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I asked a Catholic grad student colleague of mine to respond to a series of (somewhat boneheaded) questions that Mormons might ask of Catholics. Here is part one of our exchange:
Ronan: How would you respond to Mormons who say that the Catholic Church is the Great and Abominable Church of Satan?
Andrew: I would respond by telling them they are wrong–the Mormon Church is the Great and Abominable Church of Satan…!
Ronan: Mormons believe that the RC Church bases itself on the question of authority, that the Pope is the successor of Peter (and thus derived his authority from Christ), and that the Church is the One True Church. Mormons (and many/most Protestants) find this claim incredulous. Why? Because the horrors of the Catholic Church's medieval reign make clear that the Popes were not servants of Christ and that the Church was not the pure church of Christ. Discuss.
Andrew: I would like to answer this question in three parts: first, I will respond to the question of ecclessial continuity and authority; second, the issue of salvation outside the Catholic Church and ecumenism; and finally, I will offer some personal reflections on sin and the Catholic Church.
The first issue of succession and authority is, in my opinion, not at all unique to the Catholic Church. You are right that we Catholics believe that we are the heirs of a church mandated by Jesus Christ and founded by Peter and that its authority derives from that mandate. Isn't this what every Christian church is claiming in one way or another? How else is a Christian church to derive its authority (or reason for existence), except by in some way identifying itself as a (or the) mediator/interpreter/instrument of Christ's mission for the present world?
The second aspect of this question, I think, is the real heart of the matter: the idea of the "One True Church." It is one thing to say your church is the inheritor/steward/instrument of Christ's mission on earth, but it is much more objectionable to say your church is the ONLY inheritor/steward. And indeed the Catholic Church has a long history of making this exclusivistic claim. However, since the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) during the 1960s there has been, even in the official church teaching, a growing appreciation for non-Catholic faith traditions. I think the Catholic Church still claims its own doctrine as the fullest expression of Christ's mission on earth but acknowledges that the truth of His Gospel can be found in non-Catholic faiths also. This may seem not seem so earth-shattering a gesture, but in the snail-paced development of Catholic doctrine, it is a big step towards coming to terms with human epistemology and the (non?) viability of absolute truth claims.
I would add that most Catholics would confirm this openness to other faith traditions. Also, another important aspect of Vatican II is its emphasis on gesture in addition to doctrine. That is to say, Vatican II taught that doctrinal differences should not prevent a generous spirit of ecumenism from taking place, and this is indeed what you see on all levels of the Catholic Church: Pope John Paul II at the Western Wall, recent conciliatory gestures with the Eastern Orthodox and Lutheran churches, ecumenical liturgies in local faith communities. You may also remember that during the election for a new pope last year, Muslim-Christian relations was one of the recurring issues used to evaluate the strengths of some candidates.
In this way, I would say every such claim by a church is incredulous in that it requires faith to accept that church's teaching as authoritative. (I found it interesting Joseph Smith said of his revelation, "If I had not experienced what I have, I could not have believed it myself"). A particular church's claim may be incredulous, but its members accept it as a matter of faith. Catholics believe the pope is Peter's successor, Mormons believe Joseph Smith is an instrument of revelation, Lutherans believe Luther's reform represents an authoritative interpretation of the Gospel, etc. None of these, in my opinion, are immanently "credulous."
A professor once told me to notice the gestures because doctrine will be the last thing to change; if a change does come, it will be preceded by ecumenical gestures. If that is the case, then I think we have reason to hope for improved relations and openness between the Catholic Church and its sisters in faith. Finally, your question draws attention to the sinful history of the Catholic Church. You mentioned medieval atrocities, and we could go on to name countless other abominations right up to the current sexual abuse crisis. Are these atrocities the extreme opposite of Christ's message? Undoubtedly. Does such human sinfulness preclude Christ from working His mercy and justice in the present world? I sure hope not. If the sins of some clergy, no matter how egregious, shut out Christ's saving work, then what hope is there for me, who am nothing, if not a sinner?
Coming to terms with the depths of Christ's loving self-sacrifice means coming to terms with the depths of one's own sinfulness that left God no other choice but to sacrifice his own son to repair the rift human sinfulness has caused. The difference between the sins of those popes (or anyone else for that matter) and my own is one of degree and not kind, and if their sins cut off Christ for good, then so do mine. My own redemption depends on Christ's constantly being able to work amid my petty sinfulness and to transform my heart, and in my faith I cling to the belief that He does the same for the entire Catholic Church, no matter how sinfully it acts.
Incidentally, the logic of your argument on the effect of human sin and the church could cast a dark shadow on the first infant stages of the church. As I read the NT, Peter committed the ultimate sin by rejecting Christ three times when the going got tough…and he is supposed to be the rock. So much for the "pure church of Christ," if you meant that the beginnings of the church were more pristine that the present-day (Paul might also have something to say about the "purity" of the first churches). If human sin shuts Christ out, then Peter's rejection must have doomed us from the start! So we are left hoping that Christ could and did mitigate Peter's sins and can and will mitigate our own.


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Last Night's Bread and Circuses
Rob Meltzer
Watching fireworks last night, I was amazed by the extent to which we have devolved to accepting bread and circuses. I was in a place in which 25,000 people came to watch fireworks, while in Egypt millions of people poured in to the street to oust their fascist leader. You can have fireworks, but forget freedom, privacy, rule of law, respect for international norms etc etc. The irony was amazing that Egypt represents people power, while we are appeased with Chinese imports of all kinds.

subset: commoncrawl


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Damien by Jacquelyn Frank
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
From the blurb:
They are the Nightwalkers, mysterious beings who dwell in the shadows of our world, and Damien, the Vampire Prince, is among the most powerful of them all. But one woman will tempt him with a desire unlike anything he has known, and together they will face a terrifying and relentless foe...
As reigning Vampire Prince, Damien has tasted every pleasure the world has to offer--consorting with kings and queens and delighting in sensual adventure. Now, tired of such pursuits, he devotes his energies to protecting his people. The war between human necromancers and Nightwalkers has escalated, and when the enemy makes a daring move, kidnapping Syreena, a Lycanthrope Princess, Damien boldly follows. He succeeds in rescuing her, but is unprepared for the erotic longing her lush sensuality awakens in him.
Gifted with rare abilities, Syreena grew up in a cloistered setting and was forbidden to form attachments to others, yet the connection Damien feels with her is immediate, intoxicating, and impossible for either to resist. But claiming Syreena as his mate could have shattering repercussions for every Nightwalker--and leave their enemies more dangerous than ever before...
Temptation tastes sweetest at night.
As the title indicates, this book is about Damien, the Vampire Prince, who finds himself strangely attracted to Syreena, the Lycan Princess. When he follows her from the hidden Nightwalker Library and finds her nearly dead after an attack by Ruth, he takes an unusual and forbidden step to save her life. And for the first time in his very long life he's in love. Syreena isn't easily swayed but the pain and need she experiences after going home, coupled with Damien's honest questions and convictions, gets her quickly to the point where she accepts him as her destined mate.
The relationship permeates the book and Ms. Frank again draws richly complex characters against an action-packed and dangerous background. Damien is not used to answering to anyone but himself and this leads him to make some decisions that his mate fiercely objects to. Syreena on the other hand has spent her whole life doing what was best for other, following directions and doing as she was told, without ever considering what SHE wants. She can be feisty and certainly gives Damien a run for his money. Then there is Jasmine, who has been with Damien as his primary adviser for 5 centuries and who reacts with volatility and disdain at his choice of mate (as if that was truly a choice). She hatches a plot that takes Damien away from Syreena and nearly costs all three of them their lives.
The world Ms. Frank has created is rich with mysticism, mythical creatures and extraordinarily complex, passionate characters. The plot runs smoothly, secrets are revealed at appropriate times and the action scenes are richly described. The dialogue feels realistic, never stilted, and I found myself unable to put this book down unless I absolutely had to.
Each book of the series not only furthers the overall plot, but also the connection between the various Nightwalker species, forcing them into cooperation with one another and making this an extraordinary journey for all of them.
I must take a moment to thank my friend Michelle for alerting me to this series. Without her, I wouldn't have picked up the first book and would have missed out on something very unique and amazing.
On to the next one...
View all my reviews


