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BridgeNet Personal Lines Auto Insurance APIs are Free for Developers
Our vision is to bring an insurance buying experience to the platforms and providers consumers trust.
Charleston, SC – July 06, 2021: BridgeNet, LLC has announced the launch of their suite of enterprise-class, secure personal lines auto APIs designed to find a local agent, quote coverage and receive payment for regional non-standard insurance carriers. Developers have free access to use the documentation, signup, build, test, and go live unassisted.
"Platforms that use the BridgeNet API's can focus their energy on user experience without worrying about compliance, training sales staff, or dozens of carrier contracts. Our suite of single-purpose insurance API's allows lead providers or affinity groups to deploy and scale any app or website quickly to deliver value and build an additional source of revenue."
Tim Morris, Chief Executive Officer of BridgeNet
BridgeNet helps access smaller regional insurance carriers that may only be licensed in a few states, but understands the local and state-specific markets better than large, national carriers. Additionally, BridgeNet assigns a locally-licensed and trained independent agent to each account. A single contract with BridgeNet will give turnkey access to twenty-three (23) largely regional carriers and removes licensing, compliance, and service issues in 24 states.
BridgeNet aggregates the products and technologies deployed by the carriers and delivers uptime reliability and backend data analytics. While many established platforms and entrepreneurs share our passion, bringing new ideas to the market is not easy. There are special licenses, contracts and competition for carrier resources. "We have a powerful opportunity to bring together a set of tools and industry expertise in a way that is unique to the insurance industry." said Dwight Stuckey.
"Our partnership will bring substantial value to consumer networks," Said Tim Morris, CEO of BridgeNet. Activating car insurance after a new purchase or repair, protecting the assets of an auto loan for banks, or giving automatic discounts for consumers using telematics- driving solutions, BridgeNet's API technology is proven to make innovative ideas come to life quicker.
About BridgeNet
BridgeNet is a non-standard wholesaler that has built an enterprise-class, secure technology solution to find a local agent, quote coverage and take payment for automobile insurance. BridgeNet differentiates itself by using simple, easy-to-use developer documentation, uptime reliability and the ability to monitor how the data converts from quote to an issued policy.
BridgeNet supports largely regional nonstandard personal lines insurance carriers in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, LA, MO, NM, NV, OH, OK, TN, DE, IN, MS, NC, NY, SC, UT, VA, and TX.
Also featured on: PR Web
Contact Author:
Dwight Stuckey
+1 (636) 887-5548
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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
The Hingham Police Department is proud to continue our official partnership with the Pink Patch Project, a collaborative cancer awareness fundraiser in partnership with more than 700 (as of 2022) public safety agencies across the country. This will be our second year participating in this effort.
The goals of this project are: 1) increase education about the importance of early detection and prevention 2) raise funds to further research, treatment, and care of those who are or have battled cancer.
Through the month of October, participating police agencies across the Country will sell their pink patches with all profits going to cancer treatment, research and education. All proceeds from the sales of the Hingham Police Pink Patch will be donated to the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
During October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, uniformed personnel are allowed to replace their standard shoulder patch with the Hingham Police Pink Patch as a reminder of our commitment toward raising awareness among those we serve.
The newly designed Hingham Police Pink Patch (we also have a limited amount of pre-2020 Pink Patch and 2019 K9 Unit Pink Patch still available). The patches are $10 each. They can purchased all year at our front desk 24/7 or by mailing a check payable to the Hingham Police Department - Pink Patch Project, 212 Central Street, Hingham, MA 02043. Please specify Pink Patch you want. Any questions please contact Lt. Steven Dearth (firstname.lastname@example.com) or at 781-804-2205.

subset: commoncrawl


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Send Us Your Feedback
Thank you for using Sunstate for your equipment rental needs. We are pleased to offer both driver and contract related notifications to help you manage your rental activities. When your account is first setup, your notifications are defaulted to "Off". If you wish to turn these notifications on, you are able to configure your settings in the way that works best for you. To access, use the pull down menu next to your company name under "Settings".


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Office service in Saarbrücken
Benefit from excellent office services on demand
Book our friendly telephone service, mail service or other services from our comprehensive office-service portfolio according to your needs. Secure more time for your business and increase the satisfaction of your customers. Of course, you only pay for the services you actually use.
For example, with our administrative service, we offer multilingual telephone service, preliminary bookkeeping, database maintenance, transcription and much more! Our telephone service is available for you 24 hours a day so your telephone presence is always guaranteed.
We ensure things run smoothly so you can keep your mind clear for your business in Saarbrücken!
We use Google Maps for map display. This service uses cookies. Due to your current cookie settings, the element cannot be displayed. You can find information about cookies in our privacy policy.
Interchange Saarbrücken: A 8 Neunkirchen
Interchange Friedrichsthal: A 623 Saarbrücken
Exit "Frankreich / Saarbrücken / Messegelände"
After approx. 1 km: in the roundabout take the 2nd exit
Under the bridge choose right-hand lane
Exit directly after the tunnel (Kongresszentrum)
Choose left-hand lane
Drive left under the bridge into the St. Johanner Straße.
Arriving from Mannheim / Kaiserslautern or from Luxemburg via the A 6 / A 620:
Exit "Westspange"
On the bridge, stay on the right-hand lane
Exit directly after the bridge
2nd street on the right into the St. Johanner Straße.
2 min drive from the main station.
At the main station, take the Line 1 to Riegelsberg.
Get off the city train at the next station Trierer Straße.
5 min walk from the train station.
Walk towards the Reichstraße (opposite to the main exit).
After that, turn into the 1st street on the right, the Trierer Straße.
Stay on the left-hand side of the street.
After approx. 500 meters follow the bend of the road to the left into the St. Johanner Straße.


