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Reception class weekly newsletter ~ 6th October
Value of the term: Responsibility
Personal, Social and Emotional development- This week we have been thinking about our value of the term responsibility and how we can show that we are responsible learners. The children have been talking about how they can be responsible at school and are beginning to demonstrate it. It would be great if every child could have a WOW leaf by the end of this term. We will be celebrating the children's WOW moments on the last day of term.
Physical development- We are becoming really good at perfecting our fine motor control and making sure our muscles are warmed up and ready for writing. Our paper weaving has also been great for our fine motor control. In the garden we have enjoyed parachute games, ball games and demonstrating different ways to move in and out of cones. In their PE lesson the children have continued to work on ball skills and showing control over both large and small movements.
Communication and Language- We have been learning to tell the story 'Handa's Surprise' this week and we have been exploring the meaning of new words. The children have been engaging in lots of talk with their friends about the story of the week and the different animals and fruits. I have been really impressed with how well the children have been talking to each other. They have remembered that they need to listen to each other and that other people might have different opinions.
Literacy- This week we have been practising writing our sounds of the week using different equipment. It is great to explore writing through different materials and we have been using the following equipment to practise our writing this week:
· Big chunky felt tips on large paper
· Pencils and clipboards
· Chalks on the floor
· Whiteboards and whiteboard pens
Maths- We have been exploring 2D shapes this week and have been talking about the properties of these shapes. The children have also been playing guess the shape, they have had to describe a shape for their partner or the rest of the class to guess. During our daily ten minutes of maths we have been practising our counting on and counting back.
Expressive art and design- This week we have been engaging in lots of imaginative play, the children have been using puppets and props to tell the story of Handa's surprise. I have been really impressed with the language that they are using and the fact that they have remembered the story. We have also enjoyed making our own baskets and using paper to weave a pattern in them.
Understanding the world- We have been comparing where we live to where Handa lives in the story and have been talking about the differences between the two places. The children have had some fantastic ideas about the differences between England and Africa and have been talking about where they would rather live. We have also been talking about the change in seasons and the different colours of the leaves. Please continue to bring in things for our autumn table .
Helping your child with phonics
I will be holding two sessions for parents to come and join us and see how phonics is taught. These will be at the following times:
Tuesday 31st October at 2.30pm
Friday 3rd November at 8.55am.
Please let me know if you are able to attend. It is a great opportunity to see a phonics lesson in Foundation stage and there will then be an opportunity to ask questions afterwards. Each session will last about half an hour and you only need to attend one session.
Things to do at home:
· Practise writing the sounds that we have been learning this week (c,k,u,b,f)
· Find objects beginning with the sounds that we have been learning.
· Talk about the change in seasons and what you can see happening.
· Practise counting to 20 and then back
Next week- We will be learning about the story 'Stone soup' and will be making our own soup. In order to do this we need every child to bring in a vegetable. These need to be in school by Wednesday and then the children will cut up the vegetables and make the soup on Thursday morning.
The sounds for this week will be sent home on Monday. Please keep these at home and practise writing them with your child. It is important that children learn to form all their letters correctly and the sheets that they brought home on Tuesday all have rhymes that help children to remember how to form these letters. Please practise this with your child and correct any misconceptions.
We will be learning the following sounds: e,l,h,sh and r.
Tuesday- Mrs Bruce will be teaching the class on Tuesday afternoon.
Class reps- We need two parents to be our class reps. The role includes the following:
Please let me know if you would be interested in this role.
Reminders and dates
International evening-Our annual International evening is on Thursday 12th October from 6pm. This is always a great evening and it would be lovely to see lots of you there. If anyone is interested in running a stall or helping on our class stall then please let me know.
Mornings- Now that the children are settled please let your children sort themselves out in the morning. Our cloakroom area is very small and it is proving difficult for all the children to get in there in the morning. All the children should be able to hang their coats up and change their shoes independently. Please could adults wait in the classroom for their child and once they have changed their shoes, hung their coats up, then they can come and find you and settle to an activity.
Focus children-The focus children next week are: Isabella.K, Lilly, Mason The focus children for the week beginning Monday 16th October are: Ava, Priyah, Imogen Letters were sent home on Thursday in book bags for these four children.
Clothes-Please make sure that all of your child's belongings are clearly named, there are a few items of clothing that are not yet named and this makes it difficult to return them to their rightful owner. We are trying to teach the children to be responsible for their belongings and look after them and it makes it easier if they are named.
Outdoor area-Just to remind you that the outdoor area is not to be used before or after school.
News books-Can I just remind you that if you have written something in your child's news book then it needs to be handed to a member of staff in the morning. We will them respond and put it back in your child's book bag for the end of the day. Please check your child's book bag at the end of each day.
Thank you for your continued support. Have a lovely weekend.
Rebecca Honey
Classes > Foundation Stage >


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Blessed To Have
We have been friends for nearly 20 years now, and who would have thought that we, who were best of friends once, would end up becoming lovers. When you look at me with those smiling eyes, I know you feel the same sweet, tingling warmth in your heart that I do. That one smile of yours is enough to make my day.
You hug me as if you want to protect me from all the evils in this world, you look at me as if I am the most beautiful woman on this planet, you look after my family as if they are your own… anyone would have fallen for you! But you chose me instead, and for that I will always be grateful to God.
I remember as kids, you used to irritate the hell out of me with your silly pranks. As we grew up together, I don't know when, where, or how those deep and special feelings developed within me for you; but they did.
I knew you were the perfect partner for me, but I was worried whether you felt the same way about me. I was on cloud nine when you declared your affection and I still amazed!
I love the long walks and the talks we have, but isn't it funny how we are absolutely comfortable with each others' silence too? I hope this feeling lasts forever (I, somehow know it will!) and doesn't wear down with time. I will always be with you no matter what.
Love you always and forever,
Return to Love Letters To Boyfriends.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thrift Inspiration....Doing it Net-A-Porter Style in Thrifted Gap Dresses
15 comments:
- Style At Every Age said...
Love both your dresses Sharon, the first one would suit my body shape perfectly! Hope everything ok your end xxxx
- Sunday, 8 June 2014 at 12:45:00 BST
- Please may I? said...
Fabulous finds Sharon. You do so well with your finds.
X x
- Sunday, 8 June 2014 at 19:45:00 BST
- Kezzie said...
Aha, I also recently found a 2nd hand chambray dress-worn on blog last week. Yours are really nice x
- Sunday, 8 June 2014 at 20:32:00 BST
- Romy / Hippy at Heart said...
amazing thrift finds, denim dresses are real classics and don't have to cost a fortune xx
- Sunday, 8 June 2014 at 22:11:00 BST
- Romy / Hippy at Heart said...
amazing thrift finds, denim dresses are real classics and don't have to cost a fortune xx
- Sunday, 8 June 2014 at 22:11:00 BST
- Vix said...
I loved the denim maxi dress you wore last year.
Your finds just go to show that if you hunt around the perfect item always turns up in a charity shop. xxx
- Monday, 9 June 2014 at 07:26:00 BST
- Michelle Lee said...
Hey Sharon! The chambray shift look amazing on when I met you in person....I would love a denim dress in that shape and style! Really love the shirt dress style too! I am definately going to try and do a round of the charity shops and a trip to a booty next weekend to see if I fare as well as you! Have a super week :0) xx
- Monday, 9 June 2014 at 08:14:00 BST
- Janet Taylor said...
I am huge fan of denim dresses. :)
- Monday, 9 June 2014 at 13:30:00 BST
Thanks for the tip, Sharon. Will look out for denim or chambray dresses in the charity shops, like Vix says, something always turns up! Although I've bought too much this month already. xx
- Tuesday, 10 June 2014 at 10:37:00 BST
- WendyB said...
Phew! Glad the garlic butter was attended to! I got really nervous when I read that! LOL.
- Thursday, 12 June 2014 at 02:08:00 BST
- Andrea Couscousandcorkwedges said...
Both are just fantastic but I love the first one! I think its been a crazy time all around recently Sharon! I'm dreading the teenage years & all those exams! Ax
- Thursday, 12 June 2014 at 14:19:00 BST
Great finds, Sharon. I never thought I'd be keen on denim dresses (they remind me of the 70s!!), but have just bought myself a lightweight tunic style one which I'm loving! x
- Monday, 16 June 2014 at 13:51:00 BST
- Fashion40ish said...
Fabulous. I need a denim dress in my life. I really do. H xx
- Tuesday, 17 June 2014 at 20:34:00 BST
- Keri Lou said...
Amazing finds Sharon and I'm so pleased I stopped by your blog, it's my first visit. The Gap one is so lovely but I must admit I am in love with that printed one from Sea on a Net-a-Porter! Less in love with it's price though x
- Wednesday, 18 June 2014 at 08:08:00 BST
- Sharon S said...
Hi ladies-such fabulous comments, thank you all so much! xx
- Saturday, 21 June 2014 at 20:54:00 BST


