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CHAPPELL: Quiet, please. ... Quiet, please.
ANNOUNCER: The American Broadcasting Company presents "Quiet, Please!" which is written and directed by Wyllis Cooper and which features Ernest Chappell. "Quiet, Please!" for today is called "Valentine."
ABE: The little towns. I never see them any more. Pekin, Delavan, Bloomington, Galesburg, Lewiston -- all the little towns above the river with the cobble stones going down to the steamboat landings.
The little towns under the hills. And the shocks of corn standing lonely and snow-covered -- like the teepees of old Shabbona's people, the good Indians that saved so many white men's lives in the old days.
There's a red brick Baptist church, I remember. And a court house with tall, limestone pillars -- with a portico that looks like a disreputable ancient Greek temple.
And I can only think of them - and remember them - for I never go far away from here.
It is restful here. And I think I have earned rest. For I've come a long journey. My work was finished long ago. So I rest.
And, sometimes, in the night, I walk for a while -- and remember.
ABE: And the old house down on State Street is almost unchanged. The hands of time have touched it lightly. And it's a comforting thing to go there at night and sit alone. And remember. And, always, this time of the year -- I remember the valentine.
So long ago.
The little houses along the road and the ravine that goes down to the Sangamon. And, now, in early February, the ground is soft and damp with the melting snow. The watery sun shines down on the eager young trees. And there's a promise of spring in the first February thaw. And the frogs are stirring deep in the cold mud under the spongy earth. And the ghosts in the old graveyard smile at the first obscure signs of spring.
I remember the mean little houses, the store and the post office, and the drafty houses where the people lived. And I remember the muddy road up from Vandalia. And high-wheeled buggies mired down in the low places. And the long, flat roads across the prairie -- where the grass grew from horizon to horizon. And the groves of trees were small, genial islands in a sea of undulating green.
I hear HER voice in the nighttime. And it is a far, far sound -- though I awake and hear it so many, many times.
I have many bitter memories and a few happy ones. I wonder what the world would think of the memories that come most often to haunt me among the echoing corridors under the ancient oaks.
I dream of battles, they think. I dream of a victory won. And the acclaim of men. Do they think I've forgotten the long, sweet days of my young manhood? And the first, almost forgotten, love that once I knew -- and cherished? Do they think I have forgotten the grief, the loneliness, the despair, the first of my -- oh, so many sorrows?
Her valentine still exists. It is still to be seen and touched. And, if you ever look upon it, I hope you will remember me. For only I remember her.
Remember me -- and shed a tear, perhaps, for lost loveliness.
I was gone away from her. They sent me away. And I was a little proud in my new clothes and with my parcel of books on the desk beside me. And the grave speeches I should make were fermenting in my mind and crowding out all thoughts -- even thoughts of her. A boy of twenty-five sitting in the general assembly, speaking gravely of laws and the affairs of the people -- and not remembering my own.
And, back at home, a girl -- lorn for an absent lover, remembering promises, and waiting and waiting. And waiting.
ABE: In the store, of a dark January morning--
ANN: I haven't had any word from him for ever so long but -- he's so busy. And they take so much of his time, you know. Maybe there'll be a letter tomorrow.
OFFUTT: Jack Armstrong had a letter from him last week, Annie. He wasn't too busy to write to Jack.
ANN: Oh. Well, the Armstrong's are his oldest friends, you know.
OFFUTT: Sure seems strange he don't write to you.
ANN: He's busy.
OFFUTT: Lot of pretty girls down there in Vandaly, I hear tell.
ABE: But never a girl in Vandalia to make me turn my solemn head. I was full of the thrill of helping to make the laws that my people were to live by. And I was fascinated by the strutting politicians in their tall hats. And I made great argument with them in the long tavern nights. And I put off the letters till tomorrow. And tomorrow and tomorrow.
ANN: I expect a letter any day now. Or maybe he'll be coming home again soon.
AUNT HANNAH: Figured you'd be lookin' around a little, Annie, for yourself. Think maybe he might have give ya the mitten?
ANN: Oh, no, Aunt Hannah. He'd never do that to me.
AUNT HANNAH: Well, I sure hope he ain't, Annie. Ye just keep up your spirits and a day'll come. A day'll come, I always say. Have ya wrote HIM a letter?
ANN: Why, I write him nearly every day. I'll be hearing from him any day. Just like you said.
ABE: "Tomorrow, I'll write," I said. "Tomorrow." And I sat in my lonely room. And I remembered the hillside in the summertime. And the haze of the heat lying heavy on the low hills or beyond the curves of the Sangamon. I remembered a hand in mine as we sat on a hillside above the town. And the homesick song of the cicadas in the orchard. And the reluctant, westering sun. I remembered what I had said to her on that long summer afternoon. And, alone in my mean little room, I wept to remember. But I did not write.
And, today, after all the years, I weep again, remembering.
ANN: He'll be coming back. He'll be coming back for his birthday. Won't he? Why, the session is over now and he'll be coming back from Vandalia on a tall horse and there isn't a thing that'll hold him back from me. I know he'll be back home for his birthday.
ABE: The gavel fell and the booming voice spoke. "I do now declare this general assembly adjourned." And I took horse for home. And now my heart was heavy with doubt for I remembered my long silence and my mind now wrestled with darkest premonitions. What would my homecoming be -- after those long months of silence?
ABE: Yes, I loved her. Must you ask?
Can you remember back to the days when you were twenty-five? Can you remember what little thing can make a lovers' reuniting? Or break it? Can you remember the little tenderness a recreant lover might bring to his dear one? The small thoughtfulness? The simple, humble thing that says, "I have not forgotten"? And that brings the happy smile that banishes doubt and wipes away the memory of unwritten words and--?
ABE: "Wait," I remembered. I remembered the pleasant saint, the patron of all of us who love. I remembered paper hearts. And poesies of verse. And ribbons and lace. And, in the pouring rain, I lifted up my head and said, "I thank you, Saint Valentine."
And the morning came and I was home and my horse was tied up at the hitching post. And I strode into the store, all muddy and triumphant.
OFFUTT: Well! Abe! (LAUGHS) Hi, there, Abe!
ABE: Hello, Jack!
OFFUTT: We thought you was never comin' back!
ABE: I took a real mighty long time to make it but I got here. How are ya?
OFFUTT: I'm finer'n frog's hair, Abe. Eh! You look as if you'd growed down there in Vandaly.
ABE: Well, I always looked as if I'd growed, don't I? Say, have you seen Ann this morning, Offutt?
OFFUTT: Um, not since yesterday. No.
ABE: How is she?
OFFUTT: Kind of peaked, Abe.
ABE: Is she sick?
OFFUTT: Naw. Just on account o' you not writin' any letters to her.
ABE: I'm sorry about that.
OFFUTT: You better be.
ABE: Uh ... How's everything around home, Offutt?
OFFUTT: Mm, miss ya.
ABE: I miss you all. How - how's business?
OFFUTT: Well, we get by. You had your breakfast yet?
ABE: No, I just got here. I can get breakfast later. Uh, look, uh, Jack, I want something.
OFFUTT: If you don't see for it, ask for it.
ABE: Well, uh ...
OFFUTT: Ah, how's the life down there in the city anyway? Lots of people, huh?
ABE: Hundreds. Eh, eh, say, what I wanted--
OFFUTT: Lot o' stores?
ABE: Oh, sure, uh--
OFFUTT: Lot o' women?
ABE: Mm hmm.
OFFUTT: Sure like to hear about Vandaly. I never been out o' this place since I come here.
ABE: Well, I'll tell ya about it, one of these evenings, Jack. Eh, what I wanted--
OFFUTT: Sure do want to hear about it. Heh. Now, what was it you wanted all of a sudden?
ABE: Well, uh--
HANNAH: Mighty warm for the day before Valentine's Day!
ABE: Hello, Aunt Hannah.
HANNAH: Well! I'll be dogged! Abe!
ABE: Why, hello, there, Aunt Hannah!
HANNAH: Well, I declare! How is it down in Vandaly?
ABE: Well, fine.
HANNAH: (LAUGHS MERRILY) Here, leave me kiss ya!
HANNAH: Ah, well, I sure am tickled ya got back home.
ABE: Me, too.
HANNAH: Hm. Thought maybe all them fine folks down there made you forget your own people.
ABE: I'm never gonna forget my people, Aunt Hannah.
HANNAH: Pretty nigh forgot Annie, didn't ya?
ABE: I - I guess I didn't write very often.
HANNAH: Never wrote at all, the way I heared it.
ABE: Well, I--
HANNAH: Good mornin', Jack.
ABE: I was busy.
OFFUTT: Mornin', Aunt Hannah. What's your pleasure this morning?
HANNAH: I, er, I want a couple of gills of long sweetenin', Jack.
OFFUTT: Couple o' gills.
HANNAH: And keep your thumb out of it, too, you hear me?
OFFUTT: Never miss, Aunt Hannah.
ABE: Well - well -
OFFUTT: What's the matter with you?
ABE: Well, see here, Jack-- Uh, Aunt - Aunt Hannah, do ya mind? Uh, uh, I have to--
HANNAH: Ohh, take your time, boy. You got all day.
OFFUTT: What do you want?
ABE: Uh, I want a valentine.
OFFUTT: Ain't got none.
ABE: You haven't?
OFFUTT: Nope. Who's it fer?
HANNAH: "Who's it fer?"! Who'd ya think it's fer, ya old fool?
OFFUTT: Well, I ain't got none.
HANNAH: You had some last year.
OFFUTT: That was last year.
HANNAH: Listen. I remember, I well remember -- you had one left.
OFFUTT: Oh, er, did I?
HANNAH: There was one -- and it was so dear nobody 'ud buy it. 'Member?
ABE: (HOPEFUL) You - you sure, Aunt Hannah?
OFFUTT: Well, let me see ...
HANNAH: Sixty cents you wanted fer it.
OFFUTT: Oh, yeah. Yeah, I kind of remember.
HANNAH: You wrapped it up in brown paper and you put it up there on top o' the shelf above the dried peaches. I remember just as plain-- You look, Jack.
OFFUTT: Yeah, let me see. (WALKS, GRUNTS, CLIMBS, MUTTERS) More things up here onto this shelf...
HANNAH: Ah, ah, that's it. That's it. You got it.
OFFUTT: Hm! (CLIMBS DOWN, BLOWS AND SHAKES DUST OFF VALENTINE) I'll be dogged.
