Electronic Recycling Event (Sept. 6, 2014 - 10 a.m.) - Niles Library parking lot, Niles, MIchigan USA 49120

Electronics Recycling Event

Saturday, September 6, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Specific details at www.nileslibrary.com/

Historic date (September 3, 1964) -- National Wilderness conserved by LBJ and in 2014 by B. Obama

posted at WHITE HOUSE dot-gov/press-office:
Fifty years ago, a forward-thinking Nation came together, a President put pen to paper, and a great society secured an enduring gift for future generations. Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964, the Wilderness Act and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act began a new era of American conservation. Together, they set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of Federal land for the use and enjoyment of the American people and recognized our obligation to preserve a piece of our original and unspoiled splendor for posterity. For the first time, our Nation defined vast stretches of our continent as wilderness and codified the simple premise that when we take something from the earth, we have a responsibility to give something back. On the anniversary of this environmental milestone, we reflect on our rich tradition of stewardship, which has preserved the wild and scenic places we enjoy today, and renew our commitment to advancing our country's legacy of conservation in our own time.

Our Nation's wilderness shaped the growth of our country and the character and spirit of our people. Early pioneers explored its expanse as they pushed westward, and its natural bounty sustained settlers who found new land and new opportunities for prosperity. Today our vast wilderness -- which has grown to more than 109 million protected acres -- provides laboratories for our researchers and classrooms for our students pursuing new frontiers of science, medicine, and technology. This land is the habitat for our Nation's diverse flora and fauna and refuge for Americans of all ages. And it supports recreation and tourism that strengthen our economy.

My Administration continues to pursue a conservation agenda for the 21st century. During my first year as President, I designated over 2 million acres of wilderness and more than 1,000 miles of rivers. And earlier this year, I established the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, marking the eleventh time I have used my Executive authority to protect our pristine landscapes and historic and cultural heritage.

America's open spaces stretch from rocky mountain tops to windswept tundras, but they are also found between city blocks and at the end of country roads. In small towns and urban centers across our Nation, my Administration is working to reconnect Americans to our natural beauty. To empower local communities to protect and utilize these natural resources, we launched the America's Great Outdoors Initiative. For decades, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has supported these efforts by making critical investments to increase access to the outdoors for hunting and other recreation, protect our country's iconic features -- from National Parks to Civil War battlefields -- and advance over 40,000 local projects establishing everything from baseball fields to community green spaces. But 50 years after President Johnson signed the Fund into law, it is set to expire without action from the Congress. I have called for the full and permanent funding of this vital tool of environmental stewardship, and I continue to work to make it easier for families to spend time outside no matter where they live.

Today, our outdoor spaces are more precious than ever, and it is more important than ever to come together and protect them for the next generation. During National Wilderness Month, we draw on the audacity and vision of previous generations of environmental stewards and resolve to do our part to preserve our planet for our children and for their children.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2014 as National Wilderness Month. I invite all Americans to visit and enjoy our wilderness areas, to learn about their vast history, and to aid in the protection of our precious national treasures.

Cost of U.S. Government Intervention in IRAQ (War against ISIL) mid-June 2014 to August 26 (Pentagon official to Congress)

from Washingtonpost.com / News/Checkpoint (Article by Dan Lamothe):
The U.S. has launched at least 110 airstrikes in Iraq since August 8, 2014, U.S. military officials say, and it now has hundreds of military advisers and other personnel on the ground there to assist Iraq in its fight against Islamist extremists.
How much is that costing U.S. taxpayers? An average of $7.5 million per day since mid-June, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon’s press secretary, said Friday (August 29, 2014). After more than three weeks of airstrikes and humanitarian operations in Iraq, that likely easily exceeds $600 million.
Kirby’s comments mark the first time that a U.S. official has attached a price tag to the U.S. military mission in Iraq since President Obama authorized it to expand on August 7, 2014.  Airstrikes began the following day, and it is now rare for a day to go by without U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, announcing at least one strike.
Kirby said that $7.5 million average includes the cost of operations in Iraq since mid-June, well in advance of Obama escalating operations there in August. The figure is based on figures through Aug. 26, Kirby said.

Observing the anniversary of August 29, 2005 -- Nine years after Hurricane Katrina: A Pay-It-Forward event

Pay It Forward: Evacuteer Showcase Eiffel Society, 2040 St. Charles Ave. The Eiffel Society and Evacuteer.org are observing the ninth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with a benefit for the organization, which recruits and trains volunteers who will help with any future evacuations of the city that might be necessary. The benefit, Friday (Aug. 29) at 5:30 p.m., will feature discussion of the Evacuteers' work, music by DJ Magic Cards, food trucks and drink specials, and a silent auction to raise money for emergency radios. There also will be a Katrina remembrance, accompanied by a special dedication by the One Love Brass Band.
www.nola.com/

August 30 to September 30, 2014 -- Art Exhibition (John Wood Community College)

Faculty/Staff Art Exhibition

Saturday,  30th of August 2014

Current students, former students, JWCC staff and guests are all invited to participate.  Participants must deliver their work to the Community Education reception desk or room D150 by August 22 at 4 p.m.  All art submissions must be ready for display and labeled with your name, title of the art piece, and price of art or not for sale (NFS) prior to submission.  A maximum number of three art submissions is suggested.  The pieces will be on display during regular campus hours from August 30 until September 30, located in the lower level of D building.
1301 South 48th Street | Quincy, IL 62305 | 217.224.6500

Ways to direct funds to 2014 Ebola Crisis in W. Africa nations -- (United Methodist channels)

from Paul Black, Illinois Great Rivers Conference, Springfield, IL :

How to donate to the UMC Ebola Response

Bishop John Innis of Liberia requests that conferences give to the Ebola situation through the UMCOR the International Disaster Response # 982450

To designate specifically for Liberia, churches should use #982450 - LIBERIA EBOLA RESPONSE

To designate for general Ebola Response, churches should use #982450 - WEST AFRICA EBOLA RESPONSE

Mid-August 1939 Film Premiere (MGM: The Wizard of Oz); factors that give it a monumental place in film history

Movies August 15, 1939: America’s Off to See THE WIZARD OF OZ! When it comes to film history, it’s really hard to top the August 15, 1939th premiere of The Wizard of Oz at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. This epic production would go on to influence cinema in all kinds of ways. Who can forget that The Wizard of Oz is so all-encompassing that even frozen-in-ice-for-decades Captain America was able to get the reference when someone mentioned “flying monkeys” in The Avengers? That was nice. Captain America usually feels left out of things, you know. Of course, all kinds of films reference The Wizard of Oz. Sometimes it’s really blatant, like when Nic Cage sees a hovering Good Witch at the end of David Lynch’s Wild at Heart. Of course, there have been all kinds of films and television shows that have simply spoofed the movie. Futurama did a fine job, and so did Disney’s The Suite Life on Deck. We’ll also put in a nod to the schlocky 1983 movie The Being, which throws in a Wizard of Oz spoof amongst plenty of other WTF moments. But how did The Wizard of Oz perform during its original release? Well, the reviews were good. The movie officially opened nationally on August 25, 1939, and made around $3 million. That was actually a disappointment. The movie had cost just about that much–say, $46 million if it was made today. But, like Disney and Bambi, the folks at MGM Studios began to cash in on the re-releases. The studio didn’t officially cash in until 1949, when the movie came out to score an additional $1.5 million. Later on, it would become a very big deal when the CBS network showed the movie on an annual basis. People would make plans to stay at home–since this was before the days of VHS–and new generations would perpetually be won over. [Watchdog blog article from 2013]. . .

