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It was said around the valley that the two Durance girls went off but just the one bothered to come back. People could not have said which one, since both the girls were aloof and looked similar − dark and rather tall. There was confusion even in the local paper. And they weren't the sort of girls whose names were called across streets − girlfriend hallooing girl- friend in the excitement of Kempsey's big shopping days. Before the war it was the younger one – wasn't it? – who stayed at home with her parents. The slightly shorter one, anyhow. And it was she who took her mother, Mrs Durance, to visit the surgeon in Sydney. But what could those Macquarie Street doctors do?
After a choppy night's passage down the coast aboard the Currawong, Mrs Durance finally fell asleep off Broken Bay, only to be woken, as the steamer entered the Sydney Heads, by a steward bearing tea − Sally being on deck at the time for the experience of the approach to Port Jackson.
Mother and daughter had time for another cup of tea at the wharf in Darling Harbour before Sally took the exhausted Mrs Durance to the surgeon's rooms in Macquarie Street. After an examination by this eminent man, she was sent from his office to Sydney Hospital for X-rays. Then she and Sally met up with Naomi, the other daughter, the one who was considered a bit flash – Macleay District Hospital not good enough for her – who'd been in Sydney a few years.They went that afternoon for a bang-up tea at Cahill's, while they waited for the expert men who read the body's inner secrets from photographs to discover what was wrong with Mrs Durance. The sisters knew their mother had understated her pain to them. They knew she was secretive about the scale of her bleeding and the urine coming out of the wrong opening.
That night, Naomi put them up in her little flat in Bondi Junction − Mama sharing Naomi's bed, Sally on the lounge. They could have all stayed at Mrs Durance's younger sister Jackie's place at Randwick, but Mrs Durance didn't want to share news of her health problems with her sister yet. Both Sally and Naomi woke several times to their mother's choked- down groans. But unblunted ambition seemed to declare itself the next morning in the briskness with which Naomi put on her uniform and her scarlet cape to go to her duty at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
There had always been something larger than her beginnings written in Naomi Durance's gestures and her long bones. Her parents knew it. She had left them for the city, but in so far as they were boastful, they boasted of her. Sally worked a mere three miles from home, across the river, at the Macleay District Hospital. Merit in that, no one denied, and loyalty. But it was news of Naomi that made eyes shine on the Durance farm.
It was cervical cancer, the surgeon told Mrs Durance the next morning. There was no option of an operation, for it would be a very long, painful and dangerous procedure, and could not hope to get all of the proliferating cancer. Surgery was to be recom- mended chiefly in the early stages, whereas metastasis had already occurred, as the X-rays showed. If she rested well and ate lots of fruit, he said, she could expect to live at least a year. She was a dairy farmer's wife? Well, no more butter-churning, he said, and no early-morning milking. He would give her a script for pain medicine, he told her. He would also be writing to her doctor in the Macleay so that he could keep her comfortable.
You are fortunate to have two daughters who are registered nurses, he told her.
I am, she said, glowing with pride but hollowed by pain.
She and Sally caught the regular outward journey of the Currawong home the next night. Naomi saw them off at Darling Harbour, in the shadow of those shameful slums of the Rocks. From them bubonic plague had come boiling forth in the girls' childhoods and been carried north on the Currawong by a rat nestled in a furniture case. Naomi waited in their small cabin until the last call to go ashore and then stayed on the wharf to wave a futile handkerchief, as if part of one of those heartbreak- ing paintings of emigrant farewell.
She's so beautiful, isn't she, Sal? asked Mrs Durance, leaning on the railing from pain rather than as a gesture of languid seafaring. She has a lot of grace, doesn't she?
As they reached on a black tide for Dawes Point, the hand- kerchief still waved, more luminous than Naomi's face. Bush people did that handkerchief-waving stuff and it gave them away as hayseeds. But worldly Naomi risked that tonight. She had promised she'd come up as often as she could and help Sally out. But that she would remain a city woman was not questioned.
It was a brisk night, and Mrs Durance developed a cold on top of all else. She again fell asleep late. Again Sally came on deck at dawn and looked out at the blue surge of the tide break- ing on the yellow sand of Trial Bay and making enough water at the river bar to allow the Currawong to enter.
For six months Mrs Durance ate her fruit and sat in sumps of sunlight on the veranda. But the cancer owned her by night. Sally still worked the day shift at Macleay District but now slept on call in the same room as her mother, her father having moved to a lean-to at the back of the homestead. Sally was to administer a sixth of a grain of morphine hypodermically when brave and reticent Mrs Durance confessed, one way or another, to agony. Naomi took her holidays and came home on a visit and gave her sister a break from the regimen. In between, Mr Durance paid their neighbour Mrs Sorley's girl to sit with Mrs Durance by day and was attentive himself. Since Mr Sorley had been killed by a native cedar – which when cut had slipped sidewards rather than forwards – the Sorley kids were ever ready for employment.
Sally noticed more clearly now that though her father and mother were souls of decency, Eric Durance moved about the bedroom as if he and his wife were acquaintances only. He seemed to fear he might be seen as an intruder.There had always been that distant courtesy between her parents. Sally knew they'd infected Naomi and her with it too. It might be one of the reasons Naomi had cleared out – in the hope that on a different stage she might have a franker soul.
Mrs Durance suffered so much night pain that she frequently told Sally she was praying to God for death.These were remark- able and dramatic things for her to say and – since she had always had contempt for overstatement – would be forced out of her only by the fiercest anguish.
In the seventh month of it, Naomi came back from Sydney again to sit with her mother by day and share the night watch. The second night she was home, Sally slept in her own room while Naomi took up post in Mrs Durance's room on the camp cot, a surface of canvas no blanket could soften. Naomi was meant to wake Sally at four so that she could take over, but did not come rapping on her door till near dawn. Naomi was in a dress and boots and her eyes looked smeared after gales of tears.
Mama's gone, she said. I'm sorry, Mama's gone. I ran over to the Sorleys' and asked their boy to ride into town to get Dr Maddox.
Sally stammered with a confused and bitter grief and went to go off at once down the hallway. Naomi took her shoulders and gazed at her, straight into her face. Naomi's eyes seemed full of conspiracy. To Sally she had the eyes of a co-murderer. At that instant their shared mercy and their crime drew them together so utterly that they were no longer city and country nurses but sisters once more of the same womb.
You didn't wake me for my shift, said Sally. It wasn't necessary, Naomi asserted, frankly, with her gaze on her. She went before it was time to wake you.
Let me see her.
I washed her and laid her out.
Without me?
I wanted you to sleep. I burned her nightdresses and the rags she used and took all the tonics and pounded the bottles to dust. Especially that rhubarb concoction Mrs Sorley swore by.
There was indeed still a taint of smoke in the air.
Naomi led her sister by the hand and they walked down the hallway to the plain room they had both been conceived in. Blackbutt made for the dim corridors they loved and hated, which seemed to pull Sally closer to home but which had proved to be escape avenues for Naomi.
There was her mother − grey-faced, prepared, serene − the girl she had been at some time visible again in these features delivered of pain.
Sally heard herself howl and went to her mother's body, kissing the face. The skin of the dead yielded differently. They were beyond pain but past affection too. She kissed the hand. It smelled of the scented soap Naomi had washed the corpse with. This too was proof of death. The living mother smelled of workaday Sunlight soap.
Sally found herself on her knees, still caressing the hand, Naomi standing behind and above her. Naomi, who always presumed to do things first. Sally did not know whether to hate her, to attack her eyes, or fall flat in gratitude and wonder. Standing with a purpose in mind, she noticed the hypodermic needle, the morphine solution they had made up of pills actu- ally prescribed by Dr Maddox, and the unused bottled tablets in case the old doctor wanted to inspect them or return them to stock.
She went to the dresser, was poleaxed with loss by the mother-of-pearl hairbrush with strands of her mother's hair in it. She knew the little drawer where her mother kept her subdued pink lipstick and her beige face powder.Yes, said Naomi, you should put some colour on her poor face.
It was a prayer – not an order – and Sally set to.
The stolen reserve of morphine she had put together to finish her mother had been in the towel and linen cupboard in the hallway. How had Naomi found it? You could bet the solution Naomi had made up and injected for mercy's sake had been poured out, and the spare illicit tablets Sally had filched from Macleay District consigned to fire with the rhubarb tonic. To Sally – putting rouge and colour into her mother's cheeks – it seemed knowledge grew between Naomi and her without them looking at each other. Yesterday they had been near strangers. Now they were altered. A different kind of reserve was imposed on them, and a different intimacy.
Is Papa up? Sally asked. Does he know?
Not yet. I was frightened. Will we tell him in a moment? Perhaps let the poor fellow rest a few more minutes.
For he would need to do the milking even on the morning of his wife's death.
But she finds it hard to face him, Sally perceived. Naomi – who had tried to avoid the weight of home and its taint of illness – had certainly assumed the weight now. She'd taken up station on the far side of the bed, across from where Sally, on her knees, put reasonable Methodist coloration on the poor, released features.
Naomi said, I didn't have any idea till I came home that it was as bad as that. Her pain was the whole world to her. She could see nothing but it. Well, not any longer.
Sally was engrossed with her mother.
It was easy, Mama, to steal what you needed. I cut out two pages from the drugs record book – former nurses who had managed the drugs register had done similar excisions because they did not approve of some missed or untidily written entry. Then for your dear sake I copied the dosages on fresh pages, adding an extra dose of an eighth of a grain of morphine in this case and that, until I'd created a phantom two grains, which I then fetched from the drugs cabinet and brought home to you. It's unlikely a doctor or matron will remember a specific dose as months go by. But I don't care if they do.
She had kept the tablets hidden behind the bed linen in the hallway dresser. These two grains when mixed in solution and injected would bear away disease and the fuss of enduring all useless treatment. They would reach deep into the body and halt the mechanism of agony. And had now.
She kissed her mother's brow before gracing it with the powder. Eric Durance would be astonished by his wife's beauty in death.
Naomi declared, I gave her half a grain and we kissed and held hands, though I had to be careful − a touch would break her bones. Then she went.
You were standing over her? said Sally.
They both knew how rare it was that a patient expired while the nurse was standing there to observe and hold a hand. The dead went almost secretively.
By good fortune, said Naomi without flinching but without bothering to look at her sister. By good fortune I was there.
Again, Sally's astonishment that Naomi had done the right, fierce, loving and hard thing Sally had meant to do! Even in this she was not to be outshone, the half-mad Sally thought. But Naomi was there because she had found the secret cache and took the burden of soothing her mother's breath down to nothing. A solemn loss and rejoicing were the day's order – Mama's freedom now from a world she had never since their babyhoods seemed accustomed to. As for her children, they must now get accustomed to something new. To new love and new hate and mutual shame.
The roads being firm just then, Dr Maddox arrived by motor at mid-morning. The town – ignorant of medicine – loved him for his kindliness and punctuality and a lack of airs in a place where a doctor could easily play the grand wizard. But the hospital staff knew he was one of those tosspots who could carry it off well; that some unforgettable and disabling past event drove him to it. Though he performed surgery only when the other town doctors were not available, he was still a better surgeon when sober than most country doctors. It was periph- eral things he was negligent at – paperwork, including death certificates. His method with the town at large was to hide it all behind an air of universal brotherhood and to breathe an impec- cably mentholated breath over the sickbeds of the shire.
That Saturday morning Dr Maddox came to lower his face over Mrs Durance and to ask Naomi about the last injection and how many grains, and to accept what she said and then breathe, Good woman – good, poor woman. Then he prepared a medical certificate, which he showed Naomi and Sally and which said Mrs Durance had died of cancer, nephritis and exinanition. There were in the valley many people Dr Maddox had certified as dying of nephritis and exinanition. Nephritis and exinanition was the cited verdict all along both banks of the river and inland to the blue, wooded hills where the timber workers camped and always died of nephritis and exinanition, unless a tree fell on them. Farmers who had taken poison to escape the bank had their death certificates compassionately marked by Maddox with that saving formula.
This morning of the death, over tea Sally made while keeping her eyes from straying to Naomi, Dr Maddox sat at the kitchen table and spoke for a while to the girls' father – these were very much men's mutterings, half-embarrassed and platitudinous. Their father wore large, mute features, the same he brought to his labours. They had not yet crumbled in grief but somehow promised soon to do so.
Sally had less reason to stay in the Macleay Valley now. She was maybe a year beyond the age girls left home for marriage. Her sister had returned to her Sydney duties. Mr Durance took sturdily to his work and employed the Sorley boys when needed. But Sally did not yet feel entitled to go. To flee would be obscene. It would be too easy a denial of her part in the crime and so be an insult to her mother's spirit. Her sister could escape because escape was her forte. She'd managed the trick before. But while it was easy for strangers to declare Eric Durance independent – a freestanding fellow – he did not seem so rugged to Sally.
The country hospital had its own retaining power too. On the Wednesday following her mother's funeral she found that a fourteen-year-old boy with peritonitis she was nursing had died in the night, and she believed her stinging tears were a debt paid to her mother and a sort of tax paid to the valley. So by horseback, or more often by sulky, she continued travelling in her uniform – along the broad yellow-earth road and unreliable bridge over the river – to and from the home at Sherwood. She was a figure located essentially amidst the green paddocks, one who could not glibly get away.
It was in the corridors during her night shifts that the mercy they'd given her mother took on the demeanour of a crime never to be argued away. Did I do it because I was tired? Fed up with all-day working and all-night watching? In the nurses' cubicle at the end of a public ward which contained – with all injuries and diseases there present combined and counted − no pain such as that of her mother's, Sally wept without consola- tion, since no night pleadings from an entire hospital of patients seemed to come close to the daytime pleadings she'd heard from her dead but eternal mother.
This young woman of twenty-two – near twenty-three – years was considered by those who bothered to see her to be possessed by a wistfulness which some people thought represented that greatest crime of bush towns: aloofness, flash- ness. Either that, or she was a cause for sympathy. A spinster-in-training.


