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Harmony is a Shopify Template for Musical Instruments store. Its design is generic so that you can use on any type of store. Clean design and powerful features compliance with all Shopify features, it's a must-have template for your Shopify store.
Harmony is made by a Shopify Experts:
Included in the purchase package:
- Theme package to install on your Shopify store
- Layered PSD design files
- Detailed installation & user guide documentation.
Responsive Design
Fluid width: Design is optimized for all the most popular screen resolutions. When screen is resized, design elements are transformed smoothly on each breakpoint (from 240 to 1680 pixels) in order to adapt to the current resolution
Drop-down Menu
Well responsive and mobile friendly.
Slideshow Module
- Showing beautiful slideshow image and many orther configs
- Free upload images
- Well responsive and mobile friendly
- Showing icon Quick View for each product in the homepage and category page
- Help customer quickly view product details, select options and Add to cart
Adding Zoom and LightBox effect in product details page
Including system modules useful for latest news, tags
Featured Products
- Showing many items with Tab Panel
- Well responsive and mobile friendly
Featured Collections
- Displaying all collections in home page with Scrolling Panel
- Well responsive and mobile friendly
Main Features:
- 100% Responsive: Looks good on Mobile, Tablet and PC
- Fluid grid system 20 columns
- Configuring background and color for header, content, footer and some other modules easily
- Mini dropdown login
- Mini dropdown cart
- Showing popup message when add to cart
- Supporting multi currencies
- Custom logo, favicon upload easily
- Supporting Twitter embed widget
- Supporting Newsletter with Mailchimp
- Supporting List and Grid in collection page, search page, all product page
- Supporting Sort by in collection page, search page, all product page
- Working Contact form with Google Map
- Related Product with slider effect
- Easy social sharing buttons on products
- Style customer area
- Style checkout area
- Faster page loads with image lazy loading Integration with the Google Web Fonts library
- Beautiful typography
- Detailed documentation
Community Support & Customer Support
Our support team guarantees to respond you within 24 working hours. You can send us email to email@example.com, when you receive an auto-response email it means that your question has been delivered to our system ticket system. We will proceed tickets and respond you to in the queue order.
Our working hour is from 8:00AM to 5:00PM GMT+8 Monday to Friday.
Version 1.1 - 2013-09-19: - Fix change currency in quickshop
Version 1.0 - 07/26/2013: - Initial release
Look for different styles:
Check out our other templates.


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Resources for Library Support Staff
Welcome to the Library Support Staff website! Here you'll find information for and about library support staff and paraprofessionals. If you have suggestions about resources that you would like to see included, contact Beatrice Calvin at firstname.lastname@example.com.
General Information
- Overview
- Who are Library Support Staff
- What are they called
- List of Support Staff Positions in Libraries
- History
- Bibliography
Support Staff Work Environments
- Library Assistant (from Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Library Technician (from Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Library Assistant & Technician Videos (from America's Career InfoNet web site; scroll down to either title, click on view to see short videos; approx. 2 minutes)
Career Outlook and Employment
Education and Training (Certification)
The American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) in partnership with the Western Council of State Libraries has developed a national Library Support Staff Certification Program.
Some states in the U.S. offer certification at different levels, or grades, for public and school librarians. Some of these levels may not require the MLS. Some require varying numbers of library science coursework. While others consider the number of years of experience. The ALA-APA has compiled lists of State/Regional Certifications (primarily for public library staff).
- Directory of Library Technician Programs by State
Institutions Offering Certificate, Associate, and Bachelor Degrees Compiled by Council On Library/Media Technicians (COLT)
- LTA Programs Map (PDF File)
- LTA Survey Highlights (2005)
A project of the Library Technical Assistant (LTA) Education Committee of the Community and Junior College Section (CJCLS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) - a division of the American Library Association (ALA)
- LTA Survey Purpose Letter
- Criteria for Programs to Prepare Library Technical Assistants from the ALA Committee on Education, Task Force for Review of the Criteria for Programs to Prepare Library Technical Assistants, 1998.
Financial Assistance
- The American Library Association offers a number of scholarships for library support staff.
- Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies Programs
- Published by the American Library Association's Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, this comprehensive guide includes financial assistance offered by state and provincial library associations, eductional institutions, and local libraries in the United States and Canada.
- Criteria for Programs to Prepare Library Technical Assistants (PDF File)
- LTA Competencies (Compiled by the Connecticut Library Association Support Staff Section) (Word File)
Issues/Issue Papers
Other Resources
North Carolina Library Paraprofessional Association Blog
The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal
- One Model for Creating a Career Ladder for Library Support Staff, Sept. 2009 article by Jane Fama and Elaine Russo Martin of the University of Massachusetts Medical School
- ALA Library and Information Studies and Human Resource Utilization, Jan. 2002. (pdf)
- Final Report from the ALA SSIRT Task Force on Career Ladders, June 1999. (pdf)
- Advancement for Support Staff - Issue Paper #6 from the World Book-ALA Goal Award Project on Library Support Staff, 1991.
- Responsibility Without Authority - Issue Paper #7 from the World Book-ALA Goal Award Project on Library Support Staff, 1991.
- Auburn University Libraries Developing and Implementing a Library Career Ladder (Click on Duke 06 in left-hand navigation -- PowerPoint)
- 3rd Congress on Professional Education: Focus on Library Support Staff (COPE III) Held May 16-17, 2003 at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL
- Addressing Paraprofessional Issues: 101+ Strategies
- What are the Issue Papers?
- Issue Paper #1 Certification for Support Staff
- Issue Paper #2 Basic Education for Support Staff
- Issue Paper #3 Continuing Education for Support Staff
- Issue Paper #4 MLS Librarian/Paraprofessional Communication and Mutual Respect
- Issue Paper #5 Compensation for Support Staff
- Issue Paper #6 Advancement for Support Staff
- Issue Paper #7 Responsibility Without Authority
- Issue Paper #8 Terminology
- Issue Paper #9 Role Definition
- Issue Paper #10 Support Staff Morale
- American Library Association (Special membership offer for library support staff)
- Library Support Staff Interests Round Table (LSSIRT) of ALA
- ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR)
- LSSIRT's National Directory of Paraprofessional Associations
- Council on Library/Media Technicians (COLT), An international organization which works to address the issues and concerns of library and media support staff personnel.

subset: commoncrawl


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Amherst couple demonstrates domes' potential in their backyard
AMHERST -- It just so happens that the strongest structure made my man, the geodesic dome, also makes for one heck of a great design for a greenhouse.
Through their new company, Clint and Britt Ellsworth are using the domes to create year-round environments for gardening.
The Ellsworths are the owners of www.harvestpathway.com, a company that specializes in both greenhouse dome kits and custom-built geodesic domes. The structures range in size from as small as 10 feet in diameter to almost as large as the imagination (and local zoning regulations) will permit.
The domes are fashioned of pine two-by-fours and are covered in a material manufactured in Germany called SolaWrap, which resembles bubble wrap and offers incredible energy efficiency, light diffusion, and durability. According to the Ellsworths, who have the exclusive rights to sell SolaWrap in North America, the material can withstand heavy snow loads and won't buckle under gale-force winds.
"My father builds these domes in Alaska and they've survived storms with 135 mile-per-hour winds," said Clint. "Because of their shape and the material, the wind just goes right over them. There's nothing for the wind to grab onto."
The Ellsworths first got into building the domes when Britt's parents said they wanted one.
"We found a book online. It was horribly written and had bad instructions, but after we fixed a few errors in the math, we figured it out," said Clint. With the help of his dad, they built their first dome, and they realized they were onto something special.
On their own property in Amherst, the Ellsworths decided to put their design to the test in a big way, and they erected a massive dome that spans 38 feet in diameter. And though it's impressive from the outside, it's the aquaponic design inside that is truly remarkable.
On one side of the dome is a large tank and that's fed by a waterfall. In that tank, the Ellsworth will be raising tilapia, a white fish. The water from the fish tank, laced with natural fertilizer, will then circulate through a bed of gravel that runs along the inside of the dome.
In this gravel, the Ellsworths will grow a variety of vegetables and fruits year-round including leafy greens, strawberries, and tomatoes. As the water moves through the gravel, it will deposit the fertilizer and get filtered before returning to the fish tank.
But fish and leafy greens aren't enough to satisfy a New Englander's hunger, so in the center of the dome, the Ellsworths have constructed a dirt bed where onions, potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables will grow. The beds are all built waist-high so there'll be no bending over to plant or harvest, and the gravel beds won't grow weeds so that chore is eliminated from gardening.
Because of the shape of the dome, the building gets sunlight from whatever direction the sun is heading, and on a warm March day, the temperatures inside the dome reached well over 100 degrees. But on cold winter days, the Ellsworths will heat the structure with what's called a "rocket mass heater."
The heater is essentially a barrel with a convection system built inside. But unlike a traditional wood stove, the chimney is at the bottom of the barrel and is channeled through a brick and gravel "bench" which absorbs the heat from the exhaust. By the time the smoke is vented outside, most of its heat is left inside the building.
"It's an incredibly efficient source of heat," said Britt. "You can use sticks instead of logs and get the same amount of heat."
Work is almost completed on the Ellsworths' own private biodome, and they'll begin growing soon. But in the meantime, they're meeting the demand for the dome kits by outsourcing manufacturing to a company in Pennsylvania. But their hands will still be getting dirty on the custom domes, Clint said.
