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In two weeks, Two and a Half Men gets its star back.
A lawyer for actor Charlie Sheen said that he expected his client to be back on the set of CBS' hit comedy soon, reports E! Online.
"We are thinking Charlie will be going back to work two weeks from today," said Yale Galanter in an interview with the online celebrity site.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Sheen recently started a new stint in rehab January 29, after he was rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pains following a raucous party at his home in Los Angeles.
Yale did not reveal his client's whereabouts, but said that "Charlie is fine healthwise and doing really well. Things are looking good. Everybody's intentions are to get him back in the swing of things as soon as possible."
This makes the third time Sheen has been in a treatment facility in the last 12 months. After entering rehab, Sheen released a statement thanking both his cast mates and friends and family for their continued support.
"I have a lot of work to do to be able to return the support I have received from so many people," the 45-year-old actor said. "I want to say thank you to my fellow cast members, the crew of `Two and a Half Men' and everyone at CBS and Warner Bros., especially Les Moonves and Bruce Rosenblum for their concern and support.
"And to my fans, your good wishes have touched me very much. Like Errol Flynn, who had to put down his sword on occasion, I just want to say, thank you."
Selected Reading: E! Online, PopEater, Los Angeles Times


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Committee set to investigate Coppin State University
Outgoing president supports schoolwide review
More than a month after the president of Coppin State University announced his departure comes word of a schoolwide review.
The University System of Maryland has chosen members of a committee to examine the Baltimore school's academic and financial affairs sometime after the new year. And, with a team of top administrators and community leaders already in place, a very familiar university president has agreed to chair the Coppin review committee.
The Board of Regents met Friday on the Coppin campus, ordering a full review of the school's administrative operations, finances, student retention and graduation rates.
"The board just felt that it was important to take a moment and really try to understand these challenges and have some recommendations and get things on a very positive course," said William Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland.
The Coppin review is supported by the outgoing president, Reginald Avery, who's stepping down next month. His decision comes almost a year after he received a vote of no confidence from faculty members. Avery has promised to remain on campus as a professor.
"I think any time we have an opportunity to assess our future and what it will take in order to be successful as a university -- even more so than we are now -- I think I welcome that opportunity," Avery said.
"The only way you can know where you are going is to know where you are, and the institution will have a chance to look at its strength and ways in which it's helping students, and, most important, to decide how best to support those students," said Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, who will chair the Coppin committee.
Some Coppin students said a schoolwide review is overdue.
"I think everything is still going to follow the same protocol, president or no president. Why not? It might be that they may find something that we don't know, or the president hasn't looked at or overlooked," said Dewayne Carruth, a student.
The Coppin committee will complete its review by next spring, and Coppin may wait until then to launch a national search for its new president. The school has already picked an interim administrator to hold down the top spot.

subset: commoncrawl


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Madonna is one of the most successful singers in the world, but when she first moved to New York City in the late '70s to make it big, her life was anything but glamorous.
In a new interview for the upcoming "daring" issue of Harper's Bazaar, Madonna recalls getting raped, held at gunpoint and robbed multiple times. "New York wasn't everything I thought it would be. It did not welcome me with open arms," she writes. "The first year, I was held up at gunpoint. Raped on the roof of a building I was dragged up to with a knife in my back." Madonna adds that she "had my apartment broken into three times. I don't know why; I had nothing of value after they took my radio the first time."
In addition to the many crimes committed against her, the "Material Girl" singer had a difficult time finding good work in the city. New York "wasn't anything I prepared for," she writes. "Trying to be a professional dancer, paying my rent by posing nude for art classes, staring at people staring at me naked. Daring them to think of me as anything but a form they were trying to capture with their pencils and charcoal."
Despite all of these challenges, Madonna says she never thought about packing up and leaving the dangerous city. "I was defiant. Hell-bent on surviving. On making it," she writes. "But it was hard and it was lonely, and I had to dare myself every day to keep going."


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Freehold, New Jersey, USA - The new Microsoft Store, a recent addition to the Freehold Raceway Mall, held a grand opening event recently to rival all others.
The stunning new retail shop boasts a training room for use by the community as well as the splashy MS-logo colors and accoutrements to which consumers have become accustomeed- and, yes, the store carries computers, software, games, music and phones for sale, and also offers services such as personal training, technical support, ongoing performance tune-ups and more. Computers of all kinds are available, and visitors can try systems to suit all needs and budgets. Product Specialist Chris Sprenger helped this reporter find the world's most perfect easy-to-transport laptop package, complete with instant-load office software, ten hours of battery life for those long overseas flights, and even a year's worth of training for just about $1,500- all plug-and-play. That's pretty good.
As if the store, itself, weren't enough of a spectacular destination, the most incredibly knowledgeable and helpful staff from around the country joined those on site to treat visitors to a day of demonstrations, product testing, a "phone challenge" contest, and virtual dance lessons.
"We're excited to be here," Stephanie Bernardino, Product Advisor from the Costa Mesa, California Microsoft Store said. "It's been great seeing the store roll-out." Terrific that the store eams all support one another in this way.
Visitors to the new Microsoft Store opening were showered with various freebies and contest prizes, including generous merchandise certificates, and the day's events were capped by an ambitious outdoor concert featuring Grammy Award winning recording artist Cee Lo Green.
Green is the Atlanta-born singer-songwriter and record producer who drew fire for "adjusting" the lyrics of Beatle John Lennon's classic "Imagine" when he sang that song at the New Year's Eve celebration in New York City recently. Using poetic license, the performer presented Lennon's line "Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion, too," as "Nothing to kill or die for, and all religion's true." What can one say, except that perhaps there was some divine inspiration given to Green at that moment. After all, both of his parents were ordained ministers in the church in which he grew up singing, and if you look closely at Green's left cheekbone you'll see a tattoo of a cross there. No matter all that, just as the crowd screamed during his concert at this opening: We love you, Cee Lo!
Accordingly, employees reported that a crowd had queued up as early as 8:00 p.m. the night before store opening in order to be first in line for the special give-aways and the wristbands needed for Green's concert. Two teens, Chelsea Linder and Lianna Shiffman arrived at the store around 6:30 a.m. on the day of the event. They were one of only five persons who "beat" the Microsoft phone system and won themselves a $1,000 Microsoft merchandise certificate. Huge Cee Lo fans, the girls brought a glitter-embellished banner to the concert which the star acknowledged during his performance.
Camille Cetta, on the other hand, was at the concert via serendipity with her children. "We were going to go to the movies," she told me, "but I saw the concert setting up and we decided this was way better." The kids concurred; gotta say it was fun to see youngsters bopping to the beat of Cee Lo Green's tunes.
Promoting his fantastic "The Lady Killer" CD- now in platinum edition- and a new (and stellar) dance cut "Anyway," Green took time from his busy tour schedule to help Microsoft celebrate. He got an enthusiastic crowd swaying and singing his lyrics back to him- and what a slice of welcome sunshine!
The consummate entertainer, Green commanded the stage in shorts, dazzling white shirt, and white hat, belting out his well-loved songs with arms outstretched, head back, and characteristic wide-mouth smile flashing all the while. Screens on both sides of the stage gave easy viewing to his lovely background singers and crew of accomplished musicians, and these images were stunning to watch with the Los Angeles-like fair weather sunset behind them.
Green played the crowd of admirers, actually challenging them to "sing, dance, and just have fun." He shared some old favorites, including his mega-hit collaboration with Danger Mouse (as Gnarls Barkley), "Crazy." and several new hits from his "The Lady Killer" CD, "Bright Lights Bigger City," "Fool for You," "It's OK," "No One's Gonna Love You," and his swoony "Wildflower." Much to the surprise- and thrill- of attendees, he gifted the appreciative crowd with a single encore.
Lupe Fiasco provided warm-up for the event, and an emcee coaxed concert goers in between acts to try their luck for great Microsoft product prizes in both a karaoke and dance competition. Phillip Pollicove of Eatontown was one of the brave singers and, although he lost to what some thought was a less-than-worthy opponent, he still enjoyed the experienc, taking home a nice gift, anyway.
Hundreds more visited the new Microsoft Store location the following day and got the chance to play Kinect for Xbox 360 with New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.
The Freehold Microsoft Store opening comes on the heels of the May Microsoft Store opening in Bridgewater. A store spokesperson shared that the local community had been wonderful to work with as they opened up this location, and the grand opening continued that positive reception by Freehold.
A smash hit for all concerned, this opening won't soon be forgotten- high technology, prizes, and Cee-Lo Green outside on a beautiful late spring night in Jersey. What could be better? Those folks at Microsoft really know how to have fun.
And, as if that weren't enough, in honor of this grand opening, Microsoft Store is donating one million dollars' worth of software to the local chapter of Junior Achievement.
Freehold Raceway Mall is located at 3710 Route 9, Freehold, New Jersey 07728.
Mall office number is: 732/577-1300.
Be sure to also check out Microsoft's online store at http://www.microsoftstore.com.
Text and Cee Lo Green concert photos Ó 2012 M. D. Caprario - All Rights Reserved
Photos of Microsoft Store used with permission of Microsoft publicity director - copyrighted
M. D. Caprario is a journalist, author and editor currently working on both US coasts covering books, film, music and people and things which serve the Greater Good. Reach her at: [email protected]
Published on Jun 10, 2012


