text:
mother of the world
May 24, 2009
If I was the mother of the world, and countries were my children, Israel would be my problem child. The child that was born out of pain and persecution, its birth itself an act of sin as it had to kill in order to make room for its place in the world. The child that had lost its faith in people before it had a chance to grow up. Being the mother, I wouldn't know how to protect my child from itself. I see it kicking and screaming and bullying the others and I instinctively know it is hurting and afraid. And I am hurting for it. I see old anger and new anger mixed with fears in my child and I am afraid for its future. I see my child using its talents and brilliance against itself building walls of security, dividing and exploiting and reigning over its victims. I have seen the body of my child grow more powerful as its soul is contracting. How can I stretch the mind of my child so that it can understand that happiness cannot unfold in a vacuum? How can I teach my child it is human and that being human means being strong and being weak at the same time? How can I teach my child it doesn't have to negate the others in order to be? That it doesn't have to continue to destroy in order to continue to be? That in fact it can only grow into adulthood as it learns to share the land and the waters and the skies and as it learns that there are no real others, that in our humanity we are essentially the same? How can I teach my child that it has to let go, that it can inhabit the space between the sea and the Jordan but not own it in any true sense of the word? That ultimately it will also have to let go of all its anger and all its past pains and see in the other his mirror imagine. That in the end, the answers do not lie in possessions, identity and self-defense, but in community, exchange and vulnerability, and that otherness insofar it is not illusionary is not a thief but a brother. How can I teach my child that only the future can bring redemption for the past? How can I teach my child that it is not possible for him to fight, undo, or even completely understand the past? That all one can do with the past is accepting it?
How can I teach my child all these things when my child is raging in anger and won't listen? How can I teach my child before it is too late, and my child has destroyed himself in its attempts to destroy the other?
Narrative Perspective Blindness
May 3, 2009
We live in a world where there are as many perspectives as there are people. These perspectives are often only a mouse click away. Now more than even we have the opportunity to learn about the many different ways people interpret events, relationships, politics etc. Yet, despite the overwhelming amount of information, people seem to be just as alienated from different perspectives as they were before the internet hit the masses. Democrats hate republicans, and vice versa, Arabs dislike Jews, and vice versa, Europeans don't understand the Muslims in their midst, the Muslims don't understand the Europeans, Americans dislike Hugo Chavez, Hugo Chavez dislikes Americans. The French and the Americans, The Turks and the Kurds, the Shii and the Sunni, the Hutu's and the Tutsi, This list goes on and on.
One would assume that the enormous increases of information at the tips of our fingers would be instrumental in bridging those differences. Not so. One only has to browse through different blogs, articles, message boards, chartrooms, newspapers etc to find out that the wealth of information is being used to reinforce one's own perspective instead of trying to understand the perspective of the other. Information is being selected, processed and redistributed in such a way that nothing ever changes, and instead of seeing each other as more human, we end up dehumanizing each other further. In conflicts in which lives are on the line, these differences in perspectives matter. As the ability to see something from the perspective of the other goes hand in hand with the ability to have empathy for the other, both necessary and interdependent prerequisites that allow human beings to see other as human. Perspective, empathy and humanity are the three pillars in creating a more human, more peaceful world. Vice versa, conflict resolution and peace negotiations can't take place in an environment where people no longer see the perspective and therefore the humanity of the other.
In my previous blogs I have written a little about differences in perspectives. They play a role in the Israel-Palestine conflict where two different perspectives on the conflict clash as hard as the people having the perspectives. The Israelis sees the Arabs as the modern day Hitlers, bent on their destruction, while the Arabs see the Israelis as colonizers and land robbers. Differences in perspectives play a role in the rising islamophobia in Europe's capital where the western mind for example can't understand the eastern demand for Sharia laws and the eastern mind for example can't grasp what it sees as western decadence. (see https://owlminerva.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/a-few-thoughts-on-dunbar-ii-and-the-clash-of-civilizations/)
So what is going on?
Perspectives are stranger than we think. They are mental habits, as comfortable to our brain as an old pair of shoes is to our feet. They are mental layers that protect us from too much difference, without telling us however that the price we pay for this comfort is less of the truth instead of more. Perspectives are self-perpetuating. Once they are there they find ways of reinforcing themselves as if they have an existence of their own. Existing perspectives resist competing perspectives by influencing the individual to perceive the world selectively, to process information erroneously and to remember information selectively or worse, wrongly. We can call these the defense mechanisms of narrative perspectives. We think we are in control over the way we judge things. We believe we have chosen our perspectives freely and we believe that we judge fairly. But we don't own our perspectives. They own us. And to the extent that we are dominated by our perspective, we are incapable of judging anything fairly. For the comfort, safety and stability that perspectives offer us, most of us accept the prison they impose on our minds.
I like to compare perspectives to optical illusions. For example, look at the picture of the young woman above. If you look long enough, you will see a very old woman appear in the same picture. Once you see the old woman, it is very hard to see the young woman. And vice versa. I believe our perspectives of the world around us are like that. Even though these differences in perspective are narrative and not optical in nature, the same dynamic holds. It is possible to see the same event from different narrative angles. There are many reasons why something in us decides upon a certain angle to begin with. The angle can be taught to us, it can fit in with a pre-existing cognitive scheme, it might complement our religious, political, ethical values, or it might be the most convenient angle or most self-serving one. However, once we have decided upon an angle, it becomes nearly impossible to shift and see a different angle. Most of us are not even aware that we have these perspectives to begin with. Our brain resists such awareness. If we are that lucky to be aware of our angle we try our hardest to justify that angle, making it into a matter of right and wrong, thereby decreasing the chances that we would try to shift our perspective. Perspectives are tyrannical in the sense that once they have a hold over us they have strategies to maintain that hold and bar other perspectives from flooding our consciousness.
One might ask: "what if my perspective is the right one? What do I have to gain then from seeing something from a different perspective?" And to that one might answer, that first of all there is no perspective that is 100% correct, as nobody up to this point in history knows everything there is to know. So everybody can learn something from another perceptive. Narrative Perspective Blindness, as I like to call the inability to switch perspectives, deprives ones brain of the information it needs to formulate more appropriate conclusions. Second of all, how can we know whether or not our perspective is right or wrong if we are locked in the perspective to begin with? We have no point of reference in deciding how right or wrong our point of view is. One needs to be able to be outside perspectives in order to be able to judge them. Since we can't look at anything without a perspective to begin with such outside reference point is in principle impossible. Thirdly, even in the impossible case that our perspective was 100% correct, not understanding the perspective of the other will still prevent us from understanding the humanity of the other. Perspective and empathy are mutually dependent upon each other. Unless one has no interest in creating a more peaceful and just world, there is nothing more important than understanding the perspective of the other so that once can remain in touch with the humanity of the other. Not only is this ability to see different narratives a moral necessity, (one simply can't be a good person without the capacity of seeing different perspectives); it is also a matter of intelligent strategy. One can't be a good statesman, a good lobbyist, a good peace activist, a good lawyer or a good humanitarian without this capacity to see something from another human being's point of view.
The good news is that it is possible to break the oppression of our perspectives. Just like we can practice and we can get better in optical illusions to the point that it is possible to switch perspectives in the blink of an eye, even up to the point that it is possible to see the young woman and the old woman at the same time, and extend this ease to new optical illusions, it is also possible to train our brain in understanding different narrative angles. The more open, flexible and wider we train our brain to be, the less our 'orthodox' perspective controls us. Part of this training is getting used to the uncertainty and the anxiety that accompanies seeing different angles at first. Entering a different narrative perspective is as scary as entering a foreign land of which one doesn't know the rules, the language and the customs. It is leaving behind certainty and opening oneself up to the possibility that what one believed before could have been wrong. It is learning to live with uncertainty and vulnerability. It requires mental strength and moral courage. Not something a lot of us have; but something that a lot of us can learn to cultivate. We don't have to be the victim of our own mindsets. We can learn to juggle perspectives, learn to hold them in suspension in the air so that we can examine them, study them and learn to understand them. What seems like a miracle now can become a mental habit as familiar to us as brushing our teeth. Surfing the internet and reading the articles, essays and blogs of a lot of smart, well intentioned bunch of people, I am getting the impression that no matter how smart and well intentioned one is, without this capacity for shifting perspectives and empathy, nothing will ever be gained. No matter how well intentioned one is, without the ability to ultimately see the other as human, one will always do more damage than good.
Ahmadinejad and Lieberman: Two hands on one belly
April 30, 2009
Israel's conscience: The weekly column of Uri Avnery
Can Two Walk Together?
