text:
Vestigia BV, a Dutch company, operates in the field of commercial archaeology primarily as a consultant to policy makers, project developers, spatial planners on the role of cultural heritage, archaeology and history, in corporate, social and sustainable development. Colleague Marlies Janssens is conducting fieldwork today, with the aim to test the predictive model that was constructed based on desktop survey.
"Six in the morning: no office outfit for today. I'd better wear an old pair of jeans and firmly tied shoes. Because in my job at an archaeological consultancy company I'm not only working at the office. Several days a month I'm out in the field all through The Netherlands. Today is one of those days. Together with one of my colleagues, in a car filled with geological and archaeological equipment like hand corers, sieves and sample bags, we're heading for the cover sand region in the province of Brabant, The Netherlands. The local authorities here have asked us to develop an indicative map of archaeological values that can serve as a starting point for their local policy on archaeological heritage management. To develop this map we've already been analyzing existing maps (like soil maps, historical maps, geological maps), known archaeological sites and archaeological databases. However, analyzing a landscape from maps and databases will always leave us with questions which cannot be answered by desktop survey only. "What do the soil layers look like?", "Can we see former landscape surfaces which might have been inhabited during the past? And if so, are these surfaces and soils still intact? Or have they been disturbed by recent human activities?" To answer these questions we'll have to conduct fieldwork.
And that's what is scheduled for today. We'll visit several sites as part of a larger project where several colleagues, each with his or her own expertise, will aim to answer these questions. Today we will mainly focus on the landscape an soil characteristics, since me and my colleague are both physical geographers and approach archeology from the landscape point of view.
The first stop is at a site which is indicated on the soil map as an 'enkeerd' or plaggen soil. This man-made type of soil is often associated with late-medieval farming, when people added a mixture of heath sods and cattle manure to fertilize their arable land. By doing this year after year, they created a thick humic agricultural topsoil. These soils have a high archaeological potential; archaeological remains can be found within this plaggen cover (for the late medieval period), or underneath the cover (for older the period prior to that). After we've asked the owner for permission to enter his field, we start coring and find a thick humic sand layer. First, we think that this might indeed be the enkeerd soil as described on the soil-map, but while getting deeper, we start doubting whether this is really the medieval soil we were expecting to find. The humic layer looks very homogeneous, and the transition from the black topsoil to the yellowish cover sand underneath it looks very sharp. Imagine this farmer ploughing his land, blending the black topsoils with the yellowish cover sand year after year. That probably won't result in a sharp boundary between the two layers. Furthermore, an older soil, which is often found underneath these man-made soils, is completely missing. Looking at the landscape and noticing that this field is extremely flat and somewhat lower than the surrounding areas, we have to conclude that this soil has probably been disturbed recently and is leveled with black sand. Former surfaces or soils are missing, so the archaeological potential might be lower than we would have thought before.
The next coring, we had better luck. About a few hundred meters away from the previous site, we've found a podzol soil, which is still intact. These soils have been formed in cover sands since the start of the Holocene, about 10.000 years ago. This means that the surface we are standing on now, is the same surface as the one people could have lived on since the Stone Age. Later in the afternoon we were also lucky enough the find a nice undisturbed enkeerdsoil, with remains of an older podzol soils underneath, meaning high archaeological potential for the complete range of historical and even prehistorical periods.
At the end of the day, after visiting some more sites in this cover sand region and several brook valleys, we're heading back home again, feeling a bit tired from working in this very sunny afternoon, but also satisfied. Actually seeing the landscape and the (sub)soils in the field definitely gave us a better idea of the this area, which will help drawing up the archaeological document. Moreover, this was again one of those days that make me realize how lucky I am to have a job in archaeology that offers the opportunity to go outside and work in these lovely Dutch landscapes."


text: Kevin is from Costa Rica, a warm country with a lot of animals and kind people. He lives with his mom, dad, sister, and grandmother, and they speak Spanish at home. Kevin is also learning English. During his free time, he likes to draw, do arts and crafts, play the piano and the flute. His favorite type of music is Classical music. Kevin's favorite holiday is Independence Day, because it is also his birthday. He celebrates with a party and homemade lanterns. The typical food eaten in his hometown is called Gallo Pinto.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
GlobalGoodness: Welcome to the new GlobalGiving blog!
I'm both excited and impatient about making this inaugural post–it falls into the category of things we've wanted to do for a long, long time. On the one hand, I'm looking forward to having another way to communicate with anyone in the GlobalGiving community, and can't wait to start hearing back from people, and on the other hand I know blogs take time to become a good–and reliable–channel of communication. Patience is not really one of my virtues.
So what will we do on this blog? Here, we will announce new features, reveal our peccadilloes, highlight our community, explain what we were thinking (or not), and look to get feedback from you.
And speaking of getting feedback, this blog was named by friends of GlobalGiving. The community's top choice was actually "What Gives?" but through our polling we discovered that someone in our community has already called dibs on it. GlobalGoodness came in second–so here goes. Let's get started!


