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UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. That makes us unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with the young. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child's path. We believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.
UNICEF Engagement with religious communities is based on the shared values of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
For more information about UNICEF's faith-engagement activities, click here.
View website View annual report


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The Story
Our Piyush lamp bases are handmade by artisans in India using hand blown glass with a beautiful bubbled texture. The translucence of the glass looks so effective when the lamps are lit or illuminated by sunlight.
We love these lamps for bedrooms with the three different sizes lending themselves to a multitude of different rooms and side tables. The lamps pair particularly well with our block printed shades and look effective with matching or contrasting colours.

subset: commoncrawl


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Expand your website structure by adding as many pages as necessary.
You can add two different types of pages to your website at Voog - main pages and its subpages.
Main pages, by default, are displayed in the main menu. Usually, they contain the firsthand information which then may be divided into separate fragments with the help of subpages.
Subpage itself usually contains a certain amount of information about a larger topic.
For example, if you have created a webpage for your restaurant and added a page specifically for courses, you'll probably need to use subpages to help divide it into smaller options such as side dish, main course and dessert.
Click on the '+ Add' icon in your main menu to add a new page to the menu.
Adding a subpage is similar, just find it in the menu of a page. The placement of this button varies with design.
Once you've clicked either of these buttons, a new page form will show up where you can add the page a title, set its address, choose the layout and decide if you want to display it in the menu or not.
The first one is to open 'Page' from the lower-right side of your Voog panel and click on the recycle bin icon at the bottom right corner of the page settings window.
The second one is to simply proceed to the 'Content - Structure' menu. You will arrive at the site structure, where you'll be able to delete a preferred page by clicking on the thrash bin icon behind it.


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Scott Treeby, live events apprentice
Scott Treeby discusses being a live events apprentice at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.
Scott was keen to gain a career in the events industry, and taking part in an apprenticeship provided an ideal route in. Following his apprenticeship, Scott was employed with the events team at Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Getting into live events
After completing a college course in Technical Theatre, Scott decided that university education was not for him.
He tried a number of jobs, including working as part of the entertainment team at Haven and supporting touring theatre productions, before starting his live events apprenticeship at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.
Scott was working as an office temp at the Council when he saw the vacancy and thought it would be an ideal opportunity.
Doing a live events apprenticeship
"At first I was worried I would only be there to make the tea, but I learned so many valuable skills in events management."
During his apprenticeship, Scott worked on a range of events including food festivals, Christmas fairs, youth events, charity fundraising events and music events.
He helped to market the events, booked and set up equipment, and he also managed casual staff and volunteers.
Scott really enjoyed the variety of his role and being 'in at the deep end' with events management.
The tuition at college was particularly useful becausehe could share experiences, and the course tutor had lots of experience running events so could help with real life examples.
Taking on full-time employment
Scott went on to become employed full-time with the events team at Rhondda Cynon Taf, continuing to develop his events management skills, especially planning, fundraising and finance.
Scott said: "I would advise anyone who is committed to going further in their career to consider an apprenticeship.
"At first I was worried I would only be there to make the tea, but I learned so many valuable skills in events management. I also brought a lot to the organisation, introducing them to fresh and new ideas".


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Devika Fernando, romance novelist, speaks to Sanchita Sen
She brings about the best of both worlds. Meet this romance novelist who brings her rich diversity to play while writing beautiful romances set in exotic locales.
I can imagine what it feels like to deal with new surroundings, to adjust and rethink things you've taken for granted your whole life. That makes it easier to write about protagonists facing similar dilemmas. And living in both countries has made me a keen observer, which is a useful skill for an author.
Sanchita: Romance novels, series and should I say travelogues as well, since 'Saved in Sri Lanka' and 'Seduced in Spain' have in depth description of the places as well, you have written it all. I am sure you love writing all of them, but which format is the most challenging and why?
Devika: I'd say my multicultural romance novels like 'Saved in Sri Lanka' and 'Seduced in Spain' are the most challenging. As you said, the setting plays an important role too, and it's sometimes difficult to decide how much is too much. I try to weave the descriptions into the story or dialogue so that I can bring the place alive without boring the reader. Another challenge involved in writing this particular sub-genre is that I choose to pair characters from different countries/ethnicities. It's a fine line between clichés and something typical for a certain country.
Sanchita: What according to you is the most essential criteria for romance novels to sell?
Devika: That's quite hard to answer. There are so many factors that play into each other and determine the 'salability' of a romance novel. If I absolutely have to choose, I'd say it's the story itself. It needs to fit the genre and audience you're aiming for, be edited properly and hook the readers from the beginning as well as keep them entertained and preferably coming back for more.
Sanchita: Since you have seen the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds in Sri Lanka and Germany, enrich us by sharing some of your experiences of this dichotomy.
Devika: Gosh, how to answer this without writing a whole novel? :D I believe experiencing such different worlds has helped me write multicultural and complex characters. I can imagine what it feels like to deal with new surroundings, to adjust and rethink things you've taken for granted your whole life. That makes it easier to write about protagonists facing similar dilemmas. And living in both countries has made me a keen observer, which is a useful skill for an author. I always found and find myself picking up things about a place and its people and filing them away in my head for future reference.
Sanchita: The volume of your work is simply inspiring. So what would be your word of advice
to the newbie authors who are still dreaming to get there?
Devika: Thank you. I don't mean to sound patronizing in any way, but the most important thing is to ACTUALLY WRITE. A lot of (aspiring) authors talk about writing, plan it, want to do it, but don't take it seriously enough to really do it. Write, write, write, and dedicate yourself to it. It doesn't have to be every day or thousands of words, but don't abandon it. The story won't write itself!
Sanchita: Sneak peek into your next project?
Devika: I'm currently working on a 3rd novel for my 'Romance Round the World' series. It's titled 'In Love in Italy' and revolves around a renowned American interior designer who is called to Italy to help give life to a tycoon's villa. She falls in love with an Italian who isn't who he seems to be.
Rapid Fire Round (first thought that comes to mind on hearing these words)
a. Island – Sri Lanka
b. Continent – Europe
c. Love – Commitment
d. Lush – fragrant, exotic flowers
e. Azure – the blue eyes of some of my heroes ;-)
About the Author
|Author Devika Fernando
Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write, she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds – something that influences her writing. Her trademark are sweet, yet deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead of merely falling in lust. She draws inspiration from everyone and everything in life.
You will find all her books here
Labels: Interview, Interview with Devika Fernando


