text:
Cafarella and Genevieve Casagrande with the ISW & CTP Research Teams
Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
produced this product with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats
Project (CTP).
The ISW-CTP team recently released "America's Way Ahead in Syria," which details the flaws in the current U.S. approach in Iraq
and Syria and proposes the first phase of a strategic reset in the Middle East.
The U.S strike against an Assad regime
base in northern Syria on April 6, 2017 opened the door to a reorientation of
American strategy in the Middle East. President Trump's action could reset the
terms of America's confrontation of other hostile states, such as North Korea. President
Trump may be shifting away from a narrow focus on the Islamic State of Iraq and
al Sham (ISIS) as the strategic priority in Syria and toward a new approach. It
remains unclear whether he will take additional action against the Assad regime,
but his statement after the strike appeared to signal an emerging anti-Assad
policy. Responses from major international powers and key regional actors
indicate that these parties perceive the strike represents a possible strategic
inflection rather than an isolated incident. President Trump has the
opportunity to exploit the effects of his limited action to pursue America's strategic
Regional actors responded as if a
wider American reorientation against Assad is possible. Traditional U.S.
partners in the region like Saudi Arabia and Jordan supported the strike.
Turkey also praised the strike and called for additional U.S. action against
the Assad regime. These reactions indicate that the strike created an
opportunity for President Trump to repair America's relationships with
traditional partners, which had begun to reorient toward Russia or to act
unilaterally in dangerous ways in the absence of American leadership. European
states under Russian pressure also supported the strike, indicating that the
U.S. can still shape European policies toward Syria. President Trump may have
an opportunity to leverage European support for counter-Assad measures to
reengage Europe on the need to confront Russia in Syria. Actors deeper within
the Russo-Iranian orbit, including Egypt and Iraq's Shi'a political parties, expressed
The pro-regime axis—Assad, Iran, and
Russia—reacted in different but complementary ways. The Assad regime and Iran
initially responded with caution. Their reactions indicate shared intent to
avoid additional U.S. responses. The Assad regime downplayed the impact of the
strike and resumed normal operations. Iran portrayed the U.S. as a regional
aggressor but did not take military action. Iran's initial reaction reflected a
desire not to provoke the U.S. to escalate against Assad. Iran's proxies also
displayed discipline and did not escalate above previous levels of
anti-American rhetoric. Iran's response indicates that Iran seeks to avoid
drawing the U.S. further into the region. The lack of immediate escalation by
Iran or its proxies does not indicate that Iran will fail to respond if the
U.S. takes additional action against Assad. Iran will undertake a sophisticated
and possibly offensive strategy against U.S. interests and personnel in theater
if it perceives further U.S. action against Assad is likely. Iran will also attempt
to develop a joint response with Russia.
Russia's initial response was
reactionary. Russia focused first on repairing Vladimir Putin's strongman image
and the perception of the strength of Russian aerial defensive capabilities by
condemning the strike and undertaking a show of force. Russia deployed a
missile frigate to the Mediterranean Sea, conducted massive domestic military
exercises, halted use of the aerial deconfliction mechanism with the U.S. in
Syria, and stated it would bolster the Assad regime's air defenses to deter
further U.S. action. Russia later stated that it will speed up development of
the S-500 system for domestic air defense. Russia shifted its narrative
approach after 24 hours to cast President Trump as reckless. Russian rhetoric
and propaganda portrayed the U.S. as an irresponsible aggressor in an effort to
deny popular support for further U.S. intervention in Syria.
Pro-Regime Axis
Assad regime
- 07 APR: Syrian Information Minister Mohammad Tourjman stated that the strike had been "expected" and "limited in time and scope" while downplaying the possibility of "any military escalation" by Syria and Russia. Tourjman alleged that the strikes aimed to "support terrorist organizations" after their "heavy losses" at the hands of pro-regime forces. Tourjman claimed that the affected airbase was a "specialized base in the fight against terrorism." (Reuters, Hurriyet, SANA)
- 07 APR: The Syrian Presidency Office condemned the strikes as an "unjust and arrogant aggression" against a "sovereign state" and accused the U.S. of "attempting to dominate the world" through "reckless and irresponsible acts." The statement vowed to "increase the pace of operations" against "terrorist agents" in Syria. (SANA)
- 07 APR: The Syrian Arab Army General Command accused the U.S. of conducting a "blatant act of aggression" that undermines operations against terrorism. The statement accused the U.S. of acting as a "partner" to ISIS and al Qaeda in Syria and "sending wrong messages" that will "embolden [terrorists]...to use chemical weapons in the future." The statement noted that the military will respond by "continuing its national duty" to "beat terrorism" and "restore security and stability to the entire territory" of Syria. (SANA, YouTube)
- 07 APR: Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stated that the strikes represented "aggression as defined by international law" that aimed to undermine the Syrian Arab Army. Mekdad noted that the strikes came after the "failure of the recent aggression" by Israel on Syria, stressing that the "two aggressions cannot be separated from each other." Mekdad condemned the "fallen and unreliable opposition" for "fabricating allegations" against the regime rather than participating in the Geneva and Astana Talks. Mekdad stated that the U.S. remains committed to "supporting the terrorists" in order to weaken Syria against Israel and warned that countries backing the opposition will "all pay a heavy price" from the "terrorist attacks [that] will target them next." (SANA)
- 07 APR: Syrian Presidential Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban claimed that the strikes came under "false pretenses" to "rescue terrorists" and "undermine powers which fight terrorism" after gains by pro-regime forces. Shaaban accused the U.S. of conducting an "aggressive act without enough evidence" and noted that Israel is a "major beneficiary" of the conflict. Shaaban stated that Syria will support Russia at the UN Security Council to "condemn the U.S. aggression on a sovereign state." (SANA)
- 08 APR: Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis stated that the strikes represented "blatant support to terrorism" and emphasized that the incident will "increase [our] determination to confront the terrorist war." (SANA)
- 07 APR: Russia called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to the U.S. strike. Russian deputy U.N. envoy Vladimir Safronkov stated that the U.S. strike on Shayrat was "illegitimate" and warned that it could have "extremely serious" consequences. (Reuters, Kremlin, UNSC)
- 07 APR: Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of the air deconfliction mechanism with the U.S. in Syria. (The Hill, Zaman al Wasl, AP, AFP)
- 07 APR: The Kremlin condemned the strike as "aggression against a sovereign state" that violated international norms under "far-fetched pretexts" of a chemical weapons attack. The statement warned that the strike "inflicted considerable damage" to bilateral relations between the U.S. and Russia. (AP, Reuters, Reuters, AFP)
- 07 APR: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned that the strikes had come "one step away from military clashes" with Russia. (AP, Reuters, Reuters, AFP)
- 07 APR: Russian Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Konstantin Kosachev stated that the strikes "put to rest without even being born" any possible counter-terrorism cooperation between the U.S. and Russia. (AP, Reuters, Reuters, AFP)
- 07 APR: Russian Defense Ministry Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov stated that Russia will take a "complex of measures "to strengthen air defenses and "protect the most sensitive infrastructure" in Syria. (AP, Reuters, Reuters, AFP)
- 07 APR: Russian military holds a combined arms drill for the Eastern Military District that includes the participation of four combat aviation groups from the Southern military district. (RG.RU)
- 07 APR: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the redeployment of the Admiral Grigorovich from the Black Sea to Tartous, Syria. (Newsweek)
- 07 APR: Russia opens a branch of its International Mine Action Center in Homs Province. (Sputnik)
- 08 APR: Commander of the Russian Aerospace Force Col. Viktor Bondarev announced that the Russian S-500 air defense system will be put in service "in the near future." (Sputnik)
- 07-08 APR: Russian officials alleged that the U.S. strike against the Assad regime benefitted ISIS, leaving pro-regime forces without air support during ISIS ground operations in the area. (RT, Tsargrad.tv, UNSC)
- 08 APR: The Russian Foreign Ministry alleged that the U.S. is using direct military action against Assad in order to "divert attention" from recent civilian casualties from U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in Mosul, Iraq. (Sputnik)
- 08 APR: A pro-regime airstrike targeted the town of Khan Shaykhoun in southern Idlib, the site of the chemical weapons attack, killing one woman. (SOHR, Chicago Tribune)
- 07 APR: Head of Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi called the U.S. airstrikes on Syria a "conspiracy" because "everyone in the world knows that the Syrian government… has handed over all its chemical weapons." Boroujerdi said that the airstrikes demonstrate the "defeat" of U.S. policies in the Middle East. Boroujerdi stressed that the airstrikes' "consequences will not be good for America." Boroujerdi said that Trump's decision to launch the airstrikes is contrary to his promises during his campaign and thus "shows Trump's decline." Boroujerdi stated that Iran's response to the airstrikes will occur "according to [Iran's] cooperation with Russia, Iraq, and Syria." Boroujerdi stated, "Undoubtedly, America's ill-advised action will be followed by serious consequences, because Russia and Iran will not sit quietly in the face of acts which are contrary to the region's interests." Boroujerdi also noted that a country usually chooses to use chemical weapons when its armies are failing in war, and stated that "the Syrian army is in its best position right now. Aleppo has been liberated and other areas are also being liberated. (IRNA, Shafaqna, Asr Iran)
- 07 APR: Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that just as the U.S. resorted "to military force" in its invasion of Iraq in 2003 "over bogus [chemical weapons] allegations," so it is resorting to military force "over bogus [chemical weapons] allegations" in its airstrikes in Syria. Zarif claimed that "Not even two decades" after the September 11 attacks, the U.S. military is "fighting on the same side" as al Qaeda and ISIS in Yemen and Syria. (ISNA, IRNA)
- 07 APR: Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi stated that "Iran condemns any use of chemical weapons, regardless of the perpetrators and the victims." Ghassemi indicated that the U.S. used the "suspicious chemical attack" as an "excuse" to launch the airstrikes. Ghassemi stressed that America's "use of a chemical attack in Syria" as "pretext for unilateral action is dangerous, destructive," and in "violation of peremptory principles of international laws." Ghassemi stated America's actions will "reinforce declining terrorists and add to the complexity of the situation in Syria." (CNN, Fars News Agency, Fars News Agency)
- 07 APR: Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the international affairs advisor to Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, stated that the U.S. airstrikes prove "that the fight" against ISIS is "still" not America's "priority." Larijani called the airstrikes "hasty," contrary to international law, and "to the detriment of regional and global security." He stressed that the U.S. is ignoring international endeavors to resolve the Syrian crisis politically. (Tasnim News Agency)
- 07 APR: Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani stated that the U.S. launched the airstrikes in order to conceal its "support for the terrorists." Emami Kashani reiterated the regime's statement that the U.S. helped create terrorist groups in the region. He also stated that the allegation that the Assad regime was responsible for the chemical weapons attack is a "lie." (Fars News Agency, IRNA)
Iranian Axis Parties
- 07 APR: The al Houthi movement in Yemen backed Syria's Assad regime. Al Houthi-Saleh Prime Minister Abdul Aziz bin Habtour condemned the U.S. cruise missiles strikes in Syria as a "blatant violation of a sister Arab state's autonomy" and a violation of international law. Bin Habtour expressed support for the Iranian and Russian governments for their condemnation of the attacks. Bin Habtour also stated that he is not surprised by Arab states expressing their support for their attack, as they are also "official sponsors of the Sunni extremist terrorist groups that kill the Syrian people." The Political Council of Ansar Allah (al Houthi political union) issued a formal statement mirroring bin Habtour's and added that it supports "any steps to respond to the American aggression" taken by Syria. (Saba)
- 07 APR: Iranian proxy militia Harakat al Nujaba spokesperson Hashim al Mousawi stated that the U.S. airstrike "does not change the rules of engagement and our position does not change (regarding) the direction of the war in Syria." Nujaba blamed the chemical weapons attack on the U.S. as an attempt to save "terrorist gangs." He added that the airstrike was in response to the shooting down of an Israeli aircraft targeting Syrian air defenses. (Facebook)
- 07 APR: A statement by the political bureau of the Badr Organization reported that the U.S. strike against the Syrian Government was based off on "flimsy" pretenses. The statement continued, condemning the "brutal attack" calling it "a serious turning point in the Syrian crisis" and stressing the concern of international and Arab communities that the attacks will "constitute an opportunity to strengthen terrorist groups in the area." The Badr Organization reiterated that the "Syrian people alone have the right to self-determination and to choose their system of government with full freedom and sovereignty" and called on the international community to use diplomacy to resolve the Syrian crisis and assist only in counter-terrorism matters. (al Ghadeer)
- 07 APR: Media Spokesman for the Badr Organization Jaafar al Quraishi stated that Syria is fighting terrorism and that the U.S. strike on a Syrian airbase was the "wrong target" and the U.S. did not "act correctly with targeting Syrian and Russian forces at the Shayrat airbase." (RUDAW)
Regional Actors Balancing U.S and Russo-Iranian Coalitions
