A medicine ball is a weighted ball that comes in a variety of weights. It is a very inexpensive piece of equipment that is easy to store and can be used for a wide variety of exercises.
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Hot 'n' Healthy: Tone up with medicine ball push-ups and leg raises
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.
The largest class so far at University of Central Florida's medical school began its first year on Monday.
Fifty-five men and 45 women make up the graduating class of 2016, and while it took substantial work to be able to earn admission into the school, the real work has yet to begin.
The class size is seven times larger than UCF's inaugural class four years ago.
Every one of the incoming medical students will train at UCF using medical simulation tools, which essentially are just video games.
The school is already one of the top universities in the nation for game design, which is poised to create a massive job boom in the metro area, and medical simulation could make it one of the top spots in the nation.
Many of the simulations will be built by graduates of the school's video game design school, which according to the Princeton Review, is ranked fourth in the nation after Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"Being able to simply hold up a device like this iPad and focus on the poster and have it come to life," said David Metcalf, of the UCF Institute for Simulation and Training.
And future employment for game designers is booming.
The VA is set to open a major medical simulation center in late 2013, which will train thousands of VA technicians across the nation.
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UCF's largest medical class to train on video game simulation tools
Liberty Energy Corp. revealed further details on its newly acquired acreage in Eastland County, Texas. The 112 acre lease is located within Eastland County, approximately 80 miles west of Fort Worth, Texas.
The Company has confirmed that there are two major producing reservoirs that are widespread within this area. The first, Marble Falls, a prolific oil and gas producing reservoir with production being generated from several channel sands found within this Lower Pennsylvanian formation. The second, Mississippian-Duffer limestone, predominantly produces gas with some oil shows. The Duffer formation lies unconformably below the Marble Falls formation. Both zones are widespread in Eastland County and have been highly productive throughout Texas Railroad Commission District 7B.
The (Mississippian) Barnet Shale is also present in this area. Although its thickness is limited to approximately 50 feet in this area, this geological structure is among the most prolific oil and gas producing areas of Texas. This shale underlies the Duffer Limestone, and is thought to be a source for much of the hydrocarbon found in the reservoirs above.
The Bend Arch has had a significant effect on the Barnett Shale regarding its burial history and geo-thermal makeup. The Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province resulted in estimated means of 26.7 trillion cubic feet of gas (TCFG), 98.5 million barrels of oil (MMBO), and a mean of 1.1 billion barrels of natural gas liquids (BBNGL).3 Nearly all of the undiscovered gas resource (98 percent, or 26.2 TCFG) is considered to be in continuous accumulations of non-associated gas trapped in strata of two of the three Mississippian-age Barnett Shale AUs of the Barnett-Paleozoic TPS.4 The third AU within this TPS, the Hypothetical Basin-Arch Barnett Shale Oil AU, has not yet been quantitatively assessed because of a lack of data. The Barnett-Paleozoic TPS is estimated to contain a mean of 409.2 BCFG of conventional gas, or about 88 percent of all undiscovered conventional gas, and about 64.6 MMB of conventional oil, or about 65 percent of all undiscovered oil in the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province.
"We are extremely pleased to have secured this lease which is situated in the heart of existing oil and natural gas fields. This is a formation that has been consistently produced by majors for years including Devon Energy, Chesapeak Energy and ConocoPhillips. We intend to extensively study the surrounding fields and formations in which oil and natural gas have been recovered. We then intend to initiate a detailed geological study of the acreage that will determine how we further develop the property," commented Ian Spowart, CEO of Liberty Energy Corp.
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Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate for president this year, will climb BaseCamp, the tallest man-made wall at CommRow, on Tuesday.
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Libertarian presidential candidate will climb CommRow wall Tuesday
SANTA FE New Mexicos Libertarian Party has a lot at stake in the general election with former Gov. Gary Johnson running as the partys presidential nominee.
A strong finish by Johnson would deliver a big boost to the Libertarians under terms of state election law, potentially making it easier for the partys candidates to secure a place on the ballot starting in 2014.
