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About Steven Watts, Newt Labs Out of Cambridge, UK, comes a WordPress support and site care company keeping websites secure and effective for over seven years. Founder of Newt Labs, Steven Watts, leads a small team of like-minded individuals who make getting to know their client’s business goals priority. They use this knowledge to then fix, monitor, and maintain these sites, as well as host and develop them. When the Newt Labs website launched in 2010, it transitioned over the years from providing custom WordPress design and development to WordPress support and maintenance; the primary marketing tool for the company. Being able to monitor our client's websites around the clock has been one of the most valuable parts of working with Sucuri. Knowing that everything is safe and then being alerted when something is found has helped give us, and our clients, peace of mind when it comes to the security of their websites. Challenge Steven and team never have a dull moment - from dealing with a broken or hacked website, clients looking to get support, or clients trying to save time by outsourcing the tedious and technical tasks that inevitably come with the territory of owning a WordPress site. For Steven, he has chosen to host newtlabs.co.uk and some of his client’s sites on DigitalOcean cloud servers, currently ranging from 1GB-8GB droplets, which benefits from a LEMP stack using the latest technologies and best practices. Newt Labs also uses Cloudflare for an extra layer of performance and security which has naturally inclined their existing clients to follow suit. However, during the process of generating new business, Steven noticed some problems. Many new clients had come to us with infections. As soon as they arrive we work with them, keeping them calm and fixing their website problems fast, which negates a whole bunch of issues from brand reputation through to emotional upset. The Newt Labs team seemed to find that many new clients who had hacked sites were also with cheap shared hosting providers who would immediately shut the website down in order to stop the spread of infection. However, sometimes when doing this, it can alter files and ruin the website, resulting in lost functionality. When this occurs, not only does Newt Labs have to cleanup and restore the sites, but now they have to try and piece them back together too. Solution Sucuri is a well known, reputable company so I either would have searched for you or gone directly to your website. Knowing Sucuri's reputation allowed us to contact you without hesitation. We didn't have any reservations, being the leader in your field. With a growing business, it was imperative to keep existing clients happy and get new clients onboard as efficiently as possible. Before any major developing could take place, each site would need a reliable website security system to monitor and protect, with solutions that would give Steven and his clients peace of mind. Steven immediately contacted a Sucuri representative via live chat and then later in the evening spoke directly with Incident Response Team members who were able to further assess the situation and advise on the best possible fixes to their variety of problems. The monitoring solution continues to allow Steven to monitor all of his client's websites, while the firewall blocks attacks. Newt Labs is now backed by Sucuri’s incident response team 24/7 providing a confidence that they have extra pairs of hands should they need it. We spoke to a Sucuri support person before the purchase of the product and they gave some really good general advice about more ways we could harden our server security as well as advising on the right product level for our site, helping us choose Pro, we were considering Business.Within 3 minutes we received an email saying the scanner found and removed the malware. Results Sucuri’s monitoring services alert the team at Newt Labs of any potential security issues and threats. Equally, the Sucuri dashboard metrics are all handy in their own way to Steven and his team. These reports include: remote malware detection, blacklist status, uptime, DNS/SSL/WHOIS changes, server-side scanner findings, number of requests allowed/blocked, The dashboard and email reports provide them with the ability to see the specific issues right away and quickly request malware cleanup for each site. Above all, server-side scanning is Steven’s favorite service since it’s not a feature offered through other services used to maintain his website. It allows them to scan every file on their servers looking for backdoors, phishing and other security threats in addition to remote monitoring, giving Newt Labs complete information about the security state of their websites. Lastly, as a company with many client websites, Newt Labs has chosen Sucuri’s Agency Plan. Here is Steven’s take on the plan’s benefits: We've been able to scale up as needed. It's flexible, allowing us to change the number of monitoring and firewall slots to balance them out based on what our clients are asking for. I would recommend the agency plan to others in the WordPress support and maintenance space, especially for those who are currently using plugins, which use the client’s resources and don't always have the full effect of server-side and cloud technologies. An advantage with the agency plan that gives companies like mine a step ahead and peace of mind, is knowing you have protocols in place for detection, protection and response, which are key for when something goes wrong at the worst time. Having an expert team on the bench who can get you out of a sticky situation when you've exhausted all your resources can be vital to keeping your company in the game and delighting your clients in the process. After speaking with many businesses I often find that these processes are not thought of until it's too late so I certainly recommend being a bit more proactive and checking out Sucuri's agency plan. The agency plan is the optimal Sucuri solution for growing businesses. Newt Labs continues to contact Sucuri’s Incident Response Team for any problems or concerns big or small for its client’s website security needs.

Literature Review Women on boards and in TMTS and firm performance 79 Most frequently mentioned promotional measu res for women are mentoring programs These are often tandems i e one Junior Executive men tee and one Manager mentor work together in tandem during mentoring In order to ensure that dependencies do not impede an honest dialogue mentee and mentor should ideally belong to dif ferent departments or sectors within the company or should be recruited from different companies or industries business cross mentoring A cadre of multiple mentors is desirable De Janasz Sullivan Whiting 2003 These mentors advise on for mation of intelligent networks since in the same way that organizations seek partnerships in an ef fort to capitalize on collaborative strengths so can individuals at any level of an organization or any stage in their careers form facilitative mentor rela tionships De Janasz et al 2003 p 88 Women s networks second most frequently mentioned pro gram are thus a promising approach to advance women s careers However particularly vocational mentoring rather than personal mentoring seems to be associated with mentees career success and job satisfaction Ensher Thomas Murphy 2011 Orpen 1995 Specific leadership programs custo mized to the needs of young female managers are also occurring quite frequently Despite many firms stronger efforts to advance fe male careers and the various promotion programs already in place the compatibility of family life and career remains an essential prerequisite for fema le leadership Although measures to ensure flexi ble working conditions such as flexitime flexible working times or part time arrangements and the option of working from home office appear to be common practice programs tailored to the particu lar necessities of women in executive positions re main scarce One example of such programs is fa cilitation of tandem leadership provided by seven companies in my sample Figure 3 11 illustrates how many references were made to various corpo rate measures for reconciling career and family life Figure 3 11 Existing measures for employees for reconciling career and family life 80 70 60 50 40 3 7 13 15 21 22 62 74 76 30 20 10 0 Oth ers Lea de rsh ip in tan de ms Job sh ari ng An nu al Life tim e w ork ac cou nt In com pa ny ch ild car e f aci lity Re con cill ing w ork an d f am ily fo r m en Pa rt t im e e mp loy me nt mo de l Fle xib le wo rki ng ho urs Ho me Of fice Gender diversity on corporate boards and in TMTs in practice

Share this story The trickiest part of hunting for new elementary particles is sifting through the massive amounts of data to find telltale patterns, or "signatures," for those particles—or, ideally, weird patterns that don't fit any known particle, an indication of new physics beyond the so-called Standard Model. MIT physicists have developed an analytical method to essentially automate these kinds of searches. The method is based on how similar pairs of collision events are to one another and how hundreds of thousands of such events are related to each other. The result is an intricate geometric map, dubbed a "collision network," that is akin to mapping complex social networks. The MIT team described its novel approach in a new paper in Physical Review Letters: "Maps of social networks are based on the degree of connectivity between people, and for example, how many neighbors you need before you get from one friend to another," co-author Jesse Thaler said. "It's the same idea here." The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) produces billions of proton [corrected] collisions per minute. Physicists identify exactly which particles are produced in high-energy collisions by the electronic signatures the particles leave behind, known as nuclear decay patterns. Quarks, for instance, only exist for fractions of a second before they decay into other secondary particles. Since each quark has many different ways of decaying, there are several possible signatures, and each must be carefully examined to determine which particles were present at the time of the collision. Detectors like the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) collaboration filter out signals using so-called "triggers"—set off when an event indicates a specific particle of interest, or a potentially new particle, out of the tens of thousands of signals created every millionth of a second inside the accelerator. “Maps of social networks are based on the degree of connectivity between people. It’s the same idea here.” Here's an example: if a proton-antiproton collision produces a top quark and an antitop particle, these will instantly decay into two weak force (W) bosons and two bottom quarks. One of the "offspring" bosons turns into a muon and a neutrino, while the other decays into up and down quarks. The two bottom quarks decay into two jets of particles, as do the up and down quarks. So the signature of the collision is a muon, a neutrino, and four jets. "Jets" appear because quarks can't exist in isolation; they must be bound inside hadrons. Whenever a quark is produced in a collision, it goes flying out of its host hadron, surrounded by a spray of hadrons, all traveling pretty much in the same direction. Studying the jet spray enables physicists to determine what kind of quark produced it. Back in 2017, Thaler and his colleagues applied some of their novel analytical methods to a huge dataset from the CMS detector. The dataset consisted of some 29 terabytes of data involving about 300 million proton collisions within the LHC and had been released onto the CERN Open Data Portal. The idea was to demonstrate the usefulness of such methods to make sense out of that mountain of information. This latest work builds on that. It is especially well-suited for hunting for new physics that falls outside existing theories—in other words, cases where physicists wouldn't know ahead of time what signatures they're looking for. Enlarge/ Signature of a possible top-quark-pair candidate. Tracks shown are from the decays of two top quarks produced in a collision. Fermilab The basic idea is to compare many different events to each other, rather than analyzing each one individually. The spray of particles produced in a collision is modeled as a point cloud, like those used in computer vision for representing objects. This lets physicists clearly identify typical behaviors and more easily pick out outliers lurking at the fringes of the collision network. "What we're trying to do is to be agnostic about what we think is new physics or not," said co-author Eric Metodiev. "We want to let the data speak for itself." Key to this novel analytical method is an algorithm that calculates how much energy (or "work" in physics parlance) is required for one cloud in a pair to transform into another. This concept is dubbed the "earth mover's distance," or EMD. A pair of point clouds would be deemed farther apart if it takes a lot of energy to rearrange one into the other. "You can imagine deposits of energy as being dirt, and you're the earth mover who has to move that dirt from one place to another," said Prof. Thaler. "The amount of sweat that you expend getting from one configuration to another is the notion of distance that we're calculating." Using public data from the LHC, the MIT team constructed a social network of 100,000 pairs of collision events, assigning a number to each pair based on the "distance," or similarity, between them. Thaler would like to further test the team's technique on known historical data, such as rediscovering the top quark (first observed in 1995). "If we could rediscover the top quark in this archival data, with this technique that doesn't need to know what new physics it is looking for, it would be very exciting and could give us confidence in applying this to current datasets, to find more exotic objects," said Thaler. "It will be interesting to see where the ideas and techniques presented in this short and thought-provoking paper will bring us," wrote Michael Schmitt at APS Physics (Prof. Schmitt was not involved in the new paper). "The new EMD-based metric may well lead to better event classification techniques that enable experimenters to discover new physics beyond the Standard Model." FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. And there was me thinking they'd found a U-238 nucleus with a Facebook Like button on it. It would have been better to have written that the same kind of techniques used in data mining social networks are being applied to particle physics. Which is unsurprising.Physics was relatively slow to adopt the statistical methods already in use for sociology and genetics because physicists liked to think that theirs was an "exact" science and didn't suffer from statistical variation. An example is Eddington's "proof" of Einstein - later analysis showed that the photographs did not reliably support his argument. In the early days of quantum mechanics there was still a rearguard reaction against the statistical nature of quantum phenomena even though things like gas pressure are artefacts of processes that respond to statistical analysis.Nowadays when result significance is measured in standard deviations we're past that, but there still seems (as with the parent post) an unwillingness to accept that the same techniques can apply both to particles and people. Whether they should be allowed to be applied to people for any reason other than disease prevention and treatment is, of course, another matter. FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. I was super disappointed that it was just a bad metaphor. I thought there may have been an actual use for social media networks. FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. I was super disappointed that it was just a bad metaphor. I thought there may have been an actual use for social media networks. I figured it had something to do with distributed computing. Or at the very least, some bad particle physics jokes. "Two quarks walk into a bar..." FML I've been reading too much about Donald Trump lately and read "collusion networks". I have nothing to add to the story other than it seems like a good idea for finding out unknowns with no hypothesis. FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. And there was me thinking they'd found a U-238 nucleus with a Facebook Like button on it. It would have been better to have written that the same kind of techniques used in data mining social networks are being applied to particle physics. Which is unsurprising.Physics was relatively slow to adopt the statistical methods already in use for sociology and genetics because physicists liked to think that theirs was an "exact" science and didn't suffer from statistical variation. An example is Eddington's "proof" of Einstein - later analysis showed that the photographs did not reliably support his argument. In the early days of quantum mechanics there was still a rearguard reaction against the statistical nature of quantum phenomena even though things like gas pressure are artefacts of processes that respond to statistical analysis.Nowadays when result significance is measured in standard deviations we're past that, but there still seems (as with the parent post) an unwillingness to accept that the same techniques can apply both to particles and people. Whether they should be allowed to be applied to people for any reason other than disease prevention and treatment is, of course, another matter. Apparently the statistical concept behind Earth Mover's Distance originated in transportation theory in 1781, not in any kind of social network research, and more recently revived(?) for image matching, long before social networks. Sounds like social networks are just a recent application of the idea, but it may well be the physicists learned of it through social network application of the idea, so at least there might be that tenuous connection to hang that on. The article wrongly describes the LHC as colliding protons and antiprotons. Nope, they only collide protons. At the energies LHC uses, the extra boost from annihilating protons and antiprotons is a drop in a bucket. They need high luminosity, and it's a lot easier to get a lot of protons than a mix of protons and antiprotons. I know I can Google it (and did), but I would have preferred a brief explanation of what "rediscovering the top quark" is and the implication of that. Also, I like Jennifer's writing quite a bit; it just seemed like this particular subject would've maybe been more up Chris Lee's alley. Edit: accidentally a word I took it as applying this new technique to a data set that we know at the time showed proof of a theorized-yet-unconfirmed with the goal of it identifying the collisions that in fact showed the proof. They're not rediscovering anything in reality, they're just testing their technique. If they were successful in picking out the top quark collisions from that dataset it would help prove value in studying collisions their technique spits out in completely new datasets. In my field of work where it's highly valuable to create cluster/groups (recursively) across n dimensions (imagine something to do with financial forensics - so we are looking for people related to bank accounts related to addresses themselves related to other people related to specific window of time etc.) Graph Theory and related tools are a godsend; classical analysis to relational DB are very slow and very cumbersome to do this work but packages in R make this a breeze. Anyway any article focusing on social network analysis has to mention Graph Theory as it is the most relevant field and I can easily imagine how these kind of tools can cluster and help identify particles in a process not too dissimilar to my usage described above. FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. And there was me thinking they'd found a U-238 nucleus with a Facebook Like button on it. It would have been better to have written that the same kind of techniques used in data mining social networks are being applied to particle physics. Which is unsurprising.Physics was relatively slow to adopt the statistical methods already in use for sociology and genetics because physicists liked to think that theirs was an "exact" science and didn't suffer from statistical variation. An example is Eddington's "proof" of Einstein - later analysis showed that the photographs did not reliably support his argument. In the early days of quantum mechanics there was still a rearguard reaction against the statistical nature of quantum phenomena even though things like gas pressure are artefacts of processes that respond to statistical analysis.Nowadays when result significance is measured in standard deviations we're past that, but there still seems (as with the parent post) an unwillingness to accept that the same techniques can apply both to particles and people. Whether they should be allowed to be applied to people for any reason other than disease prevention and treatment is, of course, another matter. Apparently the statistical concept behind Earth Mover's Distance originated in transportation theory in 1781, not in any kind of social network research, and more recently revived(?) for image matching, long before social networks. Sounds like social networks are just a recent application of the idea, but it may well be the physicists learned of it through social network application of the idea, so at least there might be that tenuous connection to hang that on. The problem was expressed in the 1780s, but not as a statistical one (except in the weak sense of statistics as the numbers collected and analysed in order to facilitate the work of government.)I very carefully did not suggest that physicists had learned from social media, just that the same techniques might be in play, and that the article could have said that without being objectionable. FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. I occasionally write for a popular science website (different physical science than what is covered here). These are the sort of titles you scribble up while thinking of your lead and then go back to and promptly change. Or, if it gets past the self assessment, it gets shot down in editorial discussions (hopefully) because it is misleading, only designed for clicks and has nothing to do with the science at hand. What I don't get is that Jennifer wrote for Quanta and it is that similar style of writing that has always interested me with Ars articles and that Chris does pretty well. I really don't think the Ars audience needs things simplified so much as this title does and if it is trying to grab a different readership, is that the readership that Ars wants? The article wrongly describes the LHC as colliding protons and antiprotons. Nope, they only collide protons. At the energies LHC uses, the extra boost from annihilating protons and antiprotons is a drop in a bucket. They need high luminosity, and it's a lot easier to get a lot of protons than a mix of protons and antiprotons. Yeah, did a double take there also, good catch, maybe the author of the article should have run this one past "Hubby" (AKA Sean Carroll). This whole issue of trying to find truly unknown new particles at LHC is a bit of a "chicken and egg" thing. It is extremely useful to have some general theoretical ideas of what you are looking for so you do not throw something interesting out in the first data processing cut that has to happen very soon, as the LHC (and collaborators) do not hold onto all of the "raw signal data". sometime, these science people will find out why things/energies even exist.... It is all very simple, there is only one fundamental entity "thing" and it is energy, kinda like Einstein's "secrets of the old ONE", at least that is what I have read somewhere. But why energy even exist I leave to the philosophers. / just kidding FFS please change this garbage title. The paper has nothing to do with social networks and they've been mentioned once as helping example to dumb it down for the blog post. So implying that they said something like "MIT physicists: Social networks could hold the key to finding new particles" is just bad journalism. That's not on the level that anyone here expects from Ars. As for the paper itself - really interesting use of ML in particle physics. Edit: Apologies for ranting, but I honestly think it's well deserved here. I was super disappointed that it was just a bad metaphor. I thought there may have been an actual use for social media networks. I figured it had something to do with distributed computing. Or at the very least, some bad particle physics jokes. "Two quarks walk into a bar..." "If you want to hadronize here, bring your own quark, dammit. Otherwise I really have to see one of you leaving, and I mean that literally. We don't meson with deliverables here." I think some of the people criticizing the "social networks" analogy are thinking of "social media networks". A "social network" doesn't necessarily refer to social media, it just refers to mapping out the connections between people. Social media allows those networks to be put together fairly easily on a large scale, but you can still have "social networks" based on entirely real-world connections between people, and analyze them using graph theory concepts. The article wrongly describes the LHC as colliding protons and antiprotons. Nope, they only collide protons. At the energies LHC uses, the extra boost from annihilating protons and antiprotons is a drop in a bucket. They need high luminosity, and it's a lot easier to get a lot of protons than a mix of protons and antiprotons. This whole issue of trying to find truly unknown new particles at LHC is a bit of a "chicken and egg" thing. It is extremely useful to have some general theoretical ideas of what you are looking for so you do not throw something interesting out in the first data processing cut that has to happen very soon, as the LHC (and collaborators) do not hold onto all of the "raw signal data". This is a very good point. Tons of data is thrown away already in the detector as we simply can't handle the stream of data being produced. If those filters are "wrong" then later analysis will not really repair the damage done. Still it can be useful as analytical tool and you never know, there might be some hints on the edges that can be found this way and lead to changing the filter parameters in the detectors. I think some of the people criticizing the "social networks" analogy are thinking of "social media networks". A "social network" doesn't necessarily refer to social media, it just refers to mapping out the connections between people. Social media allows those networks to be put together fairly easily on a large scale, but you can still have "social networks" based on entirely real-world connections between people, and analyze them using graph theory concepts. No I think we're arguing over 20th century computer science methods being boiled down to 21st century social media. If you want to explain Graph theory using social networks is one thing... and quite honestly social networks aren't so well defined that you can pull it up as a safe example. Twitter is a directed graph, Facebook is an undirected graph. Are energy states acyclic? Thaler would like to further test the team's technique on known historical data, such as rediscovering the top quark (first observed in 1995). I'd have thought that the people in charge at CERN would want to test this and forward the necessary data? The Top quark was discovered at Fermilab. I think they mean that data. Thanks, My bad... Wrong place my my thought still stands that people would surely want to test it and therefore be willing to forward the data? I'd think they'd be willing. The issue would be that 20+ years on, it may take some effort to track down the raw data. Then someone has to figure out how to read it off of whatever media it's on, and get it onto their network. Then they have to figure out the data format, to understand what they have. Maybe it's already easily accessible, but it's not a given.

McLaren Teases a New Supercar McLaren Automotive is currently in the process of teasing a new supercar. The tagline for this tease campaign is: “The edge is calling.” But…what in the world is it going to be? Well, it’s too early to tell what the car will exactly be, but in a video that teases the car, we get a glimpse of the car’s taillight. From this shot alone we can tell that it will more than likely be a 570S variant. Even though the shot is sort, there are a number of things I noticed. First of all, the tailpipe is missing. In a standard 570S, the tailpipe sits on the outer edge of the rear, right above the rear diffuser. I expect to see the exhaust centrally located like the 675LT or . Also, there’s a new air vent that’s been added right behind the rear wheel. This points to more aero components that will be found across the body of the car. We’re more than likely looking at a more aggressive and “super” take on the 570S. I’d compare it to the Huracan upgrading to the Huracan Performante. To finish off the tease, McLaren has this to say: “Brace yourself for that moment. When it’s just you. The car. Raw and uncompromised. Calling you. Total focus. Pure adrenaline. This is the moment to push yourself. To the very edge.” What if it’s called the 570S Edge? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!

New Spyker sports car site Spyker, the Dutch manufacturer of little known but premium sports cars, just launched their new site which I really like. Art director Daniel Sytsma created the new visual identity for Spyker Cars and thispagecannotbefound.com created the site. The site uses visually heavy design that celebrate the unique design details of their cars combined with long tails pages that have been smartly designed with both interactive and static modules. But the thing I appreciate the most are the small details like the subtle animation used on the typography, the interactions attached to the scroll of the page and the ways the pages are structured to balance the need for visuals and content to sell the brand and the cars. See the site and see what you think here. Back in September I wrote about the teaser video from MySpace.com of their forthcoming major site re-design that was going to try... Stephen GatesDecember 19, 2012 Creative Director, Designer, Brand Builder, Speaker, Podcaster, Crazy One. As a designer, I have 20+ years experience creating the strategy, concepts, and designs for award-winning integrated global advertising campaigns, building multiple global Fortune 500 brands and creating innovative digital experiences. As a leader, I have 15+ years transforming agency and client-side teams using a mix of creativity, business strategy, process and political skill to create innovative, world-class work and cultures that change industries and companies. My clients have included American Airlines, W Hotels, Disney, Citi, ExxonMobil, Acura, Old Navy, Nationwide Insurance, Verizon, Subaru and many others. My work has received over 150 international awards, my app designs have been named as one of the World’s 100 Greatest Apps, Apple has featured my work in 9 keynotes, 4 TV commercials and more.

FACULTY Santa Ana College has an excellent faculty of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, with many years of experience in the practice of pharmacy and the field of education. In Spring 2007, the Pharmacy Technology program was awarded the annual Santa Ana College Occupational Educational Excellence Award John Ross, CPhT Department Chair Program Director Professor John has many years of exceptional experience working as a pharmacy technician at UCI and St. Joseph. He also worked as an Executive Representative for a pharmaceutical company. Mr. Ross brings a depth of experience, energy, and creativity to the program. Dr. Dombroske is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy. She is also a graduate of the SAC Pharmacy Technology program. Dr. Dombroske also completed a post-graduate ASHP Accredited Residency in Hospital Pharmacy Administration and has 40+ years of experience working for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Vons, St. Joseph Hospital/ CHOC, Shriner's Hospital for Children and UCIMC. Office: H-211Phone: 714 564- 6650Email: [email protected] Adjunct Faculty Adjunct faculty teach classes on a part-time basis, with assignments that may vary by semester.​ ​ Dr. Justin Phi is a former student of the SAC Pharmacy Technology program from 1997 to 2000. Accepted by UMKC, UC San Diego, Western, and USC Schools of Pharmacy, he elected to attend USC and is a recent PharmD graduate. Prior to this, he graduated from UC Irvine with a BS in Biology and worked for the County of Orange. Besides his post at SAC, Dr. Phi is employed in community pharmacy practice. Dr. Phi enjoys travel, tennis, surfing, and zoological research. Dr. Hieu Nguyen is a former student of Santa Ana College's Pharmacy Technology program. Dr. Nguyen is a PharmD graduate of Purdue University's School of Pharmacy. In addition to teaching, Dr. Nguyen works in both retail and long-term care pharmacy services.​ Staff​ The Pharmacy Technology Department staff includes instructional assistants who provide support for faculty and students, particularly in the Pharmacy Operations, Inpatient Pharmacy Services, Sterile Products lab courses, and in Skills Lab. ​ Anisa Latthitham, CPhT​ ​ ​ ​K.C. Huynh-Dang, PharmD Department Chair, Pharmacy Technology (2006-2017) May 25, 1972 – April 30, 2017 Dr. KC Huynh-Dang, PharmD, came to Santa Ana College in January 2006 and from day one, she cared deeply about her work and most importantly, the students in this accredited program. She was on the move, continually building the Pharmacy Technology program, working with the industry, outside agencies and Pharmacy professionals to ensure that her students acquired "real world" experience necessary to secure their career once completing the program. She tirelessly worked on acquiring grants to update the program's curriculum and acquire the most up-to-date lab equipment for the college's stellar program. When she had to give up her position to go on medical leave, she was working on securing a clean room for the Pharmacy lab classroom. That dream is moving forward now. When KC passed away in April 2017, we were all heartbroken and at a loss. KC's family has created a memorial scholarship in her honor. This affirms KC's commitment to student success through this amazing endowed memorial scholarship. KC's family wants to continue in KC's footsteps by inspiring Pharmacy Technology students in their career. Seeing the faces of those students who will be recipients of the Dr. KC Huynh-Dang Memorial Scholarship and hearing about their dreams will keep KC's memory alive and well, as it should always be.

Standards Australia has been working with the broad automotive sector, rehabilitation engineers, therapists, disability advocacy groups and vehicle modification experts to improve the standard for motor vehicle controls for people with disabilities, and has just released AS 3954:2019, Motor vehicle driver controls – Adaptive systems for people with disabilities. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that over 4 million Australians are living with disability[1] which may affect their mobility or access to public and private transport. The design or modification of products (including vehicles) can make it possible for people with disabilities to go about their daily life and have the same freedom other Australians experience. The revised standard sets a benchmark for motor vehicle controls for people with disabilities. The standard emphasises performance requirements for vehicle controls rather than design constraints. This allows for tailored solutions for particular driver’s needs that meet minimum safety requirements. Design constraints within the Standard are restricted to aspects concerning safety and conformance with Australian Design Rules for vehicles. “We’re incredibly proud to work with the community that supports thousands of Australians living with disability,” said Mr Adrian O’Connell, Acting CEO of Standards Australia. “This standard is intended to enable more people with disability to drive safely, giving them access to greater mobility and more freedom in their everyday life – an incredible achievement we are proud to have helped deliver”. This standard helps to ensure consistency and rigour to how motor vehicle controls are fitted to vehicles. “It will prove helpful for drivers, funders and insurers, those who design and install adaptive systems and transport authorities. It provides performance based criteria to establish what a safe and quality product looks like. As programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme focus on individualised solutions that achieve better outcomes for consumers, this guidance will be particularly important,” says Kristen Morris, Senior Rehabilitation Engineer and Chairperson of the Standard Committee. “With only one other global standard in place, this Standard shines a spotlight on how Australia is leading the charge for people with disabilities,” concluded Ms Morris.

Hi all! As you can see, things look a bit different here-- and slightly emptier. As happens all too often with beta work, something went a little weird and we had to start again in order to fix it. We did back up as much of the posts as we could (the actual content, that is), and will be posting a bunch of them soon. However, I'm afraid that there's no way for us to resubscribe you all; we can reset passwords, but we can't see what the existing ones are, or anything like that. So you'll need to sign up again, I'm afraid, but it'll only take a minute. As soon as we see you there, we'll get you reassigned to your groups. Thanks! And a question: What do you think of the new look? There's still work to be done, but what do you think of the basic layout? I really like it; Mike thinks perhaps having a column on each side is making the forums a bit too small to be practical. Thoughts? Feedback?

MODERN SALON Hair fashion magazine - aesthetic beauty magazine MODERN SALON - Hair Fashion Magazine MODERN SALON - Review hairstyles fashion hair hairdressers March 2007 MODERN SALON is a magazine specializing in American Hair Fashion and aesthetics with many fashion images, photographs of the best hairstylists of hairstyles and cuts on many new trend of the best hairdressers.

The U.S. has seen long-term dollar depreciation, and it is not alone. Currencies from Europe, Canada and Japan suffer the same kind of instability. This has been the case since 1971, when the gold standard was dropped in favor of a fiat currency system. 1971 marks the beginning of dollar depreciation The Bretton Woods Agreement, which took place in 1948 and. The charge is a tracer of the potential earnings to a bet. There are many kinds of costs: • European Fee: A fee as integer or decimal (eg one.5 or three). • English Charge: A charge as a fraction (eg one/2 or 2/one). • American Fee: A fee that could be expressed as positive or unfavorable quantity (eg -200 or 200). was a reaction to World War II, had brought about a fixed rate for gold of $35 an ounce. This rate had made it common for investors in gold bullion, coins and bars to frequently trade dollars for gold. Nixon was acting out of fear for the stability of the U.S. economy when he declared the move to the fiat currency system. Ironically, many now believe that the current dollar devaluation and economic instability are direct results of this choice. The gold/dollar relationship: one goes up while the other goes down Dollar devaluation following the 1971 move to fiat currency had drastic effects on the trading price of gold. While it started at $35 per ounce, it was up to over $800 an ounce in 1980. Interestingly, inflation ran rampant during these years, causing the dollar to be worth less and less on international trading markets. This gold/dollar relationship trend repeated itself from the early 1980s until 2002, when the U.S. dollar grew in value, and gold prices inversely went down. During these years gold traded at between $250 and $550. Then, in 2002, the boom and bust economy struck again. Recent gold trading prices have been hovering around $1600 - $1800 per ounce. Gold bullion's value looks to keep going up The U.S. economy is anything but constant. The one aspect that can be counted on, however, is the inverse gold/dollar relationship. The state of the economy is a great debate, and the one factor that cannot be disputed is that debt, both home and abroad, continues to mount. Since most countries, the U.S. included, generally answer this sort of situation by raising debt ceilings and increasing the amount of currency in circulation, the only real guarantee is that dollar devaluation will continue. As history has shown, the dollar depreciation inherent to the fiat currency system will cause the value of gold to continue to rise in the coming years. Even if the economy does eventually reach a relative level of stability, gold prices are not likely to see a drastic fall again. Not only does the tangible nature of gold bullion, coins and other real-world items make it a better bet than most, the current economic climate dictates that precious metals will continue to be the most stable investment available. Everyone has some recollection of the middle school and high school years. All of the changes in your body, as well as in your mental state begin to change dramatically. For several, this isn't a pleasant experience and can lead to problems such as stress, and even more severe problems of depression. Making sure that youth stay active and are able to maintain the changes that their body is ver futbol en vivo making may help them to have a more pleasant experience during these years. If you are looking for ways to help your youth relieve some of the extra stress that they are gaining, you don't need to look any further than youth sports and activities. If you see that your youth is stressed over the changes that they are going through, including things such as school work, social life, etc. then encouraging them to join a sport will help to relieve this problem. One of the main ways that this happens is by the production of endorphins into the system. Endorphins are proteins that are located in the brain and sent out to the body. They are especially activated if the body is telling the brain that it is in a. A good approach for betting on tennis matches is to bet on that line will exceed anticipated video games for betting household video games in which gamers are faced with excellent serve and to be played on challenging courts. Normally this kind of on-line gambling video games usually have 2 alternatives, or who dispute more than the quantity stipulated by the household or less, and odds are offered close to 2.00, so that it could virtually double the income risked if forecast effectively. When faced with two excellent serve in tennis hard courts, it is most likely that there are couple of service breaks and sets are played in the tie-breaks, so that this strategy will bet that exceed the line proposed by the Residence video games gives great advantages in the medium to extended phrase.painful situation. The endorphins will react by relieving the pain. If your youth is exercising for at least twenty minutes a day, the endorphins will continue to be sent from their brain, allowing them to stay relaxed and stress free. If you want to make sure that your youth enjoys their time of being young, then you can help them out by suggesting a physical activity like a sport. This will help them to relieve their stress, stay calm, and balance out some of the chemicals that are moving throughout their brain and body. By using a physical activity, you can be certain to give the youth an alternative to stress. For tips on aggressive puppy, best puppy food and other information, visit the Interesting Animals website. Sports can cut across barriers that divide societies, making them a powerful communication tool to support conflict prevention and peace-building efforts. When applied effectively, sports programs promote social integration and foster tolerance, help reduce tension and generate dialogue. Besides the understanding of sports and participation in appropriate forms of physical activities, sports are easily accessible for all groups in society regardless of gender, age, ability, religion, nationality or ethnic background. Many of the core values inherent in sports are compatible with the principles necessary for development and peace, such as fair play, cooperation, sharing and respect. The life skills learned through sports help empower individuals and enhance psychosocial well-being such as increased resilience, self-esteem and connection with others. These features of sports are beneficial to people of all ages but they are especially vital to the health development of young people who will inherent positions of power and responsibility in organizations. More than stimulating economic growth, effectively designed sports programs strengthen basic human capabilities, create connections between individuals and teach core values and life skills. They are valuable tools to initiate social development and improve social cohesion, especially when implemented among youths. When social and personal skills are combined, sports can be an effective medium to intervene in a person's ability to decide whether to abuse or not to abuse drugs. This is especially true when elements of sports are combined with mechanisms and structures providing drug-related information and life-skills training. Largely, factors that contribute casas de apuestas to youths turning to crime include the absence of positive role. The sports activities betting strategies are scenarios utilised by gamblers, which is a mixture of psychological, motivational, biological, and so on. previous performances. An illustration of a method employing situational and biological factors is to bet on the decrease divisions and take into account the distance in kilometers in between two teams enjoying, thinking of prolonged journeys have a tendency to be harmful to these lower division teams. Other strategies look for efficient use of obtainable statistics, in buy to increase revenue. The value technique compares probabilities (percentages) of the benefits with the current odds a bookmaker. Decimal probability can be simply converted into percentage by dividing one particular by the probability (for instance, one / 1.five = .666 => 67%). For instance, if a get together Zaragoza - Celtic has a probability of 74%, the charge is one.75 for Zaragoza (one: 1.75 = .571 => 57%), this offers a big difference of 74% - 57% = 17%. This 17% lse comes into play in accordance to the apuestas deportivas Kelly method: budget multiplied by 1/ten of the estimated values ​​(in this case 17%, ie, .17) divided by the odds minus one (ie in this situation from one.75 to 1 = .75). models, lack of self-discipline and boredom. Sports can tackle juvenile delinquency by helping youths make positive connections with adults and their peers, by integrating them into constructive activities within society and by providing useful activities. Sports have been bringing people from all over the world together since the first Olympics in Greece. Sports bring people sense of accomplishment but more importantly, unity. Over the years, we have witnesses the extent and far reaching consequences of participation in sports to the individual, community, organization, institution and the nation. The benefits are indeed tremendous and ideally sports can extend to previously uncharted territories of endeavors and manage human conflicts. Sports will continue to serve human development.

ANNA CORDELIA LOCHMAN PARKIN (Mrs. Robert W. Parkin) / Born Springfield, Illinois, August 14, 1909 / B.F.A. The Art Institute of Chicago, Academic work at the University of Chicago and The University of Wisconsin. / Occupational Therapy work at... This honour quilt has been made by Ms. Anis Akhtar a talented young woman who teaches tailoring to high school girls in a village in India, a few miles away from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow. Anis specialised as a school teacher with a B.Ed.... As for myself, my family and I fled out of Berlin in 1949 and I, having lived in West Germany, Sweden, England, later immigrated to the U.S.A. and to Canada in 1957. This country has been my home for the last 26 years and Calgary has been my home... The honour quilt has been made by Ms. Anis Akhtar, a talented young woman who teaches tailoring to high school girls in a village in India, a few miles away from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow. Anis specialised as a school teacher with a B.Ed.... the maker of this Honor Quilt piece is susan carpenter who lives in and creates art in michigan. she is primarily a poet and a painter who uses photography, sewing, weaving and anything else she can to get her ideas across. she is involved in... THE HONOR QUILT for Mary Stanley and Keota, Colorado was designed and made by Auriel Sandstead (Mrs. Willard), Sterling, Colorado, who is the oldest living granddaughter of Mary Stanley, the daughter of E. Fae Oram, and founder of the Mary Stanley... I am a fiber artist in the Washington D.C. area - Have worked on an organic farm Carmel-in-the valley to celebrate my inspiration - beauty in nature. / Prior to farm experience I and 10 other women artist [sic] shared a space Craft Gathering to... Quilters: / Darcia Behrens and Sally Page each have a Master Degree in Social Work and have been professional colleagues for the past eight years. In addition, they share a similar interest in creative stitchery and needlework design. / JANE... Technicians: Jan Cunningham / Barbara Robertson who did all the initial work and most of the sewing - including the rainbow. / Marianne Billings of 'Personal Property' who, knowing almost nothing about the project and neither Barb or myself, gave... I, Sybil Adams, am a seamstress, quilt maker, and publisher of a magazine, THE SEAMSTRESS QUARTERLY. The magazine is a reflection of my feelings about the skills of the seamstress' craft...a celebration of the creative spirit. Piece embroidered by Ali Hansen. / I was born on December 10, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois. I grew up in Rocky River, Ohio. I attended Rockford College, Illinois, and received my BFA in 1976. I received my MFA from the University of Cincinnati in...

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and this is not intended to be taken as medical advice (Obviously) ​ The myth that phytoestrogens, particularly in regard to Cannabis, is particularly common amongst (predominantly male) Cannabis users who take an interest in health & fitness, This myth is one that likely stemmed from a simple confusion between two different types of molecules. It's very likely that the bad rap obtained by phytoestrogens is due to their association with synthetic “Endocrine disruptors” or “Endocrine inhibitors” such as Bisphenol-A (BPA), the infamous plasticizing agent that leaches from many petroleum-based plastic products. The problem with this assumption is that there are two primary differences between these harmful endocrine disrupting compounds and naturally occurring “phytoestrogens”; 1) Endocrine disrupting chemicals such as BPA have a much higher affinity for their target receptors which means they bind to receptors at a much greater rate and exhibit a much greater effect on endocrine activity. Phytoestrogens are only weak estrogen-like substances with a relatively low affinity for their target receptors. Natural human Estrogens such as Estradiol (as well as endocrine disrupting compounds such as BPA) will always compete with phytoestrogens to bind with receptor sites, and the compound(s) with higher affinity will always “win”. 2) The key issue associated with many endocrine disrupting compounds is their persistence in the environment and potential for bioaccumulation. Phytoestrogens, on the other hand, tend to be easily metabolized and their metabolic byproducts easily excreted from the body. While BPA, the most common and well known endocrine disruptor does not bioaccumulate, it is highly persistent in the environment due to its ability to resist many forms of degradation including biodegradation, oxidative degradation, and photodegradation. Studies on the health effects of naturally occurring phytoestrogens are rather extensive and quite conclusive in regards to the fact that Phytoestrogens do not cause breast cancer, and many suggest they may even have protective effects. When it comes to the so-called “feminization” of males, which primarily refers to the development of male breasts (Gynecomastia), phytoestrogens have also not been identified as a cause. A widely accepted hypothesis for the development of Gynecomastia is the increased Aromatase activity in adipose tissue. Aromatase is an enzyme produced by adipose tissue response for the conversion of Testosterone to Estradiol (An Estrogen). With the prevalence of obesity in North American society, the answer to growing Gynecomastia rates only seems logical. Whether or not cannabinoids themselves play any role in modifying lipid storage pathways has not been determined but it is a possibility and is a current topic of research. One of the most important problems with the fear-mongering that exists over the presence of phytoestrogens in Cannabis is that these compounds are very common throughout the plant kingdom. Phytoestrogens, as well as mycoestrogens produced by molds, mildews, etc.) are found in relatively significant quantities in many of the worlds food crops. If phytoestrogens do pose any risk to human health, which does not seem likely at this point, Cannabis itself is no culprit. Phytoestrogens are not specific to the cannabis species. It is important to note that the majority of dietary phytoestrogens are compounds called lignans. Lignans are not volatile compounds and thus are not vaporized by the high temperatures of smoking or vaporizing. Lignans are also not readily flammable. Instead, when exposed to high temperatures these compounds undergo a process called pyrolysis, a reaction similar to oxidative combustion that forms a number of byproducts. Simply speaking, when you smoke or vaporize Cannabis, the majority (if not all) of the phytoestrogens are destroyed. Any phytoestrogens that are absorbed likely have no substantial effect and are rapidly metabolized and excreted. If you are a Cannabis user concerned about the effect phytoestrogens may have on your fitness “gains”, there are probably far more important and far productive things you could be focusing on. Phytoestrogens/Mycoestrogens are virtually impossible to avoid, and their consumption is a natural consequence of the food chain. Synthetic endocrine disrupting compounds and hormones used in livestock production have much greater potential to interfere with the endocrine system and are something that can actually reasonably be avoided.

Question of the Day Whose side of the story do you believe? RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina’s history museum is giving patrons an opportunity to look back at nearly 90 years of the state Highway Patrol. An exhibit opening Saturday highlights the patrol’s history and showcases vehicles and other artifacts since the organization’s founding in 1929 to address the increase of motor vehicle traffic and resulting deaths on the state’s highways. On display at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh are instruments that catch speeders ranging from a speed-timing watch used in the 1950s and ‘60s to radar used until a decade ago.

