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Staid old Wimbledon got bounced on its fanny here Tuesday. Somebody sat on the spectacles and broke them. Egad. Somebody else put lowfat milk on the strawberries.
Strange things happened. The orderly became disorderly:
• An ailing Serena Williams defaulted out of a doubles match with her sister Venus when she couldn't hit a serve fast enough to register on the speed gun.
• Rafael Nadal, who has won 14 major titles, including two on the very Center Court where he was playing, was upset by a 19-year-old Australian ranked No. 144 in the world.
• Maria Sharapova, like Nadal a reigning French Open champion, winner of all four major titles at least once and a tough battler, was outfought by a German woman who won despite losing six match points.
The Williams scene was strange. So was the later explanation.
Serena and Venus warmed up on Court 1, then sat down before their match against Kristina Barrois of Germany and Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland was to start. Soon, medical personnel surrounded Serena. She was crying, they took her blood pressure and had her follow their finger with her eyes.
That took 15 minutes and then, without further explanation, apparently with no medical ruling that she shouldn't be out there — nor additional warmup time for Barrois and Voegele — all were sent out to play.
It got more bizarre.
When it was Serena's turn to serve, at 0-2, she was barely able to get the ball to the net. It wasn't serving. It was a 5-year-old's pitty-pat. She was clearly in some sort of serious distress — this is the player with the fastest serve in woman's tennis — and yet the doctors, her sister and other officials let her pitty-pat four times before the chair umpire left her perch and suggested the Williams sisters end this.
Soon, medical personnel — the same ones who let her go out and play — were escorting her off the court.
Roughly three hours later, after media requests became demands, written statements from the sisters were handed out.
Serena: "I am heartbroken I'm not able to continue in this tournament. I thought I could rally this morning, because I really wanted to compete, but this bug got the best of me. I want to thank my sister, Kristina, Stefanie and our teams for their support. . . . From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of the fans for their cheers and understanding."
Venus: "Unfortunately, Serena has been feeling unwell for the past few days and she just couldn't play to her potential today."
Play to her potential? She could barely walk.
There were no specifics about the bug. Flu? Upper respiratory? Sinus? Beetle?
There was no elaboration from the women's tennis sanctioning body, the WTA, which has effectively tiptoed around the Williams sisters for years.
Did this "bug" contribute to her upset loss in singles Saturday? Had she seen a doctor before this match?
Illness is no joking matter. Nor is the perpetual mystery that seems to surround the Williams sisters.
May the bug, whatever it is, go away.
Nadal is going away. He suffered one of the more incredible upsets in Wimbledon history. When he lost to Nick Kyrgios, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3, it marked the first time since 1992 that a player outside the top 100 had beaten a world No. 1 at a Grand Slam event.
Nadal has won here twice, as well as nine times at the French, twice at the U.S. Open and once at the Australian. Kyrgios' victory was a virtual giant-killing. He hit Nadal with 37 aces and had a 70-44 edge in winners.
Nadal was philosophical afterward.
"I congratulate him," he said. "For me, the beach."
That meant he was headed home to Majorca and its perfect weather.
Kyrgios was headed for a quarterfinal match with the big-serving Canadian, Milos Raonic, who advanced by beating 10th-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Raonic is seeded eighth.
Kyrgios fittingly closed the match with an ace, then did a little dance.
"I have no idea what it was," he said later.
He was told his mother, back home in Australia, had told a radio interviewer she thought Nadal would be too tough for her son.
"I'll text her a smiley face," he said.
There were few smiley faces in the 2-hour 37-minute Sharapova-Angelique Kerber match on Center Court, which provided warmup drama for fans who got another dose with Nadal-Kyrgios.
Sharapova was seeded fifth, and with the departure of No. 1 Serena Williams on Saturday, that part of the draw had opened up for the Russian star for a run at a second title here 10 years after her first as a 17-year old. She had lost only seven games coming into the match.
But Kerber, as stubborn as Sharapova, though never having advanced further than a Grand Slam semifinal, got to match point at 5-2 in the third set. Sharapova fought her off. Sharapova did the same after starting her service game at 4-5 of the final set with three errors. Then, in a game that produced four deuces, two game points and six more break points (match points), she battled hard. But so did Kerber, who finally won when Sharapova hit long.
The score was 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4.
Kerber said, "I don't know how I did it, but I just believed in my game."
Lost in all this Tuesday drama and strangeness was the continued cruise control of an old hand here. Seven-time champion Roger Federer won his fourth straight match in straight sets, routing Tommy Robredo, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. His quarterfinal will be against his Swiss buddy, Stan Wawrinka, in a side of the men's bracket now opened up for him.


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Congregation Children of Israel (CCI) is a Reform congregation in Athens, Georgia. CCI brings the Athens Jewish Community together to live joyously rich Jewish lives. We strive to bridge tradition and modernity, as worship links our precious history with fresh approaches to spirituality. We are dedicated to each other, and to learning from the gifts that each of our families brings to our congregation.
Important Information About Religious School
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Built at the Internet Archive
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Collected by: American University in Cairo
Archived since: Feb, 2012
The Egyptian and Middle Eastern Architecture collection captures Web sites related to Egyptian and Middle Eastern architecture. The collection includes wiki articles, blogs, and sites related to architecture and architects in the region.
Subject: Architecture--Middle East , Architecture--Egypt, Wissa Wassef, Ramses
Coverage: Middle East
Format: collections (object groupings)
Type: Collection
Date: 2012-
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Relation: American University in Cairo Web archive
Collector: American University in Cairo. Rare Books and Special Collections Library
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At Levine Cancer Institute-Matthews, our medical oncology practice is equipped and ready to treat a broad range of conditions related to cancer and diseases of the blood, including outpatient infusion.
Cancer conditions treated include:
Our practice features state-of-the-art equipment and through our participation on several medical boards, we remain abreast of technological innovations and new proven therapies.
Our oncologists and hematologists are among the area's finest, all board-certified and graduates of some of the nation's leading medical schools and fellowships. Our physicians and staff take ownership of each case, bringing a personal focus to our patients' highly specific needs.


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Golden State Wine Crate Gift Basket
Josh says: " This all-occasion California gift can't be beat! Our signature California Delicious wooden box is packed with a superb red wine, creamy California cheese and snacks. Sweet and savo... " Read More
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Send this to impress anyone, it includes a California Cabernet, San Francisco salami, Sonoma Cheese, Central Valley almonds, Jelly bellies, cookies, chocolates and more. The than... Read More
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Send thoughts of warm California breezes, golden oaks and lazy afternoons with this very special wood cutting board gift. Uncork the bottle of smooth Robert Mondavi central coast c... Read More
Uncork The Jingle Gift Basket
Toast the holidays and good times with family and friends! This elegant gift of California red wines and savory snacks is delicious way to make merry. Enjoy the spirits of the Holi... Read More
California Chandon Golden Desserts Gift Basket
Dazzle and delight someone very special with this sophisticated gift filled with Chandon sparkling wine and sweets. The beautiful embossed golden gift container holds a bottle of C... Read More
White Wine Fan Favorites Gift Basket
Surprise someone special with a taste of California! This rustic wooden crate holds two bottles of California white wine, crisp chardonnay and a fragrant sauvignon Blanc. They're r... Read More
Organic Wine & Cheese Gift Box
Toast to the healthy life with a hearty bottle of organic California red wine. Enjoy with Luke's organic garden vegetable crackers, California almonds, organic cheese and a decaden... Read More
Wine Cellar Celebrations Gift Basket
Make any event a festive celebration when you send this over-the-top gift basket that's filled with everything that's oh, so good! Indulge your favorite group of revelers. Four b... Read More
California Splendor Gift Basket
Your own California Wine tasting awaits along with a bevy of sweets and treats. Sit down to 3 bottles of California Red Wines: merlot, cabernet and a zinfandel, and a luscious Cal... Read More
Golden Vineyard Gourmet Basket
Three bottles of delectable wine, a cabernet sauvignon, a chardonnay and a rich merlot are featured in this luxurious faux-leather golden container. The feast continues with smoke... Read More
Napa Delights Gift Basket
Delicious red wines artfully combined with a superb collection of snacks. Surprise someone special with this basket that includes: two California red wines, cheese, wine and cheese... Read More
Cheers Gift Basket
They'll raise their glasses and make a toast to you for sending the perfect gift. A mouthwatering California white wine paired with a smorgasbord of gourmet snacks make this gift ... Read More
The Gourmet Deluxe Gift Basket
This magnificent basket makes a giant impression. Four outstanding bottles of fine California wine, a chardonnay, a cabernet sauvignon, a sauvignon blanc and a merlot, as well as ... Read More
The Vineyard Bounty Gift Basket
'Tis the season for creating holiday traditions such as this wonderful basket featuring three delightful bottles of California wine surrounded by holiday treats. Friends, family an... Read More
The Tasting and Toasting Gift Basket
Toast the good times with this superb gift of Wine Country pleasures. Start with a pair of wines, including a California red and a California white, then add focaccia crisps, chees... Read More
Kosher Silver Wine Sensations Gift Basket
Delicious Kosher Cabernet and chocolates make this a perfect gift to give at the Holidays. Contains: Ghirardelli Bar (4 oz each, 1 count); Sugar Cookies (2 oz each, 1 count); Cashe... Read More