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Breastfeeding services
Lactation services are available to help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals. Our lactation consultants are specially trained to provide information and assistance to breastfeeding mothers.
Breastfeeding Resources
- How to make more breast milk for your baby
- Prenatal Care: Getting Started with Breastfeeding, Source: Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition
- Getting Started With Breastfeeding, Source: Stanford University
- Breastfeeding, Source: Global Health Media
- Pump In Style Advanced - How to Use, Source: Medela Breastfeeding, YouTube
- Find Donor Human Milk
What is a lactation consultant?
A lactation consultant is someone specially trained to provide information and assistance to the breastfeeding mother. Our lactation consultants are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC). The specialist does not replace a visit to your regular healthcare provider; he or she is a member of your healthcare team. Your lactation consultant is part of your support system, who will help you with all of your questions and concerns.
Support line
Hennepin Healthcare's breastfeeding services are available to help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals. If you have questions, ask your provider to refer you to a lactation consultant, or call 牛奶(6455)612 - 873 from 8 am - 4:30 pm.
Breastfeeding help
- Before baby is born
- In the mother's hospital room, after your baby is born;
- In the NBICU and Pediatric Unit, if your baby stays in the hospital or needs to come back;
- In the Breastfeeding Clinic, if you have gone home and need help.
We're here to help mothers who:
- want to know more before the baby is born.
- want to breastfeed.
- are having problems.
- have babies with special needs.
- need to know how to fit breastfeeding into a busy schedule.
- just need someone to talk to.
Lactation consultants provide in-person and over-the-phone help. A lactation consultant will return your call and help to answer your questions and provide you with information. If a problem is not easily resolved over the phone, an appointment can be arranged for mothers to bring their babies to the clinic. Our lactation consultants are available to assist any mother even if you did not deliver your baby at our Birth Center. There is a charge for clinic visits. Fees may be covered by your health insurance provider.
Mothers may want to consider a visit to the clinic for the following situations:
- Baby not gaining weight appropriately
- Baby has sucking problems
- Nipples persistently sore
- Flat or inverted nipples
- Severe breast engorgement
- Problems with milk supply (too much or too little)
- Nursing an adopted baby
- Relactation
- Difficulty with breastfeeding technique
- A baby who has special needs due to illness or prematurity
- Nursing twins or triplets.
If you have any of these needs, or if you have questions, ask your provider to refer you to a lactation consultant, or call 牛奶(6455)612 - 873 from 8 am - 4 pm. In addition to serving our patients, we are available to all Hennepin Healthcare employees.
Your visit
During your visit, the staff will take a history of the mother and baby, observe the baby during feeding, determine possible causes of difficulty, and offer options from which the mother can choose to help solve the problems she and her baby are experiencing. When a woman calls or comes to the clinic for information or help, the staff maintains contact with the family's health care provider(s), relaying information on breastfeeding problems and progress.
Breastfeeding Clinic
Services are offered Monday-Friday, 8 am until 4:30 pm in the Pediatric Clinic at the Clinic & Specialty Center. Additional services are available on Saturday and Sunday at the Breastfeeding Clinic, located in the Orange Building, 1st floor, room 130 (O1.130).


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Why Contribute to an HSA?
Updated: Jul 11
Health Savings Accounts are a savings vehicle that were established in 2003 with the passing of Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act to help Americans save for healthcare expenses. Healthcare expenditures have continued to climb throughout the decades with the average cost around $10,739 according to a study in 2017. There have been many disagreements across government about the best way to solve our healthcare crisis and while we certainly don't have a resounding answer, HSAs have helped Americans self-fund some of their healthcare costs.
HSAs are offered to people who are covered by a high deductible healthcare plan. What is a high deductible healthcare plan? It qualifies as high deductible if the deductible is $1,400 for an individual or $2,800 for a family in 2020 (subject to change each year). A deductible refers to the amount someone has to pay out of pocket before healthcare coverage kicks in. Usually, HDHPs do cover preventative healthcare without having to spend your deductible but conceptually, people would need to spend these deductibles before their coverage would apply.
If you are covered by a high deductible healthcare plan through an employer, it's likely you have the option to contribute to an HSA through payroll deferral and you may even have some benefit from your employer where they put in a few dollars for you each year. The maximum you can contribute does change each year so be sure to follow the IRS guidelines but for 2020, the total is $3,550 for an individual or $7,100 for a family. If you're 55 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000 catch up contribution.
So now that you have a basic understanding of how HSAs work, why would you contribute to one? Here are a few reasons to consider:
1) Tax Advantaged—not only do these accounts allow you to easily save money for any healthcare expenses you incur, but there are tax advantages. You get to deduct what you contribute to an HSA in the year you contribute. This means that those contributions to your HSA bring down your total income and your tax burden is decreased. HSAs are one of the few deductions that exist regardless of income so it's one of the few tax breaks for all Americans if you qualify. Not only do tax advantages exist for contributions into the HSA but when you do decide to use your HSA for qualified medical expenses, those dollars come out completely tax free, making your dollars go further.
2) Growth Potential—HSAs offer the ability to save your dollars tax free and as long as you have the minimum requirement in cash (usually $1,000), it's possible to invest your dollars into investment offerings. This means your cash can grow depending on how you're invested and how the market is doing. Over the long term, this is a great way to grow your money to help you continue to fund your healthcare costs.
3) No waste—these accounts can be used for a very wide array of medical and healthcare needs so the likelihood these savings get put to use is likely. Additionally, you're required to title the account with a beneficiary meaning that if for some reason you aren't able to use the entire account, these dollars pass down and can positively impact whomever you choose. You're not saving for nothing; those dollars will get used efficiently.
The first step to take advantage of an HSA is to see if you qualify by seeing if you're covered by a high deductible healthcare plan. Your employer will usually provide all the details of the HSA that they sponsor so it's very easy to take advantage of this savings vehicle. If you leave your current employer, you'll want to read what happens to your HSA but for most, this account stays put and you can either roll it into a new HSA with a new employer or continue to maintain it and contribute as long as you qualify.
Is an HSA right for me?
This is a personal question that depends on your own personal healthcare needs and your family's healthcare needs. High deductible healthcare plans are often appropriate for individuals and families that have relatively low healthcare needs and therefore it's more advantageous to pay low premiums with a HDHP and then self-fund most medical costs through an HSA. If an individual or family has chronic conditions and/or has significant costs associated with healthcare during the year, other plans available may make sense. Always consult with your employer and/or financial professional to decide the best option for you and your family.
We don't know what the future of the healthcare system will hold but as a step to take care of yourself, you can consider an HSA as a viable option to cover unexpected healthcare costs.
Photo by Hush Naidoo on Unsplash
Works Cited:
History of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Americans for Free Choice in Medicine , www.afcm.org/hsahistory.html.
"National Healthcare Expenditures 2017 Highlights." Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS , www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/Downloads/highlights.pdf.
The author, Maddi Napier CFP®, MBA, QKA, FSRI is the founder and financial planner at Minerva Wealth Planning, LLC. For questions or suggestions, email email@example.com.


