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OCTOBER 2000 MARKETINGTODAY.COM (tm) eNEWSLETTER The Online Guide to Marketing in the Information Age (tm) - please feel free to pass this e-mail along to a colleague - http://marketingtoday.com
Dear Marketing Today subscriber, As online banner ad click-throughs sink to new lows, it's difficult not to notice how online ad salespeople have switched their pitch from the wonders of online banners for generating click-throughs to why click-throughs really aren't important at all. What online banner hawkers failed to take into account a few years ago was that banners were exciting and new, a novelty to Internet users. And, as any experienced marketer knows, new eventually wears off. Online, changes happen a lot faster than offline (as in Internet speed) --and the world of Internet advertising is certainly no exception. Like so many new things on the Internet, banner ads once attracted a crowd when they were new, but users quickly grew tired of them. Chalk it up to banners experiencing their 15 minutes of fame with Internet users. Now, most banners have become no more than many other ads, a mere annoyance. In fact, banner ads are not much different than the television ads that interrupt that great movie or the telemarketing call that comes in the middle of dinner. By using click-through-centric pitches, online banner salespeople were responsible for creating a one-dimensional unit for measuring the success or failure of the banner. Banner salespeople backed themselves into the proverbial corner and now are forced to come back to advertisers and tell them how banner click-through rates really don't matter because, according to AdReleveance's new report (see below), those who see your banner but don't click it are more likely to buy. Could it be that the folks selling online banners a few years ago were actually training ad buyers to measure banners by the wrong metric and are now paying for their mistake by creating a sea of media buyers who don't believe in the banner? I am certain of it. "Sure Peter, easy for you to say these things now," I hear you saying under your breath. Fair enough. I'll give you a similar situation that is happening right now. But these salespeople are a little wiser than the ones who sold banners. Consider the banner story as the writing on the wall for today's wonderfully high e-mail response rates. I (as others also have) can confidently predict that the current e-mail response rates will go down as more and more marketers use e-mail marketing and recipients e-mail boxes overflow with messages they simply don't have time to read. I am certain that many of you will agree that this is a given. I get around 1,000 e-mails per week. Think I have time to read ads in all of those e-mails? Of course not. So, I am helping reduce response rates in those e-mail I never look at. And you're probably doing the same thing. In fact, I am sure it will not be too long before the greatest e-mail marketing successes fall from double digit to single digit response rates. E-mail marketing's popularity itself will be what ends up killing the golden goose. And many salespeople hawking space in e-mail newsletters are singularly focused on pushing high click-through rates when they should have learned a lesson from the history of online ad banners. Sure, new technological innovations will always come forward and capture Internet user's interest for brief moments in time. Some will even get their 15 minutes of fame like banners once did (remember how quickly we moved from static to animated banners?). But Internet marketers need to be careful not to view these devices one-dimensionally. So, are online banner ads a waste of money? I don't believe they are. But the click-through-centric perception of banner ads that once existed has clearly died. Consider AdKnowledge's latest research showing that customers conversions were higher for those who saw, but never clicked a banner than for users who clicked-through. Banners have value, but maybe this value is not adequately measured by a click-through. Should we be on the look out for the next big thing for Internet advertising? You bet. We should never stop doing this. Rich media, interstitials...there are a lot of choices. Remember, what works well today may not work as well tomorrow or may be replaced by something superior. Marketers must understand that Internet advertising is highly dynamic. We need to constantly monitor Internet advertising vehicles -- observing, testing, adjusting and constantly increasing our understanding of these vehicles and always watching for new vehicles to emerge that compliment, improve upon or replace existing vehicles. Sincerely, Peter DeLegge Publisher http://www.MarketingToday.com ADKNOWLEDGE STUDY REVEALS MORE CONVERSIONS COME AFTER AD IMPRESSIONS ALONE THAN AFTER CLICKS Adknowledge's Internet Advertising Report finds that users that click banners have a lower conversion rate than those who merely view an ad. THE SHORT LIFE OF THE ONLINE AD BANNER Ad banners not only have declining click-throughs, they also have short life spans. ADKNOWLEDGE: 60% OF ALL CONVERSIONS OCCUR IN THE FIRST 60 MINUTES AFTER A CLICK According to AdKnowledge, the time lag from a click on a web advertisement to a sale or registration on a web site and indicates that 60% of customers who convert on a site after clicking on an ad do so within the first half hour after clicking. ONLINE SHOPPERS TURN TO BRANDS THEY KNOW OFFLINE New data indicates that in certain online markets, consumers buy from names they know and trust in the offline world, and that branding and brand equity play a major role. THE POWER OF BRANDS: STUDY SHOWS AMERICANS CONTINUED PREFERENCE FOR NATIONAL BRANDS It's still about the brand. A recent study finds that nearly half of Americans are "National Brand Loyalists." E-BRANDING: MOVING YOUR CUSTOMER PROMISE TO THE WEB According to Arthur O'Connor of KPMG's eXante practice, the best way for a brick and mortar to launch an online operation is to develop a strategy that optimizes and re-enforces both. To do this, it's important to understand what's different about e-branding from traditional branding, and, just as importantly, what's not. Related Stories on Other Sites ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Advertising On Internet Doesn't Click Funny, I found this article right after I wrote my column for this eNewsletter. The article skewers online advertising for not delivering results and for how dot-coms have blurred the line between editorial and advertising. One source refers to banners as "weak and passive." 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Interviews and Analysis by Caroline Glick
Makor Rishon Passover Edition - April 22, 2005
A Makor Rishon Special Feature in 3 parts: -Part I: An Exclusive Interview with Jonathan Pollard -Part II: Interview with former CIA Chief James Woolsey -Part III: Commentary: The Search for Agent X
Translated to English by Justice4JP May be reprinted with appropriate attribution.
Part I: An Exclusive Interview with Jonathan Pollard
There are two approaches to Jonathan Pollard, one is a time line, the other is the broad approach. The time line begins with the dawn of American Jewish consciousness: a young boy stands with his class and recites one after the other, the words to "HaTikvah" Israel\'s national anthem, and the pledge of allegiance to the American flag, without ever realizing that a day may come that that these two may come into conflict with each other.
The second approach, the broader view, takes place in the State of North Carolina. The day I visited Pollard there, a light rainfall had turned the lake next to the landing-strip into a muddy brown pool of swirling water. Aviv Ezra, the Israeli Deputy Consul General in Atlanta, met us at the airport. With his Sabra appearance, up to and including his suit, he looks like the face of our nation: young and proud and at the same time notoverly self-possessed.
We meet up with Esther Pollard on the way to the prison, at the cheap, depressing motel where she lives. She is wearing a gray suit and her hair is covered with attractive reddish shaytl. She receives us with a mixture of wariness and hope. Her movements are energetic; the look in her eyes resembles that of a child who is lost; who sees strangers approaching, andwonders if they are coming to help or to hurt.
Esther shows us her tiny room, which smells of commercial cleansers. "I have been here for some time," she says, not without a trace of anger. The room is cramped. It has an air of sadness and isolation. Before we leave the place, she explains that Jonathan\'s health deteriorated severely after the cruel and inhumane treatment he was subjected to in Washington when he was held there prior to his court hearing. "Since then, I have not been able to leave him. So I remain here. It is difficult these days to cross international borders; I cannot risk leaving and not being able to return tobe here for him."
Esther has been with Jonathan for 15 years; they married in 1993, when he had already served 8 years in prison. After spending a few minutes with Esther, I begin to understand that she too is in prison. There were some who cautioned me that she is not in touch with reality. Not so. Her main character trait is loyalty. Jonathan is her husband, and her life. I ask her quietly if she and Jonathan are permitted conjugal visits. Her laughter has a bitter edge and she responds, "You really do not understand the situation at all. You do not understand that behind the vision of America that you see, there is another America which is totally different. You have to be in a situation like ours, on the other side of the law, to see the other America. It is a vision of America where notions like fairness or compassion simply do not exist."
"The other side of the law", the words echo in my mind. In the mind of every American and especially of every American Jew, there is an ingrained belief that there is no contradiction between his ethnic or religious beliefs and his American identity. For American Jews it has been very hard to accept the fact that in a very clear and unequivocal way, the actions of Pollard forced them to question their American identity. No other spy did this. Not even Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. They spied for the Soviet Union, and their actions did not damage the collective dream of the Jewish community.
Only Jonathan Pollard has done that.
"I understood that we are alone."
