text:
Escalations in the war on Syria: Russia sends in S-300 missile defense system, Syrian Army advances in Aleppo
Harrison Koehli
© TASS
A Russian surface-to-air S-300 missile system during a military drill by Russian forces last year.
First, a brief recap of events leading up developments in the last couple of days. The September 9th ceasefire failed because the U.S. couldn't or wouldn't convince its moderate jihadis to separate from its radical jihadis. Those same jihadis:
refused to accept the ceasefire,
refused to accept humanitarian aid unless it was on their terms (not those outlined in the U.S.-Russia agreement),
reaffirmed their allegiance to al-Qaeda, and
continued their attacks on Syrian troops and civilians.
On top of this, the U.S. bombed Syrian troops, and it (or its jihadis) bombed a humanitarian aid convoy, both of which they then blamed on the Syrian and/or Russian military.
All of this proved two things:
the U.S. and their proxies were responsible for the failure of the ceasefire,
the moderates are no different than the extremists.
Both of which justified the revivified offensive on eastern Aleppo, which is held by designated terrorist group al-Nusra/al-Qaeda, and their affiliates. Like it or not, this is the logic of war. If one side refuses a truce, the other side cannot be expected to unilaterally cease fire and expose themselves and their civilians to undefended attacks.
Rather than take responsibility, the U.S. then went on the information warfare offensive, conveniently sidestepping the fact that its own failure justified the renewed offensive. Instead, it focused on allegations that the Russians and Syrians targeted civilians in eastern Aleppo, in the vain hope that moral outrage would be enough to demonize Russia and Syria... and make them stop? By doing so, the Americans also conveniently deflected attention from their own double standards, hypocrisy, and deliberate omissions and falsifications.
© Zain Karam/Reuters
'Moderates' moderately killing civilians in Aleppo in 2012
We know that the source of most of the atrocity stories in the news are sourced from Western-backed NGOs (e.g., "SOHR" and the White Helmets) with an interest in portraying al-Nusra as the good guys and Russia/Syria as the bad guys. In fact, many of those sources are al-Nusra members themselves, who definitely have such an interest. But they do have a point: civilians are undoubtedly killed and injured in airstrikes targeting militants. Again, this is the cynical but inescapable logic of warfare: civilians get caught in the crossfire, especially in a war zone like Aleppo, which is essentially one large residential area. But here's what gets left unsaid:
Double standards: The U.S. called an emergency UN Security Council over the renewed fighting and airstrikes. They conveniently ignore the fact that they conduct the same type of warfare in Iraq (e.g., Fallujah) and Syria (e.g., Manbij) - besieging a terrorist-held city and saturating it with airstrikes that result in many civilian deaths. The U.S. and its vassals also target hospitals, schools, and residential areas, whether deliberately or not (e.g., Kunduz, Yemen, eastern Ukraine). And, of course, their moderate jihadists do likewise. (see this video report from today).
Hypocrisy: It doesn't bother the U.S. when they're the ones doing it. And it doesn't bother them when their jihadis are the ones doing it. There is no moral outrage for the fact that their jihadis target residential areas, hospitals and schools with hellfire canons, mortars and sniper fire. No moral outrage for the fact that they have publicly aligned with al-Qaeda. No moral outrage for the fact that they are holding civilians hostage and using them as human shields (the very thing that Israel often accuses Hamas of doing, thus justifying civilian casualties).
Omissions: They neglect to mention that the Russians and Syrians have arguably taken every step short of surrender in order to avoid civilian deaths. They held up to their end of the ceasefire agreement for the agreed-upon week, despite constant violations from the rebel side. By and large, Russia has refrained from targeting any residential areas, focusing their airstrikes solely on identifiable command outposts, militant convoys, etc. The Syrians have a longstanding amnesty policy that has been successfully used on countless occasions: militants are free to give up their weapons and reintegrate into Syrian society (if they're actually Syrian - foreigners are to be expelled), or keep their weapons and be moved to a different position on the front, e.g., in Idlib or Hama. Civilians are urged to avoid militants and the areas they use, and have been provided with numerous corridors through which they can travel to western Aleppo, where they are provided with aid and shelter.
Russian 'war crimes' and American 'collateral damage': A tale of two narratives
Also omitted are the most basic facts of the situation in eastern Aleppo: that it is held by a designated terrorist group, that civilians are prevented from leaving by those same terrorists, that the terrorists regularly target residential areas (including hospitals) in western Aleppo and kill civilians. To allege that the Syrians and Russians deliberately target civilians is pure atrocity propaganda and psychological projection.
In fact, if the U.S. generals were the ones running the operation to liberate eastern Aleppo, the situation would be worse, for the simple fact that, to them, civilians are seen purely as 'collateral damage'. As was the case in Fallujah in 2003, we would be seeing more airstrikes and more civilian deaths. In fact, what led to the Iraqi resistance (not foreign-backed terrorists) taking over that city - and thus 'justifying' its obliteration by the Americans - were repeated, deliberate US military attacks on unarmed demonstrators against the US invasion.
By contrast, the Syrian Army does not benefit by killing civilians, and it has a societal and existential incentive not to do so: the last thing they need is more Syrians joining al-Qaeda because of grievances and a desire for revenge. Again, that doesn't mean civilians are not killed and wounded. Civilians always are. America's wars, past and present - none of which have resulted in any legal/punitive consequences - are a testament to that fact.
© South Front
The 'Aleppo cauldron', where US-backed terrorists are surrounded by govt and Kurdish forces
In fact, if we think about it further, Russian military intervention in Syria cannot actually be compared with American military intervention in Iraq. It's not just that it's 'collateral damage when the Americans do it', and 'war crimes when the Russians do it'; the things each side is 'doing' are very different. Russia is in Syria to do what it says it is doing - eradicating a terrorist scourge from urban centers. Russia has set a precedent for doing what it says it is doing. It had to flatten the Chechen capital Grozny (most of the population had already fled) to eradicate the terrorist scourge there 15 years ago. It received a lot of flak for that in the Western media, but no one disputes that Chechnya has since been rebuilt and is flourishing.
When the Americans conduct airstrikes against foreign urban centers, they have a track record of doing so as part of a campaign to intentionally target civilian infrastructure, as in Serbia in 1999, or Iraq in 2003. Here, it's justified as 'collateral damage' in service of a 'higher political goal' - regime change. And yet, when Russians target terrorist sites, unintentionally damaging civilian quarters in the process, it's 'war crimes'. Not only are the appropriate terms switched in each case, the terms mask two fundamentally different motivations.
In sum, the Americans get only one thing right: what is happening in eastern Aleppo is a tragedy. It should never have happened in the first place. But these crocodile tears are shallower and saltier than the disappearing Aral Sea. US influence could cut off the funding and supply lines to these terrorists. Given American reluctance to exercise such influence, what can the Syrians and Russians possibly do any differently? They tried a ceasefire: the "rebels" in the city refused to cease firing. Syria and Russia cannot unilaterally cease firing indefinitely. That is suicide, and would only result in al-Qaeda, ISIS and all the rest launching their own offensives in Aleppo and elsewhere, taking even more territory and killing countless Syrian troops and civilians in the process. Is that, in fact, what the U.S. wants? (Rhetorical question!)
In the midst of the renewed fighting, and the West's crocodile tears, events are moving fast. The U.S. officially 'unfriended' Russia, cutting off all military contacts regarding Syria. As Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin put it, this is regrettable, because "there's no alternative". The U.S. has thrown diplomacy and negotiations out the window, which is rich coming from the very party that showed itself to be unable to keep its own promises. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights wants to revoke Russia's UNSC veto so that the UN can take Assad to the Hague. That is unprecedented, and just goes to show how desperate the U.S. is now that it is actually losing a proxy war.
Almost immediately after the announcement, as if on cue, suicide bombers detonated themselves in Hama and at a wedding in Hasakah, killing 30 and injuring 90. Hasakah, along with Deir ez-Zor, is one of the key eastern cities in Syria essential to the creation of a "Salafist principality" there. Coincidentally, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor are the only two cities in the east that still have a substantial Syrian army presence; they're also the only two cities in which Syrian troops have been targeted by the U.S. coalition. In Damascus, jihadi rebels shelled the Russian embassy, which is the second time that has happened in the last year. The Russian Ministry responded:
We view this shelling of the Russian embassy as a consequence of actions of those who, like the US and its allies, provoke the violent conflict in Syria, flirting with militants and extremists of different sorts.
Fox News broke the story that Russia had deployed its S-300 anti-missile defense system to the naval base in Tartus, Syria. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the news, stating that it is "intended to ensure the safety of the naval base." The U.S. intel community had been "observing" the shipment inside Russia "in recent weeks". Western media pundits and talking heads were left scratching their heads, uncertain of Moscow's motives, while pointing out that the S-300 can defend against American cruise missile attacks.
While the purpose is not clear, one US official asked sarcastically, "Nusra doesn't have an air force do they?" speaking about the Al Qaeda-linked group in Syria. The Islamic State also does not fly any manned aircraft or possess cruise missiles, in a sign that Russia is directing its actions to protect itself against any potential attack from the United States or its allies.
But, as we saw in Deir ez-Zor, Nusra and ISIS do have an air force: the US/NATO Air Force. White House spokesman Josh Earnest was typically dense:
"I am aware of recent reports that that kind of military equipment has been transferred to Syria... this equipment contradicts President Putin's own claims that their efforts in Syria are focused on extremists," Earnest told reporters. "I'm not aware that ISIL [Daesh] or al-Qaeda in Syria is operating aircraft there."
Butter wouldn't melt in this dude's mouth. Obviously the S-300 system, and the S-400 system further north in Latakia, are to protect against the U.S. and its allies, and any belligerent attempts to set up a Libya-style 'no-fly zone'.
Meanwhile, the Russian Duma is set to ratify an agreement with the Syrian government to keep its air force contingent at Khmeimim airbase on an unlimited basis. Putin had submitted the draft agreement on August 9, and if the Duma ratifies it, the Upper House will look into it on October 12. As for the original agreement, signed in Damascus on August 26 of last year:
