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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — For the first time in almost a half-century, someone other than Joe Paterno is calling the shots at Penn State.
The winningest coach in major college football history was fired Wednesday night, sending angry students into the streets where they shouted support for Paterno and tipped over a news van.
Also relieved of duty was Penn State president Graham Spanier. Both were ousted by a board of trustees fed up with the damage being done to the university's reputation by a child sex-abuse scandal involving Paterno's one-time heir apparent.
"Right now, I'm not the football coach. And I've got to get used to that. After 61 years, I've got to get used to it," the 84-year-old Paterno said, speaking outside his house. "Let me think it through."
Paterno had earlier in the day announced his intention to retire at the end of the season, his 46th.
It didn't matter.
"I'm not sure I can tell you specifically," board vice chair John Surma replied when asked at a packed news conference why Paterno had to be fired immediately. "In our view, we thought change now was necessary."
As word of the firings spread, thousands of students flocked to the administration building, shouting, "We want Joe back!" and "One more game!" They then headed downtown to Beaver Avenue, where about 100 police wearing helmets and carrying pepper spray were on standby. Witnesses said some rocks and bottles were thrown, a lamppost was toppled and a news van was knocked over, its windows kicked out.
State College police said early Thursday they were still gathering information on any possible arrests.
The decisions to oust Paterno and Spanier were unanimous, Surma said. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will serve as interim coach, and the university scheduled a news conference with him for Thursday morning. Penn State hosts Nebraska on Saturday in the final home game of the season, a day usually set aside to honor seniors on the team.
Provost Rodney Erickson will be the interim school president.
Paterno had come under increasing criticism – including from within the community known as Happy Valley – for not doing more to stop the alleged abuse by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who has been charged with molesting eight boys over 15 years. Some of the assaults took place at the Penn State football complex, including a 2002 incident witnessed by then-graduate assistant and current assistant coach Mike McQueary.
McQueary went to Paterno and reported seeing Sandusky assaulting a young boy in the Penn State showers. Paterno notified the athletic director, Tim Curley, and a vice president, Gary Schultz, who in turn notified Spanier. Curley and Schultz have been charged with failing to report the incident to authorities, and Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly earlier this week refused to rule out charges against Spanier.
Paterno is not a target of the criminal investigation, but the state police commissioner called his failure to contact police himself a lapse in "moral responsibility."
Paterno said in his statement earlier Wednesday that he was "absolutely devastated" by the abuse case.
"This is a tragedy," Paterno said. "It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."
The Penn State trustees had already said they would appoint a committee to investigate the "circumstances" that resulted in the indictment of Sandusky, and of Curley and Schultz. The committee will be appointed Friday at the board's regular meeting, which Gov. Tom Corbett said he plans to attend, and will examine "what failures occurred and who is responsible and what measures are necessary to ensure" similar mistakes aren't made in the future.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Education said it has launched an investigation into whether Penn State failed to report incidents of sexual abuse on campus, as required by federal law.
"The Penn State board of trustees tonight decided it is in the best interest of the university to have a change in leadership to deal with the difficult issues that we are facing," Surma said.
"The past several days have been absolutely terrible for the entire Penn State community. But the outrage that we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological suffering that allegedly took place."
Sandusky, who announced his retirement from Penn State in June 1999, maintained his innocence through his lawyer. Curley has taken a leave of absence and Schultz has decided to step down. They also say they are innocent.
Sandusky founded The Second Mile charity in 1977, working with at-risk youths. It now raises and spends several million dollars each year for its programs. Paterno is listed on The Second Mile's website as a member of its honorary board of directors, a group that includes business executives, golfing great Arnold Palmer and several NFL Hall of Famers and coaches, including retired Pittsburgh Steelers stars Jack Ham and Franco Harris.
The ouster of the man affectionately known as "JoePa" brings to an end one of the most storied coaching careers – not just in college football but in all of sports. Paterno has 409 victories – a record for major college football – won two national titles and guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons. He reached 300 wins faster than any other coach.
Penn State is 8-1 this year, with its only loss to powerhouse Alabama. The Nittany Lions are No. 12 in The Associated Press poll.
After 19th-ranked Nebraska, Penn State plays at Ohio State and at No. 16 Wisconsin, both Big Ten rivals. It has a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis, with a Rose Bowl bid on the line.
Paterno has raised millions of dollars for Penn State in his career, and elevated the stature of what was once a sleepy land-grant school. Asked why he was fired over the phone, Surma said, "We were unable to find a way to do that in person without causing further distraction."
At Paterno's house, his wife, Sue, was teary-eyed as she blew kisses to the 100 or so students who gathered on the lawn in a show of support.
"You're all so sweet. And I guess we have to go beat Nebraska without being there," she said. "We love you all. Go Penn State."


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Katy Perry and Russell Brand's wedding celebrations are already underway — guests have arrived in India, and the ceremony is tomorrow. But some new information has been revealed!
The bride's nose ring.
Katy got her nose pierced with a chain that connects to her ear — a "nath," as it is called — while in London. A tipster emailed us to say: "Perry's nose ring is on the wrong side for north India/Rajasthan. Right side means prostitute!" The reader added: "Russell Brand's Hare Krishna guru — [seen] all over the Daily Mail — was involved in all the Hare Krishna monkey on a stick craziness from the 80s." Good to know!
Image via INFDaily.
The location.
While a report yesterday claimed that the wedding would take place at the Sher Bagh resort outside of the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary, we're also hearing that the ceremony may happen at Rambagh Palace. Pretty!
Images via Bauer-Griffin.
The other location.
Although the very latest report states that Katy and Russell will sit on giant, ornate thrones during the wedding, which will take place at the Aman-i-Khas resort. Some guests will stay at Sher Bagh, but the bride and groom will stay at Aman-i-Khas in a luxury tent. Looks gorgeous.
Images via Aman-I-Khas Resort.
Either way: TIGERS!!!!!
Image via Aman-I-Khas Resort.
Katy Perry To Sit On Wedding Throne [Contact Music]
Aman-I-Khas Resort [Official Site]
Revealed: Katy Perry Gets An Indian Bridal Nose Ring Ahead Of Wedding [Daily Mail]

subset: commoncrawl


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Salinas homeowner shoots suspected burglar
A Salinas homeowner who shot an intruder feared for his safety and didn't use excessive force when he opened fire, police investigators said.
The shooting happened just after 4 a.m. Monday in the 700 block of Leese Drive in a neighborhood plastered with "neighborhood watch" signs.
VIDEO: Salinas man shoots suspected burglar
"Nothing really happens over here. Very, very quiet. To just find out that happened, it's pretty shocking," neighbor Fernando Andrade said.
Investigators said the homeowner saw Ray Espino, 27, lurking outside his house.
The homeowner armed himself, went to the garage because he heard noises there, encountered Espino, and shot him once, police said.
Espino was critically injured but he was upgraded to stable condition late Monday afternoon. The homeowner wouldn't go on camera but said, "The whole thing scared the hell out of me."
Police said the homeowner was taken to the police station, questioned, and released. He was fully cooperative with detectives.
For now, police said it appears the homeowner was protecting life and property and was in his legal right to use deadly force. But police also said the investigation remains open and they hope to speak with the suspected burglar, who is hospitalized.
Investigators said they will forward their findings to the district attorney's office for a full review of the homeowner's actions and possible charges against Espino.


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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A research attorney for a Kansas Court of Appeals judge has been temporarily suspended from her job pending an internal investigation about tweets she posted during a court hearing in former Attorney General Phill Kline's ethics case.
Sarah Peterson Herr works for Judge Christel Marquardt. Judicial branch spokesman Ron Keefover says Herr was suspended Friday.
Herr's tweets were posted Thursday during a Kansas Supreme Court hearing deciding whether Kline's law license should be indefinitely suspended for his conduct during investigations of abortion providers.
Herr issued a statement saying she apologized for how the tweets reflected on the court system.
Kline's attorney Tom Condit says he's calling for an independent investigation of research attorneys and clerks to determine the extent of what he feels is bias against Kline among judicial staff.


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While most boys and girls were relaxing during the last weekend of summer, the U-13 Boys CASSA Tri-Hawks (Cedar Area Select Soccer Association) spent their time doing what they love most, playing soccer. The Tri-Hawks travelled to Holland where they participated in the 2011 Mild Cup, hosted by Costa United Soccer. The U-13 team went into the semifinals undefeated to meet up with VARDAR, who was also undefeated. Despite suffering a loss of 2-4, the Tri-Hawks advanced into the finals to once again face the same VARDAR team.
Although the Tri-Hawks dominated in the final, leading 3-2 at half time, VARDAR was able to tie the game up with a penalty shot late in the game. The game remained tied until the last second of the game when VARDAR was given another penalty shot. VARDAR scored and the whistle blew, giving VARDAR the victory with a score of 4-3. The Tri-hawk team played like champions, taking home the runner-up trophy.


