Luke_Wilbur

You know this is what you always wanted to do with your G.I. Joe and his Mercury Capsule. http://www.mercuryjoe.com/

US President George W. Bush conceded that efforts to secure Iraq had failed and that he was sending over 20,000 extra troops in a strategic shift to quell sectarian killings and hasten the day when US troops begin coming home.

Where are you located and what is your phone number?

District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty unveiled his plan to provide the city’s children with hope and opportunity through an education reform initiative. The plan would ensure rational, streamlined education policy by making the mayor accountable and responsible for managing DC Public Schools. Implementation of the plan rests on DC Council approval.

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, joined by Acting Police Chief Cathy Lanier, laid out his Administration’s strategy for optimizing the city’s community policing effort. Fenty has long believed in the intrinsic link between strong community policing and crime reduction. “I have walked every neighborhood in this great city and there was one theme that I heard in every ward, every block, and every town hall. This theme was the need for increased community policing, the need for accessible law enforcement presence,” said Mayor Fenty. “The call for increased police visibility has been heard loud and clear. Today, we address this crucial need.” Specifically, the Administration’s strategy will achieve the following goals: Reduce crime and the fear of crime in the community Customized Community Policing Ensure that officers have the tools necessary to maximize efficiency and effectiveness Enhance investigations to better address DC’s neighborhood-based violent crime by moving to community-based homicide investigations Transform MPD’s citizen interactions to ensure responsiveness & foster community engagement Improve officer responsiveness Enhance outreach efforts to connect with all segments of the community Integrate homeland security and emergency preparedness practices into the MPD culture and the community without creating fear Partner with government agencies, the private sector, and the community to enhance awareness of emergency preparedness and terrorist activities Integrate homeland security and emergency preparedness into the responsibilities of all MPD employees Redefine professionalism within the Metropolitan Police Department The plan will consist of strategic perspectives and specific objectives to help move MPD towards improved professionalism and a higher quality of service. Foster innovation in routine MPD activities while enhancing fiscal accountability During the first 100 hours of the Fenty Administration, Chief Lanier has already begun implementing plans to improve policing strategies. For example, the First District patrol officers have been spending at least two hours per tour on foot patrol. In the Third District, Patrol Service Area (PSA) officers are “adopting a block” or a park or other neighborhood institution on their beats, serving as the primary public safety liaison for the area. The Sixth District is implementing “Back to the Beat,” where officers assigned to the evening and “power” shifts are being deployed on foot, bicycle and motorcycle patrols in 32 small, geographical beats.

Volunteers and projects are being sought for the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service, to be held on the January 15, 2007 King federal holiday. The opening rally will be held at Howard University’s School of Business Auditorium at 9a.m. on January 15, 2007. Participation in King Day of Service activities has grown steadily each year since Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act in 1994, calling on Americans to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of citizen action. Increasingly, the holiday is recognized as “a day ON, not a day OFF” for Americans volunteering in their communities. The holiday is a time to remember Dr. King’s commitment to making our nation better. Dr. King helped move our nation to a higher plateau when he led the civil rights movement. His legacy is found not only in civil rights, however, but also in civic responsibility and uniting people of all backgrounds to act on community concerns. Dr. King’s legacy of public service is growing. Last year, service projects operated in all 50 states on his birthday. Some 1,200 projects across the country were registered through the King Day of Service Web site. Volunteers built homes, delivered meals, helped refurbish schools, read to children and engaged in a number of other civic activities. Increasingly, these projects are having sustainable community impact throughout the year. David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, suggested that some people might use the day as a starting point for a yearlong resolution of service to their communities. All organizations or groups already planning to participate are encouraged to contact Serve DC. All registered projects will receive a free King Day of Service T-shirt. Anyone or group interested in volunteering in or hosting a January 15 King Day of Service project should call (202)727-7925. The Washington DC Martin Luther King Day of Service is organized by Serve DC and supported by Corporation for National and Community Service, Points of Light Foundation, DC Public Schools, Howard University, and the DC Jewish Community Center. For more information, contact Dy Brown at (202)727-7931 or (202)494-5553.

