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The National Restaurant Association (NRA) announced it is ramping up grassroots advocacy as part of its ongoing efforts to educate Members of Congress on the challenges restaurant operators face in implementing the health care law.
"We are asking restaurateurs to tell their own story about how their business operates day to day and the potential impact of the health care law," says Scott DeFife, executive vice president, policy & government affairs, NRA. "The industry is often the first employer for many young people, those re-entering the workforce or supplementing their family incomes, and we know that we have a role in informing our workforce about their options and trying to expand their coverage and access to health care. At the same time, there are unique characteristics of the restaurant and food service industry that makes implementation more challenging. Our industry is labor-intensive with low profit margins, with a workforce that is young and mobile, and employs a significant number of part-time and seasonal employees. "
The Association is encouraging its members to share their personal stories with elected officials over the August recess. The National Restaurant Association has called on Congress to revise the health care law's definition of full-time employment, simplify the calculation for who is considered a large employer, and streamline compliance, including the auto-enrollment mandate.
As a central resource for its grassroots campaign, the Association has developed a new online platform – AmericaWorksHere.org – to activate advocates, encouraging members to send letters to their members of Congress, read the latest news on key issues and learn about local events.
In addition to grassroots outreach, the National Restaurant Association has used Congressional hearings as opportunities to educate members of Congress on the uncertainty operators face with regards to the health care law.
The transition relief granted for some employer reporting requirements and the employer mandate is a helpful and significant recognition that implementation of the law can be complicated for our industry. The additional time should be used to help simplify and address the complicated issues that small businesses are still facing regarding implementation of the current health care law, National Restaurant Association board member and small business owner Kevin Settles told a Senate panel today.
Settles, President and CEO of Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, testified before a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing entitled "Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns." His testimony focused on the growing number of challenges facing small businesses across the country as they attempt to comply with the health care law.
"The definition of 'full-time employee' under the law poses the greatest challenge," says Settles. "The current definition does not reflect workforce practices within the restaurant industry and could have a detrimental impact on a restaurant operator's ability to offer flexible schedules for his or her employees."
Settles also addressed the complexity of determining what is considered a "large employer." The standing rules under the current Tax Code require employers to determine if they are considered one or multiple employers for the purposes of the health care law. Settles said this intricacy of determination is "stifling smaller employers' ability to manage their workforces, expand their businesses and prepare to offer health care coverage."
Finally, Settles focused on the automatic enrollment provision which would require businesses with 200 or more full-time employees to automatically enroll full-time employees in a health care plan. "If those employees do not specifically opt out of coverage this could cause financial hardship and greater confusion about the law for some employees, without increasing their access to coverage," said Settles.
Settles thanked the committee and concluded his testimony by calling on Congress to better address restaurant and foodservice operators' needs as they continue to navigate the current health care law.
He reaffirmed the small business community's commitment to finding solutions that foster job growth and benefit the individuals they serve.


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Liqueur Base C
Gives the ideal finished thickness and sweetness to Liqueurs. Add alcohol as indicated on the essence bottle in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add pack contents while stirring with a whisk. Add essence and top up to 1.125L (40oz) with water.
26 in stock
Liqueur Base C

subset: commoncrawl


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Today's Scripture:
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Kirsten Panachyda
So excited to welcome Kirsten Panachyda author of Among Lions as a sponsor for the Pray Every Day Show!
Parents need protection.
The ambush of shock, the infection of resentment, the crocodile roll of defeat…Among Lions explores 10 "beasts" that can attack parents when a child has mental illness.
Each chapter includes:
• Defense strategies
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• Application of Scripture
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Drawing on three years when the author's teenage son first suffered the onslaught of bipolar disorder, Among Lions offers hope and constructive help. Parents cannot escape the circumstances that attract the beasts, can't fight them off by themselves, and can't chase them away, but they can rest even while surrounded. Among Lions assures hurting parents that their souls can survive devastating crisis with practical help, hope from God's Word, and encouragement from a mom who has found rest even among lions.
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Deborah Ann Saint
So honored to welcome Deborah Ann Saint as a sponsor for the Pray Every Day Show!
Plagued by unrelieved feelings of guilt? Struggling to feel and believe you are truly forgiven with a clear conscience after failures that seem too great to overcome? Wondering if you can ever really believe God loves you, accepts you, and has truly forgiven you? Doubting God's plan for the worst things in your life to be used for good? Thinking your sin debt is too great to ever really be forgiven and redeemed? Do you feel hopeless because of sexual sins or a history of abuses, addictions, or abortion? Tired of years of recovery with "religion" not working?
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This book is designed to help you to focus on who God is and what he is like as well as what he expects of you, his child, regardless of circumstances or what the storm throws at you.
Part 1, Adoration, collects verses of Scripture that describe our incredible God and his character.
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This book does not contain prayers—words for you to say to God. It contains Scripture—God's words to you. As you read these words, I hope you will focus on that aspect of who God is or what he wants from you and pray them back to him.
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Every day we fight battle after battle in our minds―many times unaware of the real fight at hand and wind up defeated as if we cannot win the battle of our own minds. It's our own mind, but we can struggle to make it up. Negative mindsets limit our existence by keeping us bound in habits and attitudes unless we know how to break free of them.
Our mindsets matter. Sadly, when people operate their lives caving to unhealthy mindsets, they live defeated lives lacking joy and peace stemming from negative thought patterns.
In Make Up Your Mind, the reader will learn about the root behind common mental battles, focus in on ten key negative mindsets, and learn how to overcome them using Scripture and real-life solutions as we adopt the mind of Christ. Each chapter includes a devotional application section and a "Counselor's Corner" section featuring licensed counselor Michelle Nietert.
Readers of Make Up Your Mind will:
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"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts" (Proverbs 4:23, GNT).
Readers will gain practical tips and biblical insight to fight the battle of the mind and adopt new ways of thinking. Offers real solutions to help people change and live in a productive mindset. Reveals common triggers to these mindsets and provides keys to overcome them.
