combines a French bateau neckline with woven artisanal accents. Detailed with side slits, open stitching and slightly belled sleeves for a hippie-chic touch.
- Relaxed fit.
- Bateau neckline. Keyhole at front neckline with gold hardware.
- 60% rayon, 28% cotton, 7% nylon, 5% metallic. Hand wash, cold. May be dry cleaned. Imported.
- Length: 28" from shoulder.
Read more… Read less…


text: Hi all! My LO turned one on the 7th and so we just started introducing cow's milk. So far no allergies, but he just doesn't like it! He's take one, maybe two sips from his sippy cup every day and then refuse to drink more! I'm probably just worrying too much since it's only been a week, but how the heck am I supposed to wean him off the bottle if he hates it! (I exclusively pump.) Any suggestions? TIA!


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Health care and safety in Togo
|Health care and safety in [[{{#explode:Health care and safety in Togo| |5}} {{#explode:Health care and safety in Togo| |6}} {{#explode:Health care and safety in Togo| |7}}]]
|The Peace Corps' highest priority is maintaining the good health and safety of every Volunteer and trainee. Medical programs emphasize the preventive, rather than the curative approach to disease.
Serving as a Volunteer overseas entails certain safety and security risks. Living and traveling in an unfamiliar environment, a limited understanding of the local language and culture, and the perception of being a wealthy American are some of the factors that can put a Volunteer at risk.
|[[Image:Flag_of_{{#explode:Health care and safety in Togo| |5}}.svg|50px|none]]}}
See also:
The Peace Corps' highest priority is maintaining the health and safety of every Volunteer. Peace Corps medical programs emphasize the preventive, rather than the curative approach to disease. The Peace Corps in Togo maintains a clinic with two full-time medical officers, who take care of Volunteers' primary healthcare needs. Volunteers who become seriously ill or injured will be transported to either an appropriate medical facility in the region or to the United States.
- 1 Health Issues in Togo
- 2 Helping You Stay Healthy
- 3 Maintaining Your Health
- 4 Women's Health Information
- 5 Your Peace Corps Medical Kit
- 6 Before You Leave: A Medical Checklist
- 7 Safety and Security—Our Partnership
- 8 Factors that Contribute to Volunteer Risk
- 9 Summary Strategies to Reduce Risk
- 10 Support from Staff
- 11 What If You Become a Victim of a Violent Crime?
- 12 Security Issues in Togo
- 13 Staying Safe: Don't Be a Target for Crime
- 14 Support in Togo
Health Issues in Togo
Most tropical diseases are endemic in Togo, and as a Volunteer you must be prepared to learn about health hazards and to take necessary measures to protect yourself from them. Proper food and water treatment, compliance with malaria prophylaxis, good personal hygiene practices, and adherence to personal safety measures are essential to a healthy Volunteer experience. Additionally, you must be willing to adopt appropriate behaviors to protect yourself from HIV 1 and 2 and other sexually transmitted diseases, which are prevalent in Togo.
Togo's coastal areas are among the most dangerous in the world for unpredictable undertows and riptides. As such it is not advisable to swim in the waters off the coast of Togo.
Helping You Stay Healthy
The Peace Corps will provide you with all the necessary inoculations, medications, first aid supplies, and information to stay healthy. It is not necessary to start malaria prophylaxis or get vaccinations before arriving for orientation. Upon your arrival in Togo, you will receive a medical handbook as well as a first-aid kit containing supplies to take care of mild illnesses and first-aid needs.
During training, you will receive information on various subjects such as food and water preparation and malaria, and you will have access to any additional basic first-aid supplies through the medical officer. However, during this time, you will be responsible for your own supply of prescription drugs and any other specific medical supplies you require. Please bring a three-month supply of any prescription drugs you use, since they may not be readily available in Togo and it may take several months for new shipments to arrive.
You will have physical examinations at mid-service and at the end of your service. If you develop a serious medical problem during your service, the medical officer in Togo will consult with the Office of Medical Services in Washington, D.C. If it is determined that your condition cannot be treated in Togo, you may be sent to a medical facility in the region or in the United States for further evaluation and care.
Maintaining Your Health
As a Volunteer, you must accept responsibility for your own health. Proper precautions will significantly reduce your risk of serious illness or injury. The old adage, "An ounce of prevention…" becomes extremely important in areas where medical diagnostic and treatment facilities are not up to the standards of the United States.
