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[As Delivered]
Good Morning, and welcome. Thank you all for being here today, and welcome to Acting on the Call. I am and our team is especially grateful to the Government of Ethiopia, Minister Kesete Admasu, the Government of India, Minister Harsh Vardhanm for co-hosting our event today, and our partner and colleague for years past and years forward, UNICEF, led by its able executive director, Tony Lake.
I also want to thank colleagues from so many organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—President Mark Suzman is here—who have collaborated with us. Thank you as well to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Special Envoy Ray Chambers, and our partners from business, civil society, and other governments that are here.
Later today you will hear from President Jim Kim of the World Bank, Christian Paradis, the Minister of International Development from Canada, so many wonderful leaders from across the United States - Ambassador Debbie Birx, our capable PEPFAR leader, Carrie Hessler-Radelet and Heather Higginbottom, representing the Peace Corps and State Department, respectively.
We are here today because for the first time in our history, we stand within reach of a world that was simply unimaginable for so long: a world without child and maternal death.
We know how to reach every woman and every child with simple, low-cost medicines and interventions that will help all of them survive and thrive. Child survival and maternal mortality have been a focus in the United States in our foreign policy for decades. Every year we commit and spend nearly $1.5 billion on this moral mission. And today, we know that how we deploy those precious dollars has the potential to transform hundreds of thousands of communities that suffer from the senseless tragedy of losing children to preventable death.
In the past two decades, we have seen global rates of child mortality, chronic hunger, and extreme poverty cut in half. Each day this year, 17,000 more children will live and 700 more women will survive childbirth compared to 20 years ago because of the efforts of the organizations, partners, and leaders represented in this room today.
And if we accelerate this rate of reduction, our core performance through 2030 as we are going to do by working faster, cheaper, and better, we can realize a world where every child everywhere survives to celebrate their 5th birthday.
But this is about more than numbers.
Sometimes, as we work on these challenges every day, we have to remind ourselves of what this work really means. I've seen what it means in the slums of India, where children are lost to simple, preventable diseases because they don't have access to clean water and healthcare.
In the refugee camps of Jordan, where children who until recently were in middle class communities and going to school, will have their lives, futures held back, because of the environment in which they now live.
And on the dusty plains of Afghanistan, where the children cry out as they too often continue to suffer from chronic hunger and hidden malnutrition.
What binds us together in this room is our moral determination to bring dignity and opportunity to every human being. But we also know that achieving this goal serves our national security and foreign policy as well. We know that countries grow faster when they save children's lives; therefore, families have fewer kids, the demography of country changes, and economies grow one to two percent faster for ten to fifteen years, experiencing a demographic dividend.
Right now in South Sudan, nearly four million people are at risk for famine. Nigeria is reeling not only from the abduction of 300 school girls by Boko Haram, but by a senseless series of bombings throughout the north that have disrupted the supply of basic services to some of the world's most vulnerable communities. Across the globe this year there will be more refugees than any other time since World War II. And that's why our mission is so important right now.
Empowering the world's most vulnerable children to survive and thrive is the underpinning of global stability and the requirement for building resilient, democratic societies. As President Obama has said, "This is our first task—caring for our children. It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right. That's how, as a society, we will be judged."
The reality is that we note today, that it is unacceptable and heartbreaking that 6.6 million children and nearly 300,000 women will die from diseases or childbirth in situations where we can save their lives. That's why since the beginning of the Obama administration, the United States has invested more than $13 billion in child and maternal health; a commitment that represents a strong bipartisan legacy of American leadership in global health.
Yet the question remains: do we have a global partnership capable of delivering on the results we seek?
That's why two years ago, together with UNICEF, Ethiopia, and India, we hosted a Call to Action—helping us all learn about what is now possible and how we can help each other best achieve the rapid end of child death. It was a powerful moment, and it has led to more than 177 countries and 450 civil society groups and faith based organizations stepping forward to sign a pledge, to report on progress, to make resource commitments, and to redouble their efforts to be part of leading the charge to end child death.
Since then, nearly a dozen countries have launched their own local calls to action, set national targets, and created evidence-based report cards and business plans to focus on vulnerable regions within their countries and their societies. Today we have with us representatives of the 24 partner countries, health ministers, heads of state, and I would just like to ask the ministers and heads of delegation to stand up so we can recognize your presence and your leadership. Thank you. We wouldn't be here today if it were not for the leadership you demonstrated over the past years.
In India, you've already bent the curve of progress. You had a call to action, you targeted 184 districts where child death rates were far higher than the rest of the country, increased funding by 30% in those districts. You brought in business leaders like Hindustan Zinc, a multi-billion dollar mining company, to help transform communities through public/private partnerships, and I look forward to Minister Vardhan speaking later today about how you have achieved a 6.5% annual reduction in the rate of child death in just the last two years.
In Ethiopia, once one of the most dangerous places for a child to be born, today an army of 38,000 front-line health extension workers are targeting the causes of child death, and Minister Kasete will speak later today about the extraordinary progress in reducing newborn deaths by 30% in just two years across the population of six million Ethiopians.
We just had a breakfast with our country leaders where we heard country after country share the innovations and the stories and the leadership that is in fact accelerating our progress towards achieving our goal. This is a global movement, led by countries themselves, in concert with private sector leaders, faith and civil society leaders, and traditional donors.
Yet the next question for our Agency was how can we do our part—as donors, as partners, as allies—to help countries that are now committed to this business-like, results oriented approach? So we took a hard look in the mirror. We reviewed more than 160 grants and contracts and awards worth more than $4 billion, and discovered that while we made strides we could make some changes that would save lives faster and more efficiently.
The review was conducted under the auspices of a Blue Ribbon Panel composed of an extraordinary group of leaders from science, business, government - people who know how to deliver transformational results - led by Ray Chambers, the UN Special Envoy for Child and Maternal Survival. The panel included distinguished private sector leaders including John Megrue and Jeff Walker, former members of Congress such as Senators Bill Frist and Harris Wofford, and health and development experts such as Paul Farmer and Helene Gayle. At the same time, we sent out teams of USAID experts led by Katie Taylor and Ariel Pablos-Mendez to a diverse array of countries like Nigeria, DRC, and Bangladesh to learn about how we could better support your efforts.
With new action plans as our guides, we are proud to announce that we are now able to realign $2.9 billion of planned investment in child survival in an effort that, between now and the end of 2015, will save the lives of 500,000 additional children.
This represents more than dollars. It represents decisive action that will help us accelerate progress as we all work to achieve the Millennium Development Goals on time. Because if we're going to make these big investments and spend our money, we need to do it in a way that delivers the biggest impact and the most profound results. Our plan is codified in this report, which I hope you will have a chance to look at, review, comment on, and offer feedback.
What I'm most proud of in this effort is the data driven, evidence-based approach that will reposition resources and deliver better results. We've actually cut global health programs in 26 countries to focus on the 24 where we can save the most lives working in partnership. We are making transparent every project, grant, and contract, it's all published in the report and available online so that we can align our investments with your report cards and deliver results more effectively.
We're shifting resources from parts of countries where sometimes we're not going to get as much of a result to really focus on the poorest in urban slums and rural communities to make sure that we save as many lives as possible with our efforts. And we'll do the things that we've been doing in business and other parts of society for a long time: streamlining and integrating supply chains, ensuring that if we reach a pregnant woman with one intervention, we're also carrying with us the six or seven other simple, low-cost strategies that will help that woman survive childbirth and help that child get off to a healthy start.
These might seem simple but taken together, they save lives.
And here is what this looks like. This chart illustrates the targets we're setting between now and 2020 for reducing child lives. And you can see the inflection point at which we, together, following the leadership you've already demonstrated believe it's possible to literally bend the curve of progress and accelerate the results we seek.
In any particular country, and I think this is an example of Zambia, you can quantify where you would expect the additional child lives and maternal lives to come from. What are the diseases and what does the evidence tell us we should focus on in order to most effectively achieve results. I'm particularly thrilled that this slide represents Zambia because next week, together with Dr. Jill Biden, I will have the chance to join her as she visits Zambia to learn about some of the progress you've already made in saving mothers and children's lives and to further elevate America's commitment to this task.
And this is what it looks like in total. We see the red line representing the historic trend, which is good. It's coming down. We're saving more lives all the time. The green line represents the A Promise Renewed goal that we set in 2012. And the yellow line represents a further acceleration if we can implement the findings of the report.
To accelerate our progress and deliver on these opportunities, we're announcing today an additional $600 million in new partnerships with 26 partners, spanning the world's most innovative businesses, universities, and NGOs. Alongside the Coca-Cola Company, we will support an initiative called Project Last Mile, to ensure that we can reach children in the most remote parts of the world. If a child has access to Coca-Cola, they should also have access to amoxicillin, oral rehydration solutions, basic vaccines, and a simple insecticide treated bed net to protect themselves from diseases that can kill them and thankfully the leadership at Coca-Cola is willing to lead this fight.
Alongside Laerdal Global Health and Johnson & Johnson, the government in Norway and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we will support the Helping 100,000 Babies Survive & Thrive Initiative—a new effort to tackle birth asphyxia because every newborn should be born in a setting where someone has a cheap 7 to 10 dollar bag mask next to them and can suction that baby if they cannot breathe. That simple, active, getting this neonate doll and trained health workers out to the settings where women are having children outside of an assisted facility, will save 100,000 newborn lives every year. And alongside Johns Hopkins University and several NGO partners, we will announce a new flagship child survival and maternal health partnership that will allow us to tackle the leading causes of maternal and child mortality in our 24 focused country partners, by focusing on scaling up high impact interventions and measuring results.
You know, earlier this year, I had the chance to deliver an address at the National Prayer Breakfast. It's a setting that brings together three or four thousand political leaders from the United States and around the world, and faith leaders also on a global scale. And in that moment, I had a moment to describe that it was now possible to end extreme poverty and its corollary consequences of preventable child and maternal death, and large-scale chronic child hunger. And I expected people in the room to respond favorably to the idea that we can achieve this grand goal by working together. And I spoke of meeting families in refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya and in rural communities in Afghanistan and Yemen, all of whom would benefit from this new approach.
But what surprised me was that in a room of 3,000 people who don't often think about these challenges, one of the greatest applause lines we got was when we talked about how our efforts collectively have helped 440 million children get immunized or improved nutrition for 12 million kids through agricultural support. The data points that show, that we as a community have a partnership strong enough to sustain this effort and deliver this result, inspires the rest of the world to support us. Because even as many people think that our political system here in the United States, or elsewhere around the world, is too often divided and focused on fighting each other instead of doing good in our world, we know that this area of work is the striking exception to that reality.
Thirty years ago, a Democrat, David Obey, joined Republicans Sonny Callahan and Chris Smith in creating the first ever child survival fund. Twenty years ago, Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and our own secretary, then Senator John Kerry, joined Republicans like Bill Frist, Henry Hyde, and Jesse Helms to push for and win the first funding for HIV/AIDS which then led to the launch of the PEPFAR program. Ten years ago, Democrats like Pat Leahy and Republicans like Tom Coburn joined together to drive large funding increases for an effort to address malaria, under President Bush's leadership, the President's Malaria Initiative. And tonight, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle will come together to honor and support your work, because our politics and our political system recognizes that by doing this work and showing the world the best of American values, we in fact enhance all of our lives.
At a time when people wonder if we can still come together to accomplish big things, we can, and we are, showing the world that this is possible. So to all of you gathered here today, whether you serve as advocates in the offices of businesses and corporate boardrooms or the halls of Congress, thank you for your partnership, your advocacy, your action on behalf of the world's poorest people. To members of my team who have kind of killed themselves over the last few months and years to make today possible - Ariel, Katie, Kelly Saldana, Elizabeth Fox, Kate Bunting, Justine Lewis, Clay Doherty, Tiffany Drake - the list is too long to go through each individual, thank you. Thank you very much.
Last updated: July 10, 2014