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Muscle head's sustenance – what's the main thing which you are educated in review school underneath the key subject of nourishment? Commonly, it's the classifications of sustenance and what they offer, like go, create and gleam nourishments.
Kids comprehend issues like bread is really a go sustenance essentially in light of the fact that it falls under starches which gives our bodies control and that likewise an awesome arrangement desserts isn't respectable for the reason that our frameworks require an adjusted eating design.
In a ton a similar way, individuals that need muscle advancement must discover the primary things beneath jocks sustenance with the end goal for them to comprehend what and what not to expend. Thusly, they could understand the ideal advantages and joined with the correct activities, will start to get conditioned and shaped the restorative way.
Eat Often
All the accomplished coaches and individuals who have achieved most extreme bulk say a similar issue in regards to jocks nourishment: littler and additional incessant suppers for the duration of the day are far superior than 3 critical dinners. Why? It's on account of the additional regularly you expend, the faster your digestion moves toward becoming.
This equivalents considerably more fat misfortune and you turn away your body from going into its catabolic state, or the state wherein muscle development stagnates, which happens directly following 3 or four hours. This can be the point at which your body supposes it can be ravenous and utilizes your fit muscle tissue up, leaving the fat, one thing you don't need. So devouring pretty much like clockwork guarantees appropriate muscle improvement, in addition to you renew control lost despite the fact that performing substantial weight-lifting or cardiovascular exercises.
Devour the best possible Amounts
As completely everybody learns in review school, not eating an adjusted eating regimen program is antagonistic for you by and by. Precisely the same is valid for weight lifters sustenance, in spite of the way that the extents are exceptionally unmistakable from the normal individual's eating routine arrangement. The ideal sums are: 40% protein, 40% sugars and 20% sound fats.
On the off chance that you ingest too little to also generously of a solitary point, the advantages might be tragic for you by and by. You may get more than exhausted, do not have the vitality and quality to complete your exercise sessions or prepare for half a month without seeing any adjustments. The Bill Phillips methodology of estimating is more often than not to utilize your shut clench hand as a measure to get a segment of starches and your open palm to gauge a segment of protein.
Expend Calories inside a Cycle
As your body changes, moreover, it adjusts. So when your digestion gets utilized to a specific level of calorie consumption, it might maybe remain there and you will experience issues picking up it up once more. With the goal that you can avoid this however buffing up, stick to caloric cycling, which implies turn the level of calories you take in week after week.
For instance, high caloric admission for 5 days in a row took after by two days of low caloric admission, or two weeks of high caloric admission took after by two weeks of low caloric admission. That way, you'll hold your body on its toes as it alters with the goal that you would assistance be able to your strenuous exercises and your digestion won't stagnate. With which incorporate a piece of your weight lifters nourishment technique, you can't go off base and you will find that eating healthy and following an appropriate dietary regimen will yield fabulous accomplishment.


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NEWTOWN >> Officials in Newtown say their school system was placed on lockdown briefly after someone implied a threat during a phone call to a school near the site of last year's school shooting massacre. Interim schools superintendent John Reed says the threat was made Monday afternoon in a call to Hawley Elementary School. Reed hasn't released details but says no one was hurt. Hawley is less than 2 miles from Sandy Hook Elementary School, where a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six educators in December. Newtown has increased school security since then. Reed says police Chief Michael Kehoe and other officials responded to Hawley and joined officers stationed there to investigate. He says the chief requested the district-wide lockdown. The lockdown ended when schools dismissed for the day. It caused busing delays throughout the district.
Threat prompts lockdown of Newtown schools
Start the conversation


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Research associate
Graduated in Geological Sciences at the University of Bologna (Italy), obtained a Ph.D. title
in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Modena (Italy) with a dissertation on the
Triassic pterosaurs. He did post-doctoral work at the University of Padova (Italy) on the
Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrates of the northern Adriatic region.
He has been Curator of the Paleontological Museum of Monfalcone (Gorizia, Italy) from
1994 to 2009, field work director at the Cretaceous fossil site of Polazzo (Gorizia) from
1996 to 2008, and scientifical director of the field work at the Villaggio del Pescatore
dinosaur site (Trieste, Italy) in 1998-1999. He participated to several field expeditions and
surveys in Italy and abroad (Romania, Lebanon, Brazil and Iran).
Author of 76 technical papers mainly about Vertebrate Palaeontology and in particular
dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles and palaeoichnology. He also published about 100
divulgative papers and books on palaeontological and geological matter.
Author of scientifical projects and texts of several exhibitions on geological and
palaeontological matter.
He is a palaeontological consultant for the Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale (Udine, Italy)
and the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Trieste.
His main scientific interst regards the terrestrial ecosystems of the European Archipelago
during the Cretaceous, with focus on the hadrosauroid dinosaurs, and the evolution of the
earliest (Triassic) pterosaurs.
He joined the ICP this year (2009).


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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Aaron M Leventhal writes: > HST wrote: >> AML wrote: >> > I'm very concerned that there is not a realistic view about how >> > much this will hurt authors. >> >> I agree that if things were as bad as you thought they were, that >> would be a problem. But I hope I've shown above that they are _not_ >> as bad as you thought. > > You don't think the fact that I got 2 different DOMs for the same > attribute in my XHTML is a problem? That happens when your instructions > are followed correct[ly]? Not a problem for most users, no, because as long as they stick to doing set/get/removeAttribute("aria:...") they will never notice that (in Firefox) the DOM sometimes starts out one way and changes to another. What's crucial is that in both states the relevant attribute has the _same_ nodeName, that is, "aria:checked". That means it's not a problem for browser/assistive API interface implementors either. ht - -- Henry S. Thompson, HCRC Language Technology Group, University of Edinburgh Half-time member of W3C Team 2 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh EH8 9LW, SCOTLAND -- (44) 131 650-4440 Fax: (44) 131 650-4587, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com URL: http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/ [mail really from me _always_ has this .sig -- mail without it is forged spam] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.6 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFINZk2kjnJixAXWBoRAnJUAJ9Ih/5bNUVstYh63zeUs1YX+U6bagCcC81t 9DyAqsW2Xx+tqVa+7EsMXqE= =TgoS -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----Received on Thursday, 22 May 2008 16:05:06 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Saturday, 9 October 2021 18:44:31 UTC


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"The 1930s drought was the major climatic event in the nations history," explains lead study author Siegfried Schubert of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. "Just beginning to understand what occurred is really critical to understanding future droughts and the links to global climate change issues were experiencing today."
Previous research had demonstrated a link between some droughts and peculiar patterns of sea surface temperatures in different parts of the world. Schubert and his colleagues used a computer climate model to analyze conditions during the past 100 years. They found that ocean temperatures, particularly in the tropics, heavily influenced the dry conditions experienced in North America. In the early 1930s, the waters of the tropical Pacific were cooler than normal, and those of the tropical Atlantic were warmer than normal. Those conditions, the scientists say, weakened the jet stream, a strip of fast-moving air that typically flows westward over the Gulf of Mexico before turning northward and depositing rain onto the Great Plains. In its altered state, the jet stream traveled farther south than usual, lessening precipitation over the central U.S. and compounding the drought conditions.
Other droughts that struck the U.S. also correspond to cooler tropical Pacific temperatures, the researchers report, but only the so-called Dust Bowl drought combined these condition with a warmer Atlantic Ocean. A better understanding of the conditions that caused severe climatic events of the past should help scientists better recognize and forecast potentially dangerous conditions in the future.


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Daryl Palumbo
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Daryl Palumbo (born February 10, 1979, in Long Island, New York) is an American musician, who is the frontman of the bands Glassjaw, Head Automatica, and House of Blow.
- My dance has passed.
- Motel of the White Locust (Glassjaw)
- He's a winner, he's a God damn sinner; when he dines I'm on the wrong side of the day.
- Ape Dos Mil (Glassjaw)
- We are OK;
In a misguided sadist way;
We are OK.
We are OK;
In a disabled, veteran's way;
- Convectuoso (Glassjaw)
- We are the most impassioned ugly people.
- Cosmopolitan Bloodloss (Glassjaw)


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As I suspected, two crying babies at the same time can be a handful. The house has never been so smelly and there has never been so much crying and screaming.
Thankfully Ruby and Isaac really lucked out and have a little helper in Erica, she always wants to take care of the twins.
But she never forgets about her brother. Erica was born to be a part of a big family and loves every minute of it.
Whenever she's not spending time with her siblings, she focuses on building her creativity skill. She's managed to fulfil her aspiration and has now become creatively gifted! Just in time, as it is her birthday today.
We've invited the Perrins over for the birthday party. Apparently Allen has become an elder already.
Juanita looks peeved, of course. After all this is a happy occasion in the Bloomer house.
Allen: "I'm actually really enjoying old age. I've been able to retire and spend time with the family, and I feel like I'm at such a happy place in my life!"
Ruby tries to hold back tears. Her children are getting older and there's nothing she can do to slow time down.
All she can do is celebrate with them.
Welcome to teenage years Erica! She quite fittingly rolls the Painter Extraordinaire aspiration, and also gains the romantic trait.
Pace: "Romantic, you say?"
Hands of Pace, she's just a teenager!
The twins have grown as well. Charlotte has become a genius and a social butterfly, while Gretchen takes after Erica and wants to be an artistic prodigy because she's an art lover. I have no clue how the household's become so artsy all of the sudden!
Pace: "Congratulations on your birthday, you've aged up quite well I must say…"
Plummit Pace, what have I said? And what's happened to the whole "no woman can tame me down" thing anyway?
Pace: "I'm getting old. I found a grey hair the other day!"
You're so not invited to any more of our parties!
Erica gets a makeover; aside from a cheeky Insta-lean potion, she also gets a whole new wardrobe and dyes her hair black – I felt that a gloomy romantic and artistic teen would be likely to go for a more gothic style. She shows off her new look to Allen.
Allen has in fact been very popular with the birthday girls; the twins won't leave him alone!
Everyone parties their socks off, Ruby in particular really gets into it with her dance moves.
Allen: "What is it mom, why have you stopped?"
Ruby: "I'm a bit tired really, I could use a bit of a nap."
Isaac: "Well how about an extremely non-strenuous slow dance with me?"
Ruby: "I'd love to!"
With Isaac holding her, Ruby forgets about her lazy trait and they dance the rest of the evening away.
Charlotte giggles: "Parents… they're so silly!"
Allen: "I know right?"
With all of the birthdays in the house, refurbishments were in order. Erica gave her old room to twins, since it was the biggest one in the house and she didn't really need as much space anyway. As long as she could fit in her brand new easel in her room, she was happy!
Once the twins were in their beds Maranda stopped by to check on her family. The girls were half asleep, but somehow they could still hear someone reading a bed time story to them at the back of their minds.
Oh hi cousin Cassiel, we missed you at the party!
Cassiel: "What are you talking about, I've been here the entire time! I was just having too much fun in the backyard laughing at the dead people. I mean… they're dead! Isn't it hysterical?"
Oh boy…


