text:
Formerly Penn West Petroleum, Obsidian Energy Looks to the Future
Obsidian energy has been able to achieve an impressive daily production of 30,000 boe per day. This company is a medium sized one and is involved in the production of both oil and gas. Additionally, Obsidian Energy boasts an impressively well-balanced portfolio, which includes several top quality assets. Obsidian Energy operates withing an industry that has seen a lot of big changes over the years, and it is continuing to evolve at a much faster pace than anyone could have foreseen. The company, however, is fully prepared to adapt to the industry's changing conditions and find continued success. The organization is determined to produce strong results for many more years.…Read More


text:
Becoming Self-Sufficient
This is an interactive workshop that will explore what it means to be self-sufficient and participants learn techniques needed to provide for themselves and their family. After completing the workshop, MBK provides each participant with professional attire to secure employment!
Being self-sufficient is the ability to depend on yourself to get things done and to meet your own needs. It is being confident in your own abilities to do things and make decisions by yourself without needing help from other people to meet your basic needs for survival. Being self-sufficient is a reliance on your own judgment.
When you are self-sufficient, you use the blessings and abilities God has given us to care for ourselves and our families and find solutions to our own problems. As you become self-sufficient, you are also better able to serve and care for others.
We are seeking fifteen young men ages 16 to 30 to participate and ten volunteer workers. Registration is free, but required to attend or volunteer.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sustainable healthcare interventions: from blueprint to lasting impact
Basel, 21 November 2014. "At the heart of the Novartis Foundation there has always been a
conviction that the projects we are involved in should be as sustainable
as possible. To build this sustainability, and prepare the projects we
support to move beyond the pilot phase into one of scale and impact, we
empower our partners to seek local solutions to local challenges. We do
this through sharing learning, developing local capacity and drawing on
the research and technical expertise of our international partners. This year, the symposium celebrates our partners and examines how new
approaches in philanthropy are going beyond traditional grant-making to
drive sustainable healthcare interventions from blueprint to lasting
Annual symposium of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, a member of the Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland. The conference documentation is available now.


text:
The Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) is seeking Member applicants for Service Year 23
(October 10th, 2016 – August 18th, 2017)!
Application Available: May 1st, 2016
Application Due: June 30th, 2016
Join a team of 48 committed individuals throughout California engaged in watershed protection, community outreach and education, and restoration projects! Spend 10 ½ months working alongside natural resource professionals with one of WSP's 25 Placement Sites.
WSP Program Overview:
For 23 years, the Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) has been engaged in comprehensive, community-based, watershed restoration and education throughout coastal California. The primary focus of WSP is to assist communities and organizations with habitat restoration for salmonids (Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and Steelhead trout) in order to rehabilitate these threatened and endangered species to healthy and historic populations. Additionally, WSP provides watershed education and outreach in high-needs communities throughout the state, engages WSP Members in volunteer recruitment efforts to increase the capacity and reach of partner organizations, and helps Members develop into the next generation of natural resource professionals.
Each year, WSP places approximately 48 Members with natural resource organization Placement Sites throughout California to work collaboratively for their 10 ½ month service term. Members serve under the guidance and mentorship of resource professionals in collaboration with local landowners, public agencies, and private industry to assess, monitor, and enhance watersheds. WSP's diverse Placement Sites include federal, state, county, tribal, and non-profit agencies and organizations. Each Placement Site engages between one and two Members in all the service activity areas, while each Site's overall strategy, emphasis, effort, and timing of service activities varies. For more specific information about each WSP Placement Site, please refer to the WSP website: www.ccc.ca.gov/go/wsp.
WSP fosters inclusion, inspires innovation, and encourages respect by embracing the diverse talents, perspectives, and backgrounds of all applicants. Each of us brings to the table a lifetime of experiences and knowledge. Each of us is different and adds value to the organization because of these differences. WSP seeks applicants that represents the racial, gender, cultural, and socio-economic diversity of American society.
During their service, Members participate in a wide array of activities, including:
- Regular watershed recovery and protection work with their Placement Site
- Teaching the Wonders of Watersheds (WOW!) curriculum in elementary schools
- Engaging their service community in watershed outreach
- Creating and implementing their own Watershed Awareness Project (WAP), and recruiting community volunteers
- Training and professional development opportunities
Qualifications for Regular Applicants:
- 21+
- High school diploma
- 25 credits of college-level science OR 6 months of relevant experience in fisheries/habitat restoration, invasive removal, instream structure instillation, etc.
- Interest and experience in natural resources management and environmental education
- Possess or be willing to obtain a California Driver's License
- Clean driving record (no more than 2 points)
- US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien
Preferred Skills and Qualities for Members:
· Willingness and desire to learn
· Effective communication skills
· Flexibility
· Good basis of relative skills and experiences
Benefits Include:
- Opportunity to make a difference in a Californian community
- A monthly living stipend: $1,620
- A $5,730 Education Award upon successful completion of the 10 ½ month service term
- Hands-on training opportunities
- Uniform and field gear provided
- Opportunities to see some of the most beautiful places in California
- Mentorship from a natural resources professional and networking opportunties
- No-cost medical insurance
- Student loan forbearance on eligible loans
- Valuable work experience for your future
How to Apply to WSP:
- Watch the Recruitment Video at https://youtu.be/Ll_uEK8jkZ0
- Send the following to email@example.com by June 30th:
- Year 23 WSP Application, available under the MEMBER APPLICANTS tab on the WSP website
- Cover letter
- One-page resume
- Two signed letters of recommendation (can be submitted on your behalf) to email above
Contact Information:
If you have any questions about the Watershed Stewards Program or how to apply, please contact the WSP Recruiters, Jody Weseman (805) 542-8461 or Zia Schatz (707) 725-8601.


text:
Drake Music is the leading national organisation working in music, disability and technology.
Who we are
Drake Music is a national arts charity working across the UK. We have bases in Bristol, Manchester and London. We are a National Portfolio Organisation for Arts Council England and are also funded through Youth Music.
We have been pioneering the use of assistive music technology for over 20 years. This enables more people to make music.
In that time, we have developed lots of imaginative methods of teaching, learning, writing and playing music.
We are specialists in using technology to break down disabling barriers to making music.
What we do
Central to our work is the belief that everyone can fulfill their creative and musical potential, given the right opportunities.
We work where music, disability and technology meet to:
- create opportunities and instruments that make music fully accessible
- increase participation in music-making at all levels
- build an integrated musical culture where disabled and non-disabled musicians work together as equals
Our skilled team has an excellent track record of developing and delivering outreach, training and education initiatives for disabled musicians of all ages and abilities.
We research and develop new accessible musical instruments and technologies to create more ways with, by and for disabled people to make music.
Our artistic development programme supports disabled musicians to progress their work and we offer training and consultancy for teachers, music hubs and other organisations.
"The figures that we have from Ofsted show that between 2008 and 2011, only 6% of students with disabilities were involved in learning a musical instrument, compared to 14% of students without a disability. That is a clear disparity.
There was also a consultation by Drake Music in 2012, which revealed that there are still a number of barriers to overcome with regard to effective music education for disabled children. There need to be improvements in the areas of organisation, training and equipment provision. Nevertheless, the capacity to have change and a music education for those with disabilities exists."
Lord German, House Of Lords debate, 30th July 2014


text:
My artist of the day 1/31/12 : http://wp.me/p2aR3u-1Z
Let me start by saying I am sorry I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I didn't do a post.
Now this is some very cool photography! I would love to know how he dose it. like the first photo where the person is simultaneously climbing into one frame and out of another. Love photography follow this photographer, I am!


text:
Looking to give your dog the best?
At nk9d we are committed to providing only the best quality food for dogs, at the best possible price for you!
If you would like to try a sample of our foods click here to order a free goody bag
Click here to see 10 of the many great reasons why you should feed your dog Chippendales and The Full Monty from nk9d!
But don't take our word for it – take a look at what our customers say –
Here at nk9d we are committed to providing only the best quality food for dogs, at the best possible price for you!
Forever Living Products – what can we do for you?
(Have you ever wondered how Forever changes people's lives? take a look)
Not tested on animals, Forever's range of premium products are a testament to nature's capacity to help us look and feel our best.
Visit our Forever Living Shop Shop Now (opens in a new window)
- Forever Living Business Owner Lesley Moorby & Lesley White
- Head Office Address – Forever Living Products, Longbridge Manor, Warwick, CV34 6RB.
- Statutory Wealth Warning – It is illegal for a promoter or a participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings are easily achieved.
- Forever Living are members of the direct selling association.


text:
ProView – Women's Rab Aurora Pull-On
The Aurora Pull-On is a go-everywhere, always-in-the-pack, security blanket of a jacket that I have grown to love more with each passing season. It's simple, insanely versatile, really light, and an all-around outstanding layer.
I've packed the Aurora on an array of mountain activities: mellow summer hikes, cold weather trail runs, alpine fly-fishing, mountain biking, ski touring, and rock climbing to name a few, and it has never let me down.
Made of Matrix SWS™ softshell fabric, the Aurora is highly-breathable, has 4-way stretch and provides a bit of water repellency, adequate for a light, passing drizzle. The stretchy fabric moved with me, and vented well during high-output activities, but was also adequately warm to wear during lulls such as belaying or enjoying lunch by a lake on warm weather days. In the winter, layered over a baselayer, it stopped cold winds on trail runs and ski tours without getting clammy.
The Aurora is cut with a regular fit that is roomy enough to wear over a baselayer. The loose-fitting sleeves and cuffs are easily rolled up, and the long chest zipper also provides good ventilation. The hood is nice for protection from a brisk wind, harsh sun, or a light drizzle, but doesn't get in the way when moving fast. A single, low profile, chest pocket keeps small essentials within easy reach without adding bulk. I love the cheerful bright pink color, and the clean lines and simple styling are flattering.
Tech Specs
At 227 grams, the Aurora is a featherweight garment, but in my experience it performed better than many heavier softshell jackets. The Matrix SWS™ fabric is treated with Polygiene® Stay Fresh, which is a natural odor control treatment. And, after three days in the backcountry, the Aurora was surprisingly not stinky, a nice change from the usual reek of synthetic layers. Additionally, the fabric is rated with UPF 50+ UV protection, making it a good layer for sun protection as well.
After many miles and adventures, and trips through the washing machine, the Aurora is showing no signs of wear. It's well-made and the fabric is very durable.
Overall, the Rab Aurora Pull-On packs a lot of functionality into an ultralight package. It has become the one item that I never want to leave behind, and thanks to the odor control treatment, it stays stench-free and fresh for days.
Shop Rab on Outdoor Prolink. Not a member? Apply today!
By Julie Schoenfeld, a freelance designer and digital marketing expert, and former professional climbing instructor. Julie has worked as the Director of Digital Development of Rock and Ice Magazine before recently switching to a freelance career, while spending her free time sampling the steep limestone of Rifle Canyon Mountain Park.


