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I should have known better than to go on JDate again. I have never had luck there, and after quitting for good, I joined for one month because Jill Zarin of the Real Housewives of New York City told me I needed to give it another shot. I love you Jill, but huge mistake.
While looking around last week, amazed that the men are using the same pictures they did years ago when I was on, I got an instant message from a guy we'll call "Loser". He said hello and we emailed for a few minutes. We then decided we would talk on the phone.
Loser and I spoke on the phone for 3 hours. We laughed and learned a little bit about each other and I felt confident I had met someone I wanted to know better. We talked several times over the next couple of days and made plans to meet for dinner.
Last night we met at a restaurant he suggested. Our date was set for 7:30. He texted me at exactly 7:30 to say he was there and was I still coming. A little odd, but whatever. I texted that I was on my way, and I arrived at 7:32. He was waiting outside.
He gave me a hug, kiss on the cheek and we went in. We sat down at the sushi bar and he pointed out that I was late. I apologized for being 2 minutes late and so the date began. He then went on to tell me, after 3 minutes together, that I was funnier and more open on the phone.
I was not sure what he meant and asked him why he felt that way, and he told me he just felt I was better over the phone than in person. I'm not sure what one is supposed to do with that information, so I let it go. He then complained about the portion size of the sushi rolls.
We had been together for 10 minutes at this point and I was not having a good time. I felt uncomfortable and sadly it just got worse from there. When we spoke on the phone I told him I had tattoos. When noticed my one small but visible tattoo, he said it made me look slutty.
He then went into detail about how only slutty women have tattoos, and I was a bad Jew. He said he could never take me to meet his mother, as she would not approve of "a girl like me". His Jewish mother would be offended by my tats but his Catholic ex-girlfriend was okay?
Speaking of his ex-girlfriend, he spoke at great length about her and their break up on the phone. It had been 6 months and he was totally over her. What he failed to mention on the phone, but told me at dinner, was that although no longer his girlfriend, they now lived together.
The man I spoke with on the phone did not come to dinner. Instead I was with a liar who was still in a relationship with his girlfriend, and thought I was a both a slut and a bad Jew. Incase that was not enough to put me over the edge, he then asked me what size my bra was.
He asked me this question right after he told me I "had a nice rack". This was one classy guy. By classy of course I mean he was rude, obnoxious, and a compulsive liar. I lasted 32 minutes before I told him I was leaving. He seemed genuinely surprised.
The same man, who when he asked me what perfume I was wearing, and I responded Stella McCartney, asked why I would wear perfume made by a woman with a wooden leg, this man was surprised that I was getting up and leaving him alone? Really? Come on.
I was amazed by how confused he was by my leaving. I reminded him he was insulting and lied about everything. He insisted that withholding information was not the same as lying, and therefore he had not lied. I was either going to laugh or hit him, so I bailed.
I know it's rude to walk out on someone, but I seriously could not stay. He had lied about so many things that it was scary. I feel bad that I left him there, but at the same time, the thought of sticking it out and having him walk me to the car was enough for me to set my manners aside.
The good news is that we were sitting next to a lovely couple. She was an Israeli, who like me grew up in Canada. We chatted a bit during my 32 minutes in hell and it turns out we both moved here from Toronto and knew some people in common. She was the best part of my date.
I thanked Loser and turned to see the woman we had been talking to had left the sushi bar. I told her husband, in Hebrew, I was leaving and to say goodbye to his wife. He asked if I was okay, I assured him I was, and he told me his wife was outside smoking and I would see her.
I ended up sitting outside with the woman chatting about my date, JDate, and how hard it was to meet someone decent. She was lovely and we ended up exchanging numbers and making a date for lunch. She said she wants to set me up on a date so we'll see how that goes.
It turns out, as I have long suspected, if you are a liar, you search for love on JDate. I love Jill but I'm done. 1 week and 1 date on JDate is enough to put me over the edge. By walk away of course I mean run. Is it wrong that I expect Jewish men to be a cut above others? Yes. Yes it is.
For any of my readers who date online, please allow me to help you understand the language of online dating. Here are some common things you hear on a date, along with their translations in regular English. No point in you trying to figure out a code I have already broken.
Online Dating: I may have withheld some information
Real Life: I am a sociopathic liar
Online dating: I am 5'10"
Real Life: I am 5'5"
Online Dating: Tattoos are cool
Real Life: You look like a slut
Online Dating: Take your time and drive safe
Real Life: If you're late I'm leaving
Online Dating: I broke up months ago
Real Life: My ex lives with me
Online Dating: My ex and I are not together
Real Life: I have a friend with benefits
Online Dating: I'm one of the good guys
Real Life: I'm hoping to get laid tonight
This date made me sad. I can certainly laugh about it, but it made me sad. I don't understand why lying is an option, and being rude is okay. When did being courteous and decent go out of style? Why is it so hard to just tell the truth? When did being alone become okay?
With each date I have I am hopeful that maybe it will be great, yet with each date that goes badly, I think that being alone is okay, and that is sad because for me, being alone is not okay. I want to have a man in my life but honestly did not think it would be this hard to find a good one.
And so my online dating life continues. I get a bit jaded each time, but luckily, also a little more hopeful. As long as I can laugh about it, (and blog about it), I will not become bitter. That said, bitter is the new black so who knows how my story will end. All I can do is keep the faith.
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The joys of 2
Well, so far 2 is both a challenging and wonderful age. I've told many people that I prefer 2 to 18-months. Although she uses the word "no" too much, she also understands consequences now. I can actually see her making the CHOICE to either obey me or not. She is so sweet, fun, loving, and cute. I love her little pigtails bouncing around as she dances and jumps (acutally skipping).

subset: commoncrawl


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The university will appeal the decision to the Academic Performance Subcommittee on Appeals.
But there is still a series of unknowns: When will Jim Calhoun return from a back condition that may or may not require surgery? Will the Huskies have a number of key players on the roster next season or will they jump to the NBA draft? And if the appeal is denied, then how does that hamper recruiting or the current roster going forward, as any incoming players and current players would know they couldn't play in the 2013 NCAA tournament? What will the Big East do now that Connecticut isn't eligible for the NCAA tournament? How will the Big East possibly handle a conference tournament without West Virginia (off to the Big 12) and UConn in 2013?
Freshman Andre Drummond hasn't been a dominant player. But he still would be a lottery pick in the NBA draft if he were to come out this season. Sophomore wing Jeremy Lamb hasn't been as stellar as last season, but his shooting touch makes him a lock for the first round.
David Butler II/US PresswireWould players like Andre Drummond stick around if UConn can't play in the 2013 NCAA tournament?
Lose Drummond and Lamb off next season's team and that squad probably wouldn't make the NCAA tournament anyway. Do both players stay if they know for certain they can't be in the NCAAs? The Huskies have one player signed -- shooting guard Omar Calhoun from Brooklyn's Christ the King High School. Does Omar Calhoun try to get out of his letter of intent if he can't play in the NCAA tournament as a freshman?
This is a bit different than a standard postseason ban for NCAA violations. This is new territory for the NCAA and a member school. Postseason bans are rarely overturned. This is the first time a school is challenging this new legislation to avoid sitting out a postseason. The subcommittee could take its time to decide on an appeal or it could make a quick decision. No one is certain.
Jim Calhoun told ESPN.com earlier in the week that he intends to come back from spinal stenosis and doesn't want to retire because it. But the pain is causing him to take a break, and suddenly there is uncertainty in the program.
UConn president Susan Herbst said the decision on when to retire is up to Calhoun.
"He's been struggling for a while on and off this fall," Herbst said of Calhoun's back pain. "He can take a lot of pain. But he's very committed to these kids. They're great kids on this team. He's going to power through this and listen to his medical advice. I know he wants to come back."
If and when Calhoun decides to retire, multiple sources within the program said Calhoun wants assistant Kevin Ollie to replace him. Ollie is extremely well-liked in the community, and has the NBA ties and respect among high school players and UConn alumni.
Herbst was noncommittal about a successor or Calhoun's timeline.
"He's got to think about it and assess how he feels, how much energy he has for this and what else he wants to do," Herbst said. "He's such an integral part of this program. We work incredibly well together. He's easy to communicate with. We agree on some stuff and some we don't. We're really close and he does so much for this campus."
Calhoun has missed two games with this back injury -- a win over Seton Hall and a loss at Louisville -- and won't coach the Huskies at Syracuse on Saturday. The Huskies are on the bubble at 15-8, 5-6 in the Big East. He sat the first three Big East games this season for NCAA punishment due to failing to have an atmosphere of compliance during the Nate Miles recruitment four years ago.
"When he wants to move on, he can," Herbst said. "I'd sure like him back right now and finish the season up. He can think about what he wants to do to comeback for two more years. He's got a great coaching staff and this is one of the prime jobs and one of the best coaching jobs in the country.
"We'll hire a new AD in the next few weeks, and I'll heavily rely on that person," Herbst said.
Herbst said early Friday that she's not against a postseason ban. But she said there should be time to adjust to the ban. She said that the incoming players shouldn't be the ones who suffer any consequences. They should know when they matriculate that this is a possibility the following year. The penalty should be on them if they fail to meet the standards, not for them to pay for the misdeeds of those in the past.
Herbst said offering up self-imposed sanctions is the way the NCAA works. According to the NCAA, schools ask for relief all the time and offer penalties and actions in lieu of ineligibility. She said offering up to give up postseason revenue in 2013 was significant since it would help fund other programs at the school. Now there may not be any revenue at all from the 2013 postseason.
She said dropping the Huskies' regular-season schedule from 30 to 27 is also significant, since those would be games that would probably be at home.
But now the school has to wait and see if the appeal is granted. If not then the Huskies will have a number of decisions that will affect the immediate future.
Calhoun is focusing on eliminating the dreadful pain of spinal stenosis. Until that is resolved he won't decide on his future. Drummond, Lamb and possibly others will have to decide if there is a future for them in 2013 without the NCAA tournament as a possibility.
The next move will be made by the NCAA. And then a series of decisions will have to be finalized by key UConn personnel. Until that happens, uncertainty remains.