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Evaluating The Efficacy And Safety Of Donepezil Hydrochloride (Aricept) In Treating Cognitive Dysfunction Exhibited By Children With Down Syndrome
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00570128
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : December 10, 2007
Last Update Posted : August 6, 2009
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Results Submitted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Down Syndrome
|Drug: Donepezil hydrochloride Drug: Placebo
|Phase 2
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Estimated Enrollment :
|150 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Double (Participant, Investigator)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A 10-Week, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study To Evaluate The Efficacy And Safety Of Donepezil Hydrochloride (Aricept) In The Treatment Of The Cognitive Dysfunction Exhibited By Children With Down Syndrome
|Study Start Date :
|December 2007
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|September 2008
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|December 2008
|Active Comparator: 1
Drug: Donepezil hydrochloride
Oral liquid.
Other Name: Aricept
|Placebo Comparator: 2
Drug: Placebo
Oral liquid.
- Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS-II); Parent/Caregiver Rating Form (PCRF) [ Time Frame: Screen, Baseline, Week 4 and Week 10 or Early Termination. ]
- The Test of Verbal Expression and Reasoning (TOVER); Population PK (drug levels in the body), PD (drug effects) and safety will also be assessed. [ Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4 and Week 10 or Early Termination. ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|10 Years to 17 Years (Child)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 10 to 17 years old, weight more than or equal to 20kg
- Male and female
- VABS-II/PCRF standard composite score >55
- Diagnosis of DS (trisomy 21) documented by chromosomal analysis (karyotyping). If such documentation is not available at screening, karyotyping will be performed with the screening labs and must be documented prior to baseline visit.
- Naïve to approved or unapproved cholinesterase inhibitors is preferred however, prior use of these medications is allowed, provided that the medication was discontinued at least 3 months prior to screening and that it was not discontinued for lack of tolerability or efficacy or for the sole purpose of enrolling the subject in the study.
- Subjects residing in the community
- Must be expected to complete all procedures scheduled during the Screening and Baseline visits including all efficacy and safety parameters.
- Must speak English and be verbal and able to be understood most of the time and must not use other forms of communication, signs, symbol boards or devices to supplement his/her communication ability
- Must have a parent or other reliable caregiver who agrees to accompany the subject to all clinic visits, provide information about the subject as required by the protocol, and ensure compliance with the medication schedule
- a Parent or Caregiver must be a constant and reliable informant with sufficient contact with the subject to have detailed knowledge of the subject's adaptive behavior in order to be able to complete the VABS-II/PCRF accurately. The same individual should complete the form at every visit.
- Should be in good general health with no medical conditions that are considered both clinically significant and unstable
- Clinical laboratory values within normal limits or abnormalities considered not clinically significant by the investigator and sponsor
- Stable Type I (insulin-dependent) or Type II diabetes are eligible provided they are monitored regularly prior to and during the study to ensure adequate glucose control (fasting blood glucose < 140mg/dl and glycosylated hemoglobin [hemoglobin A1c] <8% at screening).
- Thyroid disease also may be included in the study provided they are euthyroid and stable on treatment for at least 3 months prior to screening.
- History of seizure disorder is allowed provided that subjects are on stable treatment for at least 3 months and have not had a seizure within the past 6 months.
- Independent in ambulation or ambulatory aided (i.e., walker or cane, wheelchair), vision and hearing (eyeglasses and/ or hearing aid permissible) sufficient for achieving VABS-II/PCRF composite standard scores >55 and for cooperating with examinations and the TOVER.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Ages <10 or >17 years
- Active or clinically significant conditions affecting absorption, distribution or metabolism of the study medication (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, gastric or duodenal ulcers or severe lactose intolerance)
- Known hypersensitivity to piperidine derivatives or cholinesterase inhibitors
- Currently receiving cholinesterase inhibitors or who have received them in the 3 months prior to screening or with prior use >3 months prior to screening who stopped for lack of efficacy or tolerability
- No reliable parent or caregiver, or subjects, or caregivers who are unwilling or unable to complete any of the outcome measures and fulfill the requirements of this study
- Clinically significant obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma untreated or not controlled by treatment within 3 months prior to screening
- Recent (less than or equal to 2 years) hematologic/oncologic disorders (mild anemia allowed)
- Evidence of active, clinically significant, and unstable gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, endocrine or cardiovascular system disease
- Current DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or any current primary psychiatric diagnosis other than DS (as per DSM-IV)
- Any condition which would make the subject or the caregiver, in the opinion of the investigator, unsuitable for the study
- Unsuitability which includes female subjects who have begun menstruation and are thus of child-bearing potential, who may be sexually active and who are not practicing an effective means of birth control.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00570128
|Study Director:
|Anita Murthy
|Eisai Inc.
|Responsible Party:
|Eisai Medical Services, Eisai Inc.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|December 10, 2007 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|August 6, 2009
|Last Verified:
|August 2009
Down Syndrome
trisomy 21
Down Syndrome
Cognitive Dysfunction
Pathologic Processes
Cognition Disorders
Neurocognitive Disorders
Mental Disorders
Intellectual Disability
Neurobehavioral Manifestations
Neurologic Manifestations
Nervous System Diseases
Abnormalities, Multiple
Congenital Abnormalities
Chromosome Disorders
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Cholinesterase Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Cholinergic Agents
Neurotransmitter Agents
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Nootropic Agents


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In less than a century in space, humankind has built only four inhabited outposts in orbit – Salyut, Skylab, Mir and the International Space Station. Since 31 October 2000, there has been a continuous human presence at the ISS, although Mir was permanently inhabited between September 1989 to August 1999. Given that the first person to leave the planet, Yuri Gagarin, did so on 12 April 1961 – nearly half a century ago – that's a surprisingly short, and recent, period of time.
But then, not everyone has agreed that space stations are useful; and even now there are those who consider the ISS a waste of money better spent on other space-related projects. Yet a space station captures the imagination in a way that's only been surpassed by the Apollo Moon landings. If you look up at the sky, there are people up there, some 340 kilometres above your head – that's about the distance between London and Liverpool. As I write this, there are in fact thirteen people in orbit: six in ISS Expedition 23's crew and seven on STS-131 Space Shuttle Discovery.
Space Stations – Base Camps to the Stars by former NASA chief historian Roger D Launius captures the appeal of the space station. In seven copiously-illustrated chapters, Launius presents a history of space stations, focusing chiefly on the US's Skylab and Space Station Freedom, and the ISS. The opening chapters outline the origins of the concept and NASA's various early plans, featuring a number of illustrations of space stations from the 1930s to the 1950s. An entire chapter is devoted to the political wrangling which killed Space Station Freedom. In truth, Space Stations is chiefly a political study of its subject. It's the reasons for their existence, rather than the technical achievements they represent, which Launius documents. Certainly I agree that space stations are a vital first step in the move off-planet. And we need to eventually move off the Earth, if only to provide room for the planet's ever-increasing population and to find the resources necessary to maintain that population.
But Launius's books is not about the commercial or scientific development of our Solar system, and the role space stations will play in that development. As Space Stations' subtitle suggests, Launius is documenting further visions – missions to other stars. Those early visionaries – Tsiolkovski, Oberth, Noordung, von Braun – all looked to the stars. And space stations were a necessary component of their visions.
Although Space Stations was published in 2003, Launius foresaw the increase in space tourism following Dennis Tito's flight to the ISS in 2001 (there have been eight space tourists to the ISS to date), and concluded that the commercial sector would play an increasingly larger role in the development of space. While not an especially prophetic conclusion, President Obama's recent cancellation of Project Constellation and directive for NASA to use private space companies can only mean more of the commercial sector in space. Which Launius sees as positive, especially in relation to the role of space stations in future interstellar exploration: "But this path into the future, although seemingly stalled, may already be in the process of becoming."
Space Stations – Base Camps to the Stars, Roger D Launius (2003, Smithsonian Institution, ISBN 1-58834-120-8, 230pp + appendices, chapter notes and index)


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Life is what we make it. We are the only ones who can make ourselves happy or sad. If we allow others to give us reason not to enjoy life, it will be our fault. Happiness is a choice as they say. And i believe that.
Me, I don't want to regret what i did in my life , but i will definitely regret what i did not do. That's why , at my age, i still go out , go to places i want, enjoy being with friends, family, people with happy disposition in life, and continue to walk with them in this journey called Life! Have Fun !


