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Joseph Goldstein broke a devastating story this afternoon in the New York Times:
In his last phone call home, Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley Jr. told his father what was troubling him: From his bunk in southern Afghanistan, he could hear Afghan police officers sexually abusing boys they had brought to the base.
"At night we can hear them screaming, but we're not allowed to do anything about it," the Marine's father, Gregory Buckley Sr., recalled his son telling him before he was shot to death at the base in 2012. He urged his son to tell his superiors. "My son said that his officers told him to look the other way because it's their culture."
Goldstein goes on to reveal that Gregory Buckley, Jr's killer was in fact one of those boys whose screams he heard. The killer, Ainuddin Khudairaham, was one of many "tea boys" being held by the police commander on the base, Sarwar Jan. But Jan came to the base with a history. Again from Goldstein:
Lance Corporal Buckley and two other Marines were killed in 2012 by one of a large entourage of boys living at their base with an Afghan police commander named Sarwar Jan.
Mr. Jan had long had a bad reputation; in 2010, two Marine officers managed to persuade the Afghan authorities to arrest him following a litany of abuses, including corruption, support for the Taliban and child abduction. But just two years later, the police commander was back with a different unit, working at Lance Corporal Buckley's post, Forward Operating Base Delhi, in Helmand Province.
Lance Corporal Buckley had noticed that a large entourage of "tea boys" — domestic servants who are sometimes pressed into sexual slavery — had arrived with Mr. Jan and moved into the same barracks, one floor below the Marines. He told his father about it during his final call home.
As if that's not enough, Goldstein goes on to note that the only person punished over the killings by the tea boy was one of the officers who had gotten Jan arrested previously and contacted the new base where Jan was assigned to warn them of his pedophilia.
Goldstein's report blows the lid off a disgusting practice by the military to allow Afghan officers to engage in what they refer to as "bacha bazi", or "boy play" and to ascribe it to cultural differences rather than calling out criminal behavior. This practice of looking the other way has gone on for a very long time. An article Goldstein linked had this to say:
With the agreement on an action plan to combat the problem, the government will for the first time officially acknowledge the problem of child sex slaves. As part of the Afghan tradition of bacha bazi, literally "boy play," boys as young as 9 are dressed as girls and trained to dance for male audiences, then prostituted in an auction to the highest bidder. Many powerful men, particularly commanders in the military and the police, keep such boys, often dressed in uniforms, as constant companions for sexual purposes.
Asked about the military's policy regarding commanders who abuse children, a spokesman for the NATO-led military alliance, Lt. Col. John L. Dorrian, said that if any members of the military encountered such abuse they would be obliged to report it. But in the past year, he said, he was not aware of any such reports.
When we go back to the reports on the trial where Ainuddin Khudairaham was convicted for the killings, we have the military scrambling to cover up the pedophilia that may well have prompted Ainuddin to act, as they provided a list of different accusations against Jan:
The investigation into what happened at FOB Delhi has been dogged by allegations that the police chief, Sarwar Jan, the shooter was working for was closely aligned with the Taliban. He previously had been removed as the police chief in another district in Helmand province in 2010 after Marines suspected he was providing supplies to the Taliban.
Nevertheless, Sarwar Jan was installed by the Afghan government as the police chief in Garmsir district in the months ahead of the shooting. A Marine officer who worked with him in 2009 and 2010, Maj. Jason Brezler, sent a warning to deployed Marines in 2012 about the police chief, but he kept his position. To do so, Brezler sent classified information over an unclassified network, and reported himself.
Yes, Brezler is the person mentioned above as the one person to be punished over the killings. And in the Washington Post piece (from July, 2014) quoted above, we see that the real meat of Brezler's warning about Jan and his entourage of young boys is completely left out. And that seems to be as a product of the policy that Goldstein revealed today where the US military actively avoids calling out or punishing the abuse of young boys. But why would the military avoid calling it out? One hint comes from the the 2011 piece Goldstein linked and I quoted earlier: Continue reading
I will go ahead and say it this time. I told you so. Back in December, the Obama Administration tried its best to create the fiction that the war in Afghanistan was coming to an end. I called bullshit then. Finally, four months later, the New York Times has come to the same realization as well:
Months after President Obama formally declared that the United States' long war against the Taliban was over in Afghanistan, the American military is regularly conducting airstrikes against low-level insurgent forces and sending Special Operations troops directly into harm's way under the guise of "training and advising."
In justifying the continued presence of the American forces in Afghanistan, administration officials have insisted that the troops' role is relegated to counterterrorism, defined as tracking down the remnants of Al Qaeda and other global terrorist groups, and training and advising the Afghan security forces who have assumed the bulk of the fight.
But the US military thinks nothing of gaming the system to bring action where they want it:
Rather than ending the American war in Afghanistan, the military is using its wide latitude to instead transform it into a continuing campaign of airstrikes — mostly drone missions — and Special Operations raids that have in practice stretched or broken the parameters publicly described by the White House.
"They are putting guys on the ground in places to justify the airstrikes," one of the officials said. "It's not force protection when they are going on the offensive."
And it's not just field-level commanders making these decisions to circumvent the conditions laid out by the White House for fighting:
Commenting on the continuing military operations against the Taliban, the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John F. Campbell, vehemently denied accusations that he was putting troops into harm's way just to enable more airstrikes.
He has insisted that it is within his purview to target Taliban insurgents who pose a threat not just to American or NATO troops but to any Afghan security forces. And his options on the ground were clear, he said in an interview, even if Washington's public description of them was not.
"Washington is going to have to say what they say politically for many different audiences, and I have no issue with that," General Campbell said. "I understand my authorities and what I have to do with Afghanistan's forces and my forces. And if that doesn't sell good for a media piece then, again, I can't worry about it."
Honey badger John Campbell don't care about selling a media piece when there are brown people to be droned.
But even this expanded role for US troops over what they are supposed to be doing isn't helping, as our "trained" Afghan troops continue to lose the war. Buried deep in the article is a leak of classified information that Afghan troop losses this year are running 54% higher than last year's disastrous level of losses. This will not be sustainable for very long at all. It seems likely to me that sometime this summer (or at the very least no later than next summer), the Afghan military will simply melt away in the face of Taliban wins on multiple fronts.
Washington has tried its very best to sweep the war in Afghanistan under the rug. Most of the press dutifully went along with the fiction of declaring the war to have ended in December. The military joined in, trying to classify virtually all information coming out of Afghanistan. That classification move has been backtracked somewhat, but we still haven't seen a revised quarterly report from SIGAR with the newly released data.
For those who care about the truth of what is really taking place in Afghanistan as a result of the misguided US action, it is a good thing that Washington cannot stifle information flowing out of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. UNAMA has been tracking civilian casualties in Afghanistan since 2009, and their latest report was released today (press release is here and full report in pdf form is here). The news is not good at all. Deaths jumped by 25% from 2013, going from 2969 to 3699. Injuries also showed a sharp increase, from 5668 to 6849. These numbers simply do not comport with the rosy statements coming out of the Pentagon on what our troops in Afghanistan "accomplished", how the Taliban are being defeated and how the ANSF are now "hugely capable". Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have shown a relentless rise since the UN started collecting data:
It is harder to find data for the years leading up to 2009, but here is one report (pdf) in tabular form from Costs of War:
The figures from this report include only a subset of the types of death tracked by UN, accounting for the slight discrepancy in the years of overlapping data.
US military operations and continued presence in Afghanistan has been a disaster for civilians there. The insurgency which has arisen in response to the US presence is responsible for most of the casualties, but it is hard to see how these numbers would be as high if the US had simply left after deposing the Taliban in the first few weeks of the operation.
In addition to tracking casualties, the UN collects information on war crimes. Units of the Afghan Local Police are notorious in this regard (ALP most often are comprised of private militias that have been given a brief bit of training by US death squad trainers from JSOC and/or CIA). From the report:
For example, on 11 July, an ALP member shot and killed a local shopkeeper after an argument over ice. On 7 July, an ALP commander and four of his men assaulted (and injured) four civilians in Jorum district, Badakhshan province, during a wedding party. The reason for the beating was reportedly that the family had failed to provide food to the ALP as demanded.
UNAMA documented multiple examples of ALP intimidating and ordering the displacement of families from their communities. For example, on 12 October, ALP forcibly displaced 150-200 families from Khak-e-Safed district, Farah province. The ALP had warned the local population not to allow the Taliban to launch attacks from the village. The Taliban had also threatened the local population not to cooperate with the ALP. After Taliban fighters established positions in the area, the ALP ordered the 150-200 families to leave the area, resulting in displacement of an entire village, mainly to Farah city.
I would imagine that someone in Washington is busy today trying to find a way to prevent UNAMA from releasing its next report.
On January 30, I noted how the varied history of Mullah Abdul Rauf Khadim had seen him on many different sides of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His history depends on whoever is describing it, but it is clear he spent time at Guantanamo, where leaked documents said that he was "substantially exploited". He was released from Guantanamo and held for at least some time in Afghanistan's notorious Pul-e-Charkhi prison. Many reports put him serving on the Quetta Shura of the Afghan Taliban at a later point and getting quite close to Mullah Omar. Most recently, he was said to be an active recruiter for the Islamic State and perhaps even serving as the IS governor of the region.
