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Financials' Santa Rally Turning Into Cliff Collapse (Update 2)
Updated with market close information and updated returns and ratios for Bank of America.
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- The Santa Clause rally for bank stocks fizzled last night with the failure of House Speaker John Boehner's "Plan B" to come to a vote.
With Boehner (R., Ohio) and President Obama both making concessions during their negotiations over the past week to avert the expiration of reduced federal income tax rates and concurrent spending cuts mandated for 2013 under the Budget Control Act of 2011, the KBW Bank Index (I:BKX) was up 5% from a week earlier, through Thursday's close at 51.90. The index on Friday pulled back over 1% to close at 51.28, with all 24 index components seeing declines, except for US Bancorp (USB) , which was up four cents to close at $32.48..
Shares of Bank of America (BAC) were down 2% to close at $11.29, and Citigroup was also down nearly 2% to close at $39.49. Shares of Wells Fargo (WFC) were also down nearly 2%, closing at $34.48, while JPMorgan Chase (JPM) saw its shares pull back 1% to close at$44.00.
GOP Not Budging on Tax Rates After All
When the Fiscal Cliff negotiations began, President Obama was insisting that federal income tax rates should rise for couples earning $250,000 per year or more, while agreeing that tax-rate cuts should be extended for everyone else. The Republicans initially insisted that federal revenues only be enhanced through caps on tax deductions and the elimination of loopholes.
President Obama last week said he would be willing to limit tax rate increases to taxpayers earning $400,000 per year or more. After criticizing the president for moving slowly during the negotiations, Boehner said that he would move ahead with a "Plan B" bill to raise the federal income tax rate for couples or businesses earning $1,000,000 or more per year to 39.6% from 35%, while protecting all other taxpayers.
In an humiliating defeat late on Thursday, Boehner said in a statement that the House of Representatives "did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass. Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff."
Boehner added that the House had "already passed legislation to stop all of the January 1 tax rate increases and replace the sequester
Since the Republicans have made it clear that they won't even allow tax rate increases on the highest income earners, and the President is insisting on tax rate increases on incomes ov $400,000 or more, it would appear highly unlikely for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) to push the Senate to pass anything palatable to the Republicans.
AMT Time Bomb
Many economists have predicted that "falling off the Fiscal Cliff" will push the U.S. economy back into recession. Another major problem over the short-term is the Alternative Minimum Tax. The AMT was enacted in the 60's, in order to make sure that taxpayers with a large amount of deductions to their taxable income would be forced to pay a minimum federal income tax.


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Semyon Varlamov owned the Blackhawks Tuesday night, making 46 saves before watching his team score in overtime to secure a 3-2 victory.
Jonathan Toews notched a goal and three assists on Sunday to take down Vancouver by a score of 4-2.
Cam Atkinson scored Sunday's overtime winner to put the Blue Jackets past the Senators, 7-6.
Mikko Koivu is too sick to play in Sunday's match with the Predators.
Evgeni Malkin lifted his point streak to seven games during Sunday's 5-1 win over the Bruins.
Tuukka Rask left midway through Sunday's match against the Penguins because he wasn't feeling well.
J.T. Miller put Mat Zuccarello's overtime feed home on Sunday to beat the Red Wings by a score of 1-0.
Henrik Lundqvist picked up his second shutout of the season as the Rangers beat the Red Wings 1-0 in overtime on Sunday.
Patrik Laine (concussion) won't play in Monday's match with the Ducks.
Jared Coreau will start Sunday afternoon's game against the Rangers.
John Tavares scored a power play goal Saturday in a 4-2 win over the Kings.
Jordan Eberle continues to put a slump behind him, most emphatically doing so on Saturday with a four-point output in the Edmonton Oilers' 7-3 win against the Calgary Flames.

subset: commoncrawl


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>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: Too many problemsIn full: So we all know the issues - baggage area, tee-shirts, medals, reunion area, buses. Personally no major issues for me, but being in the top 50 finishers meant it was easier for me. I feel sorry for those behind me. And for ALL the supporters at the finish. Having said that, never again. Embarrassed.Date of review: May 25, 2011
In short: Of feck, not ANOTHER hill!!!In full: What goes down must go up. Hard course, but a top class event. Superb organisation (yet again) from Colin, Lois, and all the rest. Date of review: April 25, 2010
In short: Mus, cowshit, and fences - what more could you want?!?In full: Excellent race to pick for my first hill race. Superb course, excellent marshalling. Pub at the finish could do with laying on a few more behind the bar though.Date of review: February 16, 2009
In short: year on year improvements need to continueIn full: Geoff Sims does now at long last seem to be getting the hang of this marathon organising malarkey. Over the last few years, there have been consistent and continuous improvements involving Expo, route, toilets, start/finish areas,quality of field, etc. This year things have got better again. As others have mentioned, the big problem areas were access to the start, off-road section, and slight chaos at the finish. All these are easily remedied, and Mr Sims should continue on his learning curve in this respect. Others that I spoken to have commented on the sheer disorganisation of the relay. I understand that due to road closures, relay runners had to be at their handover points at 9am. Since they may have had to wait for up to 4 hours, this is an area that definitely needs to be looked at, otherwise the event risks losing what is a valuable addition.Date of review: May 27, 2008
In short: Tremendous frist running of this race.In full: Good organisation (a few teething problems that will be quickly ironed out), fantastic location, good facilities. A valuable addition to the race calendar. Date of review: April 28, 2007
In short: Tough hills, and even tougher windIn full: Nice hiily course. Excellent organisation, marshalling, and post race venue. And superb trophies - a nice crystal tankard added to my collection.Date of review: December 3, 2006
In short: improvemented from last year, but still more requiredIn full: Challenging route not helped by tough conditions, although the blame for that can hardly be laid at the organisers doorstep. Expo was MUCH better this year.Start area was MUCH better this year.Route still need improvement.Mile markers either non-existent or WAAAY out.Incredibly bad value. Poor quality medal, goody bag, and TBH, badly designed t-shirt.Geoff Sim (Race Director) seems to be taking his ball home. But if he cant find a major sponsor in Edinburgh, maybe it is time for him to pass the mantle on to somebody who can organise the proverbial brewery event. Date of review: June 13, 2006
In short: Fabulous event. From start to finish, simply a glorious race. Staggering scenery, fantastic organisation, wonderful people!In full: Fifth marathon in a year, first time here. Great location for a marathon. Big city races are all well and good, but this is quite simply extraordinary! I should have run slower so that I could have taken in more of the sights. The course is in excellent condition, with the vast majority being fast flat or downhill good quality road. The rest is tough hills (again road), that are mostly short steep wee b****rs, but one long hill that is a bit harder. Mind you, they all have downhills as well!!Good support from the local communities along the way, especially once you get back into Inverness. Cracking t-shirt and goody-bag (shame there was no beetroot this year!!) and a free BBQ at the end as well. Fantastic value for money in my book. Hopefully injury free next year and I'll go for the sub3. Well done BLNM organisers! Date of review: October 3, 2005
In short: Good race, crap t-shirtIn full: Good, if dull, course. Very flat allowing some good times. Good support the whole way, along with 6 water stations. Excellent facilities at start and finish of race, including showers!! Goody bag is average with isotonic juice supplied, but the t-shirt was crap this year - just a marketing tool for Diet Coke - not really what runners want. Worth doing though to get a decent time.Date of review: June 27, 2005
In short: Needs to overcome organisational and value for money problems to maximise potentialIn full: Lets not get off on a bad foot. I got a sub3, a pb and a GFA for FLM 06, so i am chuffed. But a lack of major sponsorship means lack of cashflow and that leaves us runners paying the price, not just in terms of high entry cost, but in terms of poor facilities and services as well. Crap expo, poor loos throughout the course, patchy although vocal support (the weather didnt help!), terrible organisation (esp for the relay runners), crap goody bag all lead to very poor value for money. They had better get their fingers out for next year, and either lower prices, or improve what runners get for the overall package. On the plus side, the route was good, challenging but not too demanding. The volunteers were magnificent throughout the whole day. Overall - progress made, but still room for improvement. Date of review: June 13, 2005
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A woman caring for her dying father worries that the family�s caregiver stress will affect her supportive fianc�. Caregiving expert Patricia Smith gives her take.
QUESTION: My fianc�, Jason, has been thrown into my family�s caregiving situation. We are all taking turns caring for my father, who has terminal bone cancer. We are a close family and everyone chips in to help. Jason seems agreeable to supporting me and stays with me when I am scheduled to sit with my father.� The thought of losing our father has been very hard on me and my three siblings. My mother is a rock, but even she is beginning to unravel at times. There have been some unfortunate outbursts, along with a fair amount of crying, disagreements and sadness. I�m fearful seeing our family in such a state is beginning to wear on Jason.� He isn�t seeing our family at its best. Is my concern reasonable? �Marianna
RELATED: Caregiver Stress Solution
ANSWER: Your concern is understandable given the dire situation you are all experiencing. The crying, disagreements and sadness you mention are all normal behaviors for everyone involved. As for Jason, he will observe and see the world through his own life experiences. Hopefully, his experiences have taught him that family members exhibit a whole range of emotions when under stress, and the ups and downs have nothing to do with the love and care they feel for each other. The fact that he has been supportive with his time is a very good sign. Unfortunately, you didn�t mention your observations and why you believe the situation is �beginning to wear on Jason.� Do you sense he is pulling away? Is he arguing with family members? Is he making excuses why he can�t be there for you? Perhaps you are hooking into your own fears involving loss. When the end of life appears certain for a loved one we tend to hold on tight, try to control the situation and hopefully, the outcome�which, of course, we can�t. What we can do is create an environment of consent, collaboration and consensus. These positive communication skills will also help your father, who might be picking up the stress and negativism around him. Our goal as caregivers is to create a culture of caring, not only with those in our care, but also with others who are traveling the path with us. If you continue to have doubts, spend some time with Jason and explain your feelings and concerns�and also allow him the opportunity to express his needs. He might surprise you and want to take on more responsibility for your father�s care. If that is the case, talk to your siblings so they understand that his desire to be more involved comes from a place of wanting to belong as a fully vested member of your loving family. If the opposite is true and Jason would like to opt out, it is probably best that you know that now and make new plans accordingly.
Got a caregiving question? Submit yours here.�
Patricia Smith is a certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist with 20 years of training experience. As founder of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project� (www.compassionfatigue.org), the outreach division of Healthy Caregiving, LLC, she writes, speaks and facilities workshops nationwide in service of those who care for others. She has authored several books including To Weep for a Stranger: Compassion Fatigue in Caregiving, which is available at www.healthycaregiving.comor Amazon.com.
Brought to you by: Spry Living