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$4 Billion Too Much! Cancel it!
Trump Looked At the Boeing Deal for Two New Air Force ONE Planes
The Lord Jesus said to:
Mark 13:33, 37
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
✝ 7-11-20, The weight of the 'world's sin' ... the infinite blessings and resources of our salvation in Christ are described as providing the power of surpassing greatness, the grace of surpassing richness, the peace which surpasses all understanding. Thank YOU, Lord. John 1:29; Revelation 5:12; Philippians 4:7
✝ 7-9-20, When the Lord Jesus was on the cross and the people scorned and scoffed; His great love for all ignorant uninformed sinners showed forth. He died for all sinners. Romans 5:8; Luke 23:34 However, after we are aware we're no longer ignorant of Who He was and 'what we do;' THEN we are all responsible if we reject Christ. John 3:17-18
6-29-20, Jesus said, 'Obey Me!' John 14:15; 1 John 2:3, 3:22 Of course we are forgiven when we sincerely pray for forgiveness turning our lives to the Lord Jesus. We must intend to sin no more ... if we do ... quickly repent as we didn't INTEND to. John 8:11 More here: https://www.gotquestions.org/go-and-sin-no-more.html
✝ 6-27-29, The lawlessness we are now seeing on America's streets ... who are these young people? The kids raised under liberal theories forcing parents to withhold discipline from their children & taught liberal leftist dogma in the government schools & universities - now they are unruly selfish hateful barbarians. God said to train up children & they wouldn't depart from it [Proverbs 22:6] □□ ... true for evil □ as well as good □ behaviors. More here: https://bit.ly/3i55gQf
✝ 6-12-20, The Lord □Jesus' mom, Mary's cousin Elizabeth's son John the Baptist was brutally killed because of a wicked hateful woman. Her foolish husband, King Herod - although he liked John; had him executed because of a promise - he musta been drunk - to make such a promise to his wife's daughter, Salome who's mom, Herodias wanted John dead. Matthew 14:3-11; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9
✝ 6-11-20, Regarding forgiveness: the Lord □ Jesus clearly taught that marriage was between a husband & wife. [Matthew 19:5; Mark 7:21] He loves all sinners both the heterosexual & homosexual. He promises forgiveness to everyone who repents coming to Him for salvation. He told the woman caught in adultery: "Go and sin no more." Matthew 11:28
✝ 6-9-20, The Lord □ Jesus explained to Nicodemus that he must be 'born again' [John 3.3, 7]. In Utah I've heard some LDS people scoff and ridicule believers in Christ who are 'born again.' Those who scorn are lost; Jesus clearly said to 'marvel not that you must be born again'; without Christ we are lost. John 3:17-18
✝ 6-8-20, Jesus is God; He came to save sinners. "For He [Jesus] Whom God sent speaks the words of God: The Father loves the Son & has given all things into His hand. He that believs on the Son hath everlasting life & they that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on them." John 3:34-36
✝ 6-7-20, The Lord □ Jesus spoke from the cross first of forgiveness, salvation then of His Mother's care into John's hands. He spoke of being forsaken & then triumph as His task as human was complete shedding His perfect blood for the forgiveness of sins to all who repent believing in Him. His body was thirsty. And last of His reunion with the Father. Matthew 27:46; Luke 23:34, 43, 46; John 19:26-28, 30; Mark 15:34
✝ 6-3-20, Interesting the different duties of God's arch angels. Michael is a warrior who will defeat Satan and Gabriel was/is God's messenger appearing to: Prophet Daniel 8:15-17, 9:21-24 ... Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, Luke 1:11-18... Mary, Mother of Jesus, Luke 1:26-31... Joseph, Husband of Mary, Matthew 1:20-24, 2-13
✝ 6-2-20, In appx 530 BC the Lord God of Israel chose the Persian [aka Iran] King Cyrus to protect and help the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Who would come back and rebuild Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem where now - since 688 AD - a Muslim mosque sits. Mark 13:14; Isaiah 45:4-6, 9, 12-13. World Without End. Ephesians 3:20-21
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Jeremiah 1:5; Galatians 6:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:4
Solomon 2:10-13
✝ 5-27-20, See Romans 13:11; James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor 15:51-52, Rev 11:15 Scripture tells us that "The coming of the Lord is at hand;" but thousands of years have passed without the Lord's coming. We must remember that one thousand years are like one day to God (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). The rapture will happen without warning at any time and believers in the Lord Jesus must be ready at all time. Certain current events cause us to believe we are near the Lord's trumpet call and that the rapture of the church is 'at hand.
✝ 5-22-20, Interesting that the Lord □ Jesus said at the 'LAST SUPPER' He'd drink wine with the Apostles again in His Father's kingdom. Another confirmation & validation of scripture & teaching that we will be with Him in glory. Hallelujah! Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-23; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
utah333 ✝ 5-19-20, No other Disciple of Christ had so many visions & revelations as the Apostle Paul & he isn't generous with his descriptions. So his report - when he was translated [aka raptured] - is sparse. Some believe it happened when he was left for dead after he was stoned at Lystra. [Acts 14:19] Whenever it happened it's encouraging to add his name to the list of the other five: Enoch, Elijah, Philip, John and Jesus. Next it'll be the 'Church.' More here https://bit.ly/3bIwuI1
✝ 5-18-20, In 1634 AD Rembrandt's 'DOUBTING THOMAS' painting depicts the fact that disciple Thomas did not touch the risen Lord Jesus. Shame and shock is what's displayed when he exclaimed, 'MY LORD AND MY GOD!' And the admonition of Christ that those who've not seen still believe are blessed. John 20:24-29
✝ 5-17-20, During these stressful times as the world struggles to understand believing they can fight against a virus; when the economy is falling everywhere ... I feel such pity for those who don't know the Lord □ Jesus. Surely they are most fearful. The Lord said if you only have faith as small as a tiny mustard seed nothing shall be impossible. Luke 13:3; Ma
✝ 5-8-20, □ Jesus is the Light of the world. His born again disciples carry His Light. We are hated as He was hated because evil mankind loves wickedness and darkness. Example: Christian churches closed for Easter during covid scare; but Muslim mosques aren't – New York giving them 500K free meals for Ramadan. Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13; John 3:19, 9:5; Galatians 2:20
✝ 5-7-20, Sins □ Jesus Harshly Condemns; He said, "God knows our hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. V9 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." [Pride] Luke 16:15, 18:9-14; Hebrews 1:8-9
✝ 4-30-20, When the Lord □ Jesus Mother told her son that at the Cana wedding celebration there was no wine - I wonder if the Lord did little miracles around the house so Mary knew of His abilities expecting Him to quickly whip up some good wine. And He did! The Lord's first miracle on earth water into wine. John 2:1-11
✝ 4-29-20, We learn the importance of loving God from Psalm 91 where Moses is blessed by God Who said: 'v9 Because thou hast made the Lord... the most High, thy habitation; v14 Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore, l will deliver him & set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me & I will deliver him ... & shew him My salvation." Psalm 90:1, 91-14
✝ 4-28-20, The Lord □ Jesus, in the book of Matthew, lists what's called the "Beatitudes." He lists the items in our lives in His 'Sermon on the Mount' that examine our values, vision & habits to wholehearted obedience to God. We seek His forgiveness & acceptance for eternal life with Him; this is the good news 'Gospel.' John 14:6; Matthew 5:1-48, 6:1-34, 7:1-28.
✝ 4-27-20, In the days when □ Jesus walked the earth and healed all who came to Him ... imagine the horror of those who He healed who believed He was the Son of God as they may have watched their Savior brutalized and killed. Hopefully they were nearby 3 days later!! Hallelujah. Mark 16:1-20; John 20:1-31
✝ 4-26-20, Seeing this wonderful painting of King Jesus with this beautiful child makes me think of all the innocent children who are now with Him in Heaven as their lives were brutally taken in abortion before they were officially 'born.' I imagine those millions of babies will be in the Lord's army when He returns in power and glory. Hallelujah! Revelation 19:11, 14
✝ 4-22-20, Considering the harsh punishment God meted out in the Old Testament for blasphemy - why do people in the modern world now think it's perfectly permissible to disobey God's commandment #3 & blaspheme [deliberately & repeatedly] HIS HOLY NAME?? God will not be mocked [Galatians 6:7] there is judgment coming someday; He has a record book, keys to death & Hell. Revelation 1:17-20
✝ 4-14-20, Based on the behaviors of some church goers; apparently they think God is like an old lenient Grandpa winking at deliberate unrepentant sin. Even sins that are done repeatedly with no remorse. Because the Lord God loves us so much, He generously warns us ... He has a book where names of forgiven sinners are recorded. Almighty God demands us to honor and obey Him. Revelation 1:18, 3:5, 20:1; Malachi 3:16 □□
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Befriend yourself
It's usually easier to be kind to others than to yourself. This loving-kindness meditation turns a little tenderness back to you.
- Find your good
Start by being thankful for your own goodness, recalling some of the things you've done out of kindness. Then silently think about what you wish most deeply for yourself. You can use the following phrases, or create some that are meaningful to you. Relax and let the thoughts come gently from your heart:
May I live in safety.
May I have happiness (or peace, or joy).
May I have physical health.
May I live with ease.
- Wish yourself well
Repeat each sentence with enough space and silence in between so they fall into a rhythm. Pay attention to one phrase at a time:
May I live in safety.
May I have happiness.
May I have physical health.
May I live with ease.
- Practice some more
Each time you notice that your attention has wandered, be kind to yourself and let go of the distraction. Simply come back to repeating the phrases.
- Get centered
After some time, imagine yourself in the center of a circle of people who have been kind to you, or have inspired you because of their kindness. Some you may know, some you may have just heard or read about. Feel the love and kindness from all these people directed toward you. Gently repeat the phrases of loving-kindness for yourself.
- Finish and let go
To end, let go of the image, and simply keep repeating the phrases for a few more minutes. Each time you do, you transform any old, hurtful parts of your relationship with yourself, and move forward, carried by the energy of kindness and self-compassion.
This copyrighted information is courtesy of Mindful.org and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.
Reviewed by Kaiser Permanente Clinical Ambassadors, including Mark Dreskin, MD, Sharon Smith, LPC, and/or David Kane, LCSW. September 2018.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
Not all treatments or services described are covered benefits for Kaiser Permanente members or offered as services by Kaiser Permanente. For a list of covered benefits, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage, Summary Plan Description or other coverage documents. For recommended treatments, please consult with your health care provider.