I AM not saying that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is an agent of the Mossad.Absolutely not. I don't want to be sued for libel.
I am only saying that were he an agent of the Mossad, he would not behave any differently.
And also: If he did not exist, the Mossad would have had to invent him.
Either way, the assistance he is giving to the government of Israel is invaluable.
LET'S LOOK at last week's scandal.
Years ago, a conference against racism was convened by the UN in Durban, South Africa. It was natural that such a forum would denounce, among others, the Israeli government for its policy towards the Palestinians – the occupation, the settlements, the wall.
But the conference was not content with this. It turned into a platform for wild incitement against the State of Israel – and only against it. No other state in the world was denounced for violating human rights – and among the denouncers were some of the most obnoxious tyrants in the world.
When preparations were made for a second "Durban Conference", this time in Geneva, the Israeli government did everything in its power to convince at least the countries of North America and Europe to boycott it. That was not so easy. Well before the start of the conference, the US succeeded in eliminating the reference to Israel in the draft of its final document (leaving only a reference to the resolutions of the first conference), and in the end it decided to boycott the conference anyway. But the European countries agreed to attend.
The Israeli government was anticipating the conference with great apprehension. The atrocities of the Gaza War have turned public opinion in many countries against Israel. The conference could become an outlet for these emotions. The brightest minds in Jerusalem were trying to find ways to prevent this.
And then along came Ahmadinejad. Since he was the only head of state to attend, the organizers could not prevent him from speaking first. He delivered a provocative speech – not being satisfied with criticizing Israel, his words dripped with unbridled hatred. That was a welcome pretext for the European representatives to get up and walk out in an impressive pro-Israeli demonstration. The conference became ridiculous.
If the "Elders of Zion" had planned the conference, it could not have ended better as far as the Israeli government is concerned.
ALL THIS happened on Holocaust Day, when Jews in Israel and all over the world commemorate the millions of victims of the genocide.
The memory of the Holocaust unites all the Jews in the world. Every Jew knows that if the Nazis had reached him, he, too, would have gone to the death camps. We, who were then living in Palestine, knew that if the German general Erwin Rommel had broken through the British lines at El Alamein, our fate would have been that of the Warsaw Ghetto.
All Jews feel that it is their moral duty to keep the memory of the victims alive. To this profound feeling there is added a political consideration: the memory of the Holocaust causes most Jews everywhere to support the State of Israel, which defines itself as the "State of the Shoa Survivors".
But time passes and memories fade. There is a recurrent need for a present, actual enemy, a "Second Hitler", who arouses all the latent fears lurking in the Jewish soul. Once it was Gamal Abd-al-Nasser, the "Egyptian Tyrant". Then Yasser Arafat played this role. Nowadays there is Hamas, but that is hardly sufficient. No way to convince anyone that Hamas could possibly annihilate Israel.
Ahmadinejad is the ideal candidate. He is a consistent Holocaust denier. He declares that the "Zionist entity" must disappear from the map. He is working on the production of a nuclear bomb. This is serious – a few nuclear bombs on Israeli population centers can indeed wipe out Israel.
So we have a "Second Hitler", who is planning a "Second Holocaust". Against him, all the Jews of the world can unite. What would we do without him?
THE PUTATIVE Iranian nuclear bomb fulfills another very important role. It is serving now as an instrument for the obliteration of the Palestinian problem.
Next month Netanyahu will present himself at the White House. That might turn out to be a fateful meeting. President Barack Obama may demand a clear commitment to start a peace process that will lead towards the creation of the Palestinian state. Netanyahu will make a desperate effort to avoid this, since peace would mean the evacuation of the settlements. If he agreed to this, his coalition would fall apart.
What to do? Thank God for the Iranian bomb! It constitutes an existential threat against Israel. It is self-evident that the Israeli Prime Minister should not be bothered with bagatelles like peace with the Palestinians when the Iranian nuclear sword is dangling above his head!
Netanyahu's predecessors also used this ploy. Whenever somebody raises the matter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and demands that our government start real negotiations, freeze the settlements, dismantle the outposts, release prisoners, end the blockade on the population of the Gaza Strip, remove the roadblocks – the Iranian bomb appears ex machina. No time to think about anything else. The bomb heads our agenda. The bomb is our agenda.
There is a lot of irony in this. Iran has never been the least bit interested in the plight of the Palestinians. Ahmadinejad, too, doesn't give a damn. Like all other Middle East governments he uses the Palestinian cause to further his own interests. Now he wants to penetrate the Sunni Arab world in order to turn Iran into the dominant regional power. For this purpose, he raises the banner of the Palestinian resistance. But for the time being, he has only succeeded in pushing the Sunni Arab regimes into the arms of Israel.
AHMADINEJAD'S MOST enthusiastic fans sit in the Ministry of Defense in Tel-Aviv. What would they do without him?
Every year, the struggle over the defense budget breaks out anew. This year, with the economic crisis, the debate will be even more acrimonious. Little Israel maintains one of the largest and most expensive military establishments in the world. Relative to the GNP (gross national product), we easily trump the United States, not to mention Europe.
Must one ask why? Israel is surrounded by enemies who are plotting to destroy us! True, Egypt is now the most loyal collaborator of Israel, Iraq has quit the game for the time being, Syria has long since ceased to be a threat. Jordan is humble, the Palestinian Authority dances to our tune. It is hard to justify a giant defense budget for fighting little Hizbullah and tiny Hamas.
But there is Iran, thank God. And there is the fearsome Iranian bomb. Here you have an honest to God existential danger. Our Air Force declares that it is ready to take off any day – no, any minute – and eradicate all the many Iranian nuclear installations.
For that they need money, lots of money. They need the most advanced airplanes in the world, each of which costs many, many millions. They need suitable equipment for reaching the targets and fulfilling the task. That is more important than education, health or welfare. After all, the Iranian bomb will kill all of us – including the children, the sick and the underprivileged. (The tycoons may perhaps succeed in getting out in time.)
The budget will be approved, but the flyers will not fly. It is not clear whether such an attack is at all feasible. Neither is it clear if it would significantly postpone the production of the bomb. But it is clear that such an attack is not possible politically: it cannot be executed without the express confirmation of the US, and there is no chance that this will be forthcoming. The attack would almost automatically cause the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which all the Gulf oil is shipped. That would be catastrophic, especially during a world-wide economic crisis, when a huge rise in the price of oil can cripple the already weakened economies. No, our valiant pilots will have to content themselves with bombing residential neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip.
IT COULD be argued: if Ahmadinejad behaves like a Mossad agent, Avigdor Lieberman behaves like an agent of Iranian intelligence.
I don't say so, God forbid. I really don't want to be sued for libel.
But Lieberman's behavior is indeed – how to put it – slightly bizarre.
True, for a moment he looked like a winner. After he sent Hosny Mubarak to hell, the Israeli media reported that the most important Egyptian minister had met with him, shaken his hand and invited him to Egypt. Perhaps he wanted to show him around the Aswan dam, which Lieberman once wanted to bomb. But the next day a furious Mubarak reacted by denying the story and declaring that Lieberman will not be allowed to set foot on Egyptian soil.
In the meantime, an important newspaper in Russia published an interview with Lieberman, in which he asserted that "the US will accept all our decisions." Meaning: we rule America, Obama will do as we tell him.
Such talk will not increase Israel's popularity in the White House, to say the least. Especially just now, after it was disclosed that the Israeli Lobby, AIPAC, has asked a congresswoman to intervene in favor of two American Jews indicted for spying for Israel. In return, AIPAC promised to get the Congresswoman appointed as chairwoman of a very important committee. How? Simple: AIPAC will tell the majority leader of the House that if she does not comply. a Jewish billionaire will stop contributing to her election fund. Not a very savory disclosure.
In brief, the Iranian Ahmadinejad and the Israeli Lieberman are Siamese twins. The one needs the other. Lieberman rides on the Iranian bomb, Ahmadinejad rides on Israeli threats.
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" asked the prophet Amos (3:3). The answer is: Yes, indeed. These two can very well walk hand in hand without agreeing on anything.
Israeli Settlers take over land, destroy crops near Hebron
April 28, 2009
Why is this allowed to go on?????
Tuesday April 28, 2009 15:47
Israeli settlers destroyed Palestinian farmers' crops and took over land that belongs to farmers near the southern West Bank city of Hebron, while soldiers searched homes in the old city part on Tuesday.
Famers from the village of At-Tuwani, near Hebron, said Israeli settlers attacked and destroyed an acre of their land which had contained winter crops. The settlers, it is thought, came from Ma'on, an illegal Israeli settlement nearby.
Later in the day another group of Israeli settlers took over Palestinian-owned land and forced the famers away. The settlers intend to use the area to mark the Israeli Independence Day this week, local sources reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers attacked and ransacked a number of homes in the old part of Hebron city on Tuesday. Witnesses told local media that soldiers searched homes and ransacked belongings before leaving. No kidnappings were reported.
A Little Red Light
April 21, 2009
To me Uri Avnery is Israel's conscience. Voices like his are very rare.
Uri Avnery's Column:
A Little Red Light 18/04/09