Will James Foley be memorialized as a "Martyr" of the Catholic Faith? Nat. Cath. Reporter article on two factors

by David Gibson RELIGION_NEWS_SERVICE press service (August 26, 2014): From the moment news broke that U.S. journalist James Foley had been beheaded by Islamic State extremists in the Middle East, many Christians, especially Foley's fellow Catholics, began calling him a martyr, with some even saying he should be considered a saint. Yet that characterization has left others uneasy, and the discussion is raising larger questions about what constitutes martyrdom. Foley's parents seemed to validate the martyrdom label when his father, John, spoke at an emotional news conference outside the family's New Hampshire home and said he and his wife "believe he was a martyr." Foley's mother, Diane, added that her son "reminds us of Jesus. Jesus was goodness, love -- and Jim was becoming more and more that." In an interview two days later with Katie Couric, Foley's younger brother, Michael, recounted how Pope Francis had called the family to console them and in their conversation "referred to Jim's act as, really, martyrdom." Numerous commentators had already picked up on that idea, holding Foley up not only as a witness to the Christian faith but as a spur for believers in the West to take more seriously the plight of Christians in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East who are being persecuted to a degree that some say is comparable to genocide. But in the Catholic church, determining whether someone is a martyr is not so easy. Historically, two conditions must be met. First, even if martyrs weren't saintly or pious Christians throughout their lives, there should be evidence that they held fast to their faith in their final moments, and that this witness can serve as an example to others. Foley certainly seemed to take solace in his faith under duress. In a 2011 essay he wrote for the alumni magazine of Marquette University, his Jesuit-run alma mater, Foley spoke movingly of his belief in prayer, and especially his recourse to the rosary to sustain him when he was imprisoned in Libya earlier that year while covering the downfall of Moammar Gadhafi. That was also the heart of a message Foley managed to send from his captivity at the hands of the Islamic State; after the episode in Libya, Foley, a photojournalist, went to cover the civil war in Syria and was kidnapped there on Thanksgiving in 2012. He was held with as many as 17 other prisoners and had a fellow captive, who was later released, commit to memory a letter in which Foley spoke of how prayer and faith kept him close to his family. "I feel you all especially when I pray," Foley said. "I pray for you to stay strong and to believe. I really feel I can touch you even in this darkness when I pray." The second factor in determining whether someone is a martyr is that they must be killed explicitly because they are a Christian, or "in odium fidei," out of hatred for the faith. That's where martyrdom arguments can get complicated, and messy. For example, Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, who lived under constant threat for his advocacy on behalf of the poor and in defense of human rights, was immediately hailed as a martyr in 1980 when he was assassinated by paramilitary forces while celebrating Mass. But under the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Romero's canonization cause was repeatedly stalled because conservatives in the Vatican argued that Romero had become an icon of liberation theology and was killed for political rather than religious reasons. Only this month, in fact, Pope Francis -- who has long revered Romero -- announced that the archbishop's sainthood process had been "unblocked." Francis also indicated that he wanted the church to consider whether those who are killed "for performing the works that Jesus commands us to do for our neighbor" are martyrs just as those who are killed for professing the creed. If that happens it could mark a significant shift in the church's understanding of martyrdom. http://ncronline.org/news/people/james-foley-martyr-brutal-death-sparks-faith-based-debate

the Hajj (October 2014) - expected group of pilgrims to Mecca, Saudi Arabia

from "Religion and Ethics Newsweekly" [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics ] : The first groups of 2014 Hajj pilgrims will begin boarding flights to Saudi Arabia this week. Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, is expected to fall between October 2-7, 2014. Thousands of Muslim pilgrims gather in Arafat, southeast of Mecca, on Mercy Mountain for prayer and reflection.

Today (August 26) is Women's Equality Day -- honors legislative reform of 19th Amendment

This August 26th celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, by making sure that all the women in your church and community are registered and empowered to make their voice heard!__________At the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971 the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” According to the National Women’s History Project, the date was selected to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York. Across the seventy-two years between that first major conference at Seneca Falls and the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, thousands of people participated in marches through cities like New York and Washington DC, wrote editorials and pamphlets, gave speeches all over the nation, lobbied political organizations, and held demonstrations with the goal of achieving voting rights for women. Women also picketed the White House with questions like, “Mr. President, what are you going to do about woman’s suffrage?” “Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty? This was the first time in history that a group of people picketed the White House. The observance of Women’s Equality Day 2014 not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

Yes, the INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (night-time sky of August 20, 2014)

Yes, My Father (William K. Shaw of Camp Point, IL) and I saw this in the dark sky as it passed over the sky - our part of Western Illinois. Twitter Notice = #BillShaw5 The Intl. Space Station showed up past a bright quarter moon even when no stars showed. _________ _________ _________ https://twitter.com/BillShaw5

Pope Francis (August 2014) expresses support for use of force to stop aggressors who murder and attempt genocide

from WNET "Religion and Ethics Newsweekly" (Public Television Series) website : Pope Supports Use of Force to Stop “Unjust Agressor” August 22, 2014 Pope Francis surprised some this week by lending his measured support for U.S. military intervention in Iraq. On the trip home from a visit to South Korea, he said it was permissible to use force to stop an “unjust aggressor.” The pope also said he had cleared the way for Oscar Romero to be beatified. Romero was the archbishop of San Salvador and an influential figure in the liberation theology movement. He was assassinated in 1980 by Salvadoran troops. The pope was coming off a busy week of activity in South Korea. He beatified 124 Korean martyrs in a mass before a crowd of 800,000. He also met with many lay people and visited a home for disabled adults and children. _____ _____ _____ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/headlines/pope-francis-plane-conference-talks-iraq-romero-south-korea/

Tribute paid to James Foley (Journalist beheaded by ISIL) - Aug. 20, 2014

STATEMENT by Secy. of State John Kerry (www.state.gov): James Foley went to the darkest of places to shine the light of truth. Nothing could stop him from sharing with the world the reality of what was happening on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the struggle against a brutal dictator in Libya, and he was just as determined to do the same from Syria. He was brave and bold, and no masked coward can ever steal the legacy of this courageous American who lived out the meaning of the word journalism. I was a Senator when James was first held in Libya, and we were first introduced to the Foley family. His family was as determined in working towards his release as James had been daring in covering those war zones himself. The sheer unfairness and unlikely odds that this young journalist would again find himself in captivity in another conflict was almost unimaginable. It is impossible to express how much we all wanted this latest horror to end with his family reunited, as it had been the first time. Teresa and I, along with members of my family who got to know James’ mother Diane and his brother, are heartbroken for all of the Foleys. There are no words of condolence that can adequately convey our sorrow, our sympathy, or our anger for what has happened. There is evil in this world, and we all have come face to face with it once again. Ugly, savage, inexplicable, nihilistic, and valueless evil. ISIL is the face of that evil, a threat to people who want to live in peace, and an ugly insult to the peaceful religion they violate every day with their barbarity. We grieve for James Foley. We mourn for his family and his loved ones. We honor the courage and pray for the safety of all those who risk their lives to discover the truth where it is needed most. And make no mistake: we will continue to confront ISIL wherever it tries to spread its despicable hatred. The world must know that the United States of America will never back down in the face of such evil. ISIL and the wickedness it represents must be destroyed, and those responsible for this heinous, vicious atrocity will be held accountable.http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/08/230772.htm

Students Supporting Veterans (Meet and Eat start of school year): September 4, 2014

John Wood Community College, 1301 S. 48th Street, Quincy, IL 62305 -- all 2014 - 2015 meetings held in room D-129; September 4 (Thursday), 3:30 p.m. -- "Let's get together, introduce ourselves, talk about our purpose and goals, and brainstorm ways to support our Veterans. Snacks and beverages will be provided." More information from Lisa Snodgrass (JW CC) and Rob Hodgson (JW CC) or SVA (JW CC dot-edu).

Flapjack Fundraiser -- Applebee's in Quincy, IL for Trio Student Services -- Aug. 23, 2014 8 - 10 a.m.

