text:
Building a Justification for Waging War on Iran?
"Another [9/11 type terrorist] attack could create both a justification and an opportunity that is lacking today to retaliate against some known targets" (Statement by Pentagon official, leaked to the Washington Post, 23 April 2006)
The US media consensus is that "the United States faces its greatest threat of a terrorist assault since the September 11 attacks" (USA Today, 12 February 2006) The American Homeland is threatened by " Islamic terrorists", allegedly supported by Tehran and Damascus.
America is under attack" by an illusive "outside enemy".
Concepts are turned upside down. War becomes Peace. "Offense" becomes a legitimate means of "self-defense". In the words of President Bush:
"Against this kind of enemy, there is only one effective response: We must go on the offense, stay on the offense, and take the fight to them." (President George W. Bush, CENTCOM Coalition Conference, May 1, 2007)
The intent is to seek a pretext to wage a preemptive war.
A "terrorist attack on America" could be used to justify, in the eyes of an increasingly credulous public opinion, on "humanitarian grounds", the launching of a major theater war directed against Iran and Syria.
Allegedly supported by Iran, the terrorists are said to possess nuclear capabilities. They are supposedly planning to explode "radiological dispersion devices" (RDD) or "dirty bombs" in densely populated urban areas in the US. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell had already forewarned in 2003 that, "It would be easy for terrorists to cook up radioactive 'dirty' bombs to explode inside the U.S. … How likely it is, I can't say..." (10 February 2003).
The sheer absurdity that Al Qaeda might have advanced capabilities to wage a nuclear attack on America is, nonetheless, pervasive in US media reports. Moreover, numerous drills and exercises, simulating a terrorist attack using nuclear devices, have been conducted in recent years, creating the illusion that "the threat is real":
"What we do know is that our enemies want to inflict massive casualties and that terrorists have the expertise to invent a wide range of attacks, including those involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological and even nuclear weapons. ... [E]xploding a small nuclear weapon in a major city could do incalculable harm to hundreds of thousands of people, as well as to businesses and the economy,...(US Congress, House Financial Services Committee, June 21, 2007).
Consistently since 911, the Bush administration has reminded Americans of the danger of a "Second 9/11":
"The near-term attacks ... will either rival or exceed the 9/11 attacks... And it's pretty clear that the nation's capital and New York city would be on any list..." (Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge, December 2003)
"You ask, 'Is it serious?' Yes, you bet your life. People don't do that unless it's a serious situation." (Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, December 2003)
"... Credible reporting indicates that Al Qaeda is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack in the United States in an effort to disrupt our democratic process... (Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge, 8 July 2004)
"The enemy that struck on 9/11 is weakened and fractured yet it is still lethal and planning to hit us again." (Vice President Dick Cheney, 7 January 2006)
"We are still a nation at risk. Part of our strategy, of course, is to stay on the offense against terrorists who would do us harm. In other words, it is important to defeat them overseas so we never have to face them here. Nevertheless, we recognize that we've got to be fully prepared here at the homeland." (President George W. Bush February 8, 2006)
"Our main enemy is al Qaeda and its affiliates. Their allies choose their victims indiscriminately. They murder the innocent to advance a focused and clear ideology. They seek to establish a radical Islamic caliphate, so they can impose a brutal new order on unwilling people, much as Nazis and communists sought to do in the last century. This enemy will accept no compromise with the civilized world.... (President George W. Bush, CENTCOM Coalition Conference, May 1, 2007)
We're fighting a war on terror because the enemy attacked us first, and hit us hard. ... Al Qaeda's leadership has said they have the right to "kill four million Americans,... For nearly six years now, the United States has been able to defeat their attempts to attack us here at home. Nobody can guarantee that we won't be hit again. ... (Vice President Dick Cheney, United States Military Academy Commencement, West Point, New York, May 26, 2007)
In the immediate wake of the invasion of Iraq (April 2003), various national security procedures were put in place which focused on the eventuality of a "Second 911". These initiatives in the area of Homeland Security outlined the precise circumstances under which martial law could be declared in the case of a second major terrorist attack on America.
Under martial law, the military would take over several functions of civilian government including justice and law enforcement.
A terrorist attack on American soil of the size and nature of September 11, would lead ---according to former CENTCOM Commander, General Tommy Franks-- to the downfall of democracy in America. In an interview in December 2003, which was barely mentioned in the US media, General Franks outlined a scenario, which would result in the suspension of the Constitution and the installation of military rule in America:
"[A] terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event [will occur] somewhere in the Western world - it may be in the United States of America - that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event." (General Tommy Franks Interview, Cigar Aficionado, December 2003)
Franks was obliquely alluding to a "Second 9/11" terrorist attack, which could be used to galvanize US public opinion in support of a military government and police state.
The "terrorist massive casualty-producing event" was presented by General Franks as a crucial political turning point. The resulting crisis and social turmoil resulting from the civilian casualties, are intended to facilitate a major shift in US political, social and institutional structures, leading to the suspension of constitutional government.
It is important to understand that General Franks was not giving a personal opinion on the role of a "massive casuality producing event". This concept is part of the tools of US intelligence, implemented through covert operations. Franks' statement very much reflects the dominant viewpoint both in the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, on the concept and application of a "massive casualty producing event" as well as onhow events might unfold in the case of a "Catastrophic Emergency".
The statement comes from a man who has been actively involved in military and intelligence planning at the highest levels. In other words, the "militarisation of our country" is an ongoing operational assumption. It is part of the broader "Washington consensus". It identifies the Bush administration's "roadmap" of war and Homeland defense.
The "Global War on Terrorism" which constitutes the cornerstone of Bush's National Security doctrine, provides the required justification for repealing the Rule of Law, ultimately with a view to "preserving civil liberties."
US Northern Command
The Administration's "Catastrophic Emergency" procedures are intimately related to military planning at the level of the Pentagon. In this regard, the formation of US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) in April 2002 (based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado) constitutes an important landmark in the evolving relationship between the Military and Homeland Security.
US Northern Command was created as a new command structure with the explicit mandate to defend the Homeland against foreign terrorists.
This mandate is defined in the Pentagon's "Joint Doctrine for Homeland Security (JP-26)". Even in the case where the "outside enemy" is fabricated (and this is known at the highest levels of the military-intelligence apparatus), a military coup d'Etat characterized by detailed command military/ security provisions, would become operational almost immediately.
NORTHCOM's "Command Mission" encompasses a number of "non-military functions" including "crisis management" and "domestic civil support". Under Northcom jurisdiction, the latter imply a process of "military support to federal, state and local authorities in the event of a terror attack."
NORTHCOM has a mandate to "defend the homeland" against an illusive "outside enemy" (Al Qaeda), which is said to be threatening the security of America. According to Frank Morales, "the scenario of a military take-over of America is unfolding." And Northern Command is the core military entity in this takeover and militarization of civilian institutions.
Dick Cheney's "Contingency Plan"
Following the creation of NORTHCOM in 2002, "Defense of the Homeland" functions -including domestic counter-terrorism and national emergency procedures-- have become increasingly integrated into the broader process of military planning by the Pentagon .
This integration should be understood as part of the Pentagon's preemptive war doctrine, where a presumed or planned attack on the Homeland by "Islamic terrorists" becomes a justification for waging an "offensive" (defined as defensive) war in the Middle East.
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were used to wage war on Afghanistan, using the pretext (without a shred of evidence) that the Afghan Taliban government was a "State sponsor" of the 9/11 attacks.
In August 2005, Vice President Dick Cheney is reported to have instructed USSTRATCOM, based at the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, to draw up a "Contingency Plan", "to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States". (Philip Giraldi, Attack on Iran: Pre-emptive Nuclear War, The American Conservative, 2 August 2005)
Dick Cheney's "Contingency Plan" was predicated on the preemptive war doctrine. Implied in the "Contingency Plan" was the presumption that Iran would be behind the attacks.
The Vice president's instructions were given to USSTRATCOM, which is in charge of the central planning and coordination of major overseas theater wars, rather than to NORTHCOM, whose mandate consists in defending the North American Homeland against terrorist attacks. .
Cheney's "Contingency Plan" under USSTRATCOM jurisdiction, would draw on the possibility of a "Second 9/11" attack to prepare for a major military operation directed against Iran, while pressure would also be exerted in the corridors of the United Nations on Tehran, in relation to its (non-existent) nuclear weapons program.
What is diabolical in this 2005 decision by the US Vice President is that the justification to wage war on Iran rests on Iran's alleged involvement in a hypothetical terrorist attack on America, which has not yet occurred.
The plan to attack Iran is based on the principle of self defense. It "includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons." (Philip Giraldi, Attack on Iran: Pre-emptive Nuclear War, The American Conservative, 2 August 2005)
"Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing—that Iran is being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack—but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections. (Ibid)
The Pentagon's "Second 9/11"
In early 2006, (former) Secretary Don Rumsfeld approved a far-reaching military campaign plan to fight terrorism around the World, with a view to retaliating in the case of a second major terrorist attack on America. This Pentagon plan was, in essence, an extension of the Second 911 "Contingency Plan" agenda announced by Dick Cheney in 2005.
The Pentagon's anti-terrorist plan was outlined in three secret documents, of which excerpts were leaked to the Washington Post.
These three documents consist of an overall "campaign plan" plus two "subordinate plans". The second "subordinate plan" explicitly focuses on the possibility of "Second 9/11" and how a second major attack on American soil might provide "an opportunity" to extend the US led war in the Middle East into new frontiers:
"[It] sets out how the military can both disrupt and respond to another major terrorist strike on the United States. It includes lengthy annexes that offer a menu of options for the military to retaliate quickly against specific terrorist groups, individuals or state sponsors depending on who is believed to be behind an attack. Another attack could create both a justification and an opportunity that is lacking today to retaliate against some known targets, according to current and former defense officials familiar with the plan. (Washington Post, 23 April 2006, emphasis added)
The presumption of this military document, is that a Second 911 attack "which is lacking today" would usefully create both a "justification and an opportunity" to wage war on "some known targets [Iran and Syria]".
National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive, NSPD-51/ HSPD 20
In May 2007, a major presidential National Security Directive is issued, (National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive NSPD 51/HSPD 20),
NSPD 51 / HSPD 20 is a combined National Security Directive emanating from the White House and Homeland Security. It is tailor-made to fit the premises of both the Pentagon's 2006 "Anti-terrorist Plan" as well Vice President Cheney's 2005 "Contingency Plan".
The directive establishes procedures for "Continuity of Government" (COG) in the case of a "Catastrophic Emergency". The latter is defined in NSPD 51/HSPD 20 (henceforth referred to as NSPD 51), as "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions."
"Continuity of Government," or "COG," is defined in NSPD 51 as "a coordinated effort within the Federal Government's executive branch to ensure that National Essential Functions continue to be performed during a Catastrophic Emergency."
NSPD 51 has barely been reported by the mainstream media. There was no press briefing by the White House or by DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, which would be the normal practice, given the significance and implications of NSPD 51. The text of NSPD /51 HSPD 20, announced by the White House is not even mentioned on the DHS's website.
This Combined Directive NSPD /51 HSPD 20 grants unprecedented powers to the Presidency and the Department of Homeland Security, overriding the foundations of Constitutional government. NSPD 51 allows the sitting president to declare a "national emergency" without Congressional approval The adoption of NSPD 51 would lead to the de facto closing down of the Legislature and the militarization of justice and law enforcement:
The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government. In order to advise and assist the President in that function, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter terrorism (APHS/CT) is hereby designated as the National Continuity Coordinator. The National Continuity Coordinator, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), without exercising directive authority, shall coordinate the development and implementation of continuity policy for executive departments and agencies. The Continuity Policy Coordination Committee (CPCC), chaired by a Senior Director from the Homeland Security Council staff, designated by the National Continuity Coordinator, shall be the main day-to-day forum for such policy coordination. (National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive NSPD 51/HSPD 20, emphasis added)
NSPD 51 grants extraordinary Police State powers to the White House and Homeland Security (DHS), in the event of a "Catastrophic Emergency". The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter terrorism (APHS/CT), who is slated to play a key role in the eventuality of Martial law, is a key White House adviser, Frances Fragos Townsend.
Foreign Policy Implications of NSPD 51: The Role of the Vice President
While NSPD 51 has the appearances of a domestic national security decision, it is, nonetheless, an integral part of US foreign policy. It belongs to a longstanding military national security agenda. Were NSPD 51 to be invoked, Vice President Dick Cheney, who constitutes the real power behind the Executive, would essentially assume de facto dictatorial powers, circumventing both the US Congress and the Judiciary, while continuing to use President George W. Bush as a proxy figurehead.
NSPD 51, while bypassing the Constitution, nonetheless, envisages very precise procedures which guarantee the powers of Vice President Dick Cheney in relation to "Continuity of Goverment" functions under Martial Law:
"This directive shall be implemented in a manner that is consistent with, and facilitates effective implementation of, provisions of the Constitution concerning succession to the Presidency or the exercise of its powers, and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (3 U.S.C. 19), with consultation of the Vice President and, as appropriate, others involved. Heads of executive departments and agencies shall ensure that appropriate support is available to the Vice President and others involved as necessary to be prepared at all times to implement those provisions." (NSPD 51, op cit.)
In the case of a "Catastrophic Emergency", NSPD 51 could potentially be used to justify the implementation of retaliatory military action against Iran in accordance with Dick Cheney's 2005 "Contingency Plan". If the "Catastrophic Emergency" were to be triggered by a terrorist attack, NSPD-51 could be invoked as "the justification and ... opportunity ... to retaliate against some known targets" as outlined by the Pentagon in its 2006 anti-terrorist plan.
The broader question is whether the occurrence of this "Catastrophic Emergency " is actually being planned by the Pentagon, with a view to justifying an attack on Iran.
The Role of the US Military in the Case of a "Catastrophic Emergency"
NSPD 51 would instate martial law under the authority of the White House and the DHS. It would suspend constitutional government under the provisions of Continuity in Government (COG).
The provisions of NSPD 51 are consistent with an existing body of legislation and regulations pertaining to alleged terrorist attacks on the Homeland and the declaration of martial law.
Since 2003, following the invasion of Iraq, Homeland Security (DHS) has contemplated time and again the possibility of a so-called code red alert "scenario" --using a potential or possible Al Qaeda terrorist attack on America soil as a pretext for implementing martial law. (For further details, see Michel Chossudovsky, America's "War on Terrorism", Global Research, 2005)
Since 2003, the DHS has conducted several "anti-terrorist exercises" under the TOPOFF (top officials) program. The latter consisted in organizing anti-terror preparedness in a military style exercise with the participation of federal, State and local level governments. Various attack "scenarios" by foreign terrorists using weapons of mass destruction had been envisaged.
Code Red Alert was initially established under the provisions of Homeland Security Presidential Directive-3 (March 2002). Under the existing legislation, a code red alert would trigger conditions for the "temporary" suspension of the normal functions of civilian government. Several functions of civilian administration would be closed down, others could be transferred to the jurisdiction of the military. More generally, the procedure would disrupt government offices, businesses, schools, public services, transportation, etc.
According to (former) Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge (22 Dec. 2003):
"If we go to [code] Red ... it basically shuts down the country."
In which case, a national emergency is declared, Northern Command deploys its forces on air, land and sea. Several functions of civilian government are transferred to NORTHCOM headquarters, which already has the structures which enable it to oversee and supervise civilian institutions.
Code red alert would suspend civil liberties, including public gathering and/ or citizens' protests against the Administration's decision to declare martial law.
The emergency authorities would also have the authority to exert tight censorship over the media and would no doubt paralyze the alternative news media on the internet.
In turn, code red alert would trigger the "civilian" Homeland Emergency response system, including the DHS' Ready.Gov instructions, the Big Brother Citizen Corps, not to mention the USAonWatch and Neighborhood Watch Program which have a mandate to "identify and report suspicious activity in neighborhoods" across America.
The Militarization of Civilian Institutions
NSPD 51 is, in principle, a civilian directive emanating from the Presidency and the DHS.
What would be the involvement of the Military in a martial law situation, following the activation of NSPD 51?
In theory, the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 adopted in the wake of the US civil war, prevents the military from intervening in civilian police and judicial functions. This law has been central to the functioning of constitutional government.
Although the Posse Comitatus Act is still on the books, in practice the legislation is no longer effective in preventing the militarization of civilian institutions. (See Frank Morales, Global Research, September 2003)
Legislation inherited from the Clinton administration, not to mention the post 9/11 Patriot Acts I and II, "blurs the line between military and civilian roles", it allows the military to intervene in judicial and law enforcement activities even in the absence of an emergency situation.
In 1996, legislation was passed which allowed the military to intervene in the case of a national emergency (e.g.. a terrorist attack). In 1999, Clinton's Defense Authorization Act (DAA) extended those powers (under the 1996 legislation) by creating an "exception" to the Posse Comitatus Act, which would allow the military to be involved in civilian affairs "regardless of whether there is an emergency". (See ACLU)
Under this 1999 provision, "the mere threat of an act of terrorism would justify calling in military units. That represents a loophole large enough to drive a battalion of army tanks through." (Ibid)
In other words, the Clinton era legislation had already laid the legal and ideological foundations of the "global war on terrorism".
While NSPD 51 is a significant and timely landmark, it is broadly consistent with the pre-existing legislation, with one important exception. NSPD 51 confirms that "Continuity in Government" (COG), while suspending the Constitution, would be carried out under the control of the Presidency.
This distinction is important, in view of mounting opposition within the Armed Forces to the possible use of a "false flag" terrorist attack as a justification for the launching of a broader Middle East war, in which nuclear weapons could be used against Iran.
NSPD 51 largely confirms the "legitimacy" of preexisting procedures and legislation, while also stipulating a central and critical role for the presidency in the case of a "Catastrophic Emergency". In fact, NSPD 51 thwarts the possibility of discretionary actions taken unilaterally by the Military in the case of a national emergency. Broadly speaking, NSPD 51 reinforces the control exerted by the White House, its civilian apparatus as well as its corporate lobby groups.
While COG would result in the militarization of civilian institutions, this process would be under the control of civilian policy-makers, acting on behalf of their corporate sponsors. This civilian policy apparatus, made up of senior NeoCon advisers, with links to the Washington think tanks, Wall Street and the oil giants, is slated to play a key role in the case of martial law.
Whereas the militarization of justice and law enforcement would proceed, the Military would, nonetheless, remain subordinate to a "civilian dictatorship".
War Games and the Militarization of National Emergency Preparedness
Another relevant dimension of the militarization of civilian institutions pertains to interagency collaboration between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Pentagon in the conduct of military style "catastrophic emergency response" exercises .
This "interagency collaboration" was endorsed in 2006 by the US Congress. FEMA (under the jurisdiction of the Department Homeland Security) was given exceptional powers. A significant budget was also provided to finance an ongoing partnership between FEMA and the US Military.
Northern Command was responsible for establishing links with civilian agencies involved in emergency preparedness (operating under the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)).
What has unfolded is an integrated military/civilian outlook on emergency preparedness. A number of civilian agencies now actively participate in the conduct of Pentagon war games. In 2006, FEMA's "catastrophic disaster response" exercise was integrated into the conduct of US Northern Command's "Operation Vigilant Shield 07":
"[In a] joint exercise activity, FEMA and USNORTHCOM exercised catastrophic disaster response during Vigilant Shield 07, an exercise focusing on a nuclear weapons accident and a terrorist event. (David Paulison, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management, Agency (FEMA), statement to the Committee on House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, US Congress, 19 May 2007)
Vigilant Shield 07 was a far-reaching "New Cold War" type war games exercise, directed against Irmingham (Iran) and its Cold war era enemies: Ruebek (Russia), Churya (China), and Nemazee (North Korea). (for further details, see Michel Chossudovsky, Theater Iran Near Term, Global Research, February 21, 2007)
In April-May 2007, FEMA together with a number of civilian agencies including the FBI, local and State and private organizations participated in the Pentagon's Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge 07 war games (AS-NE 07), under the helm of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. U.S.
Part of the AS NE 07 war games were directed against Russia. They were held in the vicinity of the Bearing Straits on the immediate borders with Russia's Far East, These associated exercises in Alaska entitled "Alaska Shield" also included the participation of Canadian forces. (For further details, see NorthCom.mil Fact Sheet)
Continued Emergency Preparedness
In the months prior as well as following the release of NSPD-51 by the White House on 9 May 2007, emergency exercises have been held, with the support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in several US cities. How to respond in the case of a "Catastrophic Event". Brainstorming sessions involving officials from local, state and federal agencies have met to examine what to do in the case of a "Catastrophic Event" or terrorist attack.
On June 2nd, the US was "dominated by screaming headlines and sensationalist broadcast coverage of an alleged plot in New York to blow up John F. Kennedy International Airport" (See Bill van Auken, June 7, 2007). In the meantime, the US public has become increasingly skeptical of repeated fake terror alerts:
There is every reason to believe that the succession of "terror" cases, each one weaker than the last and virtually all of them driven by "informants" who seem to play more the role of agents provocateur, are aimed at achieving precisely this effect. They serve as a means of intimidating public opinion with fear, justifying attacks on democratic rights and diverting attention from the ongoing debacle in Iraq.
The problem faced by the government is that the public is growing increasingly skeptical about these cases, with a sizeable portion of the population having concluded that they are trumped up for political purposes. (Ibid)
New Military Appointments; The Firing of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Several key military appointments were made in recent months. Of significance, Admiral. William J. Fallon, was appointed Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in March by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
Meanwhile, another major military appointment was implemented, which has a direct bearing on war preparations in relation to Iran. Admiral Timothy J. Keating Commander of US NORTHCOM was appointed on March 26, to head US Pacific Command, which includes both the 5th and the 7th fleets. The 7th Fleet Pacific Command is the largest U.S. combatant command. Keating, who takes over from Admiral Fallon is also an unbending supporter of the "war on terrorism". Pacific Command would be playing a key role in the context of a military operation directed against Iran.(http://www.pacom.mil/about/pacom.shtml)
Of significance, Admiral Keating was also involved in the 2003 attack on Iraq as commander of US Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet.
Admiral Fallon is fully compliant with the Bush administration's war plans in relation to Iran. He replaces Gen. John P. Abizaid, who was pushed into retirement, following apparent disagreements with Rumsfeld's successor, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates. While Abizaid recognized both the failures and the weaknesses of the US military in Iraq, Admiral Fallon is closely aligned with Vice President Dick Cheney. He is also firmly committed to the "Global War on Terrorism" (GWOT). CENTCOM would coordinate an attack on Iran from the Middle East war theater.
Moreover, the appointment of an Admiral is indicative of a shift in emphasis of CENTCOM's functions in the war theater. The "near term" emphasis is Iran rather than Iraq, requiring the coordination of naval and air force operations in the Persian Gulf.
The instatement of NSPD 51 in May 2007 was followed barely a few weeks later by the announcement of the "non-renewal of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) General Peter Pace, who in recent months, has indicated his disagreement with the Administration regarding Iran.
General Pace stated (February 2007) that he saw no firm evidence of Tehran supplying weapons to Shiite militias inside Iraq, which was being heralded by the Bush administration as a justification for waging war on Iran:
"[M]aybe that's why he's the outgoing chairman. Maybe that's why they're not renewing him. Because ...He has seen no evidence that Iran is fomenting unrest in Iraq that's causing Americans lives... " (Fox News' Alan Colmes, ox News, June, 13, 2007),
General Peter Pace ends his term as Chairman of the JCS in September 2007. Defense Secretary Gates has already announced that Admiral Michael Mullen, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, has been nominated to replace General Peter Pace as Chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff.
Admiral Mullen's discourse is in marked contrast to that of General Peter Pace. Mullen, who was in charge of coordinating naval war games off the Iranian coastline, has expressed an unbending commitment to "waging" and "winning asymmetric wars", while also "protecting the United States":
"we must ensure we have the Battle Force, the people, and the combat readiness we need to win our nation's wars...
Our Navy is fighting the Global War on Terror while at the same time providing a Strategic Reserve worldwide for the President and our Unified and Combatant Commanders.... Simply reacting to change is no longer an acceptable course of action if our Navy is to successfully wage asymmetric warfare and simultaneously deter regional and transnational threats (Statement, Senate Armed Services Committee, 7 May 2007)
Admiral Mullen's stance is in line with that of the Bush Administration's key Neo-conservative ideologues. With regard to Iran, echoing almost verbatim the stance of the White House, Admiral Mullen considers that it is "unacceptable that Iran is providing U.S. enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan with capabilities that are hurting and killing U.S. troops." (Inside the Pentagon, June 21, 2007). But on the issue of Iran, the Democrats are on board. There is a bipartisan consensus, expressed by Senator Jo Lieberman:
"I want to make clear I'm not talking about a massive ground invasion of Iran,... [but a] strike over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers" (AP, June 11, 2007)
US Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East War Theater
The use of conventional and nuclear weapons are now part of the same integrated command structure.
The Bush administration has confirmed that it contemplates the possible use tactical bunker buster nuclear bombs to "take out" Iran's non-existent nuclear weapons' facilities. An operational plan to wage aerial attacks on Iran has been in "a state of readiness" since June 2005. Essential military hardware to wage this operation has been deployed. (For further details see Michel Chossudovsky, Nuclear War against Iran, Jan 2006 ).
Vice President Dick Cheney' "Contingency Plan" "includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons." (Philip Giraldi, Attack on Iran: Pre-emptive Nuclear War , The American Conservative, 2 August 2005). USSTRATCOM would have the responsibility for overseeing and coordinating this military deployment as well as launching the military operation. (For details, Michel Chossudovsky, Nuclear War against Iran, Jan 2006 ).
The Bush administration has the full support of its NATO allies and Israel.
US made B61 tactical nuclear weapons have also been deployed in five European non-nuclear states, members of NATO, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Turkey. The B61 tactical nuclear warheads under the jurisdiction of these five non-nuclear states, plus Britain are pointed at Iran.
While Iran, which possesses a bona fide nuclear energy program, is the object of potential military retaliation, these five European non-nuclear countries (not to mention Israel), are not considered by the "international community" as a threat to global security, in a clear expression of double standards.
General Peter Pace is known to be opposed to the use of nuclear weapons against Iran:
"The Bush regime's plan to attack Iran with nuclear weapons puts General Pace's departure in a different light. How can President Bush succeed with an order to attack with nuclear weapons when America's highest ranking military officer says that such an order is "illegal and immoral" and that everyone in the military has an "absolute responsibility" to disobey it?" (Paul Craig Roberts, Global Research, June 2007)
It would be difficult to wage war on Iran without the firm endorsement of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to Paul Craig Roberts, "[General] Pace had to go so that malleable toadies [Admiral Mullen] can be installed in his place [as Chairman of the JCS]"
Pace's departure removes a known obstacle to a nuclear attack on Iran, thus advancing that possible course of action. A plan to attack Iran with nuclear weapons might also explain the otherwise inexplicable "National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive" (NSPD-51 and HSPD-20) that Bush issued on May 9. ...
The use of nuclear weapons arouses the ultimate fear. A US nuclear attack would send Russian and Chinese ICBMs into high alert. False flag operations could be staged in the US. The propagandistic US media would hype such developments to the hilt, portraying danger everywhere. Fear of the [Bush] regime's new detention centers would silence most voices of protest as the regime declares its "national emergency." (Ibid)
Concluding Remarks
9/11 and the threat of a second major attack on America are ostensibly part of the building block of the US National Security doctrine. While, the threat of an impending 9/11 type attack by "Islamic terrorists" is a fabrication, extensive media propaganda, supported by covert intelligence operations, has ensured that the "Global War on Terrorism" or GWOT is widely accepted both by the supporters and opponents of the Bush administration.
Visibly based on an outright lie, GWOT has nonetheless gained in legitimacy among America's European partners and allies, which have adopted their own ("copy and paste") anti-terrorist emergency procedures.
Despite mountains of evidence, the 9/11 attacks continue to be upheld by the US and its NATO allies as a bona fide act of war by a foreign power. Since 911, the GWOT is supported by the governments of more than 90 countries. (President George W. Bush, CENTCOM Coalition Conference, May 1, 2007)
Ironically, the Global War on Terrorism is also endorsed by several prominent and authoritative "progressive" intellectuals, who condemn US foreign policy and the Middle East war, while upholding the legitimacy of America's campaign against "Islamic terrorism."
An important segment of the US antiwar movement has a similar stance. While calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, it denies the existence of a national resistance movement to the US led occupation: "We are against the US led war in Iraq, but we support the war on terrorism." Not surprisingly, Bush's "Catastrophic Emergency" Directive (NSPD 51) does not seem to have raised much concern within the US Antiwar movement.
Since 9/11, numerous lead stories and Op Eds outlining the nature of the "Global War on Terrorism" have been fed profusely into the news chain. A worldwide Al Qaeda legend has emerged.
Repeated ad nauseam on a daily basis, the GWOT has also become part of a shaky bipartisan political consensus. Despite the blatant contradictions and the political lies, in particular in relation to 9/11 and the possibility of a second large scale terrorist attack, the GWOT is nonetheless accepted by an increasingly skeptical US public.
Behind this diabolical "catastrophic emergency" scenario, which ultimately hinges on the powers of media disinformation and deceit, is a profit driven war.
The spiraling multibillion dollar "defense" budget, which according to independent estimates has reached the trillion dollar mark (more than double the official figures), is barely acknowledged, nor is the privatization of war itself.
The US military industrial complex which produces the numerous "humanitarian weapons" including the mini-nukes and bunker buster bombs used to go after the terrorists, would be the direct beneficiary of a war on Iran, together with Wall Street and the Anglo-American oil giants, which vie to appropriate and privatize the region's extensive oil and gas reserves.
This war is not led by the military but by the civilian corporate interests which lie behind the Bush administration. The military takes orders from civilians acting on behalf of those dominant economic interests.
The Wall Street financial establishment, the military-industrial complex, led by Lockheed Martin, the big five weapons and aerospace defense contractors, the Texas oil giants and energy conglomerates, the construction and engineering and public utility companies not to mention the biotechnology conglomerates, are indelibly behind this militarization of America.
In turn, the Worldwide demonization of Islam is part of this profit driven war. Three quarters of the World's oil reserves lie in Muslim lands. (World Oil 2004, see also Michel Chossudovsky, The Demonization of Muslims and the Battle for Oil, Global Research, January 2007 ).
Vilification of the enemies of America, portrayed as fanatic "Islamic terrorists", is part of the Battle for Oil. If the oil were in countries occupied predominantly by Buddhists or Hindus, one would expect that Bush's entire National Security agenda, including the recent "Catastrophic Emergency" Directive NSP 51 would be directed against Buddhists and Hindus.
How to reverse the tide?
The threat of a Second Al Qaeda "Attack on America" is being used profusely by the Bush administration to galvanize public opinion in support of a global military agenda.
Known and documented, the "Islamic terror network" is a creation of the US intelligence apparatus. The "war on terrorism" is bogus. The 911 narrative as conveyed by the 911 Commission report is fabricated.
The Bush administration is involved in acts of cover-up and complicity at the highest levels of government.
Revealing the lies behind 911 would serve to undermine the legitimacy of the "global war on terrorism" which constitutes the main justification for waging war in the Middle East.Without 911, the war criminals in high office do not have a leg to stand on. Their entire National Security construct collapses like a deck of cards.
Michel Chossudovsky is the author of the international best America's "War on Terrorism" Second Edition, Global Research, 2005. He is Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa and Director of the Center for Research on Globalization.