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The Top 10 Mexican Beaches that I am mentioning here are another ten of my previous article. Mexico has hundreds of amazing beaches and most of them could be in the list of Best and Top. Let's visit the most important beach areas of the country and choose the best in each region.
Maroma Beach Mayan Riviera
This beach is located near Cancun on the Mayan Riviera. It has been nominated as one of the World's Best Beaches and it's definitely Mexico's most exclusive and exquisite beach resort. Located on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula facing the blue waters of the Caribbean is this perfect spot. Maroma tries to differentiate itself from nearby Cancun and Playa del Carmen, two beach resorts full of action and noise.
Maroma is a paradise of tranquility and elegant beauty. The beach is an uninterrupted stretch of white sands that merge with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. It is surrounded in the back by tropical rainforests. Maroma Beach enjoys a mild tropical weather with dry months like April and May and the rainy months of September and October.
Playa Mia Cozumel
Playa Mia is the new name of former Playa del Sol that had to drop the name for legal reasons. But the beach is the same great one and nominated by many as the best beach in Cozumel. A friend of mine uses to call it "The Mother of All Cozumel Beaches".
Playa Mia Grand Beach Park charges nominal fees for the entrance and offers an array of amenities worth the money, like water sports facilities, bar, restaurant, pool, hammocks, kid's activities and even a mini-zoo.
It is a busy beach visited by tourists that arrive in the top Cruise Lines and by those arriving by a 45 minutes ferry ride from the mainland.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Tangolunda Bay Huatulco
Tangolunda Bay is one of Huatulco Bays with the most amenities and home to the best hotels and resorts. Its sands are fine like powder and blends directly into the emerald waters of the Mexican Pacific.
Huatulco Mexico is a town in the State of Oaxaca in the south of the Republic. It has been growing in fame and development through the last years. Tangolunda Bay is one of the Bays of Huatulco with a total of 36 beaches It is important to mention that Huatulco features some of the best golf Courses in the country.
Tangolunda Bay
prides itself with amazing beaches, Playa Ventura, Playa Manzanillo, Playa
Tornillo, Playa Tangolunda and Playa Rincon Sabroso. All these beaches are calm
and with light waves ideal for swimming, sun tanning and a few water sports
like, kayaking, snorkeling and sailing.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Playa del Amor in Cabo San Lucas
This beach has many names like Playa de Amor or Love Beach and Playa del Amante or Lover's Beach. It was formerly known as Playa de Doña Chepa. It is located on the Sea of Cortez side of Land's End at Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos, in the State of Baja California Sur.
To get to this magnificent cove you have to take a boat or hire a water taxi at the marina. The ride itself is an experience as you pass the area where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. Our recommendation is to spend most of the day in Playa del Amor. Pack some food and lots of water. When you make arrangements for that day, make sure that in one price the return is included. Just ask them to pick you up at a prearranged time.
Snorkeling and swimming
could be hard because of the currents of the Ocean, so it is recommended to
swim or snorkel on the Sea of Cortez side of the beach only. But this beach is
worth the visit even if you dedicate the day to sun tanning and venturing
carefully into the waters. You will be surrounded by smooth, towering rocks and
water on two sides.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Playa Gaviotas and Playa Sábalo, Mazatlán
Mazatlan has one of the longest stretches of uninterrupted beach in Mexico and at low tide you can walk out more than 50 meters. The waters range between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius equivalent to 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
These two beaches are mostly treated as one because there is no boundary between the two. They are located in the Golden Zone of Mazatlan and attract many surfers. This is where the action is in Zona Dorada of Golden Zone.
Both beaches are in front of the Deer Island with spectacular views and amazing sunsets. You may visit the island called in Spanish Isla del Venado and have a great view of Mazatlan while enjoying a relaxed day at the beach. You may reach Deer by renting a boat or kayak or simply going on the island cruises.
Both beaches are the perfect Mexican Beach scenery, many hotels in front of the beach and many bars offering cold drinks and above all the Mexican Cerveza Fria or cold beer.
Note: I've heard
lately that Mazatlan has become dangerous because of crime. I have no official
information about this. Before you go contact the nearest Mexican Consulate and
inform yourself.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Sayulita near Puerto Vallarta
This is what we call in Travel an off the beaten path beach. Or maybe I should say "was" because it is becoming more known as the time goes by.
Puerto Vallarta is located in the State of Jalisco home of Mexico's second largest city of Guadalajara. Playa Sayulita just 10 minutes away is on the other side of the state line in the State of Nayarit.
Sayulita is a Mecca for beginning surfers, since there are waves to surf but they are not so dramatic. You may also practice snorkeling, kayaking and fishing; and in land sports like horseback riding, hiking and jungle canopy tours
The two mile beach of
Sayulita is incredibly beautiful, as it is located in its own small cove with
the perfect waves for a good surfing. During the high season the southern part
of the beach could get quite crowded, so you have to walk a bit going north to
find you little relaxed corner.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Playa Linda in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo
This is a popular beach in Ixtapa, popular with locals and visitors alike. It is located north of the hotels zone and lined with coconut palms and offering great views.
Playa Linda is where the Ocean meets the fresh waters of Laguna Nichupte and creates the Nichupte Channel.
The beach has many amenities like sun beds and umbrellas for rent.
There are bars and a restaurant offering cold drinks and many concessionaires with water sports facilities like banana boats, boogie boards and Jet skis.
There are a few water taxis that take you to Isla Ixtapa for the day.
One attraction worth seeing is the "Habitat Natural de Cocodrilos" where you'll meet live crocodiles and large iguanas as they liver naturally together.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Playa del Carmen, Mayan Riviera
It all began as a small fishing village where you used to go to take the ferry to Cozumel Island. "Playa" as it is called today has developed to a big town with so many activities that you won't believe. Playa today, is a cosmopolitan town that still keeps the old Mexican charm where you may walk to all the places you need to reach. Playa del Carmen Resorts are among the best in the Riviera.
The beaches in Playa are spectacular. They are of white sands and the waters this particular azure turquoise so common to the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean. In the beaches you'll find an infinite number of kiosks, bars and vendors offering anything you may want to buy.
North Playa del Carmen is a wide stretch located north of the Porto Real Pier. If you want to find some relaxation, this is the place to be far from the noise of downtown.
Central Playa del Carmen beaches are those in front of downtown and it is here where you find the most businesses like dive shops, beach bars, restaurants and hotels. Restaurants have opened in the hundred and for every taste, from Thai to Argentinean and from Italian to Chinese. And above all the Mexican restaurants and taco stands that everybody loves.
From Playa you may want to venture to some of the Eco-Parks of Xcaret and Xel Ha offering great activities for adults and children. When we visited Xcaret with my wife my only thought was how is it possible that I didn't bring my grandchildren.
You may also visit the Tulum Ruins where history is at hand like if you were living in the times of the Mayans. An Tulum has one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Isla Mujeres near Cancun
Once in Cancun you "must" take a side trip to neighboring Isla Mujeres just 8 miles away by boat. It is a tiny island surrounded by spectacular beaches with white sands and crystal clear waters making them the right spot for swimming sun tanning and practicing water sports.
Most of the beaches are located on the northern and western sides of the island. But I must insist that children shouldn't swim alone because of the sudden undertow that could be strong for children.
Playa Norte is considered one of the Best of Caribbean Beaches and it is the most popular among the island's beaches. It features some Palapa restaurants and bars that service your needs even without leaving your towel or chair. Just look for the passing waiters.
Playa Paraiso, Playa Lancheros and Playa Indios are some of the other beaches on the west side and Playa Garrafon on the south of the island.
Top 10 Mexican Beaches
Puerto Escondido Oaxaca Mexico
Puerto Escondido means Hidden Port in English is a small town in the Pacific Ocean coast of the State of Oaxaca. At this moment is one of the best tourist's spots of Oaxaca that caters to a lower scale of tourists like backpackers and surfers. Zicatela Beach is the main attraction here with gentle waves and sandy beaches.
The beaches of Puerto Escondido have become internationally known. They attract many scuba divers and fishing enthusiasts. The beach is mostly good for surfers but not so suited for swimmers.
West of Zicatela over the El Moro rocky outcrop is Playa Marinero, which is the best beach for swimming as the surf and undertow are much less. There is some surf, but gentle enough for beginning surfers and body boarding.
We decided to talk about the Top Ten Mexican Beaches. I can write about another ten and another ten. I cannot stop writing about Top 10 Mexican Beaches.
images for top 10 mexican beaches
courtesy of wikimedia commons
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Earth First! Maine Anti-Wind Power Protest Keeps Green Movement Honest
John certainly has a valid point: Unchecked climate change could well make things much more difficult for the lynx in the Maine woods and more wind power is certainly part of the solution to slowing global warming. However, It's Getting Hot In Here has just posted the perspective of one of the protestors which is equally worth considering:Don't Let Tar Sands Company Greenwash Itself
Saying that he hoped the action at the Kibby Mountain wind project (66 MW of which are currently operational, with more under construction to bring it to 132 MW) would "spark respectful debate in our movement about the role industrial wind should play in combatting climate change," Matt Wilkerson went on to list some of his reasons for joining in the protest.
- It is important to make clear that this action was not against ALL wind. It was against corporate run industrial wind projects that impact rural communities and sensitive ecosystems. We are in full support of small scale, community run wind projects.
- The wind power being built in Maine is not replacing any fossil fuel plants. It is all additional capacity, so in reality no emissions are being reduced. We would be far better off reducing consumption and improving efficiency rather than producing more electricity
- These wind farms are being built in sensitive wild areas that are home to the endangered lynx and migratory birds as well as rare alpine ecosystems. We can't ignore the impacts that industrial wind has on an ecosystem. We cannot write these impacts off as collateral damage.
- The wind farms are being built by Transcanada, a major player in the Alberta tar sands. These wind farms are not producing electricity for Maine. It is all being sold to other states. Maine residents shouldn't have to have their wildlands carved up so that an oil company can greenwash its image while turning a profit selling electricity to the grid.
What we have here is two different paths towards the same goal of raising awareness about climate change and renewable energy, and helping to create a culture that works within ecological limits.
One (the Earth First! perspective as expressed here) is more visionary and far thinking, holistic in perspective, recognizing that the current corporatist industrial approach to development assumes a scale that inherently has a heavy environmental footprint.
It also clearly points out one of the big blind spots that clouds many efforts to green energy and industry: The assumption that simply changing production method is sufficient for sustainability. It is a perspective rooted in what might be, regardless of what is right now--fully idealistic.
The other (as expressed by John here) is dominated by the importance of making small progress towards the goal of combatting climate change, even if that progress isn't entirely perfect. It is firmly based on working within the system and, to painfully use an overused phrase, not making the perfect the enemy of the good. It's a realist viewpoint through and through.
Differing Perspectives Need Not Oppose One Another
We see the same split in discussions of climate legislation, carbon emission reductions and the best policies to make those happen. It's the same distinction that meant some people took to the streets in Copenhagen during COP15 and some worked inside the Bella Center.
This isn't just an exercise in defining our differences within the environmental movement. The big thing I think both sides need to remember is that we need one another. The different methodologies need not be in opposition. As much as we need incremental progress and bringing current polluting industries into the fold and changing their ways, we need activists keeping our ideals honest and presenting the 'what could be' position.
Which Contradictions Do We Choose to Ignore?
After all, both viewpoints are united in one thing: Choosing to oppose some contradictions while accepting others.
The idealist position, eyes to the sky, ignores the fact that change more often than not doesn't happen in revolution, but in evolution (even if revolution kicks off that evolution). The realist/incrementalist position, eyes to the ground, ignores the fact that the small change being made doesn't always mean it's fully in the right direction.
Like this? Follow me on Twitter and Facebook.
Both images (wind turbines in first photo are simulated): Transcanada
More on Wind Power:
Earth First! Activists Arrested Protesting Maine Wind Farm - 'It's Too Big'
Cape Wind Opponents Compare It To Boston's Big Dig - Claiming Power Twice as Expensive as Planned
Concern Over Birds Could Shoot Down 540 MW Shetland Islands Wind Farm


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TARGIT Life Intro
The aim of this blog post series is to provide inspiration to the TARGIT community and hope that as many people as possible will engage in and share their TARGIT experiences and inspiration as well.
TARGIT is one of the best and innovative front-end Business Intelligence & Analytics tools I have worked with over the last ten years. And trust me, I've worked with many. I've always been interested and passionate about providing powerful and inspirational user experiences when it comes to Business Intelligence reporting.
In every project I am involved in, it's always my goal to give my customers an impressive ROI, plus more than they expected.
It's the same with the tools I use. I am always looking for ways to use standard tools in ways that never were imagined possible.
This will become apparent over the course of the next few months.
Below is a list of topics I will be discussing in the coming months:
Please feel free to contact me if you wish to add a topic or contribute to existing topics. And be sure to come back next week when we really get started!
Curious to know more?
Check out our product pages
We use cookies to improve your site experience, but they also provide us with information on your use of our website.
To find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, see our Privacy Policy. By continuing to browse the site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.