The document was published on Russia's web portal for official government documents on January 14 of this year when Yevgeniy Buzhinskiy, the former head of the Defense Ministry's directorate for international agreements, told reporters that this is the first time such an agreement has been declassified and made public so soon after signing. Previously, documents of this type had remained secret for decades.
This comes in addition to the transfer of additional jet fighters to Khmeimim, and unsubstantiated rumors that Russia is ready to send thousands of special forces to Syria.
On the Americans' part, according to the U.S.-backed SDF (composed predominantly of Kurdish fighters), the U.S. is building another (illegal) airfield in northern Syria to supply SDF forces in the planned offensive on Raqqa (for which Turkey may send jets).
According to Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, NATO plans to deploy AWACS to Syria, another illegal move by the arch-criminal protection racket known as NATO.
France and Spain proposed for the UNSC to salvage the ceasefire deal by immediately halting the air campaign over eastern Aleppo. As if leaving al-Nusra in eastern Aleppo alone is the solution. It would be funny if it weren't so infuriating. The U.S. violates the ceasefire, and Russia and Syria take all the heat for fighting terrorism. White House mouthpiece John Earnest even had the gall to say: "Everybody's patience with Russia has run out." Village idiot John Kirby confused Russia and the U.S.: "Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments."
Meanwhile, the Red Cross and Red Crescent will continue their work in Syria, despite the breakdown in U.S.-Russia communications. Yes, they're already working in Syria; the Syrian government has no problem with humanitarian aid deliveries. But the fact that the jihadis in eastern Aleppo make it impossible to deliver aid is the perfect excuse to blame Assad.
John Kerry is up to his usual antics, pretending to want peace: "We are not giving up on the Syrian people, we are not abandoning the pursuit of peace, we are not going to leave the multilateral field, we are going to continue to try to find a way forward in order to end this war." That's right, peace through terrorism. The Syrian people are SO thankful, Kerry.
British caretaker prime minister Theresa May summoned up unprecedented levels of hypocritical British condescension:
"The levels of violence we are seeing, the way the Syrian regime is indiscriminately bombing its own civilians and their policy of starve or surrender, that seems to make a political solution at the moment impossible. We need humanitarian aid to get through to people who are in absolutely desperate need in Syria and we need a political transition to a Syria without Assad."
She's right about something: a political solution is impossible as long as countries like the U.S., UK, Saudi Arabia and Qatar continue to back jihadists, pretend they're moderates, and berate Assad for attacking them. And humanitarian aid is essential, but tell that to your jihadists, May.
In the face of this constant stream of malicious invective, the Russians somehow manage to stay professional. Lavrov:
"We are not giving up and will spare no effort to have the UN Security Council resolutions [on Syria] implemented," Lavrov was cited as saying by Tass. "We believe the International Syria Support Group can and must play a major, leading role in it," he added.
Regrettably, from the very beginning, there have been many, including those in the US administration, seeking to ruin those agreements," he said. "And it's even more regrettable that yesterday it was achieved by those who oppose political settlement of the Syrian crisis, oppose the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, and who openly seek to employ a force scenario."
Maria Zakharova reiterated Lavrov's main point, and made even more explicit some of the things that have only previously been spoken of in that strange art of diplomatic language:
"The problem is that for the whole time we were involved in Russian-American negotiations... we realized very clearly that the US had no joint position. Different organizations, different structures in Washington were taking different positions on what's going on Syria. They had absolutely different views," Zakharova said. The Americans "were changing their opinion and their point of view on what's going on in Syria, actually, every day... Probably, that was the main reason why they failed in fulfilling those agreements that we achieved," she added.
According to the spokeswoman, the Americans "told us that they have no possibilities to influence the moderate opposition." Both key tasks [separation of moderates, pull-back from Castello road] concerning the implementation of the ceasefire "failed and it wasn't our fault," she added.
"Actually, we're not sure that moderate opposition still exists. Because these guys, who were fighting for many months as Jabhat al-Nusra - with the same weapons, using same methods - hardly could be called moderate opposition. But we respected [HK: past tense] our American colleagues, who were insisting that these guys are still moderate," she said.
It took some for the US and its allies to realize "that Syria isn't a field for their games. Syria is a real threat because it became a field for terrorists," but Russia's efforts paid off with the creation of the 20-member International Syria Support Group (ISSG).
Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov was just as explicit:
"Is it not time for our US partners to publicly admit that almost all of the 'opposition' it nurtures and controls in Syria is an integral part of one 'umbrella brand': al-Qaeda - al-Nusra Front?"
Finally, just for laughs:
Harrison Koehli co-hosts SOTT Radio Network's MindMatters, and is an editor for Red Pill Press. He has been interviewed on several North American radio shows about his writings on the study of ponerology. In addition to music and books, Harrison enjoys tobacco and bacon (often at the same time) and dislikes cell phones, vegetables, and fascists (commies too).
redrock12 · 2016-10-05T18:33:00Z
Thanks Harrison
Excellent article. Reveals the lies and duplicity of the Western criminal oligarchs.
griffin · 2016-10-06T01:42:45Z
Obama's lost control of US military
His foreign policy in Syria is now more accurately called "lose from behind".
Has he ever had control? Of the military or the CIA?
Ray Joseph Cormier · 2016-10-06T12:36:12Z
Watching from CanaDa I see it the same way as Harrison presents it. What is so exasperating is the Canadian government and MSM parrot the American led Putin-Russia demonization. As it is written in the Good Book, 'Truth is perished in the Street and Equity cannot enter.'
The US and Western media project the impression-lie it is only the Assad government doing the shooting with no other side shooting back. The UN Secretary-General is AWOL as the US-NATO flagrantly violates International Law again by bombing illegally in Syria. What can you expect? The US pays most UN costs and it's in NYC. If the UNSG publicly censured the US for violating so many UN Rules and Principles, the fate of the last UN Secretary-General to call the Western Powers on the carpet might await him? He died in a mysterious plane crash.
The whole world was witness to the US going to the UN Security Council, requesting permission to invade Iraq to depose Saddam. The UNSC is the only World Body with 'Legal Authority" to sanction it. The US introduced the Law of the Jungle into the Middle East and the World by it's illegal actions, the Truth and Reality of the fact evident TODAY with the carnage in the Middle East and the World. All the experts on TV and the print media parrot the US government line, and the fact the US violates International Law with impunity, is nothing important to be taken into consideration. Who can take the US to the World Court?
The World is witness to the fact the US was denied that Legal cover, but did it anyway, undermining the the Global foundation of International Law established since WWII. The US and Israel are the only Nations on the planet that claim "exceptionalism" and immunity-impunity from having to follow International Law and UN Resolutions, and at the same time, insisting all other Nations follow it. This world is really getting sick of that hypocrisy and double standard.
The Time Line of history shows the US and their current allies in Syria Today, financed Saddam when he was a useful tool, to start and fight the brutal 8 year war against Iran in 1980 to nip the 1979 Iranian Revolution in the bud. The fact he used chemical weapons against the Iranians and Kurds provoked no moral outrage in the West. At that Time, Saddam and his army was their boy.
The US had no concern for civilians when they fire bombed Japanese cities with their closely packed houses, leading up the unmentioned 2nd Holocaust of WWII, the nuclear incineration of the people while they were still alive in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Moral outrage in war is all acting in the theatres of War. It is True the Truth is always the 1st causality of War. Lying Propaganda and disinformation is necessary to stop the people from questioning too much.
Getting back to the question posed above, "Who can bring the US to the World Court?"
It is now 40 years since THE KANSAS CITY TIMES published these words and Vision beyond them on September 13, 1976.
"He came to town for the Republican National Convention and will stay until the election in November to do God's bidding: To tell the world, from Kansas City, this country has been found wanting and its days are numbered […] He gestured toward a gleaming church dome. "The gold dome is the symbol of Babylon," he said."
The World couldn't see that in 1976, but surely can NOW
It goes on to say, "He wanted to bring to the Public's attention an "idea being put out subtly and deceptively" by the government that we have to get prepared for a war with Russia."
Back then it was the Soviets. Only Today is it Russia as the West portrays it as revived Soviets.
Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God.
"Shall be" suggests Future tense. If the Peace Makers are the Children of God, then who are the War Makers in ascendancy in this material world these Days?
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(false beliefs about God in Judaism, Christianity & Islam. written some 500 years before Islam, the 3rd arm from the Jewish religious record appeared)
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth (the 1%, Presidents, Prime Ministers, CEOs, and other Idols of the People) and of the whole world, (the rest of Humanity) to gather them to the battle of that Great Day of God Almighty. (the war is already underway between Judaism, Christianity and Islam leading to the climax of that Great Day)
Behold, I come as a thief. (when you least expect it)
Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Armageddon was derived from Har Megiddo, located in Judea and Samaria of occupied Palestine 2000 years ago. Israel as a kingdom disappeared some 800 years before Jesus walked in that area during the occupation.
Har Megiddo/Armageddon still exists as a physical place in this material world, but is now under the control of temporal Israel re-created from the Bible after an absence of some 2800 years. After all those years, the occupation of Judea and Samaria in Palestine is still an unresolved, violent, open wound in the Middle East and this material world.
Astronaut · 2016-10-06T14:54:37Z
Military-economic implications.
As usual things are not that simple. After the Russians stopped the U.S. in Syria the U.S. freaked out and gave the Brits the order to trigger Brexit. That cost the Rothschild (who do you think funds the Russians ?)
about 30 banks. So in turn the Rothschild freaked out. So now the Russians are sending in the S300 missile system, the U.S. will send in the Patriot missile system and here we have another war with no end in sight
just for Syria's oil reserves. As usual follow the money. We are really good at killing each other and destroying
everything in the process. E.T. phone home.
Andrian · 2016-10-06T17:44:20Z
at the end of the article says it all, thank you Harrison for the article, for the very good and objective points it brought up.