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The Balancing Act: 'She Is Competitive, I Want Our Kids To Be Relaxed'
Every other week, Sonali Gupta draws on more than 10 years of experience as a clinical psychologist to answer readers' questions about parenting, family dynamics, relationships, mental health, and more.
Push and pull parenting: My wife and I have very different parenting styles. She is very competitive and I want our children to be relaxed, enjoy the process of learning. Is there a solution?
Sonali: I can understand how this can be such a tricky issue. Our shared value system shapes the child's personality. And when parents have completely differing styles, as in your case, it definitely creates scope for friction in the relationship and confusion in the child. What may be most important is not to expose children to the background anger. When children witness their parents are not on the same page regarding a decision, it impacts their sense of stability. With older children, this may even create more misunderstanding, as older children learn to manipulate their parents' fights to their own advantage. So, choose not to discuss your disagreements in front of your children. (Read more about parenting as a team on The Swaddle.)
I would suggest that you and your wife have an open dialogue about what is, exactly, the shared value system you would like to teach the children. This should be followed by identifying, understanding and respecting the areas where each partner's parenting style works best. Different situations may require different sensibilities. Keeping the child's temperament and any unique life situations in mind, try and find a middle ground: It may be important to focus on how you can teach your children about passion, excellence, developing genuine interest and the joy of participation, rather than simply being competitive. At the same time, a too-relaxed approach to life can shape into complacency, so learning to engage and participate is a crucial balance. As spouses, choosing to listen to your partner, trust his or her instinct and understand his or her response will help you find this middle ground.
Ultimately, do not let this become a power struggle; let your joint parenting decisions be shaped by what helps the child grow holistically. Keep communicating and finding ways to make sure both your and your wife's perspectives are heard. And remember there is no right or wrong parenting style; each style is shaped by the combination of a parent's personality, a child's temperament and various life situations.
Mixing up languages: When I ask my 3-year-old questions in French, she answers in English; when I ask in English, her replies are in French. When she speaks, she mixes the terms, both for English and French. She has invented this Frenglish, where she alternates between the two, which is very worrying.
Sonali: What you are referring to is very common among young children and toddlers who are exposed to two languages. It is referred to as 'code mixing.' Code mixing generally refers to instances where children use words from both languages in the same sentence. It is very normal for all bilingual children to go through this process. There is nothing to panic or worry about. But it is fascinating, so I'll explain a bit more.
Psychological research shows that there are different reasons that contribute to this mixing, which sometimes leads to the creation of a totally new language. There have been specific names given to mixed languages; in this instance, it's called Franglais or Frenglish. A child might mix languages for several reasons: He or she may struggle to find a particular word in one language, or is faced with a restricted vocabulary in another. Children may also do this as a way of modelling adults, who sometimes use a specific word from a different language to assert their point. This phase does not indicate any developmental delay or confusion in the learning process. So don't worry; children can sense our anxiety, therefore it is important to be careful about how we demonstrate it.
In your particular case, I would wonder if your daughter does it also for fun. Children are very quick to perceive our reactions – not just anxiety – and possibly she uses the language to create a sense of humor. Remember, negative attention is also attention. It may help to observe if your daughter chooses to reply in a different language particularly with the immediate family. If so, it may be a mischievous way of practising her language skills and asserting her identity – an indicator of intelligence, not a delay.


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We have a great deal on the HYFY Pro: 1-Yr Plan in the Geeky Gadgets Deal store today, you can save 58% off the normal price.
The HYFY Pro: 1-Yr Plan normally costs $60 and you can get it for just $25 in our deals store.
Integrate your work with HYFY, the high-quality video screen capture extension for Google Chrome. Just click record and start talking, and when you're done, share your videos directly to Slack, JIRA, HipChat, or just paste your video URL anywhere you want. HYFY is an outstanding tool for QA, Development, and Support teams who work on bugs and incident reports, teachers or trainers who want to record lesson libraries, or anybody who needs to communicate effectively with a team.
Here are some of the features:
- One-click recording removes the hassle of converting or uploading videos
- HYFY videos are viewable by anyone w/ no additional software required
- Compatible w/ sharing directly to JIRA, HipChat, Slack, or by just copy & pasting a link
- New JIRA issues are easy to create w/ browser & screen details from right inside HYFY
- Existing JIRA issues are easily updated w/ video feedback
You can find out more details about the HYFY Pro: 1-Yr Plan over at our deals store at the link below.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.