OFFUTT: (READS ALOUD) "Roses is red / Violets are blue / I--" er--?
HANNAH: "Love" you dope!
OFFUTT: That's it! Well, yep. That's it. Mmm, pretty, ain't it?
HANNAH: It's tore. The lace is tore.
OFFUTT: Well, I could knock off three cents on account o' that.
HANNAH: You'll knock off ten cents. That's last year's -- and, besides, it's tore. Oh, Annie'll love that.
ABE: It's just the thing, Aunt Hannah, isn't it?
HANNAH: Oh, she'll just bust. (STARTLED) Oh!
OFFUTT: Eh?
HANNAH: Oh, oh, hide, Abe! Hide, quick!
ABE: Wha - what's the matter?
HANNAH: Annie! She's comin' up the road. Quick! Grab the valentine and hide.
ABE: Well, where? I--
OFFUTT: Git behind the shelves here.
HANNAH: Yes!
OFFUTT: Hurry up.
ABE: Yes, but--!
HANNAH: Oh, go on and hide -- and surprise her! Hurry!
OFFUTT: Sssshh!
HANNAH: Sh! Sh!
ANN: Whose horse is that tied out there, Jack?
OFFUTT: Why, er--
HANNAH: Oh, uh, morning, Annie!
ANN: Oh, good morning, Aunt Hannah. Whose did you say, Jack?
OFFUTT: Why, er--
HANNAH: Was ya expectin' somebody, Annie?
ANN: Well, of course I was. I was hoping he'd get back for his birthday yesterday but he didn't. I know he must have tried to and I hope-- (GASPS) Oh, Jack! A valentine.
OFFUTT: Eh?
HANNAH: (QUIETLY, SO ANN CAN'T HEAR) Oh, he left the valentine, the big--
ANN: The valentine. I was hoping you'd have one. Oh, I'm so glad.
OFFUTT: Well, I - I - I don't exactly like to sell ya that one.
HANNAH: It's tore, honey.
ANN: Oh, he won't mind. How much is it, Jack?
OFFUTT: Sixty ce-- Well, ah, I - I - I was aimin' to keep it.
ANN: Why? What for?
OFFUTT: Well, it's the only one I've got and--
ANN: I've got to have it, Jack.
HANNAH: It's last year's.
OFFUTT: It - it's the only one I've got and--
ANN: May I have it, Jack?
OFFUTT: Well, uh--
ANN: Sixty cents, you said. I'll give you sixty-five.
OFFUTT: Well--
HANNAH: Don't you sell that old ragged valentine to this girl!
OFFUTT: Well--
ANN: Oh, Aunt Hannah, I must have it. I didn't get a thing for his birthday and I just hoped I'd be able to get him a valentine. And it - it'd be a kind of birthday present, too.
OFFUTT: Well--
ANN: Can't I have it, Jack?
OFFUTT: (DEFEATED) Oh. What you say, Aunt Hannah?
HANNAH: Don't you try to put it on to me, ya hear?
ANN: Please, Jack.
OFFUTT: Er, I - I oughtn't ta.
HANNAH: Oh, sell it to her, Jack.
ANN: Ah, thank you, Aunt Hannah. He'll be so pleased with it.
HANNAH: Ah, yeah, sure.
OFFUTT: Sure.
ANN: I really HAVE to get it for him, Jack, because I kind of expect he'll bring me one from Vandalia.
OFFUTT: You do?
ANN: I hope so. Oh, they must have wonderful ones in the big stores down in Vandalia.
HANNAH: Well, uh--
ANN: Ah, it's silly. But it's beautiful, isn't it? Didn't you get valentines when you were a girl, Aunt Hannah?
HANNAH: (CHUCKLES) Oh, land! It's been so long, I never remember.
ANN: Isn't much really but he'll like it. He'll--
OFFUTT: You want to write onto it, Ann?
ANN: Write? Write what?
HANNAH: Why, ain't you goin' to write down that you love him, Annie?
ANN: Why, he knows it, Aunt Hannah. And I know it. And the whole world knows it. Must I write it down?
ABE: And the days are many and the nights are long since that thirteenth of February in the little store on the Sangamon River. And I have seen many places. The little towns and the mighty ones. Cities happy and jubilant, cities forlorn and grief-stricken. And I have known hope and gladness and exultation in my time as well as tears and sadness. But never in all my years have I felt the gladness, the simple overwhelming joy of that moment when I heard the words of this girl I loved. And thus today my grief is the greater.
She walked out of the store and I-- Remember, I was twenty-five. I was crushed with disappointment.
A valentine, you say.
No, that was a priceless gift I had in mind that morning. And the irony of it, she had snatched my own gift, unknowing, to give it to me. And I was returning, repentant to her -- but empty-handed.
ABE: And the laughter of Offutt and Aunt Hannah Armstrong did nothing at all to assuage my disappointment and my unhappiness.
And I followed her out of the store - at a little distance. Followed her up the ravine - and up the hillside - till she came to the old trysting place.
I think it is very much the same today as it was then in the time when I came to her empty-handed after the long empty months.
Then when she came to the place, she turned. And she held out her arms.
ANN: I knew it was you following me. I knew it - and I wouldn't turn and look because I wanted to see you first - up here on the hillside.
ABE: Ann. Darling.
ANN: Darling.
ANN: You - you've been gone so long.
ABE: And I never wrote to you.
ANN: But you thought of me.
ABE: I thought of you.
ANN: I've thought of you -- every single minute while you've been gone.
ABE: I know. The letters--
ANN: Oh, kiss me, darling.
ABE: Ann ...
ANN: (SYMPATHETIC) You've changed.
ABE: No.
ANN: You HAVE changed. You're sadder. And you're--
ABE: I'm older.
ANN: (REALIZES) Oh. Your birthday. Yesterday.
ABE: (CHUCKLES) I was twenty-five. I'm getting old.
ANN: Oh, no.
ABE: Old and - forgetful.
ANN: No, you're not. You were busy. I, uh, I've got a birthday present for you.
ABE: Why, you know you shouldn't have done that.
ANN: (CHUCKLES) It's a valentine.
ABE: Oh. Valentine Day's tomorrow.
ANN: It's the very last one that Mr. Offutt had in the store.
ABE: I know.
ANN: You know?
ABE: I was gonna get it for you.
ANN: (DISAPPOINTED) Oh. Well, I don't need a valentine -- really.
ABE: Wha - ? Well, I mean, but--
ANN: Tell me you love me. That'll be my valentine.
ABE: (EARNESTLY) Ann, remember ... ? (HUMS THE MELODY OF "BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY TRUE LOVE'S HAIR")
ANN: (OVERCOME) Oh.
I love my love and well she knows
I love the grass whereon she goes
If she on earth no more I see
My life will quickly leave me
ANN: (IN TEARS) Oh, darling, darling, darling.
ABE: Ann.
ANN: You didn't write me. I was so afraid.
ABE: I could never forget you, Ann.
ANN: Never, never, never?
ABE: As long as I live. And forever.
ANN: We'll be so happy.
ABE: We'll - we'll go and live in Vandalia.
ANN: And then a day'll come - when you'll go to the new state house in Springfield. Then I'll be a congressman's wife. We'll go and live in Washington.
ABE: You'll go with me. You'll be my star that I'll follow.
ANN: And you'll be a great man.
ABE: (JOKINGLY) Why, I could be president.
ANN: (MATCHING HIS GOOD HUMOR) Oh, yes, darling. Do be president! And then, in - in after years, they'll build a great high monument to you and everybody'll say, "He was the greatest president that ever was!"
ABE: And it'll all be due to you.
ANN: (AS IF WITH A WRY CURTSY) Madam President.
ABE: (SUDDENLY SERIOUS AGAIN) I'd - I'd lay the riches of all the world at your feet, Ann.
ANN: (MATCHING HIS SERIOUSNESS) But -- you didn't bring me a valentine.
ABE: (DEEPLY APOLOGETIC) What can I do? Wha - ? I'm so sorry.
ANN: (DEEPLY PASSIONATE) I love you -- valentine or no valentine, dearest -- always and always and always.
ABE: Always and always. And we'll always be together.
ANN: (INCREASINGLY ANXIOUS) Never be apart from each other again?
ABE: Never. Never, Ann.
ANN: Oh, hold me. I'm so cold suddenly.
ABE: It's just a cloud over the sun.
ANN: Hold me. Always hold me.
ABE: Always.
ANN: I know it. You'll be a great, great man, darling.
ABE: With you beside me, I will.
ANN: But - if I die -
ABE: Don't say that.
ANN: Kiss me again.
ABE: And we sat for a long, long time in the sudden chill of the afternoon.
And we were so in love, Ann and I.
And we spoke no word for the longest time.
Only sat there.
And dreamed of the future.
The rosy future.
And nothing but happiness.
ANN: Happiness. Happiness. Happiness.
ABE: And we'll be married as soon as you finish school.
ANN: Nobody will EVER be as happy as we'll be. And-- If I die -
ABE: No. No, don't say that.
ANN: If I die - will you go on the way we'd have gone -- together?
ABE: No, you mustn't--
ANN: You will, won't you? For me.
ABE: Ann--
ANN: For me! Say "yes."
ABE: You're not going to die.
ANN: (TRIES TO LAUGH IT OFF) Of course not. I was just teasing you.
ABE: Don't.
ANN: I love you so.
ABE: I love you.
ANN: And I'll love you -- wherever you go.
ABE: In the little towns and the big towns?
ANN: You'll be a congressman. And you'll love me.
ABE: I'll be president and I'll love you.
ANN: And this isn't just valentine talk?
ABE: (SURPRISED) Ann!
ANN: I'm sorry, dear.
ABE: Wait. You ask if it's just valentine talk. Do you remember last summer when we sat up here together?
ANN: So many times.
ABE: (DISAGREES) Ah, ah. A very special time, Ann.
ANN: I - I remember. It was a hot, hot day. And the heat haze was on the hills. And you sang to me.
ABE: And do you remember the stone, Ann?
ANN: The stone? I wonder--
ABE: Wait, wait. I know where it is. (MOVING OFF) I put it in the crotch of that old apple tree. Right there.
ANN: Oh, get it!
ABE: (FROM OFF) That's your valentine, Ann! Remember?
ANN: I remember.
ABE: (FROM OFF) I found it! Look!
ANN: Way last summer.
ABE: (CLOSE AGAIN) Here's your valentine, Ann darling.
ANN: I remember what you carved on it.
ABE: Let's - read it together, shall we? And - always remember?
ANN AND ABE: (READING ALOUD TOGETHER) On this spot, in New Salem, Illinois, on July 4th, 1833, Ann Rutledge and Abraham Lincoln were betrothed.
ABE: And the cold winds howl tonight in Oak Ridge around a tall monument.
Gently, they touch the outlines of a little mound on the graveyard above the Sangamon.
And only the stone, the stone valentine, remains to testify to our love.
ANNOUNCER: The title of today's "Quiet, Please!" story is "Valentine." It was written and directed by Wyllis Cooper and the man who spoke to you was Ernest Chappell.
CHAPPELL: Others in today's cast were Ann Seymour, who played Ann; Offutt was played by Jack Arthur; and Hannah by Leora Thatcher. As usual, music for "Quiet, Please!" is played by Albert Buhrmann.
Now, for a word about next week, my very good friend and our writer-director, Wyllis Cooper.
COOPER: The title of my next week's story is a question that I've been asked at least ten times every day. It's "Where Do You Get Your Ideas?" Listen -- maybe I'll tell ya.
CHAPPELL: And so until next week at this same time, and the answer to a perpetual question, I am quietly yours, Ernest Chappell.
ANNOUNCER: Now, a listening reminder. Stay tuned for Drew Pearson.
This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company.