It is critical to your health that you promptly report to the medical office or other designated facility for scheduled immunizations, and that you let your medical officer know immediately of significant illness and injuries.
Many diseases that afflict Volunteers worldwide are entirely preventable if proper food and water precautions are taken. These diseases include food poisoning, amebiasis, giardiasis, dysentery, Guinea worm, tapeworms, other intestinal worms, and typhoid fever. Your medical officer will discuss specific standards for water and food preparation for Togo during pre-service training. It will be up to you to adhere to standards that protect your health.
Measures to prevent malaria including compliance with malaria prophylaxis, use of mosquito nets and application of insect repellent are essential to Volunteer health (these are all provided by Peace Corps). Malaria is a very serious, sometimes fatal disease. Noncompliance with malaria prevention measures can result in medical or administrative separation. You will receive more information on malaria and prevention practices during pre-service training. [A note from a former volunteer: It is worth studying very carefully beforehand about malaria, its prevention, and the stories and histories of the prophylaxis offered, notably mefloquine, doxycycline and malarone. There are things that Western doctors do not tell you. For one, there is homeopathic malaria 30cc that can be taken to help boost the immunity. Also there is a very effective treatment, Artemisin, based on the Wormwood plant that you might carry around with you. Talk to others abroad about their experiences with Malaria and with the prophylaxis.]
Abstinence is the only certain choice for prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). You are taking risks if you choose to be sexually active. To lessen risk, use a condom every time you have sex. Whether your partner is a host country citizen, a fellow Volunteer, or anyone else, do not assume this person is free of HIV/AIDS or other STDs. You will receive more information from your medical officer about this important issue.
Volunteers are expected to adhere to an effective means of birth control to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Your medical officer can help you decide on the most appropriate method to suit your individual needs. Contraceptive methods are available without charge from the Medical Officer.
The AIDS pandemic strikes across all social strata in many Peace Corps countries. The loss of teachers has crippled education systems, while illness and disability drains family income and forces governments and donors to redirect limited resources from other priorities. The fear and uncertainty AIDS causes has led to increased domestic violence and stigmatizing of people living with HIV/AIDS, isolating them from friends and family and cutting them off from economic opportunities. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, you will confront these issues on a very personal level. It is important to be aware of the high emotional toll that disease, death, and violence can have on Volunteers. As you strive to integrate into your community, you will develop relationships with local people who might die during your service. Because of the AIDS pandemic, some Volunteers will be regularly meeting with HIV-positive people and working with training staff, office staff, and host family members living with AIDS. Volunteers need to prepare themselves to embrace these relationships in a sensitive and positive manner. Likewise, malaria and malnutrition, motor vehicle accidents and other unintentional injuries, domestic violence and corporal punishment are problems a Volunteer may confront. You will need to anticipate these situations and utilize supportive resources available throughout your training and service to maintain your own emotional strength so that you can continue to be of service to your community.
Women's Health Information
Pregnancy is a health condition that is treated in the same manner as other Volunteer health conditions requiring medical attention, but may also have programmatic ramifications. The Peace Corps is responsible for determining the medical risk and the availability of appropriate medical care if a pregnant Volunteer remains in-country. Given the circumstances under which Volunteers live and work in Peace Corps countries, it is rare that the Peace Corps medical and programmatic standards for continued service can be met. The majority of Volunteers who become pregnant are medically separated.
The Peace Corps medical officer in Togo will provide feminine hygiene products. You don't need to bring anything with you, but if you require a specific product, bring a three-month supply with you.
Your Peace Corps Medical Kit
The Peace Corps Medical Officers provide each Volunteer with a first-aid kit that contains basic items necessary to prevent and treat illnesses that might occur during service. Kit items can be periodically restocked at the Peace Corps medical office.
