text:
You might have already heard about the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA), also known as the "Internet Sales Tax." It's a bill that recently passed the United States Senate and will soon be before the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed through the House, the MFA would require ecommerce retailers selling over $1 million per year in states they do not have a physical presence to collect sales tax and pay taxes to each customer's state and local government. Here's what you need to know:
What is the Marketplace Fairness Act?
Right now, when a customer purchases something online and the retailer does not have a physical presence in the customer's state, the merchant does not have to charge sales tax on the transaction. It's up to the consumer to pay sales tax on all goods purchased online directly to their government at the end of the year. This is something that very few people do.
Since most physical retail locations in the U.S. collect sales tax on everything they sell, this effectively makes products purchased at brick-and-mortar stores more expensive than products purchased online. The lack of "Internet Sales Tax" costs state governments an estimated $11 billion in lost tax revenue, and some say gives online retailers an unfair advantage over brick-and-mortar stores.
The Marketplace Fairness Act was designed to help brick-and-mortar retailers compete with ecommerce stores (hence the name, 'fairness act'), and of course boost revenues for state and local governments.
Response to the Marketplace Fairness Act
On May 6th, the United States Senate passed the MFA with overwhelming support. The vote was 69-27, which was more than enough to send the Marketplace Fairness Act to the House for final passage. Many U.S. states support the MFA because it will result in increased tax revenue, and brick-and-mortar stores support the Act as a way to level the playing field with ecommerce stores.
Not surprisingly, the MFA is unpopular with most consumers and online retailers. Regardless of its intent, the MFA will likely make shopping online more expensive. 61% of respondents to a recent study said that they disagreed with the MFA. 60% said they would change their online shopping habits if passed, 44% of which claim they would buy online less often.
Here are more key findings:
Implications of the MFA for Online Retailers
First and foremost it's important to remember that the MFA is still in the early stages and may never become law. Furthermore, as drafted the MFA exempts ecommerce businesses with revenue less than $1 million per year. Many online merchants simply won't be affected and need not worry, but other ecommerce businesses will need to take note.
Here are some other things to consider:
Traditional retailers (brick-and-mortar stores) only collect taxes where their stores are located. This process is fairly straightforward since there are only a few different tax rates to deal with. If the MFA is made into law, online stores would be forced to collect sales tax based on where their customers are located, which could potentially mean dealing with more than 9,600 different tax-collecting jurisdictions, if including state and local governments. Since each government has their own unique rates and rules, this will be a logistical nightmare. Example: In one city a chocolate bar may be considered a taxable good but in another jurisdiction it could be classified as food and not subject to sales tax. Also, there are many different city tax laws, like clothing and footwear under $110 is tax free in New York City, but if it's over $110 there is a 4.5% city sales tax and a 4% state sales tax.
- The MFA claims to have no effect on nexus. The bill is not intended to be an extension nexus — or connection — to a particular state. This clause is important since without it, states might seek to extend further jurisdiction over online business. Imagine being required to get a business license in every city in the United States.
- The MFA is not mandatory for states —each state will have the opportunity to become a member of the "Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement," but no state will be required to do so. But as mentioned above, since becoming a member will likely result in increased tax revenue, it's unlikely that many states would choose not to participate.
- The MFA requires states must simplify tax collection — states must participate in a new tax program, mentioned above as the "Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement," aimed at making tax collection easier. This clause was added when online sellers pointed out that there was nothing fair about a brick-and-mortar store collecting taxes in one or two jurisdictions while online sellers would have to collect them for many.
- The MFA requires states to offer free tax collection software — the bill also requires each state to provide any and every online retailer with free software meant to calculate and collect taxes. It isn't clear how this software would work with ecommerce platforms or whether it would involve manual entry.
What's Next?
Although the MFA passed the United States Senate with ease, the Act is less popular in the U.S. House — where it faces its next vote — so its fate is in the hands of the Republican-controlled House which is traditionally against new forms of taxation. There is no hearing or vote date set for the bill to be seen in the U.S. House. If the Marketplace Fairness Act does pass the House, it will move onto the desk of U.S. President who has already declared support.
Share Your Opinion
We have a poll on our Facebook page. VOTE here and let us know what you think of MFA.
Join 446,005 entrepreneurs who already have a head start.
Get free online marketing tips and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
Thanks for subscribing
You'll start receiving free tips and resources soon. In the meantime, start building your store with a free 14-day trial of Shopify.
26 comments
May 22 2013, 09:50AM
Against, against, against!
May 22 2013, 10:25AM
Brick and mortar can't compete with online because their business model is BROKEN, not because of a 8-10% tax.
Brick and mortar must adapt or they will be the next 'Newspaper' industry.
May 22 2013, 11:49AM
It is complicated. We are based in Ottawa and 95% of our sales are made out of Canada. Currently, we have started to move our shipment warehouse to US. So Technically, it gets very complicated..
A Canadian Company manufacturing in an Asian Country, Shipping from US office to an Australian Customer !
With Bitcoins and other crypto currencies coming in place, I see it a very tough task for government.
We should pay taxes to keep the system in place but at the same time, fair play should be done from all parties .
May 22 2013, 12:39PM
I am opposed to increased taxes, but in all actuality many states already require out-of-state purchases that were not taxed to be subject to either use or sales taxes in the state of residence. So, for lots of purchases this law will simply create a means of collecting taxes that are legally owed without states having to pursue individual tax payers, which they simply aren't doing right now.
Also, I'm far less averse to a sales tax, or any other kind of consumption tax since I maintain control of my consumption and thus also have direct control of my tax burden.
But, higher taxes are never enjoyable. So, my feelings are mixed, although mildly in favor of the bill.
May 22 2013, 04:26PM
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your post on this important topic. While your post was educational for many who were perhaps not aware of this bill, I felt that it would have been even more helpful if you went further with the subject and included the Shopify perspective. Perhaps a followup post would be possible.
While it is true that this bill has not yet been passed into law, and while there is some debate as to the likelihood of this coming to fruition, many political analysts in the US believe that this bill will be passed into law in the near future. While the impact of this law on small business owners who utilize the Shopify platform will most likely be minimal due to the proposed $1M sales cutoff, there will some customers who will need to comply with this regulation.
Given that, the most important question that can be discussed is what Shopify is doing to prepare for compliance with this regulation. As you state, the technological implications for building compliance into the platform are staggering. How would this issue alter the Shopify roadmap and what role is Shopify prepared to play in the creation of a solution to the problem? Clearly this is both a moment for both panic and excitement as software developers since the complexities of building such a system are immense. This would be a challenge of the highest order. But can you imagine the positive impact on the Shopify business if you were able to provide this feature in the platform? I can and it would make for one heck of a selling proposition for Shopify!
Thanks again for your post. I look forward to your followup on this issue (at least with the results of the Facebook poll… I wonder what response will win?) Cheers.
May 22 2013, 04:42PM
Sales taxes are unfair to lower income people and should be replaced with income taxes. People ought to be taxed on their ability to pay taxes not on the amount of milk and diapers their family buys.
Or how about we go after the sketchy tax evasion practices of the international mega-corps like Apple, IBM, Google, and big oil. Collect the taxes due from just those ~10 companies and we'll dwarf the $11B "lost" in sales tax revenue.
May 23 2013, 01:23PM
This is a money grab for business models that are severely broken. It isn't just brick-and-mortar stores backing this either. Very short sighted and a greedy move.
May 25 2013, 03:18AM
Good article, sposibo the author, but I looked at a lot of articles on the topic of e-commerce platform comparison and I can say on the site http://adlbay.com/pmwiki.php?n=Website.Complatform there is a description of some e-commerce platforms
May 27 2013, 10:14AM
Very useful information for someone who just started ecommerce like me with various tips and tricks which are a great help for future
May 29 2013, 12:40PM
This bill was crafted on a false premise and is a boon to Walmart and other mega-retailers. It will crush small internet businesses and keep small biz small forever. You can learn more at emainstreet.org and join the alliance of retailers who oppose this and are fighting back. Here are just a few issues you should be aware of.
Small online retailers will pay between $20,000 and $300,000 in compliance costs in the first year alone. It will cripple all of us and some will be put out of business.
The law's complexity will overwhelm us, subjecting us to rules in more than 9,600 tax venues.
The bill drastically increases our audit risk and exposes us to audits from remote states where we have no physical presence, no political representation, and no right to vote. We can be held personally liable and driven to personal bankruptcy for mistakes.
Our businesses already experience significant disadvantages in the marketplace compared to physical sellers. Disadvantages including threats from software patent trolls, rising shipping costs, and reverse-showrooming. Our disadvantages will be exacerbated, putting some of us out of business. It could cost approximately 220,000 jobs.
If we want to make things "fair" we should force Walmart to charge a "shipping surcharge" on every item that is bought in their stores.
Make no mistake… this bill is the latest weapon in Big Retail's war on small business.
May 31 2013, 07:13AM
I'm based in the UK, so at present we don't have any laws similar to this as far as I'm aware of, but surely the purpose behind online retailers was to reduce the overheads of new businesses, therefore in themselves generating more income for the nation at large, rather than individual states or counties.
Numerous smaller businesses like http://www.britim.co.uk/ are online because they can't compete with large corporations with massive department stores like http://www.staples.com/.
Surely by introducing extra taxes, in essence what the government is doing is condemning small online retailers, actually decreasing overall retail sales and revenue?
May 31 2013, 11:22AM
Today i like to share a real reasonable information.
Using those "Cashback-Tips" we saved with our family about 12,000 USD in the past 12 month on the things we have to buy anyway and all our travels.
This good kept secret is now revealed by a FREE EBOOK:
Get your Book now and find out, how to never ever pay the full price for everything anymore.
May 31 2013, 04:51PM
I recently published on my blog some sales tax rules for Canadian merchants on how taxes should be charged because some merchants charge taxes based on their location without taking in consideration the customers' location.
Feel free to read and comment, I am eager to see some feedback.
Here is my blog: http://paradisecommerce.com/canadian-taxes-gsthst/
June 21 2013, 01:42PM
My only major concern is HOW am I supposed to 'remit' the taxes I collect? Am I going to have to submit 50 different payments per month or send it all in to ONE tax collecting entity with a spreadsheet broken down to how much tax goes to which states? THAT is the question I have… can any answer it?
June 24 2013, 03:55PM
I contacted my US Senators and Representative, and only got back some pablum about them being 'FOR' this oppressive tax grab.
I like these folks, but I will NOT be voting for them. They are abusing their power. If we all do this, then we can elect folks that do listen.
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
July 05 2013, 04:42PM
Hi Mark,
I believe ecommerce sales taxation becomes much more complicated when you're a Canada-based business.
What are the best current practises for Canadian e-businesses that sell tangible goods to out-of-province, US, and international customers?
July 11 2013, 03:29AM
I live in Illinois, and I don't know about other states so I can't comment about them directly, but I assume it may be similar in some other states.
In Illinois, the Sales Tax is what is referred to as "Retailers Occupation Tax" (or "ROT" (no pun)). The propose of the tax was to recover the cost of added city/county/state services that are provided to retailers more so than other types of (non retailer) businesses.
The tax is assesed against the retailer (not the purchaser) but, a provision was added allowing retailers to (optionally) pass the tax on by adding the tax on to the purchase price at the time of sale. In any case, it is the retailer's responsibility to pay the tax.
That being the situation in Illinois, how does Illinois (and I assume at least some other states) feel they are entitled to collect the tax for any out of state sale, where they have no such government services burden to recover?
For that matter, in Illinois, it doesn't seem reasonable that they collect sales tax from companies that only have offices, warehouses, etc., but no actual retail locations in Illinois.
I'm curious about how this compares to other states.
July 25 2013, 07:23PM
See Kane's post above, because he or she is spot on.
This is just another example of big business and government joining forces to do what is best for big business and politicians.
This issue has nothing to do with fairness for small brick and mortar retailers. Internet sales is what has allowed small b&m's to survive big box retailers.
It's disgusting that an issue can never be honestly discussed in this country and politicians and interested parties are always couching every legislative issue in a giant steaming pile of BS.
July 29 2013, 03:27AM
Really, how much harder do we really need to make our lives.
August 18 2013, 07:53PM
You know eventually there will be a tax on internet sales. It is just inevitable!
What about states like Alaska where there are no sales taxes. Some of you say the internet has helped brick and mortar stores, I am assuming you don't have a store, just internet. I have a brick and mortar store and my business model is not broken, I just saw my sales cut in half this year. I still have customers but they only come to me for my professional opinion and then tell me they can buy online for a lot less with no taxes and freight free! If the tax burden falls on companies of 1+million a year, it really would give smaller internet sites a better chance. But like everything else there will be a loop hole for the big boys. I say if a (hypothetical ) 3% FEDERAL tax was collected from internet sales that would put appropriate burdens on everyone fairly.
May 15 2014, 06:29PM
I can't help but wonder who is already set up for the contract to program and deliver that "tax software". A sweetheart deal for someone! Anytime a law requiring some specific technology is passed, someone gets rich. Example the law requiring "Choking Victim" posters displayed prominently on the walls of food establishments (I'm looking at one as I type). There was a printer with advanced knowledge of the bill, and the day it passed, he already had ads across the country offering laminated, OSHA compliant posters. Bricks and mortar businesses should be figuring out how to leverage the internet rather than shackle it. Just because they have let laws be passed (or remain in effect) that make them uncompensated collection agents for the government is not a valid excuse. Will this now also apply across the board to mail order? To distant learning? The list goes on and on. How many thousand-aires and millionaires has the internet produced since it became available to entrepreneurs (don't forget it's was originally designed to preserve military communications in the event of thermo-nuclear war and available only to companies and schools involved in military research). It is still a comparatively young technology and everyday there are new threats to it's integrity. what we take for granted can very quickly change, as users in Russia, Turkey, China, Iran etc. have learned, and we are seeing from the Snowden revelations. Foe anyone under 30, the internet has been an integral part of life, like phone service, or TV, fresh running water as long as they can remember. But all of those can disappear without our constant vigilance. Complacency is the real enemy.
October 03 2014, 12:21AM
This is called big bang short fuse as new technology take over the tradition way of doing business. There many disruptive models the classic example is live music was replaced by large disc then castes then CD then DVD and now MP3 players and cloud. similarly to Commerce which is replaced by eCommerce sites such as Amazon, ebay and shopfy. However there are other new sites that are gaining momentom including EcommerceLocal.com ecommercelocal.com.au and ecommerceLocal.co.uk
I personally believe that although there are taxes applied to eCommerce website it will not effect the behavior of people from buying from eCommerce sites.
October 14 2014, 04:57PM
Against. We are already taxed in so many ways our problem is not the lack of tax revenue. Our problem is how the revenue is used. That's the real problem.
November 02 2014, 02:51PM
Two issues – first is the reality that the "brick and mortar" involved that favor this are the BestBuy's of the world, not the mom and pop local store.
I bet every ecommerce operation would gladly collect sales tax in exchange for the credit line and discount structure offered to these "brick and mortar" operations. These companies already have HUGE advantages over 99% of ecommerce operations.
Truth is this is the worst of government – big business and big government both benefitting, at the cost of 1 million or more small business owners. The small business owner will need a new strategy, will spend more time working for the government for free, while the brick and mortar costs are unaffected.
November 04 2014, 03:52PM
It's more common for someone to go online to get expertise help, reviews, videos and other info and then buy the item in a store where they can have it same day.
Marketplace Fairness is not a fight between 'Main St' and 'eMain St' it is a fight between Walmart (mega stores) and everyone else who can't afford to comply to this bill.
After it gets passed against eMain St, expected it to hit Main St. Mark my words.
November 17 2014, 04:39PM
My letter to Speaker of the House, John Boehner
To: Speaker John Boehner
Subject: Sales Tax collection from the Chinese
Thank you, Speaker Boehner, for stopping the job killing Marketplace Fairness Act. Internet sales tax is a job killer and economic drag in many ways that some Congressmen, including ours, have not considered. Taking an extra 8-10% out of the pockets of struggling everyday Americans would decrease demand and slow our economy when it desperately needs a boost. Of course the rich probably will not notice. I doubt that Warren Buffet does much shopping on the internet.
Many, many small internet businesses, like ours, would be devastated by the 8-10% cost increase compared to Walmart, Target, Amazon and shippers from foreign countries. The blizzard of compliance, reporting and audit issues from every City, County and State would not be easy and inexpensive to handle like many seem to think. The result would be jobs lost and doors closed. Any business that the small local brick-and -mortar stores would get would be miniscule. The bulk of the business would go to the aforementioned giant companies that could soak it up in their automated systems without even hiring new employees. I assure you that the big retailers are not donating to the effort to tax internet sales so the small local retailer can get more business!
Finally, how do the proponents of the internet sales tax propose to force the Chinese or sellers from other countries to collect sales tax and send it to every City, County and State in America? That will not happen. Internet sales from China to the USA are growing daily because of lower costs and their subsidized shipping. Now, some Congressmen want to give them another 8-10% cost advantage by charging sales tax on internet sales to consumers who buy from American companies with American workers. The Chinese company, Alibaba, is bigger than Amazon and Ebay combined and they have long, growing tentacles into internet sales in the USA. Thousands of other Chinese companies are finding it easy and profitable to sell directly to the American consumer. They do not need more help.
Thanks again for stopping the ridiculous legislation I like to call the "BBB" (Big Box Bonanza). If this Act passes the giant retailers will win and the small internet sellers and their employees will lose. But the big winners will be the Chinese and the big losers, once again, will be the American consumer. Please impress on all House members how important this is.


