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Right-Wing Media Use Filibuster Reform As Excuse To Block Immigration Reform
Research ››› ››› SOLANGE UWIMANA
Right-wing media have seized on Senate Democrats' parliamentary change to eliminate filibusters for most presidential nominees to call for Republicans to block immigration reform or advance the notion that the change makes it less likely for Republicans to act on reform. In fact, Republicans repeatedly refused to act on immigration reform long before this change took place.
Senate Democrats Approve Rule Change To Speed Up Stalled Nominations
AP: Under New Rule, Only A Simple Majority Will Be Required To Clear The Way For A Final Vote On Most Presidential Nominees. As the Associated Press reported, Democrats set a new precedent under Senate rules on filibusters to allow for quicker confirmation of presidential appointees:
Sweeping aside a century of precedent, Democrats took a chunk out of the Senate's hallowed filibuster tradition on Thursday and cleared the way for speedy confirmation of controversial appointments made by President Barack Obama and chief executives in the future.
At issue was a rule that has required a 60-vote majority to end debate in the 100-member Senate and assure a yes-or-no vote on presidential nominees to federal courts or to Cabinet departments or other agencies.
Under a parliamentary maneuver scripted in advance, Democrats changed the proceedings so that only a simple majority was required to clear the way for a final vote. In Senate-speak, this was accomplished by establishing a new precedent under the rules, rather than a formal rules change. [Associated Press, 11/21/13]
Conservative Media Use Rule Change As An Excuse For GOP Not To Act On Immigration Reform
Rush Limbaugh After Rules Change: "Amnesty Ought To Be Dead In The Water." On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh listed several actions Republicans could take in the wake of Senate Democrats' rule change on filibusters, saying "all Obama agenda items that make it to the Senate floor should be objected to, at every juncture," including immigration reform. He went on to say:
LIMBAUGH: Republicans should never vote in favor of another Obama initiative, no matter how benign -- unless it's a Republican measure that benefits Republicans in a way that Democrats find [intelligible]. And this includes amnesty. Amnesty ought to be dead in the water.
Of course, the problem is that the Republicans want amnesty. The problem is, you know you look at it from the outside, you almost would conclude that there are some Republicans who actually wish they were Democrats. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/22/13]
Laura Ingraham Encouraged Republicans To Refuse To Work With Democrats On Immigration Following Filibuster Change. During an interview with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on her radio show, Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham agreed with McConnell's statement that the rule change was an example of President Obama's "power grab," and suggested Republicans refuse to work with Democrats on immigration following the filibuster move, which she likened to being hit in the face "with a two-by-four." She continued:
INGRAHAM: The idea of working with Democrats after we've seen the fraud of Obamacare, the lies about Obamacare, policies canceled -- all those lies, now this. Should Republicans -- should Republicans work with the Democrats on the issue of immigration given, or any major issue, given what they've proven themselves capable of? [Courtside Entertainment Group, The Laura Ingraham Show, 11/22/13]
Ed Henry: Filibuster Reform "Could Poison The Well" Against Obama's Agenda, Including Immigration Reform. Discussing the rule change on Fox News, chief White House correspondent Ed Henry claimed Republicans would now be less likely to work with Democrats on immigration reform, saying that "what it could mean in the long run for [President Obama's] agenda is that it could really poison the well even further on a partisan basis and get Republicans --who are already a determined opposition against much of his agenda: immigration reform, grand bargain, budget deal, you name it -- even more angry about this." [Fox News, America's News HQ, 11/21/13]
FoxNews.com: "Any Prospect For Compromise" On Immigration Reform "Is Now That Much Fainter." A FoxNews.com article repeated the GOP claim that the parliamentary move "has poisoned an already tainted well," adding: "Any prospect for compromise on items ranging from immigration legislation to a fiscal deal to tax reform is now that much fainter." The article went on to quote a Republican strategist reinforcing the claim:
"There's no question that the move by Harry Reid will make it much tougher to get anything done between now and 2014," GOP strategist and former long-time Senate aide John Ullyot told FoxNews.com.
"In the short-term, it's a wrecking ball through any efforts that were underway previously to have both parties work together on key bills." [FoxNews.com, 11/22/13]
In Fact, Republicans Have Repeatedly Refused To Take Action On Immigration Reform
AP: "Many Rank-And-File House Republicans Have Shown Little Inclination To Deal With Immigration." In an article reporting Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) statement that "lawmakers won't vote this year on the issue, confirming what many had long assumed," the Associated Press noted:
Although House Republican leaders say they want to resolve the issue, which has become a political drag for the GOP, many rank-and-file House Republicans have shown little inclination to deal with immigration. The bitter standoff with President Barack Obama on the budget and near default further angered House Republicans, who have resisted any move that might give Obama an immigration overhaul, the top item on his second-term domestic agenda.
Many House Republicans also are wary of passing any immigration legislation that would set up a conference with the Democratic-controlled Senate, fearing the House could lose out in final negotiations. [Associated Press, 11/8/13]
NY Times: Republicans "Privately Say They See No Political Advantage For The Party To Move Ahead On Immigration Legislation Right Now." In an article discussing an effort by immigration reform supporters to withhold "future financial support to Republican lawmakers they believe are obstructing progress on immigration," The New York Times reported:
Pushing back against the pressure to act from within their own party, a core group of conservatives said in interviews this week that they would not be intimidated by corporate America or other outside parties, even though in this case that includes farmers, evangelical leaders and some prominent conservatives.
"I care about the sovereignty of the United States of America and what it stands for, and not an open-door policy," said Representative Ted Yoho, Republican of Florida, who is one of several conservatives opposing all of the bills the House is currently considering.
Though House Republican leaders -- including Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the majority leader -- have expressed support for moving on their own immigration measure this year, given that the Senate has already passed a comprehensive bill, the prospect for any legislation before year's end is uncertain.
A growing number of Republicans, however, privately say they see no political advantage for the party to move ahead on immigration legislation right now. They do not expect it to be a critical issue in the 2014 midterms -- in fact, some House Republicans may be even more reluctant to take a tough vote on immigration during an election year -- and they say it simply needs to be dealt with before the 2016 presidential election. Thus, they say, they are most optimistic about pushing through an overhaul in 2015. [The New York Times, 10/25/13]
House Speaker John Boehner: "I'll Make Clear We have No Intention Of Ever Going To Conference On The Senate bill." As The New York Times reported, House Majority Leader John Boehner's (R-OH) decision to refuse negotiations between the House and the Senate likely spelled the end of immigration reform this year:
Signaling an end to the push for major immigration legislation this year, Speaker John A. Boehner on Wednesday ruled out negotiations between the House and the Senate on an expansive immigration overhaul similar to one approved by the Senate with bipartisan support in June.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Boehner said that while House Republicans were working on a "common-sense, step-by-step approach in terms of how we deal with immigration," they were unwilling to enter into talks with the Senate on a broad bill that would include a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants already in the country illegally.
"The idea that we're going to take up a 1,300-page bill that no one had ever read, which is what the Senate did, is not going to happen in the House," he said. "And frankly, I'll make clear we have no intention of ever going to conference on the Senate bill."
With few legislative days left in 2013 and nearly all the focus on the health care law and House-Senate budget talks, Mr. Boehner said House Republicans had little interest in detouring on to immigration legislation that divides their party. His stance means the immigration fight would be pushed into 2014. If there was to be movement, it would probably have to come earlier in the year before the midterm elections get too close. [The New York Times, 11/13/13]
Huffington Post: Republicans Have Repeatedly Given Varying Excuses For Inaction On Immigration Reform. A Huffington Post article highlighted the various reasons Republicans have given in order to refuse passing immigration reform, including the Affordable Care Act, the claim that Obama "can't be trusted," and that there's little time left in the legislative agenda. [Huffington Post, 11/19/13]
Conservative Media Figures Have Repeatedly Urged GOP To Obstruct Immigration Reform
Ingraham Advised Boehner To Step Away From Immigration Reform "Trap." On the July 10 broadcast of her radio show, Ingraham likened immigration reform to a "trap" and stated that she was pressuring Boehner to make sure that he ultimately "walk[ed] away from this trap set" by congressional Democrats and other immigration reform supporters. [Courtside Entertainment Group, The Laura Ingraham Show, 7/10/13]
For more on conservative media advising Republicans to walk away from immigration reform, click here.
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Against the backdrop of cobalt blue Greek sky meeting the Aegean sea, Remezzo is nestled on the cliffside of the island's renowned Caldera
with sublime views of Santorini's picturesque gulf and of the romantic sunset that lies between the surrounding scattered islands.
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Remezzo's aesthetic environment breeds familiarity and gives the opportunity for a new experience that feels like home away from home… we invite you to pack your six senses and join us as our guests while you escape to comfort and quality at your leisure.
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(CNSNews.com) – The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (CADC) published a list of what it views as the 10 worst "anti-Christian acts" of 2009, including the murder of a pro-life protester, expansion of federal hate-crimes laws, and controversial presidential appointments.
The list, culled from a poll taken by subscribers to the CADC's Web site and listeners on its radio programs, chronicles what the group's members think were the most anti-Christian stories from the previous year.
CADC President Dr. Gary Cass told CNSNews.com that the list reflects the frustrations Christians feel with their society and their government. That the expansion of federal hate crimes laws was the top vote-getter on the list, for example, reflected the fear Christians have that they might be targeted for teaching their faith's traditional opposition to homosexual behavior, which Christianity holds to be sinful.
"This is their perspective on the most anti-Christian acts of 2009, in the U.S.," Cass said. "Why the federal hate crimes law? I believe what they're expressing is just a general sense of frustration with the federal government, especially the Obama administration, and for the first time in our history now, [Christian] ministers are subject to being investigated, perhaps even convicted, simply for exercising their First Amendment religious liberties and free speech."
Cass explained that if a pastor or priest were to say something considered to have incited a hate crime, that pastor or priest might be subject to investigation or prosecution. Cass noted that while no ministers have yet been prosecuted or investigated under the newly enacted law, the mere possibility could be enough to silence preaching on this hot-button topic.
"If they say something that can be considered to be inflammatory or inciting of a hate crime – let's say that a minister preaches a sermon and some unstable person misunderstands and goes out and creates or perpetrates a hate crime – not only the person who commits the act but the minister who 'incited' him would be equally culpable for the act," said Cass.
"Here's the net effect of this kind of a law," he said. "If you are prone to want to be careful … why even risk saying anything for fear of being misunderstood, even if you're never convicted of a crime?"
President Obama's selection of three people the CADC viewed as anti-Christian was ranked number two on the list. Those appointees – safe schools czar Kevin Jennings, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Equal Opportunity Commission member Chai Feldblum – showed that Obama had "gone out of his way" to find people with anti-Christian values, Cass said.
"The reason our subscribers voted the way they did, I think – [on] that particular matter of the appointments of Obama – it seems as if he went out of his way to find the most radical, anti-Christian appointees that he could," said Cass, "in the sense that these people either are personally anti-Christian in their sentiments but they certainly are in their value systems."
Cass said that Jennings' various stances on sexuality, Sebelius's support for abortion, and Feldblum's comments on reconciling gay rights with religious liberty all contributed to Christians feeling that Obama might be anti-Christian.
"You have, again, Kathleen Sebelius, the most radical pro-abortion governor from Kansas who's awash in George Tiller's abortion money – that's how she built her political career and that's a documented fact," said Cass. "He [Obama] appoints her Health and Human Services [Secretary] -- that's very terrifying in that this whole health care bill could come under her jurisdiction. That's very terrifying."
"Secondly you've got Kevin Jennings, the so-called safe schools czar, the most radical homosexual activist from Massachusetts that you could find, who has decades of phenomenally controversial and perverted things that are attributable to him," said Cass.
"Yet, in Obama's mind, apparently he's mainstream."
Cass continued: "And then you've got Chai Feldblum who said, when asked if there's ever a situation where homosexual rights and religious liberty conflict, do you foresee any time when religious liberty might trump homosexuals rights, and she said, 'no, it's simply, gays win, Christians lose.'"
The Department of Homeland Security's controversial definition of "right-wing extremist" earned the nod as the number three most anti-Christian act of the year, Cass said, because it demonstrated a "new level of anti-Christian hostility" by equating positions held by many conservative Christians with the motivations of violent racist groups such as the Aryan Nations.
"That is indicative of, I think, a new level of anti-Christian hostility," Cass said. "Because now it seems that the federal government is beginning to bring into its policies and its institutions a very negative stereotypical approach. So that if you are a Christian who happens to believe your Bible – and God forbid you are a veteran who owned a gun and a Christian who believes your Bible – you're a walking time bomb, you're a terrorist ready to go off."
"But last time I checked it wasn't Bible-believing Christians who were trying to light their underwear on fire on airplanes." Cass said.