text: Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports on Liu Xiaobo, this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner China has denounced the Nobel Prize committee in Norway for awarding this year's peace prize to Liu Xiaobo, a jailed Chinese rights activist. Authorities in Beijing said awarding the "criminal" Liu ran contrary to the principles of the award, and warned ties with Norway would suffer as a result. The government also summoned the Norwegian ambassador in China to protest against the committee's decision. "This is an obscenity against the peace prize," Ma Zhaoxu, a foreign ministry spokesman, said in an official statement. Earlier on Friday, Thorbjoern Jagland, the Nobel Committee chairman, announced the award in Norway's capital, Oslo, saying Liu was a symbol for the fight for human rights in China. "China has become a big power in economic terms as well as political terms, and it is normal that big powers should be under criticism,'' he said. Liu is in prison for helping to organise and disseminate a document called Charter 08, which calls for sweeping political reforms in China, including freedom of assembly, expression and religion. The 54-year-old literary critic and former professor was sentenced last Christmas Day to 11 years in jail for subversion. Norway's ministry of foreign affairs defended the Nobel Committee, saying it is "an independent" body "which makes decisions independently of the Norwegian government"."So any decision made by the committee should not be seen as an official reaction or comment on what's going on [in China]," Ragnhild Imerslund, a spokeswoman for the ministry, told Al Jazeera.Imerslund said it was "normal in diplomacy" for Chinese officials to contact Norwegian diplomats."The meeting was conducted in a constructive tone and we emphasised ... that Norway is eager to continue bilateral relations with China," she said. 'Chinese warnings' Jonas Gahr Stoere, the Norwegian foreign minister, earlier emphasised that the award should not cause a hostile Chinese reaction. "There are no grounds to direct any measures against Norway as a country, and I think it would have a negative effect on China's reputation if it did," he told the Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Reacting to the award, France, Germany and Taiwan's main opposition party urged China to free Liu. The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader who won the Nobel Peace prize in 1989 but is seen as a traitor by China because of his struggle for a more autonomous Tibet, congratulated Liu and called for his release. Liu has called for the reform of China's one-party Communist system and was jailed for 21 months for taking part in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. In 1996, he served another three years in a "re-education" camp for seeking the release of prisoners jailed in the Tiananmen demonstrations. Jagland, the Nobel Committee chairman, said Liu had become a symbol for the struggle for human rights in China. "The campaign to establish universal human rights also in China is being waged by many Chinese, both in China itself and abroad," he said. "Through the severe punishment meted out to him, Liu has become the foremost symbol of this wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China." Vincent Brossel, head of the Asia desk at Reporters Without Borders, told Al Jazeera that Liu deserved the award because "he's a very peaceful advocate of freedom of expression and democracy". He added that Liu is a unique representative of the struggle between dictatorship and democracy. "Xiaobo is a gentle and brave person, he will probably give away the award to all political prisoners in China and all over the world," Brossel, who has met Liu several times, said. Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan, reporting from Beijing, said Liu is well known in China. "Most people in China actually know his name. The thing with Chinese human rights activists is that they tend to be known outside their country more than they're known inside their country, because of the censorship issues for example," she said. "But Liu was a prominent writer before he became an activist. "Not only is he known in the intelligentsia and the academic world. His political manifesto, Charter 08, has picked up more than 10,000 signatures and these Chinese who have signed on to this charter say they are from all walks of life." Never sought fame Nicholas Bequelin, senior Asia researcher with Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera that even though Liu is imprisoned, "he will be comforted when he learns about it (the prize), but it won't really change him". Bequelin described Liu as "someone who is ready to go to prison for his ideas and he knew it when he signed this document, this Charter 08 ... he has never sought international fame". Bequelin said that Liu was likely awarded the prize because he "really stands for all the activists and political prisoners in China. He really represents every single one of them because his key struggle has been for freedom of expression and freedom of expression is the basis of any advocacy and any efforts towards greater human rights protection". At least four former peace prize winners - Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, the Dalai Lama and the Czech politician Vaclav Havel - had been among those calling for Liu to get the Peace Prize. Barack Obama, the US president, has also called for Liu's release. Wife 'excited' After hearing about Liu's award, his wife thanked his supporters and called for his release. Nobel Peace Prize Laureates 2009: Barack Obama, US president 2008: Martti Ahtisaari, former Finish president and peace mediator 2007: Al Gore, US politician and climate activist, shared the prize with the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change 2006: Muhammad Yunus shares the prize with the Grameen Bank he founded, providing loans to the rural poor of Bangladesh 2005: Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, shares the prize with the International Atomic Energy Agency "I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I don't know what to say," Liu Xia told the news agency AFP. "I strongly ask that the Chinese government release Liu Xiaobo." Before the official announcement on Friday, Liu had been the advance favourite in the guessing-game for the award. This year, the Nobel Committee considered a record 237 individuals and organisations for the prestigious prize. The Nobel prizes were established by Alfred Nobel, a Swedish industrialist and the inventor of dynamite, and were first handed out in 1901. According to Nobel's will, the peace prize should be given to the person who "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". The award of $1.5m will be handed out in Oslo on December 10, while the other Nobel prize ceremonies are held in Sweden, in line with the founder's wishes. Sweden and Norway were joined in a union during his lifetime. The Norwegian parliament appoints the five voting members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which selects the laureate for the Peace prize. Each year, the committee invites qualified people to submit nominations for the prize.Al Jazeera is not responsible for the content of external websites. SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies Europe US & Canada Bangladesh China Czech Republic


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The Fish:
There are several varieties of trout. Freshwater trout and sea trout are referred to as common trout and are related to Atlantic salmon. The trout farmed in Norway is steelhead trout, which was brought to Norway from North America in the late 19th century.
Norwegian Fjord Trout is well known for its superb quality and has become a favorite amongst chefs all over the world. Fjord trout is more sensitive to high temperatures than Norwegian salmon and is therefore perfect for raw, marinated and lightly cooked dishes.
The skin of the fjord trout is similar to salmon, with a lustrous and silvery color. Fjord trout meat has a deep red-orange color with white marbling that give the fillets a luxurious feel. The meat has a healthy sheen and is firm, yet tender and mellow. Fjord trout has a remarkably rich flavor with a pure aftertaste. The taste resembles shellfish and crab and is often more complex and delicate than other types of red fish.
Fishing Equipment:
Trout is fished using nets or rods.
The success story of Norwegian fish farming started with fjord trout. The pioneering work established by the first fjord trout farmers was crucial for the development of the aquaculture industry as we know it today.
Today, fjord trout is a niche product with a low production level—around 1/20 of the total production of salmon.
Fjord trout is farmed in the pure, cold Norwegian fjords where it grows to a weight of 2—5 kilos, which is generally a bit smaller than the salmon.
To ensure consistently high quality, the Norwegian Seafood Council and the fjord trout industry have developed a quality standard for Norwegian farmed trout. This quality standard is in strict accordance with how to farm, pack and transport fjord trout. It is registered and approved in accordance with ISO norms, Standards Norway (standard n° NS 9412:2010).
Trout is especially rich in:
- Protein that builds and maintains every cell in the body
- Omega-3 fatty acids that prevent and reduce the development of cardiovascular diseases, and which are important building blocks in the brain
- Vitamin D, necessary to balance calcium in the body, which maintains and strengthens the bones
- Selenium, an important element in an enzyme that fights harmful chemical processes in the body
More nutritional data can be found at www.nifes.no/en/prosjekt/seafood-data


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Rack Cards
A convenient way to reach people on the go.
- Simple, user-friendly design process
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These high-quality rack cards are available in 5 paper stock options, so choose from a wide selection of professionally-designed templates or upload your own design, then customize with info about your products and services. Leave custom rack cards on your counter, add to packaging, hand out or mail to get your message out to the most potential customers.
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Beautiful, consistent colors.
Vistaprint just received the G7 Master Qualification, a certification for the highest accuracy, consistency and quality of full-color printing.


