text:
About the Author: Ambassador Mark P. Lagon is Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State and Director of the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
This week I participated in a conference "Overlaps of Prostitution, Migration, and Human Trafficking" in Berne, Switzerland which brought together European government experts from Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Spain to discuss a very hot topic: the relationship between prostitution and human trafficking.
The United States Government believes that prostitution fuels sex trafficking based on solid empirical evidence. It estimates that approximately 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked each year across international borders. (This is not to mention millions more who are trafficking victims who never cross borders.) Two-thirds of these victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation, making trafficking for prostitution the single biggest category of transnational human trafficking.
So, following a December 2002 policy decision, the U.S. Government opposes prostitution and any related activities, as contributing to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. U.S. policy is that these activities are inherently harmful and dehumanizing and should not be regulated as a legitimate form of work for any human being. This view enjoys broad support from a range of those concerned about human trafficking policy.
Sweden also considers prostitution to be harmful. In 1999, Sweden passed a law to criminalize sex buying and pimping (mainly involving men), while decriminalizing the act of prostitution (where women and girls are found).
At about the same time, between 1999 and 2002, several European countries came to the opposite conclusion: Germany and the Netherlands legalized prostitution within a government regulated sector. Other countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland, also regulate prostitution. They argued that regulation could provide prostituted people protection from disease and violence, prevent the involvement of organized crime, and help reduce sex trafficking.
But there was evidence at the Berne conference that more and more people -- and countries -- recognize that where there is legal prostitution, sex trafficking continues to flourish. Conversely, in Sweden, since it made sex buying illegal, there has been a decrease in known human trafficking cases and shrinkage of the commercial sex industry.
The Norwegian National Coordinator for Trafficking Issues, Jan Austad, announced in Berne that later this month, the Norwegian Parliament is set to approve a new law to make it illegal to buy sex or sell people for sex.
After much study, Norway has decided to adopt the Swedish model that emphasizes the harmful impact of prostitution.
Mr. Austad explained that his country was particularly shocked to witness the plight of hundreds of Nigerian women, trafficked into prostitution in Norway under tourist visas.
Eva Biaudet, Special Representative on Combating Human Trafficking for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, gave a keynote address in which she observed: "We have let ourselves off too easy. Prostitution is extremely harmful. People really get traumatized in this…. We are not identifying enough sex trafficking victims within prostitution although there are unacceptable levels of exploitation in prostitution."
It was a dramatic personal statement from this former Minister and Member of Parliament from Finland. Asked how she had come to this conclusion, she explained: "Since I came to the OSCE two years ago, I have been shocked at how big this is, the exploitation of vulnerable migrant women and girls in prostitution, and how no one cares."
Even the representative from the Netherlands said that the legalization of prostitution had not accomplished what it was supposed to. Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, her country's National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, said in candor that: "One of the goals was to get crime out. Did we succeed? I don't think so."
In a worthy step to the Netherlands' credit, earlier this year, the city of Amsterdam closed about one-third of the city's infamous red-light district because legalization and regulation have not dried up sex trafficking, which has continued apace.
It was gratifying to know that as we learn more about the vicious exploitation that occurs in prostitution, and the link between prostitution and sex trafficking, countries are willing to reexamine their legal regimes.
This new information will also impact U.S. approaches, as we work to confront the voracious demand which fuels this dark trade in human beings.
In my concluding remarks, I explained to my European colleagues that the U.S. has developed a strong, bipartisan policy including the following precepts:
-- We need a more victim-centered approach.
-- We need to look for sex trafficking victims among vulnerable populations in prostitution and migrant workers being considered for deportation.
-- We need to realize that prostitution is not victimless.
-- Open prostitution is not a solution to sex trafficking, but provides a guise behind which traffickers can hide.
-- Where prostitution is criminalized, victims must not be blamed or punished; those who traffic or buy them must be.
It was striking that fully four of the six main speakers shared this perspective at a conference hosted by a country -- Switzerland -- whose officials say itself is looking at its legal prostitution regime. Based on experience and prudence, a wave of opinion on behalf of women's welfare, and against violence and victimization, appears to be developing.
John in Greece writes:
I suggest all DipNoters to... hit: http://www.gtipphotos.state.gov/
before we comment on this
Eric in New Mexico writes:
News Item: Female Chimpanzees 'Sell' Sex For Fruit
Telegraph.co.uk ^ | 11/09/2007 | Auslan Cramb
Female chimpanzees 'sell' sex for fruit
By Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent
Last Updated: 4:01pm BST 11/09/2007
Female chimpanzees are "selling" sex to the males that gather the most fruit, according to new research.
Behavioural psychologists found that female chimps mate with the males that give them the most fruit, while male chimps steal "desirable" fruits such as papaya from farms and orchards in a bid to woo potential mates.
Oranges, pineapples and maize are among the most sought after crops, with bananas proving far less popular.
The scientists also discovered that the chimp that gathered the most fruit in the "food-for-sex" trade received more grooming from females than the group's alpha male.
Researchers from Stirling University released their findings after studying the behaviour of chimps in the West African village of Bossou in the Republic of Guinea.
Dr Kimberley Hockings said the findings provided the first evidence of large-scale plant food sharing among chimpanzees with a sexual motive.
Male chimps were also said to be most likely to give food to a female that took part in the most "consortships", where an adult female and male move to the edge of the community where the male enjoys exclusive mating access.
Dr Hockings added: "It is unusual behaviour as even though the major part of chimpanzees' diets consists of plant foods, wild plant food sharing occurs infrequently.
advertisement"The male who shared the most food engaged in more consortships and received more grooming than the other males, even the alpha male.
"Therefore the male chimpanzees appear to be 'showing off' and trading their forbidden fruit for other currencies, for example 'food-for-sex' and 'food-for-grooming'.
"In humans, the pursuit of certain foods is also strongly sex-biased. For example, it has been proposed that men in hunter-gatherer societies acquire large and risky-to-obtain food packages to garner attention.
"This research shows that chimpanzees at Bossou use crop-raiding as an opportunity to obtain and share desirable foods, providing further insights into the evolutionary basis of human food sharing."
The wild chimpanzee population has declined by more than two-thirds over the last 30 years, with around 200,000 left in the wild.
Chimpanzee habitats have suffered from deforestation, while poaching, disease and capture for the pet trade have also contributed to a drop in numbers.
The group's findings, following research by scientists from Stirling and from universities in England, Portugal, the USA and Japan, are published in the online jounral PLoS One from the Public Library of Science.
Well, that's humanity for ya!
And a profession older than humanity itself.
Is the trade "dehumanizing" or is it the lack of worker's rights and civil liberties that makes it so?
Apparently we haven't evolved as much as we pretend.
-- from the Literary Disaster Master's Free Press--
"Going Bannanas"
Poetry in motion,
Simmian diplomats
Smile without teeth.
A Planet of the Apes
Same as we ever were,
Talking monkeys, whores and thieves.
We may create reality
Yet to escape ourselves.
The sands of time
Speak to the nature of things.
No strangers to duality
Seeking sanctuary at a price.
The oneness of being at the going rate
Cheapens the experience.
Knuckles dragging, he pondered his lot
She would take no bannanas today.
- Forrest Chump
Jonathan in Texas writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico -- Nice post.
My stance is I feel prostitution between two people of age is victimless. There is an exchange like buying something at a store it just so happens that people feel it is wrong. There is no wrong here only morally wrong for people. So what is morally wrong in the U.S.? People want to argue about morals but you know our morals are so funny. The U.S. wants to argue about prostitution being morally wrong but they also feel that it is "unfortunate" that civilians get killed when we attack a village overseas while going after a single terrorist. 1 terrorist to 40 civilians? What kind of morals does the U.S. have? I can already hear people staying..."Oh wait, we're protecting the country from terrorists and protecting our morals from sexual exploitation." Those people are full of....
I feel exploiting a child is wrong and there should be severe penalties against that. I cannot make the same argument for exploiting a child because that has always been morally wrong in anyone's eyes.
John in Greece writes:
@ Jonathan in Texas -- I felt a bit dizzy after reading your post! Maybe I should also use "both hands" in my keyboard.
What prostitution has to do with the "1 terrorist to 40 civilians"? and the "village overseas"?
Dear Jonathan,
If you knew the "overseas", you would easily see that sometimes a "village" is a "city", cause this one guy is "both" the city and the village and it goes. After the village, he can easily buy the "city". And then he can make a Capital that will be used to keep on buying other villages!
All of which is MAFIA! At any form?
I am not so sure about what Eric says, because it's among one best of his best "crypto" posts, but I think that he is attempting to tell us something like this:
This is real life, unfortunately!
You got the fruit, I got the honey.
Best regards Jonathan. It's wonderful to have you in the Blog. Keep on posting...