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shorts: topshop
cardigan: topshop
Can you tell I couldn't be bothered today? Had a really clear dream that was actually quite upsetting this morning and wasn't in the mood to doll myself up for work. Threw a couple of casual bits together (the top is old, so I hope nobody goes looking for it now!) et voila! I hardly ever dress like this considering I have loads of casual bits. Also wore my Converse high tops for maximum laziness. There was a lot of commotion about the riots coming to town towards the end of the day, some shops closed early and I was just generally a nervous mess! Got the ampersand jumper on the way home though! Just ate the biggest homemade cheeseburger ever, I feel like I've been on Man v. Food. Now time to have an extra hot bubble bath and chill out. Early night for me I think!
PS. Another note about the riots.. what are your views on them? Personally I think the behaviour of these so called 'protesters' (oh please) is disgusting. Where is Tony Stark when you need him?


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A group of Cardiff fans gathered outside Cardiff City Stadium ahead of the Boxing Day clash with Southampton to protest against owner Vincent Tan.
Around 200 City supporters - many of whom carried banners - chanted their disapproval of Tan's policies as the Premier League new boys continue to struggle off the pitch.
The Malaysian bought a controlling share in the Welsh club back in 2010 and has become a figure of controversy since, notably when he announced the club would be changing its colors from blue to red.
In October, Tan sacked head of recruitment Iain Moody without consulting Mackay and last week issued an ultimatum that unless the Scot himself quit his job, he would be shown the door.
Mackay's exit was avoided thanks to the intervention of chairman Mehmet Dalman but with further crisis talks between Tan and Mackay due next week, a significant section of the Cardiff support convened to chant 'Tan Out.'


