A Quote
"I am not persuaded that another surge of troops into Baghdad for the purposes of suppressing this communitarian violence, this civil war, will work."
Colin Powell
on Face The Nation
Monday, December 18, 2006
Powell: We Are Losing In Iraq, Exclusive: Former Secretary Of State Says More Troops Are Not The Answer - CBS News
Powell: We Are Losing In Iraq
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2006
(CBS) The United States is losing the war in Iraq but sending more troops to Baghdad is not the best way to change course, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Face The Nation. Powell said he agreed with the assessment of the Iraq Study Group co-chairmen, Lee Hamilton and James Baker, that the situation in Iraq is "grave and deteriorating," and he also agreed with recently-confirmed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that the U.S. is not winning the war. "So if it's grave and deteriorating and we're not winning, we are losing," Powell told Bob Schieffer in an exclusive interview. "We haven't lost. And this is the time, now, to start to put in place the kinds of strategies that will turn this situation around." President George W. Bush is considering several options for a new strategy in Iraq. The most likely choice would be to send tens of thousands of additional troops for an indefinite period to quickly secure Baghdad. A 3,500-man brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to Kuwait soon after the holidays, CBS News correspondent David Martin reported on Friday. The troops would be available immediately should the president order a surge into Iraq. There are about 134,000 U.S. troops in Iraq now. Powell, also a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he did not see the military benefit of flooding Baghdad with American troops. "I am not persuaded that another surge of troops into Baghdad for the purposes of suppressing this communitarian violence, this civil war, will work," he said, adding that the Iraqi government and security forces must take over. "It is the D.C. police force that guards Washington, D.C., not the troops that are stationed at Fort Myer," Powell said. "And in Baghdad, you need a police force to do that, and in the other cities, you need a police force to do that, and not the American troops." Powell also doubted that the U.S. Army and Marine Corps are large enough to support such an operation. "The current active Army is not large enough and the Marine Corps is not large enough for the kinds of missions they're being asked to perform," Powell said. "We need to let both the Army and the Marine Corps grow in size, in my military judgment." Asked directly what the U.S. should do in Iraq, Powell said: "I think that what we should do is to work with the Iraqi government, press them on the political peace, do everything we can to provide equipment, advisers, and whatever the Iraqi armed forces need to become more competent, and to train their leaders so that those leaders realize their responsibility to the government." Powell, who as a member of the Bush Administration pushed the international community to sanction the invasion of Iraq, said that we are not safer now after nearly four years of fighting. "I think we are a little less safe, in the sense that we don't have the same force structure available for other problems," Powell said. "I think we have been somewhat constrained in our ability to influence events elsewhere."©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Powell: We Are Losing In Iraq
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2006
(CBS) The United States is losing the war in Iraq but sending more troops to Baghdad is not the best way to change course, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Face The Nation. Powell said he agreed with the assessment of the Iraq Study Group co-chairmen, Lee Hamilton and James Baker, that the situation in Iraq is "grave and deteriorating," and he also agreed with recently-confirmed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that the U.S. is not winning the war. "So if it's grave and deteriorating and we're not winning, we are losing," Powell told Bob Schieffer in an exclusive interview. "We haven't lost. And this is the time, now, to start to put in place the kinds of strategies that will turn this situation around." President George W. Bush is considering several options for a new strategy in Iraq. The most likely choice would be to send tens of thousands of additional troops for an indefinite period to quickly secure Baghdad. A 3,500-man brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to Kuwait soon after the holidays, CBS News correspondent David Martin reported on Friday. The troops would be available immediately should the president order a surge into Iraq. There are about 134,000 U.S. troops in Iraq now. Powell, also a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he did not see the military benefit of flooding Baghdad with American troops. "I am not persuaded that another surge of troops into Baghdad for the purposes of suppressing this communitarian violence, this civil war, will work," he said, adding that the Iraqi government and security forces must take over. "It is the D.C. police force that guards Washington, D.C., not the troops that are stationed at Fort Myer," Powell said. "And in Baghdad, you need a police force to do that, and in the other cities, you need a police force to do that, and not the American troops." Powell also doubted that the U.S. Army and Marine Corps are large enough to support such an operation. "The current active Army is not large enough and the Marine Corps is not large enough for the kinds of missions they're being asked to perform," Powell said. "We need to let both the Army and the Marine Corps grow in size, in my military judgment." Asked directly what the U.S. should do in Iraq, Powell said: "I think that what we should do is to work with the Iraqi government, press them on the political peace, do everything we can to provide equipment, advisers, and whatever the Iraqi armed forces need to become more competent, and to train their leaders so that those leaders realize their responsibility to the government." Powell, who as a member of the Bush Administration pushed the international community to sanction the invasion of Iraq, said that we are not safer now after nearly four years of fighting. "I think we are a little less safe, in the sense that we don't have the same force structure available for other problems," Powell said. "I think we have been somewhat constrained in our ability to influence events elsewhere."©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Google: "Your needs may come first today as the Moon moves through your 10th House of The Public. This could present a problem, for it may be difficult to express yourself without intimidating others with your intensity. Rely on your charm to soften what you are saying. Don't push too hard or reality will have to push back. "
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Google: "You are in an admirable position and can make the most of the current situation, but you must take the initiative without overstepping your bounds. Make your move without upsetting or offending anyone else; otherwise you could isolate yourself. Instead of making a power play, try talking openly about your goals to build confidence in your team. This way they will want to be a part of your plan and can play a crucial role in your achievement.
Saturday, December 16, 2006"
Saturday, December 16, 2006"
Friday, December 15, 2006
|  Description |
| Firefighter's Coat with Susanoo-no-mikoto and Sea Monster, Edo period (1615–1868), 19th century Dark blue quilted (sashiko) cotton with freehand paste-resist decoration Purchase, Irene Lewisohn and Alice L. Crowley Bequests, 1983 (1983.158a–c) |
|  | | Description Vase with cover, 1888–98 William De Morgan (British, 1839–1917); Manufacturer: Sand's End Pottery (British) Lustered earthenware; H. 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm) Purchase, Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1923 (23.163.2ab) |
Description
| Water jar (mizusashi), Heisei period (1989–present), Nakamura Takuo (Japanese, born 1945) Stoneware inlaid with gold and silver; lid of lacquered wood; H. 5 in. (12.7 cm), W. 9 3/4 in. (24.8 cm), D. 8 1/4 in. (20.9 cm) Purchase, Barbara and William Karatz Gift, 2001 (2001.735a,b) |
All neurons are firing now as mental sparks fly and communication becomes intermittent from static noise. Your key planet Uranus is electrifying your thinking and everyone may not be able to keep up with your quantum leaps of logic. Others might not recognize your brilliance today, for your mind is racing faster than you can speak. Don't waste energy trying to bring someone along on your ride. You can always fill them in on the experience later on.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Friday, December 15, 2006
Aquarius
Have you been waiting to hear about a grant that you applied for, perhaps to create a piece of art, write a book, or make a documentary film, dear Aquarius? If so, you may have a lot to celebrate today, as news could come your way that you've been awarded the full amount you asked for! Don't be surprised, however, if there's a delay in receiving the actual funds. The project is still going to happen - but a little later than you had hoped. Relax, be patient, and wait! That's all you can do right now
Have you been waiting to hear about a grant that you applied for, perhaps to create a piece of art, write a book, or make a documentary film, dear Aquarius? If so, you may have a lot to celebrate today, as news could come your way that you've been awarded the full amount you asked for! Don't be surprised, however, if there's a delay in receiving the actual funds. The project is still going to happen - but a little later than you had hoped. Relax, be patient, and wait! That's all you can do right now
Comets
Unlike the other small bodies in the solar system, comets have been known since antiquity. There are Chinese records of Comet Halley going back to at least 240 BC. The famous Bayeux Tapestry, which commemorates the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, depicts an apparition of Comet Halley.......clic for more>>>
Unlike the other small bodies in the solar system, comets have been known since antiquity. There are Chinese records of Comet Halley going back to at least 240 BC. The famous Bayeux Tapestry, which commemorates the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, depicts an apparition of Comet Halley.......clic for more>>>
Scientists hope to dust off the origins of space and time
For more information about the Stardust mission, see www.nasa.gov/stardust
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
hope to dust off the origins of space and time
Material 'was around when the solar system formed more than 4 billion years ago'
Friday, December 15, 2006
By TOM PAULSONP-I REPORTER
It's only a fraction of a thimble's worth of dust, but scientists around the world are buzzing about it altering our view of how the solar system formed and perhaps, depending on what else gets teased out of these tiny specks, of how life arose on Earth.
"For the first time, we have a sample of the material that was around when the solar system formed more than 4 billion years ago," said Don Brownlee, a University of Washington astronomer and lead scientist for NASA's $212 million Stardust mission.
Earlier this year, the Stardust space capsule returned to Earth (the Utah desert, to be precise) after traveling 2.9 billion miles over seven years. Two years ago, the spacecraft encountered a comet known as Wild 2 and collected dust by flying through its "coma" -- the cloud of ice, gas and dust at the front of the comet.
Today, in Science magazine, Brownlee and about 200 other scientists report some of their initial findings in numerous papers. A photograph taken by the UW astronomer of a piece of comet dust -- encased in the aerosolized-glass substance known as "aerogel" used by Stardust to trap the dust -- is the cover art for the journal.
"We have found some amazing things," said the UW astronomer, citing as one example the discovery of a class of minerals known as calcium aluminum inclusions.
Holy cow! Calcium aluminum inclusions?
OK, even though most people likely haven't heard of this class of minerals, it turns out they are fairly interesting once Brownlee explains what they are -- and why finding them in an ancient comet was not to be expected.
"They are the oldest things in the solar system," he said, and they only form in extremely hot environments like that of a forming star, or the sun.
Yet comets such as Wild 2, according to the common wisdom, are formed of dust and ice to orbit out in the extremely cold regions at the edge of our solar system.
In short, comets shouldn't have any high-temperature calcium aluminum inclusions.
"That was, for me anyway, the biggest surprise," Brownlee said.
What this seems to imply, he said, is that the formation of the solar system some 4.5 billion years ago was either much more violent or the swirling proto-planetary material in space was much more "mixed" than most theoretical models suggest.
Somehow, Brownlee said, hot material that had to be created early and at the center of the solar system was transported to the outer, colder edges of our planetary system.
Comets such as Wild 2, which only recently got diverted closer to Earth by passing close to Jupiter's gravitational field, are thought to be some of the oldest, most pristine collections of the solar system's primordial building blocks.
"They are windows into space and time," Brownlee said. Everything on Earth, including every living creature, was built from this material, he noted. As the Joni Mitchell song said: "We are stardust."
Aiming to improve the knowledge of our planetary origins, NASA has launched several craft at comets over the years: Deep Space 1 flew past the comet Borrelly in 2001 and took pictures; Stardust actually collected comet material and brought it back; Deep Impact smacked into the comet Tempel 1 in 2005 to allow remote analysis of the exploded material.
So far, the evidence from these and other such missions has only raised more questions. Some of the comets appear to conform to expectations and are best thought of as a dirty snowball, a loosely packed pile of ice and dust. But Wild 2, for example, was discovered to have tall spires and canyons with sharp walls, ejecting huge jets of gas.