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Today Yazda executive director, Murad Ismael participated in high-level meetings at the Iraq Reconstruction Conference in Kuwait City. We are saddened that no Yazidi or minority voices were heard. The situation of the Yazidis and other religious minorities should have been at the heart of these discussions, including the plight of Yazidi women as survivors of an ongoing genocide and sexual enslavement. We welcome the support of the international community towards Iraq and its various communities and regions as the country attempts to recover from war. We call on international donors to continue to support Iraq and its people but stress that a full recovery will require addressing the concerns of its most vulnerable communities and regions. Building a future for Iraq will require equal treatment for all of its citizens, and respect for the nation’s religious and ethnic diversity. Such diversity enrichens Iraqi society, and Iraq needs to place these communities at the heart of future reconstructive processes. In principle, Yazda agrees that funds and investments should target all sectors of the Iraqi economy. However, we urge the Iraqi government, donors, and investors to consider the level of emotional harm and physical destruction suffered by certain groups and areas and allocate funds proportionally. Future projects should address communities’ physical needs along with social issues such as accountability, de-radicalization, social cohesion, trust, and the physical and mental health of victims, among other humanitarian aspects of the crises. Communities such as ours will not return to their homeland unless specific and effective solutions are offered. Trust should be built between the government and its people, and among communities to ensure future coexistence. We reiterate that accountability and justice must be at the heart of the process and the allocation of funds. Communities suffering from genocide in Iraq deserve and require a more strategic plan to preserve their culture and identity. Without the commitment of the international community and Iraq itself., these communities will continue to suffer and may be completely annihilated. Yazda had a positive meeting with the committee of Foreign Affairs at the Dutch Parliament last week. In a two-day visit organised by our new partner the Free A Girl Organisation, the Yazidi genocide survivor and Yazda board member, Farida Abbas, along with Yazda Deputy Executive Director, Ahmed Khudida Burjus, had a positive meeting with the Committee of Foreign Affairs at the Dutch Parliament to discuss the possibility of the Dutch government recognising the Yazidi genocide and acknowledging ISIS crimes against all communities in Iraq and Syria. The predicament of survivors of ISIS enslavement and their need for treatment outside Iraq, the situation of Yazidis in Syria and the general humanitarian situation in Iraq have also been discussed by the two parties. During this visit, Yazda also signed a formal partnership agreement with the Free A Girl Organisation to support Yazda’s legal and documentation project. Yazda also met with Stichting Vluchteling and the Dutch National Postcode Lottery to discuss the humanitarian situation and the needs of the community, especially survivors in Sinjar. Finally, Yazda would like to thank Mrs.Lilianne Ploumen for arranging this event and all members of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Dutch Parliament for giving the opportunity to Ms. Abbas to tell her story and speak about the Yazidi situation. Special thank to our new partner Free A Girl for all the support during the visit to the Netherlands. 16-year-old Shahad needed heart surgery. The Yazda team in Iraq visited her twice & sadly there was not enough time to treat her severe health problems or arrange for her transport to Europe, as recommended by doctors. A report from her physician is attached for more clarification. Shahad was held captive by ISIS for several years and was tortured physically and emotionally, which is one of the causes of her severe myocardiopathy. ISIS reportedly only “sold her” because her condition was untreatable. Yazda tries to respond to these cases as quickly as possible but unfortunately, we do not have quick response mechanisms available.We hope that more help will be offered by international hospitals, NGOs, or countries to allow us to take victims outside Iraq for immediate treatment when needed. Many victims return from captivity with severe health and psychological conditions that are untreatable inside Iraq and require an immediate response. We are grateful to countries and governments like Australia, Canada, and Germany that took in many survivors and their families. We hope that more countries will offer similar opportunities for treatment or resettlement. Hospitals or NGOs working in the field of health and trauma are welcome to contact Yazda via our email [email protected] to discuss partnership in supporting Yazidi women and girls who managed to escape captivity and who remain living under difficult conditions in Iraq. Yazda is working with the family of Shahad, who themselves survived captivity, to receive emergency cash assistance through Freedom House. Yazda and the Yazidi community are grateful to Freedom House who has supported hundreds of girls over the past three years with emergency cash assistance. Yazda follows with great concern the military and security developments along the Syrian-Turkish border and expresses its alarm with respect to the security and safety of Yazidi citizens in 21 villages in the vicinity of Afrin, where a Turkish military incursion is unfolding. We want Turkey, Syrian rebel forces instrumentalized by Turkey (called the Free Syrian Army), and any other jihadist groups to be held responsible if any persecution or acts of ethnic cleansing take place against our people in the Afrin area. The Yazidi community in Syria has been targeted since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 2011 because of its identity and many Yazidis have suffered forced displacement. According to our sources, the Yazidi community in Syria has been reduced from 90,000 people to less than 15,000. Many Yazidis in the Kurdish-speaking areas of northern Syria were targeted with persecution both by al-Qaida affiliates (such as Jabhat al-Nusra) and by Syrian regime secret police (mukhabaraat) and subsequently fled the country to become refugees in neighboring states. As Turkey now sends Syrian rebel forces back into Syria to control the areas that it is invading, there is concern as to whether Salafi-Jihadi-Islamist elements are among these forces (under the umbrella of “Free Syrian Army”) who could possibly target Yazidis with violence, as a community that is not recognized as a “People of the Book,” as Yazidis have already been targeted in Syria and Iraq throughout this conflict. The current military operation and instability in the area puts the lives of those Yazidis remaining there at a great risk which could result in dire and tragic consequences for the Yazidi community in Syria. Our fear is that jihadist or radical groups within the attacking forces could treat the Yazidis in a similar manner to that which ISIS employed and might therefore commit another genocide in Yazidi homelands,which include the following villages; Basofan (the largest Syrian Yazidi village-population of 3500 people before forced displacement), Faqira, Bafloun, Qastil Jandul, Qaibar, Burj Abdadlo, Ghazawiya, Shadir, Eiska, Kufir Zayit, Baa’i, Ein Dara, Qatma, Sinka, Ashka, Ali Qayna, Chaqla Koma, Qaila, Gonde Mazin, Kafir Safra, and the village of Jinders. Yazda holds the Turkish government responsible to protect Yazidi citizens in these areas and calls on the United Nations, USA, and Russia as global powers with forces on the ground, to prevent radical groups from reaching these villages. Yazda also calls upon the Yazidis to leave such areas of conflict and to not remain under the rule of jihadist armed groups, as such groups consider the Yazidis to be infidels. The recognition of the Yazidi Genocide by the Armenian parliament today is a historic moment for the entire Yazidi community worldwide and for victims of this genocide. We welcome this important step especially as it comes from a country which, in recent history, has suffered greatly from genocide. “I am touched by today’s decision and I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Armenia and their representatives in Parliament . Acknowledgment of the Genocide means a lot to me and all the victims of genocide.” said Nadia Murad, UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. “The Yazidi genocide is the latest capital crime of our century, the world should recognize this crime and accept the fact it happened, not only recognize it, but take the steps to stop it and adopt mechanisms to ensure it will not be repeated in the future” said Murad Ismael, Yazda Executive Director Yazda and Nadia Murad express their gratitude to the Standing Committee on Foreign Relation, to MP Rustam Makhmudyan (a Yazidi himself), leader of the RPA fraction Vahram Baghdasaryan, ,leader of the ARF fraction Armen Rustamyan and the Tsarukyan and Yelk fractions. We also thank all the members who supported the initiative. Our organization is currently seeking a Development Director to oversee our donor relations program and manage our fundraising initiatives. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing our non-profit’s fundraising campaigns, communicating with current and prospective donors around the world, and building a stronger development team for our organization. This position involves managing individual and corporate gifts as well as planned and annual giving campaigns. The Director will work closely with The Executive Director and the Board of Directors in all development and fund raising endeavours. If you have a strong background in non-profit fundraising and development, we encourage you to apply. Job Title: Development Director: Responsibilities for this position include the following: Develop and oversee our annual fundraising program Identify prospective individual and corporate donors and develop strategies to cultivate those relationships Maintain ongoing communications with private and corporate donors Research donor relation programs at local, state and federal art institutions Ensure timely and accurate report deliveries to funders Collaborate with staff on the management and planning of fundraising events and donor receptions

Agenda Items IP Attrition: Ideas on what we might be able to do? There was considerable and spirited discussion on this topic. It seems (from recent analysis by David Potter & Christopher Majka) that most IPs (95%) on the CCN are aware of our graphical capabilities and so this is not a major factor in terms of IPs migrating from our service (with some exceptions). A key area is developing methods (perhaps through an IP Loyalty Program of the type suggested by Richard Rudnicki) of creating/solidifying a relationship between the CCN and the IP organizations which goes beyond the relationship we have with the IP Editors. An important aspect of our service which we should/need to stress/publicize further is our extensive support of mailing lists. We need to try and convey to IPs the functionality and advantages of mailing lists. Technical representatives agreed to examine the possibility of creating an in-house graphical URL statistics display/script, something which it was felt would be easy to implement and attractive to some IPs. It was noted that the Halifax Regional Library keeps an extensive catalogue of clubs, groups and organizations in the HRM which would be a good potential source of organizations who it would be worth approaching viz-a-viz becoming Information Providers. There was some discussion of how to actively recruit IPs to the CCN. Some of this can, and indeed is, done by CCN-IP members on a sporadic basis, however a wholesale campaign of this sort is really a function that should be carried out by staff and is sufficient work that it is beyond a purely voluntary capacity. FTP to IP directories now up & running: Process & Procedures. Congratulations were extended to Michael Smith for his work in helping to get this functionality up and running on the CCN, a feature which is of definite and great interest to many IPs. Tests thus far indicate that it is very simple to us, robust and works flawlessly. A great technical plus is that the FTP 'put' function automatically generates and includes the correct <link> elements and the RCS comment files, thus neatly solving one of the potentially problematic areas of FTP to IP directories. Michael is still soliciting other volunteers to 'torture-test' it for any bugs before the service come out of beta-test. Once this is done, the intention is to implement it across the board automatically for all IPs and IPEs to be able to take advantage of. It will be necessary to create some documentation for this (which Chris M. & Michael S. have volunteered to do) and thence to integrate this aspect of functionality into IP Training. CCN Welcome Page now up & running: Repercussions? Congratulations were extended to David Potter on all his hard work in getting this feature of the CCN Interface up and working. It is now fully operational and working correctly. The degree to which various CCN groups are taking advantage of its capabilities is still quite varied. All units of the CCN should be encouraged to make the most of it so that it assumes its full role as an important conduit of CCN information. David Potter also discussed the future possibilities of using group mail to convey messages to identifiable groups on the CCN through the vehicle of the Welcome Page. There was some discussion viz-a-viz how long it takes to load, however, David Potter's monitoring scripts seem to indicate that it reliably does so within 6-15 seconds. There was also some discussion on how users could opt-out of the Welcome page to default to the Home Page, however, it was decided not to emphasize this since the entire raison-d'etre of creating the Welcome Page had been so that we could reliably communicate with CCN members logging in to the system and convey certain information to them. Thus to facilitate opting-out would be to shoot ourselves in the foot. CCN Featured IP now up & running: Process, Procedures & Consequences. The Featured IP link is now up and running at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Policy/messages/ip/docs-html/featured.html and two IPs have thus far been in the rotation. It was noted that we should endeavour to keep this information fresh so that the Featured IP changes every two weeks or so. Chris M. has a couple of entries in the queue and is waiting for copy from them. He will also shortly publicize the feature to all-ips and solicit further entries. Chris Majka noted that the Featured IP capability was palpably achieving its purpose in that URL hits to the Law Reform Commission had jumped enormously (perhaps five-fold!) in the interval after the link was introduced. Some of this may be attributable to other sources however it is very clear that a substantial number of people are actually following the link and learning about a CCN IP. He also noted that he plans to introduce some sort of simple icon that recipients can add to their websites identifying them as such, giving a certain degree of cachet to having been thus selected. David Potter noted that we would look at the script to check to see that this link was not appearing overly often in the Welcome Page rotation. There is now (as per Mark Rushton's suggestion) a web-based set of links (from appropriate IP pages) to the Featured IP page, thus making this resource accessible to our web-users and hence opening up the possibility of adding logos and other graphic elements to the page. CCN Site Map now up & running: Feedback? Further ideas? The CCN site map is now up and running at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/site_map.html. Congratulations were extended to Christopher Majka in getting this interface feature up and running. Mark Rushton had fixed a coding bug; Tony Cianfaglione pointed out a spelling typo. Various methods were discussed to further enhance the functionality of this feature, including the possibility of javascript pop-ups to be able to show more detail and to enlarge areas of the map so that the type was not quite so small and hard to read. Virtual Domains now up and running: Process, Procedures & Costs. There was considerable discussion of this topic, particularly the rate structures that the Board of Directors is proposing to charge our non-business IPs. The IP Committee was unanimous in its conviction that a $400 annual fee was: Not what its understanding ever had been for this rate structure. It was rather its belief that this fee should be a one-time set-up charge; That it was excessive and would put this feature out of the range of the vast majority of our current Information Providers; That it was out of keeping with what costs the CCN incurred in implementing VDN's (i.e. the technical overhead in implementing this was of a one-time nature: beyond that, maintaining a VDN was scarcely more difficult than that any other IP). A rate of $400 as a one-time set-up charge followed by a $100 annual fee was floated as something which represented a much more realistic fee for non-business IPs and which many felt was much more apt to be 'sell-able' to our IP constituency. We have set up a few VDN's thus far, both in the *.ca domain and through Internic, and the process, although having suffered a few glitches, is slowly being solidified thanks to David Murdoch's yeoman efforts. Congratulations to him and Kassiem Jacobs in getting the technical and procedural aspects of this process working! Warm congratulations were extended to David Potter who has solved a long-standing IPDB bug, namely that of the non-creation of ml-pub lists. As a result of his recent work with the IP Database scripts the creation command is now correctly generating both ml-priv and ml-pub lists. Yea! Still on the IP wish-list of things to be fixed viz-a-viz mailing lists is a way to synchronize edit-group members with ml-priv lists members. There was considerable discussion on this matter and David Potter mentioned that some programming in this direction had already been done. Worth investigating was a way in which the CRON would run a routine to synchronize the membership of both groups. Exceptions to the one-to-one equivalence of these are so infrequent that, as a general rule, it would be worthwhile having a simple system to keep them in synch. PPP Connectivity and Chebucto Plus: who's eligible. The CCN's Portmaster and PP services are now up and running with fourteen lines currently on the Portmaster. The service is running very well and supports all aspects of HTTP, EMail, Usenet, Telnet and FTP functionality. The CCN is in the process of developing a 'Chebucto Plus' service for members which will, initially be offered to our Sustaining Members as a trial group. Based on the success of this the plan is then to extend the service to our Supporting members. Documentation and Support materials and services are in the process of being developed and written, many of which are available as of this time. The IP Committee continues to be interested in having the possibility of extending these services, at least in some measure, as a benefit to IPs and IPEs for their use in proofing their sites in graphical browsers. Perhaps we could look at integrating this PPP service with our Chebucto IP Premium package in the future? Chebucto Beacon now up & running: Feedback? Ideas? viz. IP area. The Chebucto Beacon has been up and running for some time at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Newsletter/Beacon/index.html. Andrew Wright discussed the Beacon at some length. He noted that unless he received more news submissions in the next couple of weeks he was going to scrap the News section of the Beacon for lack of input. Glen Euloth [email protected] has been writing articles on the IP sector for the Beacon and all CCN-IP members are encouraged to contact him (and CC Andrew at [email protected]) with ideas and/or information for articles. In the somewhat limited time available there was preliminary discussion on a number of topics pertaining to this area. Discussions centered on: Managing large (and ever growing!) document families like the one we have at the CCN in such a way as to maintain functional and stylistic coherence. The role of Cascading Style Sheets was emphasized in this regard and it was agreed to move to try and implement some of this technology on a trial basis in the New Year. Chris M. agreed to work towards developing a CSS template(s) which we could examine, debug, etc. and then priorise some CCN pages to which it could be applied. Having the Editors rethink what we are doing with our CCN IP pages. Many of these are in dire need of overhaul, both stylistically and in terms of content. They arose at an earlier era of the WWW before the advent of search engines. We need to streamline and focus. Some areas are sadly neglected. Maintaining stylistic and functional coherence. All the help and documentation materials we have available were singled out in this regard. We have very extensive (and good!) materials available, however, they are administered through a variety of methods, scattered, stylistically disparate, and seldom adequately cross-referenced. If we want to offer a more integrated and coherent set of help documents to our users we need to move on integrating these. At the same time it was noted that doing so, would be a very sizable undertaking. It was pointed out that with the introduction of Chebucto Plus we will soon be in a position where we can/could/should introduce, for the benefit of our own members, much more visually sophisticated pages for use on graphical browsers which can take advantage of javascript, tables, frames, CSS and other HTML 4.0 features. At the same time it was noted that doing so, would be a very sizable undertaking. Both these latter areas highlight our increasing need to have some funds to pay for such endeavors. We again are reaching the limits of what volunteers can reasonably be expected to undertake. Further discussion on this topic will take place at the next meeting. CCN Communications Committee now up and running: Ideas for collaboration? Discussion of this item was postponed to the next meeting in the new year. In general the IP Committee underscored the fact that it was 'alive and well and living' (and not in Paris!) and that rumours of its demise had, in the words of Mark Twain, "been much exaggerated."

Jade's skin was waxy pale with dark rings beneath her eyes when we met in January. She was already seriously ill – far more so than either she or I realised at the time. But when she started talking about her sons, Freddy and Bobby, her eyes flashed with such ferocious passion it dispelled any idea she was a fragile victim. ‘‘The only person in the world who is good enough for my kids is me,” she said, trying to confront the problem of who would look after them if she died. “That is why I have to stick around for them.” When Jade spoke, with the threat of a lioness defending her cubs, it seemed that nothing – not even cancer – would be able to defeat her. Today, tragically, we know different. I had three long conversations with Jade back then. She was coming to terms with having just a 40 per cent chance of survival – a statistic which dropped like a stone over the following weeks. Her hair had already fallen out in clumps and a bruise on her chest marked the spot where chemotherapy drugs were being pumped into her heart. The focus of all our conversations, just like the focus of her life, was her sons. She was racked with worry about how Bobby and Freddy would cope without her around. “That’s what keeps me awake at night,” she confided. “I worry so much about what will happen to my kids if I’m not here – where they’ll go to school and what they will be like.” Over the weeks that followed, the need to earn enough money to pay her sons’ school fees became almost obsessive – it drove her on to complete magazine deals and television filming schedules long after most other people would have preferred to lie quietly in a hospital ward. “It’s all down to me,” she explained, without a shred of self-pity. “I’ve got to get it sorted because their Dad, Jeff, wouldn’t send them to private school and my family haven’t got any money. I know some people don’t think private school is all that, but they’re happy there and I’m determined to give them the best possible start in life.” As Jade talked about safeguarding her boys’ future, the thoughts which had been churning over in her mind tumbled out into the open. “The other day Bobby was staying round his Dad’s and got upset because he made a mistake on his homework,” Jade said. “I was on the phone to his Dad saying, ‘Didn’t you tell him not to worry and to rub it out?’ but his Dad said he was cooking tea and Bobby was using a pen, so he couldn’t rub it out. “But I always sit next to Bobby when he does his homework and I sort the tea out later. And what was he doing letting him do it in pen? Homework is supposed to be done in pencil! “It might sound silly, but then I’m awake all night thinking, ‘God, if I die, will Bobby’s homework always get done in pen and not pencil? And will their Dad think to make sure they have a clean shirt every morning? And ironed, too?’ Do you know what I mean?” Oh yes, Jade. There can’t be a mother in the country who wouldn’t understand that feeling of terror that our kids might suffer in even the most minor way because we weren’t there to look out for them. With Jade now gone, there may be days Bobby and Freddy go to school in a shirt not freshly washed. Or ironed. And there may be days their homework isn’t done in pencil. That’s no disrespect to Jeff, it is just that there are some things only a mum can do. But even if she isn’t sitting beside them, Jade will be, as she promised, watching over them. And with the amount of love she lavished on them in their first years, her adored boys have already had the very best start in life.

Abundance and Viability of Striped Bass Eggs Spawned in Roanoke River, North Carolina, in 1989 Sampling to estimate production and viability of striped bass eggs was conducted at Barnhill’s Landing on the Roanoke River, North Carolina, from 15 April to 15 June 1989. Samples were taken by trailing paired nets at the surface from a small boat for five minutes every four hours for 60 days in the manner established and used by W.W. Hassler since 1959. A total of 4,722 eggs was collected in surface nets: first eggs appeared in samples on 16 April and continued sporadically until 9 June, when the last eggs were collected. Estimated striped bass egg production in the Roanoke River for 1989 was 637,919,162 (S.D. = 27,668,383) eggs. A potential major spawning activity at the end of April was terminated by high and prolonged reservoir discharge, which forestalled peak spawning until the last week in May. Three major spawning peaks were observed: 23-24 May, 26-27 May, and 31 May - 1 June. Seasonal egg production was 50% complete by 26 May, 80% complete by 29 May, and 99% complete by 2 June. Egg viability was estimated as 41.8%, the seventh lowest on record. Major egg deposition ensued when water temperatures reached 18°C. The majority of eggs (76.7%) were less than 10 hours old; an additional 18.5% were between 20 and 28 hours old, and less than five percent were 10 to 18 hours old. Approximately 89% of all eggs was collected at water temperatures between 18 and 21.9°C. Over half of the eggs were collected at water velocities ranging from 100 to 119.9 cm/second; an additional 22% were collected at 60-79,9 cm/second. An inverse relationship between egg viability and water velocity was evident. Less than one percent of all eggs were collected in waters of dissolved oxygen values less than 7.0 mg/L, and 90% of the eggs were in waters with pH values of 7.5 or higher. There was no significant difference in egg catches between surface and oblique collections. Results of this study and others conducted in 1981-1983, and 1988 clearly indicate that reservoir discharge from Roanoke Rapids dam influences striped bass spawning activity in the lower Roanoke River. Description Project No. APES 90-11. ICMR Tech Report 90-06. The research on which the report is based was financed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, through the Albemarle-Pamlico Study. Contents of the publication do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute their endorsement by the United States or North Carolina Government.

ONONDAGA NATION, Haudenosaunee Confederacy – The Israel men’s national box lacrosse team has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships at the Onondaga Nation Arena in Syracuse, New York. Israel (4-1) defeated Finland 14-4 in Monday’s first-round playoff match to punch its ticket to the quarterfinals. The victory was also payback for Israel, which fell in overtime to Finland in a friendly in Prague in April. The team then defeated Ireland in a seeding game, taking the favorable #5 seed. Competing in the Green Division, Israel started its run to the playoffs with a pair of wins over the weekend. The team drubbed Serbia 15-8 on Friday and narrowly lost to Germany 10-9 on Saturday before doubling up on #7 Ireland 12-6 on Sunday. During that stretch, Kyle Bergman (8 goals, 3 assists), Chad Culp (5 goals, 6 assists) and Bryan Hopper (4 goals, 9 assists) led Israel offensively, while Zachary Higgins saw most of the action in goal for Israel, making 66 saves and allowing just 23 goals in three games. The 2015 championship is the first-ever international sporting event to be held on indigenous lands, according to the Federation of International Lacrosse.

Livemap helmet has music, camera, phone and lets you focus on the road An augmented reality interface is brought to your helmet with the Livemap helmet. It puts GPS, speed and other parameters in front of your face. It also has a built-in camera as well as voice and audio.

Thursday, August 10, 2017 "I'm Insecure," Says Trump's Body Language (click on photo to enlarge) Aside from the over-the-top Kim Jong Un-ish "fire and fury" outburst from neo-fascist man baby Donald "Rump" Trump the other day, there was something very odd about his posture when he spoke, namely the tightly crossed arms with his small hands tucked underneath. Body language experts suggests that it's a gesture of feeling defensive and insecure, and in a group, "the person who doesn’t feel confident is usually the one who has his arms crossed." Perhaps Rump was fearful of the reaction from North Korea, or not confident about handling this major crisis. In either case, his body language spoke volumes about his unfitness for the job, and the peril we're in as long as he's in the Oval Office.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017 Mom Aids & After School Printable! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RITZFilledBackToSchool #CollectiveBias We have been busy this summer making lots of memories. We traded in our Buckeye state for the California coast back in June, and then spent a week in the unbelievably beautiful Winter park. The girls have had ample beach-play, cousin-time, and hours of park outings. They've done a great job of soaking up every last minute of summer! But summer is quickly coming to an end, and pretty soon we are going to have to abruptly switch gears, and get back to our busy school schedules, after-school activities, and music lessons. It's definitely going to be a hard transition. One thing that keeps me at ease is that I've already found a few great snacks for those hectic back to school days. RITZ crackers are a household staple, for lunch, snacks, and on-the-go yumminess (and have been for years)! And, now that they have created these delicious RITZ filled sandwich crackers, they're even more satisfying (and perfect for preventing meltdowns). These Ritz filled sandwiches come in two delicious varieties (Peanut Butter and Cheese). I love to eat both varieties with fruit because the crunchy, salty, sweet combo is just divine. I picked mine up at my local Kroger with the help of this. Find your local Kroger/Kroger Family of Stores to get your RITZ crackers (HERE). One thing I came up with to entertain the kiddos after school while they eat their snacks are these conversation starters. The girls have been doing a version of these for the past six months and they love them! You can get yours here.

You are here What's "medieval"? What's "modern"? How are they different? How do we know? The course will explore patterns, motifs and configurations characteristic of medieval myth and epic, and their re-occurrence in modern works. The use and function of such elements will be evaluated through analysis of medieval works such as the Prose Edda, Beowulf, The Battle of Maldon, and examination of the use of these elements in such modern works as John Gardner's Grendel and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth and The Lord of the Rings. Lecture combined with class discussion. Requirements include a mid-term, a paper of moderate length (8-10 pp.) and a 2-hour final. Prerequisites: Two lower-level English courses, at least one in literature; or permission of department.

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It should start out frozen in areas north and west of Philadelphia. That’s why a Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect 6pm until 2am for the Poconos; Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties; and western Bucks and Montgomery counties. (Click the radar picture for more details.)

Russian club passing trio from around 1990. Unusual "large flower" props To bypass the hokey Russian-folk-style intro and get to the juggling, skip to 0:56 2 people - 6-9 clubs; 6 'flowers' shower pass 3 people - 9 large balls side by side; 9-10 clubs

Practice Plan £9.95 Are you sure you are getting the right sort of practice to improve your game? Are you keeping a record of your progress? Do you know for sure you are improving? If you have answered NO to any of our questions then we may be able to help! We think we have addressed some of these issues with our practice plan. All of the straightforward practice games are laid out in session and week order saving you the time hunting around for different games to play. There is an area to keep your statistics so you have a weekly record of how many darts it takes you to score and finish. Having this sort of feedback on your darts is essential, why? Because as you witness your scores improving this motivates you to practise more! There are 8 weeks of practice, split into 5 sessions per week! Get your copy here now! Remember Practice Makes Progress! Please Note: This is our original Practice Plan now re-branded as a Performance Darts product!

Bon Jovi’s Tico Torres Hospitalized Again Tico Torres has suffered another health setback. Less than two weeks after needing an emergency appendectomy, the Bon Jovi drummer will require more surgery, this time on his gall bladder. According to a post on the band's website, Torres returned to the hospital after experiencing severe abdominal pain. He released the following message to his fans: Hello All, I would like to say a quick Thank You to all of you who have kept me in your thoughts thus far. There is nothing that can prepare one for a medical emergency but I have been taken especially good care of and would again like to thank all my doctors and health care professionals. I am very disappointed not to be able to perform but our friend Rich Scannella will stand in for me. You are in good hands. I will be there in spirit and back on stage in soon Enjoy the show. #RockinRio -Tico Torres Torres is expected to make a full recovery. Meanwhile, the band, with Scannella behind the drums, continued their 'Because We Can' tour, with a performance at Rock in Rio last night. "Tico Torres has been the heart and soul of our band since we started 30 years ago" Jon Bon Jovi said in the same post. "He’s also one tough SOB and we look forward to him again pounding away brilliantly at the drums on the remainder of this and future tours."

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Tourism bureaus and Destination Marketing Organizations already know that managing website directories is a real pain. Business hours change, vendors go out of business and new destinations enter the market. There is constant churn, and staying on top of it all is time-consuming and expensive. When the inevitable “website refresh” project comes ’round, invariably the idea…

Comments on: So What Does Michelle Obama Really Think About Our Flag?http://www.conservativedailynews.com/2011/09/so-what-does-michelle-obama-really-think-about-our-flag/ The best conservative political news, analysis and opinion articles written by a collection of citizen journalists. Covering a range of important topics in blogs, op-ed, and news posts, these upstanding patriots are bringing back American exceptionalism with every entry..Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:01:47 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1By: Jim Claytonhttp://www.conservativedailynews.com/2011/09/so-what-does-michelle-obama-really-think-about-our-flag/comment-page-1/#comment-144187 Tue, 25 Sep 2012 22:32:47 +0000http://conservativedailynews.com/?p=19949#comment-144187I’ve seen the Youtube video and three lip readers for deaf people said she is saying “All this for a damn flag.” They even slow it down three times.it is quite obvious that’s what she is saying. This at a 9/11 memorial service too of all things. ]]>By: Mara Holbrookhttp://www.conservativedailynews.com/2011/09/so-what-does-michelle-obama-really-think-about-our-flag/comment-page-1/#comment-2505 Sat, 17 Sep 2011 23:10:39 +0000http://conservativedailynews.com/?p=19949#comment-2505“Amazing how they fold that flag, isn’t it?” ]]>

June 2014 For the first time in our history, Houston's average multifamily renttopped $1. (It only took us 178 years!) CBRE VPClint Duncantells us average rents are up7%from a year ago. That's largely thanks to strong fundamentals inClass-B and Cassets, which account for more than70%of Houston's units. (B and C must stand for "big time" and "champions.")Inner Looprents are still the highest in the metro; Clint says some one-bedroom units are achieving

TobEx (ToB Extender) is a program written in C++ that modifies the virtual image of the EXE in memory to achieve EXE modifications, which saves hard-coding changes into the EXE file itself. It does this by the DLL injection method. The advantages of this are that you can modify EXE on the fly, and you do not have to rely on code caves within the EXE to insert new code. Given knowledge of the structures used by the game, it can also help to explore the EXE further, code in new fixes, and introduce new features in the game, such as new effects, script triggers and actions, etc. This utility will only work with Throne of Bhaal version 26498. The utility will not work on Macintosh systems.

Trendsmap: Plotting Twitter Trends on Google Maps Trendsmap is a new service that features real-time mapping of topics trending on Twitter all over the world. Created by Retail Me Not, Trendsmap incorporates the power of Twitter, Google Maps, and What The Trend. Clicking on any of the trends brings up information on the volume of tweets for the word, a description of the trend, a list of users, and relevant links.

While current president Donald Trump's golfing habits have received a lot of attention lately, let's not forget the last president's love for the game. Barack Obama has continued his passion for the links since leaving office in January, and it appears his competitive spirit is alive and well, too. Actor and well-known golf nut Anthony Anderson appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" Thursday, where he detailed a recent round with Obama, NBA star Chris Paul and Olympic legend Michael Phelps. "He talked trash all day," Anderson told host Jimmy Fallon. "And took all of our money." The actor said Obama won hundreds of dollars off each of his playing partners to Anderson's dismay. "I was like, man, is this even right? I was like, you're the president, here. Can you take money from civilians?" The president's response? "Anthony, I'm a civilian now. So yes, I can take i...

Georgia's prime minister resigns after mass protests Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili announced his resignation Wednesday after a series of mass protests highlighted a dramatic drop in his government's popularity. In a televised speech, Kvirikashvili cited "a number of fundamental disagreements with the chairman of the (ruling Georgian Dream) party," billionaire tycoon and former premier Bidzina Ivanishvili, as a reason for his decision. Kvirikashvili's move, after two and a half years in power, comes amid growing popular discontent over his government's handling of the economy and after mass protests in recent months. On June 1, thousands of people took to the streets of Tbilisi over allegations of political influence in a murder trial, demanding Kvirikashvili's resignation. A mass strike of Tbilisi subway workers followed, virtually paralysing public transport in the city of 1.2 million people. In May, thousands rallied in the capital in protest at allegedly heavy-handed police raids on two popular nightclubs and the government's harsh anti-drug policy. The demonstrators also demanded the resignation of Kvirikashvili and Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia. A former banker, Kvirikashvili, 50, became prime minister in December 2015. According to the Georgian constitution, a prime minister's resignation leads to the resignation of the entire cabinet. The ruling party then has seven days to nominate a new prime minister who will be appointed by the country's largely figurehead president. - The man in charge - Analysts said that Kvirikashvili's demise was the result of a power struggle within the ruling party. "Kvirikashvili's resignation is a logical consequence of the growing popular discontent over his performance that has recently culminated in mass street protests," political analyst Gela Vasadze told AFP. "But primarily it shows that an internal power struggle within the Georgian Dream has entered a hot phase -- Bidzina Ivanishvili has again demonstrated who is calling the shots in Georgia," he added. Georgia's richest man Ivanishvili stepped down as premier in 2013 after just a year in office but since then he has been widely believed to be the man in charge in the tiny Black Sea nation. He made a political comeback in May, assuming chairmanship of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Georgian Dream came to power in 2012, ending a decade-long dominance of the pro-Western former president Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement and also won parliamentary elections in 2016. - Scandals and poverty - Kvirikashvili's cabinet has been implicated in a number of high-profile scandals involving Georgia's law enforcement agencies, such as what international rights groups have claimed was Georgia's complicity in the abduction in Tbilisi of an opposition Azerbaijani journalist and his handover to his country's authoritarian government in January. At Wednesday's press conference Kvirikashvili said he has disagreed with his party's leadership over economic policy matters and boasted of "Georgia's economic growth rate which is fastest in the region." But a recent survey from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) showed that 22.5 percent of Georgian households lived below the poverty line last year, compared with 20.7 percent in 2016.

Geocaching Subscribe Powered By Wednesday, April 25, 2007 So, I passed this house on my way home from work pretty much everyday when I lived in Owings Mills. When I went to my house a while back (I guess it must have been while Dave was in England), I noticed that the lawn ornaments on this particular lawn were even more out of control than when I was passing everyday. I mean, it was like Halloween, Christmas, Football season (go ravens!), Valentines, and the Fourth of July were all going on at the same time. I almost blogged about it then, because it was right after I saw the Route 30 guy with the Christmas wreaths still up (that same Route 30 house has gorgeous flower beds right now, btw, bravo, guy!). Anyway, the Owings Mills house was always having kitchen appliances and whatnot out in their driveway with signs that said "free." It was entertaining to see how long it took to find someone to take these items. I'm talking once a month a new item showed up. The guy must be redecorating. Well, I was browsing Craigslist today and lookie at this... linkie-poo. Apparently, he just doesn't sit the stuff at the end of his driveway, but he actually advertises. Awesome! I have to go to Owings Mills on Monday to collect some cash. Maybe I'll stop by and take a photo. Or, maybe I'll take the chair. Or, if it's not there... there's a similar chair in the parking lot of what used to be the roller skating rink on route 30 that I've had my eye on for quite some time.

ICC Needs To Act Quickly On Match-Fixing: Ponting Sydney: Cricket's image has taken a beating due to the match-fixing scandal surrounding the Pakistan team, Australian captain Ricky Ponting said on Sunday as he called on the ICC to act fast and clean up Sydney: Cricket's image has taken a beating due to the match-fixing scandal surrounding the Pakistan team, Australian captain Ricky Ponting said on Sunday as he called on the ICC to act fast and clean up the game. Asked whether the image of the game has been tarnished by the corruption allegations, Ponting said, "There's no doubt in my mind about that." "The events of the last couple of weeks have had a big impact I'm sure around the world on the way that the game is viewed, but that's completely out of our hands," Ponting said at a press conference before boarding the flight to India for a two-Test and three-ODI series starting October 1. "The ICC need to be doing whatever they can to get on top of these things as quickly as possible and deal with them as quickly as possible. "They've done a pretty good job over the last few weeks already and with this latest allegation, hopefully they will get to the bottom of this pretty quick as well," he added. Three Pakistani cricketers -- Test captain Salman Butt and pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir -- have been suspended by the ICC for their alleged involvement in spot-fixing during last month's Test series against England. The scandal has got murkier after the ICC yesterday launched a probe into the third ODI between England and Pakistan after a British tabloid tipped off the governing body about some suspicious scoring pattern during the visiting team's innings. Ponting said the players can hardly do anything except for playing good cricket to ensure that the fans don't get disillusioned. "There's nothing we can do about that," he said. "As an Australian cricket team, all we can do is play the best brand of cricket and the most attractive brand of cricket that we can play, day in and day out. "It's important that we do that over the next weeks, realising that is the number one ranked team in the world against Australia," he added. Ponting said he hoped that by playing good cricket, his team would be able to turn things around positively. "I think if we all do the right thing on the field, hopefully there will be something positive coming back on the newspaper pages about the game of cricket, which is what we will try and achieve," he said. "Unfortunately for Pakistan at the moment now, the situation that they are in, there's going to be those sort of allegations are going to be floating around for quite a while I think," he added. PTI

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How to Kick-Start Your Savings Plan How to Kick-Start Your Savings Plan Every time you turn on the news or read a newspaper or magazine, there are money experts telling you to save more money. In a perfect world it’d be easy to save money. Yet if you’re like most people, you spend your time playing catch up and trying to stay out of debt. Saving money is a luxury. As it often is with goals, if you can get a head start and some momentum it’s much easier to follow through. The following tips will help you kick-start your savings plan and get the momentum you need to achieve your financial goals. Before you get started, establish a savings goal and a purpose for your savings. You may have several savings goals. For example, saving for retirement and for a tropical vacation. If necessary, focus on one goal at a time. Get that savings account growing and on track before you shift your focus to another goal. Tip #1 Know Where Your Money Goes You probably know how much you earn and the amount of some of your expenses. However, you may not be aware of all of the smaller expenses that slowly deplete your bank account. Track your spending for a month. List every single expense, including those coffee drinks you purchase from time to time. Include every single expense no matter how small. At the end of the month, total the spending in terms of categories. Tip #2 Use Your Information to Create a Budget Use the expense tracking information to create a budget. This may sound tedious; however, it will help you control your money. This is the first step to being able to truly achieve a solid savings plan. You have the information to know where you can cut back your spending and thus save more money. Add a savings category to your budget and automate your savings. Tip #3 Financial Windfalls Any financial windfalls you receive need to go straight into your savings account. This is where you’ll really start to gather that momentum discussed earlier. If you receive a tax return, put it in savings. If you earn a bit of overtime, put it in savings. If you win $40 with a lottery ticket, put it in savings. If you find a twenty-dollar bill in your jeans when you’re doing the laundry, put it into savings. Tip #4 Savings Finally, keep tabs on your savings and watch it grow. This step is motivating because it gives you a sense of accomplishment. Whether you’re only able to save ten dollars a week or a thousand dollars a week, the point is to start saving.

01 September 2010 Well, it wasn't fun looking at the flashback from last chapter. What a waste of fucking screen time >_> oh snap hell fucking yes!one of the most abused panel in Bleach. So fucking approved! I'm an obvious IchiRuki shipper so this episode is immediately alright in my book. The second reunion they had in Hueco Mundo. Their meetings are always so grand. Unlike when Inoue getting face pummel as a greeting. LOL that was awesome. And wasn't it sweet of her to still remember about the whore despite her own safety situation? The whore can learn a thing or two with her. Oh wait, she already did in Soul Society but it didn't do any good because her brain is the size of a peanut. And I've said the same thing when I read the manga but dammit, how can I not squeal with delight when Rukia has no problem detecting such changes from Ichigo with just a few exchanged words and a glimpse from Ichigo. It's like she knew him inside and out. Not to mention how observant she is with Ichigo's mask. Okay lets go back to Yammy versus Ichigo. Ichigo was all cocky as shit as well as humane during the fight. So obviously he lets his guard down. He didn't expect not to be able to use the mask at his will. Funny isn't it how he has taken his hollow power for granted. Thank goodness the taichos arrived just in time to save his ass. Byakuya used the same hadou against Yammy as Rukia did but this time the result was totally different. I guess that's how you differentiate your power against a taicho. So now it's Yammy versus Kenpachi. Mayuri is one of my favorite taicho of the Gotei 13. He always made me laugh whenever he got screen time. So I'm glad that he has return. Nemu lifting up or pushing something incredibly big and heavy all the time in the background were funneh. I couldn't help but chuckled when Unohana appeared to volunteer to go to the living world with Ichigo. Her words taunted Mayuri so and there was nothing that he can do about it. In my head, I keep seeing a doujin of tentacle rape that Mayuri did to Unohana. Oh man I am so liking this episode. Besides the IchiRuki moments, there are lots of Ichigo with different expression through out the episode. I'm so happy I can't believe how chipper I am right now ^_^ And I am actually looking forward to see the filler for next chapter. Those outfit are from 2005 WJ 21/22 double issue poster. Rukia will be in it so I have no complain. I missed her.

Milford v Blackbrook : Match preview Report by Gavin Brown Milford will be looking to build on their away win at Hull Dockers last week. Unavailable this week due to the Magic weekend are the Wilson brothers Eddie and Tom as well as Andy Barker. Luke Watts is also unavailabile due to playing on the Rugby Union 7's circuit in Prague. There will be a late fitness test on captain James Barker (ankle). Mark Judge is available again following his absence last week. Scott Watson, Connor Parr, Joe Tharme and Luke Jessop come into contention following strong second team performances.

I sometimes wish cell phones didn’t exist, or that I hadn’t upgraded from my flip phone to a product that is a lot like a small computer. Since I’ve developed a career in writing, I’ve found it critical to use time wisely. For a while, it felt like being on my cell so often hindered my ability to focus for long periods. I’d be in a good flow of work and hear the vibration or see the light. Then, it would become more important than meeting deadlines or having dinner with family. With social media accessible 24/7, people expect fast responses. I’d worry that if I didn’t reply to a tweet or a Facebook post within a few hours, I was rude or disrespectful somehow. They say you’ve got a four-hour window where you must interact. If I wasn’t available 24/7, then I didn’t matter to people, a personal issue I’ve dealt with as someone that (used to) feel the need to be in constant contact. Now that I’ve gotten back to my roots and am a full-time writer, I’ve come to learn the importance of strategizing. My relationship with my cellular phone has changed over the last two years. The internet robs us of many things we don’t realize. Time is one of them. When I’m writing a novel or working on something that has a deadline, I unplug the internet entirely and leave my phone in the other room, volume off. I have a schedule that allows me to be selective and draw boundaries. It’s important to honor your time, especially if you work from home. As a creative person, I find it’s critical to keep my attention on one thing only. There are about five things I’ve noticed, though, since I’ve cut back on phone usage. 1. Enhanced Creativity Keeping my phone in the other room while I write and the internet unplugged has boosted my creativity. My imagination amplified to the max. I have a period during the day when I spend on writing only, zero distractions, which keeps ideas locked in my head so I can get them out. I’ve become more original, uniquely me and express this in my work. 2. Happier and More Relaxed When I’ve achieved the intentions I set for the day, the joy after is my reward. Obsessively playing on my phone doesn’t lead anywhere. If anything, it’s only made me feel bad because I’m not on some exotic island sipping on a pineapple smoothie and lying in a hammock. Limiting social media has improved my mental health, reminding me of what my purpose is, and that working is rewarding (and yes, a vacation once and again is rewarding too). 3. Balanced Balance in daily life is essential but means different things to everybody. For me, it’s knowing when to say no to the unnecessary things that prevent me from doing important things. In the day hours, not only am I focused on work, but I’m also managing my health. Swimming. Exercising. Yoga. Relaxing. Setting a schedule for activities helps a great deal. Phones do nothing for our well-being, and truth told, I used to stay up in bed for hours at night browsing social media or the internet which affected every aspect of my health after a while. Sometimes, if my mind is racing (and has been lately), I’ll want to silence these disquieting buzzing thoughts. My phone did a good job of that, shutting up my mind. But there are other ways to do this. Instead, I do deep breathing exercises, repeat affirmations, and remind myself there is enough time in a day (if you’ve established a good balance). 4. Increased Work Flow Since I’ve been leaving my phone behind more often, I’ve noticed a huge increase in my work flow, allowing me to accomplish an abundance of goals. It’s unbelievable sometimes. As a writer, it’s key to completing a lot. For instance, I write from 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. I’ll be running with creativity, cranking out work or articles, and accomplishing tasks. I’ve got sharp focus. Cutting back on my phone has had dozens of benefits, but most importantly, I get so much more out of my daily life. Since earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2008, Tessa's writing has been published in several national journals and featured in both local and national press. For ten years, she's traveled across the world through Canada, Ireland, and Italy delivering keynote speeches on mental health, wellness, anti-bullying, and holistic living. Her activism for the worldwide disability community attracts global attention. A wellness coach and mentor, Tessa writes to inspire change at tessakoller.com on her blog and for many publications. Share your comments below. Please read our commenting guidelines before posting. If you have a concern about a comment, report it here. I Deleted All the Apps Off My Phone for a Week — and It Was Harder Than I Could Have Imagined Sign up for the Thrive Global newsletter “People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills . . . There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind. . . . So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.”

