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Awadagin Pratt, a pianist who first appeared on the international concert scene in the early 1990s when he won the prestigious Naumburg Piano Competition and, a couple of years later, was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant, came to Sarasota this past Sunday to appear in Faith Lutheran's Community Outreach Concert Series.
Faith Lutheran Church, at 7750 Beneva Road, has recently started an important series of concerts with an impressive roster of performers this year, including two members of the Boston Symphony, a trumpeter from the U.S. Army Band, the talented young singer Maria Wirries and pianist Joseph Holt, the recently named artistic director of Gloria Musicae.
In addition, the church has been able, thanks to the generosity of some of its members, to purchase a magnificent 9-foot Steinway concert grand and a new console for the pipe organ, transforming the sanctuary into an ideal intimate venue for concerts and recitals.
Pratt chose a daunting program that he will repeat this week in Carnegie Hall's smaller Weill Recital Hall, in New York City. It ran the gamut of works from Baroque (Bach), to contemporary (Lera Auerbach), plus major pieces by Schumann, Beethoven and Liszt.
The Auerbach pieces — four preludes from her Opus 41 — were short studies of ascending and descending intervals, from open fifths to minor ninths, chord clusters and an occasional allusion to the Dies Irae. Like Pratt's other interpretations, the performance was somewhat muddied by over-pedaling and a hyper-romanticized style that left little room for the clarity and transparency needed stylistically in Bach and Beethoven.
But the important part of the afternoon was the packed-to-the-gills sanctuary, the new Steinway grand and the fact that Sarasota has a new venue for concerts. Pratt, who recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins, certainly put the new piano through its paces, and we look forward to hearing other artists in this beautiful Sarasota venue. Here's to keeping the faith!


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McMahon beats Central to move to 2-0
Recommended Video:
BRIDGEPORT -- A.J. Albano and Brian Gordon were singing the same song of lament following Friday night's FCIAC opener, hoping their respective teams could learn their lessons from the litany of mistakes made on the turf at Kennedy Stadium.
At least Albano, head coach at McMahon, had the good fortune to do it in victory.
McMahon turned the ball over four times, including twice inside the red zone over the final five minutes of the first half, but still had enough resolve to pull out a 20-12 victory over the winless Hilltoppers.
McMahon (2-0 overall, 1-0 FCIAC), coming off a 34-12 victory over Wilbur Cross in the SCC-FCIAC challenge last week, took a 14-12 lead into halftime before fumbling twice in the third quarter as it tried in vain to put some distance between itself and the Hilltoppers.
Finally, McMahon delivered the knockout punch with a 21-yard touchdown run by Timmy Hinton (120 yards on 12 carries) to take a 20-12 lead with 7:14 left in the fourth quarter.
Central (0-2 overall, 0-1 FCIAC), was led by the brilliant play of speedy junior quarterback Mykel Morris, who rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns while completing 10 of 21 passes for 78 yards and an interception. Morris brought Central down to the McMahon 4-yard line with less than five minutes left.
But senior safety Brian Gayle stopped Morris for a three-yard loss on fourth down and McMahon successfully ran out the clock.
McMahon dominated most of the action, gaining 364 total yards while completely shutting down Morris and the Hilltoppers in the second half. Four turnovers, seven penalties for 65 yards and handful of dropped passes made it a scary one for the Senators.
"We're lucky. That's a good football team over there," Albano said. "We underestimated them as a staff. We underestimated them as a team. That quarterback is an outstanding athlete. We're lucky to learn a lesson and still get a W."
Central, which made improvement from last week's 42-8 setback against North Haven, was in the game until the final seconds. McMahon needed an interception by Gayle on a final desperation pass to final seal it.
The Hilltoppers just couldn't come up with enough plays to get over the top.
"The effort was there. I'm very proud of that," said Gordon, a first-year head coach at Central. "There are correctable things. There was improvement from last week. We'll be better. I just wish we could have learned our lessons like they did, with a win."
Central turned the ball over on the second play of the game as Dominique Hancock collided with teammate Keyshawn Thomas in the backfield. McMahon took over at the Central 27 and nearly failed to capitalize, but McMahon quarterback Matt Downey (79 yards passing) found Forney from 16 yards out in the back corner of the end zone on fourth down to put the Senators up 7-0.
Morris got the Hilltoppers to within 7-6 on the next possession, bouncing off a McMahon tackler at the 30 then racing into the end zone with a 48-yard touchdown run.
McMahon bogged down deep in Central territory on the next series after a nice 37-yard run by Hinton put the Senators in scoring position, but Downey came through once again on fourth down, this time connecting with Gayle from 16 yards out to put McMahon up 14-6 with 4:18 left in the first quarter.
Central had a Morris touchdown pass negated on an offensive pass interference call, but the Senators gave one back with a facemask penalty on third-and-long from midfield that kept the drive alive. Morris used his legs once again, beating a couple of McMahon defenders to the front corner of the end zone for a 3-yard run to make it 14-12 with 5:15 left in the second.
McMahon drove inside the Central 25 on two straight possessions but left with nothing as Thomas picked off Downey at the 11 with 3:30 left and Clement Rodriguez recovered a Kenny Keen fumble at the nine with 15 seconds left before halftime.
McMahon 20, Central 12
BRIEN McMAHON 14 0 0 6--20
BM--Trey Forney 16 pass from Matt Downey (Henry Limon kick)
BC--Mykel Morris 48 run (kick failed)
BM--Brian Gayle 16 pass from Downey (Limon kick)
BC--Morris 3 run (run failed)
BM--Timmy Hinton 21 run (kick blocked)
Records: McMahon 2-0 overall, 1-0 FCIAC; Central 0-2 overall, 0-1 FCIAC

subset: commoncrawl


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News from the world of Maths
December 8, 2017
Our colleague Becky Warren has been distracting us with her wonderful tiling puzzles...
November 1, 2017
Quantum particles that are both light and matter help solve infamous NP hard problems.
October 12, 2017
Take part in an exciting new project and help fight future pandemics!
October 12, 2017
Promoting black mathematicians, and talking about building a more representative mathematical community.
October 10, 2017
Celebrate female mathematicians with these articles and videos.
October 5, 2017
This year's Nobel Prize in Physics has gone to Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne for their role in the detection of gravitational waves.
August 9, 2017
To join in the excitement of the world athletics championships, we bring you some articles, a puzzle, and a little something on infectious diseases.
July 21, 2017
The Institute is celebrating 25 years of bringing researchers together!


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- Title: Insatiable CD
- Author: Meg Cabot, Emily Bauer
- Released: 2010-06-08
- Language:
- Pages: 0
Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.
But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.
Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.)
But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.
The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able look into her own.
And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.
Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future. . . .
If she even has one.
About the Author
Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to her adult contemporary fiction, she is the author of the bestselling young adult fiction series, The Princess Diaries. More than 25 million copies of her novels for children and adults have sold worldwide. Meg lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband.pdf


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Hi there,
We are looking for beta tester for our new free pure Java software: Action(s) - an all-new tool to accomplish time-consuming, repetitive manual tasks quickly, efficiently, and effortlessly. Action(s) does not require any knowledge of scripting languages or code writing. Instead, automation workflow are created and executed simply by dragging and dropping individual steps of a process into an actions window.
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- Easy-to-use interface: Action(s) comes with a library of dozens of actions that users can browse or search to find exactly what they need. Actions are dragged and dropped from the library to create workflows.
- Complete control: the pre-installed actions allow manipulation of files and folders, image cropping, scaling, conversion, and adjustment, command line execution, variable storage and access and much more.
- Extendable architecture: Developers can easily create and share their own actions.
- Re-usable: Display controls allow action parameters to be customized each time a workflow is executed; encapsulated flow design enables workflows to be used within other workflows.
- Portable: Java and XML format used by Action(s) ensure that workflows can be shared with others, whatever they are using a Mac or a PC.
- Available in English and French.
Action(s) is compatible Mac and PC.
More information at Action(s) beta - app.jbbres.com
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any question or comment.