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Calling coyote into shooting range is fantastic hunting when you can put it together.
Hunting predators means becoming the prey for a shot at a fast moving wily coyote. Here is an epic video of a very successful coyote calling and fourteen yard shot that absolutely smokes this predator.
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If you didn't have an opportunity to pick up today's Boston Globe Magazine, here's the lengthy feature (7 pages on the website) on Rajon Rondo and the accompanying video interview. The title of the feature is great-"The Stubborn, Impatient, Self-Centered, and Absolutely Essential Rajon Rondo"
JR 11/15/2009 09:35:00 PM Tweet Edit
All great athletes create a permanence within themselves. So much else is out of their control. From the time they show promise, they are judged from afar, their future writ in scribbles on some distant clipboard. What other people think of them can be more important than what they know about themselves. Their professional lives can depend on the whim of a coach or the thin, fragile strands of the ligaments in the human knee. What is often decried as selfishness or stubbornness in an athlete is nothing more than an attempt to assert something solid at the heart of a world they cannot control. They create the permanence in their lives within themselves -- their game, their talent -- as a hedge against the gleaming evanescence of the careers those talents have brought. And, of all our sports, basketball is the least permanent.
People who are old enough to remember the first National Basketball Association championship won by the Boston Celtics, in 1957, also are old enough to remember that the team's point guard, Bob Cousy, was regularly derided as a "showboat" because he had the audacity to dribble the ball behind his back. Today, given the strength and speed of modern NBA players, someone like, say, Rajon Rondo -- who plays the same position for the Celtics that Cousy did -- cannot function as an NBA point guard without being able to do that. Someone who dribbles behind his back doesn't even draw a gasp from the crowd anymore. It took less than 40 years for the NBA to get from the two-handed set shot to Michael Jordan. By contrast, it took baseball nearly a century just to develop the relief pitcher. Even basketball's fundamentals are not fundamental. They evolve. It is harder for basketball players to create that permanence within themselves, so when they do, they hold tight to it against an accelerated existence.
It's mid-October, and Rajon Rondo was still negotiating his future with the team. "This is a business," Rondo explains, his eyes flickering over the shoulder of the person to whom he's talking, taking in everything going on as his teammates shoot free throws and crack wise with one another out on the court beyond. There is a shrewdness in the compass of his gaze, and a kind of universal comprehension. And he measures every word, every thought by the syllable. He reveals very little, but he misses nothing.
Read Charles P. Pierce's complete feature.
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Eduardo Galeano, the colleague
The intellectual generosity and essential fidelity of an indispensable writer.
Actually, Eduardo Galeano has not died. He hasn't even stopped writing. Having lived as he did, having written as he did, is the guarantee of a transcendence that, turned into presence, will accompany us for many years. His extraordinary power of immortality lies in his way of thinking, of having been faithful to the essences of his concepts of life, of the word and of justice, but always maintaining himself in evolution, in a permanent utopic and heterodox revision of his ideas, and of having bequeathed the not always so frequent example of not having gotten used to his concepts and ideals and of daring to submit to criticism even the things in which he believed and loved, and even to question, in changed circumstances, those which he had created and defended. Because of that civic and humane attitude of profound intellectual honesty, as was to be expected, Eduardo Galeano gained the esteem and admiration of millions of persons in all of Latin America and the world. And, as corresponds, the hatred and disdain of others who are never ever missing, just because Galeano thought differently from them….
His death, which curiously occurred on the same day as the passing away of Nobel Prize for Literature Günter Grass – another man of an intellectual lineage very similar to that of Galeano -, leaves a void in Latin American thinking and literature that will be very difficult to fill. Because Eduardo Galeano was, perhaps, the most Latin American of the writers of his generation, the most inquiring, the most progressive, the most free and restless, the one who always dared to point out the wounds of the present and the future…and many times to open them.
Of all the virtues of Eduardo Galeano much has been written in these days of justified mourning over his physical death and much will be written for a long time, perhaps as a way of exorcising that irreplaceable absence. But, a writer, polemicist, thinker of his category necessarily had to be sustained by an exceptional humanity, with which he benefitted the many of us who at some time, with greater or lesser depth, knew him and enjoyed him.
I had the first patent and intimate proof of the kindness of Eduardo Galeano on that evening of January 1981 in which I met him in person and, in addition, I made my debut as a journalistic interviewer, attempting to precisely interview him. I remember with absolute clarity that what happened that evening was due not just to the fact that it was my initiation as an interviewer with an already emblematic figure of Latin American literature, but rather the way in which the dialogue took place, held in the room of the editorial staff of the monthly El Caimán Barbudo, whose working team I had just joined at the end of my university studies.
I still don't know why I was chosen to interview the star of the jurors of the Casa de las Américas Prize of that year, but the first problem for me was that I had barely had a few hours to journalistically and psychologically prepare myself for that task. I had read Las venas abiertas de América Latina (The Open Veins of Latin America) and La canción de nosotros (Our Song) and my gigantic capacity for audacity. Thus, with a few questions and an old tape recorder I faced Galeano to do not only the first of the many interviews I have done in my life but rather…the one that was easiest for me. Because a journalist of Eduardo's category, with his long trajectory in the trade, had to discover my overwhelming lack of skills and, to each one of my shy and surely hackneyed questions, he answered in a long and conscientious way, but, above all, with his astonishing verbal coherence, and he gave me the answers in writing! As if to facilitate the work and to guarantee, he himself, a minimum of quality for his effort and time spent with a rookie of the profession…. But what I most remember was the moment in which the star writer of the magazine approached and, to help me, told me to ask Galeano something about inspiration. Eduardo continued answering my questions and when the other writer left, he whispered to me: "Never ask foolish things. Nor questions that don't have answers, but rather formulas."
That was one of several meetings I held with Eduardo, in Cuba, in Montevideo, in Spain and, compared to other writers of his category and popularity, I never felt in him the pose of the teacher, the height of the acclaimed, but rather the closeness of the colleague with which he distinguished me and, I believe, he distinguished so many other writer and journalist colleagues with whom he had contact.
In 1988, during his stay in Havana as president of the jury of the José Martí Journalism Latin American Prize, organised by Prensa Latina, I had another of my revealing meetings with Eduardo Galeano. Compared with the interview for El Caimán Barbudo, I don't remember which Havana hotel he had arranged for us to meet on the day the jury's ruling was being made public to personally tell that my series of journalistic works, sent by the daily Juventud Rebelde to the contest, had deserved the first mention. My happiness, of course, which was enormous, was multiplied by Eduardo when he whispered in my ear: "For me you were the winner of the prize. You have done a journalism that is for today and for tomorrow. And you haven't forgotten that always, always, the word is what's most important…." And that night, during the awards ceremony, I dared to ask him how the deliberation had been and why, he being the president of the jury, his preference had not triumphed. And Galeano answered: "The best is not always the winner. Not even in football. And get used to it, because this is not the first time it's going to happen to you. It's happened to me many times…," and he smiled, perhaps thinking about the mention (instead of the prize) that The Open Veins of Latin America, an indispensable book in its genre if there is any, had deserved. Twenty-five years later those journalistic texts "mentioned" in the 1988 Latin American Prize are still being published and being read in the world. Eduardo again had been right.
Our last physical meeting occurred some four years ago, during a flight from Rome to Madrid, and its culmination was the supper we organised that same night, with our wives and the company of the common Spanish friend and colleague José Manuel Martín Médem…. It was a long night, with a lot of wine, when one could still smoke in certain Madrid restaurants, and we spoke at length about Cuba, about Uruguay, about Spain, of our respective national crises and hopes, and also about literature and journalism, about the many projects that besieged him and those he wanted to finish. Perhaps the wine clouded some memories of that pleasant night in Madrid – I can't even pinpoint in which restaurant we dined -, and perhaps on that occasion he didn't give me any advice or presented me with a prophecy, but, as always he gave me the treasure of his friendship and his ethics…and a warning, when we were about to leave the place: "Some short-sighted and fundamentalist persons," he told me, "are going to criticise El hombre que amaba a los perros (The Man Who Loved Dogs)…. But don't listen to them; if the past is not reviewed the future cannot be built…."
The loss of Eduardo Galeano has thus moved me because of very profound reasons, which range from those which I share with all his readers and fans to those that intimately belong to me, as gifts that generous and visionary colleague gave me throughout 30 years. (2015)
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SpellStack Submitted to App Store
by Kwasi Mensah
December 23rd, 2013
SpellStack Submitted to App Store We just submitted SpellStack to the iOS App Store on Friday and we're super excited to let you get your hands on it soon. The game will be available on iOS, Android, and hopefully web. We're still looking for more testers on Android so let us now if you're interested! And […]


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Getting in Touch
I like to hear from people about pretty much anything. This is the place where that can happen. The contact form immediately below is the easiest way to initiate a conversation, but there are other methods as well, if you're so inclined.
Shoot Me a Message Via This Site
Email Chris Mospaw
General Info: email@example.com
Chris Mospaw: firstname.lastname@example.com
Alternate: email@example.com
All emails are usually checked every day (unless I'm out of town).
Social Media
Listed more or less in order of how much I use them.
(702) 518-3566 (voice and text, text preferred)
Mailing Address
Got a big check or box of cash you need to get rid of? Here's where to send it.
Chris Mospaw
8330 E. Quincy Ave, Apt C301
Denver, CO 80237
If all else fails, you can try smoke signals.