My wife woke me up from sleep this morning. "Luke, you need to see our backyard." I got dressed and instantly noticed the warm sun had awakened some of my Spring flowers. Blue bell clusters of Grape Hyacinths were in full bloom next to my Christmas Lights. That something you do not see in January. Well, the year 2006 may go down as the year where Americans finally took notice of global warming. But, this year may go down as the hotest in record. British climate scientists predict that a resurgent El Niño climate trend combined with higher levels of greenhouse gases could touch off a fresh round of ecological disasters. One of the Arctic’s six major ice shelves has broken off from its island home, Canadian scientists have discovered. In what is being suggested as another indicator of global warming, the 42 square mile Ayles ice shelf broke away Ellesmere Island in 2005, but the event has only recently been discovered. Ice shelves are large stable masses of ice floating on the sea but attached to land for thousands of years. The Northeast is already experiencing rising temperatures consistent with global warming, and dramatic warming is expected later this century. Just how high temperatures rise depends on our heat-trapping emissions. The thermometers below show projected increases in regional average annual temperatures for three time periods: early, mid-, and late twenty-first century. Temperature ranges for each emission scenario represent results from three different climate models. Scientists have predicted the polar region could completely melt in the summer months by 2040. Many scientists say the rising temperatures are the product of global warming that results at least in part from increased emissions of carbon dioxide (CO{+2}) and other "greenhouse gases" from vehicle tailpipes, power plants and other sources. ExxonMobil has adopted the tobacco industry's disinformation tactics to cloud the scientific understanding of climate change and delay action on the issue, the Union of Concerned Scientists claims in a new report published Wednesday. According to the report, ExxonMobil has funneled nearly $16 million between 1998 and 2005 to a network of 43 advocacy organizations that seek to confuse the public on global warming science. I think it is really time for us to make this a priority issue.

President Bush's Statement on Execution of Saddam Hussein

``Criminal Saddam was hanged to death,'' state-run Iraqiya television said in an announcement. The station played patriotic music and showed images of national monuments and other landmarks. Three Iraqi television channels have reported that Saddam Hussein has been executed, by hanging as requested, after a U.S. judge refused to stop the execution on late Friday. "Petitioner Hussein's application for immediate, temporary stay of execution is denied," U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has said. Saddam has been found guilty of killing more than 148 members of the Shiite population. Saddam was executed at a former military intelligence headquarters in Baghdad's Shiite neighborhood of Kazimiyah, al-Askari said. Hussein's defense lawyer, Badie Aref Aref said the U.S. soldiers guarding Saddam on Tuesday took away a radio he kept in his cell so he could not hear news reports about his death sentence, which was confirmed that day. Baha al-Araji, a member of the Iraqi parliament from the Muqtada al-Sadr bloc, stated that a judge, a cleric and a physician at the site. According to Iraqi law, these people have to be present at the execution. Officials said that Saddam put up no resistance on his way to the gallows, merely naming a person who was to receive his copy of the Koran. Al Hurra was one station that has indicated that the execution took place, just before 6:00AM local time, which would be consistent with the execution happening before the Muslim holy day Eid al-Adha scheduled to start at Saturday morning for Sunnis and Sunday for Shiites and lasts for four days. Hussein was a Sunni Muslim. Iraqi state television indicates the execution was taped and recorded. Saddam insisted during his trial that he was still the president of Iraq. He said in a letter written after his conviction that he offered himself as a "sacrifice". "If my soul goes down this path [of martyrdom] it will face God in serenity," he wrote in the letter. The Iraqiya station broadcasted national songs and had a tag on the screen that read: ``Saddam's execution marks the end of a dark period of Iraq's history.'' U.S. forces overseas are on high alert for possible retaliation attacks. Video of Saddam Husseins's corpse after the execution. Video of Saddam before his execution and story of his life

The Female Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Victoria Serda, has been invited to join Al Gore in Nashville in January to be trained as a Climate Change Messenger. http://www.soonews.ca/viewarticle.php?id=10038 Gore, who lost his 2000 White House bid to President Bush, recently stepped back into the spotlight, crisscrossing the country to promote his book and movie and fueling speculation of another run in 2008. Gore has said he has not completely ruled it out. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...215?hub=SciTech