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text:
Nov 1/2/3 Trip
Planning a 1st/2nd/3rd of November Back Country FF trip on the NC side of the mountan. Complete details pending..
I'm really looking for a few "firm" committment's (minus emergencies). If you can clear the desk for the above dates send me an e-mail:firstname.lastname@example.com and we can discuss the details. This trip will entail around an 8-10 mile hike in, give or take. Pack your backpack and lets go fishing!
Alternate plan:if the water conditions are just to poor to fish we will map out a route and hike and scout water for 2-3 days....
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April 30, 2010
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PLAINTIFF,v.ANAS SALEM DEFENDANT.
This matter is before me on remand from the Seventh Circuit to reconsider the denial of defendant Anas Salem's motion for a new trial. A jury convicted defendant of witness intimidation and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence based on his abduction and assault of Carlos Lopez, a government cooperator. After trial, the government disclosed evidence pertaining to Lopez's possible involvement in the homicide of a man named Adan Sotelo. Defendant moved for a new trial based on the disclosure, but I found the evidence immaterial and likely inadmissible, and thus denied the motion. United States v. Salem, No. 06-CR-181, 2008 WL 3540471 (E.D. Wis. Aug. 13, 2008). The Seventh Circuit concluded: on the record before us, . . . that decision was premature. Lopez's statement about the Sotelo killing has never been turned over to Salem nor has it even been produced to the court. This raises questions about whether other evidence favorable to Salem might be lurking out there and not contained in the record.
But Salem didn't get a chance to develop that record, because the court denied his request for an evidentiary hearing. We conclude that was an error. So we remand for such a hearing.
United States v. Salem, 578 F.3d 682, 683 (7th Cir. 2009).
On remand, I ordered the government to produce all evidence regarding Lopez's role in the Sotelo homicide, including any statements made by Lopez regarding that homicide. I then solicited briefs from the parties addressing whether this evidence was actually suppressed by the government, and whether defendant could have uncovered it with reasonable diligence; the admissibility of the evidence; and if admissible, whether there was a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different. The government produced the debrief statements relevant to this issue, defendant filed a revised motion for a new trial in light of the disclosures, and I held a hearing. At the hearing, defense counsel filed under seal the debrief statements upon which she relied, and the parties agreed that all pertinent materials had been turned over. Neither side elected to call any witnesses at the hearing. The matter is therefore ready for decision.
On consideration of the arguments of counsel, the newly disclosed evidence, and the entire record in this case, I deny the motion. I first set forth the facts of the case, which I take largely from my previous decision, supplemented with the statements disclosed on remand.
A. Summary of the Case
The government accused defendant, along with fellow Latin King gang member Marcos Colin, of abducting Lopez, a gang associate, whom they suspected of cooperating with the government in a RICO investigation of the gang. The jury found that defendant used force or threat of force against Lopez to prevent his cooperation in the government's investigation, and that he brandished a firearm in so doing.
Prior to defendant's sentencing, the government disclosed the plea agreement of a Latin King co-defendant, Benny Martinez, which revealed to defendant for the first time that Lopez was with Martinez when Martinez murdered Sotelo, an alleged rival gang member. Defendant subsequently requested and the government provided police reports about the murder. On remand, the government produced the debrief statements of Lopez, Martinez and fellow gang member Michael Carroll regarding the Sotelo murder. In order to place this post-trial evidence in proper context and assess its materiality, I will again review the information presented to the jury at defendant's trial.
B. Opening Statements
During his opening statement, the prosecutor told the jury that defendant, Colin and Lopez were members of the Latin Kings, a gang that protected its turf on the south-side of Milwaukee through violence and intimidation. (Trial Tr. at 9.) He stated that the Kings attacked rival gang members, whom they called "flakes," and intimidated witnesses and cooperators. (Tr. at 9.) On September 27, 2005, the government obtained an indictment against forty-nine Latin Kings, including Lopez and defendant's brother, Sadam Salem. (Tr. at 10; Case No. 05-CR-240 (E.D. Wis.)) The prosecutor told the jury that Lopez began cooperating pre-indictment, implicating himself and others in gang activity.*fn1 (Tr. at 10.) On November 1, 2005, defendant and Colin confronted defendant, accused him of cooperating, assaulted and threatened to kill him, but eventually let him go. Thereafter, the government relocated Lopez out of state. (Tr. at 10-18.)
In her opening statement, defense counsel stated that Lopez told different stories about what occurred during his encounter with defendant and Colin. (Tr. at 18-19.) She also stated that Lopez was cooperating with the government prior to the incident and hoping to get money to get out of town. (Tr. at 20.) She further stated that law enforcement told Lopez that they were interested in defendant, who was not included in the original Latin Kings indictment handed up earlier in 2005,*fn2 and that Lopez knew that as an informant he could get favors from the government if he told the government what it wanted to hear. (Tr. at 20.)
C. Witness Testimony
1. Shane Bach
The government first called Shane Bach, who testified that on November 1, 2005, he and Lopez drove to a friend's house, where they encountered defendant and Colin (known to Bach as "Scetty"). Bach testified that defendant asked Lopez why he was snitching, putting the "brothers [in] jail." (Tr. at 23-24.) Either defendant or Colin made a reference to "having one in the chamber." (Tr. at 25.) Lopez offered to take defendant and Colin to his house to provide them with paperwork showing he wasn't snitching. Once they arrived at the house, Lopez, defendant and Colin entered Lopez's house, and Bach -- who had a "weird feeling" -- took off. (Tr. at 26-28.) On cross-examination, Bach admitted that he did not call the police after he left, and that defendant did not directly threaten Lopez in the car. (Tr. at 30-31.)
2. Marcos Colin
The government next called Colin, and he admitted being in jail for his role in Lopez's kidnaping. (Tr. at 35.) However, he refused to testify further, even if granted immunity. Without objection from the government, I held the issue of contempt in abeyance and continued the trial. (Tr. at 34-61; 174-82.) An FBI agent later called by the defense recounted Colin's statement to law enforcement, in which Colin said that defendant orchestrated the Lopez kidnaping, that he (Colin) agreed with the police version of what happened there, and that defendant had the gun. (Tr. at 195-96.)*fn3
3. Carlos Lopez
The government next called Lopez, who testified that he was under indictment as part of a Latin Kings RICO prosecution, and that he was cooperating with the government. (Tr. at 66-67.) Lopez testified that on November 1, 2005, he and Bach drove to the home of an individual named Jose, where they encountered defendant and Colin. (Tr. at 68-69.) Lopez stated that defendant and Colin asked, "why did [you] do this." (Tr. at 69.) Lopez started to put the car in gear, but defendant threatened to shoot him in the face. (Tr. at 69.) Defendant and Colin got in the back of the car, and defendant asked Colin if he had "one in the chamber." (Tr. at 70.) Defendant accused Lopez of snitching and stated that "all the brothers [i.e., Latin Kings] are locked up." (Tr. at 71.) Lopez claimed that he had paperwork at his house showing he wasn't cooperating, and defendant said he wanted to see it. (Tr. at 71-72.) Once they arrived at Lopez's house, defendant warned Lopez not to do anything stupid or he would shoot Lopez's mother. (Tr. at 72.)
Lopez, Colin and defendant entered the house and encountered Lopez's mother. Lopez asked his mother where his paperwork was and winked at her to try to tell her something was wrong. (Tr. at 73-74.) Lopez could not find any paperwork -- there was nothing to find -- and defendant ordered him back out of the house. Lopez's mother followed and told Lopez that he had a curfew and had to stay inside, but Lopez testified that he left because he was afraid of what defendant would do if he did not comply. (Tr. at 75-76.)
Once the three got back outside, they noticed that Bach was gone. Defendant told Colin to drive, Lopez to get in the front passenger seat, and he (defendant) got into the rear passenger seat behind Lopez. (Tr. at 77.) Defendant told Lopez to direct them to Bach's house, defendant complied, and the three proceeded to Bach's neighborhood, parking a block away from the house. (Tr. at 78.) The three men exited the car and started walking toward Bach's house through a gangway. Defendant ordered Lopez to open a gate on the gangway, but Lopez refused. Defendant then ordered Lopez to turn out his pockets, and Lopez turned over $80.*fn4 Defendant again ordered Lopez to open the gate, and when he refused defendant produced a gun from the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. (Tr. at 79-81.) Defendant looked to the left and the right, and Lopez believed defendant was about to shoot him so he grabbed for the gun. The two struggled for the gun, but Colin hit Lopez in the back of the head and Lopez fell to the ground. Defendant got on top of Lopez and said, "I should kill you right now." (Tr. at 82-83.) Lopez asked defendant and Colin why they were doing this, reminding them that his family used to feed them. (Tr. at 83.)
Defendant told Lopez to get up, and they returned to the car, where defendant instructed Lopez to drive to the "2-1 hood," where defendant said he wanted to shoot some flakes. (Tr. at 84-86.) Finding no rivals, the three continued to drive around, and defendant stated that he would return Lopez's things once Lopez provided his paperwork. (Tr. at 86.) Lopez testified that he and his family stayed in a hotel that night because they were afraid to go home. (Tr. at 88.)
Lopez stated that he expected no credit in his own case based on his testimony against defendant. Rather, he said that he testified because he was a crime victim. (Tr. at 90.)
On cross-examination, Lopez admitted that he faced significant penalties in his indictment, up to life in prison on a RICO charge*fn5 and a minimum of ten years up to life on a drug charge, along with various other charges. (Tr. at 94-96.) He further admitted that he decided to cooperate with the government but stated that he did not understand how substantial assistance could affect his potential sentence. (Tr. at 97-98.) He further admitted that Colin falsely claimed responsibility for a gun found at his house on another occasion, which he allowed Colin to do. (Tr. at 99.)
Defense counsel also cross-examined Lopez on his prior statements and contacts with law enforcement. (Tr. at 105.) Lopez admitted that he previously gave different versions of who was driving on November 1, 2005, and that he once said that defendant took his phone while they were on the gangway rather than in the car. (Tr. at 109-110.) Lopez also admitted that he was arrested in West Milwaukee for drinking and damaging property while on bond in his federal case, that he told the arresting officers that he was a cooperating federal witness, and that his bond was not revoked based on his conduct. (Tr. at 118-20.) Finally, he admitted that an agent advised him that law enforcement was interested in defendant in 2005 (before defendant's indictment in 2006), and that he (Lopez) provided the government with no incriminating information about defendant's brother, Sadam, who was included in the initial, 2005 Latin Kings indictment. (Tr. at 105; 122.)
4. Norma Chavez
Finally, the government called Lopez's mother, Norma Chavez, who testified that on November 1, 2005, her son came home with defendant and Colin and started rummaging through some papers, asking "where are those statements." (Tr. at 158-59.) Chavez testified that she did not know what Lopez was talking about. She said that defendant stood close behind her son with his hand in his pocket, that Lopez appeared worried, and that she sensed something wasn't right. (Tr. at 159-60.) After about five minutes the three men left the house; she tried to get Lopez to stay, but they left, with Colin driving, Lopez in the front passenger seat and defendant behind him. (Tr. at 161.) Chavez testified that Lopez looked scared and told her to go back in the house. (Tr. at 162.)
Chavez testified that when she saw her son later that night he had injuries to his neck and face, and that they stayed in a hotel that night. (Tr. at 163-64.) She further stated that she then relocated out of state with her son, leaving her job of seventeen years. (Tr. at 165-66.) On cross-examination, Chavez admitted that she did not call the police after Lopez left the house, and that she went to work that night. (Tr. at 172-73.)
5. Agent Porrini
Defendant called FBI Agent Douglas Porrini, who reviewed Lopez and Colin's previous statements to law enforcement about this incident. As indicated above, Colin told law enforcement that defendant orchestrated the kidnaping and carried the gun. (Tr. at 188-196.) Defendant did not testify or call any other witnesses.
D. Closing Arguments
In his closing argument, the prosecutor again stated that Lopez would receive no consideration for his testimony in this case because he appeared as a victim. (Tr. at 211-12.) The prosecutor further noted that while Lopez varied on some of the details, his testimony on the essential facts never wavered. (Tr. at 212.) The prosecutor also noted that despite his cooperation Lopez faced serious federal charges, and that his release on bail was based on his lack of prior record and his mother's willingness to post a significant bond. (Tr. at 214.) The prosecutor then reviewed the testimony from Bach, Lopez and Chavez concerning the abduction. (Tr. at 214-19.)
In her closing argument, defense counsel discussed the inconsistencies in Lopez's statements about the incident, and the illogic of Lopez's bringing these armed men into his mother's house to show them non-existent paperwork. (Tr. at 220-24.) She further noted the lack of corroboration of the struggle on the gangway by any other witnesses (Tr. at 225), and the illogicality of Lopez's then accompanying defendant and Colin, perhaps willingly, to other locations (Tr. at 225-27). She also noted that despite her claim to be afraid for her son's safety, Chavez did not call the police and instead went to work after Lopez, Colin and defendant left her house. (Tr. at 228-29.)
Counsel suggested that Lopez may have invented the story of his abduction in order to explain his violation of curfew to pre-trial services. (Tr. at 229-30.) She also noted the lack of evidence that Lopez specifically cooperated against defendant's brother, Sadam. (Tr. at 230.) Finally, she noted that although Lopez was not supposed to specifically get credit for testifying in this case, he did face significant penalties and obviously had good reason to curry favor with the government. (Tr. at 232-33.)
E. Verdict and Post-Verdict Disclosures
The jury deliberated for a little over an hour before returning guilty verdicts on both counts. (Tr. at 254-55.) I denied defendant's motions for acquittal and set the case for sentencing. (Tr. at 256.)
Just before defendant's sentencing, the government filed the plea agreement it reached with co-defendant Benny Martinez. Martinez pleaded guilty to racketeering, with predicate acts of murder. In the factual basis section, the agreement stated that Martinez shot and killed a man named Francisco Avita. Defendant acknowledged that he had previously received in discovery statements made by Lopez implicating Martinez in the Avita murder. The plea agreement further stated that Lopez was present when Martinez murdered Sotelo. Specifically, the agreement recounted a statement by Lopez that he and Martinez hid and waited for Sotelo, and when Sotelo came around the corner Martinez shot Sotelo several times, killing him. Lopez stated that he and Martinez then ran away. Lopez further recounted that Sotelo was killed because the Latin Kings believed him to be a rival gang member. The government had not previously provided defendant with information about the Sotelo killing. Defense counsel requested and the government provided police reports on the Sotelo case, which counsel filed with the court. According to the reports, one witness stated that Sotelo was shot by a single assailant, a young Hispanic male. (R. 84 at 9.) This witness's son saw two suspects, whom he described to police. (R. 84 at 21, 39.) Another witness told police that she observed two suspects approach, one pulled a gun and shot Sotelo, and both suspects then ran. (R. 84 at 50.) Police apparently showed witnesses photo arrays containing Lopez's picture, but no one identified him. (R. 84 at 25, 27.)
On remand, the government produced three debrief statements about the Sotelo murder. The first was taken from Carroll on August 31, 2005. Carroll said that on December 9, 2004, he was driving on the south-side of Milwaukee with passengers Carlos Avila, Benny Martinez and Carlos Lopez when they saw some rival gang members. Carroll drove to another location, where two other Latin Kings, Emmanuel Martinez and Tim Vallejo, were working.*fn6 Emmanual Martinez gave Benny Martinez a 9mm pistol, and the men drove back to where they had seen the rival gangsters. Carroll and Avila remained in the car, while Benny Martinez and Carlos Lopez walked toward the rivals. Martinez fired several shots at the rivals, and he and Lopez then ran back to the car, and Carroll sped away. Carroll drove to Lopez's house and parked in the backyard to conceal the car. Benny Martinez left alone on foot and walked to his aunt's house, and later gave the gun back to Emmanuel Martinez. The second statement, taken from Carlos Lopez on September 2, 2005, was virtually the same as Carroll's. (R. 110.)
The final statement, taken from Benny Martinez on October 27, 2006, was a bit different. He had Avila rather than Carroll driving, and said that Vallejo rather than Emmanual Martinez provided him with the gun. Benny Martinez stated that after he and Lopez exited the car, the rival gang members started walking toward them, Lopez cocked the pistol and hand it to him, and he (Benny Martinez) then fired several shots at the approaching men. Benny Martinez said that they ran back to the car, and he gave the gun to Lopez, who put it in his pants. Avila then drove them back to Lopez's house. Martinez said they left the gun at Lopez's house. (R. 110.)
Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 33(a), "the court may vacate any judgment and grant a new trial if the interest of justice so requires." To obtain a new trial based on newly discovered evidence, the defendant "must show that the evidence (1) was discovered after trial; (2) could not have been discovered sooner with due diligence; (3) was material and not simply impeaching or cumulative; and (4) if presented at a new trial would 'probably result in acquittal.'" United States v. Reyes, 542 F.3d 588, 595 (7th Cir. 2008) (quoting United States v. Palivos, 486 F.3d 250, 255 (7th Cir. 2007)). In order to obtain a new trial based on a violation of Brady and its progeny, see Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87 (1963) (holding that the government must turn over all evidence in its possession that is favorable to the accused and material to guilt or punishment), the defendant must show that: (1) the evidence at issue was favorable, either because it was exculpatory or impeaching; (2) the evidence was suppressed by the government, either willfully or inadvertently; and (3) the evidence was material to an issue at trial. E.g., United States v. Kimoto, 588 F.3d 464, 474 (7th Cir. 2009); United States v. Daniel, 576 F.3d 772, 774 (7th Cir. 2009). Suppressed evidence is material if there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different. E.g., United States v. Jumah, 599 F.3d 799, 808 (7th Cir. 2010); United States v. Are, 590 F.3d 499, 509 (7th Cir. 2009).
The government has conceded that the evidence related to the Sotelo murder was "suppressed" under Brady.*fn7 I will also assume, as I did originally, that this evidence was not otherwise available to the defense, and that it was favorable. However, on careful consideration of the entire record, I find that the new evidence is not material.
As the Seventh Circuit acknowledged, this evidence could not be presented to degrade Lopez's character. Salem, 578 F.3d at 686-87; see also Fed. R. Evid. 608(b).*fn8 Rather, it would go only to his bias and motive to curry favor with the government. For several reasons, it is not reasonable to believe that introduction of the evidence on this theory could have affected the outcome.
First, the record, now fully developed, shows that Lopez did not receive a "pass" related to the Sotelo homicide based on his cooperation; nor did the government at any time suggest to Lopez that he had to help make cases, against defendant or anyone else, or face charges for the Sotelo murder. Second, the timing of events in this case rebuts any argument that Lopez concocted the story of his abduction to avoid liability for the Sotelo murder; the government had already made its charging decision at the time Lopez reported his abduction and assault; and the record contains no evidence suggesting that Lopez made the assault up out of a sense of gratitude for not being charged. Third, the new evidence, properly understood, does not meaningfully differ from the evidence available to the defense at the time of trial; indeed, it may be less damaging to Lopez's credibility. Finally, I remain convinced, given the very strong case presented by the government, that the result would not have been different had defendant been able to question Lopez about the Sotelo matter.
A. Lopez Did not Receive a "Pass" for the Sotelo Murder
The Seventh Circuit concluded that the sparse record on the Sotelo homicide may have tainted my consideration of defendant's motion; while the record contained no direct evidence that Lopez was given immunity for the Sotelo murder, the record at the time seemed incomplete. Salem, 578 F.3d at 687. The record has now been completed; all materials pertaining to this issue have been produced; and there is no evidence that the government declined to charge Lopez in connection with the Sotelo murder as a reward or inducement for his cooperation. Nor is there any evidence that the government in any way suggested to Lopez that he had to assist in making cases, against defendant or others, or face future charges related to the Sotelo murder.
B. The Record Does Not Support an Argument That Lopez Concocted the Story of his Abduction to Curry Favor Regarding the Sotelo Murder
The court of appeals noted that even without an express agreement that Lopez would not be charged with the Sotelo murder in exchange for his testimony, he may nevertheless have been motivated to curry favor with the government. Salem, 578 F.3d at 687. But the record reveals that the government had already made the decision not to charge Lopez in connection with the Sotelo murder at the time Lopez reported his abduction by defendant and Colin.
Lopez gave his debrief statement mentioning the Sotelo murder on September 2, 2005. The original Latin Kings indictment in which Lopez was charged was handed up on September 27, 2005, and unsealed and filed publicly on October 12, 2005. That indictment did not charge Lopez with any involvement in the Sotelo murder. Lopez reported his abduction by defendant and Colin on or about November 1, 2005. It would make little sense for Lopez to make this incident up to curry favor with the government regarding the Sotelo murder when the government had already decided not to charge him with it.*fn9 As stated above, the record also contains no evidence that the government suggested to Lopez that it would change its mind and add a murder charge related to the Sotelo slaying if Lopez failed to help make new cases, against defendant or anyone else.
The Benny Martinez debrief statement, which suggested that Lopez had greater involvement in the Sotelo slaying, was given on October 27, 2006, long after Lopez reported the abduction. Lopez's concern about that statement could not possibly have prompted him to falsely report the abduction in November 2005. It could perhaps be argued that after the Martinez debrief Lopez had more to worry about; perhaps the government would supersede to add (another) murder charge. But defendant does not even allege, much less present any evidence, that Lopez was aware of the Martinez debrief at the time he testified at trial (or at any time).*fn10
Thus, to the extent that defendant could argue that, even in the absence of a formal immunity agreement, Lopez had motive to curry favor with the government based on the Sotelo murder, the timing negates his theory. Perhaps defendant could argue that, even though the decision had been made not to charge him, Lopez may have invented the abduction out of a sense of gratitude. That seems far-fetched; the government did charge Lopez with various offenses carrying a penalty range of 10 years to life in prison (which included acts of conspiring to murder rival gang members and attempted murders); to the extent that he had a motive to help the government with his testimony, the charges he did face (and about which he was cross-examined) provided ample motivation. The jury nevertheless believed his testimony.
It is also important to note that defendant has not established Lopez's liability for the Sotelo murder, such that he needed a "pass." The Seventh Circuit indicated that the statement in the Martinez plea agreement "suggests that Lopez was a participant in the lying-in-wait murder to protect the Latin Kings' interests, and not a mere witness." Salem, 578 F.3d at 687. However, on remand, the parties agreed that the factual statements contained in Benny Martinez's plea agreement were not entirely accurate. As characterized by the court of appeals, the plea agreement indicated that Lopez "and Martinez hid in an alley gangway waiting for Sotelo, and when Sotelo rounded the corner, Martinez shot him to death." Id. at 683. But as the government explained at the evidentiary hearing, the murder actually occurred in the manner described in defendant's motion and the debriefs.
Defendant argues that Lopez's debrief makes clear his liability as an aider and abettor, but he fails to explain how this is so. See, e.g., United States v. Bonty, 383 F.3d 575, 579 (7th Cir. 2004) (noting that "mere presence at the time of the crime is not enough to support a conviction" for aiding and abetting). In any event, defendant also fails to explain how not being charged with aiding and abetting the Sotelo murder would create a greater incentive to lie than the crimes with which Lopez had already been charged, crimes creating exposure of up to life in prison.
Finally, even if Lopez had some possible aiding and abetting liability, at the evidentiary hearing the government stated, without contradiction, that only the actual shooters had been specifically charged with homicides in the Latin Kings case. Lopez was treated no differently than any of the other gang members similarly situated. Defendant presents no evidence or argument to the contrary. Thus, if I were to grant a new trial, defendant would cross examine Lopez about a murder with which the government decided not to charge him, based not on his cooperation but rather on its consistent exercise of prosecutorial discretion in this case. There is no evidence supporting the defense claim that Lopez was somehow beholden to the government and thus pressured to please based on the charging decision on the Sotelo matter.
C. The New Evidence Does not Significantly Differ from the Evidence Available to Defendant at Trial
I also cannot accept the argument that evidence of the Sotelo murder was significantly different from the information defendant had at the time of the trial. In his motion for a new trial after remand, defendant indicates that while he had some information related to Lopez's interest in currying favor with the government, i.e. the pending drug and firearm charges, it was impossible to plumb the full extent of his bias because the government failed to disclose information related to the most serious offense with which he was involved in his Latin King career, i.e. aiding and abetting Benny Martinez's killing of Sotelo. But this ignores the fact that in the original Latin Kings indictment the government charged Lopez in racketeering act 10 with conspiring to murder rival gang members and in act 35 with attempted murder (among other acts). Defendant fails to explain how any of the new debrief statements would suggest that Lopez had greater motive to lie in order to curry favor regarding his possible aiding and abetting exposure in the Sotelo murder than he did to curry favor regarding the other acts (including conspiracy to murder and attempted murder) with which he had actually been charged.*fn11
Defendant argues that evidence regarding the Sotelo murder would have tended to show Lopez's understanding that he received special treatment in a pass from prosecution for his involvement in a homicide, even in the absence of an explicit agreement. It would have revealed a reason for him to feel indebted and obliged to assist. But the record now shows that Lopez did not, in fact, receive a pass. Further, the record shows that at the time he reported his abduction by defendant, Lopez already knew that he had not been charged. Defendant presents no plausible basis for believing that Lopez would under these circumstances have made up his abduction out of some sense of gratitude. Finally, defendant presents no evidence that Lopez would have had such an understanding. Again, defendant could have presented testimony at the hearing, including from Lopez, but he chose not to.
In his motion and at the hearing, defendant posited the manner in which he would introduce this evidence, asking Lopez if he made the admissions contained in his debrief; if he denied doing so, defendant would introduce the statement through the agent who took it. He would then ask Lopez whether he was aware of Martinez's statement. Finally, he would ask Lopez if he was charged with the Sotelo murder. This evidence, he submits, would support the inference that he is indebted to the prosecution. He notes that such questioning can be proper, even in the absence of a formal promise of leniency. See, e.g., United States v. Kone, 307 F.3d 430, 439 (6th Cir. 2002); United States v. Leonard, 494 F.2d 955, 963 (D.C. Cir. 1974). It is true, as defendant notes, that evidence of bias is generally relevant and admissible.
But in this situation, defendant must also show that the new evidence is not cumulative. See United States v. Knight, 342 F.3d 697, 706 (7th Cir. 2003). Newly discovered impeachment evidence does not typically warrant relief under Rule 33. United States v. Reyes, 542 F.3d 588, 596 (7th Cir. 2008). Here, defendant did cross-examine Lopez about his status as a government cooperator and hope for a reduced sentence based on that cooperation. Further, as discussed above, defendant could have cross-examined Lopez about the murder-related acts with which he had actually been charged, and the incentive they provided to curry favor with the government.
Defendant says that the evidence of Lopez's cooperation on the pending charges was unimpressive since he denied awareness of substantial assistance or other benefits of cooperation. But defendant provides no reason to believe that Lopez would have answered differently if questioned about the Sotelo murder. Again, he presented no evidence on this issue at the evidentiary hearing.
The court of appeals noted that murder is "fundamentally different from other offenses," and that the jury did not hear "about a possible sentence of death," Salem, 578 F.3d at 689. But the record reveals that Benny Martinez, who actually pulled the trigger and killed Sotelo, never faced a capital sentence. Indeed, none of the Latin Kings charged with murders in these cases faced a death sentence. At the hearing on remand, the government explained, without contradiction, that the United States Attorneys' Office for this district generally does not, consistent with Wisconsin law, seek death sentences, and I have not in thirteen years on the bench encountered such a case, even when the facts support a charge of first degree intentional homicide. Because it is clear that a death sentence was never even on the table in this case, I decline to grant a new trial so defense counsel can question Lopez about it and leave the jury with the false impression that he somehow avoided a capital sentence by cooperating. Further, the court of appeals seemed not to realize that Lopez had been charged with predicate acts of conspiracy to murder and attempted murder; defendant could have questioned Lopez about his incentive to work those charges off. In any event, the record does not support an argument that Lopez had first-degree murder liability in the Sotelo killing.*fn12
D. The New Evidence is not Material
Finally, having sat through the trial and reviewed all of the evidence, I continue to believe that the government presented a very strong case against defendant, and that admission of the Sotelo evidence would not have affected the outcome. Lopez testified that he was abducted, threatened and beaten by Colin and defendant, who accused him of snitching. Although the Seventh Circuit characterized Lopez as the government's star witness, without whom there would be no case, his testimony was corroborated in significant respects. Aside from a neutral eyewitness to the actual beating (or a confession), it is hard to see how the government could done have more.
First, Bach corroborated Lopez's testimony as to the initial encounter with defendant and Colin. He confirmed that defendant and Colin accused Lopez of snitching, putting the brothers in jail, and referred to having "one in the chamber," which is certainly an implied if not a direct threat.*fn13 Second, Lopez's mother corroborated Lopez's testimony as to the events that occurred at her house. Third, Agent Porrini relayed Colin's statement that defendant orchestrated the kidnaping and carried the gun. Fourth, the government presented photos of Lopez's injuries suffered in the struggle. And finally, as indicated in my previous decision, the jury knew that Lopez was part of a violent street gang and faced life in prison based on his involvement with the gang, yet still found him credible. For all of these reasons, there is no reasonable probability that the outcome could have been different had the jury been apprised of the new evidence.
THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that defendant's motion for a new trial (R. 105) is DENIED.
Dated at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this 30th day of April, 2010.
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text: Add Your Best Willis Creek Photos Willis Creek is a true slot canyon with a calm babbling brook running through its center. Although this slot canyon is rather short, 2.2 miles, it can be combined with other canyons; Sheep Creek and Bull Valley Gorge, to make a great ten-hour hike or overnight backpack. The dramatic lighting of the canyon allows spectacular photographs if taken at the right time of day. The slot is nestled in the White Cliffs of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near the Pink Cliffs of Bryce Canyon National Park. ImagesWillis Creek - GSENMWillis Creek - GSENMWillis CreekWillis Creek - GSENMWillis CreekWillis Creek - GSENMWillis CreekSheep Creek - GSENMWillis CreekWillis CreekWillis CreekWillis CreekWillis CreekWillis CreekWillis Creek[ View Gallery - 1 More Images ]