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Translated by Nathan Snyder
470 pages, 8.5" by 11", hard cover, including all photos and other images
This memorial book of the Jewish Community of Antopol, Belarus weaves together the history of a vibrant Jewish community, annihilated during World War II, as told through first-hand accounts gathered from its original inhabitants. These stories edited and translated from Yiddish and Hebrew are dedicated to the Antopol survivors and the memory of the 3,000 martyrs, whose names and stories fill these pages.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ring of Fire 2006 Expedition. Squat lobsters at Seamount X (Lat. 13 15N, Long.
144 01E) living upon a huge sulfur deposit.
Image ID: expl1250, Voyage To Inner Space - Exploring the Seas With NOAA Collect
Location: Pacific Ocean, Mariana Arc area
Photo Date: 2006 April 21
Credit: Image courtesy of Submarine Ring of Fire 2006 Exploration, NOAA Vents Program
Category: Ocean exploration/
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Session 3 has finished at Windells Snowboard Camp and it was a whirlwind of a week. Mother Nature threw some almost-wintery weather at Mount Hood early in the session, but luckily campers and coaches were armed with tons of excitement and extra layers, so they could enjoy the Windells park. Good thing, because the park is still over a mile long and stacked top to bottom with a snake run, multiple hips, four rail lines in two different areas, tons of jump, quarterpipes, wallrides, and a special creeper tube. The sunny and sick days returned later in the week and there's more snow than we've seen in years, meaning the Windells park is definitely the place to be for summer shredding.
Adding to the excitement for Session 3, the Salomon/Bonfire Team was at Windells to hang out with campers. Scotty Arnold, Bode Merrill, Harrison Gordon, and Chris Carr put on the First Annual Windells Zeach Invitational, where all campers learned how to perform the mystical and proper zeach. The combo zeaches that came out of the event were mind-blowing, and there were a few scorps, too, but the snow was soft and everyone rode away smiling.
Summer is glorious up here at Hood, so check out a few of the photos from Session 3 and seriously, get out here, it's the funnest.
For more check out www.windells.com