Renos Onoufriou was born on May 15, 1966 in Limassol where he grew up.
After completing his military service he studied in Cologne, Germany (1986 – 1993) and at Phillips College in Cyprus (1993 – 1994) where he received a BA in Economics and Business Administration.
From 1994 to 2000 he was deputy manager of Alpha Trading & Shipping Agencies Ltd in Saudi Arabia. Alpha Trading & Shipping Agencies Ltd is a food import company with annual sales exceeding €800 million.
Since March 2000 he has been Sales and Marketing Manager at the Phileleftheros group, responsible for supervising for advertising in the group's newspapers, magazines, web sites and radio stations.


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Joe Beard
Joe Beard closed the final chapter of a life well-lived October 15, 2017. Joe was born September 10, 1919 in Wichita Falls to Guy Beard Sr. and Isabelle Frates Beard. He was a graduate of WFHS and received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Texas in 1942. Joe married Doris L. Cluett November 27, 1943. Joe served in World War II by enlisting in the United States Marine Corp and was a member of the 5th Marine Division. Joe was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in connection with operations against the enemy on Iwo Jima as commander of a shore and beach party communications team. After returning from the war Joe worked as a Petroleum Geologist. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris; daughters Bonnie Jean and Billie Jo. He is survived by grandchildren Amy Collier and husband Kyle, Sara Hargrove, Joe Martinez and wife Terri, six great-grandchildren and seven great great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Hospice of Wichita falls or the charity of choice.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Childrens Non Fiction
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Aim High: Irish Sports Stars, Trailblazers And Mavericks - Donny Mahoney
Code 9781788492089
Author: Donny Mahoney
Date Published: 19-Oct-2020
From big names in football like Roy Keane and George Best, to less well-known trailblazers like Anne O'Brien, meet the Irish men and women who aimed high in sports they loved to become some of Ireland's most extraordinary sportspeople. Packed into this fascinating book, you'll find stars of GAA like Cora Staunton and Christy Ring, and those who compete around the world like Katie Taylor and surfer Easkey Britton. World-class runner Sonia O'Sullivan, rugby phenomenon Brian O'Driscoll, rally driver Rosemary Smith and sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke are all here alongside Patrick O'Connell (the only Irishman to ever manage FC Barcelona) and boxer Francie Barrett, the first Traveller to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. These are inspiring stories of athletes from across Ireland who prove that sport is about more than just talent - it's also about drive, hard work and believing in yourself.
Donny Mahoney is a writer and journalist. He was born in America and has lived in Ireland since 2004. He is one of the co-founders of the website Balls.ie, where he works today.
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This book introduces us to sporting legends from as far back as the 1780s up to today's leading Irish athletes, highlighting those who have become legends in this country and those whose impact has been global. The breadth of sports covered is vast, from popular sports such as GAA, soccer and rugby, to less widely practised sports such as road bowling and surfing. A must for all future Irish sports stars
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The stellar line-up featured in illustrated mini-biographies is likely to inspire sports starts of the future
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The writing was amazing, but the illustrations were unbelievable!!! Everyone looked so real! My favourite stories were Cora Staunton and Katie Taylor because I thought they were written the best. I also loved the teams at the end and the multi-sport page ... an amazing book. I would recommend it for 8-16 year olds but it is a book that anyone can read. Overall, I thought this book was fantastic and I would rate it nine and a half out of ten. By Lucy. aged 10, 5th Class, Divine Word NS, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16
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A valuable collection-cum-tribute to our outstanding sportspeople over the last hundred years
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Sportspeople from the Rebel County are also to the fore among the subjects of Aim High ... stellar line-up featured in illustrated mini-biographies is sure to inspire sports stars of the future and includes Skibbereen rowers the O'Donovan brothers, and Cobh's Sonia O'Sullivan
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Kevin McNaughton updates us on his recovery from injury.
Defender hopes to be back in full training before the end of the year..
Development Squad games the next step in recovery process.
It hasn't been an easy 2015 for Kevin McNaughton on the injury front, playing just three games after his arrival at Wigan Athletic in the summer, before suffering a serious hamstring injury, just five months after breaking his leg whilst on loan at Bolton Wanderers.
The defender has been recovering since Latics' 2-0 defeat away to Gillingham in late August, where he ruptured a tendon in his hamstring.
McNaughton travelled to London and had to undergo surgery with knee specialist Andy Williams, effectively re-attaching the tendon, but now he says he can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, and is just a few weeks away from re-joining his team mates for full training.
"The most disappointing impact of the injury was the fact I wanted to come in and make a good impression and the injury has obviously taken that initial opportunity away from me.
"I am not far off getting back involved in full training now, I'm a couple of weeks away, there have been no set-backs and it has come along pretty good.
McNaughton has been working on strength and running patterns with Head of Physiotherapy, Russell Hitchen and his team, and is about to start a power and explosive programme, with the aim of featuring for the Development Squad in the near future.
"I am hoping to get a couple of development squad games under my belt soon but it is just a case of taking it week by week at the moment.


The Oil Price Information Service calls it a "colossal collapse" as gas prices head toward $2 per gallon.
In October, gas prices reached a national average of $2.90 per gallon. AAA reported gas prices at 6 cents lower than last week, but still 27 cents higher than a year ago. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the average retail gas price at $2.75 per gallon on November 5. Kloza predicted that at least 1,500 stations would post prices of less than $2.25 per gallon by Election Day, November 6.
Oil production around the globe has been on the rise, creating stockpiles. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) output hit a two-year high, and U.S. oil output has also increased. "This surge has driven the market into oversupply," and decreased prices at the pump, said Jason Gammel, an analyst with Jefferies.
Some analysts cautioned that this could be a temporary low for gas prices, especially if President Trump orders U.S. sanctions on Iran, which could curtail Iranian oil exports. "I think there will be a reversal of fortunes," said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst.


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Here's how GAP works: In the event of a total vehicle loss, GAP covers you once insurance has paid its share, paying the difference (or deficiency) between your Toyota's insurance payment (usually market value) and the balance on your finance or lease contract. GAP will also pay up to $1,000 of your auto insurance deductible (if applicable) in most states.
Take a look at the chart here for an idea of GAP coverage in action.
1. Less any delinquent payments, taxes, and past due charges. See agreement, certificate, or waiver for complete details. Some restrictions apply.
2. Available in most states if it is purchased and disclosed separately on the finance/lease contract. See agreement, certificate, or waiver for complete details.
3. See your auto insurance policy for actual coverage in the event of a total loss.
4. Not all customers will qualify.


WUOT's Podcast page offers you the opportunity to subscribe or to simply peruse our list of features, interviews and broadcast specials you may have heard on WUOT or WUOT-2.
WUOT's Clara Prinston talks to Tori Franklin and Logan Campbell about UT Opera Theatre's production of Carmen.
Aram Demirjian discusses the enduring popularity of one of the great works in classical music, Beethoven's 9th Symphony. He also explains the inspired thinking behind the inclusion of Harrell's Time Like an Everflowing Stream and Montgomery's Banner.
Nate Chinen talks with Todd Steed about his new book, Playing Changes: Jazz for the New Century and reflects on his experience at the Big Ears Festival.
Bill Frisell and Gregory Tardy sat down with Todd Steed after their recent performance for Live at Lucille's. They discuss their upcoming duo record and their unique musical history.
Roscoe Mitchell talks to Todd Steed about his 50 years with Art Ensemble of Chicago and his return to the Big Ears Festival.
Art Ensemble of Chicago sun percussionist Famoudou Don Moye talks to Todd Steed about some of his favorite recordings and his upcoming performance at the Big Ears Festival.
Jazz drummer and composer Kenneth Brown talks with Todd Steed about his newest release, Second Chances.


