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Signature Massage Oil Candle - Fragranced with grounding essential oils Lavender and Vanilla. Made with Shea and Mango Butter, as the candle melts it turns into a nourishing oil. Warm enough to soothe your partner's skin, yet cool enough not to burn the skin.
This candle is a specially curated fragrance by Relationship Coach Dani Spikes is proven to help couples use healthy touch to experience more intimacy and feel more relaxed in their relationship.


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Using pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics to optimize psychiatric treatments: a systematic review
Autores: Aldaz Pastor, Azucena (Autor de correspondencia); Belles, M. D.; Del Río, R.; Milara, J.; Rojo, A.
Título de la revista: FARMACIA HOSPITALARIA
Número: Supl. 1
Objective: Neuropsychiatrists often resort to drugs with broad interindividual pharmacokinetic variability metabolized by highly polymorphic enzymes such as CYP2D6 and CYP2C19. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics offer considerable promise as techniques capable to allow individualized adjustments in treatments with psychoactive drugs. The purpose of this study was to review the existing evidence for the application of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to the dosing of drugs used in neuropsychiatry. Method: A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Embase to find prospective studies published between January 2000 and April 2021 that used determination of psychotropic drug plasma levels or genotyping to improve response to treatment or minimize adverse events in adult patients with psychiatric conditions. MeSH terms and free search terms were used. Each article was reviewed by two independent reviewers to ensure that they met the inclusion criteria. A quantitative method was established to assess the quality of the articles selected. Results: A total of 27 articles met the inclusion criteria of which 16 used pharmacokinetic and 11 pharmacogenetic techniques. Fifty percent of pharmacokinetic studies met the five predefined quality criteria. Eight of the 16 papers were on antidepressants; the remainder were on antipsychotics. Two of the latter did not find an association with efficacy or safety. None of the pharmacogenetic studies met the five quality criteria. Only one of the two studies on antipsychotics found fewer adverse events with genetics- guided dosing in patients on CYP2D6 substrate antipsychotics. Six of the nine studies on antidepressants found that pharmacogenetics-based dosing improved efficacy. Conclusions: The evidence available on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics-based personalization of treatment with psychoactive drugs is scarce. Many existing studies analyze associations between genotypes and response or toxicity but provide few data on the efficacy of treatment individualization. The results obtained suggest the existence of significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between responding and nonresponding patients, particularly in the treatment of depression. Given that the availability of pharmacogenetic information may be useful at the beginning of treatment, combining both techniques could help optimize pharmacotherapy. However, clinical trials are needed to establish their benefits with greater accuracy.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7399/fh.11794

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., (Reuters) - The ground-breaking detection of gravitational waves, ripples in space and time postulated by Albert Einstein 100 years ago, that was announced in February was no fluke. The researchers said they detected gravitational waves that washed over Earth after two distant black holes spiraled toward each other and merged into a single, larger abyss 1.4 billion years ago. The first detection of gravitational waves was made in September and announced on Feb. 11.
By Alister Doyle OSLO (Reuters) - Some coral reefs are thriving and scientists say they may guide efforts to curb threats such as over-fishing and climate change which are blamed for widespread global declines. A major study identified 15 "bright spots" among more than 2,500 coral reefs in 46 nations, including off Indonesia, the Solomon islands and Kiribati where given local stresses there were far more fish than predicted. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, facing a tight re-election battle, on Monday pledged an A$1 billion ($740 million) fund for the reef, which scientists say is suffering widespread coral bleaching due to climate change.
Kids who frequently get migraines may have lower levels of certain vitamins and antioxidants in their blood, a new study suggests. Researchers found that, of the children and teens in the study who visited a headache clinic for migraine pain, relatively high percentages had mild deficiencies of vitamin D, riboflavin (a B vitamin) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) — a vitamin-like substance that is made in the body and is used to produce energy within cells — compared with kids in the general population. For example, the study found that 42 percent of kids with migraines had riboflavin levels that were at or below the level at which supplementation is recommended.
Orlando Shooting: Should Curbs on Blood Donations from Gay Men Be Lifted?
Gay and bisexual men who want to donate blood after the shooting in Orlando, Florida, are largely unable to do so, because of a federal rule that prohibits men who are currently sexually active with other men from donating blood. Now, some are suggesting that it's time for the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider the policy. Unfortunately the Gay blood ban is still in place.
People who take some of the newest weight-loss prescription medications on the market typically lose about 5 percent of their body weight over one year, a new review of studies suggests. In the study of overweight and obese people who took one of five different prescription weight-loss drugs designed for long-term use, 40 to 70 percent (depending on which medication they took) achieved a loss of at least5 percent of their body weight. In comparison, 23 percent of adults who were given a placebo lost at least 5 percent of their body weight, according to the findings, published today (June 14) in the journal JAMA.
As airlines struggle to find cleaner ways to power jets and with an industry-wide meeting on CO2 emissions just months away, scientists are busy growing algae in vast open tanks at an Airbus site at Ottobrun, near Munich. The European aerospace group is part-financing the Munich Technical University project to grow algae for biofuel and, although commercial production is a long way off, hopes are high. Thomas Brueck, Munich TU's associate professor of industrial biocatalysis, says that the biofuel from algaculture could cater for 3-5 percent of jetfuel needs by about 2050.
A prehistoric seabird that was the size of a small airplane and had a mouthful of sharp teeth once soared over ancient Antarctica, occasionally stopping to snag fish and squid, a new study finds. Researchers found a broken 3.3-inch-long (8.5 centimeters) piece of the bird's humerus (upper arm bone) on Seymour Island in West Antarctica. They dated the bird's humerus to the Lower Eocene, between 53 million and 49 million years ago, said study lead author Marcos Cenizo, the director of the Provincial Museum of Natural History in La Pampa, Argentina.
By Kate Kelland LONDON, (Reuters) - There is no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer, the World Health Organization's cancer agency will say as it downgrades its warning, but it will also say all "very hot" drinks are probably carcinogenic. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had previously rated coffee as "possibly carcinogenic" but has changed its mind. On Wednesday it will say its latest review found "no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect".


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GM to unveil extended-range electric car at Shanghai Auto Show
General Motors Corp. will unveil a version of its Chevrolet Volt electric car this week at the Shanghai Auto Show that uses a hydrogen fuel cell to extend its range with zero emissions, a GM executive said Thursday.
The experimental Volt is GM's leading entry in the auto industry's race to create a commercially viable electric car that can compete with the range and performance of gasoline-powered models.
Alternative vehicles are a theme of the Shanghai Auto Show 2007, which opens Sunday. Automakers including up-and-coming Chinese competitors plan to show fuel cell and gasoline-electric hybrid models.
The new Volt uses lithium-ion batteries that can be plugged in to charge and a fuel cell to recharge them on the road, extending its range to 300 miles (480 kilometers), said Lawrence D. Burns, GM's vice president for research.
"We're increasingly confident that these fuel cell vehicles can compete with gasoline vehicles," Burns told reporters.
Fuel cell vehicles run on the power produced when oxygen in the air combines with hydrogen that's stored in the fuel tank - producing only harmless water vapor.
GM has not set a date to start selling such cars but has begun production engineering, a process that can lead to sales within three to four years, he said.
A formal unveiling of the vehicle is scheduled for Friday.
An earlier version of the Volt, shown in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, used a gasoline-powered motor to recharge its batteries.
Ford Motor Co. also showed an electric car in January at the Washington Auto Show that can use a gasoline engine or a hydrogen fuel cell to recharge its batteries.
China's Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. plans to display its own fuel cell-powered sedan at the Shanghai show.
GM plans to produce 100 of its fuel cell cars late this year or in 2008 and distribute them to members of the public in the United States, Europe and Asia for testing, Burns said.
A key challenge for public acceptance of hydrogen-powered cars is the availability of hydrogen at filling stations, Burns said. But he said companies are developing technology to produce hydrogen from natural gas and other sources, and growing anxiety about oil supplies and global warming should increase the appeal of such cars.
"We believe that if we can get the vehicle right, the infrastructure will follow," he said.


Chewy oatmeal bars flavored with brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. A healthier alternative to decadent brownies. Here is an easy dessert recipe for Oatmeal Cinnamon Blondies.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Combine oats, flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium bowl and mix well; set aside.
In another bowl, combine the melted butter, oil, both sugars and the eggs, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Stir in the oat mixture until just combined. Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares.


The most important reason for becoming a regular donor is to meet the blood needs of our community.
Each day in Central Pennsylvania, patients at area hospitals utilize between 275 to 300 units of blood and products derived from blood. Hosting blood drives or sponsoring the blood bank helps to save and enhance the lives of these patients. Participation in the Community Commitment program also helps build a positive image for businesses, churches, schools, social and civic organizations.