text:
A "pregnant" octocoral, as evidenced by the eight tentacles
seen on its polyps. The white dots you see in its almost translucent body
may be developing embryos - baby corals.
Image ID: expl7473, Voyage To Inner Space - Exploring the Seas With NOAA Collect
Location: Gulf of Mexico, North
Credit: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition
• High Resolution Photo Available
of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric
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text:
Supreme Court of Canada
Where does it fit in?
Although established at the inception of our nation, the original the Supreme Court of Canada was not supreme; in fact until the British Privy Council was abolished in 1949 it was last court of appeal. There was a sort of limbo for our legal system until the repatriation of our constitution in 1982 at which point the court truly was supreme. Since 1982 not only does the Supreme Court rule on the letter of the law; they also interpret the meaning of and implementation of the Constitution and Charter of Rights as well as a unique role of answering 'reference questions'. Reference questions occur when the Governor General (on the behalf of the PM) asks the court if a proposed law would be constitutional or not; a prejudgment of law as it were.
Why are they important?
Although parliament may make law, how that law is actually enforced in our country or IF it is allowed to remain a law at all lies in the hands of the Supreme Court. One great example was the legality of Abortion; for decades the Supreme Court upheld limitations on abortion however in 1988 the court struck down our laws and to this date we have no law on abortion…we are one of the few countries that treat abortion as a purely medical matter between doctor and patient. Similar landmarks occurred with regard to the recognition of Aboriginal rights or the definition of hate speech and the limitation of free speech.
Who are they?
Currently there are 9 members of the SC of C. By law, 3 must be appointed from Quebec, by tradition 3 from Ontario, 2 from "the West" and 1 from the Maritimes. For a case to be heard by the court, it must first be approved of by a committee of at least 3 justices. This means that before any case even reaches the Supreme Court it must first be approved by a this committee; this is the first opportunity for the ideology of the justices can influence the way our constitution and laws are implemented.
Once a case is approved, it is then heard by any from 5 to 9 judges unlike the American Court there cases are heard by the complete 9 court members. At the moment, of the 9 justices 6 have been appointed by the Liberals and 3 by the Conservatives however in the next 4 years, 4 more members are to be replaced due to forced retirement and that does not include those who quite for other reasons. This point is brought home by the recent announcement of Justice Louise Charron who is retiring early for personal reasons. At present these retirements will allow Harper to appoint at least 7 of the 9 justices.
How are they appointed?
First, there are two parts of our Canadian constitution – legislative and convention. The legislative are those parts of our constitution that are written down…such as the Constitution Act of 1982 or our Charter of Rights and Freedoms…they are physical documents that set down in words the rule of law. Another part is the convention part…those procedures that are followed not because they are prescribed in law but by tradition…they have always been done that way.
An example of this is the Governor General does not HAVE to sign a bill into law; there is no legal requirement or a legal means for the Parliament to sidestep the necessity of the Royal Assent. However, by convention the GG has never refused to give consent to a bill passed by Parliament although one Lieutenant Governor did refuse to sign three laws in 1937 that he felt were unconstitutional; a belief that was upheld by the Supreme Court/Privy Council.
The appointment of Justices to the Supreme Courts largely falls into the convention part of our constitution. Technically the GG appoints them on the advice of the Privy Council…in fact they are selected solely by the whim of Prime Minister. However by law[1] they must be members of the Bar (i.e. lawyers or judges) and by convention, the PM selects the Justices from candidates presented to him by a judicial advisory committee of the provinces 'due' a justice (to maintain the balance mentioned earlier. For "the west", each province rotates, so one justice comes from BC, the next from Alberta…etc.; this also occurs in the Maritimes).
There have be over time many complaints about the power invested in the PM to "stack the deck" with ideologically friendly justices, that there was no input from the Parliament in the appointment and there was a lack of transparency in the process. In response to these criticism, Prime Minister Paul Martin in 2004 attempted to set up a committee to review nominees however this process became politicised when the Conservatives on the committee refused to sign off on the report from the committee because they felt the powers they had were insufficient; desiring a system that emulated the process in the USA where justices must be voted on by the senate prior to appointment…a process that is now considered a hyper-partisan inquisition. In response, the process was amended so as to allow the committee to select the "top three" candidates from a list of 7, one of which the PM would then select. Once in power, Harper did set up a review committee for his first nominee but quickly abandoned the idea and appointed the nominee of his choice stating that the process was too slow and political.
Lesson south of the border
caveat – it has been brought to my attention that the following paragraph is presented in a less than flattering light with some literary and political licence. As my readers probably know by now my political leanings are a little left of extreme left, so in my discussion of the US Supreme Court, I hope you will understand that I believe what I am writing to be honest and fair is not exactly balanced however one may wish to read it with "a grain of salt"[2]>
After years of lobbying and concerted effort the American Supreme Court has become what appears to be the judicial branch of the Republican Party promoting a right-wing corporatist agenda. For example, Clarence Thomas[3] and Antoni Scalia[4] have been noteworthy and active participants at a number of Neo-con gatherings with Thomas's wife being a lobbyist for the prominent Tea-party group[5]. Having successive far right justices being promoted to the court (Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito being the worst with John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy not much better), the current court has become infamous for its patrician decisions including what has been called the Supreme Court coup d'état of 2000, the Citizens United case and many more. Don't get me wrong, with the possible exception of the ruling on the "Florida Election Recount of 2000", the courts are not 'creating' law but how they interpret laws and how they word their verdicts have wide ranging implications. My point is to show why and how the justices are important.
Let's take a look at judicial philosophy; in the US there is a debate about how the constitution should be interpreted (one I am sure will become common here). On the one side you have what are called "living constitutionalist", who believe that when the constitution was written the authors accepted that as time changes the interpretation of the constitution would change…that like a living creature the constitution (and the law it would give rise to) would evolve. A great example is the status of African Americans and their civil liberties. As society changed so did the depth and breadth of civil liberties.
On the other hand there is what is called Literalist or Originalist. They hold that what is written is written in stone, which comparing the constitution to a 'living creature' one would have to be, using the words of Justice Scalia, an "idiot"[6]. To them it is from the original meaning of the words used and not the intent of the founders, which should form the basis of interpreting the constitution. For example, capital punishment has been largely banned from civilized countries because it is seen as 'cruel and unusual punishment' and therefore a violation of civil rights. Justice Scalia would argue that capital punishment, at the time of the writing of the applicable part of the constitution (8th amendment), was not seen as cruel or unusual punishment therefor it does not violate civil rights and should therefore be legal[7].
Who is on the court can have a huge impact not only on what they rule but on what they see as their powers of interpretation…the very philosophical foundation of the rule of law.
Beyond how the constitution or laws are interpreted, the scope of the ruling can also have a wide ranging impact. In the US (they tend to provide more colourful, extreme and clear examples) the case of Citizens United was to determine that a third party could release a documentary about Hilary Clinton during the Primaries in the US. Clinton got an injunction because of the bias nature of the film, Clinton argued it was actual political advertising and as such violated electioneering laws. The case in the narrow sense was an issue of broadcasting rights but out of character for this court, Chief Justice Roberts decided to rule on an issue not actually part of the plaintiffs case; that being the financing of the film. This was unusual because the plaintiff (Citizens United) had already abandoned facial complaints[8]. In a landmark decision the Roberts case essentially struck down election advertising rules.
Who is on the court can have a huge impact not only on what they rule but on what they see as the question.
In Canada, our constitution is seen differently than the American one. We follow, for now, a doctrine of interpretation called Living Tree Doctrine or Doctrine of Progressive Interpretation. Lord Sankey stated: "The British North America Act planted in Canada a living tree capable of growth and expansion within its natural limits." This means that the Constitution cannot be interpreted in the same way as an ordinary statute. Rather, it must be read within the context of society to ensure that it adapts and reflects changes.
Why should skeptics worry?
The worry we may have is that as PM, Harper has shown signs of being both extremely controlling and dictatorial. A number of political commentators have expressed concern and surprise at the level of control Harper has maintained over his party and the level of contempt for parliament in general. Remember the Conservatives were convicted of contempt of Parliament in part for lying to parliament and in part for refusing to provide government information to committees over public policy. In articles written in the Globe and Mail[9] and the National Post[10], concern was raised over the possible radical direction the court may take on if Harper's selection, for the Supreme Court of the land, should be of a similar ideological mind as his own.
IF the fears that he does have intention, now that he has a majority to promote a neo-con agenda, the Supreme Court may be the only restraining force left in the land. Now although personally I find most of the conservative government's policies wrong, many of them are open to valid debate this is not why I fear what Harper may do to our judiciary; what I worry about is the likelihood that Harper will take his tendencies to ideologically dictate political policy to the judiciary and that some of those ideologies should be of concern not just to leftist but skeptics in general. Some issues that may be of concern: Harper seems to be a Climate Change Denier, there have been many members of his party who wish to put restriction on marriage and abortion based on religious grounds, G20 has shown that there is a lack of respect of political and individual rights, and with his conviction of contempt of parliament and election fraud one must wonder where he may lead the country in the future.
As skeptics we must remain informed, aware and poised to action. We should insist that appointees to the Supreme Courts…any court…should base their decision on law or on science based principles…and not on political ideology or religious theology.
Upcoming cases…
Charter of Rights – Reasonable limits prescribed by law [11]
Legality of the Safe injection site – Does the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act violate the Charter of Rights because enforcement has grossly disproportionate effects on addicted persons
Hate Speech –
The Christian Truth Activists distributed four flyers in the mailboxes of various homes in Saskatoon and Regina in 2001 and 2002. Four persons who received the flyers filed complaints alleging that the material in them "promotes hatred against individuals because of their sexual orientation". The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission held the pamphlets, which referred to "sodomy marriage" and graphically described sexual behaviours in a derogatory manner, was hate speech.
The Christian Truth Activists argue first it does not count for it does not single out a group based on sexual orientation but a sexual behaviour and that further that IF the law does apply to sexual behaviour, then the definition of sexual orientation is overbroad in its definition.
Environmental Law[12]
Abitibi-Bowater Inc. has argued that a statutory duty to remove environmental contamination may be extinguished under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act like a commercial debt. Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act is a Federal Act that allows financially troubled corporations the opportunity to restructure their affairs to avoid bankruptcy. The Government of Newfoundland issued several environmental protection orders for Abitibi to clean up land it had contaminated by its large scale industrial activities. Abitibi argued that when it filed for a restructuring it freed itself of the obligation of the clean-up orders. The court must determine if government orders are legally equivalent to 'commercial debit' claims.
Intellectual Property[13]
Bell Canada argued that providing previews consisting of excerpts of works is fair dealing for the purpose of research that does not infringe copyright.
Some commercial internet sites that sell downloads of works allow users to preview the works. A preview typically consists of an extract taken from the work, for example a 30-second extract of a musical track, streamed online and accessible to consumers. On October 18, 2007, the Copyright Board of Canada decided that royalties should be collected for these communications.
Charter of Rights – Freedom of conscience and religion[14]
Mandatory attendance to an "ethics and religion" class – Ethics and Religious Culture program became mandatory in elementary schools. Based on the experience of an older child, a family requested an exemption for the course because serious harm disruption caused by forced, premature contact with a series of beliefs that were mostly incompatible with those of the family, as well as the adverse effect on the religious faith of the members of this family. The school board refused to grant the exemption.
[4] http://www.good.is/post/why-does-justice-scalia-attend-tea-party-talks-but-not-the-state-of-the-union/
[5] The consulting firm she set up in 2011 was Liberty Consulting; previously she was employed by Tea Party-affiliated Liberty Central and earlier by the right-wing Heritage Foundation.
[9] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-coming-conservative-court-harper-to-reshape-judiciary/article2022139/
[10] http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/16/national-post-editorial-board-harpers-chance-to-shape-the-supreme-court/


