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About IATPThe Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy promotes resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world through research and education, science and technology, and advocacy. Founded in 1986, IATP is rooted in the family farm movement. With offices in Minneapolis and Geneva, IATP works on making domestic and global agricultural policy more sustainable for everyone. IATP Web sites |
About Think ForwardThink Forward is a blog written by staff of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy covering sustainability as it intersects with food, rural development, international trade, the environment and public health. Categories
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« January 2011 | Main | March 2011 » February 2011February 28, 2011Commodity market reform: Wall street vs. the regulatorsIn contrast to the rapidity with which governments moved to use taxpayer funds to rescue the "too big to fail" banks in 2008, the pace of financial and commodity market reform since then has been agonizingly slow. One factor frustrating re-regulation is financial industry resistance to reform, aided in the United States by Republican Party efforts to reimburse the financiers of their November 2010 electoral victory with initiatives to defund the regulatory agencies responsible for implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Before dawn on February 19, the House of Representatives voted to slash the budget of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) by a third. "There would essentially be no cop on the beat," CFTC Commission Michael Dunn said at a February 23 Senate hearing. CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler had told a House finance committee hearing that such a cut would not only cripple the CFTC's ability to implement Dodd-Frank reforms, but would prevent his agency from investigating Ponzi schemes and market manipulation. The U.S. Senate is unlikely to support the House Republican assault on regulation, but the Obama administration's proposal to levy a transaction fee to finance CFTC implementation and enforcement is facing stiff opposition. However, budgetary sabotage of market regulation is not limited to the United States. IATP, in comments submitted on the revision of the European Commission's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), noted that the European Securities Markets Authority could not coordinate information among the 27 EU member state market authorities with a staff of just 55, for both financial and commodity markets. The EU's revised financial and commodity markets legislation cannot meet the Dodd-Frank requirement for a comparably rigorous regulatory system in order for foreign traders to access U.S. markets. On the other hand, if the Republicans and the financial services industry succeed in killing Dodd-Frank, EU traders will be able to access U.S. markets under the self-regulation standards of the Bush administration. Later on February 19, the Group of 20 financial ministers issued a communiqué, which included calls for several more studies from international agencies, including the International Organization of Securities Commissions, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting States and the International Energy Agency, to determine the causes of "potential excessive price volatility" in commodity markets. The ministers called on their deputies to investigate the "underlying drivers" of that volatility and report to them at their next meeting, April 14–15 in Washington, DC. Noting the effect of "this volatility on food security," the ministers called for greater investment in agricultural production. President Nicholas Sarkozy had announced that commodity market regulation and food security would be one of three top priorities of the French G-20 presidency in 2011. Responding to U.S., Canadian and Brazilian opposition to President Sarkozy's declaration on excessive speculation in agricultural commodities and the need to regulate that speculation, the communiqué delicately stated that its agreement on "indicative guidelines" of trade and financial "imbalances" would take into account the circumstances of "large commodity producers." On February 14, an international group of nongovernmental organizations, including IATP, wrote to Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega to urge him to discuss with French officials their proposal to the European Commission for an EU commodity regulatory authority. The NGOs argued that it was in the interest of all G-20 members that excessive speculation in commodities be regulated to prevent the speculative bubbles that have been destructive for food and energy security. The French proposal, if implemented, would help prevent such bubbles in EU commodity markets. On February 16, another group of NGOs wrote to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to urge U.S. leadership to prevent excessive speculation in agricultural commodity markets. The NGOs supported the G-20 commitment to make the trading of "standardized derivatives" more transparent, but stated that the exemptions sought for "customized derivatives" by the financial services industry would make a mockery of that commitment. Noting the 32-percent increase in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index in 2010, the NGO letter stated that the food insecurity and political instability that resulted from food price increases in developing countries was one component of a national security threat to the United States. Commodity market regulation could reduce that threat level. (See previous Triple Crisis posts on speculation and the food crisis.) The CFTC draft proposed rule on position limits to prevent excessive speculation on commodity markets is open for comment until March 28. The comment deadline on a draft proposed rule on agricultural swaps (currently unregulated, off-exchange trades) is April 4. Both rules, if implemented, would significantly reduce the damage to food security from excessive speculation. This blog by IATP's Steve Suppan also appeared on the Triple Crisis blog. Filed in Food Crisis , Market Speculation | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 24, 2011Reflections on right to waterThis week, the U.N. Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, will visit the United States, giving us an opportunity to pause and reflect: What does right to water entail? 1. San Francisco Chronicle with Bloomberg, Bolivia's Morales Seeks African Support for UN Water Proposals, February 6, 2011
2. Even though the advocacy work of organizations such as WaterAid has helped increase the awareness of the challenges of realizing right to water in rural areas, an area of increasing interest to the organizations it partners with, much of the responses are still focused on the gap in finances. 3. http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/bushmen 4. Women at the Center of Climate-friendly Approaches to Agriculture and Water Use, Annex 1: Sand mining, governance and right to water, http://www.iatp.org/iatp/publications.cfm?refID=107914 5. http://www.epa.gov/SoCal/tribes.html and http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/first-nations-to-alert-un-to-water-woes-116296654.html 6. U.S. commercial service: Mission Statement (Commercial Setting), Water Trade Mission to India, February 28 – March 4, 2011, Trade Mission Flyer Accessed February 15, 2011
7. http://www.buyusa.gov/india/en/indwatertm.html This week the UN Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, will visit the United States, giving us an opportunity to pause and reflect: what does right to water entail? In early February, addressing the World Social Forum, the Bolivian President Evo Morales said "We are going to go the UN to declare that water is a basic public need that must not be managed by private interests, but should be for all people, including people of rural areas."[1] While some might disagree with his assertion that water should not be managed by private interests, few would challenge the idea that water should be for all. President Morales is calling for an expansion of right to water on two fronts, both in terms of its reach (to larger numbers) and in terms of its scope (to support life).Coming from the president of a nation, this is a very important statement in the international campaign towards right to water. It seeks to connect the right to water to the right to life, which is central to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948, Article 3.) Given that nearly three-quarters of the "water poor" belong to rural communities, it is high time that international deliberations around the right to water focus on rural communities access to safe water. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) obliges states to protect all human rights, but first and foremost right to life. It also obliges states to protect its citizen's cultural diversity, and their right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food. For rural communities, realization of each of these rights is dependent on their ability to access water in their immediate environment. However, over the last decade, the right to water has increasingly been understood rather narrowly as an individual human being's right to have access to safe and affordable water for drinking and sanitation. It is based on the idea that individuals, as members of households, are hooked up to centralized water supply and sanitation schemes.[2] In this understanding of right to water, there is a lack of comprehension of the history and cultures of communities in the global south. In many traditional societies, access to water was realized through the protection of community water sources. Sanitation habits varied from community to community. Production methods and habits varied too. But what was common to them all was that, since they were low-consumption societies, they did not deplete their resources, and could also manage their waste without polluting their land and water resources. This is no longer the case. Even where rural communities continue the ways of their ancestors, they are no longer able to control the fate of their land and water resources. A case in point is the over-a-decade long experience of the Kalahari Bushmen, who are denied the rights to their ancestral land, water and way of life.