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The 2012 election offers a prime opportunity to break the gridlock.
In a moment of unusual candor during an interview last month with The Des Moines Register, President Obama allowed that if he won re-election, a major reason would be the low opinion that Latino voters had of the Republican Party, thanks largely to its harsh stances on immigration.
Obama's political analysis proved spot on. Had Mitt Romney taken the 44% of the Hispanic vote that George W. Bush took in 2004, rather than the 27% that he actually got, the political landscape would look very different today. Romney would have won the popular vote by about 1 million votes, rather than having lost it by about 3 million. Those votes would have shifted Florida, Colorado Nevada and potentially other battleground states into the Republican column.
The GOP surely can't miss the message: The party's unpopularity with Latinos is undermining its candidates' ability to win the White House. There could hardly be a better catalyst for a new beginning for comprehensive immigration reform.
When last seen, comprehensive reform was being pushed by Bush, who had come from the Texas statehouse, where he developed a keen understanding of border issues and politics. But Bush was thwarted by Republican hard-liners insistent on an enforcement-only approach.
The 2012 election offers a prime opportunity to break the gridlock.
As before, reform should begin with tough border enforcement, and with cracking down on employers who knowingly violate the law by hiring illegal workers. The GOP already has that part right. The United States is a nation of laws, and they should be enforced.
But enforcement needs to be combined with other measures: a guest-worker program and, more controversially, a path to legal status for those already here illegally who pay their taxes and stay out of trouble.
Yes, the opponents will scream about "amnesty," but the fact is that about 11 million people reside in the U.S. illegally. That's about the population of the biggest battleground state in the election, Ohio. Most are not going to "self-deport," as Romney put it during the Republican primaries. Romney also turned off Hispanic voters with his strong opposition to the DREAM Act, sensible legislation that would provide a route to permanent legal status for illegal immigrants brought to this country as children, as long as they meet certain conditions such as going to college or serving in the military.
Efforts to bring illegal immigrants into the mainstream would give them greater freedom to start businesses, return to school to acquire skills, participate more fully in their communities and contribute more to economic growth. Employers would be freer to find help that in many instances is in short supply, particularly manual laborers such as migrant farm workers.
Even if some politicians don't grasp the benefits of reform, most voters seem to. In Tuesday's exit polls, 65% said illegal workers should be offered a chance to apply for legal status, versus 28% who said they should be deported.
Democrats, meanwhile, need to accept aggressive enforcement, not interpret the election as reason to abandon it. That should allow Republicans to return to what was mainstream thinking not so long ago.
Already, some conservative leaders, including Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, are pushing for change. There is talk of assembling a coalition of evangelicals, law enforcement and corporate groups (or, as one conservative put it, "bibles, badges and businesses") to counter the harsh anti-immigrant voices.
As Republican lawmakers return to Washington, they should recognize that a new approach would help the party rebuild. More important, it would help America prosper.


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Top Definition
When a boy becomes more appealing to a girl simply because he is older than her, specifically if he is an upperclassman (junior or senior in high school). It seems many younger girls are drawn to older guys for this reason, even if he doesn't really have much else going for him. For girls, dating up is somewhat prestigious.
I suppose this could also apply in college, but I have not yet come across that scenario.
I suppose this could also apply in college, but I have not yet come across that scenario.
"Why does she even like him? He isn't very cute and his personality is just so-so..."
"She must have shiny upperclassmen syndrome."
"She must have shiny upperclassmen syndrome."
by apersonfromnova January 10, 2012
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subset: commoncrawl


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EAC maintains the National Mail Voter Registration Form, which voters can use to register to vote and update their registration information. The form is available in seven languages.
EAC also provides voter guides in 11 languages and a variety of links to helpful resources for voters relating to registration, military and overseas voting, accessibility, and volunteering as a poll worker.
HAVA mandates that EAC accredit voting system test laboratories and certify voting equipment, marking the first time the federal government has offered these services to the states.
EAC is committed to running the program in a transparent manner, releasing voting system test plans and reports for the public to review and posting detailed information about the voluntary voting system guidelines, program policies, and related correspondence.
One of EAC's top priorities is providing assistance to election officials. We do this by issuing guidance, advisories and best practices to help officials comply with the Help America Vote Act and make other election administration improvements and enhancements.
EAC administers federal funding to improve the administration of U.S. elections as authorized by the Help America Vote Act. The commission also manages discretionary, competitive grant programs authorized by HAVA, including the HAVA College Program to recruit college students to serve as poll workers and the HAVA Mock Election Program, which supports activities to educate secondary students in the electoral process.
EAC is responsible under the Help America Vote Act for collecting information about election administration issues and sharing that information with Congress, election officials and the public.
This section contains completed research and reports commissioned by EAC, information about EAC research in progress, and additional elections research issued by other organizations. Datasets are also available to download.
Voters can use the National Mail Voter Registration Form to register to vote, update registration information due to a change of name, make a change of address, or register with a political party.
The National Form also contains voter registration rules and regulations for each state and territory. For more information about registering to vote, contact your state election office. Read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the national form.
Use the National Mail Voter Registration Form to register to vote, update your registration information with a new name or address, or register with a political party.
Note: If you wish to vote absentee and are a uniformed service member or family member or a citizen living outside the U.S., contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program to register to vote.
Sign up to receive information about EAC activities including public
meetings, webcasts, reports and grants.
Share your feedback on EAC policy proposals, Election Resource Library materials, and OpenEAC activities. Give feedback on general issues, including the Web site, through our Contact Us page.
EAC has several projects under way to assist states in serving military and overseas citizens who register and vote absentee under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Learn more
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) issued new Quick Start Management Guides for state and local election officials that provide guidance on three areas of election administration: technology in elections, elections office administration, and accessibility. The guides are available in the EAC Election Resource Library.
By issuing the recommendations, EAC fulfills a mandate under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to provide assistance to states on election administration. This latest guidance augments EAC's popular Quick Start Management Guide series, a collection of 21 brochures on election management fundamentals, from planning for contingencies and managing polling places to administering provisional ballots and canvassing and certifying an election.
The purpose of the Quick Start guides is to provide a brief overview of key election management topics. It complements the Election Management Guidelines (EMG), a collection of chapters that provide in-depth guidance on the same topics. EAC plans to release EMG chapters for these three topics this summer.
The Quick Starts were developed with input from the election community, including election officials, voter advocates and election experts. Following is a summary of each Quick Start Management Guide and links to download them:
Technology in Elections provides examples of how local election officials use technology to more efficiently add voters to the voter registration database, manage the day-to-day work of a government agency, conduct outreach to voters, including those serving in the military, and track activities on Election Day. The Quick Start Management Guide also includes information on how to plan for the replacement of technology.
Elections Office Administration discusses managing internal office processes such as records retention, preparing for an election with the use of an election calendar, managing facilities and equipment, staffing the elections office and polls on Election Day, collecting statistical data and budgeting.
Accessibility reviews managing an accessible elections office, conducting outreach, and providing an accessible voting experience for all voters. The Guide also includes a list of resources for election administrators.
EAC encourages all election officials to take advantage of these free resources by downloading them from the EAC Web site or ordering copies by calling EAC toll free at (866) 747-1471. Other topics covered in the Quick Start Management Guide series include:
• Serving Voters in Long-Term Care Facilities
• Provisional Ballots
• Canvassing and Certifying an Election
• Conducting a Recount
• Central Count Optical Scan Ballots
• Uniformed and Overseas Voters
• Developing an Audit Trail
• Polling Places and Vote Centers
• Managing Change in an Elections Office
• Media and Public Relations
• Contingency and Disaster Planning
• Absentee Voting and Vote by Mail
• Acceptance Testing
• Voting System Certification
• Voting System Security
• Poll Workers
• Ballot Preparation/Printing and Pre-Election Testing
• New Voting Systems
For additional information about EAC election administration resources, including voters' guides and translated materials to assist jurisdictions covered under the Voting Rights Act, go to www.eac.gov/election.
EAC is an independent commission created by the Help America Vote Act. EAC serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration. It is charged with administering payments to states and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and accrediting voting system test laboratories and certifying voting equipment. It is also charged with developing and maintaining a national mail voter registration form. The three EAC commissioners are Donetta Davidson, chair; Gineen Bresso Beach; and Gracia Hillman. There is one vacancy on the commission.


