text:
Gender Ideology Resource
"Gender" – as distinct from "sex" – is a term widely used today, but it is quite a new concept in history. While the term "gender" was used to denote masculinity and femininity as early as the Middle Ages (for example, in grammar), the idea that a human person's masculinity or femininity could be separated from his or her bodily reality did not exist formally until the 1950s. Even then, the person at the origin of this concept – John Money – should give us pause, considering the controversy that surrounds him. There are many articles and books that examine the false separation of "gender" as a psychological experience and sexual difference as a biological reality, but that is not the purpose of this post.
MUR is sharing a simple resource document: a compilation of quotes from the last three pontificates, as well as other Church documents that address this phenomenon of "gender ideology" or "gender theory," which is a position on anthropology (who a human being is) that is in conflict with the Christian one.
Please share this resource. Teachers, catechists, youth ministers, family life directors, and parents may find this compilation helpful in understanding and communicating about this topic:
Gender Ideology: Select Teaching Resources
Sunday Pope Quote: Bl. John Paul II on "Loving the Family"
"The future of humanity passes by way of the family. It is therefore indispensable and urgent that every person of good will should endeavor to save and foster the values and requirements of the family. I feel that I must ask for a particular effort in this field from the sons and daughters of the Church. Faith gives them full knowledge of God's wonderful plan: they therefore have an extra reason for caring for the reality that is the family in this time of trial and of grace. They must show the family special love. This is an injunction that calls for concrete action.
Loving the family means being able to appreciate its values and capabilities, fostering them always. Loving the family means identifying the dangers and the evils that menace it, in order to overcome them. Loving the family means endeavoring to create for it an environment favorable for its development. The modern Christian family is often tempted to be discouraged and is distressed at the growth of its difficulties; it is an eminent form of love to give it back its reasons for confidence in itself, in the riches that it possesses by nature and grace, and in the mission that God has entrusted to it. 'Yes indeed, the families of today must be called back to their original position. They must follow Christ.'"
–Familiaris Consortio, no 86 (italics original, bold added)
Friday Fast: For married couples and families struggling financially
Printable version (en español)
Intention: For married couples and families who are struggling financially or living in poverty – that God would provide for their needs and increase their trust in Him.
Reflection: Marriage matters to society. When a bride and groom become husband and wife on their wedding day, a new family is formed. Each family is an interdependent mini-society, born from the communion of husband and wife. As Bl. John Paul II said, the family is a "cradle of life and love." It is the place where we learn to love and be loved.
For good reason, then, marriage and the family play a key role in Catholic social teaching (see ch. 5). The Church's interest in marriage is not limited to religious concerns because marriage is not just a religious reality; it has major social implications, too. The Church's concern for the poor overlaps with her concern for marriage because family breakdown has economic implications. For example, sadly, single mothers and their children are more likely to suffer from economic hardship.
Because marriage impacts each and every person in society, the Church strives to promote, strengthen, and defend marriage and the family. We pray today for all families who are struggling financially, that they would know the peace of the Lord.
Did you know? Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul. Born in France in 1580, St. Vincent was renowned for his work with the poor and sick. He founded both the Congregation of the Mission (known commonly as the Vincentians) and the Daughters of Charity. St. Vincent's holy life inspired Bl. Frederic Ozanam to found the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which now serves the poor in 148 countries.
- Learn about the Bishops' Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty
- Sign the pledge to fast on Fridays for life, marriage, and religious liberty
- Join the Call to Prayer Facebook event
The flawed anthropology of "sexual orientation" & the need for a renewal of anthropology and chastity (4th of 7 in a series)
Note: This post is fourth in a series of posts about what we can learn from the Supreme Court's June 2013 DOMA decision, and how that can help us better promote and defend marriage. This series is based on a July 2013 talk by staff of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage.
Earlier posts:
- #1: Background to the Supreme Court cases
- #2: Unspoken assumptions & reframing the debate
- #3: What do you say that marriage is? The need for a comprehensive vision
In its decision on DOMA, the Court continued the trend of treating sexual orientation as a "class" marker. In other words, people who define themselves as having a homosexual orientation are de facto part of a "class" that deserves special protections from the government. The term "continued the trend" was used because it is common now to see, for example, in anti-discrimination legislation the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" used as two discrete categories of persons that may not be discriminated against.
The Catechism states that "every sign of unjust discrimination must be avoided" in regards to persons with same-sex attraction (no. 2358).
But the problem with treating "sexual orientation" as a description of a class of people is that it proposes a deeply flawed [understanding of] anthropology, or understanding of the human person. Christian anthropology teaches that each person is called to accept his or her sexual identity as a man or as a woman (Catechism, no. 2333). This is consistent with the understanding that man – male and female – is a unity of body and soul (Catechism, no. 362-368). Our identity as human persons is intimately connected with our identity as a man or as a woman. In short, the body matters.
What the language of "sexual orientation" does, anthropologically, is separate one's identity from one's bodily nature as a man or woman, placing a premium on one's desires and inclinations. The body then becomes a "bottom layer" – essentially meaningless matter – over which one's "real" identity – comprised of desires and inclinations – is super-imposed. [1]
Practically speaking, treating "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as classes of persons is problematic because courts and laws tend to treat these categories not only in terms of inclinations but also behaviors. This in turn leads to religious liberty conflicts, such as questions for Catholic institutions about non-discrimination in hiring those involved in same-sex "marriages", since they could be (and have been) sued under non-discrimination laws for firing an employee who publicly entered a same-sex "marriage."
Tip number three: Keep talking about Christian anthropology and chastity.
Even more than the question "what is marriage?" perhaps, the question "who is the human person?" goes unasked and thus unanswered (see FAQ #1). As Catholics, we have an immense treasury of insight into who the human person is – a study called anthropology, a treasury of truth about the human condition that applies to everyone, not only Catholics. As faulty anthropologies work themselves more deeply into our nation's laws and policies, we must be tireless in present what Bl. John Paul II called an "adequate anthropology," that is, an understanding of the human person that fits who man is as a unity of body and soul, created male and female and called to love (see Bl. John Paul II's audiences of Jan. 16, 1980 and April 2, 1980).
Bringing it back to the human person also helps defend against the charge that the Church is being selective and only cares about married people. Not true. Christian anthropology, rightly understood, is a message of freedom for every person. In particular, Church teaching on the universal vocation to chastity is an avenue through which to approach questions of sexuality, gender, love, and marriage. Everyone – married and single, those who struggle with same-sex attraction and those who don't – is called to chastity, because everyone is called to integrate their sexuality within themselves and to love authentically (see Catechism, nos. 2337-2347).
Next: Post #5: Is defending marriage only about injuring others?[1] Important here is the distinction between person, inclination, and act employed in the Church's moral teaching. Every person, male and female, is created in the image of God with full human dignity. Every person is a gift, created to be a child of God. This identity of the person goes deeper than any inclination. Further, the Church teaches that, while homosexual acts are always sinful and contrary to the true good of the person, the experience of same-sex attraction is not sinful in itself. Because of free will, men and women can choose which inclinations or desires to act on. Actions – and the inclinations toward them – can be either objectively ordered toward the good, meaning toward the flourishing of the person, or not. But the person, regardless of the inclinations they experience, can never be described as fundamentally flawed or disordered. In other words, pointing out anthropological problems with the concept of "sexual orientation" does not mean that persons who describe themselves as having a particular orientation are problematic or flawed. Instead, it is questioning the underlying presuppositions about who the human person is (the philosophical field of study called anthropology) embedded within the concept of "sexual orientation" as it is generally used in law and culture.
Sunday Pope Quote: Bl. John Paul II on Marriage and the Trinity
Sunday, May 26 is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In his 1988 apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem, Bl. John Paul II wrote about the likeness between the Trinity and human persons.
Bl. John Paul II: God, who allows himself to be known by human beings through Christ, is the unity of the Trinity: unity in communion. In this way new light is also thrown on man's image and likeness to God, spoken of in the book of Genesis. [link] The fact that man "created as man and woman" is the image of God means not only that each of them individually is like God, as a rational and free being. It also means that man and woman, created as a "unity of the two" in their common humanity, are called to live in a communion of love, and in this way to mirror in the world the communion of love that is in God, through which the Three Persons love each other in the intimate mystery of the one divine life.
– Mulieris Dignitatem, no. 7 (italics original, bold added)
Sunday Pope Quote: Mother's Day Edition (Bl. John Paul II)
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Friday Fast: Pray for Mothers
Intention: For mothers: that they may discover the depths of love through their gift of themselves to their children, and in so doing, serve as a witness of the love to which we are all called.
Reflection: In his Letter to Families, Pope Blessed John Paul II reminds us that we can't "fully find [ourselves] except through a sincere gift of self" (no. 11, quoting Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, no. 24). The self-sacrifice of a mother's care for her child reveals the continuous gift of self that love entails and invites others to follow her example. There is no doubt that "love is demanding," as Bl. John Paul II said. However, "this is precisely the source of its beauty: by the very fact that it is demanding, it builds up the true good of man and allows it to radiate to others."
We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ, who helps us to see the people in our lives through his eyes and love them with his heart. As we celebrate this Mother's Day, remembering our own mothers' gift of life to us, let us take seriously our own call to self-sacrificial love, allowing that love to radiate to others.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!
Bl. John Paul II, pray for us!
Did you know? We've all heard it said that our hearts become bigger the more we love, but did you know that during pregnancy, a mother's heart actually physically increases in size? (See: Health on the Net Foundation and British Journal of Radiology).
Also, read more about how we can follow the most perfect example of motherhood in the newest Life Issues Forum column, "Mary, Pro-Life Inspiration."
- Learn about the Bishops' Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty
- Sign the pledge to fast on Fridays for life, marriage, and religious liberty
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Sunday Pope Quote: Bl. John Paul II on St. Gianna Molla
Today, April 28, is the feast day of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, a married saint whom we profiled earlier in our married saints series. In honor of St. Gianna's feast day, today's Sunday Pope Quote comes from the 2004 mass in which Bl. John Paul II canonized St. Gianna along with five others.
Bl. Pope John Paul II: "Gianna Beretta Molla was a simple, but more than ever, significant messenger of divine love. In a letter to her future husband a few days before their marriage, she wrote: 'Love is the most beautiful sentiment the Lord has put into the soul of men and women'.
Following the example of Christ, who 'having loved his own…loved them to the end' (Jn 13:1), this holy mother of a family remained heroically faithful to the commitment she made on the day of her marriage. The extreme sacrifice she sealed with her life testifies that only those who have the courage to give of themselves totally to God and to others are able to fulfill themselves.
Through the example of Gianna Beretta Molla, may our age rediscover the pure, chaste and fruitful beauty of conjugal love, lived as a response to the divine call!"
– Homily at the Canonization of Six New Saints (May 16, 2004), emphasis added
Sunday Pope Quote Indissolubility of Marriage as a Good
In late January or early February, the Pope begins the judicial year with an address to the Roman Rota, the Church's appellate court. In 2002, Pope John Paul II used the occasion to discuss how indissolubility is good for both the family and the common good, because annulments are large part of the tribunal's work.
I want to examine indissolubility as a good for spouses, for children, for the Church and for the whole of humanity.
A positive presentation of the indissoluble union is important, in order to rediscover its goodness and beauty. First of all, one must overcome the view of indissolubility as a restriction of the freedom of the contracting parties, and so as a burden that at times can become unbearable. Indissolubility, in this conception, is seen as a law that is extrinsic to marriage, as an "imposition" of a norm against the "legitimate" expectations of the further fulfilment of the person. Add to this the widespread notion that indissoluble marriage is only for believers, who cannot try to "impose" it on the rest of civil society.
Marriage "is" indissoluble: this property expresses a dimension of its objective being, it is not a mere subjective fact. Consequently, the good of indissolubility is the good of marriage itself; and the lack of understanding of its indissoluble character constitutes the lack of understanding of the essence of marriage. It follows that the "burden" of indissolubility and the limits it entails for human freedom are no other than the reverse side of the coin with regard to the good and the potential inherent in the marital institution as such. In this perspective, it is meaningless to speak of an "imposition" by human law, because human law should reflect and safeguard the natural and divine law, that is always a freeing truth (cf. Jn 8,32).
—John Paul II, Address to the Prelate Auditors, Officials, and Advocates of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota 28 January 2002. (italics original, bold added)
Sunday Pope Quote: John Paul II on the Family & the Trinity
Bl. John Paul II: Man's need for truth and love opens him both to God and to creatures: it opens him to other people, to life "in communion", and in particular to marriage and to the family. In the words of the Council, the "communion" of persons is drawn in a certain sense from the mystery of the Trinitarian "We", and therefore "conjugal communion" also refers to this mystery. The family, which originates in the love of man and woman, ultimately derives from the mystery of God. This conforms to the innermost being of man and woman, to their innate and authentic dignity as persons.
– Letter to Families, no. 8, emphasis added
National Marriage Week: Why does sexual difference matter at all? Why does it matter for marriage?
Happy Valentine's Day! Today is the last day in National Marriage Week, and the last in our series on sexual difference.
So far in the series, we've looked at various ways that our culture describes sexual difference (part one and part two), examined Scripture and the Catechism on the subject, and added two helpful phrases to our repertoire of describing sexual difference ("asymmetrical reciprocity" and "double unity"). One important point remains to be discussed: Why does sexual difference matter?
Difference: the foundation of love
Before considering sexual difference specifically, let's take one step back: why does difference matter? Our culture seems a bit schizophrenic on the topic of difference. On the one hand, it loudly celebrates "diversity" and the virtue most in vogue is, of course, "tolerance" for people different from you. But on the other hand, difference – especially between men and women – is often treated as suspect, as a thin veneer over inequality. In other words, equality is confused with sameness.
But in a world where everything is the same, love would be impossible. G.K. Chesterton explains why:
"I want to love my neighbor not because he is I, but precisely because he is not I. I want to adore the world, not as one likes a looking-glass, because it is one's self, but as one loves a woman, because she is entirely different. If souls are separate, love is possible. If souls are united, love is obviously impossible. A man may be said loosely to love himself, but he can hardly fall in love with himself, or, if he does, it must be a monotonous courtship." – Orthodoxy (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006), 128.
Difference, in other words, is what saves us from the fate of Narcissus. Difference – recognizing the other as other – is what prevents us from becoming entranced with our own reflection in a shoddy imitation of love.
But even if we accept Chesterton's point and agree that difference is necessary for love, we might be tempted to think that sexual difference is just one of many differences between persons, such as race, height, or taste in music. What is unique about sexual difference, compared to other possible differences?
Taking bodily life seriously
First, the reality is that being human means being a man or a woman, embodied as male or female. (Even the difficult situations of those born with ambiguous genitalia are the exceptions that prove the rule. An intersex or hermaphroditic condition is not a new gender, but a combination of male and female characteristics.) Taking sexual difference seriously allows us to take the body seriously. It allows us to treat the body as an integral part of our identities, instead of a cage or shell. We are men or women both body and soul. We don't just have a body—we are our bodies. (See the Catechism, nos. 362-368 on the human person as a unity of body and soul.)
Distinguishing in order to unite
Second, sexual difference is unique because it is inherently referential. Unlike other differences between individuals (height, ethnicity, etc.), which do not require the presence of an "other" to be understood, the bodily reality of a man is only fully understood in light of the bodily reality of a woman. Recall the point in part three of this series: the generic "Adam" is first referred to as "male – ˈiš" when he encounters Eve, the first "woman – ˈiššāh" (see Gen 2:18-25).
But the uniqueness of sexual difference doesn't end there. The "referential" difference between man and woman does not simply distinguish between the two; it also serves as the foundation of their unity. Or, more accurately, sexual difference distinguishes in order to unite. Only because a man and a woman are sexually different are they capable of forming a complete union of body-persons; if they were the same, no such union would be possible.
In fact, the sexually-differentiated body reveals that man and woman are fundamentally "for" each other. As Bl. John Paul II explained, "The body, which expresses femininity 'for' masculinity and, vice versa, masculinity 'for' femininity, manifests the reciprocity and the communion of persons" (TOB, 14.4; see also Catechism, no. 371). Being male or female is not simply a matter of biology or anatomy; it is a witness to the call to love and communion that is inscribed within man and woman's identity as body-and-soul (see FC, no. 11).
Open to the gift of the child
A third reason why sexual difference is unique is because it – and only it – makes two persons capable of welcoming a new child into the world. The "supreme gift" of the child (see GS, no. 50) depends on the sexual difference between father and mother. The spouses' capacity for procreation, in turn, ensures that their sexual love does not become egotistic, an enclosed circle. The unity of spouses, wrote John Paul II, "rather than closing them up in themselves, opens them up towards a new life, towards a new person" (LF, no. 8).
The difference is the difference
To sum up: Difference is necessary for love; if all were one, love would be impossible. Love requires recognition of the "other" as "other." But while there are many differences between persons, sexual difference – the difference of man to woman and woman to man – is a unique kind of difference. It is irreducible and primordial, fundamental to human nature and every human experience. In particular, it is the avenue toward full personal-bodily communion between a man and woman, and thus is necessary for a couple to experience the superabundant fruitfulness of conceiving a child. Both of these capacities – for union and for children – matter for marriage. In fact, they are essential for marriage. This helps us to understand why sexual difference – the difference of man to woman and woman to man – is an essential aspect of marriage. Without it, marriage is impossible.
National Marriage Week: Sexual difference and "dual unity"
This is the fifth post in our series about sexual difference.
Earlier posts:
- Common misconceptions about sexual difference (part one and part two)
- Sexual difference in Scripture and the Catechism
- Useful phrase #1: asymmetrical reciprocity
Sexual Difference & "Dual Unity"
In this post, we'll look at a second helpful way of understanding sexual difference, one that is found in Pope John Paul II's teachings on the theology of the body, where the Holy Father speaks of "double unity" or "dual unity." Reflecting on the creation narratives of Genesis, John Paul II writes,
"We observed that the 'definitive' creation of man consists in the creation of the unity of two beings. Their unity denotes above all the identity of human nature; duality, on the other hand, shows what, on the basis of this identity, constitutes the masculinity and femininity of created man" (TOB, sec. 9.1, emphasis original).
"Unity," then, refers to the common humanity and dignity that both men and women have – one humanity, participated in by both. In Eve, Adam finds another creature who, like himself, finds no "suitable partner" among the animals (Gen 2:20). He finds another creature created "in the image of God" (Gen 1:27). And so, as John Paul II writes, "Joy for the other human being, for the second 'I,' dominates in the words the man (male) speaks on seeing the woman (female)" (TOB, sec. 8.4).
Yet although man and woman are united in a common humanity, they are irreducibly different. As John Paul II puts it, "Man, whom God created 'male and female,' bears the divine image impressed in the body 'from the beginning'; man and woman constitute, so to speak, two diverse ways of 'being a body' that are proper to human nature in the unity of this image" (TOB, sec. 13.2). The "duality" of human nature is precisely the sexual difference, masculinity and femininity.
For John Paul II, the "unity in the flesh" that takes place in the sexual encounter between man and woman has its foundation in their "unity in humanity":
"When they unite with each other (in the conjugal act) so closely so as to become 'one flesh,' man and woman rediscover every time and in a special way the mystery of creation, thus returning to the union in humanity ('flesh from my flesh and bone from my bones') that allows them to recognize each other reciprocally and to call each other by name, as they did the first time" (TOB, sec. 10.2).
It is only because of man and woman's unity-in-difference (two sexes within a shared humanity) that they are able to come together in the fruitful union of marriage. Without a shared humanity, this encounter would not be personal; and without being different sexes, this union "in the flesh" could not take place at all. For Pope John Paul II, the sexual difference is fundamentally "a reciprocal 'for' that can and must…serve the building of the unity 'of communion' in their reciprocal relations" (TOB, 41.4).
Next: Why Does Sexual Difference Matter?
National Marriage Week: Sexual Difference: What do Scripture and the Catechism say?
Today's post is the third in a series about sexual difference, in honor of National Marriage Week.
Previous posts:
- Is sexual difference a wound or a societal construct? (Shedding light on popular claims, part one)
- Is sexual difference a chasm or just "gender roles"? (Shedding light on popular claims, part two)
In this post, we will examine Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on the subject of sexual difference.
Jesus takes us back to the "beginning"
Both sections of the Catechism that discuss sexual difference (CCC, nos. 369-373 and nos. 2331-2336) are called "Male and Female He Created Them." Indeed, they both guide us back to the creation accounts in Genesis (Gen 1:1-2:4 and 2:5-25). It is here, in Sacred Scripture, that we see the sexual difference of man to woman and woman to man for what it really is, an essential good arising from creation itself. The Church's teaching on sexual difference takes its cue from Jesus, who, when questioned by the Pharisees about marriage and divorce, referred his listeners back to the "beginning": "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female'…" (Matt 19:4). [1]
The book of Genesis gives us not one, but two accounts of the creation story. The first (Gen 1:1-2:4) has a distinct rhythm ("Then God said…And so it happened…And it was good"), a clear progression of events, and the crucial anthropological verse: "God created man in his image…" (1:27). The second account (Gen 2:5-25) has a very different feel. Here, we get a glimpse of the interior life of the first humans, and we are allowed a window into the first encounter between Adam and Eve. Taken together, the two accounts illuminate different aspects of the human condition. According to John Paul II, "When we compare the two accounts, we reach the conviction that this subjectivity [in the second account] corresponds to the objective reality of man created 'in the image of God'" (TOB, sec. 3:1).
What does the "beginning" reveal to us about sexual difference?
- Sexual difference is willed by God as something good: "God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them…God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good" (Gen 1:27, 31). Contrary to the myths of Aristophanes and Pandora (see this earlier post), sexual difference is not a wound or a lack, but is a blessing given to men and women by their Creator. The difficulties that sadly befall the relationship between the sexes are not part of God's original plan, but are some of many tragic consequences of the Fall (see Gen 3:1-19).
- Men and women share an equal dignity and equal intimacy with God: "Man is a person, man and woman equally so, since both were created in the image and likeness of the personal God" (CCC, no. 2334; quoting MD, no.6). This point is said beautifully in the story of the creation of Eve from Adam's rib (Gen 2:18-25). The original Hebrew uniquely captures the significance, as Fr. José Granados and Carl Anderson explain:
"Most of us probably interpret the account of Eve's creation of how a male human being named 'Adam' got himself a wife. The picture changes somewhat when we learn that the name 'Adam' is actually a play on the Hebrew word for earth: hā'adāmāh. For, as John Paul II points out, it's only after the woman is created that the Bible first uses the Hebrew word for man in the sense of 'male': ˈiš. When Eve appears on the scene, a new vocabulary suddenly emerges along with her: The text shifts from hā'adāmāh, which emphasizes man's connection with the earth, to 'is, which it then immediately pairs with the word for 'woman': ˈiššāh." [ii]
They conclude, "Far from degrading women to an inferior status, then, the story of Adam's rib actually underscores that Adam and Eve, male and female, are identical in their dignity and their common humanity" [iii]. Both Adam and Eve come directly from the hand of the Creator. As the Catechism puts it, "Man discovers woman as another 'I,' sharing the same humanity" (CCC, no. 371).
- Sexual difference reveals that men and women are created for communion with each other. When God created Eve and brought her to Adam, he cried out joyfully, "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Gen 2:23). The author of Genesis connects Adam's exuberant cry to the institution of marriage: "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body" (Gen 2:24). Centuries later, Jesus quotes this verse in response to the Pharisees' question about divorce, and he adds, "So they [husband and wife] are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate" (Mt 19:6).
Sexual difference, present as a blessing from the very beginning of creation, is therefore the necessary foundation of marriage. Indeed, as the Second Vatican Council stated, the companionship between man and woman is nothing less than "the primary form of interpersonal communion" (GS, no. 12). As the Catechism says,
"Man and woman were made 'for each other' – not that God left them half-made and incomplete: he created them to be a communion of persons, in which each can be 'helpmate' to the other, for they are equal as persons ('bone of my bones…') and complementary as masculine and feminine" (CCC, no. 372).
Sexual difference, inscribed in each person's body, reveals to us a fundamental truth about human nature: we are not meant to be solitary creatures. Instead, we are created for communion with others, a communion uniquely witnessed by the free, total, and fruitful gift of self exchanged between husband and wife for a lifetime.
Next: Two Phrases about Sexual Difference to Put in Your Back Pocket
[1] See Bl. John Paul II's reflections on these words of Jesus, as well as on the creation accounts in Genesis, in the first section of his audiences on the theology of the body: TOB, nos. 1-23.
[ii] Carl Anderson and Fr. Jose Granados, Called to Love: Approaching John Paul II's Theology of the Body (New York: Doubleday, 2009): p. 45.
[iii] Ibid.
National Marriage Week: Is sexual difference a chasm? Is it just about gender roles?
Today's post is the second in a series about sexual difference.
In Thursday's post, we shed light on two popular (but misleading) claims about sexual difference: that it is a wound or curse, and that it is a societal construct. In this post, we'll look at two more popular ideas about sexual difference.
Is sexual difference an unbridgeable chasm?
If sexual difference is something more than a societal construct, are we obliged to think that men and women exist on opposite sides of the great Gender Divide chasm – or even on different planets? John Gray's 1992 book Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus popularized this view and offered numerous translation devices for Martians and Venutians who wanted to progress from intergalactic gridlock to a tentative truce.
But, as we'll see in the next few posts, sexual difference is not an unbridgeable chasm – if what is meant by that is that men and women occupy completely separate, parallel universes. Instead, as Mary Healy titled her book on the theology of the body, "Men and Women Are From Eden." The fact that men and women share a common humanity gives them an abiding source of communion, a shared "difference" in comparison to the rest of the world. [i] Even further, sexual difference itself is the avenue toward the unique communion of persons found in marriage. This difference is the basis for the fruitful complementarity and collaboration between men and women.
Is sexual difference simply another way of saying "gender roles"?
Some may fear that the notion of sexual difference is really just archaic gender roles in disguise. Assertions like "All women are x" or "All men are y" suggest that an individual person can be summed up simply by his or her maleness or femaleness. You're a man, so you must like football; you're a woman, so you must be a chocoholic. Feminists and others roundly criticize this line of thinking, noting it as stereotyping or reducing personal complexities into gender-specific traits.
But sexual difference is much more than gender roles. Masculinity and femininity are neither just a matter of anatomy nor just a matter of different functions in the home and society (although they have something to do with both). Sexual difference has first to do with one's identity as a man or as a woman. Maleness or femaleness reaches to the very core of one's identity, shaping one's personality "from the inside out." The bishops' 2009 pastoral letter on marriage put it beautifully: "Male and female are distinct bodily ways of being human, of being open to God and to one another – two distinct yet harmonizing ways of responding to the vocation to love" (p. 10).
Reducing sexual difference to a matter of rigid "function" ignores the depth of one's sexual identity. A man may nurture, but he nurtures as a man; a woman may provide, but she provides as a woman. There may be biological or historical reasons for tasks that were typically assigned to men and women, but it's important not to confuse sexual difference with these tasks (or think that masculinity or femininity is first a matter of doing; it is first a matter of being).
Onward and upward
The next post will take a look at what Scripture and the Catechism say to us about sexual difference. Also, for more on sexual difference and complementarity, check out the video Made for Each Other and companion materials (Viewer's Guide and Resource Booklet).
Next: Sexual Difference: Back to the BeginningTOB, 5.6). This solitude is both a lack ("It is not good that the man should be alone" – Gen. 2:18) and a confirmation of man's unique identity as a self-conscious, self-determining subject who is capable of "a unique, exclusive, and unrepeatable relationship with God himself" (TOB 6.2; see also 6.1).
John Paul II is clear that the experience of "original solitude" is shared by both man and woman. It is, in fact, the very foundation of their unity: "The communion of persons could form itself only on the basis of a 'double solitude' of the man and the woman, or as an encounter in their 'distinction' from the world of living beings (animalia)" (TOB, 9.2).
Sunday Pope Quote: Bl. John Paul II on the family as "a school of deeper humanity"
Today's Sunday Pope Quote is a short little quote from Bl. Pope John Paul II's apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio.
Bl. John Paul II: "All members of the family, each according to his or her own gift, have the grace and responsibility of building day by day the communion of persons, making the family 'a school of deeper humanity' [GS 52]: This happens where there is care and love for the little ones, the sick, the aged; where there is mutual service every day; when there is a sharing of goods, of joys and of sorrows."
– Familiaris Consortio, no. 21
Sunday Pope Quote: Holy Family Edition
**Whoops! This post was meant to be shared on December 30th, the feast of the Holy Family. Sorry about that. Nonetheless, it's a lovely reflection for any day.
Today is the feast of the Holy Family. It's also the first day that Catholics are invited to participate in a special Holy Hour for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty as part of the bishops' Call to Prayer movement. Today's Sunday Pope Quote comes from Bl. John Paul II's apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio and is a reflection about the connection between the Holy Family and every family.
Bl. John Paul II: And now, at the end of my pastoral message, which is intended to draw everyone's attention to the demanding yet fascinating roles of the Christian family, I wish to invoke the protection of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Through God's mysterious design, it was in that family that the Son of God spent long years of a hidden life. It is therefore the prototype and example for all Christian families. It was unique in the world. Its life was passed in anonymity and silence in a little town in Palestine. It underwent trials of poverty, persecution and exile. It glorified God in an incomparably exalted and pure way. And it will not fail to help Christian families – indeed, all the families in the world – to be faithful to their day-to-day duties, to bear the cares and tribulations of life, to be open and generous to the needs of others, and to fulfill with joy the plan of God in their regard.
– Familiaris Consortio, no. 86 (bold added)
Sunday Pope Quote: Gaudete Sunday Edition
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near." So says the Entrance Antiphon for today, the third Sunday of Advent, known as "Gaudete Sunday" from the first word in the Entrance Antiphon: "Rejoice/Gaude." The Collect, too, speaks of awaiting "the joys of so great a salvation" brought about by Jesus' birth. It is fitting, then, to reflect on the following passage from Bl. John Paul II's apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio, where the Holy Father speaks of the family's role of bringing joy into the world.
Bl. John Paul II: The Christian family has a special vocation to witness to the paschal covenant of Christ by constantly radiating the joy of love and the certainty of the hope for which it must give an account: "The Christian family loudly proclaims both the present virtues of the Kingdom of God and the hope of a blessed life to come" (Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, no. 35).
– Familiaris Consortio, no. 52
Sunday Pope Quote: Bl. John Paul II on motherhood and fatherhood
Today's Sunday Pope Quote comes from a particularly beautiful section of Bl. John Paul II' 1994 Letter to Families, one that is packed with rich reflection on childbearing, children, motherhood, and fatherhood. As we ponder during Respect Life month on the gift of life "in all its grandeur and beauty," the late Holy Father reminds us here of the radical (in the eyes of the world) teaching of the Catholic Church: Every child is willed by God and wanted by Him, no exceptions. There is no such thing as an "unwanted" child. Because of this, parents are called to have an attitude of joyful receptivity toward the children, both actual and hoped-for, that are entrusted to them but are not their product or possession. Radical indeed!
Bl. Pope John Paul II: "God 'willed' man from the very beginning, and God 'wills' him in every act of conception and every human birth. God 'wills' man as a being similar to himself, as a person. This man, every man, is created by God 'for his own sake'. [GS 24] That is true of all persons, including those born with sicknesses or disabilities. Inscribed in the personal constitution of every human being is the will of God, who wills that man should be, in a certain sense, an end unto himself. God hands man over to himself, entrusting him both to his family and to society as their responsibility. Parents, in contemplating a new human being, are, or ought to be, fully aware that God 'wills' this individual 'for his own sake'."
– Letter to Families, no. 9 (italics original, bold added)
Sunday Pope Quote: Respect Life edition
Today's Sunday Pope Quote fits nicely with Respect Life month. It comes from a section of Bl. John Paul II's encyclical Familiaris Consortio entitled "Children, the Precious Gift of Marriage."
Bl. John Paul II: According to the plan of God, marriage is the foundation of the wider community of the family, since the very institution of marriage and conjugal love are ordained to the procreation and education of children, in whom they find their crowning (see GS, 50).
In its most profound reality, love is essentially a gift; and conjugal love, while leading the spouses to the reciprocal "knowledge" which makes them "one flesh,"(Gen 2:24) does not end with the couple, because it makes them capable of the greatest possible gift, the gift by which they become cooperators with God for giving life to a new human person. Thus the couple, while giving themselves to one another, give not just themselves but also the reality of children, who are a living reflection of their love, a permanent sign of conjugal unity and a living and inseparable synthesis of their being a father and a mother.
– Familiaris Consortio, no. 14 (emphasis added)
Further reading:
- FAQs on marriage and children
- Bl. Pope John Paul II's writings on marriage on the Church Teaching page
About this series:
Every Sunday, the Marriage: Unique for a Reason blog will feature a short quote from our current Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, our late Holy Father, Bl. John Paul II, or another pope. These men have given the world an immense treasury of wisdom about marriage, love, and the meaning of the human person, all of which are topics integral to the Church's witness today. Their words are well worth reflecting on, as we have much to learn from these wise successors of St. Peter.
Life Matters: Marriage, the Sanctuary of Life
October is Respect Life month. This time each year, the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-life Activities releases a series of pamphlets, bulletin inserts, posters, and more that highlight various life issues. This year, one of the pamphlets focuses on marriage:
Life Matters: Marriage, the Sanctuary of Life
Written by professor Helen Alvaré, the pamphlet draws its title from Bl. Pope John Paul II's encyclical Centesimus Annus: "It is necessary to go back to seeing the family as the sanctuary of life. The family is indeed sacred: it is the place in which life – the gift of God – can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed" (no. 39).
In the pamphlet, professor Alvaré gives a basic catechesis on marriage, noting that the esteem with which the Christian faith views marriage, as a sacrament of Christ's love for his Church, runs counter to a calculated or utilitarian view (what's in it for me?). She also notes that while our society is becoming more and more forgetful of the essential meaning of marriage (man and woman together for life and open to children), the Catholic "model" of marriage, with self-donation at its heart, continues to "work," meaning that it provides joy, stability, and purpose to men and women and their children.
The pamphlet ends with a description of marriage as "a grand calling, a dramatic part of existence": "Marriage is not just one choice among many in a person's life. It is not a mere contract with another person, more or less lasting, for an exchange of love and good times. . . . Catholics hold that marriage is a vocation, a 'call.' It is a way of life that offers continual opportunities to be in loving service to the other. . . .It is both a splendid reality and serious business."
Marriage is indeed the sanctuary of life, a sanctuary worth upholding and defending.