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|Joey Mazzarino
Lester is Terrence McBird's brother, who comes to visit in The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss episode "Lester Leaps In."
Lester is a neat freak and initially seems to dislike his brother. He grips about how he looks, dresses, and wonders "Why would anyone have a tree indoors?" He eventually overcomes his stuffy attitudes and starts to enjoying having a brother.
The same puppet was also used as a nameless extra in the first season episode "Mrs. Zabarelli's Holiday Baton."
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Baby boomers continue to impact our nation. The generation that fought for free speech and civil rights is now forcing financial services to re-evaluate investing and retirement planning. They are the first group to transition from traditional pensions to the 401(k). Boomers will increasingly have to look to their own accounts to support them in retirement. Essentially, they have to treat their 401(k) and IRA accounts as their personal pension.
Clients approaching or in retirement can build a personal pension using a hybrid approach that combines the best of pension-like predictable cash flows and higher long-term returns of a total return approach. A personal pension needs to be engineered specifically to each client's financial goals that are uncovered through the financial planning process. By linking to the financial plan, clients can balance the sometimes competing goals of predictable cash flows and portfolio longevity.
To generate both predictable income and long-term returns, we advocate splitting a portfolio into two sub-portfolios—income and growth. Each sub-portfolio uses asset classes that best suit its purpose. Individual bonds are used to generate the predictable pension-like cash flows in the income portfolio, while stocks and other long-term-growth-oriented assets make up the growth portfolio.
The income portfolio delivers predictable cash flows in the near term, usually eight to 10 years, regardless of what is happening in the stock or bond markets. It also provides a time buffer for the growth portfolio to ride through down markets. The growth portfolio is tasked with driving long-term total return to replenish the income portfolio as it is spent down.
From Accumulation to Decumulation
Up to now, most of the research and industry focus has been on investing in the accumulation phase. The main objective has been to grow clients' portfolios so that they would have enough to retire—hitting their "number." As clients transition to retirement, they shift their focus to generating predictable income out of portfolios and making sure they don't run out of money.
With more boomers retiring every day, we are starting to see weaknesses in using accumulation strategies like pure total return for clients who now have to look to their portfolios to replace their paychecks. Traditional income approaches, like dividends, also face challenges when equity markets break down.
Spending needs, however, are not driven by market returns. Mortgage payments don't change if the markets are up or down. Neither do car payments or utilities and grocery bills. Income from pure total return and dividend strategies, however, is impacted by market functions, causing retirees to either take pay cuts or sell assets in declining markets.
The effectiveness of an income strategy isn't revealed in calm or rising markets. Strong market returns can hide a multitude of sins. The true test of a strategy comes when markets are melting down like we experienced in the crisis of 2008. We will see that building a personal pension to fund a client's retirement will help them fare better than accumulation-centric total return approaches or traditional income strategies like dividends and annuities.
An Institutional Strategy for Individuals
Liability-driven investing (LDI) is an institutional investment strategy that has been used for decades by pension funds looking to match a stream of payments to retirees. For a pension fund, the liabilities are the benefit payouts owed to the pool of retirees. In the age of the 401(k), retirees are challenged with the same liability, but rather than being part of a pool of beneficiaries, individuals have to look to their own portfolio to replace their paychecks.
Income-matching, based on dedicated portfolio theory, is the most appropriate form of LDI for individuals. An income-matching portfolio can be characterized as a "smart bond ladder" where the portfolio matches a target income stream through a combination of coupon interest and bond redemptions. This approach integrates well with the financial planning process because the target spending needs flow directly from the capital needs analysis in the client's plan.
To build an income-matching portfolio, individual bonds are laced together to match the target spending needs. Using a mathematical programming technique to minimize the cost, a series of certificates of deposit and government agency bonds deliver cash flows in the most efficient manner.
Downside Protection for Cash Flows
Unlike bond funds that face low or negative returns in periods of rising interest rates, an income-matching portfolio will deliver the target income stream, regardless of changes in value of the underlying portfolio. The bonds in the portfolio are intended to be held to maturity, and the combination of the coupon payments and bond redemptions make up the cash flows that fund the client's spending needs. The cash flows are perfectly predictable (barring default on CDs and agency bonds) and are not affected by rising interest rates. In fact, the worst-case returns for a bond held to maturity are known the day it is purchased: its yield to maturity.
Because cash flows for spending needs come explicitly from the income portfolio, changes in the value of any equity holdings do not have any impact on the client's retirement paycheck. Especially in times of market turmoil, this break from the market can provide skittish investors with more fortitude to stay the course knowing that several years of income have been set aside and are protected.
Sensible Withdrawal Rates
A personal pension strategy needs to deliver predictable, stable near-term cash flows to fund living expenses. It also needs to keep longevity in mind so that retirees don't run out of money. Given the current interest rate environment, most clients are looking for a withdrawal rate that is above the yield curve. Conventional wisdom and a fair amount of research on sustainable withdrawal rates suggest retirees draw somewhere between 4% and 5% with some adjustment for inflation. As of Sept. 8, the 30-year CD/agency bond yield curve was yielding about 3.4%, so an all-bond portfolio clearly does not provide enough return to reach a 4% or 5% withdrawal rate.
Retirees looking to draw above the yield curve will have to take on some equity exposure to have a chance of reaching their goals. They also have to bear in mind that there is some uncertainty associated with taking on equity risk. An all-income portfolio would deliver many years of predictable income, but it also would not last 30 years. With a reasonable withdrawal rate, a balanced exposure to equities will provide a good chance that the portfolio will last the client's lifetime.
Balancing Predictability and Longevity
A partial LDI approach allows retirees to balance the trade-offs between predictability and longevity. Retirees can capitalize on the predictable nature of their income portfolio in the near-term and higher long-term total return of equities in their growth portfolio.
From a behavioral perspective, splitting the portfolio into the income and growth sub-portfolios helps clients break out the goals of the income and growth portfolios distinctly. The purpose of the bonds in their income portfolio is to deliver predictable cash flows: a retirement paycheck. The equities in the growth portfolio deliver higher expected long-term total return. The income portfolio acts as a time buffer to help clients ride the periods of poor stock market performance.
Shortcomings of Traditional Income Strategies
When evaluating traditional approaches to retirement income like pure total return, dividends and REITs, it is important to consider how the approaches hold up in poor markets. Clients don't invest in safe assets like bonds to ride through smooth markets. Pension strategies are meant to hold up when markets are melting down. Thus, we need to analyze common retirement income strategies through tumultuous markets to see if the approaches will provide predictability and peace of mind.
In retirement, a pure total return approach simply seeks to grow assets faster than spending needs. Total return is really a long-term growth strategy that is suited for the accumulation phase or to be parsed out to the growth portfolio. In decumulation, it exposes clients to sequence risk, particularly in a rising interest rate environment.
Withdrawals made either as a part of rebalancing or opportunistically, work fine when stocks or bonds have positive returns. It is years like 1969 that expose the soft underbelly of pure total return approach. Rising interest rates caused bond fund returns (as represented by the 10-year Treasury index) to drop by 5% while simultaneously the S&P 500 was down 9%. Where would a retiree look for income? They would likely have to sell assets into a declining market and dig an even deeper hole.
Dividends from stocks and REITs are a very important part of long-term total return, but they are a lousy source of predictable retirement income in periods of market turmoil. According to Standard & Poor's, dividend payments from companies in the S&P 500 dropped by 23.5% from January 2008 to January 2009. Publicly traded REITs fared slightly worse than the S&P 500 according to Cohen & Steer's, cutting dividends by 26%. Clients who relied on dividends for their paycheck suffered a 25% pay cut and may have been forced to sell equities into a declining market to make up the balance of their spending needs, which did not decrease.
By building a personal pension with an income-matching portfolio on the front end and a growth portfolio on the back end, retirees can balance their need for income and growth. Their assets serve the purpose for which they are best suited. Bonds provide predictable near-term income, protected from interest rate risk. Equities deliver the opportunity for higher long-term growth needed to replenish the income portfolio over time.
Stephen J. Huxley, Ph.D., is chief investment strategist and Brent Burns, MBA, is president of Asset Dedication LLC, in Mill Valley, Calif. They are both founding partners of the firm and can be reached via www.assetdedication.com or 866-535-0897.


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CLASSIC. Timeless MINI design for the modern world. SPORT. Inspired by the track, ready for the road. EXCLUSIVE. Unrivaled refinement. The essence of luxury.
It's time to venture down the path less trodden and explore just how much the weekend has to offer. Pack more in. See the bigger picture and discover the new, more spacious MINI Countryman.


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When performance review time rolls around, there's a general angst among those being reviewed and the reviewers. Managers hope to motivate employees to change and when employees fail to improve, their careers are jeopardized.
Much has been written questioning the need for performance reviews. Managers already burdened with a heavy workload don't take the time to give serious thought to the behaviors an employee needs to change, sending the employee the message that performance reviews are just another item to check off the to-do list.
According to a recent study by Joseph Grenny, author of the best-selling book, "Change Anything," 43% of employees experience the same feedback in their annual performance reviews. The study was based on an online survey of 642 people, and 87% of them said they left their reviews without a plan to better meet their manager's expectations.
The majority of employees surveyed — two out three — said they received negative feedback during their performance reviews, but just one in three ever made a dramatic change as a result. How can the same employee receive the same negative feedback year after year and do nothing to change?
In Change Anything, Grenny writes,"Having detailed performance feedback is imperative, however is not sufficient to produce changes in behavior." While the information is critical, reviews fail to create lasting change because employees lack the ability to put the feedback into action, and that leads to frustration. Keeping the same negative conversation going for years is not a good development plan.
Performance improvement plans are not effective because they overlook three major areas that influence behavior: personal, social, and environmental sources. When these areas are ignored, employees typically continue to receive the same negative feedback and miss out on career opportunities.
Employees who leave performance reviews without a clear plan of action only become more confused. They want to meet their managers' expectations but they don't understand what they need to do to change.
"Employees with the right sets of skills can turn their manager's feedback into positive plans to improve performance and make a greater contribution to the organization," Greeny said.
Here are some ways to make the most of your performance review by incorporating personal, social, and environmental sources.
- Ask for detailed feedback. Specifically ask for information that allows you to know the exact behaviors to replicate and change.
- Invest in your professional development. Seek out workshops and training that will help you develop new skills. Actively pursue the skills needed to be a top performer.
- Find a mentor. A good mentor can help you develop your skills in a trusting relationship and give you practical information. Part of the change process is modeling a good mentor and implementing new behaviors.
- Take charge of your workspace. Change habits that prevent you from growing. For example, you may struggle with unnecessary interruptions. If you workspace is in distracting area, asked to be moved to a different location. Develop an awareness of your surroundings and influences.
- Keep your manager informed of your progress. You might request meetings to review progress on a more frequent basis, such as weekly or quarterly. Keeping an accomplishment journal can help you with future discussions with management and show your manager you are serious about changing.
Performance reviews don't have to be a dreaded conversation, especially if you prepare for them. Even if you have received negative reviews in the past, you can make changes if you take charge and develop awareness.
Have your performance reviews helped you change?