Multiple reports today state that Rauf has been killed by a US drone strike in Afghanistan. From the Reuters report:
A missile-firing drone killed six people in Afghanistan on Monday including a veteran militant believed to have defected to Islamic State (IS) from the Taliban, Afghan officials said.
The senior militant, former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mullah Abdul Rauf, was killed in the violence-plagued southern province of Helmand, officials there said.
Police chief Nabi Jan Mullahkhel said Rauf was travelling in a car when the drone attacked. The other casualties included his brother-in-law and four Pakistanis, Mullahkhel said.
More details from the area:
Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), said in a statement Rauf was in charge of IS in southwestern Afghanistan and he was killed just after mid-day in "a successful military operation".
Helmand's deputy governor, Mohammad Jan Rasulyar, said Rauf's membership of IS could not be confirmed but his associates were dressed in black outfits often worn by IS members.
"It is too early to confirm that he was Daish but his people were wearing the same clothes and mask," Rasulyar said, referring to IS.
It is hardly surprising that the CNN account of his death would open with the recidivist angle:
He was a Taliban commander captured by the United States and held at Guantanamo Bay. But he was let go and returned to Afghanistan. Mullah Abdul Rauf went on to become a recruiter for ISIS in Afghanistan.
He was killed in a drone strike Monday, two officials told CNN.
And, as with seemingly all stories of this type at the early stages, the possibility that Rauf escaped has been presented. Khaama Press relays the same reports of Rauf's death, but adds this to their story:
However, Pacha Gul Bakhtyar, Security Officer of Helmand Province had told Khaama Press earlier in the afternoon that Mullah Abdul Rawouf Khadim sustained serious injuries while four of his fighters were killed in the attack.
He said that Mullah Abdul Rawouf Khadim was traveling along with a group of his people in a Saracha vehicle when their vehicle was targeted, leaving Khadim seriously wounded and four of his people killed.
He said that Mullah Abdul Rawouf has escaped in wounded conditions.
So, while Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security states outright that Rauf was in charge of IS recruiting for the region, the Ministry of the Interior was insisting as recently as Sunday that the presence of IS fighters in Afghanistan was nothing more than a publicity stunt:
Rejecting the infiltration of the Islamic State (IS) fighters to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said the rumors about the sightings of theses fighters were nothing more than publicity.
MoI spokesman Sediq Sediqqi at a press conference on Sunday in Kabul said that the security agencies were aware of the movements of all enemies of the country.
He warned the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) would suppress all rebel groups whether they were operating under the name of IS or other brands.
As a final note, the case of Rauf and his constantly changing sides should be seen as the rule for areas where the US military has engaged in its misadventures rather than an exeception. Other stories in today's news note disputes over Afghan police with ties to the Taliban and Iraqi militias operated by a member of Parliament attacking Iraqi citizens at the same time they pursue ISIS.
So, of course, the US should promptly arm troops in Ukraine, as well, so that we can have another region where US arms raise the stakes the rapid changing of sides in a conflict.
All of the ladies attending the ball
Are requested to gaze in the faces
Found on the dance cards
Please then remember
And don't get too close to one special one
He will take your defenses and run
So we change partners
Time to change partners
You must change partners
Lyrics by Stephen Stills
When last we left Mullah Abdul Rauf Khadim, only two short weeks ago, he had suddenly appeared on the scene in Afghanistan as a recruiter for ISIS. That was after he had spent time on the Taliban's Quetta Shura as one of Mullah Omar's top advisors. That was after he escaped from Afghanistan's Pul-e-Charkhi prison. That was after he had been transferred to Pul-e-Charkhi from Guantanamo, where he was "substantially exploited".
Today, Pakistan's Express Tribune is reporting that the Mullah Omar of ISIS, none other than Abu Bakr Baghdadi himself, has named Rauf the head of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, which, in ISIS-speak, is now known as the Khorasan Province of the Islamic State. Khorasan also includes Pakistan and selected other surroundings according to ISIS.
That is a very interesting development, especially since earlier this week, there was a report that Rauf had been arrested by the Taliban. Here is Adam Weinstein, writing at Gawker:
The Taliban, bane of America's post-9/11 Afghanistan operations, said Wednesday that they captured Mullah Abdul Rauf Khadim, a renegade insurgent and ex-Guantanamo detainee who was in Afghanistan recruiting for the Islamic State, the latest parry in a messy internecine conflict between violent Islamist regimes.
The independent Pajhwok news agency of Afghanistan reports that Khadim—who had previously been identified in the media as an ex-Taliban footsoldier who sought revenge against the U.S. after his detention in Gitmo—was arrested, along with 45 armed followers, after attempting to turn local militants against the Taliban and win their allegiance for ISIS's attempts to build a global caliphate.
However, not everyone was convinced of that report. From Thomas Joscelyn, writing at Long War Journal, also on Wednesday, we have this:
Still, Khadim has been an effective commander and the Khorasan province is already active in southern Afghanistan. There have been skirmishes between Baghdadi's followers and their rivals in the Taliban, which is clearly gunning for Khadim. One report says that the Taliban has captured Khadim and dozens of his followers, but that has not been confirmed.
Today's announcement of Rauf as governor of Khorasan marked a rather rapid promotion for him, as a report by Joscelyn on Monday noted that Rauf had been named deputy governor.
Oh, and while you're trying to sort out just whose side Rauf is on, or whose prison he is in this week, you can get even more confused about funding for ISIS and where it is coming from. Iran seems to be enjoying that particular tidbit.
Many outlets are reporting on the disclosure earlier this week that there appears to be active recruiting for Islamic State taking place in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Here is AP as carried by ABC News:
Afghan officials confirmed for the first time Monday that the extremist Islamic State group is active in the south, recruiting fighters, flying black flags and, according to some sources, even battling Taliban militants.
The sources, including an Afghan general and a provincial governor, said a man identified as Mullah Abdul Rauf was actively recruiting fighters for the group, which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq.
The article notes that the Taliban is not taking this development lightly and that there are reports that up to 20 people had died up to that point in skirmishes between the Taliban and those swearing allegiance to IS.
But Mullah Rauf is not just any random figure in Afghanistan. As the article notes, he was once a prisoner at Guantanamo.
In their profile of him this week, the Washington Post had this to say about Rauf:
Rauf is also known as Abdul Rauf Aliza and Maulvi Abdul Rauf Khadim. According to a military document released by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, he turns 34 in February and was listed as detainee 108 at Guantanamo Bay. He was transferred to Afghanistan's control in 2007.
The report on him released by WikiLeaks said he was associated with several known Taliban commanders, but claimed to be a low-level soldier. In interviews with U.S. officials, he was cooperative, but his responses were vague or inconsistent when asked about the Taliban leadership, according to the report. Nonetheless, Rauf was assessed not to be a threat, and was recommended for transfer out and continued detainment in another country.
That Wikileaks document on Rauf can also be read here at the New York Times. This particular paragraph in the report caught my eye:
The document from which this is taken is dated October 26, 2004. The parenthetic note from the analyst begins "Detainee is substantially exploited". In the context of Guantanamo, the issue of prisoner exploitation is a very important topic. A groundbreaking post by Jason Leopold and Jeffrey Kaye in 2011 provides crucial context by what this aside from the analyst means for Rauf's detention: Continue reading
On Sunday, Dawn's editors knew that Pakistan's lawmakers would enact the bills needed to establish military courts and published a stern condemnation of the move in an editorial with the telling title "A Sad Day":
In the end, our political leadership proved unable to defend the constitutional and democratic roots of the system or resist the generals' demands.
Pakistan is to have military courts once again. To establish them the politicians have agreed to distort the principle of separation of powers, smash the edifice of rights upon which the Constitution is built and essentially give up on fixing decrepit state institutions.
The editors pointed out how the efforts to establish the military courts could have been put to better use:
Had the same time and effort spent on winning consensus for military courts gone into urgent reforms and administrative steps to fix the criminal justice structure, the existing system could have been brought into some semblance of shape to deal with terrorism.
Sadly, the political leadership has abdicated its democratic responsibilities. Surrender perhaps comes easily.
For a country that has been beset by repeated military coups, the Dawn editors rightly note the risk in granting more powers to the military.
The votes on the bills were unanimous among those present and voting today, but Imran Khan's PTI party and religious parties abstained:
The National Assembly and Senate on Tuesday passed the 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill 2015 and Pakistan Army Act 1952 (Amendment) Bill 2015.
The Constitutional Amendment Bill was passed with 247 votes – 14 more than the required two-third majority in the NA, and 78 votes out of 104 were passed in the Senate.
The amendment – aimed to set up special courts to try militants – was not opposed by any member present inside the house. Lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Sheikh Rasheed abstained from voting – in both the NA and the Senate.
Each clause of the bill was voted for separately. The bill is now expected to be signed into law by the president this week.
