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By Art Schmidt
I have a few Honorable Mentions that I am going to list first, rather than sticking them at the end like after-thoughts. Since I didn't include them in my actual Top Ten list, the least I can do is put them first so they aren't entirely skipped over. These made my initial rough list but, for one reason or another, just didn't make the final cut: Heavy Metal, The Sword and the Sorcerer, Dragonslayer, Shrek, Time Bandits & The Wizard of Oz. (Note: Starting at number one, since #10 is the 'top' of my list)
#1 – The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
A favorite of my youth, and one of the Ray Harryhausen classics. Dynamation doesn't hold a candle to the powers of today's CGI engines, but in its day it ruled the cineplex, at least as far as fantasy went. Sinbad's voyage across the seas to find the Fountain of Destiny was fun and exhilarating and awesome in its day.
Of course, this is more a sentimental favorite than a real 'All-time Top Ten' winner, but it works for me. And of course, there was Caroline Munro…
#2 – Willow
"The power to control the world is in which finger?" the High Aldwin asks the young apprentice hopefuls, holding out his hand.
"I was going to say my own," Willow later admits, after first choosing poorly.
"That is the correct answer!" Billy Barty's High Aldwin exclaims. "You lack faith in yourself."
Willow is one of those movies that just makes me smile. It's funny and different and has quirky characters, but the fantasy element is strong and Val Kilmer (Top Gun, Heat, Wonderland), Warwick Davis (Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, the Harry Potter movies) and Joanne Whalley (Scandal, The Man Who Knew Too Little) are all great. Especially Kilmer. Davis' Willow gives the movie its heart and soul; Kilmer's Madmartigan gives it the proper excitement and humor.
What I like about Willow most is that it avoided all of the Conan rip-offs of the day. No muscle-bound hero, no comedic side-kicks, no supreme magical spell/artifact/being/weapon (unless you count Princess Elora herself). It was an honest tale in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien, about simple people trying to thwart evil.
#3 – The Frighteners
One of my favorite movies, The Frighteners is a little bit horror movie, little bit comedy, little bit fantasy, little bit love story, and a whole lot of cool rolled into one hundred-and-ten-minute roller coaster ride. Michael J. Fox (The Back to the Future movies, Family Ties, Spin City) is funny and believable as Frank Bannister, a self-proclaimed 'psychic investigator' who claims to be able to rid the living of the mischievous spirits of the dead, when in fact he's a psychic con man who sends in the spirits to drum up business in the first place. Until he runs into the Grim Reaper, taking a deadly toll on the small coastal town Frank inhabits, at which point he begins to use his powers for good in an inhuman man-hunt.
Bannister's ghost side-kicks are hilarious, the sight gags are funny, and the scary parts have the right amount of creep in them. The whole movie is fast-paced and fun, and while some bits of the storyline are fuzzy, it's a blast right up until the end credits roll to the tune of 'Don't fear the reaper'.
#4 – Conan the Barbarian (1982)
This pick needs little explanation. I'm a life-long Conan fan; the Howard stories and novels, the Marvel comics, the movies, the ongoing novels by various authors, the Age of Conan MMO (though that was short-lived), and of course numerous toys and other stuff. And Conan the Barbarian is one of the pinnacles of barbarian culture there is. The original, that is, though the recent remake was a fairly decent movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger's hero, James Earl Jones' villain, Mako's gritty narration, and Sandahl Bergman's fiery Valeria come together in what might have otherwise been a terrible movie. Many still think it is, but I beg to differ. Conan came forth in the era in-between Claymation and CGI, after Clash of the Titans but before Jurassic Park, but the effects were good enough.
#5 – Shrek 2
Disney was the king of all things animated for seventy years, and lately Pixar has ruled that roost. But Dreamworks Animation absolutely nailed the animated fantasy adventure with the Shrek series, and the best one by far is the second installment. This is one of the few sequels that surpassed the first. The clever twist on fairytale standards begun in Shrek goes crazy in the sequel, with Prince Charming, the Fairy Godmother, the frog turned prince (and then king), and the fairytale land Far, Far Away all getting a well-deserved skewering as Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and the whole troop make a joyous wreck of everyone else's plans and schemes.
The tongue-in-cheek references are just the icing on the cake; Shrek 2 is a movie I can watch again and again and never get tired of seeing Pinocchio getting jiggy wit' it chanting "I'm a real boy! I'm a real boy! I'm a…" *poof* "Awwwww…"
Color me tickled pink.
#6 – The Princess Bride
What can be said about The Princess Bride that hasn't already been said? Nothing, nothing at all. Why do people love this movie so much? You mean, you don't? Inconceivable! Ok, lemme 'splain. No, there is no time. Lemme sum up:
It's not a kissing book, but there is some of that in there. And the hero is not left-handed, but he is the dread Pirate Roberts. Sort of. But give him a break, he's been mostly dead all day. And the other hero's name is Inigo Montoya; someone killed his father, and they better prepare to die. You still don't know what the story is about? Inconceivable! It's about true love, of course. And perfect breasts. And having fun storming the castle.
Wow. That makes me want to watch the movie again. What's that? You still don't know how that movie is on my Top Ten list?
I know, I keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
#7 – Monty Python and the Holy Grail
I won't bombard you with movie quotes from this one, the most quotable of all movies ever made, whether by the Python troop or not. Holy Grail is, quite simply, the Holy Grail of all comedies.
What is your favorite movie? The Holy Grail! No, wait, The Lord of the… AHHHH!!!!!!!
#8 – Sleepy Hollow
Tim Burton is a great director (Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland (2009)), and his ongoing collaboration with Johnny Depp (Donnie Brasco, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) has given us some great fantasies over the years (did Edward Scissorhands really come out more than twenty years ago? Sheesh, I'm old…) To me, almost all of Burton's work is great in its geeky, off-kilter, out-of-the-box way, but none shines like his take on Ichabod Crane. The plot elements from Washington Irving's original story, the screenplay by Kevin Yagher and Andrew Kevin Walker, the atmosphere Burton creates, the innocent beauty portrayed by Christina Ricci, and the superb fish-out-of-water academic played by Depp, is a perfect storm of fantasy creativity.
The Headless Horseman is especially well-conceived, with Ray Park (The Phantom Menace, X-Men) performing the combat acrobatics and Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter, The Dead Zone, True Romance) giving 'the Hessian' ghoulish life when his head is in place. The curse, the old tree, the vengeful witch, the sleepy town, the foggy woods, they all come together in the perfect blend of fantasy, horror and, thanks to Depp, humor amidst the gore.
#9 – Excalibur
John Boorman's masterpiece tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is my kind of fantasy movie. It's dark, gritty and foreboding. It pulls no punches and doesn't candy-coat. Arthur is the boy hero but he's also fatally flawed, Merlin is the all-knowing but equally-flawed magician, and of course the relationship between Guinevere and Lancelot is passionate, compelling and tragic. Combat is harsh and cruel and down-in-the-mud filthy, and not many of my friends came away from that movie wanting to swing a sword for a living. Boorman's hallmark was always his ability to set a mood, dark and deep, that grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go. And Excalibur is all of that, and Boorman's finest work.