For more information visit www.harvestpathway.com
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Having drawn since childhood, Keith Haring (1958–1990) came to prize the creation of what amounted to his own pictorial language, using and reusing an infinitely malleable series of icons in arrangements meant to not just express, but to also communicate with the viewer. Masterful in its use of positive and negative space, work such as this was often created in sumi ink on paper in mere moments, and included renderings that became more overtly political after Haring's diagnosis with AIDS in 1988.
This framed art print is a page from a catalogue published by Gallery Lucio Amelio in Naples, Italy in 1983. Edition of 300. Continuous tone print. Framed. White 4-ply mat with white painted wood frame.
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Giants-Patriots Super Bowl XLVI Song "Throw So Good"
Tim Capezzone and Ian Cunningham have another parody song. This time the duo remade the 1997 hit "Feel So Good" by Mase.
So You Want To Go To Indy?
So you want to go to Indy, but you're not sure of the best/cheapest way to get into the biggest game of the year, right? SeatGeek and CBS Local have teamed up to give you […]
Super Bowl XLVI: The Rematch
Eli Manning and Tom Brady's rivalry presented in graphic form. We're giving you a comprehensive, head-to-head look at Eli Manning's Giants and Tom Brady's Patriots in preparation of Super Bowl XLVI. Get details on their […]
Giants Vs. Patriots Is Old School Vs. Cutting Edge
Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick present one of the most fascinating coaching duels for a Super Bowl, as the two approach the game in entirely different ways.
From St. Croix Roots, Linval Joseph's Super Sunday Dream Now A Reality
By Timothy Bella When he would return to visit his father in St. Croix, Linval Joseph and his brother, Isaac, would make a makeshift basketball hoop out of a piece of board and a milk […]
Report: Gronkowski Will Play In Super Bowl
BOSTON (CBS) – Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski's ankle injury has prevented him from practicing thus far, but according to a report, that will not prevent him from playing in Sunday's Super Bowl. "Barring a […]
Gisele Urges Friends, Family To Pray For 'Tommy'
BOSTON (CBS) – When Tom Brady takes the field for the Patriots on Sunday evening, he'll be protected by his offensive line and the power of prayer. The New York Post on Thursday morning posted […]
Chris Canty To Giants Fans: 'Get Ready For A Parade On Tuesday'
The Giants are taking Tom Coughlin's mantra, "Talk is cheap, play the game," and throwing it out the window.
Palladino: Forget The Stars, This Super Bowl Belongs To Herzlich
Mark Herzlich took the radiation. He took the chemo. He had the tumor removed, replaced with a steel rod that runs down the inside of his femur. And he kept his chin up.
Report: Umenyiora Fined $20,000 For Skipping Media Session
INDIANAPOLIS (CBS) – Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora missed his session with the media on Wednesday, and as a result, his wallet is going to be a little lighter. Umenyiora was fined $20,000 for missing […]


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- Independent
- The Enterprise
- The Recorder
On Monday evening, social media was abuzz about the storm that technically never was.
Although National Weather Service data indicated that the county spent a good chunk of Monday under a flash flood warning, a tornado watch was never issued for the area. Despite this, residents from across the county took to Facebook and Twitter to post pictures of a funnel cloud that was spotted rotating over the county from the Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge in Newburg all the way to the northern end of Waldorf. The cloud never touched land, which would have reclassified it as a tornado.
Around 7:20 p.m. Monday, Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department spokesman Jeff Duer and his wife Anita, both trained NWS weather spotters, were leaving the Safeway in Waldorf when they spotted the cloud. The Duers decided to follow it.
"It was this rotating wall cloud. Because it was so weird, we decided to check it out," Jeff Duer said. "We got behind it from a distance. It was definitely rotating counter-clockwise."
The Duers got a picture of the cloud swirling above where McDaniel Road meets Smallwood Drive in Waldorf and alerted the NWS. Shortly thereafter, a tornado warning was issued for southern Prince George's County, from Brandywine up through Clinton.
"It was really a fluke because the ferocity of it was not there," Jeff Duer said. "There was no thunderstorm. That storm was already moving out of Charles County into southern Prince George's. Why it didn't touch down, I have no idea, but I'm glad it didn't."
Aside from some wind damage reported at Woodville Road in Waldorf, Duer said, the funnel cloud did not leave any destruction in its wake.
"It was just an out-of-context storm. It's a hard one to classify," Duer said.
NWS spokesman Kevin Witt said Tuesday morning that the office had not received any damage reports from the storm, and was still waiting on more conclusive information from weather spotters about what happened. Witt expected to have more conclusive information by Wednesday morning.


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Cheap ski holidays in hundreds of ski resorts worldwide.
Nb: infants must be under the age of 2 and
children must be under the age of 12 at the time of
This is without doubt the most spectacular property in Zermatt, if not the Alps. A huge 300m2 Manhattan style loft set in a wooden chalet in the Swiss Alps; it combines acres of glass, steel, textured concrete and wood in a unique symphony of fusion architecture created by local star designer Heinz Julen. The Loft was Heinz's private home where he hosted many rock-star parties. We are honoured that it is now exclusively available for rental through Mountain Exposure.
Access is a 2 minute walk from the top of the Omnia Hotel lifts, for which you will have a special key. The village end of the lift delivers you to the heart of Zermatt, in the main street close to the church. The sense of space, light and closeness to nature that the Loft provides is unparalleled: there are no barriers between the nature outside and the home space inside - all is fluid and free. On the two sides overlooking the village, the walls consist of floor to ceiling glass, with French windows 6 metres high leading to a large terrace. (There is a white electric exterior curtain that can wrap itself around all that glass if need be). The ceiling is supported by seven columns, while the glass walls have an inset fireplace and three alcoves.
The main loft living area has a suspended and illuminated table which can be raised and lowered from coffee table, to dining table, to ceiling height; the latter creating a large party space. In one corner you can play on a baby grand Steinway piano, while in another you can sink into a large sofa and gaze simultaneously at the stunning view over the village and at the crackling fireplace set into the glass wall. Around you: two desks, jack-in-the-box armchairs, a wall of art, and a signature Heinz Julen chandelier. In fact, all the sought-after furniture in the Loft is designed by Heinz.
•Sleeps 6 in three double bedrooms, 3 en-suite bathrooms. •The two loft side bedrooms have glorious village views; the master bedroom has a restricted view but more space.•Private lift•Space galore!•Designer furniture throughout•Suspended window fireplace•Private sauna•Numerous balconies and terraces•Unique views of the village•TV/DVD with cable television•Unique rotating bed and sofa in the master bedroom•Jacuzzi bath (with curtain) on the mezzanine floor•Unlimited wireless broadband internet
Overlooking the main loft area, there are two double en-suite bedrooms, one above the other. Each bedroom has its own small bathroom with shower and WC, and a balcony. The third, master bedroom is very private with its own landing. It is an exact replica of the famous Into the Hotel suites created by Heinz Julen, featuring a free-standing bath with wood-slatted massage cover, an island bed on a rotating floor, his and her bedroom sinks, a seperate shower room and WC, a walk-in wardrobe, a sofa, and a TV set into the glass window.
Both levels of the Loft are served by a private lift (elevator).
Iglu acts as a travel agent for disclosed principals/tour operators, further details
of which will be made available at the time of booking. Your holiday contract will
be bound by the tour operators terms and conditions.
Prices are shown for a basic room or unit, can be subject to change and are indicative
until time of booking. Please call on 020 8544 7114 for prices for other travel
and room options for this property.
Prices shown are per person per week based on maximum occupancy. Descriptions and
quality ratings are provided by the Tour Operator (or one of the Tour Operators
where similar holidays are offered by more than one supplier). We reserve the right
to make minor adjustments to the description or rating based on staff and customer
feedback. For payments by credit card, a 2.5% credit card charge (4% for AMEX) will
be added to your invoice. If you pay by a UK issued debit card, there is no charge.
All bookings are subject to a £5 per person Passenger Admin Fee charged by Iglu.com.


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AHS Aviation Handling Services GmbH
AHS Aviation Handling Services GmbH was established in 1990.
The company's share capital is €500,000.
AHS Aviation Handling Services GmbH (AHS Group) provides passenger and aircraft handling services on behalf of airlines and their representatives at 15 German airports.
The company is owned by the airports Hannover (34.75%), Hamburg (32.25%), Bremen (12%), Stuttgart (10%) and Münster/Osnabrück (10%) and by AirPart, Nuremberg (1%).
The AHS Group employs more than 2,000 people across Germany.
Gastronomie Flughafen Hannover GmbH (GFH)
The company's business activities include entertainment and operating catering facilities at Hannover-Langenhagen Airport, including the associated secondary business segments.
The company's share capital is €194,290.91. The company's shareholders are Flughafen Hannover-Langenhagen GmbH (50%) and Mövenpick Restaurantbetriebsgesellschaft Deutschland mbH, Stuttgart (50%).
AirITSystems GmbH (AirIT)
AirITSystems GmbH (AirIT) was established in September 2001.
The company's share capital is €2 million.
AirIT's shareholders are Flughafen Hannover-Langenhagen GmbH (50%) and Fraport AG (50%).
The company is based at Hannover Airport with offices in Frankfurt city center and at Frankfurt Airport.
AirIT is a system house, user and operator. It provides IT services and solutions in the areas of security, network technologies, business processes and SAP, as well as collaboration solutions with the AWARO project room.
AirIT's solutions are scalable across all industries, sectors and company sizes. As a Hannover Airport IT service provider, the company also operates all of the airport's information and communications systems.
Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Langenhagen Flughafen mbH (WFG)
The business development company Langenhagen Flughafen mbH (WFG) focuses on the acquisition, development and management of sites to promote trade and industry in the Hannover-Langenhagen Airport area.