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Ever wonder what happened to the poor Merman whom Daryl Hannah left for Tom Hanks in Splash? Universal is revealing all in a new movie, with some help from Splash's original writer.
Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment have purchased Merman from writer Jennifer Abu Hollander. Interestingly enough, the film is being produced by Splash scribe Brian Grazer, so he can help shape the male version of Hannah's story.
According to the trades, the story "follows a merman who comes to land so he can win back his mermaid fiancee, who has left him for a real man." Mermaids take up with human men so often, one does wonder what's wrong with the Mermen in the first place. The film is not Splash 2, per se, but it's pretty darn close.


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This was also the time of Alexander the Great... who was destined to be cut off by sickness in another part of the world. (VIII 3)
Livy puts this comment into the middle of Book 8 but says almost nothing else about Alexander the Great. Mentioning Alexander at this point exposes something about his thinking and that of his audience. The first is that it establishes his chronology- as though for example I were to describe the discovery of certain ideas of quantum mechanics as occuring just before or just after World War 2- it locates what he is describing. In that sense, what Livy's locator gives testimony too is the centrality of Greek history to a Roman understanding of the past. When we think about the way that Roman elites thought about politics, we should never think about Roman history alone but also the Greek comparison. Perhaps this is clearest in the work of Plutarch, a Greek, who wrote accompanying lives- one Roman, one Greek- but this reference exposes its relevance for Livy. Writing a history of Rome, Livy wants to fix it to some familiar dates in his readers' minds- one set of well established and familiar dates are the Greek dates and events- hence we see Alexander the Great arrive on the scene very briefly.


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The breakup rumors swirling around Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon are still going strong despite a matching set of denials from the couple's camps.
By Sunday afternoon, reps for both stars dashed reports claiming the pair recently went their separate ways, but according to X17 Online, suspicious activity at Witherspoon's Brentwood, California home later that night renewed the rumors.
Paparazzi working for the gossip and celebrity photo site allegedly spotted Gyllenhaal's assistant enter Witherspoon's residence Sunday evening and exit just 15 minutes later carrying luggage. The assistant was then seen delivering the luggage to Gyllenhaal's home.
U.S. & World
"(Gyllenhaal's assistant) looked like she had a job to do," one lensman said. "She was in and out very quickly, and she had two bags with her in the car when she left."
Of course, the peeping paps didn't see the contents of the cases, so fans may never know if the luggage contained the usual breakup-confirming CDs, sleep-Ts and toothbrushes.
Rihanna's dad cut out of her life 'over nothing'
Though they can't even agree on the point of which one of them isn't speaking to the other, Rihanna and her father, Ronald Fenty, both spoke to the press about their most recent estrangement.
According to the "Disturbia" singer, she hasn't been in touch with her father for a year and a half, and it's strictly "by his choice," but Fenty insists it's the other way around.
"(Rihanna) is going around saying I don't want to be in touch with her," Fenty said interview published in The Mirror. "I leave messages for her but I never hear back. I want nothing more in this world than to see my daughter again and to be part of her life. … What makes it all the more sad is our argument was over nothing."
Well, not quite nothing. Looking back, Fenty realized his own bad behavior was behind the argument.
"I had been on her tour for four weeks and things were fantastic," Fenty recalled. "But in Chicago I got drunk before a gig — I acted like a jerk. I remember Robyn being really upset and saying' 'Dad, you are going home.' One of her assistants put me on a plane back to Barbados. I have not seen or heard from Robyn since."
Dish on the fly
Maybe Hollywood isn't ageist after all. It's not that there aren't any good parts for women over 40; it's just that 60-year-old actress Meryl Streep gets all of them. "It's incredible — I'm 60, and I'm playing the romantic lead in romantic comedies!" Streep raved to Vanity Fair. "Bette Davis is rolling over in her grave." … Some celebrities complain about overly eager fans, but Robert De Niro simply thanked one who recently recognized him in a public restroom. "I just love your work," Zac Efron told the screen veteran, before realizing just what he had done. "Oh God," Efron then exclaimed to nearby Times reporter Christopher Goodwin. "I can't believe I just did that. He must think I'm so ridiculous."
Tabloid Tidbits is compiled by Ree Hines.