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Berachoth (4b) states conclusively that Ma'ariv is compulsory (לאפוקי ממאן דאמר ... רשות; קמ״ל דחובה). But one of the accepted premises when comparing Ma'ariv to other Tefilloth is that Ma'ariv is voluntary (although it's been universally adopted, thus giving it the force of Halachah nowadays - See ב"ח, או"ח רל"ז). Why do we Pasken against a clear conclusion in the Gemara on a matter of Halachah?
This question is part of the Daf Yomi Challenge.


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The far right Family Research Council has recently been officially designated a "hate group" by the national organization that for decades has been in charge of such things, the Southern Poverty Law Center. SPLC has for years been tracking the Klan and White Supremacists, and now includes FRC and the American Family Association in their ranks.
FRC claims that it's not a hate group. Really? They sure sound like a hate group. Here's a sampling of what the FRC has had to say about gays and lesbians (note: I did all the original research myself, years ago – I set up this page – it's irrelevant that FRC removed much of it from their Web site after I exposed it – they said it):
The Family Research Council
Gays will recognize pedophiles as prophets
"…one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the 'prophets' of a new sexual order." – "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf
Gays are pedophiles, and want to promote youth promiscuity
"There is a strong undercurrent of pedophilia in the homosexual subculture. Homosexual activists want to promote the flouting of traditional sexual prohibitions at the earliest possible age….they want to encourage a promiscuous society – and the best place to start is with a young and credulous captive audience in the public schools." – Robert Knight, Family Research Council, http://www.frc.org/insight/is93f1hs.html
Columbine killers might be gay/bisexual
"What Are The Media Hiding?….the media have been slow to give a full profile of the killers -avoiding any mention of their alleged bisexuality as reported by several students….Matt Drudge describes them in his report as 'gay, jock-hating, confederate flag-wearing, goth rock & Marilyn Manson loving, white supremacist, fingernail polish wearing, Hitler birthday celebrating outcasts'….One student shortly after the attack said they were militant 'gays' who were retaliating against jocks. Another student said on NBC's Today Show that the trench coat kids bragged about being bisexual… No American news outlet has reported that bi-sexuality could have played a part in the tragedy." – FRC's "CultureFacts", April 21, 1999, http://www.frc.org/culture/cu99d3.html
Matt Shepard, and gays generally, will not inherit the kingdom of God
"homosexuals are included in a list of sinners, who, if unrepentant, will not inherit the kingdom of God." – Family Research Council press release about Matt Shepard's funeral, on the day of the funeral, October 16, 1998, http://www.frc.org/press/101698.html. The release implied that a gay person who had not yet become, or tried to become, an "ex-gay" was "unrepentant."
Matt Shepard compared to a drunk
" 'They create a climate and environment of intolerance and give license to those who seek to vent their rage or frustration on an entire community,' Human Rights Campaign executive director Elizabeth Birch said Wednesday, addressing a Washington rally attended by the likes of actress Ellen DeGeneres and Alan Simpson, a Republican former senator from Wyoming. Ms. Farish vehemently rejects such allegations. 'Don't blame AA because a drunk was beat up,' she said." – Heather Farish of the Family Research Council, quoted in the Dallas Morning News article, "Why now? Other gays have been victims of brutal attacks, but the slaying of a Wyoming student has caused a national outcry," by Brooks Egerton, October 17, 1998.
Gays are deviants
"Homosexuals have never been forced to sit in the back of the bus. They are as privileged a group as any. To compare their attempts to affirm deviant sexual conduct to the legitimate discrimination claims of true minorities is a sham," said FRC Director of Cultural Studies Robert H.
Knight – FRC's CultureFacts, July 28, 1999, http://www.frc.org/culture/cu99g4.html
Gays hate God
"[Homosexuality] is the opposite of love for God. It is a rebellion against God and God's natural order, and embodies a deep-seated hatred against true religion." – THE ASSAULT ON CHRISTIANS BY THE MILITANT HOMOSEXUAL MOVEMENT, by Steven A. Schwalm, Family Research Council, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd98j2hs.html
Gays think religion is evil
Religion is treated as irrelevant or downright evil. Homosexual books, magazines, and newspapers are filled with bitter and often obscene denunciations of religion in general and Christianity in particular. One activist calls for the outlawing of churches that disapprove of homosexual conduct. Another carefully outlines an advertising campaign that equates Christian clergy with Nazis and Klansmen. Homosexual stage performers dress up in clerical garb and commit obscene acts. A gay rights cartoonist depicts Christ having anal intercourse with His cross. These are not isolated examples from an otherwise gentle and loving literature. The attitude pervades the homosexual movement and is an essential part of their ideal curriculum. – Family Research Council, THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA IN SCHOOLS, by Robert H. Knight, http://www.frc.org/insight/is93f1hs.html
Gays oppose Christianity
"Militant homosexuality is fundamentally opposed to religion, family, and anything that presupposes a natural moral order, a transcendent God, or something else higher than ourselves. The activist homosexual agenda and worldview are fundamentally incompatible with Christianity or any form of true religion, because homosexuality is ultimately narcissism" – THE ASSAULT ON CHRISTIANS BY THE MILITANT HOMOSEXUAL MOVEMENT, by Steven A. Schwalm, Family Research Council, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd98j2hs.html
Comparing gay Christians to Satan worshippers
"Religious Right groups went on the attack against President Clinton after Rev. Troy Perry, a gay minister, was included among the 120 religious leaders taking part in an ecumenical breakfast at the White House. Family Research Council's Robert Knight said, 'We are witnessing the Administration's moral meltdown. What's next? A memorial to Church of Satan founder Anton LeVay?' " – People for the American Way Web site, http://www.pfaw.org/news/press//show.cgi?article=903565285
Homosexuality can kill you
Gary Bauer: "involvement in homosexuality can kill you. It can kill you emotionally, it can kill you physically, and it can certainly kill you spiritually." – Oct 16, 96 – Family Research Council Web site, http://www.frc.org/net/st96j3.html
Gays spit on Jesus
"Homosexual activists who once asked for tolerance now show no tolerance or sympathy for Christians whose sacred symbols they defile. They are totalitarians who accuse everyone that disagrees with them of "hatred." Even as they masquerade under the banner of tolerance, they spit on the most sacred Person revered and worshipped by millions. They mock our religious symbols, deride our beliefs, and even desecrate our churches and sacraments. " – – THE ASSAULT ON CHRISTIANS BY THE MILITANT HOMOSEXUAL MOVEMENT, by Steven A. Schwalm, Family Research Council, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd98j2hs.html
Lesbians hate men
"hatred for men, which is very typical of a lesbian experience" – Kristi Hamrick, FRC, Oct 16, 96, Family Research Council Web site, http://www.frc.org/net/st96j3.html
Gays think they're exempt from God's rules
Robert Knight: "one of the bigger lies that is told about the lifestyle is that somehow homosexuals are different from the rest of us, that they hav
e an exemption from the responsibility to live by the rules of nature and nature's God that the rest of us have."- Oct 16, 96 – Family Research Council Web site, http://www.frc.org/net/st96j3.html
Homosexuality is a "life destroyer" – destroys families, shatters hope
Robert Knight: "The sexual revolution, of which homosexual activism is a key part, has laid waste to countless lives, destroyed families, and shattered hope for people who have been cast adrift into a deadly carnival of excess. It's time to reaffirm the permanent things of marriage and family and sexual sanity. It's time to throw people a life preserver instead of a life destroyer, which the homosexual subculture surely is."- December 1997 Address at Harvard, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd97l1hs.html
Gays are diseased, die early, and are less productive than heterosexuals
"homosexual behavior is extremely unhealthy, contributing to the spread of AIDS, hepatitis A, B and C and other sexually transmitted diseases….A study of more than 6,400 obituaries in homosexual publications reveals that homosexuals typically have far shorter life spans than the general population. Other reports indicate that homosexuals are more likely to have drug and alcohol abuse problems. It is unfair to force businesses to pay the extra insurance expense and lost productivity that inevitably results from homosexual behavior." [Editors note: the source for this "research" is the discredited Dr. Paul Cameron – see below for extensive information about his extreme beliefs]
– Robert Knight, Family Research Council, testifying at ENDA Hearings, July 29, 1994 – committee on Labor and Human Resources, US Senate.
This is a "war" against "destructive" homosexuals
"…wage the war against the homosexual agenda." – From the Web site of Bauer's Family Research Council, which calls homosexuality "destructive", source: Time magazine, Oct 26, 1998.
Gays are hateful towards Christians, have exploited Matt
"using hateful rhetoric against Christians….Homosexual activists have ignored that father's plea and have exploited Matthew's death" – Family Research Council press release about Matt Shepard's funeral, on the day of the funeral, October 16, 1998, http://www.frc.org/press/101698.html
Gays hurt civil rights movement
Robert Knight:"Gay activists' hijacking of the moral capital of the civil rights movement is undercutting the central message of that movement."- December 1997 Address at Harvard, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd97l1hs.html
Gays hurt people, families and communities
"homosexual behavior hurts people, families, and communities."- Robert Knight, March 1997 speech, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd97clhs.html