Lockheed Martin’s neighbors aren't happy this holiday season. Event organizer Larry Callahan explains, "Lockheed Martin continues to manufacture weapons they know are defective and primarily harm civilians. While the world's largest weapons manufacturer enjoys record profits, local residents are calling for Lockheed Martin to stop making cluster bombs, compensate victims or leave Montgomery County. Montgomery county residents want Bethesda and Montgomery County to be known as a community of health, hope and peace, not home to the world’s leading merchant of death." Callahan adds, "Cluster munitions manufactured by Lockheed Martin contain several hundred explosive, grenade-like bomblets. A high number of the submunitions do not explode on impact and become de facto land mines threatening innocents for years to come. Most nations refrain from the production, use and sale of cluster munitions, but the U.S. leads the world in all three categories." He explains, "Lockheed Martin is one of the world's largest producers of cluster bombs. These weapons, initially developed and used by the Nazis, kill and maim thousands of civilians every year. Children are particularly vulnerable as many of the bomblets look like toys. Cluster bombs, or cluster munitions, produced by Lockheed Martin have been extensively used in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and most recently Lebanon. In Vietnam, nearly 40 years after their use, they are still killing and maiming civilians. Lockheed Martin’s cluster munitions were defective in Vietnam and were still defective in Lebanon." Callahan notes, "It is tragically ironic, that Israel, who has developed cluster munitions which are much safer for use in civilian areas, apparently decided to use Lockheed Martin’s defective products in Lebanon because they were provided at very little cost. The Governments of Norway, Sweden, the Vatican, the International Red Cross, the United Nations, and several hundred national and international organizations have called for the cessation of the manufacture and use of these horrendous weapons." Peace Action Montgomery asserts: "We, Lockheed Martin’s neighbors do not believe Lockheed Martin is working for us. Montgomery County residents have formed the Lockheed Martin Accountability Project that will hold Lockheed Martin executives and board members responsible for the products they produce. If Lockheed Martin will not change we do not want them as neighbors." Background: Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development and manufacture of the world's most lethal weaponry. The corporation reported 2005 sales of $37.2 billion and pretax profits of nearly $3 billion. Robert J. Stevens, Lockheed Martins’s CEO, received nearly $16 million in compensation in 2006.

This was sent to me by M. Beasley: One detail that is never mentioned is that in D.C. there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument. With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this amazing historical information. On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less. Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched top the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America. Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world. So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!" Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo. "Praise be to God!" From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant ...a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God! When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and f! ! irst President of our unique democracy "One Nation, Under God." I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on! "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Laus Deo! When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1) It is hoped you will send this to every child you know; to every sister, brother, father, mother or friend. They will not find it offensive, because you have given them a lesson in history that they probably never learned in school. With that, be not ashamed, or afraid, but have pity on those who will never see this because someone failed to send it on.

This was forwarded to me. It was written by Kris Hammond.

Hi Robert, Where is your band located? Thanks

What type of music do they play?

I understand Snyder is a successful businessman that is learning how to manage one the most popular teams in the NFL. He brought Joe Gibbs back. I think no fan would fault him for that. I know that he has tried to bring in top rated players to win. But, I think he has to realize managing a football team is not a simular business model. In my opinion, the first thing Dan Snyder has to realize that the fans only have a limited amount of disposable income. But, the fans are the ones who really market the team by talking about the Redskins with their family and friends. Corporations purchase seats to reward their employees and market their products and services. But their marketing value is much smaller. Mr. Snyder should realize this because he has stated numerous times that he was a Redskins fan as a kid. The second thing Dan Snyder has to realize is that he does not have a football player mentality. I am pretty sure that he never played football at Woodward High School or in college. So it is hard for him to understand the physical mentality of the game. This is very apparent by the Redskin players attitude during games. The Redskins have been called a Country Club team this year. They dabble in what uniforms to wear and constantly dance around the field to Fedex music when they are losing the game. This shows me that the team has no discipline or heart to win. The third thing Dan Snyder has to realize is that he does not the aptitude to scout prospective talent. Joe Gibbs has never proved that he can do this successfully. Vinny Cerrato does not have the skill set to evaluate players. What we need a general manager like Bobby Beathard. We need a drafting guru to build the Redskins with draft picks and free agency. In addition, we need a Manager that understands organizational structure, philosophy, systems and execution of football operations in the areas of college and pro player evaluation, athletic training and equipment, medical programs, information systems and salary cap management.