PERHAPS Avigdor Lieberman is only a passing episode in the annals of the State of Israel. Perhaps the fire he is trying to ignite will flicker briefly and go out by itself. Or perhaps the police investigations into the grave corruption affair of which he is suspected will lead to his removal from the public sphere. But the opposite is also possible. Last week he promised his acolytes that the next elections would bring him to power. Perhaps Lieberman will prove to be an "Israbluff"' (a term he himself likes to use), and be revealed, behind the frightful façade, as nothing more than a run of the mill impostor. Perhaps this Lieberman will indeed disappear, to be replaced by another, even worse Lieberman. Either way, we should candidly confront the phenomenon he represents. If one believes that his utterances sound fascist, one has to ask oneself: is there a possibility that a fascist regime might come to power in Israel? THE INITITIAL gut-feeling is a resounding NO. In Israel? In the Jewish State? After the Holocaust which Nazi fascism brought upon us? Can one even imagine that Israelis would become something like the Nazis? When Yeshayahu Leibowitz coined, many years ago, the term "Judeo-Nazis", the entire country blew up. Even many of his admirers thought that this time the turbulent professor had gone too far. But Lieberman's slogans do justify him in retrospect. Some would dismiss Lieberman's achievement in the recent elections. After all, his "Israel is Our Home" party is not the first one to appear from nowhere and win an impressive 15 seats. Exactly the same number that was won by the Dash party of General Yigael Yadin in 1977 and the Shinui party of Tommy Lapid in 2003 – and both disappeared soon after without leaving a trace. But Lieberman's voters are not like those of Yadin and Lapid, who were ordinary citizens fed up with some particular aspects of Israeli life. Many of his voters are immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who look upon their "Ivett", an immigrant from the ex-Soviet land of Moldova, as a representative of their "sector". Although many of them brought with them from their former homeland a right-wing, anti-democratic and even racist world view, they do not pose by themselves a danger to Israeli democracy. But the additional power that turned Lieberman's party into the third-largest faction in the new Knesset came from another sort of voter: Israeli-born youngsters, many of whom had recently taken part in the Gaza War. They voted for him because they believed that he would kick the Arab citizens out of Israel, and the Palestinians out of the entire historical country. These are not marginal people, fanatical or underprivileged, but normal youngsters who finished high-school and served in the army, who dance in the discotheques and intend to found families. If such people are voting en masse for a declared racist with a pungent fascist odor, the phenomenon cannot be ignored. FIFTY YEARS ago I wrote a book called "The Swastika", in which I described how the Nazis took over Germany. I was helped by my childhood memories. I was 9 years old when the Nazis came to power. I witnessed the agonies of German democracy and the first steps of the new regime before my parents, in their infinite wisdom, decided to escape and settle in Palestine. I wrote the book on the eve of the trial of Adolf Eichmann, after realizing that the young generation in Israel knew a lot about the Holocaust but next to nothing about the people who brought it about. What occupied me more than anything else was the question: how could such a monstrous party succeed in coming to power democratically in one of the most civilized countries in the world? The last chapter of my book was called "It Can Happen Here". That was a paraphrase of the title of a book by the American writer Sinclair Lewis, "It Can't Happen Here", in which he described precisely how it could happen in the United States. I argued in the book that Nazism was not a specifically German disease, that in certain circumstances any country in the world could be infected by this virus – including our own state. In order to avoid this danger, one had to understand the underlying causes for the development of the disease. To the assertion that I am "obsessed" by this matter, that I see this danger lurking in every corner, I answer: not true. For years I have avoided dealing with this subject. But it is true that I carry in my head a little red light that comes on when I sense the danger. This light is now blinking. WHAT CAUSED the Nazi disease to break out in the past? Why did it break out at a certain time and not at another? Why in Germany and not in another country suffering from similar problems? The answer is that fascism is a special phenomenon, unlike any other. It is not an "extreme Right", an extension of "nationalist" or "conservative" attitudes. Fascism is the opposite of conservatism in many ways, even though it may appear in a conservative disguise. Also, it is not a radicalization of ordinary, normal nationalism, which exists in every nation. Fascism is a unique phenomenon and has unique traits: the notion of being a "superior nation", the denial of the humanity of other nations and national minorities, a cult of the leader, a cult of violence, disdain for democracy, an adoration of war, contempt for accepted morality. All these attributes together create the phenomenon, which has no agreed scientific definition. How did this happen? Hundreds of books have been written about it, dozens of theories have been put forward, and none of them is satisfying. In all humility I propose a theory of my own, without claiming more validity than any of the others. According to my perception, a fascist revolution breaks out when a very special personality meets with a very special national situation. ON THE personality of Adolf Hitler, too, innumerable books have been written. Every phase in his life has been examined under the microscope, each of his actions has been debated relentlessly. There are no secrets about Hitler, yet Hitler has remained an enigma. One of his most obvious traits was his pathological anti-Semitism, which went far beyond any logic. It remained with him to the very last hour of his life, when he dictated his testament and committed suicide. At the most desperate moments of his war, when his soldiers at the front were crying out for reinforcements and supplies, precious trains were diverted to transport Jews to the death camps. When the Wehrmacht was suffering from a grievous lack of practically everything, Jewish workers were taken from essential factories to be sent to their death. Many explanations for this pathological anti-Semitism have been suggested, and all of them have been debunked. Did Hitler want to take revenge on a Jew who was suspected of being his real grandfather? Did he hate the Jewish doctor who treated his beloved mother before she died? Was it a punishment for the Jewish director of the Art school who failed to recognize his genius? Did he hate the poor Jews he came across when he was homeless in Vienna? All of this has been examined and found lacking. The enigma remains. The same is true for his other personal views and attributes. How did he attain the power to hypnotize the masses? What did he have that made so many people, from all walks of life, identify with him? Whence sprang his unbridled lust for power? We don't know. There is no full and satisfying explanation. We only know that from among the millions of Germans and Austrians who were living at that time, and the thousands who grew up in similar circumstances, there was (as far as we know) only one Hitler, a unique person. To borrow a term from biology: he was a one-time mutation. But the unique Hitler would not have become a historic personality if he had not met with Germany in unique circumstances. GERMANY AT the end of the Weimar republic has also been the subject of many books. What made the German people adopt Nazism? Historical causes, rooted in the terrible catastrophe of the Thirty-year War or even earlier events? The sense of humiliation after the defeat in World War I? The anger at the victors, who ground Germany into the dust and imposed huge indemnities? The terrible inflation of 1923, which wiped out the savings of entire classes? The Great Depression of 1929, which threw millions of decent and diligent Germans into the street? This question, too, has found no satisfying answer. Other people have also been humiliated. Other people have lost wars. The Great Depression hit dozens of countries. In the US and the UK, too, millions were laid off. Why did fascism not seize power in those countries (except in Italy, of course)? In my opinion, the fatal spark was ignited at a fateful moment when a people ready for fascism met the man with the attributes of a fascist leader. What would have happened if Adolf Hitler had been killed in a road accident in the autumn of 1932? Perhaps another Nazi leader would have come to power – but the Holocaust would not have happened, and neither, probably, World War II. His likely replacements – Gregor Strasser, who was No. 2, or Hermann Goering, the flying ace with a morphine addiction – were indeed Nazis, but neither of them was a second Hitler. They lacked his demonic personality. And what would have happened if Germany had not fallen into the depth of despair? The Western powers could have sensed the danger in time and helped in the reconstruction of the German economy and the reduction of unemployment. They could have abrogated the infamous Versailles Treaty, imposed by the victors after World War I, and allowed Germans to regain their self-respect. The German republic could have been saved, the moral leaders, of which Germany had aplenty, could have regained their leadership role. What would have happened then? Adolf Hitler, whom the widely adored President of the Reich, a Field Marshall, had contemptuously called "the Bohemian lance-corporal", would have remained a little demagogue on the lunatic fringe. The 20th century would have looked quite different. Tens of millions of casualties of war and six million Jews would have remained alive, without ever knowing what could have happened. But Hitler did not die early and the German people were not saved from their fate. At the crucial moment they met, and a spark was struck, lighting the fuse that led to the historic explosion. SUCH A fateful meeting is not, of course, limited to fascism. It has occurred in history in other circumstances and to other persons. Winston Churchill, for example. His statues dot the British landscape, and he is considered one of the greatest British leaders of all times. Yet until the late 1930s, Churchill was a political failure. Few admired him, and even fewer liked him. Many of his colleagues detested him with all their hearts. He was considered an egomaniac, an arrogant demagogue, an erratic drunk. But in a moment of existential danger, Britons found in him their mouthpiece and the leader who took their destiny in his hands. It seemed as if during all the first 65 years of his life, Churchill had been preparing for this one moment, and as if Britain had been waiting for precisely this one man. Would history have looked different if Churchill had died the previous year of coronary thrombosis, lung cancer or cirrhosis of the liver, and Neville Chamberlain had remained in power? We now know that he and his colleagues, including the influential foreign minister, Lord Halifax, seriously considered accepting Hitler's 1940 peace offer, based on the partition of the world between the German and the British empires. Or Lenin. If the imperial German general staff had not provided the famous sealed train to take him from Zurich to Sweden, from where he proceeded St. Petersburg, would the Bolshevik revolution, which changed the face of the 20th century, have taken place at all? True, Trotsky was in town before him, and so was Stalin. But neither of the two was a Lenin, and without Lenin it would quite possibly not have happened, and certainly not