Maribeth Wagner support services for Trio Students -- Tickets cost $5 for the Campus Organization and their Book Fund. Call in advance to 217-641-4343 or at the door. The address for the popular eatery is 3827 Broadway, Quincy, IL 62301.

Historic 1882 Mansion (Michigan iron ore industry owner - entrepreneur) -- Chapin Mansion Tours August 23 -- 10 a.m. Niles Michigan

The historic Chapin Mansion (formerly City Hall offices) was built in 1882 by Henry and Ruby Chapin who earned their fortune through the iron ore industry mining. The three-floor mansion, located at 508 E. Main Street (Niles, MI 49120) is a beautiful American Aesthetic style original, with stained glass windows, interior wood carvings, fireplaces, and chandeliers. The three-hour debut open house begins on Saturday (Aug. 23) and tours are free that day. Subsequently, beginning on Aug. 29, guided tours will be conducted on Fridays and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Admission fee of $5 per person for those ages 10 and older. More information about the special events on August 23 and answers for your questions about the recent restoration work during the months of 2014 will be available at the History Center (www.nileshistorycenter.com).

Prayers for W. African nations and individuals in need -- August 24, 1 p.m. - Springfield United Methodist congregation

Prayer service for West Africa The Association of Liberians in Central and Southern Illinois will host a Special Prayer Service on Sunday, August 24, 2014 at 1 p.m. at Springfield Kumler UMC. [address is 600 N 5th St, Springfield, IL 62702.] The prayer service is for the West African countries of Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, and all victims of the Ebola epidemic.

ON_THE_MEDIA: Ferguson, MO incident (Saturday August 9, 2014) and subsequent protests

from Weekly Public Radio show (WNYC) -- OntheMedia dot-org: Since the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown by a police officer on Saturday, all eyes have been on the continuous protests being held in Ferguson, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis) and broadcast over social media. Brooke Gladstone (co-host / editor) talks with journalist Trymaine Lee from Ferguson where he has been reporting this week, about what he's seen there.

A significant moment in Popular Culture: On August 16, 1977 at Graceland Mansion, Nashville, TN. . .

from NY TIMES dot-com online e-newsletter headlines: ON THIS DAY On Aug. 16, 1977, the singer Elvis Presley died at Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 42.

Castel Gandolfo (Summer hide-away/retreat for Popes) will open its 135-acre gardens to guests / laity

from NCR ONLINE (National Catholic Reporter web article): . . . Pope Francis has resisted joining the list of popes who have taken up temporary residence in Castel Gandolfo, praying and reciting the rosary in the garden acreage 13 miles south of Rome. In the meantime, caretaker Osvaldo Gianoli said, the pope "strongly desired that [the villas] be opened as a sign of sharing something unique, a common good, and so wanted this opening to share the gardens with the public." Gianoli, who was named director of the papal villas at Castel Gandolfo in December, has the challenge of fulfilling Pope Francis' mandate to welcome the public while at the same time preserving the historic gardens and ensuring they can fulfill their main purpose: as a place of quiet relaxation for the pope and his top aides. The papal property at Castel Gandolfo extends over 135 acres -- compared to the 108.7 acres of Vatican City -- and includes 17 acres of formal gardens, three residences, and a working farm. The formal Italian gardens, planted in the 1930s, are a meticulously maintained historic, artistic and botanical treasure, Gianoli said. The emphasis on symmetry and geometric topiary -- the hedges are trimmed flat or carefully rounded -- is meant to reflect and extend the architecture of the main buildings to the outdoors. The other treasure on the property is the first-century ruins of the summer villa of Roman Emperor Domitian, who reigned in 81-96. Visitors can walk around his small amphitheater and peek into the remaining 110-yard-length of a "cryptoportico" where the emperor could stroll far from prying eyes, remaining cool and dry in any weather. The farm is not included on the itinerary for the public, although school groups have been invited, as have the children served by the Vatican's St. Martha pediatric clinic. The farm is the real deal, producing 185 gallons of milk a day, 50,000 eggs a year, honey, olive oil and vegetables, including some from the seeds used in Michelle Obama's White House garden and given to Pope Francis as a gift. "The yellow zucchini are ready now -- I'd never had yellow zucchini, but they're good," Gianoli said. A treat he is looking forward to sampling in the winter will be the final result of September's grape harvest. More than 400 little vines were planted three years ago and the first full batch of bunches are ripening on the vine, waiting to be picked and turned into wine. . . see entire article by Cindy Wooden of NCR at: ______________ http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/no-pope-residence-vatican-opens-gardens-summer-villa

Great Google tips (new and surprisingly helpfu)

Feature article highlights both in Detroit Free Press and USA TODAY (reporter Kim Komando): Google Public Data Explorer Google’s normal search site is great for most searches, but Google has more specialized search sites as well. For example, the Google Public Data Explorer is a treasure chest full of information on public statistics. Go to the Google Public Data page and type in a topic. Keep your searches simple, like “Unemployment in the U.S.” Google will return results from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You’ll end up with an easy-to-read graph, and you can even tweak it with options like gender, age and state. Google translations Need a quick translation of a word? Go to the normal Google search page and type in “translate (word) to (language)” in the search bar. For instance, you could type “translate apple to French.” Google will let you know in less than a second that “pomme” is French for apple. It also includes a small speaker icon that will let you hear the word if you aren’t sure how to pronounce it. For longer translations, check out Google Translate. Google nutrition comparison search What’s healthier, an orange or a banana? Type “compare” into Google’s search bar, along with the foods you want to look at, such as “compare broccoli and asparagus.” Google will do the rest. Google definitions When you don’t know what a word means, don’t reach for the dictionary. Type “define (word)” into the Google search bar, such as “define tintinnabulation” and you’ll have the definition instantly - it’s “a ringing or tinkling sound,” if you were wondering. You’ll also get pronunciation, part of speech, and you can click the gray arrow for more information, including word origins. Google Conversions Whether you’re cooking or helping your child with math homework, odds are you’re going to have to convert units of measurement. On the Google search page, enter a search like “convert eight ounces to cups” or “convert 10km to mi.” You’ll have your answer instantly, and you can even tweak the numbers and units after the fact. Google nGrams Google nGrams is a great research tool that lets you search how many times specific words occur in more than 5 million books written between 1800 and the present. You can see how words get more or less popular over time. You can put in multiple words separated by commas to compare two or more words at once. Google lets you adjust the time period, language of the books and see what books contain the words. Google Sky If you think Google Earth is great, then Google Sky is going to blow your mind. It lets you search the heavens and see images of stars, planets and galaxies taken from telescopes, probes and satellites. It includes infrared and microwave images as well as a historic map of the stars made by Giovanni Maria Cassini in 1792. If you don’t know where to start, the site has some suggestions that you’ll love. Exclude search terms Google’s algorithms are really good at searching the Internet to find the information you’re looking for. Sometimes, though, I’m sure you get frustrated because you keep getting popular results that just aren’t right. Tweak your search using the minus (-) symbol. Just put it before any words you don’t want to show up. Say you want to search for “puppies,” but don’t want to see sites that sell them. Just type in “puppies -sales” and you’re set.

Who is the fourth oldest Supreme Court justice? He was born ON THIS DATE in 1938. . .

Stephen Breyer Stephen Breyer was born on August 15, 1938, making him 76 years of age. He was appointed by Bill Clinton to the Supreme Court as an Associate Justice on August 3, 1994. As a liberal judge, aligned with the Democratic initiative, Breyer pulls away from the strict statutory interpretation of more conservative judges like Scalia or Thomas. In fact, Breyer supports what he calls "active liberty," among Supreme Court Associate Justices. Simply, this principle urges judges to interpret laws, either constitutional or statutory, with their original purpose in mind. Rather than arguing about the way it was worded, or literally processing a piece of legislation, Breyer believes in the democratic intentions of the Constitution, which needs to be interpreted carefully. Furthermore, Breyer finds issues that drum up popular participation better for the judicial system, as it causes democracy to be more hands on and influential. This approach has caused Breyer to support abortion rights, uphold international law, and call for the regulation of guns. Prior to his appointment as an Associate Justice, Breyer served as a Chief Judge for the First Circuit Court of Appeals from 1990-94 and he was also a regular Judge for the First Circuit Court of Appeals from 1980-94.