The Public Interest Declassification Board was established by Congress in 2000 "to promote the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant United States national security decisions." (FY 2001 Intelligence Authorization Act, Section 703). Six years later, it has still done no such thing. In its first practical test, members of Congress asked the Board to review the classification of two recent reports on pre-war Iraq intelligence to determine if more of the text could be disclosed. But the Board concluded that it could not proceed without White House approval, which was not forthcoming. This week, reported Rebecca Carr of Cox News, the Board asked Congress to modify its charter to make clear that White House approval is not required for this purpose. See "Anti-secrecy board unable to gain traction" by Rebecca Carr, Cox News Service, December 8: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/159482 http://intelligence.senate.gov/001012.htm

The apparent murder of former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko through polonium poisoning seemed like an outlandish innovation in crime. But it was not the first time that polonium had been deliberately administered to human subjects. In 1944 at the University of Rochester in New York, "tracer amounts of radioactive polonium-210 were injected into four hospitalized humans and ingested by a fifth," according to a 1995 retrospective account. Four men and one women who were already suffering from a variety of cancers reportedly volunteered for the dangerous experiment. One patient died from his cancer six days after the injection.

Thanks Nelson. It will be interesting to review results.

Ever wonder why Al Gore does not belong to the Green Party. It seems a perfect fit. Both are committed to extending the greening of waste management by encouraging the spread of such practices as reduce, return, reuse, and recycle. We strongly oppose the recent attempts to roll back the federal environmental protection laws that safeguard our air, water, and soil. Al Gore and the Green Party both believe energy management must be governed by the principle of conservation, efficiency, and clean renewables. Of highest importance is to use less, then to use wisely, and to have clean production of what is used. Both believe that we need ecologically sound forms of transportation that minimize pollution and maximize energy efficiency. Surfaces impermeable to rainwater, polluted storm run-off; paved over or polluted wetlands, the heat island effect, air pollution, and acid rain are all directly related to a transportation system run amuck. Both Al Gore and the Green Party have urged the U.S. Congress to act immediately to address the critical global warming and climate change issues. So why is Al Gore not heading the Green Party?

After several hours of tailgating at Fedex parking lot it was almost time for the game against the Eagles. As I walked toward the gates a season ticket holder was selling his seats for $10.00 each. I could not believe it. Then I went to sit down and the ticket holder next to me asked if I knew anyone that would be interested in purchasing his seats. I was quite amazed how a losing season can change the dynamics of the fan base. Most fans seem to be fed up with the high costs of going to a football game. On top of that. the Redskins have had a heart breaking season. All the Redskins draft picks have been traded away, so there seems to be no hope for next year.

Mainly on the basis of reports from Japan, drug manufacturer Roche and US regulators are warning that influenza patients treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) may have an increased risk of self-injury and delirium. "People with the flu, particularly children, may be at increased risk of self-injury and confusion shortly after taking Tamiflu and should be closely monitored for signs of unusual behavior," says a warning that Roche has added to its official product information, according to a company letter posted on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Web site. Oseltamivir, a neuraminidase inhibitor, is used both to prevent and to treat flu and is regarded as the best available drug for dealing with a potential pandemic strain of flu. The United States and many other countries are stockpiling it because of the pandemic threat. The warning follows an FDA review of 103 reports of neuropsychiatric adverse events associated with oseltamivir use between Aug 29, 2005, and Jul 6, 2006, of which 95 came from Japan. That compares with 126 such adverse events reported between 1999 and August 2005. About two thirds of the problems were in children and youth (younger than 17 years). A report by the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research says the adverse events included three fatal falls—one in a 14-year-old boy who apparently fell to his death from a condominium balcony and two in men. Most of the events (60 of 103) were described as delirium with disturbed behavior. Other problems included "suicidal events," panic attacks, delusions, convulsions, depressed consciousness, and loss of consciousness. The FDA and Roche both say the contribution of the drug to the adverse events is not known. The FDA report says influenza by itself can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders, but many of the problems reported, especially delirium and suicide attempts, were not typical of those associated with flu alone. Citing factors that seem to implicate oseltamivir in the events, the FDA said most of the problems occurred within a day after the start of treatment, and in many cases the physician suspected the drug was the cause. In addition, many of the patients recovered quickly after they stopped taking oseltamivir. "It is still unclear whether these neuropsychiatric events are drug-related only, disease manifestations alone, or a combination" of the two, the report states. The analysis notes that oseltamivir is used much more widely in Japan, with 24.5 million prescriptions from 2001 thorugh 2005, than in the United States, with 6.5 million prescriptions in the same period. In Japan the product information already includes a warning about possible psychoneurological problems. The FDA report expresses concern that if oseltamivir use in the United States increases to the levels seen in Japan, the number of adverse events will increase as well. "Therefore, it would be prudent to update the U.S. labeling to be similar in scope with the current Japanese labeling," it says. The Japanese origin of most of the adverse event reports might suggest that the problems are related to genetic characteristics common in Japan, the FDA analysis says. But given the much greater use of the drug in Japan and the possibility of different surveillance practices there, the lack of cases reported in the United States doesn't constitute good evidence for that hypothesis, it states. The FDA analysis was prepared for the agency's Pediatric Advisory Committee, which is scheduled to meet Nov 16. The latest developments come about a year after that committee concluded that 12 deaths in Japanese children who had been taking oseltamivir were not related to the drug. The FDA said then that the deaths seemed to be part of a wave of flu-related encephalitis and encephalopathy cases in Japanese children that began in the mid-1990s, before the drug was approved. But the committee asked the FDA to continue monitoring the situation and report again in a year. See also: FDA advice about potential neuropsychiatric side effects of Tamiflu http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2006/sa...m#chronological Roche letter about possible risks http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2006/Ta...dhcp_letter.pdf FDA staff analysis of adverse-event reports concerning Tamiflu Roche patient information on Tamiflu http://www.rocheusa.com/products/tamiflu/ppi.pdf