"Good and evil," Merlin says wisely. "There never is one without the other." Indeed.
#10 – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Whose blood doesn't start pumping faster at the rousing opening notes of the theme to Indiana Jones? Ok, I know what you're thinking. You're probably thinking "Wait a minute! This isn't a fantasy film, at least not in the truest sense of the word." But hang on, it does contain magic. At the very least it contained religious paranormalism, which is pretty darned close even if you don't think of it as real 'magic.' But let's not get into a debate about that, shall we? Inevitably, no minds would get changed and it would only spoil the mood.
Raiders was and still is one of the greatest classic adventure movies of all time (fantasy adventure movies, that is!). And besides, I could not allow myself to have a Top Ten Fantasy list without a Spielberg movie on it.
#11 – The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
I assume that you wouldn't be reading this article unless you were interested in fantasy movies yourself, so there should be no need to explain this at all. In fact, it almost goes without saying. As in I almost didn't even list it, since almost any Fantasy Top Ten Movie list would in reality go up to an understood Eleven, and Eleven would be The Lord of the Rings.
But if you are aren't a fantasy fan, reading this for some other reason (I have no idea what that might be), let me educate you as to why The Lord of the Rings is the most awesome fantasy ever. It's the chicks. All those elven chicks running around in leather halter tops with bare midriffs, and the scenes where they make out with the heroes (that rules!). And all of the dragons, the ones rampaging across the skies and waylaying all those armies of trolls and skeletons, yeah, that's what it was. And the big, strong hero guys in cool-looking armor on horseback with the huge magic swords cutting all of the bad guys' heads off, those guys rule. Oh, and the awesome sorcerer combat scenes where the wizards are hurling fireballs and lightning bolts and vorpal bunny swarms at each other. These movies totally rock!
Of course, all those common tropes of hum-drum fantasy movies are not in LOTR, and that's what makes it so awesome. Years ago, a friend of mine summed it up perfectly. "In most fantasy, the heroes are questing for all-powerful magic that's central to their success and will make them famous. In The Lord of the Rings, the heroes are striving to destroy the great magic so they can return to their normal lives." Fantastic.
Turn out the lights, this discussion is over.
(OK, not really, tomorrow… come back for ten more of our favorite fantasy movies).


text: POINT MARION, Pa. (AP) – State police have been looking for a woman who impersonated a Salvation Army bell ringer then stole a kettle filled with donations from in front of a southwestern Pennsylvania supermarket. Troopers from Uniontown say the incident happened sometime after the unknown white woman in her late 20s to early 30s showed up to relieve another bell ringer at the Shop 'N Save store in Point Marion Saturday evening. That's about 55 miles south of Pittsburgh, near the West Virginia border. The suspect took over the bell ringing about 7 p.m. but was gone by the time another volunteer arrived at 9 p.m. to take over. Police believe a white man wearing a dark hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans was with the suspect and helped her get away.

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S.H.I.E.L.D. your eyes if you don't want to be spoiled, because we've got some cool info about Joss Whedon's forthcoming project.
TVLine has obtained casting details regarding the ABC pilot, which is helmed by the Avengers writer/director and based on a peacekeeping group that appeared in both the summer blockbuster and various Marvel comics.
The live-action pilot's title is an acronym for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, a covert organization run by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in the movie.
Buffy creator Whedon is tentatively set to direct the pilot; he's also slated to write the series with his brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen.
RELATED | The CW Sets Airdate for Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Among those fighting the good fight:
SKYE | This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm.
AGENT GRANT WARD | Quite the physical specimen and "cool under fire," he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He's a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he's the kind of guy that grows on you.
AGENT ALTHEA RICE | Also known as "The Calvary," this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged.
AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS | These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other's company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he's a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.
What do you think of these character outlines, TVLiners? Who would you like to see cast in the roles? Hit the comments and sound off!Follow @kimroots


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According to how economists have long imagined us, the way we plan for retirement works somewhat like this:
- Phase one: straight out of school, we calculate how much money we're going to need after our working days are over, and lay down a carefully thought-out savings plan;
- Phase two: as we climb the corporate ladder, we're happily shaving larger and larger slices off our paycheques, pouring the cash into carefully selected and closely monitored investments;
- Phase three: we bid good-bye to our fellow co-workers of a lifetime and joyfully retire to freedom sixty-…. whatever.
Now, many of us have little to do with this picture-perfect rational saver: We don't know how to figure out how much money is enough; we've had so many temp jobs before landing the steady gig that it was impossible to plan (or so we tell ourselves); we have an instinctive aversion to payroll withdrawals; and we forever postponed filling out the paperwork to enrol in our company's pension plan.
That's why the Harper government's new pooled registered pension plans are set to include an auto-enrollment feature. We're talking about bill C-25, which lays out the federal government's vision of PRPPs and–unlike anything to do with Old Age Security–is the pension reform measure that's actually before parliament right now. PRPPs are voluntary pension schemes aimed at the 34 per cent of Canadians–mostly self-employed and small business employees–who have no workplace pension. Under the government's proposal, contributions would be pooled (allowing for lower administrative costs) and managed by private financial institutions.
While employer participation in a PRPP is voluntary, the employees of a company that opts in are automatically enrolled. They may choose to opt out of the plan, but no one will ask permission to sign them up. That little trick, Ottawa believes, will be enough to boost the number of Canadians with a retirement savings account. There's plenty of evidence to support this view. In the U.S., after Congress modified the rules around 401ks to favour automatic registration, the number of Americans saving through that type of retirement account grew dramatically, reaching almost 90 per cent in some companies. New Zealand and Australia have played around with auto-enrollment as well, with similarly staggering results. And the U.K. is currently in the process of rolling out similar automated schemes.
All of these pension reforms–and Ottawa's own bill, the Department of Finance confirmed–are based on research from the increasingly popular field of behavioural economics, which recognizes that many people in many circumstance don't act like rational actors. Behaviourists have been drawing up economic models that seek to incorporate factors that may muddle our rationality, such as instincts, myopia, inertia and laziness, and they've helped design a number of public policies that play off of those irrational tendencies to nudge us towards certain desired behaviors. Automatic enrollment for retirement accounts is just one example. The Obama administration, for instance, used behavioural economics to package its 2009 Making Work Pay tax credit in a way that was supposed to make Americans spend, rather than save, the extra money (judgment is still out on whether this one worked).
Needless to say, libertarians call policies like pension plans with auto-enrollment paternalistic. On the other hand, one could easily argue that if we can't behave like rational adults, maybe we do need a nanny state. Policymaking has always consisted of dreaming up schemes to channel collective behaviour toward certain desired outcomes. And in Canada, the government already uses automatic deductions to fund the Canada Pension Plan and OAS payments are funded from general revenues.