"These missions ... have caused a major rethinking of the origin of comets," said Michael A'Hearn, a University of Maryland astronomer who wrote an editorial in the journal accompanying the Stardust research reports.
The findings reported today are just the beginning. The Wild 2 dust particles have been dispersed to researchers across the planet, Brownlee said, and are being studied along many different lines, using all sorts of techniques -- including even the 2-mile long Stanford Linear Accelerator.
"I wouldn't say we've revolutionized our view of the solar system," Brownlee said. But there's no question now that we need to change our view of how comets formed and the role they played early in the formation of the planets.
MORE ONLINE
For more information about the Stardust mission, see www.nasa.gov/stardust
For more information about the Stardust mission, see www.nasa.gov/stardust
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
hope to dust off the origins of space and time
Material 'was around when the solar system formed more than 4 billion years ago'
Friday, December 15, 2006
By TOM PAULSONP-I REPORTER
It's only a fraction of a thimble's worth of dust, but scientists around the world are buzzing about it altering our view of how the solar system formed and perhaps, depending on what else gets teased out of these tiny specks, of how life arose on Earth.
"For the first time, we have a sample of the material that was around when the solar system formed more than 4 billion years ago," said Don Brownlee, a University of Washington astronomer and lead scientist for NASA's $212 million Stardust mission.
Earlier this year, the Stardust space capsule returned to Earth (the Utah desert, to be precise) after traveling 2.9 billion miles over seven years. Two years ago, the spacecraft encountered a comet known as Wild 2 and collected dust by flying through its "coma" -- the cloud of ice, gas and dust at the front of the comet.
Today, in Science magazine, Brownlee and about 200 other scientists report some of their initial findings in numerous papers. A photograph taken by the UW astronomer of a piece of comet dust -- encased in the aerosolized-glass substance known as "aerogel" used by Stardust to trap the dust -- is the cover art for the journal.
"We have found some amazing things," said the UW astronomer, citing as one example the discovery of a class of minerals known as calcium aluminum inclusions.
Holy cow! Calcium aluminum inclusions?
OK, even though most people likely haven't heard of this class of minerals, it turns out they are fairly interesting once Brownlee explains what they are -- and why finding them in an ancient comet was not to be expected.
"They are the oldest things in the solar system," he said, and they only form in extremely hot environments like that of a forming star, or the sun.
Yet comets such as Wild 2, according to the common wisdom, are formed of dust and ice to orbit out in the extremely cold regions at the edge of our solar system.
In short, comets shouldn't have any high-temperature calcium aluminum inclusions.
"That was, for me anyway, the biggest surprise," Brownlee said.
What this seems to imply, he said, is that the formation of the solar system some 4.5 billion years ago was either much more violent or the swirling proto-planetary material in space was much more "mixed" than most theoretical models suggest.
Somehow, Brownlee said, hot material that had to be created early and at the center of the solar system was transported to the outer, colder edges of our planetary system.
Comets such as Wild 2, which only recently got diverted closer to Earth by passing close to Jupiter's gravitational field, are thought to be some of the oldest, most pristine collections of the solar system's primordial building blocks.
"They are windows into space and time," Brownlee said. Everything on Earth, including every living creature, was built from this material, he noted. As the Joni Mitchell song said: "We are stardust."
Aiming to improve the knowledge of our planetary origins, NASA has launched several craft at comets over the years: Deep Space 1 flew past the comet Borrelly in 2001 and took pictures; Stardust actually collected comet material and brought it back; Deep Impact smacked into the comet Tempel 1 in 2005 to allow remote analysis of the exploded material.
So far, the evidence from these and other such missions has only raised more questions. Some of the comets appear to conform to expectations and are best thought of as a dirty snowball, a loosely packed pile of ice and dust. But Wild 2, for example, was discovered to have tall spires and canyons with sharp walls, ejecting huge jets of gas.
"These missions ... have caused a major rethinking of the origin of comets," said Michael A'Hearn, a University of Maryland astronomer who wrote an editorial in the journal accompanying the Stardust research reports.
The findings reported today are just the beginning. The Wild 2 dust particles have been dispersed to researchers across the planet, Brownlee said, and are being studied along many different lines, using all sorts of techniques -- including even the 2-mile long Stanford Linear Accelerator.
"I wouldn't say we've revolutionized our view of the solar system," Brownlee said. But there's no question now that we need to change our view of how comets formed and the role they played early in the formation of the planets.
MORE ONLINE
For more information about the Stardust mission, see www.nasa.gov/stardust
BBC NEWS Science/Nature Comets hold life chemistry clues
Comets hold life chemistry clues
By Jonathan Amos Science reporter, BBC News, San Francisco
The idea that comets delivered the chemical "seeds" for life to the early Earth has been given a big boost.
Scientists studying the tiny grains of material recovered from Comet Wild-2 by Nasa's Stardust mission have found large, complex carbon-rich molecules.
They are of the type that could have been important precursor components of the initial reactions that gave rise to the planet's biochemistry.
The first full analysis of the Wild-2 grains is reported in Science magazine.
"Whatever it took to get life started, the more variety of molecules you had in the mix and the more they looked like the kinds of molecules that life uses now then the easier it should have been," Dr Scott Sandford from Nasa's Ames Research Center told BBC News.
The Stardust spacecraft flew past the 5km-wide icy "mud-ball" known as Comet 81P/Wild-2 in January 2004.
The probe swept up particles fizzing off the object's surface as it passed some 240km (149 miles) from the comet's core, or nucleus. These tiny grains, just a few thousandths or a millimetre in size, were then returned to Earth in a sealed capsule.
Lab clues
Distributed among the world's leading astro-labs, the specimens are giving researchers a remarkable insight into the conditions that must have existed in the earliest phases of the Solar System when planets and comets were forming.
Dr Sandford led the organics investigation; some 55 researchers in more than 30 institutions. His team sees many delicate, volatile compounds that are quite unlike those familiar in meteorites that have fallen to Earth.
These Wild-2 compounds lack the aromaticity, or carbon ring structures, frequently found in meteorite organics. They are very rich in oxygen and nitrogen, and they probably pre-date the existence of our Solar System.
"It's quite possible that what we're seeing is an organic population of molecules that were made when ices in the dense cloud from which our Solar System formed were irradiated by ultraviolet photons and cosmic rays," Dr Sandford explained.
"That's of interest because we know that in laboratory simulations where we irradiate ice analogues of types we know are out there, these same experiments produce a lot of organic compounds, including amino acids and a class of compounds called amphiphiles which if you put them in water will spontaneously form a membrane so that they make little cellular-like structures."
No-one knows how life originated on the cooling early Earth, but it has become a popular theory that a bombardment of comets may have deposited important chemical units for the initiating reactions.
The Stardust results, also reported here at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, will give support to this idea.
Hot and cold
They will also allow researchers to "re-tune" the models they use to describe how materials were moved and mixed up in the early Solar System.
The Stardust mineral grains generally show a huge diversity, and, very surprisingly, there are materials incorporated into the samples that must have formed close in to the proto-Sun.
These include calcium-aluminium and magnesium-olivine fragments.
"They form in the hottest possible place in the Solar System, so it's quite stunning to find something like them in a body that came together in the coldest place in the Solar System," said Dr Don Brownlee from the University of Washington and who is the principal investigator, or lead scientist, on Stardust.
"There must have been some way of getting them from the new Sun to the outer fringes of the proto-planetary disc," commented Professor Monica Grady from the UK's Open University.
"There must have been major turbulence and currents and disc-wide mixing, which hadn't really been predicted."
The international team of scientists has used a wide variety of sophisticated laboratory analytical techniques to study the samples. But there is a realisation that technologies improve and some comet samples will be kept back for future study.
Just as with the Moon rocks returned by the Apollo programme, researchers are likely to be working on the Stardust samples for decades.
"The information from Stardust has been a revelation and will continue to be as we couple it with other comet data we get from Nasa's Deep Impact mission and Europe's Rosetta mission, which is coming up in seven years' time," said Professor Grady.
In the UK, scientists from the Open University, Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum and the Universities of Kent, Manchester and Glasgow have been involved in the analysis.
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/5173992.stmPublished: 2006/12/15 01:12:56 GMT© BBC MMVI
Comets hold life chemistry clues
By Jonathan Amos Science reporter, BBC News, San Francisco
The idea that comets delivered the chemical "seeds" for life to the early Earth has been given a big boost.
Scientists studying the tiny grains of material recovered from Comet Wild-2 by Nasa's Stardust mission have found large, complex carbon-rich molecules.
They are of the type that could have been important precursor components of the initial reactions that gave rise to the planet's biochemistry.
The first full analysis of the Wild-2 grains is reported in Science magazine.
"Whatever it took to get life started, the more variety of molecules you had in the mix and the more they looked like the kinds of molecules that life uses now then the easier it should have been," Dr Scott Sandford from Nasa's Ames Research Center told BBC News.
The Stardust spacecraft flew past the 5km-wide icy "mud-ball" known as Comet 81P/Wild-2 in January 2004.
The probe swept up particles fizzing off the object's surface as it passed some 240km (149 miles) from the comet's core, or nucleus. These tiny grains, just a few thousandths or a millimetre in size, were then returned to Earth in a sealed capsule.
Lab clues
Distributed among the world's leading astro-labs, the specimens are giving researchers a remarkable insight into the conditions that must have existed in the earliest phases of the Solar System when planets and comets were forming.
Dr Sandford led the organics investigation; some 55 researchers in more than 30 institutions. His team sees many delicate, volatile compounds that are quite unlike those familiar in meteorites that have fallen to Earth.
These Wild-2 compounds lack the aromaticity, or carbon ring structures, frequently found in meteorite organics. They are very rich in oxygen and nitrogen, and they probably pre-date the existence of our Solar System.
"It's quite possible that what we're seeing is an organic population of molecules that were made when ices in the dense cloud from which our Solar System formed were irradiated by ultraviolet photons and cosmic rays," Dr Sandford explained.
"That's of interest because we know that in laboratory simulations where we irradiate ice analogues of types we know are out there, these same experiments produce a lot of organic compounds, including amino acids and a class of compounds called amphiphiles which if you put them in water will spontaneously form a membrane so that they make little cellular-like structures."
No-one knows how life originated on the cooling early Earth, but it has become a popular theory that a bombardment of comets may have deposited important chemical units for the initiating reactions.
The Stardust results, also reported here at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, will give support to this idea.
Hot and cold
They will also allow researchers to "re-tune" the models they use to describe how materials were moved and mixed up in the early Solar System.
The Stardust mineral grains generally show a huge diversity, and, very surprisingly, there are materials incorporated into the samples that must have formed close in to the proto-Sun.
These include calcium-aluminium and magnesium-olivine fragments.
"They form in the hottest possible place in the Solar System, so it's quite stunning to find something like them in a body that came together in the coldest place in the Solar System," said Dr Don Brownlee from the University of Washington and who is the principal investigator, or lead scientist, on Stardust.
"There must have been some way of getting them from the new Sun to the outer fringes of the proto-planetary disc," commented Professor Monica Grady from the UK's Open University.
"There must have been major turbulence and currents and disc-wide mixing, which hadn't really been predicted."