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Resource Library > Nonprofits Working Together
Nonprofits Working Together
Nonprofits can, and often should, work in coalitions with other organizations. Working in a coalition allows you to have a greater impact and lends credibility to your efforts. It also allows organizations to share financial, staffing and organizing resources. It's important to know, however, that there are different advocacy rules that apply to coalitions. The guidelines for lobbying and election-related activity vary depending on how the coalition is organized and funded, as well as the structures of the participating organizations.
Nonprofits often create affiliated organizations to expand their advocacy options. For example, a 501(c)(3) organization that wants to engage in more lobbying than is permitted might create an affiliated 501(c)(4) organization that could engage in unlimited lobbying. Non-501(c)(3) organizations that want to engage in more partisan election activity may create a 527. Alternatively, a non-c3 organization may create an affiliated c3 to engage in educational activities and raise tax-deductible and foundation funds. There are practical considerations and requirements for structuring and managing the relationships between affiliated organizations.
Relevant for:
501(c)(4) / 501(c)(5) / 501(c)(6)
Coalition Checklist
This new Advocacy Resource is designed to guide organizations through the process of forming and working in coalition with easy-to-understand explanations of th
San Francisco's Prop C: Grassroots Expenditure Lobbyist Disclosure
Does your nonprofit organization advocate in the City and County of San Francisco? If you spend $2,500 or more in one month on certain grassroots lobbying expen
Amplify Your Voice: Lobbying Do's and Don'ts
You have a voice - it's time to use it. Lobbying is a key way nonprofits can advance their mission, amplify the voices of their supporters, educate policymakers
Considering Starting a 501(c)4? Case Studies
Deciding whether—or when—to establish a 501(c)(4) organization is never an easy decision. Questions about purpose, scope, funding, perception, timing, and legal
501(c)(4) Strategy and Discussion Guide
What are the strategic questions to consider whether, when, and for what purposes to create a create a 501(c)(4)? Check out our new 501(c)(4) Strategy and Disc
Comparison of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) Permissible Activities
Provides examples of the kinds of advocacy activities that 501(c)(3) public charities and 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations are permitted to do under feder
Comparación entre organizaciones 501(c)(3), organizaciones 501(c)(4) y
Comparación entre organizaciones 501(c)(3), organizaciones 501(c)(4) y organizaciones políticas.
Sample Grant Agreement
Benchmarks for Advocacy Evaluation
Sample Agreement: Allocation of Costs and Reimbursement of Expenses Be
Initiating Policy Change: Circulating Ballot Initiatives in California
The ballot initiative process in California can be an effective tool for nonprofits, including 501(c)(3) public charities, to bring about change in public polic
501(c)(3) Contact with Parties and Candidates Concerning Election Prot
This fact sheet offers some guidelines for when it's appropriate for a 501(c)(3) group working on election protection issues to talk with a candidate or party -
Practical Implications of Affiliated 501(c)(3)s and 501(c)(4)s
Common Interests: How Unions and 501(c)(3) Organizations Can Maximize
Types of Exempt Organizations and What They May Do
Influencing Public Policy in the Digital Age: The Law of Online Lobby
Can a 501(c)(3) organization lose its tax status over a careless Tweet? With new online tools popping up all the time, questions like this are becoming more and
Learn about best practices for affiliated organizations and the role 501(c)(4) organizations play in our democracy.
Guidelines for Joint 501(c)(3) – 501(c)(4) Websites
Ballot Measures and Recalls: Basic Rules for 501(c)(3) Public Charitie
Power Amidst Chaos: Foundation Support for Advocacy Related to Disaste


This discussion has been recovered from our archives.
I'm new to predictive modelling and I'am currently developing a model of student churn for an educative institution where I work. I´m using logistic regression for this issue , so which technique should I use in order to detect outliers in my training set?.
The way we take care of outliers in Logistic Regression is creating dummy variables based on EDA (Exploratory Data Analysis).


On April 11, Gander Fire/Rescue and Gander RCMP responded to a two-vehicle collision east of Glenwood on the Trans-Canada Highway.
While Gander Fire/Rescue were enroute to the call, a vehicle attempted to pass emergency vehicles, all of which had their emergency lights and sirens activated.
A 53-year-old man from Botwood was identified as the driver. He was issued a ticket for failing to yield right of way to an emergency vehicle as well as operating a vehicle with an expired/invalid licence.
Gander RCMP reminds motorists that it is an offence under the Highway Traffic Act to attempt to pass any emergency vehicle that has its lights and sirens activated.
Drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle. Immediately pull over to the right hand side of the curb or edge of the roadway, clear of an intersection, stop and remain in that position until the emergency vehicle has passed.