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Download Thrillophilia App
Book Tour and Activities on the Go!
About the Destination:
Prashar Lake (2,730m), frozen in the winter and a dazzling beauty otherwise, is considered one of the many jewels of Himachal Pradesh. Located within accessible distance from Mandi city, this lake and its surrounding trails are attractive to many a tourist. It's not just the lake but also the 13th century pagoda temple dedicated to the sage Prashar (where the lake gets its name) and other landmarks that are significant here. Adjacent to this runs the extraordinary River Beas in the midst of the snow-clad Himalayan range.
If you're in the mood for some outdoor adventure and want these memories to be etched forever, then make Prashar Lake the destination of your choice!
About the departure with details:
The Prashar Lake trek is fit for individuals of all interest- and expertise levels. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?! With views fit for a king, the trail, leading to the lake region i.e. from the city of Mandi to the little village of Baggi, become private and exclusive to every group that visits. It is of prime importance to remain hydrated and careful during every part of the journey owing to unpredictable, slippery paths and the formation of ice on the surfaces. The setting of the campsite in Prashar Lake location is yet another pleasant surprise because of its closeness to the water and its harmony with nature.
Activities: Trekking, Camping
Duration: 2D/1N
Maximum Altitude: 8,956ft
Prashar Lake Temperature Range: -9 to 23 Degrees
Difficulty Level: Easy
About the Destinations:
The Prashar Lake trek is an amazing and much demanded way to explore the beauty and charm of a high altitude lake with the same name! Located in the Mandi district at a height of 8,957ft, this water reservoir is one of the most stunning lakes in Himachal Pradesh. According to the legends, this high altitude water body was once the meditating ground of a sage called Parashar; and thus, it got its name.
Dedicated to the sanctity of the sage, a three-storied temple that resembles the shape of a pagoda has been built beside the lake. The beliefs related to the Parashar Lake also says that the temple was originally built by a baby with only a single tree. It is also said the depth of the lake is still not clearly known!
Duration of the Tour: 1N/2D
Meal Types: Veg
Activities: Trekking, Jeep Rides, Lakeside Camping
Highest Altitude: 8,957ft
This holiday, experience adventure like never before! Head for an
exciting Hotel Trekker's Nest trekking and rappelling experience with your
friends and family. Hotel Trekker's Nest, Mandi has innumerable activities to
choose and features a beautiful trek for those who love the rustic outdoors! Soaring in the air with mountain around you and the earth down below
is an exhilarating experience. So, why not try Paragliding. You can also choose
Tandem Flight with a trained and experienced flier.
This steep and fantastic trek through a maze of dense shrub is highly intriguing for the hard core adventurer in you. Crossing a river with fast flowing turbulent white water while hanging from a rope with the help of a pulley is simply fantastic.
Similarly, Slithering and rock climbing are also thrilling activities to have fun and excitement.
Accommodation Types: Double Occupancy
Meal Types: Vegetarian and Non- Vegetarian- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Activities: Rock climbing, Rappelling, River crossing and slithering, Paragliding, Tandem Flight, etc.Difficulty Level: Moderate
About the Activity:

subset: commoncrawl


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OK, I've watched the video and other than being a major train wreck, I can't quite see the altercation between Andy Dick's cock and a patron at Trees. During Dick's show last year, the bisexual comedian in pseudo-drag looks out of it as he pulls down his skirt and almost has his way with one Robert Tucker.
But I don't think I can report this any better than Michael K did over at dlisted.


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A Closer Look At Sideshow's Upcoming UNCHARTED Collectible...
As announced back in November (see HERE), Sideshow provided a peek at their latest video game license and statue: Naughty Dog's Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. Fan's will be receiving a Premium Format Figure of Nathan Drake, which Sideshow shows in more in detail in the video above..
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with Collectibles Insurance, the official insurance company of the Figures.com network. Say "Figures.com" to get 5% off your first term premiums.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, Toynk.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, and MonkeyDepot.com.


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About Me
- katrina
- My work can be found in REAL: Regarding Arts and Letters, The Jabberwock Review, The Emerson Review, Storyglossia, The MacGuffin, Confrontation, Passages North, SmokeLong Quarterly, elimae, wigleaf, Pank, New Delta Review, and Gargoyle #57, among others. One of my stories has been translated into Farsi by Asadollah Amraee, and many others by Jalil Jafari, two of which have been published in the Iranian journal, Golestaneh Magazine. Currently, I'm an Associate editor for Narrative Magazine. In 2011, I was awarded the Carol Houck Smith Contributor Scholarship for the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
The talented and award-winning writer, Pia Ehrhardt, has guest-edited this very special issue of Guernica/ After the Flood.
Labels: Amazing Writers, Literary Journals
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Augustus - Laurel Sweatshirt
Product Color:
Product information
Sweatshirt Augustus - Laurel is the all-time ultimate in comfort with its classic, relaxed fit. On the surface rich cotton with Augustus - Laurel, inside flannel for the softest sensation. Medium to heavy weight ensuring warmth and makes it great, weather as a throw-over in rainy and windy weather or to protect against the snow and ice in the winter.
Crew-neck for those that don't like the common hood. Stretched cuffs and hem assure a lasting shape. Augustus Sweatshirt comes in 12 basic colors. Heather Grey: 80% Cotton/20% Polyester. Remaining Colors: 100% Cotton.
Sku: SR1YE0000001371717170209INGO00000


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Category: unalike twins
by Lauren Apfel of omnimom.net
I recently did a segment on HuffPost Live about multiples. It was a conversation among six women, each of whom had been touched by twins in some way. Of the six, two were a set of twins themselves, utterly lovely and unambiguously delighted with their twinhood. The point of the show was to discuss the challenges inherent in having two babies at the same time, but the presence of these two adults turned the table on the argument: raising twins is a different creature from being a twin.
I find this heartening. And also worrying. The unique bond that twins potentially share is the carrot dangling in front of the flummoxed parent of multiples. For me, as the mother of two two-year-olds, it is the prize looming in the distance, visible yet slightly out of reach. The difficulty of having twins is front-loaded. You stumble through the incapacitating pregnancy, the early months of sleeplessness, the first years of snatching and biting in the hope that it will give way to something grander: a relationship more intimate, a relationship more profound than the one between consecutively spaced siblings.


