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Earlier today, Tim Walz voted in favor of HR 2029, a 2,000+ page omnibus spending bill that authorizes over $1,100,000,000,000 ($1.1 trillion) of taxpayer dollars through September, 2016.
"This "compromise" legislation, supported by Congressman Walz, in reality compromises our national security and the safety of the American people," charged First Congressional GOP candidate Jim Hagedorn. "These mega-spending "compromises" by the DC politicians have driven the national debt to almost $19 trillion - a level that threatens the economy and our American way of life, and now, threatens the safety of the American people as well."
Among the legislative provisions opposed by Hagedorn was the failure to limit the type of visas used by terrorists from jihadi countries to enter the U.S., the exclusion of funding to complete a 700 mile security fence along our southern border, the continued funding of President Obama's Syrian and Middle Eastern refugee program, and continued access of these refugees to tax-payer funded welfare and human service programs.
"There was no shortage of provisions which should have prompted a "No" vote from Congressman Walz," said Hagedorn. "Everything from providing 700,000 illegal aliens access to taxpayer-funded programs to allowing federal grants to flow to Sanctuary Cities to forcing pro-life taxpayers to fund Planned Parenthood to forcing the farmers of southern Minnesota to fund onerous "Waters of the USA" EPA regulations on their own farms was in this bill."
"Moving forward I support bold free enterprise solutions to foster economic growth and the creation of high-wage jobs. That's why I stand for reform of the federal regulatory process, an overhaul of the tax system, top-to-bottom reorganization of all federal agencies, zero-based budgeting, welfare reform, and repeal and replacement of Obamacare."
"On national security, my call for a moratorium on refugee and asylum programs, based upon our Minnesota experience as a huge conduit of Islamic jihadists, has gained bipartisan support. As a member of Congress, I will work to enact common sense border security improvements that put the safety and well-being of the residents of the 1st District above the wishes of establishment Washington insiders."

subset: commoncrawl


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Your guide to recycling plastic in Waterloo Region
by Peter Speckner, Former Communications Coordinator
Everybody wants to recycle. After years of being told how awful it is to throw everything into the garbage, it has become ingrained into most of us to recycle to one degree or another.
The problems arise when there's confusion as to what is recyclable and what is actual garbage. As much as we'd like to think that all plastics, glass containers, paper and cardboard products are recyclable, the truth is far from that. This post was written to help differentiate which plastic products are recyclable and which are garbage. For general information on the Region of Waterloo's recycling programs, check out this site.
And if you want a good laugh, this post was assigned to me when I mentioned to my boss that I recycled ALL plastic products (thinking they were all recyclable), and much to my chagrin, discovered I was wrong. So I'll share with you what I have learned.
Plastic bags for the paper and plastic bags blue box
Ok, let's start with the plastic bags that are able to be recycled and put into the paper and plastic bags blue box (NOTE: all acceptable bags should be placed into one bag, and the handles tied shut):
- Bread bags (the ties are garbage)
- Bulk food bags
- Dry cleaning bags
- Fruit & vegetable (fresh & frozen) bags
- Garden bags (for soil & mulch)
- Grocery & retail store bags
- Milk outer & and (rinsed) inner bags
- Newspaper bags
- Salt bags, road & softener (cut off handles)
- Zippered bags (Ziplock, resealable)
Plastic wrapping for the paper and plastic bags blue box
The outer plastic wrapping around some products can also be recycled such as diapers, napkins, paper towels.
Plastic items for the containers blue box
Finally, the remaining plastic items that can go into the containers blue box:
- Bottles (pop/water/creams/shampoos – empty)
- Spray or pump bottles (glass cleaner, hand soap)
- Containers (margarine/yoghurt – empty and rinsed)
- Single-serving cups (pudding/apple sauce – empty)
- Trays (hold cookies or crackers)
- Disposable plastic cups
- Fruit baskets (for strawberries/blueberries)
No-no's for the blue box
Even though the above lists may seem expansive, they're not all-encompassing. There are still plastic products that should NOT be put into your blue box. Here they are:
- Bubble wrap
- Crinkle bags (pasta, cereal liner bags)
- Stretch-cling food wrap (Saran wrap)
- Plastics and bags that have been in contact with meat, fish or cheese (health hazard)
- Plastic toys
- Plastic cutlery
That last list may be fairly short, but it is important to make sure those items don't find their way into your blue box. They could contaminate the recyclable plastic at the recycling plant, pose a bio-hazard for employees, or just gum up the machinery because it can't handle them.
Where to find more information
If you're not sure if something is recyclable (not just plastic) in Waterloo Region, check out the Waste Whiz, a searchable site provided by the Region of Waterloo.
If you really want to be tech-savvy, download the My Waste app from the App Store or Google Play. It is used by the Region of Waterloo and has all the information you need, now available at your fingertips 24/7. It even comes with a handy reminder-function to let you know when to set out the different types of recyclable goods!
Getting back to my own mistakes
You're probably wondering now, since my guilty-ness is what sparked the necessity of this post, which items I am guilty of recycling that I shouldn't have. Umm, that would be all of them! My ignorance had led me to throw all the no-no's listed into the recycling bin.
Having written this post, I now know better, and will change my habits going forward. Hopefully you have learned something here today, and will improve your recycling habits as well. The day may come when every plastic item will be recyclable, but until then, if we all recycle only the proper products, the whole process will work better. And the planet will thank you for it!
Learn more
10 Comments:
By marlenedgm 20 Oct 2016
Thanks for this helpful list! I have one question though. After looking at the Region of Waterloo website I thought that plastic cutlery was not recyclable, unless you purchase a special brand. Can you please clarify?
By nappyrecycling 14 Feb 2017
Recycling is one of the best ways to protect natural resources.If we can not recycling it then it is very harmful our
beautiful world .So recycling waste and save world.
By LynnCreeden 28 Jan 2018
Can styrofoam trays with the recycle logo on them be put in the recycle box?
By Robert Honeycombe 05 Apr 2018
Question; can the black containers for meat, so common at Zehrs, be recycled? I believe they are styrofoam, am I correct? Also, do the Ziplock bags need to have the "Zip" removed before recycling? One more; what can we do re the bread bag closures to avoid putting them into the garbage?
By Karen C 19 Aug 2018
Something missing is the clear plastic that covers a lot of products that are hung on store shelves which usually have a cardboard back. You find them in drug stores, hardware stores, etc. Are these recyclable?
By Nicole 28 Nov 2018
We were wrapping both the container plastic and Other plastic waste in bio digradable bags but the recycle truck stopped taking them. We did this to avoid garbage blowing all over the street. Is this allowed?


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Ever wanted to step back in time, to the days of knights, princesses, and kingdoms? At Medieval Times here in Toronto, you can do just that. My daughter and I have been a few times now and enjoy the show every time we go. It is a great family fun night out and we love taking guests along with us. Our first time there we were with 20 friends, our second we took along another friend and on our most recent visit we had friends with us again. It really is like stepping back in time for a night. From the moment you enter the castle, you are taken back in time. As a family we have celebrated birthdays, Mother's Day and brought her guest
As you enter the castle you find out which knight will be yours for the evening, and can check out the bar, souvenirs, and even the see the horses. We have cheered for the green knight, the black and white knight and the blue knight. In the pre show, my daughter was even knighted on one of our recent visits.
You will then be called into the castle where you will be treated to a four-course dinner that you eat with your hands, and a show of jousting and amazing horsemanship. The show is full of fun and pyrotechnics. The entire family will enjoy it.
Since we love getting to the castle at least once a year, this summer they are offering a SUMMER SAVINGS special rate of: Adults $42.95 & Kids $32.95 (Save up to $23 per person) by using the Code: SMR17 at time of purchase (cannot be combined with other offers or group rates). We always suggest checking out any specials the castle may be having no matter what the season.
Now to share some good news, one of my readers will win four tickets to Medieval Times including the Kings Royalty Upgrade from our friends at Medieval Times.
What does that include?
- Priority Castle Access
- VIP First Row All Section Seating or Second Row in Center Section
- Priority Seating Access
- Knight's Rally Towel
- Cheering Banner
- VIP Lanyard
- Framed Entrance Group Photo
If you are going this summer, you can always add this to your ticket for $22. Now to enter for the giveaway!
Please leave me a comment letting me know what you would enjoy and who you would take.
*Open to Canadian residents only who can attend the Toronto Medieval Times Castle.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Spring Market 2010: Friday
Hey folks!! It's only been the first day and our heads are already spinning! As always, there is wonderful stuff to share with you all.
I have to start with this a-ma-zing Block of the Month we spotted at the
This & That
booth. Sherri Falls (who always designs gorgeous BOMs with Moda lines) has used the next French General line, Maison Garance, in her new BOM called Paris in the Fall. We looooooove it. So of course we're offering it. We came straight back to our rooms and got it online for you. The program starts in November and will run through April, and the quilt finishes at 66" x 86".
Click here
for more details and to sign up!