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Dutch babe Lara Stone recently hit the road for the fall travel issue of T Magazine sporting some killer denim duds, proving that a girls best travel buddy is definitely her jeans…not that we didn't know that already! We love all her casual-cool looks, but her pair of high waisted Chloé jeans with snakeskin pocket details and tucked in simple white tee is definitely our fave! Check out all her looks and the full editorial bellow!
[nggallery id=670]
Images via Fashion Gone Rogue.
—Sandoval Gomez
Tags: casual denim looks, Chloé denim, Chloé jeans, denim to travel in, Lara Stone, T Magazine Travel, T Magazine Travel Fall 2011


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The Newton Motion 11 is a natural daily trainer and performance uptempo running shoe designed for a mild overpronated foot motion; ideal for experienced Newton users.
The Newton Motion 2011 is a supportive, light weight shoe designed for daily training. The low heel-to-toe drop encourages a more forward foot strike, and lugs in the forefoot deliver a responsive toe-off.
Model Number:
Weight: 9.8 oz (size 9)
Stack Height: Heel (26mm), Forefoot (21mm); measurement includes forefoot lugs.
How It Fits (based on width D) Width D=Medium
Product Lifecycle
Newton's Motion is a moderate featured shoe intended for those that need moderate overpronation support. This lightweight trainer uses the Action/Reaction technology and a dual density posting to promote forefoot running. The Motion has a semi-straight overall shape.
Comments: I'm just getting back into running (after a three-year layoff) and couldn't let pass the opportunity to own a pair of Newtons for $25.00. That's right, with my discount code, these sweet slippers arrived at my doorstep for the bargain-basement price of just $25.40. I'm 6' 1" and currently about 25 pounds overweight. Started running again about 2 weeks ago and found myself heel striking. But after slipping these lugged babies on, I'm mid-foot striking again, running faster, and with less effort. These magical motion shoes run about 1/4 to 1/2 small, so keep that in mind whilst ordering. I don't think there's a "better bang for the buck" on the planet. So grab a pair of these before they disappear like pancakes at a 5K race buffet!
From: Greg, Greenwood, SC, USA. February 3rd 2015
Comments: Horrible shoe !!! Agree with Roger from Charlotte. Ordered 1/2 size up as suggested. Does not run small. I wear 12 1/2 and 13 is too big. Right lace is at least 6-8 in.longer than left. Feels like I am running with concrete blocks on. Will stick with my Asics Gel Kayano alternating with New Balance 870 V3. Will never purchase Newton's again. Only reason I did was sale price. Now I know why a $175 shoe is on sale for $30.
From: Dave, Claysville, PA, USA. November 30th 2014
Comments: I love these shoes! i just ran my first run in these and they are awesome. they felt worn in in the first mile of running. these are a must buy for $30. be aware the sizing for them is a half size smaller than the standard running shoe
From: Adam, CA, USA. October 16th 2014
Comments: Love everything about this shoe, BUT, they are about a half-size too small. Just the right amount of support and cushion for longer distance runs, these are a true trainer. They are a bit heavy when the pace picks up. I have been running in the Distance S shoes as well, but have found that after about 12 miles I need a little additional cushioning. The Motion shoes provide that, just be sure to order a half-size up.
From: Keith. June 30th 2014
Comments: First I had the blue color of the Newton Motion, but the shoe strings above came to the skin of the upper foot. On the white ones the lip of the shoe is broader and the skin on my upper foot is not damaged any more. Further the shoe looks not so flat in the middle as the blue ones. So I hope they less wear on the sides. But we shall see. With the first pair I ran around 800-900 km and the left and right sides were completely worn. But I like them very much, also when running in the snow! But that was fresh fallen snow, so not frozen. No experience with frozen ground or water. You have to run on your forefoot, otherwise try other shoes: Asics are good!
From: Rene, Helmond, Netherlands
Comments: Superb shoe...great natural fit, orthotics fit easily, and just a touch of support...a very fast, balanced shoe...5 Stars...and thank you Running Warehouse for the fast service...my new favorite place to shop.
From: Dino, Pt St Lucie, FL USA
Comments: is the most worthless shoe I've ever bought. The quality is approximately 30 percent of the Asics gel DS Skyspeeds both models. I've been using in training for international distance triathlons. The lacing is difficult to adjust, there are several places around the perimeter of the point where the sole is glued to the midsole that are uneven and overlap, cushioning is almost non-existant, and they're far to low on volume for my feet. had I not worn them on the street, I'd return them or exchange them. Do yourself a favor. Stay away.
From: Roger G., Charlotte, NC, USA
Comments: I love these shoes and how they have helped me reenforce correct running form. I have done short and long runs and they work for everything. I use the shoes with my racing flats and my 5 fingers to round out my running fitness and injury prevention. I run 20-50 miles a week and I'm 200 lbs.
From: Aaron, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Comments: These are not an everyday trainer for me; I use them about once a week for 2-4 mile runs as a reprise from my usual trainers when my heel blisters get bad, generally in lieu of a rest day. It is important to understand that running in these shoes without injury requires a shorter, quicker stride landing mid to forefoot. This takes conscious effort from heel strikers like myself. Currently I have 30-40 miles on them. I run 80 miles per week. They have much more support than I expected, I suspected they would be a bit more like a racing flat. I imagine I could use them for training runs of up to 6-8 miles without problems.
From: Frank, Tucson, AZ, USA
Comments: The shoes are light and well cushioned. They provide plenty of support. They also breath well. The only problem with the shoes is the excessive ware of the orange sole in front of the recessed chambers. I'm starting to see the midsole through the sole and I have less than 300 miles on them. Buying the shoe was a great decision, but I don't plan on replacing them soon. The price is too high for the short lifespan. I will run (pun intended) to buy another pair if my feet start hurting.
From: Bill, Zionsville, IL, USA
Comments: Simply the Best, Better than all the rest...
From: Beanie


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BCBG Paris Faythe Sandal
Sorry, this item is sold out!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Item # dsw12prod4440029
Add some style and flair to your ensemble with the BCBG Paris Faythe. This strappy sandal will make you look effortlessly chic.
- As seen in In Style Magazine and DSW's Spring Commercials!
- Faux metallic leather upper
- Slingback strap with an adjustable buckle
- Round toe
- 4" heel
- Synthetic sole
- Imported
- View more BCBGeneration
By: SarahSarah
Location: Los Angeles
March 17, 2015
"I love this shoe! The straps are designed to prevent your foot from being all over the place. I have very narrow feet so it was true to size for me but think people with a wide foot should go half a size up. The top most strap is slightly more loose for me but that may just be because I have oddly narrow ankles also! I haven't walked in them a lot but they seem comfortable enough for a heel of that size. The gold is beautiful and I would want them in silver now too!"
By: dhfjsfksjdfh
Location: new york
April 25, 2014
Beautiful Shoes
"totally love those"
By: TeeTee05
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY
April 04, 2014
Great Sandal
"This sandal is comfortable my feet do not slide when I walk , the heel may be a little high for me but I can get used to it. The silver does not look plastic good quality. I like them I made a good choice."
By: africanshoegurl
Location: TX
October 12, 2013
I like
"Very nice pair of shoes and with more than enough space."
Click anywhere to close this.


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Testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can identify people who have a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. If a positive DNA mutation is discovered in one person, other family members can be tested to determine if they also carry a BRCA mutation.
Once you learn if you carry an inherited BRCA gene mutation, you can understand better your personal risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. You can talk with a genetic counselor and your health care provider about measures you can take to reduce your cancer risk.
To reduce your cancer risk, you may choose to:
However, not everyone who has their DNA tested for BRCA mutations gets clear results. There are times when the genetic tests show variants of uncertain significance (VUS) that have undefined risks of cancer. Individuals found to have these VUS cannot benefit from individualized cancer risk assessment that comes from a positive test result. In addition, a VUS cannot be used to determine risks of cancer among relatives of the tested individual.
Recently, scientists from around the world collaborated on developing a new model to help understand the clinical meaning of some of the known VUS in the BRCA genes. The model mathematically combines multiple lines of evidence to produce a number (or score), called the posterior probability. This probability score reflects the result from calculations that measure the chance that a VUS is or is not likely to be a real BRCA mutation or a harmless difference.
This new model is helping people who have VUS better understand their personal risk. However, more research is needed to understand all the variants as they are discovered. The field of genetics is evolving every day, so look for updates to this from Mayo Clinic.
For more on VUS and probability scores, check out mayoresearch.mayo.edu/mayo/research/womens_cancer/projects.cfm.