text:
FC United of Manchester is a community football club owned and democratically run by its
members. Its corporate structure is a Community Benefit Society and membership is open to all, with everyone an equal co-owner, holding one voting share in the club.
FC United crashed to a poor 3-0 defeat at the hands of Bradford Park Avenue with a performance that was as bad as the previous one at Southport was good. Click here for more info.
Vote for your First Team Man of the Match
Get Yourself to that Football Ground.
Click here to find out about co-ownership of FC United of Manchester.
To receive further information about our commercial opportunities please email email@example.com
3.00pm Saturday 20th February 2010
The UniBond League Premier Division
Tech5 Stadium, Westfield Lane, South Elmsall, W Yorks, WF9 2EQ
Match Report
Goals from Ben Deegan and Kyle Wilson saw FC United win 2-0 at Frickley Athletic on Saturday afternoon - the Reds' fourth consecutive win which extends their unbeaten run in 2010 to six matches.
Deegan struck in the first minute with a tap-in whilst Wilson put the victory beyond doubt midway through the second half after good work by Jerome Wright.
On a difficult, bobbly surface that made playing football difficult, the Reds did enough to see off a spirited Frickley side in West Yorkshire.
The game couldn't have got off to a better start, with United taking the lead after just 40 seconds. Some good work from Carlos Roca worked the ball to the left hand side where Wright beat his man and put in a great cross for Roca. His header was saved by the home keeper but sadly for him, the ball dropped to the feet of Deegan who tapped the ball into the net.
The fast start to the game continued with Frickley almost pulling level on two minutes when striker Lee blasted over. Soon afterwards United had a couple of half-chances with David Chadwick shooting into the side netting and Wright scuffing a shot which rolled through to the keeper.
The Reds should have extended their lead on 26 minutes, when clever play from Deegan resulted in him dispossessing a defender and putting a cross in from tight on the by-line, sadly there were no United players in the box to apply the finishing touch.
Frickley ended the half on a high, with Craig Palmer putting a free header over when he should have done much better and a good penalty claim turned down when they thought Chadwick was climbing all over one of their players.
In truth, FC United can probably count themselves lucky that a penalty wasn't given, as those types of foul always seem to be given when outside the box.
The home continued brightly into the second half with Lee firing a free-kick straight at Sam Ashton and Normington shooting wide. United withstood the pressure and soon eased themselves back into the game, with Wright prominent on the left hand side and Deegan always a threat down the middle. It was Deegan who could easily have extended the lead but the forward headed wide.
Wilson could have made the game safe just after the hour when he was played clean through and shot wide when everyone was expected a shot on target. However, the on-loan striker made up for his miss four minutes later when he side-footed home a Wright cross from the left to give the Reds some breathing space. His fourth goal since returning to the club.
Centre-back Adam Tong, on his last performance before starting a new life in Australia, could have made it three on 70 minutes but his powerful free-kick was beaten away by Nicklin in the home goal.
There was time in the game for substitutes Joe Yoffe and Phil Marsh to come close with shots and an injury-time save for Ashton from Frickley striker Lee.
All-in-all it was a decent performance from FC United on a difficult pitch, another three valuable points on the road and it was good to see the players give Tong a guard of honour at the end of the game - even if it was only to try to remove his shorts!
So the great run continues, with FC United up to ninth in the league and those play-offs clearly in sight.
Report by Steven Wood.
Supporters can vote for their FC United man-of-the-match by clicking here.
Football Club United of Manchester,
Broadhurst Park, 310 Lightbowne Road, Moston, Manchester,
FC United Office Opening Hours - Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
FC United Office Email - email@example.com
FC United Office Phone - 0161 769 2005
FC United Office Fax - 0161 769 2014
Free Text Message Service - 07786 200 353

