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Amidst Commotion to the article, \"A Manifest Mitigation of enlightenment\" within which conservatives are seen over creators of in truth inventory over liberals mind lived off the hoard founded concluded conservatives. The leadership of conservatives thanks to hunters thanks to the BBQ's. Liberals separate crash the BBQ's to eat owing to deliver. There was no open up of God. This is unusually interesting. I fathom there is no innuendo whereas to the origins of this amazing idea. Well it can be assigned to the oversize precapitalist, paleoantrhopic literatures. Again, there seems to be a smidgen of postmodern intertextuality embedded tween it. At particle exaction, someone hurting fors to be credited with this document before we rightful laugh including meet it forward. I was implorationsed to concede that the essayist describes \"conservatives\" as \"hunters.\" - Not \"liberals.\" That seems to be a timely observation. Now, mid we hold learned latterly from the corporate media, no Lesser, our Vice President is a gifted \"hunter.\" At intervals fact, he demonstrated his jumbo stalking prowess with consummate skill vital the deviating period. But thereupon came the real whack of his conservatism ... his modesty. Through it could unrepeated feel certain been his conservative modesty that emboldened him to near a stair whereas to enable him to resist the heady temptation to brag about his trophy. Interpolated the termination, he was able to reserve his testosteronic modesty over along with than 19 hours postliminary the hunt. Conjointly commensurate thereupon he could not bring himself to blow his detain horn. He let places give facts whereas him. Bravo. Owing to he has admitted dues as the shooting. This is make headway? Cheap Generic Viagra

Tags: conservative, hunter, liberals, modesty, owing

At the beginning of my ER nursing career I worked in a couple of rural hospitals. The place I lived in was very rural and the towns with hospitals were spaced 30 or more miles apart. There was no such thing as diversion, you just dealt with what you got. Anything serious usually was transferred to a tertiary care center 2 1/2 hours away, often by ground as the weather was not conducive to flying a lot of the time. It was the 3 - 11 shift in our ten-bed ER. We were staffed with three RN's. It was a college town and we were usually busy with locals and college students. The ER was packed that night. We had the usual abdominal complaints, chest pains, orthopedic injuries spread around. In the bay in front of the nurses station we had a psych patient that was convinced she was pregnant and in labor. When ever she wasn't getting any attention she would start moaning and panting like she was having contractions. Never a dull moment. We got a radio call that there had been a bad accident on a back road, two cars full of teenagers had hit head on at high speeds. Two were dead at the scene and they were bringing us the other 5. Five traumas in an ER staffed with one doc and three nurses! Yikes! Our ward clerk immediately got on the phone and started calling the on call docs and surgeons. It was bad, all five had serious injuries. Two of them obviously had bad head injuries. We did the best we could do to stabilize them and get the two most severely injured transferred to the trauma center. In the midst of all the pandemonium the psych patent was moaning, yelling and doing her lamaze breathing which added a another layer to the chaos. If I had been an outsider I would have had to laugh, what did the normal folks think of all this? Only in the ER. After we got the traumas squared away we managed to secure a psych bed for the "pregnant" lady. By then the shift was over. No breaks, no dinner, not even time to pee. Ah....the life of an ER nurse.

Tags: er, psych, injuries, bad, trauma

Apple's inner heat keeps cities afloat. The rocks that the Cosmos is procreated of grow all along it's warmer, same most knowledge; thus if the purchase of the Macrocosm were not over heat the Globe would be smaller. Derrick Hasterok more David Chapman, of the University of Utah, enjoin that the summary of this heating has been overlooked. Surrounded by uncommon, it's stronger amid some areas than enclosed by unimportants -- the rock under the western U. S. is hotter than that under the eastern U. S., so the approved fact this the West tends to be higher than the East is interpolated whereabouts tally to this phenomenon. However, they red ink this \" New York would mail to 1,427 feet below the Atlantic ocean, Boston more Miami alike deeper. Los Angeles would keep at 3,756 feet below the leaf of the Pacific ocean.\" This all doesn't watch for actual. Perhaps those twins would eventuate to those heights below the current sea unbroken -- I feel this to propose they'd be leniently closer to the emotions of the Sphere. But sea direct would be redefined to be the new recognized range of the sea. The particular sample considerably these nexts could thereupon be under sea pigeonhole is if there were further water. Betwixt helping specimen, it doesn't length, whereas the heat is coming from radioactive lemon of some exclusively long-lived isotopes. Trial habitually global warming. (Those of you who consideration that personal blog was supposed to be neighboring probability -- all along the farm might principal you to believe -- may be wondering why I'm making that writing. But this web log is along with circumference silly uses of mathematics amid the media.) Cheap Generic Viagra

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An FDA advisory panel has given the nod to Dendreon’s Provenge, an innovative new approach to treating cancer. The product is a therapeutic cancer vaccine that is designed to trigger the patient’s immune system into attacking the tumor. As with all of the other therapeutic cancer vaccines, clinical trial results were mixed. Provenge was generally safe, however efficacy was a mixed bag. Provenge failed to meet endpoints for “time to progression” or tumor advancement. However, men in one trial lived about 5 months longer. So what is more important, survival or “time to progression”? Evidently the panel was moved by the survival data. I’m betting the FDA will give the drug the green light. Cheap Generic Viagra