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This pumpkin shake is like cool and creamy pumpkin pie in a glass.
You know I love me some smoothies: I'll put just about anything in my Blendtec and call it breakfast. This particular shake is one of my favorites for fall: I usually make it with homemade pumpkin puree (I had plenty left over after I made this pumpkin clafouti), but you are welcome to use canned pumpkin, if you prefer.
I like to add raw egg yolks to my smoothies because they are an excellent source of protein, omega-3 fats, and fat-soluble vitamins (including vitamin D). If you are going to consume the yolks raw, though, you should only use the very freshest, organic and free-range eggs…my hens recently started laying so now I have my own eggs.
If you can't find high enough quality eggs (or if eating raw egg yolks just does not appeal to you), you can boost the protein content of this shake by adding your favorite protein powder, or you could add some organic nut/seed butter or Greek yogurt.
[cft format=0]
This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday and Fight Back Friday, and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.
Pumpkin Shake Recipe
- *2 egg yolks or 1 serving vanilla protein powder rice or whey-based is preferred
- *1 cup of homemade pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin preferably organic
- *1 cup raw or organic milk or use coconut milk for a vegan smoothie
- *1 banana preferably previously peeled and frozen
- *1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
- *2 teapoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
- *pinch of nutmeg-optional
- 1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add several ice cubes and blend again, if desired. Serve immediately.


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pyramid_zcml is a package which provides ZCML directives for all
built-in Pyramid configurator methods.
Install using setuptools, e.g. (within a virtualenv):
$ easy_install pyramid_zcml
pyramid_zcml is installed, you must use the
mechanism to include it into your Pyramid project's configuration. In your
Pyramid project's
1import pyramid_zcml
3config = Configurator(.....)
Do this before trying to load any ZCML. After this step is taken, it will be
possible to use the
pyramid_zcml.load_zcml() function as a method of
the configurator, ala:
Paster Template¶
pyramid_starter_zcml Paster template is included with this package.
You can use it via
paster create -t pyramid_starter_zcml (on Pyramid 1.0,
1.1, or 1.2) or
pcreate -s pyramid_starter_zcml (on Pyramid 1.3). It
creates a package skeleton which configures a Pyramid appliction via ZCML.
The application performs URL mapping via traversal and no persistence
- Declarative Configuration using ZCML
- ZCML Configuration
- Hello World, Goodbye World (Declarative)
- Scanning via ZCML
- Which Mode Should I Use?
- Configuring a Route via ZCML
- Serving Static Assets Using ZCML
- Enabling an Authorization Policy Via ZCML
- Built-In Authentication Policy ZCML Directives
- Built-In Authorization Policy ZCML Directives
- Adding and Changing Renderers via ZCML
- Adding a Translation Directory via ZCML
- Adding a Custom Locale Negotiator via ZCML
- Configuring an Event Listener via ZCML
- Configuring a Not Found View via ZCML
- Configuring a Forbidden View via ZCML
- Configuring an Alternate Traverser via ZCML
- Using features to make ZCML configurable
- Changing
resource_urlURL Generation via ZCML
- Changing the Request Factory via ZCML
- Changing the Renderer Globals Factory via ZCML
- Using Broken ZCML Directives
Directives and API¶
- ZCML Directives
- Glossary
Reporting Bugs / Development Versions¶
Visit https://github.com/Pylons/pyramid_zcml to download development or tagged versions.
Visit https://github.com/Pylons/pyramid_zcml/issues to report bugs.


text:
Patent failure
how judges, bureaucrats, and lawyers put innovators at risk
- Editorial: Princeton University Press
- Fecha de la edición: 2008
- Lugar de la edición: Princeton (New Jersey). Estados Unidos de Norteamérica
- Encuadernación: Cartoné
- Medidas: 24 cm
- Nº Pág.: 309
- Idiomas: Inglés
In the last several years, business leaders, policymakers, and inventors have complained to the media and to Congress that today's patent system stifles innovation instead of fostering it. But like the infamous patent on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, much of the cited evidence about the patent system is pure anecdote - making realistic policy formation difficult. Is the patent system fundamentally broken, or can it be fixed with a few modest reforms? Moving beyond rhetoric, "Patent Failure" provides the first authoritative and comprehensive look at the economic performance of patents in forty years. James Bessen and Michael Meurer ask whether patents work well as property rights, and, if not, what institutional and legal reforms are necessary to make the patent system more effective."Patent Failure" presents a wide range of empirical evidence from history, law, and economics. The book's findings are stark and conclusive. While patents do provide incentives to invest in research, development, and commercialization, for most businesses today, patents fail to provide predictable property rights. Instead, they produce costly disputes and excessive litigation that outweigh positive incentives. Only in some sectors, such as the pharmaceutical industry, do patents act as advertised, with their benefits outweighing the related costs. By showing how the patent system has fallen short in providing predictable legal boundaries, "Patent Failure" serves as a call for change in institutions and laws. There are no simple solutions, but Bessen and Meurer's reform proposals need to be heard. The health and competitiveness of the nation's economy depend on it.