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Out on the road, it is sometimes hard to make the traditions that you grew up with come to life. I know that in Japan, for instance, it can be hard to find a turkey for Thanksgiving—but even if you can, try locating an oven of sufficient size to accommodate a 16 pounder (or even 10 for that matter). So, there have been years when I have had to go without.
Those of you who didn't experience Thanksgiving as a kid, probably are scratching your head and saying: "what's the big deal?" but those of us who have sampled the stuffing, gnawed on the wishbone, pan-cooked and poured out the giblets, dipped into the yams, and forked up some pumpkin pie, know exactly where I'm coming from.
Today, I just happen to be in a place where the ingredients are available and the ovens wide and deep enough. So today I feast. For those of you also so unencumbered, and also so inclined, I'm happy to share communion with you. And wish you a happy turkey day!
We've just got our turkey washed, patted down with vinegar; stuffed with oven-dried bread cubes, diced onions, celery, and mushrooms, sprinkled with paprika, pepper, salt, tarragon, marjoram, and thyme; trussed: cheese-clothed; basted; and in the oven. The internal temp is only up to 86, but we'll get there. Two more hours to go and still a lot more sweat yet to be expended. Cranberry sauce to cook, potatoes to whip, string beans to boil, carrots to render au glace.
But when we finally sit down to the feast, you can bet it'll feel like we've been transported back to other years, connected with lives past. For a few hours at least, it'll feel like home.
Wherever you are today, whatever you are eating, whomever you are spending time with, it wouldn't be untoward to offer thanks. Thanks for being alive, for having friends, food, consciousness, the opportunity to continue for another day. The chance to contribute to our world a little bit more.
Happy thanksgiving, one and all.
Amai Kuda Y Josephine "Cave" (video) (premiere) // Music
Jillette Johnson 'All I Ever See in You Is Me' (album stream) (premiere) // Music
Iron & Wine "Call It Dreaming" (Singles Going Steady) // Music
'Knee Deep' Has a Great Setting That Ruins the Game
// Moving Pixels
"Knee Deep's elaborate stage isn't meant to convey a sense of spatial reality, it's really just a mechanism for cool scene transitions. And boy are they cool.READ the article