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PROVO — Robert Anae has returned to BYU.
Anae, who served as the Cougars' offensive coordinator from 2005-2010 before resigning to take a job at Arizona, has been re-hired as the Cougars' new offensive coordinator, coach Bronco Mendenhall announced Friday night.
The Deseret News reported Friday morning that Anae would be re-hired. Anae arrived in Provo Friday from Tucson, Ariz., for a round of interviews and to officially accept the job.
"I am excited to announce Robert Anae as BYU's offensive coordinator," Mendenhall said in a release. "During his career Robert has been involved with some of the best offensive schemes in college football, and he has a proven record of coaching elite-level offensive production. He is also a man of great intelligence, personal integrity, complete honesty and total loyalty. Robert is the ideal person to oversee our offense, and I'm thrilled he will be returning to BYU."
Anae left BYU after the 2010 season to become the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Arizona.
"I'd like to thank Greg Burns, Rich Rodriguez and the Arizona staff and players for an outstanding year in 2012," Anae said. "It was my privilege to be part of the Arizona program the past two years and to have coached the players I worked with in Tucson. I'd like to thank Tom Holmoe, Bronco Mendenhall and the BYU administration for the opportunity to return to BYU. My family and I look forward to an outstanding experience in a very familiar place."
Anae takes over offensive coordinator responsibilities from Brandon Doman, who served in that role the past two seasons. Doman has also served as BYU's quarterbacks coach. As of Friday night, it was uncertain whether Doman would retain that role on the staff, according to sources.
According to the BYU release, Anae and Mendenhall will work together to evaluate the rest of the offensive staff.
"I look forward to working with the young men on our team to represent the BYU brand of football that has characterized our program for decades," Anae said. "I look forward to developing the players on the offensive side of the football at a high level both on and off the field."
BYU reached out to Anae and wanted him back in the program, sources told the Deseret News, to jumpstart a Cougar offense that struggled in 2012. Going into the bowl season, BYU ranked No. 56 nationally in total offense, No. 51 in passing offense, and No. 65 in scoring offense. BYU finished with an 8-5 record in 2012, including four losses by a combined 13 points.
Sources said former BYU running back Mark Atuaia (1991, 1994-96) is expected to join the coaching staff. Last June, Atuaia was hired as an assistant to the athletic director for student services. Prior to joining the athletics department, Atuaia had been serving as the assistant to the dean of Student Life at BYU.
Along with offensive coordinator responsibilities, Anae is expected to also serve as BYU's offensive line coach, sources said. Current BYU offensive line coach Mark Weber reportedly will join Utah State's staff.
After the Cougars defeated San Diego State, 23-6, in the Poinsettia Bowl, Mendenhall announced that longtime assistant Lance Reynolds was retiring after 31 years in the program. Reynolds has been BYU's tight ends coach the past two seasons. Since 2011, Joe DuPaix has coached the running backs, and Ben Cahoon has overseen the receivers.
In Anae's two years at Arizona under Mike Stoops and Rodriguez, the Wildcat offense ranked in the top 16 and ranked in the top 25 in passing. Nick Foles was No. 3 nationally in passing in 2011 and was drafted in the third round of the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2012, Anae's offensive line opened holes for the nation's leading rusher, as Ka'Deem Carey ran for 1,929 yards and 23 touchdowns.
During his first tenure as an assistant coach at BYU, which began in 2005 when Mendenhall was hired as head coach, Anae was the offensive coordinator and the inside receivers coach.
Under Anae, BYU tight ends Jonny Harline and Dennis Pitta earned All-Mountain West Conference accolades six times. Harline was a first-team All-American in 2006 and Pitta was a consensus All-American in 2009.
During Anae's six seasons as offensive coordinator, BYU earned top-25 NCAA offensive statistical rankings in different categories 28 times. The Cougars were ranked in the top 25 in third-down efficiency in each of Anae's six seasons, including a No. 1 ranking in 2009. BYU was No. 2 in the country in that category in 2006 and 2008. The Cougars achieved a top-6 passing ranking three times — in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
As an assistant, Anae played a big role in one of BYU's most successful stretches in school history — four consecutive seasons of at least 10 wins from 2006-2009.
As a player, Anae was also part of the Cougar team that won the national championship in 1984. He played on BYU's offensive line from 1981-84 and earned second-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in 1984.
Anae is a 24-year coaching veteran. A three-time Frank Broyles Award nominee for Assistant Coach of the Year (nominated at Texas Tech, BYU and Arizona), Anae spent five seasons coaching with Mike Leach at Texas Tech (2000-2004). As offensive line coach at Texas Tech, Anae helped lead the Red Raiders to a No. 1 ranking in passing three out of Anae's five years and in the top 11 the remaining two. Texas Tech also ranked in the top six in total offense three times, including 582.8 yards per game to lead the nation in 2003—the fifth-best mark in NCAA history.
Anae and his wife, Liane, have two sons, Famika and Max, and a daughter, Penny, who just got married on Dec. 29. His son, Famika, played on the offensive line at BYU before ending his career during the 2012 season due to injuries. Anae's father, Famika, and brothers Brad and Matt, also played football for BYU.
Email: email@example.com
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China's first aircraft carrier spotted at sea
DENVER - A commercial U.S. satellite company said it has captured a photo of China's first aircraft carrier in the Yellow Sea off the Chinese coast.
DigitalGlobe Inc. said Wednesday one of its satellites photographed the carrier Dec. 8. A DigitalGlobe analyst found the image Tuesday while searching through photos.
Stephen Wood, director of DigitalGlobe's analysis center, said he's confident the ship is the Chinese carrier because of the location and date of the photo. The carrier was on a sea trial at the time.
DigitalGlobe, based in Longmont, Colorado, sells satellite imagery and analysis to clients that include the U.S. military, emergency response agencies and private companies. DigitalGlobe has three orbiting satellites and a fourth is under construction.U.S. military leader sees stark rift with China
WikiLeaks: China hiding military buildup
Sign of China's growing military might sets sail
The aircraft carrier has generated intense international interest because of what it might portend about China's intentions as a military power.
The former Soviet Union started building the carrier, which it called the Varyag, but never finished it. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it ended up in the hands of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.
China bought the ship from Ukraine in 1998 and spent years refurbishing it. It had no engines, weaponry or navigation systems when China acquired it.
China has said the carrier is intended for research and training, which has led to speculation that it plans to build future copies.
China initially said little about its plans for the carrier but has been more open in recent years, said Bonnie S. Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"It wasn't until the Chinese actually announced they were sending it out on a trial run they admitted, `Yes, we are actually launching a carrier,"' she said.
China publicly announced two sea trials for the carrier that occurred this year, she said.
The carrier's progress is in line with the U.S. military's expectations, said Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Defense Department spokeswoman.
A Defense Department report to Congress this year said the carrier could become operationally available to the Chinese navy by the end of next year but without aircraft.
"From that point, it will take several additional years before the carrier has an operationally viable air group," Hull-Ryde said in an email.
She declined to comment on the DigitalGlobe photo, saying it was an intelligence matter.
for more features.


