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"Honor thy Father: A Tuskegee Airman" was originally created as a gift to my father for Christmas 1997.
Thank you for allowing me to share my father's story and the historically significant information of the Tuskegee Airmen. I especially appreciate those of you who continue to share your personal stories, some of which are included on this web site under "Comments & Stories".
I try to update this website as often as I can but to be honest, my father keeps himself very, very busy and we are two peas in a pod. He finds it most rewarding to speak with children, sharing his story and telling them the importance of receiving an education and doing well in school. Over the years he has completed many speaking engagements and continues to do so at the age of 91 years.
I can only hope and pray to grow up to be just like him! ~ Phyllis Gomer Douglass
During World War II, black fighter pilots fought the Germans abroad and racism in the ranks…may we never forget…and may future generations understand the way it was…
On television today, March 29, 2007, I was watching President George W. Bush present the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor, to the Tuskegee Airmen. My father, Joseph Philip Gomer, and mother Elizabeth Caperton Gomer were present in the audience. This day has been a long time coming. The Tuskegee Airmen have waited well over 60 years to receive the honor that they deserve.
My father, with his wife and two daughters in tow, transferred to the Air Force Base in Duluth, Minnesota in 1963, retiring as a United States Air Force Major in 1964. As a child growing up in a small town, with few Black families, I regrettably admit that I hadn't the slightest inkling of who the Tuskegee Airmen were. Or more to the point, that my father served as a fighter pilot with World War II's famed Tuskegee Airmen. I passed through childhood and on into adulthood, before ever realizing that I had a member of this elite Fighter Group right under the same roof!
The talk of the prejudice and segregation that they endured as they selflessly fought for their country, even while they were fighting a second war for their civil rights back home, got me thinking about my childhood. There was never much talk in our household about prejudice and discrimination. In fact, I am not aware of a single time the color of our skin interfered with us accomplishing our goals. When we purchased our house in Piedmont Heights, the realtor walked around the neighborhood asking if anyone minded a Black family moving in. The only person who seemed to object was the Grandmother of a little girl, who became one of my best friends, who lived in the house next door. My sister Tanya told me that our neighbors Grandmother chased the seller's car down the street, shouting about the wrongful sale of the house to a black family. Eventually, however, she apologized to the seller and said that we were wonderful neighbors. She was always very kind to me. One day boarding the bus to return home from elementary school, someone commented, "You are Black." "Well, thanks for noticing," I said smiling brightly. Later, at the start of sixth grade, my teacher had a conference with my mother because he had never taught a Black child. My mother handled that issue very diplomatically, and he turned out to be my favorite teacher! There were a few times throughout Junior High and even High School, that I had clandestine friendships with self-willed children who had formed their own opinions of equality, instead of adopting their parent's prejudice.
My parents raised us believing that we, no matter our race, gender, social or religious status, were able to accomplish anything we wanted in life. Receiving a good education was stressed, but we were allowed to choose our own way, regardless of which direction it took us. My sister and I both went on to complete Masters Degrees in our chosen fields. We were raised as free, though enlightened, spirits in every sense of the word. Because of my upbringing, what little prejudice I have experienced in my lifetime is never taken as a personal attack on myself, or my race. I hear the words and see the actions, but have never allowed myself to receive the brunt of their intent. Instead I feel pity, and yes, forgiveness for the person who was raised to believe that any of it makes a difference. It's not them talking. It is their parents, and their parent's parents, and so on down the line. They are privy to a vicious cycle that only they have the personal where-with-all to break. So, I silently say a prayer for them and move on. I was taught to believe in myself.
"A lot of getting along with one another is simply getting to know one another as people." my father said. "Look at children. They don't learn distrust and disrespect from each other; they learn it from their parents." In an era of civil unrest, my father grew up and became a man, and traversed his path in life, practicing tolerance, integrity, respect and compassion for others. This is what his parents instilled in him, and this is what my sister and I were taught from day one. Equality is easy to fight for when you see within yourself no difference from your fellow man. When you have no doubts whatsoever mentally, physically, and spiritually, you are willing to step up and fight on all fronts and prove that the naysayers are wrong. You are willing to break down barriers, open doors for those who follow behind you, and care for those who just don't know any better. So, as one of the Tuskegee Airmen my father gladly fought a war that encompassed two fronts – the military and the country for which he was fighting. But it has taken me 45 years to put into words that which I have been taught by my parents, by watching how they interacted with others, by their direct actions, and what I have inherently grown to know from within.
As Christmas 1997 approached, I was met with the yearly conundrum of what to give my father (We still call him "Daddy") who along with my mother, has everything and needs even less. The movie "The Tuskegee Airmen", had been broadcast by HBO on August 26, 1995. Soon after, my Dad left the proverbial closet; and bit-by-bit he shared a story that I don't think he ever thought would be of much interest to his two daughters. Being 11 years apart, my sister had more opportunity to be exposed to my Father's military career then I had.
Many years later, as a result of the movie, the history of the Tuskegee Airmen as a whole seemed to go from a few loose pebbles to a virtual landslide of something deep and rich that had lain quietly in wait, to finally receive acknowledgement. So, that Christmas in 1997, I decided to create an original web site honoring my father's achievements and "Honor thy Father: A Tuskegee Airman" was born. My "Daddy" was my personal hero.
My father was born on June 20, 1920 in Iowa Falls, Iowa. From the time he was a little boy, he was fascinated with model airplanes. Little did he know he would get his pilots license before his driver's license. Growing up in one of two African American families within a population of 5,000, his family was readily accepted and embraced by the community. His father Philip Joseph Gomer, owned a janitorial business that serviced local businesses, and he worked for his father from the age of 12 while attending school. The only black in his class, he graduated from Iowa Falls High School with honors in 1938.
When his father passed away in 1938, the local businesses he had serviced and friends of the family pitched in money to help fund my father's college education. He enrolled in the pre-engineering program at Ellsworth Community College (ECC), and graduated from ECC on May 29, 1940. That same year, the Civil Aeronautics Authority contacted ECC regarding offering flight training. My father jumped at the chance to fulfill his dream of flying. He returned to ECC to take the courses offered to prepare pilots for the military service. They became known as the Ellsworth Airforce, training with their flight instructor in a pasture outside of Iowa Falls.
In July 1942, at the age of 22, he enlisted in the Army. Later that year his application to Aviation Cadet Training was approved. The War Department sent him to Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama under an experimental program launched by congressional order in March 1941. My father and the other recruits traveled to Tuskegee by Pullman. When the train crossed the Mason-Dixon line, he waged his first war with segregation. Getting up in the morning to go to breakfast, he and the other Iowans were shown to seats in the back of the dining car. Then a curtain was pulled across, separating them from the other diners. He got up and pulled the curtain back a couple of times, but the conductor closed them again. Finally, they got up and left.
My father went through pre-flight, basic and advanced training. His first combat aircraft training was on the P-40 Warhawk, which he claims was a monumental occasion that left a big impression in his life. Americans had been flying combat aircraft for more than 30 years, since World War I. But before the Tuskegee Airmen, only white Americans flew these aircraft. A series of legislative moves on the part of congress made possible the activation of the all-black 99th Fighter Squadron on March 22, 1941, despite opposition on the part of the Army Air Corps and the War Department. Tuskegee Army Air Field, located a few miles from Tuskegee, Alabama, became the training center not only for the 99th but for all black fighter pilots during World War II. The program expanded to include the all-black 332nd Fighter Group and 447th Bombardment Group, requiring additional training facilities. There were critics of the plan to put Black Americans into the cockpits of combat aircraft during World War II, stating that Blacks would be incapable of learning to fly, or would prove inept and be a liability in battle. With sheer courage and determination, the Tuskegee Airmen proved them wrong.