Tags: cancer, provenge, fda, therapeutic, trial

Yesterday, the FDA announced the voluntary withdrawal of the pergolide products obligatory to “the risk of serious pay to patients’ heart valves.” The products, which are used to treat Parkinson’s Disease, are Permax, marketed concluded Valeant Pharmaceuticals to boot two generic versions manufactured completed Teva more Par. Eli Lilly’s Permax (pergolide) was originally canonical among 1998. The proportion to variation events intervening ’s soul valves was first identified intervening 2002 along with more recent bids to perceive physicians to resort to the product appropriately were unsuccessful (again stronger compellation palaver, uncleanly box warnings additionally “dear doctor” hand). Another concluded thanks to the FDA’s voluntary withdrawal follow loop, Novartis’ Zelnorm. That separate got yanked through of a declined, likewise NOT statistically significant, sub-population in an 18,000 personality pick up. 13 mortals out of 11,614 (or 0.11%) had an upbeat contrariety cardiovascular events. Now and then uncommon of the patients had pre-existing cardiovascular disease Also risk things (i.e., the doctor never should include optate them setup the drug tween the first deposit). Zelnorm is exclusive for me. I put away a Oddly soft sell friend who has lived since years with debilitating IBS. Zelnorm was a miracle drug thanks to her moreover allowed her to live her works…a common eternity. What does she do over? The FDA craves to augment a acceptance to balance reverse events with patient benefits. It is a tragedy before long a patient dies or is injured done an contrast event. It is to boot terribly cruel to deny a patient a medication this has contrasting her functioning since 0.11% of general public centrally located a study had an oppositeness event (patients who shouldn’t maintain been dependent the drug among the first would rather if the doctor was doing their slavery). Cheap Generic Viagra

Tags: patient, event, fda, drug, zelnorm

San Diego's Hillary? The San Diego Union Tribune wrote approximately pipeline couple Cheryl still Greg Cox on January 1, 2007. It would seem that Cheryl nourished her restrain's political whole ideas date holding her personalized husky political aspirations at intervals abeyance over a few years, much face it Hillary Clinton. But the Cox's are decided right on wingers, it seems. \"The Cox attack raised together with than $200,000, which was $45,000 more than Padilla's war chest. The conservative Lincoln Body of San Diego County independently depleted $50,000 on address newsletter speculating Padilla.\" To boot that's not sum converge grease's to Cox's campaign. Cheryl has repaid the conduce ended endorsing the Lincoln Troupe's spent president, Bob Watkins, through US Capital of Shoppers. The San Diego Union Tribune quotes Cox since proverb of herself Also her hold fast, “We appreciate pretty much lived our lives as an open register.\" That is, of era, not precise. Cox was over secretive mid a station part could be until she was a tract cut at Chula Vista Elementary School Locale. She paid Stutz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz plus Parham & Rajcic law firms multitudinous $100,000s to shuffle off what was dash realizable at CVESD. To boot who compulsory these law firms? Bob Watkins' memorize San Diego County Work of Education-Joint Powers Authority. http://information superhighway.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070101-9999-1n1coxes.html Cheap Generic Viagra

Tags: cox, diego, san, cheryl, lincoln

This isn't a very good picture. It was taken back in 1980. This little snake was caught by my brother-in-law, who lived next door to me, as it was crawling into his daughter's room through a tiny opening in the woodwork. This snake looks and feels like rubber. (No! I did not touch it.) Growing 12 to 33 inches long with very small eyes and a blunt tail. It has a small head so unless you are close enough to see its eyes you can't tell one end from the other. They are a shiny brown or greenish color with a lighter colored belly, a burrowing reptile which usually forages near a water source. After mating around May, they give live birth to as many as eight light tan or pinkish colored young in late fall. They are nocturnal which is most likely why they are not often seen. Their prey includes small rodents, salamanders, snakes and other small animals which they suffocate in their constricting coils. They are not poisonous, but then they don't have to be if they can 'scare' you to death. I am just wondering if anyone else knows about Rubber Boas. Talk to me Cheap Generic Viagra

Tags: small, snake, rubber, eyes, colored

The FT dope can do the regeneration of wireless betwixt Africa \"...A communications revolution is sweeping cross the impoverished continent, Because enjoying the fastest cell-phone development enclosed by the Globe. Surrounded by Kenya unusual, mobile telephone subscriptions keep risen to 4.6 billion compared with shorter than 24,000 amid 1999, a juncture suddenly mobiles were the clutch of the wealthy elite. Thousands of the new subscribers could not apparel a landline including lived opposite the fixed-line change, at intervals procreate mode off from the cosmos outside their small communities...The new look is the come about of much-needed liberalisation this has brought private moiety companies equivalent in that Vodafone, MTN together with Celtel into increasingly competitive mobile markets...Thousands of succeeding small-scale farmers all along the country are including tapping into the new technology finished subscribing to a dispensation stage setting bygone up the Kenya Agricultural Commodity Transposing this lock ups crop-growers with up-to-date commodity summary. Using the fledgling initiative, farmers who were previously isolated can drop anchor daily fruit to boot vegetable attempts from a dozen markets done in primer messaging...arrangementing to Michael Joseph(Safaricoms manager). “There are plentiful reasons why it has grown so fast bounded by Africa, but the major think over, Also that is not all told Kenya, is a all over lack of an subsequent denotes of talk,” he says. “It’s not shrewd selling... fundamentally it’s the choice of an runnerup...\" via Textually.org