The international team of scientists has used a wide variety of sophisticated laboratory analytical techniques to study the samples. But there is a realisation that technologies improve and some comet samples will be kept back for future study.
Just as with the Moon rocks returned by the Apollo programme, researchers are likely to be working on the Stardust samples for decades.
"The information from Stardust has been a revelation and will continue to be as we couple it with other comet data we get from Nasa's Deep Impact mission and Europe's Rosetta mission, which is coming up in seven years' time," said Professor Grady.
In the UK, scientists from the Open University, Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum and the Universities of Kent, Manchester and Glasgow have been involved in the analysis.
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/5173992.stmPublished: 2006/12/15 01:12:56 GMT© BBC MMVI
Gay News From 365Gay.com
Gay Students Have No Right To Meet School Board Saysby 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 14, 2006 9:00 pm ET
(Okeechobee, Florida) A Florida school district has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by a high school student who was prevented from organizing a Gay-Straight Alliance at her school.
A lawyer for the Okeechobee County School Board argue that gay students are not protected by the federal Equal Access Act and that principal Toni Wiersma was following Florida state law in rejecting the club.
Students attempted to organize the club after Yasmin Gonzalez and her girlfriend were told they could not attend the school prom as a couple. The rejection was one of several incidents targeting LGBT students at Okeechobee High School.
When Wiersma told Gonzalez and fellow students Amber Sewell and Erica Rodriguez they could not form the club on school property they went to the American Civil Liberties Union which filed suit.
“Straight kids cannot turn their backs on the plague of violence and discrimination against gay and lesbian students,” said Sewell, who is straight and one of the GSA founders. “When students aren’t safe, we can’t learn. Only when we stand together will we find a solution.”
The GSA, which currently meets at a local restaurant, has elected officers and adopted a constitution. The GSA now has approximately 50 members.
The ACLU suit argues that under the federal Equal Access Act schools that allow any extracurricular activities to meet on campus are required to allow all extracurricular student groups to do so and to treat every club equally.
“Florida’s gay and lesbian students deserve schools that are places of learning, not training camps for intolerance, intimidation and violence," said Robert Rosenwald, Director of the ACLU of Florida’s LGBT Advocacy Project.
The school allows a number of extracurricular clubs – including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Key Club, and the Rodeo team – to meet regularly on school grounds.
But school district attorney David Gibbs says that the Equal Access Act can't be used in the case of a GSA and furthermore Florida law requires schools to teach abstinence, "while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage."
A ruling on the motion to dismiss the case is expected early in 2007.
Gay Students Have No Right To Meet School Board Saysby 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 14, 2006 9:00 pm ET
(Okeechobee, Florida) A Florida school district has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by a high school student who was prevented from organizing a Gay-Straight Alliance at her school.
A lawyer for the Okeechobee County School Board argue that gay students are not protected by the federal Equal Access Act and that principal Toni Wiersma was following Florida state law in rejecting the club.
Students attempted to organize the club after Yasmin Gonzalez and her girlfriend were told they could not attend the school prom as a couple. The rejection was one of several incidents targeting LGBT students at Okeechobee High School.
When Wiersma told Gonzalez and fellow students Amber Sewell and Erica Rodriguez they could not form the club on school property they went to the American Civil Liberties Union which filed suit.
“Straight kids cannot turn their backs on the plague of violence and discrimination against gay and lesbian students,” said Sewell, who is straight and one of the GSA founders. “When students aren’t safe, we can’t learn. Only when we stand together will we find a solution.”
The GSA, which currently meets at a local restaurant, has elected officers and adopted a constitution. The GSA now has approximately 50 members.
The ACLU suit argues that under the federal Equal Access Act schools that allow any extracurricular activities to meet on campus are required to allow all extracurricular student groups to do so and to treat every club equally.
“Florida’s gay and lesbian students deserve schools that are places of learning, not training camps for intolerance, intimidation and violence," said Robert Rosenwald, Director of the ACLU of Florida’s LGBT Advocacy Project.
The school allows a number of extracurricular clubs – including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Key Club, and the Rodeo team – to meet regularly on school grounds.
But school district attorney David Gibbs says that the Equal Access Act can't be used in the case of a GSA and furthermore Florida law requires schools to teach abstinence, "while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage."
A ruling on the motion to dismiss the case is expected early in 2007.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Gay News From 365Gay.com
NJ Gov. Set To Sign Civil Unions Billby 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 14, 2006 - 5:50 pm ET
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(Trenton, New Jersey) A bill to allow civil unions for same-sex couples passed the New Jersey Legislature Thursday afternoon. It now goes to Gov. Jon S. Corzine who has said he would sign the legislation into law.
The bill will take effect in 60 days after he signs it. The first civil unions could begin in February.
"Love counts," said Wilfredo Caraballo, (D) opening debate in the Assembly. "The gender of whom one loves should not matter to the state."
The Assembly voted 56-19 to pass the bill. It was approved in the Senate on a 23 - 12 vote an hour-and-a-half later.
LGBT civil rights group had criticized the legislation saying it falls short of full marriage.
"Although it is disappointing that the legislature did not grant same-sex couples full marriage equality today, it is gratifying that we are achieving pro-active advances for equality instead of having to defend ourselves against attacks," said Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese.
"Same-sex couples throughout the state will now have access to hundreds of family protections that were previously available only to straight couples," said Deborah Jacobs, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Jersey.
"But civil unions are a temporary fix," Jacobs said. "We are going to keep pressing until same-sex couples and their families have access to the dignity and respect that only comes through marriage."
Lambda Legal said it expected to see problems arise as a result of the civil union law.
"Although same-sex couples in New Jersey are better off today than yesterday, they are still not equal to other couples," said David Buckel, Marriage Project Director at Lambda.
"Their relationships will likely continue to be disrespected. By passing a law that marks same-sex couples as inferior, the government has paved the way for others to discriminate against them.
"Just as we saw happen with couples whose domestic partnerships were not recognized, so too are we likely to see similar hardships for couples in civil unions.
Currently only Massachusetts allows same-sex couples to marry.
Vermont permits civil unions, but the New Jersey measure is somewhat more positive, Garden State Equality said Thursday. The New Jersey legislation contains no language referring to marriage as "between a man and a woman."
A Republican attempt to insert that language in the bill as an amendment failed Thursday.
The bill also contains a provision establishing a commission that will investigate how civil unions fall short of marriage and report back to the legislature in six months.
Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein said he has no doubt that the legislation is only a transition to full marriage.
Goldstein said that all five leaders in both houses now support marriage equality. He said he expects the law will be amended within two years to permit marriage.
The legislation came about as a result of an October ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court that same-sex couples should have access to the same rights and benefits as married couples. Whether to call those rights marriages, civil unions or something else was left up to lawmakers.
Saundra Toby-Heath, a plaintiff in the suit to allow gay marriage, told the Associated Press Thursday she doesn't know how whether she and her partner, Alicia Heath-Toby, would register in a civil union or wait in hopes that marriage will be allowed.
"I think the problem is that really nobody knows this is going to look like," said Toby-Heath, 53, who lives in Newark.
A study by researchers at UCLA shows that New Jersey florists, caterers, hotels and other businesses would bring in more than $100 million in additional revenue per year if the state allowed gay couples to marry.
The study's author, M.V. Lee Badgett, of the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, figured that half of New Jersey's 16,600 gay couples, plus more than 16,000 from neighboring New York and Pennsylvania and nearly 43,000 from around the country would tie the knot in the Garden State over three years.
The Assembly on Thursday also approved a bill to outlaw discrimination against New Jersey's transgender citizens. The vote was 69 - 5 with six abstentions. The Senate approved the measure earlier in the week.
The legislation now goes to the governor for his signature.
The new law will add a citizen's "gender identity or expression" as a basis for protection under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination
NJ Gov. Set To Sign Civil Unions Billby 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: December 14, 2006 - 5:50 pm ET
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(Trenton, New Jersey) A bill to allow civil unions for same-sex couples passed the New Jersey Legislature Thursday afternoon. It now goes to Gov. Jon S. Corzine who has said he would sign the legislation into law.
The bill will take effect in 60 days after he signs it. The first civil unions could begin in February.
"Love counts," said Wilfredo Caraballo, (D) opening debate in the Assembly. "The gender of whom one loves should not matter to the state."
The Assembly voted 56-19 to pass the bill. It was approved in the Senate on a 23 - 12 vote an hour-and-a-half later.
LGBT civil rights group had criticized the legislation saying it falls short of full marriage.
"Although it is disappointing that the legislature did not grant same-sex couples full marriage equality today, it is gratifying that we are achieving pro-active advances for equality instead of having to defend ourselves against attacks," said Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese.
"Same-sex couples throughout the state will now have access to hundreds of family protections that were previously available only to straight couples," said Deborah Jacobs, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Jersey.
"But civil unions are a temporary fix," Jacobs said. "We are going to keep pressing until same-sex couples and their families have access to the dignity and respect that only comes through marriage."
Lambda Legal said it expected to see problems arise as a result of the civil union law.
"Although same-sex couples in New Jersey are better off today than yesterday, they are still not equal to other couples," said David Buckel, Marriage Project Director at Lambda.
"Their relationships will likely continue to be disrespected. By passing a law that marks same-sex couples as inferior, the government has paved the way for others to discriminate against them.
"Just as we saw happen with couples whose domestic partnerships were not recognized, so too are we likely to see similar hardships for couples in civil unions.
Currently only Massachusetts allows same-sex couples to marry.
Vermont permits civil unions, but the New Jersey measure is somewhat more positive, Garden State Equality said Thursday. The New Jersey legislation contains no language referring to marriage as "between a man and a woman."
A Republican attempt to insert that language in the bill as an amendment failed Thursday.
The bill also contains a provision establishing a commission that will investigate how civil unions fall short of marriage and report back to the legislature in six months.
Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein said he has no doubt that the legislation is only a transition to full marriage.
Goldstein said that all five leaders in both houses now support marriage equality. He said he expects the law will be amended within two years to permit marriage.
The legislation came about as a result of an October ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court that same-sex couples should have access to the same rights and benefits as married couples. Whether to call those rights marriages, civil unions or something else was left up to lawmakers.
Saundra Toby-Heath, a plaintiff in the suit to allow gay marriage, told the Associated Press Thursday she doesn't know how whether she and her partner, Alicia Heath-Toby, would register in a civil union or wait in hopes that marriage will be allowed.
"I think the problem is that really nobody knows this is going to look like," said Toby-Heath, 53, who lives in Newark.
A study by researchers at UCLA shows that New Jersey florists, caterers, hotels and other businesses would bring in more than $100 million in additional revenue per year if the state allowed gay couples to marry.
The study's author, M.V. Lee Badgett, of the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, figured that half of New Jersey's 16,600 gay couples, plus more than 16,000 from neighboring New York and Pennsylvania and nearly 43,000 from around the country would tie the knot in the Garden State over three years.
The Assembly on Thursday also approved a bill to outlaw discrimination against New Jersey's transgender citizens. The vote was 69 - 5 with six abstentions. The Senate approved the measure earlier in the week.
The legislation now goes to the governor for his signature.