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Nuclear Engineering Technology
Accredited Online Bachelor's Degree from a National Leader in Distance Learning
Next steps:
Excelsior College's Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering Technology degree offers a combination only one other college can match: superior academic quality with the flexibility and convenience of an online degree.
Excelsior is one of only two U.S. institutions to offer an online nuclear engineering technology bachelor's degree accredited by ABET. Our nuclear engineering technology degree program has passed the most rigorous tests of academic quality.
You can pass them, too, thanks to Excelsior's student-friendly approach.
A national leader in adult education and distance learning since 1971, Excelsior College eliminates obstacles and gives you a clear shot at a nuclear engineering technology degree. We do it by:
- Offering online nuclear engineering technology classes that you take at your convenience, enabling you to balance your studies with job and family routines.
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- Providing personalized academic support from our award-winning team of advisors.
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You'll graduate with a practical nuclear engineering technology degree that can boost your career, status, and earning power.
Find out why Excelsior's online nuclear engineering technology degree program stands out from the pack.
A Flexible, Affordable Path to an Accredited Nuclear Engineering Technology Degree
As an ABET-accredited program, Excelsior's nuclear engineering technology degree meets or exceeds the same quality standards as equivalent programs at traditional colleges and universities.
We designed a program that's responsive to industry needs and trends. You'll learn the most up-to-date skills in our online nuclear engineering technology classes, while studying with faculty who have many years of industry experience.
You can tailor Excelsior's flexible program to meet your specific career goals. All graduates will gain marketable skills and expertise in areas such as:
- Plant systems and reactor cores
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Minimum of 124 credits: 60 in arts and sciences, 48 in the technology component (including 16 upper level), and 16 in free electives including information literacy. See the degree requirements in chart form.
Graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of natural sciences, including physics, chemistry, thermodynamics, atomic physics, and nuclear physics.
- Demonstrate the ability to understand, measure, and provide quantitative expressions of natural science phenomena, including experimentation, observation, and accurate measurement.
- Apply the fundamentals of algebra, trigonometry, and calculus to problem solving in nuclear engineering technology areas.
- Make technical presentations in English using language appropriate to the audience.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the written communication of technical information using standard English.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of computer applications or documentation of the use of one or more computer software packages for technical problem solving appropriate to the nuclear engineering technology discipline.
- Demonstrate technical competency in electrical theory, nuclear and engineering materials, health physics/radiation protection, reactor core fundamentals, plant systems, heat transfer, fluids, and radiation measurement lab.
- Demonstrate comprehension of currently applicable rules and regulations in the areas of radiation protection, operations, maintenance, quality control, quality assurance, and safety.
- Integrate knowledge of the functional areas of nuclear engineering technology in the safe operation and maintenance of nuclear systems.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply design concepts, creativity, balance, accuracy, and confidence limits through the understanding of the relationships between design and the operation of nuclear systems.
- Participate effectively as a member or a leader of technical teams.
- Demonstrate an ability to understand professional, ethical, and social responsibilities, including the impacts of culture, diversity, and interpersonal relations.
- Demonstrate a commitment and ability to continue to engage in lifelong learning.
Review current student learning outcomes.
As an Excelsior College bachelor's level nuclear engineering technology graduate, within a few years of graduation, you are expected to:
- Apply general and discipline specific concepts and methodologies to identify, analyze and solve technical problems in the nuclear discipline.
- Demonstrate an individual desire and commitment to remain technically current with, and adaptive to, changing technologies through continuous learning and self-improvement.
- Demonstrate independent thinking, function effectively in team-oriented settings, and maintain a high level of performance in a professional/industrial environment.
- Communicate effectively in a professional/industrial environment.
- Perform ethically and professionally in business, industry, and society.
- Attain increasing levels of responsibility and leadership in the nuclear field.
For More Info
Contact us with your questions about our programs:
Toll free:
Email: email@example.com
The bachelor's degree programs in electrical engineering technology, nuclear engineering technology, and information technology are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. ABET is a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).


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About the Author: Dan Piccuta serves as the Charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China.
Goose bumps and moist eyes -- I know to expect both.
As I prepare to head out to Beijing Airport on this cold Friday evening, I am getting a familiar feeling. I am beginning to anticipate "the moment" of each visit that has always been particularly special for me.
In a few hours, Secretary Clinton will arrive in China, on her first trip as Secretary of State. As I prepare to join the motorcade forming at the airport, I can't help but think of how often I've done this before -- how I have stood watch on runways from Venice to Pyongyang, from Key West to Moscow -- waiting on the U.S. Air Force Boeing 757 "blue and white" that carries Secretaries of State on their travels. "Blue and white" because the Secretary's aircraft has the same light blue and white markings as the more familiar Air Force One. To us in the State Department that 757 is known simply as "the plane."
At the airport, I will link up with the Secretary's advance party, security detail and Embassy staff and will congratulate them on their hard work in preparing for the visit. I will compliment the high-level Chinese government officials who have led the trip planning on their side, and who with me will welcome Secretary Clinton. They will be the first Chinese representatives to shake the Secretary's hand in her new job as America's top diplomat. With the visit planning behind us, and the Secretary's meetings and public events still to come, those moments on the tarmac anticipating the arrival of the Secretary are usually quiet, eerily empty of activity and in stark contrast to the frenetic pace of the pre-arrival preparations.
As the plane enters Beijing's airspace, we will get the signal to move from the terminal out into position, and we will search the night sky for the running lights of our Secretary's blue and white. And when it appears, an American flag on its tail, so too will special emotions. Every time I see "the plane" descending onto a foreign runway I am filled with an odd combination of pride and humility. I am always moved by the display of American prestige in the form of the Air Force "blue and white" and, amidst the dozens of ground personnel, security agents, media and staff taking up their positions, I always reflect on the fact that I am privileged to be in the service of the country I love and the cause of furthering peace, security and friendship. And, as has happened on every other such arrival, once again they will appear -- goose bumps and moist eyes.
RG in Oregon writes:
"Goose bumps and moist eyes" I just said that aloud to myself before I read this page. Funny how our Hillary affects us in this universal way. I love Hillary.
Rosemary in New Jersey writes:
Wow, Dan, you brought tears to MY eyes and a lump to my throat with that post. You know, we here at home very much appreciate the hard work and special care that all of the embassy personnel have put into arranging this trip for our very special emissary, Hillary.
I can understand how you feel every time, whomever is aboard "the plane", but for me, it is this exceptional occupant that grabs my heart and stirs my soul. She is showing the world the unique gifts that inspired devotion among so many of us in the states. As you have probably found by now, she enchants. She does it with genuine interest in other people, steady eye contact, and irresistible warmth.
I love her. Thanks for taking such good care of her.
Veyry in California writes:
Dan:Goos bumps and wet eyes is what I feel when I see pictures and videos of our Hillary traveling around the world. No one could do it better than this wonderful lady. Please tell us more and share pictures of Hillary's trips.We love you Hillary!
Jonathan in California writes:
May Secretary Clinton's visit to Beijing strengthen U.S.-P.R.C. relations! Thanks for posting!
Terry in Connecticut writes:
"The Plane" carrying out nation's 67th Secretary of State is very special. Thanks for the pics and news coming from Secretary Clinton's travels all this week. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is being received very well by the far East.
Valerie writes:
How wonderful to read your blog and to get a behind the scenes look at what goes on during a visit from a Secretary of State.
Thank you.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Hi Dan: I can sort of relate, having run sound for bands live and in studio.
You have your public gig, and your private gig.
As Paul McCartney once put it, "You compose in isolation, you record in isolation,... the gig is where it's at."
Palmer in Georgia writes:
Thank you for posting this blog. It is fascinating to read about the preparation behind state trips. I am especially happy about Secretary Clinton's first trip abroad as our top diplomat. I have been concerned about the United States' reputation in the world for years. I believe that Secretary Clinton is perfect for helping to increase our good will towards the rest of the world.
Paul in Florida writes:
Thank you for this great post! Very informative and interesting!
Todd in Spain writes:
Dan: great post. You know I'm right there with you. All the best, Todd
Deanne in Florida writes:
How wonderful for America to have a devoted and PROUD citizen doing the very important work we take for granted. Secretary Clinton brings so much dignity, and class to this Vital role for our country today. All I can say is GOD BLESS AMERICA and thank you.
Susan in Iowa writes:
Daniel, I have had the privilege of seeing Air Force One, once and I understand your sense of pride, patriotism, and welling up of emotions. These emotions are involuntary and reflexive and I am so happy to see you unabashedly share them with us. Thank you.
Andy in California writes:
Dear Dan, Dave N., Neecee R, and I Andy S. have been trying to get in touch with you to congratulate you on your sucess. Please, if you get a chance, reply to this post so I can send you Dave and Necee's email addresses.