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Chicago (November 2007) -- Dr. Wann Langston, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, is the 20th recipient of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology's highest honor – the A. S. Romer-G. G. Simpson Medal. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, which was founded in 1940 by thirty-four paleontologists, now has over 2,000 members representing an international group of academic professionals, students, artists, preparators, and amateurs focused on the study of fossilized backboned animals. The A. S. Romer-G. G. Simpson medal is named for Alfred Sherwood Romer and George Gaylord Simpson, two intellectual giants of the 20th century in vertebrate paleontology and evolution. The award is given annually to a member of the SVP who demonstrates sustained and outstanding scholarly excellence and service to the discipline of vertebrate paleontology. Wann Langston recently accepted his award during the 67th annual meeting of the SVP in his hometown of Austin, Texas.
Wann's fossil-collecting career spans almost seven decades and includes iconic fossils such as the giant pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus, and Deinosuchus, one of history's largest crocodiles. His publication record spans 59 years and includes many important papers of enduring impact. While professor at the University of Texas at Austin, he supervised 14 graduate degrees and served on many more graduate committees. Langston served as vice president and president of the SVP in 1974-1975, and continues to play an active role in the work of the society. Significantly, Wann is also dedicated to the public understanding of paleontology, and in his career has shared his knowledge of fossil organisms and ecosystems through museum exhibitions, popular articles, and television appearances. Timothy Rowe, J. Nalle Gregory Regents Professor of Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, and a nominator for Langston, commented that he "presents an awesome model for the diverse and sustained contributions he has made to the Society and toward the expansion of our audience. I don't believe that any one member of the Society has ever embodied so many talents or performed for so long at such a high level of accomplishment."
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology is a non-profit organization dedicated to professional vertebrate paleontology. Please view our policy page here. Please view the sitemap here.


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3 Tier Steamer
- Corrosion-resistant stainless steel delivers hotspot-free cooking with any hob type, including induction
- A vent on the lid prevents the hazardous build-up of steam
- Strong, riveted steel handles with an ergonomic silicone wrap
- Removable steamer baskets can be taken out to use the pan as a 3L casserole dish
- Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
- Dimensions: L29cm X D22cm X H35cm
VonShef 3-Tier Steamer
If you're looking to cook healthy, balanced meals quickly and easily, look no further than this excellent 3-tier steamer from VonShef.
With its three tiers of steaming power, you can cook up separate servings of nutrient-rich, low-fat vegetables and meat separately, all from one hob.
Healthy cooking
Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook. It requires no added fat while locking more nutrients in, offering you a highly nutritious and low-calorie way to cook your favourite vegetables and meats.
Durable, versatile build
Made from tough stainless steel, this steamer is built to last. Combined with an aluminium encapsulated base for superior heat conductivity, it can be used on any hob type, including induction.
Flexible usage
Removable tiers allow you to choose between 1, 2 or 3 tier usage. If you're in need of a standalone casserole pot with a 3-litre capacity, feel free to remove all three tiers.
Satin finish
With an attractive satin finish, this steamer would look at home on any stove or countertop.
Safe to handle
Riveted cast steel handles with silicone grips offer sturdy handling that's always cool to the touch.
Dimensions (Inc. Handles & Lid) – 29cm X 22cm X 35cm (Length X Diameter X Height)
FREE UK Mainland Delivery *Excludes highlands & islands
- Delivery can be expected in 3-5 Working Days
£2.99 Next Day Delivery (Order before 1pm) *Excludes UK highlands & islands
- Delivery can be expected next day if ordered Monday-Thursday
Read Full Delivery Details here
If you change your mind, you can return your product to us within 30 days of it being dispatched, unused and in its original retail packaging.
If you wish to return an item you must contact us to receive an authorisation number. [email protected]


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"ELIZABETH" has had significant upgrades in the past year. The first impression ELIZABETH imparts to her visitors is of disarming elegance. Rich cherry wood joinery and sumptuous appointments, hint at an Edwardian refinement and yet the very nature of the space speaks to polished informality. Thanks to noteworthy design and engineering, ELIZABETH's main salon and formal dining areas - separated by a beautiful and unusual granite bar - are unencumbered by space - stealing support columns. The result is a room with the kind of space and proportion usually found on significantly larger yachts!
Kevin Callahan P: +1.954.768.0707 M: 954.913.6316 email@example.com
1300 SE 17th Street
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
United States


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We here at RKG have been, putting it politely, less than enthusiastic about running PPC ads on the content nextworks.
Why? Because, historically, content clicks performed horribly.
In the early days, content was teaming with click fraud.
Google has made considerable progress tossing out bad guys over the last year. Google also offers advertisers more options to tune content campaigns. Kudos for both improvements.
The remaining issue with content advertising is intent -- people reading online are less likely to purchase than people searching online.
It like comparing an affinity mailing list to a response mailing list. Fact: addresses receiving Car And Driver magazine are less likely to buy auto parts through the mail than addresses who have previously bought from the JC Whitney catalog.
Content often has lower sales per click, and typically dramatically lower volume of qualified clicks. And often, the traffic is on the retailer's brand name itself, and we've long argued that much of the sales from brand searches isn't incremental.
Some advertisers can find some good clicks in the content haystack. The issue is how many, and is the time finding them well-spent.
Our agency's position on content has softened quite a bit, but we're still far from raving fans, due to our maniacal focus on conversion.
After years of content-bashing, I had a sudden and unexplained twinge of guilt: was it hypocritical to criticize AdSense without being a publisher?
(Cue the ominous Star Wars music. Cue the video of Obi-Wan warning Luke about the Dark Side.)
There's a post on our blog that averages about 500 visits a day.
The page gets traffic from a handful of first-page results on Google, for terms quite unrelated to our agency's core focus, from visitors quite unrelated to our typical prospective client.
To experience AdSense from the other side, we'll place Adsense on that one single post. We'll report on the relevance of ads Google serves into that slot. We'll describe our progress "optimizing" that page to maximize AdSense earnings (yuck!). And we'll donate all AdSense earnings to charity, with RKG matching the Google check ten-fold.
Stay tuned.


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Leaps N Beats: Petit Leapers Ballet & Jazz Class
Mar 4, 2017 9:00 am - 9:45 am
Age Range
Leaps N Beats Mumma and Bubba class is perfect for children 2 years and under to gain an introduction to dance and develop confidence!
This class is run by Paris and her team at Leapnbeats Dance School. To sign your child up or learn more about their classes, please head to www.leapsnbeatsdance.com.au or call Paris on 0404 997 930


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There has been a lot of publicity and questions about the tax upon owners of homes who do not live in Spain. There is some confusion as to weather this tax is included in the rates tax which it is not.
You must pay for each property:
*Local Taxes (Council Tax, IBI) these are the rates.
These taxes are paid directly to your Town Hall or via the SUMA offices. They are a form of Council Tax or property rates.
*Government taxes (Non residence tax)
Often this tax is referred to as income tax or property income tax which can lead to some confusion as it can be thought that if you don't have an income in Spain then I don't have to or should not have to pay it. The non resident tax it a tax for the possibility of using your property for a rental income. You have to pay it if you rent your property out or not. These taxes are paid to the Agencia Tributaria (Tax Authority- Hacienda). They are an income tax on your property. You must pay non residence tax whether you rent out your property or not.
This means that all Spanish holiday home owners should be paying at least 2 taxes. If you try to avoid these there will be a sanction levied against you which will increase the amount to be paid.
How much do I pay?
In this area it is worked out buy 1.1% of the rateable value, then 24% of that amount.
You can find the rateable value on the rates bill; it is normally quite lower than what was paid for the property when purchased.
If the rateable value of your home is 70,000€ then 1.1% is 770€ 24% of that amount is 184.8€
The non residence tax is paid by filling in a modelo 210 tax form which can be down loaded from the internet here
The form once filled in, needs to be taken to the bank, pay the tax.
If you are officially resident inSpainyou do not have to pay this tax and you do not need a fiscal representative.
The form is quite complicated if you do not understand Spanish (and even if you do). You can appoint a fiscal representative (which is a requirement) who can be anyone that can fill the forms in for you and make the payment on your behalf. A Fiscal Representative must be resident inSpain. The tax authorities will send all correspondence relating to your tax affairs inSpaindirectly to your Fiscal Representative. Appointing a Fiscal Representative will ensure that the Spanish tax authorities has a point of contact, so that unnecessary debts or fines can be avoided. The tax office will not send notifications outside ofSpain.
For the individual owner, appointment of a Fiscal Representative is relatively straightforward, requiring the completion of a written Authority nominating the Fiscal Representative and payment of the required fee.
The Spanish Tax Authority have sent out letters to over 300,000 owners of Spanish property who have not made a Spanish tax declaration in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The letter is notification that non-residents who do not make the annual declaration should rectify this in order to avoid further investigation taking place.
Non-residents should be aware that letters will be delivered to their property in Spainand that the deadline for non-resident tax declarations is December 31st .So the tax for 2011 needs to be paid by 31 st of December 2012. If the tax is not paid by the deadline then there will a sanction.
Solicitors normally offer a service of fiscal representation and can cost anything from 100€ to 175€ per person or more. If you would like a cheaper option then please contact me on email@example.com