Libertarians have a chance at becoming a major political party in New Mexico the same as Democrats and Republicans if Johnson wins at least 5 percent of the total vote in November.
Thats a significant prize because it would remove hurdles that make it difficult for most third-party candidates to get on the ballot in the state.
It certainly would improve things for the Libertarian Party, said Richard Winger, editor and publisher of Ballot Access News, which tracks election laws nationwide. I think you would see a lot of Libertarians run for office.
Even if Johnson finishes strongly, theres still one more step for Libertarians. They would be required to increase their voter registration to make it more than one-third of 1 percent of New Mexicos total registered voters by early 2014.
There are now about 2,430 registered Libertarians in New Mexico roughly 0.2 percent of the 1.2 million voters in the state.
If Libertarians become a major party, they would select their nominees by holding a June primary election along with Democrats and Republicans. Candidates file petitions to run in their partys primary, and the winner is automatically on the general election ballot.
Minor political parties use a different system, which has been the subject of much criticism and an unsuccessful lawsuit by Libertarians.
To initially qualify as a political party in New Mexico, groups such as the Libertarians are required to submit petitions with a certain number of voter signatures. After a so-called minor party selects its nominees at a convention, the candidates must file separate petitions with election officials to get on the general election ballot.
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Jim Gray is campaigning in the Midwest, drumming up support to get Libertarians included in national debates.
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Sua William Sio Pacific Island Affairs Spokesperson
7 August 2012
Cook Islands language week highlights bilingual education
Events celebrating Cook Islands Language Week highlight the importance of indigenous languages and Pacific bilingual education here in New Zealand, says Labours Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Sua William Sio.
This is the first national celebration of the Cook Islands language with a week of events (6-10 August) inspired by similar celebrations for Maori, Samoan, Tongan and New Zealand sign communities.
The theme for the week is; Taku reo ko toku ia akairo my language gives meaning to my existence and identity.
This is an important message already embraced by the community here and overseas, Sua William Sio said.
However, the Governments record on bilingual education is mixed. While I want to commend the Cook Islands Development Agency New Zealand for developing four Cook Islands bilingual language books - which will be launched this Friday - there is no indication as to whether the Government will recommit to the TUPU series and Folauga journals it put on hold.
The community remain concerned by the Governments removal of the Pacific language bilingual plan from its overall strategy, including the TUPU resource series for Cook Islands children, and believe Pacific bilingual language education should be reinstated.
It is worrying that almost 80 percent of Cook Islanders living and going to school in Auckland cannot speak their indigenous language. We all know that remaining fluent in a language takes a lot of effort.
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6 August 2012 Last updated at 19:36 ET
Fires on Spain's Canary Islands have destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of land, including part of a UN World Heritage site.
The Garajonay National Park on the island of La Gomera is home to hundreds of plant species, some of which are unique to the island in the Atlantic.
Firefighters later managed to stop the advance of the blaze, which they suspect was started deliberately.
A fire on the neighbouring island of La Palma was also contained on Monday.
Spain has been hard hit by forest fires this year after experiencing its driest winter in 70 years.
The firefighters said La Gomera's difficult terrain - particularly the island's deep ravines - had made it difficult to tackle the blaze.
"The ravines act as genuine chimneys for the fire when the wind blows," the head of La Gomera's regional government, Paulino Rivero, told reporters.
A number of houses were gutted in one village inside the Garajonay National Park. Local residents were evacuated after the fire erupted on Saturday.
The park is home to nearly 500 plant species, including rare subtropical forests.
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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation today announced $1.6 million in grants to four health care institutions in India that will help improve diabetes education, prevention and care and increase health care worker capacity in rural and tribal areas and among the urban poor.
The prevalence of diabetes in India has grown roughly four-fold since the early 1970s from about 2 percent of the population in 1972 to 8.3 percent today due to factors ranging from genetic predisposition to lifestyle and dietary changes. The International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) reports that 61.26 million people in India are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, ranking India second only to China in total cases and third behind the United States (10.9 percent) and China (9.3 percent) in terms of prevalence. By 2030, India will have 101.2 million people with type 2 diabetes, IDF projects.