This move by Pakistan, coming in the wake of the devastating Taliban attack on a military school in Peshawar, is drawing obvious comparisons to US moves to establish military commissions at Guantanamo for trying terrorism suspects. Sadly, Pakistan has been just as reckless in making the move as the US was. Had they taken the time for a review of the outcome of US military commissions, they would have found (pdf) that while about 500 suspects in terrorism trials have been convicted in US federal criminal courts, the vaunted military commissions have yielded only 8 convictions since 9/11. On the occasion of the conviction in federal court last year of Osama bin Laden's son in law, Lyle Denniston had this to say:
As long ago as 1866, just after the Civil War, the Constitution stood for the principle that, if the civilian courts were open and functioning during wartime, trials of civilians charged with crimes of war should be tried in those courts, not in military tribunals. That was the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Ex parte Milligan.
The Court's lead opinion back then said: "No doctrine, involving more pernicious consequences, was ever invented by the wit of man than that any of its provisions can be suspended during any of the great exigencies of government. Such a doctrine leads directly to anarchy or despotism, but the theory of necessity on which it is based is false."
[We can separately note that Denniston's quote from Ex parte Milligan seems to apply just as well to the excuses brought forth in favor of torture as they do for the establishment of military commissions.]
Perhaps the only good aspect of Pakistan's move to establish military courts is that the bills carry a two year sunset provision. Sadly, though, given the current cowardly status of Pakistan's lawmakers, it would not be surprising for regular two year "extensions" of the laws to continue in perpetuity. Just like our endless extensions of unconstitutional wiretapping under FISA.
We need no other indicator of just how bad the situation in Afghanistan really is than that, with no previous announcement of the schedule that I am aware of, the US staged a ceremonial "end of combat operations" in Kabul today, more than three weeks before the December 31 scheduled end of the current NATO mission. The NATO mission is supposed to transition from a stated combat operation to one of support (as noted in its name: Resolute Support). We can only conclude that the date of the ceremony wasn't announced because it would become an obvious target for the increased number of Taliban attacks in Kabul and throughout Afghanistan.
But like most of what the US says and does in Afghanistan, this was all really just bullshit. In a visit to Kabul on Saturday, which, like today's ceremony also was unannounced due to the horrid security situation in Afghanistan, outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel admitted that the non-combat designation for US troops in Afghanistan from 2015 onward is in name only. First, the claim of support:
"As planned, Resolute Support will focus here in Kabul and Bagram with a limited regional presence," he said. "As part of this mission, the United States is prepared to provide limited combat enabler support to Afghan forces.
See? Right there, he says we only are there to enable Afghan troops to take part in combat.
Oops. Hang on, Hagel wasn't finished:
Hagel said U.S. forces in Afghanistan would "always" have the right and the capacity to defend themselves against attacks.
"We're committed to preventing al Qaeda from using Afghanistan as a safe haven," Hagel said, to threaten the United States, the Afghan people, and other U.S. allies and partners.
Also, the United States will take appropriate measures against Taliban members who directly threaten U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan or provide direct support to al Qaeda, he added.
Oh. So we are "only" combat support, unless we decide we aren't and that there are targets we need to hit because they pose a threat to us.
And why are our troops there threatened? Simply by being there:
Yet Obama's decision to allow American forces to remain behind in a more active role suggests the U.S. remains concerned about the Afghan government's ability to fight. Chances of Ghani restarting peace talks with the Taliban also appear slim as he signed agreements with NATO and the U.S. to allow the foreign troops to remain behind — a red line for the militants.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP that the group would continue to fight "until all foreign troops have left Afghanistan."
"The Americans want to extend their mission in Afghanistan, the motive being to keep the war going for as long as possible," Mujahid said. "And for as long as they do, the Taliban will continue their fight against the foreign and (Afghan) government forces."
And there we have it. The Taliban and US troops continue their sick cycle of co-dependency. The Taliban will fight us as long as we are there, and we refuse to leave while they still want to fight us.
There simply is no level of duplicity that Iraqi or Afghan military leaders can engage in that will lead to the US re-examining the failed assumption that "training" armed forces in those countries will stabilize them. Between the two efforts, the US has now wasted over $80 billion and more than a decade of time just on training and equipping, and yet neither force can withstand even a fraction of the forces they now face.
The latest revelations of just how failed the training effort has been are stunning, and yet we can rest assured that they will be completely disregarded as decision-makers in Washington continue to pour even more money into a cause that has long ago been proven hopeless.
Consider the latest revelations.
We learned yesterday that a cursory investigation in Iraq has already revealed at least 50,000 "ghost soldiers":
The Iraqi army has been paying salaries to at least 50,000 soldiers who don't exist, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Sunday, an indication of the level of corruption that permeates an institution that the United States has spent billions equipping and arming.
A preliminary investigation into "ghost soldiers" — whose salaries are being drawn but who are not in military service — revealed the tens of thousands of false names on Defense Ministry rolls, Abadi told parliament Sunday. Follow-up investigations are expected to uncover "more and more," he added.
We can only imagine how much larger the total will become should Iraq actually follow through with a more thorough investigation, but already one Iraqi official quoted in the article hinted the monetary loss could be at least three times what is now known. But that isn't even the worst condemnation of US practices in this report. Consider this quote that the Post seems to consider a throw-away since it is buried deep within the article:
"The problems are wide, and it's an extremely difficult task which is going to involve some strong will," said Iraqi security analyst Saeed al-Jayashi. "Training is weak and unprofessional."
So the glorious training program in Iraq, which was proudly under the leadership of ass-kissing little chickenshit David Petraeus when it was being heralded, is now finally exposed as "weak and unprofessional". And the US will do exactly diddly squat about these revelations. Recall that last week we learned that the Defense Department does not consider reducing corruption to be part of their role as advisors in Iraq. I'll go out on a limb here and predict that when confirmation hearings are held for a new Secretary of Defense, there won't be a single question aimed at asking how our current training program will be improved to avoid the failures that have been so clearly demonstrated in the previous attempts.
The situation in Afghanistan, although it is receiving less attention, is no better. Reuters reported yesterday on how poorly equipped Afghan forces are for dealing with the Taliban, despite over $60 billion that the US has spent to train and equip those forces:
Afghan district police chief Ahmadullah Anwari only has enough grenades to hand out three to each checkpoint in an area of Helmand province swarming with Taliban insurgents who launch almost daily attacks on security forces.
"Sometimes up to 200 Taliban attack our checkpoints and if there are no army reinforcements, we lose the fight," said Anwari, in charge of one of Afghanistan's most volatile districts, Sangin.
"It shames me to say that we don't have enough weapons and equipment. But this is a bitter reality."
The article goes on to utterly destroy the ridiculous statements from Joseph Anderson, commander of ISAF Joint Command, back on November 5. Despite Anderson claiming that Afghan forces "are winning", Reuters points out that claims that the ANSF remains in control of most of the country are grossly overstated:
And while the coalition says Afghan forces control most of the country, the reality on the ground can be very different.
Graeme Smith, senior Kabul analyst for the International Crisis Group, says that in many remote districts, the government controls a few administrative buildings "but the influence of Afghan forces may not extend far beyond that point".
And yet, despite this clear history of failed efforts to train and equip forces, the US now plans to spend more than another $5 billion fighting ISIS. If it weren't for the carbon dioxide that would be released, it would probably be better for all of us if that money were simply incinerated.
Today, Pakistan's military escorted selected members of the media through Miramshah, which had been ground zero for militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan and the focus of the heaviest fighting in the Zarb-e-Azb offensive undertaken by the military last month. From the video provided in the Express Tribune story on Miramshah, it is clear that the town is essentially deserted and most buildings appear to be heavily damaged.
The offensive is taking a huge toll on Pakistan. Depending on the source cited, there are either 787,000 or 833,274 people who have been displaced from North Waziristan. Those are truly remarkable numbers, as the linked Washington Post article notes that previous estimates of the population of North Waziristan were only 600,000, so it is clear that virtually all citizens have left the region.
Because the media have been banned from the region before today, Pakistan's military has controlled the flow of information. The latest claims I can find put the death toll at 400 militants and 20 soldiers. No information on civilian deaths has been released and the military claimed that the civilian death toll was zero even after over 200 militants were said to have been killed.
One of the most remarkable stories to emerge along with those who have fled Miramshah is that of Azam Khan, who was a barber in Miramshah:
Azam Khan was one of the top barbers in Miranshah — the main town of North Waziristan — until he, like nearly half a million others, fled the long-awaited offensive unleashed by the Pakistan military on the tribal area in June.
He told AFP his business boomed in the month leading up to the army assault as the militants sought to shed their distinctive long-haired, bearded look.
"I have trimmed the hair and beards of more than 700 local and Uzbek militants ahead of the security forces' operation," he said while cutting hair in a shop in Bannu, the town where most civilians fled.
For years he cut Taliban commanders' hair to match the flowing locks of former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Hakimullah Mehsud, killed by a US drone last November, but in May a change in style was called for.
"The same leaders came asking for trimming their beards and hair very short, saying that they were going to the Gulf and wanted to avoid problems at Pakistani airports," Khan said.
It would seem that there is now a good chance that the real targets of this offensive left before it even began. All citizens of the region have been displaced and most buildings have been rendered useless, only to kill the low level forces who were left behind because they didn't have the resources to flee along with their leaders.