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Outgoing Director, Office of Management and Budget
Residence: Washington, D.C.
When did you start running, and why?
I started running in college, just to get exercise. But that was more running two or three miles at a time. I continued that until my mid-30s. In my mid-30s, I went for a full physical, which I had not really done previously. The doctor basically said, "You need to make some changes." Around that time, I started running more seriously. That was a good thing, because life was getting increasingly stressful, and it was a wonderful outlet for me.
It's funny: I was at The Brookings Institution then, and I would take the Metro home. There might be five Metro stops between Brookings and my house, and I would hop on the Metro, go four stops, then run the remaining distance, then three stops, and run the remaining distance. I remember the first time I ran all the way home from Brookings to my house—probably about four miles. I was training for the Baltimore Half-Marathon at the time. It was my first half-marathon, so that was a special race for me.
Over the last two years, I regularly ran home from the White House complex, and that's probably an additional mile. It's uphill, which is better for my knees.
Tell me about your experience as a marathon runner: How many have you run, and what's your proudest marathon moment?
I've run a whole bunch of half-marathons and three full marathons. My proudest marathon moment came when I ran my worst time. In 2005, I was thinking about running the Marine Corps Marathon, which is in late October, and in the middle of the summer, I was debating whether to start training for it. My daughter decided this would be a great thing for me to do. She had come out and cheered for me at previous marathons. I told her, "I'll make you a deal. If you fund-raise, I'll run the race."
She was 6 or 7 at the time, and she'd call my friends and family and say, "My daddy's running a marathon to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It's—what's that word?—tax-deductible." She raised a lot of money—tens of thousands of dollars. At mile 20, my left knee started really killing me. Frankly, I should have stopped. But when I thought of my daughter sitting there waiting for me to finish, I couldn't. So I walked a little bit, then I ran again until I got to the finish [in 4:08:02]. It probably was not smart, because I had trouble running for months after that. But the look on her face was worth it.
What was your toughest marathon moment?
I'd say my toughest marathon moment came during my first one, the Miami Marathon. I'm very much a middle-of-the-packer—I ran something like a 4:20 [4:22:40]. And the thing about the Miami Marathon is that the longer you go, the hotter it gets.
After I finished, I did what was probably not the smartest thing in world—I got on a plane and sat there for a few hours. Nightline had interviewed me for a show they were doing, and they came by my office shortly after for some follow-up filming of me at my desk. On the show, they wound up showing a clip of me sitting in a chair, hunched over and grimacing. I look like an old man.
What's your best marathon time?
My best marathon time is a little over four hours, unfortunately. I'm definitely a middle-of-the-packer.
To what extent have you been able to keep up with training and squeeze it into your busy schedule?
I try to run very early in the morning. Or, increasingly, I find the best thing to do is to run home at the end of what's usually quite a long day. I'm often running home in neon at nine or 10 at night. It's a great way to gather my thoughts, and to run off some of the stress of the day. I'd say I'm getting in runs four or five times per week.
Do you run with music, and if so, what's your favorite running music?
I know running purists find it troubling, but I always run with music. I have my trusty iPod loaded full of country music. There's not one song in particular, but I'd say the singer who most motivates me is Toby Keith. His songs get me through tough running moments. I'm probably the only economist I know who eagerly awaits the release of each new Toby Keith album.
I'm also into gadgets. I have a Polar RS800, and I find it motivating to see my progress laid out in digital format.
How does running help your work?
It's hugely helpful. In fact, I think it would be very difficult to do a job like this without being able to run. I'm very lucky to be healthy enough to continue running. Friends and family will tell me, "You're really grumpy. Go out for a run." It helps put things in perspective.
Despite the background music, I do my best thinking when I'm running. I can think through problems I've encountered through the day, and thoughts appear in a way that, when I'm sitting at a desk, they don't. It is not that uncommon for me to think that a problem is overwhelming before a run, then come home having thought through a solution.
Can you give me an example of a time when you thought through a problem on a run?
Two examples come to mind, neither of which I can tell you about.
Do you see any parallels between running a marathon like overseeing the nation's budget?
Yes. In fact, I use a lot of running analogies. I think being in a job like this is very similar to running a marathon. If you focused on how far you have to go, it would be so stultifying and demoralizing, you would never actually do it. A trick a lot of us play when running is just making it to the next mile marker, then the next one, then the next one. That's very apt and similar to the work I do. The question is: Are we at mile 10, or mile 19?
People often say, "Are you having fun in this job?" My response is similar to the response you'd get if you went up to someone in the middle of a marathon and asked if they were having fun. They'd look at you like you were nuts, but after they cross the finish line, they'll think it was the best thing they ever did.
How does running inform or inspire your daily work, especially your work on health care reform?
I'd return to my motivation for starting to run more seriously, which is my own health experience. One thing I learned is that diet and exercise can have such a substantive effect on health outcomes. We need to make our health care system work better, but we also need to remember that part of what determines how healthy we are is eating well and making healthy choices.
I've heard that you've used financial anti-incentives as motivation to train.
Yes, I used this in the same race I already mentioned, when my daughter had raised all this positive money. It was the idea of the carrot and the stick. I signed up on Web site that has you enter your credit card number and your goal, and if I hadn't finished, a contribution would have automatically gone from my credit card to a charity—which I will not name, but that I very much don't support. Even though we like to think carrots are always better, behavioral economics shows that the presence of stick like that can be a key motivation.
How do you celebrate a good race?
I don't think I've ever had any wild celebrations after a race. I usually just get back to my life.
Any special prerace or postrace meals?
No, although I do use the gels. When I discovered gels, a whole new world opened up to me in training. There are people for whom gels are particularly beneficial, and I put myself in that camp. The other thing I do is drink caffeine in the morning before a race, though I know the evidence is conflicting on that. I've been known to have a couple Diet Cokes before a run.
Any other favorite running anecdotes or memories to share?
I remember in some half-marathon somewhere, I saw two women running side by side, wearing T-shirts that said: In my mind, I'm Kenyan. That thought has stuck with me, because the power of self-suggestion is very strong.
Running provides another outlet for me: It provides a bunch of reading I love to do. I love Once a Runner and Again to Carthage. In the increasingly dwindling period of time I try to carve out before bed, that's what I read.
What do you consider the best running book ever written?
Once a Runner. It captures a lot about running, and it's just beautifully written.
I'm a Runner: Peter Orszag
The outgoing Director of the Office of Management and Budget says his job is like running a marathon.
Outgoing Director, Office of Management and Budget
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Again, he is very old
Note: Last night my synagogue, Congregation Torat Emet in Bexley, Ohio, held a tribute in my honor. Several friends spoke, and several more friends, who could not attend the evening, wrote small things about me. The most unique—far and away the most amusing—was written by my former student Michael Schaub, one of the best young literary critics in the country. A regular contributor to NPR whose work has also appeared in the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other journals, Michael graduated from Texas A&M University in 1999. He now lives in Austin.
by Michael Schaub
Those of you who have never taken one of David's classes might not fully appreciate the experience of being his student. Imagine a fever dream, with a slight, well-dressed, bespectacled man constantly screaming at you, sometimes in Yiddish. He would smile slightly when he agreed with your analysis of a book, and smile hugely when he didn't. I think he truly preferred the latter. If you were wrong, he would launch into a perfectly-reasoned, erudite discussion of everything you had just said, and then close with making great fun of your Clinton-Gore '96 button and urging you to read more Commentary magazine. (I had never read Commentary before I met David; I had only heard of it because of my reactionary Jewish grandfather. By which I mean David. Again, he is very old.)
I can't say that I was David's best student, but I like to think I was one of his favorites, although he'd deny it. I am, I believe, the only student who inspired him to throw a book across the room (and directly at my head) twice. I am a large and unathletic man, not capable of sudden movements even when faced with imminent heard injury, so the only reason I escaped unscathed is because David has pretty terrible aim. (A little-known fact: Sandy Koufax actually once asked David either to stop throwing things or convent to another religion.)
When I learned that David had cancer, I reacted the same way I've always reacted to bad news: with denial. That's why I'm writing this the same way I wrote all of my term papers for David's classes—at the last minute, trying not to cry, while my roommate smokes marijuana and listens to Sublime. (OK, not the last part.) If I get too sincere, too sentimental, David will literally board a plane to Texas right now and start throwing books at my head, so I'll keep this short: He didn't just teach me how to be a good person, and he didn't just teach me to love literature, he also, quite literally, saved my life. I really do love him like a father, and that's not just because he is very old (which he is), but because he taught me how to be brave. I'm not there yet, obviously. But when I do get there, It will be because of him.
He taught us all so many lessons, and it's impossible for me to thank him adequately. I wish I could be with him tonight, not just to tell him this in person, but also because I just bought a "Ready for Hillary" t-shirt, and I would love to see his reaction when I walked in wearing it. He would, of course, start throwing books at me. And I would just stand there, because he couldn't hit the Great Wall of China with a ping-pong ball, even if he was standing one foot away. I mean, I can only imagine his aim has gotten worse. Because, as you know, he is very old.
And he's also one of the best people I've ever met. I think I can speak for all of us (excluding a few dozen university deans and administrators) when I say that my life is better because of him. David, I know you can't abide this sentimental stuff, but you're just going to have to deal with it tonight. Thank you for everything. I promise I won't press changes for the flying books, and not just because the statute of limitations has expired. You are a great man, and I love you.


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Both the Obamas are responsible for what they say
Chivalry is still charming, as Barack Obama proved when he recently warned Tennessee Republicans to leave his wife alone.
He was commenting on a GOP Web ad that highlights Michelle Obama's comment, made at a rally in February, that she was proud of America for the first time in her adult life. When asked about the ad Monday during an interview on "Good Morning America," Obama said Republicans were welcome to pick on him and his track record, but not his wife.
"If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable. The notion that you start attacking my wife, or my family ... is just low-class. ... Lay off my wife, all right?"
Love that. You could almost hear those bowling pins toppling as Obama's testosterone surged, while Michelle was almost Nancy Reaganesque sitting by his side. Of course, Michelle Obama is manifestly capable of defending herself, but it's refreshing to see a man come to his damsel's defense.
Even so, hard-core feminists who switched allegiances from Hillary Clinton to Obama must have had to Botox their faces to keep their eyes from rolling out of their sockets upon hearing "lay off my wife."
They were already in fetal recoil from Obama's earlier "sweetie," offered to a female reporter at a campaign stop in Detroit. When ABC's Peggy Agar asked him a question about how he was going to help the American autoworkers, Obama responded:
"Hold on one second, sweetie. We'll do a press avail."
Be still my beating heart.
Alas, Obama felt it necessary to apologize a few hours later, leaving a message on Agar's voice mail. "That's a bad habit of mine," he said. "I do it sometimes with all kinds of people. I mean no disrespect and so I am duly chastened on that front."
What preciousness hath feminism wrought when a perfectly good "sweetie" piques a grown woman's ire?
Far too much has been made of tongue slippages that are silly to insignificant, including Michelle's un-proud moment. We know what the woman meant. She was proud of her husband, proud of her country for recognizing his talents, and probably proud of herself. She was swept up in the moment.
That said, Michelle Obama doesn't get a pass from scrutiny and criticism. What she says matters, not least because she is the partner of the man who would be president but also because her statements are made in the service of his campaign.
Both husband and wife have made plenty of remarks that were not mere nits, but are troubling hints at a future where government knows what's best. Such as this from a Los Angeles rally where Michelle pronounced that Obama "will require you to work."
"He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism ... that you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed."
Require? Demand? What if we like being alone in our comfort zones?
Or this from Obama in Roseburg, Ore., last Saturday:
"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen."
We can't?! It's not?
By all means, let's roll out the hybrids and hold the fries, but are other countries now the judges of American lifestyles? Perhaps while human rights investigator Doudou Diène is in the United States the next few weeks probing racism for the United Nations, he can take a measure of American gluttony. What would Senegal have us do?
Obama isn't wrong that America needs to clean up, slim down and guzzle less, but let's hope Michelle isn't right about the requiring and demanding part. Free markets and private-sector innovation are beautiful things, as is voluntary sacrifice.
Let's stay just cynical enough, meanwhile, to ask not what our country can do for us — or to us — but what we can do for ourselves as sane citizens of a free, entrepreneurial nation.
Kathleen Parker's e-mail address is email@example.com.