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A Southern Baptist pastor for almost 35 years, I currently serve as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas, and post my weekly sermons on this site, as well as a brief overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson.
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"The Children of God" (Deut.33:3 sermon)
Not everyone pictures a relationship with a Heavenly Father as being good. I just finished reading a biography of Charles Lindbergh, the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. We aren't as familiar with him today, but he was … Continue reading
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text: Hello all, The proposal is now up on the website and can be assessed at http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2010-v4-003.htm Thanks On 8/25/10 10:16 PM, Steve Bertrand wrote: > 8<---------------------------------->8 > > Your Name: > Steve Bertrand > Chris Grundemann > Martin Hannigan > Aaron Hughes > Louie Lee > Matt Pounsett > Jason Schiller > Your Organisation: > Policy Afected: > Date: 2010-08-25 > Proposal:Global Policy for IPv4 Allocations by the IANA Post > Exhaustion > Incentive: Allow all IPV4 inventory regardless of prefix size to be > returned to, and subsequently reallocated fairly and > equitably by the IANA post-runout. > > 8<--------------------------------->8 > > Global Policy for IPv4 Allocations by the IANA Post Exhaustion > > Rationale: > > This policy defines the process for the allocation of IPv4 addresses > post "Exhaustion Phase"[1]. A global policy is required in order for the > IANA to be able to transparently continue to be able to allocate IPv4 > addresses beyond exhaustion. In order to fulfill the requirements of > this policy, the IANA must set up a reclamation pool to hold addresses > in and distribute from in compliance with this policy. This policy > establishes the process by which IPv4 addresses can be returned to and > re-issued from the IANA post Exhaustion Phase. > > This document does not stipulate performance requirements in the > provision of services by the IANA to an RIR in accordance with this > policy. Such requirements should be specified by appropriate agreements > among the RIRs and ICANN. > > The intent of this policy is as follows: > > * To include all post Exhaustion Phase IPv4 address space returned to > the IANA. > * Allows allocations by the IANA from the Reclamation Pool once the > Exhaustion Phase has been completed. > * Defines "need" as the basis for further IPv4 allocations by the IANA. > * Does not differentiate any class of IPv4 address space unless > otherwise defined by an RFC. > * Encourage the return of IPv4 address space by making this allocation > process available. > * Disallow transfers of addresses sourced from the Reclamation Pool in > the absence of an IPv4 Global Transfer Policy to neutralize transfer > process inequities across RIR regions. > * Applies to legacy IPv4 Address Space initially allocated by the IANA > to users including the allocations to RIRs. > * Includes any length of fragments currently held by the IANA now or in > the future. > > 1. Reclamation Pool > > Upon adoption of this IPv4 address policy by the ICANN Board of > Directors, the IANA shall establish a Reclamation Pool to be utilized > post RIR IPv4 exhaustion as defined in Section 4. The reclamation pool > will initially contain any fragments that may be left over in IANA > inventory. As soon as the first RIR exhausts its inventory of IP address > space, this Reclamation Pool will be declared active. When the > Reclamation Pool is declared active, the Global Policy for the > Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space[3] and Policy for > Allocation of IPv4 Blocks to Regional Internet Registries[4] will be > formally deprecated. > > 2. Returning Address Space to the IANA > > The IANA will accept into the Reclamation Pool all eligible IPv4 address > space that are offered for return. Eligible address space includes > addresses that are not designated as "special use" by an IETF RFC or > addresses allocated to RIR's unless they are being returned by the RIR > that they were orignally allocated to. Legacy address holders may return > address space directly to the IANA if they so choose. > > 3. Address Allocations from the Reclamation Pool by the IANA > > Allocations from the Reclamation Pool may begin once the pool is > declared active. Addresses in the Reclamation Pool will be allocated on > a CIDR boundary equal to or shorter than the longest minimum allocation > unit of all RIRs in order to complete these allocations.The Reclamation > Pool will be divided on CIDR boundaries and distributed evenly to all > eligible RIRs. Any remainder not evenly divisible by the number of > eligible RIRs based on a CIDR boundary equal to or shorter than the > longest minimum allocation unit of all RIRs will remain in the > Reclamation Pool. Addresses that are left over will be held in the > Reclamation Pool until additional IP addresses can be returned to rejoin > addresses on CIDR boundaries to the Reclamation Pool or a minimum > allocation unit is set to allow allocation from existing inventory. > > 4. RIR Eligibility for Receiving Allocations from the Reclamation Pool > > Upon the exhaustion of an RIR's free space pool and after receiving > their final /8 from the IANA[3], an RIR will become eligible to request > address space from the IANA Reclamation Pool when it publicly announces > via its respective global announcements email list and by posting a > notice on its website that it has exhausted its supply of IPv4 address > space. Exhaustion is defined as an inventory of less than the equivalent > of a single /8 and the inability to further assign address space to its > customers in units equal to or shorter than the longest of any RIR's > policy defined minimum allocation unit. Any RIR that is formed after the > ICANN Board of Directors has ratified this policy is not eligible to > utilize this policy to obtain IPv4 address space from the IANA. > > 5. Reporting Requirements > > The IANA shall publish on at least a weekly basis a report that is > publicly available which at a minimum details all address space that has > been received and that has been allocated. The IANA shall publish a > Returned Address Space Report which indicates what resources were > returned, by whom and when. The IANA shall publish an Allocations Report > on at least a weekly basis which at a minimum indicates what IPv4 > address space has been allocated, which RIR received the allocation and > when. The IANA shall publish a public notice confirming RIR eligibility > subsequent to Section 4. > > 6. No Transfer Rights > > Address space assigned from the Reclamation Pool may be transferred if > there is either an ICANN Board ratified global policy or globally > coordinated RIR policy specifically written to deal with transfers > whether inter-RIR or from one entity to another. Transfers must meet the > requirements of such a policy. In the absence of such a policy, no > transfers of any kind related to address space allocated or assigned > from the reclamation pool is allowed. > > 7. Definitions > > IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, or its successor > > ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or its > successor > > RIR - Regional Internet Registry as recognized by ICANN > > MoU - Memorandum of Understanding between ICANN and the RIRs > > IPv4 - Internet Protocol Version Four(4), the target protocol of this > Global Policy > > Free Space Pool - IPv4 Addresses that are in inventory at any RIR, > and/or the IANA > > 8. Contributors > > The following individuals donated their time, resources and effort to > develop this proposal on behalf of the Internet Community: > > Steve Bertrand <steve at ipv6canada.com> > Chris Grundemann <cgrundemann at gmail.com> > Martin Hannigan <marty at akamai.com> > Aaron Hughes <ahughes at bind.com> > Louie Lee <louie at equinix.com> > Matt Pounsett <matt at conundrum.com> > Jason Schiller <schiller at uu.net> > > 9. References > > 1. http://www.icann.org/en/general/allocation-remaining-ipv4-space.htm > Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space, > IANA, Retrieved 27 April 2010 > > 2. http://aso.icann.org/documents/memorandum-of-understanding/index.html > ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO) MoU , Retrieved 27 May 2010. > > 3. http://www.icann.org/en/general/allocation-remaining-ipv4-space.htm > Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space > > 4. http://aso.icann.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/aso-001-2.pdf Policy > for Allocation of IPv4 Blocks to Regional Internet Registries > _______________________________________________ > rpd mailing list > rpd at afrinic.net > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/rpd > > -- ______________________________________________________________________ Mukom Akong T. www.afrinic.net | p: +230 466 6616 | f: +230 466 6758 | Skype: perfexcellent


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From the everyday to the hard to imagine, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology is at the core of almost all technology. Our students and faculty are the tinkerers, creators, and magic makers that make change happen—the power source at the heart of dreaming, designing, and getting it done.
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As I write this I'm listening to one of my favorite CDs ever, by a New York City duo that disbanded a decade ag0 — The Nudes. I love their voices, their quirky lyrics and the deep, delicious, unlikely instrument that defined them — a cello, played by Stephanie Winters, who then played with Walter Parks and now tours with Richie Havens.
I still have 100s of albums I acquired back when vinyl was the only choice, and haven't heard them in years since the turntable and stereo system died. I miss my music!
Some of those bands or artists have long since disappeared. Whatever happened to The Dream Academy, and their great tune "Life In a Northern Town"? They toured only once, in 1991.
One of my absolute favorites is Tanita Tikaram, (who is, luckily, still playing and touring.)
Who's your favorite dead-and-gone band? What song of theirs should I hunt down and why?


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Investment Thesis for Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE:WHR)
(Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise, 2016-07)
This working paper is an in-depth analysis of Whirlpool Corporation. (WHR). Our analysis examines historical performance, important acquisitions, and predictions of future performance. We combine our economic analysis with ...


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The more you find out about Steve Bannon's views, the clearer it is that he's a real Fascist, who should be kept as far away from government, and decent society, as possible. In this piece from TYT Nation, the host, Jeff Waldorf, talks once again about Bannon's love of the French racist novel, The Camp of the Saints, and how he views the wave of immigrants that entered Europe from Syria through the prism of its narrative.
The book was written in the 1970s by Jean Raspail, and describes an armada of boats carrying 800,000 poor immigrants from India, who come to France to overthrow White, Christian civilisation. The immigrants are described in scatological, pornographic terms, and their children are also described as diseased, 'like spoiled fruit'. They are welcomed into Europe by a corrupt liberal establishment, including a liberal pope from Latin America. The book's hero, Calgues, is a White supremacist, who kills both these immigrants and the White liberals, who have allowed them in and help them. After murdering a hippy, Calgues reflects on how these young people have been 'culturally cuckolded' and deprived of the sense of knowing that they belong to the superior civilisation.'
I've put up a piece about this before, when one of the other left-wing YouTube news presenters did a segment about it.
But Bannon's admiration for French Fascism seems to extend beyond this novel, right back to the French monarchist and Fascist, Charles Maurras. Maurras was the founder and editor of the extreme rightwing newspaper, Action Francaise. He was bitterly anti-Enlightenment, a view that Bannon also shares. Bannon has also said that he wants the Enlightenment to end. Maurras was bitterly anti-Semitic, and was prosecuted several times for urging and demanding the assassination of Jewish politicians, including, in 1936, the then president, Leon Blum. During the Nazi Occupation and the Vichy Regime, he wrote articles supporting the deportations and the arrests of resistance members, Jews and Gaullists. Indeed, he went so far as to recommend that if the Gaullists themselves could not be found and arrested, then their families should be rounded up and shot. Waldorf shows how this parallels Trump's own views on the arrest and torture of the families of terrorists suspects.
It doesn't surprise me that remotely that Maurras was anti-Enlightenment. There was a very strong element of this in European Fascism generally. After the Nazi seizure of power, Hitler wrote that the shame of 1789 – the year of the radical phase of the French Revolution – had been undone. So strong was this element, that many historians viewed Fascism as an entirely anti-Enlightenment movement, until later research showed how Fascism had also taken on elements of Enlightenment thought. The religious right also despises the Enlightenment for its attack on Christianity and organised religion. Here again, the situation is rather more complicated, in that recent historians have pointed out how European Enlightenment doctrines built on earlier philosophical attitudes and religious concepts. The doctrine of democracy and equal human worth are two of those. The idea that humans all have equal value and dignity ultimately comes from the Christian doctrine that everyone is equal before God, though medieval philosophers like Thomas Aquinas were quick to point out that this did not apply to their functions in earthly society. Similarly, the doctrine that people have inalienable human rights is also a metaphysical, religious doctrine, in the sense that it is not immediately obvious. It seems so to us, because it is so much a part of our culture. Nevertheless, it rests on a series of arguments and attitudes that are not self-evident, and have to be demonstrated.
Bannon is already notorious for his White Supremacist and anti-Semitic views. This adds further details on them. Waldorf also notes that Bannon has described himself as a 'cultural Leninist', which he equates with Bannon's economic populism. This isn't quite right. Bannon is a 'cultural Leninist' in that he shares Lenin's goal of destroying the state, and then reconstructing it to serve his movement and ideology. Which makes Bannon very dangerous, indeed.
And it isn't just America, which is in danger. Hope Not Hate has also published articles on Breitbart's role in supporting UKIP, and their plan to create an even more extreme, anti-immigrant, racist party. Among the various Breitbart columnists in this country is James Delingpole, who also used to write for the Spectator. It has also given space to the bigoted rantings of the right-wing troll, Katie Hopkins. I gather she's got a column in the Scum. The fact that she is also being embraced by real White Supremacists like Breitbart, whose leader admires such overtly racist works and individuals, should disqualify her from having her racist nonsense published in the mainstream press, even one as low as the Scum.
Bannon himself is only one of a number of a racist 'basket of deplorables', which includes Richard Spencer, the founder of the Alt-Right. All of them should be cleaned out of government as quickly as possible, before they can bring even more misery to America's working people and people of colour, and export their vile views and policies over here.