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When they are underway, the annual migrations of various animal species are truly magnificent to behold. By sea, land and sky, they move: the sea turtles and the baleen whales, the caribou and the wildebeests, the green darner dragonflies and the arctic terns and the free-tailed bats, among others. (See http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/11/great-migrations/; http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photo/.)
These migrations, which can transpire over thousands of miles, exhibit common characteristics. They suggest preparation and persistence, attentiveness, intentionality and unique allocations of energy. The participants will face distractions and temptations, but they will meet these challenges and more with what seems to be a shared sense of purpose. They are marvelous and inspiring adventures.
Perhaps these animals move because of some encoded instinct or perhaps from some form of communication we do not yet understand. Whatever the cause, they are not on an orderly and docile walk, two by two, as in the Noah fable. They are engaged in an existential activity, where travel is grueling and life and death are at issue for each animal individually and for the group as a collective, whether bale or pod or herd or team or swarm, flutter or flock.
Humans participate in seasonal movements, too. They are not as literally colorful or as dramatic in quantity or distance as the storied travels of the red crabs or the monarch butterflies. No, these migrations are different, seasonal to be sure, but more dispersed and more conscious than those of other species.
Right now, the first of two annual migrations of North American Jews is underway. This first migration occurs over a period of several weeks. The migrating population is young, generally 18 through 21 years of age, though some are a bit younger and certainly some are older. Male and female they go, not to any one locale, but still to special places, where they will, like caterpillars, change and grow. Some will travel long distances and some will commute. Some will go to metropolitan areas and some to more rural settings. Some will go join large populations and some will go to be with small groups.
Not all in this age range will participate, but most will. They will go in droves, if not packs and prides. More than attending High Holy Day services, more than participating in a Passover seder, more than lighting Shabbat candles, young adult Jews go to college. Estimates vary, but perhaps 85-90% or more of young adult Jews go to college. (See, e.g., "Why More Colleges Want Jewish Students," at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/10/29/jewish; "American Jews," at http://jbuff.com/c052302.htm.)
Some will go to elite private schools like the University of Chicago and Harvard University. Some will go to elite public schools, such as the University of Michigan and the University of California at Berkeley. They will go to college towns like Boulder and Tempe and Lawrence and Raleigh. And they will go to Miami, the one in Florida and the one in Ohio. They will go to major metropolitan areas, Los Angeles and New York, for instance. They will go to many and diverse places, but the key fact is that they will go, tens of thousands of them in any year.
The percentage of students who are Jewish at many schools is astonishing. Consider these figures for some private schools:
· 32% at Tulane University in New Orleans
· 30% at Emory University in Atlanta
· 29% at George Washington University in Washington D.C. and at Oberlin College in Ohio
· 27% at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut
· 25% at Washington University in St. Louis
Even at public schools, the percentages can be high:
· 22% at the University of Maryland in College Park
· 18% at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
· 17% at the University of Florida in Gainesville
· 16% at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and at U. of California, Santa Cruz.
Percentages can be deceiving, of course. Only 8% of the undergraduate population at the University of Texas is Jewish, but that 8% totals 4,000 students, more than twice as many as attend Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts which is 50% Jewish. Five thousand (5,000) will go to Penn State, 4,000 more to Wisconsin, 3,000 to Cornell. (For a fuller list of schools and Jewish populations at them, see "Admissions 101 & 102" in Reform Judaism, Fall 2013, at 36-37.) You can almost hear the merchants calling "The Jews are coming! The Jews are coming!"
What will they see and what will they hear? For most, the experience will be mind-expanding, as it should be. They may encounter new subjects, from archeology to zoology. They may drill deeper into formerly familiar concepts. No doubt old ideas will be challenged, old assumptions questioned. Their heads will be stuffed with dates and facts. Their brains will be asked to engage in critical thinking.
In the majority of cases, the young adults will succeed. Not only will they graduate, but many will continue their education. In the Chicago area, for instance, about forty percent (40%) will earn graduate degrees. (See http://jewishdatabank.org/Reports?Jewish_Populations_in_the_United_States_2011.pdf. (At 24.))
And when they get out, when they emerge from their collegiate chrysalis, what will they know? Many things, of course, but here's one thought they think is true. According to a relatively recent survey at a Reform congregation in Springfield, Massachusetts, a clear majority (51%) of Jews aged twenty-something who responded agreed with the proposition: "Science explains everything, making God an unnecessary hypothesis." (See "The God Survey" in Reform Judaism (Summer 2012) (http://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=3036).)
The Massachusetts survey is flawed, of course. The sample is small and the questions do not allow for subtle responses. Indeed, how many scientists believe that science explains "everything"? We cannot even define "everything." Nevertheless, we understand the message and the results are not (or should not be) surprising. Whatever they learned in Hebrew School or Sunday school, in whatever congregation they belonged just a few years earlier -- let's call it pediatric Judaism--they seem to have rejected. What they have replaced it with, if anything, is much, much less clear. What is clear is that the pediatric Judaism that might once have been sufficient to sustain the children of Israel is no longer suitable for many of the adults of Israel.
If Jewish college graduates in North America are the future of the Jewish people in North America (and they are), and if Judaism is the evolving, religious civilization of the Jewish people, as Mordecai Kaplan defined it four score years ago (and it is), then the collective college experience of North American Jews will have a dramatic impact on that civilization as it continues to evolve, including how and to what degree that civilization will be described as "religious."
Having planned so hopefully, worked so hard, sacrificed so much to make sure that they received a "higher education," we should not be afraid of the consequences of that education. Rather, we need to listen to what these new BAs and BSs and MBAs and JDs are saying, verbally and physically, about their Jewishness. We won't need a PhD in sociology or psychology to understand that they have read too much literature to be moved by mere lore, studied too much science to be captivated by fable, learned too many facts to be swayed by fiction, and, not incidentally, met too many different kinds of good and decent people to be committed without question to their tribe. We need to engage with these young Jews on the level they have now reached, help them move beyond pediatric Judaism by showing them that there can indeed be a vibrant Judaism that their minds can affirm, a positive Judaism for the adults of Israel worthy of being chosen by them as educated members of that community.
For those of us who graduated some years ago, this is no small challenge. Many of us are questioning too, asking about what we believe and why we belong, how we can be part of a unique community and still champion universal values. Fortunately, just as it is time for the annual migration of some North American Jews to college, so the time is approaching for other North American Jews to participate in their own migration, not to college, but to shul for a bit of reflection. That, however, is a discussion for another day.
Another version of this essay was published previously at www.judaismandscience.com.
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Police Find Threatening Device at Trailer Park
by K2 News Desk, email@example.com
Police were at a Casper trailer park for several hours on Thursday after they discovered what appeared to be some kind of explosive device.
Authorities found the device at the West Shore Village trailer park along the North Platte River. Authorities would not confirm to K2 News if the device was actually a bomb.
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Police on scene at the West Shore Village Park.