Flying out of Salerno, on the west coast of Italy, my Father's unit provided convoy escort for the thousands of allied ships that were pouring supplies and troops into the campaign to kick the Germans out of Italy. Patrolling thousands of feet above the Mediterranean, he would gaze at the line of ships that seemed to him to stretch out for miles and miles across the blue water. Another occasion he remembers vividly is when Mount Vesuvius erupted in March 1944. Upon taking off that day and swinging over the coastline, he could see the masses of red lava flowing down. It was a beautiful sight", he said.
Later, his mission was changed from convoy escort to bomber escort. Their record was perfect, having never lost a bomber to enemy fighters. They even stuck to their bombers when black puffs of flak burst among the formations – the point at which the German fighters broke off. "Flak doesn't discriminate. The German 88′s could get you if you flew straight for 17 seconds. I remember one burst hit our squadron commander," my father recalled.
The 301st then traded in their P-39 Cobras for the P-47 Thunderbolt, a seven ton fighter that impressed them with it's sheer size. While it was a good dependable fighter, according to my father, it didn't compare to the sleek P-51 Mustang which the unit later received. It was his dream aircraft and his favorite. His unit kept busy, and while in Italy it flew 1,500 sorties and downed 111 enemy aircraft including the sinking of one German navy destroyer while losing 78 pilots of their own through accidents, training, and combat. Four of the casualties were his tent mates, so a ground officer was put in his tent to keep him company. He himself had a few close calls. He crash-landed a P-39, lost his P-51canopy, and was bullet ridden in a P-47 by a Me-109 German Fighter. He looked out of his cockpit in time to see a line of 20mm cannon holes stitch his wing right to the fuselage. As the German aircraft flew past him, he remembers seeing the swastika on its tail assembly "big as day."
During WWII, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited with destroying 261 enemy planes, doing damage to 148 other opposing aircraft, flying 15,553 combat sorties and 1,578 missions in the theatres of North Africa and Italy. Sixty-six of the airmen were killed in combat and another 32 were shot down and became prisoners of war. In escorting over 200 bombing missions, the Airmen never lost an American bomber to an enemy fighter. So feared by the German pilots were the Airmen, that they were referred to as the "Schwartze Vogelmenshen" (Black Birdmen)
After 68 sorties (for white pilots the maximum was 50), he asked to be rotated out. On Christmas Day, he skipped Christmas dinner to make sure that he would get to the troop transport ship in time to board in Naples, headed for the states. When it came time to board, he reported to the officer who was checking off names on the passenger list. My father's name had a "N" behind it, which in the segregated, race-conscious military of the times stood for "Negro". He was ordered to the end of the line by the bigoted captain, and not allowed to board until all the white passengers went before him. It was dark before he got on board, but he was just happy to be on his way home.
Along with his fellow fighter pilots, he had experienced intolerance within the ranks of the U.S. Air Force during the war. One example in particular took place during his units stay on the Italian front. "A couple of our fighters rescued a crippled bomber and brought them back to base. The bomber's flight crew came over to look us up and when the pilot discovered there was nothing but black faces, he turned around and walked away", my father stated. The pilot did not realize that the P-51 pilots flying cover for him were African American. He was overheard muttering under his breath, "It ain't so." When they were not fighting the Germans in the air, they fought racism on the ground.
Racism did not dissuade my father from doing his duty as both a pilot and an African American. There was a contradiction between fighting for democracy overseas while facing the denial of civil rights back home. "We shared the sky with white pilots, but that's all we shared. We never had contact with each other. German prisoners lived better than black servicemen, and the Germans treated us better than the Americans did. Our service to this country is something that never got into history books. It was just ignored. We were fighting two battles. I flew for my parents, for my race, for our battle for first-class citizenship and for my country. We were fighting for the millions of black Americans back home. We were there to break down barriers, open a few doors, and do a job."
"But we're all Americans. That's why we chose to fight. I'm as American as anybody. My black ancestors were brought over here, perhaps against their will, to help build America. My German ancestors came over to build a new life. And my Cherokee ancestors were here to greet all the boats."
After the war, black aviators remained in the segregated unit and my father became a flight test maintenance officer with the 332nd at Lockbourne Air Force Base in Ohio. He remained with the Army Air Forces after the war and was still in service on July 26, 1948 when President Truman signed Executive Order 9981 integrating the United States Armed Forces. On June 19, 1948 in Columbus, Ohio, my father met the woman who was to become his wife while in a hospital for a fever of unknown origin. She was a member of an organization known as the Gray Ladies, working as a volunteer in rehabilitation and teaching arts and crafts. They married on March 12, 1949, the same year the Army Air Forces became the Air Force and the Black units were integrated. While at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, his assignment as Chief of Reconnaissance and Helicopter Aircraft Headquarter Tactical Air Command, qualified him to fly helicopters. Later, during the Korean War, my father served with the 315th Air Division in Japan. He was the Wing Technical Inspector responsible for reviewing all technical issues, which included the status of (96) C-119s and (27) C-47′s.
After that war in 1955, he sought duty as a helicopter pilot but the Air Force, recognizing his experience as a maintenance officer, assigned him to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. While there, he maintained the first Air Force helicopter flight established to transport President Dwight D. Eisenhower and other officials in the Washington, D.C. area. Subsequent Air Force assignments trained him in air defense and nuclear weapons, the latter taking him to the French River, just north of Duluth, Minnesota. Serving as a member of the Air Defense Missile Squadron he earned the Missile Man Insignia, and became a nuclear weapons technician.
Because career opportunities for African Americans were limited outside the military, my father stayed in the Air Force for 22 years. Choosing to settle in Duluth, he accepted a position with the United States Forestry Service as the local personnel officer, where he earned meritorious recognition for his work in providing equal opportunities for minorities. Upon retirement in 1985, the Secretary of Agriculture, in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., presented him with a Superior Services Award for his work with minorities and women.
My father and mother were intimately familiar with the decades-long effort toward integration and racial equality. My father said that, "together we helped integrate many a place." At one post, it was months before white customers in the laundromat realized that my mother was not someone's maid. At another, the African American staff members at the officer's club stopped in their tracks when my parents went swimming. They had never seen black people in the pool!
Named after the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, which was near the airfield where they trained, the Airmen were luminary in their breaking of racial barriers in the Army Air Corp (which is now the Air Force), but have been involved in just about every American conflict — from the Revolution to Desert Storm. My father noted a considerable difference and change in attitude among people, between the time he and his fellow Tuskegee Airmen started flying in World War II and his retirement in 1964. Today there is acceptance and gratitude.