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An Initiative of the Data Foundation
Evidence-based Decision-Making
Innovation & Emerging Tech
Market & RegTech Data
Policy Agenda
COVID-19 Projects & Resources
Data Foundation
An Open Letter to Congress for Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic with Data
Learn more about our members' COVID-19 Projects. Click Here
Monday, Mar 23, 2020 By: Nick Hart
The following is a letter written by Data Coalition CEO Nick Hart to Members of Congress regarding COVID-19. The letter recommends the passage of high-priority federal data policies that would help address the ongoing pandemic and facilitate future innovation. A PDF version of the letter is available for download.
Members of Congress –
During this unprecedented time in our country, the need for valid, reliable data about the challenges facing Americans is clear. The Data Coalition members strongly encourage our country's elected leaders to ensure we are collecting the data and developing the evidence necessary to understand these challenges, while also planning for our country's future policy needs. Enabling data access while protecting privacy is essential for accomplishing data-driven decision-making; fortunately, a set of bipartisan and well-vetted policy proposals can help address these challenges immediately.
In late-2017 a bipartisan commission created by Congress and the President offered 22 clear recommendations about how to improve the country's data infrastructure to support evidence-based policymaking. While the comprehensive Evidence Commission strategy was designed to work as an entire ecosystem, to date, Congress has only taken action on half of those recommendations. The coronavirus pandemic necessitates action on the remaining unanimous recommendations from the U.S. Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking to ensure elected leaders have critical information to understand not just the full impacts of the virus long-term on our economy and population, but also to study and learn from the policies being implemented today to attempt to mitigate the pandemic's effects. In addition to those suggestions, there are several common-sense, bipartisan policy ideas that can immediately improve our ability to measure long-term impacts.
The Data Coalition is America's premier voice on data policy, specifically advocating for data to be high-quality, accessible, and usable to improve our society. On behalf of the members of the Data Coalition – which include technology innovators, data analytics organizations, management consultancies, data vendors, and non-profit research organizations – we ask that Congress prioritize collection and management of high-quality data for addressing the pandemic. Prioritizing high-quality data and a robust data infrastructure will bolster our country's capabilities to understand and address the current pandemic with sound policies, while also preparing for future crises in the years ahead.
The Data Coalition's suggestions include ideas that explicitly align with or are complimentary to the Evidence Commission's unanimous recommendations. Each could also be considered to temporarily address major data issues. Legislative specifications for each are included as an attachment:
Rapidly Authorize and Launch a National Secure Data Service. The Evidence Commission identified a strategy for quickly developing a shared service center for government data linkage and analytical capabilities that would vastly expand the research community's ability to produce statistical analyses for providing summary information about policy issues. While some work is underway to develop resource, Congress should act to establish the Data Service as quickly as possible enabling these data uses within a privacy-protective framework. The Data Service should be designated as a federal statistical agency and use the privacy framework reauthorized by Congress as part of the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018 (CIPSEA; Title III of P.L. 115-435).
Without this infrastructure in place, government will be unlikely to rapidly analyze and understand the data collected across federal agencies for assessing the full impact of government policies and interventions intended to address the coronavirus pandemic. A short-term authorization could get the infrastructure off the ground, and Congress could revisit the authorization following a "pilot" period to determine longer-term feasibility. Congress could even repurpose the long-delayed Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence-Building to provide transparency and advice as this work proceeds.
Expand Access to Income and Earnings Data for Research Activities. The Evidence Commission recognized a clear need for improved access to income and earnings data. This can immediately be accomplished in two ways using data already collected by government:
Improve Data Quality for the National Directory of New Hires and Expand Access to Include CIPSEA Agencies. With minor adjustments to federal law, approved researchers could have vastly improved, yet still restricted, access to existing data on wages and earnings. The Office of Child Support Enforcement at the department of Health and Human Services operates the National Directory of New Hires, created in the 1996 welfare reforms. This system is built on state-provided data. Enhancements to data access for research purposes within the CIPSEA privacy-framework paired with improvements to data quality, including increasing the periodicity of reporting and doubling the duration of data retention will vastly improve existing research capabilities. Notably, proposals to expand access to this system have previously been offered by the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations in annual budget proposals to Congress.
Pass the Measuring Real Income Growth Act of 2019. An existing legislative proposal would improve the Bureau of Economic Analysis' capabilities to use existing tax data for developing critical national economic indicators, such as the Gross Domestic Product. In addition to other useful provisions in the legislation, adjustments to 26 USC 6103(j) are especially timely for improving the quality of the country's economic statistics using existing tax records.
Fund the Evidence Act Implementation with $50 million the FY 2020 Supplemental. Congress and the President should provide federal agencies at least $50 million to support implementation of existing data analytic functions created as part of the bipartisan Evidence Act, in a targeted way for supporting the pandemic response. While the Data Coalition is advocating for $125 million in FY 2021, there are limited resources in the current fiscal year. Congress should include additional appropriations in further supplemental spending packages for FY 2020. These resources to implement the Evidence Act would specifically support agencies in rapidly building the capacity and infrastructure to support statistical activities, data governance, and program evaluation. These three functions must be successful across government to truly understand the impacts of the policy decisions that are being made today, as well as to prospectively plan for future crises. This funding should also be flexible enough to support federal statistical agencies in unique challenges associated with collecting critical and relevant data to assess long-term outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Direct Agencies to Track Supplemental Spending through USAspending.gov. With the influx of federal appropriations to support rapid response to the pandemic, federal agencies need clear direction from Congress about the intent to not only rapidly allocate appropriated funds, but to also ensure for future transparency and accountability of that spending. Federal agencies and the Office of Management and Budget should be advised by Congress to ensure the budget accounting framework enables tracking of federal funds allocated in supplementals similar to the strategy used for the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, recognizing new requirements in place as part of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014.
Appropriate Funding to Support Development of a Household Survey on COVID-19 Impacts. In support of efforts underway in the private sector, Congress should immediately appropriate at least $20 million to support initial development and launch of a large-scale household survey to daily monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on the American population at least over the next 6 months, though such a survey would likely be useful for policymakers if continued for a much longer time period.
Improve System for Compiling National COVID-19 Test Data and Relevant Health Information. The limitations of the country's existing health data infrastructure for monitoring COVID-19 are now abundantly clear, including the absence of a national health data exchange that encourages system interoperability and data sharing consistent with applicable federal laws. Using the existing infrastructure to rapidly shift for COVID-19 response, an improved reporting system with basic data standards could be implemented to ensure the capabilities exists for more timely reporting of test results and relevant vital records, along with capabilities to combine relevant information for improving predictive modeling and long-term analysis of impacts.Reporting of the CDC's "Human Infection with 2019 Novel Coronavirus Person Under Investigation and Case Report Form" could be mandatory for states, rather than voluntary, with required data elements and electronic submission. These data could be made available in compliance with relevant federal privacy laws for restricted access research-purposes through existing privacy-protective protocols in place at the National Center for Health Statistics, a federal statistical agency, to support rapid modeling in partnership with experts outside government.Further, mortality reporting at NCHS will be critical in coming months. NCHS must rapidly enhance its capabilities for geocoding, natural language searching, and artificial intelligence as part of the Vital Statistics Reporting System to ensure COVID-19 information is captured adequately, and reporting periodicity from states must become near real-time rather than monthly.Building on existing partnerships with states, NCHS needs to improve capabilities to provide edits and data quality checks for the existing Electronic Death Reporting System in addition to developing a vastly improved capability for collecting electronic health records from medical facilities in the U.S. to support statistical activities and monitoring. Automating these reviews and providing the data within the CIPSEA privacy framework could rapidly bolster the capabilities. With improved data collection approaches, data scientists could more effectively develop artificial intelligence or machine learning algorithms to predict severity of the outbreak or estimate potential future risks. A supplemental appropriation of $20 million would support rapid development and launch of such a system dedicated to more robust and timely analyses.
Temporarily Suspend the Student Unit Record Ban. A provision in federal law currently limits the ability of the federal government to collect data that could be useful for analyzing student outcomes in the contemporaneous environment, particularly in higher education institutions. Lifting the ban for statistical purposes under the CIPSEA privacy framework, even temporarily, would ensure policymakers have information available to understand the shift to a virtual educational environment and potential effects on student outcomes for future policy consideration.
Incorporate the Financial Transparency Act with 2020 Tax Credit for LEI Approval. The Financial Transparency Act takes steps to provide insights across the financial regulatory community with regard to the information available to the public about firms and subsidiaries. This bipartisan legislative proposal would apply expectations to use global data standards for vastly improving financial services data reporting, access, and use. It would also enable long-term benefits for improving the validity and reliability of Gross Domestic Product estimates, among other national economic indicators. Paired with a tax credit for entities to cover the cost of registering for a Legal Entity Identifier and submitting required information, the cost of implementation would be relatively low while the benefits vast in understanding our economy while reducing reporting burden on the private sector.
Thank you for your consideration of these critical data priorities as our country and partners around the world work to collectively address the coronavirus pandemic. We recognize the magnitude of the challenge before you and hope these suggestions will support your need for reliable information in the months and years ahead. For immediate assistance, please contact me or the Data Coalition's policy manager, Corinna Turbes (corinna.turbes@datacoalition.org).
Nick Hart, Ph.D.
CEO, Data Coalition
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A New Slate of Data Laws Set the Stage for 2021
Version Control for Law: Tracking Changes in the U.S. Congress
FY 2021 Appropriations Enter New Phase of Negotiations with the Release of Senate Bills
An Open Letter on Establishing a School Pulse Survey for Assessing the Impacts of COVID-19 on the Nation's Education Infrastructure
Continuing the Federal Data Strategy is a Must-Do for the Next Administration
Evidence-Based Policymaking
Financial Transparency Act
Back to the Briefing Room
© 2021 Data Coalition • Privacy Policy • Careers


Now, we fully respect that company's right to prevent its employers from taking their eyes off the job (do they padlock their watercoolers too?).
But we wish to inform the public that Pragati – The Indian National Interest Review does not fall into the 'forbidden category' of 'Games'. Content filtering services have some way to go.


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Wayne Haun
Rachel Jeanette Appears On Cover of SGN Scoops
Nashville, TN (August 31, 2020) Crossover artist Rachel Jeanette has achieved many special moments as an actress, model and singer…
StowTown Records Announces Debut Release From The Kramers
Nashville, TN (May 8, 2020) – StowTown Records has announced the release of a brand new recording from one of…
Sunset Gallery Music Reaches Agreement With Noted Songwriter, Donna King
Joshua Tree, CA – One of Christian music's most talented songwriters, Donna King, has reached an exclusive agreement with noted publishing…
TaRanda & Triumphant Quartet Honored at 50th GMA Dove Awards
Nashville, TN (October 16, 2019) – StowTown Records artists, TaRanda Greene and Triumphant Quartet, were honored with wins at this…
Karen Peck and New River Receive Two 2019 Dove Award Nominations
Staff 3 years ago 3 years ago 05 mins
Nashville, Tenn – Five-time GRAMMY® Award nominated and six-time Dove Award-winning family group Karen Peck and New River were honored…
StowTown Celebrates Multiple Dove Award Nominations
Nashville, TN (August 8, 2018) – StowTown Records is pleased to announce their 2018 Dove Award nominees. Co-founder, producer and songwriter,Wayne Haun,…
Wayne Haun Honored with Middle Tennessee State University's Distinguished Alumnus Award
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Wayne Haun, multi-award winning producer and arranger, was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Middle Tennessee…
Allegiance Trio Announces New Tenor Singer
Nashville, TN (January 4, 2017) –Allegiance Trio is excited to announce big changes for 2017. Corey Lackey has been named…
StowTown Records amassed a record-setting 9 nominations for Dove Awards
August 11, 2016 (Nashville, TN)… In just its fifth year of existence, StowTown Records amassed a record-setting 9 nominations during…
The Erwins: Paving A New Road
"Gospel music isn't reaching our youth anymore. It's dying out." Have you ever heard that statement before at a Gospel…


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Home/Chevrolet/2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 Will Only Receive Subtle Changes
2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 Will Only Receive Subtle Changes
admin December 9, 2020 Chevrolet Leave a comment 492 Views
One of the most favorite full-size pickup trucks is definitively the Chevy Silverado model. The new version 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 has been spied recently, and General Motors has a plan to make this model more competitive.
First of all, the next-generation pickup will introduce many improvements, and it will offer a more robust, heavy-duty suspension system. Also, we just noticed from recent spy photos that the Silverado 1500 is wearing a refreshed grille, and a new lighting system.
2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 First Look
The spy photos of the upcoming 2022 Chevy Silverado reveals some mild changes. At first glance, the new pickup truck is proportionally the same as the producer. However, from some gossips, it will be bigger by a few inches. Interestingly, buyers will once again have the opportunity to choose some of the excellent trim levels.
For example, some trims offer lavish amounts of chrome, while others lean more toward retaining the body color. The lower trims feature an revised grille that will most likely be stamped with "Chevrolet" in the center bar. However, higher levels can be expected with Chevy's bow-tie badge in the grille center. The Trail Boss version is also available, and besides great off-road ability, this model sits on lifted suspensions. It also comes with black-finished wheels and door handles that provide a little extra attitude.
Cabin Includes More Techs
The newest 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 can be equipped in many ways, depending on trims and packages. Base models offer nothing but the essentials, including many standard features. This model features manually adjustable front seats, vinyl seats, clever storage cubbies, and much more. On top of that, every Silverado includes the latest touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a mobile hotspot.
Moving up the range models, you'll found many more goodies. Generally, one can get a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen on the upper trims and more desirable features like Bose audio system, built-in navigation, wireless charging, head-up display, and ventilated front seats.
2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 Engine Specs
The new 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 is featuring a range of engines. This model is offered with a V-6, a turbocharged four-cylinder, two V-8s, and a Duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six. According to Chevy, the quickest two eight-cylinder engines is a 6.2-liter. This model produces 420-hp and is propelling the Silverado High Country.
Reportedly, it can run from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds. For comparison, the 5.3-liter that makes 355-hp needs 6.1 seconds. However, a 2.7-liter four-cylinder turbocharged is still available, and it develops 310-hp. This model offers decent towing capacity, and it needed 7.0 seconds to hit 60 mph. The diesel Silverado achieves the lowest acceleration but is ideal for hauling, delivering one of the best fuel economies. The maximum towing on the half-ton pickup is 13,300 pounds.
The upcoming 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 is a full-size pickup truck that will receive subtle changes for the next year. This model is the rare one in the segment, offering a vast number of engines. There are precisely seven of them.
Pricing should remain the same as before, and regular Chevrolet Silverado Work Truck could start at $28,300, while the High Country fully loaded can reach $70,000. However, the most favorite RST cost $40,395. From the last interview, Chevy revealed that the new Silverado would be available to purchase later in 2021.
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This Handsomely dressed boxed set is a perfect gift for the modern man on the go. The Eau de Toilette scent opens with a burst of grapefruit and lemon peel, entwined with fresh spices of black pepper and aromatic woods creating a modern masculine, textured appeal. This set contains 3.4 oz and a Hair & Body Wash which leaves hair and body clean and fresh. Made in the USA.


