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Potent Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activity of Curcuminoid Analogues and Inhibition Kinetics Studies
Impact of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation in the Expression of Type I Collagen in the Dermis
Potential of Fermented Fruit Peel Liquid in Cosmetics as a Skin Care Agent
10.3390/cosmetics8020034
Kalliopi Dodou
Steinmetz, F. P.
Wakefield, J. C.
Boughton, R. M.
Open AccessPerspective
Fractions of Concern: Challenges and Strategies for the Safety Assessment of Biological Matter in Cosmetics
Fabian P. Steinmetz
James C. Wakefield
Ray M. Boughton
Delphic HSE (Europe) B.V., 1118CN Schiphol, The Netherlands
Delphic HSE Solutions (HK) Ltd., Shatin, Hong Kong, China
Delphic HSE Solutions Ltd., Camberley GU15 3YL, UK
Cosmetics 2021, 8(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8020034
Received: 15 April 2021 / Revised: 29 April 2021 / Accepted: 30 April 2021 / Published: 4 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Evolving Practices in the Quality Control of Cosmetics)
Cosmetic ingredients based on more or less refined biological matter (plants, fungi, bacteria, etc.) are gaining popularity. Advances in green chemistry and biotechnology are supporting this general trend further. Following numerous bans on the use of newly generated animal testing data in cosmetic safety assessments, and the worldwide demand for "cruelty-free" products, many alternative methods have been developed to assess the toxicity of ingredients. Whilst great strides have been, and continue to be, made, the area of systemic toxicity is one where international harmonisation and regulatory acceptance is still evolving. A strategy for the fractional assessment of biological matter is suggested to make approaches, such as threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) methodology, fit for purpose. Within this strategy, analytical data are used to generate compound classes which are quantified and assessed separately. Whilst this strategy opens new windows for assessing the safety of complex mixtures with a lack of toxicological data, it also raises awareness of the increasing complexity of cosmetic formulations and the general problem of additivity/synergy being rarely addressed. Extremely complex mixtures are and will be a growing challenge for safety assessors.
safety; cosmetics; botanicals; toxicology; TTC
Cosmetic products may contain a plethora of chemical compounds which themselves may originate from different sources. These sources refer to biological matter from plants, fungi, animals, bacteria and algae but also mineral matter, such as fractions from mineral oil or pigments, and of course derivatives and combinations due to chemical reactions and biotechnological processes. As a rule of thumb, the less purification of educts and products is conducted, the more complex the chemistry of the resulting ingredient. However, public perspective, international trade and advances in green chemistry and biotechnology are creating a shift towards more biological matter from plants, fungi, algae and bacteria as ingredients for consumer goods, such as cosmetics [1,2,3]. Although biological ingredients may be perceived as natural and safer by consumers, complex chemical mixtures are difficult to assess, independent from their origin. In general, most plant extracts are complex mixtures and prone to a certain variability based on season, utilised plant parts and solvents but also process parameters, such as temperature and pressure. It is easy to imagine how difficult safety assessments might become when products are assessed containing multiple botanicals and related materials. Furthermore, such challenges did not become easier by voluntary and mandatory animal testing bans, because these are limiting toxicological testing batteries.
There is a worldwide shift to "cruelty-free" cosmetic products, for example manifested in Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 [4] that banned animal testing in the EU for cosmetic products and ingredients. Nevertheless, the safety of the ingredients used in a cosmetic product is a key feature for the safety of cosmetics as described in SCCS/1602/18 [5]. Historical data from animal testing have been used by safety assessors to exclude the risks of significant skin and eye irritation, skin sensitisation, genotoxicity and systemic toxicity. In light of the animal testing bans for cosmetics, most notably in the EU, and the general drive to move away from risk assessments based on animal test data, alternative approaches are required. Whilst there are nowadays many alternative testing methods available, e.g., bacterial mutation test (Ames test), Hen's egg test on chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) assay, bovine corneal opacity and permeability (BCOP) assay, direct peptide reactivity assay (DPRA), and human cell line activation test (h-CLAT), systemic toxicity can only be partially addressed, for example, when modes of action (MoA) are known [6]. Hence, current strategies include MoA-driven testing/analysis, investigations on the history of safe use [7], read-across approaches [8] and the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) methodology [9,10]. It should be mentioned that in a weight-of-evidence (WoE) approach, combinations of those strategies are possible, for example, an on-its-own insufficient read-across could be supported by negative in silico predictions/bioassay results for a potential MoA and/or by limited history of safe use data.
Particularly, the TTC is a popular way to justify safety of biological matter, such as plant extracts or ferments, with regard to systemic toxicity. This manuscript asks critically whether the current TTC approach or derivatives thereof are fit for purpose but also suggests further refinements which allow for more flexibility based on the available data.
2. Threshold Approaches
The current TTC approach is based on "Cramer classes" [11], which itself is a classification system for chemical compounds. The origin of this approach lies in the assessment of low-level substances in the human diet. Basically, there are three different classes which are categorised with increasing toxicological concern. Class I is more associated with endogenous or rather inert compounds, while Class III is more associated with drug-like or reactive (potentially toxic) compounds. Class II fits the spectrum in between those two classes. Many chemoinformatic tools, such as ToxTree v3.1.0 (Ideaconsult Ltd, Brussels, Belgium) [12] or OECD QSAR Toolbox 4.4.1. (OASIS LMC, Burgas, Bulgaria) [13], use this decision tree or derivatives thereof.
Munro and colleagues assigned threshold values for those classes based on 95th percentiles of no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) data, Yang and colleagues validated and refined these thresholds with new data in 2017 [9,10]. The resulting thresholds are 46 µg/kg bw/day for Cramer Class I and 2.3 µg/kg bw/day for Cramer Class II and III (with a bodyweight defined as 60 kg). If a structural alert for genotoxicity is triggered, then the threshold should be reduced to 0.0025 µg/kg bw/day according to Kroes and colleagues [14]—this can be considered as an unofficial "fourth Cramer class". Nevertheless, in vitro genotoxicity testing is considered preferable, which limits the necessity for in silico genotoxicity investigations. In Figure 1, as an example, three unrelated but chemically similar compounds were investigated with ToxTree v3.1.0 [12], followed up by the assigning of appropriate classes and thresholds.
Although not the focus of this manuscript, the dermal sensitisation threshold (DST) shall not remain unnamed. Here, a similar approach is applied utilising reactivity domains (cf. structural alerts) and skin sensitisation data [15,16,17,18].
It must be emphasised that the TTC approach is intended for individual compounds and not for mixtures, and that assigning 2.3 µg/kg for all biological matter (after genotoxicity was excluded via in vitro testing) might be considered overly conservative, i.e., safe products with low to moderate exposure might fail a safety assessment. With regard to TTC for biological matter, Kawamoto and colleagues [19] suggested to either use a Cramer Class III threshold for botanicals (which was found protective) or to use the 1st percentile of their data analysis: 663 µg/day or 11.05 µg/kg bw/day (bodyweight defined as 60 kg). Both approaches are rather conservative and try to comprise the huge variety in toxicity. Biological raw materials are complex mixtures with a large chemical variability and therefore a one-size-fits-all approach might become overly conservative for many raw materials of interest.
3. Fractions of Concern
As biological matter may contain a huge variety of chemical compounds, it is best to either conduct a literature search for relevant analytical data or to perform a chemical analysis for the material of interest. Specifications and certificates of analysis may help with standardisation, so chemical data are transferable between batches and raw material suppliers. In case this is not possible, information on taxonomy, plant parts, solvents/processes used, etc., may help with approaches to overcome data gaps/uncertainties. In general, conservative estimations/safety buffers are recommended for such approaches. Furthermore, genotoxicity should be excluded by in vitro testing, so the classification may focus around the three Cramer classes.
Biological materials, such as an ethanol/water extract of the aerial parts of a common herb, must be considered as a complex mixture of phytochemicals, e.g., chlorophyll, tannins, alkaloids, fatty acids, amino acids, sugars and terpenoids. Many of these compounds can be regarded as Cramer Class I, i.e., endogenous or rather inert and consequently of low concern. Alkaloids or specific tannins and terpenoids, for instance, might be of higher concern (cf. Cramer Class II and III). When splitting the systemic exposure dose (SED) quantitatively according to Cramer Class I compounds and Class II and III compounds, the margin of safety (MoS) calculation can be executed separately (cf. Equations (1) and (2) with regard to Cramer Class I and Cramer Class II + III, respectively).