The company's share capital is €25,564.59.
Its shareholders are the City of Langenhagen (50%) and Flughafen Hannover-Langenhagen GmbH (50%).
Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG)
The company focuses on the cross-regional marketing and image development of the Hannover region and the promotion of tourism in Hannover and its surrounding area through its own work and activities and in cooperation with its partners.
The company's share capital is €216,000,
of which Flughafen Hannover-Langenhagen GmbH holds 0.74 % (€1,600).


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ANBESOL is Dentist Strong so the Pain is Gone!®
Nobody likes to hear the word "cavity." And nobody likes to feel the throbbing pain that can come with it. Unfortunately, toothaches are usually the result of a cavity or lost filling that's causing the pain.
Cavities are caused by acids produced by bacteria in plaque build-up on your tooth. These acids eventually eat through your tooth's enamel surface. This in turn creates a bigger and deeper cavity.
If you think you have a cavity or if you feel a pain in your mouth (dull, sharp or otherwise), visit your dentist immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment. In the meantime, for instant toothache pain relief, try doctor recommended Anbesol® Maximum Strength.
Directions for Use: To open tube, cut tip of the tube on score mark with scissors. adults and children 2 years of age and older: apply to the affected area up to 4 times daily or as directed by a doctor/dentist. children under 12 years of age: adult supervision should be given in the use of this product. children under 2 years of age: consult a doctor/dentist. for denture irritation: apply thin layer to the affected area do not reinsert dental work until irritation/pain is relieved rinse mouth well before reinserting.
Other Directions: Allergy alert: Do not use this product if you have a history of allergy to local anesthetics such as procaine, butacaine, benzocaine, or other "caine" anesthetics.
Active IngredientsBenzocaine 7.5% (Oral anesthetic).
Inactive IngredientsBenzyl alcohol, carbomer 934P, D&C yellow no. 10, FD&C blue no. 1, FD&C red no. 40, glycerin, methylparaben, natural and artificial flavor, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, saccharin.
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy is your source for natural health products. Browse our online selection of products from all of the best natural brands, or visit one of our pharmacy locations and talk with one of our licensed practitioners. From natural beauty products and cosmetics to vitamins, herbs and supplements, we offer high-quality natural wellness products for the whole family! Start exploring—shop by brand or by condition to find the perfect natural health products for your body, skin, home and more.
The products and claims made about specific products on this site have not been evaluated by Pharmaca.com or the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy will not assume liability for any cross-contamination of ingredients, misprints, or adverse reactions to any ingredients in the products we carry. The products sold here may contain lead and other substances that are known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm. Prices and promotions are subject to change without notice. All content on this web site is copyrighted by Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy unless otherwise stated. All online offers and prices are valid for online purchases only, and may be different from those in our retail stores. Free shipping offer may not apply to all orders and all states; see shipping policy for full details. Copyright © 2009 – 2015 by Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy. All rights reserved.


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FFRF Legal Victories
Church trailer removed from school
FFRF filed a complaint in July to Maury County Public Schools (Columbia, Tenn.) about a trailer from WellSpring Christian Church that was permanently parked next to the sign for Spring Hill Elementary. The church uses the school for Sunday worship servicesy.
Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote that it "is inappropriate for the District to permit advertisement of religious organizations or churches, especially a permanent advertisement, on school property. Even if allowed to rent district facilities to churches, a public school should not allow any activity that would give the appearance of promoting or supporting religion."
A school attorney responded July 19 that "The church has been informed that this trailer, along with any other advertisement it utilizes, may only be upon school grounds immediately before and during the time in which the church utilizes the school facilities."
FFRF ends Kentucky graduation prayer
An invocation and benediction were given at the 2012 Mercer County High School graduation ceremony in Frankfort, Ky. Both prayers, also listed in the official program, made reference to Jesus Christ and one ended with a genuflection.
Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote June 8 to remind the school that "the Supreme Court has continually struck down prayers at school-sponsored events, including public school graduations."
On July 20, the school district's attorney wrote, "I have advised that there should not be any prayers as part of the ceremony." He added, "While planning for the graduation ceremony in the spring of 2013 has not yet occurred, it is my understanding the School District representatives intend to make the necessary changes to next year's graduation so that this is no longer an issue."
FFRF letter halts Christian assemblies
Thanks to a July 26 letter from Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert, Signal Mountain Middle/High School, Chattanooga, Tenn., is on notice that future school assemblies cannot use warnings about alcohol as a pretext for Christian proselytization.
FFRF's local complainant detailed an assembly speech by Dave Walton, allegedly an expert on substance abuse. But a cursory search of his website, braggingforjesus.org/, reveals ulterior motives.
The attorney for Hamilton County Schools wrote Aug. 1 that many faculty members were also concerned that the presentation was inappropriate and that the presentation resulted from a "gross failure" to screen the speaker. The attorney called the situation "a good story for training."
Georgia school bans football prayer-giver
On behalf of a local complainant, FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote May 23 to Dougherty County Schools, Albany, Ga., to point out constitutional violations by a Fellowship of Christian Athletes member who gave postgame prayers for football teams in Albany.
FCA rep Bill Cox gathered the team and coaches told them to kneel. Prayers included several references to Jesus' crucifixion "fiction," including "Thank you Lord Jesus for dying on the cross to save us from our sins."
Superintendent Joshua Murfree replied Aug. 23 that Cox's activities "are inconsistent with the practices of the school system, and I have issued instructions that, because of his activities, Mr. Bill Cox is not to be permitted to come upon school property or to attend school-sponsored functions."
Murfree "reiterated to our athletic employees our practice of not permitting prayer at athletic functions."
FFRF stops Alabama graduation prayers
A graduating senior who's an atheist reported to FFRF that East Limestone High School in Athens, Ala., had graduation prayers listed in the program for which the student leading the invocation and benediction asked everyone to bow their heads and pray.
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel first wrote the school board June 4 and sent two follow-up letters. The superintendent replied Aug. 21 that schools "have been informed of the law and have taken appropriate steps to ensure that religious prayers will not be scheduled or endorsed as a part of the graduation ceremonies or any other school-sponsored events."
Georgia bible distribution halted
Thomas County School District, Thomasville, Ga., stopped allowing Gideons to distribute bibles after a March 23 letter from Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt. A middle school principal had announced over the intercom that the bibles were being handed out.
Superintendent George Kornegay Jr. replied July 16 that bible distributions "will not occur in the future in the Thomas County Schools."
Senior center agrees to obey law
Employees at Peach County Senior Citizens Center, Fort Valley, Ga., were regularly leading residents in prayer before meals, playing Baptist hymns on the piano and reading from the bible to celebrate any event or special day, according to FFRF's senior citizen complainant.
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote a letter July 26 to the center director noting that because it receives federal funds, it is subject to federal law which "is explicit and unequivocal in its prohibition on religious activities."
The center responded August 9: "[W]e have discussed this matter with the participants to educate them that our staff cannot/will not initiate, encourage, or participate in any religious based activity. Any participant that observes staff promoting religion in any way has been made aware of the Agency's grievance policy."
FFRF blocks school soccer prayer
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel sent a complaint letter July 31 about the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) hosting a soccer tournament that included prayer. Video showed a Fellowship of Christian Athletes member praying.
AHSAA responded Aug. 6 that "we certainly appreciate your concerns and take very seriously our duties and obligations under federal and state law. To that end, we intend to fully comply with all constitutional mandates."
FFRF stops daily prelunch prayers
The Tishomingo County School District will no longer allow teachers to lead students in prayer.
Iuka Elementary School teachers in Iuka, Miss., will stop leading students in prayers before lunch. Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote the school May 3 about the illegal practice.
Superintendent Ben McClung wrote July 23 to say "we understand that teachers cannot encourage students to pray or lead students in prayer."
Texas FCA adviser played active role
A coach at Hutto High School in Texas can no longer play an active role in the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. The coach/club adviser was sending emails to staff promoting FCA events and listing himself as the contact person.
Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt complained in February. On Aug. 8, a school attorney replied that the district would offering training on constitutional issues and "will also ensure that this club is truly student-initiated and student-run."
Complaint gets cross taken down
FFRF received a complaint last spring from a New Yorker who reported that a science teacher at Public School 76 in Queens displayed a cross on the wall next to the blackboard. The display included the words "love god." Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote a letter of complaint May 8 to the principal. The principal responded July 18 that "the item has been removed."
FFRF stops Community College violation
Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote April 4 to the Peralta Community College chancellor in Oakland, Calif., about a staff member using "BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE" as his email signature. The staffer had sent a system email to all district employees inviting them to join a "prayer at the pole" event.
The college's general counsel responded Aug. 22 to say that the employee is no longer sending emails with religious content.
FFRF stops Ohio graduation prayer
Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert's three letters of complaint about 2011 graduation prayer in Mogadore, Ohio, have borne fruit. The prayer given by the class treasurer was listed in the program.
The district has responded that "Field High School will not have prayer at graduation ceremonies and has enacted policies prohibiting prayer at graduation." The letter included a copy of the new policy.
Pregame prayers halted in South Dakota
The Castlewood [S.D.] School District will no longer hold pregame prayers after an FFRF complaint May 23 and follow-up letters by Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel. A video posted on YouTube showed school personnel leading prayers before sporting events.
Superintendent Keith Fodness responded Aug. 14: "Our coaching staff has been briefed on the case law pertaining to prayer as it relates to the situation described in your letter and have been instructed to act within those guidelines."