Stemming the rising tide of type 2 diabetes in India will require a concerted and sustained effort at the community level to ensure adults have access to the education, preventive measures and care they need to effectively self-manage their disease, said John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. The grants we are making today through our Together on Diabetes initiative will test new ideas about how diabetes control efforts can be best designed and implemented to help adults in a variety of settings.
The Foundation has employed a similar capacity-building approach with its 10-year-old Delivering Hope initiative to address hepatitis B and C in Asia, and its ongoing work to address unmet medical needs, reduce health disparities and build community health care capacity was recognized in late July by CMO Asia with an Asias Best CSR Practices Award in the Concern for Health category.
The following organizations will receive Together on Diabetes grants:
About Together on Diabetes
Together on Diabetes brings together some of the worlds most respected and influential health care organizations and academic institutions to develop effective, comprehensive solutions that integrate public health, health care services and supportive community supportive services to improve health outcomes and reduce disease burden.
Since its launch in November 2010, Together on Diabetes has awarded $32.57 million in grants to 17 organizations working in 23 states and the District of Columbia in the United States, $1.23 million to two organizations in China and $1.6 million to four organizations in India. The total commitment is $115 million through 2014.
You can learn more about Together on Diabetes at TogetherOnDiabetes.com.
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Nancy Pelosi Speaker John Boehner Jerrold Nadler
"Today, in upholding the Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court has shown that, even at a time when Washington seems to have reached a new level of dysfunction, there remains a respect for the rule of law, for precedent, and for the ability of Congress to legislate on matters that affect the American people," Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. "By not caving in to the most craven political calls, it appears the Court has stood by more than 70 years of legal precedent to ensure that: some 32 million Americans will have access to health insurance; we stop the unnecessary deaths of 42,000 Americans annually who die simply because they lack health insurance; insurers can no longer deny a child health care because of pre-existing conditions; millions of young adults receive coverage on their parents' plans until age 26; insurers can no longer impose lifetime limits on coverage; millions of Americans receive free preventive care; and, seniors save billions of dollars on prescription drugs. "The Affordable Care Act will now assume its rightful place, along with Social Security and Medicare, as powerful testimony to what our nation can achieve to benefit the lives of all Americans. Today's decision will, I truly hope, put to rest the partisan attacks from the Right against the law and many of its provisions. Republicans have threatened to continue their attempts to repeal these provisions, but let us all hope that they will respect the Court's ruling and put the health and wellbeing of the American people ahead of insurance companies."
"Today's decision makes one thing clear: Congress must act to repeal this misguided law," said Sen. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. "Obamacare has not only limited choices and increased health care costs for American families, it has made it harder for American businesses to hire. Today's decision does nothing to diminish the fact that Obamacare's mandates, tax hikes, and Medicare cuts should be repealed and replaced with common sense reforms that lower costs and that the American people actually want. It is my hope that with new leadership in the White House and Senate, we can enact these step-by-step solutions and prevent further damage from this terrible law."
Republican Governors Association Chairman Bob McDonnell issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: "Today's ruling crystallizes all that's at stake in November's election. The only way to stop Barack Obama's budget-busting health care takeover is by electing a new president. Barack Obama's health care takeover encapsulates his Presidency: Obamacare increases taxes, grows the size of government and puts bureaucrats over patients while doing nothing to improve the economy. It's never been more important that we elect a President who understands the marketplace and will make job creation his top priority. By replacing Barack Obama with Mitt Romney, we will not only stop the federal government's healthcare takeover, but will also take a giant step towards a full economic recovery."
"Dr. Coburn will be reviewing the ruling and will respond with an updated plan to repeal and replace this unworkable law. The Court affirmed Congress' power to tax people if they don't eat their broccoli. Now it's up to the American people to decide whether they will tolerate this obscene abuse of individual liberty," said John Hart, a spokesman for Sen. Coburn.
