text:
Vox Populi: A Public Sphere for Politics and Poetry
Below is an excerpt from The President's Devotional by Joshua Dubois, the former head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He's recounting events that occurred Sunday, December 16, 2012 — two days after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and 6 adult staff members. Dubois had gotten word the day before that the President wanted to meet with the families of the victims:
I left early to help the advance team—the hardworking folks who handle logistics for every event—set things up, and I arrived at the local high school where the meetings and memorial service would take place. We prepared seven or eight classrooms for the families of the slain children and teachers, two or three families to a classroom, placing water and tissues and snacks in each one. Honestly, we didn't know how to prepare; it was the best we could think of.
The families came in and gathered together, room by room. Many struggled to offer a weak smile when we whispered, "The president will be here soon." A few were visibly angry—so understandable that it barely needs to be said—and were looking for someone, anyone, to blame. Mostly they sat in silence.
I went downstairs to greet President Obama when he arrived, and I provided an overview of the situation. "Two families per classroom . . . The first is . . . and their child was . . . The second is . . . and their child was . . . We'll tell you the rest as you go."
The president took a deep breath and steeled himself, and went into the first classroom. And what happened next I'll never forget.
Person after person received an engulfing hug from our commander in chief. He'd say, "Tell me about your son. . . . Tell me about your daughter," and then hold pictures of the lost beloved as their parents described favorite foods, television shows, and the sound of their laughter. For the younger siblings of those who had passed away—many of them two, three, or four years old, too young to understand it all—the president would grab them and toss them, laughing, up into the air, and then hand them a box of White House M&M's, which were always kept close at hand. In each room, I saw his eyes water, but he did not break.
And then the entire scene would repeat—for hours. Over and over and over again, through well over a hundred relatives of the fallen, each one equally broken, wrecked by the loss. After each classroom, we would go back into those fluorescent hallways and walk through the names of the coming families, and then the president would dive back in, like a soldier returning to a tour of duty in a worthy but wearing war. We spent what felt like a lifetime in those classrooms, and every single person received the same tender treatment. The same hugs. The same looks, directly in their eyes. The same sincere offer of support and prayer.
The staff did the preparation work, but the comfort and healing were all on President Obama. I remember worrying about the toll it was taking on him. And of course, even a president's comfort was woefully inadequate for these families in the face of this particularly unspeakable loss. But it became some small measure of love, on a weekend when evil reigned.
From The President's Devotional. Copyright 2013 Joshua Dubois.
Children waiting outside the school after the shooting. [photo: Michelle McLoughlin]
This is one of the most incredible events that has ever happen to our great American people, I would not think any thing less from a great President we had and the enduring sadness that this has created. To the peaceful people of this country it is a reminder that life is very precious and we must always respect and behold it with all our might! Please Dear God give the people relief from the burden that has been placed on them. The personal attention that was imposed by our President would hopefully be of some relief!
To the Sandyhook families – I still feel your pain and heartbreak. Nothing I can say will ever (or should ever) make it "easier".
But I, along with president Obama am still determined to not let the atrocity define us.
We are better than that as President Obama showed …
You and your families as well as president Obama and his family are forever in my thoughts and prayers.
May your loved ones always be the source of joy and happiness, peace and inspiration, resolve and love.
Neill Schwartz
This is not about politics, it's about compassion for our fellowman and a person who was emotionally sensitive to the heartbreak of his brothers and sisters. President Obama has shown us in this example of how we are to convry love and sympathy to those who are devastated by an horrendous act of cruelty.
Pingback: 2017-04-03 – I'm James
Reblogged this on Site Title.
I will miss President Obama, Michele Obama, his family and, most of all, the humanity he restored to the office of President of the United States. He has set the bar very high for his successors. I fear they will come woefully short of reaching it.
I sincerely hope his voice of reason, his humanity and his dignity will remain a strong reminder for the American People in the coming years of what can be achieved when we remain hopeful and consider how our actions can have far reaching effects for future generations.
Thank you President Obama for acting on the behalf of millions and millions of Americans and all people for expressing our sympathy and solidarity with these families who experienced the loss, horror, and extreme sorrow when their children were violently massaquered. We can not cover up or minimize the horror of the crime that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
This is OUR President, the one who will forever hold a reverent place in my heart. I love and respect you Barack, thank you for what you have done for our country. God help us all in the years to come… I am only thankful that it was you in office when this tragedy happened and not that BUFFOON.
Yes, President Barack Obama is MY President too…and the one with the Biggest Heart, Not too full of himself to be really just REAL and Human…He is really too Good for the Politics of The Elite…makes them look like a bunch of Power Hungry Stuffed Shirts…who only care about themselves and their Cronies…President Obama and First Lady Michelle have been the most Family Oriented Lovely Examples of Grace, Kindness, Heart, Sincerity and Equanimity. They will be Truly and Greatly Missed.
Mine too….I'm trying hard not to worry about the 'possibilities' in the coming years. even with all the horrors of the past few years, I've still felt safe under the Obama administration — I don't feel safe now. I want to — but I don't. The Obamas have been a class act and will difficult to follow. God Bless them and God Bless our counry as we struggle to find our way. God, please offer us grace in handling the transition and Father God, please keep us safe.
I believe he faced each parent and teachers worst nightmare with grace, courage, compassion, and infinite wisdom. What possible disaster, could have been more heart breaking than that one. Our hopes for tomorrow, had been shattered in millions of glass chards.
What all of us hold sacred. Our children. The people who dedicated their lives to the education of those children. The bond to do our very best for each and every one.
Our President offered his heartfelt sympathy.
I believe him to be an extraordinary man.
Unbelievable! That anyone could "ugh" at this time when everybody's heart was broken. Present Obama is a caring man and you disgust me. Don't know where you're from but this is one of the worst tragedies we've had here. You have no heart. You'll really like Trump. He doesn't give a shit about anybody but himself.
Melanie Taylor – You and many of your leftist loonie friends here are really just like the cancerous o'bummer himself. Only see what you want to see because it is convenient to disregard everything else. Only your views are important.
Yeah, I vividly remember the numerous funerals of cops murdered by the racist black-thugs-matter crowds. The thief-in-command made such beautiful unifying gestures by attending those funerals.. oh wait, no he didn't..
..because lives only matter if they help him to push an agenda.
Hope he draws yet another red line in the sand somewhere and disappears in the giant abyss of lies and deceits he created – a legacy of his..
obama – the ultimate divider and manipulator of our nation.
You write "Yeah, I vividly remember the numerous funerals of cops murdered by the racist black-thugs-matter crowds. The thief-in-command made such beautiful unifying gestures by attending those funerals.. oh wait, no he didn't."
Aside from your blatant racism, which is between you and your conscience, your claim that Obama did not attend funerals of slain police officers, is wrong. Most recently, this summer he and Michelle attended the services for the ambushed police officers in Dallas. Because you obviously care deeply about offices killed in the line of duty, I'm sure you watched the services on TV. I don't know how you missed the President's 40 minute memorial speech, or thre fact that he met privately with the families. You probably took him Just another "black thug" — them coloreds all look alike, huh?
Jerry – You little bozo, I'm a minority myself and know all too well about racism, typically coming from leftist "elitists" such as yourself. Of course, you're an elite only in your own eyes because you're nothing but a pile of manur to me.
Yes, black thugs matter movement is racist or revenge racist if you will and any real president would've acknowledged that. Being a minority is no excuse for promoting violence. I'm a minority and I never did and never will. However, black thugs lives gang is a violent movement and his silence is equivalent to him approving of their behavior. Once again, o'bummer cherry picks murders in our nation for his own political agenda. He should've attended every single police officer's funeral. Their death happened on his watch as he's the one who divided our nation more than any other president.
No, he has no heart despite what all of you leftist lunatics claim.
Well gosh, so you're a minority yourself. Doesn't that make you special? I was just pointing out that you were wrong in claiming that Obama had not attended and police officers' funerals. Moving the goal post (from he hasn't attended any to he must attend them all) is a neat trick. I mustn't make anything of this rhetorical deception, though, because I'm just a little bozo.
(Actually, I'm 6'2 250#, making me a BIG bozo.)
Have a wonderful day.
Ok, I stand corrected. You're a fat bozo.
Still a leftist loon who assumes that all minorities buy into your leftist derangemet theory.
Just like your predecessors fought so hard to keep the slavery alive the modern democrats fight just as hard to keep us all in your servitude by keeping us dependent on government assistance. ..in the meantime you claim you're "helping the poor".. oh the irony..
You really are kind of a mess. I hope you can straighten yourself out at some point in your life. We all had predecessors, even you. Mine were among the first and worst in that came to the new world. I too am a minority, being a woman. We have been repressed for centuries. We all have problems.
When I saw a cop take a pot shot at a black "life" who was walking down the street, I realized that black lives matter but that cop had not gotten that message. All lives matter but sometimes we have to emphasize one or two just to remind ourselves.
Seriously??? Now, besides racism and body shaming, you have to bring mental disabilities into your weak argument??? Grow a pair and stand up for your beliefs without tearing others down. You need to look inside yourself before spouting words of wisdom to others. IE: ' . treating people like garbage will end up eating you up inside up.' Take your own words to heart young one.
Kerry: I've responded to this guy a few times myself. I've come to believe he is your basic troll. All of his answers are so profoundly stupid that I it defies the odds. This guy must be TRYING to be stupid. He's just trying to bait us into a trip down some innane rabbit hole.
Happy New Year.
Kerry – I don't treat people like garbage. I was replying to hateful leftist lunatics – who fit the definition of human garbage.
Like Jerry – the token communist-wannabe who's trying so hard to make sense and to sound balanced and yet he's nothing but a piece of leftist manure.