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Albion considers minority community liaison for police, but finances could stand in the way
Elena Durnbaugh
People in Albion have called for change during recent protests against systemic racism and police brutality. The city of Albion is trying to listen, considering new ways to improve the relationship between the Department of Public Safety and the city's Black residents and other residents of color.
The city is considering adding a permanent minority community liaison officer at the Department of Public Safety, but adding a position to the department could be difficult due to lack of funding and some people are concerned a new position may not address the systemic issues.
The idea was raised during the June 15 City Council meeting by Albion Mayor Dave Atchison, who feels strongly that establishing the position would help improve the relationship between the community and the Public Safety Department.
"There's always room for improvement," Atchison said. "The minority community represents... over a third, getting close to half of our population...and so they have unique perspectives and background, and I want to make sure we're representing the entire community."
Albion's Department of Public Safety has struggled to maintain a diverse force, according to Cheif of Public Safety Scott Kipp. Out of 19 officers, one is Hispanic and four are women. The rest are white men.
The issue was tabled until the July 6 meeting, with several council members asking for more information and clarity on whether Kipp supported the idea.
Building better relationships on a budget
Kipp said that he was "absolutely" in favor of having such a position within the department but said there could be some challenges due to the city's limited budget.
Albion's Department of Public Safety has had a community policing officer for the past three years. The position, which focuses mostly on outreach to schools in Albion, is funded by a community policing grant from the Department of Justice.
That grant money will run out at the end of this year, and with less money available in the city's budget overall due to COVID-19, Kipp said he wasn't sure if it would be possible to keep the current community liaison position.
"There's a possibility due to budget cuts and so forth that we could end up losing this position altogether...If we end up losing a position or even two because of the COVID and a bunch of cuts and so forth that they're projecting, there's no way I could still staff our road patrol and everything else that we do with 18 or 17 officers and still have this specialty position as well."
Kipp said he wants to make sure that the city does enough research and looks into funding prior to establishing a new position in the department.
"Just to mandate a position into a department without any idea exactly what they're going to do, no job description, those types of things, were concerns," he said.
Atchison said he knows there will be challenges, but he wanted to get a conversation started among city council members so that the city manager and the Department of Public Safety could make recommendations.
"Priority-based budget, you put your money where your mouth is," he said. "I think it's worth the investment to make sure that we have community liaison in our public safety to further improve that and make sure those needs, wants and perspectives are fully represented and taken into account."
'It needs to be a broader conversation'
Regardless of whether there is a minority community liaison, Kipp said that his department is being intentional about building relationships.
He has had initial conversations with the local chapter of the NAACP and Harry Bonner, who is the executive director of Substance Abuse Prevention Services in Albion, about what they'd like to see changed about policing in Albion.
Bonner said that there needs to be a focus on systemic changes, not just hiring one person. Recruiting officers of color, establishing a community advisory council or setting up a youth cadet program are all ideas that he has discussed with the chief.
"It needs to be a broader conversation that's going to look at systemic issues in a much broader way," he said. "Hiring just a black officer does not solve the systemic issue that we are dealing with."
Bonner said he, leaders from the NAACP and Kipp are discussing what the next steps could be so the community can work toward greater unity and meaningful change.
"How do you address systemic issues as opposed to looking at incidents?" he said. "How do you get to those issues systemically and at the same time benefit the community as a whole and bring some closure to some of this stuff. It seems like we're at that crossroad and everything of trying to figure it out. I think a lot of communities are at that crossroad."
For the most part though, Kipp and Bonner agreed that Albion public safety officers have a good relationship with members of the community.
Kipp said the department already does not use chokeholds and relies on de-escalation techniques. Six out of 19 of the department's officers have crisis intervention training, and Kipp is working to get more officers trained.
Kipp acknowledged that the Albion Department of Public Safety is not perfect and spoke about the November 2018 incident during which an Albion officer beat 13-year-old Da'veon Cieslack while he was handcuffed.
"We terminated that employee based on our own investigation prior to even that becoming public, which shows the effort that we're making in following our policies," Kipp said. "There's always going to be issues. Officers are going to make mistakes and do the wrong thing. It's just important that, I think, you have a command staff and a structure that deals with those types of things, and obviously I think that we've shown we do that here."
Kipp said that he and the rest of the department were open to any conversations about how they can better serve the community.
"We're working with our community to look at things that we can do and things that we can change," he said. "Myself, and the entire department for that matter, is open to these changes and anything that they think would make it better for how we do things."
Contact Elena Durnbaugh at (269) 243-5938 or edurnbaugh@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ElenaDurnbaugh.


I never endorse anybody, but this man absolutely MUST be sent to Washington, people.
Have the blind finally started to see? We have such a very long and tragic history of self-loathing to overcome, but this poll does warm my heart to think that maybe, just maybe, that elusive survival instinct is beginning to stir in the hearts of our stiff-necked brethren.
(Israelnationalnews.com) United States President Barack Obama has lost nearly half of his support among American Jews, a poll by the McLaughlin Group has shown.
The poll showed that key voter segments including Orthodox/Hassidic voters, Conservative voters, voters who have friends and family in Israel and those who have been to Israel, are all more likely to consider voting for someone other than Obama.
Among Orthodox/Hassidic voters, 69% marked 'someone else' vs. 17% who marked 're-elect.' Among Conservative-affiliated voters the proportion was 50% to 38%. Among Reform Jews, a slim majority of 52% still supported Obama while 36% indicated they would consider someone else. Among Jews with family in Israel and those who had been to Israel, about 50% said they would consider someone else, while 41%-42% supported Obama.
Fifty percent of the Jewish voters polled said they approved of the job Obama is doing handling US relations with Israel. Thirty-nine percent said they disapproved. "This rating is not good for a group of voters who are 59% Democratic to only 16% Republican," the poll's analysis noted.
A majority of 52% said they disapproved of the idea of the Obama Administration supporting a plan to recognize a Palestinian state within two years. 62% said that if given a state, "the Palestinians would continue their campaign of terror to destroy Israel." Only 19% thought they would live peacefully with Israel.
As Obama loses support among members of the influential Jewish voter bloc, possible Republican candidate Sarah Palin seems to be doing her best to woo them to her camp. At Time Magazine's May 4 dinner honoring the '100 Most Influential People in the World,' she was sporting a US/Israel flag pin.