"Today's Supreme Court decision sets the stakes for the November election. Now, the only way to save the country from ObamaCare's budget-busting government takeover of health care is to elect a new president," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. "Under President Obama's signature legislation, health care costs continue to skyrocket, and up to 20 million Americans could lose their employer-based coverage. A panel of unelected bureaucrats now has the unprecedented authority to come between elderly patients and their doctors. Meanwhile, the rules and regulations placed on job creators and small businesses make it nearly impossible to hire new workers at a time when Americans desperately need jobs. "We need market-based solutions that give patients more choice, not less. The answer to rising health care costs is not, and will never be, Big Government. "We must elect a president who understands the economy, respects free enterprise, and can provide the leadership we now so desperately need. On Election Day, we must elect Mitt Romney and put America on the path toward a brighter economic future and successful health care reform."
Today, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) released the following statement on the Supreme Court ruling on the President's health care law: "The Supreme Court's decision to uphold ObamaCare is a crushing blow to patients throughout the country. ObamaCare has failed to keep the President's basic promise of allowing those who like their health care to keep it, while increasing costs and reducing access to quality care for patients. In this tough economy, jobs and economic growth are on the minds of most Americans, but ObamaCare has increased uncertainty for small businessmen and women and forced them to put their hiring decisions on hold. "During the week of July 9th, the House will once again repeal ObamaCare, clearing the way for patient-centered reforms that lower costs and increase choice. We support an approach that offers simpler, more affordable and more accessible health care that allows people to keep the health care that they like. "The Court's decision brings into focus the choice the American people have about the direction of our country. The President and his party believe in massive government intrusions that increase costs and take decisions away from patients. In contrast, Republicans believe in patient-centered, affordable care where health care decisions are made by patients, their families and their doctors, not by the federal government."
House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act: "Our highest court has weighed in, and its decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a victory for all Americans who have ever worried about being able to access or afford the care they need. Democrats are proud to have worked hard to pass this landmark legislation in 2010 and of our efforts to make sure it is implemented in a way that continues to yield new benefits for patients, employers, and care providers. "The Affordable Care Act made it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against patients on the basis of pre-existing conditions, allowed young people to remain on their parents' plans until age 26, and prohibited insurance companies from charging women higher premiums than men. The Medicare Part D 'donut hole' is closing, and seniors on Medicare now have access to free preventive services like mammograms and colonoscopies. Moreover, the Affordable Care Act provides deficit savings of more than $1 trillion over the next two decades. The Affordable Care Act further brought peace of mind to the 30 million uninsured Americans who will finally be able to access affordable coverage once the law is fully implemented. "Republicans have been trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act since the day it was enacted, and they have been eagerly awaiting today's ruling. But they must now accept that the Affordable Care Act will remain in place and that the time for litigation and partisan posturing on this issue ought to come to an end. Republicans now have a responsibility to work with Democrats to implement the Affordable Care Act, and I call on them to do so in order to make care affordable and accessible to Americans."
Following the Supreme Court's decision affirming the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, former Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine today released the following statement: "The Affordable Care Act is an important first step in curbing discriminatory insurance company practices and increasing access to health care, but more needs to be done to bring down costs. Our government, businesses, and citizens cannot continue to spend more than any other nation on health care while getting second-rate results. As Senator, I am committed to working with all stakeholders to find additional improvements to the Affordable Care Act that give all Americans affordable access to high quality services. "While there is more work to do, it is worth noting what has already been accomplished under the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 63,000 more young people in Virginia have health coverage, more than 800,000 Virginia seniors have received free preventive care, millions of small businesses are now eligible for tax credits, and twenty million American women have access to cancer screenings and contraception without co-pays. And we've put an end to the egregious abuses by insurance companies that denied coverage to children with preexisting conditions, charged women higher premiums for the same coverage, and dropped folks when they got sick. "My opponent regularly calls for a full repeal of this law, despite the positive results it's already delivering for Virginia. In the decade encompassing George Allen's six years as a U.S. Senator, the average insurance premium for families more than doubled and over 12 million more Americans were uninsured. Clearly, inaction was not a solution, and neither are continued calls for repeal. Instead we must work together to strengthen this existing program and improve cost controls."