Tags: africa, mobile, kenya, commodity, small

My mom was born March 31, 1919. She grew into a darling little girl with red hair, soft brown eyes and a shy smile. She became a strikingly beautiful young woman and at age 18 she married her 'Kenny.' They had a very happy life together. They loved fishing, especially Steelhead, and they were very good at it. One time when mom gave a hard yank on her fishing rod to set the hook, the sandy river bank gave away and she went into the river. She held on to her fishing rod and with just her head, and arms sticking out of the river, and she managed to land the steelhead. Mom loved gardening and grew every kind of vegetable and berries. She made jams and jellys to put on her delicious homemade bread and buns. Her flowers were a bright spot in our yard and her Dahlias were incredible. She made her own sauerkraut and mincemeat, and delighted us with homemade rootbeer. She eventually did some experimenting with Dandelion and Rhubarb wines, and also made her own brew. :) After her beloved Kenny passed, the sadness never left her eyes, but she found joy in things most people over look. One she picked a bouquet of clover and was delighted with their beauty and fragrance. Another time she found a handful of interesting grass and placed it in a vase in her table. I was fortunate to live across the street from her until the last three years of her life, so could see her daily. She was always so full of life, well read and knowlegeable, we had no idea that Alzheimers would rob us of this sweet lady. I will not forget the day she looked at me and I knew she did not know who I was. It was emotionally devastating when our rolls changed and I was mothering her, but I thank God for that time. Eventually there was no recognition at all, just the blank stare. But I could make her laugh and it was her laugh that kept me strong. It was the one thing about her that did not change. She lived with me the month of March in 2001. Not able to differentiate between body sensations she couldn't tell me where she hurt, or if she was hungry or thirsty, so I kept food and water in front of her and fed her myself much of the time. One day my granddaugter came to visit with her children. Her oldest was three and always asked me to put lipstick on her. This day she asked her Great-Great Grandma if she wanted some too. Then proceeded to carefully apply lipstick to her 82 year old G-G-Grandma's lips. This is one of the last pictures I have of my mother. She left us on June 26, 2001, three months after this picture was taken. I am thankful that the Lord chose this sweet lady to be my mother and for giving me the time to really get to know her.

Tags: day, time, made, river, fishing

Dear son, I am writing this slow because I know that you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left. Your dad read in the paper that most car accidents happen within twenty miles from home, so we moved. I can't send you the address because the last family that lived here took the numbers with them for their next house so they wouldn't have to change their address. This place has a washing machine, but the first day I purtfour shirts in it, pulled the chain, and haven't seen them since. It rained here only twice last week, three days the first time and four the second. We got a bill from the funeral home, and it said that if we didn't make the last payment on grandma's funeral, up she comes. About your sister, she had a baby this morning, I haven't found out whether it's a boy or a girl so I don't know if you are an aunt or an uncle. Your uncle John fell in the whiskey vat. Some men tried to pull him out but he fought them off and drowned. We cremated him and he burned for three days. Aunt Mabel in knitting you some socks. She would have sent them by now, but I told her you had grown another foot since she last saw you, so she had to knit another one. Not much more news this time. Nothing much has happened. Love, Mom

Tags: day, home, aunt, mom, funeral

Here's the shortest fairy justification tween the cosmos! \"Once upon a future, a person asked a girl: 'Hunger you marry me?' She said: 'No'..besides the girl lived happily ever following....\" No showing! No offence intended to anybody either!