- 07 APR: Turkish President Erdogan stated Turkey's support of U.S. missile strikes as a "positive concrete step" but "not enough" against the Assad regime's war crimes. Recent developments have once again proved how accurate Turkey's efforts to create safe-haven protected areas in Syria are. (TCCB)
- 07 APR: Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed full support of U.S. steps to hold the Syrian regime accountable and also stated Turkey would continue to advance a political solution process in Syria. (MFA)
- 07 APR: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu advocated to oust the Syrian regime. (Reuters)
- 08 APR: Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara sees the U.S. intervention in Syria as appropriate but not enough. Cavusoglu stated "If this intervention is limited only to an air base, if it does not continue and if we don't remove the regime from heading Syria, then this would remain a cosmetic intervention." (Washington Post)
- 07 APR: The Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement calling Russia and the U.S. to contain the Syrian conflict and achieve a comprehensive and final solution to the Syrian crisis, and to act on the basis of international legitimacy decisions. The statement also called for sparing Syria and the Middle East the risk of an escalation of the crisis, in order to preserve the lives of the Syrian people, through the commitment of all Syrian parties to immediately cease fire, and return to the negotiating table under the auspices of the UN. The ministry stated that Egypt is following with deep concern the repercussions of the Khan Shaykhoun crisis. (Al Arabiya)
- 07 APR: State of Law member Firdaus al Awadi stated that the strike "will negatively affect the progress of fighting in Iraq" and that the chemical weapons attack was the pretext to "change the equation in the Middle East," weakening Russia and returning to a unipolar world. Awadi stated that the U.S. could not abandon ISIS, which was a pretext for the U.S. to re-occupy the Middle East. Awadi stated that the U.S. would try to restore its military presence in Iraq and work to build permanent bases. (Almirbad)
- 07 APR: National Alliance leader Ammar al Hakim expressed "deep concern" over the U.S. strikes on a Syrian air base in Homs. Hakim called for "calm dialogue and a political solution," stating that "the region cannot tolerate further conflicts and escalation, as it would only serve ISIS's interests." Hakim called for "a scientific, neutral, transparent investigation into the chemical weapons attack in Khan Shaykhoun." (All Iraq News)
- 07 APR: Kadhimiyah-based pro-Sadr cleric Ayatollah Jawad al Khalisi stated the need for a "comprehensive resistance" in the region against "American aggression" after the U.S. strike against the Syrian government as it "represents the beginning of a dangerous phase," noting that the strike occurred near the anniversary of the "aggression against Iraq." Khalisi denounced the strikes adding that they would only "escalate the confrontation." (NRTTV)
- 08 APR: Sadrist Trend leader Muqtada al Sadr stated that it was fair for Syrian President Bashar al Assad to resign to save Syria from the "scourge of war and domination by terrorists." He called the airstrike harmful to the international community. He "did not rule out" that the decision to strike Syria was pretext to "expand" and warned that the U.S. is a sponsor of terrorism. He also warned that the strike could draw the region into conflict, as Syria has become a "crucible of abhorrent political conflict." Sadr stated that the U.S. should instead support dialogue if it wants to be a sponsor of peace and to be impartial to any side in conflicts, including in the Palestinian territories, Burma, and Bahrain. Sadr stated that "everyone knows" that U.S. military intervention was not feasible and not useful, noting how the U.S. decision to launch strikes in Iraq did not stop terrorism from proliferating in Iraq. Sadr called on all actors, including the U.S. and Russia, to withdraw from Syria and allow Syrians the right to determine their own future. (All Iraq News)
- 08 APR: Prime Minister Abadi received a telephone call from Vice President Mike Pence to discuss Mosul operations and the security situation in the region. PM Abadi stressed the importance of focusing on fighting ISIS. PM Abadi condemned the use of chemical weapons and condemned "any party" that used them. He stressed the need to form a comprehensive plan to solve the crisis in Syria and to unite efforts to defeat ISIS. (All Iraq News)
Kurdish Factions
- Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
- 07 APR: The KRG Council of Ministers condemned the Chemical Weapons attack in Khan Shaykhoun and released a statement saying they hoped the U.S. missile attack on a Syrian airfield would become a reason to end such "crimes." The KRG called on the international community to seriously work to find primary solutions to the conflict in the Middle East. (NRTTV)
- Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
- 07 APR: KDP leader and former Iraqi finance minister, Hoshyar Zebari, stated that the U.S. strikes on the Syrian air base in Homs is "good news." Zebari added that "the strikes punished those who carried out the chemical attack [in Khan Shaykhoun]." (Shafaaq)
- Kurdish National Council (KNC)
- 07 APR: Representative of ENKS in Kurdistan Region of Iraq Khaled Ali stated that this event pleases not only the Kurds, but also the whole Syrian community. (Kurdistan 24)
- Democratic Union Party (PYD)
- 07 APR: Co-Chair of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) Salih Muslim stated, "We (PYD) believe this attack has a positive effect on the situation on the ground.... We hope [the attack] will force the actors involved to accept a political solution grounded in reality because peace is better than war." (Dengea)
- Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
- 07 APR: The SDF did not release an official statement on 07 APR 17.
Regional Actors Expressing Full Support for U.S.
Saudi Arabia
- 07 APR: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its strong support for U.S. military operations carried out against military targets in Syria. (SPA)
- 07 APR: Prime Minister Netanyahu announced his full support for President Trump's decision to strike the Syrian regime's base in Homs, noting that the use of chemical weapons will not be tolerated. (MFA)
- 07 APR: Israel's President Reuven Rivlin stated the U.S. serves as an example for the free world, which "must support any step required to bring atrocities in Syria to an end." (Official statement)
- 07 APR: Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani stated that Jordan considers the U.S. strikes "a necessary and appropriate response to the non-stop targeting of innocent civilians" with Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs). (CNN)
- 07 APR: Internationally recognized Yemeni President Abdu Rabbu Mansou Hadi expressed his full support for U.S. military operations in Syria in response to the Khan Shaykhoun chemical weapons attack. Hadi stated, "The U.S. strike is a necessary step to prevent the use of prohibited weapons against innocent civilians." (Saba News)
- 07 APR: The Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed support for U.S. military operations against military targets in Syria and praised President Trump. It called on "efforts by all to maintain a ceasefire and arrange for negotiations that will lead to a comprehensive political settlement, on the basis of the 2012 Geneva 1 Conference." (BNA)
- 07 APR: The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its strong support for U.S. military operations carried out against military targets in Syria. (MOFA)
- 07 APR: The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry expressed support for the U.S. strike in Syria and denounced the use of chemical weapons. (KUNA)
- 08 APR: The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed support for U.S. military operations carried out against military targets in Syria. (All4Syria)
Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Syria
- 07 APR: The Syrian FSA issued a statement welcoming the U.S. strikes against the Syrian air base in Homs, stating that "it is step in the right direction for the international community to assume its moral responsibility to help Syrian civilians." The statement added that the strikes do not hinder counter-terrorism efforts, as "fighting the regime and sectarian militias is a big part of the counter-terrorism effort." Moreover, the statement claimed that "the strikes are the first step towards a political settlement" and called on the U.S. and its allies to adopt a "clear position." The statement further added that holding Assad and his accomplices accountable "can only be achieved by applying military pressure alongside political pressure." The statement stressed that "military operations against the regime must continue." (Twitter)
Salafi-Jihadist Groups
Al Qaeda
- 07 APR: Al Qaeda ideologue Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi stated the U.S. strikes are "but a feather compared to" U.S. strikes on Muslim lands. He further condemned praising the strikes as akin to praising "a professional killer." (Twitter)
- 07 APR: Several pro-al Qaeda Telegram accounts issued anti-American statements warning supporters that the U.S. is still an enemy of Muslims. Pro-al Qaeda Telegram accounts are also claiming that the U.S. coordinated the attack with Russia and Syria to ensure there were minimal casualties. (SITE)
- 07 APR: Failed to make a statement on 07 APR 17.
Western Europe
- 07 APR: European Council President Donald Tusk welcomed the move and said the EU will "work with the U.S. to end brutality in Syria." (Telegraph)
- 07 APR: A spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister's Office released the following statement: "Overnight, the U.S. has taken military action against the Syrian regime, targeting the airfield in Shayrat which was used to launch the chemical weapons attack earlier this week. The UK Government fully supports the U.S. action, which we believe was an appropriate response to the barbaric chemical weapons attack launched by the Syrian regime, and is intended to deter further attacks." (Telegraph)
- 08 APR: UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson denounced Russia's "continued [defense]" of the Assad Regime and expressed support for a political settlement in Syria. Johnson cancelled a trip to Moscow planned for Monday 10 APR following the chemical attack in Syria. (BBC)
France and Germany
- 07 APR: France and Germany issued a joint statement denouncing Syrian President Assad for the use of chemical weapons and stated they would work with the UN to hold Assad responsible for his crimes. (Telegraph)
- 07 APR: All three major French presidential candidates condemned the U.S. missile strike and did not implicate Assad in the chemical weapons attack. (Lejdd)
- 07 APR: Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher and Foreign Minister Bert Koenders stated the attack should be seen as "warning against future chemical warfare." (Dutch News)
- 07 APR: Denmark's Foreign Minister Ander Samuelsen stated, "I support the American attack 100 percent. It is a response to a clear violation of all international rules, namely the use of chemical weapons." (The Local)
Eastern Europe
- 07 APR: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called VP Pence to express support for U.S. actions to prevent President Assad's crimes against the Syrian people. (Twitter)
- 07 APR: The Polish government supports the U.S. air strike in Syria according to a Polish cabinet spokesman. (Reuters)
- 07 APR: The Slovenian Foreign Ministry expressed understanding for the U.S. strike in Syria, stating it considers the strike a "deterrent against potential new chemical attacks." (Sta)
- 07 APR: Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics stated the U.S. strike in Syria was an "adequate response" to the chemical attack in Syria. (Baltic Times)
- 07 APR: Estonian Minster of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser stated the U.S. strike in Syria was "appropriate and necessary." (News EER)
- 07 APR: Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström released the following statement: "It is unclear whether the missile attack last night is the new American policy. It is important that there is also an international legal basis for action. Last night's missile attack also raises questions about how this could be compatible with international law. The issue must therefore return to the security council, which must take responsibility to reach a lasting political solution. There is already too much military power in Syria. It is high time that the Syrian people get to decide their own future." (The Local)
- 07 APR: Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite released the following statement: "The whole world, except for Russia and the Assad regime (…), view this as a war crime and a crime against humanity, therefore, a response is necessary. The response was directly demonstrated by the United States." (Baltic Times)
Southern Europe
- 07 APR: Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano released the following statement: "Italy understands the reasons for a U.S. military action, proportionate and well-timed, as a response to an unacceptable feeling of impunity, and as a deterrence signal against the risk of further use of chemical weapons by Assad." (CNN)
- 07 APR: The Spanish government released a statement calling U.S. action against Assad "a measured and proportionate response" to the regime's use of chemical weapons. (CNN)
- 07 APR: Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva expressed understanding for the U.S. strike in Syria, but did not implicate the Assad Regime in the chemical weapons attack. (Portugal Resident)
- 07 APR: Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci announced his full support of President's Trump action against "Assad's murderous regime," stating that Assad must "face justice" and the Syrian people "must be liberated." (Twitter)
U.S. partners outside the Middle East and Europe
- 07 APR: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated his support of the U.S. strike against the Assad regime. (Telegraph)
- 07 APR: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, "Canada fully supports the United States' limited and focused action to degrade the Assad regime's ability to launch chemical weapons attacks." (Official Announcement)
Russian Partners outside Middle East
- 07 APR: The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "China always opposes the use of force in international affairs and we advocate resolving disputes peacefully through dialogues... We always hold that the Syrian issue should be resolved through political means." (CNN)
- 07 APR: Bolivia requested an emergency, closed session of the UNSC. Bolivia condemned the strikes during the UNSC meeting. (Twitter, Fox News)
Other Actors
North Korea
- 08 APR: North Korea Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S. airstrike "a clear and unforgivable act of aggression against a sovereign state," adding that "the reality of today proves our decision to strengthen our military power to stand against force with force was the right choice a million times over." (Reuters)