"In passing health reform, we made history for our nation and progress for the American people. We completed the unfinished business of our society and strengthened the character of our country. We ensured health care would be a right for all, not a privilege for the few. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed our progress and protected that right, securing a future of health and economic security for the middle class and for every American."
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Federal Government Building Health Care Markets Despite GOP Governors' Opposition
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BOSTON The health care cost control law signed by Gov. Deval Patrick Monday will hurt the bottom lines of Massachusetts hospitals and limit their flexibility to grow, a major credit rating agency warned Monday.
"The Legislation is credit negative for Massachusetts hospitals because it will limit their revenue growth and reduce their operating flexibility," Moody's Investment Services wrote in a credit analysis of the new law.
The report also suggested the money derived from a $225 million one-time assessment on health plans and major health care providers to help support community hospitals would artificially work to keep smaller hospitals in business, while limiting the expansion opportunities for larger hospital groups and hurting their credit standings.
"Another negative credit effect of the bill is that the state will use an excise tax on insurers to support smaller and less profitable hospitals, potentially allowing them to remain in business longer than would otherwise be possible and limiting the ability of larger systems to consolidate and grow through acquisitions," Moody's wrote.
Joined by legislative leaders, Patrick signed the new law Monday. Supporters say it will build off the successes of the 2006 law that has led to more than 98 percent of residents having health insurance.
The Massachusetts Hospital Association called the law "immensely complex."
After the News Service inquired about the Moody's analysis, the association said in a statement: "The hospital community supports the law's objectives and praises many of its provisions, even as we have expressed concerns regarding select provisions. And we pay attention to Moody's perspective. But we believe that the best way to handle the issues that Moody's raises, and our other concerns, is to work thoughtfully and collaboratively with policymakers and stakeholders to address them and avoid the hazards ahead, allowing the full potential in this law to be realized."
The hospital group said it will be a "challenge" to successfully implement the law, but said "overcoming challenges in Massachusetts healthcare is what we all do best. Thoughtful collaboration got us this far and it will get us the rest of the way."
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Rating agency: New health law 'credit negative' for hospitals
WASHINGTON -- Republican governors who've balked at creating new private insurance markets under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul may end up getting stuck with the very thing they're trying to avoid.
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Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (SIAL) recently announced that Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (:SAGE) Labs, an initiative of Sigma Life Science, has extended its partnership with Autism Speaks to develop the first rat models with modified autism associated genes to enhance discovery and translational autism research. Autism Speaks is the biggest autism science and advocacy organization in the U.S.
Extension of the existing partnership between Sigma and Autism Speaks was on the heels of some behavioral studies, which revealed that the first two publicly available gene-knockout rats display unique characteristics of autism like social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Autism Spectrum Disorder can be experimented on animals to better study its cause and treat the individuals suffering from the disorder. SAGE labs and Autism Speaks are set to generate genetically modified rat models of key autism-associated genes, including CNTNAP2 and MET. CNTNAP2 and MET are knockout rat lines and are expected to be available in 2013. The expanded collaboration will ensure that new models are developed and are made available to speed up the translational research continuum.
Sigma Life Science is the biological products and services arm of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. Sigma-Aldrich, a life-science and specialty chemical company, released its second-quarter 2012 earnings last month.
The company posted adjusted earnings of 97 cents per share in the quarter, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate but ahead of the year-ago earnings of 93 cents per share. Profit, as reported, marginally increased to $115 million or 94 cents per share in the quarter from $113 million or 91 cents a year ago.
Revenues came in at $664 million in the quarter, up 4% year over year but below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $673 million. Acquisitions contributed 6% to the growth while foreign exchange translation had an unfavorable impact of 5%. The company saw growth across its Research Chemicals and Fine Chemicals (SAFC) divisions.
Moving ahead, Sigma-Aldrich expects organic growth to be in low-to-mid single digits in 2012, down from the earlier expectation of mid single-digits. Macroeconomic uncertainties may hinder its Research Chemicals business whereas growth in Bioscience and Hitech is expected to drive SAFC sales for the remainder of the year. The acquisitions of BioReliance and Research Organics are expected to boost sales by 6%.
