Hankwitz's new exit on I-94

Entering the 2008 season fully healthy for the first time in his collegiate career, safety Brendan Smith has lofty goals that he is approaching with a light-hearted attitude.

Smith has been walking around practice with a new look: the handlebar mustache.

"I feel I can bring some experience and I try to be more vocal and bring some energy," Smith said. "It's a serious game, but you have to be loose. The handlebar is definitely part of it. I don't think I look good with it but I want to have some fun."

But the junior has a serious side to his motivation as well.

"I want to lead the country in interceptions," Smith said. "I'll put pressure on the defensive backs to make plays because I'm going to try to."

Smith's return from a shoulder injury last year means this year's defense, though inexperienced in the linebacker corps, is looking to rebound from a year in which it gave up 31 points per game, including four games of more than 40 points.


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YM Blog-a-Thon: Learning about Money

Once in a blue moon my mother will throw out the term ‘money sucker.' It's her derogatory label of those people who are all about the benjamins, baby. I don't hear her rant about the money makers very often these days, but growing up she used to say it all the time. I remember these personalities in her life like zombies chasing dollar after vacuous dollar, bereft of virtue or worthwhile purpose. It instilled in me a distaste and discomfort with money and its zombifying properties, even as my mother's opinions about money began to change.

It's probably relevant that we were a lot poorer then. By the time I was in middle school she'd bought her first home, and the rants took a significant drop. We settled in a nice city with a good school, and I noticed my mother's attitude about money had changed from something negative to something positive.



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Author fears backlash of anger not seen since Depression

Obesity is at an all time high in America. For the African American woman, the rate is the highest, attributing to astronomical numbers in the cases of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer, and heart disease.

In America, 65% percent of Americans are overweight. While 30% are considered obese. The percentage of African American women said to be overweight is 70%. While 50% are considered obese.

The formula used to calculate overweight and obesity numbers is called the �body mass index�, or BMI. The BMI uses weight and height to calculate a number which determines if a person is overweight, obese, underweight, normal weight or morbidly obese. Adults who measure a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight. Adults who have a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese.


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Anita Bruzzese: Fury of the Depression returns

MANY OF US ONLY know about the Great Depression through news accounts, history books or stories passed down from our older relatives. While we may understand that there was real hardship during that time, it may be tough for us to imagine the depth of the anger that many also felt.

Unless, of course, you think of what is happening currently. Right now, the level of anger at the economic downturn in this country is mimicking what many Americans experienced more than 70 years ago when homes, businesses and jobs were lost, says a business professor.

And just like the violence and suicides that erupted during that time, we need to be prepared to see similar reactions in the workplace today, says Dave Logan, a professor at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.


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Can the Schoolyard Change Society?

When faced with growing ethnic divisions in society, children can play a significant role in mending the barriers. At least that's the attitude taken by one school in north-east Melbourne.

Joining in the annual Cultural Diversity Day last week, Reservoir East Primary School endeavoured to promote a more open and tolerant attitude towards different cultures, religions and world views.

The school provides education for some 150 students and is already very multicultural, being placed in an area with very many different nationalities where they interact with each other on a daily basis.

The organiser of the day, English and language teacher Panayiota Kai, said it's a great way for children to learn and appreciate each other regardless of differences. This helps them to form a solid basis for their future life in the community.


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Live each day as if it were your last!

"Too many women go around negative and discouraged, allowing their problems and circumstances to weigh them down. They live stressed out, dragging through each day, not really excited about life. What I have recognized over the years is that our problems are real, and at times, life is extremely difficult. After you get through this problem, after you overcome this challenge, there will always be another challenge to overcome. There will be something else to deal with. If you are waiting for all your problems to go away before you decide to get your smile back, you will miss the joy of living".

Additionally, there are also some women who have lost their passion for life and living. They have lost their enthusiasm. At one time, they were excited about their dreams. They got up every day with purpose and with passion.


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Gueco: Black Shadow Power

RRING......rring.........rring... sounded off my cell phone in the middle of the night. My how insistent was my best friend Sophiam in trying to contact me.

"Why are you calling me up?" I sleepily and grouchily asked.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Her voice shaking with fury, she replied, "I just blew my top this morning. My assistant Anna simply could not implement my simple instructions... I asked her to encode my article for the We Care magazine, which is printed at Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Imagine when I saw the printed copy, it was full of mistakes and spelling errors."

Shooting up like the heat of the summer sizzle, my temper blasted across the ceiling, I wanted to throw an ashtray at her and my voice quavered in violent tones...



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