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Psychosocial Effect of HPV Positivity
The recruitment status of this study is unknown. The completion date has passed and the status has not been verified in more than two years.
Verified October 2011 by The University of Hong Kong.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
The University of Hong Kong
Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
The University of Hong Kong
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: September 15, 2011
Last updated: October 21, 2011
Last verified: October 2011
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The use of HPV testing in cervical screening has raised concerns about the effect of a positive HPV result on women's psychological well being. This is a nested psychosocial study of the COCY trial (IRB No. UW 09-377; PI: Prof Hextan Ngan), with the aim to evaluate the psychosocial impact of HPV positivity on Hong Kong Chinese women and the modulating effects of educational intervention on such impact. Potential participants are identified among those who have joint the COCY trial. Participants will be randomized into two groups, namely the control group or intervention group. The control group participants will receive their smear results and an HPV leaflet by post. The intervention group will receive the leaflet and a counseling session on HPV. Self-administered questionnaires will be used to assess participants' psychological condition at the receipt of the smear results and at two months afterward. It is hypothesized that the level of emotional distress measured at smear result notification will be greater than that at two months afterward for all participants. Furthermore, participants in the intervention group will have lower psychological distress than those in the control group at two months after the receipt of their smear results.
|Human Papillomavirus
|Other: leaflet Other: counseling and leaflet
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
|Official Title:
|The Psychosocial Effect of Testing Positive for HPV on Hong Kong Chinese Women With Normal Cervical Cytology
Further study details as provided by The University of Hong Kong:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Change from baseline in anxiety to 6 months [ Time Frame: Level of anxiety will be measured at the receipt of cervical smear results, and at 2-months and 6-months afterward. ]Anxiety meausred by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Change from baseline in depression to 6 months [ Time Frame: Level of depression will be measured at the receipt of cervical smear results, and at 2-months and 6-months afterward. ]Depression will be measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|October 2011
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|October 2013
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|October 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|Active Comparator: leaflet
|Other: leaflet
|Active Comparator: counseling
|Other: counseling and leaflet
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|30 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ethnic Chinese women who have enrolled in the COCY trial, and whose smear results are normal cytology with HPV positivity
- Women who are willing to attend colposcopy
- Literate in the Chinese language
- Have given a verbal consent to participate in this study
Exclusion Criteria:
- Women who are unable to provide a consent to participation.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01459289
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01459289
|Contact: Hextan YS Ngan, MD
|Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong
|Hong Kong, China
|Contact: Ngan email@example.com
|Principal Investigator: Hextan Ngan, MD
|Sub-Investigator: Tracy Kwan, PhD
Sponsors and Collaborators
The University of Hong Kong
Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
|Principal Investigator:
|Hextan YS Ngan, MD
|The University of Hong Kong
More Information
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on August 17, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|The University of Hong Kong
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01459289 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 15, 2011
|Last Updated:
|October 21, 2011
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on August 17, 2017


