BERIGAN

you are pretty cocky for a Jewish cookie

British Olympic chiefs are to force athletes to sign a contract promising not to speak out about China's appalling human rights record – or face being banned from travelling to Beijing. The move – which raises the spectre of the order given to the England football team to give a Nazi salute in Berlin in 1938 – immediately provoked a storm of protest. The controversial clause has been inserted into athletes' contracts for the first time and forbids them from making any political comment about countries staging the Olympic Games. It is contained in a 32-page document that will be presented to all those who reach the qualifying standard and are chosen for the team. From the moment they sign up, the competitors – likely to include the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips and world record holder Paula Radcliffe – will be effectively gagged from commenting on China's politics, human rights abuses or illegal occupation of Tibet. Prince Charles has already let it be known that he will not be going to China, even if he is invited by Games organisers. His views on the Communist dictatorship are well known, after this newspaper revealed how he described China's leaders as “appalling old waxworks” in a journal written after he attended the handover of Hong Kong. The Prince is also a long-time supporter of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader. Yesterday the British Olympic Association (BOA) confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that any athlete who refuses to sign the agreements will not be allowed to travel to Beijing. Should a competitor agree to the clause but then speak their mind about China, they will be put on the next plane home. The clause, in section 4 of the contract, simply states: “[Athletes] are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues.” It then refers competitors to Section 51 of the International Olympic Committee charter, which “provides for no kind of demonstration, or political, religious or racial propaganda in the Olympic sites, venues or other areas”. Contention: the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips stands to be among the athletes who will be forced to sign the gagging order The BOA took the decision even though other countries – including the United States, Canada, Finland, and Australia – have pledged that their athletes would be free to speak about any issue concerning China. To date, only New Zealand and Belgium have banned their athletes from giving political opinions while competing at the Games. Simon Clegg, the BOA's chief executive, said: “There are all sorts of organisations who would like athletes to use the Olympic Games as a vehicle to publicise their causes. “I don't believe that is in the interest of the team performance. “As a team we are ambassadors of the country and we have to conform to an appropriate code of conduct.” However, human rights campaigner Lord David Alton condemned the move as “making a mockery” of the right to free speech. The controversial decision to award the Olympics to Beijing means this year's Games have the potential to be the most politically charged since 1936. Adolf Hitler used the Munich Games that year to glorify his Nazi regime, although his claims of Aryan superiority were undermined by black American athlete Jesse Owens winning four gold medals. More recently, there was a mass boycott of the 1980 Games in Moscow in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. But Colin Moynihan – now BOA chairman Lord Moynihan – defied Margaret Thatcher's calls for British athletes to stay at home and won a silver medal as cox of the men's eight rowing team. Former Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent has already criticised the Chinese authorities over the training methods used on children, which he regarded as tantamount to abuse. Scroll down for more... Past shame: The England team give Nazi salutes at the 1938 Berlin Olympics, a memory which critics do not want to see recalled in China Young gymnasts told him they were repeatedly beaten during training sessions. Mr Clegg confirmed that such criticisms would be banned under the team's code of conduct, which will be in force from when athletes are selected in July, until the end of the Games on August 24. Mr Clegg said: “During the period of the contract, that sort of action would be in dispute with the team-member agreement. “There are all sorts of sanctions that I can apply. I had to send a team member home in Sydney because they breached our sponsorship agreement and that is the first time it happened. “I have to act in the interest of the whole British team, not one individual. No athlete is above being part of the team. “There is a requirement on team members to sign the agreement. If athletes step out of line, action will have to be taken.” Darren Campbell, Olympic relay gold winner at the 2004 Games in Athens, said the BOA's move would “heap extra pressure on athletes”. But he added: “We are there to represent our country in sporting terms, just as our Army do when they go off to war. It is not supposed to be about politics.” The BOA is taking a far more stringent stance than authorities in other countries. Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said: “What we will be saying to the athletes is that it's best to concentrate on your competitions. “But they're entitled to have their opinions and express them. They're free to speak.” Jouko Purontakanen, secretary general of the Finnish Olympic Committee, said: “We will not be issuing instructions on the matter. The freedom of expression is a basic right that cannot be limited. “But the starting point is that we will go to Beijing to compete, not to talk politics.” Political gestures have been made at previous Olympics, most famously in Mexico City in 1968 when black American 200m champion Tommie Smith and bronze medallist John Carlos raised their fists in a black power salute. Both were suspended from the US Olympic team and barred from the Olympic village. Forty years on, British athletes face similar sanctions if they highlight the abuse of human rights in China. Last night Edward McMillan-Scott, Conservative MEP and the European Parliament vice-president, predicted a public outcry over the BOA's move. He said: “Foreign Secretary David Miliband is off to China soon. But before he gets on the plane, he and the rest of the Government should tell the BOA to take this clause out of the agreement.” Potentially the contract means that a British athlete who witnesses someone being mistreated on the way to a stadium is forbidden from even speaking to their colleagues about it. Competitors emailing home or writing blogs will also have to exercise self-censorship – or face having their Olympic dreams ruined. Lord Alton said: “It is extraordinary to bar athletes from expressing an opinion about China's human-rights record. About the only justification for participating in the Beijing Games is that it offers an opportunity to encourage more awareness about human rights. “Imposing compulsory vows of silence is an affront to our athletes, and in China it will be viewed as acquiescence. “Each year 8,000 executions take place in China, political and religious opinion is repressed, journalists are jailed and the internet and overseas broadcasts are heavily censored. “For our athletes to be told that they may not make any comment makes a mockery of our own country's belief in free speech.” http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article...gime/article.do