First Aid Kit Contents
Ace bandage
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Alcohol pads
American Red Cross First Aid & Safety Handbook
Antibiotic ointment
Cough drops
Dental floss
Di-Gel (or Gelusil, Maalox or Mylanta)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Eye drops
Gauze pads (to cover wounds)
Hand sanitizer
Hibiclens (to clean wounds)
Hydrocortisone creams
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Insect repellent
Iodine pads (to clean wounds)
Iodine tablets (for emergency water purification)
Latex gloves (to avoid contact with other people's blood and bodily fluids)
Lip balm
Malaria slide kit (for blood smears if you suspect malaria and cannot get to the health unit; you will be taught how to make them)
Malaria stand-by treatment
MIF kit (with vials for collecting stool samples to diagnose giardia, amoebas, and other parasites)
ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) or Gatorade
Pepto-Bismol or Pink Bismuth
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
Before You Leave: A Medical Checklist
If there has been any change in your health – physical, mental, or dental – since the time you submitted your examination reports to the Peace Corps, you must immediately notify the Office of Medical Services. Failure to disclose new illnesses, injuries, allergies, or pregnancy can endanger your health and may jeopardize your eligibility to serve.
If your dental exam was done more than a year ago, or if your physical exam is more than 2 years old, contact the Office of Medical Services to find out whether you need to update your records.
If your dentist or Peace Corps dental consultant has recommended that you undergo dental treatment or repair, you must complete that work and make sure your dentist sends requested confirmation reports or X-rays to the Office of Medical Services.
If you wish to avoid taking duplicate vaccinations, you should contact your physician's office, obtain a copy of your immunization record, bring it to your pre-departure orientation, and keep a copy with you in Togo. If you received any immunizations prior to Peace Corps service, the Peace Corps cannot reimburse you for the cost. The Peace Corps will provide all the immunizations necessary for your overseas assignment, either at your pre-departure orientation or shortly after you arrive in Togo. You do not need to begin taking malaria medication prior to departure, since you will begin it at your orientation.
Bring a three-month supply of any prescription or over-thecounter medication you use on a regular basis, including birth-control pills. Although the Peace Corps cannot reimburse you for this three-month supply, we will provide you with your prescription medication during your service.
There may be instances when a particular brand of birth-control pills is not available, so it may be necessary to switch brands upon arrival or during service. The Peace Corps will not pay for herbal or non-prescribed medications, such as St. John's Wort, glucosamine, Selenium, or antioxidant supplements.
You are encouraged to bring copies of medical prescriptions signed by your physician. This is not a requirement, although it might come in handy if you are questioned in transit about your on-hand three-month supply of prescription drugs.
If you wear eyeglasses, bring two pairs with you—a pair and a spare. If a pair breaks, the Peace Corps will replace it, using the information your doctor in the United States provided on the eyeglasses form during your examination. To reduce the risk of developing a serious infection or other eye disease, we discourage you from using contact lenses during your Peace Corps service. Most Peace Corps countries do not have appropriate water and sanitation to support eye care with the use of contact lenses. It is very dusty in Togo and therefore difficult to keep contact lenses clean. The Peace Corps will not supply or replace contact lenses or associated solutions unless their use has been recommended by an ophthalmologist for a specific medical condition and the Peace Corps Office of Medical Services has given approval.
If you are eligible for Medicare, over 50 years of age, or have a health condition that may restrict your future participation in healthcare plans, you may wish to consult an insurance specialist about unique coverage needs before your departure. The Peace Corps will provide all necessary healthcare from the time you leave for your pre-departure orientation until you complete your service. When you finish, you will be entitled to the post-service healthcare benefits described in the Peace Corps Volunteer Handbook. You may wish to consider keeping an existing health plan in effect during your service if you think age and/or pre-existing conditions might prevent you from re-enrolling in your current plan when you return home.
Safety and Security—Our Partnership
Serving as a Volunteer overseas entails certain safety and security risks. Living and traveling in an unfamiliar environment, a limited understanding of the local language and culture, and the perception of being a wealthy American are some of the factors that can put a Volunteer at risk. Property thefts and burglaries are not uncommon. Incidents of physical and sexual assault do occur, although almost all Volunteers complete their two years of service without serious personal safety problems. In addition, more than 84 percent of Volunteers surveyed in the 2004 Peace Corps Volunteer Survey say they would join the Peace Corps again.
The Peace Corps approaches safety and security as a partnership with you. This Welcome Book contains sections on: Living Conditions and Volunteer Lifestyle; Peace Corps Training; and Your Health Care and Safety. All of these sections include important safety and security information.