text:
Here is the Chomas Creations adjustable holder for the Silhouette/Cameo in the machine, you can pre-order them here... Chomas Creations store. As you can see I used a popcycle stick to adjust the height, this also protects the paper from getting drawn on.
Like what you see? Leave a comment to let me know!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Order in the next for delivery on Tuesday
You have no items in your shopping cart.
Excellent 9.3/10
Free delivery on orders over £79
ORDER BEFORE 4pm FOR DELIVERY TOMORROW
V Gallery use a 5 times distilled Italian Vodka blended in old grappa casks as their base before infusing it with soft marshmallow flavours. The result is a smooth, flavoursome vodka with hints of grappa and vanilla.
Best served neat over ice.
Place your order before 4pm Monday to Friday and your drinks will be delivered for just £5.95 when your basket subtotal is over £20.00. PLEASE SEE DELIVERY PAGE FOR OUTLYING EXCEPTIONS FOR SOME POSTAL CODES WHERE DELIVERY may take 2-3 days.
Spend over £79 on your order and delivery is FREE.
Orders with a basket subtotal below £20.00 will be charged £9.95 for delivery. So why not spend over £20.00 and get Delivery for just £5.95! .
Please note that we are currently unable to deliver to Channel Island addresses including all postcodes starting with GY or JE..
SATURDAY DELIVERYOrder by 4pm on Friday and we'll have your drinks with you on Saturday.
Note that any orders placed after 4pm on a Friday will be delivered 'Next Day' on the Tuesday as standard.
NOMINATED DAY DELIVERYDon't need it right away? You can choose a nominated delivery date in the future at checkout.
Email me when back in stock


text:
Tuesday, July 10, 2007 at 9:42PM | 2 Comments
by Greg Keller tagged Colavita, Davide Frattini, PRO, cross Gregory Keller on Google +
Colavita's Davide Frattini is staying at my hombre's Bobby's casa while training here in Boulder. Bobby just does stuff like this. You need something: Bobby offers. Unconditional. The universe gives you a big wet kiss, Bobby.
OK, so big deal. If you fart in this town, chances are a pro's gonna smell it there's so many here getting their training on. But what is so special about Mr. Frattini? Cross, baby. He's goin' Enrico Franzoi on us and waving the Italian flag at cross WK's and WC's. You go Davide. Homie pulled of a UCI win here in the states last year at the Verge in Beacon. Good times.
Davide's got himself a bloggy blog as well. You go Davide. Welcome to zee Republic, Davide.