SNP in Syria writes:
DIPNOTE, where are the other dozen, well informative missing posts, got to call you DIPCENSOR.
Legal prostitution, they already have it in Islamic Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. They call it Muttah Marriage for cover. Would this being legal qualify it for tax write-off as business expense, client entertainment perhaps, like luncheon bill? Just imagine if it can pass how booming this business will be. Abduls will give up the gas station and convenient store business and start new cartel with Ehud and Emanuel the common business partners. Here is your peace treaty. LOVE and FLOWER POWER does it again for peace.
DipNote Bloggers write:
@ SNP in Syria -- This is a moderated blog. Here is DipNote's comment policy.
Kirk in Kentucky writes:
Ah yes, prostitution, the worlds oldest profession and women's first renewable resource. I was initially reluctant to comment on this article because of the general inanity of putting any stock behind the pendulum of social causes which will only swing back the other way in 5, 10, or 15 years. The opposition is always more organized than the established.
This article details what is very much a populist stance, irking those of a more liberal nature and satisfying those of a more conservative, and usually, religious stripe. Despite the general loss of power, the Christian establishment and mind set still holds enough sway to dictate social mores and norms. Even without the establisment, social values have a long half-life. In most Islamic countries, and Israel, the established religious tradition still dominates the minds of the people and sculpts their laws. In Saudi Arabia you can't even look at another woman with out the moral police taking notice. What ever prostitution goes on there is deep underground, so maybe we should adopt those standards?
The important thing is to divide the act of prostitution from the act of human trafficking. Though they are causal, they are two different animals. To say "prostitution fuels sex trafficking based on solid empirical evidence" is akin to saying good jobs in the U.S. fuels illegal immigration from Mexico based on solid empirical evidence. When ever you open up a market and profits soar people are going to move their business to that area.
It is the inability of governments to regulate the market and their borders that causes human trafficking, not prostitution. It is what happened when the sub-prime loan market went bust and tanked the world economy. Now we are going to see lots of legislation aimed at re-establishing strict regulation- but criminalizing the sale of one paper good for another has never crossed the minds of the public, mainly because it lacks the stigma. Though the original "sin" lies with those who specialize in the vile act of human trafficking, the ultimate responsibility and fault rests on the shoulders of the governments. Who let's "hundreds of Nigerian women" through their borders on guest visas with out enough investigation to ascertain what they are really visiting for? Dipnote just had a post about consular agents visiting the homes of applicants; is Norway being as thorough? For those who say that keeping track of the thousands of people streaming in and out of their country is too difficult, I say, you're probably right. If a government can't regulate the back-lash of illegal activities that comes from economic opportunity, then perhaps prostitution should be criminalized, but let's remember why that is instead of blanketing it in moral dogma.
Look at the inherent sexism in the statement that pimps and johns will be charged but prostitutes will not. Why not? They are participating in a crime as well. Unless there is concrete evidence that shows this woman has been kidnapped and forced into the trade, she is acting upon her own free will and motivated by the same goal as the pimp: monetary desire. And to think that women engage in prostitution only because they are poor and driven to it is antiquated and naive. I've known plenty of women (though I haven't "known" them in the, uh, biblical sense) who would prefer to lay on their back for an hour and make $150 than stand on their feet in a factory for 9. And some women enjoy not only the act but also being the object of sexual desire. In social sciences, women who are more sexually aggressive (and enjoy the benefits thereof) are viewed with disdain by those who are not, just as the alpha male is viewed through envious eyes by the men less fortunate. As the pyramid of social order has only room for a few at the top, those beneath organize their collective power to hinder the actions of the elite, or in this case, more sexually un-inhibited. In the book Freakonomics, the author breaks down the ratio of income of prostitutes and lawyers in one city and discovered that, by ratio, prostitutes make more money. Which is no wonder, and bit amusing, that some lawyers visit prostitutes and then pass laws against them.
Those who state that prostitution is dehumanizing are expressing an opinion, not a fact. Sometimes it is, sometimes it is not. Now, being tricked, beaten, and terrorized into a sexual act IS, and those who perpetrate those crimes are the worst sort of villain. That is what we should focus our energy on. But the exchange of goods for physical pleasure is built into our very fabric and transcends humans, mammals, and into the larger sphere of life. Humans have never been a strictly monogamous creature and never will be.
Criminalizing and ruthlessly punishing human traffickers makes sense and creates a safer world. Prohibiting what two consenting adults do behind closed doors is absurd.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ John in Greece, Jonathan in Texas, Aside from the occasional street level epiphany..(chuckle), I'm not one to judge where the fine line of mating ritual ends and prostitution begins.
Here, you can try this at home....greet your better half with a pound of chocolate when you come home from work today and see what happens.
Let's just call it a social experiment....shall we?
John in Greece writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico
"When it comes to love, I want a "RICH" hand...) Unfortunately, you're right Eric! But, I will personally stick by the Pointer Sisters... dreaming the "Slow Hand".
OK! No more poetry -- for now. You have a fair and strong point, concerning the social-human component of the issue: relationships between men and women, which is great though! (this real life!)
Nevertheless, there is also the "political" and I fear the "intel" parameter of the story, which is not so romantic.
You know better than me that illegal, black money (sexual "contacts" too) can easily become "intel" and then "power"... and "politics".
That's why I am against prostitution. Especially, in our days, when trafficking and its "next step" (prostitution) has an ex-KGB "tattoo" in the girl or the boy that she/he sells his/her soul to Devil without a "will".
I live in a country where prostitution is legal. But is it really "legal"? as long as there is ALSO prostitution that it's NOT LEGAL?
So, why to have this "trade" legal, if many "guys" here in Greece, everywhere, (Russian mafia, Albanian mafia, Romanian mafia etc.) exercise it illegal within a "legal platform" that the Law offers? (a bit of crazy... and dizzy point?)
I will try to explain my thoughts in a few more words, although the issue is complicated.
I try to respect that everyone has the right to administrate his/her body the way he chooses -- and I am not so sure about this either -- but can we respect this "sort of right", when it creates victims, trafficking and sends "souls to Hell", even if legal -- or illegal- prostitutes do not know or understand what their initially trade stance produces?
And! can we let this "trade""create" power for people that will make it politics?
Russian ex-KGB mafia (ex-communistic countries' mafia as well) does not care whether prostitution is legal or not, because they practice it anyway... in an illegal way. Even where the law platform permits the legalization of prostitution.
And then, it becomes very difficult to trace the "black" in the "white" velvet, or the "white" in the "black" one. You see guys, according to my opinion, it's easier to detect black or white when you have to deal with only one color background, rather than two "law speeds" of NO enforcement at all.
Also, please, think of something else DipNoters: Why the only country that cares and runs programs concerning "trafficking in persons" (which regularly becomes prostitution) is the U.S.A.? Why all the other countries (Russia, China, ex-soviet Democracies etc.) do NOTHING AT ALL concerning the issue?
Anna in Washington, DC writes:
I don't know where to begin. Sometimes society can determine that something is "wrong." It is okay to say prostitution is wrong.
Think about it this way, who would want to live next door to a brothel? Or who would want his daughter to grow up to become a prostitute?
Why legitimize an industry that is demeaning to women (it is), presents public health issues (regulating it will solve this, really?), and is linked to criminal enterprise? Legalizing prostitution will not solve these issues. Legitimizing the sex industry is a slippery slope, a path society should not be encouraged to follow.
Susan in Florida writes:
With the exception of Anna in D.C., what incredibly callous and inane comments on such a serious and sad subject. Some thoughts... we are NOT chimps chasing fruit (chuckle,chuckle), anyone who sells themselves for any reason has reached the bottom -- their nihilistic view of life is beyond sad, the degradation of another human being is "our" problem -- no man, or woman or child, is an island. What happens to one, happens to us all.
Kirk in Kentucky writes:
PART 2. (See Part 1 above).
Now imagined if you opened the paper tomorrow and the headlines read that fifty percent of the population decided that cooking for others was dehumanizing and they were going to shut down all the restaurants in the city. When it comes to an industry that services your needs, you may end up with a different perspective. Now, I'm not trying to equate cooking some one some food with having sex. But, I am trying to highlight the fact that a lot of men feel the need to mate as tangibly as the need to eat a hearty meal.
Women often pair the act of sex with things like safety, intimacy, security, and love, and men do, too, especially in the ideal situation of two people who love each other. But, as men were designed to have as much sex with as many women as possible, there is also very much a mechanical element and emotional distance in the act.
Which is why, on one hand, it is so easy to trick a man into doing things for the sake of sex, and the other, why some men commit such atrocities to satisfy their lusts. Now, there is the power complex that factors into such things, but that is only a minor physical drive and more of a character weakness. These are not excuses for the male behavior, but they are reasons. Life is competition, not every one can be a winner, and not every boy gets the girl. As long as there are wants in the world there will be some one who will profit off those wants. In a idealized and romantic world every person would find that special some one and they'd live happily ever after. But this is the real world where people pay for their pleasures. Thus the age old profession of prostitution and all the good and ill that comes with it.