The Peace Corps makes every effort to give Volunteers the tools they need to function in the safest and most secure way possible, because working to maximize the safety and security of Volunteers is our highest priority. Not only do we provide you with training and tools to prepare for the unexpected, but we teach you to identify and manage the risks you may encounter.
Factors that Contribute to Volunteer Risk
There are several factors that can heighten a Volunteer's risk, many of which are within the Volunteer's control. Based on information gathered from incident reports worldwide in 2004, the following factors stand out as risk characteristics for assaults. Assaults consist of personal crimes committed against Volunteers, and do not include property crimes (such as vandalism or theft).
- Location: Most crimes occurred when Volunteers were in public areas (e.g., street, park, beach, public buildings). Specifically, 43 percent of assaults took place when Volunteers were away from their sites.
- Time of day: Assaults usually took place on the weekend during the evening between 5:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.— with most assaults occurring around 1:00 a.m.
- Absence of others: Assaults ususally occurred when the Volunteer was unaccompanied. In 82 percent of the sexual assaults the Volunteer was unaccompanied and in 55 percent of physical assaults the Volunteer was unaccompanied.
- Relationship to assailant: In most assaults, the Volunteer did not know the assailant.
- Consumption of alcohol: Forty percent of all assaults involved alcohol consumption by Volunteers and/or assailants.
Summary Strategies to Reduce Risk
Before and during service, your training will address these areas of concern so that you can reduce the risks you face.
For example, here are some strategies Volunteers employ:
Strategies to reduce the risk/impact of theft:
- Know the environment and choose safe routes/times for travel
- Avoid high-crime areas per Peace Corps guidance
- Know the vocabulary to get help in an emergency
- Carry valuables in different pockets/places
- Carry a "dummy" wallet as a decoy Strategies to reduce the risk/impact of burglary:
- Live with a local family or on a family compound
- Put strong locks on doors and keep valuables in a lock box or trunk
- Leave irreplaceable objects at home in the U.S.
- Follow Peace Corps guidelines on maintaining home security Strategies to reduce the risk/impact of assault:
- Make local friends
- Make sure your appearance is respectful of local customs; don't draw negative attention to yourself by wearing inappropriate clothing
- Get to know local officials, police, and neighbors
- Travel with someone whenever possible
- Avoid known high crime areas
- Limit alcohol consumption
Support from Staff
In March 2003, the Peace Corps created the Office of Safety and Security with its mission to "foster improved communication, coordination, oversight, and accountability of all Peace Corps' safety and security efforts." The new office is led by an Associate Director for Safety and Security who reports to the Peace Corps Director and includes the following divisions: Volunteer Safety and Overseas Security; Information and Personnel Security; Emergency Preparedness, Plans, Training and Exercise; and Crime Statistics and Analysis.
The major responsibilities of the Volunteer Safety and Overseas Security Division are to coordinate the office's overseas operations and direct the Peace Corps' safety and security officers who are located in various regions around the world that have Peace Corps programs. The safety and security officers conduct security assessments; review safety trainings; train trainers and managers; train Volunteer safety wardens, local guards, and staff; develop security incident response procedures; and provide crisis management support.
If a trainee or Volunteer is the victim of a safety incident, Peace Corps staff is prepared to provide support. All Peace Corps posts have procedures in place to respond to incidents of crime committed against Volunteers. The first priority for all posts in the aftermath of an incident is to ensure that the Volunteer is safe and receiving medical treatment as needed. After assuring the safety of the Volunteer, Peace Corps staff provide support by reassessing the Volunteer's work site and housing arrangements and making any adjustments, as needed. In some cases, the nature of the incident may necessitate a site or housing transfer. Peace Corps staff will also assist Volunteers with preserving their rights to pursue legal sanctions against the perpetrators of the crime. It is very important that Volunteers report incidents as they occur, not only to protect their peer Volunteers, but also to preserve the future right to prosecute. Should Volunteers decide later in the process that they want to proceed with the prosecution of their assailant, this option may no longer exist if the evidence of the event has not been preserved at the time of the incident.
The country-specific data chart below shows the incidence rates and the average number of incidents of the major types of safety incidents reported by Peace Corps Volunteers/ trainees in Togo as compared to all other Africa region programs as a whole, from 2001–2005. It is presented to you in a somewhat technical manner for statistical accuracy.