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Independent Living
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Light-Weight Identity (LID)
LID is the original decentralized web identity protocol. When originally developed in 2003/2004, its goal was to enable anybody to securely assert their digital identity from anywhere on the web, without needing permission from anybody, or giving anybody a veto over how they would represent themselves on-line. And so simple that a skilled developer could implement it over the weekend.
LID has been tremendously influential, first in the development of OpenID and Yadis, and then indirectly in the subsequent identity efforts of Facebook, Google and the like.
However, it's original mission -- to be people-centric, without depending on some large entity (whether government or internet juggernaut) -- remains unfulfilled. But eventually, we'll all crack the code how to make the internet decentralized again and then the time of LID or a protocol very much like it will come.
In the meantime, LID has been implemented in InfoGrid and various other places. It's useful there even if world domination is still a bit out. Here's some more info ported over from lid.netmesh.org:
See also:


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A young artist sketches the Ponte Vecchio - Florence, Italy
As a photographer I like to be on the move, physically and technically, trying out new approaches and discovering new paths. I believe artists should continually challenge themselves and experiment in order to progress creatively and to keep ideas fresh and vital. My primary aim is to capture the essential quality of the experience before me at the very moment the shutter closes. I then allow the subject to dictate the precise levels of tone or colour required for the final image. These decisions are key to my creative process and something I find continually challenging and inspiring. Dave Bowman Photography
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Hey all, sorry I've been a tad wackier than normal (I know that is excruciating to even think of such a thing!) I've been trying to make it through the heat and humidity and have a migraine. I'm just popping in to say a quick hi and to nag those who haven't to enter your testimony. No matter what you may think God has dome something spectacular (even if it feels horrific) so that you might be the one to answer Here I am Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go Lord if you lead me I will hold your people in my heart.
I will help anyone here and do an edit and a proofread and give suggestions. If you say you have nothing worthy of sharing with others them you are truly hurting my feelings and making me doubt myself because every single one of you have touched me in a way I never would have anticipated.
I have first rough draft down, then am trying to figure out which second piece I want. Though you will only be used once, if you're a platinum member then you can enter twice, but only one will be selected.
Rachel, I will either be your challenge buddy for a few weeks or set you up with another person who is looking for people to partner with. I also have a couple of small groups that might have some openings. Send me a PM with your email and what you're looking for and I'll try to help!
Okay I have to lie down now because we have to leave in about one hour. 29 years ago today I was 2 days past my due date and my father kept teasing me telling me she was going to be a Christmas baby! Then I was starting to believe, but she was born 2 weeks later!
Hugs my dear PUp, know God has placed you and Seema on my hearts a lot lately and I have been praying for you both often. Hugs and love


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Yoga and Weight Management
Yoga is a gentle way to bring a balanced attitude to all aspects of life. Yoga can help you control your weight more effectively, whether you need to lose weight or to gain it. Yoga encourages concentration and strengthens willpower, and the techniques of Yoga are enjoyable ways to change your attitudes about exercise, diet, and self-image. With Yoga, you'll feel better about yourself as you follow a weight-management program.
Exercise. People who hate to exercise usually don't do it regularly. Yoga exercise is self-motivating because, after a short time of regular practice, one finds that the body actually enjoys practicing Yoga exercises. As the personality becomes quieter and freer from stress demands, the person finds more time to pay attention to inner feelings, needs, and thoughts. This makes a more complete, balanced person who can face stress with greater ease and strength. Although the exercises of Yoga will not take off inches as fast as more vigorous exercise, Yoga will improve your shape by stabilizing metabolism, improving posture and circulation, and toning muscles in the back, stomach, and legs. Yoga exercises release muscle tension and increase flexibility so that you feel more relaxed and poised.
Stress. The constant demands of stress greatly contribute to the body being out of balance. Through the practice of Yoga, you are able to choose how you wish to react to the stressors in your life. Many overweight people have learned to automatically reach for food as an escape from stress, for immediate comfort. Yoga changes your desires so that you are more likely to use a breathing or exercise technique instead of food when you feel stressed. You no longer want to harm yourself with destructive eating habits. Yoga meditation and breathing techniques are your best and fastest techniques for dealing with stress.
Meditation. The relaxation and meditation aspects of Yoga support all your behavioral goals. Regular practice of meditation helps build concentration and willpower, which helps you stick to calorie or portion allotments, or to a regular daily exercise program. Meditation also may help stimulate insight into the unconscious motivators of your eating behavior.
A word about diet pills and fasting. Yoga provides a type of motivation you can't get in a pill. When you want to take care of yourself, the things you do for yourself - exercise, good nutrition, getting enough rest - don't seem like a chore; instead, they make you happy. Fasting is discouraged in Yoga; it is not only stressful to the body but a form of violence to it. In Yoga, your body is your friend; if you treat it with respect, it will support you in everything you need to do.
A daily 30-minute Yoga program of exercise, breathing, and meditation will contribute to happiness, health, and well-being as you proceed in your weight-management program.
Courtesy of the American Yoga Association


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Mark Hayward's City Matters: They fight to free pond for Manchester skatersBY MARK HAYWARD
New Hampshire Union Leader
February 19. 2014 9:23PM
It's simple grade school science. To make ice, you need water, freezing temperatures and lots of manpower.
Manpower, that is, if the ice is to lure teenagers into a pick-up game of hockey or nurture the ambitions of a future Charlie White or Meryl Davis.
That kind of ice is at Dorrs Pond, or at least that's the hope of new city Parks Chief Don Pinard, who has drawn all sorts of attention since pledging to return winter-long skating to Livingston Park.
Thanks to the recent cold temperatures, the freezing is the easy part. Ice measured 15 inches in depth during checks this past weekend, said Greg Paris, one of the two city rec workers assigned to keeping the ice skate-able at Dorrs.
The harder part is keeping the ice on ice.
Just as we city dwellers must shovel our driveways and the Highway Department must plow streets, Paris and Dick Manseau must clear the ice. Not just clear the ice, but smooth it out to what skaters expect at JFK Coliseum, or the West Side Arena, or even the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi.
The job involves blowing, then brushing, then misting the ice with water — multiple times. Much of the work is done on a small Kubota tractor borrowed from cemetery operations.
On Wednesday morning, the two expected it would take all day to blow snow off two areas — each about 100 feet long and a little less wide — for skating. But any change in weather, they warned, can put their effort back to ground zero, or in this case, ice zero.
"You can't control winter weather, and we don't know what to expect with the (approaching) rain and warm spell. We won't know what we're doing until Friday," he said.
For example, this week's rains could frost the frozen pond with a top coat of ice slick enough to launch a triple axel. Or the rain could be blown by wind, freeze in layers and end up freezing into a crust of dissatisfaction, just in time for upcoming school vacation week.
"It could go so many different ways. It could help, it could damage," Paris said.
For years, skating at Dorrs Pond was not a high priority. Sure it was nice, but the weather had to cooperate, and after a pickup truck went through the ice in 2002, the notion of smooth ice lost its sparkle.
But Pinard has said he wants to emphasize the recreation part of Parks and Recreation.
"I'd just like to see more affordable, fun recreation for the citizens, a quality of life issue," he said.
He has picked a good winter, a winter of polar vortices, NBA-sized snowbanks and the drama of winter Olympics.
Manchester resident John Larochelle brought his daughters to Dorrs on Monday. He did it partly so his girls could get out of the house, partly so he could see Dorrs.
"Pond skating is more of a free-for-all. A rink, you go around in a circle," Larochelle said.
But the ice was lousy. Crews had not cleared the snow from Saturday night, but some skaters had shoveled and snow-blowed their own separate skating areas, each about 30 by 30 feet. Little room to really move, and lots of bumps and obstructions in the ice.
Pinard said the ice was fine during the day, but his crew didn't work on Sunday or the Monday holiday. Then 8 inches of snow fell Tuesday. Paris and Manseau didn't get to the ice until Wednesday.
In Keene, where Robinhood Park offers the skating that Pinard wants at Dorrs, crews are on the ice seven days a week, said Keene Parks Director Andrew Bonhannon. "If we don't get on the ice and keep it clean, we could lose it," he said.
Bonhannon speaks with decades of experience. In Manchester, the Dorrs crew is on a snow-covered learning curve. For example, Paris has learned to avoid snow mounds. They create their own heat, which melts snow at their base and creates mounded ice.
And he talks about a new approach for next year: basically plowing shore to shore and blowing snow into the woods.
But for now, he is content to keep any snow and rain from ruining his ice.
"This is the best," said Paris, who skated with Manchester Regional Youth Hockey for 12 years. "I couldn't ask for anything better to do in the wintertime than making ice."
Mark Hayward's City Matters appears Thursdays in the New Hampshire Union Leader and UnionLeader.com. He can be reached at email@example.com


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Are you looking for a character theme?
Do you need a bright and catchy tune for a children commercial or a podcast theme for kids? Have a listen to this funny track and use it for platform videogames, devices and tablet advertising and for every corporate use.
This track is also included in Happy Playground Pack 1.