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Obama — enemy to Israel, and to peace and stability in the Middle East
I've never doubted Obama's fundamental anti-Israel beliefs, nor have I ever thought he's on a right, or even a sane, track in the Middle East. As much as anything, though, my feelings regarding Obama's Israel/Middle East attitudes were predicated on a gut attitude resulting from his pre-presidency friendships and his execrable Cairo speech. Now, though, after almost three years of his presidency, the evidence is in, and Barry Rubin explains that my instincts (and yours too) are born out by the facts:
In a major address on U S. Middle East policy to the Brookings Institution, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave us a clear picture of the Obama Administration's view of the region. When taken along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent speech on the same subject, we now know the following regarding Obama's policy:
It is dangerously and absurdly wrong. This administration totally and completely, dangerously and disastrously for U.S. interests misunderstand the Middle East. They are 180 degrees off course, that is heading in the opposite direction of safety.
Despite the satisfactory state of relations on a purely military level, the Obama Administration is not a friend of Israel, even to the extent that it was arguably so in the first two years of this presidency.
It is now an enemy; it is on the other side. Again, the issue is not mainly bilateral relations but the administration's help and encouragement to those forces that are Israel's biggest enemies, that want to rekindle war, and that are 100 percent against a two-state solution. And I don't mean the Palestinian Authority, I mean the Islamists.
And the Obama Administration is also a strategic enemy of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, and Jordan. It is also a strategic enemy to the democratic opposition forces in Iran, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, and Egypt.
Having analyzed and studied the Middle East for almost four decades I say none of this lightly. And these conclusions arise simply from watching what the administration says and does.
Read the rest here.


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What do Egypt's new top generals think of Amreeka?
Some of the military officers who have risen to prominence after the recent shuffle/purge/power grab in the senior ranks of the Egyptian military are pretty unknown. The military is an isolated institution, and only a few of its members became very public figures over the last year and a half. There have been many rumors that the new top honchos are American favorites, chiefly on the spurious ground that they have been in contact with the US in the past. The truth is we don't know much about them, or specifically how they feel about the United States.
Wouldn't it be nice if one of these guys had written, say, a 10,000 word essay on his views of the future of US strategy in the Middle East?
Well it turns out one of them — no less than Sedky Sobhy, the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the number two in the hierarchy — did just that while studying in a military school in the US, as many Egyptian officers do. And he's written a rather thoughtful essay advocating for one of my pet causes: a complete US military withdrawal from the Middle East. It's titled "THE U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE INTHE MIDDLE EAST: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS" and was carried out as part of a Masters in Strategic Studies at the US Army War College in 2005, when he was Brigadier General. It's available on a US army website.
Here's the basic gist from his conclusion:
The future challenges and prospects ofthe U.S. military presence inthe Middle East in general and Gulf in particular are inseparable from the overall U.S. national security strategy in this region. This national security strategy cannot define the issues within the narrow geographic context of the Gulf region and its oil resources, or the narrow confines of rather outdated "containment" concepts. It is this author's opinion that the security challenges for the U.S. interests inthe Middle East and the Gulf, including Iraq, are interlinked with the ideological foundations that underpin these challenges. The solutions of security challenges inthe Gulf will not necessarily be solely found in Baghdad or in the Gulf itself. These solutions will find their ideological underpinning ifthe U.S. were to truly work for a permanent settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The U.S. can continue to pursue its current strategy in the Gulf that is largely based on its U.S. military presence and potential. This strategy will not lead to the solution of political problems that are deeply rooted in ideological, religious, and cultural causes. The U.S. and its willing partners will continue to be immersed in a long-term asymmetric military conflict without clear political and ideological goals. Truly international cooperation, and heeding the ideological, religious, and cultural concerns of the Arab and Muslim world, can successfully change the current course of events.
I don't agree with everything but I like the way he thinks. Some choice excerpts after the jump.
On US-Arab miscommunication:
There is a fundamental lack of understanding and communication between foreign policy makers in United States Administrations and the political regimes, societies and cultures in the Arab states of the Middle East. This gap in understanding and communication has been exacerbated since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack against the United States, and the subsequent U.S. military interventions inAfghanistan and Iraq. This gap can be explained by outlining certain parameters that affect commonly held United States perceptions about the Middlle East. First, United States policy makers operate in a strictly secular democratic system of government where the separation of religion(s) and the state is defined by the U.S. Constitution, and is strictly enforced. The Islamic religion is strongly interlinked to various degrees with the functioning of most Arab governments and their respective societies." Although many Arab governments operate on the basis of legal civil codes, the Islamic religion still exercises a paral- lel and strong influence on governmental institutions. Second, Arab regimes generally do not function along the lines of United States and Western conventionally accepted principles and processes of democratic governance.
On the US military footprint in the Gulf:
Since the United States strategic goals of containing Iran are not necessarily dependent on the presence of large numbers of U.S. ground troops in the region, assuming that Iraq becomes "normal," large numbers of U.S. ground forces can still depart from the Middle East and the Gulf. Essentially, the United States military posture inthe Middle East and the Gulf can return to a state similar to that following the 1990-1991 Gulf War. For example, a United States Army mechanized or armored brigade-size force can still be based inone of the Gulf Arab monarchies friendly to the U.S., e.g., Kuwait or Bahrain, that can act as a "tripwire" in the case of Iranian military adventurism in the Gulf. However, it was this level of United States military presence in the region that invited the destabilizing ideological effects that gave rise to radical Islam and Al Qaeda terrorist activities. Thus, the focus should be on the total withdrawal of United States ground forces from the region.