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CBN.com Last as I was Christmas shopping, I watched the expressions of the people in the crowd. Sometimes the shoppers looked tense and in a hurry. I wondered why there was no joy in their faces as they were looking for gifts.
Then I realized Christmas had become so commercialized that it was no longer fun. It was a bargain alley and that they had a "wait-on-me-because-I-have-more-to-buy-and-other-stores-to-go-to" attitude. I was determined to shop at one store and get 1 or 2 presents. I did exactly that. I did not want my peace and joy being taken away by attempting to buy a ton of gifts in one trip.
What should be the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian shoppers during the holiday season? The answer is that we are not to blend in with the usual crowd. We are to stand out with a different expression - that is one of peace and joy.
I try to extend a little kindness to other shoppers. For example, I let a lady go ahead of me and she was very taken back by the kind gesture. People are not accustomed to having others treat them kindly, we have become an "It's all about me" world. People need to understand what the Bible means when it says that we should prefer one another. (Romans 12:10)
Jesus was a servant, yet He was God. Aren't we supposed to be living epistles, seen and read by all men? We are to be Christ-like so people can see Him in us. Whether it is a holiday or a sale, the next time you go to the store - try not to be in a hurry and see if you can spread some joy with your thoughtfulness!
There is far too much rushing about and yet people wonder why they have physical problems. They are having strokes and heart attacks when they appear to be in perfect health. God has called us to a life of rest and peace. When reading the life of Jesus, we see that no matter where Jesus went and what He had to do, He was not in a hurry. I think He expects us to learn from His ways and follow in His footsteps.
The holidays are almost upon us but I will be following the same path as last year. The reflection will be on Jesus, the reason I should celebrate. And I will spend my time with family and friends. This means much more to me than anything else does.
We have all read how to handle the holiday stress. Here is a tip for helping relieve the stress of the season. It is my favorite one. Have some friends and family over after Christmas and before the New Year. It is a great time of relaxing after the holidays. I tried this last year and everyone commented on how peaceful and refreshing this was for them. They were able to be together without rushing and were able to enjoy one another's company. Even after my son and his girlfriend left, my friends lingered, looking at all the Christmas decorations and talking about the Lord. We certainly felt rested in His love and peace.
Newspapers or magazines usually give tips for a stress free holiday. Here are a few that may help.
1. Buy some gifts ahead of the rush and on sale. 2. Plan ahead by making a list. 3. Give gifts no one would buy for themselves, such as a gift certificate to a restaurant or a specialty store. 3. For folks who like gourmet foods, shop in a bakery or gift shop. 4. Get a special box for the gifts you give. 5. Try to get wish lists early from friends so you can give them something they really want. 6. If your trying to get out of debt, have a dinner party sometime in December and give each guest a novelty gift such as a special ornament for their tree (purchase these when they are on sale). 7. Open a Christmas club account for next year now (save some change each week or month). It is easy to cut out a few snacks or sodas and put the loose change in a jar.
The Lord said we are to be wise stewards of our money, and He does not want us to be in bondage to debt. We are not to get caught up in materialism, for the cares of this life will choke out our peace and rest.
Pray and thank the Lord for making your holidays peaceful and refuse to let yourself get caught up in the ways of the world.
God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life. Discover how you can find peace with God. You can also send us your prayer requests
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Tree Cutting Mill Hill London
Trust that your trees are going to be taken care of in the most professional, safe, and efficient way possible. Tree Cutting Mill Hill London.
You might want to take a breath before Tree Cutting Mill Hill London in the UK. Before making any decision, it is crucial to know if you are within the purview of the law-after all ignorance of the law is no excuse.
So, are there any legal consequences when you cut down a tree in the UK? The general answer is yes, you can't just cut down a tree anyhow in the UK.
The Forestry Commission is responsible for the protection and preservation of trees in the UK. To fulfill their responsibility, there are some laid down rules they have set.
One of these is getting a felling licence before you can cut down a tree in the UK. Without these felling licences, if you cut down a tree in the UK, you might be breaching a law.
Instances where you can cut down a tree without legal consequences
However, to every rule, there is an exception. This means that there are some instances where you can cut down trees and you'll not be subject to legal consequences even if you do not possess a felling licence.
Some of these instances include:
- Tree Cutting Mill Hill London within your home. You have the liberty to cut down any tree that is within your compound so long as it is not subject to any Tree Preservation Order.
Where you are a tenant, you must first secure the permission of your landlord first before cutting down any tree on the property.
- You can cut down a tree to prevent the spread of a contagious disease from spreading to other neighbouring trees.
This is however subject to a Statutory Plant Health Notice
- You can also cut down trees with a diameter less than 8cm at a height of 1.3m on the main stem without having a felling licence.
- You are also allowed to cut down up to 5 cubic metres of timber each calendar quarter without possessing a felling licence.
Legal Consequences of Tree Cutting Mill Hill London Unlawfully
Where you do not fall within the purview of the exceptions above and you do not possess a felling licence, cutting down a tree may make you liable to some legal consequences.
- You may be liable to pay a fine of twenty thousand pounds
- You are also liable to being prosecuted for cutting down trees without a licence.
The circumstances of the case will determine the punishment you will receive.
- You may also be served a notice to replace the tree you have cut down
- You may also be liable to all the above listed punishments
In Conclusion
It is very important to be aware of laws protecting trees in your area before you go Tree Cutting Mill Hill London any tree. Ensure that you are within the exceptions provided where you do not have a felling licence.
And if you do not fall within the exceptions, the only remedy is to obtain a felling licence from the Forestry Commission. Trees are an important part of nature and it is trite that we protect and preserve them so as to develop our environment.


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An anthology of 320 poems. Discover Chinese poetry in its golden age and some of the greatest Chinese poets. Tr. by Bynner (en).
Li Duan
On Hearing Her Play the Harp
Her hands of white jade by a window of snow
Are glimmering on a golden-fretted harp –
And to draw the quick eye of Chou Yu,
She touches a wrong note now and then.
Bynner 241
300 Tang poems – Tang Shi VII. 1. (241) – Chinese on/off – Français/English
Alias Tang Shi San Bai Shou, Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty, Poésie des Thang.
The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
Welcome, help, notes, introduction, table.
Index – Contact – Top


text:
Please join author Paulette Harper as she tours the blogosphere with Write Now Literary Book Tours and her new release Secret Places Revealed, October 17-21, 2016 .
Publication Date: September 16, 2016
Paperback: 342 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
About The Book
A broken man, a woman on the run, a love that won't be denied.
Single—and very content—real estate developer Aaron Blackman is determined not to become involved in another relationship. He's experienced enough drama to last a lifetime. The only thing garnering his attention now is his growing business. And he plans to keep it that way. Then Simone Herron waltzes into his life, beautiful and confident. Fighting to keep his promise to himself—to remain single—he soon discovers that when it comes to love, some promises must be broken.
After losing her fiancé in an untimely death, Simone Herron relocates. She desperately needs to put the past behind her and start a new chapter in her life. While love is the farthest thing from her mind, she experiences an attraction to the handsome Aaron Blackman that frightens her. She's built a wall around her heart, but can she find the strength and courage she needs to welcome love again? To do so, she must conquer her fears and allow God to put all of her broken pieces back together.
About The Author
Paulette Harper, Author |
In addition to being an award winning author of Completely Whole, Paulette is an inspirational speaker, as well as a writing workshop instructor. She has a passion to coach aspiring authors and speaks into the lives of women from every walk of life. Her literary works have been spotlighted in a growing number of publications, including CBN, Real Life Real Faith Magazine, and Black Pearls Magazine. She has also appeared on numerous local and online radio shows.
Paulette resides in Northern California .
Buy Link
Social Links
Tour is hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours


text:
Travel Vaccines – Ridgefield Office
December 20 @ 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
An event every month that begins at 10:00 am on day First of the month, repeating indefinitely
An event every month that begins at 10:00 am on day Third of the month, repeating indefinitely
Travel to exotic locales brings extraordinary benefits — and adventure. But it can also expose you to serious diseases that may threaten your health. Zika virus, typhoid, malaria, and yellow fever, to name a few.
To reduce your chances of illness while abroad, schedule an in-person consultation with an RVNAhealth travel health nurse prior to your departure. Consultations include: itinerary-specific health advice; discussion and administration of immunizations; safe food/water practices; and other recommendations to protect yourself. including insect precautions or environmental considerations.
Travel consultation appointments are available the first and third Friday of each month at the RVNAhealth Center for Exceptional Care, 27 Governor Street, Ridgefield, CT.
To learn more or schedule an appointment, call (203) 438-5555 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Please note: Travelers under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.


text:
In the late 1970s, activists in Iran had a brief moment of hope. The revolution had succeeded; the shah's repressive regime had been overthrown. But things quickly turned for the worse. The newly formed Islamic Republic threw vocal dissenters in prison, and in 1988, it quietly executed thousands of them.
Children of the Jacaranda Tree, a new novel by Iranian author Sahar Delijani, explores the personal repercussions of that tumultuous political period. It's a series of interwoven stories that start in Tehran's Evin prison and ripple outward across families, continents and generations. The novel evokes the scents, sights and gut-wrenching emotions of oppression, as in this description of Tehran in 1987:
A taxi passed by, trailing a confused noise of singing. Along the gutters, the rusty garbage cans stank sourly. Everything crinkled dusty and black, cluttered with policemen and Revolutionary Guards and Morality Guards and religious guides and food shortages and blackouts and the menaces of a war, at times far, at times near.
Delijani grew up in California and now lives in Italy, but she was born in Evin prison — the same prison depicted in her novel — while both her parents were detained there. She tells NPR's Rachel Martin about her mother's experience giving birth in prison, why many Iranians don't know about the executions of 1988 and how, after writing this novel, she's not sure if she'll be able to return to the land of her birth.
Interview Highlights
On how the character Azar, a pregnant activist who gives birth in Evin prison, was inspired by Delijani's own story
"My mom gave birth to me a few months after she was arrested, and then she gave me ... to my grandparents. And she was released herself about a year after, and then my dad about two years after. ...
"She knew that [the prison guards] would open the door just enough that I could pass through. She knew this before that day. She would tell everyone. And it was exactly what happened.
"This chapter [about Azar] is very much based on my mom's experience. So, for example, you know, being interrogated while going through labor was another thing that was true. ... She told me about it."
On why many of her characters are initially unaware of their parents' imprisonment
"My parents always spoke about their past in prison, but I wrote those stories in the novel, of people not knowing, because a lot of people in Iran don't know of what happened in 1988. Afterwards it was just, you know, it was just like the bodies — it was just buried, like that. And no one ever spoke about it. So in a way, those children in the book that don't know symbolize that part of the society that didn't know what was going on just a few kilometers from the city."
On whether she has spent much time in Iran
"I used to go back very often in all these years that I've been away. And sometimes it's really interesting how, as an, almost an outsider, you know, you go and you observe with a different sort of attention. And everything, you know, stuck in my mind. ... But now I don't know. We'll see what happens after the book."
On whether she's concerned about how her book will be received in Iran
"Yes, you know, by the government. Even though these executions [weren't] exactly a secret, I'm sure they don't want these sort of things to be, you know, to be known — not on such levels. And you know, dictatorships work in this way: You don't even know what you're afraid of, what you're worried about, what you risk. My mom says, 'Well, you know, you should just wait a little bit and see what happens.' "
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Our new collection inox bathroom fittings is designed by the famous Dutch designer Piet Boon.
This wall mounted spout can be used in the bathroom and the kitchen and can be combined with all mixers. For use to fill a bathtub it is possible to remove the water saving aerator. Projection 180mm.
Piet Boon by COCOON bathroom taps are available in AISI 316L marine grade Stainless Steel in brushed finishing as well as with a PVD coating in Gunmetal Black and Copper
All COCOON taps have top quality ceramic cartridges and are provided with water saving aerators.


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As food delivery services expand across Southeast Asia, food operators have rushed to profit from this booming market. If you're planning to add food delivery as part of your service offerings, here are some of the most common myths to watch.
Food delivery spells more sales and profits for your operations.
While sales volumes may rise, delivery partners take commissions for handling logistics, delivery, and customer service, cutting into your profit margin.
Tip: Observe, adjust and negotiate. Keep an eye out on the profit margin of delivery dishes, and adjust accordingly. You can also try negotiating for better commissions and deals with your delivery partner.
You need to be tech-savvy to operate online food delivery channels.
Most delivery channels use simple interfaces. It's more important to have an operationally-savvy team that can handle multiple and varying orders.
Tip: Make sure your team is completely familiarised with each delivery system and how it works. They should also be able to balance dine-in orders with food delivery orders.
Handling food delivery requests is easy. It is just like fulfilling additional orders.
Food delivery demands can vary significantly, which makes it tough to prepare and sustain.
Tip: Leverage quality ingredients that reduce preparation time, as it frees you up for more important tasks.
Food is perishable which results in limited menu options for delivery.
There are tips and tricks, as well as different ingredients that can travel better than others.
Tip: Use ingredients that improve food durability.
Hear From A Chef
Video: Al Forno, Singapore
Chef Alessandro Di Prisco
Chef Alessandro shares how this longstanding Italian restaurant combined their traditional dishes with modern-day food delivery with great success.


text:
This exclusive project will allow adjusting work in the company within very short time, creating comfortable conditions for employees and solving internal conflicts.
The full restaurant business plan will get a client through the steps of making the business profitable and successful. There are straight-forward instructions with examples on ways to write a pitch that grabs investors' attention, what to include in your marketing plan. All the finances will be calculated for you. Most people are intimidated by the financials, but our project made planning simple. It saves so much time, so our client can spend it on the things that are really important to him.
Project details
- Year: 2016
- Project: Organizer
- Customer: Wallahia Inc.


text:
I'm a product description. I'm a great place to add more details about your product such as sizing, material, care instructions and cleaning instructions.
I'm a product
10,00 Kč Regular Price
9,50 KčSale Price
Color: Black
I'm an info section. This is a great way to share information like "Return Policy" and "Care Instructions" with your buyers.


text:
Washington, D.C. man was arrested on first-degree assault charges last weekend
after allegedly smashing his stepfather in the face with a bottle during a
fight over keys to a truck.
Around 7:15 p.m. last
Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on bike patrol in the
area of 8th Street was dispatched to a fight in progress nearby.
Upon arrival, the officer observed a man later identified as Henry Barroa, 37,
with severe lacerations under his right eye and his face covered in blood. The
victim explained his stepson, later identified as Alex Contreras, 20, of
Washington, D.C., had struck him in the face with a bottle, causing the two
severe lacerations under his eye.
The investigation revealed
the victim refused to give the keys to a truck to another stepson, resulting in
a physical altercation. While the two were scuffling over the keys, Contreras
allegedly came over and struck the victim in the face with a bottle. A witness
told police Contreras had left the scene but was still nearby.
The officer soon located
Contreras, whose shirt was covered in blood. Contreras allegedly told police he
was only trying to defend his stepbrother. Contreras was charges with first-
and second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to
injure. He was released from jail after posting a $10,000 bond.
First-Degree Assault On
Pennsylvania woman was arrested on first-degree assault charges last weekend
after allegedly attacking a woman and choking her during an altercation on an
Ocean City bus.
Around 4:30 a.m. last
Saturday, an OCPD officer was dispatched to a reported fight on a bus on
Coastal Highway at 127th Street. The officer arrived and met with
the bus driver, who told police a woman, later identified as Nicole Amber
Myers, 23, of York, Pa. along with two male companions had been asked to get
off the bus. As the three individuals were getting off the bus, another woman
said something to set Myers off and she allegedly spun around and grabbed the
victim by the throat and began punching her until the victim's friends
The bus driver said
Myers had been choking the victim and punching her for about a minute before
the victim's friends were able to pull her off. The OCPD officer then met with
the victim, who had red marks on both sides of her neck consistent with hand
and finger marks. The victim and her friends provided descriptions of Myers and
her female companions. The victim told police she had said some things to Myers
to initiate the attack, but couldn't remember exactly what she said because she
had "consumed a lot of alcoholic beverages."
The victim's female
friend told a similar account of what had happened. She told police words were
said when Myers and her two male companions got off the bus and Myers turned
around and lunged at the victim, grabbing her by the throat, and did not let go
until others broke up the altercation. The victim's female friend also suffered
lacerations to her jaw and chest as a result of trying to pull Myers off of the
Myers and her companions
were located a short time later on 127th Street near Wight Street.
Burglary Spree Suspected
OCEAN CITY – Two men
known as "Twin" and "Shadow" were arrested on breaking and entering and other
charges in Ocean City last week after an OCPD informant implicated them in an
ongoing theft spree in the resort.
Last Wednesday, OCPD
detectives met with a reliable confidential informant, known only as CI 600,
concerning stolen property in Ocean City. According to police reports, the
informant told detectives there were three suspects staying at a residence on
S. Baltimore Ave. that would be in possession of the stolen property on which
they were seeking information. The informant provided identity information on
two of the suspects including Reggie Stevenson, also known as "Twin," 20, of no
known address; and Harouna Bangoura, also known as "Shadow," 18, of Takoma
Park, Md.
The informant also
advised the detectives there would be a third suspect for whom he did not have
a description. The informant told police the three suspects would be exiting
the residence on Baltimore Ave. in possession of the stolen property and
leaving town in a gray Kia Rio between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on August 11.
Sure enough, around 3
p.m. last Wednesday, Stevenson, Bangoura and the third unidentified suspect
left the residence on Baltimore Ave. and walked south before heading west on
Dorchester Street while carrying backpacks. A short time later, the gray Kia
moved from its parking space on Dorchester Street and the three suspects got
in. Detectives followed as the vehicle traveled west on Talbot Street before
turning on St. Louis Ave. to go under the Route 50 Bridge, which is when police
pulled it over.
A search of the vehicle
revealed a black backpack on the floor of the front passenger seat and inside
the backpack police discovered suspected marijuana in a sock. At that point,
Stevenson, Bangoura and the third suspect, identified as Anthony Francis, were
taken into custody for possession of marijuana. A further search revealed two
Olympia digital cameras in a black backpack and an Apple Ipod in the center
console. The items were taken to police headquarters and the investigation
revealed the cameras had been reported stolen during a burglary at a residence
on Somerset Street a day earlier.
During the burglary, the
suspect or suspects gained entry to the residence through a window near a
stairwell. Once inside, the suspects stole multiple items including the
cameras. Further investigation revealed the Ipod had been reported stolen
during a burglary at a residence on St. Louis Ave., also on Tuesday. During
that burglary, the suspect or suspects made entry into the residence through a
window on the porch and stole multiple items including money. The total value
of the items reported stolen during the Somerset Ave. burglary came in at
around $600, while the value of the thefts from the St. Louis Ave. burglaries
came in at over $2,800.
During a subsequent
interview with the third suspect, Francis, OCPD detectives learned Stevenson
and Bangoura had made multiple trips from Ocean City to Montgomery County,
where they sold items stolen during burglaries on the street. Francis further
told police he had seen two lap-top computers and an Apple Ipod inside a room
at the residence on Baltimore Ave. and that Stevenson and Bangoura had taken
the items to the Boardwalk earlier that day to sell them.
The descriptions of the
laptops Stevenson and Bangoura allegedly tried to sell on the Boardwalk matched
the descriptions of the computers stolen during the St. Louis Ave. burglaries a
day earlier. Stevenson and Bangoura were each charged with two counts of
first-degree burglary, two counts of third-degree burglary, three counts of
theft and possession of marijuana.
False Alarm Arrest
Hagerstown man was arrested last week for breaking the glass and falsely
pulling a fire alarm after helping an intoxicated woman back to her Boardwalk
hotel room.
Last Saturday morning,
an OCPD officer responded to the Harrison Hall Hotel on 14th Street
to meet with hotel management about a fire alarm that had been activated around
2:30 a.m. that morning. The hotel manager told police she had viewed
surveillance tape from the incident earlier that morning and believed the
suspect who pulled the alarm was staying in Room 422.
The officer viewed the
same surveillance tape and observed two males helping into the hotel room a
woman who appeared to have trouble walking due to intoxication. Several minutes
later, the two male suspects exited the room and started walking toward the
fourth-floor elevator. One of the men, later identified as William Mariano
Lorenti, 30, of Hagerstown, allegedly broke the glass on a fire alarm and
pulled the lever with his left hand, activating the alarm.
Lorenti and the other
man then got on the elevator, but when they realized it wouldn't work because
of the fire alarm activation, they started walking down the adjacent steps. The
officer was able to follow the two men on the surveillance until they reached
the first floor.
After watching the tape,
the officer went to Room 422 and Lorenti answered the door. The officer noted
in his report clothes and a hat similar to what the suspect was wearing at the
time he allegedly pulled the fire alarm were on the floor in the room. The
officer then asked Lorenti to show him his hands, which were covered with small
cuts consistent with breaking the glass. Lorenti explained he received the cuts
from shaving his arms and hands earlier.
Lorenti later told the
officer he did not remember breaking the glass and pulling the alarm, but he
understood the officer had a job to do. Lorenti was then arrested and charged
with activating a false alarm.
Seven Years for Purse
SNOW HILL – A Pocomoke
man was sentenced to seven years in prison last week after being found guilty
assaulting a woman and stealing her purse back in April.
On April 2, Desmond Omar
Croswell, 21, of Pocomoke approached a woman on 2nd Street and
grabbed her purse, which was on her arm at the time. As the victim resisted,
Croswell began to pull her along with the purse before eventually knocking her
to ground. According to police reports, Croswell then began to kick the victim
in the head and chest until she ultimately released the purse.
According to police
reports, the victim had known Croswell most of his life, which is how she was
able to identify him to police. Croswell was charged with first- and
second-degree assault, robbery and reckless endangerment. Last week in Circuit
Court, Croswell pleaded guilty to the robbery charge and was sentenced to seven
years in prison.
Allegedly Punched
Pennsylvania man was arrested on malicious destruction of property charges last
weekend after allegedly punching the side of a car leaving a midtown
Around 12:30 a.m., an
OCPD officer working patrol in the 49th Street area responded to
incident involving a suspect punching a vehicle as it left the parking lot at
Dumser's. The victim told police she was in the front passenger seat of her
vehicle with someone else driving when a suspect, later identified as Justin J.
Grimm, 26, of York, Pa., struck the side of her vehicle while it was pulling
out of the restaurant parking lot.
The victim said her
vehicle was pulling out of the parking lot when she saw Grimm give her "a dirty
look" and shout something that included an expletive, but couldn't make out any
more of what he said. The victim said she looked in the rear view mirror and
saw Grimm allegedly punch the back rear quarter panel of her car with a closed
The victim called police
over as Grimm attempted to leave the scene. Grimm was detained by the officers
told police he had been drinking, but wasn't drunk, and that he didn't strike
the vehicle with his fist. However, the victim was brought over and identified
Grimm as the man who punched her vehicle. Grimm was arrested and charged with
malicious destruction of property over $500.
Didn't Like OC Bike Laws
Pennsylvania man was arrested on disorderly conduct and resisting arrest
charges last weekend after allegedly going on an expletive-laced tirade about
Ocean City's bicycle laws in front of a crowd on the Boardwalk.
Around 12:30 a.m. last
Thursday, a mounted OCPD officer stopped an unidentified man about riding a
bicycle on the Boardwalk before 2 a.m. According to police, the man was
cooperative and free leave, but when he said something to another man in his
company about the ordinance, the other man, identified as Blake Anthony Gerhart,
19, of Phoenixville, Pa., allegedly yelled in a voice loud enough to be heard
by the officer over 50 feet away, "[expletive deleted] your laws." According to
police reports, Gerhart continued to walk south on the Boardwalk and continued
to shout the same expletive, which was heard by dozens of people who were now
staring at him.
According to police
reports, Gerhard appeared to be intoxicated and stumbled as he walked and
continued to attract a crowd with his tirade. Eventually, OCPD officer detained
Gerhart and told him to sit on the Boardwalk. However, while they were talking
to Gerhart, the officers were distracted by heckling from people in the crowd
and Gerhart allegedly got back to his feet and attempted to flee, but he was
taken into custody.
Gerhart was eventually
charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, a noise ordinance and
possession of alcohol by a minor.


text:
SEOUL, South Korea — Thousands of demonstrators representing organized labor marched in South Korea's capital on Saturday denouncing government attempts to force thousands of striking truckers back to work after they walked out in a dispute over the price of freight.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or major clashes from the protests near the National Assembly in Seoul. The marchers, mostly members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, accused President Yoon Suk Yeol's conservative government of labor oppression and ignoring what they described as the truckers' harsh work conditions and financial struggles, worsened further by rising fuel costs.
The government on Tuesday issued an order for some 2,500 drivers of cement trucks to return to work, saying that their walkout is rattling the national economy. It wasn't immediately clear how many truckers returned to their jobs following the order as their union vowed to continue the strike.
Thousands of members of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity union have been striking since last week, calling for the government to make permanent a minimum freight rate system that is to expire at the end of 2022.
While the minimum fares are currently applied to shipping containers and cement, the strikers also call for the benefits to be expanded to other cargo. That would include oil and chemical tankers, steel and automobile carriers and package delivery trucks under the broader agreement.
Container traffic at ports recovered to 81% of normal levels as of Saturday morning after dropping to around just 20% earlier this week, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It said more than 5,000 truckers were actively participating in the strike on Saturday.
The government is using controversial powers to force truckers back to work
Tuesday's order marked the first time a South Korean government exercised its controversial powers under a law revised in 2004 to force truckers back to their jobs.
A failure to comply without "justifiable reason" is punishable by up to three years in jail or a maximum fine of 30 million won ($22,400). Critics say the law infringes on constitutional rights because it doesn't clearly define what qualifies as acceptable conditions for a strike.
Officials say they issued the "work start order" to cement truckers first because the construction industry was hit hardest by shipment delays. They say they are considering expanding the order to drivers transporting fuel as a second step, citing concerns about possible shortages at gas stations.
The strike's impact has so far been mostly limited to domestic industries and there has been no immediate reports of major disruptions to export industries such as semiconductors.
Yoon's government has offered to temporarily extend the minimum freight fares for another three years but balked at the demand to widen the scope of such payments.
The truckers say the minimum-rate system is crucial for their finances and personal safety, saying that without it they are forced to increase their deliveries and drive dangerously to make ends meet.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) — Hulu, the popular website with TV shows, now comes as a subscription-based application for iPhones and iPads. Although it isn't perfect, it works well enough that it may make you wonder if the TV's reign as the center of family life is coming to an end.
Instead of gathering to turn our faces to the blue glow of the living-room set, maybe we'll curl up, each in our own little world, with a phone or tablet in our lap. They don't look as good as HDTVs, but we won't have to fight over remotes any more. An iPhone held 7.5 inches from my eye looks just as big as a 46-inch TV, 10 feet away.
This comes just as many of us have invested in a humungous flat-panel TV, so it doesn't sound like good news (TV manufacturers, of course, are trying to convince you that your TV isn't 3-D, it's already obsolete). As a consolation, consider that Hulu and a few other online video services are now also available for Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players. It's coming to game consoles as well, starting with the PlayStation 3 later this year.
Hulu's website is free and gathers shows from ABC, Fox and NBC, including "Glee," "The Office," and "House." Generally, shows are available starting the day after they air, and for a few weeks after that.
With Hulu Plus, you get:
• The ability to play the shows on iPhone models 3GS and 4, iPads, iPod Touches from September or later, and some high-end Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players.
• Entire seasons of shows, current and past.
• Some shows in high definition, if you're watching on a TV or computer screen.
Hulu Plus is still in "preview," and you can't just sign up like that. You supply your e-mail address to Hulu.com, and they send you an invite, but that can take weeks.
The bigger catch is that Hulu Plus costs $9.99 per month and still shows the same amount of ads as the free version. This is not going down well with people – the user reviews in Apple's App Store are scathing. Yet these are, presumably, the same people who pay for cable TV channels that also show ads.
I'm not morally outraged that Hulu Plus costs money. But a fair question is whether it's worth it. Streaming movies from Netflix are now available for all the Hulu Plus gadgets except the iPhone and iPod Touch. It's already available on more TVs and game consoles, plus standalone devices such as the Roku Player. Netflix costs a dollar less at $8.99 a month and doesn't carry any ads. You get DVDs by mail in the bargain.
Another option is MobiTV, which has been providing live TV to cell phones for years. They came out with an iPhone app in April. It costs $9.99 per month and will be the obvious pick for sports fans and news junkies, though the video quality is far below that of Hulu and the selection of "on demand" content is small.
I'd argue that Netflix is the best deal, if all you have to spend on Internet video is $10 per month. That's because you get vastly more to watch. Hulu has few movies, and you probably haven't heard of them.
Another catch with Hulu Plus is that not all of the programming available on the Hulu site is available through the apps. If you search the site for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," it will take you to Comedy Central's Web page, where the shows will play. But because they're not really on Hulu, they're not available at all through the apps.
However, if you want to keep up with watercooler chat, Hulu is the only option, because Netflix gets TV shows about the time they come out on DVD. Also, there is no iPhone app for Netflix.
And Hulu's iPhone app is cool. Viewing TV on cell phones has been possible for a while, but it hasn't exactly caught fire. The iPhone app might change that. It works not just over Wi-Fi, but also over AT&T's 3G network. The quality will vary with the connection, but I got watchable quality every time on an iPhone 4 in New York. It looked as if I would get about four hours of viewing on one battery charge.
There were some minor problems with the iPhone app; it sometimes refused to acknowledge that I had turned the phone to the horizontal orientation, and there was occasionally a loss of synchronization between audio and video.
The iPad is a more enjoyable platform, because of the comfortable size of the screen – 9.7 inches diagonally. Over Wi-Fi, the picture is sharp and pleasing. My only complaints are the iPad's glossy screen, which easily picks up reflections, and the placement of the speaker at one edge of the unit.
If you do watch over 3G, be sure you know which data plan you're on. An hour of watching consumed 270 megabytes in my test, enough to blow past the 200 megabyte monthly allotment on the $15-per-month data plan. You'll want at least the $25-per-month, 2 gigabyte plan (2,000 megabytes) or even better, the old $30 unlimited data plan. AT&T doesn't offer the unlimited plan to new customers, but you can keep it if you have it, even if you're getting a new phone.
I also tried the app on a $3,000, 55-inch TV from Samsung, a UN55C8000. Here, the difference in quality between the high-definition shows on Hulu and the roughly DVD-quality movies on Netflix is quite apparent. Dark areas of the image still show some loss of nuance, so there is no mistaking Hulu for a Blu-ray disc, but it's quite watchable even on a big screen. Finding shows is harder with a remote than with a keyboard, but users of digital video recorders will be familiar with this problem already.
Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players are the only ones that will play Hulu Plus for now, but other brands will get on the bandwagon this fall. Of course, this will only apply to "Internet connected" TVs. Others can get Hulu through game consoles and Blu-ray players.
Hulu on the go is the real revelation. If AT&T's network can keep up with the traffic, Hulu Plus will be a good companion on trips and end the time-consuming process of buying shows on iTunes, then syncing them with the iPhone. Less work, more instant gratification – isn't that what TV is all about?


text:
Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Google Places Pages Upgraded – Owner Verified Checkmark and More Sentiment Details Now Show
Update 5:00 pm: The Google Lat Long Blog has officially announced the rollout of their improved sentiment reporting. They also noted that they have "improved [their] ability to find reviews of places, searching more quality sources of information from across the web". I have heard reports recently of dramatic jumps in some Place's review counts.
The ever astute & voluble Earlpearl, has pointed out that Google has added a new interface twist to the Places page where they now indicate that a record is Owner Verified and shows a checkmark if it has been claimed into the Local Business Center.
Improved Interface:
If the record is unclaimed there are now two choices; one to do a community edit and the other allowing the business owner to immediately claim the record into the Local Business Center. Previously the interface involved the circuitous route of selecting the edit link, then being taken to the Maps view info bubble and being required to again make the choice. While a minor interface upgrade, it will make it clear to both the editing public and the business owner what they need to do to correct a record while on the increasingly visible Places Pages.
Additional Sentiment Analysis:
Note on the above example the additional sentiment categorization now showing when there is enough information for the algorythm to break out the details. In addition to the sentiment summary that has been visible at the top of the page, the sentiment is categorized, summarized and the user is given a choice to expand.
I am not sure when this feature was added but this is the first time I have noticed it. I have only examined several restaurant listings but the detail appears to be broken out on a content available basis. That being said, in the examples that I looked at, this detail showed only on listings with 13 or more reviews. I assume that it is possible for the sentiment detail to show up on restaurants with fewer reviews if the sentiment is consistent across some indeterminate number of reviews. Update: here is a restaurant with 11 reviews showing sentiment details: Old Library Olean.
Here are several more examples from the Buffalo area of the types of sentiments displayed:
Chef's Restaurant with 47 reviews:
Rue Franklin with 19 reviews:
Bacchus Wine & Restaurant with 28 Reviews:
In some cases the more granular sentiment detail showed above the photos while in others it showed further down the page below the photos.
In addition the sentiment bars indicated the quality of the sentiment by a change from Green for Good to Red for Bad on this Olean hotel:
While the detailed sentiment analysis is not appearing in every industry where there are enough reviews and sentiment summaries, I have spotted the more granular results amongst locksmiths, plastic surgeons and dentists.
The sentiment analysis and owner verified checkmarks are appearing in Spain, Canada and China so it apparently the new features have released worldwide.
In countries where community edits are not yet permitted there is only the "Business owner?" link at the top of the listing.
As David Mihm has pointed out, sentiment analysis now appears to be much more prominent in the display of a business's information on the Places Page and has become a more important influence. It is also reasonable to assume that it is now playing a more important role in ranking.
© Copyright 2024 - MIKE BLUMENTHAL, ALL RIGHT RESERVED.


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- Adviesdiensten
Azure Networking Services: 4-Week Assessment
ECF Data provides a 4-week assessment of the Azure Networking Services to help your business connect everything security from VMs to VPNs.
One of the most crucial components determining the deployment's success or failure is networking. The ability of your solid network design to connect resources and maximize application performance is the responsibility of IT teams.
ECF Data provides Azure Networking services, a 4-week engagement that helps you connect and manage your cloud resources security. Specifically, it enables users and organizations to identify or discover optimized Azure network connectivity for workloads and merge it with their current network. We leverage Azure networking capabilities to conduct the following:
-build architecture for cloud-centric WANs
-design and implement Azure networking services
-manage your networking environments in Azure to enable performance and secure connectivity
Through our strategic model, ECF Data will cover the following:
-Assessment and evaluation of current gaps of current Azure connectivity as it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of decisions while building foundation systems on Cloud.
-As-is inventory and business requirements
-Best practices and design decision recommendation


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Material - Kanjeevaram Double Weaved Soft Silk
Color - Trendy and gorgeous Parrot Green having a jaquard weave in the body and a Pink shade border with exquisite motifs.
Blouse Piece Attached - Yes.
Tassle Finish - Yes done.
All Sarees are ready Stock and dispatched within 24 to 48 hours.
All Photos are taken in standard lighting. We do not modify the pictures digitally. Utmost care and effort is taken to extract the exact colors of the sarees in the pictures.
Returns will not be entertained for reasons of slight difference in color or Feel of Material.


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New device hides, on cue, from infrared cameras
- Date:
- November 26, 2012
- Source:
- Harvard University
- Summary:
- Now you see it, now you don't. A new device can absorb 99.75 percent of infrared light that shines on it. When activated, it appears black to infrared cameras.
- Share:
Now you see it, now you don't. A new device invented at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) can absorb 99.75% of infrared light that shines on it. When activated, it appears black to infrared cameras.
Composed of just a 180-nanometer-thick layer of vanadium dioxide (VO2) on top of a sheet of sapphire, the device reacts to temperature changes by reflecting dramatically more or less infrared light.
Announced November 26 in the journal Applied Physics Letters, and featured on its cover, this perfect absorber is ultrathin, tunable, and exceptionally well suited for use in a range of infrared optical devices.
Perfect absorbers have been created many times before, but not with such versatile properties. In a Fabry-Pérot cavity, for instance, two mirrors sandwich an absorbing material, and light simply reflects light back and forth until it's mostly all gone. Other devices incorporate surfaces with nanoscale metallic patterns that trap and eventually absorb the light.
"Our structure uses a highly unusual approach, with better results," says principal investigator Federico Capasso, Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering at SEAS. "We exploit a kind of naturally disordered metamaterial, along with thin-film interference effects, to achieve one of the highest absorption rates we've ever seen. Yet our perfect absorber is structurally simpler than anything tried before, which is important for many device applications."
With collaborators at Harvard and at the University of California, San Diego, Capasso's research group took advantage of surprising properties in both of the materials they used.
Vanadium dioxide is normally an insulating material, meaning that it does not conduct electricity well. Take it from room temperature up to about 68 degrees Celsius, however, and it undergoes a dramatic transition. The crystal quickly rearranges itself as the temperature approaches a critical value. Metallic islands appear as specks, scattered throughout the material, with more and more appearing until it has become uniformly metallic.
"Right near this insulator-to-metal transition, you have a very interesting mixed medium, made up of both insulating and metallic phases," says coauthor Shriram Ramanathan, Associate Professor of Materials Science at SEAS, who synthesized the thin film. "It's a very complex and rich microstructure in terms of its electronic properties, and it has very unusual optical properties."
Those properties, when manipulated correctly, happen to be ideal for infrared absorption.
Meanwhile, the underlying sapphire substrate has a secret of its own. Usually transparent, its crystal structure actually makes it opaque and reflective, like a metal, to a narrow subset of infrared wavelengths.
The result is a combination of materials that internally reflects and devours incident infrared light.
"Both of these materials have lots of optical losses, and we've demonstrated that when light reflects between lossy materials, instead of transparent or highly reflective ones, you get strange interface reflections," explains lead author Mikhail Kats, a graduate student at SEAS. "When you combine all of those resulting waves, you can coax them to destructively interfere and completely cancel out. The net effect is that a film one hundred times thinner than the wavelength of the incident light can create perfect absorption."
The challenge for Capasso, Ramanathan, Kats, and their colleagues was not only to understand this behavior, but also to learn how to fabricate pure enough samples of the vanadium dioxide.
"Vanadium oxide can exist in many oxidation states, and only if you have VO2 does it go through a metal-insulator transition close to room temperature," Ramanathan explains. "We have developed several techniques in our lab to allow exquisite compositional and structural control, almost at the atomic scale, to grow such complex films. The resulting phase purity allows us to see these remarkable properties, which otherwise would be very difficult to observe."
Because the device can be easily switched between its absorbent and non-absorbent states, the possible applications are quite wide ranging and include bolometers (thermal imaging devices) with tunable absorption, spectroscopy devices, tunable filters, thermal emitters, radiation detectors, and equipment for energy harvesting.
"An ideal bolometer design needs to absorb all of the infrared light that falls on it, turning it to heat, and correspondingly its resistance should change a lot per degree change in temperature," notes Kats. "In principle, our new perfect absorber could be used to make incredibly sensitive thermal cameras."
Harvard's Office of Technology Development has filed patent applications on the novel invention and is actively pursuing licensing and commercialization opportunities.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Harvard University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Mikhail A. Kats et al. Ultra-thin perfect absorber employing a tunable phase change material. Appl. Phys. Lett., 101, 221101 (2012) DOI: 10.1063/1.4767646
Cite This Page:


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Apple Health Records Available for Allscripts Clients
Allscripts offers new way to access Allscripts iPhone users' health data
CHICAGO – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Aug. 22, 2019 – Today, Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) announced that Apple Health Records is now available for Allscripts Sunrise™, TouchWorks® and Professional EHR™ clients and their patients. Health Records brings together hospitals, clinics and the existing Apple Health app to make it easy for individuals to see their available health data from multiple providers whenever they choose. Health Records is available for iPhone users running iOS 11.3 or higher. This latest offering is an addition to Allscripts robust patient engagement offering, which includes Allscripts FollowMyHealth®, the EHR-neutral cornerstone of the Allscripts patient engagement solution.
Previously, an individual's health information was held in multiple locations, requiring patients to log in to each care provider's website and piece together the information manually. Apple worked with the health care community to take a consumer-friendly approach and created Health Records based on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), a standard for transferring electronic medical records.
Now, individuals will have medical information from participating institutions organized into one view, covering allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and vitals, and will receive notifications when their data is updated. Health Records data is encrypted and protected with the user's iPhone passcode, Touch ID or Face ID.
Sharp HealthCare, Think Whole Person Healthcare, UT Physicians, Blessing Health System, Erie County Medical Center, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and Digestive Disease Associates are among the healthcare organizations that have participated in early testing.
"Giving our patients easy and mobile access to their healthcare providers and their health records is important to us," said Think Chief Operating Officer, Rick Pane. "Today, people can access all kinds of information. Their own health records should be at the top of the list. At Think, we aim to be the leaders in changing healthcare and helping people to live their healthiest lives. It makes absolute sense to partner with the leader in technology to help do so."
"With Health Records on iPhone, patients can become more active members of their own care team," said Allscripts Chief Executive Officer, Paul M. Black. "Health Records on iPhone empowers individuals to direct how their own health data is stored and used. We are proud to offer this and other FHIR-connected applications for our clients and their patients."
About Allscripts
Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) is a leader in healthcare information technology solutions that advance clinical, financial and operational results. Our innovative solutions connect people, places and data across an Open, Connected Community of Health™. Connectivity empowers caregivers and consumers to make better decisions, delivering better care for healthier populations.
© 2019 Allscripts Healthcare, LLC and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
Allscripts, the Allscripts logo, and other Allscripts marks are trademarks of Allscripts Healthcare, LLC and/or its affiliates. All other products are trademarks of their respective holders, all rights reserved. Reference to these products is not intended to imply affiliation with or sponsorship of Allscripts Healthcare, LLC and/or its affiliates.
Source: Allscripts


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Monday, November 24th, 2008
Timecapsule podcast: San Francisco, November 24-30
A weekly handful of weird, wonderful and wacky happenings dredged up from the kaleidoscopic depths of San Francisco history.
November 24, 1899:
Collars, ties, and Butchertown mayhem
Our first item flowed from the pen of some long-forgotten San Francisco Chronicle beat writer, a piece in which a neighborhood dispute is lovingly detailed.
Butchertown was a tough old San Francisco neighborhood on the edge of today's Bay View district, around the mouth of Islais Creek. It was comprised mostly of German and Irish immigrants — ballplayer Lefty O'Doul was probably its most famous son — and it was absolutely packed with slaughterhouses, meat packers and (here's a shocker) butchers.
Without further ado, a dash of local color circa 1899:
Haberdashery Issue Stirs Butchertown
Whether William Beckman and Thomas O'Leary quarreled over a love affair or over collars and neckties is a mooted question.
Beckman is a butcher employed in one of the many abattoirs of South San Francisco. A few months ago he married the former Mrs. O'Leary, and when O'Leary, after a three years absence, returned to town two weeks ago and found that his divorced wife had become Mrs. Beckman, there was trouble in Butchertown. It all resulted in the arrest of O'Leary on a charge of making threats against life, and the case came up yesterday in Police Judge Conlan's Court.
Beckman told of a long knife with which O'Leary threatened to perform an autopsy on (him). There was also a dispute, Beckman said, as to whether the wearing of collars and neckties was proper form in Butchertown.
2 Comments » - Posted in San Francisco history blog,San Francisco history podcasts by richard - sparkletack


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A little over 20 years ago, I entered the hallowed halls of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Through 21 years' post-MBA experience, I find these lessons from Wharton have proved most valuable in the business world.
Finance & Accounting—It's All About Cash
Cash flow is what matters. This is the fundamental of finance and accounting that constantly gets forgotten or obscured in the day-to-day business. At the end of the day, accounting done right is just a way to keep track of whether you have more money in your bank account today than you had at the end of the day yesterday.
Yes, growth needs to be funded, and so projects and business lines can often consume cash for months or even years. But, that has to end and the project or business line needs to start generating cash. The Enrons, MCIs, Adelphia's, Lehman Brothers, et al., in the world were all quite foreseeable if you looked to see whether they were truly spinning off cash. None of them really were, even if their accounting statements said so.
Marketing—It's All About What the Customer Values
Marketing is all about taking off the blinders that your love of your product and/or service has created. Instead, you need to look at the world through the lens of the customer. What is the value of your product and service to the customer?
Yes, your product and service may be the best. And I mean the BEST. Further, it may be a product or service that the customer should need and truly value. But, if the customer does not value it, you have lost. It is quite simple.
Looking at the world through the customer's eyes has stuck with me ever since my then-rookie marketing professor, Pete Fader, gave us a pricing case in the first few months of school. I don't remember the exact details, only the magnitude. We were required to price a spare part used in the oil-drilling industry. Using all the data, the class came up with a variable cost of a few hundred dollars, which most of us then doubled to price at say $500 for a healthy 50–60 percent margin.
As Professor Fader worked through the problem from the perspective of the customer, we all quickly realized that this unique part had a value to the customer in the range of $10,000, with the actual price being somewhere near $4,000. In this case, the value to the customer was far higher than our internally focused radar would suggest.
Strategic Planning—It's All About Being in the Right Market
This one is easy to say, devilishly tricky to do. The fundamental of strategic planning is to be in the right market. That is, to be in a good industry or market niche with growth and healthy profit opportunities. A good market makes your life a whole lot easier and more profitable. As Warren Buffett said so well, "When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact."
Twenty years ago, we had a few fellow grads go into the airline industry. Guess what? Within a few years, all had left. As a business to make money and grow and personally advance, the airline industry stunk back then. And it still stinks today.
Leadership—It's All About the Best Team
As you advance in your career, your capabilities and individual brilliance will only take you so far. Vastly more important will be your ability to lead and unite a diverse team and drive them to success. As Satchel Paige said, "None of us is as smart as all of us."
The teamwork, team activities and team building encountered in business school should resonate. The best answers and the deepest insights come when working with a good and diverse team that includes committed people with a wide background (finance, HR, management, marketing, sales, even the customer), unafraid to share their views and be heard. Alas, many corporations have forgotten this simple premise. Their top management teams are either a team of clones or too cowered by an over-bearing CEO to ever share their true views. The net result is often groupthink and abysmal corporate failures.
International Business—It's All About Understanding the Other Person's Culture
"The world is flat." "The end of history." "English is the global language." Maybe. But, doing business internationally remains all about understanding your Chinese supplier or your Brazilian consumer or your German joint venture partner. I think comedian Dave Barry summarizes well the blinders and distorted view of many Americans in our increasingly international world.
Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages. So, look around your market and get to know the increasing number of international colleagues and customers. Besides the advantage of networking, your new friends will challenge you to think more broadly and see the world through their eyes.
Moving your company forward
As we enter the second quarter, I remain confident 2012 is the year companies that have taken the right steps during the economic downturn can once again begin to soar. To that end, here are six suggestions on how you can make a substantive change in your business.
Bring in fresh blood: Your operations-oriented leaders who have not yet adapted to the sales and marketing world we live in, will never adapt. It is time to change them out and bring in some fresh ideas to re-vitalize the company.
Delete layers: Many companies still need to downsize. Not with their workers or lower-level employees, but in their management structure. If you have leaders managing fewer than five employees, why? It is time to thin out those layers and reduce the over-management and extra programs and initiatives that the managers in these extra layers inevitably call for to justify their existence.
Manage less and lead more: Do you remember the boom time when you might have gotten updates from your best employees only on a weekly basis because there was so much going on? Guess what: Those same employees are still just as good as they were then (if not better). But, they are likely chafing under your daily and constant micro-management and the endless progress review meetings. Trust them once again, and they will perform. Remember, as Peter Drucker said, "So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to work."
Use video more: Video can be a great promotional tool (see the success of YouTube). But, further it is a great operational and management tool. Use Skype or other video services to have internal calls or conference calls. In these video calls, you can see the other party and read their body language to ensure that they understand and agree. This makes the communication more effective (a higher-bandwidth communication) and saves countless dollars and hours in useless internal travel. Use video to conduct screening calls and interviews. Use video in the plant or operations so that management and employees can see exactly what is going on and discover ways to fix it. Think about sports: What high school, college or professional athlete today does not use video and video review to find ways to improve their performance?
Get serious about CRM (Customer Relationship Management Software): If you or any of your sales team is not using CRM such as ACT, SalesForce.com, Constant Contact, etc., then they are just like those dumb-lug hockey players who did not wear helmets for years. Your customers, current and potential, are vital. Thus, understanding their needs and following up with them consistently is fundamental to your company success. Specifically, use your CRM software to set up regular visits with your good customers to thank them for their business and find out what more you can do for them.
Get serious about social media: Social media is not going away. You do not need to go whole hog, but moving forward with social media ensures that you are responsive, progressive and interested in reaching new customers. Some ideas to get started:
- Personalize your website. Show pictures of your team. Show biographies of top management. People want to buy from people and know that you are legitimate.
- Start a blog. With the blog (which you can do as rarely as once a month), tell stories about your companies' successes and victories. Written in a more informal language, the blog stories help your company and brand come alive as opposed to the stale copy on most websites. These blog stories are also accessible to your salespeople and make effective sales tools for them in their customer meetings. Finally, regular blog postings help you with your Google search engine optimization (SEO).
- Set up an e-mail list and create an informative monthly newsletter. Use services such as Aweber to create multiple lists. Get customers, potential customers and influencers to sign up by giving out useful information (it need only be one page) in a monthly newsletter. This creates an easy way to touch all of these stakeholders on a monthly basis and begin to develop a relationship.


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By: Cliff Kincaid | Accuracy in Media
Left-wing Democrat Norman Solomon says fellow Democrats are "more interested in playing to the press gallery than speaking directly to the economic distress of voters in the Rust Belt and elsewhere who handed the presidency" to Donald J. Trump. Democrats should spend some time learning "how they've lost touch with working-class voters," he says.
He is referring to how Democrats are saying what the media want to hear—that Trump was elected because of Vladimir Putin and the Russians. This was the claim first advanced by President Obama's CIA in leaks to The Washington Post and The New York Times.
But this is not just a political dispute involving Democrats failing to understand why they lost to Trump. Solomon says "the emerging incendiary rhetoric against Russia is extremely dangerous" and "could lead to a military confrontation between two countries that each has thousands of nuclear weapons," and which could trigger a "nuclear holocaust."
Solomon, a former Democratic congressional candidate, says that Democrats, by "teaming up with the likes of Republican Senators John McCain (AZ) and Lindsey Graham (SC) to exert bipartisan pressure for escalation," could help "stampede the Trump administration in reckless directions" and provoke Russia into a war.
There is no evidence that the Trump administration could be "stampeded" in that way. Trump has said repeatedly that he is not interested in a confrontation with Russia. What seems to be consuming the attention of the incoming Trump administration are the no-win wars with ISIS and al-Qaeda that Obama will leave behind, and the corruption in the Intelligence Community that has been responsible for claims that the U.S. is winning the war against radical Islam.
Trump's new CIA director, Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS), is a member of the House Intelligence Committee and participated in a congressional joint task force that documented in a report how U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) manipulated intelligence to downplay the threat from ISIS. Three months after Pompeo and his colleagues issued their report, he said that those responsible for downplaying the threat from ISIS had not yet been held accountable.
Pompeo said the manipulation of intelligence resulted from "an administration-wide understanding that bad news from Iraq and Syria was not welcomed." He added, "Claims that ISIS was the 'JV team' and that al-Qaeda was 'on the run' were both a result—and a cause—of the politicization of intelligence at CENTCOM. This intelligence manipulation provided space for both ISIS and al-Qaeda to grow and it put America at risk."
Obama, of course, was responsible for the claims that ISIS was the "JV team" and that al-Qaeda was "on the run." He lied to the American people about progress in the war on terror.
Obama's Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on December 15 that ISIS was "failing" and that "the campaign to defeat the terror group in Iraq and Syria is on track." Five days earlier, Carter had announced that 200 additional American special operations troops would be heading to Syria to liberate Raqqa, ISIS' de facto capital in Syria. That will bring the total number of U.S. troops in Syria to 500.
Obama's war in Syria has never been authorized by Congress.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs magazine has published an article demonstrating that, after a defeat and a loss of territory, "ISIS members don't simply give up their cause or switch their allegiance; they merely change their tactics," reforming into small units conducting insurgency campaigns.
According to the article, these terrorists operate under different flags. The authors cite the case of an ex-Iraqi policeman who fought for al-Qaeda and later emerged under the ISIS banner. It is possible, the authors say, that "insurgent group numbers will only continue to increase, as will their power." The authors say there is little room for optimism that the Baghdad regime being supported by the U.S. will address the sectarian grievances that fuel the conflict.
ISIS has expanded into Afghanistan, where a counterterrorism official says the terrorist group is "present in at least 11 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces."
Reflecting the deteriorating situation, Obama's decision that the U.S. would draw down to 5,500 troops in the country has been changed. Now, approximately 8,400 military personnel will remain at the time that Trump takes office.
Fighting terrorists isn't the only item on the agenda. American sailors deployed in Afghanistan underwent Transgender Policy Training in Kabul on November 24. According to an official press release, sailors were told about the policy that took effect on October 1, whereby they could "begin the process to officially change their gender in the Navy administrative systems following DoD policy and in accordance to the standards delineated."
A website reflecting the views of Christian military officers described the training this way: "The US Navy began teaching its Sailors about women thinking they're men, and vice versa, even as they're deployed in Afghanistan—a nation, incidentally, in which transgenders would probably be tossed in jail or executed."
Not to worry. The official Pentagon spokesman says the Afghanistan mission also remains "on track."
Cliff Kincaid
Cliff Kincaid is the Director of the AIM Center for Investigative Journalism and can be contacted at email@example.com. View the complete archives from Cliff Kincaid.