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The Old Man and the Knee
A bum knee.
I joked with Hank the other day and I told him he has a bum knee. That term makes me laugh strictly because I don't know the origins of that saying. I mean, why can't you have a bum neck? or bum elbow? Hmm, maybe you can. I've never heard of that, though, have you?
Anyway, back to the bum knee. Hank has one. Somehow he mysteriously tore his miniscus, and now he's having surgery to fix it. The kids are with some friends, and bright and early Hank and I will be at the hospital. I get a nervous energy anytime the word "surgery" is involved. So to deal with it, I decided to draw.
It's been a while since I've drawn anything for myself. And wow I've forgotten how fun it is to do! The result of it all is this:
Simply titled, For Hank
Passing of Time: Five Faces Version 4
Being a teacher and mama of young kiddos, my life is punctuated by June, July and August. Like bookends, the summer months parenthesize the rest of my year. Before September rolls around marking a fresh start and back to school, I make sure to hold my annual Five Faces photoshoot of my kids and their best friends. This morning I snapped my fourth session, and as you can see, the kids are growing up! Right before my own eyes!
Five Faces, Summer 2009
Even though some of the kiddos have food on their faces, I left this photo untouched! Part of the fun is seeing them in their natural state as they were in this exact moment of time.
Five Faces, Summer 2010
New glasses for Kate. The older girls were ready to start the fifth grade. Henry's hair was long. I love the look on Kate's face. She wasn't on board with this photo shoot this year.
Five Faces, Summer 2011
The summer before middle school (for the older girls). Henry's hair is even longer. Summer was winding down, and the nerves and jitters for the new upcoming school year were on high. And this photo was shot moments before Henry let out a HUGE sneeze and spattered mocos all over everyone's faces. That was fun.
Five Faces, Summer 2012
One year of middle school under their belts (for the older gals). Kate has new glasses. New teeth are coming in. Faces are changing. This will be Alison's last photo before braces. . at least for a while!
And that's it! I told the kids that I will shoot this series for as long as I'm alive! This could be interesting….so stay tuned!
First and Last, 2011 Edition
First, September 2010
A fading summer tan.
Crisp, fresh uniforms.
Room to grow.
Nervousness about the year to come.
Memories of a fun-filled 100 days of vacation.
Bidding adieu to summer.
Pride and confidence for completing another year.
Excitement for the next 100 days of freedom.
Hints of a forthcoming summer tan.
Ready to turn over a new leaf.
Welcoming summer with open arms.
View last year's FIRST AND LAST.
GREASE is the WORD
A 50s GREASE themed party? Yes, please and thank you.
Friday night, Henry transformed into a tuff greaser. It's amazing how fabulous a little charcoal can be for faux facial hair (simply burn the end of a wine cork, and voila! instant charcoal). I know this post is photo heavy, but sometimes stories are best told in sequence. Sneaky mama snapped these photos. Take a look.
Checking out the sideburns. "What are these things, Mama?" he asked.
Tuff guy. Complete with a pack of gum in the sleeve. We're keeping it real, folks.
Flashback Friday: Once Upon a Time
This is my three ring circus back in 2007. I love this photo so much as it captures my kids' personalities so well. Alison, the focused, competitive one. Henry, the sweet observer (with his shirt on backwards and inside out!). And Kate, the youngest, who is always wanting to join in with the bigger kids.
It makes me happy to know that my kids are laying the groundwork for a lifetime of friendship with their siblings. I know that their relationships will ebb and flow with their needs, but at the end of the day, they will always have each other.
0 to 11
A couple of weeks ago I previewed the puberty video at Alison's school. You know, the one that talks about all the girl stuff like: periods and ovaries and fallopian tubes. As I sat with the other parents and watched the animated clip of how the egg travels through the fallopian tube, my memory segued to flashbacks of watching my own puberty video. Back in the 80s, our movie was shown on a reel to reel projector, and I remember very vividly sitting in the dark watching the choppy film. The sound never quite matched up with the movie, and a man (a man!) did the voice-over for the film.
Shortly after the film was over, Mrs. Huerta, my teacher, flicked on the light switch and we all cowered from the piercing brightness (or from the embarrassment). Oh our H.Q. (humiliation quotient) would not end there. Oh no. Mrs. Huerta then brought out a life-sized plastic uterus and encouraged us girls to "FEAR NOT THE UTERUS!" Yes, that's right. To embrace our soon-to-be woman-ness, we then had to offer our hands and TOUCH THE UTERUS. I still remember the hollow thumping noise after tapping my hand on the lady parts.
Flash forward to the present video. I sat with a dozen other parents who seemed mighty serious, and for most of the twenty minute video, I found myself feigning interest. To distract myself, I also posted on Facebook:
Within five minutes, the comments started. And then the texts. And more texts. The very friends who sat next to me in that health class texted me to remind me also of Mrs. Huerta's hairy mole. And before I knew it, I was absorbed in the past, stifling laughter and remembering those awkward moments of adolescence.
And now. Full circle. I get to relive that awkwardness of my 11 year old as she balances precariously between two phases of her life: child and tween. Some days she's moody and hormonal, and other days, she's still my little girl. Recently her friend gifted her a basketball for her birthday, and much to her delight, she is finally able to palm the ball. Something my own grown hands can't seem to do. A seemingly insignificant milestone, but one that shows how fast she's growing up. I feel fortunate to be able to guide her through these years…even if it means reliving puberty.
Flashback Friday – La Bebita
Bebita – 12/28/2006 – 6 months
My littlest babe. Now that she's in kinder, she doesn't like to be called "Baby Kate" anymore. So I've switched to "Bebita." The same name disguised in another language. It's all the same, though. No matter how old, no many how many years pass, she'll always be my Baby.
El Día de los Muertos + Halloween
A whirlwind weekend of celebrations left us pretty wiped out by the time Monday rolled around. We enjoyed our (second) annual trek out to the Hollywood Forever cemetery for the Día de los Muertos. (View last year's photos).
We also had fun on Halloween. Despite feeling sick the night before (103 fever!), Kate had pockets of time where she was feeling ready to rock and roll. Luckily, trick or treating was during that time. . .by the time night fell, she was feeling feverish again. A little candy helped that, though.
The Unhappy Hobo, Mister Mario, and Jovial Jessie.
Remember, last year? It's amazing how much they've changed in a year!
Spooky Ooky
A little photoshop fun with my kidlets. I made these into little labels for their treat bags.
Wishing everyone a Happy (and safe!) Halloween!
The Long Journey
To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.
Kate + Henry, 2005
Our morning began with a flurry of passing time, one which required me to locate a missing shoe and sign a permission slip with seconds to spare. As always, it's a constant race against time. Once we pull up at the school campus, Henry pops out of the car, flips open the hatch to retrieve his sister's backpack and lunch box. Taking care of his sister is what he loves to do.
Once we arrive at Alison's class, Henry leaves her with a hug and an "I love you." We repeat this at the next juncture, Henry's classroom. Another hug and an "I love you," and Kate is on her way to her classroom down the hallway. Our days unfold in this predictable manner, and yet each time, my heart tugs a bit to see the love and affection from my Henry.
My sweet, sweet Henry. And did you know that experts say that those on the spectrum avoid personal contact and affection? But Henry? He's defied that stereotype.
He's an anomaly.
He's also sandwiched between two strong-willed, determined sisters. Like bookends, their wants and wishes usually get pushed to the forefront, and Hank and I find ourselves in a most impossible place. We spend most of our days trying to juggle the lives of two "typical" children with Henry's not-so-typical life. His days are filled with speech, RSP, occupational therapy, tutoring, swimming (at an occupational clinic). In comparison, the girls' lives are seemingly so easy and effortless. There's incredibly athletic Alison who can shoot a free throw just as easily as she can ace an exam. And then there's Kate who, at age 5, is writing and reading, and most recently she's started cursive writing.
And then there's my son, the boy who climbs mountains every single day.
His days are full and busy, and most nights he goes to sleep exhausted from the day. Whether he's being tutored or whether he's working on his motor planning skills with his occupational therapist, he manages to keep fighting the fight. He's the one who amazes me every day.
Never once have we uttered the word AUTISM to the girls, and even Henry doesn't know he has a label. He's so much more than a title, and I refuse to have him pigeonholed into a definition. A label wouldn't demonstrate his affection for his sisters or the love he has for animals. It would deny his sense of humor, his silliness, and his thoughtfulness. (Did you know that most evenings, he thanks me for cooking? and offers me a compliment too?) On rare moments, we see him as a typical brother as he pesters and teases his sisters, but most of the time he's sweet Henry. He's so much more than that stagnant label.
Despite these perfect moments, the ones that paint a glossy vignette, we find ourselves in a valley, a low point. We're doing everything we can to help Henry scale that mountain, but as with parenting any child, Hank and I are finding ourselves without a map. We're following our gut instincts, but lately most nights end with more questions than answers. Reaching that peak seems more challenging than ever, but we're all in it for the long journey. Our Henry will keep fighting.


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Many of us, who are new to Windows Phone may not know how to open a webpage URL link in new tab (new window). After using Windows Phone for couple of days I found a way to do it.
What is Tab? It help you open multiple websites, hyper links in a single browser windows to make better and faster browsing experience.
How to open a webpage in new tab in Windows Phone
1. Access your website: Wikpedia, news website etc.
2. Tap (long press) on a link you want to open in new tab, this will bring various list of actions such as as following.
Open in new tab
Copy link
Share Link
Now, tap on a option 'Open in new tab'.
This will immdeitly open the link in new tab.
You can use second option to 'Copy Link' to copy the webpage URL and paste it in an email.
Also, you can use 'Share Link' option to share the URL on Social Media sites or send it as email or SMS it.
3. If you want to get back to orignal webpage URL you were accessing then tap on the three dot (...) area in right hand bottom side of the phone screen and then tap on tabs option. Now from list of Tabs choose the Tab you want to open up.
Or otherwise, longpress (<-) back button on your phone and flip between various tabs in Internet Explorer browser on your Windows Phone.
Note: By flip option you can switch between upto 5 tabs.
Applies To: Windows Phone 7, Windows Phone 7.5, Windows Phone 8


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January 2011
A recent Cancer Council Victoria survey found eight out of 10 Victorians believe smoking shouldn't be allowed in outdoor areas where children are present, while seven out of 10 believe smoking shouldn't be allowed in outdoor restaurant dining areas.
Smoke-free areas give smokers a reason not to light up, helping them to cut their tobacco consumption and eventually stop smoking for good. They also help people trying to quit smoking stay on track. As for non-smokers, smoke-free areas de-normalise smoking for children so they are less likely to take up the habit later in life.
Together with the Heart Foundation (Victoria), Quit is lobbying individual councils in Victoria to address smoking in their communities. Some councils have already taken action; with Frankston City Council establishing a smoke-free outdoor mall in the city centre and the City of Port Phillip and Surf Coast Shire banning smoking on beaches. This is a fantastic start.
What can you do?
Supporting smoke-free playgrounds, sporting fields, beaches and outdoor dining areas is one way you can help further drive down smoking rates and smoking-caused illness.
Why not contact your local council and lobby them to introduce smoke-free outdoor areas? Find your local council and the relevant contact details.