text:
|Don Womack
Did you sign the petition to pardon Don Siegelman?
Former Democratic Governor of Alabama Don Siegelman is a political prisoner in Louisiana. It is a travesty. Railroaded by Karl Rove and Alabama Republicans.
113 former state Attorney Generals, top Constitutional Law Professors, and many others say this case is erroneous and Don Siegelman never committed a crime.
I would like for you to put this on your blog and write something about Don Siegelman being in prison...
|Dana Siegelman with her father, former Governor of Alabama Don Siegelman
"Five years ago, my dad, former Democratic Governor of Alabama Don Siegelman, was taken away in handcuffs and shackles. Most who learned of his case saw it as a travesty of justice, including several prominent Republicans (see 60 Minutes).
Though released pending appeal for four years and despite unprecedented support, my father was returned to prison on September 11th to complete a nearly 7 year term because the Supreme Court refused to hear his case.
The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fox Business News, MSNBC, CBS, Harper's, Time Magazine, The American Trial Lawyers, Huffington Post, The Guardian, 113 former state Attorneys General, top Constitutional Law Professors, and many others say this case is erroneous and Don Siegelman never committed a crime.
He was convicted of an implied quid pro quo, that is an inferred bribe, or a bribe without explicit proof of agreement or self-enrichment scheme. He was never accused of benefiting, at all.
I need your help to free my father. Please sign this petition to President Obama asking him to restore justice and pardon Don Siegelman!
By Dana Siegelman
Why Sign?
Gov. Don Siegelman was the 51st Governor of Alabama, serving from 1999 to 2003. He served in Alabama in public office for 26 years and is the only person in the history of the state to be elected to serve in all four of the top statewide elected positions: Secretary of State, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor and Governor. He was essentially the longest running Democrat in the Southeast.
My dad was wrongfully convicted in 2007 in a case that Pace Law Professor Bennett Gershman called "one of the most egregiously bad faith prosecutions by the Justice Department ever." Numerous public servants such as Al Gore, John Kerry, andWesley Clark believe my father was wrongly prosecuted and wrongly convicted.
The American Trial Lawyer Magazine has called Dad America's "Political Prisoner #1." The New York Times said my dad was charged with something that has never even been considered a crime in America, and CBS' 60 Minutes reported that the prosecution team coached key witness Nick Bailey more than 70 times and offered him a deal to testify against my father.
Conservative columnist George Will expressed in The Washington Post, "Everyone who cares about the rule of law should hope the Supreme Court agrees to hear Don Siegelman's appeal….today's confusion and the resulting prosecutorial discretion kill the exercise of Constitutional right, of political participation and can imprison people unjustly."
More than 100 state Attorney Generals, both Republican and Democrat, many law professors, and thousands of people like you, have tried to help, garnering the attention of the media, organizing letter campaigns, and writing excellent articles, but ultimately the case was left to the courts. Even Fox Business News sympathized with Dad!
113 current and former state Attorney Generals from across the U.S. signed a brief to the U.S. Congress and Supreme Court saying, "There is reason to believe that the case brought against Governor Siegelman may have had sufficient irregularities as to call into question the basic fairness that is the linchpin of our system of justice."
Fred Gray, attorney to Rosa Parks, and Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, both close companions to the late Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., came to court to hold my mom's hand the day of sentencing in 2007. They wrote letters to the Department of Justice, to Congress, and to the President to convey that Don Siegelman is the "target of the Bush Justice Department, which has now endangered the style of government we fought so hard for."
However, this is not about Democrats versus Republicans, far from it. It is simply about what's right and wrong, what is fair and what is not. As Thomas Jefferson said, "A prosecutor who alleges enough wrong doing will always get a conviction." Former U.S. Attorney General Robert H. Jackson said, "If the prosecutor is obliged to choose his cases, it follows that he can choose his defendants. Therein is the most dangerous power..."
This petition is much more than just one man's freedom. It is about American freedom. If this can happen to my dad, as governor, it can happen to anyone. The law is so unclear, all it takes is a prosecutor with a vendetta against you. As Dad explained when the surprise verdict came in 2007; "This is dangerous to our democracy and it is wrong. If this ruling stands, rogue prosecutors or a rogue Justice Department can prosecute contributors and elected officials they simply do not like."
Please join me in asking President Obama to pardon my dad and let this issue stand before Congress and the Supreme Court.
Al Gore appealed, "Don Siegelman isn't just fighting for his freedom - he's fighting for the integrity of our democracy... As Americans, we have a responsibility to protect our democracy from those who would take advantage of it and abuse their power."
Please sign and share my petition asking President Obama to grant Don Siegelman clemency!
The Supreme Court has denied my dad's appeal, and he has been re-sentenced to more than five years in prison. At this point, my dad's only hope is a commutation of sentence or pardon. Our hope for truth lies in holding our elected officials accountable. Our hope for justice is a great public outcry. Please join me in asking the President of the United States for clemency in my dad's case by signing the petition on Change.organd sharing this message publicly however you can. By doing so we may one day clarify the law and keep our democracy and freedom intact. Thank you so much for considering the facts and helping me free my dad!
With the greatest appreciation, Dana Siegelman
The views and opinions expressed on this blog with the title, Free Speech Forum, are solely those of the original author and do not necessarily represent those of Rob Miller, or UtahAmicus.com, staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.


text:
After the success of my lovely Christmas jelly, I vowed to make more jellies in 2011.
The rhubarb jelly is the most gorgeous colour of any foodstuff I have ever created. The delicate pink is delightful and makes you smile just eating it!
While you can set your jelly in any glass, plastic, ceramic or tin dish (don't use anything with a non-stick coating – the acidity will damage it) I think something this pretty a colour demands clear glass so you can see its beauty from all angles!
You cook the rhubarb with orange and ginger to add depth to the flavour. I'm not sure you'd know they were there – they don't add obvious flavour but I think they do something in the background, and the orange provides extra juice.
The rhubarb should be soft and cooked, but still retain its shape. These pink chunks then go into the serving dishes to be encased in jelly:
The rhubarb juice is pink and fruity. Here it is after the gelatine has been whisked in – it should be completely lump free:
But what if you want lovely home-made jelly but don't have time for cooking and straining the fruit? Simple. Buy the best quality fruit juice you can and use that instead.
This orange jelly didn't taste like any orange jelly I'd had before; it tasted like solid fruit juice. Amazing. It lost none of its zingy fruit quality and the texture was amazingly soft and wobbly. Just to be a bit retro, I added mandarin segments but you don't have to!
The quantities given below can easily be doubled up. Please don't be put off by the length of the method below – this is the method for BOTH jellies!
For the rhubarb jelly:
1kg rhubarb (I used forced rhubarb i.e. the really pink stuff, grown indoors)
40g fresh ginger
2 small or 1 large orange
280g caster sugar
300ml water
7 leaves gelatine
For the orange jelly:
1 litre orange juice (I used Tropicana smooth)
75g caster sugar – optional, but jelly sets less sweet than it tastes as liquid. I added the sugar and the finished jelly wasn't too sweet
9 leaves gelatine
1 small can of mandarin segments
To serve: ice cream or double cream
Method (rhubarb jelly first, then the orange jelly)
Rhubarb: Trim ends off rhubarb and wash, then cut into 2-3cm chunks and place in a large saucepan.
Cut the orange into slices; peel ginger and cut into slices and place both in the saucepan with the rhubarb.
Add the sugar and water.
Put the lid on and cook over a gentle heat until the rhubarb is just tender – you don't want it to collapse. Check it every 5-7 minutes so that you catch it at the right time.
Strain the rhubarb over a small saucepan so you don't lose the juice.
Pick out the orange and ginger from the rhubarb and discard.
Place the leaf gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 10 mins.
Gently heat the rhubarb juice until it is almost boiling. Remove the pan from the heat.
Squeeze all the water out of the gelatine leaves and then whisk into the hot rhubarb juice to dissolve.
Spoon the cooked rhubarb between 6 glasses (obviously this depends on the size of your glasses) or 1 large bowl.
Sieve the rhubarb juice and gelatine mixture and then pour over the rhubarb in the glasses.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set, or ideally overnight.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or double cream.
Orange jelly: place approximately 1/3 of the orange juice in a saucepan and add the sugar, if using.
Place the leaf gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 10 mins.
Heat the orange and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the orange is hot but not boiling.
Remove from the heat, squeeze all the water out of the gelatine leaves and then whisk into the hot orange juice to dissolve.
Add the remaining orange juice to the saucepan and whisk to ensure that the gelatine is completely dissolved.
Spoon the mandarin segments between 8 glasses (obviously this depends on the size of your glasses) or 1 large bowl and then pour the orange jelly into the bowls.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set, or ideally overnight.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or double cream.
Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have made.