On the other side of gender issue, women use their sexual lures all the time to get what they want, it's built into the very essence of the mating process. It may not be for cold hard cash, but a women uses her sexuality to bag the man who will be the bring the most to the table. Whether he's got a nice car, a good job, or just knows how to make her laugh, the woman puts her assets to work to get what she wants. Now I applaud a woman standing up for her sisters, to challenge others to treat women well and to champion the cause of the down trodden. But when it comes to legal prostitution, I sometimes wonder if there isn't smidgen of tactical craftiness underlying their motives. Women who are willing to accept money for sexual services are a threat to the average woman who will not and so must jealously guard the available stock of men. Perhaps so, maybe not.
On one last note. Despite the stigma and distaste this profession has been given, many women have risen to power through that avenue. In a strict male-dominated society, the courtesan Ninon De Laclos maintained her independence and garnered much wealth and power. At her height of fame, mothers from all over the land sent their boys to her to be instructed in the ways of the female persuasion. The Chinese Empress Hu was first a royal concubine. There are countless examples of women succeeding by using their talents in a role that most find demeaning. I'm not glorifying the profession but there is definitely a symbiotic relations for both genders regarding prostitution.
It would disingenuous to paint such a rosy picture without addressing the original cause of this article. Which is the effect that legalized prostitution has had on trafficking persons. As much as I think it is a viable occupation and if it's not respected, then at least accepted, there is no denying the data we have before us.
Just like alcohol, smoking, and gambling and other "vices", if the infrastructure is not strengthened to handle the ensuing criminal activities that crop up around it, something must be done. Whether that's really the case here, or this is just a manipulation of data to support a moral stance, I don't know. But one thing is for sure, even for the access to all the earthly delights that can be found between a man and a woman (even if you have to pay for it), if it costs one innocent their dignity and wholeness, it is a cost we cannot afford.
Ladies, I probably haven't changed your mind on the issue any but I do hope I managed to bring a little perspective to the table. I'm looking forward to your future contributions.
Kirk in Kentucky writes:
PART 1. (Part 2 below)
@ Susan in Florida
@ Anna in Washington
Ladies, thanks for providing your insight and perspective on this topic. Sometimes we need voices like yours to "re-humanize" a subject that is often dehumanized. As is plain from the comments, men and women approach this topic in very different fashions.
I would like to make a few rebuttals to some of your statements, but first I'll say this: on this stance, at least, I think we stand together. When ever people of the world are repressed, when ever they are exploited like commodities and stripped of their humanity, it is our duty to reach out our hands the help them up. As citizens of the free world it is incumbent upon us to be Champions for those who cry out for salvation. To treat others with respect and dignity, to assist them to find a measure of happiness in life and protect them from predators of any stripe, that is the first order of business. We need to protect the innocent until they can protect themselves. Those in the slave industry who traffic unwilling participants are the vilest of scum and we should never cease in our efforts to hunt them down like dogs until they've nowhere else on the planet to run. To that end, I wholly support the initiatives of our Department of State, and others, to combat the trafficking of persons.
Ok, that said, now I'm going to make some statements that you may not agree with or like, but perhaps you may benefit from seeing things from a masculine perspective as much as men can benefit from seeing things from a feminine perspective.
First of all, we need to divide those who engage in prostitution into two camps, those who are forced into it or feel they have no other alternative and would rather do something else, and those who find it acceptable work. And make no mistake, though the first camp is much much larger, there are plenty of women who fall into the second camp as well. If you think that it is due to some sort of self-esteem issue or child-hood abuse or cultural weakness, I suggest you find a lady or two who likes her job as provider of forbidden desires and have along chat, you may be surprised.
The selling of sex is a service industry. Like most other service industries it is made up by a select few who do the work that most would prefer not to.
"anyone who sells themselves for any reason has reached the bottom-"
Is that so? Would you say the same thing about the sanitary worker that takes your garbage to the dump? What about the plumber that comes to our houses to unclog our toilets? What about the coroners and morticians that scoop up our dead, clean them, and put them back together for us? What about the things we pay for that make us feel good? The professional masseuse or masseur? The hair stylist and nail tech? Do they not also sell their services, time, and labor to do something that you or I would prefer not to dirty our hands with? Do you think they feel exploited? Probably not with money they're making. Now what about Ashley Dupre, the middle-class call girl who serviced New York Governor Spitzer? Is that the same or different? At $1,000 an hour, who was exploiting who? Or was it an acceptable arrangement? Maybe you find it demeaning, but did she?
Again, let me make the distinction between those who enter the trade willingly and those who are pressed into it. One is a shrug-of-the-shoulders life choice, the other is tantamount to rape. There is also the concept of choice to consider. It is always unfortunate when young women, and men, for what ever reason, be it drug addiction, or emotional damage, prostitute themselves in desperation because there are always other ways to survive. I do think that we should be ready to help them if they ask for it, BUT, it was also their decision to make and if they bring that misery upon themselves, so be it.
Now lets take a quick look the differences between men and women and understand why there is even prostitution to begin with. 3rd in line of man's drives, behind shelter and then food, is the need to mate. There is no mating cycle in the human life span so that means from the entire time between ages of 16 to 60 is the ever present need to copulate. It fills man's waking life constantly. Besides the psychological and cultural make up there is a precise biological difference between men and women. Testosterone is hormone that regulates the sex drive. Men have, on average, 80x the level of testosterone than women. Think about that. That means that what ever urges a woman feels to mate, men have 80x that desire. Let's do an experiment, tomorrow morning when you wake up in bed and you're hungry for breakfast, try to imagine what it would be like if you were 80x as hungry as you will be then. It's almost impossible to conceptualize the difference.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
If these problems are to be solved, defining the parameters of prostitution is important to that.
But I didn't expect everyone to identify with the love-sick "john"'s street perspective I brought to the table in "Going Bannanas".
Not autobiographical I'll have folks know...(chuckle).
An attempt to look at things wholisticly from all sides is not always appreciated.
..."we are NOT chimps chasing fruit (chuckle,chuckle), anyone who sells themselves for any reason has reached the bottom -- their nihilistic view of life is beyond sad, the degradation of another human being is "our" problem -- no man, or woman or child, is an island."
Mmmm well Susan,
The big house, the flashy car and the SUV, platinum credit cards, what's that all about?
The American dream or the mating rituals of the rich and brain dead?
Who's selling what and who's doing the buying?
Who is more worthy of respect , the "two dollar whore" or the woman that steals a man's life's work through divorce?
The point of illegality is reached when choice is no longer an option.
For it becomes the responsibility of nations to protect populations from becoming so desperate that women sell themselves to feed their family, or parents sell a child so the rest may eat.
However the method or manner of coercion, so long as the choice to walk away from such employment is denied, it becomes a form of slavery, economic or otherwise.
This is the basic core issue wherein government responsibility begins with legal enforcement of the rule of law.
In other respects, what is socially acceptable and what is not rests on how we define prostitution.
And that is attitudinal in nature, as well as a facet of cultural norm.
A fine example may be the day my client's friend and neighbor drove up in a perfectly restored Porche 911-T and when I said, "Nice car, you just get it?" and she replied with a smile, "No, it came with the husband."
No we are not chimps. Chimps don't contemplate nuclear war.
Now we have to define what is human and what is inhumane.
John in Greece writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico -- "love-sick street perspective" with political & intel parameters? If I created this perspective, then I'm the perfect "lover". (LOL)
However, I just honestly attempted to emphasize on the "field" parameter of this "story" (prostitution) that has a strong dose of Russia mafia&KGB, as well as intel&global politics! I think that this describes even better the "street" part of my view.
Concerning the "love-sick" perspective let me clarify my views in a few words co-bloggers:
1. I am against prostitution
2. Maybe Eric is right -- I feel a bit of a romantic guy, but I don't care if the others do not accept it
3. I never used this "shop of love", as long as I can be sure (chuckle), because I wouldn"t like to pay in order to get something I do not deserve, or "buy" it from a girl that otherwise would not like to offer it to me in a "2 way partnership", during normal non-prostitution circumstances.
I do not know about the bananas and the chimps. And I think that it became a little bit complicated... However, according to my opinion, Eric underlined in his very last post the most important concerning prostitution: "Who's selling what and who's doing the buying?"
And I think that this is something that the Secretary of State Mrs Condoleezza Rice had also wisely stated during a "welcome" speech presentation of a recent annual Report on Human Trafficking.
This phrase means a lot!