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LOS ANGELES — Lawyers for a nationally known professional tennis referee charged in her husband's death say she has passed a lie detector test in which she denied bludgeoning him with a coffee cup.
Lois Ann Goodman's attorneys told The Associated Press late Monday that they have emailed the results to the district attorney's office. They said they suggested that prosecutors re-evaluate the case and consider dismissing charges against the 70-year-old woman.
The lead detective on the case, David Petique, had asked Goodman to take a polygraph test "to clear herself" when she was first under investigation in the month after her husband's death, attorneys Alison Triessl and Robert Sheahen said. But she refused that request on May 3, they said, on advice of her former counsel.
They said she has now fulfilled that request and passed.
"I'm hopeful that they are going to reassess their case," Triessl said in a phone interview. "The facts just don't support that there was a murder. The results of the polygraph prove Lois Goodman did not kill her husband. He died in a freak accident."
A district attorney's spokeswoman said the office will not comment until the material is brought up in court.
Goodman, 70, who has refereed matches between some of tennis's greatest players, has pleaded not guilty to killing her 80-year-old husband by beating him with a coffee cup and using its broken handle to stab him. She has suggested Alan Goodman fell down the steps while holding a coffee cup, causing his fatal injuries.
Alan Goodman died in April. Authorities initially believed he fell down stairs at home while she was away but later decided it was homicide after a mortuary reported suspicious injuries on Alan Goodman's head. Lois Ann Goodman was arrested in August just before she was to referee a match at the US Open in New York.
Triessl said the lie detector test was given by a well-known FBI-trained polygrapher, Jack Trimarco, who has administered more than 3,000 polygraph exams, many in high-profile cases. His report was instrumental in getting charges dismissed against a man initially charged in a Dodger Stadium assault case.