"A couple of years ago, I had the honor of being invited to the 359th Bombardment Group reunion in the Twin Cities. And at the banquet, there was a standing ovation. These men had tears in their eyes, and they said, "We've waited 50 years to thank you for saving our butts." Whenever I hear my father relay his story, with tears in my own eyes and much love, I am so very proud of my father and give him my own silent ovation. For all that the Tuskegee Airmen stand for, and his part in the making of such a historical legacy, reflects deeply on my own life and the choices I make. When he speaks of his experience, he is so humble. Life is about being fully present each and every moment, no matter what it is you are doing. Everything you do has a cause and effect, and the effect can be truly witnessed in his character, in the character of the woman who has stood by his side all these years, and in the character and success of the two daughters that they raised.
Though he does not feel the glare of racism as he once did, "we will always have some racism," he told a reporter from the Globe Gazette in Clear Lake, Iowa. "As long as we have the powerful and the helpless, it will always be with us."
In 2004, my father was presented with a Doctorate of Humanities from the Board of Trustees of Ellsworth College. His acceptance speech was short and sweet. He began, as he always does when young people are present, by impressing upon them the importance of receiving a good education. And reiterating to the students, as he did my sister and I growing up, that no matter who you are or where you come from, it should not reflect on where you are going. Good communication and being appreciative of other people is key. As far back as I can remember, what my father said and did has always reflected these principles. He then expressed his gratitude and how honored he was to be receiving an Honorary Doctorate Degree from his alma mater. I will forever remember my father saying, "I will add this to my dash. And for those of you who do not know what a dash is, it is that line between the day you are born and the day you die."
The magnitude of that statement strikes me each and every day. It is what each of us strives for in our lifetime. For that dash to honor our lives, and the lives of those we have left behind. So today I stand witness to the Tuskegee Airmen finally receiving the honor that they deserved so many years ago. The 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bomber Group were presented with the highest award given by the House of Congress. The Congressional Gold Medal. That makes for one mighty hefty dash.
Some statistics that you would not find in history books…
- More than 10,000 blacks served during the American revolution.
- During the Civil War, 171 black regiments were raised and 19 Medals of Honor were awarded.
- Fourteen Medals of Honor were awarded to soldiers of the black regiments that fought in the Indian Wars.
- The 10th Calvary regiment had actually captured San Jan Hill before Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders made their famous charge during the Spanish-American War.
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Copyright – November 1997 – 2011.
Please contact me for permission if you wish to utilize any text or photographs which appear on this web site. All rights reserved.


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Religion and Science are Always in Agreement
Materialists, in an attempt to conceal their defeat by science, often
take recourse through various propaganda methods. Foremost of them is
the cliché of "the conflict between science and religion", commonly employed
by materialist publications. These sources cover factitious stories, suggesting
that throughout history religion has always been against science, and
that science can progress only if religion is ruled out.
A quick look at the history of science, however, will be sufficient to
point out the falsehood of this claim.
When we look at the history of Islam, we see that science was introduced
into the Middle East along with the Qur'an. Pre-Islamic Arabs believed
in all sorts of superstitions and hearsay, and conducted no investigation
of the universe or nature. With Islam, this community became civilized,
and, beginning to hold knowledge in high regard, and by observing the
commands of the Qur'an, began to examine the world around them. Not only
Arabs, but many other nations, such as the Iranians, Turks, and North
Africans, became enlightened after embracing Islam. The use of reason
and observation commanded in the Qur'an gave rise to a great civilization
in the 9th and 10th centuries. Many Muslim scientists living during that
period made significant discoveries in a number of disciplines, such as
astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and medicine.
The importance given to knowledge in Islam is also obvious in the ahadith
of our Prophet, God's Messenger, peace be upon him. There are numerous
ahadith encouraging Muslims to seek knowledge and disseminate it. Some
of them read:
One who proceeds on a path in the pursuit of knowledge,
God makes him proceed therewith on a path to the Garden (Paradise)
The learned are the heirs of the prophets, for the prophets did not
leave behind a legacy of wealth but that of knowledge. So whoever partakes
of it derives a plenteous benefit.44
A believer is never satiated with gainful knowledge;
he goes acquiring it till his death and entry into Paradise.45
It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) used to say
after the dawn prayer, "O God, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, acceptable
action, and good provision." 46
One who proceeds on a path in the pursuit of knowledge,
God makes him proceed therewith on a path to the Garden (Paradise)
The learned are the heirs of the prophets, for the prophets did not
leave behind a legacy of wealth but that of knowledge. So whoever partakes
of it derives a plenteous benefit.44
A believer is never satiated with gainful knowledge;
he goes acquiring it till his death and entry into Paradise.45
It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) used to say
after the dawn prayer, "O God, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, acceptable
action, and good provision." 46
Playing an important role in the transfer of scientific knowledge to
Europe, as well as producing many Muslim scientists of her own, Andalusia
was a crucible of revolutionary discoveries and scientific progress, particularly
in the field of medicine. Muslim physicians did not specialize in a single
subject, but conducted studies in a wide range of fields, including pharmacology,
surgery, ophthalmology, gynecology, physiology, bacteriology and hygiene.
One of the most noted Andalusian physicians was Ibn Juljul (?-992),
who conducted extensive studies on medical herbs, and produced works on
the history of medicine and medical herbs. Another distinguished physician
of the time was Abu Ja'far Ibn al-Jazzar (?-1009) from
Tunisia, who mastered the science of drug therapy for the treatment of
specific symptoms and diseases, and authored more than 30 books.
Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi (1162-1231) is known for his studies
in anatomy. He corrected the mistakes made in the past in anatomical studies
of many bones of the body, such as the jaw and chest bone. Baghdadi's
book, Al-Ifade ve'l Itibar, was re-published in 1788, and translated
into Latin, German and French. His book Makalatun fi'l Havas covered
the five senses.
Muslim anatomists determined the number of bones in the human skull correctly,
and discovered the existence of three ossicles in the ear. One of the
leading Muslim scientists working in anatomy was Ibn Sina (980-1037),
known as Avicenna in the West. Instructed in literature, mathematics,
geometry, physics, natural sciences, philosophy and logic, in his early
years, Ibn Sina was not only widely known in the East, but also in the
West. His most popular work, al-Qanun fi al-Tibb, known as the
'Canon' in the West, was written in Arabic, and after its translation
into Latin in the 12th century, became the textbook of the schools of
Europe until the 17th century. The Canon deals with diseases and drugs
in a systematic manner. Apart from this, he wrote more than 100 books
on philosophy and natural sciences. A significant portion of the medical
knowledge included in the Canon is still accepted today.
Zakariya Qazwini countered many mistaken beliefs about
the heart and the brain that had been professed since Aristotle. The facts
he provided about the heart and the brain are very close to our knowledge
of today.
The works in anatomy of Zakariya Qazwini, Hamdullah al-Mustaufi
al-Qazwini (1281-1350), and Ibn al-Nafis, laid
the foundation of modern medicine. These scientists demonstrated, as early
as the 13th and 14th centuries, the connections between the heart and
the lungs, that the arteries carry oxygenated blood, and the veins carry
deoxygenated blood, that the blood is oxygenated in the lungs, and that
the oxygenated blood that returns to the heart is carried to the brain
and other organs of the body via the aorta.
The first volume of Ali Bin Isa's (?-1038) three-volume
work on the ophthalmologic diseases, called the Tezkiratu'l Kahhalin
fi'l Ayn and Emraziha, is entirely devoted to the anatomy
of the eye and includes very detailed information. The work was translated
into Latin and German.