This is how Jonathan Pollard responds when I ask him what motivated him to make such a definitive choice between two loyalties. We had already entered the prison. FCI Butner is a medium to maximum security federal prison in North Carolina. Pollard has been incarcerated here for 12 years. Five people are present for the interview: Jonathan and Esther Pollard; the Deputy Consul General, Aviv Ezra; the publisher of Makor Rishon, Shlomo Ben-Tzvi and myself. Other than us, there is also Nick. Nick is a representative of US Naval Intelligence, who flies in from Washington every time Pollard has visitors to ensure that he does not transfer secrets out of the prison walls.
In the visit room there are small tables, upholstered chairs and vending machines for coffee and chocolate. Pollard receives us warmly as a host. His wife treats us to drinks and buys us chocolate, as if we were visiting in her home. I had also been warned about Jonathan; I had been told that he too is not entirely sane. But if he is crazy, there is no evidence of it. Throughout the visit I did not notice even the slightest sign of inappropriate or neurotic behavior. In fact this was the most surprising thing of all, Pollard\'s utter sanity after 20 years in prison.
We started from the beginning. Jonathan Pollard was born in Texas 50 years ago, and grew up in Indiana. His father was a professor of microbiology and worked, among other things, developing weapons for the American Army. Jonathan studied Political Science, Economics and Classical Studies at Stanford University. He was in the midst of studies towards a Doctorate in International Relations and Military History in 1979 when he was recruited by American Naval Intelligence. "It was a year full of events," he remembers with enthusiasm. "The Soviets invaded Afghanistan and Khomeini had toppled the Sheikh in Iran. There was lots of action."
And what was your Jewish and Zionist background?
Pollard readily begins to speak about his Jewish roots. "I grew up in an American, modern orthodox home, where the centrality of Israel was continuously stressed. I experienced two painful episodes during my childhood. The first was a visit to the concentration camp, Dachau, with my parents in 1966. The second was the Six Day War (in 1967) and a year after that the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. This chain of events led me to understand what is needed in order to win, and about the nature of theDiaspora."
And visits to Israel?
I first visited Israel in the summer of 1971. I was in the summer program at Machon Weizman. My parents were concerned that I would not return home. I wish I had remained there. I should have been in Israel for the war. For the Yom Kippur war, or for Operation Peace for Galilee, even if just to pick melons on a kibbutz to free up other Israelis for army duty. I regret that the critical events of our history in recent years have been so bloody. Allthe same, this is our history, and I should have been there."
Why didn\'t you make Aliyah?
"I thought about Aliyah all the time. But it is hard to get up and leave the Goldineh Medina, America. That was the conflict. I was here, but my heart was in the East.My parents are Americans. My father is a decorated officer in the army, who has received citations. He carries a copy of the American Constitution in his pocket. I did not know how to resolve the conflict. When I began to work for Naval Intelligence, my father warned me that it is no place for a Jew. That there is a lot of anti-Semitism there. But even after experiencing it,I thought it was better for me to remain.
Come, let\'s put that aside for a moment, and let\'s return to the present. Describe for us what a day in your life in prison looks like.
Pollard looks at me cautiously. Turning from a past he misses, to talk about a present he wishes to escape from, is hard for him. Esther, holding his hand, sighs in protest. Esther had warned me earlier that as long as Jonathan is in prison, he cannot safely discuss prison life or conditions."I don\'t want to go into detail," he responds. "I will give you an impressionistic description of my life. Life here involves constant noise, endless noise that is impossible to imagine, all the time; constant violence; profanity - every conceivable type of profanity." His voice which a moment ago was strong and clear has become a quiet sigh. "There is no place to be quiet or to find quiet - to read. You really have to be disciplined not to be provoked. You need to be disciplined to see when a situation is getting out of hand and to get away as quickly as possible. Ihave to be ready if my door opens at 2 in the morning.
"I live in a small room, not in a cell, with a roommate. My room is so small that when I sit on my bed and stretch out my arms I touch both of the walls. And it is impossible to lock the door. There are snap inspections and Iconstantly wash windows and floors for them."
Esther has told me that Jonathan gets up in the middle of the night to wash all of the prison windows so that he can be finished his work in time forvisit hours. "I wash a lot of windows every day," he says.
When he is not washing windows, Pollard listens to the radio. He is prohibited from using computers, much less the internet. The prison has television sets set up in common rooms for inmates. His fellow inmates include murderers, rapists, armed robbers, pedophiles and other violent criminals.
All of his personal property has to fit into a small locker - smaller than an IDF locker. He is not allowed to leave things out of his locker or to give them to his visitors, so he is forced to throw away most of his books and his letters after he has read them, just to make room. He is not given kosher food, and has to make do. Fruit and vegetables are hard to come by. The prison commissary is limited and sells only dry goods. While Arabic speaking prisoners receive Arabic newspapers, he is forbidden from reading anything not written in English. He reads the newspaper HaModiain English and a range of scientific journals and magazines.
"You have to understand," he says, "I knew that I needed to change my life. When I am released I cannot go back to work as I did in my previous life. I need to do something new. So I am now working on projects in alternate methods of energy generation and water production which will replace oil and current water reclamation technology."
Where were you on September 11?
"I was in the TV room. I was waiting for a special visit scheduled for that day. Mickey Eitan and another Knesset member were coming to meet Esther and me. I was in the TV room watching CNN. I knew at once, even before the second plane hit the tower, that this was a terror attack." How did you feel knowing that the United States was under attack?
"I felt sick to my stomach."
But why would it bother you to see the US under attack? Especially after the last 20 years.
To this, Jonathan gave me a look of profound sadness and said, "I fell in love with two women -Israel and the US. It doesn\'t work in private life, and it doesn\'t work in politics. My reaction to September 11 was as an American. As an American, I believe that this country is guarding the gates of Western civilization from the barbarians. I believe in a muscular foreign policy."
You are an American patriot, but you betrayed the US. "I was forced to make a choice." What happened? What forced you to choose?"It was something that happened during the Operation Peace for Galilee campaign. I can\'t talk about it in detail." He nods at the monitor. He is able to say that he was the professional expert at special meetings between the US and Israel. "It was then that I discovered the amazing cynicism with which the US regards Israel. As part of my work, I met with some Israelis. I took a couple of them aside and I told them, \'We should be screaming to high Heaven about this!\' One of them looked at me and asked, \'Who is \'we\'?\' "I told him, \'You know what I mean!\' He replied, \'No I don\'t know.\' And that is when it happened. That is when I understood."
What did you understand?
Why didn\'t you leave Naval Intelligence? Why didn\'t you leave your job and make Aliyah?
"I don\'t know why I stayed. I wanted to see how bad, bad really was. Like a car that slows down to watch a highway accident to see how bad the damageis. I couldn\'t leave."
After the Israeli Air Force blew up the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981, then deputy director of the CIA Admiral Bobby Ray Inman unilaterally decided to stop all intelligence transfers to Israel on Arab and Muslim states not directly bordering Israel. This included Iraq, Iran, Libya, Tunis and Pakistan. Around the same time, the United States began to arm Iraq which was then at war with Iran. The government permitted various companies to built dual usage factories in Iraq and they quickly advanced the development of Iraqi chemical weapons. Pollard, a US Intelligence analyst, had access to this information, which - until it was embargoed by Inman, who was opposed to the US / Israel strategic alliance - was routinely shared withIsrael.
So you saw this information and you thought it was not right that Israel was not receiving it - but that\'s still a long ways from engaging in espionage. "I saw before my eyes the danger that Israel was facing. I considered my options. I could go to the media; I could go to Congress; and I could go to the Jewish leaders in New York. The media was a non-starter because of its hostility to Israel. Moreover, if I would have told the media, then the Russians and the Syrians would also know. The Syrians would be able to take advantage of the information, and even to misunderstand it, which might draw them to open a new offensive on the Golan Heights. I could have gone to Capital Hill. Nothing would come of this approach, except that I would be fired. As for the Jewish leaders, they would just throw me out of their offices. A prominent Jewish leader came to visit me in prison some years ago. I asked him, "What would you have done, if I had come to you with this information?" He responded that he would immediately have called the FBI the minute I left his office, and reported me as ! an agent provocateur trying to entrap him."
So why didn\'t you resign?
"Because I wanted to prevent another Holocaust."
In the 20 years that have elapsed since he was arrested, Jonathan Pollard has expressed remorse for his deeds many, many times, both orally and in writing. In truth, the entire affair stemmed from administrative failure on both sides. The US preferred appeasement of the Arabs - for which it is now paying the price, with 150 thousand US soldiers in Iraq - over its commitment to Israel. Israel, for its part, ran Pollard without any regard for the danger it was posing to American Jewry by running him. As one Jew who worked in the office of the Naval Secretary in those years put it, "Israel never had any shortage of Jews willing to help her. Why did she have to use Pollard? He wanted to help. Fine. But Israel did not really have to use him."