Born on this date in 1959, Lansing, Michigan -- Earvin "Magic" Johnson

Happy Birthday Notices: Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com): Magic Johnson was born on August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan, USA as Earvin Johnson. He is a producer and actor, known for Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals (2010), The NBA on TNT (1988) and Michael Jordan: Air Time (1993). He has been married to Cookie Johnson since September 14, 1991. They have two children._________http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005059/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Visit of Pope Francis to Seoul (capital city of S. Korea) - mid-August 2014

USA TODAY correspondent's report: Pope Francis called Thursday (August 14, 2014) for renewed efforts to forge peace on the war-divided Korean Peninsula and for both sides to avoid "fruitless" criticisms and shows of force, opening a five-day visit to South Korea with a message of reconciliation as Seoul's rival, North Korea, fired five projectiles into the sea. North Korea has a long history of making sure it is not forgotten during high-profile events in the South, and Thursday's apparent test firing off its eastern coast made its presence felt. In the first speech of his first trip to Asia, Francis told South Korean President Park Geun-hye and government officials that peace required forgiveness, cooperation and mutual respect. He said diplomacy must be encouraged so that listening and dialogue replace "mutual recriminations, fruitless criticisms and displays of force." Organizers of the pope's trip had invited a delegation of North Korean Catholics to attend his Aug. 18 Mass for peace and reconciliation at Seoul's main cathedral. But late last month (July 2014), North Korean authorities told the organizers that they wouldn't participate for various reasons, a Vatican spokesman said. North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but in practice only sanctioned services are tolerated by the government. The U.S. State Department says North Korea permits no religious freedom at all. Currently, there are no Vatican-sanctioned institutions or resident priests operating in North Korea. As he arrived at an airport just south of Seoul on the first papal visit in a quarter century, the pope shook hands with four relatives of victims of a South Korean ferry sinking that killed more than 300 and two descendants of Korean martyrs who died rather than renounce their faith. Francis plans to beatify 124 Korean martyrs who founded the church on the peninsula in the 18th century, hoping to give South Korea's vibrant and growing church new models for holiness and evangelization. Some elderly Catholics wiped tears from their faces, bowing deeply as they greeted the pope on the tarmac. A boy and girl in traditional Korean dress presented Francis with a bouquet of flowers, and he bowed in return. The pope then stepped into a small, black, locally made car for the trip into Seoul where the official welcome ceremony and speeches took place. Park, the South Korean president, said she hoped the pope's presence would heal the Korean Peninsula's "long wounds of division," referring to the 1950-53 Korean War, which continues to divide the Koreas along the world's most heavily guarded border. "Division has been a big scar for all Koreans," she said. Francis sought to encourage the pursuit of peace.

Emphasis week : Health Centers (Monday Aug. 10 - Sunday Aug. 16, 2014)

from WHITE HOUSE dot-gov -- the Press office: In the United States of America, no one should have to live in poverty just because they get sick. Families deserve quality, affordable health care and the peace of mind that comes with it -- regardless of who they are, where they live, or what language they speak. Today, nearly 1,300 health centers provide primary care and preventive services at over 9,000 locations across our country. During National Health Center Week, we acknowledge health centers' vital role, and we salute the professionals who work long hours to deliver these essential services. In small towns and big cities, health centers serve as a trusted network, connecting patients with community resources. Nearly 5 million people received enrollment assistance at their local health center to help them access coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Many of the newly insured -- who for so long were priced out of the market or denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition -- will have the opportunity to receive their first covered checkup at a community health center. With more Americans getting health insurance, the Affordable Care Act has made substantial investments in health centers so they can open their doors to record numbers of patients. Earlier this year, my Administration announced new funding to help our Nation's health centers expand their hours, offer additional services, and hire more medical providers. Health centers emphasize education and healthy lifestyles, and they help reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. They lift up families and create jobs that power local economies. By encouraging regular checkups and routine screenings, health center staff help patients get timely care and reduce the need for emergency treatment. Americans can find a health center near them by using the "Find a Health Center" tool at www.HRSA.gov. What started as an experiment to expand the promise of health security today delivers quality care across America -- at prices people can afford, with the dignity and respect they deserve. This week, we recognize the importance of health centers and the critical support they provide to communities that need it most. Let us celebrate the progress health centers have helped us achieve and build on this foundation as we work to expand access to affordable care. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week of August 10 through August 16, 2014, as National Health Center Week. I encourage all Americans to celebrate this week by visiting their local health center, meeting health center providers, and exploring the programs they offer to help keep families healthy.

August 15 (Feast of the Dormition of Mary) -- Orthodox Special Day

from Descriptive section of Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education (www.csee.org/): August 15, 2014 Dormition of the Theotokos (Catholic Christianity) The sacred Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos marks the Virgin Mary’s repose, which was followed by the translation of her sacred body three days later into heaven. This feast, therefore, marks her soul being commended into her Son's hands and the short sojourn of her body in the tomb. Unlike the Resurrection of Christ, the mysterious character of her death, burial, resurrection, and ascension were not the subject of apostolic teachings, yet they were recorded by the tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church and writings of the Church Fathers.

Iraq's Prime Minister has been "dislodged" by President of Iraq and Parliament (Wash. Post news alert) August 11, 2014 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time

Iraq on Monday dislodged Nouri al-Maliki after eight years in power, despite his last-ditch efforts to cling to the position. Iraqi President Fouad Massoum called on Haider al-Abadi, a member of Maliki's ruling party and currently the deputy speaker of parliament, to form a new government.

Did the U.S.Military airdrops help the Yazidis at Mt. Sinjar? (Iraqi civilians caught between Islamic State invaders and Iraqi Army / Kurdish forces)

from ABC NEWS e-newsletter "The Note" / http://abcnews.go.com/ HOW EFFECTIVE HAVE U.S. AIR DROPS BEEN? On Friday in New Delhi, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was asked about how much of the 72 airdropped bundles of aid had reached Yazidis trapped on Mt. Sinjar. He said reliable info showed more than 60 had gotten to them, ABC's LUIS MARTINEZ notes: "On the efficiency of those air drops, we have pretty solid information - verifiable information that of the 72 bundles that were dropped from the three aircraft, more than 60 got to those who we wanted it to get to and the people who were trapped up there," Hagel said. (August 11, 2014).