[3] We all depend on rural resources to continue with our high consumption lifestyle. We need not only the food they produce, and the cotton they plant, but also all kinds of metals and minerals, precious stones and oils for the goods we use every day. In order to meet these needs, private and public corporations enter into rural areas, often displacing communities, destroying their sources of livelihoods, and depleting or polluting their water resources. Sand mining in Tamilnadu, as in other parts of India and the world, is an example of the violation of the right to water of rural inhabitants living in the watershed of the river. Here, sand is removed from riverbeds in order to support the principally urban construction boom. This reduces the ability of the riverbed to retain water and replenish surrounding lands that is already strained by chemical and water intensive industrial agricultural practices.[4] It is not as if these stories are confined to India, Asia or developing countries such as Botswana. Indigenous communities in California, USA and Canada face similar issues from domestic policies in these countries.[5] These initiatives can cross national boundaries. For example the U.S. Commercial Service is organizing a Water Trade Mission to India from February 28 to March 4, 2011. According to their analysis "India faces a critical shortage of reliable, safe water for personal consumption and for industrial use. In recent years rapid industrialization and a growing population have placed increasing demands on the country's limited water resources. [….] most of India's water resources are allocated to the agricultural sector, leaving little or no resources for other uses."[6] While these facts cannot be disputed, what the US Commercial Service sees in India is an opportunity to "expose U.S. firms to India's rapidly expanding water and waste water market and to assist U.S. companies to seize export opportunities in this sector."[7] The assumption here is that the water problems in India can be resolved with the help of technology and investments. This kind of quick fix may end up disregarding (or even worsening) the real issue behind the water crisis, which is the ecological crisis caused by unfettered consumption habits. It does not seem to occur to the US Commercial Service that the diversion of water from rural areas, for industrial water use and/or for urban water supply, may result in water scarcity and livelihood insecurity for rural communities. The rural people who could be affected by these investments should have a role in decisions on whether or not to allow such investments, and a democratic process where they can figure out ways to address the ecological crises in ways that can help realize the right to water of both urban and rural communities. As the Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, visits the United States this week, I hope she is able to help define right to water in a broader sense so as to help bring the majority of the often neglected rural communities under the protection of right to water. [1] San Francisco Chronicle with Bloomberg, Bolivia's Morales Seeks African Support for UN Water Proposals, February 6, 2011 [2] Even though the advocacy work of organizations such as WaterAid has helped increase the awareness of the challenges of realizing right to water in rural areas, an area of increasing interest to the organizations it partners with, much of the responses are still focused on the gap in finances. [4] Women at the center of Climate friendly Approaches to Agriculture and Water Use, Annex 1: Sand mining, governance and right to water, http://www.iatp.org/iatp/publications.cfm?refID=107914 [5] http://www.epa.gov/SoCal/tribes.html and http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/first-nations-to-alert-un-to-water-woes-116296654.html [6] US commercial service: MISSION STATEMENT (Commercial Setting), Water Trade Mission to India, February 28 – March 4, 2011, Trade Mission Flyer Accessed February 15, 2011Filed in Water | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 23, 2011Can food safety race to the top?"Many argue that globalized trade creates a 'race to the bottom,' where the country with the weakest regulations or lowest wages ultimately sets the standards in the global marketplace," writes IATP's David Wallinga, M.D. in the Des Moines Register. "Something different may now be happening around food safety: Global forces are putting pressure on U.S. regulators to catch up with the rest of the world." Dr. Wallinga writes that weak U.S. regulations on antibiotic use in meat and poultry production have blocked or limited U.S. exports in Russia, the European Union and several other countries. A Congressional Research Service report released in December also concluded that antibiotic use in the U.S., commonly used for growth promotion in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO), could affect future U.S. export markets for livestock and poultry. "At some point, the economic costs of lost exports may override even the purported—and very suspect—economic benefits from the routine use of antibiotics in animal feeds," Dr. Wallinga writes. You can read the full commentary here. Filed in Alternative Policies , Food and Health , Health | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 17, 2011Is famine the new normal?A version of this commentary appeared in Policy Innovations, a publication of the Carnegie Council. When global food prices spiked in 2007-08, a hundred million people were added to the ranks of the world's hungry, pushing the total number over 1 billion for the first time in history. Now, just two years later, we are seeing another food price hike, and more famine is likely to follow. Earlier this month, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published its global food price index for January 2011. The agency's index was at its highest level (both in real and nominal terms) since the FAO started measuring food prices in 1990. Food riots have already begun in Algeria. As history repeats itself and the second major global food crisis in two years takes shape, it is vital that we learn the lessons of the first crisis, and address its fundamental causes. Food security depends on stable and predictable weather and markets, and access to resources—all of which have been knocked dangerously off balance in just the past few decades. Since the 1970s, human-caused climate change has brought more frequent extreme weather events worldwide. Farmers used to dealing with the prospect of a lost harvest every ten seasons now experience flood, drought or major pest infestations every second or third year. In 2010 and early this year, Australia, Argentina. China, Russia and Pakistan have all seen extreme weather events disrupt their agricultural production. The second source of instability is an increasingly chaotic marketplace. In the name of free trade, the U.S. government and World Bank have spent the past three decades forcing the markets of developing countries to open to cheap imports, which undermined local food production. In a cruel irony, poor countries were also pressured to cut support for their own farm sectors, and even forced to sell off emergency food reserves, under the rationale that it would be more efficient to simply buy food on international markets. By 2006, more than two-thirds of the world's poorest nations were dependent on food imports. Then came the wave of financial deregulation over the past decade, unleashing speculators onto commodity markets, and creating index funds that tied together commodity market prices for food, oil and metals like never before. But the leveraging, bundling and "innovative instruments" that were supposed to reduce risk in these markets had the opposite effect. The result has been a wildly volatile global food market, in which factors unrelated to actual supply and demand often drive prices. This global double whammy of climate and financial instability has not hurt everyone. Volatility is good for the biggest players in any market. Many agribusiness companies are experiencing record profits now, as they did during the last food crisis. Some African countries will not be hit as hard this time precisely because they insisted on boosting local production instead of relying on global markets. But for the most part, poor farmers are struggling in this changed and hostile climate. No wonder famine has become the new normal. If we consider world hunger an abomination, and not an investment opportunity, we need to make some big changes. Nearly everyone from the World Bank to the U.N. to the G-20 recognizes that investment is urgently needed to support small-scale farmers, particularly women, in countries facing hunger. Globally, 70 percent of the world's food is grown on farms less than two hectares (4 acres) in size, tended in large part by women. Increased support should help farmers utilize sustainable practices that reduce costly inputs, produce higher yields and increase farm incomes. Food production for meeting domestic needs must take priority over cash cropping for export. But there is much more to do. Funding to assist developing-country farmers in adapting to climate change is woefully inadequate. Countries and regions struggling with hunger need greater policy space to protect domestic food production and stabilize supplies. Food reserves should be reexamined as a key tool for addressing shortages, as well as stabilizing food supplies and prices for farmers and consumers. Governments need to get serious about implementing rules to curb excess speculation. The destabilization of the global food supply, which took decades to achieve, can be undone. But it cannot happen if we fail to learn from the past and support new approaches that would bring greater stability and resilience to farming, markets and food systems. Filed in Farm and Food Policy , Food Challenge , Food Crisis | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 16, 2011Seattle city council weighs in on the Farm BillAnother sign that the Farm Bill debate is attracting a much broader audience this