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Cup Holder / Accessory Tray (Model 510-199)
Holds your drink and your sunglasses, too. Easy to install and finished in matching powder coat this fold out cup holder fits either left or right arm. Fits all models, order with your new STIDD seat or retrofit.
Expedition Tray (Model 510-121)
Surf the internet, eat lunch, or finally get down to writing your memoirs in the comfort of your STIDD seat, with STIDD's new "Expedition Tray". This stylishly clever accessory table is perfect for mariners who need a stable surface for a laptop, a mouse, or for just kicking back and enjoying a snack. You'll find dozens of convenient uses for it.
The "Expedition Tray" easily folds out and locks in place, or folds up and stows with the efficient, smart operation that is a hallmark of all STIDD designs. Finished to match your seat frame or ordered in a contrasting powdercoat color.
For new STIDD seat orders. Request Model No. 510-121. Available for all STIDD "Admiral" Series 500 "Standard" and 500N "Slimline" models.
Sportfish Forward Folding Backrest (Model 510-517)
Available for Series 500 and Slimline 500N Low Back models, this option offers increased aft visibility and a convenient support to lean against when facing aft. The Forward Folding Backrest does not recline.
X4 Recliner Footrest (Model 560-1-109)
When the lines are on the dock, or the watch has changed, it's time to relax – and nothing adds more comfort to your STIDD high back than the X4 Recliner Footrest option. This unique design converts from a standard footrest to a luxurious recliner in seconds. For new Series 500 and Slimline high back orders only. Available in powder coat or deluxe chrome finishes. Independent backrest function allows you to lock in your personal comfort angle.
Bulkhead Mounted Footrest (Model 510-116B)
Our X2 folding footrest in a bulkhead mount! For use with box mounted seats. Powdercoat or chrome finish.
Fitted Protective Covers (Model 510-106 L/H/LN/HN)
Protect your investment with an authentic STIDD cover. The white marine-grade sunbrella looks sharp while protecting your seats when not in use. Embroidered with the STIDD logo, available for all models.


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Monday, 17 December 2018 03:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
AFP: Former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen is under investigation for corruption, police said Sunday, after a court ordered accounts holding $6.5 million to be frozen.
Yameen, who was defeated in a September election, was interviewed by police on the honeymoon islands on Saturday.
Former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen
He has been dogged by allegations that he received close to $1.5 million in illicit payments during his failed bid for re-election in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation.
The country's monetary authority has lodged a police complaint about the alleged donations made into a private account held by Yameen in two suspicious tranches, local media reported.
The former strongman President, who ruled the popular holiday islands with an iron fist, jailing or exiling his opponents, has denied the allegations.
Yameen relied heavily on China for political and financial support in the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims, troubling neighbouring India.
Beijing has challenged New Delhi for regional influence, including in strategicallylocated nations like the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, which have traditionally been within India's orbit.
China has loaned billions of dollars to countries around the Indian Ocean and beyond for infrastructure development, stoking fears of a debt trap.
But Yameen's defeat to Ibrahim Mohamed Solih signalled something of a reset, with the new President accusing China of a land grab in the Maldives and turning to India for help.
Solih departed for India on Sunday on his first official visit abroad since assuming office.
He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.
Yameen's five-year tenure was marked by the jailing of all his key rivals, most of whom have returned to the country after his toppling.


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The Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) assault in Maguindanao province in Mindanao last January 25 without coordination with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was wrong. It should have not been initiated in the first place. A total of 44 elite police officers were killed in that armed encounter with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the MILF. A friend, Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, said that many of those fighters were also members of the Justice for Islamic Movement (JIM).
Another friend, Jojo Garcia, noted that "It is Umbra Kato's former command, before he split from the MILF to form the BIFF and continue his jihad. If there is any unit of the MILF still confused as to whether it is a peace partner or radical extremist, it would be this unit."
The peace agreement between the PH government and MILF (brokered and facilitated by the Malaysia government, most of the peace talks were held in Kuala Lumpur) is only a few months old. Trust and confidence on both sides is not very high at this time, there are still hang over of small distrust. Confidence building will take years, not just months.
I do NOT and will NOT support a new war in Mindanao. To have peace with MILF, no armed intrusion should be done by the PH government without proper coordination the MILF.
Now, some people are suggesting that the PNP should have prepared a reinforcement plan from the AFP when it entered that village in Maguindanao province to arrest Marwan, a wanted international terrorist by the US and PH governments These people are suggesting an expanded war that day. PNP + AFP vs BIFF + MILF. People use "peace" hesitantly because what they really want is war.
They are concerned with the backlash of the Fallen44. But what about the backlash if the PNP + AFP vs BIFF + MILF, CIM erupted into hundreds of dead combatants and civilians that day? Or expanding for several days? War is war, bullets and bombs do not evade civilians. Once you initiate armed intrusion, expect armed counter-intrusion.
If the PH govt does not trust MILF, then there should have been no peace talks initiated in the first place. Gyera lang ng gyera, barilan at patayan lang forever. Sana ang may gusto nyan, isabaka nila sarili nila.
We support the peace talks and peace agreement because ultimately we want zero armed intrusion by both sides, today and in the future. Now the PH government authorized huge armed intrusion without regard and coordination with the MILF.
We have been too deep in this war in Mindanao. Five, six decades of war, still not enough? Some people want 1 or 2 more decades of war?
If we have to uphold the rule of law, the PH government can still attempt to get Marwan, Usman, etc militarily -- but in coordination with the MILF. Then it should be a PNP + MILF operation. If it fails to get Marwan, then another attempt in succeeding months. The PH government should learn to respect international agreements and not be a violator of its own rules.
It is true that Marwan and other wanted terrorists can possibly escape if there was prior coordination with MILF. But that is the law, the agreement with MILF is that the AFP or PNP must coordinate with them. The same way that there are thieves and plunderers in govt now, stealing hundreds of milliions, yet we cannot just throw them in jail or burn them alive, there are laws to follow.
Rule of law, let's abide by it, not emotionalism or political populism.
Another friend suggested,
"The same Rule of Law also dictated that these terrorists be arrested or neutralised by the government. It can be argued that, coordinating with the MILF would have resulted in the failure of the government to uphold the Rule of Law. The objective here was not to attack the MILF, but to arrest fugitives from justice."
Here is an analogy:
"These thieves and plunderers be arrested or neutralised by the government. It can be argued that, coordinating with these thieves' minions would have resulted in the failure of the government to uphold the Rule of Law and not arrest them. The objective here was not to pin down the minions but to arrest thieves and plunderers."
There are rules to follow always. So another option in order to avoid existing restrictions is to scrap, officially dishonor, the peace agreement with MILF, and PNP-AFP can attack and arrest fugitives in MILF areas anytime anywhere. Is that a good scenario?
Here is another analogy. Suppose a leader has committed serious crimes (murders, rape, cultural destruction, etc.) in an MILF controlled area, then he fled to Davao or Cagayan de Oro, with 1 or 2 dozen armed men to protect him. The MILF wants to get him and his men, send several hundred armed fighters. The peace agreement says that the latter must coordinate with the PH government first and ask to get the said wanted criminal and his men.
Assuming that the MILF distrust the PNP or AFP because they think this wanted criminal has many friends at those government armed units. So the MILF would launch a military attack on the wanted criminal and his men without coordination with the AFP or PNP.
I am sure this is unacceptable to many Filipinos. And rightly so. But the PH government sending 350 armed officers to get a wanted criminal/terrorist withour coordination with the MILF is fine and acceptable?
The MILF has the political jursdiction in ARMM areas and hence, PH government political and military coordination with them is required. Palpak si President Noynoy (PNoy) Aquino dito. He should apologize to the Filipino people, even apologize for breaking the peace agreement.
Rule of law is useful. The law applies equally to unequal people, the law applies to governors and the governed, the administrators and administered. No one is exempted and no one can grant an exemption. The PH govt should never have exempted itself in getting prior coordination with the MILF as stipulated in the peace agreement.
Now, supposed there was no death among SAF officers, government casualty was zero. Did it make the operation without coordination with MILF, AFP, LGUs, justified?
I would still say NO. Disrespect for the peace agreement, dsrespect of political jurisdiction, is wrong. The law applies to the governors and the governed. No one is exempted and no one can give an exemption, even unto itself.
See also:
Criminals 5: One Year of Maguindanao Massacre, November 23, 2010
Criminals 12: R. Ecleo, A. Ampatuan, J. Reyes, June 02, 2012