Muhammad ibn Zakariyya ar Razi (Rhazes) (865-925), Burhan
al-din Nafis(?-1438), Isma'il Jurjani (?-1136), Qutb al-Din
al-Shirazi (1236-1310), Mansur ibn Muhammad, Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi
(Albucasis), are just some of the Muslim scientists noted for their studies
in medicine and anatomy.
There were also many Muslim scientists who made great contributions to
various disciplines other than medicine and anatomy. For instance, Al-Biruni
knew that the earth rotates about its own axis, some 600 years prior to
Galileo, and determined the earth's circumference some 700 years prior
to Newton. Ali Kushchu, a 15th century scientist, was the first to make
a map of the moon, and a region of the moon has been named after him.
Thabit ibn Qurrah (Thebit), who lived in the 9th century,
invented differential calculus centuries before Newton. Battani, a 10th
century scientist, is the first developer of trigonometry. Abul
Wafa Muhammad al-Buzjani introduced the "secant-cosecant" to
trigonometry for the first time. Al-Khwarizmi wrote the first book on
algebra in the 9th century. Al-Maghribi invented the
equation known today as the Pascal triangle, some 600 years prior to Pascal.
Ibn al-Haitham (Alhazen), who lived in the 11th century,
was the founder of optics. Roger Bacon and Kepler made use of his works,
and Galileo invented the telescope by referring to them. Al-Kindi
(Alkindus) introduced relative physics and the theory of relativity
some 1100 years prior to Einstein. Shams al-din, who lived some 400 years
prior to Pasteur, was the first to discover the existence of germs. Ali
ibn al-Abbas lived in the 10th century and was the first to perform cancer
surgery. In the same century, Ibn el Jessar introduced the reasons and
treatment methods of leprosy. These Muslim scientists, only some of whom
are mentioned here, have made important discoveries that laid the foundation
for modern science.
When we look at Western civilization, we see that the advent of modern
science arrived with faith in God. The 17th century, known as the "Age
of the Scientific Revolution", abounds with scientists whose primary
aim was the exploration of the universe and nature that God created.
All scientific institutes established in various countries, such as Britain
and France, had as their main goal "coming nearer to God by discovering
His laws". This same trend made its way into the 18th century. Some of
the scientists known for their devotion to God, and who made significant
contributions to the world of science, were Newton, Kepler, Copernicus,
Bacon, Galileo, Pascal, Boyle, Paley, and Cuvier, to name a few. (For
further detail, please see the chapter "Scientists of Faith").
These scientists believed in God and practiced scientific research with
an inspiration derived from their faith. One of the best indications of
this was the "Bridgewater Treatises", a series of publications released
in Britain in the early 19th century. A number of scientists conducted
research on a variety of disciplines, and defined the object of their
study to be "the signs of the harmony and order God created in
the universe and nature". The method employed by these scientists
is referred to as "Natural Theology", meaning "knowing God through nature".
It was William Paley's Natural Theology: Evidences of the Existence
and Attributes of the Deity, Collected From the Appearances of
Nature, published in 1802, that pioneered the Bridgewater Treatises.
In this book, Paley gave examples of design in living things, displaying
a comprehensive knowledge of anatomy.
Taking Paley's work as a model, a call was made to the nominated members
of the Royal Society of London. It was further directed that those so
selected should be appointed to write, print, and publish one thousand
copies of a work: "On the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God as manifested
in the Creation illustrating such work by all reasonable arguments as,
for instance, the variety and formation of God's creatures, in the animal,
vegetable and mineral kingdoms; the effect of digestion and thereby of
conversion; the construction of the hand of man and an infinite variety
of other arguments; as also by discoveries ancient and modern in arts,
sciences, and the whole extent of modern literature."
This call to explore the signs of God's existence was answered by many
scientists who produced highly valuable studies. Those works produced
as a consequence were the following:
(1) "The Adaptation of External Nature to the Moral and Intellectual
Constitution of Man", by Thomas Chalmers (1833)
(2) "Chemistry, Meteorology, and Digestion", by William Prout, M.D. (1834)
(3) "History, Habits, and Instincts of Animals", by William Kirby (1835)
(4) "The Hand, as Evincing Design", by Sir Charles Bell (1837)
(5) "Geology and Mineralogy", by Dean Buckland (1837)
(6) "The Adaptation of External Nature to the Physical Condition of Man",
by J. Kidd, M.D. (1837)
(7) "Astronomy and General Physics", by Dr. William Whewell (1839)
(8) "Animal and Vegetable Physiology", by P. M. Roget, M.D. (1840).
The Bridgewater Treatises are only one example of the meeting of religion
and science. The main thrust behind numerous scientific studies, conducted
both before and after these works, was to know the universe God created,
and thus perceive His almightiness.
The scientific community's deviation from this initial course was brought
about by the predominance of the materialist philosophy in 19th century
Western culture, that resulted due to certain social and political conditions.
This process finds its fullest expression in Darwin's theory of evolution,
culminating, in direct contradiction to the former view, in the presentation
of science and religion as two bitterly conflicting sources of knowledge.
Referring to this development, British researchers, Michael Baigent,
Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln, make this comment:
For Isaac Newton, a century and a
half before Darwin, science was not separate from religion but, on the
contrary, an aspect of religion, and ultimately subservient to it.
the science of Darwin's time became precisely that, divorcing itself
from the context in which it had previously existed and establishing
itself as a rival absolute, an alternative repository of meaning. As
a result, religion and science were no longer working in concert, but
rather stood opposed to each other, and humanity was increasingly forced
to choose between them.47
For Isaac Newton, a century and a
half before Darwin, science was not separate from religion but, on the
contrary, an aspect of religion, and ultimately subservient to it.
the science of Darwin's time became precisely that, divorcing itself
from the context in which it had previously existed and establishing
itself as a rival absolute, an alternative repository of meaning. As
a result, religion and science were no longer working in concert, but
rather stood opposed to each other, and humanity was increasingly forced
to choose between them.47
Today, however, this contrived conflict between religion
and science is found to be contrary to the very findings of science. Religion
declares that the universe was created from nothingness, and science has
found proofs of that fact. Religion teaches us that living things are
created by God, and science has provided us with evidence of this in the
design discovered in living things. In his book, Nature's Destiny,
Michael Denton wrote: "Science, which has been for centuries the great
ally of atheism and skepticism, has become at last, in these final days
of the second millennium, what Newton and many of its early advocates
had so fervently wished - the 'defender of the anthropocentric faith.'"
This conclusion attained by science has helped a growing
number of scientists to come to a strong belief in God. Noted biochemist
Michael Behe refers to this fact when he says, "Incidentally, scientists
who believe in God or a reality beyond nature are much more common than
popular media stories lead one to believe. There is no reason to think
that the figure of 90 percent of the general population that believes
in God is much different for scientists." 49
Confronted by the conclusion established by science, all that the materialists
can do is set certain pressure tactics into action, and seek to intimidate
the rest of the scientific community. In the West, a scientist has to
conform to certain expectations in order to be promoted, to receive his/her
MD or Ph.D., or to have his articles published in scientific journals.
The number one condition required is to accept the theory of evolution
unconditionally. For this reason, some scientists are forced to uphold
Darwinist myths which they may actually reject, disregarding the signs
of creation. In an article published in the Scientific American magazine,
in the September 1999 issue, titled "Scientists and Religion in America",
University of Washington sociologist Rodney Stark points out the pressures
imposed on scientists:
There's been 200 years of marketing that if you want
to be a scientific person you've got to keep your mind free of the fetters
of religion.