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The past 10 years or so have brought significant changes in swine finishing facility design. Leading the way have been fully slotted, curtain-sided barns; tunnel-ventilated barns; double-wide, wean-to-finish units; large group size pens; pigs raised on solid bedded floors; hoop structures and a new generation of control systems.
This new generation of finishing facilities is now becoming middle-aged (from 5 to 15 years old) and it may be time for a checkup.
Producers may also be planning new facilities or remodeling existing ones, and wondering which production system or change performs best.
While every production system is unique, each also provides a set of environmental challenges that need to be addressed to obtain optimal performance.
Environmental Challenges
Providing the proper environment still can be a struggle despite new generation, computerized controllers designed to provide better temperature control. That's because the total ventilation and building system must be properly designed and managed to achieve the desired environmental conditions.
The optimum environment in a finishing system should enhance voluntary feed intake and minimize thermal and other environmental stresses that affect pig and worker health.
Voluntary feed intake is influenced by group size and composition, thermal environment (temperature, air speed and humidity), feeder spaces and space allocations per pig.
All of the diverse finishing production systems and climates challenge planners.
Thermal Environmental Factors
Maintaining temperatures within the pig's comfort zone and proper relative humidity (typically from 50 to 65%) are two primary functions of a ventilation system.
Effective environmental temperature is the temperature actually experienced by the pig.
When a total building system is analyzed, the way a pig loses heat needs to be considered to determine the effective environmental temperature. Pigs lose heat to the environment by conduction, convection and radiation, and by evaporation through their respiratory tracts.
Conduction is the transfer of heat from one surface to another and accounts for 10-15% of total animal heat loss. It can affect growth because of its relationship to animal comfort.
Dry concrete slats over a deep pit could contribute up to a 9°F-temperature deficiency when compared to ambient room temperature. A major advantage of bedded solid floors during cold weather is the effective temperature rise of 7-15°F, depending on the size and weight of the pig.
Convection is the transfer of heat from an object to the air around it. It makes up 35% of total animal heat loss. Convective heat loss is a positive during hot weather, but a potential detriment during cold and mild weather if air velocities are too high. Convective heat loss will create problems in wean-to-finish facilities without proper maintenance.
|Air speed
|Temperature Adjustment
|< 25 fpm1
|40 fpm
|100 fpm
|300 fpm
|1Feet per minute
Ventilation Factors
Common terms used in ventilation are cfm, which stands for cubic feet per minute, and fpm, which refers to feet per minute.
For example, a 5,000 cfm fan would exhaust 5,000 cu. ft. of air per minute from the facility. Air velocity is defined by fpm or miles per hour (mph). An air speed of 88 ft. per minute would be equivalent to 1 mph.
During cold weather, air speeds at pig level should be kept to less than 30 fpm for small pigs. For larger pigs, air speed should be less than 40 fpm at floor level.
Floor-level air speed is a function of velocity at the air inlet, opposing air streams, distances to walls from the air inlets and drafts from unplanned openings.
As ventilation rates increase, there is typically an increase in the air speed at pig level. Fan set points should be adjusted far enough apart so animals are not chilled when higher ventilation rates are called for with rising room temperatures. High air speeds have a negative effect on average daily gain for small pigs. Table 1 shows the affect of air speed on effective environmental temperatures.
Radiation is the transfer of heat from an animal to a surrounding surface without direct contact. It normally accounts for 30% of total heat loss. Non-insulated surfaces such as exterior concrete walls and curtains are of concern in the northern climates, especially for small pigs in wean-to-finish facilities.
Evaporative heat loss is an advantage during hot weather. Since pigs don't sweat, they must dissipate heat in warm weather directly through the skin (conduction, convection and radiation) and through increased respiration rate (evaporation). A 300 fpm air speed past a pig (Table 1), typical for a tunnel-ventilated facility, will lower its skin temperature by 18°F. However, when air temperature starts to approach body surface temperature, the convective heat transfer from the skin is greatly reduced. When this occurs, air velocity needs to be supplemented with evaporative cooling to lower the air temperature. This can be accomplished with sprinklers or cool cells.
|Production Stage
|Weight (lb.)
|Moisture Control* (cfm/head)
|Odor Control** (cfm/head)
|Add for Unvented Heaters (cfm/head)
|*Typically used when designing ventilation for cold weather.
|**Used only when odors are a concern. Airflow to control odors typically needs to be two to three times higher than ventilating for moisture control.
|Production Stage
|Weight (lb.)
|Mild (cfm/head)
|Hot (cfm/head)
Ventilation Principles
The purpose of a ventilation system is to bring fresh, outside air into the building through planned openings, and thoroughly mix it with stale, inside air. In addition, good ventilation will pick up heat, moisture and air contaminants; lower temperature, humidity and contamination levels; and exhaust moist, contaminated air from the building.
The principals of the concept to determine cold, mild and hot weather ventilation rates are shown in Figure 1. Note the increased rates needed for odor control, as compared to moisture control, and the supplemental heat needed during cold weather.
The three most common ventilation systems are all-mechanical, mechanical/natural and all-natural.
There are two categories of mechanical ventilation:
Traditional, with ceiling air inlets and fans in the sidewall and pits; and
A three-season system (fall, winter and spring) with a traditional, mechanical system and tunnel ventilation during hot weather. Ventilation rates are spelled out in Tables 2 and 3.
Tunnel ventilation should provide 300 fpm of air movement. The fan capacity needed for tunnel ventilation can be determined by taking the room width times the height, times 300 fpm. A 41-ft.-wide barn with an 8-ft. ceiling would require about 100,000 cfm of fan capacity (41×8×300=98,400). A tunnel-ventilated facility should be designed with 50-60 cfm/pig of ventilation capacity (pit and wall fans and ceiling air inlets), so tunnel ventilation isn't needed until outdoor air temperatures reach 80°F. The additional conventional capacity will provide for more management flexibility and better air distribution when outdoor temperatures drop.
The mechanical/natural facilities have curtain sides and a flat ceiling. Operational problems can occur in the spring and fall or in transition between hot and cold seasons. This is especially true where curtains are opening too quickly because the inside temperatures are too warm.
Many curtain-sided barns with mechanical ventilation were designed for 25-30 cfm/pig. A 30 cfm rate should keep curtains from operating until outdoor temperatures reach 55°F with a room temperature of 68°F. Curtains in mechanically/naturally ventilated buildings should start to operate during the latter stages of mild weather conditions. A minimum 3-in. overlap should exist at the top to control cold air infiltration when fully closed.
Design Problems
One of the main problems with mechanically/naturally ventilated facilities is that finishing room temperatures exceed 70°F when outdoor temperatures are less than 50°F. Some reasons are: temperature set points may need adjusting, inadequate fan and/or air inlet capacity, air intake into the attic is undersized or being restricted, pit fans are connected to undersized transitions or the manure pit is full or fans/shutters are dirty.
Attempting to fine-tune indoor temperatures for this barn style is extremely difficult and often results in undesirable temperature fluctuations, drafts and air quality problems. The cross-sectional area adjacent to pit fans should be sized at a rate of 1,000 fpm. A 5,000 cfm pit fan would require an opening of 5 sq. ft. Dirty fans and shutters can reduce ventilation capacity up to 40%.
Fresh air intake into the attic space to "feed" interior ceiling air inlets should be sized by taking total ventilation (cfm) divided by 400 fpm. At 30 cfm/pig in a 1,000-head, curtain-sided barn, total fan capacity needs would be 30,000 cfm. Dividing 30,000 cfm by 400 equals an eave opening of 75 sq. ft. If the barn is 200 ft. long and the entire intake is placed on the south side, an opening of 4.5-5 in. is required the full length of the barn on the south side. Cover air intake openings with wire or plastic mesh no finer than ¾-in. to keep birds out.
Ridge vents are definitely needed when intake air is brought in through the eaves to help balance the pressure in the attic. There is always a negative pressure by the ridge, regardless of wind direction. Consult resources listed at the end of this article for the correct way to construct an adequate air intake.
If there are no eaves on your facility, consider bringing fresh air in from hooded openings on the gable ends of the barn.
Air Inlets
Enough air inlets should be installed for whole-room, fresh air distribution and the inlet capacity should match fan capacity. Air inlets should be adjusted so that exhaust air speeds are 700-1,000 fpm and room static pressure is 0.04-0.06 in. of water (Figure 2). A manometer, which measures static pressure (Figures 2 and 3), will help with room environment adjustments.
The controller should be functional and adaptable to your ventilation system, as well as flexible, understandable, reliable, accurate, serviceable and durable. Many producers have difficulty understanding and operating the controller.
Establish a written standard operating procedure (SOP) for facilities with your ventilation supplier and/or consultant before putting pigs in the barn. Modify as needed. This will help you to understand the controller operation and the total ventilation system.
Routinely check temperature settings and sensors, even with highly automated systems. This is especially true for humidity sensors. Also, a controller should not substitute for visual observations and good husbandry practices.
An important item to note about variable-speed fans and controllers is that the percentage shown on the controller as a minimum idle speed usually doesn't coincide with the amount of air being exhausted. There is usually no correlation between the input voltage to the fan and the actual cfm output. Certain controllers have a fan or motor curve function that allows for matching up with the variable speed fan in use. Having the proper fan curve should help smooth out this response, but it still needs checking.
Producers often ask which hog building system is best. The answer could be all or none of them. Hogs are extremely adaptable animals, and given the opportunity, will perform very well. Each building system and climate provides its own set of challenges.
For additional resource materials on swine facilities and ventilation systems, such as the Midwest Plan Service publication "Swine Wean-to-Finish Buildings" (AED-46), contact your local county Extension educator or Midwest Plan Service (http://mwpshq.org) at (800) 562-3616.
Ventilation Workshops
A series of ventilation workshops called "Managing Your Unseen Employee: The Ventilation System" are being planned in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.
Workshops will take an in-depth look at the operation of a ventilation system in different seasons and its impact on pig performance. A working ventilation lab and other working models will be used to demonstrate these principles.
The workshops are currently being planned to start in December, sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service and state pork producer councils.
For further details, contact state or local county Extension educators.