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While viewing a lake at a local park, my children and I spotted something not too far off the shore, gasping. Just under the surface, I saw the signs of landscaping net, and I knew what had happened. Some of the landscape netting had made its way into the lake, where a poor, unsuspecting fish had managed to become entrapped.
I explained to my children what happened to the fish. At that point I could have walked away, but our family tries to help others. A fish was no exception. I looked around for the biggest stick I could find; it was too short to reach. The water was murky, although not too deep. While the day was a lovely temperature, the water itself was cold. However, compassion isn't always convenient. Sometimes we have to make an effort.
I handed my 11 month old to her older siblings, took off my sling, and stripped off my socks and shoes. I rolled my jeans up as far as I could, hoping that we wouldn't be leaving the park with me soaked in muddy lake water. Then I waded in. The cold mud oozed between my toes and over my feet, although I couldn't see them for the murky water. I finally was close enough to reach the net with my stick, as I noticed small bits of blood escaping from the fish.
Snagging the net with the stick, I pulled it, along with the fish, back to shore. I wasn't hopeful that I could save the fish, but I had to try. Back on the soft mud of the bank, I crouched before the water, working to rip the net apart to free the fish, my audience on pins and needles as they watched to see whether their mother would indeed rescue the poor fish.
Once freed, I hoped that the fish, despite its injuries, would swim away, happy for another chance at life. However, it's gasping continued and, no longer anchored by the net, its body floated upside down, blood ocassionally seeping from the damaged gills. There was only one more thing I could do to help: end its life quickly and painlessly. I loathed the idea of doing it. I wasn't certain how exactly I was to kill this fish with what I had available in such a manner as to ease its suffering rather than increase it.
Looking up toward the park proper, I noticed another family looking out towards the lake. I put the sling back on with my youngest in it, grabbed by socks and shoes in one hand and helped my other children up the embankment with the other, and headed toward them. I explained the situation and the father nodded, asked where it was, and headed down to help out.
Compassion isn't always convenient. Sometimes we have to reach out a hand or go out of our way to help someone. While not always convenient, compassion is also not a convenience. It's a necessity. If we have no compassion for others, we cannot fully connect with them. Compassion is a necessity, whether in regard to a friend, a stranger, our spouse, or a tired three year old.


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The Health Benefits of Taking a Mineral Bath
This blog has not been approved by your local health department and is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice.
A mineral bath is a hot bath that is mixed with a rich blend of essential minerals. These baths can be naturally occurring, heated with mineral-rich rocks or created using Epsom salts. Mineral baths are often used for their therapeutic benefits and may help ease a number of ailments in the body.
Mineral baths provide an amazing way to relieve stress. Not only does the heat from the water help relax tense muscles, but the minerals also actively help the body in relaxation. Studies have shown that minerals like magnesium and calcium may promote calmness, balance the nervous system and help the muscles release the acidic byproducts built up from moving and working out.
The Benefits of a Mineral Bath Soak
Research on mineral baths has shown the following health benefits:
- Increase blood flow and circulation – The heat from the hot bath will open up blood vessels and increase circulation in the body. This is fantastic for absorbing the essential minerals and may help improve skin by allowing the healthy minerals to pass through and bring blood to the surface. Increased circulation can also help with skin repair, reducing dryness or irritation, and help soothe aches.
- Help treat digestive disease – The practice of using mineral baths to combat diseases has been around for a very long time and has been used all around the world. Magnesium in a mineral bath, which is easily absorbed through the skin, is associated with relieving constipation. Other conditions, such as irritation, stress or tension-related intestinal discomforts, may also be relieved.
- Prevent mineral deficiencies – It is quite common for a person to become deficient in one or more essential minerals - Read more on 5 common mineral deficiencies. These minerals are essential to cellular processes and maintaining health. A regular soak in a mineral bath may help prevent these deficiencies and allow the body to maintain itself more efficiently.
Relaxing Homemade Lavender Mineral Bath Recipe
It's easy to enjoy a mineral bath at home with a few simple ingredients. Here is an easy recipe to create a homemade mineral bath.
- 2 cups Epsom salt
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 3 Tbs. baking soda
- 2 Tbs. sea salt
- Combine the ingredients in a jar or small container.
- Shake well or mix with a spoon.
- Dissolve about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture into the bath water.
- Relax and enjoy.


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Bass Strait
Bass Strait băs [key], channel, 80 to 150 mi (129–241 km) wide, between Tasmania and Victoria, SE Australia, connecting the Indian Ocean and Tasman Sea; Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne are on the northwest coast. Bass Strait is an important fishing area. The exploration of the strait by Englishman George Bass in 1798 proved that Tasmania was not a part of the Australian continent.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Oceans and Continents


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Q&A: "The Monster-Builder" Playwright Amy Freed
The new year once again brings a bumper crop of new plays to Portland as part of the Fertile Ground festival of world-premiere theater and dance work. Among dozens of shiny new shows debuting during the fest—you can view a full schedule at Fertile Ground's website—the shiniest is Artists Repertory Theatre's The Monster-Builder. An absurd yet trenchant comedy by Pulitzer finalist Amy Freed about a Faustian, egomaniacal "starchitect," the play represents a big "get" for the relatively small Artists Rep. We phoned Freed at her San Francisco home to talk about why she chose to debut Monster-Builder at ART and how the comedy is a protest against bad architecture.
What should audiences expect from The Monster-Builder?
Like the title implies, it's a more recent take on some of the themes of Ibsen's The Master-Builder—it's, like, what happens when architecture goes mad. All of us have seen what has happened to the modern city under the influence of the starchitects of the last several decades. I grew up looking at sort of the iterations of modernism, the simple skyscraper. Then, as the '60s turned into the '70s and postmodern theory impacted everything, we started seeing this whole other form, the bloated, towering, crazy shapes, emerge on our cityscapes. I think what's happening to the cities we live in and love has been a cause of consternation for a lot of human beings on the planet. So I try to bring these concerns into a language that's theatrical, that's fun, that's a little outrageous, to provoke discussion and reaction. I want to make ordinary people feel free to have an opinion on these subjects, because I think a lot of development—and especially development with big money behind it—relies on the idea that you can make people feel too stupid to have a feeling about something.
I'm just talking about the ideas behind the play. What an audience can expect is that it's a pretty absurdist comedy; some elements play like a mad sex farce. It's a Faust story about an architect who sells his soul to the devil, lives forever, and goes around creating bad architecture through the centuries. I don't mean to make it sound more highbrow than it is. I really care about these issues, but I have spent most of my career trying to hide what a geek I am and make the work fun for anybody. But it's a serious point being made in a very satirical style, and the point is that what is built around us can make our lives good or bad to a large extent, and to give energy to the resistance.
Was your starchitect inspired by "difficult" architects from history and literature such as Frank Lloyd Wright and The Fountainhead's Howard Roark?
Well, sure. I love The Fountainhead; Ayn Rand's ideas are terrible, but the book is so kitschy and fun. All the stuff she decries in the book is the only thing holding cities up. But the thing I'm more parodying is the whole consortium of architects Philip Johnson kind of curated. They gave rise to the postmodern-and-beyond idea that architecture basically should refer to no older forms, that all previous formal orders were there to be distorted, or riffed upon, or actively destroyed. It has been really unsettling for people. For an architect to create a monumental experience on an urban landscape that everybody uses, the intent of which is to disorient and disturb—which is actually an aesthetic that was promulgated—is the height of arrogance, the height of ego. That's what the character is reflecting.
Where does your interest in architecture come from?
My dad was an architect, so I was always rather interested. I lived in the classic architect's house, which was falling down. He was doing a remodel of a house that had been built by a disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright up in the backwoods of New York state, and the house was in a constant state of renovation, excavation, destruction, and despair. So I lived with the clash of theory and the sort of low-rent version of Falling Water.
How much was Ibsen's The Master-Builder, which your title plays on, part of your development process?
It came kind of late. The working title was The Glass House; what I started with was based on an attempted murder that took place here in San Francisco in a glass house. I couldn't get over the contradiction between life lived in this conceit of modernism—that everything should be totally visible to the neighbors—and the horrible mess of human life within. The first scene of the play takes place within an utterly transparent house, and that's a motif in the play. I was into the idea of a place with no shadows, no closets, no places to hide, no ghosts. Where every crime, every ugliness, was visible.
Why did you choose the relatively small ART to premiere the play?
[Director] Art Manke is an old friend, and he brought the play to [leads] Michael Elich and Robin Nordli at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, who are terrific actors, so my normal concerns about a small company being able to cast the play were alleviated. It's one of the first times in my playwriting career when I've been able to know I'm working with old friends and artists I really like. A good, representative production in a small theater is a lot better for a premiere than a mishandled production in a more prominent theater, because it will never get a second shot if it goes up where it can't be cast well or whatever.
What do you think the lead role requires?
First and foremost, somebody with a wicked sense of humor and tons of confidence and charm. It's got to be a person who can handle the ideas of the play. It needs an actor who's kind of a hambone, who enjoys a grandstand-y, comic evening. And that's not easy to find! We all know who those actors are, and there are like 10 of them, who can take people on a ride and be awful and look good doing it.
The Monster-Builder
Artists Repertory Theatre
Jan 28–Mar 2
Fertile Ground
Jan 23–Feb 2
I'm excited to finally hear [the role] in a production, because I enjoy the play a lot [laughs]. I mean, that sounds funny coming from me, but I don't enjoy all my plays by any means. Some of my plays are torture for everybody, but I think this reads well and plays easily enough. Michael Elich is a really funny guy; I'm feeling quite lucky with this situation because he and Robin Nordli, who are grounding the comic character leads, are wonderful and very, very seasoned. I would not have done this without such a core of known elements. And there are just enough unknown elements for it to be fun, you know?