The new law will add a citizen's "gender identity or expression" as a basis for protection under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
11 Spring Street - Graffiti - New York Times
December 14, 2006
Last Hurrah for Street Art, as Canvas Goes Condo
By RANDY KENNEDY
It was as if someone had told devotees of Picasso’s “Demoiselles d’Avignon” or Matisse’s “Dance” that the Museum of Modern Art had changed hands and would soon be shut down for residential redevelopment, with all the art inside to vanish as part of the deal.
In this case the art is not hanging inside the building but is splashed all over the walls outside, in spray paint, wheat paste, rubber, plastic, metal, cardboard and various other unidentifiable substances, a story-high gallery of graffiti and street art that seems to have grown almost organically (and mostly unimpeded by the authorities) over the last two decades.
Depending on your point of view, the hulking 19th-century brick building at 11 Spring Street in NoLIta, a former stable and carriage house, was either a stunning eyesore or one of the most famous canvases and lodestars in the world for urban artists. When those of the latter view heard recently that the building had been sold and would soon be gutted and converted into condominiums, they considered it the end of an era. Bearing their cameras, they began showing up at the building over the last few weeks in a kind of mournful procession.
But inside the building over those same weeks, an unlikely tribute to 11 Spring’s history — and a brief reprieve for its artwork — was also quietly taking shape.
After buying the building several months ago, the new owner-developers, Caroline Cummings and Bill Elias, wanted to find some way to bid an appropriate farewell to its past. They admired the artwork, they said, even if there was no way it could remain on a building where buyers would soon be dropping millions of dollars on new condos.
They contacted Marc and Sara Schiller, longtime documentarians of street art whose Web site, woostercollective.com, collects thousands of pictures of such art from around the world. The group decided that the best salute would be to stage one last, thoroughly legal, art-making hurrah, inviting some of the best-known graffiti and street artists in the world, many of whose work already loomed large on the outside of the building, to take over the inside and completely cover five floors, 30,000 square feet of brick wall space, with work.
The art would then stay up only for a few days before the contractors moved in with drywall to cover up the interior works and pressure hoses to erase those on the outside. There would be no sponsors, no press releases, no payments to the artist and no artwork for sale. As much as it is still possible in today’s art world, it would be art for art’s sake, a fleeting salute to a fleeting form.
Now, after nearly two months of work by 45 artists, the show is almost ready. The building’s doors will be unlocked tomorrow for an open house that will continue through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. On Monday work will begin that will eventually seal most of the interior artwork behind pipes, wires and drywall.
“In a way the art is all going to disappear, but it’s also going to be sealed up in this incredible time capsule,” said Mr. Schiller, walking through the building Tuesday afternoon as more than a dozen artists continued to work on their pieces in a haze of aerosol fumes and sawdust.
Several of the artists involved in the project are still little known outside the street art world, but others have become highly successful designers, marketers and gallery darlings. Many converged on short notice from around the world to create artwork, some flown in and housed at the developers’ expense.
Shepard Fairey, a veritable rock star in the street art world, came from Los Angeles before jetting off again for the Art Basel fair in Miami Beach. D*Face, a London artist who once proposed to his fiancée by painting the question on 11 Spring Street, flew in from north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been commissioned to create an artwork for the Icehotel in Sweden.
And Jace, who created a piece on the building’s fifth floor that includes a frighteningly large mousetrap, made of wood and metal and baited with a huge bag of fake money — a clear jab at the development that is about to transform the building — probably won the prize for longest commute. He flew in from the island of Réunion, east of Madagascar, where he lives, spent several days in the building and then returned.
“It’s like a family reunion we’ve got here,” said one artist in from Milan who calls himself Bo and works with a partner, a small woman who calls herself Microbo. “Except some of the family you’ve never met before.”
The other evening, as music blared from multiple stereos, about a dozen artists were arrayed among the floors, still at work. One known as Lady Pink, a veteran New York graffiti artist, was applying the last touches to a large, pink supine version of the Statue of Liberty that was being impaled with a cross but seeming somehow to enjoy it.
Mr. Schiller, passing by the work with Ms. Cummings, smiled. “This is probably the most political work we’ve got in here,” he said.
Lady Pink smiled back. “Oh, it gets more political than this, believe me,” she said.
Downstairs two members of a younger generation of street artists, a pair of New York-based twins who call themselves Skewville, went outside to look again at one of their favorite pieces — one that will soon become history — a very realistic-looking fake air vent that, if you look closely, spells “fake.” Early one morning a couple of years ago, they bolted it to a wall above one of the building’s doors.
Ms. Cummings went outside to look at it with them and told them that she thought it was a great work of art. One of the twins looked at it and agreed. “Basically, she bought our piece for $10 million,” he said, “and the building was thrown in for free.”
December 14, 2006
Last Hurrah for Street Art, as Canvas Goes Condo
By RANDY KENNEDY
It was as if someone had told devotees of Picasso’s “Demoiselles d’Avignon” or Matisse’s “Dance” that the Museum of Modern Art had changed hands and would soon be shut down for residential redevelopment, with all the art inside to vanish as part of the deal.
In this case the art is not hanging inside the building but is splashed all over the walls outside, in spray paint, wheat paste, rubber, plastic, metal, cardboard and various other unidentifiable substances, a story-high gallery of graffiti and street art that seems to have grown almost organically (and mostly unimpeded by the authorities) over the last two decades.
Depending on your point of view, the hulking 19th-century brick building at 11 Spring Street in NoLIta, a former stable and carriage house, was either a stunning eyesore or one of the most famous canvases and lodestars in the world for urban artists. When those of the latter view heard recently that the building had been sold and would soon be gutted and converted into condominiums, they considered it the end of an era. Bearing their cameras, they began showing up at the building over the last few weeks in a kind of mournful procession.
But inside the building over those same weeks, an unlikely tribute to 11 Spring’s history — and a brief reprieve for its artwork — was also quietly taking shape.
After buying the building several months ago, the new owner-developers, Caroline Cummings and Bill Elias, wanted to find some way to bid an appropriate farewell to its past. They admired the artwork, they said, even if there was no way it could remain on a building where buyers would soon be dropping millions of dollars on new condos.
They contacted Marc and Sara Schiller, longtime documentarians of street art whose Web site, woostercollective.com, collects thousands of pictures of such art from around the world. The group decided that the best salute would be to stage one last, thoroughly legal, art-making hurrah, inviting some of the best-known graffiti and street artists in the world, many of whose work already loomed large on the outside of the building, to take over the inside and completely cover five floors, 30,000 square feet of brick wall space, with work.
The art would then stay up only for a few days before the contractors moved in with drywall to cover up the interior works and pressure hoses to erase those on the outside. There would be no sponsors, no press releases, no payments to the artist and no artwork for sale. As much as it is still possible in today’s art world, it would be art for art’s sake, a fleeting salute to a fleeting form.
Now, after nearly two months of work by 45 artists, the show is almost ready. The building’s doors will be unlocked tomorrow for an open house that will continue through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. On Monday work will begin that will eventually seal most of the interior artwork behind pipes, wires and drywall.
“In a way the art is all going to disappear, but it’s also going to be sealed up in this incredible time capsule,” said Mr. Schiller, walking through the building Tuesday afternoon as more than a dozen artists continued to work on their pieces in a haze of aerosol fumes and sawdust.
Several of the artists involved in the project are still little known outside the street art world, but others have become highly successful designers, marketers and gallery darlings. Many converged on short notice from around the world to create artwork, some flown in and housed at the developers’ expense.
Shepard Fairey, a veritable rock star in the street art world, came from Los Angeles before jetting off again for the Art Basel fair in Miami Beach. D*Face, a London artist who once proposed to his fiancée by painting the question on 11 Spring Street, flew in from north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been commissioned to create an artwork for the Icehotel in Sweden.
And Jace, who created a piece on the building’s fifth floor that includes a frighteningly large mousetrap, made of wood and metal and baited with a huge bag of fake money — a clear jab at the development that is about to transform the building — probably won the prize for longest commute. He flew in from the island of Réunion, east of Madagascar, where he lives, spent several days in the building and then returned.
“It’s like a family reunion we’ve got here,” said one artist in from Milan who calls himself Bo and works with a partner, a small woman who calls herself Microbo. “Except some of the family you’ve never met before.”
The other evening, as music blared from multiple stereos, about a dozen artists were arrayed among the floors, still at work. One known as Lady Pink, a veteran New York graffiti artist, was applying the last touches to a large, pink supine version of the Statue of Liberty that was being impaled with a cross but seeming somehow to enjoy it.
Mr. Schiller, passing by the work with Ms. Cummings, smiled. “This is probably the most political work we’ve got in here,” he said.
Lady Pink smiled back. “Oh, it gets more political than this, believe me,” she said.
Downstairs two members of a younger generation of street artists, a pair of New York-based twins who call themselves Skewville, went outside to look again at one of their favorite pieces — one that will soon become history — a very realistic-looking fake air vent that, if you look closely, spells “fake.” Early one morning a couple of years ago, they bolted it to a wall above one of the building’s doors.
Ms. Cummings went outside to look at it with them and told them that she thought it was a great work of art. One of the twins looked at it and agreed. “Basically, she bought our piece for $10 million,” he said, “and the building was thrown in for free.”
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
"Get out in the fresh air today in whatever way suits your fancy, dear Aquarius. It is important to exercise your lungs with some brisk physical activity or at least to refresh them with a ride in a convertible. This is a terrific time for you; you feel alive and joyous about the life you lead. Join with others in recognizing all that you have, and express your gratitude in whatever way is appropriate."
On political stage, pope slams gay marriage -- Queer Lesbian Gay News -- Gay.com
To the pope:
Stultorum infinitus est numerus! Damnant quod non intelligunt. Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem. Si vis pacem, para bellum. Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis. Fortitudine vincimus! - Memnoch the devil
(Infinite is the number of fools! People condemns what they don't understand.It is crueller to be always afraid of dying than to die. if you want peace, prepare for war. Times are changing, and we are changing within them. By endurance, we conquer!)
To the pope:
Stultorum infinitus est numerus! Damnant quod non intelligunt. Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem. Si vis pacem, para bellum. Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis. Fortitudine vincimus! - Memnoch the devil
(Infinite is the number of fools! People condemns what they don't understand.It is crueller to be always afraid of dying than to die. if you want peace, prepare for war. Times are changing, and we are changing within them. By endurance, we conquer!)
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Google: "A dream or a vision may lead you into a powerful situation now, for there is an unusual intensity to your desires. You are being drawn into unfamiliar landscapes, yet you will likely receive timely help from your friends. Don't be afraid to entertain your unrealized fantasies, for others will join your party, supporting you along your way."
Monday, November 27, 2006
Antiwar.com: "Let us form a new religion, that which would be called 'humanity', with 'peace' as its prophet.
– Nima Shirali, Middle Eastern Reconciliation Forum "
– Nima Shirali, Middle Eastern Reconciliation Forum "
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Google: "It is your key planet Uranus that is getting stressed today by amorous Venus. As the symbol of love, beauty and sensory pleasure, Venus encourages you to risk more than normal in your quest for fulfillment. Avoid too much stimulation, whether from caffeine or reckless behavior. In the long run, it's better to sacrifice a bit of excitement for long-term stability.