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Political Hybristophilia
Media TeamJuly 7, 2013
By Jeannie DeAngelis
Aaron Hernandez is alleged to be a cold-blooded killer. However, a minor detail like the premeditated pumping of five bullets into a friend wouldn't be a reason for female hybristophiles to disregard the NFL tight end's hotness.
On the contrary – female hybristophiles are women who are sexuoerotically excited by a person who has committed a gruesome crime or atrocity.
Hybristophilia is not a new phenomenon; Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, and even O.J. Simpson were all post-murder objects of female attraction.
Scott Peterson killed his wife Laci and unborn son Conner and then disposed of their bodies while actively courting Amber Frey. Then, during Peterson's trial and subsequent imprisonment, he garnered a sizable female following and received a few marriage proposals.
Convicted Dutch murderer Joran van der Sloot, who is suspected in the 2005 disappearance of Natalie Holloway in Aruba and who was later convicted of murdering 21-year-old Lima, Peru, business student, Stephany Flores, is currently serving a 28-year sentence in Peru. And Joran's planning to marry apparent hybristophile Leydi Figueroa Uceda.
Read the full story at American Thinker


Mrs. Cook has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Michigan State University, and a Master of Science degree in Education and ESOL from Fort Hays State University. After graduating from Michigan State University in 2012, Mrs. Cook moved to Virginia to teach at Tuscarora High School. Here at Riverside, she currently teaches AP Language and English 9. Mrs. Cook lives in Sterling with her husband, and playful English Golden Retriever, Riley. When Mrs. Cook is not at school, she enjoys reading and traveling.


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Yet another post about the Kansas City Royals.
By Grant Brisbee@GrantBrisbee Jan 18, 2011, 1:35pm PST
Share All sharing options for: Yet another post about the Kansas City Royals.
I'm sure you all saw the CNN Special Report that broke into regular programming when Gil Meche retired today, but in case you didn't, it's true. The Royals pounced on Meche after reading a secret think-tank report, "The Darren Dreifort Gambit: Giving Wheelbarrows of Cash to Unproven Pitchers with Good Stuff and Mediocre Results." The think tank's report was poorly translated from English into Royals' Front Office, though, which caused the Royals to sign Meche for $55M over five years rather than avoid him like a Dreifort-scented plague.
For two years, the Meche deal was actually a little bit of a steal, as he put up two very strong seasons. After that, his shoulder melted, and he struggled through two lost seasons. Two good years, two bad years, and he was paid all the while. Fair enough. That's about right for any multi-year deal to a pitcher, so the Royals did well enough to get any value out of a starting pitcher who hadn't yet cracked the 100 ERA+ barrier when he was signed.
Now Meche is retiring, though, and it's big news because the choice is costing him approximately $12M. He could have taken the money and gone through rehab, making an honest effort to return to the field. He chose not to. Now I'm reading some folks responding with a heartfelt "Good for him!" While I can't speak to Meche's unique case, I disagree with the larger point that it's necessarily honorable to refuse money because of an injury.
The decision made by Meche had to be intensely personal. Rehabbing a busted shoulder or arm isn't just a matter of putting ice on it, drinking V8, and taking it easy when playing Wii Sports. It's grueling, demanding work for several hours every day, and there's no guarantee that it will ever pay off with a return to form. It chills me to think how much effort a player like Noah Lowry put in to return to the majors without success. Meche decided it wasn't worth it, and that he had enough to be comfortable for the rest of his life. I can respect that decision, for sure.
But thinking he owed the Royals something is silly. If Meche came back this season and pitched 250 innings of 1.55 ERA baseball, the Royals wouldn't have slipped an extra $10M in his locker as a performance bonus. He was playing under a contract that was agreed upon by both parties with an understanding of the risks involved. At the beginning of the contract, Meche understood that if he morphed into Pedro Martinez, he would still be paid the same. The Royals understood that if Meche got hurt, they were hosed. Everyone knew the risks, and they agreed on a deal that would balance the risks with the rewards.
Organizational hero Robb Nen had the chance to refuse money. He was paid almost $18M for not throwing a pitch in 2003 and 2004. Both of those years were player options. He knew it would be almost impossible for him to return to action in either of those years – though he certainly tried – but he took the money. And good for him. Even if he didn't leave his rotator cuff on the mound in a smoldering heap during the postseason, he was right to pick up those player options. If the Giants held team options in 2003 and 2004, you can be absolutely sure they would have declined them.
We were going to sign Vladimir Guerrero, but we instead committed a large portion of our payroll to an injured player as a symbolic gesture. Thanks for the memories, Robb, and thanks for leaving it all out on the field as we tried to win a championship.
You will never read that, or any variation thereof. So hooray for Meche for making a decision that's motivated more by happiness than money. But it's not like David Glass is going to take the $12M and start a scholarship fund ("The Mechetriculation Facilitation"), and it's not even likely that the money will all be directly applied to the payroll or scouting budget. It's a boon more for Royals ownership than the team on the field, and Meche didn't owe the Royals ownership anything more than his best efforts as a baseball player, healthy or not.


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Remembering Latin America's knight of freedom
January 7, 2022, marks the fifth anniversary of the death of a man who played a major role in spreading throughout Latin America the key ideas that underpin the free society. Continue Reading...
Free trade with China is still good for us all
Doug Irwin in his seminal book Free Trade Under Fire points out that Democrats and Republicans have historically vacillated on free trade. The Democratic Party of the late 19th century up until World War II was the party of trade liberalization when Republicans consistently voted for high tariffs. Continue Reading...
Sri Lanka's organic farming mandate leads to food shortage, economic emergency
In April, the Sri Lankan government banned the import and use of fertilizers and agrochemicals, including insecticides and herbicides, marking a significant step in their goal to become the world's first country to produce 100% organic agriculture. Continue Reading...
'Win-win denial': The roots of zero-sum thinking
One of the basic insights of economics is that trade is mutually beneficial, making both parties better off than they were before. It's a proposition about human exchange that stretches back to Adam Smith's foundational treatise, "The Wealth of Nations." Continue Reading...
Against trade wars as class wars
Debates between free-traders and protectionists routinely devolve into competing variations of class warfare – each claiming the cause of the "common man" against a wealthy and entrenched elite. Whereas protectionists argue that trade liberalization primarily benefits the rich, displacing disproportionate numbers of working-class employees, free-traders rush to the defense of working-class consumers, whose pocketbooks are undoubtedly harmed by tariffs and restrictions. Continue Reading...
When cronyism meets 'creative destruction'
Amid rapid globalization, Americans have faced new pressures when it comes to economic change, leading to abundant prosperity, as well as significant pain and disruption across communities. In search of a villain, populists and progressives routinely blame the expansion of free trade and rise of global conglomerates, arguing that entrenched and moneyed interests are now allowed to run rampant from country to country with little competition or accountability. Continue Reading...
The Political Theology of Global Secularism, Part 1: Globalization and the ideology of global secularism
This is part one of our series, "The Political Theology of Global Secularism." Check back frequently for forthcoming installments. – Ed. Globalization is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has many aspects: economic, military, political, and cultural. Continue Reading...
In a pandemic, the poor need global markets more than ever
The coronavirus global pandemic has scrambled everything from economic policy to geopolitics. This disruption has created space for many to reconsider the world's pre-coronavirus arrangements. Trade and globalization will undoubtedly be on the menu for renegotiation. Continue Reading...
How freer markets can help during the coronavirus crisis with Rev. Robert Sirico
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Rev. Robert Sirico, president and co-founder of the Acton Institute, shares thoughts on how reducing regulatory and tax burdens can help our struggling economy as we fight the virus. Continue Reading...
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Q: More Efficient: with open(file, "wb"): pass or os.remove(file) I have situation where I repeatedly clear a file so that another (closed-source) program in a subprocess can write at the beginning of it, multiplied by several threads.
My question is it better (less resource-intensive) to do:
with open(file, 'wb') as wf:
    pass

Or, simply:
os.remove(file)

Factor in that the subprocess is going to come along and either open or create and open the file, depending on which of these I go with.