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There truly are no easy wins in the Big Ten.
Entering Day 1 of what is annually one of the nation's most entertaining college basketball conference championship tournaments, the Big Ten was poised to send a minimum of five teams dancing.
The propensity for the unexpected team to shock the field at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis remains strong. No. 1 Michigan ran away with the conference, but other top seeds such as Bo Ryan's No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers and Tom Izzo's No. 3 Michigan State Spartans pose a major threat.
Nobody understands the potential for an unheralded team to upset the top dogs in Indianapolis better than Big Ten Player of the Year Nik Stauskas, who averaged 17.4 points per game to lead the Wolverines. He told Joe Stapleton of UMHoops.com that Michigan's high seed means little in such a competitive conference:
We're the number one seed but I don't think we're the favorite to win the tournament. I don't think anyone really thinks we're going to win. We have a chip on our shoulder and we're excited to prove ourselves again. It's just another great opportunity to show how hard we worked all season and that we can possibly be the best team in the Big Ten.
With gritty contests and upsets surely in the cards, let's take a look at how things unfolded on Day 1 before taking a look at the Day 2 matchups.
9 different schools have advanced to the #B1GTourney championship game. Who's your pick for this year's title game? pic.twitter.com/Lh1LEcLWXC— Big Ten Conference (@bigtenconf) March 12, 2014
Day 1 Results
No. 9 Illinois 64, No. 8 Indiana 54
As expected, the opening game of the tournament was a slugfest until the bitter end.
Indiana shot itself in the foot with 16 costly turnovers to nullify three double-digit performances in the points department, while Illinois got an epic 25-point performance out of junior guard Tracy Abrams to help keep the Hoosiers at arm's length.
Things looked lopsided at first, as Illinois took a 9-0 advantage and shot a 6-of-10 mark on three-pointers. Indiana was able to surge back, thanks to a valiant effort from Will Sheehey, who scored 11 points in the opening half, which included a 4-of-5 tally from the field overall and a perfect 3-of-3 mark from behind the arc.
As Jeremy Price of the Bloomington Herald-Times pointed out, the effort further etched Sheehey's name in the record books:
With 11 pts in the 1st half, Will Sheehey passes Victor Oladipo for No. 37 on all-time scoring list for #iubb. Now 40 back of Cody Zeller.— Jeremy Price (@JPPrice) March 13, 2014
Sheehey's outburst allowed the Hoosiers to trail by only a 30-28 margin at the half, but he cooled off in the second half and added just two more points in the final 20 minutes.
For Illinois, the strategy in the second half was simple—capitalize on Indiana's mistakes. The Hoosiers repeatedly drove into the lane and committed costly turnovers rather than taking high-quality shots after good ball movement:
And another Indiana turnover, after another drive into traffic. What's the definition of insanity again?— Josh and Mike (@bigtengeeks) March 13, 2014
The Fighting Illini were a model of consistency throughout, which could spell trouble for the rest of the field now that John Groce's team has obtained some momentum via an upset victory.
No. 5 Ohio State 63, No. 12 Purdue 61
The Ohio State Buckeyes survived a scare on Thursday with a win against the Purdue Boilermakers, but it was mostly close because they appeared to be half asleep for most of the contest.
Not to discredit Purdue, which shot better than 41 percent from the field, but the Buckeyes fell behind early 7-1 and the writing was clearly on the wall—it was going to be a long day in Indianapolis.
Rob Kunz of WBNS-10TV put it best:
This #OhioState game with Purdue is "text book" basketball. As in you'd be better off texting or reading a book than watching it. #Buckeyes— Rob Kunz (@Rob10TVSports) March 13, 2014
The lead changed hands 15 times, but the Buckeyes eventually held on to win in the closing seconds, although that too did not come easy:
INSTANT HIGHLIGHT: That was a crazy finish! Here's how @OhioStateHoops held on to top @BoilerBall. WATCH - http://t.co/Kh9AtE0b9k— Big Ten Network (@BTN_Ohio_State) March 13, 2014
Ohio State, led by LaQuinton Ross and his 19 points and 15 rebounds, hit on a 12-3 run in the second half and never looked back in the closing minutes. Star guard Aaron Craft poured in 16 points and added five assists.
The Buckeyes are now an impressive 12-1 in their last 13 conference tournament tilts, but shooting 35.9 percent is a recipe for disaster against better teams. Thad Matta and his team have a few questions in serious need of answers before their game against No. 4 Nebraska on Friday.
No. 7 Minnesota 63, No. 10 Penn State 56
The Minnesota Golden Gophers kept their shaky NCAA tournament hopes alive on Thursday with a win over Penn State, but like the games before it, nothing came easy.
Penn State saw two players score in double figures and also dominated on the boards, winning the battle on the glass by a 41-33 margin.
But it was Minnesota that took advantage where it mattered most as the team shot 43.8 percent from the field and notched a stellar 7-of-17 mark from behind the arc. Austin Hollins carried the Golden Gophers on his back with 18 points in a very meaningful game for him with the team:
With tonight's game, senior guard Austin Hollins of @GopherBBall sets the new record for career appearances in Maroon & Gold at 135.— Big Ten Men's Hoops (@B1GMBBall) March 13, 2014
That said, it was Andre Hollins who put the Nittany Lions away with 15 seconds remaining:
INSTANT HIGHLIGHT: Andre Hollins hits dagger to seal @GopherBBall #B1GTourney win over #PennState. WATCH - http://t.co/kdIkjua7Q8— Big Ten Network (@BTN_Minnesota) March 14, 2014
Minnesota is still alive, albeit barely. the Golden Gophers advance to take on rival Wisconsin on Friday in a matchup that has the team's NCAA tournament hopes hanging in the balance.
No. 11 Northwestern 67, No. 6 Iowa 62
The Iowa Hawkeyes entered Thursday's game against Northwestern safely in the field for the NCAA tournament, but they were desperately in need of a win as the postseason heats up.
Iowa lost five of its last six regular-season games after being a mainstay in the Top 25 for most of the year. It picked up right where it left off against the underdog Wildcats though, falling 67-62.
The superstars came to play in the matchup, as Roy Devyn Marble finished with 25 points, four assists and two steals for the Hawkeyes and Drew Crawford tallied 15 points, six assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block for the Wildcats. In fact, they exchanged three-pointers in the final seconds of the first half, as Brent Yarina of the Big Ten Network shared:
This halftime buzzer-beater was something pretty. WATCH - http://t.co/2hRMbJY8fO— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) March 14, 2014
The game was tied at 31 at intermission, but Northwestern jumped out to a seven-point lead early in the second half behind hot three-point shooting. Big Ten Men's Hoops pointed out that the Wildcats' shooting was something of an anomaly:
#B1GMBBall Tournament Stat: The #Wildcats shot 29.9% from 3 this season. They're shooting 50% right now. #B1GTourney— Big Ten Men's Hoops (@B1GMBBall) March 14, 2014
The Hawkeyes gradually climbed back and tied the game with just more than eight minutes remaining. This being the Big Ten, they had to do so by fighting through physical play (via Yarina):
Quick, everyone put a hand on Adam Woodbury's face! pic.twitter.com/PjTFsnt75R— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) March 14, 2014
Northwestern responded by establishing a 60-53 lead with just more than two minutes remaining and appeared set to advance to the quarterfinals against Michigan State.
Iowa made a late charge and climbed to within two after back-to-back three-point plays, but the Wildcats eventually prevailed behind timely free-throw shooting.
Day 2 Schedule
|Time (ET)
|Live Stream
|No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Illinois
|2:30 p.m.
|No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Ohio State
|6:30 p.m.
|No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 7 Minnesota
|9 p.m.
|No. 3 Michigan State vs. Northwestern
Big Ten Network
View the updated bracket on BTN.com.
The top four seeds await the winners from Day 1, and there is even more on the line on Day 2 outside of the obvious conference tournament win.
For example, the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers have a chance to cement their first tournament bid since 1998 if they can pick up a few wins, starting in the quarterfinals against of Ohio State.
The aforementioned Fighting Illini will prove to pose a serious threat to the Wolverines, especially if Abrams can stay hot. That said, the two sides met near the end of the regular season, and Michigan won in a rout, 84-53.
No. 6 Iowa is an extremely dangerous team with everything to lose, as it is on the outside looking in at its first NCAA tournament berth since 2006. Had the Hawkeyes advanced, Michigan State would have been facing a tough quarterfinal bout.
Alas, it will be Northwestern who will face off with the Spartans on Friday.