There is no doubt that the US conspired against Pollard. Anti-Semitism is the only reasonable way to understand: the decision to impose a life sentence upon him for an offense that usually carries a sentence of about 4 years; the exaggeration of the damage done to the US; the gross opposition by the CIA to every attempt to release him; the seven years he spent in solitary confinement in unbearable conditions; and also the conditions he is held in today. It is impossible to deal with the Pollard case without becoming convinced that he is suffering for no other reason than because heis a Jew who spied for the State of Israel.
Worse still, Israel - the State in whose service Pollard risked his life - has behaved reprehensibly.
"After I was arrested, I went through a very difficult time which brought me to the threshold of despair. The FBI investigators who were debriefing me, purposely allowed me to see the statements that the Israelis had made about me. The Mossad cast all the blame on Rafi Eitan (Pollard\'s handler) and on LAKAM (the Office for Information Cooperation which Eitan headed). They wanted to bury me. It was the Mossad that was the source of all the disinformation about me and my character. The lies that I used cocaine and was a mercenary, selling secrets to countries other than Israel, it all came from them. It was clear that the Mossad had three goals: to bury me; to destroy LAKAM and to protect AIPAC at all costs. To this day, this remains the policy of the Mossad.
In 1995 a Mossad agent came here and suggested that I commit suicide. I told him that I was ready to die for Israel, but not for a bunch of political toadies. "The Israelis claimed that mine was a rogue operation. But this was a total lie. Not only did the senior political and military leadership know what was happening, Ariel Sharon tried to use me for his own ends. Rafi Eitan was Arik\'s man. And he asked me to collect political intelligence for Sharon - what people in Washington were saying about him and the like. I refused. "
Rafi Eitan, Israel\'s master spy who served as Pollard\'s chief handler from his position as head of the Office for Information Cooperation at the Israeli Embassy, told him that his information was discussed at cabinet meetings and Pollard understood that his main contractor was then Major General Ehud Barak, who then served as Commander of Military Intelligence.
"Afterwards, Rafi asked me to get them the names of American agents in Israel. I refused. This was something that would have hurt the US, and I wouldn\'t do it. Rafi told me, \'Watch it! Your refusal to give us the names will end up killing you. These agents will betray you to the authorities inthe US.\'
"But what hurt me the most was when I saw the unclassified version of the Eban Report. [The Eban Report was a report of the Knesset\'s sub-committee on intelligence services investigation into the Pollard affair that was published in 1987.] It made me almost physically ill. The report includes a summary of a midnight conversation between [the prime minister] Shimon Peres and [the US Secretary of State George] Schultz about a week after I was arrested. Schultz asked Peres to return the documents I took and Peres agreed but made Schultz promise that the documents wouldn\'t be used against me and Schultz agreed.
"No one ever told me about this agreement http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2000/061500.htm. I could have used it in my defense. It is the country\'s responsibility. It had standing before the court. Israel is the only country to participate in the prosecution of itsown agent."
These days we are hearing that the Israeli Ambassador Danni Ayalon may come to visit Pollard. About a month ago, Ayalon was in North Carolina, in the neighborhood, but refused to come to the prison. Just by way of comparison, the Korean Ambassador made monthly visits to Robert Kim, the Korean agentwho was incarcerated in America.
The only Israeli Prime Minister until now, who has ever done anything for Jonathan Pollard, is Bibi Netanyahu. A year ago Sharon refused to give President Bush a petition signed by 112 Members of Knesset, http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2003/102803.htm which he himself signed, with a request to release Pollard. (J4JP: to date, the President has never received this historic and unprecedented appeal.) This trip the Prime Minister refused to deliver another historic appeal signed by all of the Chief Rabbis, past and present http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/042005.htm
Dennis Ross, the former American Special Envoy to the Middle East in the 1990\'s writes in his book, (THE MISSING PEACE http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/022005.htm) of a conversation he had with President Clinton about Netanyahu\'s request to free Pollard parallel to the signing of the Wye Accords (October 1998). Ross says that he advised Clinton, " I would not free him now. It would be a big payoff for Bibi. You do not have many big ones like this in your pocket. I would save it for thefinal status talks."
Do you think that Clinton\'s refusal to free you then has priced you out of the market? That there is nothing big enough that Israel can offer for yourrelease?
"No, I believe that the opposite is true. But Israel has to ask, and Sharon refuses to ask. It was chutzpah of the first order for Sharon to define the return of that no-goodnik Tannenbaum as the mitzvah of Pidyan Shvuyim. Thatwas spitting in the face of our religious beliefs."
When you are sitting in your room, what do you think about?
"My dream is to be with my wife, at home in Israel. I am worried about my wife. She is a Cancer survivor. But she refused to have chemotherapy because it would have destroyed any chance of having children. Because of our circumstances, she has not had any Cancer follow up treatments for more than 2 years. Do you have any idea of what it feels like for a husband to have to hear over the phone that his wife has Cancer?
"Last year the government refused to implement my status as a captive (not to grant me the status - I have it as an agent- but to implement it.) Instead they leaked to the media that Pollard is just after money. And they leaked a story about how they were going to give me a million dollars; they did this in order to destroy public concern for me. [J4JP: Jonathan and his wife Esther have never received a cent from the Israeli Government.http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/081604.htm]
"Look, we are homeless. We have no house. My wife has no medical care. If it were not for the generosity of friends we would have nothing. We lost everything. Esther is here for me, but I am scared to death for her. And I believe that the way that I am being treated symbolizes what is going on in Israel today.
"The image of Joseph Flavius has always fascinated me. He symbolizes what happened to us during the era of the destruction of the second Temple. We are taught that the second Temple was destroyed because of \'sinat chinam\', causeless hatred. But I believe that there is another component to it: self-hatred. If, G-d forbid, the 3rd Temple is destroyed it will be because of self-hatred."
As if to illustrate, he opens a letter which he has been holding throughout the interview. It is a letter from the Yered family of Atzmona in Gush Katif. Attached to the letter is a photograph of the 3 Yered children. The youngest, Ariel, was injured at fifteen months of age by a mortar shellwhich exploded in the family\'s yard where he was playing.
"The abandonment of a nation, begins with the abandonment of one." He chokes up as he points to the photograph, "How can anyone with a conscience throw these children out of their home? I couldn\'t do it. Just like I could not turn my back 20 years ago. All the slanderous stories about me have been invented to destroy me because I am useful as a symbol against Jews by those who hate Israel." " Soldiers write to me. They ask me what I would do in their place if I got an order to evacuate the settlements in Gush Katif. My response to them is: Remember that you are a Jew!"
The time allotted for the interview is coming to an end. An officer approaches and says it is time to conclude.
Jonathan, they say you have a phenomenal memory. Does this mean that you still represent a danger to the US if you are released?
"There is no security risk for America regarding my release. Nothing I know and certainly nothing I would ever do would be antithetical to US interests.My life has been destroyed; the goal of deterrence has been achieved."
It is possible that senior Israeli officials fear that you will embarrass them if you are released.
"It is only possible to embarrass someone who has a sense of honor or self respect. The Israelis who have done me harm have no honor.
"In any case, no Israelis will be hurt by my release. The bottom line is: I want to come home so that I can be with my wife, my People and my Land. Thatis all I want. Unfortunately that apparently scares some people.
"On the other hand, there is something I would like to point out. When the Chief Rabbi of the IDF Brigadier General Yisrael Weiss recently wrote an official prayer for me http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/040705a.htm and distributed it to all units of the armed forces, it touched my heart verydeeply. It shows that we are still The People of The Book.
"I love my Nation."
Former CIA Chief Woolsey: Time To Consider Commutation for Pollard
James Woolsey, former head of the CIA, said in an interview with Makor Rishon that this is the right time to consider commuting Jonathan Pollard\'s sentence. We are fighting together on the same front in the war against terror, he said, and this is the time to pay attention to and show consideration for the sensitivities of the citizens of friendly democraticnations.
"Pollard," Woolsey explains, "may not have been a prime candidate for commutation, but 20 years is a very long time. At a certain point, it is time to ask if enough is enough - and that is in regard to his release, not to diminishing the seriousness of his actions. There is an obligation to have a different approach to spies for friendly countries." Woolsey stresses that his words should not be construed as a recommendation for clemency, and says that when clemency requests are weighed it must be ascertained thatdeterrence has been achieved.