A: It looks like emptying the file was slightly faster, but not by much. Note I didn't use subprocess to call an external command since I assume most of the difference will be filesystem or os
import os
from timeit import timeit

def remove():
    os.remove('test.txt')
    external_command()

def empty():
    open('test.txt', 'wb').close()  # same as your with statement, but shorter
    external_command()

def external_command():
    ''' not actually an external command, but pretend... '''
    with open('test.txt', 'a') as f:
        f.write('mooo')

print 'removal took', timeit(remove, number=1000), 'seconds'
#O: removal took 0.132004915145 seconds

print 'emptying took', timeit(empty, number=1000), 'seconds'
#O: emptying took 0.106063604726 seconds

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Judith Toensing didn't just teach her students, she inspired them. A sixth-grade teacher from Yuma, Arizona, Toensing made a strong impact on one of her students 21 years ago. At the end of the school year in 1997, Mrs. Toensing, wrote a note on the student's report card: "It has been a joy to have you in class. Keep up the good work! Invite me to your Harvard graduation!." This week, the student, Christin Gilmer graduated from Harvard as a doctor of public health.
Mrs. Toensing wrote a note on this 12-year-old's report card back in 1997.
Gilmer who is now 33, was only 12 at the time, but she kept the message all these years.
"It meant a lot to me to know that outside my mom, someone who knew me so intimately believed in my dreams and my ability to accomplish them," Gilmer told CNN. Gilmer, who wrote a thank you note prior to her graduation, said Toensing was the first person to encourage her in the journey of studying public health.
"Ms. Judy Toensing, taught me about current events, global health, and human rights. She was the first person who passionately conveyed the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS to me," the letter said.
This letter quickly grabbed the attention of school administrators, who decided to honor Toensing by inviting her to the 2018 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's convocation, at no cost to her.
Mrs. Toensing and Gilmer's mom posed for a photo after the ceremony.
Dean Michelle Williams thanked Toensing — and all public school teachers — for the "immeasurably important" work they do.
"You don't just teach young people. You inspire them, and you propel them along a path of fulfillment and service to others. Your work is what makes our work possible," Dean Williams said.
This came to a surprise to Toensing, who felt "shocked, flabbergasted, humbled" when she received the invitation from Harvard, which was personally delivered to her by Gilmer.
"I have high expectations of all my students, so to hear that Christin had achieved this goal did not surprise me in the least," Toensing told CNN. "I feel honored that Harvard chose to tell Christin's story, her journey, and that I was a small part of that journey," she added.
Christin Gilmer received her doctor of public health degree on May 23, 2018.
Gilmer who got her master's degree in public health at Columbia University, says that Toensing always encouraged her students to think of ways to help others.
"She lit a fire in me that helping people is a powerful tool, and through education, you can better serve populations in need. I will never forget her passion for others," Gilmer told CNN. As a student in Toensing's class, she and others wrote a 100-page advertisement, interviewed the mayor and envisioned how recycling could work in their town 15 years before it actually happened, and helping others is something she plans to focus on.
"I would love return to southern Arizona to work in health, politics, and community development," Gilmer said. "I wanted to learn from the best institutions in the world so that I could bring back the knowledge and skills I have obtained and share them with the communities from which I came." Toensing, who says this experience revitalized and energized her to become a better teacher for her students, praised all the hard work Gilmer has done and believes this is just the beginning of a great future.
"She has many more miles to go, I know with her tenacity, her dedication, and her passion for helping humanity, she will be highly successful and that we will all be the better for knowing her," Toensing said.
Toensing, who taught Gilmer all her sixth-grade subjects, now teaches sixth- and eighth-grade Social Studies.
Support from parents is key to helping kids do well academically. Here are 10 ways parents can put their kids on track to be successful students.
Kids do better in school when parents are involved in their academic lives. Attending back-to-school night at the start of the school year is a great way to get to know your child's teacher and his or her expectations. School administrators may discuss school-wide programs and policies, too.
Attending parent-teacher conferences is another way to stay informed. These are usually held once or twice a year at progress reporting periods. The conferences are a chance to start or continue conversations with your child's teacher, and discuss strategies to help your child do his or her best in class. Meeting with the teacher also lets your child know that what goes on in school will be shared at home.
If your child has special learning needs, additional meetings can be scheduled with teachers and other school staff to consider setting up or revising individualized education plans (IEPs), 504 education plans, or gifted education plans.
Keep in mind that parents or guardians can request meetings with teachers, principals, school counselors, or other school staff any time during the school year.
Knowing the physical layout of the school building and grounds can help you connect with your child when you talk about the school day. It's good to know the location of the main office, school nurse, cafeteria, gym, athletic fields, playgrounds, auditorium, and special classes.
Many teachers maintain their own websites that detail homework assignments, test dates, and classroom events and trips. Special resources for parents and students are also usually available on the district, school, or teacher websites.
Homework in grade school reinforces and extends classroom learning and helps kids practice important study skills. It also helps them develop a sense of responsibility and a work ethic that will benefit them beyond the classroom.
In addition to making sure your child knows that you see homework as a priority, you can help by creating an effective study environment. Any well-lit, comfortable, and quiet workspace with the necessary supplies will do. Avoiding distractions (like a TV in the background) and setting up a start and end time can also help.
A good rule of thumb for an effective homework and/or study period is roughly 10 minutes per elementary grade level. Fourth-graders, for example, should expect to have about 40 minutes of homework or studying each school night. If you find that it's often taking significantly longer than this guideline, talk with your child's teacher.
While your child does homework, be available to interpret assignment instructions, offer guidance, answer questions, and review the completed work. But resist the urge to provide the correct answers or complete the assignments yourself. Learning from mistakes is part of the process and you don't want to take this away from your child.
A nutritious breakfast fuels up kids and gets them ready for the day. In general, kids who eat breakfast have more energy and do better in school. Kids who eat breakfast also are less likely to be absent, and make fewer trips to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger.
You can help boost your child's attention span, concentration, and memory by providing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein, as well as low in added sugar. If your child is running late some mornings, send along fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, or half a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Many schools provide nutritious breakfast options before the first bell.
Kids also need the right amount of sleep to be alert and ready to learn all day. Most school-age kids need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Bedtime difficulties can arise at this age for a variety of reasons. Homework, sports, after-school activities, TVs, computers, and video games, as well as hectic family schedules, can contribute to kids not getting enough sleep.
Lack of sleep can cause irritable or hyper types of behavior and might make it difficult for kids to pay attention in class. It's important to have a consistent bedtime routine, especially on school nights. Be sure to leave enough time before bed to allow your child to unwind before lights out and limit stimulating diversions like TV, video games, and Internet access.
When kids are organized, they can stay focused instead of spending time hunting things down and getting sidetracked.
What does it mean to be organized at the elementary level? For schoolwork, it means having an assignment book and homework folder (many schools supply these) to keep track of homework and projects.
Check your child's assignment book and homework folder every school night so you're familiar with assignments and your child doesn't fall behind. Set up a bin for papers that you need to check or sign. Also, keep a special box or bin for completed and graded projects and toss papers that you don't need to keep.
Talk to your child about keeping his or her school desk orderly so papers that need to come home don't get lost. Teach your child how to use a calendar or personal planner to help stay organized.
No one is born with great organizational skills — they need to be learned and practiced.
Studying for a test can be scary for young kids, and many educators assume parents will help their kids during the grade-school years. Introducing your child to study skills now will pay off with good learning habits throughout life.
In elementary school, kids usually take end-of-unit tests in math, spelling, science, and social studies. Be sure to know when a test is scheduled so you can help your child study ahead of time rather than just the night before. You also might need to remind your child to bring home the right study materials, such as notes, study guides, or books.
Teach your child how to break down overall tasks into smaller, manageable chunks so preparing for a test isn't overwhelming. You also can introduce your child to tricks like mnemonic devices to help with recalling information. Remember that taking a break after a 45-minute study period is an important way to help kids process and remember information.
Your child probably will be introduced to standardized testing in elementary school. While students can't really study for standardized tests, some teachers provide practice tests to help ease students' worries.
In general, if studying and testing becomes a source of stress for your child, discuss the situation with the teacher or school counselor.
Schools usually cite their disciplinary policies (sometimes called the student code of conduct) in student handbooks. The rules cover expectations, and consequences for not meeting the expectations, for things like student behavior, dress codes, use of electronic devices, and acceptable language.
The policies may include details about attendance, vandalism, cheating, fighting, and weapons. Many schools also have specific policies about bullying. It's helpful to know the school's definition of bullying, consequences for bullies, support for victims, and procedures for reporting bullying.
It's important for your child to know what's expected at school and that you'll support the school's consequences when expectations aren't met. It's easiest for students when school expectations match the ones at home, so kids see both environments as safe and caring places that work together as a team.
Whether kids are just starting kindergarten or entering their last year of elementary school, there are many good reasons for parents to volunteer at school. It's a great way for parents to show they're interested in their kids' education.
Many grade-schoolers like to see their parents at school or at school events. But follow your child's cues to find out how much interaction works for both of you. If your child seems uncomfortable with your presence at the school or with your involvement in an extracurricular activity, consider taking a more behind-the-scenes approach. Make it clear that you aren't there to spy — you're just trying to help out the school community.
Check the school or teacher website to find volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule. Even giving a few hours during the school year can make an impression on your child.
Sick kids should stay home from school if they have a fever, are nauseated, vomiting, or have diarrhea. Kids who lose their appetite, are clingy or lethargic, complain of pain, or who just don't seem to be acting "themselves" should also take a sick day.
Otherwise, it's important that kids arrive at school on time every day, because having to catch up with class work and homework can be stressful and interfere with learning.
If your child is missing a lot of school due to illness, make sure to check with the teacher about any work that needs to be completed. It's also a good idea to know the school's attendance policy.
Sometimes students want to stay home from school because of problems with classmates, assignments or grades, or even teachers. This can result in real symptoms, like headaches or stomachaches. If you think there's a problem at school, talk with your child — and then perhaps with the teacher — to find out more about what's causing the anxiety. The school counselor or school psychologist also might be able to help.
Also try to avoid late bedtimes, which can result in tardy and tired students. A consistent sleep schedule can help.
It's usually easy to talk with elementary students about what's going on in class and the latest news at school. You probably know what books your child is reading and are familiar with the math being worked on. But parents can get busy and forget to ask the simple questions, which can have an effect on children's success at school.
Make time to talk with your child every day, so he or she knows that what goes on at school is important to you. When kids know parents are interested in their academic lives, they'll take school seriously as well.
Because communication is a two-way street, the way you talk and listen to your child can influence how well your child listens and responds. It's important to listen carefully, make eye contact, and avoid multitasking while you chat. Be sure to ask questions that go beyond "yes" or "no" answers.
Besides during family meals, good times to talk include car trips (though eye contact isn't needed here, of course), walking the dog, preparing meals, or standing in line at a store.
These early years of schooling are an important time for parents to be informed and supportive about their child's education.
……A little about myself…..my name is Hudson Heinemann and I am 10 years old, I was born on Halloween and have the most amazing birthday parties because of it. ( thank you Mother! ) I am in the 4th grade and really like School. I have great teachers and friends, but what I love more than anything is Sports!!! Whatever it is, it doesn't matter, if it relates to Sports I want to know about it.
My favorite sport is basketball, which led me to a wonderful School called IMG Academy. I attended their Sports Camp over the Holidays and it really was extraordinary.
It is a Boarding Camp, and I stayed a week. Having attended other Camps, I found this Camp to really focus on bringing out the strengths of all the players. I became stronger and my technique really improved.
My favorite NBA team is the Knicks and currently they are not doing very well. They are 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 22 wins and 33 loses. Why is this? Some speculate horrible defense, I concur.
Clearly he was upset, but who could blame him. I personally am glad to see some emotion in a Coach.
The Knicks allowed Denver to shoot 56.8 percent from the field, including 50 percent from beyond the arc. The Nuggets also racked up 30 assists. Power Forward Nikola Jokie led the way by making 17 of his 23 shots en route to 40 points.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Knicks, who are 3-7 over their past 10 games and 22-33 on the regular season. They are 3.5 games out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference and may not make the playoffs if things don't change.
I couldn't agree more with this as I have always subscribed to the School of thought that James Allen so poetically penned in 1903 in his literary essay As A Man Thinketh…..A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.