Yet, when it comes to making people save for retirement, there may be a happy medium between paternalists and libertarians: simplifying the way people enrol in a pension scheme. Studies where individuals were served with a simple enrollment form with a few predetermined options for contribution rates and asset allocation showed increases in participation of up to 20 percentage points , says James Choi, an associate professor of finance at Yale University. Admittedly, that's not quite as much as with auto-enrollment, which can boost registrations by up to 50 percentage points. But simplified enrolment, says Choi, allows people to choose the savings option that best serves their needs and preferences, whereas participants in auto-enrollment systems tend cluster around one default option that can't possibly serve, say, a young household as well as it does a couple close to retirement. Boris Palameta, senior research associate at the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation adds that automatic enrollment has also been associated with low savings rates: "If the path of least resistance is to stay in a plan at a certain, pre-set, default contribution rate, people will usually do that, and it may not be to their advantage, especially is the default rate is pretty low, which it usually is."
Moreover, automatic enrollment may not be the best approach in the case of companies with a high employee turnover, notes Choi. In Australia, for example, the Superannuation Guarantee system requires employers to withhold nine per cent of employee earnings to be channeled towards retirement savings, but 20 per cent of individual accounts, each holding an average of $2,000, have become abandoned property because people switched jobs without leaving so much as an email address behind.
Even in the U.S. there are signs that the impact of auto-enrollment on participation rates may be leveling off somewhat, possibly because workers eventually opt out and employers that match employee contributions become concerned about the costs of high enrollment, says Palameta. "The States are a pioneer in this, and I guess they realized some of the shortcomings too," he notes, adding that "they might have to do some tinkering with the automated nature of the system."
In Ottawa, meanwhile, automatic enrollment has at least one enthusiastic supporter: financial institutions. Econowatch needn't tell you why.


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Tonight: Hearing on future of glen-to-glen Stroud Township trail
Residents will have the chance to comment on a draft feasibility study about the possibility of building a trail connecting Glen Park in Stroudsburg with Glen Brook Golf Club in Stroud Township.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. today at the Day Street Community Center in East Stroudsburg.
The project is sponsored by the Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission and the Monroe County Planning Commission.
This particular trail is part of a bigger project to build an overall system of interconnected trails and greenways for Monroe County that will provide pedestrian and bicycle links between residential areas, regional trails, parks, open space and other destinations.
The feasibility study was first undertaken in May. The study was paid for by a $10,000 grant from the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which was matched by the Monroe County Planning Commission.
This will be the last meeting before the study is completed, said Tim Herd, director of the SROSRC.
As the name implies, the study examines the feasibility of the project, he said.
Herd was unsure how much it might cost to install the trail system. The cost would depend on the exact path of the trails.
The feasibility study presents several options on where the trail could go. It has been determined the most direct route would involve traversing several private properties.
"What we would be looking for is to negotiate with property owners. Whether that can happen immediately is not yet known," Herd said.
Other, less direct routes, may necessitate longer trails which could end up costing more money.
Public participation is considered a key element of the project, Herd said.
Tonight, project consultant Simone Collins of Landscape Architecture in Norristown will present the study findings and address questions or concerns from the public.
Comments from residents who attend the meeting will be considered in the final draft of the feasibility study.
If the commission decides to move forward with this particular trail project, it would be up to commission members to raise the money for the project, Herd said.
"We are working on developing a volunteer trail-building group who would be trained," Herd said.
That would be one way of alleviating the cost of installing the pathway.
"We have some volunteers now, but we want to get a little bit more organized and train others. We would still need to purchase some materials and equipment rental, but it would be fairly cheap," Herd said.
For more information the project, contact Gary Bloss or Herd at 570-426-1512.


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As has been my practice this summer, I will be (mostly) only sharing photos today. I tried using the Block Editor (Guttenberg) to prepare this post like the one I did on Thursday. That train derailed. I'll explain later, especially if I ever figure it out.
That's The Building Museum. I featured that in a Thursday Doors post in March 2017.
My last night in Silver Spring, MD was spent under a thunderstorm watch.
Maddie and I are still walking very early. Trying to avoid the heat and the other early walkers.
As we approach Veterans Park (some call it Maddie's park).
Attempting to focus on the small mushroom, but my camera decided the water drops in the back were more interesting.
"The crows have challenged us to a soccer match. Let's go."
"The little guys have accepted our challenge. Let's get ready."
This photo is for Peter Nena.
We've walked. We've sat outside. Now we rest.
"What?" – MuMu is wandering around today.


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You are currently browsing the daily archive for May 10, 2010.
Rain kept me from taking the ferry the morning of the crash. If I had, I'm not sure I'd have been on the one that left Whitehall at 9, but I could have been. My wishes for speedy and complete healing to those hurt. That's Andrew J. Barberi left and (I believe) Spirit of America right.
Some surprises came out of the incident and this NYTimes article Sunday morning: Barberi has a Voith-Schneider propulsion system! I did two posts about a tug named Orion with this "egg-beater" drive here and here back in 2008. When I hunted deeper, I found that four other ferries have the same propulsion: Molinari, Newhouse, Noble, and Austen! Click links for their namesakes; start with Austen and work back.
Looking still farther, I learned that Barberi was not the original name for the boat. Aldo Moro was. Do you remember his fame and fate? What's not clear is when the switch in names was made.
I've wanted to use this quote a long time . . I guess today works: "The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes, in seeing the universe with the eyes of another, of hundreds of others, in seeing the hundreds of universes that each of them sees." Marcel Proust said that. I'm working on new eyes every day; prop wash that I see each time this passenger approaches the ferry dock never suggested Voith-Schneider drives to me. Who knew?
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.


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U.S, court charges al-Qaida spokesman on 9/11 crimes
WASHINGTON - A senior al-Qaida leader and member of Osama bin Laden's inner circle was charged Thursday with conspiring to kill Americans in his role as the terror network's top propagandist who lauded the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 - and warned there would be more.
Officials said Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, who was born in Kuwait and was bin Laden's son-in-law, was captured in Jordan over the last week. He will appear Friday in U.S. federal court in New York, according to a Justice Department statement and indictment outlining the accusations against Abu Ghaith.
"No amount of distance or time will weaken our resolve to bring America's enemies to justice," Attorney General Eric Holder said in the statement. "To violent extremists who threaten the American people and seek to undermine our way of life, this arrest sends an unmistakable message: There is no corner of the world where you can escape from justice because we will do everything in our power to hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
The case marks a legal victory for the Obama administration, which has long sought to charge senior al-Qaida suspects in American federal courts instead of holding them at the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But it immediately sparked an outcry from Republicans in Congress who do not want high-threat terror suspects brought into the United States.
"If this man, the spokesman of 9/11, isn't an enemy combatant, who is?" Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters. Abu Ghaith "should be going to Gitmo. He should be kept there and questioned."
The Justice Department said Abu Ghaith was the spokesman for al-Qaida, working alongside bin Laden and current leader Ayman al-Zawahri, since at least May 2001. Abu Ghaith is a former mosque preacher and teacher and urged followers that month to swear allegiance to bin Laden, prosecutors said.