Susan in Florida writes:
@ Kirk in Kentucky -- Sorry, Kirk, your comments come across as a rationale for prostitution. A plumber, a hair stylist, a sanitation worker, are all doing honest work. Prostitution is not just another "service" job. It is the degradation of oneself, or someone else, period. You will never convince me differently. I watched the Diane Sawyer/Ashley Dupre interview, also. When she started in the "escort" business she was 19 -- confused, immature, alone, using drugs, in debt, and, yes, naive. Predators will always find the weak and desperate. I have worked with children all of my life, ages 18 months to 18 years old. Not one of the children ever told me that they wanted to grow up to be a prostitute. What a big surprise!! We all can make choices, even MEN. One can choose not to demean another human being. It is called moral courage. Let me end with a comment that you made...'IF IT COSTS ONE INNOCENT THEIR DIGNITY AND WHOLENESS, IT IS A COST WE CAN NOT AFFORD."
John in Greece writes:
@ Susan in FL, Eric in NM , Kirk in KY and Anna in DC -- I think that Susan wrote the "best of the best" in this post.
"Not one of the children ever told me that they wanted to grow up to be a prostitute"!
That's a REAL point! Susan has a POINT!
(note: I really love to be part of this Blog guys. It really has a "DipNote" and it make us... think!)
Best regards to all of you.
Donald in Virginia writes:
23 Nov 08
1. SECURITY ISSUES that surround women who do this kind of work for a living. Plus how many hookers have like (PIMPS) OR (PIMP DADDIES)?
2. DISEASES which continue being passed from one mate to another with no responsibilities or accountabilities associated with the (STD'S) Sexual Transmitted Diseases.
3. ILLEGAL DRUGS also come to into this hooking business. Hookers get hooked on drugs.
4. We already know that Prositution is probably the oldest profession in the world, but is it morally right?
5. I think women should have a higher self esteem and find better jobs using their intelligence, skills and work ethics than to just have sex to make money! Hard work for males or females usually makes for someone that can appreciate what they have more in life.
6. PAST 50 YEARS women have proved time and time again they have what it takes to manage businesses, or run companies today, or work construction, drive tractor trailers. They have competed very well in the market place for jobs.
SUMMARY: Women should be happy having a Job or raising a family and being a woman! It gives women a purpose and takes away the idle time. An idle mind is the devils workshop!
Kirk in Kentucky writes:
Part 2.
Laura Marí¡ Agustí® is a sociologist who studies migrant sex workers. In her writings, she is critical of the conflation of the terms "human trafficking" with "prostitution" and "migration", arguing that what she calls the "rescue industry" often ascribes victim status to and thereby objectifies women who have made conscious and rational decisions to migrate. She advocates for a more nuanced study of migrant sex workers without pre-conceived notions.
You mentioned:
"I have worked with children all of my life, ages 18 months to 18 years old. Not one of the children ever told me that they wanted to grow up to be a prostitute."
If everyone grew up to be what they wanted at the ages of 18 months to 18 years, the world would be filled with cowboys and princesses. I've never known a child to say they wanted to become a factory worker or dishwasher, but there are many adults content with that occupation. The decision to enter into the sex trade is usually beyond the scope of the youth.
Though there are exceptions:
Tracy Quan read Xaviera Hollander's book The Happy Hooker when she was 10 years old and decided to be a prostitute. At age 19 she did.
Valerie Scott: "I knew [I wanted to be a prostitute] when I was about four and a half, I'd watch TV -- they'd show old western movies, and I thought the part about the cowboys running around killing each other was boring, but every now and again, they showed these saloon girls ? Oh, I wanted to be a saloon girl. They lived in the centre of town, they were beautifully dressed, they had their own money and no cowboy could pull the wool over their eyes.""You will never convince me differently"
No matter how logically presented, well argued, rational, or supported by research something may be, it will never deeply impact the opinion of some one else who experiences a strong emotional response to the subject presented, especially when that emotion is propelled by the cultural conditioning related to the proscription of what is right or wrong. Change of opinion only comes when the observer can hold two set of data in front of them for consideration without dismissing the newer set out of hand simply because it conflicts with the older.
Scarlet Alliance's Principles for Model Sex Industry Legislation
Kirk in Kentucky writes:
@ Susan in Florida -- Thanks for your reply; it was thought provoking.
Part 1.
"Sorry, Kirk, your comments come across as a rationale for prostitution."
There's never any need to rationalize an act that has been engaged by willing participants (of both genders) and has provided pleasure and profit for hundreds of centuries. By virtue of its very existence marks it as a viable source of enjoyment, employment, and sexual expression (again, by both genders).
"Prostitution is not just another "service" job.""[2] Principle 2: SEX WORK IS LEGITIMATE EMPLOYMENT
Sex industry laws must acknowledge employment in the sex industry as legitimate work...""Sex industry legislation must acknowledge that prostitution is work and that the workers who work in that industry are entitled to the same industrial rights and protections as other workers."
~ From Principles for Model Sex Industry Legislation:
Many sex workers feel that it is just a job. And at the end of the day, they go home and return to their lives as mothers, daughters, wives, girlfriends, ect.
"It is the degradation of oneself, or someone else, period."
What can you point to, in particular, that can be defined as degrading between two consenting adults? Or is what you said a socially conditioned response disconnected from the opinion of many of the people actually in the sex industry?
Again, From Principles for Model Sex Industry Legislation:
"If the 'sex work as sexual exploitation' view is analysed and explored, it follows that at the base of its assumptions is that women are incapable of having and enjoying sex outside of the context of an emotionally committed relationship. Why does sex become 'exploitative' simply because money is exchanged for a negotiated service? It can be argued that since the sex that occurs within the context of sex work is so well negotiated that it is the most consensual kind of sex."
From Anastasia Kuzyk: "I'm okay with what I do. The problem is, people aren't okay with what I do. I'm comfortable in my own skin. And for people to tell me I'm not, and for people to tell me what's happening to me is abuse -- no."
There would be many professionals who would take your assertion that sex workers do not perform honest work as offensive and promoting a stereotype. Namely, almost any legitimate sex worker. What is it that divides one set of skills and labor into the honest camp and the other set of skills and labor into some other camp? Your opinion that prostitution is inherently immoral or demeaning is one not shared by a large portion of people, including these sex worker right activists who most have worked at one time or another in the pornography or sex industry:
Wendy Babcock, Nina Hartley, Carol Leigh, Dr. Tuppy Owens, Tracy Quan, Valerie Scott, Robyn Few, Anastasia Kuzyk, Dr. Annie Sprinkle, Margo St. James
(all of them are women, all of them support the legalization of prostitution, and as you can see, some hold PhDs).
Plus, you have a whole assortment of political associations that stretch across the globe:
Canadian Guild for Erotic Labour, COYOTE - Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics, Sexual Freedom Coalition, Sex Professionals of Canada, International Committee for Prostitutes' Rights, The International Union of Sex Workers, Scarlet Alliance - Australian Sex Workers Association, Sex Workers Outreach Project - NSW , SWAN (Sex Workers' Rights Advocacy Network), The Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver, New Zealand Prostitutes Collective...
and that just barely scratches the surface.
The existence of laws that criminalise sex work maintains and promotes false stereotypes about sex workers in the public consciousness. This leads to the stigmatisation of sex workers as deviant and immoral people who represent a health risk to the general community. They are also conceptualised as victims without the skills necessary to obtain other employment. This stigmatisation and criminalisation has profound impacts on a group of people based purely on an occupational choice.
The right to freely choose employment is a fundamental human right.
Everyone has rights, regardless of what they do for a living. When prostitution is made a crime, sex workers are prevented from organizing to improve working conditions, working together for greater security, getting health and dental plans, and sharing and investing earnings. Laws prohibiting sex work force sex workers into an environment of crime where their rights are not protected. They cannot sue for breach of contract nor prosecute abuses for fear of being indicted on charges themselves.
Robyn Few: "Until prostitutes have equal protection under the law and equal rights as human beings, there is no justice."
John in Greece writes:
@ Kirk in KY -- 101: don't continue something when you are wrong. You make it worst! It's the second time I post this movie suggestion, but you "made" me do it.
Dear Kirk: Human Trafficking (The movie)
Then, post on this?
Susan in FL and Donald in VA are RIGHT!
Susan in Florida writes:
@ Kirk in Kentucky -- Okay, Kirk, you have convinced me of one thing, you really have researched the sex trade. I could probably come back with as many individuals who choose to get out of prostitution, and were glad they did, but enough said. I will never agree with you on this subject. I have seen too many heartbreaking cases involving children to ever think that the sex industry, in any form, is okay. A clarification... children dream of having a life of meaning, a life that has dignity. No one is braver than a child, from my experience, when faced with a terrible situation. Many adults could learn from them. Having a parent who is a prostitute is a terrible situation, a very hard burden to carry. Another thought... PHD's who are prostitutes -- just proves that a high IQ doesn't necessarily make you smart. So, now that we have beaten this subject to death, and know that we will never agree on it, I guess it is time to move on to the next topic. We'll agree to disagree.
Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:
The question was not whether prostitution is wrong -- and perhaps diplomats must fail the McNaughten Test to qualify for appointment -- but whether prostitution should become legal employment as it already is legal de facto in Washington, DC. Our government may look the other way while Senators and Representatives engage in the purchase of sex that they would otherwise condemn, hence prosecutions of federal officials for such crimes are rare while rumors tell us that perhaps indictments could be a daily event.
Fundamental or Natural rights, now called "human rights", would mean little unless the law also recognizes fundamental wrongs. A "fundamental wrong" is not only a crime or civil wrong, but also an act or failure to act for which the consequence is so evil as to shock the conscience of a reasonable person. Mass murder of unwanted children by hundreds of millions of abortions, is one consequence of prostitution and would qualify as a fundamental wrong and evil consequence of sex for sale, regardless of legality.
Now there are many government acts that are legal but still wrong. Laws legalizing murder of unwanted babies or which take tax money away by threat of force from wage earners merely to hand it over to troubled corporations may be legal if the Congress and courts say so, but such acts are fundamentally evil and wrong.
There are some things that are so inherently evil, by definition so "wrong", that it harms entire nations, not merely individuals who engage in such evils.
Prostitution is one of those things that degrade entire countries to the point that nobody, not even their own citizens, can point to the nation with pride.
Nations which legalize prostitution humiliate all of their women by innuendo. They disgrace their own population. Their leaders are ridiculed -- they become Pimp in Chief leading a nation of whores. They deserve no respect and they receive none from decent people.
The question of whether prostitution should be legal is no question at all, but an admission that the interrogator suffers a damaged soul, a lost conscience, an inability to discern right from wrong, and a lack of foresight for the consequences of the obviously wrong answer that they seek.
Susan in Florida writes:
@ John in Greece -- Thank you for your kind coomments. Children dream big dreams, they touch one's heart. Prostitution is not a victimless crime. Sometimes the victim is the most vulnerable of all, a child.
John in Greece writes:
@ Zharkov in U.S.A. -- Great post Z! I agree with you! You are right...
Everything is about Right & Wrong!
Kirk in Kentucky writes:
Everybody, it's been a great debate. I've read lots of thought provoking arguments. I knew from the beginning that it would be difficult to defend an unpopular stance, or be the "devil's advocate" as they say, but to do so is a good test for one's rhetorical abilities.
Since I've spent the last few days researching this subject from both sides, I've discovered that there is ample evidence to support either side of the legalization/criminalization debate. In fact, there were just as many websites for as against.
Here are some simple viewpoints discovered:
Legalizing prostitution increases the quantity of trade in that area and all the ills that come with it. It legally justifies sex as a commodity and objectifies peoples bodies.
Prohibiting prostitution pushes the people in the trade closer to criminal domains increasing the chances of violence, exploitation, drug abuse, and alienates them from legal recourse and health resources.
Sex workers say they want worker's rights.
Abolitionists say the practice is demeaning and cause society and the practitioners harm.
So there you have it. Like most great debates there is no clear cut division of right or wrong except within the minds of the proponents.
@ Susan in Florida -- I admire your commitment towards the welfare of others. I can tell from your impassioned writing that you are a positive impact on the people around you.
@ John in Greece -- I did follow the link you provided, it was very informative and touching. Now if you do me the same favor and follow this link: http://sexworkerspresent.blip.tv/#959861
Some say the USAID's anti-prostitution requirement has caused a decrease in funding for HIV/AIDS prevention programs all across the world. It could be argued that this requirement is hurting the very people it is designed to help.
In conclusion, as the impromptu defender of this unpopular stance, I'll leave off this thread with one last zinger:
"There is no tyranny so despotic as that of public opinion among a free people." -- Donn Piatt
John in Greece writes:
"So, now that we have beaten this subject to death, and know that we will never agree on it, I guess it is time to move on to the next topic."
We'll agree to disagree.
(don't make it worst Kirk...)
Eric in New Mexico writes:
"There is no tyranny so despotic as that of public opinion among a free people." -- Donn Piatt
Well Kirk, there's a reason the President of these United States does not make decisions based upon opinon polls...(chuckle).
I think when it comes to a question of legality, one has first to determine the crime committed, who is the perpetrator and who is the victim, and then you have the question of enforcability.
In other words, can enforcement actually make an impact on the obvious criminal activity that surrounds prostitution...human trafficing, child prostitution and porn, and outright slavery in some cases?.
Well yes it can, otherwise this blog topic would not be up for discussion...but it has yet to, that's why we're facing a conundrum.
I appreciate Susan's comments very much, especially being father to two college age young women that stop traffic unintentionally...
As an educator she should understand that parents are part of the problem, and the solution.
Society offers many traps and pitfalls for the inexperienced, and as a parent it's my job to make sure that their self awareness is up to meeting the challenge of life, and that they have the confidence in themselves not to compromise their inherant right to live life on their own terms, and not subject to someone else's...whether that be their boyfriend's...or future husbands....or even their dad's at this point in their young adult lives.
I believe the real solution to this lies in family values, and a carefully targeted enforcement program that does not prosecute those most often considered the "victim".
Counseling, and outreach programs through community services directly targeting the prostitutes to help them transition to a different occupation would be more effective and a wiser use of tax dollars.
Then law enforcement can concentrate on the predators that feed off their victims...the pimps, the gangs, the drug runners...
Hey and if it's a funding issue...get the fashion industry and the add council to pay pay for it.
Sex sells...and they do as much as they can to market sex everywhere you look.
Maybe its time they help mitigate the unintended concequences of what they've helped create.
So I think we've got a ways to go on improving methods to address the issue of criminality..
I have no illusions as to what is and what isn't acceptable...speaking as a parent and a private citizen that went up against a gang of dealers into using little kids to push their dope (as young as 11), child porn and statutory rape..
Aduts will do what adults do...but I do believe in giving folks a choice.
So they were told to "Get out of town, get busted or get buried."
In no uncertain terms.
Parents will do what they must...call it a "dad thing" even though they weren't mine.
I guess when it's in your face you find out what pricipals you live by as it determines your actions in the moment.
Talking is one thing, doing is a completely different animal.
Now I know I don't know much abut constituancies, or the inherent danger of idiots gathered in large numbers, but I would humbly suggest that if the Pissed off Parents of the World unite, and hunting licences were issued....
Governments could get the job done for free as we'd do it for sport on an otherwise dull day.
That's my final and considered opinion on the matter.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Well Zharkov, welcome back to the playground of the criminally insane...(chuckle).
Look, it's not nuts to ask the question.
It would be criminally insane not to examine the issue from its root. Thus I'm sure the good Ambassador need not bother with your testing requirements..(sic).
But when you're 85 and have only one tooth left and need a little lovin' you'll be kicking yourself for such zealotry...I have no doubt.
"So there you have it. Like most great debates there is no clear cut division of right or wrong except within the minds of the proponents."
We live in an insane world.....and you were expecting....???
Go ask God to take the freekin' test. Please let us know the results.
Susan in Florida writes:
@ Kirk in Kentucky -- Kirk, thank you for your gracious comment. I am passionate about human rights. When we are inhumane to others it diminishes us. We become less capable of caring and it makes it easier to ignore and to rationalize the wrong around us. I do think that Zharkov said it best...that somethings are just evil and decent people know it.
John in Greece writes:
@ Susan in FL & Eric in NM -- "Like most great debates there is no clear cut division of right or wrong except within the minds of the proponents." Eric offered us a thinking perspective again, while Susan and Z wrote something extremely important too! (all the other contributors too): "I do think that Zharkov said it best... that somethings are just evil and decent people know it".
I would like to contribute my last comment on this issue guys:
I will keep on believing (like Susan, I think) that everything is about RIGHT versus WRONG! What I mean is this special intellectual humanitarian brain application that can separate and make clear to ourselves even what LEGAL versus MORAL is sometimes.
Because, something characterized as LEGAL (thank God for our western organized societies, this happens rarely in our law system), sometimes is NOT MORAL at all! (Ex.: A sheikh can legally have -- let's say -- 10 wives. However, is this ethical (moral) for these women because it is characterized as "so-called" legal by the "system values" that create the rules there?)
That's what prostitution is all about: NOT MORAL whether legalized or not!


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Disney Pronto! Belt-Positioning Booster Car Seat
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Check out the Disney Pronto! belt-positioning booster car seat. Designed for children who weigh 30-100 pounds and are 34 to 57 inches tall, this car seat features an adjustable headrest that fits your growing child, a convenient, slide-out cup and snack holder. The Pronto! also converts easily into a backless booster car seat! With familiar Disney characters greeting them whenever they etner the car, your child will love going for rides.