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Cincinnati Reds Manager Dusty Baker was signed to a two-year deal to continue managing the team, the Reds announced Monday. Terms of the deal were not released.
According to the MLB.com story on the Reds website, Baker is believed to have made $3.5 million per year in his previous contract. Baker's contract extension is his second with the Reds.
"There's work left to be done," Baker said. "I didn't want to leave on a note that we still had work to do. It left a real pain in my heart to feel as I did at the end of the season this year."
The pain Baker felt was shared by Cincinnati fans, who saw the team win the National League Central Division, reach the playoffs for the second time in three years, build a 2-0 series lead over the San Francisco Giants on the road, and then lose three-straight at home. The Reds became the first National League team to ever blow a 2-0 lead in a division series.
The playoff collapse had no effect on the team's desire to bring Dusty Baker back.
"That's why it didn't take long," Reds GM Walt Jocketty said. "We actually had one quick meeting on Friday and we discussed some things over the weekend and wrapped up this morning."
Some Reds fans welcomed the news of Baker's signing, while others thought it was time for the franchise to find someone else. Baker is 419-391 (.517) as Reds skipper. He is also just the third manager in franchise history to take Cincinnati to the playoffs more than once.
Former Dayton Daily News sports writer Hal McCoy, writing for Fox Sports, understands both sides but believes that a Dusty Baker contract extension is a good idea.
"Some fans hold it against him that he is 1-9 in postseason elimination games and that he and former manager Gene Mauch have the most wins in major league history without ever winning a World Series," McCoy wrote. He adds though, that the manager isn't the one holding the bat with runners on in the late innings.
"In the final four innings, they had the tying run at the plate all four times but scored only one run," he wrote. "Was that the manager's fault? Of course not. Somebody, anybody holding a bat, has to come up with the game-deciding hit. It never happened."
With a new two-year contract extension, now Dusty Baker has a chance to finish what he started with the Reds and bring the team its first World Series title since 1990.


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text: ×Close Product Image 1 of 3 Lots of Spots See all 3 images Lots of Spots By Lois Ehlert Illustrated by: Lois Ehlert For Ages: 3 - 7 2awards Caldecott Honor artist Lois Ehlert invokes birds and beasts from all walks of the animal kingdom in this collection of fun, clever, and witty poems. Beautifully illustrated in Lois's signature bold and bright collage style, this exploration of camouflage and adornment will both illuminate and delight. × Added to Cart List Price $7.99 Your Cart ( items) Cart total Continue Shopping CHECKOUT NOW Choose a format: Board Book eBook More Formats Hardcover Choose a format: eBook Board Book Hardcover eBook Beach Lane Books | 40 pages | ISBN 9781442436749 | April 2011 | Grades P - 2 Buy Amazon's Kindle Store Apple iBookstore Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Google Play Kobo List Price $7.99 Browse Related Books Pre-Kindergarten | Kindergarten | 1st Grade | 2nd Grade Baby - Age 3 | Age 4 - 8 Children's Fiction > Stories in VerseChildren's Fiction > Concepts > GeneralChildren's Fiction > Animals > General Buy now Amazon's Kindle Store Apple iBookstore Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Google Play Kobo Get a FREE eBook when you join our mailing list. Plus, receive updates on new releases, recommended reads and more from Simon & Schuster. Email Address Free eBook available to NEW subscribers only. Offer redeemable at Simon & Schuster's ebook fulfillment partner.Offer expires in three months, unless otherwise indicated.See full terms and conditions and this month's choices. More Books from this Author Heart to Heart Heart to Heart By Lois EhlertBy Lois Ehlert Rain Fish Rain Fish By Lois EhlertBy Lois Ehlert RRRalph RRRalph By Lois EhlertBy Lois Ehlert Holey Moley Holey Moley By Lois EhlertBy Lois Ehlert See more by Lois Ehlert About the Author Photograph © Lillian Schultz Lois Ehlert Lois Ehlert has created numerous inventive, celebrated, and bestselling picture books, including Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Holey Moley, The Scraps Book, Mice, Ten Little Caterpillars, RRRalph, Lots of Spots, Boo to You!, Leaf Man, Waiting for Wings, Planting a Rainbow, Growing Vegetable Soup, and Color Zoo, which received a Caldecott Honor. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. BECOME A FAN BOOKS