Sigma-Aldrich currently maintains a Zacks #4 Rank, which translates into a short-term (1 to 3 months) Sell rating. We have a long-term Neutral recommendation on the stock.
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Youre at the supermarket doing your grocery shopping. As you move up and down the aisles, you notice something different: new labels on several of your staple food items. Pasta, cereal, chips, sweet corn and yellow squash all now have a distinct marking that says either genetically engineered or partially produced with genetic engineering.
How might this change your food choices?
In November, voters will have a chance to decide whether such information must be labeled on food products under Proposition 37. If passed, it would be the first such law in the U.S.
We dont know how or if it will change consumers approach to eating, said Lori Sinsley, deputy director of the California Right to Know Campaign. They can use the labels to make more informed choices about what they eat, which is how a market is supposed to work.
Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are crops that have had their DNA artificially altered with genes from plants, animals, viruses or bacteria. This type of genetic modification occurs in a laboratory and cannot be found in nature, Sinsley said.
Many processed foods are made with genetically engineered ingredients whether shoppers know it or not. Processed items commonly contain genetically modified corn, sweet corn, soy and canola. Even common produce items such as yellow squash, zucchini and papaya are genetically modified, as well as other crops such as cotton.
It is our fundamental right to know what is in our food, said Zuri Allen, social media coordinator for both Right to Know and the Organic Consumers Association. Its as American as apple pie.
There are exemptions in the initiative food derived entirely from an animal that hasnt been genetically engineered itself, regardless of the animals possible consumption of genetically modified foods; alcoholic beverages; and food intended for immediate consumption (as in restaurants). Producers of foods that are fully or partially genetically engineered and are not exempt would not be able to advertise their products as natural or naturally made.
I have children and I know that I have a right to know what Im buying and feeding to my family, said Susan Lang, a volunteer for Right to Know and co-leader of the Sacramento County group Label GMOs. California voters really need to ask themselves why the opposition doesnt want them to know whats in their food.
While genetic engineering can sound scary, its important to know that these foods are not made in a lab, said Stop the Costly Food Labeling Proposition spokeswoman Kathy Fairbanks. The seeds are genetically altered to use water more efficiently and resist pests. Some foods, such as the papaya, are genetically engineered to survive devastating diseases.
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Thousands from the computer graphics community might live a little longer if they attended Monday's keynote at annual computer graphics confab Siggraph, taking place this week at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Game developer and futurist Jane McGonigal -- director of game research and development at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, Calif., and author of Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make us Better and How they Can Change the World (2011) -- believes that games can make us more optimistic, more resilient.
STORY: Jane McGonigal: How Video Games Can Change Your Life
She did extensive research, and she explained that scientific studies suggest playing games can and have helped those with autism, ADHD, PTSD and even cancer.
We are in the business of the art of shaping peoples destinies, McGonigal told the crowd of content creators, technology researchers and educators. We need skills and abilities to get the future we want physical, mental, social and emotional resilience. When I think about games, Im very interested in what abilities they create and also the destinies they lead us toward.
McGonigal explains that games bring out positive emotions, including curiously, excitement, contentment, creativity, wonder, joy, relief, love, purpose and pride.
STORY: Siggraph: Biz Braces for Higher Frame Rates in Wake of 'The Hobbit'
Demonstrating her belief, McGonigal has created a game, SuperBetter (available at the App Store), which helps players built their resilience through various tasks. During her keynote, McGonigal led an estimated 3,000 Siggraph attendees through a sampling of the game. Tasks included raising their fists in the air for five seconds -- worth plus-one physical resilience every single second that you are not sitting still, you are actively improving the heath of your heart, and your lungs and brain.
McGonigal concluded that those who participated earned an extra 7.5 minutes of life.
In the end, she had one last task for the crowd -- decide how to spend those bonus minutes.