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SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) - Long before American Sage Kotsenburg grabbed the inaugural slopestyle snowboarding gold medal at the Sochi Olympics on Saturday it was clear the new event would be an instant hit.
With legions of young followers around the world, the gravity-defying event took the Olympic world by storm, leaving the International Olympic Committee wanting more such changes.
"It is just extraordinary," said IOC sports director Christophe Dubi on Monday.
"If you take a step back and you are sitting where you are, or where we are at the IOC, I think one thing we share in common is the desire for ultimate emotions."
"We thought it was the ultimate experience. It is really a grand entrance for slopestyle," he said, sitting next to gold medalist Kotsenburg.
Dubi, who will soon take over as the IOC's Olympic Games Executive Director, said the event showed the need to reshuffle the sports program quicker.
"For the IOC what is at play is to review the program on a regular basis to make sure it remains relevant," he said. "Of course, we need to preserve our history. At the same time we have to remain relevant and make sure that we capture new audience as well."
The IOC is to review how many and how quickly sports can be added to the Games with a December 2014 session to decide on a string of changes, including scrapping a seven-year waiting period for new sports to join the Olympics.
Golf and rugby are the most recent sports additions to the Games with the two sports taking part in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer Olympics.
Events of an existing Olympic sport can be added up to two years in advance. A dozen new events were included in the Sochi Games program.
"There is a desire for more flexibility," said Dubi. "There is consensus that things will evolve and evolve for the better."
Kotsenburg said the slopestyle event had instantly breathed fresh air into the Games.
"I think the world needed to see slopestyle," the American told reporters. "Because snowboarding is a different sport than figure skating or gymnastics.
"We come from a crazy background," said Kotsenburg, who believes a Big Air event could also be included in the Olympic snowboarding competition.
"We're all really different and individual people, and this is what the kids are doing nowadays. So we're all definitely stoked to be in the Olympics."
Editing by Ed Osmond


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Lamar Odom, acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend, spoke of his move during the Mavericks' media day Tuesday, and said that Dallas was the place he wanted to be after learning the Lakers tried to trade him to New Orleans as part of a deal for Chris Paul.
After the NBA put the kibosh on the Paul-to-Lakers trade, L.A. sent him to Dallas.
"This is the place that I wanted to be after I realized that I wasn't gonna be a Laker anymore," Odom said, according to a series of tweets from Dallas Morning News' Earl K. Sneed.
"Obviously, this is a great place to play," Odom added, "and it seems like the guys have a lot of pride playing for (Mark Cuban)."
Kobe Bryant was irked that the Lakers sent Odom to the Mavs, the team that swept L.A. out of the playoffs last season.
"We were supposed to come back and get them back," Bryant said.
Odom said that the the Lakers didn't respect the Mavs last year, Snead reports. "Honestly, we didn't respect anybody," he said.
"They kicked our butt pretty good," Odom added. "After we played them I realized this was a team that could probably win a championship."


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Take one tablet one hour before bed. For added benefit, 2 tablets.
* [1] Note: Unless otherwise noted, this product has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our natural products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


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Haunted Prison Experience
Sunday, October 25, 2009
7:00 pm
Ohio State Reformatory
100 Reformatory Rd.
Mansfield, Ohio 44905
Presented By: Ohio State Reformatory
Come this year to the Ohio State Reformatory's Haunted Prison Experience - Hell on Earth. Beginning September 25 - November 1 see and experience for yourself this haunted prison that contains Actors, Animatronics, and props. It is called the "Special FX Meets the Supernatural" as the prison is really haunted! This is the longest (45 minutes) and scariest haunted experience to come to the Ohio State Reformatory. Hours are Thursday 7 pm - 11 pm; Friday and Saturday 7 pm - 12 am; Sunday 7 pm - 10 pm. Tickets are $15.00. Absolutely No One Under 13 Admitted.
« Back to Calendar


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Big 12 at the midpoint
Updated 9:13 pm, Friday, February 8, 2013
The Big 12 has reached the midway point of the season, with Kansas and Kansas State tied for first place and four teams within two games of the top of the conference standings. Express-News staff writer Tim Griffin breaks down the season so far:
Best player
Pierre Jackson, Baylor guard: A strong start has him with a legitimate chance to become the first player in league history to lead the conference in scoring and assists in the same season.
Best defender
Jeff Withey, Kansas center: The 7-footer erases many of the Jayhawks' mistakes inside and has rejected more than twice as many shots as any other Big 12 player. He's the biggest reason KU leads the nation in field-goal percentage defense.
Sports Channel
Best freshman
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State guard: Even with his well-chronicled shooting struggles, the Cowboys' point guard does so many other things well that it's hard to argue with his value to the team.
Best coach
Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State: "The Mayor" has the Cyclones in line for their second straight NCAA tournament appearance with an entertaining, high-scoring style that's rare in today's college basketball. And he's doing it without the top-line talent of other Big 12 contenders.
Biggest surprise
Kansas' loss at TCU: The Horned Frogs were still looking for their first Big 12 victory when the Jayhawks visited earlier this week. After a frigid shooting performance that KU's Bill Self described as the worst in school history, Trent Johnson's team had the biggest upset in the RPI era.
Biggest disappointment
Texas: The loss of Myck Kabongo was expected to hurt. But it still doesn't explain all of the problems around the Longhorns' program, which seems devoid of energy. One player didn't cause all of that.
Big dance bound
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oklahoma: Look for these teams to take turns knocking each other off the rest of the season. But in the end, six Big 12 squads will make the tournament.
Looking like NIT
West Virginia, Texas: Two disappointing teams that both would have a chance to win in New York City — if it really matters.


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How Your Breasts Produce Milk
Milk is produced in the glandular tissue (alveoli) of the breasts. The smooth muscle tissue around each tiny milk-producing cell contracts when maternal hormones are released. This contraction propels milk down the milk ducts to the openings in the nipple. This process is called the milk ejection reflex or the letdown. Your baby's cry and touch, nipple stimulation, and sucking all can trigger this hormone release. The majority of milk obtained during breastfeeding, hand expression, or breast pumping occurs during milk ejections, each of which last about 1-2 minutes. Multiple letdowns appear to occur during most breastfeeding sessions.
When the milk is actively ejecting, many women will notice a bit of tingling, especially during the first letdown of the feeding. The other letdowns may be less intense. The breastfeeding mother may simply notice the baby begin to gulp again after seeming to rest at the breast for a few minutes. A mother who is pumping may notice more milk sprays or an increase in the milk flow. When pumping, it is important to ensure that you pump long enough to trigger several letdowns.


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MIAMI - Police reports differ from a witness' account of a fatal shooting on a school bus in Homestead in Nov. 2012.
Jordyn Howe, 15, is charged in connection with the shooting death of Lourdes Guzman DeJesus. He is currently out on bond.
When officers arrived, they found 13-year-old Guzman DeJesus unresponsive and a bullet casing nearby, according to police reports. Howe then voluntarily gave officers a .40-caliber S&W Taurus pistol he had in his backpack.
Documents showed Howe brought the pistol to school for two months prior to the shooting, often allowing others to handle it.
Police have said since the shooting that Howe accidentally shot and killed Guzman DeJesus when he took the pistol out of his backpack and showed it off to others riding the bus.
In an exclusive interview with Local 10, a boy named "P.R." in police reports said he witnessed the shooting on Nov. 20, 2012. He said Howe brought the gun onto the bus but Guzman DeJesus shot herself, adding that she was handling the gun when it went off.
READ: Local 10 exclusive interview with shooting witness | Local 10 exclusive interview with shooting witness' mother
However, in interviews with police, P.R. said Howe took the gun away from Guzman DeJesus, pointed it at the floor, and fired.
"He pointed it at the floor and pulled the trigger?" asked police.
"Yeah," said P.R.
"And nothing happened?" said police.
"Yeah," said P.R.
P.R. then told police Howe pointed the gun at Guzman DeJesus, pulled the trigger, and shot her.
P.R. said he felt pressured by detectives before he was interviewed.
Another student who witnessed the shooting told police he never saw the gun.
"Did you see Jordyn with that gun today?" asked police.
"No," said the student.
"Did you hear anybody on the bus say who shot her?" said police.
"No, answered the student.
Laboratory tests found gunpowder residue on Howe, but not on two others, "B.S." and "P.R."
It's unclear if gunpowder residue was found on Guzman DeJesus. Police reports show no identifiable prints were found on the pistol, magazine, or rounds.
Documents also showed the bullet entered the girl's neck and exited her upper right back.
"The projectile path is from front to back, left to right and downward," says the medical examiner report.
Howe was sitting across the aisle from Guzman DeJesus and behind her, according to police diagrams. P.R. was sitting across the aisle from Howe and behind Lourdes.
Ron Book, the attorney representing Lourdes Guzman's family, said P.R.'s account to Local 10 was untrue.
"To go on the air, and try to tell this community that the young girl shot herself? There is not a scintilla of evidence that has been disclosed in discovery," Book said. "He duped this community. It's just wrong. It's offensive."
Howe appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ellen Venzer on Wednesday morning. He is charged with manslaughter with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed firearm, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
Howe remains under house arrest and strict orders only to go to school or church while out on bond.
Copyright 2013 by Local10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Bucs preparing for battle with Oakland's defensive front
When the Bucs began breaking down film of the Raiders this week, one particular aspect of the team caught their eye: The defensive front.
That's where defensive tackles Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly combine for a potent, physical combination the Bucs will have to contend with.
"They're going to present some issues defensively with those two inside tackles," Bucs coach Greg Schiano said. "They're as big and powerful as you're going to see in this league. The linebackers are playing at a high level. We're going to have to strap it up. It's going to be one of those physical games."
The Raiders make it tough on opponents' running games. The Bucs are coming off a superb rushing performance, netting a season-high 159 rushing yards against the Vikings. Rookie Doug Martin rushed for 135 yards himself.
But in the past three games, Raiders opponents have averaged 66.3 rushing yards.
"We have a hell of a Raiders team we have to play this week," left tackle Donald Penn said. "Their front four is very, very good. We have to go out there and battle. It's going to be tough. …Full Story


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FunkyWatch: July's Most Depressing 'Funky Winkerbean' And 'Crankshaft' Strips
Over the past 40 years, Tom Batiuk's Funky Winkerbean has transitioned from a gag-a-day comic strip about a high school to an ongoing chronicle of pure, abject misery. Thanks to the ongoing commentary on Josh Fruhlinger's Comics Curmudgeon, I am now completely obsessed with it, which is why I spend a little time every month rounding up its finest examples of crushing despair.
Incidentally, I just realized that I'm a month into my fourth year of annotating Funky and its various miseries, and if you were wondering if that fact made me sit down and think long and hard about the choices I've made in my life, the answer is yes. Then again, existing in a hell of my own making does give me a unique insight into these characters and the world in which they live, so I guess that makes it a win-win. For everyone except me, I mean.
Oh, by the way, this month's comics are mostly about old men having sex. You may want to prepare for that.