- Forward-facing booster for children 30-100 lbs. and 34- 57" tall
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I really like how easy it is to use the new 360 spray but it does not seem to last very long. It is my fastest selling product.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that MSDS/SDS be available to employees for potentially harmful substances handled in the workplace under the Hazard Communication regulation.
MSDS- Gel & Roll-On
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Biofreeze Massage Protocol


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>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: Gets better with each passing yearIn full: This was my third year of taking part in this race. I have to say that it improves with every year, Nicola and Neil seem to take on board comments and amend things and as a result the event improves. Loved the change to the Stadium, especially the band, it's also much easier to spot supporters, and this year I managed to pick up a medal (somehow I missed last years')tee shirt and goody bag, all of which were great. Glad to see the portaloos at the start, though many of the male runners were visiting the potty in the woods on the way to the start! Glad to see the path to the start was clear of dog muck! The course was great, marshalls fab and plenty of water provided. I prefer bottles but I note there were cups also. I will definitely run this race again. I also got a massive pb, completely unexpected but wow what a feeling!Date of review: May 7, 2014
In short: Always a peasure to run this though the weather oft conspires against it!In full: A few problems this year with collection of numbers/chips and also the tea queue was hideous. However Matt the Race Director was very quick to 'fess up' and intends to make changes for next year - good for you, Matt.The course is always challenging, I personally can't wait to get the track section out of the way cos I hate off roading, but I know it's there and its always a relief to get off the track. Of course this time round I was just dreading turning into the wind - it was quite horrendous and at times I wondered if I was making any forward progress at all.Given that I managed to PB, don't understand how but boy am I chuffed! Thank you to all the smiling encouraging marshalls, to the lady at the finish who helped me to remain standing once I'd got over the finish line, and to all at Sleaford Striders who make this event a pleasure to attend year after yearDate of review: February 25, 2014
In short: A great Sunday morning outIn full: I love this race!Organisation is excellent, right from the smiley men in the car parks, to the smiley marshalls, to the commentator talking you in at the end. There is always a good mix of the slower runners/first timers, and those young bucks out to show how darn quick they are! This race caters for us all. Cheap as chips to enter, and a great holdall and a towel this year as mementoes.I'll be back!Date of review: July 15, 2013
In short: Almost excellence for all levelsIn full: Arrived a bit later this year but still able to find a parking space, collect race number and (clever) chip, and find a loo. The walk to the start seemed to take longer this year and the start is the only thing about this race that I dislike, namely the lack of loos. Got a bit fed up of seeing the guys watering the trees, and although there was a wood which people were using as a loo I would not have felt comfortable doing that. Other than that, a great occasion, marshalls were fab, jelly babies very welcome and plenty of hydrating. Stewards in the stadium seemed a bit more cheerful than last year, and a stadium finish is always special. Many thanks to the Team who have worked hard to put this event on for us, and who took note of the feedback from last year. Thank you all!!Date of review: April 28, 2013
In short: Excellent organisation and brilliant marshalls made the day! Will be back next time..In full: This had the potential to be a nightmare first full marathon for me due to the unseasonal heat but the organisers had thought this whole thing out and provided extra water all the way round, the marshalls were brilliant, and the support from residents/holdaymakers really made the day. No problems finding the venue, we arrived a bit late to park at the school but hubby was able to move the car once the runners had all set off. I personally had a very positive experience and am hoping for a cooler day next year so I can slice at leat 30 minutes off my time! Date of review: October 3, 2011
In short: Shame about the finishIn full: You need to get here early as the village gets completely clogged after 10.00 am. The main car park seemed to be full of caravans this year. Was expecting to have to pay for parking as the pack specifically metioned it but nobody collected the money.Wouldn't have minded paying. The finish was really bad this year - it was difficult actually getting over the line and to the water and tee shirts - liked the design, they were better than last year. Getting away after the event was easier this year but I suspect this was because we stopped for an ice cream rather than just shootong off.Date of review: June 12, 2011
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Boston Celtics Bob Cousy 20" x 20" Uniframe
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From Samuel
2:1 And Hannah prayed and said,
My heart exults in the Lord;
my strength [4] is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
2 There is none holy like the Lord;
there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
and on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the power [5] of his anointed.
Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success [7] wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go
From Joshua 1
I Corinthians 13: 4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...
How GOD describes himself at the end of The Book of Job
12 I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment?
Who would come near him with a bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
Around his teeth is terror.
15 His back is made of [9] rows of shields,
shut up closely as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another
that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another;
they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go flaming torches;
sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke,
as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals,
and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck abides strength,
and terror dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh stick together,
firmly cast on him and immovable.
24 His heart is hard as a stone,
hard as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up the mighty [10] are afraid;
at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail,
nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw,
and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
for him sling stones are turned to stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble;
he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30 His underparts are like sharp potsherds;
he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;
he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaves a shining wake;
one would think the deep to be white-haired.
33 On earth there is not his like,
a creature without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high;
he is king over all the sons of pride.
That's about Leviathan, not God.
John 14
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Verse 9. Does that not make you feel of the Spirit? Jesus goes on to talk about the spirit, in the next verses.
Last edited by Rochambeau; 09-04-2010 at 11:49 AM.
Leviathan, of which their were many, is just a really old word for a large sea dwelling animal.
The Ikon of the Leviathan is what spawned fictious monsters, perhaps the most famous from the norse would be the Kraken
I suppose you could liken it in the same way you would a serpant, to Lucifer, but I personally think that is stretching it a bit. Which I could, I suppose explain away the last verse...but no such animal existed with those perameters, well not in the Temporal realm...A sea monster, that is a fire breather Like a water dragon or something
I thought that was GOD speaking about himself in the third person
The last verse wouldn't fit God very well. You read everything leading up to this?
I dont know enough about the text to really understand it...you might be right...but The Description is more like the sort you would find of GOD in the book of revelation...and in context he had just been explaining how wonderful and all powerful he was compared to Job who challenged him.
Like I said...I dont really know to be honnest.
Whatever next...a Gryphon? or Syphinx
Last edited by Tyburn; 09-04-2010 at 07:19 PM.
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The Internal Revenue Service sent hundreds, possibly thousands, of costly, last-minute overnight letters via UPS last week notifying employees of a series of five-day furloughs starting May 24.
The IRS said it doesn't know how many workers got the letters or the price tag for the mailings. It said that the "vast majority" of its 89,000 workers were notified by email.
Although the IRS didn't have figures on the cost of the letters, an employee involved in the process said under the agency contract with UPS the letters probably cost only $3.45 each. Other employees who received the overnight-letter notice estimated the cost ranged from $10 to $13 each and that workers on several campuses in different parts of the country got them. (UPS said overnight delivery for a single letter from Washington, D.C., to Cincinnati, Ohio, would be $36.50 at the non-group rate.)
The furloughs are the result of the White House-Congress sequestration program, which required most agencies to make across-the-board cuts. Many responded by saying they would be forced to furlough employees and curtail vital services such as air traffic control, customs and border patrol, weather forecasting and other key, high-profile operations.
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An IRS spokesperson said the agency was required by law "to ensure all employees received a proposal letter about the impending furloughs 30 days in advance of the first furlough day." For IRS that meant the letters had to go out by last week, with the first furlough day scheduled for May 24. IRS employees will take their other unpaid days off on June 14, July 5, July 22 and Aug. 30. Most employees, except for those in essential maintenance and safety jobs, will be furloughed.
While most people were notified via email (if they have IRS accounts), the IRS said "we tried to minimize costs as much as possible by utilizing various methods of delivery including email to those employees with an IRS email account, providing a hardcopy of the notice to employees working on the day of issuance but without an IRS email account, and, overnight mail delivery to employees in non-work status or where there was a reasonable expectation that they would not return to work on April 23. We don't have a specific number or estimate at this point … on the number of mailings, but the vast majority of employees received notification by email or paper copies while they were in-duty status."
One IRS employee told Federal News Radio producer Beth Reardon that lots of people on her campus got the letters. She said her boss was "flipping out angry" because of the cost. Sequestration is supposed to save money, right?
Furloughs have been a financial, logistical and PR problem from the start. Congress quickly ordered FAA to stop furloughs of air traffic controllers after major travel delays over the past couple of weeks. Agriculture was told not to furlough meat and poultry inspectors. Defense has downsized its furlough days from 22 to 14 and is considering even fewer days between now and Sept. 30, the end of this fiscal year.
Compiled by Jack Moore
New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs has released an official list of banned baby names, including
All of the above names were initially selected by parents but rejected by the country's Department of Internal affairs for being offensive.