Iraq Study Group report released today states If Iraq continues to decline, its government could collapse and ignite a "humanitarian catastrophe" prompting neighboring countries to intervene and hand a propaganda victory to Al-Qaeda. The group says the main thrust of U.S. military involvement in Iraq should become training, with a five-fold increase from 4,000 to about 20,000 American military trainers in Iraq. And it says they should be for the first time assigned even to small units of 50-100 Iraqi soldiers. The report says the U.S. military should put its best troops in the training jobs and should reward them for such service. Commission member and former Defense Secretary William Perry. "We believe that the thing they needed at this stage, to be able to come up to the task they have is, effectively, on-the-job training," said William Perry. "And that on-the-job training can be best done when they have role models of American teams in front of them." Perry says he believes the increase in trainers can be made without increasing the overall number of U.S. troops in Iraq, currently about 140,000. Another commission member, former Senator Charles Robb, says the move to primarily a training role is a significant policy shift. "This represents a dramatic change in the way we have been doing business," said Charles Robb. "It represents a clear break from the past tradition of being the principal combat units to a role of combat support." The group also says the Iraqi military should be given better equipment, perhaps by having departing U.S. units leave their equipment behind. It calls for better U.S. civilian and military intelligence gathering and analysis on Iraq to improve U.S. understanding of the situation there, and how to improve it. And it says the president and the congress should ensure that the global U.S. military capability is restored and enhanced as the combat commitment in Iraq is reduced. But some of the Group's recommendations sound a lot like what senior U.S. military commanders have been saying for some time. The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, told congress a month ago that he is already moving more troops into training roles. What is interesting to note is the Group's idea for our government to start a dialogue both Iran and with Syria without preliminary conditions and no mention of the Iranian nuclear program which continues to advance. Click on the link below and download the report. iraq_study_group_report.pdf

I have attached John Bolon's resignation letter. In a Dec. 1 letter to President Bush, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton wrote that, "after careful consideration," he has decided to resign when his recess appointment expires in a few weeks. "I accept [the resignation]; I'm not happy about it," Bush said yesterday. The president installed Bolton at the United Nations. after his nomination ran into bipartisan opposition on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee over a series of complaints, including his efforts to manipulate intelligence, bully subordinates, and demean consensus-building efforts with a brusque and blustering style. Because he was a recess appointee, Bolton's term was set to expire at the end of the current congressional term. Bush resubmitted his nomination on Nov. 9, a few days after the midterm elections. bolton2006120.pdf

Our current leadership is "preparing to walk away from their most basic constitutional responsibility - passing a budget," to allow themselves to "run out early." After being dumped by the American people, the 109th Congress is now dumping its remaining responsibilities. They are sore losers.