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Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament publishes its Stage 1 report on the Repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communication (Scotland) 2012 Act
Following the largest public consultation that the Scottish Parliament has ever had on any issue, the Justice Committee began hearing oral evidence on 3rd October 2017. There followed several sessions which involved legal bodies, fans groups, the football authorities, academics, the police and civil rights and equalities bodies and which concluded on 12 December 2017.
The overwhelming message which was given to the Justice Committee was that the Act was unnecessary, illiberal, damaging to police-fan relations and potentially in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
In light of this, the Justice Committee has today recommended the Repeal Bill to the Parliament and the vote on the Stage 1 report will take place on 25th of September.
We call on all MSPs to recognise that this law is bad law, it is a failure and it needs to be repealed as a matter of urgency so that the injustice meted out to young football fans can stop and the damage which it has caused can begin to be repaired. This also leaves the way clear for a sensible and mature discussion to take place which addresses those social issues which the Act was alleged to be about but which have been advanced not one iota since 2011.
Having campaigned against this Act for close to seven years, we now look forward to the next stage in the process (amendments) and the eventual Stage 3 vote which will see this 'stain on the reputation of the Scottish legal system' finally removed.


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Yesterday afternoon, Fox followed NBC's lead on the opening day of broadcast Upfronts Week with a predictable, but specifically-calibrated 2011/2012 lineup. All told, they added two comedies (fall: I Hate My Teenage Daughter, The New Girl), two animated comedies (fall: Allen Gregory; mid-season: Napoleon Dynamite), and four dramas (fall: Terra Nova; mid-season: Alcatraz, The Finder, Touch) to the slate—not to mention the carnivalesque tragi-comedy that will be Simon Cowell's competitive reality import, The X Factor. They've been number one for seven years now; they're not messing with the secret sauce here, folks.
X will be the newest addition to what Fox's strategic programming VP, Preston Beckman, calls the network's "reality spine," which consists of X in the fall, American Idol in the spring, and So You Think You Can Dance in the summer, each splitting the same timeslot. The big gambit on the schedule is the network's time traveling dinosaur action-epic, Terra Nova. It was meant to air its premiere this spring to drum up buzz for its official fall kick-off (the same strategy Glee took in 2009), but that idea was scrapped when the show, mired in last-minute FX work (and rumored producer squabbles), wasn't quite ready for prime time. At the upfront, Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said that there were "150 special effects in the first two hours." The pilot reportedly cost an estimated $20 million—expensive, but, the network insists, not over budget. Besides, when you've got Idol money, you can afford to take one Jurassic risk.
More From ELLE
Zooey Deschanel stars in The New Girl, a sitcom about an "offbeat" (how high up do you think that word is on Deschanel's resume?) girl who moves in with three dudes. It's created by No Strings Attached`s Liz Merriwether, and got a lot of cheers from the crowd. Notable midseason shows include J.J. Abrams' Alcatraz, which, considering Fox's support of Abrams' criminally under-watched Fringe, has a shot at a long shelf life; and Touch, a Keifer Sutherland-led mystical drama about a group of seemingly unrelated individuals who are "all interconnected, tied in invisible ways." The strangers-entwined-by-fate drama has been done before; nobody watched it when it was called The Nine, or Windfall, or Boomtown (though that one you should have watched), but Sutherland and creator Tim Kring (Heroes) is known brands in television, so maybe they can rake in the viewers. Not to mention, we have faith in executive producers Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope, who know a thing or two about smart, high-concept programming.
On top of that, Fox added Jonah Hill-produced cartoon, Allen Gregory, in the fall and an animated Napoleon Dynamite in mid-season, both to its Sunday Animated comedy block. Then, the network announced a Seth McFarlane-led reboot of The Flinstones in 2013. But that just might be the contingency plan for Terra Nova if it burns through its FX budget.
What do you think? Is the new schedule enough to keep Fox on top? Or are you just happy Bones is back? Sound off in the comments!
Go to Fox for the rest of their new lineup. Full fall schedule below. (New shows in all-caps; time in EST.)
8-9 p.m.—TERRA NOVA
9-10 p.m.—House
8-9 p.m.—Glee
9-9:30 p.m.—THE NEW GIRL
9:30-10 p.m.—Raising Hope
8-9:30 p.m.—THE X FACTOR
9:30-10 p.m.—I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER
8-9 p.m.—THE X FACTOR
9-10 p.m.—Bones
8-9 p.m.—Kitchen Nightmares
9-10 p.m.—Fringe
8-8:30 p.m.—Cops
8:30-9 p.m.—Cops
9-10 p.m.—Encores, and America's Most Wanted quarterly specials
7-7:30 p.m.—NFL post-game, The OT
7:30-8 p.m.—The Cleveland Show
8-8:30 p.m.—The Simpsons
8:30-9 p.m.—ALLEN GREGORY
9-9:30 p.m.—Family Guy
9:30-10 p.m.—American Dad
Nojan Aminosharei is the Entertainment Director of Men's Health and the Special Projects Editor of Harper's Bazaar. He was previously the Entertainment Director of Hearst Digital Media, and before that a Senior Editor at GQ. Raised in Vancouver, Canada, Nojan graduated from NYU with a master's degree in magazine journalism. The late Elaine Stritch once told him, "What the fuck kind of name is Nojan? I'm 89 years old, I don't have time for that shit."


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Block description of the dwg model:
Flowers in pot, prospect. Front view. Flowerpot elevation.
This file is in dwg format (Autocad 2000). You can use this dwg model only for a private use, you can't sell it or use in a commercial way. Downloading this cad block you agree to the terms of our disclaimer.


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The sleek Caspian design is a compact contemporary cottage
Slender sets of twin posts bound the front porch of the Caspian, a compact contemporary cottage with a sleek footprint. Shingle siding adds to the visual appeal of both triangular gables, while multipaned windows sparkle across the front facade.
Spacious linked gathering areas fill the right wing. Sleeping areas dominate the left side, tucked behind the two-car garage.
Entering, you step into a short foyer. Its angled display shelves are ideal for sharing family photos or small objects of beauty. The foyer leads on into the dining area, which is totally open to the living room behind and the kitchen up front. A door to the garage, next to the coat closet at the end of the foyer, makes for ease of unloading groceries and other household items.
A mess-free gas fireplace nestles into one rear corner of the living room. It's next to wide sliding glass doors that let in plenty of daylight, while providing easy, breezy access to a covered patio at the rear. This sheltered space is ideal for outdoor dining and could be screened.
Counters wrap around four sides of the G-shaped kitchen at the opposite end of the gathering space, where a flush eating bar fronts the dining area. Cabinets line the walls above and below most of the counters. Kitchen workers standing at the sink can keep an eye on activities in the front yard, porch and patio outside, plus the dining and living areas inside.
Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a good-sized utility room cluster together on the left of the Caspian, along with a roomy storage closet. Amenities in the owner's suite include a walk-in closet and a private bathroom with a dual vanity and separately enclosed shower and toilet.
Visit AssociatedDesigns.com for more information or to search our home plans. A review plan of the Caspian 30-868, including floor plans, elevations, section, and artist's conception, can be purchased for $25. Our home plan catalog, featuring more than 550 home plans, costs $15. Both are available online, by mail or phone. Add $5 s/h. Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Dr., Eugene, OR 97402, (800) 634-0123.


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Merry Christmas from EdwynUK
I just wanted to wish everyone, particularly our fabulous EdwynUK customers, a very Merry Christmas!
I am so behind with my own Christmas preparations I have had to enlist the help of Cartolina Cards to send you our Christmas message. If like me you have missed sending Christmas cards then download her fantastic app and you'll be able to send some very beautiful Christmas and holiday greetings and perhaps feel a little less guilty!
For those of you who have got some time off over Christmas – enjoy! We'll be heading to the Lincolnshire Wolds to enjoy a Christmas with family, if you use Instagram then follow us for some festive posts! And those of you working….well I hope your work is sprinkled with festive spirit!