Florida probes 'In God We Trust' plates
In May, FFRF contacted four Florida state agencies about an apparent "scam in God's name" involving a policy allowing drivers to buy specialty license plates for an additional fee which goes to the group sponsoring the plate.
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel noted in several letters that the "In God We Trust Foundation" had collected over $630,000 and distributed nothing to a charity for children which it claimed to be supporting.
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles replied Aug. 27: "Our department is aware of the alleged noncompliance regarding the distribution of funds from sales of the In God We Trust specialty license plate. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not at liberty to divulge related information."
The letter added that due to the probe, "our department has not distributed any funds to the IGWT Foundation."
Did 'man in sky' see complaint coming?
FFRF's objection about a teacher at a Mandarin language immersion elementary school in the San Mateo/Foster City [Calif.] School District was successful.
A local complainant told FFRF that the teacher told students that the "man in the sky can see everything you do, but you can't see him because he is camouflaged."
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote to the district May 22 about the allegation of proselytization of a captive audience of children.
The school district informed FFRF Aug. 16 that it "has reminded its employees of the District's policy of not [teaching] religion in schools."
Court now offers
12-step options
After an FFRF letter, the Rocky River [Ohio] Municipal Court will offer secular alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous. The court had required some offenders to either attend Alcoholics Anonymous or be jailed.
Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott wrote on March 16 to the court's probation department, pointing out that courts have consistently found AA and other 12-step programs to be "religious programs for purposes of First Amendment analysis."
Chief Probation Officer Judy Nash responded Aug. 1 that the court will offer offenders other options, including information on Rational Recovery and Secular Organizations for Sobriety.
God hates divorce
in Missouri?
FFRF received a complaint about a Missouri pastor who appeared to hijack required Family Court educational programs on divorce in Jackson County by talking about himself and his faith for most of the three-hour period. The pastor also handed out fliers offering his religious services outside of class, which were held in his church.
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote to the court July 16 to ask for correction of the theological bent of the secular class.
The court responded a month later that the minister was told that "the issue of his religious faith and his ministry have no place in the teaching of this curriculum and we have instructed him to discontinue references to his background such that gives the appearance that the Court is promoting religion over nonreligious beliefs." The court will "monitor this issue with all" of its instructors.
The response noted that the court is also "actively looking for locations outside of church property where we can hold classes."
FFRF stops prayer at Michigan school
Hastings Area School District in Michigan refrained from including a prayer in its 2012 high school graduation ceremony after receiving an April 13 complaint letter from Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt. For at least 10 years, Hastings High School has included an illegal invocation in its official graduation program and selected a student to lead the prayer.
In a July 17 reply, Superintendent Todd Geerlings assured FFRF that, "there were no prayers said at the Hastings High School graduation ceremony on May 25, 2012."
Mississippi teacher oversteps bounds
A U.S. history teacher in Raymond, Miss., who brought "Truth for Youth Bibles" to class for students to take will no longer do so after a May 23 letter from Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt. The teacher also asked her students to raise their hands if they "believe that women who have abortions are going to hell."
While the teacher was present, a student was allowed to ask classmates who were "saved" to raise their hands.
Superintendent Stephen Handley replied Aug. 8 that "the teacher was given instruction and counseling on her role as a teacher in our district and the requirement of neutrality with respect to religious issues."
FFRF deletes religious recording
The recorded message of the License Office in Rolla, Mo., no longer ends in "God bless you." Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt's letter resulted in it being changed to "Have a wonderful day."
Indiana discovers the Constitution!
According to publicity, Indiana Dunes State Park appeared to be hosting and co-sponsoring a 5-kilometer event with St. Patrick's Catholic Church, with proceeds going to the church's school. In a March 15 letter, Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt chastened state officials.
A June 29 response confirmed that while a flier mistakenly stated the event was co-sponsored, the Division of State Parks did not sponsor it. The church was required to obtain a special event permit to use the park.
FFRF stops Alabama religious emails
An Alabama Medicaid Agency employee used her official email account to ask recipients to help ban an upcoming film depicting Jesus as a homosexual. Her email included a quotation from the bible and urged recipients, "Let's stand for what we believe and stop the mockery of Jesus Christ our Savior."
Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt sent the agency a letter June 20.
Acting Commissioner Stephanie McGee Azar agreed in a July 13 letter that the employee violated policy, adding that "appropriate disciplinary action" was taken against her.
Religious narrative out in Ohio
The Antwerp [Ohio] School District will no longer include religious messages in school assemblies after a complaint last fall from Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt.
A Veterans Day assembly had included recitation of "The Meaning Behind the Folding Ceremonies of the Flag," a discredited religious narrative which explains the "meaning" of each of the 12 folds of the flag. The "meaning" of the 12th fold, e.g., is to represent and glorify "God the Father, The Son, and Holy Ghost."
On Aug. 9, school attorney Kimball Carey told FFRF that the principal who organized the assembly wasn't aware of the content of the presentation, and said it wouldn't happen again in Antwerp schools.
'Faith & Family Night' fan draw dismal
California University of Pennsylvania, a public school in the borough of California, Pa., agreed after getting Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt's complaint that it's unconstitutional to offer reduced admission to basketball games for those who mention their church affiliation.
"Faith and Family Night" last Jan. 6 offered $3 admission for people who mentioned their church affiliation. Churches also were allowed to set up informational tables in the new basketball arena.
Legal University counsel Jacqueline Morrow replied Aug. 20 that she told administrators on the day of the event that the promotion was unconstitutional. "The University administrators responsible for the event were apologetic, and because the game had already been advertised, we decided that the available cure would be to make sure that everyone that attended the event would be charged the same, lower price."
Morrow added, "Not only was the plan unconstitutional, it was not successful. Attendance was low."
God's help out in San Francisco
The San Francisco Assessment Appeals Board removed "so help me God" from the oath used to swear in parties testifying at board hearings after getting Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt's February letter and follow-up letters.
Board Administrator Dawn Duran wrote on Aug. 14 that the religious oath is out and has been replaced by, "Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
Census unlinks to Catholic 'research'
FFRF was contacted by a curious researcher in November 2011 who "wanted to look up religion statistics and tried www.census.gov/," the U.S. Census website. The census stopped collecting religious statistics in 1936, but provides links to "more information." These links included the Hartford Seminary and the Glenmary Research Center (GRC).
The link to the GRC in fact linked to Glenmary Home Missioners, a missionary organization "dedicated to establishing a Catholic presence in rural areas and small towns of the United States where the Catholic Church is not yet effectively present."
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote to Census Bureau Director Robert Groves on May 22 about the links. Several follow-up letters and phone calls ensued. Seidel suggested the Pew Forum on Religion & the Public Life would be a better source.
The Census' Web and Social Media Branch reviewed all the links to religious information, and as of July 2, removed them all. The Census also now links to the Pew Research Center.
Football prayers forced to 'take a knee'
FFRF was victorious against pregame football prayer at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where sectarian prayer led by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes had been a home game staple since 2010.
Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt initially wrote to UTC Chancellor Roger Brown on May 15: "While students, athletes, and athletic event attendees may choose to gather privately in prayer, a public university has no place in encouraging or endorsing religious ritual."
Schmitt also noted that a 1997 decision, Chaudhuri v. State of Tenn., by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals held that sectarian prayers at public university events violate the Establishment Clause.
After several months of indecision, Brown announced Sept. 10 that "the right decision for the university" was to offer a moment of silence in lieu of prayer.
Brown told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that "we need to make sure there is never anybody that goes away from our campus, our stadium, our arena or classroom or work, that feels like they have been excluded or feel uncomfortable in any way."
Dr. Irving N. Wolfson, 1919–2012
FFRF member Dr. Irving Norman Wolfson, 90, Worcester, Mass., died peacefully at home in his sleep July 8, 2012.
He was born July 20, 1919, in New York City. After graduating from Columbia University, he received his M.D. from Yale in 1943, then served as an Army medical officer in India and China in World War II. He later practiced internal medicine and cardiology in Worcester and held many leadership positions in the medical community.
As an activist and humanist, he supported Amnesty International, UNICEF, American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP and Freedom From Religion Foundation. He was an FFRF member since 1989. Irving's son, Charles, sent word of his death and said his dad died "still a strong atheist."
He was preceded in death in 1983 by Annabel Kreider Wolfson, his wife of 37 years. Survivors include three children: Richard (Artley) Wolfson, Middlebury, Vt., Helen (Eric Thomas) Wolfson, Durham, N.C., Charles Wolfson, Westborough; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild: and his sister, Florence Howitt, Westport, Conn.
FFRF offers its sincerest cond-
olences to the Wolfson family.
Church Bulletin Roundup
Restaurant frames FFRF complaint letter
Blue Ridge Mountain BBQ in Blue Ridge, Ga., stopped a preferential 10% discount for churchgoers after gettomg Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt's June 26 letter. The restaurant also offered free meals for pastors dining with a paying customer.
On July 5, FFRF received confirmation that not only had the sign offering the church discount been removed, but it had been replaced by a framed copy of FFRF's letter of complaint.
FFRF adds 'nones' to 'All Faiths Day'
The West Michigan Whitecaps baseball team, which plays in Comstock Park, Mich., decided after getting FFRF's complaint that any publication would qualify for an "All Faiths Day" promotion. Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote the team president July 18 about the discriminatory promotion offering half-price seats for people with church bulletins.
A team attorney replied Aug. 9: "In actual practice, the Whitecaps accept any secular publication, such as school newsletters, community recreation department fliers, apartment and home association newsletters, municipal newsletters, and trade association newsletters and publications. . . . If a patron brought an FFRF newsletter, they would be given the same discount as a patron bringing a church bulletin."