text:
What is eNAT?
The electronic Netting Analysis Tool (eNAT) is a Microsoft Access Database used by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the regulated facilities to create, submit, approve, and manage netting analysis submissions required under N.J.A.C 7:27-18 Emission Offset Rule. NJDEP maintains the master database which contains netting analysis information submitted by the facilities.
The facilities enter and manage their proposed increase in allowable emissions (IA) and contemporaneous data (IP, INP, IF, DO, and DC) and use the database to create a zipped file that is submitted to NJDEP with a modification. The terms IA, IP, INP, IF, DO, and DC are defined in N.J.A.C 7:27-18. The zipped submission file is imported into NJDEP's master version of the database. NJDEP then reviews and approves the new IAs.
Downloading and Installing eNAT
eNAT is a Microsoft Access Application and requires the full version of Access 2007 or 2010. In absence of Access 2007 or 2010 versions, user can download the MS Access 2010 Runtime version from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10910.
The zipped file/folder below must be downloaded to install eNAT on your computer. The zipped folder contains two files (eNAT.accdb and eNAT_be.accdb) and the eNAT Instruction Manual. After the download is complete, open the instruction manual and follow the step-by-step directions under Getting Started in Chapter 2.
eNAT Beta Version Download: eNAT.zip
To login as a Facility user, enter the User ID "eNATFacility" and Password "eNATUser" into the fields and click the Login button. Note that the User ID and Password are case-sensitive. A correct User ID and Password will allow entrance into the eNAT application and open the form for Selection of Facility.
Department: NJDEP Home | About DEP | Index by Topic | Programs/Units | DEP Online
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs
Copyright © State of New
Jersey, 1996-2017
Last Updated:
May 19, 2017