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Too many pastors, not enough work
While some church denominations acknowledge that pastors are staying in those roles because of the economy, those same denominations note the economic downturn means many churches are cutting staffs, sharing pastors or using other measures to pay the bills while meeting spiritual needs.
The result means there's either a pastor glut or a pastor shortage, depending largely on where you live.
There does not seem to be less interest in a career in the ministry. One local seminary is seeing stable enrollment numbers, and area synods for the United Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church USA are seeing younger people becoming ordained. But like many other occupations, there may not be jobs for everyone.
"The economy does seem to impact the clergy situation in that some of our larger congregations can no longer afford the numbers of pastors on staff that used to serve," acknowledges Bishop Warren D. Freiheit of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran in America. "And there are clergy who are postponing retirement because their (retirement) funds have taken a hit in the stock market."
"Some pastors saw a 40 percent hit in their portfolios," adds the Rev. Paul Black, director of communication ministries for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church. "The economy is changing people's timetables."
Related to the economy is shifting demographics, says the Rev. Sue Krummel, general presbyter and stated clerk of the Great Rivers Presbytery in Peoria, to which Springfield-area churches belong.
Half of the 106 congregations in the presbytery are not served by full-time pastors, she notes.
Commissioned lay pastors, who are lay elders who have received extra church training, part-time pastors and different lay preachers are serving many of the churches that do not have a full-time pastor.
"That's a change over the last decade," Krummel says.
Bigger seems to be better
Because of a variety of reasons — salaries, spouses and careers, among them — clergy in denominations who can choose their own employment, like Presbyterian Church USA, are tending to stay in large cities instead of going to smaller congregations where pay may be less and job opportunities less bountiful for spouses.
And not all ministers are searching for employment, preferring to stay on the sidelines or engaged in other professions.
A recent study by Presbyterian Church USA found less than 10 percent of seminary graduates are open to serving in congregations with fewer than 100 members. An even smaller percentage said it was willing to serve in a rural setting.
"I've seen a lot of people discern their calls," Krummel says. "It's kind of a tradition (that newer pastors) would start out in smaller, rural congregations.
Professor Barney Wells, interim coordinator of Church Ministries at Lincoln Christian University and Seminary in Lincoln, says it's difficult for the smaller churches to offer compensation ministers can live on. So while there may be open pulpits, "they will need to be filled by bi-vocational or avocational preachers.
"We also see an increase in smaller churches sharing one minister among two or more congregations."
Wells says statewide about 30 percent more preachers are looking for churches than there are churches looking for preachers.
"This could reverse again in five more years or it could be a sign of a long-term trend," Wells says. "My personal opinion is that this may be a longer-term trend, but we just don't have enough hard, quantitative data to know yet."
Getting younger
In recent years, says Black of the United Methodist Church, the deployment of pastors has been driven by clergy retirements. Retiree classes have run fairly large, he adds, as high as 20 per year.
"It was projected that one-third of the pastors serving in 2002 would be retiring in the next 10 years, and we are in about year eight of that trend," notes Black, who also serves as pastor of Jerome UMC.
But, he adds, while the number of pastors available for deployment was shrinking, the number of pastors needed to staff these churches also shrunk. Some churches decided to share a pastor. Other churches closed.
The UMC got another boost at its annual conference: the number of ordinands outpaced the retirees, Black says, and the ordinands' average age is younger than 35, "an age group significantly under-represented in many mainline denominations."
"The average age for our pastors has probably downshifted," says Krummel of the Presbyterian Church. "In the mid 1980s to the mid 'aughts', there were a lot of second-career ministers."
Lincoln Christian's Wells says that while seminary enrollment numbers are holding steady, "we do see more students preparing for specialized staff positions as opposed to general ministry."
A survey by the Association of Theological Schools found that a quarter of 2009 graduates ran up more than $30,000 in seminary debts.
"I've never heard of anyone going into the ministry to make money," Krummel says. "For people entering the seminary, the economic motivation is not the main motivation."
Recently, the ELCA and UMC reached a full communion agreement, providing an avenue for pastors to serve in both denominations, Black says.
"It invites ELCA and UMC congregations to think strategically in their location of ministry to work cooperatively on areas of mutual concern," he says.
Steven Spearie can be reached at 217-622-1788 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Getting ready for a fresh child is indeed thrilling, and there is absolutely no scarcity of newborn retail store alternatives to begin on creating for your new introduction. For expectant moms, you will find web stores where you can register to have friends and relations get whatever you desire for the child. Lots of the same websites have new baby products, for example diapers, bottles, bust pumping systems, diaper bags, high seats, and most of the other stuff children along with their family members desire for the initial 12 months. Websites like these rise above the first 12 months. Discover the way they have sippy cups, plastic-type ware tailored for little fingers and smaller sized appetites, and potty training items.
At several on the web baby merchants, registration is encouraged for pregnant parents. It's usually very easy to find a web link for virtually any place on the web and get signing up began. This really is these kinds of a great way to make sure family know exactly what to get and once to obtain something else if another present has already been cared for. It's hardly surprising simply how much gift registries have grown. Furthermore they help you to really know what to get an pregnant mom, they can be incredibly enjoyable to the pregnant parents to setup. These areas have gotten registries create for a number of years and it is an entertaining and popular occasion.
You can get enrollment support should you need it. Most women like to get this done making use of their good friends or alone. However, when a mommy-to-be transpires with will need support registering, you will find specialists who can go walking her through signing up using the gift item pc registry from the child shop. When you get into one out of particular person (or perhaps online for instance) that may be bigger or even more unknown, just a little consultation isn't an unsatisfactory idea. It is actually to help mums possess a better concept of what they desire and precisely what the store has which they would want.
Pregnant mothers can indicate where they desire the shopping done. Several mothers wish to have an natural and organic slant on their maternity as well as their new little one. So it makes sense to sign up for registration in a spot that is certainly specifically geared to organic and natural items or perhaps a child retailer that features a large selection of natural and organic items. As soon as the mother is deciding on what she would like guests to acquire, she just has to decide on a choice for cheaper presents as well as gift ideas that may be more costly. Doing this company be able to make a decision.
Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Fed to start tapering stimulus
The Federal Reserve says it will reduce its $85 billion a month in bond purchases by $10 billion starting in January, citing a stronger U.S. job market. And it says it will take further steps to reduce the pace of the purchases next year if that improvement continues.
The reduction is a signal that Fed policymakers are ready to ease their massive support for the economy provided since the Great Recession. The bond purchases have helped keep long-term interest rates low to encourage more borrowing and spending.
To cushion the impact on financial markets, the Fed strengthened its commitment to record-low short-term rates. It says it plans to hold its key short-term rate near zero "well past" the time when unemployment falls below 6.5 percent.


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There was a man who had worked all his life, had saved all of his money, and was a real miser when it came to his money.
Just before he died, he said to his wife, "When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me."
And so he got his wife to promise him, with all of her heart, that when he died, she would put all of the money into the casket with him.
Soon after, he died. He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there dressed in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony, and the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said, "Wait just a moment!"
She had a small metal box with her, and she got up and put it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down and rolled it away.
The woman's friend stared at her. "Girl, I know you were not foolish enough to put all that money in there with your husband!"
The loyal wife replied, "Listen, I'm a Christian; I cannot go back on my word. I promised him that I was going to put that money into the casket with him."
The friend's mouth dropped open. "You mean to tell me you actually put the money in there?!
"I sure did," said the wife. "I got it all together, put it into my account, and wrote him a check. If he can cash it, then he can spend it."
Thanks to Gordon Welch for this joke. He gave it to us 3 years ago. RIP Gordon. We miss your weekly visits.


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A Journey to the End of the Night
While I'm feverishly preparing the last bits and bytes for the upcoming PlumberCon conference this weekend at WerkzeugH, I'm just as much looking forward to one of the starting events on 0day (some might call it Friday the 07th), the Journey to the End of the Night!
Out of their announcement:
The city spreads out before you. Rushing from point to point, lit by the slow strobe of fluorescent buses in dark streets. Stumbling into situations for a stranger's signature. Fleeing unknown pursuers, breathing hard, admiring the landscape and the multitude of worlds hidden in it.
For one night, drop your relations, your work and leisure activities, and all your usual motives for movement and action, and let yourself be drawn by the attractions of the chase and the encounters you find there.
Try to make it through a series of checkpoints as quickly and as stealthily as possible, while avoiding being caught by chasers. Should you be captured, you become a chaser yourself and have to pursue your former friends and allies. No skates, no bikes, no cars — just your feet and public transport.
Starting point for the Journey will be a shallow pit in Prater, near the tram 1 stop Prater Hauptallee and U2 station Stadion (GPS: 48.20673 / 16.40878; see map).
Join in a free street game of epic proportion; a pursuit across the city in multiple parts – and be sure to wear comfortable shoes & bring water =)


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Additional information
|6 lbs
|25 × 8.5 × 2 in
This Wall Art Earth Tones Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles Design Relief Plaque is interchangeable. It can be used for a kitchen back-splash, pool tile, and bathroom tile, or wall hung on walls indoors or outdoors. The clay body is porcelain and stoneware, so the piece is incredibly durable. Our beautiful Rain Forest Green Glaze on this unique sink will remind you of hiking through any of the seemingly infinite number of amazing Rain Forests throughout the Hawaiian islands. My designs inspire many clients to create a very lovely Hawaiian tropical theme in their fashionable home, regardless if they live in Hawaii or not.
Bring some Aloha into your life from Maui!
Mahalo Albert Molina
|6 lbs
|25 × 8.5 × 2 in


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On the Codeception blog there's a new post that advocates getting on the testing ship even if the project you're currently on isn't using tests (or TDD).
In this blogpost we will try to figure out how to get faster into the testing. What tests to write at first? Let's say we already have a project and we didn't practice TDD/BDD developing it. Should we ignore testing at all? Definitely no. So where should we start then?
They suggest a three-tiered pyramid approach - UI at the top, Integration testing in the middle and Unit testing as the foundation. They talk about the times when testing doesn't make sense, like when your application is based on a third-party tool (like WordPress or Drupal). They recommend starting with functional testing and working your way back down, especially if your framework supports it. Obviously they encourage the use of Codeception for it, but also recommend even something like Selenium tests if nothing else.