text:
THE ED SHOW with ED SCHULTZ
September 3, 2012
Guests: Chris Van Hollen, Sandra Fluke, James Hoffa, Larry Cohen, Gov. Brian Schweitzer
ED SCHULTZ, HOST: Good evening, Americans. And welcome to THE ED
SHOW from New York.
Sixty-four days until the 2012 election and Republicans are asking
Americans if they`re better off now than they were four years ago? Ooh, I
like this conversation.
We`ll take a look back at where we were four years ago and show you
why their plan might backfire.
This is THE ED SHOW -- let`s get to work.
BOB SCHIEFFER, CBS NEWS: Can you honestly say --
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: -- that Americans are better off
today --
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS: -- than they were four years ago?
SCHULTZ (voice-over): There`s only one answer to that question that
is provable with facts. And even the Republican nominee knows it.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, of course it`s getting
SCHULTZ: Tonight, we`ll end the debate with THE ED SHOW history
lesson for Republicans.
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: The banks have restricted
lending. Credit markets have frozen and families and business have found
it harder to borrow money. We`re in the midst of a serious financial
SCHULTZ: Righty talkers continue their assault on Sandra Fluke.
BILL O`REILLY, FOX NEWS: I`m just wondering when Sandra Fluke speaks
next week at the Democratic convention, what they`re going to drop from the
SCHULTZ: Tonight, Sandra Fluke on the ongoing war on women and a
preview of her speech.
Plus, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer tells us what Democrats need
to accomplish in Charlotte.
And Paul Ryan`s marathon of lying, now includes lying about America.
HUGH HEWITT: What`s your personal best?
REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Under three, I
think, two hours and 50 something.
HEWITT: Holy smokes!
SCHULTZ: We`ll show you how the vice presidential candidate is
running a losing race against the truth.
SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight, folks. Thanks for
Republicans are loud and clear about the question they want to ask as
voters make their decision in November.
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I think when you make that
decision, it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off
than you were four years ago?
SCHULTZ: That`s their strategy now? The leaders of the GOP are
highlighting this question as we head into the Democratic National
REINCE PRIEBUS, RNC CHAIRMAN: The fundamental question is back on the
table for Americans, which is -- are you better off today than you were
three or four years ago?
RYAN: We`re not going to hear evidence and facts about how people are
better off. You see, the president cannot run on this record.
ROMNEY: This president cannot tell us that you`re better off today
than when he took office.
SCHULTZ: Do you really want to have this conversation? In order to
say whether the country is better off today than it was four years ago, it
helps to look at, all right, what was going on just four years ago this
BUSH: This is an extraordinary period for America`s economy. Over
the past few weeks, many Americans have felt anxiety about their finances
and their future. I understand their worry and their frustration. We have
seen triple digit swings in the stock market. Major financial institutions
have teetered on the edge of collapse. And some have failed.
As uncertainty has grown, many banks have restricted lending. Credit
markets have frozen, and families and businesses have found it harder to
borrow money.
We`re in the midst of a serious financial crisis.
SCHULTZ: And for months on end, President Obama`s never had to say
anything like that. Do you notice the date there, September 24th, 2008?
President Bush had less than two months in office remaining to the
election, and then of course the lame duck.
But the fact is this -- President Obama`s never had those conditions
since he`s been president. It`s been all upstart.
Republicans aren`t focusing on the reality of four years ago.
Instead, they`re blaming all the economic problems on President Obama.
It`s just an easy call because some Americans might believe it.
Mitt Romney told voters how bad they have it, thanks to the president.
ROMNEY: Driving home late from that second job or standing there
watching the gas pump hit $50 and still going, when the realtor told you
that to sell your house, you`d have to take a big loss -- in those moments,
you knew that this just wasn`t right.
SCHULTZ: All of these things are President Obama`s fault? Question
mark? Well, according to Mitt Romney, they are. High gas prices,
difficulty with mortgage payments, jobs insecurity.
You know, I guess all of these things were fine before President Obama
took office.
BUSH: Families are squeezed by the high price of gasoline, and
feeling the pinch of food prices, and monthly mortgage payments. Workers
are anxious about whether their paychecks will stretch. Some workers are
anxious about whether or not they`re going to keep their jobs.
SCHULTZ: Now, the date on that was October 7th, 2008. Not long after
the first tape we just played from September 24th.
This really is an admission of failure by the president himself.
Republicans are trying to sell a bill of goods and the American people, I
don`t know how any of us could buy this.
The most recent polling on the economy shows 54 percent of the country
still blames President Bush for the economic conditions we`re experiencing
now. Only 32 percent blame President Obama. And here is why -- we were
losing more than 700,000 jobs a month when President Obama took office.
The trend was reversed and we had 29 months of private sector job growth.
Now, hold it right there. Do you think if the Republicans had 29
months of private sector job growth, that we`d see maybe a banner at the
RNC convention?
GDP growth has followed a very similar trend. This is the most
trusted measurement of economic improvement.
The stock market bottomed out in March of 2009. Remember those days?
It has come back by more than 6,000 points.
Now, this is just not growth for Wall Streeters. This is stuff like
your education accounts, your health care savings account, your 401(k),
basic stuff that people really like to depend on.
Today, President Obama was in Ohio where one in eight jobs are
connected to the automobile industry. The auto loan, remember that? This
prevented millions of people from being worse off.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: More than 1 million
Americans across the country would have lost their jobs in the middle of
the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. In communities
across the Midwest, it would have been another Great Depression.
SCHULTZ: In the past four years, we have ended a war that cost
thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. And as Joe Biden pointed out
today on the campaign trail, we removed one of the greatest threats to our
national security.
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You want to know
whether we`re better off? I got a little bumper sticker for you. Osama
bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive.
SCHULTZ: Four years ago, the economy was in a freefall. It has
turned around. Even Mitt Romney -- listen to this -- even Mitt Romney
admitted this in a radio interview back in January of this year.
LAURA INGRAHAM, RADIO HOST: You`ve also noted that there are signs of
improvement on the horizon in the economy. How do you answer the
president`s argument that the economy is getting better in a general
election campaign if you yourself are saying it`s getting better?
ROMNEY: Well, of course it`s getting better. The economy always gets
better after a recession. There`s always a recovery.
INGRAHAM: Isn`t it a hard argument to make if you`re saying, like,
okay, he inherited this recession and took a bunch of steps to try to turn
the economy around and now we`re seeing more jobs, but vote against him
anyway? Isn`t that a hard argument to make, is that a stark enough
ROMNEY: Have you got a better one, Laura? It just happens to be the
SCHULTZ: Let`s be clear about one thing -- no one is saying the
economy is perfect. There are a lot of people out of work. There are
still millions of people struggling in these conditions, but Republicans
are presenting a stark choice by raising the four years question. Do you
want to continue with policies that created a clear trend in the correct
direction, or do you want to head back to what really brought us to where
we are, which all started four years ago?
Last week, Republicans did everything they could to avoid talking
about this man, George W. Bush. But today, the focus is on going back to
the economic turmoil of the past, turmoil President Bush never saw coming.
REPORTER: Mr. President, economists say the nation is at increasing
risk of recession. What do you say?
BUSH: I say that the fundamentals of our nation`s economy are strong.
REPORTER: Do you think there`s a risk of a recession? How do you
rate that?
BUSH: You know, you need to talk to economists. I think I got a B in
that Econ 101.
SCHULTZ: Let`s make a joke out of it, you know?
Now, Mitt Romney runs around the country saying that Barack Obama
doesn`t understand the economy. That videotape was back in 2007. Did it
sound like President Bush had a grip of the economy?
It only got worse from there. Do you really want to go back to those
The fundamental question that Americans are going to be asking
themselves on November 6th, do you really want to make a change? Do you
really want to gamble this economy to a man who doesn`t connect with the
American people? Do you really want to turn the economy over to a man who
has a history of outsourcing and has never done anything for labor?
Oh, by the way, it`s Labor Day. We`ll get into that later on in this
broadcast. Are you ready to trust Mitt Romney with the finances of this
Get your cell phones out. I want to know what you think. Tonight`s
question, will you be better off four years from now under Mitt Romney?
Text A for yes, text B for no, to 622639.
You can always leave a comment at our blog at Ed.MSNBC.com. We`ll
bring you the results later on in the show.
Joining me tonight is Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, also
the chairman of the DCCC.
Chris, great to have you with us.
Congressman, this is an argument I think the Democrats and a
conversation the Democrats should be inviting at this point. Does this
really show that the Republicans are -- they`re winging it at this point.
What do you think?
REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D), MARYLAND: Well, they`re winging it and
they`re counting on the American people having a collective case of
amnesia. And the American people are a lot smarter than that. You just
cited the statistics.
The other question to ask is, what was Mitt Romney proposing? Because
when the economy was in freefall, the president acted decisively, passed
the recovery bill and he rescued the auto industry.
What was Mitt Romney saying we should do? Let Detroit go bankrupt.
What did Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan propose with respect to Social Security
a number of years ago? Let`s privatize it.
Well, you just cited the statistics about the collapse in the
retirement system. The American people lost about a third of their
savings. If we listened to Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan on Social Security,
people would have had nothing.
So it`s not only that the president had an economy in freefall,
stopped it and turned the corner. It`s that if we listened to the other
guys, we`d be in a world of hurt.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
Congressman, what do Democrats say to people who may not be better off
today? There`s -- you know, the numbers are 23 million Americans out of
work. It has been high unemployment, although it has come down since
President Obama has taken office. We`re headed in the right direction.
But what do you communicate to people who may not be better off today?
VAN HOLLEN: Well, the president has made clear, even though we made
progress from where we were, we still have a long way to go. And the
president proposed another round of a jobs bill. He submitted that to
Congress about one year ago this month, in fact.
And it called for a major new investment in our infrastructure, our
roads and bridges and our electric grids, schools. That would have put a
lot of people to work, especially when you`ve got 14 percent unemployment
in the construction industry. You have a component for small business
The Republicans have never even scheduled a vote on that, Ed.
So look, the president got us out of the ditch, and we were climbing.
He had another proposal to keep us climbing, and they said, whoa, one year
ago, they refused to vote on it. We`ve now voted over 30 times to repeal
Obamacare, not once on the president`s jobs initiative.
SCHULTZ: All right. Now, about the convention, is there such a thing
as Bush burnout? There might be a lot of Americans who don`t want to hear
about Bush anymore. They know all about what he did. It`s moving forward
and I think that`s pretty much the campaign that the Obama people are
pushing right now.
Is Bush going to be a key part of the Democratic National Convention
VAN HOLLEN: No, he`s not because let me make this -- I think this is
an important point. Yes, we inherited a mess from George Bush, but the
issue now is where do we go in the future? The point we`re making is if
you listen to what Romney and Ryan are doing, they`re proposing the same
economic strategy that got us into this mess.
So we`re saying, let`s look at the future. You`ve got a choice. You
continue to invest in America from the middle class out. Or do you go back
to this trickle down theory?
So those are the choices. It`s not that we`re talking about the past.
It`s what is your prescription going forward?
It just happens to be that Romney and Ryan are just going back to
their old playbook for the future and we know what happens.
SCHULTZ: Congressman Chris Van Hollen, great to have you with us.
We`ll visit again.
VAN HOLLEN: Thanks.
SCHULTZ: Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of
the screen. Share you thoughts on Twitter @EdShow and on Facebook. We
always want to know what you think.
Coming up, Republicans tried to make their case to women voters. Did
they succeed? Sandra Fluke will weigh in on that. So much more coming up.
Stay with us. We`ll be right back.
SCHULTZ: Coming up, Republicans tried to close the gender gap last
week with prominent female voices, but kept silent on the party`s policies.
Sandra Fluke joins me with reaction.
Mitt Romney`s RNC speech did little to shift the polls in his favor.
I`ll ask Karen Finney what`s the next best play for the GOP?
And the president and vice president made their case today to the
middle class and wage earners in the middle of the country. Can they keep
the momentum through November? Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer will tell
you how to balance a budget with middle class workers. He`s going to weigh
in on that.
Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and Twitter using the #EdShow.
We`re coming right back.
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW.
Republicans were determined to close the gender gap last week and show
the country their party is not waging a war against women.
ANN ROMNEY, MITT ROMNEY`S WIFE: We`re the mothers. We`re the wives.
We`re the grandmothers. We`re the big sisters. We`re the little sisters
and we are the daughters.
GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: As a strong woman of faith, as a
mother, as a wife --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She hopes to break down the barriers for other
young women.
GOV. SUSANA MARTINEZ (R), NEW MEXICO: No more barriers.
MITT ROMNEY: As governor of Massachusetts, I chose a woman lieutenant
governor, a woman chief of staff. Half of my cabinet and senior officials
were women.
ANN ROMNEY: I love you women!
SCHULTZ: OK. Very nice. But the substance, was it there?
There was no mention of equal pay for equal work, nowhere in that
convention. I guess they don`t believe in it. No talk of health care or
reproductive rights.
And they sure as heck didn`t mention the guy`s name down from Missouri
named Todd Akin. He may have made just a little too much news. Instead,
the GOP convention week outreached to women including a special pavilion in
Tampa offering a hair salon in hot pink decor, along with themed cocktails
like the lady lemonade and the woman-tini.
As for the newly minted Republican nominee, his speech -- well, he
didn`t move the needle either. In the latest Gallup survey, Romney`s
remarks received positive marks from just 38 percent of respondents, both
women and men. That is the lowest rating since Gallup began measuring in
Tomorrow, it will be the Democrats` turn to make their case. And
conservative Bill Kristol thinks the party will pull away from social
BILL KRISTOL, CONSERVATIVE COLUMNIST: As the polling showed, no one
really believed the Republicans are waging war on women. The Republicans
sort of half believe it was a threat. They certainly rolled out -- the
theme of the convention was, we love women. We`re not engaged in a war on
women. I wonder if that was a little bit of a misdirection by the
SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight, Sandra Fluke, attorney and women`s
rights activist.
Great to have you with us tonight.
She will be speaking add the Democratic National Convention this week
in Charlotte.
Sandra, I`d like you to respond to Bill Kristol`s comments right there
that you just heard.
SANDRA FLUKE, WOMEN`S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Yes, I mean, I thought what
you were saying initially was so telling, that the idea of how to appeal to
women is to serve them cocktails and just put women at the podium. It
takes more than that.
Women want to hear what a presidential candidate is concerned about in
terms of women`s lives. So women`s access to health care and to equal pay
for equal work, and you know, violence against women. And that kind of
substance is what women are worthy of, and that`s what we want to hear
SCHULTZ: And you did not hear that with the Republicans at all last
week? How would you grade their presentation to women voters in America?
FLUKE: Well, overall, I think we saw an entire convention that was a
light on substance for everyone, and when there was substance, there were a
lot of factual misrepresentations. So it`s certainly not a good grade.
SCHULTZ: Sandra, what are you going to tell the country?
FLUKE: What I`m going to try to make clear is the difference between
the candidates that we have to choose from this November. You know,
looking at their records, we have President Obama who has stood for women`s
health care and our access to contraception, has defended Planned
Parenthood and has promoted our right to equal pay for equal work.
And then we have Mr. Romney, who, you know, vetoed a bill that would
have guaranteed survivors of sexual assault access to emergency
contraception in an E.R. And his running mate, Mr. Ryan, who cosponsored
the bill to make distinctions between which rape survivors deserve access
to the care that they need.
So, I think if I present to the American public what the differences
are in those two records, the choice becomes very clear.
SCHULTZ: So, did the Republicans make it an easy case to present?
FLUKE: They certainly did, yes.
SCHULTZ: All ri9ght. You have become a focal point in this election.
Here`s what FOX News had to say about you on the air the other day. I want
you to see this. Here it is.
JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS: There is nothing in America like a balloon
drop at a political convention. It is every bit as American as Fourth of
July fireworks.
O`REILLY: I`m wondering with Sandra Fluke speaks next week at the
Democratic convention, what they`re going to drop from the ceiling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, goodness.
O`REILLY: What would you do, though?
ROBERTS: There goes that suggestive O`Reilly again.
O`REILLY: I`m just pointing out, there`s only one reason this woman
is speaking, one and one only.
SCHULTZ: One and one only -- one reason why you`re speaking.
How insulted are you by that, or are you not insulted by it?
FLUKE: Well, I think it`s clearly offensive to see a bunch of guys
sitting around laughing about dropping condoms on a woman. Obviously,
that`s offensive.
But I try to not pay attention to it, look past it, and focus on the
policies I care about. I`m doing what I can for the president.
And frankly, I think it`s clear there`s more than one reason I`m
speaking at the convention. I`ve taken positions on a number of policies
and I hope that my contribution and all of women`s contributions would be
more respected than that.
SCHULTZ: Sandra Fluke, great to have you with us. All the best to
you. We`ll be looking forward to your speech and our coverage here on
MSNBC. Thank you.
Up next, the Republican National Convention falls flat. Find out why
the businessman failed to close the deal on one of the biggest nights in
his life.
Later, President Obama rallied the troops. Today, he has a good
record with labor. James Hoffa and Larry Cohen will tell us what the
president needs to do for labor and what labor needs to do for the
president to get over the finish line. Stay with us.
ROMNEY: Look around you. These aren`t strangers. These are our
brothers and sisters, our fellow Americans. My promise is to help you and
your family.
SCHULTZ: Thanks for watching THE ED SHOW tonight.
Obviously, Mitt Romney giving what was supposed to be the ultimate
sales pitch but the newest polls show he couldn`t close the deal and he
falls flat.
In the history of convention polling, Republicans usually get about a
five-point bounce. The highly produced conventions usually succeed at
winning over hundreds of thousands of voters. It`s that time of the year
in the election cycle that people start paying attention. To be fair, TV
viewership was down 23 percent during Romney`s speech this year. How could
Clint Eastwood do that to him? But Web sites and social media drew record
So here`s the bad news for the Romney campaign. One poll gives Romney
a three-point bounce. That`s within the margin of error. The Gallup Poll
shows no bounce at all. Almost a week of wall to wall coverage and no
This was supposed to be Romney`s big moment. It was his first chance
to deliver a live speech to a national audience, but it looks like Romney`s
speech simply failed to convince voters. According to Gallup, Romney`s
speech was average at best.
If you count just excellent and good reviews, voters put Romney in
fifth place among every Republican nominee in recent history. Romney
didn`t do as well as George W. Bush in 2004. In fact, Romney`s speech got
the lowest poll rating since 1996. Bob Dole got better reviews than Romney
But there`s a poll number that really matters to a lot more Americans.
And this is it. Gallup shows Democrats are less enthusiastic about voting
this November. Here comes the red flag. Republicans are gaining -- 51
percent are focused on getting Barack Obama out of the White House.
Republicans might be feeling a little Romney malaise. They might not
even like this guy, but, here`s the bottom line. The Romney campaign could
actually win this election without having to win over voters.
Let`s turn to Karen Finney tonight, MSNBC political analyst and former
