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Say hello to the new ERV » « A temporary palliative
The latest atrocity to spur right-thinking Christians to action!
What fresh horror could drive the American Family Association to call out the troops? Evil, repulsive soap operas.
Procter & Gamble has resumed using explicit, open-mouth homosexual kissing in their soap opera, "As the World Turns."
So stop buying soap and shampoo, Christians! If you aren't dingy, greasy, and stinky, we'll know you're an advocate of boys kissing.
Helpfully, AFA includes a link to the "repulsive" video, so if you're a good Christian you can also watch these two attractive young men being affectionate with one another. You can watch it over and over. You can watch it until those strange, funny feelings drive you to embrace Jesus.
Fools, Tools, Kooks, and Goons
Gingerbaker says
Doesn't the fact that the AFA now admits that seeing two gay guys kissing is "repulsive", give the lie to their contention that homosexuality is just a "lifestyle" choice?
How can a heterosexual man possibly "choose" a lifestyle which requires him to repeatedly do something repulsive?
Anhomoioi says
It is a good thing that they are not using IMPLICIT, open-mouth homosexual kissing in their soap opera!
That would be too much.
BlueIndependent says
I wonder if they threw a fit when years ago Star Trek DS9 had what amounted to a veiled lesbian kiss scene.
I wonder if the people at AFA have real jobs. They seem plenty happy to make busy-bodies of themselves.
carovee says
Hawt! I've got to start reading the AFA website more.
OH NOEZ!!!! TEH GHEYZ!!111!!!one!!!
SteveM says
Good thing they don't watch Torchwood.
Jason Failes says
If the AFA had been around in the 1960's, they would have undoubtedly protested Star Trek's famous interracial kiss as well.
Shocking! why I've never seen anything like this. Well except for my date last night when I was kissing another guy, but still shocking open mouth homosexual kissing! Think of the children!!!
Vegan Atheist says
HAHAHAHAhahahahahahaha.
Also, I heard about a study that showed that homophobic men were more aroused by explicit homosexual imagery than were heterosexual men with no such bias. The fundie doth protest too much, methinks!
Tony P says
BlueIndependent: Oh there was a ruckus about it. Jedziah Dax wasn't actually female.
That said, I guess a some wet, sloppy fellatio would make the people at AFA's heads explode. Some how someone should get them to the Gay Video Awards show.
craig says
Last month I watched videos of a British tv series from 1996 that had the gay characters making out just as much as the straight ones, and even 12 years ago in the U.K. it was no big deal, the series was popular, well-reviewed, no controversy.
I often wonder what its like living in a country that is apparently at least marginally sane. I'd move there if I could.
BlueIndependent, based on this (http://www.sexinchrist.com/threesome.html)
didn't you realize that lesbianism–within the proper Christian context, of course– is not even close to being as offensive to sweet Jeebus' eyes as the dude on dude? One is okay so long as you follow god's playbook for threesomes, one is a mortal sin that will place your non-existent soul in danger of hellfire for eternity.
Thanks to PossumMomma for the link!
Curt Cameron says
Procter & Gamble?!? That's teh Satanic corporation!
http://swiftreport.blogs.com/news/2005/02/christian_group.html
A coalition of Christian groups is calling on the Department of Justice to block the proposed merger between Procter & Gamble and razor giant Gillette because of P&G's ties to the Church of Satan. If the corporate marriage is approved, the new corporation will be the largest in the world to be controlled by Satan worshippers.
Steven Alleyn says
Traditional values in a nutshell:
Milo Johnson says
Oh, come on. Everybody knows that all us macho guys can't help but be tempted by another man's taut, lithe, muscular body, right? All of us secretly desire to just reach out and…
Shit, never mind.
Confused says
craig @ 11
What series was that? It sounds like Queer as Folk (written by the same guy who relaunched Dr Who in 2005, and is also responsible for Torchwood, no big surprise there), but that was in 1999.
Incidentally, there was quite a bit of criticism for QaF, but mainly around the depiction of a minor having homosexual sex.
firemancarl says
Well, i am guessin that if their feelings get that tingly, Jesus will be the last thing they embrace.
Since this is a "soap opera" that I assume is about a 95% female audience, seems that this is just trying to introduce (translate) yaoi into the american market. maybe? I don't know. just a thought.
DaveX says
And after they embrace Jesus, they can give him an explicit, open-mouth kiss!
StupidityAssimilator says
Why is so easy to get zealots to watch gay porn, but so hard to get them to read a science book?
Mikey M says
Good luck with that. I think the populations of soap-opera fans and fundamentalist believers have, shall we say, significant overlap.
zer0 says
ZOMG TEH GEHYNESS BURNSES!!!!!11!!!!1one1!!1!!!11! WHERS MEH BIBULL?!?!?! NEEDS ME JESUS!
That's great! Think it'll fit on a licence plate in Florida?
Confused, I don't really remember the name. It was about several of 20-something lawyers sharing a house.
Interrobang says
I wonder if the people at AFA have real jobs.
Nope. They don't need to. Welcome to the wonderful world of Wingnut Welfare, brought to you by the letters Scaife, Mellon, and Coors, and also by the number Ahronson.
re: Craig @ #24
Are you thinking of This Life?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Life
Vlad says
I think people need to email this organization with requests to post more videos like that!
The world needs to see a solid number of examples promoting "homosexual agenda." Just one measly scene won't do!
I sent my email through the AFA system. Anyone else?
"As the WOrld Turns is Great Again!
Dear Mr. Lafley,
I am happy that Procter & Gamble has decided to side with human rights activists in promoting a healthy lifestyle represented by a loving homosexual relationship. I would suggest that P&G continue making the best products possible while also embracing the spectrum of human diversity.
Please keep up the great work!"
uberd00b says
"You can watch it over and over. You can watch it until those strange, funny feelings drive you to embrace Jesus."
ROFFLE.
If you think the AFA's reaction to this is bad, just wait until they find out one of the characters is wearing a cotton/polyester blend!
And PZ's comment about 'tingly feelings' driving one to 'embrace Jesus' reminded me of a fridge magnet proudly displayed by a friend of mine. It says, "I love Jesus, but I still make Him wear a condom."
Quiet_Desperation says
I am totally going to Christian message boards and posting links to yaoi anime sites. Man, I love kicking theological/ideological hornet nests. :-)
Liam says
I love the way youtube suggests other related content after you watch a vid… I wonder how many super-concerned Xtian males will find themselves helplessly following a sordid link trail of sin.
J. A. Baker says
You can watch it until those strange, funny feelings drive you to embrace Jesus.
Does the General know about this?
Hans says
Well, since "real men love Jesus," wouldn't it be entirely appropriate to express that love?
Ryan F Stello says
From the hate site:
"As the World Turns" is totally owned and controlled by Procter & Gamble.
So is "Guiding Light".
Can't they be happy that one of their soaps has Christian overtones (or have times changed so much that even that isn't a safe haven, anymore)?
R #26, yep that's it.
Probably not, but it'd make a GREAT bumper sticker! :-)
I don't get it – does P&G have its own soap opera? is this some play on words video making the rounds on the internet or is it a real how on tv? im so lost!
negentropyeater says
The Founder and Chairman Donald E. Wildmon is soooooo my type ! What a hunk.
I am totally going to start watching that show. I am also going to write Proctor and Gamble and tell them that if they just show a tiny glimpse of one of those ravishing young men's asses, I will buy a LIFETIME supply of Prell or whatever crappy-assed shampoo they sell.
Frances says
If you follow the link back to the Action Alert they very kindly provide an e-mail form to register your "protest" with P&G.