time around: the Seattle City Council is weighing in with the Seattle Farm Bill Principles. Yesterday's news release states that one of the Council's aims is to "provide guidance to Congress on the importance of access to fresh and nutritious food and other critical issues as they begin considering the 2012 renewal of the Farm Bill." This goal is consistent with principles we've outlined as part of the Charter for a Healthy Farm Bill. The Seattle Council also hopes that the Principles can be a catalyst for dialogue between urban and rural leaders about the future of our food system. Let's hope so. Filed in Farm and Food Policy , Healthy Food Action | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 15, 2011Upcoming webinar on health, justice and industralized meat productionToday's predominant, industrialized farm animal production facilities raise huge numbers of livestock in small geographic areas, producing enormous concentrations of waste that pollute air and water. As a result, these Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) create a number of problems for the health of the environment and the people living in it, including increased respiratory symptoms, antibiotic resistance and decreased quality of life. And like other highly polluting industries, CAFOs are disproportionately located in low-income areas and communities of color. Next week, IATP will host a webinar that reports on the health effects of CAFOs on surrounding communities, and examines how public health researchers can collaborate with affected communities. For more than a decade, Steven Wing and colleagues at the University of North Carolina have been studying the health effects of hog CAFOs in collaboration with community-based organizations in eastern North Carolina. He'll present their most recent findings, to appear in Epidemiology next month. Naeema Muhammad, from Concerned Citizens of Tillery, the lead community organization in this research, will discuss community involvement and how the research has contributed to organizing and public education efforts. Discussion will be moderated by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's David Wallinga, M.D. The webinar, Health, Justice, and Industrialized Meat Production, will take place on February 22 at 12 noon- 1pm EST. Join us and register today. Filed in Food and Health , Food Justice , Health | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) February 14, 2011Inspiration from Egypt at the World Social ForumFriday's closing ceremony of the World Social Forum began with the news that Hosni Mubarak had resigned from office and led to a resounding cheer and celebration amongst the crowd. Egypt and Tunisia's people-led struggles had reverberated throughout the forum with intermittent marches of Eyptians and those in solidarity. In between assembly sessions of social movements, climate justice groups and those gearing towards Rio+20, several of us protested outside the Eyptian Embassy in Dakar on Friday to show support to those assembling in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Even as we shouted slogans, news travelled that Mubarak had actually resigned, this time for real. Inspiration from Egypt was visible among the Senegalese students, several of whom marched in protest against the current long-time Senegalese president. Other students asked us to sign petitions to end the military action in the Ivory Coast. But clearly, something is bubbling on the African continent as a result of Egypt and Tunisia. The evening ended with the sun setting on the Atlantic ocean behind the stage and a call to action by among others, the climate justice groups and those organizing to the stop the next Earth Summit in the summer of June 2012 from becoming an "Earth grab" (in the words of Pat Mooney from the ETC Group). Speaking of the climate summit, he said, "Copenhagen was a tragedy, but Cancún was Treason…we have the next 15 months with a second Cochabamba gathering, the G-8 and G-20 summits, Durban and Rio to turn this around and we can! They (governments who endorsed the Cancún Climate agreement) have become too greedy and in their greed, they have lost their vision. We can provide it for them." The climate justice groups pledged to start a series of local, regional and national mobilizations that will culminate in international stop off points in the 15-month road map from Dakar to Cochabamba, G-20, Durban, Port Alegre in the next WSF and onto Rio. They demanded to set targets to achieve only a maximum one-degree temperature rise, curb greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2017 and allow no offsets (read: carbon trading and buying the right to pollute in industrialized countries through so-called green projects in the global South). Needless to say, these are ambitious but science-based targets on what is actually needed to curb and reduce devastating global warming for future generations. Our governments, and especially the United States, are far from these goals having pledged for voluntary national targets full of loopholes in the hope of some day arriving at an agreed limit of no more than a two-degree global temperature rise. The real work on helping raise public consciousness and mobilize citizens towards urgent and just action from our governments on this 15-month journey begins now. Nothing short of the future of this planet is at stake. IATP's Shefali Sharma is blogging from the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal. Filed in Alternative Policies , climate and energy justice | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 11, 2011Casino pushes away gamblers: banks warn regulatorsAfter a 154-percent rise in the price of cotton futures contracts during the past year, the Intercontinental Exchange may require financial speculators to show "economic necessity" to buy more than 30,000 bales of contracts. Both hedge funds and index funds have jumped into the cotton market with no plan whatsoever to own the cotton long enough to take delivery on it. They are overwhelmingly betting "long," i.e., for prices to increase, reports Gregory Meyer at the Financial Times. Nevertheless, according to a February 8 Reuters article, John Baffes of the World Bank said that there is no "conclusive evidence" that anything but supply and demand fundamentals explain the price climb in cotton and many other commodities over the longer term. The larger backdrop of this extraordinary scene, where a major exchange is pushing away trades and their fees, is regulatory trench warfare in the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the European Commission (EC). In both the U.S. and the EC, regulatory agencies are rewriting rules to regulate commodity trading as part of larger financial market reform efforts. Those who contend that there are no data to show that excessive financial speculation has been a major driver of commodity prices claim that "overregulation" will drive trades to unregulated venues. European banks have warned EC regulators that the banning of any trading practices in the revision of its Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) could "exacerbate systemic risks." IATP responded to an EC request for comments on 148 questions regulators posed in a consultation paper about MiFiD. The questions covered the regulation of both financial and commodity markets. Europe does not have the equivalent of a U.S. CFTC, although the government of France has proposed that the EC develop legislation to create a European commodity regulatory authority. IATP suggested to the commission that the European Securities Market Authority, designed to coordinate the regulation of stocks and bonds, had neither the expertise nor adequate resources to coordinate the enforcement of market rules in the 27 EC member states. The CFTC has requested comments on a proposed interim rule to limit the percentage of contracts that any one entity can control during a trading period. If approved by a majority of the CFTC commissioners, CFTC enforcement of the rule will prevent excessive speculation in the commodity contracts to which the rule applies. The initial position limits will be based on the exchange-traded data reported daily to the CFTC. As the huge volume of over-the-counter (OTC, non-exchange) trades are reported to the CFTC, a much larger trade data base will form the basis for setting more precise limits, to be revised annually as the volume and value of all trades in a commodity contract change. The deadline for comment is March 28. Under the authority of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the CFTC must approve 30 major rules by July 16, 2011. CFTC Commissioner Michael Dunn, in Geneva to speak at a January 31–February 1 U.N. Conference on Trade and Development Global Commodities Conference, issued a statement through the U.S. Mission. Commissioner Dunn said that there was "little empirical data to support the commonly-repeated view that speculators caused the oil price spike in 2008." In 2008, the CFTC exempted OTC energy traders from reporting their trade data to the CFTC, as is required daily of exchange traders, e.g., through the Enron loophole. Opponents of position limits have argued that no major commodity market regulatory reform is necessary, because there is no "empirical data" to show that excessive speculation caused and continues to cause extreme price volatility. IATP has argued since 2008 that there is plenty of very strong circumstantial evidence, including data analyzed in an article in the current Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review, to show that excessive financial speculation has been a major commodity-price driver. Filed in Market Speculation | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Reversing a commitment to safe energy production in MinnesotaThe Minnesota State House panel voted earlier this week to repeal the moratorium on new nuclear power generation. While there is little chance this bill will be enacted into law in its current form, it demonstrates a lack of concern for the health and well being of all Minnesotans. The House panel vote follows the passage of a similar bill in the Senate. Filed in CEED , climate and energy justice | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 10, 