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The past couple of weeks have been crazy. I went back to Minnesota, where I was born and raised, for Christmas. Everyday, I had some sort of obligation, at least that's what it felt like. From family parties to friend gatherings, it was non-stop action. When I am away from home or on the go, I find that I become insensitive to my need for God. I worry about the next thing on the calendar instead of how much time I spend in the Word. This is a problem for me, and you may have a similar problem. Our human nature makes it easy to become callous. Ephesians 4:17-19 says this:
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God…
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Defend Your Faith
The Importance of #Apologetics when Sharing the #Gospel of #Jesus
Christians are called to preach the Gospel. It isn't an optional or a suggestion, it's a command! One of my favorite places to share my faith is on the golf course. It's great because I get to spend 3 to 4 hours with a person or group of people, and they have no place to go! I wrote a little about this in an earlier post entitled "Go Tell it on the Mountain".
When I do share what Jesus did for me on the cross I get a plethora of responses. Some people ignore or pretend they didn't hear what I said. Some roll their eyes and talk about how boring church is. Some, by God's grace, have ears to hear and say they will look into what I said. Then, you have the objector who will attack what you are saying.
I have spoken with a couple of objectors on…
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Is Masturbation Okay?
I have been getting asked this question on Periscope so here is my answer on in #Masturbation OK.
This article is in response to a question by a reader (Shirley Anne). She asked about what the Bible says about masturbation. The answer to this question might be disappointing to some folks but the Bible does not speak about masturbation explicitly. What the Bible does speak on is sexuality and what God intended sex to be. We are first going to dive into what God's purpose's were for creating sex. Then we will contrast that to masturbation.
God's Purpose for Sex
Sex is God-given and all of us can thank him for that. Let's briefly talk about sex from God's perspective.
1)Procreation is the first command God gives to humanity. Genesis 1:27-28 says:
God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them,
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it!" –NET
Photo Credit: sexualweakness.com
2)Pleasure is also an essential aspect of sex. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5…
View original post 1,016 more words

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Report: #970740
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Lincoln Technical Institute
Lincoln Technical Institute8 Progress Drive Internet United States of America
Lincoln Technical Institute Lincoln Tech Worst staff! Worst school! No education! Rip off! Internet
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The entire program is a joke. 90% of the class that just graduated is on drugs but no drug tests are done and if they get a job, they'll probably just get clean for the drug test. It needs to be a frequent requirement in this profession. I'm scared that one day they may treat me and now I plan to ask what school all my nurses came from before I allow treatment. The previous dean got fired and Mrs. Baker is a joke. She runs the program and is the most evil person everyone says they ever met. There is no caring coming from anybody there. Even the teachers are quitting and the staff besides the evil ones who enjoy making everyone miserable. There is no order in the classroom and they allow everyone to act crazy. Don't waste your money and pass the message on.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 11/17/2012 05:09 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Lincoln-Technical-Institute/internet/Lincoln-Technical-Institute-Lincoln-Tech-Worst-staff-Worst-school-No-education-Rip-off-970740. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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Experiments on Animals
Over a year ago
I am happy to see that the new PETA2 action is about cruelty-free products. In class, we are learning about experiments on animals. It almost seems as if the teacher is trying to condone it to us. Luckily, I know the truth.
Please log in to reply.
Over a year ago
"testing" = tortureYou must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Over a year ago
Hey @bkwasnik,
That's great that your teacher is giving you the chance to speak up about animal testing in your class! You can ask her to let you can show our Animal Testing…One, Two, Three video to the rest of your class. http://www.peta2.com/videos/testing-one-two-three/
We can send you shopping guides, leaflets, and stickers to pass out to your fellow students if you want. Just e-mail us at [email protected]. 🙂
~Sara W. from peta2You must be logged in to reply to this topic.


text:
Rooms from $99.00 CAD plus tax and include whirlpool tub, continental healthy breakfast, colour LCD television, unlimited movie access, wireless internet, individual heat control, ceiling fans, radios, hairdryers, and most have ocean views.
4.8 on June 05, 2016
A lovely spot. The people are friendly and helpful. Made calls to local restaurants for us to confirm they were still open for business at 8:00pm. We ended up in a restaurant with a 3 piece music group from Halifax and had a great time chatting to them between songs. Our only difficulty was attempting to get our Garmin GPS to recognize their address. My wife eventually did. Fortunately was able to goggle map it while still at home, so we could find it that way.
4.8 on April 30, 2016
We upgraded to the romance package as we had 11 years ago and the experiment was exceptional! The food is amazing and the rooms are very clean and comfy for an old Inn. The omelet for breakfast was a very quaint touch to the free continental style breakfast and was exceptional following with the same quality as the dinner had been. Very friendly staff and would highly recommend this Inn.
4.6 on April 14, 2016
We stayed at the Surfside for a Saturday night getaway. It was really nice, the service was excellent and breakfast was delicious! So quiet and peaceful. I would go back and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. very quaint.
5 on March 26, 2016
The service was excellent, the entire place is very clean and charming. The beds are very comfortable. The rooms are cozy and the food was excellent. Highly recommend and can't wait to stay here again!
4.2 on March 03, 2016
We had a wonderful time at the Surfside Inn. The food was wonderful, room was wonderful and our hostess went above-beyond. Will definitely go back!
5 on March 02, 2016
Our 28th Anniversary was celebrated in style, the room was excellant, the beds are very compfy and quiet, but the meal was the best , the chef is excellant the steak and chicken just melts in your mouth ...had a wonderful stay...
5 on February 26, 2016
Very friendly staff. Diner was amazing!!! Five star in my book!
5 on February 18, 2016
Lovely hosts, the room was beautiful and the food was amazing, I would highly recommend.
5 on January 03, 2016
I booked the Hideaway Suite with the perfection package for my parents for their 30th Anniversary! They loved it! The service was wonderful and the rooms were clean and had lots of character! The steak and seafood chowder were AMAZING! Definitely recommended!
3.6 on December 27, 2015
Booked for family over the holidays, they loved it. Amazing view of the ocean and friendly hosts. Would book again especially in summer as it is beside the beach.
The Lighthouse Suite is a large room with ocean view, LCD TV with DVD player, a queen size bed, and a seating area with a rocking and a parlour chair. The four piece bath comes complete with a double whirlpool tub. enjoy the oecan view and let the rhythm of the wave lull you to sleep.
Our Honeymoon Suite includes a queen size four poster bed, a sofa/bed seating area, LCD TV with DVD player, and thick wool rugs that cover the plank flooring. The four piece bath comes complete with double whirlpool tub. Enjoy the gorgeous ocean view from your double whirlpool bath or the bedroom. This room can accommodate two adults and two children, please contact us directly.
The "Retreat" is a generous sized suite complete with a separate room with ocean view, a 31" television and a sofa bed. The main room features and ocean view, queen size two poster bed, and LCD TV with DVD player, and large double whirlpool tub complete with chandelier. The suite also has a separate four piece bath. The "Retreat" is located on the main level and features its own private entrance and private deck overlooking the ocean. This room can accommodate two adults and two children, please contact us directly.
The children's nursery was housed in what is now the Hideaway Suite. This large room includes a magnificent full size antique mahogany bed from the early 1800's, LCD TV with DVD player, wireless internet and a sofa bed/seating area. The four piece bath comes complete with double whirlpool tub. Enjoy the lake view and let the crashing of the ocean waves lull you to sleep. This room can accommodate two adults and two children. Please contact us directly.
The Rosebud Room was the servants' quarters in the original residence. The room looks out on a huge pine tree and has slightly lowered ceilings which provide a very cozy feel to the room. The Rosebud Room has a four piece bathroom with an eight jet whirlpool tub, queen size bed, LCD TV with DVD player, wireless internet, and two chairs.
30 minutes to Peggy's Cove, 30 minutes to Lunenburg, Countryside, Lakefront, Oceanfront, Oceanview, Secluded
Halifax, NS, Canada (YHZ) 38 miles
See google map please
Amusement Park, Antique Shopping, Art Galleries, Beach, Casino, Gourmet/Fine Dining, Historical interests, Lake, Live Music, Movie Theater, Museum, National/State parks, Nature area, Ocean, Outlet Stores, Picnic area, Religious Services, River, Ski area
Historic Inn
Fax Machine, Fireplace, Telephone, Videos
Alarm clock, CD player, Ceiling fans, DVD Player, Hairdryer, Hot tub/whirlpool tub, Ironing Board, Radio, Satellite/Cable TV, TV, Wi-Fi
Bicycle rental, Bicycle riding trails, Bicycles, Bird watching, Boating, Canoeing, Cross-country ski trails, Fishing, Golfing, Hiking trails, Horseback riding, Kayaking, Mountain Bike trails, Sailing, Shopping, Sight-seeing, Snow shoe trails, Swimming, Water sports
Continental Plus
Low fat , Restrictive , Vegetarian


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Book your room at Mercure Peebles Barony Castle Hotel
Get an overview of this hotel3-star hotel with restaurant and indoor pool
Collect 200 points
Simply enter your Nectar card number when prompted. Your points will be credited 30 days after you return from your trip.*Offers may apply
Situated in Peebles, this spa hotel is 12 mi (19.4 km) from Rosslyn Chapel and 12.1 mi (19.5 km) from Traquair House. Edinburgh International Conference Centre and Greyfriars Kirk are also within 20 mi (32 km).