FFRF letter ends Georgia discount
A 20% church bulletin discount at Las Banderas Mexican Restaurant in Valdosta, Ga., was ended after Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt complained Aug. 16. The owner agreed in a phone call Aug. 22 to end the discount and remove the promotion from the restaurant website.
In the News
Muhammad movie trailer sparks violence
Religious rage spurred in part by a 14-minute American-made online trailer for a movie that mocks the prophet Muhammad as a buffoon, womanizer, child molester and ruthless killer sparked violence in at least six Muslim nations and is being blamed by many for the murders of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya.
Killed in the U.S. Consulate on Sept. 11 were Ambassador Chris Stevens, 52, and three others.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the filmmaker characterized his movie, now called "Innocence of Muslims," as "a political effort to call attention to the hypocrisies of Islam." The actual identity of the filmmaker was unclear due to numerous aliases he's believed to have used. He was identified by some media sources as a Coptic Christian.
CNN reported thousands of rioters and demonstrators in the streets for Friday prayer Sept. 14. A crowd in Sudan set the German embassy on fire. Crowds in Cairo tried to storm the U.S. embassy.
Four people were arrested in connection with the attack that killed the four Americans. But those arrested were not directly tied to the attack, said Monem Elyasser, chief aide to Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur.
'Legitimate rape" rep sustained by faith
U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., who was urged to withdraw from his U.S. Senate race against incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill by many in his party after his comments on rape became a national scandal, says his faith won't let him quit, according to The New York Times on Aug. 22.
He said in a radio interview that recognizing "a creator, God" has been missing from the debate, and "That's the reason why we're going to continue."
In an interview with St. Louis TV station KTVI, Akin, when asked why he opposes abortion in nearly all cases, replied:
"People always want to try and make that as one of those things, well, how do you, how do you slice this particularly tough sort of ethical question. It seems to me, first of all, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. "
Akin, a member of the Presbyterian Church in America, sponsored legislation to name 2008 "The National Year of the Bible" and to promote greater recognition of the Ten Commandments. Akin has also decried the removal of "God" from government. Akin, with a master's degree from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, home-schooled all six of his children. He participates in bible studies and prayer groups.
If sustained by faith, Akin is also informed by faith. His claim that rape victims don't easily get pregnant dates to a 1985 book by a leading anti-abortionist, Dr. John C. Willke, who is Catholic and former president of the National Right to Life Committee. Willke, 87, insists "way under 1 percent" of rape victims get pregnant.
One of the few peer-reviewed studies, dating to 1996 and published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, estimated 5% of rapes result in pregnancy.
Legislators override gov on birth control
Missouri legislators voted Sept. 12 to override Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill expanding religious exceptions for insurance coverage of birth control. The override in the House got just the number of votes required — 109-45. The override passed the Senate by 26-6.
The law lets individuals, employers and insurers cite religious reasons in order to be exempt from mandatory insurance coverage for abortion, contraception and sterilization.
Critics of the law said a 2001 Missouri statute already requires birth control prescriptions to be covered under policies with drug benefits. That law also lets insurers offer policies without contraception coverage for those who object.
Snake-handling pastor's resolution fails
The Campbell County Commission in Jacksboro, Tenn., voted 10-2 in July against a resolution calling for the legalization of snake-handling.
The proposal came from Andrew Hamblin, the 21-year-old pastor of Tabernacle Church of God, who told WBIR that the state law restricts how he worships. "My main thing is to see lost people saved. I'd love to do it under the anointment of God with two rattlers in my hand!"
However, Tennessee state law prohibits anyone from owning venomous snakes --— making Hamblin's practice during services illegal.
After the vote, Hamblin said, "We'll pray harder, seek the Lord a little longer and we'll come back and try it again."
Taliban blamed for 17 party beheadings
Taliban militants in Afghanistan beheaded 15 men and two women for holding a late-night party, Afghan officials told the U.K. Telegraph on Aug. 27.
Nematullah Khan, governor of Musa Qala, said it was unclear if the victims had been shot dead before being beheaded.
An elder from the area, Juma Khan, said, "Unfortunately, the young men do this sometimes. They had a party with music and dancing and they were behaving badly with the women."
Claims filed in baptismal pool death
The parents of the 1-year-old boy who died earlier this year after drowning in a baptismal pool at a day-care ministry in Indianapolis are suing a state agency for negligence. Juan Cardenas and Maricela Serna filed a suit earlier against the ministry, Assembly of God, and its umbrella organization, Indiana District Assemblies of God.
Juan Carlos Cardenas drowned Feb. 22, after apparently wandering off during lunch.
The claim alleges the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration "negligently inspected" the facility before and after the drowning. A November 2011 agency inspection showed that Praise Fellowship had violated 18 health, safety and sanitation standards and was issued citations.
"The bottom line is the state of Indiana was sanctioning this unlicensed day care," said attorney Stephen Wagner. "If they had done a good job of inspecting the day care, they would've shut it down sooner."
Praise Fellowship closed voluntarily after the agency pulled out of a voucher program.
Is Kansan gaming the parsonage exemption?
FFRF is asking a Kansas appraiser in Sedgwick County to investigate misuse of a church parsonage exemption claimed on the home of a state Senate candidate.
Michael O'Donnell II told the Wichita Eagle that he "lives where he says he lives," which is a home owned by Grace Baptist Church in Wichita, a home that should be exclusively used by an acting minister who regularly conducts religious services. O'Donnell's father is senior pastor of the church and lives in a neighboring city. It does not appear that the parsonage has been lived in by a practicing pastor in some time.
County records show that the church-owned home has been exempt from property taxes since 1996. The Wichita Eagle reported that O'Donnell has been a registered voter at his residence since 2007 and uses it as "his official address on campaign filings and for his position as a Wichita City Council member."
A local complainant tipped FFRF off to what appears to be a misuse of a charitable tax exemption. Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott wrote an Aug. 21 letter to County Appraiser Mike Borchard: "We request that Grace Baptist Church or Mr. O'Donnell pay the appropriate amount of current taxes, back taxes and penalties owned."
Elliott added that "taxpayers should not have to pay more taxes because a church and its leaders have falsely claimed an exemption."
After FFRF's complaint was reported in the news, O'Donnell recanted his earlier description of his housing arrangements and said that he "misspoke." O'Donnell said in August on multiple occasions that he paid rent to the church.
In September, he recanted that account and claimed that he continues to work for the church by taking care of the facilities and grounds and is provided free housing in return. The Appraiser's Office has yet to make a ruling on the exemption of the home.
Theocracy Alert!
Vote for the American!
Marquee message at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Chico, Calif., placed by from Pastor Tim Ruhl, who refused to say what it meant
Enterprise-Record, 8-30-12
America, America is just more than a place, though. America is an idea. It's the only country founded on an idea. Our rights come from nature and God, not from government. That's right. That's who we are, that's how we built this country.
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speech at the event announcing him as Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate
Real Clear Politics, 8-11-12
No, these human rights — and the ideas and the ideals that conceived them — came from the minds of men and women who wrestled with the big questions: What is fair and what is just? Over time, a commonly held sense of right and wrong developed, which was then enacted into law by, yes, government.
Matt Rothschild, atheist editor of The Progressive, Madison, Wis.
The Progressive, 8-30-12
I'm a Catholic deer hunter. I'm happy to be clinging to my guns and my religion.
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., campaigning for vice president in Pittsburgh
Associated Press, 8-22-12
Most of all, almighty God we thank you, for the great gift of our beloved country. For we are indeed one nation under God, and in God we trust. Dear God, bless America. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, closing words to his prayer to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.
Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us to defend it. Life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan's prayer delivered right after President Obama's speech accepting his party's nomination for a second term
We need a government that stands up for the hopes, values and interests of working people and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their potential.
Plank in the Democratic Party platform approved Sept. 4 at the national convention in Charlotte, N.C.
As an ordained United Methodist minister, I am here to attest and affirm that our faith in God is central to the American story and informs the values we've expressed in our party's platform. In addition, President Obama recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and our platform should as well.
Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and Democratic platform drafting chair, introducing a resolution Sept. 5 to insert "God" into the platform
New York Times, 9-5-12
We need a government that stands up for the hopes, values and interests of working people and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential. [Italics added]
Democratic Party platform plank "passed" after a Christian Broadcasting Network blogger and Fox TV began berating Democrats for "removing God" from the platform and not affirming Jerusalem as Israel's capital (Los Angelos Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called for a voice vote requiring a two-thirds majority three times and declared the resolution passed even though the "nays" sounded louder than the "yeas.")
Associated Press, 9-5-12
It's FFRF's 'Just Pretend' vs. the Gideons
A nonreligious Canadian family has been battling distribution of Gideon bibles in their Ontario public schools by asking the schools to distribute Just Pretend: A Freethought Book for Children, written by Dan Barker and published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
It was announced in early September that the family's complaint against the District School Board of Niagara will be heard by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal in February. Rene Chouinard says his family is being discriminated against "due to creed."
Rene and Ana Chouinard of Grimsby, Ontario, had complained several years ago after a permission slip to distribute Gideon bibles was sent home with their middle child, then in fifth grade. Their complaints prompted the principal to drop the practice. By the time their youngest child entered fifth grade in 2010, bible distribution had resumed. The school district has been permitting Gideon bible distribution since 1964.
In March 2010, after Rene Chouinard complained again, the school board amended its policy by inviting other religions to distribute books to children. But the board refused Chouinard's request to distribute Just Pretend or Barker's book for adults, Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, also published by FFRF. Chouinard's intent, as he told media, was not actually to distribute freethought books to children, but to force the school board to stop distributing bibles.