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Disasters Roundtable Members
<<-About Us
Ellis M. Stanley, Sr., Chair
Ellis M. Stanley, Sr. is Executive Vice President at Hammerman & Gainer International, Inc. His experience spans the public, private, and research communities related to disaster and emergency management. With his previous appointments as Vice President at Dewberry LLC., the Brunswick County (North Carolina) Director of Emergency Management, the General Manager for the City of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department, and the Director of the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Stanley brings more than 35 years of experience from the public sector to the Disasters Roundtable Chairmanship.
Mr. Stanley has been recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise and knowledge for disaster and emergency management. He has led delegations of emergency management professionals to China and Japan and conducted senior crisis management seminars for Argentina, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Paraguay, Jordan, Turkey, and Taiwan. He is past president of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the American Society of Professional Emergency Planners (ASPEP), the Atlanta Chapter of the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), and the Atlanta Chapter of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. He has been appointed to numerous boards, including the Homeland Security Advisory Council's (HSAC) Emergency Responder Senior Advisory Committee (ERSAC), FEMA's Regional Advisory Council for Region IX, and the National Advisory Board for Harvard University's National Preparedness Leadership Initiative. Mr. Stanley also has served as Director of DNC planning for the City and County of Denver, Colorado. He has worked at four national political conventions, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and the 1994 Papal visit and World Youth Conference in Denver.
Mr. Stanley currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Los Angeles Red Cross Chapter and chairs the Response Committee. He also is an adjunct professor at American University, where he teaches senior crisis management/command & control, and he serves as an instructor at Harvard University, where he teaches meta-leadership. Mr. Stanley was awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree for Public Service from the University of Maryland. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1973.
Arrietta Chakos
Arrietta Chakos is a consultant in urban resilience policy. Her specialties include disaster risk assessment, disaster loss estimates, public policy development, multi-party negotiations, and municipal government operations. She recently served as Director of the Acting in Time Advance Disaster Recovery project at the Harvard Kennedy School which was involved with disaster policy research and application. A seismic safety advocate, she was assistant city manager in Berkeley, California until 2007 and managed the city's intergovernmental coordination and hazard mitigation initiatives. She directed California's first municipal hazard mitigation plan aimed at sustainable risk reduction. Berkeley's mitigation efforts are nationally recognized and use innovative tax incentives and locally-funded programs to promote community resilience. Ms. Chakos worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for its report to the Congress on all hazards risk mitigation, and with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalEMA) on natural hazards projects and seismic safety legislation. She served as a technical advisor to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on its international seismic safety program for schools; the World Bank on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development in the metropolitan Istanbul region; and with the National Research Council's research on community disaster resilience. She has also advised on a recent Ford Foundation study on Stafford Act implementation in the Gulf Coast region; as well as with the Association of Bay Area Governments; the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute; GeoHazards International; the Center for Biosecurity; and the Natural Hazards Center on disaster policy issues. Publications include papers on disaster risk reduction for technical conferences; the American Society of Civil Engineers; Spectra , an engineering professional publication; the Natural Hazards' Observer; the United Nations journal, Regional Development, and as a contributor to Keeping Schools Safe in Earthquake Country (OECD, 2004) and Global Warming, Natural Hazards, and Emergency Management (2009). She received a BA from California State University, Humboldt and a MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Reginald DesRoches
Reginald DesRoches is a Professor, and Karen and John Huff Chair of the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His primary research interests are structural design and analysis, design of bridges and buildings for extreme loads, and applications of smart materials in earthquake engineering. He has published over 150 articles in the general area of structural and earthquake engineering. He is Chair of the ASCE Seismic Effects Committee, Chair of the executive committee of the Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering (TCLEE) and is on the Board for the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Dr. DesRoches has received numerous awards, including the National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2001 and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2002. Most recently, he was a recipient of the 2007 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, and the Georgia Tech ANAK Award. The ANAK award is considered the highest honor the undergraduate student body can bestow on a Georgia Tech faculty. Dr. DesRoches received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, M.S. in Civil Engineering, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, all from the University of California, Berkeley.
Gerald E. Galloway (NAE)
Gerald E. Galloway is a Glenn L. Martin Institute Professor of Engineering and an affiliate professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. His 38-year career in the military included positions such as commander of the Army Corps of Engineers District in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and professor and founding head of the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering and dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1990 and retired from active duty in 1995. Dr. Galloway earned his MSE at Princeton and his Ph.D. in geography (specializing in water resources) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A civil engineer, public administrator, and geographer, Dr. Galloway's current research focuses on the development of U.S. national water policy in general and national floodplain management policy in particular. Prior to joining Maryland, he was Vice President, Geospatial Strategies, for the ES3 Sector of the Titan Corporation. He is a member of the National Research Council's Water Science and Technology Board and he served on the Committee to Review the JSOST U.S. Ocean Research Priorities Plan. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
John R. Harrald
John R. Harrald is a Research Professor and Adjunct Professor of Public Policy at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Center for Technology, Security, and Policy. He is a Senior Fellow at the University of Maryland James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership, and director emeritus of The George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management and Professor Emeritus of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering in the GWU School of Engineering and Applied Science. Dr. Harrald is a former member and chair of the National Research Council Disasters Roundtable Committee and a former member of the National Research Council's Committee on Private-Public Sector Collaborations to Ensure Community Disaster Resilience. He is the Executive Editor of the electronic Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and a member of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Counselors. Dr. Harrald is the Immediate Past President of The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS) and is the former Associate Director of the National Ports and Waterways Institute. Dr. Harrald has been actively engaged in the fields of emergency and crisis management and maritime safety and security and as a researcher in his academic career and as a practitioner during his 22 year career as a U.S. Coast Guard officer, retiring in the grade of Captain. He has written and published in the fields of crisis management, emergency management, management science, risk and vulnerability analysis, and maritime safety. Currently, Dr. Harrald is working closely with the land-grant institutions of the Mid-Atlantic region (Virginia Tech, University of Maryland with the strong support of Dr. Dan Mote, and the University of Delaware through the Disaster Research Center) to develop an academic network for building resilience to disasters and risk. Dr. Harrald received his B.S. in Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a M.A.L.S. from Wesleyan University, a M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, and an MBA and Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Jose Holguin-Veras
Jose Holguin-Veras is the William H. Hart Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His research emphasizes: the integration of state of the art economic principles into transportation modeling, so that a complete picture could be developed on the broader impacts of transportation activity on the economy and the environment; and the integration of social science and engineering principles in humanitarian logistics. His work includes: basic research on transportation modeling and economics, and basic and field research on humanitarian logistics. His leadership positions at key international organizations include: President of the Pan-American Society of Transportation Research, Elected Member of the Council for the Association for European Transport, and member of the Scientific Committee of the World Conference of Transport Research. He is member of a number of editorial boards, Transportation Editor at Networks and Spatial Economics, and Associate Editor of Transportation Research: Policy and Practice. He is a member of numerous technical committees at the key professional organizations. Dr. Holguín-Veras is the author of dozens of papers in leading journals. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996.
Linda Langston
Linda Langston was elected to the Linn County (Iowa) Board of Supervisors in the fall of 2002 and began her term of office in January 2003. She was re-elected in 2006, 2008, and again in November 2012. Ms. Langston is active in the National Association of Counties, currently serving as NACo's First Vice President. She will become President of NACo in July 2013. She is a member of NACo's Health Steering Committee, the Arts and Culture Commission, Women Officials of NACo, and the Healthy Counties Initiative. Ms. Langston was an inaugural participant in the County Leadership Institute presented by NACo and New York University in 2004, and she is a 2007 graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government for State and Local Officials. She also is active in the Iowa State Association of Counties. Locally, Ms. Langston chairs the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) and is past chair of the Workforce Development Board, along with serving on a variety of other boards and commissions in Linn County and Cedar Rapids. She is also an active member of Downtown Rotary. Ms. Langston received her B.A. from Knox College. Supervisor Langston is widely recognized for her roles in the successful recovery from the devastating Iowa floods of 2008 and translating the lessons learned from that experience into county-wide efforts to fortify and make resilient those Iowa communities for future events. From her perch as the incoming President of the National Association of Counties (NACo), Supervisor Langston is poised to—and has already demonstrated an ability to—help the Disasters Roundtable and the National Research Council communicate key messages to the local and regional set of decisionmakers. That stakeholder group is critical to the successful efforts of reducing risk and building resilience to hazards and disasters, and Supervisor Langston is a key partner to bring into the Disasters Roundtable fold a new level of access to help the NRC reach them.
Monica Schoch-Spana
Monica Schoch-Spana, a medical anthropologist, is Senior Associate with the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases. Since 1998, Dr. Schoch-Spana has led research, education, and advocacy efforts to encourage greater consideration by authorities of the general public's capacity to confront bioattacks and large-scale epidemics constructively. National advisory roles include serving with the NRC Committees on "Educational Paradigms for Homeland Security" and "Standards and Policies for Decontaminating Public Facilities Affected by Exposure to Harmful Biological Agents: How Clean is Safe?" Schoch-Spana recently chaired the Working Group on Citizen Engagement in Health Emergency Planning, and was the principal organizer for the 2006 U.S.-Canada summit on Disease, Disaster & Democracy – The Public's Stake in Health Emergency Planning. In 2003, she chaired the Working Group on "Governance Dilemmas" in Bioterrorism Response that issued consensus recommendations to mayors, governors, and top health officials nationwide in 2004. Schoch-Spana helped established the Biosecurity Center of UPMC in 2003 after serving with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Civilian Biodefense as a founding member. She received her A.B. from Bryn Mawr College and her PhD in cultural anthropology from the Johns Hopkins University.
J. Phillip Thompson
J. Phillip Thompson is Associate Professor of Urban Politics and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Thompson has served as Deputy General Manager of the New York Housing Authority, and as Director of the Mayor's Office of Housing Coordination. He is a frequent advisor to trade unions in their efforts to work with immigrant and community groups across the United States. His most recent book, Double Trouble: Black Mayors, Black Communities and the Struggle for Deep Democracy, was published in 2006 by Oxford University Press. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, Dr. Thompson coordinated MIT sponsored projects in New Orleans including work on economic development, planning, and the design of an urban information system to help guide recovery efforts. He is currently working with labor unions, community groups, and local officials on strategies for building "sustainable" cities. He also is currently engaged in rebuilding projects in Haiti. Dr. Thompson received his B.A. in Sociology from Harvard University in 1977, a M.U.P. from Hunter College in 1986, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the City University of New York Graduate Center in 1990.