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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
- Office
- Phone
- (920) 465-2636
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Education: Ph.D. University of Chicago; A.M. University of Chicago; B.M. Ithaca College
She has taught at the University of Chicago, Oberlin Conservatory and Concordia University (River Forest, IL) and Daley College in Chicago
Michelle was a founding member of the Chicago Miniaturist Ensemble and has received the ASCAPlus Grant for four consecutive years. Her work is published by JOMAR Press www.jomarpress.com.


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Click here, or on the image above, to see the opening scene of this great film.
If you've written as many articles as I have, in the digital era, it would be nice if they were all up on the web, but they're not, for a variety of reasons. A long time ago, I wrote a nice piece about Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) — "William Inge as Walter Gage: Bus Riley's Back in Town" in Literature Film Quarterly 16.2 (Spring 1988): 101-106 — a small budget Universal picture, shot entirely on their back lot, which nevertheless has a peculiar resonance far from the traditional Universal program film.
The reason for this is principally the film's scenarist, one "Walter Gage," who in reality is the famed playwright William Inge, who took his name off the project when Universal demanded cuts and changes in his screenplay, mainly to play up Ann-Margret's role as Laurel in the film. I don't mean to suggest for a moment that Ann-Margret had anything to do with this; it was a front office decision, based on commerce alone. You can see from the poster above how luridly the film was marketed, and as usual, this ad campaign has almost nothing to do with the film itself.
Briefly, Bus Riley's Back in Town centers on its eponymous title character, played with understated charm by a young Michael Parks, who has come home to his sleepy small town after a hitch in the service. Jocelyn Brando plays Bus's mother, and Kim Darby plays his tomboyish sister Gussie. The family welcomes him with open arms, but despite their familial embrace, it's clear that the town has changed, and not for the better.
All Bus wants to do is get on with his life and be an auto mechanic, but Laurel, Bus's old girlfriend, now newly married to a rich man, wants to keep Bus on the side. She also discourages his desire to be a mechanic, thinking it's somehow "beneath" him. Bus initially goes along with it, but eventually sees the relationship for the dead end it is, and jettisons Laurel for a relationship with Judy (the late Janet Margolin), settling down to be a mechanic, which is what he's best at.
Directed with quiet assurance by the late Harvey Hart, who never really got a chance to show what he was capable of, and expertly shot by Russell Metty, the film is suffused with the romance of smalltown America, and shot in a dreamlike, almost overtly poetic fashion, although it doesn't skimp on tragedy: Judy loses her mother in a house fire, and moves in with the Rileys; the older, male owner of the local funeral home offers Bus a job, but it's obvious that his real motives are less than honorable.
Not available on DVD; why? This is a film to be seen, and remembered.


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Remove a thin pop-up greeting card from a flat envelope, and open the card to show that a 3-dimensional box has formed. Magically produce a solid ball from inside! Many variations are possible: explaining that you've placed a prediction inside the envelope, and then produce a ball of the same color that has been chosen freely by your audience. Use the enclosed capsule to produce a piece of candy or a finger ring, and hand out the item as a gift. You can also produce a written message that will delight your audience.
No reviews yet. Do you own this product? Write a review.


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Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart and American Express have teamed up to offer customers an alternative to debit and checking accounts. The new service, called Bluebird, is designed to provide financial services to customers who often do not have traditional bank accounts. It will allow for deposits by smartphone and mobile bill paying, with no minimum balance or monthly, annual or overdraft fees.
"Bluebird is our solution to help consumers who currently may be poorly served by traditional banking products. It allows them to easily and safely move, manage, and spend their money. In an era where it is increasingly 'expensive to be poor,' we have worked with Walmart to create a financial services product that rights many of the wrongs that plague the market today," said Dan Schulman, group president, Enterprise Growth, American Express.
Building on a pilot program launched in late 2011, Bluebird was shaped by feedback from consumers who said they were not getting the value they expect from traditional checking account and debit services because of increasingly higher fees. The service will be available next week online and in more than 4,000 Walmart stores.
Users of the new service will be able to put money onto the card through payroll direct deposit, remote check capture with a mobile application, with cash at a Walmart register, or by linking to a bank account.
Cash withdrawals from American Express' ATM machines carry no fees or surcharges for customers enrolled in direct deposit. For those without direct deposit, withdrawals are $2. For out-of-network ATMs, each withdrawal is also $2 and additional operator fees may apply.
"Our customers tell us that they're tired of navigating a complex maze of dos and don'ts to avoid the ever growing list of fees found on checking products. Bluebird solves this problem and we believe it's the best product on the market to help customers affordably manage their everyday finances," said Daniel Eckert, VP financial services for Walmart U.S.


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The Los Angeles Times talks to the married writer-creators behind shows such as 'Hung,' 'In Treatment' and 'Big Love' and how they juggle their home and work lives. While all three couples are happy with their collaborations, such partnerships aren't without the occasional conflict. "I'm more of a workaholic," says Mark V. Olsen of 'Big Love.' "Will [Scheffer] likes his down time. You start with the archaic assumption that it will be 50/50, and it is overall, but initially I became resentful - 'Why isn't he cranking out the pages?' - and he became resentful - 'You aren't respectful of my process' - so it took a while to realize that 50/50 doesn't look a certain way."
The Los Angeles Times


text: Bart plans to get back at the school bullies leads to a panic in the streets and an entire town in search of gold! Then, Jimbo, Dolph, and Kearney... a whole lot of eggs... and the Duff Blimp... get the picture? Also, Sergio Aragonés lets loose in another installment of 'Maggie's Crib.'""(W) Sergio Aragones, Paul Kupperberg (A) Sergio Aragones & Various (CA) Jason Ho Cover price $2.99.


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BBQ Chicken Pizza Sticks
Hubby and I aren't big pizza people. If we do it pizza, it's homemade and we rarely order pizza. There is one place near us that we do order from, Upper Crust. We love their Bub's BBQ Chicken pizza.
When I saw these pizza sticks come up on Lauren's blog, they reminded me of the Upper Crust pizza that we love. I served these pizza sticks during the appetizer portion of the party. I loved Lauren's idea of cutting them into sticks. Everyone really enjoyed these pizza sticks and they were one of the first things to disappear at our Superbowl party!
BBQ Chicken Pizza Sticks
BBQ Chicken Pizza is awesome. By cutting the pizza into strips, it quickly becomes and easy appetizer.
1 pizza crust - homemade or store bought
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded pizza cheese mix
3/4 lb chicken tenders
1 small red onion, sliced
1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for dipping
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet until opaque and cooked through. Chop into small pieces. This can be done ahead of time.
Place dough in pizza pan. Spread 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses onto the crust. Sprinkle chicken pieces over cheese. Sprinkle onion pieces over chicken. Drizzle 1 cup BBQ sauce over pizza. Last, sprinkle the remaining cheese over pizza.
Bake according to the directions on your pizza crust or until cheese is melted. I used Trader Joe's pizza crust so I baked at 425 for 8-10 minutes.
Allow pizza to cool 5-10 minutes, then slice into stick. I like to use kitchen sheers to cut pizza. Serve with additional BBQ sauce for dipping.
Recipe inspired by Lauren's Kitchen
6 Responses to "BBQ Chicken Pizza Sticks"
These look great! I just recently broke down and tried BBQ chicken pizza. It's delicious! I should give this recipe a try this week. I know my boyfriend would love it.
My favorite pizza place when I lived in Boston was Sicilia's…I love their stuffed pizza. It was always our go-to on Superbowl Sunday.
I, like you, only eat pizza sparingly now though and its typically homemade. there are just so many good toppings you can put on homemade pizza that you can't find in pizza places (sweet potatoes?). This bbq chicken pizza looks delicious!
That's sounds great any way you serve it up.
Whoa whoa whoa!!? You're NOT a pizza person? How are we friends? I think we need to break up. HA HA! BBQ pizza sticks sounds awesome. I'm definitely starring for next party. Yum!
I blame it on my stomach issues CB. Plus, I ate enough pizza in college to last a life time!
They sound great! I always love new ways to serve old favorites =)


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My wife and I pulled into the marina parking lot on a motorcycle one day to only find a couple selling their houseboat so they could buy motorcycles. Long story short, we traded a motorcycle for a houseboat and don't regret it. We then stayed up nights discussing what to name the boat. All the names we were coming up with ended up being really long names, and we were getting very tired so we decided to name her "Bob" (a guy with no arms & no legs, floating in the water). We were even going to have the decal guy put a bobber for the "O". Well, the next day I found out that I needed foot surgery so that's how it ended up being the "Sick Day Resort".
© 2017 Houseboat® Magazine | Published by Harris Publishing, Inc.