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Egypt court dissolves Muslim Brotherhood party
CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's highest administrative court dissolved Saturday the political party of the banned Muslim Brotherhood and ordered its assets liquidated, in the latest move against the 86-year old Islamist group.
The decision against the Freedom and Justice Party comes ahead of parliamentary elections expected this year and prevents the group from trying to rejoin politics a year after leading member, President Mohammed Morsi, was overthrown by the military.
The party was founded in 2011 by the Brotherhood, Egypt's historic Islamist movement created in 1928, after President Hosni Mubarak was deposed in a popular uprising and it went on to dominate subsequent legislative elections.
The Middle East News Agency said the decision by the Supreme Administrative Court is final and can't be appealed.
In a statement, the Freedom and Justice Party said the dissolution won't succeed in uprooting the group's ideals.
"We affirm that while the military coup, the counterrevolution judiciary may be able to dissolve the party, they will not be able to dissolve its principals or besiege its civilized peaceful thought," he said.
The court, headed by Judge Fareed Tanaghu, said the party's affiliation with a supra-national group — the Muslim Brotherhood and its international branch — undermined "national unity, social peace, the democratic system and threatened Egypt's national security."
The court also said that by calling the military overthrow of Morsi a "coup" rather than a popular revolution, the party was breaking with national unity and worked to destabilize the country.
The court said the group's assets are to be liquidated and handed over to the state, calling on the Cabinet to form a committee to oversee the process.
In 2011, after Mubarak's ouster, the same court also dissolved the then ruling party, the National Democratic Party, which protesters had long accused of monopolizing power. Since then, many of its members have formed new political parties and earlier rulings barring its members from running have been overturned.
Many members of the Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party are in jail or have fled Egypt to evade prosecution, part of the government crackdown against the Brotherhood that also included drying up its finances and freezing its public outreach programs.
The government declared the Brotherhood a terrorist group late last year, accusing it of orchestrating a wave of violence to destabilize the country after the military overthrew Morsi in July. Militant attacks against the police and military have surged since his ouster.
The Brotherhood denies it has adopted violence as a tactic, saying the government is scapegoating the group, Egypt's strongest and oldest political organization that once had large network of social programs that mostly targeted the poor.
After coming to power, however, the group faced public anger over what critics said were its attempt to monopolize power, enshrine Islamic laws in the country's legislation and allying with more radical Islamist groups.
Since Morsi's ouster, the group has kept up its protests against the government, though they have been decreasing in size amid the security crackdown. Morsi himself is in jail facing a slew of charges, including conspiring with foreign groups to destabilize Egypt.
Mubarak is also facing trials over the death of hundreds of protesters and other corruption charges.


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ORONDO An orchardist uncovered explosives Saturday that had apparently been buried under a brush pile for more than 30 years.
The orchardist, whose name has yet to be released, found a large metal barrel containing dynamite while clearing up a brush pile at about 12:54 p.m. at his Orondo Drive orchard, according to Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal.
"The reporting party said he had located a large metal barrel at the bottom of a brush pile," Gjesdal said. "It contained sticks of what appeared to be dynamite and blocks marked 'TNT'."
Gjesdal said the land owner told deputies he purchased the property in 1983 and didn't know about the explosives.
"The area was cordoned off with crime scene tape and an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Yakima was called," Gjesdal said.
Arriving at 6:30 p.m., the team recovered the sticks and blocks of explosives and packed them for removal.
The explosives were transported to the Army firing range in Yakima for destruction, the sheriff said.
"There were no injuries during the incident," he said. "We do not have any estimates on how much explosives were recovered or how long they had been in the orchard.
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Arterial blood gas analysis and interpretation in anesthetized patients
Blood gas analysis begins with the collection of the sample. Arterial blood is preferred when assessing respiratory and metabolic status, but venous blood may be useful for the assessment of some metabolic disturbances such as those that occur during severe diarrhea, vomiting, and some toxin exposures. Free-flowing lingual venous blood can sometimes be used to estimate arterial blood gas values in anesthetized animals when arterial blood is unobtainable.1 Common sites for arterial blood collection in dogs and cats include the dorsal pedal artery, femoral artery, or lingual artery. But any large superficial artery may be used.Sample collection is usually performed with a 1- or 3-ml syringe with a 21-ga or smaller needle. The sample should be collected into a heparinized syringe, which is usually just a syringe that has been filled with heparin and then emptied. This process coats the inside of the syringe barrel and the needle hub. Alternatively, syringes containing powdered heparin specifically designed for arterial blood collection are commercially available. Collect enough blood (about 1 ml) to prevent the heparin from diluting the blood markedly. Expel all visible air from the syringe after sample collection. If the sample will not be analyzed immediately, cap it and place it on ice until it is run.2 However, if accurate partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) values (< 10 mm Hg change) are important, samples collected into plastic syringes should be run within 10 minutes, even if placed on ice.3,4
Common errors associated with improper sample collection and storage are
1. If the sample is left uncapped for a prolonged period, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood (PaCO2) and the PaO2 may decrease. The PaO2 may increase if the sample PaO2 is less than the partial pressure of oxygen in the room (e.g. venous blood).
2. If the sample is unchilled for a long period, cellular metabolism will continue, the PaO2 will decrease, and the PaCO2 will increase.
3. If the blood is not anticoagulated, the sample will clot in the system and cause an error.
Before a blood gas analysis can be interpreted, the conditions the patient was exposed to need to be considered. The blood gas machine often requires input of the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) and body temperature to calculate alveolar-arterial (A-a) gradients and temperature corrected values, respectively. It is also important to know this information when you interpret the blood gas values clinically.


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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A search team found the body of Colorado Sen. Mark Udall's brother in western Wyoming's Wind River Range on Wednesday after he didn't return from a solo backpacking trip, the family said.
James "Randy" Udall, 61, had left June 20 for the weeklong trek, setting off from a trailhead 10 miles northwest of Pinedale. He was due back a week ago.
An aerial team spotted Udall's body on its side, in open, rolling terrain Wednesday afternoon, Sublette County sheriff's officials said. The body was taken to Pinedale.
Mark Udall's office released a statement from the family saying that while an autopsy is forthcoming, it appears his brother died of natural causes.
"Randy left this earth doing what he loved most: hiking in his most favorite mountain range in the world," the family said.
He had told his wife and indicated on a sign-in sheet at the trailhead that he planned to head for the scenic Titcomb Basin.
The family said Wednesday it appeared he was on the obscure, off-trail route that he had proposed to his family.
"The entire Udall family is touched beyond words by the tremendous outpouring of support from people around the country. Randy's passing is a reminder to all of us to live every day to its fullest, just as he did," they said.
Randy Udall was an environmentalist and energy efficiency advocate whose family has been active in politics.
New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall is a cousin. His uncle, Stewart Udall, was interior secretary in the 1960s. His father was the late U.S. Rep. Morris "Mo" Udall of Arizona.
"He was an extraordinary person who touched so many lives," Tom Udall said. "Randy and I were especially close. We shared a love of the mountains and a passion for the wonders of the West, particularly the Wind River Mountains where we hiked and fished together nearly every summer for three decades."
Randy Udall helped found the nonprofit Community Office for Resource Energy Efficiency, which promotes the use of renewable energy in the Aspen, Colo., area.


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Bills would allow concealed guns at NC private schools
Bills would allow concealed guns at NC private schools
Some lawmakers want to give North Carolina private and parochial schools the right for certain employees or school volunteers to carry concealed weapons on school grounds to provide safety.
A Senate bill filed this week would allow a school's governing body or administrative director to give written approval to someone to carry a firearm, tear gas or stun gun if the person has a concealed weapons permit and is trained. Current law makes it illegal in most situations to bring a gun to any school.
The bill also makes it lawful for the permit holder to bring a weapon on a religious school campus to attend religious services.
A House measure filed Thursday is somewhat similar but applies only to private schools in Forsyth County.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The No. 1 children's entertainment group introduces a new cast, including the first-ever female
The Wiggles bring their "Taking Off!" world tour to the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24. Tickets go on sale May 31 at noon and are available at the box office, online at www.Tickets.com, or by phone at 888-223-6000.
After 21 years of entertaining children around the globe, The Wiggles will introduce three new cast members, including the first-ever female member, Emma Watkins as the Yellow Wiggle. Founding member Anthony Field, known as the Blue Wiggle, rounds out this vibrant group with Simon Pryce (Red Wiggle) and Lachlan Gillespie (Purple Wiggle). The "Taking Off!" worldwide tour will crisscross North America, hitting more than 35 major cities between August and October in support of a new album of the same name.
Always educational and entertaining, The Wiggles will be joined onstage by Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus for an extra wiggly good time. This marks the first time that North American audiences will get to meet the new lineup and hear new music, as well as sing along to their favorite hits, which are all incorporated into The Wiggles' live show. "Taking Off!" features 21 new feet-stomping songs, including the catchy soon-to-be favorite, "Do The Propeller!" as well as "Beep! Beep! Buckle Up!" "Emma (with the Bow in Her Hair)" and classics such as "Rock-A-Bye Your Bear" and "Get Ready to Wiggle."
The "Taking Off!" DVD is slated for release later this summer, and a new television series will debut on Sprout in the fall. For a complete list of tour dates, visit www.thewiggles.com.
Children can have even more wiggly fun while they wait for the show by visiting www.WiggleTime.com, The Wiggles' very own virtual world created specifically for preschoolers and their parents. Parents can monitor their child's progress and have access to premium promotional offers, contests, merchandise discounts and presale Wiggles tickets.


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EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Texas' top education official on Thursday appointed a board of managers to take over the duties of the embattled El Paso Independent School District's board of trustees in the wake of a cheating scandal that put the district on probation.
The measure is the harshest sanction that a school district can face before it is closed and annexed to another district.
"It's only happened in nine instances since the '90s. It's a matter of last resort when there is enough evidence that it's better for the district and the students to have a more steady hand in charge," explained DeEtta Culbertson, a spokeswoman at the Texas Education Agency.
Education Commissioner Michael Williams said the decision was taken to regain the public trust.
"We want to send the message that we want the best for the student ... that we will not allow cheating in the state by teachers and administrators," Williams said.
The current board of trustees will remain in place, but the newly appointed board of managers will have "all the responsibility and authority," Williams said.
Because the trustees are elected officials, the move still needs clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice. The new board can stay in place for up to two years, but it is possible TEA will go back on its decision once four of the seven members are replaced in an upcoming election in May.
Four out of five members of the new board have already been named and a fifth member will be named next week, Williams added. They are Ed Archuleta, who has served as head of the water utilities company since 1989; Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria, chief financial officer for the city of El Paso; state Rep. Dee Margo; and Judy Castleberry, who has served as the TEA-appointed monitor for the district since it was put on probation in August.
The district was put on probation in August as a result of a widespread cheating scheme in which school district officials would hold back, promote or coerce students into leaving school to get rid of underperforming students and improve the district's high-stakes testing scores.
Former School Superintendent Lorenzo Garcia pleaded guilty in June to devising a scheme to keep hundreds of low-performing sophomores from taking the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test. Some students were held back in the ninth grade while others were told to drop out before the 10th grades accountability tests. He was sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison in October.
The district thus gave the appearance of improving academic performance, meaning it was able to qualify for more federal funds. Garcia personally received at least $56,000 in bonuses
School district Superintendent Vernon Butler called Thursday's action an "opportunity for a reborn ISD, a new challenge."