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Physical Description
The cookie-cutter shark is a typical member of the dogfish order; it has no anal fin, a thin, cigar shaped body, and short snout. It has suctorial lips, small upper teeth, and large, triangular cusped lower teeth in 25 to 32 rows. Coloration is medium grey to grey-brown, with a dark collar marking its throat. Females are larger than males, reaching perhaps 20 inches at full size. (Compagno 1984)
Other Physical Features: Bilateral symmetry


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One of the fields where Nokia Corp. is not presently presented at all is that tablet PC segment, which the company needs to address and better quickly as it falls behind Apple, HP/Palm, RIM and others. However, while the choice of operating system for smartphones has already been made and it is Windows Phone, for tablets MeeGo operating system is considered instead.
Nokia's strategy for tablet PC market is largely not set. The plan may not include Microsoft Corp., but may involve MeeGo operating system jointly developed by Intel and Nokia, reports Reuters news-agency. Nokia reportedly wishes to make its first tablet right rather than rushing to market, and hopes to come up with something distinguishing that will also assist it with strategies for other screens including television.
"That could include Microsoft, it may not," the source said.
Intel itself is promoting MeeGo operating system for tablets as well as low-cost netbooks. That said, the two companies may continue to co-develop MeeGo in order to install it onto devices other than smartphones.
Considering the fact that Microsoft is only projected to release its Windows 8 for tablets sometimes in 2012 and Nokia may want to launch its tablet earlier, the company may not have a lot of choice other than MeeGo as Windows Phone operating system was not designed for tablets.
Tags: Nokia, MeeGo, Intel, Windows, Windows Phone


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You limited your search to:
Partner: UNT College of Visual Arts + Design
Country: France
Country: Spain
Decade: 1970-1979
Collection: Texas Fashion Collection
Ensemble - Coat and Dress
Date: 1972
Creator: Givenchy, Hubert de, 1927-
Description: Ensemble of printed silk. The full-length dress is of silk with a printed design of abstract flower forms in red, blue, purple, white, yellow and green on a black ground. It has a rounded neckline and long sleeves which have fabric covered snaps at the wrists. The bodice is seamed and fitted, and the skirt is slightly A-line, flaring to hem. Center back closure, top third is hook-and-eyes, the lower two-thirds is a zipper. The dress is fully lined in black silk. Designer's label sewn inside bodice near waist: "Givenchy". Underneath label is a second label with handwritten notation "48245". The matching coat is of the same print on a heavier weight silk. It is full-length, with a standing collar which has internal wiring for support. The sleeves are full-length, and it has a center front opening which secures with a single fabric-covered snap just below collar. The coat is unlined. Designer's label sewn inside coat at right near waist: "Givenchy". Underneath label is a second label with handwritten notation "48246" This ensemble was made for the donor to wear to the wedding of Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco, (1951- ) granddaughter of General Franco, to Don Alfonso, Duke ...
Contributing Partner: UNT College of Visual Arts + Design
Date: 1970~
Creator: Jourdan, Charles
Description: Pumps of dark wine/burgundy/red-brown leather. The shoes are designed with pointed toes and a rounded vamp. The plain uppers have a thin "mary jane" strap across ankle, with small gold buckle at outside edge. The high, continental heels are elongated, appearing as a thick spike or stiletto, and are covered in the same leather. Lined in beige leather. Designer's stamp in both: "Charles Jourdan / Made in Spain Parallele" Stamped inside: "2319 4 AA 8" Stamped on sole: "Leather / Leder / Cuir / Made in / Spain".
Contributing Partner: UNT College of Visual Arts + Design


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Welcome one and all to TeaDay! So, fill a pot and share with us what is in your cup today...all day...frequent updates are needed so we can all get through another Monday. If you need to, you can stop back and reflect on your TeaDay as well. Make sure, as always, that you check out what everyone else is sipping!
Today, Chamekke asked, what if any part of your tea preparation and enjoyment do you dislike the most. So, vote in the poll and then discuss your answers here.
I am looking forward to hearing from everyone todaay and sharing lots of tea with each other!