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Arrival in Tashkent Hrs and Customs will take about 01 Hour.
Our Airport Executive will be waiting outside the Airport with Placard.
Transfer Airport-Hotel by bus/ Check-in to the Hotel.
Welcome Drink on Arrival (Non- Alcoholic)
Transfer for Evening City Tour
Independence Square
Tashkent Broadway
Amir Temur Square
Transfer to an Indian Restaurant for Grand Gala Dinner with Veg , Non Veg Snacks, free flow of Vodka, Beer, soft drinks & world Class Belly Dance Show Program (You May Carry your own Alcohol with No Extra Charges)
Transfer back to Hotel
Free time – can explore night Life activities at you own.
After a sumptuous breakfast
Visit Charvak and Chimgan mountains. Nicknamed Switzerland of Uzbekistan, this area is famous with Tashkent residents and guests as a recreational area. Chair lift takes you to the top of the mountain from where you enjoy breathtaking views, you must take some time for photo shooting!
Lunch in Pyramids resort in Chimgan Mountains
Free time to explore Charvak Artificial Reservoir: here local residents spend their times in hot summer days entertaining themselves with fishing, swimming, canoeing and other activities…
Drive back to the hotel, free at leisure
Transfer to an Indian Restaurant for Grand Gala Dinner with Veg , Non Veg Snacks, free flow of Vodka, Beer, soft drinks & world Class Belly Dance Show Program (You May Carry your own Alcohol with No Extra Charges)
Transfer back to the hotel.
Free time – can explore night Life activities at you own.
After a sumptuous breakfast
Transfer to excursion
Full day city tour:
Lal Bahadur Shastri Monument
People's Friendship square
Monument of Courage.
Lunch in an Indian restaurant
Continuation of city tour of Tashkent:
City tour of Tashkent: Visit Khazrat Imam complex, Old City Transfer to an Indian Restaurant for Grand Gala Dinner with Veg , Non Veg Snacks, free flow of Vodka, Beer, soft drinks & world Class Belly Dance Show Program (You May Carry your own Alcohol with No Extra Charges) Transfer back to the hotel.
Lunch in an Indian restaurant
Transfer to an Indian Restaurant for Grand Gala Dinner with Veg , Non Veg Snacks, free flow of Vodka, Beer, soft drinks & world Class Belly Dance Show Program (You May Carry your own Alcohol with No Extra Charges)
Transfer Back to Hotel
Free time – can explore night activities at you own
Lunch in an Indian restaurant
Transfer to an Indian Restaurant for Grand Gala Dinner with Veg , Non Veg Snacks, free flow of Vodka, Beer, soft drinks & world Class Belly Dance Show Program (You May Carry your own Alcohol with No Extra Charges)
Transfer Back to Hotel
Free time – can explore night activities at you own
Transfer to excursion
Shopping Tour Alaskey Bazar and TSUM
Lunch in an Indian restaurant
Transfer to Mega Planet Mall
Transfer Back to Hotel
Transfer to an Indian Restaurant for Dinner
Transfer Back to Hotel
Free time – can explore night activities at you own
After a sumptuous breakfast, free time after long night.
check out
Transfer to Indian Restaurant for Lunch
Transfer to the Airport for your onward Journey with Everlasting Memories of a Beautiful Destination
- Flight Back to New Delhi.
- Return Economy Class Airfare on Uzbekistan Airways Ex-Delhi.
- 6 Nights accommodation.
- Buffet Breakfasts at the hotel.
- 06 Lunches + 06 Gala Dinners
- Gala Dinner with Veg-Non Veg Snacks, Vodka, Beer, and Soft Drinks with Exclusive Belly Dance shows.
- 02 bottles of 0.5 ltr water per person per day.
- A/C comfortable transport with professional driver as per the itinerary.
- Professional English speaking escort guide from arrival to departure in Tashkent.
- All tours & travels on SIC. basis
- Full day trip to Charvak Lake & Chimgan Mountains
- Tashkent City Tour (Amir Temur Square, etc.)
- Entrance fees for all monuments (except photo & video charges)
- Your own alcohol with no extra charge to the restaurants
- Uzbekistan Visa support & Normal Visa processing fees
- Airline Taxes are subject to change without any prior notice
Package Excludes:
Photo & video charges
Tips & gratuities
Any personal expenses
Any service not included in inclusions or itinerary
Courier charges
Usage of mini bar in the hotel
Normal Meals Menu:
Dry / Greavy Veg Item
Chicken / Mutton
Tandori Roti / Butter Naan
Gala Dinner Menu:
Normal Menu + Soup + Veg / Non veg Indian Snacks ( Chicken Tikka / Mutton Tikka / Chicken Hariyali / Veg Hara Bhara Kebab etc. )
Drinks – Local Russian Vodka, Beer, Juices, Cola, Water & Soda!
Dance Show – Classical Belly Dance Show Performance & Bollywood Numbers.
N.B. – In case of Jain Food or Complete Veg Food, kindly inform us at the time on booking.
Please Note: There might be changes to the above mentioned Itinerary however, smaller might be but it will be aimed to enhance and optimize your experience with us.
Terms & Conditions:-
Payment Terms:
50 Percent Advance, & Remaining 50 Percent at the time of delivering Hotel Voucher. Please note booking cannot be on hold till the time full payment is not received in our accounts.
Cancellation Fees:
Cancellation prior 40 days – No Charges
Cancellation prior 30 days – 50% charge of the tour price
Cancellation prior 15 days – 75% charge of the tour price
- Cancellation prior 10 days – 100% charge of the tour price
We visited Ukraine last week with a close family of 12, excellent services by Dook Travels, needless to mention what was promised, they delivered much more than that. We happened to meet Mr. Anwar in their Kiev office, nice office of dook international made us more confident on the services we were going to avail. We would love to travel with DOOK again. Thanks Dook Delhi and Kiev team. Keep it up.
Went to Tashkent Samrkand and bukhara, good tour and great hospitality. would recommend to try local food. Their team in delhi office is quite helpful and managed our visas even on last minute. Thanks Dook!
Our trip to Kiev, Ukraine arranged by Dook Travels has went very well without any trouble. Only thing is that we required little more time at the airport for visa on arrival, but it also went very smoothly without any hassles because of the documents which you supplied in time to us. We enjoyed the tour to the fullest. All the tours were arranged very nicely and concerned peoples of your company were very cooperative, they guided us very well and cooperated in all the small things also amazingly well.
We are back from holidays yesterday evening. We had excellent time both in Moscow and Kiev. The hotel, Vehicle and Guide arrangements were good. Your local rep Mr. Anwar was very cooperative and we are very happy with his services. He did coverup the local sightseeing comfortably spread over 3 days. In short we had great time in Moscow and Kiev with lots of pictures & memories back home. Thank you for all your timely support. All The Best Team Dook.
This is with reference to our recent trip to Almaty, we would like to thank you for advising us on choosing Almaty as our holiday destination. We have good memories from this trip as Almaty is a fantastic place to go with friends and family. We would like to point out that the services by our local guide Atta were beyond exceptional, he showed us everything there is to see in Almaty. The food is two of the restaurants Bombay Beirut as well as spice mantra were good. I would definitely recommend this place to friends and family and also Dook Travels for its exceptional services.
I would like to thanks Dook Travels for such a wonderful trip for Bishkek 4th May to 8th May. It was lifetime memorable trip and arrangement was so good like hotel, local guide, food, sightseeing, etc. In future Dook will my preference for any trip.
Thank you Dook for your services with respect to our 3 guests who went to Bishkek on 27th April 2018 (Fixed Departure). My special thanks for you who took great efforts to organize everything with our special requirements of a Visa, Private Car and single occupancy rooms at such a short notice from our end. Thanks for all the timely arrangements and keeping me updated with Visa progress by mail as well as on mobile. Looking forward for the same cooperation levels at times...
We just came back from a 10 days tour of Uzbekistan which was organised by your agency. This trip and DOOK was recommended by my colleague Alok Chauhan. I think his choice of Uzbekistan & Dook was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and outings there. Your team did an excellent job, Right from the beginning to the end they were constantly in touch with me. They always responded very promptly to our requests and quickly resolved any problem we faced during the trip. Overall, it was memorable experience; thank you all!
Dook gives you the best travel deals, some of the lowest airfares and the best travel experience. My experience with them for Tashkent tour was outstanding. Hotel, vehicle, food, tour Guide, etc. everything was superb. Undoubtedly this was a great family trip. You can choose Dook Travels for the best booking experience, hotel stay, sightseeing and Indian Cuisine.
We've recently booked a trip to Russia for 07 guests. Our whole experience from the time we had started the booking process to the execution of the trip has been commendable. I'd really like to thank Akanksha and her entire team for making our and the guests experience worthwhile. We have super reviews from the guests; they are absolutely satisfied with the hotels, transportation and have made a special mention about the guide. The guide during the trip was extremely helpful. It's not only the guests who are filled with appreciation but it is also us. We have been guided and helped in the most excellent way. With our experience, our confidence in DOOK has increased manifold. Really looking forward for a wonderful association and more and more business in the future.
Thank you for all the supports throughout the trip. Passengers are very happy with the services provided by Dook Travels. They especially appreciate the Guide, Hotels and Food provided in Almaty & Astana, Kazakhstan. Only they were slightly disappointed with Day one Airport pick up delay. Overall this was an amazing trip for all the passengers. Thank you so much for your excellent services.
I have taken a 4 nights Tashkent family trip from the Dook International and really they are spectacular for their services. Our tour guide was highly knowledgeable about the destination. Also, hotel choices provided by them were great. Their customer service is really very impeccable, every time, there was always a friendly voice on the other end. Thank you so much for a memorable trip.
Quite knowledgeable and professional people. 700 People in one shot were handled exceptionally in Kazakhstan. Looking forward to work again for Azerbaijan. Thank you Dook Team @ Delhi & Almaty offices.
Fabulous staff, fantastic services, unforgettable experience of Kiev and Belarus visited with friends. I can never forget this experience. Do visit with family and friends with Dook Travels for any CIS and central European country and have the best travel experience.
We had awesome family trip to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It was beyond our expectations. Luxury coaches, Excellent guides, Tasty Indian Food, Perfectly arranged tours with no hassle. Thank you Dook Travels to provide us lifetime memorable trip.
The best travel company I have ever come across. I personally recommend the viewers to choose DOOK for all the CIS countries. I went to Kiev with my family, and everything we were provided with was superb. Hotels, tours, meals, all services were great and most important their staff is very supportive and kind. DOOK assures their customer satisfaction. I loved my trip and had an unforgettable time, Thanks to Dook International :)
We a big family of 17 went to Almaty & Astana this month with Dook. All went excellent at both places with their superb guides. Both the cities are exceptionally beautiful. Astana gives you a modern feel like Dubai whereas Almaty brings you to the nature. We had Indian meals at both the cities & never felt like out of home. Thanks Dook Team. Shall plan a trip to Baku & Kiev next year. Cheerio
We took a long itinerary tour to Uzbekistan for 6 nights and had our stay in Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand. It is a beautiful country to visit with a huge option of local veg and non-veg food. Local food is highly suggested in Uzbekistan. Great country of great people with best company.
I have all praises regarding my recent tour to Kazakhstan. Khalid Raja who arranged my tour package was very quick in responding to my queries via email and whats app and arranged everything smoothly. I would highly recommend Dook Travels to my friends and relatives and also I plan to take my future tours to Central Asia with your company. Me being a satisfied customer, would rate your services as excellent as I have nothing to complain about rather I am taking beautiful memories back home. Thanks for your superb customer service.
This is Rajendra Tapaswi, From Holiday Planet Pune, Maharashtra. On 15th of November 2018, My 4 Pax was traveling to Almaty with Dook Travels. My clients had a great holiday over there. Hotel stay, Indian food, Local tour guide was very good. They had lots of sightseeing also, they are very happy with the services provided by the Dook. In future we will have great business together for sure. I want to give special thanks to your team for great co-operation related to visa and land arrangements. I will definitely work with you and will promote CIS Countries. Looking forward for the best cooperation from Dook Travels in future too.
A very comfortable and well planned Uzbekistan trip in prices which are absolutely affordable. Rather, the prices were a lot lesser than the services we were provided with. Thank you Dook Travels & Cheers!
Just finished a series of 350 happy pax from Lucknow to Tashkent, great company. Keep up the good work guys.
Dook travels very nice. Especially Mr.Aditya Jaiswal who arranged ours baku trip very nicely.thanks to Aditya sir for help us on short notice.
We visited Kiev with my friends organised by Dook Travels. It was a nice trip of beautiful city of beautiful country. It was a first direct flight from Delhi. Mr. Anwar was our tour guide in entire tour. He is very gentle person and helped us for everything. We ate Indian food in Himalaya restaurant in Kiev. We would like to thank Dook Travels for making our tour memorable; last but not least I would like to thank Mr. Ashish Chopra for his assistance for giving us this opportunity.
Dear Dook Team, We want you to know that the Baku Group we conducted is over and here I come with the feedback of the group coordinator has given me strongly. Let's start with Food. Apart from Dera restaurant Food was excellent every place. Vehicle and Driver was excellent. Guide Turkan she is a Rockstar everybody is praising her and recommended. Biplav is a fabulous Asset you guys have. He took care of every small detail from room change to flexibility and local guidance to group, Cheers for Biplav. From day 01 (Arrival) to last day (Departure) he was always available and ready to hear what required at place. Very supportive guy in Baku, good listener. balanced answer. SUPER GUY. I sincerely appreciate Mr. Aditya, Mr. Prayesh for their patience and support during workout of this group. Without your support this Group cannot be done so guys Credit Goes to you also. Mr. Gopal, I would like to thank you at last on behalf of corporate and my team for choosing Dook Travels as A DMC for Baku. 100% Delivered by your Efficient Team & Management. We have recommended your company to other Industry Friends because of our satisfaction with your service. We look forward to doing business with you for years to come.
It was overall great experience for my Baku Group from Dook. The guide Arzu give best service and also very co-operative in nature. Thank you all team from Dook. We hope for better business in Future with Dook.
We were a group of 10 people who took a trip to Baku. And we had a smooth trip since we were not feeling lost in another country. The tour guide was so helpful and patience, he was such a dedicated and hardworking man. He really took great care of us even till the last day of our stay, he was so good. We got clean hotels, good food, and very professional services. And, thanks to Dook Travels team for all the arrangements.
We were a group of people of 39 people who travelled to Almaty, and it was the first for us travelling abroad. Dook Travels gave us assurity from the beginning of the booking till the time we reach back to India. It was very comfortable and smooth journey as we did not encounter any problems with our accommodation, food or even the travel guide. We were happy with the property provided to us by them. We will definitely choose Dook Travels for our future trips. Baku is our next destination in our bucket list for sure!
Me and my family would like to really thank the team of Dook Travels for arranging an amazing trip to Tashkent. We had excellent guides, tasty Indian food, good hotels and nicely arranged tours. If you want to travel to Tashkent, then Dook is the best tour operator for you.
There's no better place to book a package to Almaty than Dook Travels. Me and my friends had an amazing time because of the stay and the food. I was really happy with the food service; it was so clean and nice. They helped me all throughout the process, right from our visa, accommodation and transfers. Kudos to the team for our lovely trip!
I recently visited Almaty organised by Dook Travels. I really enjoyed the trip as my tour package was worth paying. The tour operator has been so helpful in arranging my entire trip and has the patience to understand my needs and requirements according to my budget. Almaty was beautiful, and I stay at such a nice clean hotel and the food is delicious and amazing in this country. Thank you Dook for a memorable trip.
Dear Gopal, Thank you for the fantastic tour that has been so far....I'll cherish this trip for a long long time and ofcourse you have been a great friend of mine from now on..
We had a wonderful time. Amazing hospitality….Very Intelligent, Smart & Beautiful Guide...Ulker. Everyone enjoyed their stay in Baku. Going back with lovely memories. Thank you Team Dook for making it so happening!
We would like to thank all of you at Dook Travels for the successful conduct of the Russia Group. All Services and Sightseeing were in place and the Guides/Drivers and Hotel staff were very good and supportive. The Radisson Royal Hotel in SPB was very good and their personalized services towards the Group Members and during the stay and Gala Dinner were exceptional. Though there was an exterior Renovation going on, we never felt any disturbance. The Marriott Hotel in MOW was good, but felt more like a Business Hotel with a lack of any Personal touch. The Indian Restaurants were good, except for a few where the Quality of Food could be better. The Guides (Anna & Euginia) were very professional and also very co-operative at both cities. Overall a very well organized Tour and Thanks again for all the efforts!!