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Review by Muck0 Man
"They call me the breeze"
Flower is a title I really had no prior interest in until after it's release when I saw people actually saying they enjoyed it. Now I am always looking out for games that try something different, especially in this current gaming generation where firearms are present in what seems like half of the titles released, so I decided to take the risk and download Flower. One thing I must say before I even start this review is if you lack the open mind to try out new gaming ideas or only enjoy violence and mindless mayhem to stay clear of Flower. This is a title that tries more to mimic virtual art rather than any traditional game format. That being said it still controls well for the type of game it is, even if playability isn't it's high point.
Gameplay: 7/10 To put it simply Flower is the easiest game to learn the controls for on the PS3. All you need to do is turn the PS3 controller to steer and hold any button to accelerate. That's it. No complex maneuvers, special attacks, or upgrades; it's just you and the wind. Now this could have been horribly gimmicky but to my surprise the controls are well done and actually enjoyable to play. It doesn't take long before you'll find yourself soaring at high speeds twisting your arm wildly to turn directions.
You start an area as a single flower petal and you must use the power of the wind to guide the petal to other flowers, thus blooming it and adding a petal to the group. You must explore the large open plain to bloom all the flowers and open up the next area. For what it does accomplish in gameplay it does fairly well. Flower boils down to a game of discovery as you dart across the level blooming flowers you come across. By doing so you restore life back to the land and do so until the entire area is completely restored. Some people will be disappointed in it's lack of depth but the game was never meant to be weighted down with additional features and keeps the main objective of blooming flowers the focal point the whole way through the game.
As you progress some of the levels add additional elements to bump up the difficulty but the game never presents itself as a challenge. There really is no way to lose and the game encourages you to experience things at your own pace rather than putting you under some time restraint. This game is all about the beauty of the experience and leaving the player up to making most of the assumptions about what is going on.
Story: 7/10 Now a lot of people will see this score and go. What story is he talking about?! Well yes while this game never explains anything relative to you through speech or text its story is conveyed effectively by the actions you make on your journey. Once it finally ends I think you will agree with me that for a game with no story Flower has a lot to say.
That being said it isn't perfect. Although you can pretty much piece the story together on your own there are still a few things you will probably wish they fleshed out a bit more. You start the game in a room with the camera focused on flower pots on a windowsill. Upon learning the controls you begin to enter each of the flower's dreams and bring the beauty of nature back to the land.
While I feel the concept of entering a flower's dream is interesting, the way they're initiated just doesn't do it for me. You are displayed a series of images that move and set you up for the dream you are about to partake in. Honestly I think they could have done something a bit better in 2009 besides still images with some movements, it really takes away from the immersion that the rest of the game possesses. Nevertheless it's only a small gripe I have and not one all gamers will find a problem with.
Graphics: 9/10 If anything Flower's graphically beauty will definitely grab your attention when you enter that first dream. For a downloaded game, Flower really takes full advantage of the PS3 hardware and dishes out an experience never seen before by gamers. The vast raw landscape that is presented in front of you is brimming with such detail and beauty that it's the reason most people will see this as art more than a game. The realism presents itself as an experience to discovery the raw beauty of nature. Every blade of grass realistically flows in the wind and the lighting and special little touches really will make you feel like you're there with those petals. My personal favorite effect is the reflective lighting given off by the wet grass when you're inches away from it, it's amazing!
Each level possesses it's own artistic look but sadly the last few levels of Flower are the weakest graphically. This is my only gripe as I feel the first few levels will levels will leave the best impression on most players. In the end this game will change what you come to expect out of graphics in downloadable games.
Sounds: 9/10 The music is very relaxing and does a great job to set the mood for the gameplay. Not only that but when you move over flowers they will sound a chime, helping incorporate the music into the gameplay. While not hugely necessary, it does push forward the idea that sound is just as important to the experience as is the visual aspect.
Now my favorite aspect of the sound isn't even the music but the atmospheric sounds. It does a wonderful job of accompanying the graphics and make you feel like you really are out in these big open grassy plains. The sound of grass blades parting, changes in wind speed, and the sharp roar of thunder is done effectively well. The whole ambiance of it all really puts you in the environment, making it that much more of a personal experience
Replayability: 7/10 For the most of us, Flower will only take a few hours to breeze through. To bloom all the flowers and get all the achievements will take a few additional playthroughs but other than that the only reason to replay the game is for the experience again. This is a game to sit back and relax on and show off the visual beauty the PS3 is capable of creating. For $10 dollars I feel you get a unique experience like no other that any gamer will feel satisfied with.
To Buy or not buy? Buy! Seriously for $10 dollars you'd be missing out one of the most unique games this generations and one that shows how far games have gone to becoming an art form that can convey an experience like no other entertainment medium. Flower has enough polish that any skepticism you have for this title should be thrown aside and must be experienced by any gamer that has been looking for "something different" or "artistically beautiful".
Reviewer's Rating: 4.0 - Great
Originally Posted: 07/15/09
Game Release: flower (US, 02/12/09)
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Free radical production and their targeted action on biomolecules have roles in aging and age-related disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). There is an age-associated increase in oxidative damage to the brain, and aging is considered a risk factor for PD. Dopaminergic neurons show linear fallout of 5–10% per decade with aging; however, the rate and intensity of neuronal loss in patients with PD is more marked than that of aging. Here, we enumerate the common link between aging and PD at the cellular level with special reference to oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Oxidative damage includes mitochondrial dysfunction, dopamine auto-oxidation, α-synuclein aggregation, glial cell activation, alterations in calcium signaling, and excess free iron. Moreover, neurons encounter more oxidative stress as a counteracting mechanism with advancing age does not function properly. Alterations in transcriptional activity of various pathways, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, glycogen synthase kinase 3β, mitogen activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B, and reduced activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione with aging might be correlated with the increased incidence of PD.
Chemical species with unpaired or an odd number of electrons are called free radicals. In biological systems, the term free radicals mostly refers to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and are oxygen centered [
The "free radical theory of aging", published more than 50 years ago by Harman, states that the generation and accumulation of free radicals with aging results in oxidative damage to critical biological molecules such as DNA, proteins, and lipids [
Parkinson's disease (PD), the most frequent neurodegenerative condition after Alzheimer's disease (AD), is characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and loss of striatal dopamine content [
It is now well established that free radicals play a crucial role in aging [
Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is the primary source of high-energy compounds in the cell. Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to reduced ATP production, increased oxidative stress, altered mitochondrial morphology, impaired calcium buffering, damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and alterations in mitochondrial fission and fusion, eventually leading to cell death [
An enzyme called mtDNA polymerase Polg A, involved in copying and proofreading mtDNA, eliminates errors made during replication and participates in DNA repair processes. Interestingly, mutant mice carry mutations in Polg A (hampering proofreading activity), show extensive mtDNA mutations in almost all tissues, decreased activity of enzymes involved in the respiratory chain and in the production of ATP, increased apoptosis, accelerated aging, and reduced lifespan [
Apart from environmental factors and aging, redox sensitive genes are also known to increase the sensitivity of cells to oxidative stress. Mutations in
Dopamine neurons are exposed to ROS and RNS throughout their lifespan from the metabolism of cytosolic dopamine itself. Dopamine, as a relatively unstable molecule in nature, undergoes auto-oxidation metabolism in the nigrostriatal tract system thereby producing ROS [
In one study, young (6 months) and middle-aged (15 months) rats were chronically treated with dopamine in the SN and examined for changes in motor function and histology. It was observed that dopamine-induced toxicity was age dependent, and that middle-aged animals showed more impairment following a dopamine injection than that of younger animals [
Proteinacious fibril accumulation is a common neuropathological feature of neurodegenerative diseases. α-Synuclein is a hallmark of PD and is modified by nitration of tyrosine residues. In the presence of reactive oxygen intermediates, NO forms RNSs capable of modifying tyrosine residues in proteins to form 3-nitrotyrosine [
Interestingly, α-synuclein overexpression increases intracellular ROS levels and susceptibility to dopamine [
Microglia are the primary resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), and play a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases [
Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain; they are electrically inert and derived from the same progenitors as neurons. Astrocytes play a significant role in brain injury, as they respond to injury in conjunction with microglia through a process called reactive gliosis or astrogliosis [
O'Callaghan and Miller [
A recent study demonstrated that H2O2 rapidly induces the phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and binding of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) to the promoter of the cyclooxygenase-2 gene, resulting in the expression and subsequent release of prostaglandin PGE2 and PGI2 in primary rat brain astrocytes. Furthermore, STAT6 in astrocytes is much more sensitive to ROS
Calcium (Ca2+) signaling can be altered by oxidants and this alteration can modify essential pathways. After the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging was introduced, the Ca2+ hypothesis of brain aging was formulated in the 1980s, which was based on a limited number of observations in processes that are regulated by Ca2+ alterations [
Iron plays a key role in supporting systems responsible for myelination and the synthesis of several neurotransmitters in the CNS. Excess free iron generates oxidative stress because of its interaction with H2O2, and iron localization correlates with ROS in areas that are prone to neurodegeneration [
As pointed out earlier, the region-specific increase in iron content could increase the probability of free radical formation in areas rich in iron. Physiological aging is associated with a significant increase in iron content in both the putamen and the caudate and, thereby, an increased risk for development of neurodegenerative disorders associated with aging. The clinical importance of this increase in striatal iron content in association with aging may be directly related to its involvement in free-radical generation. In the brain, ·OH reacts with membrane lipids, starting the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation, which, in turn, results in extensive membrane damage, ultimately leading to cell degeneration [
To counteract the stress caused by these free radicals, cells have developed adaptive, dynamic programs to maintain cellular homeostasis through a series of antioxidant molecules and detoxifying enzymes that can provide control by quick removal or detoxification. Nrf2 is one such major pathway that responds to reactive species by activating phase II detoxification enzymes at the transcriptional level [
Several other pathways such as nuclear factor (NF-κB) are involved in PD and aging. The expression of many of NF-κB genes increases with age [
A progressive accumulation of damaged biomolecules and impaired energy metabolism occurs during aging and PD that promotes dysfunction of various metabolic processes and signaling pathways. As reviewed here, aging and PD share common features that are interlinked with the generation of free radicals; free radicals form a feedback loop such that separating the two processes is difficult. Neural tissue encounters a cumulative burden of oxidative and metabolic stress; moreover, neural tissues have post-mitotic cells, high oxygen consumption; lipid content and metabolic activity making them more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of free radicals. Convergence and parallelism occurs between aging and PD. For example, post-mortem analyses of brain tissue from PD patients were found to have increased levels of oxidized proteins, lipids and nucleic acid. Notably, up to 50% of proteins may be oxidized in an 80-year old human. Furthermore, Initial evidence have showed that dopamine levels decline by 50–60% during advanced normal aging; whereas clinical signs of PD are detected when 50% of nigral neurons and 80% of striatal dopamine are lost. Moreover, bradykinesia (declining motor function), a characteristic hallmark of PD, is also seen quite often during physiological aging. This characteristic feature is a reflection of qualitative and quantitative changes in dopamine function in the SN and striatum and is correlated with declining dopamine levels during both aging and PD. When compared on anatomical site, mesolimbic system is affected more during aging, whereas the nigrostriatal system is the main target in PD. Deficiency of dopamine sufficient to provoke PD symptoms would be expected in normal aging of 110–115 years. Though, several common factors can be seen in PD and aging, still most of the therapeutic approaches (Ca2+ channel blockers, dopamine agonists, iron chelators, and antioxidants) ameliorate PD symptoms but do not reverse the aging process. Several factors contribute to the generation of free radicals either directly (mitochondrial dysfunction and dopamine auto-oxidation) or indirectly (α-synuclein, glial activation, free iron, and altered calcium signaling). Physiological mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress are diminished during aging; thus, making individuals more prone to neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. It is still debatable that age-related changes in the brain reflect aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases rather than the aging process itself.
This work was supported by the High Value-added Food Technology Development Program; and the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and also supported by the Regional Innovation Center (RIC) Program of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy through the Bio-Food & Drug Research Center at Konkuk University, Korea.
Schematic representation of the action of free radicals on biological molecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA. Free radicals react largely in a nonspecific manner with nucleic acids, proteins, and membrane lipids and cause cell injury through various mechanisms as shown. Details are discussed in the main text.
Generation of free radicals in aging and Parkinson's disease (PD). A major source of free radicals is mitochondria (mt), mitochondrial complex inhibition either by toxins or aging hampers the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which causes incomplete oxygen reduction, thereby generate reactive species including deleterious superoxide anion (O2−) which is converted to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and then finally to hydroxyl radical (·OH) through the Fenton reaction which involves Fe2+ or Cu2+ (not shown). ·OH is a potent inducer of membrane lipid peroxidation. Oxyradicals can also be generated in response to calcium influx. Nitric oxide (NO) interacts with O2− to form peroxynitrite (NO3−), Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) contribute to oxidative and nitrosative stress, respectively, which finally causes neurodegeneration. Mitochondrial activity is lost or mitochondrial DNA is damaged during aging, which could lead to generation of ROS. Cytoprotective pathways are activated with the generation of free radicals. Activation of the Nrf2 pathway provides protection by regulating redox balance, whereas the NF-κB pathway causes increased cytokine release which is included in positive feedback to initiate the inflammatory cascade and also through influx of calcium ions inside the extracellular space.