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Today's News: Our Take - Could The X Factor Be Renewed for a Fourth Season?
The X Factor's third season has been nothing to sing about.
The Fox singing competition's latest judges combination has earned tepid reviews (see: Paulina Rubio), has hit new series lows in the ratings and even suffered an embarrassing technical snafu a few weeks back when it printed the wrong numbers to vote and had to give performers a second night to sing for their lives.
Should The X Factor just die already?
But despite all that, Entertainment Weekly reports there is early talk of the show earning a Season 4 renewal. The magazine reports that a shortened season, possibly similar to Dancing with the Stars' transition from a two-night-a-week to a one-night-a-week format. Part of Fox's reasoning for bringing back the competition is that although the show's ratings have slipped, the show's viewership (7.3 million viewers and a 2.4 rating the adults 18-to-49 demographic) is still notably higher than many of Fox's freshman series.
However, EW reports that unlike past years where The X Factor earned an early renewal, the decision won't be made one way or another until the season ends.
Do you want The X Factor to come back?
View original Could The X Factor Be Renewed for a Fourth Season? at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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Oasis Realty Group
Realtors In Charlotte NC You Can Count On
Our team of experienced agents is the best choice if you're looking for a Charlotte NC Realtor. We specialize in helping our clients sell, buy, and invest in all things real estate. Armed with the latest technology and industry-leading knowledge we can help you achieve your real estate goals. Your search for houses for sale in Charlotte North Carolina is made easy with Nick and Craig by your side. We are experts at guiding you to Real Estate success with years of experience. Let's start looking for homes for sale right now. If you're looking to sell a home, let us educate you on the process so you can make the best choice for your specific needs.
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Oasis Realty Group
1244 East BoulevardCharlotte NC 28203United States
(704) 459-7858
About Charlotte
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Neighborhoods in Charlotte, NC
Ballantyne, Ballantyne East, Ballantyne West, Barclay Downs, Chantilly, Charlotte center city, Dilworth, Eastover, Elizabeth, First Ward, Fourth Ward, Madison Park, Myers Park, NoDa, North Charlotte
Things to do in Charlotte, NC
Our Newest Profiles