In research universities, the religious people keep their
mouths shut. And the irreligious people discriminate. There's a reward
system to being irreligious in the upper echelons.50
There's been 200 years of marketing that if you want
to be a scientific person you've got to keep your mind free of the fetters
of religion.
In research universities, the religious people keep their
mouths shut. And the irreligious people discriminate. There's a reward
system to being irreligious in the upper echelons.50
Another facet of the systematic struggle waged by materialists against
science is the propaganda methods we mentioned earlier. Central to this
propaganda are mottoes such as "religion conflicts with science", or "science
has got to be materialist". Now let us see why these claims are illogical
and unsustainable.
The Medieval Church's Reaction Against Scientists
Anti-religionist circles commonly use the errant practices and reactions
of the Medieval Church as a weapon against religion. It is said that the
Church retarded Europe and caused it severe misery. Implicit in these
efforts is the attempt to associate the Medieval Church with religion,
and to deliver the message that "if religion prevails, we will be buried
in the darkness of the Middle Ages". True religion, however, is not reflected
in the practices and reactions of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church, abandoning the true revelation brought by the Prophet
Jesus, adopted certain irreligious practices. Science indubitably suffered
great harm at the hands of the Church, which was ruled by a clergy serving
the special interests of certain few, thus completely divorcing itself
from its divine source. This historical development, however, cannot be
attributed to the religion of Islam. Islam is based, not on the superstitions
of its clergy, but on the Qur'an only, which is the word of God.
A significant example, showing that the bigotry of the Catholic Church
had nothing to do with faith, is that scientists like Galileo, who were
persecuted by the Church, were actually devout people. (The beliefs of
these scientists will be examined in more detail in the second part of
the book). This example shows once more that the pressures the religious
establishment brought upon science is not a consequence of faith, but
the distortion of religion.
Criticism Based on the Bible and the Torah
A number of materialists, who want to portray religion and science as
inimical, not only cite examples from the practices of the Catholic Church,
but also quote specific passages from the Torah, or the Bible, to demonstrate
how they contradict scientific discoveries. Yet, there is one truth they
either disregard or pretend ignorance of: The Bible and the Torah are
altered texts. Both include many superstitions produced by man. Therefore,
it would be very wrong to regard these books as basic reference sources
of religion.
The Qur'an, on the other hand, is the revelation of
God. It has not been altered in the least; not even a single letter
of it has been changed. For this reason, there is no contradiction
or error in the Qur'an. All the facts proclaimed by the Qur'an parallel
scientific findings. Moreover, numerous scientific facts that could only
be discovered in our day were announced in the Qur'an to people 1400 years
ago. This is an important miracle of the Qur'an, and is one of the definitive
proofs that it is the word of God. (Some of the scientific facts pointed
out in the Qur'an will be covered in the chapters ahead).
Aware of this, materialists, unable to quote any verses from the Qur'an
for their purposes, cite only the Bible or the Torah to express their
anti-religionist views.
The Claim that "Science Ought to be Materialist"
Another propaganda tool used by scientists is the cliché that "Scientific
studies matter alone, therefore it ought to be materialist".
Actually, this is nothing but a play on words, as anyone who gives it
a little thought will recognize. It is true that science studies matter,
but this does not imply that it needs to be materialistic; for "studying
matter" and "being materialist" are very different things.
When we study matter, we conclude that this matter contains a knowledge
and design too great to come about of its own. We can appreciate that
this knowledge and design was consciously created by an intelligent agent,
though we cannot see him. Let us consider, for instance, a cave, which
we do not know whether anyone has visited it before us or not. If we see,
when we enter it, impressive, masterful pictures on the walls of the cave,
we then conclude "there must have been an intelligent agent here before
us, who obviously produced these many works". We may never see this intelligent
agent, but we know of his existence from his artifacts.
It is in this manner that science studies nature, and discovers that
there is an order in nature which can by no means be explained by material
factors, and that this design could only have been brought into being
through supra-material Wisdom. In other words, the material world teems
with evident signs of God's creative power and authority.
Materialists' Bigoted and Dogmatic Approach
One who subscribes to a certain view is free to test whether that view
can be verified by scientific facts, and to perform scientific research
for that purpose. A person, for instance, can proclaim that the world
is flat, and conduct research to support his assertion. The important
matter is how this person assesses the scientific data he accumulates.
A scientist evaluating scientific results objectively will be unable to
find any evidence proving that the earth is flat, on the contrary, he
will encounter much evidence that the earth is elliptical. In this case,
what this person must do is to admit the truth without prejudice, and
give up his earlier beliefs.
The same holds true for materialism. Science has proven that matter is
not an absolute being, but that it had a beginning. Moreover, it has shown
that there is a mind-boggling design in nature. Therefore, materialist
scientists studying matter have seen that their theory is inapplicable,
and that the truth is actually the very opposite of their claim.
Interestingly, however, such persons entertain a blind devotion to materialism,
exhibiting an astonishing tenacity in holding on to their "belief". A
Harvard geneticist, Richard Lewontin, a well known materialist and evolutionist,
excuses his dogmatic materialism in these words:
It is not that the methods and institutions of science
somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal
world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence
to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set
of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive,
no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism
is absolute, so we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door.51
It is not that the methods and institutions of science
somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal
world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence
to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set
of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive,
no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism
is absolute, so we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door.51
Here Lewontin actually depicts the mindset of all materialists. As he
acknowledges, materialists first subscribe to the materialist ideology
above all else, and then look for evidence to support their ideology.
That is to say, materialism is not a conclusion materialists have arrived
at through scientific research, but a prejudice they impose upon science.
The same idea is embodied in the words of another evolutionist as well.
In his book, titled Origins: A Skeptic's Guide to Creation of Life
on Earth, the renowned evolutionist Robert Shapiro states his commitment
to the theory of evolution as such:
Some future day may yet arrive when all reasonable
chemical experiments run to discover a probable origin for life have
failed unequivocally. Further, new geological evidence may indicate
a sudden appearance of life on the earth. Finally, we may have explored
the universe and found no trace of life, or process leading to life,
elsewhere. In such a case, some scientists might choose to turn to religion
for an answer. Others, however, myself included, would attempt to sort
out the surviving less probable scientific explanations in the hope
of selecting one that was still more likely than the remainder.52
Some future day may yet arrive when all reasonable
chemical experiments run to discover a probable origin for life have
failed unequivocally. Further, new geological evidence may indicate
a sudden appearance of life on the earth. Finally, we may have explored
the universe and found no trace of life, or process leading to life,
elsewhere. In such a case, some scientists might choose to turn to religion
for an answer. Others, however, myself included, would attempt to sort
out the surviving less probable scientific explanations in the hope
of selecting one that was still more likely than the remainder.52
Here, what Shapiro means when he says "scientific explanations" is actually
"materialist explanations". This blind devotion to materialism has led
Shapiro, and thousands of others like him, to subscribe to a fanatical
disbelief. What they are actually saying is, "no matter what evidence
is presented, we will not believe in God".