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Home » Books » The Buildings of Detroit
The Buildings of Detroit
W. Hawkins Ferry
With a new foreword by John Gallagher
Subjects: Architecture, Art History, Detroit
Pages: 522 Size: Other
Book Images
This large, handsomely produced, beautifully illustrated volume is in certain respects the most satisfying treatise on the architecture of a single American city which has yet been produced.
— The Art Bulletin
First published in 1968, The Buildings of Detroit: A History by W. Hawkins Ferry is the definitive resource on the architecture of Detroit and its adjacent communities, from pioneering times to the end of the twentieth century. Ferry based his impressive volume on thirteen years of meticulous research, interviews with many prominent architects, and hundreds of photos commissioned specifically for the book. Ferry revised The Buildings of Detroit in 1980, adding the Renaissance Center and other modern works, and this re-released version presents the revised edition adding only a new foreword by John Gallagher.
The Buildings of Detroit spans from the early 1700s, when the city was a fur-trading post in the wilderness, to its more contemporary position as the capital of the automotive industry and a major industrial city. Along the way, Ferry offers glimpses of the log cabins of early explorers and soldiers, the Victorian mansions of lumber barons, and the Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield Hills residences of motor magnates. He traces the development of new building techniques that gave rise to the American skyscraper and the modern factory. Ferry details all of downtown's landmark buildings, including many that are no longer standing, and visits fascinating neighborhood structures like movie theaters, hotels, shopping centers, and apartment buildings. In each chapter, readers will meet the visionary architects and clients whose foresight and initiative helped shape the fabric of one of America's great cities.
The Buildings of Detroit also includes a selected chronology, maps, references, notes, an extensive index, and 475 illustrations. Previously out of print and difficult to find, this re-released classic will be treasured by Detroit history buffs and architectural historians.
W. Hawkins Ferry was born into a distinguished Detroit family in 1913. His grandfather, Dexter Mason Ferry, was a founder of D. M. Ferry and Company, and his father, Dexter M. Ferry Jr., was head of the company when it merged to become the Ferry-Morse Seed Company. Educated at the University Liggett School, at Cranbrook, and at Harvard University, he pursued graduate studies at the Harvard School of Design, worked as an architectural designer, and served as an instructor in art and architectural history at Wayne State University.
Ferry was an important collector of contemporary art and a patron of the Detroit Institute of Arts, which his grandfather helped to found. He was the honorary curator of architecture, chairman of the Friends of Modern Art, and a trustee of the Founders Society at the Detroit Institute of Arts; as well as an honorary member of the Michigan Society of Architects. He died in 1988 and left his art collection to the Detroit Institute of Arts.
This large, handsomely produced, beautifully illustrated volume is in certain respects the most satisfying treatise on the architecture of a single American city which has yet been produced. [It is] a work which will be of substantial interest to everyone concerned with American architectural history.
The author's real distinction is his imagining . . . the parade of the city's architecture in every era. He knows, as do few other architectural historians, that the art of architecture consists in the response to the ambition of a certain instant.
This magnificent book . . . ranges from the earliest beginnings in 1700 to the present. Hawkins Ferry, a distinguished first citizen, speaks both as lifelong resident and as architectural historian. The book is a well-written word picture of the city taken house by house and building by building. Much can be learned by both the layman and the historian from its descriptions and analyses.
– Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians
The Legacy of Albert Kahn - W. Hawkins Ferry With an Essay by Walter B. Sanders


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Q: How do i configure IIS7 for a website rather than a web application to be viewed through localhost? I want to view my "website" through localhost. I dont want to click on the play button in Visual Studios. I know with "web application", i would need to place the published files into a particular directory ( normally C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ ) and then view the application through Localhost.
However, i believe this would be different for "websites". How is this done?

A: Just like a web application, you can put your website in a folder under c:\inetpub\wwwroot\, and browse to your site's URL. (For example, //localhost/mysite)
You could also open IIS Manager, right-click your website folder,  select "Manage Application", and then click "Browse". You website will open in your default browser.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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University of Calcutta, Report of the Syndicate > University of Calcutta. Report of the Syndicate for the Year 1932 > Appendix A University Professors
Title Appendix A University Professors
Author / Editor Calcutta University Press
Download PDF (499 KB) Download citation
Appendix A University Professors
Chapter IX. University Professors
Social Intimacy between the European Professors and the Students at Madras
The Selection of Professors
English Professors, English and Research
European Professors and Indian Students
Proceedings of the Twenty-third Anniversary Meeting of the Calcutta Literary Society Held, With Great Eclat, at the Hall of the Calcutta University Institute, College-Square, on Wednesday, the 4th January, 1899, at 5 P.M., Under the Presidency of Mr. N. N. Ghose, Barrister-at-Law, Editor, Indian Nation, Honorary Presidency Magistrate, Principal, Metropolitan College, Examiner of the Calcutta University, Municipal Commissioner of Calcutta, &c. the Hall Was Crowded by a Large Number of Graduates and Under-Graduates of the Calcutta University, and Other Respectable Gentlemen of the Town and Suberbs
Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Anniversary Metting of the Calcutta Literary Society Held, Eith Great Eclat, at the Hall of the Calcutta University, College-Square, on Wednesday, the 4th January, 1899, at 5 p.m., Under the Presidency of Mr.N.N.Ghose, Barrister-At-Law, Editor, Indian Nation, Honorary Presidency Magistrate, Principle, Metropolitan College, Examiner of the Calcutta University, Municipal Commissioner of Calcutta &c. the Hall was Crowded by a Large Number of Graduates and Under-Graduates of the Calcutta University, and Other Respectable Gentlemen of the Town and Suberbs


The US Coast Guard now fears the underwater oil well spewing crude into the Gulf of Mexico could become an unchecked gusher shooting millions of gallons of oil per day, The Mobile Press-Register reported Saturday.
Citing a confidential National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report on the unfolding spill disaster, the Alabama newspaper said two additional release points had been found in the tangled riser.
"If the riser pipe deteriorates further, the flow could become unchecked resulting in a release volume an order of magnitude higher than previously thought," the paper quotes the report as saying.
Asked Friday to comment on the document, NOAA spokesman Scott Smullen said that the additional leaks were reported to the public late Wednesday, The Press-Register said.
Regarding the possibility of the spill becoming an order of magnitude larger, Smullen said, "I'm letting the document you have speak for itself."
In scientific circles, an order of magnitude means something that is 10 times larger, the paper said.
In this case, it would mean the volume of oil coming from the well could be 10 times higher than the 5,000 barrels a day coming out now, The Press-Register concluded.
That would mean 50,000 barrels a day, or 2.1 million gallons a day.


I love you in the very depths of thinking, analysis and interpretation of my mind. Maybe because I really need, I pray and be alone with Him.
And Allah is willing to accept me above all!
في حُبّه أحببت حتماً ذاتي.