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Recovery in Mental Health
Reshaping scientific and clinical responsibilities
About the authorMichaela Amering is well-known for her work on quality of life and recovery in severe mental disorders.
Margit Schmolke is a psychological psychotherapist in private practice and a lecturer, training analyst and supervisor at the German Academy for Psychoanalysis in Munich, Germany. Her special fields are the protective factors and resilience in persons with severe psychiatric disorders and psychotherapy of psychosis.
Currently she is member the board of directors of the German Society of Group Dynamics and Group Psychotherapy and member of the WPA Section on Preventive Psychiatry.
Recovery is widely endorsed as a guiding principle of mental health policy. Recovery brings new rules for services, e.g. user involvement and person-centred care, as well as new tools for clinical collaborations, e.g. shared decision making and psychiatric advance directives. These developments are complemented by new proposals regarding more ethically consistent anti-discrimination and involuntary treatment legislation, as well as participatory approaches to evidence-based medicine and policy.
Recovery is more than a bottom up movement turned into top down mental health policy in English-speaking countries. Recovery integrates concepts that have evolved internationally over a long time. It brings together major stakeholders and different professional groups in mental health, who share the aspiration to overcome current conceptual reductionism and prognostic negativism in psychiatry.
Recovery is the consequence of the achievements of the user movement. Most conceptual considerations and decisions have evolved from collaborations between people with and without a lived experience of mental health problems and the psychiatric service system. Many of the most influential publications have been written by users and ex-users of services and work-groups that have brought together individuals with and without personal experiences as psychiatric patients.
In a fresh and comprehensive look, this book covers definitions, concepts and developments as well as consequences for scientific and clinical responsibilities. Information on relevant history, state of the art and transformational efforts in mental health care is complemented by exemplary stories of people who created through their lives and work an evidence base and direction for Recovery.
This book was originally published in German. The translation has been fully revised, references have been amended to include the English-language literature and new material has been added to reflect recent developments. It features a Foreword by Helen Glover who relates how there is more to recovery than the absence or presence of symptoms and how health care professionals should embrace the growing evidence that people can reclaim their lives and often thrive beyond the experience of a mental illness.
Comments on German edition:
"It is fully packed with useful information for practitioners, is written in jargon free language and has a good reading pace."
Theodor Itten, St. Gallen, Switzerland and Hamburg, Germany
"This book is amazingly positive. It not only talks about hope, it creates hope. Its therapeutic effects reach professional mental health workers, service users, and carers alike. Fleet-footed and easily understandable, at times it reads like a suspense novel."
Andreas Knuf, pro mente sana, Switzerland
'"This is the future of psychiatry"' cheered a usually service-oriented manager after reading the book. We might not live to see it.'
Ilse Eichenbrenner, Soziale Psychiatrie, Germany
283 pages; ISBN 9780470743164
Read online, or download in secure PDF format
Title: Recovery in Mental Health
Author: Michaela Amering; Margit Schmolke
- News
- Contents
1 Introduction.
2 Recovery – Developments and Significance.
3 Recovery – Basics and Concepts.
Political Strategies.
Collaboration with Users of Psychiatric Services.
Resilience–a Dynamic Recovery-Factor.
Recovery, Prevention and Health Promotion.
Recovery and Quality of Life.
Recovery and Empowerment.
Recovery and Evidence-Based Medicine.
Recovery and Remission.
4 Personal Experience as Evidence and as a Basis for Model Development.
'Recovery – an Alien Concept' - Ron Coleman/UK.
'Empowerment Model of Recovery' – Dan Fisher and Laurie Ahern/USA.
'Conspiracy of Hope' – Pat Deegan/USA.
'Holders of Hope' – Helen Glover/Australia.
'Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)' – Mary Ellen Copeland/USA.
'Two Sides of Recovery' – Wilma Boevink/The Netherlands.
'No Empowerment Without Recovery' – Christian Horvath/Austria.
5 Recovery – Why Not?
The Slow Demise of Incurability.
Other misunderstandings.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
A Diagnosis or a Verdict – the Example of Schizophrenia.
Heterogeneity of Course Over Time.
Prognosis – 'from demoralizing pessimism to rational optimism'.
Diagnosis – 'a century is enough'.
Scientific and clinical responsibility.
Classic Dimensions of Madness.
Psychiatric Treatment and Services.
State of the art.
Recent developments.
Stigma and Discrimination.
Attitude research.
Iatrogenic stigma.
Stigma – experiences and expectations.
Internalized stigma and stigma resistance.
Social inclusion.
The hearing voices movement.
6 Recovery – Implications for Scientific Responsibilities.
New Directions.
The Increasingly Active Role of UK Users in Clinical Research.
Assessing Recovery.
Ruth Ralph and the Recovery Advisory Group.
Examples of published recovery instruments.
Recovery as a Process.
Turning points – living with contradictions.
Findings from four countries.
Identity and recovery in personal accounts of mental illness.
Recovery as lived in everyday practice.
Qualitative research as one royal road.
7 Recovery – Implications for Clinical Responsibilities.
Recovery-Factors in Therapeutic Relationships and Psychiatric Services.
Recovery-oriented professionals.
Recovery Self Assessment (RSA).
Measuring recovery-orientation in a hospital setting.
Recovery Knowledge Inventory (RKI).
Developing Recovery Enhancing Environments Measure (DREEM).
Initiatives of the World Psychiatric Association.
Psychiatry for the Person.
A Person-centred Integrative Diagnosis.
Recovery and Psychopharmacology.
New goals and new roles for psychopharmacologists.
Pat Deegan's concept of 'Personal Medicine'.
A programme to support shared decision-making.
System Transformation.
Recovery-oriented services.
Recovery-oriented mental health programmes.
A Recovery-Process Model.
Practice guidelines for recovery-oriented behavioral health care.
Peer support and consumer-driven transformation.
8 The Significance of Discovering Recovery for the Authors.
More Psychology
The SPEED of Trust 2006 US$ 13.99 384 pages
Getting to Yes 2011 US$ 12.99 240 pages
Mindset 2006 US$ 12.99
12 Rules for Life 2018 US$ 13.99 320 pages


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Saving photos on Instagram has never been easier!
According to Seventeen, "Starting this week, you'll be able to start organizing your saved posts on Instagram into private Pinterest board-like collections so that you can separate your #OOTD inspo from the puppy videos you plan on showing your friends later." It's so simple, you just tap and hold the bookmark icon underneath a post and choose which collection you'd like to add it to, or create a new collection by tapping the plus icon. Now, it's so much easier to find and share your favorite photos.
Seventeen on Twitter
Instagram Just Made Keeping Track of Saved Posts Even Easier https://t.co/PwAIyDYN7d
Mary Brooke Beasley has a healthy obsession with all things related to cats, fashion, and the color pink! She mainly writes trending topics, celebrity gossip, and lifestyle pieces.