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Debates of May 3rd, 2007
House of Commons Hansard #146 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-22.
- Question Period
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Government Response to Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Criminal Code
- Automobile Industry
- Citizenship and Immigration
- Pay Equity
- Burnaby Lake
- Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast
- New Democratic Party
- Headwaters Health Care Centre
- World Press Freedom Day
- Member for Québec
- Housing
- Green Party Leader
- Polish Constitution
- Goldman Environmental Prize
- Ducs de Longueuil
- Automobile Industry
- Liberal Party Policies
- Afghanistan
- The Environment
- Status of Women
- Agriculture and Agri-food
- Afghanistan
- Foreign Affairs
- Justice
- Canadian Heritage
- Foreign Affairs
- Passports
- Gasoline Prices
- Equalization
- Canada Pension Plan
- Infrastructure
- Security Certificate Detainee
- Equalization
- Air Transport
- Government Buildings
- Taxation
- Presence in Gallery
- Business of the House
- Privilege
- Points of Order
- Criminal Code
- Foreign Affairs
- Criminal Code
- Employment Insurance Act
World Press Freedom Day
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Diane Bourgeois Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, freedom of the press, which we are celebrating today, is one of the basic principles of democracy, which is based on freedom of opinion, freedom of thought and freedom of expression.
Unfortunately, in many countries around the world, this freedom often comes under attack.
The Bloc Québécois has always vigorously stood up for every person's right to his or her opinion. Those who would take that right away from others become slaves to the views they hold at that time because they abdicate the right to change their own opinions. As a result, they cannot remain true to themselves.
Thomas Paine said that "infidelity does not consist in believing or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what one does not believe. It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief that mental lying has produced in society".
The Bloc Québécois sincerely hopes that assaults on these basic freedoms, including freedom of the press, will end once and for all.
Member for Québec
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Daniel Petit Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, this week, we learned that the Bloc member for Québec ordered a report recommending that the Bloc support the ADQ in its efforts to achieve independence from Ottawa. However, her leader calls himself a sovereignist and a Parti Québécois ally.
Instead of misleading the people to justify the salary and benefits received by powerless MPs, members of the Bloc would do well to recall what one of their own, who has since left Ottawa, said. In 2003, a former member of the Bloc said, "If the Parti Québécois does not win the next election, do not expect me to run in another federal election. Personally, I am not interested in speaking on behalf of Mario Dumont or Jean Charest here in the federal Parliament".
I wonder whether the member for Québec agrees with what her former colleague said.
Statements By Members
May 3rd, 2007 / 2:10 p.m.
Ruby Dhalla Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, under the Conservative government Canadian families are being left out in the cold and are being forced to live in deplorable housing conditions, all due to the lack of action by the Conservative government on affordable housing.
In one of their first acts as government, the Conservatives cancelled the Kelowna accord, which would have earmarked a significant investment in housing to help reduce overcrowding and homelessness for aboriginal Canadians.
The Conservatives then rebranded the Liberal government's supporting communities partnership initiative, SCPI, a program funding communities, organizations and shelters that assisted Canadians in coping with homelessness, and instead announced the homeless partnering strategy, which had a funding amount equivalent to SCPI's.
The Prime Minister and the government need to take action. They need to show some leadership. They need to ensure that we have a national housing strategy in this country.
We on this side of the House support a national housing strategy. Will the Prime Minister step up to the plate and show some leadership to ensure that homeless Canadians get what they deserve?
Green Party Leader
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Rick Dykstra St. Catharines, ON
Mr. Speaker, Green Party leader Elizabeth May has still not completely backed down from her comparisons of Canadian public policy to Chamberlain's appeasement, nor has the Leader of the Opposition withdrawn his support for her candidacy.
Last night on CBC's The National, Rex Murphy challenged Ms. May's comparisons and said:
There are a number of problems with injecting the Holocaust or its shadow into the current political debate on global warming and the separate debate on what to do about it.
Ms. May continues to qualify her remarks and offer only half apologies. She should have made an immediate, clear and unequivocal retraction.
The opposition leader has staked a lot on Ms. May. He has even disenfranchised Liberals of Central Nova to help get her elected to Parliament.
Miss May has refused to completely retract her remarks. Will the Leader of the Opposition finally withdraw his support for his candidate in Central Nova?
Polish Constitution
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Peggy Nash Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Polish Canadians and, in particular, to the Polish community in my riding of Parkdale—High Park who celebrate the 216th anniversary of the Polish constitution of 1791.
The Polish constitution is generally recognized as the first modern national constitution in Europe and the second oldest in the world. It would later influence many democratic movements.
During the 20th century the celebration of the Polish constitution took on even more meaning for Poles around the world because it represented the reunification of Poland after the first world war. During the occupation of Poland after the second world war, official celebrations were prohibited.
For the Poles in Canada, the date was celebrated with an air of defiant determination in anticipation of the day when Poland would again become a sovereign country. Now Poland is a free, democratic and proud country within the European Union.
I am proud to join with the Polish Canadian community, all our neighbours and all those in this House to celebrate the proud Polish Canadian heritage on this special day.
Goldman Environmental Prize
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Tina Keeper Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Goldman Environmental Prize is the world's most distinguished award that honours environmentalists at the grassroots level.
I am especially proud to have the opportunity to congratulate one of this year's recipients, Sophia Rabliauskas of Poplar River First Nation in the boreal region forest of Manitoba, located on the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg. She is one of six individuals throughout the world to be recognized with this honour.
As a result of her tireless leadership and vigorous environmental vision, today the residents of the Poplar River First Nation can proudly say that they have secured interim protection for over two million acres of undisturbed forest land. She is only the third Canadian to have ever won this prestigious honour.
I invite all members of this House to join in honouring Sophia Rabliauskas and the residents of Poplar River First Nation.
Ducs de Longueuil
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Caroline St-Hilaire Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Mr. Speaker, this year, the Ducs de Longueuil, Longueuil's junior elite baseball team, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The team was founded by a Longueuil native, Émile "Butch" Bouchard, and has won a number of championships in Quebec's junior baseball league. A number of the team's players, including veteran Gaétan Groleau, have been drafted to the major league. The current mayor, Claude Gladu, and municipal councillor Normand Caisse, were once members of this illustrious team.
These young people between the ages of 17 and 22, who play on the team, are a real hit with the fans who go to the Paul-Pratt park in Longueuil every season.
The Ducs have been regular season champions of Quebec's elite baseball league for the past two years and they also won the president's cup in 2004 and 2006.
The new season starts in a few days and I want to offer the players, volunteers, management and all the fans my unwavering support and best wishes for success for the 2007 season.
Automobile Industry
Statements By Members
2:15 p.m.
Lloyd St. Amand Brant, ON
Mr. Speaker, manufacturers and dealers of Canadian vehicles are disappointed with the government. The feebate policy in the budget levies a tax on Canadian made, advanced technology engines, a tax that will cost GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler $55 million.
The government announced this policy without consulting the industry, without realizing that the policy will punish Canadian manufacturers.
These levies will have an adverse effect in that consumers will keep their older vehicles longer, vehicles not as environmentally friendly as today's vehicles. The levies also penalize those who require larger vehicles for their families.
The measure does nothing to combat rising emissions. Canadians who want to purchase more fuel efficient, alternative fuel vehicles can do so but the infrastructure required to fuel those vehicles does not exist.
Experts note that feebates cost consumers more with little benefit to the environment and hamper our vital auto industry. The government should immediately address this flawed policy.
Liberal Party Policies
Statements By Members
2:15 p.m.
Guy Lauzon Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are confused with the Liberals' contradictory positions regarding Canada's international reputation.
Yesterday, the Liberal MP for Bourassa was suddenly concerned about Canada's reputation abroad, attacking the government for supposedly undermining our reputation on the international stage.
Shockingly, that is the same member who only days ago bragged to the press that during his trip to Europe for a NATO meeting of foreign ministers, he was going to bash Canada. When he came back, he bragged about how he had smeared our country. This position seems to go against his Liberal leader, who has stated, "I never, never will speak against my government when I am with international personalities".
The Liberal leader has refused to remove Farhan Chak a his candidate in Edmonton--Mill Woods--Beaumont for his controversial comments and he continues to endorse his candidate, Elizabeth May.
I realize we are not in question period yet but I would like to ask the Liberal leader whether he condones his defence critic making a mockery of his position and words.
Oral Questions
2:15 p.m.
Stéphane Dion Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the improv league continues.
Last week, the Minister of National Defence told us that there was an agreement, but the Minister of Foreign Affairs knew nothing about it. His parliamentary secretary said that there was no agreement but that talks were under way. The Minister of Public Safety said that there was no need for an agreement, because the work was being done anyway. Today, in an eleventh hour move to avoid an injunction, the government claims that it has an agreement.
My question is for anyone who wants to answer it, but they had better not all speak at once because they will contradict one another. Can they table this agreement immediately in this House?
Oral Questions
2:15 p.m.
Peter Van Loan Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the December 2005 arrangement on detainees remains in place.
We have said that we would work with the Afghan government to clarify its responsibilities for the treatment of Taliban prisoners. Working with the Afghan government, we have made explicit their responsibilities and we have identified and implemented these improvements to the existing 2005 arrangement, as we said we would do.
We are ready to table the agreement in the House.
Oral Questions
2:15 p.m.
Stéphane Dion Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, there are other reasons to worry about this new step in this sad saga. The chief of defence staff said that he was not aware of the details of this agreement.
Did the Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of National Defence meet together, maybe in an elevator, to get their stories straight and, if they did, did any of them bother to inform the Prime Minister?
Oral Questions
2:15 p.m.
Peter Van Loan Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the confusion, as always, continues to come from the opposition benches. We have been consistent.
The December 2005 arrangement on detainees remains in place. We have said that we would work with the Afghan government to clarify its responsibilities for the treatment of Taliban prisoners, as we have told the House previously. Working with the Afghan government, we have made explicit its responsibilities and we have identified and implemented these improvements to the existing 2005 arrangement, as we said we would do.
Oral Questions
2:15 p.m.
Stéphane Dion Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, it is very important to know. Regarding the detainees who have already been transferred to the Afghan government, will the government be able to determine where they are and whether they are being treated in accordance with the Geneva convention, free from torture?
Oral Questions
2:20 p.m.
Peter Van Loan Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, we have arrangements in place and are satisfied that they are working.
I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read this agreement.


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New York Power Authority employees, officers and trustees shall perform their duties with integrity and:
- Refrain from engaging in outside activities, including other employment and financial interests, which could impair their independence of judgment or prevent the proper exercise of their official NYPA duties. All outside employment and publicly elected positions held or being sought must be reported to your supervisor, department or business unit head and the Office of Ethics and Compliance for evaluation to ensure the absence of conflicts of interest. Individuals serving in "policy-making" positions must also obtain the approval of the NYS Joint Commission on Public Ethics.
2. Conduct themselves at all times in a manner that avoids any appearance of or situation where they could be either improperly influenced, give or be given preferential treatment to or by any person or entity or act in violation of the public trust. This includes the requirement to (i) disclose any and all possible professional and personal conflicts of interest to your supervisor, department or business unit head and the Office of Ethics and Compliance, and your subsequent recusal from engaging in any NYPA business activity where the conflict appears or exists; and (ii) refrain from seeking or accepting a monetary loan from any employee under one's direct or indirect supervisory authority, or providing a monetary loan to your immediate supervisor and anyone to whom that individual reports, up to and including the Board of Trustees.
- Not use or attempt to use their official position to secure unwarranted privileges for themselves, their relatives or any other party, including contracts and employment with NYPA.
- Not participate in any decision or process to hire, promote, discharge, discipline or supervise a relative. (See Employee Policy 1.2 "Recruitment and Job Posting")
- Not endorse the products or services of other entities or individuals as a representative of NYPA, including appearing in publications advertising, endorsing or selling products or services of third parties.
- Not engage in any NYPA transaction or work assignment (including contract development, solicitation, evaluations, awards) involving another business in which they or a relative have a direct or indirect financial interest. This provision does not apply to ownership of shares of stock commonly owned in a mutual fund. It does include personally owned and directed stock of any corporation traded on a recognized stock exchange, where there is an ownership interest greater than or equal to 10% in the corporation.
- Not supply NYPA with any goods and/or services (individually or through another business entity) except in the performance of their official position. Relatives of NYPA employees are also subject to this prohibition in accordance with NYPA's applicable Procurement Guidelines.
- Not use NYPA property, including but not limited to, equipment, vehicles, staff and other assets or resources in a manner inconsistent with applicable laws, NYPA's policies and mission.
- Not accept, receive or solicit any gift or gratuities of more than nominal value where the circumstances would infer that (a) the gift is intended to influence the individual in the performance of official business or (b) the gift represents a tip, reward or sign of appreciation for any official act. Gifts include any form of financial discounts and payments, services, loans, travel reimbursements, lodging, meals, entertainment or promise from any entity doing business with or seeking to do business with NYPA. Gifts from disqualified sources (consultants, contractors, vendors, customers) are prohibited.
- Not directly or indirectly advise or assist any person in making a financial investment or other decision utilizing confidential information acquired at NYPA, nor disclose any confidential information as a result of information obtained through NYPA employment. (See Corporate Policy 6-1 "Securities Trading and Use of Confidential Information")
- Refrain from acquiring and trading in the securities of electric and gas utility corporations doing business within New York State (other than shares owned in a mutual fund). (See Corporate Policy 6-1 "Securities Trading and Use of Confidential Information)
- Prohibit the appearance of elected government officials and candidates in advertisements or promotions paid with public funds.
- Not use one's official position to compel or induce any other state officer or employee to make or promise to make any political contribution, nor inquire about a prospective or current employee's political party affiliation, contributions or voting record. (See Employee Policy 1.2 "Recruitment and Job Posting")
- Not appear or practice before or receive compensation from NYPA or other entities where the former employee will be involved in providing goods or services to NYPA for two (2) years following one's NYPA employment. This does not preclude "re-employment" by NYPA subject to any applicable statutory cap on earnings. The Office of Ethics and Compliance must be consulted prior to the re-employment in any manner of any former NYPA employee for evaluation to ensure consistency with the post-employment restrictions contained in the Public Officers Law.
- Not appear or practice before or receive compensation from NYPA or other entities where the former employee will be involved in providing goods or services to NYPA at any time following one's NYPA employment relating to matters on which one personally worked for NYPA. This does not preclude "re-employment" by NYPA subject to any applicable statutory cap on earnings. The Office of Ethics and Compliance must be consulted prior to the re-employment in any manner of any former NYPA employee for evaluation to ensure consistency with the post-employment restrictions contained in the Public Officers Law.
The term "Relative" as used in this Code of Conduct means any person living in the same household as the NYPA employee, officer or trustee and any person who is a direct descendant of that individual's grandparents or the spouse of such descendant.
These Standards of Conduct do not replace and are in addition to the requirements of all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to, NYS Public Officers Law Sections 73, 73-a, 73-b and 74 and Title 19 NYCRR Parts 930, 932.
This Code of Conduct shall be provided to all employees, officers and trustees upon commencement of employment or appointment.
Employees, officers and trustees will be requested to certify annually that they have read the Code of Conduct and that they comply with its standards.
The Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer will provide periodic reports to NYPA's Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees about the status and disposition of concerns and issues raised under the Code of Conduct.
In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law, a NYPA employee, officer or trustee who violates the Code of Conduct may be disciplined upon findings and recommendations prepared by the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer in consultation with the Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Remedies and disciplinary action may include one or more of the following actions:
· Issuance of job performance counseling and written warnings
· Direction of written corrective action to eliminate a conflict of interest
· Restitution
· Adverse salaried employee performance assessments
· Changes in assigned job duties
· Suspension or termination of employment
Any disciplinary action arising out of violations of this Code of Conduct affecting NYPA's bargaining unit employees will be administered in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
The concurrence of the President and CEO and Chief Operating Officer is required for any suspension or termination of employment solely arising out of violations of the Code of Conduct.
Former NYPA employees, officers and trustees who are later found to have violated the Code of Conduct during their NYPA employment may also be precluded from doing business with NYPA.
Trustees, officers and employees are required to report any unethical behavior or any information concerning corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest or abuse to the Office of Ethics and Compliance, your NYPA business unit or department, Human Resources-Employee Relations or Facility Human Resources Managers. You are also encouraged to utilize NYPA's toll-free Employee Concerns Line (1-877-TEL-NYPA). It is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls may be made anonymously.
Anyone reporting an ethical concern in good faith or participating in the investigation of a reported concern is protected from retaliation by NYPA's policies and the law. (See Corporate Policy 1-7 "Anti-Retaliation Policy")