communications director for the DNC.
Karen, good to have you with us tonight. Twenty-three percent down in
the audience, what do you make of that? Is the country just politically
exhausted and tired of the guy who shipped a bunch of jobs overseas?
KAREN FINNEY, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think it says the
people -- the snake oil that he`s selling, they`re not interested. Their
whole strategy has been just kind of fake it until you make it. We saw it
kind of going into the convention that the support for Romney, even within
the conservatives in his own party, within the conservative intelligentsia,
down to their grassroots, not that excited about Governor Romney, and
certainly, Democrats weren`t going to tune into that because they have
heard that rhetoric.
So, I mean, it`s bad for the Republicans. I don`t want Democrats to
take anything for granted, but I think it does show that Governor Romney
just does not have what it takes to inspire people, to get people excited.
SCHULTZ: The best thing Romney and the Republicans have going for
them right now is that people on their side just don`t like President
Obama. That might be their motivating factor. Should the Democrats be
worried tonight?
FINNEY: Well, absolutely. I mean, you know, I have come from the
school of politics where you never take anything for granted. And I have
to tell you, what concerns me is the combination of the voter suppression
efforts that we`re seeing -- they are very robust -- and the dog whistle
We don`t yet know what kind of impact that`s going to have on people`s
ability to actually get out and vote and have that vote counted. In
addition to that, I just don`t think we can ever take anything for granted
because you never know what`s going to happen.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
FINNEY: Look what happened in 2000.
SCHULTZ: Well, "The National Journal" reporting that Democrats are
confident. David Axelrod is quoted as saying, "We could win, we could
lose. I think we`re going to win."
What`s your reaction to that?
FINNEY: Yes, you know, what worries me about that is I think -- you
know, we saw this a lot during the Republican primary. People kind of
watched those -- the Republican primary debates -- you remember them well -
- and thought, Oh, Come on, Barack Obama can beat whoever emerges from that
And again, I think we need to -- as Democrats, we need to continue to
convey the message that, look, we have a lot of hard work to do between now
and November, and we cannot take anything for granted.
At the same time, I don`t actually buy into this idea that there`s not
enthusiasm. There`s a lot of enthusiasm here in North Carolina. I think
Democrats will turn out.
I also think one of the things we haven`t focused on yet, Ed, is voter
registration. And those efforts mean that we`re expanding the electorate
in a lot of key places.
SCHULTZ: Yes. All right, do you think the Democrats are going to get
a post-convention bounce? I mean, the Republicans were so lacking in
definition and substance, especially on the women`s issues, this really
kind of tees it up for President Obama, doesn`t it?
FINNEY: Oh, absolutely. And look, I think what people are going to
see over the next several nights is more of a vision, more specifics, more
SCHULTZ: But will they get a bounce? Will they get...
FINNEY: Yes, I think -- I think we`ll get a bounce because people
will say, OK, that I understand, that I can vote for, that I can support.
And I think it further underscores for people how light on the details
things were last week with the Romney speech.
So I -- but I will say, it`ll be a modest bounce because, again, I
think people are going to -- it`s really going to be mid-September when we
see where this race really stands.
SCHULTZ: Romney not campaigning this week. Good strategy?
FINNEY: I was a little surprised by that. I mean, he`s got Paul Ryan
out there actually, you know, doing his dirty work. But that being said,
we -- you know, we`ve heard that he`s doing debate prep.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
FINNEY: And look, you know the president is an excellent debater, and
Governor Romney better come prepared. And he`s going to have to come
prepared, Ed, with some facts, not just platitudes.
SCHULTZ: Karen Finney, great to have you with us. Thanks so much.
FINNEY: Great to see you, Ed.
SCHULTZ: You bet.
Lots more coming up in the next half hour of THE ED SHOW. Stay with
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It`s unions like yours
that helped to forge the basic bargain in this country, the bargain that
built the greatest middle class and the most prosperous country and the
most prosperous economy that the world has ever known.
SCHULTZ: Labor spent last week getting demonized. This week,
American workers are rising up to back the president. Up next, James Hoffa
of the Teamsters and Larry Cohen of the CWA on what they expect in
And Democrats are fighting the Republican onslaught to end Medicare as
we know it.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We`re for
Medicare, they`re for voucher-care.
SCHULTZ: Tonight, Montana governor Brian Schweitzer on what Democrats
need to accomplish this week.
OBAMA: The 40-hour work week, weekends, paid leave, pensions, the
minimum wage, health care, Social Security, Medicare!
OBAMA: Those things happened because working people organized and
SCHULTZ: On this Labor Day, let`s talk labor. Obviously, President
Obama at a Labor Day rally in Toledo, Ohio, today. President Obama needs
to make a real connection with labor this week if he wants to secure a
second term in the White House.
Labor plays a vital role in getting out the ground troops and social
networking, and in really getting out those numbers in a close election.
If it`s about enthusiasm, labor is going to be there. But will they be
there in full force?
Here`s more from the president today.
OBAMA: It is unions like yours that helped to forge the basic bargain
of this country, the bargain that built the greatest middle class and the
most prosperous country and the most prosperous economy that the world has
ever known. It`s a bargain that says if you work hard, if you`re
responsible, then your work should be rewarded.
SCHULTZ: So who`s for the wage earner? This might be the perfect
time to bring out our income disparity chart. This is where America`s been
over the last 30 years. President Obama stands with the blue liners, the
middle class, the wage earners trying to get ahead. Boy, they`ve been down
there for a while, haven`t they.
Mitt Romney stands with the top 1 percent, who have already done
pretty well over the last 30 years. In fact, it`s not even a close call,
and he wants those folks on the red line to have even more.
Governor Romney is clearly anti-labor. He has no history of dealing
with labor and has been a financial dictator in the business sector for
years. The last thing he thinks about is the wage earner. He thinks about
profit for his company. That`s his record.
The GOP platform salutes Republican governors and state lawmakers who
have saved their states from financial disaster by reforming laws governing
public employee unions. That`s just the first chip (ph) at what they
really want to do in this attack on labor. Mitt Romney would love to go
national with an attack on public employee unions, even on Labor Day.
Republicans, what do they do? They celebrate management. House
Majority Leader Eric Cantor tweeted today, "Today we celebrate those who
have taken a risk, worked hard, built a business and earned their own
Let`s bring in James Hoffa, president, International Brotherhood of
the Teamsters. Also with us tonight, Larry Cohen, who is the president of
Communication Workers of America. Gentlemen, great to have you with us
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s good to be here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great to be with you.
SCHULTZ: Mr. Hoffa, you first. What does President Obama need to do
to energize the ranks of labor? And how important it is for labor to get
behind this president, given the record of Mitt Romney?
JAMES HOFFA, TEAMSTERS PRESIDENT: Well, I think he`s got to keep
doing what he did today in Toledo, what Joe Biden did today in Detroit.
We`ve got to start talking about the accomplishments of labor, what they`ve
done. That basically energizes our people to realize they appreciate what
we have done to basically build the middle class.
And we need more of that. And I hope here at this convention, in the
next three days, you`re going to see more of that. We`re going to have
Bill Clinton. You`re going to have Michelle Obama. And you`re going to
have the president talking about these issues.
I think they can energize people and get a big bounce out of this
convention that, basically, the Republicans didn`t get because they had,
basically, a completely dishonest convention. They didn`t talk about
facts. They had nothing but platitudes.
They talked about the forefathers, their aunts, their uncles, their
moms, their dads, but they didn`t talk about tax cuts for the rich. They
didn`t talk about eliminating capital gains. They didn`t talk about
sending vouchers out instead of Medicare. They didn`t talk about what they
stand for.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
HOFFA: And the good thing about President Obama -- he`s not afraid to
say what he believes in. When he goes on the trail, he says, We`re going
to increase taxes on the very rich. And you know what? That`s what it`s
all about.
SCHULTZ: Mr. Cohen, can this country trust Mitt Romney? Can wage
earners trust Mitt Romney, from what you heard last week?
LARRY COHEN, CWA PRESIDENT: Not at all. Mitt Romney brought us a new
verb in the English language called "Bained." Workers know they`re Bained
when their jobs are sent out of the country. They`re Bained when their pay
is cut. They`re Bained when they lose their pensions and their health
care. That`s what Mitt Romney`s about.
By contrast, the president in his Labor Day proclamation talked about
preserving collective bargaining rights. In fact, what workers want to
hear is that he`s ready to help expand bargaining rights since they`re now
at the lowest level since 1900.
And it`s bargaining rights that raise pay. It`s bargaining rights
that allow workers to have a voice in this economy. It`s bargaining rights
that can help bring the economy back as people lift themselves up.
SCHULTZ: Gentlemen, we know that there are union members in this
country who vote Republican. Mr. Hoffa, what do you say to those folks?
HOFFA: I say vote your pocketbook. You know, we go out and,
basically, talk to thousands of people. I don`t (ph) do it. I know Larry
does it. And yes, there are some people in there, either because of, you
know, some issue of guns or abortion or something, that are off on a
different track.
We`ve got to make them come back home and say, Hey, the issues are
they`re trying to destroy what you are enjoying now...
SCHULTZ: Yes.
HOFFA: ... your union, the good pay you have, your health care, your
pensions. They are against that. That`s the message we have to deliver.
SCHULTZ: Larry, you agree with that?
HOFFA: Wake up out there!
COHEN: Absolutely. Jim nailed it. Politics should be about public
policy issues. It should be about our health care, about our jobs, about
our trade policy. Politics is not about personal issues.
Republicans try to flip it to create a wedge among working families.
We need to flip it back, make sure our members, but more importantly,
American workers, union or not, understand this election is about choices.
The choice is clear for American workers.
SCHULTZ: You know, Labor Day is supposed to celebrate labor in this
country. I think Labor Day today in 2012 is a heck of a lot different than
it was 50 years ago or 100 years ago. What do young people need to know,
Mr. Hoffa, about what labor does for this country?
HOFFA: It`s an educational thing. We, basically, try and make sure
that our members understand what the union means and what their children
understand or the people that go to work, the young people that come to
work, you know, as teamsters or in the communication workers.
They`ve got to have to understand how did they get to the level they
have, the good wages, the health care, the pension. A lot of hard work
went into getting them where they`re at. And they`ve got to buy into the
idea that we have to keep that going...
SCHULTZ: Yes.
HOFFA: ... because as your chart shows, we`re losing this battle
right now. So we`ve got to get involved and educate our people. I think
that`s the key.
SCHULTZ: Mr. Cohen, what does President Obama have to do? I mean,
Does he have to unequivocally make a commitment to labor? I mean, I think,
look, President Obama can`t win a second term if he doesn`t have labor with
him. And I mean really with him. It`s going to be that close. So what
are your expectations of the president?
COHEN: I think he has to continue to do what we just heard today.
He`s got to speak to American workers, both union and not, and say that, I
stand with you. I stand against the offshoring of jobs. I stand against
the pay cuts, against the health care cuts, against the elimination of
retirement security, whether it`s Social Security or pensions on the jobs -
- on the job. I stand with you. Young and old, American working women and
men, whether you have a union or not, I`m here for you.
SCHULTZ: James Hoffa, Larry Cohen, great to have you gentlemen with
us tonight on THE ED SHOW. Thanks so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Ed.
SCHULTZ: Coming up: Paul Ryan can`t seem to tell the truth, and you
won`t believe what he`s lying about this time. This is a dandy. Stay with
SCHULTZ: Up next, Paul Ryan`s lie about his marathon time is just the
latest in his marathon of lies.
And in "The Big Finish" tonight, what do Democrats need to do to get
voters to stick with them for another term? Montana governor Brian
Schweitzer joins us from Charlotte to tell it like it is again.
Don`t forget, you can listen to me on radio Sirius XM channel 127
Monday through Friday. Be on tomorrow at noon to 3:00 PM Eastern time.
You can follow me on Twitter @Edshow and like THE ED SHOW on Facebook.
We`re coming right back.
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. Believe it or not, Paul Ryan
has been caught in yet another lie. Last week, Ryan called in to visit
with conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt on the low-rated
program, and the conversation turned to Ryan`s workouts.
HUGH HEWITT, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Are you still running?
REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes. I hurt a
disc in my back, so I don`t run marathons anymore. I just run 10 miles or
HEWITT: But you did run marathons at some point?
RYAN: Yes, but I can`t do it anymore because my back (INAUDIBLE)
HEWITT: All right, just to go ask, what`s your personal best?
RYAN: Under three, I think, you know, high twos, two hours and 50-
something (INAUDIBLE)
HEWITT: Holy smokes! All right, now, you go down to Miami
RYAN: I was fast when I was younger, yes.
SCHULTZ: "Holy smokes." What an appropriate response. For a time
like that, Ryan would have to average under seven minutes a mile for the
entire 26-mile race. So the folks at "Runners` World," they did a little
checking and found out that, well, he did run in a marathon back in the day
in Duluth, Minnesota, when he was a college student. Ryan`s actual finish
time, over four hours.
So the congressman issues a statement trying to laugh it off as just a
mistake. Every marathon runner knows their personal best, no question
about it, I mean down to the second. I mean, I remember my 40 (ph) time.
I could never do 4.8, I could always do 4.9. Couldn`t get 4.8. I used to
lift weights. I couldn`t get 280. I could do 275, but I just couldn`t do
Everybody knows. When you`re a competitor and you`re in it and you`re
performing, marathon runner -- Oh, I don`t know, a couple hours.
But wait a minute. This is a pattern, my friends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You had asked for stimulus money for your
district. Is that accurate? Is that report accurate?
RYAN: ... for stimulus. I don`t recall -- I haven`t seen this
report, so I really can`t comment on it.
Candidate Obama said, I believe that if our government is there to
support you, this plant will be here for another 100 years. That plant
didn`t last another year. It`s locked up and empty to this day. The
recovery that was promised is nowhere in sight.
SCHULTZ: Issues big and small! No matter how long the trail is for
the marathon, it always comes down to a lie, doesn`t it? The guy just
can`t seem to tell the truth.
Tonight in our survey, I asked you, Will you be better off four years
from now under Mitt Romney? Five percent of you say yes, 95 percent of you
say no.
Coming up: The Democrats` big week and a chance to convince the
American public to stay the course. It`s not an easy sell in a tough
economy, but it`s got to be done. Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana has
the answers. Stay with us.
OBAMA: Last week, the other party gave their sales pitch at their
convention down in Florida.
OBAMA: Don`t boo, vote!
SCHULTZ: And in "The Big Finish" tonight: Tomorrow evening, Democrats
get their shot at convincing the American people to stick with President
Obama. Here`s my advice. They simply just need to be good Democrats and
be fair about it.
The values of the Democratic Party are more in line with the American
public today than they ever have been before. The Democratic Party is the
party of the middle class. It`s the party of equal pay for equal work.
It`s the party of inclusion and fairness.
The country needs these values more than ever in face of a Republican
Congress and a bunch of dangerous Republican governors who will do
everything in their power to diminish the middle class as we know it. They
attack wage earners.
Here`s President Obama in Toledo, Ohio, today.
OBAMA: Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century,
we saw three straight days of an agenda out of the last century. It was a
rerun. You might as well have watched it on black-and-white TV with some
rabbit ears on there.
SCHULTZ: Today, the Obama campaign released a new ad explaining how
Romney would hit the middle class harder than ever. In Detroit, Vice
President Joe Biden laid out the choice for Medicare.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ladies and
gentlemen, we`re talking about making sure we protect Medicare. They`re
talking about creating an entire new system, "voucher-care." Voucher-care.
BIDEN: That`s what they`re doing. It`s simple, folks. We`re for
Medicare, they`re for voucher-care. And if they win, people are in
SCHULTZ: Joining me now is Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana.
Governor, good to see you again. Good to have you on THE ED SHOW.
Let`s talk health care first. In rural red states in America, where
there are aging populations, how can folks turn against the Democrats when,
very clearly, they have strength in Medicare, and they have also made it so
the program will last even longer and benefits haven`t been cut? Where is
the disconnect here?
GOV. BRIAN SCHWEITZER (D), MONTANA: Well, the disconnect is pretty
simple. The Republican message is one of fairy tales. We heard it for
three solid days down there in Tampa.
And frankly, we would expect that they start telling the truth. The
way they tell the stories, I mean, I could make those stories up, too.
Let`s see, I graduated from MIT with a Ph.D. in astrophysics, and I just
won the pole vault gold medal in the summer Olympics.
They take that down as fact. If one person says it, they just
continue to say it. They say somehow that we`re taking $700 billion out of
Medicare, when in fact, we are enforcing and strengthening Medicare. We`re
taking care of the middle class. And the Republicans have never supported
the middle class, and they`re not going to this time.
SCHULTZ: So how do Democrats convince the American people to stay the
course, convince voters to stay the course? And which brings us to, Are
you better off today than you were four years ago?
SCHWEITZER: You are better off today than you were four years ago.
Did you forget that it was on September 15th that the Lehman Brothers
declared bankruptcy and banks all over the world were teeter-tottering on
the end? By October of 2008, we didn`t know whether we were back in 1929
or maybe something worse. We lost 700,000, 800,000 jobs every month.
And now for 29 consecutive months -- 4.5 million new jobs. And Ed,
something that the Republicans don`t tell you is that we`ve been increasing
the private sector jobs, all the while decreasing government jobs. You
know, in Montana, we`re down by 4.2 percent in government jobs, but we`re
increasing the private jobs.
We`re producing more energy in this country. We`re using less energy.
And for the first time in a generation, manufacturing jobs are coming back
to America.
And by the way, happy Labor Day to all the people that move the
freight, take care of our children and take care of the elderly.
SCHULTZ: Well, Governor, we have seen two philosophies, Republican
governors attacking labor. You haven`t done it. You are running a
surplus, are you not, in Montana?
SCHWEITZER: We`ve cut more taxes for middle class families and we`ve
run seven -- the seven largest budget surpluses in the history of Montana
right through the great recession.
And when the Republicans refused to give a raise to our state
employees, they refused to honor the deal that we had negotiated, I turned
to our state employees and said, I tell you what, we`re going to actually
give you better benefits because we`re going to decrease your co-pay for
health insurance and we`re going to give you broad-band increases within
the law because the Republican legislature wouldn`t do the right thing when
we`re sitting on this large budget surplus.
SCHULTZ: Well, as a guy who loves the outdoors, I`ll just say that
you can`t fish all the time. Where are you going to be in 2016?
SCHWEITZER: Well, I`ll just fish in the morning and I`ll drink
whiskey in the afternoon.
SCHULTZ: What kind of whiskey?
SCHWEITZER: Old whiskey!
SCHULTZ: We`re vetting (ph) now! We`re vetting (ph) here!
SCHWEITZER: Old whiskey, Ed. It`s old whiskey and big fish.
SCHULTZ: Governor, when do you speak?
SCHWEITZER: Well, that`s kind of a secret, but they`re talking about
speaking late, not early.
SCHULTZ: Well, don`t tighten that tie anymore. You let them have it
again, like you did back in 2008.
SCHWEITZER: Well, I think you better just get your belt real tight
because we`re going to get on that bull and we`re going to ride him!
SCHULTZ: Governor of Montana Brian Schweitzer, here with us on THE ED
SHOW. Thanks so much for joining us.
That`s THE ED SHOW. I`m Ed Schultz. "THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW" starts
right now.
Good evening, Rachel.
RACHEL MADDOW, HOST: Good evening, Ed. This is going to be a very
exciting week. I`m looking forward to our big joint coverage.
SCHULTZ: Well, guarantee that the Democrats will have more
personality than the last group.
MADDOW: I don`t know! I think there was some personality on display
last week.
SCHULTZ: I think Brian Schweitzer will take care of that in one
MADDOW: That`s fair enough! He could out-personality pretty much
anybody in politics. Thanks, man. I`ll see you tomorrow.
SCHULTZ: Absolutely.
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THE ED SHOW with ED SCHULTZ


text:
"I would call myself a priestess above all else, even before calling myself a witch. My life is about service to the divine, dedicated to the gods, to serving spirit and to healing others – I trained with quite an eminent psychologist apart from my witchcraft training. A lot of people come to Gavin and myself for healings and readings, and, within our group we do healing circles. It's not 'spellcraft' as such, but more a form of controlled distance healing that any spiritualist would recognise. A spell is really a way of focusing psychic energy in a ritualised way. All ethical magic for us is about healing. We don't do love spells, and we're more likely to do a spell for physical healing or to help someone get a job or new home, rather than one for money. […] I feel fulfilled in what I do, and know my life has a greater purpose. I also have no fear of tomorrow; I know that the universe always unfolds as it should, and by serving spirit I will always be looked after by the powers that be." – Wiccan Priestess Janet Farrar, in an interview with the Irish Independent.
"We are entering the astrological sign of Virgo, the sign of Our Lady of the Harvest. The Harvest Goddess is an important deity for everyone. Whether we live in the centre of a city or in the countryside, we are dependent on the crop cycle for food and life. Here in Brittany, the Celtic north-west of rural France, the grain in the fields around us has been reaped and threshed. The ears are ready to be transformed into flour and then bread; the stalks will provide animal food and bedding. The reality of humankind's dependence on the natural world is all around us. The end of the grain harvest is a natural time for us to celebrate and to honor the harvest Goddess. It was a time when people could take a brief break from back-breaking work. Knowing that the grain was safely harvested, our ancestors could celebrate that there was food for the winter to come. The Harvest Goddess is the dark-skinned Goddess, who survived into the Christian era as the Black Madonna. She is the Goddess of those who farm and garden, who spend long hours outdoors and are burned by the sun. She is the Goddess of the ripened corn, Lady of the golden sun-kissed fields. She reminds us that life in the body and the natural world are as important as the world of spirit." – Vivianne Crowley, on Our Lady of the Harvest.
"As I came out of the dry juniper and oak brush into the lusher creekside vegetation hawk flew low over me — an accipter, probably a sharp-shinned hawk. Its head turned, and it looked at me. It felt like a welcome, I thought. 'Bullshit,' I told myself, 'it's just cruising the riparian zone looking for lunch. I happened to be here, so it checked me out.' Maybe the flip side of the New Animism — the focus on relationships between yourself and the other-than-human world — is that you cannot think that these encounters are All About You. The wild birds are always watching, and they do talk to you. And they talk about you. Several times I have had crows and Steller's jayvs tell me something when I was hunting deer or elk — but it is up to me to act correctly on their information. Apparently our relationship is not yet perfectly harmonious. But if they would help me more, they would have something to eat. Isn't that fair? What gets under my skin is when someone says something like, "My totem is Hawk," because I want to know which hawk? There is a boatload of difference between a Cooper's hawk and a Mississippi kite, for instance. (Oh well, they probably meant red-tailed hawk anyway, the pickup truck of buteos — large, useful, and ubiquitous.)" – Chas Clifton, on looking at, and listening to, birds.
"To understand our importance to the world, we need to realize that we are something new. We are building a new religious way of life that is embodied, life affirming, and in harmony with the natural, non-human, World. Building a new religion is far more creative and revolutionary than merely resuscitating a survival of ancient days. That a religion can be at all created in modern times is a profound threat to the established authoritarian faiths around us. (Not so much to the 'Foreigns' and the Indigenous, with whom we have significant common cause.) Every effort to assimilate us to their culture, that of the 'faiths', will be made, including ignoring the simple truth of what we are. We Pagan folk practice a new religion, founded on the old, the foreign, and the indigenous. We combine all of the World's spiritual inheritance into a open, inclusive mode of personal spirituality and communal worship that finds the Sacred in the non-human World as well as in ourselves. Our historical relationship with science, as with other cultures, places us in a unique position to help our species survive its greatest challenge ever: becoming adult. We who do this, we are Pagan." – Sam Webster, on who's Pagan.
"As I was thinking about the cycles of the year, I noticed that in seeing all the ways my work for justice felt ineffective and not enough, I hadn't been taking time to reflect on what my harvest actually was for the past year. I had not allowed myself to take stock. My harvest is great. It includes: having a new book published, organizing a monthly vigil for those killed by police violence, spearheading discussions on racism and privilege in my community, making sure monthly devotionals happen, teaching, offering spiritual direction, increasing my level of health, scrubbing pots at the soup kitchen, enjoying our garden, spending time with friends… I've done a lot this year, and have even taken more time to inquire after what my heart and soul want. That latter, that deep contemplation and listening, are part of what is causing great dis-ease around the news that fills my twitter stream daily. My heart and soul are not satisfied. I want to be more effective in the help I offer." – T. Thorn Coyle, on rethinking the harvest.
"Mine is an American Path. It is the path of a mutt who does not feel closely aligned to any particular ancestral experience other than my own unique American experience. I am mostly of European descent. I do have a bit of Irish in me, but I am also English, French, German, and Dutch, with a bit of Native American and who knows what else thrown into the mix. My family has never observed any traditions that could be identified as belonging to any particular ethnic group. […] The point is, I value my American experience. It is part of who I am. I may have European ancestors, but my family has been in the U.S. for as long as anyone can remember. Our ancestors have mingled to the point where any ethnic identity we might have retained from the Old World (s?) has been lost. Why cling to Old World religions when my personal identity is in no way connected to the Old World? Maybe it is just a matter of semantics. You call it Samhain; I call it Halloween. You celebrate Yule, while I light candles for the Winter Solstice. I make my planting and harvesting decisions based on the geographic zone in which I currently live. Those dates have differed, as I have moved from southern Illinois to Texas to Hawaii to North Dakota, and finally to Wisconsin where I now reside. I celebrate the Earth and Mother Nature when I turn the soil, plant the seed, pull the weed, and harvest the fruits of my labor. I will continue to call things by the names that I have always called them. To do otherwise would be inauthentic to my personal experience. The only difference is, I now do these things with a distinct purpose in mind." – Rain Webster, on forging a distinctly American Pagan path.
"I have seen various versions of "improved" versions of the Golden Dawn rituals and teachings. Ignoring the changes that are made for political reasons to try and give extra power to individuals, most (but not all) of the changes I've seen have one thing in common: they were created by people based on personal philosophical beliefs rather than an inner understanding of the teachings. One of my favorite examples of this is that some groups have changed the use of the word "Lord" in Golden Dawn rituals to "Lord and Lady" or "Deity." On a superficial level I fully understand this. At the time the GD was founded, even though the Order was amazingly non-sexist in practice, the members still used a language that, following the practices of the time, was sexist. I am in favor of eliminating sexism. However, this change deconstructs the rituals, changing life-altering mystical symbolism into an English-only ritualized drama and, for that section, nothing more." – Donald Michael Kraig, on why change is (and isn't) good for magick.
"I've been thinking a lot lately about the core tenets of my practice as a Pagan psychotherapist. Buddhism is currently in fashion in my profession, mindfulness turning out to be just as useful (if even more) in creating emotional well-being as analyzing family dynamics. Are there particular things that we earth-worshippers do that inform my profession? Psychotherapy truly is more art than science, and it figures that many of us who are in the Craft have something to teach other healing artists of hearts and minds. This week one of my core tenets has me laughing. I believe, and try to transmit to my clients, that the world wants to be in meaningful conversation with us. Once we accept this as true, and cock our ear towards it, the world will not shut up. Under great distress, of course, it's hard to listen to anything or anyone. Anxiety and fear can operate as mighty misfiring car alarms, drowning out any truth of the real threat or danger. The Buddhist gift of mindfullness is a damn fine tool for re-calibrating the human car alarm. But then what? That's where I think we Pagans have something to offer. We know how to carry on mytho-poetic conversations with the world, and any rich conversation like that makes human life a hell of a lot more meaningful, if not more interesting." – Deborah Oak, on listening, and receiving the message.
"When we think of magic in the ancient world, we tend to think that what we today consider magic was, back then, simply religion. Certainly this holds true for things like worshiping many gods, divining the future, or other such activities. But there definitely was a subset of ancient practice that was considered to be against the grain. Those engaging in such practices go by many names: magoi (a term used to refer to 'Eastern' holy men), pharmakeis (those skilled with drugs and potions), goetes (spiritual practitioners who engaged the dead), and epodoi (singers of incantations). But all had one thing in common: they were perceived as working against nature, and thus society in general. According to Matthew Dickie, this is the dividing line between religion and magic in the ancient world. One appeases the Gods in a socially sanctioned manner, the latter employs a special skill to bend the natural forces out of alignment […] Working with this model, it should come as no surprise that allegations of magic—i.e. engaging in socially deviant behaviour—were often targeted at those most marginalized in society. In fact, it was within these dis-enfranchised sectors where magic appeared to flourished most. Women, in particular prostitutes, were seen as experts in the magical arts." – Sarah Veale, on love spells, prostitutes, and poison.
That's all I have for now, have a great day.