On 12 July 2002 the EU agreed fundamental changes of the 1997 EC Directive on privacy and telecommunications preventing the erasure of data and allowing member states to introduce new laws requiring communications providers to keep traffic data and make it accessible to the law enforcement agencies). A draft, binding, EU Framework Decision prepared by the Belgian government (and backed by the UK) has temporarily been put on the shelf due to widespread criticism. But a secret document shows that at the national level nine out of 15 member states have, or are planning to, introduce mandatory data retention (only two member states appear to be resisting this move). In due course it can be expected that a "harmonising" EU measure will follow. Terrorism pretext for mandatory data retention Mandatory data retention had been demanded by EU law enforcement agencies and discussed in the EU working parties and international fora for several years prior to 11 September 2000. On 20 September 2001 the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council put it to the top of the agenda as one of the measures to combat terrorism. But now, over 16 months later, it is nowhere near being in operation in most EU states. So the question has to be asked: does this mean that all telecommunications have not been under surveillance since 11 September? Of course they have, not by the law enforcement agencies but by the security and intelligence agencies. The National Security Agency (USA) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ, UK) have been surveilling global communications since 1947 (UKUSA agreement). During the Cold War this was for military and political purposes, later through the new Echelon system political and economic intelligence was targeted. Echelon, NSA and GCHQ were already moving to cover terrorism (and associated serious crime) before 11 September - after it became a new priority. But even then, for example, with the new, huge, NSA online storage system (Petraplex) designed to hold all the world's communications for 90 days, this is almost useless unless the agencies know (through gathering human intelligence on the ground, HUMINT) what to look for. The EU's law enforcement agencies’ demand for data retention, now backed by their governments, has little or nothing to do with terrorism but rather is primarily to deal with crime and internal threats posed by public order, refugees and asylum-seekers, and migrant communities. Analysis Following the fundamental changes to the 1997 EC Directive on privacy in the telecommunications sector formally adopted on 12 July 2002 the door was open for new measures to require data to be retained at national and EU levels (see Statewatch, vol 12 no 3/4). Two key privacy protections were removed. The first of which said that data could only be held for the purposes of billing (ie: for the customer to check the details), usually only for a few weeks. The second allows member states to adopt national laws to require communications providers to retain data for a specified period so that law enforcement agencies can get access to it. "Under the table", out of public view, was a binding Framework Decision drafted by the Belgian government which would have made data retention mandatory in all EU states (and all applicant states) and rules for the exchanges of data between states/agencies (see Statewatch, vol 12 no 3/4 for details). Statewatch was leaked a copy of the draft Framework Decision and when it was published, with much critical commentary, the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union claimed to know nothing about it. However, a set of non-binding draft Conclusions, prepared by the Danish EU Presidency, said: "within the very near future, binding rules should be established on the approximation of Member States' rules on the approximation of Member States' rules on the obligation of telecommunications service providers to keep information concerning telecommunications in order to ensure that such information is available when it is of significance for criminal investigations" (Conclusion 9, doc no 10358/02, 24.6.02, emphasis added). Five further drafts were produced prior to the adoption of the Conclusions at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 19 December 2002. The first, on 3 October, said that “two delegations” were not in favour of the draft document and five had scrutiny reservations - this was to rise to nine by the time of the next draft on 23 October. The disagreement centred on the issue of data retention in Conclusion 7 (the renumbered no 9 in the adopted text). The 3 October version said "binding rules should be established on.. retain[ing] traffic data". By 23 October the word "binding" had disappeared, and now a "dialogue" leading to "rules.. should be established and implemented". The draft of 22 November 2002 was firmer, saying that there should be: "as a matter of priority, the necessity of establishing and implementing binding rules.. to retain specific traffic data". But the version of 28 November (which became the final version) said that: "before adopting rules.. to retain specific traffic data.. a dialogue between interested parties should take place.. [and that] If it is found necessary to establish such rules, they should at any rate ensure that such traffic data is available" So, on the face of it mandatory data retention across the EU would appear to be on hold for the moment. Indeed, no other EU government wants to pick up and formally put forward the Belgian government's draft binding Framework Decision - it thus remains "under the table". This lack of decisive action is all the more surprising as Conclusion 4 of the specially-called meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 20 September 2001 (and the Bush letter of 16 October 2001) called for measures to be brought forward urgently. The true picture is more complex. First, the law enforcement agencies already have the power in every EU state to place under surveillance named, specific individuals or organisations (the procedure varies from state to state but has been in place for years). Investigations into suspected terrorists are thus ongoing and unhindered. Second, a majority of EU member states have, or are in the process of, adopting national laws on mandatory data retention (see below). Third, the costs imposed on communications providers is unresolved. Fourth, in some countries there is, in addition to privacy considerations, a perceived conflict between new surveillance powers to combat terrorism being extended to crime in general. Fifth, the widely reported adverse critiques on sweeping changes, by civil liberties groups and civil society, has embarrassed some governments - can democracy be defended by undermining it? Finally, the agencies mainly involved in tackling terrorism (as distinct from crime) - the security and intelligence agencies - have virtually unfettered powers of surveillance in many EU states. EU survey on current laws and on the introduction of mandatory data retention at national level Mandatory data retention has primarily demanded by the law enforcement community (police, criminal investigation, immigration, customs etc) from well prior to 11 September 2001. On 14 August 2002 the Danish Presidency sent out a questionnaire on data retention to member states. The initial results of the survey were presented to the EU's Multidisciplinary Group on Organised Crime in a Room document (no 7) at its meeting on 16 September 2002 and the final document covering all member states (14107/02) was circulated to the same working group on 20 November 2002. Statewatch applied to the Council of the European Union for a copy of “Room document no 7” discussed on 16 September, But on 3 December 2002 the Council wrote to Statewatch refusing access. The reasons given were as follow: "Room document 7 relates to the state of play on retention of traffic data. It refers to problems law enforcement authorities have encountered in this field and highlights the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the Member States' law enforcement systems on this topic. This information would be useful for criminals who want to exploit those weak spots in order to pursue their activities in these Member States and other countries of the European Union. This would undermine the protection of the public interest as regards public security. Furthermore, parts of this information were provided on a confidential basis by the law enforcement authorities themselves on the condition that the results would be used only for communication between Member States. Disclosure of this information would be a breach to their trust and could make them reluctant to provide more of such information in future. Access to these documents is therefore denied pursuant to article 4(1)(a) of the Regulation (public security)." Statewatch has appealed against the refusal of access. However, both documents (16 September and 20 November 2002) are now in the public domain. What they show is that the information provided is a description of the present state of the law on telecommunications surveillance in each EU state and the plans, if any, to amend the legal framework. An analysis of the answers to the questionnaire give the following picture: Austria The existing law is under Section 93 of the Law on Telecommunications (TKG) plus the Surveillance Regulation (UVO) which establishes and obligation to cooperate on service providers. A new Law on Communications is being drafted and: "Consideration is being given to the inclusion in the draft of a rule obliging providers to retain exchange data for a given period for prosecution purposes". On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "The Austrian Ministry of Justice and the Austrian Ministry of the Interior would welcome a binding rule (possibly in the form of a framework decision)." (The Federal Chancellory, responsible for data protection, is "sceptical"). Belgium Belgium has adopted a new law, the Computer Crime Act (28.11.00) [Loi sur la criminalite informatique] which "has settled the principle of compulsory data retention" for a minimum of 12 months. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "it is essential to have common policies.. the EU instrument could be a framework decision". It is important to show that "the orientation of EU criminal law is not only repressive [by introducing safeguards] which is unfortunately more and more argued among the civil society". Denmark The Danish Administration of Justice Act was amended by Act No 378 of 6 June 2002 (the Anti-Terrorism Act of the Ministry of Justice). Section 786 has been amended so that communications providers have to retain data for 12 months. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: The Ministry of Justice "supports" the "solution of creating an instrument on traffic data retention for law enforcement purposes.. at a European level". Finland The main legislation is the Finnish Data Protection Law. Under the Decree on the Protection of Privacy and Data Security in Telecommunications operators are obliged to keep traffic data for at least three months for billing purposes. The police and Ministry of the Interior considers that the appropriate and effectice time for operators to keep traffic data (including connection information, "logs") should be 2 years. This should be taken into account when updating the Privacy Protection Act. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "it is hard to judge how it should be handled at the European level". France Article 29 of the Law on Everyday Security of 15 November 2001 makes mandatory the retention of data "for the purpose of investigating, establishing and prosecuting offences" for up to one year. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "Data retention for the purposes of public security is explicitly authorised by Article 15 of Directive 58/2002/EC, dergoating from the general principle of erasure.. This new Directive.. marks a further step in dealing with this matter". Germany Two laws cover this issue, the law on teleservices (TDG) and the law on telecommunications (TKG). Under section 89, para 2., of the TKG and section 7 of the Regulation (TDSV) and section 6 of the teleservices data protection law data may only be retained (for up to six months) for billing purposes. The Federal Constitutional Court has laid down "restrictive conditions for the retention of personal data for purposes other than for the original purpose of processing for official requirements or for the purpose of concluding a contract". Moreover, “on economic grounds and for reasons of data protection, the associations and service providers tend to be critical of any obigation to retain traffic data”. Exceptionally, there is an obligation in Germany for “those who are the subject of the [surveillance] order to be notified that data is being disclosed”. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: The need has to be shown for this. The government thus first has to consider whether it is "actually necessary" and second whether it is "permissible pursuant to the German constitutional law". Greece The current law on the protection of personal data in the telecommunications sector is covered by Law No 2774/1999 compliant with the 1997 EC Directive. That is, data may be kept for billing purposes and access to data by law enforcement agencies can only be made for "specific cases and not on an absract, general or preventive basis". However, “for the present, the tendency in Greece is to retain data for one year”. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "Greece considers the creation of such a legal tool to be important, useful and essential". Ireland Directions were issued by the Minister for Public Eneterprise in April 2002, under the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, to require operators "to retain existing traffic data and future traffic data for not less than 3 years". Primary legislation is being prepared to require operators to retain data. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: an amendment should be made at EU level "to ensure that law enforcement agencies access to call related data is in accordance with national legislation". Italy Under law no 171 of 13/5/1998 the retention of data is not allowed except for billing purposes. However, the law is being reviewed as "this lack of precious information in support of criminal investigations could pose serious obstacles". The Italian submission notes that: “as a general principle, the longer that traffic data is retained the better it is”. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "international cooperation in this matter is always welcome", an instrument should also cover the exchange of data between countries. Luxembourg A new law is being drafted to incorporate the changes made to the EC Directive on privacy in telecommuncations as regards data retention. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "Harmonisation of procedures at European level is always appropriate". Netherlands Article 13.4 (2) of the Telecommunications Law requires the retention of "certain sets of data" (traffic data) for three months. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: the Netherlands is conducting a review and says there should be a legal instrument under Title VI of the TEU (ie: a Framework Decision). Portugal The current Law 69/98 of 28 October 1998 says data must be erased when it was served the purposes for billing. However, there is an intention to "transpose" the new, amended EC Directive (12 July 2002) into national legislation. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "We feel that such a measure would be of great importance". Spain Article 12.1 of the Information Society and Electronic Services Law (Law 34/2002 of 11 July) is an amendment in line with the major changes to the 1997 EC Directive on 12 July 2002 which says "connection and traffic data" must be retained for 12 months. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: Spain "very highly" backs such a proposal. Sweden A government committee has considered the implications of the amended 1997 EC Directive and has made no suggestion that data retention should be mandatory. The issue is however "the subject of discussions". On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: "it is difficult to see how cooperation could be successful if the rules on traffic data retention seriously diverge among its signatories" - in other words they would support such a proposal. UK The position in the UK (as outlined above) is that data retention is included in the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 but only in relation to purposes directly or indirectly connected with national security. On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: not surprsingly the UK says, "To resolve these issues on a European basis would be very useful". Conclusion On the basis of this survey it can be broadly concluded that at this stage: 1. Nine of the 15 EU states have or intend to introduce an obligation for the retention of data, two member states have no plans and four are unclear. 2. The norm for the period of data retention would appear to be 12 months, although Ireland is way out ahead with 3 years. 3. Ten of the 15 EU states would support a EU measure, only two are against this and three are unclear.

Wide format News, Analysis & Video EskoArtwork broadens sign, display presence Thursday, February 26, 2009 Press release from the issuing company Vandalia, OH (USA) -- EskoArtwork announces that its North American sign and display division, formed when EskoArtwork acquired Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering, Inc. (MGE), has successfully been integrated within the US EskoArtwork organization. The group has recently expanded its Lake Geneva, Wisconsin office with a new area completely devoted to a demo facility, material testing area for customers, and a finishing competence center. This group continues to represent sales of Esko Kongsberg XP, i-XL and i-XE digital converting tables and supporting software and expands EskoArtwork’s industry reach from commercial print and packaging to include serving companies producing signs and wide format displays MGE is the developer of the patented i-cut® vision system. The new i-cut® 7.0 takes print material specifications from the work stream, including cutting keys that supply operators with optimized tool settings and blade/bit recommendations. MGE’s i-script™ workflow has become the de-facto international standard through its integration into the RIPs of all major digital flatbed presses. MGE had also been EskoArtwork’s distributor for the Kongsberg i-XL and i-XE digital converting tables into the US sign & display markets since 2004. With the addition of MGE’s advanced technology, EskoArtwork is the industry reference in vision controlled finishing solutions for cutting tables for sign making, screen-printing and digital printing. Extended sign & display demo capabilities The new demo facility in Lake Geneva clearly shows EskoArtwork’s commitment to providing solutions of value to the sign and display market. The demo area holds the full representative range of Kongsberg digital finishing tables for the sign and display industry: a new Kongsberg XP 44 table for 24/7 production environments, the Kongsberg i-XL 24 large format digital flatbed cutting table and two Kongsberg i-XE series automated digital finishing systems for signs and display—the Kongsberg i-XE 10 and i-XE 32. EskoArtwork will use the center for product demonstrations. Customers are invited to bring or to send substrates and structural files in advance of a demonstration. In doing so, EskoArtwork will demonstrate the best tools appropriate to finish the customer’s substrates. In addition to product demos, the area will also be used as a testing facility to provide samples of customer’s materials finished on the tables. EskoArtwork will produce real-life samples created and generated from customer data and materials. The facility will also be used as a competence center, where EskoArtwork can test new substrates developed for signs and digital displays. “We are excited about the added sign and display expertise the MGE team brings to EskoArtwork,” comments Don Skenderian, EskoArtwork Vice President, Market Development CAD/CAM. “Their expertise, along with the resources of the new demo facility, will allow us to evaluate the business and technical needs of the sign and display companies, and to verify that the solutions we propose will fulfill these needs. We believe it’s a ‘sign’ of things to come from our newly combined strong entity.”

Find Affordable Small Business Website Design Because these days are difficult for even businessmen and businesswomen, there is the need for us to save on whatever we undertake including the building of a website for our businesses. It is crucial for us, these days, to find affordable small business website design that can help us save some bucks for our business and our own sake. Finding cheap small business website design may be difficult but we are likely to find such designers that charge low for their services if we care to look around carefully. We have to be patient, too. The search takes time and plenty of effort until we find the right website design team to create our business websites. Affordable small business website design can be availed of when you know where they can be found. One good place to find such services should be online. There are plenty of website designers in teams and those who are working on their own that can be found online. You only need to look through them, their portfolio and even their resume in search of the right website builder to go with. You want what is best for your business yet you want it cheap and easily affordable. You should probably go with those that work on their own are have yet to grow in the business of website designing. They shouldn’t charge you quite a lot on the service fee seeing as they are just starting out. You are, however, likely to get great website designs from them at such a fraction of what you would pay for with the design teams that are prolific or high profile and competent. You should be careful not to get scammed, however. There are some website designers that pose to be such---competent and all. But they are, in truth, just getting money from you without doing you any good where website design is concerned. You have to be careful of these. This makes it important for you check on the background of every website team or website builder you come across with. You can get even more affordable small business website design if you try and learn how to create websites on your own. This could be a lot of work for you but at least you’ll know how your website would turn out like. It’s just like when you have a great relationship with your website builder. You have to know what business website you ought to have---what it should contain and more. This is what makes a small website design that’s affordable.

‘The Greens Are Gone’ filming underway in Worcester, MA According to a recent casting call, the indie drama The Greens Are Gone began filming in Worcester, MA on Monday, July 7. Catherine Keener, Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men), Anton Yelchin, Riley Keough, Annie Starke, Cary Elwes, Lois Smith and Ryan Eggold star in the movie that follows a mother who is pushed to her tipping point by her children. “Two of the siblings are suffering from bipolar disorder,” the film’s producer, Michael Kristoff, has explained. “The youngest sibling begins to unearth a part of the family’s past, which causes a lot of drama to come to the forefront of things and, ultimately, ends up bringing the family closer together.” Filming started at Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner and is expected to continue in the Worcester area for the next several weeks. If you spot The Greens Are Gone filming in Massachusetts, let us know about it at [email protected]!

Potato Train, 1905 Prior to World War I the Burlington and other railroads experimented with special railroad cars bearing exhibits and lecturers to spread information on modern farming and stock raising techniques. The railroads were much concerned with finding ways to develop an adequate economy in the areas that they served to make the roads more profitable. The Ainsworth Star-Journal, February 16, 1905, reported, "The first potato special probably ever seen in the United States will start from Harrison, Neb., Thursday, February 28, over the Northwestern railroad. The special will carry a number of professors from the state university agricultural school and will be conducted on the same lines as the corn special of a few months ago. The educators will barrel eastward, delivering lectures at various points along the route to O'Neill, making a two-days' trip. It is believed by Professor E. A. Burnett, director of the department of animal husbandry at the state farm, who will accompany the train, that great interest will be aroused on the subject of potato growing and that it will prove of much value to the industry in Nebraska." The "potato special" arrived in Ainsworth on March 1, and the Star-Journal of March 2 reported that "quite a delegation of farmers and towns people was present to greet them. The lecturers at once waded into their subjects, and while their argument was not new to many of us, it will have a tendency to make us more active along proper channels. The lecturers put special stress on preserving moisture by following what is known in this state as Campbell's idea of soil culture-cultivate your ground considerably and often, thus retain the surplus moisture in the ground for future use. They also told us that we must select good seed and breed up, same as we are doing with our live stock. When they told us that we raised the best flavored potatoes in western Nebraska . . . , they only told us what we already knew." Ainsworth's Western Rancher and Brand Recorder of February 22 was somewhat less enthusiastic: "There was nothing new in the lectures. Conservation of moisture and Red River seed potatoes were the essence of the addresses." On March 15 the paper noted, "A reduction of freight rates is what would interest the producers more than anything else at the present time. Let the Northwestern save the expense of hiring lecturers and give the producers the benefit of this useless expense in reduced freight rates[. That] is what would boom and enrich this country."

NOTICE OF PREQUALIFICATION FOR REF GRANT NOTICE OF PREQUALIFICATION FOR REF GRANT Sequel to our invitation for Expression of Interests (EOIs) for 2017 Rural Electrification Fund (REF) Grant Award published in the Federal Tenders Journal of Monday, December 11, 2017 as well as in ThisDay and Daily Trust Newspapers of 11th December, 2017; the Rural Electrification Agency wishes to publish the underlisted names of successful bidders according to categories

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Mission + History Pike Place Market Foundation supports the heart and soul of the Market – its people. By helping our neighbors who work, learn and live in and around the Market, the Foundation helps the Market we love remain a thriving, caring community. Established in 1982, The Market Foundation has granted more than $26 Million to provide housing, healthcare, healthy food, childcare and a community of support to our most vulnerable neighbors. Over the past 34 years, The Market Foundation has contributed to a neighborhood model that allows a diverse community to live and thrive here at Pike Place Market. Learn more about the network of services we support with your helphere. Meet the Pike Place Market community on our blog. Follow us on social media for more stories – see bottom of this page.

Eclipse Choir It’s a real pleasure to be interviewed about how to set up and lead a choir by the MU. And I’m pleased to be able to give some insight as to how I approach teaching and developing my choirs. Check out Eclipse Choir to see more of our progress since it was formed in 2014. And this year we’re delighted to be performing at the beautiful All Saints Church for our Christmas Concert on Thursday 22nd December. At present there are still some tickets available, but they are selling fast! Get in there now and book yours! In early December I was asked to create four-part vocal arrangements and rehearse 14 singers from Eclipse Choir to support Alistair’s breath-taking renditions of Coldplay’s, Fix You and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, which he performed at the highly acclaimed live music venue, “The Bedford”, in Balham. It was a beautiful night, Alistair writes such well-crafted and engaging songs, and it was a real pleasure to work with him. There will be more to come sometime in February 2016 so watch this space! You can find Alistair and his music here: SUNDAY 19/07/2015 TICKETS NOW ON SALE! VENUE TICKETS Adults £12 Children £10 (15 yrs and under). Under 2s go free. ABOUT ECLIPSE CHOIR Eclipse Choir started in April 2015 when Jim put into motion his dream of setting up his own choir which would rehearse and perform a mix of modern and more classical songs in SATB (or for those not familiar with choral lingo–soprano, alto, tenor, bass). Here we are nearly 10 weeks later and wholeheartedly getting ready to perform our debut gig. The choirs will be singing songs from Bob Chilcott, Toto and Queen to the Kings Singers. Eclipse is made up of two choirs groups that rehearse separately on Monday and Thursday nights, plus some small ensemble groups performing as well as one or two soloists. Please visit our website to find out more!

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Daniel Radcliffe Shuts Down ‘Sex Symbol’ Stereotype And calls everyone out for treating Emma Watson differently Cue the melting of Harry Potter fans’ hearts everywhere: when asked about being a sex symbol in a recent AP interview, Daniel Radcliffe came up with the perfect response. As part of a discussion about his past roles, the reporter asks Radcliffe whether it’s strange to have gone from being the boy wizard Harry Potter to a grown-up sex symbol. In response, he describes a conversation he had with someone who referred to him as an “unconventional” romantic lead: “She said, ‘Well, I think it’s probably the fact that, you know, we associated you with playing Harry, the young boy wizard.’ My immediate response was, ‘Well, the male population has had no problem sexualizing Emma Watson immediately.'” Scientists Trace Back the First Sexual Act Ever, to Weird Ancient Fish Ancient fish were the first to copulate. And according to a world renowned paleontologist, it looked a lot like square dancing + READ ARTICLE Scientists have discovered the origins of sex, and like anyone’s first time it sounds pretty awkward. Now light some candles and let’s set the scene: The first act of copulation occurred in the nippy Scottish sea some 385 million years ago. The fornicators in question were a set of primitive jawed, bony fish aptly called Microbrachius dicki. The dirty details? Well, according to Australian paleontologist John Long, “With their arms interlocked, these fish looked more like they are square dancing the do-se-do rather than mating.” Not only had scientists previously thought that the first sex act occurred on land at a later date, but Long says, “We didn’t expect these little suckers to have reproductive organs.” But the M. Dicki were endowed, as is explained by Long and his colleagues in a paper that was published in Nature Monday. Although their genitalia are not described in romantic terms. Long, a professor at Flinders University, explained to the BBCthat the fish’s arms linked them together, “so the male can get this large L-shaped sexual organ into position to dock with the female’s genital plates, which are very rough like cheese graters. They act like Velcro, locking the male organ into position to transfer sperm.” This is also the first species that displayed a different appearance between the male and female. Why Parents Let Kids Watch More Movies With Sex and Violence They're getting desensitized, study suggests If you’ve felt like PG-13 movies have gotten more violent lately, you’re right. A new study published in the journal Pediatrics reports that violent scenes are now more common, with gun violence tripling in movies since 1985. Sex scenes in R-rated movies are up, too. One possible reason: the more parents watch movies filled with sex and violence, the less they appear to care about the age of children watching them, too, the study suggests. Annenberg Public Policy Center researchers screened several movie clips in succession for 1,000 parents of pre-teens and teens, asking them what they thought was an appropriate minimum age for their child to watch the movie. The more movie clips the parents watched, the more lax they became about who should watch the film. At first, the parents rated violent scenes appropriate for kids at age 16.9 on average, and sex scenes appropriate for kids starting at age 17.2. But by the end of the study, those thresholds had dropped. Parents thought kids ages 13.9 could watch the violent scenes and kids aged 14 could watch the sex scenes. Outside of the lab, parents have input in how movies are rated. Several members on the board of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the group that rates movies, have children, the study says. Researchers think that the increase in sex and violence may actually be due to parents becoming desensitized to the scenes. This, the authors conclude, “may contribute to the increasing acceptance of both types of content by both parents and the raters employed by the film industry.” Parents and Teens Aren’t Embarrassed by the Sex Talk Anymore But there's still a lot more conversations that need to happen, according to new data shared exclusively with TIME Adolescence is an entirely new beast in the era of high-speed Internet and smartphones. People have never been so easy to chat with nor has content been so easy to download–and that adds a new layer to the parental ritual of having “the talk.” But new data shows that while parents and young people are perfectly willing to chat about sex, they may not be doing it as often as they should. Planned Parenthood and and New York University’s Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,663 pairs of parents and their children, ages 9-21, to get a sense of how American families of all backgrounds are communicating about sex and healthy relationships. What the inquiry found was that eight out of 10 young people have talked to their parents about sexuality. Among those pairs, about half of the parents said they started having the talk with their kids by age 10 and 80% initiated the conversation by age 13. While a high majority of parents (80%) talked to their kids about sexuality beyond the basics, like peer pressure and how to stay safe online, responses also revealed that they weren’t doing it all that frequently. Over 20% of parents said they’d never talked to their 15-21-year-olds about strategies for saying no to sex, birth control methods, or where to get accurate sexual health information, and over 30% hadn’t talked to their kids about where to get reproductive health services. “The great news is that parents and teens are talking about these topics,” says Leslie Kantor, vice president of education at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Most parents and their children report starting these conversations before the age of 14, and they are talking about topics like peer pressure, puberty and staying safe online. The bad news is that people don’t necessarily have a lot of conversations, so [it] doesn’t become ongoing.” Although most parents and young people said they didn’t feel embarrassed to talk about sex, nor felt they needed to rely on schools to do it, sometimes parents weren’t very clear about their stance on virginity. For instance, 61% of parents want young people to wait to have sex until they can handle the responsibility (45% advocated waiting for marriage), but only 52% of parents talked to their kids about sexual values, regardless of their beliefs. Experts suggest that starting the conversation may be the trickiest part. “Young people are dealing with some different contexts than in the past,” says Kantor, citing the pervasiveness of social media. “When was I was growing up, I couldn’t meet up with someone by meeting them on a game online. These things didn’t used to happen.” Kantor says parents are learning to deal with circumstances they never experienced themselves, and therefore feel like they can’t keep up, or don’t really know where to start when it comes to sexuality in the digital age. Sometimes, using the same technologies can be the best way to ensure positive learning opportunities–an idea Planned Parenthood has adopted. If young people are getting a lot of sex education from the media other online sources—more than 75% of primetime programming contains sexual content—then parents and educators can harness that for the good. Planned Parenthood has set up chat and text sex education programs that allow young people to chat in realtime with a PP staffer about everything from STD to morning-after pill questions. In September alone, there were 10,974 conversations, and since the launch in May this year, there have been a total of 393,174. The organization also has an Awkward or Not app that takes young people through an online quiz that gives them the chance to send their parents a text to start a conversation about dating and sex. “We are very committed to ensuring that parents are the primary sex educators of their own kids,” says Kantor. “Use TV as an opportunity. Even if the show is sending a terrible message, it gives you a chance to get in there with something else. For example, asking, ”Is this what people look like at your school? Not everyone is size two.'” Ultimately, 90% of parents surveyed said they think that sex ed should be taught in both middle school and high school, which is telling in a country where abstinence-only education is still a mainstay and often sex ed is reserved to a brief health or gym class period—or in some places is entirely non-existent. There’s a lot of incomplete or incorrect information out there when it comes to sexuality, and if parents and young people really don’t feel that embarrassed to have these conversations, then it’s time to break the ice. 15 Guys Explain Why They Date Women Over 30 Here's why older is better in some men's eyes We’ve all heard the sobering statistics: given a choice, straight men of all ages would rather date women in their twenties. Women, on the other hand, prefer guys closer to their own age. In September, a study of 12,000 Finns reaffirmed what prior research had already established. But there’s something fishy about all that data. If dudes were really so set on their caveman-era mating habits, wouldn’t we see more single ladies over 30 home knitting tea cozies on Friday nights? (Then again, just because a guy wants to date a younger girl, doesn’t necessarily mean she wants to date him!) As a woman over 30, I decided to try to get to the bottom of this conundrum by asking a series of straight, unmarried men in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s to find out why some actually prefer to date “older” women. Turns out, there’s lots to love about women of a certain age. Men in their 20s date women over 30 because: “They understand better how to interact in a relationship.”— José Fernández, 24 (single) “They know what they want. There is more of an end game. So if you meet their criteria, they’re good.”— Billy, 27 (has a girlfriend) “I think women in their 30s are in their prime. Sexual maturity, the way that they carry themselves — for me something about it screams woman.”— Alex Sanza, 28 (single) “They are more stable.”— Solomon, 29 (just started seeing someone over 30) While men in their 30s say: “Generally more expert at the multisensory/theatrical aspects of the whole dance.”— Anonymous, 30 (single) “Much better sex”— Anonymous, 32 (actively dating) “When I was in my 20s, I was drawn to older women because it gave me a certain level of confidence because she was established. She’s not as needy.” ­— Peter Bailey, 34 (“not married”) “More nurturing.”— Percy Baldonado, 38 (single) Men in their 40s add: “Women over 30 have stopped putting metal through their lips and tongues which makes it easier to kiss them. And they’ve figured out their makeup routine so they won’t keep you waiting as long when you’re trying to get to an event.”— Anonymous, 49 (seeing someone) “Age has never really played a role in who I date … I have dated my own age, younger than me, and older. What it comes down to is, I like this girl, she’s cute, and I’d like to see her again.”— Chris Dinneen, 41 (in a relationship) Does Teen Sexting Lead to Earlier Sex? The latest research teases apart whether sexting promotes more sex, or whether having sex makes sexting more likely While plenty of studies have linked the sending of sexually explicit messages or naked pictures to a higher incidence of sex and risky sexual behavior, most of those studies didn’t follow the same children over time. That means they studied sexting habits in one group of children, and sexual behaviors in another, older group a year or so later. So it’s possible that other factors could explain the relationship that had nothing to do with the sexting. To address that issue, Jeff Temple, from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Texas Medical Branch, collected data from a group of nearly 1,000 high school students in Texas over six years. The students answered questions about dating, dating violence and other behaviors as sophomores and then as juniors. Temple then compared the answers. Reporting in the journal Pediatrics, he says that those who sexted as sophomores were 32% more likely to have had sex in the following year than those who did not, supporting earlier data. But Temple was also able to break down the types of sexts the students primarily used, from those who actively sent naked pictures to those who only received or asked for them. Those who only received sexts did not show a statistically significant higher risk of having sex, but those who asked for a sext were nearly 10 times more likely and those who were sent a sex were 5.3 times more likely to send one themselves. And students who sent sexts were the most likely to have sex in the following year. “So basically if a parent saw his kid had asked for a sext, that in and of itself isn’t related to sexual behavior unless that kid also sent naked pictures of himself,” says Temple. The data also showed that sending sexts, while associated with a higher chance of having sexual intercourse, was not linked to an increased incidence of risky sexual behavior, such as unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners, or using alcohol or drugs before sex. “That was surprising but it might mean that sexting is not limited to just at-risk kids,” he says. “Sexting may be becoming part of sexual development, and therefore it involves a cross section of all adolescents.” Temple admits that the data need to be confirmed with other studies; the reports on sexting and sex were self-reported by the students, which could affect their reliability. But the rates of sexting, along with sexual intercourse, fall in line with national surveys so are likely to be valid, he says. If sexting is indeed part of the new normal of sexual development, then it could be a sign of those who are more ready for sexual activity or more receptive to it, he says. Studies show that up to a third of adolescents are involved in sexting, and they may be good candidates for education about safe sex and the dangers of unprotected sex. “If sexting does predate sex, then it’s of public health importance. It becomes a marker of sexual activity and it could be a good opportunity to talk to them about safe sex prior to them having sex and preventing early sexual debut and risky sexual behavior,” he says. Men of All Ages Want Women in Their Mid-20s, Study Says Whereas women tend to prefer men of the same age or slightly older Straight men of all ages tend to have their romantic sights set on women in their mid-twenties, while women prefer men who are about the same age as they are, according to a new study. The survey out Friday, financed by the government-backed research funding group Academy of Finland, gathered data on 12,000 Finns and found that women, on average, are looking for partners who are about their age or slightly older. But men across the age spectrum have a sexual preference for women in their mid-20s. This remains true for men of all ages—men in their early-20s or younger are attracted to women older than themselves and older men are attracted to younger women. The findings are similar to data culled from the dating website OKCupid, which found that male users of the site of all ages, by far, are looking for women in their early-20s. 18 Reasons It’s Great to Be Single (According to People In Relationships) And single people give a bunch more Being single is rad and always has been. So rad, in fact, that single people now represent a majority of the U.S. population. One in four Millennials say they don’t ever plan on getting married. Single people are so comfortably in the mainstream that the whole idea of making time to celebrate Singles Week—that’s this week—is beginning to feel a little weird. [Note: I’m ignoring the very real structural inequalities levied against single people, helpfully outlined in this post by Bella DePaulo, because that’s not my point here but by all means if anyone wants to launch a singles revolution let me know. I’m always down to Fight The Power.] Anyway, in celebration of this ridiculous holiday we compiled two lists, both about the same thing: what’s great about being single. One list comes from single people themselves, the other list from people in relationships. The entries have been lightly edited where necessary but reproduced as faithfully as possible. A number of responses, particularly from people in relationships, reflected the mistaken notion that single people are happily filthy and frumpy looking all the time. (e.g.“You don’t have to impress anyone.”) Since being single in no way diminishes the libido and the art of seduction often depends, at a bare minimum, on at least passable hygiene, we can dispense with that whole line of thought outright. Other responses, again perhaps unsurprisingly mostly from the coupled, were splendidly optimistic (e.g. “You can make out with anyone you want anytime you want.”) If indeed the world is that much your oyster then by all means, Casanova, carry on. Sadly most of us don’t have that kind of game, so I’ve eliminated most such responses as well. SINGLE PEOPLE on the Benefits of Singledom “You will never in your single life be told how much ice cream is too much by your non-existent partner. Never. Not even once.” “No guilt flirting.” “If you like to travel you travel. That’s pretty much the beginning and the end of that entire discussion.” “I don’t have to say hello to anyone when I get home.” “You stay culturally relevant. So many people have never experienced the joy that is Tinder.” “You don’t have to go to work events with your significant other where you know nobody and where there’s never enough alcohol.” “If you’re tall you don’t have to worry about whether you should wear high heels out, how high those heels are before you’re taller than the guy, and whether that’s emasculating.” “You can’t be cheated on.” “Life can be one big weird sexual walkabout if you want it to be.” “If you have a food allergy, you don’t have to worry about whether he’s ordering things with nuts.” “Girlfriends are net generators of grief. They may start out easygoing, carefree, accommodating, but eventually the grief will start” “Having hilarious/horrifying dating stories with which to entertain your friends.” “The adventure of not knowing how your Saturday night will end. “ “I have an ex who, feeling disgruntled one evening, and to be fair had reason to be, leveled my herb garden and left me in the morning.” “You can listen to the same Leonard Cohen album over and over for the entire winter without anyone yelling at you.” [Divorced] “Career and big life decision flexibility. Doing whatever the hell you want to excess. $$$” “You can wear lipstick all the time.” “Fewer people have an incentive to lie to you.” “Less likely you will get pregnant on purpose with a partner you will be yoked to for 18 years despite them revealing themselves as a terrible person.” “Getting to know yourself and your habits.” “Independence. Dating. Having sex with EVERYONE.” “Going to the movies and never having to worry about finding two seats together.” [Widowed] “Learning to forgive and live again.” “Singing and talking to my dog.” “Best/Worst: eating for one.” “Not clearing your browser history.” “Never having to leave a place until I [explicative] feel like it and never having to go to a place unless I [explicative] feel like it and doing whatever the [explicative] I want at all the time.” “Masturbation Marathons!!!” COUPLED PEOPLE on the Benefits of Singledom “You never have to see a movie with Liam Neeson in it.” “You can binge watch an entire series in one weekend without committing Netflix infidelity.” “You only have to deal with your own parents and their crazy.” “Do you know how embarrassing it is to watch Friday Night Lights from start to finish for the second or third time and have your husband witness that?” “You can engage in gross single behaviors like plucking your eyebrows without judgment.” “You don’t have to regularly shower in a place where the shower bottom is blackened with filth because your boyfriend’s roommates are freegan cavemen.” “One time one of my boyfriend’s friends peed in my rain boot.” “Watching TV on the couch for 8 hours at a time.” “NO IN LAWS.” “Farting.” “You don’t have to hang art on your walls that you hate with a burning passion because a) one of your in-laws painted it or b) your husband loves hockey and thinks that hockey posters are ‘art.’” “Every time you stay late at work or are in a bad depressive mood you don’t have to worry about ‘What this is doing to my marriage?’ Your ‘marriage’ becomes like this third person you have to nurture. And it is exhausting.” “You never get home from work desperate for a snack only to find that last night’s leftovers were already somebody else’s lunch.” “You’re wrong a lot less often.” [FORMER SMOKER WITH BOYFRIEND OUT OF TOWN] “I sat out on my balcony on this epic fall morning with my dog, sipped my espresso and smoked a cigarette. Quite possibly the best morning ever.” “Laundry for one.” “Breathing sweet, clean air.” “She’s referring to my farting, which happens. I think losing time freedom is the biggest downfall in a relationship but it only applies if you haven’t found the right person. You only have so many hours on earth.” Single Parents With Young Kids Have As Much Sex As Singles Without Kids, Study Says No, this is not a headline from "The Onion." Turns out that single parents are dating and having as much sex as singles without children. A new study from The Kinsey Institute has found that single parents of children younger than age 5 date and are sexually active as often as singles without children — and more often than single parents of older children. (I’m guessing that later bedtime and increased ability to lay out guilt trips is to blame for this last phenomenon.) Researchers began the study thinking that single parents would put hooking up on the back burner while trying to make a human being from scratch. Apparently, not so much. “For single parents, there is only so much time and so much energy to be used for a variety of competing demands in their life. Without the help of a partner, singles often have to divert more energy to parenting and so in theory one might think single parents would not be dating as much. But that’s not what we found,” Justin R. Garcia, an evolutionary biologist at The Kinsey Institute and assistant professor of gender studies at IU Bloomington, said in a press release. Turns out it’s pretty easy to right-swipe on Tinder while watching Yo Gabba Gabba. Still, it’s news to me that having a kid under the age of 5 is no longer a barrier to a swingin’ single lifestyle. When my son was a toddler he was a barrier to just about everything, including showering, grocery shopping, using the restroom and doing anything alone with my husband. “These data are counter to theory and what was previously assumed about patterns of dating and sexual behavior among U.S. singles,” said Garcia. But what’s a little less clear is exactly why this counter-intuitive phenomenon is true. The study gives us a few hints: “Male and female parents of young children experience hormonal changes that can affect their sexuality.” It also says that with single moms there’s a desire to find a partner again and people with young children are often younger themselves and tend to have a higher sex drive than older moms. Remember, this study doesn’t say that single parents are having more sex than married parents. Although, or more realistically, married couples without children or married couples trying to have children probably have more sex than anyone else on earth. “We know that on average, singles have relatively less sexual activity than coupled people — singles tend to have lower rates of sexual frequency likely because they have to first find a partner to have sex with,” Garcia said. How Sleeping in Separate Bedrooms Could Save Your Relationship When my boyfriend and I were looking at our first apartment together last year, the number-one thing we decided we needed in order to get along was…separate bedrooms. Hear me out. We’d tried sharing his king-size bed early in our relationship — resulting in little to no sleep for both of us. Even today, we have to do it every once in a while in a hotel room, and it’s a challenge (cut to me riding out a bout of insomnia by reading in the bathroom at 3 a.m.). Separate bedrooms aren’t just a requirement for getting our Zs, they are the way we carve out private space in our otherwise-joined lives. For me and my boyfriend, there are several reasons for separate beds, but I want to knock out the first one that comes up whenever I tell anyone — friend, stranger, therapist — about our arrangement. We don’t do this because we aren’t attracted to each other, or any other obvious relationship red flag. It’s not that at all. First, we are very different kinds of sleepers. I like to sprawl out under the covers and take up as much space as possible. My boyfriend, who’s a big guy, has a special sleep-number bed that he’s calibrated to fit his body. Whenever he sleeps anywhere else, whether that’s in a hotel room or his parents’ guest room, he sleeps poorly. When we try to snooze inches from one another, we are far too aware of the other person’s body. I react to his talking in his sleep; he hears me snoring. And, I don’t know about you, but when I don’tget enough sleep (for me, enough is much closer to eight than six hours), I’m not that fun to be around. I’m cranky, hungry, and tired. Schedules play a role, too: He leaves for work at 7 a.m., while I’m a work-from-home freelance writer who sometimes stays up past 2 and sleeps ’til 9. Plus, on top of being opposite sleep types, we’re also opposite living types — he’s a neat freak and I’m a hoarder. His room has what feels, to me, like tons of empty space. Mine is packed with belongings, many of which find their way into my bed. I invariably share my sheets with several books, my laptop, my cell phone, and a Hello Kitty stuffed animal. For him? Sheets, blankets, and pillows will do. I made the transition to living with a partner for the first time at age 37, after living alone for seven years. If I’d had to go from being the queen of my castle to trying to live up to his standards of decluttering, I’d go insane. I can handle it in the common areas, but I need some space just for me in which I can decide where things go without having to answer to anyone else. While I wouldn’t go as far as Chris Illuminati and say that every couple should sleep in separate beds, it’s an option worth considering for any pair with mismatched habits. Still, it’s less about where we rest our heads than what’s happening inside those heads. Sometimes, I want to be alone. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to my boyfriend, per se — I don’t want to talk to anyone. If we shared a bedroom, it would be much harder to carve out that necessary alone time without coming across as rude. Having those boundaries already drawn means that when we are together in bed it’s because we want to be, not just because it’s bedtime. Shutting the door wouldn’t feel as satisfying if he had every right to open it whenever he wanted. That’s something I especially value when I’m having a tough day. He processes his low moments by talking them out; I do it by crying and I hate for anyone, even my partner, to see me when I do. Though I’m alone all day, sometimes I just want to read or think or have a private phone conversation, which I feel more comfortable doing in a space clearly demarcated as my own. In addition to supporting our emotional health in these many ways, separate rooms mean a faster recovery when we’re sick; we don’t pass our germs back and forth to each other in the night. While it may seem strange, separate bedrooms has meant that when we do join each other, usually in his bigger, more comfortable bed, it’s code for sexy time (or, at least, sexy talk). We spend plenty of hours curled up on our couch watching TV, or playing Wii bowling, but when we get under the covers we laugh, whisper, make out, and have sex. Maybe not every time, but in general, it’s our cue to turn off our phones and focus on each other (full disclosure: sometimes I need reminding of this). Do we sometimes lie side by side and read or look at our phones or tablets? Yes, but it’s still more intimate, because we are physically closer together and more likely to get it on than we would be separated by half a couch. After sex, we do what I imagine most couples do — cuddle and talk — but there always comes a point, right as one of us is drifting off, where I kiss him goodnight and leave to go to my own room. That’s the invisible line between our shared and private time. The other night, I tried to curl up in his bed (I do get jealous of his extra-soft blanket) and he affectionately recommended I keep it moving. While part of me wanted to experience the joy of waking up next to him, I knew he was being practical. For us, the fantasy of spending the night in the same bed will always trump the reality. Instead, I shuffled off to my room, where I get to take up as much space as I want, sleep with the lights on if I so desire, and surprise him in the morning after we’ve each gotten the night of sleep we deserve. And for this twosome, that “arrangement” sure feels like love.