Saturday, November 25, 2006 "
Saturday, November 25, 2006 "
Friday, November 24, 2006
It is generally quite clear that you aren't ever afraid to tell people what you think, dear Aquarius, but maybe it is time to be more expressive about how you feel. It could be that your mental process is a bit off today, jolted by an unexpected situation or person. Make sure you incorporate some of your instincts and emotions into your reaction to the situation. Don't rely on your brain alone to have all the answers
"Your friends are more encouraging of who you are and what you want to do, even if they have previously resisted you. Just be careful that you aren't being led astray by short-sighted people who are pumping you up because they cannot see very far ahead. Don't let their insecurities become your over-commitment. For now, it may be better to just rely on your own judgments, lest you jump too quickly into an unstable situation. "
Thursday, November 23, 2006
"If you've been thinking about starting a new creative project, dear Aquarius, don't try to do it today. You may find yourself constantly distracted by friends and family vying for your attention, and other responsibilities could interfere with your desire to get going on it now. Don't hesitate to try to come up with ideas, but starting the actual work may have to wait until tomorrow. It's OK! Tomorrow you should be raring to go. Be patient!"
Google: "It feels like the pace of life is slowing down or one phase is coming to an end. Anything that is in a state of near completion should be finished in the next few days so it can begin to take new form. Don't procrastinate or make excuses. The only thing that can hold you back now is your own self-doubt. Believing in yourself is essential.
Thursday, November 23, 2006 "
Thursday, November 23, 2006 "
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
"You probably can tell that something is different; you feel refreshed and more vibrant as you are drawn into more communal activities. Family and friends are heating up your calendar, more even than the holiday season would suggest. This is good news, for you are especially eager now to be involved with groups of like-minded people. Watch your energy level for the next few days, for it may be difficult to contain your excitement.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006"
Wednesday, November 22, 2006"
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Google: "Your current challenge may involve finding a healthy balance between the career opportunities being presented to you and your need to hold on to a status quo that works. You are surely at the threshold of something big, but it's crucial not to move too quickly. Even if your sense of urgency is great, finish putting together all the loose ends before taking a leap into your future"
Aquarius: Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 - Horoscope - MSNBC.com: "f you're artistic by nature, dear Aquarius, expect a rush of inspiration to hit you today - along with an irresistible compulsion to start a new project and work, work, work until you can see at least some results. If you've never been artistic before, you may suddenly feel like giving it a try - perhaps using computer technology. Whichever it is, you're likely to derive a lot of pleasure from your work, so go to it - and have fun!"
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
An authority figure might be lurking just out of sight and you can sense the heavy shadow being cast upon your world. This won't, however, prevent you from basking in the spotlight today. It's easy to see that you are loved, even if you don't think it will last. Focus on the positive aspects of the present moment rather than worrying about the negative potential of the future.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
You may be lured into a mystery and it could get in the way of your productivity. Perhaps you are fascinated with a new idea, philosophy or metaphysical topic and are so intrigued that your responsibilities suffer. As long as you maintain clarity about what is most important, you will be able to glide your way through the unfolding circumstances.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
You could receive unexpected support from a powerful person today, but self-doubt may prompt you to turn down the assistance. You may be unsure of the intentions of others now, even if they seem sincere. Trusting more in yourself is the first step to being open to listening to anyone else.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
David Hughes
to Garry
show details
10:24 pm (9 minutes ago)
hi Gary:
i went to the emergency room tonight , as i had been in severe pain for over 24 hours, was in severe "number ten pain" and yelling and crying, and got very good care from mease hospital and their staff and doctor, in safety harbor
i will give the information to dr jackson and dr shah to get a referral to a pain clinic, and to dr slomka, and i will make sure you get the info from the hospital also....
perhaps dr slomka, the orthopaedic surgeon, will take over my pain management, i still have to get dr jackson to correct all my medical files, and i am talking to his nurse on nov 22 to fix my file, i see dr shah on nov 27, dr pam, the personal assistant to dr shah,
whom i have been seeing for the last year, (and had a wonderful relationship with) has left dr shah's service....
i see dr slomka on dec 4, the emergency room doctors thought my case was very serious and prescribed percocet for pain (which they rarely do for chronic pain sufferers, per the doctor),
and took x rays, i will have one of the consent forms signed to send to her, as much as i wish to stay with dr jackson, this lower vertebrae hemangioma thing is very serious and prevents me from sitting....
and no one is taking it seriously, perhaps now dr slomka will know how serious it is and how much its prevents me from working, doing daily activities, and even sitting.
dr jackson's nurse was rude today when i called her to beg her for dr jackson so help me with a different medication....( my favorite nurse!) on
the phone when i was in so much and crying,
but i will continue to be kind to them to get my corrected medical file, and hopefully dr slomka, the orthopeadic surgeon,
can take over pain managment for me with percocet, the vicoden has not helped for a year now, but dr jackson refuses to prescribe that medication (per his nurse telling me so...)
the doctor at mease hospital gave me an anti inflammatory shot, a 10 mg perocet, and a 24 number prescription to get me over to a pain clinic, all along i know this is the medication i needed as vicoden
as inadequate, but i did not want to ask for it by name as so many doctors thing drug seeking clients are wanting these medication for abuse,
so i have been waiting five years till a a doctor saw how much pain i was in and prescribed it, so now i can show this to
dr slomka and tell him it worked for me, and now i wont have to suffer as i have for the past five years. dr jackson's nurse told me dr jackson does not like to prescribe this medication, but
i have suffered anyhow because i like him and he was the doctor that old me to apply for disability, and he has the most comprehesive file on me, minus the mistakes (which i have already started to correct!)
i will send you the paperwork you sent me n the mail as soon as i have the dates all the medications were first prescribed, so that should be ready by middle december and i will mail it to you, the corrected paperwork from dr jackson should be ready in january, but i suspect he and i, will have to go thru my entire file,
all five years, to correct the mistakes in each file, i will send you an example, of a copy of the incorrect medical file with your paperwork so you can see the
blatant and erroneous information that would have caused us to lose our case, he works from a computer an he had someone else 's information in my file, i will correct all this information with his help and his nurses, they still think very highly of me.
as far as "daily activities" (in the medical file) he said i was doing fine, and i was doing fine in "work and community", all are errors, so i am going to highlight this information and give it to this nurse on nov 22 so she can correct it, and in time, correct it in all my daily medical files, so i will be able to send you a corrected medical file from do jackson in january,
and then that corrected medical file will be the only file when you request the medical record for the disability judge, so it is now a blessing dr jackson never submitted his medical records, as they are full of errors, and we would have lost our case, in his computer records he superimposing old records and then adds my information, and in his hast, he or his nurse, have neglected to correct the information from other person's medical records,
as fond as i am of dr jackson , he is quite old, and has made numerous mistakes in my file, even though he is kind and im sure this is all a mistake, but i have read most of my file and will have it all corrected before it gets to you or to the disability judge,
in the long run he really wants to help me and in all cases before this he has helped me get food stamps and apply for pinellas county benefits, so i think all of this is an over site, but thank "serendipity" i was able to read my file and found many many incorrections.
once again, you are the ONLY person that has helped me on my behalf, and i will always rememember your kindness and professionalism, and will refer you to friends that need a good lawyer and a good person in general!
dave hughes
have a wonderful thanksgiving and i hope your mother is doing well who lives up here in the dunedin area
On 11/13/06, Garry Miracle <miraclelaw@hotmail.com> wrote:
David:Sorry to hear that you are not getting the cooperation that you need fromDr. Jackson and that you are having so much of a pain problem. Garry W. Miracle, Esq.220 W. Brandon Blvd.Suite 211Brandon, FL 33511(813) 655-3136----Original Message Follows----From: "David Hughes" < davidhughes.david@gmail.com>To: "Griffin, James C (N-DCR)" <james.c.griffin@lmco.com>, "Garry Miracle"< miraclelaw@hotmail.com>, dave <davidhughes.david@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: embercy roomDate: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:58:49 -0500dr jakscon will no longer see me if i go to a pain clinic, as this back pain this week at been at a level 10 and i have been on the floorcryiing......and they are the most important persons in my disability case,so regardless of the pain, i m gonna stay with dr Jackson , the pain clinic can take a month or three to get an appt, so all of this is insane, rite nowi dint have to go to the emergency room, but i am going to stay with drJackson so i can fix his files as they are incorrect for my disability case, if they send their current files i will lose my case, so i see them nexttuesday, and will tell them i m not going to go to a pain clinic till mycase is settled, and then in a year or two, i will then go to a pain clinic and get better medications, i hope this week is a fluke as far as this backpain is, thanks for all you patience....and tonight need the fax working tosend so dr Jackson can send me info for the pain clinic, which i will not use but will forward to my lawyer, this weekend has been level ten pain andsuicidal pain, the current medications and ice are not stopping the lowerback pain due to the vertebrae problem.;...
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Practical abilities you may not have known you have might suddenly appear today, dear Aquarius. You may be working behind the scenes on a project of some kind, perhaps involving earning some extra money or raising funds for a worthy cause. Your ESP and intuition are operating at a high level, so don't be surprised if you're more likely than usual to tune into the hearts and minds of others. Your imagination and inspiration are also high. Make use of them!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are all dressed up and ready for work, but something may be very wrong. You don't know what is expected of you now, but if you can let go of the details for a while, this can be a creative time that is rich with meaningful experiences. If, however, you refuse to give up control, you will only open the door to unnecessary irritation.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
ScienceDaily: Antioxidants: New Kid On The Block For Pain Relief?
Antioxidants: New Kid On The Block For Pain Relief?
Antioxidant-based pain killers may one day become a viable alternative to addictive medications such as morphine.
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Researchers found that synthetic antioxidants practically eradicated pain-like behavior in nearly three-quarters of mice with inflamed hind paws.
“When it comes to pain killers, there aren't many choices between over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin and prescription opiates like morphine,” said Robert Stephens, a professor of physiology and cell biology at Ohio State University. He's the lead author of a study examining the effects of antioxidants as pain killers.
“We need drugs that fall somewhere between these two extremes,” Stephens said. “Someone suffering from chronic pain can become dependent on, or even addicted to, heavy-duty pain killers like morphine.”
The study appears in a recent issue of the journal Behavioural Brain Research.
Chronic pain is such a formidable problem that, in 2000, Congress passed a bill designating January 1, 2001 as the beginning of the “Decade of Pain Control and Research.”
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, substances that damage cells. While our bodies constantly produce free radicals, healthy tissues inactivate these damaging substances and keep their levels in check. It's when free-radical production somehow exceeds the body's natural defenses that problems occur. Researchers have linked this excessive production to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
A handful of studies published in the last 10 years suggest that free radicals may also contribute to chronic pain. Left unchecked, free radicals build up in the body and can further damage already-injured tissue.
An equally small number of studies, including those by Stephens, suggest that antioxidants may fight chronic pain by helping the body to break down free radicals.
“Studying the pain-killing effects of antioxidants is an emerging area of research,” Stephens said. “The FDA hasn't approved antioxidants for the treatment of chronic pain. But down the road we may see some drugs that contain antioxidants.”
Stephens and his colleagues first injected one of three different synthetic antioxidants into mice. An additional group of control mice received only saline. The antioxidants used in this study – PBN (phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone), TEMPOL (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy) and NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) – aren't the same as those found in fruits and vegetables, and two, PBM and TEMPOL, are currently only available for scientific purposes. NAC is available as a dietary supplement.