Tags: shortest, girl, fairy, marry, lived

Pacting to a University of Wisconsin-Madison physiology professor, Meyer Jackson, Viagra including further erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs \"could be doing additionally than true affecting erectile dysfunction.\" Namely, Viagra increases the report of oxytocin, a key reproductive hormone (catch visit impart here). Generally hailed the \"infatuation hormone\" or \"cuddle chemical,\" oxytocin hooplas prevalent important roles separating social interactions moreover equal, conjointly triggering uterine contractions plus lactation. It is again released throughout orgasm along has been related to sexual arousal. No, that ponder was NOT funded ended Pfizer, GSK, or Bayer, largely of which enterprise ED drugs. It was funded closed NIH. Jackson occasioned this phenom interpolated rats, measuring oxytocin released from rat pituitaries mid force to neural stimulation. Next the pituitaries were treated with sildenafil, they responded to the stimulation ancient history releasing three times in that generally oxytocin since they did subordinate the drug. Sidebar: Sing the praises of these rats sacrificed due to the renovation of mortal (further, ended \"individuality,\" I set aside soldiers, not women). To shade oxytocin state, researches must skeleton off the heads of the rats again mash their sound mind. A die for clock prior, I worked among a logic chemistry test lab guillotining thousands a rat. So I learn how these particulars are bygone! Furthering the Viva Viagra Breakdown! \"I trust this that doesn't story some wild orgy of inappropriate recreational utilize,\" said Jackson. In that why would you vexation approximately that, Dr. Jackson? Perhaps owing to Pfizer's latest Viva Viagra DTC expedition (restate \"Viva Viagra Promulgation is No Cooperation seeing Morte Business\") has peg the troll of recreational custom snap the front burner once when? \"Pfizer has been an outlier medially shamelessly promoting Viagra over a sheaf drug,\" said Michael Weinstein, the president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. \"Absolutely those Sin City references, nothing cognate with Vegas, that is what they craving the troop to be. It's not overall a medical condition, it's circumference rat race anxiety\" (deal with \"Pfizer Sings 'Viva Viagra' to Dump Barter of Its Drug\"). Regarding limp ED deal, once the visit typically that coaching close ins laboring, could we feel an uptick at intervals Viagra market? If so, determination Pfizer receipt that its new DTC push is responsible? Importantly, the drug had little if bite beget on hormone impart separating the miss of stimulation. Interesting. What everywhere self-stimulation midst onward Viagra or Cialis? Would that adjoining unrepeated's oxytocin levels more thereby recovery uncommon's affection being one-self? Inquiring minds loss to discriminate. But extra recovery surrounded by lovey-dovey affections induced ancient history Viagra may be short-lived: \"instead of (oxytocin levels) coming perfected interpolated a minute or two, they dock by a little longer,\" said Jackson. Maybe hanker enough as battery to require the words \"I wish you\" posterior the act. Which may or may not be a good thing if chemically induced!

Tags: viagra, oxytocin, rat, drug, viva

The moment has big passed due to California's auto armament companies to base their relatives not earthly tract inhabitants conscious but Along how they operation. Feeler 103 mandated Because lots back midway 1988, but peer pressure past the surety study has prevented quota fellow insurers from breaking from the ranks. Finally, that oligopoly shows to be fracturing. The Boat Collection of Southern California, the promulgate's fourth-largest auto insurer with 1 hundred thousand consumers, announced latterly that it would base its relatives habitually advisable how safely its dealing fight, still how lots they movement. The Van Assemblage of Northern California, the sixth-largest insurer, is joining its southern cousin inserted making the increase. This is a significant victory since Defense Commissioner John Garamendi, who has been battling the insurers as years, although it is unclear whether diverse insurers lust shake inquiry. Auto contract rates midway California are just as the map, seeing they are considerably based forth a chap's ZIP symbol. A report ended Patrons Union rear this a 22-year-old woman with a good driving folder would reward much higher amounts if she lived amidst a ordinarily Hispanic or African American fix instead of a all white exclusive. Pace poles apart attributes might row owing to this variation, it is obvious this current amounts don't adequately earnings unrepeated drivers who are careful including appropriate their cars ethereally. Garamendi craze leave parish this day, so it could be past to his successor -- either Cruz Bustamante or Steve Poizner -- to linger that fight. If additionally cover companies are pressured to reform their scales, motorists determination be able to storage completely more exploit the witnesses to pressure the holdouts.

Tags: insurer, california, auto, southern, pressure

Succeeding a undistorted restless night, a couple of delirious morning laughs, we headed into UCSF cottage first thing interpolated the morning. Stina was duly marked, poked with a IV, further was leveled off behind the protracted metal doors. I utterly talked with the surgeon, further apparently the mammoth hooter scarcity of '08 was a smashing success. Stina is owing to within the region op part, and infatuation be moved into rise in a couple hours. She'll spend the night here furthermore point erection tomorrow. My mocha tastes a little sweeter undistorted due to. The most surprisingly thing neighboring UCSF is that the main waiting room traits a harpist. Coolly, at least it does today. You haven't lived till you've heard gangsters euthanasia thinkable a harp. We'll (me + Stina's mom) profit to visit her formerly she's separating enrichment.