The day after the 9/11 attacks, prosecutors say he appeared with bin Laden and al-Zawahri and called on the "nation of Islam" to battle against Jews, Christians and Americans.
A "great army is gathering against you," Abu Ghaith said on Sept. 12, 2001, according to prosecutors.
Shortly afterward, Abu Ghaith warned in a speech that "the storms shall not stop - especially the airplanes storm" and advised Muslims, children and al-Qaida allies to stay out of planes and high-rise buildings. In one video, he was sitting with bin Laden in front of a rock face in Afghanistan. Kuwait stripped him of his citizenship after 9/11.
In 2002, under pressure as the U.S. military and CIA searched for bin Laden, prosecutors said Abu Ghaith was smuggled into Iran from Afghanistan.
Tom Lynch, a research fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, described Abu Ghaith as one of a small handful of senior al-Qaida leaders "capable of getting the old band back together and postured for a round of real serious international terror."
"His capture and extradition not only allows the U.S. to hold - and perhaps try - a reputed al-Qaida core survivor, further tarnishing the AQ core brand, but it also points to the dangers for those few remaining al-Qaida core refugees," Lynch said.
Abu Ghaith's trial will mark one of the first prosecutions of senior al-Qaida leaders on U.S. soil. Charging foreign terror suspects in American federal courts was a top pledge by President Barack Obama shortly after he took office in 2009 - aimed, in part, to close Guantanamo Bay.
Republicans have fought the White House to keep Guantanamo open. Several GOP lawmakers on Thursday said Abu Ghaith should be considered an enemy combatant and sent to Guantanamo, where he could be questioned more thoroughly than his lawyers likely will allow as a federal defendant on U.S. soil.
Generally, Guantanamo detainees have fewer legal rights and due process than they would have in a court in America but could potentially yield more information to prevent future threats.
Graham, the South Carolina senator, accused the White House of sneaking Abu Ghaith into the U.S. to avoid any backlash from Congress.
Since 9/11, 67 foreign terror suspects have been convicted in U.S. federal courts, according to watchdog group Human Rights First, which obtained the data from the Justice Department through a Freedom of Information Act request.
By comparison, of the thousands of detainees who were swept up shortly after the terror attacks and held at Guantanamo Bay, only seven were convicted by military tribunals held at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba, the watchdog group said. The vast majority have been sent back overseas, either for rehabilitation or continued detention and prosecution.
Exactly how the U.S. captured Abu Ghaith is still unclear.
Rep. Peter King of New York, the former GOP chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, credited the CIA and FBI with catching al-Qaida propagandist Abu Ghaith in Jordan within the last week. A Jordanian security official confirmed that Abu Ghaith was handed over last week to U.S. law enforcement officials under both nations' extradition treaty. He declined to disclose other details and spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that Abu Ghaith was caught on his way to Kuwait, shortly after leaving Turkey.
The newspaper said that Abu Ghaith was taken into custody more than a month ago at a luxury hotel in in Ankara, the Turkish capital. But Turkish officials decided he had not committed any crime in Turkey and released him, the newspaper reported.
In Ankara, Turkish officials refused to confirm Abu Ghaith's deportation or his capture in Jordan to The Associated Press. U.S. intelligence officials in Washington and New York also declined to confirm details.


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Where do we even begin? The "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" season 3 super trailer was just released and Chile, Mondays are about to get a lot better.
The gang's all back with a few new faces including Waka Flocka, Bambi and Yung Joc. Check all the ratchet moments that we can't wait to play out in front of our eyes!
Stevie & Joseline Are In Marital Bliss
Our favorite couple Stevie J and Joseline Hernandez are in marital bliss. Joseline finally got Stevie to settle down and he seems happy, whodathunkit? The couple continue to build their relationship this season and are living together in a massive mansion. The super trailer opens with Stevie playing a melody at his grand white piano then we are quickly thrown into Mimi and Nikko's story line….
Stevie & Nikko Fight
Who leaked the sex tape? That's one of the major questions on this season of "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta." In case you missed it, Mimi Faust and her opportunist boyfriend Nikko have a home video that will hit the Internet in 7 days (and counting). Mimi claims to be distraught about it in the recently released teaser, but we're not buying it (especially when then stills from the video looks quite staged). Stevie confronts Nikko about releasing the tape and a physical altercation ensues. Tension between the two men had been boiling since Mimi first introduced them.
Joseline Hernandez responded to the trailer on Twitter:
Kirk Has Lost His Mind
Remember last season of "L&HHATL" when Kirk had a threesome with two random popcorn groupies? Well he's still on that ish. "A baby come out of they vagina, we have to take they word if they say it's yours," says Kirk. Well thanks for the anatomy lesson, but you're out of line sir! Kirk swabbed his newborn baby (straight Melanie from "The Game" style) and conducted a paternity test because he was just that sure Rasheeda was cheating on him. After finding out the results (we don't know yet, but we have a really good inclination that the baby is his) he hires a nanny who looks a day older than 16, to watch their son and…he watch her. Rasheeda and Kirk's marriage is clearly on the verge of divorce (if you believe their storyline to be true)…
Yung Joc Is Cheating On Karlie Redd
Apparently when Yung Joc comes home to Karlie Redd he smells like a mixture of perfume and fish (down there), so what does Karlie do to remedy the situation? Asks the promiscuous rapper to move in with her so she can keep tabs on him, of course. Karlie claims to love Joc even though she loved Benzino last season. She finally confronts the woman who's allegedly been sleeping with Joc and finds out, face-to-face, that the woman has been sleeping with Joc every night.
We just can't take Karlie serious. Moving on…
Lil Scrappy Is Up The Same Ole', Same Ole'
Scrappy dun got another chick pregnant outside of his relationship with Bambi (she appeared on "Basketball Wives: LA") who was the rebound chick to his fiance Erica Dixon and side chick Shay Johnson. Scrappy and Bambi were rocking steady, so we thought, but Scrappy introduces us to his new side chick who might actually be the main chick (sounds like Peter and Amina's storyline). When Bambi finds out about Scrappy's other woman, all h*ll ensues.
Oh and, one of them is pregnant!
Waka Flocka and his love interest make their debut on the show and we think their storyline will be less ratchet then the veteran cast, but since we're dealing with a rapper, we'll reserve our judgment until we see how he behaves this season. Cameras were also able to capture footage from the Benzino shooting incident that made headline news recently. You didn't think Mona Scott-Young was going to let that moment go without capitalizing off of it now did you?
Sigh. We can always count on "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" to revive reality TV.
MUST READ: 'L&HHATL' Stars Release Sex Tape
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Blac Chyna Spotted Out After Dissolving Facial Fillers
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Angela Bassett Reveals The Movie Offers Stopped Rolling In For 18 Months After Her First Oscar Nomination
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The Internet Reacts To Chloe Bailey And Damson Idris' Steamy' Swarm' Sex Scene
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46 Photos Of Black Celebrity Women Who Rocked The Hell Out Of Short Cuts
Angela Simmons Poses With Her Boo Yo Gotti In Stylish Givenchy Boots


text:
Welcome to the Jalopnik Weekend Motorsports Roundup, where we let you know what's going on in the world of racing, where you can see it, and where you can talk about it all in one convenient place. Where else would you want to spend your weekend?