“Right now we're trying to show that antioxidants are viable pain killers,” Stephens said. “Similar work by other researchers suggested that these antioxidants were the best available. And while certain foods likely contain pain-killing antioxidants, these agents have not been systematically tested as pain relievers.”
Shortly after the antioxidant or saline injections, the researchers injected formalin, an irritant, into the left hind paw of each mouse. Formalin causes inflammation, which provokes pain-like behavior in mice. Researchers then spent the next 30 minutes studying how much time an animal spent licking and biting its injured paw. This kind of behavior suggests that the animal is in pain or discomfort.
The researchers divided the 30-minute observation session into three distinct periods – a five-minute acute phase, when the body first senses and reacts to pain, followed by a 5- to 15-minute period of relative stillness, as the body uses its own mechanisms to try to inhibit the pain, and ending with a 15- to 30-minute period called the tonic phase, during which a mouse starts to again vigorously lick or bite its irritated paw, suggesting that it still feels pain or discomfort.
The three antioxidants significantly reduced the amount of time that mice spent biting and licking their injured paw during both the acute and tonic phases. The researchers reported a 70- to 90-percent reduction in pain-related behaviors during the acute phase, and a 78- to 98-percent reduction in such behavior during the tonic phase.
“We were surprised to see such a major decrease in pain in the mice, particularly during the acute phase,” Stephens said. “The antioxidants seem to preempt pain-like behavior.
“Other investigators have given antioxidants to rodents after experimentally inducing pain and have found that the drugs relieve pain to a similar extent.”
Stephens conducted the study with researchers from Ohio State and from Ataturk University in Erzurum, Turkey.
The study received support from the Columbus Medical Research Foundation and TUBITAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.
Antioxidants: New Kid On The Block For Pain Relief?
Antioxidant-based pain killers may one day become a viable alternative to addictive medications such as morphine.
Ads by Google
Advertise on this site
Pain in BackRelieve back pain without surgery Sit without back pain drug freewww.backshop.us
Back Pain Clinical TrialSuffer from Low Back Pain? Learn about new Oldsmar clinical trial.www.ClinicalConnection.com
Have Chronic Pain?It could be Fibromyalgia. Read more here and sign up for our newsletterwww.FibroAndFatigue.com
Stop Your Chronic PainDo Not Read Unless You Want To Relieve Your Chronic PainDoctorsPainRelief.com
Lower Back PainThe Source for Info on Back Pain. Find the Right Care Options For Youwww.SpineOnline.com
Researchers found that synthetic antioxidants practically eradicated pain-like behavior in nearly three-quarters of mice with inflamed hind paws.
“When it comes to pain killers, there aren't many choices between over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin and prescription opiates like morphine,” said Robert Stephens, a professor of physiology and cell biology at Ohio State University. He's the lead author of a study examining the effects of antioxidants as pain killers.
“We need drugs that fall somewhere between these two extremes,” Stephens said. “Someone suffering from chronic pain can become dependent on, or even addicted to, heavy-duty pain killers like morphine.”
The study appears in a recent issue of the journal Behavioural Brain Research.
Chronic pain is such a formidable problem that, in 2000, Congress passed a bill designating January 1, 2001 as the beginning of the “Decade of Pain Control and Research.”
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, substances that damage cells. While our bodies constantly produce free radicals, healthy tissues inactivate these damaging substances and keep their levels in check. It's when free-radical production somehow exceeds the body's natural defenses that problems occur. Researchers have linked this excessive production to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
A handful of studies published in the last 10 years suggest that free radicals may also contribute to chronic pain. Left unchecked, free radicals build up in the body and can further damage already-injured tissue.
An equally small number of studies, including those by Stephens, suggest that antioxidants may fight chronic pain by helping the body to break down free radicals.
“Studying the pain-killing effects of antioxidants is an emerging area of research,” Stephens said. “The FDA hasn't approved antioxidants for the treatment of chronic pain. But down the road we may see some drugs that contain antioxidants.”
Stephens and his colleagues first injected one of three different synthetic antioxidants into mice. An additional group of control mice received only saline. The antioxidants used in this study – PBN (phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone), TEMPOL (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy) and NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) – aren't the same as those found in fruits and vegetables, and two, PBM and TEMPOL, are currently only available for scientific purposes. NAC is available as a dietary supplement.
“Right now we're trying to show that antioxidants are viable pain killers,” Stephens said. “Similar work by other researchers suggested that these antioxidants were the best available. And while certain foods likely contain pain-killing antioxidants, these agents have not been systematically tested as pain relievers.”
Shortly after the antioxidant or saline injections, the researchers injected formalin, an irritant, into the left hind paw of each mouse. Formalin causes inflammation, which provokes pain-like behavior in mice. Researchers then spent the next 30 minutes studying how much time an animal spent licking and biting its injured paw. This kind of behavior suggests that the animal is in pain or discomfort.
The researchers divided the 30-minute observation session into three distinct periods – a five-minute acute phase, when the body first senses and reacts to pain, followed by a 5- to 15-minute period of relative stillness, as the body uses its own mechanisms to try to inhibit the pain, and ending with a 15- to 30-minute period called the tonic phase, during which a mouse starts to again vigorously lick or bite its irritated paw, suggesting that it still feels pain or discomfort.
The three antioxidants significantly reduced the amount of time that mice spent biting and licking their injured paw during both the acute and tonic phases. The researchers reported a 70- to 90-percent reduction in pain-related behaviors during the acute phase, and a 78- to 98-percent reduction in such behavior during the tonic phase.
“We were surprised to see such a major decrease in pain in the mice, particularly during the acute phase,” Stephens said. “The antioxidants seem to preempt pain-like behavior.
“Other investigators have given antioxidants to rodents after experimentally inducing pain and have found that the drugs relieve pain to a similar extent.”
Stephens conducted the study with researchers from Ohio State and from Ataturk University in Erzurum, Turkey.
The study received support from the Columbus Medical Research Foundation and TUBITAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.
"There is a lot going on at work and it can be distracting. Still, you might enjoy all the activity as passionate Mars activates your key planet Uranus. If life does become overwhelming, keep in mind that the intensity will not last more than a few days. You have the potential for great originality as long as you don't try to avoid the chaos.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006"
Wednesday, November 8, 2006"
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Like This, and Then Some
This is a real image of a typical solar flare from our sun, captured in the X-ray waveband by NASA's TRACE satellite. NASA's Swift satellite detected a similar flare from a star system called II Pegasi 135 light-years from Earth, except it was one hundred million times more energetic than the sun's typical solar flare. Had it been from our sun, it would have triggered a mass extinction on Earth.
Flare From Star Is Biggest Ever Seen
Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News
Nov. 7, 2006 � The most colossal X-ray flare ever detected has been caught in the act of zapping its solar system with planet-killing radiation � not our solar system, thankfully.
The star is II Pegasi in the constellation Pegasus, about 135 light-years from Earth. That means the explosive flare seen by NASA's Swift satellite � a spacecraft designed to detect much more distant and powerful gamma ray bursts � actually took place around the year 1871. Light from the event is only now reaching Earth.
� back
Flare From Star Is Biggest Ever Seen
Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News
type size: [
Nov. 7, 2006 � The most colossal X-ray flare ever detected has been caught in the act of zapping its solar system with planet-killing radiation � not our solar system, thankfully.
The star is II Pegasi in the constellation Pegasus, about 135 light-years from Earth. That means the explosive flare seen by NASA's Swift satellite � a spacecraft designed to detect much more distant and powerful gamma ray bursts � actually took place around the year 1871. Light from the event is only now reaching Earth.
The X-ray flare is the first-ever detected beyond our own sun that bears a striking resemblance to the much smaller "X-class" flares generated occasionally by our own sun.
"It's a hundred thousand times more powerful than the largest solar flares ever recorded," said astronomer Steven Drake of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Despite being far more powerful, it looks like it was created in the same way, he said.
It starts with a tangle of magnetic field lines on the surface of a star that short-circuits. When that happens, atomic particles are accelerated to speeds only seen on Earth in high tech particle accelerators.
The accelerated particles can emit gamma rays, which is what caught the Swift satellite's attention in the first place. When the satellite turned to face II Pegasi, it took aim with its X-ray detector and caught the hour-long eruption of X-rays. The X-rays were created as material violently erupted from the sun and then arched back down and slammed back onto the star's surface.
By comparison, X-ray flares on the sun last only second or minutes, at most.
"It's certainly one of the biggest ever seen," said Drake of the II Pegasi flare. It's the hands-down winner in terms of those seen in "soft" X-rays, which are the rays just beyond the wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light.
Drake is a coauthor on a paper on the flare being presented by the University of Maryland�s Rachel Osten at the "Cool Stars 14" meeting in Pasadena this week.
What�s less surprising about the flare, however, is that it originated from II Pegasi, said Pennsylvania State University astrophysicist Eric Feigelson.
"It�s known to be one of the most flaring stars," said Feigelson. If he had been asked to guess which nearby stars were capable of belting out such a flare, II Pegasi would have been among his top ten, he said.
That's because despite being a middle-aged star that ought to be past this sort of wild and violent behavior, II Pegasi is part of a tightly-bound two-star system in which the stars are roaring around each other, generating powerful tidal forces that keep II Pegasi riled up.
Foruntately our own sun is relatively quiet and stable, with X-ray flares that are unable to penetrate Earth's atmosphere.
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Source: Discovery News
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Sunday, November 05, 2006
In this undated photo released by Taiji Whale Museum, divers hold a bottlenose dolphin that has an extra set of human hand-sized fins near its tail in Taiji, Wakayama prefecture in western Japan. (AP)
A Quote
"I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery."
Captured Dolphin Gives Evolutionary Clues, Japanese Researchers Discover Extra Fins That Could Be Remains Of Legs - CBS News:
Captured Dolphin Gives Evolutionary Clues
TOKYO, Nov. 5, 2006
(AP) A bottlenose dolphin captured last month off western Japan has an extra set of fins, providing further evidence that ocean-dwelling mammals once had four legs and lived on land, Japanese researchers said Sunday. Fishermen netted the four-finned dolphin off the coast of Wakayama prefecture (state) on Oct. 28, and alerted the nearby Taiji Whaling Museum, according to museum director Katsuki Hayashi. The second set of fins — much smaller than the dolphin's front fins — are about the size of adult human hands and protrude from near the tail on the dolphin's underside.
The dolphin is 8.92 feet long and is about 5 years old, according to the museum. Although dolphins and whales with odd-shaped protrusions near their tails have been caught in the past, researchers think this is the first one found with well-developed, symmetrical fins, Hayashi said. "I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery," said Seiji Osumi, an adviser at Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research, at a news conference televised Sunday. Hayashi said he couldn't tell from watching the dolphin swim in a museum tank whether it uses its back fins to maneuver. Fossil remains indicate that dolphins and whales were four-footed land animals about 50 million years ago and share common ancestors with the hippopotamus and deer.