Gorgeous, rich golds, blacks and red blocks are spotlighted against cream backgrounds and a spectacular setting.
(The last This & That BOM we offered, Vintage Memories, completely filled up, so if you are considering it, make sure to get your spot!)
Anyway, we got to meet so many people we only knew by blog and Twitter and catch up with old buddies! This morning we cruised the Moda floor, caught
at their heavenly spot in the Moda arena,
Sandy Gervais
in her citrus wonderland,
Barb & Mary
in their "Happy" Place,
Sandy Klop
with her schoolhouse funhouse (so fun to listen to her dialogue all the animals in her quilt!), sweet
Deb Strain
Laurie Simpson
modeled her
Halloween Night
apron for us like a pro, and my personal favorite, the Audrey-esque
Joanna Figueroa
! And now the
Bunny Lady
Oliver + S
are now on the Moda floor too, yay!!! (INTERLOCK KNITS, here we come!) For more booth photos, head over to our
Flickr gallery
Carrie Nelson at her
Schnibbles Times Two
book signing!
We also got to meet
Vanessa Christenson
Melissa Stramel
, and
Stefanie Roman
John Adams
, and
Kaye Prince
IRL! Also ran into
Julie Herman
Vickie Eapen
again, whom we met at the last Market, and it's always fun to see what they're up to :)
Adorable lady Vanessa and bag, no?
Appointments kept us busy all day -- like
Blue Hill
RJR Fabrics
, and
Riley Blake
-- and tomorrow and Sunday are also jam packed with wonderful fabric appointments.
Rue Saint Germain
fabric by
Robyn Pandolph
Dan Morris
holding his
Mrs. Sew & Sew
A peek at the next
Paper Dolls
line from
Sibling Arts Studio
, Paper Dolls Around the World!
Amy Butler's
mesmerizing booth!
More uber cuteness emanating from
Riley Blake
. Just can't stand it.
Happy Zombie's
Holiday Happy
line, it's Gnoma Claus -- sorry you are sick, Monica :( Get better fast fast fast!
Unfortunately we only got to see about 1/4 of the show today -- so no worries, we've still got a lot of floor to cover and many, many wonderful designers to see and show + tell!!!
Oh, and we've got another prize to giveaway!! We have 2 boxes of Amy Butler premium thread to give away!! They coordinate with her Soul Blossoms and Love lines! Leave a comment on this post,
, and
for chances to win! And don't forget the Fat Quarter Bundle giveaway also still on from
yesterday's post
And psst psst psst, for more fun going-ons, check out our giveaway on
Fat Quarterly
and the
Blogger's Quilt Festival
See ya back here tomorrow ;)
International Quilt Market


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What is Tumor-Induced Osteomalacia?
Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is caused by slow-growing tumors that overexpress a protein called Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 is involved in phosphate absorption, which plays an important role in bone health. A variant of TIO called epidermal nevus syndrome (ENS) is associated with skin lesions and results in similar symptoms.
TIO tumors are often located in the extremities (for example, a hand or a foot). A TIO tumor is unlikely to spread, but can be difficult to locate by X-ray or MRI. People with TIO may experience muscle weakness, fatigue, and bone pain (especially in the ankles, legs, hips and back). TIO tumors may be suspected in people who have a rapid onset of symptoms without a family history of hypophosphatemia.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a blood test for FGF23 and locating the tumor through imaging.
Finding and removing the tumor through surgery is currently the most effective treatment for TIO since these tumors rarely spread. There is a small chance that TIO could come back, or recur, with the growth of a new tumor.
Phosphate supplements and calcitriol (a form of vitamin D) are used in some patients with TIO.
Ultragenyx is collaborating with Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. (KHK) to develop KRN23 for TIO in cases where tumor removal (called resection) is not possible or is incomplete.
Patient Support
If you are a member of a TIO patient organization and would like to be listed here, please contact us.
Current Activities
Ultragenyx is collaborating with Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. (KHK) to develop burosumab (KRN23), an investigational product, for TIO.
Ultragenyx is conducting a Phase 2 study of burosumab in adult TIO patients. For more information on this study, visit the study page.


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Copyright © HBO
Roose Bolton delivers news from Winterfell.
Roose Bolton, Robb Stark, EP206 Profile, EP206, Catelyn Stark
Westeros.org is the premiere fansite for George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. Discuss the series on the forums and browse the fan-edited wiki. Read all about HBO's Game of Thrones, learn more about the books from our resource collections and play the MUSH.
New to the series? Read our spoiler-free review of A Game of Thrones.


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Phoenix House of Venice Beach
I got a great deal out of the class and the field trips, but I have to admit that I had a hard time integrating the theoretical constructs from the class time with the practical issues of the non-profits we visited. The packet talks of various ways that one can conceptualize one's environment as points, volumes, etc.... If I'm honest, I still don't see a practical use for those specific characterizations, but I certainly see a very important need to think critically about the way we set up our environment. Even previous to coming to Antioch, one of my major issues with the universe was the way it appears to be constructed to maximize the possible alienation of humans in it. We divide ourselves in as many ways as possible and then we wonder why rates of depression are on the rise. We take great lengths to earn enough money to have the maximum amount of space between us and our neighbors and then we wonder why we feel lonely. In this sense, I can draw a connection between the ways that space is used in my community and the trip we made to Phoenix house.
I live down the block from Phoenix House and pass it all the time on my way up or down the beach paths. It is quite distinctive in my Venice neighborhood because there are often groups of intimidating looking men outside, smoking, and generally minding their own business, but definitely a bit out of place on the Venice boardwalk. I am ashamed to admit that one of my primary thoughts when I pass them was that this was a waste of space that could be used for beachfront housing. Such is the way that society has insidiously worked it's way into my thinking, that the beach 'belongs' to the wealthy. This thought is quite shocking in light of the fact that I consider myself somewhat of a populist and am one of the first people to get upset at the way that, for example, the wealthy residents of parts of Marina Del Rey monopolize access to their beach by refusing to extend the bike path and boardwalk from Venice.
The beach and the ocean are a precious resource and we should spend it wisely. Is it better spent on another apartment building where 5 or 6 wealthy young couples can live the bohemian dream on the Venice Boardwalk? Or is it better spent as a place where hundreds of people can get their lives back on track each year? If a few young professionals have to live a bit farther from the beach, is society really that impacted. How affected are their lives really? But if a few of the people who go through Phoenix House are inspired by their surroundings to live a more peaceful and serene life, what effect can that have on society? What effect will that have on their families and the communities that they eventually return to? Just what is an effective use of space on the Venice Boardwalk.
Taking an inventory of the boardwalk, there are countless shops which sell souvenirs to tourists. There are people who take their guitars and play in the hopes that they will entertain the tourists. Venice Beach hosts more tourists than any place in Los Angeles…more than Disneyland or Universal Studios…and so I can't say that the existence of so many places that cater to the tourists is a poor use of space. But it isn't as if there is a shortage of places which cater to tourists either. Indeed, there are actually lots of empty storefronts on the boardwalk. During the week, many of the vendors don't even bother to show up as there aren't enough tourists to support them all.
Also existing on the boardwalk are a few social institutions. There is a home for senior citizens perhaps a 100 yards from the Phoenix House. Right next to the Phoenix House is a Jewish Community Center which labels itself the 'schul on the beach'. Further down the boardwalk, near the skatepark, is a place that is designed for young artists to go and spray paint walls. Down one of the sidestreets from the Phoenix House is an art gallery which shows movies about Venice history every Wednesday. In contrast to some of the tourist establishments, these areas are used during the week or even during the evenings. One might say that they are more fully utilized than the tourist establishments if you think of utilization as a function of the amount of time that a space actually is used versus when it remains empty. Perhaps even more illuminating are the people on the boardwalk who actually come out most every day, during the week and on weekends, when it is cloudy and when it is sunny. Those are the people who display artwork telling people to 'make love not war', sell stickers dedicated to animal rights, or write billboards dedicated to 9/11 conspiracies. I don't agree with everything they say and some of those billboards are downright scary if you asked me, but I have to admit that the people of Venice seem to want to make the world a better place, whatever that happens to mean to them. The mission of the Phoenix House is to "serve those whose lives are threatened, disordered, or devastated by drug abuse, to heal families, and to strengthen communities". The people who sell hemp t-shirts with marijuana leaves and the people who sell 'My Governor can kick your Governor's Ass!' t-shirts with Arnold Schwarzenegger on the front would probably agree that the Phoenix House makes the world a better place. Is the Phoenix House a good use of space? Does it serve the goals of the community? Absolutely! It certainly is more effective than the vacant building on the beach a few blocks to the north, more unique than the hat shops next to the vacant building, and more utilized than the condos being built next to the hat shops.
Aside from thinking about the use of space in our communities, the class appears to be a direct call to action to take concrete steps to improve the situation around us. Through the various exercises, he is clearly attempting to get us to question the justness of society. Through the quotes, he seeks to inspire us to action. Through witnessing the actions of others at the non-profits we visited, he seeks to show us the possibilities for contributing towards solutions to the problems we may have thought of in class. At least that is part of my interpretation of events. Is Phoenix House contributing towards the level of social justice in society? I am not sure how qualified I am to judge them based on my second hand information, but there are some very good clues as to their effectiveness.