Ok, that's twice you've called Schilling Clemens, did you lose a bet at work(superbowl?) and now have to insert Clemen's name every time Schilling's name comes up?

Die Hard, All 3 have something to offer! Oh wait, they made a 4th one! Ain't seen it yet, don't like the "look" though. All 3 Indy's as well. The first is the best of course, but the 2nd, for all it's faults, has some wonderful action sequences. Bullitt. Rocky. Only the first one though. Tora!, Tora! Tora!!! McQ. Death Wish (Sue me!) Terminator 2 Speed The Adventures of Robin Hood There have to be some other classic thrillers, but for some reason, I am drawing a complete blank!

I know you could do a google search as well, but just thought I'd post this info I found....best wishes for a speedy recovery for your sister!!!! Mesenteric Ischemia What is it? The mesenteric arteries are the three major arteries that supply blood to the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. The word “ischemia” means decrease in oxygen supply. Mesenteric ischemia is a condition in which the mesenteric arteries do not deliver enough blood and oxygen to the small and large intestines. This makes it difficult for the intestines to digest food and can cause segments of the intestine to die. Who gets it? People with diseases of the arteries are more likely to develop mesenteric ischemia. It is also more common in people who smoke and in those with high cholesterol. What causes it? Mesenteric ischemia is caused by the narrowing or blockage (atherosclerosis) of one or more of the three mesenteric arteries. It can also be caused by a blood clot that travels through the bloodstream and blocks one of the mesenteric arteries. A blood clot that breaks away and travels through the bloodstream is called an embolus. This type of acute mesenteric ischemia is life threatening because the blood flow to the intestine is cut off completely, which can cause the intestine to die if not treated immediately. What are the symptoms? Chronic mesenteric ischemia occurs gradually. There often are no symptoms until two of the three arteries are narrowed or blocked. Usually the patient will feel severe abdominal pain in the area of the navel around 30 to 60 minutes after eating. Because of the pain the patient may refuse to eat, which results in poor nutrition and weight loss. Other symptoms might include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Acute mesenteric ischemia causes sudden, severe abdominal pain, often with vomiting and diarrhea. How is it diagnosed? The symptoms of mesenteric ischemia are common to many other conditions, so laboratory tests are extremely important in its diagnosis. Blood tests may show an elevated white blood cell count. With acute mesenteric ischemia, blood tests may reveal acidosis, a condition in which the blood has too much acid. The doctor may also order an arteriogram, in which a special dye is injected into the mesenteric arteries. The dye will show any narrow or blocked areas on an x-ray. A computed tomography (CT) scan may also show abnormalities in this area. What is the treatment? Chronic mesenteric ischemia is usually treated with surgery. The narrow or blocked portion of the arteries may be removed and the arteries are then reconnected to the aorta. Or, the blocked part of the artery may be bypassed, with a piece of vein or a plastic tube. Acute mesenteric ischemia is treated with emergency surgery. It is extremely important to restore the blood supply to the intestine as quickly as possible by removing the blockage from the artery. Portions of the intestine may have to be removed if the lack of blood has caused any of the tissue to die. Self-care tips With surgery and lifestyle changes, patients with chronic mesenteric ischemia can have a full recovery. Lifestyle changes include not smoking, following a healthy diet, exercising, and keep cholesterol and blood pressure under control. The outlook for patients with acute mesenteric ischemia depends upon how quickly the condition is diagnosed and treated.

