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Learn more about our Board members.
Review Board meeting dates for the year.
Review Board meeting minutes and read highlights.
Learn more about our Annual General Meeting.
Learn more about the College Board.
Learn more about our leadership team.
Learn about the College's efforts to dismantle Indigenous-specific racism within BC's health system.
The Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility, & Anti-racism Practice Standard sets clear expectations for BC health professionals on the provision of culturally safe and anti-racist care for Indigenous patients and clients.
This section is for new pharmacist registration.
This section is for new pharmacy technician registration.
Fee Schedule
Click here.
Information on how to renew registration with the College.
Different renewal options from pharmacy professionals.
Registration expired within 90 days.
Registration as a Full Registrant has expired for more than 90 days, and Full Registration will be completed within 6 years from the date last registered as a Full Registrant.
Registration as a Full Registrant has expired for 6 years or more from the date last registered as a Full Registrant.
This section is for pharmacists who want to become certified to administer immunizations by injection and intranasal route.
Learn more about declarations you can submit on eServices upon successful completion of certain requirement(s) in the bylaws/Professional Practice Policies.
This section provides more information about the College's criminal record check process.
This section is an overview of the Jurisprudence Exam process.
Learn more about the name change process.
Learn how to order a letter of standing.
Learn how to order a replacement registration certificate.
Learn more about Structured Practical Training.
Learn about Professional Liability Insurance for Pharmacy Professionals
Learn more about the registration committee policy.
Learn more about the process for a registration application that is referred to the Registration Committee for review.
This section will highlight the Registration Department's most frequently asked questions.
Learn how to apply for a community pharmacy licence.
Learn how to apply for a hospital pharmacy licence.
Learn how to apply for a pharmacy education site licence.
Learn how to apply for a community telepharmacy licence.
Learn how to apply for a hospital pharmacy satellite licence.
Pharmacy Licensure Guide
Learn how to renew a pharmacy licence.
Learn how to apply for reinstating a pharmacy licence that has expired within 90 days.
Applying for a change of ownership from one legal entity to another (including amalgamation).
Applying for a change of directors, officers, and/or shareholders of a BC non-publicly traded corporation.
Applying for a change of pharmacy manager.
Applying for a change of authorized representatives of a direct owner that is not a corporation.
Reporting a name change of a corporation (direct or indirect owner).
Applying for a change of the pharmacy name.
Applying for relocation of a pharmacy.
Applying for renovation of a pharmacy.
Reporting changes to pharmacy hours, pharmacy services and staff roster.
Applying for anticipated temporary closure of a pharmacy.
Applying for unanticipated temporary closure of a pharmacy.
Applying for permanent closure of a pharmacy.
Basic information about the eligibility criteria, attestation and criminal record history for direct/indirect owners and managers.
Review this section if you are or will be a pharmacy manager.
Detailed information about all licensure processes, including how to use eServices for applicable licensure purposes.
Quick access to all form and checklists for licensure purposes.
Learn more about the process for a pharmacy application that is referred to the Application Committee for review.
Learn more about complaints and concerns.
Learn about what the College can and cannot investigate.
Learn how to contact the College about a concern.
Learn more about our complaints and concerns resolution process.
Learn more about the duty to report.
Review the policy for public notifications.
Learn more about the way we review pharmacy professionals and pharmacies.
Learn more about our professional development and assessment program.
Learn how the Controlled Prescription Program reduces inappropriate prescribing of selected controlled drugs and prevents forgeries.
Learn more about the College's provincial awareness campaign.
The Health Professions Act, Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, Pharmaceutical Services Act, and Bylaws can be found here.
Learn more about bylaws for comment.
Prohibition on the Provision of Incentives
This section includes all general pharmacy practice, community pharmacy, and hospital pharmacy professional practice policies.
Learn more about the requirements for safe dispensing of drugs used to treat opioid use disorder.
Learn about the requirements for pharmacist-supervised injectable hydromorphone maintenance treatment within community pharmacies.
Learn about the standards to adapt a prescription in BC.
This section includes information and resources for medical assistance in dying.
The Patient Relations Program Standard helps to protect public safety by providing clear standards and requirements for dealing with misconduct of a sexual nature.
Learn more about the Section 56 exemptions.
Read the latest ReadLinks articles here.
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Find more information for community pharmacy.
Find more information for hospital pharmacy.
These are resources to help pharmacists and pharmacy technicians prepare for the Jurisprudence Exam.
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Learn more about dispensing Mifegymiso in BC.
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Providing continuity of care for patients during a state of emergency
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Miranda Lambert + Husband Share Spectacular Pictures From Their Trip to Maui
Miranda Lambert and her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, recently spent some time in Maui, and she shared some gorgeous pictures with her fans online of their holiday in paradise.
Lambert hit the island for a working vacation, playing at the 5th annual Maui Songwriters Festival Presented by BMI, which ran from Dec. 5-7. In between conferences and performances, she and her husband of nearly one year took in the spectacular natural splendor of Maui and even did some shopping.
In the series of photos above, Lambert and McLoughlin pose in typically colorful touristy shirts, in front of a plunging waterfall and in front of a backdrop of palm trees. Other shots depict Lambert performing an acoustic set on stage at the songwriting event and posing for a group shot with the other participants, who include Maren Morris, Willie Nelson and more. There's also a picture of her rehearsing in a hotel room, as well as a picture of Lambert standing in front of a local shop called Alice in Hulaland.
"Thank you @bmi songwriters festival for having us back this year," Lambert writes to accompany the pictures. "Maui is a magical place. Playing music here with great friends is a dream. Headed home for family time!"
See Inside Miranda Lambert + Brendan McLoughlin's Tennessee Love Nest
Lambert stunned fans and the country music industry when she announced in February of 2019 that she had secretly married McLoughlin the previous month. The couple married just months after meeting in New York City when Lambert's band, the Pistol Annies, were performing on Good Morning America. McLoughlin is an NYPD officer, and he was working security for the event.
McLoughlin took a leave of absence from his job to accompany Lambert on her recent Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars 2019 Tour, which wrapped on Nov. 23. Lambert will hit the road again in January for her 2020 Wildcard Tour, which runs through May 9 and ends up in Montreal. That tour is in support of her new album, Wildcard, which Lambert released on Nov. 1.
Miranda Lambert tickets are available for all of her upcoming concert dates.
Miranda Lambert Fans Will Love Caylee Hammack!
See Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin on the CMA Awards Red Carpet

subset: commoncrawl


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Islamic or Secular Pakistan?
Here are a couple of excerpts from Quaid-e-Azam's speeches given at different times which are often cited in this "Islamic vs Secular Pakistan" debate:
"You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State"
"Who am I to give you a constitution? The prophet of Islam had given us a constitution 1,300 years ago. We have to simply follow and implement it, and based on it we have to establish in our state Islam's great system of governance."
The secularists insist that the first excerpt from the Quaid's speech of August 11, 1947 to the constituent assembly should be accepted as his true vision for a secular Pakistan. The Islamists vehemently disagree and cite the second excerpt in which the Quaid talked about the fact that "prophet of Islam had given us a constitution 1,300 years ago" and we must implement it.
The question is: Do the two speech excerpts conflict or support each other? On the surface, the Quaid's speeches appear to send conflicting messages. However, a deeper examination of Misaq-e-Madina (Charter of Medina), Islam's first constitution approved by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), suggests the Quaid's speeches are consistent with each other and conform to the original Islamic constitution.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Honored by US Supreme Court |
Here's the opening line of Misaq-e-Madina:
"This is a document from Muhammad the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), governing relations between the Believers i.e. Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib and those who followed them and worked hard with them. They form one nation -- Ummah."
It clearly says that all citizens of "Yathrib" (ancient name of Madina), regardless of their tribe or religion, are part of one nation--"Ummah". So the word "Ummah" here does not exclude non-Muslims.
Further into the "Misaq" document, it says: "No Jew will be wronged for being a Jew. The enemies of the Jews who follow us will not be helped. If anyone attacks anyone who is a party to this Pact the other must come to his help."
The Mesaq assures equal protection to all citizens of Madina, including non-Muslim tribes which agreed to it. The contents of Misaq-e-Madina, Islam's first constitution approved by Prophet Mohammad 1400 years ago, appear to have inspired Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah vision of Pakistan where people of all religions and nationalities live in harmony with equal rights and protections under the law.
Some might now ask what was the need for the Two-Nation-Theory given the above vision of the Quaid? The Quaid's search for Pakistan as an independent state for Muslims was inspired to give India's minority Muslims better opportunities to grow and prosper. While it's true that Pakistan has not lived up to the Quaid's expectations, it is also true that, in spite of all their problems, Muslims in Pakistan are still much better off than their counterparts in India.
An Indian government commission headed by former Indian Chief Justice Rajendar Sachar confirms that Muslims are the new untouchables in caste-ridden and communal India. Indian Muslims suffer heavy discrimination in almost every field from education and housing to jobs. Their incarceration rates are also much higher than their Hindu counterparts.
According to Sachar Commission report, Muslims are now worse off than the Dalit caste, or those called untouchables. Some 52% of Muslim men are unemployed, compared with 47% of Dalit men. Among Muslim women, 91% are unemployed, compared with 77% of Dalit women. Almost half of Muslims over the age of 46 ca not read or write. While making up 11% of the population, Muslims account for 40% of India's prison population. Meanwhile, they hold less than 5% of government jobs.
Those who say that the Two-Nation-Theory died with the creation of Bangladesh in 1971 are wrong. They need to be reminded that the Lahore Resolution of March 23, 1940, in fact called for two "independent states", not "state", in Muslim majority areas of India in the north east and the north west. The other fact to remember is that Bangladesh did not choose to merge with India after separation from Pakistan.
Here's a video discussion on this and other current subjects:
Jinnah's birthday, Bangladesh Independence, Abdul Qadir Molla hanging, Aam Aadmi Party success India from WBT TV on Vimeo.
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
Jaswant Lauds Jinnah
Are Muslims Better Off in Jinnah's Pakistan?
Comparing Pakistan and Bangladesh
Is This a 1971 moment in Pakistan's History?
Is Pakistan Too Big to Fail?
Global Firepower
Jinnah's Pakistan Booms Amidst Doom and Gloom
Quaid-e-Azam M.A. Jinnah's Vision of Pakistan
India Wins Freedom by Maulana Azad
Ayesha Jalal Taking On Pakistan's Hero
The Poor Neighbor by William Dalrymple
Iqbal and Jinnah


text:
- This event has passed.
This is the best introduction to wolves for families with young children. Kids will learn about the mythology surrounding wolves and the important role of wolves in the natural world. This is exciting time for wolves; they are out searching for prey as their pups grow bigger and bolder! Guests will visit Ambassador Wolves Alawa, Nikai and Zephyr, and possibly the WCC's critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves as well.
Pre-registration is required.
Fees: $14 – Adults / $11 – Children (under 12)
NOTE: The confirmation email may go to your spam/junk folder. Please check your email before contacting us. If you receive the confirmation email, your name will be on a list. There are no tickets.


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Level: intermediate
We use the verb wish or the phrase if only to talk about things which we want but which are not possible:
I wish I could see you next week.
If only we could stop for a drink.
I wish we had a bigger house.
They are always busy. If only they had more time.
John was very lazy at school. Now he wishes he had worked harder.
We use wish and if only with past tense forms:
- We use past tense modals would and could to talk about wishes for the future:
I don't like my work. I wish I could get a better job.
That's a dreadful noise. I wish it would stop.
I always have to get home early. If only my parents would let me stay out later.
- We use past simple and continuous to talk about wishes for the present:
I don't like this place. I wish I lived somewhere more interesting.
These seats are very uncomfortable. I wish we were travelling first class.
I wish I was taller.
John wishes he wasn't so busy.
I'm freezing. If only it wasn't so cold.
- After I/he/she/it, we can use were instead of was:
I wish I was/were taller.
John wishes he wasn't/weren't so busy.
I'm freezing. If only it wasn't/weren't so cold.
- We use the past perfect to talk about wishes for the past:
I wish I had worked harder when I was at school.
Mary wishes she had listened to what her mother told her.
I wish I hadn't spent so much money last month.
- Wishes 1
- Wishes 2
Hypotheses (things we imagine)
When we are talking about hypotheses, we use expressions like:
what if ... ? | in case | suppose (that) | supposing (that) | imagine (if/that) |
We use these expressions:
- with present tense forms to talk about the present or future if we think something is likely to be true or to happen:
We should phone them in case they are lost.
Those steps are dangerous. Suppose someone has an accident.
- with past tense forms to talk about the present or future to suggest something is not likely to be true or to happen:
Imagine you won the lottery. What would you do with the money?
What if he lost his job? What would happen then?
- with the past perfect to talk about things in the past which did not happen:
Suppose you hadn't passed your exams. What would you have done?
What if he had lost his job? What would his wife have said?
Modal verbs
We use modals would and could for a hypothesis about the present or future:
We can't all stay in a hotel. It would be very expensive.
Drive carefully or you could have an accident.
We use would in the main clause and the past tense in a subordinate clause for a hypothesis about the present or future:
I would always help someone who really needed help.
I would always help someone if they really needed it.
We use modals with have to talk about something that did not happen in the past:
I didn't see Mary, or I might have spoken to her.
It's a pity Jack wasn't at the party. He would have enjoyed it.
Why didn't you ask me? I could have told you the answer.
We use would have in the main clause and the past perfect in a subordinate clause to talk about something that did not happen in the past:
I would have helped anyone who had asked me.
I would have helped you if you had asked me.
- Hypotheses 1
- Hypotheses 2
Hello Ahmed Imam,
- wish sth + past [wish the weather were] describes the situation at the moment; it imagines a different present
- wish sth + would [wish the weather would] describes the future; it imagines a hoped-for future
Since we are talking about the future, the verb 'be' does not work here. You could use 'improve', however, or refer to a concrete change (I wish it would stop raining).
Note that 'wish sb would' is used when we are talking about behaviour. For example:
I wish he would stop talking!
[he talks too much; I hope this changes in the future]
Obviously, behaviour is something people have. It requires choice and involves making a decision. Thus we generally use the form with people rather than things, though we can anthropomorphise things such as cars, computers, the weather etc.
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Ahmed Imam,
These are interesting examples! They are all grammatically correct. There are slight differences in meaning.
- Sentence 1 uses the past perfect, so it means that people bothered Steinbeck some time before he made this wish. It doesn't necessarily mean that people were bothering Steinbeck at the moment he made the wish.
- Sentence 2 does mean this (i.e. people were still bothering him at the moment he made the wish).
- Sentence 3 could mean either of those meanings. Speakers often simplify the past perfect (sentence 1) to the past simple.
I hope that helps.
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Ahmed Imam,
Both options are grammatically correct, but the meaning is different. If only he could ... means he can't speak Spanish. If only he would ... means he is unwilling to speak Spanish (so, he may be able to speak it, but he doesn't want to).
The phrase later on generally means a short time in the future, not a long time. So, If only he would ... makes the most sense. If only he could ... doesn't really make sense because being able or unable to speak Spanish isn't likely to change within the short time that later on indicates.
I hope that helps.
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Lavinia,
It's a good question! You're right that I wish there were ... is correct, and this is the structure that is normally taught in grammar books. But, the structure you noticed (I wish X would have ...) is very commonly used nowadays, especially in American English.
Is it correct? That's a slightly tricky question :) From a traditional point of view, the answer is no. So, I wouldn't recommend using it in a written exam, for example. But in casual conversation with someone, I don't think it would be regarded as a mistake.
Does that make sense?
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Adamfirstttt,
In conditional sentences, we use modal verbs like would (have) in the result clause, not the condition clause; in the condition clause we use a normal verb form in whatever tense or aspect is appropriate.
In your first example, the result clause is omitted and there is only the condition clause. If you add a result clause then you could use use 'would have':
I can't believe you paid for your car in cash. What if someone stole it, what would you do then?
I can't believe you paid for your car in cash. What if someone had stolen it, what would you have done then?
In your second example, would have is used in the result clause:
Imagine you had been born a hundred years earlier. Do you think you would've been happy?
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Dean,
The second sentence is not correct. This is because we don't generally use 'would' with the subject 'I' after 'wish', since in a sentence like this, 'would' expresses the idea of annoyance or unwillingness. In this sentence, the opportunity is not something that your willingness directly affects.
In other words, you can say something like 'I wish he would visit me' (the subject of the verb 'would visit' is 'he', not 'I' -- the idea is that you wish he was willing (wanted) to visit you) but not 'I wish I would have that opportunity'. Instead, we say 'I wish I could have' or 'I wish I had'.
I hope this helps you make sense of it.
All the best,
The LearnEnglish Team
This is because 'would'
Hello Harry de ZHANG,
I'm not sure there is a rationale for such aspects of the language. Languages are organic and develop through use and need without an imposed plan from above.
This use of were is actually an archaic form. The subjunctive used to be the norm in if-clauses but now is used only with the verb be (present subjunctive- be, past subjunctive - were)
You can read more about the subjunctive in English here:
The use of were in if-clauses is still very common, particularly with the first-person (If I were...). The use of was is frowned upon by some people, who see it as incorrect or at best poor style. This is not a view shared by the majority of modern grammarians, however.
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Tim,
You're correct that there are three moods in English (indicative, subjunctive and imperative) and that every verb has one of these three moods. Note that it is not the sentence which has a mood, however, but the verb; mood is a characteristic of verbs.
The subjunctive can be used in some hypothetical forms but it's actually hard to tell in many cases as the past subjunctive and the past indicative forms of the verb are identical in all but the third person in English. It's easier with present forms, and with these we can see that the present subjunctive is already archaic and is in the process of disappearing. Both of these sentences are grammatically correct, but the first sounds very old-fashioned and stilted:
If they be found, bring them to me. [be = present subjunctive]
If they are found, bring them to me. [are = present indicative]
We have similar choices with hypothetical past forms:
I wish he were here. [were = past subjunctive]
I wish he was here. [was = past indicative]
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmed Imam
Both sentences are grammatically correct but there is a difference in meaning. In 1, 'would' means something like 'were willing to come' or 'wanted to come'. In 2, it's not that they don't want to come, it's that they cannot.
All the best
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello NoobsDeath
Yes, that's the right idea. You can read a detailed explanation of this on our Probability and Modals – deductions about the past pages.
Best wishes
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmed Imam,
Both could have and had are grammatically possible in this sentence. I wish I could have has a similar meaning to I wish it were possible for me to have, while I wish I had is a more general statement about the speaker's character and the kind of person he or she is.
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Kamil,
Being is the -ing form of the verb be. You can use it in many ways, as a full verb, as an auxiliary verb, as a gerund and as an adjective.
You can read about some of the uses of -ing forms here:
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Kamil
Part of being a native speaker of a language is having the sense for whether a sentence is grammatical or not. There are different theories about how it is that native speakers have this ability, but in any case, it takes years of listening and reading other people use the language. I'd suggest you read and listen to English as much as you can, and, if possible, get the help of a teacher, who can speed up the process for you.
I'm afraid we don't provide that kind of support here. Our comments section is a space where users can ask questions about what's on our pages. We occasionally also answer very specific questions about language related to what's on our pages, but this is not a space for private tuition.
All the best
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Kamil,
It's hard to be sure without knowing exactly what you want to say, but here are two possibilities:
I wish I looked as cute as I did when I was a child.
- here the speaker is talking about the present and is a little sad that he or she doesn't look as cute anymore
I wish/want to look as cute as I did when I was a child.
- here the speaker is making a request to someone such as a hairdresser or a make-up artist; it means something like 'Please make me look as cute as when...'
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Kamil,
'Did' is used here to avoid repeating 'looked' twice in the same sentence:
I wish I looked as cute as I looked when I was a child.
I wish I looked as cute as I did when I was a child.
I wish/want to look as cute as I looked when I was a child.
I wish/want to look as cute as I did when I was a child.
The LearnEnglish Team


text:
Visit to Fundacion Instituto S. Jose for disabled youth
On Saturday evening, 20 August 2011, the Holy Father visited the Fundación Instituto San José for disabled youth. In his address to the young people, the Pope spoke of the sufferings of Christ, and of the Blessed Mother and the Saints who followed in His footsteps.
Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Priests and Religious of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God,
Distinguished Authorities,
Dear Young People, Family Members and Volunteers,
I thank you most sincerely for your kind greeting and heartfelt welcome.
This evening, just before the Prayer Vigil with the young people from throughout the world gathered in Madrid for this World Youth Day, we have this chance to spend time together as a way of showing the Pope's closeness and esteem for each of you, for your families and for all those who help and care for you in this Foundation of Saint Joseph's Institute.
Youth, as I have said more than once, is the age when life discloses itself to us with all its rich possibilities, inspiring us to seek the lofty goals which give it meaning. So when suffering appears on the horizon of a young life, we are shaken; perhaps we ask ourselves: "Can life still be something grand, even when suffering unexpectedly enters it?" In my Encyclical on Christian Hope, I observed that "the true measure of humanity is essentially determined in relationship to suffering and to the sufferer … A society unable to accept its suffering members and incapable of helping to share their suffering and to bear it inwardly through 'com-passion' is a cruel and inhuman society" (Spe Salvi, 38). These words reflect a long tradition of humanity which arises from Christ's own self-offering on the Cross for us and for our redemption. Jesus and, in his footsteps, his Sorrowful Mother and the saints, are witnesses who shows us how to experience the tragedy of suffering for our own good and for the salvation of the world.
These witnesses speak to us, first and foremost, of the dignity of all human life, created in the image of God. No suffering can efface this divine image imprinted in the depths of our humanity. But there is more: because the Son of God wanted freely to embrace suffering and death, we are also capable of seeing God's image in the face of those who suffer. This preferential love of the Lord for the suffering helps us to see others more clearly and to give them, above and beyond their material demands, the look of love which they need. But this can only happen as the fruit of a personal encounter with Christ. You yourselves – as religious, family members, health care professionals and volunteers who daily live and work with these young people – know this well. Your lives and your committed service proclaim the greatness to which every human being is called: to show compassion and loving concern to the suffering, just as God himself did. In your noble work we hear an echo of the words found in the Gospel: "just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40).
At the same time, you are also witnesses of the immense goodness which the lives of these young people represent for those who love them, and for humanity as a whole. In a mysterious yet real way, their presence awakens in our often hardened hearts a tenderness which opens us to salvation. The lives of these young people surely touch human hearts and for that reason we are grateful to the Lord for having known them.
Dear friends, our society, which all too often questions the inestimable value of life, of every life, needs you: in a decisive way you help to build the civilization of love. What is more, you play a leading role in that civilization. As sons and daughters of the Church, you offer the Lord your lives, with all their ups and downs, cooperating with him and somehow becoming "part of the treasury of compassion so greatly needed by the human race" (Spe Salvi, 40).
With great affection, and through the intercession of Saint Joseph, Saint John of God and Saint Benito Menni, I commend you to God our Lord: may he be your strength and your reward. As a pledge of his love, I cordially impart to you, and to your families and friends, my Apostolic Blessing. Thank you very much.
Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


text:
Save America Ministries
with Chuck CrismierRecent Broadcasts
Featured Offer from Save America Ministries
Lasting Love
LASTING LOVE can be a dream come true. Yet love requires more than a dream or those loving feelings we so much desire.Lasting Love, Chuck and Kathie Crismier, celebrating their Golden Anniversary, unveil seven enduring secrets that will inspire and strengthen your marriage as it has theirs. COPY and PASTE this link to WATCH the TRAILER: https://www.facebook.com/Save-America-Ministries-204687919570536/videos


text:
The White House President George W. Bush |
Print this document |
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 1, 2002
President Highlights Compassionate Conservative Agenda
Playhouse Square Center
Cleveland, Ohio
Policy in Focus: Compassionate Conservatism
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much for that warm welcome. I'm feeling great, by the way. (Laughter.) And I'm glad I'm here. And thank you all for coming.
We've just come from a discussion of community leaders all involved with trying to make Cleveland a compassionate, decent place for every citizen. Some were democrats, some were republicans -- all of them Americans. (Applause.)
All of them Americans who understand that out of the evil done to America can come some incredible good; that by loving a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself, you can do some good in our country. You can fight evil by being a decent, honorable, compassionate citizen. And that's what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about the soul of America. (Applause.)
First, I appreciate my traveling party and the folks who showed up here today. I want to thank Rod Paige, for being the Secretary of Education. I like to remind people that when I was -- came time to pick a Secretary of Education, that I wanted somebody who had actually been on the front lines of education.
I didn't need a theorist, I needed somebody who was a practical person, somebody -- and I knew Rod when I was the Governor of Texas and he was the Superintendent of our state's largest school district, Houston Independent School District. And our test scores soared when he was leading that district.
And so I -- fortunately, he came to Washington, D.C. He's made a huge sacrifice to be there, and he's doing a fine job. And I want to appreciate Rod and I appreciate his leadership, I appreciate his being a straightforward fellow. It's easy to understand where he's coming from. He's coming from this perspective: every child must be educated in America. Every child. (Applause.)
I also brought another man along with me, Alphonso Jackson, who is the Deputy Secretary of HUD. Alphonso's job is to make sure we work tirelessly to promote homeownership in America. And I appreciate Alphonso coming. I'm going to talk a little bit about that later on. (Applause.)
Of course, I appreciate so very much the elected officials who have joined. My friend, the Governor of the great state of Ohio, Bob Taft, is with us. (Applause.) Senior Senator, a fine friend and a good man, George Voinovich, is with us. (Applause.) Are you the senior Senator? He's the junior -- he's the oldest junior Senator. (Laughter.) He's a junior Senator who happens to be a senior citizen, he said. (Laughter.) But a young -- he thinks young. He's a great man.
I appreciate members of the congressional delegation, both Republicans and Democrats alike -- Ralph Regula, Steve La Tourette, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Dennis Kucinich. I appreciate you all coming. (Applause.) Thanks for being here. I appreciate you're here.
I appreciate the Attorney General, Betty Montgomery, from the great state of Ohio. (Applause.) I'm honored that the Mayor of the great city of Cleveland would come, Mayor Campbell, thank you for being here. I'm honored you're here. Appreciate you. (Applause.)
I had the honor of listening to a elected -- a local elected official, Ms. Fannie Lewis, who had some things to say. (Applause.) Thank you, Fannie, for coming.
Today, as I landed at the airport, I had the honor of meeting a gentleman named Eugene Brudno. And Eugene is a Cleveland resident who has spent a lot of time of volunteering in the community. The reason I mention Eugene is, one of the true strengths of this country is the fact that we've got so many citizens who have heard the call to help somebody in need, and they don't need a government telling them to do it. They just do it because they love their community.
And Gene has been loving his community for a long time. Gene, would you stand up and please wave? Thank you for coming. (Applause.)
I want to thank Alex Machaskee for having sponsored the discussion we had today. I want to thank the United Way leadership for being here. I want to thank you all for coming. I am honored that you're here. I've got some things to say -- it's really how great America -- I mean, what a fabulous country we have. We are lucky to be Americans. (Applause.)
And as Americans, we have responsibilities. We have responsibilities. If you live in this country and you want to be a patriotic soul, you have a responsibility. And I think one of those most important responsibilities is to help a neighbor in need. I do.
And I've got a responsibility, too. Perhaps my biggest responsibility is to keep our homeland secure. I want to give you a brief update about our attempts to keep the homeland secure. At home we're doing everything we can do. I want to thank all those on the front line, the first time -- the first responders, the police and fire and EMS teams for being prepared and ready and working long hours.
In Washington, D.C., we've got a lot of good folks who are spending a lot of time chasing down any hint or any lead, any idea that somebody might have to hurt us. We're on it. And you just need to know we are actively focusing our attention and efforts to keep the homeland secure.
We're fighting an enemy that hates what we stand for. They don't value human life. The death of innocent people doesn't bother them in the least. They hijacked a great religion. They kill in the name of the religion when, in fact, they're nothing but a bunch of cold-blooded fanatics and killers. (Applause.)
I've asked the Congress to take all the agencies involved with the homeland defense -- there's about a hundred of them scattered all over Washington, D.C. -- you can imagine what that is like, trying to hold somebody accountable.
I said, we should put it all under one umbrella, called the Cabinet officer, and give us a chance to align authority and responsibility; five us a chance to change the culture of these agencies; give us a chance to say, protecting the homeland is now the single most important priority of the federal government. And I appreciate the response from both Republicans and Democrats alike to the initiative I laid out. It's tough for some, I recognize that. I mean, there's some turf in Washington. (Laughter.) And people like to protect the turf.
But by far most members understand that it's more important to protect the American people than the turf. (Applause.) So we're making progress at home. But the surest way to protect the homeland is to hunt the killers down one by one and bring them to justice. And that's what we're going to do. (Applause.)
And we're making progress. This isn't a -- the type of war we're all used to. It's not the kind of war where there's tanks moving across, you know, some plain, everybody gets to see the progress of the tanks. This isn't the kind of war where planes are in formation.
This is a war that we fight against these shadowy terrorists that hide in caves or hide in big cities and send young souls to their death through suicide. That's the kind of people we're after. But we've hauled in over 2,400 people so far. I say "we," I'm talking about not only the United States, but a vast coalition of freedom-loving countries. And so we're after them one by one. I guess the best way to describe the strategy is to treat them for what they are, international criminals; get them on the run, and when we find them, bring them in, and get them.
And that's what this mighty country is going to do, because, you see, we love our freedom. We stand for freedom. We love freedom of religion. We love freedom of the press. We love to speak freely. We love politics. We love what we're doing in this country. And anybody who threatens our freedoms will face the ire of the mighty United States of America. (Applause.)
And we're in this deal for the long haul. There is not a calendar on my desk that says, by such and such a date we quit. That's not how I think. And I don't believe that's how the American people think either. The American people understand that we need to be patient and resolved and determined to do what is right. History has called us into action. And for the sake of our young, for the sake of our children and our grandchildren, we must be strong enough and resolved enough to defend freedom to the core; to not waver or tire in the face of an enemy that hopes that we relinquish our love for freedom and the values we hold dear in America.
You know, I can't imagine what was going through their mind when they attacked us. They must have thought America was so materialistic and so selfish and so self-absorbed that we might just file a lawsuit or two. (Laughter.) They learned differently. They learned that we love our country and love our freedoms. (Applause.)
But I want the youngsters here to understand this great country doesn't seek revenge. We seek justice. And this great country, when we go somewhere, we don't go as conquerors -- we go as liberators. I want our country to keep in mind what happened in Afghanistan. Afghanistan was a country that had been hijacked by these al Qaeda killers, with a complacent government.
We said if you harbor a terrorist, you're just like the terrorist, we're going to treat you just like the terrorist. And we upheld that doctrine by removing the Taliban. But, more importantly, we liberated people. For the first time, young girls go to school in Afghanistan, thanks to the United States and our coalition. (Applause.)
And that's -- and that's going to be our posture for a long time coming, too. We believe in freedom for all. We believe in the value of individual life. We're a compassionate, strong nation; a nation that through our determination will bring peace.
Oh, I know that in the midst of this war there is a lot of warlike talk, and I'm as guilty as -- I'm guilty. (Laughter.) I talk that way. But I want you to know, I love peace. I want the world to be at peace. I believe out of the evil done to America can come some good. And one of the goods is going to be a peaceful world. Peace in places where we haven't seen peace in a long time. And peace at home for our children and our grandchildren. I long -- I long for a peaceful world for every citizen on the face of the globe. And I believe that the United States can lead to peace if we're strong and resolved and unified. (Applause.)
And I also believe that as we make the world more peaceful and America more secure, we can make America a better place. A better place for all of us. Not a better place for some; not a better place for a few; but a better place for all.
I think that means that our government, federal government must be active to promote self-government and self-reliance and independence. It means that we must encourage individuals and communities and families to take more responsibility for themselves and their neighbors and our nation.
Our aim isn't to make government bigger by spending more money; our aim isn't to focus on finance, large or small. Our aim must be to mean that when we spend money, we spend it on what works to create a better society. I call this compassionate conservatism. It is conservative to trust the local folks to chart the path to excellence in education. It's conservative to liberate parents. It's conservative to pass power out of Washington, D.C. when it comes to public schools. It is compassionate to make sure not one child gets left behind in America. (Applause.)
It is conservative to promote private property, and ownership of homes. It is compassionate to understand there is an ownership gap in America, and we must use our resources to close that ownership gap by encouraging minority ownership of homes in America. (Applause.)
It's conservative to reform welfare and reduce dependence on government. It is compassionate to encourage work and family and values of personal responsibility. It is conservative to understand government can hand out money, but it cannot put hope in people's hearts and, therefore, we should promote the good works of faith-based and community-based programs. (Applause.)
It is compassionate to understand in the land of plenty there are pockets of despair and hopelessness. There are people who, when you say the American Dream, say, I don't know what that means. And it's compassionate to understand all of us, no matter what your political party is, must do something about it. We must work to make the American Dream reach into every single neighborhood all across America. (Applause.)
I believe that starts with making sure everybody gets a good education. (Applause.) Rod talked about the "no child left behind" legislation. Let me tell you what I think the bill says. I believe it says that our society must believe every child can learn, and that means we've set high standards. If you set low standards, guess what's going to happen? If you have low expectations, you know what's going to happen? We'll just give up on kids -- see?
It's so much harder to, by the way, educate inner-city -- some inner-city children. It's easy to walk into a classroom full of inner-city African Americans, for example, and say, you can't learn, we'll move you through. Or how about classrooms full of children whose parents don't speak English as a first language -- it's easy to quit on those kids. Heck, it's hard to educate a child whose parents don't speak English; why don't we just shuffle them through the system. That means you have low hopes, low standards, low expectations. We start with a different premise: Every child can learn, regardless of their circumstances. And we expect every single child to learn in America. (Applause.)
We said, yes, there's a role for funding, and we increased funding for Title I programs here in Cleveland by 23 percent. And that's good and that's important. We want to help the disadvantaged through funding. But Washington shouldn't be telling Cleveland how to run its school system. See, that's up to you all to figure out how to run your school system. (Applause.)
But we've instituted a new reform, and it's an important reform. It says, if you do receive the money, if you decide to take federal money, show us whether or not the children are learning, see. Show us whether or not expectations are being met. (Applause.)
I've heard it all -- we can't test, we test too much. We test too much. We shouldn't test children whether they can read. See, all you do is teach to test. Listen, if you can teach a child to read, they can pass a test. You teach them to read, don't worry about the tests. (Applause.)
We need to know in America whether or not our children can read and write and add and subtract. That's what an accountability system is for. Not only do we need to know, but more importantly, the parents need to know whether or not the children can read and write and add and subtract. (Applause.) And if we find they can't, something else has to happen. We cannot allow our children to be trapped in schools that won't teach and won't change. (Applause.)
Starting this September, as many as 3.5 million students across America who attend failing schools will have different options, of transferring to another public school. It's part of being an accountable society. It's part of strengthening public education.
Listen, I think public education is one of the most important parts of democracy. In order to make sure the American Dream reaches every neighborhood, we've got to have good public schools all across America. We must. (Applause.) So we've got to strengthen the public education system, by encouraging different opportunities if there's failure.
Low income students, as a result of the new bill, in chronically failing schools will now have access to after-school tutoring. The money follows the child and the parent can decide who provides the after-school tutoring. (Applause.)
There is not a single avenue to success. In order to achieve educational excellence for every child there's got to be a multiplicity of approaches. That's why I believe so strongly in local control of schools. The people of Cleveland and the state of Ohio decided that one of the approaches they wanted to take was to encourage a voucher system to be implemented. That was a local decision. And the Supreme Court of the United States gave a great victory to parents and students throughout the nation by upholding the decisions made by local folks here in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. (Applause.)
It is a constructive approach to improving public education. We're interested in aiming toward excellence for every child. And the voucher system is a part of the strategy to achieve that here in Cleveland. One of my jobs is to make sure that we continue to insist upon reform, to take this court decision and encourage others to make the same decision at the local level. One way to do so is through tax credits, which is now in my budget. I urge Congress, when we debate how to improve public education, to pass the tax credit so parents will have more flexibility and more choices when it comes to the education of their children, particularly K through 12. (Applause.)
I also -- the Supreme Court in 1954 declared that our nation cannot have two education systems. And that was the right decision. Can't have two systems, one for African Americans and one for whites. Last week, what's notable and important is that the Court declared that our nation will not accept one education system for those who can afford to send their children to a school of their choice and for those who can't. And that's just as historic. (Applause.)
I think by continuing to focus on high standards and results and local control of schools, we can all work together to make sure no child is left behind.
And by the way, I had the honor of meeting Roberta Kitchen today. She should be giving the speech, not me. Where's Roberta? Hi, Roberta. Roberta is a mom of five children, and her passion is a passion which is shared by moms all across America. Her passion is pretty simple: I want my children to go to a safe school where he or she can realize their full potential. Roberta, thank you for your love for your children. (Applause.) I appreciate you.
We also have got to do a better job of bringing the American Dream to all Americans by encouraging home ownership. There is a -- we've got a home ownership gap in America, let's face it. Over 75 percent of white Americans own their home, and less than 50 percent of Hispanos and African Americans don't own their home. And that's a gap, that's a homeownership gap. And we've got to do something about it.
One of the barriers to homeownership is the cost of down payment. And I'm working with Congress right now to have a down payment assistance program to help the homeowner be able to afford the down payment.
I also believe that a barrier to entry is education. There's a lot of folks who when they look at the fine print in the contract, don't quite understand what it means. Not only do we need to simplify the contracts, we've got to make sure that there's an outreach program to educate first time home buyers on what it means to own a home and how you do it. Not to get nervous about the fine print, but to realize what's in the fine print so that the people can make good decisions. We've got money in the budget to do that. We want to work with the faith-based community to encourage the education of people to understand what it means to own a home.
I'm also working with the private sector to make sure they do their part. It's in the national realtors interests, or the National homebuilders interests that we encourage minority ownership of homes. We're trying to increase the demand for homes. One way to do that is to work with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to encourage capital, so that there's more money in the private sector for first time home buyers. We need billions of more dollars available for those who want to realize the dream. They have made the commitment to do so.
And, finally, we need legislation, tax credit legislation that will increase the supply of homes, affordable homes all across the country, affordable homes in inner-city Cleveland, where people are able to find a home and realize their dreams. (Applause.)
The goal for this country is that by 2010 we have 5.5 million new minority homeowners. And when that happens -- you watch what happens when these neighborhoods will become revitalized, it'll help the public school systems, it'll create such a sense of hope. This is a noble goal and one that I fervently believe we can achieve and must achieve to make America a better place. (Applause.)
We've got work to do. The Senate has got work to do, in passing a reauthorization of the welfare reform bill. One of the great success stories in recent past has been to reform welfare so as we reduce dependency upon government. And that's important. See, we believe in the worth of each individual and believe if we help people they can realize their full potential.
And it starts with finding work. It starts with a job. If somebody works, they're more likely to be able to realize dreams, to realize their God-given potential. And so we've got to continue to employ the resources and the vision to helping people find work. I believe work ought to be an incredibly important part, ought to be the standard by which welfare reform has been judged. And our society must work with local folks to implement strategies that will help people find work.
Listen, the government is willing to pay for re-education. The government is willing to pay for job training. But we need people at the local people, just right like you do out here in Cleveland, to take the hand of somebody in need and say, how can we help you? How can we help you realize the independence of finding -- and the dignity, by the way -- of finding work?
I want to thank the employers in Cleveland for showing responsibility by helping on the welfare to work initiative. And I want to thank the faith-based programs for taking the resources available and to help people find work. We've got to continue -- we've got to continue -- to promote work as part of a independent -- independent -- to encourage independence. And at the same we do so, we've got to teach people the values of marriage and family. (Applause.)
And speaking about responsible society, one of the key things we've got to do here in America is make sure that all of us are responsible for the decisions we make -- especially in this day and age, the CEOs of corporate America. (Applause.) We need to make sure that when the people put out their balance sheets, when people put out the facts and figures, there's no question about their veracity. There's no question that there true numbers.
You see, in order to keep the job base increasing in America, there must be trust. And some have violated the trust. They haven't assumed their responsibility. I expect there to be responsibility at all levels in our society. And I intend to fully enforce the law when people cheat on the balance sheets of corporate America. (Applause.)
We laid out an initiative in March to provide better information to investors, to make corporate officers accountable and responsible; to make sure that there's an independent auditing system -- make sure this business about conflict of interest is eradicated. We need to rebuild the confidence in our job-creating system.
Now, you need to know that by far the vast majority -- by far -- of corporate America are above-board and doing their jobs just the way you'd expect them to do, that they treat their investors, their shareholders and employees the way you'd want them to. And that's important for America to know. It's also important to know we're going after those who aren't and hold them accountable. (Applause.)
Our economy, the foundation of our economy is strong. We've got good fiscal policy, good monetary policy. We just now got to get this -- get trust built back in the country's leadership -- which we will; we will. And one way to do it is to bring some of these folks to justice who have violated their trust. And we'll do that, too.
I also want you to know that my philosophy really does trust the American people. I trust people when it comes to -- the parents when it comes to educating their children. I trust people when it comes to making right decisions about whether to own a home. I trust people when it comes to helping find work. the strength of this country is really not in our halls of government, it's in the hearts and souls of the American people. That's really why America is so strong a nation as we are today.
I also believe that -- in the power of faith in people's lives. And that when we find people who have lost hope, maybe as a result of addiction or despair, that one way to help change America is to encourage those who have heard the call to love a neighbor to go love their fellow citizen.
See, I've got great faith in America because I know our society can change one heart, one person at a time. And I know there are millions of soldiers in the armies of compassion who are willing to do just that. The faith-based initiative that you've probably read about means this. Our government should not fear programs which exist because of a church or a synagogue or a mosque has decided to start one. (Applause.) We should not discriminate against programs based upon faith in America. We should enable them to access federal money, because faith-based programs can change peoples lives, and America will be better off for it. (Applause.)
I urge the Congress to get the bill on by desk that does two things -- one, allows for faith-based programs to compete for taxpayers' money to help change people's lives; and secondly, allows non-itemizers to receive a deduction on their income taxes when they give money to a charity. We need to do everything we can to encourage the strength of America to help change America for the better. (Applause.)
Now, out of the evil done to America is going to come some incredible good here. I believe it. I believe that our citizens, many citizens are now hearing the call that a true patriot is somebody who serves something greater than themselves. A true patriot is somebody who asks a neighbor in need, what can I do to help. A patriot is somebody who understands that life is more -- that life is complete when you make a sacrifice for somebody else.
That certainly came home to a lot of Americans when Flight 93 was driven into the ground by citizens -- normal, everyday citizens -- who realized the plane they were on would be a weapon. And I want to remind you of what happened on that flight. They told their loved ones good-bye, they said a prayer, and they made the ultimate sacrifice for somebody else. That's the American spirit, as far as I'm concerned -- the notion that in order -- (applause.) And it is that spirit which is exhibited every day in our country when people say, I think I want to mentor a child, and do so. And people helping an elderly shut-in. When people deliver food.
It's the millions of acts of kindness and decency which define America, which show the true face of this great country. And I mean a great country.
It's a great honor to be the President of the greatest nation on the face of the Earth. Thank you for coming today, and God bless. (Applause.)


text:
On May 7th the Sparrow Project was proud to support the efforts of activists in La Jolla, California rallying for added protections and a sanctuary for a colony of Harbor Seals that call La Jolla's Casa Cove their home. We were excited to see that our press release generated some great coverage, shedding much-needed light on the plight of the La Jolla Seals. Following coverage in the La Jolla Light & San Diego Tribune, Dorota Valli of San Diego Seal Watch was invited on CNN's Headline News to discuss the seals. In the wake of the buzz on May 13th a judge issued a temporary restraining order protecting the seal colony from shared use of the beach until a future court date in June. Listed below is a roundup of the flurry of coverage dedicated to the La Jolla Seals.
- The La Jolla Light — rally re-cap
- The Huffington Post
- Fuse Music Television — Mark Hoppus column
- San Diego Union Tribune — AP Wire Story
- San Francisco Examiner
- The La Jolla Light — Pro-Seal Opinion Piece
- The Discerning Brute
- NBC 15 Television
- Sacramento Bee
- Lighthouse News
- AP Daylife Newdesk
- CNN Headline News with Jane Valez Mitchell
"Must we humans be so selfish that we would deny the seals a small spot on the coast they can call their own. Those who want the seals removed so children can have the beach have certainly not asked the children what they want. Most children would prefer to see seals living happy on a beach than to see them removed. The people who are victimizing these seals are both anti-nature and anti-children. They have their own agenda of greed and prejudice," — Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society


text:
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Discover the many beautiful buildings and culture in Helsinki


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Be sure to sign up for the Fat Quarter Shop Newsletter.
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We're pleased to announce that the Mosaico extension v2 is finally available to download!*
Mosaico enhances the existing CiviCRM Mailing module to simplify the email creation process by allowing you to use a simple drag and drop mailing editor to create your emails. The Mosaico extension will then produce a responsive (suitable for mobile) and perfectly formatted email for you!
How do I use the new Mosaico?
1. Mailing
With Mosaico Integration enabled, you will be led to the screen below when you choose to create a new mailing:
Here has everything you need to tell Civi about the mailing you are creating. This includes:
- Mailing name: A name for the mailing so you can recognise it later
- From: this is the email address that is going to be shown as the sender in customer's' inbox
- Recipients: the list of customers you want to send this mailing to
- Subject: subject line of the emails. You can use tokens in this field
- (optional) Campaign: the campaign this mailing is for (if you have CiviCampaign enabled)
- (optional) Reply-to: the custom email address you want any reply to be delivered to (if you have custom reply-to enabled)
When everything is ready, click on 'Continue' to move the the next step.
2. Design
The second step is 'Design'. You can either select an empty template to start fresh with (or you can use a configured templates that you made in advance previously - see the Mailing templates section below). Once a template is selected, the Mosaico template editor will appear.
In the editor, there are a set of designed blocks that can be used to assemble your mailing content. You can change the text, add tokens, insert images, even modify the colour from the style button in the top left!and many more. You can see examples of using this in the animation below:
At any point of the design process, if you want to test the mailing in your actual inbox or preview the content in a web browser to test responsiveness, you can use the 'Test' button on the top of the editor. I t allows you to preview both HTML format and plain text format. You can also send a test mail to an email address or a list of email addresses.
Once hit 'Close' button, your design will be saved to the mailing and you can always come back to edit it or reset it.
3. Options:
This is the last step for creating a mailing. You will be choosing to send the mailing immediately or schedule it to be sent at a desired time and date. The attachments, responses, tracking, and publication options you may have seen in CiviMail are available in 'Advanced Mailing Options'.
If you want to review your mailing before sending it, you can always use the steps in the wizard header to navigate back to the previous steps.
Mailing templates:
For most organisations you will have several email "styles" that you may use for mass mailings such as Newsletters, Campaigns or Member alerts. Rather than needing to configure the look and feel of the email each time you create a new mailing, you can create Mailing Templates using the Mosaico Templates option from the link below:
Here you can select from one of Mosaico's "base" templates to create your own standard mailing templates for use in your mailings.
Once you have created a template it will then be available for you to select when you go through the mailing wizard above.
The ability to create mailing templates is defined by a separate user permission so you can specify one user role (the administrator for example) who can create and edit the templates, where as the normal users can create mailings (i.e. use that template for a mailing only).
Now onto the techie bit… Installation!
How do I install the new Mosaico?
CiviCRM: Mosaico Integration requires CiviCRM 4.7.16+.
For those who are running CiviCRM 4.6, don't feel left out, there is also a small backport patch that you can apply which allows Mosaico to be used with CiviCRM 4.6.26+.
PHP-ImageMagick: this needs to be set up on the server that your CiviCRM instance is running on. This might require some more technical knowledge. There are many references out there with simple steps to set this up if you know your way around server. e.g. http://php.net/manual/en/imagick.setup.php
To install Mosaico Integration, like any other extension, firstly you need make sure your CiviCRM extension directory is correctly configured. You can find some guidance here if you are new to CiviCRM.
If you have already configured the extension paths, simply download the latest versions of the three extensions below from CiviCRM.org Extension Directory into your extension folder and enable them in the following order:
(For those taking from github download or clone the latest master of all the above extensions for the latest stable versions).
If you followed the instructions above and have Mosaico Mailing wizard successfully running on your site, very well done! You can now start to create your emails!
One useful note is that you can always still use the old mailing interface if you would like. These can be found at the following urls:
civicrm/a/#/mailing/new/traditional (new mailing with template_type=traditional)
civicrm/a/#/mailing/new/mosaico (new mailing with template_type=mosaico)
civicrm/a/#/mailing/new (new mailing with the default template type; depends on the mix of extensions)
Any draft mailings created with the old mailer will still continue to use the old mailing interface.
We will also be making the extension available for automated download from within CiviCRM soon but the extension is currently in final beta and we welcome feedback and bug reports on the github: https://github.com/veda-consulting/uk.co.vedaconsulting.mosaico.
** The Shoreditch Theme
You probably also have noticed that Mosaico wizard has a slightly different visual style than the rest of Civi. This is because Mosaico is one of the first CiviCRM extensions to use the new Shoreditch Theme extension. This extension defines a new look and feel for CiviCRM which is mobile responsive and also akin to the design material design language (see here for more information about that (https://civicrm.org/blog/jamienovick/extreme-makeovers-civicrm-style-introducing-the-shoreditch-theme-civicrms-new-user).
Although you need the Shoreditch theme for Mosaico, you do not need to do anything more then download and enable the extension for the Mosaico extension to work. (You do not need to change any CSS settings as described on the Shoreditch extension readme for example).
In the future however you will be able to use the instructions as set out on the Shoreditch extension to switch the rest of CiviCRM over to the new "theme" but the work for this is still in heavy development at the moment and not ready for production use.
Coming soon
There's a lot more coming on the Mosaico front including an RSS to email block and work on integrating it more fully to CiviCRM's other email sending (A-B testing, scheduled reminders and system emails). There will be a "make it happen" (crowd funding) campaign coming soon, so if you're finding the new Mosaico useful and want to see more please think about getting involved and contributing to future development by contacting me at firstname.lastname@example.com!
A big thank you to all those who have been a part of this project: the team from Veda Consulting who developed the original extension, Tim Otten from the core team who worked tirelessly to make this a reality, our client Healthwatch who patiently provided funding, testing and feedback and the rest of the team at Compucorp for the design, UX, styling and QA to bring it all together. This is great example of our diverse Open source community from several corners of the globe working together to create something fantastic.
Thanks for reading… and happy mosaico-mailing!!
*We've got a final beta out which can be downloaded from github and we will be making this available for automated download from inside CiviCRM soon!
Looking very good - well done!
So this update in fact changes the UI for sending scheduled mailing? Can you confirm? Looks better of course, but users will need some help if this is such a change.
You don't have to replace the old email system. Instead, you can have both that have their own forces :
- standard templating is best for letters : you can use them both for mailing or emailing and have some tokens to customize them
- mosaico templating is best for newsletter : you want to have a great layout that work on any screen / email client and be sure it won't break.
Mosaico is best for newsletter because :
- if you have a standard HTML template with a WYSIWYG editor, there are good chances that inexperienced users will break the layout from time to time. It's not possible to do that with Mosaico because you only edit placeholders for text and images.
- Mosaico is out-of-the-box responsive and work in any browser so you don't have to worry about this part anymore and you can focus on the content instead.
Right now, after installing the extension, if you want to use both, you have to add some menu entry manually :
- For standard civimail : https://yourwebsite.org/civicrm/a#/mailing/new/traditional
- For mosaico : https://yourwebsite.org/civicrm/a#/mailing/new
Same thing for templates :
- Standard : https://yourwebsite.org/civicrm/admin/messageTemplates?reset=1
- For mosaico : https://yourwebsite.org/civicrm/a#/mosaico-template
Where can I try demo of new release? I do not see it available on the civiCRM demo sites. I would like to see if newest version fixes a particular problem, and I would rather not install on client sites unless I know that is the issue is resolved.
Most of the demo's are provided by CiviCRM partners (https://civicrm.org/experts). They enable/disable extensions or functionality to highlight key aspects of CiviCRM at their discretion. The sandboxes provided don't by default have Mosaico enabled, and there's not plan yet to make that happen. We encourage you to proactively test CiviCRM and its extensions on a dev site and/or against your own data prior to pushing to client sites. Bugs or issues discovered can be reported back to the community to help address the issue. Likewise patches can be supplied, and/or funding can be provided to help support the fix, the software and ultimately the community that benefits from it. We encourage you to get involved (https://civicrm.org/get-involved) and help support the community.
Up above you stated that "The ability to create mailing templates is defined by a separate user permission so you can specify one user role (the administrator for example) who can create and edit the templates, where as the normal users can create mailings (i.e. use that template for a mailing only). Where would I find that permission setting? As an admin I can't seem to edit a "configured template" that I created, and this could be my problem. Thx!
This is really a great extension and we're using it a lot. The upgrade to version 2 is in principle a good thing, but what I am missing is the possibility for downloading the HTML. This was very useful for our usecase, because it was the basis for the webversion of the email (we don't use CiviCRM fully exposed to the internet) and for creating an individal test part of the email.
Regarding this I have two questions:
Is it planned to bring the "download" button back?
Is it planned make an individual text part of the email possible instead of the automatically transformed HTML version?
Thank you so much for developing this extenion!


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Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, case decided in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court. Along with Doe v. Bolton, this decision legalized abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. The decision, written by Justice Harry Blackmun and based on the residual right of privacy, struck down dozens of state antiabortion statutes. The decision was based on two cases, that of an unmarried woman from Texas, where abortion was illegal unless the mother's life was at risk, and that of a poor, married mother of three from Georgia, where state law required permission for an abortion from a panel of doctors and hospital officials. While establishing the right to an abortion, this decision gave states the right to intervene in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy to protect the woman and the
life of the unborn child. Denounced by the National Council of Bishops, the decision gave rise to a vocal antiabortion movement that put pressure on the courts and created an anti-Roe litmus test for the judicial appointments of the Reagan and Bush administrations (1981–93). In a 1989 case, Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, the court, while not striking down Roe, limited its scope, permitting states greater latitude in regulating and restricting abortions. Then in 1992, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the court reaffirmed the abortion rights granted in Roe v. Wade, while permitting further restrictions.
See N. McCorvey with A. Meisler, I Am Roe (1994); N. E. H. Hull and P. C. Hoffer, Roe v. Wade: The Abortion Rights Controversy in American History (2001, rev. ed. 2010).


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140 x 12mm
lensNSW | lensWA |
lensVIC | lensSA |
lensQLD | lensTAS |
Hume Silktrim mouldings are manufactured to allow for a straightforward and rapid installation, while providing the perfect primer for an excellent paint finish. Elegant styles and stable engineered construction, is why Silktrim is the sought after option for final fit out stages in new homes and commercial developments.
Click profile images for more
Cutting & Joining
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Use the correct size finishing brads to suit the thickness of mouldings so that a minimum framing penetration of 25mm is reached. It is important not to over fix silktrim as this may causing bruising or splitting. Refer to our handy guide within the Silktrim installation download.
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Learn moreSilktrim is a highly moisture resistant medium density fibreboard (HMR-MDF) which is a high grade, composite material that performs well in many areas. Made from recycled wood fibres and resin, MDF is machine dried and pressed to produce a dense and stable product.
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Wax Lube
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Orders over $125 ship for free across Canada with some exceptions. Please visit our Shipping Policy page for more information.


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R.L. Mathewson tops Apple iBookstore charts for second day running |
Four days ago, R.L. Mathewson uploaded Checkmate to Smashwords. In under 24 hours, we distributed it to Apple and it went live worldwide in 50 stores. Yesterday, this contemporary romance hit #1 in Apple's US, Australia, U.K. and Canada stores. As I write this, it remains #1 at these same stores.
Three days ago, Kirsty Moseley uploaded Always You to Smashwords. The next day, we distributed it to Apple and it went live worldwide in 50 stores. Today, Always You is the #7 bestseller in Australia, #20 in the U.S. and #20 in the U.K.
Last week, the US Apple iBookstore ran a special promotion of romance titles priced $1.99 and below. We suggested they consider Mia Dymond's Playing with Fire, and they included it.
Last week, in conjunction with Apple's iBookstore launch in New Zealand, they named Shayne Parkinson's Sentence of Marriage their "Book of the Week" for both their New Zealand and Australian stores. Sentence of Marriage is a free series starter. Shayne's next book in the series, Mud and Gold, priced at $3.99 (NZ dollars), is today the #8 bestseller in the New Zealand store, and #54 in Australia (after the U.S. store, Australia is the next highest earner for Smashwords authors, just edging out the U.K., which is also big for us). I suggested they consider promoting Shayne because she's one of our bestselling authors at Barnes & Noble. She's also one of the few authors we distribute to Amazon, where she sells well. I suspected that since she was performing well at our other retailers but hadn't yet broken out at Apple, a dose of pixie dust merchandising love could help launch her to a new audience. That's what's happening.
The Smashwords authors above aren't the only ones doing well at Apple. Other notable standouts now in the top 10 store-wide bestsellers include Jillian Holmes, author of Temporary Kiss (#7 in the U.K. iBookstore), Isabelle Rae, author of When Summer Ends (#8 U.K.), S.H. Kolee, author of Love Left Behind (#5 Australia, #10 Canada), and Marie Kelly, author of Billionaire's Revenge (#2 Australia, #8 Canada).
Apple is today the largest retailer for Smashwords authors. The chart here shows the growth in monthly dollar sales for Smashwords books at Apple. I omitted the dollar figures, but you get the idea how Apple has grown. For all its incredible growth in ebooks, Apple is conspicuously mum when it comes to talking about their accomplishments. Did they do a press release or a press conference on their launch of 18 new stores last week? I don't think so. Most authors I meet have no idea Apple is distributing to 50 countries.
I think their low key approach has led many in the industry to underestimate their progress. My advice to authors: don't underestimate Apple. If you're not there, you're missing out. Every new country they launch represents a new micro-market, an opportunity for you to become a big fish in a small but growing pond. The authors who get out there first and establish footholds today will become the bestsellers of tomorrow.
All the authors mentioned above? Keep an eye on them. They're all headed toward the New York Times bestseller list in the months and years to come if they keep up their great work.
Our relationship with Apple started prior to launch of the iPad in early 2010. I, like the rest of the world, had heard rumors that Apple was preparing to launch a bookstore, so I got on the phone and called their main switchboard. Within about a week, I met with a senior executive at our office in Los Gatos.
Keep in mind that at the time, Smashwords was only three people. It was myself, Bill Kendrick our CTO, and Keri McKie our CFO. He asked me a lot of questions about our business, my background, and how we ran things. He told us that Apple was looking to form relationships with a small number of authorized ebook aggregators, their term for distributors. We had already signed distribution deals with Sony, Barnes & Noble and Kobo, so of course we were interested. He laid out their integration requirements, and told us if we met the deadline and requirements, we were in, and if we didn't, maybe later. In this industry, "maybe later" can easily mean never because things change so quickly. We wanted to be in on the ground floor, so we dropped everything and in two weeks completely reworked how we produce .epub files, we performed dozens of other technical enhancements to our platform and processes, and we met the deadline. We had 2,200 books on the iBookstore on day one.
Today, we supply approximately 125,000 ebook to the Apple iBookstore, and we're one of a small number of global aggregators supplying books under their aggregator program. To remain in the program, we must undergo (and pass!) rigorous quarterly audits.
As you might imagine, I've got warm feelings for the team at Apple. They took a gamble on us early on, and that gambled paid off for everyone, especially our authors. They've shown our authors incredible support over the last two years. They've also been especially proactive in terms of working with us to identify opportunities for them to promote our authors to their customers.
Below I'll share some tips for succeeding at the Apple iBookstore. 90% of these tips apply to every other retailer. These tips are based on my personal experience, opinions and observations, and are not endorsed by our friends at Apple.
- Read my Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success - My free ebook identifies 28 best practices of the most commercially successful Smashwords authors. Many of the authors above are poster children for the best practices I recommend. My Secrets book is all about what you as an author can do to publish professionally. I underscore in the book how it's critical you publish a book that's as good or better than what the big New York publishers are releasing, and how you can employ my methods (such as pricing strategy) that will give you an advantage over them.
- Get there and stay there - Once your book lands at Apple, don't remove it. In the Secrets ebook, I show charts of how prior Apple bestsellers have developed at Apple. For many of the charts, you'll see that many bestsellers sell poorly at first, but then something sparks a breakout. That something might be a new cover image (See our interview with R.L. Mathewson, and don't miss the chart there that shows what happened after she updated her cover image), the release of a new book, or any mix of myriad viral catalysts.
- Link to Apple in your promotions - I'm always surprised how often I see authors complaining that all their sales are coming from Amazon, and then I look at their website or blog and see they're only linking to a single retailer, Amazon. Support all your retailers. Not just Apple, but Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, every one. Your blog, website and social media promotions should provide direct hyperlinks to your book pages at every retailer, so your fans can purchase your book at their favorite retailer. For millions of readers, one of their favorites is the Apple iBookstore. Use Apple's free Link Maker tool to create direct hyperlinks to your books at any of Apple's 50 stores. Use their Widget Builder tool to create and embed interactive widgets on your web site or blog. Click here to download Apple's badges and buttons that you can place on your website or blog. Smashwords author Russell Phillips has also developed some free link- making tools of his own on his Tools for Authors web site.
- Sales lead to more sales - Every time you send a buyer to Apple (or any other retailer for that matter) and they purchase your book, you gain five important benefits: 1. You
get money in your pocket. 2. You build your platform, because you get a reader, and a reader is a
potential fan, and reader word-of-mouth is your single most powerful marketing catalyst. Fans
give you great reviews, and reviews lead to more sales. Fans also
await your next release, which means you have a built-in audience for your next book (definitely one of the catalysts for R.L.'s huge
success with Checkmate, which is R.L.'s ninth book at Apple). 3. Each sale gives you an
incremental lift in Apple's sales ranking algorithms which by my observation is heavily weighted to unit sales. As you rise in the sales ranking, first in your genre or category, and later in the store-wide rankings, you become more visible to more readers who are looking for a book just like yours. 4. As you start rising in the lists, you'll grab the attention of Apple's merchandising team, which means they're more likely to give your book an extra promotional boost (more on that next). 5. Apple's iBookstore, like most other ebook retailers, does automatic online merchandising so that when readers view a book page, they can see other books purchased by people who bought this book. Each sale to an Apple customer gets your book cycling in their "Customers Also Bought" algorithm.
- How to get the attention of merchandising managers - This is a challenge. I could probably do an entire separate blog post on this (Next year at RT Booklovers in Kansas City, I'm actually moderating a session on the topic of retail merchandising best practices). From my experience, Apple's merchandising team works much the same as the merchandising teams at other retailers (though I've got to say, Apple's team is impressively proactive).
First, it's helpful to understand their job. The merchandisers have responsibility for identifying books that are worthy of special promotion, and most merchandisers at Smashwords retailers have a remarkably similar approach. They're looking for books that will please their readers, and this focus usually trumps the retailer's desire to earn money. Most merchandisers I've spoken with, if given the choice to promote a $2.99 book or a $12.99 book, will promote the $2.99 book first if they think it'll make more readers happier. They want confidence that if they recommend a book, that book will deliver satisfaction, and extreme five-star satisfaction trumps 3-star.
Merchandising managers have multiple methods of showering promo love on a book. At Apple, the promotion can come in the form of getting your book highlighted under their "New and Notables" section, as R.L. Mathewson is highlighted this week, or you might be selected for a special promotion such as the $1.99 romance promo mentioned above, or the "Book of the Week," or any myriad other promos they're doing.
All the retailers, Apple included, keep their promotional calendar close to the vest. There's no "editorial calendar" that mere mortals such as myself can access.
It's tough to get a merchandiser's attention because they operate in a world where hundreds of thousands of authors and publishers want the attention. There's simply too much noise. Nothing gets a merchandising manager's attention faster than a book that is already selling, or a book getting great reviews by their customers. In this sense, the merchandiser's attention is democratically applied. If your fans drive you into the bestseller charts, it increases your opportunities for merchandising love. The most reliable method of attracting the attention of a retailer's customers is to write a great book, give it a great cover image, distribute it to the store, and promote its presence at the iBookstore.
As I mention in the Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success, different books break out at different retailers at different times, and often for reasons you can't determine. Just as each country represents a micro-market for your books, so to does each retailer. To the extent you cultivate a fan base at each retailer, your follow-on books will have much greater success. This is one of the reasons I am so staunchly opposed to exclusivity programs like KDP Select. Audience cultivation is a long term endeavor, requiring nonstop presence, patience and participation (I shared more thoughts on KDP-S in the November 2 Smashwords author/publisher alert).
If you've previously sold well at the iBookstore, your next release is likely to get more attention, both because you've developed a fan base among the retailer's customers, and because you've begun building brand awareness among the merchandising team.
It was an Apple merchandiser, for example who contacted me and asked if Kirsty Moseley had a new release planned. Kirsty's prior title, The Boy Who Sneaks in my Bedroom Window, has sold well at Apple worldwide for months, and continues to do well. As luck would have it, she did have a new title coming, the above-mentioned Always You. We coordinated with Apple so they knew when it was coming, and when it arrived they were ready to give it some love. It's now rising in the charts.
Another way to get their attention is to get the attention of your distributor's merchandising team, which in our case is me. If you've previously sold thousands of copies at Apple, and you've got a new title coming, let me know. Beyond that, I'll find you. If I see your Smashwords-distributed book is selling well at our other retailers (like the example of Shayne's books), I'm more likely to pitch your book, because your performance across the Smashwords distribution network gives me the confidence I need to pitch you.
Another method of getting Apple's attention is through social media. If you're on Twitter, for example, consider incorporating their Twitter address (@iBookstore) in your Apple-focused tweets. Apple has nearly 200,000 followers on Twitter, and they will occasionally retweet the tweets of authors (see the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide for twitter tips if you're new to twitter). To maximize your odds of a retweet, tweet something interesting or compelling or complementary about your readers at the iBookstore, and provide a direct hyperlink to the book at the iBookstore. Apple, as a massive corporation, is really strict about naming conventions and corporate identity, so if you don't identify them or the store properly, you're unlikely to get a retweet. For example, the store is called the iBookstore, not iBooks. They call ebooks books, not ebooks or e-books. They like to see books referred to as on the iBookstore, rather than in the iBookstore. Interact with @iBookstore by tweeting at them. Follow them and retweet them if they tweet something you think would interest your Twitter followers. Keep in mind that behind their Twitter address is a live person, not a machine, so you want to give them reason to retweet your tweets. Keep your retweet expectations reasonable, because retweetage is a long shot. Click here (downloads a PDF file) if you want to torture your brain with Apple's full list of identify guidelines.
Finally, if you write a great book that pleases your retailer's customers, those customers will propel your book forward with their reviews and word of mouth. Also remember that the merch teams at the retailers are populated by book lovers. They read what they sell. If they read your book and love it, you're more likely to get promo love. A little birdie tells me someone at Apple read R.L. Mathewson prior to the store putting their weight behind her and naming her a breakout author back in July. They probably read her because their customers were reading her. - Support your retailers, maintain positivity - When you walk into a room, do you bring sunshine or storm clouds? I've written about this topic elsewhere, put it in the Secrets book, and I've been talking about this in my recent workshops. For some reason, a lot of authors adopt an online persona of, "I complain, therefore I am." Apple has never mentioned this to me, nor has any other retailer, but I can bet that everyone on the merch team has Google alerts on the "Apple iBookstore" search phrase, and if an indie author is out there trashing this or that about Apple or the iBookstore, I imagine it causes their hearts to sink. If the day comes where they're considering giving you promo love (and 95% of the time, they'll give you the love without giving you advance notice), if they recognize your author name and brand as that [insert explicative] on [insert the name of your favorite author forum] who's always complaining about them, that's not the type of brand awareness you want.
New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry said it best, here in his interview at the Smashwords blog:Think about a party. If there's someone who is bitching and moaning and someone else who's getting folks to laugh and loosen up, which way do you drift? If a kid in a playground is constantly bitching about the quality of the toys, and another kid has turned a cardboard box into a sideshow funhouse, who's getting more attention? Who's going to be remembered in a positive way?
And, even if you are a naturally cranky, snarky, sour-tempered pain in the ass, for god's sake share that with your therapist or priest. When you go online to promote yourself and therefore your products, try not to actually scare people off your lawn.


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Credit scores: Sorting truth from fiction
By Megg Mueller
There are numerous factors that go into your credit score, so sorting myth from fact on this topic is no simple matter. But to fully take control of your credit history, it's vital that you understand the things that can help your score and the things that can harm it -- as well as the things that make no difference.
Read on to learn which factors matter when it comes to protecting your score.
How to sabotage your credit score
Perhaps the worst type of credit-score misunderstanding is the seemingly good deed that ends up hurting you.
One counter-intuitive way to negatively impact your credit is to close a credit card account. While it may seem odd that closing a card could hurt you, having available but unused credit at your fingertips is a positive thing for your credit score. Because closing an account reduces your amount of accessible credit, it's often best to avoid it.
You should particularly avoid closing cards that you've had for a long time. Yes, your first credit card from college may have an awful interest rate and offer little to no rewards. But if you close it, in addition to reducing your available credit, it can also shorten your credit history -- another factor that credit-reporting agencies take into account when factoring your score.
So how do you raise your credit score?
Opening a bunch of accounts is not the answer, especially if those accounts are mismanaged. The Federal Reserve offers these tips:
- Know your score: Review your credit report at least annually and verify all the information contained in it. The website at AnnualCreditReport.com is the only federally authorized site to get a free report each year. The free reports offered here don't indicate your credit score, however, so be prepared to pay a small fee if you'd like to view that information.
- Pay all bills on time: Consistent, on-time payments is one of the most straightforward ways to improve your score.
- Correct any wrong information in your report: If you find any details that you don't recognize on your report, be sure to take up the matter promptly with the credit-reporting agencies. Mistakes and fraud do happen, so it's key that you review things carefully.
Two non-factors
While these two things are sometimes believed to affect risk-model-based credit scores, they actually have no impact:
- Paying bills before the due date. If a late payment can harm you, shouldn't an early payment help you? Unfortunately, most credit scoring systems don't take into account whether a payment was made before the due date -- only whether it was made on time.
- How much money you make. Yes, certain lenders will ask how much you make to determine your creditworthiness for a loan. But that's largely because credit reporting bureaus are looking primarily at your payment history rather than your income, which means earning more or less money shouldn't affect your score on its own.
Finding the right card to build your score
To build the strongest credit score possible, it's helpful to choose a credit card that closely matches your needs.
For college students looking to grow their credit history, cards such as the Discover Student More Card might be appropriate. The Open Road card is especially suited for students who spend a lot at restaurants and on gas, as it offers attractive rewards in these categories. It also has no annual fee.
If you've struggled with credit problems in the past, there are a number of cards for people with bad credit that may appeal to you. If you're looking to rebuild your history with your new card, be sure to pick a card that reports regularly to the three credit reporting bureaus.
Many student and bad-credit cards carry higher interest rates than other cards, so use them carefully and pay your balances off quickly. You may also want to switch to a lower-interest card once you've established the credit history to do so.
Megg Mueller is a journalist with almost two decades of experience. She has worked as a reporter and editor for the Reno Gazette-Journal and as an editor of health care and education manuals for Aspen Publishers, a subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer. She wrote a weekly column on the hotel industry during her tenure as assistant travel editor for USA TODAY.com. Mueller is the editor of a tourism-based website and also serves as a reporter for a weekly business newspaper.