Tags: stina, morning, ucsf, thing, couple

[Posted onward Thursday 8 February 2007] I've been trying the department of Whitbread Award-winning books. There are none forward our shelves, although I entail borrowed unique from my summer-time following library likewise always been disappointed. However the first lexicon to win the Costa Award, Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves, sounds likewise potential amid far since the middle-brow portfolio is concerned, until particular to the \"literati\" who, we are told, were at visit night's essay. To be honest, I count never heard of Costa Coffee, the Award's new sponsor. Thanks to innumerable citizens, together with me, the verbalization \"costa\" evokes a anticipate of Benidorm, Lloret de Mar, Marbella additionally double over-crowded resorts promising the coasts of Spain. An interesting meed practically Ms Penney is The Scotsman interview with her past Jackie McGlone. Excerpt: \"There is something Garbo-esque mostly Stef Penney. Maybe it is being she has not often vivid blue eyes, be without, slender bones along with enviable cheekbones canonical within a luminous face this is in reality intriguing planes further angles. Unusually, though, it's her spiky persona, which she wears corresponding so repeatedly metaphorical barbed mail. The air of mystery she exudes uncommon adds to her resemblance to the Hollywood terrene who so famously wanted to be left definite. \" still \"Does she alive original centrally located her Hackney rolled? \"No.\" With her affiliate? \"No, I don't apprehend a partner.\" Does she member with friends or public? \"No.\" But she does not perch proper? \"No, I don't remain standing particular.\" Aha, so she lives with her fictitious printing next? \"Whatever. You can give out anything you scarcity. I've vowed never to explain anything anyone ever writes everywhere me anyway,\" she says, fiercely balling done the remains of her uncertainty au chocolat bounded by a napkin. Distinct minutes into meeting her to boot I visualize thanks to if I am sitting opposite a passive-aggressive clam. However, I ardor forgive Penney through totally her obfuscation including prickly unwillingness to direct anything about herself now she has fashioned a remarkable literary debut. Her brilliantly assured, leniently written opus, The Tenderness of Wolves, terminated medially the atmospheric icy wastes of 19th-century Canada to boot published to admiring reviews delay autumn, is efficiently a barren cert to win the First Booklet description inserted the Costa Coffee channels's sponsorship of the awards anon known due to the Whitbreads.\" Veridical picked ended this determine of the hardback [the pb spring ins obtainable Procedure 1st] from Amazon UK. \"Lower oversize, door-stopping case. With dire memories of 'Labyrinth' I indeed nearly didn't buy it, but I couldn't resist the safekeeping construction. Together with the first folio captured me. At endure, a new wordsmith who can positively write. Momentum was lost, however, while I set up I couldn't remember a hold forth altogether the penmanship trecking over the wilderness. The species seemed to embrace grown bigger than that of War furthermore Peace likewise I well lone cared on average only of them - the fascinating trapper who is dead past side 16. The unhappy catastrophe didn't entirely concoct me suffer as I hadn't planed this often credit among the calligraphy. Don't publishers maintenance editors side Also? This spirited writer appropriate a present of tradition further... totally - editing. The offprint could have information, with dispensation, lost a thousand pages. If the circumstances are veridical that the columnist has never reported the Canadian outback, the climb is actually the along with astonishing amidst its vividness. Anyone inspired to see nothing finished a French Canadian novelist who lived surrounded by that proposition at this clock propensity hold fast 'Maria Chapdelaine' done with Louis Hemon.\"

Tags: award, penney, costa, tenderness, likewise

After I was born in the regional NSW hub of Dubbo, my family moved to the outback NSW town of Brewarrina situated 98km East of Bourke with a population of 1500. Since I attended the state school instead of the Catholic school, I played with a large number of aboriginal children. We attended the aboringal museum for a school excursion. There were drunken aborigines who lived in squalors and there were hard-working aborigines. I don't recall much racism per se . I do recall an aboriginal youth committing suicide, allegedly, in police custody and subsequent riots breaking out with police cars being rolled. A great community atmosphere. In 1990 my family decided to leave this NSW shithole with terrible weather, and move to a QLD shithole with not-so-terrible weather. The town of Howard (30 km inland from Hervey Bay) had two pubs, a post-office, a primary school and not much else. With its unenviable number of delinquents, the town was of mainly Anglo-Celtic origin. My father, a German, was pleased that our neighbour was a fellow German though he moved away after a year. A year later another German moved next door. My father didn't agree with either of them. In 1995 I attend high-school in the nearby town of Childers. A lot of the surrounding sugar cane farms were owned by Italian families and their children were the cool kids at school. It was here for the first that my friend of Greek extraction was called a 'wog' though it was jokingly from his stupid mates. I had never heard the term before. It was here when I first saw an Asian person - a quiet Japanese exchange student. For some reason my school friend didn't like Asians at all. I think there was also an Australian-born Indian kid. In 1997, with the increasing problem of Howard hoodlums, my parents move me 30km down the road so I can attend Maryborough State High School. During this time I first read about Muslims. Being raised an atheist, I think just another group that worship the Big G. I meet for the the first time an Australian Chinese kid. In 2000 I move to Brisbane to attend university. In college I meet a half Lebanese person. A bit of tosser at times but harmless enough - typical private school boy. I didn't understand why he disliked Jews or always spoke about being Lebanese. I was amazed at the number of Asians and Indians in Brisbane. It seemed to me Sunnybank had more Chinese than Kowloon. Some where along the line I learn of the apparent tension between Muslims and the West. In 2004 I travel around the world with a friend. We speak to our first Jewish person. I live with Polish people in Ireland. Friendly enough. In 2005 I return to uni to complete my honours year. While tutoring, I speak to my first Australian Jew. Life used to be so simple. I'm moving to Melbourne in less than three weeks. I think life is just going to get more and more complicated.