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A few months back when I asked for your help, you showed up in the comments like kind neighbors with casseroles at the house of a sick person. Would you do it again?
Can you tell me about your family and audiobook listening?
Listening to audiobooks together has probably been one of the most consistent activities we've done in our family's thirteen years of homeschooling–a close second only to my reading aloud. From the time H was about five, we've almost always had an audiobook running in the car. We've listened to everything from Ramona the Pest to The Odyssey. Nowadays H isn't in the car with us very often, and the book is usually one that T and I have chosen together–but Lulu often surreptitiously switches off her iPod and listens along.
Both older kids also spent years listening to audiobooks in their rooms. Lulu especially. She's an auditory learner and didn't love reading until she was about eight. But she loved her audiobooks. And she listened to them again. And again. And again. And–it must be said–again. Mr. T has been doing the same for the last three years or so. I can't believe that our Harry Potter discs haven't worn down to wafers by now.
In my notebook, I'm jotting down notes about why I think we love audiobooks so much. Here are a few random thoughts.
Audiobooks make me feel less guilty about all the driving we do. All the activity-schlepping and errand-running is instantly transformed into a literature appreciation session.
Audiobooks allow kids who might not be reading yet–or may not enjoy reading–to lap up literature.
Likewise, audiobooks allow kids to enjoy books that might be more advanced than their reading abilities.
Listening to books–and re-listening to them!–helps kids internalize the flow and rhythm of good writing.
Some books I just don't want to read aloud. All those thick-as-a-dictionary Harry Potters? You may call it sacrilege, but I just couldn't do it. And why would I want to, when Jim Dale and his universe of wondrous voices does it so much better?
If you're into silly phrases like vocabulary-builder, audiobooks are it. I'll never forget the morning when seven-year-old Lulu accused her older brother of having "a severe lack of moral stamina." (Thanks, Lemony Snicket!) I'm also pretty sure that audiobooks had something to do with H's high SAT reading scores. Not that we listened because I cared a dang about SAT scores back then, but it's a useful fringe benefit.
And perhaps most dear to my heart: when we listen in the car together, our drives often become impromptu literature analysis sessions. Casual book clubs, if you will. This isn't something I instigate, mind you, but something that just happens. Someone will say something like I think J.K. Rowling makes the beginning drag on for too long or Why is it so funny when a bad guy like Count Olaf says a word like yep? And suddenly we're all throwing in our opinions and dissecting just what makes writing good. It's a beautiful thing. And do I see the results of these conversations come into play in my kids' own writing? Um, yep.
I am still a great fan of reading aloud, and would never let audiobooks replace reading to my kids. But there's something discretely captivating about a good audiobook. Maybe it's the professional reader. Maybe it's the fact that we manage to get through audiobooks faster than our read-alouds–and momentum can be an important factor in enjoying a book. Maybe it's because it takes no extra energy from me to stay in the car a little longer when we get to a really good part. I don't know. But I do know that listening to audiobooks has played a large role in my kids' development as writers. And I want to include a chapter about that.
So tell me: Does your family listen to audiobooks? How? When? Where? Could you share some favorites?
Please feel welcome to respond to any or all of the above, or whatever else crosses your mind. Thank you. Your feedback means even more to me than a pan of homemade vegetarian lasagna.
When we made the switch from cassettes to CDs, I lost all my storytapes (I work with preschoolers, so that's my version of audiobooks). One of these days, I'd really like to re-build my collection; perhaps on iTunes? In the meanwhile, we've discovered storylineonline.net (we listen, but don't watch the video), storynory.com (love the Irish accent!), and even some read-alouds on youtube (again–we listen, but don't watch. A favorite there is "Goodnight Moon" by Susan Sarandon.) Like you, I don't replace reading aloud with recordings, but use them in addition. I love them at naptime for non-nappers.
We still call audiobooks "storytapes" because that's what we called them too, back when we first started listening. My kids have CD players that also play cassettes in their rooms, which is great because they can still listen to library cassettes, as well as CDs.
It's good to be reminded of recorded short stories for younger kids–it's been a few years since we've listened to those, but they're great too! So nice to put them on and listen quietly while doing art, or during naptime like you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your sources! I'm sure other readers will appreciate those too, Lise.
Ooh…I have to add Sparkle Stories (sparklestories.com), to which we've started subscribing since my first comment here. We LOVE them–especially the Martin and Sylvia storyline. Martin and Sylvia are home schooled, spend gobs of time in nature, have cool parents who take turns being the stay-at-home parent, and have a great sibling relationship. Well worth the cost.
I've heard such good things about Sparkle Stories. My kids are all a bit (or more than a bit) old for them, so I appreciate that you've recommended them, Lise. How fabulous that they include home schooled characters!
Hands down favourite for my girls was "The Moffats" by Eleanor Estes read by Cynthia Bishop. When my second was in grade 2, I actually send the CDs away with friends who were travelling to the Maritimes just to give myself a break! Now my third listens the same stories over and over while she is drawing, playing quietly or I'm folding laundry.
Oh, and Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" read by Eric Idle.
Though not really a book, another favourite audio story was The Seal Maiden:A Celtic Musical by Karan Casey. (Still a little scary for the third).
There is something very communal about listening to stories together isn't there? I can still sing: "What do veal cutlets wear before their breaded?" and someone will inevitably respond with a smile, "flannel nightgowns, cowboy boots, furry jackets, sailor suits".
Frances the badger! I remember my own parents reading those to me, so they were among my favorite read-alouds when the kids were small. My husband refused to read them because they went on and on, but I loved them. They have such gentle, sweet humor. Frances' parents were very wise badgers! We did listen to the audiobook version a few times, but mostly I hogged the actual books to read aloud.
Listening together is communal. That's a great way to put it–and one of the reasons I like audiobooks so much.
Your reader's might also like to check out http://charlottemason.tripod.com/ for suggested audio tapes. Sneak a peek!
Great list! Thanks for the link!
Audie's first major chapter books after Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books, which we read aloud, were the Harry Potter series last year when she was 5; these we read aloud and via audiobook at the same time, depending on whether we were reading at home or going somewhere in the car. We love Stephen Fry's narration of the series even more than that of Jim Dale, but the former were released only in the UK so they can be hard to get a hold of.
We then fell in love with Gerald Doyle's narration of the Septimus Heap books (so far–the series is not yet finished) and Percy Jackson. The latter, narrated by Jesse Stern (who seems to have trouble with dialog cadence sometimes) is definitely less literary than the former, but both are great fun and repeated ad nauseum in her room by Audie, similar to how you described Lulu. What's more, Percy Jackson has inspired a deep and abiding interest in the original Greek myths, and checking out several of those books at the library then led to reading about Norse and Chinese mythology, Buddha's stories, and so on.
Susan recommended Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men to us, and although I loved it, Audie couldn't understand what was going on so we've shelved it in the iTunes library until later. This may have something to do with the thick brogue of the excellent narrator–one of these days I'll help her through it, or maybe read it aloud first with my sad American imitation of the Pictsies' accents.
Audiobooks are definitely the way to go, especially if you are going to drive all over the Southwest US like we did last winter, and of course for kids to enjoy books far beyond their reading level.
I had no idea that there was a UK version of the Harry Potter audiobooks. Hard to imagine a reader better than Jim Dale–but I believe you!
T has just been asking me to order him the Percy Jackson audiobooks from the library, so that's next for us. Did Audie ever listen to the audio version of D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, read by Paul Newman, Kathleen Turner, Sidney Poitier and Matthew Broderick? Fabulous. It's been listened to many, many times by my kids over the years. Because of those CDs, they know all the myths by heart, and it's fun to see how often they're alluded to in modern life.
Yes–I love that part with all the Jocks! And of course the part about someone having to marry the new kelder and how that situation is resolved, to everyone's relief. This, of course, is all over Audie's head so I'm pretty sure the humor in it will escape her for a while, even when she can understand what's going on. Maybe in a year or two.
We read D'Auliare's book, and Audie loved the pictures, especially the one of Ares stuffed in a jar, and the family tree at the beginning. We really ought to get the audio version, she would love to hear that in the car! The actors involved sound wonderful.
Stephen Fry is absolutely amazing–he's most known in the US for "V for Vendetta", I think, and he was the voice of the Cheshire Cat in the recent Alice in Wonderland film: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000410/. He was the Narrator for several of the Harry Potter movies, when they had narrators (which I don't even remember–probably because it sounded so natural to me to have his voice narrating!).
For about a year and a half, my almost-eight-year-old son listened to story CDs upstairs in his room every day after lunch, usually for about an hour or so. We called it quiet time. It gave me some time alone with his sister and time to catch up on chores without taking care of two kids. I think it increased his vocabulary a great deal and gave him an ability to listen to complex plotlines and difficult language well before he was able to read.
We have loved Odds Bodkin's "Little Proto" dinosaur stories and his Paul Bunyan stories CD, and Jim Weiss's versions of Greek myths.
I have very fond memories of my daughter, son, and I laughing hysterically while listening to "Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business" on a road trip, and the whole family laughing at "Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying." The Hank the Cowdog books on CD have also helped us pass car trips with pleasure and lots of laughter. Both series have given us opportunities to talk about what an unreliable narrator is.
Another wonderful favorite is the Olivia books read by Dame Edna Everage in classic high style. I brought the Olivia CD on a car trip thinking they were really more for my three-year-old, but my six-year-old thought they were hilarious, too, due to mainly to Dame Edna's comic timing and the funny use of music.
Through trolling for new books on CD from the library, we've also discovered some authors I might not have picked off the shelf in book form, like Bruce Coville.
My son taught himself to read very quickly, and I noticed that he reads with great expression, really getting across the emotions when he reads aloud. I suspect that part of why he reads so expressively is that he's listened to so many hours of great actors interpreting stories. I also think part of why he was able to pick up reading very quickly once he was ready is that he had heard such a wide range of words so many times, he was ready to put the sounds of the words together with the letters on a page.
My son has actually gotten out of the habit of listening to CDs at quiet time and reads more now. I'm sort of sad he's not listening to those CDs more!
Lots of great recommendations here too! We're big Jim Weiss fans. Odds Bodkins is a harder sell with my kids–on many of his recordings, the audio level is widely varying, and sometimes his guitar makes it hard to hear the words. But once we got used to him, we liked his Odyssey a lot.
We've enjoyed Bruce Coville too. His full-cast audio recordings are especially fun.
Your thoughts about the effects of your son's audiobook listening are interesting. I didn't mention audiobooks helping kids to develop expressiveness when reading aloud, but that's a great benefit! My kids got that from audiobooks as well. And I think it can make their learning to read easier, just as you say.
We just started getting into the audio books this past year. We've been reading chapter books aloud at night for quite some time, but during the day or on a car ride (and we have plenty of long ones lately since we're looking for a place to live three hours away!), we've been listening to fairy and folk tales on CD. At home, it's usually just a little quiet time, so we haven't tried any long chapter books yet.
Jim Weiss is a big favorite and there have been some good finds at the library lately (John Cleese telling Tom Thumb is pretty fun).
I'll be sorry to see you go if you move three hours away, Shannon! I often feel like I don't connect as well as I'd like to at the park. I think I need to put down my knitting and get out of my chair more often!
There's nothing like audiobooks for long car rides. We started with Jim Weiss too. But I've never heard John Cleese read Tom Thumb! How have I missed both him and Eric Idle? Will have to look those up for T; he loves that British humor.
Glad you are including this topic in your book.
Yes we do listen to audio books for all the reasons you mentioned in your post. They are a fantastic means of keeping the peace among the siblings on long car journeys and make the ride fun.
Our daughter is addicted to them and can't get to sleep without playing one (drawback-she's conditioned herself to need it to get to sleep–but the story keeps her awake). Her vocabulary is precocious; her comprehension is stellar–due to audio books (and us reading and talking to her ofcourse).