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The Steelers made it clear the other day that they want to address some of their more immediate expiring contacts before focusing on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's deal. Translation? The team wants to sign cornerback Cortez Allen to an extension before …
July 26, 2014
by Mark Kaboly
No comments yet - you should start the discussion!


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Re-inventing America's urban water infrastructure
GOLDEN, Colo., July 19, 2011 — America's cities face a looming water crisis, driven by climate change, growing population and a crumbling infrastructure. Recognizing the critical importance of this issue, the National Science Foundation has selected a partnership of four U.S. universities to form an Engineering Research Center (ERC) that addresses this challenge by developing new, sustainable ways to manage urban water. The initial grant is $18.5 million spread over five years with additional millions to come in the subsequent five-year period following in-progress reviews.
Engineering Research Centers are interdisciplinary hubs established at U.S. universities where researchers work in close partnership with industry to pursue strategic advances in complex engineered systems and technologies. The Urban Water ERC is led by Stanford University and includes researchers trained in fields including environmental engineering, earth sciences, hydrology, ecology, urban studies, economics and law at Stanford, University of California-Berkeley, Colorado School of Mines, and New Mexico State University.
Concerted effort, grand scale
"Urban water represents a monumental challenge for the United States and it deserves concerted research and thinking on the grandest scale," said project leader Richard Luthy, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford. "We're clearing the slate. Nothing is being taken for granted. We'll be developing new strategies for replacing crumbling infrastructure, new technologies for water management and treatment, new ways to recover energy and water, and more – much of it yet to be determined."
One example is better integration of natural systems as part of urban water infrastructure to improve water quality and storage while simultaneously enhancing habitats and the urban landscape.
The partnership of these specific universities is as symbolic as it is pragmatic. The Urban Water Center is based in the American West where the effects of shifting water resources will be felt most acutely, but also where much of the leading thinking on water challenges is taking place.
"These four universities form a powerful collaboration," Luthy added. "Each has its particular strengths, and each is working on problems related to how we use and reuse water, and how we design and manage our urban water resources in the face of some daunting outlooks."
Here's how Colorado School of Mines fits into the partnership:
- Mines will provide its expertise in water reclamation and reuse, subsurface modeling and contaminant attenuation. Mines also has unique water reclamation testbeds on campus that will be used in research.
- Mines faculty will serve as the research director and education director for the ERC.
- Over the next five years, Mines will receive $5 million with the State providing $400,000 per year through the Colorado Higher Education Competitive Research Authority (CHECRA).
- The CHECRA provided critical matching funds that allowed Mines to participate in this prestigious partnership and brought a large federal grant to the state.
"Our various test platforms in California, Colorado and New Mexico allow us to try new ideas at realistic scale and in close collaboration with industry and practitioner partners," said Jörg Drewes, a professor at Colorado School of Mines and director of research for the center. "This allows us to demonstrate new approaches and move promising innovations from university labs towards commercial reality."
"At this level of collaboration we can achieve much more than any one individual campus could alone," said Professor Nirmala Khandan, a co-investigator on the project and leader of the center's work at New Mexico State University.
Industry-academia collaboration
To the mix of leading universities, the Urban Water Engineering Research Center will add the support of a number of industrial partners that will extend the reach of the ERC's programs and provide a critical real-world aspect to the center's work.
"The Engineering Research Center's multi-disciplinary approach can transform the way we manage our urban water systems in the 21st century for the betterment of both cities and the environment," said Mike Kavanaugh, a principal with Geosyntec Consultants whose company provides specialized services in storm-water management, water-quality modeling and geotechnical services to municipal clients in the United States.
"We look forward to having an active role in the ERC's research to help put innovations into practice," added Megan Plumlee, a scientist with the Advanced Technologies Group at Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, a company that has completed more than $1 billion in recycled-water planning and design work over the past decade.
Multi-faceted approach
The research of the Urban Water ERC will follow a three-pronged approach that combines fundamental investigations and applied research in engineered systems, natural systems and urban water management.
"Working with partners in industry will transform the center's groundbreaking research into practical and sustainable solutions," said Luthy. "Achieving technical innovation and new ways of doing business requires the ERC team to tackle the full range of economic, policy and social factors at play in water resources decision-making and management."
An additional mission of the Urban Water ERC is to inspire future engineers through extensive education programs at all of the participating institutions. According to Professor Luthy, this will yield a pipeline of well-prepared students of diverse backgrounds who are ready and eager to pursue water-related degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level. The goal, ultimately, is a new cohort of leaders who will transform America's water infrastructure. This effort also includes important outreach programs aimed at students of all ages, from kindergarteners through adults and with special outreach to under-represented children in Native American, Latino, Pacific Islander and African American communities.
"I, for one, am confident we can meet our water challenges," said Luthy. "And the establishment of this Engineering Research Center is a great first step to solving the biggest problems."
Related information:
Engineering Research Center on Re-inventing Urban Water Infrastructure
The National Science Foundation
Colorado School of Mines
Media Contacts:
David Tauchen
Public Relations Specialist
Colorado School of Mines
(303) 273-3088
Karen Gilbert
Public Relations Director
Colorado School of Mines
(303) 273-3541