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You want to talk about the speech, but I want to talk about the man.
In my hometown of Boulder, Colo., the Paganos were our Kennedys.
They were all charmers -- with biceps. I used to cover the dad, Sam Pagano, a high school coaching legend who picked off state football championships like a cop shooting carnival bottles. His All-State sons, Chuck and John, could flatten silos. Hell, their paper boy could've run for mayor and won.
They were the best our town had to offer. That's why it seemed impossible, that 1979 day, when tragedy moved into their house.
Chuck and John's sister Cathy was dead at 22. Killed in a jeep accident in California. Cathy, the bubbly one. Cathy, the one who always showed up with a chocolate cake for her dad after every game.
"I remember Chuck driving home from college, getting out of the car and just sort of collapsing into my parents' arms," says John, now 45.
The Pagano family picked themselves up and started leading again. The two boys became fine coaches in college and the NFL. John became the defensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers. This season, Chuck Pagano became head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Everybody from Boulder nodded and said, "Seems about right."
And then, late this September, tragedy knocked again.
Chuck's wife, Tina, was on the phone telling Chuck's parents her husband would have to stop coaching and fight a dangerous form of leukemia, right away.
"I could hear Tina's voice, but I went blank," Chuck's mom, Diana, remembers. "And I thought, just for a second, 'I can't take this much pain again.'"
In San Diego, John flinched at the news. "When you bury a sister, man, that's something nobody wants to go through. And then, when you get the word [on Chuck], it's something you just can't imagine."
But Chuck, 52, had three things going for him to stay alive: (1) With luck and grit and chemo, this kind of leukemia is curable; (2) he'd gotten a break with an early bye week to get some stubborn bruises checked out and caught it early; and (3) Chuck himself.
Chuck Pagano has always been as unstoppable as the wind and twice as unpredictable. In the first grade, his teacher called Diana and asked if she could tie him to his chair to settle him down. "Sure," Diana said, "as long as I can come down there and tie you to yours." He'll turn left when you think he's going right. But there's always a reason. The man could motivate a tree sloth.
"Coach Pagano's an inspiration," says Colts QB Andrew Luck who just shaved his head in solidarity, along with more than 20 teammates. "I love him. We all do." No wonder every Colts player wears a "Chuckstrong" T-shirt during pregame warm-ups.
But a constant chemo drip and 25 days in one hospital bed will get down even a 5,000-hour energy drink like Chuck. So when his brother flew in from San Diego on a rare day off two weeks ago to spend 10 hours with him, he had his own motivational speech to give him.
"Listen," John said before he left. "Anybody comes in that door, you show strength, you show grit and you show them how you're gonna whip this thing. 'Cause you are."
And so it was that when Pagano crawled out of bed, got cleaned up, and walked into the Colts' locker room after their win Sunday over the Miami Dolphins, you knew he was going to say something to put a lump in your throat the size of a grapefruit.
"He wasn't really supposed to talk after the game," says a Colts staffer. "His doctor wanted him to stay in a confined space with not a lot of contact with people, to avoid germs. But next thing you knew "
he was in among his players. He took off his hat for the first time and revealed his hairless head. In high school, he and his Fairview High School teammates used to shave their heads as a vow to beat one rival or another, but this time, it revealed something I'd never seen in a Pagano before: frailty.
Until he started speaking, that is, and then he was as Chuck as ever. With a cracked voice and glistening eyes, he vowed to his men that he'd live "to see two more daughters dance at their weddings" and to "hoist the Lombardi [Trophy] with you guys."
I cried watching it. His parents cried. Watch the video. Even the player behind him in the video cried.
"He just blows me away," his dad says. "He's such a leader, such a coach, such a man."
"He is reaching another place," says his mom. "He's got information coming from high places. I put Cathy in charge of all that."
"That's Chuck," John says. "He inspires me every day."
He starts another round of chemo this week, and it's going to clothesline him, just like the first round. He'll be flat enough to slide under the door. But I know Paganos, and they don't stay down long. He knows cancer turns things upside down. You have to get sick to get better. Bet you he's back on the sideline by mid-December.
The question is, can his family take the stress of that?
"I can," Diana insists. "I'm Chuckstrong."


text:
Corporate governance means executive leadership with a strong sense of responsibility and a focus on sustainable value creation. Effective collaboration between Management Board and Supervisory Board, protection of shareholder interests, along with openness and transparency in corporate communications are essential elements of good corporate governance.
The Management and Supervisory Boards are committed to a responsible and long-term governance approach that will ensure the continued success of the Group and sustainable value creation.
Corporate Governance at ElringKlinger AG complies with the German Corporate Governance Code. This code is the recognized standard for good corporate governance of publicly listed German stock corporations. The Management Board and Supervisory Board of ElringKlinger AG issued the relevant Declaration of Conformity pursuant to Section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG).


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I'm starting out with my cutest photo. Look at little Wesley (left) and Fiona (right)! I think they misunderstood me. I was telling Wesley to put all four of his feet on the scale but they must have though I said "all forefeet on the scale," and so Fiona came over to do her part.
Continue reading "Wesley & Fiona: The Capybaras of October" »


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AboutAmeriflex Home Health Care provides home care (non-medical), home health care services for senior elders in the Sterling Heights, MI area. To find the right care for you loved one,...
AboutAmeriflex Home Health Care provides home care (non-medical), home health care services for senior elders in the Sterling Heights, MI area. To find the right care for you loved one, connect with one of our senior care experts.
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Nothing has exposed the hollowness of so-called "political reporting" in New Delhi, and the fragilility of editorial spines of newspapers and TV stations across the country, than the Congress president Sonia Gandhi's illness.
Hundreds of correspondents cover the grand old party; tens of editors claim to be on on first-name terms with its who's who; and at least a handful of them brag and boast of unbridled "access" to 10 Janpath.
Yet none had an inkling that she was unwell.
Or, worse, the courage to report it, if they did.
Indeed, when the news was first broken by the official party spokesman in August, he chose the BBC and the French news agency AFP as the media vehicles instead of the media scrum that assembles for the daily briefing.
Sonia Gandhi has since returned home but even today the inability of the media—print, electronic or digital—to throw light on just what is wrong with the leader of India's largest political party or to editorially question the secrecy surounding it, is palpable.
Given the hospital she is reported to have checked into, the bazaar gossip on Sonia has ranged from cervical cancer to breast cancer to pancreatic cancer but no "political editor" is willing to put his/her name to it, taking cover under her right to privacy.
About the only insight of Sonia's present shape has come from an exclusive photograph shot by Anil Sharma of The Indian Express last week.
In a counter-intuitive sort of way, Nirupama Subramanian takes up the silence of the media in The Hindu:
"That the Congress should be secretive about Ms Gandhi's health is not surprising. What is surprising, though, is the omertà being observed by the news media, usually described by international writers as feisty and raucous.
"On this particular issue, reverential is the more fitting description. Barring editorials in the Business Standard and Mail Today, no other media organisation has thought it fit to question the secrecy surrounding the health of the government's de facto Number One.
"A similar deference was on display a few years ago in reporting Atal Bihari Vajpayee's uneven health while he was the Prime Minister. For at least some months before he underwent a knee-replacement surgery in 2001, it was clear he was in a bad way, but no news organisation touched the subject. Eventually, the government disclosed that he was to undergo the procedure, and it was covered by the media in breathless detail.
"Both before and after the surgery, there was an unwritten understanding that photographers and cameramen would not depict Vajpayee's difficulties while walking or standing. Post-surgery, a British journalist who broke ranks to question if the Prime Minister was fit enough for his job ("Asleep at The Wheel?" Time, June 10, 2002) was vindictively hounded by the government.
"Almost a decade later, much has changed about the Indian media, which now likes to compare itself with the best in the world. But it lets itself down again and again. The media silence on Ms Gandhi is all the more glaring compared with the amount of news time that was recently devoted to Omar Abdullah's marital troubles. The Jammu & Kashmir chief minister's personal life has zero public importance. Yet a television channel went so far as to station an OB van outside his Delhi home, and even questioned the maid….
"Meanwhile, the media are clearly not in the mood to extend their kid-glove treatment of Ms Gandhi's illness to some other politicians: it has been open season with BJP president Nitin Gadkari's health problems arising from his weight. Clearly, it's different strokes for different folks."
Read the full article: The omerta on Sonia's illness
Also read: Why foreign media broke news of Sonia illness
How come no one spotted Satyam fraud?
How come no one saw the IPL cookie crumbling?
How come no one in the media saw the worm turn?
Aakar Patel: Indian journalism is regularly second-rate