At least this time! I am very happy about this as well!!!!

Hackers say Scientology is going down!

Thanks for posting that article Garth!

Nice to see the broads umm, err....I mean chicks talkin' jazz! Though, looking at post totals, it seems like they don't post like the guys here. Will we see some of these seldom heard names posting in the future, or will they fade back into lurkerdom?? Prove me wrong already!

HP to make Sony DVDs It will create copies of the studio's films and TV shows on demand. By Michelle Quinn, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer January 24, 2008 SAN FRANCISCO -- Hewlett-Packard Co. plans to announce today that it has signed an agreement with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to create made-to-order DVDs of some of the studio's movies and TV shows. The agreement, whose terms were not disclosed, boosts Palo Alto-based HP's ambition to play the middleman in the future of how entertainment is distributed. Sony is the first major Hollywood studio to work with HP in its fledgling business of making DVDs of movies, TV shows and other video content only when someone orders them -- much like HP rival Dell Inc. does with computers. It will allow consumers to order DVDs of some of Sony's older or more obscure programming, which retailers tend not to stock because it's not economically viable. By making DVDs on demand, HP says it can help studios unlock the value of their libraries and give consumers more choice. "We're hoping this provides another option to make available products that wouldn't necessarily garner widespread retail shelf space," said Jason Spivak, senior vice president of strategic development at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp. of America. The agreement comes a month after HP ended its 11-month-old video download service with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. HP had powered the service on Walmart.com that sold customers TV shows and movies to download to their computers on the same day as DVD releases. But download sales were reportedly not strong. Separately, HP has started a DVD production business and already has agreements with 40 content partners for 5,000 titles, including classic science fiction movies, exercise videos and children's series. The titles aren't on sale yet, but HP said it planned to soon announce partnerships with websites that would sell these made-to-order DVDs. "This is part of HP's effort to transform digital entertainment," said Doug Warner, vice president of HP's digital content services business. "If studios can sell more catalog than previously, they can generate more money." http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hp24...1,1276080.story

No flames here. But Valerie's insights into and knowledge of the jazz musicians she's known are some of the most valuable things on this board. My wife would agree with you. She says women have much better things to do with their lives than bother about music of any kind. I won't argue. Would you? MG Oh, I think(hope?) everyone knows I am kidding. I wish more women liked jazz, really liked jazz. As for arguing with a woman....nope...not going to go there, I will just get in trouble with the women on this forum, both of them!

I bought some used cds from wherehousemusic.com a few months back and noticed I was taxed at the end. Since all teh wherehouse music stores in Georgia have closed down, I asked why I was taxed? Well, the parent company of wherehouse, Trans World Entertainment, owns the F.Y.E. chain of stores which is still here in Georgia. MG, you do make an interesting point about sellers on Amazon. No tax on regular amazon(I assume even if you were to buy merchandise in their home state?) purchases, since they don't have brick and mortor stores anywheres. But, what if you purchased a used cd from someone in your home state? Should they be collecting taxes??? Why do I mention this??? To give someone ideas? Eh...I am tired, someone do the heavy lifting for me and figure it out...