Scientists believe they later transitioned to an aquatic lifestyle and lost their hind limbs. Whales and dolphin fetuses show signs of hind protrusions but they disappear before birth. A freak mutation may have caused the ancient trait to reassert itself, Osumi said. The dolphin will be kept at the Taiji museum to undergo X-ray and DNA tests, according to Hayashi.©MMVI, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Captured Dolphin Gives Evolutionary Clues
TOKYO, Nov. 5, 2006
(AP) A bottlenose dolphin captured last month off western Japan has an extra set of fins, providing further evidence that ocean-dwelling mammals once had four legs and lived on land, Japanese researchers said Sunday. Fishermen netted the four-finned dolphin off the coast of Wakayama prefecture (state) on Oct. 28, and alerted the nearby Taiji Whaling Museum, according to museum director Katsuki Hayashi. The second set of fins — much smaller than the dolphin's front fins — are about the size of adult human hands and protrude from near the tail on the dolphin's underside.
The dolphin is 8.92 feet long and is about 5 years old, according to the museum. Although dolphins and whales with odd-shaped protrusions near their tails have been caught in the past, researchers think this is the first one found with well-developed, symmetrical fins, Hayashi said. "I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery," said Seiji Osumi, an adviser at Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research, at a news conference televised Sunday. Hayashi said he couldn't tell from watching the dolphin swim in a museum tank whether it uses its back fins to maneuver. Fossil remains indicate that dolphins and whales were four-footed land animals about 50 million years ago and share common ancestors with the hippopotamus and deer.
Scientists believe they later transitioned to an aquatic lifestyle and lost their hind limbs. Whales and dolphin fetuses show signs of hind protrusions but they disappear before birth. A freak mutation may have caused the ancient trait to reassert itself, Osumi said. The dolphin will be kept at the Taiji museum to undergo X-ray and DNA tests, according to Hayashi.©MMVI, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
"You may be feeling immoveable in your own world, making others see you as rather stubborn. But with the dynamic changes that are under foot, be aware that you won't be able to hold back the tides. You might as well resign yourself to the fact that you are not in control now. Loosen the reins and let the winds take you where they will.
Sunday, November 5, 2006"
Sunday, November 5, 2006"
Saturday, November 04, 2006
"Other people are the most important aspect of your day today, dear Aquarius. You will find that alone, things might get a bit difficult and unruly, but as long as you connect with others, you will find that even the most challenging task is almost effortless. One toothpick is easily broken in half, but realize that 20 toothpicks put together are just as strong as steel. Conjure up this power created by a force of people who all share a common goal"
Powerful pastor's drug purchases shocks evangelicals - CNN.com
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Powerful pastor's drug purchases shocks evangelicals
Story Highlights•NEW: Denver police will look into "crimes that may have been committed"•White House downplays Rev. Ted Haggard's influence•Evangelist admits he called male escort to buy drugs and get a massage•Polygraph administrator says accuser's polygraph test "did show deception"
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (CNN) -- The Rev. Ted Haggard, who has resigned as one of the nation's top evangelical leaders, admitted Friday he had contacted a male prostitute for a massage and bought methamphetamine.
"I was buying it for me, but I never used it," said Haggard, 50, sitting in the driver's seat of a car with his wife, Gayle, at his side during an impromptu interview with CNN Denver affiliate KUSA-TV.
"I never kept it very long because it was wrong. I was tempted. I bought it. But I never used it." Haggard also acknowledged contacting Mike Jones but has denied Jones' accusation that the two men regularly had sex over three years. (Watch how the scandal has quickly unfolded -- 3:35)
The admissions -- after Haggard's earlier denials that he even knew Jones -- resonated among America's evangelicals and Christian leaders.
Haggard resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella group representing more than 45,000 churches with 30 million members.
He also temporarily stepped aside Thursday as senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, pending an internal investigation into Jones' allegations. (Parishioners stand by Haggard)
Haggard was one of a group of religious leaders who regularly participated in conference calls with White House aides, Time magazine reported.
On Friday, the White House sought to downplay Haggard's influence within the administration.
Spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Friday that it was inaccurate to portray him as being close to the White House, insisting Haggard was only an occasional participant in weekly conference calls between West Wing staff and leading evangelicals.
"He has been on a couple of calls," Fratto said. "He's been to the White House one or two times."
Last year, Time -- citing Haggard's White House access -- put him on its list of the nation's 25 most influential evangelicals. (Time.com article)
Many religious leaders had rallied to the pastor's defense when the allegations broke earlier in the week.
Dobson: He's still my friend
But Focus on the Family founder James Dobson -- who had castigated the media Thursday for reporting Jones' allegations -- issued a statement Friday saying he was "heartsick" upon learning of Haggard's admissions.
"The possibility that an illicit relationship has occurred is alarming to us and to millions of others," Dobson said.
"He will continue to be my friend, even if the worst allegations prove accurate," he continued. "Nevertheless, sexual sin, whether homosexual or heterosexual, has serious consequences."
Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, a Washington-based conservative policy group, said he was "saddened to learn of these allegations of reprehensible behavior."
"In his position as a leader of the evangelical community, this personal tragedy has public ramifications, so we urge that a full accounting of the facts be swift and complete," he said in a statement.
In an interview Friday with CNN, Jones said he went public with his allegations because of Haggard's support for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that is on the ballot next week in Colorado.
"For someone who is up there preaching that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, and he's going behind his wife's back and seeing a gay man for sex -- I felt like I owed it to the gay community to expose the hypocrisy," Jones said.( Watch Jones describe how he and Haggard "hooked up" -- 7:26)
Unclear polygraph test
But Jones' account of events also came under scrutiny Friday after he voluntarily took a polygraph test for Denver's KHOW radio, where he originally made his allegations Wednesday.
The polygraph examiner concluded Jones showed some "deception."
However, the examiner said because Jones was exhausted at the time the test was administered it would need to be redone after he slept and ate to get more reliable results.
Jones told CNN that the part of the test he failed was on the question of whether he and Haggard had sex. "I don't understand why I did fail the part about when they asked me if I had sex with Ted Haggard," he said. "That's the reason he contacted me to begin with." (Watch Jones' take on Haggard's denial -- 1:20)
Haggard told KUSA that he was "grateful that [Jones] failed the polygraph test."
The Denver Police Department issued a statement saying it was "watching this situation unfold" and planned "on reaching out to the involved parties for information on crimes that may have been committed in Denver."
Haggard had told reporters earlier in the week that he did not know Jones.
But Friday, he said a Denver hotel where he was staying referred him to Jones for a massage, and Jones "told him about" the methamphetamine. (Watch Haggard's response to whether he knows gay men in Denver -- 2:07)
He did not identify the hotel. Jones told CNN he did not sell methamphetamine to Haggard, but he said he gave Haggard a contact to obtain the drug and saw him use it on multiple occasions. He also said he was "not listed with any concierge" at a Denver hotel.
Asked about Haggard's continued denials of a sexual relationship, Jones noted that Haggard had denied even knowing him until he released voice mails he said he had kept from Haggard.
"The more denial he gives, the messier he looks," Jones said.
An expert hired by KUSA concluded the voice on the messages was probably Haggard, and a more detailed analysis was under way. The pastor admitted Friday that he did call Jones "to buy some meth, but I threw it away." (Watch what Haggard said about the drugs he bought -- 1:59)
Jones has said he met Haggard three years ago when the pastor answered his escort ad, pretending to be a man from Kansas City named "Art." He said their sexual encounters continued monthly until August.
Haggard's middle name is Arthur.
Jones, who has said he no longer works as a prostitute, told CNN he only learned Art's identity several months ago, when he recognized Haggard on TV.
"You can't put yourself in the position he was in and want respect and people to follow your words when you're actually doing the opposite behind their backs," Jones said.
CNN's Delia Gallagher contributed to this report.
Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/03/haggard.allegations/index.html
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Powerful pastor's drug purchases shocks evangelicals
Story Highlights•NEW: Denver police will look into "crimes that may have been committed"•White House downplays Rev. Ted Haggard's influence•Evangelist admits he called male escort to buy drugs and get a massage•Polygraph administrator says accuser's polygraph test "did show deception"
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (CNN) -- The Rev. Ted Haggard, who has resigned as one of the nation's top evangelical leaders, admitted Friday he had contacted a male prostitute for a massage and bought methamphetamine.
"I was buying it for me, but I never used it," said Haggard, 50, sitting in the driver's seat of a car with his wife, Gayle, at his side during an impromptu interview with CNN Denver affiliate KUSA-TV.
"I never kept it very long because it was wrong. I was tempted. I bought it. But I never used it." Haggard also acknowledged contacting Mike Jones but has denied Jones' accusation that the two men regularly had sex over three years. (Watch how the scandal has quickly unfolded -- 3:35)
The admissions -- after Haggard's earlier denials that he even knew Jones -- resonated among America's evangelicals and Christian leaders.
Haggard resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella group representing more than 45,000 churches with 30 million members.
He also temporarily stepped aside Thursday as senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, pending an internal investigation into Jones' allegations. (Parishioners stand by Haggard)
Haggard was one of a group of religious leaders who regularly participated in conference calls with White House aides, Time magazine reported.
On Friday, the White House sought to downplay Haggard's influence within the administration.
Spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Friday that it was inaccurate to portray him as being close to the White House, insisting Haggard was only an occasional participant in weekly conference calls between West Wing staff and leading evangelicals.
"He has been on a couple of calls," Fratto said. "He's been to the White House one or two times."
Last year, Time -- citing Haggard's White House access -- put him on its list of the nation's 25 most influential evangelicals. (Time.com article)
Many religious leaders had rallied to the pastor's defense when the allegations broke earlier in the week.
Dobson: He's still my friend
But Focus on the Family founder James Dobson -- who had castigated the media Thursday for reporting Jones' allegations -- issued a statement Friday saying he was "heartsick" upon learning of Haggard's admissions.
"The possibility that an illicit relationship has occurred is alarming to us and to millions of others," Dobson said.
"He will continue to be my friend, even if the worst allegations prove accurate," he continued. "Nevertheless, sexual sin, whether homosexual or heterosexual, has serious consequences."
Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, a Washington-based conservative policy group, said he was "saddened to learn of these allegations of reprehensible behavior."
"In his position as a leader of the evangelical community, this personal tragedy has public ramifications, so we urge that a full accounting of the facts be swift and complete," he said in a statement.
In an interview Friday with CNN, Jones said he went public with his allegations because of Haggard's support for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that is on the ballot next week in Colorado.
"For someone who is up there preaching that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, and he's going behind his wife's back and seeing a gay man for sex -- I felt like I owed it to the gay community to expose the hypocrisy," Jones said.( Watch Jones describe how he and Haggard "hooked up" -- 7:26)
Unclear polygraph test
But Jones' account of events also came under scrutiny Friday after he voluntarily took a polygraph test for Denver's KHOW radio, where he originally made his allegations Wednesday.
The polygraph examiner concluded Jones showed some "deception."
However, the examiner said because Jones was exhausted at the time the test was administered it would need to be redone after he slept and ate to get more reliable results.
Jones told CNN that the part of the test he failed was on the question of whether he and Haggard had sex. "I don't understand why I did fail the part about when they asked me if I had sex with Ted Haggard," he said. "That's the reason he contacted me to begin with." (Watch Jones' take on Haggard's denial -- 1:20)
Haggard told KUSA that he was "grateful that [Jones] failed the polygraph test."
The Denver Police Department issued a statement saying it was "watching this situation unfold" and planned "on reaching out to the involved parties for information on crimes that may have been committed in Denver."
