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This story was published Nov. 5, 2011.
MONTREAL - We Montrealers are a nostalgic bunch. Gather a few generations of us around a table, and conversations eventually turn to such topics as Expo 67, the 1976 Olympics, the referendums, the ice storm of 1998 and the last time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup – talk about your distant memories!
Food also plays a huge part of such discussions, and when the Montreal memories start to flow, there's always someone who pipes in with a story of an epic dinner at Les Halles, a ladies' lunch at the Ritz Garden or a bowl of french fries enjoyed post-clubbing at 3 a.m. at Lux. Run into an ex-Montrealer anywhere in the world, and odds are good they will say, "I don't miss the winters or the politics, but, boy, do I crave a good smoked meat." Every time I visit my sister in Paris, she begs me to schlep over two dozen bagels.
As food is such a strong part of the Montreal identity, I started to think about which foods or dishes hold a place of honour in the city's collective consciousness. Poutine springs to mind, yet poutine is not a Montreal-centric dish. Same goes for tourtière. But bagels are specific to Montreal, as is our famous smoked meat and plenty of other dishes that any Montrealer past or present will recognize.
I easily thought up a top 12. There were others that I feared were more central to my experience than that of a larger chunk of the population. For instance, pizza came to mind – especially Tasty Food pizza, which served its first pie in 1957 and often made an appearance on our family dinner table. The restaurant is still in operation, and the pizza still tastes pretty much the same. But when I asked around, not enough people were familiar with this pizza, which stands out from the pack because it has the cheese on the bottom and the fixings on top. And then there are other classic Montreal pizza parlours, like Pizzeria Napolitana and Pendelli's and so on. But I was looking for specific food or dishes that have become part of the Montreal identity. All taken, there's no pizza in Montreal that has made us a city renowned for its pizza.
What we are, though, is a city shaped by an immigrant population. Looking at the foods on my list, it's interesting to note how many have Eastern European – or specifically Jewish – roots.
And though many were created in the early to mid-1900s, there's always room for a new iconic dish.
In 2001, Martin Picard opened Au Pied de Cochon and wowed Montrealers with a half-dozen signature dishes like duck in a can, foie gras hamburger and the foie gras-stuffed pig's foot. But it was his foie gras poutine that caught everyone's attention and started a North American craze for poutine in high-end restaurants instead of the usual snack bars and ski chalets.
An iconic dish can be such a trendsetter, but it can also be one that has stood the test of time, that has held its own on Montreal menus and in Montrealers' affections despite changing tastes and food fads. Chances are that many dyed-in-the-wool (dare I say pure laine?) Montrealers have tasted most every item on this list. If not, I urge you to do so. Feasting on these iconic dishes again, I felt a renewed love for my city and the great people who work to keep these foods on our plates, grasped between our fingers, or slowly sliding up through a straw. It's not always the fanciest fare, but like the city itself, it's unpretentious, original, rich in history and utterly delicious.
1. The real deal: The Mile End bagel
Is there any food that says "Montreal" more than the bagel? Since 1957, St. Viateur Bagel's 24-hour operation has been churning out 12,000 hand-rolled bagels daily. Founder Myer Lewkowicz brought his famous recipe – which requires hand-rolling, blanching in honey water, then baking in a wood-burning oven – over from Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, one block over, Fairmount Bagel founder Isadore Shlafman was baking bagels at the Original Fairmount Bagel Factory – also hand-rolled, also blanched and also wood-baked – in the location (also open around the clock) we all know and love since 1949. Blindfolded, I couldn't tell you the difference – I adore both, and frankly, I buy my bagels at whichever shop has a parking spot in front. Each has its fans, each has a lineup out the door, and each makes bagels so delicious that New Yorkers should be ashamed to call their buns with holes in the middle "bagels."
2. The breakfast must: The Beautys Special
I was tempted to put the Mish-Mash omelette in this category, and no doubt it's another iconic dish from this Montreal landmark, which has been serving breakfast and lunch since 1942. But the Special, that incomparable sandwich made with lox, cream cheese and sliced tomatoes and onion, says "Montreal" to me as much as Mount Royal. "The Special and the Mish-Mash are our signature items," says Larry Sckolnick, who owns the restaurant with his father, Hymie. "But the Special is our Big Mac." Often ordered to share, the Special is usually enjoyed on top of regular breakfast dishes. Sold for 65 cents in 1942, it now sells for $10. "People try to recreate it at home all the time, but come back telling us it just doesn't taste the same," says Larry Sckolnick. When asked who made it best, he doesn't miss a beat: "My mom (the late Freda Sckolnick)," he says. "She had the touch."
3. The ultimate: Schwartz's smoked meat
If you're a Montrealer, chances are you grew up eating smoked meat. There are countless restaurants in the city where you can get a good smoked meat sandwich, but the one that has been the subject of documentaries, inspired musicals and written about in books is Schwartz's. Founded in 1928 by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania, Schwartz's is nothing more than a long and narrow, white-tiled room packed with communal tables where everyone sits elbow to elbow noshing feverishly on smoked meat sandwiches (medium-fat being the most desirable), fries, Cherry Coke and maybe some pickles or a rib steak. The preservative-free smoked meat is made from briskets marinated with herbs and spices for 10 days and then smoked. But the real beauty here lies in the hand-slicing of the hot brisket, resulting in slices of smoked meat that retain their shape and juiciness. It's not just smoked meat – it's a work of art between two slices of rye with a smear of yellow mustard, perfected over 80 years. But don't take my word for it: Those lineups out the door, from noon to the wee hours, say it all.
4. The don't-mess-with-tradition: Wilensky's Special
There's an egg sandwich and a hot dog available, as well as a wide array of sodas made the old-fashioned way with syrup and seltzer. But the big draw at Wilensky's is the Special. Also known to old-timers and second-generation Wilensky customers as the Moe (named for Wilensky's late owner), the Special is a grilled sandwich featuring an English muffin-type egg bread filled with slices of salami and bologna spread with mustard, with the option of a slice of Swiss cheese or a Kraft Single inside. This sandwich comes with rules, though – the rules being that you don't ask for it without mustard and you never ask that it be sliced in half. Opened in 1932 by Harry Wilensky as a barber shop, which later became a cigar store and eventually a book store, variety store and lunch counter, Wilensky's is famous for mentions in Mordecai Richler's novel The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. And yet the draw to this light-lunch counter is the setting, which hasn't changed a speck since moving to its current location in 1952. Ruth Wilensky, at an impressive 91, still works behind the counter with her children, Asher and Sharon. Tourists from as far away as Japan head to Wilensky's for the Special. Here's hoping they don't ask for it to be cut in half.
5. The weird-but-wonderful: Gibeau Orange Julep
There are two Big Os in Montreal: the Olympic Stadium and the big Orange Julep on the Décarie Expressway. Built in 1945 by a man with a vision (and an obvious sense of fun), Hermas Gibeau, the three-storey, orange-shaped structure once featured roller-skating waitresses, fast food and a drink that tasted a lot like a melted Creamsicle. Today you'll find a dizzying array of options (I stick to the yummy toasted hot dogs), but the main draw remains that sweet and viscous Orange Julep. Though the recipe is a well-guarded secret, its base is made with freshly squeezed Sunkist oranges, offering a well-publicized hit of vitamin C. As for what makes it so frothy and creamy, rumour has it that egg whites and milk are part of the formula. Though sweet enough to induce a major sugar rush, this milkshake-like beverage is best appreciated on a hot day. And though not exactly thirst-quenching, it does make for an interesting replacement for dessert.
6. The old-school-made-new: Moishes marinated salmon
Founded by Moishe Lighter in 1938, Moishes is Montreal's oldest continuously operating fine-dining restaurant from the same family in the same location. The menu still counts several items from the opening days, such as the classic verenikas (a.k.a. pierogies), chopped liver, pickles and coleslaw. But if you're looking for a dish unique to the restaurant, there are two: a side dish of marinated peppers and the beloved marinated salmon. Romanian in origin, the latter recipe calls for squares of Atlantic salmon filet that are poached and then marinated in a chili sauce. The dish is then topped with marinated onions and – get this – served cold. Though formerly presented simply on a plate, this appetizer has now been given a more modern, stacked presentation. So popular is this Moishes classic that it's not unusual for the kitchen to serve about 30 orders a night.