Niagara school officials told him they had consulted the Ontario Multifaith Information Manual, which lists diverse religions but does not mention atheism or secular humanism. Chouinard noted that the manual doesn't list the Gideon Society, either.
"If all points of view are not allowed, then Ontario's vaunted respect for equality and diversity is 'just pretend,'" commented FFRF Co-President Dan Barker.
Just Pretend is an illustrated book suitable for elementary school-age children (or "children of all ages") that explores myths like Santa Claus and compares them with claims of the existence of a god. In an entertaining and fun way, Just Pretend introduces children to the tests of reason, and encourages them to apply reason to any idea, fairy tale, myth or religion.
"We would consider the bible X-rated and totally unsuitable reading for young children," noted Annie Laurie Gaylor, who co-directs FFRF. "But Just Pretend is written with the respectful premise that children should be free to decide what to think about religion for themselves when they are mature enough to understand the concepts."
U.S. Supreme Court actions and First Amendment law bar Gideons from entering U.S. public schools to distribute bibles. Nevertheless, the predatory evangelical Protestant men's organization is continually flouting the law, with the help of religious principals.
"It takes constant vigilance to keep the Gideons out of public schools," said Gaylor.
FFRF has produced two "bible warning labels" to combat ubiquitous Gideon bibles in hotel rooms, including one, "Gideon Exposed" written by Ruth Green, author of The Born Again Skeptic's Guide to the Bible, which urges people to judge Gideon for themselves after reading Judges, chapters 6-9. Gideon reputedly murdered thousands for worshiping "false gods."
Listen to an interview with Rene Chouinard (second half of Freethought Radio broadcast, Sept. 8) at:
Ohio paper censors FFRF ad criticizing Catholic Church
A full-page, prepaid ad by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which had been accepted more than a month before to run on Aug. 25, was summarily refused a few days before publication by the Daily Standard in Celina, Ohio.
FFRF was contacted Aug. 20 by Frank Snyder, publisher, and its payment was refunded.
The ad had been suggested and underwritten by a generous Celina FFRF member. The donor noted that the newspaper had accepted and published a full-page ad by a religiously motivated, anti-abortion group on June 6. The ad encouraged Ohio Senate President Pro-Tempore Keith Faber, from Celina, to pass a fetal "personhood" bill.
The signature ad, "It's Time to Quit the Catholic Church," has run in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times, generating a lot of dialogue on Catholic bishops' interference with contraceptive coverage for U.S. women.
The ad, an open letter to "liberal" and "nominal" Catholics, asks:
"Do you choose women and their rights, or bishops and their wrongs? In light of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' war against women's right to contraception . . . Why are you aiding and abetting a church that has repeatedly engaged in a crusade to ban contraception, abortion and sterilization, to deny the right of all women everywhere, Catholic or not, to decide whether and when to become mothers?"
FFRF receives "a disproportionate number of state-church complaints from Ohio residents unhappy with religion in Ohio government," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "It's hard to educate or make headway with such obvious and blatant favoritism and censorship. What happened to the vaunted marketplace of ideas?"
The generous donor is on the lookout for a billboard or other venue for an ad promoting FFRF.
Big Spring makes big decision — drops school board prayer
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully removed prayer from the Big Spring School Board meetings in Newville, Pa.
Board President Wilbur Wolf announced Aug. 28 that "prayer will be removed from future meeting agendas to avoid the potential cost of legal action against the board and Big Spring School District."
A local resident had asked for FFRF's help in stopping the unlawful prayer before every twice-monthly meeting. Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert asked Wolf and the board in an Aug. 17 letter to discontinue the "practice of scheduling prayer."
Markert pointed out several appeals court rulings, including a decision last year in the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (which is binding in Pennsylvania), have struck down prayer by public school boards. In the recent Doe v. Indian River School District case, the Supreme Court let stand the appeals court ruling that school board prayer rose above "the level of interaction between church and state that the Establishment Clause permits."
Markert added that nearly 1.5 million Pennsylvanians identify as nonreligious.
Wolf attributed the board's change in policy to high legal costs and told a local newspaper that ending prayer "is the prudent thing to do." He publicly stated that "We regret having to make this decision."
"It's disappointing that a school board president would send a message that essentially undermines principles that require secular education and protect freedom of conscience," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.
"A school board should be modeling respect for secular education and 60 years of firm Supreme Court precedent against religion in the schools. Whatever reasons the board gives for stopping the prayers, we are pleased to see this egregious violation ended."
FFRF sent letters to three other Pennsylvania school boards in August. Octorara Area School Board in Atglen has suspended its usual recitation of the Lord's Prayer until further review of FFRF's request. Greencastle-Antrim School Board in Greencastle has gone to a moment of silence for the moment. FFRF is awaiting word from Eastern Lancaster County School Board in New Holland.
FFRF stops Milwaukee civil rights abuse
Milwaukee Irish Fest organizers announced Aug. 16, in response to a complaint by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, that they would drop a religious promotion that violated civil rights laws.
This year the annual event was Aug. 16-19 at the city-owned Henry Maier Festival Park. A Catholic Mass is held near the entrance to Irish Fest one Sunday a year at 9:30 a.m. The fest's website said, "Guests who donate nonperishable food items prior to the liturgy are admitted to the festival free of charge after the Mass." All others were charged $15.
The catch was that the Fest did not open until 11 a.m.
FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott wrote to Irish Fest, "This means that only those who would conceivably attend or want to attend the Catholic Mass can receive this major benefit. Therefore, you are discriminating on the basis of religion."
FFRF sent its first letter of complaint about the discount in 2010.
Elliott followed up with a letter Aug. 9 to Kathy Pratscher, interim executive director, on behalf of a local complainant, who has been bothered for years by the discrimination.
Under Wisconsin law, it's illegal to "Deny to another or charge another a higher price than the regular rate for the full and equal enjoyment of any public place of accommodation or amusement because of sex, race, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry."
Elliott discovered the Catholic practice is widespread in Wisconsin. Oshkosh Irish Fest offered free admission to Mass attendees in 2009 and 2010. Polish Fest in Milwaukee offers reduced admission to Mass attendees. German Fest in Milwaukee hosts a Mass in the Marcus Amphitheater and promotes it by saying, "All church attendees receive free admission to the Fest." Festa Italiana offers this promotion: "FREE admission to Festa when you attend High Mass at 11 a.m. in the Marcus Amphitheater. " Elliott is pursuing complaints against those illegal practices.
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor noted that dropping the practice will also help ensure the Hunger Task Force, recipient of the food drive, will receive more contributions: "The Mass reward was a disincentive to charity, since three-fourths of Wisconsin citizens aren't Catholic."
Given their history, you'd think the Irish would be more sensitive about discrimination in the U.S., including religious discrimination.
Showing it knows a thing or two about tolerance and charity, Atheist Ireland donated $100 to the Hunger Task Force to reward Irish Fest's change of heart.
Michael Nugent, chairperson of Atheist Ireland, wrote a letter to Irish Fest officials noting that 43% of Irish identify as nonreligious and another 10% as "convinced atheists."
Nugent added, "Thank you for ending the discrimination in admission charges against non-Catholics attending your Irish Fest this Sunday, and for reflecting the reality that Irish identity today transcends our various religious or nonreligious beliefs.
"As a small token of our gratitude, we are sending $100 to the Freedom from Religion Foundation to buy some food items to donate to your collection. Perhaps you might allow free admission to some people who otherwise could not afford the entrance fee."
FFRF Co-President Dan Barker noted, "Milwaukee remains one of the poorest cities in the U.S., so this compassionate contribution by Irish secular citizens was really heartwarming and welcome."
FFRF sent the donation directly to the Hunger Task Force.


text:
Go beyond the beach with this sensuous adventure featuring a fusion of action & romance. Hit up all of the exotic highlights as you tour Arenal Volcano, Rio Celeste & Playa Conchal with private guide & driver. Enjoy hot springs, zip-lining, horseback riding, waterfall swims, jungle safaris, river rafting, intimate eco-lodges, hotels & more.
Discovering Costa Rica's beautiful beaches, lush rainforests and steamy hot springs are the perfect setting for a romantic getaway. Spend the day chasing one adventure after another, or relax with the one you love, the choice is yours. Stroll along the pristine beaches at sunset, experience the thrill of whitewater rafting, laze in the thermal hot springs, and discover breathtaking waterfalls that seem to plummet from the sky. In the evenings, enjoy your privacy in boutique accommodations with sumptuous surroundings
Explore the lush rainforest near the Arenal Volcano and catch a glimpse of howler monkeys and vividly-colored toucans. Soak in the hot mineral baths in preparation for an afternoon of ziplining high above the rainforest canopy. If you haven't gotten your fill of thrills, choose to go horseback riding or rapelling. Head to the Rio Celeste, the Light Blue River, and experience a bit of magic. Here, there is a point where two clear streams come together, and when their waters combine, the new water turns sky blue. A gorgeous chemical reaction from the many volcanic minerals in the water, the Rio Celeste symbolizes two lives coming together and creating a whole new life with as many possibilities as the infinite blue sky. ... Show More »
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Upon your arrival you will be met by a local representative who will help you locate your vehicle.
A welcome package with your vouchers, a country map, and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.