M o S f r a c t I = 46 µ g / kg bw / day S E D f r a c t I
M o S f r a c t I I + I I I = 2.3 µ g / kg bw / day S E D f r a c t I I + I I I
Apart from TTC values, points of departure, such as NOAEL and acceptable daily intake (ADI) can be used if toxicological data are available. Furthermore, rationales, such as history of safe use, can be used for risk assessing. Principally, if the SED is higher than the TTC or an alternative point of departure (with appropriate safety factors), then this must be considered a violation suggesting a lack of safety. The overall scheme of this approach is expressed in Figure 2.
If all fractions are considered safe (i.e., there are no violations present), then the incorporated biological matter is considered safe. However, as chemical information is often not that detailed, there is some flexibility with regard to the definitions of fractions. An example for a fraction could for instance be simple fatty acids and their esters. Beyond this flexibility in the definition of fractions, there is also some flexibility in arguments with regard to safety in both directions, i.e., either arguing for safety and arguing for lack of safety-relevant information. While low dermal absorption, rapid metabolism or information regarding safe use may lead to some tolerance in case of mild MoS violations, aggregated exposure, synergy/additivity towards other ingredients or insufficient analytical data may suggest a MoS even lower than mathematically expressed for the individual raw material. Overall, this approach still entails some degrees of freedom for the assessor.
As mentioned above, interpreting analytical data and defining fractions are probably the most challenging parts. For instance, the composition of Camellia sinensis in the form of green tea, black tea and infusions thereof were described by Chacko and colleagues [20]. However, as the description is rather crudely classified into amino acids, minerals, polyphenols, etc., no chemical data on potentially active polyphenols were provided. Here, the publication of Reto and colleagues [21] might help to identify key components which then can be used for a toxicological literature review or they can be used for an investigation with an appropriate chemoinformatic tool to assign Cramer classes (e.g., ToxTree v3.1.0 [12] or OECD QSAR Toolbox 4.4.1. [13]). While there are many aqueous extracts of green tea being used in cosmetics [22], some may be more concentrated extracts as compared to a simple infusion or even different extraction solvents and process parameters being used. These may influence the final composition of the extract significantly.
Ideally a fractional process would be conducted for a complete cosmetic formulation to address potential additivity/synergy, at least for an obvious MoA, e.g., retinoid-like compounds (cf. vitamin A esters) and compounds with an estrogenic potential, such as parabens, 2-ethylhexanoate and certain steroids [23,24,25,26].
4. Perspective
Assessing the safety of biological matter and the complex mixtures they may entail is not a trivial matter. Voluntary and mandatory bans on animal testing demand novel solutions addressing systemic toxicity [6,27]. Such novel solutions to assess safety may include fractional approaches which can either be used stand-alone or as part of a WoE approach. However, due to the complexity of cosmetic formulations often containing multiple extracts/ferments, it is important to initially obtain a grasp of the relevant chemistry. Particularly for a toxicologically relevant MoA, chemical compounds from mixtures must also be considered towards additivity/synergy and those fractions must be addressed in appropriate safety calculations. Neither the complexity of a mixture nor testing restrictions are reasons for insufficient risk assessments. Despite all restraints, consumer safety is key.
All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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Figure 1. Three structurally similar compounds investigated via ToxTree v3.1.0. From left to right: 4-phenylbutyric acid (CAS 1821-12-1), 4-(2-pyridinyl) butanoic acid (CAS 102879-51-6) and 4-phenylcrotonaldehyde (CAS 13910-23-1).
Figure 2. Fractions of concern scheme.
Steinmetz, F.P.; Wakefield, J.C.; Boughton, R.M. Fractions of Concern: Challenges and Strategies for the Safety Assessment of Biological Matter in Cosmetics. Cosmetics 2021, 8, 34. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8020034
Steinmetz FP, Wakefield JC, Boughton RM. Fractions of Concern: Challenges and Strategies for the Safety Assessment of Biological Matter in Cosmetics. Cosmetics. 2021; 8(2):34. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8020034
Steinmetz, Fabian P., James C. Wakefield, and Ray M. Boughton. 2021. "Fractions of Concern: Challenges and Strategies for the Safety Assessment of Biological Matter in Cosmetics" Cosmetics 8, no. 2: 34. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8020034
Cosmetics, EISSN 2079-9284, Published by MDPI


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Vasilios Lazos
November 25, 1958 — October 16, 2021
12:00 - 2:00pm
Vasilios "Billy" Lazos, aka the Greek aka the Pizza Man, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at Concord Hospital, in Concord, NH.
Born in Grevena, Greece on November 25, 1958, the son of Dimitrios and Erofili (Chrisohou) Lazos. Vasilios graduated from Aero technical Institute in 1979, in Thessaloniki, Greece. He then served in the Greek Air Force from 1979 until 1981. He immigrated to Haverhill, MA in 1983 with the help of his close uncle, Nicholas Lazos. He made his way up to Loudon, NH in '87 where he met "the most beautiful woman he had ever seen" his future wife, Sandra. His passion for pizza and love drove him to be a driven and helpful man to many. Whether it was donating to the community, supporting someone in need, or just making you smile. He was happy to help. Billy was a one of a kind man.
He leaves behind his wife and soulmate of over 30 years, Sandra (Lemay) Lazos, their son, Dimitrios Lazos, their daughter, Erofili (Lazos) Roesel and son-in-law Alex Roesel. His sister, Stamatia and her husband, George Chaitas, his niece, Martha and nephew Vasilios. Dearest god-daughter, Anna Vatalachou, her father Andreas Vatalachou and family. His brother at heart, Christopher Vetos and his family, cousins Jim and Kallopi Samardelis. His greatly appreciated cousin, roommate, best man and physician all wrapped in one, George P. Meltsakos for his patience, care, guidance and support, as well as all his many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends that became family along the way "uncles and cousins".
SERVICVES: Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 29, 2021, from 12 – 2 PM and 4 – 6 PM at Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 243 Hanover Street, in Manchester. A funeral service will follow in the funeral home chapel at 6 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the ITP Kids at Boston Children's Hospital.
Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium assisted the family with arrangements. To view an online memorial, leave a message of condolence, or for more information please go to www.phaneuf.net
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Vasilios Lazos, please visit our flower store.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Okanagan Health and Performance is looking for a RMT to join our team. We are looking for a RMT with an interest in deep myofascial and sports injuries. We are a busy multi-disciplinary clinic located in central Kelowna. Our services include massage therapy, chiropractic, physiotherapy, and osteopathy. If you are interested in joining the OHP team, please email your resume to our office manager, Leanne at [email protected].


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Crowd Tells Cruz "Yes, We Can!"
A brief video clip of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz at the end of his remarks to the crowd at FreePac in Dallas Thursday night:
The crowd was 13,000 enthusiastic Americans joining together with like-minded conservative voters to hear from elected officials and nationally known public figures and activists. Who wasn't there? Lt. Governor David Dewhurst.
Not at all unusual for this race.
A Message from Heidi Cruz
This is a compelling message from Heidi Cruz, wife of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz:
Down in the polls and grasping at straws, the Dewhurst Attack Machine is getting more and more vicious. The leading Dewhurst Super PAC—which is run by Dewhurst's former chief of staff and campaign manager—just began airing a despicable, false ad about my husband Ted that one commentator called the nation's "nastiest ad of the campaign cycle."
Dewhurst is using the suffering of a grieving mother to try to blame Ted for the death of her son. But Ted had nothing—absolutely nothing—to do with the criminal proceedings surrounding that juvenile prison scandal, and Dewhurst knows it. The attack is a lie.
As a mother of two young girls, my heart weeps for this mother who lost her son. But I am repulsed by a desperate politician willing to exploit her grief to try to falsely claim, in the final days of the campaign, that Ted is responsible for killing children.
Texans are tired of Dewhurst's desperate lies about Ted.
And Ted needs your help to fight back. Will you please consider an immediate donation to Ted's campaign so he can defend himself against the Dewhurst attacks?
This has become a pattern. Texans are uniting behind Ted's positive, optimistic message, and Dewhurst responds by spending over $10 million of his own money on relentless false attacks on Ted's character, patriotism, and integrity. This is wrong.
I know Ted better than anyone else. I love Ted. He's a loving husband and father, and he is running a principled, honorable campaign. I am asking you personally to please help Ted defend himself from these shameful attacks.
In this final week, we need to raise an additional $1 million to combat "the nastiest ad of the campaign cycle" on television.
Six days to go. We will win this – with your help and your incredible support.
Just this morning a Houston Chronicle column pointed out David Dewhurst's "maddening tendency to deny inconvenient facts." Please contribute what you can right away to help us fight back. Many thanks!
You may have noticed that Heidi Cruz is under attack from those who are desperately counting on a Dewhurst win. Her professional career - admirable and successful - seems to be fair game for the nasty attacks in this campaign. Imagine - Republicans who traditionally stand for hard work and leadership in the community now are so twisted up in blind ideology as to attack a candidate's wife's career.