7. The enigma: Laurier Gordon Ramsay mocha cake
Dense, big and not all that flavourful, this mocha cake may be famous, but it's hardly swoon-worthy. Nostalgia can be the only explanation why this clunky pastry was one of Laurier BBQ's bestsellers for more than 50 years before U.K. chef Gordon Ramsay took over the Laurier Ave. restaurant and rechristened it this summer. On top of that, customers have always requested it be served warm, with a 20-second jolt in the microwave. Ugh! Before the original restaurant closed in April, there was such a demand for the mocha that people went hysterical when they heard the restaurant ran out of the cake. To avoid an uprising, Ramsay made a concession and kept the mocha along with the other classic desserts. "That cake is caught in a time warp," he said, after laughing. "There are two things that surprise me in the food world: the fact that McDonald's ever got into France and that mocha cake. There's a give or take, so we'll continue to make that mocha cake, but I won't let anyone put it in the microwave. A mocha cake in the microwave? C'mon!" Hot mocha cake fans, fear not: I'm told that secretly, if you ask nicely, they'll still zap it. (Ed Note: In February 2012, Gordon Ramsay left the Laurier.)
8. The revolutionary idea: Au Pied de Cochon's foie gras poutine
In 2001, this decadent dish became the symbol of chef Martin Picard's groundbreaking highbrow-meets-lowbrow style. Rich as all get-out with a bed of french fries, a cream sauce laced with foie gras and egg yolks, and a final topping of cheese curds and seared nuggets of foie gras, Picard's poutine took this trashy fave from the roadside snack bar to the fine-dining scene. Though a few chefs had been toying with the idea of upscale poutine, it was Picard's dish that made its mark and influenced chefs like Toronto's Jamie Kennedy and Vancouver's Rob Feenie to feature poutine on upscale menus. If you haven't tried it yet, book a seat at the bar and don't plan on eating much else. Chances are the diners oohing, ahhing and stuffing their faces with foie gras poutine next to you will be chefs, bloggers or food writers.
9. The he-man special: Magnan's roast beef
We ladies had no idea what was going on at Magnan, the Lachine Canal-side tavern popular with politicians, off-duty RCMP members (and, I'm told, Gazette photographers) until women were finally admitted on the premises in 1989. Now I know: beer, hockey games and especially roast beef, served in thick slabs or in hot sandwiches, or even with nachos. Celebrating its 80th anniversary next year, Magnan serves prime rib to 60 per cent of the 600 to 700 customers who frequent the tavern daily since it opened in 1932. Hubert Magnan, the son of the original owners, Marie-Ange and Armand Magnan, is credited with working tirelessly with his chef to cook up the best roast beef in town, which is listed on the menu in a series of slabs ranging from the six-ounce No. 1 to the 20-ounce No. 5. I sampled the No. 4, and relished every bite of this Alberta beef, marinated and aged for 28 days. Slow-cooked in low-temperature ovens, this marbled beef is not only flavourful, but uniformly pink from core to crust.
10. The quick fix: Montreal Pool Room hot dog
It's rumoured that Al Capone played pool in the original St. Laurent Blvd. location of the Montreal Pool Room, and the restaurant claims it's true. But besides famous gangsters, how many of us lined up at the Pool Room for an after-hours "steamé" or preferably two – all-dressed with onions, relish, mustard and coleslaw – alongside an order of fries served in a small paper bag? Opened in 1912, the restaurant crossed the street a year and a half ago, and
added toasted hot dogs, poutine, hamburgers and chicken burgers to the menu.
But the steamed Lesters hot dogs are still the bestsellers. Sinking your teeth into the soft, warm bun followed by the sweet and sour hit of condiments and finally the – let's face it – pretty tasteless hot dog is one of life's great pleasures. Sure, it's piggy, but after a night of partying or for a quick lunch fix, nothing is quite as soothing as the Pool Room classic.
11. The one-of-a-kind: Dic Ann's hamburger
The Dic of Dic Ann's was Dominic Potenza and the Ann was his wife, Ann Russell. This couple arrived in Montreal from Rochester, N.Y., to open the first Dic Ann's in 1954. Located at Crémazie Blvd. and Papineau Ave., the original location led to a second, drive-in location on Pie IX Blvd. A burger shack of sorts with the requisite roller-skating waitresses, the restaurant was operational only in warm weather at first but was then winterized, and still serves burgers today. Eventually, the restaurant franchised and expanded to 11 locations throughout the province.
So what makes this burger so special? Montreal is a city where you'll find some pretty swell hamburgers, but the one at Dic Ann's is completely different.
The patty is whisper-thin, and the buns are the thickness of pancakes but offer a chewy texture similar to a crumpet. Order the Hi-boy and you get a handful of fresh iceberg lettuce along with a tomato and a slice of cheese.
But the real secret to the Dic Ann's burger is the weird sauce – think chili sauce without the beans. (I asked what was in it, and was told it's a secret.) The burger is served with a wooden stick to lift it out of the sauce pool.
Take a bite and feel the slightly spicy sauce ooze into the crunchy lettuce and down through the meat and resilient bread. Wow, it's good.
12. The taste of the Old Country: THE EASTERN EUROPEAN sandwich
The enticing aroma of paprika-laced sausages wafts through the air when you enter Montreal's Eastern European delis and butcher shops, like Boucherie Slovenia and Boucherie Hongroise on the Main. By the door of the butcher/sausage makers, you'll spot steam tables laden with cured meats, smoked meats and sausage (some spicy, some mild), as well as schnitzel made with both chicken and pork. The classic sandwich is made from a crusty white Portuguese roll filled with mustard, sliced meat or Hungarian sausage and a good dollop of sauerkraut.
Though widespread in countries like Germany, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, these steamed sandwich stands remain as symbols of the once-strong Eastern European presence on the Main before the onslaught of nightclubs, bars, trendy restaurants and hairdressers.
What's on your list?
To comment on this story and share what iconic dishes would be on your list of must-haves, find this story on our website, montrealgazette.com/life


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A longer version of this article originally appeared on AdvisorOne's sister site, BenefitsPro.com.
A new Senate resolution that recognizes the long-term importance of tax-deferral incentives for retirement savings—"low-hanging fruit" in this time of 11th-hour fiscal cliff budgetary wrangling— is making the rounds in Washington, with some extra support from the the independent broker-dealer association, the FSI.
Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and the committee's ranking member, Orrin Hatch, have both been praised by the Financial Services Institute for Senate Concurrent Resolution 62, which asks that the positives of tax deferral present in plans from 401(k)s to private pension plans be thoroughly considered before being hastily included as a possible revenue source in the ongoing financial crisis.
The resolution, a "Sense of Congress" statement, reiterates that current tax incentives for retirement savings do indeed provide important benefits for Americans, as well as actually providing the impetus for workers to help prepare for their own retirement – in the absence of any other nationalized retirement or pension plan, other than Social Security.
Dale Brown, president and CEO of the FSI, offered a letter of support Monday for the resolution, suggesting that those tax incentives need to be protected in order to maintain the American public's sometimes tenuous opportunities to prepare for their own retirement.
"Any attempt to amend the tax code by reducing the amount employees can save each year will jeopardize the retirement security and quality of life of these American workers," Brown said in a statement. "If the benefits in the tax code were to be removed, many people may not have the proper incentives to save sufficiently for their retirement. In addition, if changes are made, employers may choose not to sponsor retirement plans."
The FSI statement by Brown continued by pointing out that "taxes on retirement savings are deferred, not avoided.The tax code does not treat contributions to a retirement savings vehicle as an exclusion or a deduction of taxable income. This has the effect of encouraging people to set aside money for their retirement while providing a defined stream of taxable income in the future."

subset: commoncrawl


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"Last night, Donald Trump used his prolific Twitter account to make this assessment of President Barack Obama's mental health in light of the country's Ebola panic:
✔ @realDonaldTrump Follow
When NewsMax's Steve Malzberg confronted Trump with those words during an interview Thursday, the mogul made no attempts to back away from his statement. Calling him someone who "chooses his words carefully," Malzberg said he was "struck" by Trump's description of the president as a "psycho."
RELATED: Donald Trump Wants Obama to Get Ebola (or Something)
"There's something wrong, and nobody knows what it is, but there's something wrong." Trump told Malzberg. "Can anybody be that incompetent?" he asked of Obama's handling of the Ebola issue.
"There's something wrong," Trump repeated again. "There's something going on. Every decision that this country is wrong. Everything's wrong! Everything is going wrong for the United States."
To sum up, Donald Trump thinks something is "wrong" but he doesn't know what it is."
Here is a guy who owns casinos and declared bankruptcy more times than I care to count and he says the guy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is doing something wrong.
But hey, he says he doesn't know what it is. Maybe it's just the guy running the country. I wonder what it is about this particular guy? Hmmm.