Woolsey began as CIA Chief in 1993. "I studied the Pollard file closely. My estimation at the time was that Pollard was not even close to being ready to be considered for commutation. At that time he had served a relatively short period of time in prison for a serious espionage case. Since then, he has served another 12 years. He has now been in prison for 20 years."
Claims that the information Pollard gave Israel were leaked to other countries such as China or the Soviet Union, are not true, said Woolsey. He explains that in his view "the heart of the matter" was the US fear that Israel\'s own intelligence apparatus would be penetrated by hostile governments and that as a result the materials Pollard transferred would be picked up. "As for the quality of the information, in my opinion, at the time (1993) the material was broad-ranging and included information that did not relate solely to Israel\'s immediate security needs. Part of it, if it had found its way into the hands of a hostile country would have presented a danger to the US ability to collect intelligence. No intelligence apparatus is immune to penetration, not even Israel\'s. If there had been some way to assure that only the two top Israeli officials would see the information, probably the US would not have been so concerned. A! t the time there was a great deal of espionage activity all over the place. And the heart of the matter was the fear that the material he gave Israel could end up in the hands of a third country. This could have hurt the US ability to gather information."
The Secretary of State during the Pollard case, Caspar Weinberger, was the driving force behind Pollard\'s life sentence. Pollard signed a plea agreement and cooperated with his interrogators in return for a lighter sentence - but Weinberger, as it was reported in the media, claimed in a secret memo to the judge, that Pollard had done great and irreversible damage to the national security of the United States, and even caused the deaths of American agents.
The damage assessment in the Pollard case was carried out by Aldrich Ames, who at the time was a CIA bureau chief. Ames, who himself was exposed in 1994, was a Soviet spy. According to Angelo Codevilla http://www.jonathanpollard.org/codevilla.htm who, at the time, was an advisor to the Senate Defense and Intelligence Committee, Ames cast the blame on Pollard for much of the damage http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1994/031894.htm Ames himself had done to US national security and to its agents in the Soviet Union. After the arrest of Ames, Senator Dennis Deconcini, the head of the Defense and Intelligence Committee wrote a letter http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1996/070296.htm indicating that was removing his objection to commutation of Jonathan Pollard\'s sentence. Weinberger himself admitted, in an interview in 2002 http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2002/061402.htm on the occasion of the printing of his memoirs, that the Pollar! d case was a "relatively minor matter" and that "it was made much bigger than its actual importance."
It appears that the disagreement in the United States surrounding Pollard\'s release revolves around two main arguments. The first argument: given that we now know that any damage caused by Pollard was insignificant, should he be freed in order to correct the injustice, or is it better to retain him as a bargaining chip. As Dennis Ross suggested to President Clinton during the negotiations at the Wye Summit in 1998, Pollard can be used to squeeze additional concessions from Israel for the Palestinians. The second argument: will the release of Pollard signal to the American Jews that is okay to spy for Israel, or has 20 years in prison been enough to achieve the goal of deterrence. _____________________ Part III:
Commentary: The Search for Agent X
Jonathan Pollard, the American Jewish Community, the American Establishment, and the State of Israel. Why does the name of the Israeli agent languishing in an American prison evoke such animosity in Washington Jews? On the eve ofPassover, the Secret Service is looking for spies with Jewish names.
Very few names cause the kind of visceral reaction by Washington Jews that the name Jonathan Pollard does. "Why are you even bothering with that scoundrel? Don\'t you know what he did to us here! I hope he rots in prison. "These are the kind of reactions that one hears from Washington Jews.
Last summer, the name of a Washington analyst, Larry Franklin, was in the news headlines. Franklin is a Catholic supporter of Israel who believes in a strategic common fate shared by Israel and the United States. Last summer it was reported that Franklin gave classified information about US policy on Iran to the pro-Israeli lobby group AIPAC, and that he did this as the emissary of " real spies" in the Pentagon and in the Bush Administration itself - Jewish neo-conservatives.
At once the names of all the Jews holding top positions in the Defense Department appeared in a list in the Washington Post, in a report written, in fact, by the journalist responsible for reporting on the affairs of the Department of State. Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Harold Rood, Richard Perl, Scooter Libby - all were suddenly under suspicion of betraying the US. Not a single name of a non-Jew was mentioned.
The entire affair appears to have been contrived. The "information" that Franklin was supposed to have given to AIPAC had previously been published in the Washington Post, and did not at all represent American official policy towards Iran, but just a possible approach which had been brought up at a discussion which took place regarding American policy on Iran. Since the accusations were first made, nearly a year has passed and there has not been a single indictment. But, in the process, all the Jews who work for the Administration were investigated and humiliated, and along with them a considerable number of Jews who have no connection to the Administration as well.THE ZIONIST CLIQUE
The Jews themselves say that the name Pollard is always in the air. According to some of them, the FBI is still searching for Agent X - the mythological highly-placed American for whom Pollard is supposed to have worked http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1998/020598.htm . Twenty years have gone by since Pollard\'s arrest and the FBI is still trying any way it can to prove that there was another Jew involved in the episode.
The publicized investigation of Franklin, as well as the publicized attacks against the "neo- conservatives" which began in the months before the American invasion of Iraq two years ago, still continue to this day. According to critics of the Administration, right, left and center, Washington has been taken over by a clique of "Zionist - neo- conservatives" which is promoting a foreign policy that enslaves simple Americans to the murky interests of Israel. The names of individuals which are mentioned are always those of Jews.
All that is needed to reveal the depth of the insult, the anger and the demoralization of the Jews in Washington, is to bring up the name Pollard. "He is the reason they suspect us to this day," they say. The Pollard problem has become a gaping abyss dividing American Jews and Israel. It is true, as they say, that perhaps the Israeli public is sympathetic to him, but for us he is a scoundrel. It is not just that he betrayed the US, they say; first and foremost, he betrayed American Jews; and by running him Israel betrayed us as well.
There is no doubt that Pollard hurt the reputation and the good name of American Jews, nevertheless, it is frankly worth asking, how it is that his influence is still so strongly felt after 20 years. There are 3 players who are responsible for why the Pollard affair still continues to affect the situation of all American Jews so deeply, as well as the relations between the US and Israel. They are: the American Intelligence community; the leaders of the American Jewish community; and the State of Israel.
Pollard has become an effective tool in the hands of the Intelligence community in the US. It is not just that he stole classified information and transferred it to a foreign country; he stole the information and he gave it to Israel. Anti-Semites like the former Secretary of Defense in those days, Caspar Weinberger, and the former deputy head of the CIA, Bobby Ray Inman, recognized in Pollard an opportunity to weaken the influence of the Jews in America. The Jews at the time were strongly opposed to the limits which were imposed on Israel after the destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor; and they were similarly vociferously opposed to the sale of upgraded weapons systems to the Arabs, such as the sale of AWACS fighter planes to Saudia Arabia. Israel-haters in the American Administration reckoned that if American Jews had to worry that they were sounding unfaithful to America every time they opened their mouths on behalf of Israel, then they might be less zealous in their defense of Israel. These same officials in the American Intelligence and security establishment working against Jews, did what every anti-Semite has always wanted to do to us since time immemorial: they decided to define for us what it means to be a Jew.
The trouble is, the American Jews allowed them to do so. Ever since the arrest of Pollard, the American Jewish establishment has accepted the unusual treatment he has been subjected to by the American Justice system without complaint. Pollard spent seven years in solitary confinement with barely a word of complaint by American Jewish leaders. The witch-hunt against Jews that has been on-going ever since, has been met with weak and half-hearted protest by the Jewish establishment. Even though the Jews marched shoulder to shoulder with Black American human rights activists in the 1960\'s, when it came to crying out against discrimination for "one of our own", the American Jewish leadership was utterly impotent.
If American Jewry in 1986, or even today, were united in protest against the life sentence imposed upon Pollard and against the witch-hunt of Jews in Washington, as if the deeds of one were indicative of all, then the Justice Department and the Intelligence community would be forced to curtail open season on all Jews. In other words, if the American Jewish establishment were more willing to defend itself - American Jews would be under attack far less.
This is where we come to Israel. As much as they make noises about being independent leaders, the Jewish leadership in America gets both its courage and its signal to act, in no small measure, from Israel. In the 1990\'s, for example, Israeli leaders such as Shimon Peres and Yossi Beilin instructed American Jewish leaders to change gears and to work for "peace", instead of for Israel. That is how it came about that almost all of the large Jewish organizations began to lobby Congress to give money to the PLO, and supported the CIA training Palestinian terrorists. In general, those leaders and Jewish activists repulsed by these policies, who asked emphatically to continue to support Israel, were fired for not showing more enthusiasm for the new policies. So it happened when the war for peace broke out in September 2000, it took a long time for the American Jewish Community to recover from the joy of lobbying for the PLO, and to! return to defending itself and Israel.