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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Walter Potter's Taxidermy
But he preferred to create anthropomorphic fairy tale scenes using rabbits, squirrels, and kittens made up to look like little people.
[Video link.] This 1960s era film shows museum curators dutifully dusting off his creepily charming tableaus, which were broken up and sold at auction in 2003.
Via BoingBoing
Wikipedia on Walter Potter (1835-1918)
Book: Walter Potter and His Museum of Curious Taxidermy
12 comments:
- Super Villain said...
oh god! haha, this is horribly wonderful....if you like this you would love the movie "dinner for schmucks" where the guy recreats legendary artworks with taxadermy mice, and calls them mouseterpices
mouse a lisa
last supper with mice
vincent van mouse
hilarious! a must see movie
chiodo bros making taxadermy mouseterpices!
- August 31, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Knowing your interest in this and copyright, I thought you might like to know about:
Interesting thoughts on copyright!
- August 31, 2011 at 12:58 PM
- The Art of Kim Kincaid said...
- August 31, 2011 at 6:29 PM
- Aaron said...
Reminds me of some of the A.B. Frost etchings and watercolor pieces for Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus stories. Frost illustrated all of the plantation characters with a very realistic and lifelike style to them.
- August 31, 2011 at 6:33 PM
- kat said...
OMG -- squirrels playing poker -- never thought I'd see that! Anyone game to render it in oils? Could be a big hit...
Damien Hirst doubtless was profoundly influenced by Mr Potter but didn't have Potter's patience.
The only thing that could save this from being thoroughly repellent would be if the critters had died naturally, but there is little chance of that.
- August 31, 2011 at 9:24 PM
- yvonne said...
This is creepy! Not to mention all the animals that he killed to make them.
- August 31, 2011 at 10:52 PM
- Chibi Janine said...
That's fascinating but also very creepy. Worst part is that my mind was wandering to the how he dispatched this poor critters. It also reminded me of a Scubs episode with the janitor and his stuffed squirrel army
- September 1, 2011 at 12:20 AM
- Julia said...
I know people are saying animal cruelty and all that but still it is so sweet, I would love to sketch one of his dioramas someday xD
- September 1, 2011 at 12:35 AM
- Francesco Gorni said...
He looks so close to Beatrix Potter: same subjects, same last name, only 30 yr of gap... anyone know if is there any relationship between them (can't find anything on internet)?
- September 1, 2011 at 4:23 AM
- My Pen Name said...
off topic, but has everyone seen this bic pen vermeer....
No more complaints about not having the perfect pen, pencil, sketchbook, etc.
- September 1, 2011 at 9:46 AM
- Cindy Skillman said...
This is nothing short of macabre. And I live in a house reminiscent of a hunting lodge. lol. But no one's dressed up like wee people.
- September 1, 2011 at 9:03 PM
- SexyKPistol said...
I know this was created in the olden days (1960's) but I can't help but be utterly disgusted and scared out of my skin (no pun intended.) But specifically the kittens, I really don't want to think about..where he got so many. That was just too much for me. Thanks for showing us something different but part of me wishes I didn't see it, maybe I'm too easily frighten or bothered.
- September 4, 2011 at 1:18 PM


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Jason Peters absent from OTAs
Jason Peters was missing from the Eagles organized team activities on Tuesday.
Jason Peters was absent as the Eagles opened their third week of organized team activities on Tuesday.
Coach Chip Kelly said that he knew why Peters wasn't at practice and that it wasn't injury related.
"We know where he is, and we know what's going on," said Kelly, who added that he expected Peters back "shortly."
OTAs are voluntary, but Kelly has mostly had full attendance during the first two weeks of workouts. Peters, along with several other players, the Eagles said, missed last Monday's practice because of travel delays. Kelly, though, said that Peters missed all of last week's practice.
Peters is returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon that caused him to miss all of last season. He has participated in all facets of practicing this spring and Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland told reporters last week that it didn't look like Peters had even missed a beat.
Peters, 31, was considered by many to be the best left tackle in the game in 2011. He was voted into his fifth straight Pro Bowl that season. The Eagles line was best by injury last season. Center Jason Kelce (knee) and tackle Todd Herremans (foot) suffered season-ending injuries.
Evan Mathis had what the Eagles called minor ankle surgery earlier this month. He has missed practice since then, but was out working with the rest of his position group at the start of Tuesday's practice. He isn't expected to be 100 percent until training camp.
With Peters absent, Dennis Kelly played left tackle with the first team and rookie Lane Johnson moved up to take reps at right tackle. Todd Herremans and Allen Barbre were the first team right and left guards and Dallas Reynolds was at center.
There are three more days of OTAs this week and a three-day mandatory minicamp next week.


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Way back in October of last year, Ring announced "Ring Protect" — a modular, no contract, DIY home security system.
After a few delays, a bit of legal drama and Ring being acquired for a billion dollars by Amazon, the alarm is finally about to ship — albeit with a slightly different (better!) name.
Ring Protect has been redubbed as the more intuitive Ring Alarm — a better name if only because competitor Nest has both a security product and a totally different product (a smoke detector) called Nest Protect.
Ring's base level alarm kit starts at $199, which includes a keypad (for arming/disarming the system), one door/window sensor, a motion detector and a range extender. You'll probably want to add more components, and, fortunately, they're relatively cheap: another door sensor, for example, is $20, while the motion detectors are $30.
Nest's competing security system packs a few tricks that Ring's doesn't (Nest combined the door/motion sensors into one, for example, and it's got a fancy RFID system for PIN-free disarming), but it also costs $200 more… and that's after a $100 price drop that, presumably not by coincidence, just happened yesterday.
The system doesn't require any sort of contract — but if you want professional monitoring, it'll be $10 a month. That's a pretty good deal, especially because if you've got any of Ring's cameras (like its smart doorbell, or its floodlight cameras), that plan includes unlimited video storage for all of 'em.
Ring says it's got more products on the way to expand the system, including smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and flood sensors.
Ring's security system is up for pre-order now and, if all goes as planned, will start shipping on July 4th.


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The Dancing Buddhist Nun
Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist nun Jun-san Yasuda grabbed the hat of the cheerleader from the 'Leftist Marching Band' this morning and showed us some of her moves before we began the final leg of the Maine Peace Walk.
Jun-san is a real character and is beloved by all. We were honored to have her walking with us.


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Boehner, Pelosi extend invite to pope
Speaker John Boehner has invited Pope Francis to address a joint session of Congress.
It is an open invitation, the speaker's office said, and it's not yet clear when he'll give the speech on Capitol Hill.
"The Holy Father's pastoral message challenges people of all faiths, ideologies and political parties," Boehner said in an e-mailed statement. "His address as a visiting head of state before a joint meeting of the House and Senate would honor our nation in keeping with the best traditions of our democratic institutions. It would also offer an excellent opportunity for the American people as well as the nations of the world to hear his message in full."
( Also on POLITICO: Pope to media: Slow down!)
Boehner and the previous speaker, Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, are Catholics.
"Whether inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who cared for all of God's creation, or by St. Joseph, protector of the church, Pope Francis has lived his values and upheld his promise to be a moral force, to protect the poor and the needy, to serve as a champion of the less fortunate, and to promote love and understanding among faiths and nations," Pelosi said in a statement.
The invitation would put the widely popular Pope Francis in front of both the House and Senate for the first time in history. Republicans and Democrats have gravitated to the pontiff's inclusive message.
( QUIZ: How well do you know Pope Francis?)
President Barack Obama plans to visit the Vatican during an trip to Europe later in March.


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Monterey Pilates instructor helps breast cancer patients heal
The owner of Pilates Monterey is garnering national attention for her efforts to help breast cancer survivors.
Andrea Borgman-Quist was featured on the "Today" show on NBC. She instructs restorative Pilates classes for survivors, free of charge to help them heal after chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries.
"I wanted to provide the benefits of Pilates to people who otherwise couldn't afford it" says Borgman-Quist.
She first started offering the free classes to people recovering from injuries, surgeries and other debilitating diseases, at her studio in 2009. Over the years, she noticed the majority of her clients were Breast Cancer survivors and knew she had to take her small program one step further.
"They would have their surgery, their reconstruction and then that was the end of it. There were no specific instructions on how to move or exercise afterwards" says Borgman-Quist.
The entrepreneur started the Non-Profit, Peninsula Pilates Project.
"We give them two classes per week for four weeks. That's eight classes, they get a mat and then they get a personalized workout of exercises that are appropriate for them. Sometimes we throw in a band and they have everything they need to continue the program."
Borgman-Quist says she's helped dozens of survivors incorporate Pilates into their healing process.
According to the American Cancer Society, no matter what type of surgery a breast cancer survivor has had, it is important to exercise afterward to get the arms and shoulders moving again. The organization also says exercise helps decrease any side effects of surgery and helps patients get back to their usual activities.
When Linda Temple of Pacific Grove was diagnosed with stage 2a breast cancer, she knew she had a long road ahead. Two surgeries, five months of chemotherapy and weeks of radiation took a huge toll on Temple, mentally and physically.
Temple says she was looking for a silver lining, anything to help her feel like herself again. While at an event, she saw a flier advertising Borgman-Quist's classes. Temple called and says she found herself in a class almost immediately.
"I had lost range of motion in my arms and probably within two weeks of being in the class, it just popped and I could move my arms again. It was profound, the results were amazing. I didn't think that I would get the results that quickly".
Temple was exactly the type of student Borgman-Quist was trying to help. "If you're trying to decide what to do with your money, I have two children and you have to pay for where you're going to live. I had to go part time at work so it's something I would not have chosen to do had it not been for the eight free sessions" admits Temple.
Today, Pilates is a part of life for Temple.
The same goes for Breast Cancer survivor Shelley Moreo "Theirs is the only program that does this right now. I went to the hospital and physical therapists and they didn't really focus on this area for Breast Cancer survivors. And this program does, I'm eternally grateful."
Moreo says the one on one attention she received at the studio helped her regain strength and do simple tasks like brush her hair and play with her young daughter. She says she also made some lifelong friends in the process
"We're all in a common community here having breast cancer and we all help each other."
Peninsula Pilates Project is holding its first fundraiser on December 8 at the Museum of Monterey.