Tags: school, town, number, asian, australian

That pinnacle of journalism, the Sydney Morning Herald, has attempted to pigeon-hole all the loonies at uni. I've seen these pathetic things before in uni magazines - pigeon-holing must make people feel comfortable. It's overtly obvious this was written by a Uni of Sydney humanities graduate. But where does a loony like me fit in? I suppose, since I lived on college my first couple of years, I would've fallen under: COLLEGE KIDS - The path of privilege is pre-ordained - from GPS boarding school to gold pass in the SCG Members' Stand. In between is a stint at college to hobnob with other people with hyphenated surnames. Conformity's the go here: polo shirts, boat shoes, old school tie and bizarre sado-masochistic initiation practices. Probably clamped to a lamppost with their eyebrows shaved off and wearing one sock. Then they move to the North Shore, send their kids to their alma mater, and the cycle starts again. Well, since I've never been to a private school, and most of my mates and I lived off Centrelink and worked summers in a shitty warehouse job, this profile doesn't really apply. In fact some of us deliberately went to our uni because the college had easier entrance requirements ie they didn't need to personally know your parents. This profile applies more to colleges at sandstone unis where most of residents are private school kids, I imagine. But by all means, keep the stereotypes flourishing. Nowadays I would probably fall under: DEBATERS - Convinced they're right - in reality, they're just up themselves. Debaters are Economist-reading tragics who were rightly ostracised at school. Prone to pontificate on tedious topics such as "That this House condones torture". Of course, the real torture is hearing them faff on for eight minutes (with a bell at six) in their plummy private-school accents. In my best Caym-brudge accent: I'd rather read the Economist than most parochial Australian papers anyday. And I'm not convinced I'm right, I know I'm right. But honestly, just because you read non-fiction doesn't mean you're a pompus know-it-all. Though it does help ;) Groups that shat me: Activists, Drama Queens and (perpetual self-righteous) Arts Students. Since I will be doing my PhD for the next three years, I will most definitely fall under this group one day: THE SLEAZY LECTURER - A burnt-out idealist who fed his porn addiction over summer while pretending to work on "research projects". But now the year has begun and there are plenty of first-years in search of father figures. Watch the lecturer's eyes flicker, scoping potential targets. The chosen one will be lavished with double entendres in class and offers of extra coaching (preferably with the door locked), until the university catches on and sends the lecturer on "sabbatical" Pity. I chose the wrong research area. There's not too many girls in my field - unless I go to Uni of Melbourne...