National S'Mores Day -- beloved by Americans since 1927

from THE HERSHEY COMPANY dot-com Press Announcement: August 10 is National S’mores Day; to celebrate this deliciously fun summertime event, Americans are encouraged to light a campfire, start a grill, or use the microwave to create the perfect combination of rich Hershey®’s Milk Chocolate, gooey Jet-Puffed® Marshmallows, and crisp Honey Maid® Graham Crackers to make a delectable S’more. The S’mores recipe first appeared in a 1927 edition of the Girl Scout handbook and remains a favorite treat today as Americans buy more than 90 million pounds of marshmallows* and The Hershey Company produces enough Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars to make 746 million S’mores annually! http://www.thehersheycompany.com/newsroom/news-release.aspx?id=1316453

Preacher in Church of Christ (Warsaw, IN) became Yale Divinity School Dean 2012 (was also Professor at Notre Dame University Theology Department)

from YALE DIVINITY BULLETIN (Yale dot-edu online posting): New Div School dean is a preacher-scholar By Mark Oppenheimer | May/June 2012 This year, three of the leading divinity schools in the country—Yale, Harvard, and Duke—chose new deans. Yet the man who on March 1 was announced as Yale’s choice, Gregory E. Sterling, says he only applied for one of the jobs. The reasons why Sterling decided on Yale, and didn’t consider the other schools, highlight the Divinity School’s position in elite theological education. More than its peers, it attempts to balance pluralism with a commitment to Christian ministry. “At Duke you have to be a Methodist,” says Sterling, a New Testament scholar and dean of the graduate school at Notre Dame. By contrast, Yale Divinity School has no ties to a particular denomination. “And I would really prefer to be in an ecumenical environment. But Harvard Divinity School has become more of a religious studies department than a divinity school. I hope that’s not unfair. What I mean by that is they haven’t in recent years been concerned with training people for ministry as much as they have been concerned simply with training people for the study of religion. “I am all for the study of religion, but I would much prefer to be within a context that identifies itself as Christian in an unambiguous and unapologetic way—without being narrowly Christian. I think that’s what YDS offers.” Harvard and Yale are both completing ten years under atypical deans. Harvard’s dean since 2002, William A. Graham, is a historian of Islam, while Yale, despite its emphasis on training Protestant clergy, has been led by Harold Attridge, a lay Catholic. The schools’ incoming deans are thus a bit of a throwback: Harvard has selected David N. Hempton, a church historian with a specialty in Methodism, while Sterling is, in addition to being a scholar, a preacher in the Church of Christ. That’s not the United Church of Christ, which incorporates what used to be the Congregationalist churches, the descendants of the Puritans. Rather, the Church of Christ is a decentralized nineteenth-century primitivist tradition that strives to recapture the spirit of the early church. For example, most Churches of Christ do not allow musical instruments in worship, instead relying on a cappella music. For more than 16 years at Notre Dame, Sterling commuted on Sundays to preach at a small church in Warsaw, Indiana. But he says he feels comfortable in many traditions. “I worship in a lot of different churches,” Sterling says. “I go to Mass on a fairly regular basis here at Notre Dame. Is this a theological problem for me? No. At Yale I will, I presume, worship in multiple contexts, as I have done here.” So Sterling is a Church of Christ preacher who has spent 23 years in a Catholic university. Any other ecumenical credentials? As a matter of fact, his scholarship focuses on Hellenistic Judaism and its influence on early Christians, and he is a leading scholar of the first-century Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria. http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/3431

Speech by the President who succeeded Nixon (August 1974)

“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” [ see Historical and Background with weblinks: http://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2010/08/our-long-national-nightmare-is-over.html

Nixon remark from White House "Farewell Address" -- hating those who hate you Mindset / paranoia and self-righteous jealousy and rage

Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself. Entire Speech at this web location = http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/gen/resources/watergate/nixon.farewell.html

Transcript -- excerpt Nixon's Resignation Speech (Thesis Statement) -- August 8, 1974

from PBS online document: From the discussions I have had with Congressional and other leaders, I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the Nation would require. I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as President, I must put the interest of America first. America needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad. To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home. Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office. As I recall the high hopes for America with which we began this second term, I feel a great sadness that I will not be here in this office working on your behalf to achieve those hopes in the next 21/2 years. But in turning over direction of the Government to Vice President Ford, I know, as I told the Nation when I nominated him for that office 10 months ago, that the leadership of America will be in good hands. In passing this office to the Vice President, I also do so with the profound sense of the weight of responsibility that will fall on his shoulders tomorrow and, therefore, of the understanding, the patience, the cooperation he will need from all Americans. As he assumes that responsibility, he will deserve the help and the support of all of us. As we look to the future, the first essential is to begin healing the wounds of this Nation, to put the bitterness and divisions of the recent past behind us, and to rediscover those shared ideals that lie at the heart of our strength and unity as a great and as a free people. By taking this action, I hope that I will have hastened the start of that process of healing which is so desperately needed in America. I regret deeply any injuries that may have been done in the course of the events that led to this decision. I would say only that if some of my Judgments were wrong, and some were wrong, they were made in what I believed at the time to be the best interest of the Nation. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/character/links/nixon_speech.html

Serum contains ZMapp -- company description of monoclonal antibodies (optimized cocktail) to Ebola Virus

Company information from Mapp Biopharmaceutical (posted PDF): ZMappTM  is  the  result  of  a  collaboration  between  Mapp  Biopharmaceutical,  Inc.  and   LeafBio  (San  Diego,  CA),  Defyrus  Inc.  (Toronto,  Canada),  the  U.S.  government  and   the  Public  Health  Agency  of  Canada  (PHAC).       ZMappTM  is  composed  of  three  “humanized”  monoclonal  antibodies  manufactured  in   plants,  specifically   Nicotiana.   It  is  an  optimized  cocktail  combining  the  best   components  of  MB-­‐003  (Mapp)  and  ZMAb  (Defyrus/PHAC).     ZMappTM  was  first  identified  as  a  drug  candidate  in  January  2014  and  has  not  yet   been  evaluated  for  safety  in  humans.  As  such,  very  little  of  the  drug  is  currently   available.       Any  decision  to  use  an  experimental  drug  in  a  patient  would  be  a  decision  made  by   the  treating  physician  under  the  regulatory  guidelines  of  the  FDA.     Mapp  and  its  partners  are  cooperating  with  appropriate  government  agencies  to   increase  production  as  quickly  as  possible

State Department Spokesperson Marie Harf on Mount Sinjar (August 7, 2014)

Press Conference Questions and Answers (August 7, 2014): /// http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/08/230387.htm#IRAQ /// . . . Questioner: So about Kurdistan. The region – this is the gravest crisis they’re facing, and recently it was reported by The Washington Post that ISIL has just now controlled even a town that’s like less than 30 kilometers away from Erbil. I was just talk to friends and people in Erbil. They were really panicking. People are leaving Erbil. So people are asking Kurdistan whether America is going to really act to protect its – Kurdistan has been one of the most pro-American allies in the region. Honestly, there are thousands of posts I read on social media. Everybody is saying is really America going to help us, or is it going to save us? Because Kurdistan just – I heard the Kurdish leader talking on (Christine) Amanpour’s show, saying that the reason we are defeated because we are having outdated Russian weapons and ISIL has advanced American weapons. Is there anything more than statements -- MS. HARF: Well, I don’t think ISIL has advanced American weapons. But setting that aside, I can guarantee you that we are – we are already assisting the Kurdish people and the Iraqi people – all of them – in their fight against ISIL. QUESTION: Like in what ways? MS. HARF: And we will continue to do more of that. We’ve already ramped up our military-to-military assistance; we’ve already worked through the central government. But part of that also has been working with the Kurds, particularly through this joint operation center in Erbil that we stood up. We’ve had assessment teams on the ground. We’re providing humanitarian assistance. But as I said, I can’t underscore enough for you how seriously and closely and urgently we are looking at what more we can do, and that we understand that this is an incredibly dire situation, and that we are in a place where we’re looking at what we can do to help. I don’t have any announcements to make for you or timing to guess about, but I do know that we are looking very, very seriously at what else we can do, because we do understand how serious it is. QUESTION: And about the Yezidis, more than like 60, 70 people have starved to death or have died from thirst in that, like, dry mountain. MS. HARF: And the Iraqis have tried to do some air drops -- QUESTION: But there has been nothing – has been – it’s been three days. MS. HARF: Well, they’ve been trying. It’s a very difficult operating environment. So again, we have a situation there where there is an incredibly dire humanitarian situation and we’re looking at what more we can do to help in a very urgent way. QUESTION: Are you – I mean, if I go on the whitehouse.gov, I can pull up a lot of statements in which the United States has said that it’s committed to the security and stability of Kurdistan and Iraq as well. Is – are you repeating that? Are you committed to the security of Kurdistan region? MS. HARF: Absolutely. We’re committed to the security of the Kurdistan region; we’re committed to the security of all of Iraq. That’s why we are so deeply engaged to – that’s why again today, I guarantee you there are many, many meetings going on in this building and elsewhere about what more we can do. We’re looking at it in a very serious way.