Early voting continues through Friday at 7:00PM. Election day is July 31. Please vote.
Village Republican Women Hosts Run-off Candidates Forum
I attended an evening with the Republican candidates in Harris County run-off races Tuesday night hosted by Village Republican Women PAC. The evening was a complete success, with a sold out venue - Lakeside Country Club - and access provided to all of the candidates in attendance. The main draw was the forum extended to the two Republican U.S. Senate candidates - Ted Cruz and Lt. Gov David Dewhurst.
The other run-off candidates went first and were provided the opportunity to speak, presented in the order in which they will appear on the ballot. Cristi Craddick led, followed by Warren Chisum both running for Railroad Commissioner. Next up was Justice Supreme Court, Place 4 candidate John Devine. David Medina was not present so we moved on to District Judge 129th District Court. Michael Landrum first, then Chris Gillett. Greg Parker spoke as candidate for Railroad Commissioner (unexpired term) and then Paul Bettencourt took the stage to introduce and endorse Barry Smitherman in the race. That was a bit odd, as the other candidates didn't have that kind of intro, but, whatever. Then Smitherman spoke.
Next were the candidates for Harris County sheriff. First up was Harold Heuszel, speaking as a surrogate for Louis Guthrie. This was really bad form. If another candidate was not there, the program moved on. Heuszel was permitted to speak and didn't say why Guthrie didn't attend. That, besides the fact that Heuszel is not a good public speaker didn't exactly please the audience. He received polite applause. The audience also didn't respond to the bit of nastiness inserted into his talk - that of the personnel matter for Pittman - by beginning to mention it and then saying he'd be happy to answer questions on that later. It was the only ugliness of the evening so Louis Guthrie did himself no favors by pulling this stunt. Maybe no one is surprised any more about the Guthrie campaign's tactics. The disgust is apparent, though. Carl Pittman was up next and it was clearly his room. He is an engaging speaker and clearly enjoyed being there. The audience ate it up.
Last was Don Self and then Janet Townsley, candidates for District Judge 152nd District Court.
Ted Cruz went first in the Senate candidate forum part of the program. Moderated by Harris County Commissioner Jack Cagle, Ted Cruz was first. He approached the stage from the front row table he was sitting at with supporters. Harris County Republican party activist Paul Simpson as also seated at that table. Cruz delivered opening remarks, standing before the audience, then retired to the seat on the stage across from Cagle. Cagle asked questions that were to be asked of both candidates. Then Cruz stood and delivered his closing remarks. He received a standing ovation from at least half of the audience when he finished.
David Dewhurst entered from the back of the room and it is unclear if he was late in arriving or if it was a security thing for his current position in office. Same format for his time on stage. He, too, received a standing ovation by about the same amount of the audience that Cruz did at the conclusion of his closing statement.
The interesting question was the last asked of each Senate candidate. It had to do with the ugly ads being run by each campaign. The candidates were asked what was the worst of such attacks. Both candidates began in the same way - it is hard to know where to begin. Cruz mentioned that his two young daughters - ages four and one year - were surprised to learn that they are Chinese. He spoke about the lies told in those constant ads shown on television. Dewhurst spoke of having to spend so much time and money countering the negative ads. I don't know that many in the audience were too sympathetic to a multi-millionaire spending $10 million or so of his own money. I imagine Ted Cruz would like to have the same financial resources available to him. Cruz pointed out that his campaign's negative ads concentrated on Dewhurst's record while Dewhurst has gone personal in his attacks. Cruz again spoke of his respect for Dewhurst's service in the Air Force and CIA - resume items Dewhurst mentioned several times in his time on stage.
Clearly this format was a friendly one for Dewhurst. Cruz shines in the debate format. Both candidates did well and answered the questions with similar responses. This race really does come down to if the voter wants to continue with our state's new junior senator being the guy next in line, having served the state since 1999 in office. That makes him the "career" politician, not Ted Cruz. Cruz is a fresh face and has not served in elected office. His service to Texas has been as Solicitor General during the early Rick Perry years. He has served Texas well before the United States Supreme Court. He is an accomplished debater, which is exactly what the Senate requires as the deliberative body in Congress. He honorably stood with his pledge that he would not run against Tx Attorney General Abbott if Abbott decided to run for re-election instead of the U.S. Senate.
On the way out of the room, Carl Pittman and his wife, Kristi, said good night to the attendees and shook hands will everyone as they passed by. I didn't see Mr. Hueszel.
My Recommendations in Primary Run-Off Races
From the looks of the voter tally coming from Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart's office after the first day of early voting, the turn-out will be quite low, just as predicted in this primary run-off election. What does this mean to you, the Harris County voter? It means you have a golden opportunity to make your voice truly heard. With such low numbers, each vote really does count.
I usually participate in early voting because it is more likely to be hassle free than actual election day voting. My polling place is an elementary school next to the entrance to our subdivision and it is hectic to get in and out of there, to say the least. Finding a parking spot alone is a challenge. Early voting allows me to go at my convenience and then I don't have to worry about making it there later.
So, now that I have encouraged you to go vote, here are some recommendations:
U.S. Senate: Ted Cruz
Railroad Commissioner: Warren Chisum
Railroad Commissioner (unexpired term) : Barry Smitherman
Justice Supreme Court, Place 4: David Medina
District Judge 129th District Court : Michael Landrum
District Judge 152th District Court: Janet Townsley
Harris County Sheriff: Carl Pittman
I've written at length about the U.S. Senate race. I fully support Ted Cruz. I want fresh blood, clear debating skills, and a passionate voice representing me in Washington, D.C. I'm looking long term for the Republican party and future viability.
I've seen Michael Landrum consistently on the campaign trail. He makes all the gatherings and he engages everyone in conversation with a warm smile and handshake. He is a good listener. He has the experience necessary to do the job. His disposition will be an asset on the bench.
I've written about the Harris County Sheriff's race, too. I support Carl Pittman. It is perhaps the nastiest race I've seen, ever, in Harris County and that is saying something. The worst part is that it is Republican on Republican hate. I'm supporting the man who stayed as positive as humanly possible against the good old boys network that simply doesn't want to see the opponent in office. They want someone to be "our" sheriff, according to one blogger and that is a real racist dog whistle. Republicans have fought for too long in the arena of ideas to be dragged down by ugly racist campaigning. If Guthrie's supporters don't think his record of incompetence and poor judgement on the job - and his termination from working in Harris County - won't be the main issue in the November race against the sitting Democratic sheriff, they are delusional.
I encourage you to look at the candidates. Make your choices and go vote. It's important.
Contributions Come to Light in Harris Co Sheriff Campaign
Who exactly is the source of the big money in the Louis Guthrie for Harris County Sheriff campaign? This may come as a surprise to all those holier than thou supporters but it sure looks like a rather unwholesome entrepreneur is a very generous lender and contributor to Mr. Guthrie. As has been pointed out HERE it would appear that Mr. Guthrie is supported by the adult entertainment industry. That would make sense, given the open secret of personal lives on the campaign trail, wouldn't it?
For those so quick to judge the personal life of Carl Pittman, perhaps those same sanctimonious opiners should look a bit more closely into the private life of the candidate they support. It's right there in front of them, apparent at each and every campaign event, even. Don't know what I am talking about? Shame on you, if you are one of these supporters so blindly supporting one over the other on moral grounds.
Now, add to the reality on the ground that of the money trail of campaign contributions to the Guthrie campaign and it all adds up. The argument that Guthrie's bad marks are only professional - as though that is something to be proud of in a personnel file - and not of a personal nature isn't really the whole story. The difference is that the Pittman campaign has been focused on the issues and not on vicious personal attacks to win an election. Sometimes taking the honorable approach in politics isn't the winning strategy.
We all are worse off for that reality.
There has been some less than discreet racism in this primary and that should be honestly acknowledged, too. The good old boys don't like Mr. Pittman's rapport with audiences and his ability to listen to the people. There is a segment of the population that is desperately clinging to the notion that we just need to maintain the good old boys network and let the status quo be.
That is why we are where we are, my fellow Harris County Republicans.
I have been discouraged, to say the least, at the conduct on display during this last GOP primary cycle. The campaigns have been ugly and street gutter level politics not seen locally in quite some time. What are we becoming? Democrats? It is the Democratic party that is the master of the politics of personal destruction towards opponents.
Whether it was the Harris County D.A. race, the U.S. senate race, or this Harris County sheriff race, the level of borderline libel is despicable. Make no mistake - repercussions will be felt for some time down the road. To allow this behavior to continue will only weaken the party.
Some of us have fought for too many years for this to happen.
We know that the pay for play game has completely corrupted the primary voting cycle. We know that some candidates claim that they do not participate in that system yet they certainly do. If a candidate is allowing a political consultant to make the contribution on behalf of the campaign, it is still participating in the system. Saying otherwise to appear pure to a voter is simply deceitful.
I'm supporting Carl Pittman in this race. I take Mr. Pittman's experience into account and his personal performance in service to the community. I do not have to worry that he has so little common sense as to shut down a small business over an alleged theft of $17 by anyone, even his own wife, and then that accusation is found to be false. Maybe that is why the professional infractions of Mr. Guthrie are so heavy on the mind of some voters. He was fired by the Harris County department and now works in Liberty County. The division he claimed to work for in Liberty County is in dispute as to whether it even really exists. Why would a candidate who feels qualified for the office embellish a professional record?
Yes, personal lives point to the character of an individual. The ugly claims against Mr. Pittman have been explained, disputed and spoken to by his ex-wife and his present wife. His ex-wife has contributed generously to his current campaign. I take them at their word, as I do any two people in a relationship. To proclaim the moral superiority of a candidate usually leads to disappointment. No one is perfect. Is a candidate who cheats on his wife ok? Or is that contempt only reserved if a report is filed - motives be damned?
I look at how a candidate is living today. Is that candidate living an honorable life? Do I have the impression that the candidate truly wants to serve his/her community? Do I think the candidate is capable of being a humble servant?
To whom is that candidate beholden? Think about that question as you cast your vote.
Mitt Romney Finds His Voice
"This is an election about the soul of America", Mr. Romney said at a town hall meeting in Bowling Green, Ohio Wednesday. "Demonizing success is so foreign to us as Americans."
Mitt Romney has found his voice on the campaign trail. He has found his message to the voter. While President Obama is busy proclaiming that he didn't really say what he very clearly said last week, Mitt Romney has seized the opportunity and in doing so, has found his mojo.
If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn't get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
The problem for Barack Obama is that Mitt Romney is a successful business man from the private sector. Unlike President Obama, Romney didn't make his millions from government service. Even the New York Times points to the most recent polls which show that Americans are most concerned with our economic recovery and clearly do not have confidence that President Obama can do the job.
A particularly poor showing for the president surfaced in Wednesday's CBS poll which even had Mitt Romney over Barack Obama on the economy.
Mr. Obama's overall approval rating stands at 44 percent, with 46 percent disapproving. His approval rating on the economy is just 39 percent - 55 percent disapprove - and his approval rating on foreign policy is 41 percent. His approval rating on the economy has dropped five points since April.
To counter Romney's rise in the polls, Team Obama continues to produce negative campaign ads. Team Obama again went on the attack using Ann Romney's horse in the latest attack. In order to continue with the message that Mitt Romney is a rich guy out of touch with regular Americans, the smart folks in the Obama campaign thought it was clever to use footage of Ann Romney's horse in the background. Mrs. Romney uses the horse for therapy to deal with her MS, but never mind. She has a horse so she must be too rich to know the problems of Americans, too. As the previous attack on her from Team Obama stated, "she's never worked a day in her life". Remember that?
As predicted, the DNC had to apologize to Mrs. Romney late Wednesday as Americans expressed disgust for attacking the candidate's wife in their desperation to attack the candidate.
At issue is a DNC video featuring footage of Ann Romney's dancing show horse. The DNC used the horse in mocking way to attack Mitt Romney for not releasing his tax returns (and dancing around the issue).
The DNC introduced the video as the first in a series of videos featuring Mrs. Romney's horse.
Ann Romney, who trains with the horse as part of her therapy for multiple sclerosis, took offense in an interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, and now the DNC is pulling the video, expressing regret for offending Mrs. Romney.
"Our use of the Romneys' dressage horse was not meant to offend Mrs. Romney in any way, and we regret it if it did," DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse tells ABC News. "We were simply making a point about Governor Romney's failure to give straight answers on a variety of issues in this race. We have no plans to invoke the horse any further to avoid misinterpretation."
Mitt Romney has taken to the campaign trail with renewed vigor. He has found his voice in defending all the entrepreneurs who make our economy work. From small business owners to mom and pop companies to medium sized corporations, Romney knows about building a business and the sacrifice ordinary Americans make every day to do that work.
The Obama campaign has no choice but to continue on a strategy of only negative campaigning. There is no good record to tout as a reason to re-elect Barack Obama to a second term. It is interesting that the party that claims to be the party that is most supportive of women again jumps ugly on Mrs. Romney.
You know what helps Mitt Romney get fired up on the campaign trail? Attacks on his wife. His is a true marriage partnership and their respect for each other is clear in every interview they do together. If Mitt Romney continues with his current level of energy and passion in his speeches - giving voice to the struggles of ordinary Americans working for a better life and building our economy - Barack Obama will lose in November.
Let's hope that happens. We can all use a change.
Cruz Stands Firm As Dewhurst Bends To Fit In
Tuesday night a televised debate was held in Dallas between Ted Cruz and David Dewhurst, the two Republican candidates running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison. The primary run-off election day is July 31 and early voting begins Monday and goes through the week.
There are two more meetings feature the two together, that I know of anyway. A debate will be held on Monday, July 23, sponsored by King Street Patriots and Fox 26. And, I will be attending the evening event hosted by Village Republican Women on Tuesday, July 24.
To say that most people are ready for this race to be over is an understatement.
After the debate Tuesday night, the predictable happened. Both campaigns sent out emails claiming victory. Also, the Dewhurst campaign announced the endorsement of former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, who was the number three finisher in the primary election held on May 29. My opinion on that move is that it is from a campaign feeling the heat. Dewhurst is looking frazzled and somewhat desperate at this point.
An interesting article was written by a moderate-leaning author in the Dallas Morning News. He points out what many others have stated after the debate - Dewhurst is trying to out-conservative Ted Cruz and ends up looking inept. It is a good piece and worth reading. The man is a Dewhurst supporter and clearly does not want Ted Cruz to be the next senator from Texas. Here is the interesting part of the article:
But it was frustrating last night watching him contort himself into something that he is not. On the issue of immigration, for example, Dewhurst ran away from his previous support for a guest worker program. That was one of several examples where it seemed like he was trying to twist himself into a right-wing knot, all so he could outmaneuver Cruz in their July 31 runoff.
I found myself wanting Dewhurst to come out swinging and defend his work as lieutenant governor. On the issue of taxes and school funding, for example, I wished he had challenged Cruz and asked whether he thought the state should have ignored the Texas Supreme Court and not found a better way to fund schools?
Instead, Cruz trapped Dewhurst into a debate over whether or not the lieutenant governor had favored a payroll tax to fund schools. Dewhurst spent much of his time explaining that he didn't favor that tax, when he should focused on the larger point: The Texas Supreme Court had declared the Legislature must find a more constitutional way to fund schools, Dewhurst got involved in helping find an answer alongside other Republicans, and the answer they came up with was a new business tax along with a substantial local property tax cut.
In other words, Dewhurst had a chance to explain how his work as lieutenant governor had been good for Texas and why it has prepared him for the U.S. Senate. But Cruz, ever the skilled debater, rope-a-doped him.
As a result, Cruz came away looking like a guy who knows what he believes, while Dewhurst looked painfully contorted. This leads me back to what I've written about in previous posts, and that is I wish center-right Republicans like Dewhurst would just defend their ground, and not try to out-conservative hard-righters like Cruz.
The divide between the two campaigns and their supporters has been evident for some time now. Cruz is portrayed as a Tea Party right wing extremist nut job with a short temper and stubborn streak. Dewhurst is portrayed as a squishy moderate who will work with the other side and therefore appease the Democrats. Needless to say, media types are supportive of Dewhurst.
I think it comes down to this: do you want someone who will shake things up and challenge others to stand firm or do you want a standard Republican who is looking to take the next step in his career? Do you want fresh blood or do you want a good guy who will enjoy being a part of the club?
It's not personal for me. I think both men are good people and both men have served Texas in admirable ways. For me, it is more long term planning. I want someone who will shake it up and demand that senators do their job. I want someone who knows who he is, not someone who will bend a bit too far out of his own skin to fit in.
I support Ted Cruz.
Obama Comes Clean on Wealth Re-Distribution Dreams
Last Friday President Obama traveled to Virginia, a swing state, as he has frequently done to campaign for re-election. In Roanoke, he made a statement that will come back to haunt him for the rest of the campaign. There is a good piece over at Red State today on the mistake President Obama made in his reasoning for higher taxes on the successful in our country. This is the part of his speech that so very clearly shows the stark contrast between his idea of re-distribution of wealth and free enterprise:
There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me — because they want to give something back. They know they didn't — look, if you've been successful, you didn't get there on your own. You didn't get there on your own. I'm always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something — there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.
If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business — you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn't get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
Clearly, business people around the country are taking offense at such reasoning. If President Obama wishes to soak the rich, this is not breaking news for him to state that position. But, this time he tries to justify that position by stretching his logic to include such items as roads and bridges. These infrastructure items are paid for by all of us. If you fill up a gas tank in an automobile, you pay for road building and bridge repairs. That is what gas taxes are used for in states. To justify raising income taxes on the most successful among us by saying that action will produce more roads and bridges is simply wrong. Clearly a smart man like Barack Obama knows where the funding for infrastructure originates. This is just further proof that it is all about wealth re-distribution.
This campaign is shining a spotlight on the basic belief system of Barack Obama, as wasn't so clear in 2008. When candidate Barack Obama made news for answering a question from Joe the Plumber in a spontaneous interaction along the campaign trail in 2008, Obama let the phrase "re-distribute" slip as he spoke of taxing Americans. While that answer made the evening news cycle and was included in GOP ads, it was never given the serious attention it deserved.
As a Republican voter, I am happy to hear such honesty come from President Obama. Finally he is telling us who he is in a very precise way. He is an old school, 1960's style liberal. Though his is a dying breed, he continues the fight. To those in the Obama camp, government is the answer to challenges in our daily lives. It is the basic difference between the two political parties that has been blurred in recent years. Republicans believe that personal responsibility is the key to success. Government has a first requirement to keep our borders secure and protect our citizens. Entitlements were not to secure voting blocks but to provide a safety net for those truly in need - the elderly, the disabled, children.
President Obama insulted a whole lot of hard working, sacrificing men and women last Friday in Roanoke. To him, he was simply talking on the stump. He doesn't even understand his mistake. This is understandable. Barack Obama has never worked in the private sector. He has no personal reference to jobs creation, making a payroll, building a business from a home basement to a building in town. He doesn't understand personal sacrifice in that way.
In order to recover from this economic malaise, our country needs the leadership of an experienced business man. We need someone who understands how jobs are created and how personal wealth is made. We need someone who understands the folly of simply throwing billions of dollars at the economy in hopes of recovery. That is a dream that has failed Mr. Obama.
Obama Sneers at Entrepreneurs and Business
All you ever questioned about President Obama's thoughts on free enterprise, capitalism and small business creation has been answered, loud and clear. In his latest kerfuffle on the campaign trail, Barack Obama declared that "If you've got a business --- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen." Take that, business owners.
Obama was trying to make the point, I think, that the evil Republicans don't want to do anything but cut taxes on wealthy people and that means they don't want good roads or police officers on the streets or clean water or a working highway system. See, shipping trucks have to drive products on roads and teachers have to provide education so that a student has the knowledge needed to work and Republicans are evil. Especially Mitt Romney, who is very successful and also very wealthy.
Never mind that Barack Obama has absolutely no work experience in the private sector. At all.
Here is some response from those on the ground trying to do the work that Barack Obama has never done in his adult life.
National Federation of Independent Business' statement:
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 16, 2012 — The following statement is the response from NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner to President Obama's declaration over the weekend that "If you've got a business — you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen."
"What a disappointment to hear President Obama's revealing comments challenging the significance of America's entrepreneurs.
"His unfortunate remarks over the weekend show an utter lack of understanding and appreciation for the people who take a huge personal risk and work endless hours to start a business and create jobs.
"I'm sure every small-business owner who took a second mortgage on their home, maxed out their credit cards or borrowed money from their own retirement savings to start their business disagrees strongly with President Obama's claim. They know that hard work does matter.
"Every small business is not indebted to the government or some other benefactor. If anything, small businesses are historically an economic and job-creating powerhouse in spite of the government."
President Obama doesn't have a clear understanding that the government does not create jobs. People create jobs. Government can provide an atmosphere friendly to job creation - responsible regulations, common sense tax reforms, and so on. President Obama has never created a business. He has never been responsible for payroll. He has not lived a life of personal sacrifice to grow a business in his community.
This economic recession has the worst recovery on record. It is the slowest recovery of any recession since the Great Depression. This president has surrounded himself with those who have book knowledge of the economy and little in real life experience. When he does form a committee for advice from those in the business community, he turns around and ignores the advice presented to him.
President Obama holds out the government as the creator of the Internet and all the jobs that have come with its expansion. Well, the Internet was created through the Defense Department which is the very department that Barack Obama continues to whittle down at every opportunity.
President Obama holds out the space program created by President Kennedy as a shining example of taxpayer investment into a government sponsored job creator. Unfortunately Barack Obama shut down the moon program.
President Obama has a disturbing record of rewarding his big bucks campaign contributors with plum mega million stimulus spending money. He practices crony capitalism. You may remember candidate Barack Obama spoke negatively of such practices in 2008. That was then, this is now.
With no experience in private enterprise, President Obama offers straw men in his campaign stump speeches to paint Republicans and Mitt Romney as the bad guys. This is not the remedy Americans and business owners and job creators need to pursue our economic recovery.
We need a real business man in the White House to turn this economy around, to accelerate the recovery. Americans need to retire Barack Obama.
Cruz Campaign Responds to Vicious Dewhurst Attack
This is an email I received today from the David Dewhurst for U.S. Senate campaign:
Ted Cruz was fined the maximum penalty by the U.S. Senate Ethics Commission for breaking the law and failing to submit his Personal Financial Disclosure. Now, Texans are learning what Cruz was hiding. Ted Cruz is representing Robert Mericle, a child-exploiting, judge-bribing felon of the infamous "Kids for Cash" scandal
A video was attached and a button to share it on Facebook. Then it continued:
Is there anybody Ted Cruz won't represent if the price is right? Mericle was involved in a bribery scheme that paid judges to sentence thousands of children to his private jails. After Mericle pleaded guilty, Ted Cruz chose to represent him and argue in court that he shouldn't be required to pay for his scandalous and reprehensible actions. Not only was Ted Cruz hiding in his disclosure that he was still feeding from the trough of Chinese intellectual property thieves, he was hiding his work for an architect behind one of the worst offenses of judicial malpractice in American history. Every parent in Texas should be appalled that Ted Cruz would choose profit over principle. A shameless profiteer who would not have the best interest of our children in mind is not worthy of office. Sincerely, Megan Hanson Dewhurst for Texas
So we know that Team Dewhurst is feeling the pressure that comes with creeping desperation. Recently, one poll was released showing Ted Cruz up over Dewhurst by 9 points. The Dewhurst folks denied the importance of that poll as it was, in fact, a Cruz campaign internal poll. But, just a few days later, two more polls came out with much the same results. One polling company in particular - PPP - is a liberal leaning polling company. This camapaign was nasty enough without this latest fuel to the fire. The header to the email was: Texas Parents Beware! I'm not kidding. In response to this disgusting email, the Ted Cruz campaign offers the following:
Quick Facts: 1. Ted had NO INVOLVEMENT WHATSOEVER with any criminal proceedings involving Robert Mericle or the Pennsylvania prison scandal. 2. Ted has always been completely transparent about his clients—Mericle has been listed on Ted's public disclosures FOR OVER A YEAR, since May 2011. 3. The only matter Ted worked on was a civil appeal of a breach of contract case between Robert Mericle and a private insurance company, NOT THE MATTERS DEWHURST CLAIMS. SUMMARY David Dewhurst's latest attack is yet another shameless distortion of the facts. At no time has Ted ever represented construction company owner Robert Mericle in either the criminal or the civil ligation stemming from the alleged misconduct. Ted has only represented this individual, Robert Mericle, in litigation with a private insurance company. On the same day that two independent polls verified that Dewhurst is losing the runoff, he amplified his consistent pattern of trying to deceive Texas voters about his own record and Ted Cruz. Dewhurst lied about Ted on China and amnesty – and then he covered up his own previous support for amnesty for everyone "here today illegally" by directing state employees to delete his amnesty speech from his official, taxpayer-funded website. After spending over $13 million in false attacks on Ted, Dewhurst has lost all credibility. His latest attack is falsely attempting to tie Ted to Robert Mericle's involvement in a Pennsylvania juvenile detention facility scandal. But Ted's legal work had nothing to do with the underlying criminal scandal; instead, he simply worked on a civil appeal between Mericle and an insurance company.
Check out the web page for yourself and learn the truth. Early voting begins in seven (7) days. I encourage you to vote for Ted Cruz. Can't make the early voting days next week? Then go on election day, July 31. Just vote, fellow Texans. It's important.
What happened to the candidate that said if you don't have a record to run on, you try to scare voters to run away from the other candidate? Just one of many statements declared by then candidate Barack Obama in 2008 that have now become his own strategy in 2012, given his failed record in office.
Mitt Romney Scores Big Win in Speech to NAACP
Mitt Romney, Republican candidate for President, accepted an invitation to speak to the NAACP convention being held in Houston this week. To say that he smashed a couple of stereotypes as he made that speech is an understatement. Though promoted in the local media as a "surprise" that Romney accepted the invitation to speak, as a NAACP vice president did on a local Sunday morning show, that spin won't work. Not only is it not a surprise to anyone willing to honestly look at the record of Mitt Romney in public office and private life, it should also be noted that his father, former Michigan governor and conservative activist, marched for civil rights back in his day. So much for that feign of surprise that Romney isn't some kind of racist.
Mitt Romney comes out the victor in this political tussle. He accepted the invitation to speak - something that Barack Obama did not do - and walked on stage in full confidence mode. He was met with a standing ovation from the crowd, to their credit. There were many times that spontaneous applause broke out during the speech. There were a couple of times that boos were heard, too. One long, sustained boo from the crowd happened when Romney dared to tell the truth - that Obamacare is a job killer and he will repeal it if he is elected. Romney waited for the boos to stop and then went off teleprompter and explained the follies of Obamacare from the perspective of job creators. That is something Barack Obama is incapable of doing and would not do anyway. Mitt Romney knocked it out of the auditorium with his words on education reform. The crowd clearly approved of his message. He spoke of the need to put education dollars to follow the student, not to simply do to the schools. He spoke of the need for expansion of charter schools and school choice. That is a clear winner with those who are raising children in poor and urban areas. The full transcript from Romney's speech can be found HERE.
I am running for president because I know that my policies and vision will help hundreds of millions of middle class Americans of all races, will lift people from poverty, and will help prevent people from becoming poor. My campaign is about helping the people who need help. The course the President has set has not done that — and will not do that. My course will. When President Obama called to congratulate me on becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, he said that he, "looked forward to an important and healthy debate about America's future." To date, I'm afraid that his campaign has taken a different course than that. But, in campaigns at their best, voters can expect a clear choice, and candidates can expect a fair hearing — only more so from a venerable organization like this one. So, it is that healthy debate about the course of the nation that I want to discuss with you today. If someone had told us in the 1950s or 1960s that a black citizen would serve as the forty-fourth president, we would have been proud and many would have been surprised. Picturing that day, we might have assumed that the American presidency would be the very last door of opportunity to be opened. Before that came to pass, every other barrier on the path to equal opportunity would surely have come down. Of course, it hasn't happened quite that way. Many barriers remain. Old inequities persist. In some ways, the challenges are even more complicated than before. And across America -- and even within your own ranks -- there are serious, honest debates about the way forward. If equal opportunity in America were an accomplished fact, then a chronically bad economy would be equally bad for everyone. Instead, it's worse for African Americans in almost every way. The unemployment rate, the duration of unemployment, average income, and median family wealth are all worse for the black community. In June, while the overall unemployment rate remained stuck at 8.2 percent, the unemployment rate for African Americans actually went up, from 13.6 percent to 14.4 percent. Americans of every background are asking when this economy will finally recover — and you, in particular, are entitled to an answer. If equal opportunity in America were an accomplished fact, black families could send their sons and daughters to public schools that truly offer the hope of a better life. Instead, for generations, the African-American community has been waiting and waiting for that promise to be kept. Today, black children are 17 percent of students nationwide — but they are 42 percent of the students in our worst-performing schools. Our society sends them into mediocre schools and expects them to perform with excellence, and that is not fair. Frederick Douglass observed that, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Yet, instead of preparing these children for life, too many schools set them up for failure. Everyone in this room knows that we owe them better than that. The path of inequality often leads to lost opportunity. College, graduate school, and first jobs should be milestones marking the passage from childhood to adulthood. But for too many disadvantaged young people, these goals seem unattainable — and their lives take a tragic turn. Many live in neighborhoods filled with violence and fear, and empty of opportunity. Their impatience for real change is understandable. They are entitled to feel that life in America should be better than this. They are told even now to wait for improvements in our economy and in our schools, but it seems to me that these Americans have waited long enough. The point is that when decades of the same promises keep producing the same failures, then it's reasonable to rethink our approach — and consider a new plan.
The proof that this section of Romney's speech was particularly affective is that Obama surrogate Joe Biden made a point of saying that education policy is tucked far away on the back burner for the Romney campaign, in his speech Thursday morning to the NAACP. The proof of the victory Romney scored in his very acceptance of this invitation was underscored in the desperate attempt of all of the media outlets trying to maintain the Obama narrative that Romney is out of touch and of course, the narrative that Republicans are racists. All media, both local here in Houston and nationally, played the part of the speech when Romney was solidly booed over his words on Obamacare as the lead of their reports on the convention speech. It was the quick and easy way to report on the event. Romney also received a standing ovation as he left the stage. He remained strong in his positions and didn't pander to the crowd. He has found a second wind in his campaign, it appears, and he has a new confidence about him. This plays well to all audiences. There was never any misconception that Romney would find a friendly audience ready to hang on his every word. There was never any hope that for once the Democratic black voter would consider a Republican candidate for President. It's not going to happen. It's certainly not going to happen with a black candidate for president. It is a shame that this current president shows this loyal group nothing but disrespect by not accepting their invitation to appear before them since he received their votes in 2008 yet goes next week to Austin to do a fundraiser for his re-election campaign. He takes their support for granted and they reward him. Old habits die hard. The party that counted on bringing generations of poor Americans under the patronship of government programs, thus guaranteeing a consistent voting block, preys on this dependence. They use scare tactics and they use blind loyalty to their benefit. Plus, black unemployment is almost double that of any other group. Where exactly are the rewards for this loyalty? Mitt Romney is a winner. He is a leader. He is not afraid to face opposition. Remember, he worked with a legislature in Massachusetts that was overwhelmingly Democratic in his days as governor, which prepared him for this day. Mitt Romney won by simply showing up.
RHCIA Holds GOP Debate for Harris Co Sheriff
Tuesday night the Republican Hispanic Citizens in Action held a forum for the two GOP candidates in a run-off for Harris County sheriff. This event was billed as the "Epic Battle of the Year".
I enjoyed meeting the father of U.S.Senate candidate Ted Cruz. He is a sincere and humble man with a strong fighting spirit. A pastor, he blessed the meeting with prayer. He is a long time conservative activist in Republican politics. He spoke of his work in the Reagan campaign and of his habit of talking about politics at the family dinner table when Ted was a boy.
R.W. Bray was introduced to the audience and allowed to speak, too. He is the President of Young Republicans of Houston. He is running for Tx Senate, District 6. Currently in Democratic control, Bray wants to bring the conservative message to his district. He is a Hurricane Katrina survivor and made Houston his home after that storm. Should he be successful, Bray would be the first black Republican in the Texas senate seat.
Though this event was billed as an epic battle, what it was was a one-sided deliberate attack on candidate Carl Pittman. That is the only conclusion I come to after the experience. I don't mind that the audience was maybe 90% filled with supporters of Louis Guthrie. That can happen at a political meeting. What I did mind was that both campaigns agreed to the ground rules - one of which was to not go negative on the other candidate.
I am not working with either campaign. I am, however, a supporter of Carl Pittman.
Jack Cagle was the moderator and I think he did a fair job of it. He remained impartial and that was appreciated.
An interesting exchange occurred as Cagle asked the candidates if they would like to comment on a recent story about the race in the Houston Chronicle. Pittman said he didn't hold the Chronicle in particularly high regard but supports the First Amendment and all that that entails. Guthrie said that the newspaper is run by "Commie hippies". Classy, right? He shows a definite lack of a verbal filter, certainly in public.
The forum ended on a sour note. Unless you were a devout Guthrie follower, which many were, it can't be denied that Guthrie went into good ole boy mode to yuk it up. Some folks like that system of government, I understand. Those voting in the GOP primary in the D.A. race proved that. I cannot remember the last time I left a political event feeling as I did after this one. As I left, I went up to a member of the group who put forth the ground rules to the campaign and also asked the last four questions - those described as "surprise" questions. When Mr. Guthrie went negative in his closing remarks, she didn't call him on it and that was unfortunate, to say the least. She told me and another audience member that she didn't know he would do that and was surprised. We both told her she should have spoken up, for the audience's sake and for transparency.
That aside, the final remarks came after the final four "surprise" questions, which were clearly written by the Guthrie campaign. All four had to do with the resume of Mr. Guthrie and it was one-sided, to say the least. Also, the specifics of the questions had little to do with the job both seek. In the final remarks, Carl Pittman went first. He asked for support and he spoke of the importance of knowing the Constitution and of public safety being the top priority. He didn't attack his opponent. Mr. Guthrie started off his final remarks by declaring that there are differences between the two - some visible, some not. Mr. Guthrie is white and Mr. Pittman is black. Classy, right? It plays into the talk on the campaign trail of the racism expressed in hushed tones. Truly disappointing. Guthrie went on to state that he has only contributed to Republican candidates in his life and attacked Pittman at this point again. And he boasted of not being endorsed in the primary by the Houston Chronicle, as Mr. Pittman was the candidate the newspaper endorsed. What Mr. Guthrie didn't mention is that he sought the endorsement as did the others running in the primary. Mr. Pittman did not bring up the endorsement as he spoke, I might add.
This is one nasty political battle. Both candidates have a past. Mr. Pittman has one incident in his professional folder. It was of a personal nature and has been dispelled publicly. Mr. Pittman is still employed with the Harris County Sheriff Department. Mr. Guthrie cannot make that claim. There are many incidents, all of a professional nature. His last incident, for which he was fired, is still under appeal. His type of campaign is very much the kind of the past. We all deserve better.
I was going to lay low about this race but after tonight's performances, I have decided to be silent no more. More to come on this campaign later. I'm still cooling off.
RNC Launches Jobs Outsourced by Obamanomics Website
The Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a new website today which puts into map form the "stimulus" monies that have gone overseas, though we as taxpayers were promised this money would create millions of American jobs here.
Over his four years in office, Obama promised that he would focus on creating "jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced." However, as he racked up trillions in new debt, billions of dollars did go to create jobs that were outsourced or spent overseas. Whether it is electric cars made in Finland or solar panels in Mexico, taxpayers would be astonished to learn that their hard earned money went abroad for jobs that weren't created in the United States.
The interactive map can be found HERE
Back in October, 2008, then candidate Barack Obama said the following:
"And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade - jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and a new electricity grid; jobs that will help us eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in ten years and help save the planet in the bargain. That's how America can lead again."
How confident Barack Obama was in his ideas of how to get our failing economy back on track. He thought all he had to do was blame George W. Bush and the Republicans for everything and leave it all to the Democratically controlled Congress to pass laws from their grand ideas and he would implement them. It was the last gasp of ultra liberal 1960's ideology. Instead, he allowed billions to be wasted in the name of job creation. Barack Obama does not understand economics and he certainly does not understand job creation. We will be paying for Barack Obama's arrogance and ignorance for quite some time.
Where Are the Jobs, Mr. President?
With the disappointing jobs report for the month of June reported Friday morning, along came the 41st repeat of the standard response coming out of the White House, including from President Obama himself: we can't pay much attention to one report's statistics. Except he said it for the 41st time. While the president is unable to admit a pattern of continuing failure, the American voter is painfully aware of the despair and frustration in the atmosphere.
Here is the response from RNC Chairman Reince Priebus: This president never really left the campaign trail that led to his current position. He outsourced the economy recovery to his Democratically controlled Congress in 2009 and 2010. Instead of focusing on economic recovery, he and his Democratic majority rammed through a new entitlement - Obamacare - on a completely one-sided partisan vote. Never before has a new entitlement been voted into place with the votes of only one party. This legislation remains vastly unpopular with the majority of Americans yet we are told to move on.
As he continues on with his record breaking amount of campaign fundraisers and his non-stop traveling across the swing states at taxpayer expense, the country languishes in a malaise not seen since the Carter administration. It is the price we pay for the election of a man not up to the job. It is the price we pay for a man more concerned with his own ego and legacy than with the people for whom he serves.
Happy Birthday, America!
A good description of this day from History.com:
In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence.
Those early colonists calling for complete independence were considered extremists. As time went on, however, more and more understood the need for it. A committee of five was formed to draft the declaration.
Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York were those men on the committee.
On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee's resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 "will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival" and that the celebration should include "Pomp and Parade...Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." On July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.
Those celebrations proclaimed appropriate by John Adams are still a part of our modern life.
John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826--the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
A Message from Texas Federation of Republican Women
Proud to know and work with all the women in the Texas Federation of Republican Women.
We win when we work together!
Village Republican Women Hosts Run-off Candidates ...
Contributions Come to Light in Harris Co Sheriff C...


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Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day countdown: 23 days to go
Several stars have made the #23 one of the best jersey numbers in franchise history
By Adam Sanford Mar 6, 2018, 12:30pm EST
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Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images
There are now 23 days until Opening Day.
The number 23 in Tampa Bay Rays history as been donned by just five players, but they're five of the more notable players throughout the team's 20 year existence.
John Flaherty (1998)
Greg Vaughn (2000-2002)
Julio Lugo (2003-2006)
Carlos Pena (2007-2010, 2012)
Jake Odorizzi (2013-2017)
Flaherty was the inaugural catcher for the Rays on Opening Day in 1998, catching the first pitch in franchise history as Wilson Alvarez missed low and inside to Brian Hunter.
In 2000, Greg Vaughn came in as the team entered the Hit Show era. Vaughn would have an All-Star campaign that season, clubbing 28 HR and finishing with a 116 wRC+. His career would spiral following that season and he'd be released during spring training in 2003.
Julio Lugo would be picked up in May, 2003, following an injury to the Rays starting short stop, Rey Ordonez. Originally meant to be a stop gap to fill the void left by Ordonez, Lugo would take the starting short stop job while Ordonez's season and career were ultimately over.
From 2003 until the time he was traded at the 2006 trade deadline, Lugo slashed .287/.350/.421 with a 105 wRC+, accruing a total of 13.9 fWAR. His last two home runs in a Rays uniform were historic as they both came in the same inning.
Carlos Pena picked up the number 23 for his breakout 2007 season in which he shattered the Rays record books, belting 46 HR. Over a four year span from 2007 to 2010, Pena would launch 144 long balls, helping to lead the Rays from basement dweller obscurity to perennial contender legibility.
In 2012, he returned after spending 2011 with the Chicago Cubs and proceeded to rock the house down at the Trop on Opening Day as he received a thunderous ovation in his first at-bat back with the team. He then would receive an even more thunderous ovation as he belted a grand slam during that at-bat (he would also hit a LOOOONG walk-off single to finish the day).
Jake Odorizzi picked up the number 23 after being acquired as part of the big James Shileds trade during the 2012-2013 off-season. After spending some time with the big league club during he 2013 season, Odorizzi would become a staple of consistency from 2014 to 2017, until being traded early this spring.
Check back tomorrow as the countdown continues.


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Tue, 18 Jun 2019 23:11:40 GMT
6: The Hydrogen Atom
[ "article:topic-guide", "showtoc:no", "license:ccbyncsa" ]
Course Shells
UCD Chem 110A: Physical Chemistry I
UCD Chem 110A: Physical Chemistry I (Larsen)
UC Davis: Chemistry 110A
Physical Chemistry I: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Fall 2019: Delmar Larsen
Agenda ● Lectures ● Homework ● Worksheets
The solution of the Schrödinger equation (wave equation) for the hydrogen atom uses the fact that the Coulomb potential produced by the nucleus is isotropic (it is radially symmetric in space and only depends on the distance to the nucleus). Although the resulting energy eigenfunctions (the orbitals) are not necessarily isotropic themselves, their dependence on the angular coordinates follows completely generally from this isotropy of the underlying potential: the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian (that is, the energy eigenstates) can be chosen as simultaneous eigenstates of the angular momentum operator. This corresponds to the fact that angular momentum is conserved in the orbital motion of the electron around the nucleus. Therefore, the energy eigenstates may be classified by two angular momentum quantum numbers, ℓ and m (both are integers). The angular momentum quantum number ℓ = 0, 1, 2, ... determines the magnitude of the angular momentum. The magnetic quantum number m = −ℓ, ..., +ℓ determines the projection of the angular momentum on the (arbitrarily chosen) z-axis.
6.1: The Schrödinger Equation for the Hydrogen Atom Can Be Solved Exactly
The solution of the Schrödinger equation (wave equation) for the hydrogen atom uses the fact that the Coulomb potential produced by the nucleus is isotropic (it is radially symmetric in space and only depends on the distance to the nucleus). Although the resulting energy eigenfunctions (the orbitals) are not necessarily isotropic themselves, their dependence on the angular coordinates follows completely generally from this isotropy.
6.2: The Wavefunctions of a Rigid Rotator are Called Spherical Harmonics
The solutions to the hydrogen atom Schrödinger equation are functions that are products of a spherical harmonic functions and a radial function.
6.3: The Three Components of Angular Momentum Cannot be Measured Simultaneously with Arbitrary Precision
The angular momentum operator is one of several related operators analogous to classical angular momentum. The angular momentum operator plays a central role in the theory of atomic physics and other quantum problems involving rotational symmetry. Two orthogonal components of angular momentum (e.g., \(L_x\) and \(L_y\)) are complementary and cannot be simultaneously known or measured. It is, however, possible to simultaneously measure or specify \(L^2\) and any one component of \(L\).
6.4: Hydrogen Atomic Orbitals Depend upon Three Quantum Numbers
In solving the Schrödinger equation of the hydrogen atom, we have encountered three quantum numbers. The quantum numbers are not independent; the choice of nn limits the choice of ll, which in turn limits the choice of mm. A fourth quantum number, ss, does not follow directly from solving the Schrödinger equation but is to do with spin (discussed later).
6.5: s Orbitals are Spherically Symmetric
The hydrogen atom wavefunctions are called atomic orbitals. An atomic orbital is a function that describes one electron in an atom. The radial probability distribution is introduced in this section.
6.6: Orbital Angular Momentum and the p-orbitals
The physical quantity known as angular momentum plays a dominant role in the understanding of the electronic structure of atoms.
6.7: The Helium Atom Cannot Be Solved Exactly
The second element in the periodic table provides our first example of a quantum-mechanical problem which cannot be solved exactly. Nevertheless, as we will show, approximation methods applied to helium can give accurate solutions in perfect agreement with experimental results. In this sense, it can be concluded that quantum mechanics is correct for atoms more complicated than hydrogen. By contrast, the Bohr theory failed miserably in attempts to apply it beyond the hydrogen atom.
6.E: The Hydrogen Atom (Exercises)
These are homework exercises to accompany Chapter 6 of McQuarrie and Simon's "Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach" Textmap.
Thumbnail: Depiction of a hydrogen atom with size of central proton shown, and the atomic diameter shown as about twice the Bohr model radius (image not to scale). Image used with permission (Public Domain; Bensaccount).
5.E: The Harmonic Oscillator and the Rigid Rotor (Exercises)


As with any home improvement project, homeowners looking to hire a skilled HVAC technician should conduct a fair amount of research. Closely examining options will greatly increase your chances of finding a contractor who can fulfill your heating, ventilation and air conditioning needs and do so at the right price point. A simple Internet search could yield a number of results for HVAC technicians in your area. Before you reach out to these companies, however, be sure to read any reviews previous customers might have posted online. While not always the case, reviews can be a sound reflection of what your experience will look like if you choose to work with a given company.
Silverfish, also known as Lespisma sacchrina, are insects that survive in hot and humid conditions.Living on a strange diet of paper,fabric, and starchy foods, these insects are definitely a threat to your belongings.Julie Day has provided some effective and helpful remedies to keep your home free from the insects. The most popular seems to be Boric Acid but these others will work just as well, Diatomaceous Earth,Pyrethrin,and Jar Traps.You can also control them using traps.
If you operate a furance in your home, there are a few smells that you might notice that were not there before. These smells are common and of no concern. But, you should keep your nose clear and on the sniff-out for unexpected smells when using a furnace because many of them are dangerous. How do you know if a smell coming out of the furnace is one that should be a concern to you? Find out and learn how to identify those furnace smells.
Hiring a proper social media marketer requires an employer to evaluate many different characteristics of the employee to be. A social media marketing team include several job positions that require hard-working, determined individuals. Many ways a social media marketer goes about achieving their job is by building a network of advertisements, videos, and articles that display the chosen commodity. When trying to hire a social media marketer, being upfront is key. Letting the individual know the job requirements, benefits, salary, and company information makes for a better hire.
An air compressor can be a very handy tool but making sure its stored properly is vital to sustaining your compressors quality. The air compressor hose is a vital part to an air compressor and should be stored carefully. An easy way to store the hose is by buying a plastic garden hose holder and screwing it on to a board or wall in your garage or shed. This will make for an easy convient way to store your hose.


Review posted June 23, 2015.
I met Clare Dunkle after I gave her first book a glowing review and then discovered she also lived in Germany. She's one of those people I can talk with for hours, and I think of her as a friend.
This is an honest -- and painful -- story about a mother dealing with her daughter's anorexia. Even though my family does not have that particular issue, Clare's writing pulled me in and made me feel like I knew what that would be like.
That's how I used to be about marriages. Because I had an extraordinary and wonderful marriage. So whose fault must it have been when it all fell apart?
However, that didn't surprise me. I already knew I love Clare's books. And even in this nonfiction memoir, Clare writes words that pull me in and make me experience them. Hearing more about her process shone a light on her gift -- even while the words she uses communicate so well, so pull you along and make you unable to stop reading.
Besides all that, I now feel I understand better the awful illness of anorexia. And I'm so glad that Clare and her daughter Elena have come so far with Hope intact. May this book supply Hope to many other families going through that. As someone who's "only" been through divorce, I can say that I find this story of her journey honest, helpful, uplifting -- and hope-bringing.


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Sanjay Dutt initiates a campaign to fight drug abuse amongst the youth
Known for speaking his mind, actor Sanjay Dutt has been extremely transparent about the fact that he fell prey to drug abuse during his youth and never held himself from speaking about it at various forums. In a recent interview, the actor came on records to talk about his willingness to be a part of a nation-wide campaign against drug abuse, which is being organized at educational campuses in Chandigarh and Hisar on 18 and 19 of this month respectively.
Designed to eliminate drug addiction and in order to spread knowledge about the inhumane repercussions, the actor is all set to share his past experiences and how it severely impacted his years as a young man. Not only Sanjay Dutt but B-Townies like Sonakshi Sinha, Parineeti Chopra, Badshah, Sonu Nigam, Kapil Sharma, and Varun Sharma are also coming forward to support the change. They will engage with 25000 students on campuses on both the days, to counsel and discourage them from falling prey to such abuse.
Joining the bandwagon we have another one crore students across hundreds of other educational institutions in the country, who will also be able to watch this event through a live broadcast. This would be then followed by a road-show including all the celebrities coming on-board.
The blueprint of the idea to eradicate drug abuse goes back to the time when actor Sanjay Dutt was released from Yerwada Jail in 2016. His friends, producer Ajay Arora (Bittoo), lyricist Montoo Bassi and filmmaker Mahavir Jain had an extensive conversation about the growing problem amongst the youth and a year later the idea was run through by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bengaluru to seek a way forward.
Confirming the development the actor said, "I have experienced the menace of drugs first hand. I know the havoc it creates and so this cause is close to my heart. The aim is to make this campaign India's largest. It's very easy to get sucked into drug abuse, but very difficult to get out of it. It all starts when minds are young and impressionable. We have to firmly tell youngsters that drug abuse is not cool. That's why we want to reach out to the youth of this country and spread the word through campuses." The actor seems to have taken on this as a mission and he signs off saying, "Na karunga na karne doonga."
With such a stringent initiative coming forward, we are sure that this mission will lay a new path for the youth giving them a new vision of existence.
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text:
Drosophila pollinospadix är en tvåvingeart som beskrevs av Patterson och Gordon Mainland 1944. Drosophila pollinospadix ingår i släktet Drosophila och familjen daggflugor.

Artens utbredningsområde är Mexiko.

Källor

Daggflugor
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Insekter i neotropiska regionen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Everything is bigger in Texas. That's why we have curated this list of some of the biggest tips that you can use to have the best trip possible.
When planning your trip to Dallas, the main thing that you should be doing is booking early. You want to book your tickets and hotel as early as possible because you will experience the biggest savings by doing so. Booking early can save you hundreds of dollars on your trip.
When you are thinking about transportation in Dallas, you have a bunch of options available. Traveling by car is practical and it is probably the most convenient. As long as you are able to avoid rush hour traffic, you shouldn't have much issue with traveling by car. Therefore, you can rent a car or figure out other ways to travel by car which will work for you.
You should be able to find a ride-sharing option just about anywhere in Dallas. For this reason, you might not need to rent a car if you do not need extra storage or if you are not going to be traveling with an infant or a small child.
Dallas loves its sports. If you are going to be heading to Dallas, you might want to check out some of the top sporting events which will allow you to have a great time checking out either baseball, basketball, hockey, or football depending on what season it is.
5. Look At Review Sites.
When you are planning your trip, you will want to check out some of the top review websites prior to your trip which is going to give you a great idea on some of the things that you can check out and do while you are traveling in Dallas. This is a great way to avoid missing out on anything that you shouldn't be missing out on. It will also help you plan your trip according to a location which can keep you from wasting time.
There is a lot that you should be doing when you are visiting Dallas. A lot will depend on what you enjoy the most. By following a lot of the tips above, you will be able to have a very successful trip to Dallas and save as much money as possible.