text:
Chapter 1
There was a rock that since the creation of the world had been worked upon by the pure essence of Heaven and fine savours of Earth, the vigour of sunshine and the grace of moonlight, till at last it became magically pregnant and one day split open, giving birth to a stone egg, about as big as a playing ball. Fructified by the wind it developed into a stone monkey, complete with every organ and limb.
At once this monkey learned to climb and run; but its first act was to make a bow towards each of the four quarters. As it did so, a steely light darted from this monkey's eyes and flashed as far as the Palace of the Polar Star. This shaft of light astonished the Jade Emperor as he sat in the Cloud Palace of the Golden Gates, in the Treasure Hall of Holy Mists, surrounded by his fairy Ministers. Seeing this strange light flashing, he ordered Thousand-league Eye and Down-the-wind Ears to open the gate of the Southern Heaven and look out. At his bidding these two captains went out to the gate and looked so sharply and listened so well that presently they were able to report, "This steely light comes from the borders of the small country of Ao-lai, that lies to the east of the Holy Continent, from the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. On this mountain is a magic rock, which gave birth to an egg. This egg changed into a stone monkey, and when he made his bow to the four quarters a steely light flashed from his eyes with a beam that reached the Palace of the Polar Star. But now he is taking a drink, and the light is growing dim."
The Jade Emperor condescended to take an indulgent view. "These creatures in the world below," he said, "were compounded of the essence of heaven and earth, and nothing that goes on there should surprise us." That monkey walked, ran, leapt, and bounded over hills, feeding on grasses and shrubs, drinking from streams and springs, gathering the mountain flowers, looking for fruits. Wolf, panther and tiger were his companions, the deer and civet were his friends, gibbons and baboons his kindred. At night he lodged under cliffs of rock, by day he wandered among the peaks and caves. One very hot morning, after playing in the shade of some pine-trees, he and the other monkeys went to bathe in a mountain stream. See how those waters bounce and tumble like rolling melons!
There is an old saying, "Birds have their bird language, beasts have their beast talk." The monkey said, "We none of us know where this stream comes from. As we have nothing to do this morning, wouldn't it be fun to follow it up to its source?" With a whoop of joy, dragging their sons and carrying their daughters, calling out to younger brother and to elder brother, the whole troupe rushed along the streamside and scrambled up the steep places, till they reached the source of the stream. They found themselves standing before the curtain of a great waterfall.
All the monkeys clapped their hands and cried aloud, "Lovely water, lovely water! To think that it starts far off in some cavern below the base of the mountain, and flows all the way to the great sea! If any of us were bold enough to pierce that curtain, get to where the water comes from and return unharmed, we would make him our king!" Three times the call went out, when suddenly one of them leapt from among the throng and answered the challenge in a loud voice. It was Stone Monkey. "I will go," he cried, "I will go!" Look at him! He screws up his eyes and crouches; then at one bound he jumps straight through the waterfall. When he opened his eyes and looked around him, he found that where he had landed there was no water. A great bridge stretched in front of him, shining and glinting. When he looked closely at it, he saw that it was made all of burnished iron. The water under it flowed through a hole in the rock, filling in all space under the arch. Monkey climbed up on to the bridge and, spying as he went, saw something that looked just like a house. There were stone seats and stone couches, and tables with stone bowls and cups. He skipped back to the hump of the bridge and saw that on the cliff there was an inscription in large square writing which said, "This Cave of the Water Curtain in the blessed land of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit leads to Heaven." Monkey was beside himself with delight. He rushed back again and crouched, shut his eyes and jumped through the curtain of water.
"A great stroke of luck," he cried, "A great stroke of luck!" "What is it like on the other side?" asked the monkeys, crowding round him. "Is the water very deep?" "There is no water," said the Stone Monkey. "There is an iron bridge, and at the side of it a heaven-sent place to live in." "What made you think it would do to live in?" asked the monkeys. "The water," said the Stone Monkey, "flows out of a hole in the rock, filling in the space under the bridge. At the side of the bridge are flowers and trees, and there is a chamber of stone. Inside are stone tables, stone cups, stone dishes, stone couches, stone seats. We could really be very comfortable there. There is plenty of room for hundreds and thousands of us, young and old. Let us all go and live there; we shall be splendidly sheltered in every weather." "You go first and show us how!" cried the monkeys, in great delight. Once more he closed his eyes and was through in one bound. "Come along, all of you!" he cried. The bolder of them jumped at once; the more timid stretched out their heads and the drew them back, scratched their ears, rubbed their cheeks, and then with a great shout the whole mob leapt forward. Soon they were all seizing dishes and snatching cups, scrambling to the hearth or fighting for beds, dragging things along or shifting them about, behaving indeed as monkeys with their mischievous nature might be expected to do, never quiet for an instant, till at last they were thoroughly worn out. The Stone Monkey took his seat at the head of them and said, "Gentlemen! With one whose word cannot be trusted there is nothing to be done! You promised that any of us who managed to get through the waterfall and back again, should be your king. I have not only come and gone and come again, but also found you a comfortable place to sleep, and put you in the enviable position of being householders. Why do you not bow down to me as your king?"
Thus reminded, the monkeys all pressed together the palms of their hands and prostrated themselves, drawn up in a line according to age and standing, and bowing humbly cried, "Great king, a thousand years!" After this the Stone Monkey discarded his old name and became king, with the title "Handsome Monkey King." He appointed various monkeys, gibbons, and baboons to be his ministers and officers. By day they wandered about the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit; at night they slept in the Cave of the Water Curtain. They lived in perfect sympathy and accord, not mingling with bird or beast, in perfect independence and entire happiness.
The Monkey King had enjoyed this artless existence for several hundred years when one day, at a feast in which all the monkeys took part, the king suddenly felt very sad and burst into tears. His subjects at once ranged themselves in front of him and bowed down saying, "Why is your majesty so sad?" "At present," said the king, "I have no cause for unhappiness. But I have a misgiving about the future, which troubles me sorely." "Your Majesty is very hard to please," said the monkeys, laughing. "Every day we have happy meetings on fairy mountains, in blessed spots, in ancient caves, on holy islands. We are not subject to the Unicorn or Phoenix, nor to the restraints of any human king. Such freedom is an immeasurable blessing. What can it be that causes you this sad misgiving?" "It is true," said the Monkey King, "that to-day I am not answerable to the law of any human king, nor need I fear the menace of any beast or bird. But the time will come when I shall grow old and weak. Yama, King of Death, is secretly waiting to destroy me. Is there no way by which, instead of being born again on earth, I might live forever among the people of the sky?"
When the monkeys heard this they covered their faces with their hands and wept, each thinking of his own mortality. But look! From among the ranks there springs out one monkey commoner, who cries in a loud voice, "If that is what troubles your Majesty, it shows that religion has taken hold upon your heart. There are indeed, among all creatures, three kinds that are not subject to Yama, King of Death." "And do you know which they are?" asked the Monkey King. "Buddhas, Immortals, and Sages," he said. "These three are exempt from the Turning of the Wheel, from birth and destruction. They are eternal as Heaven and Earth, as hills and streams." "Where are they to be found?" asked the Monkey King. "Here on the common earth," said the monkey, "in ancient caves among enchanted hills."
The king was delighted with this news. "To-morrow," he said, "I shall say good-bye to you, go down the mountain, wander like a cloud to the corners of the sea, far away to the end of the world, till I have found these three kinds of Immortal. From them I will learn how to be young forever and escape the doom of death." This determination it was that led him to leap clear of the toils of Re-incarnation and turned him at last into the Great Monkey Sage, equal of Heaven. The monkeys clapped their hands and cried allowed, "Splendid! Splendid! To-morrow we will scour the hills for fruits and berries and hold a great farewell banquet in honour of our king."
Next day they duly went to gather peaches and rare fruits, mountain herbs, yellow-sperm, tubers, orchids, strange plants and flowers of every sort, and set out the stone tables and benches, laid out fairy meats and drinks. They put the Monkey King at the head of the table, and ranged themselves according to their age and rank. The pledge-cup passed from hand to hand; they made their offerings to him of flowers and fruit. All day long they drank, and next day their king rose early and said, "Little ones, cut some pine-wood for me and make me a raft; then find a tall bamboo for pole, and put together a few fruits and such like. I am going to start." He got onto the raft all alone and pushed off with all his might, speeding away and away, straight out to sea, till favoured by a following wind he arrived at the borders of the Southern World. Fate indeed had favoured him; for days on end, ever since he set foot on the raft, a strong south-east wind blew and carried him at last to the north-western bank, which is indeed the frontier of the Southern World. He tested the water with his pole and found that it was shallow; so he left the raft and climbed ashore. On the beach were people fishing, shooting wild geese, scooping oysters, draining salt. He ran up to them and for fun began performing queer antics which frightened them so much that they dropped their baskets and nets and ran for their lives. One of them, who stood his ground, Monkey caught hold of, and ripped off his clothes, found out how to wear them himself, and so dressed up went prancing through towns and cities, in markets and bazaar, imitating the people's manners and talk. All the while his heart was set only on finding Immortals and learning from them the secret of eternal youth. But he found the men of the world all engrossed in the quest of profit or fame; there was not one who had any care for the end that was in store for him. So Monkey went looking for the way of Immortality, but found no chance of meeting it. For eight or nine years he went from city to city and town to town till suddenly he came to the Western Ocean. He was sure that beyond this ocean there would certainly be Immortals, and he made for himself a raft like the one he had before. He floated on over the Western Ocean till he came to the Western Continent, where he went ashore, and when he had looked about for some time, he suddenly saw a very high and beautiful mountain, thickly wooded at the base. He had no fear of wolves, tigers, or panthers, and made his way up to the very top. He was looking about him when he suddenly heard a man's voice coming from deep amid the woods. He hurried towards the spot and listened intently. It was some one singing, and these were the words that he caught:
I hatch no plot, I scheme no scheme; Fame and shame are one to me, A simple life prolongs my days. Those I meet upon my way Are Immortals, one and all, Who from their quiet seats expound The Scriptures of the Yellow Court.
When Monkey heard these words he was very pleased. "There must then be Immortals somewhere hereabouts," he said. He sprang deep into the forest and looking carefully saw that the singer was a woodman, who was cutting brushwood. "Reverend Immortal," said Monkey, coming forward, "your disciple raises his hands." The woodman was so astonished that he dropped his axe. "You have made a mistake," he said, turning and answering the salutation, "I am only a shabby, hungry woodcutter. What makes you address me as an 'Immortal'?" "If you are not an Immortal," said Monkey, "why did you talk of yourself as though you were one?" "What did I say," asked the woodcutter, "that sounded as though I were an Immortal?" "When I came to the edge of the wood," said Monkey, "I heard you singing 'Those I meet upon my way are Immortals, one and all, who from their quiet seats expound the Scriptures of the Yellow Court.' Those scriptures are secret, Taoist texts. What can you be but an Immortal?" "I won't deceive you," said the woodcutter, "That song was indeed taught to me by an Immortal, who lives not far from my hut. He saw that I have to work hard for my living and have a lot of troubles; so he told me when I was worried by anything to say to myself the words of that song. This, he said, would comfort me and get me out of my difficulties. Just now I was upset about something and so I was singing that song. I had no idea that you were listening."
"If the Immortal lives close by," said Monkey, "how is it that you have not become his disciple? Wouldn't it have been as well to learn from him how never to grow old?" "I have a hard life of it," said the woodcutter. "When I was eight or nine I lost my father. I had no brothers and sisters, and it fell upon me alone to support my widowed mother. There is nothing for it but to work hard early and late. Now my mother is old and I dare not leave her. The garden is neglected, we have not enough either to eat or wear. The most I can do is to cut two bundles of firewood, carry them to market and with the penny or two that I get buy a few handfuls of rice which I cook myself and serve to my aged mother. I have no time to go and learn magic." "From what you tell me," said Monkey, "I can see that you are a good and devoted son, and your piety will certainly be rewarded. All I ask of you is that you will show me where the Immortal lives; for I should very much like to visit him."
"It is quite close," said the woodcutter. "This mountain is called the Holy Terrace Mountain, and on it is a cave called Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars. In that cave lives an Immortal called the Patriarch Subodhi. In his time he has had innumerable disciples, and at this moment there are some thirty or forty of them studying with him. You have only to follow that small path southwards for eight or nine leagues, and you will come to his home." "Honoured brother," said Monkey, drawing the woodcutter towards him, "come with me, and if I profit by the visit I will not forget that you guided me." "It takes a lot to make some people understand," said the woodcutter. "I've just been telling you why I can't go. If I went with you, what would become of my work? Who would give my old mother food? I must go on cutting my wood, and you must find your way alone."
When monkey heard this, he saw nothing for it but to say goodbye. He left the wood, found the path, went uphill for some seven or eight leagues and sure enough found a cave-dwelling. But the door was locked. All was quiet, and there was no sign of anyone being about. Suddenly he turned his head and saw on top of the cliff a stone slab about thirty feet high and eight feet wide. On it was an inscription in large letters saying, "Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars on the Mountain of the Holy Terrace." "People here," said Monkey, "are certainly very truthful. There really is such a mountain and such a cave!" He looked about for a while, but did not venture to knock at the door. Instead he jumped up into a pine-tree and began eating the pine-seed and playing among the branches. After a time he heard someone call; the door of the cave opened and a fairy boy of great beauty came out, in appearance utterly unlike the common lads that he had seen till now. The boy shouted, "Who is making a disturbance out there?" Monkey leapt down from his tree, and coming forward said with a bow, "Fairy boy, I am a pupil who has come to study Immortality. I should not dream of making a disturbance." "You a pupil!" said the boy laughing. "To be sure," said Monkey. "My master is lecturing," said the boy. "But before he gave out his theme he told me to go to the door and if anyone came asking for instruction, I was to look after him. I suppose he meant you." "Of course he meant me," said Monkey. "Follow me this way," said the boy. Monkey tidied himself and followed the boy into the cave. Huge chambers opened out before them, they went from room to room, through lofty halls and innumerable cloisters and retreats, till they came to a platform of green jade, upon which was seated the Patriarch Subodhi, with thirty lesser Immortals assembled before him. Monkey at once prostrated himself and bumped his head three times upon the ground, murmuring, "Master, master! As pupil to teacher I pay you my humble respects." "Where do you come from?" asked the Patriarch. "First tell me your country and name, and then pay your respects again." "I am from the Water Curtain Cave," said Monkey, "on the Mountain of Fruit and Flowers in the country of Ao-lai." "Go away!" shouted the Patriarch. "I know the people there. They're a tricky, humbugging set. It's no good one of them supposing he's going to achieve Enlightenment." Monkey, kowtowing violently, hastened to say, "There's no trickery about this; it's just plain truth I'm telling you." "If you claim that you're telling the truth," said the Patriarch, "how is it that you say you came from Ao-lai? Between there and here there are two oceans and the whole of the Southern Continent. How did you get here?" "I floated over the oceans and wandered over the lands for ten years and more," said Monkey, "till at last I reached here." "Oh, well," said the Patriarch, "I suppose if you came by easy stages, it's not altogether impossible. But tell me, what is your hsing?" "I never show hsing," said Monkey. "If I am abused, I am not at all annoyed. If I am hit, I am not angry; but on the contrary, twice more polite then before. All my life I have never shown hsing."
"I don't mean that kind of hsing," said the Patriarch. I mean what was your family, what surname had they?" "I had no family," said Monkey, "neither father nor mother." "Oh indeed!" said the Patriarch. "Perhaps you grew on a tree!" "Not exactly," said Monkey. "I came out of stone. There was a magic stone on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. When its time came, it burst open and I came out."
"We shall have to see about giving you a school-name," said the Patriarch. "We have twelve words that we use in these names, according to the grade of the pupil. You are in the tenth grade." "What are the twelve words?" asked Monkey. "They are Wide, Big, Wise, Clever, True Conforming, Nature, Ocean, Lively, Aware, Perfect, and Illumined. As you belong to the tenth grade the word Aware must come in your name. How about Aware-of-Vacuity?" "Splendid!" said Monkey, laughing. "From now onwards let me be called Aware-of-Vacuity."
So that was his name in religion. And if you do not know whether in the end, equipped with this name, he managed to obtain enlightenment or nor, listen while it is explained to you in the next chapter.