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Markers not showing and directions not working.
I just started using Pro Maps. The first issue I am having is that the site displays the map, but no markers display.
Second, I am trying to complete the Driving Directions with Form Fields tutorial...I create a blank PHP page, follow the tutorial, use a correct API key, upload the site and after it is up, I see my forms but nothing else.
Please let me know what I might be doing wrong.
Thank you,


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Shop Detailing your BMW
Special Thanks to John Branca
We all remember the sage words of Mr. Miyagi's first ersatz karate lesson from the iconic 80s coming-of-age flick,The Karate Kid: "Wax on. Wax off," he told the perplexed Daniel-san as his young disciple eyed the row of old jalopies the master had tasked him with polishing. That's very Zen, as they say. But, if you are truly interested in the fine art of waxing your car you might do better to heed the words of another, present day sensei, Vincent Chin of Bimmerzone.com, when he says the key to the perfect shine is "Preparation, preparation, preparation."
Vince is an old hand at the art of bringing out the best in a car's finish and treats his 2008 650i (nicknamed "Heidi" after another kind of German supermodel) to this beauty regimen regularly. "Waxing," he tells us, "is the easiest part and comes last." First, he recommends a good, basic wash using "the two-bucket method." Begin by dowsing the car with the hose, preferably in an area away from direct sunlight. "While washing the car, never let the paint dry," he says. "Water from the tap is not pure; it contains additives that will leave water marks if it dries." Have one bucket full of soapy water and the other full of clear. Use a professional grade sponge to pick up some sudsy water and scrub the car, but never return the sponge to the soapy bucket before first rinsing it in the clear water. That way, you will always "grab new soap" and avoid putting back on the car the same dirt you just removed.
If you stopped there and merely dried the car with a chamois, you would have accomplished a basic maintenance car wash, good enough for the average car owner. But for fanatics there is still a problem, or rather, thousands of them. Look carefully at the sun's reflection in the car's finish. Around it, like the fuzzy halos surrounding the stars in Van Gogh's Starry Night, the sun reveals countless tiny, hairline scratches etched in the paint. The job of eradicating these scratches is work- and time-intensive and is assisted greatly by the application of some really cool, high-end car wax...but that comes later. First, you need to remove any remaining grit and dirt from the paint with the use of a clay bar.
"When you first look at a clay bar," Vince muses, "you think ʻReally? I'm supposed to rub this thing on my car?'" The bar he pulls out from it's tin is not new and resembles a lump of yellow Silly Putty, veined black from previous uses. As the directions say, you are meant to run the clay bar over the paint "until smooth and silent." The trick is to listen for the dirt being picked up, a faint sound similar to that made by a squeegee. Obviously, though, you should not completely neglect your sense of sight as some of the grit you are going after may be visible to the naked eye. Though branded clay bar lube is available, Vince prefers to keep the paint wet using the hose on ʻmist' as he runs the bar over the paint surface.
Next, wipe down the car with a drying towel or synthetic chamois, drying top-to-bottom until "super dry." This requires a little elbow grease and frequent chamois wringing. At this point your paint should be silky smooth, but the chamois will have left behind little pieces of itself. Vince recommends using a California Car Duster to remove this fine dust and mentions that going over the car with the duster is actually a good idea every day. Anywhere you see smudges or smears, remove them using paint cleaner and a microfiber cloth. "Always use a professional grade cloth," says Vince. "Don't ruin all your hard work now by rubbing it with a rag or an old t-shirt."
Now stare at the sun spot again; those pesky little scratches are still there. It's time to bring out the heavy artillery -- the high speed buffer. Because the buffer will remove a layer of clear coat, Vince advises against a rotary polisher for the amateur. "A rotary," he says, "will cut right into the clear coat and is not so forgiving." He opts instead for a dual action polisher for safer performance. He uses two compounds and two foam polishing pads in the two-part process: first, Meguiars Mirror Glaze m105 on a high density orange pad for cutting, then Meguiars Mirror Glaze m205 on a less dense gray pad for finishing.
He begins by applying the m105 to the orange pad in a cross-shaped pattern. "Ever wonder why the pros charge $500 or more to correct damaged paint?" he asks with a grin. "This is it." He sets the polisher at 2000 RPM and places the pad on the trunk lid before turning it on. This, he explains, is to avoid unnecessary splatter. He then eases the polisher across the car's surface in a criss-cross pattern. Just as with your electric toothbrush at home, the point is not to press down hard but to let the polisher glide. He incrementally increases the speed as he goes, trying to find the setting that works best. "The harder your paint, the more cutting power is required," Vince explains. He estimates polishing should take about a half hour per panel, adding up to roughly a six- hour job. "The key is patience and lots of it," he says with a bit of a sigh.
Once every panel has been thoroughly polished with each pad and compound, the car must again be rubbed down with a microfiber towel and hit with the duster. Only now is it ready for waxing. Break out the Zymol! "This stuff was invented for Ralph Lauren's Bugatti," says Vince, rubbing the buttery wax between his fingertips. "It's meant for people to use on their Bentleys or Ferraris." But now through Bimmerzone.com, this body creme for your car available to the lay hobbyist for the low, low price of $200 an ounce! "Is it really worth that price? I don't know," says Vince with a shrug. "Does it do a kick ass job of shining your car? Yes!"
You apply it with your hands like finger painting your car. "The heat from your hands activates enzymes for it to become wax," he explains. One particularly refreshing feature is that there is no need to avoid getting the wax in seams and trim. It is made of all natural ingredients and will rub right off with a buffing cloth. This makes waxing your car a bit more carefree and fun. Vince hands me the jar so I can try it. I dip my fingers in and pick up a small portion. "Easy," jokes Vince, "That's about $5 worth you've got there!" It smells and feels like some expensive hand lotion from a men's grooming shop, so there is no urgent need to wash it off when you're done. Imagine the compliments you'll get on how great your hands look...and the way the rain seems to run right off them!
Vince and I go over the entire painted surface of the car with the wax, letting it stand for a while, but never long enough to dry before following up with the buffing towel. The Zymol produces a deep, sumptuous shine, and the 650i now gleams like quicksilver in the dimming evening light. "Most wax manufacturers tell you their product will protect your car for six months, and maybe that's true. With the Zymol it will be protected and look incredible for that length of time."
Even old Mr. Miyagi would be pleased. Though your car may not be a Lotus, with Zymol you can still detail the paint "lotus style."


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If you've ever questioned the benefits of main dealer servicing here are some factors you may wish to consider. These days, driving and owning any car is more pleasurable than ever before. Nevertheless, when the time for servicing – or an MOT – does finally arrive, you'll want an experienced place to go that keeps running costs low.
Keeping expense to a minimum is often difficult when it comes to things like tyres, exhausts, batteries, clutches, shock absorbers, servicing and all the costs associated with MOTs. So it's natural to think no further than your nearest 'fast-fit'-style operator.
However, many don't realise that the kind of deals on offer there are available at Yeomans Toyota. Here, as well as prices comparable to any of the high street chains, you'll find all the experience that is directly relevant to your particular Toyota. The best of both worlds in other words.
Which is all the more surprising when you consider that at Yeomans Toyota, only genuine original equipment parts are used. Parts of better quality, designed specifically for your car to last longer and keep you safer. Especially if you have a family to consider, that's important if you're to have the peace of mind of being able to count on reliability, particularly in the moments you need it most.
What you will want is to be able to budget for your maintenance costs and to be sure that the price you see is the price you'll pay.
One area where the high street express-fit centres have led the way is with menu pricing. At Yeomans Toyota we also know that customers like to know what they are set to pay in advance, and also offer menu pricing. With the support of the manufacturer, Yeomans Toyota service centres can afford to stay open longer, thus catering to the needs of today's busy customer. We offer a collection and delivery service and can supply courtesy cars from a modern fleet. We will also be able to advise you on any forthcoming safety or security recall information, and we will also know your specific car inside out, being Toyota factory trained in every aspect of service and repair.
However, at the end of the day, the bottom line is often money. Main dealers are often perceived as being much more expensive than local garages, but in most cases, it is not true.
It's also always best to take the long-term view, calculating the lifetime cost of Toyota main dealer servicing and weighing that against the money you'll make back when you sell your car with a full Toyota dealer service history. The differences are marginal and you'll be getting all of the benefits above for very little outlay.
For more expensive cars, it's financial madness not to get the car main dealer serviced. It's not a case of can you afford to, more a case of can you afford not to?


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Senior .NET Devloper
at [A]
Job Description:
We are looking for Senior Software Developers with 7+ years of hands-on experience in enterprise system development, modern software architecture and good knowledge of modern web and mobile frameworks.
This is a remote, part-time, contract role that can be done from anywhere in Europe.
What you'll be doing:
- Develop enterprise software solutions.
- Design modular software architectures.
- Build reusable code and libraries for future use.
- Develop web and mobile user interfaces.
- Design and develop SQL and NoSQL databases.
- Optimize application for maximum speed and scalability.
- Develop Mobile applications.
- Collaborate with other team members and stakeholders.
- Staying in constant communication with team members via Slack.
You may be a good match for this role if you have the following...
- Proficient experience of .NET Framework
- Proficient experience of ASP.NET/ ASP.NET MVC / ASP.NET CORE
- Proficient experience of Web Services and Web APIs
- Proficient experience in SQL / NoSQL databases.
- Proficient experience in Software Architecture and Design patterns.
- Experience of web markup, including HTML5, CSS3, ES6+
- Good understanding of server-side CSS pre-processing platforms, such as LESS and SASS
- Proficient experience of client-side scripting, JavaScript, and JS libraries like jQuery.
- Proficient understanding of at least one JavaScript frameworks, such as Angular, Node, React, etc.
- Good experience in Angular 2+
- Experience with Node.js and NPM
- Proficient experience in asynchronous request handling, partial page updates, and AJAX
- Familiarity with modern software pipelines and tools
- Good understanding of cross-browser compatibility issues and ways to work around them.
- Proficient understanding of code versioning tools
- Good understanding of SEO principles
- Good understanding of Bootstrap UI framework
- Proficient understanding of web server management and Cloud environments
- Self-managed developer with the ability to work in a remote team environment
- Research, Analytical and problem solving skills
- You are experienced conducting business in English - verbal and written communication skills
- You have proven yourself to be a hands-on contributor who can think outside the box
- You are a strong cultural fit with [A]'s values
Cultural Fit at [A]
- You love learning, you love teaching.
- You are constantly growing your own knowledge, and helping to grow the knowledge of others.
- You enjoy wearing multiple hats and roles, and titles are not important to you.
- You do top-quality work, manage quality, and make everything you touch better.
- You are comfortable working under strict confidentiality agreements and often behind-the-scenes.
- You are self-organized and manage time and resources well.
- You are able to not only work alone, but also communicate within a team by sending updates, tracking time, and other forms of communication while you work.
What is [A]?
[A] is the Content Intelligence Service, and we work with clients to create a Content Intelligence System. The Content Intelligence System is a holistic set of people, processes, and tools that maximize content-ROI by ensuring content is coherent, self-aware, and quantum. By creating a Content Intelligence System, we increase the effectiveness and ROI of the content assets while reducing overall costs. [A] works holistically to build all aspects of a content intelligence system in partnership with clients and agencies. This includes not just the technology architecture and implementation, but enabling companies with the organizational muscles to drive content intelligence.
[A] Team Benefits
Being an [A]gent comes with its benefits. Work from anywhere. Advance your career on the leading edge of the content and technology sciences. Earn a competitive salary and for longtime [A]gents, participation in a profit-sharing plan. But many [A]gents find the best part of working as an [A]gent are the other [A]gents you work with and the culture at [A].
We take care of each other and we honor each other's work and contributions to the team. We work to make ourselves better and our [A] team better. We make efforts to adapt new technologies and methodologies that can help us optimize our time, and we expect you to collaborate on these efforts if you're an expert on any of those fields. We communicate and reach out to other [A] players. We love learning. We love teaching. We write. We code. We support each other. For the right people, working at [A] feels like coming home.
What's Your Name, [A]gain?
Our name is easy. Just say "A." The [A] brackets represent markup, microdata, content intelligence. The letter "[A]" represents the start, initiation, beginning of change. We are going to help change the world with intelligent content.
Learn more about [A] at simplea.com.
If this sounds like you, then write up a cover letter letting [A] know why you want to work at [A], what you do best, and what inspires you. A great cover letter will say much more than the resume (though we'd like to see that too).