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We want this girl, we want her alive, we want her tied, we want her on her knees, we want her on OUR knees, we want her everywhere and anywhere – Maxine Holloway – YOU ARE A SMOKING HOT SEX BANDIT!!! Thank you for being a No Fauxxx Fox!
76 Photos / Photography by Courtney Trouble
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Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Kam Tin
We have sometimes heard about these old walled villages around the New Territories and decided to go check one out. Even though the walls surrounding some of the villages are over 500 years old the villages within have vanished and been replaced by pastel colored houses with modern day appliances.
The village we visited was built by the Tang clan which arrived in Hong Kong in 1069. Subsequent genertions continued building the walled villages which still exist today. The original function of the walls were built to protect against pirates, bandits and neighbors. The village we visited had only one entrance guarded by a chain-iron gate and each corner had watchtowers.
We have a guide book that directs us to most of the places we have explored around HK. It's very good about telling us which bus to take but not where to get off. After riding on the bus for an hour we realized we had no idea where our stop is. We decided to just ride the whole route and see what we pass to see if we could figure it out by process of elimination. It was actually a great way to see parts of HK we had yet to see.
On our return route we (ok, Troy) figured out the right stop. As we approached the village after walking a few blocks, we could see two old Chinese (what else would they be) women sitting in the doorway. As we neared the entrance, one motioned for us to insert a coin into a slot built into the wall. I had read this would happen and is just a small donation for the preservation of the village.
After we paid our $2HKD, the two ladies immediately stood side by side, pasted the biggest smiles they could muster on their faces and motioned at Troy and his camera for him to take their picture. And then comes the hand extended out for money! I told Troy this was another thing I had read would happen and that they want $10HKD. We were fine with $10HKD for the two of them but not each. They were not too happy when they realized Troy shortchanged them! After we paid them and entered the village another old lady came running up to us with a wide brimmed bamboo hat on her head. She started pointing at her hat and Troys camera indicating that he should take her picture with her hat. We would have but we only had $100HKD bills and were not about to pay her that much.
The inside of the village was nothing special. The walkways between the homes were narrow and lined with kids bicycles, shoes and small plants. The main walkway was supposed to be lined with souvenir stands but the only stand we saw had dried fish on it. Not quite what I had in mind for a sourvenir! It took us about 10 minutes to make our way through the walkways before we left.
We were not ready to go home yet, so we walked toward another village called Shui Tau Tsuen. This village was not enclosed by a wall but instead backed up to some small green hills that was also the home to many horseshoe shaped graves. This was a very quiet area and had awesome views of some nearby mountains. I kept hoping we would come across grazing water buffalo but the only thing we saw was dog poop! (But the area was still very pretty!)
As we're walking along a dirt path toward the hills, Troy comments to me that he wouldn't be too happy if I was out wandering in this area by myself. (I think Troy was referring to my excursions where I'm not too sure how I'm getting home.) He further states that he wouldn't be happy not knowing where I was. I told him "That's ok, I wouldn't know where I would be either, so we would be even!!!" Somehow I don't think that was the answer he was looking for!
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I think I might have told you this before but I will say it again. Each one of your blogs could be titled a TSP Report. Kinka like a TPS report. Get it!! You know....like in Office Space. Ha ha ha ha ha aah. God I make myself laugh. I am so funny.