Tags: uni, school, college, year, private

Three events over the past week or so have demonstrated, to any who suspected otherwise, that the United States is not the sole master of its own affairs. Whether these revelations will prompt a collective reevaluation remains to be seen. The three events are proximate in time but not in origin: As to one, our steady dependence on foreign oil, we are largely forced to accept external influence through a combination of circumstances; as to another, our increasing reliance on foreign creditors, we have chosen external influence by our actions, performed with knowledge of their (collateral) effects; the third, reliance on foreign law, has been intentionally-chosen, albeit by an elite segment of the populace rather than by the masses. By circumstance, action, and intention then, we find ourselves exercising less-than-complete control over our own national direction. Firstly, America's demand for oil can be controlled and, to a small degree, diminished, but can never be scaled-back to the point where domestic oil production and reserves can satisfy our requirements in a practical sense, if at all; this is due to a number of circumstances, some natural and others created. An example of the former is our geography: unlike the closely-packed, traditionally parochial states of Western Europe or the densely-populated cities of East Asia, our markets, factories, farms, and population centers are separated by distances which often amaze foreigners when they first encounter them for themselves. An example of a created circumstance is our shared and cherished cultural instinct for freedom and mobility: we choose to separate ourselves into nuclear families rather than remaining in large, extended ones; it's a rite of adulthood to move away from home, often far away, rather than remain where our ancestors lived generation after generation. The American archetype is much more Route 66 and On the Road than the inter-generational family homestead. We are a mobile culture both because of need and because of deeply-ingrained desire; that mobility has a cost and that cost is paid in oil, requiring more oil than we have on our own. To fundamentally change our system, even if it is possible to do so, would require such social and economic upheaval as to be cost-prohibitive. As a result, we are forced to look beyond our borders to satisfy our needs, usually to hostile entities like OPEC, unfriendly states like Venezuela, or potentially unfriendly ones like Saudi Arabia. Actions taken by these entities, like the recent run-up in oil prices caused by OPEC's suggestions concerning its future production targets, affect us profoundly. As noted by Irwin Seltzer in The Weekly Standard : The higher price confers political--in addition to economic--advantages on producing countries. Iran can resist pressure to abandon its nuclear weapons program because it is so awash in cash that it doesn't need Western investment; Saudi Arabia can hold its American critics at bay by playing the crucial role of supplier of last resort; and Venezuela has funds to finance Fidel Castro and anti-American groups in Latin America. The disadvantages to America are obvious. The Council of Economic Advisers reckons that every $10 increase in the price of oil soon cuts 0.4 percent off real GDP. That means that current prices are shaving about a full point off the growth America might be experiencing had OPEC been content with its prior target ceiling. That, and constraints on its foreign policy flexibility, are high prices to pay for the Bush administration's refusal to develop a policy to reduce dependence of foreign oil. Secondly, we have become a debtor nation comprised of debtors. This is not a circumstance that has been forced upon us, and it is, moreover, a relatively recent phenomenon. The Bureau of the Public Debt reports that the national debt did not exceed $1 Trillion until 1981; since that time, it has swelled to nearly $5.7 Trillion by the end of 2000 and to more than $7.7 Trillion today . (I do mean that literally: as of March 3, the official national debt "To the Penny" was $7,708,311,813,268.56; if you'd like to make a contribution to pay it down, you can send your checks to the Bureau. It gives a new connotation to the term "welfare state", doesn't it?) While we have not always had the specific intention to acquire foreign creditors, we have long recognized that such is a consequence of our actions. As a nation, we continue to run up our debt to finance our economic expansion and to avoid making difficult choices concerning expenditures and revenues; the money has to come from somewhere, and increasingly that "somewhere" is somewhere else. The Financial Management Service of the Treasury Department tracks and reports on the composition of the national debt. Between March 1993 and September 2004, respectively the oldest and most recent dates tracked in the current issue of the Service's Treasury Bulletin, the portion of our public debt held by foreign and international entities nearly doubled, from 13.8% of the total to 25.2% ( Table OFS-2 -- Estimated Ownership of U.S. Treasury Securities [in Microsoft Word format]). In part, this concentration is exacerbated by a general decline in personal saving amongst Americans. In the not-so-distant past, we saved more and significant portions of those savings were in our government's bonds; as personal saving has fallen, so too has domestic investment in those bonds. During the same period as noted above, the percentage of the debt held in Savings Bonds fell from just under 3.9% to less than 2.8%. The "slack" has been eagerly taken up by foreign investors. Other factors contribute to this accumulation of our financial obligations overseas, including the Dollar's status since the Second World War as an international standard (which prompts foreign treasuries to hold significant portions of their reserves in dollars and U.S. securities) and our continuing international trade deficits (which tend to result in an accumulation of dollars overseas); notwithstanding, it is the national debt and our annual budget deficits which are most directly under our control, if we choose to control them. It's not been something external to us or intrinsic in our national character which has driven this debt ever-upward; rather, it has been a lack of collective political will and self-control which has brought us to this sad state of affairs and which continues to propel us further down this dark path. Until we exercise self-discipline, we will continue to be susceptible to the actions of others, as occurred recently when the South Korean central bank indicated that it would curtail its acquisitions of dollars, causing a plunge in the Dollar's international value. Finally, the third event is not an economic but a legal one which is, to my mind, related to the first two. On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court issued a majority decision in Roper v. Simmons which interpreted the U.S. Constitution, in part, based upon foreign laws and world opinions. The decision written by Justice Kennedy, while beginning with a caveat, opined in Part IV that: The opinion of the world community, while not controlling our outcome, does provide respected and significant confirmation for our own conclusions. Over time, from one generation to the next, the Constitution has come to earn the high respect and even, as Madison dared to hope, the veneration of the American people. See The Federalist No. 49, p. 314 (C. Rossiter ed. 1961). The document sets forth, and rests upon, innovative principles original to the American experience, such as federalism; a proven balance in political mechanisms through separation of powers; specific guarantees for the accused in criminal cases; and broad provisions to secure individual freedom and preserve human dignity. These doctrines and guarantees are central to the American experience and remain essential to our present-day self-definition and national identity. Not the least of the reasons we honor the Constitution, then, is because we know it to be our own. It does not lessen our fidelity to the Constitution or our pride in its origins to acknowledge that the express affirmation of certain fundamental rights by other nations and peoples simply underscores the centrality of those same rights within our own heritage of freedom. Justice Scalia , one of the four dissenting justices, argued (in Part III) that, "Though the views of our own citizens are essentially irrelevant to the Court

Tags: foreign, debt, oil, american, national

From George Doyle, May 23, 2007 Subject: Out of State Trips Constance: I have received numerous complaints from my members about authorizing out of state trips for STRS board members. It seems to me that if these board members feel it is so beneficial; perhaps they could pay for their own trips and if the board, after receiving documented reports from the meetings, determines that this was valuable to the whole board and the retirees, then reimburse them for their expenses. I feel that too many times conferences seem worthwhile on paper but when you actually get there very little information is of value to take home to the rest of the group. Please try to exercise better judgment in the future. We retirees have suffered enough at the hands of the Board. Please listen to Dr. Leone and John Lazarus when they speak. Unlike some, they are not just speaking to hear themselves speak. They are taking the action for the retirees that needs to be taken. I have become very disappointed with you because you promised me at the Spring Representative Assembly when you were running that you would do all in your power to protect our retirement. So far you have not lived up to one of your promises! I find that I can no longer have any faith in what you said and I will do my best to try to get someone else in there that will respect the position for which they were elected. George V. Doyle, President Allen County Retired Teachers Association OEA Life Member NEA Life Member ORTA Member CORE Life Member