text:
|From: Matthias Felleisen (matthias at ccs.neu.edu)
Date: Sun Aug 21 10:16:23 EDT 2011
> > On Aug 21, 2011, at 6:57 AM, keydana at gmx.de wrote: > >> Perhaps I can add a remark to this "from the other" (the database admins') side :-; ? From the point of view of an Oracle DBA (I'm emphasizing "Oracle" here as I don't want to generalize, having no comparable experience with other rdbms's), applications written with a goal of "database independence" can be a big problem and lead to grave performance (or even, data integrity) issues. This is because even though the sql may be the same, important concepts like read consistency etc. are implemented in a very different ways in different rdbms'. >> So anyway, when an application changes to use another rdbms, major work might be required ... > Sigrid, this sounds like a context-dependency. That is, you use the same language (in the sense of API) but depending on the DB to which you bind the meaning is subtly different with implications for correctness and performance. I am wondering whether a unit-oriented approach would help here. You could write your program against a uniform API that adapts itself properly to the DB context in which it is deployed. Warning: I have no clue about real databases. This may be complete nonsense. -- Matthias
|Posted on the users mailing list.


text:
Torklift International Legendary Lifetime Warranty Information
322 Railroad Ave N; Kent, WA 98032
Register your lifetime warranty and receive a free limited edition Torklift International hat. Send your receipt and warranty registration card and we will send you your free gift.
To Fax: Send copies of the warranty card and receipt to 253-854-8003
To Mail: Send to Torklift International 322 Railroad Ave N; Kent, WA 98032
Warranty Information
Torklift requires proof of purchase for warranty claims, along with pictures of any defective product before issuing a replacement. Torklift will not accept claims on any product without proof of purchase, which can be faxed, emailed, or mailed to the information provided above.
Torklift warrants its hitches, custom hitch receivers, frame mounted tie downs, turnbuckles, and accessories (excluding wire harnesses which carry a 90 day warranty and the plastic components of the GlowGuide handrail carry a 1 year warranty) from date of purchase against defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for the ownership life of the original consumer purchaser.
Torklift will replace free of charge any part which proves defective in material or workmanship when presented to Torklift.
Any damage to Torklift products as a result of misuse, abuse, neglect, accident, improper installation or any use violative of instructions furnished by Torklift WILL VOID THE WARRANTY. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have rights which vary from state to state. With warranty service, you may be able to go to a small claims court, a state court or a federal district court.


text:
Aug 30, 2012
Do You Ever Feel Your Brain is Going to Explode as You Live with Chronic Pain?
Awe, come on. I know you do. I've definitely had one of those weeks. Today I'd like to spend the time together just chatting, sharing and commiserating about life and chronic pain, which is the Tabasco sauce in our lives.
Sue Falkner-Wood
Chronic Pain Blog
Life with Chronic Pain: A How-to Guide
Archive for August, 2012
Aug 22, 2012
Wait! Come Back! You Gave Me the Wrong Life
I wonder how many of us have had that thought while being tossed by the storms of illness, change and suffering. I'm not certain who I was addressing when I said that; perhaps God, or maybe the fickle finger of fate....
Aug 16, 2012
Our Apologies for the Issues With Sue's Blog
Hi Everyone, This is Rose, Sue's editor at Everyday Health. Apologies to everyone for the outages over the past couple of days and in the recent past. We love Sue's blog, and we love all of you for being such loyal...
Aug 9, 2012
I Haven't Lost My Mind; But Occasionally I Misplace It!
For those of us who live with chronic pain, it often feels like we are battling a war on two fronts.
Aug 3, 2012
Do You Ever Wonder, In Your Life With Chronic Pain?
Awe, come on, I know you do. I interrogate myself on a regular basis. What if I had not done that activity?