Most little boy's dream of being a professional athlete at some point in their life, mine wants to play for the NBA and Notre Dame…my son is 9, so the journey begins with hard work and dedication ….and a Great Coach. Jim Santoro is exactly this, as he is the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Our Lady of Lourdes and Director of Edge Athletics Camp, Clinics and Programs. I remember the first time I saw him in action coaching the boys….the drills were extremely challenging and they were repeated multiple times, Jim made it look effortless as he demonstrated, however it was not.
Leadership, Knowledge, Motivation, Knows the Athlete, Consistency and Effective Communication Skills is where the line is drawn in the sand between good and great coaches. Jim possesess all of these traits and having raised four boys of his own in the very competitive arena of basketball knows how to handle the temperament of each child.
I applaud the dedication and long term vision Coaches have for their athletes and thank Jim for his commitment to children. We here at Old Fashioned Mom are proud to introduce Jim Santora as our 5th Celebrity Father!
Evan Sims, Christian Versaci, Hudson Heinemann and Friends.
1.What is the most challenging aspect of being a Coach?
Coaching presents many challenges at every age level and in every capacity. It is, therefore, hard to come up with the most challenging aspect, so I will offer up two. The first one is communicating to athletes in a way that creates a fun environment that gets them to want to work hard at improving their individual and collective team skills. Each athlete, regardless of age, is unique and has to be approached with whatever means is going to best motivate him or her to reach their full potential.
The second challenge is how to deal with parental concerns and how to best guide them. Parents generally have at least the one common goal of wanting the best for their child. As a coach of just not one team, but a director of an entire program, I find it very challenging helping parents "grow" as their child progresses from being a very young athlete to an athlete competing at higher levels. Helping parents manage the emotions of successes and failures of their own child, as well as their team, can be very difficult.
2.Please tell us about your children?
I am very blessed to have four children, all boys, and all are healthy and happy.
My oldest son, Rob, is married and works in Manhattan for a major law firm. He started his own company designing websites at age 12 and has always had a love for business and entrepreneurship. He attended Binghamton University as an undergraduate before obtaining his Juris Doctor Degree at the University of Buffalo. Rob and his wife, Amelia, just recently had their first child and my first grandson, Landon.
My second oldest, Chris, lives locally, and is a Partner with New York Life. Chris graduated from Nichols College where he got both his undergraduate degree in Sports Management and Masters in Business Administration. Prior to his current career, he worked for the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat, and the New Jersey Nets. He was, and still is, one of those happy go lucky guys that truly enjoys people and life. He is a very hard worker with a great personality and just a lot of fun to be around.
Kelby, my third child, just graduated from SUNY Oneonta this spring. He is probably the quietest of my four boys, at least until you get to know him. He has a very loyal personality and is similar to his older brother, Rob, in a lot of ways. Unsure of what's up next after college, he is currently looking at different types of employment options. He loves to be by the water, whether it's the ocean or the lake, and thoroughly enjoys hanging out with his brothers.
That leaves Kyle, my youngest son. Kyle transferred from SUNY Potsdam, but has not yet selected his next school. He has narrowed down his choices to several schools, where he will continue his basketball career while pursuing a business degree. He loves to compete and is also the daredevil in the family. Fast and wild are his thing. He attempted his first bungee jump at 6 but had to wait patiently until he was of legal age to sky dive at 18.
All four of my boys are very close and extremely competitive. They all played basketball for me at the high school level, and all played at the collegiate level in some capacity. They thoroughly enjoy being with each other and traveling together. I am very lucky to have four kids that were and remain so close as they grow older.
For as far back as I can remember, helping others succeed has been at my core. As a Big Brother and coach I have always worked with kids to help them to succeed. As a manager at IBM, my goal was to help employees advance their own careers. Aside from that, others tell me that I am fanatical, committed, have OCD, and sometimes even a little crazy!
4. Do you feel athletic talent is created or some children are born with it?
I think both are true. There are many athletes that are born with the ability or "gift" that enables them to excel in their respective sport. But there are also those athletes that just simply work hard, and work hard for many years to develop their skill.
On the other hand, there are those athletes that can excel by simply committing and working hard at what they do. This, however, does not mean that working hard is a guarantee that an athlete will reach the level of success they desire to achieve. Sometimes, the hard work is simply just not enough.
What I believe to be absolutely true is that those athletes that commit themselves to work as hard as they can are more likely to reach whatever full potential that their mind and body are capable of achieving.
5. What is a typical day for you?
A typical day for me changes depending on the time of year. During the winter, I spend most of my time preparing my high school team to compete and succeed. During the spring, I am heavily engaged with the management of our youth basketball program that serves 8-17 year olds. In the summer, we switch gears a bit where I direct five weeks of camps. And in the fall, I spend countless hours helping student athletes with the college recruiting, selection, and application process.
In addition, on an all-year-round basis, I teach basketball skills to athletes of all ages and levels on a more personal one on one or small group basis.
In general, my day begins fairly early to get all of the administrative tasks out of the way unless, of course, its camp season where my days and nights are somewhat reversed. There are many tasks that have to be completed during the day including calls to college coaches, film review and scouting reports, practice preparations, and the planning and preparation that is required for the next season.
When that day's work is done, I usually arrive at either the Our Lady of Lourdes or Poughkeepsie Day School gym by 3pm where I will spend the rest of the afternoon and evening coaching and teaching athletes, monitoring other teams' practices, or consulting with parents.
6. Tell us about your basketball career and how you ended up in the coaching profession.
Although I started to play basketball in the 9th grade, I really didn't invest any time into the sport until several years later. I did not play CYO or attend any camps. I made the junior high team as a freshman, Junior Varsity as a sophomore, and the Varsity as junior, basically because I was tall. At the end of my junior year, I became friends with an all-star athlete, Tom Emma, who eventually played for Duke University, the top Division I program in the country at the time.
Tom introduced me to the world of basketball and all of the hard work and commitment that went along with it to become successful. Spending countless hours, usually more than 8 hours a day during the summer, I remember burning through sneakers at a rate of a pair every two weeks. After a fairly successful senior year both from an individual and team perspective, the continued hard work earned me a spot playing for Clarkson University for the next four years. During the summers of my college years, I worked at many different overnight basketball camps. It was then that I knew that coaching would be a part of my life. I just did not realize at the time how big a part it would become.
My first job out of college was working for IBM in Poughkeepsie, New York, in August of 1982. It did not take long to get involved with coaching in the local CYO program where I coached a 6th grade team. Continuing to coach at the CYO level for the next four years was inevitable and led to my first high school position as the Junior Varsity coach at Our Lady of Lourdes. I was named the Varsity coach two years later and have been there ever since.
Although successful at IBM, achieving management status in three years, I knew that coaching and teaching young athletes was my passion. While working and advancing with IBM, I found myself spending more and more time, both physically and emotionally, with coaching. Edge Athletics was formed in 1996 as a small program with one team and incorporated as a not for profit in 2001. In 2007, after 25 years, I left IBM to run Edge Athletics and develop all-year programs on a full time basis. I remain the head Varsity coach at Lourdes and am heading into my 28th year.
7.What advice would you give young athletes today?
There are a few things that I tell young athletes to help them develop.
First and foremost, and simply put, they have to have fun. That might sound like something easy to do and even a little bit of a cliché, but excelling at sports is a complex process. If young athletes are not playing the sport because they love to play it and are not having fun playing it, then the rest of the process becomes even more complex and difficult. Unfortunately, the coach and the parents are key components for this to happen.
Next, and along the same lines, I stress to the athletes that they need to put in as much time – or as little time – as they want to. I try to ensure that each athlete recognizes what it takes to be successful, but at the end of the day it is the athlete that has to want to do it more than their parents want them to.
And then finally, I encourage the athletes to set realistic goals for themselves. It is okay to have a long term dream, but in order for athletes to improve, they must set realistic internal and measurable goals. Those goals can range from improving their shooting percentage, to earning a spot on a team, or earning a starting role on a team. Setting realistic measurable goals is a great way for young athletes to motivate themselves to work hard leading to self-confidence as they achieve them.
Hand-raising is a quick, cost-effective, time-tested technique for gauging student knowledge and progress, but it may not give an accurate picture of students' grasp of a subject. A new Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) faculty working paper co-authored by Senior Lecturer Dan Levy, doctoral student Joshua Yardley and Professor Richard Zeckhauser examines the biases and challenges that result from hand-raising and the potential solutions offered by the use of "clickers" in the classroom.
"Since student satisfaction often correlates imperfectly with student learning, it is important to explore the ways in which clickers may impact learning specifically, in addition to the positive reviews they are getting from users," the authors explain in the paper's introduction.
The paper examines the possible benefits of clickers, chief among them anonymity – eliminating the usual "herding" behavior that can result when students are asked to raise their hands. Using a clicker, students are denied the opportunity to mimic other students, and are freed from the embarrassment or peer pressures that would promote certain choices. They can only choose independently.
The researchers conducted experiments in 22 different university classrooms, working with more than 1100 total respondents. Each classroom was divided into two groups: one with hand raising and the other with clickers. The response results differed significantly between the two groups. The hand-raising results were generally more clustered, consistent with the researchers' theories on herding behavior.
While herding does sometimes push more students toward the correct answer to a question, the students may simply be following the crowd instead of arriving at the correct answer on their own. Clickers, the researchers argue, may be beneficial in allowing students to complete the learning process (thinking through their own independent responses to a question) and thus giving teachers a clearer picture of their students' learning. Clickers also enable students to comfortably express minority or unpopular political views.
"It seems likely that clicker responses give the teacher a better picture of where the students actually are in understanding a given concept or question," the authors conclude. The study provides compelling evidence that hand-raising and clicker responses differ significantly from one another, and raises interesting questions about the potential use of both techniques in classrooms of the future.
Dan Levy is senior lecturer in public policy and Faculty Chair of the Kennedy School's SLATE (Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence) Initiative. He teaches courses in quantitative methods and program evaluation. He recently directed impact evaluations of girl-friendly school construction programs in Burkina Faso and Niger.
Joshua Yardley is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy at Harvard University, with a focus on research in development economics and education.
Richard Zeckhauser is the Frank P. Ramsey Professor of Political Economy at Harvard Kennedy School. His contributions to decision theory and behavioral economics include the concepts of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), status quo bias, betrayal aversion, and ignorance (states of the world unknown) as a complement to the categories of risk and uncertainty. Many of his policy investigations explore ways to promote the health of human beings, to help markets work more effectively, and to foster informed and appropriate choices by individuals and government agencies.
Make sure your child walks where she can see the bus driver (which means the driver will be able to see her, too).
Remind your student to look both ways to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing the street, just in case traffic does not stop as required.
Your child should not move around on the bus.
All passengers should wear a seat belt or use an age- and size-appropriate car safety seat or booster seat.
Your child should ride in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when she has reached the top weight or height allowed for her seat, her shoulders are above the top harness slots, or her ears have reached the top of the seat.
Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4′ 9″ in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means that the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, not the stomach.
Look into what is offered in school vending machines. Vending machines should stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, low-fat dairy products, water and 100 percent fruit juice. Learn about your child's school wellness policy and get involved in school groups to put it into effect.
Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%. Choose healthier options to send in your child's lunch.
Bullying or cyberbullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, over the Internet, or through mobile devices like cell phones.
1. Look the bully in the eye.
2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.
Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child's safety and well-being when you cannot be there.
Set firm and consistent limits on your child's aggressive behavior.
During early and middle childhood, youngsters need supervision. A responsible adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning and supervise them after school until you return home from work.
If a family member will care for your child, communicate the need to follow consistent rules set by the parent regarding discipline and homework.
Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Children need a consistent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study.
Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.
If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help her yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child's teacher first.
Some children need help organizing their homework. Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.
Establish a good sleep routine. Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness. The optimal amount of sleep for most adolescents is in the range of 8.5 to 9.5 hours per night.