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After we arrived, one of the rangers here told us that there didn't seem to be any birds in the area. Nicole was more than a little bummed by the comment but persisted none the less.
As it turns out, there are plenty of birds in the area. They just aren't big on being obvious.
We'll start out with two, new-to-us birds.
Although we've seen the dark eyed junco before the Slate-colored variant is new to us.
No, we didn't mess up. There really is a bird in this photo.
Same photo with one section enlarged. How's that for camouflage?
This one is super stealthy which earns it the very appropriate name of...
Here's a few more we've spotted around the campground.
And, for our warbler tri-fecta...
Myrtle variant of the Yellow-rumped Warbler (another new one for us)
Although we've seen the typical form Rock Dove, this Dark form (appropriately named as it loomed over us from on high) is new for us.
Our first 'large bird' spotting was this beautiful and stealthily positioned immature Red-shouldered Hawk.
On a misty day this Hermit Thrush (new bird, new bird!) appeared and posed a great challenge for our camera.
To wrap this up we'll conclude with a triple play in the Woodpecker family from smallest to tallest.
That is the gist of our bird observations thus far. As the camping season whittles down and the flow of humans decreases, we expect we'll continue to see several familiar and perhaps a few new birds occupying their favorite sites. Rest assured though that they'll most likely do so very quietly.


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The Mets will try to make the postseason for the third year in a row for the first time ever.
First time ever? The franchise has been around since 1962, but the Mets are searching to make that a first in 2017.
The Mets are in a very weird position. It's a win-now team. The lineup has a ton of age, the pitching has been together for a couple of years, and you never know how many more opportunities you'll have to keep knocking on the door.
I love the Mets pitching, but it has questions.
I expect Noah Syndergard and Jacob deGrom to deliver at the top of the rotation, but the performance of Matt Harvey and health of Steven Matz is a serious concern.
Will both Harvey and Matz last 162 games and perform at a high level?
Offensively, the lineup runs way too hot and cold. It's way too reliant on the home run, and will they be able to manufacture that needed run in a tight situation?
The presence of Jose Reyes over 162 games should help, but can the Mets find offensive consistency?
The team has its questions, and it also has to deal with a formidable foe in the Washington Nationals that won the division a year ago.
Washington may have its postseason demons, but the roster is full of more superstar talent than the Mets.
The Mets have Yoenis Cespedes, but the Nationals counter with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and everybody's favorite former Met, Daniel Murphy.
It was a tale of two races in 2015 and 2016 between the Mets and Nats.
In 2015, the Mets dominated the rivalry, while 2016 was the polar opposite for the Nats.
The Mets inability to win the division proved costly, because instead of playing a best-of-five series against the Dodgers, a team the Mets had defeated the year prior, they were forced to play a one-game playoff against the battle-tested San Francisco Giants.
They had to beat Madison Bumgarner in a winner-take-all game, and it's fair to say it didn't turn out too well.
The difference between winning a division and playing in a wild-card game could mean everything.
If the Mets had defeated the Giants last season, they would've faced off with the eventual world champion Chicago Cubs...coulda, shoulda, woulda.
Last season, the Mets were not equipped to take down the Cubbies because of the injuries in the starting rotation.
In 2017, assuming the Mets rotation is right, they are the one team the Cubbies would want no part of in a postseason series.
Why? Pitching dominates the postseason.
If healthy, the Mets would be able to roll out a postseason rotation that features Syndergard, deGrom, Harvey and Matz, a rotation that was a part of a four-game sweep against the Cubs in the 2015 National League Championship Series.
The Mets rotation dominated the Cubs and made one of the best lineups in baseball look foolish.
As a baseball fan in April, you can only dream of such a matchup, but for the Mets, it's not about matching up with the Cubs quite yet.
It's about figuring out a way to get to October.
If the Mets can find a way to October, they'll be super dangerous.
You can listen to me Friday and Saturday from 2 to 6 a.m. on CBS Sports Radio and Sunday from 2 to 6 a.m. and Monday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on WFAN Sports Radio 660/1019 FM.


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The state Department of Revenue, after a successful trial program in Jacksonville, is adopting a statewide policy of filing criminal charges against business owners who fail to pay Florida sales taxes.
In most cases, the filing of criminal misdemeanor warrants prompts owners to pay the delinquent tax, but two weeks ago a Broward County bar owner pleaded guilty to issuing a worthless sales tax check to the state.
According to Larry Wood, director of collection and enforcement for the revenue department, the case was the first in the state in which a criminal conviction was obtained against an individual for refusal to pay sales taxes.
"It's going to go statewide quickly," he said.
"If the civil process does not work and there are no assets to levy, (we can use) the misdemeanor statute. We've only done it occasionally."
Wood said bars, restaurants and auto-repair shops top the list of businesses that frequently don't foward sales taxes to the state.
Barney Fox, district manager of the state's revenue division in Broward, said Gilbert A. Click, who owned Joy's Bar on Southwest 27th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, was the first person prosecuted under the new policy.
He said Joy's bar went out of business in November.
Fox said Click sent the state a check for $1,049. Authorities said Click pleaded guilty after charges of writing a worthless check were filed against him. He was fined $200 and ordered to make restitution, according to Fox.


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I love utilitarian simplicity, subtle textures and muddy colors. My life is calm & quiet, I am perfectly content being a bore ♥
I like to make things that remind me of home, of childhood or that have a classic enduring elegance and cozy vintage charm. I like to create and share things that people will love, find completely clever or strangely appealing.
I love crafting with my hands…sewing, embroidery, weaving, knitting & crochet, soap making, sketching, painting, bookbinding, cooking/baking, anything artsy. I'm More of an accessory/necessity crafter…small and satisfying. I tend to get completely obsessed about the little details!
I also love collecting…vintage buttons, Victorian & black and white photos, fabric & sewing supplies, crochet/knit & sewing leaflets/booklets from the 30s-80s, Japanese craft books & other crazy cute Japanese stuff, swatch watches, costume jewelry & bakelite bangles, striped scarves, pincushions, old printer wood blocks & type, flour/feed sacks, depression era clothes, toys and children's novelties, anything old-timey that's endearingly sweet, cool, creepy or weird.
Other things I love…my perfectly charms me author..jazz man..nerdy geek..sexy..coffee loving..home brewer husband and my smarty-pants, compassionate..cute, animal loving veggy..politically correct..anime freak..Converse obsessed daughter, my 1890s home, pens, pencils & letterpress stationary, popcorn, rotary phones, squishies, teeth, auctions, planners, embroidered tea towels & pillowcases, documentaries, shortbread cookies & white bakery cake with white frosting, the entire Dover pictorial archive, banana chai bubble tea, scissors, music, natural fibers, spearmint, cuckoo clocks, my tries to be good rotten dog and bitchy cat, good pots and pans, rice cookers, snow, settling in, aprons, musicals & plays, chinese food, miniatures, good lighting, pickles, electric bread & postage stamps. "start a revolution, stop hating your body".
I prefer salty to sweet.
Things I dislike…big box stores, sweating, peas, theater in the round, houseplants, dog hair, seafood, reality tv..most tv, wine, eye twitches, religion, lotion, cigarette smoke, bugs, potlucks & humidity.
I also constantly contradict myself…so all this may not still hold true tomorrow.
Got Questions? email@example.com


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For every tune-up Perfect Star performs in February 2020, Perfect Star will donate $10 to the American Heart Association's Life Is Why We Give™ campaign.
Perfect Star Heating and Air Conditioning
"We Keep You In Your Comfort Zone!"
With over 30-years of experience, Perfect Star provides the East Bay Area, including Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, with unmatched HVAC services. We feel it's our duty to be friendly, honest, and knowledgeable, putting your comfort first. We're proud to be a locally owned and operated family business, as well as a Lennox, Goodman, and American Standard authorized dealer.
No matter the home or the budget, we offer Furnace / Heating and Air Conditioning installation, repair, and maintenance, as well as Ductwork and Indoor Air Quality services. If you are simply looking for a tune-up to get your current heating or cooling system back to factory standards or looking to increase the energy efficiency and comfort of your home, we're here for you.
Perfect Star Heating and Air Conditioning is Diamond Certified and the proud recipients of the "Best of Brentwood 2017" Bronze Medal Award and the 2018 & 2017 "People Love Us On Yelp" Award.


text: Jewish values and practices infuse daily life at Avoda. All our meals are kosher and each begins with the hamotzi and ends with the birkat hamazon blessings. Shabbat services are held on Friday nights and Saturday mornings in our beautiful lakeside outdoor chapel site amid towering pines. Havdalah and Tisha B'Av services are both meaningful and memorable, as is our annual trip to Israel for staff and alumni. We are proud to be part of K'lal Yisrael, the larger Jewish community.


