We are about 68 and we are surrounded by thousands and this guy says he will not surrender. As an ex military officer. I admire his courage. This is what america is made of.

Adam is asking me if I want to stay for the bombardment. I can’t leave this brave officer. Unfortunately, I don’t know the out come of this situation. Adam had me agree to lose memory about the events I visit in the past.

That Adam does have a sense of humor.

AH

In their important new book, Half The Sky, Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn tell very human stories of this abuse, discrimination and neglect. They argue that more girls have been murdered in the last 50 years simply because of their gender than all the people slaughtered in all the genocides. It is a conclusion which shames the modern world because, like slavery, this oppression is officially-sanctioned.

So a great challenge faces humankind: to match the abolition of slavery with the global emancipation of girls and women. This is not just moral reparation — though it certainly is that — rather, a fundamental empowerment essential for creating fairer, stronger and safer societies across the continents.

And it is in the interests of boys and men to do everything in their power to unleash the potential of girls and women and to champion their rights, because without their contribution we are all the poorer. So we will not rest until boys and men are persuaded to join our cause and therefore change their lives and our world.

Girls and women emancipated — claiming and exercising power — have made an enormous difference to their communities and the world. Enfranchisement also means more pressure to deal with the big issues affecting us all — women, men and children alike — transforming lives on the way. Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai has drawn attention to climate change with her Green Belt Movement. Cory Aquino brought democracy to the Philippines, while Aung Sang Suu Kyi continues to stand as a beacon of hope for the people of Burma. Their examples inspire us all and show that we cannot afford to let a future leader fail to emerge because she was never given the chance.

So in Liberia a nationwide network is giving rural women a voice from local to national to international level. A government-private sector partnership is also giving adolescent girls in urban centres, who missed out on a formal education, skills for the job market so that they can support their children.

We are clear that women are key to meeting the enormous challenges facing the international community. Thirty years ago this December, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. And next year marks the 10th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325 acknowledging the effects of war on girls and women and enhancing their participation in conflict resolution. As these landmarks loom, it is imperative that we drive forward the emancipation agenda globally.

The UN has a leading role, yet its response has been too fragmented and has lacked coherence.
In 2006 a High Level Panel recommended a new, powerful agency that could empower women throughout the world.

Its creation has been delayed too long.

It must be urgently established with strong, high-level leadership to support national efforts and strengthen co-ordination of the UN’s collective resolve to improve the lives of girls and women.

As evidence of Britain’s commitment we will at least double the UK’s core funding for the UN’s work on women’s equality through this new body, once established. We will also work tirelessly over the next three weeks to help make the agency a reality by the end of this current session of the General Assembly.

One of the new agency’s key roles must be to address violence against women. We welcome the call by the Secretary-General for all member states to address the use of sexual violence in conflict situations.

Liberia is working closely with other African countries to establish the Angie Brooks Center, developing women’s leadership skills around peace and security and ensuring that concrete action is taken on UNSCR 1325.

And all UK-led programmes tackling security and justice, particularly in conflict and post-conflict situations, will include support to girls and women affected by violence.

And because we know that keeping a girl in school is the best way to keep her safe and her community prospering, the UK and Liberia will give strong support to a major campaign being launched in October. Centered around the FIFA World Cup, it will help bridge the funding gap which denies most poor children — and especially girls — a basic education.

The experience in health, as in education, is that when fees are charged, girls and women are disproportionately deprived of essential care. So at next month’s UN General Assembly there will be a major event to improve the health of women and children, including support for free access to quality services. This will build on the work of the Taskforce on Innovative Financing for Health Systems, of which we were both members.

Global economic and social progress lies in every country empowering their female populations, with full participation in economic and political decision-making essential.

It is impossible today to imagine that the slave trade could have been tolerated by the world for so long. So our duty is to deny future historians the opportunity to question how this generation allowed and participated in the abuse and suppression of girls and women.
————————————————————-
Helen

I know she reads it every day. You may not recognize my alias, but you will recognize the fact that I still don’t forgive you for fucking my uncle. He was happily married to my father’s sister until I introduced him to you.

Just so you know. That sister of yours turns 18 August 28th. I will be looking in on her. She always did have a fondness for me.

Turn about is fair play.

Leroy

Roger Herr, PT

If you wake up feeling achy, tired or sore, it could be a sign that you need a new mattress. But some mattresses are far better than others — especially if you have a chronic condition, such as arthritis or varicose veins.