Question about how much Air Relief drop of food and water to Mount Sinjar (Iraq -- Azidi refugees) -- Press Conference excerpt

from WHITE HOUSE dot-gov posting : Questions from REPORTER: Okay, so that's (for 8,000) a small subset of the 40,000 estimated who are there. Is it part of the U.S. mission to try to address the needs of all 40,000 and we should assume that these humanitarian missions will be ongoing until all of them have at least got some crack at this food and water? And is there any sense of how long these supplies -- even for the 8,000 that are to receive them, theoretically, will last? Then there was a reference at the top of the call to a new prime minister in Iraq in the coming days. Can you be any more specific about that? And what dynamic do you think the completion of the Iraqi government will have on the willingness and the efficacy of the Iraqi Security Forces to get back into the fight? Because without a government, clearly, they haven’t been there. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I’ll take a crack at that, and then my colleagues will, I’m sure, want to add to it. With respect to the estimates, we cannot give a firm number of how people are on Mount Sinjar. There have been estimates in the thousands, and then there have been estimates that go into the tens of thousands -- 40,000 would certainly be I think at the very far end and higher than I think the assessed population on the mountain. But needless to say, however, we’re going to continue providing airdrops as we see a need. And I would expect that need to continue. So this 8,000 is an immediate source of relief in terms of food and water, but we’ll continue to have the capability to provide additional drops. I’d add that the Iraqi government and the Peshmerga have also sought to provide humanitarian assistance, and other countries have offered to, as well. So it may be that we’re able to draw on additional resources beyond just U.S. resources. And as a general matter, we’re working to facilitate Iraqi support for the population on the mountain, and an important part of that is breaking the siege as well. I’d just say on your second question, we’ve always believed that forming an inclusive government would provide a stronger foundation for Iraqis to then turn their attention to the threat of ISIL. They’re already dealing with it, of course. Iraqi Security Forces and the Peshmerga are engaged in hostilities with ISIL. But we believe that part of the context for Iraq’s challenges has been a sense of division within Iraq’s different communities -- between Iraq’s different communities. And an inclusive government I think would give confidence to Iraqis that there is a national authority in Baghdad that can represent all of Iraq’s communities. That is Sunni, Shia, and Kurds, but also Iraqi minorities. And that provides a strong basis and a foundation for Iraqi Security Forces to take the fight to ISIL. And the United States is already providing support. But I think with a new and inclusive government, we’ll be better able to marshal not just U.S. support, but support from some of the countries in the region that have wanted to see that formation of an inclusive government, so that Iraqi Security Forces are getting additional resources. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/08/background-briefing-senior-administration-officials-iraq

On this day in history (August 7, 1964) -- from NY TIMES online

On Aug. 7, 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, giving President Johnson broad powers in dealing with reported North Vietnamese attacks on United States forces.

Perseid Meteor Showers (August 10 annually)

from Astronomical Feature Story at USA TODAY dot-com: Aug. 10 brings the start of the "Old Faithful" of meteor showers, the Perseids, as well as a super moon. The prolific Perseids show up once a year, in August, filling the night sky with as many as 80 shooting stars an hour. This year's show coincides with the arrival of a super moon, which occurs when the Earth and moon are at their closest. Super moons bring with them 30% more light. That's a problem as it makes the meteors less visible. Still, the two events together make this a good few days to spend some time outside at night, says Ben Burress, an astronomer with the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland. The shower's peak will come in the hours before dawn Aug. 11-13, Burress says. Look in the constellation Perseus, which is just to the left of the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters constellation, in the northeastern portion of the sky. Normally, a bright moon would dim the visibility of meteors, but the Perseids have bright meteors, so "it's not a complete washout," Burress says. "But it won't be nearly as good as it would if the moon wasn't up."

40 years -- ago on August 7, 1974

What was happening that week that led to the Nixon Resignation (POTUS)? -- from Wiki article on "Watergate": On the night of August 7, 1974, Senators Barry Goldwater and Hugh Scott and Congressman John Jacob Rhodes met with Nixon in the Oval Office and told him that his support in Congress had all but disappeared. Rhodes told Nixon that he would face certain impeachment when the articles came up for vote in the full House. Goldwater and Scott told the president that there were not only enough votes in the Senate to convict him, but that no more than 15 Senators were willing to vote for acquittal. Realizing that he had no chance of staying in office, Nixon decided to resign.

Yes, Voters support local school measure (Niles, Michigan 49120) -- August Ballot Measure 8/5/2014

from Leader Pub dot-com story (August 6, 2014): Niles voters were strongly in favor of supporting the renewal of a $3 million operating millage for Niles Community Schools. On Tuesday, residents voted 1020 to 288 to extend the current 18 mill tax levy on non-homestead property for the next 10 years, according to unofficial results from Election Magic. The millage will provide approximately $3 million for the school district each year. The proposal drew favorable results in all nine precincts. Support was especially strong in the Niles No. 4 precinct where it passed 157 to 43. Voters in precinct Niles 5 voted 140 to 40 in favor of the renewal. http://www.leaderpub.com/2014/08/06/millage-renewed-for-niles-community-schools/

On this day in history -- 69 years ago -- August 6, 1945 -- U.S. Military drops A-bomb on city in Japan

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui delivered this statement during a ceremony to mark the 69th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima: Summer, 69 years later. The burning sun takes us back to “that day.” August 6, 1945. A single atomic bomb renders Hiroshima a burned plain. From infants to the elderly, tens of thousands of innocent civilians lose their lives in a single day. By the end of the year, 140,000 have died. To avoid forgetting that sacred sacrifice and to prevent a repetition of that tragedy, please listen to the voices of the survivors. Approximately 6,000 young boys and girls died removing buildings for fire lanes. One who was a 12-year-old junior high student at the time says, “Even now, I carry the scars of war and that atomic bombing on my body and in my heart. Nearly all my classmates were killed instantly. My heart is tortured by guilt when I think how badly they wanted to live and that I was the only one who did.” Having somehow survived, hibakusha still suffer from severe physical and emotional wounds. “Water, please.” Voices from the brink of death are still lodged in the memory of a boy who was 15 and a junior high student. The pleas were from younger students who had been demolishing buildings. Seeing their badly burned, grotesquely swollen faces, eyebrows and eyelashes singed off, school uniforms in ragged tatters due to the heat ray, he tried to respond but was stopped. ” ‘Give water when they’re injured that bad and they’ll die, boy,’ so I closed my ears and refused them water. If I had known they were going to die anyway, I would have given them all the water they wanted.” Profound regret persists. People who rarely talked about the past because of their ghastly experiences are now, in old age, starting to open up. “I want people to know the true cruelty of war,” says an A-bomb orphan. He tells of children like himself living in a city of ashes, sleeping under bridges, in the corners of burned-out buildings, in bomb shelters, having nothing more than the clothes on their backs, stealing and fighting to eat, not going to school, barely surviving day to day working for gangsters. Immediately after the bombing, a 6-year-old first-grader hovered on the border between life and death. Later, she lived a continual fearful struggle with radiation aftereffects. She speaks out now because, “I don’t want any young people to go through that experience.” After an exchange with non-Japanese war victims, she decided to convey the importance of “young people making friends around the world,” and “unceasing efforts to build, not a culture of war, but a culture of peace.” The “absolute evil” that robbed children of loving families and dreams for the future, plunging their lives into turmoil, is not susceptible to threats and counter-threats, killing and being killed. Military force just gives rise to new cycles of hatred. To eliminate the evil, we must transcend nationality, race, religion and other differences, value person-to-person relationships, and build a world that allows forward-looking dialogue. Hiroshima asks everyone throughout the world to accept this wish of the hibakusha and walk with them the path to nuclear weapons abolition and world peace. Each one of us will help determine the future of the human family. Please put yourself in the place of the hibakusha. Imagine their experiences, including that day from the depths of hell, actually happening to you or someone in your family. To make sure the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki never happen a third time, let’s all communicate, think and act together with the hibakusha for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and without war. We will do our best. Mayors for Peace, now with over 6,200 member cities, will work through lead cities representing us in their parts of the world and in conjunction with NGOs and the U.N. to disseminate the facts of the bombings and the message of Hiroshima. We will steadfastly promote the new movement stressing the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and seeking to outlaw them. We will help strengthen international public demand for the start of negotiations on a nuclear weapons convention with the goal of total abolition by 2020. The Hiroshima Statement that emerged this past April from the ministerial meeting of the NPDI (Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative) called on the world’s policymakers to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. President Obama and all leaders of nuclear-armed nations, please respond to that call by visiting the A-bombed cities as soon as possible to see what happened with your own eyes. If you do, you will be convinced that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil that must no longer be allowed to exist. Please stop using the inhumane threat of this absolute evil to defend your countries. Rather, apply all your resources to a new security system based on trust and dialogue. Japan is the only A-bombed nation. Precisely because our security situation is increasingly severe, our government should accept the full weight of the fact that we have avoided war for 69 years thanks to the noble pacifism of the Japanese Constitution. We must continue as a nation of peace in both word and deed, working with other countries toward the new security system. Looking toward next year’s NPT Review Conference, Japan should bridge the gap between the nuclear-weapon and non-nuclear-weapon states to strengthen the NPT regime. In addition, I ask the government to expand the “black rain areas” and, by providing more caring assistance, show more compassion for the hibakusha and all those suffering from the effects of radiation. Here and now, as we offer our heartfelt consolation to the souls of those sacrificed to the atomic bomb, we pledge to join forces with people the world over seeking the abolition of the absolute evil, nuclear weapons, and the realization of lasting world peace. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/08/06/national/full-text-hiroshima-peace-declaration-2014/#.U-I-tH7D_mQ