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Show me a true-blooded Aggie from Utah, who doesn't love the spot WHERE THE SAGEBRUSH GROWS!
The rallying cry of Utah State University's beloved fight song reveals the deep attachment residents of the American West feel for the stark enchantment of the sagebrush steppe. While sage-studded vistas across the West may seem endless, scientists contend the lands are more fragile than they appear.
"Sagebrush and animal species that depend on sagebrush for survival are threatened by invasions of exotic annual grasses such as cheatgrass and the resulting frequent wildfires promoted by those invaders," says ecologist Peter Adler, associate professor in USU's Department of Wildland Resources and the USU Ecology Center. "Climate change will be an additional stressor on top of this."
Often in a tug-of-war from multiple interests and stakeholders, sagelands provide forage for livestock, opportunities for recreation and contain stores of minerals and petroleum resources ripe for energy development.
No wonder the spot where the sagebrush grows garners adoration.
In an effort to assess the vulnerability of sagebrush ecosystems to climate change, Adler organized a distributed graduate course involving 52 students and 10 faculty members at seven universities from Massachusetts to Washington, along with 13 participants representing state and federal agencies. The multi-institutional team, which Adler assembled as part of his 2011 National Science Foundation-funded Early Faculty Career Development Program "CAREER" award project, gathered for a Dec. 2013 workshop at USU's Swaner EcoCenter in Park City, Utah.
"The vulnerability assessment was an opportunity to tackle a large, multi-faceted issue using expertise from many sources," Adler says. "Each university chose a different, specialized focus, such as shifts in the geographic range of species or changes in fire regimes."
The effort, he says, was not just to gather knowledge, but to train graduate students to collaborate more effectively with agency land managers and equip those managers with relevant scientific information to meet decision-making challenges.
"We're training future scientists as well as land managers," Adler says. "We're trying to promote a culture that supports continuing working relationships between researchers and land managers."
Project participant Aaron Swallow, district rangeland specialist for the U.S. Forest Service in Laramie, Wyo., applauds the effort and says such collaborations are rare.
"It is really encouraging to me to see this kind of meeting come together," Swallow says. "Having the opportunity to contribute is rewarding. There's often no incentive for researchers and managers to communicate together."
One incentive, Adler says, are real-life consequences that could restrict the aims of divergent stakeholders. At stake, ultimately, is the long-term health and survival of western sagelands. More eminent concerns are federal restrictions that could halt or seriously constrict varied activities. Of particular concern is the imperiled Greater sage-grouse, which is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
The team's next step in producing a sagebrush vulnerability assessment is to wrap up the analyses and begin synthesizing the findings in a report targeted to land managers. The project participants will also create publicly available fact sheets and work toward publishing research results in peer-reviewed journals.
"We want the conversation to continue," Adler says. "In addition to providing managers with information, the researchers are getting ideas for new questions to ask about the impacts of climate change on sagebrush ecosystems."
Related links:
- USU Department of Wildland Resources
- USU Ecology Center
- USU Quinney College of Natural Resources
- USU Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter
Contact: Peter Adler, 801-910-3816, firstname.lastname@example.com
Writers: Lafe Conner, firstname.lastname@example.com; Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 4335-797-3517, email@example.com