Hotel Features
A restaurant, an indoor pool, and a fitness center are available at this hotel. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, a bar/lounge, a spa tub, and a sauna are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 72 rooms provide free WiFi, 24-hour room service, and TVs. Other amenities available to guests include hair dryers, phones, and desks.Would you like to give us feedback? Share it! Opens in a new window
Mercure Peebles Barony Castle HotelEddleston Peebles Scotland EH45 8QW
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool, Mercure Peebles Barony Castle Hotel provides a spa tub, a sauna, and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A computer station is located on site and high-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
Business-related amenities at this 3-star property consist of a business center and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 661 square feet (61 square meters) include conference space. This business-friendly hotel also offers spa services, a garden, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Free WiFi
- 24-hour front desk
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Number of floors - 3
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa tub
- Restaurant
- Total number of rooms - 72
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- Elevator/lift
- Fireplace in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Billiards or pool table
- Computer station
- Laundry facilities
- Meeting rooms 4
- Garden
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free self parking
- Conference space size (feet) - 661
- Conference space size (meters) - 61
- Number of meeting rooms - 4
- Sauna
- Spa services on site
- Indoor pool
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Room service (24 hours)
- Desk
- Free WiFi
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Bathtub or shower
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Television
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Separate bedroom
Where to Eat
Blue Dug - This restaurant serves lunch and dinner. A children's menu is available.
Hotel Bar - This bar serves lunch and light fare. A children's menu is available.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a sauna and a fitness center.
Spa Services
- Number of treatment rooms 2
- Manicures and pedicures
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of GBP 15.00 per pet, per night
- Dogs only
- Specific rooms only, restrictions apply
- Pet-friendly rooms can be requested by contacting the property at the number on the booking confirmation
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Optional extras
- Pet fee: GBP 15.00 per pet, per night
- A late check-out fee will be charged
- Rollaway beds are available for an additional fee
Hotel Name
- Barony Hotel Peebles
- Mercure Barony
- Mercure Barony Castle
- Mercure Barony Castle Hotel
- Mercure Barony Hotel
- Mercure Peebles Barony Castle
- Mercure Peebles Barony Castle Hotel
- Peebles Barony Castle
- Peebles Barony Castle Hotel
- Peebles Castle
- Barony Castle Hotel Eddleston
- Mercure Peebles Barony Castle Hotel Eddleston, Scotland
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. The property allows pets in specific rooms only and has other pet restrictions (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section). Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.


text:
- Report: #372576
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Michael Murray, Proquality.com, Done-Rite Construction
Michael Murray, Proquality.com, Done-Rite Construction1654 Centaur Cir., Lafayette, CO80026 Lafayette, Colorado U.S.A.
Michael Murray, Proquality.com, Done-Rite Construction Contracted for job, took check for $1500 to do paint and gutters on Denver house and disappeared. Has phoned 40 times with excuses as to why work hasn't been done. Will not do the work, or give my money back. Lafayette Colorado
*Author of original report: Michael Murray or George G. Richey? Proqualityrr or Done-Rite Construction and Building
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Oddly, he has phoned me probably 40 times since then giving all variety of excuses as to why the work hasn't been done. (Some of the excuses are quite imaginative by the way)
Finally, I asked him for my money back. He admitted to me that he didn't have it. I still gave him the option of doing the work. Still he hasn't done a thing, except pull up some weeds in the front yard and put down some dead sod, so that now it looks worse than it ever did before!
I could call him right now and he would promise to be at the house working tomorrow morning. He has told me that at least 40 times, and has never shown up.
I did report this to craigslist. This "Michael Murray" claims to live in Lafayette,CO with his wife who is an attorney with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Boulder, CO.
I pretty much have lost hope of getting my money back. I suppose I'll paint the house myself since now I can't afford to hire someone else! At least by filing this report with your organization, perhaps I can protect others from being robbed by him.
Grand Lake, Colorado
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/13/2008 10:37 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Michael-Murray-Proqualitycom-Done-Rite-Construction/Lafayette-Colorado-80026/Michael-Murray-Proqualitycom-Done-Rite-Construction-Contracted-for-job-took-check-for-372576. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 Author of original report
Michael Murray or George G. Richey? Proqualityrr or Done-Rite Construction and Building
AUTHOR: Cuss-tomer - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, April 15, 2009POSTED: Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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By PABLO GORONDI
The Associated Press
The price of oil climbed to near $96 a barrel Tuesday after fresh data from the U.S. suggested the world's largest economy keeps recovering.
By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for May delivery was up 90 cents to $95.71 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.10 on Monday.
The U.S. Commerce Department said that orders for factory-produced durable goods — items expected to last at least three years — rose by 5.7 percent in February over the previous month. That beat consensus forecasts for a 3.7 percent increase after a 4.9 percent drop in January.
Nymex "oil prices continue to be the shining star of the energy complex, and it has been a long time coming," said the Kilduff Report edited by Michael Fitzpatrick. "The recovering U.S. economy is the key to this support. More gains are in store ... as durable goods orders and data on the state of the U.S. housing market should evidence even more improvement" for the U.S economy.
Brent crude, used to price many kinds of oil imported by U.S. refineries, was up 27 cents to $108.44 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:
— Wholesale gasoline rose 2.01 cents to $3.0743 a gallon.
— Heating oil added 1.01 cents to $2.9931 a gallon.
— Natural gas advanced 2.6 cents to $3.891 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed to this report.
The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at email@example.com.
Find more news and analysis from The Trucker, and share your thoughts, on Facebook.
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©2016 Target Media Partners Interactive | Recycler | Used Cars | Used Trucks


text:
Related quotes
"I had rather be a toad And live upon the vapor of a dungeon Than keep a corner in the thing I love For others' uses"
"When a prisoner sees the door of his dungeon open he dashes for it without stopping to think where he shall get his dinner."
"The dungeon scene in particular was beset with difficulties. The underground room wasn't well ventilated. Not only was it stuffy, it was also packed tight with the 11 characters and our 15-member production team. It was really hard to fix the lights."
"Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire."


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Pearce in pinstripes
When the Orioles designated Steve Pearce for assignment July 21 to make room for Omar Quintanilla on the roster, Buck Showalter made it clear he was hoping Pearce would clear waivers so he could remain with the organization. "I hope it is 'See you later' and not 'Goodbye' with Stevie," Showalter said. Well, Buck will get to see Stevie again this weekend, but he'll be wearing a Yankees uniform. OK, Pearce isn't exactly a feared offensive weapon, but he did DH for the Yankees in their past two games and even batted cleanup Tuesday night against the Blue Jays. As a right-handed bat, there's a good chance he'll be in the lineup at least Saturday against lefty Wei-Yin Chen, and we'll see if he makes an impact. If he had cleared waivers and went to the minors with the O's, he likely would have been a September call-up. Instead, Lew Ford has more or less taken his role as the right-handed hitting left-fielder.
Ray Stubblebine, Reuters
Copyright © 2016, Sun Sentinel


text:
Augusta Magazine and the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon to honor the city's Top 10 outstanding young professionals to watch in the next 10 years.
This article appears in the August 2011 issue of Augusta Magazine
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text:
Best Jamaican Cigars
check our special
Welcome to the "BanditCigars.com" Online Store! Feel free to look around and select
the items you are interested in. Try our hand-made Jamaican Cigars created by
expert cigar makers and available for immediate shipping. Discover the unique
world of Jamaican Cigars and our distinct brands and flavors: Fundadores,
Jamaica Heritage, Guaranteed Jamaican and all the rest. Feel free to ask the
Bandit any questions that you may have.


text:
WordCount post included in The New Writer's Handbook 2008
I'm happy to announce that a post from WordCount, my blog about freelance writing, will appear in The New Writer's Handbook 2008, an anthology about writing scheduled to be published in August by Scarletta Press.
The post, Asking the Hard Questions is a list of tips for conducting tough interviews.
The New Writer's Handbook 2008 is the second edition of the anthology, which debuted last year. Like the previous edition, the new one includes articles from several dozen writers covering topics related to writing fiction and nonfiction. Earlier this month, The New Writer's Handbook 2007 won a gold medal in the Careers category at the ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award ceremonies at Book Expo 2008 in Los Angeles.
The book was created by Great Lakes Literary a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, editorial services and publishing company owned and operated by Philip Martin, former acquisitions editor for The Writer magazine's books division. At The Writer Books, Martin produced books for professional writers on craft and career advice. He also blogs about writing at The Writer's Handbook Blog.
2 Responses
[…] the rights to a WordCount post about conducting tough interviews. The essay will be included in The New Writer's Handbook 2008, an anthology set to be published in […]
Way to go, Michelle. Hope you have a great fourth of July!


text:
I'm hoping this isn't too difficult to answer...!
I have my social media links set up with the full address. First issue, the social media links are only showing up in posts, not pages.
Second, if I click on say my Twitter link shown on http://www.brookebloomfield.com/blog (written in the correct field in the widget as http://www.twitter.com/bbloomfield) it links to http://www.brookebloomfield.com/blog/www.twitter.com/bbloomfield. (error page.)
Help?? Thank you!


text:
I'm using the latest version of Firefox. ON this page:
The down arrow reveals more content on the first group of articles. When I click "show more content" the "reveal-arrow" doesn't function on the newly loaded content.