Most interestingly, this obsession is not peculiar to the current materialists
alone. In the Qur'an, God reveals important knowledge about these people
who have resolved to remain disbelievers. For instance, the Egyptians,
who said, "no matter what kind of Sign you bring to bewitch us,
we will not believe in you" (Surat al-A'raf: 132) to the Prophet
Moses, who showed them a number of miracles, had the same predisposition
as the materialists of today. God refers to these people in this way:
Some of them listen to you but We have placed covers
on their hearts, preventing them from understanding it, and heaviness
in their ears. Though they see every Sign, they still would not believe,
so that when they come to you, disputing with you, the unbelievers say,
'This is nothing but the myths of previous peoples!' (Surat al-An'am:
They have sworn by God with their most earnest
oaths that if a Sign comes to them they would believe. Say: 'The Signs
are in God's control alone.' What will make you realise that even if a
Sign did come, they would still not believe? (Surat al-An'am: 109)
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COMMENTARY – Recently, organizations working with the individual homeless population have seen an alarming trend: after a 10-year decrease in the number of homeless individuals, we have seen an uptick in suburban communities like Wareham and Plymouth and in cities like Brockton and Quincy. The fastest-growing demographic groups are those 18-24 and our veterans. We made progress over the past decade. The region saw a significant decline of individuals living on the streets or in shelters. In part, that is because programs working with this population have operated in a flexible environment that fosters innovation. But they have also worked within an environment of increasingly constrained economic resources. Funding from the state's budget for the 40 programs around Massachusetts that provide services to homeless individuals has declined by 14 percent since 2001 when adjusted for inflation. To illustrate the challenge, we are paid by the state for 126 beds a night, but this year have averaged 255 individuals in need of shelter; and we can't close our doors when we hit our contract capacity.
This funding deficit has prompted a coalition of agencies to ask the Massachusetts Legislature to increase funding by $8.1 million for the network providing basic shelter, and services that help move homeless individuals to self-sufficiency. This increase will result in funding levels equal to that which we had in 2001.
Father Bill's started in 1984, when Fr. Bill McCarthy saw people in Quincy struggling with homelessness. MainSpring in Brockton began around the same time with a similar mission. The two organizations merged in 2007, and while we continue to provide shelter to both homeless individuals and families, we also offer important services such as workforce readiness programs, access to health care and even 360 units of supportive housing to veterans and other people with severe physical and psychological disabilities.
It is these services that allow a homeless veteran to access transitional services or that assist a teenager aging out of foster care to attend job readiness programs.
We are facing a tipping point when it comes to homeless individuals. With adequate resources we can continue to develop the innovative programs that have dramatically reduced the number of people living in shelters and prevent the emergence of homeless individuals in communities from becoming a crisis. Without additional resources the progress of the last decade will slip away. It seems clear that an additional $8 million is a small price to pay now to prevent a future crisis.
John Yazwinski is the president and CEO of Father Bill's & Mainspring.


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VMware Authorized Training Centers (VATCs) are training partners carefully selected by VMware to deliver authorized VMware technical training to our customers and channel partners.
VMware Authorized Training Centers gain increased value and visibility are authorized educators for VMware products, solutions and services. The VMware Partner Network enables VATCs to increase their value and visibility by providing marketing tools that include co-branding opportunities, logo usage, placement on the VMware myLearn website, software licenses for demos, and access to VMware authorized training materials.
The VMware Authorized Training Center Program is by invitation only. Review of qualification criteria is conducted via a business qualification process initiated by VMware.


text:
HDD Pictures of Formal Living Room Furniture Design for You
Formal Living Room Furniture – When choosing furniture formal living room, it is important to remember that the formalities are not to be translated into discomfort. It is possible to create a sleek look without sacrificing comfort and functionality. The first step in choosing the best furniture formal living room is to understand the space where the furniture will be placed. And a lot of furniture will make the room feel cluttered and claustrophobic, while too little can make visitors feel isolated furniture.
One should consider before choosing a space furniture; then, move on to the selection of living room furniture formal methods. Furniture in the living room, family room tends to be similar in function, but usually very different in style. Family rooms are much more likely to be recliners and easy chairs and plush, comfortable sofas. At the same time in the Formal Living Room Furniture, furniture tends to be much more modern and more formal in some cases. The living room is also the space where it will be displayed valuables and family heirlooms. End forest gives a solid and beautiful selection of furniture formal living room. Avoid particle board furniture and furnishings that are common at the end of the world.
These pieces are designed to be affordable, but they are not permanent and their performances reflect their prices. And solid wood furniture last longer, and can be stained or finished to create a stylish look that will complement the living room furniture more formal. Quiet colors to create a comfortable atmosphere and can bring out the subtle tone, which is important in the formal living room furniture. Complex sculptures in wood, gold leafing, or even a soft cloth with wood accents quiet tone. Striped pattern can tone official room if you choose the color correctly – not too loud or harsh contrast – and coordinated with other colors in the room. There is a good alternative to the typical headquarters in the formal living room player rear wing chair.
Type antique chairs lend a feeling to the room, especially if the seats are covered with fine materials. When choosing a sofa, and choose one that is made of a material that is comfortable and attractive, such as the skin. While the pattern of interest received in a sunny room, it is important to consider that the pattern will stand out like a sore thumb in a quieter setting in Formal Living Room Furniture.
Pictures of ideas for formal living room furniture is created to be the inspiration of for you. This image was published on January 6, 2017 and published by admin this is fall into the category Living Room, the size of image is
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Road protest: Resistance was futile
Score one for the protestors. They shut down one of this City's biggest intersections, and the only thing close to violence came from what looked like an inconvenienced soccer mom.
The demonstration began at 3:42pm on Thursday, March 21, less than 24 hours after American bombs hit a "target of opportunity" in downtown Baghdad, the opening salvo in the war to remove Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein.
About 160 protestors, who had marched down Main Street from UVA, held hands in a giant circle in the intersection of Ridge, Main, and South streets.
The driver of a Honda Odyssey, meanwhile, had somewhere she'd rather be. Like some other drivers stuck in the snarl, she leaned on her horn and shouted obscenities at the road-blockers.
Once she began tapping the backs of protestors' legs with her front bumper, though, additional protestors scurried over and began sitting on and leaning against the hood of the $30,000 vehicle.
The woman could not be reached for comment, but Andrew Holden, a protest leader profiled in The Hook last week, could.
"That a person would attempt to pursue violence just because they've been inconvenienced is troubling," says Holden, who also cites "inconvenience" as President Bush's war motive.
Holden, 24, is a self-styled "anarchist" who volunteers around town but seems unencumbered by a day job. Fighting for a "living wage" for all employees, he once chained himself to an elevator in the Omni downtown, and last fall he served two weeks of a 60-day sentence for protesting at the Marriott on West Main Street. This time around, he led the march into the intersection with such chants as these:
"Not our president– not our war. Enron's president– Exxon's war." "Whose streets? Our streets!"
A Charlottesville police officer drove up in a white SUV, spoke to a few protestors, and then departed.
"There wasn't much they could do– there were too many of us," says Holden.
A similar-sized band of Charlottesville High School students took advantage of warm spring weather on Monday, March 24 to demonstrate their anguish over the war.
"One, two, three, four, we don't want your fucking war," they chanted along the Downtown Mall.
After a few minutes at the clubhouse– er, Federal Courthouse– they walked on to the Corner, about three miles from the Melbourne Road school.