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WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury announced a tax overhaul proposal reducing the corporate rate and closing loopholes that favor large corporations.
The tax plan is meant to create jobs in the United States and keep corporations from shifting profits abroad, which allows them to dodge paying taxes to Washington, Treasury said.
"As I said in the State of the Union, it is time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America," President Obama said in a statement.
He called the current corporate tax system "outdated, unfair, and inefficient."
A tax overhaul was required, "to make us more competitive and create jobs here at home," Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said.
Giethner said the tax plan would "boost growth and provide American companies with incentives to invest in the United States while simplifying and cutting taxes for our small businesses."
Treasury said there were five "major elements" to the plan, including cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 28 percent while eliminating "dozens of tax loopholes and subsidies."
The plan is even more generous to manufacturing firms where the "effective rate (would be) ... no more than 25 percent," Treasury said.
Treasury did not spell out which loopholes the Obama administration was targeting.
Geithner told the Senate Finance Committee Feb. 14, "We're going to propose a broad reform that will lower rates, broaden the base and eliminate or wipe out ... dozens and dozens and dozens of special tax preferences for businesses."
Part of the plan is aimed at simplifying the code for smaller businesses -- those without platoons of lawyers at their disposal.
"Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas," Obama said in his State of the Union address Jan. 24.
"Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it. So let's change it."
When he visited Master Lock Co. in Milwaukee last week, Obama called for tax cuts for U.S. manufacturers and higher taxes for companies that move overseas.
Obama said in his State of the Union speech it was time to end subsidies and tax breaks for the oil industry, which "rarely has been more profitable," and time to offer additional tax credits to companies developing alternative energy sources.
The top U.S. corporate-tax rate is 35 percent, among the world's highest, but many companies pay less due to credits, deductions, exclusions and exemptions, The Wall Street Journal said.
Geithner suggested last year the corporate-tax rate should move toward the "high 20s" from its current level.


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The Trials of Life
20 November 2016
I've been watching the first few episodes of Planet Earth II through iTunes and, as usual, I'm staggered by the scenes the BBC have been able to capture. In episode 2, where the bears are scratching their backs, that had my 13 month old son laughing. They are unparalleled.
To my surprise, the BBC series that got me hooked on natural history is available on iTunes: The Trials of Life. 12 (no where near close to HD) episodes that were originally given to me on VHS as a gift over 25 years ago that still stick with me to this day. They must have been good.


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I have always been an animal lover, so every year I look forward to Disneynature's films. They have covered many different species in their films and this year they are covering several more, all from one location: China! Born in China features many animals but primarily Giant Pandas, Snow Leopards, … [Read more...]
Catching Up with Sonya Walger and Executive Producer Allan Heinberg of The Catch!
Last year, I had the chance to visit the set of a then-brand-new show on ABC- The Catch. The show had only aired a couple of episodes but I already loved it. The style was amazing, the dialogue was witty, and the story was incredibly interesting! The Catch is back for Season 2 and they've changed … [Read more...]
Revisiting Beauty and the Beast with Director Bill Condon and Alan Menken!
When I first found out that Beauty and the Beast was being reimagined into a live action movie, I was mostly excited- but also a little bit hesistant. The original animated film was such a staple of many of our childhoods, and I had my fingers crossed that this new version would do it … [Read more...]
Beauty and the Beast Live Action Film Review
Beauty and the Beast came out two weeks after my 3rd birthday. For years, it was my everything- I played sang Belle constantly, watched the movie repeatedly, and had a whole set of toys that would reenact the movie daily. It was a major part of my life as a child and for years I've even been debated … [Read more...]
Fun Beauty and the Beast Gifts for the Whole Family!
Well the day we've all been waiting for is here- Beauty and the Beast is in theaters right now! While the movie is sure to be nostalgic for those of us who grew up watching the animated version {and for our parents, who watched it with us!} it also lets us share the movie with our own children. … [Read more...]
Exclusive Interview with Audra McDonald {Garderobe} and Gugu Mbatha-Raw {Plumette} from Disney's Beauty and the Beast!
Last weekend during the #BeOurGuestEvent, we had the chance to speak to two women who are beautiful inside and out- Audra McDonald {Madame de Garderobe} and Gugu Mbatha-Raw {Plumette}. We sat down and chatted with them about what spoke to them about the movie, what it was like playing objects, and … [Read more...]
Celebrating Beauty and the Beast with Williams Sonoma!
I absolutely love Williams Sonoma. They are one of the only catalogs I subscribe to and every time I get one, I sit down and enjoy looking at each and every page. I was so thrilled to have the chance to attend a special blogger event during the #BeOurGuestEvent last week at the Williams Sonoma in … [Read more...]
Exclusive Interview with Luke Evans and Josh Gad- Gaston and Le Fou in Beauty and the Beast!
Last week at the #BeOurGuestEvent, I had the opportunity to interview many of the people behind Beauty and the Beast. Yesterday I shared my interview with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, who play Belle and the Beast, and today I'm sharing some interesting facts we learned about the "bad guys"- Luke … [Read more...]


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About Sydney
Sydney's laid-back outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world's easiest and most pleasant cities to visit. Sydney's harbour is its natural playground, the dominant factor in so much of what the city has to offer. The city has a wide-ranging cultural life, dynamic food scene and vibrant cityscape of outstanding contemporary and colonial architecture. Iconic beaches and five major national parks deliver unforgettable experiences.
Transport is easily accessible in Sydney. Trains, buses, monorail and ferries operate very frequently on a daily basis. Day Tripper tickets are available for buses, train and ferries. The City Sightseeing "hop on hop off" visits the famous sights of the city.
For more information, visit www.city-sightseeing.com and choose Sydney.
Sydney is known for its harbour lifestyle, fantastic beaches and good weather – all contributing to a relaxed environment that permeates the city and its visitors.
The city's dining options are numerous, from an alfresco seafood lunch at Circular Quay to a three-course meal at world-famous Bondi Beach. Sydney's restaurant scene also reflects the city's cultural diversity, with inspiration from the finest Asian, European and Middle Eastern cuisines, combined with the freshest Australian ingredients, to create a gourmet paradise.
Under warm skies, the harbour is an everyday focus that can be enjoyed from the top of the famous Harbour Bridge or from a boat on the water.
Just west of Sydney lies the beautiful Blue Mountains, while to the north the Hunter Valley wine region beckons. Both regions are perfect for visitor day trips.
For further information on Sydney and surrounding New South Wales, visit the following links: www.sydney.com or www.visitnsw.com.
Sydney is blessed with wonderful weather, enjoying temperate climate with a mild winter, and has more than 340 sunny days a year. Average temperatures in the winter months of June through to August ranges from 8 to 18°C. The summer season is from December through to February.


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Subtle and creamy-white in coloration, Ding Ware has a refined aesthetic. It was created during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and became one of the most highly desired pottery forms of the Song (960-1279) to Jin (1115-1234) dynasties.
Treasured by emperors and other elites, Ding Ware was produced in large quantities for both personal and official use. This exhibition presents the finds of a 2-year-long, large-scale excavation that began in 2009 at the Ding kiln site and was led by the Hebei Provincial Institution of Culture Relics and Archaeology. It presents 66 excavated findings from the site, which is known to be one of the greatest Chinese archaeological discoveries. New historical information and notes on the artisans' process are also presented; Nov. 23- March 23.
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka. 1−1−26 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka. Naniwabashi Stn. 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. ¥ 800. Closed Mon. 06-6223-0055; www.moco.or.jp


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The news that Teach First with its national brand of teacher preparation is to expand into rural areas where schools are under-performing raises the interesting issue of how long two system of teacher preparation can co-exist within the same framework for teacher preparation?
By contrast to Teach First, School Direct, apparently also favoured by government, is a devolved, school controlled, training route where individual schools can decide from year to year whether to train teachers or not depending upon local circumstances. So long as they can ensure trainees reach QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) Schools with School Direct places allocated to them have considerable autonomy.
In many senses the two routes – School Direct and Teach First are at opposite end of the spectrum in relation to national control and management of the process and outcomes of teacher preparation. Caught between the two are the universities, and their tried and tested model of training that has consistently been well evaluated by Ofsted, but is irrationally unpopular in some political circles.
How much longer this range of different approaches can continue is a moot point. There seems to be a growing feeling at Westminster that schools need help to improve and, having created a decentralised model that diminished the role of local authorities, schools have in some cases become too isolated. It may well be that the lessons learnt from the improvements in London schools over the last decade show that the cohesive nature of the borough system, with its four yearly election cycle, has meant that the rhetoric about local authorities no longer having a key role to play has been ignored across most of the capital in a manner that hasn't happened outside London. However, it may be that even in London it is the Directors of Children's Services that have often provided the glue that holds the service together rather than local politicians, and it is directors that have helped the head teachers create the turnaround, especially in the primary sector.
In my view, the Cabinet system of government has been unhelpful for education as it has reduced the number of local politicians involved in the education service. The removal of the local authority presence on academy governing bodies has also broken the link between communities and bodies responsible for functions other than education, leaving heads sometimes not understanding the role of the school in the community. I wonder whether the re-introduction of a committee structure into local government that allowed greater democratic oversight to schooling might not be a bad idea. I am supported in that view by the fact that a parish council in Oxfordshire announced this week that it wants to open an academy without as far as I can tell any reference to the county council: local democracy in action?
On the other had I read today in the press that the president of ASCL seems to favour schools being allowed to used unqualified teachers despite his members turning their noses up at many applicants to the School Direct Salaried route with the freedoms it confers to schools in both the selection and training of new teachers. Perhaps, he is worried that with expansion of Teach First the idea of a national teaching force that can be deployed at the behest of government into under-performing schools might have moved a step closer.
It would surely be the height of irony if an organisation whose director of research once ran a right wing think tank posed a solution for teacher supply, training and employment that runs contrary to market principles: but didn't the Chancellor say in Leeds earlier this week that markets don't always get things right. Perhaps the day of the fully autonomous school is once again under scrutiny. If so, taking control of the teaching force might be an interesting place to start.