To fully appreciate the collected data below, an explanation of the graph is provided as follows:
The incidence rate for each type of crime is the number of crime events relative to the Volunteer/trainee population.
It is expressed on the chart as a ratio of crime to Volunteer and trainee years (or V/T years, which is a measure of 12 full months of V/T service) to allow for a statistically valid way to compare crime data across countries. An "incident" is a specific offense, per Peace Corps' classification of offenses, and may involve one or more Volunteer/trainee victims. For example, if two Volunteers are robbed at the same time and place, this is classified as one robbery incident.
The chart is separated into eight crime categories. These include vandalism (malicious defacement or damage of property); theft (taking without force or illegal entry); burglary (forcible entry of a residence); robbery (taking something by force); minor physical assault (attacking without a weapon with minor injuries); minor sexual assault (fondling, groping, etc.); aggravated assault (attacking with a weapon, and/or without a weapon when serious injury results); and rape (sexual intercourse without consent).
When anticipating Peace Corps Volunteer service, you should review all of the safety and security information provided to you, including the strategies to reduce risk. Throughout your training and Volunteer service, you will be expected to successfully complete all training competencies in a variety of areas including safety and security. Once in-country, use the tools and information shared with you to remain as safe and secure as possible.
What If You Become a Victim of a Violent Crime?
Few Peace Corps Volunteers are victims of violent crimes. The Peace Corps will give you information and training in how to be safe. But, just as in the U.S., crime happens, and Volunteers can become victims. When this happens, the investigative team of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is charged with helping pursue prosecution of those who perpetrate a violent crime against a Volunteer. If you become a victim of a violent crime, the decision to prosecute or not to prosecute is entirely yours, and one of the tasks of the OIG is to make sure that you are fully informed of your options and help you through the process and procedures involved in going forward with prosecution should you wish to do so. If you decide to prosecute, we are here to assist you in every way we can.
Crimes that occur overseas, of course, are investigated and prosecuted by local authorities in local courts. Our role is to coordinate the investigation and evidence collection with the regional security officers (RSOs) at the U.S. embassy, local police, and local prosecutors and others to ensure that your rights are protected to the fullest extent possible under the laws of the country. OIG investigative staff has extensive experience in criminal investigation, in working sensitively with victims, and as advocates for victims. We also, may, in certain limited circumstances, arrange for the retention of a local lawyer to assist the local public prosecutor in making the case against the individual who perpetrated the violent crime.
If you do become a victim of a violent crime, first, make sure you are in a safe place and with people you trust and second, contact the country director or the Peace Corps medical officer. Immediate reporting is important to the preservation of evidence and the chances of apprehending the suspect. Country directors and medical officers are required to report all violent crimes to the Inspector General and the RSO. This information is protected from unauthorized further disclosure by the Privacy Act. Reporting the crime also helps prevent your further victimization and protects your fellow Volunteers.
In conjunction with the RSO, the OIG does a preliminary investigation of all violent crimes against Volunteers regardless of whether the crime has been reported to local authorities or of the decision you may ultimately make to prosecute. If you are a victim of a crime, our staff will work with you through final disposition of the case. OIG staff is available 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. We may be contacted through our 24-hour violent crime hotline via telephone at 202.692.2911, or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Security Issues in Togo
When it comes to your safety and security in the Peace Corps, you have to be willing to adapt your behavior and lifestyle to minimize the potential for being a target of crime. As with anywhere in the world, crime does exist in Togo. You can reduce your risk of becoming a target for crime by avoiding situations that make you feel uncomfortable and by taking advance precautions. Crime at the village or town level is less frequent than in the large cities; people know each other and generally will not steal from their neighbors. Tourist attractions, especially in large towns, are the favorite work sites for pickpockets.
Staying Safe: Don't Be a Target for Crime
You must be prepared to take on a large responsibility for your own safety. Only you can make yourself less of a target, ensure that your house is secure, and develop relations in your community that will make you an unlikely victim of crime. In coming to Togo, do what you would do if you moved to a large city in the United States: be cautious, check things out, ask a lot of questions, learn about your neighborhood, know where the more risky locations are, use common sense, and be aware. You can reduce your vulnerability to crime by integrating into your community, learning the local language, acting responsibly, and abiding by Peace Corps policies and procedures. Serving safely and effectively in Togo may require that you accept some restrictions to your current lifestyle.