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batteries + image by Warren Millar from Fotolia.com
Many recycling companies today offer consumers a monetary reward for returning and recycling old electronics and materials. While some materials are generically recycled, other items, such as mobile phones and car batteries, can earn you some spare cash. Using the Internet you can compare the worth of your recyclable items and also set up to recycle right from your computer. Every city and region varies with recycling rules, regulations and even monetary rewards, so it's best to do your research.
Call your local recycling plants. Enquire about recycling batteries and which kinds they will accept. You can also ask about the worth of the batteries. Many local recycling plants will only pay for car batteries and in some cases, mobile phone batteries -- so it's best to find out before making the trip.
Use the Internet to compare prices on the batteries you want to recycle if your local recycling plant offers you no direction or solutions. Use popular recycling websites that offer Web solutions as well as local information.
Browse an electronic-device recycling website to compare your prices or to set up a recycling account and begin earning cash. These websites are available for free and offer different amounts for various electronic devices.
Search the web site for the specific type and brand of batteries you are attempting to recycle to compare cash worth and if it is possible to recycle them.
Sign up on the Web site if it requires you to have a membership, as these are usually free.
Follow the website's on-screen instructions and guide for recycling and earning cash through the website. Each website's rules and guidelines vary, so read thoroughly and carefully to understand the terms and conditions when recycling. Once you locate the product you want to recycle, follow the website's steps for receiving the shipping boxes to send to the company. Most of the time, this will add no additional cost to you and all of the shipping costs will be covered by the company. Submit for your boxes to ship back to the company with your batteries to receive your cash.
Most recent
- batteries + image by Warren Millar from Fotolia.com


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Tired of the work with of anti-cellulite lotions to no avail that is expensive? If you're also here's this powerful as well as simple means to get rid of cellulite in few days. These strategies are:
Restrain the level of sugar as well as salt into your food
The truth about cellulite is sugar is the main culprit for weight gain. Sugar is kept within the fat cells, causing growth as well as raise its size.
You can work with a tea as well as with two tbs of olive oil. This straightforward treatment helps your skin to appear less tortuous in addition to to dampen the skin as well as skinning.
Eating flaxseed
Flaxseed stands out as the staple food of the fight against cellulite simply because it helps to reinforce the collagen, that helps to reduce the look of cellulite as well as reinforces the skin. Put of flaxseed a day on milk as well as juices as well as authorities to help to reinforce as well as soften your skin from the interior.
Cayenne Pepper
According to the Truth about Cellulite review, cayenne pepper as well as combine it with a cup of water helps in cellulite treatment.
Apple cider vinegar is another way as it helps to reduce the look of stretch marks to fight cellulite.
There are lots of different methods you help to enhance the look of your skin as well as can fight cellulite. However these recipes are qualified as successful as well as simple.
Cellulite is a problem changing all girls of different ages as well as contours of the bodies.
To rid yourself of cellulite, massage for 5 or ten minutes a day, regions plagued by cellulite just about any buttocks as well as hips, by an anti-cellulite lotion that helps to boost blood flow as well as get rid of the fat as well as remove water retention within the whole body. In addition to massage, you can perform a weekly exfoliation thereby encourage adequate entry to your entire body as well as to open pores.
Drink mineral water that is organic to get rid of toxins simply because Almia gas leads to water retention within the whole body. Refrain from soft drinks mainly because they encourage the look of cellulite as well as fat storage within the whole body.


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This is the game-changer in language-learning!
If you've ever tried learning another language, you know how difficult it can be. Endless memorizing and can't put a sentence together to save your life...or even chat up the street vendor.
realLINGUA is changing all of that.
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Adios endless vocabulary lists. Adieu boring verb conjugations.
Hola real language. Bonjour


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Pakistan signs $1.5 billion defence deal with Turkey
Following sharp cuts in military aid from the United States, Pakistan has turned to other countries for purchasing military hardware.world Updated: May 31, 2018 23:59 IST
Pakistan has signed a deal with Turkey for the purchase of 30 attack helicopters estimated to be worth about $1.5 billion, against the backdrop of a massive cut in military aid for Islamabad from Washington.
The confirmation of the deal that had been in the pipeline for more than three years was made in the manifesto released by Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) ahead of the general election scheduled for June, Jane's Defence Weekly reported.
The manifesto said that "a very short while ago a contract for the sale of 30 attack helicopters was signed with Pakistan". It did not give further details.
The Turkish government did not disclose the cost of the deal for the T129 ATAK helicopters, but aerospace industry sources estimated the contract to be worth about $1.5 billion, almost equivalent to Turkey's annual defence exports.
This will also be the largest defence deal between Turkey and Pakistan, which has turned to countries such as Russia for military hardware following sharp cuts in military aid from the US.
US civilian and military assistance for Pakistan plummeted from an average of more than $2.2 billion a year during the period immediately after the 9/11 terror attacks to $526 million in 2017, reflecting the strain in ties between the two sides. In January, the US suspended nearly $2 billion in security-related aid, saying Pakistan hasn't acted decisively against terrorists on its soil.
In 2013, Pakistan's Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works inked a deal to build a replenishment tanker designed by a Turkish company. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has also upgraded 41 F-16 fighter jets for the Pakistan Air Force.
Last November, Pakistan's then defence production minister Rana Tanveer Hussain had said his country planned to procure 30 attack helicopters and four warships from Turkey.
The T129 ATAK helicopter was developed by TAI and Italy-based AgustaWestland. It was inducted into the Turkish armed forces in 2014. In March, T129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey participated in a fly-past in Islamabad to mark Pakistan's National Day.
The Pakistan Army has already ordered 12 US-made Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters, and it had been conducting trials with China's Z-10 and Turkey's T129.
The Pakistan Army Aviation commander, Maj Gen Nasir Shah, told the media earlier this year that the force planned to enhance its attack helicopter fleet with four Mi-35s procured from Russia and other platforms.


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Easter is galloping towards us at the most alarming rate! Someone stop the world so I can get off, just for a tad! The clocks go forward an hour, so an hour's sleep lost and muggins didn't go to bed an hour early to compensate.
I thought I'd share this quick card using the Indescribable Gift Stamp set and the Work of Art Stamp set. The image was stamped in Stazon Black and I used Stampin' Write markers with a blender pen to colour with.
Just a reminder - last orders for Sale-A-Bration is 1900 hours on 31 March to allow time to process and submit the order before it's laid to bed for 2015.
Here are the supplies, hover over bottom right corner to view more details or click to take to my online store.
Hubby has gone off to archery for his Sunday shoot, weather permitting. I have some easter cards to make - what will you be doing with your Sunday?
Stampin' hugs


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Bollard accountants is a young and modern accountant company located in The Hague of the Netherlands. The brief detailed the need to see a finely balanced website, modern, clean and stylish, with a familiar feel expected of a financial website design. Bollard has many financial services, also for medical specialists, and wanted these to stand out in a second website.
The Solution
Two fully responsive platforms with content management capabilities where essential from the off. From our initial discussions we found that Bollard wanted to be able to consistently update a 'News' section with a variety of business news & tax updates and share this news
with their clients. We implemented also two financial benchmark tools for Dentist and family doctors.
A simple, yet effective, second website ensured that 'Services' were separated from 'Branches' they specialized in and proved to be an excellent addition. The domain artsenaccountant.nl perfectly fulfills this goal.
We try to make it Modern. Easy to read. Simple to navigate.


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Via the Telegraph (UK):
Although the emails, believed to have been sent anonymously by 40-year-old Mrs Broadwell, reportedly contained hints of classified information, the FBI concluded that there was no security threat and that they were instead looking at a bizarre case of lover's jealousy.
"It didn't start with Petraeus, but in the course of the investigation they stumbled across him," one
Congressional official told the New York Times. "We were stunned."
According to the New York Post, the married mother-of two had told the other woman "I know what you did" and warned her to "back off" from the former four-star general.
A military official said Gen Petraeus and Ms Kelly were friends who had seen each other often.
There is no suggestion they were involved in a relationship.
A social column in the Tampa Bay Times noted that Gen Petraeus and his wife attended a pirate-themed festival party at the house of a Jill and Scott Kelley in February 2010.
Gen Petraeus was the head of the US Central Command, based in Florida, at the time.