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It seems that Droid users might be in for a bit of a surprise when they start installing apps. The new Droid phones, like all other android devices, are limited to a total of 256MB for all installed apps. Sure there's an SD card to add more memory to the device but you can't put apps on it. As John Gruber points out, his iPhone has 1.8 gigabytes of apps:
I just checked, and I have about 1.8 gigabytes of apps installed on my iPhone. Many of the top iPhone games weigh in at 50 or even 100 MB each. My two biggest games alone (Texas Hold'em and Need for Speed Undercover) weigh in at just over 256 MB combined. Just two games. John Gruber Daring Fireball
It seems odd that a device touted as an iPhone killer would be limited to 256MB of storage, but in reality that limit is only for the apps themselves, not their "content". Developers are encouraged to use the SD card to store application content, such as sounds, photos, videos or other resources that are downloaded after the initial installation. But that's only "encouraged" to use the card, not forced. One app could easily hog the entire 256 megabytes of space if the developer chooses to.
Even if developers are all considerate and dutifully use the SD card for storage, keeping their app footprint tiny, a problem still exists. Dealing with the SD card just adds unnecessary complexity to the app and the user experience when it's not necessary. What if there is no SD card for the app to use? What if the SD card is removed temporarily or while the app is running? As an end user do I need to upgrade my SD card just to install some fancy new app? How do I transfer all the data on my current card to a new one?
It just seems unnecessarily limited to only include 256MB for apps considering I can get a cheap 16GB thumb drive that's so small I can hardly hold it. Why not just provide gigabytes of built-in storage to begin with?


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Grief Counseling and Support Groups at Schools
We partner with local schools and community organizations to provide support services to anyone that is grieving the death of a family member or friend.
services are free of charge, but the following forms are required prior to the start of services:
- Printable Application – Can be completed
by the legal guardian.
- Statement of Understanding – Must be signed by the legal guardian.
- Authorization to Release Information – Must be signed by the legal guardian.
All documents can be faxed (518-285-8145), emailed (Tara.Hempel @ sphp.com) or mailed to us.
Once we receive all the required paperwork, one of our bereavement counselors will contact you to schedule an appointment.
The following documents are optional tools, providing more information on our services:
- Letter to Families - explains our grief support service availability, and the required paperwork.
- Teacher/Staff Memo - may be used to encourage referrals from teachers or staff.
- Outreach Program Description - provides more information our grief support service options.
Please call Tara Hempel, LCSW for more information 518-285-8189.
Crisis Support
Crisis Support
The Community Hospice provides support to neighborhoods and communities where sudden traumatic death occurs.
When schools are faced with the death of a student or staff member, the Community Hospice bereavement team is available to work with them to organize and implement their school crisis plan.
If the death is anticipated, the Community Hospice bereavement team provides in-service education to school staff regarding child and teen grief, how teachers and families can help prepare students, and how members of the school community can best support each other.
If the death is sudden, Community Hospice assists the school's crisis response team with their immediate plan of action. They meet with staff to provide guidance and support in processing the crisis, and offer bereavement counseling when needed. They meet with affected students to support them and help them cope with the death, identify at-risk children and teens, and provide intervention or referrals to suitable professional providers when needed. They assist with plans to memorialize the person who died, and may lead a private memorial service for school staff members.
After the death, the Community Hospice bereavement team provides educational sessions about child and teen grief to families and staff, and offers individual or family bereavement counseling if indicated.
Please call Ciara Diemer, LCSW at 518-724-0200 for more information.