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About LARCOD
Lake Region Community Development Initiative (LARCOD) is a
Non-Profit, Community Based Organization (CBO) registered in Kenya. It was established by people local to this area in 2006, and formally Registered with the Kenyan government in 2009, registration number 508/2009.
The organization was started to address the challenges facing vulnerable children and women in Homa Bay County through active community participation.
A well-informed and educated generation free of AIDS.
To build and strengthen the capacity of the communities living around Lake Victoria and help them utilize the resources of the region more sustainably to benefit themselves as individuals, their families, and to develop the community.
Our set up and structure is people-centered and must ensure that people have hope for a better tomorrow.
To reach our goal we have been building interpersonal relationships by visiting households to conduct personal interviews. We have also been organizing public meetings courtesy of local chiefs and leaders of beach management units.
Sometimes we arrange to visit local schools to share with them ideas, the latest knowledge, and provide support for students.
We also enlist the services of other stake holders where necessary, including medico-legal strategies such as Gender Based Violence Recovery Centers, Comprehensive Post Rape Care, Legal and clinics and other support services.
We tell the children and youth that to acquire knowledge is to acquire power and the time to do it is not tomorrow, not now, but right now.
LARCOD operates primarily in the Rachuonyo area of Homa Bay County, which is in the south-western part of Kenya by Lake Victoria. The closest major city is Kisumu.
LARCOD offices are in Pala market, West Karachuonyo, Rachuonyo District, Karachuonyo Constituency, Homa Bay County, Nyanza Province.
Human Resources
At the helm of operations for the organization is Erick Wara, the organization Chairman who is a well-trained teacher and secondary school principal.
Hellen Staula Oromo co-ordinates the activities and is the Secretary of the organization. She is a well-trained counselor with vast experience.
Under her are three skilled volunteers who have a soft spot in their hearts for the gravity of the problems facing the constituency of this area. There are also field workers to help the capacity of the people we serve and collect data.
Members of the Board include:
Chairperson: Erick Wara
Assistant Chairperson: Mark Abuya
Secretary/Coordinator: Hellen Staula
Treasurer/Financial Adviser: Daniel Okweh
Organizer/Youth Representative: Joshua Magayi
Women Representative: Margaret Ochieng
Assistant Secretary: Elly Kowuor
Member: Moses Amuom
Member: Pamella Olweny
Problem Statement
Key issues in this District include poverty, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and lack of education. These issues combine to create a vicious cycle that is difficult for individuals to break out of on their own.
Those adults who have achieved education and good employment try to help others follow the same path to success. However, there are many bright children in our community and the number of those in need is higher then we can manage without additional support.
We need to act now toward the vision of a well-informed and educated generation free of AIDS, and to prevent worst-case scenarios from becoming a reality. The best way to tackle these issues is at the local level. In addition to realizing that positive action must be locally based, we also welcome assistance from well-wishers within Kenya and around the globe.