text:
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text:
The official blog of University of Missouri Skeptics, Atheists, Secular Humanists, & Agnostics
Hello again. My name is James, and I like science. It's been a while, but I'm back with some more words and drawings to tickle your every fancy. Our gradual climb up the Tree of Life continues. Where it will lead, none can be certain. What we can be certain of, however, is this: you're about to become uncomfortably familiar with one of the Animal Kingdom's most wondrous creatures: the Ctenophore. These mysterious undersea jellies may not be as cuddly as a kitten or a bunch of dudes with beards, but don't fret, Dear Reader. By the time you finish this article, I promise you'll discover that you've been in love with Comb Jellies all along.
(And if you haven't yet, be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2)
Comb jellies are ocean-dwelling invertebrates belonging to the phylum Ctenophora (it's roughly pronounced "ten-o-four;" the 'C' is silent for some reason I can't even begin to understand), which is Greek for comb-bearer. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes: some are inconspicuous specks of plankton, while others are brightly colored, downright gaudy little deep-sea vixens. The average Ctenophore is a transparent aquatic oblong with several rows of hair and a pair of long tentacles. If you're unfortunate enough to have never seen one of these majestic beasts before (or you're too lazy to look on Wikipedia), kindly observe this image painstakingly constructed with the latest rendering technology (i.e. Mac Paintbrush).
Although Ctenophores are a strictly marine taxon, with no known freshwater species, they're an extremely adaptable bunch. Comb jellies can be found near the coasts, in the middle of the open ocean, inside shallow inland seas, and in the crushing abyssal depths. Their versatility is a result of their simple but elegant design. The following section contains a brief account of the basic anatomy and physiology for an idealized Ctenophore, but be warned, Dear Reader; there are many variations and exceptions to these descriptions, some of which I'll address in later on.
Anatomy of a Deep Sea Degenerate
Ctenophores have partial bilateral symmetry, with a distinct top and bottom but no front or back. The top bears the entrance to the creature's gastrovascular system (i.e. the mouth) and is designated as the oral surface. The bottom, known as the aboral surface, houses a set of anal pores and a sensory structure called the statocyst. Each jelly is equipped with 8 rows of cilia combs, or ctenes, that extend along the length of their bodies from near the mouth into the statocyst. These cilia move in a rhythmic motion that propels the jelly anywhere it fancies while simultaneously producing dandy little moving rainbows across their surface.
The statocyst, which is itself comprised mainly of 4 stiff tufts of cilia, provides the jelly with information about its position relative to the pull of gravity. Each of the tufts is physically contiguous with 2 neighboring ctenes and supports a small grain of calcium carbonate, the statolith, in the center of the statocyst. The whole structure works sort of like a simplified human inner ear: when the comb jelly is perfectly vertical with respect to gravity (looking up or down for you non-sciency types), the statolith exerts equal pressure on all 4 tufts; whenever the jelly is tilted horizontally (like your mom after a night of appletinis and cooking wine), the pressure in increased on the lower tufts and decreased on the upper tufts. The variations in pressure are translated into electrical signals which pass into the Ctenophore's nerve net and are interpreted by what can only be described as magic. Neurobiology isn't my forte.
Just like sponges, the bulk of a Ctenophore's volume is composed of water suspended in a gel-like matrix of proteins, the mesoglea, sandwiched between sheets of epithelium. Unlike sponges, comb jellies have fewer cells embedded in their middle layer and possess unambiguous and persistently interconnected tissue layers, although there is some disagreement in the scientific literature as to whether there are 2 or 3 layers (some authors have squared this circle by positing that comb jellies have 2.5 epithelial layers. Good job, Science).
Additionally, Ctenophores have fibrous myoepithelial (i.e. muscle) cells, a feature that may shed light on the evolution of the middle tissue layer which gives rise to muscle tissue in triploblastic animals like me and you, Dear Reader. Cells composing the outer surface of the jelly form the epidermis, which functions to protect and provide support to the animal's interior bits. The epidermis also houses a network of neurons that act as the Ctenophore's nervous system.
Ctenophores, despite being totally bereft of a brain, are actually pretty good at moving around in and reacting to their environment; gently cruising the ocean and snatching up unfortunate sea-critters with their inscrutable tentacles. They accomplish this feat by using their nerve net to both process signals from their sensory organs and coordinate the actions of their comb rows and muscle tissue.
Although this biological circuitry is about as powerful as a digital watch (and not the kind with a built-in calculator), it nonetheless makes comb jellies far more intelligent that the most scholarly and erudite sponge. Most species possess a single pair of feeding tentacles, which protrude laterally from the body and can be retracted into protective sheaths. The tentacles are covered colloblasts, a specialized type of cell that releases a gooey adhesive to adhere to prey items upon contact.
Captured food is reeled in and licked off the tentacles by the jelly's endoderm-lined mouth, where it passes into the muscular pharynx to be crushed and digested into a nutritive slurry which then flows into the beast's stomachy canal system to be absorbed. These cilia-lined canals branch and radiate throughout the Ctenophore's body (especially under the ctenes; see unwieldy cross-section above), allowing the rich broth to fuel its various tissues and functions, or be stored in elongated vacuole cells. Despite possessing several perfectly good anuses (=D), the jelly expels most of its metabolic waste by regurgitating it through the mouth (D=).
While we're on the subject of anuses, it's worth mentioning that the sex lives of Ctenophores are rather tame; nearly all are hermaphroditic (and most of these are believed to be self fertile) and simply expel reproductive cells haphazardly into the surrounding water column in hopes of making more tiny jellies. A few species retain the developing Ctenophore larva in their endoderm, releasing them after a short gestation period. The juvenile jellies, called cydippids, are usually just miniature versions of the adults that gradually grow in size until they reach sexy-time maturity.
So, are you tired of comb jellies yet? No?
Good, me neither! In the next installment of APIGttTOL, we'll explore Ctenophore diversity and evolution. Until then, Dear Reader, stay curious and rather gooey.
James is a graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia. He is a research biologist specializing in the molecular evolution of invertebrates. Feel free to visit his subpar research blog.
Where do these guys, and I use the term "guys," loosely fit in phylogenetically? I was originally taught they were a sister taxon to the Cnidarians, at a later date I saw a figure that placed them as deuterostomes. Where is literature standing now, as well were they originally placed (incorrectly) in either of those groups? I can see the radial symmetry confusing the placement but isn't the development more decisive?
Nice, informative and well-written article!


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Welcome to the Mountain Home Animal Shelter Website.
We have now moved into our new location at 295 NW Elmcrest, across from Knight's Vet clinic.
Mountain Home Animal Shelter
Who We Are and What We Do
The City of Mountain Home Animal Shelter is overseen by the Investigations Bureau of the City of Mountain Home Police Department (MHPD). The shelter services the City of Mountain Home, Idaho as well as its area of impact. The shelter is in charge of caring for stray animals until they are adopted, as well as responding to animal control calls. We are open to the public Monday through Saturday. MHPD responds to all after-hours animal calls including, animal bites and stray animals.
Congratulations to RYIN HOLMES (Left) & ETHAN CASH(Right) on winning our cat and dog gift baskets at the Home Town Heroes event last night at The Mountain Home Library. It was a lot of fun! A special thanks to all the folks that took time out of there evenings to make this special night possible.
Related Links
Shelter News Links
Stop by and visit today!
295 NW Elmcrest
Mountain Home, ID 83647
Phone: 208-587-2111
295 NW Elmcrest
Mountain Home, ID 83647
Phone: 208-587-2111
OPEN 10am - 6pm
Closed All Major Holidays and Sundays
OPEN 10am - 6pm
Closed All Major Holidays and Sundays
Designed by Jordan Hogan
Mountain Home Animal Shelter © 2012-2015
Mountain Home Animal Shelter © 2012-2015


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Yesterday was a rough one.
I think the worst part of it was the fact that I just kept trying to save it...
to make it into a good day.
I should have just let myself fall into the roughness and wallow around in it.
At one point last night Court was halfway down our long driveway...crying and running away (thank you Ramona and Beezus).
Every time we would pretend to walk towards the house he would get scared and start coming back up the driveway...
and then we would want to make sure we could see him so we would walk toward the driveway....
and he would see us and start back down again.
This went on for a little while.
Finally he just came running to me and I picked him up. He was so heavy and I realized he isn't such a little guy any...
more. Sigh.
One year ago, I had recently returned from a lovely little jaunt to New York City.
|somewhere on Waverly
|a playground somewhere in the West Village...I think
On Saturday I ran out of the house and decided to find a little New York in my own backyard. I ventured out to a neighbourhood nearby that I had read about and wanted to check out.
with yummy carrot cupcakes.


text:
About Pieter
Pieter, an Advisory principal specializing in Security, joined the PwC member firm in South Africa after teaching at the University of Pretoria for three years. He was seconded to the United States firm for a two-year program in 2000 as part of PwC's Global Mobility Program and decided to permanently relocate to the U.S. after completing his tour. Since joining PwC, Pieter has served in various leadership roles within PwC's Security Practice and in 2012 he was admitted as a principal. Pieter loves to travel and spend time with his wife and three children in Atlanta, GA.
Pieter's story
- 2012 Admitted as an Advisory partner focused on Security
- 2006 Took an active role in building out and leading the Payment Compliance Solution area within PwC's Security practice
- 2002 Decided to permanently relocate to the US
- 2000 Transferred to the US firm for a 2 year global mobility assignment
- 1998 Joined PwC in Johannesburg, South Africa, after teaching at the University of Pretoria for three years