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Feedback archive → Feedback 2012
Did the witch of Endor call up a ghost?
Published: 7 April 2012 (GMT+10)
Gary Bates' article Are ghosts real? has received a lot of feedback, both positive and negative. Much of the feedback that disagrees with the idea that ghosts are not really the disembodied spirits of the dead, comes because many feel they have seen such apparitions. Using experience to interpret Scripture is something that Gary and CMI have warned about previously because our senses can be deceived (See Christians shaped by experiences rather than the Bible first approach).
In the section about the Witch of Endor that we dealt with, Alex L. wrote in concerned that by saying God allowed Samuel's spirit to deliver a message of judgment to Saul, it is actually making God complicit in witchcraft. Gary Bates and Lita Cosner respond.
The heading "Did the Witch of Endor call up a Ghost?" appeared in an article by Gary Bates entitled "Are Ghosts Real" in the Creation magazine Volume: 34 2012.
The answer to the question is no! The witch did not summon up a ghost, and the Bible does not say that Samuel's spirit actually appeared.
In the last paragraph Gary said "On this one occasion, God himself made it possible for a departed person's spirit to speak in today's world".
Contrary to what Gary said there are no exceptions; if God would not speak to Saul through legal means he certainly would not speak to him through illegal ones, because God is not the God of confusion.
The ramifications of attributing this séance to God in any way shape or form opens a door of abuse for those involved in spiritism, and is could turn feeble minded Christians out of the way.
1 Samuel 28:6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
This prophecy by Samuel was not said in a corner, and by the end of the day the whole camp of Israel would have known about it, and within a few days the whole country including the witch at Endor would have known of it. My point is this, Saul was not told anything by the witch which he did not already know. The Spirit of God had departed from him and knew in his heart that his days were numbered.
The fact that he consulted a witch at all shows us something of Saul's desperate state of mind
Saul saw nothing at this séance with the witch, listen to what these verses actually say.
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. (emphasis added)
In verse 11 the witch asks Saul who shall I bring up for you? He said Samuel. But the witch had no power to call up Samuel or any dead person, only God has this power.
In verse 12 we only have her word that she saw Samuel.
In verse 13 it is evident that the King saw nothing and has to ask, 'what sawest thou?'
in verse 14 the King asks the witch, what form is he of?
And she gives him a description of Samuel, no doubt she had seen Samuel many times before in his life time, therefore it would be no big deal for the witch to give an accurate description of Samuel to King Saul.
Them we are told that the king PERCEIVED that it was Samuel. In other words, Saul saw with his minds eye, and not the physical eye.
It is inconceivable that a thrice holy God would be a partaker in witchcraft; it is inconceivable that he would speak to Saul by illegal means, whilst refusing to speak to him by legal ones, and it would be inconceivable for God to allow Saul to die for consulting a witch if he himself had a hand in this séance.
1 Chronicles 10:13 … Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
Saul transgressed the word of the Lord, his last act of defiance was to consult one that had a familiar spirit in direct opposition to God holy word … and so he died.
The only Ghost that we see in this scripture, we see with the mind and not the eye
Saul saw nothing, because there was nothing for him to see. Perhaps the witch can be best described as a demonic con artist.
Alex L.
Dear Mr L.,
Thanks for your ongoing support of CMI and your comments about the article "Are Ghosts Real" in the latest issue of Creation magazine. But we think that your argument rests on an understandable but faulty assumption.
Some things that God forbids are because they contradict His very nature—such as murder, lying, etc. These things are objectively wrong, and would be as wrong for God to do as it is for humans. But God forbids some things for humans that aren't wrong for Him. For example, is it wrong for him to call up a spirit from Sheol where He has the ultimate control anyway? I.e. what is lawful for God might be considered unlawful for man. For example, it is wrong for a man to kill another unless mandated by God. Yet God instituted a death penalty for man due to sin. God has the ability and the right to do this because He is the Creator. Similarly, consider that it's wrong for humans to accept worship, but it is proper for God to accept worship because He is God and He is the rightful object of worship.
Humans are forbidden to participate in the occult arts because humans can be deceived by them—we could be fooled into thinking that a fallen angel is a departed relative's spirit, for instance. God has told us what we need to know about the spiritual realm in Scripture—so we should not seek other sources of information which we know are not trustworthy. But God created the spiritual realm and all the spirits that dwell there, and He rules them and cannot be deceived—He's in control. So He can command the spirits to do whatever He wants.
While God never condones sinful or evil actions, He can and has used the sinful and evil actions of others (including satan) to bring about His will and purposes. The greatest example would be the horrific sin of killing the Son of God, which God used to bring about salvation for all who believe in Jesus. In the case of Saul, it was an obvious sin and a sign of continuing rebellion for him to seek out a spiritist. But God decided to use Saul's sin, and sent Samuel. The passage mentioned that Saul basically got what he was asking for and unfortunately suffered judgment as a result. Saul thought if he could just speak with Samuel, he could figure out how to get back in God's favor. But the exact opposite was the case—Samuel gave a detailed prophecy of the death of Saul and his sons. However, the plainest understanding that this was indeed Samuel's spirit comes from the text itself. On four occasions in this passage it is confirmed: 1 Samuel 28:12: "…When the woman saw Samuel…", verse 15: "…Samuel said to Saul…", verse 16: "…Samuel said…", verse 20: "…filled with fear because of Samuel's words…"
And also the aforementioned prophecy is one important sign that authenticates it as genuinely Samuel's spirit, and it being a sign from God. We know that only God can inspire true prophecy—by coincidence a false prophet might get an occasional prediction right, or make pronouncements that are vague enough to fit a multitude of scenarios, but only God, who is outside of time, can give accurate statements about what will happen. If the witch of Endor saw a demon disguised as Samuel, that would mean the demon had detailed access to future events, which is very theologically problematic. Moreover the prediction was about what was to happen in a battle. It would be a bit of a lottery to presume that the demon could pick the result of that one. It is a significant fact that the witch was surprised, why would that be if it was simply a run of the mill soothsaying performance as she had probably done a hundred times.
So does this make God a 'partaker in witchcraft'? Absolutely not! For one, by definition God cannot partake in witchcraft, because the powers that people illicitly try to gain by witchcraft are nothing compared to the power God has. And witchcraft has to do with demonic powers, while God's power is much greater and opposed to that. Please also consider that God did not use the witch in the sense that He needed her to raise Samuel's spirit. Once departed from the body only God has control over our spirit.
To give another example, what makes miracles different from witchcraft? For example, when Elisha made an axehead float, it was a miracle that made it into Scripture. But if someone went out, threw a stick on a lake and said an incantation to try to make an axehead float today, we would call that sinful witchcraft. The point we are trying to make is that if God is the source then it is permissible. It would not be permissible for humans to do such a thing.
A second seemingly unrelated example (but we promise this will come together!). Jesus commanded his disciples to cast out demons in his name, and this is something that Christians have access to even today. But in Acts 19, the sons of Sceva tried casting out demons in Jesus' name, and not only did they have no power over the demons, but they got beaten up to show that they had no power over them. What was different?
We would suggest in both cases, it's a matter of going through the proper channels. God's power enabled Elisha to perform the miracle—witchcraft uses demonic powers, so it's an illicit way to try to gain power without relying on God. And the sons of Sceva were trying to use the name of Jesus like a magical incantation, without trusting in Him.
We've often found that when it comes to often unsettled problematic passages like this one, sometimes we can have it settled in our minds for many years, so when one hears another reason it can be a little unsettling. So we hope you will consider our reasoning and also find it helpful.
Lita Cosner and Gary Bates
Related Articles
You portray the summoning of the spirit of Samuel as a special one-off to make a special and rather deadly point. I have just today raised this question about ghosts on a discussion group. I think your answer is the right one.
This whole episode, which appears to contradict (but does not) the rest of Scripture shows that the Bible is not a "Compendium for the Gratification of our Gratuitous Curiosity".
Gary and Lita,
I was just reading your responses to readers on this article, Did the witch of Endor call up a Ghost? The Lord has truly blessed you both with amazing patience. I love the way your answers are all Scripturally backed and sound, as well as giving with boldness while aslo sensitive as to correct without offence. Great job. May you be in His service for many years to come. God Bless.
You say, "God is not the God of confusion".
The Bible says:
'Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.' So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth ... Gen 11:7-9
They say they believe in the words of the Bible. But they obviously do not.
Hi Vernon,
I am not sure if you are attributing this comment to us, but just to be clear for those reading, we did not say "God is not the God of confusion". That comment was made by the writer of the letter we were responding too. However, I actually understand that point he was trying to make (alhtough I disagree with it). Because he believes that it is impossible for God to partake in witchcraft then it is not possible for God to have risen Samuel (a point we disagreed with in the article). Ergo, God would not confuse us (the reader) by acting contrary when it comes to His Word. When God caused confusion at Babel we are told that is what He did and it was recorded for us in His Word. In the case of the Endor event the Scripture does not indicate God is causing confusion for Saul or the witch. A plain reading indicates if was Samuel's spirit. There is no confusion at all. And also, we argued in the article that it was possible and permissable for God to do this and that it was not withcraft. It was that latter presupposition that causes a faulty interpretation of events by the writer in our opinion. I hope these further thoughts are helpful.
Acts 19 gives a somewhat humorous mental picture of what occurs when you use Jesus name without having surrendered totally to Him and His authority. Having ones tail whipped along with six others and by a single man is enough to get the point across for good
This is certainly an interesting passage with many differing views. I can see the validity of both views expressed here. Although as a whole, I would have to agree with Lita and Gary on this one. I believe this to be true for 2 reasons:
1) The prophecy - As already mentioned in the original article, the prophetic word was accurate so it would be plausible to accept that God was behind it. This isn't to say that demons don't prophecy; they do. It's just different to Godly prophecy. Demons merely reveal what they are about to do, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
2) No denial - another reason why this experience could be accepted as a real one is because there is no implicit and direct mention of deception or falsehood. With this type of story in Scripture, if it were false, one would expect stronger language denouncing the event and implicit declarations of deception but none of that is mentioned.
Some final thoughts: Could it be that Samuel himself didn't actually appear, but rather the Spirit of God, showed up or manifested AS or representing Samuel? I suggest this because of the story that comes to mind about the prophet Elisha, Elisha was dead and buried, and the Scripture says that a dead man was thrown into Elisha's grave. And when the dead man touched Elisha's bones the dead man came back to life. Obviously that resurrection was not due to demonic power or deception. And Elisha was dead and gone so it couldn't have been him. So obviously, for whatever reason, God chose to honor Elisha's legacy by raising the dead man to life. This is an odd story but shows Gods quirky sovereignty. So perhaps it was God himself that showed up representing Samuel. Perhaps Samuel wasn't actually around, just like Elisha wasn't actually around, but God did it by His power to honor the prophets legacy. Just a thought! :)
Jared, you makes some interesting points. However, there is one aspect we'd like to comment on and that was your idea that it was the Spirit of God that appeared as Samuel. I think this falls into the kind of 'God could've, would've, should've' category. This is something we hear often and we similarly often point out that it's not about what God could have done etc., but what He said He did. I.e. a plain reading of His Word indicates there is no mention of it being God 'in disguise'. Also, first, if God appeared pretending to be Samuel, it would make God a deceiver, because it would be misleading the reader, and second, as we wrote in the article, the text clearly says it actually was Samuel and confirmed it in 3 different way. First, the witch identified him as Samuel, then Saul 'spoke' to Samuel, then Samuel 'said' or spoke.
We tend to come up with all sorts of other elaborate ideas because we tend to project our own views on Scripture, rather than just reading and accepting what the actual words say. In many ways I think an almost 'simplistic' view of taking Scripture at its Word works best. That's certainly what I/we've done with the book of Genesis, for example. I hope these thoughts help you consider it some more.
Au contraire, the witch of Endor, being under the power of one (Satan)who had the keys of Hell and of death at that time, called up Samuel who was wearing a prophetic mantle. Saul did not see him, but looking closely at the scriptures, you'll see that thereafter during this discourse, Saul is referred to as "King," because Samuel made obeisance to him. That's why the witch screamed. When she saw Samuel's gesture, she thought the King had deceived her so he could have her killed.
Dear Sir,
there are several problems with the idea you canvass. Firstly, nowhere in Scripture does it indicate that Satan has the keys of death and hell (Hades). The only mention in Scripture is that such authority was given to the Apostle Peter by the One who had the ultimate authority, that is, Jesus Christ. God is the only One who has control of the spirit after it leaves our body. If Satan had such power then all the entities that masquerade as ghosts must be really disembodied spirits of deceased people. If you read the first link provided in this article (Are Ghosts Real?), you will see that such an idea has serious implications for the Gospel as it would attribute Satan with some power of our spirits when we die. Then the clear teachings of Scripture on such matters become rather muddied.
To add to your argument, if this was witchcraft then when Peter, James and John saw Moses and Elijah at the transfiguration then that would have be witchcraft too.
What about the place where Samuel says "and tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me."
Does this show it was not actually Samuel speaking? Samuel and Saul would not have gone to the same place after death.


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Ash and Coconut – Humane Society Pets of the Week!
We don't usually hear the sound of barking in our house. We have cats, but a friend brought her dog over this week. The dog is smaller than our smallest cat, so it was interesting to see our usually sociable cats hiding in the corner in confusion. After a short while they all seemed to get along and life returned to normal. Dogs are pretty easy to please and a little bit of attention goes a long way. Some pets don't have these experiences because they don't have a home, and that's where you can help.
The Humane Society shelters pets, gets them the care they need, gives them the love they're craving, and does their best to place them in permanent homes. Whether you're looking for a lazy dog who prefers a quiet walk to play, or a cat who chases toys, chances are the Humane Society will have your perfect match.
May I present our pets of the week. If you'd like to see them in person or get more information on these pets or any other pets that the Humane Society has, check them out online here or call 940-855-4941. They're located at 4360 Old Iowa Park Road in Wichita Falls.