On alternative strategies to a heavy military presence for the US:
Rather, the emphasis is likely to be on small special forces units that will have the dual role of intelligence collection and counter-insurgency and counter- terrorism operations, can be supported by air and naval assets, and by larger military units with high mobility as the need arises, e.g., the operations of U.S. Special Forces and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assets in Afghanistan immediately following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack against the U.S. The presence and operations of such United States military units in the Middle East will not be without ideological and political risks. It is almost certain that Arab societies will view the presence and the operations of such United States military units in the Middle East with suspi- cion if not outright hostility. The lack of transparency that accompanies the presence and the operations of United States special forces formations will be viewed by the "Arab street" and the popular mass media outlets in the Middle East as potentially undermining or manipulating national democratization processes. Interestingly, such suspicions may also be based on fact. The U.S. Department of Defense is assuming a larger role in the conduct of paramilitary intel- ligence operations in foreign countries, where such operations will not be under the oversight of the U.S. Congress, and will not be coordinated with U.S. ambassadors or CIA chiefs of stations in these countries
On fundamentals of US strategy in the region:
The United States regional strategy inthe Middle East needs to be redefined since itcannot continue to simply revolve around the issues of national security for Israel and military security of the Middle Eastern oil supplies and reserves. This redefinition must include the direct constructive engagement of all actors inthe Middle East, and must be expanded to include non-state actors and groups. For example, the United States unwillingness to hold direct contacts and negotiations with the Palestinians in the 1960s and the 1970s - the Pale- stinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Yassir Arafat were viewed as "terrorists" by Washington - severely delayed the start of the Palestinian - Israeli peace process. Similarly, only recently we have seen a more significant turn in the policies of the Bush Administration policies vis-a-vis the indirect albeit important constructive engagement with the Islamic Republic of Iran while previous opportunities for direct negotiations have been lost.
On lost US socio-economic influence:
The former socioeconomic influence of the United States in the Middle East has largely been replaced by the EU. The Euro-Med Association Agreements into with Arab countries and Israel contain concrete provisions that gradually but materially influence the implementation of concrete human rights protection and economic liberalization measures more than the U.S. rhetoric for democratization in the Arab Middle East societies. Thus, it is not surprising that certain Palestinian and Israeli prominent politicians and scholars have even broached the thought of a departure from a stand-alone Palestinian state in favor of a Palestinian-Israeli federation that would seek and gain membership in the EU.
On democratization and the need for parallel economic and political liberalization, something that did not happen in the Gamal years:
A United States restated priority for implementing peaceful democratization in the Middle East must be accompanied by solid and well funded socioeconomic initiatives that encourage parallel political and economic liberalization. More often than not, United States policy makers fail to address the issue that political liberalization threatens the economic and business interests of ruling elites in various Arab countries in the Middle East, and that these interests are often embedded in the heavy institutional involvement of the government in the domestic economies. In addition, institutional corruption in these countries is considered and readily accepted as a "cost of doing business." These institutional parameters not only fail to raise the living standards and the employment levels in these societies but also provide a solid recruiting ground for the supporters of radical Islamic movements.
On the Israel question:
Nothing defines better the ideological struggle that the United States has to overcome in the Middle East than the hostility and negative perceptions that exist in the region because of the U.S. unique and one-sided strategic relationship with Israel.
. . .
Israel's ability to receive U.S. military assistance without any attached political conditions or constraints, poses unique challenges for the credibility of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Although the U.S. is the donor of such massive military assistance to Israel, the U.S. has not chosen to use this military assistance as a lever in order to influence Israeli policy making for the resolution of crises that threaten international peace and stability in the Middle East.
. . .
A new United States strategy in the Middle East that will impartiallyfocus on the application of principles of justice and international law in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and other Middle East issues will go a long way in dramatically changing Arab popular perceptions about the U.S. in the region of the Middle East. For example, in the current debate centering on the potential use of the Iranian civil nuclear program for the clandestine development of nuclear weapons the United States has carefully abstained from discussing Israel's possession of a nuclear arsenal. This strategy and its concrete implementation will be a potent weapon in the war of ideas that the United States so far is waging rather unsuccessfully among the broader masses of the Muslim populations in the Middle East (the "Arab street"). The popular percep- tion that the United States truly adheres to principles of justice and international law not only will undermine the ideological base of extremist Islamic groups such as Al Qaeda, but it will also strengthen the cooperative anti-terrorist struggle that is waged by the U.S. and Arab Middle East governments. Under such circumstances, the presence of U.S. military forces inthe Middle East will become increasingly unnecessary.


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Evocation Cantrip
- Casting Time
- 1 Action
- Range
- Touch
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Components
- Materials Required
- A firefly or phosphorescent moss
Spell Description
You touch one object that is no larger than 10 feet in any dimension. Until the spell ends, the object sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. The light can be colored as you like. Completely covering the object with something opaque blocks the light. The spell ends if you cast it again or dismiss it as an action.
If you target an object held or worn by a hostile creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to avoid the spell.


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the Week
"One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century."-Time magazine, on the Fairyland series
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn't . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.


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Edit Hyperlink Names and Paths
You can edit a hyperlink name directly in the worksheet. To edit a hyperlink name, use the Delete or Backspace keys to delete part of the name and then type in the new text. (To place your cursor in the desired part of the hyperlink name, use the arrow keys.)
You can edit the target for hyperlinks within a worksheet, either individually or in a batch.
To edit a single hyperlink:
Select the hyperlink or use the arrow keys to put your cursor in the hyperlinked text.
From the Format menu, select Hyperlinks > Hyperlink Properties. The Hyperlink Properties dialog opens.
Modify the hyperlink properties. For details, see worksheet/managing/linking.
To edit multiple hyperlinks in one document:
From the Format menu, select Hyperlinks > Hyperlink Editor. The Hyperlink Editor dialog opens.
In the Link Type drop-down list, select All to list all hyperlinks in the worksheet or select a specific type to list a subset of the hyperlinks. All hyperlinks in the current worksheet that match the currently selected Link Type are listed.
Click the Targets tab and select a hyperlink or click Select All Links to select all hyperlinks in the list.
In the Replace field, enter the pattern (directory, folder name, or filename) to replace in the pathname.
In the With field, enter the string (directory, folder name, or filename) that is to replace the search pattern entered in the Replace field.
To make the search case sensitive, select the Match Case check box. A check mark appears to indicate searches are case sensitive.
Click Change Links to process the search and replace.
Click Close.
See Also
Insert a Hyperlink
Download Help Document


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Review the Residents Guide to familiarize yourself with the city (elected officials, parks, housing info, etc.)
Visit Hennepin County's website to apply for homestead status. You may apply for homestead at any time during the year, but must own and occupy a property by December 1 and apply by December 15 to qualify for taxes payable in the following year. All applications are made to, and processed by, the Hennepin County Assessor's Office. Please call the Hennepin County Assessor's Office at 612-348-3046 with questions.
Social media is a great way to keep up-to-date on the latest community news and information. The city of New Hope currently hosts three Facebook pages and was named a "Neighborhood Favorite" by Nextdoor in 2019.
New Hope offers several dining options in the form of restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops.
New Hope city ordinance requires that all residential and business property owners register their alarm systems. Residential alarm owners are only required to register their system once and pay a one-time fee of $25, unless they drop and reinstate service, change service providers, or sell their property. Residential alarm users should contact the city promptly if their contact or key holder information changes.
The city's utility bill includes water, sewer, recycling, storm drainage, street lighting, and a water testing charge assessed by the state of Minnesota. Utility bills are sent to utility customers at the end of each month and due the 21st of the month. Many payment options are available including automatic, online, and over-the-phone payment.
City ordinance requires every household to have garbage collection at least once a week. New Hope currently licenses several residential garbage service providers. Licensed garbage haulers collect trash on Tuesdays for New Hope homes south of 42nd Avenue and on Wednesdays for homes north of 42nd Avenue. Garbage containers should be set at the curb either the night before or the day of the scheduled pickup by 6 a.m. Containers must be returned to a storage location that is either inside or screened from view from the street. Each hauler provides their own garbage container or dumpster.
New Hope provides curbside recycling through Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG) to single-family homes, town homes and small apartment buildings with fewer than eight units. Recycling is collected every other week, on the same day as garbage (on Tuesday form homes south of 42nd Avenue and on Wednesday for homes north of 42nd Avenue). If a recycling container was not left at your residence, or you would like to request a different size container, please contact HRG at 763-493-8006.
Elections and Voter Registration
Elections occur in New Hope in even-numbered years. Both the New Hope website and Minnesota Secretary of State website contain a number of resources related to voter registration, checking registration status, finding your precinct and more.
The city of New Hope Property Maintenance Reference Guide is intended to summarize minimum maintenance requirements and standards required for premises, structures, equipment, and facilities located within the city. It addresses common violations of city ordinances and frequently asked questions.
The Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) offers residential, commercial/non-profit, and rental property owners access to a comprehensive array of financing and rehabilitation services.
On-street parking is prohibited from 2 to 6 a.m. on New Hope city streets, and limited to ten consecutive hours at any other time. Permits may be issued in certain situations, such as construction or visitors. Contact the police department at 763-531-5170, or after hours at 952-258-5321, to request permission to park overnight. Additionally, during the winter months, there is no on-street parking after a snow fall of 1-1/2 inches or more until the street has been plowed.


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It's a brand new ranking.
Called the Sustainable Development Goals Gender Index, it gives 129 countries a score for progress on achieving gender equality by 2030.
Here's the quick summary: Things are "good" in much of Europe and North America.
And "very poor" in much of sub-Saharan Africa.
In fact, that's the way it looks in many international rankings, which tackle everything from the worst places to be a child to the most corrupt countries to world happiness.
And there are a lot of rankings. Alexander Cooley, a professor of political science at Barnard College and the author of Ranking the World: Grading States as a Tool of Global Governance, used to keep track but stopped counting.
"It's so hard to keep up. I've just sort of given up," he says. In 2015, he counted 95 different indexes, with over two-thirds launched after 2001.
"Countries can get index fatigue, not know where to prioritize, become complacent and refuse to pay attention to them," notes Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, an international lawyer based in East Africa.
And you do have to wonder: What's the value of creating so many indexes to measure human and economic development when they usually come to the same predictable conclusions?
Why we love to rank
It's easy to understand why groups like to rank. "Rankings appeal to our notion of who's on top, who's below. And they generate competition," says Cooley.
Even though the top and bottom countries are often markedly similar, international groups believe that there are benefits to the sorting and ordering.
For starters, a ranking can "name and shame" countries into trying to do better, says Cooley.
Consider the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index, which measures how easy it is for a company to set up shop in a given country. It looks at everything from construction permits to access to electricity. It's not a ranking that the general public has likely heard of. But it's a big deal in the world of economic development.
In fact, it's so influential that Vladimir Putin in 2012 vowed publicly to move Russia up from 120th place in the Doing Business index to 50th by 2015.
Russia did not quite succeed (it landed in 62nd place that year). But the index has spurred real-life policy change.
From June 2017 to May 2018, for example, the World Bank found that 128 governments "introduced a record 314 reforms" to benefit small- and medium- business entrepreneurs, enable job creation and spur private investment.
Another index that has moved countries to action is the African Development Bank's . It shows which African countries are making improvements that support free movement of people across the continent.
"Since this index has been in place, several countries, including Ghana and Ethiopia, now allow Africans to get visas on arrival at a border post," says lawyer Musiitwa.
The researchers with , the new gender index, hope their new index can also inspire change: positive steps for laws and policies that benefit girls and women.
Sarah Hendriks, director of gender equality at the Gates Foundation (a funder of this blog and NPR), worked on the index. She says the goal was to "put data in the hand of gender advocates" so they can inform their government ministers "where their country is doing well, where they are falling behind and how the country is performing in meeting [women's] needs."
To ensure that the index reflects the priorities of those advocates, the researchers teamed up with local organizations in countries like El Salvador, India, Indonesia and Tanzania, and drew from surveys from nearly 600 policymakers and gender advocates.
And that's the way things should go, says Dapo Oyewole, an Aspen New Voices fellow working within the Nigerian government. He says that rankings are only useful if there's local buy-in. "The rankings are only relevant if there's a local champion willing to drive the local changes — and an appetite from the government itself," says Oyewole.
The rankings game
Of course, there is a potential risk when countries try to move up. They can game the rankings.
Cooley cites an example in a 2015 piece for Foreign Affairs. In 2006, Georgia was in 112th place in the World Bank's Doing Business index. The country put together a working group to "rapidly pass laws and promulgate administrative rules" to shoot the country to 37th place in 2007.
"The evidence suggests that the change was more cosmetic than structural," Cooley wrote of Georgia's rise up the index. He found that the country's ranking had not improved on "comparable" indexes, nor did Georgia produce "a sustained increase in foreign investment."
In response to this criticism, World Bank spokesperson Chisako Fukuda told NPR: "To improve their scores, substantive legislative changes need to be made, which require a strong commitment by governments to improve their business environment."
Squishy data
Other rankings come in for criticism of another type: They're just kind of vague.
Consider Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, which attempts to rank the world's countries by how corrupt their public sectors are.
"A fuzzy concept like corruption isn't amenable to unpacking," says Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and the author of Results Not Receipts: Counting The Right Things In Corruption.
Along-standing criticism from the international communityis that the index relies on the perception of corruption to create its rankings.
The rankings are based on questionnaires with "experts and business leaders," according to the group. They're asked about a wide range of factors, from evidence of bribery to protections for whistleblowers.
That vagueness can make it difficult for local anti-corruption advocates and nonprofits to figure out what they need to do to fight the scourge in their countries: "Should I try to make the police less corrupt or should I join a government partnership to reduce corruption?" says Kenny.
When NPR asked Transparency International if it has seen any direct links to reform, spokesperson Ferenc Gaál responded: "It is difficult to draw clear causal links between the Index and concrete impact in the form of improvements of the corruption situation in any one country's public sector."
The group, however, has seen its index make an impression. Advocates against corruption in Nigeria, for example, have cited the country's poor ranking (144th place out of 180 in 2018) in op-eds calling for government reform.
Same old stories — but some surprises
As for the fact that many rankings look the same at the top and bottom, one reason has to do with money. Many indexes are correlated with GDP per capita, a measure of a country's prosperity, says Kenny. That includes the World Bank's Human Capital Index, which measures the economic productivity of a country's young people; and Freedom House's Freedom in the World index, which ranks the world by its level of democracy, including economic freedom.
And countries that have more money can spend more money on health, education and infrastructure.
Musiitwa says it "annoys" her when countries in Africa get poor ratings. It can have a negative effect on a country's financial opportunities, she says.
"I know that when investors are looking to do business in Africa, they look at indexes," she says, citing the Doing Business index and the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report. "The rankings provide some kind of guide to show that a country is well-placed to receive an investment, to figure out how stable the environment is."
But what is more frustrating, she says, is "when these countries and others that have been good performers slide back."
Perhaps the true value of the rankings, says Kenny, lies in the outliers: The surprising stories of countries that "demonstrate that there's space to do better."
Rwanda, for example, is often at the bottom of economic rankings. But in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap report in 2018, which ranked countries by how equal its men and women are, the country was in the top 10.
Even for wealthy countries, there are lessons to be learned about what they need to address.
Consider the U.S. in Equal Measures 2030's new gender equality index.
Although the U.S. is one of the world's wealthiest nations, when it comes to creating fair policies for women and girls, the country is nowhere near the top. The U.S. comes in at 28th place, in between Bulgaria and Greece.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Saturday, October 06, 2007
Justice was served tonight in The Baseball Post Season.
Justice--that The Chicago Cubs tried to "BUY" a Championship and Lost. Never can you pay BIG BUCKS and Fully Expect to Win The World Series.
Justice--that Alfonso Soriano--The Cubbies Biggest Off Season Signing--made The Final Out for The Chicago Cubs this season. In fact, Our Former Number 12 was booed a couple times during tonight's game. How quickly the home fans can turn on you--when WINNING is the only thing on their minds. Alfonso is now just another Superstar on an overpriced team in Chicago. In Washington--he was THE MAN. I like to know if he realizes that, or cares about that--now. Probably not.
Justice--that The Arizona Diamondbacks won this Division Series by playing and acting like A TEAM. Close Knit--not full of overpaid superstars. The D-Backs are a real team. Players you can enjoy watching play. Really, Arizona is fun to watch.
And, Justice when "Mi Amigo", Livan Hernandez, pulled off one of his Greatest Houdini Acts in the 5th Inning. Never can I say anything bad about "Livo". The Most Entertaining Pitcher in The Game. Not one single player that has ever played for Our Washington Nationals during their first three seasons in The Nation's Capital--caught my attention more. Old Number 61 is an ENTERTAINER--like no other. Never does he looked worried. Never does he not battle the opposition. That key double play ground ball to end the bottom of the 5th inning this evening with the bases loaded was VINTAGE LIVAN HERNANDEZ. Why pitch to the Very Dangerous Aramis Ramirez--just walk him--if you feel Mark DeRosa can be beat. Number 61 understands the nuances of the game. Its why he is so special. Its why he holds a special place in my heart.
"Livo's" Series Clinching Win Tonight--brought a HUGE SMILE TO MY FACE. And, when he bolted onto the field in celebration at the conclusion--you had to fear for his catcher, Chris Snyder's, well being--when Livan actually attempted to jump on top of Snyder in joy. I thought Hernandez was going to snap Chris' legs right from under him. Honestly, can you image that weight coming down on you?
Yes, Justice was Served, on The North Side, when The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated The Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field 5-1 this evening. And, once again--Former Washington Nationals were Key Players. Even Daryle Ward Struck Out in the bottom of the 9th--before Alfonso Soriano popped out to right field to end The Chicago Cubs Season.
Baseball always surprises me and never stops pleasing. It why I continue to love The Great Game So Much!
And, Yeah. Still, I would love to see Livan Hernandez throw out The Very First Pitch at New Nationals Park, wearing the Red, White & Gold for Our 2008 Washington Nationals.
Tonight's InGame Photos--(AP) Charles Rex Arbogast, M Spencer Green
18 comments:
- Edward J. Cunningham said...
You hit the nail on the head, SBF! Sadly, some people (*cough!*Thom Loverro*cough!*) think the Lerners should just spend $70 million acquiring free agents as if a dollar amount necessarily means the money is best spent. You don't have to look as far as Chicago to see this is foolish. The Orioles increased their payroll this year and won fewer games.
I would not mind the Lerners spend money on free agents, but spend wisely. If you can get Andruw Jones at a price that will not jeopardize the money spent elsewhere, then do it. But if bidding is driving the price too high, let it go. I also think the Nats should stay away from Glaving. Not because of price, but I think this future Hall of Famer's career may be over.
If there are no good free agents the Nats can afford to get this off-season, there is one thing the Lerners can and should do. The rest of the NL still has not realized what a gem Ryan Zimmerman is. Sign him to a long-term contract NOW before they do. Nowadays it is rare for Hall of Famers to play their entire careers for one team---even the Yankees. I want to see Ryan Zimmerman be one of those exceptions! - 10:52 PM
- Jim H said...
If the Washington Nationals were a VW Bug, this would be their bumper sticker:
"When I grow up, I want to be the Arizona Diamondbacks."
"When I grow up, I want to be the Colorado Rockies."
These teams are doing it right. As are more teams, nowadays - which is why it's been so difficult to get young talent in trade.
It's a very enjoyable post season so far...especially with the ouster of those "Phailin' Phils". - 1:23 AM
I also see some justice in Cleveland's progress. Among other things, it's given me a whole new appreciation for being called the (g)nats.
- Chris Needham said...
Isn't that a bit much. Let's see how far you get telling a Cubs fan that his team losing is 'justice!
They're a big market, generating tens of tens of millions of revenue. Spending money is what they SHOULD be doing.
Was it justice that the $90 million Phillies lost? Is it justice that the $110 million Angels are on the verge of losing? Or the $190 million Yankees?
Rather than crapping all over them, there's a lesson in how the Cubs were assembled, too. Their record was worse than ours last year and an infusion of Free Agent talent and the emergence of a few home grown players enabled them to improve by 20 wins to make the playoffs.
No, that's not the way I think our Nats should do it entirely, especially because there was no way RFK could generate enough revenue, but the new park is going to be a cash cow, and is capable of supporting a much larger payroll than we're likely to have next season.
But we shouldn't rip the Cubs or their fans for using their advantage. - 9:44 AM
- Edward J. Cunningham said...
Yes, they do, Chris. Yes...they...do.
If the only way to build a champion is to spend as much as you can on free agents, hell come may, then baseball might as well contract down to 16 or fewer teams again. Let only the large markets with nationwide fan bases have teams, because only they would have the ability to compete for a championship. And TV would never have to worry about ratings dropping because of fans being uninterested in truly great teams because they are not wearing the right uniforms (See Twins, Angels, Blue Jays, White Sox) because those teams would be gone. And both the Nats AND the Orioles would be gone.
There is one possible free agent I'd like the Nats to pursue if possible. Livan Hernandez will be eligible for free agency this off-season. If Arizona is uninterested in resigning him, I'd like him to end his career as a National. - 10:30 AM
- Chris Needham said...
If the only way to build a champion is to spend as much as you can on free agents,
Where did I say that?
I just said that there's more than one way. And Kasten would agree with that. I assume that one year, the Nats are going to splurge, committing to a larger payroll like the Cubs did last offseason. Are you going to renounce those wins because they didn't come the 'right' way?
Let only the large markets with nationwide fan bases have teams, because only they would have the ability to compete for a championship.
Yes, because that's exactly the way it is now. The point is that there are many ways to build a franchise. Compare and contrast what the Yankees and DBacks are doing. They got to where they are in different ways; neither is the 'right' approach. But both approaches make sense given the advantages and disadvantages of their markets. - 10:54 AM
- Screech's Best Friend said...
Chris: The Cubs barely made the playoffs in a weak division--in a weaker league. They spent a ton of money in a attempt to overturn their nearly 100 year losing streak at winning a World Series. An Attempt by The Tribune to WIN IT ALL--before they will sell off the team to someone else very soon--while leaving that new owner with a handful of long terms deals that may not be beneficial. It was JUSTICE that they lost. The Cubs are on overpriced mediocre team. And, its always good for baseball when a lesson is learned--the hard way. You can't always buy the pennant. Sure, you can add a key player here and there. But, you just don't automatically claim The Trophy.
I am sure The Nationals will buy a few agent or two when the times comes.. I have no problem with that--in the meantime they are showing patience--A mindset The Cubs lost many years ago. Its why that can't win right now.
Chicago has no direction. Sorry, that you can't see that.
As a side note: Its OK to disagree with me. Commenting back and forth is what makes the Blogs and Threads so interesting. But, I find it saddening, actually, that you never seem to respect others varying opinions. - 12:34 PM
As a side note: Its OK to disagree with me. Commenting back and forth is what makes the Blogs and Threads so interesting. But, I find it saddening, actually, that you never seem to respect others varying opinions.
You know I love ya, SBF, but this is laying it on a little thick.
The tenor of your post is (and I mean this with respect) strutting, preening, and a little bit spiteful. Sort of like Soriano took a lot of money, so let's cherish his misery in being booed. Or something.
That's not justice. That's schadenfreude.
As to the larger point, the Cubs did what they needed to do to win the division. They got their ticket in, and they got sweeped. Play another three game series with the D-Backs, and that might not happen the second time. The postseason is a pretty wild time. I'm very happy that the Snakes are having such a good run of it. Colorado, too. It's fun, no matter what the TV ratings will say.
Anyway, I think your post was a little bit pejorative. Doesn't make your post bad or wrong or anything, but I also don't think it's insulated from an opposing point of view. - 1:57 PM
/Chicago has no direction./
Well, they did make the playoffs, so they must be going somewhere. Sorry SBF, i just think sometimes you need to leave the analyzing to people who actually know what they're talking about.
I'm a Nats fan, but bashing a team when your team didn't make the playoffs is a bit much in my opinion. And saying the Cubs-THE FREAKIN' CUBS!! losing is "justice" is preposterous. If the Nats started spending willly nilly would you start rooting for them to lose, using your "justice served" based argument? Didn't think so. - 3:07 PM
Sorry SBF, i just think sometimes you need to leave the analyzing to people who actually know what they're talking about.
Well, I'll have to say that's not fair, either. SBF knows plenty about baseball; from what I gather, he played it professionally for awhile. His on-field and fundamentals observations are very astute. - 3:33 PM
- Edward J. Cunningham said...
"Well, they did make the playoffs"
No, they aren't---and neither are the Yankees, either. When they won all those World Series in the 90's, most of the talent on that team was home grown. But eventually, that team got old. If they were to take the time to genuinely rebuild, they would in a few short years have another team that is unbeatable.
But the Yankees believe that they should NEVER rebuild---that to TRY to rebuild is to admit failure. They may also believe (wrongly in my opinion) that Yankee fans will never support any team that they do not believe will (not can) win the World Series.
So they keep buying high-priced free agent after free agent as a band-aid. Johnny Damon. Gary Sheffield. They even tried bringing back old Yankee pitchers who have worked in the past---Petitte and Clemens. The Indians are showing them the Yankees need to develop YOUNG pitchers. As long as the Yankees keep trying to win this way, they (and the Cubs) will fail just like they did twenty years ago in the 80's.
Unfortunately, some Nats fans buy into this. They think that unless the Nationals don't try to spend as much money on free agents as the Yankees, they aren't "trying" enough. Some fans---God help them!---still think the Nats should have outspent the Cubs to keep Alfonso Soriano. Spending money on the most expensive free agents will not work if you don't have all the other pieces yet. Getting A-Rod may sell a lot of tickets and make Thom Loverro happy, but to pay his salary would cripple the Nats ability to build up a winning team.
Anybody remember what happened to the Diamondbacks AFTER they won the 2001 World Series? They could not sustain their success so they had to get rid of their star players not long after they acquired them, and Arizona STILL does not have as large a fan base as they would like. The Indians---although they did not win the World Series---had a more SUSTAINED period of excellence. The Atlanta Braves also sustained their excellence for a long period of time without buying every free agent in sight. I feel the Nats would be better served following the Braves' model than the Yankees.
Another reason why I am troubled by Chris' defence of the Cubs is that only a few teams are able to do what the Cubs did. The teams that can't---but try---quickly lose their players no matter how well they do in the postseason. Baseball has made steps towards parity, but it still isn't enough. We don't need teams like the Pirates or Royals to win the World Series each year, but for baseball to work fans have to believe that they CAN.
Baseball also needs to do a better job of marketing the OTHER teams. The networks may be slightly disappointed if St. Louis and Tennessee go to the Super Bowl, but the NFL does a good job of building up interest in even the smaller teams so that they aren't as hurt as you would think. But if the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cubs aren't in the Series, Fox is ready to slit their wrists. RFK should have been PACKED to see a great team like the Tigers this past summer. People didn't go because they wore the wrong uniforms. If you build up interest in other teams and in the sport itself, it should not matter if teams other than the Red Sox or Yankees win the Series, and that will be good news for teams in SMALLER markets like the Nationals. - 7:21 PM
"Nats should have outspent the Cubs to keep Alfonso Soriano. Spending money on the most expensive free agents will not work if you don't have all the other pieces yet."
Right…….. Spending $10 million for two players who play the same position - 1st base - is a much better idea then keeping Alfonso for $10 Million.......
This site has turned into a joke! The Nats moves are always the best and anyone who has a different view than SBF gets shouted down a bunch of sycophants.
Chris is just stating the facts here. Cubs went from near 100 loses to division champs in one season (beating what SBF would call the perfect development model of the Brewers)
$10 million for Alfonso is seems smarter than what the Nats did with Young and Johnson who both play the same position. Why is that smart? - 8:03 PM
- Edward J. Cunningham said...
"Right…….. Spending $10 million for two players who play the same position - 1st base - is a much better idea then keeping Alfonso for $10 Million......."
Keeping Soriano for $10 million would have been a bargain. However, that would not have worked. Despite what he SAID about wanting to stay in Washington, Soriano's actions made very clear that he was waiting to see who the highest bidder was. To keep Soriano would have required offering Soriano a bigger contract than the Cubs, who paid him much more than $10 million a year.
If you think Soriano would have accepted that deal without looking at other offers, you're wrong. If you think the Nats should have outbid the Cubs, you're insane. - 9:28 PM
Just pointing out the fact that Alfonso was paid $10 Million this season....Cubs went from last to first....Nats will pay two players for one position $10 Million next year.....
Points? There is more than one way to build a winner and the Cubs made about as big a turn around as it gets in one year.
Personally, I agree with Chris that Nats were limited by RFK....Now it is time to put a team that will win on the field. Nats need Starting pitching, CF, and Bench help Do not hide behind development smoke screen and give us Jimmerz, Lopez, Fick, Batista, Logan, Langerhanz again next year.
Give us DeRosa like the Cubs got.
DeRosa was available last year for $2.7 Million a season. Nats got Tony B. and Jimmerez, Cubs got DeRosa…… Point? Not all Cubs moves are bad moves and they did win the division did they not?
Spending money smartly does win games so the Nats do need to spend some money. It is now time to win. Enough Paterson and Hill as the Aces…..that is just a joke…..we know they will not pitch more than 20 starts between them. - 8:36 AM
- Edward J. Cunningham said...
Is Soriano's $10 million the maximum amount he earns in any given year? I was under the impression his rate per year went up, but I may be wrong.
But even if the maximum that Fonzie makes for any one year is $10 million. I don't think it would have been wise to give Soriano AS LONG a contract that he got. I also suspect that if the Cubs do not make or win the World Series in a few years, the Cubs will eventually deal him to another club even if it means eating a part of his salary. - 5:18 PM
$10 Million is this past year's salary...yes it goes up but so will every players salary and the signing bonus must be paid as well.
It was an 8 year deal as I recall. I still think he will be a super star at age 39 when the deal is over and I think he will still playing for the Cubs hitting .285 with 100 RBI's and 35 - 40 Hrs. He reminds me a lot of Ricky Henderson.
I would think the Nats could use that over the next several years, much more so than $5 Million for Young and $5 Million for Johnson.
Also Alfonso would be a better spend then Lopez and Kearns together which is another $10 million almost. - 8:18 PM
I'm sorry. I don't get it. What's all this bruhaha about Soriano? Were you surprised at his lack of clutch hitting in the division series? Were you guys paying attention last year?
In clutch situations in 2006, the man was miserable. He would hit the lead-off homer, and he would drive in runs when the Nats were ahead by 4 or down by 8, but put him in a situation where the Nats were a run or two down with runners in scoring position and what happened? A ground ball to third, a pop fly to second, a strikeout. According to the Nats' Media Guide, Soriano hit .197 with runners in scoring position and two outs. His overall RISP average was .231.
Unfortunately, the situations (whether the Nats up by 2 or down by 2 or more) is not listed. It seemed that most of the time Soriano came up in a clutch situation, he failed to deliver. Against Livan, he did exactly what he did last year.
Sure, he hit 46 homers, stole 42 bases, had 41 doubles and 22 outfield assists. Those were nice numbers, and in a losing season, it gave us something to feel good about. But for my money, Soriano is not a player who is worth $10 M/year. JimBo and Stan are right to tread lightly in the free agent market. More often than not, clubs get burned. Can you say J.D. Drew? A.J. Burnett? - 8:30 PM
- Edward J. Cunningham said...
"I would think the Nats could use that over the next several years, much more so than $5 Million for Young and $5 Million for Johnson."
If the Nats were one player away from a run at the Series, then MAYBE offering the moon and the stars would have been worth. In my opinion, the type of offer that would have swayed Soriano from signing with the Cubs would have hampered our ability to get the players we need to get to the playoffs. And we are assuming that if the Nats were foolish enough to offer more money than the Cubs Fonzie still would have stayed. He may have left anyway because Chicagoland is much bigger than the D.C. area, and the Cubs have a huge nationwide fan base.
I think Bowden was wise to re-sign Nick Johnson and then get Dmitri Young. Worst case scenario---Nick's career in baseball is finished. I think Dmitri can become Nick's successor and with a little bit of work improve on his 2007 numbers. But if Nick comes back, one of the two (probably Dmitri) can move to the outfield and our line-up has more punch and Ryan Zimmerman has more protection.
If you think signing Soriano is still such a good idea, ask the Texas Rangers if it was worth it signing A-Rod from the Mariners. - 9:21 PM


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Eye Health
Simple tips for healthy eyes
Your eyes are an important part of your health. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. Follow these simple steps for maintaining healthy eyes well into your golden years.
Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
You might think your vision is fine or that your eyes are healthy, but visiting your eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to really be sure. When it comes to common vision problems, some people don't realize they could see better with glasses or contact lenses. In addition, many common eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration often have no warning signs. A dilated eye exam is the only way to detect these diseases in their early stages.
During a comprehensive dilated eye exam, your eye care professional places drops in your eyes to dilate or widen the pupil to allow more light to enter the eye, the same way an open door lets more light into a dark room. This enables your eye care professional to get a good look at the back of the eyes and examine them for any signs of damage or disease. Your eye care professional is the only one who can determine if your eyes are healthy and if your vision is at its best.
Know your family's eye health history.
Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It's important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with a disease or condition, since many are hereditary. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk of developing an eye disease or condition.
Eat right to protect your sight.
You've heard carrots are good for your eyes. But eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale or collard greens is important for keeping your eyes healthy too. Research has also shown there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna and halibut.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. If you are having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor.
Wear protective eyewear.
Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home. Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for a certain activity. Most protective eyewear lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. Many eye care providers sell protective eyewear, as do some sporting goods stores.
Quit smoking or never start.
Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.
Be cool and wear your shades.
Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Give your eyes a rest.
If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eyestrain.
Clean your hands and your contact lenses properly.
To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Make sure to disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them as appropriate.
Practice workplace eye safety.
Employers are required to provide a safe work environment. When protective eyewear is required as a part of your job, make a habit of wearing the appropriate type at all times and encourage your co-workers to do the same.


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Florida boy receives life-saving bone marrow from FDNY firefighter
NEW YORK - There wasn't a dry eye in the house when a 14-year-old boy from Deltona, Florida got to meet the man who provided a life-saving gift.
Kyle Richardson was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a blood cancer of the lymph system, and he was in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. That's where New York City firefighter Robert Humphries comes into the picture.
Humphries, 30, joined the FDNY in June 2008 where he originally served as an EMT for four years at two stations in Brooklyn. He signed up for the Be The Match Registry in 2013 while training to become a firefighter. He was called to give life-saving bone marrow by the registry in 2015 and 2016, and both times he never hesitated. His second call was to help Richardson.
"I was willing to do whatever they had asked…knowing that my bone marrow could save someone's life," Humphries said. "I wouldn't hesitate to do it again."
Humphries donated bone marrow in March 2016 at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. Richardson received the bone marrow transplant at the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Richardson has been in remission since April 2016. His mother, Dawn, describes her son's bone marrow donor as their "New York Angel," and expressed her gratitude when the two got to meet during a ceremony in New York City on Friday.
To learn more about the Be The Match Registry, click here.