But enough about the Trumpster.
Jon Stewart and Bill O' Reilly had a showdown about white privilege and the thought of two white guys playing point counter point on racial issues to generate ratings just seems a bit unsavory to me.
I am disappointed with Stewart, but I don't know why I expected better from him. He is, after all, an entertainer, and at the end of the day it's all about the money.
I don't think Stewart understands the concept of "white privilege" anymore than O'Reilly does, but for purposes of their silly showdown he took the contrary position.
I have to agree with Joan Walsh's take on it.
"At this point the whole thing feels like brand-enhancing shtick for both men. "I want you to admit that there is such a thing as white privilege," Stewart opened, proving that he knows there's no hope of a genuine debate or even conversation. "I just want you to say I've been terribly wrong about this."
O'Reilly demands that Stewart admit there's "Asian privilege," his new secret weapon in the war on the war on racism. As long as O'Reilly can show that "Asians" are doing better than white Americans — of course that's only certain subgroups of Asians, for complicated reasons — he can prove that white Americans are blame-proof for the struggles of black Americans.
Anyway, are they really struggling? Not in O'Reilly's world. "Maybe you haven't figured out that there's no more slavery, no more Jim Crow, the most powerful man in the world is a black American, and the most powerful woman in the world, Oprah Winfrey, is black."
The truth is, if you want to understand white privilege, there is plenty of evidence to examine to prove that it exists. It's easy. You stand in the shadow of 400 years of monstrous, inventive cruelty, and you shudder, and then you get to work for change. But if you want to deny it, there is plenty of "evidence" for that argument too, mainly "Asians" and Oprah and Obama and let's throw in Condoleezza Rice. We're not going to convince O'Reilly and his demographic. We have to out-organize, out-vote and out-live them.
That's why these two men's showdowns are getting tedious to me. It helps Stewart's brand, it help's O'Reilly's brand. Stewart proves he's superior, O'Reilly proves he's an embattled warrior for the truth. Two white men, making their money, and everybody goes home happy. The Daily Show host even admitted at the end of the show that "it's F-ing fun!"
I love Jon Stewart, but I have to say; it's hard not to wonder if the guy who told the "Crossfire" debaters they were "hurting America" a decade ago might say the same about the two guys yammering last night." [Source]
Amen Ms. Walsh. Amen.


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Here is another photo from a previous trip that Joax made to the UK to paint and bless us here. This piece was painted in Leake Street, under Waterloo station in London.
– James
Here is another photo from a previous trip that Joax made to the UK to paint and bless us here. This piece was painted in Leake Street, under Waterloo station in London.
– James
A couple of months ago I had the privilege of painting with Joax and Bams of the Gospel Graffiti Crew, as well as my good friend Daniel. Here is the result of our main day of painting, which was a really blessed time on a sunny autumn day by the Thames.
I think that Gospel Graffiti and other Christian graffiti crews are doing a really awesome and valuable job and the quality of some of the stuff that is coming out of these guys is just fantastic.
Keep praying for these guys, especially for doors to be opened.
– James
In a post last year we introduced a friend of ours who writes graffiti under the name Dolar.
Graffiti blog Canned Goods recently interviewed Dolar, and he 100% represented Jesus. Check it out here.
– James
Panos Vassiliadis is a Christian graffiti artist and graphic designer based in the USA. He has done work for various big corperate clients including HP & The North Face.
Age? 31
Where do you live? San Francisco Bay Area
What is your favorite colour? 39% Cyan, 0% Magenta, 100% Yellow, 0% Black. Look it up.
What is your favorite website at the moment? www.pixelicious.com That kid got mad skills.
What are the 3 things that you most like doing with your time? Spending time with my new daughter Sophie, my wife, and pushing pixels.
When did you first start using your creativity for God, and how did that come about? I started graphic design so I could be a part of helping Christian organizations better communicate, visually. For a while I wanted to become a Pastor, but God made it clear to me that it was not my calling. There are so many more ways to share the Gospel than standing behind a pulpit. I started doing graffiti in the early 90's, which led to lots of drawing, which led to Graphic Design.
What inspires you? My life in general, riding the train in the morning, walking in San Francisco, movies, ads, cereal boxes, socks. Wait, what was the question again?
Who are some of your favorite artists? Zoro One has got to be my favorite. Not only is he strikingly handsome, but he got mad skills. Really. Look him up.
What is the most amazing thing that you have seen God do? The birth of my daughter has got to be the most spiritual / powerful experience of my life. Also, the way He orchestrates events, and uses even the bad for good is amazing.
Do you have any particular projects going on at the moment? I'm working on a Hip Hop showcase event happening in March here in California called "empower". I also have my regular 9-5 working at an advertising agency in San Francisco, and a ton of mini-projects. I'm also a finalist for a Flip Video design contest, so we'll see what goes down.
What can we expect to see from you in future? Not sure. I really feel like I got to roll with whatever comes at me at this point. One thing I'm learning is leaving myself open to new things. New projects. New experiences. If I plan too hard, I may miss something God's been orchestrating.
What would you most like to see come out of the Christian Creative scene in the next few years? More honesty. Compassion. People connect with what's real. The world is bigger than your church. Meet people. Love. EVERYONE. Add a little humor, and loosen up a bit. Creativity. How are we supposed to be the salt of the earth and come off judging and pretending to the world? It shows in our speech, our art, our lives.
Where can we find more of your work? Various restaurant bathrooms (LOL), and, www.pixelicious.com of course.
Anything else you would like to say? Love. And check out pixelicious.com, and my Bay Area Graffiti Flickr Group: www.flickr.com/groups/bayareagraffiti
Today I found something really exciting that I wanted to share. I found an interview with one of our favorite Christian Graffiti artists, Lovepusher, on The Times' Website! I think it's so great how Lovepusher is getting out into the secular world and public places with graffiti, but it all being about God, and there being no compromise about that! You can read the interview on the Times Online Website.
– James
I was SO excited when I saw an email sitting in the Artists for Christ inbox which had the subject "Ex-Ilegal graffiti writer now Jesus change his life!!", I just wanted to let rip with a loud pentacostal "AMEN!!!!".
So let me introduce Dolar, a graffiti artist from Spain, he has a website full of awesome images (I especially love the sketches section) which can be found at www.dolar-one.es.
I especially like how he has taken the classic "Hello, my name is" sticker, which street artists all over the world use, and made it all about Jesus!
– James
In a post last month I introduced a Christian graffiti artist called Lovepusher. I think that Lovepusher's work is absolutely amazing, and this is the newest piece uploaded to Lovepusher's Flickr.
I'm so blessed that this kind of non-cheesy, but nonetheless radically JESUS artwork, is being put out in public places (in this case a legal graffiti area) for all to see.
How will people come to believe if they aren't exposed to the truth?
Let us be inspired!
– James
To the heart of the matter from cameron moberg on Vimeo.
Here is another great video from some of the Gospel Graffiti guys, I found it on the Gospel Graffiti Blog. I love the way that they have done this mural, it is SO beautiful!
I think that what Gospel Graffiti are doing is fantastic, its so beautiful to see these guys working together like this to bring glory to God! Be inspired! I certainly am!
– James
Whilst looking on the Gospel Graffiti Blog today I came across the work of a UK-based Christian graffiti artist called Lovepusher. I checked out Lovepusher's Flickr and there is some fantastic work on there, if you want to see some decent Christian graffiti then take a look.
– James


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CCS adapting to COVID-19 realities to support Canadians during and after the pandemic
Bone metastases
Bone metastasis is cancer that started in another part of the body and spread to the bone. It's sometimes called secondary bone cancer or metastatic bone disease. Bone metastasis is not the same as cancer that starts in the bone (called primary bone cancer). Bone metastases are much more common than primary bone cancer.
Some kinds of cancer are more likely to spread to the bones than others. The most common types of cancer that spread to the bones are:
- breast
- prostate
- lung
- kidney
- thyroid
Cancer can spread to any bone in the body. The most common sites of bone metastases are the vertebrae (bones of the spine), ribs, pelvis (hip bone), sternum (breastbone) and skull. Sometimes only one area of bone is affected. Sometimes metastases develop in several bones at the same time.
How metastatic cancer affects bone
Bone is constantly being formed and broken down. This is a normal process that keeps bone healthy and strong. Metastatic cancer can upset this process. It can affect the normal balance between new and old bone and change the structure and function of the bone.
Osteoblastic metastases develop when cancer cells invade the bone and cause too many bone cells to form. The bone becomes very dense, or sclerotic. Osteoblastic metastases often happen when prostate cancer spreads to the bone.