I'd love to hear from those of you who have experienced BRCA testing. Share your thoughts with others through the blog.
Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
Selecting "Submit" signifies that you have read and agree to our posting guidelines.
My 40 year old daughter has just finished 12 rounds of chemo for stage 3 colon cancer. Her oncology office asked if I would do a check swab for research and it came back that I have a variant gene. I have no idea what this means, but brain cancer and prostate were mentioned along with this.
Good Morning! On October 19, 2014 I received my results from genetic testing...I do not carry the mutated BCRA gene! Very happy and relieved. With this result, I am not eligible for high risk screening. I was diagnosed in January 2014 with DCIS, surgery for lumpectomy March 2014 and 30 sessions of radiation ending June 2014. I am on tamoxifin for five years. However, as I was premenopausal and with the tamoxifin an addition to my new "science breakfast", my endometrial lining has doubled in thickness. I am HEAVILY pressing my gyno for a total hysterectomy! I am being proactive as I want to radically decrease my chances of ANY reproductive cancers. I am 52 years old and I'm done with populating the world! My suggestion to any breast cancer patient is to consider any and all opportunities to mitigate future risk...ask the hard questions and if you can't get the right answers, keep pressing! Stay positive, stay present and remember to inject a little humour into your day...EVERY DAY!
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer stage 3b and had surgery last July 2013------I tested BRCA 1 VUS----------so it seems the variant I have would be related ?
This is for Vivian and others considering the BRCA testing. It's a personal decision to have the testing. You may want to discuss this with your primary care provider who can help you make an informed decision. You also may want to talk with other family members to see if there are other related cancers within your family (such as ovarian cancer).
My mother died of breast cancer at age 82 and my sister died of breast cancer at age 64. Should I have a BRCA test done?
Cancer(of various kinds) is very prevalent in our family. My sister died of ovarian cancer at 48. Her daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29. My mom had breast cancer at 51 but died of colon cancer at 79. My dad died of colon cancer at 82. There are 8 children in our family. After my sister's death and my niece's diagnosis, I was tested for the BRCA gene, tested positive and had my breasts and ovaries removed. My four daughters were tested, they were all negative(praise God.) My sister's other daughter's were tested-two positive, two negative. The positive ones also had preventive surgery. Now one of my brothers has been diagnosed with liver and lung cancer. If he had been tested for the BRCA gene would he have benefited by the knowledge and done something preventive or is this gene just for breast and ovarian cancer. Thank you so much.
I went for my annual mamogram November 1 of 2011. The followup ultrasound revealed a likely cancerous breast lump in my left breast. Followed up with lumpectomy and thought all was fine until I was checked for the BRCA gene as my Dad died in 1974 witl breast cancer. Unfortunately, I tested positive for the BRCA2 gene and was then advised if I did not do a double masectomy, I had an 84% chance of recurrence by age 70. I was 61 at the time of diagnosis and have just turned 62 in June. Underwent 4 chemotherapy treatments and then double masectomy with flap reconstruction in April of 2012. Finally, I am beginning to feel better from the past year long journey. I feel so blessed to have found this lump early as my doctors have told me had I not found this in my annual mammogram, it would have been aggressive. My advise to every woman is DO NOT PUT OFF YOUR ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS. My lymph nodes all tested negative so I am hopeful that I will be able to be here for more blessed years with my grandchildren. My daughter was immediately tested for the gene, and thank the good Lord above, she tested negative. We rejoiced together.
Are there undiscovered genes that cause breast cancer? I know about BRACA but there must be more genes that cause BC.
Thanks for any response,
Amy Lynn
A few people have asked about current BRCA1 and BRCA2 research studies. Go to the NCI website factsheet on BRCA to find additional information about research and the BRCA mutations - www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/BRCA
I have had the BRCA genetic testing. Mine came back fine, but I have so much Breast & Pancreatic cancer in my family, (great grandmother breast, Grandmother, Mom & cousin pancreatic, sister breast - all have passed away. I have a couple of other cousins that have had breast cancer that are doing fine. They do check me twice a year for the breast. I do have an ultrasound of my pancreas once every couple of years.
My 41 year old daughter had regular mammogram and two small areas of calcification in right breast warranted core needle biopsy to find Stage 0 DCIS in situ. Since breast cancer ran on her father's side, she opted for bilateral mastectomy w/reconstruction in June. Lymph nodes were clear and pathology reports indicated that she was cured of the cancer. She recently had BRCA testing which indicates BRCA2 suspect deleterious. No ovarian cancer on either side of the family. Decision to have ovaries and tubes removed is very difficult.
I tested Positive for BRCA2. My family history was at that time a brother and a sister with breast cancer. I am cancer free at this time and get regular checkups. this year my third sibling was tested positive for breast cancer. I am 71 years old so I do not worry too much about the possibilities of cancer. One of my daughters had the test done and was negative. The other daughter will not test. Sons know of my history but ignore it as guys usually do.
My mother had ovarian cancer; so when I was diagnosed with it too, I decided to get tested. I have the BRCA 2 mutation. My adult daughter and son both went for testing after my result. My daughter also has the mutation, but my son did not. My daughter had her ovaries removed as a precaution and is followed closely with mammograms and MRIs every 6 months. With my son's good results we don't have to be worried about his daughters. I wish I had gone for testing as soon an my mother was diagnosed. If I had I might have been diagnosed much earlier than the Stage 3C that I was in when finally diagnosed. It took 2 years of many doctors' visits and varied diagnoses before the OCa was diagnosed. I am fortunate to still be here 9 years later. My mother was not so lucky and only lived 4 years before recurrence and death.
Although I was blessed with a negative BRACA my 24 year old neice was not. She went for a mamogram because of this testing and was found to have stage II in one breast and early ayticical cells in the other. she courageously chose double mastectomy and has now saved eggs in the event that she chooses hysterectomy in the near future. Her younger sisters tested negative. Had this testing not been avavilable, it would have been unlikely that we would have looked for cancer in this very healthy appearing 23 year old. although her grandmother and aunt passed at age 30 and 59 we never dreamed that it was even a possibility that the same thing could happen at such a young age. We are so blessed that despite a bad test, she has been saved and is now engaged and planning her wedding with a man who has loved her through it all.
My 2 daughters and I are BRCA2 mutation positive. My one daughter had a prophylactic matectimy w immediate reconstruction @age 25. My other daughter is being monitored closely. I went in for a prophylactic mastectomy, and DCIS was found...am glad I did it! My one daughter and I are being featured in the sept-oct issue of Rochester Women Magazine. The staff at Mayo was great. Genetic couseling was invaluable.
I have a positive BRCA2 test result and have screening every 6 months. Currently we are discussing preventive measures such as medications or surgery.
Although BRCA negative, many of my cousins and aunts and closer relatives had(have) breast cancer and it makes one wonder how many variants of hereditary genes there are for cancer beyond BRCA.
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Narrated by Grammy and Emmy-winner and New Orleans-native Harry Connick, the one-hour documentary focuses on the most significant events in the state's first two centuries.
From the moment Louisiana became the 18th state on April 30, 2012, the Bayou State has always done things its own way. In fact, the United States wasn't quite sure what to make of its newest state and Louisiana didn't quite fit in with the other 17 states for a number of years. The tension lessened after an outmanned, ragtag group of U.S. soldiers, Louisiana and Tennessee volunteers and pirates defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.
In the past 200 years, Louisiana has survived massive floods, devastating hurricanes and the Civil War. Combining the contributions for seven different nationalities, it developed its own unique cuisine. From the streets and barrooms of New Orleans came Jazz. . Along the way it has more than its share of charismatic and sometimes controversial political figures like former Governors Huey and Earl Long and Edwin Edwards. With the recent elections of Kathleen Blanco, the first woman governor in the state's history, and Bobby Jindal, the nation's first Indian American governor, the state has entered a new era of politics.
Did you know that the state hosted the largest war games in American history to prepare troops for World War II or that New Orleans boat builder Andrew Higgins created the amphibious landing crafts that were used in D-Day and other major assaults during the War.
From the creation of Jazz to Cajun, Zydeco, blues, New Orleans Rhythm and Blues and country music, the musical diversity in the state is reflective of the state's population and culture. It's a culture that has produced such music legends as Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino along with contemporary country stars like Tim McGraw and Trace Atkins.