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Siggraph 2012: Keynoter Jane McGonigal Says Playing Games Can Improve Health, Extend Lives
Freedom Automotive (http://www.freedomautorepair.net) is participating in the nationwide campaign, the NALA’s Shop Local for Vets on Saturday, August 18th. Customers will receive 15% on all repairs up to $75 at their location at 16941 Walnut Street in Hesperia on August 18th. Freedom Automotive will also be sending a generous donation to the cause, The Greatest Generations Foundation.Hesperia ...
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Freedom Automotive Participates August 18 in Shop Local for Vets
FREEDOM It's all about reconnecting with your roots or putting down new ones at the 114th Freedom Old Home Week, which runs this week through Sunday.
This past Saturday in the quintessential New England village, it was hugs all around, as residents, full and part time, and returning natives met up with each other while they waited for the annual parade to start. Freedom, once a largely agricultural and home industries town, still has that kind of Our Town feel to it, with a modern twist, and this past weekend was no exception.
Where else can you attend a free yoga class, participate in a historical scavenger hunt, watch or take part in a canoe/kayak regatta, build and race a cardboard boat, or try your skills at a ping-pong tournament? These activities and more add fun to the more traditional Old Home Week events. The complete schedule of events may be found at freedomoldhomeweek.com.
This Friday is a particularly busy day in the village, with the Friends of the Library book and bake sale running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the 8 Elm St. barn. Starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. is the 36th annual arts and craft fair, put on by the Freedom Community Club at the Freedom Elementary School.
And that free yoga class? That's on Friday, too. Certified Kripalu Yoga instructor Sharon Boggess will teach the class from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the town hall.
Saturday offers a chance for everyone to work off some of the great food consumed during the week. Registration for the annual OHW 5K Road Race is from 7 to 7:30 a.m. Walkers, with or without dogs, runners, and kids are welcome.
Later that day, the Freedom Fire Department hosts its annual fireman's lobster supper. Hungry patrons are asked to call the department at 539-4261 for tickets.
The idea for old home week was first championed by Gov. Frank W. Rollins in 1899, and the movement got official approval a proclamation in the N.H. State Legislature in 1913. It was a time of declining populations in small towns across the state, as farmers left for western lands that were easier to till than the Granite State's rocky soil, and the expanding network of railroads opened the West and Midwest to economic endeavors.
Rollins had hoped the activities would bring back former residents and that some would consider moving back home. His aim was not high off the mark. Freedom, like many New Hampshire towns with lakes and mountains, has benefited over the years from those who come back home to retire, or spend their sunset years in their newly winterized summer place.
I think Freedom is a very special place, said Sandy Kahler Gleeson after Saturday's parade. Gleeson and her husband, Rick, are seasonal residents of the town, with the day a real homecoming for her. Her parents owned and ran a summer camp in town when she was growing up, and she remembers being in the parade when she was 9.
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August 6, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Florence, KY - The The Florence Freedom(40-32)swept a doubleheader from the Road Warriors Monday night with 6-1 and 5-2 wins to complete a three game sweep. The Freedom gained a whole game in the wild card race as they now trail Windy City by 1.5 games for the final playoff spot.
The Freedom got excellent starting pitching in both games as Andres Caceres threw a complete game in game one. It was the first complete game turned in by Caceres who pitched 7 innings allowing 6 hits, while striking out 4. Caceres earned his 7th win of the season which now leads the Freedom pitching staff in wins.
In the 3rd inning the Freedom broke up a scoreless game as Junior Arrojo stole home to give Florence a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning Jim Jacquot hit a two run homer to expand the lead to 3-0. It was Jacquot's 8th of the season and his second in as many games. The Freedom took advantage of some sloppy defense by the Road Warriors in the 4th. With Victor Gomez at second base, Pierre LePage layed down a sacrifice bunt which was thrown away by pitcher Greg Hendrix(0-2) allowing Gomez to score. The Freedom also got contributions from David Harris who doubled in LePage in the same inning. Arrojo capped off the scoring with his RBI single in the 5th.
Game two followed after a thirty minute break as it saw more outstanding starting pitching by the Freedom. Ian "Bull" Durham made his first professional start and he didn't disappoint. He threw five scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits while striking out a season high five to earn his first victory of the season. It also marked his first professional victory as a starter.