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Because abs are made in the kitchen!
You�ve probably heard it a million times before, and it�s true: Abs are made in the kitchen. Or, to put it another way, abs are made in the gym but revealed in the kitchen. It�s that old 80/20 rule: Results are 80 percent nutrition, 20 percent exercise. In other words, if you aren�t seeing progress from your workouts, don't blame your trainer�your diet is the likely culprit. In order to sculpt a flat, toned stomach, you need to do two things: burn fat and build muscle. Having low body fat equals more muscle definition. You can crank out crunches until the cows come home, but your six-pack won�t be visible if it�s hiding beneath layers of fat. And that, friends, is where diet comes into play. To maximize the payoff from your core workouts, incorporate these belly-slimming foods into your diet. Combined with fat-burning exercise, you�ll be flaunting a six-pack in no time! Lean Protein:�Incorporate more lean, high-quality protein into your diet�think chicken breast, fish and lean cuts of beef. By helping build lean muscle mass and keeping you satiated throughout the day, protein accelerates fat burn for a tighter, flatter waistline. Try this delicious Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa, which contains belly-busting protein and healthy fat from the avocado: Nuts: As counterintuitive as this sounds, fats are key for weight loss. But the type of fat matters�you have to select healthy (unsaturated) fats over unhealthy (saturated) fats. Nuts�such as almonds, cashews and walnuts�are a fantastic source of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Be careful, though: Nuts are high in calories, so try to limit yourself to a � cup serving (about a small handful). Yogurt: Another great slimming food, yogurt contains probiotics, a form of �healthy� bacteria that promotes digestion and relieves gas and bloating. Yogurt is also rich in calcium, which is thought to improve your body�s ability to break down fat. Skip sugary blends and stick to plain, low-fat Greek yogurt instead. Bonus: it�s loaded with protein, making it the ideal post-workout snack. These Strawberry Greek Yogurt Popsicles are a wholesome summertime treat: Berries: Eat berries to banish belly bloat. Small but mighty, berries are packed with loads of fiber and antioxidants. Fiber staves off food cravings, while antioxidants have been shown to improve blood flow, helping you get more results from your workouts. Serve up this low-fat Quinoa with Berries Salad, which contains two belly-slimming all-stars�quinoa and berries: Quinoa: For starters, nutrient-stripped white carbohydrates are your belly�s worst enemy; they can cause blood sugar to skyrocket and are full of empty calories. Quinoa, on the other hand, is your ally in weight loss. This nutrition-packed superfood combines protein, fiber, B vitamins and complex carbohydrates all in one. In research studies, individuals who choose whole-grain products tended to slimmer tummies and less belly fat than individuals who nibbled refined white bread. So ditch the white rice and whip up a batch of this slimming Mediterranean Quinoa Salad instead� Green tea: To score a covetable six-pack, sip on green tea. Study after study has touted the fat-burning effects of this antioxidant-packed brew, which has been scientifically proven to rev up your metabolism and scorch fat. Can�t stomach the bitter taste of green tea? Green tea supplements will do the trick, too. The takeaway message? For washboard abs, you�ll need to put in your time at the gym, but you�ll also need to do five reps of �stop-eating-so-much-crap.� To help kick-start your ab routine, try our Flat-Belly Yoga Workout. This article originally appeared as on Spry Living


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43 CFR 35.41 - Stay pending appeal.
Beta! The text on the eCFR tab represents the unofficial eCFR text at ecfr.gov.
§ 35.41 Stay pending appeal.
(a) An initial decision is stayed automatically pending disposition of a motion for reconsideration or of an appeal to the Secretary.
(b) No administrative stay is available following a final decision of the Secretary.


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Every scientific illustrator must devise a way to transform specimens from three-dimensional objects into images on a two-dimensional surface (i.e. paper, canvas, etc). Sydney Prentice, seen in the photo on the left, adapted an apparatus called a pantograph, which was usually used to resize maps, drawings, etc. (before the days of reducing copy machines), to perform this task.
Prentice attached a long, metal rod to the pantograph's stylus and traced the outlines and major landmarks of the bones. This gave him a perfect isometric drawing of the specimen. He could also set the pantograph to copy the specimen at whatever size he wished (1/3 actual size, 1/2 actual size, etc.), which was especially helpful when drawing large fossils, such as whales. In that way, he obtained an accurate, though very rough, preliminary sketch from which to begin his drawing.
Sample pantograph drawing on left; pantograph in its box on right.
Mary Parrish is using Prentice's pantograph to draw a fossil whale skull (left). 1 - shows the pencil on the paper on the table recording here movements on the whale skull at 1/3 the acutal size of the whale skull. 2 - shows the stylus tracing the whale skull.
We are convinced that the pantograph housed in the Department of Paleobiology is the actual one that Sydney Prentice used to prepare his preliminary sketches. While interning, Julia Coursey (with the help of Dave Bohaska, museum specialist, Department of Paleobiology) assembled the pantograph for what is likely the first time since Prentice used it, and tried his technique. Instructions for setting up and using the pantograph could not be found, so Julia experimented in order to determine how to set up and use the apparatus. She then wrote the set of instructions (below) to help others use the pantograph in the future.
Parts of pantograph:
1) a heavy black metal stand to anchor the pantograph (two wires attach to the highest point, and two holes in the base to support the arms of the pantograph; 2) a very heavy horseshoe shaped weight to secure apparatus 1); 3) a large "butterfly" screw to attach 1) to 2) (for screwing the stand onto a table for stabilization if desired); 4) four metal bars (which form a parallelogram) with attachments for a writing implement and stylus; 5) a metal mechanical pencil holder and two boxes of graphite leads; 6) four circular weights with holes in the middle; 7) two short metal styluses; 8) four long pointed metal styluses; 9) two metal wires with hooks on each end; and 10) tacks (probably used to secure his drawing paper); and 11) a few unidentifiable odds and ends. All but the heavy metal objects are contained in a beautiful wooden box.
Assembling the pantograph
a) Find a large level work area, with plenty of room for both your specimen (or drawing to be traced) and the pantograph. Position the heavy black metal stand (1) in the top left corner of the space, arm facing the bottom right corner. Place horseshoe shaped weight (2) on the arm to secure it in place. If working on an appropriate surface, feel free to screw the arm to the table with the butterfly screw (3).
b) Assemble a parallelogram from the metal bars (4). Three of them should remain attached to each other in the box, leaving only one to bar to be added. Unfold the three bars until they form a U shape, and then place the sliding pieces on either side approximately level with one another. Unscrew the knobs on either side so that the remaining bar (cross bar above) may be attached. It should lie on top of the U shape, not underneath, to allow the pantograph to move.
c) Determine which corner of the parallelogram is the anchor point – the corner furthest from the stylus attachment – and attach it to the metal arm by placing the protrusion on its lower side (seen in upper left corner of (4) into the lower hole of the heavy black metal stand.
d) Attach one wire (9) to each of the sides of the parallelogram closest to the metal arm. There are loops on the top of the metal arm and the corners of the parallelogram, upon which you should hook the ends of the wire. The loops on the corners of the parallelogram may require you to unscrew the sliding piece to which the loop is fastened before hooking the wires to them.
e) Load a graphite lead into the mechanical pencil (5), and insert the mechanical pencil into the holder (inserting the lead through the lower side of the parallelogram).
f) Choose the stylus most appropriate to your drawing (or specimen)(7, 8), and place it in its holder.
g) Slide the bottom side to the appropriate scale, located on (4), for your reduction. The vertical sides of the parallelograms have measurements on them, so be sure to have a consistent position for each side.
h) Tape (or tack) (10) down some tracing paper under the pencil, positioned such that the entire sketch will fit. Tape (or tack) down your image (if tracing an image) or secure your specimen (if tracing a specimen).
i) Slide 1-2 weights (6) on the end of your pencil, so that the pressure on the pencil will be even, and to ensure that the pencil lead touches the paper even as the lead itself is wearing down.
j) Use the stylus to trace your specimen by lifting the end of the stylus up and down and controlling the horizontal movement with the wooden handle.
Julia Coursey is using the pantograph to trace a drawing. Note the position of the pantograph.