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16 acre, 22 car underground garage, aerial view, carriage house, castle, exercise suite, john schnatter, limousine, motorized, papa johns, turntable, valet office
This large and over the top mansion is owned by the founder and CEO of Papa John's, John Schnatter. The house is 40,000 square feet and it resembles a castle. One interesting feature on this 16-acre estate is the 22-car underground garage, complete with an office for valet parking, a car wash and even a motorized turn table to move limousines. The home also has a state-of-the-art exercise suite and a huge 6,000 square foot carriage house. Unfortunately, there wasn't any information on the inside of this interesting estate. Click the link below for an aerial view below.


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Alizée Dufraisse: Just My Style
Alizée Dufraisse: Just My Style from Prana Living on Vimeo.
I started climbing when I was eight years old on the legendary French cliffs in Verdon, Buoux. At the age of 15, I had sent my first 5.14a (Putain Putain) and had become a climbing Junior World Champion. I decided to take a break from climbing so I could devote myself completely to the pole vault as it was something that I was really excited about. I vaulted for 3 years and became champion of France only to realize that climbing was my means of expression and a lifestyle that suits me. I cannot live without climbing. Traveling, meeting new people, learning and challenging myself is the life I want. I have improved my climbing abilities (multiple 8cs & an 8a block) and competition results (3rd in the European Championships - Imst). Ceus & Spain are the places where I feel the best climbing and want to be more often. I discovered Bishop in the U.S. and Smith Rock and they are a different world! Now I want to discover more climbing hot spots in the United States. I think I can still push myself, to express my passions at an even higher level and push my limits!~Alizée Dufraisse


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Game 1: Farmingdale State - 3, NYU-Poly - 1 (25-14, 25-16, 21-25 and 25-11)
Game 2: Sage - 3, NYU-Poly - 0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-12)
Game 3: Sage - 3, Farmingdale State - 0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-15)
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's volleyball team hosted The Sage Colleges and NYU-Poly in their home Skyline Play Date today. The Rams (12-21, 7-2) went 1-1 in their two games, while Sage (15-15, 8-0) finished 2-0 and NYU-Poly (4-16, 3-6) was 0-2.
In game one, Farmingdale State defeated Poly 3-1. The Rams were up 2-0 before Poly took a close third set and Farmingdale secured the win with a fourth set victory. Junior outside Sarah Palladino (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) posted a game-high 18 kills, six aces and 11 digs, while sophomore setter Megan Pisciotta (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) recorded 42 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore outside Karen Ulysse (West Hempstead, N.Y.) and freshman middle blocker Maia Cadle-Hinton (Huntington, N.Y.) each tallied 10 kills, while libero Francesca Calderon recorded 13 digs.
In game three, the Rams were led by Palladino with seven kills, seven aces and 11 digs. Calderon tallied a team-high 12 digs, while Pisciotta dished out 19 assists.
Farmingdale State will travel next to New Jersey City for a tri-match on Saturday, November 2nd with games at Noon and 2:00 p.m.
The Skyline Conference playoffs will begin on Wednesday, November 6th with the #1 and #2 seeds receiving a First Round bye. The Semifinals and Championship rounds will be held on Saturday, November 9th at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. as part of the Skyline Fall Festival.


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- Did you mean
- wooster ag facilities consisted research farm
Search results
What's the Deal with Composting? Here's the Breakdown
the back patio, to farms with large manure-based compost piles. Let's start with the "why", of ... The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (S.A.R.E.) publication "Building Soils for Better ... provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more ...
Freezing and Canning of Venison
Educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722. CFAES provides research and related educational programs to ...
Mark Marbaugh
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Food Safety for Holiday Meals
Sciences Program Assistant and may be reached at 330-264-8722. CFAES provides research and related ...
CFAES food safety center to research food safety in Kenya
The Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention (CFI) at The Ohio State University has ... initiative is one of four new research projects announced by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food ... includes a team of researchers from The Ohio State University, the University of Florida, Kenya Medical ...
Thanksgiving Savings Tips
reached at 330-264-8722. CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on ...
Field Management Post Harvest… What Now?
management plan. Different approaches to field management will fit some farms better than others- it all ... depends on the goals you have set for your farm based on your management strategies. As a quick side note, ... to carry over is also greatly increased. If there are fields on your farm with histories of diseases ...
PhD student Brittany Miles wins the Jean F. Caul Award
including consumer research, and the role/work of sensory professionals, for the purpose of sharing ... field of sensory evaluation, including consumer research, by: Creating forums for sharing research that ... sensory and consumer research community Promoting professional conduct and ethical standards ...
ANR Email Updates
School April 7, 2020- Farm Biosecurity and Calving Facilities April 3. 2020- Feeding Milk to Lactating ... Browser? October 26, 2020- In-Person Events, Webinars, Being Winter-Ready October 13, 2020- Webinars, Ag ... Videos, and Podcasts October 5, 2020- Hiring ANR Educator, Ag Lenders, & Pasture Walk Sept 28, 2020- ...
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will start off with an optional 1-hour farm succession planning presentation by Robert E. Moore from ... presentations on this topic. It is never too early to start thinking about how to pass along the farming ... farm. Dr. Wellert teaches multiple animal science classes, including several in the dairy program. ...


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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The New Mexico teenager accused of gunning down his family over the weekend had reloaded his guns after the attacks and planned to go to a Wal-Mart and randomly shoot people, authorities said Tuesday.
Instead, 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego texted a picture of his dead mother to his 12-year-old girlfriend, then spent much of Saturday with the girl, they said. The two went to the church where his father had been a pastor, and Griego eventually admitted killing his parents and three younger siblings.
Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston said Griego had planned the attack for a week, but it's unclear if he ever actually went to a Wal-Mart or why he changed his mind. The teen said he had planned to randomly shoot more people, then die in a shootout with law enforcement, according to authorities.
Griego told detectives he also contemplated killing his girlfriend's parents, Houston said at a news conference.
The teen was set to appear in adult court Tuesday on charges of murder and child abuse resulting in death. He was arrested Saturday at his family's home in a rural area southwest of Albuquerque.
It wasn't immediately clear if Griego's contact with his girlfriend avoided further bloodshed. But a statement of probable cause says Griego spent time at the church, first talking to his girlfriend and her grandmother and then meeting with the church pastor and a security guard.
Church officials called authorities, and Griego initially told arriving officers he had come home Saturday morning after spending time at a friend's house to discover his family dead.
The teen later confessed to shooting his mother because he "had anger issues" and was annoyed with her, the charging document said. He said he killed his siblings after they woke up and became upset, then grabbed his parents' assault rifle and waited in the downstairs bathroom to ambush his father.
After killing his father, Griego said he reloaded the guns so "he could drive to a populated area to murder more people," according to the statement.
His plan, the statement said, was to "shoot people at random and eventually be killed while exchanging gunfire with law enforcement."
Detectives spent two days collecting evidence and trying to piece together what led to the attacks, which occurred on the same day thousands of gun advocates gathered peacefully at state capitals around the country to rally against stricter limits on firearms. The "Guns Across America" events were being held just after President Barack Obama unveiled a sweeping package of federal gun-control proposals.
"There's no other way to say it, except that we have a horrific crime scene down there that we are working on," Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston said Sunday.
The detectives had finished their work at the home by Monday afternoon. The metal gate at the home's entrance was shut, a small bouquet of purple flowers was on the top of the gate, and at each side there were religious signs, including one that read "Jesus is the reason for the season."
The sheriff's office identified the victims as Greg Griego, 51, his wife, Sarah Griego, 40, and three of their children: a 9-year-old boy, Zephania Griego, and daughters Jael Griego, 5, and Angelina Griego, 2. All appeared to have gunshot wounds to the head.
A sheriff's detective questioned the teen Saturday night, and the details of their conversation were spelled out in the statement.
The teen allegedly told the detective that he took a .22-caliber rifle from his parents' closet around midnight Saturday and shot his mother in the head while his younger brother slept next to her.
Griego told the detective that his brother woke up but did not believe him that their mother was dead, so he showed his mother's bloody face to his brother and then shot him, according to the statement.
The teen is accused of then shooting his two young sisters after they began crying in their room, and retrieving a military-style semi-automatic rifle from his parents' closet and waiting in a downstairs bathroom for his father to come home. The statement said he shot his father multiple times after he passed the bathroom doorway.
Greg Griego was a pastor who had once served at Calvary, one of Albuquerque's largest Christian churches. He also was well-known throughout the law enforcement community for his work as a voluntary chaplain.
A records check by the Children, Youth and Families Department indicated no problems with the Griego family and that Nehemiah Griego had never been in trouble with the law.
Sheriff's Deputy Aaron Williamson confirmed there was no history of any emergency calls to the home in the recent past.


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We love to help! Any questions please try the instant chat below or email us at email@example.com. FREE DELIVERY to Australian most metro cities, for orders over $2000* T&C's apply. NOTE: CHRISTMAS DELIVERY CUT OFF 9th DEC for all instock items!
ART PRINT | Red Protea by Blackhaus Studios
Product details
Blackhaus Studios aspire to connect with the world through their curated range of photographic and mixed media prints. By exploring themes such as abstraction, minimalistic landscapes and portraiture.
Printed on art paper and framed with black, white or natural frame.
These prints are made to order, please allow 3-4 weeks plus delivery.


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The Feast of St. Nicholas in Prague:
A Pleasant and Cheap Alternative to New Year's
Let it be known: Prague and the Czech Republic in general are magical places to visit in December, during the Christmas holidays. Few places in Europe can compete with the magic and the still- living traditions brought to bear at this time of year. For my part, if there's a time I like most of all, it's the Feast of St. Nicholas, and that's also what I recommend to friends who want to spend a weekend in Prague: that they come for St. Nicholas rather than for New Year's. Like New Year's, it is an enchanted time to be in the city, but the Feast also coincides with a lot more attractive Prague apartment rental prices: at least two good reasons to come enjoy yourself before Christmas.
As December 6th to every Czech since youngest childhood appearing in the streets of the Czech capital. Starting on the 5th of December, the eve of St. Nicholas, the angel, the devil and the kindly patron saint of children go their way through the city, rewarding or reprimanding, depending! Candy for the children who have been good, and coal and potatoes for the others! There's no better time for lovers of magical end-of-year festivities to come spend a weekend in Prague. In addition, this year, the 6th of December falls on a Saturday!
Here, the Feast of St. Nicholas has lost none of its vibrancy, and it's a time of joy and sharing in every family. I remember the seriousness and gravity of the little Czechs face-to-face with St. Nicholas, being asked if they'd been good this year. One does not jest with St. Nicholas, so much so that parents and families brim with ingenuity about making the Feast even more truthful.
Therefore, lots of stores rent or sell costumes, like www.karneval-ptakoviny.cz, which even has two locations in the city centre (Křížovnická 8 and number 64 Wenceslas Square), and like the www.kostymy-ladana.cz costume rental store (Opatovická 22). Once there, all that's left to do is to choose whether you prefer to be the gentle Saint Nicholas, the soft-eyed angel or the terrifying devil. Then, off you go: you can wander around to your heart's content in the labyrinthine streets of Prague, around Old Town Square, near the Powder Gate, down by the Charles Bridge--in short, it's the perfect time to come experience, for one weekend in Prague, the Feast of St. Nicholas in an exceptional setting!
This is actually what I often say to my friends who are eager to discover the Czech capital in winter: New Year's in Prague is good, but the Feast of St. Nicholas is better! Less crowds, less hubbub, a gentler atmosphere, without having to worry about startling at every firecracker or at every bottle shattering on the ground... Renting an apartment in Prague, getting restaurant reservations, or even turning up at a restaurant without reservations, or buying tickets at the last minute: everything is simpler and more pleasant.
For those short on good ideas for gifts, the numerous Christmas markets all over town are an ideal Ali Baba's cave for doing some shopping and finding original ideas. From of the 29th Old Town Square becomes covered in little wooden stalls where you can find traditional crafts in wood, straw, glass, ceramic, Christmas decorations and typical wooden toys, leather goods, jewelry and scented candles, all good plans for properly supplying the Christmas tree with gifts. Wenceslas Square, Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) and Peace Square (Náměstí Míru) also host their own Christmas markets, as do other, smaller, area squares all over town.
Those who appreciate food will also find their fill because the Christmas markets are overflowing with little stands selling pastries (one called "trdelník," a small, cylindrical puff pastry bathed in sugar and cinnamon is THE absolute most must-taste pastry of them all!), pork products, and roasted chestnuts, as well as Czech beer, hot mulled wine and other delicacies. To be consumed while admiring the immense Christmas tree that towers over Old Town Square every year, glittering in the darkness with a thousand lights.
At this time of year, and up until the Christmas celebrations, it is not unusual to come across choirs in the streets. In the Czech Republic, singing is still part of the living traditions! Numerous concerts held in small churches also contribute to the magic of these days of Advent. At the National Theatre of Prague, it's the perfect time to see, or see again, the very lovely Nutcracker Suite ballet, which takes place on the 6th the 7th , there is an Advent concert planned at 1pm, and the Leoš Janáček opera "The Cunning Little Vixen" begins at 7pm.
Renting an apartment in Prague over the Feast of St. Nicholas is much better value than doing so for New Year's Eve. For example, a KLARA apartment for four nights from the 4th December comes to barely €10 per night per person, if you turn up in a group of seven, that is, €285 compared to €1599 for the same apartment if you wish to have it over New Year's in Prague. It's also the right time to buy plane tickets with Transavia, which sells tickets for barely €100 from Paris from the 3rd.
The Feast of St. Nicholas is definitely the ideal celebration to come experience in order to combine discovery, shopping, culture and an enjoyable change of scene. to the 7th of December.