The visitors stand outside in a naked passageway between grey concrete bunkers and enough barbed wire to seal some national borders. The scorching desert sun alerts us to the surroundings and the contrast between what the prison architect has done and the landscape on which the immense concrete bunkers got built: brooding mountains, desert, cactus, and unseen bones of dead pioneers and Indians. One electronically sealed chamber later, we enter the visiting room ? and wait. Noon: We sit on miniature plastic chairs even Kmart wouldn’t sell. A door opens; Gerardo Hernandez emerges. In the 1990s, Cuban intelligence sent him to run an infiltration group in south Florida. Bombs in hotels and restaurants don’t exactly draw vacationers and Cuba’s economy depended on expanding its tourist sector. In 1997, in order to stop the wave of Havana hotel and restaurant bombings, Gerardo’s group penetrated violent exile groups. Gerardo’s predecessors began infiltrating such groups before he was born. In 1959, former Batista officials and other anti-revolutionary exiles started their Florida-based air attacks against Cuba. Cuba complained to Washington. President Eisenhower quipped: “Why don’t the Cubans just shoot the planes down?” asked Ike. But Washington didn’t stop the over flights. Three plus decades later, Jose Basulto formed Brothers to the Rescue to spot rafters miles between Cuba and the Florida Keys. After the 1994-5 Migration Accords eliminated the need for such an operation, Basulto changed his mission. He convinced wealthy right wing exiles to fund the Brothers to enter Cuban air space and drop provocative leaflets. The Cuban infiltrators also discovered that Basulto had developed some weapons he planned to drop. Gerardo, Havana’s control agent, helped one agent, Juan Pablo Roque, slip out of Miami. Back in Cuba Roque held a press conference revealed he had also doubled as an FBI informer. He offered eye-witness details of Basulto’s plans for violence against Cuba. This dashing young pilot had fooled the Brothers to the Rescue and the Bureau. He also became the darling of ultra right Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtenin (a photo shows her slightly more than casual interest in Roque). Shortly after Roque’s press conference, Basulto announced his intention to fly over Cuban territory. A White House official and the FAA knew of the plans, but the government eventually charged Gerardo as Havana’s source of the Brothers’ flight plans ? three planes — that allowed Cuban MiGs to shoot down two of them on February 24, 1996. Basulto’s plane returned to Miami. After Roque had revealed his true identity, Miami’s right wing radio commentators began claiming Castro had taken over the FBI. In 1998, partly to undo that image, Gerardo thinks, the FBI busted him and other Cuban agents (The Cuban Five), despite the fact they had provided the Bureau with details of hidden explosive and arms caches and other relevant information to stop terrorism. The US case relied on the supposition that the MiGs fired missiles over international airspace. Cuban vectors indicated the action occurred over Cuban airspace. The US government has not released its satellite images on “national security” grounds. Gerardo’s trial lawyer did not demand them as evidence for the defense. “Why,” asked Gerardo, “would the US government not use these images available if they validated the prosecutor’s argument?” If the shoot downs occurred over Cuban air space, he emphasizes, there would have been no crime. An impending appeal ? a motion to set aside the conviction — will make this point. During the trial extremist exiles had photographed Miami jury members’ license plates. An acquittal, the jurors had reason to believe, might have resulted in their homes getting torched, or worse. The jury thus paid little attention to facts like Gerardo didn’t know the Brothers’ flight schedule, nor have access to Fidel’s decision to shoot down intruding aircraft. “An American Dreyfus case,” one lawyer called the judgment against the Cuban Five. 2:54 p.m. The loudspeaker declares visiting hours have ended. For three hours, guards had observed the visiting process. One inmate with his back to Danny had complimented him on his acting. Danny turned his head to thank him. A guard appeared. “Sorry, sir, you’re not allowed to turn around and talk to other inmates.” Gerardo shrugged. A sign in one sealed chamber called the Victorville Prison a “humane, correctional” institution. At least the sign didn’t claim pigs could fly. Gerardo wanted to see Saul’s new film, “Will The Real Terrorist Please Stand Up.” His voice, recorded during a phone conversation, appears in the documentary, as does Danny. The prison does not permit him to receive dvds; he can see dvds from the prison library, which is unlikely to acquire it. Each day the guards go home. Gerardo stays. The sun sets over desert mountains, and over the mountains of concrete, steel and barbed wire. Danny and Saul sigh. Gerardo, smiling, holds his fist high in a triumphal salute. Danny Glover is an activist and actor. Saul Landau’s WILL THE REAL TERRORIST PLEASE STAND UP premieres at the Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex, 1332 2nd St., Santa Monica, July 26, 7 p.m. and at Washington DC’s West End Cinema (23rd and “M” NW) at 7:30. CounterPunch published his BUSH AND BOTOX WORLD

8 Surprising Reasons Why Yoga Can Boost Your Health Yoga is more than just another way to spend a few hours a week getting some forced exercise. It’s a way of life, that once you start, you’re not likely to give up anytime soon. Keep reading to learn more about the 8 surprising health benefits a few yoga sessions per month can offer. 1. Immune System Booster Yoga immediately begins to improve gene expression, which has a direct effect on our immune system’s ability to eradicate disease from the body. There are many processes that work together to accomplish this effect, but the main reason yoga has such an effect at the immune system level is due to the improvements in the rate and quality of your breathing (ie., breathing technique), increased blood circulation which helps the liver and kidneys eliminate waste, and increased full body movement which helps the lymph system (the core of our immune system) to move toxins from the tissues into the bloodstream where they’re quickly eliminated (learn more). 2. Improved Sleep Quality Insomnia is no joke, afflicting millions of people worldwide on a daily basis. Yoga produces a very zen-like quality, connecting the mind to the body in a way that few exercises or activities can. Whereas meditation is great for the mind/body connection, yoga takes the mind/body connection to a whole other level, forcing them to work together in unison throughout the range of various exercises. This study, performed at Harvard University in 2004, showed a significant statistical improvement in both improved sleep quality and the ease at which new yoga participants were able to fall asleep, to be profoundly different after clinically-diagnosed insomniacs engaged in twice-weekly yoga sessions and maintained for at least eight weeks. 3. Increased Sexual Desire and Performance This benefit doesn’t just apply to one sex and not the other. Both man and woman are genetically designed to be creatures of movement. Modern sedentary lifestyles – office work, video games, television and many other factors, have severely hampered the human condition, resulting in poor erection quality and performance in men, and all-round lack of sexual desire in women. This study showed a major improvement in male sexual performance and desire, labelled as “MSQ” (Male Sexual Quotient), after only 12 weeks of consistent yoga therapy. This study, found a statistically profound difference in women’s “FSFI” (Female Sexual Function Index) after the same 12 weeks of yoga treatment. The interesting takeaway from this female study is that many of those positively affected were over 45 years of age, meaning yoga may reverse age-related loss of sexual desire in women. 4. Weight Loss Yoga is most definitely an effective calorie-burning exercise, but the weight loss benefits of yoga aren’t limited to how many calories you burn during, or even after a yoga session. In fact, you’ll burn more calories jogging, sprinting, or circuit training with weights for 20 minutes than you will participating in a 45 minute yoga session. The weight loss that’s been scientifically studied in people who participate in yoga sessions at least twice per week has more to do with the increased mental and spiritual awareness that yoga causes. This study, performed between January and May of 2007 at the University of Washington showed that the improved mind/body awareness resulting from regular yoga sessions increased the “MEQ” (Mindful Eating Questionnaire) scores of the majority of its participants – many of which were moderately obese women with an average age of 42. The heightened MEQ scores from the study led participants to have an increased awareness of the types of food they put in their bodies and how it affected the way they felt and performed afterward. 5. Less Boredom Over Other Forms of Exercise There is so much variety to look forward to when entering the diverse world of yoga exercise, it would be impossible, in a world where you can learn almost anything you want to from the comfort of your own home at your computer monitor, to get bored with yoga as form of exercise. There’s the very fluid and relaxing, middle-eastern Vinyasa, focusing on bringing the mind and body together in complete unison. The very rigorous and physically taxing Anusara, developed recently by american John Friend, which has a very social therapeutic element to each session. Hatha yoga, which focuses more on postural improvement with the equal benefit of improved mind/body awareness and core strength. It should be a given that working your body in various positions and postures, which often emphasize holding certain positions for extended periods, will certainly strengthen your muscles and increase overall flexibility. The effect from yoga is much different from more static forms of exercise such as running, aerobics and weight training because of the increased emphasis on exaggerated movements the various disciplines employ. 7. Social Benefits There’s just something about coming together with other like-minded human beings and engaging in an invigorating and fulfilling practise like yoga and its many disciplines. Not only do relaxing activities like yoga help to improve overall anxiety symptoms (source), the serene atmosphere you’ll find at a yoga class is very non-threatening and unobtrusive (learn more). Nobody’s going to ask you to hold hands with anyone such as with dancing, or get into an awkward position with a stranger like you would in an MMA class. Yoga is perfect for both extroverts and introverts alike, allowing you to meet new people without the pressure of physical contact or intensive conversation with people you don’t know. 8. It’s fun! If nothing else, yoga will give you a social outlet to look forward to while you’re stuck at the office for 8 hours or more every day. Certainly your curiosity must be piqued at this point. Go on and find a yoga class in your area. Don’t worry about specific disciplines for now, just get out and try it! Yoga is fun and most important: great for your mind, body, and spirit!

Welcome Guest. Please login or register.All items are guaranteed authentic for eternity!Please call us if you have questions 252-646-1958.Thanks for your business!Welcome Guest. Please login or register.Internet challenged? We are happy to take your order over the phone.Please call if you have questions 252-646-1958.Thanks for your business! In 1972 the London firm A. H. Baldwin & Sons purchased a large collection of more than 13,000 uncleaned bronze Byzantine folles from a source in Germany. The coins were mostly in quite worn condition but were nevertheless of particular interest because about 17% (that is, just over 2,200) carried Islamic countermarks. This was then (and remains today) by far the largest single known group of such Islamic-countermarked folles. To read more about this hoard click Mardin Hoard.

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THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: It`s Wednesday. I`m Carl Azuz. This is CNN STUDENT NEWS. Today, we`re starting with economics. When people want to see how a country`s economy is doing, they can study different indicators. The stock market or retail sales, for example. Two other indicators are government reports that come out every month. The national unemployment rate and the number of jobs added or lost. This month`s report says that in September the economy added 148,000 jobs. That`s fewer than the previous month. Also, the unemployment rate went down a little bit to 7.2 percent. The numbers in these reports don`t always match up, that`s because the two numbers come from separate surveys, one asks businesses about hiring, the other asks individual households about their employment status. The same day that a government report came out, a CNN ORC poll came out. According to that, 71 percent of Americans think that U.S. economy is in poor shape, 29 percent say the current conditions are good. What do you say? If you are thirteen or older, go to our blog. If you`re already on Facebook, go to our Facebook page. Tell us, do you think the U.S. economy is getting better, getting worse or staying the same? Earlier this week, we reported on wildfires burning in Australia. Authorities expect today to be about as bad as it gets. High temperatures, low humidity, strong winds. When you`re talking about wildfires, that`s a forecast for disaster. These fires stretched nearly 1,000 miles. They`ve destroyed hundreds of homes. A CNN reporter asked one victim about what she wished she could have saved. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRISTIE DASCHKE, RESIDENT: My photos. Photos from the computer with -- on the computer or the laptop, whatever, wherever, I could have gotten from my photos. Yeah. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Photos of what? DASCHKE: A honeymoon, wedding, my wedding album, photos of me as a baby, Jake as a baby. We don`t have a record of any photos to show to my children, of, you know, me growing up. (END VIDEO CLIP) AZUZ: More than 1,000 emergency crews are on the ground. Officials are bringing in 1500 more firefighters to help. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANNOUNCER: It`s time for the "Shoutout." What is this? If you think you know it, then shout it out. Is it a blobfish, dragonfish, lionfish or tigerfish? You`ve got three seconds, go! This is a lionfish. It`s native to the South Pacific. But the species has been found in other parts of the world, too. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout." (END VIDEO CLIP) AZUZ: They may sound funny, but lionfish are not joke. The spines on their fins are filled with venom. They eat anything, they have no natural predators. In the Pacific where there are native species, other fish know to steer clear of them. But in the Atlantic, where lionfish are an invasive species, it`s a whole different story. One that has some conservationists concerned. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KATIE LINENDOLL, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: The Atlantic Ocean is on the brink of what could potentially be one of the biggest disasters, and most people aren`t even aware of it. All of this thanks to one fish, the lionfish. An evasive predator species was actually thrown into Atlantic waters by pet owners decades ago. Now, it`s up to teens like those here in Bermuda to take matters into their own hands. GRAHAM MADDOCKS, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF OCEAN SUPPORT FOUNDATION: The lionfish invasion into the Atlantic is most likely the worst environmental disaster that the Atlantic will ever face. Bermuda got lionfish in 2000. From 2000 to 2013, they have spread their way from Bermuda all the way out through the Caribbean. We had no idea that could spread so fast. They even caught the top scientists off guard. And there are no predators except human beings. All of this fish in the Atlantic from what they can tell from the DNA only came from six to eight females. It was from pet owners, released a pet shop got wiped out, maybe let a few go, but really, it was a combined effort of just human beings, just being irresponsible. So, that`s another problem. These are almost the perfect predator: venomous, ferocious appetite, big mouth that can eat almost up to three quarter of its size -- this fish can eat a fish that big. We know that the fish in the Pacific where their native range comes from, are DNA-coded from the million years of evolution, they know to stay away from the lionfish. Instinctively, they are born with that instinct. If you go near the lionfish you`re going to get eaten. Our fish have never seen a lionfish. So they stream right up to them, they don`t recognize them as an enemy. Therefore, that`s why they are eating so well, and that`s how they are doing so great. We are trying to do as much data collecting as possible. We leave no lionfish behind. We try to kick every single one that we can. We are videotaping, so therefore the scientists can go back through that videotape later on and look at it at their own leisure and be able to stop and freeze frame it and look at the different things that are going on down there. We`re trying to observe different behavior, we`re also trying to see what other species of fish are leaving with this lionfish. We`re doing fish counts down there to see what the populations are. Lionfish are destroying ecosystems. And they are doing it very quickly. And this isn`t the battle that we can win. We only hope to be able to maintain their populations and Mother Nature isn`t going to come up with a wonderful cure all for everything. This is something that we have to take responsibility and try and fix or try to control ourselves. (END VIDEOTAPE) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANNOUNCER: Time for a "Shoutout" extra credit. What do all investments have in common? Do they all involve profit, loss, dividends or risk? Put another three seconds on the clock, and go! The only guarantee when you (inaudible) in investment is that it comes with some level of risk. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout Extra Credit." (END VIDEO CLIP) AZUZ: You can make all sorts of investments, you can put your money in the stock market or in real estate. You can invest your time. And now one company wants to give you the chance to invest in your favorite athlete. Of course, the athletes have to agree. This month, one did. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On the fields, he`s explosive. Off of it, charming. UNIDENTIFIED BOY: What`s your favorite food? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My mama cooked some (inaudible) enchiladas. ASHER: And if one company has its way, he`ll soon be a publicly traded asset. BUCK FRENCH, FANTEX CEO: We`re interested in working with Arian because he has attributes that are beyond just being a pro-ball running back. His approach to life and things off the field make him an attractive candidate for us. ASHER: Start NFL running back Arian Foster is the first athlete to sign up with Fantex, a San Francisco Bay startup that will allow fans to buy and sell shares of their favorite athletes. Fantex will pay Foster $10 million upfront. In exchange, investors get the opportunity to earn 20 percent of Foster`s future income, including money from playing contracts, endorsements, and appearance fees. Fans can buy a stake at $10 a share, but veteran sports (inaudible) consulted Robert Tuchman is punting the Foster stock. ROBERT TUCHMAN, PRESIDENT, GOVIVA: It`s very difficult to monetize athlete`s brands post-plane daze. It`s very difficult to monetize athlete`s brands while they are playing. FRENCH: How you play or the performance of your play gives you a platform, in which to have a voice in the marketplace, which impacts your brand. ASHER: So, what`s in it for the athletes? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For players, this is a complete homerun for Arian Foster. I mean he`s basically buying himself insurance in terms of his playing days. ASHER: So, why Arian Foster? Well, he`s one of the NFL`s biggest stars? His (inaudible) with the popularity of (inaudible) football. He is a master running back for team owners and Fantex wants to make him a must buy for investors. Investors, though, should tread carefully. Fantex lists 84 risks factors on its website including the risk of athlete getting injured and unforeseen issues with its trading platform. And, if Fantex doesn`t raise enough money in the initial offering, it says it`s scrapping the deal. Still, the company is bullish about bringing sports investing to the average Joe. FRENCH: We really embrace this concept of him being a trailblazer, and it fits his brand and how we see him and we think that there is a desire for that out in the marketplace. ASHER: Zain Asher, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE) AZUZ: Check it out, schools from three continents in this worldwide Wednesday edition of the "Roll Call." First up, Estonia and the students at Rapla Uhisgimnaasium. I hope I said that right, I was practicing. That is down to South Africa, to say hello to the Eagles from the American International School in Johannesburg. And we`ll wrap up in Malaysia with the Raffles American School in Nusajaya (ph) Combining an iconic dance move with an ambitious marching band, you get something like this YouTube video. As Michael Jackson. Well, it`s the Ohio State Marching Band paying tribute to Jackson and pulling off the king of pop signature moon walk. The band has a reputation for impressive half- time performances, but with that floating foot ward formation it really stepped up its game. People in the stands might have expected a good show, but I doubt anyone was anticipating that kind of thriller. We took a chance showing that video. After all, it was a band performance. Either way, it`s the final note in today show. Hope you`ll enjoy the rest of your day.

MDoc9523 wrote: Scott I was just thinking today that there are a few of my lenses that I much preferred on my D7000 as opposed to the D600. Namely the 16mm 3.5, 24mm 2.8, 105mm 2.5, and the 300mm 4.5. In looking back over my photos these lenses just seem to resolve better on DX. Kinda wish I had kept it! BTW we haven't seen you use that 18mm 3.5 Lately Ray, I like your railroad exhibit series, especially the first. I see a hint of vignetting on that one which is very nice. It that from the lens or did you add in post process? Never thought I would ever get in this place but I finally did. Very much closed to the public. Fair Hill training center where many a derby horse has trained. All with my 80-200 4.5 C Auto. The last shot I only wish I could have gotten them facing me.. Regan would have been proud: The rider is a knockout!!! kwoodard wrote: I may have a way around the shipping issue. I will look into it and see. Where in Germany are you? The drama is over, the hardest pain is subsiding, but the loss will be a long time in fading. My wife and I miscarried last week and it took three days to remove the fetus from my wife. Very hard times. That's a real shame Kevin - had a similar experience many years ago. Difficult to accept the course of nature in our modern world, Be strong. georgms wrote: A badly executed image from today - shot this one while walking to my parking car. Two horizontal shots with the PC-E 45/2.8 - one shifted all the way to the left, the next shot shifted to the right. Maybe I re-shoot the old building with the 28/3.5 PC or with an "ordinary wide-angle-lens" http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/10855718994_cb173fec6f_o.jpg The extreme corners (when fully shifted) are really soft - this one was shot at f/4. D700 Sorry for the large display, I just can't get the image smaller without ugly artifacts.Untitled by georgsfoto, on Flickr Ron your work with the 80-200 is a fine example of just how sharp this lens really is. I love the horses in action. Of course over time they have been an expensive proposition for me Jay thanks for the comment. The engine was one of those used in the yard to move rail cars around to prepare them for freight and I have to agree the caboose dwarfs it. Peter what great bokeh and the composition is terrific. I Always love to see what inspires you! Rafael the 8mm always amazes me. Great shot! Jim nice work with a lens that rarely shows up in our thread. Your style shows that this modest lens is a very capable performer. Tom so glad to see you posting. I was just thinking about you the other day. I just love your style and your work in B&W I never tire of see your part of the world! Samy such a wonderful time of the year and I always hate to see it end. Beautiful colors I had a lot of fun at the installation of the trains. Having always been shy about photographing people, I felt more comfortable because so many people had cameras that day. The first two were taken with the 180mm 2.8 ED and the last two were using the 24mm 2.8 AIS. I noticed in using the 180 at 2.8 and some distance, it fashions a sorta 3D effect. It is certainly one sharp lens! Tom, those are some really nice roofs. So much more inspiring then the roof styles I get to see here most of the time. Sagged roofs over here have novelty value. Itīs mostly straight boring roofs to keep the rain out. Jim, thatīs a catchy catch can. I have wondered for quite a while now how that 35mm performs on an APS-C camera. It seems to do just fine. I really like the D300 for itīs simplicity and ruggedness.

This wine is mouthwatering to say the least. Rich with black fruit and well balanced. The Cab Franc is well represented and shows well in this wine especially for those who don't like 100% cab franc wines (yours truly). A good value for a good wine. If you liked the EastDell Estates EastDell Black Cab 2009, you might also like these wines:

Image & Media Library – for your corporate images & media files With amazing features at an affordable price, Filecamp is the secure and reliable choice for any business. Filecamp was built from the ground up for managing and searching thousands of large image and media files. Built on rock solid HTTPS technology, Filecamp is the perfect solution for a corporate Image & Media library. Your company and your partners have secure access 24/7 to your Filecamp via a web browser on a PC or Mac. There’s no software to install and you have complete control over who views which files and photos. Every Filecamp plan includes unlimited users and a simple interface that makes it easy to include even the non tech savvy people in your company who need access to important photos for internal and external communications. Professional Image & Media Library Filecamp is a cloud based Image Library software solution. It’s a secure and affordable way to share your company images, videos and other digital files. Scalable As a cloud based file sharing and media library platform, Filecamp is highly scalable. Unlike typical image library software you run on a local server, Filecamp requires no additional IT staff or costs. From small businesses that dream of an IT staff to large enterprises looking to reduce their IT budget, Filecamp is the perfect fit for any business. No training required Filecamp makes managing and accessing your Image & Media Library easy with simple and familiar controls for browsing, uploading and downloading. Your team and your partners on a project can start using Filecamp with no training or experience. Finding and sharing content Your corporate images and media are easy to find using the convenient search feature. With public downloads and uploads, Filecamp’s unique file sharing features help you quickly share rich media files with a select group of partners in a secure and professional manner. Easy distribution Share and collaborate with clients and partners with the simple click of a mouse. You can use your Filecamp as a corporate Image & Media Library system as well as for everyday file sharing tasks. Beautifully branded Your brand is critical to your business. Filecamp fully integrates with your brand for a seamless look and feel. With Filecamp’s custom branding features, you can invite clients and partners to use your Image & Media Library while reinforcing your brand! Your own Corporate Image & Media Library – made easy and affordable Affordable Image & Media Library Share and preview your images, videos and all other media types with clients and partners. From small businesses that are making their name, to large enterprises that are making waves, Filecamp gives you the features you need in a cloud based image library, built on a secure platform that can grow with your business. More control and security Built on secure HTTPS technology with easy management features, you can easily set permissions for files and folders. Filecamp also features Collections which allow you to quickly gather images and photos from projects and share them with people without providing access to all the project files. Custom look and feel Custom branding your image and media library presents a professional and polished image that instills trust and reinforces your brand. Filecamp’s unique white label features available in our Professional plans allow you to completely remove the Filecamp branding to really put your brand on center stage.

The org.jboss.logging.util.* depending on log4j need to be moved to the common-logging-log4j module. Any uses of these classes needs to be replaced with common-logging-spi variants as there should be no log4j depdencies outside of the common-logging-log4j module. Some of the points to notice are that the logging project was created in the nested format (3 subprojects). Once a project is in subversion it trivial to change the structure and retain all history or remove additional files (e.g. legacy build files). Another point to note is that all history is available for these files. To view an example of this: $ svn log http://anonsvn.jboss.org/repos/common-logging/trunk ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ r19 | user57 | 2002-02-16 07:47:06 -0500 (Sat, 16 Feb 2002) | 7 lines o i just can't stop... i want to sleep, but I can't stop... ahhh caffeine was my friend about 3 hours ago, but now its like that buddy who isn't really your friend that keeps eating all of your chips and cookies that dosen't know when to get the hell out of your house. Well I am about to take him out side and smack him up side the head with a baseball bat (and then go steal his car)... =) ... If I checkout the http://anonsvn.jboss.org/repos/common-logging/trunk using the eclipse import/checkout project from svn I get an unusable common-logging project. There is no common-logging root directory and the pom.xml and other toplevel files are missing: I was not able to replicate the error, when checking out in the same fashion I received all of the files. However I did see this once before when checking out from the command line. I'll dig further to see if others have has similiar svn issues. However.... I wanted to make sure and include a nested style project to hash out how it would work with eclipse. If the checkout in the above fashion did work, it still would not be of use as eclipse doesn't handle the nested structures. There are two ways of dealing with this (from maven docs on eclipse integration: 1) Check out the whole project from the command line, run mvn eclipse:eclipse. Then import the subprojects into your eclipse workspace. 2) In case of large projects with many people it can be quite tedious to check out all modules and keep them up to date. Especially if you are only interested in one or two modules. In this case using binary dependencies is much more comfortable. Just check out the modules you want to work on with eclipse and run mvn eclipse:eclipse for each module (see also Maven as an external tool). Of course all referenced artifacts have to be available from your maven repository. This includes the top level pom file. What does not work is using the File/Import/Checkout Projects from SVN If I checkout the contents using the svn explorer view the structures are fine. After running install and the mvn eclipse:eclipse command, I don't see that the project references are correct. For example, the common-logging-jdk project does not have a reference to the common-logging-spi project. 1. Merge in any changes from cvs that have occurred since the migration.2. publish the binaries to the repository3. Modify the build in 4.0 and head to use the repository for these jars instead of module outputs. Nothing. We just need to synchronize cvs/svn and then update the existing usage to depend on the binary. For the 4.0.4.GA just leave the 4.0 branch common alone. We can look to update this in the next release. Since the repos were out of sync I've asked IT to create a new one for me and reimport the source. Once the source is there I'll fix the build so that it is standalone and we can publish an artifact to the http repository. At this point development can begin out of subversion. We can then safely perform any refactoring and not worry about syncing code between two version control systems. 1) publish the artifacts to the http repository 2) test them with 4.0 and head 3) announce this change to the dev list 4) cut off cvs write access For something like common which we are extracting for the first time will we start off its versioning with a 1.0.0 version? I've also queried Alex as regards to what the version of JBossXB should be. I'm assuming it will be snapshot for now. I've made changes locally to allow head and 4.0 to build from the thirdparty artifacts. Head works fine. The 4.0 branch is not in sync with head though. For example in the common module for head we have a package org.jboss.util.collection which contains a class, CollectionsFactory. This is not present in the 4.0 branch. What is the best way to handle this? Publish two seperate sets of artifacts (1 for head, 1 for 4.0) or to go ahead and cutover and then adjust 4.0 source errors as necessary?

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 June Death Toll Continues to Rise for Law Enforcement Another young law enforcement officer was killed this week when he was shot during the course of a traffic stop on Interstate 40 in western North Carolina. The shooting occurred on Tuesday, June 17th after North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper David Shawn Blanton, Jr. pulled over a motor vehicle at approximately 10:20 pm. An argument ensued and the suspect, who is now in custody, struck Trooper Blanton with two shots, one that was not life-threatening and the other entering his torso in an area not protected by his bulletproof vest. That shot struck vital organs inside his body and proved fatal shortly after the trooper had been transported to Mission Hospitals in Asheville. "Incidents like this remind us of what a dangerous profession law enforcement is," said Brian E. Beatty, Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety in North Carolina in a news release. Trooper Blanton was from Cherokee, N.C., and a member of the eastern band of the Cherokee Indian tribe. He was the first of that tribe to serve with the Highway Patrol according to his father, David Blanton Sr. The elder Blanton said his son had recently married and had one child, who had been born premature on May 31st. The baby boy, Brendan Tye, had medical issues when he was born and was still being treated at the same hospital in Asheville where his father died Tuesday night. Trooper Blanton's wife issued a brief statement through the hospital and talked about their newborn son who is listed in serious condition, "We sincerely appreciate all of the prayers for our family and especially for our son Tye," Michaela Blanton said. Trooper Blanton, age 24, was a two-year member of the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the first to die in the line of duty since 1997. He is the 59th trooper to die in the line of duty since the North Carolina Highway Patrol formed in 1929. Please join me in thanking this brave young man for his service and in sending prayers to his family, especially to his infant son.

So, What Was In That Boston Time Capsule? The Vault is Slate’s history blog. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @slatevault, and find us on Tumblr. Find out more about what this space is all about here. Tuesday night, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, conservators opened a box that was buried beneath the cornerstone of the Massachusetts State House in 1795. Samuel Adams, then governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, installed the box with the help of Paul Revere, then the Grand Master of the Freemasons of Massachusetts. The deposit contained two layers of historical material: one from 1795, and another from 1855, when the little repository was opened and cataloged, then reassembled and augmented with new material from that time. In Time online, Lily Rothman argues that the term “time capsule” is an inappropriate descriptor for this box, since the dignitaries who laid it under the cornerstone never specified an end date upon which the box should be dug up. Rothman points to the work of historian William E. Jarvis, who writes in his history of time capsules that the practice of putting sanctifying objects in the foundations of buildings, which dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, should be considered something different from a time capsule—less an archival message to the future, more of a blessing. Jarvis argues that the Century Safe, assembled for the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, should be considered the first bona fide time capsule. The name “Time Capsule” was first used in 1939 at the New York World’s Fair. The idea of sending artifacts forward into the future gained popularity in the first half of the 20th century, when many world’s fairs and expositions featured a ceremonial capsule burial. The Boston box turned out to contain an assemblage of commemorative items: a plaque describing the circumstances of the original laying of the cornerstone; 23 coins, with the oldest dating to the middle of the 17th century; a medal decorated with the head of George Washington; and five newspapers, excavated in delicate condition and still folded up to fit the box’s dimensions. The BostonGlobe’s David Scharfenberg reported that the preservationists and state officials were still deciding how much to interfere with the box’s contents—a decision that will determine whether the newspapers can be unfolded, and the significance of their inclusion more fully understood. One of the coins in the box, a Pine Tree Shilling, was minted in 1652 for the use of Massachusetts’ colonists, without the knowledge of the British monarchy.* Writing about the shilling, historian Mark Peterson tells the story of the colonists’ monetary defiance, which initially went unpunished during the kingless time of Oliver Cromwell. With the Restoration in 1660, Peterson writes, Charles II “demanded a reckoning of the colony’s conduct.” In a “dexterous act of verbal tribute,” the colony’s representative convinced the king that the pine was, instead, a royal oak, “the emblem of the oak which preserved his majesty’s life.” For the moment, Peterson adds, “the bluff succeeded.” Revere and Adams may have chosen to include the shilling as a token of the colony’s early independence.

Robert Lachmann (rolach at zedat.fu-berlin.de) wrote: > I am having an arguement with a friend of mine about how the human genes > are distributed on the DNA.That is, whether the human genes are > distributed on both DNA strands or just on one. In E. coli, both strands may serve as coding strands. I don't see any reason why it should be different in humans. Biochemistry books are probably not the best place to research this question. You might try Ben Lewin's "Genes" (I heard that the latest edition has just come out). However, I doubt that the question is covered there in broad detail, which is fairly sensible since the information is being updated almost continuously :-9. Therefore, better places to look are probably online. A good place to start might be the Genome Database at http://gdbwww.gdb.org/, mirrored in Germany at http://gdbwww.dkfz-heidelberg.de/. --Cornelius. -- /* Cornelius Krasel, U Wuerzburg, Dept. of Pharmacology, Versbacher Str. 9 */ /* D-97078 Wuerzburg, Germany email: phak004 at rzbox.uni-wuerzburg.de SP3 */ /* "Science is the game we play with God to find out what His rules are." */

President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are entering negotiations over — or seeking ratification of — five treaties that could radically limit our national sovereignty and the reach of our democratic institutions. Particularly scary is that the treaties, once signed and ratified, have the same status as constitutional law and cannot be altered or eclipsed by Congress or state legislatures. And their provisions must be enforced by U.S. courts. Those who wish to preserve our sovereignty and democratic control over our future must rally to block these treaties, either by pressing Obama and Clinton not to sign them or by blocking their ratification. • International Criminal Court — Clinton has reversed George W. Bush’s policy and entered into negotiations over U.S. participation in the court. Specifically, the leftists who are sponsoring the court wish to create a new crime of “aggression,” which is essentially going to war without the approval of the United Nations. If we submit to the court’s jurisdiction, our presidents and Cabinet officials could be prosecuted criminally for going to war without U.N. approval. This would, of course, give Russia and China a veto over our military actions. Clinton says she will stop our military’s hands from being tied, but we all must realize that once we accept the International Criminal Court, we go down a slippery slope. The court could even prosecute Americans who have been cleared by our own judicial system. • The Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) has been signed, and the Obama administration — with the aid of RINO Sen. Richard Lugar (Ind.) — will push for its ratification as soon as Lugar’s primary in Indiana is over this year. LOST requires that the United States pay an international body half of its royalties from offshore drilling. The body would then distribute the funds as it sees fit to whichever nations it chooses. The United States would only have one vote out of 160 regarding where the money goes. LOST will also oblige us to hand over our offshore drilling technology to any nation that wants it … for free. • Small-arms control — Clinton is about to negotiate on a global ban on export of small arms. It would only apply to private citizens but, of course, most small-arms deals come not from individuals or private firms but from governments, specifically those of the United States, Russia, China and Israel. The treaty would require each nation to adopt measures to stop exportation of small arms. It is easy to see how this could be a backdoor way to require national registration of all guns and to assert federal regulation over firearms. It would also require the registration of all ammunition to track its source once a gun is fired. The Second Amendment be damned! • Outer Space Code of Conduct — Under the guise of stopping debris from accumulating in outer space, the European Union has enlisted Clinton in negotiations over a code of conduct. The code would prohibit activities that are likely to generate debris in outer space — space littering. The code might inhibit or prohibit the United States from deploying anti-missile missiles on platforms in space, denying us the key weapon we need to counter Iranian, Chinese and North Korean missile threats. European leftists reacted angrily when G.W. Bush opted out of the ABM treaty banning defensive weapons. Now they seek to reimpose it under the guise of a code of conduct. • Rights of the Child — Even more fanciful is a treaty Clinton plans to negotiate setting forth a code of rights for children, to be administered by a 14-member court set up for the purpose. The draft treaty obliges rich nations to provide funds for shelter, food, clothing and education for children in poor nations. This provision could create grounds to litigate to challenge the level of foreign aid we give as inadequate to meet our treaty obligations. Already, leftists in the United Kingdom are using the treaty to attack welfare cuts by the Cameron government. European liberalism is advancing — masked — by way of these treaties. Defenders of liberty must say no! Please leave a comment below - I would love to hear what you think! Thanks, Dick

Zimbabwe police have raided the headquarters of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, taking about 200 people into custody. A party spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, says those detained had been attending meetings inside Harvest House - the building housing the MDC's headquarters. There was no immediate confirmation from Zimbabwean authorities. Police this week extended a ban on political rallies and demonstrations in parts of the capital, Harare, until June 23. Zimbabwe's government initially imposed a three-month ban on political gatherings in February, just before beginning a crackdown on the MDC. In March, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other MDC members were beaten as police shut down a planned rally.

Resonance is embarking on a new path of creativity this year. Several members of the group have been writing new tunes and composing with our eclectic palette of sounds in mind. Our rehearsals have become wonderfully collaborative sessions with creativity at the core. I wish you all could sit in and hear how the new pieces are taking shape. It takes a special group of people to work together the way that we have been working these past months. The new tunes are coming in every week to rehearsal and we have so many now we will not be able to share them all with you in just one concert! I guess that’s what happens when most of the members of an eight piece group get inspired to start writing. So is our new music strictly speaking jazz? That is not for me to decide, but it was written with an ear towards both jazz and classical with a dose of world music and pop as well. I think, like our listeners, we are fortunate to live in a time when we can listen to all kinds of music and all of those sounds are part of us. Reining in that vast memory of sound ideas would be disingenuous and frankly dull. So we are embracing all of our divergent ideas with enthusiasm. What I hear evolving is very listenable and evocative of other times and places while still being very much in this moment. We hope you will enjoy the ride!

No Injuries In Structural Failure Of Wilderness Park Bridge At about 11:30 a.m. today, a pedestrian bridge in Wilderness Park above Salt Creek experienced some type of structural failure and dipped 12 to 15 feet in the middle. The center of the bridge is now about six feet above the creek. About 20 people were on the bridge, most of them elementary school age children in the Wilderness Nature Camp. They were able to run off the bridge. Camp staff took care of minor injuries, and no one was taken to the hospital. Parks and Recreation staff are contacting all the parents to let them know about the incident. The cause of the failure is not yet known. The bridge is about a half mile north of Saltillo Road and was built in 2003. After the bridge had a structural failure during construction, the design was changed, reviewed and approved by a certified engineer before the City took ownership of it. Mayor Chris Beutler commended the camp staff for their handling of the situation. He also directed that three actions be taken: The City Public Works and Utilities Department has begun an immediate visual inspection of the remaining 11 trail bridges in Wilderness Park. Most of those bridges are over smaller tributaries. This particular bridge and one other in the middle of the park have been blocked off. A complete study will be conducted to find out why the bridge was deficient. The City will complete a review of the pedestrian bridge inspection program. Parks and Recreation and Public Works and Utilities had already started the review.

Putting Surveillance Myths to Rest Updated: April 30, 2009 Given the furor surrounding the recent CALEA deadline for U.S. VoIP providers to implement wiretapping capabilities, it would be understandable if you thought most of the world's lawful intercept (LI) laws were about dictating surveillance methods for service providers. Not so, according to LI vendor SS8 who has just published a global guide showing that most of the world's laws on the subject have more to do with putting limits on surveillance than on mandating how to do it. But that won't be the end of the commotion; SS8 has found, when it comes to surveillance, there are plenty more misconceptions where that came from. The goal of the guide--which describes LI laws in 24 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and South America--is to reduce both the delusions and heightened emotion surrounding the issue, according to SS8 marketing director Scott Coleman. Accordingly, it shows that many LI laws around the world focus more on what governments can't do, rather than on what they can dictate service providers to do. "A lot of the legislation to do wiretapping is more related to privacy than to actually doing wiretaps," Coleman says. "Most countries have annual reports that have to be made back to their legislative bodies to show how they're using that [surveillance] power, and to prove law enforcement is not abusing this power." Now that's not to say that there aren't laws that go into detail about what service providers must do. A law in the Netherlands, for example, mandates standards both for the interception of e-mail traffic and for its handover to law enforcement agencies. The U.K.'s Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) similarly requires that handover interfaces conform to ETSI standards. Such specificity, though, is the exception rather than the rule. Other misconceptions have more to do with broad political values than with specific laws. For example, many observers may be surprised to learn that the level of electronic surveillance in North America is low compared to Europe. The U.S. rate, measured in instances per 100,000 population, is less than one percent that of Europe-leading Italy and second-place Netherlands, according to numbers from the Max Planck Society, a German government-sponsored research institution. It's also far below Switzerland — as well as France, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Australia, in that order. It is, however, higher than Canada. The type of wiretapping that prevails in the U.S. may be similarly startling. Fans of the TV show The Sopranos , for example, will be disappointed to learn that most electronic surveillance doesn't involve law enforcement personnel listening in on dramatic and incriminating phone conversations. Rather, it usually involves real-time acquisition of data such as call records that show who has been talking to whom, according to Coleman. The fact that IP surveillance is a sort of bulk collection process may also surprise some. "There's no [standard] warrant in the U.S. that says if this is an IP session the only content I'm allowed to see is e-mail or chat, but I'm not allowed to see other things such as HTML," he explains. "Right now if there are restrictions on the warrant about what information can or cannot be seen, then it's up to law enforcement to sort through that, because there's nothing in the standards or anything right now that would allow for that separation." That may change, however. "Many countries we've met with have said that might be the next step, where the judicial system will approve warrants that say e-mail only or chat only or whatever," Coleman says. "Then we will have to partition things according to protocol or application or whatever there will be on the warrant." With such advancements, SS8 will have to rewrite its guide, but this is a small price to pay for the increased revenue it can expect from implementing such complex new requirements. You may think your business phone system is functional, but is it fully modern? In recent years, telecommunications technology has made major strides. A system that was perfectly serviceable ten years ago—or even five years ago—is now very out-of-date. more Deciding which phone system is right for your business can be difficult. With our VoIP technology blueprint, discover the top 15 questions you should ask VoIP vendors before you make a buying decision. more In 2017, more business will transition to a VoIP phone system. If you are among them—or if you’ll be upgrading an existing VoIP system—you need to learn about the latest technologies and market trends. more VoIP and UC (Unified Communications) technology is advancing all of the time. In order to reap the many business benefits of VoIP, you need to learn about industry trends, including text messaging, WebRTC, Unified Communications as a Service, and more. more Choosing VoIP over traditional solutions makes sense for your business and your budget. But choosing the best VoIP solution isn't always easy. Our guide is an essential road map in your search for the best VoIP solution for your business. more

Hidayat makes focused start to championship defence MADRID (Reuters) – World champion Taufik Hidayat made a determined start to the defence of his crown with an aggressive 21-17 21-17 win over joint ninth seed Ng Wei of Hong Kong on Tuesday. The Indonesian, unseeded in Madrid because of his inconsistent form this season, was pushed hard all the way by Ng but won thanks to a battery of powerful overhead smashes interspersed with some delicate drop shots. "I was very happy with my performance," Hidayat told reporters. "I want to try and retain my title and I will be looking to improve with each game. I feel fit and am carrying no injuries." Tuesday's first-round match was Hidayat's first appearance since he stormed out of the Hong Kong Open last month. In an unprecedented incident in top-class badminton, Hidayat walked out of his quarter-final showdown against arch-rival Lin Dan just three minutes into the match in protest over a changed line call. IBF ACTION The International Badminton Federation said it will discuss what action should be taken over the incident on Saturday. Hidayat said he had apologised for his behaviour and would not let the meeting distract him from his matches this week. "I just want to concentrate on my game and at the moment I don't know anything about the IBF," he added. Earlier, joint fifth seed Chen Hong breezed into the second round of the world championship with a 21-11 21-9 victory over Pedro Yang of Guatemala. The Chinese, a semi-finalist at the Thailand Open this year and winner of the China Open and the All England in 2005, put Yang under heavy pressure throughout, forcing him into a series of errors at the Palacio de Deportes. Chen will meet Simon Maunoury in his next match after the Frenchman eased past Iran's Kaveh Mehrabi 21-17 21-7. In the women's event, world number three Xie Xingfang, seeded joint third, begins her bid to retain the title against Kati Tolmoff in a first round match later on Tuesday. In a nail-biting first round contest Austria's Simone Prutsch managed to stave off a determined fightback from Finland's Nina Weckstrom to win through 21-10 19-21 24-22.