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Title of Thesis
AbstractIslam as brought to us by the last of the Prophets, Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasalam) consists of the sacred teachings, embodied in the Holy Quraan and Hadith. Islamic political sociology will, therefore, have to be defined as the pattern of societies and multi-cultural development through ages of Prophethood, internet of social relations, political and philosophical mentalities of multifarious civilizational spectrum. The most interesting aspect of Islamic political sociology is its flexible nature in dealing with the basic challenges of political modernization.
The main aim of writing this dissertation was to undertake a thorough study of the potentialities of the basic sources of Muslim political thought namely the; (I) The Holy Qur'an (II) The Sunnah (III) Ijmah (IV) Qiyas along with the sociological connotations of Islam in the modern age. The thesis also deals with the traditional approaches, and modern schools of thought (Islamic and non-Islamic) which could enlighten the theme and give us a complete understanding of emerging socio-political parameters regarding evaluation of an Islamic society. In the same I have also referred some of the most modern theories of political science which are playing a vital role in the present socio-political setup of an Islamic state The merger between Islamic socio-political theories and the modern western theories have been discussed logically.
Evolution of Islam is based upon the balance between society and politics according to the fundamentals of the Holy Quran. I have also provide the thorough study of both these elements, providing strong co-relationship between Islamic political system and Islamic sociological patterns. After this evolutionary period Holy Prophet became the center of community as the source of divine guidance and an example of Islamic societal and governmental ethics. Holy Prophet left behind him two elements: (I) his community; as a dynamic force behind Islamic political sociology. (II) Holy Qur'anic precepts for individual and societal conduct of community; providing a strong inspiration and mobility for the socio-political grounds provided through Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasalam).
These factors played a vital role in shaping the early Islamic State. After the Prophet, a new phase begins in which community became conscious of its new psyche and social unity. This incubation period is marked b the auspicious leadership of Pious Caliph (Abu Bakar Siddiq, Omar Bin Khattab, Uthman Bin Affan and Ali Bin Abi Talib Radi Allaho Unhum), who endeavored to enforce the Holy Qur'anic Laws in the community. This period constitute the beginning of sociopolitical consciousness of Muslims as a start thinking in terms of organized political authority. They elect from themselves some one who is competent to enforce the Holy Qur'anic precepts and preserve the socio-political cohesion of the community under the institution of caliphate. The caliphal contract was a form of governmental contract through which the Ummah was politically as well as socially organized into a state. In this regard Muslim philosophers and political thinkers especially Ibn-e-Khaldun, Al-Ghazali, Al-Mawardi and Al-Farabi contributed their sociological and political theories towards the establishment of an Islamic state which according to them should be a role model for the emerging state of the world and especially for the Muslim Ummah.
In this age of universilization and globalization contemporary Islamic state is seriously facing the problems regarding social status of and Islamic state and reasons behind the decline of their political institutions. The main purpose of this dissertation is to outline the reconstruction of political institutions in the context of the requirement of the modern age. In reconstructing these concepts, the main principle has been to attain the resolution of the conflict between Islamic political thinkers and modern political thinkers. Furthermore nature of the problems faced by Muslim world has also been discussed. Government and society of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan have been presented after an extensive survey of their role as an Islamic polity or a democracy. A thorough study of the behavioral approach in the modern Islamic state is studied in a unified manner with various forms of social inequalities showing how political economy and ideological factors underlie social, racial and ethnic stratification. Modern social behaviour through changing patterns of politics is influencing upon intra-societal variables and extra-societal variables in the present Islamic State. The changing pattern of world politics through globalization has taken roots in the present era. There is going to be a rapid change in the behavioral as well as political patterns through out the world; thus posing a direct challenge to Muslim Ummah whose unity is far from monolithic. In this regard the first and foremost task before Muslim Ummah is the dynamic framework of a positive evaluation of the world politics at the start of a new century and millennium, the Islamic view of universal community of believers seems to be logical as well as rational. The only need is to provide a link between theory and practice. The only dynamic force behind all the Qur'anic precepts is its flexible nature. And this dynamism of Islam inspired me to work on the theme of Islamic Political sociology. The field of Muslim medieval political theory has already been subjected to intensive research by Sherwani, Dr. Hameedullah, Von Kremer, Rosenthal, Tyan and others. Movements of modernism in contemporary Muslim world have been extensively surveyed by the scholars such as Gibb, Smith, Adas, Dr.Basharat Ali, Aziz Ahmed and Dr. Manzooruddin Ahmed. The present study is an attempt to integrate these two theories of medieval and modern Muslim political thought and action.
The three main theoretical approaches of the discipline functionalist, conflict and interactionist perspective are applied where appropriate in a consistent manner. I have also tried, to illustrate socio-political theories and concepts with practical and interesting examples using original sources, historical sources, sometimes contemporary, sometimes cross-cultural. This feature may help doctrine of Muslim political theory to be studied in relation to the socio-political dynamics of the contemporary Muslim world, which will certainly serve the Muslim Ummah.