Darlene S. Washington
Darlene Sparks Washington, D.P.M., is an Independent Consultant in the fields of disaster emergency preparedness and public health preparedness offering clients assistance in educating and training individuals, families, communities and businesses. Dr. Washington has extensive subject matter expertise in behavior change strategies as an approach for enhancing preparedness. After almost 20 years of service at one of the largest non-profit, humanitarian organizations, Washington recently left the American Red Cross national headquarters where she had advanced within the organization assuming positions of increasing authorities and responsibilities directing national and community-level preparedness and public health related efforts, managing mult-imillion dollar budgets, and supporting a customer base of up to 1000 local affiliates over her Red Cross career. Having served her most recent role as the director for Preparedness and Team Lead for Influenza Pandemic Planning, she led the strategic planning, execution and financial management of the organization's responsibilities for developing, testing and implementing disaster preparedness education for the general publics, supporting chapters in reaching 5 million people annually in this area. Prior to this appointment, Washington served as the director for Public Health and Emergency Preparedness Education at Red Cross national headquarters where she managed a multi-million dollar cooperative agreement with the Center's for Disease and Control and Prevention that included the development, implementation, evaluation and technical support of four national HIV prevention programs that reached over 20 million people. Washington is a member of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) and has served on the Guest Editorial Board for the SOPHE Health Promotion Practice Journal, Special Emphasis Issue. She is also a member of the Fairfax County (VA) Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) team. Dr. Washington received her undergraduate degree in biology, pre-med from Hampton Institute (University) and received her doctorate in Podiatric Medicine from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. She is a 1997 American Red Cross President's Fund Ambassador Award recipient for outstanding accomplishment in Cultural Diversity.
Mary Lou Zoback (NAS)
Mary Lou Zoback is a seismologist and consulting professor in the School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University. From 2006 to 2011 she served as Vice President of Earthquake Risk Applications with Risk Management Solutions (RMS), a private catastrophe modeling firm. At RMS, Zoback utilized the company's commercial risk models to explore the societal role of earthquake insurance and to quantify the costs and benefits of disaster management and risk reduction activities worldwide. Dr. Zoback was previously a senior research scientist at the USGS and served as Chief Scientist of the Western Earthquake Hazards team in Menlo Park, CA, and as Regional Coordinator for the Northern California Earthquake Hazards Program. Her research explored the relationship between the state of stress in the earth's crust and the occurrence of both intraplate and plate boundary earthquakes. She joined the USGS in 1978 after receiving her BS, MS, and PhD in geophysics from Stanford University. She has served on numerous national committees and panels on topics ranging from defining the next generation of Earth observations from space, storage of high-level radioactive waste, facilitating interdisciplinary research, and science education. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, past President of the Geological Society of America, and a member of the Carnegie Foundation Board of Trustees, the NRC Disaster Roundtable, and a recent past member of the Board of Directors of the Seismological Society of America. She recently cochaired the Advisory Committee for San Francisco's Department of Building Inspection's CAPSS (Citizens Action Plan for Seismic Safety) Program.
Frank Best
Frank Best is President of F.H. Best Associates. Previously, Mr. Best served as a Senior Vice President of PB Americas. His career is a record of successful program design, implementation and management across a broad spectrum of industries including education, real estate, construction, and insurance. During the past decade his work has focused on both pre and post disaster valuation and condition of property within the US. Recently tasked with strategic pursuits in alternative energy, he is becoming recognized as a national and international consultant in both the planning and funding of such projects. Mr. Best came to PB in 1995 as a member of the project design team responsible for PB's successful bid for the FEMA Housing contract. As a senior member of the management team for the PB/FEMA Housing Project he was integral in the planning of policy and operational strategies. As Project Facilitator he was responsible for the management of client relations at active Disaster Recovery Centers. In 1997 Mr. Best was directed to expand PB inspection services to the Insurance Industry in response to a growing need for a nation wide revaluation of personal property. In achievement of this directive, he lead a project team of 20 staff members and over 400 Independent Contractors providing service to major insurance carriers across 50 states. Over a six year period his team achieved over one million inspections totaling over 250 billion dollars of housing inventory. During this period he identified the need for and led the development of a WEB based resource management tool that streamlined identification, activation, training, QA measurement and payment of Independent Contractors. In 2003 Mr. Best was tasked with expanding PB's strategic plan through development of Small Business 8(A) partners. In pursuit of this task, he established working relationships for the pursuit of Federal Contracts with Chenega COS, an Alaskan 8(A), The Black Feet Nation, and other multiple small, disadvantaged businesses resulting in multiple ongoing pursuits. Since 2004 Mr. Best has been managing strategic pursuits in alternative and "green energy" working with the State of Montana to develop 64,000 MW of potential wind power. He leads a strategic planning team focused on business development with the country of Trinidad/Tobago emphasizing Waste to Energy and Desalinization projects. Mr. Best received his B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College and M.A. from the University of Connecticut.
David J. Kaufman
David Kaufman is FEMA's Associate Administrator for Policy, Program Analysis, and International Affairs. In this position he is responsible for providing leadership, analysis, coordination, and decision-making support to the FEMA Administrator on a wide range of Agency policies, plans, programs, and key initiatives. Mr. Kaufman has extensive experience with homeland security and disaster preparedness issues. He has been a member of the faculty at the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security, where he has taught in the Center's graduate and executive level education programs, and has previously served in several senior positions in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and in FEMA. His previous service included establishing the Office of Preparedness Policy, Planning and Analysis in FEMA's National Preparedness Directorate, where as the Director he led policy and planning efforts for national preparedness; and Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Preparedness Programs Division in the Office for Domestic Preparedness, where he oversaw the day-to-day activities of DHS' $3 billion portfolio of state, local, and infrastructure preparedness assistance programs. In 2008, Mr. Kaufman left government service to become Safety and Security Director for CNA, a non-profit think-tank that provides analysis and solutions to challenging problems for all levels of government, where he worked on a range of homeland security issues including community engagement, risk management, and catastrophic planning, and supported the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review. Mr. Kaufman holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Michigan and he is a graduate of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security's Executive Leaders Program.
Elizabeth Lemersal
Elizabeth Lemersal is an Associate Program Coordinator for the Earthquake Hazards Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Ms. Lemersal's primary mission with the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) is to manage all aspects of the Earthquake Hazards Program annual competitive grants, which comprise 25% of the Program's annual budget, serve as the Project Officer for the Advanced National Seismic System's cooperative agreements with regional seismic networks and the USGS's support of the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC). The Earthquake Hazards Program is USGS's component of the four agency National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).
Francis E. Lindsay
As the Disasters Program Manager, Dr. Lindsay leads the Program's efforts to promote the integration of Earth science data and information for disaster forecasting, mitigation, and response. He oversees the Disaster portfolio of competitively selected and directed projects focusing on improving our national and international planning for and response to disasters across the globe. He is also the NASA representative for disasters work on several national and international bodies including the OSTP Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction and the Committee of Earth Observing Satellites comprised of the world's space faring nations. Dr. Lindsay has worked in the NASA Data System Program for nearly ten years as a Program Manager before joining the Applied Science Program. He has extensive experience with geospatial data spanning both remote sensing and GIS-based applications. Before joining NASA, Dr. Lindsay managed one of the largest civilian remote satellite data distribution centers based at the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies in Maryland and was an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of New Hampshire, Keene. He received a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Maryland and a Masters degree in Geography from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Michael Uhart
Michael Uhart is a senior research manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He has been a NOAA employee since 1976, where he was a weather forecaster, managed various national weather observing and forecasting programs, a NOAA advisor to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Director of the multiagency National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP), Executive Director of the NOAA Science Advisory Board, and the Executive Director of the Office of Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. He is currently the Acting Director of NOAA's Air Resources Laboratory (ARL). As the ARL director, he leads research, development, and applications of leading edge science in areas of air quality, atmospheric dispersion, climate, and the planetary boundary layer and maintains strong relationships with governmental, commercial, and other non-governmental stakeholders. He received his B.A. Degree in Applied Physics and Information Science from UC San Diego in 1970, an M.S. in Meteorology from Florida State University in 1976, and his Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma in 1985.
Dennis E. Wenger
Dennis Wenger is the Program Director for Infrastructure Management and Hazard Response at the National Science Foundation. He was a Professor of Urban and Regional Science at Texas A&M University from 1989 until 2007, where he also was the Founding Director and Senior Scholar of the Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center. He is interested in the areas of sociology, natural and technological disaster research, hazards mitigation, urban ecology, collective behavior and mass communication, and disaster and emergency planning. Dennis has written or co-authored several books and articles including Hurricane Bret Post-storm Assessment: A Review of the Utilization of Hurricane Evacuation Studies and Information Dissemination, Texas: Texas A&M University Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center, 2000; Respuestas Individuales e Institucionales Ante ed Sismo de 1985 en la Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico: Cenapred, 1994; "A Test of the Emergent Norm Theory of Collective Behavior," Sociological Forum, 1998; "The Social Organization of Search and Rescue: Evidence from the Guadalajara Gasoline Explosion," International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 1995. Dr. Wenger received his BS, MA and PhD from The Ohio State University.
Theodore Van Kirk
Theodore (Ted) Van Kirk manages Dewberry's Emergency Management, Disaster and Mitigation Services Group which is part of the firm's Federal Programs Operating Group. Mr. Van Kirk has 28 years of national experience encompassing full range of FEMA mitigation, hazard identification, flood mapping, and disaster assistance programs, and he has served FEMA as a trusted advisor for more than 24 years. On an annual basis, he is responsible for $60+ M of disaster and mitigation contract/task order work across the nation. Over the past decade, Mr. Van Kirk has managed or performed work on 60+ disaster declarations in 35 states including Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Florida Hurricanes, and the WTC terrorist attack. Following Hurricane Ivan in 2004, he served as a Subject Matter Expert for a USAID team in Grenada to incorporate mitigation principles into rebuilding of schools and medical clinics. He also adapted FEMA's Cost Estimating methodology to address fire mitigation grant estimates following the Cerro Grande fires. Mr. Van Kirk is recognized as a leader in the planning, evaluation, and design of floodproofing, flood fighting, and flood retrofitting measures for private and public facilities nationwide. He is the primary author of several FEMA Mitigation publications, including FEMA 259 (Engineering Principles and Practices for Retrofitting Flood Prone Structures), 348 (Protecting Building Utilities from Flood Damage) and the one of the AIA Buildings at Risk Series (Flood Design Basics for Practicing Architects) and he has contributed to dozens of FEMA building science and mitigation related publications including the IVAN Mitigation Assessment Team, FEMA 312 (Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting), technical bulletins, recovery bulletins, and the Hurricane Mitigation Handbook. He is a FEMA Certified Train-the-Trainer and serves as an instructor for multiple FEMA training courses for the Mitigation and Disaster Assistance Directorates. He served on ASCE Standards Committee that developed ASCE 24-98 (Flood Resistant Design and Construction).