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Switzerland is also being affected by the global crisis of capitalism, with growing pressure on Swiss workers. In the recent elections, although the Social Democrats received the lowest number of votes in 20 years, where candidates posed the real issues facing workers, such as jobs, wages and housing, they did remarkably well. Here we publish an analysis by the Swiss Marxists of Der Funke.
On Sunday, 23 October a new parliament was elected in Switzerland. Although not much changed in the general balance of forces inside the two houses of parliament (Nationalrat and Ständerat), there was a clear shift of votes. All the traditional parties from left to right lost votes while the two new parties, the GLP and the BDP won 4% and 5.4%.
This "punishment" of all the traditional parties mainly expresses a broad disillusionment in the political elite, but also the hope that some change can be achieved through the new parties. These parties are both the result of splits that have taken place over the last four years. The GLP (Green-Liberal Party) is a split to the right from the Green Party and came out particularly strongly in the urban areas. The BDP (Bourgeois-Democratic Party) split from the nationalist SVP four years ago after a drama around the national government elections and is an expression of the contradictions within the SVP itself.
The nationalist SVP, being the big winner over the last decade, this time suffered a significant loss of support of -2.3%. This is due on the one hand to the BDP split taking many votes with them. On the other hand it also shows that the racist propaganda, the main content of the SVP's propaganda, has reached as far as it can go and that the real issues of the workers (the main voter base of the SVP being the rural proletariat) with the growing impact of the global economic crisis on Switzerland can no longer be answered with pure xenophobia. Although with its 26.6% the SVP is still the strongest in parliament, this setback has shaken the party deeply and will bring further to the surface the contradictions of being a bourgeois party of big business while depending mainly on a proletarian voter base.
In the last few years we have constantly explained that the strength of the right-wing SVP lies mainly in the weakness of the left, in the weakness of the social-democratic SPS. After its big loss of nearly 4% in the previous elections four years ago the SPS has now lost a further 0.8%. At the same time they were able to win three seats. In Switzerland the national MPs are elected for every State (Canton). In proportion to its size each Canton has a certain amount of seats to be allocated, so in every one of the 26 Cantons different candidates run and different campaigns are held. Although the party leaders have tried to make out that this winning of three new seats was a victory, the fact is that with only 18.7% the SPS is at its lowest level of support since 1991.
It is interesting to see, in which Cantons and with which campaigns the SPS was able to win support. Generally it can be said that the SPS was successful where they put the following issues at the centre of their campaigns: jobs, wages and pension. With these left campaigns and programmes the party was actually saved from an even worse defeat. This will certainly have its effect inside the party. Already now certain left elements, one of them being the socialist youth JUSO, are discussing the results of these elections intensely and are drawing conclusions. It is clear, that the SPS is very weak and that the way forward for the party can only be achieved through a clear cut break with their collaborationist tradition and with an orientation to the workers. Already the political attacks against the working class that we will be facing in the coming years are being discussed openly (one main issue will be the raising of the age of retirement) and the SPS must prepare to fight an uncompromising struggle in defence of all the past gains and interests of the workers.
The potential success of such an approach can be shown in the example of the JUSO in the Canton of Zürich. The JUSO, running its campaign against the redistribution of wages, for the taxation of the rich and the nationalisation of the banks, while at the same time playing a leading role in the occupations of the Paradeplatz in Zürich (the symbol of Swiss finance capital) led to an almost doubling of its votes and is now the strongest youth-party in the Canton. Similar results were achieved in many other Cantons (with two candidates of the JUSO being elected).
In the Canton of Zürich, one of our comrades from Der Funke Switzerland ran for elections on the list of the JUSO. Campaigning mainly in apprentice schools (a vast majority of the youth start an apprenticeship at the age of 16) it became clear that many young workers are very open to socialist ideas. In the public meetings where our candidate participated, she was able to convince a large number of young workers not only of her anti-racist campaign and for the need to nationalise the banks and the main industries under democratic workers' control but also of the need to become active. She was thus able to win some of them to the JUSO and has since been having political discussions with others.
A general feeling of injustice brings many young workers and students to draw radical conclusions as was revealed by the questions they posed and the comments made in these public meetings, but also in the follow-up private discussions and as is also shown by the continuing growth of the JUSO. Basing herself on the following programme, our candidate could connect with this feeling and win votes mainly from the SPS base and from trade union activists. She achieved a good result of 5443 votes.
In the interests of working people and the youth – without compromise!
The last years have been marked by worsening conditions at work: demands and stress have increased, while wages have barely risen. Furthermore, spending on education, health or social services has been cut wherever possible. And all this during times when the economy was actually still going rather well. Today, things have changed: the economic crisis, which is shaking the world, does not stop at the Swiss borders. Further attacks from the bourgeois, further sackings and cuts in wages, further cuts and austerity measures will follow. While the bourgeois get richer and richer (the richest 1% of the Swiss own over 50% of overall wealth), working people and the youth have to cope with less and less, also in Switzerland. It is clearer than ever that those who profit from this economic system are those that already have enough. Especially we, the young people on a world scale, are the victims of these policies, serving only the wellbeing of a handful. We don't want to pay for the anti-social behaviour of the bourgeois with our future!
Not a generation without perspectives!
In July 2011, 15,150 young people aged between 15 and 24 were unemployed. That is simply 15,150 too many! Everyone has the right to learn a trade. He or she who has completed an apprenticeship is perfectly qualified for professional life. We have the right to exercise our skills in practice after our apprenticeship and to receive a fair wage for this work! We also have the right to develop our skills in further academic studies, independently of our financial background, that is equal opportunities!
- For the abolishment of student fees!
- Apprenticeship and follow-up guarantee for all!
- Too high housing rents? – Unused buildings should be transferred into the hands of the communities without compensation and are to be transformed into low priced housing
Minimum wage – Now!
High living costs don't just pose problems in regards to housing. For many it's getting harder and harder to lead a decent life with their wages. Today over 400,000 people (10% of the total labour force) work for less then 22 francs an hour. This equals less than 4,000 gross francs per month. In regards to wages we also see a constant redistribution from the bottom to the top. Over the last ten years the highest salaries have risen by 21.3%, while the lowest wages have only risen by 2%. Only those at the top have benefited from the economic growth and the increase in productivity. This has to stop!
- For a minimum wage of 22 francs an hour or 4,000 francs a month
- The ratio between the lowest and the highest salary in a company should not go above value of 1:12 – Yes to the 1:12 popular initiative!
- For an sliding scale of wages for all salaries under 8,000 francs!
The economy has to serve us!
But who should pay for all of this? This is the question the bourgeois always ask when the point of raising the living standards of the working majority is posed. But when banks go under because of speculation, billions are paid without even asking; just too assure their profits. So there obviously is enough money. The question is rather who decides what is done with it. Who controls the economy controls politics as well. And we can indeed see what the consequence of these policies are: thousands of people die of hunger, sickness and war every day, while the environment is being destroyed for the sake of quick profits. The economy has to serve us and not the other way around. We want to collectively decide what is to be done with the wealth we produce. We can only do so by finally submitting the most important economic sectors to our common control.
- For the nationalization of the most important companies and banks of Switzerland under the control of the workers, the trade unions and the state.
- For the democratic planning of the most important economic sectors: Let's produce for the human need and not for profit.
- For an environmental plan aimed at converting production towards renewable energies over the next 10 years.