In the case of Pollard, Israel abandoned her agent because her leaders reckoned that the abandonment would facilitate the repair of relations with the Americans. But that is not what occurred; the abandonment merely strengthened anti-Israel forces in Washington. When Israel failed to defend her agent and her interests, she was weakened. The Americans realized that Israel had no honor and that it was possible to pressure her and humiliate her. Instead of demanding an end to this treatment, Israel agreed to the humiliation. What this means is simple: defending Pollard, no matter how difficult it may seem is, in effect, self defense. And when Israel fails to defend herself, she is weakened, and all who are identified with her, are weakened as well.
By abandoning Pollard, Israel has demonstrated that at least on one thing she has worked with consistency for the last 20 years. Pollard, the South Lebanese Army collaborators, the Palestinian collaborators and the settlers in Gaza and the northern Shomron who are under fire and living in constant threat of terror, day in day out, merely for trying to help the nation of Israel to hold on to the Land - all have received the same treatment: betrayal by the State. The State betrays her friends, and shows preference instead to Hezbullah, to the PLO and to the anti-Semites in the US Intelligence community, and the anti-Israel activists of Gush Shalom and the rest of the pro-Palestinian movements.
The holiday of Passover is the Holiday of Freedom. In order to earn its freedom, a nation must be responsible for its actions. That includes showing good faith to friends, especially in difficult circumstances. In order to do this, a nation must adopt a model of honorable behavior. Without honor there can be no responsibility; and without responsibility there is no freedom. Achieving freedom is not a one-time event; it is an on-going struggle which lasts forever. The fact that it is a lasting and on-going exercise , means that it is it never too late to begin. Israel, as the State of the Jewish People, is responsible to all Jews for as long as he is there. Pollard may be an Israeli hero, or not. But he is certainly an Israeli agent who fell victim to terrible discrimination, and it is up to Israel to secure his release - not just for his sake - but for ours.
SEE ALSO: Column One: Pollard\'s Freedom and Our Freedom - Caroline Glick - The Jerusalem Post http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/042205.htm
Israel Defense Forces Prayer for Jonathan Pollard http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/040705a.htm
Excerpts from "The Missing Peace" by Dennis Ross http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/022005.htm
Jonathan Pollard: "TAKE ME OUT OF THE BOR!" - by Shimon ShifferYediot Achronot Exclusive Interviewhttp://www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/050904.htm
A Conversation with Jonathan Pollard - by Ben Caspit Maariv Exclusive! First Face to Face in 10 years! http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1997/052297.htm
Caspar\'s Ghost Weinberger memoir omits key involvement http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2002/061402.htm
The Conspiracy Against Pollard - by Chezi Carmel Maariv Exclusive on Aldrich Ames http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1994/031894.htm
The Aldrich Ames Case Page http://www.jonathanpollard.org/ames.htm
Stunning New Revelations in the Pollard Case - by Dr. Aaron Lerner (The Eban Report) http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2000/061500.htm
Document: Historic Knesset Petition Signed by 112 MKs http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2003/102803.htm
Chief Rabbis Past and Present Unprecedented Appeal for Pollard http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2005/042005.htm
Maariv NRG: ICMIS Says Yes to Tanenbaum; No to Pollard http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/081704.htm
Yediot Achronot: Defense Ministry Says Pollard Didn\'t Get Money http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/081604.htm
The Angelo Codevilla Articles Page http://www.jonathanpollard.org/codevilla.htm
Senator DeConcini Says To Free Pollard http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1996/070296.htm
Spy for Russ Jinxed Pollard, Insists an Intelligence Guru http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1998/121198.htm
The Wye Double-Cross Page http://www.jonathanpollard.org/wye.htm
Was There Another Spy Tasking Pollard? - Mr. \'X\' Exposed http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1998/020598.htm

subset: commoncrawl


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The Middle Eye
by Rebecca Jean Downey
When eleven-year-old Rosa Garcia disappears from an El Paso, Texas playground, Penny Larkin, a newly-certified remote viewer, is hired by Sheriff Leo Tellez to find her. The FBI believes she's a runaway, but this is the second time Rosa has been kidnapped, and Leo fears she's been taken by a sexual predator. Penny's lingering memory of fighting off a rape attempt by her foster father clouds her thoughts and prevents her from locating the kidnapper quickly. The sheriff, who rescued Rosa from a homeless man five years earlier, is up for reelection and seeks to curry public favor by finding her again. His deputies claim Penny is a charlatan and a waste of the department's money. When Penny can't locate Rosa promptly, Leo boils with frustration and fires her. Penny refuses to give up, and soon discovers the bloodcurdling kidnapper's hideout. With time running out, Penny sets out alone to rescue Rosa.
Will Penny find young Rosa and exorcise her own demons in the process, or will she fall into the clutches of a Russian child-trafficking ring?
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The Devil Eye
by Rebecca Jean Downey
When the U.S. Marshal wants to stop a sale of firearms to Mexico, he asks Penny Larkin to use her remote viewing skills to track down New Mexico gunrunner, Juan Rico. Penny is sworn to secrecy because the marshal believes a law enforcement officer is involved. She can't even tell her boyfriend, El Paso County Sheriff Leo Tellez.
Penny heads off to Columbus, New Mexico alone, and winds up stranded on the Interstate during a dust storm. She is forced to use her own gun to hold off a gang of men trying to hi-jack her car. A man winds up dead and New Mexico State Trooper Johnny Trejo, arrests Penny on suspicion of murder. When Leo comes to rescue Penny from the clutches of the law, he brings Adriana, the beautiful twin sister of Alejandra, Leo's dead wife. Penny is desperate to get out of jail to defend her relationship with Leo, but when she is finally free, she must keep her word to the marshal and find Juan Rico, first.
On the trail of Rico, gun traffickers kidnap Penny and drag her across the Mexican border, along with their guns. This means certain death for Penny in a country where women often go missing. A rescue by the U.S. Marshal or even Sheriff Tellez is unlikely since no one knows where she is. Will Penny escape the grasp of ruthless gunrunners? The answers can be found in Devil Eye!
Buy the book
About the author: Rebecca Jean Downey has a way of pulling you into her stories. You don't want to put the book down until you make sure her characters survive! She graduated from the Indiana University School of Journalism, covered police and court beats as a newspaper reporter, and has since had a life long fascination with law enforcement and criminal behavior. Rebecca read Sherlock Holmes in elementary school, and has devoured hundreds of mystery novels over her lifetime. She finally realized that her home in El Paso, Texas—lying on the cusp of two countries—was a perfect backdrop for sharing the haunting headlines generated south of the border in Mexico.
Today, Rebecca is a speechwriter for the President of The University of Texas at El Paso and Director of Development for the College of Health Sciences.
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Rebecca's novels introduce the reader to a psychic technique called controlled remote viewing, developed in the 1970s by the CIA when the agency suspected that the Soviet Union was conducting psychic spying on the United States. The US Army and the CIA utilized Stargate until the end of the Cold War when the US Government declassified it.
Today, remote viewers help law enforcement agencies and individuals locate missing persons and solve cold cases.
As a remote viewer herself, Rebecca found writing about Penny Larkin's adventures to be therapeutic.
Click on the giveaway banner below to enter to win a copy of "The Middle Eye" or "Devil Eye" !
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Nashville's Honky Tonk Highway
For those who don't know, a honky tonk is an establishment that contains at least one rockin' stage, cold beverages, and a party that lasts all day, everyday. And we mean every SINGLE day. Nashville's Honky Tonk Highway, located on Lower Broadway, is a row of these beautiful things pumping live music into the streets from 10am to 3am. One of the best parts: it doesn't cost a thing. Meaning no cover charge. Meaning save your money for more important things like the tip jar! Because in Music City we understand music should be shared to all. And you never know who you'll see in these Lower Broadway clubs. Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Gretchen Wilson, Dierks Bentley and other stars began their careers on this amazing street. MEANING the person you see singing on the stage in Music City might be the next big thing. So travel along with us as we hit each honky tonk on Music City's Honky Tonk Highway.
AJ'S Good time barMusic: CountryAlan Jackson has opened his own slice of paradise on Nashville's Lower Broadway where you can have a good time, anytime. See who's playing. |
Honky Tonk CentralMusic: CountryOff the corner of 4th and Broadway is a rockin' joint that is always a good time. Three floors, three bars, three stages, three dance floors, and a good time, anytime. It's a must stop for any music lover looking to get down on Nashville's Honky Tonk Highway. See A Little More. |
Layla's Bluegrass InnMusic: Country, Bluegrass, RockabillyLayla's Bluegrass Inn is home to country, hillbilly, rockabilly, western, Americana, bluegrass, and many different styles appealing to music fans from all over the world! No matter if you pluck it, string it, pick it, or beat it, the music is always welcome through these doors and on the stage for all to hear. See A Little More. |
Legends CornerMusic: CountryLegends Corner is a place that honors the music. It just takes a glance to notice the country music records and memorabilia that cover the walls. And just like the rest of the honky tonks there's a bar, stage in front, and a dance floor that's waiting for you. See Who's Playing. |
Nashville CrossroadsMusic: Country, Rock 'n' RollThe fine folks of Nashville Crossroads combine classic country with Southern rock 'n' roll. It's not uncommon to hear a rock ballad from the bands that play in this joint. In addition, the friendly bartenders are always happy to serve you and quench your thirst. See Who's Playing. |
Nudie's Honky TonkMusic: CountryNudie's Honky Tonk pays homage to music legends through live music and the memorabilia which line its walls. Come inside to see the suits worn by country legends such as Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr, and more that were tailored by Nudie Cohn. Also, it is the longest bar on Honky Tonk Highway and offers plenty of room for all our friends. Check out more. |
Rippy's Smokin' Bar & GrillMusic: Country, Rock 'n' RollThis hopping joint contains three stages and two floors. The top floor holds the biggest stage and is actually an outdoor patio with an amazing view of Nashville's Broadway. Don't worry about the weather outside. Heaters and fans keep this patio in good temperature allowing you to party amongst the fresh air any time of year. See A Little More. |
Robert's Western WorldMusic: Country, BrazilbillyThis beautiful honky tonk is home to traditional country music and the world famous Brazilbilly, a combination of traditional country and Latin flair. A unique style just like the atmosphere of the place that honors it. Just so you know, there are two floors both containing bars, and at each level the music is heard loud and clear. See Who's Playing. |
The Second FiddleMusic: CountryThis place has a bit of an attitude, but we mean that in the best way possible. Leave those worries at the door, because no one has time for that once you are inside this amazing honky tonk. They care about playing the good old country music we have all come to love, and nothing else. So grab a drink, raise it up, and party on my friend. See Who's Playing. |
The Stage on BroadwayMusic: Country, Rock 'n' RollThe Stage on Broadway lets you boot scoot all night long on a huge dance floor right before their stage. There's also a really massive mural right next to it with legendary artists like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Little Jimmy Dickens, and more. So while you listen to your favorites you can party with them too! See Who's Playing. |
Tootsie's Orchid LoungeMusic: Country, Rock 'n' RollOne can't forget to visit the world famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge on Music City's Honky Tonk Highway. Three stories (yes, THREE), four stages, and three bars. Talking about one party, over another, OVER ANOTHER! Besides just keeping the party going the history behind this place is pretty amazing. Early patrons happen to be none other than the infamous Kris Kristofferson, Patsy Cline, Mel Tillis, Willie Nelson, and more. See It Live. |
Whiskey Bent SaloonMusic: CountryIf you have a need for the good stuff then head on over to Whiskey Bent Saloon. A honky tonk that is sure to have a stiff drink and great music on the stage. It's the perfect place for you and your friends to kick back and get a little loose in Music City. See Who's Playing. |
Lower Broadway
That's not all! Towards the lower side of Broadway are unique Nashville joints playing the music and keeping the party going with excellent drink specials. The venues in this area have some of the best music one can find for less than a penny.
Free Music Venues
- Acme Feed & Seed
- Bootleggers Inn
- Crazy Town
- Hard Rock Cafe
- Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville
- Paradise Park Trailer Resort
- Tequila Cowboy
- Tin Roof Broadway
- The Valentine


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Firefighters said they were called to AT&T Park Saturday night after a fire broke out in the clubhouse.
The fire was reported just hours ago after the Giants vs. Padres game Saturday afternoon, and there were no reports of injuries.
Firefighters said they responded to a commercial dryer on fire at about 9:00 p.m.
The extent of the damage and the cause of the fire are unknown.
Published at 10:33 PM PDT on Sep 28, 2013 | Updated at 11:07 PM PDT on Sep 28, 2013


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Teaching Links subscribe to the Wabash Center e-newsletter.
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If your school is in the process of transitioning to online learning, Integrating Pedagogy and Technology may be the only book you need – it certainly should be one of the first you read. Bernauer and Tomei's work is brimming with very useful information for schools in transition. The authors have devised what they call an "Integrated Readiness Matrix" (IRM) to assist institutions both in discerning how ready their faculty may be for this change and in moving them toward greater technological and pedagogical proficiency. "The goal of the IRM and this textbook is simple: move higher education faculty incrementally from lower left quadrants to more advanced upper right quadrants" (80).
Considering how best to integrate technology into instruction "requires all faculty to be conversant with the theories of learning, the taxonomies and domains of learning, a new methodology for preparing and developing college faculty for a career of classroom teaching" (vii). The book includes a chapter on educational psychology, exploring the unique features of five pedagogies: behaviorism, cognitivism, humanism, constructivism, and connectivism. It builds to address taxonomies of learning, pedagogical skills and competencies, and technological skills and competencies. The lists of competencies and learning objectives for faculty development in chapters eight and nine are worth going over with faculty even by themselves.
The authors, from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, model educational theory, using advance organizers at the beginning of each chapter, for example. Chapters may end with review sections, indices of concepts addressed in particularly complex chapters, suggested readings, and so forth. The preface introduces preconditions for using the Integrated Readiness Matrix, which is considered "sufficiently valid and reliable to serve as a basis for faculty self-assessment and professional faculty development," to determine where each faculty member's pedagogical and technological skills need bolstering (vii).
Another strength of this book is its applicability to various kinds of learners and institutional contexts. This material is valuable whether you are teaching undergraduates, graduate students, or other adult learners. Your field does not matter; this is not one of those texts where everything must be translated in order to be useful to theological or religious-studies faculty. Reflective teachers and institutional administrators concerned about how to develop faculty competencies will both find appropriate and important resources here.
Many institutions of higher learning are already in the process of transitioning to more online offerings. But this often happens in a haphazard, unorganized way, leaving certain faculty to carry the technological burden for the entire institution. Alternately, online expectations are introduced or imposed, but faculty are not empowered and trained to make the best use of technological tools, or pedagogical considerations do not enter the discussion. This book can be used to assist entire departments in training faculty, generating conversation about the pedagogical sophistication necessary to use technology well, and balancing technological and pedagogical considerations while transitioning to online learning.
Laura K. Simmons George Fox Seminary
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High performance halogen floodlights for low visibility and narrow trail riding. The 35W bulbs produce 650 lumens and a 36 degree pattern, illuminating a wide path, yet they're easy on your electrical system. Go to the limits with confidence thanks to features such as welded connections, stainless steel hardware, anodized aluminum housings, impact resistant lenses, and silicone seals. Flood the darkest trails with light and go prepared. Kit contains two lights, mounting hardware, fused wiring, and sealed toggle switch.
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Confidence, as remembered and described by a young visitor to our Brookes Live Friday showcase at the Ashmolean Museum in March 2014. We have confidence in our staff and students, and we know that we prepare our graduates well for a fulfilling and valuable life. Through their success, we continue to earn our outstanding reputation.
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Investing in future social entrepreneurs. We believe people flourish in a culture of respect and support, where we celebrate difference and thrive on each others' success. Our students manifest a generosity of spirit as they progress in the world.


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Help me please my back spine and stomach hurts .
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I have had diarrhea lately but now am pooping a lot ( not diarrhea). Lot more than usual. I am 18 female. I been having stomach pains and intesnse pain on my spine it's hurts so much. And when that hurts so does my stomach too. And spotting I kind of have a uti . Not prego I think because it was negative a week and a half ago. Please help the pain in my spine and stomach hurts so Much. What's wrong with me ? And I am not in any sports just school.
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Story Worthy
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Show Info: A lively show featuring true stories from Hollywood's most interesting talents. If you like The MOTH and This American Life you'll love Story Worthy! Christine Blackburn hosts this weekly show. Past guests include Adam Carolla, Bobcat Goldthwait, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Phil Rosenthal, Barry Katz, Yakov Smirnoff, Sugar Ray Leonard, Todd Glass, Jim Beaver, and many other talented comedians, writers and actors. New episode every Monday! Listen right here- http://bit.ly/2eSlJZw.


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Ratings based on 774 Verified Reviews
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Received a call from staff member who I called back but received no answer. Upon arrival I was told my reservation had been cancelled and room given to someone else. The excuse was that my card did not go through, which is ridiculous I've never stayed anywhere where you pay
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Excellent motel for a good price
Posted Mar 14, 2017All areas were clean and updated, rooms were comfortable, area is close to food, bars and shopping, staff was awesome..overall great deal.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Affordable and clean
Posted Mar 1, 2017When I arrived for check-in, the front desk clerk was short and didn't greet her guests well. During my stay I had to keep asking for my room key to be reset. There was another clerk who was very short but I had good experiences with another two desk clerks. The room was clean and well stocked. The elevator was scary.
The best part of the experience was the housekeeping ladies who were amazing. As with my first stay at this hotel, my favorite was a wonderful housekeeper named Eva. I was so happy she remembered me on my 2nd stay. Overall, I did get what I paid for and I would use this hotel again.
by Marc
Posted Dec 26, 2016 on Hotels
by A verified traveler
Posted Dec 20, 2016 on Hotels
by A verified traveler
Posted Dec 20, 2016 on Hotels
by A verified traveler
Clean and cozy!
Posted Dec 19, 2016 on HotelsThe room was very nice. You can tell it has been updated. It was clean and had plenty of towels. I like the microwave and refrigerator in the room. The staff was nice. I'd stay here again.
by A verified traveler
Clean and convenient
Posted Dec 16, 2016 on HotelsWe had a several hour layover and decided to get some rest. Cheap, clean, and did the job. Only drawback was the bed was pretty small for two people.
Comment from Hotel Management
Dec 19, 2016 by General Manager, Hotel Management
We would like to thank you for taking the time to share a review. Feedback from our guests is very important to us and your input helps with our continuing efforts to provide excellent service and a great stay.
Thank you so much for your business and we look forward to seeing you in the future
- Keri
by A verified traveler from England
Coldest week in a long time in Chicago ...
Posted Dec 16, 2016... and the heating didn't work. I spent three cold nights in the hotel, with the temperature outside 10 to 20 degrees below freezing. The lobby was somewhat warmer than that but the staff had given up trying to use the heat exchangers, which simply brought in the cold outside air. A repairman showed up when I was leaving. Instead of changing out the refrigeration fluid, they were planning to swap out some of the heat exchangers for other, used ones from other hotels, and then scrap the ones reported as faulty. Bad policy letting down decent staff members, not to mention guests.
Comment from Hotel Management
Dec 19, 2016 by Keri, Hotel Management
Thank you for taking the time to share a review regarding your recent stay at our hotel. This issue has been fixed.
On behalf of our entire team, I would like to apologize for failing to exceed your expectations. Your satisfaction is important to us and we will be using the feedback you provided to make improvements to ensure we offer an exceptional experience for our guests in the future.
I hope that you will consider staying with us again so that we can have another chance to provide you with a superior experience.
by A verified traveler
Posted Dec 14, 2016 on Hotels
Comment from Hotel Management
Dec 19, 2016 by General Manager, Hotel Management
Thank you for taking the time to share a review with such positive feedback! I have shared your review with my staff, and they join me in thanking you. We take pride in our hotel and the services we provide and we are so glad you enjoyed your stay.
We are looking forward to providing you the same pleasant accommodations and service the next time you are in town.
- Keri


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Andy Bryant maintained that by using his technique of self-hypnosis he is able to overcome pain, reduce bleeding and eliminate swelling and would thus be able to continue his busy schedule as if nothing had happened.
Never far in the background of pre and post-match briefings for the media circus that this remarkable act had managed to attract, was Mr Bryant's Natural Hair Products baldness cure company and its claim to have achieved a 50 per cent re-growth for Labour MP Bryan Gould, no less.
Mr Bryant emerged minutes after the four-minute operation - involving one cut in his scrotum followed by the heat sealing of the two sperm-carrying tubes - looking as calm and relaxed as he had before he went under Dr Tim Black's knife at the Marie Stopes clinic in London.
'I feel great. It was a success,' he said, though he admitted that at one point he had flinched when he felt a little pain because his subconscious thought process had not isolated a large enough area.
'That was a bit worrying. I had not realised the blood supply in my stomach would be affected and I felt a sensation of the nerve being cut, so I gave myself another instruction. Then I felt the sensation of the knife and being clamped, but no further pain.'
Dr Black was amazed there was so little bleeding. 'It was fascinating. I thought beforehand that he could cut the pain off. But I didn't believe he could isolate the blood supply as well.'
While this was going on out of view, the media circus had to make do with watching a close-up video of one of the 25 (anaesthetised) vasectomies carried out daily at the clinic at pounds 140 a time. Frances Perrow explained that Mr Bryant, a father of two, was a 'fairly average Mr Vasectomy'. Well, not quite.
(Photograph omitted)
- More about:
- Alternative Medicine
- Anesthesia
- Healthcare
- Stomach


text:
The SIU is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of 24 urologists. All SIU members in good standing are entitled to vote at the General Assembly, held annually at the SIU Congress.
The SIU has approximately 5,000 individual members representing over 120 countries. There are various membership categories (i.e., active, associate, allied health professional, trainee, etc.), which all require sponsorship by an SIU member in good standing, and proof of Board Certification.


text:
About KFJC
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Gerald Hawk "The Honey Guide Bird" [Abduction]Miss those voices inside your head? Fear not, they were
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it's a "suck" not a fuck. "when you suck on my dick, all the monsters jump up and down…on a trampoline. they are of one mind" :) Comment on this review |
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text:
Migration to E4 workshop. The truth about migrating to Eclipse 4
You probably have an Eclipse 3.X application and you have a lot of questions about your migration…to Eclipse 4.
This workshop has been made for you. After a few reminders about Eclipse 4 concepts, it will explain how to perform a migration.
Actually Eclipse 4 runtime is now used for more over 4 years, and it provides really efficient concepts like : injection, application model based on EMF, IEventBroker to manage events, CSS styler and the E4 spies. The compatibility layer can convert E3 legacy code to this runtime, on the fly, but it constraints the developers to be sticked with the old legacy concepts and to ignore the new ones.
For this specific workshop, we will start with a pure 3.X application and obtain a pure 4.X application.
We will also explain the confusion about the current status and future of the Eclipse Platform in its various guises. Is Eclipse 3.x dead? Should new development always use Eclipse 4? Should companies rewrite existing Eclipse 3.x applications on Eclipse 4? Is it possible to migrate my application? What are the prerequisites? And if not, then why did we bother with Eclipse 4?
If your choice is to migrate all or pieces or your application, it will answer to some questions : How should I proceed? Which components can be migrated? is there some tooling that could help me? Should I keep the compatibility layer or can I remove it definitively? Should I migrate my plugin totally or can I do it step by step? Could I develop new Eclipse 4 plugins and mix them with my old legacy code? What are the limits ? Where can I find ressources to help me?
Outline/structure of the Session
In a nutshell, this workshop will contain 5 main parts :
- The problem of migration
- E4 concept reminders
- Presentation of a simple application to migrate
- Step by step migration
- Migration strategies and limits
Learning Outcome
The goal of this workshop is to give you the keys to choose to migrate or not and to summarize different real migration cases.
It will give you a clear overview of what is possible … or not.
Target Audience
Eclipse RCP developers, having RCP 3.X knowledge will be important.
There are a lot of links summarized in my 'intervention' page here :
A lot of these links are about Eclipse 4 migration.
Participant will need :
A PC with Eclipse Neon installed (for RCP and RAP developers)
An internet connection to install the E4 tools/spies from : http://download.eclipse.org/e4/snapshots/org.eclipse.e4.tools/latest/
I will provide a zip file of a default application to migrate.
schedule Submitted 9 months ago
- By Pradeep Balachandran ~ 8 months ago
Hi Prouvost, thanks for the proposal. It is great to have a workshop on e4. Could you please include a few points in the abstract on why someone should consider migrating to e4?
- By Olivier Prouvost ~ 8 months ago
Hi Pradeep,
I added some explanation ! :)
Thank you for your remark.


text:
1. Deficient ventral penile shaft skin which is buried in scrotum or tethered to scrotal midline by a fold or web of skin. The urethra and erectile bodies are usually normal. Synonym: penis palmatus, penoscrotal transposition. (05 Mar 2000)
Click the following link to bring up a new window with an automated collection of images related to the term: Penis Palmatus Images
peninsulae peninsular peninsular Spanish peninsulas peninsulate peninsulated peninsulates peninsulating penitant penitants |


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Frank Sinatra
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Frank Sinatra (1915–1998) was an American actor and pop singer. He was best known for being a founding member of the Rat Pack and for his hit recordings of the 1960s such as "Strangers in the Night" and "My Way".
When Disco Stu visited Praiseland to get a miracle from the statue of Maude Flanders, he had a vision of Heaven as a huge discothèque. Stu was surprised to see Sinatra there and Sinatra told him, "For me this is hell. Ya dig, pally?"
Behind the laughter
Songs recorded by Sinatra have appeared in other episodes of the show:
- "Summer Wind" (sung by Martin Prince) is played at the end of "Bart of Darkness".
- "South of the Border" is played over the closing credits of "Kamp Krusty". However, the singer is not Sinatra, but a sound-a-like.
- Somethin' Stupid is sung by Selma Bouvier and Sideshow Bob in [[Black W.


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Shipping Info
Standard & Lickety Split Delivery
Accessories and Lickety Split items are shipping via standard delivery and arrive in 3-7 business days. Shipping charges are based on the total value of the merchandise (see "Standard Delivery Charges" chart). Prices in parentheses are in addition to the standard shipping charges. Bulkier and heavier items will incur additional charges. Additional shipping fees are excluded from shipping promotions.
Personalized items
Personalized items are made to order. Please allow 2-3 weeks for production of in-stock items. For items such as Nod Chairs, Bean Bags, and one-seaters, please note that the inserts and covers ship separately. The inserts will arrive in 5-7 business days while the personalized covers will require 2-3 weeks to be produced and ship. Personalized items are not available for expedited shipping.
Please note: All shipping charges include handling, order processing, item selection, packaging and transportation of items.
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$300.01 & above | 10% |
Rush Delivery Shipping Charges
Starting at $12.95, orders placed by 12:00 p.m. CST will be delivered in 2-3 business days. Starting at $24.95, orders placed by 12:00 p.m. CST will be delivered the following business day. These expedite charges are in addition to the standard delivery charge. Bulkier and heavier items will incur additional charges.
Delivery Outside the Contiguous U.S.
Standard Delivery to Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Territories will incur a $10 additional shipping fee; please allow 7-15 business days. For Rush Delivery, allow 3-5 business days; incremental charges will apply. Shipping for larger items is quoted upon request. Please call (800) 933-9904 to place your order. Or fill out our AK, HI, U.S. Territories Quote request form at https://landofnod.com/customer-service/alaska-hawaii-territory-shipping-quote.aspx.
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Furniture orders under $450 | |
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The exact shipping amount for your entire cart will be calculated and displayed at Checkout. Shipping charges apply per delivery.
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One to two days prior to delivery, you will receive a call with a 2 to 3-hour delivery time frame. Saturday and Sunday delivery may be available, please call (800) 933-9904 for additional information. Please note, Cribs will require customer assembly.
Includes two-man service, placement in a room of your choice and removal of packaging. Delivery service does not include disassembling or removing old furniture.
If you have items that are not shipping via Local In-Home Delivery (i.e., Standard Delivery), additional shipping charges will apply.
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The exact shipping amount for your entire cart will be calculated and displayed at Checkout. Shipping charges apply per delivery.
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Two days before delivery, you will receive a call with a 4-hour delivery time frame. Saturday delivery may be available for an additional charge. Sunday delivery is not available. Areas considered remote may have limited time frames available.
All furniture is delivered inside the first door of your home. Furniture descriptions with In-Home Delivery include inside delivery, assembly of furniture and removal of packaging. Delivery service does not include disassembling or removing old furniture. Please note, Cribs will require customer assembly.
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If you feel that you have a better shot of figuring out Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, please contact us for assistance.
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Wanna pickup your own furniture? OK, but be sure to lift with your legs. Customers can make arrangements to pickup their furniture order at either our Naperville, Illinois, Los Angeles, California or Seattle, Washington warehouse. Customers choosing this option will not be charged for delivery. Sales tax is still applicable to the order. At least 48 hours notice is required prior to requesting a pickup appointment. Please contact The Land of Nod Furniture Team at 800.933.9904 for additional information and assistance.
Shipping to APO/FPO Addresses
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Once delivered to an APO or FPO address, tracking information is no longer available.
After an item reaches the APO/FPO hub in the United States (typically within 3-5 business days), it is up to the government mail system to deliver the shipment to the intended destination.
From there, surface mail is used and may take up to 8-12 weeks. This is because the package may be placed on a ship instead of an airplane. In some cases (especially with larger items), the container an item has been placed on needs to wait to be filled before making it onto a ship. This can result in longer delivery times as well.
In some instances, larger, heavier items cannot be shipped via Parcel Post.
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text:
Justice and Public Safety
NLC President Encourages Cities to Support HERO Act
Return of public safety frequencies is priority for advocacy group and for local first responders
Government Technology
June 20, 2003
by Juan Otero,
National League of Cities
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The
National League of Cities
is working to support the Homeland Emergency Response Operations (HERO) Act, legislation that would set a firm Dec. 31, 2006, deadline for return of much needed public safety frequencies.
"The strengthening of our nation's public safety communications infrastructure has never been more important to our nation's security," said NLC President John DeStefano, mayor of New Haven, Conn. "The current capabilities of law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, disaster relief and other emergency personnel remain severely restricted by the limited amount of spectrum allocated for public safety purposes. It is time for Congress to close this major gap in homeland security and pass the HERO Act."
DeStefano urged local officials to contact their members of Congress and encourage them to support the HERO Act (HR 1425) as an important part of supporting first responders and securing the safety of America's cities and towns.
During a recent hearing on the spectrum needs of emergency first responders, Reps. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) testified on behalf of the legislation. NLC has aggressively supported the HERO Act in the 108th Congress.
The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 required the FCC to reallocate 24 megahertz of spectrum in the upper portion of the 700 MHz band (channels 60-69) for public safety use. But under the digital TV (DTV) transition deadlines established by Congress, broadcasters don't have to return their analog channels until Dec. 31, 2006, or until 85 percent of the households in their markets are capable of receiving digital signals.
House sponsors of the HERO Act that would free analog broadcast spectrum criticized broadcasters for their slow transition to digital television.
"We should work with the broadcasters, but this should be our priority," said Weldon, a former volunteer fire chief who founded the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. "I am so disgusted with the public broadcasting industry. They've had ample time to move away from their existing structure."
Harman agreed that Congress should work to help broadcasters that are "disadvantaged" by having to clear the public safety channels early.
But she noted the possibility of more terrorist attacks in the United States and said, "I don't think we have a day to lose."
Vincent R. Stile, president of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International, testified on behalf of the National Association of Counties and several other local government organizations for the Dec. 31, 2006, deadline and increased funding for public safety equipment.
While saying they were sympathetic to the spectrum needs of public safety agencies, several members of a House subcommittee said they were reluctant to set the Dec. 31, 2006, deadline for TV broadcasters to return 700 megahertz band analog frequencies that have been reallocated for public safety use.
They cited the backlash they could face from consumers who can't yet receive digital signals and would lose their analog transmissions.
But other lawmakers said that it was time to get tough with broadcasters and force them to return their channels. For their part, public safety leaders and a major vendor asked Congress to set a firm deadline for return of their analog channels and allocate funding so agencies could upgrade their equipment, citing increased homeland security demands and tighter state and local funding.
Several members of the subcommittee, including Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), its chair, and W.J. (Billy) Tauzin (R-La.), chair of Energy and Commerce Committee, noted that many lawmakers feared that some viewers would be left with no TV signals if analog channels disappeared too soon.
But Upton said the panel would be "prepared to legislate" a solution if stakeholders in the DTV transition were unable to resolve issues that were thwarting deployment.
Tauzin agreed that freeing up the public safety channels was "not as easy as it might sound." He said he would feel more comfortable with setting a fixed deadline if consumers bought more digital TV sets or set-top boxes that allowed them to receive digital signals. If consumers don't upgrade their TV sets and lose their analog signals, "it will be on our neck," Tauzin said.
Members of the House also discussed proposals for reducing interference and creating more spectrum. Representative Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said that while there was a need for more spectrum for public safety, federal funding to localities for interoperable equipment undoubtedly would be needed.
Representative Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said he was working with Stupak and Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) on legislation that would create a trust fund to help localities deploy interoperable communications equipment.
Government Technology
Can the Police Use Facebook to Investigate Crimes?


text:
Sci fi/Fantasy image by
Christine StatzThese are from an assignment I did last year... They are acutally in a scroll, sewn on. I took pictures of them and then stuck 'em together. I think I like the first half of it by itself better, but eh... (colored pencil on cotton paper I think...)
Published More than a year ago
Category Fantasy
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