Another drawback: I think they can also be a detraction from learning to read because the subject matter is so interesting and compelling, the kids are bored with the content they must start out with as they begin to learn to read. Said another way: audio books seem to advance their cognitive skills beyond their reading ability.
A few favorites: anything read by Jim Weiss; Black Beauty, The Pearl, A Single Shard (a tale woven around the oldest known piece of celadon pottery), and The Trumpet of the Swan, narrated and read by E.B. White.
I remember that C. has listened to audiobooks at bedtime since she was a wee thing! Can you imagine the hours of listening she's put in by now?
It's funny to think that a drawback of audiobooks is that they advance kids' cognitive skills beyond their reading abilities! But I know what you mean. It's hard to enjoy those bland easy-to-read books when you've been appreciating good literature through your ears. Then again, those bland books are an issue for most kids who have been raised in literate environments. On the flipside, I agree with Carrie above, who noted that reading often comes easier (eventually) for kids who have a long history with audiobooks because they've been exposed to so much vocabulary and expressive language.
I've never heard E.B. White read his own work! He's one of my favorite essayists; I'll have to look that one up.
Vince was an avid audio books user. Since he was in a book club he often had to read books he may not have picked for himself but the audio readings were often the difference between reading the book or not. We both loved the wonderful readers we encountered. The library was great for using audio books without the grand expense. We almost always found the book we wanted on one of three systems.
We love our library for audiobooks. We've pretty much plowed through the collection at our branch, so it's always fun to raid other branches. Seeing new audiobooks at the library is like Christmas morning!
Audiobooks are great for getting through books you wouldn't choose on your own, aren't they? And they're good for helping kids (and adults!) through the classics. I have been meaning to read Passage to India for years–I finally got the CD from the library and downloaded it to my iPod. Something to knit by!
Some more votes for The Wee Free Men and the two sequels A Hatful of Sky and The Wintersmith. We've listened to the Wintersmith loads of times. You've got to love Annoya, the goddess of stuck drawers (it is always the egg slicer).
Greta has memorized the d'Aulaires myths. They are great, except Sidney Poitier murders the Greek names. Lord of the Rings read by Rob Inglis is great and it's 55 hours–hello road trip! The only problem is that her reads all the songs and poems–but that gives us a chance to all hiss "it burns us!" like gollum.
We like to do foreign languages in the car by listening to books and songs. It is a great way to get in 15 minutes every day of French or Latin. It is a rare day when we don't spend 15 minutes in the car.
I like to get adult non-fiction books and try them out. We've listened to His Excellency George Washington, The World Without Us, Seashell on the Mountaintop and Public Speaking for Dummies. I don't particularly recommend them, but I recommend the idea of getting a few such books out of the library and seeing if they capture anyone's interest. It almost always leads to an interesting conversation even if we don't make it through much of the book.
Eye in the Ear has very well done American history short stories–they are very engaging and are a good jumping off point for discussions about viewpoint and bias. The story of George Washington is a delightful hagiography which my kids critiqued having listened to much of His Excellency GW.
Lulu listened to the Wee Free Men sequels without me. I think it's time to listen with Mr. T. He'd love them. It's fun to revisit audiobooks with him that I listened to with the older two.
I'd forgotten about Sidney Poitier's issues with Greek names. Funny. Now I remember the kids futilely correcting him.
I haven't listened to a lot of nonfiction with the kids, but it's a great idea. It's always a little hard when you have a wide age range listening along. But some of the recent books on food, growing practices and the environment seem promising for sharing–at least in excerpts.
We loved the Wee Free Men and that led us to all of Terry Pratchett's disc world books. The ones that don't involve Tiffany Aching are "adult" and have occassional oblique references to more adult themes…but Jesse is happily listneing to them. Everything that is too adult goes right over his head. Right now we are on Wyrd Sisters which is loosely based on Macbeth. The fact that there are three different "readers" of the series has led to some great discussions about the importance of inflection and timing, especially when reading humor.
Along with many of the other fantasy books mentioned, both my boys have listened to all the Narnia books and the Taran the Wanderer series over and over. And of course T.H. White's The Sword in the Stone ( bk 1 of the Once and Future King). A really lovely more obscure fantasy is The Last Dragon by Sivana Di Mari.
Nathan and I really enjoyed Ivanhoe. While Jesse has loved all the Edith Nesbitt fantasy classics and the Edgar Eager books inspired by her.
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon has some truly wonderful language, reminds me of Rudyard Kipling…which makes me think that we might just try Rudyard Kipling himself. Oh, and Michael Chabon's Summerland is also fun.
I bet Dickens would be good too.
Oh, and did you know that Audible.com has all of Joy Hakim's the Story of US available. I know the books themselves are quite visually rich, it is hard to imagine them as an audio book. But the audio books really bring out the story aspect of the books, which some how gets lost for me in the books themselves, what with all the pictures and photo captions and inserts.
As you can see, audio books have played a big part in our life.
Okay, I'm queueing up Terry Pratchett. And the discussions about inflection, timing and humor sound fabulous. We've done a lot of that too–especially debating the differences between the Unfortunate Events books read by Tim Currie and by Daniel Handler, the author. Both have their merits. Those are just the sort of conversations about nuance in writing and speaking that I love. Better than any required writing or public speaking class!
Summerland is one book I've been meaning to try via audiobook with T. I tried, valiantly, to read it aloud to the older two years ago, but we just couldn't get through it. Too many characters, too dense. Somehow the book frustrated the kids to no end, because they wanted to like it. I've always thought it would work better via audiotape, because we'd get through it faster, and keep the momentum going. And I believe Chabon reads it, and you all know how much I love him! http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/12/10/november-notes-on-michael-chabon/ Must look up Gentlemen of the Road–never heard of it!
And, no, I didn't know about The History of US on audio! I'm thrilled to hear it. We own the series, and I read much of it to the older two–and they read from it themselves as well. But it seems like it has great potential as a regular listen-along, and we can always keep the book copy out, to study all the great graphics.
Woo hoo—thanks for all the great recommendations, Carrie!
We discovered audiobooks this summer after finishing the thick-as-dictionary Harry Potter series (ugh!) A book on tape helps tremendously when I have a little one to entertain while the older one wants to "read." And I feel like the little one gets more out of the story because she feels somewhat involved (or at least is not trying to yell over my reading for attention). I do feel a tinge of guilt that we're missing out on the cuddle time that goes along with "manual" reading but we make up for that at bedtime reading. We flip between each method throughout the day.
I have to laugh at your tinge of guilt about listening rather than reading aloud yourself–only because I used to beat myself up over that too. But I've come to realize that I don't need to read everything aloud myself, that we often enjoy the professional read-alouds more than the books I read. We just get through them faster, and the readers are better, despite all my wacky voices.
I'll read aloud to my kids as long as they'll let me–Mr. T is my last remaining audience at this point–because I love that cuddle time, and I think there's nothing like being read to by a parent. But I don't feel guilty about the audiobooks anymore, because my kids have enjoyed so much more literature than they ever would have, if they had to get it all through me.
Plus, we seem to have many more discussions about the books we've listened to together, compared to the ones I've read aloud. I'm not sure why that is–maybe being stuck in the car together promotes conversations.
I remembered that you said you were reading the Harry Potters aloud. Did you read all of them? You get the Parenting Medal of the Year, my friend!
Giggle giggle, hee hee. Daddy Medal of the Decade.
How could I forget Hank the Cowdog!!! We have audio tapes/cd's of the first 32 of the stories , as well as the CD compilation of the songs from all the books. They have probably racked up more listening time in our house than all the other titles combined!
We loved I, Coriander, brilliantly read by Juliet Stevenson, Tale of Despereaux as intoned by Graeme Malcolm, and Drowned Wednesday (our favorite of the Garth Nix series), as read by Allan Corduner.
We enjoyed the Tale of Despereaux (and also Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane). But we haven't heard the others, so thanks for the recommendations, Jill. And thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
The How to Train Your Dragon series read by David Tennant (the 10th Doctor Who) is fantastic. I tried to read the first book in the series to my son and found it unbearable, but I thoroughly enjoy listening to the audiobooks because of Tennant's outstanding voices.
We haven't listened to that series on audiobook, but I know my son would enjoy it. I'll have to see if one of our other branch libraries has it.
We've often had a similar experience with audiobooks: we enjoy the audiobook version of something that didn't quite work as a read-aloud. Those professional readers know what they're doing!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Tracy!
I love the line about wearing out the Harry Potter CDs. We currently have Goblet of Fire out from the library and my girls are on their 5th consecutive listen. They get to the end and just start it over again. I find this fascinating since this has never happened with other audiobooks.
Some favorites for the younger set have been all the Magic Treehouse books and Araminta Spookie. Others we've loved are the Mysterious Benedict Society and the Penderwicks.
Mainly I'm just glad to be reminded that audiobooks are a reasonable part of a literacy "curriculum"–sometimes I despair that my precocious early reader has basically abandoned reading books herself, preferring to listen to them. She'll start reading herself again, right??
It used to bother me when Lulu would re-listen to audiobooks repeatedly. Seemed so passive. But eventually I came to see that she was literally soaking in language. She's always had wonderful rhythm and voice as a writer, and I think a lot of that comes from all the audiobook listening she did when she was younger.
I absolutely understand that despair about your early reader enjoying listening. Yes, she'll come back to reading, I'm sure! Lulu gorged on audiobooks when she was younger; still I tempted her by taking her to the library lots, because there are so many books not available in audio format. So she'd read those. Now, at 15, she loves to read and will not consider an audiobook. Even when offered any one she chooses, free, from audible.com!
Mr. T also favors audiobooks. At nine, he prefers audiobooks for chapter books. He'll read chapter books on his own, if they're not available on audio, but he doesn't drink them in the way his sibs did. But nonfiction! He's incredibly curious and will read any nonfiction book I leave lying around, if it's on a topic that he's expressed an interest in. I'm not sure why this is his pattern. Sometimes I think he doesn't have the patience to keep track of where he is in a chapter book–or where he's left that chapter book! He likes to flit around from book to book. Still, I think it all works out. He's reading a ton of nonfiction, hearing fabulous fiction, and reading it himself sporadically. He's a very literate kid, and he's done it his own way.
Yes, all the time, and we don't even do much driving. We all enjoy it.
Hi Renee! This comment snuck in without Wordpress sending the typical notification email, so I just discovered it. Thank you so much for linking this post on FIMBY! Good to spread the audiobook love!
Our kids are absolutely enthralled with the Chronicles of Narnia audio series. They beg to listen to it at bedtime as well as during the day!
I will have to check out some of the recommendations in the comments!
My kids loved that series on audio too. Regarding your comment below, lots of libraries now offer free downloading of audiobooks online! Pretty sweet.
Our fam are huge fans of audio books ("cassette books" in home lingo).
For a shortie Dr. De Soto is a favourite around here. The right blend of creepy and ?
Our all-time fave is a set of old cassettes of the Just-so-stories read by Tony Robinson. They are swift, funny, and suit my 3 and 7 year olds…plus my partner and I also like them! They are full of repeatable phrases…Not long ago my 3 year old daughter responded to an invite to play an excitable round of pirates with a hilariously languid "No. I am the cat that walks alone, and all places are alike to me".
I agree that audios are particularly a propos for books where the language is from an earlier era. I also like them for books which I don't prefer, but my kids like. For example the Magic Tree house books.
Thanks for sharing your favorites, Lu!
I love it when kids repeat words and phrases from audiobooks that seem completely beyond them!
Second Just So Stories by Kipling, my 4 year old loved listening to them on repeat. We also have the Frog and Toad series read by the author and have enjoyed them immensely.
Thanks for so many great suggestions, I've got a bunch of holds set at my library!
I have a soft spot in my heart for Frog and Toad, JJ.
Glad you found some good recommendations!
Oh, this is pure gold. We're just getting towards a 5th birthday- now I know what to suggest to all the gift-idea-needers! But I can't wait that long, either, so will hit the library tomorrow. Mmmmmmm, thanks!
Audiobooks are an ideal gift for a five-year-old, wanderingsue!
For Greek myths try "Atticus the storyteller" very entertaining!
I've never heard of this version of Greek myths, Angie, but it looks interesting. Thanks for sharing!