Gays threaten religious freedom
"Same-sex 'marriage' threatens not only the integrity of the marital definition but also religious freedom." – http://www.frc.org/fampol/fp96bhs.html
Gays aren't monogamous
"monogamy is not the norm for the average homosexual." – http://www.frc.org/fampol/fp96bhs.html
Gays are security risks
"homosexuals are a security risk" – http://www.frc.org/insight/is95d1hm.html
Gays embrace culture of death, risk well-being of all society
"Those who practice homosexuality embrace a culture of death. They risk their lives as well as their mental and spiritual well-being….a band of radical activists, many of them highly placed, put the well being of all society at risk to satisfy their craving for approval." – People for the American Way, "Hostile Climate," 1998, p. 9.
Gays are after children
"Homosexual activists have made such strides in gaining acceptance that now they feel the final frontier is the children. That's been the goal all along: get the next generation." People for the American Way, "Hostile Climate, 1988, p.9.
More on gays are after children
"Homosexuals say they don't want the children, but boy they put a lot of energy into going after them." – Robert Knight of FRC writing in a Focus on the Family newsletter, quoted by People for the American Way, "Hostile Climate," 1997, p.15.
Lesbians drink, do drugs, or are hateful
When asked "Do you think most lesbians, when they first get involved in lesbianism, think it's wrong?", Yvette Cantu of the Family Research Council responded: "Yeah, you know it's wrong. And then you either drink or do drugs to get past those feelings of knowing it's wrong, or you blame it on society and become aggressive and hateful. Those are your options." – AFTAH Web site interview, http://www.americansfortruth.org/ycc_interview.html
Lesbians are dysfunctional
"What people commonly call "dysfunction" is everywhere in the lesbian community. Once I went to this party at someone's house, and none of the women there drank because they were all alcoholics. So it ends up that this is a dry, AA lesbian poker party. I thought, "What am I doing here? This is crazy. Why do I want to go to a dry poker party?" I don't even know how to play poker. This is weird." – AFTAH Web site interview with FRC's Yvette Cantu, http://www.americansfortruth.org/ycc_interview.htm
Gays don't like children
"To me, thinking that a gay [male] couple would even want to adopt a child is bizarre [because] I can't imagine them wanting that kind of responsibility. The homosexuals I knew who had been married before had already dumped their kids on their ex-wives, and were perfectly happy to see them two weeks out of the year! If they had children, what would happen when they were too busy having their sex parties?" – AFTAH Web site interview with FRC's Yvette Cantu, http://www.americansfortruth.org/ycc_interview.htm
Gays only think about sex
At different [sex] parties, I would say, "This is all you guys talk about." Every joke was somehow sexual. Every movement was somehow sexual. There was nothing that was ever talked about that didn't have to do with sex. And I said, "What is wrong with you that you can't think about anything else?" "What else is there?" was invariably the response. Always. It would concern me."- AFTAH Web site interview with FRC's Yvette Cantu, http://www.americansfortruth.org/ycc_interview.htm
Gays don't support monogamy, child-rearing, family values
When asked about gay Americans who support monogamy, child-rearing and family values, FRC's Yvette Cantu responded: "I want to know who's saying this, besides HRC [the Human Rights Campaign, the largest homosexual lobby group] … Is it the men in the gay bars and bathhouses taking a look at their lives and saying, 'We need to settle down, pull together a family and live normally?' No, the only people who are saying this are the activists who are trying to gain special rights for homosexuals. They're saying, 'Look, if we play it right we can get the special rights we want. Stop making us look bad.' But the people who are 'making homosexuals look bad' are pretty much the entire male homosexual subculture."- AFTAH Web site interview with FRC's Yvette Cantu, http://www.americansfortruth.org/ycc_interview.htm
Lesbianism akin to eating off the floor
"You don't have to eat the stale crumbs off the dirty floor, which is basically what lesbianism is."- AFTAH Web site interview with FRC's Yvette Cantu, http://www.americansfortruth.org/ycc_interview.htm
Gays are after children
"Gaining access to children has been a long-term goal of the homosexual movement." – "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf
Gays only pretend to oppose pedophilia
"In the United States, homosexual activists are more circumspect about their efforts to gain access to children…homosexual activists publicly disassociate themselves from pedophiles as part of a public relations str
ategy"- "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf
Gays are 33% of child molesters
"they constitute about a third of child molesters." – "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf
Gays commit 80% of child molestations
"it is estimated that approximately 80% of pedophilic victims are boys who have been molested by adult males." – "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf
More on gays only pretend to oppose pedophilia
"The homosexual rights movement has tried to distance itself from pedophilia, but only for public relations purposes." – "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf
Gay relationships are unpure, perversion of God
"Hanes said what has struck him most about married life is its purity — a quality, he said, that is always lacking in homosexual relationships. 'It wasn't until my marriage that I understood what a gift from God this really is, and what a perversion of God's ideal homosexuality is.' " – FRC's CultureFacts, June 23, 1999, http://www.frc.org/culture/cu99f4.html
Gays may destroy American family
"Legally destroying the exclusive territory of marriage to achieve a political end will not provide the real benefits of marriage to homosexuals, but it may be the blow that the shattered American family does not survive." – Kristi Hamrick http://www.frc.org/net/st96d2.html
Gays are like a gun to the head of America
"That's what we're talking about whenever you're talking about gay rights. You're talking about giving somebody a gun to put at the head of anybody who disagrees with them, whether it's the Boy Scouts, whether it's a local dry-cleaning establishment or a giant corporation like Shell Oil." – Robert Knight, http://www.frc.org/net/st96d2.html
Gays oppose monogamy
"one thing that has been interesting to me is the gay literature has come right out and said we can't keep monogamy in our definition of marriage. We may have a significant relationship we'll call marriage, but things like monogamy and fidelity, faithfulness, and lifetime kind of till-death-do-us-part commitments are a little unrealistic. So we want it to be marriage, but we don't want it to be monogamous." – Kristi Hamrick , http://www.frc.org/net/st96d2.html
Gay parents lead to prison, voyeurism
"I know a guy who has just entered jail, tragically, because he grew up in a lesbian household. He still loves his mother and doesn't really blame her, but he said, 'You know, as a boy in a lesbian environment where it was intensely anti-male' — that's all he heard, this bitterness toward men — he said that he felt totally disenfranchised, began having sexual problems. He eventually became a voyeur, and he is in on a peeping Tom charge. He was so curious about how normal people have sex. We have other people that are cases like this." – Robert Knight, http://www.frc.org/net/st96d2.html
Homosexuals in the bedroom
"Homosexuals do not do what mom and dad do in the bedroom. They don't provide children the role models that mom and dad do" – Robert Knight, http://www.frc.org/net/st96d2.html
Gays against home, family
"Homosexual and lesbian activists have made it clear in recent days that they are in this fight to change the world — from one that values and cherishes home, family, and heterosexual marriage as the cornerstone of society to one that says anything goes." – Kristi Hamrick, http://www.frc.org/net/st95l1.html
Gays are about promiscuity, violence
"Homosexuality is not merely about a harmless personal preference. It is about a lifestyle that involves having sex with another person of the same gender. More often than anyone would like to admit, it's about promiscuity — and even violence. It is about unnatural, unsafe, and unhealthy behavior." – http://www.frc.org/ie/ie98j.html – Laurel L. Cornell
"Homosexual behavior is a misuse of sexuality that has tragic consequences for individuals, families and communities." – Robert Knight, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd97l1hs.html
And you have to love the irony of a hate group promoting a hate group.


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ATV docking trials
A look at the tests conducted on the Automated Transfer Vehicle's critical automated rendezvous and docking system, in Val de Reuil, France.
The Automated Transfer Vehicle, 20 tonnes and the size of a London double-decker bus, is the largest spacecraft ever built in Europe. The unmanned vehicle will be used to ferry cargo to the International Space Station and to raise its orbit.
The first flight model, 'Jules Verne', due to be launched next year, is currently undergoing final integration and space environmental tests at ESA's test facilities in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
Jules Verne's crucial navigation systems are simultaneously being qualified at an exceptional test centre in France. The facility 100 km west of Paris, the only one of its kind in the world, belongs to the country's defence procurement agency, DGA.
The ATV programme has been validating the rendezvous and docking technologies and software, crucial given the human safety requirements. Each test was conducted with rigorous safety measures. Each phase of the test was conducted with realistic conditions. The tests constituted a fully representative replication of the final approach, guiding the ATV to its docking port on the platform with a millimetric precision.
Each approach was conducted in steps, in real-time, over several hours with the mobile platform advancing at an extremely slow pace. For the engineers and privileged visitors, these robotic tests had a magical, almost human aspect.