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Thereby, with a User CAL for SQL Server 2019, access to SQL Server 2017 or an older version is also possible (downgrade). However, the reverse scenario of using a User CAL of an older SQL Server version such as 2017 to access a higher SQL Server version such as 2019 (upgrade) is not possible.
Why is CAL-based usage available for SQL Server 2019 Standard edition?
Only for the Standard-Edition of SQL Server 2019, Microsoft also offers CAL-based licensing for users (or endpoints). This allows even those users to use the SQL Server features whose server has a lower performance, as is the case, for example, especially in SMBs, where this is quite sufficient. Licensing with access-based licenses for users is a more economical way for such companies to use SQL Server, since they only have to buy exactly as many user client access licenses as they actually need. The Microsoft licensing model offers two different types of CALs for SQL Server 2019 use:
- SQL Server 2019 User CAL: this equips a dedicated user with access rights
- SQL Server 2019 Device CAL: this gives access rights to a dedicated end device (PC, laptop, tablet, mobile)
What are the special features of licensing with User CALs for SQL Server 2019?
The User Client Access License is a single license that gives specific users access rights to SQL Server 2019. In this case, it is not possible to change the user specified first afterwards, nor to change the type of assignment. These restrictions provide greater security and prevent misuse of the CALs, so that, for example, no unauthorized employees or strangers can access business-critical data of a company.
What are the benefits of the User CAL for SQL Server 2019?
The User License for SQL Server 2019 is not tied to a specific end device, but exclusively to a specific person. Thus, the User CAL for SQL Server 2019 only registers a single user by name. It thus grants this user the right to access the SQL Server, whereby the choice of the end device via which access takes place in each case is free, but this can only ever happen from a single PC or similar at the same time.
Compared to the other client access license version, the device-dependent CAL, the User CAL therefore has the advantage that the use is not locally bound. As long as the end device used by the licensed user has access to the Internet, the user can access the SQL Server not only within the company, e.g. at the workplace, but also outside - e.g. with a laptop, tablet or smartphone - on the train, on a business trip or at homeOffice.
The User CAL for SQL Server therefore offers flexible and mobile use of SQL Server functions, especially for users who frequently work from different locations and regularly connect to the server, because with the User CAL they always use their personal account.
Which type of CALs for SQL Server 2019 offers more benefits in a particular organization may differ on a case-by-case basis. The decision for the right client access licensing must be made before the purchase, because a SQL Server User CAL cannot be changed into a Device CAL or vice versa.
It is not only based on the number of employees, but also on the predominant type of use of the end devices: If the majority of employees regularly use different computers, not only internally but also externally as well as mobile or at different workstations to access SQL Server, equipping them with User CALs offers more advantages.
Buy User CALs for Microsoft SQL Server 2019 starting from a single license in the Wiresoft Online Shop
User CALs for SQL Server 2019 are available in the Wiresoft Online Shop for as little as one single license - as used software, they offer a significantly lower price, whereby the used condition offers no disadvantages in terms of usability.
What are User CALs for SQL Server 2019 as used software?
The User CALs for SQL Server 2019 offered in Wiresoft's online shop are regular access licenses from the Microsoft licensing program; as part of a volume license for users of SQL Server 2019, they were first purchased by a company that resold the unneeded user access licenses or the entire volume license to Wiresoft. The volume license was broken down into individual licenses and the User CALs were marked as used software. However, this does not imply any general wear and tear of the SQL Server User CAL software, nor any other restriction with regard to its functionality or time limitation.
What security do User CALs for SQL Server 2019 offer as used software?
Buying used SQL Server User CALs from Wiresoft is not only affordable for our customers, but also secure! Not only do you get the Single User CAL for Microsoft SQL Server 2019 at a lower price than comparable new software, but you also have buyer security with the instant download plus license activation with the included volume license key:
All User CALs for SQL Server 2019 offered at Wiresoft come from the license inventory of companies located in the European Union. For you as a customer, the purchase of a User CAL for SQL Server 2019 - or any other Microsoft client access license offered at Wiresoft as used software - as well as its use means legal security, because it does not violate any valid regulations, which has also been clearly confirmed again and again by various court rulings. Due to the complete proof of the purchaser, used software from Wiresoft is also audit-proof!
Your advantages with used software from User CALs for SQL Server 2019
Wiresoft's offer of User CALs for SQL Server 2019 or other client access licenses as used software is not only a mostly low-priced alternative to comparable commercially available offers, but also offers our customers free choice in purchasing the exact number of User CALs needed to license the services for SQL Server, which lowers the cost of licensing.
With the wide range of CALs as Used Software in Wiresoft's online store, you also have the option to purchase Device CALs for SQL Server 2019 as well as Access Licenses for older or newer versions of MS SQL Server in addition to User CALs. By purchasing CALs for older SQL Server versions, you avoid the need to purchase new hardware or frequent compatibility problems. Benefit from the wide range of used software of different CAL versions for SQL Server at Wiresoft!
In the Wiresoft Software Shop you will find User and Device CALs for SQL Server 2019 as well as other Microsoft client access licenses or server programs - at low prices as used software incl. immediate download and activation. If you have any questions about User CALs for SQL Server 2019 or any other Microsoft product, please contact us via chat, email or phone.

subset: commoncrawl


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Teach a man how to bet on sports, it is quite simple. On the Internet there is a large variety of data, statistics, sports news and other materials that today's customers to make the job easier. But teach a man of good betting psychology is much harder. To become a successful punters, you have to overcome many cognitive biases that shade the correct judgment. With this we can help you in a series of articles on Psychology betting.
In this article (and many others), we will focus on the concept, the existence of which many bettors does not work. This is the psychology of gambling. To be more precise – we look at human nature and the role it plays in our mentality decisions. Cognitive psychology is concerned with this issue for a long time. Many bettors needlessly losing their money because they are victims of their own psychology. Therefore, we will try to explain various concepts simple form and through examples so that you understand everything and then used the newly acquired information to enable you to become more successful punters.
What is tapered framing?
Effect framing or narrow framing (sometimes uses the term "tunnel vision," which does not reflect the essence of the phenomenon but not exactly) is that we see things the way they look on the outside, instead of what they really are. A little morbid example: If you come to the murder scene and you see someone standing over the victim with a knife, you'll very likely to think that the person is a murderer. Yes, it's possible, but it is equally possible that you do not jump to conclusions.
Narrowed framing betting
This psychological phenomenon is often reflected in deciding which team to bet. If, for example, will play Manchester United against Chelsea and MU will have several key players injured, many bettors would immediately sided with Chelsea. Let's say that he would miss Van Persie, Nani and Vidic. Bookmakers under this actually adapts courses, but Chelsea is still an outsider. At the same time there are that MU is a better rate than it would under normal circumstances. Many bettors would but let subconsciously influence of the "magical" buzzword injury and would bet on Chelsea. And doing it without any further analysis. This bet would make sense, for example, if the course was really great at Chelsea and would thus betting opportunity offered great value, however, and usually get a good rate. Bookmakers courses created by the situation and just really rarely make a big mistake that can take advantage of punters.
This situation clearly falls under the effect of framing. If you perform the analysis, you would see that the players who will start for the injured trio, also have quality and MU is thus still very strong team. There are random example. Rooney, Valencia and Evans. These three players would fit into the starting lineup vast majority of teams in the world. The team thus is not particularly weakened.
As I always repeat, is betting on collecting small advantages. Yes, Manchester United lost some firepower, but alternates are of such quality that the difference is quite minimal. There are plenty of such situations, so true that you should make decisions based on sound analysis, not by intuition, subconscious, etc …


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App Engine apps can use third-party companies to send email, SMS messages, or make and receive phone calls. For example, you might send email to confirm business transactions, confirm the creation of user accounts, or send marketing communications.
This page lists some examples of companies that provide communication services and client libraries for App Engine apps.
Mailgun provides both RESTful APIs and client libraries for sending email, along with a free quota for all users. See the monthly pricing calculator on the sign up page for pricing on additional messages and volume discounts.
Learn more about Mailgun:
Mailjet is a global email service that offers a free quota for App Engine users. To take advantage of this offer, click the following link to Create a Mailjet account.
Learn more about Mailjet:
You can use SendGrid to power your emails on App Engine. SendGrid can improve your deliverability and provide transparency into what actually happens to those emails your app sends. You can see statistics on opens, clicks, unsubscribes, spam reports and more with the SendGrid interface or its API.
App Engine customers can take advantage of a free quota by signing up for the SendGrid Email API plan through the Google Cloud console. Note that Google is compensated for customers who sign up for a paid account.
Learn more about SendGrid:
SMS and Voice Services via Twilio
You can use Twilio to embed voice, VoIP, and messaging into applications. The Twilio platform consists of the Twilio Markup Language (TwiML), a RESTful API, and VoIP SDKs for web browsers, Android, and iOS.
Learn more about Twilio:
Adding client libraries and third-party API keys to your app
To make client libraries available in your App Engine development and deployment environments, specify the library as a dependency. For example, to specify dependencies for the Node.js runtime, see here.
Most third party services use API keys to authenticate your app. You generate the keys on the third-party's site. To use those keys in your app, we recommend you do the following:
Add the key to the environment variables section in your app's
file.For example:
env_variables: EMAIL_API_KEY: key-from-third-party
If you are using the Node.js runtime, add the key to the configururation variables in your app's environment variables section in your app's
file.In your app's code, retrieve the key from your environment variables.
For example, if you are using the Python runtime:
EMAIL_API_KEY = os.environ['EMAIL_API_KEY']
Pass the key as required by the third party's API.
Note that anyone with access to your app.yaml
will also have access to your
API keys. If you can't store app.yaml
in a secure location, we recommend you
store the API keys in a secure location such as
Firestore in Datastore mode (Datastore) and retrieve
the keys at runtime, or keep the keys in your code but encrypt them with a
keystore, such as Cloud Key Management Service. To learn about the advantages of each
approach, see Choosing a secret management


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Custom Printed Head SH Deadpool Round Eyes
FireStar Custom Printed Minifigure Head SH Deadpool Round Eyes Red
This design has been created by our very own LEGO loving print team at the FireStar Toys print studio. The design is directly printed on to the LEGO head for a perfect and play resistant finish, no horrible stickers or vinyl, just pure printed awesomeness.
Enhance your minifigures with our Custom Printed Minifigure Heads with a great range of designs to help bring your minifigures to life!


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Showing all 2 results
Napoleon PRO Spatula
The Napoleon PRO series stainless steel spatula with oversized head for firm control is great for large meats and deliate foods.
Napoleon Triple-Row Grill Brush
This Triple-Row Grill Brush with Stainless Steel Bristles is ideal for removing stuck-on residue from stainless steel or cast-iron cooking grids after grilling delicious barbecued meals. The curved handle design provides added leverage while cleaning, and the extra-wide grid scraper helps to power off particularly stubborn spots. The vertical orientation of brush rows goes in between grids to provide an easier and better clean. The convenient hook means this grill brush is always within reach.


text: The KryptoFlex 1218 Combo Cable is a 12mm braided steel cable to be used in low-crime areas or as a secondary security measure. With an integrated, four-digit resettable combination lock that features indexed number dials to provide error-free combination setting, lock up and release are a snap. During transit, the Hook-n-Loop strap supports the cable while the Transit Flex Frame Bracket provides plenty of tool-free mounting options. The KryptoFlex 1218 Combo Cable is 1/2-inch x 6-feet.


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Little Italy Homes for Sale
Updated Real Estate Listings in Little Italy
Included below are homes for sale and real estate in Little Italy, NE.
If you would like more information on any of these Little Italy real estate listings, just click on a property to access the full details. From there, you can request more information or schedule a tour. And we'd be happy to provide you with disclosures, past sales history, dates and prices of properties which have recently sold nearby, and more, so just let us know how we can help!
And, for your convenience, feel free to register for a free account to receive email alerts whenever new Omaha listings come on the market that match your specific criteria.
Little Italy Homes for Sale July 23, 2024
Avg. DOM
Avg. $ / Sq.Ft.
Med. List Price
1 Property
This data is from various Participants of the Great Plains REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service Inc Internet Data Exchange; is for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing; the listing broker is listed on each listing; the information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, and is copyrighted ©2024 Great Plains REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.
All Omaha Neighborhoods
- Aksarben Village
- Aksarben/Elmwood Park
- Applewood
- Armbrust Acres
- Baker Place
- Barrington Park
- Bemis Park
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- Boys Town
- Briar Hills
- Bridlewood
- Brookhaven
- Burlington Road
- Burnt District
- Chalco
- Conestoga Place
- Country Club
- Dahlman
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- First National Business Park
- Florence
- Florence
- Fountain Hills
- Gifford Park
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- Greenfields
- Hanscom Park
- Happy Hollow
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- Hillsborough
- Indian Hills Village
- Irvington
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- Leavenworth
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- Linden Park-Lindenwood
- Little Bohemia
- Little Italy
- Maple Village
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- Miller Park
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- Old Market Historic District
- Omaha View
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- Sporting District
- Spring Lake
- Squatters Row
- Sunny Slope
- Trendwood
- Valley
- Walnut Hill
- Waterloo
- Wedgewood
- Westgate
- Windridge Hills


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Sunday, July 4, 2010
Smacksy Sunday Links
Regretsy creator, pending bride, and all around awesome gal, April Winchell has a new column on Brides.com. It doesn't matter whether or not you are a bride, it is fantastic reading. Adore.
Catalog Living describes itself as, "A look into the exciting lives of the people who live in your catalogs." I describe it as the delightful site that will never again allow me to read a catalog without an urban-angst-make-believe-inner-dialogue. (I mean, in addition to the one that already exists on an endless loop in my brain.)
5 comments:
You rock as a firecracker!
Just yesterday I read an article by April Winchell about kids and restaurants. As someone in hospitality, her words rang very true. Also as someone who works in a hotel where we do about 150 weddings a year - this article really hit home as well!
Catalog Living? HYSTERICAL! I'm so forwarding that to everyone I know. (Star Wars holiday special, not so much. Hope Bob gets through his Storm Trooper fear quickly!)I am a new reader to your blog - through sutterink of all places- and between your charming and hysterically funny posts, and your sunday links, virtually no work has gotten done at my house in the last two weeks.
Can you recommend a blog that is a 12-step program for blog addiction?
Regretsy has had me laughing all morning, WITH the Winchell - Mahoney Time theme-song looping in my head. The McCullough biography of Adams, I had intended to read on this fourth of July is being used to keep my laptop from making my thighs too hot. What a fine tribute to one of our BFFs - Best Founding Fathers!


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Shree Swaminarayan Temple - Vadtal
Vadtal, Nadiyad, Kheda, Vadtal, 387375, India
[email protected]
About Vadtal Temple
The town of Vadtal is also known as Vadtal Swaminarayan. The temple here is in the shape of a lotus, with nine domes in the inner temple. The land for this shrine was donated by Joban Pagi, a dacoit converted into a devotee by Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan. The temple was constructed under the supervision of S.G. Brahmanand Swami.
Devotees from Vadtal had gone to Shreeji Maharaj on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi to meet him in Gadhada. On the next day, the twelfth day of the bright half of Jyestha, they requested Shree Swaminarayan to construct a Shri Krishna Mandir in Vadtal. Shreeji Maharaj commanded his disciple Brahmanand Swami to temporarily leave the construction of the Muli temple and proceed with a team of saints to plan and supervise the construction of a temple. The construction of this temple was completed within 15 months and the idols of Laxminarayan Dev were installed by Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan himself on the 3rd of November 1824, amidst chants of vedic hymns and devotional fervour of the installation ceremony. In the middle of the temple, he installed the idols of Laxminarayan Dev and Ranchhodji. In the north, there are the idols of Dharmdev and Bhaktimata and his own form Harikrishna Maharaj. And in the south, Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan installed the idols of RadhaKrishna Dev and Harikrishna Maharaj.
Besides the Gods sitting in the central temple, in the south of the middle temple, were installed the form of Dakshinavart Shankh (Southern-sea conch) and Shaligrama (icon of Vishnu). In the inner dome, there are the stone idols of the ten incarnations of god, besides the idols of Vishnu resting on the seat of Sheshnaag (heavenly snake).
The temple is the highest seat of the Acharya and preceptor of the Dakshin Desh (Laxminarayan Dev Gadi). On the south end of the main temple, there is a place called the Akshar Bhavan. Its first floor has standing idols of Ghanshyam Maharaj. On the second floor, there is the idol of Ghanshyam Maharaj in sitting posture. Personal objects of Swaminarayan are kept here. On the west there is a place called the Hari Mandap where Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan wrote the Shikshapatri.
In the east of the town, there is a mango garden where Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan ignited Holi and played with colours. A canopy has been constructed at this place. On the south side of this place, Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan had swung on a swing of twelve doors. A marble seat has been constructed at that place. The Gomati lake which was dug by Swaminarayan is in the north of the town. In the middle of the lake is a shelter and a canopy is built on the west of it. Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan used to sit there at the place of the present canopy when the lake was being excavated. Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan had preached Vachanamrit under a mango tree next to the lake.


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limited edition metallic 4x6 mini print hand signed by CristinaThe image is printed on Kodak Endura Metallic paper
There are only 7 available.
Kodak Endura Metallic Paper has added a completely unique dimension for photographic output. With its glossy finish and metallic appearance it creates images that are described as "Chrome on Paper", while at the same time adding depth, vibrant color and flattering flesh tones.
NOTE: prints do not have my logo on themAdding the item to your cart does not guarantee your purchase. You must fully complete the checkout before the item is considered yours.
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You can browse the upcoming events below or you can search and filter the events by District or by event type on the right. There is always lots going on, so come along and join in! Remember, anyone is welcome to attend events in any District, not just their own.
You can find out about nationwide ringing events by looking at www.cccbr.org.uk/things-to-ring-for
The 'method of the month' is yet to be announced - watch this space!!


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Old Age Security Pension
Government of Canada - Employment and Social Development Canada
- Description
- Provides monthly payments funded through general tax revenues for older adults.
Service provides:
- a monthly non-taxable benefit to Old Age Security (OAS) pension recipients with low income
- a benefit for low-income individuals who are the spouse or partner of a Guaranteed Income Support recipient
- a benefit for spouse or partner that has passed away
- Eligibility
- Yes, Service targeted to Canadian citizens or legal residents:
- age 65 and older
- residing in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18
- Application Process
- Service Access: See below, To access service:
- visit website to complete the online application if not automatically enrolled.
Referral Process: No
Waiting Period: Yes,Applications to be submitted six months prior to an individual's 65th birthday. Wait times vary. Contact for details.
- Toll Free
- 1-800-277-9914 (English)
- Toll Free
- 1-800-277-9915 (French)
- 1-800-255-4786
- Web Site
- http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca
- Languages
- French -
Telephone interpretation in various foreign languages available on site.
- Fees
- Fee: No
Fee Reduction: No
Membership Fee: No - Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: Yes -
Other disabled access: No - - Topic(s)
- Agency Information
- View Agency Profile
- Last Verified On
- June 14, 2023
- Address
- 4807 50 Avenue
St Paul, AB, T0A 3A2
Open in Google Maps - Hours of Operation
- Mon08:30 AM to 04:30 PMTue08:30 AM to 04:30 PMWed08:30 AM to 04:30 PMThu08:30 AM to 04:30 PMFri08:30 AM to 04:30 PM
Closed statutory holidays.


text:
Joe Bageant | February 8, 2006 | Category: Essays
Now shut up and buy something
"Take away America's Wal-Mart junk and cheap electronics and what you have left is a mindless primitive tribe and a gaggle of bullshit artists pretending to lead them."
-- James "Mad Dog" Howard
By Joe Bageant
When I was a boy on my grandparents' farm in the 1950s the neighbors always banded together to make lard and apple butter, put up feed corn, bale hay, thresh wheat, pick apples, plow snow off roads. One neighbor cut hair, another mended shoes and welded. With so little money available in those days in rural America, there was no way to get by without neighbors. And besides, all the money in the world would not get the lard cooked down and the peaches put up for the winter. You needed neighbors and they needed you. From birth to the grave. I was very lucky to have seen that culture which showed me that a real community of shared labor is possible -- or at least was at one time in this country. And if I ever doubt it I can go up to those hill farms and look into the clouded old eyes and wrinkled visages of the people who once babysat me as a child and with whom I shot my first rabbit and quail.
They are passing quickly now and I drive by more than a few of their graves in the old Greenwood Cemetery when I visit to that place where there are still old men who know how to plow with horses and the women who can chop a live copperhead snake in half with a hoe then go right on weeding the garden. "Yew kids stay 'way from that damned dead snake, ya hear me?"
Fifty years later nobody cans peaches any more, or depends upon a neighbor to cut their hair or get in the hay crop. And fifty years later I found myself in the middle class and softening like an overripe cheese. Given my background, I never guessed I'd see the day when I would be bitching because I could not get Hendricks gin or fresh salmon delivered to my door. (But when you're too drunk to drive or even walk to the supermarket ...). Such is the level of self-insufficiency to which some of us weaker souls devolved.
Whatever the case, we no longer depend upon community and other people around us. We live in our houses, idiotically sited vinyl "Tudor-esque" fuck-boxes with brick facade (sorry Neddie, I just had to steal that lick) which grow bigger each year in order to accommodate our massive asses, egos and collection of goods, and we "order out." Or go shopping for it at the mall. Beyond the need to get laid, there is little real reason to be together with other thinking, feeling adults. We do not need each other to do anything important in our lives, because all those things are performed by strangers, often as not thousands of miles away. Including the sex, if your are an internet porn fan. Which leaves us strangers to the natural human community.
After all, what can we really do together? Consume. Drink. Consume. Talk Consume tickets to entertainment. Consume. There is little else to do with other human beings in America than consume. So most of our primary life activity is solitary. We drive, do housework, pay bills, watch television... When we do "get together with friends," there is little to talk about, other than one form or another of consumption, consuming music, or movies or whatever. We can not tell each other anything new because we all get the same news and information from the same monolithic sources. At the same time we try to fill the loneliness for a real human community that we have never experienced by calling any group of people who come together in any way a "community." Online community. Planned community. As writer Charles Eisenstein, says in The Ascent of Humanity:
It is a mistake to think that we live ultra-specialized lives and somehow add another ingredient called "community" on top of it all. What is there really to share? Not much that matters, to the extent that we are independent of neighbors and dependent on faceless institutions and distant strangers Real communities are interdependent." Never in all history has there been such a lonely, inauthentic civilization.
This leaves those few fleetingly concerned Americans alone to momentarily stew over the condition of the world, fester upon national moral issues like squishing brown desert people under tanks -- or building offshore gulags so the sight of naked prisoners being tortured in wire cages will not dampen the consumer confidence index. But ultimately somewhere between the seven o'clock showing of "Law and Order" and the third cocktail, or perhaps after that bracing evening trot around the block in your Land's End shorts with the dogs, the mind settles down to the more relevant issues such as "Do I need a Blackberry, and if so, should I wait for the next generation of technology?"
Still, what about those cages in Gitmo? Or global warming? You and I may presently be yammering our asses off in cyberspace (talk about inauthentic!) about such topics, but most Americans, if they dialogue about those things at all, conduct the dialogue with that voices inside our heads, the one that says: Things cannot be as bad as the alarmists say. They cannot be as bad as I often suspect they are. If there really were such a thing as global warming they would be starting to do something about it. And besides, even if it were true, science will find a way to fix it. If there really were genocide going on in so many places far more people would be concerned. At the same time, every commercial and piece of sports hoopla, every celebrity news item leaves us with the impression that, if we have time and money for such things, then matters cannot be all that bad, can they? If the earth were heating up we would surely notice it. If our soldiers and government agencies were torturing people around the world it would make the news. If millions were being exterminated, it would be more obvious, would it not? Look around. Nobody seems worried. Look how normal everything is every day. Look at your wife and your own family. No one is worried. Things cannot be that bad.
Joe Bageant's little inner voice is like everyone else's. Whenever I shudder at the condition of the republic, whenever I feel its utter absence of community, it scolds me and tells me I am crazy: Nothing is wrong. This is merely the way things are. It has always been this way. You cannot change that. You expect too much. Look at your wife. She's not upset. She wonders why you cannot just go ahead and be happy. What you see around you is normalcy. Take care of your own family. Relax. Buy something. And I do too. Which is why I own nine guitars, though I can only play one at a time, and even then not very well. The voice made me do it. I was bored.
Bored plus anxious. Hell, I could lose my job. I could lose everything. And if I lost my job I would indeed lose everything. Social status, family, the accumulated net worth of a lifetime. Which, believe me, ain't much after two divorces and a run-in with cocaine.
Adding to the anxiety is the lack of evidence that the world needs you or me at all. In this totally commoditized life we are dispensable. Everything is standardized. It really doesn't matter who grows our food or makes our clothing. If we don't make it, it someone else will. If we don't buy it, someone else will. Some other faceless person will step forward to fill in our place. The same goes for the engineers who created this computer and the same goes for your own job. The machine rolls on. With us or without us. Naturally, we have our loved ones and our friends. But increasingly even these relationships are monetized for all classes. Family and leisure activity has become intensely commoditized. Never has there been such a lonely and inauthentic civilization as the American middle class.
Now it took me one helluva long time to claw my redneck self into the middle class and it took me even longer to figure all this out about its inauthenticity. Always one to fuck up right in front of the whole damned world, I loudly declared American middle class life to be a crock of shit and vowed to kiss it off. Go someplace simpler. Run nekkid in the surf in Saint Kitts or smoke pot in Belize. Catch my own damned salmon on the Galician Coast. But whoaaa hoss! This bad news just in: Not only do you have to buy your way into the American middle class through forceful consumption of the lifestyle, but you have to buy your way out of it. I'm serious. Buy your right to live in poverty. Let's say you've managed to get your kids through college one way or another, usually via a second mortgage and loans, and you decide like I did to say: Fuck this. I've done right by my family. Now I've got high blood pressure, a bad back, and a million other stress ailments. I'm overweight and have terrible lungs. Now I want to escape the ever rising cost and stress of playing the game, the grinding chase after enough net worth to feel safe about such things as health care and a safe place to shit. Spend a few years in some warm place blinking at blue, unpolluted sky before I go tits up. To my mind, these are completely understandable sentiments for any reasonable person. But, alas dear hearts, the American middle class is a lockdown facility. One that takes a lot of cash bribes and blackmail payoffs to break out of.
Now making complicated plans just to croak has always seemed rather excessive to me. Millions manage to do it without much planning or the need for highly paid experts. I don't care about financial planners or plans for elder care and such crap in my old age. I'm willing to die wretchedly and maybe even unnecessarily, if doing it the right way means blowing a couple hundred thousand dollars I do not have to buy few extra months drooling and talking out of one side of my mouth following that stroke I so richly deserve, given my debauched life. To hell with health care as we know it in America, which is to say as a tool used to blackmail every working person in this country. Better to work less, own less and escape the plague of blackmailers.
You would think owning jack shit and expecting nothing would allow a guy slightly more freedom from toil, would you not? Yet, even though I never wish to own a car again, or ever own another house, don't care about clothes, could easily live on grains, fruits and vegetables, and am willing to work maybe 20 hours a week at some mindless occupation so long as it does not contribute to the world's misery and doesn't require heavy lifting or good memory, and willing to live in the tiniest of rooms, it's still impossible to do so inside this nation, once you've signed the middle class blood oath. Even if I managed to talk my wife into such a life, this is the one thing I am not free to do in the good old land of the free. In this country, buster, you keep paying the going rate, even if you don't care about going. Like the Cajuns say, you will know when you are dead because the bills will quit coming in.
And so about a year or so ago I swore in print and on the net that I was going to buy a cottage in some warm and simpler place abroad. Someplace VERY cheap that I can go and write and make music with these hands and this tired but willing voice. And I am getting closer to that goal, despite the blackmailers. For starters, I have gotten over the American fetish of ownership -- I can rent a place from some deserving poor native family who needs the income. Maybe build an addition onto their house for them for free. Maybe we can go into business together, a small bodega on a dusty street, mango stand, take in laundry or whatever. I will be the old white guy who lives in the back room, plays banjo and guitar and writes. This is the one promise I intended to keep to myself I still do.
But I never in my life imagined it would be so hard to escape the various American forms of institutionalized extortion and blackmail. Becoming debt free was the least of it. And having everyone you know and love believe your have slipped your moorings is just the beginning. Meanwhile, you become a Kafkaesque character wondering if you've gone nuts, as you simmer in the ambient wrongness pervading American society and watch the futility of our vast life-consuming program of intense management and control of everything, the money, the bombs, the roads, the retirement fund, the communications, the propaganda, the entire buzzing tower of bullshit so massive as to make Babel look like a chicken coop. And you ask every passing stranger in the shopping mall "Is all this fucking necessary?" Only to discover that you are in an isolation chamber, a vacuum, a void in which no one can hear your voice at all. They are sleepwalking. They are shopping. Shhhh ...
The loss of our human kinship identities has left us to define ourselves by what we own, where we live or what sports teams we support. But even more insidiously, our lost stories of community and kinship are replaced by the work of unseen professionals over the distant horizon. TV and movie producers, the news media and educational establishment. They provide the answer to the most important spiritual kinship and identity question we will ever ask ourselves: Who are my people? Some of the worst people on the planet are ready to answer that question for us in a way that serves their own ends. They stand ready to answer other questions too, such as, where did we come from? Why are we here? They are the cadre of empire's paid professionals who write the history and the news stories that fill the deep need for a "story of the people." The most horrific events of history have nearly always been set in motion by manipulation of this national story.
After a while, it does not matter that the story was manipulated. Deep need for a national story drives most to come to love and accept the story over time. It is the only one they have. And if the story is sufficiently intolerant and mean, we don't care about Iraqi deaths. And we come to love empire and capitalism. Beyond that, many would have become bullies anyway, without any help from the national storyline. They don't value democracy, or the ecology or liberty, but they do believe in authority and discipline. Aw come on! It ain't just Dick Cheney and his pet president Sparky doing all this. At least half the country is loving the queer bashing and the bombing and the god rhetoric. We should quit pretending that a very large portion of Americans are not degraded human beings. They are. Skeptics are welcome to visit me here in the armed and inbred environs of Winchester, Virginia. It no longer matters what or who degraded them. Much time has passed and this is how many Americans have become. Fundamentalist cults abound, both religious and economic. Millions upon millions of Christians live in hermetic worlds of their own, with their own books stores, schools, media. Millions of middle class Americans both conservative and liberal live in suburbs and condos and brownstone row houses completely surrounded by their own kind, all of them worshippers in the American value cult, commodity fetishists. They are differentiated mainly in their own minds and the narratives they have made up for themselves. And of course in their consumption.
After 35 years of inattention to these not-so-nice Americans among us (in another time they would have been called fascists, but now they are considered merely a political "base," which is in itself a strange sort of national acceptance of cruelty as part of the national character) we are now watching them consolidate power. For the time being they control the presidency, the Congress, the media, the Supreme Court, the federal courts, most governorships, and most state legislatures. And if their manipulation of congressional districts stays put they could feasibly stay in power indefinitely. Do these people, this half of our population which cheers on unprovoked wars abroad, spying on the citizenry and demonizing of the poor truly hate democracy? Fuck if I know. But after generations of brainwashing and psychological molding and exploitation of their fears, I suspect they never really knew what democracy was.
If anyone is going to turn the ship of the republic around, put us on a course more in the direction of liberty and openness, it will require the navigational help of those among us who can still remember what it was like before totalistic capitalism took such grip. People who can remember that genuine good will and intent were once alive in the hearts of most people even if never in the halls of Congress. Remember when at least some human and social progress was evident around us, thereby giving reason to hope.
And these sorts of people are indeed still with us, though quiet, perhaps out of insecurity. Only last Saturday I saw them at the Jiffy Lube. Sitting in the waiting room with our little Jiffy Lube paper coffee cups, waiting for our cars to be finished, we were watching on CNN the placement of the casket of Coretta Scott King in the rotunda of the Georgia State Capitol. To my right there was the huge black lady with corn rows and two bright eyed children hanging on her ankles. There was the thin young 30-something half-black dude who had just got off his cell to his wife (Yeah honey, it's on CNN. Bye.) There was the very straight suburban blonde yuppie woman with her sculpted pony tail sticking through the back of her aubergine Eddie Bauer ball cap. And as those Georgia state troopers on CNN, looking so much like the very same kind who once struck fear into the Martins and the Medgars of the South, were climbing those marble stairs under the gray February Georgia sky, one step at a time, then a pause, then one more step ... There was not a dry eye a dry eye in that Jiffy Lube waiting room. It was not just the cheap emotionalism of televised pandering Everyone there remembered, by God! Remembered or found reason to believe in, an America that at one moment in history at least, rose from its stupor to struggle forward toward something higher. Something better. And yes, noble even.
And when I was finished blubbering inside, I thought to myself, "Well, that small room in St. Kitts, or the tarpon fishing in Belize, they can probably wait one more year."
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13-136 - Hammer Horror Red-Wet
If you're not satisfied until every detail is perfect, let FREAKflex bring your models to life. It's a superior hobby paint designed to help modelers achieve authentic, professional painting results with greater ease and proficiency. Waterbased FREAKflex is easy to apply with an airbrush or paint brush, and clean-up is fast and easy with MODELflex cleaner. FREAKflex paint dries in 12 to 15 minutes at room temperature (3 to 5 minutes if heat dried).
Color: Hammer Horror Red-Wet 13-136
Color: Hammer Horror Red-Wet 13-136


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Customer Service
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Please note that the banks control some of the steps in the process and it is possible that there are technical difficulties outside of Patagonia's control. If this is the case, we recommend trying again or an alternative payment method. And, as always, the Patagonia Customer Service team team is happy to help if you have any issues while checking out.
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Credit cards will only be debited when the goods are dispatched from our warehouse. In the event of an out-of-stock item, you will only be debited for the goods which have been shipped to you.
For order cancellations, depending on the status of your order, you may or may not be charged for the items. If no charge is made, the pending authorisation from your bank will drop away automatically. If a charge is made, the total amount will be refunded to you within 1-2 business days. The total amount should clear in your account within the following 3-10 business days depending on your bank. If you have any questions about this, you can reach out to our Customer Service team and we will be happy to help.
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For customers based in the Channel Islands, Canary Islands, or other special VAT regions, the price displayed on our website is the total price you will pay for your item(s). Patagonia Europe offers shipping to VAT exemption territories, or other special regions on DDP incoterms and so all additional custom, duty and import charges will be covered by us. These charges are taken into account when determining the final price of shipping item(s) to your region.
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Join the Research Park at Houlihan's for Patio Play on Thursdays this spring and summer. Enjoy drink specials and live music from Chip McNeil Jazz.
Happy Hour is a cash bar. Music is weather permitting. When in doubt, please contact the restaurant by calling 217-819-5005.
Learn more about Patio Play on the Houlihan's website: https://www.houlihans.com/event/patio-play-is-back/


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US, China exchange sharp words over pandemic origin
BEIJING (AP) — Top U.S. and Chinese diplomats appear to have had another sharply worded exchange, with Beijing saying it told the U.S. to cease interfering in its internal affairs and accusing Washington of politicizing the search for the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone call Friday that revealed wide divisions in a number of contentious areas, including the curtailing of freedoms in Hong Kong and the mass detention of Muslims in the northwestern Xinjiang region.
Calls for a more thorough investigation into the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 are particularly sensitive for China because of suggestions that it might have have escaped from a laboratory in the central city of Wuhan, where cases were first discovered.
Yang said China was "gravely concerned" over what he called "absurd" stories that the virus escaped from the Wuhan lab.
China "firmly opposes any despicable acts that use the epidemic as an excuse to slander China and to shift blames," Yang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
"Some people in the United States have fabricated and peddled absurd stories claiming Wuhan lab leak, which China is gravely concerned about," Yang said. "China urges the United States to respect facts and science, refrain from politicizing COVID-19 origin tracing and concentrate on international anti-pandemic cooperation."
The State Department said Blinken "stressed the importance of cooperation and transparency regarding the origin of the virus, including the need for (World Health Organization) Phase 2 expert-led studies in China."
The U.S. and others have accused China of failing to provide the raw data and access to sites that would allow a more thorough investigation into where the virus sprung from and how it initially spread.
Equally contentious were the issues of Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan and accusations that China has arbitrarily detained two Canadian citizens in retaliation for Canada's arrest of an executive of Chinese communications technology giant Huawei, who is wanted by U.S. law enforcement.
The U.S. has "fabricated various lies about Xinjiang in an attempt to sabotage the stability and unity in Xinjiang, which confuse right and wrong and are extremely absurd. China is firmly opposed to such actions," Yang said.
"Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs," and those found in violation of a sweeping national security law imposed on the former British colony "must be punished," Yang said.
Blinken, on the other hand, underscored U.S. concern over the deterioration of democratic norms in Hong Kong and the ongoing "genocide and crimes against humanity against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang," the State Department said.
He also urged Beijing to ease pressure against Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy China claims as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary.
According to Xinhua, Yang said Taiwan involves China's "core interests" and that Beijing "firmly defends its national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The tone of the phone call seemed to echo contentious talks in March in Alaska, when the sides traded sharp and unusually public barbs over vastly different views of each other and the world in their first face-to-face meeting since President Joe Biden took office.
At that meeting, the U.S. accused the Chinese delegation of "grandstanding," while Beijing fired back, saying there was a "strong smell of gunpowder and drama" that was entirely the fault of the Americans.
Relations between them have deteriorated to their lowest level in decades, with the Biden administration showing no signs of deviating from the established U.S. hardline against China over trade, technology, human rights and China's claim to the South China Sea.
Beijing, meanwhile, has fought back doggedly against what it sees as attempts to smear its reputation and restrain its development.
On Thursday, its ceremonial legislature passed a law to retaliate against sanctions imposed on Chinese politicians and organizations, threatening to deny entry to and freeze the Chinese assets of anyone who formulates or implements such measures, potentially placing new pressure on foreign companies operating in the country. Read more international news


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Burnout warning as four in five professionals work beyond their contracted hours
The study suggests businesses are facing an "alarming" burnout epidemic with 81 per cent of employees working beyond their contracted hours.
And those that work in high level positions are twice as likely to work more than 10 hours over their contracted hours (42 per cent) as those at entry level (21 per cent).
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Hide AdThe survey of 2,600 professionals in sectors such as banking and finance by global professional services recruiter Morgan McKinley found that 75 per cent of employees felt obligated to work beyond their contracted hours.
But businesses are not rewarding these staff, with only around one in eight (13 per cent) saying that they are compensated for working extra hours.
The figures revealed that less than a third of professionals (32 per cent) believe that they are productive during the extra hours that they work.
A third (34 per cent) don't take their lunch break at all, with millennials (21 per cent) being the largest group to have a working day without their lunch break.
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Hide AdWhen they do finally leave the office, three out of four are "sometimes" or "always" working from a mobile device.
Almost half of C-level professionals (46 per cent) work outside the office from their mobile - but only one in 11 entry level do so (nine per cent), according to the survey.
David Leithead, UK chief operations officer at Morgan McKinley said: "Many people work more hours than they are paid for, often because they feel obligated to, rather than because of a belief that it's a productive exercise.
"Businesses are facing an alarming burnout and need to evolve work practices.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"During the day, many employees don't take any kind of lunch break. Then three-quarters of them feel obligated to work beyond their contracted hours, yet they don't feel that is productive.
"And when they do finally leave the office, they are always on-call. If not managed carefully, these factors can cause employee stress and burnout, and poor business performance."
He said many businesses have a widening gap between modern business philosophy around "smart" working, and the reality of old-fashioned noses to the grindstone.
More than half the professionals polled said they believe more flexibility would add to their productivity, showing the demand for flexible work arrangements.
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Hide AdAlthough more employees do have the option to work from home and flexible start-finish times, the findings suggest a culture of flexible working is not yet embedded.
The majority indicated flexible and remote working arrangements are offered on a discretionary basis or in extenuating circumstances rather than as part of an overall package.
Mr Leithead added: "Employers may have good intentions but many have a long way to go in finding a solution, helping their employees to find the right balance and re-educating old school management to ensure that they attract and retain talent.
"Not least because the new millennial generation won't embrace this, they simply won't put up with it - which spells longer term problems that big companies can't afford to ignore."
Image here Many professionals say they work longer hours because it's expected of them rather than it being productive


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A bonanza of free printable holiday labels
I'm in present-wrapping mode, so I've rounded up a supply of printable gift tags for myself. Need some?
Above: From Martha Stewart's 52-page collection of holiday gift tags and labels
Freebies from Blush Printables
Tags from Wee Life: get the Tree set here and the City set here
Labels from Whisker Graphics


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The recent WannaCry and Petya ransomware attacks have caused massive disruptions for Windows users. Although ransomware infection has slowed down in the past few weeks, many experts are saying that this is only just the beginning. Soon, newer and far more dangerous strains of malware will be developed. To help people defend against these threats, Microsoft has released new security features.
Controlled folders
With Microsoft's new Controlled folders access feature, you can list certain documents and folders as "protected." Only whitelisted apps can access and edit these folders, while any attempted changes by malicious apps are simply blocked by Windows Defender.
In theory, this should slow down a ransomware's ability to encrypt critical information. Some reports suggest that other threats like malicious file macros and viruses can be prevented by this feature.
So far, only Windows Insider users have access to controlled folders. But if you've already signed up, you can access the feature by going to Windows Defender Security Center and then enabling Controlled folder access. From here, you can choose which folders will be protected and what apps are allowed to access them. To save you time, common Microsoft applications are trusted automatically, but you can remove them from your whitelist whenever you want.
Application Guard
Apart from folder protection, Microsoft also made security enhancements for web browsers. The Windows Defender Application Guard is designed to prevent intrusions, using Microsoft's Hyper-V virtual machine technology to detect and isolate compromised applications from the rest of your system. So if someone accidentally downloads a virus from their web browser, Application Guard will contain the threat before it infiltrates the rest of your company's devices, apps, data, and network.
Device Guard
In a similar vein, the Device Guard feature, which is also found in the Windows Defender Security Center, minimizes computer exposure to malware by using advanced threat detection policies to make sure only approved code is running throughout the system. This is meant to add an extra layer of defense in between your firewall and antivirus software.
As mentioned, Windows Insider users can get early access to these security features, but if you want to make sure that these security features are as strong as they can be, we suggest you wait for their public release around September for the Fall Creators update.
Want to stay on top of the latest technologies that can help you beat ransomware, viruses, and other nasty cyberattacks? Contact us today for any security updates and advice.


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Virginia's 'Tim Tebow Bill' Fails in Committee
A bill in the Virginia General Assembly that would have allowed homeschooled children to take part in public school interscholastic activities like sports has failed to advance.
Dubbed the "Tim Tebow Bill" after Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who though homeschooled nevertheless took part in high school football in Florida, HB 947 was defeated Thursday in an 8-7 vote in the Virginia Senate Committee on Education and Health.
According to its text, if enacted HB 947 would have prohibited "public schools from joining an organization governing interscholastic programs that does not deem eligible for participation a student who is receiving home instruction."
It was one of three bills introduced in this session that would have required public schools in the Commonwealth to consider homeschooled students for extracurricular activities. These included HB 1005, which was sponsored by Delegate David Ramadan (R-South Riding) and HB 905, which was sponsored by Delegate Randy Minchew (R-Leesburg).
HB 947 passed in the lower house of the General Assembly, the House of Delegates, in a vote of 59 to 39. From the House it went to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and was referred to the Subcommittee on Public Education.
The bill had several cosponsors, both members of the House of Delegates and the State Senate, all of whom were Republican.
The vote in the Senate Committee was largely party line with Republicans supporting HB 947 and Democrats opposing. State Senator Harry Blevins (R-Chesapeake) was the lone Republican who voted against the bill, providing the crucial vote that killed the bill.
Homeschooling organizations in the Commonwealth had been supportive of the legislation. The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers commented that the bill would benefit homeschooled students in many ways.
"High school interscholastic programs are an important opportunity to qualify for college scholarships. Currently homeschooled students are denied the opportunity for that exposure," said the OVH in a statement.
"Homeschooled students in Virginia's rural communities would particularly benefit. In small, rural communities there are few options for homeschooled teens to play team sports or participate in other activities."
Others like Bob Cook, opinion contributor for Forbes Magazine, was critical of the legislation, believing that there were valid reasons for groups like the Virginia High School League having a ban on homeschooled student participants.
"State associations, such as Virginia's, have had bans because of worries regarding an inability to check academic status, and that homeschoolers could jump from school to school for athletic purposes," wrote Cook.
Currently, 25 states in America allow for non-public school students to take part in public school sponsored sports activities.