Also it would be very handy if I could alter the "show more content" text in the admin panel.


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Geneva City Tour and Boat Cruise
Geneva City Tour and Boat Cruise information and booking
Tour description provided by Viator
Take a tour of Geneva, and see the best of this cosmopolitan Swiss city by coach, tram and boat! With a knowledgeable guide on hand, you'll see exciting Geneva attractions including the city's Old Town, the Geneva Water Fountain and Lake Geneva on your three hour tour.
Departing from a convenient, central location, you'll enjoy a relaxing tour around Geneva's famous attractions by luxury coach. You'll see popular sites including the Geneva Fountain (Jet d'Eau), an impressive feature that jets water to an altitude of approximately 140 meters (459 feet), besides the equally intriguing Geneva Flower Clock (Horloge Fleurie). Have your camera poised to take photos of the stunning dial that hovers over circular flowerbeds in Geneva's English Garden.Your Geneva City Tour will continue with a tramway tour through the city's narrow streets and alleyways. You'll learn about Geneva's rich history as you travel by unique tram, before taking a walking tour around Geneva's Old Town with your knowledgeable, local guide.Before returning to central Geneva, your tour will end with a 1-hour cruise around Lake Geneva, often referred to as Europe's most spectacular lake. Sit back and relax while taking in views of Geneva's UN building, the Castle of Bellerive and the water fountain. Lake Geneva is framed by the beautiful, snow-capped Alps, so seeing simply the mountains themselves are a fantastic highlight in their own right.
What's included
- Sightseeing cruise
- Transport by air-conditioned coach
- Professional guide
What isn't included
- Gratuities (optional)
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Hotel pickup and drop off


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IL – Beasts of Burden Signing
April 9, 2016 by Colin Solan
Filed under Comic Books, Gaming, Illinois, Other, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Artist Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother, The Sandman) returns to Challengers Comics for a release day signing for the brand new BEASTS OF BURDEN one-shot "WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN" on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 from 5:00 till 7:00 PM!
Challengers Comics
1845 N. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 278-0155
New England Super Megafest Comic Con Announces Panel & Photo Op Schedule
November 16, 2015 by Colin Solan
Filed under Animation, Comic Books, Convention News, Cosplay, Gaming, Horror, Massachusetts, Movies, Other, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Sports, Television, Video Games
New England Super Megafest Comic Con has announced their panel and photo op schedule for this weekend's show on November 21-22, 2015 at the Sheraton in Framingham, MA.
***FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20th***
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Optional Early Advance Ticket Holder Attendee Check-In ONLY.
8:00 PM – 11:30 PM – COSPLAY COMEDY KICKOFF PARTY (separate admission)
***SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st***
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM – Advance Ticket Holder Early Entry.
11:00 AM and 2:00 PM – HIGH ADVENTURE BAND PERFORMANCE
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – RICKY WHITTLE
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – MICHAEL BIEHN
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – NINJA TURTLES – MICHELAN SISTI and LEIF TILDEN with JUDITH HOAG
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM – Star Wars Trivia Contest
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM – Costume Contest
8:00 PM – Midnight – Saturday COME TOGETHER MUSIC FEST Concert – included with admission!
9:00 PM – MIDNIGHT – Saturday Night CosCLUB Party – included with admission!
***SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd***
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM – Advance Ticket Holder Early Entry.
12:00 – 12:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – NICHELLE NICHOLS
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – KEVIN MCNALLY
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – TATUM O'NEAL
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – Question and Answer Session – CAROLL SPINNEY
Please note: This schedule is subject to change. Please check back for updates
***SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st***
12:00 PM – 12:50 PM – Firefly: Out of Gas Shadowcast performance by RKO Army – included with Weekend or Saturday show admission!
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM – Firefly: Jaynestown Shadowcast performance by RKO Army – included with Weekend or Saturday show admission
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM – Buffy: Once More With Feeling Shadowcast performance by RKO Army – included with Weekend or Saturday show admission
3:00 PM – 3:50 PM – Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog Shadowcast performance by RKO Army – included with Weekend or Saturday show admission
5:00 PM – 6:45 PM – REPO! The Genetic Opera Shadowcast performance by RKO Army – included with Weekend or Saturday show admission
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast performance by RKO Army – included with Weekend or Saturday show admission
***SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st***
12:00 PM- 12:45 PM – WORLD BUILDING – Hosted by New England Horror Writers
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM – SUPER-STORY TELLING THROUGH VIOLENCE – Hosted by East Coast Combative Arts
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – THE ART OF GENRE WRITING – Hosted by Stacey Longo and Matt Herring
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – COMBAT: TAKING ON THE MOUNTAIN – Hosted by East Coast Combative Arts
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM – GETTING PUBLISHED 101 – Hosted by New England Horror Writers
***SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd***
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM – GETTING PUBLISHED 101 – Hosted by New England Horror Writers
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM – DR WHO 101 – Hosted by Matt Herring
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM – INFO-TAINMENT – BALANCING HISTORY AND ENTERTAINMENT IN FIGHT SCENES – Hosted by East Coast Combative Arts
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – THE ART OF GENRE WRITING – Hosted by Stacey Longo and Matt Herring
Please note: This schedule is subject to change. Please check back for updates
NOTE: Professional Photo ops are purchased directly with photography company at convention.
***SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st***
11:15 – Bobby Hart
11:30 –
Bob Morley (CANCELLED)
11:45 – Caroll Spinney
12:00 – John Schneider/Catherine Bach (Singles/Doubles)
12:30 – Michael Biehn
12:45 – Kevin McNally
1:00 – Judith Hoag
1:15 – Michelan Sisti/Leif Tilden (Singles/Doubles)
1:30 – Dennis Rodman
1:50 – Trish Stratus/Lita-Amy Dumas (Singles/Doubles)
2:00 –
Richard Dean Anderson (CANCELLED)
2:50 – Ricky Whittle
3:00 – John Schneider/Catherine Bach with General Lee Car(Singles/Doubles) – note: line up at car
3:45 – Nichelle Nichols
4:05 – Addy Miller
4:20 – Michael Winslow
4:30 – Peter Tork
4:45 – Kristanna Loken
***SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd***
11:00 –
Bob Morley (CANCELLED)
11:10 – Caroll Spinney
11:20 – Bobby Hart
11:30 – Michael Winslow
11:40 – Tom Wopat/John Schneider/Catherine Bach (Singles/Doubles/Triples)
12:00 – Addy Miller
12:15 – Judith Hoag
12:30 – Michelan Sisti/Leif Tilden (Singles/Doubles)
12:45 – Michael Biehn
1:00 – Tom Wopat/John Schneider/Catherine Bach with General Lee (Singles/Doubles/Triples) – note: line up at car
1:35 – Nichelle Nichols
1:55 – Kristanna Loken
2:05 – Ricky Whittle
2:15 – Kevin McNally
2:30 – Peter Tork
2:45 –
Richard Dean Anderson (CANCELLED)
Please note: This schedule is subject to change. Please check back for updates.
For information and tickets please visit the website: www.supermegafest.com
CA – Realms Art Exhibition
May 29, 2015 by Colin Solan
Filed under Art Show, California, Comic Books, Gaming, Movies, Other, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Author and artist Tony DiTerlizzi visits us from his hometown in Massachusetts for a rare one-day book signing event to launch the first ever collection of his roleplaying game art on Saturday June 20, 2015 from 7:00PM – 10:00PM. Don't miss your chance to meet the Caldecott winner and co-creator of the Spiderwick Chronicles.
-Original works of art will be on display: illustrations from Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons as well as new never before seen artwork.
-New D & D print to debut on opening night.
-We will have a very limited supply of Realms limited edition books and ample amount of the regular editions.
-Free refreshments served.
-Come meet Tony and get your book signed.
REALMS: THE ROLEPLAYING GAME ART OF TONY DITERLIZZI is the first comprehensive collection of D & D game art by the award-winning New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi. REALMS will be filled with hundreds of illustrations reproduced from the original art, unpublished sketches, and photographs from DiTerlizzi's archives. In addition, DiTerlizzi will be creating a number of new paintings exclusively for this edition.
New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, Tony DiTerlizzi, has been creating books for over a decade. From his fanciful picture books like Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure, Ted and The Spider & The Fly (a Caldecott Honor book), to chapter books like Kenny and The Dragon and the WondLa trilogy, Tony always imbues his stories with a rich imagination. With Holly Black, he created the middle-grade series, The Spiderwick Chronicles, which has sold millions of copies, been adapted into a feature film, and has been translated in over thirty countries. In 2014, he teamed up with Lucasfilm to retell the original Star Wars trilogy in a picture book featuring artwork by Academy award-winning concept artist, Ralph McQuarrie.
Gallery Nucleus
210 East Main Street, Alhambra, CA 91801
UK – Gnash Comics Signing
December 2, 2014 by Colin Solan
Filed under Art Show, Comic Books, England, Gaming, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Meet artists Jock and Dom Reardon Saturday 13 December 2014 from 3:00-5:00 PM at Gnash Comics, hear them talk about their work from 3:30pm, followed by a Q&A session. There will also be an exhibition of their original comic art!