(Source: Salon)
All TSP funds continue positive trend in April All Thrift Savings Plan funds continued to perform well in April. While only two funds reported higher return rates for the month compared to March, all funds posted positive returns.
Bill would ax FEHBP in favor of Affordable Care Act health plan Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) introduced legislation that would require feds to use insurance under the Affordable Care Act instead of the current Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
LEED green building standard clears first hurdle for governmentwide use The Green Building Advisory Committee is recommending GSA establish LEED certification as the governmentwide standard for all federal buildings.
Photos of the amazing, moving, important and amusing things happening in the federal community.
A daily update of important moments in the history of the U.S. government.


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Friday, December 25, 2009
Chalone Vineyards Chardonnay
This was floating around at Christmas. California style Chard; around 20$ or so. Lots of pear, citrus, cream, and some toasty character. Ripe, but with good balance of oak, fruit, and acidity. Really pretty nice. Some of the stuff we had was, well, fairly atrocious, this wasn't all that bad. B+ Apparently made the Wine Spectator Top 100 this year.
Posted by Jeff at 8:42 PM
Labels: California, Chardonnay
2 comments:
- maulmatt! said...
It's cool climate Chard being from Chalone. I was thinking of visiting there when I'm in CA in April. Your notes were almost an exact fit for the Chard I had last night... Artesa Carneros Chard. Solid, nothing spectacular, nice fruit with just a little toastiness.
- December 27, 2009 at 7:24 PM
- Jeff said...
There are a lot of California Chards that fit this bill. I imagine that Wine Spectator could just as well picked one of a few dozen wines, and no one would have blinked. Maybe that's why I'm not really into California Chardonnay...I like this style (except it's boring), whereas the oaky, buttery ones repulse me.
- January 3, 2010 at 9:06 PM
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text: In temperate climates, the great majority of individuals live a little over a year: from their hatching in the fall until the first hard frost in the following year. However, in warmer climates and in captivity females of this species may live for several years. Males probably die after mating in their first year.


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Get an overview of this hotelEco-friendly Galway hotel in Galway City Centre, near South Park
Collect 400 Nectar points!
Simply enter your Nectar card number when you check out. Your points will be credited 35 days after you return from your trip. *Offers may apply
Located in Galway City Centre, this eco-friendly hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Planet Entertainment Centre, Galway Cathedral, and St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church. South Park and Galway City Museum are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this smoke-free hotel has a bar/lounge and a coffee shop/café. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include a snack bar/deli, coffee/tea in a common area, and 24-hour room service.
Room Amenities
All 70 individually decorated rooms feature free WiFi and 24-hour room service. Guests can enjoy deep soaking tubs, and other standard amenities include coffee makers and plasma TVs.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Menlo Park Hotel
Renovations & Closures
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant, a coffee shop/café, and a snack bar/deli. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. For a surcharge, a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request) is offered to guests. This eco-friendly hotel also offers a garden, coffee/tea in a common area, and laundry facilities. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Menlo Park Hotel is a smoke-free property.
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Total number of rooms - 70
- Babysitting or childcare
- 24-hour front desk
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Coffee shop or café
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Number of floors - 3
- Garden
- Restaurant
- Snack bar/deli
- Free self parking
- Smoke-free property
- Use of nearby fitness center (discount)
- Wedding services
- Year Built 1998
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Free Wi-Fi
- Snack bar/deli
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Coffee/tea maker
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- In-room massage available
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Bathtub or shower
- Desk
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Satellite TV service
- Free WiFi
- Room service (24 hours)
- Individually decorated
- Plasma TV
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
Where to Eat
Breakfast is available for a surcharge and served each morning between 7 AM and 10 AM.
Bia Beo - Overlooking the garden, this restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Reservations are required.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Windsurfing nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Ecotours nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No cribs (infant beds) available
Noise-free rooms not guaranteed
PLEASE NOTE: The Economy Double Room type is located above the function room and may be subject to noise when functions are taking place.
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: EUR 12 per person (approximately)
- Airport shuttle fee: EUR 12-15 per vehicle (one way)
- Late check-out fee: EUR 30.00
Hotel Name
- Hotel Menlo
- Hotel Menlo Park
- Menlo Hotel
- Menlo Park Galway
- Menlo Park Hotel
- Menlo Park Hotel Galway
We should mention
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
Awards & Affiliations
National Rating
Fáilte Ireland (The National Tourism Development Authority) assigns an official star rating for accommodations in Ireland. This Hotel property is rated 4 stars.


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Student Media
Celebrations of Peace
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
St. Cloud State choral singers in concert.
Join an ecumenical celebration featuring choral and instrumental music 3 p.m. Dec. 6 in Ritsche Auditorium.
"Celebrations of Peace" includes Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish and Christian poems read by faculty and staff. Steve Klepetar, professor of English, will share an original poem.
Performing are these St. Cloud State music groups: Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Concert Choir, Women's Choir, Chamber Choir, Men's Choir, Percussion Ensemble and Preparatory Girls' Choir.
View the event poster (PDF).
The College of Fine Arts and Humanities is sponsoring a reception in the lobby after the concert.
The Music Department's annual holiday concert and gala benefits scholarships for music students.
Student tickets are $5. Children 12 and younger are $3. All others are $10. Tickets are available through the university's ticket line at 320-308-4081 and at Byerly's at 320-252-4112.
For more information, contact the Music Department at 320-308-3223.
"Celebrations of Peace" is presented by the Music Department, College of Fine Arts and
Humanities, and the St. Cloud State University Foundation.
University Communications
St. Cloud State University


text:
Skip to comments.White Separatist Teen Twins Lamb and Lynx Gaede Say They've Renounced Hateful Message, Want Marijuan
Posted on 07/28/2011 7:39:11 PM PDT by TheDingoAteMyBaby
Lamb and Lynx Gaede were established teen recording artists 5 years ago. But the adorable, freckle-faced California twins weren't singing songs of love.
Raised in a Neo-Nazi household, the Gaede twins' lyrics were those of white supremacist hate.
Now 19, the pair formerly known as the pop group Prussian Blue claim to have changed their extremist ways.
"I'm grown up now. I was a little kid back then and said a lot of things I don't believe in now," Lynx told ABC News.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Oh, I remember them. Nice to learn they're approaching normalcy. Still stuck with the stupid names, though.
All they gotta do is say their parents were Republican all along. The MSM will have them on 24/7.
Huh? These girls' mother did anything but "try [her] best to raise 'em right" - she tried her best to raise them white supremacist.
And people say Marijuana isn't good for anything.
They want to marry Juan who? And do both of them want to marry him?
LOL! The format limits the number of characters in the title.
Juan you get out of my country, is his name.
Terrible! Obviously, home schooling must be outlawed. Socialist indoctrination must be standardized.
On a side note, I like their names.
Not marry Juan - Juana.
Have to move to New York first.
I had a college classmate named Steed.
Just teasin'. ;-)
How do you think I'm getting through watching the news right now?
The Nazi (national Socialists) back then and today have always taught collectivist thinking and beliefs like all the other flavors but theirs has a racist bent to it - others a class warfare bent.
Damn. That ought to be a manly boy! A couple years ago I had a student named Thor AND a student named Ulysses! I was sure that Mercury or Zeus would show up any day.
Not if you offered me a tractor trailer full of gold.
So, any estimates for how soon they will be appearing in a minor men's magazine? I'm not sure they have what it takes to go direct to Internet, unless it is behind a very expensive subscription wall.
Oddly enough, Germany has anti homeschooling laws on the books that date back from the 3rd Reich. The NAZIs didn't like parents determining what little Hansel and Gretel learned.
>>> And people say Marijuana isnt good for anything
Trading Goering for Ganja. Not a bad deal all things considered.
Well, mine translates to "Man of the north with the heart of a lion" so I scoff at puny Thor and girlie Ulysees ;)
Honestly, though, the one good thing about public school—and whether or not it outweighs the negatives is a personal call—is that it introduces you to people.
The most important stuff I learned in school, I didn't learn in class. You learn how to talk to people, and how not to. You learn who's cool, who to avoid, how to get out of a fight you don't need to be in, how to win a fight you can't get out of.
You learn who you can trust and who your friends are. Not an experience I got during my years with the nuns.
Next thing you know you'll have Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Nimrod, Semiramis, and Enlil all showing up in class! I'd love to have a student named Jupiter Jones!
lol. Beowolf Blitzer.
Son of Wolf Blitzed??? LOL!
I knew an old carpenter named Odin. He wasn't very big but he sure lived up to his name. Tough as nails! He must have been in his late '60s or early '70s but he worked hard. He had quite a history of working big union projects and doing commercial fishing on Lake Superior. A Norseman to the bone.
Well actually the names Lamb and Lynx are more in line with what Hollywood liberals call their kids, so I say they should be interviewed on Foxnews and asked how liberalism equals Nazism.
Grendel Van Susteren
I know a gal who just had a baby and named him Odin! I suggested she name him Thor instead but she went with the former.
I hope she's ready for headstrong. lol
The Lynx shall lie down with the Lamb and the DVDs shall sell like hotcakes.
Sorry about how I phrase this.....but, back in the day, there were more than enough people right in ones own neighborhood to socialize with. All the kids were outside, not in-front of the tv or game box. You even got to know the parents a lot.
What you say makes sense in this stilted society, but, what we have now is a recipe for malaise and no amount of "school socialization" can cure that.
> In 2011, both members officially renounced their past ideologies citing an over-bearing, sheltering mother as the cause of their racist music. They claim the change came after being prescribed medical marijuana to treat Lynx's cancer and Lamb's scoliosis and began accepting a more tolerant view on society...
Cancer and scoliosis are pretty serious conditions -- hopefully the pot eases the pain. A change in their attitudes might be due to the pot, or might just be that they started growing up and seeing how f-ed up their mom was.
Well, they're both 19 now... YIKES! :)
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text:
>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: Brilliant race/event.In full: Thoroughly enjoyed this event and well worth the 90min drive to get there. Really well organised. I was made to feel welcome. Fantastic goody bag, probably worth more than the entry fee. Missed a PB by quite some way, but not bothered at all as the event itself and the DJ/MC was great. Gave me a mention pretty much at least every lap. Would definitely recommend that everyone tries a track marathon at least once. The race was a credit to all involved at Sandbach Striders and thankyou to all involved.Date of review: November 3, 2013
In short: Brilliant RaceIn full: Great organisation. Second time I've done this race and travelled about 85 miles to get there. Definitely great marshalls, especially the lady between 17-18 miles whos words spurred me onto a PB (my first in 6 years). The club should be proud of their great race.Date of review: September 27, 2013
In short: Very good race.In full: Organisation was perfect as usual. Better T-shirt (technical) this time. Will do this one again definitely. A good one for runners to get into the sport. Well done everyone. Miles better than the other 10K in Bradford City Centre.Date of review: April 28, 2013
In short: Hills, Hills, HillsIn full: 1st time runner of this race. Very good race. Not sure about the cramped start, but once onto the main road then that's no problem. Maybe markers for anticapated finishing times at the start to try to get runners in some sort of order may make things better. On the whole whilst disappointed with time (49m), I would recommend this race to anyone as it is a real challange and miles (excuse the pun) better to have a tough course than a boring flat out and back 10K. Well done to everyone involved.Date of review: February 26, 2013
In short: Briliant event, great organisation.In full: Thoroughly enjoyable course and event, the locals lining the course were magic. Their hoses, sweeties and extra water stop were very helpful. T-shirt was really nice, the medal is nice aswell (until you turn it over then it looks like something else (you'll see what i mean)). great event and would definately do this again. Date of review: May 29, 2012
In short: Very good race.In full: Great race, great course, great marshalls and great organisation. Well worth the journey to this race. Not as hilly as I thought it would be. Well done to all involved in the club/race.Date of review: April 30, 2012
In short: Hills, Hills, HillsIn full: Very good race, well organised. Nice course, although did i mention the hills (lots of them). Never run a race before that starts off with a gradual climb of about four and a half miles. Will definately do this again, although i am worried about the drop of over 300 entries from the first race last year. More work needs to be done here. Need to make sure that this race stays on the race calander.Date of review: October 2, 2011
In short: Great RaceIn full: Done this race a few times now and it is always well organised. great marshalls and nice challenging course. Well done skyrac.Date of review: April 25, 2011
In short: Brilliant RaceIn full: As always a well organised event. Managed to get round despite the warm weather, the lack of training (once a week, at best) and the hills, hills and more hills. A tough race but well worth the effort. It's always on my list of events to do each year. It should be on yours aswell.Date of review: April 11, 2011
In short: Hills, Hills, HillsIn full: Great course, did i mention the hills!!!!! All the marshalls, apart from those at about 4.5mile (once we'd finished the 1st climb, were miserable and most weren't even watching the runners, water stations pretty poorly organised. Great scenery once out of the city centre. Goody bag was really poor (tech t-shirt would have been better than a medal). However, will definately do this race next year. Should consider asking local running clubs to be marshalls as they would be more organised and enthusiastic. Date of review: October 17, 2010
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Love the color and style of the shirt.
- Fit:
- Feels true to size
The top is to tight for a large size in ladies sizes. I have a medium size eagles top I purchased in a store and it fits perfect. Also the number printed on the back is crooked. And because I got Wentz is name on the back I cant return it.
- Fit:
- Feels too small
This shirt is true to size, comfortable, and priced excellently. The quality is great! Love it!
- Fit:
- Feels true to size
The product is fantastic, and looks great! However, it took over 2 weeks to ship from ordering, presumably because of customization. I was happy to receive free rush shipping, but I didn't expect it to take 3 weeks from clicking purchase to receiving this shirt. Other items I ordered at the same time came timely. So, be warned, it will take a long time to receive, but it was great once in hand.
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I love the material of the shirt very soft and good quality!
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Bought a large for a comfortable but fitted look. The T-shirt looks just like the preview image.
Love my new shirt, I had the custom printing on the back and received it in a short amount of time
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- Feels true to size
I ordered this on a Sunday and paid $12 for three day shipping. Got it the next Monday so I couldn't even wear it to the game I was going to
The shirt quality is nice and length is perfect, falls at hips. The only negative thing I have to say is that the customized letters and numbers feel ironed on and that they might not last as long as the shirt. I have worn and washed it twice and so far so good.
- Fit:
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I love the quality and design. The shirt does feel a little snug so I would order one size up then your normal size. Still a good buy!
- Fit:
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|NYPA Visitors Center Celebrates Summer with Six Unique Admission- Free Events
|Steve Ramsey
(800) email@example.com
|May 16, 2012
NORTH BLENHEIM—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will host a season of free family fun, at the visitors center complex for its Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project, featuring a full calendar of admission-free events throughout the summer tourism season.
The Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center complex also includes the historic Lansing Manor, a classic example of Federalist architecture. Open from May 1 through October 31, Lansing Manor is operated in cooperation with the Schoharie County Historical Society and is the setting for several featured events this summer.
Summer Event Schedule:
June 2 & 3: Quilt Show at Lansing Manor - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|About NYPA:
■The New York Power Authority uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. ■NYPA is a leader in promoting energy efficiency, new energy technologies and electric transportation initiatives.■It is the nation's largest state public power organization, with 17 generating facilities in various parts of New York State and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. ■Approximately 80 percent of the electricity it produces is clean renewable hydropower. Its lower-cost power production and electricity purchases support hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the state.■For more information, www.nypa.gov
|Return to Media Center


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Pet owners must make sure to get the necessary dog vaccinations in order to ward off fatal diseases such as distemper. VCA Animal Hospitals reports distemper is a highly contagious viral disease which is incurable and often fatal. Dogs and other animals such as ferrets, skunks and raccoons are susceptible to the virus, which attacks these animals' respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems.
According to VCA, distemper is spread by direct contact between an infected dog or other animal and a healthy dog.
Clinical signs of distemper vary, though the main signs include diarrhea, coughing, vomiting and a thick yellow discharge from the eyes or nose. VCA reports in severe cases, the disease can cause seizures and neurological issues that could cause the animal to walk off-balance or tilt its head to one side.
There is no specific treatment for distemper. A veterinarian who suspects distemper will provide supportive care such as antibiotics for secondary infections and anti-seizure medications, if needed. Prevention of the disease is the best medicine.
The best way to avoid such serious diseases is through proper dog vaccinations—beginning as a puppy and boostering vaccines as recommended by your veterinarian throughout the life of your dog. Keeping your dog away from stray dogs or dogs with unknown vaccination history or from any sick dog or wildlife can help limit your dog's exposure to infectious diseases.


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August 18, 2009
JEFF HANCOCK, PLAINTIFF,v.ANDREW POMAZAL, ET AL., DEFENDANTS.
Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se with a civil rights action, has requested appointment of counsel.
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that district courts lack authority to require counsel to represent indigent prisoners in § 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the district court may request the voluntary assistance of counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wood v. Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1335-36 (9th Cir. 1990).
The test for exceptional circumstances requires the court to evaluate the plaintiff's likelihood of success on the merits and the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. See Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986); Weygandt v. Look, 718 F.2d 952, 954 (9th Cir. 1983). Circumstances common to most prisoners, such as lack of legal education and limited law library access, do not establish exceptional circumstances that would warrant a request for voluntary assistance of counsel. In the present case, the court does not find the required exceptional circumstances.
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff's August 11, 2009 motion for appointment of counsel (Doc. No. 17) is denied.
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