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One of the most tired cliches is that so-and-so doesn't actually sell such-and-such; they sell peace of mind. Well, in this case, it's true. The question is whether there is a market for that peace of mind among airline customers.
In recent months, two companies — Chicago-based Options Away (www.optionsaway.com) and San Francisco-based Level Skies (www.levelskies.com) — have begun offering the chance to lock in airfares without committing to a ticket.
This sort of service has been bubbling at the industry edges in various incarnations; Kayak (www.kayak.com) and Bing (www.bing.com) pair their flight searches with recommendations on whether to buy or wait. These are statistical projections on whether the cost of a ticket will rise or fall. United, meanwhile, has introduced Fare Lock, which allows consumers to hold a fare for as long as seven days for a fee.
Options Away and Level Skies merge the two strategies by using statistical projections to decide how much to charge to hold a given fare.
Options Away, which serves U.S. and some Canadian cities, is relatively straightforward: Enter a route and dates, and the site brings back a price (identical to what the airlines charge) but with an added fee to hold that price for one, three, seven, 14 or 21 days. The cost to hold round-trip tickets ranges from $4 to about $45. (Not all tickets qualify for all lengths of a hold; some might have an option of just a 24-hour hold, which federal regulations require of airlines anyway.)
I asked Heidi Brown, who co-founded Options Away with her husband, Rob, for examples of who might use the service. She cited a traveler who knows the days he wants to travel but not the destination; that person can reserve tickets to two destinations on the same days, then decide which trip to take. Or, she said, it could benefit someone who knows where he wants to go but not the exact days; he can hold tickets for multiple flights on multiple days.
"This takes away the sense of, 'The price on this is going to go up,'" she said.
Level Skies is more complicated. It does serve some foreign destinations but not all.
A traveler enters travel dates and a destination; Level Skies then returns a "flex fare price" that costs about $20 to $40 more than the cheapest fare. The up-charge depends on how long a customer wants to hold a fare (one to four weeks is possible) and the degree of flexibility sought on departure and return days (three-day windows are available on both ends). A downside: The customer doesn't choose the airline or exact time to fly. Those deciding not to keep the ticket get the cost of the ticket refunded minus a fee kept by Level Skies.
"The idea is to make a quick, simple purchase that minimizes the amount of thinking the consumer needs to do," said Ryan Houck, Level Skies chief executive. "It's about locking in the flight now and working out details later."
Options Away and Level Skies say they operate based on proprietary algorithms that use several factors, such as historical costs and route details, to decide which fares it can guarantee and at what cost.
In that sense, both companies offer the aforementioned peace of mind; if you're not ready to commit to a flight, you can lock in a price without worrying that it will soon spike. If the price decreases, the difference is refunded. If the price does rise, that's only a concern for Options Away or Level Skies. Both companies are confident that their algorithms will make them come out on top more often than not.
But is that peace of mind worth it? To the savviest travelers who are comfortable searching for fares, have a sense of where and when they want to go and know a good deal when they see it, I'm skeptical (though paying a bit to keep multiple options open seems reasonable).
Houck and Brown concede that their industry is new enough to be in swift transition and that both websites and their offerings could change; both also hope to partner with online travel companies such as Kayak or Orbitz.


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I thought I would kick off Monday by rounding up a few items from the entertainment industry I think might be worth your time. Here are three cool things you should know about this week.
1. "Farmland," the movie
Coming out in the spring of 2014, this movie takes folks back to the farm. "Most people are five generations removed from the farm, and each generation makes people a little bit further removed," describes the movie trailer, which you can watch here. This movie promises to show people where their food comes from and who the folks are behind the food we shop for at the grocery store.
Subscribe now to Cow-Calf Weekly to get the latest industry research and information in your inbox every Friday!
2. "Our Star Goes West," a children's book by Rianna and Sheridan Chaney
I'm a big fan of Rianna and Sheridan Chaney's children's books. They have recently released their fifth book, "Our Star Goes West." In the new book, "Our Star Goes West," young readers get to enjoy Star's new adventure moving from a small farm in Maryland to a huge ranch in south central Nebraska. The book introduces many new experiences for Rianna and Sheridan while they learn about ranch life up close and personal. It also shows the good care farmers and ranchers give their cattle no matter what the weather, and points out the importance of farmers and ranchers to the environment and to wildlife. The book includes a glossary, fun beef facts, and educational websites for parents and teachers.
3. "In Meat We Trust," an explorative history of meat by Maureen Ogle
I received a review copy of "In Meat We Trust," and although I'm still working my way through it, I have so far enjoyed what I've read. In a recent interview with Salon, author Maureen Ogle discussed the meat scandals that have occurred throughout our nation's history. She also explains why books like "The Jungle," and food columnists like Michael Pollan, have it all wrong.
"I think what the food reformers – and I need to make it clear, I have a great deal of sympathy with their goals — don't understand is that the system of providing food is predicated on the fact that the vast majority of Americans don't make food," she says. "They expect someone else to raise it for them. And in the U.S., if you live in a city, you absolutely expect there to be lots and lots of food at a reasonable price. For the past century that's in fact what has driven our economy: the ability to free up spending dollars. I think food reformers don't get that the reason they have the luxury of sitting around tapping out critiques on their Apple computers is because they a) don't have to grow their own food and b) don't have to spend very much money for the food that they do have."
Do you have any suggestions for good reads, movies or articles our readers might enjoy? Send them my way at firstname.lastname@example.com or leave me a note in the comments section below.
You might also like:
15 Best Winter On The Ranch Photos
What Do Carrie Underwood, HSUS & Obamacare Have In Common?
Readers Share Bred Heifer Prices In Their Neck Of The Woods
Readers Show The Love For Their Ranch Sweethearts
Share This --> Infographics Highlight Beef's Story From Gate To Plate