text:
Five Adventure Escapes That Beat the Heat
Get out of the sun — and air-conditioning — with a chilly escape. Quentin Fottrell tells you how on Lunch Break. Photo: Quark Expeditions.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... Segway is he hoping for an escape is anywhere but that these guys you're in luck MarketWatch's Quentin for trial has done something he he's found five adventure vacation ideas that ... will require air conditioning they actually might require a clear coat ... write them and sometimes a lot of money on a lot of money ... but let's start with that ... this that the source adds that year people can get these chilly vacations heat and the year they may not realize that this that panicky way ... that she's the house to find these places that have decent package worth soared spokesman team of travel experts that everyone's mind yes every reporter turns to ... and ... the power of the two of the mindset of combined two and came up with some really and I wanna get places that were far apart to retire from the north oh ... all the way down to the seven Arctic I'm looking for the Christmas to start the North Pole tells about this one write to this the spice year around this years have already left but it's good for next year you may want to stress and has a cost twenty five thousand dollars MIL of ice and looking at yes and some icebreaker ... and that goes out there it's easy takes starts from or months in Russia that takes ... these mini's eight days this year's trip to forge a smile aam ... and that's ... quite an amazing ... sight and then they go off on these two animals avionics and take photographs of the local PTA have one fatality two years ago that the supply weighed so wanted to ... mention not that it's not without risk ... but it's certainly true in a lifetime in your estate from the company in your story that the election out of the act about that Greenlight tells me she didn't mean ... to you can see the longest your it's the longest shorts in the world can ... aam you can go hiking ... kayaking right kayaking ... whale watching you can really do a lot of aam ... stuff and realigned its for I phone and ... say a ... more affordable let's let this out yet ... the danger ... of the ... trip there of course excuses for six thousand five hundred dollars of stock that the ... agreement that no Alaska there's not a cruise line I don't know now that doesn't ... go to Alaska I mean this is the white Alaska Brian ... Muscat is a huge deals around the creek and increases in Alaska mainly because the Kyrie pianists the ... competitiveness so much ... in a widely between different ... cruise companies so aam ... they really are going to mosque and the law that feels that anonymous is not as ... proving as popular as peasants ... psychiatry and ... and NetEase is another one that you can actually go skiing ... in Yemen on the summer I didn't do this but chorus darting mountains right in ... it's not a cause of the murder of a twelve thousand feet so they're ... above the tree line and the disadvantage of thousands in a whodunit is intended to run into much readings ... on windy windy and they can be subject close share some of these resorts about thirty major resorts around South American some of them in our cars ... but not the US plus some of the resort she finds in the US for Tumpel when you're in the wintertime Heroku understanding in three D uh hundred and thirty degree heat in some places in the U S which they haven't seen close to that outlets ... Bielski slip sounds pretty good run and almost to the end of the earth at least if your from where we're sitting ... Tasmania just really a bright so this is a curious bunch it's about a hundred and fifty miles ... off the southern coast of Australia it's but the size of West Virginia ... aam is no appeal Conlan colony there ... is the hottest hitter ... in a vacation like a CEO Prism prisoner and said there is good for my lack ... of coastal Lionsgate a full and beautiful wilderness ... ten thousand miles away ... you could coupled with a trip to New Zealand's ... aam or Sydney Melbourne and they're also ... cruises around there you can take well to look the other aam some Antarctic islands nationwide BlackBerry woodworking Tasmania at the end of that plan


text:
Monday, April 2, 2012
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Spit Bucket
22 comments:
- Dave Larsen said...
Ron, This story is your funniest yet. I laughed all the way through. The clinical tone and use of footnotes are a nice touch. Thanks for getting my week off on the right foot. I'm going to pass it along to my 3 Twitter followers.
- April 2, 2012 at 8:33 AM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I was thumbing through Oliver Sacks' works the other day, and the title of this post jumped into my twisted mind, so I sat down and decided to write, in his sort of clinical voice, a piece to go with the title. It just sort of went the way it wanted to. The hard part was figuring out how to do footnotes in the blogger format. Footnotes be comedy!
Thanks for the Tweet. Perhaps now I'll have 11 readers of my piece rather than my usual 8.
BTW, I drank one of your '09 Ciel du Cheval reds the other night. Fabulous! Very seductive and powerful. A bit tight, I'm sure, and I should have waited a few more months, but so it goes. It was delicious. Your funniest red wine yet!
- April 2, 2012 at 8:44 AM
- Dave Larsen said...
Funny wine? A dubious distinction, but maybe we've created a new wine niche.
- April 2, 2012 at 9:16 AM
- Samantha Dugan said...
I've met plenty of those brain parasites and always at an industry event. I suspect they are brought in on the shoes of some other parasite, like the ones that get into those events with BS affiliations and credentials. Easy enough to spot most of them, they are often in stilt like shoes, smell of Hawaiian Tropic or Vanilla Ginger Cookie and they use words like "bitey" and "sour".
- April 2, 2012 at 10:56 AM
- Marcia Macomber said...
#6 checking in, sir!
Blog post: 92! That's all that comes to mind. No words, no comments on specific passages, clauses or those cute footnotes. Just the number. Nice.
- April 2, 2012 at 11:15 AM
- Marcia Macomber said...
Isn't that also a title to a long-lost Alfred Hitchcock movie? :-)
- April 2, 2012 at 11:16 AM
- Thomas said...
OMG! My skin has turned yellow.
- April 2, 2012 at 2:29 PM
- Mockingbird said...
[iii] - ah, Betel and Beatles' nuts.... cute
- April 2, 2012 at 4:13 PM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
Why can't a great wine be funny? It makes one smile, so it's at least amusing. Your wine definitely made me smile. On the flip side, I try to make people drunk with laughter. So I can take advantage of them.
My Gorgeous Samantha,
"Bitey" is one of those words that always drove me nuts too. I think most of the pretenders these days at big wine tastings sport wine blog business cards. And the people who throw those big events always, always promise wineries that participate a large turnout. So it is in their best interest to just allow anyone in who even knows how to work a corkscrew. That has never changed.
The brain parasite is strictly a theory, but I believe it has merit. And they all come from stinking cats.
Marcia Darling,
Where the hell have you been? No matter, just welcome back.
92? Man, you are a tough critic. That's barely worth considering. I'm betting you gave 19 other blogs 100 point scores.
Hitchcock made a long lost film about tasting through three vintages of Bordeaux. It was called "Vertigo Tasting."
Could be scurvy. If the word "Sunkist" appears on your chest, get medical attention.
T'ain't nuttin'
- April 2, 2012 at 6:30 PM
- Mockingbird said...
Ahh.... the mysterious taint. It's where the scrotum ends and the anus ain't....
- April 2, 2012 at 6:57 PM
I've discovered a sure-fire way to get rid of Brain-Parasites. It's easy, 'cause they're a buncha clones...simply ask 'em to show their belly-buttons and they run for the exits. Why? Clones don't have belly-buttons, that's why.
[written en route to rehab]
- April 3, 2012 at 10:37 AM
- PaulG said...
Shouldn't Tim's last name be Pescato? Or it should be Jim Foyer. And where is the wife in all this? Now it's becoming quite clear why you failed to make yesterday's list of the TOP 9 BLOGGERS IN THE UNIVERSE.
- April 3, 2012 at 10:51 AM
- Puff Daddy said...
I have to take exception to the 90% Gruner comment. The restaurnt in question has 10Cremants on the list, although only god and Andy Blue know why.
And on a semi-serious note, Slanted Door and its offshoots in the City do have some pretty good Riesling, thank heavens.
As for the score for this entry, two stars, but with the possibility of improving with age. The finish is a little bit bitey at present.
- April 3, 2012 at 11:52 AM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I have a more elegant solution to brain parasites. Any that want to live in mine will surely starve.
Yes, yet another jackass with self-esteem issues publishing a list of Important Wine Bloggers. Do I hear the relentless yapping of an attention-seeking Poodle? Though I may have to do the HoseMaster's List of Influential Bloggers very soon. Volunteers?
Puff Daddy,
God and Andy Blue are two different beings? Not in his world.
As for the finish, it arrives Thursday, and it is extree bitier.
- April 3, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Speaking of bitier, I bet TW wasn't expecting that today's puff piece on Deborah Harkness would take a hard left turn into a vampire-penis discussion, courtesy of the lovely Sam.
I had to check myself - I thought I was reading the comments section at the HoseMaster.
But enough about some other site's posts. As for the obligatory scoring, I give this post a 914,839+. I'll make up some notes later.
- April 3, 2012 at 2:25 PM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I can't say I have ever read Deborah Harkness' blog. But as a former recipient, albeit four years ago, of Mr. Wark's PR talents, I'm sure she is getting a lot of bites today, most aimed at her neck.
Thanks for using the Million Point Scale. I haven't brought it back for quite a while now. It's about due.
- April 3, 2012 at 4:29 PM
- Dean Tudor said...
Ron, for the past several years, all I have been thinking about are numbers, like 38-18-34, stuff like that.
My readers (and they are legion) have been after me to "cut to the chase". They don't give a rat's ass about words: "just give me a number so that I can enter it into my database" or whatever.
Up here in Canada, where everything is bought and re-sold by a government monopoly, it is a crapshoot. Stock exists for about a week. Life is too short. "Give me a number, I'll start at the top."
Product will never come this way again once it is sold out. A top selling chardonnay in Ontario was sold recently for $14.95 a bottle -- the government brought in 798 cases for 7 million people. Everybody i knew just wanted a number, a ticket for a lineup or dry cleaning.
Your blog is (averaged) about a 94. You hit 98 with this entry.
- April 3, 2012 at 6:14 PM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
Hey Dean,
Yeah, I think of those same numbers, 38-24-36, but then I remember that other damn number 4 1/2. Measuring from the 'tain't.
98! Wow, I'm impressed with myself. But, if I'm not mistaken, that's in Canadian numbers, which translate to 78 in USA numbers. About right for my crap.
- April 3, 2012 at 6:35 PM
- Thomas said...
No, no, Canadian numbers are a simple inversion: 98 = 89.
$14.95 = $59.41
(was that a Kistler Chardonnay, Dean? You got a deal, even if the inversion is a backward inversion.)
- April 4, 2012 at 7:24 AM
- Samantha Dugan said...
Best part of that whole exchange with Tom was his telling me that reading the book might clear up any misconceptions I had about a working vampire penis....okay dude, all over that.
- April 4, 2012 at 10:12 AM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I must have a Canadian vampire penis. It likes the reverse of sucking.
- April 4, 2012 at 10:56 AM
- Dean Tudor said...
It's better to give than to receive.
- April 4, 2012 at 5:54 PM


text:
Home > Shop
Showing all 13 results
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Madison, Wis. Our mission is to support and connect farmers and consumers through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). We envision a future where CSA is the backbone of a strong local food system and where all families have access to locally-produced, organic food from strong small family farms.
Make a Gift
Your gift supports organic, small family farms who provide fresh, healthy food to communities in Wisconsin.


text:
The #1 source for online teacher professional development. Earn CEUs. Connect with peers. Learn something new.
November 20, 2015 | By Kimberly Kellogg | Leave a Comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Name *
Email *
We reveal the secrets of Google Drive, Slides, and Forms that you can use in your classroom!


text:
Here are five signs that dealership F&I profits will stay strong:
1. Warranty Group, a leading administrator, has had double-digit year-over-year growth in the number of service contracts sold in 2012, said marketing vice president Bob Bean.
2. Demand for extended-service contracts and other F&I products is so good that the company recently opened a new servicing center in Champaign, Ill., to supplement its headquarters operations in Chicago.
The new servicing center has about 30 positions filled, but it is built to hold as many as 200 employees, Bean said. Besides handling added demand, the new service center also is a backup for the headquarters operation in the event of a disaster.
3. Bean said the Warranty Group is increasing its "attachment rate," which means customers are buying more F&I products per unit.
4. The company is signing up more dealerships -- mostly franchised, new-vehicle dealerships, but also independent, used-car dealerships, he said.
5. Finally, for the company that does business as Resource Dealer Group and was formerly known as Pat Ryan & Associates, growth is based on steadily increasing vehicle sales.
Said Bean: "The sheer volume of cars being moved has certainly benefited all dealerships."


text:
Which Broomstick? is a periodically released magazine about broomsticks. It advertises and sells all sorts of broomsticks for Quidditch players. The magazine also test-rides all makes of broomstick and provides reviews on the experience.[1] Oliver Wood, the old Gryffindor Quidditch team captain has been seen reading it.
In 1993, Oliver Wood allowed Harry Potter to borrow it, to find a replacement for his destroyed Nimbus 2000.[2] He later recommended that Harry order a new broomstick using an order form that can be found in the back of this magazine.[3] Later, as Harry was riding his Firebolt at the second Quidditch of the season, Lee Jordan noted that the Firebolt was the broomstick of choice for the Quidditch World Cup, according to this magazine.[4]
In the summer of 1995, Ron Weasley quoted Which Broomstick regarding the speed of the Comet 260 while praising the capabilities of the Cleansweep Eleven he received as a present for becoming a Gryffindor prefect.[5]
On the Hogwarts Express in 1996, Harry Potter traded three Chocolate Frog Cards to Karl Limpley for the latest issue of Which Broomstick?. Later on the voyage, he traded that issue to Jason Huntingdon to get back a pair of Spectrespecs he had stolen from Luna Lovegood. The issue in question contained an article comparing various makes of broomstick, including the Firebolt, which Huntingdon deemed "interesting".[6]
The editor of this magazine provided an endorsement for Quidditch Through the Ages.
Behind the scenes
The title may be a reference to the real-world Which? Magazine.
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- Quidditch Through the Ages
Notes and references
- ↑ Glossary at harrypotter.scholastic.com
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 10 (The Marauder's Map)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 12 (The Patronus)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 13 (Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 9 (The Woes of Mrs Weasley)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) - NDS version


text:
0-0 Diesel man
0-0 Diesel man
"Give me a 6 pack, half hour of rest and lets go play them again....We can beat them."
--Jack Lambert
"They say that when you're the champs, everybody will try to beat you. Well, I'm glad we're the champs, so bring 'em on, bring 'em all on. If we die, we ain't gonna die running. It's gonna be a fight."
--Joe Greene
I can't get the game either... 1st Steelers game I haven't watched... thank god for the streaming radio coverage.....
0-0 steelers
"When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself."
-Wayne Dyer
Steelers fumble...geeze
"When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself."
-Wayne Dyer
From what it sounds like, we are playing down to our opponents level like usual...
Nice int but troy's hurt again
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Yes here https://www.viralcage.com/
This is our companies latest vanilla install.. (v2.3.1).. funding supported by ad placement as well as well as paid subscribers. It involved porting 5K+ users and 10's of thousands of posts from a really old forum in joomla, which turned out to be a multi-step solution to get the porter to work.
It is SSO enabled and uses the old bootstrap theme.
Since it uses the wordpress plug-in, some of the fun profile stuff is disabled. I still have to get my head around how to allow signatures, etc. in this environment. The design, though functional and responsive, is a bit bland at this point. I'll be refining the design as well as adding elements such as stats and social media in the future.
I make my living thanks to Vanilla at http://www.ballofspray.com/forum
I pay for the pro version.
Just launched a new (French) website with a forum called http://lebobbalibre.eu here: http://lebobbalibre.eu/forum
This website is an Habbo Hotel fansite.
The main website is powered by a french content managment system: PluXml ^^
I'm using Blog Comments with ^^ A powerful Vanilla's feature
just launched new website https://edutainmentforum.com
have a take a look.
I've taken a whack at making my own theme for my personal site. Originally for 2.2 but works like a charm under 2.3 now without any modifications. Quite happy with Vanilla as far as setting up and personalizing it goes. Lots of plugins!
just a hobby
My site forum using Vanilla Forums software
Go to: Bertravel Forum


text:
Freedom in the World
You are here
2012 Scores
Freedom Rating (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Civil Liberties (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Political Rights (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Serbia in 2011 arrested the last fugitive war crimes suspects from the conflicts of the 1990s, allowing the country to progress on its path to European Union candidacy. However, the deadlock between Belgrade and Pristina over Kosovo's sovereignty remained unresolved. Separately, in October, the government barred a gay pride parade on the grounds that related violence by extremist groups would jeopardize national security.
Serbia was recognized as an independent state in 1878 after several centuries under Ottoman rule. It formed the core of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes proclaimed in 1918. After World War II, Serbia became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, under the rule of Josip Broz Tito. Within the boundaries of the Serbian republic as drawn at that time were two autonomous provinces: the largely Albanian-populated Kosovo in the south, and Vojvodina, with a significant Hungarian minority, in the north.
Following the disintegration of socialist Yugoslavia in 1991, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro in 1992 formed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). Slobodan Milošević and his Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS, the former League of Communists of Serbia) ruled Serbia throughout the 1990s by controlling the country's security forces, financial institutions, and state-owned media. An avowed Serb nationalist, Milošević oversaw extensive Serbian involvement in the 1991–95 wars that accompanied the old federation's breakup, supporting local Serb forces both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Croatia.
In 1998–99, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Kosovo provoked increasingly violent reprisals by state forces against the guerrillas and the civilian population. In March 1999, NATO launched a 78-day bombing campaign to force the withdrawal of FRY and Serbian forces. A NATO-led force then occupied Kosovo, and the United Nations oversaw institution-building efforts there.
Milošević was forced from office in October 2000, after his attempt to steal the September Yugoslav presidential election from opposition candidate Vojislav Koštunica of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) triggered massive protests. An anti-Milošević coalition took power following Serbian parliamentary elections in December, and Zoran Đinđić of the Democratic Party (DS) became Serbia's prime minister. The FRY was replaced with a looser State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, and each republic was granted the option of holding an independence referendum after three years.
Đinđić was assassinated by organized crime groups allied with Milošević-era security structures in March 2003, and after parliamentary elections in December, Koštunica became Serbia's prime minister at the head of a fragile coalition government. The new DS leader, Boris Tadić, won the Serbian presidency in a June 2004 election.
Montenegro held a successful referendum on independence in May 2006, formally declaring independence the following month. This necessitated new Serbian elections, and in January 2007 the main anti-Milošević parties—including the DS, the DSS, and the liberal G17 Plus—collectively outpolled the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party (SRS) and the SPS. In May, Koštunica formed another coalition government. Tadić won a second term as president in early February 2008, taking 51 percent of the vote.
Later that month, Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia. Debate over the proper response increased tensions in the Koštunica government, which ultimately resigned in March, prompting new elections. The May balloting resulted in an undisputed victory for the DS and its smaller allies, which favored economic reform and European Union (EU) integration. The DS-led bloc won 102 of 250 seats and formed a coalition government with an SPS-led bloc (20 seats), the Hungarian Coalition (4 seats), and the Bosniak List for European Sandžak (2 seats). The SRS took 78 seats, followed by the DSS with 30; the smaller Liberal Democratic Party took 13 seats, and the Coalition of Albanians of the Preševo Valley won the remaining seat.
The new government, led by Mirko Cvetković, was the first since 2000 to include the SPS, which had sought to reinvent itself as a mainstream center-left party. The outcome also marked the first time since 2000 that a single party, the DS, controlled the presidency, the premiership, and a working majority in the parliament. In another sign of political normalization, hard-liners in the SRS were further isolated when the moderate wing of the party broke off to form the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in September.
In 2009, the parliament passed legislation to improve conditions for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and a statute that defined and expanded Vojvodina's autonomy. The country also received praise for its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and secured visa-free travel to EU countries for Serbian citizens. By year's end, Serbia had formally submitted its application for EU membership, and the government's regional reconciliation efforts continued in 2010. However, the country suffered a major diplomatic defeat in July of that year, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate international law.
In May 2011, Serbian authorities arrested and extradited former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladić, a longtime fugitive who was wanted by the ICTY for alleged war crimes. Croatian Serb wartime leader Goran Hadžić, the last of 161 suspected war criminals indicted by the ICTY to remain at large, was arrested and extradited from Serbia in July. The two arrests marked a major step forward for Serbia's bid for EU candidacy.
While EU-brokered negotiations yielded progress on trade and travel issues between Serbia and Kosovo during 2011, Belgrade maintained its opposition to Kosovo's sovereignty. In August, German chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Serbia must abolish its parallel governing structures in the Serb-populated northern portion of Kosovo before it could join the EU. The country's formal status as an EU candidate had yet to be confirmed at year's end. Meanwhile, the SRS asked Serbian prosecutors to initiate criminal proceedings against Tadić and Cvetković for negotiating terms with the Kosovo authorities that "endangered Serbia's territorial integrity", though no charges were brought by year's end.
Serbia is an electoral democracy. The president, elected to a five-year term, plays a largely ceremonial role. The National Assembly is a unicameral, 250-seat legislature, with deputies elected to four-year terms according to party lists. The prime minister is elected by the assembly. Both the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2008 were deemed largely free and fair by international monitoring groups.
In addition to the main political parties, numerous smaller parties compete for influence. These include factions representing ethnic minorities, two of which belong to the current coalition government. In April 2011, the Constitutional Court clarified and extended its 2010 decision to prohibit a practice whereby politicians elected on a party ticket were obliged to deposit a letter of resignation with the party before taking office. This had allowed party leaders to eliminate and replace elected officials who proved disloyal. The court declared the system unconstitutional and invalidated any postelection reallocation of parliamentary seats.
Corruption remains a serious concern. A new Anti-Corruption Agency that began operating in January 2010 is tasked with conflict-of-interest monitoring, oversight of political party funding, and other preventive activities. A new law adopted in June 2011 requires political parties to report all financial contributions they receive, and stipulates that these contributions must be made through official bank transfers. Despite several high-profile arrests in 2011, a systematic legislative effort and the political will to tackle large-scale corruption in public tenders are still seen to be lacking. Serbia was ranked 86 out of 183 countries surveyed in Transparency International's 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index.
The press is generally free, although most media outlets are thought to be aligned with specific political parties. In May 2011, public broadcaster RTS formally apologized for its role in supporting authoritarian governments during the 1990s, but advocacy groups noted that RTS remains subject to strong government influence. A 2011 study by the Anti-Corruption Agency found that private media are influenced by state advertising purchases, and that many of Serbia's leading media outlets are owned by offshore companies with limited transparency. Libel is a criminal offense punishable by fines, but not imprisonment. The 2010 Law on Electronic Communications allows police and security services to view personal electronic communications, which press freedom groups have criticized as a threat to the confidentiality of journalists' sources. Journalists continue to encounter threats and physical violence, and perpetrators rarely face significant penalties. In October 2011, the car of Tihomir Trišić, editor of the weekly Akter, was set on fire. Police were still investigating the incident at year's end. There were no reports of the government restricting access to the internet during the year.
The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, which is generally respected in practice. However, increases in ethnic tension often take the form of religious intolerance. Critics charge that the 2006 Law on Churches and Religious Communities privileges seven "traditional" religious communities by giving them tax-exempt status and forcing other groups to go through cumbersome registration procedures. Application of many aspects of the law is considered to be arbitrary. Relations between factions within the Islamic community in the Sandžak region, and between one of the factions and the Serbian government, have been deteriorating in recent years. There were no reports of government restrictions on academic freedom in 2011.
Citizens enjoy freedoms of assembly and association, though a 2009 law banned meetings of fascist organizations and the use of neo-Nazi symbols. A 2010 gay pride parade in Belgrade was attacked by several thousand counterdemonstrators, but police successfully protected the marchers. Extremist groups threatened violence ahead of the 2011 parade, and police said they were underequipped for any clashes, with some reportedly considering a boycott. The government consequently banned the event, calling it a threat to national security. Foreign and domestic NGOs are generally free to operate without government interference, and the 2009 Law on Associations clarified their legal status. The laws and constitution allow workers to form or join unions, engage in collective bargaining, and strike, but the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ITUC) has reported that organizing efforts and strikes are substantially restricted in practice.
Serbia's judicial structure underwent major changes in 2010, including the merger of 138 municipal courts into 34 basic courts. The system suffers from a large backlog of cases, including some 7,000 at the Constitutional Court alone. Prisons are generally considered to meet international standards, but overcrowding remains a serious problem and a contributing factor behind inmate riots and protests.
Ethnic minorities are underrepresented in government. The country's main minority groups are the Bosniaks (Muslim Slavs), concentrated in the Sandžak region; an ethnic Albanian population in the Preševo Valley; and the Hungarian community in Vojvodina. There is concern about the spread of extreme forms of Islam in the Sandžak. In June 2010, elections to the Council of Bosniaks in Sandžak gave 17 of 35 seats to a group led by the populist mufti Muamer Zukorlić. Two elected members from the Bosnian Renaissance party subsequently defected, joining Zukorlic's group. One day before the vote, the government made an amendment to the council's election rules, requiring the ruling party or coalition to win at least a two-thirds majority of seats before a new council could be legally constituted. Under Zukorlić's leadership, the council has since operated in defiance of Belgrade. Discrimination against the Romany community is common. Amnesty International reported multiple forced evictions—conducted without warning and "under appalling circumstances"—of Romany families from public and privately owned buildings in 2011.
Women make up about 22 percent of the parliament, and five women currently serve as cabinet ministers. Just three of Serbia's 150 municipalities have female mayors. According to electoral regulations, women must account for at least 30 percent of a party's candidate list. Although women are legally entitled to equal pay for equal work, traditional attitudes often limit their roles in the economy. A 2009 law on gender equality provides a wide range of protections in employment, health, education, and politics. Domestic violence remains a serious problem, and is reportedly on the rise. Some towns in southern Serbia have become transit points for the trafficking of women from the former Soviet Union to Western Europe for the purpose of forced prostitution.
The ratings through 2002 are for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, of which Serbia was a part, and those from 2003 through 2005 are for the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Kosovo is examined in a separate report.


text:
Wabash Digging Out, Classes in Session• January 31, 2011 Share:
Campus Services has worked round the clock to keep drives, parking lots, and sidewalks clear. Some areas will freeze up overnight when temperatures drop and the wind picks up. Students, faculty, and staff are urged to use caution when traveling to campus.
Classes are in session on Thursday, February 3.
Driving conditions may remain dangerous in some areas and employees are encouraged to exercise caution and good judgment about their commutes. If faculty are unable to get to campus, we will update the website with information about alternate meeting plans or class cancelations. Faculty should contact Jim Amidon if necessary (361-6364).
Staff who are unable to get to work should contact their supervisors.
Current Forecast: Today — Sunny. Highs around 11. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill readings 3 below to 13 below zero. Tonight — Clear. Lows around 6 below. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill readings 8 below to 18 below zero.
President White has urged everyone to use good judgment when traveling and to check the College's website for updated information.
The Wabash Basketball game, scheduled for Wednesday at Denison, has been moved to Thursday, February 3.


text:
Jeff Gardner needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 118 designs submitted by 45 freelance designers.
microdirect raises funds from social investors and then lends these funds to enterprising yet impoverished people in developing countries to start small businesses.
the process directly links the lender with the borrower and will be facilitated through on online platform (to be posted as a seperate project) like http://www.kiva.org or http://www.microplace.com
80% women
clean,crisp sufficiency
we like look and feel of these sites:
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Spending bill advances, Paul objects
A six-month stopgap spending bill advanced in the Senate Wednesday, even as the House Republican leadership gave up the ghost of acting on any extension of the 2008 farm law, due to expire Sept. 30.
In the case of the spending measure, 24 Senate Republicans joined Democrats on a 76-22 vote to limit debate and expedite passage by Congress — possibly as early as Thursday.
Story Continued Below
Standing in the way still is Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has insisted on a vote first on his amendment to withhold U.S. aid to Egypt, Libya and Pakistan in light of recent attacks on American diplomatic facilities and the imprisonment of a Pakistan physician accused of helping the CIA locate Osama bin Laden.
The physician, Dr. Shakil Afridi, was convicted by a tribal court in northwestern Pakistan on charges of treason last spring, a decision that infuriated many in Congress and that Paul has adopted as a personal cause.
For months the Kentucky maverick and tea party favorite has pressed for a vote on Pakistan aid, an amendment he has now broadened to include Egypt and Libya as well.
The White House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) are confident that Paul can be defeated with bipartisan support. And this may indeed be the outcome.
"Do we really think it is in our interest to see the economy of Egypt collapse?" Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told POLITICO. "I don't think so."
Nonetheless, orchestrating the vote remains difficult given all the bruised feelings at this stage in the Senate. The administration has been reluctant to allow such a high-profile showdown given the tense U.S. relations with Islamabad and Cairo — important allies in the Muslim world.
Many Republicans appear torn as well, given the pressure from tea party forces to side with Paul. And when Reid made a consent request late Wednesday to give Paul a vote, the Democratic leader even found himself attacked by McCain, who complained that not enough time was allowed for the debate.
"Rand Paul isn't holding anything up. The Republicans are," Reid said, accusing the GOP of hiding behind Paul.


text:
Buyer Beware: Things To Ask Your Lawyer
The American Bar Association has strict rules regarding how lawyers can advertise. According to the ABA, all lawyers who pass the bar exam are qualified to practice law. In reality, however, there is a big difference between an assumption of competency and actual competency.
The lawyer you hire can make the difference between spending the rest of your life in prison or on the sex offender registry and living the rest of your life as a free person. With so much at stake, what can you do to ensure the attorney you hire can actually provide the representation you need?
Before you hire an attorney, there are several questions you should ask:
- What were the outcomes of the last five jury trials you tried? Trial experience is critical for any criminal defense lawyer. Prosecutors know which defense attorneys try cases, and which defense attorneys try to persuade their clients to accept plea agreements. Mark Bailey can tell you that his last five jury trials were good, but you don't need to take our word for it. We're happy to provide you with the names of past clients, so you can hear directly from them what our service was like.
- When are you available? Mark Bailey puts his cellphone number on his business card, and we encourage clients to call whenever they have questions. We know this is a difficult time, and we are here to provide the legal support you need.
- Do you charge for initial consultations? We provide free initial consultations to help ensure you understand your options and the likelihood of achieving your legal goals. Although we can't guarantee outcomes, we can tell you what we expect to happen, based on our years of experience.
- Can you give me the name of a recent client who had a case similar to mine? Some lawyers try to hide bad case results behind claims of confidentiality. In reality, if there was a public trial, that information is not confidential. Mark Bailey can give you the name of a client who had a case similar to yours.
A jury will be asked to make a decision, and so will you. Make the right choice: M.K. Bailey Law Offices.
Learn more about the background and legal accomplishments of our lawyers by following the links below:
When we meet with you during your free initial consultation, we will tell you what to expect at every step of the legal process. We will tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about your case — and you will leave our office knowing you can trust us to provide the counsel you need.
We have the experience, awards and case results to give individuals throughout Oklahoma City the confidence they are looking for in an attorney. Schedule your free consultation using our online contact form or by calling 405-607-1177.


text:
OUR Hospitals
Think Tank
Signs of a Concussion
Things To Know About Chronic Kidney Disease
There's Nothing Hep About Hepatitis!
Happy International Self-Care Day!
Hips Don't Lie - Pay Attention To Them
FAQs About Mammograms
Puzzled By The Pap Smear Test?
The 'Dark' Truth About Skin Cancer
Are You High Risk for Epilepsy?
Health Tips
Witnessed A Road Accident?
When To Take Your Baby To The Emergency Room
How To Treat Minor Burns At Home
Dealing With A Puncture Wound
Watch Your Step
Dos & Don'ts For Marathon Runners
Keep Your Limbs Limber
No, You're Not Too Old!
Yoga & Your Heart
Experts Speak
The Power of Incident Reporting
Must Reads for Healthcare Employees
Dr Kareemullah Talks About ENT Conditions and Technologies
Dr Ankit Mody, Nephrologist Explains The Types Of Kidney Diseases
"Do Not Ignore Back Pain" – Dr Y Madhav, Orthopedic Consultant
Ageing Young With Knee Pain
Patient Stories
The Value Of A Minute - Mr. Behara
Rare High Risk Renal Transplant by CARE Hospitals, Hi-tech City
Every Minute, Every Second Counts To Save a Life!
Timely Medical Care Saves Patient from Amputation
CARE Hospitals Performs Its First TAVI
Nigerian Youth Free of Giant Tumor after Surgery at CARE Hospitals
CARE's Multi-Specialty Approach Helped Mr Narayanan Walk Again
My Mom's Transformation From A Wheelchair-bound Lady To An Independent Woman
Mr Ravi Prusty Talks About His Mother's Emergency Treatment At CARE
A Beating Heart & A Ticking Clock - The Story of Mr. ...
The CARE NCD Program – Towards Reducing India's Disease Burden
Best Multispecialty Hospital & Best Patient Safety Initiative Awards for Banjara & ...
Simulation Based Training at Safer Care
CEO Receives Indian Affairs Healthcare Administrator Award For 2017
CARE Vizag Uses Cutting Edge ECMO To Save A Life
What Makes CARE Hi-Tech 'Patient Friendly'
A First for Odisha – 3 Challenging Aneurysm Cases
How To Spot An Allergy
How To Respond To An Asthma Attack
Don't Choke In A Crisis
How To Dodge A UTI
Food For Thought
Why Cancer Is On The Rise?
Don't Panic About The Nipah Virus
EPILEPSY - Electrical Activity Of The Brain
Common Summer Ailments
How To Help A Loved One With Cancer
Happy Fathers Day 2018
When A Crisis Comes Knocking
Benefits of Swimming
World Immunization Week (2018)
What Is Sciatica?
First Aid for a Heart Attack
Summer Time Safety!
Her Care We Care - Women's Day 2018
Think Tank
Health Tips
Experts Speak
Patient Stories
5 Health Benefits of Bananas
March 16, 2018
(Visited 344 times, 1 visits today)
5 Health Benefits of Bananas
advantages of banana
are bananas healthy
banana benefits
banana diet benefits
banana fruit benefits
banana health benefits
banana nutrients and benefits
banana nutrition
banana nutrition benefits
banana vitamins
benefits of eating banana daily
benefits of eating bananas
health benefits of bananas
is banana good for health
Previous Article
5 Common Myths About Cancer
Next Article
Pancreatic Cancer – Symptoms & Risk Factors
Related Posts
Types of Acne And How To Treat Them
2 years ago
Harmful Effects of Over Exercising
2 years ago
Leave a reply
Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
All Rights Reserved © CARE HOSPITALS 2018 | Designed by Denary Media
Thanks for subscribing.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.