Osteolytic metastases develop when metastatic cancer cells break down too much of the bone, making it very weak. Holes may develop in the bones as the bone is destroyed. Osteolytic metastases often happen when breast cancer spreads to the bone.
Osteolytic metastases are more common than osteoblastic metastases. Osteoblastic metastases and osteolytic metastases can happen together in the same area of bone, such as with metastatic breast cancer.
The symptoms of bone metastases vary depending on which and how many bones are affected. Other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as bone metastases. See your doctor if you have these symptoms.
The most common, and usually first, symptom of bone metastases is pain in the bone. Bone pain can come and go, or it can be constant. It is often worse at night. The pain may be only in one area or it may spread throughout the body. It may be a dull ache or a sharp pain. There may also be swelling along with bone pain.
Other signs and symptoms of bone metastases include:
- constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, the need to urinate often, extreme thirst and confusion caused by high levels of calcium in the blood (called hypercalcemia)
- broken bones, or fractures (most often the ribs, vertebrae and long bones of the legs)
- loss of balance, weakness or numbness in the legs and sometimes arms, and problems with the bladder or intestine caused by pressure on the nerves of the spinal cord (called spinal cord compression)
The following tests may be used to diagnose bone metastases. Many of the same tests can help your healthcare team plan treatment and monitor bone metastases.
Health history and physical exam
Your health history is a record of your symptoms, risk factors and all the medical events and problems you have had in the past. In taking a health history, your doctor will ask questions about a personal history of symptoms that suggest bone metastases.
A physical exam allows your doctor to look for any signs of bone metastases. During a physical exam, your doctor may feel areas that are causing pain or other symptoms, and look for swelling.
Find out more about physical exam.
Blood tests
The types of blood tests used to help diagnose bone metastases include the following.
Complete blood count (CBC) is done to check your general health and how well the bone marrow is working.
Calcium and alkaline phosphatase levels in the blood may be measured. High levels may mean there is damage to the bone from bone metastases.
Tumour markers may be measured if you have had cancer before. They are tests that measure the amount of a specific protein in the body. The type of tumour marker used depends on the type of cancer you had before. For example, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) may be measured in the blood. It is commonly used during follow-up in men who have been treated for prostate cancer. High PSA levels may mean that prostate cancer has come back and spread to the bone.
Find out more about a complete blood count (CBC) and tumour markers
Imaging tests
Imaging tests are an important part of diagnosing bone metastases. It is common for people to have one or more imaging tests when the doctor thinks cancer has spread to the bone. The imaging tests used to diagnose bone metastases include the following.
X-ray is usually one of the first tests used to check symptoms like bone pain. An x-ray can also show breaks, or fractures, of the bones.
Bone scan is used to check the whole skeleton for bone metastases, especially when there is bone pain in several places. A bone scan can often find bone metastases earlier than an x-ray, so it is sometimes used during follow-up after cancer treatment even when there are no symptoms of bone metastases.
Computed tomography (CT) scan is used if x-rays and the bone scan are normal but your doctor still thinks there are bone metastases. It is also used to measure the size of a bone tumour. Doctors may also use a CT scan to guide them to a tumour during a needle biopsy to get tissue samples.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to check for spinal cord compression. It may be used if the results of a CT scan are not clear. MRI can also be used to check if metastatic cancer has spread to the bone marrow.
Positron emission tomography (PET) scan looks at the whole skeleton and may be used to check if there are very small bone metastases. It is rarely used to diagnose bone metastases because other imaging tests are usually needed to follow up on the results of a PET scan.
Find out more about these imaging tests and procedures.
A biopsy is the removal of cells or tissues so they can be examined under a microscope. It is sometimes needed to diagnose bone metastases. If you have a history of cancer, doctors usually base a diagnosis of bone metastases on the results of imaging tests.
Sometimes a biopsy is done if the primary cancer, or where the cancer started, is not known. A needle or surgical biopsy is usually used.
Find out more about biopsy.
Other tests
If bone metastases are found before the primary cancer is diagnosed, the doctor may order tests to find out where the cancer started. These tests may include:
- mammography to check for breast cancer
- x-ray or CT scan of the chest to check for lung cancer
- transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) to check for prostate cancer
Treatments and supportive therapies
If you have bone metastases, your healthcare team will create a treatment plan just for you. It will be based on your needs and usually includes a combination of different treatments. Treatments can control and slow the growth of bone metastases, but the metastases usually don't go away completely. Treatments can also manage or prevent problems caused by bone metastases. These are sometimes called supportive therapies.
When deciding which treatments and supportive therapies to offer for bone metastases, your healthcare team will consider:
- where the cancer started
- your symptoms
- how many bones are affected by cancer
- cancer treatments you've already received
- your personal preferences
You may be offered the following treatments and supportive therapies for bone metastases.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for bone metastasis. It may be given as external beam radiation therapy or as systemic radiation therapy.
External beam radiation therapy may be used to treat bone pain and spinal cord compression. It is also used to prevent or help heal broken bones, or fractures. During external beam radiation therapy, a machine directs a beam of radiation through the skin. It is directed at a specific area of bone where there is pain or that needs treatment. How long external beam radiation is used depends on the goal of treatment, the number of bones affected by cancer and other factors. A short course of radiation therapy is often used for bone metastases. This usually means that it is given once a day for 5 days. A single radiation treatment may be given.
Systemic radiation therapy may be used when there is pain in many bones. It is most often used for osteoblastic metastases from prostate cancer. Systemic radiation therapy uses drugs with radioactive materials. These drugs are usually given intravenously (through a needle into a vein). They travel through the bloodstream to cancer cells in the bone. The most common radioactive materials used are strontium-89 and samarium-153. Usually only one dose of systemic radiation is given.
Side effects of radiation therapy will depend mainly on the type of radiation therapy, the area of the body treated and the length of treatment. The most common side effect of radiation therapy to the bone is a temporary increase in pain before it gets better or goes away completely.
Find out more about radiation therapy and side effects of radiation therapy.
Bisphosphonates are drugs that help slow the breakdown of bone. They are standard therapy for bone metastases. They are used to help manage and prevent problems such as hypercalcemia, bone pain and broken bones.
When doctors give bisphosphonates depends on factors like where the cancer started, the number of bones affected by cancer, the chance of developing bone problems (such as fractures) and life expectancy. These drugs are usually used along with other therapies such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy and pain medicines.
The most common bisphosphonates used for bone metastases include:
- clodronate (Bonefos)
- pamidronate (Aredia)
- zoledronic acid (Zometa)
Bisphosphonates are most often given through a needle into a vein (intravenously). These drugs are usually given once every month or once every 3 months, but they may be given more often. Bisphosphonates may also be given once a day as a pill by mouth (orally).
Side effects of bisphosphonates will depend mainly on the type of drug, the dose and the length of treatment. Common side effects of bisphosphonates are flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, nausea and heartburn.
Find out more about bisphosphonates.
Denosumab (Xgeva)
A drug called denosumab (Xgeva) may be used instead of bisphosphonates to slow down or stop bone loss caused by bone metastases. Denosumab is a monoclonal antibody that finds and attaches to RANKL, which is a substance on the surface of bone cells. RANKL helps break down bones. When RANKL is targeted and blocked, bones are not broken down as quickly.
Denosumab is given by a needle inserted just under the skin (called subcutaneous injection). It is usually given every 4 weeks or every 12 weeks. While taking denosumab, you may be told to take calcium and vitamin D pills.
The most common side effect of denosumab is low levels of calcium in the blood. Other less common side effects include poor appetite, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, nausea and vomiting. Tell your healthcare team if you have these side effects or others you think might be from denosumab.
Pain medicines
Pain medicines are commonly used to manage pain caused by bone metastases. They are often given because other treatments may take a while to relieve pain or may not stop pain completely.
The most common pain medicines used for bone metastases are taken as a pill, including:
- acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
- opioids such as morphine (MS Contin, Statex, MOS), hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and codeine
- medicines for nerve pain, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica)
Side effects of pain medicines will depend mainly on the type of drug, the dose and the length of treatment. Common side effects of pain medicines are upset stomach, drowsiness and constipation.
Find out more about pain and how to manage it.
Chemotherapy may be used to help shrink bone metastases and relieve symptoms such as pain. It may be an option if there are several areas of bone metastases, and the cancer is likely to respond to chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is used to treat many types of metastatic cancer. The type of chemotherapy drug or combination of drugs used depends on where the cancer started.
Chemotherapy uses drugs that circulate throughout the body and destroy cancer cells. The drugs, the dose and the schedule will vary for each person. Chemotherapy is sometimes used along with other treatments such as radiation therapy and bisphosphonates.
Side effects will depend mainly on the type of drug, the dose and how it's given. Common side effects of many chemotherapy drugs are low blood cell counts (called bone marrow suppression), nausea and vomiting, mouth problems and bowel problems.
Find out more about chemotherapy and side effects of chemotherapy.
Hormonal therapy
Hormonal therapy is a treatment that adds, blocks or removes certain hormones to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells that need hormones to grow. Drugs, surgery or radiation therapy can be used as hormonal therapy.
Hormonal therapy may be offered for some types of cancer that have spread to the bone, such as breast and prostate cancers. It is often used to relieve symptoms like bone pain. It often has fewer side effects than chemotherapy.
Side effects of hormone therapy will depend mainly on the type of hormonal therapy. Common side effects of many types of hormonal therapy are hot flashes and less interest in sex.
Find out more about hormonal therapy and side effects of hormonal therapy.
Surgery may be used to repair a broken bone caused by metastasis. It may also be used to make bone more stable and prevent it from breaking. Metal screws, pins, rods and plates can be placed during surgery to strengthen and support the bone. Surgery may be used to relieve pain from a broken bone. It can also help prevent or treat spinal cord compression. Most people with bone metastases need to be in good overall health to have surgery.
Side effects of surgery will depend mainly on the site of surgery and your overall health. Common side effects of surgery are pain, bleeding and wound infection.
Find out more about surgery and side effects of surgery.
Bone cement
Bone cement makes bone strong and stable. It may be used to relieve pain from a break, or fracture. It may also be used to prevent a bone from breaking and improve mobility. Bone cement is most often used to treat bones of the spine, pelvis, arms and legs.
Bone cement is a substance called polymethyl methacrylate. It is injected into a bone through the skin. This procedure is also called percutaneous osteoplasty. When it is done on bones of the spine, it is called vertebroplasty. The doctor gives local anesthetic to freeze the area before the needle is inserted. The doctor uses fluoroscopy or CT scan to guide the needle containing the bone cement to the right area of bone.
Possible side effects of injecting bone cement are pain and infection.
Living with bone metastases
In many cases, bone metastasis is a chronic condition. Adjusting to life with bone metastases often takes time. A person with bone metastases may have concerns about the following.
Pain commonly happens with bone metastases. Many treatments and supportive therapies are given to help relieve pain. Tell your healthcare team if treatments are not relieving the pain. You may be referred to doctors and nurses that specialize in ways to manage pain.Having good pain control will help you feel better so you can continue with activities you enjoy.
Some people with bone metastases may want to use complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage therapy, to help relieve pain and improve their quality of life. Complementary therapy may help you feel more in control of your health and treatment. Ask your healthcare team to suggest complementary therapies that may help with pain. Find out more about complementary therapies.
Mobility and safety
Bone metastases may lower your mobility, or how well you move around. Bones are often weak and can break easily. You can do the following to lower the risk of falling and keep your environment safe.
Try to move around and change positions slowly. Be careful when you are walking. Wear shoes or slippers with good grips on the bottom. Use a cane or walker to help keep your balance. Ask for help with walking.
Try to keep hallways and walkways clear of clutter. Use safety equipment when bathing, such as shower chairs and handrails.
Ask your healthcare team about physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs that can help with mobility problems and keep you safely active.
A diagnosis of advanced cancer can lead to questions about survival. There is no way of knowing exactly how long someone will live with bone metastases. It depends on many factors, including the type of cancer. For example, survival with bone metastases from prostate or breast cancer is often measured in years. Survival with lung cancer that has spread to the bones is often measured in months. Some people live much longer than expected, while others may die sooner than expected.
The best person to talk to about survival is the doctor. The doctor may be able to estimate survival based on what they know about a person and the type of cancer, but it's not an exact science.
Find out more about living with advanced cancer.
The bones of the spinal column that support and protect the spinal cord.
The 33 vertebrae are grouped as 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral (fused into the sacrum bone) and 4 coccygeal (fused into the coccyx bone).
Vertebrae is the plural of vertebra.
The soft, spongy tissue inside most bones.
There are 2 main types of bone marrow. Red bone marrow is where blast cells (immature blood cells) develop into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Yellow bone marrow stores fatty tissue.
A substance that can find and bind to a particular target molecule (antigen) on a cancer cell.
Monoclonal antibodies can interfere with a cell's function or can be used to carry drugs, toxins or radioactive material directly to a tumour.
A procedure that uses an x-ray to see how organs or structures in the body move or to follow the movement of an instrument or contrast medium through the body.
Fluoroscopy allows doctors to see the action of joints, organs or entire body systems. It projects an x-ray image on a monitor, like a movie.
The x-ray machine used for this procedure is called a fluoroscope.
Occurring slowly, lasting a long time or progressing very gradually.
Treatment that uses physical means, such as special exercises, activities and massage.
Physiotherapy may be used to treat pain, disease or injury. It is given by a specially trained healthcare professional called a physiotherapist.
Also called physical therapy.
Treatment that helps people develop, maintain or recover the ability to carry out the activities of daily living. It includes first assessing a person's needs along with their home and work or school environments and then recommending changes or adaptive devices to help them in their daily life.
Occupational therapy may be used to help people return to their activities of daily living after cancer treatment. It is given by a trained healthcare professional called a occupational therapist.
Great progress has been made
Some cancers, such as thyroid and testicular, have survival rates of over 90%. Other cancers, such as pancreatic, brain and esophageal, continue to have very low survival rates.


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Dan Tangherlini says ongoing review of operations has revealed overlap in administrative functions.
The ongoing process of consolidating functional offices at the General Services Administration is critical to cutting costs and delivering better service to other federal agencies, GSA's administrator said Tuesday
In a blog post, Dan Tangherlini said an ongoing "top to bottom" review of agency operations has led to decisions to consolidate several functions. He highlighted three key areas of streamlining:
- "In the days and weeks ahead," Tangherlini wrote, the agency will create a new technology office, bringing all information technology personnel, budgets and systems under GSA's chief information officer.
- The agency is consolidating all human capital management employees and functions together under its chief people officer.
- The Office of Administrative Services will bring together an array of functions, including executive correspondence, records management and audit response tracking.
Tangherlini noted that he had already ordered a consolidation in the area of financial management, directing the Public Building Service's chief financial officer to report to GSA's CFO.
"Our hope is that the better coordinated and more streamlined GSA will make us a model of how to provide the kind of efficient, effective, and transparent service that the American people expect from their government," he wrote in his blog post.
Tangherlini announced his top to bottom review in April 2012, shortly after taking the helm of the agency in the aftermath of a scandal involving lavish conferences. Last fall, he announced that the agency already had saved millions of dollars by cutting conference spending and reducing contracting fees.
NEXT STORY: The Anatomy of a Winning Resume


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Blog Archive
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- Kids in the Orchard–Plans for Week 2
- Creative Gardening 6.0–Bottle Trees
- The Story of the Apple Fairies–Week 1 of Kids in t...
- Creative Gardening 5.0 - Vertical Planters
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- Kids in the Orchard–Plans for Week 1
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Informative Blog Posts
Sauce-Sational: An Experiment in Applesacue
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The 2018 apple season started out with not the best weather – it rained and rained and rained some more. One afternoon on a whim, my mother...
The Northern Spy is a variety we're just finally starting to get a decent crop off. Northern Spy is an heirloom apple that characteristical...
Yeah! it's that time of year again! It's time to start thinking about the Holiday's and finding that 'perfect' gift for that special some...
Next up on the Sauce-sational Applesauce Experiment is the Granny Smith. Of course, I took a picture of the peeled/cored/sliced Granny Smi...
This recipe comes from the Wisconsin Apple Grower's Association Cookbook ...looks good to me :) Coconut Apple Cake Janet Brooks, Oshko...
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Kids in the Orchard–Plans for Week 1
I am so excited for the first day of Kids in the Orchard next week Wednesday, June 25th from 2 – 3:30! I have a lot of exciting activities planned throughout the summer but some are a bit dependent on the weather. I'll be posting a few days in advance of each week about what the main 'activity' will be on that particular day so be sure to check the previous Saturday or Sunday.
On June 25th our main project will be Fairy Gardens or Terrariums.
I would love it if those participating could bring some sort of container for their fairy garden/terrarium. It will be a take home project so remember you will have to lift it into your vehicle when your done.
Your garden container could be anything – an old slow cooker that doesn't work…
The insert to that slow cooker…
an old crock or lunch box…
buckets, pails, big bowls, old pots, pans, or whatever your imagination dreams up!
I do have *some* containers that you would be able to purchase for just $3 if you can't find one to use.
The kids will be scavenging the orchard for items for there fairy gardens as well as making a little fairy house or bench from popsicle sticks.
We also have one more planting project planned but I'm going to keep it a secret until Wednesday! AND Diane thought up a delicious treat using a product from our orchard for the kiddo's to enjoy while they're here!
Another idea for a container…
1 comments:
- MegsAnn said...
Check out the suitcase photo on that Interest board! So cute. I can see other metal items too: cookie tin, tackle box, lunch pail. How funny would it be to have a fairy garden in a kids' potty. I might need to make a fairy garden my-grownup-self now.
- June 24, 2014 at 2:51 PM


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Year of publication
- 2002 (5) (remove)
- Drell-Yan ratio (1)
- J/psi mesons (1)
- Kollisionen des schweren Ions (1)
- heavy ion collisions (1)
- heavy-ion collisions (1)
- Omega, J/psi and psi' production in nuclear collisions and quark gluon plasma hadronization (2002)
- The transverse mass spectra of Omega, J/psi and psi' in Pb+Pb collisions at 158 AGeV are studied within a hydrodynamical model of the quark gluon plasma expansion and hadronization. The model reproduces the existing data with the common hadronization parameters: temperature T=T_H = 170 MeV and average collective transverse velocity v_T = 0.2.
- Omega, J/psi and psi' transverse mass spectra at RHIC (2002)
- The transverse mass spectra of J/psi and psi' mesons and Omega hyperons produced in central Au+Au collisions at RHIC energies are discussed within a statistical model used successfully for the interpretation of the SPS results. The comparison of the presented model with the future RHIC data should serve as a further crucial test of the hypothesis of statistical production of charmonia at hadronization. Finally, in case of validity, the approach should allow to estimate the mean transverse flow velocity at the quark gluon plasma hadronization.
- Open and hidden charm production in heavy-ion collisions at ultrarelativistic energies (2002)
- We consider the production of the open charm and J/psi mesons in heavy-ion collisions at BNL RHIC. We discuss several recently developed pictures for J/psi production and argue that a measurement at RHIC energies is crucial for disentangling these different descriptions.
- The high E(T) drop of J / psi to Drell-Yan ratio from the statistical c anti-c coalescence model (2002)
- The dependence of the J/psi yield on the transverse energy ET in heavy ion collisions is considered within the statistical c¯c coalescence model. The model fits the NA50 data for Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS even in the high-ET region (ET >< 100 GeV). Here ET -fluctuations and ET -losses in the dimuon event sample naturally create the celebrated drop in the J/psi to Drell-Yan ratio.
- Hadron spectra and QGP hadronization in Au + Au collisions at RHIC (2002)
- The transverse mass spectra of Omega hyperons and phi mesons measured recently by STAR Collaboration in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV are described within a hydrodynamic model of the quark gluon plasma expansion and hadronization. The flow parameters at the plasma hadronization extracted by fitting these data are used to predict the transverse mass spectra of J/psi and psi' mesons.


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Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)
(written from a Production point of view)
Matthew James Williamson is an actor who made three Star Trek appearances across two Star Trek series in 2001.
He had previously appeared in Woody Allen's 1990 comedy Alice, which also had Keye Luke in its cast. In 1999, Williamson co-starred with John Fleck in a film called Swap Meet. He also guest-starred on Alias and ER and appeared in the made-for-TV Helter Skelter remake in 2004. This latter project also featured Robert Costanzo, Robert Joy, Robert Pine, and Keith Szarabajka.
Star Trek appearances
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This week, while at least a quarter-million Israelis gathered outside the Old City walls in support of Jerusalem, CNN completely downplayed the event -- an act that media watchdogs are calling CNN's worst violation of objectivity in recent memory.
This critique refers both to CNN's earlier and later report on the rally:
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/01/08/mideast.02/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/01/08/mideast.04/index.html
This critique will examine five points:
- How many people attended the rally?
- Coverage of the actual event
- Historical context of Jerusalem
- Demographic composition of attendees
- Nature of the rally: peaceful or provocative?
In the article headline, CNN quantifies the number of attendees:
"Jerusalem protest against U.S. peace plan draws thousands"
CNN's opening paragraph repeats the same assertion:
"Thousands of people gathered on Monday..."
A later CNN article updated the reference to "tens of thousands." But how many people does this actually refer to? 30,000? 40,000?
Across-the-board consensus from European, American, and Israeli media estimate at least one-quarter-million:
- The Washington Post reports: "The rally, centered at the Jaffa Gate entrance to the walled Old City, was said to be the largest demonstration ever in Jerusalem and one of the largest in recent Israeli history, attracting a quarter-million people, according to police estimates."
- The Jerusalem Post calls it "some 300,000 people."
- The Los Angeles Times writes of "more than 200,000 Israelis and Jews from around the world."
- The Times of London says: "more than 200,000 Israelis."
- Israeli TV-1 reports that "about 300,000 attended."
We ask: Why does CNN stand isolated amongst world media in minimizing the outpouring of Jewish support for Jerusalem?
It would be expected that the largest political gathering in Jerusalem in the last 1900 years --- and one which addresses the most primary world issue of the day -- would merit top media coverage.
Indeed, sources like the New York Times, LA Times, London Times, Washington Post, and most every other news organization covered the rally as an independent story.
The early edition of CNN devoted a paltry 5 sentences to the event. In the later edition, when many more details of the rally were available, the rally was not mentioned in the headline at all -- and CNN did not give an account of the rally until paragraph #14.
Is not a rally of over 250,000 people headline-worthy?
The later CNN article, published after all the speeches had been made, did not offer one quote from any of the quarter-million attendees. The lone CNN quote comes from Muslim Waqf Adnan Husseini, who called the rally "provocative."
Were no Jews available for comment?!
CNN gravely diminishes the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. There is no mention of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish people for over 3,000 years -- 1,500 years before Islam ever existed. Nor does CNN make any mention of the Temple Mount as the site of Judaism's two Holy Temples.
CNN's description:
The site is known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, the third-holiest site in the Islamic world.
Right, CNN. Third-holiest to Moslems -- even though over the last 1,500 years, Jerusalem has never been the religious or national capital of any Arab or Moslem entity. Never. But 3,000 years as the Jewish capital and Judaism's single holiest site? CNN omits any reference.
Further, in a shocking reference, CNN says the site of the rally was:
"Jaffa Gate, or Bab al-Khalil, the main western entrance to the walled city."
"Jaffa Gate" is the standard reference in any encyclopedia, university textbook, diplomatic document, media style guide, or any other acceptable Western source. So why does CNN go out of it's way – particularly in the context of reporting a Jewish rally -- to drudge up Bab al-Khalil, an obscure Arabic reference to this geographic site?
Shall we also expect CNN to refer to Manhattan as Man-a-hat-ta, or "island of hills," the name given by the Algonquian Indians?
The Jerusalem rally was a non-partisan show of solidarity from Jews around the world and across the political spectrum. Many Jews flew in from the diaspora to attend, and busloads of Jews came from 100 towns and villages throughout the country.
The event was specifically planned to be non-political. No politicians or members of Israeli parliament (other than the mayor of Jerusalem) were allowed to deliver speeches.
The Jerusalem Post reports:
The participants were not primarily from Judea, Samaria, the Gaza Strip, or the Jordan Valley; they were from the entire spectrum of Israeli society. They came from as far north as Kiryat Shmona and as far south as Eilat, and were native-born Israelis, new immigrants, and Diaspora Jews, Russian speakers and English speakers, religious and secular. http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/01/09/News/News.19051.html
So how does CNN spin it? The only reference to the demographic character of the attendees is to paraphrase unnamed Barak supporters that:
"...the gathering is, in effect, an election rally by right-wingers."
CNN advances a myth that the Israeli public is divided on the issue of Jerusalem. In truth, even Barak continues to repeat his strong opposition to relinquishing sovereignty over Old City sites.
Time magazine, in a report issued by bureau chief Matt Rees, clarifies the bi-partisan nature of support for a united Jerusalem:
But Jerusalem is an issue on which many very liberal Israelis feel great discomfort. Not so much because they don't like the concessions on the Temple Mount that Barak has put on the table, but because they feel that while they're making all these concession on what for them is the holiest site, the Palestinians are moving in the opposite direction, refusing to acknowledge the fact that the Jewish temple stood on the same site, and refusing to compromise. Many Jews who are not particularly nationalistic see that as a very unfair element of current negotiations. The mufti of Jerusalem recently issued a fatwa saying there was no Jewish temple and no validity to Jewish claims that this was the Temple Mount. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,94168,00.html
At the Jerusalem rally, people were quiet and orderly, listening to speakers and musicians. Some paraded with Israeli flags and signs, while most just stood still. Along the wall of the Old City itself, hundreds of young students sat on the grass around large candles, reading Psalms and praying. From time to time, dancing broke out in the streets.
That's right, dancing.
Given the violent nature of Palestinian rallies in recent months, was it not newsworthy that there was no violence at the Jewish rally? That none of the speakers spewed the hate-filled rhetoric commonly heard at other gatherings? That of the thousands of Jews gathered, not a single rock or firebomb was thrown at passing Arabs?
CNN, of course, has only its lone quote from Muslim Waqf Adnan Husseini, calling the rally "provocative."
The Wall Street Journal Europe writes beautifully:
The protest, in which both Israeli and diaspora Jews participated, was remarkable for its size, but also for its peacefulness. A sizable Israeli security presence was on hand, both to protect the protestors and to prevent them from extending their demonstration to the Damascus Gate, which lies in an Arab neighborhood of the city. But this police presence does nothing to diminish the fact that the demonstrators, unlike the Palestinian "demonstrators" that have sparked much of the violence of the last two months, came and went in peace.
That they delivered their message peacefully should not diminish but rather should increase the respect that is accorded to that message, if for no other reason than to show that violence is not the only course of action rewarded in the "peace process."
In the end, the rally was a huge success. It reminded all Jews -- and told the world -- that Jerusalem was, is and always will be the heart of the Jewish people. With or without CNN.
Email your complaints to CNN at email@example.com


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Microsoft Not Ready to Select CEO
Software Giant's Board Says It Expects to Find Replacement for Steve Ballmer in Early 2014
The world may be anxious to welcome Microsoft Corp.'s next chief executive. The company's board isn't in a rush.
John W. Thompson, the Microsoft director leading the search, said in a blog post Tuesday that the board doesn't expect to name a new CEO until next year.
Mr. Thompson's post was a rare piece of communication by Microsoft about...
To Read the Full Story


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Kim Komando
Sun 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
America's Digital Goddess, Kim Komando, hosts the most listened to weekend program in America! Heard by millions on more than 400 radio stations throughout the USA and Canada every weekend! One of the 10 Most Listened to Radio Programs in the United States! Now you can hear her Sundays from 2pm – 5pm on 1400 KTEM.
If you're online, if your kids are online, if you own a computer, want or own an HDTV, going hi def DVD or considering a digital media player, you need this show!
If you're looking to protect your identity, your personal information, or your family's safety, Kim's by your side!
If you're stymied by Windows, baffled by Vista, considering a Mac, an iPod, an iPhone, a digital camera or video camera, want to make money online or wondering about one of the hundreds of software packages to handle your digital photos, you need Kim Komando!
Click here for Kim Komando's Web site: www.komando.com
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Everyone has some memory that continues to thrill us years later: our first real friend, the first time we went on a date, the time we received an award at work. These memories are sweet and they have a direct impact on our confidence. Human beings derive not just pleasure but also self-respect, a sense of dignity, and a sense of meaning from succeeding socially.
Almost always in my line of work as an autism consultant and educator, the biggest stereotype about autistic adults that I encounter is that having autism-related social challenges means no socializing. Autism is automatically correlated to a preference for isolation or a reduced interest in social contact.
But in reality, individuals on the autism spectrum are, after all, people—human beings with the same hopes, dreams, concerns, and capacity to love as everyone else. I have rarely met anyone—on or off the autism spectrum—who is not comforted by the presence of others, and who does not seek to relate to others one way or another. With this idea as the starting point, the following article explores the impact of social challenges on relationships of all sorts without ignoring corresponding strengths. Strategies to enhance social fluidity and success are also discussed.
Of course I knew the rule, don't talk to strangers. But the usher at the movie theater wasn't a stranger anymore, right? After all, we had talked for a few minutes. When I was invited into the little booth to see the movie reels, I couldn't read the social signals indicating potential trouble.
Every act of social interaction between two people or more is a complex series of delivering and receiving information, making adjustments based on data gleaned, and following through on decisions about what to do. Think about making a friend: First, you have to go somewhere or be doing an activity where you might meet someone to befriend. Then, you have to decode often very subtle cues that another person might want to be your friend. The process of becoming friends involves initiating communication, utilizing and processing verbal and nonverbal language, judging friendship potential, regulating and expressing emotions, sharing interests, establishing rules for joint activities, demarcating interpersonal boundaries, and navigating conflicts. And that is just a friendship! Imagine the added layers of complexity if you want to find someone to date!
Autism-related differences in the wiring of the brain can make socializing an arduous process. Everything from sensory issues to social cognition can factor into the difficulty. Brain-based differences impact the ability to perceive social information, manage and complete social decisions, make social judgments, and protect ourselves during the myriad moment-by-moment fluctuations that are an inherent aspect of human interaction.
Autistic individuals tend to have difficulty generalizing broad rules to specific situations that are in our minds unique. Providing a teenager with dictums such as don't talk to strangers or be nice are layered with nuances that require assessment of "on the spot" gray areas: Someone can still be a stranger even if you've talked for a few moments, and you should not be nice to robbers. How do children learn when to apply a rule and when the rule might or might not stand depending on the social context? Usually by experiment and osmosis, but for children and adults on the spectrum this deficit in generalization can enormously impact peer relationships and social outcomes.
Additionally, adults on the autism spectrum often have a strong tendency to miss nonverbal clues like tone of voice, body posture, or facial expressions that deliver important social clues. Exchanging signals that indicate level of social interest, amount and type of emotion, genuine concern or ulterior motive, is so natural and ubiquitous that neurotypicals don't even realize they are zipping signals back and forth all the time. Because autistic adults don't necessarily send the right type or intensity of signals, because the timing of our signals may be off, or because we may fail to send any signal, neurotypicals often conclude erroneously that we are disinterested or unfriendly. Conversely, if we are not adept at scanning and interpreting nonverbal signals, we miss clues that might indicate the potential for friendship or the potential for danger.
Autistic adults tend to understand language so concretely that the subtle meaning of social information may escape us. One young woman on the spectrum told me she didn't need to use birth control because her mother and her priest both had told her, "You can't have children until you're married – " as in, the process can't work until you are married, so you don't have to worry. And one young man on the spectrum argued vociferously about the temperature of his classroom after some girls told him he was hot. The teacher sent him to the principal's office in a bewildered state—he had no idea why he was in trouble for explaining that the classroom was cool.
Also, social situations are fairly open-ended. In the social world, it is impossible to predict outcomes, come to sure conclusions, or chart a fixed course. Many of us have trouble enough picking what to eat from a menu. You can't make a chart and plot what will happen if you date Bob, Bill, or Sam. If we can't see specific reasons for picking one course of action over another, we may lack the ability to make the best social choices.
Furthermore, we often have only a vague idea of how we feel. This can be a problem when we do not know how to use this self-knowledge in social decision-making. A lack of facility with regulating and expressing our emotions results in slow or out-of-proportion responses and inadvertent advertising of our vulnerabilities, too.
Lastly, many of us experience face blindness. This can be mildly embarrassing when we don't recognize a neighbor or this can be a serious safety issue when we can't recognize someone who teased, bullied, or attacked us in the past.
A group of researchers based at the University of Indiana published a meta-analysis of research studies on the efficacy rates of social skills classes. The data indicate that social skills training programs are ineffective in the long-run. While the study suggests that intensity and implementation of the classes plus identification of deficits are factors, the answer is also at least partially because autism is neurological.
We can usually remember the lessons, rules, and facts we are taught regarding basic social etiquette. In this sense, social skills classes can be extremely valuable. No one is suggesting to scrap social skills classes altogether. It is easy enough, for example, for me to memorize that when I walk into a room, I should say a positive greeting if I discover other people in there.
But the deeper cognitive, social, and linguistic challenges associated with autism just do not go away by taking a class. While I will likely remember to say, "Hello," to you if I see you, this is no guarantee that I will say hello with the right tone of voice, or that I will know what to do if you say, "Bug off!" or if you rush over and give me a big hug. The social world is too varied and random to conform to a set of rules or procedures. Every social moment is new, singular, and met with our unique autistic profile.
Too often, the microscope is focused on all that is wrong with us. Yet, autistic adults actually have much to contribute to friendships, relationships, and families. Take, for example, the deficit in nonverbal language. Much misunderstanding results because we do not always use the common currency of social signals adroitly or at all. But "the autistic way" could actually benefit society. I have observed neurotypicals send out very subtle signals that, for example, indicate they need help. The person will not say distinctly, "I need help," but will rather resort to every other possible means of conveying the same idea. If autistic people do not compute the top-secret coded messages, then we are labeled lacking in empathy or self-centered. But why is the fault always with our reception and not with neurotypical delivery? I posit that our society needs more direct communication and a lot less presumption of meaning.
Also, our need for personal space or quiet time is often misinterpreted as a lack of social connection. I have observed neurotypicals in relationships of all sorts and a premium is placed on togetherness. It is OK to go to a museum or spend the afternoon watching cargo ships in the harbor alone. This is something we can teach neurotypicals: Time for your own activities and interests allows you to develop yourself. Then you have more of "you" to give.
Although I could give a plethora of examples of how our autistic "deficits" can be strengths when you flip your viewpoint, one more comes to mind: sensory issues. Over and over again I hear neurotypicals say something like, "Our autistic family member can never go to the mall without a complaint! She says the noise is too overwhelming! It ruins our fun!" But indeed, why does the music need to be so loud to shop for clothes? Maybe a little more peace and quiet would do all of us some good to calm our jangled modern nerves.
All human beings struggle to find love and happiness. Autistic adults are no exception. To equate social challenge with no socializing does a disservice to autistic adults. That being said, people do not have to engage socially in typical ways. A gentleman attended a social group for adults on the autism spectrum for an entire year and the whole time he sat in the back of the room on a couch by himself and did not say one word. Then, on a holiday, he brought in cupcakes for everyone. Surprised, the group leader said, "I thought you weren't enjoying yourself." The man replied, "No! This group is the best thing that has ever happened to me," as he took his usual spot on the sofa.
The less neurotypicals and autistic adults assume about each other, the better. Deploying autistic strengths by making connections to others based on special interests, by revitalizing relationships with direct communication, and by valuing the autistic way of living and loving will, commensurate with sensitive social skills support, help adults on the autism spectrum reach the social goals they set for themselves. In summary, when preparing our sons and daughters, loved ones, students, clients, and ourselves for the social world, we must consider how autistic people hear and process information, deal with emotion and choice, and prefer to communicate and socialize so that we can all promote the healthiest and least risky paths to friendship, outreach, and love.
Source: https://www.eparent.com/special-needs/autism/social-life-on-the-spectrum/


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Pet Supplies Needed for Oklahoma
On Sunday May 26th from 9 AM-3 PM at the Home Depot Parking lot on South Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls, 4 Paws up for Oklahoma will be accepting donations of pet supplies to be taken to the storm ravaged areas of Oklahoma. This is the brainchild of one pet owner who saw the need and took the initiative to do something about it. She is using her own tractor/trailer and her expenses are out of her own pocket. The only thing being asked for is donations of pet supplies for those who are in dire need right now.
Please show your support for the animals and come on out Sunday and make your generous donations to the pets of Oklahoma. Thank you in advance for your kind support.
Here is a list of items needed:
Canned dog and cat food
Dry dog and cat food
Blankets new or gently used
Horse items
Rabbit items
Bird items
Kennels or crates
Leashes and collars
And of course donations of money are accepted!


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Carter Oosterhouse's Advice for Asthma-Proofing Your Home
A few decorating and cleaning tweaks will go a long way to reduce asthma triggers and lessen asthma symptoms. Here, room-by-room tips from the HGTV star and a top asthma specialist.
Is your home making your asthma symptoms worse? Probably. Consider this: Research shows that indoor air may be as much as 12 times more polluted than outdoor air. And since asthma rates continue to climb as levels of outdoor air pollution drop, experts say that asthma may be increasingly tied to dirty indoor air. Everyday Health talked to experts involved in the Build Smart, Breathe Easier asthma education program (sponsored by Merck in partnership with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Habitat for Humanity): carpenter and HGTV star Carter Oosterhouse, and Reynold Panettieri, MD, asthma researcher at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, for their tips on how to asthma-proof your whole house.
Look for Common Asthma Triggers
The first step in making breathe-easier home improvements: Do a quick survey of your house for the biggest asthma triggers: dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen, as well as strong odors, such as fireplace or tobacco smoke. If someone in your home has asthma, eliminating exposure to second-hand smoke is a no-brainer. "I always tell people: If you can smell it, get rid of it," says Dr. Panettieri. Other sneakier culprits: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are emitted from a wide array of home products, including air fresheners, aerosol sprays, pesticides, and paints. VOCs are largely undetectable but can cause headaches and eye, nose, and throat irritation.
Ban Mold and Mildew From Your Bathroom
That fluffy bath mat may be a comfy place to dry off after a shower, but it's not doing your lungs any favors. That's because softer surfaces lend themselves to condensation, dust, and mold growth, says Oosterhouse. Good ventilation helps reduce build-up of mold and mildew, so run the fan or crack a window after you shower. Make sure windows and doors are properly sealed to prevent condensation. Wash towels regularly to avoid build-up of mold and mildew.
Stick to Scentless, Sprayless Cleaners
Cleaners with strong scents can irritate asthma, especially in a small enclosed space like a bathroom. Avoid spray cleaners too: One Spanish study of 3,500 adults found that using aerosol cleaners and air fresheners regularly raises asthma risk by as much as 30 to 50 percent — and as many as 15 percent of asthma cases could be due to spray cleaners. Instead, pour cleaner on a damp cloth or paper towel to minimize exposure to airborne irritants. You can also make your own natural cleaners with less-irritating ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.
Derail Dust Mites
Dust mites are teeny bugs that feed on flakes of human skin and are mainly found in mattresses, pillows, carpet, upholstered furniture, and stuffed animals. Wash your sheets in hot water (at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit) and vacuum weekly to minimize dust mites. Consider investing in new bedding: "Feather pillows and down comforters are the bane of existence for asthmatics," says Panettieri. They provide a hospitable environment for dust mites and mold. Polyester pillow fillings won't set off asthma symptoms. Look for products with a seal from the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program. If your child has asthma, swap old dusty stuffed animals for hypoallergenic ones, and wash them weekly in hot water.
Ditch the Feather Duster
Use microfiber cloths instead of traditional feather dusters to clean surfaces such as your coffee table, television, and bookshelves; they actually pick up and remove dust particles, whereas feather dusters simply push them around.
Rethink Your Window Treatments
Planning to redecorate? One of the best ways to minimize asthma symptoms in your home is to replace curtains and carpeting. "Curtains are hotbeds for dust mites. Blinds are better and easier to clean," says Oosterhouse. Replace upholstered furniture with leather or microfiber, which are less likely to harbor dust mites, says Pannetieri, and swap carpeting and thick rugs for wood, linoleum, or vinyl flooring, which are easier to keep clean. As for paint, "low-VOC is great, but no-VOC paint is better," says Oosterhouse.
Pick the Right Plants
If you have outdoor allergies, it may seem counterintuitive to keep plants in your home, but the right kind of foliage actually improves indoor air quality by removing irritating chemicals. "You want to make sure plants are hypoallergenic," says Pannetieri. Asthma-friendly varieties include orchids, begonias, cactus, and peace lilies, according to the AAFA. You can also grow herbs such as bay, parsley, or thyme. "Be careful not to overwater plants, which can lead to mold and mildew," Pannetieri advises. For outdoor plants, stick with varieties such as azaleas, boxwood, hibiscus, and hydrangea, which are less likely to disseminate pollen that can float indoors and trigger asthma symptoms.
Pet-Proof Your Bedroom
Furry friends can aggravate asthma, but you may not necessarily have to send your pooch packing. Pannetieri recommends creating "pet-safe rooms — especially sleeping areas — in which you don't allow pets to hang out. Keep pets off of your bed and furniture, and vacuum regularly with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter, which can better pick up allergens.
Take Care of Your Air
Breathing healthy air indoors means keeping allergens and chemicals out. "Sealing up your doors and windows will not only help your heating and cooling costs, but also keep the pollen outside," says Oosterhouse. It's also a good idea to invest in a good central heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system to minimize air pollution. "Make sure your HVAC system is clean, and change out your filters every 3 to 6 months," says Oosterhouse. Keeping HVAC air filters clean can help minimize many common indoor asthma triggers, including mold, pet dander, and dust mites, and pollen.


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