This will be, in short, a fun weekend. You may think it's because there is a Formula One race this weekend. You may think it's because there are two Indy races in Canada this weekend. You may even think it's because there is a Global Rallycross race in New York this weekend.
In short, you're right.
F1 returns to the Hockenheim ring, Indy returns to T.dot, and Global Rallycross makes a triumphant arrival in New York. No, not in New York City, as you may be thinking, but close enough. Just about an hour out of the city, with traffic, on the Belt Parkway, to the southern state, and then just a short hop on the Meadowbrook Parkway, get off at Hempstead Turnpike, and then BOOM, you're there.
At Nassau Coliseum, home of the world's greatest hockey team, the New York Islanders, and Red Bull Global Rallycross New York.
Oh, you're still unfamiliar with Global Rallycross? Well a) what the hell is wrong with you, and, b) oh, you've been frozen in carbonite since 1967?
Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Drill & Driver Kit
#1 Best-seller
Comes equipped with an LED which goes on when the trigger is pulled. You'll a clear view of whatever you are drilling or screwing with minimal shadows.
Well I guess that's understandable then.
Global Rallycross is absolutely awesome.
It combines the best slidey bits of rallying, with sweet jumps, tight corners, multiple cars on the track, and way, way overpowered compacts.
We're talking 650 horsepower Ford Fiestas.
And your favorite stars, like Ken Block and Tanner Foust are driving them.
If you're in the New York area, head out to Global Rallycross. If for no other reason than us, your Jalops, will be there, too.
If you know about anything we missed, or about good livestreams out there, let us know in the comments below.
All times below are EDT.
Formula One German Grand Prix Qualifying
Hockenheim,Baden-Württemberg, Germany
8 AM Saturday on CNBC (replay at 12 PM on NBCSN)
IndyCar Honda Indy Toronto Qualifying
Exhibition Place
Toronto, Canada
1:30 PM Saturday on NBCSN
IndyCar Honda Indy Toronto (Race #1)
Exhibition Place
Toronto, Canada
3 PM Saturday on NBCSN
NASCAR Nationwide Series EnjoyIllinois300.com Qualifying
Chicagoland Speedway
Joliet, Illinois
4 PM Saturday on FS2
NASCAR Nationwide Series EnjoyIllinois300.com
Chicagoland Speedway
Joliet, Illinois
8 PM Saturday on ESPN2
Formula One German Grand Prix
Hockenheim,Baden-Württemberg, Germany
7:30 AM Sunday on CNBC (replay at 12 PM Sunday on NBCSN)
Red Bull Global Rallycross New York
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, New York
2 PM Sunday on NBC
NHRA Mile High Nationals
Bandimere Speedway
Morrison, Colorado
2:30 PM Sunday on ESPN
IndyCar Honda Indy Toronto (Race #2)
Exhibition Place
Toronto, Canada
3 PM Sunday on NBCSN
Photo credit: Red Bull Global Rallycross


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Discussions about the fleshly appetites that taunt every Christian and how to overcome.
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5:17 PMZIP Password Recovery Magic 18.104.22.168
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Products made by Ohio inmates see rising profits
Associated Press
CHILLICOTHE: From toilet paper and license plates to processed meat and furniture, products made by Ohio inmates are becoming increasingly profitable as the state's prisons act more like private businesses.
A report released this week shows that in fiscal 2013, Ohio Penal Industries made $7.8 million, the fourth straight year of increased profits.
The Chillicothe Gazette in southern Ohio reports that the profits represent a turnaround from a $4.6 million deficit in fiscal 2009.
That's when prison industry programs were criticized for poor quality at higher prices that private industries.
To increase earnings, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction closed eight unprofitable prison industry shops.
By fiscal 2013, only three of 21 industry programs in 14 prisons across the state were in the red.


text:
- Research article
- Open Access
- Published:
Independent associations of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies and rheumatoid factor with radiographic severity of rheumatoid arthritis
Arthritis Research & Therapy volume 8, Article number: R128 (2006)
7895 Accesses
89 Citations
Several recent publications have established a strong association between anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP)-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and carriage of shared epitope (SE) alleles. Although anti-CCP have also been associated with more severe RA, the issue of whether this is independent of rheumatoid factor (RF) has not been addressed. To identify associations between RF, anti-CCP, SE status and radiological damage, we studied a large cross-sectional cohort with longstanding RA. Individuals (n = 872) enrolled in the study all fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA, had a minimum disease duration of 3 years, and at least one definite radiographic erosion was present in hands or feet. Radiographs were scored blind at study entry by a single musculoskeletal radiologist using a modified Larsen's score. Anti-CCP and RF levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and DRB1 typing was performed using polymerase chain reaction based methodology. Both anti-CCP and RF levels were strongly associated with radiographic severity (P < 0.0001). In subgroups stratified for both anti-CCP and RF status, evidence of independent associations of both antibodies with radiographic outcome was found (P < 0.0001). An association of SE alleles with radiographic severity was present only in RF-negative individuals. Anti-CCP positivity was associated with SE status with evidence of a gene-dose effect, most markedly in RF-negative individuals (P < 0.01). Anti-CCP and RF status are independent severity factors for RA, with SE alleles playing at most a secondary role. Our data support the view that previously described associations between SE and radiological severity, especially in RF-negative patients, may be indirect and due to an association with anti-CCP.
Antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) exhibit high specificity for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [1]. Recent studies demonstrated that shared epitope (SE) alleles are strongly associated with anti-CCP-positive but not anti-CCP-negative RA [2], and indeed are more strongly associated with anti-CCP than with RA itself [3, 4]. These findings lend strong support to the concept of anti-CCP-positive RA as a distinct entity [2]. Furthermore, anti-CCP has been shown to influence radiographic progression in prospective studies, with some evidence of an interaction with SE alleles [2, 5]. However, the presence of anti-CCP is associated with the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) [3], which also is an established severity factor in RA in prospective studies of progression [6] as well as longstanding disease [7].
Whether associations of anti-CCP with disease severity are independent of RF remains unclear. The influence of SE alleles on disease severity appears to vary among populations, with most studies suggesting an association with erosivity [8]. Several studies have suggested that the association of SE alleles with radiographic outcome is relevant only in RF-negative individuals [8–10]. Because carriage of SE alleles is associated with anti-CCP but not RF, it was recently suggested [3] that effects of SE alleles on disease severity may be indirect and secondary to an association with anti-CCP. In the present study we determined associations between radiographic outcome in longstanding disease (as assessed by modified Larsen's score) and RF, anti-CCP and SE alleles. We report independent associations of RF and anti-CCP with radiographic severity of disease, suggesting that both of these factors may have important influence on pathways that lead to joint damage. We concur with previous studies suggesting that SE alleles are associated with radiographic outcome only in RF-negative individuals, and confirm a strong association between anti-CCP status and SE alleles, with evidence of a gene-dose effect. This association is most striking in RF-negative individuals, supporting the hypothesis that the association of SE alleles with disease severity in RA may act via anti-CCP.