Ebola deaths leads to State of Emergency in Sierra Leone as well as Liberia

from REUTERS PRESS Coverage (August 5, 2014): Sierra Leone has declared a state of emergency and called in troops to quarantine Ebola victims, joining neighbouring Liberia in imposing controls as the death toll from the outbreak of the virus hit 729 in West Africa. The World Health Organisation said it would launch a $100 million response plan on Friday during a meeting with the affected nations in Guinea. It is in urgent talks with donors and international agencies to send more medical staff and resources to the region, it said. The WHO on Thursday reported 57 new deaths in the four days to July 27 in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, raising the death toll to 729. It said the number of Ebola cases had topped 1,300. "The scale of the Ebola outbreak, and the persistent threat it poses, requires WHO and Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to take the response to a new level, and this will require increased resources," WHO Director General Margaret Chan said. Sierra Leone's president, Ernest Bai Koroma, announced a series of emergency measures, to initially last 60 to 90 days, in a speech on Wednesday night. "Sierra Leone is in a great fight. Failure is not an option," he said. Security forces will enforce a quarantine on all centres of the disease and help health officers and aid workers to work unhindered, following attacks on health workers by local people. Liberia has put in place measures including the closure of all schools and a possible quarantine of affected communities. The outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever, for which there is no known cure, began in the forests of eastern Guinea in February, but Sierra Leone now has the highest number of cases. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/08/01/uk-health-ebola-leone-idUKKBN0G00PW20140801

Pledge to Africa economies and peoples -- part of U.S. Africa Summit (at White House) August 5, 2014

from Coverage at PBS Newshour (www.pbs.org/newshour): Seeking to strengthen America’s financial foothold in Africa, President Barack Obama announced $33 billion in commitments Tuesday aimed at shifting U.S. ties with Africa beyond humanitarian aid and toward more equal economic partnerships. The bulk of the commitments came from private-sector companies, including Coca-Cola and General Electric, underscoring Africa’s growing appeal to businesses. The continent is home to six of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a rapidly expanding middle class with increased spending power. Yet Obama noted that U.S. trade with the entire African continent is about the same as its trade ties with Brazil and that just about one percent of U.S. exports go to sub-Saharan Africa. “We’ve got to do better, much better,” he said during closing remarks at a daylong session that brought together U.S. and African politicians and business leaders. “I want Africans buying more American products and I want Americans buying more African products.” The U.S. is hardly alone in seeing economic potential in Africa, with China, Europe and India moving aggressively to tap into Africa’s growing markets. China in particular is hungry for oil, coal and other resources and is eager to develop the roads, bridges and ports needed to pull them out of Africa. “We also realize we have some catching up to do,” said Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor and billionaire businessman who opened the summit Tuesday. “We are letting Europe and China go faster than the U.S.” Obama has sought to cast the U.S. as a better partner for African nations than China, arguing that his administration has a long-term interest in the continent’s success and is not simply seeking to extract resources for its own purposes. “The United States is determined to be a partner in Africa’s success,” he said. “We don’t look to Africa simply for its natural resources. We recognize Africa for its greatest resource, which is its people, their talents and their potential.” http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/obama-pledges-33-billion-africa-commitments/

Rains in Southwest Michigan -- Tuesday morning -- rainfall deficit from month of July 2014

Periods of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy with temperatures rising towards the mid 70s. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. See more details at WWW.Weather.com/

Your Vote Counts -- join me in voting on August 5 for crucial local matters of funding (Public Transportation and Public School Budget)

Polls for the Michigan Primary (2014) are open today (Tuesday August 5, 2014) from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. -- please take time to support these non-partisan matters: Niles City Dial-A-Ride Millage Renewal — Voters are being asked to approve a renewal of .50 mills on the taxable value of all taxable property in the city for the purpose of providing public transportation including the operation of the Niles Dial-A-Ride service. It is a two-year renewal that will generate approximately $97,686 annually. Niles Community Schools Operating Millage Renewal — Voters are being asked to continue levying 18 mills on all non-homestead property in the school district to provide funds for the district’s operating purposes. The remaining .50 mills are only available to be levied to restore millage lost as a result of a “Headlee” rollback and will only be levied to the extent necessary to restore that rollback. The 10-year renewal would generate approximately $3 million annually. more details at NILES DAILY STAR: www.leaderpub.com/

40th Anniversary of Nixon Resignation -- 37th President of the United States // a View of Watergate Scandal

Check your local PBS station for specific airing dates in early August 2014 (for us we can watch on Friday August 8 at 9 p.m. Eastern Time Zone): Dick Cavett's Watergate program / series description: The Watergate scandal that gripped the nation from 1972 to '74 is seen through the eyes of Dick Cavett, who interviewed many of the principles on his talk show at the time, including John Ehrlichman and G. Gordon Liddy. In addition to clips of those exchanges, the 2014 documentary features new insights from journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward; former White House counsel John Dean; and Watergate historian Timothy Naftali.

Reminder for Michigan Registered Voters (Primary voting -- your precinct): August 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Find Your Ballot here = http://votersguide.michigan.com/build.do

Born on this day in 1792 -- World Literature great -- Percy Bysshe Shelley

from WRITER's ALMANAC (Minnesota Public Radio: Garrison Keillor): August 4 is the birthday of the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (books by this author), born in Sussex, England (1792). Although he died before the age of 30, many of his poems are considered masterpieces, including "The Cloud," "To a Skylark," and "Prometheus Unbound." Percy Shelley said, "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world." And, "Chameleons feed on light and air: Poets' food is love and fame." http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/?refid=0

Happy Birthday to you (August 4, 2014)! Names and Birthplaces/years

from IMDb dot-com (Internet Movie Database): Billy Bob Thornton (b. August 4, 1955) - Hot Springs, Arkansas -- he has three younger brothers; Barack H. Obama (b. August 4, 1961) - Honolulu, Hawaii -- he has a stepsister, Maya (b. Indonesia); Daniel Dae Kim (b, August 4, 1968) in Pusan, South Korea -- he was raised in New York and Pennsylvania; Jeff Gordon (b. August 4, 1971) - Vallejo, California.