Listen to Our DUI Podcasts Reckless Driving — Penalty (RCW 46.61.500) Reckless driving is a gross misdemeanor punishable by a jail term up to 365 days and/or a fine up to $5,000.00. Also, upon the conviction, your license or your non-resident privilege to drive in Washington must be suspended by the department for 30 days. Depending on the facts and circumstances, a charge of DUI can be reduced to this crime which has some obvious advantages and these should be discussed with experienced counsel. Reckless Driving can also be committed by non-alcohol related facts and circumstances such as excessive speeding (25 mph above the posted limit), weaving in and out of traffic, and there is even a special section of the statute dedicated to racing. Reckless Driving Conviction With Prior(s) A reckless driving conviction as reduced from a DUI or Physical Control charge when there is a prior DUI or Physical Control conviction within 7 years requires a mandatory sentence of a 6 month Ignition Interlock Device (IID) requirement. This restriction remains in effect until IID vendor certifies to the DoL that none of the following incidents occurred within four months before date of release: An attempt to start the vehicle with a BAC of .04 or more; Failure to take or pass any required retest; Failure of the person to appear at the IID vendor when required; DoL will give day-for-day credit as allowed by law. Regardless of the underlying facts, a conviction for this crime has serious consequences to your freedom, insurance rates, the ability to drive, your immigration status in the United States, and even your ability to enter into other countries. While there are methods of driving on a "restricted" (Occupational/Restricted Driver's License) basis during this suspension this is a crime that will impact your insurance. Preservation of your freedom and ability to drive will rest in the hands of your lawyer so it is important to interview as many lawyers as possible so that you are comfortable and choose well. Call now for your free consultation (360) 306-8136 “Being charged with a DUI is scary and often makes you feel alone against the unknown. Jonathan made himself available after hours to have a 'consultation' of sorts, to meet with me and hear my story, at no cost or commitment.”

Beyond Big Torch The must-visited Florida Keys are magical and for shallow water enthusiasts pursuing local trophies—whether it be in the form of bonefish, permit, tarpon or redfish—the coral cay archipelago is perhaps the greatest stretch of tropical real estate on the planet. bigtorch1 Today, the total landmass of the Florida Keys is only 137 square miles encompassing a surprising 1,700 islands. However, only a very limited number of these exposed ancient coral heads are populated, and many are barely large enough to pitch a tent. Of the 1,700 landmasses comprising the famed Florida Keys, only 43 are connected by bridges, with the Seven Mile Bridge the most impressive and easily recognizable. Even if you are the determined do-it-yourself type, at the very least I urge you to experience the region with a professional guide before attempting to venture into the unknown on your own. Because there are so many islands within the Florida Keys chain, which enjoy a Caribbean-like climate, someone at some point decided it was a good idea to divide them into several categories, including the Upper Keys, the Middle Keys, the Lower Keys and the rarely publicized Outlying Keys. Key Largo and the Upper Keys, which are composed of sandy limestone produced by plants and marine organisms, are located the farthest north and closest to Florida’s mainland. The groups extend south and west, with Big Pine and the Lower Keys remnants of large fossilized coral reefs concluding the stretch of piscatorial paradise. What’s important here and now are the Outlying Keys stretching north-northwest into Florida Bay that see little attention in the media. These priceless pieces of real estate are only accessible by boat, and the fertile waters surrounding them host a multitude of world-class fisheries. Most anglers who trailer their skiffs down the Turnpike can’t seem to avoid making that right turn in Florida City. They’re afraid to venture to this little talked about territory due to lack of local knowledge, and for good reason. The shallows surrounding the Outlying Keys can be treacherous, with water only ankle deep in many places. Those unfamiliar with the area are simply asking for trouble. Still, there is plenty of accessible territory and exciting opportunities to be had with a multitude of local experts who know these waters like the back of their hand. Even if you are the determined do-it-yourself type, at the very least I urge you to experience the region with a professional guide before attempting to venture into the unknown on your own. Putting things in perspective, one guy’s pay for the day is far more affordable than irreversible damage to the fragile ecosystem, or ripping off a lower unit and ending up stranded in the middle of nowhere. Content Keys may just be the most popular of the outlying islands. This series of mangrove isles with its surrounding expansive flats lies north-northwest of Big Torch and is a favorite stretch for guides looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. While this particular stretch borders Florida Bay and features numerous cuts leading to open water, there are few channel markers so only those who are truly adept at reading the water should venture into these uncharted waters. Out here, it only takes one wrong turn to transform a great day in to a really bad day. Interestingly, the lack of navigational aids is also a blessing in disguise, resulting in very little fishing pressure. Ask around and you’ll see. Any guide who fishes the Outlying Keys will tell you it’s common to pole through an entire tide without seeing another skiff. What you will see is the pristine Florida Keys like you’ve never experienced them before with the big three—bonefish, permit and tarpon—comprising the main draw for sight fishing enthusiasts during the coming months. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, redfish are continuing to increase in numbers and are currently viable targets, with drag-screaming jacks, barracuda and sharks all real possibilities as well. Many of the hard bottom cuts dissecting the islands also hold healthy populations of mangrove snapper, with the occasional mutton making a welcomed appearance. Spanish Banks, due east of the Contents is another favorite area, especially for those launching from Big Pine…that is if you can make it past the miles of promising flats and channel edges in between. Visit Google Maps or study a local chart and you’ll see that actually, there is an extensive bar interrupted by numerous cuts and mangrove-encrusted cays that stretches all the way to Key West. You can be sure the remote wilderness out here looks the same today as it did when the Calusa and Tequesta indians first landed. The long bar encompasses a number of extensive basins and includes Sawyer Key, Barracuda Keys, Mud Keys and plenty of popular points in between. The entire length is wide open and potentially productive on any given day with an array of highly prized species calling these forage-rich shallows home. While this is flats fishing at its absolute finest, just because you see a pack of permit or laid up tarpon doesn’t mean you are going to catch them. Like many of his comrades, Captain Scott Yetter (sightfishfloridakeys.com) has been fishing the Outlying Keys for over 16 years and knows the region extremely well. Yetter launches at various points and considers four major factors when determining exactly where to fish and what to look for on any given day. These key factors include visibility, wind direction, tidal stage and water temperature. Discolored water or complete cloud cover results in extremely poor visibility, making sight fishing for highly coveted bonefish extremely challenging. Wind direction also plays a vital role as it influences tidal fluctuations and creates surface chop. Guides also evaluate wind direction and speed to determine where to enter or exactly how to approach a particular stretch of fishy water. Optimal tidal stage is equally important, but varies from one target species to the next. While you can rarely go wrong with a flooding tide, the bottom of a falling tide often sets the stage for exciting redfishing. Water temperature is the last part of the equation, with a reading in the low 80s ideal, but with so many varied species action of one sort or another can be found no matter the prevalent conditions. Don’t let the remoteness of the Outlying Keys deter you. On your own or with a professional, this rarely visited habitat has something for everyone and may just be the last frontier. While there is no question that fly-fishing presents sight fishermen with the best opportunity at a stealthy presentation and soft landing—a requirement when targeting wary fish in water only inches deep—it’s not the only way to connect. Anglers intimidated by the long stick can still achieve a respectable level of success with spinning gear in hand. Rig It Right Top natural baits include the usual suspects, with shrimp, shrimp-tipped jigs and small crabs all go-to baits. Artificial junkies turn to small skimmer jigs in hues of brown or tan. In either case, a 7’0″ light/medium action rod rated for 10 to 15 lb. line will seal the deal. Complete the arsenal with a size 4000 spinner loaded with fresh 10 lb. braid with a 15 or 20 lb. class fluorocarbon leader, and you’ll enjoy the sporting qualities of every fish to the fullest. With permit and tarpon in the crosshairs, step up to a medium action outfit loaded with 20 lb. braid for a fighting chance at success.

#20. ISIS Leaders Never Called For American Muslim Voters To Support Hillary Clinton This one made me chuckle just a little. Can you imagine ISIS making a formal statement that mentioned they firmly backed Hillary Clinton in the United States election? This fake news story was just ridiculous.

Migration Hurdles For Indian Skilled Workers Heading To UK United Kingdom is known for changing immigration rules every now and then. First, it was Indian students affected by post-study work visa changes, now it’s the skilled Indian migrants who will face the heat. Applications of high-skilled employees of Indian companies with UK based subsidiary will be under scrutiny by the UK Home Office. All applications received under Tier 2 scheme will be examined for particulars mentioned in it – from job details to salary and purpose of visit – to ensure immigration system is not abused and to reduce risk of local jobs going to migrants. UK made it compulsory for the companies to advertise for job openings using all possible mediums before hiring a skilled migrant worker. A company can only hire a migrant employee when a suitable resource is unavailable in the country and not otherwise. For a Tier 2 application to be approved, the applicant must have an income of £20,500 or an approximate Rs. 20 Lakhs per annum. The new laws are likely to come into force in few months and will affect many Indian companies with UK subsidiaries.

Based in Vancouver, WATSON is Canada’s largest governance consultancy. Since 2005, we’ve helped hundreds of organizations across many industries shape how they practice governance, educate their boards and find their leaders. Our clients include private and public companies, public sector entities, major trade and professional associations and not-for-profit organizations. They seek out our legal and governance expertise with a range of services based on our reputation as the best in the business. How we help Governance and Board Advising Governance reviews and reform, strategic advice and consulting, board retreats, board orientation, succession planning, and policy drafting. WATSON will get you in great (governance) shape. From full service CEO Evaluation to Succession Planning to Accelerating your new CEO’s performance. WATSON’s team of experienced advisors ensure the board, the CEO and the organization have the right leadership at the right time. Scheduled courses and customized education that is informed by our advisory work, based on current day trends and grounded in firsthand board experiences. WATSON’s facilitators are ready to share our insights with your board, directors and management team.

The amendments include banning certain transportation workers from participating, working toward a better detection method for driver’s under the influence and tightening the definition of a debilitating condition. Explore where you live. “I want to thank the law enforcement officials, business leaders and physicians who worked with members of this subcommittee to ensure that this medical cannabis bill reflects the will of the overwhelming majority of South Carolinians ... but to also draw a bright line against the recreational use of cannabis,” Davis said. But March E. Seabrook, president of the S.C. Medical Association, said his group still opposes the bill. “The bill, even as amended, continues to circumvent the safe practices established for bringing new drugs to market, which potentially puts patient health at risk,” Seabrook said. “There is a method to conduct the testing necessary for physicians to understand indication, usage, and dose for marijuana and its compounds: reschedule marijuana, allowing for significant, controlled, and replicable clinical testing. Without this process, the state legislature effectively establishes itself as the FDA for South Carolina.” Last year the bill made it to the floor of both the S.C. House and Senate, but the session ended before the bill could be debated by either chamber as a whole. This year, Davis has resubmitted the bill with renewed vigor. He has met with its chief opponents vetting amendments as chair of the subcommittee. He hopes the changes he is working through will make the bill more palatable to opponents as well as his more doubting colleagues and Gov. Henry McMaster. He is promising “the most socially conservative, strictly regulated medical cannabis bill in the country,” one that allows marijuana to be consumed to treat “a very tightly defined universe of debilitating conditions. ” Read Next A 49-year-old Columbia man was a passenger in a car that flipped on US-321 during a Saturday night crash who was killed in the wreck while not wearing a seat belt, the Lexington County Coroner’s Office said.

This is a personal account of the development of the programming language CPL in the early 1960s by a joint team from the University Mathematical Laboratory at Cambridge and the Institute of Computer Science in London. The project was designed to develop a language that would be suitable for all computer applications, scientific or otherwise, would efficiently exploit the immense power of the Ferranti Atlas, would be easy to use, and above all, would exhibit regularity in its form and facilities. Although it failed to achieve all these aspirations, the project did lay important groundwork by establishing some of the basic principles that underlie today's languages and directly led to the development of the BCPL, B, and ultimately C programming languages.

You searched for actor: Babs Olusanmokun He grew up in Lagos, Paris, Brazil and New York...Speaks fluent portuguese, french. He played the starring role of Kunta Kinte's father, Omoro Kinte, in A&E and History's new critically acclaimed Roots. He had a great working relationship and became friends with director Phillip Noyce on the set of Roots. The miniseries has been seen by over 50 million viewers and counting. He was a high school soccer player in Brazil. He starred with Bill Camp in Yale Repertory Theatre's In A Year With 13 Moons directed by Robert Woodruff. He's a Brazilian Jiujitsu master and he also trained Thai boxing and Boxing for many years. He studied acting in New York City. Also starred in Arena Stage's critically acclaimed production of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer prize winning play Ruined. He's a 2-time Brazilian jiujitsu master Pan-Am Champion. Lives in New York.

I'm using a Radeon 9800 Pro with a 2.8 Ghz P4 HT and I'm running into a really odd problem. All I am rendering is a simple cube with a texture map. If the texture is simply tiled across each face of the cube once, everything runs good, meaning fast. But if I tile the texture across each face many times, let's say 20 times per face, then the program slows down by about half the frame rate. Is this normal? Should opengl slow down when you repeat a texture? ZbuffeR 02-09-2004, 09:06 AM But if I tile the texture across each face many times, let's say 20 times per face, then the program slows down by about half the frame rate. Is this normal? If you do not use mipmaps, it is very likely. As the large texture is sampled at 'sparse' locations, it ruins most of the texture cache, and almost forces the card to read 20x20 times your texture. Mipmaps should help in keeping steady performance, and may even increase it.

Shaping policy for development Search form Main menu Morocco and Mexico are the big winners from international climate funds, while many poor countries are left behind – new ranking EMBARGOED 00.01 GMT DECEMBER 8, 2014 2 December 2014 The most detailed study yet of international funding to adapt to climate change and cut emissions reveals that half of the US$7.6 billion approved to date is targeted at just ten countries. In the new report Climate finance: is it making a difference? the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) analyses a decade of contributions and spending to nine major international and two national funds set-up to tackle climate change. It finds that the top recipients of finance were Morocco, Mexico, and Brazil, receiving half a billion dollars in loans each. Mexico and Brazil are among the top 10 emitters of greenhouse gases, and with Morocco, all have huge renewable energy potential. Whilst rich oil states in the Middle East have received very little from international climate funds, the report finds that they also have contributed almost nothing to the pot. This is despite being major emitters of greenhouse gases, and the clear link between burning fossil fuels and climate change which is provoking extreme weather conditions and impacting poor countries. The report includes the first comprehensive breakdown of how climate finance has been spent in 135 countries. It argues that getting climate financing right is crucial to securing an ambitious global agreement on climate change in Paris in 2015. ODI Research Fellow and Report Author, Smita Nakhooda, said: “Effective use of climate finance will help win the support of poor countries which have contributed the least to climate change but bear the brunt of its impacts.” Findings show that these funds are helping make a difference, with money to help poorer countries adapt to the impact of climate change increasing from $3.8 million in 2003 to a total of $2 billion in 2014. Poor countries such as Niger, Bangladesh and Nepal have received nearly $400 million over the last decade to help them cope with this growing threat. While not enough, the trends in spending are positive. Among other results, funds have helped: ·Mexico massively increase its installed renewable energy capacity in an energy system previously only powered by fossil fuels. But with such modest sums of money available, many countries receive very little money. Conflict-affected and fragile states such as Ivory Coast and South Sudan, where it is generally difficult to spend finance, received less than $350,000 and $700,000 respectively. Several middle income countries that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and have significant clean energy potential, such as Namibia, El Salvador and Guatemala, also received less than $5 million each. While these funds have broken new ground, the report finds that there is substantial scope to improve results and learn from experience. Funds need to become less risk averse, and open to support innovative technologies and approaches. Intense scrutiny from donors and other stakeholders has led many funds to set up complex procedures to ensure programme quality, but this often slows the approval and disbursement of funds. Nakhooda added: “These start-up climate funds were pioneering in their approach, and a huge amount has been learnt from their experience. There are now too many small climate funding ‘pots’ with substantial overlap and finance is spread too thinly between them, creating an urgent need to learn from experience and improve the system. The lives of millions of people in poor countries affected by climate change depend on getting this right.” In this context, the new Green Climate Fund (GCF) which will begin to approve programmes in 2015 has a major opportunity to build and improve on the experience of existing funds, having raised nearly $10 billion in only seven months, more than the previous funds have spent in 10 years. ODI Executive Director Kevin Watkins said: “A great deal is at stake as delegates gather at the climate summit in Lima this month. They need to pave the way for a comprehensive international agreement to prevent dangerous climate change to be reached in Paris by end of next year.” “The report shows that climate funds have broken new ground by helping developing countries tackle climate. The new Green Climate Fund, armed with nearly $10 billion, has a great opportunity to reduce emissions and support resilience to climate change. But more funds need to be raised to tackle this growing threat and ensure that poor countries support a new climate deal.”

Meyer did try to change his offense around John Braneley IV. Look where it got him: disguested enough to quit put the team in such a hole that Ron Zook almost looks like he was a decent coach. Maybe we're going to be happy either way. If I were Meyer, I'd argue that in the short term, OSU will be more like a pro-style offense and Michigan is still clearly a spread. Plus with Toussant just putting up a 1000-yard season as a Sophomore, he might have a better chance to start right away at OSU. The other side of that is that Michigan's already proved it can get a RB some spotlight even in the early stages of the 'transition' and OSU hasn't even begun the process. Plus, even if the sanctions are mild, less scholarship players is less talent around you to make you look even better. With his recruitment I would say the biggest thing is that he wants to enroll early. There is still no word on what the NCAA is planning on doing in terms of bowl bans and that is something that is very important to Dunn and his father. Things look good for Michigan consider he is a soft OSU commit and he was standing on the opposite side for a visit during The Game. "Son, I have been here forever and I have coached a lot of good ones. Tyrone Wheatley, Timmy B, Chirs Howard, Chris Perry, Miek hart... You are a combination of all of them except bigger and faster. I have no doubt you will be at the top of the record books in every category by the time you are a senior." I am sure Meyer is putting the full court press on Bri-Onte. Let's face it, he's theirs to lose (seeing as he's a commit). But he came to our last two games and stood on OUR sidelines.......AGAINST THE TEAM HE'S COMMITTED TO. I think that's a pretty good indication of where he's leaning. Sure he stood on our side, but that was before Meyer was named head coach. But he's getting strong and constant pressure from his cousin (Thomas) and others (Morris). I still think he a tOSU committ until we can convince him to do otherwise. That was before he was "officially" names the head coach. Pretty much everyone already knew Meyer was going to OSU as the coach. Having his cousin on board I think really helps us. I am sure he is in his ear every day about playing together. also want to keep him out of the winged helmet too. Dunn will destroy ohio and Meyer knows it. So it is in Meyer's best interest to lie and keep him on the sidelines instead of on the field wearing the Block M. There was a really informative post in one of the Dunn threads about Meyer's lack of track record when it comes to developing RBs. I wish I could find it now b/c it was really in depth and interesting. We all have asked why BRIONTE would want to go to OSU in Meyer's system... but I want to know why Meyer would want Brionte so bad? Seriously, I can't recall a single running back (Dunn's style) that Meyer has recruited that has done anything but block... I am kind of hoping that Meyer and Brionte have a mutual parting of ways. Then Brionte will gash the Buckeye defense for years to come. As a coach you want to get as much talent as possible. Bri'onte Dunn might not be a prototypical back for Meyer, but he might be a better option than some other 5'7", 160 lb. kid who's a nobody recruit. Lots of kids are leery of going to a place like OSU right now, so he won't necessarily be able to woo every awesome scatback out there. Besides, I think too much is being made of the Meyer/powerback thing. True, he's always had smaller backs...but that doesn't mean Dunn couldn't have success on par with some of his smaller backs. He won't have success in the same way (i.e. getting to the outside), but he could be an inside zone runner just as effectively. I think Meyer is also trying to save face and not lose a high-profile kid from within the state. All that being said, I think Dunn has better options and I think Meyer would prefer a different kind of back. But I also think Meyer could find a use for him and not just have him sit on the bench for four years. You're right, but high school kids are going to be more impressed by players who actually have success in the NFL. We all love Tim Biakabutuka, Tyrone Wheatley, Anthony Thomas, Mike Hart, and Chris Perry, but they never really did much in the NFL. Places like Miami (McGahee, James) and Oklahoma (Peterson, Murray) probably have more clout than Michigan right now when it comes to producing running backs. Do you think that Miami and Oklahoma "produce" NFL running backs or do they recruit the guys that are destined for the NFL? This is serious question. I wonder what you think. I could see either answer being right, maybe a little of both. I think running back is such a natural position based on athleticism that good running backs, for the most part, are going to find success at the next level. There's a certain amount of coaching for running backs, but it's much less technique oriented than most other positions. But Miami has obviously done a great job of identifying those "next level" players. I think Michigan's running backs have been athletically inferior for the better part of 20 years, actually. Hart, Thomas, Perry, etc. - not many of them have been great athletes, but they're good athletes who had great offensive lines. Wheatley was a bit of a freak, though, and I think Toussaint is more athletically gifted than Hart, Thomas, and Perry, too. That doesn't mean Toussaint is better, because Toussaint isn't a very good blocker...but if we're talking about agility drills, speed drills, etc., I bet Toussaint would come out on top. I think it is the goal of most coaches to recruit guys that are destined for the NFL. Some are better than others at developing talent (e.g. Kirk Ferentz), but they still want to start with the best talent possible. In addition, Meyer has apparently (according to the internet, which is never wrong) said that he plans to run some I formation at OSU. Whether he really said that and whether that is true remains uncertain, of course. All I can think of is Meyer wouldn't want negative publicity, losing one of your best commits to your biggest rival right after you take the job wouldn't look to good. Especially if Dunn pans out to be a great player, and Meyer struggles I don't think he's going to pull the kids schollie offer, but of course the most trivial answer is: Meyer didn't sign the kid or recruit him. That happened earlier. It would just be insane for Meyer, even if he doesn't think the kid will fit, to boot him. That just ain't going to happen. Someone suggested it be a diary since it is of interest for this period where Brionte is the focus of attention. That wouldbe fine by me, but I have no idea how to make that happen and I can't start a new thread. I think if he enrolls early, there is no doubt he will be blue. However, if he decides to graduate in May, and let's the NCAA process play out at Ohio, and they get a slap on the wrist, our chances go down substantially. A year ago it was Demetrius Hart pulling away from us because he didn't want to be part of a spread. Now it's Dunn giving us a good hard look... because he doesn't want to be part of a spread. I will say this... after Lloyd left, one of my biggest fears about the program's direction was that, as a spread team, we would no longer produce NFL-ready players. All kidding about slot ninjas aside, becoming a part of the Rodriguez offense didn't necessarily guarantee a smooth translation into an NFL career, and I think it's fair to contemplate that this perception hurt recruiting quite a bit. Enter Hoke. It's hard not to think that the strong foundation of UM football is back, the one that catapaulted so many talented athletes into professional careers in the NFL. I would think that if Dunn was really still interested in OSU, he'd wait to hear what the NCAA says. But certainly he seems more 'previously committed' than currently committed to the Buckeyes. I am impressed with the idea that he respects the integrity of a verbal commitment, and after the Pharaoh debacle I'm sure he understands what Hoke thinks about it as well. It will all sort itself out, and I'm sure today's visit will give the young man and his family a lot to think about. I agree on the idea that spread-type players wouldn't be great fits in the NFL. And if you look at Meyer's players at Florida, they either haven't made it in the NFL or aren't very highly regarded as NFL prospects. The one or two exceptions are Percy Harvin, who has had a decent career so far, and Tim Tebow, who is being roundly criticized but is 5-1 as a starter. By the way, Demetrius Hart pulled away from Michigan because he didn't want to play in the spread...then he went to Alabama, played cornerback, and tore his ACL. I posted this yesterday in a recruiting thread but it is more appropriate here. Kind of long, but if you want to see what Urban has done with backs to help prove the point that Michigan is a better fit for Brionte, you might find this interesting. Sorry if this isn't the correct place to post this, it is long. Feel free to delete or move wherever... We’ve heard all the comments about Dunn not being a good fit for Urban Meyer’s offense. Dunn himself believes (or believed) that. While I think we all know that Dunn would be better preparing himself as an NFL back by coming to Michigan, I thought I’d take a deeper look at the issue. We all believe things like Urban doesn’t use big backs, he doesn’t feature running backs in his offense, to the extent that he does run the ball, he spreads it around a ton, etc. etc. I thought we should look at some data so we can better evaluate those contentions. My bottom line if I were advising Dunn would be to listen to what Urban has to say but put more of an emphasis on objective data. That data supports what this board has been saying for weeks - Michigan is a much better fit if he wants college to prepare him to be a featured back in the NFL. Florida 2010 – Not even worth breaking down. 6 players rushed for over 200 yards. 6 players had over 50 carries. No player had over 92 carries. RB Demps led with 511 yards. 1 of the 6 was QBs and one was Rainey who now was listed as a WR. The data supports what Borges has been telling us all along – that he wants a featured back and only deviates from that if he doesn’t have such a talent at his disposal. Urban, no matter what he says, runs a ton with scat backs and only uses players like Dunn as situational runners, not featured runners. Furthermore, as Urban gets further into his tenure he uses his running backs less and less. I would tell Brionte that unless Urban deviates from what has worked for him the past 8 years you are looking at the following projections. If Brionte Dunn is a very good college back and stays injury free, during the years that he is the best back at either school he would be looking at twice and many carries at Michigan and twice the yardage production. My best guess would be over 200 carries for 1200-1600 yards per season at Michigan versus 100ish carries for 600-800 yards at OSU. That is an enormous difference and is one that turns a potential Heisman candidate into an anonymous back at a good school. I am a homer, but to me the decision seems obvious if Brionte can detach himself from his childhood aspirations of playing for OSU. If he cannot, then I wish him well. He’ll still be a good player, he just won’t get the recognition and attention that his talent deserves. whatever it becomes. If he chooses to come, we welcome him with big smile. If not, we wish good luck to him. Talent is definitely important, yet from my extremely amaturish POV, it is up to the coaches (to a degree, of course) to teach and train the players, and the team plays as a team. We did push Fitz to a 1000+ yard season right? And he did it without doing much at all in a few games. Next year, if the OL can replace Molk (with someone serviceable, obviously not with someone as good as Molk yet) I could see Toussaint going HAM on the schedule and racking up over 1500 yards. Thomas had two 1000-yard seasons in which he averaged just over 4 yards a carry. He also averaged 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 2.5 , 2.4, and 2.1 yards per carry with a career average of 3.7. He was a good college runner, an average NFL runner, and just an average overall athlete. Chris Perry was never a great athlete, either. Michigan's offensive lines were EXCELLENT for several decades. There's a reason that Michigan gained tons of yards on the ground, won consistently with a run-first attitude, and yet never produced great athletes at the running back position in the NFL. Jon Runyan, Jeff Backus, Steve Hutchinson, Jake Long, etc. made those running backs, not the other way around. Meyer, I'm sure, could find a way to make Braxton Miller and Dunn work. Power inside runs, veer, whatever. You don't win 2 MNC's and then say "Dunn and Miller...geez, how does that even work?" And after he gets his Percy Harvin then he'll have Miller, Dunn, and Percy Harvin Clone. (Fuck!!) I'm sure he will find a way. I just hope Dunn likes what he hears on our side more than what he hears from Urban and Co. Either that or he saw Pipkins on Saturday and decided he wants to live to see 21. He never has, so why would he start now? Deshawn Wynn was an absolute beast pimp out of Cincinnati when he signed with Florida. Meyer totally under utilized him for two years, that was clearly an intentional part of his system. Why would he change now? I would love for Dunn to come to Michigan. But all this talk of Meyer not knowing how to use Dunn is turtle poop. Good coaches will adjust to maximize the talent of their players. At Florida Tebow just happened to be the best RB. I am sure if Meyer had a Peterson type back, he would have made use of him. Tebow just happened to be able to be the power guy from the QB position. A power back can do just fine in the spread. Dunn is pretty much a Beanie Wells type back. Wells did just fine in a Troy Smith led spread. If Tressel can do it, Meyer will figure it out. So the question to me is how stubborn is Dunn in insisting he does not want to play in an offense that is publically a spread. Very few people are saying Meyer wouldn't know how to use Dunn. Most, including me, based on recent history, are saying Meyer will choose not to use Dunn like Michigan will. That isn't because Meyer can't figure out how to, it is because Meyer's preferred system, which has been extremely successful for him, spreads the carries between a QB, a scat back, a WR/ATH and, a traditional back. The longer he has been at a place the more spread out teh workload has become. I don't think Meyer will deviate from that blueprint. Why would he? Dunn will gets lots of carries at OSU and there is nothing about going to OSU that would prevent him from making it in the NFL. However, if Dunn feels he is the best, then he has a better opportunity to prove that at Michigan, while running an offense that will better prepare him for his future as an NFL tailback. Given those two scenarios, the logical choice is Michigan. Fighting that logical choice is his clear emotional attachment to a team and school he grew up loving. What will he do? Who knows. Michigan gives him a better chance for more carries, more yards, more TD's, more individual recognition, and, hopefully, more wins! the efforts to recruit Dunn? Before Fitz started putting in 100+ yard games, Dunn might have perceived a chance to come in and start right away. Now he might perceive Fitz as blocking him for two years. On the other hand, Herron is gone at Ohio and he might perceive an opening right away, especially if he buys Urban's cock and bull story. Warren Ball is also committed to Ohio State and seems to be much more solid than Dunn. Furthermore, he seems to have a similar build. Does anyone know what they're recruiting him for? Doesn't the fact that they already have a good four star running back sort of emphasize the fact that this might more of a publicity thing than anything else? It just seems like OSU can do without Dunn with what they have. I do think letting Dunn go to a rival has a lot to do with it, but it doesn't seem like a necessary move on the surface (beyond the rival/publicity aspects). be willing to let Dunn go if it's obvious Dunn just doesn't want to play there because it would free up a scholarship that Meyer could give to a player that fits his offense better. So, I don't think this is necessarily an "all or nothing" recruiting battle from Ohio's perspective.

Edenderry swimming pool seeking old photos and newspaper clippings 27 Apr 2011 0 TO celebrate the past, present and future of Edenderry Swimming Pool, the committee are seeking old photographs and newspaper clippings of you or any of your family members that have been involved in the pool over the last 40 years. TO celebrate the past, present and future of Edenderry Swimming Pool, the committee are seeking old photographs and newspaper clippings of you or any of your family members that have been involved in the pool over the last 40 years. The pool was built through the great efforts of the townspeople who raised the money over a long number of years, and it was completed in 1975 - built by the people for the people. To celebrate those efforts and to look forward to the future, there will be a social evening on Friday, May 27 from 7pm in Larkin’s Bistro and all are welcome. If you can help with photographs or newspaper clippings, please e-mail [email protected] or call Christine on (086) 0473536. custom footer text for offaly. You can edit it directly by "double clickin" fron the drag & drop interface... This website and its associated newspaper are full participating members of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman. This scheme in addition to defending the freedom of the press, offers readers a quick, fair and free method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact the Office of the Press Ombudsman go to www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie Limerick Leader provides news, events and sport features from the Limerick area. For the best up to date information relating to Limerick and the surrounding areas visit us at Limerick Leader regularly or bookmark this page. (limerick)