Materials and methods
Patients with established RA attending outpatient clinics at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK were enrolled in the study between 1999 and 2006. Research ethics committee approval was obtained for the study (SSREC protocol number 02/186) and all participants gave informed consent. All subjects were white Caucasian, fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA [11], had a minimum disease duration of 3 years, and had at least one definite radiographic erosion in hands or feet. Radiographs of hands and feet were scored blind at study entry by a single musculoskeletal radiologist (DJM) using a modification to Larsen's score [12]. To check whether scoring was consistent, 10% of films were selected at random and returned for repeat blinded analysis. A weighted kappa score was calculated to quantify the intra-observer variation in the modified Larsen scoring. The weighted kappa score was 0.83, indicating very good agreement between the initial and repeat scores.
Antibody measurement and genotyping
Anti-CCP levels were measured using the DIASTAT™ anti-CCP ELISA (Axis-Shield, Cambs, UK). The semiquantitative protocol was used as recommended by the manufacturer and a cut-off of 5.5 units/ml was established based on mean plus three standard deviations of values obtained from 100 age-matched control individuals. RF was measured using a nephelometric method on the Dade Behring BN2 nephelometer. Genotyping for DRB1 alleles was performed using polymerase chain reaction based methods [13]. The following DRB1 alleles were classified as SE alleles: *0101, *0102, *0104, *0401, *0404, *0405, *0408, *0409, *0410, *0413, *0416, *0419, *0421 and *1001.
Statistical analyses
Quantitative variables were compared between groups by Student's t-test or by one-way analysis of variance, as appropriate. Proportions of anti-CCP-positive individuals were compared between subgroups by χ2 tests with two degrees of freedom and are described as odds ratios with 95% confidence limits derived using Miettinen's test-based approximation.
Characteristics of the study population
A total of 872 individuals were included in the cohort. The mean disease duration was 18 years (range 3–65 years). Mean age at onset was 41 years (range 17–80 years) and mean age at assessment was 59 years. The proportion of females in the cohort was 73%. The majority of patients (93.7%) had been treated with disease-modifying agents. Neither disease duration nor the proportion of DMARD (disease-modifying antirheumatic drug)-naïve individuals was significantly different between the subgroups analyzed in Tables 1, 2, 3 below (data not shown).
Association among radiographic outcome, RF and anti-CCP status
In our cohort both anti-CCP and RF were strongly associated with radiographic severity, as measured using Larsen's score (P < 0.0001), as was reported previously (Table 1). Additionally, in subgroups stratified for both anti-CCP and RF status we found evidence of independent associations of both RF and anti-CCP with radiographic outcome. Those with both RF and anti-CCP expressed the most severe disease (mean Larsen's score 49.6); those with RF but not anti-CCP, or without RF but with anti-CCP were intermediate in terms of severity; and double-negative patients had the mildest disease (P < 0.0001, analysis of variance).
Association between SE copy number and radiographic outcome in patients stratified for RF and anti-CCP
We next examined the potential influence of SE alleles on radiographic outcome in our cohort by determining associations between copy number of SE alleles and Larsen's score in patients stratified for both RF and anti-CCP status. A weak association of SE alleles with radiographic severity was found only in RF-negative patients, with evidence of a gene-dose effect (Table 2). Although a trend toward an association between SE copy number and radiographic outcome was seen in the cohort as a whole (Table 2), this was not statistically significant. Notably such a trend was not apparent in anti-CCP-positive or anti-CCP-negative subgroups.
SE copy number is associated with anti-CCP status
Because both anti-CCP positivity and levels have been associated with SE status, we were interested in the magnitude of this association in our cohort. We also found strong associations between carriage of SE alleles and anti-CCP status, with evidence of a gene-dose effect (Table 3). This was statistically significant both in the cohort as a whole as well as in RF-positive and RF-negative subgroups, but the magnitude of this effect was maximal in RF-negative patients, with an odds ratio of 6.16 for anti-CCP positivity in individuals with two SE alleles compared with none. Conversely, the magnitude of this effect was smallest in the RF-positive patients. We found no association between SE copy number and RF status in a similar analysis (data not shown).
Clarification of the relationship between DRB1 alleles, RF, anti-CCP and disease severity remains a matter of considerable importance both clinically (prediction of disease phenotype and the design of clinical trials/studies) and because of the pathogenetic insights that may result. Recent studies have highlighted the association between anti-CCP and radiographic progression in early RA. However, because RF and anti-CCP coexist in the majority of individuals with RA, few studies examining the influence of anti-CCP on disease severity have been sufficiently powered to stratify for RF status. In one such study of radiographic progression [14], the presence of RF independently of anti-CCP did not appear to influence progression of early disease. We found that anti-CCP antibodies are strongly associated with radiographic outcome in a cross-sectional cohort with established disease. In our study the presence of RF alone and anti-CCP alone were associated with similar radiographic outcomes, with patients without either antibody clearly accumulating less damage. This finding suggests that both RF and anti-CCP are independent severity factors for RA.
The association between SE alleles and radiographic outcome in RA has been extensively debated [15]. The situation is considered to be complex, with ethnic background and other factors playing significant roles. Most recent analyses [8] suggested that the primary association of SE alleles is with the development of erosions, especially in RF-negative individuals [9, 10]. The influence of SE alleles on severity of radiographic damage is less clear, but again there is evidence of an association in RF-negative individuals [7]. We also found a weak association between SE copy number and severity of radiographic damage in RF-negative patients only. In our cohort anti-CCP status was strongly associated with the SE, as has been reported previously, but a clear gene-dose effect was also evident. The magnitude of this effect was most striking in RF-negative patients, which supports the view that the association of SE with radiographic severity may be indirect and due to an association with anti-CCP. Because the proportion of RF-positive/SE negative individuals who were anti-CCP positive was still very high, at 83%, this may explain why no association between SE and radiographic severity was seen in this group.
The large sample size of our study is a strength and allows robust subgroup analyses; however, the cross-sectional design and selection of patients with longstanding and more severe (erosive) disease do raise the possibility of selection bias, and therefore the findings may not be generalizable to populations with milder disease. Nevertheless, we believe that our findings have some direct practical implications. They suggest that determinations of RF and anti-CCP have at least equivalent value in predicting the severity of radiographic damage in RA, with typing of DRB1 alleles being likely to provide little added information. They also support the concept that anti-CCP positive disease is a distinct pathogenetic entity associated with SE alleles, and that different pathways are responsible for driving the production of anti-CCP and RF.
We demonstrated that radiographic severity of RA is associated independently with both RF and anti-CCP. In addition, the finding that SE alleles are more strongly associated with anti-CCP in RF-negative individuals provides an explanation for the previously reported observation that SE alleles are only associated with radiographic severity in RF-negative individuals. These findings support the hypothesis that the association of SE alleles with RA severity may be secondary to anti-CCP positivity.