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Last fall, flying under the radar with a sophomore-dominated lineup, the O'Fallon girls' golf squad surprised many with a 12th place finish in the state tournament. The impressive ending to the 2016 season was a precursor of even better things to come for the Lady Panthers this fall as they dominated area golf courses in winning 11 consecutive tournament championships, including the Southwestern Conference tournament.
This past week, the OTHS squad faced off against the best golfers in the state in the IHSA finals hosted by Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin and played at the Hickory Point course in Decatur. The Panthers took an incremental step forward when the final results were tallied, maintaining their 10th place position in round one to finish 10th overall at the conclusion of the 36-hole tournament.
Benefiting from their previous state tournament appearance, the Lady Panthers did not fold under the pressure on the first day of competition, shooting a collective 324. Emily Marrs led the way for O'Fallon with a 76, followed closely by Natalie Meinkoth, who posted a 78. Alyssa McMinn (81) and Brooke Boatman (89) contributed to the OTHS total, which was 26 strokes off the pace set by front-runners Wheaton-Warrenville South.
Battling windy conditions on day two, the OTHS girls were able to fend off challengers to their top 10 position. Natalie Meinkoth paced the Panthers in the second round with a 79. Meinkoth's combined score of 157 earned her the top O'Fallon score of the tournament and 35th place overall. Emily Marrs shot an 82 to complete the tourney at 158 and a tie for 39th. Alyssa McMinn (167) and Brooke Boatman (170) closed the book for O'Fallon on a record-breaking season that catapulted the team into the distinction of being the best girls' golf squad ever produced by O'Fallon Township.
"The girls played outstanding golf," said O'Fallon head coach Chris Eddy. "They won all 11 in-season tournaments before finishing second to Galesburg in the sectional. Our players produced big wins throughout the season including defeating St. Joseph's Academy, who won the Missouri large school state title, in the River Challenge. Our girls continued to improve and put forth a great effort every time they stepped onto a course. We will return our top six for next season and look to continue where we left off this year."
Lady Panther netters finish second in team standings
While the golfers were completing their state run, the Lady Panther tennis team was just getting post-season play started in the IHSA sectional tournament hosted by Belleville East. Coach Erin Thoman's squad had their work cut out for them as they faced off against their Southwestern Conference foes for the second time in as many weeks. The OTHS girls did not have enough firepower to overtake powerful Edwardsville for the team title; however, the Panthers turned in a gritty performance to finish second in the team standings. Edwardsville finished the tourney with 33 team points to O'Fallon's 23. Belleville East finished third with 18 points.
The OTHS scoring came from a strong effort by their singles competitors and solid showing from their freshmen doubles team. Seniors Mackenzie Shelton and Katie Halwachs battled through the preliminary rounds to advance into the finals, Shelton playing for the No. 1 singles title against Edwardsville's Natalie Karibian and Halwachs facing the Tigers' Abby Cimarolli. Karibian took control of the title match early to defeat the Panther netter 6-1, 6-1. Katie Halwachs was able to turn the tables on her Edwardsville opponent, however, to win the third place match. Shelton's second-place finish and Halwachs' third place guaranteed the OTHS seniors a trip to the state meet.
Playing in their first high school sectional tournament, freshmen Miley Brunner and Kate Macaluso showed little signs of nervousness in the opening rounds, which allowed them to advance into semi-final action. A pair of losses down the stretch resulted in a fourth place finish for the ninth-grade duo, but the effort was enough to secure a place in the state tourney field this weekend.
Volleyball team wins Autumn Classic
Still involved in regular season action, the OTHS girls' volleyball team made a major statement over the past weekend by winning their own O'Fallon Autumn Classic. After sweeping past Pinckneyville and Salem in straight games on Friday evening, the Panther spikers stepped it up a notch to earn hard-fought victories — a three-game marathon over Champaign Central in the semifinals and a razor thin win over Chicago Marist in the tournament championship — to improve their season record to an impressive 28-5 as they prepared for the final two regular season contests of 2016 this week.
The Lady Panthers parlayed their versatile attack at the net with stellar defensive play to cruise past Pinckneyville in the tourney opener 25-16, 25-7. They duplicated their dominating effort against the Salem Wildcats to win consecutive games 25-11 and 25-6.
Saturday's matches tested the Lady Panthers' resolve beginning with Champaign Central. A late scoring flurry by O'Fallon gave the local spikers a 25-20 win in game one, but Central stopped the OTHS run with a 25-22 victory in game two. The tie-breaker saw several early lead changes before the Panthers took control at the midway point with kills provided by Cassie Reno and Elise Smith. The momentum swing allowed O'Fallon to advance with a 15-8 victory.
Facing Chicago power Marist in the tourney finale, Coach Melissa Massey's squad withstood several challenges to claim the championship crown. Both games featured scintillating runs that produced lead changes with nearly every service opportunity. Ultimately, the Lady Panthers prevailed — the victory fueled by O'Fallon's versatile offensive front line of Imani Williamson, Cassie Reno, Elise Smith and Mackenzie Koesterer. Each of O'Fallon's four top guns was responsible for momentum-swinging kills or blocks as the games progressed. O'Fallon emerged with a 25-23 win in game one and took the title with a 27-25 victory in the second game.
"Our team was focused and played very well under pressure," Massey said. "We had everyone step up at one time or another during the tournament and give us an emotional boost. Our defense, overall, was outstanding — especially when facing Central and Marist on Saturday. Hopefully, our level of play will remain at a high level when we host the regional tournament next week."
Regional action in the Panther Dome will begin with a preliminary round match on Monday pitting Collinsville and Granite City. The winner of the match will face the host Lady Panthers at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The regional championship will be played at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27.
Vine Street Market in O'Fallon
HSHS St. Elizabeth's and McKendree Metro Rec Plex partner to open therapy center
By Teri Maddox and Mike Koziatek
Sweet Katie Bee's, a popular bakery and restaurant in downtown O'Fallon, in Southern Illinois, which sells pastries and baked goods at Vine Street Market, is moving to new location. The owners expect to open this weekend.
MORE O'FALLON PROGRESS
Restaurant inside historic mansion announces it's closing to public, but events will go on
O'Fallon Progress
O'Fallon Around Town, July 18 edition
Scott Air Force Base News
Alpine Security in O'Fallon hosts school supply drive and back-to-school discount for cybersecurity bootcamp training
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois presents 'United We Lead Gala'
O'Fallon resident Johnson named Illinois Division of United Way campaign chair
Someone You Should Know: O'Fallon resident Boysen fixture at McKendree University