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dotCommonweal Why the sacramental break between East and West? Well-educated Catholics know a thing or two about why the Great Schism, separating the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity, occurred in the eleventh century. But most of us know just that -- only a thing or two. I'll include myself in that group: when students ask me, I say something about the filioque and papal authority. A recent piece by historian George Demacopoulos posted on the blog of the Greek Archdiocese of North America shows the importance of contextualizing the split in the fuller contexts of canon law and the Crusades. He asks: "[H]ow exactly did it come to pass that the Orthodox Church forbid sacramental union (baptisms, marriages, the Eucharist, etc.) with Western Christians in the first place?" A careful reading of the historical sources reveals that the canonical grounds for refusing sacraments to Western Christians are more tenuous than most recognize. Equally problematic is the extent to which the modern reflection on these canonical and ecumenical questions has been hindered by a combination of intellectual stagnation and an ecclesiastical super-structure that, in the post-Byzantine world, has largely failed to resolve important theological questions. Demacopoulos goes on to describe the rather sparse canonical engagement with the question of sacramental communion. And the two canonists who did engage the issue, Balsamon and Chomatenos, were "Crusade-weary" sources whose opinions were not evenly followed. Demacopoulos argues it was only during the later "Ottoman captivity of the Orthodox Church," a "period of intellectual decline," that "Balsamon’s legacy gained a disproportionate hold on subsequent canonical assumptions in Orthodox canon law." Demacopoulos admits, of course, that major obstacles to sacramental unity remain. But it is salutary to learn the historical contextualization of the two canonists whose viewpoints still "dominate [the Orthodox] approach to Western Christianity." In this one prominent historian's assessment, at least, they "both failed to offer precise theological or canonical arguments for their proscriptions against sacramental unity. Instead, these interpretations emphasize political and cultural animus against the Crusaders and those Greeks who conspired with them." Granted the 10th century was not a good time for Christianity: Crusades, schisms, pogroms. The only catastrophic crises yet to come in history for the church that even come close in magnitude are the Reformation; and then in our own time, the wanton serial rape and sodomy of children by bishops and priests. But don't yah think that after a millennium of mutual condemnation and excommunication between Chrisitian traditions that that is just about enough? Don't yah think that Jesus would be totally scandalized by these divisions among his disciples? I can almost hear in my head how the pleading of St. Paul would sound about how we are all members of the same Body. The Byzantine rites are every bit the equal of the Roman rite. Perhaps now after a millennium Christianity needs a new rite which gives new expression to modern realities and culture? [Like the equality of women, a reverence and celebration of human sexuality, and a truly servant priesthood of the people.] Vatican II called the Eastern and Western Churches "sister Churches", but, like all sisters, they also seem to me to be very different even in some basic ways, ways that might make it hard for them to communicate. I don't know much about Eastern theology (nor Western, as you've probably noticed:-), but on the surface It seems to me that there are a couple off big reasons why the Eastern and Western theologians might find it difficult to make progress: lack of common vocabulary and sometimes very different methods of doing theology. Even their grounds for doing theology differ somewhat. In other words, their epistemologies are different. So how can they go about establishing which of two conflicting truth claims is true? Eastern theologians even define "theology" differently -- they see it more as spiritual intuition and religious experience than making arguments, so they do not have the strong tradition of rational argumentation that Western theology has. Western theologians, at least since the medieval period, have been highly dependent on the use of reason and have developed a philosophical vocabulary that has proven useful to Western theologians. Look at the history of the philosophers in the regions: Eastern theology has not, produced any philosopher-theologians whose philosophy has proven of lasting and universal importance. In Judaism, Islam and Christianity theologians were more often than not also philosophers, and those three traditions produced both theology and its "handmaident" philosophy (as Aquinas put it). Look at Moses Maimonides, Avicenna, and Aquinas. All great philosophers. But I can't think of even one Eastern Orthodox philosopher-theologian of the stature of any of those three. Are there any I've overlooked? Further, If the Eastern theology is so dependent on spiritual, mystical intuitions, and given that the Western and Eastern spiritual/mystical intuitions are very different in some ways, then that would seem to make it particularly difficult to discuss spiritual experience and its place in theology. So I'm wondering if the contemporary Eastern and Western theologians even have enough common vocabulary and intellectual background and truth criteria to talk very profitably, at least at the beginning. Vatican II called the Eastern and Western Churches "sister Churches", but, like all sisters, they also seem to me to be very different even in some basic ways, ways that might make it hard for them to communicate. I don't know much about Eastern theology (nor Western, as you've probably noticed:-), but on the surface It seems to me that there are a couple off big reasons why the Eastern and Western theologians might find it difficult to make progress: lack of common vocabulary and sometimes very different methods of doing theology. Even their grounds for doing theology differ somewhat. In other words, their epistemologies are different. So how can they go about establishing which of two conflicting truth claims is true? Eastern theologians even define "theology" differently -- they see it more as spiritual intuition and religious experience than making arguments, so they do not have the strong tradition of rational argumentation that Western theology has. Western theologians, at least since the medieval period, have been highly dependent on the use of reason and have developed a philosophical vocabulary that has proven useful to Western theologians. Look at the history of the philosophers in the regions: Eastern theology has not, produced any philosopher-theologians whose philosophy has proven of lasting and universal importance. In Judaism, Islam and Christianity theologians were more often than not also philosophers, and those three traditions produced both theology and its "handmaident" philosophy (as Aquinas put it). Look at Moses Maimonides, Avicenna, and Aquinas. All great philosophers. But I can't think of even one Eastern Orthodox philosopher-theologian of the stature of any of those three. Are there any I've overlooked? Further, If the Eastern theology is so dependent on spiritual, mystical intuitions, and given that the Western and Eastern spiritual/mystical intuitions are very different in some ways, then that would seem to make it particularly difficult to discuss spiritual experience and its place in theology. So I'm wondering if the contemporary Eastern and Western theologians even have enough common vocabulary and intellectual background and truth criteria to talk very profitably, at least at the beginning. You are a pretty first rate philosopher but the Russians have theirs as well. Aside from the obvious names like Dostoevsky, Pushkin, and Tolstoy. I would add Berdyaev. He is among my favourite and had a big impact and wish I had known him in my undergraduate years eons ago! I think his essay on Uniting Christians east and west summarizes and accurately characterizes the philosophical framework of each "lung": I know that the Catholic world is very rich, complex and manifold, that there are many currents in it. But it is no accident that in the Christianity of the West Aristotelianism prevails. The way of Western Christianity can be expressed in the categories of the Aristotelian philosophy, in the Aristotelian doctrine of form and matter [forma et materia], of potentiality and act [potentia et actus]. The form organizes the matter of life, the matter of the world; the world must be assigned finally to the organizing form. The ecclesiastical hierarchy which is assigned to a uniform highest center, the ecclesiastical doctrine is a forming, organizing principle, which must rule and cannot tolerate that matter which would flow chaotically or separating itself off. Potentiality is imperfect, is non-expressed being which has not yet found its expression, half not-being, -- only the act is true and full being. God is pure act [actus purus], and in Him there is no potentiality. So the Catholic Church is longing to be on earth pure act and not to tolerate the dominance of the potentiality, the not-coming to expression with all its manifold possibilites. In this regard the Christianity of the West, Catholicism, has inherited antiquity’s thinking: it is classical, it fears infinity, it sees in finiteness, in definiteness the sign of the perfectness of being. In Christianity of the East there prevails another spirit. For the East Platonism is far nearer than is Aristotelianism. Orthodoxy is more meditative and eschatological, less bellicose and actual. In the Orthodox Church one finds more the potential, the historically not yet worked out, and it does not regard this as a sign of imperfection or a half not-being. The eschatological perspective of life must maintain moreso the potential possibilities. Energy will not be spent on an organized act of history, the spiritual forces remain concentrated in the interior. There is a great eschatological and apocalyptical expectation, a turning to the end of the world, the Second Coming, the celestial Jerusalem, which is to come into the world. Orthodoxy is less built up than Catholicism; characteristical for it is more the insight of intelligent beings, the world of ideas, the world of wisdom, the sophiotic character of the creature. It does not conceive of life as form ruling over matter. The life in the world is not organization but rather organism, and the Church is first of all an organism, the Body of Christ. The element of organization is not so important, it is secondary. The inner unity of the Church is not to be defined by the external organization of ecclesiastical unity. Ecumenicism is not something horizontal, but rather vertical, qualitative not quantitative. An immense freedom of spirit finds definition in Orthodoxy by the fact, that Orthodoxy has not first of all the aim to be world organization, to give form to matter by force, to actualize the life of the Church. The Kingdom of Heaven comes unseen [cf Luk 17:20]. Orthodoxy is in no way aims at a victory upon the earth at all costs. This also gives freedom to it; the organized army cannot feel free in the war, on the battlefield, in the fortress; it must be strongly disciplined and assigned to a warlord. But life is not only war, and the Christian people is not only an army. This can be seen also in the Catholic Church, in which developed a more complex creative life, a richer culture than in the East. But the idea of an organized, bellicose Church still predominates. On the theme of unity: Russian religious thought, in which many a creative religious idea has arisen, remains almost unknown in the West. We ourselves are guilty in this. But it seems that we do not recognize, that the time for the Orthodoxy has come, to break out of this closed circle. Our spiritual forces are not so exhausted in too much historical activity and being organization, in the Russian people there is the great capability to give birth to a Christian renaissance, just as there is also the capacity, to fall under the spirit of the Antichrist. But we must however overcome the historic hostility and the suspicion towards Catholicism. This hostility and this mistrust was fanned by the politics of conquest of the Catholic Church. The fundamental condition for a solidarity and a unification of Orthodox and Catholics is that the politics of conquest must be ended. The Catholics must stop seeing the Russian people as an object which must be converted to the true Faith; they should see in it a religious subject, should be attentive to the inner spiritual life of the Russian people and to the positive spiritual richnesses of Orthodoxy. The greatest hindrance on the way to spiritual community and unity between Orthodox and Catholics is the fixation on the relation to the Orthodox exclusively from the point of view of a conversion to Catholicism. The self-contentedness of the Orthodox, just as also in the Catholic world, must be gotten over. These worlds lack the whole fullness, and they need completion. One ought not strive for unification at any price nor resort to arbitrary means. Forced external unity, which does not correspond to an inner spiritual unity, is only of little worth. It requires a free and open association without any mistrust and without ulterior motives. I repeat yet again, the Holy Spirit will unify the Churches, when the hour for it has come, and which the Providence of God has determined. But Christian mankind must prepare the spiritual soil for this and create a favourable psychical atmosphere. Such a spiritual soil, such a psychical atmosphere can only be a spiritual unifying in love, mutual acquaintance, prayer for the other and a living in brotherhood in Christ. Maybe the unification of Churches and the ecumenicism of Christianity will only be visible and totally actualized when there is an end to time, when the apocalyptic epoch is come (so thinks Vladimir Soloviev in his "Narrative of the Antichrist"); but it is our duty in each moment of our life to strive innerly for it, to prepare spiritually for it. Perhaps the basic reason for conflict is the attempt by the Western church to "reconcile faith and reason," equating logic and dubious observation (Natural Law) with reason, but unable to reconcile real science with this medieval notion of reason (systematic and valid logic, but often dependent on faulty observation, discarded science, and mere assumptions). The Eastern Church has avoided this mistaken reconciliation of faith and reason, and ironically is therefore in a better position to live comfortably with modern science while continuing its dedicated reflection on the life of prayer and the relationship to God of the individual, the congregational community and the church as a whole (theology), with Christ as the connection. I have already agreed that the Eastern Church has important mytical theologians, but so far as I know none of them are metaphysicians or epistemologists of great and lasting reputation, nor are they expert in any other area of philosophy. Granted, Berdyaev might be of lasting importance in the philosophy of religion (did he learn a lot of philosophy from his friend Maritain?), and Dostoievsky will surely be remembered in philosophy books but only because in The Brothers K. he presents some powerfully expresed philosophical arguments about the nature and existence of God. I must admit I haven't read the others (I did manage about 5 pages of War and Peace), so I can't say how their philosophical ideas will be remembered. But i must also say that in the philosophical ommunity they aren't known as great philosophers. And who are the morable Orthodox philosopher between 1053 and Dostoievsky? My point is that the Earnerners just aren't very interested in philosophy, it hasn't been their handmaiden, and so haven't produced any philosophers of the stature of Maimoonides, Avicenna, or Aquinas or in more modern times, Leibniz. And that probably makes it difficult for East and West to talk theology to each other. Yes, I think that that philosophical concepts and arguments (some of them anyway) are of great usefulness in doing theology. Catholic theology, it seems to me, has struggled incorporating even modern philosophical ideas like even phenomenology. John Paul II was heavily influenced by it but even he had to move away from those ideas. And what is the status of Kant in Catholic circles these days? I was taught that Gilson (who I respect) was pretty much the aribter of Catholic philosophy and he argued that there is, indeed, something that can be referred to as Catholic philosophy and Kant's approach to metaphysics was problematic for that reason. The point is that I think the problem with the idea of ecumenism is not so much canonical, doctrinal, or even ecclesial, it is that the philosophical "operating system" is so different and has developed differently. Think Mac and Windows I hope this burst of interest serves to encourage more Catholics to read and learn about Orthodoxy and its interactions with what the Christian East has long considered - often with good cause - its boorish Western relations. As a cradle Catholic who loves Orthodoxy, yet has met too many arrogantly triumphalist Orthodox -- usually adult converts from Western traditions who never stop thinking like Protestants (even those who were formerly Catholic) -- to swim the Bosphorus, I long for the family reunion that I know is not likely to come easilly or soon. Getting Westerners to read enough history to push past cartoonish accounts of complex processes, such as the Great Schism or the Crusades, would be a great start. Of course we should read the primary sources as well as scholarly accounts from an Eastern perspective or Eastern preference, such as Meyerdorff, Runciman, Ware, and Zizoulas, but there's more. It took me a lot of study, conversation, thought, and prayer to apprehend that the East is different and gets many things better than the West, but it is not, at its core, inherently better, or more spiritual, liturgical, or patristic. The Jesuit liturgical historian and archimandrite in the Byzantine Rite, Robert Taft, has spoken extensively on this, with no shortage of opinions. Here's a brief taste: Bishop Sheen used to repeatedly say, the philosphers that he was, that the business of Philosphy is to make simple things complicated. There is also another saying which goes that any fool can make things complicated. It takes a genius to make things simple. Aren't most conflicts a matter of turf and/or control. Cfr: Marriage. The vast majority of wars are motivated by greed. That's how slaves are created. Yet we rhapsodize over ritual and we glorify war. You can criticize anyone but soldiers (even tho they are not taken care of when the get to civilian life. I agree that those short videos are cartoonish - what else can one do in presenting all of church history in 5 minutes - but I find it interesting what they choose to mention. In both Catholic and Protestant cartoons, after the Great Schism the Orthodox disappear from their radar. This matches the beginning of the post: "something about the filioque and papal authority". Claire: I think the videos are fine starting places, especially for anyone who recognizes the blindnesses you point out -- namely, that Orthodoxy should somehow cease to matter after the mid-tenth century, or worse still, that Orthodoxy "split away from" Catholicism. The cartoonishness I had in mind is the subtler form that uses historical complexities like the Crusades, the Inquisition, or the Galileo affair as crude bludgeons with which to club opponents in verbal assualts that are, as the Maliozzi brothers say, "unencumbered by the thought process." For example, the First Crusade sack of Jerusalem and the Fourth Crusade sack of Constantinope were - no doubt about it - world class atrocities. But to extract the Crusades from the historical context of the Byzantine-Seljuk wars, rival Musim caliphates, the improving material status of the West, and the birth of European proto-nation-states, is to get matters comfortably wrong and leave it that way. I'm not trying to be an apologist for the Crusades, which were awful, but not necessarily more so than current Western misadventures in the region. Though what little I've come to know about this history may have only rearranged my prejudices, it helps me to remember that judging across centuries is much harder than it first appears. I have always read/heard that *a* primary sticking point is the role of the Bishop of Rome. The Orthodox Churches are willing to see his role as "first among equals" and the RCC simply won't go along with that. Let me introduce the important historian of Christianity, Jarislov Pelikan. He started out as a Indiana Lutheran and converted to Orthodoxy. His extensive work, much of it dune whaile at Yale, earned him the prestitious Kluge prize early in this 21st century for his lifelong contribution to the humanities. And he is really readable. Furthermorre, during the early years ofWW II a number of Eastern Orthodox scholars left the East and settled in France. Their work was certainly known and respected by people like DeLubac and Congar. It was conceptually rich. That this eastern thought has not shown up in Western philosophy may well say something about the insular dominance of so much, not all, Anglo-American philosophy as well as the 20th century enschrinement of a particularly mindless marxism by Sovien rulers. I agree that the most intractable conflict between the Eastern and Western Churches revolves around the problems with the Christian mysteries: they imply self-contradictions. The disagreement between East and West is about what to do about the contradictions. The East says they are beyond our finite minds, so don't waste too much time trying to reconcile the contradictions. The West says, yes, God is infinitely beyond us, but by using reason to clarify our language and to correct our presuppositions and other premises as best we can, we can eliminate some of the errors in our thinking and even extend our positive knowledge of our Mysterious God. I don't agree that "the Western church" equated logic and reason with natural science, at least not the great medieval Aristotelian Scholastics. The latter all clearly distinguished the methods of logic, empirical observation, philosophy and theology. The fact that subsequent philosophers have failed to read the Scholastics and interpret them otherwise is not the fault of the Scholastics. True, the medievals weren't the greatest observers (they didn't have microscopes, for instance), and they didn't have a full systematic scientific method (that came with Francis Bacon and probability math even later). But modern empirical science began mainly with the English Franciscans (especially Grosseteste and his pupil Roger Bacon) who developed Aristotle's scientific method. The history of science in the last hundred years has uncovered some very surprising facts about the sophistication of the medieval scientists and the attitude(s) of the official Church. I say attitudes (pl.) because Rome's opinions, contrary to popular opinion, has waxed and waned about matters scientific. I agree == the post-medieval official RCC became progressively more and more closed-minded. Thank God for Vatican II -- as late as the '50s one couldn't even *read* what "the other side" had to say. Berdyaev's notion that the Eastern and Western Churches should just co-exist stems, I suspect, from the notion shared with the RCC that the Faith is mysterious, and hence it inevitably leads to contradictions. The Eastern Church thinks that because contradictions are inevitable we shouldn't make too much of them, we should even ignore them at times, and each Church should go its own theological way. This, of course, is intolerable for the Western/Roman Church which, though it admits that contradictions will happen within our finite minds, still thinks that solid theological truth is at least partially attainable, and truth never contradicts truth. So to find the best understanding of the Faith the RCC thinks it is necessary to use not just intuition, but also reason as far as it will take us. It listens to the mystics, but criticizes them soundly when necessary. We must, therefore, be critical both of our own theology and that of others. But the East isn't very much into criticism because it doesn't care very much about self-contradictions in the first place. Hard to find common ground, except to repeat the Creeds, and even the lead to trouble (contradictory interpretations). As i understand Gilson, he thought that there are topics of special interest to Catholic philosophers, but no Catholic philosophy as such. In other words, there are Catholic philosophers who do philosophy and who have special philosophical interests, e.g., the existence of God, how do we know anything, what are people *for* if anything, is the cosmos designed by God, is it designed at all, what is the value of logic). He's quite Thomistic in strongly distinguishing philosophy from theology. i don't know how much Kant is still influencing the Catholic theologians. I'd say that generally he has been on the wane even in philosophy since the emergence of pragmatism and materialist empiricism in the 19th century. It seems to me that the situation in Catholic philosophy at the moment is very fluid and complex, at least in English-language philosophy. There is a strong over-lap of interest between the Scholastics and the linguistic analysts -- both are extremely interested in logic, the philosophy of logic, the philosophy of language, epistemology and ethics, and there have been a few highly regarded 20th century Catholic English philosophers , e.g. Anscombe, Geach and Dummett. A few English Thomists like Herbert McCabe, O. P. who also know the analysts, got them into Aquinas. Since Vatican II Catholic philosophers have become much more open-minded, and in the English-speaking philosophical world they are finally engaging with the non-Catholic ones directly. See, for instance Edward Feser's blog this very day -- he's arguing directly with a conspicuous neo-atheist. The debate is so heated is has a referee :-) So I think things are looking-up. But I still couldn't name one giant of a Catholic philosopher since the late middle ages. I also agree that the institutional Church didn't meet the challenge of the Enlighttenment. It was afraid of the powerful new Enlightenment thinkers. On the other hand, it is also true that the heirs of the Enlightenment have never understood the value of some of the ancient and medieval philosophers. In England, the birthplace of the empiricism that has dominated 20th century anglophone philosophy, the study of philosophy began with Descartes, with a little Plato and Aristotle's ethics thrown in as a nod to the past. So there has been mutual scorn between the Enlightened and the post-medieval, Thomists, at least the ones called "manual Thomists". The latter were so bad that many didn't even read the primary sources. (Oops -- I've left out the Spanish Scholastics who did do some pioneering work after the high medievlas in ethics-and-economics and political philosophy.) Conclusion; from about the end of the 14th century to the 20th, Scholastic philosophy hasn't been much to brag about either. In the 20th century there have been some major Catholic philosophers on the continent (e.g. Maritain) but who among them is likely to be remembered for even a hundred years? No giants there either. Ann O: Eastern theologians even define "theology" differently -- they see it more as spiritual intuition and religious experience than making arguments That seems better than Rome's approach. John M: Perhaps the basic reason for conflict is the attempt by the Western church to "reconcile faith and reason," equating logic and dubious observation (Natural Law) with reason, but unable to reconcile real science with this medieval notion of reason (systematic and valid logic, .... The Eastern Church has avoided this mistaken reconciliation of faith and reason....while continuing its dedicated reflection on the life of prayer and the relationship to God .... with Christ as the connection. As the kids say, just saying. Out of the mouths of babes (kids)..... Ann O: "..... the most intractable conflict between the Eastern and Western Churches revolves around the problems with the Christian mysteries: they imply self-contradictions. The disagreement between East and West is about what to do about the contradictions. The East says they are beyond our finite minds, so don't waste too much time trying to reconcile the contradictions. That sounds like common sense. It seems the Orthodox are wise enough to realize that human beings cannot ever "know" God's mind "infallibly" and so stress spirituality and mystery. That simple (but not simplistic) wisdom escapes Rome and those philosophers and theologians who attempt to know that which they cannot know.. Perhaps Rome overcomplicates things and the Orthodox understand what is important about the christian faith and what is not. There are at least two commentators associated with Commonweal who have expertise about Orthodoxy, including Orthodox-Catholic relations, who will hopefully weigh in on the topic under discussion. John Garvey, Commonweal columnist and Orthodox priest, has for many years produced excellent columns about Orthodox beliefs and the common ground between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Although I haven’t read it yet, his new book – “Seeds of the Word: Orthodox Thinking on Other Religions”—looks to be as informative and catholic (small “c”) as his open-minded columns. And if I’m not mistaken, Father Komonchak is a member of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, which has issued a number of statements on knotty theological problems and common grounds between the two faiths. My feeling is that that the two faiths will move inexorably closer together as a result of these efforts and outside pressures, particularly the rise of secularism in the world. As the “nones” grow in polls about religion, I think many of the adherents of the different Christian faiths will come to cherish more the many common bonds they have with one another. As Catholics, we are probably most closely aligned theologically with the Orthodox and the Anglicans. In addition, outreach efforts by John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and I’m sure Francis as well, will hopefully bear fruit by increasing the awareness that what we have in common greatly outweighs our differences. In its latest joint statement in October 2010 titled “Steps Toward a Reunited Church: A Sketch of An Orthodox-Catholic Vision for the Future,” the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation noted both the importance of what we share and the urgency of rapprochement: “In light of the divine gifts that we share, then, it seems all the more urgent to us that our Churches grow closer together, in ways that the men and women of our time can see. The fact that our two Christian families have been separated in some central points of theology and Church discipline for almost a thousand years, and as a result no longer share in the sacramental communion that bound us together during the first millennium, is not only a violation of the will of God, as expressed in the prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper that his disciples ‘may be one’ (John 17.21), but is also a serious impediment to effective Christian engagement in the world, and to the effective realization of our common mission to preach the Gospel. Marriages involving members of both our traditions are increasingly common, especially in ethnically pluralistic countries, creating serious problems in Christian education and practice for the families involved. All of these factors urgently call our Churches to overcome their division. As our largely secular world reaches constantly for new technical means of communication, and for mutual understanding within all its cultural and political diversity, it is urgent that Orthodox and Catholic Christians find an effective way to realize our common tradition of faith together, and to present the world with a unified testimony to the Lordship of Jesus. To be what we are called to be, we need each other. In the words of the Second Vatican Council, ‘The divisions among Christians prevent the Church from realizing in practice the fullness of catholicity proper to her’ (Unitatis Redintegratio 4). To become what we are, effectively and permanently, we cannot stop short of re-establishing full Eucharistic communion among ourselves. Clearly, this cannot be achieved without new, better harmonized structures of leadership on both sides: new conceptions of both synodality and primacy in the universal Church, new approaches to the way primacy and authority are exercised in both our communions.” True, wisdom must always be based on experience and to some extent to feelings about experience. But experience is subjective, so we get into terrible problems of whose experiences to trust, as well as the problem of *which feelings* to trust. Mystics aren't always admirable or wise people. What was it that was said about the Janssenist mystic nuns at the convent of Port-Royale -- "Pure as angels, proud as devils". There also have been psychotics with delusions of grandeur who claim to have special wisdom, who crave disciples, and sometimes manage to find them, and it ends badly. See Jonestown. Sometimes it's difficult to separate the wise from the mad, and then we have to use reason. I certainly grant you that reason, being a tool, can be badly misused. But as I see it reason is our best tool to protect us against our beloved self-deception and the self-deceptions of others. How can we distinguish the feelings that reliably tell us what ought to be done (or not) from the feelings which are not reliable? As I see it, this is one of the greatest problems in all philosophy/theology/whatever. Does anyone know if the Eastern theologians get into this problem? Do they even see it as a problem? Who in the past 50 years thinks the Byzantine Rites are inferior ro the Roman Rite? After 50 years of tinkering, vernacular, guitars and attempting to make liturgy ordinary and destroy the haven the Church used to be to the world we have succeeded in making the Roman Rite Levittown, or Norwalk, where all the homes are made of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same. Ordinary, un-otherworldly, plain, bland, with treacly songs instead of hymns, anthems and motets. No one can thiknk the Byzantine Rites are inferior. The Roman Rite in the US is the inferior of the liturgy at Jay's Hamburger Stand. And NOW, we're adding big screen TVs so everyone can read the magnified words to songs so empty of theological import that it will drive away more and more youngsters and oldsters who managed to weather the first hurricane of iconoclasm in the 1970s and its veneration of the now-thoroughly discredited "Spirit of Vatican II". Who in the past 50 years thinks the Byzantine Rites are inferior ro the Roman Rite? After 50 years of tinkering, vernacular, guitars and attempting to make liturgy ordinary and destroy the haven the Church used to be to the world we have succeeded in making the Roman Rite Levittown, or Norwalk, where all the homes are made of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same. Ordinary, un-otherworldly, plain, bland, with treacly songs instead of hymns, anthems and motets. No one can thiknk the Byzantine Rites are inferior. The Roman Rite in the US is the inferior of the liturgy at Jay's Hamburger Stand. And NOW, we're adding big screen TVs so everyone can read the magnified words to songs so empty of theological import that it will drive away more and more youngsters and oldsters who managed to weather the first hurricane of iconoclasm in the 1970s and its veneration of the now-thoroughly discredited "Spirit of Vatican II". Ann: Moscow, or at least the Moscow Patriarchy, has long considered itself the Third Rome, and with the 15th century fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks, has understood Russia as the Empire's legitimate successor. With the accession of Kiril I as Patriarch, the language of symphonia - the harmonious coperation of church and Imperial state - has assumed renewed prominence. (The more triumphalist Orthodox I've engaged with argue that Kiril, and not Bartholomew, is the real pastor of Orthodoxy, using language that really does begin to sound like a Moscow counter-papacy, though they would vehemently deny that.) If the Orthodox have done a far better job of keeping factions worshipping together than the West ( after all, ortho-doxa means, as the late Aidan Kavanagh liked to point out, right worship or right praise and NOT right belief or right teaching) the relationship between Orthodox churches and national governments has been endlessly complex and fractious, with the subsequent political maneuverings often appropriately called Byzantine. Stanley Harakas is, I'm told, a good Orthodox source for understanding various Orthodox theories of social ethics, and some writers, such as Aristotle Papanikilaou , have tried to articulate an Orthodox theology of democracy. Ann O, I hesitate to continue, because I do not have the background in philosophy or theology to take on this subject at the level you and others do. I have no idea who most of the people are that are mentioned by name, with the exceptions of those like Aquinas, so I don't know what "thinking" any of these philosophers represent. But, I will blunder on - an average Catholic, more concerned with the little problems of everyday life than with theorizing as to why or why not the Orthodox and Catholics continue to shut one another out as far as communion goes a millenium after it happened. Since I am among those who believe in open communion for all christians, I disagree with both churches! But experience is subjective, so we get into terrible problems of whose experiences to trust, as well as the problem of *which feelings* to trust. Mystics aren't always admirable or wise people. Yes of course experience is subjective. When the east talks of mystery, and experience, are they narrowing this to the experience of mystics only? Or do they include the feelings and experiences of ordinary people (no visions or levitations or whatever) - life experiences rather than mystical experiences. Is acknowledging the existence of mystery limited to mystics? When discussing "which feelings" to trust, how does anyone know this? I have read a tiny bit about Ignatian discernment and acting on feelings of desolation and consolation. It seems to be entirely subjective - what “consoles” and what doesn't. Perhaps Crystal could comment on this. One of the most important everyday decisions for married Catholics is to decide how best to support their marriages, and thus their families, in the choice of birth control. It's a practical matter and the bishops in the US and some others around the world are again doing the best they can to force acceptance of the church’s official teaching even though it has not been received by the "faithful" - not received because it contradicts the subjective experience of most couples in the context of their own marriage. I am going to focus on this as a current example of "subjective experience" v. "logic and reasoning". I don't know that mystical experience has much to do with it. The academic theologians/philosophers in the church who define the church's official teachings of the magisterium are 100% male celibates. They have no lived (no subjective) experience of marital sexuality, of marriage in the larger sense – the wholistic sense - or of real family life as experienced by the partners in a marriage. They offer to families an idealized vision of family symbolized by The Holy Family - a mother who is perpetually virgin (we could pull that off if everyone used IVF I guess, but it's forbidden), a marriage that is celibate (and why is that held up as an ideal by the churchmen?), and an only child who is sinless. How we parents would wish to be able to have children who never sin - raising one sinless child would be a piece of cake compared to real families of imperfect parents raising imperfect kids! Not real life. With Humanae Vitae they have constructed a teaching based on what they perceive to be logic and reason – and on how they think God thinks. They try to know the mind of God and then try to insist that their detached academic reasoning is somehow more “truth-full” than the subjective lived experience of billions of married people. Perhaps the Orthodox understand better that they don't know and cannot know what God thinks – that there are realities - mystery, experience, contradictions - that preclude this. That is real life. It has been demonstrated for decades that most Catholics who have experience of marriage reject the "logical" and "reasoned" teaching on birth control defined by Rome, based on Rome's understanding of "natural law". Humanae Vitae is rejected by majorities (often very large) of Catholics all over the world, even in Africa and the Philippines, where most Catholics are much more conservative and traditional on sexual and gender issues than western Catholics. So what should "count" here - "reason" and "logic" as perceived by male celibates (mostly of European background) or the collective subjective experience of married couples in the global church? Is it not possible that self-deception also exists among those who believe that their own thinking is not influenced by subjective experience but is only based exclusively on "reason" and "logic" and guided literally by the Holy Spirit? Does the Holy Spirit not ever speak through the 1.1 billion Catholics who don't wear Roman collars through their subjective experience and feelings? Was Augustine's belief that all marital sex is essentially lustful and so is permitted only for procreation really based on reason and logic or was it based on subjective guilt and self-disgust for his earlier behavior in life, behavior that was dominated by lust? Did he transfer his personal feelings of guilt to ALL married couples? How much of Aquinas' belief that women are failed-to-properly-develop males good only for providing wombs for the mini-males developing in their wombs and for raising the children influenced his understanding of "natural law" and church teaching all the way to the 21st century? Is it really possible that "reason" and "logic" are never influenced by subjective experience – and by scientific knowledge (or lack of knowledge) and that both are influenced by one’s time and place and culture in history? Academics can have great fun together reasoning through many moral questions. But their reasoning and logic may not be of any use to the ordinary folk who don't live their lives in theoretical ivory towers. Their subjective experiences may lead them in a different direction than that the theoreticians believe is dictated by reason and logic. But the subjective experiences may at times represent truth while "logic" and "reason" distort it. It is also quite possible to argue against HV with logic and reason in philosophical and theological constructs and many have done so, but the men in Rome silence those who make the case against HV. Is silencing discussion truly a way to find Truth (with a capital T)? Whose reason and logic is "right"? My "best" friend is a devout Greek Orthodox, and we have discussed differences between Orthdoxy and Roman Catholicism for 35 years now. On this particular issue, the Orthodox leave the decision of birth control up to the couple even though they join Rome in teaching that marriage must be "open" to children. The couple decide how many, and how best to manage their fertility throughout the decades of their marriages. Rome might do well to adopt a bit more of the approach of the Orthodox instead of believing that their human minds can solve every question through "logic" and "reason" and perhaps leave a few things to subjective experience. (I know – sheer heresy) "( after all, ortho-doxa means, as the late Aidan Kavanagh liked to point out, right worship or right praise and NOT right belief or right teaching" Brian - Oh, Lordy. This is an entirely new idea for me. "Doxa" means worship? If this is central to the Orthodox Churches' beliefs about what they think is most important, then it seems to me that the Orthodox meaning and the Catholic meaning sort of reflect what I was talking about above -- that the Orthodox special interest in the experiential/subjective/affective contrasts with the Catholic special interest in the objective/the cognitive/truth. You might say that their objects of greatest interest are goodness/beauty on the part of the Orthodox as contrasted with the Roman greatest interest in truth, though in reality those can't be separated. If that's true, then it would seem to me that the greatest problem to re-unification -- from the point of view of the Orthodox -- might be the old, unchanging Greek liturgy v. the new Roman liturgy(ies), while the greatest obstacle from the Roman point of view would be our theological differences. And I don't see any common method for resovling the differences. Sigh. How could the Orthodox possibly show that their liturgy is superior without appealing to reasons? Or would they simply say, "Come *experience* how our liturgy is superior to yours"?? In other words, talking with the Orthodo isn't going to take us very far towards re-union. You might even say that the difference between the Roman and the Orthodox is the difference between saying and showing. Hmmm. I know some philosophy, but very little theology. But that's never stopped me from giving my theological opinion :-) That's one of the things things I like about dotCMWL -- we're all free to say what we think. I do believe that we pew sitters sometimes have something worth saying. Even the official Church recognizes that at times. So let's hear it from the pews, I say. I read some of Lossky's "The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church" but didn't nearly finish it. It isn't argumentative, just highly descriptive of their beliefs. Some of it is too weird for me, as well as being inconsistent at times. For instance, I find their teaching about "uncreated "energies" to be inconsistent, and their teaching about saints being present in icons is just too close to magic for me. I gather that for them religious experience is a matter of degrees of fulfillment with the greatest degreein this world being some mystical experiences. The fulfillment involves a process they call "theosis" or "divination". So for them religious experience is not limited to just the mystical heights. "Theosis" is my main problem -- it seems to come perilously close to identifying the mystic with God. I once got into a discussion with an Orthodox Catholic about one of their greatest mystics, St. Symeon the New Theologian. At one point St. Symeon says "I am God" and "if that's heresy, so be it", or words to that effect. (Unfortunately, I've lost that reference.) I say it's heresy, and blasphemous if he meant it literally. (Yeah, I really have problems with their teachings as i understand them.) I don't know that the Orthodox talk about "religious feelings". There might be a semantic problem there -- in the West we often identify "intuition" and "feeling" thus relegating intuition to the affective realm, but I'm not sure that we're justified in doing that. There might be religious intuitions which are not a matter of affectivity but are sheer cognitions. (I sometimes wonder if that's the typical sort of intuition the Buddha had, but that's waaaaaay off the subject.) I guess my message is that the interior life is far moor complex than we were taught in our high school religion classes, and that's something that the younger generation seems to know. i say good for them. The Church needs to look around at the religious experiences in other traditions as the young ones do, and the Church nees to make its own contemplative tradition much better known. And I don't mean just teaching us a little Ignatius. About the "subjective" experience of married people. I agree with you say about it. The word "subjective" doesn't imply that the experience isn't real or not valuable, and it doesn't even imply that it is *only* affective (a matter of feeling). Feelings can be real and valuable. They have their own ontological status. You marrieds know whereof you speak, and *all* the CDF knows about marriage is what *you* tell *them* about it! (And the same goes for knowing what women's experiences as such are!!! We're the experts about that.) Sorry about the rant. About knowing what God thinks, that's another gigantic problem, though I'm not at all skeptical about knowing at least *something* of what He is and what He thinks. Christ did give us something to work with, and I think philosophy can also contribute. I mean, if we know nothing of God then why do we bother to have these discussions? That's like the mystics who typically say that what they know can't be communicated, and then they write books about it! Why do we say we believe in Him at all if we know nothing about Him? However, I think we do need what I call a theological epistemology -- a theory of what we can know of God and His relationship to man and *how* we come to know Him and His will for us. It would help us, no doubt, in taking with the Orthodox. And as critical as I am about some of their teachings, from what little I know I think they also probably have a great deal to teach us about contemplative prayer and how it too reveals God. As to "logic and reason", that would have to be part of theological epistemology too. If I get the history right, doxa, which had the primary meaning of “belief” or “opinion” was used by the translators of the Septuagint for the Hebrew kavod (“glory”) and thereafter in the NT and patristic writings for “glory” or “worship.” See Aidan Kavanagh’s On Liturgical Theology in which he distinguishes right worship (orthodoxa) from right belief (orthopistis) and right teaching (orthodidascalia). In fact, you might read On Liturgical Theology simply because it’s brilliant, and follow it with an equally brilliant Orthodox take, Alexander Schmemann’s For the Life of the World. There’s a similar Eastern connotation given the word nous, usually translated from the Greek as “mind” but used by the Orthodox -- particularly the hesychasts -- for what Kallisos Ware calls “the intellective aptitude of the heart.” See Scott Cairns’ lovely poem on that subject. So there’s definitely a language issue at work here –words being used in different ways – that a little assistance from the latter Wittgenstein might help bridge. A couple of points on theosis or divinization, there is strong scriptural support for it. in 2 Peter 1:4, we read: His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. In the resurrection story from John 20, we read And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Forgiveness of sins belongs to God alone, and breathing on someone, denotes creation. In Genesis, man is created when God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. That breath is what made man in the image of God, unlike the rest of creation. Christ's breath is a further new creation but more intimate still. St. Athanius famously wrote that God became man so that God might become man. Meister Eckhart ran afoul of Church teaching when he identified the ground of the soul as being identical to the ground of God. This doctrine is a key doctrine it seems to me and should be understood rightly of course meaning become "sons in the Son". But there is no question that are status as creatures of God has become something different through incorporation into Christ through baptism. I also am not a fan of intuition. I think what we call intuition is actually a close inductive reading and is a cognitive process. Granted it is a quick cognitive process but it is a cognition for sure. Women, for example, are said to have a "woman's intuition" but that is, I think, a higher attenuation on relationships. I think that it has something to do with the basic Freudian notion of the development of sexes with boys carving their identification through differentiation and separation with the mother figure (and hence external world), whereas girls are seen and experience themselves as continuous to their mothers identity so there is a fusion with the external world. This has been born out in studies. Elementary children have been given tests where they are asked to identify who is friends with who in a classroom. Girls have been shown to be something like 90% accurate whereas boys are around 60% accurate. Girls, through development, make connections better than boys. But this is due (arguably), in part, to socialzation. Finally, Berdyaev has an ineresting article on fanaticism and according to the translator: Russian useage has two different words both which translate as “orthodoxy”. The word “ortodoksiya”, which we render throughout in uncapitalised form as “orthodox”, bears a generic and pejorative sense of a narrow-minded adherence to a “right-belief” of whatever the teaching, be it an orthodox Marxism or an orthodox atheism even. In contrast, the Russian word “pravoslavniya” (“right-glory” or “right-doxology”) refers to Orthodox Christianity, and is capitalised throughout as “Orthodoxy”, which as Berdyaev observes, properly precludes fanaticism Berdyaev maintains that the opposite of fanaticism is orthodoxy which includes holding two contraries in one's mind. It is an interesting post and touches obliquely on the theme of self deception. A man, permitting himself to come into the grip of fanaticism, never presupposes such possible about himself. He, certainly, is prepared to acknowledge himself a sinner, but can never acknowledge himself as having fallen into error, into self-deception, into self-smugness. Which is why he considers it possible, amidst his own sinfulness, to torment and pursue others. The fanatic is conscious of himself as a believer. But perhaps, his faith may actually possess no sort of relationship to truth. Truth is first of all an egress from oneself, but the fanatic is unable to go out from himself. He goes out from himself only in malice against others, but this is not an egress to others nor to an other. The fanatic -- is an egocentric. The faith of the fanatic, his unrestrained and unselfish devotion to an idea helps him not in the least to overcome the egocentrism. The asceticism of the fanatic (and fanatics often are ascetics) does not at all conquer the absorption with himself, nor at all does it turn him to the realities. The fanatic of whatever the orthodoxy identifies his idea, identifies its truth with himself. And he is this idea, this truth. Orthodoxy -- this he is. And ultimately this is always rendered the sole criterion of orthodoxy. Thanks for the book recommendations. I've ordered the Kavanagh -- it looks like it gets to some very, very basic issues. Yes, Wittgenstein is highly relevant again. It has always puzzled me why many more Catholic theologians haven't taken advantage of the great contemporary developments in language theory, considering that Christ identifies Himself as "the Word". Surely understanding the old theological terms better would be a benefit. Might the word "orthoodoxy", for instance, be a family resemblance term? I'll read Kavanagh with that question in mind. And what about the word "sacrament"? Not to mention the work especially of Austin. I'd like to see a scholarly consideration of those particular texts. The Peter 2, for instance, in Latin talks about sharing God's "nature". But thet Greek word is, if I'm not mistaken, "phuseos". What did that mean to the writer of Peter 2? "Phusis" in ancient Greek meant just "stuff". And is the writer a Platonist talking about "sharing" part of His being? (Like I constanly say, Plato ultimately identifies the Good with the lesser ggods, including man.) Yes, Eckhardt definitely seems to be saying that the very depths of his soul is identical with God, yet his sermons that I've read give not inication that he was saying anything so outlandish. It's also true that some other great Christian mystics talk like that some times, Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. But their other works don't indicate that they meant to be taken literally -- for them God is also radically Other. At least that my reading of them, bu, again, t I'm no expert. I think we'd need several threads to get well into the meanings of "intuition". Highly ambiguous word. Maybe the Church needs a theologial hermeneutic as much as a theological epstemology. Yes, Berdyaev is interesting on self-deception. But is he deceiving himself about his own wisdom? I think that when Jesus says, "Judge not" He means not only that we shouldn't judge other people's failures, we also shouldn't judge our own competence:-) There was a rise in interest in philosophy in Russia during the Sliver Age. Semyon Frank, for example, wrote about metaphysics. He was a convert to Orthodoxy and is classed among Russian religious philosophers, but his work is more influenced by Neo-Kantianism than by Orthodox theology. Some of his books have been translated into English, such as Man's Soul, The Spiritual Foundations of Society, and The Light Shineth in Darkness. I believe you are right to say that in general philosophy, as we understand it in the West, has played a very small role in the Christian East. Thanks for the information about Frank. Good to know that the Orthodox faith is at least tolerant of those with metaphysical and logical leanings even if such philosophers aren't encouraged. I, of course, find it sad that the Greek Orthodox at least don't avail themselves very much of their ancient philosophical heritage except, apparently, for some neo-Platonism. I wonder if there were elements in early Christian theology which positively precluded their appreciation of the ancient pagans. St. Paul, of course, wasn't kind to to the philosophers, but I wonder if his attitude explains the early Greek fathters' disinterest entirely. He, in fact, often presents arguments in favor of his beliefs, not to mention the fact that Peter's second letter advises Christians explicitly to give reasons for their beliefs! I don't remember Jesus saying anything about logic and philosophy one way or the other. "2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said."

Cairo will host an international conference on March 2 on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, estimated at $2 billion after Israel's 22-day offensive, the Egyptian foreign ministry said. Cairo will host an international conference on March 2 on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, estimated at $2 billion after Israel's 22-day offensive, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Friday. "The conference will focus on the requirements of rebuilding in Gaza, ways to do so, and the gathering of necessary funds," a foreign ministry statement said, adding that the meeting would be held on the level of foreign ministers. The meeting, to be held in coordination with the Palestinian Authority, would also deal with urgent humanitarian support. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged Europe on Sunday to help with fast aid for Gaza, and said a reconstruction conference would require damage assesments and the support of the European Union, the United Nations and others. Preliminary estimates put the damage in Gaza after Israel's offensive, which killed 1,300 Palestinians, at nearly $2 billion. Saudi Arabia has said it would donate $1 billion. Western diplomats have said that Israel intends to exert control over the reconstruction of Gaza and was seeking guarantees that no projects would benefit the Islamist group Hamas. The Cairo reconstruction talks will come shortly after the Feb. 22 date proposed for the start of an Egyptian-sponsored dialogue between Palestinian groups. The main parties are Hamas, which runs Gaza, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party, which is dominant in the West Bank. Egypt came close to organising a Palestinian dialogue in November, but Hamas pulled out a few days before it was due to begin, saying the rival Fatah group has failed to meet its demand to free Hamas prisoners. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the European Union see Palestinian reconciliation as one of the keys to progress toward an end to the Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza and toward a possible resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The two sides agree in principle on the idea of a national unity government for the Palestinian Authority, but they disagree on whether Abbas still has a mandate to govern and on whether armed struggle is still a legitimate strategy for dealing with Israel.

$3,693 of $3,500 goal Thank you for your donations to WICIR. These funds will be used to support the immigrant communities in and around Washtenaw County. Additionally, some of the funds raised here will go to support the estimated 130 families who have fallen victim to the recent workplace raids in Ohio. The Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (WICIR) is a volunteer-based group of community members from Washtenaw County who are committed to advocating for immigrants rights. We work together in coalition because we understand that the oppression of one group of people endorses the oppression of any group of people, at anytime. Our immigrant population in Washtenaw County is currently being repeatedly raided by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). We seek to provide a culturally sensitive and supportive urgent response to raid detainees and their families, educate the targeted and allied communities, impact local governmental policies to empower and protect immigrant community members, and to work toward humane national immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented workers and people. Thanks to all who attended the Families Belong Together Rally yesterday! We are so grateful to the organizers, speakers, volunteers and attendees! Our work at WICIR is on-going and we do it with a fuller heart this week! <3!

[GIMS Evo] [3ds Max] How to make a custom ped! Hello guys! If you have clicked on this tutorial, you may know there are not many tutorials regarding ped conversion using GIMS Evo. And so, here I am to save the day! I'm also learning the process, but I want to share the few things I have learned so more smart people can figure out how to successfully and completely convert a ped using GIMS Evo. You will need some knowledge about blender and how to use, also how to use 3ds Max. We will learn how to use GIMS in this tutorial. Setting up To start off, you will need to install GIMS Evo into 3ds Max. Follow the instructions given in the link above. After installing, launch up 3ds Max. GIMS Evo will download a few things if it is your first startup, otherwise this is how you'll be greeted: On the right side, you can see GIMS Evo's in the Utilities tab. Click on the door button under the GTA 5: It will then ask for materials.dat and materialfx.dat: To get those files, open up OpenIV. Click If this is your first time using OpenIV, follow the on-screen instructions until you get to this: Now, to get the two files(materials.dat and materialfx.dat) click on common.rpf, then click on data. Materials.dat is in the materials folder. Right click it and extract it to any folder, I usually make a new folder named Game Modding and put it in it: Now go back to the data folder and now go to the effects folder. There you will find materialfx.dat. Extract it to the SAME folder as you did for materials.dat. Now, go back to 3ds Max and browse to that folder: Once it is loaded, you will see this window: Success! Loading up a normal model in GIMS Evo Now that that is done, we need a base model to work with. Most people use ig_bankman(poor guy) and so that's what we will use. Using OpenIV navigate to x64e.rpf\models\cdimages\componentpeds_ig.rpf and find ig_bankman. You can use the search function: Using the search function, you will find 4 files: Right click on the .ydd file and click Export to openFormats (.odd) Export it to whereever you want. I'm going to export it to the Game Modding folder we made earlier. Now you need to get the textures. To do that, double click the .ytd file. This will open: Click on Export all Textures and navigate to your Game Modding folder. I ususally put it in the folder created when exporting. I create a new folder called textures and put it there: Click Select Folder. Once exported, you will now right-click on the .yft file and click Export Skeleton to openFormats (.skel): Export it to the SAME folder you exported the .odd to. It is IMPORTANT. Now go to the folder you exported the two files, in my case, Game Modding: Right click the .skel and add " FULL" to it (before .skel and after the end of the name) and also, the space is also important. Phew! Done! Now go back to 3ds Max and click on Import: Navigate to your folder and double click the .odd file: Select the textures folder: Click OK. Now, you will notice that the model is very small. What I usually do is select the whole model: @gtav_KWABZ On zmodeler you need to import the .yft first and rename it as .global in your structure tab, after that import your mesh (.ydd) and move the object (NOT THE MESH, the object from Structure tab) to .global and that's it. For embedded texture you need to replace them from the original material and you need to be sure that your maps have the same name as the originals maps. (in most of the cases, spec and normal maps only). @AHK1221 Hey, i tried importing and everything appears to be imported correctly. To test if it works correctly i just exported it withouth changing anything. Do i need to do something before exporting? . When i go into game the meshes are clipping all over the model ..... Can you help me? @sollaholla You add textures to YTD manually (again use the one from the default ped that you took as the base) and you don't need YFT and YMT (again use the one from the default ped that you took as the base) Wrong ped skeleton. Each female ped has different skeleton and animations. The easy way is take a female ped, work on her, export and replace the same ped. Suggestion, work with female cutscene peds with heels (Example: ig_michelle) and look their positions, they have standar heel positions compatible with the add-on peds mods. YMT wrong configuration. If you added a new component to your ped, is necessary to edit the ped ymt file to enable the component slot accord to your new add and do the configuration for new textures, in that way, the engine can read the ped data and draw well the ped mesh with its texture variation. here is the thread with useful info to edit the ped ymt file.

NAVY TUXEDO BLAZER $0.00 A sleek blazer for your more festive nights out. The mix of black and blue make this satin-detailed jacket your new party go-to. Peak black satin lapel Chest pocket, welt hand pockets with satin detail Interior welt pockets, center back vent Fully lined Cotton/Polyester/Spandex Dry clean only Imported NAVY TUXEDO BLAZER 4 5 2 2 Awesome Holiday Tuxedo This is a great tuxedo. I had to go to 4 different stores to piece it together but I loved it so much I didn't care. I purchase the Blazer in Poughkeepsie, NY then proceeded to the Palisades Mall, Nanuet, and finally found the pants at the Garden State. Its a fantastic fit and received a lot of compliments on it. I would recommend this to anyone that is going to any sort of holiday party, wedding, award show, etc December 8, 2013 Not for tall people? This jacket looks great. It sure would be nice if it came in long sizes, not just short and regular. I'm a frequent Express customer, and it always bums me out when you decide not to release the hot new thing in my size. November 5, 2013

We use cookies on our website. By continuing to use this website you consent to the storing and accessing of cookies on your device in accordance with our Cookie Policy. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our site and how to change your settings please view our Cookie Policy here. Aston Martin Holdings (UK) Ltd, the producer of luxury handcrafted sports cars, today reported record first quarter results as strong orders for its flagship DB11 model helped more than double revenues from £92.6 million to £188.3 million, with a pre-tax profit of £5.9 million reversing prior-year losses of £29.7 million. Luxury British Brand Aston Martin is proud to announce a new partnership with Henley Royal Regatta, one of the world’s most prestigious and long-standing sporting fixtures. Founded in 1839, the Regatta is an iconic event held under the patronage of the ruling monarch and is a mainstay of the British summer social scene. The 18th annual Aston Martin Sale will be held by International auction house Bonhams on Saturday 13 May 2017. The sale will take place at the spiritual home of Aston Martin’s heritage, Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, where many of this year’s lots were originally built. The Aston Martin Vulcan was the first car to turn a wheel at the site of the British luxury carmaker’s second UK manufacturing plant at St Athan in South Wales recently, signaling the start of the redevelopment of the former MOD site into a state-of-the-art facility. As Phase II of Aston Martin’s redevelopment of the former Ministry of Defence site at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales gets underway, the luxury British carmaker today announced a partnership with Glamorgan County Cricket Club, which also includes support for all the age-grade teams from Cricket Wales. Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd are proud to announce an enduring partnership with the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity. The strong links between the company and the Royal Air Force are clear, with Aston Martin’s two manufacturing facilities both having previously been RAF airfields. Aston Martin today hosted a special ceremony that launched Phase II of the redevelopment of MOD St Athan. The site in South Wales will become the British luxury carmaker’s second UK manufacturing plant. Aston Martin Capital Holdings Limited (“Aston Martin” and together with its affiliates, the “Group”) today announced that it has completed the pricing of £550,000,000 (equivalent) aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due 2022 (the “Notes”). New season. Same spirit. Aston Martin Racing is back with a trio of V8 Vantage GTEs, fighting once again for honours in the world’s premiere endurance racing series; the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Luxury British marque Aston Martin has today completed the official global debut of its new V8 Vantage S Red Bull Racing edition in Melbourne, Australia. Ahead of the 2017 Formula 1® Rolex Australian Grand Prix this weekend, the special edition was revealed to 200 VIP guests at an early preview event of the new multi-million dollar Aston Martin Melbourne dealership. Aston Martin Capital Holdings Limited (“Aston Martin” and together with its affiliates, the “Group”) today announced that it has launched an offering of £530,000,000 (equivalent) aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due 2022 (the “Notes”).