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I love the idea of being a "good enough" parent. But there have been times when I felt like I had to be perfect--like when I was trying to teach a new skill to my kids or we had a pivotal school meeting. We are all doing the best we can with the skills we have at any point in time. No parent is perfect, no child is perfect, no intervention or program is perfect--and so we shouldn't expect perfection from ourselves, our children or the strategies we try.
No Parent is Perfect Segment from "Parenting without Panic" Book Launch
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Today, Armenia is once again serving as a shining example in the history of democratic processes.
One hundred years ago, despite being short-lived, the independent Armenian Republic wrote a proud chapter in Armenian history, primarily due to its adherence to high democratic values. Its inclusion of women in political life (even before United States had even granted women the right to vote), its tolerance toward Yezidi and other minorities, and its systems of free public education, free healthcare and social welfare, the First Armenian Republic even in those tumultuous days, served as a beacon of light and as a shining example of a just and free society.
And now, exactly 100 years later, Armenia once again is in the process of setting another example of democracy for all of humanity to see, especially if what has now begun continues on the same path and truly free and fair parliamentary elections are held. This is something that should engender pride for each and every Armenian.
In reality, this wave of mass protests that has revolutionized Armenian society without a drop of blood being shed, and what is being channeled now within the guidelines of the constitution, brings forth a new day, and a New Armenia for all of us. Really, how many examples in history can we find where in such a short period of time, the force of democracy erupts like a volcano with its lava forging its path toward constitutional and at the same time fundamental, systemic solutions?
Today, it is an indisputable fact that the Armenian People demand change, and not just in its political reality. Seeing the strong-willed and broad-based demands of the Armenian People and especially its youth, it is obvious that what is wanted is a far-reaching systemic change, in what can even be seen as a sociopolitical revolution.
Here that which is superficial or mediocre is no longer acceptable and has no place in this movement. It is precisely this fact that fills our hearts with pride and optimism.
Thus, let no one try to dampen the spirit and hope of this wave of change. Let no one try to minimize its force. Nothing can stop it, and there is no turning back. What was unimaginable just a few weeks ago has now become inevitable simply because both spirits and minds are now soaring.
It is obvious that the People have begun to be hopeful. They have begun to tie that hope to Armenia and its future and not to emigration or foreign lands. If you don't believe it, look at the light in their eyes. Look at the happiness on their faces.
And this is truly the greatest accomplishment of Nikol Pashinyan and his colleagues. They succeeded in giving the People the courage to have hope without feeling defeated. They succeeded in making the likes of us understand that tying hope to the immediate future of Armenia is not naive or misplaced.
And if Nikol and his crew stray and we are all proven wrong, it is clear that the People and the pages of history will be unforgiving not only toward Mr. Pashinyan but also toward all of us for not understanding and internalizing what we saw and witnessed.
Therefore, we must hope that the ship which has sailed and now seems to have emerged from the storm into calm waters, will take us all to a port of victory where free and fair elections will be achieved. This is where the true work of state-building will begin. This is where the foundations of repatriation, prosperity and strength will be laid.
There will always be suspicion toward that which is uncertain, and it is natural for some to approach these rapidly changing times with caution. That is fine, as long as such caution does not lead to cynicism which will eat away at the collective hope and optimism of the People toward a bright future. It was this hope that until recently seemed impossible, and which in turn killed the spirit of innovation, the genuine prosperity of the country, and the drive for individual progress. Dictatorship and tyranny thrive in spaces where hope is suppressed.
For small nations or for those engaged in existential fights, hope is as important as bread and water. The stronger the opportunity and ability for hope, the greater the readiness to commit to progress. That society which nurtures collective hope and vision is difficult if not impossible to stop.
Witness the generation of May 1918, which fought and won an unequal battle with courage and commitment.
In today's reality, it is only external forces or internal conspiratorial actions which can serve as a ruse or stumbling block on the path of the People. Such attempts can only come from enemies, and would be tantamount to treason.
The People of Armenia have started to breathe and have begun to rid themselves of gut-wrenching and toxic pessimism to look toward a field of dreams. It is here that the idealism of the masses meets the possible, and indeed reality.
It is here, finally, where Homeland and Diaspora will meet, it is here where the development of the Armenian economy will become the art of the possible. And it is here where the much-delayed movement of "Tebi Yerkir – Toward the Homeland" repatriation will become not just a matter of self-sacrifice or national duty, but rather a command steeped in happiness and genuine motivation.
For the love of God and in the name of the coming victory for our people, let us cherish hope and give it strength. This is not the time for pessimism or cynical thoughts. This golden opportunity that has been created challenges each of us to cleanse ourselves of cynicism, faithlessness, and predictions of failure.
Today is the day of courageous visionaries who will take the lead toward a bright future.
Today (finally) is the day for politicized youth and those who strive for ideals
Today is the day for revolutionaries who love their nation. Today is the day for architects of the state-building, the same as it was 100 years ago, in May of 1918.
A version of this op-ed appeared on the author's Facebook page on Monday


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Charlottesville and Albemarle County officials serving on the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority's board are considering radical options that could alter respective voting power on the panel or create a new county waste authority.
Since 2011, the city has provided no money to the authority for the Ivy Materials Utilization Center, choosing instead to contract private commercial haulers with their own waste transfer stations. Throughout the prior decade, Charlottesville withheld some money from the authority on the grounds that it is unnecessary for the city to pay tax money for services its residents do not use.