text:
The Nissan IDS experience
Some have compared a future with autonomous drive to living in a world of conveyer belts that simply ferry people from point A to B, but the Nissan IDS Concept promises a very different vision of tomorrow. Even when the driver selects Piloted Drive and turns over driving to the vehicle, the car's performance - from accelerating to braking to cornering - imitates the driver's own style and preferences.
In Manual Drive mode, the driver has control. The linear acceleration and cornering are pure and exhilarating. Yet behind the scenes, the Nissan IDS Concept continues to provide assistance. Sensors continually monitor conditions and assistance is available even while the driver is in control. In the event of imminent danger, Nissan IDS Concept will assist the driver in taking evasive action.
In addition to learning, the Nissan IDS Concept's AI communicates like an attentive partner. From information concerning traffic conditions, the driver's schedule to personal interests, Nissan IDS Concept's AI has what is needed to help create a driving experience that is comfortable, enjoyable and safe.
Check out this high-tech cockpit of the Nissan Intelligent Driving System concept. Kasama namin si Pareng Lourd de Veyra...
Posted by TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES on Sunday, November 29, 2015
Nissan's targets - Zero traffic fatalities and zero emissions
In order for our car-based society to be sustainable, complex issues ranging from sustainable energy supplies to climate change, air pollution and traffic safety must be addressed. At Nissan, we have set zero fatalities and zero emissions as aspirational targets in our mission to help create a sustainable car-based society.
Over 90% of traffic accidents are caused by human error. Nissan IDS Concept's extensive system of sensors and AI are designed to provide enhanced safety performance compared to a human driver. This technology brings us a step closer to the goal of zero traffic fatalities.
EVs produce no CO2 emissions and their batteries can store energy from renewable sources and turn it into electricity for homes and buildings. As the number of EVs increases, entire communities will be able to harness their power as part of a sustainable energy plan. Then, as EVs come to play a central role in energy supply, we will come that much closer to becoming a zero emission society.
Nissan believes that the Nissan IDS Concept will evolve into a leading innovation for next generation mobility and our quest for making these "two zeroes" a reality.
Featuring Nissan's most advanced safety, driving-control and EV technology—all taken to a new level by AI—the Nissan IDS Concept is a compelling showcase of a promising future.
For more information, click HERE to download the data sheet from Nissan.


text:
Mike Miksche – Closeted S&M Homo Artist, Almost Lost Forever
Mike Miksche's (aka Steve Masters) story is a tragic one. Perpetually closeted, the flight captain turned fashion illustrator's first contact with a gay man came in the military, when one of his flight crew expressed his undying love for the he-man. When he returned to civilian life, he was enlisted by famed sex researcher Alfred Kinsey to perform in S&M films with masochist Sam Steward. While turning out fashion advertisements in his early career, Miksche began experimenting with erotic art, producing images of hyper-masculine, tattooed men in S&M scenarios under the pseudonym Steve Masters (SM). Miksche was a tortured soul, and in 1965, after an extensive battle with depression, he died of an overdose. In the wake of his death, Miksche's wife discovered his collection of erotic drawings, many of which were published in BIG magazine, and she destroyed what remained of this fascinating collection. What remains of his work is housed at the Kinsey Institute and the Leather Archives and Museum.
Via & APRES?


text:
Well, obviously, the decoration in the ball room was amazing! We paid RM140 for the event! However, when we reached there, we were all worn out. My normal hyper-active energy was all gone. I just felt tired, sleepy and cranky! Not that I wanted to complain, everything was just a bit bland to me from the decoration to the food to the Emcee. However, friends will always be the best cure for all those stuffs^^!!!!
Talking about the food, it was great at 1st. Then, everything just got worse! The second photos' food was just so too much! Vegetable + nuts. Oh my, of course, the 1st dish with the dragon fruit decor was really nice!
|The Couple~~~~~
|The gang
After dinner, it was the greatest moment of the annual dinner! Phototaking session~~~~~~ We were snapping like crazy(^^)! As the crazy/over/partime/dream to be wedding photographer, I took some photos that myself like very much ooooooo(^^)~~~ I was like doing a wedding shoot for them(^^) Of course, as a gang of friends who was going separate ways soon, we took a nice group photo before heading to Ministry of Sound (MOS).


text:
Date of Issue : 9 September 2016
Here is a beautiful set of stamps to be issued by Finnish Post on 9th September 2016. Everyone in Finland can enjoy nature regardless of its ownership relations. This right is honored by the Everyman's rights stamps in the Finland 100 years series. The set of four stamps has been designed by Jussi Kaakinen.
Everyman's rights, or the freedom to roam, refer to the general public's right to enjoy nature and benefit from it regardless of who owns the area. The freedom to roam is based on the country's age-old custom that has been in existence since time immemorial. Everyman's rights always involve the requirement of harmlessness: freedom to roam must not cause harm or disturbance.
"The photographs represent different seasons, the most common natural environments and people from children to the elderly. They enjoy being in nature and know how to behave there. As a first-time stamp designer, I was fascinated by the simplification required by the small image size, but also by the fact that even such a small space is enough to depict vast landscapes. The landscapes on the Everyman's rights stamps continue outside the actual stamp area, and when separated from the sheet, the stamp may look surprisingly different", says Kaakinen.


text:
DuBois Crime Scene Clean Up
Crime Scene Clean Up Services
Homicide Clean up
Suicide Clean Up
Blood Clean Up
(814) 667-4000 - 24 Hour Help Line
Crime Scene Cleanup Services - DuBois Pennsylvania
Steri-Clean of western Pennsylvania is strategically located in the west side of the state and responds to calls for specialized cleaning needs like crime scene cleanup, suicide cleanup and death cleanup. No matter what biohazard clean up need you have, we are trained and prepared to assist you 24 hours a day. Our specialty blood clean up services in Dubois and surrounding areas are also affordable and discreet! Our staff is highly trained and experienced in the following services and is extremely compassionate:
- Crime Scene Cleanup
- Suicide Cleanup
- Blood Cleanup
- Undiscovered Death Cleanup
- Odor Removal
- Accident Cleanup
- Trauma Cleanup
- Tear Gas Cleanup
- Fingerprint Dust Removal
- Disease Outbreak Control/Prevention
- Animal/Rodent Waste Cleanup
- 24 Hour Response
- Insurance Billing and Payment
Steri-Clean Dubois Pennsylvania Service Area
Steri-Clean DuBois services the following counties, and beyond:
- Clearfield
- Jefferson
- Elk
- Cameron
- Centre
- Indiana
- Cambria
- Blair
- Clinton
- Potter
- McKean
- Mifflin
- Juniata
- Toga
- Lycoming
- Union
- Snyder
- Clairon
If you live outside of the areas listed above, we can still help. Read more about the Steri-Clean service area by clicking the "Service Area" tab, then the Pennsylvania tab.
Who is Steri-Clean Dubois PA?
So just who are we? Steri-Clean of Western Pa is an amazing team of both men and women who are passionate about helping people.They are comprised of former medical professionals, that have now transitioned to become a part of the most recognized and reputable name in biohazard clean up. They understand the care and compassion that is needed to perform this type of work and will take the time to make sure the job is completed correctly. They provide free estimates as well, and can bill your insurance for almost every job they do!
(814) 667-4000 - Dubois PA Crime Scene Clean Up Dispatch


text:
I received this product free for review. All opinions remain my own.
Coquí Baby was founded by midwestern-US parents, Steve and Renee, with a vision of "a happier planet, happier families, and happier babies." If his reaction to being put in a disposable is any proof, cloth diapers definitely make Cub a happier baby. I am proud of my contribution (or lack thereof) to the planet by choosing cloth diapers, and the money saved and the community gained by choosing fluff has made me a happier Mama.
Coquí Baby diapers, named after a Puerto Rican tree frog, are a one-size pocket diaper. The diaper is designed to fit from 7- 40 lbs, and comes in your choice of PUL or minky exterior. The interior is stay-dry fleece.
The diaper comes with two microfibre inserts:
Coquí's diapers are conscientiously manufactured in China.
What I love about our Coquí Baby diaper:
- The contoured smaller insert is great for a more comfortable fit;
- Elasticized pocket opening keeps inserts in place and prevents leaks at the back waistband;
- The diaper is cut generously and fits well on Cub, but when snapped to the lowest rise, I'm impressed by how small the leg opening becomes: can't wait to try it on the newbie this summer!
- Plenty of waist snaps, allowing plenty of room to grow in terms of width.
- Roomy pocket that's easy to stuff, and it opens at the back!
What I love less about our Coquí Baby diaper:
- Microfiber: not my favourite insert option. I'd love to see a hemp, bamboo or cotton option.
- Overseas manufacturing: In my perfect world, everything would be made close to home. However, the choice to manufacture in China helps keep these diapers very affordable. (Currently on sale for $12-$14.)
While not revolutionary in terms of design or features, the Coquí Baby Hero diaper performed well for us and I love the "tribe of like-minded parents" the company is promoting.
Shop & Connect:
You can get to know Coquí via their Facebook page, and shop via Amazon.com. (Affiliate link)
I'd like to extend a special thanks to Coquí for sending me an extra diaper for me to donate to Cloth for a Cause.


text:
Found: Perfect Pastels
We mentioned the Tone kids chair awhile back, but that wasn't what drew our attention in this photo. Instead, it was the softly understated pastel background that makes you think of sweet dreams and smiles instead of feeling like a bag of cotton candy threw up...
Pastels are always associated with children, but these days it seems wall colors are going bolder, darker and crazier. And while we don't have a problem with that idea, we still hold a soft spot for these muted and soft spoken colors.
Try getting this same look at home by balancing the pastels with darker furniture and accent pieces and adding a glaze once you've painted your stripes, or base color. The glaze will give it a milk paint effect (or you could just use milk paint) and try free handing the grey line to give it a more rustic touch instead of a stark and cold feeling line.
Try it half way up your wall if you aren't feeling daring enough to take the look floor to ceiling or even give it a try on a sanded and primed Craigslist piece of furniture! Looking for something a bit bolder? Try stripes like these!
(Image: Tomoya Nagatani for Feif-Designpark)


text: With Leeds Festival about kick off and rock up to 75,000 fans this weekend we have put together a collection of artist spotlights to get you in the mood! Here's Babymetal. Leeds City Magazine and Leeds Student Magazine welcomes everyone to Leeds and Branham Park! Have an amazing time and keep safe. For information on bars and other venues in ...Read More »


text:
"Come into the water, or I'll pull you inside" I said to her. In return she laughed, nervously, for half of her believed that I was quite capable of such notoriety. The other two hooted on, hoping as much as I did, that she would.
Lets open up the scene for you now.
It was not a dark, stormy night. Actually, it was a balmy summer afternoon. The Narayanan family, sans the father and the pooch or let us say sans the old man and the old dog, had driven down to Vaikom (near Cochin) for a three day holiday. The distinguished party included a mother, one who would, throughout the trip, keep cutting off plant stalks from all over Cochin– the roadside, the resort, the farms, even the jetty – just so that she could plant them in her own garden once she was back home. The party also included a sister, one who's a journalist and the in-house bully. And it included a grandmother, she who thinks her grandson is a gem. Last but not the least, it included me. The gem.
So yes, we had driven down to a resort in Cochin and it was quite a delectable place, with its cottages and lawns, small canals and moats, hammocks and birds. But the best part was that it was right on Vembanad Lake – Kerala's famous backwaters. The cottages opened up to the garden, and the garden opened up to the lake, without as much as a wall or fence to partition the two. The water was not as high as the garden, three feet lower perhaps, and all you needed to do to get into the water was to lower yourself till your feet touched the lake bed.
So right after finishing our tea, we had all plunged into the water, well all except for grannykins.
She just sat at the bank, happy that her family was happy. And we were. While Nishi and I were busy acting mature splashing water on each other, mother was busy losing balance, going under and coming up coughing and spluttering with half the lake in her lungs, and a little frog balancing itself precariously on her head. The water was cold, but not too much. Ahead in the distance, a man had gone kayaking. Granny, she looked happy.
It bothered me, that the woman we all loved so much had to sit by and watch us enjoy doing what she had loved doing all her childhood. It's unfair, that we have all grown so much that now it is her who has to grasp my hand for balance. My grandmother got married when she was 18. Mother says that before that, as a child, she was excellent at swimming and could beat all the boys in a race. Today, she is 78, has a balancing problem and walks slowly. Still, is as pretty as she always was.
"Come into the water, or I'll pull you inside" I said to her. In return she laughed, nervously, for half of her believed that I was quite capable of such notoriety. The other two hooted on, hoping maybe as much as I did, that she would.
"I don't think I can" she said, "I'll just stay here." But she shouldn't have smiled while saying that. It was too clear that, somewhere inside, she wanted to. In a trice, brother and sister were up, standing by her chair, coaxing her to come in. She stood up and looked down, testing her feet on the ground. Her mind were telling her not to go ahead with it, and we could see it in her face, but her eyes, they just followed the heart. And that's the problem with these grandmothers. They really can't bear to disappoint their children. And so, she bent, bent all the way down, till she was almost sitting on the ground, her knees hurting, her heart racing. I think all our hearts were racing too, maybe even more so.
And then the pain struck her knees. And when it did, I felt like kicking myself for suggesting that she go into the water. We rushed to pick her up, and did. But she said that she wanted to try again. No longer was I feeling as gung ho as I was moments earlier. And again, she bent and lowered her legs into the water, and we helped her down, all the way till her feet touched the lake bed.
The next moment, both brother and sister let out manic yells and leapt in a most unsophisticated, un-Victorian unmannerly manner into the lake, just as Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would have in those Twain books.
The only other time that I can remember being so, purely, happy in the water was when Hector (the pooch) swam for the first time. They say that any emotion if sincere, is involuntary. And it was. For years, we had seen this old lady tend to her house, tend to people and live life as gracefully as can be. But today, here in this lake, she was just a kid. A kid in a saree, but a kid still. While the three of us hooted and cheered and yelled and laughed, she thrashed her hands and her feet, and moved. It would be biased to say that she swam, for years and age and weakness had probably taken that away from her, but it did not stop her from trying. And it did not stop us from surrounding her and splashing water all over her. At some point of time, the saree got stuck, but who cared. We had seen our aai swim, and not just swim but look as happy as can be, and the holiday had just become that much better.
Well, this happened last year. That night, her legs pained a lot, but she insisted that we go for a dip the next day too. This year, when I went to Kerala, we all went to Meenvellam waterfalls, old man and old dog too. When we reached, old man and his wife went off quite some distance into the water and yelled across the water insisting I click their pictures. And grandmother sat again, looking happy that her family was happy. Such corniness, I tell you.
Now Read:


text:
Man gets life in prison for killing 5-year-old central Minn. girl
WALKER, Minn. -- A 27-year-old Coon Rapids man on Friday, March 2, admitted to killing 5-year-old Alayna Jeanne Ertl of Watkins in the summer of 2016.
Zachary Todd Anderson was scheduled to appear in a Cass County District Courtroom in Walker for a pre-trial hearing Friday morning in front of Judge Jana M. Austad. Instead, he entered a plea of guilt for first-degree murder involving first-degree criminal sexual conduct with sexual penetration.
Cass County Attorney Benjamin Lindstrom, who prosecuted the case, said the mandatory penalty in Minnesota for this crime is imprisonment for life without the possibility of release. Anderson was sentenced immediately after entering his guilty plea.
In admitting his guilt, Anderson described the details of the crime in court as family members and authorities listened on, Lindstrom said. Family members also read victim impact statements.
Anderson was indicted by a grand jury on 19 criminal counts in October 2016 for the death of Ertl. In October, Anderson pleaded not guilty to all 19 criminal charges -- which included first-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, felony kidnapping and interfering with a dead body.
Lindstrom said with Anderson's guilty plea and the executed life sentence without possibility of release, a jury trial on the remaining 18 counts in the indictment were not necessary.
"Our goal was to get the maximum sentence of what Minnesota law allows of life in prison without release and that is what this plea did," Lindstrom said. "If people are going to hurt our kids, we will do everything we can by law to make it right. This doesn't make it right but it's the most we can do under the law.
"It was his decision to accept (the plea), I didn't expect it to actually happen. He had no incentive to do it. We would have gone to a jury trial and the end result would have been exactly the same, in my opinion."
According to Rule 15 under Minnesota law, a judge cannot accept a guilty plea until the defendant is sworn in, questioned about the case and understands his rights and the crime, Lindstrom said. Anderson's attorney, Kip Fontaine from Thief River Falls, and Lindstrom went through the Rule 15 petition with Anderson and they both asked him questions, including details on what happened Aug. 19-20 of 2016. The events began with Anderson kidnapping Alayna from her home in Meeker County, and ended with him sexually assaulting and leaving her for dead in Cass County.
Lindstrom said the courtroom was filled with family members who became emotional when Anderson spoke of the details of what happened to Alayna. Lindstrom said he couldn't speak about Anderson's emotional state in court.
Calls were made to Fontaine but were not returned.The case
According to the criminal complaint filed Aug. 23, 2016, against Anderson, Alayna's parents said Anderson played softball with the little girl's father Friday night, Aug. 19, 2016. After playing softball, Anderson and the father went out with friends and then the father came home at 2:30 a.m. Anderson arrived at the home between 3:30-3:45 a.m. Aug. 20, 2016. The two visited until 4 a.m. and the father retired for the night, the complaint stated.
The complaint stated Alayna fell asleep on the couch and her mother carried her to her room at 2:30 a.m. The mother indicated to officers her daughter slept with a pink Princess Elsa blanket from the Disney movie "Frozen."
At 8 a.m. Aug. 20, both Alayna and Anderson were gone. The parents' white GMC Sierra truck also was missing with the father's cellphone inside.
Deputies canvassed the neighborhood searching for Alayna. They also contacted the family's cellphone provider to try to locate the whereabouts of Anderson. When Alayna was not located during the search, the Meeker County Sheriff's Office contacted the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to request assistance with the investigation. An AMBER Alert was issued at 1:12 p.m.
Just before 2 p.m. that day, the Cass County Sheriff's Office dispatch center was contacted by Anderson's father. His father told Cass County officials he believed his son was the subject of the AMBER Alert sent out statewide. He stated his son called earlier in the day and wanted permission to go to the family's cabin on Iroquois Loop Trail Southwest, Motley, in the Wilderness Park Homeowners' Association in Cass County. Anderson's father gave officers permission to enter his property and cabin to aid in their search.
Cass County sheriff's deputies proceeded to the cabin and observed the white roof of the stolen truck, which was visible in a ravine at the southwest end of the property. The vehicle was pulled into the ravine and into a brushy/wooded area in an apparent attempt to conceal its location, the complaint stated. The vehicle was unoccupied. Officers then approached the cabin to look for Anderson and Alayna. Concerned for the welfare of the child, officers entered the unsecured cabin but no one was inside. However, in plain view, officers observed a single shot 20-gauge shotgun on the kitchen table with multiple 20-gauge rounds spilled about. Officers also observed numerous 12-gauge rounds, but no 12-gauge shotgun. Also on the table was an apparent suicide note with apparent blood on the upper corner, the complaint stated. The keys for the truck also were on the table.
More law enforcement arrived and officers observed recent foot traffic leading past the cabin into the woods to the north, as well as to the woods to the southwest of the truck. The K-9 units from Cass County and Baxter Police Department began to search the two areas where it appeared there had been recent foot traffic going into the woods. Deputies and another K-9 unit began to search the area past the truck.
At 4:23 p.m. Aug. 20, 2016, officers found Anderson, who was in knee-deep water in a swampy area. Officers observed Anderson had fresh lacerations to his left wrist. Anderson was arrested without incident. He was read his Miranda warning at that time and was asked the location of "the girl" and he initially responded, "What girl?" the complaint stated.
Anderson was led out of the swamp and placed into a squad car. Investigators from the BCA spoke with Anderson, who indicated when asked, the child was hidden in the swamp under some debris. Anderson agreed to show officers the approximate location of where she was hidden. He walked with officers to the edge of the swamp and pointed in a general direction indicating she was "over there."
Officers were able to observe areas of freshly trampled swamp grass and began to search in that vicinity. An investigator followed the trampled grass for 80 yards away from the location, where he observed the corner of a pink blanket sticking out from under some brush in knee-deep water. He pulled the blanket out and discovered it was a pink Disney blanket consistent with the blanket described by Alayna's mother. The blanket did not appear to have been in that location very long as it did not have signs of deterioration. Officers continued to search the area and discovered the girl's dead, naked body completely submerged in the water and hidden under some brush and other debris, the complaint stated.
The initial findings of the autopsy indicate the cause of death was homicidal violence due to strangulation, with other evidence of blunt force trauma to the victim's head. The forensic examination of the victim also revealed evidence of sexual assault, including sexual penetration.


text:
From the Las Vegas Sun: A cross-country fight had to make an unscheduled landing when a service dog pooped twice in the aisle, sickening passengers with the odor.
US Airways spokesman Andrew Christie said the May 28 US Airways flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia had to make an unscheduled stop in Kansas City.
Jim Kutsch, president at The Seeing Eye guide dog school in Morristown, N.J., tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that such incidents are rare, but that dogs occasionally get sick on planes, too. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/may/30/cross-country-flight-diverted-after-dog-poops/
The people who got sick couldn't handle some dog poop?
Apparently, they don't have kids, pets, live with pollution, ever smelled bad underarms, smelled a fart, never went to the bathroom and crapped in the toilet, had a BBQ etc..
Have they ever visited a farm, a factory, been outside a paper factory, lived in the big city, been to a NASCAR race when they blew an engine or a car spun, walked near a homeless person or burned food in the miocrowave or oven?
We are becoming a nation of wimps.


text:
Category Archives: Canada
Alphabet Photo – B is for Beach
B is for beach in this weeks Alphabet photo hosted by the lovely Charly at PODcast
Our beaches here in Canada are not white sands and palm trees but they are, in my humble opinion, equally as beautiful and last weekend I was lucky enough to spend the weekend camping by this one. 😀
A Favourite Place – The Gallery
I'm so glad Tara gave us 'A Favourite Place' as our theme for this weeks Gallery post rather than 'My favourite place' which would imply I would have to make an impossible decision. How could I possibly choose between my home town, a small east coast town that I loved from the time I was small and always vowed I would move to or the quaint Cornish fishing villages I visited as a child, my grandparents lounge full of happy childhood memories or the beautiful remote campgrounds we have discovered since we moved to Canada? I couldn't.
So I chose a spot here in Canada that we have visited many times and I will revisit many more times, it is stunning in every season and I could stand and look upon it for hours. It's also a fantastic place to people spot so when you have done marvelling at the view you can turn around and watch the people who visit from all four corners of the world and wonder at their stories and what brought them here. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the spectacular, breathtaking, beautiful Niagara Falls
Discovering Ottawa Part 3 – Skating on the Rideau Canal
Have you ever done one of those quizzes on Facebook about where you have travelled or what you have done, you know the ones designed to make yourself feel superior to your friends because you have travelled further afar than them? I digress. I was reading one a few months back and looked through all the places to visit in Canada, not to post the results I hasten to add, but to check out all the 'must do' things that we may not have done yet and one of them was to ice skate on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. I was really excited about our trip to Ottawa in January but a little disappointed that the canal doesn't usually open for skating until the end of January. I was delighted to discover that, due to the unseasonably cold winter we have been having this year, the Canal was open a whole month early than normal and we would be able to skate on it.
The Rideau Canal is famous for being the world's longest skating rink at 7.8km and is used by tourists and locals alike, locals use it to skate to work and school in the winter, how cool is that!? I admit I didn't skate an awful lot, the ice was extremely bumpy and not exactly like the ice rinks that I am used to, but I did it. We hired skates, instead of lugging our own all that way, which in hindsight was a mistake as the hire skates were expensive and incredibly uncomfortable. I didn't last on the ice very long, truth be told, well it was -30C so you can't blame me! But we did have time to sneak in a quick Beavertail, a freshly cooked flat doughnut like Canadian delicacy and an absolute must for après skating!
What is really strange about the whole experience is this; Growing up in England you are told never to go near frozen ponds or lakes as they are extremely unsafe, yet here we are in Ottawa skating on a frozen canal perfectly safely and the next day I took this shot of downtown Ottawa with the canal in the middle showing, not only skaters but buildings on the canal not to mention the great big truck with the snow plough clearing the snow from the ice.
It's hard to believe there will be boats floating on here in a few weeks isn't it!
Discovering Ottawa – Part 2
Across the Ottawa River via the Alexandra Bridge in Gatineau, Quebec is the best museum I have ever been to, the Canadian Museum of Civilization. It charts Canadian history from the First Nations to modern times through out the provinces from East Coast to West. It is Canada's most visited museum but it is often overlooked by tourists as it isn't included in many Ottawa city guides due to it being in another Province even though it is actually only about 2 km from Parliament Hill.
We arrived as the museum opened and had the place to ourselves in the beginning and even though we walked around it all day long until our legs ached we didn't get around all of it, the building is enormous!
The First Peoples Exhibits take up the entire ground floor and was my favourite part of the museum and the display of totem poles in the Grand Hall was simply breathtaking.
There was an interesting display on the first immigrants to Canada, this photo in particular made me smile.
And a rather unnerving temporary exhibition on Vodou.
I will not attempt to describe the whole museum as it was so vast but if you are ever in the area be sure to pay it a visit, take the whole day and wear comfy shoes!
The Gallery – Something Beautiful
Tara wants to see something beautiful for this weeks Gallery, well that shouldn't be too hard because one thing Canada has in abundance, even in the depths of winter, is natural beauty.
This is the upside of -20C, when your nasal hairs freeze every time you inhale (I kid you not!) and stepping outside for a minute needs 10 minutes of preparation with hats, gloves, scarves & boots. Mother nature rewards us for putting up with bone chilling cold and frozen extremities with beautiful blue skies and sunshine and some pretty impressive icicles!
Discovering Ottawa – Part 1
This year, 2014, is the year our family applies for Canadian Citizenship, as it will mark 3 years since we became Permanent Residents. It seemed only right that our first trip to somewhere new was a visit to the Canadian capital, Ottawa.
Although Toronto, which is right on our doorstep, is a far larger city I had a yearning to go to the capital to check out the Parliament buildings, the museums and the Rideau Canal. So just after New Year we packed the thermals and headed off in snow and -30C wind-chill to discover the delights of Ottawa!
Parliament Hill
For some strange reason on January 3rd at 10am and -35C Parliament Hill was mostly deserted and we pretty much had the place to ourselves! We managed to walk straight in and join a free tour of the Centre Block that took us around the House of Commons Chamber, the Senate and the Library of Parliament. The library was the most stunning room with a beautiful statue of a young Queen Victoria in the middle. Unfortunately they do not allow photos in there so I had to fight the urge to try to take a few candid shots with my Iphone! (being arrested in our nations Capital was NOT on my 'to do' list 😀 )
Originally built in the 1860's Parliament Hill is among the oldest buildings in Canada, although much of it was rebuilt following a fire in 1916. The building itself is in stark contrast to the very modern feel of the majority of Canada's cities.
There is an unmistakable British presence in the building, Queen Elizabeth II is still our head of state after all and many of the paintings and carvings around the walls are of British Monarchy especially Queen Victoria who was on the reigning Monarch when the nation of Canada was created in 1867.
If you ever go to Ottawa you should take a tour of Parliament Hill, the tour was interesting and informative, the building is quite spectacular and an added bonus is the tour is free of charge!
Check one on my Ottawa 'to do' list, next stop – The Museum of Civilisation.
A Real Canadian Winter
It turns out that our first two winters in Canada were just mother nature lulling us into a false sense of security. Our first winter here 2011/2012 was nicknamed "the winter that never was" and was one of the mildest on record. Sure, it felt cold to us, but the temperatures didn't stay below freezing for long before it popped back up above zero. We have an obligation to keep the pavement/sidewalk outside the house clear of snow and as I recall we did it 3 times that winter.
Winter 2012/2013 was a similar story; we didn't have any significant snow fall until December 26th (coincidentally, exactly the same day as the previous year). January was a rollercoaster of cold and relatively mild. February, on the other hand was very snowy. 'Snowmaggedon' hit midway through the month when it did not stop snowing for over 24 hours and dumped almost two feet of snow and was followed by -20C wind chills. We saw the edge of Lake Ontario frozen for the first time that month.
Fast forward to the present day and the winter of 2013/2014.
As of today, January 7th. The City of Toronto has issued 7 extreme cold alerts (periods when the temperature doesn't rise above -15C), the entire winter last year between December and April only saw 9 alerts in total. This week alone has seen an 'arctic vortex' bringing windchills in the -40C….We are only 3 weeks into winter. I have shoveled the driveway around 8 times already and there is a Province wide shortage of salt due to the Ice Storm before Christmas. The edge of the lake was already frozen in December.
This winter is turning out to be nothing short of brutal. I have bottles of water in my car that have been frozen solid since November. My lawn has been under a foot of snow for the last 6 weeks. The sack of potatoes I had in my garage froze solid and had to be thrown away. The windchills we have experienced in the last few days can cause frostbite to exposed skin in just 5 minutes. At these temperatures (-25C) if you boil a kettle of water and throw it into the air it will freeze before it reaches the ground! Snow boots, a down coat, hats and gloves are every day attire, you do not leave the house without them.
Toronto is one of the southern most points of Canada and that, along with it's proximity to Lake Ontario, means our temperatures are relatively mild compared to the rest of the country but less than a month into the winter of 2013/2014, it is already proving to be quite a challenge to us newbie expats.
Ice Storm 2013
Saturday December 21st 2013
The weather forecasters have been reporting an incoming 'Texas low" for a few days now. Apparently it's a huge system but its impact is largely unknown due to the fact that the temperature will be hovering around zero. Below zero will mean snow, above zero means rain but at zero the storm could produce freezing rain and ice. As the forecasters are often very dramatic in their presentation of the weather, I don't stress about it but make a mental note of where the torches and batteries are and charge up my gadgets as we head out for dinner at a friends house.
We leave our friends after a lovely Christmas dinner and giggle as we slip and slide down the road. It is clear the feared ice storm has arrived, the roads are slick and the car is covered in a layer of ice but we scrape it off and slowly drive home.
Sunday December 22nd
The electricity goes out, it flashes on and off for a while before it goes out for good
Cracking and crashing sounds rouse me from sleep. I am immediately aware that something unusual is happening and my heart begins to thump in panic. The house is cold and quiet and the lack of street lights alerts me to the fact that the power is still out. I go to the window and the scene that greets me is shocking. The beautiful 80-foot Elm trees at the bottom of the garden are literally crumbling under the weight of the ice that covers them, huge branches crack and crash to the ground. Lightning flashes across the sky and at lower levels intense blue flashes indicate trees taking out power lines across the neighbourhood. I watch the trees sway precariously in the breeze and start to question whether buying a house so close to huge trees was wise. I can't possibly sleep so I spend the next hour or so in a sleep deprived state wondering whether the trees will come crashing through the roof or not.
The utility companies must be trying to reconnect the power it comes on momentarily as another intense blue light flashes across the sky and we are plunged into darkness again. I finally drift off to sleep.
7.30 am
It's finally light enough outside to begin to assess the impact of the storm. The back garden is littered with branches which continue to fall from the trees, the power is still out and everything is covered in ice. We light the log fire, find the battery radio and get our camping stove out to make tea.
From the reports on the radio it is clear a huge area and some 500,000 people across the province are without power. Hubbie decides to venture out in search of a generator. It takes over 30 minutes to chip the ice of his truck enough so that he can open the door. My car, that was parked up to the garage doors, has slid on the ice back down the driveway.
Dejected, Hubbie returns home, there was no chance of securing an alternative power source.
We join Hubbies family for an unconventional Christmas dinner by candlelight, beef cooked on a barbecue and mash and veg cooked on a gas hob. It was delicious which is amazing considering the circumstances that it was cooked in!
We return to a cold, dark home and decide to camp out in the family room to be near the fire. The temperature is going to be -12 overnight, we're in for a chilly one!
Monday December 23rd
I get up with Hubbie to make him tea before he goes off to work, we stoke up the fire to try to put some heat into the frigid house. After he leaves I climb back into my makeshift bed on the sofa to await daylight.
Despite no electricity we still have plenty of hot water so I decide to have a hot shower to warm myself up. In hindsight it was not the best idea. Getting out of a hot shower into a freezing cold bathroom makes me colder than I was in the first place. What I wouldn't do for an opportunity to wash my hair and a hairdryer…
My instinctive response in a crisis is to keep busy so the boys and I keep ourselves occupied by getting the wood in to keep the fire stocked and then we venture outside to start clearing the ice. With nothing but sub zero temperatures and snow in the forecast it's important that we try to clear as much of the ice as possible. Several months of snow on top of ice will make for treacherous conditions every time we step foot outside the front door plus the fact that we have an obligation to keep the pavement/sidewalk outside the house clear means we have little option but to get to work. The entire house, drive, car is covered in an inch of ice, It's hard backbreaking work first smashing the ice and then shoveling it up but it certainly warms us up! The neighbours are out too so we cheer ourselves up reflecting on the situation and exchanging stories. It turns out weather situations like this are, thankfully, extremely rare.
I'm in the garage getting the last of the wood in when I hear a joyous yell from inside, the power is back, 36 freezing cold dark hours are finally at an end! 😀
We lose power intermittently over the next few days as the province struggles to get back to normal. As we venture out of the house the predominant feature is the fallen trees and branches, which litter the roads and pathways. Only the arrival of spring in 3-4 moths will tell us how much damage has been caused by something as simple and destructive as ice.
The Gallery – Feeling Festive
'Feeling festive' is not easy when you live on a different continent from your loved ones. The Christmas season is, in my humble opinion, the most difficult time of year for an expat. Every media outlet spews a constant stream of cheesy images of the 'traditional' Christmas (you know the ones, 15 people sat around the table with a turkey the size of an ostrich!) just acts as a constant reminder that the expat Christmas is not like that.
Over the last two years I have developed a few coping strategies, things I do to help me get into the Christmas spirit.
1. Make a Christmas playlist and burn a CD of all my favourite seasonal songs. I play it in the car and at home and sing along (loudly and usually out of tune!)
2. Enjoy the weather. It's hard not to feel festive when you open the curtains to this in the morning! Doing your Christmas shopping wrapped up in wooly hats, scarves and gloves feels so much more like Christmas is supposed to be.
3. Bake mince pies. Mince pies aren't widely available in Canada and those that are taste pretty icky! Thankfully I managed to make my own with guidance from my Delia Smith cookbook brought with me from England. A time consuming yet thoroughly rewarding endeavour and seriously, does anything smell more festive than mince Pies…?


text:
Hot Drugstore Find of the Week: Clean & Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser
Hello Divas! I hope you are having a beautiful day! Life is a blessing! The last quarter of the year I begin to experience a lot of acne breakouts on my face. I knew it was stress, but I was kind of frustrated and at lost on how to get…2 Comments + Read More


text:
Investment Philosophy
Entrusted with the important task of investing our clients' hard-earned money, Watermark Wealth Strategies has formed a set of fundamental beliefs which direct all of our decision-making. These guiding principles are grounded in our study of economic trends and the investor behavior that occurs in response to inevitable fluctuation. Using our philosophy in conjunction with your time frame and comfort level, our team can then narrow down particular strategies that make the most sense for you.
Our Philosophy:
- We believe your financial plan is an extension of your overall life plan. As such, we don't just punch numbers into a calculator to determine the exact amount you need to retire, rather we incorporate your wildest dreams, your greatest ambitions, and your lifelong goals into the advice we give.
- We believe in partnering with open-minded men and women who are eager to listen to our recommendations. Individuals who have no preconceived biases towards good or bad investments trust us to act in their best interests, a role we take very seriously.
- We believe in working with optimistic investors. Clients who have adopted a positive point of view tend to make financial conclusions based on reason, not emotion.
- We believe short-term outcomes are not always a good indicator of long-term failure or success. Like driving down a stretch of highway, it's important to look at the horizon instead of three feet in front of you.
- We believe you can't time or beat the markets. Because it is impossible to guarantee the size of a return, the best way to minimize risk is to invest in sectors that have traditionally outperformed.


text:
The whole It's-easy-just-leave-it-in-the-oven-at-180°-for-12-hours seems easy but my oven automatically turns itself off after 8. So there it sat for another 4 hours in the oven before I woke up. I'm going to a tea party today. I need something quick and I don't have time for the crock pot method. This is for you cheaters out there.
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/2 C sour cream, room temp
sugar, to taste
Beat it all with a hand mixer for several minutes.
Store in air tight container and keep refrigerated for up to one week.


text:
Public Insight Network
Doral booming on its 10th birthday
Minurka Bolaños watched her 2-year-old son toddle around the playhouse that hides in the shade of sails stretched over Downtown Doral Park.
It's part of her daily routine to bring little Elijah Martinez to the park, which was built last year and lies a minute's walk away from Doral City Hall. As Elijah ran around the playground, Bolaños said she prefers the quieter late mornings to the kid-filled afternoons.
"There's no one ever here," she said Tuesday morning.
Less than a quarter-mile away, in a third-floor chamber that crowns a City Hall completed last year, city commissioners discussed proposed ordinances and strategic planning for the future. Not too far from there, behind the walls of the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, construction continues on the Blue Monster — the famed golf course that's getting a facelift as part of a $200 million resort renovation bankrolled by Donald Trump, who bought the property last year.
The signs of a growing suburban community are everywhere in one of Miami-Dade's youngest cities, which turned 10 on Monday, marking a decade since Doral's incorporation. Its proximity to Miami International Airport and two major highways — SR 826 and SR 836 — have made it a magnet for businesses. Large businesses, small exporters, and restaurants and retailers have found a home in Doral.
But with growth comes traffic. The city is contending with how to alleviate its clogged arteries, particularly Northwest 25th and 36th streets and 87th and 107th avenues. It also has faced political growing pains, with a recent council member recall effort (it failed), the abrupt departure of a veteran interim city manager, and the hiring of a new manager with a volatile history.
Richard Kuper, executive director of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities, said that he has noted positive responses to surveys administered by Doral officials during its first decade as a city.
Overall, he said, cityhood has been good for Doral.
"The incorporation of Doral has been a very positive thing for the residents themselves and for the business community," he said.
City officials plan to recognize the milestone at this year's July Fourth festivities at J.C. Bermudez Park, at 3000 NW 87th Ave. A more formal celebration of the 10-year anniversary will take place on Oct. 5 at Doral Meadow Park, 11555 NW 58th St.
J.C. Bermudez, a leading figure in the incorporation effort and the city's mayor for its first eight years, said that he is proud to have helped lead the city during its infancy.
"I think we've built one of the best places in South Florida," he said. "One of the best places in the country."
Bermudez pointed to a growing list of companies that have chosen to make Doral home — Carnival Cruise Lines, Perry Ellis International and Univision. Last month, the Miami Herald Media Company moved its headquarters to Doral, settling on 33rd Street — next to a recently built U.S. Southern Command headquarters and across the way from the Miami branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
The preadolescent city has made several strides during the past decade. The Doral Police Department was established in 2008, and 94 officers now patrol the city. Six parks have sprouted with summer programs. The area around city hall, off of 87th Avenue and 58th Street, continues to be developed. According to the U.S. Census, Doral's population has grown from about 20,400 in 2000 — three years before incorporation — to an estimated 48,134 in 2012.
The Hispanic community has accounted for much of the growth. About 67 percent of the population was Hispanic in 2000, Census figures show. By 2010, 79.5 percent claimed the same heritage.
Mayor Luigi Boria, who was born in Venezuela and has lived in the area for 24 years, noted the growing diversity.
Now, there are many more Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans and Brazilians, he said.
The growth has led to bigger budgets. In its first fiscal year, Doral's general-fund budget totaled a little more than $23 million. This year, the city council had $58 million to work with — enough to prompt City Manager Joe Carollo to propose cuts and hint at a smaller budget next year.
Carollo's appointment in January surprised many and marked the return of the former Miami mayor and political firebrand to public service. Interim city manager Merrett Stierheim, who had been hired to guide the city in finding a new manager, resigned a few hours before the council hired Carollo. After his resignation, Stierheim said the hiring of Carollo was "a terrible decision" by the council.
At the time, Carollo — a friend and political adviser to Boria — said he regretted recommending Stierheim to the mayor. On Thursday, Carollo said he had moved on from the public tiff.
"I'm just focused now on what I need to do as city manager," he said.
In another episode, political activist Vanessa Brito led a failed attempt to recall Councilwoman Bettina Rodriguez-Aguilera. Rumors ran wild about who may have instigated the recall, which fizzled in April after too few signatures were submitted.
Regarding the city's purse, Carollo said that Doral's finances are strong, particularly after the council approved his recommendation to reduce the current fiscal year's budget from $58 million to $41.5 million and pump up the city's reserves to about $40.6 million.
He said that a new city needs an especially strong reserve fund because of expected infrastructure and capital-improvement needs that come with growth.
"It looks like we're loaded with money," he said. "But we have to be very savvy and financially responsible in how we spend it because if not, it could turn around really quick."
Boria said he remembers narrower roads and farms when he first arrived. Now, he has said that improving traffic congestion has to be a priority for the council.
Resident Robert Vos agreed, saying that increased traffic is the biggest change he's seen in the 14 years he's lived in Doral.
"There are times when it's almost gridlock," he said.
Besides current and planned road improvements, Boria said that expanding the city's free trolley service and extending Metrorail might be worth pursuing.
"We might want to look at mass transportation," he said.
Robert Uria, who moved to Doral with his wife in 2000, said the quality of life has improved since the community became a city.
"There are spectacular holiday events that my young boys enjoy," he said. "The parks are run efficiently and proactively like none I have ever seen. I actually see our police officers on a regular basis. Fantastic restaurants. Great people. I cannot ask for a better place to live."
For 20-year-old Luis Camejo, who coaches the sons of some family friends in various sports during the summer, the city's parks are high points for him.
As he taught two boys how to swing a golf club at Bermudez Park on Tuesday, he said he likes the services that come with being a city.
"There are more police, more parks," he said. "I like it more now."
This article includes comments from the Public Insight Network, an online community of people who have agreed to share their opinions with The Miami Herald.
Follow @joeflech on Twitter.


text:
I made this Tarte Tatin for a dinner we hosted a few weeks ago. Since there were only 3 of us eating that evening, there was Tarte Tatin left on the kitchen counter. On Sunday morning, our son came to our bedroom and one of the first things he asked was " c'est quoi ce qui est sur la table de la cuisine?"I had forgotten about the Tarte Tatin. I thought he meant his "pâte à sel" objects (sort of playdough made of salt and flour) that needed to be baked to solidify before being painted. So I told him that he had to wait because it was not cooked. He insisted, talking about the other plate... but since it was
too early and I had no idea of what he was talking about, I asked him to wait until I got ready for breakfast... I should have known my son better (he is his dad's mignature in a way): he is very fast when it comes to spotting something sweet that can be eaten!!!
So, Tarte Tatin for breakfast? Mais oui...I could not say no, n'est-ce-pas? And you can be sure that the Tarte Tatin did not survive past breakfast! I guess that la Tarte Tatin might now be my son's favorite desserts as well... (my daughter liked it as well to tell you the truth but she did not spend 5 minutes at 7.30am (that's early for a Sunday morning, no?) trying to make me explain "what was on the table.") Bon Appétit!
For the crust:
- 1 stick plus two tablespoons cold salted butter (5 ounces), cut into small cubes and chilled in freezer
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- A pinch of salt- 3 to 6 tablespoons iced water
For the crust:
- 1 stick plus two tablespoons cold salted butter (5 ounces), cut into small cubes and chilled in freezer
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- A pinch of salt- 3 to 6 tablespoons iced water
For the filling:
- 7 medium apples (firm apples and flavorful). Purchase more than you would need because they tend to "shrink while cooking.
- 1 stick (4 ounces or 110gr ) salted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick (4 ounces or 110gr ) salted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- Prepare the dough:
- Put the flour in a bowl and make a well ; add the butter and mix in so that you reach pea-size pieces.
- Add the water, one teaspoon at a time.
- Don't overwork the dough, especially with your warm hands. Wrap in plastic film and cool it in the freezer for one hour or more.
- Prepare the filling:
- In a pan/dish that can go in the oven, put the sugar and butter (in pieces).
- Once melted, add the apple pieces. Make sure to add more because they will shrink. It does not matter at this stage if some pieces are on top of each other.
- Cook over medium-heat for 20mn until the sugar turns to caramel.
- Pre-heat oven to 375F
- Take the dough from the fridge and roll it (over flour-covered surface) into a disc that will be bigger than your pan/dish.
- When you are ready to bake the tarte, lay the dough over the apples and place in the oven.
- Cook for about 25-30ms.
- Flip over a serving dish with caution.
- Serve while still warm.
My Personal Comments:
- Make sure to purchase firm apples.
- Some people add one tablespoon of sugar in the dough; I don't because the caramel is so sweet that you don't need extra sugar.
- You could make the dough in a food processor but you want to make sure that the blade/bowl are cold when you make it.


text:
3 Tips for Making Your Company "Green"
Being environmentally friendly and promoting conservation and the wise use of resources has become a big trend among businesses lately. Although a study done in 2008 showed that only 27% of Americans actively cared if a company had ecologically sound practices, the same study showed that consumers won't cut much slack or give much business to companies that are conspicuously polluting of being ecologically unfriendly. Clearly your corporate actions do matter.
If you're interested in adding some eco-friendly improvements to your business, here are some things you can do quickly and easily. Any or all of them can make a difference in your company's environmental impact.
- Examine your packaging – Recycle boxes. Ask your customers if they would mind receiving their order in a recycled box. EnMart is currently contemplating adding this option to our web site. It cuts down on waste and can save your company money. Things like cornstarch peanuts instead of styrofoam peanuts can help too. Cornstarch is biodegradable and non-toxic. Cornstarch packing peanuts can be purchased for just a few cents more than regular packing peanuts.
- Recycle - We go through a lot of paper hear at EnMart. We've done a couple of things to try and reduce our paper consumption. One thing we do is try to scan, fax or e-mail everything we can. The majority of our invoices go out via e-mail. We are also working to put company literature, like catalogs and price sheets, on CD, so they don't need to be printed. EnMart also reuses waste paper. Anything that will stay within the company, such as an order that will be filed, is printed on waste paper which would otherwise have been thrown away. Every office saves waste paper precisely for this use.
- Work with other "green" companies – One of the reasons, among many, that EnMart chose to work with Hilos Iris was their environmentally friendly practices. If companies that are working to protect the environment also work to support each other, the green movement will become more profitable and more companies will take up the cause.
Being green doesn't require huge changes or a huge budget. It just requires being aware, and looking for environmentally friendly ways of doing things.
posted in Making Your Business Grow | Comments Off


text:
Military Jobs
We've established ourselves as an industry and market leader in all we do by trusting our employees to bring innovative ideas to the table and giving them the right environment to work together to turn those ideas into action.
We look for people who share our values, such as teamwork, dedication, respect and integrity. These and the other values that guide Dart resonate with armed forces personnel, so veterans are often a great fit for our company. That's why we've streamlined our job search process for veterans: Simply enter your military job code and we'll create a list of open positions that match your skills and experience.


text:
The outpouring of ideas and reactions to the story about Thu Thi Vo (Covey) was tremendous. There were comments on VWK as well as email messages that people sent. We mounted a virtual group effort to help Thu Thi's brother reunite with her, and I wanted to update you on what has been going on.
Wendy did some research and located a Karen Covey via Facebook. The woman looked like she could be of partial Asian descent but a little young for someone who may have been born in the late 1960s. I reached out to Karen in late January and never heard back.
Then I received a message from Justin. His wife, a reader of VWK, prompted him to look into the matter. Justin found a Social Security Death Index record of a person named "Thu Thi Vo" who passed away in 2007. She was 81 years old. She last lived in San Bernardino, which is east of Los Angeles (not far from San Diego).
Her brother Minh Hung Vo thought that his sister would be in her 70s by now so this woman may not have been her. That said, sometimes people alter their age when they enter the US so this woman could have been her. Justin and I hoped not as no one wants to be the bearer of bad news.
I have forwarded the information to my contact in Vietnam to convey to Minh and await a response. It's hard to determine whether or not the brother could match the information – aside from the birthday – with his missing sister. A number of you had found a Thu Thi Vo with an address in San Bernardino. That is the person that Justin likely found via the Social Security Death Index. (Can I pause here to tell you incredibly awesome and smart you all are?)
I had no idea about the SSDI and found a portal via Ancestry.com. I've never looked up death information before as my family's ancestral line in America runs rather short; we all got here in 1975 or so.
Giovanna and Tuyet took up finding "Thu Thi Covey". Giovanna reported that initially it was easy to find someone by that name on PeopleFinder.com. However when she went back to pay for the full search, the name didn't turn up as many leads. Strange. (I regretted not getting more information from the brother when I met him in Vietnam.)
A resident of San Diego, Tuyet volunteered to do the groundwork. Tuyet went all out and followed every lead possible, looking up addresses, visiting the San Diego office of records, etc. She tried the surname of Carman too. She turned up no related records. Giovanna, Tuyet and I huddled on this for a good week and unfortunately, there were only dead ends.
As a ray of hope, Hector related his personal experience via a comment on the original post:
this story really hits home with me and my family. my mother came to the US and when the north took over, my grandmother burned all information she had in regards to my mother and my aunt who also came to the US. in 1987 a woman who had immigrated to New Mexico went back to Vietnam, and my grandmother approached her and asked her if she could help find my mom. the woman agreed to ask anyone she knew, but was not very hopeful. my grandmother sent a picture with her of my mom, and the woman went back to New Mexico. This woman's husband was a US vet. at this time my mom,s childhood friend had planned to come to Arizona to visit my mom, her husband decided to visit one of his old army buddies on the way. his buddy lived in New Mexico. when the two ladies met, the woman from new mexico told my mom's friend about my grandmother's story, and figured she would show her the picture. my mother's friend took one look at the picture and told the woman that she knew the girl in the picture and was in fact on her way to visit her. my mom's friend came to Arizona, and told my mom the whole story, and was able to get back in touch with my grandmother. this connection was done before the internet, before cell phones, and all the tech that we have today. it makes me happy to see everyone trying to help out.
So at this juncture, all we can say is that Thu Thi Vo likely changed her name a few times, and perhaps may have passed away. People who have been separated by war and upheaval have found ways to reconnect with one another. Over the years, my parents have reunited with relatives and friends that they thought they'd lost contact with.
It is sad that Minh Hung hasn't been able to find his sister. We've tried the best that we can, and I greatly appreciate your collective thoughtfulness in this project. If there's a sudden development in the future, I will definitely let you know.
Thanks again.


text:
FREE Concerts on the Green
Sunday evenings, FREE concerts start at 5:30 PM
June 10 – August 19, 2018
Concerts on the Green are held on Sunday evenings. All concerts start at 5:30 PM and end at 8 PM unless otherwise notified. Concerts on the Green are held at the beautiful Lou Bredlow Pavilion in Warner Park at 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., in Woodland Hills. There is plenty of room for a late afternoon picnic with the family while being entertained by headline performers. As always all our concerts are FREE.
Parking for Concerts on the Green is available in the parking structure directly behind the stage on Califa Street for $15. Additional parking is available on Owensmouth Avenue in either parking structure between Califa and Oxnard. (see map). Signs are clearly posted. Parking fees are a donation to Valley Cultural Center and allow us to continue our longstanding tradition of bringing music and the arts to our West Valley.
Food Trucks & Booths
This year, Food Trucks are coming to Concerts on the Green. Some of our favorite Food Booths will also be returning, serving up a variety of cuisines. Follow us on Facebook to see some of the trucks coming each week!
Concert Etiquette
For your comfort, you may bring blankets, low chairs (under 3′ height), tarps and pillows. Canopies, umbrellas or EZ-ups are permitted UNTIL the concert starts. Once the announcements begin, you must take these items down. You may NOT use stakes to keep your blankets in place as they are a safety hazard. There are to be no grills or open flames of any kind in the park. Food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted and we encourage you to visit our food court on the west end for more options. Please keep animals tethered and respect your neighbors by being mindful of your space and the view of others.


text:
Aiming,though often failing 'to become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some'. Join with me in these reflections,discussions, videos and even humour about how we might become truly authentic in mission:Contextual yet Biblical:Passionate, but also Compassionate:In Word, as well as in Deed.The Spirit of Jesus within is calling each of his followers to reach out and fulfil the Missio Dei in a world of pain and need.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content."—Philippians 4:11.
THESE words show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. "Ill weeds grow apace." Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated.
If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener's care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us. Paul says, "I have learned . . . to be content;" as much as to say, he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to attain to the mystery of that great truth. No doubt he sometimes thought he had learned, and then broke down. And when at last he had attained unto it, and could say, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," he was an old, grey-headed man, upon the borders of the grave—a poor prisoner shut up in Nero's dungeon at Rome.
We might well be willing to endure Paul's infirmities, and share the cold dungeon with him, if we too might by any means attain unto his good degree. Do not indulge the notion that you can be contented with learning, or learn without discipline. It is not a power that may be exercised naturally, but a science to be acquired gradually. We know this from experience. Brother, hush that murmur, natural though it be, and continue a diligent pupil in the College of Content.
Posted by Andrew Kenny at 08:00
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Jenny Point to Point links are uncapped, so there is no limit on the amount of data that passes through them. With various line speeds available, the business owner can have a 8192 Kbps line speed between major branches, a 2048 Kbps connection to sub-branches and a 1024 Kbps line to a home office. Upgrading or downgrading line speeds is as easy as sending an email request to the Jenny National Support Centre.
With Jenny Point to Point links, a single fibre Internet line can be installed, which in turn can supply Internet to all the required branches. This saves businesses on multiple line rental contracts by consolidating multiple bills and contracts into one single monthly amount.
By implmenting Jenny Point to Point links, you open your business up to easy expansion as new installations are not dependant on old broadband infrastructure.


text:
Livingston Dining Commons
The new Livingston Dining Commons opened in late August 2011, in time to serve new and returning students (and others in the university community) in the 2011 fall semester. The new $30.5 million multistory dining facility, adjacent to the Livingston Student Center, replaced Tillett Dining Hall with an upscale, modern environment. The new commons is about 58,000 square feet.
More about Livingston Dining Commons:
- Official page from Rutgers Dining Services.
- The facility's Facebook page.
Check out photos of the new dining commons, from Dean George Jones, in the slideshow below, or open the photo album in a new window.
Originally posted September 16, 2011
Revised February 21, 2016


text:
If you want to protect your home, then make sure that you consider a home security alarm system. This is one of the easiest ways you can use to protect both your personal property and even your loved ones. However, it is important to know that there are a lot of different types of home security systems, check out ADT Los Angeles for a comprehensive read and exclusive offers. The only challenge you are likely to encounter is whether you will be in a position of choosing the perfect type of home security system.
Selecting a home security system
Also, you are recommended to know some of the important options you are recommended to consider to choose the best security alarm system that can meet your security needs. However, since dogs are known to be the best guards in our various homes, it's now the right time to try these new security systems in our homes. The following therefore are some tips on choosing a home security system.
Your budget
When you are choosing the best home security system alarms, it is important to make sure that you consider your budget. Therefore, ensure that you have set aside some amount to use in your home security system. Do not choose a security system that is sold at an affordable price. Just look at the price before you make any purchasing. After that, choose the best security system at an affordable price.
Before you buy any product, it is advisable to consider looking at the features. There are some important t features you are recommended to check on your home security systems before you purchase them. Therefore, if you do not know some of the features to consider, ask an expert to help you in that process. Do not buy any security system before checking on various crucial features.
Customer reviews
Due to advancement in the technology sector, most people consider online shopping. This is because, through online shopping, there are a lot of benefits you are likely to get. With online shopping, you are in a good position of reading some reviews based on the home security system. They will help you to know the best home security system to choose. Make sure that you read these reviews booth positive and negative reviews. Do not read only positive reviews.
Immediate response
When you are choosing the best home security system, it is important to make sure that you consider an instant response feature. Make sure that you connect your home security system with a phone and then make sure that you can get an immediate response. If you buy a quality home security system, you should make sure that you buy a quality system. If anyone breaks into your house, you should get an immediate response on your phone.
User friendly
If you are choosing the best home security system, you are supposed to ensure that you choose a system that you can easily connect. Therefore, check the connectivity first before you decide to choose your home security system.


text:
19 Jul
I'm getting a bit pissed off with Blogger and Indosat.
The Blogger 'Create Post' set up remains the mess I complained about on Friday, except you can't now justify the text ~ and I'm talking about the formatting rather my musings. The font size option has also gone, as have the colours. What's more, my site looks totally different on IE from the version I prefer to look at on Mozilla's Firefox. With the latter, my links are down the right-side which is how my original template was set up. Not so with IE ~ the links are dangling somewhere at the bottom. Editing a post now seems to involve fiddling with HTML which I do not have time nor do I wish to do. Please give me back the idiot-proof version so I can play with my own words.
As for Indosat, I can't access my spam today; neither my direct link nor their webmail link are connecting. This is a recent e-mail from them:
Dear IM2 Indosatnet Customers,
Thank you for trusting IndosatM2 in providing your Internet service.
To continually improving the quality of service, herewith we would like to inform you that commencing on July 19, 2004, we provide Power Surf as our new free features for Dial Up Users, which gives an additional speed up to 5 (five) times in accessing the Internet.
We hope you can enjoy the facility conveniently.
Best regards,
Customer Service Manager
Quality of service? Who are they kidding?
And 'Power Surf' sounds like a soap powder, so I hope they don't mind me washing their dirty laundry in public.


text:
I haven't written much on Ukraine other than a couple of stories on the country's complete fiscal irresponsibility and astonishment that a country so often tossed around among powers, couldn't find a decent man or woman to lead them and maintain a free society. Corrupt leaders never lead to freedom. Corrupt leaders always led to less freedom. Note that Russians have done the same thing and put Putin back on the throne. From the beginning, I felt that Russian agitators were sent into Crimea, and still believe that, but I'm beginning to also believe that the U.S. was complicit in agitating inside Ukraine, to the point that the mess there now, is American-made. The following are a few examples of why I believe this to be a real possibility:
If the US State Department's Victoria Nuland had not said "F**k the EU," few outsiders at the time would
have heard of Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, the man on the other end of her famously bugged telephone call. But now Washington's man in Kiev is gaining fame as the face of the CIA-style "destabilization campaign" that brought down Ukraine's monumentally corrupt but legitimately elected President Viktor Yanukovych.
"Geoffrey Pyatt is one of these State Department high officials who does what he's told and fancies himself asa
kind of a CIA operator," laughs Ray McGovern, who worked for 27 years as an intelligence analyst for the agency. "It used to be the CIA doing these things," he tells Democracy Now. "I know that for a fact." Now it's the State Department, with its coat-and-tie diplomats, twitter and facebook accounts, and a trick bag of goodies to build support for American policy.
A retired apparatchik, the now repentant McGovern was debating Yale historian Timothy Snyder, a self-described left-winger and the author of two recent essays in The New York Review of Books – "The Haze of Propaganda" and "Fascism, Russia, and Ukraine." Both men speak Russian, but they come from different planets.
On Planet McGovern – or my personal take on it – realpolitik rules. The State Department controls the prime funding sources for non-military intervention, including the controversial National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which Washington created to fund covert and clandestine action after Ramparts magazine and others exposed how the CIA channeled money through private foundations, including the Ford Foundation. State also controls the far-better-funded Agency for International Development (USAID), along with a growing network of front groups, cut-outs, and private contractors. State coordinates with like-minded governments and their parallel institutions, mostly in Canada and Western Europe. State's "democracy bureaucracy" oversees nominally private but largely government funded groups like Freedom House. And through Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, State had Geoff Pyatt coordinate the coup in Kiev.
The CIA, NSA, and Pentagon likely provided their specialized services, while some of the private contractors exhibited shadowy skill sets. But if McGovern knows the score, as he should, diplomats ran the campaign to destabilize Ukraine and did the hands-on dirty work.
Harder for some people to grasp, Ambassador Pyatt and his team did not create the foreign policy, which was – and is – only minimally about overthrowing Ukraine's duly elected government to "promote democracy." Ever since Bill Clinton sat in the Oval Office, Washington and its European allies have worked openly and covertly to extend NATO to the Russian border and Black Sea Fleet, provoking a badly wounded Russian bear. They have also worked to bring Ukraine and its Eastern European neighbors into the neoliberal economy of the West, isolating the Russians rather than trying to bring them into the fold. Except for sporadic resets, anti-Russian has become the new anti-Soviet, and "strategic containment" has been the wonky word for encircling Russia with our military and economic power.
Nor did neoconservatives create the policy, no matter how many progressive pundits blame them for it. NED provides cushy jobs for old social democrats born again as neocons. Pyatt's boss, Victoria Nuland, is the wife and fellow-traveler of historian Robert Kagan, one of the movement's leading lights. And neocons are currently beating the war drums against Russia, as much to scupper any agreements on Syria and Iran as to encourage more Pentagon contracts for their friends and financial backers. But, encircling Russia has never been just a neocon thing. The policy has bi-partisan and trans-Atlantic support, including the backing of America's old-school nationalists, Cold War liberals, Hillary hawks, and much of Obama's national security team.
No matter that the policy doesn't pass the giggle test. Extending NATO and Western economic institutions into all of a very divided Ukraine had less chance of working than did hopes in 2008 of bringing Georgia into NATO, which could have given the gung-ho Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvilli the treaty right to drag us all into World War III. To me, that seemed like giving a ten-year-old the keys to the family Humvee.
Western provocations in Ukraine proved more immediately counterproductive. They gave Vladimir
Putin the perfect opportunity for a pro-Russian putsch in Crimea, which he had certainly thought of before, but never as a priority. The provocations encouraged him to stand up as a true Russian nationalist, which will only make him more difficult to deal with. And they gave him cover to get away with that age-old tool of tyrants, a quickie plebiscite with an unnecessary return to Joseph Stalin's old dictum once popular in my homestate of Florida: "It's not the votes that count, but who counts the votes."…
For Pyatt, the payoff came on November 21, when President Yanukovych pulled back from an Association Agreement with the European Union. Within hours Hromadske.TV went online and one of its journalists set the spark that brought Yanukovych down.
"Enter a lonely, courageous Ukrainian rebel, a leading investigative journalist," writes Snyder. "A dark-skinned journalist who gets racially profiled by the regime. And a Muslim. And an Afghan. This is Mustafa Nayem, the man who started the revolution. Using social media, he called students and other young people to rally on the main square of Kiev in support of a European choice for Ukraine."
All credit to Nayem for his undeniable courage. But bad, bad history. Snyder fails to mention that Pyatt, Soros, and the Dutch had put Web TV at the uprising's disposal. Without their joint funding of Hromadske and its streaming video from the Euromaidan, the revolution might never have been televised and Yanukovych might have crushed the entire effort before it gained traction.
Source: Steve Weissman writing at Ron Paul Institute, March 25, 2014 – fascinating article, read more here.
I so wanted to put Mr. Weissman's entire article here, but, that's not the right thing to do, and I "stole" more than I should have. Thanks to Scoster Farrara, Minutemen of TN on Facebook who has been on top of Ukraine from the beginning and pointed me to Weissman and the last article linked below.
My friend Norma Brown is a former U.S. diplomat who has lived and worked in Russia. The following is a portion of her latest post on Ukraine:
It is prepared to invade southeastern Ukraine if need be, but that seems unlikely now. Instead we had a referendum, however flawed, showing a strong anti-Kiev vote (whipped up by Kiev's inept military assault against the "terrorists") and a subsequent request from Donetsk authorities for annexation by Russia. Russia is being coyly silent about the request, but the tacit threat is real: continue meddling in Ukraine, and we'll accept the request for annexation. This ace in the hole gives Russia what it needs to force an agreement for a federal Ukraine with significant powers held by the provinces. That in turn ensures Russia's continued dominant influence in southeastern Ukraine that will almost certainly make it impossible for Ukraine to join NATO — Russia's ultimate goal.
That the strategy is succeeding is suggested by the sudden visit to Ukraine by the German Foreign Minister to encourage direct talks between the two parties and rumors that Kiev is being pressured to accept the federal solution. Germany is the number one opponent of any action by NATO vis-a-vis Ukraine and will spare no effort in heading off the American hawks. It isn't just war with Russia that frightens, but the damage further sanctions can do to the German economy. Read more at Ooobie on Everything
Germany, "significant" US leaks:
Even the most staunch transatlantic tabloid in Germany, Bild, today reports (original here) that the CIA and FBI with dozens of agents are running the show in Kiev. The report is based on "German security sources" which lets me believe that the German government is looking for ways to counter Washington's moves.
More intentional "leaks" were published today in the same media, the high circulation Bild am Sonntag print edition. According to this online summary (in German by the Bild sister paper Welt ) two different issues were revealed:
• According to the German secret service BND some 400 U.S. mercenaries from the company Academi, previously Blackwater, are leading and coordinating with the Ukrainian army and police in operations against "guerrilla" in east Ukraine.
• According to NSA sniffing on Russian military communication, released to the BND, Russian pilots were ordered to Violate Ukrainian airspace.
Both claims are sourced to BND security briefings in the German chancellery.
The first claim seems plausible as it confirms accusations made earlier in several Russian media. Commentators in the German media seem to accept it even while expressing some doubts about the second claim. Hardly anyone in Germany today believes anything claimed by the NSA :-).
Within just seven days two significant "leaks" to Bild,…Read more at Moon of Alabama
In the meantime, Joe Biden visited Ukraine and created the only two jobs of his administration – one for his son and one for a John Kerry family friend. It only cost the U.S. taxpayer $1 billion in loan guarantees, so if whatever we're doing in Ukraine fails, you and I have lost our share of $1B. Does our loan guarantee come before Ukraine's $2-$3 billion ANNUALLY gas debt to Russia?
Is it unfair, or biased, to refer to "U.S. mercenaries," I don't know. Is it unreasonable to believe German claims? I don't know. If the claims of U.S. agitation in Ukraine are true, is it wrong? I readily admit, I have no real knowledge of what is really happening in Ukraine, or the right and wrong of it, but if Yanukovych was elected in an unfair election, I don't believe it's our place to correct it. After all, this administration doesn't believe in voter IDs. Like everyone else, I'm reading, and wondering. Your opinions are welcome.
If you would like to receive Maggie's Notebook daily posts direct to your inbox, no ads, no spam, EVER, enter your email address in the box below.