- anti-CCP:
= anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody
= rheumatoid arthritis
= rheumatoid factors
= shared epitope.
Schellekens GA, Visser H, de Jong BA, van den Hoogen FH, Hazes JM, Breedveld FC, van Venrooij WJ: The diagnostic properties of rheumatoid arthritis antibodies recognizing a cyclic citrullinated peptide. Arthritis Rheum. 2000, 43: 155-163. 10.1002/1529-0131(200001)43:1<155::AID-ANR20>3.0.CO;2-3.
Huizinga TW, Amos CI, van der Helm-van Mil AH, Chen W, van Gaalen FA, Jawaheer D, Schreuder GM, Wener M, Breedveld FC, Ahmad N, et al: Refining the complex rheumatoid arthritis phenotype based on specificity of the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope for antibodies to citrullinated proteins. Arthritis Rheum. 2005, 52: 3433-3438. 10.1002/art.21385.
Irigoyen P, Lee AT, Wener MH, Li W, Kern M, Batliwalla F, Lum RF, Massarotti E, Weisman M, Bombardier C, et al: Regulation of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis: contrasting effects of HLA-DR3 and the shared epitope alleles. Arthritis Rheum. 2005, 52: 3813-3818. 10.1002/art.21419.
van der Helm-van Mil AH, Verpoort KN, Breedveld FC, Huizinga TW, Toes RE, de Vries RR: The HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles are primarily a risk factor for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies and are not an independent risk factor for development of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2006, 54: 1117-1121. 10.1002/art.21739.
van Gaalen FA, van Aken J, Huizinga TW, Schreuder GM, Breedveld FC, Zanelli E, van Venrooij WJ, Verweij CL, Toes RE, de Vries RR: Association between HLA class II genes and autoantibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCPs) influences the severity of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004, 50: 2113-2121. 10.1002/art.20316.
Masi AT, Maldonado-Cocco JA, Kaplan SB, Feigenbaum SL, Chandler RW: Prospective study of the early course of rheumatoid arthritis in young adults: comparison of patients with and without rheumatoid factor positivity at entry and identification of variables correlating with outcome. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 1976, 4: 299-326. 10.1016/0049-0172(76)90013-5.
Mattey DL, Hassell AB, Dawes PT, Cheung NT, Poulton KV, Thomson W, Hajeer AH, Ollier WE: Independent association of rheumatoid factor and the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope with radiographic outcome in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2001, 44: 1529-1533. 10.1002/1529-0131(200107)44:7<1529::AID-ART275>3.0.CO;2-P.
Gorman JD, Lum RF, Chen JJ, Suarez-Almazor ME, Thomson G, Criswell LA: Impact of shared epitope genotype and ethnicity on erosive disease: a meta-analysis of 3,240 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Arthritis Rheum. 2004, 50: 400-412. 10.1002/art.20006.
El-Gabalawy HS, Goldbach-Mansky R, Smith D, Arayssi T, Bale S, Gulko P, Yarboro C, Wilder RL, Klippel JH, Schumacher HR: Association of HLA alleles and clinical features in patients with synovitis of recent onset. Arthritis Rheum. 1999, 42: 1696-1705. 10.1002/1529-0131(199908)42:8<1696::AID-ANR19>3.0.CO;2-K.
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This work was funded by a research grant from GlaxoSmithKline R&D, UK (Genetics of Rheumatoid Arthritis, GORA) and the Arthritis Research Campaign.
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Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
DM, MCD, DSM, MHB and AGW designed the study. AC, DJM, IM and JK acquired the data. DM performed data analysis and all of the authors were involved in the interpretation of the data. All of the authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Mewar, D., Coote, A., Moore, D.J. et al. Independent associations of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies and rheumatoid factor with radiographic severity of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther 8, R128 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1186/ar2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/ar2017
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Factor
- Radiographic Outcome
- Radiographic Progression
- Shared Epitope


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The Practice's Dylan McDermott Cops Lead Role in Kevin Williamson's CBS Thriller
Dylan McDermott has signed on to star in CBS' untitled thriller from The Following creator Kevin Williamson, TVGuide.com has learned.
The complete pilot report: CBS has Tea Leoni, HIMYM and NCIS spin-offs
The drama pilot features a pair of detectives who handle stalking incidents for the Threat Management Unit of the LAPD. McDermott will star as Detective Jack Larsen, a recent transfer to the Threat Assessment Unit from the Big Apple. Jack's confidence and quick thinking has gotten him into trouble in the past, but he hopes to leave that past behind.
Since his breakout role on The Practice, McDermott has starred on the first season of American Horror Story and CBS' serialized drama Hostages, which is not expected to be renewed for a second season.
(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)
View original The Practice's Dylan McDermott Cops Lead Role in Kevin Williamson's CBS Thriller at TVGuide.com
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Like many parishes in English-speaking dioceses around the globe, ours began a series of talks to help us understand the revised Missal that will go into effect this coming Advent, November 27, 2011. On our first evening together, we reviewed the people's responses.
Afterwards, one of our lectors asked me, "Sister, what's with of the "my faults" in the penitential rite (confesseo)? Doesn't it place too much emphasis on our sin? It sounds so…guilt ridden."
Questions like this are good for our dialogue as we prepare for the changes, and one of the great side-effects of the revised English texts is, the new library of formative material to help the faithful better reflect and understand what it is we are celebrating.
One such source is the book, "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass – Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy," by Edward Sri, published by Ascension Press:
The book goes through the parts of the Mass, giving the revised translation and an explanation of the text. First, within the context of the Liturgy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as a whole, and secondly, within the context of the Sacred Scripture and Church teaching. For example, the lector's question regarding the Confesseo is explained in the book under the sub-heading, "My Most Grievous Fault?":"…two points about the new translation of this prayer. Both improvements reflect the Latin text of the Mass and help underscore the seriousness of sin…at the beginning of this prayer, we now say "I have greatly sinned." This reflects David's repentant words to God, " I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing" (1Chr 21:8). Second, instead of simply saying, "through my own fault," we repeat it three times while striking our breasts as a sign of repentance…This line in the liturgy helps us recognize that sinning against God is no light matter" (p.34-35). __
The other aspect of the book is, it goes beyond the explanation of the revised parts of the Mass, making it also a fine catechesis of the Mass on a whole. In the introduction to Part III – The Liturgy of the Word, Sri takes eighteen pages to thoughtfully explain the reading of the Word of God and it's proper place in the overall liturgy of the Mass, where together with the Eucharist – the "source and summit" of the Christian Life – the Scriptures, form "one single act of worship." (quoting Pope Benedict, Sacramentum Caritatis, p.44) . He explains:"We need both the inspired word of God in the Scripture and the Incarnate Word of God present in the Blessed Sacrament. In the 1500s, Thomas à Kempis…expressed how much the soul longs to be nourished from both of these tables" (p.53)."