the way it did. Perhaps one could add to this list Barack Obama. A very special person, of unique origin and character, who had a fateful meeting with the American people at an important moment of their destiny, when they were suffering from two crises at once – the economic and the political one – which cast their shadow on the entire world. BACK TO US. Is the State of Israel approaching an existential crisis – moral, political, economic – that could leave it an endangered nation? Can Lieberman, or someone who could take his place, turn out to be a demonic personality like Hitler, or at least Mussolini? In our present situation there are some dangerous indications. The last war showed a further decline in our moral standards. The hatred towards Israel's Arab minority is on the rise, and so is the hatred towards the occupied Palestinian people who are suffering a slow strangulation. In some circles, the cult of brute force is gaining strength. The democratic regime is in a never-ending crisis. The economic situation may descend into chaos, so that the masses will long for a "strongman". And the belief that we are a "chosen people" is already deeply rooted. These indications may not necessarily lead to disaster. Absolutely not. History is full of nations in crisis that recovered and returned to normalcy. Besides the real Hitler, who rose to historic heights, there were probably hundreds of other Hitlers, no less crazy and no less talented, who ended their life as bank tellers or frustrated writers, because they did not meet a historic opportunity. I have a strong faith in the resilience of Israeli society and Israeli democracy. I believe that we have hidden strengths that will come to the fore in an hour of need. Nothing "must" happen. But anything "can" happen. And the little red light won't stop blinking.
Uri Avnery
Website of Gush Shalom : http://www.gush-shalom.org/
Link to Avnery's column: http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery
Holocaust remembrance and Palestinian Identity
April 17, 2009
The story of the Palestinian children's orchestra (Strings for Peace, see previous blog entry) has kept me occupied. My mind keeps returning to the fact that the Palestinian children had never heard of the Holocaust. We know that Palestinians prefer not to talk about the Holocaust, because they fear that the Holocaust will be used to legitimize their own dispossession. We also know that seeing the other as the victim of something so horrendous would imply seeing the other as human, which people who are at war with each other avoid at all cost. And finally we know that some of the most hateful extremists deny the Holocaust out of pure spite against Israel and the West. However, whole generations growing up alongside Israel's borders without even the most basic knowledge of this ultimate evil is very scary. The names of the death camps (Treblinka, Sobibor, Belzec and Chelmno), should be engraved in the memory of all of us as places where people were send for the sole purpose of being slaughtered by the millions in an industrialized fashion. They have to be engraved in our memories because part of being human is to be aware of the evil we are capable of, and there is no bigger evil than the evil that was committed in these camps. It is the responsibility of all of us to remember and be aware. Not knowing is inexcusable and unacceptable. Palestinians should know first of all because they are human. However, they should also know because they are involved in struggle with the people that were the victim of this. How can one make peace with an enemy one does not understand?
Vice versa, it has also become more clear to me that Israelis don't understand Palestinians much better. It seems to me that Israelis have settled upon their own version and interpretation of their history in the Arab world and base their policies upon this interpretation. This interpretation often involves the denial of the unique identity of the Palestinians as Palestinians, the denial of the right of the Palestinians to a piece of land that can be the foundation of a sustainable state, and all sorts of opinions on the responsibilities of surrounding Arab nations. There is very little compassion for the circumstances the Palestinians in the occupied territories. On the contrary, these circumstances are often being denied, even the occupation itself is often being denied.
It is hard to understand how Israel and Palestine will be able to make peace with each other without recognizing either the history or the identity of the other. What seems to be desperately lacking in years and years of 'peace processing' is some form of openness to the story of the other and the willingness to see each the other as human. Not much dialogue is needed to understand another human being. All that is needed to have empathy is openness, a little imagination, and the capacity to see the other as a human being with the same desires and fears as ourselves. Without compassion for the other, there can be no wisdom, and without wisdom, conflict can never progress into a lasting peace.
In conjunction with all of the above, I have thought about my own problems debating this issue with people that hold different positions from myself. I am wondering whether or not the same problems people face debating this issue on a micro level aren't exactly the same problems, maybe to different degrees, that occur on a macro level between Israel and Palestine.
A couple of the things I have learned:
1) Anybody entering this conflict narrative should be aware of the fact that this debate is very old and positions have hardened. This does not mean however that emotions have cooled down. On the contrary. When it comes to this conflict, the most reasonable people are capable of the most unreasonable reactions. The fierceness of the debate, combined with the fact that the arguments pro and against are so old, makes it very hard for a 'novice' to enter it. There are standard responses for standard criticisms and standard attacks for the same criticisms. More often than not an attack constitutes the response.
2) Trust is very hard to build. One has to remember at all times that one is debating a people that has faced the worst. A people cannot face the worst and comes out of it unscathed. The fear of anti-Semitism is real and justified. So it is important to exercise restraint. This is one of the responses I received by somebody who believes I do not exercise enough restrain in debating Israel:
"Feelings about the Holocaust is something that runs extremely deep in many of us. In me, it's a gnawing pain. My mother very nearly lost her life and her father did. When you love somebody who experienced such rabid racism first-hand – you kind of get upset when your friends can't see how hurt you are. Maybe we are too sensitive to criticisms of Israel, but you should try to be a little more sensitive to your friends. You know, bite your tongue from time to time. Realize that however incensed you are by the treatment of the Palestinians, that your friends may get really truly hurt by your opinions." (Kate)
I am no diplomat. And I have a lot more to learn. My perspectives need to widen. Wisdom doesn't only come from compassion, but from perspective as well. I hope to be as open as possible to anything that can help me understand something.
After one has taken into account a very long history of anti-Semitism culminating in a Holocaust and all the fear and pain associated with this history.
After one has taken into account the long history of the Jewish people in the lands that are being disputed.
After one has taken into account the many contributions of the Jews to our own history and current material prosperity, richness of ideas etc,
After one has reassured as much as one can that the existence of Israel is not at stake, that it should not be at stake, and if it is at stake then the whole world should come to its defense,
And finally, after one has made sure that anti-Semitism is not an option,
One should be able to express that what is happening in the occupied territories is wrong. That a country should not have 'occupied territories' to begin with. One can and should argue that all of the above factors make Israel's predicament understandable. It places it within a context. However, it doesn't justify anything or even makes it tolerable. Understanding the behavior of a country or being sympathetic to this country does not mean we should tolerate the behavior. In other words, while the past, the present and fears about the future might make the irresponsible behavior of a country comprehensible, it doesn't make it defensible. The actions of Israel in West bank, Gaza and East-Jerusalem are deeply wrong, to say the least. Israel is to a large extend responsible for the fact that a few million Palestinians are either living as second class citizens within Israel (threatened at the very moment by a foreign minister that wants to expel them) or without any nationality and rights in either refugee camps in other Arab countries or in West bank and Gaza. If Israel itself cannot fix this situation, that it is the responsibility of the rest of the world to intervene. One has to be able to say this much. Silence cannot have the last word, as silence creates complicity.
I keep thinking about the concept of a no-mans-land. There should be a zone where people can exchange stories, thoughts, sentiments and even opinions without being 'blasted' viciously by the other. In a land that is claimed by two people, maybe a zone that doesn't belong to any of them is necessary to make such a dialogue possible.
To end this essay on a happier note. Thinking about the terrible fact that there is so much Holocaust taboo and straight out anti-Semitism in the Arab world, I was browsing the web and found this project: Project Aladin. It is a multilingual website (in Arabic, Persian, French, English, and soon in Turkish) supported by over a 100 muslim intellectuals and a lot of western politicians and thinkers (among them Chirac, Simone Weil, etc) which provides information in a simple fashion on the Holocaust, on the Jews and on the relationship between Jews and Muslims throughout history. Accompanying the website is an online library where members are able to download freely reference books on the Holocaust translated into Arabic and Persian. They include such classics as Anne Frank's "Diary", "If This Is a Man" by Primo Levi, "Hitler and the Jews "by the Swiss historian Philippe Burrin, and" Sonderkommando "by Shlomo Venezia. Please check it out. Such initiatives deserve a little attention in a world that seems hell bend on more conflict and more war.
The Middle East, Peace through Music and a No-mans-land
April 16, 2009
Anyway. as soon as this duo was elected to represent Israel in the festival, opposition and controversy rose up out of nowhere. It was however not the far right in Israel that soured the attempt at reconciliation but the (not that far) left. The duo was accused of prettifying the situation in Israel, of presenting a too rosy and harmonious picture of the situation within Israel. A petition went around to demand their withdrawal from the festival, saying that the duo "is giving the false impression of coexistence in Israel and is trying to shield the nation from the criticism it deserved." Please note that the duo is not exactly singing kumbayas. Their songs are about the difficulties of reconciliation. They might very well end up being the least kitschy artists of the festival. If they make it.
Achinoam Nini and Mira Awad sing.
Israeli-Arab singing duo


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post116620432010386095..comments2018-05-10T12:46:45.094-04:00Comments on Backyardigans Fan: The Secret Of SnowJenniferhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-54633467216653253162010-09-01T23:25:43.890-04:002010-09-01T23:25:43.890-04:00i found this video on youtube where they are singi...i found this video on youtube where they are singing i front of uniqua's house at the end of the episode. the secret of snow is my favorite episode

P,S. if you want to see the video go onto youtube and search backyardigans: the secret of email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-71272534268943116542007-11-11T22:58:00.000-05:002007-11-11T22:58:00.000-05:00people did u check out my site @ crashofthetitansf...people did u check out my site @ crashofthetitansfan.blogspot.com and backyardigansfan.blogspot.com ps zachary tyler eisen doesnt do pablo's voice anymorecindy_lu889https://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-28182497297096722007-11-10T21:19:00.000-05:002007-11-10T21:19:00.000-05:00I got the dvd. Super secret super spy and secret o...I got the dvd. Super secret super spy and secret of snow was just freakin good i loved it!!!!cindy_lu889https://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-63360864954793413592007-11-10T10:11:00.000-05:002007-11-10T10:11:00.000-05:00The narrator was Austin!The narrator was firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-15275305627516841022007-10-24T22:59:00.000-04:002007-10-24T22:59:00.000-04:00check out my backyardigans website @ backyardigans...check out my backyardigans website @ backyardigansfan.blogspot.comcindy_lu889https://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-57185659601862081862007-10-24T22:57:00.000-04:002007-10-24T22:57:00.000-04:00i ysed to live in nova scotia where it snowed a lo...i ysed to live in nova scotia where it snowed a lot ... now i miss the snow 'cause we moved to vancouver!!! because my parents hate snow!!!cindy_lu889https://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-15978583508811851572007-04-29T09:47:00.000-04:002007-04-29T09:47:00.000-04:00i hate this show all austin want's to do was help ...i hate this show all austin want's to do was help uniqua, pablo and tyrone out but NO... all tasha wants to do is work, work, work not giving austin any fun at all it makes me sick like hell

and tasha said "no interuptions"

and tasha gave them punishment as her workers of the company

but austin, uniqua, pablo and tyrone found a way to have fun they sang hahaha... and firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-1167227586966348472006-12-27T08:53:00.000-05:002006-12-27T08:53:00.000-05:00Ok... WEll I loved it! "The Secret of Snow" song w...Ok... WEll I loved it! "The Secret of Snow" song was so cute!

"Try not to care if it snows! Try not to care if it snows! Better to care for the people right there! Care for the good friends you've got!"

Is it just me or does that touch any1 else?Molly firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-1166394439707321802006-12-17T17:27:00.000-05:002006-12-17T17:27:00.000-05:00okay so apparently jonah bobo (austin) knows zacha...okay so apparently jonah bobo (austin) knows zachary tyler eisen (pablo) and is friends with his little sister and zack stole the ant bully from him. haha. i just thought that was funny email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-1166228415515606512006-12-15T19:20:00.000-05:002006-12-15T19:20:00.000-05:00dude this episode was amazing but in the end whan ...dude this episode was amazing but in the end whan austin is wearing that beanie over his ears it lookes retarded. he needs to get a beanie that his ears go firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15746621.post-1166215716583695512006-12-15T15:48:00.000-05:002006-12-15T15:48:00.000-05:00HOLA! This was my favorite episode ever! After sch...HOLA! This was my favorite episode ever! After school, yes, I am in middle school, I saw it on Nick2. IT WAS AWESOME! It was the best episode I have ever seen. I actually thought that it would not be that good for Zach Tyler Eisen was not in it. {Pablo for the first season.} Wonderful episode, and I loved the twists. Is it just me, or is it the first time they sang in front of a house after firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Bulletproof Your BackName: Bulletproof Your BackDate: October 2, 2017Time: 6:45 PM - 8:15 PM CDTWebsite: Click Here to RegisterEvent Description:
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RSVP today and join us on Monday 10/02 • 6:45 pm at Corner House Coffee 100 W. St. Charles Rd, Lombard IL -Complimentary Coffee, Tea, and Water will be provided


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Friday, March 2, 2018, 1:00 AM
WILLAMETTE VALLEY'S BEST WINERIES TO DESCEND UPON MEMPHIS FOR JOE'S WINES & LIQUORS 7TH ANNUAL PASSPORT TO OREGON! OVER 20 OREGON WINERIES WILL BE IN MEMPHIS FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!On Thursday, March 1st 2018 from 6:00PM until 8:00PM Joe's Wines & Liquors hosts their 7th Annual "Passport to Oregon" Wine Tasting at The Memphis College of Art's Rust Hall (in Overton Park). This will be a rare opportunity to taste some of the best and most highly sought after wines from the Willamette Valley and greater Oregon. Each year has been a sellout and we expect this year to be one as well.For the seventh year in a row we are giving Memphis an Oregon focused wine event like no other. This is the only chance to taste, under one roof, with the individuals who make some of Oregon's most coveted and critically acclaimed wines. We'll have several new wineries just entering the Tennessee market attending. Representatives directly from each producer will be on hand to pour their wares, interact with attendees and answer questions. This will be a rare opportunity to intimately engage with them like never before. Many small production products that rarely make it to the area will be featured. Special deep discounts will be offered on any orders placed that evening.VIP Tickets$75+Tax Per/Person Enter the event an hour early at 5:00 with plenty of one-on-one time and no crowds.Tickets$60+Tax Per/Person Doors open at 6:00. Don't forget what a great holiday gift idea these tickets would be! Knock out your holiday shopping early!Tickets are available at the store:Joe's Wines & Liquors 1681 Poplar Memphis, TN 38104 901.725.4252
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/passport-to-oregon-2018-tickets-40747681412?aff=aff0eventful
1930 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
More Event Ideas
- More Food and Drink Events
- Saturday, Jun 16, 8:00 PM
- Wednesday, Sep 5, 5:30 PM
- Wednesday, Jun 6, 5:30 PM


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Hereford Females - Heifers and Cows
Hereford Bulls
Hereford History
Our Hereford herd is now in its infancy as we work to grow our purebred seedstock numbers. Years ago when we were still in school we had shown cattle. Once college started the purebred cattle slowly faded away until only one remained.
Sara, the last of the original Herefords, has provided us a few females the past two years and we've purchased a few others to build the program.
Our goal is to focus on deep-sided, broody cattle that are easy to maintain and structurally sound to be long-lived, great momma cows.
We'll post as many photos and updates on how they're doing. We'll have limited Hereford calves for sale until probably 2014 when our numbers get beyond a dozen femails.
Commercial Herd
The commercial cattle have been on the family farm for over three generations. We rotate Angus and Hereford bulls to keep a pretty consistent herd of baldy cows.
The cow herd has shown a ton of longevity and are great milkers. Most cows are producing great calves past 10-12 years old. Each year we find ourselves making tough decisions on retiring cows because the older ones are usually weaning off some of the best calves.
The commercial herd is about 50 cows and we plan to have a combined herd around 100 head of Hereford and Commercial cattle.
If you're interested in commercial calves, Contact Us for what we've got available. We also raise a few steers up each year for locker beef.


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A couple of days later , and although the universal veil is still intact, this Fly Agaric has noticeably swelled in size, and if you look closelyyou can see the classic colour of this toadstool starting to show through. If you look even closer, towards the base, you'll see a Sminthurinus niger globular springtail, and also a couple of eggs from one of the flies that feed on this species.
Amanita muscariaFly Agaricautumncollembolaeggflyfungifungusglobbyglobular springtailhenleypark lakelakemacromarkhortonphotographymossmushroomnormandyparasitepinesminthurinus nigerspringtailsurreythatmacroguytoadstoolwaterwoods


text: Michael J. Colletta. Born to Eternal life December 22, 2004 at the age of 49 years. Beloved husband of Christine (Nee Biedrzycki) Colletta; loving father of Anna Marie, Rosemarie and Patrick Michael Colletta; son of John (the late Marie) Colletta; dear brother of Rosemary (Alan) Seifert, Domonic, Edward (Eileen) and John Colletta; further survived by nieces, nephews other relatives and friends. Funeral Services Monday 10:30 a.m. at the Max A. Sass & Sons Greenridge Chapel. Entombment Mount Olivet Cemetery. Visitation Sunday at the funeral home from 2 to 6 p.m. Max A. Sass & Sons, Greenridge Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service, 4747 S. 60th St., 414-282-4050. online guestbook - maxsass.com


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Never eat anything that's served in a bucket.
Trumpery: Anything calculated to deceive by false show; anything externally splendid, but intrinsically of little value; worthless finery.
Of course not, certainly not here, even as some try to be. For that we can thank our Constitution.
And Mister......., you imply that its criminal to wish to share the wealth....
Then imagine a world where there was absolutely NO sharing of anything........imagine the hatred/strife/continual warfare between the haves and the have nots..
Of course, this scenario is only a fantasty....Its my opinion that it is mans way to share, to be social....at least most of us. .
And if that is socialism or criminal....then so be it.....
We live in a "$100K" house, a dump, IMO and have two $1,000 cars...
I have been there(un and under employed from '94 onward)....but now we are retired and on social security...
The point is, our tax rates must be made more fair, in other words, the wealthy must pay a greater percentage..
I paid about 11% , as I recall in federal taxes....Romney ....13%..
I earned $30000 annuaally....Romney 3000000 plus.....and what exactly did he do that was worth that much ?
IMO, Romney was horribly overcompensated !
NO man needs so much money, $100K annually is sufficient !
It is not good that the 1% have so much and that others (99%) have "so little".
How do you determine how much is "enough"? Wages and prices, in a perfect world of free market capitalism, are determined by supply and demand. By what someone is willing to pay for a particular product or service. NOT by governmental edict/mandate nor by pretentious "moral" outrage. If a person can make 100K or a BILLION dollars a year, legally, then who are you to stand up and say "that's too much"?
Do you want someone like me who has far less than you to come to you and tell you that? Do you want others who have far less than you to come up to you and demand that you divide your acquired wealth, no matter how much that is, with them? Exactly by what right is anyone obligated to anyone else???
Remember, that's why this country was founded in the very first place. So that no individual, no monarchy, no army, no dictator, would be able to merely come in and take away what another person had worked for.
Let me interject here Mr. Progressive.
What is criminal isn't the act of sharing. We all understand that sharing is good. The thing that is wrong is government mandated sharing. That doesn't make it sharing anymore man....it makes it taking and giving. Sharing implies that a person gave up his own possessions willingly to another person.
Sharing doesn't need to be controlled by government because that doesn't make it sharing anymore.
Libertarian and Atheist...wow I'm a hated man.
Whats also wrong are government mandated property laws ....
We can go in theses circles forever ... Or we can agree that property is not in the state of nature, and that for society to work we need to agree on isntitutions and the instition of property is no more important than that of democracy or the commons or autonomy.
You know the time is right to take control, we gotta take offense against the status quo
Originally Posted by A. de Tocqueville


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Problem 3
This problem will be a game called Ghost.
Note: to complete the problem, you must implement the fast dictionary discussed below.
Ghost is a word game in which players take turns adding individual letters to a growing word fragment, trying not to be the one to complete a valid word. Each fragment must be the beginning of an actual word, and, for our purposes, we will consider 4 to be the minimum word length. The player who completes a word or creates a fragment that is not the prefix of a word loses the round.
So on player 1's turn, they can:
The UI for our game will look like this:
Tour of the code
We've provided a starter project for you with some skeleton code as a starting point. It is made up of the following files:
Ghost with simple computer player
Start by editing activity_ghost.xml to create the proper UI. It should contain:
The provided assets directory contains a file called "words.txt" which contains 10,000 words that we will use as the basis for our dictionary. Feel free to substitute your own word list if you desire.
Initialize the dictionary by loading the content of the file in the
Since we are not using a standard EditText field, we will need to do some keyboard handling. Proceed to override the
You should have a working app and can test the basic functionality of your code. If your app is not working as intended, look for error messages in the logcat window of Android Studio. You may also need to add some logging to your app in order to see why it is not working as intended.
If your app is working so far, it's time to take on the
At this stage, you might notice that
Now return to
Having completed the basic functionality of the game, it's time to improve the computer player by implementing
Finally, take some time to apply what you have learned about preserving an app's state to save both the word fragment and the current game status message when the app is suspended. The easiest way to trigger suspension behavior is to cause the screen to rotate between portrait and landscape mode. You can enable this by editing the line in


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The Volendam-Marken Express has a VIP water taxi which is the ideal solution to traffic problems around the Gouwzee lake. Whether you want to eat fish on the Dijk in Volendam, drink coffee in the restaurant "Het Hof van Marken" or dine in the Michelin-star restaurant "de Posthoorn" in Monnickendam, we will transport you from any ship, dock or harbour in the Gouwzee to your destination.
The ships we use are cheerful , luxurious captained sloops and the beautiful classic designed Dutch Runabout. The latter is a cross between a sloop and a speedboat, because of its elegant lines and the fact that its top speed is 50 kilometres per hour! (only on the stretches of water where that is permitted). Our skippers can transport you daily between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. from the following departure points:
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- Haven Marken
- Haven Edam
Contact us by telephone or e-mail to make a reservation for your private VIP water taxi. Reserve now on 0299 363331 or e-mail email@example.com.


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Rachel Ann's Place
Monday, November 20, 2006
Can you believe that I have already started wrapping Christmas presents? Yep, I have! I got a lot done today (no work, so sad)....so I ran errands, wrapped Christmas presents, made lots and lots of cookies (they came in the buckets you buy from kid's fundraising), and did a notary signing tonight....so even though I didn't work at school, I was still busy! Heading off to bed, as I do have to work tomorrow. 1st graders here I come.
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Time for today's challenge! I'm so excited because I'm still looking forward to this challenge. I know it's only the second day, but the fact that I'm still feeling 'with it' is a great feeling indeed.
I'm sure you all know that the name of your blog is extremely important. It can be either personal or convey the blog purpose, but if it hasn't been well thought out or have relevant meaning then it is just useless. Think of naming your children, you wouldn't just pick a random name would you? No, parents spend many hours deciding on a name for their children. Well, sometimes they wait until they meet the child but at that point they have usually narrowed down the selection. You want the name to have meaning, to convey the hopes and dreams you have for the child. Well, so should the name of your blog which is another extension of yourself.
So what exactly does Illumigraphy mean? It's a combination of two words which I love, illumination and calligraphy.
Why illumination? Well, I think of it a bit as a metaphor for life. Life is so dark – I don't mean depressing and gloomy when I say this by the way. I mean that there are so many unknowns, nobody can possibly know everything there is to know about the world. And with each step we take in life it's as though we are walking through a tunnel and lighting torches. We leave these torches for the next person so that they may find their way. We cannot light every path however, and it's up to the next adventurer to press on and leave their torches behind. So I live my life with the desire to explore and learn as much as possible. Even down the tunnels which scare us, the ones where we can maybe hear a growling monster, we must make the choice to either press on or turn back. The more we explore and grow, the more we will illuminate.
I can't think of anything better to convey these thoughts, but I did hear a great quote yesterday while watching an adventure reality show on the National Geographic Channel.
I don't want to live my life constantly going in a straight line. I want to have as many experiences as possible. Even if the experiences are bad, I will learn something from them. Only then can I lay on my side and say goodbye to this life in peace.
It is such a beautiful quote.
The other word I chose is calligraphy. To be honest, I've never taken calligraphy seriously although when I was young I had a simple set. I eventually grew frustrated with it and never bothered to really learn much. I can boast that I've been able to use cursive since before kindergarten. When most children were struggling to write without wobbles, my mother had already taught me cursive.
Well, a couple of years ago I started reading articles that described the decline of writing by hand. Even printing apparently is being replaced by typing and certain school districts have abandoned teaching cursive writing in favour of typing and that eventually even printing would be phased out. I'm not sure why but it made me feel really sad. I think it was one of the first times that something I had grown up with, that had become a natural part of my life, was being slated for destruction like that. I felt like it was something I had to preserve and keep. From then on I vowed that I would continue to send greeting cards by snail mail, and every single one of them would have a message written from me in cursive. I felt that it was so much more personal than e-cards or email. As I practiced I got better and I receive lots of compliments on my writing skills, both printing and cursive. I've received a few complaints from people who had forgotten what cursive letters looked like and subsequently couldn't read a portion of my message. But I remain undeterred. I finally think I can understand how seniors must feel when they see their old homes torn down for condo towers, or when their grandchildren Skype with them rather than visit in person. I understand what it's like to see things change and to not like it.
So, these two words are as much a part of me as they are. I want to preserve writing as a craft, both the physical act of writing as well as the art of stringing together magnificent words. The English language is full of words that nobody uses, words which have been forgotten. I want to live a life of adventure and experience.
With my title I am setting the tone for this blog. Forge on but never forget the past.


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Location: West Hollywood, California
The Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) is a non-profit organization that specializes in providing training, technical assistance, resource development and other services to enhance tribal justice systems across the nation. For more information please visit www.home.tlpi.org.
The Program Assistant is a full-time position responsible for a range of administrative and program support duties to assist with the implementation of current TLPI projects. This position will primarily concentrate on the following projects.
Tribal-State Collaboration Project, currently funded by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, this project works towards the development of community based tribal code drafting resources; assistance with development and sustainment of tribal-state collaboration efforts; and providing resources for implementing both the Tribal Law and Order Acts "enhanced sentencing" provisions and the Violence Against Native Women Act "Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction."
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts Project, currently funded by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, this project provides Tribal Healing to Wellness Court Training and Technical Assistance and resources that contain relevant law and policy updates for Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts.
Establishing Tribal Domestic Violence Courts/ Dockets, currently funded by a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, this project provides Native nations with information and resources geared toward the development and implementation of a tribal domestic violence court or docket.
Working with the guidance and supervision of the Executive Director, Program Director, and other TLPI staff assigned to lead TLPI projects, the primary duties for this position include:
- Implementation of Project grant objectives:
- Assist with the implementation of grant objectives as directed
- Assist with tracking progress of grant deliverables
- Assist with quarterly and semi-annual grant progress reports
- Assist with tracking performance measures
- Assist with the development of resources and training materials, including curriculum, power point presentations, brochures, and other written materials for use in education and technical assistance trainings with Tribal nations and organizations
- Assist with compilation of needs assessment and evaluation data
- Assist with organization of project documentation (via SharePoint, dropbox, and hard copy files)
- Assist with research projects
- Scheduling and Meeting Coordination:
- Lead coordinator for scheduling project meetings and conference calls
- Assist with coordination of agenda development and distribution of materials prior to project meetings and conference calls
- Prepare timely meeting notes
- Assist with tracking meeting follow up items
- Assist in the execution of national and regional meetings and/or conferences
- Lead coordinator of printing and duplication of resource materials for trainings, meetings and conferences
- Lead coordinator in compiling resource materials, binders, and other related materials
- Lead coordinator in preparing materials for shipment to meetings, trainings, and conferences
- Lead coordinator in resource inventory tracking
- Website and Social Media Updates:
- Assists with updates to the TLPI website and related project websites, and blog posts
- Lead on updating and maintaining social media efforts
- Lead in email marketing efforts (via Mailchimp or similar)
- General Administrative Support for West Hollywood office:
- In the event the regular administrative staff is not available, assist with answering phones, scheduling, and other administrative duties as needed.
No direct supervisory responsibilities.
Education and/or Experience:
Strongly preferred: Bachelor's degree or other applicable advanced degree; previous experience working with a tribal organization or Tribe; previous experience working in tribal criminal justice systems; background in American Indian Studies, American Indian legal research or American Indian focused field of study.
Preferred: Minimum of four (4) years of administrative experience.
Organizational Skills:
Required: Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize a high volume of information and/ or data and effectively produce a successful outcome.
Preferred: Experience in coordinating or organizing a project, grant or community event. Experience in creating or improving administrative systems or procedures.
Language/Writing Skills:
Required: Demonstrated ability to read and write professional correspondence.
Preferred: Familiarity with development of training materials. Familiarity with basic graphic art and design principles. Ability to check citations for accuracy. Ability to format word documents, emails and other materials. Ability to check for grammatical errors.
Reasoning Ability:
Required: Demonstrated ability to solve practical problems. Must have a basic knowledge of federal Indian law and tribal law. Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter.
Other Skills and Abilities:
Required: Proficient in a wide range of computer programs such as Office Word, Outlook, SharePoint, Access, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Word Press and others. Proficient in social media applications (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
Salary will be based on qualifications and experience. Full benefits include, medical, vision, dental, life, 403 B retirement, supplemental insurance, vacation and sick leave pay.
To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter, resume with two references listed, and a writing sample. The cover letter should detail your interest in this position, your experience and explain how you are qualified based on the required and preferred qualifications listed in this announcement.
Submit your application via email to Jessica Harjo, Operations Director, at firstname.lastname@example.com. Please do not call regarding this position. All inquiries should be directed via email to email@example.com . Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application deadline: September 15, 2017
The Tribal Law and Policy Institute is an equal opportunity employer. Tribal citizens, women, and persons of color are encouraged to apply.


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Orçamento $100-230 USD
## General information
The website design is for a new project: rateYourWebmaster. The idea is to rate your webmaster, designer and software developer. I need a basic design (several pages with logos).
## Deliverables
* A logo for Rate Your Webmaster. Must provides pictures in high resolutions (jpeg, png, bmp and psd).
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* A page Rate Your Webmaster:
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* Email.
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* A page "Add a webmaster":
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Each page should contains several graphics and images. Everything has to be 100% original from your own. It is a graphical job, not a coding job. Deliverables are only html, images and a css file.


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