The documentary was produced by LPB's Tika Laudun and Al Godoy, who created the duPont Columbia Award-winning six-part series Louisiana: A History
Major funding for Louisiana: 200 Years of Statehood is provided by the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission and the Louisiana Department of Culture Recreation and Tourism. And by Entergy Louisiana; dedicated to the communities we serve for over one hundred years, Entergy the Power of People; The Reilly Family Foundation, supporting the Arts, Cultural and Health based initiatives throughout Louisiana since 2002; your local Louisiana Propane Dealer, fuel for residential, agricultural, industrial and commercial uses. Additional funding by Exxon Mobil Baton Rouge and The Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
The Louisiana Bicentennial Commission, Propane Dealers and LUBA Workers' Comp are underwriting the Louisiana: Now and Then Bicentennial minutes hosted by Emmy-nominee and Pineville native Faith Ford.


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Crank It - EZ Emergency: Flashlight, cell phone charger, radio and alarm all in one!
If you are ever caught in an emergency situation or natural disaster, you will want this to be included in your Emergency Kit. With its ability to create and store energy and 3 Mega Bright LEDs providing over 100,000 hours of light, the power will always be on. This flashlight also has a built in radio with volume control to help you get the necessary news and an alarm to help with rescues. Of course, we have also included cell phone adapters to charge your cell phone when your battery dies.
Using the Crank It - EZ Emergency Flashlight
The EZ Emergency allows you to turn on 1 LED or all 3 LEDs for extra brightness by adjusting the light position button. To charge the EZ Emergency, simply crank the ergonomic handle for 1 minute for over 30 minutes of bright light.
Operating the Radio and Alarm
Turn the radio on by increasing the volume switch to a comfortable listening level. You can search for channels by pushing the scan button. A reset button is also included which resets the radio to the beginning of the radio band. To operate the Alarm, simply push the button to turn on and turn off.
Charging your Cell Phone
The EZ Emergency is also engineered to charge your cell phone. To charge
your phone, turn off all LED lights. Attach the correct cell phone adapter to the power cord and plug it into your phone. Then simply plug the other end of the power cord into the EZ Emergency. Begin charging your phone by cranking the handle at a rate of approximately 2-3 cranks per second, which generates a steady 6.2 volts. Because the product is voltage-regulated, turning the handle faster cannot damage the phone and will not speed the charging process. Three minutes of cranking will provide 2-8 minutes of talk time. However, continuous cranking will provide you with an endless supply of talk time.
Crank It - EZ Emergency Size & Care
You will never need to buy or replace batteries and bulbs. This means you can ignore the EZ Emergency for years and it will still function properly when used. The EZ Emergency has been specifically designed as an everyday item. The dimensions of EZ Emergency are 7" x 2" x 2". Although the EZ Emergency is water resistant, try to avoid contact with moisture in order to ensure proper functioning.
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Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood
2012 Billboard Music Awards, held at MGM Grand Garden Arena – Arrivals
Las Vegas, Nevada – 20.05.12
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Skip to comments.IMF says Arab Spring countries need USD90b (why should we foot the bill)
Posted on 05/07/2012 5:57:30 AM PDT by Milagros
IMF says Arab Spring countries need USD90b MENAFN.COM 03/05/2012
(MENAFN) The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) director for Middle East and Central Asia, Masood Ahmed, stated that countries which were swept by the Arab Spring need USD90 billion, as they lack cash, reported The National.
Ahmed added that during the current year, Arab oil importing countries will need USD90 billion, whereas the amount will be expected to grow to USD100 billion in 2013.
He also said that jobs' creation is still a main priority, as the political unrest weakened trade and tourist links with the euro zone, deteriorating economies, thus, reducing incomes and increasing unemployment.
Moreover, Egypt and Tunisia are the main countries that were affected by the Arab Spring, with new demands for faster change from citizens and the withdrawal of foreign investment have worsened the challenge.
It is worth noting that the IMF still has approximately USD35 billion available to aid Arab Spring nations, however, the rest of the amount will have to come from other organizations and countries. http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093509796/IMF-says-Arab-Spring-countries-need-USD90b
Because "we" have allowed an idiot into the position of authority which enabled this problem.
Gotta decorate the rape rooms and build presidential palaces. Need to build firing-squad ranges with 90,000 seat stadiums wrapped around them. That stuff costs money.
Egypt is really on the brink.
Half of its people rely completely on Gov't subsidized propane and wheat for their daily survival. The Egyptian Gov't (whatever it is) is down to about 2-3 months of Foreign Exchange cover for basic imports. The Muslim Brotherhood is fomenting a crisis now, cutting of gas sales, etc... so it can blame the military/transition Gov't for the coming collapse.
Any money for them now will be to simply keep the country on life-support. It will solve nothing.
Just watched "The Kingdom" again Saturday.
I have no sympathy for these folks' leadership. Maybe they could have a bake sale.
And how is this OUR problem?
What you wrote is very understated. Egypt is facing a horrific disaster, and nothing anyone can do can stop it.
It has a population of 80 million, 10% of whom have hepatitis C, and more than half of the total are reliant on imported food. The MB has cut off natural gas to Israel which was one of their largest and most reliable sources of desperately needed income.
And the MB has also rejected foreign loans, actually for the sensible reason that the military government would steal all of it, leaving nothing but debt to show for it.
Speaking of which, the military leadership are sending as much loot overseas as they can for their retirement as soon as the MB takes over. Of the $1.5 billion Obama just sent to Egypt, 80% of which is military aid, all of it is going to the military leadership (possibly as a none-too-subtle bribe for them to indeed turn over power, instead of contriving an excuse to keep it.)
About the only nation with enough money to even keep Egypt barely fed is Saudi Arabia, but while they are willing to send radical imams as foreign aid, they are not big on giving money or food to other Muslims if there is nothing in it for them.
Egypt's medical system has already collapsed. And what do you do with 40-60 million starving people? I doubt there is much for such a gigantic mass of people in Libya or Sudan.
I know! We could borrow the money from Arab oil sheiks!!! /s
Here's an idea, let's buy'em all a flat screen tv while we're at it.
Meanwhile, as the music continues, in the socialist musical chairs game of LiarEconomics, the United States is broke at a level unprecedented in the history of the world.
No problem. There is plenty of money in "Obama's stash" to support the Obama inspired "Arab Spring." Make no mistake. This IMF money will come out of the hide of the American taxpayer. This won't even require increased taxes. As that economic genius Keynes said, "By a continuing process of inflation, government can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens." Still this 100 billion will not be enough. Virtually every nation is consuming more than it produces. The day will come in the not to distant future when the credit cards are maxed out and the masses face starvation. Western nations are plagued with violence now. Can you imagine a situation when people are rioting because they cannot get food rather than free contraceptives or free college educations.
Send the bill to Beijing.
Stop spending.
You seem very well informed on the issue. What reading would you suggest so i could learn more on the matter?
LOL @ Presidential rape rooms, exactly right, priorities.
I see no reason to help them, let them fail and eat sand unless their Arab Muslim brethren help them. And we need to increase the price of our grain.
We could always follow Cubas lead and buy them all rice cookers. Oboma would receive all kinds of left wing praise. Political problem solved!
Perhaps they could get it from Arab oil EXPORTING countries. They've already got a lot of our money anyway.
And to the filthy-rich [selfish, stingy] Arab Gulf.
In other words, Islamists make the Arab world even poorer.
Little barry bastard commie and his henchthugs financing the islamic world revolution. Nothing more. And yet the feckless republicans enable them ... America, we need to talk, to talk about the deep trouble we're in for not electing the right people to be the government of our We The People Republic. We're losing it, people!
We all got needs. Go ask the Saudis, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Abu Dhubai. Go ask Iran.
Ditto, it's more of an Islamic revolution anyway.
Exactly. All contributions to FR, are needed, especially in this obama-shabby-economy.
Egypt and hepatitis:
The rest of the info is gleaned from a lot of sources, and the situation is rapidly changing. Other loans were hinging on the IMF loan, which was first rejected by the military, and then maybe rejected by the MB, as well as the leading political party.
But at this point, loans are likely not enough.
They need a $100 billion, eh? That'll bring the dollar down more for sure.
Does anyone know of a single commercial product produced in one of these countries? Other than oil - which we found, drilled and extracted for them.
Cars? refrigerators? Computers? Wheat? Tires?
If they never create anything of value, shouldn't they expect to lack cash ?
Thank you. I was not so much interested in the capital as the other evidences of the society breaking down.
Arab spring countries need our bucks so that they can turn the cash around and donate it to their guy in the white mosque.
Hmm... the "newest / freshest" Koran with the same old version of Christians/Jews being apes pigs?
Hell, why not give them the cash?
After all, WE paid for the planes they used to smash into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon...
...paying for the rope our enemies use to hang us is what we do.
(extreme sarcasm natch)
I need 2 million in cash to retire. Where do I apply?
Now your'e talking.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Speech by Achim Steiner on the Global Green Economy and Israel
Tel Aviv, 20 April 2009 - Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,Thank you for inviting me to your distinguished University, home to close to 30,000 students and cutting edge research in fields ranging from nanotechnology and medicine to the humanities, astronomy and crop research.My theme this evening is the Green Economy.So it is fitting that it is held in a centre of excellence in learning and research.Many of the transformational technological opportunities emerging across the globe right now - from renewables such as wind and solar power to desalination and smart, energy efficient materials and processes - were originally incubated in the world's universities, colleges and research institutes.Why some ideas move from that 'Eureka' moment onto commercialization can be a source of fascination.Time after time resource efficient, low carbon and environmentally-friendly products and processes have often languished on the research shelves.We are told that unfortunately they did not pass muster in terms of the market - giving the market a quasi-religious of semi-mythical power of ultimate arbiter of what society wants and needs.During the oil crisis of the late 1970s-early 1980s around $1 billion was invested research and development in photo voltaics.In a few short years, these investments halved the cost per unit of the electricity but not far enough to achieve commercialization.The oil price dropped and so did wide-spread enthusiasm for solar power - only now are generation prices begin to fall towards competitiveness: we have wasted nearly three precious decades.The Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb is also a case in point - the traditional light bulb which wastes over 90 per cent of the energy consumed in heat rather than light can trace its origins back to the British physicist Michael Faraday and the United States inventor Edison over a century ago.Nobody seemed to care that far more efficient options have existed for decades until now - the market essentially failed to factor in externalities such as energy wastage and pollution.Manufacturers of traditional light bulbs also had little interest in switching large production facilities into compacts until the market woke up to issues such as climate change and energy security.So the market is not always so far-seeing, perceptive in terms of medium and long term trends or able to respond speedily to new realities and wider societal and environmental imperatives.Governments have a clear role to play in shaping and focusing markets to deliver wider benefits and longer term goals. In short the Green Economy. A point to which I will return in a moment.Ladies and gentlemen ,Resource Scarce Economies - the First Green ShootsThere are some economies and some governments that in a sense have been forced by virtue of their circumstances, by virtue of operating in constrained resource landscapes, towards being more resource efficient ones.If not Green Economies, they have at least some green hue and planted in some sectors green shoots well before anyone else.While the world in large part pressed the brake pedal on photovoltaics in the early 1980s as a result of the oil price fall, a country like Iceland took a more long term, transformational view in terms of another renewable resource.Iceland has few forests from which to generate biomass-fueled energy, nor does it have any oil or coal. But it does have volcanoes and hot geothermal springs.Today that country generates over 90 per cent of its electricity from hydro and geothermal.Japan, another resource-constrained economy, is a leader in recycling under its 3 R's concept - reduce, re-use and recycle.Today it is also the producer of some of the most high-tech fuel efficient cars including the iconic Prius.Japanese car markers have also overtaken many of the big names in the US car market where, as a result of decades of seeming resource abundance and weak if not zero market signals on the price of fuel, its car makers are now reeling.The market failed to read the writing on the wall or see the climate and energy security street signs coming up fast on the international highway.Ladies and gentlemen,Israel - Innovation and Resource ScarcityIsrael too is among those nations that have shown innovation in the face of scarcity and have seen opportunity in crisis.I understand that 90 per cent of your homes have solar water heaters with installation backed by laws.Earlier today I had the pleasure of visiting the Ashkelon reverse osmosis desalination plant.Here I was told that the facility produces some 320,000 cubic metres of water per day from seawater - equal to around 13 per cent of Israel's domestic consumer demand and at one of the lowest costs in the world.Visited too the Hiriya landfill site where electricity is being produced from methane with an aim of 10 meggwatts and where some of the most state of the art battery collection; tyre recycling and materials re-use systems are being pioneered and show-cased.Israel's desert-based farming systems are also legendary, utilizing warm and brackish waters under the Negev to produce fish and crops.Technologies and techniques that can contribute to employment at home and abroad; exports in sustainable industries and opportunities for assisting currently less advanced societies in the Middle East and beyond, including Africa, achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.In Kenya, for example, where UNEP is headquartered we have been assisting the local power company in pioneering new and advanced drilling techniques for geothermal electricity generation up and along the Great Rift Valley.That is one of our contributions, overcoming the hurdles to clean energy expansion in order to encourage governments and the private sector to get involved.In Kenya the expansion is now underway - 35 meggwatts have been just installed and financing last month of an initial $90 million for a third phase has been secured. The technology provider is the Israeli company Ormat.Ladies and gentlemen,This project in many ways crystallizes the Green Economy approach in which multilateral, bilateral and private sector support - in this case the UN, European Development Finance Institutions and Deutsche Bank - comes together to solve multiple challenges.Kenya, with under 15 per cent of its population with access to the Grid, is now scaling up an indigenous source of electricity, while cutting its fuel bill and saving overseas development aid for the purposes to which it was originally intended - namely health and education to agriculture and development projects.Meanwhile, the geothermal is assisting the international community to cut its greenhouse gas emissions, bring much needed energy and economic activity to a developing economy and also generating employment.Resource Scarcity is Going GlobalLadies and gentlemen,these are the kinds of transformational, resource efficient and lower carbon societies that have been in part emerging as a result of relatively 'soft' market signals and triggered in part and in some economies by historical resource constraints.What might happen to national, regional and the global economies if those market signals get a little harder?There are indications that the world could achieve quite a lot: This begs the question why we might, as an international community and as national administrations wish to take this path.Let me make a few suggestions as to why such market signals are needed.And why, after several decades of loose regulation and a 'stand back and watch' attitude by many governments, the time has come for globalization to be given a make-over and a more intelligent , thoughtful and perhaps structured face.Firstly, the kinds of resource scarcities faced by a country such as Israel, are becoming increasingly wide-spread and global.In part as a result of a global population of now over six billion people and in part as a result of wasteful production and consumption patterns inherited from the previous century.Certainly if the current economic models prevail- in a world heading towards over nine billion people by 2050 and if the ecological footprint of nine billion mirror the consumption patterns of the United States or of Europe- then we are heading for trouble on an almost unimaginable, perhaps Biblical scale.Indeed on many fronts, we are already pushing if not pushing past the limits in terms of what the planet and its natural life-support systems and services can support and renew.
These are just some of the facts and figures.Now we have the challenge of climate change. In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established and supported by UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization, published its fourth assessment.The likely impacts- from the loss of much of the glaciers and thus water supplies in the Himalayas by the 2030s to a third of Africa's coastline under threat from sea level rise- was sobering enough then.But in two short years the science has become ever more sobering and ever more worrisome from the accelerated melting of Greenland to the impact of rising levels of acidity on the productivity of the seas and oceans.Is a Green Economy via a Global Green New Deal the Solution?Ladies and gentlemen,Many of these trends have been in the making for decades and the world has responded with agreements on everything from protecting the ozone layer, to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its emission reduction treaty the Kyoto Protocol.But the scale of the response has failed to match the magnitude of the challenge.However, something quite remarkable has occurred in less than 12 months.The convergence of first the food and fuel crises followed by the financial and now economic crisis have triggered a global response in terms of political cooperation and the mobilizing of stimulus packages of almost unimaginable proportions.The question now is how will the around $3 trillion-worth of stimulus packages be spent-on the old brown economy or a new Green one that might set the stage for a truly sustainable century?An economy able to deal with multiple challenges-from food and fuel to climate change, employment and natural resource constraints-as integrated and inter-linked ones.UNEP's ContributionIn response to these various crises UNEP launched its Global Green New Deal/Green Economy initiative in October last year and have been sharpening its focus ever since.At our last Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in February - a meeting of the world's environment ministers which was also the trigger for my visit here today and to Gaza and the West Bank in the coming days - we presented our Policy Brief for a Global Green New Deal.It has been compiled in cooperation with well over 20 UN agencies, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, OECD, economists and Non Governmental Organizations.The policy brief spotlights how some economies, such as China, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States, are already committing part of their stimulus packages to green investments.The brief underlines even more transformational potential if more economies are prepared to
I would like to share some of the findings.
Broadly those five sectors are:-
Investing one per cent of global GDP, or around $750 billion, into five key sectors could be the key to a Global Green New Deal.Broadly those five sectors are:-The Policy Brief also calls for a range of specific measures aimed at assisting poorer countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and green their economies.These include an expansion of microcredit schemes for clean energy: reform of subsidies from fossil fuels to fisheries and the greening of overseas development aid.Japan, which has already launched a multi-billion green stimulus package for its economy, has just announced a $5 billion loan fund for developing economies seeking to boost their renewable energy sector.Energy Efficient BuildingsThe global construction industry has an annual turnover of $3 trillion and employs large numbers of people. Many of these jobs are now under threat as a result of the financial and economic crisis.Buildings are also responsible for 30 per cent to 40 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions - reducing this impact represents one of the most cost effective measures to combat global warming, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).In the United States, where the new government is planning to spend close to $900 billion stimulating the economy, a large portion of these funds will be focused on greening the economy, including plans to cut energy demand by one fifth from all federal buildings at an estimated cost of $9.4 billion.Likewise, the US government is investing $6.2 billion to 'weatherise' a million homes at an average cost of just over $1,600 per property.The brief estimates that $100 billion invested over four year in improving energy efficiency in buildings and cities across the United States will generate two million jobs.Globally a world-wide transition to energy-efficient buildings would create millions of jobs as well as 'greening' existing jobs for an estimated 111 million people employed in the sector.The brief calls on world leaders to not only back such large-scale investments but to also invest in training, capacity building and transfer of green building skills, technologies and materials to developing economies including local authorities who are a key partner in passing regulations and promoting energy efficiency measures.Renewable EnergyAn estimated $45 trillion will be needed up to 2025 if increasing energy demand is to be met while simultaneously moving to climate-friendly generation - the current stimulus packages can lay the foundation fo a green energy revolution.The brief estimates that $630 billion invested in renewables by 2030 would translate into at least 20 million additional jobs of which over two million would be in wind energy; 6.3 million in solar photovoltaics and 12 million in biofuels.This compares with total employment in oil and gas industries, currently estimated at just over two million.Developing economies are already benefiting from backing renewable energy. In China the sector generates $17 billion and already employs one million people.A biofuels industry based on cassava and sugar cane could generate 200,000 jobs in Nigeria and India has the potential to create 900,000 jobs by 2025 in biomass gasification.At least 20,000 jobs have been generated in Bangladesh as a result of the installation of some 200,000 photovoltaic solar home systems; 6,000 biogas plants and 20,000 more energy efficient cooking stoves. The policy brief calls for a greater roll out of microcredit schemes alongside a reform of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, the greenhouse gas-cutting treaty.Sustainable TransportThe global car fleet is expected to triple by 2050 with more than 90 per cent of the growth in non-OECD countries.The IPCC has recommended that vehicle fuel economy needs to improve by 50 per cent. The policy brief suggests that accelerated investments in high fuel efficiency vehicles including hybrids and ones powered by alternative fuels could create close to four million jobs world-wide with an additional 19 million jobs in areas such as sales, repairs and servicing.UNEP has launched a global initiative to double the fuel economy of the global vehicle fleet - in line with IPCC and G8 recommendations. Together with the International Energy Agency, FIA Foundation and the International Transport Forum the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) promotes the investments in green, efficient cars.Applying technologies available today, this could save 6 billion barrels of oil, or 2 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions per year (similar to half of all EU emissions today).Meanwhile investments in cleaner, more efficient and less polluting urban public transport has even more potential prospects as sustainable public transport systems have secondary employment generation multipliers of up to four jobs per direct job created.
Railways can, with forward-looking reforms and modernization, be profitable enterprises. Indian railways, which employs 1.4 million people, has been recently transformed into a 'cash-rich enterprise' and is undergoing a major modernization effort.The policy brief argues that the stimulus packages, allied to incentives and fiscal measures, could accelerate these transitions by triggering changes in consumer and public behaviour and raising additional funds for sustainable transport.
Freshwaters and Ecological InfrastructureInvestments in the water sector can be profitable not only for the people benefiting from clean water and sanitation but also the businesses involved.The global water market for supply, sanitation and water efficiency is estimated to be worth over $250 billion and is likely to grow to nearly $660 billion by 2020.
Some stimulus packages are targeting this sector:
The brief also calls on developing country governments and international development organizations to back investments in other ecological infrastructure such as soils, forests, oceans, coral reefs and wetlands.Currently their contribution to national economies and global economic output and in particular to the livelihoods of the poor are undervalued despite their importance.
"Evidence is however accumulating to show that it makes economic sense to invest in ecological infrastructure," says the policy brief.
Sustainable AgricultureThe report urges developed economies to invest part of their stimulus packages to develop sustainable agriculture, both at home and in developing economies.This should be allied to the opening up of markets to sustainably made produce from developing economies as this will not only support poverty reduction efforts but also improve food security and minimize pressure on ecosystems including soils, and climate.The report cites the case of organic agriculture in which four guiding principles are health, ecology, fairness and care.A study of 114 cases of conversion to organic or near organic production method in Africa, surveyed by UNEP and the UN Conference on Trade and Development, found that yields had risen by over 100 per cent after switching to organic or near organic production.The data on organic production and trade is now available for more than 140 countries. Sales of organic products have increased by over $5 billion a year for the last few years, reaching more than $46 billion by 2007."Organic agriculture offers a real trade and poverty reduction opportunity for developing countries, as more than 97 per cent of the revenues are generated in Europe and North America whereas more than 80 per cent of the producers are in Africa, Asia and Latin America, " says the report. The countries with the most producers are Uganda, followed by India, Ethiopia and MexicoSustainable agriculture also offers the potential to mitigate climate change through decreased emission of greenhouse gases, improved energy efficiency and increased carbon sequestering.According to one study conducted by the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation: "CO2 emissions per hectare of organic agriculture systems are 48 per cent to 68 per cent lower than in conventional systems". Various studies have shown that organic fields sequester 3- 8 tone more carbon per hectare compared to conventional agriculture. As a climate change adaptation strategy, organic agriculture already addresses the key consequences of climate change, namely increased water stress, drought, flooding and extreme temperatures by increasing water filtration and retention capacity as well as organic nutrient content of organic fields.The policy brief also points out that organic agriculture also uses 30 per cent more labour than conventional agriculture. In Mexico over 170,000 jobs were created by organic agriculture in 2007.Ladies and gentlemen,Israel is part of this Global Green New Deal in which governments do what they were elected to do - namely decide on the economic, social and environmental future they want and put in place the laws, regulations and arrangements that can focus the markets and unleash innovation and entrepreneurship to achieve those ends.Your new 10 per cent target for renewables, backed by tax-incentives and a feed-in tariff is a case in point - feed-in tariffs have turned countries like Germany and Spain into world leaders.The decision to designate the Arava and Negev as renewable energy zones, backed by tax benefits, may also prove an extraordinary economic move.By some estimates an area 800 square km by 800 square km of desert has enough solar power striking it to supply all the world's electricity needs.Harnessing just a fraction of this could supply electricity nationally and regionally either as electricity or as a source of power to produce other clean fuels - for example hydrogen.Indeed, some proportion of Israel's renewable energy expansion might be usefully harnessed to reduce fossil fuel use in, for example, desalination.Some may say the economics do not stack up - Brazil was told the same 30 years ago when they launched their ethanol economy.Even now, there are punters and commentators who question the competitiveness of for example solar power.At the last UN climate convention meeting in Poznan, Poland, UNEP hosted three leading solar companies at a press conference.The CEOs of China's Suntech; America's First Solar and Europe's Solar Century avowed competitiveness not in 15 years or 30 years - but in less than five years.Already First Solar, with its thin film technology, is rolling out roof-top photovoltaics in California that are claimed to be generating electricity as cheaply as fossil fuels.Again, innovation, resource efficient and low carbon transformations supported by clear policies and strong market mechanisms and signals - indeed California, like Denmark, are two examples of economies that have in recent decades grown without a single increase in carbon emissions.Environment and PeacebuildingLadies and gentlemen,There is another aspect to the Green Economy and to the sustainable development agenda as a whole - one that goes to the heart of the UN's mandate and its charter.This is role of the environment in conflict but also in peacebuilding.There is an increasing body of academic and empirical research linking these areas.A new UNEP report, entitled from Conflict to Peacebuilding, notes that since 1990 at least 18 violent conflicts have been fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources.It also concludes that over the past 60 years at least 40 per cent of all intrastate conflicts - for example in Liberia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo - have centred on high value resources such as oil and timber.A recent study by UNEP's Post Conflict and Disaster Management Branch on the Sudan has linked climate change and shifts in rainfall patterns in Darfur as an important factor in the conflict there, bringing communities and groups living in acute resource scarcity, into clashes.In an increasingly resource constrained world, and one facing destabilizing climate change, such tensions are likely to swell and spread.How will the world cope with over 30 million people in Bangladesh deprived of their land and their livelihoods by seal level rise - where will they go?How will the world cope when entire river systems across Asia, Latin America and elsewhere no longer run all year round but become seasonal because they are no longer fed by the spring meltwaters of shrunken, lost glaciers?But ladies and gentlemen, there is another side to this environment and resource conundrum.Water, perhaps the most essential natural resource of them all, has often been a source of cooperation rather than tensions - indeed research by UNEP and Oregon State University shows that over the past 50 years cooperation on shared, transboundary waters has outnumbered conflict by two-to-one.This has often been the case in your region. Despite tensions between Israel and Palestinian authorities, you too have often cooperated on those essential natural resources such as water and waste management.In the final analysis perhaps because of mutual self interest - because water shortages as a result of over-exploitation or contamination of rivers or underground aquifers are rarely confined to one community or country and pollution, such as sewage or chemicals, and thus theirs impacts, often know no bounds.I hope that on my mission here to this region I can listen and see how those cooperative channels on basic and shared environmental concerns can be re-opened and resumed. Environment and the Green Economy as a Basis for Global CooperationPerhaps it is now time to disentangle the environment from geopolitics, not just in the regional context but also at the global level.In somewhere around 230 days more than 190 countries will meet in Copenhagen for the crucial UN climate convention meeting.The world needs to Seal the Deal on a comprehensive, scientifically-credible and economically defensible new climate agreement.One that can pave the way towards stabilizing the atmosphere and assisting vulnerable communities to climate-proof their economies.A deal too that can accelerate and broaden the scope of the carbon markets and in turn play a big part in embedding a global Green Economy.Currently the negotiations remain bogged down in minutia and in the kind of debates that all too often characterize international negotiations including suspicions that someone might be a loser and another a winner.Ladies and gentlemen,Climate change is the challenge for this generation - there will be no winners, only losers if Copenhagen fails to match the realities we all face.But if nations can put aside the narrow differences that divide them and unite behind the coming challenges and seize the opportunities facing them, six billion plus people will be winners.And governments will have delivered perhaps the biggest Green Economy stimulus package of 2009 and beyond.Thank you
Further Resources
UNEP Green Economy Initiative
Global Green New Deal Policy Brief
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text:
From Betty's Soul Food Collection... This is spaghetti with attitude and a twist, blending traditional Italian flavor with a dash of Mexican pizzazz. It's a world of great taste.
Inspired by Bake-Off® Contest 40 recipe "Fiesta Spaghetti".
Lean ground turkey could be used instead of the ground beef.
© 2015 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


text:
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Location: new york
December 10, 2012
"These shoes are awesome! Very comfy and the heel height is great. The quality is good and the style is awesome. they ran just a touch small, but i figured with the pointy toe they would. i ordered a 1/2 size larger and they are perfect."
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Designer Indian Kurti Tunic for Women, Red, Size XXL - Luxurious Kurtis - Cotton & Viscose Tops for Women
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TRADITIONAL LOOK Our designer kurtis feature V-notch necklines, three-button plackets & 3/4 inch sleevesBust - 46 inches; Top to bottom length 30 inches; Wear with jeans, skirts, shorts, capris, leggings & moreSTAY COOL & STYLISH ALL SUMMER The airy soft choice for women; kurtis are made from breathable 70% cotton, 30% viscose fabricFAIR TRADE INDIAN KURTIS Our kurti tops are made by Indian artisans who are paid fair wages for using their skills to create these gorgeous tunics SO SIMPLE TO CARE FOR Our kurtis are machine washable on the delicate cycle in cold water; Line dry for best resultsIn many parts of India, summer days can get as hot as 122 degrees Fahrenheit, so traditional fashions have evolved to help protect the skin from the sun while keeping the body cool. For Indian women, kurtis are a true summer staple because they are comfortable and breathable, yet still a stylish choice of top to wear for everyday dress. Now, you can take a cue from Indian women and feel great on the hottest of days in your own Designer Indian Kurti Tunic for Women!Our designer kurtis come in a rainbow of colors with something to suit every skin tone, eye color and hair color. This particular kurti tunic is red and will pair nicely with everything from jeans to a summer skirt to shorts to capris. Made by skilled Indian artisans, our kurtis are fair trade, so you can feel good every time you wear one knowing that your purchase helped to make life better for an Indian family.Made from a luxurious mix of 70 percent cotton and 30 percent viscose fabric, the Designer Indian Kurti Tunic for Women is light and airy, yet it fully protects the shoulders and back from the sun. Our kurti tops have three-quarter sleeves and notched V necklines for a stylish, cool fit. The sides of the kurti tunic are slit for easy movement and added ventilation, and our Indian kurtis feature three-button plackets for a traditional look.The Designer Indian Kurti Tunic for Women will last for years when cared for properly. You can launder it in the washing machine in the delicate cycle in cold water. Allow our kurtis to line dry for best results. The fabric resists wrinkling to allow for easy care.Look chic and feel cool even when the summer sun is blazing! Treat yourself to the finest of designer kurtis available on Amazon! Order the Designer Indian Kurti Tunic for Women today in your choice of colors, or purchase more than one in different colors, so that you can have kurti tops to go with everything.
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He Who Speaks Without An Attentive Ear Is Mute.
Originally Posted by halaros536
shut up you weakling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are just angry because i didnt let you became my SERVANT!!!!!! but icould not accept that because you are too weak to be my servant sorry
But i still personally dont think he can.. lol
Hmm, about WW knowing whether its real aizen or not - wouldnt he have seen kyoka suigetsu? I ask because i wonder sometimes if aizen can have multiple illusions, or just one for many people. We have only seen one illusion on a mass group many times, we have never actually seen 2 separate illusions at the same time going. (at least i believe.. i could be wrong) Although, he might be able to choose who gets to see the illusion and who doesnt, of those who he as already put under. :X
Actually, we have seen Aizen use separate illusions for certain people. He did it just recently. Hitsugaya, Soifon, and Kyoraku attacked Hinamori, who they thought was Aizen, while the Real Aizen was masquerading as the injured Hinamori. So Aizen certainly has full control over who sees what when he uses Kyouka Suigetsu.
http://www.onemanga.com/Bleach/146/13/.this spiritual sense is what i m calling sense of reiatsu meaning that they sense other peoples reiatsu.if you cannot understand it i cant help you. @afrothunda yeah i dont think he can control their ability to sense reiatsu.i just thought that aizen have said that he can control it but now i saw he hadnt said that
When were the other times, though?
Beware of the Kyubii
Stev3child - The biggest pussy of them all is rokudaime sennin though. If he was a real man, he wouldn't have relied on hax god-given powers to seal the Jyubi. He would have suplexed that bitch and ripped each tail from the beast one by one with his bare hands.
Theres gotta be a rule to Aizen's illusions. I think he needs a living body to make it work where hes pretending to be someone else. Examples were during the pendulum arc he used one of his men as his double, this arc he used Hinamori instead of himself, maybe he was using the image of injured hinamori to make it look like him...
A pie in the sky?
Old man Yama is one bad muther, let`s hope the kid gets the kill shot in
I am the bone of my sword. Steel is my body, and fire is my blood. I have created over a thousand blades. Unknown to Death. Nor known to life. Have withstood pain to create many weapons. Yet, those hands will never hold anything.


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Position: PG
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 202 lbs.
From: Colorado
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Kenny Howell
Managing Editor
Wilson County School board members Bill Robinson and Greg Lasater shared their frustration with how school closings have been handled the last few weeks at the school board meeting Monday.
"This is not throwing anyone under the bus," said Robinson. "When there's any doubt, never put the child at risk.
Schools had closed Jan. 25, but only three schools closed after the tornado, and schools didn't close for snow on Feb. 1.
Mt. Juliet Elementary, West Elementary and W.A. Wright Elementary closed after the tornado because of loss of power. However, W.A. Wright's buses had already run and parents were dropping their kids off when the decision was made to close for the day.
"It's a hard decision to make," said Director of Schools Mike Davis. "In hindsight, we should have delayed schools two hours."
"I was upset with the decision that was made," said Lasater. "When the City Manager [Kenny Martin] says their is a propane tank in the middle of Highway 70 and school bus could be coming toward it."
Davis said he talked to plenty of people that morning, but never spoke to Martin. He said he received a text from him, but didn't get to read it until later in the morning. Martin said he contacted Deputy Director of Schools Mickey Hall to request at least a delay of schools until they could figure out all the possible damage from the tornado. He received word back that his request had been denied.
"When a patrol car can't get to it, a school bus can't get to it," said Lasater. "Listen to the police, listen to the Sheriff, listen to WEMA."
Davis also announced that School Resources Officers are now in every school because the county approved it. The program is headed by Scott Moore. The school board elected to approve the money for it at the meeting Monday.


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On Feb. 11, 2012 we lost Joshua B. Nelson, 37, of Utah and Vermont to a battle of heartache and pain.
Josh was born on Oct. 17, 1974, beloved son of Bonnie McCray - Stowell of Emery, Utah and Mark Nelson of Ferron, Utah. Josh has three sisters Crystal, Heidi and Rachel of whom he shared so many memories with, growing up in Ferron.
Josh moved to Vermont at the age of 15, starting another chapter of his young life.
Family and friends who knew Josh will never forget how he touched each and every one of our lives. The relationships he had were solid and he would do anything he could to help out. That is one of the many ways of how we remember him. Happy and smiling.
Josh had a love of football and for the Dallas Cowboys since childhood. His travels across the US while working for Booska Movers allowed him time on the open road, often with his Harley and his beloved bull dog Cowboy in tow. Together they enjoyed the freedom of the desert roads back home and out west. He shared his time on the road with his closest friend and co-worker of 17 years, Jim Davis.
Over the years Josh and Jim built a strong friendship of loyalty and trust, making each day a new adventure.
Josh's first marriage welcomed his only son Kace Nelson, 18, of Essex ,Vt. Josh always strived to give Kace the best in life, always there to support him in any way he could find. Their relationship was so strong, it's hard not to see Josh when looking at Kace, seeing his spirit shine through Kace, and forever leaving his family with a piece of Josh.
Josh left behind a world full of people who loved and adored him. He will be missed tremendously and will forever be in our hearts.
He was an amazing son, brother, father and uncle. His nephews Jeremy Farr, as well as Caiden and Chase Maestas will treasure all of the memories they made over the years.
He also leaves an extended family from both Utah and Vermont, including a special relationship with his Aunt Clydie and Uncle Larry of Price, Utah, as well as their children Harlen and Sally Olsen. He also leaves behind grandparents Bill and Jackie Davis and family of Utah.
We could list so many people but it would be endless. He is forever dear in our hearts and deep within our souls, leaving behind a family brought only closer by his passing.
Joshua... You are forever my shining star. I will always and forever love you ~ MOM.


text: OverviewBack to top Twinlab - Whey Fuel Triple Thick Chocolate - 5 lbs. Item# :126536UPC# :027434037419 Brand:Twinlab Size/Form:5 lbs. Ship Weight:5.90 Servings:66 Dosage:1 Scoop(s) Flavor:Triple Thick Chocolate Twinlab Whey Fuel Triple Thick Chocolate - 5 lbs. (2.27kg) Twinlab Whey Fuel Triple Thick Chocolate is the perfect protein blend to add when your goal is to gain lean muscle mass or bulk up. Using a blend of quality protein sources, this advanced formula gives you maximum bang for the buck and has an unbelievable thick, rich taste. Twinlab Whey Fuel is instantized for easy mixing with a spoon or shaker. Just add 6-8 oz water, mix and drink! 21g protein per serving Instantized for easy, no-blender-required mixing Incredibly thick, rich taste, even in water Enzyme assisted formula to promote comfortable digestion Cross flow, ultra filtered Whey Isolate Is fast absorbing to speed amino acid delivery to muscles immediately after exercise Twinlab RootsTwinlab was created in 1968 when founder David Blechman leveraged his 20 years of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry to develop and market a liquid protein supplement. Working out of his family's garage, he and his wife named their developing business Twinlab, after the couple's two sets of twins. Sales soared, and in the 1980s, Twinlab branched out to a broader range of vitamins, minerals, herbs and teas. TodaySince 1968, the Twinlab brand has been the trusted leader for innovative, high performance health and wellness products. In addition to the extensive line of vitamins, minerals and sports nutrition formulas of its namesake brand, Twinlab Corporation also manufactures and sells other category leaders, including the Metabolife line of diet and energy products; Alvita teas, established in 1922 as one of the country's first herbal tea lines, and Nature's Herbs, a complete line of herbals and phytonutrients. Twinlab's plant in American Fork, UT, is a NSF GMP registered facility from which we manufacture, package and distribute over 1,000 premium quality products. The NSF program verifies that Twinlab's manufacturing plant has met NSF International's stringent independent registration process guidelines, which include facilities and manufacturing process inspections and reviews to assure compliance with NSF's rigorous banned substances standards. Facilities registered GMP by NSF conform to the highest verification process including ongoing monitoring via two annual facility inspections, to ensure continued compliance with program requirements. Twinlab also operates a Research & Development facility in Grand Rapids, MI, and has its corporate headquarters in New York, NY. Twinlab products are currently available in over 55 countries worldwide.


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Adolescence is the period of developmental transition between childhood and adulthood. It involves changes in personality, as well as in physical, intellectual and social development. During this time of change, teens are faced with many issues and decisions. The following addresses some of the key issues that can have an impact on a teen's social development.
Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. The development of a positive self-image and a healthy self-esteem is very important for making a successful transition from child to adult. Here are some suggestions for helping to encourage positive self-esteem in your teen:
As children grow, they begin to spend more time with their friends and less time with their parents. As a result, friends can influence a child's thinking and behavior. This is the essence of peer pressure. Peer pressure can be a positive influence—for example, when it motivates your child to do well in school, or to become involved in sports or other activities. On the other hand, peer pressure can be a negative influence—for example, when it prompts your child to try smoking, drinking, using drugs, or to practice unsafe sex or other risky behaviors. Here are some tips to help minimize the negative influences of peer pressure and to maximize the positive:
Drug abuse is a serious problem that can lead to serious, even fatal, consequences. Research suggests that nearly 25 percent of adolescents (ages 12 to 17) have used drugs, with 16 to 18 as the peak age for drinking and drug abuse.
Teens whose parents regularly communicate with them about the dangers of drugs have a decreased risk of using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs. Following are some tips for addressing drugs, alcohol and tobacco use with your teen:
Talking with your teenager is important to help him or her develop healthy attitudes toward sex and to learn responsible sexual behavior. Openly discussing sex with your teen also enables you to provide accurate information. After all, teens will learn about sex somewhere. But what they learn might not be true, and might not reflect the personal and moral values and principles you want your children to follow. In addition, teens need to understand the possible consequences of being sexually active—including pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as being emotionally hurt.
When you talk to your teen about sex, focus on the facts. Consider using the following list of topics as an outline:
Teens of every generation have their fads. Most teenage fads are harmless and eventually fade away without permanent damage. Unfortunately, some of today's most popular fads—particularly tattoos and body piercing—can be permanent and can affect your teen's health. Here are some ideas on how to discuss these fads with your teen:
It is common for teens to occasionally feel unhappy. However, when the unhappiness lasts for more than two weeks and the teen experiences other symptoms (see below), then he or she may be suffering from depression.
There are many reasons why teenagers become unhappy. High-stress environments can lead to depression. Teens can develop feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy over school performance, social interaction, sexual orientation or family life. If friends, family or things that the teen usually enjoys don't help to improve his or her sadness or sense of isolation, there's a good chance that he or she is depressed. Often, depressed teens will display a striking change in their thinking and behavior, lose their motivation or become withdrawn. The following are the major signs of depression in adolescents:
Depression is a serious problem, but it also is treatable. If you suspect your teen is depressed, tell your child's health care professional and seek help right away.
Suicide is a serious problem within the teen population. Adolescent suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults in the United States. It is estimated that 500,000 teens attempt suicide every year, with 5,000 succeeding.
If your teenager displays any of these behaviors, you should seek help from a mental health professional immediately.
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