Volunteers attract a lot of attention in large cities and in their sites, but receive far more negative attention in highly populated centers where they are anonymous. In smaller towns, "family," friends, and colleagues will look out for them. While whistles and exclamations are fairly common on the street, this behavior can be reduced if you dress conservatively, avoid eye contact, and do not respond to such negative and unwanted attention. Other methods have helped Volunteers avoid becoming targets of unwanted attention and crime. Keep your money out of sight – use an undergarment money pouch, such as the kind that hangs around your neck and stays hidden under your shirt or inside your coat. Do not keep your money in outside pockets of backpacks, in coat pockets, or in fanny packs. You should always walk at night with a companion.
Preparing for the Unexpected: Safety Training and Volunteer
Support in Togo
The Peace Corps' approach to safety is a five pronged plan to help you stay safe during your two year service and includes the following: information sharing; Volunteer training; site selection criteria; a detailed emergency action plan; and protocols for reporting and responding to safety and security incidents. Togo's in country safety program is outlined below.
The Peace Corps Togo office will keep Volunteers informed of any issues that may impact Volunteer safety through information sharing. Regular updates will be provided in Volunteer newsletters and in memoranda from the Country Director. In the event of a critical situation or emergency, Volunteers will be contacted through the emergency communication network.
Volunteer Training will include sessions to prepare you for specific safety and security issues in Togo. This training will prepare you to adopt a culturally appropriate lifestyle and exercise judgment that promotes safety and reduces risk in your home, at work, and while traveling. Safety training is offered throughout your two year service and is integrated into the language, cross-cultural, health, and other components of training.
Certain site selection criteria are used to determine safe housing for Volunteers before their arrival. Peace Corps staff works closely with host communities and counterpart agencies to help prepare them for the Volunteer's arrival and to establish expectations of their respective role in supporting the Volunteer. Each site is inspected before the Volunteer's arrival to ensure placement in appropriate, safe, and secure housing and work sites. Site selection criteria are based in part on any relevant site history; access to medical, banking, postal, and other essential services; availability of communications, transportation, and markets; different housing options and living arrangements; and other support needs.
You will also learn about the country's detailed emergency action plan, in the event of civil or political unrest or a natural disaster. When you arrive at your site, you will complete and submit a site locator form with your address, contact information, and a map to your house. If there is a security threat, Volunteers in Togo will gather at pre determined locations until the situation resolves itself or the Peace Corps decides to evacuate.
Finally, in order to be fully responsive to the needs of Volunteers, it is imperative that Volunteers immediately report any security incident to the Peace Corps Safety & Security Coordinator and/or Peace Corps Medical Officer. The Peace Corps has established protocols for addressing safety and security incidents in a timely and appropriate manner. In addition to responding to the needs of the Volunteer, the Peace Corps collects and evaluates safety and security data to track trends and develop strategies to minimize risks to future Volunteers.


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Honolulu police are investigating a collision that killed a 17-year-old Kalihi teenager on a moped.
The crash happened on Kalihi St. and Machado St. just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
Friends of the teen, who they identified as Francisco Hufana, gathered at the site of the crash Saturday morning. Most of them came on mopeds, bringing flowers, candles and tears.
"A moped was riding up north on Kalihi St. approaching Machado St. when a Lexus pulled out, making a left turn in front of it from Machado onto Kalihi and they both collided," said Lt. Bobby Towne, HPD Traffic Homicide division.
Nadeen Lane lives a few feet from the intersection and heard the crash.
"I asked my grandson to call 911 because by the sound of the impact, I knew it was pretty tragic," said Lane. She said she saw the motionless boy on the ground.
"I really couldn't do anything. All I did was knelt down and prayed over him," said Lane.
Police said Hufana was not wearing a helmet when he collided with the Lexus. The driver of the car wasn't hurt, but two passengers in his car were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Family said Hufana graduated from the C-Base program through the Farrington Community School for Adults and loved working on mopeds. Friends described Hufana as fun-loving and what he may have lacked in height, he made up for in fearlessness.
"There was always a smile on his face. No matter the situation, he'd always crack a joke," said Joven Carranza, a friend of Hufana.