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HOUSTON – After losing 2-0 to the Seattle Sounders last Friday at CenturyLink Field, Houston Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said the first thing he thought about when heading to the locker room was getting back on the field. Kinnear and the Dynamo have a long wait ahead of them to do that.
After starting the season with six points from three road fixtures, the Dynamo have back-to-back weekends off, which will force them to wait 23 days from Friday's loss until their next match against the Chicago Fire on April 15.
"Going into it after a loss is a negative," defender Bobby Boswell told MLSsoccer.com. "It sucks because you always remember your last game and that was a loss to Seattle. But with that said, we've gotten started with six points in three road games. I think statistically most teams would take that."
Just four weeks into the season, the Dynamo are left to figure out how to best capitalize on a three-week break from action. With only minor health issues to deal with, Houston plan to use the time off to fine tune their skills by playing some intra-squad matches and a friendly against the PDL Laredo Heat on April 5.
And with a disappointing loss behind them and five-straight matches against Eastern Conference opponents upcoming, the Dynamo can't afford to come out of their break without their sharpness.
"[This break] could be good or bad mentally because if teams in the East go out and get beat every week, it's a positive," Boswell said. "But if teams in the East are winning games and taking a big lead on us. … We don't want to be anywhere near the bottom of the table. But all we can focus on is how hard we work and I don't doubt for a minute that we're going to work really hard."
While the positives and negatives of this break on the field are up for debate, there is no question Houston could use some time off from the travel that comes with a season-opening, seven-game road trip.
To help his team recover from the travel of the first three weeks, Kinnear will give his squad three days off this weekend, something he cannot remember ever doing during his time as a coach.
The hope is that the time off will give the Dynamo a chance to recharge their batteries as they look to build on their early success in 2012.
"Maybe it'd be better come August or July but … we'll take advantage of it and it's a weekend to get away a little bit," Andre Hainault said. "It's not the half way point but with three road games in a row and four left, it's nice to get a little break from that. It'll be good and we'll use it to our advantage."
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and can be reached for comment at firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Findmypast.com, an international leader in online family history research, today announced a national partnership with Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) to preserve, digitize and provide access to local records from genealogical societies across the country.The announcement further says:
"As we aggressively grow our business in the U.S., we are looking to form partnerships that benefit both the genealogical community and findmypast.com," said Chris van der Kuyl, CEO of brightsolid, the parent company for findmypast. "This partnership will benefit our customers by giving them access to records that can't be found anywhere else and participating societies will receive royalties for record images viewed."In one of my recent posts, I noted that the large genealogical database companies (LGDC) are not really in competition with one another. But that does not mean that they are not aggressively expanding and trying to grow their revenue stream. The value in these companies is the impression of users and potential users that they have unique records that will assist in the user's genealogical research. Anytime one of these companies can significantly expand their holdings, they will begin to attract more customers. Ancestry.com did this recently by acquiring Archives.com and adding millions of records as did MyHeritage.com when they announced a new partnership with 1000memories, the creators of ShoeBox, a free mobile app for iOS and Android.
I can safely predict that we will see further such announcements in the coming months.