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/7/2013 (1489 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Way, Way Back is a nifty blend of humour, heart and drama. The title refers to the far-rear seating in vintage station wagons where riders -- usually the littlest kids in the clan -- faced the tailgate window. It also captures the film's nostalgic appeal.
It's a throwback to the heyday of John Hughes and Risky Business, when coming-of-age stories had a sense of comic naturalism, pungent characters who stay with you and significant emotional stakes. This is a funny movie with serious things on its mind.
The adolescent in focus is disillusioned, eye-contact-avoidant Duncan (Liam James, wonderfully artless). He doesn't know why his mother Pam (Toni Collette) and his father split. He can't fathom why she's with her jerkish new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell, playing it straight). Girls -- no clue. He is early-teen anomie incarnate.
Over the course of an extended stay at Trent's East Coast vacation home, Duncan struggles to cope with adult situations that even adults can barely navigate. The summer of his discontent is handled with a winning balance of testiness, warmth and bruised wisdom about the ways of the world.
Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who shared writing and directing duties, have a sharp eye for the dynamic between kids, parents and unrelated adults. There's not a scene that isn't a subtle power play of some kind.
When Pam is asleep, Trent tells her insecure son that on a 10-point scale, he's about a three, so he should use this getaway to work on himself. The house fills with "Oh, hi, kid" neighbours, so Duncan rides aimlessly on a pink-decorated girl's bike -- his escape vehicle. None of the grown-ups notices his almost daily disappearances.
Wheeling up to a water park, he comes under the wing of the manager, a breezy, don't-give-a-damn lifer named Owen (Sam Rockwell, channeling the motormouth Bill Murray of Meatballs). And bit by bit, everything changes.
Rockwell's life-of-the-party performance dispels the precisely crafted gloom of the opening scenes like a broiling summer sun. He tosses a little light wisdom at the kid but mostly counsels him to have fun and take chances.
They don't all turn out as planned. The resolution of his tentative relationship with a boozy divorc©e neighbour's captivating daughter (AnnaSophia Robb) is a pleasing curveball. All in all, though, it opens the kid up. His self-protective slump lifts. Glimmers of repressed personality burst forth.
The script doesn't stack the deck so that Duncan suddenly triumphs, but you know he's going to be all right.
The thing that sets this movie apart from most summer comedies is that every character has an extra dimension or two (Faxon and Rash shared a screenwriting Oscar for 2011's The Descendants with director Alexander Payne). There's a rueful side to wiseacre Owen. Collette plays Pam's compassion, forced cheer, desperation and inner-directed anger so fluently that at times she's on all four bases at once. Even obnoxious Trent has a vein of sadness to him.
Like the earlier Carell-Collette hit Little Miss Sunshine, this is a romp that will have you reaching for your handkerchief.
-- Minneapolis Star-Tribune


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As you walk through the companionway of this yacht, you'll immediately appreciate the gradual 3 step stair case and the little to no disconnect from the cockpit to down below. The flow and continuity is Amazing.
To Port, is a u-shaped settee with ample room for dining / and or entertaining. Additionally to port and aft of the settee is a well appointed nav station.
Island mounted and in the center of salon is a multi purpose piece of furniture that houses a retractable LED TV, a bench for more dinette seating, or counter space for preparing a meal.
To Starboard is a luxurious galley equipped with two sink basins, dishwasher, 3 burner stove, oven and Microwave.
As you continue to walk forward, you'll notice a two similar sized state rooms across from each other, both with ensuite heads.
Completely forward is the master stateroom with an island-style queen size bed and an ensuite head.


text: H4C is the product of a desire to offer an incomparable culinary experience in historical surroundings. Its team offers creative gourmet dishes by its Master Chef, Dany Bolduc, who draws from his travels to offer French cuisine expressed through local products. The wine list puts forth unique and sustainable choices, and the professional staff walks you through every step of the dining adventure.


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Management Sponsored by
Dow Corning announced the transformation of its business strategy to help customers to be more efficient, innovative and sustainable as they navigate dynamic economic, social and environmental megatrends. According to an announcement, the company's new strategy is the culmination of extensive research and analysis of customers' needs, economic indicators and future social and environmental trends around the world.
"Our customers say they want a supplier that can help manage dramatic changes affecting their businesses—the global economic slowdown, new technological advancements and increasing attention on the environment," said Stephanie A. Burns, chairman, president and CEO, Dow Corning.
Burns said the company will focus increasingly on researching and developing solutions linked to global megatrends—such as the drive for efficiency, increased focus on alternative energy and clean water, and the rapid urbanization in fast-growing emerging geographies.
Specifically, the new strategy will focus on:
Innovation: The Dow Corning brand will focus exclusively on serving differentiated solutions and new applications for customers who want innovation, customized services and technical support. The company will focus on innovating materials and solutions for critical industries, including personal care. Much of this innovation will be driven by the need to help customers develop unique and differentiated products while helping them become more efficient. Dow Corning's R&D centers of excellence and the Dow Corning Business & Technology Incubator will help continuously identify and pursue new trends and opportunities.


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Vivienne Westwood Isn't Fond of Kate Middleton's Style, Either
"I would have loved to have dressed Kate Middleton. But I have to wait until she kind of catches up a bit somewhere with style…I think she's got a problem with eye make-up! The sharp line around her eyes make her look hard. Either she should be smudgy or wear none. … Let me put it this way. It seems to me, that her image is 'ordinary woman.' Therefore, high street shopper. And I just think she should be an extraordinary woman, wherever she gets her clothes from."
–Punk designer Vivienne Westwood, on her disdain for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's style, or lack thereof. [Telegraph]


text:
Cairo -
An Egyptian appeals court on Monday upheld convictions and three-year prison sentences passed against three of the country's most prominent political activists.
The ruling is likely to draw swift condemnation from among Egypt's liberal and secular pro-democracy campaigners opposed to the military-backed authorities' targeting of dissent.
That targeting has been overshadowed by the much larger crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood group and other Islamists, which has led to the death of hundreds and the jailing of at least 16 000 since the July ouster of President Mohammed Morsi.
The three activists - Ahmed Maher, Mohammed Adel and Ahmed Douma - were leading figures in Egypt's 2011 popular uprising that toppled long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
The three were accused of violating a controversial new law on holding street protests and were sentenced each to three years in prison in December.
The law imposes draconian restrictions on any public gathering, but the government says it is meant to bring order and stability to the streets in the face of months of continued protests by supporters of the Islamist Morsi.
The court also ruled on Monday that each of the three would be fined 50 000 Egyptian pounds (about $7 140).
"The judge, regretfully, has upheld the sentence on Douma, Maher and Adel. Down, down with the oppressive verdict," one of their lawyers, Gamal Eid, wrote on his Twitter account, minutes after the ruling was read by presiding Judge Ahmed Faisal.
The three young activists were the founders of the April 6 movement, which was at the forefront of the 18-day uprising against Mubarak, but later joined the opposition against the generals who took over the reins of power for nearly 17 months after Mubarak's ouster.
April 6 initially supported Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, but soon became disillusioned with the Islamist leader's perceived attempt at concentrating powers with his Brotherhood.
The movement supported Morsi's removal by the military last July, after days of protests by millions of Egyptians against his rule.
But again, April 6 shifted its stance to denounce what it describes as the curtailment of freedoms and the heavy handedness of the police under the current military-backed government.
The predominantly pro-military media has cast the April 6 movement as a treasonous organisation with foreign links. - Sapa-AP


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Jon Jones is arrogant.
Now, before all of his rabid fanboys start calling for my head, I'd like to clarify that this is not my personal opinion. It's actually a quote, from a UFC champion.
And that champion? Well, he's none other than Jon Jones.
In an interview (courtesy of Fox Sports), Jones went into detail about his sudden epiphany:
"I think I am. I think I am a little arrogant," he said on Monday. "I think it's really important. The thing about me I say all the time is, I notice that I'm full of myself and I am arrogant to some degree, but it's obviously only when it comes to talking about MMA, where literally, I do the wildest stuff. I don't think I live like a celebrity at all. All my friends are normal people, normal dudes who do the most normal stuff all the time. But when it comes to MMA, there is a big chip on my shoulder. There is a way that I look at myself, and I think it's really, really important. It's something I'm not really apologetic for. As I get older and as I win more, I start to embrace it even more. The biggest thing is not to be apologetic for it. I realize it's a big part of the reason I'm able to perform out there. The moment I let fear seep in is the moment the fights start getting closer and closer. So yeah, I think it's important to be an absolute believer and have that confidence."
(You can catch the rest of the interview here.)
By Jim Chadwick | Twitter
Jon Jones: 'I am arrogant'
Jon Jones is arrogant.