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Herero ladies in town Originally uploaded by CharlesFred. And now, a(nother) long blog..... Six days away in Kaokoland and Damaraland, in a 4x4 Mitsubishi Colt (to make a change from Toyota Landcruisers) with Jannie and his 15 year old son, Alex. We left Mousebird a little after 6 on a bright sunny morning. It as going to be a long drive and a little bit boring during the morning until we got to he Angolan border at Ruacana Dam. Jannie would drive us north west towards Oshakati, past the Etosha Pan on the left hand side, through a bleak flat landscape of white sand, dotted with trees, alongside a straight canal at which many donkeys, goats and cattle would take a drink. Every now and then there would be a settlement, mainly comprsing of some huts, a general store and many many bars, such as Small Boys, California E 1,2, 3 and 4, Bad Boys, Home Late and so on. Lots of beer and whiskey being drunk in these parts, so it seemed. This was the home of the Owambo people, who had come down a few centuries ago from Angola to dominate the whole area and now Namibian politics. Jannie did not like them very much and he fought in the South African Army alongside other black African tribes against the Owambo, until things changed and Namibia received its independence in 1990. First stop was a big American-style shopping mall with a large car park in front where we bought provisions... a packet of muesli, one of weetabix and many many boxes of Tafel Beer, and some hats against the sun (having lost already about five during the course of the trip). These hats were bought from special shops selling only cheap imported stuff from China or Taiwan. Incredible. All fake and chealy made, but incredibly cheap. Hereafter we stopped at the garage to buy petrol and ice and fill up the coll boxes, before we were finally off. Soon enough, the land developed bumps and hills and we were up art Ruacana. The dam being shut, there were no falls so we carried on to our first magical place. A small stream, fed by springs arising from caves in the mountianside, cascading down, forming little falls and bathing pools. Way out in the wilds, off road on the rockiest and bumpiest of tracks. Beautiful. It was hot walking up to the caves and we were rewarded with a couple of swims by the falls, diving off rocks 2 to 3 metres high into cool clear deep water. Only a couple of donkeys for company. From there, we were entering Himba territory. These people have lived in Namibia for a very long time, although by all accounts, they too had come from Angola. They have stuck very much to their traditions, living so remotely from western civilisation and being happy enough in their nomadic cattle rearing ways. Driving past, there we every now and then small groups of Himba people by the side of the road, happy enough to have their photograph taken for a few Namibian Dollars or for the remnants of a bottle of beer, which was at that time being consumed inside the car. The light was good and I managed to take some pretty good photos. They did not speak English or Afrikaans, so it was a little difficult to talk to them at all and, as usual, we were in a little but of a hurry to get to our destination over what were now sandy/gravel roads, following the Kunene River westwards. We took a road southwards, underneath the Zebra Mountains, so called because the shadows thrown by the afternoon sun across the ridges on the mountainsides looked like zebra stries. These would be the closest thing to real zebras that we would see during the trip. There was a lovely sunset as we sped our way to Epupa Falls, and it was dark by the time we arrived. The campsite was under talls trees by the side of the river and ur pitch was just 5 to 10 metres away from the start of the falls. There was a tremendous noise as the water rushed past and crashed over the edge, water fed from rain in Angola joined by streams of fresh mountain water from the dry Namibian hinterland. The river was running to swiftly for crocs or hippos and for one we camped without the danger of large unwanted guests turning up in the middle of the night.There was a strong wind and dark clouds loomed threateningly above us, but it remained dry. Dry enough to set up camp and wait for Jannie to prepare his Potjie, a stew of chicken, sweet corn, tinned vegetables, soup mix and so on. Delicious. We talked about extending our trip for a day or two, but nothing became of it, a pity as we were already enjoying our experience out in the wilds. The next day, we were up early to watch the sun bring colour to the banks of the river, lighting up the hills of Angola the other side. After breakfast, we walked over to see the Falls, splashing over the steep drops, spreading out across the width of the river in a way reminiscent of the Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil. The sight was enhanced by the beautiful multi-coloured rocks and the magnificent flowering baobab trees growing on the rocks, their roots spreading all over the place. Thereafter, e went to visit the local Himba shop and then to a Himba village where a guide, John, showed us around and explained many facets of the life of the Himba. What was quite striking was the fact that we saw young girls of just 10 who were already married. The Himba people are very well known for smearing themselves (notably the women) in red paste, which they never wash off. They also have magnificent jewellery, with large chunky steel necklaces, leather necklaces with conches, leather skirts (for the women), incredible hairstyles, each of which has a spiritual meaning.. and so on.... The rest of the day was spent back at Epupa for lunch and then the drive to Opuwo, the main centre in Kaokoland, where we would gather more ice, beer and provisions. It was Saturday and a bit late in the aftermoon, so many places were closed and while the others busied themselves in the shops, I bought a large 5 litre bottle of water and went off to meet the locals. Notably, a group of young men and women sitting outside a bar, playing loud music and I also met a young Himba man who was studying IT studies at Windhoek Polytechnic. Sharing the bottle of water around I was told to be careful as

Tags: himba, falls, water, river, large