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Discussion around Pool C - New Zealand, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Scotland
Discussion around Pool C - New Zealand, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Scotland
Moderators - firstname.lastname@example.com (will go to all moderators)
Email/Hangouts - firstname.lastname@example.com
Tough pool for the ABs
Haha, we've clearly got the easiest group.
Will be a shame to see one of France, Argentina, Ireland go out in the group stage
We should go through without any hiccups, all of our games will be won by at least 50 points.
The Future of International Cricket - Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravi Bopara, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Salman Butt, JP Duminy
Proud Supporter of the Bangladeshi Tigers
Ryan ten Doeschate - A Legend in the Making
MSN: email@example.com
Can only see Italy coming within 30 points of the All Blacks.
A weak pool doesn't help us at all. It never has.
IIRC I think Romania is the only side New Zealand hasn't put up a half century - to a century up against, mind you that was in the 70's IIRC.
(I could be wrong because I read that the best part of ten years ago)
And shouldn't we give Richie McCaw the option to declare at anytime against Portugal, because I have a feeling they will do the Portugese what the AB's did to Japan in 1995 and Australia to Nambia last time around.
The year was 1981 and Andy Dalton lead the All Blacks out infront of 30,000 screaming fans in Bucharest. The game was tight at halftime and nothing could seperate the teams, but in the end the All Blacks pulled away to win 14-6 in the only encounter they have ever had with Romania.
Knew that would be the one. Why I was thinking of the 70's I don't know.
I agree with Ohtani, this isn't going to help the ABs, never has. Its going to be carnage, and then I wonder, just wonder how they will front up in the finals.
Originally Posted by SupaFreak2005Originally Posted by steds
Italy are actually a live chance of the quarters here. Still take the sweaties tho.
Cricket Web's current Premier League Tipping Champion
- As featured in The Independent.
"There's only one head bigger than Geoffrey Boycott's and that's Birkenhead." -FS Trueman
Romania and Scotland to go through
Or something.
RIP Fardin Qayyumi (AKA "cricket player"; "Bob"), 1/11/1990 - 15/4/2006
Recently. Hell, I was born in 87
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National Alliance on Mental Illness
- 3803 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100,
- Arlington, VA 22203 us
- Topics
- Depression, Stress and Anxiety, Bipolar, PTSD, Postpartum
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI has over 1,100 affiliates in communities across the country who engage in advocacy, research, support, and education. Members of NAMI are families, friends, and people living with mental illnesses such as major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. Many NAMI affiliates offer an array of support and education programs for families and individuals. For information about what is available in your community, contact your local affiliate directly or call the NAMI HelpLine at (800) 950-NAMI (6264) or visit www.Nami.org.