CDC announces "Twitter" chat-discussion on "Ebola Virus" Monday August 4, 4 - 5 p.m.

Have questions about #Ebola? Join @CDCgov disease detectives for special #CDCchat TODAY 8/4 4-5PM ET. POSTING at WHITEHOUSE dot-gov main page (August 4, 2014).

August 5 - Tisha B'Av (Hebrew / Israeli holday) -- recalls 587 B.C.E. and 70 C.E.

August 5, 2014 Tisha B'Av (Judaism) Tisha B'Av is a fast day that solemnizes the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem, which occurred on the same day roughly 650 years apart. This day is often recognized as the day of mourning, not just for the loss of the temples, but for other tragic events in Jewish history.__________ http://www.csee.org/resources/religious-calendar/august.html

Samaritan's Purse (Boone, NC) -- web history - founding in 1970

History “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.” Bob Pierce wrote these now-famous words in his Bible after visiting suffering children on the Korean island of Kojedo. This impassioned prayer is what guided him as he founded and led the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse in 1970. His mission for this organization was “to meet emergency needs in crisis areas through existing evangelical mission agencies and national churches.”After World War II, Bob Pierce traveled throughout Asia as an evangelist and journalist with Youth For Christ. While on a university lecturing circuit in China, he stumbled across some courageous women who were living among lepers and orphans, sacrificing everything to share the love of Jesus Christ. Through their selfless love, God gave Pierce a vision for ministry. He dedicated himself to finding and supporting other such Christians who were caring for the poor and suffering in the distant corners of the world. In the summer of 1973, Bob Pierce met his eventual successor, an adventurous young student named Franklin Graham with a growing heart for world missions. Intrigued by his many stories from the field, Franklin began to spend more and more time with the seasoned Christian statesman. In 1975, he accompanied Bob on a life-changing tour of some of the world’s neediest mission fields. Franklin saw the poverty of pagan religions and the utter despair of the people they enslave. God had captured his heart for missions. Bob Pierce died of leukemia in 1978, and a little over a year later, Franklin Graham became the President and Chairman of the Board of Samaritan’s Purse. Through over 30 years of earthquakes, hurricanes, wars, and famine, Franklin has led the ministry in following the Biblical example of the Good Samaritan all across the globe. God has blessed the organization under Franklin’s leadership, and the ministry has seen explosive growth. “Go and do likewise,” Christ commanded after explaining the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. So we do. Samaritan’s Purse travels the world’s highways looking for victims along the way. We are quick to bandage the wounds we see, but like the Samaritan, we don’t stop there. In addition to meeting immediate, emergency needs, we help these victims recover and get back on their feet. No matter where we go or what we do, we offer more than help. We offer hope. To suffering people in a broken world, we share the news of the only One who can bring true peace—Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/history/

Ebola Patients (separate flights) airlifted from Liberia to Emory University Hospital Isolation Unit (Samaritan's Purse Charity, based in Boone, NC)

from Organization website (SamaritansPurse.org/) Samaritan’s Purse doctor Kent Brantly, who contracted the Ebola virus while treating patients in Liberia, is now back home in the United States. A medical evacuation plane equipped with a special containment unit arrived at Dobbins Air Force Base in Atlanta Friday August 1, 2014 at 11:20 a.m. ET. Dr. Brantly was then transported to Emory University Hospital. Emory has an isolation unit set up in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to treat patients who are exposed to certain serious infectious diseases. American Nancy Writebol, a missionary with SIM who also contracted Ebola in Liberia, is expected to arrive in Atlanta on Tuesday August 5, 2014. “We thank God that they are alive and now have access to the best care in the world,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “We are extremely thankful for the help we have received from the State Department, the CDC, the National Institute of Health, WHO and, of course, Emory Hospital.” The safety of our staff is a top priority and Samaritan’s Purse is currently working to evacuate all but the most essential personnel to their home countries. “The evacuation of our staff is underway and will be complete this weekend,” Graham said. The exact timeline and destinations are being kept confidential to respect their privacy. Samaritan’s Purse is taking precautions that exceed the standards recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. None of the evacuating staff are ill and the World Health Organization and CDC continue to reiterate that people are not contagious unless they begin showing symptoms. Following their evacuation, Samaritan’s Purse will work with staff to monitor their health. Please continue to pray for Kent and Nancy and all those who are affected by Ebola, and the tremendous group of doctors and nurses who are caring for them. Dr. Brantly turned down the offer of a dose of an experimental serum on Wednesday and asked that it be given to Writebol. “An experimental serum arrived in the country, but there was only enough for one person. Dr. Brantly asked that it be given to Nancy Writebol,” Graham said. “However, Dr. Brantly received a unit of blood from a 14-year-old boy who had survived Ebola because of Dr. Brantly’s care. The young boy and his family wanted to be able to help the doctor that saved his life.” http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-doctor-serving-in-liberia-west-africa-tests-positive-for-ebola/

G. Verdi anniversary (140 years ago) -- Requiem first conducted in 1874 for Milan performance

PBS Great Performances (Prime time Classical concerts) -- August 1, 2014, 9 p.m. Eastern Time Zone : What is a Requiem? A requiem is a Roman Catholic funeral mass and music created for the mass is also referred to as a requiem. Many composers have written requiems. Giuseppe Verdi began composing his in 1873 in tribute to the Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni. He used four soloists, a double choir and orchestra. Verdi conducted the first performance in Milan on May 22, 1874, the first anniversary of Manzoni’s death. Latin Terms Defined Catholic masses around the world were traditionally sung in Latin. Some terms that are recurring in the score: The work’s first movement, called Requiem and Kyrie, has the chorus sing: Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine – Grant them eternal rest, O Lord. Part II of the work, the Dies Irae (”The Day of Wrath”), is considered one of the “scarier” pieces of classical music due to the intensity of the bass drums, orchestra and chorus. In the last part of the Requiem, Líbera me, the chorus sings: Líbera me – Deliver me. About Conductor Gustavo Dudamel Dudamel (born 1981) planned to study the violin while growing up in Venzuela, but at the age of 12 his talent for conducting was recognized by the country’s publicly financed music education program, “El Sistema.” Dudamel made his U.S. conducting debut with the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl in September 2005 and two years later, the orchestra announced that the young conductor would succeed Esa-Pekka Salonen as its music director, beginning with its 2009-2010 season.

Lammas Day (Anglo-Saxon tradition)

August 1, 2014 Lammas (Christianity) In English-speaking countries, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop. In many parts of England, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is referred to regularly, it is called "the feast of first fruits". The blessing of new fruits was performed annually in both the Eastern and Western Churches on the first, or the sixth, of August. / / / http://www.csee.org/resources/religious-calendar/index.html

America's Ambassador for Religious Freedom (American Rabbi - Reform) - August 1, 2014

from Religion and Ethics Newsweekly (PBS.org): Obama Nominates Saperstein to Religious Freedom Post August 1, 2014 This week President Obama announced that he was tapping Rabbi David Saperstein to be the next U.S. ambassador for religious freedom. The 66-year-old Saperstein is an influential rabbi who has led the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism for four decades. He would be the first non-Christian to hold the position. / / / http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/headlines/rabbi-saperstein-named-u-s-ambassador-religious-freedom/