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Twitter-Wood: A 'Harry Potter' Star Visits The Louvre and Fred Durst Gushes About 'Iron Man 2'
Today on Twitter, Jon Favreau and Russell Brand both dropped some notes about films that they're currently making, while Fred Durst and Larry King mentioned some movies that they've been excited about recently.
Durst isn't the only one excited about "Iron Man 2," though. Favreau showed he has a sense of humor about the tightened security surrounding his movie's production and detail leaks with a little re-tweeted -- or RT'ed, to use the Twitter vernacular -- picture humor. All that and more today in your Twitter-Wood feed for Tuesday, June 9, 2009.
@Jon_Favreau RT @dsgrimace: @Jon_Favreau just thought you should know that another photo leaked from Iron Man set. http://yfrog.com/0p559puaj
-Jon Favreau, Director/Actor ("Iron Man 2," "Elf")
@freddurst @Jon_Favreau so excited to see Rourke and Downey together.
-Fred Durst, Musician/Director ("The Longshots," "The Education of Charlie Banks")
@TomFelton The boys and I visited the mona lisa! Beautiful museum, a must if you go to Paris! X http://twitpic.com/6z2vt
-Tom Felton, Actor ("Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Anna and the King")
@OfficialKat I don't think @Michael_Cera is the real Michael Cera. In fact I'm 100% positive. Sorry to crush any bubbles
-Kat Dennings, Actress ("Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," "The House Bunny")
@neilhimself Cool Coraline Stuff Auction going on for a good cause - http://bit.ly/xZkzT
-Neil Gaiman, Writer ("Coraline," "Beowulf")
@rustyrockets Just to be clear, I was dressed as a terrorist for a movie. Our revolution will be achieved peacefully and you'll all be present. Nude.
-Russell Brand, Actor ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "Get Him to the Greek")
@ashleytisdale Such an amazing day! Performed on trl in Italy and then went to the beach with my crew and decided to jump in the adriatic sea!
-Ashley Tisdale, Actress ("High School Musical")
@SarahKSilverman Harper Collins hated my idea for the name of my book: My Life In 18 Poops.
-Sarah Silverman, Actress ("Saint John of Las Vegas," "The Sarah Silverman Program")
@kingsthings Just saw Woody Allen's new movie "Whatver Works" It's his greatest movie, even better than "Annie Hall" I can't say good enough about it!
-Larry King, Interviewer/Actor ("Bee Movie")
@paulfeig Join my even newer service, Zitter, in which all Zeets must be zero characters. It's simply a way to let people know you're still alive.
-Paul Feig, Executive Producer ("Freaks and Geeks," "The Office")


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Here's explained how to download, install and configure the latest version of my Joomla! Flickr component.
Hello people, a couple of years ago I wrote a beta version of the two Joomla! components "Joomla! Picasa" and "Joomla! Flickr". In the past two years, the two packages have been downloaded and tried more than 70.000 times, generating lot of interest and discussions, even in their early stage of development. I'm now going … Continue reading


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A Cincinnati-based pizza chain plans to open in Dublin in the former CiCi's Pizza location.
Columbus resident Brandon Salamone last week announced plans to open a LaRosa's Pizza franchise in Avery Square this year.
The Cincinnati native owns the management group that signed a franchise deal to bring the pizza and Italian food restaurant to Dublin later this year, a news release from LaRosa's said.
The restaurant will have seating for 140 and a Buddy's Room for groups and parties, the release said.
The new pizza restaurant will have also have pickup and delivery options.
No opening date for the Dublin LaRosa's has been announced yet.
The Cincinnati pizza chain has been around for more than 55 years and has 64 locations in Ohio and Kentucky.