I mean, if this was for something important, like Hanna Montana tickets, but...to get some ugly ass shoes??? Out in the cold(21 right now in the ATL) to get some shoes??? I can only hope some people doing it are just doing it to resell them on ebay for no doubt thousands of dollars... People line up to get limited edition Air Jordans Only 23 pairs being sold at 23 stores in the U.S. By CHANDLER BROWN The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 01/24/08 Reggie Roberts, 22, of Atlanta set up camp outside Walter's clothing store in downtown Atlanta at 9 a.m. Wednesday. By lunch time Thursday, he and two dozen others lined the sidewalk along Decatur Street waiting for Nike's new Air Jordans to go on sale Friday morning. "It's cold out here, really cold," said Roberts, who was at the front of the line. "But I want these shoes. I gotta have these shoes. We're making history." The theme here is 23. This is the 23rd edition of the wildy popular shoes. Only 23 pair will be sold at 23 stores nationwide — Atlanta and Miami are the only cities in the Southeast — and they cost $230. If you haven't guessed, Michael Jordan, the shoes' namesake, wore No. 23. "Nike knows how to market something, don't they?" joked Jeff Steinbook, owner of Walter's, the only Georgia store selling the shoes. The group lined up outside his store was a mix of 20-something Michael Jordan fans, middle-aged professionals — even a minor league baseball player and his wife — all bound by a love of Air Jordans. "We're like a family," said David Kawar, 25, who drove in from Tallahassee for the event. Vince Shields, 45, a financial analyst from Stone Mountain, took off two days from work. He said he planned to add the new Air Jordans to his collection of 75 or so sneakers. "It's cold out here, but this is the hottest place in town," Shields said Thursday as a relaxed under a blanket in a tailgate-style chair. Will Startup, 23, who has played for Atlanta Braves minor league teams in Richmond and Rome, lounged in a lawn chair alongside his wife, Lauren. Each sported UGA toboggans, gloves and lots of blankets. "I see Air Jordans as art," the baseball player from Cartersville said. "We have had them in our china cabinet before, I'm not going to lie." His wife of two years was there for support. And a new pair of shoes. "I want something to show for all of this," Lauren Startup said.

I remember posting something about this on the old board. Women just don't like jazz. Some pretend to, which is nice. For awhile. Then the truth comes out. The women here who do post, don't post much about jazz. I will now back into my caveman home, and let the flaming commence!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MkZcG_pgp0Q

Sorry to hear this happened again! 2 things. One, read what that guy below said, he seems pretty smart! 2 you still seem to want to put off getting a security system, is is a cost issue??? I understand that perfectly, if that's the reason, but if it isn't....what are you waiting for??? You are so lucky someone hasn't just stolen the expensive stuff so far, but they may really need a fix soon. Oh wait, I guess 3 points seeing what you said about the weird stuff moved back in October. A stretch perhaps, but is there any chance he/they wanted candles for the house next to you that is abandoned? Does it look like anyone has lived inside there??? Not saying you should really stick your nose too far inside that place!