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Your Greensboro Homebuilder
Quality, Honesty, Trust, Satisfaction
These are all trademarks for homes built by Don Mills. Quality is a standard in our homes, not an upgrade. Whether purchasing or building, customers should rest assured knowing they will benefit from dealing with an honest and trustworthy builder who cares about their satisfaction, and getting them the most for their money. A quick glance at the beautifully built homes above will show you that Don Mills values the quality of work he puts his name on.
For over 27 years, Don Mills Builders has been one of the premier home builders of Greensboro new homes. Our commitment to quality and customer service is in every detail of our new homes. From our wide selection of floor plans to our upgraded features, you'll find our custom built new homes are designed with your lifestyle in mind.read more
As you search for homes for sale in Greensboro, we invite you to visit our Greensboro new home communities: Birkhaven, Hartman Farm, Stonebridge, and Beacon Hill. We welcome you to discover the Don Mills home that best suits your lifestyle and needs.
Our professional home building team has created and built innovative new home designs for hundreds of families across the Triad area of North Carolina. We can show you just how easy it is to find your new dream home when you come in for a consultation with us.
Don Mills homes are built to last. We believe that a quality new home begins with sound construction where new home buyers can create generations of family enjoyment. This is just another way we add greater value to your investment. Your new home will provide you with a great value and fabulous lifestyle.
Our range of custom home specialization is from first-time buyers to empty nesters and our mission is to match our clients to their personal housing needs.
All aspects of construction are handled by Don Mills and his experienced team of on-site supervisors. Don ensures his teams meet with the home owner prior to construction for review of building plans and specifications. In addition, home owners are present at framing and final walk through to complete and sign off on all punch items. Don maintains constant communication throughout the home building process to provide a quality built home, which meets not only customer standards, but Don Mills' standards which are very high.
Follow-up customer service is rated excellent by our customers and is a tribute to the knowledge and concern of our staff. Our reputation is among the best in the industry with quality work and attention to detail.
What our Clients are Saying
– John Shepherd
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The finest craftsmanship and attention to detail will make your home stand out.
A tradition of excellence and a commitment
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See why other builders are in our homes
getting ideas for their own projects . . .
Let Don Mills Builders build your dreams.


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Why Bayer Sold This Division to Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific announced that it had bought Bayer's interventional division for $415 million last Thursday. The division, which makes products that help treat blood flow issues, makes sense as a bolt-on to Boston Scientific's peripheral interventional division. As the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, this will give Boston roughly 40% share in the thrombectomy market when the deal closes in the second half of 2014. But why did Bayer make the sale?
In this video, from Market Checkup, the Motley Fool's health care-focused investing show, health care analysts Michael Douglass and David Williamson talk about the acquisition, what motivated it for Boston and Bayer, and what investors should look for moving forward.
Is Boston Scientific a top dividend stock?
The smartest investors know that dividend stocks simply crush their non-dividend paying counterparts over the long term. That's beyond dispute. They also know that a well-constructed dividend portfolio creates wealth steadily, while still allowing you to sleep like a baby. Knowing how valuable such a portfolio might be, our top analysts put together a report on a group of high-yielding stocks that should be in any income investor's portfolio. To see our free report on these stocks, just click here now.
The article Why Bayer Sold This Division to Boston Scientific originally appeared on Fool.com.David Williamson has no position in any stocks mentioned. Michael Douglass has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Free preapprovals the same day and free credit reports offered.
Call today at 502-905-3708
We are not affilited with any Government Agency, including, FHA, HUD, USDA, State Housing agency, VA or other government agency
I specialize in Kentucky FHA, VA, USDA & Rural Housing, KHC and Fannie Mae mortgage loans. I have helped over 589 Kentucky families buy their first home and refinance their current mortgage for a lower rate; First time buyer $0 down still available with down payment assistance with KHC. Free Mortgage applications same day approvals. This web site is not endorsed by the FHA, VA, USDA, HUD or any other govt agency.Text/call 502-905-3708 email@example.com NMLS#57916 Equal Housing Lender


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As the Democratic National Convention winds to a close, I'm witnessing many people rejoice with Hillary's (imminent) acceptance of the Democratic nomination. Cheers for her experience, her intelligence, her qualifications, and her drive ring through the air as supporters celebrate the success of her campaign. And, they are quite right to celebrate. It was a successful campaign. But, I don't want to celebrate.
I've mostly kept quiet about the election lately, having given myself over to disillusionment. But, I wanted to write about something else I've been witnessing besides the jubilations. I have been witnessing a deluge of scorn. This scorn isn't directed at the usual suspects: Donald Trump, the Republican Party, the Right in general. No, this scorn is directed at Bernie Sanders supporters and the Left. The reasons for the scorn are obvious. The rationale is not so clear. The reasons:
Sanders supporters, the Bernie-or-Busters, are going to throw the election (that hasn't happened yet).
Fact: The overwhelming majority of Bernie Sanders supporters will support Hillary in the general.
Trump is too dangerous to allow to be president. This issue is unprecedented and demands the suspension of your values in order to stop the greater evil.
True. Donald Trump is too dangerous and should not be elected President. If you're in the center or on the Left, you will probably agree with this. If you disagree, you might not actually be on the left side of the political spectrum. However, Donald Trump is certainly not unprecedented. Abroad, he reminds Italians of Silvio Berlusconi. At home, Barry Goldwater supported the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam. Or, we might remember the foreign policy blunder of the Iraq War, which killed over 500,000 people and lead to the creation of ISIS. The amnesia is astounding.
Sanders needs to reign in his supporters. They are disgusting, selfish, sore losers who just can't admit that they can't have what they want. They are children who can't admit when they are beat. Their booing and jeering is causing a split in the Party. Their uproars and disruptions are demonstrating weakness in a time when we need Party unity.
Because calling the people you supposedly need to court disgusting is certainly the best way to win them over. People love being called disgusting and selfish.
As Emmet Rensin points out, this behavior is strange and paradoxical: Sanders supporters are painted as threats to the Party who will hand this election to Trump while they are simultaneously a minority force to be laughed at and dismissed. They are a force that does not need to be taken seriously, yet the threat is serious enough to warrant a ton of coverage. The question this attitude asks is not: Why is there so much discontent in the Party, but why are they doing this to us?
Meanwhile, the protestors outside the convention, whose number is much greater than the protestors found at the RNC, are being kept behind high barricades. It almost looks like the wall Donald Trump promises to build, but that might just be my dark sense of humor.
It's quite interesting to see otherwise calm people rage at Sanders supporters for throwing an election that hasn't happened yet. They point to Ralph Nader in 2000. They laugh at the supporters who have thrown their support behind Jill Stein. Again, the question is not: What causes people to make such decisions, but why are these fools so foolish? Don't they know what's good for them?
This ignores the material conditions in which people make their political decisions. Critics assume that all Bernie supporters are white and privileged and they can afford to live under four years of Trump. "People of color and women will all suffer under Trump, but you'll be just fine." Never mind the people of color and the women and children who have suffered from the perils of regime change and the humming of drones. It also ignores the year of rhetorical hyperbole from the liberal media where Donald Trump has been painted as an existential threat that no one will survive. It ignores the obvious fact that not all Bernie supporters are white men. Many of them are women. Many of them are people of color.
What drives this disdain for the Left, those who liberals should supposedly be in solidarity with? It's usually not the moral reasoning. Most liberals would agree with helping the poor, addressing terrible race relations, and a general reformation of the voting process. But, maybe it is the moral reasoning. It is not that the Left and liberals disagree on the moral issues, it's that the Left doesn't put them aside when it comes to policy and platform. All know and agree when something is unjust, the Left just doesn't know when to shut up about it.
And, that's the wedge. It's easy to have disdain for the Right because we can feel they are ludicrous and always unjust. But, for liberals, those farther Left are a reminder of a vision that they agree with in principle, but fail to adopt when given the opportunity. They might be forced to admit they agree with the principle but won't act. Or, they actually don't agree with the principles which means they no longer have the moral high ground which bound them together against the Right. I don't think they can handle the dissonance that creates.
The Right does not seem to have this issue. Those in the center usually capitulate to those further on the Right. You only need to look at the government shutdown and the advent of the Tea Party to see evidence of this tendency. Yet, on the Left, it is those further left who need to capitulate to those in the center. And, this is only done to capitulate to those further right than they. This is why the Democrats can run a candidate and platform that is supposedly progressive, but lacks support for a single payer health care system, is not critical of the TPP, and does not even mention the word fracking (to be fair, it does advocate for a $15/hour minimum wage and treats gun violence as a public health issue).
One of the great successes of Hillary Clinton's campaign was not its platform. Her platform was basically: "Well, at least I'm not that lunatic." This is the reason Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders threw their support behind Clinton. Why Sarah Silverman, who originally supported Sanders, can call Bernie-or-Busters ridiculous. And, why Elizabeth Banks can make a speech comparing Trump to the dystopian world of The Hunger Games. It is all to stop Trump, the harbinger of the end of days.
The great success of Hilary Clinton's campaign was its ability to pit feminism against socialism. It made the Left, socialist supporters look like sexist assholes; Bernie Bros who don't like Hillary because she's a woman. And, it separated the feminist movement from it's engagement with class relations. It articulated feminism not as a collective movement about the liberation of women from both oppressive social and labor conditions but as a project of neoliberalism: trickle down feminism we just need to lean into.
"It's Hillary Clinton's turn. It's time we had a woman in charge and voting for her is a feminist act."
But by that logic, voting for Sarah Palin, for Michele Bachmann, for Marine Le Pen, or for Margaret Thatcher is also a feminist act.
"Hillary Clinton is going to shatter the glass ceiling and demonstrate that a women will be capable of leading a nation."
I'm sure the election of Hillary Clinton will not end sexism in America any more than the election of Barack Obama ended racism.
"Hillary Clinton will be an inspiration to girls everywhere, proving that, they too, can lead nations"
Yes, Hillary Clinton will inspire girls everywhere, proving that, they too, can grow up to drop bombs on people.
The defense of Hillary Clinton's record and character misses one crucial point: Hillary Clinton does not need us to defend her from sexism. As one of the most powerful women in the world, she is insulated (not immune) from much of its effects. She still managed to become an influential lawyer. She still managed to be an influential First Lady when Bill was governor and president. She and Bill have always been regarded as a power team. She still managed to be a powerful senator and a powerful secretary of state. She did this despite the ridiculous amount of sexism facing her. And, I'm sure she won't lose any sleep over my criticism of her either.
One of the great powers of Clinton is her ability to inspire thousands of tepid defenses of her right to make obscene amounts of money from the very structures she vows to dismantle and then getting to call criticisms "hating the player, not the game" as if she doesn't actively (as a political actor) have a hand in making the rules of the game herself! This is why we can paint the mythical Bernie Bro as sexist and the protestors at the DNC as sore losers. It turns their valid criticisms of Clinton's political history into character assassinations. It turns their rightful criticism of a Party that has ignored them into a political spectacle where the protestors are the Fools.
Donald Trump is the personification of America's narcissism and the most extreme hubris of American exceptionalism. I don't want him to be president. But, there is something extremely wrong with voting based on fear. It only encourages us to cast votes to avoid trouble instead of casting votes to create conditions where such trouble will not arise. Hillary Clinton is not immune to the hubris of American exceptionalism either. It takes hubris, after all, to claim that America "has never stopped being great" while running a progressive platform. Spoiler alert: This is not a progressive attitude.
There is also something wrong with painting any criticism of Trump as support for Clinton and painting any sort of dissent against Clinton as the creation of an existential crisis that will only help Trump get elected. This is the result of the two-party system which turns everything into a zero-sum crisis. It ignores the fact that on November 8, 2016, most Americans will go to the polls to decide between two individuals who are completely out of touch with the lives of everyday people.
And, perhaps that's what the Left is fed up with. The false choices dressed up as empowerment. I am told that my only two options are an overblown, fascist Cheetoh and a neoliberal war hawk. While we might call one the lesser evil of the two, it doesn't mean the lesser evil is not still evil. To me, neither of them are good options and I don't quite understand why they are appealing options to so many.
I will most likely vote for Hillary Clinton in November. But, do not tell me that this is empowering or that it will be good for America or the world. Do not tell me that I should feel good about this choice because I've averted us from some crisis. That is neoliberal thinking at its finest: the idea that I, one individual, have the power to swing the world between good and evil, the Light Side and the Dark Side, with the mere checking of a box. That is a false sense of power and we should not be seduced by it.