Sri goes on to review the use of the Sacred Scriptures in the Mass, the liturgical year and feasts; the readings and homily; the Creed and the Prayers of the Faithful. Another example of catechesis from Part IV – The Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Sursum Corda:
"What does it mean to "lift up" our hearts?…In the Bible, the heart is the hidden center of the person from which one's thoughts, emotions and actions originate. All intentions and commitments flow from the human heart. Therefore, when the priest at Mass says "Lift up your hearts, " he is summoning us to give our fullest attention to what is about to unfold. This is a "wake-up call" to set aside all other concerns and focus our minds, wills and emotions — our hearts — on the sublimity of what is happening in the Eucharistic prayer."
This is just one of many insights this book gives to the beauty and purpose of the sacred liturgy of the Mass. The title – A Biblical Walk Through the Mass – promises to tell us about the Mass from a Biblical perspective. It does include many scriptural references to help the reader reflect on the Biblical foundation for Catholic worship., its roots stemming from Jewish tradition, and brings to our memory the Psalms and Old Testament prayers that point to the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and his sharing intimately with his followers of His very self in the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. One last example, noting the change of the words the Priest says introducing the Lord's Prayer:
"At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say…"
We dare! Sri reminds us of Ancient Jewish practice of not calling God as "Father", although certainly they believed God is the Father of all the people of Israel. He explains, "it was not at all common for an individual to address God as 'Father.' Nevertheless, this is precisely what Jesus calls us to do…" Sri, then, goes on with another catechesis, looking at the seven parts of the Lord's Prayer.
I have found this book to be very enjoyable reading, a fluid style, easy to understand, that makes it easy for anyone to deepen their appreciation for what we are praying and doing during the Mass. It is also suitable as a source for one's reflection/meditation. Another point, because of its scripture references, it may be a good book to give to a Protestant friend who has questions about the center of Catholic worship.
There's also a study guide available in a questions and answers format, that summarizes the changes regarding the people's responses during the Mass, with a foldout of those changes. So, check it out!
Is your Parish have a program in place to help with the transition to the new translation of the Mass?


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We are so glad that you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies in two countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We all share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty. This is this months write-up at their blog Test Kitchen Secrets.
For the month of February we enjoyed each others company virtually and continued with our healthy themes and cooked up some HEALTHY ITALIAN!!! Mama mia!!!!! For this months virtual supper we shared a few bottles of Italian wine (perhaps a Brunello Montalcino or a Borolo) virtually as well as created a delicious menu from the pages of Cooking Light. We love to share these ideas with you each month by putting together a delicious meal for each other through our Virtual Supper Club. The idea is simple because we all share a common interest in cooking and all things "foodie". This is a team effort where we get together virtually once a month and combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!!
Authentic Italian dishes are very often based on just a few, humble ingredients. What makes them so tasty and delicious is that, over the centuries, Italians have discovered exactly how to achieve the perfect mix of flavours. With our Italian menu we hoped to do just that and created a balanced and healthy meal. Helene of La Cuisine d'Helene started us off with a delectable and traditional Italian Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Salad. Look at that buffalo mozzarella!!!! I brought along some Italian Stuffed Summer Vegetables to round out the meal following the rhythm of the seasons. This time of the year peppers of all colours, shapes and sizes are available and abundant from local greenhouses. I chose red and green sweet peppers to match the colours of the Italian flag. Jamie of Mom's Cooking Club offers us a comforting and classic pasta secondo with Spaghettini with Oil and Garlic. And as our main dish Aggie of Aggie's Kitchen brought a colourful and delicious dish of Shrimp Arrabbiata for us to savour. Sadly Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch was unable to join us this month. Check out everyone's links for photos and write-ups. Italian food is a celebration. A celebration of life, family and friends and a blessing which should be shared and enjoyed by all. Salute a cent'anno (health for a hundred years) !!!
The Silver Spoon cookbook says, "Eating is a serious matter in Italy. Cooking and food are among the finest expressions of Italian culture, vividly portraying the country's history and traditions. Like all other arts, cooking is based on measures and proportions,on the balance and fusion of different elements. It blends ancient traditions with contemporary innovation and evolves constantly, even in the twenty- first century, as a result of its position at the center of Italian family life. At home with family or friends, for a special occasion, in a fancy restaurant or in a humble trattoria, or even when preparing a simple everyday meal, for Italians, cooking is synonymous with good food, good wine and good company."
Whether rustic or sophisticated, Italian cooking is traditionally based on excellent, fresh, seasonal ingredients. This is one of the main reasons why Italian food varies so much from region to region and even from village to village. Italy is made up of 20 different regions, each with its own culinary traditions. And though the country is relatively small, the difference in the food from one region to the next is extraordinary. Italian cooking is based on Italy's rural traditions and depends very much on the vast variety of the country's agricultural produce. Yet even if nowadays you can find almost any kind of food at any time of the year, Italians still follow the rhythm of the seasons and will wait until spring to enjoy asparagus, or the summer for a fresh Insalata caprese. It is easy to eat healthily in Italy.
In Italian families, special occasions are still celebrated at home with a five-course meal (antipasto,first course, main course with vegetables, cheese and dessert). But, when eating everyday, a one-meal dish such as lasagne, pizza or ribollita will satisfy even the most demanding of appetites.The country's infinite variety of dishes allows Italians to create an excellent and healthy meal.
Although distance prevents us from gathering as a group in each others homes we have enjoyed sharing a well balanced meal through our Virtual Supper Club this month and have developed a Healthy Italian menu from Cooking Light magazine that is sure to bring smiles to the table. What would you bring to the table? Link to the Cooking Light blog Test Kitchen Secrets or to one of our blogs here and make something delicious from the pages of the magazine to add to our HEALTHY ITALIAN menu...the more the merrier!!!!
I brought back the taste of summer and sun-drenched Italian hillsides and wineries with these Italian Stuffed Summer Vegetables from the pages of Cooking Light. As the recipe calls for you can use a variety of vegetables which makes for a pretty presentation, but this can be made with all bell peppers as I did here. If you use only bell peppers as I have, which have no interior flesh, add equal amounts of additional breadcrumbs and tomatoes until you get enough filling. Using soft breadcrumbs adds to the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the tender vegetables. Because they are covered while baking, the vegetables keep moisture in, resulting in tender and delicate flesh.
You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Content must be credited to this author.


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(CNN) - Nearly three-fourths of the nation's teachers say they personally would not bring a firearm to their school if allowed, but most educators believe armed guards would improve campus safety, a new survey showed.
Since the December massacre by a lone gunman in Newtown, Connecticut, many schools have hastened to add safety measures in an effort to prevent similar violence.The most common step since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 first-graders and six educators dead has been ensuring that all doors are locked, teachers said.
Of the nearly 11,000 educators surveyed nationwide, most said they generally feel safe in their schools, but disagreed on whether their workplaces were safe from gun violence.
Nearly four in 10 school superintendents who responded said their schools were not safe from gun violence, slightly higher than the 31% of teachers who felt their schools were not safe.
January's online survey was conducted by School Improvement Network, a for-profit company that specializes in professional development for educators and partners with schools, districts, and educators.
Some 72.4% of educators said they would be unlikely to bring a firearm to school if allowed to do so.