Meet your driver for a private transfer to Arenal.Accommodation: Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens
Nayara Hotel & Gardens is a luxury boutique hotel located in the area of the Arenal Volcano National Park that is widely recognized for providing luxurious accommodations and premium amenities. A 5-star member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Nayara has been acclaimed as one of the most romantic places in the world. The heartfelt hospitality, impeccable service, fine cuisine, outstanding spa, amazing excursions and eco-experiences make Nayara the premier destination in Costa Rica. Nayara is Arenal's jewel. A place of nature where romance emanates and life moves at a slower pace to allow time to rekindle old relationships and to start new ones in an enchanting way. Nayara is an authentic Costa Rican journey, a property that reflects its location and respects the ecological balance of one of the most beautiful places on earth.
You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to begin your canopy/zip lining and rafting tour. You will definitely have the fun you are looking for in one action packed day! This tour is designed for extreme thrills! This is an incredible combination of whitewater rafting fun and exhilarating zip lining adventuring! You'll gear up for an exciting zip through the rainforest canopy! Then spend the second half-day rafting with a heart pumping run through the class 2/3 Balsa rapids. Morning Departure, Duration 9 Hours, Return to the hotel after the tour.
The Spa at Nayara is incomparable. Perched on a cliff overlooking the forest, the Spa is a spiritual enclave in an emerald jungle, a place of rejuvenation, harmony, and beauty. Consider availing of one of the various treatments and therapies on offer and experience the sights, sounds, and scents of the rainforest in one of the outdoor spa bungalows. The menu of services offers natural ingredients to relieve stress and tension and to leave your body renewed and balanced. Treatments are catered to your unique needs. The highly trained therapists are committed to excellence and they take pride in delivering a true personalized, dedicated service. Treatments and therapies can be arranged directly on site and are at additional cost.Accommodation: Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens
Consider starting your day off on a high note by getting a bird's eye view of the landscape and Arenal volcano as you take to the skies early today for a hot air balloon ride experience! An early morning start is called for as the best thermals are to be had early in the morning. Sometimes there are breaks in the clouds so one can ascend above and sit atop a foamy sea of white, where your only company is the majestic (and often puffing) Arenal volcano. Fly low over nearby rivers, fields, and forests, to play with the clouds, to frolic with the birds, and to laugh with the animals. The forests of this area are filled with monkeys and iguanas, and sometimes we can get a full chorus calling up to us from the trees.
Balloons take about 30-45 minutes to inflate, a fascinating process. You are in the air from about 45 minutes to over two hours and the average flight is about 1 hour 15 minutes. Some of the best fun is trying to find a place to land -- no trees, no rivers to cross, and a place where the 4x4 support vehicle can access. The whole process, from inflation to pack-up, takes 3 to 5 hours and you will be picked up at the start, and dropped off at your hotel at the end of the adventure.
Sleep in this morning and relax at your hotel.
You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the tour start point. This journey through the top of the rainforest will have you "fly" from one platform to another by zipping on steel cables, while enjoying the beautiful landscapes of this primary forest from a different angle. Move through the rain forest, above the Arenal River Canyon. This tour offers an unforgettable encounter with nature. At the end of the tour you can choose to do a horseback ride and rappel. (147 ft. high) Recommended: Closed shoes, light and comfortable clothes, and in case you decide to ride a horse, wear long pants. Return to your hotel in the afternoon. Morning/Afternoon Departures, Duration 3 Hours (approximately)
•13 platforms reaching up to 130 ft. In height
•9 cables reaching up to 230 ft. high
•9 cables with a maximum length of 1033 ft.
•1 68 ft. long hanging bridge between platforms.
There are various eating choices to choose from at the Nayara. The Altamira restaurant serves international and local cuisine, while the Sushi Amor features latin fusion and sushi offerings. Nostalgia Bar meanwhile, serves delectable wine and tapas - the perfect spot for a casual evening. For an al fresco lunch pool side, teh Kali, Kali pool bar offers casual snacks.Accommodation: Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens
Meet your driver-guide for a private vehicle transfer from Arenal/La Fortuna to Rio Celeste.
Spend some time settling into your surroundings at the luxurious Rio Celeste resort this afternoon. The outdoor pool offers the perfect spot for some relaxation and offers a swim up bar with tempting refreshments.Accommodation: Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel
Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel is located on the slopes of the foot of the Tenorio Volcano and just 2 km from the Tenorio National Park Entrance. The comfortable casitas are tucked away throughout the gardens of Rio Celeste Hotel, offering guests complete privacy, with only the sounds of the rainforest to lull you to sleep. Tastefully designed, the casitas reflect the natural setting with ceilings fashioned from bamboo, wood floors and artfully tiled bathrooms with 'his and hers' vanities, soaker tubs and secluded outdoor showers. Relax and unwind on spacious decks as the tropical rainforest melodies.
Take in a four-hour guided rainforest hike through the Tenorio Volcano National Park today. You´ll experience the wealth of flora and fauna of this area, culminating in an astounding view of the main attraction - the Rio Celeste waterfall and river. You´ll also see the teñideros, the place where the river takes on a magical color. This park also has thermal water springs where you can take a rejuvenating hot bath surrounded by the rainforest. (includes water bottle, fruit, guide, and admission fee to the park).
Note on the Rio Celeste: It is possible that during extreme weather conditions of constant, long-lasting, heavy rains, the river may lose its coloration due to mud carried in the water. However, a few hours (5 or 6) of calm weather can restore the expected coloration. With this eventual exception mentioned above, The Rio Celeste can be visited any time of the year.
In the afternoon, enjoy some time on your own to relax.Accommodation: Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel
Transfer by private vehicle with English speaking driver from Rio Celeste to Playa Conchal, Guanacaste.
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal offer unsurpassed all inclusive luxury in a fashionable and private setting
for adults-only guests (18+ years). Royal Beach Club guests enjoy preferential exclusive services Including:
• Access to an elegant air-conditioned club lounge from 7:00 a.m until 10:00 p.m for private check in/out, coffee and beverages, newspapers, and evening cocktails and social bites
• Welcome in-room tropical fresh fruit platter
• Access to selected premium alcoholic drinks
• Assistance of personal Concierge Service throughout guests' stay
• Access to a private pool with Bali beds, pool concierge and bar service
• Exclusive breakfast and lunch service at the Royal Beach Club Lounge (subject to change)
• Preferential reservations for specialty restaurants, spa, golf, tennis
• Access to 24-hour room service
• Nightly turndown service
• Free pressing of up to 2 garments per person per stay
• Complimentary internet access at the Lounge and guest rooms
The Westin Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal is Starwood's first all-inclusive resort. Embrace blissful relaxation by knowing your food, drink and activities are all included*.
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa in Playa Conchal is set on 2400 acres and offers everything you need to revitalize and thrive: a lagoon-style pool, gardens, tennis courts, a championship golf course, the Westin Kids Club, fine dining, personal concierge service for guests in the Royal Beach Club, gym facilities, a Spa and more. Spend your time unwinding on a luxurious Bali bed by the pool, treating yourself to world-class cuisine, or indulge your adventurous side by exploring one of the nearby Costa Rican national parks.Accommodation: The Westin Resort & Spa
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal is an all-inclusive resort boasting all the features and amenities you could want for a stimulating, balancing, and restful vacation. For outdoor revival, take advantage of the stunning fresh water pool or tee off at the 18-hole Reserva Conchal Golf Course. Work up a sweat at the WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio, or indulge in a decadent treatment at The Spa. Guests of the Royal Beach Rooms and suites enjoy a range of additional amenities, including exclusive access to the Royal Beach Club Lounge and to the adult-only Royal Beach Club Pool with bali beds and swim-up bar.
This tour will take you along Costa Rica's Gold Coast while passing some of Guanacaste's exotic bays, white sand beaches, tropical jungles and rain forest. Once on board the New Marlin Del Ray an introductory speech is given, the anchor is pulled and you motor sail to one of the many pristine beaches in the area. En route look for turtles, dolphins, flying fish or whales. You can also cast a fishing line off the back. Then eventually pull into a secluded bay and drop anchor. Snorkel equipment is provided and the guests are given an hour to swim among the rocky reefs looking for exotic sea life. You will be able to enjoy the exhilarating performance of a catamaran, lounge in the sun, use kayaks, and swim in the warm tropical water while spotting dolphin, rays and reef fish. While guests enjoy the bay, the crew prepares a light lunch. Following lunch staff pull anchor, raise the sails and casually motor sail across the bay. Then arrive at the final anchor location as the sun nears the horizon and the sky explodes into a multitude of colors. The friendly, professional crew will ensure your comfort and safety during this spectacular journey along the Costa Rican coast, a trip you'll be sure to remember. You will disembark the Marlin Del Rey as the sun sinks below the horizon. Light lunch of BBQ chicken, guacamole, cookies/chips, fruit and beer, cocktails, juices and soft drinks included.Accommodation: The Westin Resort & Spa
Spend the day at leisure beachside at your hotel or choose from the list of optional activities in the area!Accommodation: The Westin Resort & Spa
Meet your driver for a private transfer to the airport in Liberia.Accommodation:
Nayara Hotel & Gardens is a luxury boutique hotel located in the area of the Arenal Volcano National Park that is widely recognized for providing luxurious accommodations and premium amenities. A 5-star member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Nayara has been acclaimed as one of the most romantic places in the world. The heartfelt hospitality, impeccable service, fine cuisine, outstanding spa, amazing excursions and eco-experiences make Nayara the premier destination in Costa Rica. Nayara is Arenal's jewel. A place of nature where romance emanates and life moves at a slower pace to allow time to rekindle old relationships and to start new ones in an enchanting way. Nayara is an authentic Costa Rican journey, a property that reflects its location and respects the ecological balance of one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel is located on the slopes of the foot of the Tenorio Volcano and just 2 km from the Tenorio National Park Entrance. The comfortable casitas are tucked away throughout the gardens of Rio Celeste Hotel, offering guests complete privacy, with only the sounds of the rainforest to lull you to sleep. Tastefully designed, the casitas reflect the natural setting with ceilings fashioned from bamboo, wood floors and artfully tiled bathrooms with 'his and hers' vanities, soaker tubs and secluded outdoor showers. Relax and unwind on spacious decks as the tropical rainforest melodies.