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Louis Hovey Sharp (1874-1946)
Nicolai Fechin Art for sale. Charcoals, Drawings, Paintings at Parsons in Taos
Louis Hovey Sharp (1874-1946) Highest Auction Prices
"The Grand Canyon" Price: $15,680
"The Inner George, From Plateau, Gand Canyon" Price: $12,880
"Grand Canyon 1913" Price: $8,050
"The Rim Pinon" Price: $6,600
"Grand Canyon at dusk" Price: $6,100
"Two Native Americans at the Grand Canyon" Price: $5,581
"California Sunset" Price: $5,500
"Monterey coastal" Price: $5,463
"Desert Beauty" Price: $4,950
"Grand Canyon" Price: $4,880
Fine Art prices have risen steadily. Please contact the Gallery for the latest prices and current inventory.
Parsons does not offer Louis Hovey Sharp prints, because no print can compare to the real paintings.
Parsons invites you to visit the Galleries to experience the unmatched beauty of the real art.
For more infomation Contact us at: firstname.lastname@example.com
To visit our other gallery Parsons Fine Art go to our website: parsonsart.com
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Former Astro Hunter Pence. Former Astro Hunter Pence is still a pretty nice MLB outfielder. The now veteran member of the San Francisco Giants and wearer of a World Series ring as another result of his departure from the Astros will never reach the Hall of Fame for his playing ability, but he may receive mention there someday as the player who inspired the Bobble Head industry to a new realm of possibility. Thanks to Maryland friend, fellow SABR member, and frequent contributor to The Pecan Park Eagle, Bill Hickman, we have now learned Pence is now part of a change that is setting the technology souvenir industry on it's "new revenue stream" ear. – Because of his field-level fidgeting, Hunter Pence is now out there as the first model for the "Bobble Body" figure. Who knows? Maybe Carlos Gomez has a future as the model for the first Bobble Helmet Loser every time a fan checks to see what he can do with the figurine? In the meanwhile, thanks to Bill Hickman, here's the link to Hunter Pence's novel contribution:
Keuchel and McHugh. Last year, these guys won 39 combined total games for the Astros. This year, they've each won 8 games each through all games of Friday, 8/26/16. Although the club's downtown in 2016 is due to many things, it isn't hard to see this one difference maker from 2015. Had Keuchel abd McHugh been able to perform again at their last year levels in 2016, it isn't hard to figure from their downturns alone why the Astros are not up there battling the Rangers for first place.
The Astros Inability to Beat the Rangers. Here's another single-bullet postulation. Had the Astros, at least or better, been able to play .500 ball in their head-to-heads with the Rangers in 2016, guess where they would be in the standings today. What happened? See Keuchel and McHugh, dead bats, poor relief, poor fundamental play, and a psyched-out sort of competitive deadness that seems to takeover whenever the opposition is the Rangers.
The Carlos Gomez Move to a New Team-Reflex HR He Hit in His First AB for the Rangers. When Carlos Gomez bopped a 3-run homer in his first time up for the Rangers this past week, the news was about as surprising as the gaseous aftermath that occurs in the human body after eating too many beans. It's just the way the athletic ego works when a guy plays miserably, gets cut, and then signs with his former club's biggest rival. – "In your faces, Astros! – This one's for you!" It probably is little more than Gomez's death rattle protest to his declining skills. A quick glance at his last at bat in hat slaughterhouse loss that the Rangers absorbed at home against the Indians last night is our only TV-peek time to see him "perform" for that team "up north", so far. He struck out wildly, looking bad on several other pitches along the way. He looked liked the same old Carlos Gomez that we came to expect at the plate here in Houston. Of course, that doesn't mean that he will not have a few stink bombs left for his first direct competition as a Ranger against the Astros when they next meet. According to this ancient baseball superstition, you can almost count on him doing something to inflict pain on the club that let him go.
"It Ain't Over – Til it's Over!" How many times in MLB history has a home team fallen behind in the top of the 9th by a visiting team's solo shot homer, and the come back in the bottom of the 9th to win the game on back-to-back home team solo homers? We have no idea. Perhaps, you do. If so, please let the rest of us know. Watching the game last night come down to the end is one of the best arguments we've ever witnessed that spoke so loudly for the Wisdom Yogi: "It Ain't Over – Til it's Over!"
A Blip on the EKG That is Now Attached to the Astros' Team Heart. Was last night's back-to-back 9th inning homer win over the Rays simply s blip on the playoff-heart EKG machine – or was it a sign of a dramatic late season resuscitation of heart and performance that shall now carry the Astros into the Playoffs and a longer-remembered history of last night's comeback drama? We are about to find out, one day at a time, and starting with Saturday Night's 6:00 PM game at Minute Maid Park against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Go Astros! Let's make it happen!


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Policy Towards Persons with Disabilities: From Social Legislation to Legislating Rights
Author: Arik Rimmerman, Shirlee Avrami, Tal Artman-Bergman
Policy Research
August 16, 2007
A historical review of policy shows that over the years there have been significant changes in the approach of both society and government towards people with disabilities.
In general, policy and legislation can be divided into three main periods:
- From the establishment of the State until the 1970s. Policy and legislation were social and based on a bio-medical model and on the source of the disability for determining benefit levels or specific services;
- From 1970 until 1995. In both policy and legislation there was recognition of the need to assimilate people with disabilities into the community.
- From 1995 until now. Policy is based on legislation of equal rights for people with disabilities and on the rights of the individual with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of life and society.
This paper deals with the shaping of policy and legislation regarding those with disabilities.
This paper appears as a chapter in the book Formulating Social Policy in Israel, Uri Aviram, Johnny Gal and Yosef Katan (editors).
This paper is in Hebrew only.


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I have been thinking of my love for To Do lists. I use Evernote on both my phone and laptop to keep track of the sewing projects I'd like to make. I sometimes sneak in knitting onto the list, too, but for the most part, it's just sewing. It ranges from gifts to multi-piece costumes to sewcialist group sewing.
I tend to buy fabric for the things on my list and again, for the most part, I keep to my list. I can get really distracted from the list sometimes, buying a piece of fabric that has to come live with me but when I remind myself of my to do list I tend to stay on task. The thing I like about my lists is that I will go through them during times when I can't sew and re-evaluate my interest in the projects. Sometimes what seems like an exciting project will, upon reflection, get deleted from the list.
The thing I really need lists for are gifts I intend to make. I don't do a ton of selfless sewing/knitting/crafting so when I have an idea for someone, it has to be on a list so I have a constant reminder of my lofty intentions.
I just finished a Jayne hat for my cousin that was promised to her last summer…but, I'm proud to say that it stayed at the top of the gift-to-do list and didn't land at the bottom even though I have a couple of other gifts that I recently added that are going to be more interesting than that hat. But, I mean, what am I talking about- the Jayne hat is done! And checked off the list!
I know I've asked this before, but how do you keep track of your sewcial sewing, your gift sewing and your own sewing? Do you find yourself prioritizing based on anything? Would you make something for someone who will appreciate it more first just cos they'll appreciate it more? I've been caught in that web.
Have a great week! I need to get back to my to do list!