text:
I disagree with your position and believe you are misinterpreting what I say. I invite you to come up with alternate solutions for the problem you are trying to address. If you want to talk further about this issue, I invite you to find me in person at noisebridge.Ā Perhaps at a Tuesday meeting?

Maybe you missed it before, so I'll say it again. Radical inclusivity is a fundamental part of what noisebridge is, and I believe this proposal is a step away from that.

R.

mediumreality.com

On Oct 14, 2011 2:24 PM, "Al Sweigart" <email@example.com> wrote:

 I think my track record has been pretty good. When there was a person
 living at Noisebridge for months last year, I was the one who brought
 it up and it was widely agreed that people living at the space was
 unacceptable. People were very disturbed by Patrick's behavior, but
 nobody really pushed to ban him from the space until I started pushing
 for it, and even then I was the one who had to put my name down on the
 actual consensus item to make sure banning him actually happened.

 I was unsure how people who respond when I started showing up at 7 in
 the morning and asking sleepers to not only sleep but to leave the
 space for a few hours (so they wouldn't just go back to sleep after I
 left, which is what happened in _every_ case when I didn't ask them to
 leave.) I thought that might be "playing asshole" too much. So I
 brought it up with the board & other members and they agreed with me.
 On some occasions people did get a little nasty with me when I woke
 them up, but the membership still backed me. In one case, a sleeper
 who had shouted at me in the morning later apologized for it. When I
 have to "play asshole" I try to still be polite but firm.

 In each of these occasions, most people seemed to be large agreement
 but nobody wanted to be the first to point it out. I think my attempts
 at engineering the social aspects of NB have been pretty mild: I want
 to talk about it first before do-acratically implementing things
 precisely to minimize drama. That's why I want to talk about the pros
 and cons of membership hours. I don't think, "it's too hard to
 implement" or "Al isn't a part of Noisebridge enough to suggest these
 things" are valid cons. Closing off the space to members-only is
 itself a valid con, but I think we can mitigate that by making it
 rather late. (Maybe even later if we can get people who are at the
 space at those times to help out.)