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I was recently doing some reading over the benefits of studying God's Word and came across this article written on October 7, 2009 by Ronald G. Falconberry. I pray you will take the time to consider some of his thoughts from Psalm 19.
The Bible is believed by many to be God's revelation to the world. In Psalm 19, King David indicates that those who study and embrace God's Word will benefit spiritually.
The Bible is regarded by Christians, and the Old Testament is regarded by Jews, as the word of God through which he reveals himself to mankind. Many believe that personal Bible study of the scriptures is important to learning about God, his promises and what he expects of mankind.
King David identified some of the benefits of personally knowing and keeping God's laws, saying, "The law of the lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the lord is pure, enduring forever . The ordinances of the lord are sure and altogether righteous." (Psalm 19:7-9) [NIV]
Personal Study of the Bible Revives the Soul
Since the Bible states that man's soul is eternal, many believe that revival or restoration of the soul is important. As David points out in Psalm 19:7 revival of the soul is a benefit to studying God's word and he adds, in Psalm 23:2, that God restores the soul. The prophet Isaiah wrote that God would revive the spirit of the lowly and the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)
Christians believe the idea that Bible study revives the soul is also found in the New Testament. Jesus told his followers that he would provide rest for those who were weary and burdened. (Matthew 11:28-29). Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples, in John 14:25-27, not to be troubled because the Holy Spirit he would send to them would remind them of his teaching and bring them peace.
The apostles Peter and Paul also believed that study of the scriptures would revive the soul. Peter wrote that knowledge of God gives believers everything that they need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and Paul stated that the peace of God would guard Christians' hearts and minds. (Philippians 4:7)
Personal Bible Study Builds Wisdom
In Psalm 19:7, David noted that a benefit of studying God's law is the development of wisdom. Moses told Israel that careful observance of the decrees and laws of God would demonstrate their wisdom and understanding to the nations around them. (Deuteronomy 4:5-7) King David's son Solomon explained, at the beginning of the book of Proverbs, that they were written to help attain wisdom and discipline and to help them understand the "words of insight." (Proverbs 1:2)
The epistle of James reveals that the wisdom which comes from Heaven is pure, peace-loving and is evident by a person's good life and by their actions. (James 3:13-17)
Personal Study of the Bible Produces Joy
In Psalm 19:8, David identified joy as a benefit of studying the precepts of God. Job, in his pain and agony, told his companions that God would fill "your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21) God told Israel through his prophet Isaiah that his word would not return to him empty and that they would "go out in joy and be lead forth in peace." (Isaiah 55:11-12)
In the New Testament, Jesus taught his disciples that obedience to God is how they remain in God's love and that their joy would be complete. (John 15:9-11). After the Philippian jailer brought Paul and Silas into his house and cleaned their wounds, he was filled with joy because he heard God's word and believed in him. (Acts 16:22-34)
Personal Bible Study Leads to Righteousness
Righteousness is another benefit of Bible study, according to David in Psalm 19:9. God considered Abraham to be a righteous man because he believed in God and was faithful and obedient to him. (Genesis 15:6). Moses echoed this thought to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:25 when he told them that obeying the laws of God "will be our righteousness."
Paul wrote that the gospel of Jesus is the power of God through which everyone may be saved and through which God's righteousness was revealed. (Romans 1:16-17) He also told Timothy that all Scripture comes from God and is useful in teaching, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16).
Summary of the Benefits of Personal Bible Study
According to Matthew Henry, "The Holy Scripture is of much greater benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe, or the light of the sun."
While the Bible warns about the negative consequences of sinful actions, many of those who study the Bible concentrate more on what God encourages. They try to understand and embrace God's desire that each and every person would love him, follow him, and love each other. They believe that the benefits of personal Bible study are the development of that love and, ultimately, an eternity in Heaven.
- "Ancient Words." Young, David. (Sermon, delivered September 20, 2009; North Boulevard Church of Christ)
- Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Psalms 19". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible". 1706.
- NIV Life Application Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1985).


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When you ask Dick Schoenfeldt what has changed during the 45 years he has served with the Saukville Fire Department, the answer is pretty simple."Just about everything," Schoenfeldt said.Schoenfeldt was one of 19 Village of Saukville employees honored during a recent awards dinner, although his length of service was by far the longest recognized during the event.Schoenfeldt said it was largely tradition that first attracted him to the fire department."I have been with the department so long it is second nature to me. I guess I first got involved because my father was in the fire department and I wanted to serve my community," he said."When I started, we only had three trucks, including a 1938 truck that was recently donated to the Saukville Historical Society."There were no ambulances and little specialized equipment for medical emergencies."We carried first-aid kits, but if there was something serious we would have to call Port Washington or Cedarburg to send an ambulance. Today we have EMTs and two ambulances, and can get help on the scene in a matter of four minutes or less," Schoenfeldt said.In his early days with the department, there was no sophisticated paging system to let local firefighters know their services were needed."We had to listen for the fire sirens, which was difficult to do in the middle of the night when the winds were howling," Schoenfeldt said.Firefighter training is another area that has seen marked advances since he started with the department."It used to be if you could pull a hose from the truck, you could be a firefighter. Today you have to be able to pass physical and agility tests, and then complete training at the firefighter academy," Schoenfeldt said.Firefighting gear and practices have also changed greatly during his time with the department."It is all for the better. A practice would sometimes mean getting a bucket of slop from Freeman Chemical, throwing it in a fire and trying to put it out. We would never do anything like that now," Schoenfeldt said.As the administrative lieutenant, Schoenfeldt said he handles a lot of the department's paperwork and record keeping duties.Still, he manages to make it to his share of fire scenes."I usually go out with the last truck. I don't pull hose any more because of my back. I leave that to the younger guys," Schoenfeldt said.He has only served under four fire chiefs, including current chief Gilly Schultz, because the department heads have had a tendency to hold their posts for decades at a time. Schultz, who has been with the department for 36 years, is second only to Schoenfeldt in the number of years served with the department.Much of Schoenfeldt's time as a firefighter overlapped with his 28-year career with the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department."I was allowed to keep serving in the fire department as long as I didn't let it interfere with my job in law-enforcement. That meant if there was a fire call when I was on duty, I couldn't respond," Schoenfeldt said.His dual role as firefighter and law-enforcement officer made him especially sensitive to the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks.Schoenfeldt has taken on the role of coordinating the annual community observance of the attacks, paying tribute to first-responders and citizens killed in the tragedy."It is something we should never forget, yet I see it being treated like a lot of other national holidays where people forget what it is all about," he said.Other fire department members recognized during the awards program were James Schlegel, 30 years; Terry Devillers, 25 years; Ron Colby, 20 years; Tom Traugott, Eric Paulus, Tom Moeller, Keith Haasch and Kris Erlandson, 10 years each; and Elizabeth Paape, Steven Fischer and Sara deBruijn, 5 years each.Police department employees recognized included Barry Effinger, 30 years; Betty Bogle, 15 years; and Patrick Kosmosky, Robert Meyer and Matthew Caswell, 5 years each.Ray deBruijn was recognized for 15 years with the department of public works and Dale Kropidlowski was acknowledged for 10 years with the water and wastewater utility.
Image Information: THE SAUKVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT has a lot more equipment at its disposal than it did when Dick Schoenfeldt started as a firefighter 45 years ago. Photo by Sam Arendt


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Captive themselves in the prison of samsara,
Whom could worldly gods protect?
Therefore, in seeking protection, going for refuge
To the unfailing Three Jewels is the practice of a bodhisattva.
Captive themselves in the prison of samsara,
Whom could worldly gods protect?
Therefore, in seeking protection, going for refuge
To the unfailing Three Jewels is the practice of a bodhisattva.
In some countries there are ancient ways that are not necessarily part of an established philosophical tradition, but belong to a kind of animism. If we see an impressive rock, we think there is something special there. If we see a tree that is a few hundred years old and outstanding, we think there is something there. In this kind of worship, we depend on the power of gods, nagas, great spirits, and so forth. Not taking responsibility for our own future, we make prayers to those spirits or beings and put our life in their hands.
These kinds of practices are sometimes useful. In Tibet people point not only to trees or rocks, but also to a whole mountain and say, "This mountain is such-and-such a god." The benefit of this is that it helps to protect the environment. If the mountain is sacred, we cannot destroy it or do anything to it. Not only is the environment protected, but many animals on the mountain are saved. With this way of thinking, we do not harm anything on the mountain, so there are some benefits to these beliefs and practices.
For people who are interested in protecting the environment in Tibet, I think it is better not to talk to people from a scientific point of view because they might not understand. Even if they understood they might say, "What is he talking about? Utter nonsense." It might be more effective just to say, "That mountain has a certain mountain god or spirit. If you go near or damage it, it will get angry and problems will come." When I was young, we were told that there were deities and so forth in the mountains. As small children, when we went near these places, we had the feeling that we could not make too much noise and should behave. There was a certain kind of law, or rule, which was useful.
If we look into the works of the many great lamas of Tibet, we will find numerous writings on fire offerings (sang) and offerings to the protecting deities (solkha). When I was a child I wondered if there were really so many local deities. However, the people asked the lamas to write those kinds of ceremonies so they did, thinking that it would be useful to protect the land.
Although these concepts have benefits, generally they belong to the category of blind faith, and some problems can come from them. For instance, although they are Buddhists, some people offer money and ask the lamas to do special practices of deities and protectors. They say, "I am involved in a big business deal. Please do whatever practices and prayers you can so that it goes well." For their part, the lamas do what they can: they join their palms and do the prayers that they have to do. But the results that are requested cannot really be accomplished by the deities or by the lamas, because it depends on the many causes and conditions of dependent arising. If everything goes well, the person will come back and make prostrations to the lama and give more offerings. But if the business does not succeed, there is the danger that the person might come back and demand, "Where is my money?" We must understand very clearly that success depends on a multitude of causes and conditions. Therefore, to follow in blind faith does not really work. Instead, we need to see clearly the meaning of events—the dependent arising of their causes and conditions—and act accordingly.
Now we come down to the real meaning, the whole point, of what I am saying here. It is that I am my own refuge, I am my own protector. Nobody can actually give me protection. I must help myself by clearly understanding what I have to take up and what I have to get rid of. I have to find this out myself and then do it, and that the true practice of Dharma. It is through the practice of Dharma that I create the causes and conditions for my own happiness and for achieving wisdom, compassion, and the ability to help others.
I have to find and widen my own understanding and aspiration. I have to cultivate compassion and wisdom within myself. Using method and wisdom together, I will try to achieve the power to work for the benefit of myself and others. Doing that I will be able to protect myself, and I will transcend suffering through my own efforts. In order to do this, I have to depend on this path—the Dharma. I have to depend on the Buddha—the teacher. I have to depend on the other beings who are experienced—the Sangha.
Ultimately, it depends on myself, because I am the primary one who is responsible. Everything has to happen based on that—that I am responsible for myself and for my future—and in order to work on this I have to depend on the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. This understanding is the root, the essence, of refuge.
For a copy of the printed version: printed version of Densal
, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra. All rights
Copyright ©2006, Karma
Triyana Dharmachakra. All rights reserved.


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Cora Unashamed in the Classroom
Teaching Cora Unashamed
Suggested Ground Rules for Discussion
Many of the questions in this guide deal with race and class. Setting ground rules before you begin can ensure respectful dialogue about the issues. Here are some suggestions:
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