text: waspie 51 Report post Posted January 22, 2015 Probably worth having a fresh post on this. Here's the route: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Southampton+Arms,+139+Highgate+Road,+London+NW5+1LE,+United+Kingdom/The+Grafton,+Prince+of+Wales+Road,+London,+United+Kingdom/Tapping+The+Admiral,+Castle+Road,+London,+United+Kingdom/Honest+Burgers,+Camden+Lock+Place,+London,+United+Kingdom/Brewdog+-+Camden,+London,+United+Kingdom/Euston+Tap,+Euston+Road,+London,+firstname.lastname@example.com,-0.1528105,14z/data=!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761aff4673e33d:0x296bcb0d6b0395a!2m2!1d-0.146174!2d51.556021!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761afcd3efddfd:0xf93592ce3e1eb475!2m2!1d-0.144486!2d51.546721!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761ae342f8b217:0x32b85b47145b286f!2m2!1d-0.14611!2d51.5453!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761ae3fdcc4f53:0x344a52fd0e83e154!2m2!1d-0.146566!2d51.54136!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761b1fd450350d:0x6a7ebb828a1875d9!2m2!1d-0.14093!2d51.538306!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761b25a3d9eb69:0x4b910f196280de71!2m2!1d-0.132568!2d51.526906!3e2 Around 3.00pm ish - start at Southampton Arms (Kentish Town or Gospel Oak Station). http://www.timeout.com/london/bars-pubs/southampton-arms We could easily get stuck here for a while. It's one of the best real ale pubs in London. Warning that it's cash only and a fair walk from the nearest ATM. 20 minute walk, or 5 minutes on the train, to The Grafton (Kentish Town West or Kentish Town)- http://www.timeout.com/london/bars-pubs/the-grafton http://thegraftonnw5.co.uk/ It's a bit trendy, but still a good boozer, with about 8 beers on tap. 3 minute walk to Tapping the Admiral - (Kentish Town West or Kentish Town) http://www.tappingtheadmiral.co.uk/index.html Card carrying CAMRA members get 30p off a pint. 10 minute walk to Honest Burgers (Camden Town) - London's best burgers. Nice little selection of craft beers to wash them down - including their own Honest Pale from the Beavertown Brewery. 10 minute walk to Brewdog (Camden Town) - http://www.timeout.com/london/bars-and-pubs/brewdog-1 http://www.brewdog.com/bars/camden You probably know what you're getting here. Uber-trendy, expensive, everything on keg. Why bother? Because they still make good beer, there's often something interesting on guest, it's a long walk to Euston and it would be rude to walk past. It's also usually fairly quiet on a Sunday. 20 minute walk to Euston Tap (Euston or Euston Square) - legendary craft beer pub outside Euston Station. On a Sunday evening, we may even get a seat Aiming to be at the Euston Tap by 7. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Mountain and trekking hostel in and around Réunion Island - 2 matches
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Hell-Bourg (19 mi. to Cap Lahoussaye ()) Map
Mountain and trekking hostel | P'ti Blanc des O in Hell-Bourg is a group gîte consisting of a small house of Creole architecture, typical of the uplands. Read more
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Mountain and trekking hostel | Located in the heart of the Basse Vallée forest, which is home to many of Reunion's endemic species. Read more
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NCEA Deplores the US Government's June 10 Statement on the COI-Eritrea
June 13, 2016
NCEA Deplores the US Government's June 10 Statement on the COI-Eritrea
The National Council of Eritrean Americans (NCEA) in strongest terms deplores the recent statement issued by the US Department of State on the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Human Rights Situation in Eritrea. As Americans of Eritrean origin we expect a fair and balanced response than what we read. Neither the politically motivated mandate of the Commission of inquiry nor the US lead campaign to isolate Eritrea serves the cause of human right in Eritrea; in fact we believe it is a prescription for yet another war in the Horn of Africa, as Ethiopia, sensing it got a green light from Washington, has embarked on another path of aggression by attacking Eritrea a mere hours after the Department of State's wholesale "endorsement" of the COI's faulty findings.
We were expecting better from the Department of States which knows well that the Commission's findings, particularly its allegations that it "finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in Eritrea since 1991" are patently false and an utter fabrication. As various sources have been reporting, fair-minded foreign diplomats based in Eritrea do not agree with the COI's findings. As evidenced in the June 8 press conference of the Chair of the Commission, the image the COI tried to present was in clear contradiction with what the foreign journalists who had recently visited Eritrea witnessed. As we will try to show below, experts that have been studying Eritrea are also voicing their strong disagreements with the Commission's findings and its faulty methodology.
The State Department in its Press Release from June 10, 2016 stated that: "United States takes note of the recently issued report by the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Eritrea, in particular its conclusion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in Eritrea. We have repeatedly expressed grave concern about the human rights situation in Eritrea, and that concern has been reinforced by the COI's findings" is beyond the pale. As Americans of Eritrean origin we find this US rush statement designed to influence the Geneva Process reckless and offensive. As a community with an intimate knowledge of the reality on the grounds in Eritrea we had submitted to the Commission thousands of our written testimonials along with scores of thousands of other Eritreans in the Diaspora; none of which was taken into consideration.
Not only was our testimony neglected, according to Atlantic Council's Bronwyn Bruton, the Commission has also "refused to consider the academic literature on Eritrea; refused to use press reports; refused to speak with experts who'd traveled recently to the country; refused to speak to UN staff and Western diplomats inside the country." [1] Instead, as Tanja R. Müller of the University of Manchester stated, many people "who live, have lived or continue to visit Eritrea, have multiple connections within the country and could have contributed to the COI's understanding. They were deliberately ignored, and the result is a document that describes a country many Eritreans do not recognise."
Müller adds that the COI's report was "predominately based on interviewees with self-nominated participants in the diaspora [who] in different ways left Eritrea, often experiencing abuse on their journeys, and have learned to navigate international refugee law and asylum systems. This does not make their testimonies wrong, but would call for a nuanced understanding or interpretation in any social science discipline. Human rights advocacy might not be social science, but one would at least expect inconsistencies to be followed up." As she tries to underline how the COI wholesale accepted a fabrication she mentions the following: "A prime example of those has travelled the internet widely, when a representative of Canadian mining company Nevsun, accused in the 2015 COI report to use slave labour to dig underground tunnels at Bisha mine in Eritrea, made the point that Bisha is in fact an open-pit mine."[2] Louis Mazel had also testified that the Bisha mining is indeed a "huge open pit-mine", without any underground tunnels. Not only this, Müller also states that the findings of the COI are based on testimonies of witnesses "recruited by human rights activists who have their own means of advocacy and persistence, and for example hire public lobbying companies in order to spread their narrative of Eritrea (I was for a while bombarded by emails from such a company with sensational news until I contacted them and asked to be removed from their list). … What is harder to justify and exemplifies the flaws in the COI report is the fact that all additional experts that were consulted came from the spectrum of human rights advocates in a broad sense, and included hardly anybody with recent first-hand experience of Eritrea." [3] Bronwyn Bruton rejects the Commission's substandard investigation using these words: "the team was only able to do field research in Ethiopia, which is effectively at war with Eritrea. Obviously, this is shockingly poor scholarship—if a college undergrad tried to ignore all academic scholarship and spoke only to people who agreed with him, he'd get flunked out of school." [4]
The COI's faulty conclusion is based on at least three faulty premises. As any student of elementary logic would agree, all those who start with false premises can easily imply any conclusion they wish to get at. These false premises include:
- "All those that leave Eritrea are leaving for political reasons". Bruton has this to say on this one: "The mere fact that 60,000 people are leaving Eritrea isn't necessarily proof of a massive human rights crisis. … Eritreans have until extremely recently, been granted automatic asylum rights in Europe. There are push and pull factors at play."
Furthermore, the President of the United State's in his 2012 address to the Clinton Global Initiative of September 25, 2012 had admitted that his government has a direct and active hand in the pull factors that are making people to leave Eritrea and other African countries pretending to be Eritreans. The President's words were: "I recently renewed sanctions on some of the worst abusers, including North Korea and Eritrea. We're partnering with groups that help women and children escape from the grip of their abusers. We're helping other countries step up their own efforts. And we're seeing results." The results he is seeing is not only the flooding of Europe with African impostors who claim Eritrean identity falsely but also the suffering of women and children in the hands of human traffickers in North Africa and the death of hundreds of innocent Africans by drowning in the high waters of the Mediterranean Sea hopping the paradise that was promised to them by the US President and his agents.
Wikileaks documents [5] also show how US diplomats are willing to bend and out right violate US visa laws in order to encourage Eritrean "regime opponents" to flow to the US. Again innocent youth falsely promised a paradise and free education are perishing in the Sahara Desert. The New York Times [6] also reported in 2010 how some Asmara based American diplomats were among those facilitating the exodus of youth from Eritrea. It is ignoring these facts the State Department issued its statement on June 10.
- "All those that claim to be 'Eritreans' are Eritreans". Every East African, Ethiopian, Somali or Sudanese for that matter even a West African knows that the easiest ticket a political asylum in Europe, Canada or the USA is to claim he or she is an Eritrean. It is Ethiopians, with the help of the minority regime in Ethiopia who are taking advantage this blanket preferential treatment of "Eritreans", as a result every 4 out of 5 of those who have been resettled in the US are actually non Eritreans who falsely claimed Eritrean identity. Müller states that "In contrast to citizens from a different African country, the Gambia, who top the list of those having entered Italy illegally this year, Eritreans are predominately given asylum and thus it pays to be Eritrean or rather pose as such. There are multiple reasons to leave Eritrea – or any other African country for that matter." The BBC's Mary Harper in her recent report from within Eritrea puts it this way: "Western and other diplomats based in Asmara tell me the Commission of Inquiry's report is "unhelpful" and does not reflect accurately the current situation in Eritrea. [They] describe as "absurd" descriptions in the media and elsewhere of Eritrea as "Africa's North Korea". An international human rights worker I meet outside the country says an estimated 30% of people who claim to be Eritrean for asylum purposes actually come from Ethiopia. I'm told others are Sudanese. Some Ethiopians and Sudanese share languages, physical characteristics and cultures with Eritreans, and it is significantly easier to obtain asylum as an Eritrean." Andreas Melan, Austria's Ambassador to Ethiopia corroborates Harper's report for he is quoted to have admitted that "30 to 40%" of those who claim to be "Eritreans" when they reach Europe are actually "Ethiopians". What these means is the Commission is falsifying numbers to reach its desired conclusion.
Trying to underscore how numbers are being cooked at will by the Commission, Müller draws a parallel between the number of people that were claimed to being killed every month in Darfur and the number of Eritreans that are leaving their country every month by saying: "Maybe 5000 has become a magic figure in relation to when to trigger a 'crimes against humanity' claim?"
- "All those that the COI interviewed will tell anything that jeopardize their pending political asylum cases or recent approved cases". This premise is best debunked by what an Israeli investigative Journalist of Ethiopian origin, Dabby Adeno Abebe, found in 2012. "My cover story has not been finalized yet, but luckily I run into Jeremiah, who's been in Israel for three years now. 'What do I tell those who ask how I got into Israel?' I ask him. 'Lie,' he says. 'Don't tell the whole story. The Israelis, and mostly the non-profit groups working with the infiltrators here, like to be lied to. Say you were a soldier, and that if you return to Eritrea you'll get a death sentence. Keep in mind that you must be consistent with your story. The bottom line is that everyone uses the story I'm telling you here, and this way they fool everybody,' he says. 'Almost none of them arrived on foot from Egypt to Israel. None of us crossed any deserts…it's all nonsense.'" [7]
Since the mid 1940s Eritrea and Eritreans have been victims of numerous politically-motivated unjust policies orchestrated by few vengeful diplomats who chose to place their own ego and interest above of that of the people of the United States and the Eritrean people. Individuals who used and abused their position in the Department of State or the White House to frustrate the Eritrea people's aspiration for independence and after a hard won independence to undermine the independent government of Eritrea to promote their sinister agendas of regime change. In the words of a British historian: "Eritrea was seen as a bunker state; they were less easy to control. Ethiopia had a more reliable military perhaps. Their policy was more directable and perhaps predictable. Whereas Eritrea, from the mid 1990s, it was clearly seen unpredictable and couldn't be relied upon to do certain things that Washington might wanted to do...." [8]
The numerous "Unprovoked US Hostilities Against Eritrea" [9] are well documented and one can find them in the reference given below. For now it suffices to list the following egregious offenses we witnessed since 1998:
- A botched US mediation process and escalating the 1998-2000 border war by giving Ethiopia a green light to bomb Asmara, Eritrea's capital, June of 1998;
- Purposely looking the other way when the minority government in Ethiopia was violating the human rights of 76,000 Ethiopians of Eritrean origin through the heinous act of ethnic cleansing and deporting them by arrogantly saying it had the right to do so even for not liking the "color of their eyes."
- Coaching and encouraging the minority government of Ethiopia not to accept or implement the final and binding decision of the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC).
- Abusing their influence in the UN Security Council to protect Ethiopia when it was in clear breach of international law and attempting to create alternative mechanism to violate the "final and binding" EEBC decision so as to award Eritrea's sovereign territories to Ethiopia.
- Serving as the architects and surrogates of the illegal sanctions that were imposed on Eritrea in 2009 and of all the blatant fabrications that accompanied it and arm-twisting members of the Security members, particularly the African members.
- Serving as lead lobbyists at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to create the illegal mandates of the Special Rapporteur and Commission of Inquiry as they saw the 2009 sanctions were being discredited and all other members of the Security Council were asking for their lifting.
Given all these, the statement of June 10, 2016 seems to be designed to restore credit to an otherwise discredited report by the COI. Any attempt designed to support a fraudulent COI findings reached through a fraudulent methodology is a disservice to the Eritrean people's attempt to live in dignity and liberty and is ultimately against the interest of the United States. The US State Department should refrain from being influenced by people who have an axe to grind against Eritrea. As Eritrean Americans we would like to see a US policy based on a far-sighted analysis that creates and nurtures friendship rather than being influenced by egotistic personalities who use their high offices to block and frustrate experts' recommendations for positive US/Eritrea engagement. Once more the NCEA would like to say "enough is enough"!
- Ashish Kumar Sen: What the UN Gets Wrong About Rights in Eritrea: A finding of crimes against humanity would be indefensible, said the Atlantic Council's Bronwyn Bruton http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/what-the-un-gets-wr... June 7, 2016. (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- Tanja R. Müller, Human rights as a political tool: Eritrea and the 'crimes against humanity' narrative, June 10, 2016. https://tanjarmueller.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/human-rights-as-a-politic... (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- ibid
- Ashish Kumar Sen: What the UN Gets Wrong About Rights in Eritrea: A finding of crimes against humanity would be indefensible, said the Atlantic Council's Bronwyn Bruton http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/what-the-un-gets-wr... June 7, 2016. (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ASMARA146_a.html (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- Jeffrey Gettleman, In Eritrea, the Young Dream of Leaving, June 19, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/world/africa/20eritrea.html?_r=0 (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- Dabby Adeno Abebe, The dark side of Tel Aviv: Journalist poses as African infiltrator, spends week in Tel Aviv's most volatile neighborhood http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4239481,00.html (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- Richard Reid, Eritrea's External Relations, http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/eritreas-external-relations (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)
- Research and Documentation Department. People's Front for Democracy and Justice. Asmara, July 2012 http://www.dehai.org/archives/semg-12/att-0560/UNPROVOKED_US_HOSTILITIES... (Last Accessed June 12, 2016)