Food Poisoning's Sickening Legacy Scientists Examine Link Between Foodborne Illnesses And Subsequent Health Problems Comments 1 | Page 1 of 2 WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alyssa Chrobuck, who was hospitalized with E. coli during the 1993 Jack in the Box outbreak, displays a few of the many medications she takes and a photo of her as a child in her hospital bed Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, in Seattle. Now 20, Chrobuck has a host of unusual health problems that she says her doctors have attributed to that illness. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (AP) A dirty little secret of food poisoning: E. coli and certain other foodborne illnesses can sometimes trigger serious health problems months or years after patients survived that initial bout. Scientists only now are unraveling a legacy that has largely gone unnoticed. What they've spotted so far is troubling. In interviews with The Associated Press, they described high blood pressure, kidney damage, even full kidney failure striking 10 to 20 years later in people who survived severe E. coli infection as children, arthritis after a bout of salmonella or shigella, and a mysterious paralysis that can attack people who just had mild symptoms of campylobacter. "Folks often assume once you're over the acute illness, that's it, you're back to normal and that's the end of it," said Dr. Robert Tauxe of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The long-term consequences are "an important but relatively poorly documented, poorly studied area of foodborne illness." These late effects are believed to make up a very small fraction of the nation's 76 million annual food poisonings, although no one knows just how many people are at risk. A bigger question is what other illnesses have yet to be scientifically linked to food poisoning. And with a rash of food recalls - including more than 30 million pounds of ground beef pulled off the market last year alone - these are questions are taking on new urgency. "We're drastically underestimating the burden on society that foodborne illnesses represent," contends Donna Rosenbaum of the consumer advocacy group STOP, Safe Tables Our Priority. Every week, her group hears from patients with health complaints that they suspect or have been told are related to food poisoning years earlier, like a woman who survived severe E. coli at 8 only to have her colon removed in her 20s. Or people who develop diabetes after food poisoning inflamed the pancreas. Or parents who wonder if a child's learning problems stem from food poisoning-caused dialysis as a toddler. "There's nobody to refer them to for an answer," says Rosenbaum. So STOP this month is beginning the first national registry of food-poisoning survivors with long-term health problems - people willing to share their medical histories with scientists in hopes of boosting much-needed research. Consider Alyssa Chrobuck of Seattle, who at age 5 was hospitalized as part of the Jack-in-the-Box hamburger outbreak that 15 years ago this month made a deadly E. coli strain notorious. She's now a successful college student but ticks off a list of health problems unusual for a 20-year-old: High blood pressure, recurring hospitalizations for colon inflammation, a hiatal hernia, thyroid removal, endometriosis. "I can't eat fatty foods. I can't eat things that are fried, never been able to eat ice cream or milkshakes," says Chrobuck. "Would I have this many medical problems if I hadn't had the E. coli? Definitely not. But there's no way to tie it definitely back." The CDC says foodborne illnesses cause 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths a year. Among survivors, some long-term consequences are obvious from the outset. Some required kidney transplants. They may have scarred intestines that promise lasting digestive difficulty. But when people appear to recover, it is difficult to prove that later problems really are a food-poisoning legacy and not some unfortunate coincidence. It may be that people prone to certain gastrointestinal conditions, for instance, also are genetically more vulnerable to germs that cause foodborne illness. For now, some of the best evidence comes from the University of Utah, which has long tracked children with E. coli. About 10 percent of E. coli sufferers develop a life-threatening complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, where their kidneys and other organs fail. Ten to 20 years after they recover, between 30 percent and half of HUS survivors will have some kidney-caused problem, says Dr. Andrew Pavia, the university's pediatric infectious diseases chief. That includes high blood pressure caused by scarred kidneys, slowly failing kidneys, even end-stage kidney failure that requires dialysis. "I don't want to leave the message that everyone who had symptoms ... is in trouble," stresses Pavia. Miserable as E. coli is, it doesn't seem to trigger long-term problems unless it started shutting down the kidneys the first time around, he says. "People with uncomplicated diarrhea, by and large we don't have evidence yet that they have complications." Other proven long-term consequences: About 1 in 1,000 sufferers of campylobacter, a diarrhea-causing infection spread by raw poultry, develop far more serious Guillain-Barre syndrome a month or so later. Their body attacks their nerves, causing paralysis that usually requires intensive care and a ventilator to breathe. About a third of the nation's Guillain-Barre cases have been linked to previous campylobacter, even if the diarrhea was very mild, and they typically suffer a more severe case than patients who never had food poisoning. While they eventually recover, "We don't know a great deal about what happens to those people five years later. What does 'normal' look like?" Tauxe says. A small number of people develop what's called reactive arthritis six months or longer after a bout of salmonella. It causes joint pain, eye inflammation, sometimes painful urination, and can lead to chronic arthritis. Certain strains of shigella and yersinia bacteria, far more common abroad than in the U.S., trigger this reactive arthritis, too, Tauxe says. What about other patient complaints? A variety of other organ problems might be triggered by HUS, that severe E. coli - because it causes blood clots all over the body that could leave a trail of damage, says Utah's Pavia. Among his hottest questions: HUS patients often suffer pancreatitis. Does that increase risk for diabetes later in life? But proving a connection will require tracking a lot of patients who can provide very good medical records documenting their initial foodborne illness, he cautions. 1 | 2 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/22/...in3735625.shtml

Boy, I'll say!!!!

Black Hawks??? Oh brother....Well, congress surely has nothing better to do than waste time on this anyway.

I knew she had been sick as well, but thought she was doing ok. Very sad. I remember her from being on Carson a fair bit as well. I recall her talking about her first husband and terrible heart trouble he had. Was really shocked when I heard she married Tom Poston, with him being so much older than her. Thought she would be a widow for a long time after he died. Turned out, it was less than a year later she died.... And yes, she was a sexy, funny woman....Rest in peace....

As others have said, excellent post Paul! Makes one wonder, if one has to lose one's grip with sanity to become the absolute best at that sport....

As always....

I just hope for one of those photos where I can see up her skit and she ain't wearing any undies. She isn't even my type... EWWW!! There's lots of women I'd like to see naked, and she ain't even in the top 1,000,000. In fact, there are some MEN ahead of her on that list! Al, not even when she was, you know...young? Tell me that photo I linked(I homage to an Angie Dickinson shot from the late 50's) is not hot.....

I assume you want a copy, and not just be able to watch it??? IF you just want to watch it, you can do it at their website... http://www.cbs.com/specials/comanche_moon/

Hey Mark, glad you made it aok! Where are you in Oreeegon, anywho? (Man, how my Mom hated people to pronounce it that way!!!) Mom was born in Seeside. Some kinda wacky relations that we didn't really stay in contact thru the years with still live there. Perhaps I can have you meet them!