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Their family has a history of breast cancer; Pagano herself was treated for the disease five and a half years ago. "Our grandmother died when my mom was seven," Pagano says. "My mother, one of her sisters and then our older sister had it, also. Out of six females in our family, four have had breast cancer." She pauses momentarily. "You almost wonder what's worse," she asks, "having had it or wondering when you will?"
In October of last year, McLaughlin noticed a painful spot on her breast. "In my family, we automatically go to the doctor and say, 'What is this? Get it out of me,'" she says, laughing. She had a needle biopsy, and the results came on Halloween. "We were all dressed up at work," she remembers, "and I found out I had suspicious cells." The tears come as quickly and unexpectedly as the laughter.
The lump was large: seven centimeters. McLaughlin had chemotherapy to shrink it before surgery. Fearing there might be cancerous cells in her other breast, she opted for a double mastectomy. During surgery, seven cancerous lymph nodes were found under her arm. Then came four doses of chemotherapy and a choice: Did she want regular chemotherapy treatments or a program of high-dose chemotherapy, which used to be (and often still is) known as a bone-marrow transplant? This treatment is offered when breast cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body or, as in McLaughlin's case, is extremely likely to do so.
McLaughlin was 32 years old. Her doctor had told her that with conventional treatment, there was an 80 percent chance her cancer would recur within five years. At ten years, the chance of recurrence was 100 percent. She wasn't given numbers on the high-dose chemo but was told that it offered her the best chance of survival. Fifty-fifty, she thinks she heard somewhere. "I was in a fog," she says. "My thought process was, I want to be as aggressive as possible to get as much of the cancer as I can, to live as long as I can. And I figure any improvement over 100 percent is good."
Although in practice it's highly sophisticated, high-dose chemotherapy is based on a fairly primitive concept: Chemotherapy kills tumor cells; the cure fails when some of those cells escape or become resistant. So the solution would seem to be a high enough dose to wipe out each and every one of the little beasts. Unfortunately, chemotherapy is a clumsy instrument that poisons healthy cells along with cancerous ones and destroys bone marrow. A dose sufficient to wipe out all of a patient's tumor cells would likely kill the patient as well. But what, early researchers wondered, if some of that patient's bone marrow were taken out before chemo and then reinjected afterward and allowed to regenerate? Such transplants (using donated marrow rather than the patient's own) had been successfully used against leukemia and lymphoma for decades. Why not use them against solid tumors like breast cancer?
The experimentation began in the early 1980s. In 1990 Dr. Roy Jones and his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Shpall, major pioneers in bone-marrow transplant for breast cancer, came to Denver to head a unit at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Presbyterian/St. Luke's, which is now affiliated with Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, began offering the treatment in 1991.
Many breast-cancer patients are young; they often have children. They are desperate to live, and metastasis is almost always fatal. Sick women began begging for the treatment; activists pressed for broader access; reluctant insurance companies were shamed, pressured and sued into paying. More and more transplants were being done around the country. Some were given in a research setting such as that at University Hospital; others were simply offered by hospitals in search of revenue or responding to need.
In the early days, data collection was spotty, and it was difficult to get enough patients for the randomized trials that would provide definitive proof that the treatment worked. Many women, convinced that a transplant offered salvation, refused the possibility of being randomized to the non-transplant arm of a study. But transplant patients did seem to be living longer than expected, and the high mortality rate from the procedure itself was rapidly decreasing--from 15 percent to less than 5. New drugs came on line that aided bone-marrow regeneration. And researchers discovered that stem cells--immature bone-marrow cells--could be taken from the blood, obviating the need to drill into bone.
Up until this point, there had been little progress in breast-cancer treatment. Bone-marrow transplant seemed a shining beacon in the otherwise bleak landscape.
McLaughlin found her three-day high-dose drug bombardment less traumatic than she'd feared. It was perhaps a little less difficult than regular chemo, she says, because of the careful support and monitoring she received at the hospital. But the days that followed were far worse. "Here I am," she says. "They've killed off all my white cells, which are the ones who do repair, who fight off infection. I've got a sore throat from the mucus running down the back of my throat. I've got a really dry mouth. I've gotten mouth sores, because my body can't heal itself. Vaginal bleeding. Vomiting. I got to where I couldn't swallow."
Pagano takes her sister's hand. "She's a very brave one, I'll tell you," she says. McLaughlin is shaking her head; once again the tears are leaking. "You are," Pagano says. "Brave."
"Everybody comes up and says, 'You're doing such a good job handling this,'" McLaughlin says finally. "I said, I've got two choices. I've got this disease. I can either curl up in a ball and let it get me, or I can laugh and joke and I can fight. That's all you can do. There's no other choice."
"On Saturday her vehicle was falling apart," adds Pagano. "She needed two pints of blood and she needed platelets. She really had to be picked back up. But they gave her a tuneup, and then she felt a lot better." The women have their heads together--Pagano's dark curls close to McLaughlin's bald skull--and they're giggling. Clearly this is a sister joke. "You know," Pagano continues, "a change of oil..."
"Go over the chassis..." her sister chimes in.
"New transmission fluid..."
They sputter into amused silence.
Last week, 20,000 cancer experts from all over the world converged on Atlanta for the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Bone-marrow transplant was the hottest topic on the agenda.
The first well-constructed, randomized studies--five of them--were scheduled for discussion. But even before the convention, the findings had leaked out--and they did not bring good news. Four indicated that women who had bone-marrow transplants, whether for aggressive or metastasized cancer, did no better than those who had conventional chemotherapy. Only one small study, from South Africa, showed positive results. (The results of all five studies have been published at www.asco.org.)
A cancer diagnosis topples the world into chaos. If there's one thing a patient needs from her doctor, it's calmness and authority. And here were the best cancer doctors in the world, arguing passionately about the one treatment for advanced breast cancer that had offered the possibility of cure.
Activist organizations were quick to join the discussion. "We have not seen the study results," the National Breast Cancer Coalition announced blandly before the conference, but "it has become clear that the results will not show that this treatment benefits women with breast cancer." Barbara Brenner of the San Francisco-based Breast Cancer Action says she found the results "pretty unambiguous." But while she supports further, highly controlled clinical studies, Brenner also believes that resources should be redirected toward "less toxic, more targeted" therapies.
The ramifications are enormous--and they hit close to home. Across the country, researchers like Jones and Shpall have staked their reputations and careers on bone-marrow transplant. Thousands of women have undergone the procedure; many are convinced it saved their lives. Thousands more are trying to decide whether to enter a transplant program.
"People who do what I do for a living have justifiably been criticized for too much high-dose therapy in breast cancer," says Dr. Jeffrey Matous, who works for Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers. "We need to be skeptical of our data; we need to be very truthful with our patients. There's a lot that we do not know yet."
But, he adds, "when you look at these studies, in no study is high-dose therapy inferior to standard therapy. The question you have to ask is, [has the transplant method] adversely impacted quality of life?"
Quality of life is the primary issue for Shonda Cortez. The Carbondale woman was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, which is almost always fatal, and underwent a bone-marrow transplant of a particularly focused kind in January. "It was nightmarish," she says. "I really don't like to hear my family tell me much about the first week. They give you drugs that help you forget, but my mother said I would just roll back and forth in bed and say, 'I'm so miserable.'"
She also had psychotic episodes. One night she unhooked her catheter, got her walker and tried to leave. When the nurse came in, Cortez was terrified and made her empty her pockets. On another occasion, she kept begging her parents to get rid of the flies in her room. One of the drugs she was given causes nerve damage in the hands and feet. For a while she could hardly stand up, and the mere touch of the bedcovers on her feet caused excruciating pain.
Cortez's thinking was affected. Sometimes she meets other women who have been through the treatment and is relieved, she says, to find "their brains aren't too bad. Maybe mine will come back."
When she learned of the transplant studies, Cortez was devastated. "I want to know--where did University Hospital get those figures they were giving me?" she asks. "I was in radiation when I heard the results of those studies on the NBC Nightly News. I talked to the radiation oncologist. She said she had always thought the numbers of 70 to 80 percent [disease-free survival for some high risk patients] were inflated, just given what she was seeing in her practice. But she also said that she felt that those studies were so generalized that, very likely, given the extreme aggressiveness of my particular cancer, I might be in a group of women who would benefit from transplant."
Cortez is still glad she had the treatment--and grateful she doesn't have to make the decision now, because "it's not as clear-cut and hopeful as everyone had thought. It's sad and scary to think that it might not help me and that I went through what I went through--all of us did--for no real reason.
"Maybe part of the problem is our culture, that we think we have the right to those kinds of answers. It's easier to believe the doctors than to face your own mortality."
Pat Nettles does have to make the decision now. She's currently in remission and, after years of surgeries, treatments, invasive tests and ambiguous symptoms, she's eager to rest. But if a transplant is to help her, it should take place immediately, before there's any sign of returning disease, and she's heard from her New York doctors that the University of Colorado is considered "a center of excellence" for the procedure. "I'm not wild about the toxicity and the invasiveness of it," Nettles says. "One doctor I talked to likened it to dropping a napalm bomb. It's a really tough decision."
But Dr. Roy Jones has no doubts about the value of his work. "There's a broad and rich literature that shows that for many kinds of drugs, the more you give, the more cancer you kill," he says, adding that his statistics come from thirty to forty years of experience and from twenty to thirty centers that have compiled data on thousands of women. They show that where metastasis is widespread, high-dose chemo has a 20 percent chance of eradicating all signs of cancer for five years. If there is metastasis to only one site, the rate goes up to 50 percent. For an aggressive localized tumor, the patient's chances of five disease-free years go from 20 to 70 percent.
These are not abstract numbers to Vicki Tosher, director of the Colorado Breast Cancer Coalition, who falls into the latter group. She was diagnosed in May 1991 and was one of the first patients at Presbyterian/St. Luke's to have stem-cell therapy. The experience was less traumatic than she'd feared, she remembers. She was given liberal amounts of medication to counter her symptoms, as well as drugs that induced amnesia. The staff was warm and supportive. But she did feel some trepidation when she saw the large bags of drugs she was to be given. "You go to the doctor's office for chemo and you get a vial, a syringe," she notes. "Well, this is a big bag and it drips into your body for hours. Perry--my significant other--that was when he flipped out, seeing them hang bags of chemotherapy. He said, 'I knew that if I was going to lose you, that was when it was going to happen.'"
At one point, just before receiving her drugs, Tosher had a dream in which inanimate objects turned animate and "rocks became birds and flew away." When she woke up in the morning, she says, "an incredible sense of calm had come over me. I knew that whatever happened, live or die, it was going to be okay."
Because Tosher has talked to many women who have had transplants, she has questions about the validity of those studies. Some of the women received different drugs from those she was given, or they had the same drugs at different dosages. She knows the treatment she got in 1991 was based on studies that had begun many years earlier and that current treatment is shaped by trends and figures that have since evolved. Conventional chemotherapy has changed, too. So when a researcher says that in his study, this group of women did or didn't do better than that group, what exactly were the women taking, and do those numbers still have relevance?
"We reinvent ourselves every three years," says Jones. "I take the heretical position that these random trials are obsolete. They're considered the gold standard, but they're a bankrupt way to evaluate treatment."
Jones believes the studies were released prematurely: The time frames involved are too short, since many of the women have been followed for fewer than three years. Most women with metastatic or advanced breast cancer will live that long no matter which treatment they choose; whether or not transplant prolongs life will become clear only four, five or six years later.
"In my opinion, ASCO decided to make a big splash at the meeting," Jones says. "A big media splash. A number of authors--including my wife--were not given the opportunity to review the data before it was scheduled for publication. There was a rush to judgment. I'm pretty confident what the trial will show, but it's going to take three more years to show it. It's too early."
Instead, procedures should be judged by two things, Jones says: their toxicity and whether they kill more cancer than earlier treatments. "Statistics tell us we have to look at tumor shrinkage by waiting to see how long patients live. But what if you could measure more accurately how much of the tumor is killed? The doctor says, I have two treatments, equal in toxicity, but one kills more tumor than the other. Which are you going to pick?"
Meanwhile, all the debate is taking place under the far-from-disinterested scrutiny of the insurance industry. For the time being, ASCO is recommending that insurance companies continue to pay for bone-marrow transplants--a position Jones passionately supports. "Dose intensity is only a component of what we're trying to do here," he says. "How are we supposed to do this work in a health-care system that denies experimental treatment? We've spent ten years creating a model on which we can build. We're working with the immune system, with monoclonal antibodies...The bio-tech people are creating ideas five times faster than we can test them. You don't want me to be ten years behind the loop in terms of testing what these companies are able to produce."
And you don't want patients to be stuck in the middle, either. "Think of what patients are going through when they see us wringing our hands about this and nerding out when it's all opinion," says Jones. "It's all editorial."
Patty Kealiher has seen a lot in her seventeen years as an oncology nurse. A brisk, healthy-looking woman, she has mixed and given chemos, held patients' hands, cleaned up vomit, offered advice, memorized jokes to amuse and distract her patients. She has watched people she's come to love die; she has celebrated with those who outlived all predictions.
Kealiher has worked with bone-marrow transplant for the last eight and a half years--most of them with Jones and Shpall at University Hospital. She began work at Presbyterian/St. Luke's on April 1--"my favorite holiday," she says.
"High dose is the only thing that works," she says unequivocally. "Wimpy chemo doesn't cure cancer."
In her work, she has seen people thrive who were not expected to live. She speaks of Connie, diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1991 and now apparently disease-free. "She would be dead by now," Kealiher says, "if she hadn't gone through the bone-marrow transplant." She remembers Gladys, who collapsed at work and was diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to her spine. "She went to see a local oncologist who said, 'Dang, I'm really sorry--how about some tamoxifen?'" Since tamoxifen only prolongs life, Kealiher encouraged her to see another doctor, and Gladys ultimately opted for a more aggressive approach that included bone-marrow transplant. "She's a year out, and she still continues to improve," says Kealiher. "I don't know if we cured her, but she would have gotten only a few years doing tamoxifen."
Eventually, Kealiher hopes, advanced breast cancer will be a chronic disease to be managed rather than a fatal one. "My career is very rewarding," she says. "This is the most intense, frightening time of my patients' lives--God help them if they have to go through something worse--but we're giving them a chance they might not have ever gotten."
Still, the work can be difficult. Kealiher speaks of a patient--another nurse--who got an infection and died during chemo. "She was young and healthy, doing the treadmill, and dead two days later. It was horrible.
"Sometimes you're just so zapped, so emotionally and physically drained," she says. "Often I'd get home, make some dinner, sit in front of the TV and just stare at it. Oncology nurses pretty much give everything they've got."
Boulder oncologist Dr. John Fleagle believes the studies must be taken seriously. "I think it would be fair to say that the longer you practice medicine, the harder it is to be dogmatic," he says. "Things change, treatments change, even concepts change...One thing I've learned is that all those anecdotal and life experiences that help you make decisions really need to be filtered through an understanding of research. Because truth, at least as I understand it, is based on research. And I have to listen even if the research is counter-intuitive or it hasn't been my belief system.
"Practicing medicine is not just a matter of opinion; if it were, it would be dangerous. More dangerous than it is.