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Operating Systems
- Windows 7 or later
- OSX 10.10 or later
Virtual Environments
- VMWare | Citrix | Hyper-V | Parallels
- Tableau's products operate in virtualized environments when they are configured with the proper underlying operating system and hardware.
- Our products are Unicode-enabled and compatible with data stored in any language. The interface and documentation are in English, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese.


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NBA removes center from All-Star ballot; Nets Knicks tix are $800??
The NBA announced Wednesday that they are eliminating the center position from the All-Star lineup. And in other news, Nets opening game tickets are $800 on average.
Hoopsvibe's quick call: The times, they are a changin' in the National Basketball Association.


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The Anne Claire Petit Collection is made by using different threads and crochet techniques. It enables the designer to create modern objects for the contemporary home, each time redefining traditional handiwork. Anne Claire Petit toys are enjoyed as much by kids as by grown-ups. When Anne-Claire designed her very first bear in 2002, she could not have imagined the succes of her crochet animals, nor the extensiveness of her present toy collection. Organic cotton is used where possible for the production of our toys. All toys are tested and certified. The music boxes, plaids and rattles are all hand made and unique, therefor making them the perfect baby gift!In detail:
Variation : Mix
Brand : Anne-Claire Petit
Designer : Anne-Claire Petit
Colour : Mix
Material : Polypropylene hand crochet - Extra filling polyester / cotton mix
- Dimensions : Ø 35 cm x H 21 cm
- Weight : 3.3 lb
- Country of Manufacture : China
Customer reviews
Trade Department
Service adapted to specific needs of Trade customers, Trade Department will advise and assist you in your projects.
According to the technical specifications required, budget and needs, a Trade advisor will help you to make your selection of products.
You will have a dedicated Person to deal with for all your demands from the quote to the delivery achievement.
Contact our trade department Made in Design Pro to get the best solution : email@example.com
Need advise, technical datas or a quotation


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NotDMCA network
All images contained here are found on the Internet and assumed to be of public domain. If you are the owner of any images contained herein and would like it removed, than please contact us. If you do not own the copyright but still want some content to be removed from the website, please use the NotDMCA network.