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Though most of these show have been previewed, what was seen was not the final product, and in most cases only one episode was made available. So along with a description, I've included a first impression. It will be noted where no screener was available.
SLEEPY HOLLOW: (9 p.m. Monday, Fox) In this modern reinvention of Washington Irving's classic, a very action-oriented Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen") is resurrected into the modern world only to discover that he is humanity's last hope to prevent the apocalypse. So Crane teams up with a young police officer (Nicole Beharie) to unravel a mystery that dates back to the Founding Fathers.
First impression: Skeptical at first — do we need another Headless Horseman? But it turns out to be loony fun, scrambling American history and Irving's tale, while being fairly entertaining. Mison has an appealing hero's presence even during the show's silliest moments.
DADS: (8 p.m. Tuesday, Fox) The lives of two successful best friends get turned upside down when their dads suddenly move in with them. Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi play partners in a video-game business (their best-seller is "Kill Hitler") when their less-than-scrupulous fathers (Martin Mull and Peter Riegert) start creating havoc.
First impression: A terrific cast, but since it's from the Seth MacFarlane gang, the jokes are predictably juvenile. Some critics were offended by perceived racial and sexual stereotypes, including actress Brenda Song dressing up as a "sexy Asian schoolgirl" and Mull's character calling Asians "Orientals."
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE: (8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Fox) In this comedy, Andy Samberg plays a talented but carefree detective who clashes with his new by-the-book captain (Andre Braugher).
First impression: Has a "Beverly Hills Cop" vibe. There's action and shooting but plenty of laughs. Samberg is a talented funnyman, and having the well-respected Braugher, whose character has his own secret (for about a minute), on board is a nice touch.
MOM: (9:30 p.m. Sept. 23, CBS) From Chuck Lorre ("Two and Half Men," "The Big Bang Theory," "Mike & Molly"), this multi-camera sitcom focuses on a mother and daughter — Allison Janney and Anna Faris — who are recovering substance abusers. Faris' character is a waitress with a teen daughter, who is sleeping with her boyfriend at their house. Meanwhile, Janney's grandma is on the prowl for younger men.
First impression: A tricky premise, it will be hard to negotiate the laughs amid the more serious aspects of the show. But Janney and Faris are top-flight; so I'm curious to see how it develops.
HOSTAGES: (10 p.m. Sept. 23, CBS) In this limited 15-episode series, Toni Collette stars in her first broadcast network show. She plays a top surgeon scheduled to perform a routine operation on the U.S. president (James Naughton), but before the procedure her family is taken hostage by a group led by an FBI agent (Dylan McDermott) who may or may not be under duress, and told she must let the chief executive die.
First impression: The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced series is compelling, as are Collette and McDermott in their roles. The only question is: Can it keep it up?
THE BLACKLIST: (10 p.m. Sept. 23, NBC) James Spader rumples himself up to play Red Reddington, a supercriminal who surrenders to the FBI so he can help a particular young agent (Megan Boone) track down a particular list of bad guys.
First impression: Action-filled, it definitely moves, and Spader has created an interesting character. But it looks as if the big mystery of Reddington's motives will take a backseat to finding the criminal of the week, which makes it a bit less interesting.
MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: (8 p.m. Sept. 24, ABC) Joss Whedon's "Avengers" spin-off is the first TV show set in the new Marvel Comics universe. Clark Gregg plays the role of Agent Phil Coulson, who was killed off in the movie but is revived somehow to lead a team — many of whom have their own super abilities — to investigate paranormal phenomena. With Ming-Na Wen ("ER"), Chloe Bennet ("Nashville") and Iain De Caestecker.
First impression: Fans of this superhero universe will probably buy into it, but at heart, it's a "Mission Impossible-ish" concept, except with characters who have real superpowers.
THE GOLDBERGS: (9 p.m. Sept. 24, ABC) A back-to-the-'80s, semiautobiographical series created by Adam F. Goldberg ("Breaking In," "Aliens in America"). It revolves around 11-year-old Adam (Sean Giambrone), who loves to videotape everything. Jeff Garlin and Wendi McClendon-Covey are his parents, and George Segal is the off-the-wall granddad.
First impression: Likable, inoffensive and fun for '80s nostalgia buffs.
TROPHY WIFE: (9:30 p.m. Sept. 24, ABC) Malin Akerman plays the much younger Wife No. 3 of an older lawyer (Bradley Whitford), who is still dealing with his former wives (Marcia Gay Harden and Michaela Watkins) and bevy of children.
First impression: Akerman has comedic chops, and Whitford, Harden and Watkins are as good as you would expect, but the show just seems formulaic.
LUCKY 7: (10 p.m. Sept. 24, ABC) Based on a British series called "The Syndicate," it's about seven lottery winners who worked at a Queens gas station. Of course, sudden money changes people and reveals secrets.
First impression: Predictable, and while the characters are the gritty types you would expect, they also aren't very interesting.
BACK IN THE GAME: (8:30 p.m. Sept. 25, ABC) A "Bad News Bears" knockoff mixed with a family comedy. Maggie Lawson ("Psych") stars as a single mom and former softball All-American, who becomes the reluctant coach of her son's (Griffin Gluck) Little League team of misfits. James Caan plays the contrarian grandfather, a former pro baseball player, who is brutal in his criticism of the kids.
First impression: You want to root for it. Lawson has a bright presence, Caan a suitable grumpy one, but you don't feel like you're seeing anything new.
THE CRAZY ONES: (9 p.m. Sept. 26, CBS) David E. Kelley's first half-hour show since "Doogie Howser, M.D." It stars Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar as father-daughter advertising executives. There's plenty of ad placement in the first episode (they are working on a McDonald's campaign), and Kelly Clarkson makes an appearance with a scintillating version of "It Ain't the Meat It's the Motion." Hamish Linklater ("The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "The Newsroom") also stars.
First impression: The most polished, maybe a bit too polished at times, of the new comedy series. More than 30 years after he starred in "Mork & Mindy," Williams' great wit is at the core of the show. He's as funny as ever, and Gellar is a perfect foil. Worth tuning in every week just to see Williams at work.
THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW: (9 p.m. Sept. 26, NBC; moves to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 3) In what is something of a semiautobiographical turn, Fox plays a television news anchor who left his job because of his Parkinson's disease but decides to come back to be in front of the camera. The actor has already returned to TV with a guest arc on "The Good Wife," in which he used his medical condition for comic effect as he does in this sitcom.
First impression: If you haven't seen Fox act since he got Parkinson's, it may be disconcerting at first, but the actor tackles the role so head-on and so good-naturedly that it's hard not to warm up to this comedy.
MASTERCHEF JUNIOR: (8 p.m. Sept. 27, Fox) The kids take over the kitchen as 24 of the best junior home cooks in the country compete. Yes, Gordon Ramsay is a judge, but presumably he won't be mean to children.
First impression: Haven't seen it, but I bet it's meant to be cute.
BETRAYAL: (10 p.m. Sept. 29, ABC) The latest in ABC's nighttime soap opera lineup. It pairs up with "Revenge" and is another tale of infidelity and power. Hannah Ware ("Boss") is a Chicago photographer who has an affair with a high-powered lawyer played by Stuart Townsend. Turns out, of course, he's the very guy who will face off against her husband (Chris Johnson) in a murder case made for the tabloids.
First impression: Sexy cast, decent plotting, nasty turns. Not sure I would immerse myself in the suds, though.
MASTERS OF SEX: (10 p.m. Sept. 29, Showtime) Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan portray the real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The entertaining series chronicles two very unusual lives — he, a buttoned-up scientist; she, a former singer and divorcee who, because of her frankness about the subject of sex, became his partner (in more ways than one).
First impression: Best new show of the fall. Funny, dramatic and with a wild real-life story that no one could make up. Caplan and Sheen are terrific.
HELLO LADIES: (10:30 p.m. Sept. 29, HBO) Stephen Merchant, co-creator and co-director of the original "The Office" and "Extras" with Ricky Gervais, bases this eight-episode sitcom on his 2012 stand-up special. He plays an awkward yet charming Englishman trying to meet women in L.A.
First impression: Drolly funny.
WE ARE MEN: (8:30 p.m. Sept. 30, CBS) From Rob Greenberg ("Frasier," "How I Met Your Mother"), this comedy centers on four divorced men at a swinging '70s-style apartment complex. Tony Shalhoub plays a ladies' man, Kal Penn a nice guy, Jerry O'Connell an OB-GYN who likes to hang out poolside in a Speedo and is divorcing a divorce attorney, and Chris Smith is newly divorced and learning what it's like to be single again.
First impression: All over the place — not funny so far. Too scattered to tell if they will make anything out of it.
SUPER FUN NIGHT: (9:30 p.m. Oct. 2, ABC) Australian actress Rebel Wilson, who made her mark in "Bridesmaids" and "Perfect Pitch," wrote and stars in this comedy of about three roommates — Kimmie (Wilson), Helen-Alice (Lauren Ash) and Marika (Liza Lapira) — who decide to leave their apartment to party after a decade of staying home together on Friday nights. Conan O'Brien is a producer.
First impression: Tries really hard to be funny — a lot of obvious jokes. Wilson is a talent, but there isn't much super or fun about the show.
IRONSIDE: (10 p.m. Oct. 2, NBC) A significant reboot of the old Raymond Burr series from the late '60s and early '70s. Blair Underwood plays Detective Robert Ironside, partially paralyzed after a shooting but determined to stay on the force. Rather than a sedentary cop, Underwood's Ironside is more a man of action. (There are also flashbacks of his life before he got shot.)
First impression: Solid crime drama aided by Underwood's performance.
THE MILLERS: (8:30 p.m. Oct. 3, CBS) From Greg Garcia ("Raising Hope," "My Name Is Earl"). When Will Arnett's Nathan Miller tells his parents of his recent divorce, his father Tom Miller (Beau Bridges) leaves his wife (Margo Martindale) of 43 years and moves in with his daughter Debbie (Jayma Mays) and her husband Adam (Nelson Franklin). Meanwhile, Mom moves in with Nathan.
First impression: Wanted to like it for the cast, but found the jokes and setup extremely sitcom-y.
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY: (8:30 p.m. Oct. 3, NBC) In this comedy, Molly (Ella Rae Peck of "Deception") is white, not so bright and gets pregnant. Junior (Joey Haro of "Awkward") is Hispanic, on the road to college and her boyfriend. They want to keep the baby. Their parents — played by Justina Machado ("Six Feet Under"), Ricardo Chavira ("Desperate Housewives"), Mary McCormack ("In Plain Sight") and Mike O'Malley ("Glee") — are not pleased or ready to deal with in-laws who are not like them.
First impression: Another comedy about America's continually changing demographics and how people are adapting. Not terrible, but not groundbreaking, either.
THE ORIGINALS: (9 p.m. Oct. 3, CW; moves to 8 p.m. Oct. 8) A "Vampire Diaries" spin-off in which the "original vampires" Klaus and Elijah leave Mystic Falls for new lives (deaths?) in New Orleans. Originally part of the end of last season's "Diaries."
First impression: For undead fans, something to sink their teeth in. But if you're not a "Vampire Diaries"-phile, you're not tuning in.
SEAN SAVES THE WORLD: (9 p.m. Oct. 3, NBC) "Will & Grace's" Sean Hayes stars in this sitcom from Victor Fresco ("Better Off Ted") about a gay man named Sean whose 14-year-old daughter (Sami Isler) moves in with him. But a new boss (Thomas Lennon) at work is demanding more overtime, making it hard for Sean to be the dad he wants to be. Linda Lavin, in her first regular television role since the 1990s, plays his mother, and Megan Hilty is his best friend.
First impression: Like explaining how a gay man has a daughter, there is a lot of setup in this show. Little of it pays off in the first episode, and it's hard to see it doing so down the line.
WITCHES OF EAST END: (10 p.m. Oct. 6, Lifetime) Julia Ormond, Mädchen Amick, Jenna Dewan Tatum and Rachel Boston play members of a family of witches in a new series based on Melissa de la Cruz's popular novel of the same name. The rub, however, is that the younger women (Tatum and Boston) don't know they have magical power.
First impression: Pleasantly bland enough if you like nice witch stories.
THE TOMORROW PEOPLE: (9 p.m. Oct. 9, CW) From a British children's science-fiction television series that ran in the 1970s and was reimagined two more times, this is the first American version. It's about young people who have special abilities like teleportation. Dan Stevens, Matthew from "Downton Abbey," will voice the show's "biological computer."
First impression: Might be fun for "Dr. Who/"X-Men" fans.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND: (8 p.m. Oct. 10, ABC) The creators of ABC's fairy-tale drama "Once Upon a Time" have dipped into another fantasy world — Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Look for some crossovers between the series.
First impression: Was only given a glimpse of the first show but it looked like fun for "Once Upon a Time" fans.
REIGN: (9 p.m. Oct. 17, CW) Another bunch of pretty young people. Only here they are in 1500s garb, as a young Mary, Queen of Scots, arrives in France to marry the prince. Don't worry, there's a modern soundtrack. You wouldn't want to just listen to a lute.
First impression: Don't use this to prep for your history exam. (Spoiler alert: Mary loses her head.)
DRACULA: (10 p.m. Oct. 25, NBC) Jonathan Rhys Meyers of "The Tudors" takes on the iconic role of the vamp champ. In this incarnation, he poses as an American businessman in Victorian London and allies himself with the vampire hunter Van Helsing (Thomas Kretschmann) against a rich cabal who want to make oil fortunes.
First impression: This may be the strangest Dracula yet — a vampire on the side of the people. Kind of goofy, but somewhat intriguing.
ALMOST HUMAN: (8 p.m. Nov. 4, Fox) A bit "Robocop," a bit "I, Robot," this action drama stars Karl Urban as an angry cop who hates being paired up with his android partner, played by Michael Ealy ("The Good Wife"). Lili Taylor is their tough-minded captain.
First impression: Seems like so many other sci-fi shows and movies. It will take time for it to distinguish itself, if it can.
ENLISTED: (9:30 p.m. Nov. 8, Fox) In this comedy, Geoff Stults ("The Finder"), Chris Lowell ("Private Practice") and Parker Young ("Suburgatory") play brothers from a military family posted together at a sleepy Florida Army base.
First impression: A bit of a "Stripes" knockoff, only with some references to the real war zones U.S. military men and women are based in. A bit of a tricky sell.
ATLANTIS: (Nov. 23, no time yet, BBC America) A 13-part fantasy drama series set in a time of legendary heroes and mythical creatures in a place "so vast it was said it was built by giants." The cast includes Mark Addy ("Game of Thrones").
First impression: Only got a glimpse, but since it's part of the network's Supernatural Saturday lineup, you know what you're getting.