According to the Associated Press, roughly 1,000 students remained at Charlottesville High School throughout the day. Those who skipped classes may be subject to after-school detention– or more if they already have a checkered record.Read more on: war


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Creating your account allows you to access your order status and history. Just fill in the fields, and we'll get a new account set up for you in no time. We will only ask you for information necessary to make your purchase process faster and easier.Create an Account Login
It's lightweight, sturdy and nimble. Discover the SwiftyZERO adult kick scooter - the new way to train.
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WASHINGTON - Four years ago, President Barack Obama and his staff spent the first day in the White House learning the basics. Not just the basics of governing, but also figuring out how to get cleared into their offices by the Secret Service, log on to their computers and find keys to unlock office drawers.
They solved those problems long ago. Also in the rearview mirror are the recession, the Iraq war and the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
But plenty of fresh challenges lie ahead as the president begins the first working day of his second term.
Obama will quickly confront three fiscal deadlines that demand co-operation with Congress, including raising the debt ceiling. And the deaths of three Americans in Algeria have renewed fears about terrorism in North Africa.


text:
ANSI v5010 Urgent Update
BCBSTX to be ANSI v5010 Ready Jan. 1, 2012
Still able to handle ANSI v4010 transactions
As planned and previously announced, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will be prepared to accept and transmit ANSI Version 5010 electronic transactions on Jan. 1, 2012.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a 90-day period of enforcement discretion for this mandate. To assist those providers who have not completed their conversion, BCBSTX will continue to process both v4010 and v5010 transactions during the enforcement discretion period.
We urge all providers to continue working with their trading partners to ensure that they have a plan in place to process v5010 transactions within the enforcement discretion period. Questions regarding this issue can be directed to: email@example.com.


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Veterinary Medical Applications
Veterinary Medical Applications covers topics relating to veterinary practices, including practices for large and small animal species.This binder does not contain all lesson plans for this course. This content can be used with any textbook or instructional...
- Grade Range: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Postsecondary
Scope and Sequence: Veterinary Medical Applications
CTE TEKS - Implemented 2017-2018, adopted in 2015Veterinary Medical Applications course scope and sequence within the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster® summarizes the content to be taught, and one possible order for teaching the units of instruction. A brief...
- Resource ID: 19269
- Grade Range: 11, 12


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It took a lot of skill (and quarters) to rack up an epic run on Ms. Pac-Man back in the day. Turns out it took sharp hand-eye co-ordination to assemble those iconic cabinets, too.
This raw archival footage—from a series about the arcade craze that apparently was never finished—looks inside a factory where one of the all-time great arcade games were made. The best part is watching the workers play the game to make sure they work.
(Spotted on Garrett Martin's Twitter)


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From the time your child begins receiving care through Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), you can expect the healthcare team to talk you through each step of the way.
"Our doctors do a really nice job of sitting down with parents and explaining things," says Fred Wilkinson, LICSW, social worker at Seattle Children's, an SCCA parent organization. "Our goal is to make sure they are part of our medical team."
The first conversations usually focus on the diagnosis, treatment options and whatever needs to happen right away. Each topic can raise additional questions. As you and your child move through the experience, the sheer volume of information may feel overwhelming at times. That's normal. Especially when emotions are running high, it can be hard to think of what to ask and hard to remember the answers.
Wilkinson encourages parents to be proactive. "Ask any question that comes," he says. "It's okay to ask a question 10 times if you need to."
For ideas on what to ask you child's doctor, Wilkinson and certified Child Life specialist Katy Tenhulzen suggest the following list as a starting point. To help keep track of the answers, you may want to bring a notebook and pen.
- What tests does my child need, and why?
- What's the diagnosis? How do you know?
- Are there other names for my child's condition?
- How is this affecting my child's body?
- What needs to happen next?
- What are the treatment options?
- Which options do you recommend, and why?
- What are the possible side effects?
- How long will treatment last?
- How long will we need to stay in Seattle, if we live outside the city?
- How will we know whether the treatment is working?
- How can our family best support our child's health and help our child cope with this experience?
- What resources are available in the hospital and the community to help us?
- Will my child be restricted from any activities?
- If we already use or want to use complementary or alternative medicine, is it okay to do this to support conventional medical treatment?


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Former Coach To Be Inducted To Iowa Hall Of Fame
CRESCO, – A former Emmetsburg wrestling coach is among two coaches and two wrestlers with diverse backgrounds who will be inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco on Monday, April 8. The 44th Annual Awards Banquet and Induction Ceremony will begin with a 5:30 social hour followed by a 6:30 banquet at the Cresco Country Club south of Cresco.
Bob Kenny of Mason City and formerly of Emmetsburg will join David Ripley of Charles City, Tolly Thompson of Cedar Falls and Jason Kelber of Valentine, NE. in becoming the 105th, 106th, 107th and 108th members inducted into the Hall since the first class was inducted in 1970.
Bob Kenny had an outstanding coaching career, his at Emmetsburg. Kenny's teams won six state teams titles and two state dual meet titles while also being a runner-up in three other state tournaments. Kenny's teams were 289-123-1. He had 88 state qualifiers and 56 place winners. He coached 12 wrestlers to state titles, 12 to second place finishes, 13 to third place finishes and 9 to fourth place finishes. Kenny came to Emmetsburg after a stint as wrestling coach at Estherville Lincoln Central High School.
Currently, Kenny serves as Activities Director and Assistant Principal at Mason City High School. He and his wife Sue are the parents of a son, Adam, and a daughter, Danielle.
Kenny joins another former Emmetsburg wrestling coach, Bob Roethler, in being inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Also being inducted is David Ripley who serves as Riceville's wrestling coach for 33 years. In those years Ripley's teams won two state titles while also being a runner-up in both the state and dual meet tournaments. The Wildcat teams posted a record of 319-90-1 under Ripley's tenure. Ripley coached 95 state qualifiers, 51 state place winners and 7 state champions. He was twice named Coach of the Year.
Tolly Thompson was a three-time NCAA All-American while capturing one NCAA championship for the University of Nebraska. The Janesville native twice placed second in the high school state tournament. Thompson further distinguished himself as he wrestled internationally for eight years after college. Thompson placed third at the 2005 World Championship at 120 kgs/265.5 lbs in Budapest Hungary. Along with the bronze at the World Cup, Thompson placed second at the Cerrod Pelado International and was the Dave Schultz Memorial International Champion.
Rounding out the inductees for 2013 is Jason Kelber, who wrestled for West Marshall High School in State Center, was a three-time state champion who went unbeaten his sophomore, junior and senior seasons (123-3 overall). Kelber also wrestled at the University of Nebraska where he was a 126 pound NCAA champion and a three-time all American.
Tickets for the banquet and induction ceremonies are available at the Cresco Chamber of Commerce (563-547-3434) and CIA Insurance in Cresco (563-547-2382). Advance registration is required.
The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, which was remodeled and expanded in the past two months, will be open until 6:00 p.m. the day of the banquet.
The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame's sole purpose is the promotion of amateur wrestling in Iowa. We have a rich history of honoring native Iowans at our annual awards banquet and induction ceremony. The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame museum is located in the Cresco Welcome Center, at the intersection of Highway 9 and Elm Street. Visit the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame website at iowawrestlinghalloffame.com <iowawrestlinghalloffame.com


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Illness has led to a brief postponement of Whitney Houston's European tour.