Today, as we approach the 2nd anniversary of when we first released TimescaleDB to the public, we're proud to share two major announcements.
First, we've raised another $15 million in a Series A1 financing led by Icon Ventures with participation from existing investors Benchmark, NEA, and Two Sigma Ventures, just one year after we announced our previous Series A financing.
Altogether, Timescale has now raised over $31 million to build the foundational database for the accelerating time-series data market.
Time-series data keeps cropping up in more and more places. As storage becomes cheaper, and computing becomes more powerful, businesses and organizations across a broad set of industries are storing data at higher fidelities.
Time-series is the highest fidelity of data you can store. Every data point has a timestamp. Storing your data in a time-series format allows you to analyze not just what your data looks like right now, but how it is changing over time. Put another way: Why look at a point, when you can study a line? Why look at a still image when you can watch the movie of how your business and operations are doing over time?
Yes, all data is fundamentally time-series data.
We are already observing the transition from storing "snapshots" of data to time-series data, and this trend will only continue to grow as businesses realize the value they can derive from time-series data.
In an industry crowded with database options, TimescaleDB remains unique in sitting at that intersection of time-series, PostgreSQL, SQL, and scalability.
We recognize the critical fact that time-series data doesn't exist in a vacuum, but must be understood within the context of the larger universe of a company's data. The challenge with most time-series databases today is that they require you to silo your time-series data within a non-relational store with an unfamiliar query language and limited connectors to the outside world. On the other hand, TimescaleDB is built on the open standard of SQL, and easily integrates into the rest of your software and data infrastructure.
As a result, businesses large and small all over the world today trust TimescaleDB for powering mission-critical applications, including: industrial IoT data analysis, IT and network monitoring systems, financial systems, in-application metrics, geospatial asset tracking, and more. Production deployments include Altair, Charter, Comcast, Cray, Hexagon Mining, LAIKA, Nutanix, SoFi, Transferwise, LaunchDarkly, Consensys, and many more.
We are excited to have found exceptional investors who share our vision and have joined alongside us to support this foundational technology and scale this business.
"Driven by the needs of modern web and IoT-scale time data, time-series databases are in the process of blossoming from a niche technology to a mainstream product category, equal in importance to transactional and analytic databases. But before TimescaleDB, time-series databases were making unfortunate trade-offs that damaged their utility as a general purpose application platform. The enthusiasm we've seen for Timescale among its open source community, as well as its rapid adoption rate, make us extremely excited to back both the technology and this incredibly talented team."
Two years ago, we started working on TimescaleDB to scratch our own itch and build the first time-series database that scaled and supported full SQL, engineered on top of PostgreSQL.
Since then, the developer response to TimescaleDB has exceeded what we expected, with over 1 million downloads, 6,500+ GitHub stars, and ~2,000 members in our Slack community. TimescaleDB is now the most requested extension on Amazon RDS, and the most requested feature on Azure PostgreSQL.
"As an animation studio, we have render farms, workstations, virtual machines, and lots of miscellaneous devices producing large amounts of data. We could foresee that our internal database, InfluxDB, was not scalable nor resource-efficient for this workload. Since we are huge fans of PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB was a natural solution. We've moved many of our existing workloads to TimescaleDB, and have even moved all of our long-term software licensing data from InfluxDB to TimescaleDB. The transition allowed us to retire complex internal applications and immediately allowed us to correlate licensing data with farm usage. We are very pleased with TimescaleDB's ability to serve as a sophisticated database system that does not require much manual servicing."
It is this growth that led us to opportunistically raise this Series A1 round, just one year after our previous financing. This latest round of financing allows us to add fuel to the fire, accelerate our growth, add to our growing team, and aggressively tackle what we believe is a fundamental problem for the future of data and computing.
"The market has been hungry for a database that can address this ubiquitous need for time-series data with a standard SQL interface running on a proven database engine. Timescale has delivered against this promise, and the growth since our investment captured the attention of a number of investors. We are excited for this new financing and how it allows us to scale this foundational technology and company."
Today we are also excited to share TimescaleDB 1.2, which is our first release to include open-source, community, and enterprise features. More about these features are in this separate blog post.
Our new enterprise tier includes automated data lifecycle management capabilities critical for production workloads in order to ensure efficient resource utilization and optimized query performance.
To sign-up for a free trial of enterprise features, or to learn more about our enterprise offering, please visit our pricing page.
While our past two years have seen significant growth and development in our product, company, and community, we expect 2019 to be even bigger. This year, we're actively developing scale-out clustering, adding even more open-source, community, and enterprise-grade features, and bringing TimescaleDB to a cloud near you. And we're planning more events to meet with our community face-to-face.
If our mission resonates with you, then please join our community. If you are just getting started, please download TimescaleDB and give it a whirl. Then join our Slack channel and let us know how we can help. And if you'd like to be a part of a hungry, humble, hard-working team hustling to solve a huge problem, then please say hi.
If you are interested in reading more post like this one, sign up for our mailing list below. For real-time updates on all things Timescale, follow us on Twitter.


The panoramic X-ray provides Dr. Dave with an ear-to-ear two-dimensional view of both the upper and lower jaw. The most common uses for panoramic X-rays are to reveal the positioning of wisdom teeth and to check whether dental implants will affect the mandibular nerve (the nerve extending toward the lower lip).
The Panorex equipment consists of a rotating arm that holds the X-ray generator, and a moving film attachment that holds the pictures. The head is positioned between these two devices. The X-ray generator moves around the head taking pictures as orthogonally as possible. The positioning of the head and body is what determines how sharp, clear and useful the X-rays will be to Dr. Dave. The pictures are magnified by as much as 30% to ensure that even the minutest detail will be noted.
If you have questions or concerns about panoramic X-rays, please ask Dr. Dave.


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