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal is an all-inclusive resort boasting all the features and amenities you could want for a stimulating, balancing, and restful vacation. For outdoor revival, take advantage of the stunning fresh water pool or tee off at the 18-hole Reserva Conchal Golf Course. Work up a sweat at the WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio, or indulge in a decadent treatment at The Spa. Guests of the Royal Beach Rooms and suites enjoy a range of additional amenities, including exclusive access to the Royal Beach Club Lounge and to the adult-only Royal Beach Club Pool with bali beds and swim-up bar.
Every detail was taken care of, and all connections were on time. We were extremely pleased, couldn't stop telling everyone about our great trip. Each room / hotel was better than the last. Wow great holiday!
We are home safe and sound from the best vacation I can remember. It seemed seamless to us but I know that you worked very hard to make our experience so good.
The guides and drivers were always punctual and reliable. They were very knowledgeable, personable, and funny. They provided us with very helpful information and helped us work on expanding our Spanish. The hotel staff was friendly and helpful and the rooms were very nice.
I especially appreciate our ability to update our plans while we were in Costa Rica. The zip lines were the highlight of our trip. I hate to think we almost missed out by not including it in our original plan.
You have made a friend and supporter for life. I will certainly recommend you to anyone I know going to Costa Rica.
I would highly recommend this company for overseas travel. We had personal drivers that spoke perfect English and were also very knowledgeable in conversation pertaining to their country. Drivers were always early and eager to please. Your wish was their command!!!Every tour included educated guides who knew how to make our experience fun and exciting! I loved having personal drivers and guides, as well as many inclusive meals. We will definitely use this company for future travels.
Our Costa Rica trip was amazing. The whole family thinks its the best we've ever taken! Kensington did an excellent job of organizing everything. The two hotels they picked were amazing.
Arenal -- The Springs Resort & Spa was almost too good since as soon as the family saw it they wanted to cancel activities so they could take full advantage of all it offered. We ultimately did cancel the safari to give us a free day to spend a day at the spa, pools and Club Rio (riding the river in innertubes!). The activities Kensington setup were excellent and very adventurous. Our favorite was canyoneering (repelling), We were all terrified at the first drop-off! It's more thrilling the zip lining (also lots of fun) and river rafting (a blast as well).
Manuel Antonio -- The Preserve at Los Altos was very nice. It was like staying in a 3 bedroom apartment at a boutique hotel (same feel as Athenum in London but nicer). The drive to get there was a bit long but worth it when our driver made a surprise stop at the the "crodillio bridge". The tour through Manuel Antonio National Park is a must do for nature lovers (3 types of monkeys, sloths, etc). Our guide was excellent. If you go MA NP, try Kapi Kapi for dinner.
I'd highly recommend using Kensington (Brandi was our rep) for a Costa Rica trip. Thanks for hooking us up with them.
Have fun.
Hi Erika
We returned yesterday from our wonderful Costa Rican vacation and I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed it. We loved staying at the El Silencio (the kids would have liked to stay even longer so we could have taken some of the nature hikes). Being surrounded by the cloud forest was an amazing sensation that really helped us to feel that we were in a completely different world and was a perfect way to begin the trip. Maria Lucia was a very kind tour guide and showed us the all sites in a huge day (the waterfalls, Poas volcano, the coffee plantation & Sarchi). The staff at El Silencio was wonderful and Jeff and I very much enjoyed the food and the very elaborate wine tasting there.
In La Fortuna the activities ruled. We loved everything, the exhilarating waterfall rappelling, the zip lining (& tiger swing - the kids LOVED IT) the volcano hike and we had a FANTASTIC time on the river safari with Gerald and his friend Tom. Gerald was a great guide and was able to share many stories while letting us see the wildlife. We saw a spectacular Toucan flock and of course the monkeys were a huge hit. Ending up at the farm was a fun end note to the trip. Of course we enjoyed the hot springs at the Tabacon - they are pretty amazing. Jeff and I had a chance to have a massage at the Tabacon spa and it was spectacular. The service at the hotel was lovely and our room did have a beautiful view of the volcano. I think the hot springs & spa are far superior at the Tabacon.
Alex drove us from both El Silencio to La Fortuna and then from La Fortuna to Punta Islita (that is a lot of driving and he did a great job - he was so friendly and made the travelling very enjoyable). On the way to La Fortuna he made a point of showing us the Iguana restaurant and it was a great wayside stop for everyone.
Punta Islita was stunning. Our villa Ilan Ilan was ideal, the view and the setting were spectacular. The kids loved the pool (when they weren't swimming & playing in the ocean), Jeff loved being able to finally drive around a bit like a native (the villa came with a small 4 wheel car), and I enjoyed waking up every morning to see the sunrise over the cliffs at the ocean's edge, and hear the incredible variety of birds (and on the last day even the howler monkeys). We enjoyed so many of the activities the hotel had to offer. Andrey & Hector and the whole staff were so warm and hospitable. They really worked hard and made every effort to make our stay so much fun. Hector helped us plan some more zip lining, surf lessons, a dolphin sighting/fishing boat trip and a sunset horseback ride which was the perfect way to wrap up the trip.
Ronald picked us up and got us to the airport in plenty of time. Ronald was very interested in showing us the wildlife as we drove through the different areas and we really enjoyed that.
Everywhere we went the people were absolutely wonderful, kind, and proud to show us their country and it made our trip spectacular.
Erika, thank you for all you did to help make the trip such a huge success.
Very prompt at getting information back to us and very helpful with any changes we wanted.
This trip was as good as the last trip we did with Kensington, could'nt have been any better. Our guides were excellent, especially Gerald.
The transfers went flawlessly; the guides were all superb (knowledgable; thoughtful; sensitive; responsive to our needs). The recommended hotels were, with one exception (see below), also first rate and well matched to our needs and temperaments.
Our thanks for providing 3 wonderful guides: Gary Ortiz (Antigua); Carlos Antonio Lopez (Tikal and Yaxha); and Israel Canto (Belize). All of them understood that we have 'peculiar' tastes (for example: photographing lichen covered tree trunks while the magnificent structures at Tikal were but meters away!). It is really critical that guides not try to make sure that we see every 'important' thing, but recognize instead that 'importance' is very much a personal thing.
* USD per person, double occupancy. Custom designed personal tour. Prices subject to change.
Kensington Tours is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our website. You can read our complete Privacy Policy here. You can Contact Us here.


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You know the feeling…hands shaking, heart racing, foot tapping. Yes, we're talking about your first high-fashion crush, the one item you swore you couldn't live without. That is, until you spent all your cash (and then some), put it in your closet, and then, regretted every minute of it. We're right there with you. Here at R29 HQ, we've fallen in love and had our hearts broken more times than we can count.
Still, there's no moment quite like that first. So, we've rounded up 17 style splurges that had us at "hello." The cumulative effect? A museum of It bags, "designer" duds (that really do deserve the quotations), and, yes, even some items we still covet to this day. Take a look at our earliest walks around the fashion block and tell us what you thought you'd die without…until you didn't.


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13 October 2006Historic Scotland will this autumn replace a decayed walnut tree on the boundary of Fortrose Cathedral with a strong young sapling.
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Tuesday, April 05, 2005
(Apr. 5, 2005) - The East Tennessee State Buccaneer baseball team hits the road Tuesday afternoon to face Radford at 3 p.m. from Dedmon Center Park in Radford, Va. It will be the first of two meetings this season between the two teams, as the Bucs will face the Highlanders on Apr. 27 from Cardinal Park in Johnson City, Tenn.


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Step 1: Materials
I do believe you have to actually use Duct tape to enter the Duct tape contest. But that's just me. Anywho, other than that it's pretty cool and I'd never be able to make it look that good. Kudos to you.
my guess was wrong... yours was right...
The embryological evidence is a neat tack, since zebes are actually 50/50...
Granted the majority of the heat is in the base, not the screen... BUT i wonder how much (if at all) the temp will be affected. If you go into the bios on some laptops, there's a 'temperature' screen to tell you the current running temp. I'd be curios to see it before/after this hack.
- On the mainboard for ambiant system temp
- In the hard disk drives
- Under the graphics card central processor (GPU)
Those will monitor the main system component temperatures.
Now, there is not a lot of heat in the screen. Yes, the LCD panel does give off heat, but in negligible amounts. The screen illumination is either a cold cathode tube (tubes) on the top/bottom/both edges of the screen, or an array of LEDs, depending on make and model.
Having a cover on the screen will of course affect the screen heat dissipation, probably by a degree centigrade, but not by much more, as the active face of the display is already dissipating most of the heat anyway


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i am looking for a nfl rule on when a player is not considered a rookie any more.
it looks like an easy question but im looking for the NFL's rule it self.
example of this not so easy question is this, a player goes undrafted signs to the teams PS gets on the 53 man roster but never plays one down that whole season.we know 53 players do not actually play for each team on sundays because of some NFL rule.is this player no longer a rookie for the next season?
ok what if he does play and suits up in the last game of the season is that considered his rookie year even if he may be a RB and only play on ST for that one game ?
what is the actual NFL rule?thanks my fellow fin fans this is why this is the best site on the net