The Freedom got on the scoreboard in the 4th, thanks to the help of a few fielding errors by the Road Warriors. Stephen Cardullo opened up the inning with a single. John Malloy then executed a sac bunt. Shawn Marquardt(0-2) fielded the bunt and was charged with a throwing error on a poor throw to first base. The Freedom capitalized on another error as the next batter Gomez reached on a fielding miscue by shortstop Aaron Glaum. On the error, Cardullo scored to give Florence a 1-0 lead. LePage then followed with a SAC fly to put the Freedom ahead 2-0. The Freedom went back to playing longball as Jacquot hit his second homerun of the doubleheader. It was a two run shot for Jacquot, his 9th of the year to give the Freedom a 4-0 lead. Jacquot has now homered in three straight games. The Freedom got another homerun in the 6th. Harris went deep for the third time on the homestand and his 8th of the season to make it 5-0.
The Road Warriors plated two runs in the 7th against Freedom reliever Brennan Flick. A bases loaded walk to Tanner Leighton forced home Wesley Jones to make it 5-1. Matt Kline was then brought in out of the bullpen. He got David Roney to groundout to second which scored Ryan Kaup. Kline then got Glaum to fly out on a line drive to left field to end the ballgame.
The Freedom will continue their season long twelve game homestand Tuesday night as they welcome the Windy City Thunderbolts to Florence. Windy City will feature RHP Tyson Corley(2-6, 3.65) as the Freedom will give the ball to RHP Alec Lewis(4-6, 4.36). The game can be heard starting at 6:50 with Steve Jarnicki on Real Talk 1160 AM and realtalk1160.com.
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Eighty-five years after U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Virginia eugenics law allowing the state to forcibly sterilize anyone it considered genetically deficient, a state lawmaker is calling on Gov. Bob McDonnell and the General Assembly to make a symbolic payment to any living victims of the law.
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Several hundred aging survivors of North Carolinas eugenics program were double crossed by callous state senators who failed to pass overdue compensation for their forced sterilizations. Gov. Beverly Perdue and the House of Representatives signed off on a commissions recommendation that each living victim receive $50,000. This culminated more than a decade of hard work by advocates.
Senate leader Phil Berger, R.- Rockingham, pledged his support at the beginning of the recent legislative session. However, when the dust settled, the Senate never even voted on the compensation measure. Republican Sen. Don East said the states past actions were regrettable but money would not fix the problem.
Some 7,600 predominately low-income and disproportionately black citizens were sterilized by the state against their will in order to prevent defectives from having multiple pregnancies and increasing welfare rolls. Eugenics activity was official state policy from 1929 to 1977. Breeding for quality was a worldwide passion, especially in Nazi Germany.
I was involved in preparing sterilization paperwork as a fledgling county social worker in the early 1970s. Progressive national and state foundations supported the practice, as did many universities and hospitals. Most other states ended state-sponsored sterilizations after World War II, but North Carolina increased the operations in the 1960s. Gov. Mike Easley officially apologized for the states heinous actions in 2002.
This July, the Senate resorted to cowardly protests that paying compensation might open North Carolina up to future financial liability.
Victims have until now never sued the state for compensation. However, state responsibility is voluminously documented by the general statutes of the time, thousands of case records, academic studies of eugenics and the heart-wrenching stories of the few hundred living victims who would benefit from compensation.
Liability has been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, and the senators excuses represent only gutless political babble.
Gov. Perdue should use her remaining tenure to provide a measure of justice for victims. She and other Democratic leaders are far from blameless. For over 10 years the Democratic-controlled legislature, with Perdue serving as a top Senate budget writer, turned a deaf ear to the crusade by Rep. Larry Womble, D.-Forsyth, and others who pleaded in vain for compensation. Blame falls on many state leaders from both parties.
Perdue should immediately take action to:
Reach out to our hospitals, philanthropic foundations and corporations for donations to partially offset the cost of compensation. Many of those organizations openly supported forced sterilization or practiced wicked silence.
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