 Maybe there are other approaches to the sleeper problem? I wouldn't
 want to get rid of the couches, but I also want to solve this problem.

 -Al

 On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 2:03 PM, rachel lyra hospodar
 <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote:
 > Maybe you find it odd that I think it would be an asshole move to kick
 > people out at midnight, because you are rarely there at midnight to sample
 > the culture at that time.Ā I disagree with your guess at the way things will
 > go down; your track record of predicting how people will respond to your
 > attempts at social engineering is poor.
 >
 > I am not burning bridges, but trying to make it clear how fundamental I
 > believe radical inclusivity is to Noisebridge. It is part of what we do, and
 > it is part of why I am here.
 >
 > R.
 >
 > mediumreality.com
 >
 > On Oct 14, 2011 1:49 PM, "Al Sweigart" <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote:
 >>
 >> If the only problem is that someone would be needed to, as you oddly
 >> put it, "play asshole" then I could volunteer for that. Actually,
 >> implementing that part is not only feasible but it's the easiest part
 >> of this suggestion.
 >>
 >> The hard part is that I would need the backing of the community so
 >> that I don't have to get into nightly arguments with people who say
 >> that Noisebridge isn't closing down. I'll only get that if we talk
 >> about this and come to a decision as a group. There might still be a
 >> fuss some nights, but being able to say that it isn't just me
 >> do-acratically closing up Noisebridge for the night but this is what
 >> the membership decided adds a lot of weight.
 >>
 >> I'd only have to do regularly for a few weeks, then it becomes just
 >> another part of Noisebridge culture and other people can make the
 >> announcement. If we miss it some nights, that's not going to be a big
 >> deal because by then the people who come to Noisebridge regularly
 >> expecting a place to crash will have realized that that isn't a
 >> reliable option anymore.
 >>
 >> Change seems scary at first because we have a lot of wild speculation
 >> about how it'll destroy everything we like about the space, but
 >> Noisebridge will still be Noisebridge. I don't see a reason why we
 >> have to be as conservative as we are.
 >>
 >> Rachel, I'd hate to see you leave over something like this because you
 >> make a lot of valuable contributions to the space. I don't think this
 >> is something to burn bridges over.
 >>
 >> -Al
 >>
 >> On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 1:21 PM, rachel lyra hospodar
 >> <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote:
 >> > I am unwilling to tell people who are working on projects to leave the
 >> > space
 >> > at any time and would rather break off my relationship with noisebridge
 >> > than
 >> > support changing the way we function to require this.
 >> >
 >> > We could try cultivating a situation where if you are not a member AND
 >> > not
 >> > visibly hacking (how the hell do we police that?) then at midnight
 >> > somebody
 >> > has to play asshole... honestly i'd like to see *someone who is
 >> > regularly
 >> > there at that time* suggesting this is at all feasible or desireable
 >> > because
 >> > my experience suggests otherwise.
 >> >
 >> > R.
 >> >
 >> > mediumreality.com
 >> >
 >> > On Oct 14, 2011 10:40 AM, "Al Sweigart" <email@example.com> wrote:
 >> >>
 >> >> It would require buy-in from the community, which is why it's
 >> >> something we'd need to talk about and agree on rather than just
 >> >> implement do-acratically. At ten to midnight or whenever, members
 >> >> would announce that Noisebridge is closing up to guests in ten
 >> >> minutes, thank them for coming by, and tell them it'll open up to the
 >> >> public at 7am, and also mention the membership binder and the process
 >> >> on becoming a member. (If we do this do-acractically, there'll just be
 >> >> nightly arguments between members trying to close up and members
 >> >> telling people they can stay.)
 >> >>
 >> >> If the membership fee is too much for them, they can put their
 >> >> membership on hiatus after becoming a member. (The reason people
 >> >> haven't done that before now is because there's no difference between
 >> >> hiatus members and non-members, except that the former has passed the
 >> >> membership process.) Also, to give people time to become members, we
 >> >> could make this effective four or five weeks after we agree to it.
 >> >>
 >> >> I think this would single-handedly fix 90% of the sleeper problem (in
 >> >> my experience of waking people up in the morning, it's almost always
 >> >> non-members) and also encourage people to become members. I'm not sure
 >> >> what percentage of the thefts happen at night, but I'm fairly sure
 >> >> they aren't done by members or the regulars (who would become members
 >> >> at this point).
 >> >>
 >> >> -Al
 >> >>
 >> >> On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 12:09 AM, Rachel McConnell <firstname.lastname@example.com>
 >> >> wrote:
 >> >> > This is actually a serious question, not (merely) a rhetorical
 >> >> > device.
 >> >> > We could simply say, X-Y times are "members only", with no
 >> >> > enforcement,
 >> >> > and let it self-police as we do with Be Excellent. ĀIn that case, all
 >> >> > the people who are excellent, and are not members, would comply, and
 >> >> > not
 >> >> > come during those hours, to our loss. ĀPeople who are willing to
 >> >> > steal
 >> >> > things, leave messes behind, and/or sleep there overnight, are not
 >> >> > going
 >> >> > to comply voluntarily. ĀSuch a rule would require enforcement. ĀHow
 >> >> > could we do that?
 >> >> >
 >> >> > Rachel
 >> >> >
 >> >> > On 10/13/11 3:34 PM, Andy Isaacson wrote:
 >> >> >> On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 01:44:31PM -0700, Jonathan Foote wrote:
 >> >> >>> On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 1:10 PM, Gian Pablo Villamil
 >> >> >>> <email@example.com> Āwrote:
 >> >> >>>> Well, I'm seriously suggesting "members only"! :)
 >> >> >>>
 >> >> >>> I am as well. As are a lot of other people who have resigned out of
 >> >> >>> exasperation (I'm close).
 >> >> >>
 >> >> >> I'm sorry to hear that you're thinking of resigning, Jonathan.
 >> >> >>
 >> >> >> I'm in favor of continuing Noisebridge's open access policy. ĀI
 >> >> >> don't
 >> >> >> think that changing to "members only" (I agree with Rachel, how the
 >> >> >> heck
 >> >> >> would that work!?!?!) would improve the space.
 >> >> >>
 >> >> >> -andy
 >> >> >> _______________________________________________
 >> >> >> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
 >> >> >> firstname.lastname@example.com
 >> >> >> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
 >> >> > _______________________________________________
 >> >> > Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
 >> >> > firstname.lastname@example.com
 >> >> > https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
 >> >> >
 >> >> _______________________________________________
 >> >> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
 >> >> email@example.com
 >> >> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
 >> >
 >