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On April 13th, the Crawford Legal Institute Mentorship Bond Program (CLIMB) completed its seventh year of operations with the largest ever group...
Professor Slomanson was an attorney for a Los Angeles insurance defense firm before joining the TJSL faculty. Prior to law school, Professor Slomanson served in the Navy and received the Navy Achievement Medal. In 1992, he was elected editor of the American Society of International Law's section on the United Nations Decade of International Law, and served as chair of the section from 1995 to 2006. In 1993, he lectured on the teaching of international law to the United Nations Sixth Committee (legal) at the U.N. in New York. In 1997, he taught the school's first paperless course, based on his web page and motions submitted via e-mail.
In 1999, Professor Slomanson was appointed to the California Law Revision Commission's Civil Procedure Panel of Experts. In 2002, he began teaching in Kosovo each summer, where he is now a Visiting Professor at the Pristina University. Among the countries where Professor Slomanson has lectured on international topics/panels are; Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, China, Cuba, England, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and various locations in the United States. In Fall 2007, he was appointed to serve as a Corresponding Editor for the American Society of International Law's International Legal Materials. Professor Slomanson is listed in the Directory of American Scholars, Who's Who in American Law and Who's Who in American Education. He has published extensively in the fields of civil procedure and international law, having written twenty-five books. In 2015, he received his twelfth Thomas Jefferson School of Law Student Bar teaching award and the San Diego County Law Library Foundation Bernard E. Witkin Award for Excellence in Legal Education. In 2017, Professor Slomanson received the Marquis Who's Who Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Visit Professor Slomansons's professional home page.
Courses include: California Civil Procedure, Civil Procedure I & II


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Library Catalog
Search the Irvin Department's holdings in the library catalog to access books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, art, and audio-visual materials.
Coronavirus: Get complete details about the university's response to COVID-19.
The Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is committed to preserving the materials in its collections and making them accessible to students, scholars and the wider community.
COVID-19 and the Hollings Library
The Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is currently closed in accordance with the closure of all University of South Carolina campuses for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. For remote research assistance or to plan a future visit, please make a virtual research appointent or contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
Our holdings include approximately 275,000 items and over 50 archival collections,
ranging from early medieval manuscripts and incunabula to historical scientific works
and modern literature. You can explore our holdings by searching the library catalog or by using one of our finding aids. You can also browse a selected list of the department's named collections, all accessible through the catalog and finding aids, but also made available through
this keyword searchable list.
Search the Irvin Department's holdings in the library catalog to access books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, art, and audio-visual materials.
Our ArchivesSpace finding aid repository contains information about individual collections. Search or browse to find primary sources, or learn more about our holdings at the collection level.
Unique, digitized materials from the Irvin Department collections are accessible online through the Digital Collections repository.
View past exhibits curated by the Irvin Department online.
Browse publications by the Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections in the Scholar Commons institutional repository.
Frankenstein is never a dull read, but when Dr. Jeanne Britton unrolls enormous 18th- and 19th-century maps for her English 419 class, Mary Shelley's novel really springs to life.
Researchers need to register in the Smith Reading Room on their first visit during the academic year. Be sure to bring a photo ID (academic identification, driver's license, or passport). The registration form describes the special conditions under which Irvin Department materials may be used.
Researchers and other visitors should also be aware of the general policies of the Hollings Library, including the prohibition on food and drink. Only pencils, paper, laptops and cameras are generally allowed in the Smith Reading Room. Self-service lockers are available for securely storing coats, purses, bags and other personal items.
Researchers request items by completing individual call slips for each item, which will then be brought to the Smith Reading Room for supervised use. Descriptions of items are available in the libraries' online catalog and through finding aids.
Some materials in the department's care are housed offsite in remote storage and may need to be recalled one day in advance of use. These items generally appear in the library catalog as: "Columbia Annex: Ask at Rare Books & Special Collections, Thomas Cooper Library (Library Use Only)."
Researchers not connected with the university, or traveling from a distance, are asked to contact the department ahead of their visit to ensure that the needed items and relevant staff help is available when they arrive. Researchers can request materials from the Irvin Department stacks and/or Irvin Department materials from the Annex in advance of their visit by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
We encourage class visits to support teaching and learning at the University of South Carolina. Instructors are welcome to schedule visits to enhance their courses, and we are also glad to welcome class visits from colleges and universities from across the state and region. Class visits should be scheduled reasonably well in advance.
Each visit can be tailored to the needs of the class. Classes of less than 20 can explore the department and its materials in seminar format. Classes of up to 35 can generally be accommodated lecture-style. With more advanced notice, large lecture classes of up to 150 may be able to use our large meeting room for a class session. Additionally, we are willing to place materials from our collections on reserve in our reading room for part of a semester to support class use and assignments.
To schedule a class visit and/or plan an assignment that makes use of the Irvin Department's materials, please contact Michael Weisenburg.
In addition to our work with university classes, faculty and students, the Irvin Department
regularly welcomes visiting groups and conferences to our library and often speaks
with community groups and organizations at their own meetings. If your organization
or community group would like to visit our library for a tour of our current exhibition,
to meet with our faculty and staff, and to explore our collections, please email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Update: Warren saw an American Avocet in Maryland on Aug. 31. Lisa's present broke the curse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am always telling Princess Lisa that I am a "Lucky American Man," and it is true, believe me..
L is not only TOLERATING my "Maryland mini-Big Year," she is ENCOURAGING it and helping me in my mad quest to see as many species as possible in the great state of Maryland in 2011. Current count is 271, with hopes of hitting 280 by December 31. That's harder than it sounds when you've already seen most of the common ones and a lot of the rarities.
Every weekend, L agrees to go birding where I need to go for my year list - whether it's a random Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher in a park in Howard County, or a White Ibis sighted at Lilypons Water Gardens out in Frederick County. (We dipped on both of those, but have found the birds I was looking for more often than not and some we didn't expect to see).
She even bought me this beautiful framed print of Audubon's rendering of the American Avocet - my Maryland nemesis bird. Avocets in Maryland flee at the sound of my name. They can hear me put the car keys in and start "Pippit," our trusty Ford Escape hybrid, and immediately fly to another state or undisclosed location. Then they do an Avocet laugh. Or snicker.
Someday I'll see an Avocet in the "Free State." For now, I'll treasure this picture as a reminder of a fun and crazy year with L and the birds. Sigh.


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Additional information
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W 40 x D 12 x H 53cm
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Henry's Cheese Spread from 'The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen'
The ingredient list for Matt and Ted Lee's cheese spread reads almost like a 2nd grader's cafeteria prank. Cheese, ketchup, worcestershire, horseradish, Tabasco, and beer—how could that taste good? Yet this recipe, from their new cookbook The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, is one of those magical recipes that just works. The balance of tart, spicy, sweet, and malty is totally on point, making for a dip so multilayered that it's impossible to stop eating.
Why I picked this recipe: I will never say no to rich, cheesy dips, especially when they involve beer and horseradish (two of my favorite things).
What worked: This potent, spicy dip was indeed as excellent as described, great on crackers but even better eaten with a spoon straight out of the bowl.
What didn't: No problems here.
Suggested tweaks: As with most dips, this cheese spread is pretty adaptable. Dropping the spice is easy, and you could replace the beer with broth or milk if you don't want the alcohol.
As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen to give away this week.
Excerpted with permission from The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, copyright 2013 by Matt Lee and Ted Lee. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.
Read more: Henry's Cheese Spread from 'The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen'
- Yield:Makes 1 1/2 cups
- Active time: 10 minutes
- Total time:10 minutes
- Rated:
- 10 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups)
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) lager or ale
- Juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, drained
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Crystal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. Transfer to a small bowl to serve.
This Recipe Appears InHenry's Cheese Spread from 'The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen'
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You may have heard: the Bounty Hunter 7-pack is now available, at both EntertainmentEarth.com and StarWarsShop.com. But only the boards have been on track with the revealing of a Boba Fett Blue M&M Resin Sculpted 6" Figure.
View Large Compilation of 4 Views
We first heard about this in an anonymous news tip:
A new high quality resin figurine is going to be offered soon. It will feature the M&M's Blue candy, dressed in full Fett gear. It will be limited to an edition size of 2500 pieces, and will be sold on the M&M's website, Star Wars website, and at M&M's world in Las Vegas. Fett is in a classic pose, and his paint job will include detailed metallic texturing complete with battle damage. 5.5" high, on a black matte base. FYI, these are projected to be gone soon after release. Should be available for purchase around the end of August.
BFFC affiliate StarWarsShop.com notes that shipping is September 30 at a cost of $45 worldwide (except Mexico for some reason). The Official Star Wars Store adds $10 for international shipping.
Limited edition size of 2,500 pieces worldwide
Stands approximately 6" tall with detachable base
Sculpted by the same artist who has designed countless Disney character figures
The most fearsome bounty hunter of the M-Pire galaxy, Boba Fett, is now available as a limited edition resin sculpture! M&M's Fett has been masterfully sculpted by the same artist who has designed countless high quality resin figures for the Walt Disney Company and others. M&M's Fett stands ready for action, measuring approximately 6" tall with a detachable base. An advertising icon such as this is sure to become highly coveted by Star Wars and M&M's collectors alike, so make sure to claim your M&M's Boba Fett resin figurine today! This shared exclusive is hard to find and has an edition size of just 2,500.
Other MPire figures are available: Luke Crispy (Orange), Darth Vader Yellow, Leia Green, and Darth Maul Red.