Fortunately for our nation the current revenge-racist-in-command is going to be out of office very soon. Don't care for trump but I hope he picks real minorities to heal the divide and not some well-spoken token thugs for his administration. As a minority I've been ashamed for pretty much the last 7 1/2 years of the fiasco in the White House. The first 6 months I gave him the benefit of the doubt because at least he sort of looked like me. Shortly thereafter though I realized he's just a deranged ideologue who'll do everything he can to divide us even more and to maximize the simmering resentment and hate in our country for his own benefits.
The cancerous POS can't leave the White House soon enough!
What is wrong, who has hurt you so deeply that you have so much hate and think so lowly of an individual that can do nothing to solve the problems of this world. I am so sorry that you believe one individual can divide a nation. Love and hate are in the heart I know because I had to overcome the death of a daughter at age 38 who died of breast cancer. My heart hurts for you so I am going to think of you and pray that some day, some how you can forgive whoever hurt you and learn to love unconditionally.
Susie – kind words and I'm truly sorry about your daughter. Please focus on praying for your family and for our nation. I don't need your prayers and I'm quite convinced that history will prove me right. The current occupier of the White House divided our nation more than any other president in modern history.
Hey, how is it that koolaid is only about the liberals? Don't both left and right each drink their flavors of koolaid? Looking at reasons Obama is considered an Ideologue, all I'm finding is koolaid. I doubt that he's either so evil or so holy.
I know I'm late with my reply to this, but I have to speak. Saying that Obama divided our nation is like saying that the captain of the Lusitania pulled us into WWI. It took two captains, the Lusitania's and the U Boat's, to do that. Obama did force the ObamaCare steamer through in spite of the warnings, but the divide didn't happen solely because of his navigation of that heath care reform bill (which was not-very-socialist but that was good for making socialism-scare-flavored koolaid)? It took the commitment by the republicans in Congress to never give an inch to Obama to finish the job. Both sides contributed to the divide, and in the eyes of many, it was the republicans who turned a sane opposition and pushed it to an insane paralysis. Why did it take all these years for the republicans to propose badly needed repairs to ObamaCare? Repeal, after all, will actually be repair. Many features are too good to drop.
Meantime, back to Obama's action in Connecticut, doing that without a big media hype was a class act, whether you supported him or not. No, these people are not politicizing it. They're admiring a man for doing a good thing. Give us a story about Trump doing such a good thing.
Niclas-you should try reading and understanding what is actually going on in the world before you open your mouth. I was not a supporter of Obama. But, I have come to view him as a good man and has done many good things in spite of his treatment over the course of 8 years. Never in my 60 years have I seen a president treated so poorly then I have with President Obama. I'm ashamed of how my party has treated him…disgraceful. What happened at Sandy Hook was devastating for those parents and for our Nation. History will be kind to him as our President…perhaps the last good president we will see for a while. You will go down as another ignorant bystander pretending to be right.
Matt – Please stop pretending "your" party treated o'MightyOne badly. You've been a leftist extremist all your life so don't you come here pretending otherwise. You think obummer was treated poorly? Really? Were you one of the leftist hoodlums calling bush a Nazi and calling for his assassination as many of you did? Apparently you all have a very short memory but the same democrats who all but a handful voted for the same wars republicans did ended up turning against those wars when they became unpopular. Then most of you became despicable morons who attacked bush at every chance you got. I couldn't give a rat's a@$ about bush but at least he didn't change his views as frequently as you all did and at least he was proud of our country. Obummer has always been ashamed of America as he's an ultra-left indoctrinated apparatchik who cares more about an ideology than about our country. You all keep swooning all over him while pretending than he's our messiah. However, many of us see him as nothing but a manipulative ideologue who'll do all he can to put himself in a favorable light while denigrating this nation of ours. Good riddance!
I have never knew as sensitive as President Obama at times like this. Years came to my eyes immediently as I read on. Over and over again our President has shown his personal side of life, I find him to be caring, compassionate, sensitive, and empathic. He has always come across as a down to earth sensitive man who does whatever it takes to be their for victims from every kind of tragedy. God bless this man, our President who will be so missed. There are no words to describe it. I will truly miss your speeches, mild chatter. Heartfelt photos and the whole Obama family.
I knew one of the children killed at Sandy Hook. That the President spoke to the parents and families of these children , as a representative of the entire country, was a gesture that had its own burden. I'm sure he handled those moments with grace. I'm sure that his presence let those families know that they were not alone in their grief.
Reblogged this on Rainy Day Writing and commented:
Acts of true courage, leadership and love by a man who will be sorely missed…
I did not know President Obama did this, or not to this detail. As I read this page on this day December 19th of the electoral vote, I am truly saddened that we have arrived at such a place as this. I am an immigrant who came here at 11 years of age , my dad is american served in the Marines. When time came, I also served in the US military.. But rather my point is that when I arrived here as a child, this country and its people opened their arms up to me and their warmth was so comforting.
This electional result is in my eyes a loss of reason. A loss of empathy for the cloth of humanity we all inexorably belong to and are forever intertwined into. We have entered an age where history will not regard this moment as one of our best. It may very well regard it as one of our worst, only time will tell.
There is still hope however, the disparaging minority may have won this battle but the majority will prevail and reason and compassion will succeed over this irrational moment. For it to be otherwise would be unthinkable and declare that for all those who have gone before, their sacrifice was for naught….
Pingback: News Roundup & Open Thread for Monday, Dec. 19, 2016 | Blue Jersey
Nothing has changed except to get more extreme with Trump. Republicans have always been for the rich in our country and Democrats have always been for the poor. Republican have been known to cut taxes and make loopholes for the riche to get richer. Democrats have created programs to help people in our country get ahead or maintain a basic standard of living. It's been that way since I can remember. Now it will be worse. We will have more homeless and dead people in our streets than we could ever imagine thanks to Trump and his gang of criminals he's calling a cabinet. And the funny thing is that Trump supporters will be hit with this just as non-Trump supporters. Oh, they will make up excuses for a while until they run out of excuses and see how empty their own pockets have become. Wait and see. Trump is all about himself and his rich so-called friends. God help all of us.
Least he could do since his administration was behind it to begin with. These always help brainwash people into believing that all guns should be confiscated from everyone, even law abiding citizens, regardless of the Constitution which reiterates that gun ownership cannot be infringed by Congress, the President or the States! It's a natural right not given to us nor can it be taken from us by the government. Some mass shootings happen because of people who are evil. This is what happens when you take God out of everything. But if they didn't have guns, they would have found another way. Some mass shootings, I believe are orchestrated by the progressive scum that wants to brainwash the tools and that knows they can't achieve their goals with an armed populace. But get one thing straight….they can't take our guns without breaking the law and violating our rights. They can't even pass legislation with violating the Constitution. So the day they try, there will be a nation full of people who will see it as a clear declaration of war. And they will do whatever is necessary to stop the unlawful seizure of guns. The right to bear arms is the one right that safeguards all others. This isn't up for debate if you disagree. It's just a fact. It was decided long ago at the founding of this country. If you are not good with it, you can leave. The weapon doesn't have a mind of its own. Quit blaming it. We live in a society that is increasingly depraved and immoral. And you wonder why we have people with blackness in their hearts? People have denied their Creator and removed Him from every place they can, and continue to try and encroach on other people's rights to worship in the name of their own selfishness. It's a sick world. I will not be huddled in a corner, helpless to defend myself from those who are infected with that sickness. Now you can continue to rant about Trump, perpetuating the liberal media lies all you want. You're all extremely pathetic losers who can't stand not getting your way, but you go right ahead. It just solidifies how right we are about you.
Idiot, every president since Kennedy has been accused of trying to get rid of guns, when in fact, none have ever tried. What do you want, every teacher carrying, some teaches are nuts too.
The Constitution does NOT say gun ownership cannot be infringed by the President, Congress or the States.
What is does say is this.
A well regulated MILITIA, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Last time I checked, not everyone is in a Militia.
The writers of the Constitution specifically included those words because of the situation that was present with the King. The founders wanted to make sure we the people had means to "throw off the chains of tyranny" should the need ever arise again.
Love you dimestore scholars on the Constitution. Try reading Heller Vs. Washington DC.
Somewhat suspicious of this story being fake news as I seem to remember Obama being on vacation and the news stories of him doing just that would seem to dispel this as fake, but could be wrong.
Yes, you are wrong. He was there. This story is true. All the media outlets carried it. Newspapers, radio, online, even FOX news. http://thehill.com/blogs/twitter-room/other-news/273245-sandy-hook-survivors-tweet-photos-from-obamas-visit
You might want to try informing yourself before you comment. A simple Google search would have turned up this and hundreds of other links, YouTube videos and pictures.. Speaking of dime store "scholars"….
I have my PhD in Political Theory. I'm not a "dime store scholar. I can say with absolute certainty that your interpretation of the second amendment is Unsupported by the facts.
The second Amendment was very controversial. The chief dispute was between those who thought there should be an individual right to personal ownership of guns, and those who believed that such rights should be contingent upon a responsibility to the state.
To answer this, we need to know why they the felt gun ownership was so important that they should be addressed in the Bill of Rights at all.
(1) First, the founders knew there was always the risk of war, and the country must be prepared. (2) However, they were adamantly opposed to a standing army. (2a) Historically, standing armies had often turned on their governments. (2b) And, it would be very expensive to maintain. Note the enormous amount we spend on our standing army today. We spend as much money on our military as the next10 countries COMBINED!
(3) Further, they believed that democracies run the risk of devolving into tyrannies. Hence, they wanted the citizens to have the ultimate check on their government.