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bret hart, 7/2/2013, 12:00 am
Expand Messages
Reminder from: John_Cena_4lyf Yahoo! Group Title: bret hart Date: Tuesday July 2, 2013 Time: 12:00 am - 12:00 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time - Dublin / Edinburgh / Lisbon / London Get reminders on your mobile, Yahoo! Messenger, and email.
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Gourmet Products
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Game Meat and Fowl
Québec boasts more than 100 companies specializing in wild and farm-raised game meats and fowl, including bison, red deer, wild boar, duck, pheasant, partridge and quail. Strictly enforced certification and inspection programs ensure only the highest quality meat. Quebec also closely monitors herd sizes and enforces regulation that insures the humane treatment of animals.
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Preserves, jams, spreads, spice mixes, condiments, sauces, chutneys, maple products, honey, and more! These are but a few of the specialty products available for export. Québec is home to a wide range of companies, from the artisan producer who sells handmade jellies and pastries destined for the most exclusive boutiques in limited quantities, to the manufacturer capable of supplying large-scale customers, Québec has a product for everyone.


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- This event has passed.
Art Submission Deadline: We All Live In Bhopal
Monday | September 01, 2014 | 8:00 am — 5:00 pm
SF Bay Area | CA
Event Navigation
All over the world, individuals are fighting battles against corporate evasion of responsibility and prioritization of profit over human and environmental safety. We would like to hear your stories expressed through art. What and where is your Bhopal? Please feel free to understand and realize our theme however it inspires you. Your art can include 2D: Photography, Paintings, Drawings, Protest Signs; or Media: Animation, Video, Short Films; or Performance Art: Dance, Theatrical Skits, Comedy, Puppetry, Songs, Musical Recordings, Poetry, Writing and Stories. Please check the website for restrictions and specifics.Visit Event Website >>
Cost: FreeEvent Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Please contact organizer for wheelchair accessibility information.


text:
These are stories Report on Business is following Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013.
Follow Michael Babad and The Globe's Business Briefing on Twitter.
Markets buoyed
European and Asian markets climbed today, and gold slumped, on hopes of an end to the U.S. fiscal stalemate, with just two days to go before what the Treasury Department says is a borrowing deadline.
New York stocks opened down, however, while Toronto's S&P/TSX composite gained.
"The dark clouds that were hanging over Washington are starting to pass as negotiations between the Democrats and Republicans improve," said market analyst David Madden of IG in London.
"The fear of a U.S. default has left some investors paralyzed, but the progress that has been made could pave the way for a deal and that sentiment is driving stocks higher."
As The Globe and Mail's Kevin Carmichael reports, Senate leaders for the two parties are close to a deal that would and the U.S. government's partial shutdown and lift its debt ceiling through early February.
Time is running out to reach a pact – the Treasury Department says it can't go past Thursday – but signs of an agreement are buoying the hopes of investors.
"Investors have remained relatively confident throughout this process that a deal would eventually be done, although that hasn't stopped them taking precautions as the deadline approaches," said market analyst Craig Erlam of Alpari.
"The most notable of these has been the selling of very short-term U.S. debt, which has risen significantly over the last month," he said in a research note.
"Based on the size of the gains seen in the stock market, what we're actually seeing is a case of cautious optimism," Mr. Erlam added.
"Investors are clearly still concerned that negotiations can collapse which, would be disastrous so close to the deadline. This lack of faith highlights the trust that has been lost in the government, not just among the public but also in the financial markets."
Analysts lamented the fact that the United States will only face another showdown early next year, with many issues left to be settled.
"The outlines of the senate debt ceiling deal suggest such a kick down the road with the main work left to a committee (tax code)," said Sébastien Galy of Société Générale.
"Given the success of such committees, it is a delaying tactic suggesting a series of hard-fought battles lie ahead for the incumbent administration. For your inner fixed income bull, it means fiscal policy will be quite a drag with the Fed compensating to try and maintain the escape velocity out of the current deflationary trap."
- Follow our Inside the Market blog
- Kevin Carmichael: Senate leaders edging closer to deal on U.S. fiscal impasse
Citigroup misses
Citigroup Inc. took some of the steam out of the general market optimism today, posting a rebound in third-quarter profit but hurt by lower bond trading, knocking down its shares.
The giant U.S. bank posted a profit of $3.2-billion (U.S.) or $1 a share, compared to $468-million or 15 cents a year earlier. Revenue climbed to $17.9-billion from $13.7-billion.
Citi was hurt by a slip in bond trading, citing a 26-per-cent slump in revenue from fixed income. And, when you strip out all the unusual items, earnings per share slipped to $1.02 a share from $1.06.
"We performed relatively well in this challenging, uneven macro environment," said chief executive officer Michael Corbat.
"While many of the factors which influence our revenues are not within our full control, we certainly can control our costs, and I am pleased with our expense discipline and improved efficiency year-to-date."
Home sales rise
With the government's mortgage restrictions now far in the rear-view mirror, and potential buyers concerned about rising mortgage rates, Canada's housing market continues to post impressive gains.
Home sales across the country climbed 0.8 per cent in September from August, and 18.2 per cent from a weak September last year, just after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty moved to tame the market.
Average sale prices rose 8.8 per cent from a year ago, The Globe and Mail's Tara Perkins report, while the MLS home price index gained 3.1 per cent.
"While the momentum for sales activity began improving a few months ago, it may be losing steam after having only just climbed back in line with an average of the past 10 years," said Gregory Klump, the chief economist of the realtors' group.
Apple up, Burberry down
Shares of Apple Inc. gained today as Angela Ahrendt decided to leave the lap of luxury to join the fold.
Ms. Ahrendts is quitting her job as chief executive officer of Burberry Group PLC for a new post as Apple's retail chief, sparking a drop in shares of the British luxury retailer.
Analysts say Ms. Ahrendts, who will be succeeded by chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, is leaving Burberry at a crucial time.
Burberry posted a strong gain in its latest report on sales in the first half of the year, but still fell shy of analysts' estimates.
"This is the biggest of a number of recent high profile departures, and the decision to place Christopher Bailey in sole custody of both CEO and chief creative officer has led to concerns over the burden placed on one pair of shoulders, especially given his lack of experience for at that level," said senior sales trader Toby Morris of CMC Markets in London.
BlackBerry shares slip
BlackBerry Ltd. may have gone on the offensive, but its stock is playing defence today.
This comes in the wake of an open letter from the company aimed at reassuring customers that it's alive and kicking.
As The Globe and Mail's Sean Silcoff reports, BlackBerry cited "challenging times" but customers can continue to rely on the company, which has wads of cash on hand and zero debt, and is in the midst of a restructuring.
It's also in the midst of an auction, but its shares continue to trade well shy of the $9-a-share tentative offer from Fairfax Financial Ltd., which is proposing a $4.7-billion takeover when its due diligence is done in a couple of weeks.
Others, including co-founder Mike Lazaridis and U.S. private equity firm Cerberus, are also considering bidding.
Streetwise (for subscribers)
Economy Lab
ROB Insight (for subscribers)
Business ticker
- Women in corporate Canada still feel overworked, underpaid: survey
- J&J results beat estimates on strong drug sales
- Coke reports higher profit, lower revenue
- British inflation fails to slow, house prices jump
- New York Times eyes growth abroad with global edition replacing Herald Tribune
Follow @michaelbabadon Twitter:
- Citigroup Inc$66.58-0.02(-0.03%)
- BlackBerry Ltd$8.68-0.04(-0.40%)
- Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd$588.44-6.82(-1.15%)
- Apple Inc$157.50-0.36(-0.23%)
- S&P/TSX Composite14,952.33-81.31(-0.54%)
- Dow Jones Industrials21,674.51-76.22(-0.35%)
- Gold Front Month Futures$1,286.80+0.40(+0.03%)
- Updated August 18 4:00 PM EDT. Delayed by at least 15 minutes.


text:
A round of fairly interesting Fed speeches today:
Narayana Kocherlakota, Minneapolis
In recent months Mr Kocherlakota argued a number of points that made people think he was opposed to QE2: that there may be significant structural employment, that there are dangers to keeping short-term rates very low for a long time, and that the benefits of additional QE may be limited. But I always thought it was a mistake for people to confuse skepticism and debate with outright opposition. Today he says: Read more


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A new and improved fleet of Breeze buses has hit the streets in North County. And more buses are on the way, transit officials said this week.
Eighteen of 30 new compressed natural gas buses are already in service. They will replace 24 diesel buses with an average of 700,000 miles apiece said Mike Wygant, bus operations manager for the North County Transit District.
Federal rules limit transit buses to 500,000 miles or 12 years of service, he said.
Wygant said the new 40-foot buses ---- expected to be the workhorses of the fleet ---- offer several advantages compared with a natural gas fleet the district purchased in 2007, much of which is still on the road.
The fuel economy is 20 percent greater on the new natural gas buses, the interior and exterior lighting is brighter, the electronic message display is larger and the bus exits are wider, to name a few, he said.
"A lot of the improvements are refinements," Wygant said.
Riders can also expect improved air-conditioning and easier access for those who use a ramp to board the bus, he said.
The new buses include 38 seats, one more than the older buses. With standing room, the buses can accommodate more than 60 passengers, Wygant said.
Transit officials added that the final 12 new buses will be phased into service in coming weeks.
The North County Transit District provides bus and train service across the region, including on the Sprinter light-rail and Coaster passenger rail.
The new Breeze buses include the district's signature green, blue and white colors but with a bit flashier design.
The new Xcelsior model buses were built by Winnipeg-based manufacturer New Flyer.
With tax, they each cost $458,000, Wygant said. A combination of federal, state and regional funding paid for the new vehicles, according to the district.
Frequent bus rider Glenn Leider of Carlsbad said he's impressed with the new buses.
"They're comfortable to sit in. They just feel better," Leider said. "And they really look nice."