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Jay Baruchel and Sharon Stone Sizzle at 'The Graduate' Live Read
Posted on Friday, April 18th, 2014 by Germain Lussier
Early on in The Graduate, there's that iconic moment. Ben Braddock, a recent college grad, is talking with the beautiful older family friend Mrs. Robinson. Ben says, "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me." It's iconic thanks to director Mike Nichols' choice of angle, the delivery of the line by Dustin Hoffman, and the way that one sentence sets the entire story into motion.
At Jason Reitman's final live read of the season, actor Jay Baruchel played the role of Ben Braddock. When he got to that line, delivered next to his Mrs. Robinson, Sharon Stone, the 32-year-old actor broke character, cocked his right arm on his side and whispered, "Yes!" He was excited, not just because he nailed the legendary line, but maybe he got the feeling what was to follow was going to go very well. Reitman's casting of Baruchel as the nervous, unsure, yet charming and likable Ben couldn't have been more perfect. The same could also be said for Sharon Stone, whose Mrs. Robinson was sexy, confident and cool.
Though both actors were merely sitting in chairs, reading lines of dialogue, their body language created an electric chemistry that turned the combination of a great cast and a flawless script into a memorable event. Below, read more details about the Film Independent at LACMA Live Read of The Graduate. Read More »


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Today made day #274 in a row of finding at least one geocache. That is significant because it's the qualifier for the 2nd to last badge on BadgeGen (see sig) awarded for daily caching. It was fun to run the macro today and update the new badge in my GC profile! The streak has not been easy at all, but it has been extremely rewarding so far. There's a few other cachers out there putting together streaks that I know of. If you see them out at GZ, be sure to give them some encouraging words!
goff-family : Today will be #273.
thefab5willisclan : Today will be #256.
codeyrex : Today will be #80.
I'm sure there's some other people out there with long term goals they're working on. If you're working on some yourself, or if you know someone who is, let's hear about it so we can encourage you/them to keep up the good work!
Happy Hunting!


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Things are getting a little crunchy in the state Capitol. Having taken off Labor Day and observing two of the Jewish high holidays, state legislators have just six business days remaining before the scheduled end of their 2013 session, with hundreds of bills still awaiting action.
The volume is not particularly high, compared with that in past years, but there is an unusually high number of very difficult issues remaining to be resolved — if, indeed, they can be resolved. Thus, the usual end-of-session gamesmanship may be more intense than usual.
The issue with the highest profile is what response California will make to the federal courts' insistence that the state's prison population be trimmed by nearly 10,000 more inmates.
Gov. Jerry Brown, who has battled the judges on every point, now wants to lock up more inmates in private and out-of-state prisons and local penal facilities to meet the court order. He has support from local government and law enforcement officials, as well as Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, but many liberal Democrats — including virtually all of the party's senators — are going another way.
The senators' support for an alternative strategy of more intensive programs to reduce recidivism, which has the backing of inmates' lawyers, has made the long-simmering rivalry between Pérez and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg very public.
The rivalry and the prison issue's overarching importance may affect other issues that remain on the Legislature's agenda, such as Steinberg's late-blooming effort to gain fast-track handling of California Environmental Quality Act impacts on Sacramento's proposed downtown basketball arena.
Steinberg promised to clear regulatory underbrush for the project as part of the agreement to keep the Kings basketball team in Sacramento. But it may become entangled with two other issues — long-stalled efforts to overhaul CEQA that Brown has pushed and another bill that would give state approval to another basketball arena on the San Francisco waterfront to accommodate the Warriors.
These and other major issues — such as whether to raise California's minimum wage and regulation of oil "fracking" — create the atmosphere for Capitol politicians to perform their usual end-of-session tricks, such as writing whole new bills in the dead of night, holding bills hostage and political horse-trading.
There could be, as often occurs at the end of a session, one big deal in which a few politicians and lobbyists privately decide what will fly and what will die.
Dan Walters writes a column for the Sacramento Bee @WaltersBee.


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By cultivating, harvesting, and distilling many of our essential oils on our very own farms, we have the unique ability to verify perfection at every step of our process. Combine this with our extensive laboratory testing and independent audits, and it's no wonder that we routinely exceed our own industry-leading quality standards. Our commitment to quality doesn't stop there, however. Inspired by the fields, forests, and jungles that surround our pristine farms, Gary Young is constantly discovering new botanicals and essential oils, helping us bring more of nature's greatest gifts to people everywhere.
Lavender Farm
Mona, UT, 3700 North Highway 91, Mona, UT 84645The rugged landscape of central Utah contrasts with our serene, fragrant lavender fields to create a place of pure peace and relaxation. Featuring over 1,400 acres of fragrant herbs, a cool reservoir, pristine natural beauty and fresh mountain air, the Mona, UT Lavender Farm is a beautiful destination the whole family can enjoy. The Lavender Farm is also a perfect place for family reunions, company parties, and wedding receptions. Our Visitors Center is open year round, Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Young Living Ecuador Farm
Guayaquil, EcuadorBoasting nearly 2,000 lush acres of farmland, our Ecuador farm's fertile ground and year-round growing season support an abundance of palo santo trees, several new high-oil-content plants, along with ample cultivation of lemongrass, ruta graveolens, and many more local plants and herbs. This farm is also proving to be the perfect place to harvest oils that are in short supply throughout the world, such as helichrysum, which is renowned for its restorative properties.
Dense jungles surround the farm, creating a natural lab for essential oil research and development. Founder Gary Young ventures into the jungle on a regular basis to obtain plant samples, which are then analyzed for their therapeutic properties. Once a new Young Living® essential oil is discovered, the plant is either cultivated and distilled on the farm, or sustainably harvested from existing supplies.
Some Young Living essential oils developed in this manner include:
- Copaiba essential oil
- Dorado Azul essential oil
- Eucalyptus blue essential oil
- Ocotea essential oil
- Palo santo essential oil
- RutaVaLa essential oil blend
- Annual Amazon Adventure
Every year Gary Young and a group of Young Living Independent Distributors travel to Guayaquil for the Annual Amazon Adventure. This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes guided hikes through the jungle, tours of the Young Living farm's fields and distillation facilities, essential oil trainings, and much more.
St. Maries Farm
Idaho, U.S.Previous to Young Living's 1992 purchase of the land for the St. Maries farm, this area had never been exposed to chemicals, pesticides, and manmade fertilizers. This pristine condition makes the 200 acres of soil perfect for the cultivation of botanicals such as melissa, lavender, and tansy.
Highland Flats Tree Farm
Idaho, U.S.The Highland Flats tree farm is located near the small Idaho town of Naples, less than 50 miles from the U.S.-Canada border. Since 2000, the 250-acre farm has hosted the annual Winter Harvest, where distributors join in harvesting blue spruce, balsam fir, red cedar, and pine trees. Each spring, distributors also participate in the Spring Planting, an important reforestation project that replaces the harvested trees.
Simiane-la-Rotonde Farm
Simiane, FranceYoung Living's Simiane-la-Rotonde farm is located in Provence, a region of France renowned for its beauty, fragrant lavender fields, and summer-long festivals. Young Living takes advantage of this fertile land to grow clary sage, lavender, and einkorn wheat.
Salalah Farm
Salalah, OmanIn 2010, Gary acquired farm acreage in Oman for cultivating Boswellia sacra, or Sacred Frankincense. Now, for the first time in centuries, this precious oil is being distilled in Oman, and Young Living is the first and only company in the world to obtain permission to export it to the Western world. Young Living also cultivates Commiphora myrrha, the botanical used to distill myrrh, another prized biblical oil, at the Oman farm.
Northern Lights Aromatic Farm
7109 Alaska Highway, Fort Nelson, BC VOC 1R0Purchased in 2014, the Young Living Northern Lights Aromatic farm grows and will soon distill black spruce, ledum, and yarrow. As part of Young Living's commitment to sustainability, this scenic farm will also be the site of continuous reforestation of the trees they harvest, including the black spruce that are crucial for the popular Valor essential oil blend.
Croatia Farm
Split, CroatiaCroatia is home to a wide variety of aromatic plants. It not only is an ideal location for growing helichrysum but also many other crops that will be processed at Young Living's newest distillery, found right on the beautiful farm. This facility will be a fully functioning distillery as well as a manufacturing plant and distribution center.
Australia Partner Farm
Darwin, AustraliaEstablished in 1994 and located in Australia's Northern Territory on the northern coast, the Young Living Darwin Farm is their oldest cooperative farm. Young Living has worked closely with owner Vince Collins for nearly 15 years to harvest and distill the distinctive Blue Cypress essential oil.
Taiwan Cooperative Farm
TaiwanIn 2011, when Gary Young flew to the island of Taiwan to explore its native plants, he began a friendship with Ginn S. Lee, PhD, an acclaimed agriculturalists and his son Tiger Lee, a young engineer. Together they distilled exotic hong kuai and xiang mao botanicals, which were featured in the 2013 Exotic Oils Collection, as well as jade lemon, which was featured in the 2014 kit.
Israel Cooperative Farm
IsraelJust a 25-minute drive from Jerusalem, the young Living Israel Cooperative Farm is where Gary Young Met entrepreneur Guy Erlich, who cultivates 8,000 Balm of Gilead (Commiphora geliadensis). This farm is the first large scale commercial plantation site in the world for this historical aromatic treasure.
Partner & Cooperative Farms
Dubai & Somaliland A three generation family business owned by farmer Hassan Saleh, the Young Living Dubai and Somaliland partner farms provide Young Living crucial Boswellia carterii and Boswellia frereana. At the Somaliland farm, frankincense resin is collected and sent to the Dubai farm to be distilled. Running six days a week distilling frankincense essential oil exclusively for Young Living, the Dubai farm has rebuilt their distillery to fully meet Young Living's exacting Seed to Seal standards.