With these considerations in mind, it was almost universally agreed that people should be allowed to own guns, and it was important enough to be among the first ten amendments. Unfortunately, there was some disagreement about the extent and nature of gun rights, with some people arguing that membership in a local militia (NOT a bunch of weekend warriors, but organized militias organized and funded by the state, ready to go if called up by the federal government in time of war). Others contended that gun ownership was a personal, private right, and did not carry any obligation to the state.
They finally compromised, with the first clause establishing this right as contingent on the needs of the country. The second clause stresses a more individual right. The amendment was interpreted with the first clause being primary for 200 years, only recently being extend by the Supreme Court.
Thus, gun ownership is NOT an entirely individual right. It was amended to the constitution largely because it served the anticipated needs of the government, but also to allow for protection against government should dire circumstances require it.
As for the claim that Obama introduced socialism to our country where it never existed before that is simply untrue. We have a mixed economy, as do most countries. Socialist elements began filtering in to our country around the turn of the 20th century, had a huge boost under FDR in the Great Depression, another boost in the 1960s with LBJ's War on Poverty. Aside from ACA (Obamacare), Obama did little that might be called socialist.
What are some socialist features of our country? Publicly funded fire departments, police departments, basic infrastructure, unemployment insurance, Sicial Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public schools, disaster relief — the list goes on.
If you really want to show integrity, don't use any of the above. The real test will come after retire, when you highly principled opposition to socialism requires you to send your social security check back to the government each month, un cashed.
Your little treatise on the 2nd Amendment was great right up to where it totally fell apart when you said: "Thus, gun ownership is NOT an entirely individual right. It was amended to the constitution largely because it served the anticipated needs of the government, but also to allow for protection against government should dire circumstances require it."…. That's pretty much 70% wrong, I'll give you credit for the last part "protection against the government should dire circumstances require it". The Bill of rights clearly states that they are "unalienable" meaning they are neither bestowed upon nor can they be taken by men or institutions. The Bill of Rights are basic "human rights"… To support this and prove it unequivocally we only have to consider this: In 1787 when the Constitution was written, there was not an Albertson's or Safeway around the corner. Guns were not just for personal protection, military use or home defense, but also for hunting food. If guns were exclusively allowed for the "needs of the government" most people would have starved to death or slaughtered the few cattle they had. If you had suggested taking away their means of taking a deer or turkey they probably would have shot you and rightly so. They had just escaped a King and your suggestion echos of setting up the same system they had shed: the kings deer, the kings turkey now belong to "We the People". If that is not proof enough, look at the 1st Amendment. If they took that right away, would you no longer have that right? On the contrary, you would still have it and I suspect you would exercise it even more vocally.
First, thanks for reading my little treatise. The internet has conditioned people to think anything of 3 sentences is a short story, and two graphs is considered a novel.
No serious person wants to take all the guns away, just some form of background checks and the like.
Your choice of the first amendment to illustrate the inviolability of the bill of rights is excellent. It illustrates just the opposite. It has been well established in the courts that the public interest can give legitimate cause for constraining the bill of rights. The best example is the first amendment. Slander and libel laws limit free speech, for instance. But, if you really want to give it a test, yell "FIRE" in a crowded theater and see how quickly you get arrested.
Neither the word "unalienable" nor the phrase "natural rights" are included in The Bill of Rights. Quite the contrary, in fact. James Madison wanted the Bill of Rights to include a Preamble in which such concepts would be identified as bases for the enactment of the first 10 Amendments, and his proposed Preamble was outright rejected – in its entirety – by all governing bodies tasked with finalizing and eventually ratifying the Amendments that are known as The Bill of Rights.
Sorry Mickey, but what you, and so many others forget there is another document, The Declaration of Independence, that clarifies purpose of individual gun ownership. It says the King has a standing army superior to and separate from the people…That being said, the purpose of the Second Amendment is not about hunting. It's about a) guaranteeing a persons right to be secure in their perrson and possessions(4th Ammendment) b) freedom of speech, yours and mine. (1st Amendment) c) To provide the people the ability to overthrow a government should it become corrupt and tyranical (I would think that would be of special interest to liberals I've heard ranting about President-elect Trump.)… if you say "that could never happen"; look at Syria…. With regards to Sandy Hook specifically. An irresponsible prent let a sick person have access to a weapon and he did an unspeakable act and yes people suffered. We had gun laws before Sandy Hook. I heard the shooter broke 97 laws… 98 would not have stopped him any more than they stopped the shooters in San Bernadino or Florida. Taking guns from law abiding citizens would no more prevent this or make any more sense than making all people stop driving to get drunk drivers off the road. Grouping and punishing the good with the bad is simply not right. Anymore than grouping religious groups for example "all muslims are bad because some are indeed bad" It's not right or sensible to do so. If you want to see how a Militia works just look to Black Lives Matter or CAIR or one of the other hate groups currently functioning in America. I dont recall the NRA rioting and burning Baltimore or Ferguson.
Sorry Regallylegal but the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were in fact written in concert… If you don't think so, go ask your insurance guy if the "declarations page" of your insurance is a legal document related to the policy….They were written as a sum of their parts, not to be taken apart. The 1st Amendment gives you free speech, the 2nd Amendment is there to insure you will always have the 1st.. see how that works??? And they were all written in relationship to the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence. Sorry if that upsets you… Perhaps this would be a good time for some cocoa, pizza, your woobie and a safe space.
Are you really this stupid? I have to stop being drawn in to your crap.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were not "written in concert." They were written over a decade apart, by different people for vastly different purposes.
I'm definitely OK with stupid people. I'm also fine with ignorant people — we are all ignorant of many, many things. But someone who is ignorant and seemingly damn proud of it just boggles the mind.
Ok Jerry.. so that Star Wars thingy that came out in 1976 has nothing to do with that Rogue One that just came out? Who knew??? Shocked! And that book… uhhh the Bible.. 400 year gap between Old and New Testaments….I was totally unaware that two documents had to be written at exactly the same time to be "written in concert"… I think the word you were seeking was "obtuse" which I am not. Nor am I stupid… If you are incapable of fathoming the complexities of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and how they conjoin, perhaps you should get a refund on your Phd in Political Theory and take up something more suited to your intellect like "feminist dance theory"
Sorry Jerry, I was dumbing it down for you. I figured 3rd grade would be enough. Next time I'll shoot for Special Ed/1st grade… It's been real… hasta la vista baby! …Cant believe I managed a Star Wars reference, Arnold quote, Old Testament, New Testament, AND the Constitution and Declaration of Independence all in one conversation! … like a double hat trick! Sweet!
What a muddled mess! I could reply to nearly every sentence, but will restrict myself to just three things: first, your invoking God as partial justification for unfettered access to guns would be funny, if you did not believe it. Seriously. Where in the New Testament do you find anything about gun ownership? Or anything about the necessity for owning any kind of weapons at all? It cracks me up to picture Jesus, the prince of peace, Mr. turn-the-other-cheek himself, with his profound message of love and forgiveness, as a Republican NRA member, with an AK 47 hung over his shoulder.
The second thing I found funny was this: " It's a natural right not given to us nor can it be taken from us by the government."
A "natural right"? Really? Since the. Eginning of time, as a law of nature, human beings have had a right to own guns? Close your eyes and think back to that day, long ago, when your grandpa took you out to the wilds of nature. Remember the first time you saw them? What a magic moment! Remember the joy and awe when you crested that hill to find a herd of guns in their natural habitat, grazing in a dewy meadow? Nothing like the first time you harvest fresh, free range guns, just as nature intended.
So, Jerry, what you're saying is if a person breaks into your home to murder you, you won't defend yourself? Or if you go for a hike and are attacked by a wild animal, a big fluffy cuddly bear perhaps, which can run about 25 to 37 miles an hour and weigh up to 1300 pounds .. Your plan is just allow it to kill you? …While you may forego your natural instinct to survive, and the bear may appreciate that very much while munching on your femur, we don't all have to embrace your ignorance and willingness to die. This is a perfect example of natural selection at work. Since I am older and a slow runner I appreciate your willingness to just stand there and taste stinging death for the rest of us. So, yes, despite your perception to the contrary, we do have a natural right to defend ourselves whether the predator is 2 legged or 4 legged kind. That right does not come from a government, it has existed since the beginning of time. The fact that we have gotten rid of the sharp pointy stick and developed more efficient weapons may bother you but that's really not my problem. I guess my final questions would be this: Those people who died at Sandy Hook… Did they have a right to defend themselves or did the government take that right away somehow? Do you think they would have cared about a law saying they couldn't defend themselves at that moment?… Oh the bible thing: They didn't have guns then (if they existed you can bet they would have) but since you asked: Joel 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior."
The victims of Sandy Hook are primarily concerned about the fact that Lanza was able to rapidly fire an obscene amount of bullets from his weapon without having to stop and reload. Every time a mass shooter has to stop and reload, his victims have an opportunity to take him down. High capacity magazines guarantee high casualty rates because would-be heroes simply cannot take down a shooter who is non-stop spraying bullets in all directions.
Making the shooter stop and reload earlier and more frequently gives victims far more opportunities to neutralize or disarm him.
When you recover from my last reply go to youtube and search for "the Rifleman", opening, Chuck Conners… The rifle he is using is a 1894 Winchester single shot… not semi automatic, not fully automatic, not an "assault weapon" … I have one and you can re-load it while you fire too. No high capacity clip, but I can run about 20 shots before I grab another handful of shells. I suppose that should be banned too? How about the guy who can shoot 5 arrows from his bow in a second.. ban that too?… Also please enlighten me.. there are supposedly 80 million legal gun owners in America who own roughly 300 million guns. If Obama cant locate and deport 11 million illegals, "because it's just not feasible" how pray-tell are you going to locate and confiscate 300 million guns from people who dont want to give them up? Just curious. .. and that's just the legal owners.. you really think the criminals are going to step up and hand over their guns? Not being as sarcastic as you think. I am just amazed how people have a solution but no realistic plan.