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Listing + Gifting unite
We both are avid list-makers. Whether it's on our phones (shopping lists, music to download, restaurants to try) or in our Moleskine calendars (what books we've read), we are keeping track of shit.
Why not record your whole life through categorized lists? You're already doing it anyway. Lisa Nola's suite of list-inspired journals from Chronicle Books are a great gift idea for groups or individuals. Just so happens that the way I ended up group gifting this was a lot of fun. Right before we moved out, I got all my senior-year roommates in college a copy of this journal and we sat around and went through it, each filling in details and telling stories as we went along. It's a great memory in itself. The journal still has some areas that need filling in… get the wine flowing and the pen ready!


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so, to escape the chaos of post-feast, mom and i drove over to the next town to the craft store. neither of us "needed" anything, but you know how it is when you have a coupon burning a hole in your purse.
it seems i've already bought every kind of sock yarn the craft store sells, and they didn't have a colorway i wanted to knit. BUT, the vanna's choice yarn by lionbrand was on sale for $2.49/ball, and then with the 30% off, was about $1.75/ball. SOLD!
y'all know i'm not a yarn snob. and if you notice the colorful heart that has been in my sidebar for years, i do have an affinity for acrylic. the vanna's choice comes in such great colors, "sophisticated" colors. and, it comes in tweeds!
the pattern is by Patons. it's from the booklet, Patons #500838, Next Steps Three. i like this book because it's more of a recipe book, full of mix & match. the little pattern booklet was about $5. it's around 75 pages, with variations of vests and sweaters, but all cardigans. it's all written for using their yarn of course, in the shetland chunky solid or tweed. my craft store did have the yarn, but not a colorway i wanted, and it was not on sale. thus, the vanna's choice.
the vanna's choice is smaller in gauge, so i did my swatch and decided to go with the size small, which will yield a sweater with maybe 1" of positive ease. i've not yet decided if i'm going to do the collar or not. i might just finish the crew neck with ribbing.
regardless, i need someone to keep me honest and on track with the project! i am enjoying the knitting. it's kinda mindless. i have the back done, and parts of the fronts finished.
and the sock knitting will surely get in the way at some point. wednesday is the 1st, which means i could cast on another sock for SKA. BUT i want to finish my acrylic cardigan!
i found this quite enjoyable today, particularly the last paragraph.


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**January 5th, 2011 - Los Alamitos, CA **- The new "Main Set" jacket collection from Roland Sands Design combines tradition with functionality and style. Think classic lines, with subtle features to make it uniquely RSD. With forward rotated, pre-curved sleeves, adjustable waistband and shoulder gussets for mobility the Hesher is a rider's jacket, with reinforced double-layer elbows and heavy duck fabric bringing a good dose of protection.
With a water repellent finish, the choice of heavy cotton canvas makes sense, says Sands. "Everybody has a version of the black leather jacket, so we brought heavy duck canvas into the mix. It works as functional riding gear, or perfect as an everyday jacket," he adds.
Of course plenty of people will insist on leather, so RSD has those traditionalists covered, too. "The leather we use for our jackets is all A-grade, with natural distressing to ensure the perfect 'broken in' feel," explains Sands. Add to that armor-ready pockets, full adjustability and performance riding fit, the dirt track-styled "Mission" and the neoclassic "Rocker" have you covered. Comprised of four styles and three colors in all, the Main Set is ready to rock in the New Year.
The HESHER
• Heavy duck canvas lets the Hesher rock
• Water repellent 14.75-ounce canvas construction
• Available in Black or Khaki, sizes M - 3XL
The LAZY BOY
• Cafe fit and function, heavy duck durability
• Water repellent 14.75-ounce canvas construction
• Available in Black or Khaki, sizes M - 3XL
The MISSION
American dirt track-style and performance
1.2mm genuine cowhide construction
Available in Black or Charcoal/Black, sizes M - 3XL
The ROCKER
• The name says it all. Ton-up style!
• Distressed 1.2mm cowhide exterior with satin liner
• Available in Black, sizes M - 3XL
The Main Set jackets are just a part of the 2012 Roland Sands Design collection. RSD offers a comprehensive collection of jackets in leather, heavy duck and waxed canvas; T-shirts; headwear; thermals and hoodies. the 2012 RSD apparel line has something for every enthusiast. "The RSD line is riding gear built with a parallel of fashion and function," says Sands.
The entire Main Set will be on display in Booth #1627 during the Dealer Expo. However it you can't wait until February, get an advance look at **www.rolandsands.com**. Remember, RSD gear is available through authorized RSD dealers and riding friendly stores only.
Roland Sands was just 5 years old when his parents first put him on a motorcycle, and there has been no stopping him ever since! His love of speed on two wheels took him to the professional racing ranks for 10 years. He set multiple track records around the world and was the 1998 American Motorcyclist Association 250GP champion. However, 32 broken bones later, Roland decided to trade in his racing leathers for paper, pencil and a computer designing products for noted motorcycle wheel manufacturer, Performance Machine.
He founded RSD in 2005 and continues to shake up the motorcycle industry to this very day. Roland and his bikes have been featured in more than 400 magazine articles worldwide, including 100+ cover stories. RSD projects have also appeared on television segments broadcast on MTV, SPEED Channel, ESPN2, Discovery Channel and the TLC networks.
RSD has worked on custom bike projects with celebrities and athletes (Mickey Rourke's latest motorcycle is in the RSD Design Center right now as well as customized Tony Hawk and Shaun White machines) and major projects with industry leaders, including Harley-Davidson, Aprilia, Bell Helmets, Ducati, Dunlop, Honda, Toyota, Vance & Hines, Victory and Yamaha just to name a few.


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A presidential aspirant, Prof. Olufunmilayo Adesanya-Davies, has said she will contest under the Peoples Democratic Party.
Adesanya-Davies, who is a Professor of Language and Communication Arts at the Rivers State University of Education, pleaded with the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, to ensure that candidates emerge through free, fair and credible primaries.
According to her, such primaries should have credible processes to allow for quality outcome, so that PDP will not lose out but produce popular and credible candidates and have landslide victory in 2019 general elections.
The don, who is from Ira, Kwara State, spoke via a statement made available to journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday.
She advised party delegates and electorate to concentrate on the background, personality, integrity and credibility of the individual contestants/candidates rather than on money politics, ethnic, religion, gender or even political platform, as they choose their candidates.
She said good leadership, with sacrificial mind, as well as great concerns for the future are lacking in the nation.
She said leaders should demonstrate certain level of intelligence, discretion, maturity and civility; while focus, consistency, loyalty and tenacity should be the watchword and pride of all leaders.
She added that leaders should be without selfishness and greed.
Adesanya-Davies said, "On the deteriorating state of our economy, to transform the country, proper consultation and co-ordination toward industrialisation and diversification are the way forward for the country.
"We need to fix power to be at par with oil. Nigeria, a very blessed, rich and enviable country currently being a consuming economy would have to stop. Entrepreneurship, mind-set skills to strengthen the youths and encourage skills acquisition for women, with a view to empowering the nation, is vital.
"Again, when the woman, the mother is empowered, the whole nation prospers.
"I am aspiring to be the next president of Nigeria. I am out to put laughter and joy on the faces of all Nigerians. The tension is getting too much. The agenda is almost fully mapped out.
"Moreover, we have paid the price in Kwara State as the 'State of Harmony' and it is going to happen from the North Central by the grace and mercy of the Almighty God."