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Beautiful, bold bromeliads
By MARY COLLISTER
Published August 28, 2007
If you had the opportunity to attend the recent Bromeliad Bonanza at the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens, you may have a few new additions at your home. If you've not grown bromeliads before, don't panic, they are quite easy to nurture.
Bromeliads are members of the plant family Bromeliaceae, containing more than 3,000 described species. The most well known bromeliad is one that you may find in your fruit salad - the pineapple. But this family includes others that look nothing like that fruit such as Spanish moss (which incidentally is neither Spanish nor a moss).
Most bromeliads are inexpensive (although some of the more unusual hybrids may be costly), easy to grow, and require very little care. The grower's reward is a plant with brilliantly colorful, long lasting blooms and ornamental foliage. Sizes range from cute little miniatures to garden giants. In our area they can be grown as house plants, but prefer an outdoor climate.
The more common bromeliads are terrestrial species, which means they are found growing in the ground, which is typical of most of our garden plants. There are two other species that are a bit more unusual and I hope you were able to see them at the Bromeliad Bonanza and perhaps even take a few home.
Saxicolous species grow on rocks. The will grow on all types of rocks, from small to large, from horizontal to vertical surfaces. These are probably the least common grown.
The third species is epiphytic. These are found growing on other plants, usually trees, shrubs or cactus, but sometimes they can be found on telephone poles or even on the telephone lines themselves. This capability to take their nutrition and moisture from the atmosphere has earned these bromeliads the name air plants." The ever prevalent Spanish moss is an example and one of the smallest bromeliads. The roots of epiphytic species harden off after growing.
The roots attach the plant to the host, but do not take sustenance from their host, merely using it for support so they don't usually harm the host. If the bromeliads become too numerous, it may block the sunlight to the host plant foliage and cut down on the necessary photosynthesis. In the long run this may cause the host to decline.
All three types of bromeliads are composed of a spiral arrangement of leaves sometimes called a rosette.
This spiral arrangement causes the plant to grow in a flattened configuration with its leaves lined up in a single plane. In many, if not most, of the bromeliads the bases of the leaves overlap to form a water reservoir. Those with this central cup are often called tank bromeliads. They rely less heavily on their roots for nourishment than others. This tank is used to hold water and nutrients used by the plant.
Lighting for bromeliads can range from bright, but indirect, to fairly shaded. They don't like the hot sun shining directly on them and seem to be happy tucked under a shade tree.
Bromeliads like to be kept evenly moist but seem to do fine in my yard when they dry out. These plants are under a large maple and receive no direct sunlight. I give them no supplemental water, so they are at the mercy of the rains and its schedule.
I don't ever make a special point of fertilizing my bromeliads and they seem to fare just fine. They do get a water soluble fertilizer when I spray all plants, usually just once a year. The experts recommend bromeliad fertilizer, a 17-8-22 blend, but a Miracle-Gro type of fertilizer is said to be acceptable. I have never used any special blend and have a healthy plant that continues to thrive.
Bromeliads make wonderful gifts as they look great and fare well inside or outside even for the novice gardener. This ease of care and the colorful leaves make them a welcome addition to any inside or outside garden.


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Should she accept a job offer on the spot? How else can she prepare for an exit interview for her summer gig? Reader J wonders…
The summer is coming to a close and soon to be 3L's who happened to land a summer job are waiting anxiously and eagerly for the famous "exit interview." I, too, am one of those 3L's. Most likely the firm I'm interning at will offer me a job or tell me that I wasn't a perfect fit. I want to be prepared as much as possible for how to handle both situations. I feel the summer has gone well, so I especially want to know how to react if I'm given a job offer. Personally, I would like at least a little bit of time to think about all the nitty gritty's and frankly just some time to step away and evaluate the summer. At the same time, I looked at the list of OCI's this year and there are literally only 5 firms coming to interview us 3L's; all of which I'm sure I have, at the most, a 1 out of 10 chance of landing. Yes, the market is still quite awful. That begs the question of whether I should accept on the spot. Further, if I do decide to accept should I attempt to negotiate a salary, figure out expectations that they have of me, express my interests, etc.? I'm totally at a loss, and any help would be fabulous.
Great question. I think the best case scenario is the easiest to prepare for, but maybe that's me. I'm really curious to hear what the readers say here. (Pictured: Welcome, originally uploaded to Flickr by alborzshawn.)
In the event that you're offered a job:
The summer has gone well! They like you! Do you like them? The ball is in your court now. Reader J notes that she wants time to consider the "nitty gritty" details and evaluate the summer — but in this economy I'd advise caution, because I think a lot of prospective employers would be surprised (and WILL remember) if you don't accept on the spot. What "nitty gritty" details do you want to consider? If they are questions that you haven't asked yet — salary/bonus information, benefits information, information about the company or practice itself — those are all valid questions, and I urge you to ask them IN the exit interview. If the details you want "time to evaluate" are things like the general experience and the people… well, I'm not sure what further information you're going to gain after leaving the interview. [Read more…]


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Being able to play competitive soccer from a young age has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It has kept me extremely busy while providing the opportunity to learn many important skills as both a player and as a person. I was always fortunate enough to play on a good team, with players and coaches that were always enjoyable to work with. Without these things, my entire experience would most likely have been completely different.
I started out playing club soccer in u11 for Idaho Osprey Soccer Club. It was a huge jump from just having played in recreational leagues. The level of competition was much higher, making the first fall season very difficult. We lost most of our games, but also learned a lot and were able to adjust, making major improvements in the spring season. It was after that season that we were able to take off as a team. We picked up a few players who had played up the year before and decided to stay with their true age groups. Our new coach, Bekim, was also very helpful in teaching us how to play as a unit and learning a more technical side of the game. After that we became one of the dominant teams, along with our rivals, FC Boise. Though this rivalry did not last very long as Rush came to Boise and soon absorbed both teams with plans to combine us both. Once put together, we got Lee Riley as our new coach. He was the perfect man for the job of bringing us together and forgetting our past as each other's opposition. Under Lee, we had two successful years winning state cup of both our u14 and u15 seasons.
Despite the awesome success we had with our previous coaches, we experienced something completely different starting in our u16 spring season. Our new coach, Jens Haustein, opened us up to an entirely new type of game and helped us to achieve a higher level of competition than any of us had ever experienced. It was difficult to make the adjustment, but we accepted the challenge. Jens used his experience of playing professionally in Germany to help us achieve this. From preseason conditioning, to playing our last games of the season at the Far West Regionals, he supplied us with everything we needed to succeed, and stressed that it was up to us when it came to how far we wanted to make it. His style of coaching and playing are things that I continue to try and implement into my game, especially now playing at college.
All my teammates, coaches, and my parents are the ones that I owe my thanks to for being able to make it where I am today. I believe that playing for Rush prepared me for moving onto the next level of play better than any other club would have. I can't imagine enjoying the ability to play for any other coaches as much as I did with the coaches I had at Rush. The examples they set, and the expectations they had for us have made the transition to playing at college much smoother. They not only taught me the game of soccer, but also how to conduct myself as a person. The memories and experiences I have had playing for Rush are unforgettable and I would not trade them for anything.