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All eyes were on the Federal Reserve 's policy announcement yesterday, as investors finally got "some" answers to their lingering questions. In the highly anticipated report, the central bank announced that it will continue its $85 billion-per-month bond-buying program for now, but indicated that a tapering could come later this year. Today, however, investors turned their attention to China, after the powerhouse nation reported a disappointing reading on its critical manufacturing sector [see Single Country ETFs: Everything Investors Need To Know].
Warning Signs: China's HSBC Flash Manufacturing PMI Takes a Big Hit
The latest HSBC Flash Manufacturing PMI report showed China's crucial manufacturing sector shrinking at a faster rate this month. June's PMI came in at a dismal 48.3, the lowest reading in nine months, versus the expected 49.4. A reading below 50 indicates industry contraction.
In the previous recording, the Flash Manufacturing PMI also missed the mark with the figure coming in at 49.6, compared to the forecasted 50.5. May's report put the industry into contractionary territory for the first time in seven months. Thus far in 2013, this critical index was reported well below expectations in the last five of six readings.
Consider the trailing six-month PMI data below and note the steep drop we have seen over the last four months:
google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Year', 'PMI'], ['1/2013', 51.9], ['2/2013', 50.4], ['3/2013', 51.7], ['4/2013', 50.5], ['5/2013', 49.6], ['6/2013', 48.3] ]); // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization84984')). draw(data, {title:"China HSBC Flash Manufacturing PMI", width:600, height:400, hAxis: {title: "Month"}} ); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization);
China ETFs Performance Recap
Today's disappointing manufacturing data is just one of many red flags investors have seen in the Chinese economy. The country's weak manufacturing industry and credit crunch have caused China ETFs to take significant hits in recent months. Year-to-date, the FTSE China 25 Index Fund (FXI, B) has tumbled nearly 20%, and over the trailing one-month period the fund is down over 12% [see also US ETF Assets Could More Than Double by 2017]:
Click To Enlarge
Follow me on Twitter @DPylypczak.
[For more ETF analysis, make sure to sign up for our free ETF newsletter]
Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.
Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.
Read more posts on ETF Database »


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You Have No Talent: Lady Hating On Kanye While Yeezy Was Strolling With His Girl Kim Kardashian & Family! "Im Kanye West, That Doesn't Make Sense"
Kanye, Kim, Kourtney, Scott, and Mason
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World AIDS Day 2013 PSA
A Video Blog
December 1, 2013
I decided to do a little PSA for World AIDS Day 2013. I don't know how I got the idea to even try to pull this off but I tried. The only thing I wish people would take from this is to know your HIV status. It's very hard to want to know your status but the sooner you do the better. Whether it is HIV positive or negative it will be alright. At least now you can take the precautions or continue to take the precautions that you need to protect yourself and others from the HIV virus.
I've had many friends pass away and today I really remember them and take a moment to sit by myself and ask why did they have to leave this earth so young? I know it's not my fault and I don't feel survivor's guilt at all, but I feel for the world. The world will not know the wonders that many of my friends that have passed away from HIV/AIDS complications could give to it and to their own communities.
Today a lot of people would think that I am out going to a World AIDS Day event, but today I stayed home with my husband and my son. I looked at him today thinking, "Man oh man I hope that he is listening to my message and better yet learning from it. I hope that he knows how much I love him and understand why I do, what I do." It is because of him and his friends that I hope for the future and I will do my best, even if it takes my last breath.
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text: Assassin's Creed® III is the opening chapter of two new stories: one of Connor, the newest Assassin, and one of a new nation full of hope, both in an epic fight for land and freedom. Set during the American Revolution, you'll experience both the external battles of a raging war as well as Connor's internal struggle of allegiance. Follow Connor on this epic adventure as he leaves home to train with a fierce group of Assassins in hopes of protecting his people. In this gameplay world premiere, travel through the early city of Boston and battle man and beast alike as you explore the vast open frontier, witnessing the intensity and excitement of the Battle of Bunker Hill – one of the most famous battles of all time.


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Posts tagged Pinnacle
2010/11 Panini Pinnacle Hockey Product Preview
Dec 28th
Panini is planning to bring back to life yet another brand of hockey cards; Pinnacle. The "new" old product will be available to buy from the 16th March 2011 and will set you back around $80 for a hobby box containing 24 packs of 5 cards each. This new incarnation brings back an old insert favorite: Team Pinnacle as well as offering new ones such as the City Lights Materials which will feature a swatch of game-used material set against a backdrop of each city. On average, each box will yield 4 hits either autographs or memorablia of which the More >


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Q: My 15-month-old is clumsier than other babies his age. My doctor thinks he's OK and said we should give him time to get more comfortable with his body before seeing a specialist. I really don't feel good about waiting. What do you suggest?
A: Don't wait. A good occupational therapy evaluation, preferably with someone who specializes in babies, will give you a lot of information and will be fun for your son. As often as not, this type of visit is 100 percent reassuring--you'll get tips for encouraging and recognizing normal growth and development. If there is a problem with your son's motor skills, early diagnosis and therapy can make a huge difference.
I feel the same way when it comes to questions about a child's hearing, vision, language and more: Trust your doctor, but trust your instincts more.


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Type J3C-S Model 85 Failsafe Electric Actuator with Battery Back Up Installed
J3C-S85-BSR 24V-240V Failsafe Electric Actuator Maximum Torque 796in.lbs
Overview: Maximum torque 796in.lbs. 24-240V Multi-voltage reversible IP67 failsafe quarter turn smart electric actuator, with manual override, heater, torque limiter, LED status light, external Din plug connection and dome visual indicator. F07, F05 x 17mm female star mounting.
Function: Failsafe electric actuator. Power open, power close. Fails to pre-set position (open, or close) on external power failure. Designed to have power on at all times. Supplied with BSR (Battery 'Spring Return') failsafe system pre-installed and function tested.
Select Actuator Function:
Sizing Criteria:
Max break torque 76in.lbs
Max run and reseat torque 752in.lbs
Max ambient temp range -4 to +158F
12V Conversion PCB kit
DPS Modulating function conversion kit to create failsafe modulating function.
Teflon coated mounting and drive output.
|JJ Failsafe Electric Actuator Type J3CS Overview
|J3C85S-BSR Failsafe
|On Off
|On loss of power
|Fails to pre-set position (closed or open)
|Function conversion kit
|BSR pre-installed and tested by J+J
|Kit type
|Industrial rechargeable battery and charging system
|Max Break and Run Torque
|Supply Voltage Range
|24-240V AC or DC
|Working time
|Power Light
|Actuator Status Light
|Yes, multi-colour LED
|Fault Status Light
|Yes, Flashing multi-colour LED
|Electrical Connection
|External Din plugs (Supplied)
|Valve mounting
|ISO5211 F05 and F07
|Drive Output
|17mm female star
|Ingress Protection
|IP67 Fully weatherproof
|Anti-condensation Protection
|Thermostatic heater supplied
|Ambient Temperature range
|-4 to +158F
|Over Torque Protection
|Electronic torque limiter
|Emergency Hand Operation
|Yes, selectable manual override
|Visual Position Indicator
|Yes, dome style, mechanically driven
|End of Travel Confirmation
|Yes, 2 volt free SPDT micro-switches
|10,000 cycles or 1 year from date of purchase
|BSR Failsafe System Data
|BSR means
|Battery'Spring Return' (no mechanical springs)
|Creates failsafe electric actuator from on-off version
|Yes (simple to install)
|Main components
|Industrial rechargeable NiCad battery and PCB
|Initial minimum charge period
|Max operations from fully charged battery
|5 at maximum torque
|Recharge time after each movement
|Minimum 20 minutes
|Battery consumption when working
|Nominal battery caPCcity
|Confuguration options
|Fail closed or fail open on loss of power
|On power resumption
|Respects control input signal at moment power restored
|Battery charge