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More Letters to the Editor
I was shocked to read the recent guest column by state Attorney General Rob McKenna regarding HB1873. He states that this bill will take money away from a child or spouse, when in fact a parent could only take legal action if there is no spouse or child. He compares Washington 's tort to Idaho's and Oregon's. Of course we would have more lawsuits, our population is larger than those states. He also indicates that Washington will have more lawsuit exposure than any other state -- again untrue. Currently there are 47 other states with more rights than Washington to hold wrongdoers accountable. It is time that we step up and protect our young citizens.
In September of 2006, I lost my 19-year-old son in an industrial accident. He was unmarried and childless.
There were several factors against him that day from unprovided safety devices to mechanical failures. I am unable to seek accountability because any rights I had ended when my son turned 18. Who is his voice then? Who will follow through and make sure that this does not happen to another spouse, sibling or child?
HB1873 is important to me because without accountability for wrongful death of our young unmarried children, who represents them? These young people's lives were stopped short by gross negligence, oversights, lack of safety compliances, criminal offenses, faulty equipment manufacture, parts and device failures, poor equipment maintenance, to name a few. Most were preventable if precautions had been taken to reduce the probability of an accident .
All we are asking is for legislative changes to stop discrimination of young adults and their family's attempts to achieve accountability. Is my son's life meaningless because of his age? He was my futurex
He was precious. His voice deserves to be heard.
Please support HB1873 -- it is the right thing to do.
Ann Millican
My 39-year-old son was killed at his job site when a 2,000-pound wall came crashing down on top of him pinning him underneath. He was the father of three little sons, and a fourth who was born two days after he was killed. This family is devastated. The mother of the two youngest, has crumbled and can no longer care for the children. My oldest son and his wife have stepped in, and are now raising the children. My youngest son is so devastated by his brother's death that he often goes into deep depression and becomes suicidal. It appears that the person who was directly involved with the death, because of a mistake on his part, was an illegal immigrant working at the jobsite.
To this day, all state agencies are covering this fact up and there has been no mention of the state's responsibility in this matter. How many more deaths are unfairly being passed over because of our state's laws, or should I say lack of? The guardians of all four children are receiving money to help raise them. The family however along with the children are left without their camping buddy, paint ball buddy, motorcycle sidekick buddy, business partner, homework helper and in the case of the nieces, her favorite uncle.
My son was living in our home in the Kent area because we needed it brought up to code to sell it. He worked on it weekends, and often in the evening to. His death has put a tremendous hardship on us. Not only have we lost our son, we can't afford to hire anyone to do the job he was doing. This has been two years ago, and our house still is not completed. It sits empty. Since his death, his dad has had major cancer surgery, and can no longer do any of the work himself. Our government and the agencies do not hold themselves accountable for the things they do. Maybe some of them should not take their pay raise this year. Maybe they should look at the hundreds of thousands of dollars in waste that's spent every year for all the red tape and useless disregard of our tax dollars.
I'd like to ask that you please take another look at what our attorney general is trying to get you to buy. It's my understanding this bill addresses only those wrongful deaths.
Karen Anderson
The P-I often reveals our misbegotten priorities simply by putting news articles adjacent. Saving the Sonics (Friday) tops the P-I front page, and beneath it a chilling article, "Rolling with Life's Punches," depicting the increasing number of homeless living in vehicles and being orange-tagged to move. Sometimes when I set the P-I down I have trouble recalling which articles held which quotes. "This is a remarkable window of opportunity and one we cannot pass up," says Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who goes on to talk about a "move to another city" and "the rules changing pretty dramatically." Oh, that's right, he's talking about the Sonics. Maybe it's my advancing age, but it seems the same words can be spoken for Seattle deciding to orange-tag the vehicles of people just trying to survive. When was it decided to tell people who have lived peaceably and safely in their vehicles that time is up? And why? Isn't this just a very visible effort to push these vulnerable folks to another city? Doesn't this put them even more at risk? I know, Seattle gives more to those at risk than any city in the region, for which I say thanks. But with giving comes responsibility and perception, and the perception is: We want the Sonics, we don't want the homeless; we'll build a home for the former with open arms offering more money than we provide to end homelessness, and force the latter to move their vehicles out of town and, lest we forget, sweep them out of their encampments to boot. Sometimes misbegotten priorities stare us in the face on the front page of the daily newspaper. At least the reporters are paying attention. Thanks, P-I.
Bill Kirlin-Hackett
Director, The Interfaith
Task Force on Homelessness
Last year, legislators and Gov. Chris Gregoire laid the foundation for a Family Leave Insurance program to strengthen and support our children, working families, and businesses.
Guest columnist state Rep. Bruce Chandler erroneously claims the program is, "being rushed through without a real debate," and that it "could be funded by the poor working-class folks to give the more prosperous a benefit" (March 4).
In fact, under California's paid family leave program, 63 percent of those taking leave to care for a new child make less than $36,000 annually. And Washington legislators are taking a thoughtful approach, ensuring this important program is done right.
Family leave policy was established in 2007. Details for effective and low cost administration of the program (recommended by a task force of business, labor, family advocates, and legislators -- including Chandler) are in the 2008 Supplemental Budget, along with start-up funding. Long-term financing for benefits will be determined next winter, well before benefits begin in October 2009.
No one should have to choose between keeping their job and taking care of their family. Funding start-up costs now leaves time for a careful, deliberate decision during next year's longer legislative session, ensuring Family Leave Insurance will be ready time in fall 2009.
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
Marilyn Watkins
Economic Opportunity Institute
John Barnett
President, AARP Washington State
Pam Crone
NW Women's Law Center
If it was even possible that Hillary Clinton could surpass Barack Obama's delegate count, I would agree she has the right to go on with this race. However, the math tells us this is impossible even if she won every remaining state to be counted. She has already admitted she would need the superdelegates (party insiders) to win.
Since she will continue to attack Obama (and deviously continue to say John McCain is better than Obama (that's party loyalty?), this gives the people a sense of her true purpose -- to win at all costs.
She will be as divisive as usual caring less about how it affects the Democratic Party or the country. Her insistence the superdelegates should determine who the nominee should be even though the American people have given Obama the most votes and the most delegates is another example of what we could expect if she were to be president. If she doesn't like the rules, she can always change them or use executive privilege to ride roughshod over anyone who gets in her way (shades of the Bush administration).
Voters better think seriously about this when they view the next "attack ads" she will be using against Obama. Each one will be a reminder of how she would rule.
Lola Falstad
After watching "Bagdad ER" I am struck how when I was a child, every night we would watch the evening news with Walter Cronkite. We could trust him; we have no one to trust anymore. The Bush/Cheney dictators have hidden all the tragedy, the deaths, the maiming, the loss of limbs.
How sad to realize Richard Nixon was a better president than George W. Bush. He is hiding this war, we are not even allowed to see the caskets on their way back to be buried. Those people are people are being killed for nothing, nothing! Why are we not going into the streets and calling for his impeachment. How many are going to come back with no limbs? With post-traumatic stress syndrome? He is hiding everything. We are just watching like sheep, as our future generation is being killed off. How sad.
Andy S. Corona
I am so glad to hear that John McCain is against "unilaterally abrogating" standing treaties (Associated Press story, Feb 29).
But these nasty comments came up in the context of the Democratic contenders. I would suggest that before McCain gets too worked up attacking these patriotic citizens, he needs to look closely at his own house for evidence of moral decay.
Under Republican leadership the United States has unilaterally abrogated a number of important treaties, thumbing our nose at the rest of the world.
Given his rhetoric I now expect McCain to publicly declare that if he is elected president, the United States will re-join the Anti Ballistic Missile treaty, which we unilaterally abrogated in 2002 (or is the Republican fascination with playing war more important than blowing up the world)? He should state that the United States will re-join rest of the world under the Kyoto accord -- unless destroying the planet is also part of the Republican plan, as it seems to be under George Bush. Of course there is not much evidence that the Republican Party believes in "Science." Then, can we please restore the right of habeas corpus, unless we want to go down in history as a failed state, transitioning to one of the great barbarian cults of the world. Perhaps the Republican Party does not understand the concept of "Rule of Law" dating back to the year 1679? And, can we abolish torture, close our detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, halt illegal renditions, stop the illegal wiretapping on U.S. citizens, and finally reinstate the United States Army Field Guide code of conduct?
I have heard the George Bush/John McCain Team ignoring these long-established principles, saying they are "defending America" -- but for me, America stands for a sacred set or principles, which have been severely eroded during the past seven years. Can Bush/McCain please explain what high ground the United States has left, untattered, that is worth defending?
Peter Shaw
As a physician who treats asylum seekers who are torture survivors, I applaud columnist Robert Jamieson for recognizing that monkeys in laboratories at the University of Washington also deserve protection from abuse ("Torture of any species is a violation of nature"). Torture leads to significant physical and psychological trauma -- and humans are not alone in suffering resulting emotions such as horror and helplessness.
Several colleagues and I conducted a purely observational study to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in chimpanzees previously used in experimental research and now living in a sanctuary. I was astonished by how many individuals displayed behaviors that overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other trauma-related disorders. Our findings follow multiple other studies demonstrating mental anguish in traumatized animals.
The ethical dilemma might be more complicated if animal experimentation were indispensable. But scientists are increasingly questioning the reliability of animal experimentation. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 92 percent of all drugs that pass preclinical testing on animals fail in human clinical trials. Of the eight percent that receive FDA approval, half are later withdrawn from the market or have significant side effects that were not identified during animal experimentation.
Suffering is a universal experience. It is time for us to widen our circle of compassion and end the horrific animal abuse taking place in experiments at the University of Washington and elsewhere.
Hope Ferdowsian, M.D., M.P.H.
Staff physician
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Washington, D.C.
"Start a small war. Pick a country where there is justification you can jump on, go ahead and invade." Attributed to the neoconservative Dick Cheney.
Michael Ledeen, a neoconservative and champion of George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq once said, "Every 10 years or so, the U.S. needs to pick up some small, crappy little country and throw it against the wall, just to show the world we mean business."
Reagan invaded Grenada in October 1983 with "Operation Urgent Fury" claiming that the small Caribbean island posed an imminent threat to the United States. It is thought Reagan launched this one-sided turkey shoot to distract the American public from the bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon that killed 271 of our troop that Reagan had sent to the Middle East.
In December 1989, George H. W. Bush ordered the invasion of Panama to overthrow Manuel Noriega, the thug who ruled that country. It seemed ironic to many observers who knew that Noriega had been a CIA asset for many years, even though the U.S. knew he was implicated in the drug trade. Many observers thought this campaign was to distract the American public from G. H. Walker's failing domestic policies and the Iran Contra-gate scandal. An estimated three thousand Panamanian civilians died.
The neoconservatives believed that being seen as a commander and chief was necessary to have a successful presidency. They had seen how the Falkland War had boosted the popularity of Margaret Thatcher. As Mickey Herskowitz, who once worked as a ghostwriter for George W. Bush, reported: "They were just absolutely blown away, just enthralled by the scenes of the troops coming back, of the boats, people throwing flowers at (Thatcher) and her getting these standing ovations in Parliament and making these magnificent speeches."
He said of George W. Bush, "He was thinking about invading Iraq in 1999. It was on his mind. He said to me, 'One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as a commander in chief.' And he said, 'My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it.' He said, 'If I have a chance to invade, if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency.' "
Pat Robertson claims Bush told him, "Oh no, we're not going to have any casualties." George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq was supposed to be a short war with an enormous "shock and awe" and few casualties followed by the quick capitulation of Saddam Hussein's army. Ultimately, this war was not about WMD, deposing Saddam or bringing democracy to the Middle East but rather about promoting George W. Bush's political ambitions.
Christian Dewar
Regarding the March 5 letter about townhouses, townhouses can be wonderful, as anyone who knows London, or San Francisco, Boston or Baltimore could tell you.
I think the problem in Seattle is that the lots for them seldom extend street-to-alley or street-to-street. Seattle needs many thousands of townhouses, but I personally would like to see more in historical styles (Vancouver, B.C., has a number of them).
Karen Stevenson