The singer had been due to kick it off in Paris on Tuesday. But a statement released Monday by her representative says an upper respiratory infection is forcing Houston to bow out of that show on doctors' orders.
The statement says Houston "deeply regrets having been forced to postpone the show." The tour will start in Manchester, England, on Thursday. She plans to make up the Paris date.
This is the latest problem for Houston on her world tour for her platinum comeback album, "I Look to You." Some earlier performances have been negatively received by some fans and the media, leading to concerns about her health. But Houston has said she is in great shape.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
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MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Whitney Houston - Media - TV One - Music - Tours


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OBETZ, Ohio – It was a belated and bittersweet birthday present, but Duncan Oughton was one happy Kiwi on Tuesday.
He started the first day after his 33rd birthday by arriving early at the Crew training facility to watch the start of the New Zealand-Slovakia match at 7:30 a.m. prior to practice 2 ½ hours later.
"I didn't want to be driving and missing some of it," he said.
He was rewarded with a 1-1 tie on a stoppage time goal by Winston Reid to give New Zealand their first point ever in the World Cup.
As proud as Oughton was, he couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to be there. He helped the All Whites qualify, but was surprisingly left off the World Cup roster.
"Obviously, I'd rather be in South Africa, so it's been an emotional, draining time," he said. "I'm disappointed I'm not there but I know I helped get them there. I'm supporting them the best I can, sending my best wishes to the boys.
"It's hard here right now to pull through some days, but it's awesome to see the boys do well and deservedly so. I know how hard they've worked."
His best friends on the New Zealand team are ex-D.C. United defender Ryan Nelsen and former Crew midfielder Simon Elliott.
"They both were beasts today so it was nice to see," Oughton said.
He said he's played with nearly everyone on the team in South Africa with the notable exception Reid.
"I've been getting e-mails and text messages," he said. "Yesterday was my birthday so I got a few. I talked to Andy Boyens by text and 10-12 guys by e-mail."
If anyone can relate to Oughton's situation it's Crew defender Frankie Hejduk, a two-time participant in the World Cup who did not make the U.S. roster this year.
The pair and friends and family watched the U.S. tie England 1-1 on Saturday.
"Duncan wore my jersey, so that was pretty cool," Hejduk said. "He was rooting for the U.S. like I was rooting for New Zealand today. That was awesome for them. Not too many people thought they would do well in their game."
Some of those skeptics were in the Crew locker room.
"A couple of guys had bets on New Zealand going out without scoring a goal but obviously they scored this morning," defender Andy Iro said.
The Group F schedule gets tougher for New Zealand, with Italy on Sunday and Paraguay on June 24.
"We beat Serbia in the buildup and got a tie today," Oughton said. "It would have been nice today to get a win and stand alone in the group and if you pull a tie out of another game you might sneak in.
"I'm still optimistic," he added. "We said in the buildup we weren't just going there to be a number. We were going there to compete and try to kick on through."


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- Ask Steven
The long waitSteven Lynch May 25, 2012
- Drivers:
- Rubens Barrichello
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- Niki Lauda
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- Riccardo Patrese
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- Jody Scheckter
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- Michael Schumacher
The way things are going this season it would be no surprise if Michael Schumacher won a race. If he does, would he break the record for the longest gap between victories? asked Rino Luppino
Michael Schumacher's last GP victory to date came nearly six years ago, in China in October 2006. But the record gap between GP wins is actually six and a half years, by the Italian Riccardo Patrese: his maiden victory came in the South African GP in October 1983, in a Brabham, but he had to wait until April 1990 for his next win, taking the chequered flag in the San Marino GP in a Williams. However, if Schumacher does win another race, he could become the first man to win GPs more than 20 years apart: his first success came in Belgium back in August 1992. He already holds the record (around 14 years) for longevity in this respect.
Which race did Niki Lauda win in a car fitted with a hoover - or, as we say in Germany, a "Staubsauger"? asked Fabian
The race in question was the Swedish GP of 1978, won by Niki Lauda in a Brabham BT46B. It had a radical design which involved a large circular rotor at the back, like a cooling fan - the car is most usually nicknamed the "fan car" - which helped suck air out from under the car, helping it adhere to the road. ("Ground effects", in which the cars were almost sucked down on to the road, were much in vogue then: if you look at photos of cars of the time you will see little skirts down the sides to prevent air from escaping that way.) But there was a problem: the fan threw out stones and other debris, making it dangerous to follow too closely behind. "It's like a bloody great vacuum cleaner," said Mario Andretti, who was destined to win the drivers' championship that year. "It throws muck and rubbish at you at a hell of a rate." The FIA took note, and the car was duly banned after winning its one and only Grand Prix.
Dario Franchitti just completed a hat-trick of victories in the Indy 500. Has any other British driver done this? asked James Milton
The short answer is no, Dario Franchitti is the first British driver to win the Indianapolis 500 on three occasions. In fact he's only the second non-American - after Helio Castroneves of Brazil - to win it three times. Five American drivers (Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser) have also won it on three occasions, but the overall record is four wins at the brickyard, by AJ Foyt, Al Unser (Bobby's brother) and Rick Mears. The only other British drivers to win it are Dan Wheldon (twice), Jim Clark and Graham Hill.
Was Rubens Barrichello the oldest man ever to be "Rookie of the Year" at Indianapolis? asked Robert Cawston
Rubens Barrichello, the man who has driven in more GPs (322) than anyone else, finished 11th in the 2012 Indy 500, his first-ever race on an oval circuit. At 40, he was a few months older than Nigel Mansell when he was Rookie of the Year there in 1993, but they both have to tip their hats to Lyn St James, who won the award in 1992 at the age of 45, when she also finished 11th. She did lose one rookie record in 2012, though: another former F1 driver, 48-year-old Jean Alesi, became the oldest person ever to make his debut in the Indianapolis 500, although his race didn't last long before his Lotus was rather embarrassingly black-flagged for being too slow.
According to the F1 journalist and historian Alan Henry, this was an early nickname given to the South African driver Jody Scheckter. On his arrival in F1, Scheckter was rather wild and woolly behind the wheel - if obviously fast and talented - and his frequent off-track excursions led to his being dubbed "Fletcher", after a baby gull in the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull (a best-seller at the time), which tried to fly too soon and kept crashing into the cliffs. Scheckter eventually calmed down, and his steadiness earned him the drivers' championship in 1979, ahead of his rapid but erratic Ferrari team-mate Gilles Villeneuve.
What race was the first to be called a Grand Prix? asked Jerome Moore
The first motor race called a Grand Prix ("grand prize") is usually accepted as being the French GP of 1906, held on a triangular-shaped track near Le Mans and won by the Hungarian driver Ferenc Szisz in a Renault. It was followed in 1907 by a race in Germany called the "Kaiserpreis" ("Kaiser's prize"), which is generally considered to be the first German GP. The first official world championship race was the British GP at Silverstone in May 1950. It was won by Nino Farina, who went on to win the inaugural drivers' title in his Alfa-Romeo. The other races that year were the Monaco, Swiss, Belgian, French and Italian GPs, as well as the Indianapolis 500 (which counted towards the championship until 1960).
If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here every other Friday. His long-running Ask Steven column on Cricinfo remains one of that site's most popular features


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