According to friends, Hufana was working on his moped Saturday night in preparation for a memorial ride Sunday morning for another friend who was killed in a moped accident two years ago.
Fellow moped riders gather annually to remember Gerald Baltazar, 17, who was died January 23, 2010 when police said he ran a stop sign in Manoa and broadsided a car. Friends said this year's ride now would now take on twice the sadness.
"(Cisco) was always such a happy guy, always stayed positive. This was not his time," said Reno Rivera, a friend of Hufana since middle school.
Police said speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors for the driver of the Lexus, but they're still investigating whether Hufana may have been at fault.
This is the 7th traffic fatality on Oahu, compared to four at the same time last year.
Police investigating moped death in Kalihi
Honolulu police are investigating a collision that killed a 17-year-old Kalihi teenager on a moped.
Copyright 2013 by KITV All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Hey, Baseball Gods, WTF Did You Do to the White Sox?
Frankly, they're stinkin' up the joint.
So don't hate me.
'Cuz I'm right.
And seriously, I don't know how to explain the early season abomination that is the Chicago White Sox except to say: they aren't who we thought they were.
13 Comments
Aren't we supposed to be saying, "But it's only May?" I don't know about you, but I'm sick of saying that.
Jane — I think if you're a Yankees fan or a Cardinals fan or an AL or NL West fan, you can say that, 'cuz you're still at the top of (or at least very much in) the race. But the Sox are 7.5 behind a very good Twins team… already. That doesn't bode well for a team that forgot how to hit AND how to pitch over the offseason.
Seriously, who is their scout that let Ely get away? I know the kid can't keep this going for every game but so far so good with him. I love watching this kid. The control he has! He has only walked one and has yet to give up a HR. He is not afraid to challenge hitters.
I really thought during Spring Training that the White Sox would be doing better.
Just think, 5 short years ago it was the Sox and LOLstros playing in the World Series….man, it doesn't take long for things to implode.
I agree! I keep tabs on them. Kenny is about to blow that thing up! And I don't think Ozzie is going anywhere either.
I'm not sad in the least to see the Sox sucking. They are getting little production from guys like Beckham and Quinten and even Konerko is slowing down. Ozzie might be in danger of going bye-bye and I couldn't be happier.
I guess Jesus hates the White Sox, too. About time he jumped on that bandwagon. Ozzie should start practicing his new line "you wantee frize wit dat?".
Emma — Me too. Maybe they will still. Or probably not.
Jonestein — Good point… the franchises both look completely different too.
Mike — Kenny LOVES to blow things up.
Rays Fan Boy — Ozzie ain't goin' anywhere. And who doesn't like Ozzie? That's like not liking peanut butter, dude. Why do you not like the White Sox so much? It's not like they're the Yanks or Red Sox. Just sayin'…
Mike — Haha. I think Jesus still loves the White Sox. 2005 is the reason. Hehe.
I say the supreme commander dude sucked the life out of them for his own self gain… or they just really suck badly….
Phillies Outside
Well, since Jesus already hates the Cubs, I guess he could not discriminate against the other Chicago team, with 2005 being the exception. It could get better…but I am not holding my breath.
Matt — Gotta love it!
Peter — Good thing they don't let him pitch… jeesh.
Jenn — Me neither. As long as he keeps his hatred in the Chi I'm cool with it.


text:
(This page is constantly in flux!)
Young at Art: Teaching Toddlers Self-Expression, Problem-Solving Skills, and an Appreciation for Art by Susan Striker
The Language of Art: Reggio-Inspired Studio Practices in Early Childhood Settings by Ann Pelo
The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule
How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum by Keri Smith
Beautiful Stuff! Learning With Found Materials by Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini
Playful Learning by Mariah Bruehl
Art Lab For Kids by Susan Schwake
Rhode Island School of Design Museum
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
(Resources + Supplies + Places I like to visit)
The Artful Parent
Maya Made
Kiwi Crate blog
Art Lessons for Kids
Making Art with Children: Eric Carle Museum studio blog
Raising Cajuns
Paint Cut Paste
Sunflower Creative Arts
North American Reggio Emilia Alliance
Project-Based Homeschooling
Eric Carle Museum Resources + Activities
Stockmar creativity manuals
Let's Talk About Art by Jen Berlingo, MA