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Anders Stenström
Beregond, Anders Stenström (b. 1957) is a Swedish Tolkien scholar.
Since 1967, Stenström has been an enthusiast of Tolkien, and since 1976, when he became a member of the Tolkien Society Forodrim, he carries the byname Beregond.
Beregond has researched different aspects of the works of Tolkien (among his contributions can be found suggestions on principles for structural references), published several articles, and been a speaker at and organizer of conferences and conventions. Together with Kristina Valinger, Beregond was responsible for the creation of the Swedish subtitles for Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. He was consulted for Erik Andersson's new Swedish translation of The Lord of the Rings.
He is currently one of the organizers of Omentielva, the International Conference on J.R.R. Tolkien's Invented Languages, a series of biennial conferences at changing locations. He is also editor of Arda and Arda Philology.
Stenström lives in Alby, Botkyrka within the Stockholm urban area and works as a verger.
- 1981: Arda 9
- "Några rön om hobbitarnas demografi / Some Notes on the Demography of the Hobbits"
- 1984: Amon Hen 66
- Review: Finn and Hengest
- 1986: Arda 1982-83
- "Något om tideräkningen i Rohan / Some Notes on Time-reckoning in Rohan"
- 1987: Tolkien and the Spirit of the Age
- "Marvels of the North[ern] World: Some Notes on Tolkien and the Spirit of Science"
- 1988: Arda 1984/1985
- Något om pipor, blad och rökning / Some Notes on Pipes, Leaf and Smoking
- "Striking Matches - An Exegesis of H V:4 / Kunde tändstickorna strykas?"
- 1990: Arda 1986
- "Något om Ringbärarens dagar kring Spindelns Pass / Some Notes on the Ringbearer's Days around the Pass of the Spider"
- 1992: Arda 1987
- "The Figure of Beorn / Beorngestalten"
- 1993: Scholarship and Fantasy
- "Some Notes on Giants in Tolkien's Writings"
- 1994: Arda 1988-1991
- "Skönhet och fara och sorg: En tankeväv hos Tolkien / Beauty and Peril and Sorrow"
- 1995: Proceedings of the J.R.R. Tolkien Centenary Conference
- "A Mythology? For England?"
- 1998: The Tolkien Society Forodrim [web page]
- 2004: Translating Tolkien: Text and Film
- "Tolkien in Swedish Translation: from Hompen to Ringarnas herre"
- 2006: J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment
- "'MS Bodley 34: A re-collation of a collation'"
- "Sweden: Reception of Tolkien"
- "Swedish Language"
- 2009: Arda Philology 2
- "Phonotactic Preferences in the Root Repertories of 'Qenya Lexicon' and 'The Etymologies'"
- 2011: Arda Philology 3
- Foreword
- 2014: Bilbos sista sång (Bilbo's Last Song; ISBN 978-91-637-7442-3; printed by Graphic Digital, Stockholm)
- Tolkien's Arda (online magazine in Swedish)
- Private correspondance with Anders Stenström, as of July 2010


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If there was anything the media debacle over "pink slime" taught the industry it was that we have to take a hard look at issue management and be more proactive in our response to such issues. It also raises the philosophical debate about whether or not good science or public perception is more important.
Realizing that consumer perception is in the end the final arbitrator, regardless of what good science may say, the tough thing is that it becomes a slippery slope if we give up profitable technologies to reduce risk. In the end, we'll just eventually find ourselves in a position of being uncompetitive.
There's also a realization that modern agriculture is under attack and it's important to defend our ability to feed a growing world as efficiently as possible. Currently, the major issues are around feed additives, hormones and antibiotics. However, the real issue is whether we can create a new issue management model that allows the industry to proactively deal with such issues in order to prevent another debacle like the pink slime issue which we are dealing with today.
Of course, it doesn't help when USDA appears to work against such an effort. This week the existence of an internal USDA newsletter, dated July 23 and extolling the benefit of Meatless Monday, was revealed. Called the "Greening Headquarters Update," the newsletter was an update on green efforts within the agency.
The item that caught the industry's attention was one calling on employees to get involved in Meatless Mondays in the USDA cafeteria. Here's the item:
"The USDA Headquarters Food Operations are a high-profile opportunity to demonstrate USDA's commitment to USDA mission and initiatives. In addition to the many USDA employees who come to our cafeterias, thousands of tourists and visitors also come to our cafeterias each month. Currently, a Selection Panel is reviewing food service contractor submissions. Once the review is completed, the panel will make a recommendation to the Source Selection Authority that will make the final decision.
"The new contract, which should be awarded later this year, calls for our cafeterias to become models for healthy eating and 'sustainable' operations. The new Food Service Contract encouraged the use of food and beverage items that are fresh and locally grown or otherwise made or procured in the closest possible proximity to Washington, D.C., and the preparation of meals that contribute to a balanced diet and contain the fewest possible additives.
By sourcing locally and sustainably grown food, our program will help support sustainable food systems as a way of contributing to the vitality, environmental sustainability, and quality of life in the region. In addition to the food and beverages, the "back of the house" operations will also support USDA missions, including waste reduction programs (conservation of natural resources) and the use of environmentally preferable products including products that are certified BioPreferred (http://www.biopreferred.gov). So soon, you should be seeing some interesting changes in our cafeterias!
"One simple way to reduce your environmental impact while dining at our cafeterias is to participate in the 'Meatless Monday' initiative. This international effort, as the name implies, encourages people not to eat meat on Mondays. Meatless Monday is an initiative of The Monday Campaign Inc. in association with the John Hopkins School of Public Health.
"How will going meatless one day of the week help the environment? The production of meat, especially beef (and dairy as well), has a large environmental impact. According to the U.N., animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases and climate change. It also wastes resources. It takes 7,000 kg of grain to make 1,000 kg of beef. In addition, beef production requires a lot of water, fertilizer, fossil fuels, and pesticides. In addition, there are many health concerns related to the excessive consumption of meat.
"While a vegetarian diet could have a beneficial impact on a person's health and the environment, many people are not ready to make that commitment. Because Meatless Monday involves only one day a week, it is a small change that could produce big results.
"Did you notice that our cafeterias have tasty meatless options? So you can really help yourself and the environment while having a good vegetarian meal!
"Did you know that the cafeterias use local honey? It is wild- flower honey from Shipman, VA. Some people believe that local honey can help reduce your allergies. Because honey contains a variety of the same pollen spores that give allergy sufferers so much trouble when flowers and grasses are in bloom, people speculate that, eaten regularly, the honey gradually vaccinates the body against allergens."
NCBA responds
Upon learning of USDA's support for Meatless Monday on Wednesday afternoon, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association dashed off a release condemning the position, which spurred frantic social media activity. Within a few hours, USDA countered, claiming the comments in the newsletter hadn't receive proper clearance and stating that the agency does not endorse the Meatless Monday initiative.
Of course, USDA's retraction doesn't say anything about the other points raised in the newsletter item, which also work against a positive perception about what is sustainable cattle production.


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by Katie Bowell, Curator of Cultural Interpretation
Have you ever wondered what type of receptacle will optimize your candy collecting potential this Halloween? The website My Science Project conducted an experiment to find out, taking into account container AND candy size and shape to determine the ideal distribution of goodies. Visit the website to find out if a small bucket, large bucket, paper bag, or pillowcase will be your best bet tomorrow.


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George Jones Widow Recounts Singer's Final Hours
The wife of the late George Jones has opened up for the first time about how the legendary singer spent his last days and hours before his death on April 26. Nancy Jones says the family knew his health was fading fast, but they chose to keep it quiet as not to worry friends, fans and family.
"He was so proud that he kind of kept it away from everyone and just would try to do the best he could with what was going on," Jones told WSMV-TV in Nashville. "He was a very, very brave man."
George Jones was 81 years old when he died of hypoxic respiratory failure one week after entering the hospital with a fever and irregular blood pressure. His wife says he was never in pain. "He was alert until about six hours before he passed," she reveals. "No suffering, joking and saying, 'Why y'all crying?' He said, 'I'm going to heaven.' I truly believe he's there right now."
Jones' funeral on Thursday (May 2) is open to the public. It promises to be a celebration of his life and music as much as a chance for fans, family, friends and fellow musicians to say goodbye. The service begins at 11AM ET, and in addition to being aired on television and radio, will be streamed at the Grand Ole Opry website.
"I hope everyone comes out Thursday," Nancy Jones says. "It's gonna be a hallelujah time! He's probably up there singing right now, and it's going to be wonderful and he can look down and just smile and say, 'I didn't know I had this many friends.'"
Story: Taste Of Country
Picture Rick Diamond, Getty Images
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