It's implied Jerry…my mistake for not reading correctly between the lines…So you don't want to actually take the weapons or the high capacity magazines away???… Maybe just pass a law that says the crazed mass shooters have to count to 10 and yell "ollie ollie oxen free!" between magazines??? Maybe???
I'll just go tear my Bible in half cuz, you know, that whole first half was a waste of space… Evidently God be like a 5th grade English teacher: "go write me 3000 pages and no copying!" …So that whole old testament was fluff. Got it! I feel so much better now that I can forget all that crap! …. You do know that the Old Testament parallels the New Testament, right? Kinda seeing a pattern here Jerry.. you just don't get that whole "written in concert" deal huh?
This is not the fault of the gun enthusiasts… The blame falls directly on the mother who was irresponsible in not locking up her guns with an unstable child in the house. Let's apply your logic to other situations: All Muslims are bad because some of them are terrorists…. That's the same argument substituting "Muslim" for "gun enthusiasts"… I have owned many many many guns and used them for about 46 years. Crimes broken: Zero, People harmed or killed: Zero. Obama said "we shouldn't judge a billion Muslims based on the actions of a few bad actors"… But its okay to judge 80 million legal gun owners based on the actions of even fewer bad actors? Sorry but I disagree.
You talk of the value of having guns to protect oneself, then later blame the mother for not locking up her guns. I see a problem here:
Home. 2:00 am. The bedroom window shatters and two men suddenly appear at the foot of your bed with guns pointed at your head. You say, "AH HA! You criminal scum have picked the wrong house THIS time. Ha. Wait a minute for me to go get my gun out of the gun safe and I'll sho YOU a thing or two…"
No Jerry, I have 2 choices… Kimber solo 9mm under the pillow or, if time allows, reach over and put my hand on the biometric gun safe next to my bed which opens with MY fingerprint and I have my loaded Kimber .45 and 3 clips… not to mention I have IR cameras with motion alerts so I would know long before they get near my house. If you want my address let me know! We can test it all out!
Before you say.. Oh, geeze a redneck blah blah blah… nope.. Educated, 3.94 GPA College grad… Curious.. same scenario… 2AM same guys knock down your door… you have no gun… your solution? Call 911 and wait for the coroner to draw a chalk line around you and your wife and notify next of kin?
No Vox, I sleep quite well and have no fear. It's called being prepared… I wasn't aware that you had to actually be traumatized prior to preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. Do you or your women friends not carry pepper spray? Walk alone at night to their car at the club? If they don't, they should. And they should take a self defense class too. Sorry but I would rather live on my feet than die on my knees and I don't plan on becoming a victim… Maybe the better question is: Where do you live that is so crime free that you don't have home invasions or murder or assaults? I'll just move there!
What is wrong with you CJC? The Obama administration never suggested that guns be taken away. The people for gun reform just want them out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill like the young man who killed these people. You listen and believe hatred, project it on others, then call yourself a believer. Sounds scarily familiar. Like people who justify their hatred in the name of their God?
Constitution has been ratified many times. If you think nothing can be done about inequity, study what happened in the Civil War. More lives were lost in the Civil War, by the way, than all the wars we have fought in……combined.
Religion won't justify the killing of 26 little kids at Sandy Hook!
All of the unrest, war, and atrocities going on in the world today is caused by one thing: religion. It is amazing to see in a technologically advanced age that people….tribes, if you will, will war over people not adhering to their beliefs!
Believe whatever you want……..don't expect others, or ME, to believe as you do. A 2000 year old book of atrocities and hate doesn't interest me…….call it the word of god all you like…….it ISN'T1
I do believe in God but I think your post was great. It makes you think and you are right all that is going on today is because of religion and trying to force ones personal beliefs on someone else. They can talk about terrorist threats all they want but the biggest threat is the people in our own country and the republican congress. Sandy Hook was an American tragedy and that the president begged congress to act and they chose not to was even worse.
Whoa there sicko… This was an article about compassion, not an attack on the NRA… You are a sad excuse for an American and a human being. If anyone should leave this country it's those like yourself who are so paranoid and frightened and blinded by hate. Your humanity is gone. You will see how your "God" judges you over time. Your ARE the sickness in this world. And you ARE huddled in a corner, helpless because you have only hate in your heart and hate will be your prison until you learn to let it go.
And, your rant just solidifies how right we are about you. A pathetic Right Wing ultra- conservative Republican who cares about no one but yourself in a depraved and immoral world of your making. And, no need to put God in the middle of this. God would never favor guns. The guns do not have minds, but the people who should never have been allowed access to one do. You may never have to face the truth about yourself in this world, but when you get to the pearly gates you will learn that God is a Liberal.
You sir ….. Do not even know or comprehend the 2nd amendment to which you so valiantly hide behind. The 2nd amendment is a very brief passage but so wise in its very first statement " A well regulated militia ….. " To this which means that the founding fathers intent was for citizens to protect the citizenry in times of peril. Not for the citizenry to create those time of peril and massacre other citizens….
No one wishes to take guns away, merely do thorough background checks! My questions for you and anyone else afraid of those background checks is simple: "Which side do you wish to be standing on? The right or the left? And I am not talking about the political Isle." (You'll find your answer in Mathew 25:31-46)
Since Obama was behind the evil and Sandy Hook, as you say, why did he not take anyone's guns away after 8 years? Hell, congress didn't even do squat with the lives of 20 young children not being anywhere near as important as the fantasies of creepy men.
Please review how to spot fake news and conspiracy theories before you post. You make yourself look foolish. And ask yourself some questions about what you post before clicking the button. If it makes you sound completely paranoid, it might be a good idea to let the idea go.
Wow, talk about brainwashed. You haven't a clue. As a Christian, I believe my God is not the same as your God. My God is love. People like you who think guns are more important than the lives of others should not claim to be Christian.
Yes, I do agree we live in a sick world, but you are contributing to that sickness with your beliefs in guns, Trump and using God as your excuse!!!
The only people saying that The Obama Administration wants to take the guns away are the gun manufacturers and the NRA. It's been almost 8 years. Anyone take your guns yet. Congrats on being a pawn for the NRA! I hope a crazy idiot who got a gun because there are no back ground checks doesn't decide to shoot up some place you happen to be at. These people lost their children, show some compassion. If you can't show compassion, then shut the hell up!
You have missed the entire point. In the face of great tragedy, the leader of our country came to share in the devastation of these families, without aggrandizement, with only, it seems, to let the Sandy Hook families know that they did not grieve alone. If you have ever lost someone you love, you know how powerful that can be.
As opposed to our leader-elect, who in the face of great human tragedy in Aleppo is all consumed by a bad review of a restaurant.
I am not impressed.
We are so worried as a country because ,everyone knows trump is not a good man and thats our problem if he had some decency just a little we could abide him as we have done in the pass , if the side you voted for lost . This is not the case the man is unfit if he was not a racist,a liar, if he show us his taxes like so many president before him we could tuff it out but he has no redeeming quality and we as a country are worried .We will miss Obama so very much as always you never miss someone until they are gone
It breaks my heart that so many people in this country don't know the goodness & heart of our President, President Obama. You can see it in the way he talks directly to people, the way he is gracious, the way he cares, the way he feels. It's written on his face, in his eyes, and his mannerisms. To me, it's been an honor to have him as ou President. Thank you Sir.
I'm as far from a Russian one can get but I find it ironic the likes of you, brainwashed lunatics who are so placated but the current divider-in-chief.
Your blind "in-obummer-we-trust" attitude is sickening, you'd make any propagandist at Pravda very proud. I didn't care for bush, am ambivalent about trump but found obama worst than carter, and that says a lot.. yes, an elitist leftist demagogue who pretends he cares about regular people while using Air Force One as his private golfing excursion vehicle of transportation.. Speaking of which, he just flew out to Hawaii, again, on our dime.. yes, good riddance!
Lynda – you might have a good heart but my experience of dealing with democrats is of lies and deceit. The most racist and obnoxious human beings, and I use the term human beings very loosely, have always been democrats. Not all of them, I realize it, but I do believe the majority of elitists, racist, socialist O'bot drones.
Then you must be too young to have known many Democrats. It's the right-wing who are the most racist. Believe me–I got my first computer in 1998 and every email "forward" or posts I've seen in blogs, on FB, etc, have ALL (yes, ALL) have come from Republicans and right-wingers. I was actually a registered Republican until I was in my early 30's and realized they are not for the people. They represent big business, and even though it's been proven that Reagan's "Trickle Down Theory" does not work, the Republicans still choose to believe in giving big business huge tax breaks and tell us this will help the masses. Oh, you'll never hear them use the term "trickle down theory" since it is a known failure to those old enough to remember it because big business is is just greedy and does not give employees decent raises or hire more people like Republicans still blindly believe. No–I even have to take that back…even THEY aren't that dumb to believe it works–they just back big business because that's who pays (or more like "buys") them. THEY are also the ones behind "Citizens United" which I still can't believe was deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court. Our country has turned into a Godless nation and Trump coming into power is proof.
You are also obviously not aware that a big college did a study several years ago, researching whether Jesus would have been a Democrat or Republican based on all He said. My first thought was that he'd be a Republican (but that's because of my upbringing in a strict church who views God as being a more "judgmental" versus a "loving and merciful" God). Needless to say, I was surprised to learn that they found Jesus would have had to be a Democrat, based on what He taught. Now that I've read the Bible myself many times, I can understand that He would have been a Democrat by the many things He said. It's Democrats who are not judgmental and are open to differences in people and allows them to be who they are. Jesus said it is HIS place to judge–not ours. If you even watched "real" news on a regular basis I can guarantee you would have learned how ignorant you sound. By the things you mentioned I'd say you are either in your teens or 20's–tops. Otherwise, you are someone who only watches and listens to right-wing broadcasts and not "real" news. We can choose to remain ignorant and only listen to one-sided, biased entertainers, or we can open ourselves up and educate ourselves. I choose the latter–which is why I get requests for donations from both parties. I do use "No Script" to help hide my identity from websites, but I made the mistake of allowing a safe Republican site to run once because it was the only way I could read the article. That was it–they were able to track me and send me requests for donations! But I'd rather have that inconvenience if it means I am willing to honestly read reputable articles from both sides. At 61 years old I have seen enough to identify those who educate themselves and those who only listen and read biased information. You are obviously the latter, based on so many things you stated as fact that are outright untrue. If you can come back 20 years from now and read all the things you posted, I can guarantee that you will laugh at yourself.
Seriously doubt that. You and I are about the same age and we totally disagree on pretty much everything. My entire life I, along with many of my relatives have experienced racism and discrimination and yes, it was almost exclusively by the so called progressives who are nothing but closet biggots and racists. You can keep spreading your koolaid, I know it's all empty words full of hate but hidden in the form of pretty "progressive" themes of equality and brotherhood. A truly pathetic bunch of liars.
…and trump wants the people of New York to pay for his wife and son to stay in New York rather than live in the White House as every president had done in history. How can you read this article and find negatives? You are literally searching for something negative to say.
Darwinism, please help us.
It shows how much attention you're paying. I said I was ambivalent about trump, don't care about him at all. However, you need to stop lying about trump wanting taxpayers to pay for his New York place. It's a lie, you know it, and yet you keep spreading it. By the way, he is giving up his salary which obunner should have done too for all the damage he did to our country. Yes, Darwinism is alive and well, your moronic response proves it.
And the statistics (unemployment being way down, he led us out of a near-depression in 8 years–something no financial expert thought could be done, and many other things he accomplished)–all back up what you just said. Unfortunately, people like Niclas don't read, watch or listen to "real" news.
Greg commented:
"I dont recall Trump asking anyone to pay for anything. He,simply stated they wouldnt immediately be moving into the Whitehouse. The secret service cosrs wouldnt be any different than the cost of MOOOO-chelles world travels… but I guess if you need a reason to piss and moan…"
How about you read the entire comment before you post? I never said Trump was asking us to pay for anything. I said some of the commenters here are saying that and they're lying. I was agreeing with you so maybe you should reply to those who are disagreeing with you instead?
I don't know your life experience but I would bet you could use about 50 more years of experience in living through presidents…and maybe a few courses in psychology
! And YES the total lack of insight into what these families lost that day and what it had to have taken forr our president and his staff to get through that with such grace and quiet caring! I simply cannot imagine and I've lived a long time and had my share of tragic losses in life, but thank God never had to give up a child. President Obama hasn't been perfect..no one is..but his leadership brought stability and common sense and dignity and grace to all of us..whether rabid republicans will let themselves see that or not. I have been a registered Republican and voted for several GOP presidents but never never again. I have such pride in Obama and have been a Hillary supporter for over 30 years and I'm still with her!
But I'll bet you are just jumping for joy that your tax dollar is being used to pay for Trump to stay in his tower to the tune of a million dollars a day. Yep. Got that straight. But oh yes let's get our undies in a knot about the way we have been providing transportation for our president for years. It's required. Has been for as long as I've been on earth. And to top it all no one complained when the white prez had to go home or on vacation. Oh no that was just fine.
Niclas, I was not a Trump supporter, but when he has done something right I have recognized it. I am a democrat and when Hillary did something wrong I spoke up about it. When Obama does something right, I praise him. I have also been known to disagree with aspects of his foreign policy. I can tell by your comment that you don't hold that neutrality. I believe there was a trip to Florida where he did some work and golf, but I don't know a business person who hasn't mixed work and pleasure. I also know about a lot of deals that are made on the golf course. Yes he did go to Hawaii and secret service men have to go. The same number of secret service agents that are renting rooms in Trump Tower. After the assassination of Kennedy and attempted assassination of almost every President since then, the secret service have been very present everywhere. The President, President-elect, past presidents, and many more need to be protected from the kind of hate that you seem to represent.
Niclas…JS is correct. We are a "republic" and NOT a true democracy. You wrote in an earlier post that we became a socialist country under President Obama. Well, Medicare has been around MUCH longer than President Obama. So has Medicaid, public assistance, Please stay in or go back to school. You've got TOO much learning to do yet.
OK Niclas, again I ask you to cite your sources for saying this. I've asked you to cite sources for some of the ridiculous things you've posted, but to date you have not responded with any. I also really wish you would do yourself a favor and save all your posts so you can read them again in 20 years. As I've said before, you WILL laugh at yourself–I can guarantee it!
You are definitely the deranged one. President Obama is a good man, father, and husband. It is ludicrous to state that he is racist with all the racism shown toward him from the GOP/TP. You may disagree with his policies, but to say that he used tragedies to further his political agenda, is just plain wrong
An awful president? Really???
1. Bringing unemployment from nearly 10% when he took office down to 4.6%
2. Creating over 15 million new private sector jobs
3. Insuring an additional 20 million Americans
4. Nearly tripling the stock market
5. Killing Osama Bin Laden and thousands of terrorists
6. Reducing poverty to its lowest level in 50 years.
7. Wages increasing at their highest level in 40 years
8. The longest period of uninterrupted job growth in history
9. Reducing the deficit by two-thirds
10. 2$ a gallon gas
11. Saving the auto industry
12. Pulling us out of the worst economic disaster since the great depression
13. Ending the war in Iraq
14. Keeping us safe from external terrorist attacks
15. Regaining our stature world wide
16. Enabling our having the cleanest air since before the invention of the automobile
Yes, indeed, all awful things.
Do you realize how stupid you are? Do you actually believe anything you just typed? If you do you should do us a favor and just jump off a tall building because the brainwash you've been exposing yourself to has made you a worthless human being. You simply repeat their talking points. That's it.
Sorry ginapa, but Obama really didnt do anything in 8 years… When youre in a recession there is nowhere to go but up. Obama's bailouts only made things worse for our children. He ran up the national debt, he reduced unemployment by replacing good paying jobs with low wage and part time jobs. I could go on and on. Bottom line is he is a failure. As far as being a "good man" as this article assrets: Good men dont lie(obamacare, the IRS, Benghazi)… Good men dont talk tough then run from evil.. his red line on cgemical weapons. Good men dont play the race card.. Ferguson, Baltimore… Good men dont use the IRS and Justice Department as Political tools. Going to Sandy Hook wasnt for the people who lost loved ones, it was just to stroke his fragile ego and a photo opportunity.
Greg – totally agree with everything you said. Obummer is a total failure. He's a manipulative, lying sack of manure. 25-50 years from now people will refer to him as the man who used America's past wrong doings to divide our country even more. Someone who felt that revenge racism is the way to "heal" – not the nation but his own ego. He didn't help us, the minorities of this country; instead he encourage racism by focusing on one race only while disregarding all others. He is the definition of closet revenge-racists himself. A man hiding his ugly and burning hate behind pretty words of inclusion and equality. What's even worst are the legions of mindless O'drones who view him as their savior and god almighty himself. They see nothing wrong with him at all no matter what. The brainwash of these leftist haters is complete.
No matter how carefully you dress it up, the real source of your frustration is that you cannot accept the notion of a black man in the Oval Office. "Revenge racist." Relax. It's almost over. Enjoy these last few days of groundless hostility toward President Obama and prepare for the next four years trying to defend the indefensible.
How does the color of your skin somehow serve as an argument against your own racism? Regardless of your motivations (you must admit that the boundless intensity of your hostility suggests something more than meets the eye), the single greatest motivation among his detractors is pure and simple racism. My being a "loon," or whatever silly name name you use, and you being if whatever ethnicity you claim to be, doesn't matter. We're just two people. Broadly, throughout our 320,000,000 people, race is the reason; is not the only reason, of course, it is the foundation for a lot of hatred. But I repeat myself. Adios, uncle Nick.
Read some of the replies here to those of us who aren't buying your god's koolaid – yes, you liberals are the sickest of the sickest human beings. Racism is in your blood but you don't even realize it. You keep people addicted to government programs and claim you're actually helping them. LOL!
I know all too well what living in the projects is like. The democratic party's own ghetto enclaves. Couldn't keep us enslaved so this is the next best thing you came up with.
My point was that obummer is using his race for everything close to his heart, he was elected because he was black. Pure and simple. You democrats felt sorry for mistreating us minorities so you elected this false prophet simply because he looks black but speaks white.
Now he's using his race for this anti-gun agenda using murdered kids for his own propaganda purposes. Yes, you are all sick for blindly following his lead, spare me your lectures, I've lived the life obummer claims he understands.
1) He didnt do that… they changed how unemployment is defined and they dont count people who stopped looking… currently the lowest labor participation rate since 1976
2) Didnt do that either… We have a Bureau of Labor Statistics and thier projection were 15 million jobs by 2015… your giving him credit for economic growth that would have happened anyway.
3) And doubled the insurance costs of 80 million to pay for it before it collapses
4) He didnt build that
5) And released 5 terrorist leaders for a deserter allowing syria to use chemical weapons on civilians… the famous red line
6) not true… hightezt number of people on food stamps and welfare in our history
7) Not true.. wages are stagnant or lower than when he took office.. high end jobs lost, replace with low end jobs
8) Simply not true
9) Uhhh 9 trillion when he took office 19 trillion now…that is not a 2/3 reduction… redo your common core
10) gas is cheap because of American oil industry… NOTHINGto do with Obama and his green energy failures
11) Not really
12) No… all he did was kick the can down the road by doubling the national debt and putting the burden on future generations. If you put all your current debt on a new credit card then bought a new home doubling your debt did you really fix anything? No.
13)Its still going …and Isis is usingthe equipment he left behing against us
14) you mean like San Bernadino and Miami night club? … safe… right
15) Like how Russia,Syria, Noth Korea, Iran all laugh every time Obama talks tough?
16)By signing agreement where we cut pollution while the rest of the world does nothing??? BFD. Zero long term impact if China continues to pollute.
The one thing he did: became undisputed WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!
I believe he is one of the best Presidents we have ever had. He is intelligent, caring, compassionate, humorous, a loving husband and father and do much more. We would not be in as good a shape without him. I am grieving the loss of him as our president. I wish that as one last farewell gesture he would consider making Standing Rock a memorial or something to keep Trump from allowing it to be pillaged.
Margaret.. I truly like your sentiment as well as MEB'S very much, but at the same time it's a bit hard for me not to speculate about Trump because of things he's already said since he's been elected (let alone the horrible things he said before the election). It's hard to try to sit back and "give him a chance" because of what he's said and done since Election Day, and he's not even in office yet. So I can't help feeling terrified for our country. Whether it's regarding the national or international scene, I feel we are in big trouble. I pray everyday that God will take charge, help us and forgive us for electing such a disturbed, amoral and unethical man to be POTUS.
Trump has been auditioning for this job for over a year now. I feel like we've had an excellent opportunity to see his strengths and weaknesses, we've seen the cabinet he is asenbking, we've seen his IR gaffs, and his childish tweets, all of which makes it very, very hard to think he is somehow going to be a different man come January 20.
Trump, doing charitable things for anyone? That's laughable. Unless there is something in it for him he won't do anything,….except maybe claim that he did more then anyone else in history, hahaha. He's an egomaniac and a liar. Don't expect anything and you won't be disappointed.
There you go again Theresa. I believe you are a either a hater or a troll and I wonder who's perspective you are actually promoting. You are not supporting Obama in the spirit of his time in office. So either you are incredibly impulsive, extremely enraged and vindictive and that is shadowing your posts or you are stirring the pot. Strategic drama or personal drama, whichever it is, you are inciting it. I encourage you, if you are indeed a operating with integrity, to reconsider your tact.
With the personality Trump has, it is very highly unlikely he does ANY charitable giving anonymously, which is likely one of many reasons he won't disclose his 1040's (as EVERY President elect has done for several decades. Remember when he offered a donation to Vets during his campaign and had to be shamed into following through with the money months later when it was disclosed that he hadn't given a red cent. Does he sound like a man who ever does anything for anyone (except family) without boasting about it? Use your critical thinking skills.
Because there has been many tragedies throughout history and none has made such a personal response as President Obama. You only need to go back one president to G.W. Bush. He was "kind enough" to fly over LA after Katrina–over a week later and only AFTER he was shamed into doing so. Even then, he never met with people–just did a brief fly-over. Real compassionate, huh? And the time it took people to get federal help was shameful.
Please list the charitable donations you are referring to and cite your sources. Two organizations he bragged about making donations to during the campaign both said he never contributed anything to them. He didn't respond! BTW….When businesses or people make anonymous donations, the organizations themselves know who the donor is–it's just that the donor requests the organization(s) not to list their names and to keep them anonymous. That's because people don't drop off thousands in cash to an organization–they write a check or money order "which has their names or business listed on them." Are you really that naive and ignorant, or perhaps just very young and don't know any better?


text:
ASHTANGA LITE: Ashtanga yoga is a 5000 year old sequence of postures designed to bring strength, flexibility and endurance to the body and a sense of stillness to the mind. Each movement of this dynamic yoga is synchronized with the breath. Though the class will be "talked through", it is likely that you will evolve to a Mysore (self-guided) style practice. This will allow you to focus your attention inward and find meditation in movement. This class is light, infused with humor, and simultaneously stimulating and calming. Class concludes with live native fluting and/or drums and singing bowl. If you are brand new to yoga, it is recommended that you attend a beginner or all-level class prior to attending the Ashtanga class (60 minutes).
BASIC YOGA SCULPT: This is a great class to introduce weights into your yoga flow routine. Designed for all levels, this class breaks down proper form and offers modifications and advancements. This will help you burn more calories as you develop strong muscles that are long and lean and sculpted. The next version of this class includes cardio or plyometrics bursts to get your heart rising even more! (60 minutes).
KIDS YOGA (ages 6 - 12): Yoga comes to life in these fun and creative classes designed to stimulate a child while conveying lessons in self-expression, body image, social skills, positive thinking, and environmental awareness. Kids yoga classes will spark the child's inner yogini while enhancing language development, motor coordination and awareness skills. Classes are a balance between games and active & passive poses (60 minutes).
KUNDALINI YOGA: Kundalini yoga is referred to as the yoga of awareness. It combines specific poses and breath work with ancient mantras to to create a deep body, mind, ether connection. The benefit is a feeling of balance that one carries throughout ones daily activities and increased intuition that supports a sense of emotional ease and inner peace (75 minutes).
RESTORATIVE SOUND HEALING: Gentle restorative relaxation and amazing crystal sound bowl session. Align your energy charkras to heal yourself through sound healing, breathing, letting go! (75 minutes)
VINYASA YOGA FLOW: Vinyasa flow takes students on a journey of meditation through movement, connecting with the breath, to relieve tension, build strength, balance, and flexibility of the body as well as the mind to encourage an overall state of bliss. All levels are welcome, and modifications are tailored for the individual to meet you wherever you are on your journey, from beginner to advanced. Vinyasa yoga teaches us to cultivate an awareness that links each action to the next—on the mat and in our lives (60 minutes)
WISE YOGA - Relax & Rejuvenate (Ages 45+ only!): Awaken your bodies power to Rejuvenate and Regenerate more energy, enhancing your physical well being, better circulation, mindful breathing, while gaining strength in muscles and bones, along with better balance, focus and concentration! Some common proven benefits: Reduced back pain and general body aches and pains, increased joint flexibility, increased strength (arthritis), balanced blood sugar levels, decreased weight, improved mood and reduced anxiety! Gentle, progressive yoga strength building poses and flow - Great for new and experienced yoga students! (60 minutes)
YOGA ENERGY FLOW + CORE: YOGA FLOW is an invigorating yoga flow emphasizing power, lengthening, and stretching, while integrating core work. This energetic yoga flow ranges from sun salutations, grounding standing poses, detoxifying twists, heart openers, and balancing postures. Great way to kick off your day! (60 minutes, barefoot).
YOGA FLOW STRETCH: This is a great class to introduce you to a well-rounded yoga practice that focuses on stretching and lengthening your muscles. Designed for the beginner/intermediate in mind, this class breaks down various yoga postures or asanas and incorporates them into a fun yoga flow emphasizing length and stretch. Advancements are offered for the more seasoned practicioner. (60 minutes, barefoot).
YOGA SCULPT: "awesome fusion of weights & yoga flow" a total body workout that combines light weights and cardio with yoga postures to target and tone specific muscle groups; builds balance, strength & sexy long lean muscles (60 minutes).
$5 55+ COMMUNITY CHAIR YOGA: This class is a community effort, being subsidized by Carlsbad Causes for Community (C3), Heritage Senior Care, and Carlsbad Village Yoga Co-op! Join the senior community and lengthen and stretch your bodies, minds, and community connections. For more information, please visit www.carlsbadcauses.org
YOGA FOR SPECIAL NEEDS ADULTS: This yoga class for special needs adults is a partnership effort with the Adaptive Yoga Movement and local non-profit, TERI Inc. TERI serves students living in San Diego and South Riverside counties who have Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, and other forms of mild to moderate disabilities affecting learning, behavior, and social skills. To learn more about TERI and their programs, please visit

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kadkam Pma-Temp is a durable stability PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) milling block, used for temporary restorations. It has low water absorption and solubility, guarantee high long term stability and homogeneity, meets three different dentin shade colors A1, A2 and A3. The Kadkam Pma-Temp PMMA block without toxic or allergic substances and for durable use in the oral cavity, easy for milling and polishing and can be stained or layered for maximum esthetics. The temporary restoration process is designed by the CAD process with an intra-oral or impression data, then fabricated by the milling system.
•Easy to mill
•Best shape stability
•Burns out without trace
•Very good surface quality
•Type: Shades A1/A2/A3, Pink
•Diameter: 98mm
•Thickness: 10/12/14/16/18/20/22/25mm (With/without step)
•Indications: long-term temporary crowns and bridges
•For System: Open system (For Amann Girrbach, Zirkonzahn system, pls inquire)
Parameters & Specification: ......
1. For more information of this product, welcome to visit kucco-koul website.
2. For further inquiry, please contact us directly via E-mail.
3. The leading supplier of dental CAD/CAM products - Kucco-Koul.


text:
Firestone On Integrity
I believe fundamental honesty is the keystone of business.
Harvey Firestone, tire entrepreneur
Covey On Actions
You can't talk your way out of what you've behaved yourself into.
Stephen Covey, author
Wilson On Hurdles
The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is not to frighten them, but to challenge them.
Woodrow Wilson, 28th U.S. president
Mandela On Achievement
After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
Nelson Mandela, South African leader
Evert On Confidence
Every time, all the time, I'm a perfectionist. I feel I should never lose.
Chris Evert, tennis player


text:
Dallas (Texas), Feb.18 : The Dallas County district attorney's office has unearthed a treasure trove of memorabilia from the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in an old safe on the 10th floor of the courthouse.
According to a Dallas Morning News report, it includes personal letters to and from former District Attorney Henry Wade, a gun holster, official records from the Jack Ruby trial, letters to Ruby and clothing that probably belonged to him and Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, said Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins.
Conspiracy theorists will rejoice over one find: a highly suspect transcript of a conversation between Ruby and Oswald plotting to kill the president because the mafia wanted to "get rid of" his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy.
"It will open up the debate again about whether there was a conspiracy," said Watkins, who at 40 was born four Novembers after Kennedy was killed in 1963.
The purported Oswald-Ruby conversation took place on Oct. 4, 1963, at Ruby's Carousel Club on Commerce Street. It reads like every conspiracy theorist's dream of a smoking gun that ties the men to a plot to kill Kennedy.
But the curator of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza said the conversation could not have happened.
Terri Moore, Watkins' top assistant, said she believes the transcript is part of a movie that Mr. Wade was working on with producers.
Watkins is expected to formally announce the finding of about a dozen boxes of materials on Monday at a news conference. The vast majority of the documents are authentic records from the 1960s.
Gary Mack, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, laughed when told of the transcript. He has not seen it or any of the other documents found in the safe.
illiam J. Alexander, the only surviving prosecutor from Ruby's trial for killing Oswald in the days after Kennedy's assassination, told the district attorney's office he'd never seen the Ruby-Oswald transcript. But it's labeled with a sticker that says, "Plaintiff's Exhibit 27." Typically, exhibits for criminal trials are marked as state's exhibits or defense exhibits.
The DA's office said Alexander, who rarely talks about the Ruby trial, declined to be interviewed.


text:
Next Episode of The Golden Girls is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
The Golden Girls follows four South Florida seniors sharing a house, their dreams, and a whole lot of cheesecake. Bright, promiscuous, clueless, and hilarious, these lovely mismatched ladies form the perfect circle of friends.
Ham Lushbough, the one man Blanche has never been able to get into bed with her, is visiting Miami and wants to see her, and Blanche is thrilled at the opportunity -- until she sees the older, balder, heavier Ham. Meanwhile, Rose and Dorothy see a strange object in the night sky, and Rose is convinced it was a UFO.
After being dumped on Valentine's Day by their dates, Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose reminisce about past Valentine's Day experiences that didn't turn out as planned. Meanwhile, Sophia has a special date with Latin singer Julio Iglesias.
Following the death of one of Sophia's remaining friends, Dorothy looks for a way to spend some quality bonding time with her mother. At Sophia's request, they go to Disneyworld, only their fun weekend didn't turn out as Sophia's request since it rained the entire time they were at the park. Meanwhile back at home, Rose and Blanche try their hand at writing their own children's book.
Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose get in hot water when Rose announces that Bob Hope is her biological father and will gladly volunteer as the Master of Ceremony at an upcoming benefit they're chairing.
Rose's younger sister Holly drops by and begins spending time with Dorothy and Blanche, leading Rose to feel as though Holly is deliberately leaving her out of their excursions. Meanwhile, Sophia watches Dreyfuss, the neighbor's dog, who soon runs away.
Betty White(Rose Nylund)
Beatrice Arthur(Dorothy Zbornak)
Rue McClanahan(Blanche Devereaux)
Estelle Getty(Sophia Petrillo)
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
Need an Ovulation Test in Saint Peter, MN? Simply order online 24/7 and get a fast, affordable Ovulation Test at a lab near you (Find More Locations):
What is an Ovulation Test?
The Ovulation Test helps check for ovulation using blood markers. The Ovulation Test is used to help guide decisions for people trying to get pregnant in Saint Peter, MN.
How much does an Ovulation Test cost?
Our Ovulation Test price includes the doctor's order that you need to get tested in Saint Peter, MN, all lab fees and taxes, and a pdf copy of your results. For current prices, CLICK HERE.
What does an Ovulation Test report look like?
For an Ovulation Test sample report, please CLICK HERE.
We are delighted to offer the Ovulation Test in Saint Peter, MN.
Ovulation Test in other cities near Saint Peter, MN:Arlington | Cleveland | Eagle Lake | Elysian | Gaylord | Green Isle | Henderson | Kasota | Lake Crystal | Le Center | Le Sueur | Madison Lake | Mankato | Nicollet | Saint Clair


text:
How to buy the best range cooker
By Jane Darling
There are hundreds of range cookers to choose from, including dual-fuel, gas and electric. Use this guide to find the best range cooker for you.
Put us to the test
Our Test Labs compare features and prices on a range of products. Try Which? to unlock our reviews. You'll instantly be able to compare our test scores, so you can make sure you don't get stuck with a Don't Buy.
If you're not yet sure whether you want a range cooker or standard cooker, the video buying guide above should help you decide which type is most suited to you.
You can also browse our full range cooker reviews, where we reveal the Best Buy range cookers that have topped our independent lab tests.
Buying the best range cooker for you
Range cookers combine ovens, grills and a hob. Use our interactive tool to learn more about each of these and other features to help track down the cooker that will suit you best.
How much does a decent range cooker cost?
For £750 you will be able to find a good range cooker with an accurate oven that heats evenly, a grill that spreads heat evenly and a well-designed and easy to use hob. But you'll need to choose wisely as not all range cookers available for around this price do a good job of heating food.
Best Buy range cookers are available for less than £750, and some will have the distinctive four-door range cooker set-up of two ovens, a separate grill compartment and a fourth drawer. At this price, the fourth compartment is more likely to be a storage drawer for pots and pans rather than a more helpful warming drawer.
Cheaper range cookers will lack some of the trademark cooking accessories, such as griddles, hotplates and roasting trays, that you might normally expect to find on a range cooker. But if you pay around £1,200 for a range cooker you'll find more of the features and accessories that make cooking easier.
More will have fan-assisted ovens and multi-function cooking. And handy accessories, such as griddles, wok rings (like in the image above) and roasting trays attached to the inside of the doors, are more common. Some will come with catalytic oven linings that make cleaning easier, and also look out for a warming drawer for plates.
At around the £1,500 mark, you'll be more likely to find range cookers with self-cleaning ovens as standard - either catalytic, absorbent linings or super-heating pyrolytic programs.
It's also at around this price that you'll find range cookers with quick-heating and energy-saving induction hobs. At this price, a range cooker should come with all of the cooking bells and whistles a keen cook would want.
There seems to be no upper limit on the amount you can pay for a range cooker, but you definitely shouldn't need to pay more than £2,000 to get an excellent range cooker with all of the features you desire. Any more than this and you'll be paying more for the name than you are for the performance.
Range cooker sizes
Range cookers are bigger than freestanding cookers - most are 90cm, 100cm or 110cm wide - and come with between five and eight hob rings or burners, two ovens, a grill and a warming or storage drawer.
Large range cookers tend to have four separate compartments, comprising two ovens, a large grill and a heated warming drawer or storage drawer for pots and pans. They generally have six to eight burners.
Smaller range cookers need to fit these features into a more condensed space, so they generally have two ovens, a grill and a five or six-burner hob. You can find some range cookers with just one oven, but this provides less of a true range-cooking experience.
Mini range cookers are like range cookers in looks, but in terms of size they are the same width as a standard freestanding cooker (60cm).
Range cooker fuels
The cheapest option is to stick with the fuel type that your current cooker runs on. Although gas is cheaper to cook with, if your current cooker runs on electricity, it will take many years to recoup the outlay of swapping over to a gas connection.
On the other hand, dual-fuel range cookers are a popular choice. Many people like an electric oven coupled with a gas hob - and these do well in our tests. However, electric induction hobs can be as controllable as gas ones.
Here are the different types of range cookers:
Dual-fuel cookers: this is the most popular type of range cooker. They have a gas hob, which should be easy to control, and electric ovens, which generally heat more evenly than gas ovens.
Electric range cookers: most electric range cookers have one or more ovens with a fan, which helps to spread the heat around the oven. If your oven has a fan, it's going to heat up more quickly - this means you can reduce the cooking temperature and cooking times.
Electric induction range cookers: these cookers heat quickly and efficiently. When you cook with induction, the hob zones themselves don't get hot. But you'll need iron-based pans, such as stainless steel, if you're cooking on an induction hob. Test your current pans with a fridge magnet - if it sticks then they will work on an induction hob.
Gas range cookers: these are the cheapest to cook with. The hobs on gas cookers are easy to control and provide instant heat when you need it. Gas range cookers and dual-fuel cookers will need to be installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Range cooker oven space
When you're in the shop, take a look inside to see how much space there is in each oven. Stated usable oven volumes can be deceptive, as the figures provided by manufacturers include the space beneath the lowest shelf, which you can't use to cook with.
The usable volume of an oven is much less than the actual volume
When we test range cookers, we measure how much genuinely usable space there is, and we use a plastic turkey and a tray of roast potatoes to see what you can actually fit in.
Range cooker energy use
Gas is cheaper to cook with than electricity. The cheapest gas range cooker we've tested costs around £14 a year to run, while the most expensive range cooker we've tested is dual fuel and costs around £58 annually. You can check running costs under the 'Full specification' tab in all of our range cooker reviews.
What range cooker features do I need?
Some range cookers come packed with features, such as a wok burner, griddle and pyrolytic cleaning, while others are more basic. Here are some of the main features you may come across. Go to our range cooker jargon buster to find out more.
Fan oven: most electric or dual-fuel range cookers come with a fan to distribute the heat evenly around the oven. On cookers with two electric ovens, one usually has a fan and the other is conventionally heated by upper and lower heating elements.
Griddle: these are large cast-iron slabs that are excellent for searing meat or veg. Some are ridged, while others are flat and can be used for making pancakes or frying eggs.
Multi-function oven: many range cookers now come with multi-function ovens. These allow you to cook with a variety of heat sources independently or in combination, such as the grill and fan together.
Pyrolytic self-cleaning: range cookers with a pyrolytic self-cleaning program heat to around 400°C and incinerate oven waste. All you need to do afterwards is sweep away the ash. If a cooker comes with pyrolytic self-cleaning, this will be shown on the dial or the control panel.
Catalytic liners: catalytic linings absorb oven spills and splashes, break them down and burn them off during cooking. They are usually found on the sides of an oven, and sometimes on the back or roof.
Roasting tray: some range cookers have a roasting tray holder fitted to the door, so that when you open the door it swings out with it. This avoids having to reach into the oven when you want to tend to your roast potatoes.
Wok burner: found on gas hobs, this is a fierce burner that is great for a stir fry, searing meat or simply heating up a big pan of water quickly.
Read up on our top scoring range cookers in our range cooker Best Buys.


text:
Losing My Veterinary Privileges
Because I am a vet, I sometimes get a little removed from the realities of pet ownership. Sure, I've got my own beasties, but dealing with them is a little easier after four years of veterinary school. When the inevitable health issue crops up, I can often deal with the problem without even bringing the offender into the clinic.
I won't say I'm proud of this incident, but I once unblocked Keelor, my male kitty, on my kitchen counter. I had just spent a long day in the clinic and arrived home to find him obviously uncomfortable and trying, but unable, to pee. I knew this was an emergency, but honestly, the last thing I wanted to do was drive back to the clinic, break out the urinary catheters, and get back to work.
Terrible, I know.
Instead, I reached for some sedatives that I had on hand for when I floated my horses' teeth and knocked the poor guy out. After a few minutes of massage (I won't say what I was massaging) and some gentle bladder palpation, bingo, out popped the urethral plug and Keelor peed like the proverbial racehorse.
Effective: yes. Cheap: yes. Something the average pet owner should try at home: NO!
But my recent experiences with Victoria and her hyperthyroidism have reminded me what it is like to be on the other side of the exam table. I've been able to deal with the early stages of her diagnosis and treatment at home, but once we decided to go for the cure with her, the situation was out of my hands.
Radioactive iodine (I-131) is the treatment of choice for most cases of feline (and human) hyperthyroidism. After injection, the stuff destroys the tissue responsible for secreting excess amounts of thyroid hormone. In most cases, cats are essentially back to normal after the procedure.
Sounds great, right? Well, it is, but I-131 is not something that I can just pick up from the clinic and give to Vicky while we're sitting on the couch at home.
Did you catch the word "radioactive"? I-131 treatment requires the involvement of a specialist, which puts me firmly back into the "client" category. So, last week I spent my morning at the veterinary referral hospital, hoping to drop Vicky off to begin her treatment. Turns out there was a scheduling mix up (that never happens in my practice … wink, wink) so we could only do the prep work.
During Vicky's physical exam, the specialist heard a heart murmur. I had heard it too but was willing to assume that it was caused by the hyperthyroidism. This doctor was a little more cautious. His recommendation? Chest X-rays, cardiac ultrasound, EKG, and a blood pressure check.
As you all know, it's hard to say "no" to vets when they recommend additional testing. After an unbudgeted-for additional $500, we found out that the murmur was probably caused by the hyperthyroidism. Sigh.
At the beginning of this week, I finally was able to drop Vicky off. The veterinarian told me that on Monday, she would have her technetium scan. I think I muttered something along the lines of "riiiight" while all the while thinking "what the *%&# is a technetium scan?" Was I asleep in vet school when this was discussed?
I actually had to Google it. Turns out it is a way of determining if the cancerous growth in Vicky's thyroid gland has spread elsewhere in her body, which could affect her prognosis. Who knew?
After Vicky's scan and her first day in the hospital, I heard … nothing. No phone call to tell me how it went, no update, nothing. I wasn't too worried. I know from personal experience that no news is usually good news, but still I was a little miffed that no one had even bothered to call with an update.
Since then, I have had regular updates and all is going well. Vicky has received her I-131 injection, and she should be able to come home on Friday.
Overall, my experience returning to the client's side of the exam has been a positive one. Most importantly, Vicky has received excellent care, but I'm sure you can all relate with the frustration of having to deal with unexpected veterinary expenses and imperfect communication with doctors. Care to share?
Dr. Jennifer Coates
Pic of the day: Radioactive kitteh has to be contained by ICANHASCHEEZBURGER.COM


text:
Covered by a canopy over thirty feet tall, this
of Mahogany trees was planted during Kapuna Hale's construction in 2002. The Orchard spans two hundred yards and will soon include bamboo catwalks, gazebos, a scattered hammocks throughout the forest.
Shared Spaces
Facing the Anahola Mountain range and seven hundred acres of rolling cattle ranch, this Hawaiian courtyard seats 75 on the cement patio (100 x 22 ft) before running onto a lawn to fit 100 more. Two natural stages sit directly beneath the moonlight along the raised fence-line and in between large palms sheltering the trade winds' breeze. During quieter hours sliding bamboo gates can separate the three pods of the house for ultimate privacy, and lowering screens for movie projection.
The Great Room
The Great Room
is a perfect square of 30 x 30 feet, with a 10 x 30 loft overlooking the ocean
The Guest Suites
The Guest Suites
is 730 square feet with two private bedroom, a jet-spa bath, common area, kitchenet, and libraries of books and videos.
World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
The Kilauea Neighbordhood Association
Farmer's Markets
Jewish Kauai
Waipake, Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii


text:
Sep 18, 2012
There was a pretty spectacular play in Wisconsin that ended a pretty long streak, but when you watch how Thiel ended its own streak -- one of 24 consecutive losses -- you'll understand. Thiel's Cody McClelland picked up the ball and found teammate Berend Grube open in the end zone to snap the streak.
Video has no source Url


text: I am a retired 35 year semiconductor professional who worked in manufacturing management, planning, and production control. I must say that I have always been fascinated by the business cycle and it's effect on production, profits, jobs, and of course the stock market.I am very data driven so you could say my investment style is as a fundamental investor. I would characterize myself as a swing trader.


text:
The featured cars
- Ferrari 500, 1952
Conceived by Ferrari's chief designer Aurelio Lampredi, the beautifully elegant Tip 500 was a formidably effective tool in the hands of the great Alberto Ascari. Bar two non-championship events, it won every race it was entered into in 1952, securing the world championship for Ascari.
- Ferrari 312, 1967
The V12-engined 312 was the staple for Ferrari's Formula One campaign in the late 1960s, and the driver roll call of the Mauro Forghieri-designed racer included such hallowed names as Chris Amon, Lorenzo Bandini, Jacky Ickx and John Surtees.
- Ferrari 312B, 1970
With its powerful 'flat 12' engine, which significantly lowered its centre of gravity, the 312B was driven to its limits by Jacky Ickx and Clay Ragazzoni, who together claimed enough points for Ferrari to push challengers Lotus aside and win the 1970 Constructors' Championship.
- Ferrari F300, 1998
Rory Byrne designed the F300 that took Michael Schumacher head to head with Mika Häkkinen's McLaren MP4/13 in the fiercely fought 1998 season. Although Ferrari and Schumacher finished second overall that year, the F300 was the start of Ferrari's dominance of the following seasons.
- Ferrari F2003GA, 2003
Named in honour of Gianni Agnelli, the recently deceased patriarch of the Fiat Empire, the F2003 not only brought Ferrari the Constructors' title, but also gave Michael Schumacher his sixth championship title, breaking the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio's 46-year-old record.


text:
Noir DésirView in iTunes
To preview a song, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to buy and download music.
French alternative band Noir Désir formed in the mid-'80s, comprised of vocalist/guitarist Bertrand Cantat, guitarist Serge Teyssot-Gay, bassist Frédéric Vidalenc, and drummer Denis Barthe. The group's first EP, Ou Veux-Tu Que J'Regarde, was released in 1987. Two years later, Noir Désir released their debut full-length, Veuillez Rendre l'Âme (A Qui Elle Appartient). By second album Du Ciment Sous les Plaines (1990), the band's harder, more punk-inspired elements began to come to the fore, and the progression remained on 1992's Tostaky. After the live double LP Dies Irae, Noir Désir broke out with 1996's 666667 Club. The band continued throughout the early 2000s, releasing albums every couple years. In 2003, lead singer Bertrand Cantat was charged in the death of his girlfriend, actress Marie Trintignant, who died -- on August 1 that year -- of head injuries after being punched by Cantat in a domestic dispute. Cantat was convicted of manslaughter and incarcerated for four years. ~ John Bush
Top Albums
Top Songs
Top Music Videos
1985 in Bordeaux, France
Years Active:
'80s, '90s, '00s, '10s


text:
Recording Tips - Miking a Kick Drum
You can record a kick drum using two mics and have ultimate control of thickness and punch. Here's how:
- Use a mic that has a high SPL (sound pressure level) to mic the inside of the kick, close to the head. Move the mic around to get the best of the "click" of the beater.
- Take a large diaphragm condenser or dynamic mic and place it two feet in front of the kick (pointing at the drum). Behind the mic, place a chair or some other sturdy, non-reflective object.
Take a large "sound absorb" blanket and drape it over the drum and the chair to create a "tunnel" (the large mic will be at the end of the tunnel). The blanket steers away the potential mic bleed from the other drum voices, allowing the large mic to pick up the distant, "woof" of the kick.
The smaller mic in the kick will pick up the "click" and the distant mic will provide the "boom." You can sum them to taste to one channel or record both to separate tracks and blend them during the mixing process. You can even "time shift" the "woof" track to "time align" it better with the brighter track. The results can be very satisfactory.
Joey Heier / Dave Giorgio
Crystal Clear Recording Studio
Philadelphia, PA