text:
A Christian apologetics ministry dedicated to demonstrating the historical reliability of the Bible through archaeological and biblical research.
Book review: From Abraham to Paul: A Biblical Chronology, by Andrew E. Steinmann. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2011. Hardback, 421 + xxxviii pages. Part II.
Currently, the most popular alternative site to traditional Golgotha, located in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, is the area of Gordon's Calvary, with the so-called 'Garden Tomb,' but scholarly endorsement of this locality has never been very strong. Generally, the current consensus holds that Golgotha was located in the vicinity of the traditional site, somewhere north of the first wall of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, and west of the second wall, though specificity is impossible. In this article, I would like to consider how specific we might be about the localizations of Jesus' death and entombment...
The 1968 discovery of the remains of a crucified man in a cave at Giv'at ha-Mivtar in Israel created considerable interest among both Biblical and archaeological scholars...
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text:
$16.00 donated in past month
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From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay FeatureRelated Categories: U.S. | Health, Housing, and Public Services
Right to Rent, Farewell to Shareholder Value and Social State as Prosperity Motor
The Scandinavian countries show that more social equality can be combined with more education and economic growth and less unemployment and poverty. Humanity is rich when wealth is shared.
A plan to prevent homelessness without cost to taxpayers and even benefiting bankers in the long-term was presented to the US Congress
By Peter Muhlbauer
[This article published 2/3/2012 in the German-English cyber journal Telepolis is translated from the German on the Internet. Houses are often in good condition right after their dispossession.]
According to the current census [1], more than 18 million houses in the US are empty. At the same time approximately three-and-a-half million people are homeless [2]. Theoretically there are five houses for every homeless person.
One should remember that this calculation is very theoretical because many homeless work and the person seeking a home in Silicon Valley is not helped by a house in Detroit while many house-seekers would probably be glad if they had legal title to a rundown place in the rust belt. In the past, they could have remained in one of these houses and not be put on the street by banks (whose mortgages they often could not pay on account of the economic crisis caused by the financial industry and the resulting unemployment).
Against this effect, Dean Baker [3] from the Center for Economic and Policy Research [CEPR (4)] designed a plan [5] in 2007 that even convinced conservative economists like Andrew Samwick [6] from Dartmouth College. Former homeowners would receive the option from the bank after their expropriation of continuing to live there and paying an appropriate rent set by an independent expert.
This would prevent unemployment on a large scale and ensure that the houses retain their value and not be seized by criminal banks and vandals and sold for drug money in the search for pipes and cables. In this way, whole streets and parts of town could be saved from falling into nearly complete worthlessness. A fatal chain reaction of falling real estate prices, exodus, destruction and further loss in value would be ended because the property in the neighborhood would remain desirable through the continued occupation of a rescued house.
This "right to rent" plan would not cost the taxpayer one cent and would be relatively simple to carry out, as Baker emphasized five years ago. No new bureaucratic offices need to be created since a mere change of the legal situation would be enough. This change of the legal situation must be carried out by politicians. In the past, the plan ran aground here. Politicians preferred election tactics to the well-being of citizens and could not agree on the project already worked out by Baker and Samwick that only needed their approval to keep many Americans from homelessness and stop the transformation of more and more regions into gangland.
Is a change of economic paradigms on the horizon?
By Peter Muhlbauer
[This article published 1/2/2012 in the Germany-English cyber journal Telepolis is translated from the German on the Internet, http://www.heise.de/tp/druck/mb/artikel/36/36169/1.html.]
In the 1980s the economist Alfred Rappaport [1] provoked a change of paradigms with his theory of shareholder value. He argued that increasing the profit for shareholders should be the primary goal of a firm. To reach this goal, businesses should give their managers financial incentives in the form of stock options.
These principles are put in question more and more. The former General Electric CEO Jack Welch [2] long regarded as a model student of the shareholder value religion attained his announced goals in the 1980s and 1990s and then did a complete reversal. On March 12, 2009 he told the Financial Times [3] the concept was "the dumbest idea in the world."
Roger Martin [4], the dean of the Rotman School of Management [5] at the University of Toronto [6], gives a detailed theoretical substantiation to this statement in his book "Fixing the Game" [7]. His criticism of shareholder value is based on the fact that a firm rises or falls (more or less automatically) under the rule of stock prices when earlier announced goals are reached or missed, not with business success. The size of the bonus is tied to reaching these goals more than to business success.
The economist illustrates the absurdity of this situation by analogizing the system with sports. If one analogizes what happened and will happen in the economy, football teams would only play for the most exact fulfillment of their bet, not for victory. Conflicts of interest while on the agenda for business managers lead to sports players being suspended.
In economic life according to Martin, shareholder value ideology promotes dishonesty. In his opinion, it was not a wonder that masses of bookkeeping manipulation scandals occurred with the triumph of the idea of shareholder value. Considerable incentives are given managers who straighten out numbers. In the long-term, this damages the acceptance of capitalism in the population and undermines the roots of the system.
In the medium term according to Martin, the shareholders suffer for whom the system was actually invented, not only the consumers and the general public. Like a test phase continuing for over a quarter of a century, shareholder value had the opposite of the intended effect. According to Martin's calculations, the output of businesses declined since the change of paradigms. From 1933 to the 1970s, the average annual profit of firms in the S & P 500-stock index was 7.5 percent. Then it fell to 6.5 percent.
Manager earnings exploded. Between 1960 and 1980, CEO earnings fell 33 percent in the 365 largest US corporations listed on the stock exchange. In this time period, managers gained more for their shareholders - at a more favorable price. In contrast, CEO pay doubled between 1980 and 1990 and increased fourfold between 1990 and 2000.
Because managers earn so handsomely, it is illusory to expect that they would change the system in a way disadvantageous to their employers according to Martin. Admonishing words to these managers would be a great waste of time. As Upton Sinclair formulated in 1935, "It is hard to bring a person to understand something if his salary depends on not understanding." [7]
Therefore Martin urged legal changes like repeal of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act [8] passed in 1995 (devised by Newt Gingrich) that protects managers and businesses from responsibility [9] and the accounting rule FASB 142 [10] so depreciations would no longer be coupled to stock prices. This would remove disadvantages for managers who do not orient themselves in shareholder value. As additional measures, Martin recommended regulation of hedge funds promoting volatility risks and a waiting period of several years. Managers would be ordered to buy their own shares.
A stronger concentration of businesses on their products imagined by Harvard graduates as a replacement for the models of the last decades was cautiously conceived and led to the word "middle class" entering the English language. For this concept to be successful, technicians would have to be given more power and separated from bureaucrats. That would be a far more radical change of paradigms than the farewell to shareholder value.
Martin, Roger L.: Fixing the Game: Bubbles, Crashes, and What Capitalism Can Learn from the NFL. Harvard Business Review Press 2011.
Sinclair, Upton: I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked[1]. University of California Press 1935 [1994], S. 109.
By Armin Pfahl-Traughber
[This book review of Andreas Oppacher, "Deutschland und das Skandinavische Model. Der Sozialstaat als Wohlstandsmotor," Koln 2010 published 5/11/2010 is translated from the German on the Internet, http://hpd/node/9488.]
(hpd) In his book the economist Andreas Oppacher compares the social and economic development in Germany with the developments in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. With the help of statistical material, he makes very clear that a relatively equal income distribution in an active social state can accompany a high living standard and stable economic growth.
People hardly remember today Ludwig Erhard's well-known maxim "Prosperity for Everyone." The idea that a more equal distribution of income, goods and prosperity is possible is even regarded as idealistic and unrealistic. However a glance at the high North shows that "prosperity for many" is not a utopia. "Prosperity for many" can be reality. The Scandinavian countries demonstrate that more social equality can be combined with more education and economic growth and less unemployment and poverty. In his book "Germany and the Scandinavian Model," the graduate in business administration Andreas Oppacher emphasizes this in a comparative perspective. He grapples with the question "how a permanent prosperity can be achieved in Germany" (p.7). The comparison with Denmark, Finland and Sweden helps the author, a "convinced supporter of a solidarity market economy."
Firstly, the economic and social development in Germany with its supply-oriented fixation led to wage-losses, mass unemployment, social cuts and growth slumps. A neglect of the demand side occurred because of ignorance about an overall economic perspective. An increasingly unequal income distribution and falling real wages caused a negative effect on domestic consumption and mass purchasing power. On the other hand, the Scandinavian countries with a high living standard took another path with a relatively even income distribution. The general unemployment rate and the number of long-term unemployed are lower; the general employment rate like the rate for women is higher. For Oppacher, an active social state is a prosperity motor for increasing employment and growth and not only desirable for ethical or social reasons.
In conclusion, "the Scandinavian model among present economic- and social systems is far and away best suited to approach the ideal of "prosperity for everyone." A more equal income distribution as exists in northern countries would lead to a permanent strengthening of domestic demand and help solve Germany's most serious economic problem. In Scandinavian countries, social ethics and the value of the person seem to be different. The dominant mentality there traditionally rated the common interest highly. A much more positive relation of citizens to their state and politics follows" (p.102). From these findings, Oppacher derives recommendations for Germany: taxation according to output, reform of social security, strengthening the commons and improving the education system.
The comparison with Scandinavian countries makes clear: globalization and economic development are not practical necessities that society and politics must accept without alternative. Another orientation of economic and social development occurs in concrete reality. These are not utopian dreams. Oppacher stresses that a more even income distribution can accompany more economic growth. The author presents facts from official statistics as convincing evidence that show what can be learned from a comparative analysis. Can lessons from Scandinavia be applied in the German situation? Oppacher emphasized the differences in political culture. His view to the North deserves great attention in the German discussion.
[1] http://hpd.de/politik
[2] http://hpd.de/soziales
[3] http://hpd.de/internationales
homepage: http://www.onthecommons.org
address: http://www.wearemany.org