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Sarah Palin is angry about a recent "Family Guy" episode that seemed to mock her Down syndrome son Trig, but this time, the former Alaska governor let the boy's big sister speak for the family.
"Bristol was one who asked what I thought of the show that mocked her baby brother, Trig (and/or others with special needs), in an episode yesterday," Palin wrote in a Facebook post titled "Fox Hollywood -- What a Dissappointment."
"Instead of answering, I asked her what she thought," the former vice presidential candidate continued. "Here is her conscientious reply, which is a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make about an issue that begs the question, "when is enough, enough?"
With that, Mama Palin let rip daughter Bristol's angry missive:
U.S. & World
"When you're the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent. People with special needs face challenges that many of us will never confront, and yet they are some of the kindest and most loving people you'll ever meet. Their lives are difficult enough as it is, so why would anyone want to make their lives more difficult by mocking them? As a culture, shouldn't we be more compassionate to innocent people – especially those who are less fortunate? Shouldn't we be willing to say that some things just are not funny? Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed. All they proved is that they're heartless jerks. - Bristol Palin"
The show in question, which airs on Palin's new employer Fox, evoked Palin's 22-month-old son when animated character Chris Griffin asks out a classmate named Ellen who has Down syndrome. When he asks her about her parents, she says her mother is the former governor of Alaska.
"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane campaigned for Barack Obama and ridiculed Palin during the race between Obama and John McCain.


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In the past 2-3 years, Taiwan-based telecom firms have been seeking business opportunities in the growing wireless hotspot and broadband network market in China. However, only a small number of Taiwan-based firms have entered the market and succeed.
China's Internet and telecom market has a lot of business opportunities, but gross margins are generally low.
Taiwan-based Z-Com reported a gross margin of 26%m but the firm's China-based subsidiary Nanjing Z-Com Wireless reported a gross margin higher than the consolidated gross margin reported by the parent company.
China-based wireless device provider TP-Link stated that the firm's average gross margin has been above 30% with profit ratio above 10%. Compared with China-based firms, Taiwan-based telecom equipment firms have relatively low profit ratios.
Taiwan-based telecom equipment firms are not the only firms that are facing challenges in the China market as China-based firms have a combined market share above 60%.
Z-Com was one of the first Taiwan-based firms to invest into the development of WLAN products for the consumer market. However, the firm decided to exit the consumer WLAN equipment market in 2005. The firm shifted focus to WLAN equipment for niche industries and entered the China market in 2005.
The success of Z-Com in China is based on its Nanjing subsidiary. In China, only a few people know Z-Com but most know Nanjing Z-Com Wireless.
Z-Com stated that China-based telecom firms can have opinions on the standard of wireless hotspot equipment during procurement, hence Nanjing Z-Com Wireless has been establishing strong relationships with local telecom carriers. In addition to superior technology and business development, the firm has been supported by local governments through tax benefits and this is the reason for the relatively high profits, said Z-Com.
Z-Com stated that expanding capacity may be able to help the firm obtain a larger market share, but the firm needs to consider various business models and cooperation with the local ecosystem before expanding capacity.
Localization is the key for firms developing the international market, and despite that fact that Taiwan-based firms have been aggressive in achieving localization in the China market, firms have been facing increasing competition. Localization has become a necessity but does not guarantee success.


text: Let's face it: no one has – or will ever have – particularly handsome feet. They account for a quarter of all the bones in the human body, over our lifetime we use them to walk the equivalent of circling the earth four times, and often you'll find women cramming them into the crevice of a tiny stiletto. What we're left with is a nasty medley of calRead More


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Updated: read our UK Palm Pre review.
The Palm Pre could be set to land in the UK on 30 October, according to an anonymous O2 tipster.
It's nothing more than rumour and speculation at the moment, although it does fit nicely with the 'holiday' timescale given to us by Palm when the Pre was announced for the UK.
TechRadar spoke to O2, and the company is staying unsurprisingly tight-lipped on the subject, stating it still couldn't confirm the date.
Big hit
However, given the intent to make the Pre a big seller for the Christmas period, the company will have to be bringing it out soon, and the 30 October also falls on a Friday, which the network has traditionally used to wheel out the big phones.
The Palm Pre hasn't enjoyed the best of starts in the US, as despite selling fairly well it was overshadowed by the dominance of the iPhone 3GS and rumours of stocks running out.
We'll keep digging to see if we can find out any more information on the release date, but after seeing pictures of a European-friendly GSM version of the Palm Pre, it's surely only weeks away now.
Via MyPre.com


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Google barge mystery unfurled
Documents reveal plans for 'artistic' vessel in bay
The barge portion of the Google barge mystery is only half the story - when completed, the full package is envisioned to be an "unprecedented artistic structure," sporting a dozen or so gigantic sails, to be moored for a month at a time at sites around the bay.
Documents submitted to the Port of San Francisco show that the barge's creators have big plans for the bulky box now docked at Treasure Island.
When it's done, the barge's backers say, the 50-foot-tall, 250-foot-long structure made of recycled shipping containers will be flanked by sails "reminiscent of fish fins, which will remind visitors that they are on a seaworthy vessel."
"The structure will stand out," the team says, in what is probably an understatement.
By and Large LLC, which submitted the barge documents, refers to the vessel as a "studio" and "temporary technology exhibit space." It says its goal is to "drive visitation to the waterfront."
The barge's exhibit space, it says, will be for "local organizations to engage with guests and gain visibility in a unique way."
"We envisioned this space with community in mind," By and Large says, "a surprising environment that is accessible to all and inspires conversation about how everything is connected - shorebirds, me, you, the sea, the fog and much more."
Exactly who is By and Large? That's a little unclear, but it's reported to be firmly connected to Google. Some have noted that it looks like a play on the word "barge."
Google has been largely closemouthed about its waterborne behemoth. After rumors circulated that it was going to be a showroom, a floating data center that could be used in the event of a natural disaster, or perhaps a big party boat, the company issued a statement Wednesday calling it an "interactive space where people can learn about new technology."
Asked to comment Thursday on the planning documents, which we obtained from the port under the Freedom of Information Act, Google officials sent us the same brief statement they issued a day before.
Whatever it is, the barge's backers expect it to draw 1,000 visitors a day as it sails from spot to spot around San Francisco Bay. Among the envisioned mooring sites are Piers 30-32 and other San Francisco docks, Fort Mason, Angel Island, Redwood City and Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.
The idea is to stay at each spot for a month. Eventually, the barge would sail off to San Diego and other West Coast ports.
San Francisco Port spokeswoman Renee Dunn Martin said the pitch, which By and Large submitted in September, was "part of a preliminary proposal. They haven't come back to us with anything concrete."
Talks appear to have stalled over the glacial permit-approval process before the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
As for the sails - By and Large says that in addition to reminding people they're on a boat, they would "provide shade and shelter to guests." They would be lowered in bad weather. One artist's rendering submitted to the port appears to show the sails lit up at night.
"We believe this curious and visually stunning structure will be a welcome addition to the waterfront, an experience unlike any other," the proposal says.
The design was drawn up by a pair of internationally known architectural firms: the San Francisco outfit Gensler, whose projects include Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport, and LOT-EK of New York.
And don't even think about taking any souvenirs off the barge. It would be equipped with 50-plus security cameras.
"The artistic structure combines innovative architecture with a bit of nautical whimsy," the proposal says, "creating a surprising environment that inspires conversation, community and 'a-ha' moments."
From the looks of things, it certainly will.
San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or e-mail email@example.com.


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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Different fish, different chermoula
I've been thinking a lot about how I should introduce this recipe. Or if I should really call it a recipe as it is a recommendation, a spur-of-the-moment suggestion made by my mother-in-law more than a year ago while we were talking about fish, soups and the newly planted lavender in our front yard.
Chermoula is a bold, garlicky, spicy sauce and marinade used all over Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia to spice up not only fish and seafood, but also poultry, meat and vegetables. Though recipes differ from one cook to another, its base is usually a harmonious mixture of garlic, spices (usually cumin and sweet paprika), fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley) and acid (lemon juice or white vinegar). Some might add onions, others saffron, preserved lemons, cayenne peppers, or even nuts, in which case we are leaning more towards pesto. But just like pesto, the process is as easy as peel, measure, pound and enjoy. The result is a zesty pool where every fish would like to swim in and every one of your senses would enjoy.
And while the world does not need another chermoula recipe, these two versions, as my mother-in-law explains, are interesting in respecting the quality and variety of fish you are cooking. The spice infused chermoula complements the robust flesh of oily fish while the less conventional thyme and ginger chermoula balances the delicate flavor and texture of white fish without being overpowering.
I came home last Saturday from the Italian market with gorgeous salmon steaks, plump garlic and fresh cilantro; chermoula was the first intuition that came to mind for an enticing yet light and effortless dinner. The garlic peeled, the cilantro washed and its leaves plucked I set to put everything along with spices, lemon and olive oil in my tiny food processor. A few noisy twirls later, my chermoula was finally ready to embrace the salmon. After the pan was heated and the olive oil shimmering, I added my salmons. Cook, do not disturb, four minutes, flip, do not disturb, four minutes, serve. A squeeze of lemon, maybe some rice or greens on the side and there you have it. Quick, easy, exquisite. No recipe reading required. Just head to the kitchen and start cooking.In the near future, I'll share with you my chermoula recipes for poultry and vegetables.
Chermoula for oily fish: salmon, trout, sardines, swordfish, whitebait, fresh tuna, anchovies, eel, mackerel, smelt and bluefish. Grilling, baking, steaming and pan-frying are all ideal cooking choices for oily fish.
Recipe: Salmon Chermoula
- 4 salmon steaks
- 1 small onion, roughly diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 heaped tbsp parsley
- 2 heaped tbsp cilantro leaves
- 1/2 tomato, peeled and roughly diced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp lemon or white vinegar
- A pinch of kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Extra lemons to finish the fish
Mix all the ingredients in a food processor. Season the salmon steaks, or any oily fish you are using, with salt and black pepper on both sides. Coat evenly with all the chermoula and marinade for at least one hour. In a pan, heat 1 1/2 tbsp of canola oil until shimmering but not smoking. Cook over medium heat until browned and cooked to your liking, 3 to 4 minutes per side. To have a perfect crust, avoid disturbing the fish while it's cooking.
Transfer the salmon to a plate and squeeze some lemon on top.
Chermoula for white fish: fish like cod, haddock, sea bass, whiting, sole, halibut, flounder and turbot.
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger finely grated
- 1tsp lemon juice
- A pinch of salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Season the white fish lightly with salt and pepper on both sides and coat generously with the chermoula. Marinade for an hour and cook as desired.
It is best to cook white fish using a method such as steaming, poaching, baking in parchment parcels or poaching, so that most of the moisture is retained.
When grilling or baking white fish, it is best to marinate it or cook it in a sauce. You can add some fresh tomato sauce or chicken broth to the chermoula to make a sauce and let it thickens at the end.
18 comments:
- Madeline said...
This looks beautiful! Bookmarked and looking forward to trying the recipe.
- March 11, 2011 at 10:22 AM
- Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...
Both of these look wonderful! Can't wait for my herb garden to come back to life after this winter.
- March 11, 2011 at 10:40 AM
- rads said...
what tiny food processor do you use?
also love the yellow rice. Please do share the recipe with us
- March 11, 2011 at 7:05 PM
- Warda said...
- Madeline, you've got a lovely family blog. A friend of mine made me a similar tea when I was expecting my second daughter. And I see your baby sister is a fellow Michigander as well ;) Happy cooking! Hope you'll like it.
-Lydia, I guess after the harsh winter we had this year, we all can't wait for spring and for our small patch of garden to come back to life.
- Radiya, BTW, Love your name! I have a cousin with the same name ;)The tiny food processor that I reach for quick and very efficient results is this hand blender with its little chopper It is bit expensive but really get the job done and will last for years. You can go for the cuisinart if you won't use it that often and will mainly chop herbs and soft ingredients, which is at half the price, but after having one die on me and the blade coming off if I decide to ground some almonds, I've decided to move on to another one.
As for the rice, it's quite simple: for 4 persons: in a saucepan put 1 cup rice (I used jasmine rice but you can use basmati or any long rice) 1 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric. Stir until the butter melts, the rice gets covered in the fat and becomes yellow. Cover with 1 3/4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, do not remove the lid and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add chopped parsley, fluff with a fork and serve. There you have it, Radiya. Enjoy!
- March 11, 2011 at 10:38 PM
- Anonymous said...
Warda, You have a beautiful and graceful way with words, ingredients and photographs. I thoroughly enjoy your blog. With each new post, you make my day!
- March 12, 2011 at 9:10 AM
- Figs, Bay, Wine said...
Oh I love chermoula! This thyme and ginger version sounds wonderful. I'm looking forward to trying it out!
- March 13, 2011 at 10:03 AM
- Peggy said...
I've definitely been meaning to try out chermoula and your recipe sounds like a good start! The finished dish looks absolutely gorgeous!
- March 13, 2011 at 10:56 AM
- Hanaâ said...
Wonderful chermoula recipe. The one my dad taught me is more tomato "heavy" but as you said, there are many recipes out there. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. Baraka Allahu fik. I hope you get a chance to try out my Baghrir recipe. It's really good and easy to make.
- March 13, 2011 at 5:43 PM
- Mike said...
I made this for dinner last night. Incredibly easy and incredibly flavorful. I upped the herbs a little bit, it seemed a little heavy on the onion. Will make again.
- March 14, 2011 at 9:52 AM
- Rosa's Yummy Yums said...
Mmmhhh, so delicious looking! I love North African food.
- March 14, 2011 at 11:30 AM
- La Bella Cooks said...
I am not willing my herb garden to grow faster! This looks like a brilliant dish.
- March 16, 2011 at 2:24 AM
- Joyti said...
It sounds SO delicious, and looks so pretty too. I've been seeing a lot of chermoula recipes lately, but I've never had it...
- March 16, 2011 at 12:54 PM
- Molly said...
I've never seen the white fish chermoula. Quite excited to realize I have all the ingredients on hand; I know what we'll be having for dinner.
- March 16, 2011 at 4:45 PM
- Warda said...
- Mary, you are so sweet! Thank you very much and may your day always be blessed!
- Amanda, we do share the same love for Mediterranean and North African cuisine.:)
- Peggy, thank you!
- Hanaa, Your beghrir recipe really intrigued me with the use of milk in the batter so we will definitely try it this weekend inchaalah!
- Mike, glad you liked it! Chermoula, like most of the North African cuisine, is really about intuition and senses. If you want to add more herbs, go for it. If you want more heat, add some cayenne. At the end it is still marvelous :)
- Rosa, thanks!
- Bridgett, I can't wait for my herb garden to come back to life as well, especially for the mint so we can treat ourselves to mint tea. Yum!
- Indie.tea, you have a gorgeous blog! Hope you will get the chance to try it.
- Molly, happy cooking!
- March 16, 2011 at 5:59 PM
- Unknown said...
I use chermouls alot! not only for fish thou - chicken salads etc.
check out my blog if you like mostly Algerian cooking
- March 17, 2011 at 8:04 AM
- Warda said...
- Heni, You have some appetizing recipes in your blog. The roasted peppers salad from Mostaganem (The city where I was born) made me drool. Ya3tik el saha!
- March 17, 2011 at 8:12 AM
- Deepika@everydaydelightful said...
Iam sooo making it!!! looks wonderful. I always enjoy your posts and recipes.
- March 31, 2011 at 12:41 PM
- Unknown said...
This looks so easy make. Thanks for sharing! Your pictures are wonderful!
- October 20, 2011 at 4:38 AM


text:
I have some ideas I want to transform into different pictures. At least one of them requires a brush that can create some kind of clouds.
After trying for more than one day, I had to give up. I created more than 20 brushes. Some of them quite nice, but none of them is NEAR something that looks like a cloud.
Is there ANY tutorial anywhere how to create a clouds brush?
I reached a dead end :(.


text:
John Cena revealed in a recent interview with Times-Picayune that he wasn't sure that he would be involved in this year's WrestleMania event.
"Had you asked me three months ago would I even be involved in WrestleMania, the answer was probably no," said Cena. "So I literally just had to, uh, stop being a boo-boo face, you know? [I had to] get off my horse of pouting and get back in the mix, and that's just what I did… There is nobody more excited than me because very rarely do you get that first chance, you almost never get that second chance. So, I'm very happy to be there."
Here is footage from the said interview with John Cena.
New WrestleMania Plans for John Cena, The Rock and CM Punk….


text:
(top images of Cy Twombly's polaroids via Bint Photobooks)
We spent the weekend in Belgium, visiting Art Brussels as well as Wiels, Boz Ar and various other exhibitions happening around town simultaneously. One of the best things was Cy Twombly polaroid exhibit at Boz Ar, of which I also purchased the book. I can recommend it to anyone currently visiting or planning to visit Brussels, who is interested in visiting museums.
I also received a new Diptyque candle, Maquis, as a gift. It's so lovely and fresh, it might even replace Chêne as my current favourite.These candles can also be used as tools for work; for example I tend to light one particular candle when I'm writing a certain text, so I end up associating this very text with a specific fragrance, and it's easier to dive into work after prolonged breaks or periods of inactivity. (Hah! Well… not always. But that's the idea =) And sometimes just believing in these little rituals helps.)


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text:
Varu -- The Song.
Somethings remain in our memories even when they are over. Long gone. The song, for the moment takes away the years off your shoulders, leaving u with.. Just u. The song whispers to you.. Of times good and bad. Of times funny and sad.. There's a song for everything that happens…It stays with you. All the way till the end. Much like this feisty grl.
Zai -- The Oracle.
She's the knowledge. The wisdom. The practicality. All encompassing high priestess. Sees things exactly the way they are. No blindfolds can fool her. She knows exactly who u r. One of a kind. She has a softer side she rarely allows the world to see. Hides it behind the intelligent looking glasses. Outwards she's just the Oracle. It maybe intimidating for some. And deeply venerable for some. For me its both.
Gul -- The River.
Going on.. flowing away, making her course through life… never stopping…always in a hurry. But gives u enough time.. To know her, see the depths… n fall in love with her innocence… which so perfectly conceals the deep wisdom. And the sentimentality. She pulls everything together, cuz she is the one who gives them all…life.
Pranita -- The dew drop.
Like the tiny droplets… reflecting the truth out of the world cloaked in fakeness… she's the untouched one. Untouched by selfishness and greed. The ethereal beauty. Sometimes, it's a wonder.. How did she remain so ignorant of all reality? N then I wonder, but isn't that the best way to be?
Shilpa -- The Attitude.
The fact of life is that not everyone is going to like you, or have a reason for not liking you.. Sometimes life just throws people at you especially designed just to hurt you.. And no matter what u CANT let them get u down. Which means that everyone needs to be dealt with the right attitude. She is the attitude. Steadfast. Strong. Fearless. Gentle. Emotional. The laughter. The tears. The joy. The innocence. The right thing to do.
Monica -- The Moon.
Always calm. Always silent. No one knows what secrets she hides. She shows the light when the light of the whole world dies. Like the friend, who'll be there…when everyone will leave.
Siddhesh -- The star.
The determination… stuns me sometimes. The insane, yet strangely addictive desire, to excel. The sheer grit to give the best…whatever comes. The one who WILL make it happen. In a world where there's no place for emotional fools, he will be the practical friend who's words don't hurt, but lead u on. And that's y, for me he's the Star… in his own right…
Karan --The Vagabond.
The one who believes there's a lot more to see than what we have already. The one who looks beyond the mundane. Sometimes I feel he's on some sort of a relentless quest.. For what I don't know, but it draws me in…the determination. He's the one who teaches me take the steps. On the path less taken.
Deepak -- The Angel.
Few people in the world are lucky to find a friend who is patient, loving, kind, gentle, truthful, untainted… n impossibly cute.. so it cant just be another person u pass by in the street. It has to be an Angel. Without wings.
Binu -- The Brightest Colors
For me he represents everything bright and beautiful. Everything true and real, everything that brings a smile. Always there. Steadfast and strong for his friends. Caring and giving. In a world so politically incorrect *haha… meaning me*.. He is so correct. He combines the beauty of all the colors that exist. For without him, life would be so utterly… black n white!!
Ashwin - The Mask.
Sometimes the geek, sometimes the enigma, sometimes the flirt, sometimes the hermit, sometimes the laughter, sometimes the stern gaze, sometimes the mocking smirk, sometimes the entire shyness of the world in one.. I have never known the real him. N so for me he is the Mask…
Nik - The Crush.
The stupid jokes n then suddenly the emotional gaze when the old lost strings of a sad song find him.. The laughter for others when sad, the support system when things don't go as they are supposed to.. Truly represents the adage "laugh like u have never cried… dance like no ones watching.. N luv lyk u have never been hurt!" Something about him draws everyone to him.. N for the majority he will always remain… The first Crush..
Rahul Patil- The Clown.
The Joker of the pack. The Laughter.. whose jokes make no sense.. or do they? Sometimes I feel like he hides a world full of thoughts, pain, melancholy.. Under that bright, funny exterior. Like the eyes that long for a love long lost…or the wise smile that knows everything that goes on in the world.. He'll see beyond what u'll show him.. But he'll remain quiet. Waiting for you to come seek him…
Pratik Shah - The Thread.
The original CR. He brings everything together. Like the neutral threads that weave together the bright and the drab… the fiery and the calm.. The faces in the shadows and the ones in the limelight… not always seen, but steady, unwavering, just behind the curtains.. Weaving a rich tapestry… so aptly called the Wizards…
Mona -- Everything.
A whole lotta punch packed in the wispy little frame.. Sometimes so beautiful, like a porcelain doll.. U will almost be afraid to touch.. lest she breaks. And sometimes the energy of all the elements combined. Emotional and strong. Crazy and wise. So open and clear, allowing you to see the depths…and all at once, the recluse. She's the breath of fresh air. She is everything.
& Finally...
Ro… The Magic Wand.
Life is a roller coaster… the highs and the lows. Ppl get thru it wid best friends, family, maybe just themselves. I have my very own magic wand. All I have to do is swish it…and suddenly everything tingles with some hidden secret magic. Situations are no longer good or bad… they are just situations… because all that matters is that as long as I'll have my magic wand… in the end… everything will turn out magical…
P.S. if i have missed u in this post... then it doesnt mean that u dun mean as much as these ppl, above... its simply tht i havent found the right element yet for u... *smiles...*


text:
"In her tender and genuinely beautiful memoir, Kelle Hampton encourages us to not simply accept the unexpected circumstances of our lives, but to embrace them like the things we wished for all along."
—Matthew Logelin, New York Times bestselling author of Two Kisses for Maddy
Bloom is an inspiring and heartfelt memoir that celebrates the beauty found in the unexpected, the strength of a mother's love, and, ultimately, the amazing power of perspective. The author of the popular blog Enjoying the Small Things—named The Bump's Best Special Needs Blog and The Blog You've Learned the Most From in the 2010 BlogLuxe Awards—Kelle Hampton interweaves lyrical prose and stunning four-color photography as she recounts the unforgettable story of the first year in the life of her daughter Nella, who has Down syndrome. Poignant, eye-opening, and heart-soaring, Hampton's Bloom is ultimately about embracing life and really living it.
About Kelle HamptonSee more books from this Author
The author's descriptions of people and events are clear and easy to follow, but it's her beautiful photographs that bring them to life...the author's mostly appealing optimism will make this book a comfort to other parents facing difficult circumstances.Read Full Review of Bloom | See more reviews from Kirkus
...left a lot to be desired in its prose...tired clichés are overused...Had Ms. Hampton written more subjectively about Down syndrome and less about her internal struggle with what the neighbors might think about their child...Bloom would have been a mega page-turner.Read Full Review of Bloom
Perhaps too sweet (despite its harsh realities) for some readers, BLOOM is a thoughtful examination of motherhood and facing unexpected difficulties.Read Full Review of Bloom
Touching, emotionally gripping and oftentimes downright funny, Hampton's prose and charm will have you evaluating your own outlook through the telling of her personal story.Read Full Review of Bloom
The one thing you learn from this beautiful book is the importance of family and friends... It's about dealing with something unexpected in your life, something that most of us will have to face at some point.Read Full Review of Bloom
I almost didn't want to finish the book because I so enjoyed being inspired each day that I read it.Read Full Review of Bloom
When Kelle Hampton hurts, you hurt. You can literally feel her pain through her words. This is a great book to add to any collection. Kelle's story is one to inspire.Read Full Review of Bloom
It will break your heart,you will cry, and then as the book moves past that you will cry for completely different reasons. There is way more happiness than sadness and Kelle had a brilliant way of getting the story all out there.Read Full Review of Bloom
I was amazed at the brutal and naked honesty with which Kelle shares her heartache and sadness.Read Full Review of Bloom
"Bloom" is an absolutely beautiful and heart-touching book of one woman's journey to love and accept her baby girl and the condition that makes her extra-special.Read Full Review of Bloom
A beautiful but overlong book with a positive message, recommended but not a personal favorite.Read Full Review of Bloom
But the end result is that the book is pretty self-centered, focusing almost entirely on Hampton's own sadness and how she coped.Read Full Review of Bloom
It's a thought-provoking book in many ways and with those disclaimers, I cautiously recommend it.Read Full Review of Bloom
You can literally feel her pain through her words.Read Full Review of Bloom
This book is beautiful, it's heart wrenching, it makes you love bigger.Read Full Review of Bloom
...it's all about extremes. Nothing is average or middle-of-the-road, and the constant extremity of it all diminishes her credibility. she's very prone to melodrama, canned-sounding nuggets of wisdom, clichés, and sophomoric expression.Read Full Review of Bloom
She has written out her story beautifully, a story which a lot of people find themselves in.Read Full Review of Bloom
...her detailed description of the grieving process reminded me that sometimes, we have to journey to happy...my favorite portions of the book were about parenting and life.Read Full Review of Bloom
It is a beautiful book with a wonderful message and it does an excellent job of conveying how beautiful life can be, even when it takes an unexpected turn.Read Full Review of Bloom
I can't say enough how much I loved Kelle Hampton's book.Read Full Review of Bloom
Kelle's writing flows deeply from the heart and grips you with such emotion, you can't help but be drawn in to the special gift their family has been given. Full of stunning photography Bloom is a must read for anyone struggling to count the blessings God has handed them.Read Full Review of Bloom
I think that while she is a very good blogger, she is not a very good writer - living proof that there is a an enormous difference between handling a blog and writing a book.Read Full Review of Bloom
I think Kelle was incredibly courageous to share such raw emotions with her readers.Read Full Review of Bloom
...this book will hit close to your heart and hopefully leave you with a sense of hope that good things do come in the littlest packages, even surprise ones.Read Full Review of Bloom
When Kelle begins to accept Nella's diagnosis, to the point of speaking at conventions and walking to raise awareness for Down syndrome, you can't help but want to join the Net and cheer her on.Read Full Review of Bloom
Kelle's passion for being a mama is evident and I fell more in love with her, her photography, and her writing after reading Bloom.Read Full Review of Bloom
By the end of Bloom, it felt like I was reading cuss words on every page.Read Full Review of Bloom
She has an excellent way with words.... Serious and witty all in the same post.Read Full Review of Bloom
It's true that Kelle's generally optimistic attitude has attained its share of detractors... But I loved it.Read Full Review of Bloom
What I felt most when reading this book was not just how Kelle managed to accept that Nella was beautiful and perfect, but how much she acknowledged each step that led her to that moment.Read Full Review of Bloom
At 270 pages, there were times when I felt like I was reading my kids' papers when they were trying to make a word count.Read Full Review of Bloom
It's a book full of optimism, sweetness and happiness.Read Full Review of Bloom
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Kyodo News via AP
A nomad voter arrives at a yurt temporarily serving as a polling station in Hovt, western Mongolia, on June 28, 2012.
Mark Ralston / AFP - Getty Images
A man walks past graffiti proclaiming freedom of speech on the eve of parlimentary elections in Ulan Bator on June 27, 2012.
The Associated Press reports from ULAN BATOR, Mongolia — Mongolians traveled by foot, car and horse to vote for a new legislature Thursday in an election that centered on better spreading the benefits of Mongolia's mining boom across the vast and still largely poor country.
A poll this month showed the opposition Democratic Party with a slight edge over the ruling Mongolian People's Party, though neither had the support to win an outright majority in the 76-seat parliament.
The Democratic Party has cast itself as better placed to help the poor and unemployed and portrayed the ruling MPP as beholden to the rich. Read the full story.
The Guardian: Mongolia's new wealth and rising corruption is tearing the nation apart
PhotoBlog: Nuggets of gold on a journey across the Mongolian steppe
Mark Ralston / AFP - Getty Images
Herdsmen vote at a polling station during the Mongolian parliamentary elections in the village of Zurlug on June 28, 2012.
How Hwee Young / EPA
People outside a luxury store in Ulan Bator on June 27, 2012 on the eve of the parliamentary elections. Mongolian has some of the world's largest reserves of gold, iron ore, copper and coal, while one-third of the population lives under the official poverty line.