For one, the Phoenix House organization has been doing the work they have been doing since 1967. According to their website, it is the nation's largest non-profit substance abuse services organization. "We treat some 6,000 men, women and adolescents each day in more than 100 programs at close to 60 locations in nine states (California, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont)." One can assume that an organization does not reach such scope and sustainability without impressing a lot of people with the results of their work.
Indeed, Phoenix House has an admirable tradition of actually tracking the results of the work that they do and adjusting their practices accordingly. There is a rather large study being done by the RAND corporation which will not be completed in time for this paper, but the scope of it shows some of the emphasis which RAND places on research.
DPRC researchers are joining with the staff of the Phoenix House to answer some of these questions. More specifically, the work will address three areas. First, it will attempt to fill in some of the gaps of earlier research on the process of care by designing and testing better instruments for measuring the process in Phoenix House programs. Second, since any approach to assessing and improving the quality of care must take into account differences among clients, the study will consider variation in client characteristics. Finally, the project will analyze the effects of new ways of financing and the structure of treatment processes on outcomes. New ways of financing could lead to more efficient ways of delivering care or, depending on the incentives, make them less efficient or equitable. Drawing on research about the delivery of other health services (e.g. fixed-price contracting) may lead to important insights about drug treatment at Phoenix House. http://www.rand.org/publications/CP/CP201(99)/collaborating.html
RAND has completed smaller studies of Phoenix House work. One study of 175 teenage youths who attended the Phoenix Academy of Los Angeles because of their involvement in the criminal justice system yielded this quote by one of the researchers.
"This is the first clear evidence that the kinds of substance abuse treatments commonly available to teens can be effective," said Andrew Morral, a RAND researcher and lead author of the study, in a RAND press release. "In the program we studied, improvement began immediately and continued for at least 12 months." http://www.jointogether.org/sa/action/dt/news/reader/0,2812,574572,00.html
In addition to RAND, a well respected research institution based in Santa Monica which regularly does research for the US Government in highly sensitive and important areas such as bioterrorism, Phoenix House has enlisted the aid of leading universities such as UCLA and Columbia University in New York. Clearly, Phoenix House is dedicated to continuously examining the results of their work in a critical manner such that they ensure the continued effectiveness and improvement out their outcomes.
Statistics and academia aside, just what does the work that Phoenix House does look like from a personal perspective? Consider the case of Robert Smith, a homeless man in Illinios who was quoted as saying "I love this place because I have no place else to go, I'm homeless." (http://www.pjstar.com/stories/021305/TER_B5I5OAP5.009.shtml) Consider the plight of the director of the Venice Phoenix House who led us on our tour and related his own story of how a Treatment Community set him on his path to 50 years of sobriety and a life dedicated to sharing that gift with others. The "improvement" and "positive outcomes" which Andrew Morral talks about in his research are not mere numbers but reflect a dramatic impact in the lives of people who, in an age where centers like Promises in Malibu can charge more than $30,000/month of residential treatment, may have no place else to go.
Social programs such as Phoenix House are often seen as social programs that fiscal conservatives would love to cut from their budget. I wasn't able to get figures specific to the Venice Beach Phoenix House facility, but ironically, the figures I did get came from the heart of current conservative thought, Texas. The Department of State Health Services in Texas estimates that under 5 percent of people who need treatment are able to receive it, yet "A study by Texas Perspectives, an economic analysis firm, finds that for every dollar spent on treatment, Texas saves $5 in areas such as reduced truancy, crime, incarceration, health-care costs and increased productivity" This only counts the direct costs associated with the individual who is experiencing the issue with drugs, but what about all the people who are involved in this persons life. What about the costs of the child who grows up parentless and ends up in jail himself? In the words of a board member of Phoenix House quoted in a Texas newspaper, "The health care and education systems in Texas would both reap the benefits of a reinvestment in treatment services….more teens will graduate from high school and become productive workers, or move on to college where they will acquire the skills Texas businesses need." (http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/02/7farabee_edit.html)
Seeing the work that Phoenix Housed does is indeed a call to action and a wake up call as far as my traditional ideas about how space and resources should be used in my community. The ocean is a precious research which belongs to the poor and disenfranchised as much as it does to the wealthy. I am glad that we live in a country where there is at least a small area where people can park their motor vehicle on the street by the beach and play their guitar on the boardwalk to buy a slice of pizza. I am glad that I live in a community which shows a real interest in bettering the world around us. And I am honored to live near a place like Phoenix House which does so much for so many people on a daily basis.
Got something to say about Venice Beach? Want to add a page about a business/artist/person? Want to add a link to your venice beach site? Drop us an email at...
admin at this domain name dot com (sorry about the anti-spam code)


text:
"that's why i need you to know
i've found a reason for me
to change who i used to be
a reason to start over new
and the reason is u..."
- The Reason, Hoobastank
I relocated on saturday, to another part of Lagos and in the midst of my things I found this poem I wrote at least seven years ago:
You are who you are
despite who people want you to be
You can be a Star
Even if those changes don't come to be
Learning to take people as they come is not easy
even diamonds don't come pretty
until they've gone through a lot of hitting
as the best of you forms gradually, it won't be difficult
to appreciate the beauty
From my heart I've come to love you deeply
learning to hold you more dearly
even if it's too hard to believe as it is
I'm loving you just the way you are and that is it
then i wrote a note to the friend i wrote it to saying:
I tried so hard to write something for you and this is it
there may be no beauty to the words but they are as sincere as sincerity comes.
Before you guys tell me about my lack of poetry skills, lemme ask you something,
If your parents told you that a prophet told them to inform you that you should not go out the whole of September, because they foresaw that you could die...
Then another friend calls you to say she was walking down the road one day, when a "prophet" walked up to her and asked her if she had a friend who is *inserts a perfect description of you* and when she affirms, told her to warn you not to venture out of the house this September...
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? pray tell me.
Friday, 19 September 2008
Just the way you are...
"that's why i need you to know
Posted by Smaragd at 10:02:00 49 comments Links to this post
Monday, 15 September 2008
"... in your head, in your he-e-e-ad
zombie, zombie, zombie-e-e-e-e-e-e"
- Zombie, Cranberries
I see you.
I feel you.
I know you are here.
You are with me all the time...
...your presence as calming as the sound of a gently flowing brook in the woods.
You are everything I'm not, everything I want to be, everything I wish I was...
You give me joy, keep me sane in the midst of this well organized disorder...
That long drink of cool water on a hot, dry day? That's you
Your voice is the ointment that cools hot cuts and relieves intense pain...
Oh the comfort i have just knowing you are there...
And what's more?
I am the only one who knows you are...
You are my Snuffleuphagus
* Snuffleuphagus is the name of the brown elephant-like monster that was seen only by Big Bird in Sesame street, so it stands for someone or something that others believe is just a figment of one's imagination*
Posted by Smaragd at 09:25:00 52 comments Links to this post
Thursday, 4 September 2008
"Scintillate,Scintillate globe bibific
fain would i fathom thy nature specific
loftily poised in the eather capacious
strongly resembling a gem carbonacious"
this is good ol' "twinkle twinkle little star..." a la big grammar and not originally written by me, infact i heard it from a friend in J.S.S 2 and have not forgotten it since then.
to the order of the day,
I decided to take a picture of my bag's content on Monday just like Fantasy Queen did some posts ago, it's just another opportunity to practice my picture loading and put up a post at the same time.
So here's the culprit:
let's see if this clearer:
-one valid till June 2010 naija international passport, must use it some more before i change to ECOWAS passport.
-a 15ml vial of Viktor&Rolf's Flowerbomb eau de parfum (love it!)
-my liz claiborne make-up purse (filled beyond capacity...lol)
-M&S Hand Cream
-hideous lemon green and tan LC wallet (thank God i cleaned it b4 this photoshoot, u guys would have hated it more)
-My bought-in-traffic N300 wanna-be-Armani sunglasses (if i dont tell u, u wont know o, so dont try me, at least it protects my eyes from dust)lol
-my styling comb
-my hairbrush (currently sporting a 24inch weave, hence the need for that at all hours! woman and wahala)
-my active dental floss
-PK chewing gum (only two left in it)
-Chinese nokia 2505 (my official Visafone line)cute but battery wise horrible! the 5300 is the camera on duty, so u cant see it...lol
-a green mini towel that i carry only because it was distributed by a good friend at my dear friend's wedding.
-my 30ml Chloe perfume (one of my bday gifts), permanently resides in my bag
-my powder puff
-my bronze 608 mary kay foundation, i just joined that cult recently and it's not bad at all, only problem is that the shade is a shade too dark for me, thanx to the Mary Kay retailer.