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Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are calling it quits after five years of marriage. Some sources are claiming it was Tom's beloved Scientology that drove her away, while others blame... aw, who am I kidding? It was Scientology, folks. That s* is batty.
Check out ROFLrazzi's coverage of this totally inevitable happening!


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Whaddya mean it's against the law to get drunk and joyride a shopping cart naked through a car wash, eh?
According to police reports, the trio of twenty-year-olds in Abbotsford, BC had reportedly stripped down to their skivvies and set the washer to "Super Typhoon" before hopping into the cart and taking a bath sometime after midnight Thursday. Police were summoned when neighbors heard screaming from car wash, presumably because the Super Typhoon setting comes with a free under-chassis sealant and hot wax spray.
"We arrived to find intoxicated men putting their clothes back on, and realizing that the best decisions aren't made while drunk and at a car wash without a car in the middle of the night," police Constable Ian MacDonald told the Vancouver Sun. Police warned the joyriders and sent them home without their cart. [Vancouver Sun via Neatorama - Image: David Touchtone / Shutterstock]


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The newest member of the Columbus Crew has been with the team for only two weeks. Sergio Herrera spent less than half of that time in Columbus, where he saw more snow than he could have imagined back home in Colombia.
Yet, his whirlwind schedule from training camp in Bradenton, Fla., to a couple of indoor practices in Ohio before jetting with the club Friday to Arizona could be invaluable as the 28-year-old forward embarks on his first MLS season.
"The group is great. Everyone is good to me. Learning the names is getting easier," he said as Crew assistant coach Ricardo Iribarren acted as his translator.
While Herrera adjusts to a new country, language and league, the Crew hope his abilities on the field speaks for himself. He joins the Crew after scoring 26 times in 92 games for Deportivo Cali of the Colombian first division. Herrera also has four goals in 11 caps for the national team.
Crew coach Robert Warzycha likes what he's seen so far but realizes it could take awhile before Herrera is comfortable in his new setting.
"It depends if he's going to find the same language as the players on the field, whether he's going to blend in," Warzycha said. "Everybody's different. Hopefully he's going to produce and we're going to be happy we signed him."
Having weeks to train before the Crew's CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series on March 9 and 17 vs. Mexican club Toluca and the MLS opener March 27 against Toronto FC could be a major plus.
"If you go back and look at foreign players who have been successful in this league, they've probably had a preseason under their belt as opposed to coming midseason," Crew technical director Brian Bliss said. "That's going to help him acclimate as a teammate and acclimate to the style and get his fitness as well. We hope that's a positive and it should be."
He cites the example of Crew forward Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who had a good year after joining the Crew in May 2007 but won named league MVP the next year when the Crew won the MLS Cup.
"When you go back to 2007 when Schelotto came, look at his resume and it took him a good four months to kind of find his way, figure out the league and style of play and where he could pick and choose his spots," Bliss said.
Going further back, touted Colombian midfielder John Wilmar Perez was signed by the Crew the day before the 2000 opener against Tampa Bay and started 24 hours later. He seemed to be playing catch-up the whole season and had three goals and three assists in 30 games. The following year his numbers improved to eight and 15 in 25 matches.
Midfielder Freddy Garcia of Guatemala struggled after joining the Crew midway through 2002 but settled into a good flank player once he had time to adjust the following year.
Last year, Venezuelan forward Emilio Renteria was acquired in August to provide a boost to the offense. Although he was disappointing at times, he did score the goal at Puerto Rico that advanced the Crew to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Both Warzycha (Poland) and Iribarren (Argentina) were midseason acquisitions in the Crew's inaugural 1996 season so they understand the adjustment period for Herrera and other international players.
"As a club we have to do our best to provide him the environment off the field to help him get through stuff that's difficult for any foreign player so he can truly concentrate on what's happening on the field," Bliss said the key is making the transition as smooth as possible.
"If he's distracted off the field with housing, schooling for his kids, bank accounts, getting a car -- all those things we don't think about -- then it's a problem," Bliss continued.
Of course, there are exceptions.
"Some guys come in like (Juan Pablo) Angel and tear it up from day one," Bliss said of the New York Red Bulls star. Angel was signed on April 17, 2007, and still managed 19 goals in 24 games that year.
The Crew aren't looking for numbers like that from Herrera when he signed Feb. 5 but hope he can help improve the goal output that dropped to 41 last year, nine fewer than the previous season.
"I'm a forward who stays close to the goal trying to create chances to score and maybe I score as well," Herrera said. "Defensively, anytime the team needs me I try to help in any way I can."
He's seen MLS games on television and has been impressed after spending parts of his career playing in the Brazilian first division, the Saudi Arabian Premier League and Argentina's third division.
"The league is fast-paced, kind of like Europe," he said of MLS. "The teams are bringing in good foreign players and the league is improving year after year.
"I'm enthused by the chance to come to the United States. I was watching MLS games in Colombia and liked it. It's a good opportunity."
His adjustment included being greeted with a 10-inch snowstorm Monday after arriving from Florida with the team.
"I've seen snow before but not that much," he said. "I'm enjoying it right now."
Herrera plans on taking English classes once preseason ends and he's settled in Columbus, but for now has been relying on the Argentinean trio of Iribarren, Schelotto and defender Gino Padula to help him communicate.
"I played in Argentina for six months so I've been surrounded by Argentineans before and we had some play in Colombia so I know what type of language they use," Herrera said. "It helps a lot to have people of the same language around.
"I understand some (English) words if somebody speaks slowly. Talking is a little harder because I don't know too much."
Fortunately for the Crew he has time to learn.


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Last night's win over the Red Wings, his 684th all-time, was either Martin Brodeur's last start as a Devil, or his last start as a Devil until Friday (when NJ takes on Detroit again in the first half of back-to-backs). So no one knew quite how to act.
Every franchise dreams of having a player so great that finally cutting the cord is unbearably painful. Brodeur's manned the pipes for 21 years now, an eternity in hockey terms. He's still the face of the team, but a shell of his former self. When rumors flew yesterday that the Devils had a deal in place to ship Brodeur to Minnesota before the trade deadline, ticket prices for last night's game skyrocketed, as fans wanted to give their man a proper send-off.
The rumors turned out to be false, but that didn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm. The usual "Marty, Marty, Marty" chants rang out throughout the night, supplemented with some "We Want Marty"s, making fans' feelings known.
"This is who I am. I'm a Devil, and I'm always going to be a Devil, regardless of what happens tomorrow," Brodeur said after it ended.
The deadline is in six hours. Brodeur's fate is complicated by a few factors. Even before all the goaltender movement yesterday, how many teams are really looking for a 41-year-old backup with an .899 save percentage? Even if the Devils do decide to move him, will they find a taker?
Further compromising his tradeability is the fact that he doesn't want to be a one-month rental. Brodeur said he wants to play another season, and he wants to go to a contender, and he could use his no-trade clause to make sure he only ends up in his ideal situation. Good luck with that.
Brodeur had a long talk with GM Lou Lamoriello after last night's game. He would reportedly welcome leaving, and the Devils are going to try to make it happen. He's not happy backing up Cory Schneider, and not happy being on the outside of the playoff picture. Meanwhile, he's still a hero in New Jersey, and getting more starts than he'd receive anywhere else. Anyplace he'd want to go isn't likely to want him. It's a crappy situation for both sides—divorces are harder the longer you've been together.


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Teriyaki pork strips with shallots bento
This simple recipe requires only 3 ingredients: sliced pork loin (already mentioned minute steaks or easy steaks), shallots and teriyaki sauce. It's also one of the lazy recipes — part of it you can prepare evening before, and finish it quickly before serving or packing your bento box. Plus, marinating for a long time allows increased flavors to transfer easily across the meat!
Intermediate: 8 steps, 14 minutes
September 03, 2015 by Paul
Marinated beef and pasta bento
Bento is not only rice, but also other ingredients, like... pasta. This recipe came to life when I had some uncooked beef left-overs and just wondered what to do with them. Cooking them as a part of bento was a great idea!
Intermediate: 8 steps, 19 minutes
August 26, 2015 by Paul