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We've created a memorable hour of listening that's fresh and lush with the sounds and the texture of the great Sufi poet, Rumi. There is no formula for our programs, no template. Each begins with the raw material of a conversation, and we shape its pace and sound and elements around that. I think great radio emerges when the whole feel of the experience seems at one with the words being spoken, taking the listener more deeply into the passion and intent of the voice being heard. Creating this program around the life and words of Rumi has felt a little like having magic to work with. I take away many gems of idea and image from my conversation with one of Rumi's delightful 21st-century interpreters and successors, Fatemeh Keshavarz. Rumi saw human life and love as the closest we come to tasting and touching transcendence, and he approached all experience with his whole mind, heart, and body. Keshavarz describes Rumi's "whirling" around a column as he recited poetry — a habit that inspired the Whirling Dervishes of the Mevlevi Sufi Order — as a way to "stay centered while moving." He believed that, as searching and restlessness propel us to keep learning, plowing the ground beneath our feet, they are themselves a form of arrival. In Rumi's way of seeing life, perplexity is a blessed state, sometimes a necessary state. This idea has special resonance, perhaps, in the 21st century, when so many basic definitions and institutions of previous generations seem to be up for grabs. But Rumi's recent "discovery" in the West also holds no little irony. I found this best expressed in my researches by a British journalist, William Dalrymple. "It seems almost unbelievable in the world of 9/11, Bin Laden and the Clash of Civilizations," he wrote, "but the best-selling poet in the U.S. in the 1990s was not Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, nor Shakespeare or Dante. … Instead, remarkably it was a classically trained Muslim cleric who taught Sharia law in a madrasa in what is now Turkey." Yet as Rumi has been translated and popularized in the modern West, the religious sensibility behind his beautiful, best-selling words has often been lost. Fatemah Keshavarz is adamant on this point: Rumi was steeped in Islam. He represents and speaks to "an adventurous and cosmopolitan Islam." The generous, cross-cultural appeal of his words reflects ideas at the core of Islam that are muted by the extremists and headlines of our time. But to the extent that Rumi would deny or subvert those, he does so through his grounding in Islamic tradition, and his profound love for it. Keshavarz, who was born in Iran — the center of the vast civilization that spawned Rumi and where he remains to this day a household name — takes special solace in Rumi's insistence that we can create worlds and possibilities by way of language itself. Where that part of the world is now concerned, Keshavarz says, U.S. political culture has adopted a language of fear. Rumi champions and models a language of hope. This is not a tepid and naive but full-blooded view of human reality — fully aware of the double-edged sword of the passions and pulls of real human experience. In this, Rumi speaks to those of us on both sides of a real or imagined "clash of civilizations." As we conclude this program I hear Rumi as a perfect voice for the spiritual longing and energy of our time. With his vigorous and challenging language of the heart, he reminds us that we need poetry as much as we need science, alongside our politics and within our diplomacy. We need passionate searching words, not just logical decisive words, to tell the whole truth about what it means to be human, and about the past, present, and future of our world. Here is one passage of many I've seen quoted of Rumi, which I'll now hear with new layers of relevance:
Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don't open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. ~ Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.


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Smith – Frankovich
MARINETTE, Wis. – Corey Frankovich and Heather Smith, together with their parents, announce their engagement.
Heather is the daughter of Rick and Cindy Smith of Gulliver and is a 2001 graduate of Manistique High School. She is a 2004 graduate of Bay College with a licensed practical nurse certificate, and a 2011 graduate of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College with an associate degree in nursing. She is currently employed as a registered nurse at Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette.
Corey is the son of Jeff and Tammy Frankovich of Isabella and Leigh Neddow of Pulaski, Wis. He is a 2001 graduate of Big Bay de Noc High School and received his welding certificate from Bay de Noc Community College in 2002. He is employed as a welding leadman at Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette.
The couple will exchange vows in a ceremony planned for May 11 in Nahma.