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Bots are complicated. They're made to process repetitive actions autonomously and can be fairly easy to build, but they aren't always working on the side of good. Here's what you need to know.
Each year, EContent magazine compiles a list of the 100 companies that matter most in the digital content industry.
Voting is now closed. We'll announce the results of the first-ever EContent 100 list chosen by the people!
Erik J. Martin
Jan 28, 2013
They say the best things in life are free: love, health, happiness--and maybe even software. Indeed, completely gratis open source software (OSS) with no licensing strings attached is all the rage today, as evidenced by the popularity and proliferation of OSS products currently in use, including the Apache HTTP Server, Linux, Android operating systems, internet browser Mozilla Firefox, and ecommerce platform osCommerce.
In fact, a 2011 survey by Gartner, Inc. revealed that more than half of organizations polled have adopted OSS solutions as part of their IT strategies. Flexibility, shorter development times, increased innovation, and faster procurement processes were listed as reasons for adopting OSS solutions by nearly 1 out of 3 respondents.
These reasons, coupled with lower costs, are why open source content management systems (OSCMSs) such as Drupal, WordPress, and Joomla are more widely used by digital publishers and electronic content providers nowadays. Many companies have jumped ship from proprietary systems such as those offered by Oracle, Adobe, Documentum, and OpenText to an OSCMS solution, with the potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process, says Felipe Rubim, chief technology architect for Ci&T, a King of Prussia, Pa.-based web and mobile application services and software product engineering company.
In the past few years, OSCMS has reached a level of quality and time-to-market demanded by digital publishers, according to Rubim. "These OSS solutions can now keep up with the pace previously owned by only proprietary software and in-house solutions, especially for enterprises," says Rubim.
An OSCMS should be considered by electronic content providers, says Todd Barr, CMO of Alfresco Software, Inc., an OSCMS provider in Atlanta, because it offers unparalleled flexibility in meeting unique needs. "By taking a standards-based approach, digital publishers can mix and match solutions from a variety of vendors with a variety of support levels to meet their project requirements and stay within budget," says Barr. Examples of content-heavy sites that currently rely on OSCMS tools to help publish content include Harvard Business Review, Economist.com, Martha Stewart.com, ZAGAT.com, and American Public Media's Marketplace.
"Open source makes for better software," says Mike O'Connor, co-founder and president of Commerce Guys in Ann Arbor, Mich., an e-commerce business that integrates Drupal into its customers' internet sales platforms. "It is especially important for publishers because the world of publishing is changing rapidly. In the last few years, we've seen a transition from primarily print-based media to electronic consumption. However, the customer experience varies for every publisher. The needs of an engineer referencing a trade journal and those of a reader browsing the news are very different. The best way to meet these divergent customer needs is with [open source] software that gives you full control of both the data as well as how you present it."
Modern OSCMSs have evolved to provide better user interfaces for system administrators and content managers/publishers, improved code structure and architecture to embrace more developers, and enhanced support to connect to different channels (e.g., mobile) and solutions (analytics, customer relationship management, etc.).
Mark Goodnight, principal with The Goodnight Group, LLC, a Reston, Va.-headquartered content intelligence consulting firm, says his clients were clamoring for affordable and effective CMS solutions since he was a technical business consultant in 1995 for Standard Register and The Reynolds and Reynolds Co., two of the largest document production companies around.
"My job was to assist clients who wanted to move off paper solutions onto digital media, improving the related business processes as a result," Goodnight says. "As their infrastructures improved, software solutions somehow remained out of the reach of their wallets. That entire model is turned on its head now. Even the smallest of businesses can deploy a robust, world-class CMS solution at a fraction of the cost if they adopt one of the better OSCMS products."
Goodnight says he's seen many government and private organizations with an expensive proprietary CMS in place that actually uses only about 10% of its capability. "This is in large part due to the fact that the interfaces for these proprietary systems are cumbersome, confusing and just not very intuitive," says Goodnight. "This leads to using the platforms as a glorified shared drive."
One Uncle Sam entity that recently migrated to OSCMS, saving taxpayers an estimated $10 million per year in the process, is the U.S. Department of Energy, says Ben Finklea, CEO of Volacci Corp., a Drupal-focused internet marketing firm in Austin, Texas.
"OSCMS can replace publishing software, intranets, extranets, blogs, corporate relations, project management (software), social networks and so much more," Finklea says.
Like any business decision, choosing to work with an OSCMS has its own pros and cons. The advantages of using an OSCMS include the following:
"Depending on the platform, you can save hundreds of thousands in hard costs (using an OSCMS)," says O'Connor, who added that most users cite the cost savings reaped by eliminating license fees as the greatest benefit. "However, the real question is, how much more can you make due to the ability provided by OSS to innovate faster than your competitors and build a site that better fits your users?"
For Goodnight, the biggest plus of using an OSCMS is the support infrastructure. While subscription services for OSCMS support are the norm, "[W]ith open source there are literally thousands of very bright developers who are more than happy to help with any issue or development ideas you may have," he says. "After many years integrating a proprietary ECM system, I can't tell you how many times I would call their helpdesk only to be told that their most experienced engineers had left the company, leaving me on my own to solve their bug. Give me the open world of a collective intelligence any day."
Eliminating vendor lock-in is another major boon. "Because the code is available to everyone, your needs can be fulfilled by many companies," says O'Connor.An additional OSS advantage is innovation, O'Connor adds. Many OSS projects have hundreds of developers from dozens of countries around the world contributing to it, which helps the software keep pace with industry trends.