There seems to be no problem altering the message but it may be as well to send any statements of support direct, using the highlighted e-mail address beside the form, in case of filtering.
If you are so inclined, you can change the wording of the email form on their website to let P&G know you approve of them promoting the homosexual lifestyle. Let's give them a headache.
Enkidu says
Don't miss the picture of the Founder and Chief Goober of the AFA!
http://www.afa.net/aatemplate/images/dwtest1.jpg
Dobson's organization, Focus on the Gays and Coral Ridge have both been losing members and revenues. My guess is some people get tired of paying exorbinant fees to wear a tinfoil hat and run around acting like a moron.
Besides, the Prosperity Ministry hacks will make you rich instead of costing you money and the faith healers will reduce your doctor bills.
themadlolscientist says
Someone over there seems awfully fascinated with those two, since 12 out of the 15 "related" clips are about them…….. but what's the "Doctor Who Megamix" video doing there?
llewelly says
But can Jesus kiss like those two hot young men?
bybelknap, FCD says
Here's how I used the Action Alert the AFA so conveniently provided:
I am very pleased that P&G doesn't kowtow to the bigotry and closed mindedness of the wingnuts who idolize Donald E Wildmon, chairman of the so-called "American Family Association."
These dirtbags dress up their rabid anti -American bigotry against anything they don't like (gays, lesbians, atheists etc) in "family" talk, but it is simply code for "icky."
Don't bow to pressure from religious bigots. Keep your day time dramas filled with whatever your audience enjoys – men kissing men, women kissing women, men kissing women and all the kissing a person can stand. Rock On P&G!"
And then I taunted the swine at the AFA – telling them thanks for providing the means to express my support for P&G's programs. HAR!
P&G has been targeted by Xian wackos before. Their old logo was a cresent moon with stars, an old folk motif. The fundies kept claiming that this proved that P&G was a corporation controlled by satan.
P&G kept suing them for lies and slander and winning. But they never stopped spreading that "fact" and I'd be surprised if the logo is still in use. IIRC, it dated back to the 1800's.
I'd be leery of using the AFA's form. For all you know, they all have the same header despite the changed content, and so would likely go unread and just be a tick mark as yet another "protest letter."
Masks of Eris says
Hm, the video page has this text:
How can they turn a simple copyright statement into a sinister conspiracy hint?
Or is it just me?
Gary J. Bivin says
Peter 5:14: Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Luke 22:47: …and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
There was a lot of kissing going on in that group. It makes you wonder…
KV says
Maybe my conceptions about "open-mouth kissing" are wrong, but this looked pretty tame to me. Last time my girlfriend and me went to visit her family, we had more passionate moments than that in front of her grandma.
Forrest Prince says
Only the AFA would find kissing "repulsive". Only the AFA would see displays of love and affection as anti-family.
Yet, how do they know these things exist? Presumably, because they watch them.
Closet voyeurs, that's what they are.
Jim Ramsey says
With sincere apologies to Mel Brooks — "Dobson straight!"
All you posters with your Jesus-frenching fantasies might do well to remember that Jesus (if there ever actually was such a historical figure) lived well before the days of modern dentistry.
Ew.
Crazyharp81602 says
I remember all the times I used to get mad over AFA's reports about people being denied religious freedom in classrooms in schools despite having the Constitutional 1st amendment granting us religious freedom and reports about them complaining about today's television showing offensive shows like NYPD Blue saw them calling for boycotts of Proctor and Gamble, Disney and other cooperations supporting gay and lesbian, sexual immorality, Porn, and graphic violence which often times lead me to have people pray in my church for people to boycott the shows and the people endorsing them. Back then, I didn't really know what separation of of church and state is all about let alone what's the real history behind Christian movements and what really happened in society prior to the 1960s' and all the social movements that went on back then.
So, when I said to the church folks about not knowing what separation of church and state is all about and asks could someone please tell me what's it all about, one of them explains that it's all about a promise made to a church group by Thomas Jefferson to have the government never interfere with their church activities only to have the promise broken in the 1960s' when the Supreme Court voted to ban prayer and bible reading in public areas.
That explanation somewhat satisfy me until I came across sites like this one that clearly explains to me what separation of Church and state, which is preventing religious zealots from proselytizing people into embracing religion against their will, and the real motives behind certain Christian movements is really all about.
Nowadays, when I see AFA doing their reports in church brochures, instead of getting mad, I would stand there and wonder if these people do all the things they openly get appalled by in secret or are they just making some of it all up just for personal gain and money.
bernarda says
WWJK, meaning, Who would Jesus kiss? With 12 disciples, he had a choice.
zy says
Procter and Gamble, aren't they the ones with the occult trademark and tithes to the Church of Satan?
Oops, already noted in #13 above.
Gary Roberts says
I used the AFA form to submit a letter commending Proctor & Gamble for showing the two men kissing, and then sent the same message using the e-mail link to the P&G Chairman(comments.im@pg.com), in case of AFA filtering.
I can understand them being upset if they had two ugly guys kissing, but… rowr! :-D
watercat says
Checked out their past action reports to see if they find violence or torture scenes repulsive. Nope. Guess it's just displays of affection they can't stand.
I watched the clip and then signed the petition. Thank you PZ for making me aware of things like this.
If it wasn't for you, I would not have known about this and I have done my part so that homosexuality isn't forced down everyones throat.
My guess is some people get tired of paying exorbinant fees to wear a tinfoil hat and run around acting like a moron.
There was some discussion of that on Pandagon a little while ago; if my search-fu were better, I'd be able to find and link the relevant comments.
Anyway, I think it was one of Pam's posts, referring to how leaders on the religious right like Dobson and Kennedy were bemoaning the lack of leadership in the younger generation. A commenter observed, quite on target, I think, that the problem is not the lack of *leaders*. After all, there will always be competition beating down the door of Liberty University, et al, in order to step into the shoes of the grifters at the top.
No, despite their rhetoric, their problem with the younger generation is going to be a lack of *followers*, to fund them.
Mena says
Ok, the acting ability and writing was fairly repulsive but the general theme? Nope. As to the comment above about Focus on the Anus and other groups losing money could also be due to the economy. There just isn't a lot of disposable income around to throw at saving society from Teh Gay and other lunatic fringe pet causes. There is a silver lining to food doubling in price and $4/gal gas.
Brian W. says
I may agree with them on this one. I also don't like seeing gay couples kissing on television. Although i don't like seeing straight couples kissing on television. Only lesbians should be allowed to kiss in public.
It seems we have our first disgusting bigot on this posting….
LP says
As the World Turns without Christian Fundies who feel they have nothing better to do. Har har.
Two guys kissing? Mmmm.
Cay Borduin says
Well, I just used their site to send my own letter. Do they check the text? I don' think they will agree with my position.
All I have to say on the matter: http://www.explosm.net/comics/904/
sfemet says
How everyone who posted here going to the AFA site and re-writing their email to Mr, Lafley supporting P&G and their choice to promote love and family in all its forms?
kemibe says
"Helpfully, AFA includes a link to the "repulsive" video, so if you're a good Christian you can also watch these two attractive young men being affectionate with one another. You can watch it over and over."
This is the same phenomenon that inspired the extended "Assassination of Buckwheat" skit on SNL back in the day: "For those of you who just joined us, let's take another look" repeated about 10 times and showing the shooting in increasingly slower motion and higher resolution.
Proctor and Gamble is a satanic company. I read it on the internet. So why is Focus on the Butt going to write them letters anyway. Think they will care?
From the Lunatic Fringe [Swift] report:
Trademark of the beast
While the Gillette Co. has no known ties to the Church of Satan, Procter's relationship to the devil dates back decades. During the 1960's, Christians who looked closely at the corporate logo, a moon-star symbol that had appeared on many of the company's products since 1882, saw not 13 stars representing the 13 original colonies as the company insisted, but something altogether different: the Mark of the Beast. The arrangement of stars, noted these witnesses, secretly spelled out the numbers '666,' immediately recognizable to students of the Bible as the digits of the devil.
While Procter dropped its satanic logo in 1985, there's no word yet on what logo the merged companies will use, and whether the new image will incorporate the mark of the beast. Analysts note that in recent years, Procter has worked to update what has long been a staid image, and is thus unlikely to reuse the satanic logo from its past.
Our next guest: Satan
Procter took its relationship with the devil public in 1994, when then CEO Durk Jager allegedly appeared on the Phil Donahue and "came out" as a Satanist, acknowledging that a large portion of P&G's profits goes to support the Church of Satan. Jager proclaimed that he felt comfortable disclosing Procter's ties to the Church of Satan because of the openness of American culture.
This rumor has been spread by Amway among others. A competitor of P&G whose head was a rabid fundie head case whose claim to grace is that he is now dead. Leaving some of his loot to a creationist research group.
as evidenced by a forwarded email that showed up in my inbox just last week:
PLEASE MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The President of Procter & gamble appeared on the Phil Donahue Show on March 1, 1994. He announced that due to the openness of our society, he was coming out of the closet about his association with the church of Satan. He stated that a large portion of his profits from Procter & Gamble Products goes to support this satanic church. When asked by Donahue if stating this on t.v. would hurt his business, he replied, "THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH CHRISTIANS IN THE UNITED STATES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE."
foxfire says
Kenny can has pun???
So if you're a xtian fundy nutjob, the on/off control or channel changer on your TV no longer works?
Etha Williams says
@#3 BlueIndependant —
I remember hearing an anecdote in which Ira Steven Behr (I think) got an angry letter about the Dax kiss. He asked if the letter-writer would have been okay if the two women were shooting each other instead of kissing. Sadly, she responded, "Yes." It's a really sad world we live in…
(Also, that kiss also got a lot of flack from glbtq activists who said it was still too heteronormative, since even though Dax & Khan were currently both women, the original relationship had been between a female Khan symbiont host and a male Dax symbiont host. Then later, when they had the mirror universe Ezri/Kira kiss, they got shit for that too because of concern that by portraying lesbianism in the somewhat evil MU, they were portraying homosexuality as evil as well. You just can't win…)
Ted Clark says
Here's what I sent via the AFA Actopn Alert:
I am very concerned that Procter & Gamble will be swayed to give up their programming because of a religious, intolerant and homophobic group called the "American Family Association".
I viewed the offending telecast from their website (even though it had the warning "content is repulsive"). I found it to be a sensitive portrayal of love between two people, regardless of their sexual preference.
I would have found the content more repulsive if both of them had pulled out 357 magnums and brutally murdered each other. The American Family Association would probably approve of this.
Apparently, the American Family Association doesn't know how to change the channel if they see something they don't like.
I am sending this from their website to see if you get it intact. Of course I'll never know if you got it or not.
Ted Clark
Eric Thut says
I love you tube imbeads. Wonder how many of them finished wathing that then clicked on one of the related links like this one:
and then kept clicking and clicking and clicking….
Its funny… I've seen a number of men like Kenny complain about tolerance of homosexuality, and they always seem to use the phrase "forced down everyone's throat."
Secure heterosexuals don't worry about gays because it doesn't affect them. But then there's closet cases like Kenny who can't stop worrying about gay sex, who can't tolerate public reminders of it, because they're having such a hard time trying to not always imagine things being forced down their throats.
A man and a woman kissing on TV apparently isn't forcing anything down Kenny's throat, but two men kissing on TV does, it threatens him right down to his deeply closeted soul.
warren says
I used their email link to send P&G a note thanking them for their support of gay rights. Way to go, AFA – I never would have bothered otherwise.
Blaidd Drwg says
With the P&G's "Well-known" ties to Satanism, it's really surprising that ANY of the good little brownshirts of the AFA need to be told to boycott their shows. After all, aren't they ALREADY boycotting anything P&G makes?
Miles says
Oh man this stinks. I own P&G stock and they've been doing better than any of my other stocks.
wrpd says
Maybe Kenny meant forcing homosexual tongue down each other's throat. (If that thought doesn't pitch a tent in Kenny's pants, the next time I'll be more specific.)
Aquaria says
ATWT also socked it to Fundies back in the 80s, by having an openly gay character on the show. One of the storylines involved a woman who was a fashion designer, and, honey, there's no way you can do a realistic portrayal of the fashion industry without some gay men! The show had him come out, and had some rather realistic reactions from the community, including the feeling of anger, confusion and betrayal of a teenaged boy who had looked up to the gay character. The character's name was Hank Elliott. No kissing for him, but, hey, it was a start.
I don't get it – does P&G have its own soap opera?
You do realize that it's not ironic for these shows to be called "soap operas" and have P&G (Ivory soap) as a sponsor? They're called soap operas because outfits like P&G provided the funding to put them on the air, with an understanding that their products would receive prominent advertisement placement. During the intro (at least in the old days), when the title came up, an announcer would state, "As the World Turns, brought to you today by Proctor and Gamble." I don't know if they still do this. I doubt it, since the shows have many other sponsors (advertisers) now.
is this some play on words video making the rounds on the internet or is it a real how on tv? im so lost!
As the World Turns is a real show. It's one of the oldest continuously running shows in America, starting in 1954 (another soaper, Guiding Light is the oldest–1951 for TV, 1937 for its radio show). ATWT was started by the "queen" of soap operas, Irna Phillips, who also originated Another World, Guiding Light, and others. Not long after its premiere, it skyrocketed to the top of the Nielsens, and was the most-watched soap opera for at least 20 years.
Soap operas are very common throughout the world. They're romantic serial shows geared toward women, and have a primary focus on relationships–lovers, enemies, family, friends. If I understand it correctly, EastEnders is a British soap.
American soap operas have a deservedly bad reputation for 1) lousy storylines and acting (although some of our top actors learn the ropes in soaps) and 2) coming up with some crazy scenarios: long-lost children, long-lost parents, disrupted weddings, questionable paternity, people coming back from (presumably) being dead (retconning), astonishing maturation of children, characters going upstairs to get a book but never appearing again (did the attic swallow him???), people dying from falling UPstairs–the list goes on and on.
Soaps in America experienced a surge of mainstream popularity in the 80s, thanks to the Luke and Laura phenomenon on General Hospital, but that quickly dwindled. The ratings have been steadily dropping for years, and are in really bad shape now, with the top shows garnering numbers that got other soaps cancelled in the 80s.
Yeah, I know a lot about these damned soaps. My grandmother watched them every single weekday when I was living with her. So I watched them too. Some of my earliest memories are of 1) Julie Banning having her son David on Days of Our Lives and 2) Mrs. Russell Matthews (Rachel) announcing at the engagement party of her sister-in-law that the groom-to-be was the father of her unborn child (Another World).
Sarcastro says
Re. ST:DS9, Etha said: You just can't win…
You have to admit, Trek has not got the best record there. You've got those two episodes of DS9 ('one's not really a guy' and 'evil mirror world dikes') and then you have the original TNG Trill-symbiont episode where Dr. Crusher's love for a being is entirely wrecked when it switches gender. She'll throw down for a freakin' alien but only if it's male?
Reminds me of a joke wherein two English colonials are enjoying a brandy in the local gentlemen's club and one remarks to the other,
"Say, have you heard that old Smythe has started cohabitating with an orangutang?"
"Mmm, you don't say? A male or female orangutang?"
"Why female of course, nothing queer about old Smythe."
gyokusai says
"As the World Turns" is totally owned and controlled by "Procter & Gamble"
What! Are these two f***ing playing Unreal or something?
^_^J.
Jackal says
Nice of a AFA.net to show that lovely clip of human affection and to make it some convenient for me to thank P&G for showing gays in a positive light.
Re: DS9 gays, I'm watching the series on netflix right now. The Trill seem to be fairly ok with bi-sexuality, especially joined Trill who have experienced life as both sexes. There are two alien males that are maried, but it's only mentioned in passing. They didn't have the guts to set Cpt. Sisco, black, with a white woman. They can do inter-species relationships, but not inter-"race" (I know it's not true races) unless they're also not the same species. (They have O'Brian with Kako (Asian), but I don't think Asian/white mixing is as big of an issue.)
Next up for Daytime TV: The Proctology Gamble.
AFA has been bookmarked as my newest pr0n site. It's certainly better than all those american bears I've been watching. I wish I were a boy so I could have hot gay kissing.
Is it just me, or did this phrase give anyone else an urge to start using "Jesus" as a euphemism for "my genitals"?
"Why, yes, thank you, I embrace Jesus regularly. And so do many of my friends. We often have gatherings in which Jesus touches each of us quite profoundly What did you say? Children? No, that's horrible!"
Speaking of fucking Jesus there is that crucifix scene in The Exorcist.
Charlie Foxtrot says
#63 (shame, it was almost #69)
I have done my part so that homosexuality isn't forced down everyones throat.
OK, see, I'm a grown man… but I did have a giggle at that.
Fundies say the darnedest things…
Jorge666 says
The P & G Church of Satan Rumor
Accoding to Snopes, the Phil Donohue Show has never had the P & G President on the show. Just more fundie baldfaced lies.
http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/procter.asp
@#87 Sarcastro —
Yeah, I have to agree about Trek not having a great record w/ homosexuality. Sometimes watching it I feel like their utopian future is less unprejudiced than the present in which I grew up. (Disclaimer: I grew up in Santa Monica, so…yeah. It wasn't exactly representative of the political climate of the rest of the country.)
Still, I guess my point is that if the interracial kiss in Plato's Stepchildren had aired nowadays, they'd probably be getting a lot of flack about how Kirk & Uhura only kissed because they were being mind-controlled by aliens, and how this implies something about rape/power relationships between white men and black women. But at the time, people took it for what it was: a ground-breaking moment in TV history.
(Granted, neither of the lesbian kisses on DS9 were exactly what you'd call "ground-breaking.")
I'm not saying Trek should be getting praise as a prescient show in the fight for equal rights for gays. I'm just saying that the PC side in this country might be taking things a bit too far sometimes.
And @#89 Jackal — the Sisko thing really annoyed me. His black father, Joseph Sisko, was married twice, both times to black women, and he (Ben Sisko) was married twice, both times to black women. Come on…would a little bit of interracial diversity be so much to ask?
Still, I utterly love the show anyway.
God, I'm such a geek….
Angel Rose Young says
I have personally never been a "soap" fan, but I will admit to throroughly enjoying the prime time soap called "Soap".
WARNING – content is repulsive!
Really? I found it quite stimulating. As a matter of fact, by the end of the clip, I was highly tempted to dig through my porn stash and pull out my Devyn Foster videos for another round of provocative entertainment.
I agree with SteveM. If they think that was 'repulsive', what would a few choice clips from the most recent series of Torchwood do?
I seem to remember there being a big fuss about the first gay kiss on Shortland Street, NZ's favourite/only soap. That was when I still lived in NZ, though, more than a decade ago.
Nimravid says
Maybe my conceptions about "open-mouth kissing" are wrong, but this looked pretty tame to me.
Yep, I'd rate it more "sweet" than "hot and heavy". If they think that's repulsive I vote we direct them to Torchwood, which no doubt would cause projectile vomiting–or maybe just loud assertions of disgust and "Rewind that again, so we can be properly repulsed."
Blondin says
Well, I guess a blowjob's right out of the question…
Clair says
Two people consensually kissing. Repulsive? I don't get it. Who were they hurting?
wcs says
I don't think anyone's mentioned yet that, in the clip, the guy who initiates the kiss takes a look around to be sure that the coast was clear.
Not many heteros do that on tv/movies/real life.
have any of these people watched any soap operas lately? the stories mainly revolve around adultery, murder, kindapping, rape, assault, etc, etc.
apparently, all of these things are of good moral quality, but if you throw some gays in the mix, it's a problem?
who are they kidding?
Pete Cockerell says
Having watched the clip, I was frankly appalled. From the description I assumed there'd be plenty of tongues, but it was nothing more than a bit of tender smoochiness. I think AFA needs to get their act together. If they're going to alert us to hot homo action on the daytime soaps, it should at least be hard hot homo action. So to speak.
BTW, I used the email address (but NOT the form, which presumably gets vetted by the AFA) on the "send a boilerplate whine email" page to send a message to P&G saying "Please ignore the Christian Fundies". I hope others can too…
frog says
Kenny: "If it wasn't for you, I would not have known about this and I have done my part so that homosexuality isn't forced down everyones throat."
HaHahahahahahahaha!!!! Kenny, you're good… What an example of Poe's Law. Wowww!!!
Do you have a web page, or a pamphlet of some sort?
Uh right. Two guys kissing. my only comment were they doing so in public would be to suggest they get a room.
you can also watch these two attractive young men being affectionate with one another. You can watch it over and over. You can watch it until those strange, funny feelings drive you to embrace Jesus.
Or take a cold shower, alone. all alone, just you, your bar of soap and your hot sweaty hands.
Nick Gotts says
Yeah, I have to agree about Trek not having a great record w/ homosexuality. Sometimes watching it I feel like their utopian future is less unprejudiced than the present in which I grew up. (Disclaimer: I grew up in Santa Monica – Etha Williams
Come on, how many pointy-eared inter-species hybrids were in highly responsible positions in Santa Monica at that time?
Which reminds me, how many ears does Captain Kirk have?
Gûm-ishi Ashi Gurum says
*delurk*
Procter & Gamble actually ARE Satanic and actually ARE deserving of being boycotted because they are the leading company in the world to conduct cosmetics testing on animals.
This is not medical or science testing to further advance mankind. It's done to test unnecessary new permutations of vanity products that no one needs.
http://www.google.com/search?q=procter+gamble+animal+testing&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B2RNFA_enUS206US206
holy crap… sorry for that ridiculously long url. i guess that's what the preview button is for. my bad.
Excellent point Jenni, and one that illustrates just how hypocritical the AFA and their christo-fascist bretheren really are.
They support the unadulterated right to own a gun, but not the gun safety courses that *might* help to ensure responsible ownership.
They support the 'freedom' of parents to refuse medical treatment to their dying children, yet oppose universal health care.
They demand that an accidental pregnancy be carried to delivery, then abandon the child and its mother.
They support the practice of adopting Chinese babies, yet won't go so far as to adopt an American baby that was carried to term over the objections of the mother.
They claim to be "pro-life" yet support death penalty, and a war in which countless innocent children and pregnant women have already been killed, with no end in sight.
And they wonder why their membership is declining, and why they are seen by more and more people as irrelevant…
@#103 Jenni —
Reminds me of the story about the DS9 (kind of) lesbian kiss that I related earlier…they aired the kiss, and immediately got an angry letter from some "family values" advocate. One of the producers, Ira Steven Behr IIRC, replied to her asking if she would be okay if the two women were shooting each other instead of kissing each other. Depressingly, she said yes, with no equivocation at all.
Ichthyic says
yes, they don't recognize their internal inconsistencies (and that was a nice shortlist, btw), but it's really not surprising if you simply assume they are compartmentalizing.
and no, they don't wonder why their membership is declining, they "know". I rather think you might have seen the rationalizations many of them apply as to why this is so. Essentially, anybody who "leaves the flock" has been "tempted by Satan". Hell, you've even seen the argument presented more or less on any religious channel you can name, on any given day.
In their minds, 9/11 itself was the fault of all the "gays and liberals" in the US, and their "sympathizers", remember?
Hell, that level of "honesty" finally started waking many up to how insane these creobots really are.
There is, in fact, very little "wondering" about anything that goes on in the head of a creobot.
Which, of course, is one of the ways they maintain their absurd levels of compartmentalization and dissonance, and why their minds so rapidly spin defense mechanisms of denial and projection to match.
…I would add it's also become clear (in case it wasn't already), why it is so dangerous NOT to point out groups that self-maintain large inconsistencies, compartmentalize too much, and end up providing the most horrid bits of rationalizations for their own delusions. What do you get?
8 years of W; hundreds of thousands dead, gone from seeing the best economy the US has seen in 35 years to the worst.
So, in short, allowing large groups of people to compartmentalize and rationalize away their delusions, and also project their fears onto any group "fearless leader" points his finger at, is indeed a dangerous thing to do.
I have been VERY glad to see blogs like PZ's continually gaining in popularity and influence over the last few years, but it will still be decades before the influence of the huge group of religious nutbags in the US is finally relegated to history.
far too long to wait for my tastes.
John Phillips, FCD says
Posted by: StupidityAssimilator
If I hadn't already decided on my molly nomination for this month that comment would be worthy of a nomination all on its own :)
Carol Hamann says
Any sexual act outside of marriage is sin, whether heterosexual or homosexual. Showing it on television only makes the gullible think it's an acceptable practice.


Ultimate Ears is probably more recognized by its successful UE Boom line of Bluetooth speakers. But the company actually started out in the niche market of high-end custom in-ear monitors (IEMs). That fortunately still continues today. While the main Ultimate Ears webpage headlines its speaker devices, you'll be able to find a portal to the manufacturer's "Pro" page, where its custom IEM practice is alive and well.
But that isn't what we're reviewing today. Ultimate Ears doesn't forget about the more traditional universal in-ear that most people are comfortable with. Our friends over there were kind enough to let us sample its latest model – the UE 900s.
Let's find out if it can stand out from the crowd and maintain Ultimate Ear's audio prowess.
The UE900 is quite a unique looking earphone. As soon as you unpack it, you'll receive an eyeful of blue.
Its braided cable is not shy whatsoever; it dominates the presentation. I will say that you have to have a taste for it. I know many users prefer a non-flashy headphone.
The earpieces are a bit more understated, but still look cool. They have a triangular shape and the construction is two-piece between a transparent, blue plastic shell and a glossy black cap. The cap bears the UE logo and a nice silver trim.
The transparency allows you to peek at the tiny driver electronics within. I love when manufacturers to this. It's a subtle touch that looks neat and allows the earphones to speak for themselves. That said, I wasn't very impressed with the plastic material. It feels cheap in-hand. It's good that it makes the UE900s super lightweight, but I question the durability. Also, at the sizable price, I'd expect more premium considerations.
Removing the eartip shows a fairly typical nozzle. Except, if you look closely, the nozzle bore isn't so standard. Instead of one large hole, there is a large and a small one. Ultimate Ear's design choice was to separate the high/mid and the low-end frequency streams. The UE900s use a system of quad balanced armature drivers: one for highs, one for mids, and two for lows (sub-bass and bass). So you essentially have two drivers outputting out of each bore, which seems like a good way to do things.
I'm glad to report that Ultimate Ears included detachability in the UE900s' design. The earpieces use an efficient MMCX connection, so you can easily pop them off the cable.
The benefit of this capability is that you can switch to a different cable (there are lots of third-party MMCX cables) or replace the stock one if it goes bad (instead of having to replace the headphones).
The cable is also lightweight. Two very thin cables braid out of each earpiece, then they combine at the y-split (which is just a shrink-wrapped plastic strip). It's a simple but interesting look. Down the right earpiece, there's an in-line remote/mic unit. Ultimate Ears also includes a detachable clip, if you want to keep things tidy.
The end of the wire is terminated by a standard-looking, right angle 3.5mm jack.
I was impressed with the range of eartips that Ultimate Ears packed. There are a whopping six different sizes. What's more, three of those also include foam tips. This is very considerate, and you should have no problem finding a suitable fit.
Though, it's interesting that the tips don't have a protective mesh, to catch ear wax that tries to get inside the nozzle. I'm guessing that UE forewent them because the bores are thin, but I'm still suspicious.
I found the fit of the UE900s to be satisfyingly comfy. If you haven't been introduced to this type of wear, upon donning the earpieces, you route the cable around and down your ear. Many high-end earphones follow this design, as it's a more secure fit and reduces microphonics (noise from the cable rubbing on you).
This also means that a short section from the earpiece is wrapped with stiff plastic. This "memory wire" is meant to help guide the cable nicely around your ear. Some can be thick and annoying, but I like UE's implementation. It's not uncomfortable and maintains its shape really well.
The downside of the braided cable is that it's not tangle-resistant. Quite the opposite, actually. It tangles really easily. At least UE didn't skimp on the length. You'll get about 15″ from the end of the memory wire to the y-split, and then 33″ to the jack.
The playback remote is fairly standard. You have three buttons – the middle is play/pause and the top and bottom can change the track or volume. Holding down the middle button will also toggle the mobile device's voice function (i.e. Google Now). Regarding usability, I think the buttons could be better defined. It's kind of hard to tell them apart (you can't see it with the headphones on). But that's something you can get used to.
In my mind, the UE900s has a lot to live up to. This is mostly because of the brand name that it carries (Ultimate Ears has positioned its name to mean excellence), but also because it's the only universal in-ear in the company's lineup. It has to justify its existence among a slew of intimidating custom IEMs.
In short, the UE900s make me a believer. There's a lot of satisfaction to be found in this sound. One of the first things that stood out to me was the imaging. Despite being an in-ear, different elements of the sound manage to have clear variation of placement within the simulated space. Sure, most high-end earphones do this to an extent. But on the UE900s, the imaging also has depth. It feels like the sounds echo and fill the space, making the listening experience satisfyingly encompassing.
I own a couple high-end earphones, and likewise, get the sense that Ultimate Ears knows what its doing. From an audiophile-grade perspective, I wouldn't say that this is perfection. The soundstage (perceived distancing of sounds) could be wider, and the mid-range could be stronger. But gawd are these engaging and fun.
The UE900s' treble is magnificent. It's prominent, clear, and highly detailed. The bass is also good, but I feel like it could be a mixed bag for people. It has an emphasized oomph that will satisfy bassheads, but it can lean on boomy territory (risking definition for impact). So to my ears, it can steal some spotlight from the mids, making the sound signature slightly V-shaped.
But with all this said, I feel like the UE900s' skillful audio delivery makes up for it. When I stop being analytical and just listen, it's one of the most satisfying reproductions I've heard.
The UE900s aren't perfect, but I feel like they do much more right than wrong – and what they do right is bangin'. Its audio quality brings UE's expertise and delivers a super enjoyable listening experience. The fit and detachable cable considerations are also great things.
I certainly feel like the UE900s are worth the price (currently at $279 on Amazon). I'm glad that Ultimate Ears has a killer universal earphone that can stand up with its high-end lineup.
You can't go wrong with the UE900s. They pack expertise from Ultimate Ears, which means a though-out design and killer sound. The brand is more associated with custom in-ears, but this universal earphone fits like a glove (especially with the multitude of included ear tips sizes). The braided, tangle-prone, blue cord may not be for everyone, but fortunately, a removable design means that you can swap it for another.


text:
Kano Magisterate Court Remands Deji Adeyanji Till Feb 6th,Abuja High Court Sets Him Free
CKN NIGERIA Published: December 22, 2018
A Kano magistrate's court has remanded the convener of Concerned Nigerians Deji Adeyanju, in prison till 6th February, 2019.
The presiding magistrate, Hassan Fagge, ordered that Adeyanju be kept in prison after he was arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force, according to TheCable.
Fagge said that the court lacked the power to hear the charges.
He, however, ruled that Adeyanju be remanded in prison till an adjourned date of February 6 for hearing in a higher court.
Adeyanju had been arraigned for alleged murder, an allegation he and three others were said to have been acquitted of by a State High Court in 2009.
He was also said to have been granted bail on two occasions on charges bothering on public incitement and criminal defamation.
The activist was first arrested on November 28 and had since then faced three separate charges and secured bail in two of those charges.
Meanwhile, an FCT High Court has granted an order seeking his immediate release.
Justice Danladi Senchi gave the order while ruling on a fundamental rights suit filed by Adeyanju's counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN.
A close associate of the activist, Raphael Adebayo, was quoted as saying that the court, among other things, ruled that his (Adeyanju's) detention contravened his fundamental human rights.
Efforts to get reaction of the police to the issue was unsuccessful as the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, did not pick his calls and also failed to respond to a text message sent as of the time of filing the report.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


CHARLESTON, S.C -- Authorities say a 4-year-old girl who disappeared after her mother was badly beaten in her South Carolina home has been found safe in Alabama.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the police chief in Riverside, Alabama, saw Heidi Todd inside a vehicle Wednesday afternoon and managed to get her out safely before the driver sped away.
Prosecutor Scarlett Wilson says 37-year-old Thomas Evans is wanted for kidnapping. Authorities did not say why he might have kidnapped the girl.
The girl disappeared from her Johns Island home Tuesday. Tecklenburg says her mother was found badly beaten after she failed to pick up two of her other children from school.
Riverside, Alabama, is on Interstate 20 about 35 miles (55 kilometers) east of Birmingham.


Brian H Waters: John Cena vs Roman Reigns, Who Do You Root For?
Roman Reigns vs John Cena, the matchup for this generation. Both guys have been two of the top babyfaces in the company. On one hand, you have John Cena who has been the guy for over a decade. In my opinion, the greatest WWE Superstar ever. On the other hand, you have Roman Reigns, the guy who "the company" loves and wants you to love. So here is the question, who do you root for?
During the contract signing, Cena and Reigns took so many shots at each other, to the point Cena even owned the fact that they are breaking the 4th wall. While Braun Strowman vs Brock Lesnar will be the main event, these two just sold us on the fact that this must see TV. There is no doubt that the same way The Rock brought out the best in Cena in 2011, Cena will do the same for Reigns. It's too early for me to pick a winner, but I cannot wait until next week to see what they have up their sleeve.
Look below at how Twitter reacted.


Early childhood centres are facing their worst-ever teacher shortage, creating a market where qualified teachers can get "whatever they want".
Early childhood centres are facing their worst-ever teacher shortage, creating a market where qualified teachers can get "whatever they want".
A survey by the Early Childhood Council has found that 30 per cent of childcare centres have unfilled vacancies for qualified teachers this month, with the average time required to get a suitable applicant up from 70 working days at this time last year to 97 days.
One Auckland centre, The Learning Corner in Ellerslie, has been advertising continuously all this year and has had only one suitable applicant, who turned the job down in the end after being offered a pay rise to stay where she was.
"There is so much opportunity for early childhood teachers to bargain that they can get what they like," said centre manager Katy Brown.
The dynamics in early childhood are different from schools, which are also facing a record teacher shortage, because most early childhood teachers are not unionised and negotiate their own pay individually.
Brown said her qualified teachers earned between $24 and $28 an hour, and she was being forced to pay more.
"There are so many new centres popping up left, right and centre," she said.
She has asked a teacher to come back from maternity leave to help out.
"She's come back here with a 3-month-old baby and we are doing everything we can to try and keep her. At the end of the day it's a teacher's market and it's a big ask for her to drive here every day from Papakura," she said.
Early Childhood Council chief executive Peter Reynolds said the teacher shortage in preschools had developed suddenly, after a period when newly trained teachers could not get jobs after the former National Government axed extra funding for centres with 100 per cent qualified staff in 2011.
"Really this started for us 12 months ago. It has very quickly become a chronic issue," he said.
Early childhood teacher trainees have plunged even more steeply than primary and secondary trainees, with new domestic trainees more than halving from 3585 in 2010 to 1500 last year.
School teacher trainees have recovered slightly in the past year, but early childhood trainees have continued to slide.
However the shortage has been driven more by a growing number of childcare centres competing for the remaining teachers. Early childhood enrolments grew by only 1.4 per cent in the three years to last year, but the number of services grew by 7 per cent and qualified teachers increased by 11.7 per cent.
Most of the growth has been in Auckland, where enrolments are up 8.1 per cent, the number of services is up 16.1 per cent and qualified teachers are up 12.5 per cent.
Herbert Sima, who owns The Learning Corner and five other Auckland centres, said the shortage in Auckland had tightened since Immigration NZ awarded extra points for work permits for jobs in the regions.
Reynolds said centre owners were facing a financial squeeze, being forced to pay teachers more but receiving only a 1.6 per cent funding increase in this year's Budget.
"There is a lot of cannibalisation going on in the market. All that is doing is moving the effects of the teacher shortage around," he said.
The Ministry of Education is supporting a bid by the Early Childhood Council and other sector groups to add preschool teachers to Immigration NZ's essential skills priority list, along with primary and secondary teachers.
However Dr Sarah Alexander of the Child Forum advocacy group said she would oppose adding preschool teachers to the priority list because the real answer was to pay teachers more.
The minimum pay rate for a degree-qualified teacher required to qualify for state funding based on the numbers of qualified teachers has increased only 1.5 per cent since 2015, from $21.33 to $21.65 an hour.
Reynolds said there would be pressure to lift the minimum again when primary teachers agree on a pay increase, which will flow on to kindergarten teachers. But any increase in the minimum wage would require extra state funding.
Ministry of Education deputy secretary Ellen MacGregor-Reid said early childhood teachers were eligible for free refresher courses now being offered to school teachers, and may also be recruited from overseas as part of an overseas recruitment drive.


text:
Jasper Gold
Species: Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Bio: Our protagonist of this tale. After Jasper retires from bounty hunting and decides to start a new life as a farmer, his new found quiet family life is swiftly taken away from him by his past. Now Jasper must take up his gun once again and track down the criminals in search of his lost daughter.
Samantha "Sammy" Gold
Species: Black-tailed Jackrabbit.
Bio: Jasper's daughter. Born with a black spot around her right eye, and fur resembling freckles (traits from her mother, Charlotte), Sammy lived happily with her father, Jasper in a cabin in the hills.
Luellen Cunningham
Species: Western Banded Gecko
Bio: Luellen was born and raised on her family's impoverished farm. As a child she was sold to a wealthy family who valued her as a house servant. She later worked for Madam Cunningham's "House of Doves" and soon after met Maude O'Dell. Since then, Luellen and Maude have been the best of friends.
Maude O'Dell
Species: Opposum
Bio: Maude is the daughter of Willis O'Dell from the O'Dell Mining company. Despite her small size, Maude has a strong personality that may come off as uncouth and rude, but deep down inside she is a very sweet girl who cares deeply for her father and is devoted to protecting his life's work.
Species: Common Gator
Bio: The leader of a notorious gang that terrorized the west. Jasper managed to stop Luke and disband his gang, but Luke managed to locate Jasper's whereabouts and exact his revenge on Jasper.
Rufus "Ruffles" Brooks
Species: Great Horned Owl
Bio: Once a member of Luke's gang, Rufus has disconnected himself from Luke and has dubbed himself the leader of the vulture gang. Rufus likes to think himself as a businessman, although his tactics are not the cleanest, nor in any way legal.
William Miller aka "Miller the Killer"
Species: Common North American Raven
Bio: After fighting alongside confederates in the Civil War, William returned home to his father's farm; only to find the farmhouse set ablaze, with his family still inside. William traveled west as a gunman for hire and is currently working for Rufus.


Two women are dead after a collision near Mayerthorpe, Alta.
Two women were killed Tuesday when a semi-truck and car collided on Highway 43 near Mayerthorpe, Alta.
RCMP were called to the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 22 at around 1:10 p.m. after reports of a collision. On Wednesday, police said it's believed the collision occurred when a car travelling north on Highway 22 crashed into the eastbound semi.
The 67-year-old driver and 46-year-old passenger of the car died on scene. The 57-year-old driver of the semi was not injured.
An RCMP collision analyst attended the scene and traffic was diverted for about four hours during the investigation. Police don't expect charges to be laid.


text:
News Indian River County Martin County St. Lucie County Sports Photos / Videos Obituaries E-Edition Legals
GIL SMART
Gil Smart: Aerial look at efforts to fix water problems
gil.smart@tcpalm.com
High over the waters of the St. Lucie Inlet, as my helicopter ride courtesy of the South Florida Water Management District came to a close, I had this distinct thought:
I'd spent the morning tagging along on an aerial tour of district projects that had been arranged for state Rep. MaryLynn Magar. We'd flown over stormwater treatment areas, canals, river and Everglades restoration projects and more, none of them complete, all of them expected to make a major difference in the quality of our waters.
The cavalry is on the way.
For all that's already been done, for the millions — billions — being spent, the discharges from Lake Okeechobee and the resultant algae crisis caused more havoc on the Treasure Coast this year than ever before.
As we're doing more, spending more, things are getting worse.
Small wonder, then, that some have stopped waiting around patiently for the cavalry to show up.
I'd been invited on the tour by Kevin Powers, vice chairman of the district's governing board. The idea was to get a better sense of all the district actually is doing, perhaps to dispel the notion that it isn't doing enough.
The copter departed Witham Field in Stuart in the Tuesday morning mist, heading northwest to Ten Mile Creek, which hasn't exactly been a success story — but may yet be. The joint SFWMD-U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project in northern St. Lucie County, designed to store and treat runoff destined for the north fork of the St. Lucie River, was authorized by Congress in 1996, built by the Corps and completed in 2006, whereupon the reservoir began leaking. It sat around for several years, the whole thing wound up in court ... and then, earlier this year, the water management district approved a $5.8 million contract to fix it, and by June 2017 it should be ready to store and clean about 5.7 billion gallons a year.
From there we flew west to see the Kissimmee River Restoration Project, where the plan is to ditch the C-38 Canal and restore 40 miles worth of the river's meandering flow and some 40 square miles of floodplain. This is another joint SFWMD-Army Corps project; initial phases have been completed and already it's reducing nutrients dumped into Lake O, said Paul Warner, chief scientist for the district, who narrated the tour.
We flew over the Lakeside Ranch Stormwater Treatment Area and the still-under-construction C-44 reservoir — a 3,400-acre spot adjacent to the C-44 Canal designed to store and treat nutrient-laden water headed for the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. We zipped around the eastern edge of Lake O, with Warner identifying work on the Herbert Hoover Dike, which he said could allow the lake to retain more water on a temporary basis.
We saw farm fields in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of the lake, sugar cane to the horizon, with canals carrying nutrient-laden runoff to huge water treatment areas. We flew over water conservation areas, including the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and got a look at Central Everglades Planning Project sites, including the Tamiami Trail, where portions of the trail are being removed, and bridges built, to send more water to the Everglades.
We ended at the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Projects, where the goal is to send more fresh water through Taylor Slough toward Florida Bay. Then we flew back up the coast, a fantastic journey in itself — the glittering high-rises and azure water gradually giving way to the lower density and grayish-black water of Martin County.
Indeed, as we neared the airport, the tannin-stained plume — discharged from Lake O — was impossible to miss.
All these projects, all these studies, all this money being spent. No one can accuse the water management district of inaction. But is it going to be enough? That is, once it's all complete, can the people of this region have a reasonable expectation the algae crisis that occurred here this summer won't recur, as it has time and again?
I put the question to Powers, who said that more will need to be done, including removal of "legacy phosphorus" residing in the muck at the bottom of the canal, river and lagoon. But if all this had already been completed, he said this year's algae crisis wouldn't have occurred, at least to the extent it did.
"I could say it would have been substantially better this year," he said.
And here's your key. Because after years — decades — of problems, activists have lost faith in the system which promises yet to fix things.
But whether the state winds up buying more land south of Lake O for water storage or not, there will come a time when all the projects I saw from the air are indeed done. And when that day comes, we can ask: Did it work?
The future of our waters — and our politics — all hinge on that answer.


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EQS Group
E.ON SE: E.ON stays on course in energy crisis and contributes to a secure supply
9 November 2022, 1:00 am ·6-min read
EQS-News: E.ON SE / Key word(s): Quarter Results
09.11.2022 / 07:00 CET/CEST
E.ON stays on course in energy crisis and contributes to a secure supply
Nine-month earnings performance as planned: Group adjusted EBITDA of €6.1 billion, adjusted net income of €2.1 billion.
2022 forecast at Group-level reaffirmed: adjusted EBITDA of €7.6 to €7.8 billion, adjusted net income of €2.3 to €2.5 billion.
E.ON supports the German federal government's plans and prepares to implement gas price cap.
E.ON delivered an overall solid operating performance in the first nine months of fiscal year 2022 despite the enormous challenges posed by the energy crisis and stays on course to achieve its full-year targets.
CFO Marc Spieker on the company's nine-month results: "Thanks to our robust business model, E.ON again delivered satisfactory results despite a persistently challenging market environment. Our operational efforts enabled us to largely offset the adverse effects of the energy crisis. Our core business therefore continues to perform as planned. We are reaffirming our forecast for the Group for fiscal year 2022. At the same time, E.ON is living up to its responsibilities amid the energy crisis and is actively helping to secure energy supply."
Nine-month results as planned
In the currently very challenging macroeconomic environment with severe turbulences in the energy markets, E.ON's business model is proving to be robust. This is reflected in the company's results for the first nine months of 2022.
Group adjusted EBITDA of roughly €6.1 billion was about €170 million below prior-year level. The anticipated decline was mainly driven by the Non-Core Business's EBITDA, which was significantly lower this year than last, as it had benefitted from a positive one-off effect in 2021. By contrast, earnings in E.ON's core business increased from about €5 billion to just over €5.3 billion. Energy Networks contributed €4.1 billion (prior year: €3.9 billion). Operating earnings in the German Energy Networks business improved by €540 million. The positive drivers included efficiency improvements, synergies from the integration of innogy, and additional revenues resulting from investments in network expansion. Higher costs to compensate for network losses in some European markets constituted the primary adverse effect. This effect, however, is temporary and will largely be offset by means of regulatory mechanisms with a certain time lag.
Customer Solutions' EBITDA of €1.4 billion was nearly €100 million above prior year level, mainly driven by positive effects of restructuring measures and the continued positive business performance in providing innovative energy infrastructure solutions for industrial and residential customers. On the other hand, the business experienced significant adverse effects in energy sales. For example, earnings in Germany, the company's biggest market, were below prior-year level due to significantly higher procurement costs.
E.ON takes responsibility
Power generation in the Non-Core Business recorded a positive earnings effect. By means of the temporarily continued operation of the nuclear power plant Isar 2 beyond December 31, 2022, E.ON will contribute to a secure energy supply and network stability during the winter months. E.ON will use potential profits resulting from the continued operation of Isar 2 in 2023 to finance projects for the energy transition.
E.ON supports the German federal government's plans to introduce caps on power and gas prices to support households, industry, and commerce. The final report of the expert commission on gas and heat, of which E.ON CEO Leonhard Birnbaum is a member and which was appointed by the German federal government, already presented proposals that are feasible. E.ON is currently preparing to implement the price caps and is configuring its processes and IT systems to be ready by March 1, 2023 – thus at the earliest possible date – so that relief can be passed on to customers as planned.
Net debt decreased significantly
In line with E.ON's adjusted EBITDA performance, the adjusted net income of €2.1 billion was slightly below the prior year level of €2.2 billion. Net debt decreased significantly to €33.7 billion (December 31, 2021: €38.8 billion). This reflects the significant increase in discount rates, which reduces pension obligations. E.ON's solid financing structure ensures a strong BBB/Baa-rating and will enable the Group to implement its investment plans and achieve its growth targets. However, the recent sharp rise in interest rates may have a negative impact going forward. The financial parameters of network regulation are of great importance for the urgently needed investments in network expansion and thus for the energy transition. It is now crucial for the German Federal Network Agency to adhere to and implement its promise to adjust the rate of return on equity should the interest-rate environment change.
Driving the energy transition forward
Marc Spieker reiterated that E.ON will continue its investments to drive the energy transition forward, even under difficult conditions: "It is our energy networks and sustainable energy solutions that make this transformation possible. This is the core of E.ON's business and will yield growth opportunities in the years ahead."
E.ON is also engaged in numerous projects to secure a more diverse energy supply. For example, E.ON and a number of international partners will operate a regasification facility for liquified natural gas in Wilhelmshaven. The facility has the potential to be become a hub for hydrogen imports in the future. The import terminal is scheduled to start operations at the beginning of the 2023 heating period. It will help improve energy security and enhance Europe's and Germany's energy independence.
Forecast reaffirmed
E.ON reaffirms its earnings outlook for fiscal year 2022, given the nine-month performance was as projected. E.ON continues to expect an adjusted EBITDA of €7.6 to €7.8 billion and an adjusted net income of €2.3 to €2.5 billion. The latter corresponds to adjusted earnings per share of 88 to 96 cents. At the same time, E.ON adjusted the forecast range of the Non-Core Business from €0.8 to €1 billion to now €0.9 to €1.1 billion and for Energy Networks from €5.5 to €5.7 billion to now €5.3 to €5.5 billion.
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Open Salesforce and at the top of the page click on your name and select "My Settings".
On the left side of the screen, click on "Email".
Then select "My Email to Salesforce".
Your personalized Salesforce email address is the long email address that starts with "[email protected]". Copy that address.
Type in your email address into the "My Acceptable Email Addresses" box.
Create an Contact record in Outlook or Gmail to store your Salesforce email address. This will give you a simplified way to use that long email address without retyping it all the time.
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Hope this simple tidbit is helpful and as always, reach out to me if you have any questions.
cool article thanks for sharing. We just started using salesforce and it can be pretty confusing, we are constantly learning new stuff.
Thanks Jerry! Always glad to help.


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TOTM: Stephan Wilson
Stephan Wilson, math teacher at WCHS.
Photo By Emma Chen
By Emma Chen, Observations Editor
A gym enthusiast, family oriented guy and high school teacher at heart, Mr. Stephan Wilson is a source of light in our school. Wilson is a member of the Math department here at WCHS, and teaches Geometry and Honors Algebra 2.
When Wilson was in school, he was inspired to become a teacher after he had his own ideas about how to differently teach the course material he was learning.
"I always felt that whenever a teacher gave a test that I would change it," Wilson said. "I really like telling stories and teaching is just that, but in a different manner."
Wilson has been teaching for nine years and was drawn to Montgomery County after five years of teaching in Virginia. He said it was the status of WCHS that made him want to work here.
"I knew the prestige of the county and that it is one of the top schools of the county," Wilson said. "The academic focus is definitely very unique to WCHS."
Along with the name recognition of the school and the county, Wilson also values the academic rigor here and the focus that the students have on their future. The intensity of college preparation at WCHS is something that makes the school stand out in comparison to the other school at which he worked.
"This is very much a schooling environment that prepares students collegiately,"Wilson said. "It is cool being a part of that college process."
Aside from academics, one of Wilson's favorite aspects of WCHS is the community and the extracurriculars offered. Club day is one of the highlights of his year so farr, as he loves seeing all of the different interests that students bring to the school. The hundreds of clubs during lunch reaffirmed to Wilson the great involvement that students can have within their school.
"Students really have the opportunity to be a part of little adventures in school," Wilson said.
As a teacher, Wilson sees his job as a way to tell stories through the material.
"Class can be super fun when Mr. Wilson tells the class stories of when he was younger," sophomore Josh Deausen said. "It is great that it always relates to whatever he is teaching us."
The students in his classes are what Wilson credits to his love for the job. Although he lives in Virginia, he is inspired by his students to come to work every morning so that he has the opportunity to teach them.
"The students make such a difference," Wilson said. "You spend 80% of your time with the students; the staff's great but the students are definitely what keeps me here."
His students are not unaware of his dedication to them. They know that Wilson is always there to help if they are having trouble in class.
"He clearly cares about his students," freshman Lauren Safra said. "He is always incredibly helpful and welcoming when you go in for office hours."
Wilson's siblings are all also in education as well– his sister wants to be an art teacher and his brother is a principal at a school. He describes that they all have their varied interests, from math to administration, but they are linked by a common want to help shape kids.
"It is really the value of education that bonds us," Wilson said. "Really knowing the impact that you can make in future generations is appealing to all of us."
Outside of school, Wilson goes to the gym everyday and values athletics as a release after long school days. He also spends time with his family as much as possible, as those relationships are incredibly important to him.
Wilson's dedication to teaching, undivided attention towards his students, and love for the material make him a stellar teacher.
"He really shows his passion for teaching by caring so much about how the class does," Deausen said. "He is super enthusiastic and makes sure everyone knows the material."
Emma Chen, Observations Editor
Emma Chen is a senior this year and is Observations Editor. Along with the Observer, at Churchill, Emma is an ambassador and plays for the softball team...
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Students share their heritage through ISA club
Honors societies change for the better
TOTM: Christopher Forney
Teacher of the month: Katelyn Blanken
Pink-out unites WCHS community together
Homecoming week improvements boost school spirit


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