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Sookie and Bill statue and neon beverage sign from the hit HBO series...
For a great selection of film, comic and TV action figures and collectibles, check out BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, PastGenerationToys.com, SuperHeroToys.com, MonkeyDepot.com, HobbyLinkJapan.com, and Sekaido.com.
For a great selection of film, TV and pop culture t-shirts and apparel, check out TShirtGurus.com and 80sTees.com.
Followng their series of mini busts this summer, DC Unlimited will release a new True Blood statue and a collectible neon sign.
The Tru Blood Beverage Label Neon Sign (pictured above) depicts the popular vampire drink on the hit HBO show. The sign measures approximately 17" high x 14" wide and is packaged in a 4-color box. On sale November 24, 2010 priced at $89.99.
DC Unlimited's True Blood statue (not pictured) will depict the show's two love birds: Sookie and Bill. This hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue will measure 13" high x 7.5" wide x 6.5" deep, and will come with a Certificate of Authenticity packaged in a 4-color box. On sale November 24, 2010 priced at $195.


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The Fuzzy, Green Monster in the DenRiddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.
Four legs have I, a sturdy fellow
A fuzzy back that isn't yellow
But (often) green or (rarely) red
A den is where I make my bed
My keepers feed me coloured balls
With sticks they store on my den walls
Sometimes I store them in my pouch
Sometimes deep in my belly; ouch!
That's when you'll see me acting strange
Instead of balls, I'll eat your change
And that's my cue to feed again
Chalk it up to hunger, friend!
HintTake two words in the last two lines out of their context for a big hint.
AnswerA billiard (pool) table.
They have four sturdy legs and a green, fuzzy playing surface (snooker tables are sometimes red). Privately owned tables are often kept in the den (family room), and the cues are usually stored in a wall rack. Private tables simply have pouches beneath the pockets to catch the balls; coin-operated tables store the balls inside the table. To play again, you need to insert more coins.
Note the use of "cue" and "chalk"; two essential billiard elements!
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this riddle, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
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- When:
Add This Event To YourThursday, October 3, 2013 - Sunday, October 6
at 7:30 PM
- Where:
- Theater Building, Haugen Theater
- Contact:
- Jeanne Tangren Hatle
Written in 1989 one year after her brother died of AIDS, Paula Vogel's Baltimore Waltz imagines the trip she never took with her brother to Europe. Rejecting realism, Vogel's Europe is a pop-culture landscape peopled by Strangelovian doctors, quinquagenarian little Dutch boys and Orson Welles wannabes. Ribald and absurd, the surreal journey of Anna and her brother Carl through Europe unfolds in a hospital lounge as Anna faces the death of her brother. At a time when AIDS was a death sentence and government response to the growing epidemic criminally slow, Vogel's funny and moving play reveals both the ludicrous ineptitude and profound loss that she and many others experienced during the AIDS crisis of the 80's, a crisis that continues today as 33.4 million people live with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
For mature audiences
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Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
More opinion
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
More Ag News
Preliminary steps are underway for a new four-lane drive-up bank at the corner of Dewey and Francis, the current home of the Lincoln County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The lot is also home to the Howard Johnsons motel, which may or may not move. Developer Mark Wilkinson said everything is in preliminary stages. Even though a drive up bank could be built right on the corner, according to council documents, Wilkinson said that deal is not sealed, as he and the bank explore some of their options.
The CVB will move out by Oct. 15, moving most of their things Oct. 11-12, Executive Director Lisa Burke told the Bulletin Tuesday. The new location will be in a building south of I-80 which also is home to Red Roof Antiques in a former K-Mart building. The building was also occupied by the U.S. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.
Wilkinson agreed to pay all costs of the CVB move and the rent will remain the same, he said.
Another business at Dewey and Francis, Attitudes Hair Salon, is moving now to the Westfield shopping plaza.
The subdivided lot also opens up the possibility of a mini-plaza, but plans are still preliminary to any construction, Wilkinson told the Bulletin.
In other development news, some of the offices at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center will move downtown to East Fifth, into a Wilkinson building that was most recently the home of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Offices inside that building are being reshaped to suit the new tenants. The lease officially begins on Nov. 1 and will last four years, with an option to renew, Wilkinson said.
The hospital offices are moving to get out of the path of construction during a $100 million expansion that began in August.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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Lance is an instinctive Player...much like PG is.....if he just acts as opposed to think....he'll do better. You have to wonder what Vogel has directed Lance's role to be when he is on the floor. Is it to create for others....or just be the guy waiting for a 3pt shot...or just pass the ball if he doesn't have a good shot.?
Ash from Army of Darkness: Good...Bad...I'm the guy with the gun.
Played well really. Just not enough firepower for to overcome that level of team. Not saying they grow on trees, but Martin is a legit 6th man difference maker. On one hand we never know what we'll get from our bench guys on a given night. On the other, we do know we won't get the impact Martin gave them. And this on a night where Green, DJ, and Ian played pretty well by their standards. Just not in the same league in terms of quality of bench.
I'd rather die standing up than live on my knees.
-Emiliano Zapata
Paul has played four straight games of solid basketball.
Now we just need the other pieces to start gelling. For example, if Hibbert starts making 40% of his shots...and the bench has looked pretty decent at times over the past couple of games. Regardless, things are looking up at this point, and Paul is leading the charge IMO.
Pretty sure Lance wasn't in late because of defense. Martin was lighting him up early, and Green seemed to actually do a decent job of fighting through screens and contesting Martin's shot. He's actually looked pretty good defensively on the whole of late.
A Gerald Green fan who now finds himself rooting for the Suns.
That's 30 plus games from now!
If games are won and lost on a calculator and piece of paper, then why do we bother to play them?
Hard to complain about Lance's minutes. He got 25 of them. Roughly the same as Roy. And trailing only David, Paul and Hill. He's played well. Still seems to be thinking about the game and his defense needs work. But he looks like a guy that is going to be a rotation guy. That is a big positive coming out of the 1st 20 games.
BTW, Gerald Green also looks like a guy that can get rotation minutes.
Pacers look like they have 7 guys they can count on, not including Danny. That is a step up from last season.
We played pretty well. It was nice to see both Paul and Lance try to actually throw it down on someone for once and DJ made some layups!
I hope this is a break out game of sorts for Green where he starts playing more like sixth man material, and less like the 8th or 9th. Overall he has been shooting better this month (.458) so far, but it is still too early to call it a trend.
Last edited by Eleazar; 12-10-2012 at 02:22 AM. Reason: typo on shooting percentage I put .485 instead of .458
He needs to have the ball in his hands more. He's the biggest offensive spark off the bench. He's good off the dribble, he can create, and I feel like Vogel needs to draw up some more plays getting him the ball or have him drive to the hoop for a foul more.
I think having Augustin, who's been a black hole offensively, has kept he and the bench back a bit. There's been little offensive movement. Which is why changing it up a little and getting the ball in Green's hands might add a spark to the bench that hasn't been there on a nightly basis.
Last edited by CableKC; 12-10-2012 at 02:46 AM.
Ash from Army of Darkness: Good...Bad...I'm the guy with the gun.
"We've got to be very clear about this. We don't want our players hanging around with murderers," said Larry Bird, Pacers president.
"Look, it's up to me to put a team around ... Lance right now." Kevin Pritchard press conference
I actually think DJ holds the ball too long, he rubs pick and pop with either Ian or Tyler until one of them has a shot, or till he's forced to pass to the corner for a 3ball late in the shot clock. I don't like that. Green is the only player on our bench that has seemed like an offensive threat. He's obviously a type that plays better when he gets more shot attempts up.
I think where DJ is really hurting this team is the fact the GH can't sit down for a breather for longer that 3-4 minute stretches. For a guy that was hurt nd didn't play in pre season, I'm sure his body has been gassed.
I wish Hibbert was shooting .458! Wishful thinking on my part.
New Jersey ran two plays for him last year consistently that stand out as the type of things he needs to be involved in more often. One involved the PF or C at the elbow handing the ball off to Green on a rub off screen. Depending on how his defender and the PF defender reacted, Green would either pull up for a 15 to 20 footer, or take a one to two dribble drive to the hoop. The play worked pretty well for a team that was having trouble finding offense (much like this one), and was mostly run with Humphries and Green. I don't see any reason that it wouldn't work with West and Green. If you go to the 1:50 mark in the below video you can see the same play being run with Williams and Green. Further from the basket than normal, but same concept applies.
Other than that, New Jersey ran a lot of isolation post ups for Green, and he did really well in those. Why those two things aren't in the Pacer playbook and being run for Green consistently is beyond me. It shouldn't take a genius to look at how effective he was last year with the Nets and try to recapture that by running similar plays for him. I'd get it if this team was full of offensive options and running plays specifically for Green didn't make sense, but that obviously isn't the case here.
Still, the thing that might bother me most is the Pacers signed one of the most exciting transition players in the league, and never get out in transition. Bleh.
A Gerald Green fan who now finds himself rooting for the Suns.
DJ played better, but still not good. The other players don't move when he has the ball, and he does nothing to get them to move. They run that PnR, he drives over to the wing to create space for the picker, and that's about it. Too much standing around, too much dribbling.
Starters played well for the most part. Needed another player or two to have an impact to have a real shot at pulling that one out. Just not enough dependable play from the bench.
If you're a weak side wing watching your PG and a big run a pick and roll, where should you be cutting or moving to?
They just don't have the offense clicking totally yet. It's improved lately, but still not where they need to be
Smothered Chicken!
I agree with you - and you've seen him more than me - that he's not a creator with the dribble. Totally agree that he can operate off a dribble move of up to roughly two dribbles. Honestly, as recently as last year, I think that's a good description of DG as well.
Anyway, there's what Gerald is capable of. There's what the coaching staff is trying to do with him. And there's whether the braintrust's evaluation of his talent was accurate given what we need, which is a dynamic scoring option off the bench. I would like to see our approach play more to his strengths. At the same time, I think we banked on him being the level / type of player we needed off the bench. Personally, I think they misjudged either our needs and / or his ceiling given those needs.
I'd rather die standing up than live on my knees.
-Emiliano Zapata