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Briefly, I have a 12 year old girl and an 8 year old boy. I have been separated/divorced from their father for 6 years. Their father and I have an amicable relationship. We each have them 50% of the time.
I have been dating a man for 7 months. We are serious about moving forward together. We have been discussing moving into a bigger house together in November/December.
The kids were introduced to him slowly at about 4 months with an outing to the Harlem Globetrotters. He has been to dinner with us and has attended a couple of family events. This past weekend we all went camping for one night and then to an amusement park the next day with my family.
He has no kids of his own but likes kids and likes MY kids. He is patient and kind with them.
Well at the end of the day at the amusement park we were all tired and grumpy. My daughter said something sassy and he retorted. Nothing serious enough for me to even make a note to mention it to him later in private.
Now the kids have decided that they don't want me to date at all till they leave the house.
I have practiced AP with both of them since childhood and I want to give them input, but I certainly don't want to be alone forever. I don't know what to do.
Sigh. it was going so well :(
of to add, my daughter is extremely headstrong and I am sure that my son is just going along with her.
Im not a stepparent, but I come from a blended family, and I hated my step parents for a long time. Now my stepmother is the closest family member to me
You like this guy, you are serious, he likes your kids, he does things like camping and amusement parks? Go for it. You deserve to be happy and when your daughter is 25 and she can go to her boyfriends house for Christmas because she knows you wont be totally alone on Christmas Day she will be glad you found someone to share your life with besides her and her brother. Because, (and Im sorry if this stings anyone, Im not trying to be mean) when people are single forever, in laws can be really really resentful of that (and honestly, so can the children)
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(3/20/10), and Charlie
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(1/26/12- 4/10/12) and identical
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twins Callie and Wendy (01/04/13)
SIDS happens.
thanks :) I need to hear stuff like that. My daughter can be very vocal about things. I don't want to ruin their childhood, but I don't think that I should have to be alone.
What can I do to show them that it will be ok and maybe even FUN? We are all going to Disneyland in October...I am hoping that goes really well.
Six years is a long time...I wonder if maybe I waited too long?
I agree that this isn't a choice for your kids to make, but I think this winter is a bit soon to be moving in together. You've kids have only known him for 3 months, and they haven't had a chance to work out their relationship at all. He doesn't know anything about parenting. My advice would be to take it slower and spend more time together with him and your kids, and let some of the kinks in those relationships get smoothed over before adding co-habitating into the mix. I suspect that things will go more smoothly when you do all live together if you take your time.
Ultimately, if it continues to be bumpy and there are issues with your DD (beyond her words when she is VERY tired) family counseling is always an option.
BUT, back to your main question -- you have a right to be happy and to have a significant other who you love and who loves you. You have a right to feel supported, to have someone to build a life with. And your kids don't get veto power on that, even though they've been APed!
but everything has pros and cons
Has your bf mostly just been joining in for the big, super-fun outings? Maybe at this point the kids are kind of seeing him just as the fun guy and that is why your dd reacted so strongly when she saw more of his "human" side when he was tired and cranky. Perhaps your bf could start joining your family for more normal activities like a casual weeknight dinner or just hanging out on a Sunday afternoon to give everyone a chance to get to know each other without the crankiness and high expectations that sometimes come from the big events.
I know my stepdaughter and I got to know each other best and enjoyed each other's company best during those kind of quiet moments. She was much younger than your kids, but sometimes those big outings left me struggling with how to deal with a cranky kid and her just wanting daddy (or mommy, which was even harder!).
Good luck!
Single mama to dd
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and ds
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and adding one more to the crew November 2016!
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text:
"With a soldier's eye, Jim Lacey recreates the Battle of Marathon in all its brutal simplicity. This compelling and provocative read makes a potent contribution to an enduring debate."—Barry Strauss, author of The Battle of Salamis and Professor of History, Cornell University
"A lively and readable account of the battle of Marathon and its significance. Jim Lacey's experience as a professional soldier gives it an added dimension, especially his ability to see the military situation from both sides."—Donald Kagan, author of The Peloponnesian War


text: So, what's up with people coming to work when they are sick?? WBKR saleswoman Amber came to work late last week with an upper respiratory infection. After a visit to her doctor, she learned that the infection had become pneumonia. She eventually went home, but only after exposing all her co-workers to PNEUMONIA!!! I'm glad she didn't have the Bubonic Plague.