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Zëiram (US - DVD R1)
Gabe finds himself trapped in virtual reality with a really hot alien chick...
This review is sponsored by
Teppei and Kamiya, two average Joes working in the Japanese electronic services industry, stumble upon the intergalactic bounty-hunter Ilia and her partner, the artificial intelligence named Bob. Both men are accidentally transported to the 'Zone', a virtual reality in which Bob has trapped Ilia's latest prey, a biological weapon named Zeiram. The Earth natives must both survive the experience and help Ilia capture Zeiram before the Zone disappears around them.
Though most Manga and Anime based live action films fall very short of grace, I always enjoy watching them. I'm a fan of the less fantastical features in the genre, like OldBoy, Ichi the Killer, and Lady Snowblood, but I also enjoy the films that make genuine attempts at filming real people as cartoon characters. I've seen both Guyver films more than once, I've laughed at the unadulterated stupidity of the unofficial Chinese adaptation of Dragon Ball, and I've probably watched Riki-Oh more times than The Godfather.
Zeiram isn't specifically based on a previously released Manga or anime series, but it plays like one, and there was an animated prequel released after its success. For readers that like the brass tacks I'll lay the flick out as simply as Tron meets The Terminator meets the live action Guyver. It's also a Toho production, the super-studio behind the Godzilla series, so you can expect plenty of slow-motion, man-in-suit action. It's not high art; it's pure entertainment.
Though the action is defiantly not wall to wall it's imaginative and, like the rest of the film, visually striking. The Sci-Fi costumes and rubbery special effects may turn some harder to please viewers off, but fans of the old school should be in stop-motion, kung-fu fighting, over-the-top pyrotechnics heaven. The film's strongest elements are its visual presence and its willingness to embrace its silly plot, but its secret weapon its very Japanese sense of humour. The electrician everymen see just as much, if not more screen time than Ilia, ensuring there are plenty of laughs.
Research tells me that this special edition is a vast improvement over the previous R1 release, but the transfer is still plagued with problems. The big thing here is the transfers overall darkness. I couldn't get a decent screen cap of any of the films big fist fights because when the image isn't moving everything tends to blend into itself. The details are reasonably sharp, but the contrast is washed out enough that it's hard to notice. This is a colourful film, evoking a cartoon's pallet, but the colours on the transfer are often dull. The anamorphic enhancement is a big plus, and I've seen much more poorly handled transfers, but I expect a little more from Media Blasters these days.
When given the choice of an original language track and an English dub I'll always go with the original track, as any cineaste should...unless the film is a particularly cheesy man-in-suit romp. In this case I'm leaning towards the extra added fun of mismatched and overacted voices awkwardly spewing out of characters' mouths. I switched between both tracks throughout, like a good reviewer, but really liked the film more when it was bastardized by the English dub. Apparently the old release only included the English dub, so fans should be happy to double-dip.
Both tracks are presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, and neither is particularly impressive. There is very little dynamic range, and bass is quite weak. The English track has much louder dialogue than the Japanese track, but neither is the epitome of digital clarity. The flick is low budgeted and hasn't aged all that well, but the soundtrack is pretty aggressive, and adds to the overall animated feel. It's too bad neither track stepped up to task.
There isn't much here in the order of extras for a so called 'Special Edition'. I guess the anamorphic enhancement and original Japanese soundtrack are pretty 'special'. The one interview/behind the scene here is pretty long and informative to make up for a lack of solid documentary or commentary track, but it grows dull pretty quickly. It features director Keita Amemiya and actress Yuko Moriyama, both of whom strike me as insanely shy, beyond that of a normal Japanese person, and their general discomfort is rather contagious. It's nice to hear the film's history; this just isn't the best format for it. The disc also features a gallery of Media Blasters' Tokyo Shock releases.
Entertaining, well shot, funny, and featuring fun art direction, Zeiram isn't a great film, but it's probably perfect for those knowing what to expect. Did you like the live action Guyver series? Do you still watch Godzilla movies from the '70s and '80s? Are you honestly not bored by Tron? If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then I see a rent or purchase of Zeiram sometime in your near future.
You can find this, and many other Japanese action flicks at xploitedcinema.com.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Manda of Mu Member Join Date: June 2006 Location: United States Posts: 458
This was a great movie, the concept of Zeiram's face being that of a smiling little girl was brilliant and SO FREAKING CREEPY! I rather like the anime better then the film though because in the anime he atleast keeps the same body as in the movie he goes through like 5 or 6 changes (all cool, but the original robbed body with the hat is just so much more ominous).
I am real glad a special edition of this came out, the first release was one of MB's first ever releases (so old it went on VHS!) and it was barebones and in those annoying cardboard cases warner bros used to do. and it was IMPOSSIBLE to find, I spent ages trying to find it but I wasnt willing to spend $50 on it so this rerelease was a blessing! We get the awesome artwork, the even more awesome cardboard case protectors MB has started putting on their newer releases.
also a few corrections, Toho didn't release Zeiram, GAGA Communications did. and the bounty hunter chick's name is Iria, not Llia, the anime version is actually called Iria as she is the main character and Zeiram is the villian.
I really hope Zeiram 2 gets the special edition treatment but I doubt it, it is alot easier to find.
I am real glad a special edition of this came out, the first release was one of MB's first ever releases (so old it went on VHS!) and it was barebones and in those annoying cardboard cases warner bros used to do. and it was IMPOSSIBLE to find, I spent ages trying to find it but I wasnt willing to spend $50 on it so this rerelease was a blessing! We get the awesome artwork, the even more awesome cardboard case protectors MB has started putting on their newer releases.
also a few corrections, Toho didn't release Zeiram, GAGA Communications did. and the bounty hunter chick's name is Iria, not Llia, the anime version is actually called Iria as she is the main character and Zeiram is the villian.
I really hope Zeiram 2 gets the special edition treatment but I doubt it, it is alot easier to find.
Blake_R Member Join Date: November 2006 Location: United States Posts: 25
Did you ever see 'Iria: Zeiram the Animation'? I would review it almost exactly the same, except replace 70s rubber suit movies with early 90s anime...
Gabe Powers Editor Join Date: September 2004 Location: United States Posts: 4,719
I've not seen it, nor have I seen the live action sequel.
Simon Abrams Member Join Date: June 2005 Location: United States Posts: 710
Added to my netflix queue!
This product has not been rated
Disc Details
Release Date: 7th November 2006
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: NTSC
Aspect: 1.77:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby Surrond 2.0 English, Dolby Surround 2.0 Japanese
Subtitles: English
Extras: Director/Star Interview, Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Keita Amemiya
Cast: Yûko Moriyama, Kunihiro Ida, Yukijiro Hotaru, Masakazu Handa, Mizuho Yoshida
Genre: Sci-Fi
Length: 97 minutes
6Review Guide
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Review | Author Bio | Read an Excerpt
Mike Berenstain's Bio:
Stan and Jan Berenstain published their first book about a bear family who lived deep in Bear Country in 1962 under the editorial oversight of Dr. Seuss. In 1974, they started their own line of books about everyday family experiences published by Random House. In 2003, the Berenstains began publishing with HarperCollins and in 2005 began an exclusive relationship with them. Their youngest son, Michael, joined his parents many years ago writing several books and becoming the exclusive designer and illustrator of a series of large picture books. Since Stan Berenstains death in 2005, Michael and Jan work as an author/illustrator team for their general market books. Michael is married to Andrea, and they have three children. They live in Pennsylvania, in an area that looks a lot like Bear Country.
My mother, Jan, and I are thrilled by the overwhelming response to our new Berenstain Bears® Living Lights books from Zonderkidz. The instant bestseller status of the first four titles and the many warm and supportive e-mails and letters we've received confirm just how important faith-based books are for children and parents, alike, says Michael Berenstain. Over the years, my parents and I often heard from Christian families how much they appreciate the values-based themes of our books. By dealing with religion through the fun and laughter of the Berenstain Bears, we hope to nurture these families in their goal of raising children secure in their faith.
Visit Mike's website at www.berenstainbears.com