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We're taking a short break for the rest of this week. We'll be back next Monday to pick up where we left off in John MacArthur's Attacking Anxiety series.
But as we pause briefly to celebrate Thanksgiving, it occurred to us that one of the best antidotes for anxiety is a thankful heart. As John wrote yesterday, reflecting on God's blessing and provision in the past reinforces your confidence in Him to meet your needs in the future.
With that in mind, we want to offer this space for you to publically express what you're thanking the Lord for this year. Be as specific or general as you like—we simply want to help you think deeply about God's work in your life, and to share in the encouragement of all He's accomplishing in and through His people.
And please know how thankful we are for our faithful readers and commenters. It's a joy and privilege to serve you. God's richest blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving.
GTY Staff
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Isaiah 61 v 3: ..............the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness: that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that HE might be glorified.
I just love you LORD and thank you for being my LORD and SAVIOUR. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. WOW.
I have been taught by the LORD to give thanks in "all" things - and I bless HIS holy name.
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I thank God for his word, which tells us of Him. To be able say our Father is the greatest blessing anyone could begin to understand. And to grow in grace that glorifies the one that gave it all. I pray that the Holy Spirit will be glorified in the lives of all who are children of God this new year.
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I'm thankful that I'm going to heaven and I'm thankful for this website and everyone who runs it. This website is a huge blessing to me as it helps me to understand scripture and grow in my love for the Lord.
God bless you guys and have a joyful Thanksgiving!
I am thankful to God for His faithfulness to me. It has been a rough year. I lost my mom to cancer and now my husband is fighting health battles. I have experienced despair and anxiety. But God keeps picking me back up every single day via GTY and my dear Christian friends. I encourage everyone to have a daily walk with our Lord. When trouble comes, it is that walk that carries you through it. When calamity comes, it is too late to make up for praise and prayer and fellowship missed in days past. The older I get, the more I regret youthful days not spent in Christian study. Now I am a sponge for every word. Never think that there is a time in the future when you will get right with God. When calamity comes you will have deep regret for opportunity missed. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to me even when I was not giving Him my best. And I am ever grateful for GTY.
I am thankful for Gods patience to deal with me . pulling me to Him. I am enjoying a more, much more close walk with Jesus now. through the process of more focus. getting rid of otherwise seemingly good efforts,agendas. however now that i am really dedicating my forefront time outside of work and taking care of my wife and kids, to my ultimate heart felt goal of serving my master. putting one foot front of the other .one day at a time. accepting todays blessing without mentally setting up an expectation ,or certain mental visuall expectations on tomorow. as long as i am doing His will. praising Him.
I am thankful for Pastor John MacArthur's teaching of the word.I have learned so much.It has helped me to grow and learn.I am also thankful for my husband to be able to be here for Thanksgiving this year as he has stage four lung cancer and he is God's child.And also thankful for the Lord's patience with me.Thank you Grace to You and your ministry.God Bless you all.
This past October, my daughter left for a Bible Institute. There was no indication that there was anything amiss in its teachings and we did do our investigating. However, a week or two in, she started getting nervous. To make a long story short, she ended up coming home last week because of the errant teaching there. I am so thankful for her discernment, for the men in her life she could call for advice on what to do (father, grandfathers, and her uncle, a pastor), and for the solid, biblical teaching of GTY, which has taught our family so much about God's Word. Happy Thanksgiving!
There's an infinite amount of things to be thankful for all year, but I confess that in my wicked flesh I fail miserably to give thanks to God every day, if not weekly, or monthly. Since knowing the REAL Truth of God's word through my husband, John MacArthur, and Grace Community Church in Maryville, Tn, I have been challenged, encouraged, and truly overly blessed with things to be thankful for. I am very thankful for God's saving grace, mercy, sacrificial lamb, and forgiveness. I am thankful that he allowed me to see and know His truth and be saved. I am truly thankful for the gospel that daily leads me to the cross where I find Christ. I'm thankful for sound doctrine and the men of God who lead their families, churches, small groups, etc. I am also thankful for family and friends who I have the opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with and the opportunity God gives me. I'm thankful for a God who has created everything, a God who knows the end and a God whose Word is pure, perfect, and a help in time of need. I'm thankful for the children of God who bring so much comfort, joy, and love, to my life. I'm thankful for the Reformation and the English Bible. I'm thankful that I have everything I need to survive in this world: food, water, clothes, housing. I'm thankful for my WONDERFUL husband, I never dreamed I would have a husband so quick to forgive and love, a husband who acknowledges sin and repents in a timely manner. I'm thankful that God has blessed me with the gift of conceiving. I'm very thankful for accountability to others. I'm thankful for my health; a mind capable of memorizing scripture. I'm thankful for ears to hear, hands to serve, feet to go, a mouth to speak, and a heart to love, but ONLY by God's grace. I'm thankful for Pastor Chris Riser and his amazing wife, the elders of my church, Paul Washer, GTY, those who give financially to make GTY possible to others, and last but surely not least, Pastor Teacher John MacArthur. I'm thankful for wisdom gained by older women and daily reading and meditation on God's Holy Word. Well I have to get to baking Thanksgiving food, these are just a few things I'm thankful for. I can't wait to read everyone else's heart of thankfulness! Have a blessed day in the Lord.
My fiancée and I just lost our jobs a month before the marriage.
I'm thankful for knowing that God will provide and will care for his children as He says in scripture.
First, I am so thankful that God would save a wretch like me. I'm so unworthy but yet He chose me to be His child. There is no other gift that will ever be more valuable to me. Next I'm thankful for His Sovereignty over my life and as I look back over the years and see His hand over myself, family and friends it just amazes me. God is so good! I'm thankful for my spiritual hero Pastor John Mac Arthur. John you will never know how God used you and your ministry here at gty to minister and to help me grow each day. I look forward every morning to the devotionals and then send them out to others on email and then read the daily bible and listen to a sermon. It is so great to have these tools and to share them with others. These have ministered to my friends also. Thank you for being such a godly Pastor role model. It is so hard to find a Pastor who truly serves, teaches and is holy before our Lord.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Karen Vanden Bosch
I am so very thankful to God for His Presence, love and providence.
He has provided me with the most wonderful husband who works so hard and never complains but depends on The Lord to help him. A husband who is a gentle, patient, understanding listener. Jehovah Jirah has truly provided for me and I thank Him sooo much. I pray to be a Proverbs 31 woman to my husband.
Perhaps the least expressed by me and others, yet the most profound thing I am thankful for is the Holy Spirit. It's the closest thing to having Jesus himself by my side everyday. Just to type that and think about having Jesus with me all the time is just huge. I cannot afford to worry and fret about the state of the nation and economy with that kind of reality IN ME. It's just too amazing, not to exalt, exult and totally thrill to the max just thinking about it. Got to go sing a song of praise right now after typing this. GOD IS SO GOOD. Thank you Jesus for sending your SPIRIT to live in me.
Thank you God (Psalm 100)! Truly God is good and does good. The Lord is so faithful, why should we ever doubt Him in times of trial. Oh how wretched my heart is to have such little faith, and how amazingly gracious and merciful is the Lord to His children. Truly the cup of blessings in my family overflows from heaven.
I am so thankful to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and His inexpressible gifts of salvation. How great is our God!
My family and I want to express our thankfulness for the many years of clear teaching that has blessed our family immensely.
May the Lord richly bless you Pastor John MacArthur and all your staff at GTY.
I thank God for who He is, and for His Unfailing, Eternal Love for me that is beyond my comprehension; for adopting me as His daughter, calling me out of darkness to walk in newness of life; for sending His Son who He loves to live the perfect obedient life I could never live, and to die the death I deserve; that Christ bore the guilt, shame and punishment for my sin, and I got His righteousness; for raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand, living to intercede for me; for His Promise to return and reverse the effects of the curse; for a new heaven and new earth, with no more sin, mourning or pain; for His Spirit Who lives in me, convincing me, convicting me, comforting me, reminding me of the Truth of the Gospel, and enabling me to live the life He has called me to; for His Grace that saved me and teaches me to say no to ungodliness; that He is Sovereign over every detail of my life and is working through it all for my good and His Glory; for the transforming power of His Word that is like a bottomless well of treasure; that He is faithful in all He does and all His ways are just; for surrounding me with sisters and brothers in Christ who continue to point me to Him; that this is not my eternal home, as I am a citizen of Heaven; that nothing is impossible for Him; that I am chosen, accepted, redeemed, forgiven, and nothing can separate me from His love; that my joy is not in my circumstances but in the hope and satisfaction that can only be found in Christ; and last but not least for faithful preachers and teachers of God 's Word who are obedient to the call to feed His sheep so that we may grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, just to name a few...thank you for your faithfulness in proclaiming the he Gospel! I thank God for you!
Thanks to The Lord That He took I and My Husband from Dead corpes in our sin to Born again people Thank Him For His Son In whom we are Forgiven and Transforming us every day even if it doesnt seem like it, we are Learning about eternal secruity from John MacArthur and Other Healthy Bible teachers, We Are what the Bible calls Orphans In The Book Of James , We have 7 children and were Beat to A pulp when we were children Have had alot of false teaching In the Start of our christian Pilgramege But The Lord In His Mercy and Caring through His Provendence And His Power Keep Us Going even now there are Great Odds against us especally throught the Last 4 years , My Husband Is a born again Man Just a couple or years ago weve been married 23 years and is a truck driver I stay at home with our children we only have 3 at home now , Please pray for us We dont have a church family right now WE have been in this area a long time and This Is barren Here so we just keep to ourselves , My Name Is Barbara We are Saints Who are Learning about His amazing Love For Me as well as My Young husband Were are Just Thanking Him and Pastor John who has Mentiored Me from Calif, May The Lords People truly be Grateful every day GoD In His Care Barbara Hilenski
I am thankful for my God, my Heavenly Father, who loved even me to send His only begotten Son--my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ--to be offered once for all to them that do no more or no less than believe on His name. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit, my Teacher, illuminating the Word of God so that I may learn to walk as Christ walked and in doing so, be a Christ-like influence to others. God has truly blessed my family and me exceeding abundantly more than we could have ever ask or think--and for that I am eternally grateful to Him. I am also thankful for the song in my heart--that even the holy angels cannot sing. Oh, how He loves you and me.
Colossians 3:15-17
John 3:16-21
Hebrews 10:4-10
John 1:12
1 Corinthians 2:10
1 John 2:3-6
Ephesians 3:20-21
1Peter 1:12
1 John 4:19
First on my list of things I am thankful for is for my salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Lord provides so many blessings, but one of my biggest over the last two years has been the privlege and opportunity to go into our county jail and teach Bible studies two nights a week to the women there. It has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. I am learning that you don't get to see God's power until you are willing to step out in obedience and faith to do something that you know you can't do on your own.
I am also thankful for GTY and the truthful, grounded teaching provided through this ministry. It has been a significant factor in my family's spiritual growth, and we are so grateful.
May you all have a blessed and deeply thankful Thanksgiving!
Thankful for God's faithfulness and that he provided us a Savior. The gift of Jesus righteousness in exchange for our sin's was the best gift he could give. Grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit's constant comfort and counseling. God is so good!!!
Psalm 34 Let us exalt his name together, forever. I sought the Lord, he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.
My mother suffers schizophrenia. As I was growing up I got to witness all the tragic manifestations of that. The whole thing ended with her taking out a family member in an episode of psychosis where she believed she seen the devil and that the devil was in cahoots with the person she killed. She spent the next decade in an asylum for that act.
In the process of traveling interstate and visiting her one day I was escorted into a room by the head Dr. Being only 18 at the time, he told me that my chances of ending up with my mother's illness were 1 in 10. I was already dealing with massive issues with anxiety in regards to that matter so hearing that tripled my worry. To add to it, it wasn't just what was said, it was how it was said – I'm certain the guy got something joyful out of it, was just one of those things where you had to be there to believe it.
For me it was a moment similar to chief Brody's in Jaws in that scene on the beach where he sees the shark attack the boy on the air-matress and the camera pans in for a fast close up of his face. That was the lowest point of my life, I was completely empty and without any hope. I remember being back at my hotel and walking around outside and there was this young boy there I walked past who had Down syndrome, he said hello but I didn't even have the energy to respond.
That was all 18 years ago now. I've since been a follower of Christ. And I never developed my mother illness. So the truth is I can't thank God enough for pulling me out of the depths of abject despair and from the very lowest of low points where all hope seemed lost. What an amazing gift it is to know the truth. And I can echo the sentiments of others here who are extremely thankful for this blessed ministry.
I am thankful for the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for without Him we can do nothing. I am grateful to Pastor John MacArthur and his in depth teaching of the word. Finally someone who is articulate, knowledgeable and loves the Lord with all his heart. Thank you.
I want to thank the Lord for all blessing in my life and never let any of us take them for granite. Let us give God the glory in all we do and look for that blessed hope that is to come. Amen
Dennis Bishop
I am so thankful that Jesus gave his life so that I could be forgiven. Without forgiveness, I would be doomed. I need his forgivness on a daily basis and I am so thankful that God freely gives it. Praise His holy name!
I am thankful for all the Good and the Bad that God has allowed in my life. Through it all I've gained a deeper understanding and fellowship with my God. I've come to understand that they, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are always with me. I'm NEVER alone though I might feel that I am.
I'm thankful for family and friends that God has given me, for the joy of my farm and watching new life emerge, for the joy of looking at a clear blue sky or the deep bright night sky with moon and stars displayed.
I'm thankful for my Bible which has guided me and the teachers God has directed me to and who have the Biblical soundness of teaching that HE requires. Men who understand the importance of their calling and who are not afraid to follow that calling.
I'm thankful for this chance to let others know just how much my Abba Father means to me. I thank Jesus for dying for my sins and for the Holy Spirit to guide and teach me and show "me" how to daily gain victory over my temptations and trials.
To God be the Glory! Lord I await your coming and the time we will be with you in the New Heaven and New Earth. Amen!
To Barbara Helinski, concerning finding a church in your area. Go to the website at Bible Bulletinboard. It is a good resource.
or browse by Topic or


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New LSU Cheerleader Turns Tragedy to Triumph
Published: May 12, 2009, 12:00 AM (CT)
by Brian Sanders, Weekend Sports Anchor
DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas -- When the LSU Tigers take the field next season, Tyler Briers-Buentello will be there with the best seat in the house, on the sideline as a cheerleader.
"LSU is the greatest place for doing what I want to do," said Briers-Buentello. "I want to cheer in front of a crowd and their fans are off the charts."
During the summer of 2007, Tyler was on the football team at Dripping Springs High School when a car accident brought his playing days to a screeching halt.
Read the full story and watch the video on KXAN.com.


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One-Year-Old Dies After Mina Accident
MINA – A 1-year-old boy has died in a Pittsburgh hospital from injuries sustained in an accident last week on the Southern Tier Expressway.
Achilles McBride of Westfield, Pa., died Saturday after the pickup truck he was in crashed into the back of a stopped tractor trailer on Interstate 86 on Wednesday, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office said.
The driver of the tractor trailer, Dale Legg, 52, of Medina, Ohio, had stopped on the interstate in the eastbound lane due to poor visibility. Legg was not injured in the accident, the Sheriff's Office said.
Police said Matthew McBride, who was driving the pickup truck, did not see the stopped tractor trailer when the accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. Matthew McBride was treated and released from Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pa.
Esmeraldo McBride, also a passenger in the pickup truck, was taken to Hamot and later transferred to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh where she remains.
Police said Achilles McBride also was taken to Hamot, but was later transferred to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh where he died of his injuries.
No charges will be filed in the accident, the Sheriff's Office said. Firefighters from Sherman, Findley Lake and Ashville responded to the scene.
See Monday's edition of The Post-Journal for complete coverage.


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A sanding drum is efficient and cool
For easier ax sharpening using a rotary tool, try this tip from Club member Frank May of Kansas City, Missouri. Outfit the tool with a sanding drum rather than an abrasive wheel. A sanding drum is less likely to clog and remains cooler than an abrasive wheel � an important advantage for maintaining the temper of the edge. Brought to you by: American Profile


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Due to unforeseen circumstances, we won't be able to liveblog today's sessions of the general meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as we did yesterday. For minute-to-minute updates from the floor of the meeting in Baltimore, check out the USCCB media office's Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/usccbmedia. Or, watch the livestream at http://telecaretv.org (click on "Watch Telecare Live").
Filed under: liveblog