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South Africa holidays - our ideas for trips
Expert Africa's South African holidays offer a variety of different activities from game viewing and hiking to whale-watching and beach holidays. Travellers enjoy the dramatic landscapes, the Cape's comfortable hotels as well as its good food and wine.
Our game viewing safaris concentrate on the south and west of South Africa. You can watch lion, cheetah and meerkats in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and all of the "big five" in the eastern Cape Reserves. For whale-watching, between August and November, Hermanus is the place to be – whilst Cape Town really is a great destination at any time of year.
South Africa's Cape is fascinating as the smallest and richest of the world's six floral kingdoms. Its level of diversity and endemicism is comparable to that found in the great tropical rainforests. Table Mountain, for example, has more native species of plants than the United Kingdom.
Cape Town is a highlight of many South African holidays, with its superb beaches, dramatic mountainous scenery as well as great restaurants, shops, bars and hotels.
Have a look through our holiday ideas to the Cape, below, then call us about a South African trip tailor-made just for you.


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Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency
Pete's Basement Season 9, Episode 7 - 3.1.16
Street Fighter vs G.I. JOE disappoints 14 year old Pete, and Gingerdeadman immediately makes up for it. Iron Fist casting revealed! Zoom revealed! We were right about the Flash Supergirl crossover! We have a megaton of rumors for you this week! From TV to movies, you'll want to tune in cause we're dropping bombs! Our buddies Greg and Cheezeburger join Pete and Ramon this week, Grab a drink and hit play!
- Arrow
- Batman v Superman
- Bill and Ted Go To Hell
- Daredevil
- deadpool
- Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency
- Episode
- Flash
- Game of Thrones
- Haunted Love
- He-Man Eternity War
- Iron Fist
- Legends of Tomorrow
- Scott Adkins
- Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
- Star Wars
- Street Fighter V
- Street Fighter vs G.I. JOE
- Supergirl
- The Gingerdead Man
- Voltron
- Wynonna Earp
- Zoom
Submitted by Roger on Tue, 03/01/2016 - 04:55


text: Fresh Tuna has a low to moderate fat content and when cooked provides a very tender and mild flavored meat. Tuna with more fat will generally be the most flavorful. Tuna is often served fresh for use in making raw tuna sushi or sashimi. When cooked the fresh Tuna is baked, broiled, grilled, steamed, or poached. To check cooked fish for doneness, use the tip of a sharp knife and cut through the thickest part of the fillet or steak. If the fish has been properly cooked, the meat will appear opaque and moist. If the fish is to be eaten raw or cooked, the most often sought species are the Bigeye, Blackfin, Bluefin, Yellowfin, and Bonito.


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Tradition of the Pickle
According to German tradition, the pickle brings good luck. After all the other ornaments were hung on the tree, the pickle ornament was hidden somewhere within the branches. On Christmas morning, the first child to find the gherkin was rewarded with an additional small present left by St. Nicholas. The pickle tradition encourages youngsters to enjoy the many ornaments on the tree before checking to see what St. Nick has brought them.
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Joining our QA team to work on agile software development or agile testing service projects
- Good knowledge of software testing methodology, have hand-on experience working with distributed Agile team is a big plus
- Self-organized, self-motivated and good analysis/troubleshooting skills. Ability to work effectively on projects with less requirement and documentation
- Possesses good customer-oriented mindset and good ability to perform exploratory testing, risk-based testing etc.
- Experience with testing web-based applications, e-commerce & healthcare domain is a plus
- Experience in defining test strategies and test approaches for Agile team (only required for Senior level)
- Experience with leading QA team & working with US clients (only required for Senior level)
- Able to perform effectively & independently and mentor others in software testing (only required for Senior level)
- Able to participate in defining/tailoring software testing process which can jointly be applied for the QA team & clients teams (only required for Senior level)
- Experience in web service, data warehouse testing is a plus (only required for Senior level)
If you are interested in this position, please send us your resume at email@example.com
You can find here for more information: http://kms-technology.com/b/careers/


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A group of writing instructors and students who over the years formed a ragtag band during late-night impromptu jam sessions at the Bennington Writing Seminars, in southwest Vermont, released their first CD earlier this year. Titled Let's Doghouse: A Tribute to Liam Rector, the compilation serves as a memorial to the founding director of the Writing Seminars, a poet, who passed away two years ago.
The musical meetings that led to the formation of the Dog House Band began about five years ago at the Doghouse, the only residence on the Bennington College campus where instructors are allowed to stay with their pets. Novelist and journalist David Gates, a regular Doghouse resident, brought along his guitar five years ago, and over time other musically inclined students and teachers found their way to the house. It was only after Rector committed suicide in August 2007 that the musicians began to think about recording an album to honor his memory and his love of music.
"Liam was always musically besotted, with a great range spanning rock, folk, blues, even show tunes," says critic and guitarist Sven Birkerts, the current director of the Writing Seminars. Rector, who stayed at the Doghouse with his wife, Tree Swenson, was known for making CD compilations of his musical obsessions, which he then handed out like books to friends, teachers, and students. He called the mixes sentimentia. "Liam liked to say that music was so essential to poetry," recalls Writing Seminars graduate and poet David Scronce, "that the time a poet spent listening to music counted as study hours."
Joining Gates and Birkerts in the band are program alums Rebecca Chace, a novelist; Ben Hartlage, a poet; Erica Plouffe Lazure, the fiction writer who spearheaded the project; and Lee Johnson, an audio-visual tech at Bennington currently pursuing his MFA in fiction at the University of Virginia. Composed of blues, country, and bluegrass songs, Let's Doghouse was released at the January 2009 residency and received widespread support from the Bennington community and eventually a positive review in the Boston Globe. "Country songs dominate the CD only because they're what the band seems best at together," explains Gates.
All profits from the CD, which can be ordered online at thedoghouseband.blogspot.com, are donated to the Liam Rector Scholarship Fund. "One thing that Liam had always wanted for the Writing Seminars was to offer more students financial assistance through scholarships," says Lazure. "Those who buy a CD will not only get a taste of the music that Liam loved, but they will also help to contribute to that fund."
Although members of the Dog House Band are scattered across the country, they will reunite this summer for the fifteenth anniversary of the Seminars. "Any of us would drive eighteen hours to play a half-hour set," Gates says of the band's commitment. "Offer us a gig, and we'll get there."
A. N. Devers is a graduate of the Bennington Writing Seminars. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.


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Political support grows for same-sex marriage
Young Republicans can help lead nation toward civil equality
We stand together, the Democratic mayor of San Antonio and a senior appointee in three Republican presidential administrations, united in our support for the freedom to marry and an end to the discrimination caused by the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which treats one legally married couple differently from another.
On the surface, we might seem an odd mix: One of us leads a city in what has been a predictably red state; the other hopes to see the Republican Party and the nation focus on the critical issues that will determine the future strength and prosperity of this great country. One of us sits on the edge of the millennial generation as the youngest mayor of a top 50 U.S. city; the other, a former head of the World Bank, senior Bush administration official and ambassador to Indonesia.
To us, this simply speaks to the growing bipartisan support for same-sex marriage. We already know 62 percent of independents are behind the freedom to marry, according to a recent ABC/Washington Post poll. And the support from young Americans couldn't be more dramatic, with 81 percent, regardless of political affiliation, in favor of the freedom to marry.
Even more remarkable is the speed with which attitudes on this issue have changed as Americans have had a chance to reflect on it. To us, this burgeoning support isn't surprising because it reflects the fundamental American values of civil equality, personal freedom and liberty. It also reflects a common-sense recognition that when people choose to take on not only the joys of marriage, but the responsibilities and obligations, that decision should be supported and applauded.
We know those principles will guide the conversations among the Young Republicans who gather in San Antonio this weekend for their quarterly conference.
It's not much different for those of us leading America's great cities. Not only have more than 350 mayors from 35 states signed on as Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, the United Conference of Mayors signed on to the U.S. Supreme Court challenge to DOMA. To us, the diversity of our cities, large and small, is our greatest resource. Asking the federal government to treat all loving couples equally will strengthen our families and communities. It's really that simple and that profound.
Conservatives have long recognized that forcing people to hide their identity is not only unfair and hurtful, but causes many harmful social consequences. Now conservatives are increasingly recognizing that enabling individuals to enter into marriage is both fair and just, strengthening families, neighborhoods and society at large.
We are heartened by the growing political backing from both sides of the aisle. Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Mark Kirk of Illinois have announced their support and dozens of prominent Republicans signed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court backing the freedom to marry. Democratic senators have also stepped forward, with 52 now in favor of same-sex marriage.
As the Young Republicans converge in San Antonio to discuss so many important issues facing our country today, they have an opportunity to lead the way toward civil equality under the law. Marriage is not the province of any one party or any one ideology. It is the dream of all parents for their children and the foundation of family life. The issue of marriage equality should not divide our country. It's time to put this issue behind us.
Castro is mayor of San Antonio. Wolfowitz is former deputy U.S. secretary of defense.