text: I think there's an element of luck, but as someone who did consistently well on exams, I'd like to think that luck was only a small part of it, though I'm obviously biased. I did, however, take some exams I thought I aced that I didn't do so well in, and took some I was worried about that I ended up acing.So, my guess is that I had a little bad luck, and a little good luck. But you still need a solid foundation of knowledge if you hope to have enough "luck" to get an A. I think part of the "luck" mystique comes from disillusioned law students who spent lots of time studying but didn't do so well. To them, what else could they attribute their mediocre grades but luck? The person surfing the internet in class in front of him who did better on the exam must have been "lucky."But, to keep some perspective, I don't know anyone who did well without doing any work--not to say that people who do well have no lives, but a certain baseline is required. You have to familiarize yourself with all the material, through whatever method works for you, and, before you take the exam, you have to have an idea how to apply the material to fact scenarios you have not yet seen (usually through practice exams). Some luck may also come from differences among professors, particularly in 2nd and 3d year courses. And, you could always get sick, or have some distracting personal matter arise, right around exam time. But overall, I find myself agreeing with Thomas Jefferson: "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."


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LAST UPDATE : 13 OCTOBER 2012 , sounds 1000x better!
Simple, funny and cheerful project which presents my dance version of well-known Christmas song – Jingle Bells. The pack includes fully editable FLP file, you can change everything in this track! I strongly recommend this project to beginner music producers. Don't worry about compatibility and CPU usage, it was made with FL Studio 10, but you can open it with FL Studio 9 too (fruity chorus will not open properly, but this is a small detail). There are no additional plugins.


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"eye fo an eye and toof fo a toof" - Idiot in Missouri
"eye fo an eye and toof fo a toof" - Idiot in Missouri
I'm an asshole! What's your excuse?
I didn't want to listen to his constant BS last night. How many times did he say, "we lost our eyes"?
"eye fo an eye and toof fo a toof" - Idiot in Missouri
Did Holtz say this?
But what I HATE more than making up words is this idea that we "competed well". It is b.s. garbage coach speak. Competed well is a cop-out, and Holtz uses it every week. All the time. Competed well. I thought we really competed well.
He said we had our eyes in the backfield. Which was set up perfectly by the play before.
I listened to Viator's radio show most weeks -
Not a lot of coach speak - he just talks and explains why he did this, or why he shouldn't of called whatever play
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
Competing is part of playing well. And Tech for the most part hasn't played that well since the infamous 3rd quarter interception at South Carolina.
Seasons usually turn on one or two games. My thought is that this Tech season turned on that one play.
We got into the red zone, and J'Mar threw a beautiful pass to Veal in the end zone. It was simply glorious. Zip on the ball. Threaded the needle of defenders. Right to the receiver for the Touchdown.
I think FAU was surprised we weren't handing off and running the ball.
It changed my opinion of J'Mar. I don't think he is a terrible QB. I think he has had his wings clipped by our HC. He can make great plays in the red zone.
He can't make great plays when the coach keeps calling handoffs. As Frisco said, ever since that 1 interception Holtz gets freakishly conservative in the red zone. I wonder if someone compiled the statistics of how many times we run the ball vs. pass the ball once we get past the 20-yard line.
I think we'd be sitting at 7-3 at worst if this pass had been incomplete or if Craft had stayed in to block.
We would have defeated SC 16 or 19 to something. UAB game would have gone our way.


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While driving into town on Florida Road, Ive noticed something peculiar. More than a few eastbound drivers at the Chapman Hill roundabout will turn on their left turn blinker as they enter the roundabout, presumably to show they will turn up Riverview Drive. Whats the deal? Are we supposed to use turn signals in roundabouts? Im confused. Going in Circles.
Rule No. 1: Roundabouts arent hard to figure out. Rule No. 2: Dont drive fast.
These are the two hard-and-fast rules regarding roundabouts.
OK, that was pretty lame. But there is an overarching principle governing every roundabout everywhere: The driver inside the roundabout has the right-of-way.
This was gladly confirmed by our pal Lt. Ray Shupe of the Durango Police Department. Thats correct. Traffic coming into the roundabout must yield to the cars already in the roundabout.
Let Action Line reiterate two important words: must. yield.
So all you tardy inbound anger-management types can get over it. Yes, you have to stop to let fellow drivers turn up Riverview, and yes, you have to slow down.
And now Action Line will direct a testy tut-tut toward people heading up Florida who inexplicably switch on their left turn signal as they enter the roundabout.
Three words here: knock. it. off.
You have your left signal on to make a right-hand turn.
Instead of doing a favor for other drivers, your blinker befuddlement causes confusion.
Remember, when you are in the roundabout, you rule the world. You have total right of way. There is no reason to be nice by inventing a new driving protocol.
Only when you pass the inbound lane of Florida should you use your turn signal, and at this point, it will be your right turn signal as you turn right up Riverview.
Chalk another one up to Durango.
We are the only town in the world where nobody uses their turn signals when they should, yet they turn them on ad-lib where they shouldnt and then use a left blinker to indicate an eventual right turn.
We should change the name of 32nd Street to Memory Lane, as last weeks column on the 25-mph speed limit brought many submissions to the Mea Culpa Mailbag.
In that column Action Line recalled a child being hit as one of the reason for the lower speed limit.
Our friend Danial Ciluffo remembers. When I was a kid (in the 80s) Jessica Harmon was hit by a drunken driver outside her house around 31st and East 5th Avenue. She was about 6 years old. She survived and made it through high school.
Loyal reader and all-around wonderful person Karen Bell provides some additional perspective.
I recall that the residents of 32nd Street and the feeder streets were troubled by excessive speeders, and Lynn Shine, who was on the City Council at the time, lived in the neighborhood and was an advocate for the lower speed limit, Karen writes.
Karen notes that Lynn and her husband, Tom, had previously lived in the Crestview area and suffered the loss of a child who was stuck by a car near their home.
Lower speed limits also came at the time when the Kroeger Ranch, off East Animas Road (County Road 250), was in the development stage. The city feared that traffic would get much worse on 32nd, she adds.
Thanks to Bob Pfeiffer and Gigi Baty for writing in and confirming much of the above.
And finally, the irrepressible Marta Bergen offers an alternative justification for the 25-mph limit on 32nd Street.
Watch out for those seniors darting out into traffic near Sunshine Gardens! Theyre maniacs!
Email questions to firstname.lastname@example.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. You can request anonymity if you make three victory laps in the roundabout sometime just for the heck of it.


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Watch The ::God Is Imaginary Videos On YouTube ::
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Quote from: Jag on June 12, 2013, 10:29:15 AMCan you elaborate a bit please on what beliefs you use to help you cope? Certainly. Nondualism, it's changed my life. <snip for brevity>
Can you elaborate a bit please on what beliefs you use to help you cope?
This sounds more or less like Buddhism. Frankly, in the absence of a deity, Buddhism (in broad strokes and ignoring the reincarnation stuff) makes a great deal of sense to me.So do you see nondualism as a religious practice or a lifestyle/philosophy? It sounds like you already have the answer you are looking for in your OP, so I'm not clear on what we're discussing?
the word holy comes from the word whole, so it fits.
Quote from: nebulathe word holy comes from the word whole, so it fits.No sorry you have that back to front. The word holy comes from the old English word "halig" (accent over the a), meaning "sacred, pious". hence "Holy"."Whole" is simply a word derived from "Holy" So it was made to fit. Religion never tries to find the real answer, it just puts an answer in to fit its bias.Addendum: Religion just gives magical assertions that are unprovable, therefore useless.<<some Mod amendments for bert>>
The two words are very closely related.
Quote from: nebulaThe two words are very closely related.Of course,.The term "whole" came from "holy"
Quote from: bertatberts on June 13, 2013, 07:37:55 AMQuote from: nebulaThe two words are very closely related.Of course,.The term "whole" came from "holy"OK but the point is that in nondualism, "the whole" is a good word to use for "what is," rather than God, since it's more descriptive and is related to an adjective for the divine anyway. Thanks for the correction.
So back to the point of the thread. Have you noticed that the non-believers here have no trouble in turning the other cheek, ignoring bad people, and being tolerant. Surely now you can see that without the indoctrination of religion, you become a more relaxed individual.
Ever tried a physical outlet like running, swimming or pounding on a punching bag for an hour? It could be a healthy way to get out some of those angry emotions - as well as giving you some time to think about what the source of such anger may be?Are you saying someone can make you quite angry for a full week? Does that mean you prefer to go away and seethe with anger as opposed to dealing directly with that person to try to either reslove the conflict or find a less "disruptive" way to deal with it? Not trying to put words in your mouth, just wondering
My religious beliefs bring me peace and help me to get through life. I'm interested in learning about atheist mental techniques for dealing with life's dilemmas. What do you do when you experience unwanted emotions such as anger, fear, regret, embarrassment etc.? I know that anti-depressant medication and/or psychotherapy are always an option but I have never felt I needed them because I have other ways of dealing with these emotions that involve spirituality. So I was wondering about the atheist equivalent or ways that atheists deal with life, other than by seeking professional help. Here is an example: You are forced to work with someone who you find unreasonable, inconsiderate and stupid. How do you keep yourself from being consumed by anger?