Mark your calendars, comic collectors and art aficionados; two of the most celebrated British illustrators in the business will be making a personal appearance at GNASH Comics and Graphic Novels on Saturday December 13th.
Dom Reardon is a household name for British industry devotees thanks to a lengthy and renowned run with 2000AD, the Galaxy's Greatest Comic. Few things inspire more fear than the rule of Tharg, but Reardon has been responsible for countless sleepless nights for comic book consumers; in addition to a number of renowned Terror Tales, Reardon pencilled and inked the spine-chilling Caballistics, Inc. for over half a decade. Most recently Reardon has worked alongside fellow Brit Rob Williams in The Ten-Seconders and The Grievous Journey of Ichabod Azrael, in addition to providing illustrations for the feature-length graphic adaptation of Anthony Horowitz's Raven's Gate.
Jock, meanwhile, has worked within the mythical metropolises of Mega City One, Gotham and Hollywood since making his breakthrough at the turn of the millennium. In addition to eminent work on classic 2000 AD strips, Jock's distinctive drawings have graced countless covers and interiors for industry titans DC, Vertigo and Marvel – Hellblazer, The Losers, Batman, Swamp Thing, Wolverine and Daredevil are just a handful of the marquee characters pencilled by the illustrious illustrator. Currently scaring up a storm alongside celebrated Bat-scribe Scott Snyder with the spellbinding Wytches for Image Comics, an audience with Jock is not to be missed.
In addition to hosting an open Q&A for the fortunate attendees of the appearance alongside Reardon, Jock will also be signing copies of Dredd: The Illustrated Script and Visuals. A gorgeous tome that peeks behind the scenes of 2012's fantastic cinematic chronicle of everyone's favourite funnybook fascist, for which the Scottish sketcher provided the concept art, the book also provides a unique comic strip adaptation of Alex Garland's screenplay.
Gnash Comics
9A West Street, TQ13 7DT Ashburton, Devon UK
NC – Serenity Signing
April 13, 2014 by Colin Solan
Filed under Comic Books, Gaming, North Carolina, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Comments Off on NC – Serenity Signing
Artist Dan Dos Santos appears at Acme Comics on Wednesday April 16th for a signing from 5:00-7:00 pm! Dan is the award winning cover artist on the standard edition Serenity Leaves on the Wind cover, the current Tomb Raider series, Fables #136, and even some Magic the Gathering cards!
Acme Comics
2150 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro, NC 27408
MA – Waking Art Exhibition
August 22, 2013 by Colin Solan
Filed under Art Show, Comic Books, Gaming, Massachusetts, Other, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Comments Off on MA – Waking Art Exhibition
Artist Rebecca Guay appears at the R. Michelson Gallery on Saturday, September 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm to celebrate the opening of her latest art exhibition "Waking."
About the artist:
Rebecca Guay graduated from Pratt institute in 1992 has been painting professionally since she left school. She began her career as an illustrator and is highly recognized within the field. Her images have been shown and acquired by countless private collectors and several museums including the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and the American Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators in NYC.
In her personal watercolors and oils; her self determined narratives, she delves deep into archetypes of masculine and feminine and deals with complex ideas of sexuality and sensuality. Her philosophy of image making is driven by the principles of creating a remarkable moment, thereby making a deep emotional connection with the viewer. Rebecca's recent work creates an environment of lush surfaces, forms and gesture that live in a reality entirely of her own creation.
R. Michelson Galleries
132 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060
IL – Red Sonja Signing
July 25, 2013 by Colin Solan
Filed under Comic Books, Gaming, Illinois, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Comments Off on IL – Red Sonja Signing
Artist Luccio Parillo signs at Graham Crackers Comics on Wednesday July 31st from noon till 2:00 pm!
Press Release:
Dynamite illustrator Luccio Parillo is coming to Chicago thanks to the International School of Comics located right here in Chicago!
A top notch illustrator, Lucio has worked on Death's Head, Vampirella, Tarzan, Red Sonja, Grimm, Warlord of Mars and more!
Also known for his stunning illustrations on the popular MAGIC the GATHERING cards, as well as illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons!
Graham Crackers Comics – CHICAGO LOOP
77 E. Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60602
TX – The Goblin Corps Signing
August 1, 2011 by Colin Solan
Filed under Gaming, Other, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Signing and Appearance Profiles, Texas
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Acclaimed game designer and novelist Ari Marmell will be signing copies of his new book, The Goblin Corps and the The Neverwinter Campaign Setting on Wednesday August 17, 2011 .
Ari has written supplements and rules for D&D 3.5 and D&D 4.0, (including Tomb of Horrors and Eberron Player's Guide & Eberron Campaign Guide) and has written novels for Magic: the Gathering (Agents of Artifice) and several other game-universe tie-in novels.
Dragon's Lair Comics and Fantasy
6111 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757
Inaugural DC Comic-Con on May 2nd
April 16, 2010 by Colin Solan
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, District of Columbia, Gaming, Other, Top Stories, Virginia
Comments Off on Inaugural DC Comic-Con on May 2nd
Washington, DC – April 15, 2010 – Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con, and Brett Carreras, promoter of the VA Comicon, are proud to jointly announce the inaugural DC Comic-Con. The show will be held on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 (the day after Free Comic Book Day) from 10am-5pm in the Student Union Building II (SUB II) at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, VA.
Admission to the show is only $5! GMU students, faculty, and staff get in free! All active military personnel with current military IDs get in free!
The show will feature an amazing guest list for an inaugural show, a show exclusive comic, a full room of brick-and-mortar retailers bringing Golden Age, Silver Age, and modern comics inventories, manga and anime products, and toys! There will also be a sanctioned Magic the Gathering tournament!
Our guests for this premiere event include: Frank Cho (Mighty Avengers), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), JG Jones (52), the Fillbach Brothers (Clone Wars Adventures) sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, the Luna Brothers (The Sword) sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, Steve Conley (Star Trek Omnibus: The Original Series), John K. Snyder III (Doctor Mid-Nite) sponsored by the Hero Initiative, and Jo Chen (Runaways) sponsored by the Hero Initiative.
Show Exclusive Comic and Giveaways
Thanks to our friends at Top Cow Productions, the DC Comic-Con will be offering a show-exclusive Witchblade #136 DC Comic-Con Variant by co-headlining guest JG Jones. This exclusive comic will be available in very limited quantities at the Hero Initiative booth, and is selling for only $5, of which $1 goes to the Hero Initiative.
Additionally, the first 500 attendees will receive a copy of the Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics, Gemstone's 2010 Free Comic Book Day publication.
Sanctioned Magic the Gathering Tournament
A special Magic the Gathering — Rise of the Eldrazi tournament with a massive prize pool will be held at the show. Each player will receive six unopened boosters from the new Rise of the Eldrazi set, and players will then construct a deck from those boosters (free extra lands provided). The tournament will be played in Swiss Rounds, and will begin promptly at 10am when the doors open.
To participate in this sanctioned event, entry is $19 through May 1st or $22 at the door (participants must also purchase a separate convention admission ticket). The show will be open 2 hours past the scheduled conclusion of the tournament so that players will have plenty of time to check out the main showroom.
Participants may pre-register for the Magic Tournament over the phone with a major credit card (call 703-241-9393) or in person at Victory Comics, 586 S. Washington St., Falls Church, VA 22046-4415.
The show will be held at the George Mason University campus at 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 in the Student Union Building II (SUB II). Free Parking is available in Lot A (beside the Patriot Center), which is a short walk from SUB II. A map of the campus can be found here, and directions to the show can be found on the show website.
About The DC Comic-Con
The DC Comic-Con, launching in 2010 on Sunday, May 2nd from 10am-5pm, is a result of the cooperative work of Marc Nathan, sponsor of the Baltimore Comic-Con and Brett Carreras, sponsor of the VA Comicon. For more information, please visit the website.
Wizard World Tour Adds Trading Card Game Tournaments
February 4, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Canada, Comic Books, Convention News, Gaming
Comments Off on Wizard World Tour Adds Trading Card Game Tournaments
Magic: The Gathering
World of Warcraft TCG
New York, NY (February 4, 2010) – Sanctioned Trading Card Gaming tournaments will be held as part of the Wizard World 2010 Comic Con tour. Competitive TCG tournaments will premiere at Toronto Comic Con.
"Gaming fans have a rich history of attending our Comic Con events and we are proud to add sanctioned, full-fledged gaming areas at all our events," said Gareb Shamus, Wizard Entertainment CEO. "The ability to compete for national rankings, win incredible prizes, and meet up with their fellow game players and friends adds a whole new element to our live events tour."
As a special bonus, game players will only need to pay for the tournaments they enter. This is a huge savings for all players! Registration for all tournaments will take place both online and on-site. Limited seating may be available for all events, so players are encouraged to register early. Discounted convention admission tickets are available for all registered participants.
Tournaments will take place all weekend long and will include Player vs Player league play for casual players as well as various formats for competitive play. Many different games will be represented! check the website for a complete listing of events and times. Players can register now for Toronto TCG tournaments.
For a complete up-to-date schedule of tournaments, rules, registration and prizes go to www.wizardworld.com/gaming-toronto.html. Schedules and registration for TCG tournaments for the entire Wizard World Comic Con tour will be announced soon. Check www.wizardworld.com for updates.