Haggard had told reporters earlier in the week that he did not know Jones.
But Friday, he said a Denver hotel where he was staying referred him to Jones for a massage, and Jones "told him about" the methamphetamine. (Watch Haggard's response to whether he knows gay men in Denver -- 2:07)
He did not identify the hotel. Jones told CNN he did not sell methamphetamine to Haggard, but he said he gave Haggard a contact to obtain the drug and saw him use it on multiple occasions. He also said he was "not listed with any concierge" at a Denver hotel.
Asked about Haggard's continued denials of a sexual relationship, Jones noted that Haggard had denied even knowing him until he released voice mails he said he had kept from Haggard.
"The more denial he gives, the messier he looks," Jones said.
An expert hired by KUSA concluded the voice on the messages was probably Haggard, and a more detailed analysis was under way. The pastor admitted Friday that he did call Jones "to buy some meth, but I threw it away." (Watch what Haggard said about the drugs he bought -- 1:59)
Jones has said he met Haggard three years ago when the pastor answered his escort ad, pretending to be a man from Kansas City named "Art." He said their sexual encounters continued monthly until August.
Haggard's middle name is Arthur.
Jones, who has said he no longer works as a prostitute, told CNN he only learned Art's identity several months ago, when he recognized Haggard on TV.
"You can't put yourself in the position he was in and want respect and people to follow your words when you're actually doing the opposite behind their backs," Jones said.
CNN's Delia Gallagher contributed to this report.
Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/03/haggard.allegations/index.html
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The differences between your inner desires and your outer world can be the source of great frustration, for there really isn't a viable solution. This isn't as bad as it sounds, for you can alleviate the pressure by simply being aware of the dilemma. If you understand that your home and family obligations are a given, then you don't need to struggle against them. Whatever time you have left over for fun is simply a bonus.
Saturday, November 4, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
hi there, ive been having a ruff time with the process in my mouth, the lower gums are slow to heal, i get fitted for the bottom denture next wed, i did have near this much trouble with the upper gums, but then i did have 11 bottom teeth a year ago, to chew, and now nothing to chew, so tonight its back to yougurt and stuff i can chew, basic crackers, for another month till the dentures are ready, its really hard as most of my meds for high blood pressure i have to eat, and naproxen, i have to eat or i pay the price.....oh well, sweet nurse, ..........god im at 51 and look what im writing about, being gumless, gumfull, without gums, oh now, with gums, without teeth, gone is the gripper LOL
i cant keep much down, as i cant chew anything, i keep losing james spegetti, ......and of course, with that goes my ability to spell......
but today that took me into a dream place, cause i havent slept in two days,
where i felt johnny jordon commited suicide because he was gay, or afraid he was being found out that he was gay, did you ever pick up on any of that, the last time i saw him he was so full of fear, we were at church in a brezzeway, and you know we had been good friends and lovers on and off for years, and then that summer while i was in new jersey, he did it and left scriptures all over his room, i also felt the scriptures were all related, all those scriptures from galations and romans, etc, that say its a sin to be gay, he was such a wonderful person
no body should have to go thru what society puts people thru, just because of differences...well thats me gumming my way thru another e mail, ive learned it takes a long time for my urocet k to dissovle, yuc, cause these last few months ive gotten kidney stones almost every day
gonna get a referrel to a urologist end of this month and change my diet, im over that pain big time...
love u
i cant keep much down, as i cant chew anything, i keep losing james spegetti, ......and of course, with that goes my ability to spell......
but today that took me into a dream place, cause i havent slept in two days,
where i felt johnny jordon commited suicide because he was gay, or afraid he was being found out that he was gay, did you ever pick up on any of that, the last time i saw him he was so full of fear, we were at church in a brezzeway, and you know we had been good friends and lovers on and off for years, and then that summer while i was in new jersey, he did it and left scriptures all over his room, i also felt the scriptures were all related, all those scriptures from galations and romans, etc, that say its a sin to be gay, he was such a wonderful person
no body should have to go thru what society puts people thru, just because of differences...well thats me gumming my way thru another e mail, ive learned it takes a long time for my urocet k to dissovle, yuc, cause these last few months ive gotten kidney stones almost every day
gonna get a referrel to a urologist end of this month and change my diet, im over that pain big time...
love u
A team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and NASA�s Goddard Space Flight Center has been selected by NASA to develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious �Dark Energy� that permeates the Universe and causes its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.
NOAO Press Release 06-10: NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 3, 2006RELEASE NO: NOAO 06-10
NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope
For More Information:
Douglas IsbellOffice of Public Affairs and Educational OutreachNational Optical Astronomy ObservatoryPhone: 520/318-8214E-mail: disbell@noao.edu
Images
With links to a larger version.
Artist's rendition of the Destiny spacecraft
Image Credit: NASA/GSFC
A team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has been selected by NASA to develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious “Dark Energy” that permeates the Universe and causes its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.
“Destiny’s strength is that it is a simple, low-cost mission designed to attack the puzzling problem of Dark Energy directly with high statistical precision,” said Tod R. Lauer, the Principal Investigator for Destiny and an astronomer at NOAO. “We build upon grism technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys to help us provide spectra of the supernovae as well as images. Spectra are critical to diagnosing the properties of the supernova, but are very difficult to obtain with more traditional cameras. Destiny’s grism camera, however, will take simultaneous spectra of all objects in its field. This is a major advantage of our approach, which greatly increases the ability to detect and characterize these distant stellar explosions.”
The discovery of a mysterious force now known as Dark Energy was announced in 1998 by two independent teams of astronomers who were studying distant supernovae as a way to measure how the expansion rate of the Universe has changed over time. These teams (both of whom used NOAO telescopes in Chile to discover the supernovae) were surprised to discover that, rather than slowing down, as had been expected, the expansion rate of the Universe is actually speeding up as the Universe ages. To explain this surprising phenomenon, scientists have been forced to conclude that the Universe contains not only ordinary matter and dark (invisible) matter, but also an ingredient called Dark Energy that permeates all of space and propels this expansion. Understanding the origin and properties of Dark Energy is probably the most outstanding problem in cosmology today.
“Destiny is designed to exploit two complementary paths—supernovae and large scale distribution of matter—to measure Dark Energy in a manner that is less susceptible to unknowns than any single technique,” said Dominic J. Benford of NASA Goddard, the Deputy Principal Investigator for Destiny.
The Destiny team has strong connections to the state of Arizona, with members in Tucson at NOAO, the University of Arizona’s astronomy department and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, and several astronomers and space scientists from Arizona State University. Other team members (including several that were part of the original discovery of Dark Energy) are based at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Harvard University, Texas A&M, the University of California, Davis, Michigan State University, the University of Chicago, and the Carnegie Observatories.
Lauer joined the staff of NOAO in 1990. He was a member of the instrument team for the first Wide-Field and Planetary Camera aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, and was deeply involved in its calibration and early operations. Lauer has continued to be a frequent user of Hubble. In 1992, he received a NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his early work with the instrument. His research covers diverse topics ranging from searching for black holes at the centers of galaxies to the large scale structure of the Universe.
Destiny is one concept for JDEM, the Joint Dark Energy Mission, which NASA and the Department of Energy have jointly proposed to characterize Dark Energy. The Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory is a partner in the Destiny mission.
If Destiny is ultimately selected to achieve the JDEM scientific goals, the spacecraft and its 1.65-meter telescope would be launched by a Delta IV or Atlas V expendable rocket into a stable orbit at the second Earth-Sun Lagrangian point as soon as 2013. This location allows for stable and continuous operation of the instrument. Initially Destiny would continuously observe two patches of the sky for distant supernovae. Destiny’s observations are planned to coordinate closely with those from current large ground-based telescopes and emerging facilities such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).
An artist’s concept of the Destiny spacecraft at work is available above.
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, Arizona, is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 3, 2006RELEASE NO: NOAO 06-10
NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope
For More Information:
Douglas IsbellOffice of Public Affairs and Educational OutreachNational Optical Astronomy ObservatoryPhone: 520/318-8214E-mail: disbell@noao.edu
Images
With links to a larger version.
Artist's rendition of the Destiny spacecraft
Image Credit: NASA/GSFC
A team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has been selected by NASA to develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious “Dark Energy” that permeates the Universe and causes its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.
“Destiny’s strength is that it is a simple, low-cost mission designed to attack the puzzling problem of Dark Energy directly with high statistical precision,” said Tod R. Lauer, the Principal Investigator for Destiny and an astronomer at NOAO. “We build upon grism technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys to help us provide spectra of the supernovae as well as images. Spectra are critical to diagnosing the properties of the supernova, but are very difficult to obtain with more traditional cameras. Destiny’s grism camera, however, will take simultaneous spectra of all objects in its field. This is a major advantage of our approach, which greatly increases the ability to detect and characterize these distant stellar explosions.”
The discovery of a mysterious force now known as Dark Energy was announced in 1998 by two independent teams of astronomers who were studying distant supernovae as a way to measure how the expansion rate of the Universe has changed over time. These teams (both of whom used NOAO telescopes in Chile to discover the supernovae) were surprised to discover that, rather than slowing down, as had been expected, the expansion rate of the Universe is actually speeding up as the Universe ages. To explain this surprising phenomenon, scientists have been forced to conclude that the Universe contains not only ordinary matter and dark (invisible) matter, but also an ingredient called Dark Energy that permeates all of space and propels this expansion. Understanding the origin and properties of Dark Energy is probably the most outstanding problem in cosmology today.
“Destiny is designed to exploit two complementary paths—supernovae and large scale distribution of matter—to measure Dark Energy in a manner that is less susceptible to unknowns than any single technique,” said Dominic J. Benford of NASA Goddard, the Deputy Principal Investigator for Destiny.
The Destiny team has strong connections to the state of Arizona, with members in Tucson at NOAO, the University of Arizona’s astronomy department and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, and several astronomers and space scientists from Arizona State University. Other team members (including several that were part of the original discovery of Dark Energy) are based at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Harvard University, Texas A&M, the University of California, Davis, Michigan State University, the University of Chicago, and the Carnegie Observatories.
Lauer joined the staff of NOAO in 1990. He was a member of the instrument team for the first Wide-Field and Planetary Camera aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, and was deeply involved in its calibration and early operations. Lauer has continued to be a frequent user of Hubble. In 1992, he received a NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his early work with the instrument. His research covers diverse topics ranging from searching for black holes at the centers of galaxies to the large scale structure of the Universe.
Destiny is one concept for JDEM, the Joint Dark Energy Mission, which NASA and the Department of Energy have jointly proposed to characterize Dark Energy. The Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory is a partner in the Destiny mission.
If Destiny is ultimately selected to achieve the JDEM scientific goals, the spacecraft and its 1.65-meter telescope would be launched by a Delta IV or Atlas V expendable rocket into a stable orbit at the second Earth-Sun Lagrangian point as soon as 2013. This location allows for stable and continuous operation of the instrument. Initially Destiny would continuously observe two patches of the sky for distant supernovae. Destiny’s observations are planned to coordinate closely with those from current large ground-based telescopes and emerging facilities such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).
An artist’s concept of the Destiny spacecraft at work is available above.
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, Arizona, is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.