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Lebanese singer
Elissa has been presented with the title 'The woman that is loved by men' by
the Esquire Men's Magazine based in Dubai. The new award was presented during a
celebration event held by the magazine in Dubai.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Elissa expressed her
joy at recieiving such a title and personally thanked the magazine through a
post on her social network official page Twitter. She stated that she is the
first Arab female artist to be given such an award.
During her visit to
Dubai, Elissa tok advantage of her stay and did a little holiday shopping
before heading back to Beirut.
According to the
internet website MBC.net, Elissa gave her condolences to Lebanese signer Amal
Hijazi over the loss of her mother and expressed her sorrow hoping that she
(Amal) overcomes her grief and is in good health.
Elissa had
previously decided to postpone the release of her new album until conditions in
the Arab world became more stable.
[1] http://www.albawaba.com


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Student Organizations
Student organizations play an important role in campus life at Tarleton State University. Throughout the year, these groups sponsor a variety of extra and co-curricular activities for the campus and local community. In addition, student organizations provide a means for students to develop and refine leadership skills and to interact and network with students, faculty and staff.
There are over 100 recognized student organizations at Tarleton State University.
Having trouble creating activity permits on TexanSync? Click on this link for directions: Activity Permits on TexanSync
Search and Join student organizations through TexanSync.
TEXANSYNC requires NTNET login. Contact the Office of Student Involvement for more information @ 254-968-9490.
Instructions Update/Register Organization
(OrgSync requires NTNET login)
Risk Management Statement of Completion
Student Resources
Organizational Handbook
New Organizational Handbook coming soon!


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EDITOR'S NOTE: As the holiday season kicks into high gear, the LGBT community of North Texas once again is responding in a variety of ways to help out those who are less fortunate.
This week Dallas Voice profiles five events intended to raise funds or other donations for a number of different causes. But the community's good will doesn't end with these events.
If you know of an individual, business or organization that is holding or participating in a charitable holiday event or effort, email the information to firstname.lastname@example.com.
This year for the sixth year, Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Dallas is collecting coats for the homeless.
The first delivery will go to clients of AIDS Interfaith Network, said the Rev. Colleen Darraugh, MCCGD pastor. Of people with AIDS in Dallas, that organization's clients are among the most at-risk and most likely to be homeless, she said.
Darraugh said that the annual coat drive has expanded this year to include sweats, hoodies and socks.
"A dry pair of socks can make all the difference," she said.
The church kicked off its holiday season of giving by participating in Saturday Night Live at AIN, in which a group prepared a weekend supper for clients and provided entertainment. After dinner, the 27 volunteers sent AIN's clients home with bags of granola bars, apples and oranges in addition to leftovers.
Darraugh said the need is so great, members of the church by themselves can't provide everything AIN's clients need.
"So we're asking people to ask neighbors and co-workers to contribute," she said.
They are collecting items every Sunday at the church at 1840 Hutton Drive #100 in Carrollton.
Anyone who would like to help with delivery is welcome to join. Darraugh said they have a borrowed horse trailer that they expect to be filled with items. After stopping at AIN near downtown Dallas, they will distribute items to people living on the street.
But Darraugh said the need doesn't end at Christmas, and the church will continue collecting items to make a January delivery as well.
She said that especially those not staying in a shelter often lose what little they have when they leave their items unattended.
To arrange to make a donation during the week, to participate in the delivery of items to the homeless or for more information, call the church at 972-243-0761.
— David Taffet
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 2, 2011.


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TPWD Print-Friendly Page: http://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/print.phtml?req=20070628aMedia Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030 [AR]
TPWD Website: http://tpwd.texas.gov
TPWD News Release — June 28, 2007
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens are urging Texans to exercise extreme caution in low-lying areas, around lakes and reservoirs and at stream and river crossings as rain continues to fall across a broad swath of North and Central Texas today.
"There's probably not enough caution tape in the world to mark all the areas people shouldn't be in right now," said TPWD Lt. Jennifer Kemp.
Flooding Could Continue Through Weekend
The National Weather Service has extended a flash flood watch for all of North Texas through Friday morning, and for south-Central Texas through 4 p.m. Friday. Chances of rains of 1-3 inches and localized downpours of 5 inches or more are forecast through Sunday.
"It's basically going to all just run off," said Bob Fogarty, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's office in New Braunfels, Texas. "Any rivers or streams that are close to flooding probably are going to flood. The ground can't take any more."
Meteorologists say the late spring rains could make this the wettest June on record for North Texas, and year-to-date rainfall at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has already exceeded previous marks.
Game Wardens Performing Search-and-Rescue Duties
Beginning June 18, Texas game wardens responded with four-wheel-drive vehicles and an assortment of boats across North Texas. In two days, 17 game wardens worked 303 hours around Gainesville and Sherman, Texas, recovering the body of a 75-year-old man whose truck had been swept off a road and the body of a 2-year-old girl whose trailer home had been swept away by flood waters.
Overnight between June 26 and June 27, 13 game wardens responded to flooding in Hood and Parker Counties. More than a dozen people were rescued by boat from trees and houses.
Wednesday, five game wardens in Eastland County evacuated 24 residents of the Lake Leon Area. The same day nine game wardens were on duty in Marble Falls where they made two rescues. Search and rescue operations are continuing throughout the Hill Country.
Highland Lakes Closed
The Lower Colorado River Authority has opened floodgates on most of its Highland Lakes, and has closed Inks Lake and lakes Travis, Marble Falls and LBJ temporarily to recreational boating because significant debris make boating unsafe at this time.
Lake Buchanan remains open to recreational boating, but the LCRA advises extreme caution for boaters because of swift currents, debris and other navigational hazards.
LCRA plans to reevaluate the boating ban daily, and decide by 4 p.m. each day whether to lift the ban based on conditions of the lakes. While recreational boating is banned, contractors and property owners are permitted to navigate the lakes to perform needed work and to maintain property. See the LCRA web site for the latest information.
The City of Austin has closed recreational activities on Lake Austin, Town Lake and the Colorado River downstream of Longhorn Dam in the city limits.
Caution Urged for Guadalupe River Boaters
"I don't think we have any reports of major flooding anywhere in our area," said LaMarriol Smith , public information officer for the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. "We have our phone line set up if someone wants to call regarding lake levels or river flows: (800) 413-4130 or (800) 413-5822. Anyone calling after hours can dial ext. 241."
Mike Dussere, manager of the Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County, said that with current flows, only experienced paddlers should attempt to navigate the upper Guadalupe River.
"We recommend you contact your favorite outfitter or the GBRA for current flows," said Dussere. "Right now, below the dam, the river's flowing about 1,100 cfs but it's projected to drop into the floatable range, about 600 cfs. The Corps of Engineers could decide to release more water depending on rainfall and lake levels."
Brazos River Flooding
"We currently have three gates open at Lake Possum Kingdom, releasing water at a rate of 30,500 cfs there," said Brazos River Authority spokesperson Judi Pierce. "We have flooding conditions all the way down the Brazos to Glen Rose, where we are releasing water at a rate of 45,000 cfs from Lake Granbury. I can't imagine anyone would consider getting on the river right now because it's very, very dangerous."
Pierce pointed out that tributaries of the Brazos River may continue to fill reservoirs and the stream itself for several days after rains have stopped.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that lake elevations are into the flood pools of most of their Texas reservoirs and many boat ramps, campgrounds and other facilities are closed.
"We're advising folks to call ahead before visiting any of our lakes this weekend," said Judy Marsicano, a spokesperson for the Corps' Fort Worth District office.
Water Safety Tips
Game wardens warned that there are many ways for people to get into trouble in floodwaters.
"For some, it might just be a matter of where you live. If you get an evacuation order from the county, or even if you simply feel like you might be in danger, get out," said Col. Pete Flores, TPWD Law Enforcement Division director. "Others may want to head down to the local lake or creek to see what the water's doing. You may think you know how deep the water is or what the ground beneath the water looks like, but floods create washouts and move things around. Our advice: don't wade into the water at all."
Other dangers cited by game wardens include:
"We've all heard 'turn around, don't drown' when it comes to low-water crossings," said Flores. "That's no joke, and I can't say strongly enough that people should not attempt to drive through water flowing over roadways. We've worked a number of these cases already this week."
For game wardens in North and Central Texas, water safety has taken on new meaning since the drowning death of Game Warden Ty Patterson. Patterson and his partner were searching for a missing girl on the Paluxy River, then flooding, when their boat capsized.
"Saturday makes a month since we lost one of our own to the water," said Kemp, who worked with Patterson. "We are all too familiar with the power of the water and its ability to take a life. That's something that stays with us every day."
On the Net: