The Barrens

I might never get the chance again
   in the scheme of things.
What's been abandoned or found
   on the sidewalks where we had strolled.
So its proper I do, tell you why its been hard
   all along, but did not want to tell you
so easily because that's not you, not us,
   solid wood, solid rock, cement underneath.
I mean how would we, could we, lean on
   each other in the heavy wind and rain?
Neither of us would have it any other way,
   but then, you are as secret as your tears to me.

I can run the palm of my hand again
   across the glass pane I had seen you from
and feel exactly the same, save for you there,
   unaware of me till I said hello.
I can see this city that way, unaware of me,
   but that suits me fine in the falling shadows
where I can be as faceless as I please,
   as unacknowledged as a dull knife's edge
in my constant search, to have to look beneath
   skin that is only as long as a story,
any story you hear or read in the cleaving
   of pages for the stoic morning.

The sway of night in neon light arms
   telling me that she can stay, but not really.
I don't mind because there is perfume there,
   not the flash of an alkaloid caffeinated slap,
because what I want, what I need is to sleep
   in scents softness shushed sighs.
That is how I know that I am ordinary,
   that even dreams come only as blessing
and that the night will stay for just
   as long as I beg her to stay,
before I am exhausted, before the happy
   but distant sun begins its arc.

Though there are pauses separating worlds,
   when the mouth of the serpent opens,
that I can see the end of my shadow cast,
   oddly, I feel nothing other than quiet.
How can I say no to quiet; reason, emotion
   standing on either side of me?
A wide winged raptor opening its arms
   in the moment just before grounding,
even that must quiet then, dwelling
   on the fate of its form and gravity's logic.
Astride worlds, I can see as clearly
   as stars do upon each other, winking.

Once, near death, I sat up in bed and pulled
   the linen about me, neatly, crisply,
but for my feet, that I might watch my toes
   turn ashen from pink, mesmerized.
I waited, tilting my head side to side,
   tracing the lines of shadows attending me
revealing the origins of light and its reach,
   that room's scent, the steps of the busily being,
wishing for dreams and held together by strings
   that I found myself accounting for
because they sang in some way, like your voice,
   and I had never been so thankful to be alive.

Not strange then that at times I will consider
   dying over and over again for those narrow
in between worlds, that is the difference, since
   all else is constant yet wondrous
only when a breath is held and stays still
   like the pines in the barren, water in wells,
and when I think of these, the city's noise
   softens, not disappear, but become bearable,
that I can hear screeching wheels and turbines
   and tell myself, soon, someone will arrive
somewhere, and in a gentle consideration of time
   be found suspended above faith and hope.

There were times when I thought you
   had just been there, looking at you across glass,
though I can't really say, because you tell stories
   halfway through then let them go
with a phrase and something calling
   from inside of you, I don't mind
because I think you're as strong
   as the pines in the barren, as lovely.
I look up to the tops of towers in the sky
   and expect to see your face letting go
there at the peak where the heavy snow
   and gale bear down without regard.

p.m.

It's really hard to be a contemporary poet. There's got to be a gazillion out there, not even counting the MFA's from universities crawling with students on trust funds. So one has to stand out from the crowd, particularly for the dreaded open mic you are working the courage up for (hint: If its close to a university of the type previously mentioned, scope out the crowd before signing up).

It's a fairly tedious read, but the essay is smartly written, even if the language gets tart here and there (It's about clothes, and fashionistas are, well, known to get bitchy). So to cut to the chase, here's the list on fashion do's and don'ts for contemporary poets looking to look fine for that poetry reading at Barnes & Noble right after Sunday brunch (organic omelets, natch).

1. Don’t wear pleats. Just. Don’t.
2. Are you an accountant? A real estate agent? Then why are you wearing khakis? I’m not in the market for a house.
3. Always order the slim cuts of clothing—jackets, shirts, trousers. If you’re actually slender, you can go for the skinny cuts. If not, though, don’t. The voluminous “regular” fits, though, make you look like the lost Fourth Stooge. Avoid them if possible.
4. You’re a poet, and if you have enough money to get bespoke clothing very often, you’re an @!$%#. (If you don’t know what “bespoke” means, look it up.) Fortunately, a good tailor can do most alterations pretty affordably. Pretty much every jacket should be custom-fitted… okay, not that windbreaker, which you should throw out immediately. And don’t get your trousers cuffed. You want a break of one inch, max. (If you don’t know what a break is, look it up.)
5. Loafers? You have to be kidding. Get some boots with elasticated, zipped, or monk-strap sides, and flat-front or pointy shoes rather than something round and boring.
6. Don’t fear H & M, Topman, Zara, UNIQLO, etc. If it looks like a cigarette three blocks away would ignite an item of clothing, stay away, but with a bit of fine tuning by a tailor on occasion, one can dress well out of such places.
7. Well, not entirely. Don’t discount Century 21, etc., particularly where more formal items are concerned—a $60 Ben Sherman tie for $15 is a beautiful thing. Be selective, though, you don’t want to look like a Murray Hill corporate cokehead.
8. Round this out with a few vintage pieces from vintage shops, which you should visit regularly. Remember that you’re looking for things that look good, not “retro” or kitschy.
9. If you don’t know what I’m talking about in points 6-8, where the @!$%# are you living? Move! Go somewhere remotely civilized!
10. If you like your ties, they will like you. If not, you’ll look like a fourteen-year-old whose mother dressed him for his cousin’s wedding to that guy whom nobody particularly likes.
11. Besides, it’s not as if there isn’t choice in neck gear. Ascots, cravats, bow ties, etc. Just try not to look like your grandfather or a right-wing television pundit—one Carlson Tucker is too many!
12. Every item of clothing looks good made out of leather. But again, slim cuts, people!
13. Beau Brummell kept his colors simple, and so should you. Okay, a garish item or two never hurt anything. But balance these with more sober bits.
14. It’s worth recalling Brummell: “If people turn to look at you on the street, you are not well dressed.” But we need to add a caveat—in a society where elegance has gone the way of the eight-hour day and five-day week, one may well pick up snide or disbelieving remarks from certain members of the public marveling that one would, well, bother. Blow these off politely or colorfully, depending on mood and overall balance of forces. If such remarks emanate from a supposed poet, that conformist @!$%# is your enemy. Do everything you can to thwart that person.
15. Bad beer is, well, bad. “Ironically” or otherwise, just don’t do it.
16. As for wine, if it’s drinkable, drink it. That’s why they make it.

*Photograph of the (fashion) Devil himself on the right.

In Caro’s account, LBJ comes across by turns as insecure, canny, bighearted, self-defeating, petty, brilliant, cruel and, of course, domineering. In the opening pages, he longingly eyes the presidency but, psychologically paralyzed, can’t bring himself to declare his candidacy or enter even a few primaries. Instead, he rages at the upstart Kennedy, who shows unforeseen proficiency in the old game of locking down governors and state Democratic Party leaders for the convention and in the new game of winning over the masses via television.

When Kennedy claims the party’s mantle in Los Angeles and searches for a running mate, a different Johnson suddenly appears: calculating, cagey, capable of subsuming his contempt for Kennedy to a steely desire to place himself next in line for the presidency. LBJ has staff members look up how many presidents had died in office and then does the cruel math, admitting in many conversations — and Caro recounts several of them — that such a route is his best hope of becoming president himself.

 

Delaware

A long while ago was when I first saw her
   from out a train's window above a gorge.
She lay wordless in the valley she herself
   had carved, the winter landscape upon her face.
I can say that and be where the headwaters
   become, the sweet cool water of it
there below the bridge and the rolling steel,
   for a few seconds closer to creation.

I also remember her as she wandered near
   the roots of the Appalachians,
the freckled cheeks of her daughters 'neath browned
   brows settled among the snowed pines, her breath
afront the lilt of their lips,
   the turn of her chin in the chill breeze,
that ancient surge and welling
   of the inevitable rising like the heart of sorrow
portended, overwhelming the boundaries of her shy
   virgin embrace, insistently,
when I could spy her shadow cast
   down by the silt of her ankles on the sea,
when even the rocky hillsides wept upon
   her chest, afraid and supplicant.

The very deep of her rising defiantly
   because it would be dangerous to take her for granted
as I do from time to time, when she serves me
   quietly, as humble and wordless as her origins,
as cool and as sweet as the days she is born
   over and over in the hearts of boys and men.

p.m.

For Esmé, Should We Meet Again

On the whole, it was when you unclasped your hair
   then laughed happy, sexy,
at something I had said that I don't
   even remember now, just how it played.
There are many things I must have forgot
   but its always the start of it all that clings,
the unexpected cutting through the tired familiar,
   reminding each wounded heart
that healing ends in time
   to venture its fragile skin again.

p.m.

Dominion

I have counted the hours with dread
   in the darkening of the hallways.
The elderly black woman, in her dementia,
   begins to wail about her home
and I do my best to walk back with her
   to my own, from a distance like a birdhouse
blown from its perch onto meadow,
   square, the red roof and pale green siding,
running through knee high grass and wild flowers
   in a race with the shadows of summer clouds,
a hawk circling overhead and the squeaks
   of quail hidden yet scurrying
as my light-hearted kite tugs mightily
   on my right hand, my breath a feather.

Just by the low front fence my father is bent
   over his garden worrying its soil
and my mother is in the magic of her kitchen,
   her pots, pans, the fire and scent of cooking.
If I stop and slow my heart I will hear
   the record player, my brothers and their guitars
singing. Songs through the windows open
   and the curtains gently parted.

If I could stay, if I could linger,
   loping, my kite drooping in hand,
to the porch, into the hum of warm
   and shaded safeness within.

There, before I am delivered to pain
   and on its shore of sticks be broken,
that I would break quietly and need not wail
   but whisper sing my birdhouse home goodbye.

p.m.

Bartender, I'll have what he had.

It Was A Mistake

You could say it was all a mistake,
   that it was because it all seemed familiar
so that made it easy to fall into it again
   walking down that secret street in the night
by the yellow three story walk-up apartment building,
   lamplight from a room whispering through curtains.
The falling clicks of your heels on cobblestones.
   Yes, it did feel like some time before.

It's useless then, this ocean in my heart,
   the weight, water and salt of it
anchoring our beloved moon, that parchment
   we had sketched our conversations on.
I could hold my hand out in September
   and nearly touch its harvest face,
but I know that in the morning it leaves
   with dew and birdsong in its wake.
I would brew coffee and then sneak
   a shot of bourbon to break me
in two, one to suffer and one to pretend
   because one can do that alone in the dawn.
Come noon to wilt because the light is too cruel
   and the odor of wasted days in a line meld.
I nearly always fall asleep in the afternoons
   of cold, filtered air and flowers in vases
from being tired of being away from you,
   the lap of your concern and ministrations.

It's probably all a mistake, I thought I was as good as dead
   but tonight I'm alive and reaching for the moon.

p.m.

Do you miss scuba diving?  Have you never had the chance to do it yet?  No problem - now, you can dive from the comfort of your armchair.  All you need is a computer.

The Catlin Seaview Survey, in conjunction with Google, is collecting tens of thousands of 360-degree, high-definition panoramas of  the Great Barrier Reef.  Eight dive sites are already online (these sites are just off the coast of Heron Island).  Many more will follow.

As an avid diver myself (picture #1 from this Foto Friday  article was taken on the Great Barrier Reef), I must say that these panoramas are stunning.  But don't take my word for it - you can dive for yourself here.

Pick a dive site from the map on the right, place your cursor over the image on the left, and be taken to another world.

I've clipped a few screenshots from two sites below.  In a word, these are breath-taking.

The Guardianreports that Catlin scientists hope this virtual dive experience will draw the attention of 'citizen scientists', too:

The scientists and conservationists behind the Catlin Seaview Surveyhope the attraction of "virtual diving" will also raise awareness about climate change, coral bleaching, deepwater ecology and the breeding habits of invertebrates that may only be able to spawn once a month by the light of the full moon.

Whatever your motivations are to visit the site, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Take a deep breath, jump in, and enjoy! 

02.25.12

I have been dreaming of irises and tulips
   breaking through sodden April soil.

How laughter bursts from her,
   silent for a beat, the way she is.
Just echoes from away in the mountains,
   brought down the clear of the stream.
Her calling down and telling me
   that she is awake and hungry.
The pale yet luminous green of her irises
   peeking 'neath the brown of her lashes.
Twigs and straw and twine from the shallows
   waiting for nests and song.
Dancing in the air and on the sands,
   there in the sky, the heat of her.
Silently, I wish I could hear the frogs
   as I did when Eden was and I, a boy,
again and again, tumbled through
   the moons and swaying tides.
I dream of her in masks
   and scents of wood and blossoms near,
fixing me in her gaze, a fondly forming smile
   to stay my breath and race my heart.
What's next, where once more and for
   how long the trance to last, please,
linger longer than before, in the parting
   of your lips, the sound of your throat,
the curl of your tongue
   and the night shined by your stories.

I dream of irises and tulips
   breaking through sodden soil.

p.m.

Once, When I Thought About Chagall

Let your hair down Lucy Ann
Before we dance underneath the yellow light
The bayou moon and music from brass horns
For as long as the sweat on your shoulders
Linger and the far Savannah breezes caress
I can hear them in the room above making love
But not yet Lucy Ann because marigolds
Scent the room and we are caught within
This sweet lilting and turning.

Up above I hear them making love.

p.m.

Beheld

There is no point in understanding
   my face because it betrays.
As a child, it did not need to, nearly everyone
   touched it, sad, crying, bright or sleepy.
All the growing since has added a film
   of pretense, masks hiding doubt or horror,
a fine artifice of calm, a surface
   of my own creation to suit the clime.
When I am alone with my face
   it considers me mercilessly, truthful
as a scar, and it takes all that I have been,
   bereft of affection or sympathy,
not like my grandmother's face as she held mine
   by its cheeks, her eyes intent on my own,
and just before I turn away from the mirror
   to step into the world, my face tightens
as it does when I walk into rain and wind
   and not the flush of warm, cloudless days.
Nothing beneath coming to the surface
   without thought or careful consideration
till I am alone with you and you
   hold my face, eyes intent on mine.

p.m.

To the moderators and management of Newsvine, Inc.:

We, the undersigned, have noticed a change in the way the CoH is enforced. Recently, it seems that virtually every CoH infraction results in suspension, and the length of that suspension is determined not by the severity of the violation, but by the length of any previous suspensions. We've also seen what appears to be a quota system - a set number of suspensions before banning - ie, day, week, month, banned.

We feel that this method of enforcement is unfair and rather draconian, as it no longer takes into account a Newsvine users positive contributions, time spent on the Vine as a user in good standing, frequency or infrequency of infractions, or any other factors.

As Newsvine's policy has always been that 'a users entire account history is taken into account,' we feel it is wrong to consider only previous suspensions as opposed to the entire history of a user (articles published, seeds published, time spent in good standing, Vineacity, value to the community, time on Newsvine without infractions of the rules, comment history and so on) when meting out punishment for infractions.

Therefore, we propose a change back to the long-standing, time-tested methods used until recently, to wit:

• Previous suspensions should not factor in to the length of time of a new suspension. The user has already been punished for that previous suspension and to factor it in is to punish them again for that prior suspension. Rather, all suspensions should be judged solely on the severity of the infraction for which it is imposed. There should be no set numbers or quotas, and suspensions should not be imposed on a graduated scale.

• If someone commits a minor infraction, such as, but not limited to, miscategorizing an article or tagging something incorrectly, they should simply be directed to correct the problem. Such errors should not be suspension-worthy.

• If a user commits a borderline CoH violation, deletion is sufficient punishment. Suspension should be reserved for more serious offenses.

• If a user commits a serious CoH violation they should be suspended for as many days as the violation warrants, i.e., one day, three days, one week, and so on.

• If someone commits a truly egregious violation, such as, but not limited to, posting a death threat, posting a user's personal information, registering multiple accounts, stalking another user, or posting obviously overt bigotry, they should be summarily banned.

If the goal of the moderation of Newsvine is to maintain civil communication then those who prove themselves incapable or unwilling to participate in such a manner should be banned. Good users, who have proven themselves over time through contributions to the community and adherence to its rules and regulations, should not have to live in fear of arbitrary banning because of a prior infraction for which they have already been sanctioned.

With respect and gratitude:

• Dennis P. McCann
• DisplayName0
• Hecate's Daughter
• storyartist
• bore-head007
• Proud Pagan
• deepwater don
• Syntactic Tree
• Infohack
• magz
• TiG.
• Santino42
• ombra
• Shannoscubie
• Darrah, Greenville, SC
• crazyrooster1946
• RAC 0129
• mightyj
• Crusher.
• Freewill
• DrBrooks
• Enoch-2699399
• gordy327
• cried
• virginia-1492786
• ron c. baker sr.
• DEATHNELL J.
• Ian F Walter
• multifariousone
• Grisham
• Jack Orion
• Spikegary
• maggiemoo86
• maria lyn
• Boudicea
• Joanna Caroll
• Marshall James
• Halifax Oliver
• Soph0571
• FreedomIsAChoice
• BAjunkie
• JJP
• TruettCollins
• Mighty Mouth
• izzybar
• curtonthebeach
• islandgirl-382087
• hsquared-1401940
• Loretta Kemsley
• Orly-4376386
• Meloney
• Neetu M.
• BAD1V
• hard2port
• WTF-Really
• Hallen94
• neenie1991
• ambivalent
• lib50
• Soovivers
• Kim-Mystic Tears
• RACHEL1-933952
• Jj.Mcniff
• robinm85
• js-445607
• Wheel
• Richard, WA
• Student of Life
• Wm. Sanders
• Kavika
• nica1829
• JmetheSad
• Abby.
• Time Lord
• merleliz
• AdipicAcid
• euterpe-1641499
• Emmadadog
• caballojoe
• T. Fargo
• Truth Sleuth
• OomYaaqub
• Coral Atlas
• SciThinker
• daMamma
• 800 lb. gorilla
• McSpocky
• Linda-ladywolf
• WandaJ
• mrsrachelm
• Pamela Drew
• Scott (Scoop) Butki
• Stop The Hypocrisy
• Kyle-2710718
• formerstew
• mountainfirefall 

___________________________________________________________

It has become apparent that several people did not read the first comment, so I'll repost it here:

This petition is the result of a long and productive discussion on a previous article. It will not be altered in any way.

Should you choose to add your signature, please tell me in the comments, or feel free to email me through the Contact form in my column. If you would rather refrain from signing, there's no reason to say anything, as signatures will only be added by direct request.

Thank you.

Any further attempts to debate the petition on this article will be considered a derail and treated accordingly. Should you have a question or concern about anything contained in the petition, please discuss it on this article.

______________________________________________________________________________

Let's please put partisanship and personal likes and dislikes aside. This is for Newsvine.

If you agree with the petition, sign it. If you do not, then don't.

Any efforts to get this petition noticed by Newsvine at large are appreciated. As not-news articles do not show on the front page, clipping to appropriate groups or your column is encouraged, and those who do so have my gratitude.

______________________________________________________________________________

You are now reading and posting on a user column on Newsvine.com. Please be aware that there are certain standards and expectations on this site, most of which are outlined in our Code of Honor.

Posts that violate the Newsvine Code of Honor, including posts that are racist, insulting, threaten violence, or are posted in all caps, bold, or other formats will be deleted.

All comments on this page will be subject to moderation according to the rules found in the Code of Honor. This means you may find your comments deleted. If that is the case, read the CoH and User Agreement to find out why.

To help produce a strong discussion please refrain from personal attacks, derogatory language, and off-topic remarks.

If you would like to learn more about Newsvine, and I strongly suggest you do take a moment to look around, you can find a mentor over here, or general help in the Newsvine Help Group.

Feel free to email me directly if you have a question or concern about the moderation of this article.

Lastly keep in mind that free speech laws do not apply at Newsvine, as killfile explained in a classic seed here.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Newsvine image courtesy of Getty Images. Free for Commercial Use.

Since their rise in the late 1990s, the Taliban and like-minded groups in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region have launched an aggressive campaign against liberal ways of life, bombing music shops, destroying schools, and murdering musicians, singers, and female dancers.

According to Khadim Hussain, a Pashtun cultural expert and managing director of the Peshawar-based Baacha Khan Trust Education Foundation, the Taliban strategically deprive people of secular outlets in order to accelerate the spread of religious extremism.

But the Taliban’s secular-nationalist opponents are fighting back using some of the very arts that religious fundamentalists seeks to destroy—poems adapted to traditional Pashto music. In Taliban-heavy areas such as Kurram, Orakzi, Waziristan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, and Dir, literary gatherings, including mushairas (poetry recitals), have become a refuge for traumatized communities. Hussain argues, “Poetry is the collective creative expression of the secular, liberal, and democratic ideals of the estimated 70 million Pashtuns.” (Most counts place the population closer to 40–50 million.)

Sher Alam Shinwari, a literary critic, explains that modern Pashtun poetry is a poetry of resistance. “Every poem created by a poet challenges the Taliban mindset,” he says, adding that more than a hundred poetry collections were published in the first seven months of 2011.

Modern Pashtun poetry connects young people to a national identity increasingly jeopardized by sectarian violence and conflict. “Now children inquire from their grandmothers what were their folk songs, folk tales, and proverbs, which they forgot in the heat of war,” Hussain observes.

I could not care less if it’s a mosque or a temple filled with idols
Where my beloved lives, that is my Ka’aba

                                        —Zarin Pareshan (a Pashtun poet)

Religious fundamentalists claim they are waging jihad for the revival of Islam, but at least some Pashtun poets view the Taliban’s ideology as foreign to their land. One of the major nationalist Pasthto poets is Rahmat Shah Sail. His ode to Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the main trade and cultural center of the Pashtuns, expresses widespread grief over the violence coursing through the “city of flowers”:

When your pretty flesh is plucked like the petals of a flower 
I watch in silence, for I have no power 
When your precious blood is turned to drizzling rain 
I perform your funeral rites with tears, for I have no power 
O Peshawar! Our love is ancestral 
I would never let you turn to smoke while I watch 
O Peshawar! We share the blood of life, you and I 
I’d never let you disappear while I watch 
We are witnessing the force of history 
O Peshawar! Bombs don’t suit you

“Historically, the mullah was part of Pashtun society, but he was not the architect of their ways of life,” says Akbar Sial, another nationalist poet, who has written eight collections of Pashto poetry. “It was not possible to imagine a Pashtun village without musicians and singers,” he adds. “However, the recent surge of religious militancy has badly damaged these old traditions.”

Sial’s poems advocating peace and development and condemning violence—the title of his new book translates as “No to War”—are popular on both sides of the border among university students, civil society workers, and political activists. One of his poems implores the “rulers of the world”:

Don’t snatch the pen from our hand 
With which we make the picture of our dreams 

Don’t create violence in our village 
Don’t bring mayhem to our village 
. . . 

Don’t turn this ancient playground 
Into a blood-red ammo dump

Amjad Shehzad published his poetry collection Na (No) in 2001. The contest between secular and religious values could not be starker:

Even now some people in my village say, 
All destinies are shaped in the skies, 
Tell the mullah we are not the people who follow his chants 
Our hearts are pacified only with the sounds of singing

Since the Soviet occupation in the 1980s, conflict has radicalized the Pashto literary culture. “Our region is suffering from a three-decade-long conflict; it really changed the literary trends from elaborations of love to life,” says Arif Tabassum, a poet, translator, and NGO worker. According to Tabassum, where poems once focused on ghairat—“the marshal image of Pashtuns as a nation”—now “Pashto poetry talks about peace, tolerance, coexistence, and, in particular, changing nations’ image of terrorists.”

Today’s Pashtun poets don’t just want a return to secular values; they want the rest of the world to know it.

Poem translations courtesy of Riaz A. Hakeem.

First appeared in Boston Review at  www.bostonreview.net 

I watched a segment on Rock Center tonight about this group, and found it to be very fascinating...AND inspiring!

"The Muslims Are Coming" are a group of Muslim American comedians who are touring the country in an effort to dispel myths many Americans have about Muslims, and to extend the hand of friendship using comedy.

Here are a few links with more information about this group...

http://themuslimsarecoming.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Muslims-Are-Coming/124443050979659?sk=wall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGHXIXMVhLI

This is not an attempt to claim or assume any authority on Newsvine, and should not be construed as such. Rather, it is written with the goal of clarifying what I see everyday - misconceptions about the meaning and application of the First Article of the Newsvine Code of Honor. Lastly, I had to write this, as I was cajoled into doing so by a couple of Newsviners - and an Irishman such as myself simply cannot say no to the ladies. It's genetically impossible.

First, some background. I was a beta viner, meaning I was here before Newsvine was opened to the public. During the beta phase things worked differently than they do now. Newsvine was bare bones - there were no threaded comments, comments were not editable, there were no images, no AP feed, no comment tracker, no groups, no friend lists, no watchlists, no reporting functions, no customizable modules, no Code of Honor...not much of anything, really.

So what did we have? A solid infrastructure, a great team of programmers, and a staff that was wide open to suggestions, and asked for our help in building a new kind of website, led by the visionary Calvin Tang.

In discussing the features we would like to see (and never see) a suggestion was made that maybe, just maybe, we should have some rules. Like all suggestions, it was met with some resistance, but the general consensus won out. We knew that once opened to the public this place would grow, and some of the new people might not share our vision, so we got to work writing a basic set of rules to govern the site. The debate ran across many user columns, in discussions which I was unable to locate, and on the Newsvine Blog.

Because the intention was always debate with honor, we deemed it the Code of Honor. Creative huh?

In January of 2006, Calvin, um, I mean the Newsvine Blog, opened a thread asking for suggestions. This is that thread. The first mention of what eventually became CoH1 seems to have been made by Mykola Bilokonsky, who incidentally is also the Viner who came up with the concept of Groups, for which he was awarded an RAV. Myk still shows up now and then, so if you see him, say thanks. Twice.

Here is the portion of this comment to which I'm referring:

• This shouldn't have to be said, but when engaged in a debate in either the comments or the chat, please refrain from ad hominim attacks - keep on the subject, don't get personal.

The following month, the first revision of the Code Of Honor was complete, and put up for the review of the community, by Calvin, um, the Newsvine Blog. That article is here. If you read that thread, you'll see that there is not a single objection to the first article of the Code of Honor.

Though the wording had changed, the intent remained the same. The first article was simply a reworded version of Mykola's suggestion, and was presented thusly:

• Above all else, respect others. If you see disrespectful behavior, report it, rather than engaging in a war of disrespect. Users who are repeatedly reported as disrespectful will lose the ability to add content and comments to Newsvine.

It was then boiled down even further, to simply state the following:

1. Above all else, respect others. If you see disrespectful behavior, report it, rather than further inflaming the situation.

The Code of Honor went live on February 14, 2006, about a month before the site went public. It remained unchanged for two years, until the first (and only) revision of the entire code.  That revision was necessary for two reasons: to clarify several of the points of the existing CoH, and to address some previously unforeseen issues. After much debate on threads such as this, this, and this, and many others which I was unable to locate, the revised code went into effect on March 28, 2008, and is still in effect today.

Coh1 is has since been stated thusly:

Above all else, respect others. Address issues and arguments and refrain from making personal attacks. If you see something disrespectful or inappropriate, report it - rather than further inflaming the situation. More +

1. Adding a personal attack to an otherwise valuable comment or article serves only to render that contribution invalid in its entirety. Such content is subject to moderation.
2. Harassment and/or intimidation of others on Newsvine will not be tolerated, and patterns of such behavior may result in account cancelation.

Now, to the point. What does it actually mean?

Many people seem to get hung up on the first sentence,  which commands that we respect others. Respect, however is a subjective term. What is disrespectful to one person is perfectly acceptable to others. For the purpose of the CoH, and throughout all the revisions, respect has been used to mean respecting the opinions of other newsviners, and not denigrating those users simply because you might disagree with them. It's always been meant to be taken as a whole with the next sentence - that of addressing issues and arguments, and refraining from personal attacks.

Newsvine is not a tea party nor a church social. No one expects Viners to call each other Sir or Ma'am, or to lift their little finger as they sip their tea. You are only asked, or rather required, to be civil towards each other, and not call each other by insulting, pejorative names. As the code says, attack issues and arguments and refrain from making personal attacks.

That is exactly what Myk Bilokonsky said in his original suggestion, so long ago:

please refrain from ad hominim attacks - keep on the subject, don't get personal.

Over time, the wording changed. The meaning, however, did not. CoH 1 also details the proper procedure for dealing with ad hominem attacks should the occur.

If you see something disrespectful or inappropriate, report it - rather than further inflaming the situation.

Simply put, do not respond. Instead, report the infraction, and move on.

And so, to conclude: Never insult another Viner, and if you see a Viner insulted, do not respond, even if you are that Viner. Simply click "inflammatory," and move on. In doing so the incidence of flame wars will be cut drastically, and the moderators will be better able to do their jobs.

C/D:  Sadly, we must ask about the Onion story. While shirtless, have you ever washed a 1981 Pontiac Trans Am in your driveway?

JB: [Laughing] You think I’d drive a Trans Am? I have been in my bathing suit in my driveway and not only washed my Goodwood-green 1967 Corvette but also simonized it.  At least the Onion should have had me washing a Trans Am convertible. I love convertibles.

Some new/old information on Agent Orange and other toxic hazards of military duty and for those who served.

C-SPAN Video Featured Programs AHTV: Effects of "Agent Orange" Today
Today 3/21/2010

The Washington Monthly hosted a discussion on the chemical herbicide agent orange, used by the U.S. military in Vietnam where the government now is demanding compensation for damages. It is also believed to have caused serious medical conditions in American soldiers who served in Vietnam.
.
Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards Home
Health Information
Hazardous Exposures
Clinical and Research Information
Women Veterans Health Care
Employee Health and Safety
Emergency Management
Publications and Products by Topic
About Us
Agent Orange: Herbicide Tests and Storage in the U.S.
Agent Orange and other herbicides used in Vietnam were tested or stored elsewhere, including many military bases in the United States. Below is information from the Department of Defense (DoD) on projects to test, dispose of, or store herbicides in the U.S. For projects outside the U.S., go to Herbicide Tests and Storage outside the U.S.

Alaska | Arizona | California | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Indiana | Kansas | Kentucky | Maryland | Mississippi | Montana | New York | North Dakota | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Washington | Wisconsin

Alaska
Location: Fort Chaffee, AK
Dates: 5/16/1967 - 5/18/1967, 7/22/1967 - 7/23/1967, 8/23/1967 - 8/24/1967
Project Description: During the period of 12/1966 - 10/1967, a comprehensive short-term evaluation was conducted by personnel from Fort Derrick's Plant Science Lab in coordination with contract research on formulations by chemical industry and field tests by USDA and U of HI.
Agents: Basic, in-house, improved desiccants and Orange, Blue
DoD Involvement: Yes

Arizona
Location: Pinal Mountains near Globe, AZ
Dates: 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969
Project Description: In 1965, the USFS began a land improvement program in the Pinal Mountains. The program called for spraying an area of chaparral with herbicides to accomplish the objectives of multiple land use.
Agents: 2,4-D isooctyl-ester, 2,4,5-t isooctyl-ester, silvex, propyleneglycolbutylether ester, 2,4,5-T butyl ester, 2,4,5-T 2-e-h e
DoD Involvement: No

California
Location: Brawley, CA
Dates: 1950-51
Project Description: The purpose was to determine means of accomplishing defoliation of tropical forest vegetation by application of a chemical agent. Here, irrigation water studies were done with the agent. H.F. Arle worked here.
Agents: 2,4-D
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Fllorida
Location: Orlando, FL; Cocoa, FL
Dates: 1944
Project Description: Tests were conducted in 1944 by the Army in Orlando and Cocoa areas of Florida to determine the value of ammonium thiocyanate and chloride as marking and defoliation agents. They were conducted initially at ground level and later from aircraft.
Agents: Ammonium thiocyanate and zinc chloride
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Near Lake George, FL
Dates: Spring 1944
Project Description: The purpose was to determine means of accomplishing defoliation of tropical forest vegetation by application of a chemical agent. Spraying here.
Agents: Zinc chloride
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Orlando, FL at Army Grove Air Force's Tactical Center
Dates: 3/14/1944, 4/12/1944
Project Description: The purpose was to determine means of accomplishing defoliation of tropical forest vegetation by application of a chemical agent.
Agents: Ammonium thiocynate, zinc chloride, sodium nitrate, sodium arsenate, sodium fluoride
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Marathon, FL
Dates: 3/21/1944 - 3/23/1944
Project Description: The purpose was to determine means of accomplishing defoliation of tropical forest vegetation by application of a chemical agent. Spraying was done here.
Agents: Zinc chloride, ammonium sulphamate, ammonium thiocynate
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Bushnell Army Air Field, FL
Dates: 2/1945
Project Description: Small plot experiments were commenced to test the effectiveness of LN agents. Various trials were done under contract with the USDA, aided by personnel at Camp Detrick. Here, it was aerial spray experiments on potted plants.
Agents: LN *phenoxy
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Bushnell Army Air Field, FL
Dates: 2/1945 - 4/1945
Project Description: Trials, performed by C.W.S. personnel from Camp Detrick, MD, tested the practicability of severely injuring or destroying crop plants sprayed from smoke tanks mounted on tactical aircraft.
Agents: 2,4-D and its ammonium salt
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Avon Air Force Base, FL
Dates: 2/1951 - 4/1951
Project Description: Trials were conducted at Avon Air Force Base, FL by Chemical Corps with personnel of the Air Force and Navy to determine the practical effectiveness of spraying pure anticrop agents from at low volume from aircraft. C-47 and Navy XBT2D-1 aircraft with various nozzles were used.
Agents: Butyl 2,4 D
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Englin Air Force Base, FL
Dates: 11/1952 - 12/1952
Project Description: Two trials: Chemical Corps- concerned with basic fundamental work, using 2,4-D, Air Force-concerned with evaluating prototype large capacity spray system for aircraft installation using 2,4,5-T, primarily. Used 3 atomizing nozzles: Bete Fog Nozzles, Whirljet Spray Nozzles, and Fogjet 1.5F50.
Agents: 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T: 143 and 974, respectively
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Avon Park Air Force Base, FL
Dates: Spring 1954
Project Description: Series of tests were conducted at Avon Park AFB during the spring of 1954 to study the behavior of chemical anticrop aerial sprays when released from high-speed jet aircraft. The Navy F3D jet fighter was used with Aero 14A Airborne Spray Tanks to disperse the anticrop agents.
Agents: Butyl 2,4-D, butyl 2,4,5-T, Isopropyl 2,4-D
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Jacksonville, FL
Dates: 7/18/1962 - 7/21/1962
Project Description: The HIDAL was used successfully on an H-34 helicopter to spray herbicidal materials. Therefore, it had not been calibrated previously. Spray tests were performed to do so. This was done under order by OSD/ARPA.
Agents: Purple, Fuel Oil, Mix
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Eglin AFB, FL, C-52A test area
Dates: 1962-70
Project Description: CPT John Hunter discussed vegetation changes and ecological studies of the 2 square mile test area which had been sprayed with herbicides over the period 1962-70.
Agents: Orange (1962-68), Purple (1962-68), White (1967-70), Blue (1968-70)
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Apalachicola National Forest near Sophoppy, FL
Dates: 5/3/1967 - 5/8/1967
Project Description: During the period of 12/1966 - 10/1967, a comprehensive short-term evaluation was conducted by personnel from Fort Detrick's Plant Science Lab in coordination with contract research on formulations by chemical industry and field tests by USDA and U of HI.
Agents: Basic desiccants and Orange/Blue
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Eglin AFB, FL
Dates: 6/11/1968-9/12/1968
Project Description: A spread factor study was performed by the Army to correlate the spherical drop sizes of both Orange and Stull Bifluid defoliants. It involved development of new techniques to determine spread factors over an extended range of drop sizes. A spinning cup drop generator was used.
Agents: Orange, Bifluid #1, Bifluid#2, Stull Bifluid
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: 2 areas in FL, 2 areas in GA, and 1 in TN
Dates: 1968
Project Description: In 1968, emphasis was given to soil applied herbicides for grass control. Applications were made by a jeep-mounted sprayer on small plots or by helicopter on larger plots.
Agents: Bromacil, Tandex, monuron, diuron, and fenuron
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Georgia
Location: Georgia and Tennessee
Dates: 1964
Project Description: In 1964, helicopter spray tests were conducted on transmission line rights-of-way by the Georgia Power Company and Tennessee Valley Authority in collaboration with Fort Detrick to evaluate effectiveness of several commercially available herbicides.
Agents: Diquat and Tordon 101, various
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Fort Gordon, GA
Dates: 7/15/1967 - 7/17/1967
Project Description: During the period of 12/1966 - 10/1967, a comprehensive short-term evaluation was conducted by personnel from Fort Detrick's Plant Science Lab in coordination with contract research on formulations by chemical industry and field tests by USDA and U of HI.
Agents: In-house desiccants mixtures and formulations, Orange and Blue
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: 2 areas in GA, 2 areas in FL, and 1 in TN
Dates: 1968
Project Description: In 1968, emphasis was given to soil applied herbicides for grass control. Applications were made by a jeep-mounted sprayer on small plots or by helicopter on larger plots.
Agents: Bromacil, Tandex, monuron, diuron, and fenuron
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Hawaii
Location: Hilo, HI
Dates: 12/1966
Project Description: Field tests of defoliants were designed to evaluate such variables as rates, volume of application, season, and vegetation. Data from aerial application tests at several CONUS and OCONUS locations are provided in tables. There were Fort Detrick personnel there.
Agents: Orange
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: State Forest area, 3500 ft.elevation on slope of Mauna Loa, near Hilo, HI
Dates: 12/2/1966, 12/4/1966, 1/12/1967
Project Description: The purpose of this project was to evaluate iso-octyl ester of picloram (TORDON) in mixtures with ORANGE, as a candidate defoliant agent, using ORANGE as standard. There were personnel from Fort Detrick there.
Agents: Orange, M-3140, TORDON ester, 2,4-D ester, 2,4,5-T ester
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Location: Kauai, HI
Dates: 1967
Project Description: Field tests of defoliants were designed to evaluate such variables as rates, volume of application, season, and vegetation. Data from aerial application tests at several CONUS and OCONUS locations are provided in tables.
Agents: Orange
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Kauai Branch Station near Kapaa, Kawai, HI
Dates: 6/1967, 10/1967, 12/1967, 2/1968
Project Description: During the period of 12/1966 - 10/1967, a comprehensive short-term evaluation was conducted by personnel from Fort Detrick's Plant Science Lab in coordination with contract research on formulations by chemical industry and field tests by USDA and U of HI.
Agents: Blue,diquat,paraquat, Orange, PCP, Picloram, White, HCA, 2,4,5T, Endothall
DoD Involvement: Yes

Indiania
Location: Vigo Plant CWS, Terre Haute, IN
Dates: 5/1945 - 9/1945
Project Description: Small plot experiments were commenced to test the effectiveness of LN agents. Various trials were done under contract with the USDA, aided by personnel at Camp Detrick. Here, it was aerial trials spraying field grown plants.
Agents: LN *phenoxy
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Jefferson Proving Grounds, Madison, IN
Dates: Summer 1945
Project Description: Small plot experiments were commenced to test the effectiveness of LN agents. Various trials were done under contract with the USDA, aided by personnel at Camp Detrick. Here, it was dropping trials.
Agents: LN *phenoxy
DoD Involvement: Yes

Kansas
Location: Hays, KS; Langdon, ND
Dates: 1960
Project Description: Two studies on the stem rust of wheat were conducted during 1960 to obtain data on the establishment, development, and destructiveness of artificially induced stem rust epiphytotics.
Agents: Stem rust of wheat
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Kentucky
Location: Fort Knox, KY
Dates: 1945
Project Description: In 1945, a special project known as Sphinx was conducted jointly by CWS and the ARML to investigate the use of chemical agents for increasing the flammability of vegetation prior to flame attack.
Agents: Various
DoD Involvement: Yes

Maryland
Location: Camp Detrick, MD - Fields A, B, and C
Dates: 1946-47
Project Description: The experiments were directed mainly towards the investigation of plant inhibitors applied as sprays or to the soil in the solid form to be taken up by the roots.
Agents: 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-T triethanolamine, tributylphosphate, ethyl 2,4-D, butyl 2,4,5-Ttriet 2,4-D
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Camp Detrick, MD - Fields C, D, and E
Dates: 1948
Project Description: The experiments were directed mainly towards the investigation of plant inhibitors applied as sprays or to the soil in the solid form to be taken up by the roots.
Agents: 2,4,5-T, isopropyl phenol carbamate, LN-2426, 2,4-D
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Camp Detrick, MD - Fields C, D, and E
Dates: 1949
Project Description: The experiments were directed mainly towards the investigation of plant inhibitors applied as sprays or to the soil in the solid form to be taken up by the roots. Experiments were done by Ennis, DeRose, Newman, Williamson, DeRigo, and Thomas.
Agents: Triethelyne. 2,4,5-T, carbamates
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Camp Detrick, MD - Fields A, B, D, and E
Dates: 1950
Project Description: The experiments were directed mainly towards the investigation of plant inhibitors applied as sprays or to the soil in the solid form to be taken up by the roots. Experiments were done by Ennis, DeRose, Acker, Newman, Williamson, and Zimmerly.
Agents: 2464, butyl 2,4-D, 974, butyl 2,4,5-T, q:q 143 and 974
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Camp Detrick, MD - Field F
Dates: 1950-51
Project Description: The experiments were directed mainly towards the investigation of plant inhibitors applied as sprays or to the soil in the solid form to be taken up by the roots. Experiments were done by Acker, DeRose, McLane, Newman, Williamson, Baker, Dean, Johnson, Taylor, Walker, and Zimmerly.
Agents: 2464, carbamate, butyl 2,4-D, 143 and 974 (orange?),2,4,5-T, 2,4-D, Orange
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Area B, Camp Detrick, MD
Dates: Spring/Summer 1953
Project Description: Personnel at Camp Detrick tested the feasibility of using an experimental spray tower for applying a mixture of chemical anticrop agents to broad-leaf crops.
Agents: 3:1 mixture 2, 4-D and 2, 4, 5-T
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Fort Detrick, MD; Fort Ritchie, MD
Dates: 1956-57
Project Description: In 1956 And 1957, defoliation and desiccation were carried out at Fort Detrick and Fort Ritchie, Maryland by the Chemical Corps and Biological Warfare Research. These were bench tests.
Agents: Various, 577 compounds
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Fort Detrick, MD
Dates: 8/1961 - 6/1963
Project Description: From 8/1961 to 6/1963, compounds were spray-tested in the greenhouse to evaluate them as effective defoliants, desiccants, and herbicides.
Agents: 1410 compounds
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Fort Ritchie, MD
Dates: 1963
Project Description: Various studies were done to explore the effectiveness of different herbicides. They were all field trials. These studies were done by personnel from the US Army Biological Laboratories.
Agents: Tordon, 2,4-D, Orange, diquat, endothal, and combinations of each with Tordon
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Fort Meade, MD
Dates: 1963
Project Description: Various studies were done to explore the effectiveness of different herbicides. They were all field trials. These studies were done by personnel from the US Army Biological Laboratories.
Agents: Cacodylic acid, Dowco 173, butyediol
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: Poole's Island, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Dates: 7/14/1969 -
Project Description: During the week of 7/14/1969, personnel from Naval Applied Science Laboratory in conjunction with personnel from Limited War Laboratory conducted a defoliation test along the shoreline.
Agents: Orange, Orange plus foam, Orange plus foam Orange, Foam
DoD Involvement: Yes

Mississippi
Location: Near Wayside, MS, Wilcox Road, Greenville, MS
Dates: 9/19/1967
Project Description: In 1967, the Dow Chemical Company was awarded a DoD research contract. The objective was to prepare as pellets mixtures of various herbicides and to test them on varying vegetation situations for the control of a range of plant species.
Agents: Picloram, bromacil, pyriclor, and terbacil, Orange, cacodylic acid
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Location: Fulcher Ranch, Greenville, MS
Dates: 4/15/1968
Project Description: In 1967, the Dow Chemical Company was awarded a DoD research contract. The objective was to prepare as pellets mixtures of various herbicides and to test them on varying vegetation situations for the control of a range of plant species.
Agents: Picloram and bromicil
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Location: Gulfport, MS
Dates: 1968-70
Project Description: While discussing the mandatory disposal of Orange, it was mentioned that 15,161 drums were being stored at Gulfport, Mississippi.
Agents: Orange
DoD Involvement: Yes

Montana
Location: Galatin Valley near Bozeman, MT
Dates: 7/3/1953, 7/6/1953, 7/14/1953
Project Description: A preliminary series of field evaluations ofchemical agents for attacking wheat using a miniature spraying system mounted on light aircraft were performed by USDA.
Agents: 4- fluorophenoxy-acetic acid and 2 of its esters, 3:1 butyl 2,4-D and butyl 2,4,5-T
DoD Involvement: No

New York
Location: Fort Drum, NY
Dates: 1959
Project Description: The Commanding General, 1st US Army, requested that Fort Detrick assist with defoliation efforts at Fort Drum. Thirteen drums were sprayed there on 4 square miles from a helicopter spray device.
Agents: Orange
DoD Involvement: Yes

North Dakota
Location: Langdon, ND; Hays, KS
Dates: 1960
Project Description: Two studies on the stem rust of wheat were conducted during 1960 to obtain data on the establishment, development, and destructiveness of artificially induced stem rust epiphytotics.
Agents: Stem rust of wheat
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Pennsylvania
Location: Stone Valley Experimental Forest in Huntington County and near State College in Centre County, PA
Dates: 3/1969 - 10/1970
Project Description: Soil- applied herbicides were studied by the U of Pa with Ft Detrick for 18 months for their effectiveness, rapidity of action, and duration of response in native stands of central PA grasses, broadleaf weeds and woody plants. These herbicides were spread or sprayed.
Agents: Bromacil, diuron, tandex, fenuron, picloram
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

back to top

Rhode Island
Location: Kingston, RI
Dates: 7/26/1949, 1950-51
Project Description: The experiments were directed mainly towards the investigation of plant inhibitors applied as sprays or to the soil in the solid form to be taken up by the roots. Experiments were carried out under supervision of T.E. Odland if RI State College. H.T. DeRigo was also there.
Agents: Trieth.2,4,5-T, butyl 2,4,5-T,974
DoD Involvement: Yes

Tennessee
Location: Tennessee and Georgia
Dates: 1964
Project Description: In 1964, helicopter spray tests were conducted on transmission line rights-of-way by the Georgia Power Company and Tennessee Valley Authority in collaboration with Fort Detrick to evaluate effectiveness of several commercially available herbicides.
Agents: Diquat and Tordon 101, various
DoD Involvement: Yes

Location: 1 in TN, 2 areas in FL, 2 areas in GA
Dates: 1968
Project Description: In 1968, emphasis was given to soil applied herbicides for grass control. Applications were made by a jeep-mounted sprayer on small plots or by helicopter on larger plots.
Agents: Bromacil, Tandex, monuron, diuron, and fenuron
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Texas
Location: Beaumont, TX
Dates: 6/1944
Project Description: Small plot experiments were commenced to test the effectiveness of LN agents. Various trials were done under contract with the USDA, aided by personnel at Camp Detrick. Here, they were testing on rice crops.
Agents: LN *phenoxy
DoD Involvement: No

Location: Beaumont, TX
Dates: 1950-51
Project Description: The purpose was to determine means of accomplishing defoliation of tropical forest vegetation by application of a chemical agent. Here, irrigation water studies were done with the agent. Coghill, Hasse, and Yeatner worked here.
Agents: 2,4-D
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Location: Weslaco, TX
Dates: 5/1967 - 1/1969
Project Description: 71 new arsenic compounds were tested in primary screening against 6 plant species in greenhouse tests. Then, 5 of the most active compounds were tested in field trials against Red Maple and compared to formulations of cacodylic acid and a 50:50 blend of orange and sodium cacodylate. The Ansul Co. for DoD.
Agents: Arsenic compounds, Orange, cacodylic acid, sodium cacodylate
DoD Involvement: Yes

Utah
Location: Granite Peak, UT
Dates: Summer 1945
Project Description: Small plot experiments were commenced to test the effectiveness of LN agents. Various trials were done under contract with the USDA, aided by personnel at Camp Detrick. Here, it was dropping trials.
Agents: LN *phenoxy
DoD Involvement: Yes

Washington
Location: Prosser, WA
Dates: 1950-51
Project Description: The purpose was to determine means of accomplishing defoliation of tropical forest vegetation by application of a chemical agent. Here, irrigation water studies were done with the agent. V.F. Burns worked here.
Agents: 2,4-D
DoD Involvement: Undetermined

Wisconsin
Location: Marinette, WI
Dates: 5/1967 - 1/1969
Project Description: 71 new arsenic compounds were tested in primary screening against 6 plant species in greenhouse tests. Then, 5 of the most active compounds were tested in field trials against Red Maple and compared to formulations of cacodylic acid and a 50:50 blend of orange and sodium cacodylate. The Ansul Co. for DoD.
Agents: Arsenic compounds, Orange, cacodylic acid, sodium cacodylate
DoD Involvement: Yes

Improved National Resource Directory for Military and Veteran Communities

The Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs recently launched a new and improved National Resource Directory. The directory is designed to serve a broad base of users including wounded warriors, service members, Veterans, their families and caregivers by providing a useful tool for supporting service providers, such as Recovery Care Coordinators, Federal Recovery Coordinators, health care providers and case managers at Veterans Service Organizations.
Visit the site

Wounded Warrior Resource Center: 1.800.342.9647
Hazardous Exposures: Sign up to Receive Newsletters
VA's Environmental Health Strategic Health Care Group publishes the following newsletters, providing information especially for veterans and their families on certain hazardous exposures during military service. The newsletters are issued periodically and include information on VA benefits and services and updates on what VA is doing to help veterans.

Sign up to receive newsletters by email. Go to Hazardous Exposures Resources and Materials to download past issues of newsletters. Sign Up
Email address:
Select Newsletter(s): Agent Orange Review
Gulf War Review
Ionizing Radiation Review
Operations Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom Review

Some people come from families who cook, families where food is at the core of that sense of belonging. I’m not one of those people. When I look back on my childhood, I am not flooded with happy kitchen memories. I don’t reflect fondly on inspirational times of cooking with my mother. And yet, somehow, my sister and I have both developed a love of cooking and food. We read cookbooks. We trade recipes. We constantly try new things – with varying degrees of success. Happily, my nephew has followed along behind us and become an adventurous cook himself. So as he was preparing to leave for graduate school In Wisconsin last July, we found ourselves discussing what fabulous dish we could make together before he was gone. I’m not sure exactly how it happened but at some point we both turned on the same light bulb and said, “Rick Bayless’ Oaxaca Mole!”

If you are a fan of the Top Chef series and watched the first season of Top Chef Masters then you know exactly what I am talking about. If not, here’s a little background. Rick Bayless is a chef known for Mexican cuisine. He has spent a lot of time in Mexico and is clearly passionate about the culture and the food. The Frontera Grill in Chicago is one of his flagship restaurants. He won the first season of the Top Chef Masters competition and his Oaxaca Black Mole was one of the winning dishes. It was a dish that I swooned over when I saw it on the show, a dish that sent me scurrying to the show’s website to find the recipe, a dish with 28 or so ingredients and an estimated preparation time of half a day. Oh my! But nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say and it seemed a fitting dish to tackle in celebration of Andy’s new venture in the wilds of the Midwest. We set aside two days for the task. One day to complete the shopping. One day to prepare the dish.

Shopping day. We researched the locations of several Mexican markets in the Orlando area, prepared to visit more than one if we had to. We discussed accompanying dishes, settling on plain rice and a simple jicama salad with a pear crisp for desert. We constructed the very long shopping list and set off in search of the ingredients. The first Mexican market we went to turned out to have almost everything we needed for the mole. There we collected mulato, pasilla and guajillo chilies, fresh tomatillos and jicama, Mexican chocolate and corn tortillas. After that, it was an easy run through the supermarket for the more mundane ingredients: chicken and garlic and onions and other good stuff. I should note that we had stumbled across the required green tomatoes at a farmers’ market the night before so those were already in hand. After several hours of organizing and running about, we were done with Phase I.

Preparation day. We had already decided to do the cooking at my sister’s house. She has a bigger kitchen and her family accounted for 75% of the dinner party attendees. I arrived at noon and we began. Seeding and tearing the dried chilies to be blackened in a dry skillet. Reconstituting the blackened chilies in a warm water bath. Roasting onions and garlic. Toasting nuts and sesame seeds. Chopping and dicing and constructing four separate purees to be incorporated into the sauce. Stirring and thickening the purees to form the mole, each puree added separately in such a long process that we took turns at the stove with the spoon. Cooking the chicken? Almost an afterthought. But after half a day of effort, success! Oaxaca Black Mole with Braised Chicken.

My nephew will turn 25 this March. He has many years of experience and memory making ahead of him. His memory of the afternoon we spent making mole will probably fade in time as so many of our memories do. But for me, this memory will remain bright. When I think of that day, I remember the little boy that I adored and I appreciate the young man who happily collaborated with his aunt to create a special family meal. Life is good.

NOTE: I did not include the recipe within the text of this article because it is very long. You can find it here. We decided, wisely I think, to forgo making the plantain tamals and the grilled nopales.

©HollyKL. 2011. All rights reserved.

This article was produced for the Newsvine Photographers Foodies! challenge.

Echoes

I would cleave the mirror in front of me
   like the photograph of me and you.
It seems so easy, so literal, I've seen it,
   as facile as paper colored with crayon.
If it were so, I could then feel some
   ripping sound next to me, something breaking,
a rush of cold air down my back maybe,
   robbing me of what is essential heat,
or maybe I could burn you and I into ashes,
   starting with the corner nearest you, then mine,
the flames like our lips and tongues were
   in the beginning, blue at the edges, red beneath.
There would be a scent, yes a scent, under
   the sheets, mingled like our bodies
and finally ashes, soft, like talcum, chalk,
   the portrait of you drawn in the park.
Crumple it, grind it down with the heel of my boot,
   it must be something physical, final,
as final as the bottom of a sea where even
   sunlight ventures not, it must be so,
it cannot be like a piano chord fading
   into an evening's perfume, to forever,
it cannot be like the sound of a bird's wings
   taking flight, beckoning to your eyes and ears,
it cannot be like the aura of a scented candle's
   light snuffed out between thumb and finger,
it cannot be like the echoes of us whispering
   so long, goodbye.

p.m.

Army gets into some serious uniforms for the stretch run.

Well, he would not be 64, but Happy Birthday anyway to my favorite Beatle.

This is such a complex issue, with arguably far reaching implications.

In the first place, should the Taliban be considered a monolithic political front, as in a theocracy, or a loosely organized conglomeration of Pashtun tribes bent on complete domination of their physical boundaries?

Is al Quaida inextricably, strategically, linked with the Taliban or is it a marriage of convenience?

What does Pakistan have to gain, or lose, either way?

Does a Western withdrawal mean the abandonment of Afghanistan in political terms, and how far does the political intrude into, or constitute, military intervention?

Have at it, and behave. I will be ruthless applying the CoH.

Kinda like the other side of the coin, eh?

Attention to all with family in Pacific rim nations.

"...as if they were dreaming...
us, as if they were touchable, simple as a story, an explanation,
any fiction, as if they thought of us, or were praying or were dancing,
or were lonely, as if they could be, or would be touched."

I live in NYC and took Amtrak's high speed Acela train out of Penn Station to DC's Union Station and back several years ago and it was a blast, literally. Travelling at close to 150 mph, the train sucked up snow from around the tracks and it was flying by the windows! Took longer than the shuttle out of La Guardia Airport, but I had leg-room, a dining car, room to stretch out and Union Station was a heck of a lot better than any airport I arrived in (Yeah, NYC's Penn Station sucks, nothing like Grand Central).

I don't understand why the US can't have more of this sort of mass transport. Its greener, for one thing, and a hell of a lot more civil than being squeezed into a plane seat with a complimentary meal of peanuts and a diet soda. The fact that the Beijing is doing this as part of their economic stimulus plan makes me even more envious.

In this season of tight budgets and unemployment, there are still nefarious individuals who prey on the spirit of giving. Be sure you can trust that Santa!

"...I'm.. aware of the fact that he is a war president who is presiding over the escalation of a war that his country need not fight to be more secure and that may endanger his role in the world he seeks."
Katrina vanden Heuvel
Publisher
The Nation

"But I was struck...by how fundamentally he accepted some of the premises of George W. Bush's view of the the world - the existence of evil."
Howard Fineman
Chief Political Correspondent
Newsweek

In Afghanistan's Taliban controlled South, tribal militias are resisting Taliban domination, opening a new and indigenous front against the enemy with implications on the direction of American and NATO strategy in the eight year war.

So a woman walks out to her lawn and there's a free range chicken...

You said goodbye the way you cook,
a secret in every recipe waiting to be told,
to tell me, "It's special, for you," knowing me,
and of course it would be like the first time
I had ever, but that's a secret for you,
as new as the first second of waking.
Here, it's here now for all your senses
to grasp quickly, don't think,
that would spoil it child, the bubbling
pot speaking to the flame,
the walk thru the market and the
sadness for the ruined harvest as you pick
for the best, having made the best
of ruined harvests in your lifetime,
grim gratitude and improbable hope
inhabiting that long ago kitchen,
remembering, as you sort and pick
what you wish me to remember you by,
gently and with prayer, the weight of goodness
in your hands reminding you of want.
I sat by your bed as I did in your kitchen,
quiet and mute as though asleep
as you watched me intently. like I had
just awoke, before memory or recognition,
to a secret you've kept, holding my face near
and saying with all your life behind you,
"The secret is that you are mine, for always."

p.m.

Full and bound, a heart of grief beats
nonetheless, beyond command.
Found a fool, there is no comfort,
no salvation at hand.
Well enough, yet fall into despair,
a drowning man flailing for air.
You must tell me, how have we come to this,
after the crossing, to the far.

Now there is the barren (barren only to eyes
that do not enough see)
that calls for the grand design, structure
from flat sand and granite,
the arid and cutting wind informing defiance,
were defiance a virtue not so informed,
that in between the grains, lives of incalculable
smallness unfold in hushed glory.

I carry with me seeds, a forest yet to be,
and each one that falls to the roadside
I have not bothered to recover, they are
too many to find in a moment of loss,
though there is hope, well along the journey
to look back and perhaps spy leaves.
Whisper this to the sky, my far pavilion of repose
will be surrounded by trees and vines.

Crossing the bridges among the seasons,
the river a blinding blue, or brown and turbid,
or restless and overcome with whitecaps,
watching the trail of forever tides
because there is no rest in a great city
nor upon the fertile soils that feed it
nor the deep lakes falling into long vessels
carved into ancient rock, majesty unseen.

Captains of industry call to engineers
and the lives of millions are decided
for generations yet to be, lives become upon
the visions of a few, may God have mercy,
that His mercy comes gently,
the warm morning that you were told would be cold,
the colorless day that then bursts with blooms,
a day you feel you may not deserve.

City of warriors in a ring, trading in the wisdom
of sweat and sinew with abandon,
that you could live so yet survive whole and wise
and for the rest of your life be a giant
among all, unlike I scurrying from one stalemate
to the next, saving hope,
bleeding strength and faith.
Stay with me my darling, tend to my wounds.

City of shadows and the high noon sun,
of light shining on a hard midnight,
where I have had my heart taken, gladly,
and thrice felt a dagger pierce
then turn, where there is no escape
because your life is always in your face.
What doesn't kill you will make you thick.
Into the wall goes another brick.

I remember every corner where I stopped
and felt the ground beneath me sliding.
But I do not avoid them, that would be surrender.
In fact, I linger when I come upon those,
get into my own face, dare my demons,
allowing just a bit more to be unmoored,
that all unwished wash into the river,
that all days be clouds on the wind.

I can still see the ground glass in the asphalt mix,
sparkle on the blacktop, none in the night sky.
A kindness from the monster about me,
the low cumulus clouds drifting underneath the moon,
a crab below the pull of the tide
waiting to feed on what is left behind,
because I will have my fill,
I have not starved this long to be hungry again.

There is that place visited often,
returning even in dreams, reclined in the dark
and hence defenseless, and being visited
struggle to be awake in your diaspora.
How strong the strength you rest your heart upon,
how firm the ground you choose to stand on?
It all runs out like a ball of string,
like a dead end off an avenue.

Held close then set adrift,
whispered to then shouted away.
The constant day into constant night,
an endless exchange between dark and light
right only as near as you can grasp with your hands
onto bare stone.
Tunnels and bridges binding, constraining
portals crowded with ambition.

Come then to embrace the shadows and winds
inhabiting the city canyons.
Venture your face into a sea of the same
and leave the familiar and nurturing.
There is nothing here that you did not try
to see and feel many times before.
Your certainty, your doubt, will turn into heartache
and bliss, and these, set into stone.

p.m.

Some of you asked to see a sample of my Art. My technique is described as "purest." I only use transparent watercolors - no opaques. that means any light or white areas in the image are the watercolor paper showing through. I never use white paint. Challenging, but rewarding as well.

There's No One As Irish As Barack Obama

The West Indies poet Derek Walcott, winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize for Literature, writes exclusively for The Times to mark the election of Barack Obama as President

Today Viki and I are joined by Bill Harrison, and Kyle Baxter.

The audience said "get some conservatives on there!", and we listened!

You can find the feed for the podcast over here, or if you prefer, you can listen to the audio directly in an embedded player at thevinecast.com. There is even an subscribe by email option for those that don't use a podcatcher or rss feed reader but want to be kept up to date. And for you itunes users, of course you can use that too.

I've gotta say, and I mean this in the best way possible, Bill, I was pleasantly surprised with how this episode turned out. A bit long, at an hour and forty minutes, but a very good listen for anyone who enjoys (or enjoys ranting about) politics...and really really great for those of you that don't like hearing about all the meta stuff, cause there isn't much of that at all. It's always great having people on the Vinecast for the first time, and this was no exception. I hope both Bill and Kyle will come back on in the future.

I would also like to personally thank lauhal for her donation last week, we need all the help we can get at this point, and we really appreciate it.

Links to what we discuss in this episode can be found here.

If you enjoy the Vinecast, you can help us spread the fun by clipping this article (or the show notes article for your favourite episode) to your column, and as always, if you have any suggestions, questions, something you'd like read on the show,etc......send them right on over to me at mailbag@thevinecast.com, and if you have a particular Viner you'd like to hear on the Vinecast (or you'd like to be on the panel yourself), let us know and we'll do our best to make it happen.

Her walk is a couplet of a rythmic hobble
her hair - a crumbled knot.
When she speaks, ears go weak
but she could give a damn what anyone thinks!
She is a free verse of incoherent babble,
the definition of erratic
Her heart beats a requiem for the forgotten queens.
The vacancy of her eyes trangresses disbelief
of her anatomy.
She's finite in her authentic disposition;
exquisitely drastic!
She's enigmatically beautiful....
and I'm amazed.

Wild Places comprises more than 20 breath-taking Australian Landscape images by Richard Green.

The scale of this work is enormous (some more than 3 metres in width) and must be seen to be believed. While the form and structure of the image is apparent at a considerable distance, one is able to stand mere centimetres from them and be overwhelmed by the detail.

Some of these works draw our attention to the majesty of the natural landscape, others bring a sense of drama – the changeable weather, the enormous skies, no buildings as far as the eye can see. At much closer range however, one sees indigenous art adorning the walls of the cliffs and caves, or a face is apparent in the gnarled trunk of a tree.

There is much to like about these images: color, form and light all combine to delight the senses and impart a sense of the power of wilderness.

Richard and wife make – on average – 3 helicopter trips to the Australian outback every year, covering thousands of kilometres. As a result, he presents us with fresh and exciting images of places most of us have never seen before.

Green is hopeful that the popularity of his images will build environmental awareness:

"The potential impact of environmental damage is still not fully appreciated. I'd like to think my images may help convince politicians and the public that the environment's protection is key to our continued existence on the planet. If significant changes are not made, in years to come my images will remain as a record of the magnificent wilderness that once existed"

While Richard has only recently started exhibiting publicly his work has been embraced enthusiastically: his images are in private collections in Canada, Germany, France, England, Africa and Australia, as well as the National Library of Australia and the Australia Museum.

Richard Green's exhibition Wild Places is at Byron McMahon Gallery until 27 September 2008.

More Images from the exhibition

for archival purposes

Breasts are worshipped by millions of men, from all cultures around the world. They have been objects of desire for all of recorded history and beyond. But what is it about breasts (hooters, boobs, knockers, call them what you will) that reduces so many otherwise proud, intelligent and self-directed men to gibbering stupidity, drooling over a few extra grams of adipose tissue?

Because we may as well admit it (c'mon guys).

It's true.

Boobs have the power to cloud men's minds.

Don't believe me? Need proof?

Fair enough. How many remember this U.K. late night talk show where the curvaceous Halle Berry was the interview subject?

In reality, however, revealing the average guy to be an easily sidetracked slave to his baser desires is the least of the powers possessed by the almighty bust. Certainly, cleavage has been shown to be a singularly driving force behind the ongoing development of capitalism, with an incredibly broad spectrum of products, from the sublime to the ridiculous inspiring, enabling or being sold through, the medium of breasts.

For example, a recent article in a gaming publication discussed the degree to which "boobs are the driving force in games development":

"apparently, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 is the first game to have each breast assigned its own set of physics."

Of course, it's not only acne-scarred, furiously masturbating Halo-3 addicts that have erected the mighty boob to it's iconic stature. After all, Farrah Fawcett's modest muffins revolutionized the poster industry in my teen years, almost twenty years before the first PlayStation hit home screens. And besides, it's hard to argue that boob-fixation is the province of a particular slice of the demographic, since entire towns in Russia have fallen prey to jiggle-worship, raising actual statues in recognition of their idolatry

"A bas-relief of a female silhouette has been made on a metal plate, with a man's hand on the breast. It is believed that if a man touches this bust, he will gain family happiness," the spokesman said.

Yes, breasts are powerful mojo indeed, able to fell even the mighty among our governments with their sorcery. Helen of Troy's face may have launched a thousand ships in ancient Greece, but it was Julie Couillard's bust that demolished the career of Canada's foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier earlier this year.

In fact, boobs may be nature's most perfect and flexible panacea, with the potential to solve the energy crisis, cure cancer, or heck...it's even possible that hooters, in their omnipotence, may even have the power to stop wars.

Even more remarkably, they may even hold the key to human immortality!

(Well, okay, that last one was an internet hoax. But the point is that it sounded almost possible at first, didn't it?)

So what are they really? What are these strange protuberances that drive men to such ridiculous extremes? What is so incredible about them that would cause someone to spend tens of thousands of dollars just to affix a rather dubious artificial facsimile of them to their actual flesh?

In purely clinical terms, the truth is pretty pedestrian, if not actually off-putting. I mean, really! "Fat, connective tissue and glandular tissue?" This is a far cry from the more poetic description in the Song of Solomon:

Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle...Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters.

And yet, even today, more than 2000 years later , we behave more like someone of Solomon's time than dispassionate clinicians with hundreds of generations of technical evolution at our disposal. As evidence, I submit this list from Film Threat, The 50 Best Breasts in Film History. To add further weight to the verdict, consider this list from In Touch magazine, The Top Ten Breasts in Hollywood.

Indeed, it's hard to argue that breasts have not always been viewed from a somewhat -- inflated -- perspective, throughout history

During the French Revolution, breasts became objects of propaganda, representing the ideals of the nascent state and the virtues of the newly equal French peoples.

...the aristocratic custom of wet-nursing and sending children out to the countryside was replaced by bourgeois norms of maternal breastfeeding. A mother suckling her infant came to represent a morally good mother who would raise her children into virtuous French citizens. In Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People a bare-breasted Liberty is shown leading the people to victory.

The French government, in fact, viewed the matter so seriously that by the end of the 18th century, it refused state support to families that did not breast feed.

To the ancient Greeks, who replaced the worship of the breast with that of the phallus, "the breast took on threatening undertones, particularly with the legend of the Amazons".

The Amazons were said to be a tribe of powerful warrior women who chopped off one breast to draw the bow more easily. As for the other breast, it was used to nurse any female children they bore; male infants were disposed of. ''The missing breast creates a terrifying asymmetry: one breast is retained to nurture female offspring, the other is removed so as to facilitate violence against men,''

*Shiver*

Even in pre-history, breasts were, ahem, larger than life.

The famous Venus of Willendorff statue is thought to date to as far back as 25,000 BC, and is believed by most authorities to have been a fertility icon, or at least an exemplar of the Mother Goddess. Chris Witcombe, a professor of Art History at Sweet Briar College in Virgina, writes in Images of Women in Ancient Art:

She also exhibits, in ways that are at once appealing (to most women, perhaps) and threatening (to most men, perhaps), a physical and sexual self that seems unrestrained, unfettered by cultural taboos and social conventions. She is an image of "natural" femaleness, of uninhibited female power, which "civilization," in the figure of the Classical Venus, later sought to curtail and bring under control.

Her "bulging, bulbous body, large breasts, ample abdomen...manifest unrefined, uncivilized, 'primitive' taste", he says.

So is it possible then, that our obsession with breasts is due to their association with fertility? With procreation? That boobs, as secondary sexual characteristics that reveal sufficient maturity for mating, are unavoidably interesting to men? One theory says that the erotic nature of breasts stems from a connection men have drawn in their own minds; namely, that because they typically see breasts during sex, they have come to associate the sight of them with the act itself. Medically, there is evidence for more than this, however, as there is a definite correlation between sexual arousal and breasts. From this arcticle, The Nature of Sexual Response in Time magazine,

The first physiologic response is erection of the nipples, from contraction of their muscular fibers. It occurs in both breasts, though not necessarily at the same time. Second, the pattern of veins in the surface of the breasts stands out more clearly, and this may extend to the adjoining chest wall. The breasts gradually increase in size as a result of the filling-up of blood vessels.

So, men who seem unduly preoccupied with breasts may simply be particularly diligent about monitoring their chances for passing on their genetic legacy. Of course, as everyone knows, a watched pot never boils....

Others call these theories rubbish, pointing out that in some African cultures, women habitually display their wares, leaving the male half of the population none the more excited. This hypothesis suggests that it is taboo -- the fact that in most cultures, they are kept largely covered -- that makes the naked breast exciting, rather than any innate response. In other words, it's nurture, not nature.

In any case, women almost immediately noticed the male preoccupation with their anatomy, and throughout history have devised numerous devious methods for calling attention to them, and thus ensnaring their entranced prey. Over the centuries, these ploys have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous (again!).

Some entrepreneurs have even figured out a way to combine two of the male species' favourite obsessions in a competely synergistic way, the "Wine Rack" brasseire. As a reviewer at InventorSpot.com put it:

This is probably the smartest thing I have heard of in my life for a woman trying to catch a man's attention. The Wine Rack allows you to store your beer or wine in a bra-type undergarment. Get lots of male attention for your gorgeous engorged rack and offer any fellow you are keen on a nice beverage too

Despite a seemingly overwhelming focus on breast size, most fanciers will agree that breasts don't necessarily have to be large to be attractive. And in fact, there have been times when ample proportions were not the primary male preference.

Nevertheless, there is one topic about which both men and women tend to agree today. Large or small, B, C or D, most will agree that the sagging breasts that so often seem to be an outcome of childbirth are not to be coveted. So what is the mechanism behind this phenomenon? And is there a way to prevent it?

Or at least measure it?

Sagging is caused by a process called involution, where the tissue that produces milk shrinks because it's no longer required once a baby is weaned. It appears that it is "a natural, inevitable process that happens to all women at some point - except those with fairly small breasts".

And yes, there is a way to measure the degree of saggage being experienced. It's called The Gurley Scale, which tracks milestones from "the Cup Wrinkle" to "The Pressed Flower".

But those of you who are beginning to experience this state need have no fear. Recall the many ingenious approaches that have been developed to mitigate underdevelopment? Well, many of them are just as useful for deleting droop, and human creativity has not ceased on this front. From ring-tone breast enhancement to new exercises, would-be "better mousetrap" builders have long been searching for the Holy Grail -- the perfect cantilevered solution -- and will continue to do so.

Today, though, the most common approach also the most invasive, and even potentially lethal. At the very least, there is a disconcertingly high possibility of complications, according to a National Institute of Medicine study that found that 25 to 40% of people who get breast implants require another surgery within five years, most often to correct something that went wrong with the first procedure. Another study, this time by the Food and Drug Administration, used MRI scans to determine that even among those who describe no problems with their implants, 2/3 of them had ruptured, at least on one side.

And anyway, most men will tell you that when it comes to fake boobs, well...they're just not that into them. Some report that they just feel unnatural no matter how attractive they might look. In O -- The Oprah Magazine (and how on earth did I ever get to a point in a writing career where I find myself linking to that source), Tom Chiarella writes:

when you get intimate with the augmented breast, two things are certain: You can always feel the implant, and feeling it will always lead you to the conscious realization that someone pimped this breast. Any guy who has ever had so much as a lap dance will tell you that implants are an undeniably different tactile experience. The truth is in the touch.

Sometimes, it's easy to tell when Mother Nature has had a hand. Often, implants are so obvious, freakish or just poorly done they can be spotted from across Rodeo Drive.

But not always.

So with the noble goal of saving the unfortunate and the uninitiated from the horrors of having to touch an augmented boob, the Primary Sources column offers a Guide to Spotting Fake Breasts.

It's a public service.

_________________________________________________

Author's Note:
As you will no doubt have figured out by now, this article has been written exclusively from a male point of view. And a biased one, I will be the first to admit. For those of you seeking journalistic balance, I recommend you peruse this book to get a woman's perspective. Failing that, perhaps some brave female Newsvine soul would be interested in taking on the task?"

We see our duties as that of an editorial board, not that of a law enforcement agency. Many of the technical aspects of the rules are pretty much self-enforcing anyway. If you're late or early, there's a timestamp. If you miss two days, you're out, etc. All of that is explained in Mykola's original challenge.

What we want to see is quality original writing related to the news. Because judgments of literary merit, newsworthiness and whatever else comprises "quality" must by definition include some subjectivity, we did not produce rigid standards that could be uncontroversially enforced. We will not, however, leave contestants completely without guidance. For one thing, the Code of Honor and Terms of Service must be adhered to. That standard is not negotiable.

Come to think of it, very few of these standards are negotiable just because we don't want to fight about it. We're a board. Most of our decisions will be unanimous but some may be 3 to 1. If we have to decide on a technical violation, our decision is final and without appeal. On an editorial judgment, it'll probably take us about a day to render a verdict but you'll know that you're on thin ice because you'll see that your article has been clipped to the Jury Room. If we haven't clipped it, we're not discussing it. And if we're not discussing it, you're good to go.

The most objectively definable aspect of quality that we produced is to charge you all with writing articles with a minimum length of about or approximately four hundred words. We do not want word-padding, but we do want substance. To give you an idea of how we might decide that an article of 399 words might pass whereas an article of 401 words might be disqualified, on a close call we will look also at copy-editing in conjunction with length. A slightly short essay that has been properly proofread is better than a slightly long essay that was obviously rushed and posted without proofing. Which reminds me--we're looking for compositions and expositions, so stay away from a stream of consciousness rant. We can usually tell when you just spill on the page and hit "publish."

On structure and content the following restrictions will apply unless they are overridden by the Friday Guest Challenger: No meta, no fiction, no meta, no poetry and no meta.

We considered adding "No satire" but since satire as a genre has a long and noble history in writing on current events, we decided to just add an extremely difficult standard: Make us laugh or at least smirk.

To try to anticipate a few questions on the individual day assignments (and ask below for other questions), we have a few guidelines:

On Monday: Show evidence that you read the whole story you link to and discuss--but keep the blockquotes to one-third or less of the article length.

On Tuesday: Show evidence that you fully experienced whatever work is under review. Easiest way to do that is to casually mention a small or obscure detail.

On Wednesday: We got nothing.

On Thursday, which is the fulcrum upon which this contest rests, we'd like to see:

1. A spark of original thinking;

4. Use of ancillary materials like images or soundclips that inform or illustrate the topic.

I can tell you right now that if we have to break a tie seven weeks from now, it will probably be on a Thursday. That's the quality day, so that's the day we'll be most rigorous.

On Fridays: We play it by ear in partnership with the Guest challenger.

If an article is disqualified you may replace it with your mulligan if you have one.

Feel free to ask for rulings or clarifications on this thread. However, we will not issue preliminary editorial rulings.

Connect your poems, stories, essays, and reviews to the right audiences by researching hundreds of literary magazines in our database. Here, you'll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to direct your work to the publications most amenable to your vision.

Lauhal tagged me this afternoon and now I have to write my essay.

1. I tell all the guys I HATE small dogs, but my favorite dog ever was a toy terrier, and i named him Starsky.

2. I had a bloomin' woody for my first grade homeroom teacher.

3. In high school I signed up for the Art Club.

4. Unlike most people, i LIKE cabbage.

5. I still can't make up my mind: Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi?

6. I've been caught doing the nasty three times.

7. I felt like killing myself three times.

8. Its a difficult struggle to better yousrself, which I think is our purpose in life. Day after day, I labor to identify fault,
with others and myself in particular. Then something I have no control over overwhelms my calculations. The
hard rock beneath my feet melting into sand. But then you remember that it is a journey, as straight as you might
imagine the road ahead to be, it never really is. So I am grateful for the random insight, the glimpse of beauty you
never expected, the calm of surrender, the heat of ambition. Its good to find community, that way, all this settles
into context, and you find yourself more easily among the many.

Glad to be here!