2011A festival for social justice: reporting from the World Social ForumIt is now the fourth day of this great festival of ideas, discussions and debates about the key political issues of our times and the struggles taking place at local, national, regional and international levels to achieve social justice. The focus is inevitably on African issues of struggle and the various forces impacting local communities and national and Pan African trajectories. This World Social Forum (WSF) is timely given that the continent has become the focus of one of the biggest resource grabs since colonial times—be it for agrofuel demand of industrialized countries, land bought by other countries for their own food production needs, or land-based investment deals that take away community control of natural resources right before their eyes and in spite of their resistance. A large number of seminars and discussions here have focused on landgrabs and testimonies offered from across the continent and around the world. Groups and communities are discussing how to force companies and governments to uphold and respect human rights—social, cultural, economic and ecological—of communities and people; and how to stop the pillaging of dwindling natural resources through unregulated investment. Set on the campus of Cheikh Anta Diop University, 40,000 students are milling amongst stalls, tents and sessions organized by hundreds of organizations; doing street theatre, picking up pamphlets, asking questions. Many of them are volunteers for the WSF and translating during organized events. Their interest and curiosity is inspiring. In fact, just a week before the forum, the new president of the university had decided to suspend the week holiday that was given by the previous president for students to freely attend WSF events. The new president reneged on that commitment and resumed classes, even taking back many classrooms that were assigned to WSF events. The first few days we found ourselves wandering into classrooms where students were patiently trying to sit through classes and shut out the noise and energy emanating throughout the campus due to the social forum. In spite of the logistical hurdles—and not knowing where the next event will be—civil society has rolled right along in making the forum a success. I have been participating in events and discussions related to climate change, food sovereignty and natural resources. Many of the sessions are trying to make sense of the outcome in Cancún (COP 16) for climate change and what civil society needs to do differently in the run up to Durban, South Africa, who will host the next major climate meeting at the end of this year. Groups from South Africa are here and already organizing themselves to host civil society organizations in order to create a loud and resounding voice condemning the paltry pledges made by governments in Cancún to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many groups feel that trying to convince governments inside negotiating halls at the COPs will not create the urgent shift we need to see in the climate talks towards binding and ambitious targets for drastically reducing greenhouse gases. There is an acute realization that social awareness and mobilization needs to take place locally with specific strategies to shift national positions on climate change. For Africa, anything above a one-degree global temperature rise will mean drastically reduced cropping seasons, much greater incidences of severe and unpredictable weather with dire consequences for food production and hence food sovereignty. The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance is trying to influence national processes around the continent moving towards Durban. The United States and Europe, however, still determine the fate of the climate treaty and the international targets that will be set. Without a sea-change in U.S. public opinion on climate change as a key responsibility it is hard to see how we can keep the United States government from undermining entirely an international regime that must stop and reverse global warming. Roughly six months after Durban will be the 20th anniversary of the Rio Summit—known as Rio+20—where governments will come together with possibly new proposals on dealing with the major environmental problems of our times. It was at Rio, 20 years ago, that the U.N. Climate Treaty was created, in addition to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Despite these efforts we have drastically worsened our global situation—on both the climate change and biodiversity front. Several groups have come together at the WSF to begin organizing toward Rio+20. They see the meeting as a major opportunity to reframe the debate moving forward in this decade and want to link awareness building and social mobilizations in the next 16 months that include COP 17 in Durban and onward to Rio in the middle of 2012. Finally, numerous discussions are also taking place on the linkages between the food, climate and financial crises, their impact on Africa and impacts on small producers. IATP participated in events organized by the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa (FECCIWA) on climate change, food sovereignty and the food crisis, as well as an event on "Fighting against price volatility and regulating agricultural markets" organized in conjunction with CCFD-Terre Solidaire, a Catholic French NGO, Mooriben (an organization from Niger engaged on creating food security at the local level, including food reserves), Afrique Vert Mali (Green Africa Mali) and GRET, a French development NGO. In addition, we will be involved in the WSF convergence process today and tomorrow where civil society groups who have been meeting throughout the week will come together to see how we can move forward with our plans on both climate and Rio+20. For IATP, we are interested in seeing how the issues of speculation in carbon and commodity markets, agriculture offsets in the climate negotiations, and their impacts on small producers, can be part of the discussions and strategies to build awareness and counter negative proposals and impacts. Onward to day five. IATP's Shefali Sharma is blogging from Dakar, Senagal at the World Social Forum. Filed in Alternative Policies , Climate , climate and energy justice , Market Speculation , Trade | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 09, 2011Let's Move (our thinking) on childhood obesityToday is the one year anniversary of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move initiative to blunt the epidemic of obesity in children. It marks an important fight against a wave of future chronic disease that threatens our national security, our economic growth and the solvency of our healthcare system. The obesity epidemic began just about three decades ago. What I reflect upon this anniversary, however, is the much more recent sea change in public health thinking that Let's Move signifies. At the core of the White House work to curb obesity – as well as the work of the Centers for Disease Control and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, – is the now accepted view that changes to our children's environment, particularly around food and physical activity, have been key factors triggering the epidemic. If environmental and policy change helped bring about this epidemic, then it makes sense that the CDC and other public health experts now see changes to government policy as one of the most effective ways to make sustainable, healthier changes to our children's food environment. Change can be driven by policies at the local level, or at the national level like Let's Move or the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill. Building support for these common sense policies in the health community is a key aim of an initiative I'm working on called Healthy Food Action. Not everyone accepts the public health perspective. Sarah Palin, for example, has suggested that Let's Move is tantamount to government interference in our lives. But it's a core public health principle of the CDC and the world's leading obesity experts that individual eating behavior doesn't take place in a vacuum. Rather, unhealthy environmental and policy changes influence and constrain individual behaviors. One cannot walk to school when there are no sidewalks, where it's unsafe, or where the neighborhood school has been closed. Similarly, school children are unlikely to choose drinking water where water fountains have been dismantled, vending machines only offer soda, or where the soda is cheaper than healthier alternatives. Let's Move has galvanized moms, doctors, school officials, Wal-Mart and soda companies to start acting as part of a community-wide effort to make our kids' environments healthier. Voluntary efforts are great. But so long as public policy supports unhealthy environments, we will make limited progress. Now that we've moved our thinking, Let's Move policy. Filed in Health , Healthy Food Action | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Women at the center of climate-friendly approaches to agriculture and waterExtreme weather events consistent with climate change are already playing havoc with the livelihoods and food security of much of the world's poor. This is particularly true for arid and semi-arid areas of the global South. Yet, most proposals for agriculture being discussed at the U.N. global climate talks and elsewhere focus on new technological developments, like genetically engineered crops. But these approaches are based on still unproven claims and do not fully consider their impact on the natural world. In a new paper, IATP's Shiney Varghese examines proven agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience to climate change through a case study of the Tamilnadu Women's Collective in India. The collective, a federation of village-level women's groups with over 150,000 members—the majority of which belong to the lowest caste—follow three principles for food security: 1.) empowerment of women; 2.) democratic local governance; and 3.) multifunctional agriculture. Shiney will present her findings at the United Nations in New York on February 22 as part of a workshop, titled "Climate Adaptation Challenges from a Gender Perspective." The workshop is expected to contribute towards the fifty-fifth session of the U.N.'s Commission on the Status of Women. You can learn more about how the Tamilnadu Women's Collective is using traditional knowledge and practices to increase food security and climate resilience by reading the full paper here and at www.iatp.org. Filed in Alternative Policies , Climate , Environment and Agriculture , Food Crisis , Water | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 08, 2011Have your say on land grabs and food price volatilityBack in October, I blogged on the recently constituted High-level Panel of Experts (HLPE) associated with the U.N.'s recently revamped Committee on Food Security (CFS), which brings together the three U.N. food agencies (the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD), and the World Food Program (WFP)). The HLPE is tasked by the CFS to write reports and more generally to provide the benefit of independent advice and thinking. Following a meeting of the HLPE in December, the experts have chosen to focus on two (huge) topics. A process of consultation and writing is underway. The topics are land tenure and international investment in agriculture and price volatility. Comments are open to the public—send your comment to the moderator, or register at the forum and you can post (you will have to be approved by the moderator to proceed). The deadline is February 10. From there, the HLPE is to develop a draft paper on each topic, which will then be posted for a second round of comments. So go ahead—these are some of the biggest issues of our time. Have your say! And send us your thoughts on IATP's contribution. Filed in Food Challenge , Food Crisis , Trade | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) February 07, 2011Public health cost of global (corn) tradeLast week Mexico paid a U.S.-based corn processor, Corn Products International, Inc. (CPI) $58.4 million in accordance with a 2009 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) tribunal decision. The case illustrates the important intersection of U.S. trade policy with food and public health. Corn Products International, Inc. provides corn "ingredients" to the global food, beverage, brewing and pharmaceutical industries. The company brought the 2003 case claiming that the Mexican government—by putting a tax on soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar—had discriminated against CPI in order to protect Mexican cane sugar producers. Ruling in CPI's favor, the NAFTA tribunal required Mexico to compensate CPI for its lost revenue. CPI is only one among many cases brought by corporations under NAFTA's little known Chapter 11. Chapter 11 enables corporations, or individuals, to sue the three nations signing NAFTA—Canada, the U.S. or Mexico—when they believe an action by those governments adversely affects their present or future profits. Chapter 11 imparts rights to international investors that go well beyond those present in existing international trade agreements (e.g., the GATT and WTO), and has important ramifications for public health. In one of the most well-known Chapter 11 cases, the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí refused to grant a permit to U.S.-based Metalclad Corporation to operate a hazardous waste treatment facility and landfill in La Pedrera. The Mexican state also created an ecological preserve in the area where the facility was located. Metalclad brought its case and in 2000 the NAFTA tribunal ruled that Mexico's establishment of the ecological zone and failure to grant Metalclad a permit was "tantamount to expropriation," requiring Mexico to pay Metalclad $15.5 million in compensation. These Chapter 11 rulings also illustrate two relatively recent phenomena: 1.) the costs to Mexican farmers and consumers of the NAFTA-led, ever-increasing economic integration between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico [i], and 2.) the increasing legal rights granted to corporations relative to governments. NAFTA Chapter 11 makes it more difficult for governments to protect public health because corporations or individuals may legally challenge regulations they believe are adversely affecting their financial investments. As costs of chronic disease rise, along with global challenges to public health, the public health community cannot afford to ignore the often subtle, yet powerful, influence of the legal and economic trends of globalization. For more information on such issues, check out the American Public Health Association's Trade and Health Forum and the Center for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health. Sarah Clark is a former IATP intern and master's degree candidate in international agriculture and trade policy at Tufts University. [i] Sarah Clark, Corinna Hawkes, Sophia Murphy, Karen Hansen-Kuhn and David Wallinga, "Exporting Obesity: How U.S. Food and Farm Policy is Transforming the Mexican Consumer Food Environment," [forthcoming] Filed in Farm and Food Policy , Food and Health , Health , Healthy Food Action , Trade | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) February 02, 2011An ounce of prevention...Press attention has again focused this past month on rising food prices. As Financial Times journalist Javier Blas tells us, panic buying has now reared its head, completing the already present factors of crop failures, export restrictions and food riots that were the trademarks of the 2007-08 food price crisis. Last week, Algeria added 800,000 tons to its January imports, bringing the monthly total to 1.7 million tons—that is already roughly a third of the normal annual purchases for a country that is one of the world's biggest wheat importers. Saudi Arabia has announced it will double its wheat purchases in 2011, to create a stockpile equivalent to a year's demand. Wheat was already on the food crisis watch list—it's a heavily traded commodity (around 18 percent of the world's wheat crosses an international border) that's in relatively short supply after some bad harvests in some of the regions that supply world markets. Rice is the other big food crop. There, the market is much thinner (about 7 percent of total production is traded internationally). Rice is in relatively plentiful supply, but prices are also rising because importers such as Indonesia and Bangladesh have placed much larger orders than usual on the world market. Needless to say, such unusually big purchases are only going to drive prices higher. But it is not Saudi Arabia that will worry about the cost. No, that concern is going to fall on much poorer countries, whose governments buy a lot less grain but whose treasuries can much less well afford it. For all the talk and pledged money to help the world's hungry after the last food crisis, it seems the world is poised for another food crisis. Yet the issue is on the global policy agenda, and on the overseas aid agenda as well. The discussion on price volatility is focused on several issues: the need for greater regulation of commodity and futures exchanges; the need for greater transparency of information regarding stock levels; the proposal to ban or curtail export controls; and, the possibility of creating strategic food reserves at regional and global levels to curb short-term price fluctuations. All of these are important. None are solutions to chronic hunger. But the uncertainty in commodity markets is doing nobody a favor, except the firms poised to profit from their superior information and deeper pockets. The public interest needs prices high enough to ensure natural resources are sustainably managed, while farmers and farm laborers earn a decent income for their work. This is wholly compatible with food at prices people can afford. Tackling the causes of unwanted volatility in world food markets is a central part of the solution. Not sufficient on its own but absolutely necessary. Filed in Farm and Food Policy , Food Challenge , Food Crisis | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) |


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Is this restaurant wheelchair accessible?
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They were out of part of the luncheon special. We truly enjoyed out fried chicken and fries! It is in the back of a gas station.
It was Friday night and finished hunting early enough and was excited for their weekly Friday night fish fry special. It was disappointing from the moment we arrived. Fries were cold and old. When they finally brought out some more, they were cold too. Fish had been picked over, was cold, and spare choices. It looked like seconds or left... More
Good food, large portions, very affordable. The restaurant is quaint in the back of a gas station. It's a refreshing change from the expensive restaurants nearby in Fredericksburg.
We had breakfast there and it was delicious, reasonably priced and generous portions. Don't be put off by it being inside a gas station. The biscuits were like my grandma's.
A small place, tucked behind a gas station, easily missed if driving past. The food has been good the several times we've stopped in for lunch. Many locals eat here, as it's both fast and tasty. A nice option to have in the Stonewall area.
Saw reviews on Tripadvisor, and as it was one of may 2 or 3 joints in Stonewall, we thought we would try it. Went for dinner. She had the Mexican dinner plate, and I opted for the all-you-can-eat fried catfish. Both dinners were lacking in flavor, and I thought the catfish was too done and kinda tough for my liking.... More
Wasn't sure when we pulled up but the place is wonderful. Took 20 senior citizens and they loved it. The banana pudding is great.
My Aunt is a local and gets dinner from this diner almost every Friday. She called in our order for us to pick up. She got the fried catfish which came with beans, cole slaw, and hush puppies. I got the grilled chicken fajita salad. The chicken was seasoned very well. My Aunt and Uncle just loved the fish and... More
We were referred by the crew at the Fat A** winery, and they didn't steer us wrong. Our teen aged kids and we enjoyed the food - chicken strips, a burger, mandarin chicken salad and beef fajita wrap. All were very good and worth the small wait, as we arrived at a small rush of customers.
The Stonewall Diner serves some pretty good food. The burgers are very good, lunches are also filling. Things can be inconsistent which is disappointing. It will be very good to not so good at all. Friday evening Catfish Fry is a perfect example of good to great or not so good at all. Eating quarters are crowded.
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301-392-2298 James Vito, Inc. 5th year as a Best Pick Request Information Call 301-392-2298 A-Rated Verified License(s) Verified General Liability Verified Workers' Comp From our beginnings as a one-man shop on K Street, we've grown to become one of the largest and most successful plumbing and HVAC service companies in the area. For over 80 years, we've delivered quality service and products and have established ourselves through integrity, trust, and respect for our customers. Michael A. Vito | Owner Areas Served: Washington, DC Services Offered James Vito, Inc., (VITO) offers a full range of plumbing services, including installation and repair of water heaters, sump pumps, well systems, garbage disposals, toilets, faucets, ice makers, water filters, and water and energy conservation equipment. The company offers drain cleaning, interior repiping, water service line replacement, gas piping service, sewer repair or replacement, and sewer cleaning. VITO also services several major brands of generators, water heaters, toilets, faucets, and garbage disposals. Company History Founded by James Vito, Sr., in 1934, VITO is in its fourth generation as a family-owned-and-operated business. Additional Information VITO is a one-stop shop for residential and commercial services and offers sales, installation, repair, and maintenance of HVAC systems and ductwork. The company also provides 24/7 emergency service for HVAC and plumbing systems. Licenses PC437
They're an A grade. I liked that they came on time. They were familiar with the kind of broiler that I had, which was broken, and they fixed it. They were personally recommended to me by a plumber that I know. The gentleman, Leon, was very, very fine.
Even though it's a big company, it's the same guy that comes to service our plumbing needs, so that's good. I think that's helpful in terms of some of the history and keeping track of that past services. They're pretty quick to assign folks to requests, so that's pretty good, too. They worked on a leak in the bathtub recently, and they also installed a heater. They did a good job with it. I saw the Best Pick Reports book, and that's how I chose them. I would say they're an A.
The plumber fixed what needed fixing. He did a good job, and when he was finished, I paid him, and he left. It was good. Everything was fine. It worked out, and I was pleased. He did what had to be done, and he did it on time. He came when he was supposed to, and he left when he was finished. He's a pleasant fellow, so he's not a problem to have around. I'm pleased.
The guy was friendly and informative and did good work. They did a shower repair. I'm a repeat customer. I would give James Vito an A.
They showed up on time and did the job. I don't recall what they did, but I think it was plumbing. He was professional and did what I asked him to do. They're an A-grade company.
They showed up on time. They explained everything before they did it, and they explained the billing clearly. The work was well done. For the job, we had two water pipes connected to the washing machine, and we also had a leaking toilet tank. They replaced the parts. They get an A.
James Vito has very attentive service. They responded almost immediately, and despite them saying that they were really booked, they actually made time and got out to my flooding roof the next day. We had a leaking pipe. They get an A grade from me.
VITO was professional. They cleaned up behind themselves, they didn't upsell me, and they gave me advice on the best product for the job as far as quality. I have a 100-year-old house, and they changed the radiator, fixed the hot water heater, and changed out things in the sink. I liked them. I'd give them an A+.
I like their communication while scheduling service, and the quality of their people as well as their billing procedures are fantastic. I've had them out here several times. On the most recent trip, they replaced a toilet and unclogged a drain. I would rate them as an A+ company.
We are very satisfied with VITO. They are on time, they clean up, and they do exactly what they say they are going to do. They replaced our hot water heater, but we've always used them. They're a local company, and we like their services. They're an A.


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Views: 240
Tags: Gnashing, Installation?, Insulation, Teeth, from
3 quick thoughts:
I have never known fiberglass to smell, but maybe that version does have a speciality binder - I am not sure
Teeth gnashing is generally a stress symptom &/or habit that many don't realize that they do until brought up
The smell though - I am assuming this is an older house, or did they do a comple gut & use the foam caulking? If it's the new foam caulking system, that might be an issue (do they have an ERV or HRV?) As for an older house, once the walls are drilled into & material stars blowing in, a lot of bad items can blow back out, not to mention a failure to deal with water issues before hand - they may have just made it worst.
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Welcome to Home Energy Pros – the unique digital community by and for those who work in the home energy performance arena.
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LaRue County High School Football Coach Josh Jaggers, right, was a guest of the Hodgenville Rotary Club recently. At left is Rotarian Katie McDowell.
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Hue + Wood 18 Geometric Bead Necklace Gold + Copper
Product details
Materials: Wood, water base paint and pigments, clear finish coating, cotton cord.
Description: Handmade wood bead necklace. 18 beads. The cord is cotton black with no clasps. All wood-work is done by hand: cutting, drilling, sanding, priming, painting. The wood is protected by several coats of wood sealer. (Although it's well sealed, please do not shower or swim with it on).
Dimensions: 16mm beads. 15" long.
About: Hue + Wood is based in Brooklyn, NY. Specializing in hand painted geometric wood jewelry. Creating wood bead necklaces, wood geometric rings, wood geometric key chains, wood pendants, wood stud and dangle earrings and much more. Designer Miran A. is an abstract artist with a Masters Degree in Fine Art. She loves art, painting and crafting, and is interested in handmade one of a kind pieces vs. mass production. Her jewelry creations are inspired by pop art, abstract art, geometric shapes, her Egyptian background and the pulse of NYC.


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Psalms 87 | King James Bible |
Chapter 88 | |
1 | A Song [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician18 upon Mahalath Leannoth,15 Maschil 7919 56 of Heman the Ezrahite. |
2 | Let my prayer come4 before thee: incline54 thine ear unto my cry; |
3 | For my soul is full1 of troubles: and my life draweth nigh52 unto the grave. |
4 | I am counted8 with them that go down6 into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength: |
5 | Free among the dead,5 like the slain that lie6 in the grave, whom thou rememberest1 no more: and they are cut off8 from thy hand. |
6 | Thou hast laid1 me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. |
7 | Thy wrath lieth hard1 upon me, and thou hast afflicted14 [me] with all thy waves. Selah. |
8 | Thou hast put away mine acquaintance30 far52 from me; thou hast made1 me an abomination unto them: [I am] shut up,7 and I cannot come forth.4 |
9 | Mine eye mourneth1 by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called1 daily upon thee, I have stretched out14 my hands unto thee. |
10 | Wilt thou shew4 wonders to the dead?5 shall the dead arise4 [and] praise55 thee? Selah. |
11 | Shall thy lovingkindness be declared29 in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction? |
12 | Shall thy wonders be known11 in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? |
13 | But unto thee have I cried,14 O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent17 thee. |
14 | LORD, why castest thou off4 my soul? [why] hidest55 thou thy face from me? |
15 | I [am] afflicted and ready to die6 from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer1 thy terrors I am distracted.4 |
16 | Thy fierce wrath goeth over1 me; thy terrors have cut me off.40 |
17 | They came round about1 me daily like water; they compassed52 me about together. |
18 | Lover6 and friend hast thou put far52 from me, [and] mine acquaintance30 into darkness. |
SpeedBible Software © 2001-2002 by johnhurt.com


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Thursday, 16 February 2017
In a heart-beet
Do ignore that black border, it isn't black at all, it's beetroot red, but as you can see I struggled and struggled and could NOT get the white balance on this photo right! I thought it would be fun to have a heart literally skipping a beet, so I doodled a dashed line between the first and third beets and popped a sparkly holographic heart sticker onto it.
I am sharing this with
Addicted to Stamps and More - Clean and Simple
CASology - Romance
Watercooler Wednesday - CAS with sparkle
Sparkles Monthly Challenge - Love
22 comments:
What a punny stamp set! I love what you did with the beets (paper-pieced) and how you watercolored your tops and drew your doodled lines! Very clever sausage you are, Jane!! Looking forward to seeing a card here on Friday because it is National Cabbage Day! (Honest! http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/february/) You're right if there's not a recognized holiday to celebrate umpteen times a year, there are always the "alternative holidays!!") Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun card, Jane! I love that doodled line, skipping the centre beet. What a great job of watercolouring those beet greens, too. I think the idea of the beet red border is the perfect touch and commiserate with you regarding the white balance. Some colours are harder to share properly than others. Great take on my clean and simple with sparkle challenge. Thanks so much for joining our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge this week.


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Google unveils new Nexus devices Although Hurricane Sandy caused Google to cancel the media event it had planned for today, the company has updated its blog with official details on... Type: News story Tags: Mobile computing Operating systems Personal tech |
171 |
Windows 8: The convertible OS After spending a week with Microsoft's touch-friendly OS, one thing is clear: Windows 8 is perfect for convertible tablets. Type: Feature article Tags: Mobile computing Operating systems |
63 |
Release roundup: Efficient PSUs, liquid cooling, and mouse pads This week in the roundup, we bring tidings from the folks at Corsair and Rosewill: Corsair announces updated Hydro Series H60... Type: News story Tags: Power Cooling Input devices |
13 |
Here's the first Windows 8 TV ad With Windows 8's retail launch less than two weeks away, Microsoft has kicked the PR machine into full gear. On Sunday, the company revealed... Type: News story Tags: Operating systems Windows |
60 |
Deal of the week: Cheap SSDs, gaming bundles, and more OCZ seems to be suffering the effects of its overly aggressive SSD pricing strategy, but for now, the getting's good—so long as you're a... Type: News story Tags: Graphics Storage Gaming Operating systems Windows |
11 |
Windows 8 now available for pre-order If you're running Windows XP, Vista, or 7, you'll be able to upgrade to Win8 for just $40 when the new OS becomes available... Type: News story Tags: Operating systems |
34 |
Microsoft polishes up Windows 8 ahead of launch It's T minus 17 days until Windows 8's general release, and Microsoft is putting some final finishing touches on the release-to-manufacturing build of the operating... Type: News story Tags: Operating systems Windows |
46 |
Firefox to nag users about plug-in updates Not keeping your browser plug-ins up to date can be dangerous. Security holes... Type: News story Tags: Internet Software |
31 |
Mozilla releases preview of Firefox for Windows 8 The Windows 8 version of Firefox sure has come a long way since that early demo we saw in April. Now, Mozilla has... Type: News story Tags: Internet Software |
31 |
Transformer Pad Jelly Bean update out, captured at 240 FPS Owners of select Asus Transformer tablets are getting over-the-air updates to Android 4.1, better known as Jelly Bean. The Transformer Prime, Transformer... Type: News story Tags: Mobile computing Operating systems |
34 |
Release roundup: Platinum PSUs, an amped-up GTX 660, and more This week on the roundup, we've got fresh gear from Cooler Master, Thermaltake, and Zotac to discuss: Cooler Master intros Scout... Type: News story Tags: Graphics Power |
6 |
Rumor: Intel CEO calls Win8 half-baked, says that's OK Well, I'm definitely getting flashbacks of the Windows Vista launch. According to a report by Bloomberg, Intel CEO Paul Otellini has expressed reservations about... Type: News story Tags: Operating systems Windows |
58 |
Nvidia sees bright future for cloud gaming OnLive's recent troubles might make one dubious about the future of cloud-based... Type: News story Tags: Gaming Internet |
36 |
Updated: While Clover Trail drops Linux, Hondo won't support Android AMD expects its Hondo APU to infiltrate the tablet market. We won't see the chip to pop up in devices running Google's Android OS... Type: News story Tags: CPUs Mobile computing Operating systems |
22 |
Google Apps to drop IE8 support in October Two and a half years ago, Google stopped supporting Internet Explorer 6, and web developers everywhere breathed a sigh of relief. They, too, were... Type: News story Tags: Internet Software |
21 |
Google's Autocomplete censors The Pirate Bay Last month, Google announced that websites with "high numbers" of copyright removal notices would soon appear lower in its search results. Now, the search... Type: News story Tags: Internet Copyright |
65 |
Friday night topic: Working weird The rise of the Internet, the ubiquity of high-speed access, and the fact that I run a website have all combined to make my day-to-day... Type: News story Tags: Internet |
63 |
Net Applications: Win7 usage share now exceeds XP's For the first time in many years, Windows XP may no longer be the most widely used version of Windows. At least, that's what the... Type: News story Tags: Operating systems Windows |
40 |
Gigabyte has two A320 boards for bread-and-butter Ryzen builds | 28 |
Well, so much for Common Courtesy Day... | +31 |


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Little Boy Blue Bouquet delights with roses and Asiatic lilies to welcome the new baby boy into the world and congratulate the proud parents. Green roses, green mini carnations, yellow Asiatic lilies and bupleurum are eye-catching and bright arranged within a clear glass bubble bowl vase housing bright blue and green foam for a fantastic look that sends your warmest wishes to the new family.
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Hi, I saw your review of the shine shield and I love it also. I'm so going to try some of these products you have here but I wanted you to know that you should definitely try hana's dryer if you ever get a chance. I don't even need to use a flat iron anymore!
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Diamond Foxxx – Stepmom's Sweet Glory Hole
Released: July 02, 2016
Ass Worship, Big Tits, Bubble Butt, Creampie, MILF, Redhead, Squirt, Stepmom
Diamond is a busy housewife with lots of errands to run, but between grocery shopping and dropping her stepson off at soccer practice she always makes sure to find time for herself. She loves to unwind with a little glory hole action, but today she's in for a big surprise. That mysterious cock she's swallowing is her stepson's! This could be an awkward situation, but Peter's forbidden cock makes Diamond even more wet and eager to fuck.
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Best Places To Give Back This Holiday Season In The Bay AreaMake a difference in your community with these great ways to give back during the holiday season.
Your Guide To San Francisco Pride 2016Gear up and get excited for the annual San Francisco Pride Parade and weekend happening June 25-26. Visit bit.ly/CBSSFPride
Best Local Poets In San FranciscoWhether you're a poetry lover or a newbie to poetry, you can get inspired by these five local poets and their work.
Best Alternatives To Shopping On Black Friday In The South BayDon't shop on Black Friday; check out one of these South Bay happenings instead.
Best Haunted Places In The South BayCelebrate Halloween at one of these haunted spots in the South Bay.
Best Fall Festivals In San FranciscoJoin the crowd at these fall festivals and events and enjoy the great activities that San Francisco has to offer.
Best Shows To See This Fall On A Budget In San FranciscoGet entertained on a budget with these $20-and-under shows in San Francisco.
Best Upcoming Educational Seminars On The PeninsulaBroaden your mind with these upcoming talks and lectures on the Peninsula.
5 South Bay Community-Centered BookstoresThese South Bay bookstores feature many community events and activities.
5 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day In The South BayDon't miss these 5 ideas for South Bay activities and groups to help you celebrate the spirit of Earth Day 2013.
Ask An Expert: Recipes For Fitness FansTry these healthy recipes before or after your next workout.
Best Directors In The Local Theater Scene On The PeninsulaThese local Peninsula directors make great live theater happen.


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Children's charities always welcome donations of sports equipment. Sports provide an outlet to children who otherwise suffer from the misfortune of living a less-than-privileged life, but many cannot afford the cost of playing. According to the Trusted Sports Foundation, only 25 per cent of underprivileged children are able to participate in sports. The importance of sports for children lies is the ability to provide an environment that teaches the importance of teamwork, provides physical fitness and improves self-confidence. Donating equipment allows more kids to experience the benefits of participating in sports.
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Contact a charity that accepts children's sports equipment donations in your area. Charity.com and Charity Navigator allow you to browse a national listing of charities located all over the United States and in your specific city or town, and the Internal Revenue Service's charity search database allows you to find charities that are 501(c)3 non-profit charities with locations all over the country. Local churches and service organisations often can direct you to charities that accept donated sports equipment.
- 2
Ask about the charity's donation process, such as whether the charity will pick up donations or whether you must drop them off.
Find out who benefits from the donations--schools, after-school sports clubs or city sports leagues. The easiest way to find out what happens to your equipment once it's donated is to ask your charity. Most charities deal with specific causes, such as local sports complexes or schools and are happy to provide you with detailed information as to how your donation will be used.
- 3
Clean the condition of your equipment prior to donating it. Equipment must not have excessive wear and tear, must be clean and undamaged. Damaged equipment is not accepted by any charity due to safety concerns. Tears or torn stitching in baseball gloves, dents in bats, balls or golf clubs and any equipment with missing pieces are examples of sports equipment that are not accepted as donations.
- 4
Calculate the value of your donated goods to use on your federal income tax return. Hand over your donations to your charity and take the donation receipt it provides. You must keep this receipt for your tax records.
Tips and warnings
- Sports equipment needed by charities includes things like ice skates, cleats, bats, balls, gloves, helmets, pads and golf clubs.
- Tax deductions are only available to donations made to registered 501(c)3 organisations.
- Additional ways to locate local charities in your area is to contact your city offices, ask friends and family and/or check with your child's school.


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Fonfrège is the name of a historic family estate in the South of France near Montpellier.
The vast domaine dates back to the 1100's and came into the Castelnau-Leenhardt family in 1791. The noble family, with descendants from King Henri IV, was one of the most famous of the Protestant haute bourgeoisie. A family of artists, intellectuals, and explorers.
You are invited to register for our priority reservation program. As a member of our list, you will receive advance notice of new products with the option of ordering before they are officially released.
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text:
Kasemsarn Hotel
TripAdvisor Reviews Kasemsarn Hotel Chantaburi
Travel Blogs from Chantaburi
Getting to Thailand
... a WOF in NZ but don't know if they worry about that here (if it can move = road worthy). The taxi got us to the border in one piece and I gladly paid him $14. After getting our Passport departure stamps, I rushed to the toilet for well needed stop - thank goodness for emergency loo paper in my pack! We walked the 100 metres to the Thai side carefully not straying from the road and got our entry to Thailand no ...
Short stay in Chanthaburi - gemstones market
... has inside a statue of the virgin Mary entirely covered with gemstones, primarily sapphires of course. Best way to get there is by bus - about 3h30 from the Bangkok Eastern bus station Ekkamai. Cost is about 200 bht/person.
We got "convinced" to go onto a minivan for the same price. Why not we thought. Well the minivan was SO full with people and luggage it didn t feel safe to drive - it probably wasn t and scary ...
Just a Normal Day
... pipes or coal or groceries or his or her entire family,
sometimes even the family dog is piled on. If we're lucky, we see the
monks go walking door to door to receive the food the citizens have
prepared them as Alms in return of their devoted spiritual work for
Can you get me a lime for that Corona?
... Kate and I took a speedboat to the island of Ko Panong where the Half Moon Party takes place. The single light spot guiding us there was hardly comforting. I'm convinced they have Half and Full Moon parties so that they will have a source of light on the way over. In other words, the moon provided more guidance for our boat then the light on the roof.
What we found upon arrival to the island was a fraction of what we expected. You know the party is going to ...
Rediscovering the land of smiles in Rayong
... is to provide a service to those in need. It's members live a simple life and help those they can.
We spent nearly three weeks here and worked around twenty hours a week. Half of that time was spent teaching kids english - I'll let Paul write about that as he was in his element doing it. During the other ten hours we helped with the maintenance of the place - so for 3 days each week P and I scrubbed old paint and mould off a block of 8 toilets, that had ...
Other places to stay in Chantaburi
Maneechan Resort & Hotel
110 Moo 11 Plubpla, Chantaburi | Hotelfrom $50 -
New Travel Lodge
14/5 Moo 3, Raksakchamoon Road, Chantaburi | Hotelfrom $35 -
Al Medina Beach House
99 M.7 Kung Vimarn Beach, Chantaburi | Hotelfrom $112 -
Chivaree (Shivaree) Resort
46/4 Moo 5 Klongkood, Chantaburi | Hotelfrom $105 -
Eastern Hotel
899 Tachalab Rd., Chantaburi | Hotelfrom $16 -
Caribou Highland Hotel
14 Chawana-Uthids 3, Chawana-Uthids Road, Chantaburi | Hotel -
Chaolao Cabana Resort
18/1 M.5 Chaleomburaphachonlatid Road, Chao Lao Beach, Chantaburi | 4 star hotel -
Rachan Residence
21/90,21/98-99 Moo 7, Chantaburi | Hotelfrom $29


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Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it...I think she even got a ticket in the end.
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Guys body slamming hoods of cars get chased by police.
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Put your tray tables in their locked up and upright position, and get your game face on.
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Please note that JavaScript and style sheet are used in this website,
Due to unadaptability of the style sheet with the browser used in your computer, pages may not look as original.
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HIWIRE™ was designed as more than a powerful, end-to-end toolset for the OSINT analyst. The complete system also addresses the different process requirements and concerns of crucial supporting functions within the purchasing organization.
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Focus technical defenses by sensing in real-time:
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Object: Get as many sea urchins
going as possible (yum yum) ! "n" gives you a new urchin. You can only press it if you have
less than three urchins out. You can only press it once every ten seconds.
Hokay? "p" pauses the game. The shark cannot eat you. 10 sea urchins maximum going at a time (can you really get that high ? We couldn't.) If you reach 10 sea urchins at a time, e-mail
me / leave me a message, and I will usher the stars to make a new constellation
in your honor. B) The urchins are bouncing, but I can't move the
bouncy-thingy up and down! Help! 2) The keys aren't working! I can't pause or get
a new ball! 5) It shows a gif of some sort of screen. Wierd. D) It says "Loading Pong . . ."! What do I do!


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My All New One
Should really use that search thread option...
A thread has been created twice now asking the same question.
And a thread has been made showing how to do this .
There are also many xposed modules that can handle this
sent from(:::§::
sent from(:::§::
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