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BMW's second-generation 7 Series, unveiled in 1986, featured two new top-of-the-range sedans whose formidable six-cylinder in-line engines generated universal enthusiasm in the motoring media. Nevertheless, it was an open secret that an even bigger star was waiting in the wings: the first German 12-cylinder luxury model in half a century.
Expectations were running high, fuelled by BMW's release of various advance details of the new model's technical specifications. In September 1986, one news magazine informed its readers: BMW will be opting for an aero engine-style design. That means most engine systems on the 12-cylinder 7 Series model, which is due for market release in June 1987, will be duplicated. There will even be two lambda sensors. And even if half the engine capacity failed, for some reason, speeds of over 200 km/h would be possible even on just six cylinders. Last but not least, BMW's development chief at the time was quoted as saying: if the engineers wanted to go for nothing but the best of everything, we didn't try to stop them.
The rumour mill was rife with speculation about the future top-of-the-line engine's capabilities. One story doing the rounds claimed that: BMW is doing everything it can to promote a sense of exclusiveness and cachet. They even want the licensing authorities to allow them to state the performance not in figures but in words to the effect that the engine is appropriate in power and performance for the requirements of the vehicle.
In February 1987, BMW finally put an end to the speculation and released the technical specifications of the 12-cylinder engine in the new BMW 750i, ahead of its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show the following month. The new engine, which had been designed completely from scratch, would develop 300 horsepower from a displacement of five litres. Its refinement, low noise levels and excellent balance between performance and fuel consumption set new benchmarks in engine design. These objectives were achieved by using state-of-the-art technologies and a raft of innovative ideas right across the board. In short, the BMW 750i's 12-cylinder engine had been built with the aim of setting a new and groundbreaking benchmark that would occupy the highest echelons of automotive engineering.
�Definitely the finest engine built�: over 3,000 pre-orders even before its Geneva debut.
The motoring media had no doubts at all. The 12-cylinder engine, seen first-hand at last in Geneva, was definitely the finest engine ever built by the Munich engine plant. Visitors flocked to admire a compact exhibit comprising the V12 engine, transmission block and front axle. Illuminated display boards revealed the advantages of this engineering masterpiece such as its unlimited power combined with silky-smooth running. This was illustrated by a picture showing coins balanced on the engine block which remained upright even when the engine was running.
The market and not just confirmed BMW customers had long been waiting for a luxury sedan like this: the sales office had received over 3,000 pre-orders even before the first official showing of the BMW 750i. And in due course, just 10 months after the launch of the first models in the new BMW 7 Series, the new flagship 12-cylinder model joined the range as well. It was offered in two versions: the 750i and the 750iL long-wheelbase version. Both were a class apart: an all-new vehicle as impressive in terms of individual details as in its overall balance, and harmoniously mated with an engine of unprecedented power and refinement. At the same time there was no denying the close affinity between the 750i and its two six-cylinder siblings, the 730i and 735i. The timelessly modern sedan, with its elegant, crisp, uncluttered lines, epitomised the distinguished sporty elegance of the new 7 Series. Nevertheless, small but subtle differences set the flagship model apart.
Hallmarks: wider twin-kidney grille and squared-off exhaust pipes.
It was the frontal view of the 12-cylinder model that was most distinctive. The BMW twin-kidney grille and the vent on the bonnet were considerably wider than on the other models due to the increased cooling requirements, further accentuating the dynamic elegance of the 12-cylinder model. The six- and 12-cylinder 7 Series models could also be told apart by their tailpipes, which on the 750i were squared off, symbolically echoing the kidney grille at the front.
The long-wheelbase 750iL was particularly distinguished and elegant in appearance. Not only was it 114 millimetres longer than the other 12-cylinder model, its lines were even more refined and a particularly important requirement it offered easier boarding and alighting for passengers as well as even more generous space at the rear. The extra length was added in the rear door area, leaving the front and rear overhangs untouched. The big advantage of this solution was that it left the weight distribution between the front and rear axles largely unchanged. As a result, the excellent handling of the BMW 7 Series in general was a hallmark of the long-wheelbase version too. It boasted what all the experts had cited about the other 7 Series models too: it combined the spaciousness of a luxury sedan with the easy handling of a compact car. So even in this BMW segment, the accent remained firmly on driving enjoyment.
BMW 750iL: long-wheelbase version offering superlative comfort.
The BMW 750iL set new standards. Many of its functions, based on the advanced electronics of the 7 Series, were unique. The BMW 750iL was equipped as standard with a four-speed automatic transmission, while likewise standard-fitted self-levelling rear suspension maintained a constant ride height at all times, and a new on-board computer monitored all vehicle functions. Also new was the Servotronic power steering system. The principal advantage of this system was that unlike conventional power steering systems, which were engine rpm-based, this new electronic system was solely vehicle speed-based, and therefore offered a wider range of power assistance. When the vehicle was stationary, the steering could literally be turned from lock to lock using a single finger, yet conversely, when driving at speed, the system provided the kind of direct road feel previously confined to the sportiest of such systems. Features like the new high-pressure headlight washer system, the high-intensity windscreen washer and the infrared central locking system completed the specification list.
The L-version's occupants were treated to the highest levels of comfort. A new feature was the automatic climate control with separately variable temperature control for the two sides of the vehicle and pre-programmable auxiliary ventilation. This climate control system also provided three different automatic air distribution settings. These three programmes could be separately selected for the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle, giving a total of six different options. It was also possible to separately control the footwell air distribution. The interior came with fulled nappa leather upholstery as standard. In addition to the seats, head restraints and rear centre armrest, this leather was also used on the door panels, the B-pillars, the centre console, the transmission tunnel, the underside of the instrument panel and the glove compartment. The leather upholstery was available in seven different shades, and could therefore be closely coordinated with the exterior paintwork. Optionally, the all-leather upholstery was also available in buffalo leather.
Rear-seat passengers in the 750iL were particularly privileged. Like the front seats, the two single rear seats offered multiple electric adjustment of both the seat squab and the backrest. The standard-fitted rear head restraints, likewise electrically adjustable, only emerged from their rest position when pressure was detected on the seat squab. The purpose of this was to prevent the head restraints restricting rear visibility when the seats were not in use. As soon as a passenger got into a rear seat, the head restraint popped up automatically. Reading lights and a rear windscreen blind were further amenities for rear-seat passengers.
Two in one: world debut of Electronic Damper Control.
The launch of the 750i marked the beginning of a new era in ride comfort in the luxury class, with the world debut of Electronic Damper Control. Offering two selectable damping settings, this system allowed drivers to choose between a soft, comfort-biased setting and tauter, sportier characteristics. The dual-rate shock absorbers each comprised two independently actuated valve systems, operating in double pistons. An electric motor was used to switch between the two damping rates. The two valve systems for the first time allowed the compression and rebound damping characteristics to be matched to either sporty or comfort-oriented requirements. The two damping rates differed by a factor of 3, i.e. the sporty setting provided approximately three times firmer damping than the comfort setting. All the driver had to do was to flick a switch on the centre console to select the required programme in advance.
A handsome masterpiece: the 12-cylinder engine.
Of course, the absolute highlight of the BMW 750i was its 12-cylinder engine. The aim had been to break new ground in engine technology at the highest end of the car market and the results made a handsome sight. The five-litre V12 alloy engine set a new benchmark with an overall weight of 240 kilograms. Its maximum output of 300 hp at 5,200 rpm, with a specific output of 60 hp per litre of displacement, and maximum torque of 450 Newton metres at 4,100 rpm, went beyond any comparable competitor offerings of the time even including engines without exhaust aftertreatment and often by a large margin. This was achieved by using the very latest technologies and by the introduction of innovative ideas across the board.
Above all, the BMW 12-cylinder engine set out to combine optimal functional qualities with low weight. That inevitably meant using an aluminium crankcase. The two cylinder banks were positioned at an angle of 60 degrees and their main dimensions were similar to those of the 2.5-litre engine used in the BMW 325i, including a bore of 84 millimetres. The forged seven-bearing crankshaft had a 120 crankpin offset, while the trapezoidal bowls in the piston crowns formed part of the combustion chambers. The result was added volume, with centrally positioned spark plugs, within compact dimensions. The advantages were short flame paths and virtually complete mixture combustion. The absolutely identical cylinder heads had very narrow valve angles and vertical inlet ports. Like the pistons, they were designed to ensure excellent cylinder charging and thus high internal efficiency.
Also groundbreaking on the new 12-cylinder unit was the engine management system: two entirely separate state-of-the-art electronic management systems, one for each bank of cylinders, controlled fuel injection and ignition. A particularly advanced feature was the interfacing between the engine management and other electronic systems such as the transmission controller and the ASC and MSR stability programmes.
15 years in the making: the forerunners of the V12.
The engine of the 750i was the first post-Second World War 12-cylinder engine from a German manufacturer to appear in production form. But it was not the very first 12-cylinder engine BMW had actually built during that time. Following the development of the legendary BMW six-cylinder engine of 1971, it was decided in early 1972 to carry out exploratory work on a 12-cylinder engine under the project codename M33. The obvious solution was to combine two six-cylinder units to create a V12 with 60-degree cylinder bank angle. By 1974 an engine had been built which had a displacement of five litres, was equipped with petrol injection and developed maximum output of 300 hp.
However, with a weight of 315 kilograms, this engine was too heavy. Therefore, BMW began a second development project based on the newer, smaller six-cylinder engine. The M66, too, was a 60-degree V12, and two displacement versions 3.6 and 4.5 litres were developed. The larger version, whose output was bench-tested at 275 hp in 1977, was 40 kilograms lighter than the M33. However, in due course this project, too, was shelved due to the increasingly critical situation on the world energy markets, which was hardly the right climate in which to launch a 12-cylinder sedan.
By 1982 the situation had eased significantly, and in November of that year the BMW development team resumed their talks. It was not long before it became clear that this time the new top-of-the-line engine would not simply be created by merging two existing six-in-line engines. Instead, it was decided to develop a new engine from scratch. Design work began on December 1, and less than a year later, in early October 1983, the first powerplant was already purring away on the test bench.
BMW 750i: the right concept at the right time and still an impressive machine today.
This engine, which in due course made it to the production line, gave the new sedan impressive performance: The power comes on stream without any fuss whatsoever, and without any hint of aggressiveness. At the same time the effortless and smooth power delivery is coupled with powerful acceleration, which commands respect. And in terms of smoothness, the BMW machine is definitely streets ahead, reported Germany's leading motoring magazine, clearly impressed. Upwards of 150 km/h, you won't even hear the V12 engine at all; any sounds from it are replaced by road noise and wind noise. The typical BMW dynamic performance leaves nothing to be desired either. With its smooth revving up the range and eager acceleration, you almost want to rev the engine just for the fun of it, enthused one tester. You can feel your head being gently but firmly pushed back as the vehicle accelerates which it continues to do until the speedometer needle has climbed to just over 260 km/h. Even at top speed, this long 12-cylinder model maintains an impeccably straight line. In agreement with other vehicle manufacturers and taking into account the tyre capabilities of the time, the top speed of the BMW 750i was electronically limited to 250 km/h. Otherwise the car would have been perfectly capable of carrying on up to a top speed of around 270 km/h.
That first 750i has lost very little of its appeal, even today. The driving experience in the large BMW is as awesomely effortless as the styling, reports a leading classic car magazine. The car purrs with energy, it has amazing capabilities, and its smoothness and balance are exemplary. Slip it off the leash and its attacking instincts are ferocious. The short-wheelbase version in particular is a sports car in all but name. Clearly, the first BMW 750i was, is and remains an exceptional automobile.
1994: a new 750i � more powerful, refined and fuel-efficient.
In July 1994, the meteoric career of the first 12-cylinder BMW 7 Series model drew to a close, as the first 750i bowed out to make way for a new generation. Around 50,000 of these cars had been sold. In other words, almost one in six 7 Series models were fitted with the V12 engine. Clearly, the aim of placing such a special flagship at the head of the model range had been a complete success. It was a foregone conclusion therefore that the third BMW 7 Series would be headed by a 12-cylinder model too. The first customers took delivery of this new BMW 750i in autumn 1994. The BMW's head of development, speaking at the press launch, commented: We've done our level best to raise the bar yet again. The new sedan boasted exceptional qualities: generous comfort, low vibration and noise, excellent suspension and an ergonomic, luxurious interior. Developed on the basis of the M70, the M73 had a displacement of 5.4 litres and produced maximum output of 326 hp. The increase in maximum power had not, however, been the primary development goal. The accent had been on achieving an approximately 13 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency, on reduced emissions and on improving the refinement of the new 12-cylinder model. These goals were attained by reducing friction losses, for example by using roller rocker arms, and by increasing the compression ratio from 8.8:1 to 10.0:1, for efficient operation on premium unleaded fuel. The power was managed by a five-speed automatic transmission with adaptive control. The further improved DSC system provided stability control and optionally, for the first time, an on-board computer with navigation capability was available.
The third BMW V12 sedan: 760i with direct injection and active suspension.
The BMW 750i continued to carve out a successful career, and sales of the first two generations of the 750i/iL had reached exactly 73,776 units by the time the next BMW 7 Series was introduced to the public in autumn 2001. The new model's typical BMW qualities quickly positioned it as the trendsetter in the luxury class. The innovative, intuitive iDrive controller and the characterful design language confirmed BMW's position as a technology and innovation leader. And a new 12-cylinder flagship soon followed, in late 2002. Bristling with high-end drivetrain technology and luxurious specification, the 760i/Li top-of-the-line models, whose six-litre V12 engine delivered a maximum output of 445 hp, set new superlatives in automotive engineering, above all with their 12-cylinder engine the world's first ever direct-injection 12-cylinder unit. The new model also boasted four valves per cylinder and VALVETRONIC fully variable valve timing. Also, no other luxury-class sedan offered customers such a wide choice of options for tailoring this high level of driving refinement to their own personal requirements. The highest, and optimal, specification level was an unprecedented combination comprising the 12-cylinder engine, six-speed automatic transmission, Dynamic Drive active suspension, EDC-K Electronic Damper Control and pneumatic rear suspension.
The new BMW 760i/760Li: top performance in every way.
Needless to say, the current BMW 7 Series likewise includes a 12-cylinder flagship model. Its engine, internally codenamed the N74, was completely redeveloped in 2009. Thanks to BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, direct petrol injection and Double-Vanos continuously variable camshaft timing, this new V12 sets the benchmark not only for performance and refinement but also for remarkable efficiency.
Displacing 497.7 cc per cylinder, the engine offers exactly the dimensions acknowledged by engine specialists as ideal. A bore of 89 millimetres and a stroke of 80 mm provide a ratio between these two parameters of 0.9. This turbocharged engine (compression ratio 10.0:1) develops maximum power of 400 kW/544 hp at 5,250 rpm from a displacement of 5,972 cc. Peak torque of 750 Newton metres is maintained between 1,500 and 5,000 rpm.
With the standard-fitted 8-speed automatic transmission, the BMW 760i achieves a 0 100 km/h acceleration time of just 4.6 seconds, on the way to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Nevertheless, average fuel consumption is just 12.8 litres/100 km, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 299 g/km.
Every aspect of the all-aluminium engine block was designed to provide maximum rigidity combined with reduced weight for example with a closed-deck crankcase design, i.e. the cylinder head is bolted to the crankcase bedplate for maximum rigidity. And with its 60-degree cylinder bank angle, the V12 comes closer to the physical optimum in terms of vibration performance than any other engine of this type.
It all results in a remarkable engine sound. At idle and when driving at constant speed, you would have to look at the rev counter to be absolutely sure that the engine was running. Controlled by the engine management system as a function of engine operating parameters, rear silencer exhaust flaps precisely match the engine sound to the current driving situation. At higher rpm, for example, the engine sound gives the driver audible feedback on the amount of power being delivered. Particularly vehement acceleration is accompanied by a powerful V12 sound, which faithfully reflects the dynamic character of the BMW 12-cylinder engine.
Superior suspension technology, meanwhile, ensures that both the BMW 760i and the BMW 760Li deliver breathtakingly dynamic handling and unsurpassed comfort. Standard specification on both models includes Integral Active Steering, Dynamic Damper Control with Driving Experience Control and Dynamic Drive roll stabilisation. Like all current members of the BMW 7 Series family, this top-of-the-line model is equipped with air suspension, including self-levelling rear suspension.
Visual differentiation from the other versions of the BMW 7 Series includes V12 badging, V12 door sill finishers, twin tailpipes on either side of the rear apron, more extensive wood trim and opulent standard specification.