About Gareb Shamus:
Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Shamus publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare and numerous books about pop-culture's top talent, comic books and toys. Shamus also produces a North American Comic Con tour.
Wizard World Comic Con Tour:
March 26-28, 2010, Toronto Comic Con, Direct Energy Centre
April 16-18, 2010, Anaheim Comic Con, Anaheim Convention Center
June 11-13, 2010, Philadelphia Comic Con, Pennsylvania Convention Center
August 19-22, 2010, Chicago Comic Con, Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center
October 7-10, 2010, Big Apple Comic Con, Pier 94
October 15-17, 2010, New Jersey Comic Con, New Jersey Convention and Expo Center
November 12-14, 2010, Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center
Atlanta Comic Con, TBD
Cincinnati Comic Con, TBD
New England Comic Con, TBD


text:
- Report: #640836
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Acai Max Cleanse
Acai Max CleanseInternet United States of America
Acai Max Cleanse Diet Max, LeanSpa, Max Cleanse DO NOT TRY THEM! Internet
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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/15/2010 11:09 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Acai-Max-Cleanse/internet/Acai-Max-Cleanse-Diet-Max-LeanSpa-Max-Cleanse-DO-NOT-TRY-THEM-Internet-640836. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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text:
STOCKTON – A motorcyclist died in an early morning collision and three other vehicle drivers were injured, one critically, on Mariposa Road west of Austin Road in southeast Stockton, police reported today.
The motorcyclist, whose name is being withheld until next of kin can be notified, was only identified as an adult male and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a report.
Police indicated there may have been more than one collision at the scene involving the motorcycle, a tractor trailer and two vehicles. Calls about the incident started coming in at 6 a.m. today.
The driver of one of the vehicles was listed in critical condition and transported to an area hospital. The big rig driver and the driver of the other vehicle involved suffered moderate injuries and also were transported to area hospitals for treatment.
Stockton police traffic officers responded to the scene to conduct the investigation.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
- Report: #319162
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Nobilex Slimmer You
Nobilex Slimmer You115 South Golf View Lake Worth, Florida U.S.A.
Nobilex Slimmer You Payed $350 for 37.5 mg of phentermine. Insisted it was the real med, white with blue specs They sent me 2 bottles of dietary suppliments, estimted cost at health food store $20!! Lake Worth Florida
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To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing with a compliant or concern regarding an order I placed for weight loss medication. I continually receive phone calls from (646) 257-2277 on my cell phone from a pharmacy that supplies medication to consumers. I have a prescription plan and I have never ordered from this company before. I have asked them to remove my number from their list and they have not done so. After two years of chemotherapy and adjunct treatments for cancer including medications and hysterectomy I have gained a significant amount of weight. My physician would not prescribe me weight loss medication feeling that the weight gain was a side effect from my cancer medications and a result of my hysterectomy. On February 03rd I received a call again asking me if I wanted to order any medication. I asked them if they had phentermine, a prescription I was familiar with since a family member lost a significant amount of weight on this medication before bypass surgery. The pharmacy asked me some questions and stated that it would have to be approved by the pharmacist. I gave the pharmacy my credit card number. The pharmacy called to let me know that the medication was approved and that there was a problem with my credit cad. I new this was impossible since I have very good credit, charge monthly, do not carry a balance from month to month and have a high credit limit. I called the credit card company and they informed me that no one attempted to charge my card $350.00 and no transactions were denied. I told the pharmacy that there should not be a problem with my credit card. The pharmacy stated that they would try again. They left several messages to please call them that there continued to be a problem with my credit card. When I returned the call they asked me to obtain a cashiers check so there would be no problem with payment. In hindsight, I now know that they did not want to charge my credit card because I could have payment stopped after I received a medication that was not ordered. The medication I received was called phen 37.5 by Sunsui. I immediately called the pharmacy and the representative said that they sent me phen 3.75, also blue and white, because phentermine is off the market and illegal. I asked the representative why the pharmacy didnt tell me the medication was illegal and off the market. I wouldnt have order what they sent me which is basically as stated on the label a dietary supplement. I stated that I wanted to return the dietary supplement for a refund.
The pharmacy said I had to contact the billing company for reimbursement and follow the directions on the enclosed package form, which I have enclosed for your review. I requested the returned merchandise authorization number. They refused to provide me with one and told me to call Nobilex (billing company) which I did. Nobilex said the medication could not be returned with the authorization number otherwise I would have to obtain a police report, provide a statement, send a copy of my drivers license and have the affidavit notarized. I attempted four times to obtain the authorization number and the pharmacy kept hanging up on me. Tried a half an hour later and the number is not in service.
I am going to pursue trying to file a complaint with my local police department to see if I can get a report to forward to Nobilex for reimbursement. I am uncomfortable sending a copy of my drivers license that includes my drivers license number. They have already asked me for my social security number, which I refused to give them.
Interestingly, when I spoke to the pharmacy and told the representative that I was going to pursue this matter legally the representative put a manager on the line who stated that the wrong medication was sent and the real phentermine would be sent to me. He gave me a new confirmation number of 2607. I asked him how he planned on sending me a medication that he told me was illegal, that I didnt want it and to return my money.
I have obviously been scammed. The pharmacy continually called me to confirm my order of phentermine 37.5 mg. stating that the medication was white with blue specs and making a big deal about the pharmacist reviewing my information and needing to approve the medication. The medication I received was a Dietary supplement that could be purchased from a health food store for 1/20th of the cost and would not need approval from a physician. They knew what they were doing right from the beginning, stating that my credit card wouldnt work that a cashiers check was needed.
I find it hard to believe that Nobilex is just the payment processing company and has nothing to do with the pharmacy since the return address on the envelope reads
Slimmer You
115 South Golf View
Lake Worth, Florida 33460
I know that I will probably never see my $350.00 but I need to share this with your office to hopefully protect other people. The pharmacy knows most people will not get a signed affidavit, notarized letter, and a police report. I will, and I probably still will not be refunded my money.
Thank you for your time,
Schenectady, New York
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/18/2008 07:26 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Nobilex-Slimmer-You/Lake-Worth-Florida-33460/Nobilex-Slimmer-You-Payed-350-for-375-mg-of-phentermine-Insisted-it-was-the-real-med-319162. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.
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text:
Hey guys, wanted to show you my recent MOD. It is made from several sets which separate into three parts as can be seen below. I tried to maintain the original structures of the original sets, just 'pimping' them up with Pirate gear !! Would love your opinions on Modding other Lego sets and integrating them into the Pirate theme !!
1. Modified Paradisa Dolphin Point completed at the top with parts from the Forest Cabin
2. Parts from Sabre Island and Imperial trading post to make this little fort. The tower is angled using the Pythagoras theorem technique.
The two connect (32x32 + 32x32) to look like this:
3. Parts from Forbidden Island (the main body), Smugglers' Shanty and the Black Pearl (the hull) make this beautiful shipwreck island.
4. All three connect to make this gigantic island hideout !!
(32x32 + 32x32) make the one half and (32x32) + (4x(16x16)
Back and Front
Top View
Hope you enjoy.
I know it looks a little bit.. childish .. and has no snotting or whatever, but I don't want it to look 'professional' :)
Comments appreciated !
Posted 09 September 2012 - 09:15 PM
Posted 09 September 2012 - 10:00 PM
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am impressed!LOVE the shipwreck island!
Edited by Greedo24, 09 September 2012 - 10:00 PM.
Posted 09 September 2012 - 10:04 PM
I love it, it feels so right. It reminds me of why I love the classic pirates line :)
LEGO Ambassador for UK fans connected to Brick Fanatics
Brick Fanatics - A UK Based LEGO site, daily news from the world of LEGO. Plus we review sets and feature MOC's and much more.
Brick Fanatics - A UK Based LEGO site, daily news from the world of LEGO. Plus we review sets and feature MOC's and much more.
Posted 09 September 2012 - 11:14 PM
Greedo24, on 09 September 2012 - 10:00 PM, said:
LOVE the shipwreck island!
Me too! I love the whole feel of it but I especially love the shipwreck idea! Infact you have inspired me to remove all of my pirate sets from their display cases and make a large table top display!
Posted 10 September 2012 - 07:39 PM
Glad you like it guys, glad to have inspired you ! Next project will be to add an underwater section, with seethrough baseplates and such !
Posted 10 September 2012 - 09:32 PM
Picture 2 Is Lovely !!!
I really like that set, even the SURP looks good on it there!
I really like that set, even the SURP looks good on it there!
VOC Duit from 1734, My lucky coin
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text:
The eastern grey kangaroo is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. It is also known as the great grey kangaroo and the Forester kangaroo
Posted by koalarooinfo on January 4, 2014 in Pond5
Tags: Australia, Eastern grey kangaroo, Kangaroo, Kangaroo Island, Koala, koalaroo, wild animals, wildlife
Damian James
January 17, 2014 at 9:10 pm
What an amazing creature! I had the great opportunity to hang with some rather large ones over there. Not sure which breed this one is (main photo): http://gringowithagreenbag.com/2013/07/08/kangaroo-island/
Tx 4 the 'roo images…cheers! – Damian
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