TIME FOR A NEW MATTRESS?
About one-third of Americans sleep on mattresses that are at least eight years old. That’s not necessarily a problem — age alone is not always the best way to determine whether it’s time to replace a mattress. Some high-quality mattresses last 10 or more years.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
When shopping for a mattress, consider these features…
Density. For years, the standard recommendation has been an extra-firm mattress for people with back pain and/or arthritis, and a firm mattress for everyone else. But there’s no independent research to support this recommendation — most studies are conducted by mattress manufacturers — and this advice actually can be harmful for some people. For example, if you have fragile skin (a common problem among older adults), a firm mattress can cause painful pressure.
There is no perfect density for everyone — you must try out mattresses to see which is most comfortable for you and best supports the natural “S” curve of your back.
My advice: Go mattress shopping at night, when you are likely to be tired. That way, you’ll get a more realistic assessment than you would if you went first thing in the morning, when you are likely to feel refreshed. Wear loose clothing, such as a T-shirt and sweatpants, and lie on mattresses in your preferred sleeping position. If you have a bed partner, lie together on mattresses to see how they respond to your body weights. Be sure that the mattress seller offers you a trial period (14 to 30 days), so that you will have a chance to try out the product with an option to return or exchange it.
Height. Contrary to popular belief, a taller bed is usually safer than a shorter one. The standard height of most mattresses is 14 inches. Some additional height can be a significant help if you must get in and out of bed with chronically painful muscles or joints — or after an injury.
My advice: Your sleeping surface (including the bed frame, box spring — if any — and the mattress when you are sitting on it) should be 20 to 25 inches above the floor.
Material. There are a handful of materials that comprise virtually all the mattresses sold in the US.
Coil-spring mattresses are owned by the majority of Americans. The most flexible coil-spring (usually made of steel) mattresses have smaller coils — at least 680 coils per mattress is most comfortable for many people. For people who weigh more than 250 pounds, however, larger-coil mattresses (about 400 coils per mattress) typically last longer and provide better support. Examples: Sealy and Shifman (Bloomingdale’s house brand). Price range: $350 to $20,600.
Memory-foam mattresses, which use heat- and pressure-sensitive material that adjusts to the contours of your body, are the most popular foam mattresses. These mattresses provide support at all the pressure points of your body but may feel too hot for people who experience night sweats or for women who have hot flashes. Examples: Tempur-Pedic and Dormia. Price range: $400 to $7,500.
Latex (rubber-based) mattresses mold to the contours of the body. Examples: King Koil, Sealy and Stearns & Foster. Price range: $700 to $4,000.
Air beds contain inflatable chambers that provide support. These mattresses are adjustable, so each bed partner can select a desired level of firmness for his/her side of the bed. Air beds are a good choice if one bed partner is significantly heavier than the other. Examples: Select Comfort and Spring Air. Price range: $400 to $4,100.
THE BEST MATTRESS FOR YOU
Consider the following if you have a chronic medical condition…
Allergies. Natural latex mattresses (such as Vivètique) are designed to be hypoallergenic, antimicrobial and resistant to dust mites. To be labeled as “natural latex,” they must be composed of at least 50% natural rubber from rubber-tree sap.
Arthritis. If you suffer joint pain due to osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, flexible support — from a coil-spring or memory-foam mattress — helps prevent potentially painful pressure points.
Back pain. A coil-spring mattress with or without a pillow-top (an extra layer of padding on top) or a memory-foam mattress usually helps support the natural curve of your back. If you sleep on your back, also consider placing one or two pillows under your knees to relieve the pressure on your back.
Pulmonary complications. If you suffer from congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema — a firm-density mattress (such as coil spring) is best because it provides needed support to the back and torso, to facilitate breathing. Elevating the upper body by sleeping on extra pillows also helps prevent shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties.
Varicose veins. This condition, which usually occurs as a result of blood pooling in veins close to the surface of the skin, responds best to a medium-density mattress (such as latex). Whenever possible, prop pillows beneath your calves to elevate your legs at or above the level of your heart. This helps prevent blood from pooling in the lower legs.
THE RIGHT PILLOW
Your pillow should support your head in a way that lets your neck muscles relax. Consider your primary sleeping position…
Back sleepers usually prefer medium- to low-density pillows (typically labeled as “medium” and “soft”) because they provide the appropriate level of neck support.
Belly sleepers are usually more comfortable with low-density pillows — they allow you to easily turn your head to one side to breathe.
Side sleepers often prefer a medium- to full-density (“firm”) pillow, depending on the distance from the head to the mattress (a person with broader shoulders, for example, would require a more supportive, thicker pillow). A contour pillow (with a recess for the head and support for the neck) may be a good choice if you sleep on your back and/or side.

Bottom Line/Health interviewed Roger Herr, PT, a Seattle-based physical therapist, past president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Home Health section and member of the board of the Physical Therapy Association of Washington.