Kickstarter FAQ What am I asking you to do? I am trying to raise the money to write and publish the Seaside Donkey book, and also to make the film. I had to work out the budget I need (which is £28,000), and set the deadline within which I have to find this money (January the 29th, 2014). Lots of brilliant kind people have pledged money already, by following the instructions here: When you pledge money you have to enter your bank details, but the money does not go out of your account unless we do manage to raise the full £28,000. If we fall short, no money goes out of your account, and I don’t get any of the pledges. What is Kickstarter? Kickstarter is a crowd funding website. Crowd funding is a new way of funding projects that don’t otherwise have the money to get off the ground. There are a number of different websites that list and administrate projects seeking crowd funding, but Kickstarter.com is the most well-known. It is solely for creative projects, and it has only been running in the UK since November 2012 – it’s a really new idea. The general theory is similar to seeking patronage through subscriptions though – in the 17th century authors used to seek many small donations to finance book prints. A bit like walking with a donkey, our ancestors have been here before! Why did I decide to run a Kickstarter campaign? I think that this is a really exciting new way of funding projects. It means that people can really be involved in the creation of projects, and mixes up the relationship between the creator and the consumer. Throughout the journey Chico and I met heaps of people and their input, hospitality, questions, experiences etc all became a big part of the adventure. Funding the book and film in this scary, public, open way feels very similar to the spirit of the walk – it makes it about lots of people having a little input to make something big happen, rather than one big publishing company having all of the power. If it works, people will get a book and film that they know they made possible – I’ve backed a few other projects and that’s a pretty good feeling! It also means that we can work much faster. Getting an agent, a publishing company and a TV channel interested is a very slow process, and I couldn’t bear to let all of the vivid memories fade as I went through it. Don’t I want to publish through a company? I do hope to publish the book the traditional way too, and we also hope that TV channels will be interested in the film (which would probably become a series, in this case). If we fund it through Kickstarter it means that we can retain a lot more creative control and take almost finished products to publishers and commissioners, which would speed up the whole process. Why £28,000? Isn’t that a lot of money? Yes, it’s gigantic. It works out as being about £10,000 for the making of the book (employing a copy editor, a structural editor, a typesetter, getting cover art made, buying the ISBN number etc) and £13,000 for the film (mostly an editor’s time, buying a music license, sound design, graphics etc), and around £5000 to fulfill the promises – eg to actually print the copies of the book and DVD and post them to you. Kickstarter take a 5% fee, and another 5% goes in transaction fees. It’s all estimates because the print costs vary with the number of copies being printed, and the postage costs very depending on how heavy the book is etc etc, but £28,000 was the minimum we could ask for and know that we could deliver a well-put-together book and film. Why don’t Kickstarter let me keep the pledges if it doesn’t meet the full £28,000? Scary though it is, there is a good intention behind it. If I only made half of the money I need to make the book and film and was allowed to keep it, I would still have to send copies of the book and DVD to all of the people who had pledged. This means that I would either have to take a very long time to do them, borrow lots of money from the bank to make up the shortfall, or scrimp so much that the final products were a bit rubbish. This all-or-nothing model means that I had to be honest about the money I needed to do a good job, and be prepared not to try to cobble together the projects on less. Why didn’t I do two campaigns, one for the book and one for the film? I thought that people would get tired and cross of hearing me ask for money if I ran two Kickstarter campaigns, one after the other. I would also not have been able to offer the film as a reward on the book campaign, or the book as a reward on the film campaign because of not knowing if I would raise the funds needed to make them. £28,000 is a whole lot of money to ask for, and the all-or-nothing model is risky, but I’d rather risk not making the target, than risk making a bad book and film. Is it safe to pay online? I know that lots of people aren’t keen on putting their bank details into a website, and that’s understandable. Kickstarter are very careful and serious about card security, and haven’t had any trouble with fraud. However, if you want to support the project but really don’t want to put your details in online, do email me at hannah @ hannahme.com (without the spaces) and we’ll sort out another way of paying. What does Chico think about all this? Chico doesn’t really understand what I’m doing looking at screens all the time. He thinks I make life too complicated. What’s wrong with a pile of hay and a nice view? I don’t think donkeys really have the same culture of storytelling that we humans do… Share this: Cart What is this all about? The seaside donkey is a tiny adventure writ large. Starting in May 2013 I headed off around Wales, with Chico the eccentric donkey for company. The 1000-mile perimeter of Wales took five-and-a-half months to walk, and the blogs on this website tell the tale. Now I'm writing a book and making a film, due out towards the end of 2014. Sign up to the newsletter and I'll let you know how it's coming on...

Saturday, January 16, 2010 "Them belly full, but we hungry;A hungry mob is a angry mob. A rain a fall, but the dirt it tough; A pot cook, but the food no nough." As we listen to accounts from various A-merry-can newscasts and read newspapers telling us of the specter of mob violence hanging over Haiti. And as we hear the shocking stories of medical workers fleeing and leaving patients to die because they fear for their lives. Please take some time to reflect on the lyrics of St. Ann Parish's finest son, one Robert Nester Marley. Yes my friends, hungry mobs tend to get angry. Oh but field, why can't they wait and be orderly like we would be here in A-merry-ca? Just because they haven't eaten in four days? Come on field, do you ever watchSurvivor? Do you see how long those people go without food? You don't see them bum rushing the host- Jeff Probst- now do you field? That's because they are civilized, field. They are A-merry-cans. But seriously,when I see these newscast and listen to folks in this blog focus on the potential violence in Haiti in makes sick to my stomach. Like honestly, can we really put ourselves in their position? I am so glad that here in A-merry-ca we have a brand new reality series to focus on to take our minds off Paris and Kate for a few more weeks. Let's just call it "How Long Can They Last In Haiti Before They Start Killing Each Other? I am surprised that some of these news outlets aren't selling spaces for sponsors. Think about it; a nice logo on the bottom of one of those helicopters for Snickers Bars. Or, have the hosts wear sponsored patches on their shirts like they do in soccer and golf. Just imagine Geraldo helping the rescuers try to dig out one of those poor Haitians from under the rubble of some building, and all the while that Home Depot logo is front and center on his sleeve. Talk about a "money shot". Anyway, it was nice to see his O ness get42and 43 involved in the fund raising efforts for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Those two guys can raise some serious cash. I would love to have just a page out of each of their rolodexes. Hey Billy Bob, it's me, George. Listen, do you have about a million to spare? Thank you, I really appreciate it. Go get em Bubba and George. Finally, be careful where you send your money ,folks. Various law enforcement agencies are tracking some scam artist out there. There is nothing quite like a little crises to get some folks thinking how they can profit from it. That, of course, includes certain news outlets. 234 comments: ~... The French government became so annoyed when a plane with an emergency field hospital was turned back Friday that foreign minister Bernard Kouchner lodged a protest with the State Department, according to the French ambassador to Haiti, Didier Le Bret. Le Bret said that the Port-au-Prince airport has become "not an airport for the international community. It is an annex of Washington." "We were told it was an extreme emergency, there was a need for a field hospital," the ambassador said. "We might be able to make a difference and save lives." ...http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/16/AR2010011602921.html Field, I can't watch the horror show that is now Haiti on TV, but you are most definitely correct hunger will drive them to do desperate things and unless you have walked a mile in their shoes who are we to judge. Another thing that bothers me are anonymous posters wrote a poem about it here it is: I despise anonymous postersand their obvious timiditythey usually just post bullshiton that we all should agree mainly they are vulgarand quite often infantilemaybe they're just stupidor verging on senile either way they are pussiesafraid to make a standhiding in the shadowsstand tall and be a man like Constructive Feedbackwith whom I seldom agreeat least he has convictionsput there for all to see to all anonymous pussiessomeday you'll grow a pairunless you have been neuteredin that case your cupboards bare Thirded. I don't know why some *cough* are obsessed with violence. The UN reports that the situation in general is calm even though there have been minor isolated incidents. Calm, despite the fact that the entire place has collapsed, Haiti's police force was logistically destroyed by the quake and that Haiti has no army. Calm, despite the fact that their world has been blown to bits and the buildings that housed their parliament and president no longer exist. Calm despite catastrophe. Calm despite losing their homes, loved ones and friends. Contrast that with conservatives here buying ammo and guns when Obama was elected for fear of social collapse or Goldman Sachs stockpiling vaccines and also buying weapons when they thought us little people were getting too wise to their scams and their theft of our money. Watching coverage of Haiti is becoming harder each day. I was told as a child to "read between the lines" and the words between the lines in the Haiti news coverage are saying black folks are dangerous. I will never understand why white folks are so quick to play the "dangerous negro" card considering their long history of violence against other human being. Oh, I forgot all their "dirt" get whitewash. You know how "them" people are. We are not allowed to get angry, fustrated or show any emotion outside of glee that our saviors are even bothering to help. And I'm curious as to what exactly are the Haitians allegedly "looting"? Food? Water? Is anyone blaming anyone for the violence? It's understandable. The people are desperate; the Haitian government is nowhere to be found; the situation is dire. This is one of the things that happens. I hope it doesn't break down into complete chaos, but I fear that it will. By the way, will you people stop being so fucking defensive for once in your fearful victim-obsessed lives? You could cut your utter lack of self-confidence with a chain saw. "You people" = the handful of people on this blog who go utterly batshit when anyone who isn't black says anything less than wonderful about any black person anywhere on earth. I was thinking about this over the last couple days, and the answer popped into my head: It's a lack of self-confidence. Look, I am gay, and my tribe is at least as despised as yours. (True, not enslaved, but then neither was anyone on this blog ever enslaved.) But I don't go crazy when someone, somewhere criticizes gay people. Hell, I'll agree with half the shit people say about us. Not so with the crew around here about black people, and I think it's because in some corner of your mind that isn't very small, you wonder if you really are inferior. I don't think you are. And because I don't, I've got no problem telling it like it is, or how I think it is. If I thought blacks were inferior I'd sugar coat everything, sort of like they do with the Special Olympics. Or I'd be like Race Traitoress, and go to outlandish, laughable efforts to overcompensate for my shame about my true feelings. The fact that I'll be candid about the fuck ups of those black people who fuck up is a sign of respect, but you don't see it and I suspect you never will. I don't care if you disagree with stuff I mention. Hell, I'm wrong sometimes. But the pathetic whining about "Grinder the racist" is foolish and demeaning -- to you, not me. Do you ever get just a little bit tired of your pitiful act? GRINDER, of course you don't understand, you are on the OUTSIDE looking in, so of course you JUDGE! The HAITIAN people are making the MEDIA angry, so the MEDIA is making up stuff, there were food line's today, and the people were NOT acting like a bunch of SEETHING ANIMAL'S! they showed DISCIPLINE and ORDER! I don't know what the MEDIA want's but, FOX is talking DOOM and GLOOM! they are making it seem as if the HAITIAN'S are about to EXPLODE any minute now! they are saying (When night fall's, watch OUT, those HAITIAN'S will go on the RAMPAGE!!! Keith Olberman, has been on some type of HAITIAN HIGH all week! now, this surprise's me, when it come's to KEITH, but, I guess, he can't help it, it's as if, something has over taken these WHITE MEN! seem to me, they cannot stay intact unless they see VIOLENCE! and they want it from us! BLACK PEOPLE! It doesn't seem to have that affect on the few BLACK NEW'S REPORTER'S, they seem to be CALM, so far! but, who know's, by MONDAY, poor TAMARA HALL of MSNBC may have to travel to HAITI and Pay someone, to get some STUFF STARTED, this is how desperate, some of these CABLE NETWORK'S are becoming! the MEDIA will do whatever it take's to get ACTION! The MEDIA is known to go looking for the WORST! and if they can't find it, they will CREATE it! "And I'm curious as to what exactly are the Haitians allegedly "looting"? Food? Water?" You know I was curious about the same thing since everything is crushed under concrete. I'm so sick of hearing "looting" and "violent" as the only two comments from the news media concerning Haiti. It would be nice to hear them talk about helping set someone that is still alive free from under all that rubble, but I guess that doesn't come under their definition "rescue" anymore. GRINDER, you need PRAYER, trust me, you do! you have too many issue's to count, for some STRANGE reason, you cannot stay away from BLACK PEOPLE! now why is that? what do you want from us? GRINDER we DO NOT need your input on our intelligence, we do NOT need you to OBSERVE us, your perception of our people matter's NOT! I guess, because you are GAY, you think you can feel or PAIN, NO! not so, you walk in CHOICE! we were FORCED to SURVIVE in spite of the choice's, being made for us! I will NOT condemn your behavior, that is between you and GOD, but, I will say, you are dealing with GUILT! why is that? are you NOT happy and content in your state? are you NOT being FULFILLED with your CHOICE? for if so, why seek to be ACCEPTED? why SEEK to be INCLUDED? you seek for INCLUSION, Why is that GRINDER? Field, don't you get the impression you have seen all this somewhere before? Well, that's right we did. Hurricane Katrina, where our lovely caucasian media types felt it was necessary to portray the storm victims as scary darkies running amok and reverting to their base nature of animal-like behavior. There is a pathology at work here, and it is based on the sickness of racial superiority. You will NEVER see European people accused of looting when they are looking for food and water after a disaster. You will NEVER see white victims of a disaster referred to as "dangerous" or "gangs" or any of the buzzwords that are used to describe black people in similar desparate situations. Why is this? P.S. Grinder...do everyone a favor and STFU. Either you are playing the part of the clueless white guy to provoke a reaction, or you are actually one. Either way, enough of your BS. My wife was involved in the Katrina rescue efforts, and she, too, noticed disparity. Pale people like us were "foraging". Persons of color were "looting". Did, in fact, have a discussion with a "house cat" on the subject of "Impatience" of those people yesterday. He seemed to feel that docility was the answer. That's, of course, the REAL 'Murkin way in a crisis (stand in line, do what you're told...oh, he died waiting? Well he probably wasn't worth saving, then. Shot that woman rummaging around where 'looting" is endemic? She was hungry? Needed bedding? Sorry, disorder can't be tolerated...) because the boys and girls in uniform aren't there to help you, they are there to "preserve order" and "assist authority".Couldn't make this person understand that folks in Haiti are probably pretty much close to the edge on nutrition when things were going "well", so they have no real margin of time before things like starvation become more problematic. He shrugged. "Well, they have to learn patience", he sloganised once again. But, this is an example of what they tell you and tell you in any survival class: you can only depend on yourself in an emergency. Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Earthquake victims, writhing in pain and grasping at life, watched doctors and nurses walk away from a field hospital Friday night after a Belgian medical team evacuated the area, saying it was concerned about security. Full story is on the CNN website. Here's another excerpt: Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who led relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, said the evacuation of the clinic's medical staff was unforgivable. "Search and rescue must trump security," Honoré said. "I've never seen anything like this before in my life. They need to man up and get back in there." Honoré drew parallels between the tragedy in New Orleans, Louisiana, and in Port-au-Prince. But even in the chaos of Katrina, he said, he had never seen medical staff walk away. "I find this astonishing these doctors left," he said. "People are scared of the poor."-------------------- They aren't the only ones, apparently. The news coverage is only helping to contribute to this tragedy. [quote]They aren't the only ones, apparently. The news coverage is only helping to contribute to this tragedy.[/quote] Ernesto - do you consider yourself to be a "Narcissistic"/"The World Revolves Around ME and what I think" type of person? Short of the Haitian people having SATELLITE television to watch CNN - exactly HOW does CNN's coverage impact the SITUATION IN HAITI? Is it impacting DONATIONS from Americans - which is on a record pace? Is it causing the USA to stop sending human resources to help? Exactly WHAT IS IT Ernesto EXCEPT being DISTURBING TO YOU - and your world view? How about this Ernesto - why don't you record a video for presentation to the young Haitian males on the street who might lead the unrest.NO - I am NOT talking about the vast majority of the MEN who are focused on MANAGING THEIR COMMUNITY and rescuing people. I want you to record a video that will be presented to THE VOLATILE YOUNG MEN. I will do my part to figure out a way that your video message to them, made with the purposes to calm their fears can be showed to each and every one of them. Make the video and send me the YouTube URL. THIS would be your greatest contribution that will actually IMPACT SOMETHING ON THE GROUND IN HAITI. Oh but field, why can't they wait and be orderly like we would be here in A-merry-ca? Just because they haven't eaten in four days? Come on field, do you ever watch Survivor? Do you see how long those people go without food? You don't see them bum rushing the host- Jeff Probst- now do you field? That's because they are civilized, field. They are A-merry-cans. FN your posts are good till you start this part where you begin to pretend you can hear what others will say. It's kind of stupid. The American Army is coordinating the aid effort from Port-au-Prince airport, so take this as gospel the Haitians are screwed. The U.S. Army is one of the most bureaucratic inefficient organizations I have ever known.I guarantee some Colonel asshole is at the airport counting every grain of rice before it distributed. From what my contacts are telling me the supplies are not able to leave the airport because of the following reasons: 1. The roads are damaged or blocked, and the Army brought wheeled (road restricted) trucks which are not off road capable.Unfortunately the army started phase out light tracked vehicle primarily the M113 series under Shenseki. A M1108 Universal tracked carrier would have overcome this problem. However again failure due to Army incompetence. 2. The operation is spearheaded by Airborne troops.My contact says he is frustrated because he believes that Combat Engineers and Logistical Troops are who should be leading the effort. Airborne troops are not trained and do not have the capability to effect a efficient response. Field you are going love this. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) seeing the inefficiency of the US Army has requested and gotten from the Haitian Govt land outside the airport so they can coordinate and distribute the aid from Jamaica and CARICOM more efficiently. JDF Air Wing has also gotten priority status for its aircraft second only to US military and aid aircraft. YARDIES STAND UP!!! My recommendation the aid effort should be lead by the U.S. Navy they have more experience in aid and rescue efforts than any other branch of the armed services. As for charities avoid Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing the last time he did an "aid drive" the money went to by helicopters and aircraft for his diamond mine in Zaire. Well, I for one happen to agree wholeheartedly with FN. The media seem to delight in replaying video of Haitians scrabbling over the supply drops and pointing out incidents of people being grabby. I can't even imagine going without food, and particularly water, for days on end. Oh, and I'm just waiting for someone to diss Hillary and co. for bringing cigarettes. "By the way, will you people stop being so fucking defensive for once in your fearful victim-obsessed lives? You could cut your utter lack of self-confidence with a chain saw." That's a new one. I have been accused of a lot of things in my life, but lacking "self confidence" has never been one of them. :) Grinder, your total misread of me and my intentions lead me to believe that you aere waaayyy off base on a lot of other things. I stil can't figure you out, though. Serious question: Are there any black people where you live? You seem to be only familiar with a...how do I say it? Certain type of black person. It's as if your world view and your views of our race is influenced by a very limited set of things. It would be kind of like me being a fan of The Sopranos on HBO and thinking that all Italians are in the mob. See where I am coming from Grinder? Maybe you need to turn off your television for a few days and get out more. Go to a black church in your neighborhood and introduce yourself to the people. I think you will enjoy the experience. Honestly. Hathor said :JohnCrow,I did see footage of a C130 loading a helicopter. You can image it was small, I would think they'd need to send Chinooks, if they hadn't already. It was probably a MH-6 "little bird" helicopter.The take off capacity of the C 130 Hercules is 18 tons.You are right they need Chinooks it is a very versatile aircraft (see excellent capabilities at 34sec). The C 17 Globalmaster and C 5 Galaxy are the only aircraft that can airlift Chinooks. However, due their limited number and two wars they are unlike to made available for the effort. Just a correction Hathor apparently some C 17 Global masters have been made available. Not sure if the Army is as aware as you are for the need of Chinooks. I will do some checks and see what i can find out. After seeing all the coverage on Haiti and all the comments and controversy, it's easy to notice not much is being said. What exactly is going to be done, or can be done, about Haiti. Very few people even seem to have any real ideas. After the quake aftermath is over, what will become of Haiti? I want to keep watching the coverage but everytime they start with the violence/looter spin, I change the channel. It was refreshing to finally get a report through the eyes of a darkie like me- Allen guy fon CNN- it makes a difference. Field, I think you need to put yourself in the HOUSE for throwing Wyclef under the bus so fast. Who knows what attention and who was providing attention to the administrative duties of his organization but what was clear by the report, he was /had got the organization compliant and it happen before this diaster. Damn, a brother who calls himself "field" can't give another brother the benefit of the doubt. i would be shocked if Chimpy raised any money at all that actually got applied to legit relief efforts and not scam operations to enrich his buddies in the "reconstruction" biz. as to the "looting," we all remember those newz pics from NOLA, right? black people taking food = "looting," white people taking food = "foraging." most folks in Haiti have brown or black skin, so of course the SCLM is going to go on and on about how they are on the verge of rioting and always stealing what doesn't belong to them. how many of those kinds of stories did you read after the tsunami, a few years back? not too many. asians aren't white, but "everybody knows" they don't do evil things like rioting. only black people do that. same deal with coverage of the "orange revolution." white people agitating = democratic change! /eyeroll/ After you put yourself in the "house" for prejudging Wyclif, put your Prime Minister Bruce Golding in the "field." He told a reporter trying to get him to comment on his tained question about a Cuban and Caricon planes not being able to land, " I appreciate the chaos and confusion at Haiti's airport, where there is just one operational runway." Well Mr. Field, finally a subject on which I have a bit more gravitas than most here. You see, I served for 23 months in the Peace Corps in Haiti. Know the people well. As you say a beautiful people full of honest emotion, caring and generosity. I cant count the number of times families with little, offerring to share with a foreigner whose ribs were far from showing. I was not in Port au prince however. I was in the country. A village called "Madame Zwa" close to Maissade and Hinche. The nearest city was the horrible Gonives. A terrible place indeed. Lets be clear here. There is little spontaneous violence so far. The roaming gangs preying on the people existed before the quake. They terrorized the people a year ago and the quake did nothing to stop it. The machete weilding men ruled the slums of City solei and Delmas and they continue their reign of terror. Nothing new under the sun. No doubt a few old tontons will gather and, well, being a gangster is a skill that doesnt seem to fade. The problem is that all govt officials, police and military types have taken what they can carry and saved themselves. Corruption is endemic to ANYONE with a drop of power. Unfortunate indeed. From what I hear from people on the island the people themselves expect exactly what you blame the media of expecting. Its easy to sit in an upscale townhouse and tell others what to believe. The people who are living through it watch neither FOX, MSNBC or read this blog. Ill listen to them before you. with all due respect of course. Mr. Field, you must point your jaded finger of blame at those Hatians who abandoned their people and those who prey upon them before you look for the nearset white face. A tough task for you to be sure. It must be done. Im not in the blame game however. If it works for you? cool. Feel happy tonight. You chide those right wingers who use this tragedy as political fodder then you turn around and do just that. You use it as a weapon against your political enemy. Hypocrisy at its purest. not that it bothers you though. I know what lies ahead for these people. I know the world will tire of this and focus on important issues like Kate Gosselin and Ms. Jolies new boobjob. SAD SAD SAD. A long road of tears, blood and sufferring for these people seems to have no end. An old hatian saying: "Petit Petit zwazo fi niche" --little by little the bird builds its nest-- Lets hope the world stays interested long enough for the nest to be complete. Mr. Field, you must point your jaded finger of blame at those Hatians who abandoned their people and those who prey upon them before you look for the nearset white face. A tough task for you to be sure. It must be done "Damn, a brother who calls himself "field" can't give another brother the benefit of the doubt." Please read my comments on this subject again and get back to me. I haven't thrown Wyclife under the bus. I AM giving him the benefit of the doubt. But what's the title of that famous Doobie Brothers song? Oh yeah, "What A Fool Believes He Sees." See the fake Aussie above, Lamar, as another example of this. :) "Mr. Field, you must point your jaded finger of blame at those those Hatians who abandoned their people and those who prey upon them before you look for the nearset white face. A tough task for you to be sure. It must be done.Im not inthe blame game however. If it works for you? cool. Feel happy tonight. You chide those right wingers who use this tragedy as political fodder then you turn around and do just that. You use it as a weapon against your political enemy. Hypocrisy at its purest. not that it bothers you though." Nope,it's not hard for me at all. I have pointed fingers at Third World leaders and African American leaders many times in the past.(Google it) Again, see the title to that Doobie song. Haiti has the highest fertility rate in the Western Hemisphere. That's a real problem for a country that poor. Yet, no efforts have been mad to address the situation or provide family planning of any kind. Half of Haiti's population are under the age of 20. There has been zero discussion of this issue and the impact it has had, and is having right now. OOOH, Mr. Field. Where oh where did I blame the "people" of Haiti? I pointed out the existence of the gangs that rule and "have ruled" the streets of port au prince. I have pointed out the deep corruption that exists and "has existed" in Haiti. (Duvalier ring a bell? Tonton macout seem familiar?). Try to spin that into "the victims are to blame" please. Cheap, even for you. If the current condition of Port au prince isnt even in part the fault of the pathologically corrupt government or even the gangs create fear and steal from women and children then exactly where does fault, if any, lie? It aint with the people and it aint with the US right wing. My point was that the people in Haiti expect the same level of chaos that the media apparently do. That must mean there is a real threat of that. It isnt because of race, which you feel is the fulcrum of modern societal behavior. It is because of the totality of circumstances that exist in Port au prince today. Terrible govt and violent gangs factor in to that. You have indeed pointed a finger at black governments before, you havent done in here. Americans have a poor grasp of history and geography yet it doesn't stop them from running their mouths about things they know nothing about for the sake of deluding them themselves about their own sense of superiority. How empty does someone's life have to be to keep up such a façade. "GRINDER, you need PRAYER, trust me, you do! you have too many issue's to count, for some STRANGE reason, you cannot stay away from BLACK PEOPLE! now why is that? what do you want from us" "GRINDER we DO NOT need your input on our intelligence, we do NOT need you to OBSERVE us, your perception of our people matter's NOT!" Thank you. The audacity of his willful-arrogant-ignorance never cease to amaze me. He still thinks black people can't see his racist condescending pathologies. He's clearly battling with personal demons, but like any inherently obsessed racist, he seeks refuge overseeing and wagging his condescending finger at black people as a diversion entitlement from deeper personal problems he should be taking care of elsewhere. He may be gay, but he's also grossly racist. He thinks black people should be below him on the social totem pole, as well as in humanity. He is double dangerous. I'm always pleased when he comes out and show his true stripes and tail. Or I'd be like Race Traitoress, and go to outlandish, laughable efforts to overcompensate for my shame about my true feelings. I was with you until you attributed my shame to my "true feelings." I've got plenty of "white" shame, it's true, but I'm not ashamed of my true feelings. I AM ashamed of the desperate measures "my people" (and I say that entirely tongue-in-cheek) will go to to protect their unearned privilege and to vilify those with darker skin. "Haiti has the highest fertility rate in the Western Hemisphere. That's a real problem for a country that poor. Yet, no efforts have been mad to address the situation or provide family planning of any kind. Half of Haiti's population are under the age of 20." Why is everytime I hear a white people mention the birthrate of people of color. I see disguised euginics? Hmmm...yet, white birthrates are a cause for celebration. BTW, Whitey, I too am waiting on you to answer Fly's question "Mr. Whitey, I'm just wondering, do you blame Native Americans for their own plight too?" because I was curious about the same thing myself. Inquiring minds wants to know and I am one of them. Why is everytime I hear a white people mention the birthrate of people of color. I see disguised euginics? Hmmm...yet, white birthrates are a cause for celebration. The reason for that is because you are ill-informed. Please look up the term carrying capacity sometime. You might also find that the poorest countries tend to be both overpopulated and with very large populations in their twenties and below. Haiti has long been a country that is effected by environmental pressures to a high degree-higher even than its neighbor, the Dominican Republic. So, Haiti is much more sensitive to higher population densities and their effect on the environment. BTW, I believe they are trying to discredit Wycleff. I watched him on tv not too long ago way before the earthquake hit delivering help the Haitians. It was him and a couple of celebrities. He has always put his money where his mouth is as far as his people are concerned. I would trust his organization as far as helping Haiti before I would the other so-called legit ones. There was a reason why BET had a marathon fund raiser for the victims of Katrina and from what my relatives who lived there during Katrina told me I can understand why. Discrimination is an ugly thing. Yeah, you right I'm not an environmentalist. Nevertheless, are they preaching birth control in Russia, Germany, France, and a few other places because those appear to be some pretty populated places as well? Yeah, you right I'm not an environmentalist. Nevertheless, are they preaching birth control in Russia, Germany, France, and a few other places because those appear to be some pretty populated places as well? Actually, Russia, Germany, and France either have stable or declining birth rates. In Russia they are offering incentives to couples to have children. And Asia and India tops the cake. I know that some over in Asia are preaching birth control and limiting births. See you right, I might lack knowledge of that but I'm just curious as to why it always seems to be a top priority for nations that are heavily populated with blacks to be convinced to practice birth control even right here in the USA. @iseeisee, you're a lunatic. You see a white devil around every corner. @field, you're willing to call out black people who screw it up. It is a big reason why I respect you. That much said, you frequently descend into typical race-hustling. The unfortunate thing is that there IS racism here, but some of the crap you engage in here serves to discredit true accusations. @realist, no one goes batshit about "black birthrates." The issue is, as you note, carrying capacity. @granny, wycliff is a fraud and a thief. The latest in a long line of people who have ripped off Haiti. @Race Traitoress, your true feelings are that black people are inferior and deserving of pity, to the degree that you want to become black so you can be as pure and pitiful as you think they are. It's actually kind of amusing to watch you. @La Idiot, your name (the one I have given you, that is) says it all. You chide those right wingers who use this tragedy as political fodder then you turn around and do just that. You use it as a weapon against your political enemy. Hypocrisy at its purest. not that it bothers you though. I watched that man on television over there feeding Haitians before the earthquake. I saw it with my own eyes. Where was the RED CROSS and all those other charities at then when the people were eating mud pies to survive? It wasn't like it was a secret that they were starving to death over there. Nevertheless, you want to villify him. Can't have any black person outshining anyone white in good deeds or anything else now can we? I mean that would totally destroy the myth that whites have created throughout history of blacks people being worthless, subhuman beings now wouldn't it. Well, like Disapora said that is to be expected. After all, they villified Acorn and have not yet to this day even after they were found not guilty of any crimes, set about trying to rectify the wrong done to them. Therefore, from this day on out we don't expect any changes in the way they go about try to make all black folks look like criminals. Would some please someone tell me where I can stock up on BS spray. It appears that BS spray is becoming a very needed commodity for black folks to spray their way through deception practices of those who wish them ill. @Race Traitoress, your true feelings are that black people are inferior and deserving of pity, to the degree that you want to become black so you can be as pure and pitiful as you think they are. It's actually kind of amusing to watch you. Before Grinder went to popping off I believe that Realist and I were having a civil conversation that I had some question marks about. Nevertheless, it is amazing what a civil conversation can bring out in some folks faking and shaking. Anyways...You were saying Realist? I am curious about what you and I were talking about. "And Asia and India tops the cake. I know that some over in Asia are preaching birth control and limiting births. See you right, I might lack knowledge of that but I'm just curious as to why it always seems to be a top priority for nations that are heavily populated with blacks to be convinced to practice birth control even right here in the USA." Granny, It is certainly not just 'black' nations that suffer from overpopulation. China's "one child" policy is a direct result of the government trying to halt rapid population growth. India is also struggling with overpopulation and a lack of resources-mostly water. However, Africa is also having a real problem as well: The population of Ethiopia alone is scheduled to double by 2050. "this is rudimentary. the catholic church forbids most forms of birth control. there is overpopulation whereever there are lots catholics. ain't got a THING to do with race (eg, the philippines)." That is true. Yet, Muslim countries also are notorious for denying birth control and preventing family planning; hence, most Muslim majority countries are overpopulated as well. Regarding those Doctors who left Sanjay Gupta alone. The UN DID NOT order them out. The Belgian Team made the call to pull out at dark. According to CNN:CNN initially reported, based on conversations with some of the doctors, that the United Nations ordered the Belgian First Aid and Support Team to evacuate. However, Belgian Chief Coordinator Geert Gijs, a doctor who was at the hospital with 60 Belgian medical personnel, said it was his decision to pull the team out for the night. Gijs said he requested U.N. security personnel to staff the hospital overnight, but was told that peacekeepers would only be able to evacuate the team. He said it was a "tough decision" but that he accepted the U.N. offer to evacuate after a Canadian medical team, also at the hospital with Canadian security officers, left the site Friday afternoon. The Belgian team returned Saturday morning. Yeah that is true Realist, I was gonna mention that Middle East Countries are on the most populated list as well. But that still does not explain to me why birth control is a top priority with blacks because even over here in the USA they seem to be on the birth control top priority list. Yet, on Fox News I forget his name they were telling whites to have more babies. Evidently, some are starting to do that because we have reality shows of whites who are having lots of kids and getting paid big bucks. In his comments to Race traitoress he let us know what he really thinks about us black folks. I am letting you know what "Race Traitoress" really thinks. She believes you to be inferior beings worthy of pity. It's both amusing and sad to see. Wycliff is a thief. He and a crony took more than $400K from the "charity," and then shut it down rather than file financial reports. A con man is a con man. You want to give that thief your money? Go right ahead. You don't pump any fear here with me and I am not avoiding you. I didn't see your comment. BTW, I am very comfortable in my skin talking to and with anyone and anybody. No, I am not defending him because he is black, I am telling you what I watch and saw with my own eyes on TELEVISION. Also, I am going by what my own relatives told me who were Katrina victims about what really went on during Katrina. Even after 9/11 happened and funds poured in, many of those who lost their families in that tragedy complained about not getting any of the funds intended for them and they were not black. That is exactly why you are defending him. If Wycliff were white, you'd be all over his thieving ass. Come on, a thief is a thief. As for being on television, hell, Pat Robertson and Jimmy Swaggart and Sarah Palin are on television. Wise up! BTW, Mexico is overpopulated. Their population has gone from 20 million to more than 100 million in the last 50 or 60 years, but their economy can't support that increase, nor can their water supply. That's why so many of them are coming here. In case you haven't noticed, Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the U.S., and will far outnumber blacks within 20 years. Fly, and Mrs. Granny. I neither blame the native americans for their plight or the Hatians for theirs. If you read my post and concluded I blame the hatian people for the current situation, I cant help you. As the Doobie song goes... you see what you want to see. Please read again. Truth be told, if we ARE looking for somebody to blame it would be the French. For insisting on "repayment" for kicking them out of Haiti that totaled $21 billion in todays dollars it killed the country and it hasnt been able to recover. The crappy govt didnt help at all, but starting behind by 21 bill ... not much optimism can come from that. If Norway started behind by that much theyd be living in shantys too. Im surprised at you Fly. I ask you the same thing I asked Mr. Field. Show me where I blamed THE PEOPLE of Haiti. I specifically said there is little violence outside of the gangs that have existed for a long time. If you think that gangs represent "the people" of Haiti, you need some serious schoolin'. Having lived there for 2 yrs I can tell you the people feel powerless against corruption. Aristede promised change but gave the same old same old...(sound familiar?). His goons replaced babydocs goons (many were the same goons). Some estimate Aristede has over $300 million in various accounts. How much infrastructure you think THAT might have bought? The police were corrupt a year ago and they are gone now. If you think THEY will stand against the gangs, you are naive indeed. When I was there the local govt was said to have received $7 million for schools and a water treatment facility. After the various layers of bureaucrats handled the money there was barely enough for new school uniforms for less than 100 kids (and even those were bought from a store owned by a local magistrate at triple the normal cost) The water treatment plant never reached the planning stage. How do I know this? The village asked ME to represent them, when I protested and wrote the Hatian govt they called the Peace Corps affiliate and I was terminated from the assignment. (not supposed to get involved in politics) I was a little hot-headed for the corps. @grinder -- That's not true. Granny has shown time and again that she'll defend both whites and blacks -- anyone she thinks is getting a raw deal. I don't know enough about Wyclef to say but if granny is defending him it's because she's not convinced he did whatever it is he's accused of and if she does become convinced she'll change her mind. Nothing to do with color. "if we ARE looking for somebody to blame it would be the French. For insisting on "repayment" for kicking them out of Haiti that totaled $21 billion in todays dollars it killed the country and it hasnt been able to recover." Yes, I agree with you that the French are part of the blame but the USA has some part in the blame too. That's why they need to be and should be the ones helping Haiti. I don't entirely know the answer to that. The African American population has remained fairly stable. I have heard concerns that educated black women are not having children. That could potentially become a real problem as the educational and financial gains that those women have acquired will be lost to future generations. I don't entirely know the answer to that. The African American population has remained fairly stable. Not true. The AA population has remained stable as a percentage of the total, but the total has been increasing. What has actually happened is that the white population has grown less than other cohorts. That's why the white percentage is in decline, and it's also why the Fox network and other "white power" types are counseling more babies for white people. Which, BTW, I regard as ludicrous. We should be counseling birth control for everyone on the goddamn planet, which is clearly becoming too populated for its carrying capacity. Anon 5:24, I am not buying it. People have posted the information here about this Wycliff dude. Granny doesn't want to hear it 'cause he's a black man who's been on TV. Of all the crazy "reasoning," that takes the cake. Aristede promised change but gave the same old same old...(sound familiar?). His goons replaced babydocs goons (many were the same goons). Some estimate Aristede has over $300 million in various accounts. How much infrastructure you think THAT might have bought? And speaking of the new boss being same as the old boss, check out this story about Obama. You can put me in the "dissatisfied" column. The man promised change and has delivered virtually nothing. Nice guy. I like him. Has good intentions. Same with Jimmy Carter. Hey Brother Field I feel what you are trying to say and what other folks are trying to articulate here. Grinder and Mr.Whitey don't seem to understand Black folks real concern about the media and the entire Haitian situation. To begin with Mr. Whitey has only half of the truth. He is right that the politicians in Haiti are corrupt and the gangster Tonton Macoute's have terorized folks for years. He is also correct in describing Haitian pessimism, self hatred, and self doubt, which shows itself in the negative attitudes about one another that they have expressed to him. But Mr.Whitey fails to see or doesn't want to see that every time the Haitian people make serious efforts at efficient self rule it is undermined by US and European intervention. Mr.Whitey does not know the history of Haiti or he would include in his analysis the fact that the country has been playing catch up since its independence. He probably is unaware that every nation around Haiti was a slave nation and that the slave rebellion that became Haiti was a dangerous source of potential unrest to their slave populations and thus the Europeans blockaded and isolated Haiti making trade almost impossible.The European nations despised Haiti for being free and have been punishing them ever since. In fact, the US refused to recognize Haiti's independence until about 1850. The US and Britian were so serious about isolating and starving the free republic of former slaves, that would journey thousands of miles out of their way to import sugar from Brazil rather than their neighbor Haiti. France charged the war weary Haitian government nearly a billion dollars in reparations for their lost "slave property" and damages inflicted in the war for independence. They were war weary because after defeating the greatest army and the greatest General in the world at the time (Napolean) they were attacked by Britain and Spain.So Haiti had to depend on only themselves but yet they managed to survive. YOU CAN LOOK THIS UP! Near the beginning of the last century the US invaded and occuppied Haiti (1915-1934)when it seemed the country was going to get along by itself and when the US capitalism realized, that in fact there were resources to be exploited in the country. Flash back to more recent history in which the US with Frances help propped up the Duvaliers and when Haitians tried to oppose these thugs they were ruthlessly put down with again help from US weaponry and aid, which the US government knew was going to a brutal dictator. More recently they foiled the attempt of Aristide and his movement because they were talking about self determination. Aristide too had his problems but he represented something better than had been in place in the past. Again the US intervened supposedly to put down the Tonton Macoutes but in actually they were squashing a brewing popular rebellion. And Mr.Whitey fails to talk about how USAID convinced the Haitian governments to lower tariffs and introduce and US agricultural products, which ultimately overwhelmed Haitian farmers who could not keep up with the cheaper US subsidized agriculture especially rice which put Haitian rice farmers out of business. So Mr.Whitey you leave out a lot when you only focus on the result of all that outside interference and when you only look at the result of years of misgovernance and abuse you appear to be blaming the victim. The recent kidnapping of Aristitide was not for the benefit of the Haitian people. The Lavalas movement was struggling, no doubt but the real reason for propping up Prival and the new puppet government was again designed to keep people from taking control of their own destiny. The UN troops aren't there for the thugs, but to prevent revolutionary minded Haitians from organizing Haiti for and by Haiti. And FYI the Peace Corp has always been a front for US spying and interference in the name of benevolence. "@La Idiot, your name (the one I have given you, that is) says it all.' grinder, you are too personally ineffectual and distinctively inferior to possess the power in order to accord a name, label or title to anyone or anything in this galaxy. You always allow your desperate arrogance to betray logic in your simple thoughts. "Anon 5:24, I am not buying it. People have posted the information here about this Wycliff dude. Granny doesn't want to hear it 'cause he's a black man who's been on TV. Of all the crazy "reasoning," that takes the cake." Yes, I am going by what I saw with my eyes and also what other HAITIANS have told me. Main stream media told you that ACORN was a corrupt organization too. Not too long ago on CNN and other MAIN STREAM MEDIA outlets they were showing you a bunch of somehow dubious stacks of paper that made ACORN out of this so-called corrupt organization. However, after a thorough investigation by an independent investigation team come to find out Acorn was innocent. Oh but, Acorn was pimping and everything else under the sun let them tell it. Acorn spent its time registering poor black voters too. Wyclef is helping his people as much as he can, so now all of a sudden he is this corrupt person. That's BS! Grinder while I didn't think Aristide was the answer either you have to identify the "some" you refer to when you say Aristide has $300 million. Its not true. But your point about Haitian corruption is correct. Now take a deep breath and ask yourself why is it however when movements of Haitians who are not corrupt organize themselves to fight for a more just and equitible society they are neither supported or encouraged by the US and France but in fact these governments actually aide the thugs in putting these folks down. she's defending him and refusing to learn anything about why she shouldn't be! she is sticking her head in the sand. i asked if she was defending him because he's black because i'm grasping at straws. that's the only reason i can think of--she won't entertain the fact that his own IRS forms tell the real tale BECAUSE SHE SAW HIM ON TV. that's just idiotic. no one said he hasn't done any good. i AM saying he doesn't deserve to have millions thrown at him because he has mismanaged the funds he had. the need is so desperate--why the fuck would you give it someone who's proven they can't handle money? i don't know about you but i don't have a lot of money to give. so when i do i want to be damn certain it isn't wasted. Grinder, you've got us all here pegged. Why don't you turn that laser-like mind upon yourself. There are "white devils" around every corner, as well as posting on this blog. You don't get to tell us what "racism" we should focus on, just as I don't presume to tell you what "homophobia" to focus on. That's your call, not mine. And with "carrying capacity." Let's do away with the white race, their "carrying capacity" has become a world-wide liability. It wasn't people of color who created the means to destroy the human race. I call for more people of color and fewer whites, lest they destroy us all with their diabolical inventions. If Wycliff is as you say he is, he's had good teachers. After whites picked the Haitian people clean, there wasn't much left over for him, or anyone else. Bernie Madoff makes his look like an amateur, and Wall Street Bankers, a mere babe. No, actually it's amusing to watch you, grinder, as you struggle to defend the indefensible, to give legitimacy to a system, a way of life, that should have disappeared right along with slavery, and later, with segregation. At least, Race Traitoress gets it. You merely pretend that you do, all in a failed effort to bolster a white image that is blacker than the faces of Haitians and blacks in this country. You are representative of all that's bad in your race. You come here pretending to be a friend, but having a hidden agenda. Nothing you say here, will make our history together anything other than oppressor and oppressed, and anything other than white exceptionalism in the face of a black struggle for equality. If you do that, I promise, I won't be so presumptive as to tell you how to approach, or attack homophobia. You come to a black blog and insult us. You come to a black blog, in a most insulting paternal manner, to put us in our place, to tell us how to behave, how to react, and how to view the world in which we live. You have shown yourself to be clueless, and callous, more inclined to focus on us and our shortcoming, rather than on you, your shortcomings, and that of your race. Oh yeah, Whitey (I don't call anybody, Mister), accusing Field of hypocrisy in his diatribe against what he perceives as Field's "hypocrisy," is indeed, himself, indulging in the same fine-art of blame, something he claims he doesn't do. Now, who's the hypocrite?! Here's the difference. Whites on the Right are the problem. They aggravate the problem, they inflame it, and they do it intentionally, purposefully, and with malice aforethought. It's not hypocrisy to point this out, to highlight it, and to underscore it. Our very survival is at stake. The enemy is always at the gate. And to borrow the Bush doctrine: If you're not with us, then you're against us. As for the grandstanding, he is a celebrity what celebrity do you know that cameras don't follow? The news people want to know every single thing, move, what they eat, where they sleep, where they shop, how many people they sleeping with, etc, and every thing they can dig out with a bulldozer about celebrities. Gossip seems to be news to them and a lot of times they have a tendency to make news up. Star's charity repeatedly dissolved after failing to file reportsJANUARY 15--Musician Wyclef Jean's charitable foundation--now the recipient of many donations big and small in the wake of the Haiti earthquake--has repeatedly had its corporate status dissolved for failing to file required state disclosure reports, records show. As seen below, the Florida Division of Corporations has, on four separate occasions over the past five years, sanctioned the Yele Haiti Foundation (the charity was incorporated in Florida in 1998 as the Wyclef Jean Foundation, but formally changed its name two months ago). The longest involuntarily dissolution lasted 26 months, ending in November 2008 when Jean's organization provided Florida officials with overdue annual reports disclosing the identities of the group's officers and directors, its registered agent, and office address. The foundation's most recent dissolution occurred in September 2009, but was vacated a month later when the 37-year-old Jean's group filed its disclosure report. As TSG reported yesterday, the Jean foundation's records delinquency extended to the filing of its tax returns--and could make a prospective donor question whether the organizationally challenged foundation is a wise choice for disaster relief contributions. In August 2009, the group filed overdue tax returns for 2005, 2006, and 2007, documents showing that Jean and fellow board member Jerry Duplessis paid themselves at least $410,000 for services provided to the foundation. Duplessis, a bass player who has toured with Jean, co-owns a New York City recording studio with the performer, as well as a Haiti-based production company. (3 pages) JANUARY 14--The Haiti earthquake has already triggered hundreds of thousands of donations to musician Wyclef Jean's charitable foundation, which expects to raise upwards of $1 million a day in the disaster's wake. However, Internal Revenue Service records show the group has a lackluster history of accounting for its finances, and that the organization has paid the performer and his business partner at least $410,000 for rent, production services, and Jean's appearance at a benefit concert. Though the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which does business as Yele Haiti Foundation, was incorporated 12 years ago--and has been active since that time--the group only first filed tax returns in August 2009. That month, the foundation provided the IRS with returns covering calendar years 2005, 2006, and 2007--the only periods for which it has publicly provided a glimpse at its financial affairs. In 2006, Jean's charity reported contributions of $1 million, the bulk of which came from People magazine in exchange for the first photos of a pregnant Angelina Jolie (the actress reportedly directed that the publication's payment go to Jean's charity, not her personally). As seen on the following pages from the foundation's 2006 tax return, the group paid $31,200 in rent to Platinum Sound, a Manhattan recording studio owned by Jean and Jerry Duplessis, who, like Jean, is a foundation board member. A $31,200 rent payment was also made in 2007 to Platinum Sound. The rent, tax returns assure, "is priced below market value." The recording studio also was paid $100,000 in 2006 for the "musical performance services of Wyclef Jean at a benefit concert." That six-figure payout, the tax return noted, "was substantially less than market value." The return, of course, does not address why Jean needed to be paid to perform at his own charity's fundraiser. But the largest 2006 payout--a whopping $250,000--went to Telemax, S.A., a for-profit Haiti company in which Jean and Duplessis were said to "own a controlling interest." The money covered "pre-purchased...TV airtime and production services" that were part of the foundation's "outreach efforts" in Haiti. No further description of these services was offered, though the return claimed that "the fees paid are below market" and that the use of Telemax was the "most efficient way of providing these services." The group's tax returns also report "consultant" payments totaling $300,000 between 2005-2007, while the 2006 return reported nearly $225,000 in "promotion and PR" costs. These expenses are not itemized further in the IRS returns. (6 pages) I am letting you know what "Race Traitoress" really thinks. She believes you to be inferior beings worthy of pity. It's both amusing and sad to see. I've got to believe you're quite young, grinder, to not recognize the corner you're painting yourself into by dismissing me and my opinions because you question my motives and think I "want to become black." You don't think I've been called a "n----- lover" before? That's an old saw, whelp, and I'm not a young woman. Your attacks remind me of the folks who, because I sponsor the Gay/Straight Alliance at our high school (at the request of students who see me as a GLBTQ ally) try to insult me by suggesting (sometimes to my face, but usually behind my back) that I MUST be "a Lesbian" to be so fond of those weird gay kids. Why is it so hard to believe that a straight woman could have compassion and respect, as well as affection and admiration, for the GLBTQ crowd? I don't know, but I suspect my attitude feels threatening to straight people who aren't comfortable with the reality of homosexuality and who cling to their heteronormative security blanket. Or why is it so difficult to understand that a "white" woman could have compassion and respect, as well as affection and admiration, for people of color? What have I ever said or done to suggest that my "true feelings" are that "black people are inferior and deserving of pity"? Give it a rest, grinder. There's no hate for you here, and I wouldn't even engage you in debate if I thought you weren't a thinking man capable of listening to reason. I may call you out on your opinions, but I'm not making proclamations about who you are or attacking you personally. When you do that, you say more about yourself than about anyone you go after. "i AM saying he doesn't deserve to have millions thrown at him because he has mismanaged the funds he had." I am not defending anyone or any organization, but I must ask you out of curiosity... who do you think would be the best person or organization to 'throw" millions to? "the need is so desperate--why the fuck would you give it someone who's proven they can't handle money? " Does that include a plethora of those global "good will charity organizations" who's been exploiting black and brown poor people for decades through television? In fact, that should include Banks, Corporations/CEOs and the government right here in America. But I would love to hear your conclusion to the very first question I asked. If you don't mind. what's funny is on yesterday's thread AB, who usually tries to tear me limb from limb, took the time to read the stories about yele and thanked me for posting them. i'd give to a charity. with the infrastructure and means to get things done. and a record behind it. earlier in the week i posted a link to the site called charitynavigator.org, which lists each charity and their admin percentage and even the salary of their CEO. wyclef's isn't listed because he just filed his first return. the redcross, doctors without borders, and partners in health. etc. and i'm not going to take your bait and respond to the side remark about banks, etc. taking advantage of minorities. granny--you are sounding even more uneducated. do you think the IRS made up wyclef's tax return? you should know that people submit their own returns. if you bothered to follow the links you'd see the actual return online. "granny, all the links i posted before have photos of real people in haiti doing real charity work." So because Wyclef or "Jane Blow" isn't in any of those photos giving needles that means they're not doing "real" charity work? I am not even trying to defend Wyclef, but your targeting is peculiar. Furthermore, do you have the IRS stats on all those other charities you listed by link? Btw, why are you being so disrespectful to Granny? Not trying to defend her either, maybe I missed something but your venom is almost unwarranted. Mellaneous said--Mr.Whitey does not know the history of Haiti or he would include in his analysis the fact that the country has been playing catch up since its independence. read my 5:23 post. The stuff about $21 billion to France. Im not a historian on Haiti. It doesnt surprise me that govts of large countries played games with the interests of smaller countries. Happened before and probably happens now. The more I see of the world the more I dont like it. Mr Whiteys got no luv for the French. Didnt like them before the Corps and dislike them more after. Im not familiar with the historical sins but I dont doubt they exist. I do however have first hand knowledge of the sins of the Duvaliers and Aristede. I remember talking to some mildly drunk ex-tontons and the horrors that came so easliy from them was pretty grim. The grinding poverty so easliy dismissed by those who lived behind walls in plantation-like splendor was vile. I dont know, all this talk gives me a bittersweet feeling. I think of the experiences with the people, the laughing, the singing...then I see the pictures on TV. I read the hate on this blog, scrapping about who knows what (keep plugging Grinder, youre a good guy)and I realize that as always people of all types will use this event to forward THEIR agenda and bash those who are different and those who disagree. ya, I also heard the stuff about Peace Corps vols being spys, strangely enough it was from the magistrate who sold the uniforms to the school and drove the areas only Mercedes s500 4X4. @maria -- I agree that at this point I would not risk my money by giving to Wyclef's org because things are too urgent right now and I've got too little to spare if it turns out that the accusations are true. I just don't think granny's making her assessment of Wyclef based on race. We all go against the winds at times and sometimes we're right and sometimes we're wrong. "carrying capacity" Hahahahahahaha! Now I've heard it all! I just love you white peoples little sanitizing words! Hahahaha, had my laugh for the day! "carrying capacity"! AHAHAHAHA!!!I'ma use that word all day tomorrow just so I can have something to laugh at! Thanks! and by the by,have you ever looked at, never mind, go to google earth and see just how vast this planet is man! and most of it is UNpopulated my friend! But I'm also beginning to wonder if some secretly rather give money to the redcross or other organizations that help other people globally - oppose to one "black" operated organization that solely benefits destitute "negros". I'm sensing a bigotry pathology here. I'm feeling there's also a stronger distrust when it's a "black" organization such as thins handling charity money. Let's do away with the white race, their "carrying capacity" has become a world-wide liability. It wasn't people of color who created the means to destroy the human race. I call for more people of color and fewer whites, lest they destroy us all with their diabolical inventions. I don't know Wycleff personally, but I know people that he has helped here in PR,and helped to get a leg up in the music industry, so I know that it is in his nature to be helpful. Wycleff has bought attention to Haiti that no one else has, and he's done it on his time, so now as they endure this disaster at least Wycleff is already a "known",and I believe that started the aid ball rolling much much faster! I for example would never donate to the Red Cross, not after that eye opening stunt they pulled with the 911 money. As for the Catholic Church...well... need I say more... @La♥Incognita -- I think you're dead on that some folks don't like to give to black operated org's. There has been a disproportionate amount of negative publicity when black run org's screw up because they are fewer in number and people get it in their heads that they're corrupt. Also, people don't hear a lot about smaller org's black or otherwise that are successful and do good work except when there's a scandal and that grows distrust of non-brand name orgs. Personally, I'd rather go through government. And the reason is this: if a government run group screws up we as voters can demand a change and accountability but if a private charity screws up there's nothing we can do about it. We've got no say in who their CEO is and they don't have to be as transparent. At least with a government group, someone has to answer to the voters. I'm sure many of my colleagues of Asian descent will get a real laugh at 'carry capacity' being referred to as a white term. I assume that environmental science is a 'white thing' as well? Maybe chemistry and biology too? How much land there is on Earth is not the determinant-land fit for human use is. Humans can only survive with access to potable water, arable land, and suitable temperatures. Those pre-conditions leave out large tracts of land on Earth. The spread of water loss, desertification, rising oceans, and a general decline in fossil fuels will put huge pressure on current populations numbers, which are on track to exceed nine billion by 2050. **Realist** "The spread of water loss, desertification, rising oceans, and a general decline in fossil fuels will put huge pressure on current populations numbers, which are on track to exceed nine billion by 2050." Don't worry, global warming will put an end to all that copulation, and population growth. Typical white folk and “house” folk response when you don’t agree or acquiesce to their point of view. The origin of the article is as specious as the selection of the subject. Now my experiences in the affairs of life is probably that he told some white handler that he wanted to start a foundation when he began to blow-up. That either his personal attention to the attention of a more conscientious handler recognized that the administrative affairs were not properly perform and went about getting the organizations affairs in order. Where there had not been proper administration the numbers for expenditures have probably been made to fit to clean the mess up.My 50 year old “uneducated” self, tell me that Wyclif’s charity was pulling to much money. There have been many scandals involving monies received and expended by non-profits and NGO’s including the American Red Cross .“Call me any ugly name you choose” , but I think it is an unfair hatchet job against that man organization without hearing from him first or offering him an opportunity to be heard. If there was not the filing of back taxes and getting current on corporation fees, I would have a different opinion.I’ve text YELE to 501501 and will do it the two more times that I can. "We've got no say in who their CEO is and they don't have to be as transparent. At least with a government group, someone has to answer to the voters." --j Hey, J, just as with the giving of blood, we can withhold our donations, and force change. We the people are in power, we're in charge--a fact that everyone, public and private, would like us to forget. True. I don't trust any organized body, black, white, or what have you. But I give anyway, in the most responsible manner possible. Sometimes, you have to take a chance, jump in, and hope for the best. The responders in Haiti would have served the people there better had they taken that leap of faith. @realistAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'd tske you seriously if you weren't so funny! You outta be on Comedy Central! AHAHAHA! You must not be able to sleep at night what with all those worries! AHAHAHAHAHAA I swear you sound like one of those scare tactic documentaries, BUUUAAAAAAAAAA "the world is gonna eeeeend!" The minorities are over populating!OOOOOOOOOOOH my God somebody help uuuuuussssss! WE HAVE NO MORE "CARRYING CAPACITY" BUAAAAAAA!!! AHAHAHAHAHA I LOVE IT! **Ernesto** find me a youtube video of white earthquake victims being called "violent gangs" or engaging in "looting" and "anarchy". You know, Ernesto, Iraqis found more media approval for their acts (the rioting and looting that took place after the fall of Saddam Hussein), than either Haitians (who have behaved superlatively), and NOLA blacks after Katrina (who were maligned, and falsely accused of violence). I.R.S. would have confiscated and put a lock on his business along with other tax agencies such as Business taxes, Franchise, local, and county stepping in slapping various liens and things if he was corrupt. However, that has not occurred yet. Anonymous 7:55, you were fair in your assessment when you said "I think it is an unfair hatchet job against that man organization without hearing from him first or offering him an opportunity to be heard. If there was not the filing of back taxes" Furthermore, he has not been billed by I.R.S., no liens place on his business by any tax agency, or given a jail sentence yet, so it could turn out in his favor because of a lousy accountant or any number of things. I wish I could count on my fingers how many corporations don't pay taxes at all, but I would need a whole lot of extra hands in order to do that. [quote]Yet, on Fox News I forget his name they were telling whites to have more babies. Evidently, some are starting to do that because we have reality shows of whites who are having lots of kids and getting paid big bucks.[/quote] Granny - you know I love you just like my own - but I can only take you in small doses. Then its time for me to go home! Fox New's JOHN GIBSON (to my knowledge) * Has never impregnated a Haitian woman! * Has never told a Haitian woman to have an abortion * Has never denied a condom to a Haitian thus causing him/her to get infected with HIV WHY IS IT that "Fox News" and "John Gibson" are CENTRAL to many of your stories about HAITI? WHY do you all focus on the CATHOLIC CHURCH'S aversion to CONDOMS.........................but FAIL TO MENTION that they also are AVERSE TO PREMARITAL SEX? Translation for Ernesto: IF the Catholic church has the POWER over the people to get them not to use CONDOMS.......why don't you make the case that they ALSO have the POWER to get the people to GET MARRIED prior to having SEX, "keeping their genitals to themselves" until they are in fact married? Do some of you see the basic fraudulence of your arguments? Even in America - "Abstinence Only" is a failure BUT "Wrap It Up" escapes condemnation DESPITE the fact that Baltimore and DC - the cities with the highest rates of HIV infection REJECTED the "conservative" A.O.E. program. [quote]News coverage of "the threat of rioting, etc. etc." was a contributing factor to the decision of having these doctors LEAVE PEOPLE TO DIE rather than treat them.[/quote] So again in your view - the FOREIGN, TRAINED PROFESSIONALS in Haiti are "plugged into" the biased American media coverage from Haiti. Thus they are unnecessarily pulled out of "harms way" and the needy Haitians are denied services. YOU WOULD BE COMFORTED - if I go find WHITE PEOPLE who looted and this same news media called them "Looter". Ernesto - can I summarize what I have extracted from your post? 1) Foreign Nations have the bulk of the Medical Services Training in Haiti. 2) In as much as they are not HAITIAN and are tied to their home nation's control they are subject to the orders to vacate from their home nation 3) Their home nation's NEWS organizations also have trained journalists that have been sent into Haiti and as a byproduct they are skewing the news Ernesto - do you ever use your "intellect curiosity" to wonder what a "Haiti doctor" who is intrinsically familiar with those lands might react in kind? Would you consider prioritizing the development of such doctors as a MANDATORY part of your hope for change in this nation? You ain't gone yet? They must pay good overtime in the political hacking business. Well, let me give you another dose of me, so that you can go home and get some rest. LOL! You have a lot of nerve considering that you change every topic into urban pirates or whatever it is you call them. Oh yeah, thanks for jogging my memory with John Gibson's name. Now, I see where you get your talking points from. Smh! Stop watching Fox We Make It Up News, it is not good for your health. BTW, I did see a little of your blackness bubble up in some comments you made. Dang, you might not be a lost cause after all I pray. Love you too! @black diaspora -- What you say is true and I agree that we do have more power than we know if we'd exercise it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who are anti-charity. I still give what I can. I grew up with my mama making me "tithe" my allowance every week! :) However, I think private charities are doing a lot of work that government should be doing and that when they take over those roles they can become very selective about who they give to. For example, health care is an absolute right that should be guaranteed to every American through Medicare for All rather than pushing those in need to private charities. Basic access to food and housing should also be guaranteed and/or subsidized based on need to every American. Some charities put preconditions like religious conversion or other faith or behavior based restrictions according to the organization's religious/political agenda on recipients before they'll help. Other times it's a matter of access. For example, poor people of the Mississippi Delta and Southern Appalachian regions often miss out because charities aren't in their area but wherever there's a post office government can reach. I just think too many times and in too many areas, we've relied on charities and churches to do the work government should be doing rather than charities simply supplementing that work. I really could care less what Maria, Kersi says about me because that is not gone change what I said. The fact still remains the same. He was on television passing out food to the HAITIANS before the earthquake ever came when they were over there starving to death eating mud pies. He has not be tried or convicted of being guilty by the I.R.S. yet. If the I.R.S. thought that he was doing some illegal business dealings they would freeze all of his business accounts moneywise, bank accounts and all. That is the first thing they would do. That's the first step. It is strange how in America, black men are automatically guilty before they have a chance to prove their innocence. You can call me whatever the hell you want to call me, I can go that route too. However, I don't care what you call me or say about me I am not taking back what I said. I'll wait until the investigation with I.R.S. is over. ACORN still hasn't been rectified of the wrong that was done to them. Folks is quick to accuse black people of being crooked and corrupt but all of a sudden they get lock jaw and paralyze fingers when it comes to letting the people know that they were innocent of what they were accused of. If the I.R.S. thought that he was doing some illegal business dealings they would freeze all of his business accounts moneywise, bank accounts and all. That is the first thing they would do. That's the first step. Charities are very loosely regulated. The IRS hardly ever busts them for anything. You can drive a truck through the rules governing them. Wycliff and his crony will waddle off into the sunset. Their major mistake was that they only swiped $400K. Chump change, really. If you're going to be a thief. You should really steal more than a measly $400K. "I just think too many times and in too many areas, we've relied on charities and churches to do the work government should be doing rather than charities simply supplementing that work." --j J, I agree. To the conservative thought, however, your statement is an anathema. They feel the government shouldn't be in the health-care business. It's the work of charities to provide when, and where, the people can't. Hell, what I am I doing? There were Papa Doc and Baby Doc, too. Of course, we can't mention them because they interfere with the narrative about Haiti being the eternal victim and not in any way responsible for its own misery. How do you steal a country that you were born in, live in, and were raised in? I figured you would try to come back with that. You are so transparent! Let me ask you something do you have a guilty conscience or something? Because you always throw up that "blame it on whites" comments whenever someone mentions any injustice, discrimination, or racism. The strange thing is that none of us black folks are ever the ones saying that. It's always you or one of the trolls. Are you feeling guilty? Or are you waging a battle within your mind? The real question is how many black men have had THE POWER to steal a country? The answer is there haven't been any; no 'black' leader has had the military might or capability to do so. Though plenty of black leaders have stolen their own countries. @Black Diaspora -- You're right and to me it comes down to control along with being too cheap to pay their fair share of taxes. When government does it access is guaranteed to everyone who is in need and/or meets x requirement. With charities, they can give to their pet causes or only give to people who jump through their hoops or simply not give at all. Conservatives love to say who is "worthy" of help and who isn't. Are you in denial maybe? I mean really, what is it with you? You come on here claiming you want to help but you have a habit of saying some very condescending and insulting things to us black folks as if we're little dumb sheep. I remember when you thought that senile, elderly black women the policewoman slammed on the ground and busted her head and broke her hand, you thought she deserved it. How about that! That woman could hardly stand up and that was obvious by how she was walking and the cane she was using. She didn't weight over 100 pounds. The woman is lucky to be alive because hitting the asphalt with your head can kill you. Nevertheless, you felt like she deserved what she got. To be honest with you, it stunned me and I wondered to myself how you treated your mother or grandmother when they were up in age. I hear of stories of elderly abuse all the time. Not accusing you of that, but your cold-hearted reasoning concerning that elderly woman really shocked me. I'm serious! Let me ask you something do you have a guilty conscience or something? Because you always throw up that "blame it on whites" comments whenever someone mentions any injustice, discrimination, or racism. The strange thing is that none of us black folks are ever the ones saying that. It's always you or one of the trolls. Are you feeling guilty? Or are you waging a battle within your mind? Oh, please. The entire refrain of this website is that any time someone who isn't black criticizes anything that any black person does, it's racist. It's sad, funny, and pathetic all at once. I do give Field props for his willingness to call out blacks, but the deflector shields always go up if anyone who isn't black says the same thing. Look, if I had come here identifying myself as black, no one here would bat an eyelash at 95% of the things I write. It's only the (self declared) color of my skin that makes the difference. You can dish it out, but are completely and totally unable to take it. Like I say, sad. Nope, the person that is unable to take it is you! I wasn't trying go back and forth with you tit for tat. However, I did warn you beforehand that I could. You got upset with me for no reason. First of all, I have never called you a racist. I've always felt like you were isolated and sheltered from life and didn't really know any black people. Now, that's what I have always thought concerning you. However, some of the things you said to Race Traitoress made me think that I might have been wrong. You see, back years ago, racist whites used to try to shame other whites into going along with them by saying some of the things you said to Race Traitoress. They would even ostracize them. That's why it took so long to get the Civil Rights Bill and a few other things passed. Like Race Traitoress said she is an older woman, older and wiser. @Granny, it's true that you have not called me a racist. I apologize for implying that you have done so. Others here routinely do it, but you have not. Race Traitoress is a joke. Her "shame" at being white is a complete act. It's a pathology. Being sympathetic with black people, and in fact being partnered with black people, and having black or mixed race kids, is one thing. To tell people that you're ashamed of being white is pathology. Yes it was Grinder. Race Traitoress is pretty easy to figure out-she likes the dark meat. Notice her sometimes comment to that effect: "Your pretzel logic is making me crave beer. Dark beer, as a matter of fact--lolz." I donated to Wyclef then that lil' scandal came out and I didn't feel right so then I donated again to UNICEF. I hope that it's some kind of mistake and he really wouldn't do that to his own people. Although he wouldn't be the first. But it is funny that the media didn't go through and dig up dirt on all the other foundations. Hey, I don't care if she prefers black sexual partners. Nothin' wrong with that. Each to their own. Unlike a lot of the black commenters here, it's immaterial to me. People should love and/or screw whoever they want to, for whatever reason (or no reason at all) that they want to. But her rap about the shame of being white is a laugh and sad and sick all at once. The Wyclef issue is a strange one. I have a couple of questions: The fact is Wyclef charity has been around for over a decade. 1. If there were significant issues with his charity you had over a decade to point it out? 2. If persons were so concerned that the welfare of the Haitians was being undermined by purported "mismanagement" why not make persons aware for the welfare of the Haitians of course? 3. Or did they not care because it was some black dude getting money for a country no one gave a crap about? 4. Why with a major crisis in Haiti bring up such a issue? 5. Is it that this dude is taking centre stage because he IS known for his efforts in Haiti before all these people jumped on the bandwagon due to earthquake? 6. Over the years the foundation has partnered with NGOs such as the Red Cross, United Way, and Salvation Army. The charity has also coordinated with USAID (US GOVT AGENCY) and the UN. So the question is did these organizations "conspire" with Wyclef to commit his "fraud"? Grinder said:Their major mistake was that they only swiped $400K. Chump change, really. If you're going to be a thief. You should really steal more than a measly $400K. In 1997 Pat Robertson had a Africa refugee "aid drive" via his television program for his Operation Blessing charity. He raised several millions of dollars. All "aid" money for poor Africans went to buy helicopters and airplanes for his private diamond mine in Zaire. Virgina fraud office recommended prosecution but the Attorney General of Virginia forced the termination of the case. So you are right if all Wyclef took was 400k that is "chump change". But seriously,when I see these newscast and listen to folks in this blog focus on the potential violence in Haiti in makes sick to my stomach. Like honestly, can we really put ourselves in their position? That would require a measure of empathy and compassion that is lacking on this site and in real time. What is interesting is that the words that I have actually heard that some Whites and Asians have accorded the country of Haiti include: filthy, backwards, a cesspool of filth, disgusting, not worthy, evil. No thought is accorded to the thousands of children that are believed to be dead and the thousands more that will probably die from gangrene, malnutrition, and/or infection. I personally know of an orphanage that I have donated to that has been leveled—many of the children have been presumed dead. There is no political rationale or well thought out intellectual discourse that is required to justify aid or anything else that some posters feel Haiti is undeserving of. The harping on the bad dictators, the supposed roving gangs fomenting violence, the racial disparity in coverage is immaterial when the fact those children are dying for being in the path of an earthquake that is the biggest and strongest in that area—ever—and of which they had no conceivable hand in causing----is immaterial. Haiti has no infrastructure. They have no recognizable army to mobilize and help their own people. To continually harp on Haiti’s problems and their inferiority is beyond disgusting and naturally speaks to the racism and hate that some posters, (who are really too contemptible to name) here have for Black people in general. What is pathetic is that I never saw any need to justify aid to the Tsunami victims even when many of the victims came from poor "filthy" Third World countries. I will reiterate what I put in the other thread: Looting begins as a million left homeless The International Red Cross says more than one million people have been displaced in Sri Lanka, Thailand and India, as hungry islanders in Indonesia turned to looting to survive. The Red Cross said desperate residents in Meulaboh and other towns in northern Sumatra broke into stores and homes for supplies. Throughout the region, entire villages have disappeared. Major buildings such as multi-storey banks, hotels and shopping centres collapsed. In many places people have been left entirely without telephones, drinking water, electricity and gasoline. In some communities survivors have no choice but to sleep on the muddy streets. http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2004/12/28/tsunami041228.html Or how about this the aftermath was quite different: The majority of people who died in the 2004 tsunami were women. Women endured rape, and sexual and gender-based violence in camps and places of supposed refuge. Similar reports have come from other disasters. This article examines the roles that social workers can take to respond to these issues. http://isw.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/50/3/307 Women on the receiving end of violence: At least 60% of women suffered violence in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami http://www.actionaid.org/main.aspx?PageID=626 No orderly superior Asians and Whites being civilized and working together and waiting to be saved. And there were no stories on CNN or Wall Street Journal about the potential for violence even when they did indeed revert to fear and violence, but somehow it’s always different when Black people do it. We become more savage, more inhuman, and less recognizable to White or Asian people and thus easier to dismiss with the usual contemptible sneer. Still, to those who are interested, there are really good reputable charities that are trying to help and won’t leave patients to die or think they are less deserving because they are black, poor and inferior: CF said:"So again in your view - the FOREIGN, TRAINED PROFESSIONALS in Haiti are "plugged into" the biased American media coverage" Did you even read the article? They overreacted to a perceived threat of violence that was being reported by news agencies. "YOU WOULD BE COMFORTED - if I go find WHITE PEOPLE who looted and this same news media called them 'Looter'." Not so much comforted as shocked and surprised. How is the hunt coming along? "do you ever use your 'intellect curiosity' to wonder what a 'Haiti doctor' who is intrinsically familiar with those lands might react in kind? Would you consider prioritizing the development of such doctors as a MANDATORY part of your hope for change in this nation?" Definitely. I would like to see the Haitain government be able to take care of its own people, like Cuba did in 2008 when they were hit with three major hurricanes. Unlike the United States government, which was NOT able to take care its people after Hurricane Katrina. Maybe the U.S. government will one day have the wherewithal to place human life above private sector profits, but I doubt it. We are just not that civilized yet. grinder, grinding it out--"But her rap about the shame of being white is a laugh and sad and sick all at once." It should be your shame as well. But, then, what do you have to be ashamed of? You can beat up on blacks here with impunity, and anonymity, and still maintain white dignity. Who in your circle would ever guess you're a fraud. Race Traitoress is classier than you'll ever be. She knows her whiteness should stop where her humanity begins. She doesn't use it as a club with which to beat up on blacks, nor claim race superiority and race preeminence to justify a world that's too white already, peopled with whites willing to destroy any threat, real or imaginary, to that preeminence. How many Iraqis do whites have to kill? How many Afghans? How many deaths is it going to take before whites will feel safe enough to live in this world? Haitians scared them so much, they ran away. Your race, grinder, is what is wrong with this world. Your race, grinder, has bullied its way down through the centuries, throwing people of color aside, all in its quest to run things, to rule over, to destroy those that won't yield. To continually harp on Haiti’s problems and their inferiority is beyond disgusting and naturally speaks to the racism and hate that some posters, (who are really too contemptible to name) here have for Black people in general. Haiti's problems are why the death toll from a magnitude 7.0 earthquake will be more than 100,000. But you are so fucking defensive that you're don't want to hear the truth, even though it's why these people who you supposedly care so much about are dead. Spare me your righteous anger, you ignorant piece of shit. You couldn't possibl ever care less about human life than you do right now. Americans are killing the Iraqis and the Afghans. The Iraqis killed the Kurds. The Turks killed the Armenians. The Germans killed Jews. The Jews are killing Palestinians. The Arab Sudanese are killing the African Sudanese. The White Americans killed the Native Americans. The White Australians killed the Indigenous Australians. Americans killed the Japanese. The Japanses killed the Chinese. The Hutus killed the Tutsis. The Serbians killed the Bosnians. The Sri Lankans killed the Tamils. A bunch of Saudis killed 3,000 Americans. There is no patent on murder and mayhem. Communists have killed capitalists, and capitalists have killed communists. Christians have killed muslims, and muslims have killed christians. And stupid people will continue to kill each other, judge each other, and discriminate against each other based on race, ethnicity, tribe, religion, political idealogy, or any other percieved difference. "Oh, please. The entire refrain of this website is that any time someone who isn't black criticizes anything that any black person does, it's racist. " And what's your refrain or preferred course of dialogue? To keep this website on discussions that solely analyze and chastise any black pathology? You of all people shouldn't be making any assessment about who dishes out and can't take in return. The minute black people on this site begin to discuss white racism, white privilege or white carnage, like clock work, you become highly defensive, sexist, vile, petty, vindictive and disrespectful, as usual. You tit for tat and throw tantrums like a spoil child when you can't have your way. Just like coffee and cigarettes is now trying divert the discussion back to haiti and "black" embezzlement oppose to discussing "petty" race issues (as if its not related in the first place). But lets not forget the initial premise and environment of this blog, it's your choice to be in it, not to dictate to your appeasement. Why do some people still seem to think everything should revolve around the comfort zone of white supremacy? Btw grinder, some of those "black leaders" who you claim stole their own countries actually took back what was destroyed and stolen by the white man in the first place. And if you look at who's hiding in the background puppetting any greedy "black leader", you will always find traces of evil greedy white men grinning in cahoot. The white man is always scheming and standing in the midst of all global carnage, never forget that. You grinder need to battle and come to terms with the demon in the mirror before you project and analyze anyone. btw, when I said demon, I was not pertaining to all white people, just you. I've noticed that you're unable to stand alone when facing direct persecution when called out on your own personal racism. You always end up defending the entire white race, as if you need to believe your ill behavior is justifiably monolithic. I never wrote that anyone caused the earthquake. Can't you even minimally comprehend what you read? The reason that a magnitude 7.0 quake will cause more than 100,000 deaths there is that Haiti lacks infrastructure, a working government, and building codes. Haiti's not even a third world country. They're a fourth world country, a failed state. This is what happens in those situations. Instead of seeing the facts you cry "racist" instead. "you are so fucking defensive that you're don't want to hear the truth." "Spare me your righteous anger, you ignorant piece of shit." coffee and cigarettes said... "Actually Mayflower, people like you are whats wrong with this world." You think? Actually? Spare me the history lesson on human brutality, and get some perspective. I don't see my name in those groups you cited. In addition, white appeasement appears to become you. Blacks are under assault by a white that allows the following to roll off his lips with too much ease: "you ignorant piece of shit." And you chose to attack me? "There is no patent on murder and mayhem." And that's the tragedy. White Germans killed the Jews. Let's see, by all estimates about 9 million of them. Let's see, by all estimates, 9 million or more African blacks died in transit to this country, and hundreds of thousands treated to one brutal slavery if they survived the trip. White Europeans did that little number on blacks. And please spare me another history lesson. I know some blacks in Africa in some cases facilitated this raping of Africa. No demand for elephant tusks by the east and the west, no destruction of elephant herds. Get the picture? It was whites that developed bombs that pretty much decimated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And they have refined them, and fine-tuned them, to such an extent that we (all people, most of color) live on the precipice of annihilation. And who own those bombs. Yeah, you guessed it? Whites. And you have the gall, the temerity, to tell me, "Actually Mayflower, people like you are whats wrong with this world"? People like me? What kind of people am I? One who tells the truth? Blacks didn't build those bombs. Blacks didn't burn millions in ovens. Blacks didn't invent, develop, and drop bombs on two Japanese population centers. Blacks didn't wipe out an indigenous people in the Americas, and set up shop to exploit both the land and the people. I hold whites responsible for Haiti. Who do you hold responsible? You're the historian here. Do you think Haiti happened over night. Haiti was decades in the making. Now if you can convince grinder to shut his mouth, then I'll shut mind. In the meantime, you may want to rethink your position. I'm called a "racist" because I tell the truth? I know the truth hurts, but killing the messenger is not to way to deal with the pain. All installed, supported and facilitated by the British and French former colonialists. The dominican Republic had a long series of colonizers and invaders (including the hatians) as well as dictators; yet, the Dominican republic is in far better shape than haiti, even while sharing the same island! People like me? What kind of people am I? One who tells the truth? Blacks didn't build those bombs. Blacks didn't burn millions in ovens. Blacks didn't invent, develop, and drop bombs on two Japanese population centers. You miss the point: Blacks have NEVER had the power to do any of those things. The Europeans did do all those things. They also created the Renaissance, democracy, modern science, pioneered space, wrote wonderful operas, created the fabulous architecture of Europe. Blacks didn't do any of those things either. TWEET ME @fieldnegro Follow the The Field Negro via e-mail. DISCLAIMER *COMMENTS, LINKS, AND CUT AND PASTE ARTICLES, ARE NOT ALL ENDORSED BY THE PUBLISHER. THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed. MORE DISCLAIMERS ***The views expressed on this site are the field's and the field's alone. They do not reflect the views of his employer, or any professional or legal organization with which he is affiliated.*** This is a commercial free blog. Money is nice, but being able to speak my mind is better. "Real talk: Daniel Rubin has a great little piece up wherein he chats with The Field Negro, the Philly-based blogger who sharply ponders all things black on a daily basis. (Seriously, if you’ve never checked in with TFN, you should: Its author, Wayne Bennett, is a fantastic read who can cut through bullshit like a hot knife through butter, which is a far grosser analogy than I wanted to make, but there you have it.)" ~Philebrity~ "One of the most precocious and hilarious Black political minds on the net. Ive been a long-time fan!" ~Asad Malik~ "..While most of what he writes is tongue-in-cheek, his space is a safe house for candid discussions about race, especially in the comments section, where people of all colors meet."~~Daniel Rubin, "The Philadelphia Inquirer"~~ "To white people, Bennett's musings are like kitchen-table talk from a kitchen they may otherwise never set foot in. To African Americans, he is part of a growing army of black Internet amateurs who have taken up the work once reserved for ministers and professional activists: the work of setting a black agenda, shaping black opinion and calling attention to the state of the nation's racial affairs." ~~Richard Fausset, "L.A. Times"~~~ "That's why I love the blog "Field Negro" so much. Field, as he's known to his fans, has the sense of reality that it takes to call out the (CowPuckey) of blame beating by those who are in positions of power and their lackeys. Because of his handle and his unabashed way of writing about racial issues, Field is often cited as a "Black blogger." What he is, however, is a first-class detector of blame deflection and an excellent student of history. If you want to write about the past and future of repression there's really no other perspective to take - which is why everyone should read Field." FIELD NEGRO OF THE DAY. (Magic) MAKING 100 MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE IN LOANS TO SMALL MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES DURING THIS CRISIS IS FNB. "Half a century after Little Rock, the Montgomery bus boycott and the tumultuous dawn of the modern civil rights era, the new face of the movement is Facebook, MySpace and some 150 black blogs united in an Internet alliance they call theAfroSpear. Older, familiar leaders such as Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, are under challenge by a younger generation of bloggers known by such provocative screen names as Field Negro, thefreeslaveand African American Political Pundit. And many of the newest struggles are being waged online."~Howard Witt-The Chicago Tribune~ "I had no idea, for example, of the extent of the African-American blogging world out there and its collective powers of dissemination.But now, after reading thousands of anguished, thoughtful comments posted on these blogs reflecting on issues of persistent racial discrimination in the nation's schools and courtrooms, what's clear to me is that there's a new, "virtual" civil rights movement out there on the Internet that can reach more people in a few hours than all the protest marches, sit-ins and boycotts of the 1950s and 60s put together." ~Chicago Tribune Reporter, Howard Witt~