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WASHINGTON, DC — A $5.2 billion government food program for low-income pregnant women and young mothers and their children may make the first significant changes in 30 years.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which serves more than half of all the infants in the United States, could increase the amount of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains and cut back on items such as juice, whole milk, eggs and cheese, according to a report recently released from the federally chartered Institute of Medicine. A committee of economists, pediatricians and other experts spent 15 months on a 300-page report outlining the suggested modifications to the program.
"When the program was established, there was more of a problem with undernutrition," said Helen Jensen, professor at Iowa State University in Ames, IA, and committee member. "There are still some participants who aren't getting enough in terms of calories, but we have increasing problems with obesity. The idea is to have packages that meet the nutritional needs and don't contribute to excess calories."
Jensen estimated that in an average month the WIC program has about 7.9 million participants. If implemented, these changes would have a major impact on the diets of the target population in the United States, she said.
To qualify for the WIC program, the participants must meet the income eligibility guidelines of $19,000 for a family of four or be considered at a nutritional risk. The program varies in different parts of the country, but WIC participants generally use itemized vouchers or checks to obtain specific foods at grocery stores.
Due to the emphasis on fruits and vegetables in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the committee advised the government to issue cash vouchers for fresh produce totaling $10 for each woman and $8 for each child. The program would also allow participants to buy baby food jars of fruits and vegetables for infants over six months old.
"At the moment, the only fruit in the current packages is fruit juice," said Suzanne Murphy, chair of the committee. "When we made our recommendations, we relied very strongly on the new dietary guidelines, which emphasize the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables."
Changes include the ability to buy a variety of fruits and vegetables and substitute yogurt or soy milk for regular milk or whole-grain bread for other whole-grain products such as cereal. By substituting some of the milk, eggs and cheese with the fresh produce, the cost for the WIC packages will remain relatively the same after the changes have been implemented.
The committee released the report in April, and the USDA now has 18 months to review the proposal and make changes to the WIC program. Before implementing the changes nationwide, the committee recommended that the government test the changes in a pilot program.
"What we think will be an incentive encouraging people to do certain behavior may cause changes in undesirable ways," Jensen said. "We need to understand how the fresh fruit and vegetable system will work before rolling it out nationwide."


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Darling upsets almost everyone
Too much or not enough, or both?
The Chancellor's pre-Budget report got a distinctly mixed reaction from business and technology groups. Although tax cuts for companies focussed on research was welcomed, no-one welcomed the hike in National Insurance.
The Federation of Small Businesses welcomed the delay in the 1p increase in corporation tax for smaller firms and the extension of the £1.3bn enterprise finance guarantee. But the FSB said there should have been more assistance offered to small companies and pointed out that the increase in National Insurance payments would not be encouraging firms to take on more staff.
John Wright, FSB National Chairman said: "The Government has missed a chance to really tackle a difficult credit market by failing to create more options for access to finance, and more competition among high street banks. The Government should have addressed this challenge and looked at options such as a regional stock exchange to help small and fast growing businesses capture finance."
Alistair Darling also offered tax cuts to firms making money from patents. Barry Murphy, tax partner and head of tech at PwC, said: "After prolonged noise the technology industry will welcome the decision to introduce the patent box. However, as implementation is not until 2013 it is unlikely to benefit companies until 2020 at the earliest - assuming normal investment cycles return. In addition, the announcements would suggest this is only for Pharma and BioTech, and no doubt further consultation will be required to ensure other technology sectors are not neglected. "
The CBI damned Darling on two counts - failing to restore confidence in the UK's credit rating and failing to act on job creation and growth.
Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General, said: "There were two tests for this Pre-Budget report. First, would it increase the credibility of Government plans to restore the public finances? Second, would it be a platform for job creation and economic growth? The Government has failed on both counts."
The CBI also described Darling's attempt to curtail bankers' bonuses as a futile headline grabbing gesture which could see financial services companies leave the UK.
But it welcomed the move to a 10p corporate tax for companies dependent on patents. ®
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Something that has surprised me is the many negative responses that I've heard in response to this idea. The most puzzling to me is the response that I've seen a number of times: "This is such a stupid idea that I'm going to go home and turn on as many lights as possible just to show them!".
Of course, it's very easy to take pot shots at this idea. "What emissions will no lights for an hour save?", "Sitting in the dark: that's what the greenies want us to do permanently", etc. At first blush, what will an hour without lights really achieve?
But these critics are really just unimaginative.
Here's some reasons why I think Earth Hour is a great idea, and they're not about emissions, they're about connection:
Connection with community
I don't know if it's widespread, but I often feel a lack of community in Sydney. And I think a sense of community is wonderful. Events like this connect us. If tens of thousands of people turn off their lights and TVs and sit out on their verandahs, or go for a walk and talk to some of the other tens of thousands of people doing the same thing, I reckon that's great. Just have a look at some of the events people are organising!
Connection with our own power
Climate change is often presented as a big problem with big solutions needed, to be provided by government and business. To a large extent it is. But there's a lot that people can do about it themselves, in their households and as part of businesses and communities. When each of us does something personal about the issue, we're reminded that this is something that we, personally, can influence. And I think that's very positive and powerful. We don't have to shake our heads and our fists at John Howard and George Bush, we can do a lot ourselves.
Connection with nature
Again, this might be an inner-city dweller neurosis, but I feel a disconnection with the real world living in the middle of Sydney. I get home, turn the lights on, turn the heater on in winter and have my own comfortable cocoon. We all rely on the environment for our health and wellbeing. But it's easy to forget that. It will be nice to sit out on the balcony and look at the moon and listen to the breeze in the trees and watch the fruit bats fly past and think about the world. Maybe we'll even be able to see the stars.
Connection with ourselves and each other
As much as I love Iron Chef, it will be nice to have some quiet time to think and talk to Cat. Maybe we'll have a candlelit dinner at one of the restaurants which are turning their lights off for Earth Hour.
It's easy for households to switch off lights and appliances during earth hour. It's much harder for some businesses, despite the fact that at 7.30 on a Saturday night, many businesses aren't open. This exercise has been a useful learning exercise for many businesses (including my workplace) that you can't assume that everything is switched off on a Saturday night. (Have a look at office buildings in the city at night and be dazzled by all the empty offices with all their lights still on).
Good luck to the people who go home and bathe themselves in electric light as their own little protest against the stupidity of me and 50,000 other Sydney residents and businesses. I'll be enjoying a refreshing change from my usual electricity-intensive routine and I'm looking forward to it!


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Rialto is in a dangerous spot right now, as the Rams have used seven points from Oregon State-bound forward Ali Gibson in the third period to move out to a double-digit lead. Gibson now has 12 points for St. Mary's, which has forced 24 Rialto turnovers.
Denae Williams has not played in the second half thus far due to her three fouls. Brittani Walker is continuing to play well for Rialto, as she now has a game-high 13 points along with seven rebounds.


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Former communications watchdog Rob Nicholls has been nominated to become the first Independent Telecommunications Adjudicator.
The ITA, established last month as a provision of Telstra's structural separation, will oversee dispute resolution between the telco and its wholesale customers over price and service level equivalence to BigPond.
The adjudicator has remained a sticking point among Telstra's competitors, leading the Federal Government to legislatively mandate the adjudicator's independence from Telstra.
The ACCC approved a constitution for the adjudicator last month, allowing the new body to seek and nominate someone for the role.
ITA chairman Mark Hall said in a letter to the watchdog last week that Nicholls would "provide the industry with confidence" that the adjudicator would act independently from Telstra.
Nicholls is believed to have been chosen for nomination by the ITA Co from a shortlist of candidates discussed with industry. The ACCC had already begun discussing his potential appointment with wholesale customers.
Once a telco engineer, Nicholls is currently a principal advisor to law firm Webb Henderson's consultancy arm and has held numerous roles in the telco industry including Optus product manager, and, most relevantly, a general manager of the ACCC's communications arm between 2010 and 2011.
"We believe that he brings the right mix of technical skills, industry knowledge and commercial and regulatory experience to the role," Hall said.
"Mr Nicholls has a deep understanding of the telecommunications industry and is well known to many of its stakeholders."
Should he be approved for the role, Nicholls told iTnews from Singapore that he would be in a part-time position and would retain his role at Webb Henderson.
"Clearly I can't do work for people in the telco sector in Australia, which changes the scope of the work I do there," he said.
He said he would be "very pleased" to take up the post, if approved by the ACCC.
A successful adjudicator would be bound by a charter of independence from Telstra, its wholesale customers, NBN Co, the ACCC and governments under a two-year term.


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weSKATE Club
The weSKATE Club is a 13-week registration designed to be a more affordable alternative for beginning skating school students (Tot-Alpha levels). Benefits include: excess accident insurance and the ability to test and compete through the Alpha level. You can register using the ISI Test Membership Registration form or by using the weSKATE with ISILink software. The cost of a weSKATE club membership is: $5