-my cuticle remover (don't ask me why it's there, it just always is)
-a pack of lemon Orbit chewing gum (fast becoming an addiction)
-my 8gig 1.75year old ipod,a graduation gift which houses my eccentric collection of 1208 songs and some pictures. i totally love it!
-a vetiva pen, from a dear friend who works there.
-my black eye liner, *shrugs* it's too long for the purse...lol
-my bunch of keys. The beauty of this is in the key holder, it's a customized picture of two cute cousins of mine encased in leather. precious!
Believe it or not, that bag is actually small, so i had to reduce my usual baggage on Monday. I usually carry more junk.
I must confess, I am not a bag person, I can carry one bag for as long as it lasts, then change to another regular, but I have friends who think I am a hopeless case and have therefore decided to keep giving me bags as gifts...lol.
This pink Tod's is one such gift from my particularly bag crazy friend Zi, who recently acquired a 685pounds (N 171,000) *gasps* Miu Miu bag! I just couldn't wrap my head around it.
Dont get me wrong, I have my own excesses, things i love enough to spend money on, but bags? nah!
Find below a picture of my current old faithful, exactly 20pounds and totally adorable:
A David Jones creation that houses EVERYTHING i need. People still tell me how cute it is and ask where i bought it, so why do i need a bag that can buy a car!
So peeps, i've had a good week and will most likely be having an even better weekend, it promises to be. I'll come back next week with my Highs and Lows post.
Quick question:
when everything seems to be working perfectly fine in your life, u are married to a man who loves and adores you, you just got this fantastic job, you've been to three continents this year and everything's just right and beautiful at this time! how do u feel? do u get this nagging sense of "i'm waiting for the axe to fall anytime now" or u just remain thankful and believe it's here to stay?
Pray tell peeps, i await ur comments.
y'all have a golden weekend (Baroque, allow me borrow ur word okay?lol), i plan to have one D.V.
Posted by Smaragd at 16:55:00 50 comments Links to this post


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From Jalan Bangsar, get onto the NPE (don't worry la, no need to pay toll). Go-go-go then pass Angkasapuri then go-go-go then pass Pantai Dalam then still go-go then SUDDENLY there will be turn to your left to Kampung Pantai Dalam - take this turn. Drive-drive-drive through the kampung, you will pass a Petronas on your left, still go-go-go - you will see Merdekarya on your left above Restoran Sun Raj. Entrance is through the back alley.
Drive-drive-drive along Jalan Gasing and then just before the Old Town roundabout, there's a traffic light next to Beaconhouse. Turn left at this light, and turn right at the end of that road. You will pass some shops on your right (Khun Thai, Kavita's). Keep driving and you will see Merdekarya on your right next to a bus stop.Entrance is through the back alley.
From Bangsar station, the cab ride should be about 5 minutes. If you're taking the bus, it's U75 - try to sit on the left side of the bus. Look out for the Petronas Gasing Indah, when you see it you know you're nearby already. A minute later you should reach a block of shops surrounding a small park on your left. Get down there - the bus stop is just beside Merdekarya.
From Amcorp Mall station, the cab ride should be about 5 minutes also, but there's no bus connection.
Buy a ticket to Petaling, then wait-wait-wait for the announcement that the train will be delayed. Wait-wait-wait some more. When you finally reach Petaling (if you're arriving from KL-side, cross the overhead bridge), walk past the flats and you come to the main road. Turn left, walk past the Petronas station, walk-walk-walk for about 10-15 minutes until you reach Restoran Sun Raj on your left. Merdekarya is above the restaurant. Entrance is via the back alley.
The Templer Station is much much closer to Merdekarya than the Petaling station (about 2 minutes' walk away). But it's so stupidly designed. If you wanna brave it, here goes:
If you're arriving from KL-side, cross the overhead bridge. If you're facing the track, walk left till the edge of the platform. Here you will have to jump/climb down off the platform (it's about a meter high). Walk along the unused track on your left, and you will see a red paved lane between two houses. Take this lane. At the end of the lane, turn left along the road. Then take the first right.Then the first right after that. At the end of the road, you will see a small staircase leading to some shops. Walks along the shops - at the end of the row is Restoran Sun Raj. Merdekarya is above Sun Raj. Entrance is via the back alley.


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We had a great weekend! Saturday Russ had to work so we had plans with my parents all day, then when Russ got home I had a much needed girls night out with my bff. We always have so much fun together, and it was so amazing to catch up! Definitely listened to B. Spears circa the 90s the whole way home.
We decided to go to the pumpkin patch yesterday to get our pumpkins, and it was the perfect day, cold but sunny and we got donuts too!
This fall has been one of the best so far, and we have done almost everything on our fall bucket list. The weather has cooperated really well and it hasn't been to grey yet. I am excited to move out of this weather though at the end of December, to somewhere WARM. We aren't 100% certain yet where that will be so I can't say anything yet, but it will be soon.
Elizabeth is 2 months old today. I literally CANNOT believe it. I will do her two month post later today probably along with some pictures, but she is the sweetest, and I can't remember what our family was like without her.


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Patrick Geraghty 06.08.1928 – 22.03.2016
The Maritime Union of Australia is in mourning after the passing of one of Australia's great trade union leaders, former Seaman's Union of Australia National Secretary - Pat Geraghty. Pat, a communist, was a proponent of peace and an opponent of racism. He played an integral role in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement and closer to home he was a supporter of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination campaigns. He lead the SUA through some tremendous struggles and he will be sorely missed by his comrades at the Maritime Union of Australia and the wider domestic and international union movement.
April 01, 2016 at 10:30am - 1:30pm
Pat Geraghty's Funeral
4 Goulburn St
Trades Hall
Sydney, NSW 2000
Google map and directions
4 Goulburn St
Trades Hall
Sydney, NSW 2000
Google map and directions
Sydney Branch
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These are a beautiful and popular choice today. The effect of replacing a traditional cement or asphalt driveway with interlocking pavers is pleasingly dramatic, and adds significantly to the value of your home. Unlike concrete and asphalt, this durable material never cracks or crumbles. Courtyards, winding pathways, and parking areas are also beautifully done in this versatile material. A wide range of colors and styles make it possible to match your home perfectly. Visit our Gallery .
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You can enjoy your own putting green at home. In addition to being able to practice your putt whenever the urge strikes, you'll increase the value and beauty of your home with a custom made putting green. Sunset Landscape can install any size or type of putting green you're looking for. Visit our Gallery
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Whether entertaining friends for a weekend party or just relaxing outdoors after work, nothing shows off your landscape at night like accent lighting. From practical pathway light requirements to 'artificial moonlight,' illuminating your water feature, lighting up the 50ft Birch tree or creating ambiance around a Jacuzzi, the right lighting system can be designed and installed for your landscape. Sunset Landscape uses the best techniques and most attractive, high quality lighting products to ensure a result that will last beautifully for years to come.
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These hardscaping additions made of wood, stone, or cement block can add both necessary function and impressive aesthetics to your landscape. Care is given to the proper construction and drainage. Visit our Gallery
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Water adds an exciting element to many landscapes. Natural waterfalls and streams, ponds, wetlands, and even fountains can be integrated into your landscape with beautiful results. Sunset Landscape uses Aquascape Designs™ high quality pumps, biological filters, EPDM liners and water maintenance products. Visit our Gallery
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Sunset Landscape has extensive experience with sod lawns and their automatic irrigation systems, including the knowledge of little details that make for a higher quality lawn with better long term results.Visit our GalleryCopyright@2005-2012 Steve Miller
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Kapri's bed was FINALLY delivered.
|Just need to reposition her wooden letters to be centered over the bed
On Memorial Day, we went to Jereome's and got her fabulous new twin bed & dresser (and a King frame for us!).
Her set was on back order due to it's popularity, so we knew it'd be well over a month til we received it. But I asked James to call on Thursday to check the status - and what do you know....BOTH our sets were ready for delivery AND lucky for us, they had a cancellation for Friday.... so our delivery was scheduled between 5-9pm.
After I got home from work, I started moving the remaining bits of furniture downstairs. James had to work late, but he had taken apart our whole bed (which we gave to my youngest sister...major upgrade for her, since our queen was only 3 years old!) and brought down the rocker.
Then my sis & I moved each piece of the queen in 4 trips, to her house one street down from us...the mattress was the toughest, so we managed to get it up on top of my car and CAREFULLY drive it over, hahaha...it was hilarious! See:
As the rest of the night passed, while we patiently awaited the delivery truck. I was exhausted from all the heavy lifting & moving by 8pm. So glad Kapri nuzzled up in my arms while watching Tangled, so I could rest my eyes a few minutes at a time ;-)
At 8:30pm, I called to find out where they were...oh joy...running late, they'll be here around 10pm. At 9:45 I called again...oh joy....running super late, they'll be here around 11pm. They finally arrived at 11:15pm - I was in & out of sleep on the couch and Kapri was awake as ever, watching Horton Hears a Who. As they put everything together, I followed closely behind, setting up all the bedding. Thankfully, James came home shortly after, so he was able to take a video of Kapri seeing her new bed for the first time...at 12:30pm!!! (Yes - I wrote them a very wordy nastygram!)
She was so excited...jumped right into bed, rubbed her eyes...then we laid next to her (YAY!) for some quick snuggle time, and she was out.
|sweet dreams big girl!
After she was snug & cozy, we got to work on our bed (old bedding here - ew)...
- Comforter set HERE from Macys... I just love the color combos so much!!
- 800-thread count Egyptian sheets HERE from O.co... sooo soft!
- Foam mattress HERE or HERE - amazeballs reviews!
- Thermal Blackout curtains HERE, also from O.co - they are SO soft and really keep our room dark (at least from that window...we should get another set for our sliding window too!).
As we grabbed each corner of the fitted sheet, we quickly realized it was WAY too small...I checked the tag...crap. It's a FULL-size fitted sheet...dangit!! Ah well, we just slept on the flat sheet instead...and a new fitted is already on it's way thanks to helpful customer service at Overstock!
I have some old decorative throw pillows from our old queen set, so I'm going to make new/coordinating pillow cases for those. I had also made an 11x14 canvas with a pic of James & I that is so sweet...I mod podge'd it on & hung it above the bed...love!
Yippee for our new *upgraded* beds!!


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Smart wall outlets are an inexpensive but neat way to make your house smarter. But if you needed a little push to grab some, Lightstory smart outlets are currently being discounted by 30% on Amazon. These are some of the cheapest Assistant-compatible plugs we've seen, and they're available in two-, three-, and four-packs.
These Lightstory smart plugs are compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. They can be controlled from anywhere via an app, and if you want even more customization options, you can use them with IFTTT. They have great reviews on Amazon, averaging 4.6 stars out of 5.
Use code 30RW29K7 at checkout to get that extra 30% off. The code expires on June 15th at 11:59pm PT, so you have a couple of days to decide. But at these prices, it's almost a no-brainer.


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10 Ways to Brand and Market on Ning Networks
Filed Under Business Networking, Networking and Marketing Strategy, Ning Sites, Promoting Yourself, Social Media and Social Networking Sites
Business networking sites enable you to make business connections, and through their networking and marketing tools, business networks also facilitate personal branding and online business marketing.
This article discusses features of Ning networks. However, many Ning features are also available on other business networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook.
The following are 10 facilities of Ning networks that used in concert will help you build a powerful personal brand and effectively market your business:
- Your Ning Profile - Your profile is your mini web page on social and business networks. It ought to portray you in the best possible light as explained in How Important is Making a Good First Impression Online? Therefore, carefully complete your profile info and include a smart looking personal photo. It boggles my mind the number of networkers who barely fill in their network profiles. For an example of a simple complete profile, view mine at the Small Business Network.
- Business Networking - The single best way to network both offline and online is to check people out and ask them to tell you more about themselves. Never spam them! The Skinny on Networking by Jim Randel is a brief and excellent business networking guide.
- Blogs - Using blogs, you publicly express your views, stake claims to keywords and interact with readers via comments. When you blog on Ning networks, readers on-site don't have far to go to find your posts, and because your content is aggregated by search engines with related content on the site, it's easier for you and others to rank well on top keywords. To succeed blogging, post original search engine optimized articles that link to off-site and on-site sources. Don't post snippets and don't post articles that read like ads.
- Discussions - Discussion forums encourage people to share ideas in response to a simple question or statement. You can use discussions to get conversations going without writing whole articles. Be creative.
- Groups - Used correctly, groups are the most powerful branding and marketing tool on Ning networks. Group owners build communities and engage members through both discussions and newsletters — a bit like Facebook pages and Facebook groups combined. Before starting a Ning group, be ready to recruit off-site colleagues and use blogs and discussions to attract site members. I notice many starting groups and waiting for people to join with limited or no success.
- Events - Offline and online events are mini calls to action that can build and sustain momentum. Ning allows you to post events and members to respond. Share your events both on-site and off-site for optimal results.
- Comments - Your participation through commenting on others' content and joining in conversations has a strong branding effect. People can get to know you through your comments. You have lots of time to compose your comments. Use that time wisely!
- Embedded Videos - Videos add a valuable dimension to your content on Ning and off Ning, as well. With a little practice you can quickly embed them in your blogs and discussions.
- Uploaded Photos - A picture is worth a thousand words. Upload pictures and label them so that people can appreciate them.
- Status Updates - Status updates are still a half-baked Ning feature, but use them anyway, since you never know who might be reading them.
I created and moderate the Small Business Network Ning site, Open Networking and Lifetime Learning for Small Business Owners and Their Clientele. Please join me there.
I also moderate a group at the My Linking Power Forum Ning network, It's About Linking Power!
If you're new to this blog, I invite you to subscribe.
|Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation.
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Simply copy and paste the code below into your web site (Ctrl+C to copy)
It will look like this: 10 Ways to Brand and Market on Ning Networks
8 Responses to "10 Ways to Brand and Market on Ning Networks"
Prabhmeet Singh on
September 19th, 2010 11:58 pm
Like to read more articles on social networking. Keep the good work going!
Music Games for Kids on
September 20th, 2010 9:12 am
Excellent refresher, Larry — I think you have captured all the main factors in this succinct post. The "single best way to do networking is to check people out and ask them to tell you about themselves" — that's very nicely and helpfully put. Of course, your principles generalize well beyond Ning and apply pretty well across the spectrum of social networks, since most of them are structured and work similarly.
robyn kieseker on
September 30th, 2010 7:05 am
Since Ning has changed, I can't get into my accounts and have to keep rejoining every time I want to get into one. I have about 10 or more I am with. Do you know why this is the case? Very annoying.
Larry Brauner on
October 2nd, 2010 9:46 pm
Please read Ning Sign-Up Glitch Work Around for the solution.
Larry Brauner on
October 2nd, 2010 10:12 pm
There is a possibility, Robyn, that you were banned for spam by one of the Ning networks, in which case Ning won't knowingly let you into any of the Ning networks.
Kristy on
October 11th, 2010 8:46 pm
Thanks for the great tips. I am a member of several Ning sites and after reading this I know for sure I have not been utilizing them to my best advantage for networking. And the tip I like the most is to ask people about themselves. That is such a genuine way to build relationships.
Larry Brauner on
October 11th, 2010 9:43 pm
It is Kristy, and it's the right way both offline and online.
16 Tips for Using Ning Social Networking Sites | Online Social Networking on
January 31st, 2011 1:12 am
[…] Ning social networking sites are easier to navigate and operate than those of Facebook or LinkedIn. However, while mastering […]
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SHOWERS on TiMe……….!!!
Some people feel the rain, others just get wet!
-Google search :p
Well,howdy people…
(Thats the only line that I had drafted 5 years ago! Yes, I am writing this once since past 5 years and now I feel somethings in my writing style outdated like alternate capital letters in the title but I let it remain as it is since that was done by a younger and a lighter me :D).
Back to the topic. Showers on Time. At they really on time? I beg to disagree.
The weather forecasts told us that monsoon winds would approach Mumbai on 1st of June, which were later postponed to 7-8th of June. It did rain on 8th of June but not enough even to wash the dust from the roads. They just worsened the situation by releasing the heat absorbed by the environment making it all the more hot. No matter how well we advance in the fields of science and technology, Nature keeps telling us that we cannot predict her mood no matter what! thats why we address nature using feminine words.
It did finally rain on 19th June, But only in the southern part of Mumbai.(Lucky SoBos, always getting the best things first). But these rains just ended up creating more issues for the 'middle class' living in the suburbs, who commute by trains and work for the SoBos. Utter sadness.
Now we all know the reason for this delay, we call it 'Global Warming' in short. Our Constant desire to pollute the environment has disturbed the watercycle and other processes deeply. Earlier we used to have rains in the June, Followed by the winter in Mid-October which lasted till January and then a Bright shining Sun from February till may end.
Now what do we have? A chilled January. Rains in February. Heat, a lot of it till July. A bit of Rains till august. Again a lot of heat with occasional Rains till October followed by heat again. Rains in November again and a neutral climate in the December.
Why do we call it the Global Warming in the first place? We should call it Global Heating or 'Microwaving Earth' or something on these lines. 420/Cars per kilometre in Mumbai? I think its better to Smoke cigarettes and die instead of inhaling the fumes of vehicles and dying out of some stupid cancer.
Global warming even on Domestic levels is real bad. You have your Tv, Phone Laptops, Refrigerator WiFi routers, running almost all the time and the amount of heat generated in the house cannot be cooled by an air conditioner even at an optimum level. In my area, a monkey who could not near the heat jumped and cooled himself off in a
Rains. How Important are they to me?
Firstly the onset of rains releases a wet muddy smell from the ground which is more than refreshing and touches the deepest nerves in your brains. We all love that smell, dont we?
Then is the cool wet breeze when it rains, an attempt of the clouds to cover as much area as possible. They are just in distributing the rain to all, sometimes forcefully as well! Have you tried to remain dry and still go out in the rains for that matter? I am sure you must have! No matter how hard you try to protect yourself ( Raincoat, umbrella, etc) you will still get wet. That is the beauty of rain.
At the beginning, you might find your vehicles getting dirtier as the dust from the trees and the buildings is washed down on your vehicles, but as the rains ascend, your vehicles also take part in the Celebrations of the Nature. Creations of puddles, wet mud, children happily playing football in the rains or just having fun, Animals having a pleased expressions on their faces especially the stray dogs who have survived the heat on the melting roads, Wet and swaying trees which come to life, as if the rains whisper back their souls into them.
All this makes me happy, these maybe the small things but I treasure them for the fear of losing their sight in the coming few years. We might be able to artificially seed in the clouds and make rain happen but since its quite expensive, that will also go only to the rich, sadly.
On the contrary, I dont like getting wet in the rains because I have tried keeping my self dry but always failed. On the brighter side, I used to go for hiking on the mountains in the rains to get the glimpse of the nature's celebration, and I tell you, Its a must watch! The lush green forest with each and every tree in it swaying at a rhythm, the animals singing to a tune matching this rhythm with the streams giving it an auto-tune far better than any human can give to a song. What makes this nature's song complete is the occasional light and sound show by the thundering skies. Its so beautiful that my mere words cannot describe it completely. All your six senses are immersed in this celebrations absorbing each and every tiny detail.
Sometimes I do feel adventurous riding a bike in the rains at a good speed, but then Its just a risk worth not taking over and again. A drive in the car is preferred though and much pleasing, or just sitting by your window munching on hot pakoras and hot tea looking over the world below in the rain, I can do it all day provided it rains all day. Oh yes, and then there is whiskey which makes you forget everything else :p
I am sure you miss the rains as much as myself, I'd request you to join me in my prayers to the higher energies above us so that it rains, and it rains soon and a lot as well. I believe that clouds would bring us rains only if we really want them. We, the people in Mumbai dont want so since it disrupts or disturbs their day to day life in some or the other sort. This is so selfish of us, isnt it?
You can say I am 'Stitious', not superstitious though :p
Sometimes you Win, Sometimes lose.
But sometimes, it just Rains!
Google search again :p


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Financial Information
The Trust relies mainly on voluntary financial support from individuals, institutions and companies while deriving a valuable and regular income through the annual subscription of its members. Additional income is generated from investments and the sale of the BNET annual Christmas card and other merchandise provides important extra funds.
Personal donations or bequests are immensely valuable and may be made either by Gift Aid, Deed of Covenant, banker's order or cheque.
To know more about the way the Trust operates and applies its financial resources please view past and present Reports of the Trustees and Consolidated Financial Accounts by clicking on a particular year below (opens a PDF in a new window).


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Hearings and Business Meetings
Jul 19 2005
Full Committee Hearing
SD-366 Energy Committee Hearing Room 02:30 PM
Gerald Zackios
The Honorable
July 19, 2005
Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Members, Ladies and Gentlemen:
With me here today are two Cabinet Members from President Kessai H. Note's administration, Alvin T. Jacklick, the Minister of Health, and Donald F. Capelle, the Minister of Justice. I also want to recognize our traditional leaders, Senators, Mayors, and citizens from the Marshall Islands in attendance today – the distance, time, and expense that it took for these people to join us underscores how important nuclear issues are to communities throughout the RMI.
The Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands thanks the Committee for convening a hearing to examine the legacy of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program in the RMI, and to consider the RMI's Changed Circumstances Petition (CCP) to Congress. As you are aware, in the 177 Agreement of the Compact of Free Association, Congress gave the RMI the right to petition Congress for additional assistance related to the nuclear weapons testing program if it can demonstrate that:
1.) it has new and additional information about the damages and injuries from the testing program;
2.) this information could not have been reasonably known when the RMI and the U.S. negotiated the Compact, and;
3.) this information renders the $150 million settlement for all past, present and
future damages and injuries manifestly inadequate.
The RMI government believes it has met these criteria for changed circumstances and looks to you, the Congress, to respond to our requests for additional assistance to address the enduring radiological problems resulting from the U.S. testing of 67 atmospheric weapons in our nation between 1946-1958.
The 4 atolls and other populations require continued and new U.S. assistance
My testimony does not provide a history of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program because I believe that is a matter of Congressional record from previous hearings, but I do want to emphasize that what we now know -- and did not know when the 177 Agreement was negotiated -- is that more people and islands in the RMI were exposed to significant radiation than was understood when the Compact was negotiated, and that smaller doses of radiation cause more harm than previously believed. The U.S. government position regarding radiation-related damages and injuries is based on the premise that only 4 atolls were adversely affected by the testing program, and that only the 2 populations of Rongelap and Utrik were exposed to levels of radiation sufficient to warrant medical monitoring and care. When we look at the cumulative levels of radiation exposure from as many of the 67 tests that we have radiological exposure data for, we see significant exposure to people and islands beyond the confines of the 4 atolls. These radiation levels are higher in the north where populations suffered the brunt of damages and injuries, but radiation levels are significant for other atolls throughout the nation.
As stated in my testimony last month to the House Resources Committee and the Subcommittee on Asia and Pacific of the House International Relations Committee, we are confident that we have met the requirements for changed circumstances and we are anxious to hear Congress' reactions to our petition. I would like to ask that my testimony to the House be included as part of this hearing record so we can build on that discussion.
We believe the House hearing established that radiation exposures allowable under U.S. standards have been significantly reduced since the Compact came into effect, and that the RMI should expect hundreds of cancers to appear in the future for Marshallese alive during the testing program. We want to thank this Committee for requesting the National Cancer Institute's report on future cancer rates in the RMI related to the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program, as the RMI lacks the resources to undertake this type of analysis.
An unequaled strategic partnership
As you know, all of what we are discussing today takes place in the context of the RMI's longstanding commitment to its strategic partnership and historical friendship with the United States. The RMI is extremely proud of the role it played in contributing to the end of the Cold War, despite its radiological burdens. We are thankful that America's nuclear deterrence has curtailed the global use of nuclear weapons.
Today, the RMI is pleased to be a partner with the U.S. in the development and testing of its missile defense systems on Kwajalein Atoll, which will hopefully reduce the likelihood of any future missile attacks. In addition, we know that our consent to the U.S. Navy's use of our airspace and sea lanes helps promote security in the Asia-Pacific region.
The RMI is extremely proud, too, of its sons and daughters who currently serve in every branch of the U.S. armed forces and are deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Our commitment to you as a strategic ally goes beyond words; we have contributed our most precious and sacred resources: our sovereign lands, our territorial waters, and – most importantly – our young men and women.
House Concurrent Resolution 410, adopted by the Senate on July 12, 2004, makes specific reference to our unique, enduring, and strong bilateral relationship, and notes:
Whereas the United States has no closer alliance with any nation or group of nations than it does with the Republic of the Marshall Islands under the Compact of Free Association, which continues the strategic partnership and role of the Marshall Islands in United States strategic programs based in the Marshall Islands, which began at the end of World War II and has continued under the trusteeship and Compact to promote the mutual security of the United States and the Marshall Islands…
Whereas the Republic of the Marshall Islands has remained one of the staunchest allies of the United States during the cold war and the war on terrorism, and the voting record of the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a member state in the United Nations General Assembly is unparalleled by any other country, further demonstrating the shared commitment of the two nations to promote democracy and global peace[.]
Given the subject of H. Con. Res. 410, I would like to ask that it be included in its entirety as part of this hearing record. We seek your continued partnership to cope with the serious problems that remain as a result of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program in our country.
Specific requests to the U.S. Congress
In the Petition to Congress, the RMI government laid out specific requests for remedies to address the on-going radiological burdens that are a direct result of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program. We ask for your assistance to address these damages and injuries because we lack the human and financial resources to provide the remedies that are required. Although the RMI government has proposed specific remedies, we are certainly willing to explore any ideas that will bring relief from our radiological burdens. Our specific requests to Congress are:
1. $15.7 million so the Nuclear Claims Tribunal can pay existing personal injury awards.
As of December 31, 2004, 45% of personal injury awardees with radiological illnesses have died without receiving full compensation for their injuries because the Tribunal does not have sufficient funding to pay the full amount of its awards. $15.7 million represents the shortfall in funds to pay current awards. In the case of the program for U.S. Downwinders, the Attorney General requires that 100% of compensation be paid within 6 weeks of the time an award is made. The RMI agreed to the 177 Agreement of the Compact of Free Association because it provides compensation for the people of the Marshall Islands who contract radiological illnesses. The Nuclear Claims Tribunal created a compensation program based on U.S. programs for Downwinders and Veterans exposed to radiation, but the Tribunal's program is unique because the people of the Marshall Islands were exposed to more radiation than any other population in the world. As the U.S. National Cancer Institute recently noted in its report to Congress, "[m]ost of our understanding of the biological response to radiation exposure pertains to doses that are much lower than those of the more highly exposed Marshallese…" such as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors.
2. Replenish the Nuclear Claims Trust Fund so the Nuclear Claims Tribunal can continue to make personal injury awards in the future.
The preceding shortfall from request number 1 represents the current balance on personal injury awards as of June 24, 2005, and does not take into consideration the U.S. National Cancer Institute's prediction of several hundred more radiation-related cancers in the future. The RMI government believes that the Nuclear Claims Trust Fund needs to be replenished to provide compensation for future radiation-related injuries -- such as the cancers the NCI has told us to expect -- as the intent of the 177 Agreement is for the Tribunal to create and maintain, in perpetuity, a means to address past, present and future consequences of the nuclear weapons testing program. The intent of the 177 Agreement is for the Tribunal to have the future means to pay awards for personal injury but the Tribunal does not have funding to make the future awards agreed to in the 177 Agreement.
3. $1.1 billion so the Nuclear Claims Tribunal can pay for the Enewetak and Bikini private property awards.
Like the personal injury awards, the 177 Agreement provides for claimants to receive compensation for private property damages. Since the Tribunal funding is manifestly inadequate and the Tribunal does not have the ability to pay for awards it has made, the intent of the 177 Agreement has not come to fruition. Recognizing that the dollar amounts needed for the private property claims are quite high, the RMI would welcome consideration by Congress to moving the land claims to the U.S. federal courts to review the decisions and the right of claimants to receive awards. It is important to note that the funding of private property awards would enable affected Marshallese to rid their land of radiological contamination, rehabilitate the soil, re-vegetate the land, resettle their home islands, and provide the means to establish a local economy in the fishing and tourism sectors. Thus, the funding would provide the affected communities with the means to return to self-reliance.
4. Establishment of similar consideration for future private property claims.
The RMI also requests that a similar mechanism to request number 3 be adopted for pending private property claims. The Tribunal is expected to rule on several private property claims in the near future for atolls such as Rongelap, Utrik, Ailuk, Likiep, and others. Private property claims will become meaningless if the Tribunal is unable to pay out its rewards.
5. $50 million to build adequate infrastructure for the delivery of radiation-related healthcare.
The RMI currently lacks the infrastructure to respond to radiation-related illnesses. We believe that infrastructure is a critical component of building the RMI's capacity to address its radiation-related healthcare needs. We envision a scenario where we establish facilities and services that are reasonable to provide in the RMI, including the ability to monitor exposed populations, diagnose radiological illnesses, and provide treatment for most conditions. When it is not cost effective or practical to provide treatment in the RMI we would like to send our patients to Hawaii to purchase the care we cannot reasonably provide.
6. $45 million each year for 50 years to provide healthcare delivery.
Once infrastructure is in place, the RMI needs funding to hire doctors, purchase medication and some services in Hawaii, and to deliver healthcare for patients exposed to radiation. Building the healthcare capacity of the RMI will benefit Marshallese citizens exposed to radiation and provide the capacity to deliver more timely care for radiation-related illnesses, with the hope of identifying medical problems when they are still treatable (before they reach the tertiary stage) and extending the lives of the patients.
7. Assignment for the monitoring of the Runit Dome to a U.S. agency.
The portion of the Enewetak population that has resettled one of its home islands needs assurances that its health is not adversely affected by living adjacent to a nuclear waste storage facility. Currently, no U.S. agency has responsibility to monitor the integrity of the Runit Dome. The Defense Nuclear Agency used to have responsibility for this work, but the agency was abolished and responsibility for the Runit Dome was not transferred to another agency.
Focus on the Nuclear Claims Tribunal and healthcare needs
Our requests obviously focus on the Nuclear Claims Tribunal and radiation-related healthcare needs. It is appropriate for the RMI to focus two of its major requests on the Tribunal. In lieu of an assessment of damages by the Federal courts, the RMI government accepted the U.S. proposal that it espouse and settle the claims of the Marshallese people arising from the nuclear weapons testing program in conjunction with the establishment of a claims tribunal. The U.S. expressly recognized that its technical assessment of radiological damage to persons and private property in the RMI was limited to a "best effort" at the time of the Compact, and was based on limited disclosure of available information and incomplete scientific knowledge. As a result, further adjudication of claims by an internal RMI nuclear claims tribunal was agreed to by the U.S.
During the U.S. nuclear testing program from 1946 to 1958, the U.S. was the only recognized government in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. federal government exercised absolute power, including eminent domain, by federal edict. The federal government took the private property of our people without legal or political restraint. The right of our people to protection under the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was not recognized in the U.S. federal courts until after the nuclear tests were done.
Some of our homelands were destroyed forever, vaporized in land, air and water-based nuclear tests. Some are still too contaminated for resettlement. The loss and damage to land, the dislocation of peoples, the cost of clean-up and resettlement, were only partially compensated through the Nuclear Claims Trust Fund. Full and just compensation was promised by Congress in the Compact, but could not be quantified until the land claims were adjudicated by the Nuclear Claims Tribunal.
Under the Compact, Congress removed our claims from the federal courts, and the Nuclear Claims Tribunal was created as an alternative forum for just compensation. The awards of the Tribunal are substantially greater than the compensation that has been paid. The U.S. refused to discuss this problem during the Compact renegotiations. This is a legal matter, not just a political question. For that reason, the RMI and the land claimants propose that the Tribunal awards be reviewed by the federal courts in the same manner as judgments of RMI courts against the U.S. under Compact Section 174(c).
The RMI government appears before you today to inform you that the Nuclear Claims Tribunal in the RMI is not able to perform the role that Congress intended because of inadequate funding. The independent assessment of the Tribunal made by former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh in 2003 confirmed that the Tribunal adhered to American standards of jurisprudence, and concluded that the funding available to compensate for private property damage and personal injury is "manifestly inadequate." I would like to enter the executive summary of the Thornburgh report as part of this hearing record. I would also like to note that Congress has provided additional appropriations for U.S. Downwinders and DOE employees when supplemental funding was needed to make awards for claimants.
The RMI has also focused on healthcare delivery because this is an area where an urgent need exists. People in the RMI with radiological conditions are dying. We are certainly appreciative of the DOE medical monitoring and care program for a small segment of our population, and for the U.S. contributions to the 177 Health Care Program for the 4 atolls. I would also like to thank this Committee for referring these issues to the Appropriations Committee, and to Mr. Domenici and Mr. Burns for their leadership on that Committee, and hope that they will support full funding this year in conference with the House. However, despite our best intentions to date, these programs do not address the full range of radiological healthcare burdens in the RMI.
One of the measures adopted under the Section 177 Agreement to compensate the people and government of the Marshall Islands was a healthcare program for 4 of the atoll populations impacted by the testing program, including those who were downwind from one or more test, and the awardees of the personal injury claims from the Tribunal who manifest radiation-related illnesses in their tertiary phases. The medical surveillance and healthcare program established under the Section 177 Agreement has proven to be manifestly inadequate given the healthcare needs of the affected communities.
The 177 Health Care Program -- the only other radiation-related healthcare program besides the DOE program for less than 120 acutely exposed patients from Rongelap and Utrik -- was asked to deliver appropriate healthcare services within an RMI health infrastructure that was not prepared or equipped to deliver the necessary level of healthcare. The program's funding -- $2 million per year for 17 years (from January 1987 to January 2004), and $500,000 for February to September 2004, was drawn down from the Nuclear Claims Fund provided by the U.S. in fulfillment of its commitment under the 177 Agreement. This program never included an inflation adjustment, and resulted in the equivalent of less than $12 per patient per month compared to an average U.S. expenditure of $230 per person per month for similar services. The unstable and inadequate funding in recent years creates a healthcare crisis for our nation, particularly at a time when the people alive during the testing program are becoming older and are more likely to develop or have significant radiation-related illnesses, such as the cancers that the NCI study reports.
An example of a population that slipped through the cracks of U.S. assistance include the 401 people residing on Ailuk Atoll during the Bravo test on March 1, 1954 -- a population that U.S. government documents concede should have been evacuated after the Bravo test because of significant exposure to radiation. The U.S. government decided not to evacuate the Ailukese because its population -- almost 4 times as large as the evacuated population from Utrik -- was considered too large and cumbersome to relocate. Consequently, the people of Ailuk have never been eligible for medical monitoring and care, and the residents of that atoll continued to live in a highly contaminated environment after the Bravo test, while the downwind populations of Rongelap and Utrik were evacuated by the U.S. government. I would like to request that the U.S. government document regarding Ailuk's evacuation post-Bravo be included as part of the hearing record.
Similar cases can be made for other atoll populations alive during the testing program (such as exposure levels on Kwajalein included in the RMI's CCP), for those born and raised in radiologically contaminated environments, and for workers from atolls all over the Marshall Islands and who worked as DOE contractors to support clean-up efforts on Bikini and Enewetak. This latter group is not eligible for U.S. compensation or healthcare programs for DOE workers exposed to occupational sources of radiation as part of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA) because they are not U.S. citizens. In this regard, we want to thank Mr. Bingaman for including the Marshall Islands in the list of locations where DOE workers exposed to radiation could receive medical care and compensation. The interpretation of the Executive Branch is that non-Americans – such as former citizens of the U.S. trust territory – are not eligible for the program because they are not U.S. citizens. We request that citizens of the former U.S. trust territory employed by DOE be eligible for inclusion in this program since neither funding nor healthcare are available to these workers through other means.
The RMI lacks the ability to provide the healthcare that is warranted for the populations exposed to radiation. During the May, 2005 joint hearing of the House Resources Committee and the Subcommittee on Asia and Pacific of the House International Relations Committee, the National Cancer Institute representative told us that the RMI should anticipate hundreds more radiation-related cancers in the future -- these are cancers that would not exist in the RMI if the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program did not take place. As we told the House committees, this news is devastating to the RMI as we lack the infrastructure, and the human and financial resources to respond to these cancers. Every family in the RMI has a first-hand understanding of the pain and suffering cancer patients and their loved ones endure, so it is difficult for us -- even from an emotional standpoint -- to anticipate several hundred more cancers linked to the testing program. We thought most of the healthcare burdens were behind us, but it is clear that we now need to adjust our thinking and plan for the future. The NCI also tells us that these cancers will not be limited to just the 4 atolls, yet the 4 atolls are the only populations in the RMI that receive any radiation-related healthcare. All of our citizens who contract cancers will need healthcare -- healthcare that we are currently unable to provide.
Provisions of the Compact, as amended
During the House hearing in May, witnesses from the U. S. Administration suggested that the RMI had the ability to deal with healthcare or other issues arising from the nuclear testing program by allocating a portion of its Compact sector health care grants for these needs. First, as I noted during the House hearing, this suggestion is contrary to the position taken by the Administration during the amended Compact negotiations. During those negotiations, the Administration was adamant that issues concerning residual problems relating to the Section 177 Agreement would not be addressed during those talks despite efforts by the RMI to raise these issues at that time. This is evidenced by U.S. Compact Negotiator Al Short's letter to me dated March 27, 2002, stating the Administration's position on the matter. I would like to include that letter as part of the hearing record. As noted in that letter, the RMI was told that these issues would be considered and dealt with by the Congress under the Changed Circumstances Petition that was pending at that time.
Thus, it is clear from the record that the amended Compact does not take into account or include funding necessary to address the healthcare or other continuing needs of the RMI to address the ongoing consequences of the nuclear testing program. If the RMI were to allocate funds necessary to address these issues from funds available under the Compact, as amended, it would result in a substantial reduction in other essential healthcare services to the people of the Marshall Islands and would also adversely affect other priority Compact sector grant assistance such as education.
The RMI was told that issues related to the consequences of the nuclear testing program would be addressed by the U.S. Congress within the framework of the changed circumstances petition as authorized by Article IX of the Section 177 Agreement, which is why we are here before you today.
Changed Circumstances continue to emerge
Between the House hearing in May and today's hearing still more information about the health effects of radiation exposure has come to light -- information that represents changed circumstances because it was unknown when the U.S. and the RMI negotiated the Compact of Free Association and the 177 Agreement. This new information renders past assistance manifestly inadequate, since that assistance does not include healthcare designed to address these newly identified needs. Specifically, there is a new study from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) about the effects of low doses of radiation, including an important discussion about cancer risks for women and children. The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) series of reports by the NAS are regarded as the most authoritative basis for radiation risk estimation and radiation protection regulations in the United States.
The latest report on radiation risk, called the BEIR VII report, was sponsored by the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and concludes that low levels of exposure to ionizing radiation may cause harm in human beings and are likely to pose some risk of adverse health effects. The report specifically focuses on low-dose, low-LET -- "linear energy transfer" -- ionizing radiation that can cause DNA damage and eventually lead to cancers, and calls for further research to determine whether low doses of radiation may cause other health problems, such as heart disease and stroke, which can occur with high doses of low-LET radiation. What is most clear from the review of available data is that the smallest dose of low-level ionizing radiation has the potential to cause an increase in health risks to humans. As stated by the chairman for the report, Richard R. Monson, associate dean for professional education and professor of epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health:
The scientific research base shows that there is no threshold of exposure below which low levels of ionizing radiation can be demonstrated to be harmless or beneficial… The health risks – particularly the development of solid cancers in organs – rise proportionally with exposure. At low doses of radiation, the risk of inducing solid cancers is very small. As the overall lifetime exposure increases, so does the risk.
This finding is extremely significant to the RMI as everyone alive during the testing program was exposed to radiation from the 67 atmospheric tests, and thousands more people were exposed to environmental sources of radiation when they were born and/or raised on radiological contaminated islands.
Interestingly, survivors of atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, were the primary sources of data to estimate the risks of most solid cancers and leukemia from exposure to ionizing radiation, yet the U.S. National Cancer Institute acknowledges that because radiation exposure in the RMI exceeds other locations, exposure and outcomes in the RMI cannot be compared to other locations such as Japan. We are left to conclude, therefore, that any findings in the Japanese population are likely exacerbated in the RMI. The BEIR VII report is also important because it notes that adverse hereditary health effects that could be attributed to radiation have not been found in studies of children whose parents were exposed to radiation from the atomic bombs in Japan, but studies of mice and other organisms have produced extensive data showing that radiation-induced cell mutations in sperm and eggs can be passed on to offspring. The report states that there is no reason to believe that such mutations could not also be passed on to human offspring, as the failure to observe such effects in Hiroshima and Nagasaki probably reflects an insufficiently large survivor population.
The BEIR VII report also updates the risk of dying from cancer for women and men, and for children compared to adults. According to the report, the risk of dying from cancer due to radiation exposure was believed in 1990 to be 5% higher for women compared to men; this latest report now updates the risk to 37.5% higher for women than for men. Furthermore, the risks for all solid tumors, like lung, breast, and prostate, added together are almost 50 percent greater for women than men.
The BEIR VII report estimates that the differential risk for children is even greater. For instance, the same radiation in the first year of life for boys produces three to four times the cancer risk as exposure between the ages of 20 and 50. Female infants have almost double the risk as male infants. This information is obviously of concern to us, and we seek the assistance of the U.S. government to apply these findings to the Marshallese context.
Looking for equity
The RMI is in a very precarious position. We have very significant radiological burdens in the RMI that we lack the resources, knowledge, or capacity to address. These radiological burdens -- including the need to clean-up private property and return populations to their home islands, and the need to provide adequate healthcare and monitoring to all communities exposed to significant levels of radiation -- are expensive. Despite the costs of remedies, we are simply asking the U.S. government for the same assistance, services, and compensation that it extends to its own citizens exposed to radiation or whose private property is contaminated.
The RMI is extremely worried about the well-being of the people in the Marshall Islands who were exposed to radiation from the 67 atmospheric atomic and thermonuclear weapons tests in the RMI, as well as the populations resettled on contaminated islands, including children who were born and raised in environments laced with radiation from the U.S. nuclear weapons tests.
More than ever, it is clear to us that the U.S. government's position regarding radiation exposure in the RMI is antiquated, and needs to be updated. The U.S. position maintains that radiation exposed only the populations of Rongelap and Utrik to levels of radiation sufficient to warrant U.S.-provided healthcare for radiation related illnesses. Estimated numbers by the NCI for future radiation-related cancers are higher than the current number of patients currently enrolled in the Department of Energy's medical monitoring and care program and higher than the total populations for Rongelap and Utrik alive during the testing program. The NCI's predictions for cancers include likely occurrence for atolls throughout the RMI, not just the northern-most atolls. The BEIR VII conclusions that low doses of radiation increase risk of harm to human beings, and that there is a substantially greater risk of dying from cancer for women and children, compels us to take further action, and requires our nations to rethink radiation-related healthcare in the RMI. Remedies are clearly needed, but without U.S. assistance the RMI will continue to lack the capacity to respond to the urgent radiation-related healthcare needs confronting us.
Since the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program was conducted at a time when the United States governed the Marshall Islands with the same authorities extended to the United States itself, we believe the same standard of care, safety, redress of grievances and justice that Congress has adopted with respect to U.S. citizens exposed to radiation should be honored for the Marshallese people. In particular, we think there should be equity in terms of healthcare standards and delivery, environmental clean-up, radiation protection standards for the public, and compensation. The RMI government hopes to work with this Committee and the House committees that convened a similar hearing in May to develop appropriate authorizing and appropriations language in the upcoming year. The well-being of our citizens depends on our action.
Finally, I want to thank this Committee for its continued willingness to address radiological issues in the RMI since the termination of the trust territory, and for the Committee's creativity in addressing our needs. The RMI is grateful measures adopted in the past to address healthcare, resettlement, trust funds, and clean-up. We hope that today's hearing is the beginning of a process to address -- together -- the fundamental inadequacies of our ability to manage on-going and future radiological burdens in the RMI.