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National Catholic Register News https://www.ncregister.com/news/bishops-active-at-state-and-national-level-in-current-election-cycle
Bishops Active at State and National Level in Current Election Cycle
State Catholic conferences have involved themselves in a variety of ways, and the U.S. bishops also have collectively identified some key issues of concern.
(photo: Shutterstock)
BRIAN FRAGA News November 3, 2014
WASHINGTON — With Election Day less than a week away, Catholic voters in several states will be considering many ballot measures in addition to hotly contested races for various state and federal offices.
The individual state Catholic conferences, the public-policy arms of the states' bishops, have surveyed candidates, compiled "informed citizenship" guides for Catholic voters and staked out positions on a host of ballot questions pertaining to matters of life, religious freedom, marriage and human dignity.
Throughout the year, the committee chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have also prepared statements and spoken out on several political issues that are impacting individual congressional races, such as immigration, marriage, national security and health-care reform.
"The USCCB comments on issues important to Catholic voters every four years, in advance of presidential election years," noted Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the USCCB's Pro-Life Office, referring to the "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" document.
"No document is issued nationally for midterm elections, though many state Catholic conferences publish statement or candidate questionnaires on websites and in local Catholic newspapers," Doerflinger told the Register.
State Catholic Conferences
A survey of state Catholic conferences across the country shows that many have been actively engaging Catholic voters in this election cycle.
The California Catholic Conference is supporting one ballot question: Proposition 47. The measure seeks to address prison overcrowding and proposes investing in victims' assistance, mental-health programs, public education, drug treatment and inmate rehabilitation. The state's bishops are unanimously supporting the measure because they say the criminal-justice system in California "remains desperately in need of significant reform."
"All human life is sacred, and, therefore, all social policies and actions in the realm of criminal justice — as with all of our individual and societal actions — must begin with respect for the life and dignity of the human person," the California Catholic bishops said in a joint statement.
In Colorado, the state Catholic conference published a brochure urging voters to see where candidates stand on immigration, marriage, economic justice, parental choice in education, the sanctity of human life and religious freedom.
The Colorado Catholic Conference also responded to a media campaign that Catholics for Choice, a pro-abortion group that has been denounced by the U.S. bishops for misrepresenting itself as an authentically Catholic organization, launched against Amendment 67, a ballot question that would amend the state Constitution to include the unborn under the definition of "person" and "child" in the state's criminal code. The bishops have not taken a position on Amendment 67, but they notified voters in an Oct. 23 statement that Catholics for Choice "does not speak for the Catholic Church."
"When it comes to statistics, Catholics for Choice only chooses those findings that agree with their dissent from Church teaching. They claim that only 14% of Catholics believe that abortion is morally wrong, but well-established research consistently shows that over half of all American Catholics believe that abortion is morally wrong [as the Church teaches]," the Colorado bishops said.
Meanwhile, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging voters to carefully review Amendment 2, a ballot initiative that would legalize medical marijuana. The bishops said the amendment is "problematic" because of the potential for fraud and abuse, not to mention the potential for youth to have greater access to marijuana.
"Our God-given capacity for compassion impels us to seek treatment for the sick and to alleviate the pain experienced by those who suffer. However, in doing so, we must ensure that we are not endangering those we are hoping to help by exposing them to even greater harm," the Florida bishops said.
Voter Guidance and Social-Media Engagement
While not taking positions on any ballot questions, the Illinois Catholic bishops offered guidance for voters before they cast ballots on Nov. 4.
In their statement, the bishops said that "not all issues carry equal moral weight" and that policies that encourage intrinsically evil acts — such as abortion, human embryo experimentation and destruction and assisted suicide — can never be supported.
"Catholics with a well-formed conscience would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil if they were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stance on these policies," the Illinois bishops said, adding that voters, when faced with a choice where both candidates accept intrinsic evils, may consider the candidate who would more likely promote other authentic human goods.
The Kansas bishops have taken to social media to engage voters. In four video reflections posted on YouTube, the state's four bishops offer brief catecheses on marriage, religious freedom, defense of life and usury, which in Kansas and elsewhere is seen in payday loan centers engaging in predatory lending.
"The teaching on usury has been forgotten or ignored, and laws regulating it have been watered down or quietly repealed," said Bishop Edward Weisenburger of Salina, Kan. Bishop Weisenburger added that a genuine concern for the poor "is necessary for anyone who would claim Christ as their savior."
In his reflection on religious freedom, Bishop Carl Kemme of Wichita, Kan., urged voters to give the issue special consideration, given the increasing pressures that faithful Christians are experiencing as the culture becomes more secularized.
"If a candidate thinks that Catholic teaching on marriage is something hateful that needs to be punished by the government, then how can we give that person our vote?" Bishop Kemme said.
In Maryland, the state Catholic conference surveyed candidates for Congress, governor and the General Assembly about their positions on issues of interest to Catholics. The survey covers topics ranging from protecting the unborn, physician-assisted suicide, immigration and non-public schools.
"The public-policy positions of the Church may seem contradictory from a conservative-liberal, Democratic-Republican perspective, but from the lens of our faith, they reflect a compelling and consistent understanding of human life and the common good," Maryland Catholic Conference Executive Director Ellen Russell said in a prepared statement.
Casinos and Personhood Amendments
The four Catholic bishops of Massachusetts have been vocal in recent weeks in calling on the commonwealth's voters to approve ballot measures that would repeal the state's expanded casino gaming law and legally require employers to provide earned sick time. The bishops said that the casino gaming industry "threatens local businesses, weakens the moral fabric of society and fundamentally alters communities for decades to come."
On an earned sick-time measure — Question 4 — the bishops said the initiative would help protect the dignity of workers: "Low-wage workers, those that are most vulnerable, deserve the security of knowing that their work will result in providing for their means and the means of their families without the fear of job loss. This proposal is reasonable and fair."
A personhood amendment in North Dakota — Measure 1 — is supported by that state's Catholic conference. Measure 1 would amend the North Dakota Constitution to provide for the "inalienable right to life" at every stage of human development. Recent public polling has found that almost half of North Dakota voters support the measure. The initiative is a response to a 2013 state judge's ruling that blocked a 2011 law that would have restricted the use of medical abortions.
"The people of North Dakota have a right to decide this question before the abortion lobby comes back into the state to try again to strike down laws that even the U.S. Supreme Court has said that we can pass," said Christopher Dodson, executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference.
The Tennessee Catholic bishops are also supporting a pro-life measure known as Amendment 1, which proposes amending the state Constitution to say it does not secure or protect the right to an abortion or require public funding for abortions. The amendment would also empower state legislators to enact, amend or repeal state statutes regarding abortion, including for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to protect the mother's life.
In an Oct. 19 statement, Bishop Richard Stika of Knoxville, Tenn., said Amendment 1 addresses a "moral issue of great magnitude."
"As bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville, I will never identify myself with any political movement," Bishop Stika said. "But as Christians who cherish all aspects of life, especially those experienced by the unborn, we must speak up in support of issues that Amendment 1 represents."
Brian Fraga writes from Fall River, Massachusetts.
voter guidance
u.s. bishops
personhood amendments
catholic voters
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