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SOURCE: First California Financial Group
January 30, 2013 17:15 ET
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA and RIVERSIDE, CA--(Marketwire - Jan 30, 2013) - First California Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCAL), its wholly owned subsidiary, First California Bank (FCB) and Premier Service Bank (OTCBB: PSBK) announced today that they have jointly agreed to terminate that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 27, 2012, as amended, among the parties, effective January 30, 2013. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement the transaction was to be accomplished by December 31, 2012. As the parties were unable to accomplish the transaction by that date, the parties have mutually determined that it is in the best interest of both companies to terminate the Merger Agreement. The termination agreement entered into between the parties includes mutual general releases of all claims.
About Premier Service Bank
Premier Service Bank is a California state-chartered bank with two offices, its headquarters office in Riverside and a full-service banking office in Corona. The Bank provides commercial banking services, including a wide variety of checking accounts, investment services with competitive deposit rates, on-line banking products, and real estate, construction, commercial and consumer loans, to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals and individuals. Additional information about Premier Service Bank is available at its website at www.premierservicebank.com.
About First California
First California Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCAL) is the holding company of First California Bank. Founded in 1979 and with nearly $2 billion in assets, First California serves the comprehensive financial needs of small- and middle-sized businesses and high net worth individuals throughout Southern California. Led by an experienced team of bankers, First California is committed to providing the best client service available in its markets, offering a full line of quality commercial banking products through 15 full-service branch offices in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties. The holding company's website can be accessed at www.fcalgroup.com. For additional information on First California Bank's products and services, visit www.fcbank.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains certain forward-looking information about First California and Premier Service Bank (the Companies) that is intended to be covered by the safe harbor for "forward-looking statements" provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, and include statements related to, the monitoring of and management of risks in the Companies' loan portfolio, the adequacy of sources of liquidity to support the Companies' operations and strategic plans, the monitoring of and response to changing market conditions, and the status of the economy in the Southern California communities served by the Companies. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of the Companies. The Companies caution readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, revenues are lower than expected, credit quality deterioration which could cause an increase in the provision for credit losses, the Companies' ability to complete future acquisitions, successfully integrate such acquired entities, or achieve expected beneficial synergies and/or operating efficiencies within expected time-frames or at all, changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits, technological changes, the cost of additional capital is more than expected, a change in the interest rate environment reduces interest margins, asset/liability repricing risks and liquidity risks, general economic conditions, particularly those affecting real estate values, either nationally or in the market areas in which the Companies do or anticipate doing business are less favorable than expected, a slowdown in construction activity, recent volatility in the credit or equity markets and its effect on the general economy, loan delinquency rates, the ability of the Companies to retain customers, changes in the bank regulatory environment, demographic changes, demand for the products or services of the Companies as well as their ability to attract and retain qualified people, competition with other banks and financial institutions, the Companies' level of small business lending, and other factors. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or if any of the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements proves to be incorrect, the Companies' results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by such forward-looking statements. The Companies assume no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. For a more complete discussion of risks and uncertainties, investors and security holders are urged to read the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Companies' Annual Report on Form 10-K and any other reports filed by it with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The documents filed by the Companies with the SEC may be obtained at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. These documents may also be obtained free of charge from First California by directing a request to: First California Financial Group, Inc., 3027 Townsgate Road, Suite 300, Westlake Village, CA 91361. Attention: Investor Relations. Telephone (805) 322-9655. Or, Premier Service Bank, 3637 Arlington Avenue, Suite B, Riverside, CA 92506, Attention Investor Relations. Telephone (951) 274-2400.
For further Information:
At First California:
Ron Santarosa 805-322-9333
At Premier Service Bank:
Kerry Pendergast951-274-2400
For further Information:
At First California:
Ron Santarosa 805-322-9333
At Premier Service Bank:
Kerry Pendergast951-274-2400
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"Defusing " Public Decision:
by Robert J. Bevins
At least two sidesThere are at least two sides to most issues. Sometimes when public decisions are involved, things that begin as a search for a better understanding degenerate into heated controversy. There is a way to minimize this possibility. It calls for the use of what many public affairs educators have come to call the policy method. To describe this method and explain its relevance to community decision making is the purpose of this leaflet.
How decisions are madeDecisions, be they public or private, are made on the basis of beliefs, facts and values. People do not hold the same beliefs as to what the facts are. Even if they did hold the same beliefs as to the facts, there could still be disagreement as to what should be done. Why? Because decisions are not based on fact alone or on what we believe to be fact. They are also based on the values we hold, on our ideas of what is important.
Individuals do have different sets of values. No two people have had the same initial endowments or the same cultural, political and religious backgrounds. Thus, even if they agree on the facts and the relevance of the facts, they can still disagree on what is the appropriate decision. Educational programs involving public decision must take this into account, for both philosophic and practical reasons.
If information programs built around as yet unmade public decisions tell people what decisions ought to be made, this is an attempt to force a particular set of values on those participating. Thus the program becomes indoctrination, not just the presentation of information. This in a sense is dishonest and thus inappropriate for either a public educational agency or a group billing itself as nonpartisan. The practical reason for not prescribing solution in advance is that advocacy frequently stirs up a reaction that makes it "hot" for the program presenters.
The policy methodThere is, however, a program format by which educators and public officials can get the educational job done with a minimum of heated exchange.
It is a five-step method, and it applies whether there is a meeting, a newspaper series, a radio or television program, or just a series of personal encounters.
Step 1. Clearly define the problem.
The problem must be defined with sufficient generality to avoid argument over what the problem is. One way of achieving this is to never define the problem in terms of a solution to the problem.
For instance, a problem facing a county might be poor assessment of real property. It would not be helpful to define the problem as either the lack of good assessment or the lack of a competent or honest assessor. It would be much more palatable to define the problem as "difficulty in maintaining equitable assessments." This suggests the problem and not the solution. The problem is stated in sufficient generality that there will be few who argue it is not a problem and even fewer who argue against equitable assessments in principle.
Controversy over definition of the problem is to be minimized, yet there must be sufficient sharpness of definition so that those discussing the topic are not addressing themselves to different matters.
Step 2. Develop a listing of the goals and values of those affected by the problem and decisions that might be made.
What things do various groups wish to accomplish? What, not how! This list of objectives becomes the criteria by which alternative solutions will be evaluated.
Suppose the problem is downtown parking. The police and fire agencies, the merchants (both downtown and in shopping centers), the customers, the taxpayer and school children form a partial list of those who will have an interest in or be affected by actions that are taken.
The public agencies will want uncongested streets. The downtown merchants will want their customers to have easy access to their business places; their competition in the shopping centers may regard downtown congestion to be to their benefit. The customers want to get where they are going and do it easily, but as taxpayers they wish to do it with minimum public cost. The school children, while unable to press their point, will have an interest in the safety of pedestrians.
Step 3. Develop the alternative approaches to solution of the problem.
Solutions should be categorized so that they do not exceed five, and they should cover the range of possibilities. A universal alternative is doing nothing or leaving things as they are. Others vary with the problem.
If downtown parking is the problem, the alternatives might be:
Step 4. Develop the consequences of each alternative in the light of its impact on those affected.
The way this is done is the key to effective use of this method. Develop the consequences and state them in the form of positive statements; avoid value judgments. This means that words like pro and con, advantage and disadvantage, and good and bad are to be avoided like the plague. Here is why:
If the problem is downtown parking and the alternative under analysis is developing a downtown traffic free area, some of the consequences are as follows:
For instance, the banning of traffic within the restricted area may be an advantage to the pedestrians and even most merchants but the bank with a drive-in window within the area may have mixed feelings. The drive-in cleaning establishment will certainly be hurt. Telling them that something is an advantage when they know very well that for them it is a disadvantage may cause hostile feelings. A consequence may be stated neutrally, and then each person is free to assign the statement to his pro or to his con list.
Step 5. Leave decision as to the "best" alternative up to the people.
Decision is based on fact, belief, values and goals. This means you cannot prescribe for another unless you presume you know the relevant facts and can accurately predict the goals and values held by another. If we try to tell people how they should decide and thus by implication that we know better than they what is good for them, we ensure conflict and controversy.
Limits of methodThe methods described here are not appropriate for the advocate of a cause who wishes to sell his view. It is appropriate for those who wish to provide a way public decision making can be facilitated by providing opportunity for issue exploration before sides have been chosen and while unbiased information is still welcome. At that time, new information is not a threat to established positions that are likely to be defended with a tenacity that hardly makes for an open, exploring mind.
Copyright 1998 University of Missouri.
About the Author:
Robert J. Bevins,
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia.