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Atlantis: The Lost Empire represents a major departure from current formula for Disney's animation studios. Gone are the requisite show-stopping musical numbers, the cute animal sidekicks, and also incidentally the G rating. The usual love-interest element is still here, but it takes a back seat to PG-rated action-adventure, spectacle, and gags.
Atlantis has more in common with other recent animated discovery-exploration epics like DreamWorks' The Road to El Dorado or Fox's Titan A.E. than with The Lion King or Hercules. It's also unusual among Disney animated features (though not among what passes for "family films" nowadays) in featuring flatulence humor (no actual flatulence, just a throwaway line about beans). Years after triumphs like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, Disney is no longer setting a higher standard, only trying to duplicate what's worked for others.
The best Disney animated features always had a compelling authenticity to them. They offered an authoritative, almost definitive interpretation of their subject. Watching Beauty and the Beast or Bambi, one somehow felt that this was the Beauty and the Beast, the Bambi. That credibility has been missing from recent Disney features: Trifles like Hercules and Tarzan offered at best a Hercules, a Tarzan — not the real thing.
What about Atlantis? Is this the Atlantis? In a way, perhaps. The vision of the lost city itself is undeniably grand and majestic, a vision far more compelling than Hercules' Mount Olympus, or even DreamWorks' El Dorado. On its own level, it's not incomparable to the great fantasy cityscapes of Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace, Dark City, Batman, Blade Runner, and Metropolis.
The problem is that Atlantis: The Lost Empire never becomes anything like the definitive Atlantis adventure. The pieces are here: an early 20th-century setting; a bookish young hero on the edge of a breakthrough; an unexpected invitation from an exotic, mysterious woman; an eccentric, reclusive billionaire willing to fund the hero's quest, etc. But it's all right off the shelf, and never becomes larger than the sum of its parts. The end result feels like an uninspired rehash of Rider Haggard, Jules Verne, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and a dozen Star Trek episodes, patched together by a committee of writers working from Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey.
At least Jules Verne knew that if you want to write about a journey into the exotic or extraordinary, you send characters who are themselves unremarkable. If the characters get too exotic, the story becomes about them rather than their circumstances.
In Atlantis, except for hero Milo (voiced by Michael J. Fox, who's as enjoyably ordinary here as he was in the Back to the Future movies), the wildly diverse crew members are all too colorful, without actually being interesting.
For example, there's an almost feral, Peter Lorre-like Frenchman (Corey Burton) obssessed with dirt and digging; an Italian explosives expert (Don Novello in Father Guido Sarducci mode — colorful enough for you?) with a fetish for blowing things up; a kooky chuck-wagon cook (the late Jim Varney) with a penchant for lard and beans; and a cranky, chain-smoking old communications officer (Florence Stanley) who doesn't mind announcing that she sleeps in the nude (prompting another character to warn that she also sleepwalks).
The crew also includes Disney's first-ever animated black character, an immense, kindly doctor (Phil Morris). Eccentric billionaires may have been putting together diverse expedition crews in 1914, but it took Disney till 2001 to put a black man in a cartoon.
Weirdly, despite the absurd PC diversity, tired stereotypes and conventions remain intact: The Frenchman is dirty and smelly; the German woman is a jackbooted stormtrooper; the black guy is a gentle giant à la Michael Clarke Duncan; the Hispanic girl is feisty and comes across like a teenage Rosie Perez; the old woman is rude and crude; and, most inevitably of all, the military man is evil.
Despite such flaws, Atlantis remains modestly entertaining. Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise (Beauty and the Beast) keep things moving fast enough to keep them from getting boring, and there are a few laughs along the way. Yet what could have made adequate summer entertainment for older kids and parents with low expectations is ultimately undone by pervasive echoes of New-Age pop spirituality and neopaganism in the film's imagery and themes.
Disney's toyed with New-Age motifs before (see my article "Quo Vadis Disney?" for details), but never so extensively. (If you plan to see the film and don't want to have plot points spoiled, stop reading now.) Among the New-Age elements and neopagan associations in Atlantis are the following:
Crystal spirituality. The quintessentially New-Age notion of crystals as sources of enormous energy and healing power is at the heart of Atlantis. In fact, "the heart of Atlantis" is a phrase in the film referring to an immense, glowing, levitating crystal that not only powers all of Atlantis' awesome technology (a point I'll return to), but also extends the lives of the Atlanteans for thousands of years. For example, Milo's Atlantean love interest, Princess Kida (Cree Summers), was a toddler when the city sank: Milo reckons her age at about 8800 years.
The Atlanteans also wear small crystals around their necks that connect them somehow to the power of the great crystal. Princess Kida heals a small cut on Milo with a touch from her her personal crystal, like a Star Trek doctor waving a "dermal regenerator."
The "Heart of Atlantis" crystal, we are told, is the Atlanteans' god, and shares a mysterious connection with it. "It's their deity," Milo says. "It's a part of them — they're a part of it!" In fact, the crystal is somehow "alive." Fostered on "the emotions of all Atlanteans," it eventually "developed a consciousness of its own."
In times of crisis, the crystal "chooses" one Atlantean to unite to itself, a person who becomes a sort of avatar of the crystal's power, but who is at risk, should this union persist too long, of becoming permanently joined with or absorbed into the crystal.
That is precisely what happens to Princess Kida's mother in the prologue, during the sinking of Atlantis: She's taken from her daughter's side, never to return. (Disney characters have lost parents before, but never in such an inexplicable and pedagogically pointless way.) Later in the film, Kida herself is "chosen" by the crystal, though she's released from the crystal's grasp before becoming irrevocably absorbed.
Totemism, stone circles, ancestor worship. The "Heart of Atlantis" crystal floats in the air surrounded by a slowly rotating ring of colossal stone head-figures, each of which either represents or actually contains (I was unclear which) one of the past kings of Atlantis. The close proximity of these totem-kings to the divine crystal makes them objects of great veneration, perhaps even worship.
In the prologue, it seems that the whole floating constellation of rocks is located high above Atlantis; but at the time of Milo's expedition, it has apparently relocated to a secret chamber beneath the city's streets. When Kida is brought into the chamber and first catches sight of the floating ring of rocks, she immediately falls down on her face. In the end, Kida's aged father (Leonard Nimoy) dies, and another stone totem is sent to join the others.
This totemic stone ring resembles a combination of the colossal head figures of Easter Island and the ancient stone circles of Celtic Britain (well-known examples include Stonehenge and Avebury), today favorite neopagan pilgrimage destinations. The Atlanteans also wear blue face-paint like the Celts (à la Braveheart). In keeping with the film's conceit that the Atlantean language is the root of all other human languages, this "Heart of Atlantis" stone circle and the blue-painted Atlantean faces are presumably meant as the origin of the similar features of ancient Celtic culture.
Ancient super-technology. Pseudo-historical proposals about pre-modern civilizations possessing ultra-sophisticated technology — often with UFO tie-ins — are a favorite subject of New-Age speculation. For that matter, the myth of Atlantis itself is widely accepted as fact among New Agers.
There are several reasons why these concepts are so appealing to New Agers. For one thing, the whole idea of being in on a big historical or cosmic secret plays to the same gnostic desire that draws people to the New Age (and its historical predecessors, like Manichaeism) in the first place. This is the wish for some exotic and mysterious knowledge revealed only to an elite few, some grand unifying hidden truth that overturns accepted ways of looking at the world.
Beyond this, there's a built-in appeal for New Agers in the notion of mystery super-technology existing beyond the confines of modern Western civilization: Such technology, if it existed, would confer cultural bragging rights on antiquity (which of course New Agers claim as the foundation for their own pop spirituality) while simultaneously undercutting the unique accomplishments of the scientific age (with its Judeo-Christian roots).
This last point is especially important for those New Agers who are techno-optimists — those who hail the Internet as a meeting-ground for disembodied minds freed from the barriers of gender, race, age, and so on (a picture that appeals to the world-denying spiritualism in which the New Age is rooted), or who speak of worldwide networking technology giving rise to an emergent global consciousness.
Obviously, for gnostic thinkers who view technology in such prophetic terms, the historical origins of modern technology in the Judeo-Christian West rather than the esoteric East must be awkward to say the least. The super-technology of ancient Atlantis smooths over this awkwardness.
In the opening sequence of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, we learn that the ancient Atlanteans possessed Star Wars-like flying ships more than six thousand years before the birth of Christ. (Apparently they didn't possess radios: When scout ships catch sight of the giant wave that will sink Atlantis, they race to warn their great city, but seemingly have no way to get a message through immediately.)
Tragically, nearly a millennia later, the Atlanteans have forgotten how to use their nifty gadgets, or even how to read their own written language — despite the fact that many Atlanteans who were functioning adults at the time of the catastrophe should still be alive. (Kida, who was a toddler, has only aged into a nubile Disney heroine.)
As a side note, I couldn't help noticing the UFO pop-culture
influence on the imagery in the two scenes in which Kida and her
mother are "chosen" by the crystal: In a vision straight out of
These "abductions" are carried out by a hovering crystal, not a hovering extraterrestrial ship; but the inspiration for the visual itself is clearly UFO pop culture. UFOs, like Atlantis and other proposed sources of non-scientific-age technology, are wildly popular among New Agers, especially because UFOs also hold the promise of revealed knowledge from a higher power that sidesteps the unique claims and demands of divine revelation.
The point here is not, of course, that there's anything intrinsically wrong with stories involving UFO imagery — or stories involving actual UFOs, for that matter. The same is true of ancient super-technology. These motifs, by themselves, don't automatically evoke the New Age.
On the other hand, no one who has any awareness of the dangers of the New Age movement can fail to make the connection when confronted with a crystal that not only possesses enormous energy-giving and healing properties, but is worshipped by an ancient civilization, shares a mysterious union with its members, and even possesses an emergent consciousness.
This connection is reinforced by the neopagan associations of the stone-circle imagery, totemism, and suggestion of ancestor-worship. And, with all that on the table, it's hard to avoid making further connections when the story adds ancient super-technology and UFO-culture imagery.
These themes and motifs are all of a piece; they express an imaginative outlook that's as immersed in New-Age culture as the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien or C. S. Lewis was in the Christian tradition. Thoughtful Christian parents will not wish the imaginative inner worlds of their children to be shaped by the sort of imagery found in Atlantis.
The best that can be said about Atlantis is that mature devoteés of animation sufficiently secure in their faith might find some spectacularly animated sequences (especially an almost apocalyptic grand finale) worth putting up with all the New Age claptrap. Even so, rather than support Disney's ongoing animated descent into pop spirituality, they might wish to consider catching the film on cable, or watching for it on ABC.
Copyright © 2000– Steven D. Greydanus. All rights reserved.


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Stewardship of Treasure
Stewardship of Treasure
This blog series has been dedicated to introducing you to the concept of Stewardship. Stewardship takes on many forms: time, family, faith, talent, prayer and, finally, treasure. In the last post, I described stewardship as it relates to prayer. In this post, I would like to introduce you to the concept of Stewardship as it relates to treasure.
Most people don't like to talk about money. I remember my parents squirming in the pews when I was a kid as the priest talked about needing to extend an existing building. Not quite what they wanted to hear! But over the past several years and, especially shortly after my mom died four years ago, I have received greater revelation of what my perspective is as it relates to the Stewardship of treasure.
This revelation is not really all that complicated. It's simply that none of our stuff is ours — it belongs to God. Once you get that, the rest is peripheral! After my mom passed, I felt a strong sense of her presence in spirit, her warm embrace and her guiding heart. When my father was liquidating her earthly treasures, I respectfully declined taking anything. Nothing really meant anything to me. It was her spirit, her life song, her memory that I cherished.
I think that's all God cares about. He cares about our devotion to Him, our release of earthly treasure, and our focus on HIM.
Over the past few years, my leanings toward materialism have declined considerably and I find myself much happier. Don't get me wrong — I still like my iPhone and I'm tapping away on my MacBook right now, but I consider these tools, not treasures.
With this concept in hand, that God owns everything and none of it is ours, I don't feel so compelled to die after having accumulated the most I can. I want to die doing the most for HIM, not myself. This does not mean that prosperity is bad, that wealth is dirty—remember it is not money that is the root of all evil, but the love of money. It also does not mean that success should be shunned. It just means that, if it occurs, it is an outcome, not the goal.
I do believe it is Biblical to tithe. I also believe a joyful giver is a joyful recipient of all that God has to offer.
I could go into all the Biblical references that support tithing, but I am sure that there are some who could show what they believe to be Biblical facts against it. As for me, I support it. I have been blessed to have heard a message from the pastor, David Ashcraft, at my church home LCBC, who describes the 10-10-80 plan. David explains that a great way to manage your finances is to tithe 10%, save 10% and spend 80% on your living expenses. It makes much sense and is especially easy to remember and follow.
This wraps up this series and this posting. We would love to hear your comments on Stewardship of Treasure. This is always a topic that sparks a lot of interest and debate. The community values all opinions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our top tips for your trip in bustling Naples
Naples charms its visitors with its authentic southern Italian atmosphere and magnificent nearby attractions.
Tucked away in Southern Italy, Naples is a vibrant destination that tends to divide opinions. With nearly one million inhabitants, the city is rather cramped, yet the tempo of life is relaxed. Places may be a bit run down and repairs at a standstill, but that is just part of its Neapolitan charm. Some curse the clamour and chaos of Naples while others consider its rough edges to be authentic Italy at its finest.
Naples is the third largest city in Italy after Rome and Milan. This unique destination is the kind of place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. As the old saying goes, "see Naples and die"; once you have ventured to Naples, you have experienced everything the world has to offer.
Spend a day in the city centre
A great way to spend the day is by strolling through the city centre and enjoying its historical sites and Quartieri Spagnoli, the Spanish Neighbourhood. In the narrow alleyways, locals hang their washing out to dry on clotheslines drawn between buildings and scooters weave their way through pedestrians. In fact, it is a good idea to be mindful of traffic.
Spaccanapoli, the main street of Naples, runs through the old city and is lined with souvenir stands, shops, cafes, and restaurants. One of the most well-known shopping streets, Via Toledo, provides over a kilometre's worth of boutiques and stalls to explore. If luxury stores and fine cafes are more to your taste, head towards the harbour to Via Chiaia.
Naples is a budget-friendly destination and its food, especially the pasta and Neapolitan pizza, offers unique culinary experiences for any foodie. It's no wonder that Unesco gave world heritage status to the art of Neapolitan pizza-making in 2017.
In the city, you can find pizzerias that have been in business since the 1800s. Among them is Pizzeria Brandi, founded in 1889. Legend has it that the pizzeria's chef invented and named the infamous Margherita pizza after Italian king Umberto's wife, Queen Margherita.
Pop by the ruins of Pompeii
A holiday in Naples is incomplete without a day trip to the historical ruins of Pompeii. Buried by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, the ancient city is exceptionally well-preserved. Archaeological excavations have even unearthed detailed and colourful paintings. Some of the most baffling are the erotic murals of an old brothel that leave nothing up to the imagination.
The easiest way to reach Pompeii is by hopping on the Circumvesuviana train from Garibaldi station in the city centre. It will take you directly to the entrance of the excavations in around 50 minutes.
Reserve plenty of time for exploring the ruins of Pompeii. Excavations cover an area of 45 hectares, and twenty or so hectares remain unexcavated. Be sure to grab a map of the excavations from the ticket office before heading out into the ruins. You can get the most of your visit by going on a guided tour of this ancient metropolis.
Especially on scorching hot days, a hat and water bottle are your best friend. Thankfully you can top up your bottle from any of the water fountains scattered throughout the ruins. Stalls near the entrance also sell beverages to arriving and departing visitors.
There is plenty to see in Pompeii and its museum. However, many of the archaeological finds of Pompeii and Ercolanona, formerly known as Herculaneum, an ancient city that was also buried by the volcanic eruption, can be admired at Naples National Archaeological Museum. It is one of the most popular attractions in Naples.
Escape to Sorrento
If you need a break from the commotion of the city, many peaceful beach destinations are just a stone's throw away from Naples. You can reach the islands of Capri and Procida via a short boat ride. Though reaching the Amalfi Coast requires a rental car or bus ride, the idyllic coastal town of Sorrento is an easy, 1 hour and 10-minute train ride away.
The inexpensive local train only costs you a few euros while the express train takes you there 20 minutes faster for around 15 euros. On hot summer days, the unairconditioned local train tends to be fully packed, so be prepared to grab an alternative mode of transport.
Located in the Gulf of Naples, picturesque Sorrento is home to around 20,000 people, but especially during the summertime tourist season is in full swing. The town overlooks steep cliffs, and swimmers and sun worshippers can enjoy the warm day on piers down by the waterfront. If returning by foot feels impossible, you can also take an elevator back to town.


text: Good article. I'd like to add one more factor to consider when deciding between img tags and CSS background-images: CSS background-images are often omitted when the web page is printed. This is consistent with the example given: an error icon conveys information and ought to be printed, and is therefore not just a decorative background.


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Trada is no longer doing Codespace – they've filled up the area with other companies. However, if you are looking for office space in Boulder for your startup, take a look at PivotDesk and give it a try.
When developers come through Boulder, I regularly get asked if I know a place for them to camp out and work for the day. There's now a great solution – Codespace – hosted by Trada.
Boulderites know the local coffee shop / sushi scene where wifi is abundant. However, you now have a dedicated, free co-working space for developers on Walnut Street right in the middle of downtown (in the old Daily Camera building, now home to Trada). The Codespace philosophy is a simple one:
Code is free, so should be the space you create it in. If you're in the neighborhood, come over and hang out – for an hour or the whole day. Enjoy some free wireless, scrawl on the whiteboards, rack up on endless caffeine, and enjoy hanging out and working with the smartest development talent in Boulder.
In addition to daily free options, there are a few dedicated spaces that you can apply for. Go check out the Codespace page or my partner Seth Levine's longer description about Codespace. Most importantly, go check out Codespace. And please thank the gang at Trada for providing this for the Boulder entrepreneurial community.


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Representing the Criminally Accused
The Law Offices of Sean M. Maher, PLLC represents individuals and organizations that have been targeted by the government for prosecution. With methodical case preparation and skilled advocacy, The Law Offices of Sean M. Maher, PLLC fights for each client with zeal and tenacity.
Specializing in federal and state criminal defense trial practice as well as appellate litigation, The Law Offices of Sean M. Maher, PLLC seeks to vindicate the rights of our clients within the courtroom through targeted motion practice and aggressive trial advocacy. Our representation also can lead to positive results without the risk of trial, whether through gaining pretrial dismissal of charges or securing a favorable negotiated resolution or sentence.


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Optional FeaturesFinish Option(STANDARD) Finish for 4C horizontal mailboxes is offered in four different powder coat colors. The finish for the 4C horizontal mailbox is rated for indoor or outdoor use. Color chips are available upon request. Door Id Option(STANDARD) Custom placards are a commonly used door identification option for 4C horizontal mailboxes. Each self-adhesive metal placard measures 1.75"W x 1.5"H x .025"D and can be customized alpha-numerically to your requirements up to 4 characters. (+$45.00) Custom engraved door identification for 4C horizontal mailboxes offers the customer a permanent clean door identification option. The engraved characters on your compartment doors will be silver with this door identification option because the unit is manufactured from aluminum. Engraved door identification is offered to 4C horizontal mailbox buyers up to 4 characters per door at no additional charge. (+$45.00) Custom black filled engraving adds a touch of class to your mailbox. Each 4C horizontal mailbox door is engraved with the characters you specify and then filled in with a black ink to enhance the door identification. Access Option(STANDARD) USPS access indicates that the 4C horizontal mailbox will be used for delivery of U.S. Mail by the mailman. Because the mail receptacle is going to be used for Postal Service delivery the outgoing mail door which doubles as the master control door and parcel locker doors will be prepared to accept the postal arrow lock that the USPS will install in the field upon your request. (+$35.00) Private access indicates that the 4C horizontal mail receptacle will be used for a private application by the end users. In this case the Postal Service will not directly access the mailbox for delivery. A private access 4C horizontal mailbox will come equipped with a private lock on the master access door and on the parcel locker(s) if applicable. Load Type Option(STANDARD) Front loading 4C horizontal mailboxes refers to the side of the commercial mailbox which master entry to all the compartments at one time is gained by the Postal Service if for USPS access or a private individual if for private access. The master door for the front loading 4C mailbox is gained through the outgoing mail compartment. ($325.00) Rear loading 4C horizontal mailboxes refers to the side of the centralized mailbox which master access to all the compartments at one time is gained by the USPS if for USPS access or a private individual if for private access. A rear loading 4C horizontal mailbox comes with a latching rear doors(s) on continuous hinge(s) that is not locking. Therefore, a secure room for mail distribution is required if for U.S. Mail delivery and suggested if for private distribution. Browse the entire selection of commercial mailboxes online now for durable mailing solutions. |


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Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
last updated: November 21, 2014
Please note: The Militarist Monitor neither represents nor endorses any of the individuals or groups profiled on this site.
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
1307 New York Ave., NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-667-3900
Fax: 202-667-0601
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Mission Statement (as of 2014)
"JINSA was founded in 1976 as a non-profit, non-partisan organization to advocate on behalf of a strong U.S. military, a robust national security policy, and a strong U.S. security relationship with Israel and other like-minded democracies. JINSA's mandate is to: Provide leadership and affect policy on crucial issues of national security and foreign policy; Promote American security cooperation with like-minded democratic countries including, but not limited to, Israel; Engage the American defense community about the role Israel can and does play in securing Western, democratic interests in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions; and Improve awareness in the general public, as well as in the Jewish community of the importance of a strong American defense capability."
Leadership (as of 2014)
- Michael Makovsky, CEO
- David Justman, President
- Michael Nachman, Chairman
- Morris J. Amitay, Vice Chairman
- David Dewhurst, Vice President
- Ted Dinerstein, Chairman, Programming
- David Ganz, Vice President
- Joel Gemunder, Vice President
- Sharon Turboff Katz, Vice President
- Robert Keats, Vice President
- Jonathan Kislak, Vice President
- Myra Rosenberg Litman, Vice President
- Herb Ornstein, Member at Large
- Don L. Schwarz, Vice President
- Larry Siedlick, Vice President
- Joseph Spindler, Treasurer
- Joel Sprayregen, Vice President
- David P. Steinmann, Chairman of the Board of Advisors
- George Violin, Vice President & Chairman, Editorial Board, The Journal of International Security Affairs
- Edward Weiss, Member at Large
- Stephen Wertheimer, Vice President
- Leonard Yablon, Vice President
- Joel Zinberg, Vice President
Board of Advisers (as of 2014)
- David P. Steinmann, Chairman
- Anne Bayefsky
- Shelley Berkley
- Michael Berkow
- J. Kenneth Blackwell
- John R. Bolton
- James Burke
- Eric Cantor
- Don G. Cook
- Robert D. Eaglet
- Leon Edney
- John A. Gallinetti
- Thomas Griffin
- Earl B. Hailston
- Hal M. Hornburg
- Jack Jacobs
- Jerome Johnson
- Bernard Kauderer
- Anthony A. Less
- Joseph Lieberman
- Jarvis Lynch
- Edward Masso
- Charles May
- Frederick McCorkle
- Dave McCurdy
- Bill McSweeney
- William F. Merlin
- William C. Moore
- Joseph Morris
- Joshua Muravchik
- Tad J. Oelstrom
- Robert B. Patterson
- James B. Perkins, III
- Chief Joseph Polisar
- Oliver "Buck" Revell
- Sidney Shachnow
- Ted G. Stroup, Jr.
- Guy Swan
- Larry Taylor
- Louis Wagner
- Hon. Bill White
- Thomas J. Wilson, III
The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) is a right-wing, "pro-Israel" advocacy organization that promotes "strategic cooperation" between the United States and Israel on everything from missile defense and mutual security strategies to terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the Iranian nuclear enrichment program. Described by observers as a core think tank of the so-called "Israel Lobby,"[1] JINSA has claimed to be "the most influential group on the issue of U.S.-Israel military relations."
JINSA was founded in the mid-1970s as a study group aimed at "learning the lessons" of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, including how to ensure that the United States backs Israel in the event of future conflicts. In the late 1970s, the group evolved into a "defense education group" closely connected to military-industrial elites. Today, the group operates as a 501(c)(3) organization that receives most of its funding through private donations, including from a membership base that it once claimed to number 17,000.
According to JINSA's website, the group's mission is "to advocate on behalf of a strong U.S. military, a robust national security policy, and a strong U.S. security relationship with Israel and other like-minded democracies."JINSA aims to "engage the American defense community about the role Israel can and does play in securing Western democratic interests in the Middle East" and to "improve awareness in the general public, as well as in the Jewish community of the importance of a strong American defense capability."[2]
JINSA has been compared to the Committee on the Present Danger (CPD), a Cold War-era letterhead group that in the 1970s championed rolling back détente and implementing a confrontational anti-Soviet agenda. Wrote journalist Jason Vest: "Just as the right-wing defense intellectuals made CPD a cornerstone of a shadow defense establishment during the Carter administration, so, too, did the right during the Clinton years, in part through two organizations: the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) and the Center for Security Policy (CSP). … Industrious and persistent, they've managed to weave a number of issues—support for national missile defense, opposition to arms control treaties, championing of wasteful weapons systems, arms aid to Turkey, and American unilateralism in general—into a hard line, with support for the Israeli right at its core."[3]
JINSA's CEO is Michael Makovsky, a former foreign policy director at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a strident Middle East hawk. The group's president is David Justman; Michael Nachmann serves as its chairman; and Morris Amitay serves as vice-chairman.[4] Past principals include the late Norman Hascoe, a financier and former engineer who was once included on the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, as well as the late Mark Broxmeyer, a New York-based real estate mogul.
JINSA's board of advisers is led by David Steinmann, the former head of the right-wing William Rosenwald Family Fund. The board includes a passel of hawkish and neoconservative foreign policy elites, including Anne Bayefsky, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, former ambassador John Bolton, leading neoconservative writer Joshua Muravchik, and Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.[5]
JINSA's advisory board has hosted a number of other well-known hawks over the years. In January 2012, the Jewish daily Forward reported that the firing of former executive director Shoshana Bryen, a longstanding activist in right-wing "pro-Israel" community, helped prompt "several conservative icons to quit the group's advisory board in protest," including James Woolsey, Michael Ledeen, and Richard Perle. Although there was no hint of ideological disputes within the group's top ranks, the paper suggested that JINSA was struggling to maintain its unique position within a crowded beltway neoconservative establishment. "The recent crisis," it added, "is a result of a messy transformation of power in the group's top ranks and a struggle to maintain relevance and funding at a time of shrinking budgets and growing competition from other Jewish causes."[6]
Other past advisers have included Dick Cheney, Douglas Feith, Kenneth Timmerman, Stephen Bryen, David Jeremiah, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Max Kampelman, and Jack Kemp.
JINSA's core programs are designed to foster exchanges among U.S. and Israeli military leaders, cadets, and law enforcement officials.[7] The group also issues policy reports, publishes opinion pieces, and has housed a number of journals over the years.
One initiative launched under Makovsky's leadership has been JINSA's Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy, a hawkish policy group convened by JINSA to perform "innovative research and advocacy on vital U.S. defense, strategic and general national security issues." Among the group's senior advisers are former Dick Cheney aide John Hannah and former Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Rademaker.[8]
As of 2014, the Gemunder Center's lone task force was aimed at Iran. Chaired by former PNAC hawks Eric Edelman and Dennis Ross, the group's members also included former Rep. Chris Carney, neoconservative academic Eliot Cohen, Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations, Hannah, Rademaker, and U.S. News & World Report editor Mort Zuckerman, among others.[9] The task force has issued a number of hawkish policy papers criticizing international efforts to engage Iran diplomatically, urging Washington to increase sanctions and threats of military action against Iran, and calling on the United States to support Israel in the event that it decides to attack Iran unilaterally.
As negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 powers (the five UN Security Council members plus Germany) ramped up in late 2013, the Gemunder Center demanded that any potential deal preclude Iran from having a domestic enrichment capability—a nonstarter from Tehran's perspective—and called on U.S. negotiators to "make clear the alternatives to an acceptable deal are enhanced sanctions that could collapse Iran's economy and/or a U.S. military strike." The authors added that "they must reiterate that the United States will always be supportive of the fundamental right of Israel and our other regional allies to ensure their self-defense."[10] In another paper, the group concluded, "If negotiations ultimately fail to yield results, even after such pressure has been applied, U.S. policymakers must be prepared for military action and to consider regime change."[11]
Negotiators reached an interim agreement in early 2014 that exchanged a token amount of sanctions relief for limitations on (but not a halt to) Iranian nuclear enrichment while talks on a final agreement were underway. Claiming that the deal "makes it possible for Iran to progress toward undetectable nuclear weapons capability without even violating the agreement," the Gemunder panel argued, "The United States should move immediately to impose new sanctions and consider even tougher actions against Iran if no acceptable final is agreement is in place 180 days after the JPA's formal implementation on January 20. At that time, the United States should do nothing that would impinge upon Israel's ability to decide what actions it must take at that time, and indeed should support Israel if it takes military action."[12] In subsequent remarks quoted by the Washington Free Beacon, Makovsky held out hope for an Israeli strike, explaining, "The reason why we focus on the Israeli government is because that is the last remaining stick right now."[13]
In a 2014 Wall Street Journal op-ed coauthored with Gemunder panelist David Deptula, Makovsky argued that if the administration wouldn't agree to pass new sanctions on Iran, it should instead arm Israel with B-52 bombers and "bunker buster" bombs capable of destroying underground facilities like the Iranian enrichment plant at Fordow. "Iranian planners," they wrote, "might hope that [Israel's existing bunker buster arsenal] will prove insufficient to do major damage. The U.S. should remove such doubt by providing Israel with the capability to reach and destroy Iran's most deeply buried nuclear sites."[14] A defense policy expert quoted by Jewish Week called the idea "absurd," arguing that the United States had already sent Israel thousands of bunker-busting bombs. "This is purely an attack on Obama as Mr.-Spineless-'Cause-He-Won't-Bomb-Iran," he opined. "It's right-wing, pro-Israel Americans taunting Obama, saying, 'If you're not going to use those, let Netanyahu borrow them.'"[15]
A July 2014 report by JINSA's Iran task force also posited that "U.S. diplomatic engagement" with Iran "must be accompanied by greater pressure." The report called for an increase in aggressive U.S. actions against Iran such as "more public threats of a military response" and more public tests of US "bunker buster" weaponry like the Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP).[16]
In November 2014, as news broke that Russia would build two additional nuclear plants in Iran, JINSA's chief executive Michael Makovsky sought to blame the Obama administration for causing discord between the P5+1 nations negotiating with Iran (of which Russia is a member). Makovsky claimed that Russia's decision to build the plants "undermines P5+1 unity and reduces Iran's isolation."[17]
Another key JINSA issue is the U.S. military budget. An April 2013 piece by visiting JINSA fellow Peter Huessy claimed that impending cuts to the U.S. military budget would hamstring what he characterized as "diplomatic" efforts, including protecting sea lanes and warding off cyberattacks. "A smaller U.S. military—weaker and less ready—risks being incapable of defending America's interests in a future crisis that is sure to emerge," he concluded. "A strong military, far from being an alternative to sound diplomacy, compliments [sic] such statecraft."[18] Despite Huessy's alarmism about the "sequester" cuts brought on by Congress' failure to reach a budget deal, defense budget expert Miriam Pemberton pointed out that "sequestration will not 'gut' our military. Sequestration will take our military budget back to the level it was in 2007, when we were still fighting two wars."[19]
JINSA has maintained a number of publications over the years, including the Journal of International Security Affairs, a biannual academic-style journal edited by Ilan Berman, vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC) and a "contributing expert" for the Israel-based Ariel Center for Policy Research. Other publications have included the Observer, "a quarterly review of U.S.-Turkey-Israel cooperation" copublished by JINSA and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, and the Islamic Extremism Newswatch, a rundown of media stories covering the activities of everyone from the Palestinian Liberation Organization to al-Qaeda.
Each year, JINSA awards its favorite policy or military elite the Henry "Scoop" Jackson Distinguished Service Award. The award honors "those leaders whose careers have been distinguished by the principle that is the foundation of JINSA's work." Among the recipients have been Mark Kirk (2013), Lindsey Graham (2012), Jon Kyl (2010), John McCain (2006), Paul Wolfowitz (2002), Curt Weldon (1999), Joseph Lieberman (1997), Dick Cheney (1991), and Jeane Kirkpatrick (1984).[20]
While traditional lobbying groups like the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee focus on influencing congressional figures' votes on legislation critical to U.S. support of Israel, JINSA works on developing military-to-military ties between the countries and pays special attention to weapons issues—especially missile defense—while maintaining close ties to the military-industrial complex.
According to journalist Mark Milstein, the broad contours of JINSA's work were originally crafted by Michael Ledeen, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and the husband and wife team Stephen and Shoshana Bryen. In 1979, Stephen Bryen replaced Ledeen as JINSA's executive director, after Ledeen and other early directors had successfully worked to distance the organization "from the rest of the pro-Israel establishment, and methodically [create] close ties with the U.S. defense community." Ledeen was later implicated in what would become the Iran-Contra scandal. According to Milstein, under Bryen, JINSA became "fully operational, finally shedding its study group title in December 1979." When Bryen left JINSA in 1981 to take a post in the Reagan administration, he handed the reigns of the organization over to his wife.[21]
Wrote Milstein: "Bryen became a consultant for Richard N. Perle, the Reagan administration assistant secretary of defense-designate. After Perle was confirmed by the Senate, Bryen was named deputy assistant secretary of defense in charge of regulating the transfer of U.S. military technology to foreign countries. Critics at the time cited the placement of Bryen in one of the most sensitive positions at the Pentagon as evidence of the tilt in U.S. policy toward Israel under Reagan. 'They don't say no anymore to Israel at the Pentagon,' said a former high-ranking Defense Department official. 'Israel is the 51st state.' It was during the Reagan era that U.S. economic aid to Israel rose to $1.2 billion annually, and military aid to $1.8 billion annually. Bryen had a role in choosing not only what U.S. weaponry Israel would be allowed to purchase with those funds, but also what sensitive U.S. military technology would be made available to Israel for use in its own burgeoning arms industry."[22]
Many individuals with defense industry backgrounds and affiliations have served on JINSA's board of advisers and have been involved in numerous contracts with Israel. Leon Edney, David Jeremiah, and Charles May, all retired U.S. military officers, have been consultants to Northrop Grumman, which has built Israeli ships and planes. JINSA advisers May, Paul Cerjan, and Carlisle Trost have also worked for Lockheed Martin, which has sold F-16s, flight simulators, and rocket systems to Israel. Trost has served as a member of the board of General Dynamics, whose subsidiary Gulfstream has a $206 million contract with the Pentagon.[23]
Immediately after 9/11, JINSA joined other neoconservative-aligned groups like the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) in calling for an expansive U.S. military response that would not be limited to attacking al-Qaeda. In a September 13, 2001 press release entitled "This Goes Beyond Bin Laden," JINSA joined a chorus of foreign policy hawks in arguing that Iraq should be a target of the war. It argued: "A long investigation to prove Osama bin Laden's guilt with prosecutorial certainty is entirely unnecessary. He is guilty in word and deed. His history is the source of his culpability. The same holds true for Saddam Hussein. Our actions in the past certainly were not forceful enough, and now we must seize the opportunity to alter this pattern of passivity."[24]
Among its recommended list of actions for the U.S. government were: "Halt all U.S. purchases of Iraqi oil under the UN Oil for Food Program and … provide all necessary support to [Ahmed Chalabi's] Iraq National Congress, including direct American military support, to effect a regime change in Iraq"; "revoke the Presidential Order banning assassinations"; "overturn the 1995 CIA Directive limiting whom the United States can recruit to aid counterterrorism in an effort to boost our human intelligence"; "demand that Egypt and Saudi Arabia sever all remaining ties with Osama bin Laden, including ties with Saudi-sponsored nongovernmental organizations and groups abroad that raise money for bin Laden and other terrorist organizations"; "suspend U.S. military aid to Egypt while reevaluating Egypt's support for American policy objectives"; and "reevaluate America's security relationship with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States unless both actually join in our war against terrorism."[25]
According to JINSA's Form 990 filings, the group reported around $3.5 million in revenues in 2012, down from $3.8 in 2008.[26] Between 2001 and 2004, JINSA received nearly $8 million in gifts, grants, and contributions.
Thomas Neumann, JINSA's former executive director, once boasted: "We receive 99.9, no, 100% of our funding from private donations." He added, "We receive no money from Israel or any defense contractors." At the time of his comments in 1991, donors included Ronald Lauder (of Estee Lauder cosmetics), DC lobbyist Donald Agger, the Atlantic Research Corporation (a defense contractor), the Smith-Kogod family, the Air Force Association, the Armed Services Foundation, and Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces.[27]
According to data collected by MediaTransparency.org, between 1998 and 2005, JINSA received nearly $200,000 from several major rightist donors, including the Smith Richardson Foundation, which gave a $100,000 grant to JINSA in 2003 aimed at facilitating exchanges between U.S. and Israeli law enforcement officials involved in combating terrorism threats. Another regular JINSA donor was Irving Moskowitz, a California magnate whose controversial donating activities included aiding right-wing settler groups in the Occupied Territories. According to the 2005 Form 990 of the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation, the bingo magnate donated $20,000 to JINSA in 2005 for "work against Islamic funded terrorism." Former JINSA president Norman Hascoe was also a substantial donor, having given hundreds of thousands to JINSA through his Hascoe Family Foundation, which remains active today.[28]


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All kitchen cabinets require care and cleaning to maintain their condition and appearance. We recommend the following procedure to clean your cabinets safely. These steps apply to all door styles and finishes. (Wood, Painted, MDF, Thermofoil, Laminate)
* Wipe down the cabinets with a damp rag to remove dust and surface grime.
* Use warm water and diluted all-purpose cleaner or dish soap.
* Try a homemade mix of a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water
* Rub the damp cloth on your cabinets in a circular motion, repeating until the grime is gone.
* Take a second microfiber cloth and rinse the surface with clean water.
* In a circular motion, be sure to remove all soapy residue.
* With a dry towel, wipe and remove all moisture from cabinetry, including face, sides, grooves and edges.
* Do not use ammonia or ammonia based cleaner
* Do not use harsh abrasives such as steel wool, scouring pads or detergents
* Cleaning agents should be applied to a cloth, not directly sprayed or applied to cabinetry
* Self cleaning ovens generate immense heat, resulting in potential damage to any cabinetry
* AyA recommends removing all adjacent doors or drawers prior to using the self clean function, the drawers can be easily removed by either lifting up and out, or using the release mechanism at the bottom of the drawer box, the doors can be released by pushing forward on the small knob at the back of the hinge.
* Avoid mounting small appliances (i.e coffee makers & toaster ovens) beneath cabinets, as excess heat & moisture can damage cabinets.
* Stovetop heights should be adjusted to sit 1/2" above the countertop as to avoid damage from heat radiating from the element.


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By Elizabeth Landau
(CNN) — Chris and Leslie Creekmore have shared a married life for three and a half years. Earlier this month they shared symptoms of the flu: Aches, nausea, fever.
He has fully recovered. She is on a ventilator, fighting for her life.
Leslie Creekmore, 29, was 20 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to a hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on January 11 because she was experiencing shortness of breath, her husband said. Her condition worsened; that night she was transferred to the intensive care unit. She was put on a ventilator on January 13.
An emergency flight took her to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis on January 14 where she remains on a ventilator, reported CNN affiliate KSDK.
The couple's baby did not survive. Creekmore spontaneously miscarried on January 16, her husband said.
Her right lung collapsed over the weekend, Chris Creekmore said. He agreed to let doctors at the hospital talk about the case.
Dr. Rosanna Gray-Swain, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, who is not directly caring for Leslie Creekmore but is familiar with her case, said Creekmore remains unconscious.
"It's a little too early to tell what her outcome will be at this point," Gray-Swain said.
Tuesday, Creekmore underwent surgery to receive a treatment called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, her husband said. ECMO is a therapy that provides heart-lung bypass support and circulates blood through an artificial lung back to the body.
Chris Creekmore said one of the doctors told him it was a long shot, but the procedure went well, and she came out stable, he said.
"She's being cared for, and her status is still very, very tenuous," Gray-Swain said earlier Tuesday. "If she had had the flu vaccine, she probably wouldn't be here in this state."
Chris Creekmore said he and his wife had researched tips for healthy pregnancies, and they had come across a recommendation to avoid the flu vaccine in the first trimester of pregnancy. He said he asked his wife's OB-GYN in Arkansas in October about the matter, and the doctor told them he was wary of giving flu shots during the first trimester.
"I for one don't count it as a screw-up on his end or anything like that," Chris Creekmore said of the doctor who advised delaying the flu shot.
The couple did not know that this guidance runs counter to federal health recommendations.
Any pregnant woman should get a flu shot to protect against serious complications as soon as the yearly vaccine becomes available in her area, advises the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website flu.gov.
Women can receive the flu shot at any point during their pregnancies, regardless of trimester, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
No harm has been demonstrated to pregnant women or their babies as a result of the vaccine, the CDC said.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital used to recommend that women wait until after the first trimester of pregnancy to receive a flu shot, too, Gray-Swain said. But that policy changed four years ago with emerging evidence that the vaccine was safe for all pregnant women.
The flu vaccine protects against many strains during the season from October to March. Pregnant women who receive the vaccine may still get the flu, but it would likely be a milder illness than otherwise, and severe consequences would be improbable, Gray-Swain said.
A national effort to prevent the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of pregnant women who receive flu vaccines, according to the CDC. Less than 15% of pregnant women received a flu shot before 2009; in the next two seasons, more than half of pregnant women got the vaccine protection.
The flu may increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight, the CDC said.
"Pregnancy puts extra stress on your heart and lungs. Pregnancy can also affect your immune system. These factors increase the risk of becoming severely ill due to the flu," according to the CDC website.
Life-threatening developments like Creekmore's in flu patients are generally rare but not unheard of, Gray-Swain said.
"Pregnant women are five times more likely to end up in the ICU or have severe complications related to the flu than non-pregnant women who get infected with the flu," she said.
The flu vaccine that is safe for pregnant woman is in injectable form, and it does not contain the live virus, Gray-Swain said. The nasal spray versions should not be given to pregnant women. If you are pregnant, inform the health care staff administering the vaccine before you receive it.
Washing your hands after using the bathroom, touching public surfaces and other activities is also important, she said.
Pregnant women can also take a drug called Tamiflu. It is most commonly taken to reduce the length of symptoms, but it is also given to people with high-risk flu exposure as a prevention.
The Creekmores had planned to call the baby Jera, KSDK reported. The baby was "too young to be able to be resuscitated," Gray-Swain said.
She was a "far too young, far too tiny, but beautifully structured, almost-baby girl," Chris Creekmore said.
His wife was unconscious during the miscarriage.
"She wanted to know the gender as bad as me," Chris Creekmore said, "but I don't know how — how in the hell — I'm going to, when she wakes up, tell her what's going on."
Chris Creekmore's friend set up a GoFundMe page to help the family raise money to support Leslie's care. The response is far greater than Chris Creekmore expected. He thought the page might generate gas money for hospital visits. Now, donations are in the thousands of dollars.
If there is money left over from the campaign after he pays his wife's medical bills, Chris Creekmore wants to use the extra funds to help his sister's child, who has a medical condition, and to help support free flu vaccination clinics.
His public message is: Vaccinate yourself against the flu.
Leslie had planned to get a flu shot at a clinic on January 13, the same doctor's visit as her 20-week ultrasound, her husband said.
It would have been the same day that she was placed on the ventilator.
™ & © 2014 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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Last week I got an early access invite to the private beta of Action.io. Coincidentally, I wanted to learn some Django. Hence Next Poya When? was born and it only took a few hours to start coding from scratch to deploying successfully in the Google App Engine.
Action.io is a place to start your projects without worrying about all the mundane setup tasks. Once you sign up, you can create boxes. There are cardboard boxes, plastic boxes, and.., oh wait, wrong kind of boxes. The boxes in action.io are comparable to VPSs. You can choose from Ruby on Rails, Django, Node.js and Go boxes to start with. If you get a Django box it's already pre-installed with python, django and all other utilities required for a typical Django project. All the boxes come with a Web IDE, Emacs and everyone's favorite Vim as editors. There is PostgreSQL and MongoDB integration as well.
To set up, all I needed to do was copying my .bashrc and .vimrc files, install some Vim plugins with Pathogen and add the SSH key of my box to Github. All this takes less than 10 minutes. (But don't tell that to your Project Manager, give him 2 hours effort and he wouldn't know!)
Now create a project and start coding right away!
django-admin.py startproject poya
Once you build stuff to some extent and want to test how it's doing, the site can be previewed easily. For example, start the server with
python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:3000
and click on Preview -> Port 3000. You can choose from a range of ports from 1024 to 9999.
Once done, deploying was a piece of cake. Action.io has Heroku and Google App Engine integration. Deploying the site in GAE took only a single command:
appcfg.py --oauth2 --noauth_local_webserver update nextpoyawhen
Then I pointed my domain to GAE and, voila, we have nextpoyawhen.com moving like jagger!
It's really amazing how fast you can get everything done with action.io. If I did all this in my laptop it'd have taken ages. It goes without saying how mundane and time-consuming it is to install all libraries, dependencies and get the environment set up in your machine. More often than not, we get tired of the project even before we really start it. We spend 80% of time setting the things up, and much less time coding.
Also, since action.io lives in the web, it's accessible from anywhere. If someone reports you a bug when you're at office or travelling, you can just log into your box from the browser, do a hotfix and deploy within minutes. No effort spent for syncing files. You get your favorite environment setup anywhere in the world.
Action.io doesn't work offline though, at least yet. It doesn't require a fast connection, but if yours gets disconnected often, be wary. I hope they would implement the offline capability soon.
As for Django, I'm impressed by the framework. It's quite easy to catch up with, and it's Python. You can host Django sites in most web hosting providers (unlike node.js), including Google App Engine and Heroku both of which have free plans to serve small sites. I'm studying with The Django Book, recommended by Raditha. Of course, nextpoyawhen could've been done with some client-side javascript, but that'd have defeated the purpose. I wanted to do something with django and try out action.io, so it's like catching two stones with one angry bird, or whatever that is. The source code is hosted in github.
So, the next time you are tired of working all week and want to know when the next Poya holiday is on, you know where to look. 🙂


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New Country Music Releases – August 2012
The summer heatwave comes a with a splash of country music before the days grow shorter and the kids return to school. The new country music releases for August 2012 are no exception. While July had so many country superstars with new country music releases that it was difficult to decide where to spend your money, August has just four that look promising.
Colt Ford releases his next studio album on August 7, and if the new single 'Back' is representative of what's to come, fans can expect more of what made the big man famous. Dustin Lynch and JT Hodges are also releasing new albums for August 2012. Hodges releases 'JT Hodges' — featuring songs like 'Hunt You Down' — and Lynch releases his self-titled debut, featuring the hit 'Cowboys and Angels.' Blackberry Smoke will also release new music in August 2012.
Stay tuned to Taste of Country, as we'll be bringing you the latest new country music releases in August 2012 — and beyond — as they're announced.
New Country Music Releases for August 2012:
August 7
Colt Ford, 'Declaration of Independence'
August 14
Blackberry Smoke, 'Whippoorwill'
August 21
Dustin Lynch, 'Dustin Lynch
JT Hodges, 'JT Hodges'


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The rainbow crosswalk in downtown Fort Langley will return, once local filming of a Sonic the Hedgehog movie wraps up around the last week of April.
Red Energy Films has been building facades and making small, temporary modifications to the streetscape around Glover Road and Mary Avenue since late March.
A facade on a largely empty lot on the corner of the street now sports convincing brickwork and faded old murals, despite the fact that the back is just plywood.
The production company also covered up the street's signature rainbow crosswalk, which has been in place there since 2017.
According to location manager Michael Farias, a material treatment has covered the crosswalk, it hasn't been painted over or scrubbed off.
"It'll be easily cleaned off," he said of the cover.
As soon as filming is completed, expected to be around the last week of the month, the Township will be able to pressure wash off the substance and touch up the crosswalk.
The original crosswalk was funded by a group of local artists, led by Elaine Brewer-White. They spearheaded the campaign in July 2016, following the massacre of 49 people inside a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla.
Brewer-White noted on her Facebook page that the crosswalk was to be restored, but also said its creation had been "a hard won battle with the TOL [Township of Langley] mayor and some councillors who did not want to see this symbol of welcome and inclusivity happen in our town."
READ MORE: Rainbow crosswalk unveiled in Fort Langley
READ MORE: Sonic the Hedgehog movie to film in Fort Langley
The crosswalk cost $12,000 to paint, with the artists raising half the money, and the Fort BIA donating the other half.
Coun. Eric Woodward, who was president of the Fort BIA at the time, said "obviously, it will be restored."
"It's really important to me that it comes back, it's a fixture of the town now," Woodward said.
The filming has been welcomed by local merchants, who said it has brought a lot of business to the Fort.
However, it may cause a few traffic issues once filming starts in earnest.
Farias said a letter recently went out to local residents and shop owners; there will be intermittent traffic control at Mary and Glover. There may be alternating one way traffic at times.
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It's that time of year again. Time for Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish. Every year since 1972, around Thanksgiving, I've shared my mother-in-law's famous cranberry relish recipe on the radio. It's appallingly pink, like Pepto Bismol — but it tastes terrific.
This year, I bring my relish recipe to Thanksgivukkah. Next week, Thanksgiving and the start of Hanukkah fall on the same day. It's a rare convergence.
How unusual is it? Well, the last time Thanksgiving and Hanukkah shared a start date was 125 years ago — and it won't happen again for another 76,000 or so years. The overlap involves the calendar that says this is 2013, and the Jewish calendar based on the solar and lunar cycle.
I asked Keith Devlin — Weekend Edition's math guy — to explain.
"Thanksgiving is the easy one," Devlin says. "You know, it's the fourth Thursday every November. So anybody can do that. That was a nice, simple, American-style celebration that doesn't change from year to year."
"But then you've got this thing called the Jewish calendar, which is, as is appropriate with the history of the Jews ... [it's] got a lot of complications."
Complications like changing every year, a month here, a month there.
"The simplest way to look at it is that the Jewish calendar is slowly moving forward," Devlin says. "Roughly it moves forward about four days every thousand years. So this is pretty slow. And that's why it would take maybe 70,000 or 80,000 years before this thing cycles all the way around again and hits Thanksgiving again."
So let's eat! Turkey, of course. You can't have Thanksgiving without it. But instead of the usual sweet potatoes, how about latkes — Jewish potato pancakes — made with schmaltz?
"Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat flavored with onion," explains Michael Ruhlman, the author of The Book of Schmaltz: Love Song To A Forgotten Fat. He has a schmaltzy take on traditional Hanukkah latkes.
Instead of standing over a pan of hot oil, frying grated potato pancakes one by one, Ruhlman makes a latkes kugel — a baked casserole of grated potatoes and schmalz. He'll mix schmaltz into his potatoes, put more schmalz in the bottom of a big cast iron skillet, and, he says, "roast it till they're all golden brown and crunchy."
This method, he says, "is easier on the cook, and everybody gets to eat at the same time."
That's when I ran some of my relish recipe by Ruhlman.
Here's what's involved in it: raw cranberries, sugar, a small onion, sour cream and horseradish. Grind it all together and then freeze it. On the morning of Thanksgiving, thaw it and serve at dinner. It's very tart and shockingly pick. It's the color of Pepto Bismol — that's been pointed out to me over the years by NPR listeners.
"That's kind of a whacky recipe," Rhulman tells me.
But Ruhlman is game. He says he'll try Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish, even though, he says, "It sounds absolutely bizarre."
"Michael, here's an idea," I tell him. "This is a kind of piquant, tart sauce. But it's got sour cream in it. Traditionally, you put sour cream and applesauce on latkes. How would it be if you put Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish on top of your latkes kugel?
"That is a great idea. That I will do," he says.
And bingo! I move on to find my next potential relish relisher: Tina Wasserman. Her most recent cookbook is Entree to Judaism for Families. What does she think of latkes at Thanksgiving?
"The one thing about the Thanksgiving table is if you add another starch to it, nobody notices," she says. "They're very happy with it."
Tina Wasserman's ideal Thanksgivukkah/Hanukkah-giving table would have turkey and something pumpkin. She says pumpkin is part of Jewish tradition — a symbol of prosperity and the circle of life. Tina makes pumpkin custard — and cooks the custard inside the pumpkin shell.
"This actually was the forerunner of the modern pumpkin pie, it's what the pilgrims ate," she says.
I tell her about a joke I saw on Buzzfeed. How do you make pumpkin pie Jewish? Add rye flour and caraway seed to the crust, and then teach it a Torah portion.
In addition to turkey and pumpkin custard, Wasserman's Thanksgivukkah table has one ingredient that's close to my heart: relish.
"I do an Apple-Pear-Cranberry-Gran-Marnier relish," she says. "With orange juice and orange zest."
"I have a cranberry recipe," I tell her. She knows what I'm talking about. She's heard it on the radio (I've recited it for the last 104 consecutive years, after all).
"If you're going to add Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish to the table, which I think they should ..." she starts. "No, I figure if it's been reported this many years, there are a lot of people that are enjoying it."
Wasserman thinks the fact that Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlap this year makes for even better food and family and memories.
"This is a time to give thanksgiving for what's been brought to the table by your ancestors," she says. "And that to me, regardless of whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, is really what it's all about for Thanksgiving."
Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish
Editor's Note: As Susan Stamberg has noted, her mother-in-law got the recipe from a 1959 New York Times clipping of Craig Claiborne's recipe for cranberry relish. In 1993, Claiborne told Stamberg: "Susan, I am simply delighted. We have gotten more mileage, you and I, out of that recipe than almost anything I've printed."
This relish has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. It's also good on next-day turkey sandwiches and with roast beef.
Makes 1 1/2 pints
2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar ("red is a bit milder than white")
Grind the raw berries and onion together. ("I use an old-fashioned meat grinder," Stamberg says. "I'm sure there's a setting on the food processor that will give you a chunky grind, not a puree.")
Add everything else and mix.
Put in a plastic container and freeze.
Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw. ("It should still have some little icy slivers left.")
The relish will be thick, creamy and shocking pink. ("OK, Pepto-Bismol pink.")
Another Favorite Recipe
Here's a little something extra — my truly favorite cranberry side dish. It's from Madhur Jaffrey's Cookbook: Easy East/West Menus for Family and Friends.
Garlicky Cranberry Chutney
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound can cranberry sauce with berries
1/2 teaspoon salt (or less)
Ground black pepper
1. Cut ginger into paper-thin slices, stack them together and cut into really thin slivers.
2. Combine ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar and cayenne in a small pot. Bring to a simmer; simmer on medium flame about 15 minutes or until there are about 4 tablespoons liquid left.
3. Add can of cranberry sauce, salt and pepper. Mix and bring to a simmer. Lumps are OK. Simmer on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes.
Cool, store and refrigerate. It will keep for several days, if you don't finish it ALL after first taste!
Have a wonderful holiday!
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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One of the most entertaining documentaries to come out of this year's Sundance Film Festival is "Sound City." The rock musician Dave Grohl, of the band Foo Fighters, is the director - a first for him. Los Angeles Times and MORNING EDITION film critic Kenneth Turan has this review.
KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: "Sound City" is a mash note to a machine - not just any machine, however, but one that helped change the face of rock 'n' roll.
TURAN: That machine was the Neve soundboard, the crown jewel of the Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California. The place was a complete dump, though the messy ambience didn't stop Sound City from turning out more than 100 gold and platinum records. Who recorded there? Who didn't?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Tom Petty.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Fleetwood Mac.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Neil Young, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #3: Cheap Trick.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #4: Chili Peppers.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #5: Pat Benatar.
TURAN: "Sound City" the movie wouldn't exist if director-rocker Dave Grohl hadn't shown up at Sound City the studio in 1991, where he and his Nirvana band mates recorded their groundbreaking album "Nevermind." Because of Grohl's rock star status, he's been able to convince an impressive number of celebrated musicians to sit down and tell great stories, including Trent Reznor, Stevie Nicks and Rick Springfield. The results are high-spirited, emotional and funny. It was that determination to attract top bands that led to the purchase of the Neve soundboard in 1973. And, as co-owner Tom Skeeter relates, it worked.
TOM SKEETER: All during the '80s, we listened to one of these stations where they played rock 'n' roll. Seven or eight out of the 10 songs were recorded at Sound City.
TURAN: Designed by Rupert Neve, the board was one of only four in the world, and it cost twice as much as Tom Skeeter's house. Grohl bought the Neve for his own recording studio when Sound City went out of business, a victim of the digital revolution. The film's final half-hour, which features Grohl jamming with other musicians - including Paul McCartney - is less involving than what has comes before. But Grohl cares so much about this board of boards that it's hard to begrudge him this pleasure.
MONTAGNE: The documentary is called "Sound City." Kenneth Turan reviews movies for the Los Angeles Times and MORNING EDITION.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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The fundamental crisis of the European border regime continues, and we as the Alarm Phone are able to witness first-hand how thousands succeed to overcome Europe's borders day after day, despite their securitisation and fortification. As a reaction to these unprecedented movements, the EU seeks to militarise its borders even further and announced on the 28th of September that its second phase of the naval operation 'Eunavfor Med' would be launched on the 7th of October. In this second phase EU forces go beyond gathering surveillance on 'smuggling networks' and engage actively in boarding, searching, seizing and diverting vessels 'suspected of being used for human smuggling or trafficking on the high seas'. As many other human rights groups and freedom of movement activists throughout and beyond Europe, we denounce this mission in the strongest possible terms as it will make sea crossings evermore dangerous and will imprison thousands who want to escape Libya and Northern Africa. In addition, the EU began negotiations with the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan over plans to further outsource EU border control to its neighbouring countries and secure its eastern borders in the Aegean region.
The Alarm Phone network calls for the exact opposite: the opening of legal and safe ways into the territories of the EU, ferries not Frontex! Anything short of legal possibilities to cross borders will lead to more suffering and death as this past week has demonstrated once again. The Greek coastguard found the bodies of two children and two adults off the island of Kos, and the bodies of a woman and a child near Lesvos. Following news accounts, about 95 bodies were washed up in Libya over the weekend, 85 of them near the capital city of Tripoli and 10 near Sabratha. These atrocities will continue if Europe continues to follow its politics of deterrence.
In the past seven days we were involved in 51 situations of emergency in the Aegean Sea, 2 in the Western Mediterranean Sea and 1 distress case in the Central Med. Please find summaries of our reports and links to the full reports below.
On Monday the 28th of September, the Alarm Phone was alerted to 7 distress cases in the Aegean Sea. The first situation that reached us around midnight was already very dramatic with 44 travellers, some of whom had presumably gone overboard already, in acute distress near the Greek island of Samos. Our shift team reached out to the Greek coastguards who noted down the coordinates and confirmed that they had already sent out a vessel to that position. We were then also alerted by two other contact persons about the same case. One of them also stated that people were overboard. At 1.15am, the Greek authorities informed us that they had just rescued 48 people, close to the coordinates they had received from us. Through our contact persons we finally received confirmation of their rescue at 1.26am.
We were alerted to the six other cases throughout the day. They took place near Samos, Chios and Lesvos. Two vessels made it to Greek islands independently, 3 were rescued by the Greek coastguards and another one by the Turkish coastguards (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/284).
On Tuesday the 29th of September, at approximately 4.30am, the Alarm Phone received a direct call from travellers in distress in the Central Mediterranean Sea. They stated that they were about 125 people, including 2 women, one of whom was pregnant. They had left Libya and were on their way to Malta. In English and French and through their satellite phone they told our shift team that they could not steer the vessel anymore and had lost orientation. There were too many people on board, many of whom were sea-sick. Our shift team asked about their GPS position but was only able to receive incomplete coordinates. At 5am we called the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Rome and informed them about the case. Finally, at 5.12am, the travellers told us their position which we quickly passed on to MRCC Rome. They confirmed that they would work on the case. At 7.57am, the people on the boat reached out to us again and this time they were clearly anxious, with many shouting in the background. They told us that they could see a blue vessel with white letters on in the distance. At 9.02am, they told us that they could not reach MRCC Rome and that there were two vessels now nearby, one of which seemed to move away from them. At 9.40am, the travellers informed us about a white ship vicinity, possibly an Italian vessel, and a helicopter hovering above them. We advised them to stay calm. Afterwards, they could not be reached again. At 11.39am, MRCC Rome said that that one of their navy vessel had just rescued a boat with 124 people on board. They assumed that they were the people in question (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/288).
On Wednesday the 30th, the Alarm Phone was involved in a total of 12 emergency situations near Greek islands. The first case reached us at 1.13am when we received a WhatsApp message from a contact person who told us about a group of 30 people on a vessel in distress (case 1). The father of the contact person's friend was amongst them. With the provided GPS coordinates we could see that they were in Greek waters, near the island of Lesvos. The contact person told us that water was entering the vessel and asked us to alert the Greek coastguards. We also suggested that the travellers should call the international emergency number 112 in any case. We reached the Greek coastguards at 1.25am who were very impatient and told us to ask the travellers to call by themselves. At 2.44am our contact person informed us that they had reached Lesvos independently and were safe.
Of the other 11 groups in distress, 8 made it to Greece and three were returned to Turkey. Three vessels reached Lesvos independently, two were rescued to Lesvos by the Greek coastguards, one vessel presumably reached Samos on its own and another one Chios Island, one group stranded on Farmakonisi Island, two vessels were rescued by the Turkish coastguards and one vessel was washed back to Turkish shores after its engine had broken down (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/285).
On Thursday the 1st of October, the Alarm Phone was alerted to 5 distress cases in the Aegean Sea. At 3.59am, we received a phone call from the UK. A woman informed us about an emergency situation near Samos Island (case 1). The vessel in distress carrying between 40-60 people was, however, still located in Turkish waters. We were not able to reach the group and our contact person informed the Turkish coastguards. We then received conflicting information about the same case from several informants. It turned out that the vessel was in fact close to Lesvos Island, not Samos. At 11.40am we were able to reach the vessel and were informed that the vessel was capsizing. We told them to quickly call 112 but when they tried, they could not get through. We informed the coastguards who were very uncooperative and would not take our information. They just said that the travellers should call them directly. In a phone call with the coastguards at around noon, we were told to call the authorities in the North of Lesvos, Mithimna, who in turn confirmed that they had already sent out a rescue vessel. At 1pm, one of our contact persons confirmed their rescue. RSC Mithimna also confirmed the rescue of 57 people at 1.22pm.
Another group of travellers had stranded on the small island of Stroggili and was then rescued/transferred by the Greek coastguards from the island later on. We were also alerted to a vessel that was subsequently rescued by the Turkish coastguards as well as to two emergency situations near and on the island of Farmakonisi. One group was still on a vessel in distress in Turkish waters and was rescued by the Turkish coastguards. Two groups had stranded on the Greek island of Farmakonisi. On the next day we were informed that they had been transferred to Leros Island and were safe. At the same time we learned about scandalous conditions on Leros Island, with hundreds of travellers stuck there and not cared for appropriately. Food and water are lacking and we also hear about serious ill-treatments of refugee women. The authorities tried to force them to remove their scarves/hijabs for 'photographic evidence' which they refused.
Besides these five cases, our shift teams were also informed about several other boats from various contact persons who saw posts about distress situations on Facebook and contacted us. While we appreciate that everyone is trying to raise awareness about emergency situations, there were several cases in which we could not get involved, either as the cases had already been resolved and the posts were outdated or as not sufficient information was provided (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/286).
On Thursday the 1st of October, the Alarm Phone received a call from a person in Morocco at approximately 7pm and was informed about a vessel that had left Morocco during the night, carrying about 50 persons. He had lost contact to the travellers and was very worried about their well-being. We then informed one of our Alarm Phone members in Morocco. At 8.18pm, the contact person called us again, becoming increasingly worried. Our member in Morocco contacted the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo who passed on the good news: The boat had made it to Almeria/Spain. All 58 travellers were safe. He informed our contact person who was, of course, very relieved (see:
On Friday the 2nd of October, the Alarm Phone was alerted to a total of 14 distress cases in one day. Four emergencies occurred near the Greek island of Samos and we received the confirmation that groups 1, 2 and 4 were rescued by the Greek coastguards while the third group reached the island independently (cases 1, 2, 3, 4). We were informed about a distress case between Bodrum/Turkey and Kos/Greece and we informed the Turkish coastguards (case 5). However, no information about their rescue could be obtained. We were also involved in five cases that took place near Lesvos Island (cases 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). Four vessels were rescued by the Greek coastguards and one vessel made it to the island independently. Case 11 concerned a vessel in distress near Chios Island which was rescued by the Greek authorities and cases 12-13 concerned groups that had stranded on Farmakonisi Island/Greece. Their rescue was not confirmed but can be assumed. In one case (14), we received only limited information but learned that the 40 travellers were rescued (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/287).
On Saturday the 3rd of October, our shift team was called from someone in Morocco who informed us about a vessel that had left from Nador/Morocco the evening before, at about 10pm. There were 28 people on the boat, including 3 women, one of whom was pregnant. We informed the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo about the situation at 4.17pm. The Spanish authorities told us at 4.47pm that they had detected a rubber vessel that fit our description and would launch a rescue operation shortly. We agreed to speak to them again 4 hours later to confirm the rescue. Afterwards we informed our contact person about the situation. At 5.33pm we reached the group of travellers directly and spoke to a woman who was clearly in panic. We told them to stay calm and wait for the rescue vessel. We spoke to Salvamento again at 7.26pm who were worried about the case as they had, in fact, not located the vessel and it had turned dark in the meantime. The contact person called us repeatedly, expressing how worried he was. He also told us at 7.45pm that he had even informed the Moroccan Navy which refused to search for the vessel as they said that it would probably be in Spanish waters already. At 8pm we received an email from Salvamento in which they told us that the vessel had been sighted by a rescue aircraft approximately 11 miles off the Moroccan Coast. They would send a vessel to that location. We then informed our contact person who in turn informed that travellers. They said that they could see a vessel in vicinity as well as an airplane above them. Afterwards we were unable to contact the travellers directly but received confirmation of their rescue through Salvamento at 10.30pm. We then also informed the contact person about the good news. During the day, 188 people were rescued by the Spanish authorities (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/291).
On Saturday the 3rd of October, the Alarm Phone was involved in 8 emergency situations in the Aegean Sea. At 2.35am we were called by a contact person who alerted us to a vessel in distress, still in Turkish waters (case 1). The travellers had run out of fuel and could not move any further. Our contact person had already informed the Greek coastguard and when we called the people on the boat they seemed fine and awaiting rescue by the Turkish coastguard. Our contact person also told us about a second vessel which was very close to the first one. At 2.50am we called the people on board of the first vessel and they confirmed that the Turkey authorities were in the process of rescuing them.
3 other vessels were rescued by the Greek coastguard near Lesvos, another 2 near Kos and 2 groups of travellers were rescued by Turkish authorities (see:
On Sunday the 4th of October, the Alarm Phone dealt with 5 distress cases in the Aegean region. The first emergency case reached us a few minutes after midnight when an activist collective informed us about a group of people who had stranded on Glaros Island/Greece (case 1). The collective had lost contact to them and unfortunately we could not reach them either. We then heard that a second vessel had also arrived on Glaros. We informed the Greek coastguards about the two cases at 2am and they confirmed that they had already sent out a rescue vessel to search for the people. In the meantime we were informed by someone else about a third group on the island. Later on we received the confirmation that the first group had been rescued and we assumed that the other two groups would also be transferred from the small island.
Another group of travellers was in distress but then succeeded to reach Samos independently. One vessel was in distress near Lesvos and while we have no confirmation we expect it to have been rescued by the Greek coastguards who were rescuing several vessels in the area. One vessel was rescued by the Turkish coastguard and the Greek coastguard promised to rescue/transfer a group stranded on Farmakonisi Island (see:


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From luxurious resorts to rustic dude-ranches, Phoenix boasts a wide range of excellent facilities. With over 300 sunny days per year, anytime is the right time to visit Phoenix. Learn about Native American culture at the Heard Museum, awaken your soul at a world-class spa, or enjoy fabulous shopping at Biltmore Fashion Park.
With the spectacular Sonoran Desert as its backdrop, you'll find plenty of adventure in and around the city, from Jeep desert tours to hiking and horseback riding. See why they call Phoenix the "Golf Capital of the World" on 200 luscious courses. When the sun goes down, indulge in mouth-watering cuisine vibrant nightlife. Whether you're planning a reunion, party, or corporate retreat, your guests will be impressed in Phoenix. Visit Phoenix Tourism for more.
Eventective has the venues and vendors you need to have your perfect event


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To create your rainforest mural:
1. Print out animals and plants (drag off page onto desktop or click on pdf below). Use them as is or blow them up to half-size or even full-size to scale.
2. Color each and cut them out. These can be laminated and cut out for more durable murals.
3. Research animals and write about them on the text plate templates (at bottom). Or use pre-made text plate for each animal.
4. Create a background using construction paper or rolled paper sponge dabbed with tempra paint using the background pdf as a guide.
5. Back animals with masking tape and add onto mural (velcro tabs allow you to change the positions of animals).
6. Take a picture with your class and email it in to be posted on Exploring Nature!


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Last week I heard a quote from Mike Loftin of the Urban Institute that resonated with me. "We need to stop seeing housing as a reward for financial success and instead see it as a critical tool that can facilitate financial success." Homeownership as an investment has always been a long-term hold in order for it to make sound financial sense. In fact, according to Gallup 41% of Americans see Real Estate as the best investment over stocks, gold, saving account interest, and bonds.
Since the start of 2021, we have seen the median price increase quite a bit in our region. Inventory has remained tight and interest rates remain historically low. This has contributed to the increase in prices, along with the thriving tech industry in the Greater Seattle area. I've been working on the front lines of one of the most intense markets in history and I can tell you first hand that buyers are tired! Here is what I'd like to share though – they shouldn't give up!!
Month-to-date new listings are up 12% over May in Snohomish County and 8% in King County. This has helped reduce multiple offers and I'm starting to see some homes get just one offer. This is starting to level out the brisk price appreciation we saw from January through May. In Q1, almost every listing was getting multiple offers and bid up. Now, I'm seeing new listings benefit from the price growth since January and starting to level out in regards to additional price growth as we head into the second half of 2021. Beware that "cream puff" listings are still going bonkers. Buyers with a fixed budget may want to avoid those and be open to adjusting their search or being satisfied with 75% of their wish list. As we head into the second half of 2021, I predict we will start to see a tempering in price growth as the froth spills over the top of the cup of this market.
This will provide opportunities for buyers who put themselves on the sidelines or are just entering the market to successfully find a home. Interest rates remain incredible, and one must take into consideration the long-term savings that a low rate provides for your monthly payment. The average homeowner owns their home for 10 years in the U.S. Securing a low rate and utilizing that as a financial tool to help create wealth over the time of owning your home is a critical element for your financial success.
For example, two years ago rates were nearly a point higher, which would cost a buyer roughly $250 more per month for a $500,000 mortgage. Over ten years that is approximately a $30,000 savings in monthly cash flow. Now, look at the 10-year price growth in our area. In King County prices have grown by 111% over the last ten years and 127% in Snohomish County. Interest rate savings along with long-term price appreciation underscores why 41% of American's think Real Estate is the best financial investment.
More so, I think this analysis typifies the point of the quote above. Real Estate is a tool to help build wealth, not an instant lottery ticket. The financial reward doesn't happen when you sign your closing papers, it happens when you sell. You must make the purchase in order to sell in the future to reap the long-term reward. Real Estate is also where you live; it's where you take shelter and create memories. It is one-part savings account and one-part safe haven. Both aspects should always be taken into consideration. Lifestyle changes lead most people to make a purchase; the byproduct is matching your home to your lifestyle needs and building wealth over time.
I know it's been a rough go for buyers this year and the media is reporting dated news as they are often using closed data that is a month old. Please use me as a resource, as I can provide real-time data and help you analyze the best decision for you and your family. Also, Matthew Gardener, Windermere's Chief Economist recently shared his thoughts on price appreciation. Check out the video below to hear his insights. In the meantime, please know it is always my goal to help keep my clients well informed in order to empower strong decisions. I pay close attention and urge you if you are considering a purchase to seize the day.
My office is collecting donations for local food banks! You can donate to our GoFundMe or drop off donations at my office during the month of July.
All donations will benefit The Volunteers of America Western Washington food banks. Let's come together to help our neighbors in need!
Donate here or get directions to my office here.