Savings tips from the blog Next up, we are going to look at how to fix common issues in the most colorfully nicknamed room in the house: the bathroom. The commode, that lavatory, the loo, the water closet: whatever your preferred vernacular for the all-important room

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Posted! Join the Conversation Comments Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only. This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you. You do not need a Facebook profile to participate. You will need to register before adding a comment. Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in. Please be polite. It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban. If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them. Poverty in the United States is deeper than in all other wealthy nations. Yet neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump has a specific anti-poverty agenda. There have been notable improvements in three crucial measures of economic well-being: income, poverty and health insurance coverage. On Tuesday, the Census Bureau announced that all took a sharp turn for the better in 2015, the first time since 1999 that the three measures improved in the same year. The question now is whether the new data will inspire a deeper discussion about how to keep making progress. According to the report, the official poverty rate fell from 14.8 percent in 2014, or 46.7 million people, to 13.5 percent in 2015, or 43.1 million people, the largest annual percentage-point drop since 1999. Although Mrs. Clinton has talked more about families, women, children and working Americans than about the poor, there is much within her economic program that would help those in or near poverty. She supports raising the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour ($15 is a better goal) and would increase investment in Early Head Start and child care subsidies. Some of Mrs. Clinton’s other proposals, like those on housing, have received less attention but could do a lot to help the poor. She would increase affordable housing by including more cities in the Obama-era project to rehabilitate housing in Detroit and other areas hard hit by the recession; strengthen the federal program for low-income housing vouchers; and increase tax incentives for new development of affordable rental housing. Mr. Trump has said that more jobs will help cure poverty — which no one disagrees with. His promises to create jobs, however, are hollow. Historical evidence and economic analysis indicate that his agenda — less trade, less immigration and huge tax cuts for the wealthy — would harm job growth. Even his recent attempts at a middle-class agenda, including subsidies for child care, and paid maternity leave have been fatally flawed. The former skews toward high-income earners and the latter relies on states to come up with the money. The failure to talk frankly about poverty is especially regrettable in light of this week’s Census Bureau report. As the figures show, we know what works. The path forward is clear. For example, the largest income gains in 2015 were among Americans at the bottom of the income ladder. Those gains reflect job growth, which has been supported by the Federal Reserve’s low interest-rate policy; the Fed should stay the course until the job market has returned to full health. The income gains also reflect minimum-wage increases in many states and cities, which have laid the foundation for the federal government to follow suit. The data also illustrate how much worse conditions would be without existing federal programs. Using the “supplemental” measure of poverty that is more nuanced than the official measure, the poverty rate in 2015 was 14.3 percent. Without Social Security, it would have been 22.6 percent, with nearly 27 million more people in poverty. Without the earned-income tax credit and low-income provisions on the child tax credit, the rate would have been 17.2 percent, adding 9.2 million people. Without food stamps, the rate would have been 15.7 percent, adding 4.6 million people. The statistics give the candidates all the evidence they need to make the case to voters that anti-poverty policies work. Mrs. Clinton, to her credit, has ideas on how to improve the lives of the poor. Turning those ideas into law, however, will require broad support from the public and Congress. The time to start that campaign is now. In one of Saturday Night Live’s more memorable political skits, Jon Lovitz playing Michael Dukakis in 1988 exclaims after another silly statement by Dana Carvey as George H.W. Bush that “I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy!” More than a few Democrats are beginning to wonder if Hillary Clinton could soon be saying that about Donald Trump, of all people. That’s the essence of a Friday story in the Washington Post headlined “Democrats wonder and worry: Why isn’t Clinton far ahead of Trump?” The reporters quote former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as saying that given “all the things that Trump has done, the numbers should be far more explicitly in her favor, but they’re not.” The tone is Lovitz-like disbelief, which helps to explain why the polls are tightening. Democrats have convinced themselves that Mr. Trump is such a threat to the republic that they can’t recognize that Mrs. Clinton is equally as unacceptable to most of the country. In a year when most Americans want change in Washington, Democrats don’t want to admit that they’ve nominated the epitome of the self-dealing status quo that disdains their fellow Americans. Consider the reaction over the weekend to Mrs. Clinton’s comments Friday night that “just to be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the ‘basket of deplorables.’ Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it.” The remarks echo Mitt Romney’s comment in 2012 about the 47% on the government dole. The media played up the Romney comments as emblematic of an out-of-touch rich guy, and they probably contributed to his defeat. Mrs. Clinton’s comments were arguably worse, attributing hateful motives to tens of millions of Americans, but the media reaction has treated it like a mere foot fault. Mrs. Clinton apologized, sort of, on Saturday by saying in a statement that, “Last night I was ‘grossly generalistic,’ and that’s never a good idea. I regret saying ‘half’ — that was wrong.” But she went on to say she was otherwise right because some of Mr. Trump’s supporters are the likes of David Duke. Yet the rest of what she said was almost as insulting. She said Mr. Trump’s other supporters are “people who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they’re just desperate for change. It doesn’t really even matter where it comes from. They don’t buy everything he says, but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won’t wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroin, feel like they’re in a dead-end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well.” So she thinks half of Mr. Trump’s voters are loathsome bigots and the other half are losers and dupes who deserve Democratic pity. It’s no accident that Mrs. Clinton said this at a fundraiser headlined by Barbra Streisand, the friendliest of crowds, because this really is what today’s elite progressives believe about America’s great unwashed. Mr. Trump has certainly made appalling comments, but Republicans and media conservatives have criticized him for it. They denounced his praise of Vladimir Putin. They assailed his attacks on Judge Gonzalo Curiel and his insensitivity to the Khan family. Some have said they can’t support the GOP nominee. But where are the Democrats raising doubts about Mrs. Clinton’s behavior? Mrs. Clinton reneged on her confirmation promise to the Senate not to mix her State Department duties with the Clinton Foundation by doing favors for donors. She maintained a private email server to hide her official emails and lied about it to the public. Yet no prominent Democrat we know has denounced this deception, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there’s “too much ado” about it. The great liberal media watchdogs aren’t challenging Mrs. Clinton either. They’re beating up NBC’s Matt Lauer because he spent too much time asking Mrs. Clinton about the emails during last week’s military forum. This is best understood as a collective warning to the moderators of the coming debates not to jeopardize their standing in polite progressive company by doing the same. * * * * As Mrs. Clinton’s support has eroded in the polls, Democrats are figuring out that they may have nominated the only candidate who could lose to Donald Trump. But then they didn’t give themselves many good choices. Their Congressional leaders are old, and their bench in the states is thin after their election wipeouts of 2010 and 2014. Mrs. Clinton’s bid to be the first woman President fit the party’s priority for identity politics, and the Clinton machine would do what it takes to win. Mrs. Clinton is still leading, and Mr. Trump is always a driverless-car accident waiting to happen. But it’s also obvious that a majority of Americans do not want to vote for an extension of the Clinton dynasty. They aren’t “deplorables.” They’ve seen Mrs. Clinton in public life for 25 years and they know what they’ll be getting if she wins. — The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 11 Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries: