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|Llewellyn's 2019 Daily Planetary Guide
|Yoga for the Creative Soul
|The Pure Heart of Yoga
Classical Latin writers specified that a "Draco" (which forms the origin of the modern word Dragon) referred to an unspecified or uncategorized serpent. The British Celtic name for Dragon, Dreig, continues to be used to this day in the modern Welsh language and is indicative of a mythical creature that is heraldic or emblematic of a Celtic Cultural Continuum. It is probable that the serpentine nature of the dragon and their expression in Celtic myth as worms and snakes seem to imply a possible land-based nature to these creatures; it may be suggested that the dragon started its life as a snake and developed through the popular imagination to become the mighty beast with which we are familiar. The dragon can be found in several cultures around the world, and is not exclusive to the Celtic nations; many have an earthy feel to them and seem symbolic of the relationship between a people and their land.
In Celtic magic, the true significance of the dragon is subtle, and they are not simply the enormous fire breathing beasts that we have been led to believe; they are so much more than their fictionalized expression. Not only do they represent the serpentine qualities of the land, of a creature in touch with the earth and moving into relationship with the people, they are also indicative of the spirit of a people, in this case the Celts of the islands of Britain. The dragon may have started its life as a lowly snake, but it rose to become the spirit of a place, genius loci, and then something remarkable happened: it became a part of our mythology, it sprouted wings and it moved with the people across the surface of the earth, over oceans and to new lands. Whereas the ordinary spirits of place are a part of the story of location, the dragon became something else; it became transferable and could migrate with the people. In order to gain an understanding of the significance and importance of the dragon in Celtic magic, we must descend into the past and find them in the misty corridors of mythology.
Into the Dragon's Den
The significance of the above tale is further reiterated in the Triads of the Island of Britain, which describes that one of the three fortunate concealments of Britain was, "the concealment of the dragons in Dinas Emrys which Lludd the son of Beli concealed."1 Further reference to the same pair of dragons can be found in Nennius' Historia Brittonum, compiled in the 9th century. Its title is misleading, as it does not represent a comprehensive history but rather a disparate collection of early writings that focused on locality-specific British history. The story that follows involves the famed Celtic prophet/magician Merlin and his adventures with Vortigern, the Druids, and two powerful dragons.
The story tells of the shamed king Vortigern and his attempt to build a stronghold in Snowdonia, but try as he may, the towers keep falling. His Druids inform him that the only way to safeguard the strength of the tower is to sprinkle the ground with the blood of a fatherless child. In due course, such a child is discovered and brought to the site to be slaughtered. Upon discovering that the Druids are responsible for his fate, he asks if they know what is buried beneath the tower; they cannot answer. He claims that under the ground is a lake, and within that lake a cloth tent, within which are to be found two sleeping serpents, one red and one white. The site is dug, and lo and behold, the serpents are discovered. The boy asks the Druids what the meaning of this is, and again they are unable to answer. The child explains that the cloth tent represents the kingdom and the two serpents are dragons; the red dragon stands for Britain and the white for the Saxons. So far, the white has been victorious, but eventually the red would reassert her strength and repel the invader. Eventually the boy reveals his identity: he is Merlin Ambrosius.
If we take the above three accounts—the tale of Lludd and Llefelys, the Triad, and the account of Merlin and Vortigern—there are several facts that belie the nature of the dragon. In the first tale we are told that the terrible cry on May-eve is the battle cries of a dragon, which the tale describes as "...and therefore YOUR dragon..."2, implying that one of the dragons is native to Britain and to the tribes of Lludd and his brother Llefelys, and is indicative of the land and its people, whereas the antagonist is foreign. We find the usual tripartite style relating to the shape or forms of the dragons, in that they appear initially as "monstrous animals," they then arise to the air as—one assumes—winged mighty dragons, and finally they fall to the earth in the form of pigs. Many of the modern interpretations of the tale fail to address the magical significance of this saga; firstly there are three forms to the dragons: unassigned animal, dragon, and pig. Meaning can be discovered in the original language, which states that "...yn ymladd yn rith aruthter aniveileit...yn rith dreigieu yn yr awyr...yn rith deu barchell,"3, which translates as, "in the form of monstrous animals...in the form of dragons in the air...in the form of two pigs." That may not seem extraordinary until one examines the term "rith," which is a word that describes a form of magic, or a magical description for an object's form or shape that is altered or transformed by magic. The term "rith" used magically implies that the actual shape of anything in existence is not necessarily permanent and can be changed by the will or power of the magician. One may assume that owing to the etymology of the word "dragon" and the fact that Merlin describes the sleeping dragons as serpents, that the initial monstrous shape of the dragons may well have been in the form of serpents. Snakes are commonly associated with the Celts and may represent the spirit of the land itself, which may imply that the dragon may have started its life as Genius Loci. After they rise to the air in the form of dragons they then descend into the shape of the most common Otherworldly Celtic beast, the pig, believed to have been gifted to humanity from the indigenous Celtic underworld, Annwn. The pig appears throughout Celtic mythology as devourer of the profane, a sign of impending supernatural activity and a valued commodity, qualities that can be superimposed onto the scales of the mighty dragon.
In the tale of Merlin and Vortigern we are informed of their colouration, red and white; the red dragon continues to be the emblematic symbol of the nation of Wales and its people as the original inhabitants of the Island of Britain. The dragons and the inter-textual references between these three accounts and other Celtic myths demonstrate the nature of the dragon, its function and the impact it had on the Celtic culture—which continues to this day.
How is this of value to practitioners of Celtic magic today? Not only do we have a creature of supernatural erudition that is indicative of the lands of the Celts but which is also representative of that cultural continuum and its people. It is the magic and spirit of the dragon that connects one on an energetic level to the entire Celtic Cultural Continuum. Some Genius Loci are not transferable from one location to another whilst others are. Where one spirit is indicative of a river, a mountain, or an ancestor, the dragon is the spirit that encompasses them all; it represents the beating, pulsing, vibrant spirit of the Celts and it is transferable to another location. To call the dragon is to summon the might of the Celts, to invoke the essence of heritage and culture that swim within you.
The Spirit of the Celts is more than the sum total of heritage and genetics, for if we look to the tales we can catch a glimpse, a clue to the nature of its spirit. In the tale of Vortigern, a fatherless child is necessary to solve the riddle of the fort's continuous destruction. This lack of parenthood is a trait shared by another enigmatic and magical figure of Celtic mythology, the prophet and chief bard of Britain: Taliesin, who also claimed himself to be an aspect of mystery by stating, "Not of mother nor of father, was my birth, was my creation."4 This trait seems to eliminate the need for hard genetics to justify one's connection to the Celtic spirit—which cannot be contained to blood alone; it runs in the rivers of deep ancestry and the magic of spiritual connection. It is by means of the Celtic spirit that we connect and swim in the rivers of its powerful continuum, and the dragon with its myriad shapes and its qualities of both land and tribe is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols of this connection. Regardless of where you are or where you come from, the commonality of the dragon and its power to transcend diversity, location and time is an ancient and significant energy that can and will bring richness and connection to your devotional practice, your magic and rituals.
Kristoffer Hughes (Wales) is Chief of the Anglesey Druid Order, a Mount Haemus Scholar, and a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. He is a teacher, writer, workshop leader, and guest speaker at Pagan conferences, ...


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When University of Missouri defensive end Michael Sam is selected in this week's NFL draft, it will be a soft milestone—the first time that an openly gay athlete is drafted into one of the major American sports—making discrimination based on sexuality seem that much more archaic. But you might not realize that there are certain facets of modern life where such discrimination is not only accepted, it's federally mandated.
Under FDA rules, for example, a man who has had sex with another man is ineligible to donate blood in the United States, even if he has a clean bill of health. Michael Sam may soon become a progressive icon of courage and acceptance, but if he wants to donate blood and acknowledges sexual activity with another man, he will be turned away at the door. It's an outdated, homophobic artifact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, rooted in the ignorance of the time.
The FDA established the ban in mid-1980s after public health officials realized that thousands of hemophiliacs—including, most famously, Ryan White—were receiving transfusions of HIV-infected blood. Patients undergoing surgery were also transfused with tainted blood, including tennis legend Arthur Ashe, who is believed to have contracted HIV from a transfusion during an operation on his heart. Without a good way to test blood for HIV, the FDA decided to classify any man who had engaged in a sex act with another man in the highest-risk blood-donor category—the same category as IV drug users and people with possible exposure to mad cow disease—and forbade them from donating blood indefinitely. Many other industrialized countries followed suit. As the FDA explains on its website:
"FDA's primary responsibility with regard to blood and blood products is to assure the safety of patients who receive these life-saving products. FDA uses multiple layers of safeguards in its approach to ensuring blood safety, which include donor screening and deferral based on risk factors, blood testing for markers of infection, inventory controls, and deferral registries. The use of these multiple layers helps to assure the safety of the products in the event that one layer fails. A history of male-to-male sex is associated with an increased risk for exposure to and transmission of certain infectious diseases, including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Men who have had sex with other men (MSM) represent approximately 2% of the US population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV. In 2010, MSM accounted for at least 61% of all new HIV infections in the U.S. and an estimated 77% of diagnosed HIV infections among males were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact."
This was done before there was a reliable test for HIV. But today we can easily test blood for HIV (with the over-the-counter mouth swab OraQuick Test) and for other viruses like hepatitis B and C. In just a few hours, I can tell someone if they have HIV or not. A lot has changed in 30 years, but despite these advances, FDA policy remains stuck in the '80s.
The United States still mandates that if you answer yes to any of the following, you are banned from donating blood:
- For men: Have you had sex with another man, even once since 1977?
- Have you ever injected intravenous drugs?
- Have you engaged in sex in exchange for money or drugs since 1977?
- Have you ever had clinical or laboratory evidence of AIDS or HIV infection?
- Have you received clotting factor concentrates for hemophilia or other clotting disorders?
And if you answer yes to having sex with one of the following in the past 12 months, you're banned for a year:
- A person who has HIV infection or AIDS
- A prostitute
- A person who currently or previously used intravenous drugs
- For women: a man who has had sex with another man
- A person receiving clotting factor concentrates
So as it stands, a married homosexual man in a monogamous relationship who practices safe sex and is HIV-negative is considered more of a threat to the blood supply than a straight man who just had sex with a prostitute. To put it mildly, this policy is preposterous; it's a relic from the 1980s that has outlived whatever usefulness it had and now simply formalizes discrimination. More importantly, it has no public health benefit, which is why so many countries are now reconsidering the ban. England lifted its lifetime ban in September 2011, and changed the policy to simply restrict men who have had sex with another man within the past 12 months. Canada's ban is five years, and South Africa's is six months; Spain and Italy don't prevent gay men from donating blood at all. This variation obviously has to do with politics, not science, and the United States is lagging behind.
In 2006, the American Red Cross, in conjunction with the American Association of Blood Banks and American's Blood Centers, presented a joint position to the FDA's Blood Products Advisory Committee (BPAC) stating that "the current lifetime deferral for men who have had sex with other men is medically and scientifically unwarranted." Bowing to public pressure, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety finally revisited the outdated policy in 2010 and agreed that the ban on blood donations from gay men was "suboptimal" but kept it in place pending additional research to "create a road map forward," as one panelist said.
If you believe that was a good decision, one that errs on the side of caution and will ultimately protect our nation's blood bank from high-risk donors, it's useful to know that many of those who are banned simply ignore the policy and give blood anyway. In one study, 42 percent of homosexual men said they had donated blood, which means that the FDA's discriminatory policy isn't even being followed. So what's the point?
Advances in our ability to rapidly detect HIV and other infectious diseases like hepatitis B and C, coupled with a foreseeable shortage in the blood supply, have evaporated any benefit to the ban on donations from sexually active gay men, and this should compel the US Food and Drug Administration to stop excluding healthy gay donors. It's outrageous to think Michael Sam and others can shed blood, sweat, and tears on the athletic field but can't give to a blood bank.
Matt McCarthy is an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center and author of the forthcoming book The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly. Follow him on Twitter.
Image by Jim Cooke.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Jersey, which has a history of taking a less aggressive path in energy efficiency programs compared to other states in the region, has stepped up to the plate. Democratic Governor Phil Murphy was sworn in as the Garden State's 56th governor earlier in January 2018. To uphold the promise to his constituents, he signed an executive order to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) with the intent to grow the clean energy economy in the state. This process may take six to nine months to fully reenter due to negotiations with current RGGI states to determine the best way for New Jersey to enter into the carbon budget trading program. With New Jersey rejoining RGGI, the state will be a part of the extension of RGGI through 2030, which reduces the emissions cap by 30 percent from 2020 levels.
The state continues to operate energy efficiency programs under the guidance of its new Comprehensive Resource Analysis (currently FY 2018), which outlines the fiscal year budgets and savings goals for programs operated by the New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP).
The state's Energy Master Plan was last updated in 2015. The plan examines the goals set forth in the 2011 update and makes recommendations on how to continue working towards and achieving them. The five overarching goals include:
- Drive Down the Cost of Energy For All Customers
- Promote a Diverse Portfolio of New, Clean, In-State Generation
- Reward Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation/Reduce Peak Demand
- Capitalize on Emerging Technologies for Transportation and Power Production
- Maintain Support for the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard
Complimentary Policies
Of note, senate bill 812 has been introduced, which would require that, by 2050, all electric power sold in New Jersey by each electric power supplier and basic generation provider be from Class I renewable energy sources. This bill also covers the implementation of electric and gas efficiency standards. Such standards would require a reduction of electricity usage and natural gas usage for heating in the state by 2020 to a level that is 20 percent below the usage projected by the board in the absence of such a standard.
Policy and Program Information
State Offices
|New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
Program Administrators
Additional Resources
|Preliminary Comprehensive Resource Analysis Order for 2015-2017
|New Jersey and the Clean Power Plan
|State Documents and Key Info- New Jersey
|U.S. Department of Energy
|SEE Action
New Jersey at a Glance
|Direct Jobs in Energy Efficiency
|Electric Efficiency Program Expenditures
|$177.6 million
|Gas Efficiency Program Expenditures
|$83.3 million
|Per Capita Expenditures
|Annual Electric Savings
|409,957 MWh
|Electric Savings as Percent of Retail Sales
|0.55 %
|Annual Gas Savings
|9.67 million therms
|Gas Savings as Percent of Retail Sales


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Now that I'm back from our trip to France, I can tell you what I did wrong and what I did right.
In all my years of traveling to the Cote d'Azur, you would think I had mastered the art of packing light.
I didn't.
As usual, I overpacked. I know, I know. I am constantly reading about "capsule" wardrobes and it just isn't my thing. But I did make note of what I did wear. And I wore on repeat. I packed five wigs and only wore two. One only two days. Do the math! I'm telling you, I really "wronged" on the packing. Big time!
Here's what I did end up wearing and all but the navy dotted shorts were worn on repeat.
First of all, this getup was my "hanging at home" go-to. Most dinners on the terrace were eaten wearing this tee and knit pj shorts. YES!! PJ shorts! Once a slob–always a slob!
I cleaned up well for our visits to St. Tropez. I wore this dress for every visit except on to St. Trop. I even wore it to the funeral. This ten-dollar dress was worn at least 7 times during the stay. Luckily I was able to wash it!
The 11 euro bikinis. Who cares about the soft body. I wore these practically every day. I ended up buying two of the paisly suit!
Another dress on repeat. And this was a whopping $16. at Primark! I was super comfortable because I didn't have to wear a bra with this dress! Notice the Rondini Tropezienne sandals. I wore these almost every day!
I knew we would be doing a lot of walking in Ensues and Marseille so I wore sneakers. I wore shorts and a bobbed wig too.
This was the only other day I wore short hair. It's Millie by Bobbi Boss and I love her! Another braless day with this off-the-shoulder shirt and white shorts. I did wear sandals!
Same white shorts, black Rondini sandals for a dressier look!
Date night in my other ten dollar Old Navy special! I ordered two more the other day. These swing dresses are so flattering!
My Rondini Bikini sandals were also worn a lot!
Honestly, all the outfits I wore in the above photos were all I needed. I wore an old Gap shift to the beach and pool as a bathing suit coverup. And underwear. All my clothes could have fit in a carryon!
Due to circumstances beyond my control, there wasn't a lot of time to do shopping. But it really didn't matter much because my goal was to purchase another pair of Rondini Sandals.
The red sandals are just as comfortable as my other Rondini sandals and ..they're RED!!! RED!!!!! Shopping Goal completed!
Other shopping goals were small—more Fleur d'Oranger from Fragonard and more French music CD's.
I stocked up on my Fleur d'Oranger Eau de Toilette at Fragonard, but also treated myself to the Fleur d'Oranger Intense. Pure Orange Blossom is my favorite scent!
Another goal was to find a great summer scent for my daughter, Oona. She gets very bad headaches from many scents—like mother, like daughter. She's very particular. After over an hour of sniffing, spraying, and repeating, we decided on the Figue. And guess what? She loves it!!
We sent a package to Oona with the Figue eau de toilette, some samples, another scent from Adopt parfum and a Fragonard tote that she can use while grocery shopping!
I picked up another one of these totes as well. You can never have enough!
With a bit of time before our flight home, I went into the Duty-Free Longchamp shop at CDG. I hadn't planned on it, but ended up with an expandable travel bag. The price at the airport was 130 euros. In USD that comes to $149.80. The same bag retails for $255 here. It was a great price!
This expandable travel bag is remarkably roomy and it was purchased at a great price!
Other little doo-dads included a gift for my neighbor, candy for my co-workers, my fabulous bikinis, and odds and ends. Cosmetics was not to play into this trip.
I know it's kitchy and tacky but I love pushing the button in the back to hear the cicadas!
Stickers for the cars, Expandable wine totes from Nicolas..
These are great to load up on and give as a little something extra with wine bottles.
I did manage to pick up a couple of lip balms. This brand is great!
Treats for co-workers..
Think outside the box. A menu from my favorite restaurant will be framed and hung in the kitchen!
La Ponche is the area of St. Tropez where Bonaparte spent his summers…and we purchased this inexpensive sign at the marche in St. Tropez..
Dany's hat now hangs on the wall…to the left is one of his prints!
What I did learn was that the Tuesday Market in St. Tropez is freaking unbelievable. My goal for next time is to purchase one of those vintage LV bags—I want one with a history!
Oops! I forgot. I picked this graphic tee up at the marche. I'll be dressing it up with jeans and a blazer in the cooler weather!
But my goal for next year is to pick up one of these for a fraction of the cost. And they are genuine because France has very strict laws..
My shopping advice to the traveler who isn't wealthy, but likes pleasant things (the category that I fall into). Save a few bucks each payday. Open a small bank account and use that money for one great item that'll give you years and years of memories. Honestly, I look forward to my annual Rondini purchase because I now have a little collection of summer sandals—and I wear those sandals in rotation practically every day during the summer heat. And they are unique because nobody else around these parts has them!!
WRITE. Get a journal and pens and write, write about ANYTHING that pops into your head. Maybe you see something that brings old memories to mind. Journal your trip because you can also use those entries as references for the future. Take a half hour or an hour every day—it's also a fantastic way to unwind after a busy day of touring and sightseeing.
I've got journals dating back ten years of trips to France!! Writing is a great reference!
Oh, I forgot about this too! Magazines. Gossip magazines are fun to try to decipher what is being written and a great practice is translating recipes from French into English!! There are some gems of recipes in here!
Don't listen to others when it comes to safety. France is incredibly safe. Yes. France has had its share of a few attacks—but that's nothing compared to the random murders and homicides in the USA. Every wacko here owns a gun. The like to pontificate that it is their right to bear arms. Well, it's my right to life and I don't want any moron going bang-bang when I'm around! Every day innocent Americans are the victims of murder—I call that domestic terrorism.
Not once did I feel even the slightest fear or anxiety. And the same goes for when I'm in Paris. It's safe. So, don't you let anyone tell you that it's dangerous! Those are the people who live their lives in fear.
The food—what can I say? I'm paying for my sin of gluttony. My body is saying that I gained a good eight pounds. And it is not easy to take off. So, I shall be returning to writing about weight loss. I wronged on my diet but it felt so right!!! Vacation is the time to indulge—and I did!
Although I tried to stick to healthy choices..
I drank too much–empty calories that went straight to my belly!
This went directly to my thighs and was so tasty that I don't care!
Observations—the French are a race onto their own. The French tan so naturally and well. They worship the sun. They bake like little roasted chickens on a spit. Their skin achieves various stages of caramel. From a light fleur de sel caramel to a more burnt caramel. I'm jealous. Not even a spray tan could make my skin as perfectly browned as the French. Bonaparte is living proof.
The French Tan–is to be compared to various colors of caramels..
Perhaps I could have just used this as fake tan!!!
In fact, he told me that I don't know how to tan correctly. I need equal time on my stomach and my back. My answer to that is, I'll just continue to sit under the parasol with sunscreen and fake it because I don't want any more skin cancer!
France is also the capital of the Man Bun. Oh, if only I had taken photos of every man bun I saw—I would have no space either in my phone or camera. Not even iCloud could keep up with those delightful tufts of messy bun man hair! Man buns must never, ever go out of style. I asked my sons to grow their hair long again and wear man buns. They laughed at me.
Man bun..
Ohhh. Soccer Manbun!
YSL Man Bun. Best Man Hair ever!
When you take pictures, don't take them all of yourself. Take pics of the scenery and items of interest. If you notice, there aren't many photos of me at all—only what I wore. I don't like taking photos of me when I'm traveling. I like to take photos of where I am. Make videos fun. Even if you are a newbie. Trust, me, this was a learning experience for my videos and now I'm hooked!
An old boat makes for an interesting photo
A lazy street
A ceiling at a restaurant made of tree branches and hats hanging down
A wedding you stumble upon–two brides, one groom?
Art work on a building.
And you don't have to be a great photographer either. Just snap away!
That's about it. It's a wrap!!!
The song I'm showing you tonight is one of the reasons that I love buying French music. I've been listening to the Alain Souchon & Laurent Voulzy CD non-stop since my return and this song "Consuelo" is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
© 2017 Atypical60.com


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Comedian and impressionist Jon Culshaw and legendary comedy producer Bill Dare head to The Atkinson for the first time following their sell-out tour last year.
Join us for an evening of unscripted, unrehearsed, spontaneous comedy and conversation as politicians, sports personalities and celebrities old and new are all up for a roasting.
You, the audience, help choose which characters appear and what direction the show takes. Jon reveals the secrets of mimicry, and shares stories of some of the fascinating characters that coloured his childhood in Lancashire and his early career.
Together with Bill he also reveals some of the mishaps and mayhem of life behind the scenes in television and on the celebrity circuit.
With a few surprises for the general public of Southport thrown in for good measure, The Great British Take Off is topical, satirical, anecdotal and highly entertaining; it's never the same show twice.
Starring Jon Culshaw & Bill Dare from Radio 4's Dead Ringers.
Ages 12+


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(CNN) -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is withdrawing his nomination to be commerce secretary, citing the distraction of a federal investigation into ties to a company that has done business with his state.
Gov. Bill Richardson said a probe focused on him would delay work toward bettering the economy.
Speaking to reporters Monday, he said that he underestimated how long the investigation would take, calling it an "untenable delay" likely to hinder his confirmation process.
Two Democratic officials told CNN the investigation involves a California company that won municipal bond business in New Mexico after contributing money to various Richardson causes.
In a statement Sunday, Richardson said he asked President-elect Barack Obama "not to move forward" with his nomination.
"I do so with great sorrow. But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months," the statement reads. "Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process. Withdrawing nomination is "right thing to do," Richardson says »
"Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his Administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done." iReport.com: Share your reaction to Richardson's withdrawal
Richardson, one of the best-known Hispanics in the Democratic Party, served as energy secretary in the Clinton administration as well as ambassador to the United Nations. The 61-year-old said he will remain governor. Learn more about Gov. Bill Richardson »
Obama released a statement saying that he accepted the withdrawal with "deep regret."
"Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office," the statement read.
"It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time.
"Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration." Watch why Richardson bowed out »
Talking to reporters Monday, Richardson said, "Yesterday I was hurting over this decision. I lost a Cabinet appointment."
"But I think we have to focus on what people are losing in this country," he said, referring to heightened U.S. unemployment. "Mine is minor compared to that," he said.
Richardson did not offer details of the investigation or the company involved.
Two Democratic strategists outside Obama's transition team told CNN that Obama aides pushed the withdrawal because they did not want an ethical distraction amid the controversy surrounding embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Federal prosecutors allege that Blagojevich, a Democrat, had hoped to barter Obama's Senate seat for either money or influence.
One of the strategists described Richardson as "stunned." But Democrats who talked with CNN noted the withdrawal is in keeping with the Obama philosophy of resolving issues quickly. iReport.com: Do you trust your political leaders?
When Obama announced December 3 that Richardson was his pick for commerce secretary, Obama hailed the New Mexico governor as a "leading economic diplomat for America."
Obama said then: "I know that Bill will be an unyielding advocate for American business and American jobs, at home and around the world. And I look forward to working with him in the years ahead."
Richardson was the third former presidential rival to join Obama's team. Vice President-elect Joe Biden and Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama's pick for secretary of state, also competed for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Richardson also was a contender for the secretary of state post.
Richardson withdrew from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination on January 10, 2008, after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary, and later endorsed Obama. Obama and Clinton both lobbied Richardson for his endorsement.
CNN's Ed Henry contributed to this report.
All About Barack Obama • Bill Richardson (Politician) • New Mexico


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A Letter to Attorney General Holder
Trial Attorneys Free Media Advocates Defenders of Due Process
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both."1
May 6, 2013
Attorney General Eric Holder
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington D.C. 20530-001
Dear Attorney General Holder:
The Whistleblower Defense League is a nationwide group of experienced trial attorneys who have assembled to defend the principles of our democracy. The American people have an absolute right to know the truth about their government and the damaging influence of corporate wealth. Our forefathers did not fight for us to live in the fearful shadows of a darkened constitution, but in the brave light of freedom.
Criticism without action is the country of the weak. If the issue is not one of vision, but of limited resources, then the WBDL is available:
To assist in prosecution of Wall Street and government entities that have engaged in the secretive, fraudulent and corrupt practices that have so damaged our nation.
To independently review subpoenas of those who bravely investigate and disclose information about Wall Street and government entities that have engaged in the secretive, fraudulent and corrupt practices that have so damaged our nation.
We were given a republic and we intend to keep it. We can meet at any time.
Signed by WBDL Counsel: Jason Flores-Williams, Esq. of New Mexico; John Zwerling, Esq. of Virginia; Dennis Roberts, Esq. of California; Jeffrey Steinborn, Esq. of Washington; et al.
- Hon. Justice Louis Brandeis.


text: Waterfront Legacy Property on Oyster Harbors! On an elevated 4-acre lot overlooking Cotuit Bay sits this striking Tudor style home built in 1933, beautifully maintained and updated in harmony with the original design. Refined architectural details set the tone in this grand home with 10,000 sq. ft. of living space, an inground pool, a boathouse with extraordinary views, fireplace, sitting area and changing rooms, 437' of water frontage and a substantial deep-water dock, combining to create an exceptional offering in one of the finest locations of Oyster Harbors. Gracious formal rooms feature well-proportioned and spacious areas with soaring ceilings, arched windows and doors and six fireplaces. This lovingly preserved estate boasts landscaped park-like grounds with garden beds, rolling green lawns, and a wraparound patio overlooking the gardens and water creating an ideal backdrop for entertaining. Exceptional design and a magnificent setting will captivate the most discerning buyer.


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WASHINGTON—In an attempt to address rising pedestrian deaths, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a new educational outreach program Monday to encourage people to "Get The Fuck Outta The Road."
The program began in selected cities this month with the distribution of pamphlets at each city's most dangerous intersections. It will also expand into national radio spots, televised PSAs, and, most importantly, word-of-mouth. Included in the pamphlets are tips on how every responsible pedestrian can learn to "Get The Fuck Outta The Road," including "Move your ass!" and "Look where you're fucking going for once!" as well as an instructive diagram for removing one's head from one's ass prior to stepping into the crosswalk.
NHTSA officials say they hope the program will eventually branch out to include elementary schools with the child-friendly program "Hey Kids, Get The Fuck Outta The Road!" which will feature a mascot called Tire-Tread Teddy.
"Our studies show that a large majority of accidents were caused by a direct failure of the pedestrian to not step right in front of a goddamned bus," program director Drew Dawson said during a press conference to announce the NHTSA's new website, MoveItOrLoseItAsshole.com. "We designed this program to be an easy-to-understand informational tool that will hopefully get these geniuses to pay some fucking attention."
"We're already planning a follow-up campaign to keep our message fresh," Dawson added. "By the third time you tell a pedestrian to get outta the road, they're already on their fucking cell phone again."
The NHTSA has also launched a number of complementary subprograms using funding from the National Truck Drivers Union and Greyhound Bus Lines. These include "Oh, Good, Just Ride Your Bike Down The Middle Of The Road Why Don't You," "Ever Heard Of A Crosswalk, Dickhead?" and, for more affluent metropolitan neighborhoods, "What The Fuck—Are You Listening To Your Special Getting-Hit-By-A-Car Mix On That iPod, You Vacant Asshole?"
The new program has already shown positive results. A test study in downtown Chicago was found to be nearly twice as effective in preventing pedestrian casualties as the NHTSA's previous "Have A Safer Journey" program. Likewise, early trials the family-oriented, "You Must Be Thinking, 'Hey, I Bet My Kids Are Playing In The Driveway, So I Think I'll Go Back My SUV Out Of The Garage Without Even Fucking Looking And Pulp Them Into A Steaming Red Mess,'" have been similarly successful.
Pedestrians who have been exposed to the NHTSA's innovative approach have reportedly received the message loud and clear, with many crediting the ad campaign with reminded them of the importance of being vigilant and responsible pedestrians.
"Cram it up your ass, I'm walking here," said Robert Catalonis, a D.C. native. "I'm an asshole? You're the asshole."
Although the long-term efficacy of the program remains to be seen, Dawson said there was a very real chance that the average pedestrian is "just too fucking ignorant" to learn anything from the NHTSA campaign.
To that end, he admitted that the agency had already begun work on a contingency plan in the event that the current program fails. While Dawson would not disclose many details, he said the backup program, called "Actually, Come To Think Of It, Just Go Ahead And Die, Fuckhead. See If The NHTSA Gives A Shit" would be a series of highway billboards.


text:
"I never vote. It only seems to encourage the bastards!" -- Michael Rivero
Russia has few options left except for a direct confrontation with the now fascist NATO bloc, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on his Telegram channel.
"It seems that Russia is left with fewer and fewer choices but to engage in a direct ground conflict with NATO, which has turned into an openly fascist alliance similar to Hitler's Axis, only bigger in size," he wrote.
Medvedev listed several events that make a direct clash between Russia and NATO more likely, namely deliveries of US-made Abrams tanks, promises to send longer-range ATACMS to Ukraine as well as ties between Canadian authorities and Nazis.
"We are ready [for the conflict], although the result will come at a far greater cost to mankind than in 1945," the politician concluded.
But here's what they won't tell you, as I've warned time after time: You're being herded into what I call a "digital cattle pen" from which there's no escape.
The fact is, governments always use money laundering, drug dealing and terrorism as excuses to keep tabs on honest citizens and deprive them of the ability to use money alternatives such as physical cash, gold and, these days, cryptocurrencies.
The real burden of the war on cash falls on honest citizens who are made vulnerable to wealth confiscation through negative interest rates, loss of privacy, account freezes and limits on cash withdrawals or transfers.
In reality, the so-called "cashless society" is just a Trojan horse for a system in which all financial wealth is electronic and represented digitally in the records of a small number of megabanks and asset managers.
Once that is achieved, it will be easy for state power to seize and freeze the wealth, or subject it to constant surveillance, taxation and other forms of digital confiscation like negative interest rates.
Ukraine is heading into another demographic spiral, with its fertility rate projected to sink to the lowest in the world amid its conflict with Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
According to the paper, Ukraine's population is shrinking not only due to hostilities that have left tens of thousands dead but also because of a "baby bust," a trend that started long before February 2022 when the conflict between Moscow and Kiev erupted.
The WSJ noted that the number of births in the first half of 2023 was 28% lower than during the same period before the conflict. "Ukrainian demographers are now forecasting [that the fertility rate] will become the lowest in the world," the report says.
Ukraine's fertility rate was already the lowest in Europe before 2022, with just 1.2 children born per woman. It needs to be around 2.1 for the country to maintain its population size.
The current confluence of economic conundrums elevates risks massively for the prosperity of Americans, especially those of modest means.
These unprecedented, concurring economic contradictions flow directly from the dire mistakes of the 2020 virus panic.
The seismic policy errors of the lockdown era have since been exacerbated by Joe Biden and aligned collaborationist Republicans, to create an economic cauldron into the end of 2023.
What are these conundrums?
1. Interest Rates surging into a slowing economy.
2. Energy prices soaring despite China and other Emerging Markets decelerating.
3. U.S. Housing prices rising in the face of plunging Mortgage demand.
At a time when mainstream economists and FOMC policymakers are betting the farm on a "soft landing" for the US economy, an unexpectedly hard signal was just issued by none other than the Fed itself: for the first time in over a decade, the US central bank announced it would cut about 300 people from its payroll this year, a rare reduction in headcount for an organization that has grown steadily since 2010 - after all, it takes if not a village (with its own police force), then certainly thousands of workers to come up with catastrophically wrong economic forecasts and to keep the money printer primed and ready to pump out a few trillion at a moment's notice.
A Fed spokesperson said the cuts are focused on the staff of the Fed's 12 regional reserve banks and mainly hit information technology jobs, including some no longer needed because of the spread of cloud-based computer software, and positions connected to the Fed's various systems for processing payments, which are being consolidated. The staff cuts represented a combination of attrition, including retirements, and layoffs.
Hong Kong increased its gold imports from Russia by more than five times year-on-year to $746 million in July, and by 1.5 times month-on-month, according to data from Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department analyzed by Sputnik.
The data also showed that since the beginning of 2023, Hong Kong has purchased $2.6 billion worth of gold, which is 12 times higher than last year's figure of $218 million.
At the same time, exports of Russian platinum to Hong Kong companies in July doubled year-on-year to $1.5 billion.
Americans are worried about a looming credit crunch. That's a big problem for an economy that runs on credit cards.
One of the reasons for economic optimism you'll hear bandied about out there in the mainstream is "the American consumer is strong" and consumer spending is "holding up" despite price inflation. But nobody seems to ask an important question: how have Americans been able to continue spending?
The answer is credit cards.
So, what's going to happen when consumers finally max out the plastic?
We may be getting close to that point, and many people are worried that they aren't going to be able to borrow the money they need to keep spending.
As prices skyrocketed last year, Americans blew through their savings to make ends meet. Aggregate savings peaked at $2.1 trillion in August 2021. As of June, the San Francisco Fed estimated that aggregate savings had dropped to $190 billion.
In other words, Americans ate away $1.9 trillion in savings in just two years.
Ukraine's counteroffensive has given Russian forces plenty of experience to learn what works and what doesn't when it comes to targeting NATO heavy tanks like the Abrams.
First, as far as strategy goes, the counteroffensive has shown that simply luring tanks into heavily mined territory can often be sufficient, with many Ukrainian armored thrusts foiled after running into minefields and dragon's teeth defenses, and Kiev even reportedly pulling tanks like the Leopard 2 from the front and resorting to using infantry to advance on foot to avoid losing the armor.
Second, there's the factor of Russia's qualitative and quantitative superiority in artillery and airpower, with the latter enabling Russian forces to use Kamov Ka-52 and Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters to hunt for Ukrainian tanks with laser-guided missiles, and doing so at standoff ranges, often making it impossible for Ukraine's air defenses to respond.
The third factor is Russia's own armor, with upgraded T-72B, T-72B3M, T-80, and T-90M series tanks proving more than a match for Ukraine's comparable Soviet-era armor and NATO MBTs, and Russia enjoying superiority in numbers, GPS jamming capabilities which frustrate enemy precision-guided munitions and combat drones, and superior range characteristics of its main guns on some models.
Fourth, there are the anti-armor capabilities of Russian infantry armed with man-portable anti-tank missile systems like the Kornet, designed specifically to target the latest generation of NATO's main battle tanks, including the Abrams. Long before Ukraine's counteroffensive began, Sputnik warned about the Kornets' deadly effectiveness against Turkish Army Leopard 2A4s in Syria, US Army Abrams and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles in Iraq, and Israeli Merkava tanks in Lebanon. Western MBTs already deployed in Ukraine have now suffered a similar fate at the hands of Russian man-portable anti-tank systems, and Abrams will too, if they're deployed close enough.
About twenty people have been arrested after widespread looting broke out in Philadelphia last night, with one woman who livestreamed the chaos.
Police in the city said that a large group of around 100 juveniles kept moving from store to store and looting them.
Videos shared on social media show officers attempting to grab thieves, some of whom are wearing Halloween masks, as they run riot through a Lululemon store.
One officer manages to hit one of the looters with a punch after managing to tackle them to the ground, in social media footage.
The incident happened on Walnut Street in the heart of the city center and also involved a nearby Foot Locker and Apple store.
Police in the city said that they had so far made between 15 to 20 arrests and recovered two firearms from the scenes.
An Egyptian businessman accused of bribing New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez for legislative favors was arrested at New York's JFK International Tuesday morning.
The arrest, the 40-year-old's lawyer said, came after Wael Hana voluntarily flew to the city to face the federal charges - part of a sprawling, three-part indictment filed by the US attorney's office.
In it, federal prosecutors allege the Egypt national was one of three New Jersey businessmen who collectively paid hundreds of thousands to Menendez, 69, over the course of several years, in the form of cash, gold, and even a Mercedes Benz.
The bribes, fed say, came in exchange for Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to personally enrich Hana, and to benefit the Government of Egypt.
Hours after being cuffed in Queens, Hana pleaded not guilty to the allegations before a federal magistrate judge, who ordered him released on a $5million bond on the condition he surrender his travel documents.
Nikki Haley is the best placed Republican candidate to beat President Joe Biden in next year's election, according to a new DailyMail.com poll that shows her crushing him with independent voters.
The former South Carolina governor leads Biden by two points in a hypothetical match-up.
It is the latest sign of a candidate who has surged in the polls since her strong performance in the first Republican debate, when she took on her opponents over foreign policy, abortion and climate change.
She will be hoping for a repeat in the second debate on Wednesday night.
However, former President Donald Trump remains the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary race and is skipping the debate stage for the second time.
Several stores were looted in Center City Philadelphia Tuesday night: An Apple, Lululemon, a Footlocker and a Fine Wine & Good Spirits in Lawncrest Located in northeast Philly.
Looting in Philadelphia, screen image via WPVI-TV/YouTube, September 26, 2023.
Police believe the looters took advantage of an earlier protest over a judge dismissing charges on Tuesday in the deadly police shooting of knife-wielding man, Eddie Irizarry, that took place six months ago.
WCAU-TC reported the looting was done by "large crowds of juveniles" (excerpt):
Large crowds of juveniles looted multiple stores across Center City Philadelphia Tuesday night, police said.
Among the stores looted were the Footlocker and the Apple store near 15th and Chestnut and the Lululemon in Center City.
A police officer said over 100 juveniles looted the Lululemon.
The United States has provided substantial financial assistance to Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against a brutal Russian invasion.
However, this aid extends beyond the provision of armaments. In a recent report, "60 Minutes" revealed that the U.S. has been purchasing seeds and fertilizer for Ukrainian farmers, as well as covering the salaries of all 57,000 first responders in the country. Additionally, the U.S. is subsidizing small businesses in Ukraine.
The report has sparked a range of reactions, including from Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suggested that the U.S. should prioritize supporting farmers, small businesses, and first responders within its own borders. "Modest suggestion: Let's support farmers, small businesses, and first responders in our own country instead," he tweeted.
Former President Donald Trump has pushed back against a Department of Justice (DOJ) request for a gag order in relation to his ongoing prosecution.
In a 25-page brief published by the Trump legal team, they condemned the DOJ's request, arguing for freedom of speech and the importance of transparency.
According to the brief, the prosecution's request to silence Trump comes at a time when his right to criticize the government is at its peak during a political campaign. The document states, "Above all else, the First Amendment means that the government cannot restrict expression based on its message, ideas, subject matter, or content."
The brief further asserts that the prosecution may not agree with Trump's valid criticisms, but neither the prosecution nor the court should act as a filter for what the public can hear.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is secretly pumping most organic produce in America with Bill Gates' mRNA chemicals, according to a disturbing new report.
The Alliance for Natural Health (ANH-USA) claims the USDA and other organic certifiers are allowing toxic mRNA and genetically engineered (GE) vaccines to infiltrate organic food production.
In 2019 the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), an advisory committee of the USDA, decided to allow the use of mRNA vaccines produced through "excluded methods" or genetic modification in organic food production.
According to OrganicEye, an industry watchdog, USDA-certified organic producers all across America are using mRNA and GE vaccines in their livestock even though it goes against the principles of organic farming.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) hinted that he would support a measure to defund special counsel Jack Smith's ongoing investigation into former President Donald Trump following two indictments.
In an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, Jordan was discussing the GOP-led House's efforts to pass appropriations bills before the end of the month, when the government runs out of money when he brought up funding for Smith's investigations:
Well, there's been, there's been a fight over the number. What level we're actually going to fund at? Look, I want to reduce spending too. I know what the debt problem is. But in a divided government, there's been a number that's agreed on to fund the government.
And frankly, it's less than the year before, which is, which is a huge step when you got divided when, when, when we control one-half of one-third of the government by five votes. And we've actually got to negotiate a number that's less than Joe Biden and the Democrats spent last year. I think that's a win. So let's hold on to that number if we can. There's some, there's some debate within our conference, and I get that, let's hold on to that number if we can. But let's win the policies.
Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson made a startling admission in a newly published interview with a European weekly that he believes the global order established after World War II, with the United States as the dominant power, is "collapsing" in front of our eyes.
Carlson told Swiss outlet Die Weltwoche, a German-language weekly considered center-right politically, that he has "become convinced over the past several years — particularly since the war in Ukraine began — that the world is changing much more quickly than most Americans understand."
The Western Journal notes further: "The interview, published Thursday, came as Carlson came back from an interview with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed. It's one of a number of eclectic interviews with social and political figures he's done since relaunching his show, so to speak, on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. As most of the media world knows, Carlson was unceremoniously ousted by Fox News in April for reasons that have not — and, indeed, may never be — publicly explained. He's still under contract with Fox, just not appearing on the network."
However, now that he's been freed from Fox, it's not like he's become a loose cannon, Carlson told the Swiss outlet: "If anything, I've expressed my views less," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that Senate Democrats and Republicans collaborated throughout the weekend to craft a stopgap bill. On Tuesday, they reached an agreement, which Schumer hailed as a "commendable, pragmatic, and bipartisan measure."
In a speech delivered on the Senate floor on Tuesday afternoon, Schumer emphasized that this bipartisan Continuing Resolution (CR) is a temporary fix, designed to foster cooperation and steer clear of extreme measures. He stressed that it will enable them to continue working towards fully funding the federal government, sparing American families the turmoil of a shutdown.
"This bipartisan CR is a temporary solution, a bridge toward cooperation and away from extremism," Schumer said during a speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday afternoon. "It will allow us to keep working to fully fund the federal government and spare American families the pain of a shutdown."
The House Oversight Committee shared with Fox News Digital that Hunter Biden received $250,000 in wire transfers from the CEO of BHR Partners CEO Johnathan Li.
The address listed on the transfer as the beneficiary address was the primary Delaware residence of Joe Biden.
"BREAKING: Hunter Biden received wires originating in Beijing for over $250,000 from Chinese business partners during the summer of 2019 that listed the Delaware home of Joe Biden as the beneficiary address"
A popular antiviral drug developed by a major World Economic Forum-linked pharmaceutical company to treat Covid has been found to mutate the virus and cause it to spread rapidly, a new study has revealed.
The drug, Molnupiravir, is produced by German Big Pharma giant Merck in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
Belén Garijo, the Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck, is one of the World Economic Forum's most senior Agenda Contributors, Slay News reports.
On Monday, the Express reported that the researchers behind the new study examined a staggering 15 million Covid sequences to determine how it has mutated over time.
As more people see through the climate change façade and realize how their lives are being exploited by globalism, Bill Gates is suddenly changing his tune on the climate doom narrative.
During a live speaking event at the Times Center in New York, Gates made a sudden U-turn on his climate doom narrative.
He said, "No temperate country is going to become uninhabitable."
Gate's latest comments are in stark contrast to the public comments he made just two years ago, when his book on climate doom was first published.
In a 2021 Fox News Sunday interview with Chris Wallace, Bill Gates said, "The migration that we saw out of Syria for their civil war, which was somewhat weather dependent, we're going to have 10 times as much migration because the equatorial areas will become unlivable."
Now he suddenly believes the opposite is true, and it's easy to see why he is softening his stance.
A leading Arab American rights group is suing the US government and calling on a federal court to halt any further actions admitting Israel into the visa waiver programme (VWP), saying that Israel is not eligible for entry because it is discriminating against Palestinian Americans.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), accuses the US of failing to adhere to the law when it comes to the tenets of the VWP, namely by allowing Israel to discriminate against Americans entering Israel and the occupied West Bank.
The lawsuit, seen by Middle East Eye, states that the actions taken by the US to give Israel a pathway into the programme "have established discriminatory rules and procedures against United States citizens to participate in the program when traveling to Israel and thus violate the VWP rule of reciprocity and constitutional guarantees of equality".
Serbia's president demanded Tuesday to have a NATO-led peacekeeping force take over for the national law enforcement agency in northern Kosovo after a daylong shootout between armed Serbs and Kosovar police left one officer and three gunmen dead.
In one of the worst confrontations since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, about 30 masked men opened fire on a police patrol near the village of Banjska early Sunday then broke down the gates of a Serbian Orthodox monastery and barricaded themselves with the priests and visiting pilgrims.
The violence further raised tensions in the Balkan region at a time when European Union and U.S. mediators have been pushing for a deal that would normalize ties between former wartime foes Serbia and Kosovo. A NATO bombing campaign on Serb positions in Kosovo led to the end of the 1998-99 war.
Beijing warned Manila on Tuesday not to "stir up trouble" after the Philippine Coast Guard said it removed a floating barrier at a disputed reef that was allegedly deployed by China to block Filipino fishermen from the area.
Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea has long been a source of tension between the countries. China seized the ring of reefs from the Philippines in 2012 and has since deployed patrol boats.
The latest spat was sparked by a 300-metre (328-yard) floating barrier that was found across the entrance of the shoal last week during a routine Philippine government resupply mission to fishermen plying the waters near the shoal.
The killing and arrest of hundreds of pro-democracy, anti-French protesters by the France-backed Chadian military government found no mention at the "High-Level Side Event on Chad," held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on September 18.
Titled 'The Journey towards constitutional order in Chad: Challenges & Perspectives,' the event was co-hosted in New York by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Chad's Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif.
Annadif was appointed by the military junta less than a week before October 20, 2022, the original deadline for it to give up power to an elected civilian government. However, the election was not held, and the military rule was extended by another two years on October 1 by a political forum which was boycotted by the opposition.
Opposing the extension of military rule, protesters took to the streets on October 20, 2022 in the capital N'Djamena, and other towns and cities across the country, raising slogans against the military junta, and its backer, France.
The killing and arrest of hundreds of pro-democracy, anti-French protesters by the France-backed Chadian military government found no mention at the "High-Level Side Event on Chad," held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on September 18.
Titled 'The Journey towards constitutional order in Chad: Challenges & Perspectives,' the event was co-hosted in New York by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Chad's Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif.
Annadif was appointed by the military junta less than a week before October 20, 2022, the original deadline for it to give up power to an elected civilian government. However, the election was not held, and the military rule was extended by another two years on October 1 by a political forum which was boycotted by the opposition.
Opposing the extension of military rule, protesters took to the streets on October 20, 2022 in the capital N'Djamena, and other towns and cities across the country, raising slogans against the military junta, and its backer, France.
"Today I'm putting congressional leadership and [President Joe Biden] on notice that I will oppose any effort to hold the federal government hostage for Ukraine funding," wrote Paul on Twitter. "I will not consent to expedited passage of any spending measure that provides any more U.S. aid to Ukraine."
Biden has requested that the spending bill include a provision giving Ukraine an additional $24 billion for security and humanitarian aid. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has even criticized the Republican-controlled House of Representatives for reaching a deal on a continuing resolution that didn't include funding for Ukraine.
In an opinion piece written for The American Conservative and in a speech on the Senate floor, the Kentucky junior senator reiterated his desire to not provide additional taxpayer dollars to continue the conflict in Ukraine.
In his op-ed, he noted that the United States has already provided over $113 billion in aid to Ukraine, averaging around "$6.8 billion per month – or $223 million per day." He noted that providing additional taxpayer-funded aid to Ukraine would be sending hard-earned American dollars to "another endless quagmire." He further called attempts to include Ukraine aid in the continuing resolution a "clear dereliction of duty."
The opinion piece also derided both Democrat and Republican Senate leaders for "trying to hold the federal government hostage" by demanding the insertion of Biden's demand for $24 billion in additional taxpayer funding for Ukraine aid.
The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $705 million contract to develop and test a high-speed air-to-ground weapon known as a stand-in attack weapon that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could wield to destroy enemy targets.
Northrop said Monday that its work on the second phase of the weapon, which is also referred to as SiAW, will take place over the next 36 months in Northridge, California, and the company's missile integration facility at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in West Virginia.
The work will include further development of the weapon, platform integration, and completing a flight test program so the SiAW can be rapidly prototyped and quickly sent to the field, the company said. A guided vehicle flight test will wrap up the first part of this second phase, and the second part will conclude with three more flight tests and the delivery prototype missiles and test assets.


text:
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Game History Learn all about the long, winding video game history of Captain America...
Comic books have been crossing over into games since 1978, and are more a part than ever. See the decades long history here...
Marvel vs. DC is an ancient blood feud for nerds, and we try to solve it today based on their games...
Months after the film left theaters, the Amazing Spider-Man game makes its way to the Wii U. Is it any better after all that extra time...
If Deadpool can get his own game, why don't these guys?
Will Comic Con 2012 have an exciting new Marvel game revealed?
We celebrate our beloved web-swinger just as he's turning 50
We're not sure how these guys even got on the roster
We assemble a list of the best Avengers worthy enough to have their own game
We talk with comic book legend Alex Ross about his time with the just announced title
Open world game teased in new trailer, skater boy teases return on Twitter
Does Capcom's fighter update one nerd's most pressing concern?


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|* Driver for Digigram pcxhr compatible soundcards
|* definitions and makros for basic card access
|* Copyright (c) 2004 by Digigram <email@example.com>
|* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
|* it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
|* the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
|* (at your option) any later version.
|* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
|* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
|* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
|* GNU General Public License for more details.
|* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
|* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
|* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
|#ifndef __SOUND_PCXHR_HWDEP_H
|#define __SOUND_PCXHR_HWDEP_H
|/* firmware status codes */
|#define PCXHR_FIRMWARE_XLX_INT_INDEX 0
|#define PCXHR_FIRMWARE_XLX_COM_INDEX 1
|#define PCXHR_FIRMWARE_DSP_EPRM_INDEX 2
|#define PCXHR_FIRMWARE_DSP_BOOT_INDEX 3
|#define PCXHR_FIRMWARE_DSP_MAIN_INDEX 4
|#define PCXHR_FIRMWARE_FILES_MAX_INDEX 5
|/* exported */
|int pcxhr_setup_firmware(struct pcxhr_mgr *mgr);
|void pcxhr_reset_board(struct pcxhr_mgr *mgr);
|#endif /* __SOUND_PCXHR_HWDEP_H */


text:
Lindsey + Asp is more than an intersection of two of the busiest streets in Norman, Oklahoma; it is more than a new wing of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications; Lindsey +Asp Public Relations and Advertising Agency is where I knew I needed to be. As a transfer student from a community college, I was really looking for something to differentiate myself from the rest of the PR students across the globe. A degree in public relations, I have found, means little without experience to back it up. Being in the agency has opened my eyes to the many new areas of public relations I had yet to explore, and has given me the opportunity to meet professionals from across the nation.
Nowhere can you get more hands-on experience than in an agency that is run by you and your peers. It is a great way to meet new people with similar aspirations and to learn from others. Agencies also provide a wide array of clients in different industries, which is helpful for students who are unsure of what area of public relations they are most passionate about.
There are also opportunities for growth in an agency. At the University of Oklahoma our agency is structured so that we have a leadership council of members who decide on new clients and organized teams for the different accounts. I am now a member of the leadership council and a PR account lead. Working at the agency has been a very rewarding experience and has taught me the benefits of hard work.
At this year's agency "Gear-Up" retreat, we had the opportunity to listen to advice from some very influential professionals. I was listening and tweeting tidbits of valuable information for my fellow PR students, when I heard the speaker say something that is very important for young professionals to remember, "You can never be downgraded for knowing too much." This statement came from Dave Tutin, a writer and experienced advertising professional. He went on to talk about how experience is invaluable for students. Internships provide guided experience, but at a student-run agency, you are encouraged to make important decisions and design your own projects. In my interviews for internships, I am always asked about my responsibilities at L+A and the different clients I support. Even at my current internship, my employer will ask how it is going and what I am currently working on. Working at a student-run agency really stands out on a resume and is a great conversation starter when networking with professionals.
Not only has working at a student-run agency given me valuable experience, it has also heightened my passion for public relations. This is a field in which you learn something new everyday, and I thank the agency for opening my eyes to the many opportunities in the PR field.
Erin Jacobs is a PR major at the University of Oklahoma. She is a PR account lead at the university's on-campus PR and ad agency, Lindsey + Asp. I met Erin and her student-agency colleagues during a recent visit to Norman to speak at the L+A agency retreat and tour the impressive Gaylord facility.


text:
Olive Tree Bible App
Galatians 4 New King James Version (NKJV)
Sons and Heirs Through Christ
4 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, (A)were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But (B)when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, (C)born[a] (D)of a woman, (E)born under the law, 5 (F)to redeem those who were under the law, (G)that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth (H)the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, [b]"Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, (I)and if a son, then an heir [c]of God [d]through Christ.
Fears for the Church
8 But then, indeed, (J)when you did not know God, (K)you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now (L)after you have known God, or rather are known by God, (M)how is it that you turn again to (N)the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 (O)You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, (P)lest I have labored for you in vain.
12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. (Q)You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that (R)because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me (S)as an [e]angel of God, (T)even as Christ Jesus. 15 [f]What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They (U)zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 (V)My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
Two Covenants(W)
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: (X)the one by a bondwoman, (Y)the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman (Z)was born according to the flesh, (AA)and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are [g]the two covenants: the one from Mount (AB)Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the (AC)Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written:
(AD)"Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband."
28 Now (AE)we, brethren, as Isaac was, are (AF)children of promise. 29 But, as (AG)he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, (AH)even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does (AI)the Scripture say? (AJ)"Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for (AK)the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


text:
About Us
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> Serial Character LCD Driver Board Kit (USB)
Serial Character LCD Driver Board Kit (USB)
Serial Character LCD Driver Board Kit (USB)
$19.99, 10/$179.97, 50/$799.60
Product Description:
This is a USB version, which means you can communicate directly to the board via computer USB port or using a microcontroller. For a NON-USB version
click here.
*** LCD is NOT included. It can be purchase
. All SMT components are pre-soldered on the board (USB connector and USB-to-UART IC).***
The SLCD-3 is designed base on a popular serial LCD driver IC, created by Maryland EE professor Peter Anderson. It is the display unit for an associated controller. The controller may be anything from a single board, special purpose microcontroller to a PC, depending on the application. This controller is responsible for what you see on the LCD screen.
The SLCD-3 provides a simple command structure to allow text to be displayed on the screen. Text fonts are built in, and use standard ASCII mapping. Provision is made for up to 8 user-defined characters.
On a non-USB version, the serial UART interface is TTL. That is, the idle state is a TTL logic one, or near +5VDC. This is often termed non-inverting or true. This provides direct compatibility with the UART associated with a PIC, 8051, 68HCxx, Z80, SerOut on a Basic Stamp, and Com3 on a BX24. The board rate is fixed at 9600. Virtually any application can support 9600 baud.
For a USB version, the feature of USB to serial UART is added. By connecting the unit with the computer via USB A to miniB cable, a virtual COM port on the computer is created. User may use any favorite terminal programs (i.e. Hyperterminal, Putty, TeraTerm or etc.) to communicate directly to SLCD-3 unit. A custom program can be written to communicate the SLCD-3 via a virtual COM port. Essentially this is a direct way to interface with a computer. The unit can also be powered with the USB port from the computer (hardware jumper).
The SLCD-3 is compatible with any industrial standard HD44780 Character LCD with single row connection. The software configuration supported many LCD geometry included: 2x16, 2x20, 2x24, 2x40, 4x16 and 4x20.
The SLCD-3 provides for variable backlight intensity. The backlight current is controlled by a MOSFET. The maximum backlight intensity is controlled with a series limiting resistor. Also, the contrast can be adjust through a potentiometer.
The SLCD-3 provides a 64 character buffer. However, to avoid framing errors, it is suggested the user initially provide a one millisecond delay between each character.
The SLCD-3 provides an on-board buzzer for 50 ms beeping.
A source of +5 VDC with a minimum current of 20 mA is required for this unit.
• Low cost
• Compatible with any industrial standard HD44780 Character LCD with single row connection.
• Configurable for many LCD geometry included: 2x16, 2x20, 2x24, 2x40, 4x16 and 4x20.
• Built-in font with provision for up to 8 user-defined characters
• Fixed baud rate at 9600
• Communicate over serial UART TTL (+5V and 0V) or USB interface
• On USB version, a feature of communicates over the USB with miniB USB connector is added. The unit can be powered directly from the USB port (no external power needed). Drivers are available for Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, Server 2003, XP, Vista, XP Embedded and CE.NET 4.2 & 5.0. Mac OS8/9, OS-X and Linux 2.4 and greater are supported.
• Fully buffered up to 64 character so that no delays in transmission should be necessary
• Hardware controlled contrast
• Software controlled backlight intensity
• Master reset pin
• 4 general purpose outputs for a variety of applications
• Programmable tab size and cursor style
• On-board speaker (beeper)
• Big Number Mode
• Custom Text Screen
• Small size 2.4"x1.3"
The kit comes all of the parts and easy to assembled. Please check Parts List document for more detail.
There is a beginning experience with soldering iron required.
Please see Assembly Instruction for more detail.
Parts List
Assembly Instruction
User Manual
Parallax LCD Character Creator (LCDCC)
LCDCC software is credited to Parallax Inc. and intended to be used for educational purposes only.
LCD Custom Character for Windows
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text:
- keyword(s): south orange
Showing Results: 1 - 1 of 1
Bayley Seton League records
Identifier: MSS-0079
The Bayley Seton League was founded in 1938 and is recognized as the oldest service organization at Seton Hall University. The Bayley-Seton League records include documents related to the operation of the organization.
Dates: 1939-1998


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Indonesia is home to the world's third largest tropical rainforest and contains 10 percent of global forest cover. This important natural resource has enabled Indonesia to become a key timber supplier for the legal world market. However, growing demand, falling supply and inadequate law enforcement and management have led to Indonesia also becoming a major source for illegally produced and exported timber.
Inadequate law enforcement continues to increase Indonesia's vulnerability to forest crimes. Arrests of perpetrators have been carried out from time to time, but only a very small percentage of illegal logging cases have been effectively prosecuted. Although Indonesia's forest law stipulates a penalty of up to 15 years in jail for buying, selling, or receiving illegal timber, offenders are more likely to receive light jail sentences or small fines.
The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry estimates that in recent years Indonesia has been losing 1.6-2.8 million hectares annually (equivalent to 3-5 hectares a minute) to illegal logging and land conversion due to a lack of effective management and law enforcement. This in turn has been contributing majorly to the greenhouse gas emissions affecting global climate change.
Indonesia today is committed to implement a new regime to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), and is preparing for a fair, equitable and transparent REDD+ architecture.
However, there are several risks and uncertainties that could undermine the REDD national response, such as corruption, fraud, crime and weak law enforcement response.
UNODC in Indonesia is responding in several ways to assist Indonesia in preserving its forests. Below we have listed resource material on our work to protect the lungs of the world
REDD and Governance in Indonesia: feasibility studies on corruption and law enforcement
This project is working to identify possible challenges that the REDD programme may encounter in ensuring sustainable forest and law enforcement governance (FLEG). The successful implementation of REDD in Indonesia is threatened by numerous obstacles including the risks of corruption/fraud and the weak response of law enforcement agencies to the new responsibilities deriving from the REDD programme. Hence this project will assess the feasibility of REDD vis-à-vis corruption and law enforcement through two studies that will highlight the main challenges and will recommend policy and regulatory solutions to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of support through the REDD programme.
Countering Illegal Logging and the linkage between Forest Crime and Corruption in Indonesia
This is a project to counter illegal logging and the illicit trade in forest products in Indonesia by strengthening the country's law enforcement and anti corruption capacities. More specifically the project seeks to strengthen the Special Responsive Police Forest Task Force (SPORC), improve the capacity of prosecutors and judges, and support civil society's response to illegal logging and corruption.
The project also seeks to counter the enabling environment that corruption provides to illegal logging in Indonesia by strengthening the capacity of Indonesia's anti-corruption agencies and law officials to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate corruption cases linked to forest crimes. Use of the anti money laundering regime to target the kingpins behind forest crimes will be a key output. Papua province is the primary location of this project.
Countering forest crimes in the ASEAN region - Joint UNODC-ASEAN project
The project seeks to counter illegal logging and the illicit trade in forest products in the South-East Asia region by strengthening regional cooperation between law enforcement agencies of ASEAN Member States, building the capacity of forestry and law enforcement agencies in Member States and harmonising policies and regulatory frameworks across the region. UNODC will support to a large extent the work plan for Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) in ASEAN, 2008-2015 developed by in the ASOF Meeting in July 2008. This project is not funded yet.
|26 April 2011
|UNODC anti-corruption talk series reaches a wider audience
|24 February 2011
|UNODC first talk series in 2011 calls for anti-corruption measures in the forestry sector I
|4 June 2010
|Illegal logging in Indonesia: the link between forest crime and corruption
|8 July 2010
|UNODC gears up to support the fight against forest crimes in Indonesia
|13 October 2009
|Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) workshop in Jakarta
REDD+ National Strategy of Indonesia
UNODC comments on REDD+ Strategy of Indonesia
Article on risks to REDD
Globalization of Crime - Environmental Resources
Illegal Logging and Corruption: Challenges to REDD+
Following the Money Trail: the Challenges in Illegal Logging Investigations
Summary Report: Preventing the risks of corruption in REDD+ in Indonesia
Summary report: Lessons for REDD+ from measures to control illegal logging in Indonesia
Papua field report
Oil Palm Plantation: Tragedy in Papua
Cyclops Story: Tragedy in Papua's Capital
Aceh field report
Illegal Logging in Indonesia: A Field Report form Aceh
Kalimantan Field Report
Illegal logging in Indonesia: A Field Report from Kalimantan
UN-REDD programme in Indonesia
Ministry of Forestry Indonesia
Corruption Eradication Commission
The Royal Government of Norway
The Royal Government of Norway
Ministry of Forestry
Corruption Eradication Commission


text: Statement I am a Brooklyn-based artist who uses photography to wrestle with the strangeness and impossibility of this natural world that surrounds and supports us. I strive to create pictures that are meaningful and beautiful–immersive images that capture a single moment within a broader narrative and tease out the magic of the unsettling. For me, the best way to share the sensuality and danger I find hidden in the world is to present a single, poignant, urgent moment. I aim to provide enough depth to invite viewers into a world where they can explore the feeling conveyed in the image, while also offering a space where they may arrive at their own conclusions. Before a shoot, I spend time researching and planning. During the shoot I shift to the role of choreographer for my subjects, be they human, animal, or of the natural world. We experiment together with expressive postures, gestures, handmade props, constructed sets, wardrobe, and lighting, all to create a feeling of heightened reality. The elements may be familiar, but the composed images take on an entirely new, surreal quality. I continue my exploration with the subject matter during post-production, a process of editing and collaging the images and discovering their meaning. In the end, I hope that the final piece offers the viewer a renewed sense of curiosity in looking at and experiencing the world in all its awesome strangeness.


text:
Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
AAA Members Insurance Agency announces that applications are now available for its fourth-annual AAA Insurance Scholarship for Community Excellence. Open to high school seniors, the deadline for consideration is Dec. 23, and applications are available for download by visiting www.AAA.com/Insurance.
The AAA Insurance Scholarship for Community Excellence will be awarded to six graduating high school seniors that demonstrate excellence in academics and community involvement and plan to attend a college, university or accredited technical school in New York state.
Three $1,000 first place scholarships and three $500 second place scholarships will be awarded throughout AAA Western and Central New York's territory, including the areas of greater Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.
"AAA is pleased to be giving back to the communities we serve through the AAA Insurance Scholarship program," said David Weber, vice president of Insurance for AAA Western and Central New York. "The AAA Insurance Scholarship for Community Excellence encourages students to make a difference in their communities through their chosen field of study and subsequent career paths."
For more information on the AAA Insurance scholarship program or to obtain an application, visit www.AAA.com/Insurance.


text:
REMERON is grouped under tetracyclic antidepressant and used to treat conditions like depression.
Mirtazapine$ 2.75
Remeron 30 mg (Normal Dosage)
30 pills
$ 3.69 Per Pill
|$ 110.69
60 pills
$ 3.18 Per Pill
|$ 191.06
90 pills
$ 2.75 Per Pill
|$ 247.26
Drug Uses
REMERON is very useful in treating depression and it is thought to work by increasing the activity of certain chemicals in the brain (norepinephrine, serotonin), which help elevate mood.
Following the dosage instructions of your doctor is the best way to use any medication. If you are unsure or do not remember the instructions then you may read the medicine label for more detailed information.
You may choose to take REMERON by mouth with a meal to avoid an upset stomach or without one.
It is very important that you complete the dosage schedule and do not interrupt it in between without seeking prior consultation from your doctor.
Taking your medication at the same time each day is a tried and tested method to avoid missing any doses.
Drug Class and Mechanism
REMERON falls under tetracyclic antidepressant and it is though to work by increasing the activity of certain chemicals in the brain (norepinephrine, serotonin), which help elevate mood.
Missed Dose
Despite your best attempts at remembering, if you still miss out on a dose, then take it as soon as you remember about it. But keep in mind that you will have to adjust your next dose by spacing it out by 4 to 5 hours. If this is not possible, then the best thing to do would be to skip the missed dose and continue with your normal dosage schedule.
Never try to compensate for the missed dose by taking a double dose together. It may cause adverse effects.
Store REMERON at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F(15 and 30 degrees C). Always keep it in a cool dark place that is not directly exposed to sources of heat or moisture and sunlight. Protect it from kids and pets.
Doctors advise against using REMERON if you are allergic to any ingredient in it.
Discuss your past/current medical history in detail with your doctor before beginning treatment with any new medication. If you are using any herbal supplements or over the counter medication, including vitamin pills, then mention it to your doctor.
Your condition might be monitored or the dosage might be modified to suit you if you are taking furazolidone or
you are taking or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (e.g., phenelzine) within the last 14 days.
If you are expecting a child or are planning to have a child in the near future, then consult your doctor before using REMERON to discuss any possible threats to the unborn baby.
If you are a nursing mother and breast feed your baby, then too, seek consultation before using REMERON as some drugs are excreted in the breast milk and may enter the baby.
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text:
I never want to retire! I'm going to work until I keel over. I would say that one big obstacle to retiring at 35 is that you need to fund not the usual 20 years or so of retirement, but forty or FIFTY! That's a pretty big nest egg. It means you have to accumulate enough wealth to live off the interest only--forever. For ten years, it's a challenge!
I will say the smartest thing I did financially in my twenties was to buy a house. We made a great deal of money from the equity in the house, and banked much of it when we traded up to a larger place.
Catherine Shaffer
Wise Bread Contributor


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Mozambique: Northern Coast
99 Coastal Destinations Rated
(Score: 69) So far, so good, sums up the assessments of sustainable-travel experts who have journeyed along the remote north coast of this African nation by the Indian Ocean. They roll out the superlatives to describe the tawny sands, turquoise waters, coral islands, tropical woodlands, and centuries-old Portuguese forts found here—and the promising initial steps toward a tourist economy that could benefit local people.
Yet the problems and pressures mounting in this northernmost province of Mozambique are daunting. The area is extremely poor even by African standards and has suffered repeated economic blows when foreign fishing ships have depleted fish catches, diseases have crippled the cashew and coconut crops, and erosion has drained fertile crop soils. Life expectancy is just 37.8 years, according to government figures, and almost 30 percent of children die before age five.
Such stark statistics suggest that any tourist development should rightfully benefit local people—and that's what happens at Quirimbas National Park, opened in 2002 with French financial aid and technical assistance from the World Wildlife Fund.
"The plan is for [the park] to benefit the people and become economically sustainable," explains Kwasi Agbley, a tourism specialist working with USAID in Mozambique. "That way it will continue after the foreign funding is done."
Quirimbas park covers some 3,000 square miles and encompasses 11 tropical islands and swaths of forest along a 56-mile stretch of coastline. Those islands, rich in biodiversity, are showing up on the must-visit lists of divers, birders, windsurfers—and everyone who has dreamed of experiencing the natural rhythms of Africa."You get on these islands and you are out of this world," exclaims Agbley. "You can feel time stand still."
Many of the park's guides, staff, and volunteer corps of rangers come from area villages. Agbley credits park officials with reviving fish populations by creating marine reserves, preserving forests and protecting elephants by curtailing illegal lumber operations, preventing deadly brush fires by educating villagers, and continuing the protection of local ecosystems.
Richard Tapper, a biodiversity consultant and director of a green-business group in London, is thrilled at the promise of Quirimbas. "Small eco-resorts are being built in local style. The birdlife is incredible," he says. And 20 percent of all user fees are distributed back to the communities.
Yet, he points out, the park draws only some 3,000 visitors a year, in part because the closest major international airport is 600 miles away over sometimes bumpy roads. "The amount of money tourism contributes is very small compared to the size of the need."
Still, Tapper sees virtues in only gradual development of the destination. "There are significant issues of water resources and waste handling that need addressing before more visitors come," he says. "If we open the park up too fast, it won't hold the same attraction for tourists in the long term." And sustainability, by its very definition, is about the long term.
From the November-December 2010 issue of National Geographic Traveler
- Nat Geo Expeditions