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The Bryan ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Matthew LeBlanc as Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Monday night's board meeting.
With 16 years total experience in media and public education communications, LeBlanc has served as the Director of Communications for Temple ISD for the past three years. Prior to that, LeBlanc was responsible for starting the KAGS (NBC affiliate) television station in the Bryan-College Station area, serving as the news director and anchor.
"Bryan is a wonderful school district moving in a great direction, filled with people who work passionately to make sure children receive an incredible, well-rounded education that sets them up for success in life," LeBlanc said. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to join Dr. Whitbeck and her team, and work to encourage the heart and tell the story as we put children first. Always."
Superintendent Christie Whitbeck knows he will be a valued addition to the Bryan ISD team.
"Matthew's experience in both the public education and media arenas make him an ideal fit for Bryan ISD," said Dr. Whitbeck. "He comes highly recommended as a person who knows the importance of both internal and external communications, as well as one who leads with integrity and passion."
About the Hire:
While he served as the Temple ISD Director of Communications, LeBlanc successfully marketed a voter-approved $136.5 million bond package. He also focused on highlighting positive stories throughout the district, while engaging with various stakeholder groups and being active in the community.
LeBlanc earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ithaca College and began his career as a reporter working in various markets in Texas.
A resident of Bryan for the past seven years, LeBlanc states that he is looking forward to working with Dr. Whitbeck and the communications team. Leblanc's wife, Amanda Reynolds, is a Bryan High School graduate and works for the Texas A&M Foundation in its Donor Relations department.


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After hearing about the unnecessary and tragic deaths of two infants who contracted herpes after undergoing a circumcision ritual in New York, I couldn't help but be appalled and heartbroken for those poor parents who trusted their mohels to perform the procedure safely. The mohels used a circumcision method called metzitzah b'peh, in which the mohel uses his mouth to stop the bleeding after the baby's foreskin is removed. In addition to the two babies who died after contracting herpes from their mohel, two others were left with devastating brain damage from the disease.
And now that there are Ultra-Orthodox rabbis who say they will defy a law (if it goes into act) that requires parental consent when this particular method of circumcision is going to be used, I'm absolutely outraged. Because those parents have every right to know exactly how their baby sons are going to be circumcised before allowing the ritual to take place.
I've attended a briss before, so I know just how important the circumcision ceremony is to Jewish parents. And even though the Ultra-Orthodox sector may have used the oral-suction circumcision method safely in the past, due to the recent deaths, parents should be the ones to decide how the mohel will perform the ritual on their son.
There have already been several complaints from parents who were unaware that oral-suction was going to be used during their sons' circumcisions. And if this new law goes into effect, they will be required to sign a consent form before allowing the method to take place.
And according to Rabbi David Neiderman, "This is the government forcing a rabbi practicing a religious ritual to tell his congregants it could hurt their child." He insists that the practice is safe, and also feels that the consent form forces parents to go against their belief system. He said, "Don't force parents to sign something that is against their religious beliefs."
Ok, I'm a little bit confused. I'm no genius, but don't you think the parents who decide to sign the consent form are probably ok with the mohel using the oral-suction method of circumcision? The proposed law isn't being suggested to force anyone to go against their beliefs -- it's an effort to protect parents who are understandably worried about the health and safety of their infant and do not under any means want oral-suction used during their baby's circumcision.
It's not like this law would make the ritual illegal, it would simply make having the parents' consent a prerequisite. Since when is having the parents' permission before performing any sort of surgery a foreign thing? If anything, having the consent form will only protect the mohels should anything go wrong during the circumcision. The law is a win-win for everyone involved, especially for parents who want to honor their religion, yet protect their babies at the same time.
Do you think there should be a law requiring parental consent for this method of circumcision?
Image via handmaidenbymaria/Flickr


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Old Commons Cemetery, Little Compton, Rhode Island
The cemetery monument is for Elisabeth Alden, daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins. Her parents sailed on the "Mayflower" from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Elisabeth Alden Pabodie was my 9th great grandmother
Born abt. 1624 at Plymouth, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts
Died: May 31, 1717, at Little Compton, Newport Co., Rhode Island


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Companies In Hamilton
Searching can be this easy
[ Online Business Directory for Hamilton, Ontario ]
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Reverse Osmosis Ottawa - Water treatment company serving Ottawa
Toronto Steel Roofing - Contractors of roofing in Toronto
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When you graduate from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, your professional life is just beginning, and the learning never stops. To help you along the way, the dental school offers useful information and services, including career opportunity listings, referrals to other Pacific dentists for your patients moving to another area, continuing education programs and mentorships, as well as information about dental organizations and clubs.
Alumni may also request copies or replacement of their diplomas or other documents. Visit the Office of the Registrar page for details.
Contact your Alumni Association about any of our services at 415.929.6423.