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The same man was just and devout… waiting for the consolation of Israel.
Luke 2:25
Jesus was born a Jew and lived His life in full accordance with the Jewish law, for the law, promises, prophecies and salvation must all come through the Jews. And so on the eighth day, after the custom of the law, Jesus was brought to the temple, and there He was seen by Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him. Luke 2:25
Simeon was just in his dealings with men and devout in his living towards God. Simeon was one of the remnant of the Jews who sought the Messiah of Scripture. He was not looking for the Saviour in their own imagination.. as did the majority of law-abiding Israelites. It takes the blending of both of Simeon's characteristics of justice and devotion… to become a man after God's own heart. And yet there's a third characteristic which is often overlooked. This man was 'waiting'.
The just shall live by faith.. and 'waiting' for the Lord is an active expression of faith. For faith is believing what God has said. Faith is trusting Him in all that He has ever said in His word. Simeon was a wonderful example of a man who continued seeking God, all his life. Simeon had a wider view of the consolation of Israel. He had a broader perspective than the numerous religious folk of his day – he recognised the infant Messiah, the Anointed of Israel was also Saviour of the world.
And for his remarkable, child-like faith, Simeon was one to hold and bless the infant Jesus. He held the 'lamb of God' in his arms and blessed the God of the universe. Why? Why should Simeon be granted this exceptional privilege? What was Simeon's secret? Well, scripture is its own interpreter, and it seems he never ceased in his expectation.
Simeon never stopped watching, waiting, and seeking the Lord, and throughout his life Simeon patiently waited for His Redeemer to come. Day after day after decade he waited. He waited patiently, and he patiently waited. This just, devout believer sought the Lord and waited for Him – for His time.
Waiting! This simple, basic 'formula' is the winning combination in a man or woman of God. Faith – Devotion – Seeking – Waiting. 'Wait' is a word so often underlined in my bible. But Simeon's patient, long-suffering waiting puts my own vigil to shame.
Seeking! Simeon also spent his patient walk, in seeking the Lord, seek and ye shall find. But it is a faithful hour by hour, day by day, week by week seeking, It is a month – by year – by lifetime seeking that the Lord requires.. and this important lesson is a lesson most of us need to perfect – perseverance in prayer rather than giving up in despair.
Devotion! Yes, a love and a passion and deep, deep devotion to the Lord, but lack of love, passion and devotion is too often our weak, frail downfall – but we are frequently reminded in many ways what to do. Repent and return to your first love. Rev. 2:5
Faith, is the key that unlocks our heart to reach the heart of God. We are all of us ageing in the physical, just like the aged Simeon.. but our souls are eternal and His plans for us are in the celestial body.
We none of us like to see the daily deteriorating advance – but Simeon had learned the exquisite secret of retaining an exciting, spirit-filled life. Keep trusting Him; keep loving Him; keep seeking Him and keep on waiting on Him
This faithful godly man was given illumination in his old age, because he demonstrated a life of faith, of love, of patience and – Simeon waited.
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Indie seems to be the road to take for bands looking for big time success. Post-Arctic Monkeys, it's a genre that seems to produce more 'stars' (for better or for worse) than any other, with the vast majority being thrust into the mainstream. Catfish And The Bottlemen are a prime example of this – a critically acclaimed debut album, a tight grasp on radio airplay and, in Van McCann, a frontman with the sort of larger-than-life persona that's highly sought after. Keeping that in mind, Sunset Sons' Very Rarely Say Die is the epitome of a 2010s indie debut – bloated, self-important but with flashes of real greatness.
Despite having members from both the UK and Australia, Sunset Sons' sound seems to gravitate more towards the indie-pleasing redneck-rock of Aha Shake Heartbreak-era Kings Of Leon. At their best, Sunset Sons would probably give the Nashville quartet a run for their money on Very Rarely Say Die as well, as there are some really solid songs on this album. The slick guitar line and sandy drumbeat of Tick Tock makes for an early album highlight, while September Song coasts by on a lush, layered chorus and washed-out instrumentation, and She Wants uses a light piano line and fluid guitar to make a really great track (save for a disappointingly tinny guitar solo).
The other main point that Very Rarely Say Die gets very right is in its consistency in production. It's very laidback and lazy throughout, but in the best possible way; guitars jangle along, light piano lines are drizzled over most of the album and muted, dusty drums sizzle away in the background for a quintessentially summery sound. Sunset Sons are very likeable in the way they present themselves, and that seeps through in most of the material on offer here.
However, there's a very thin line between a consciously easy-going sound and a bland one, and when Sunset Sons cross over into the latter, it's easy to spot. There's just something about some of this album that feels a lot less interesting than the rest, and it does unfortunately drag it down. Gold and Somewhere Maybe feel too one-paced and placid to live up to the album's highest points, and Lost Company is too twee and pompous to seamlessly fit with the flow of the album. It's in this respect that Very Rarely Say Die really feels like a debut album – it sees Sunset Sons with clear goals of what they want to achieve, and while they do their best to hit them, they aim too wide and ultimately miss a number of them. And for an album with thirteen tracks, there are too many misses, causing it to drag.
It's too passive and has too many forgettable moments to be a truly great album, and an overpopulation of bland tracks is ultimately what drags Very Rarely Say Die down. But while this may be the case, there are some moments of real strength and a sound that really works for them throughout, features that if Sunset Sons can capitalise on in the future, should take them far. For now though, they've got a solid debut and a whole load of promise under their belts, and that's something they can definitely be happy about.
For fans of: Kings Of Leon, Circa Waves, Eliza And The Bear
Words by Luke Nuttall
'Very Rarely Say Die' by Sunset Sons is out now.


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Taking some time to yourself for a spiritual retreat doesn't have to be expensive or take up your entire life for a week. Fr. Tony shares some ideas for how you can have a spiritual retreat, including some cheap and easy ways to get started.
Home / Father Tony Vlogs / Spiritual Retreats


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The Seniors Computer Group of San Diego was founded in 1984, and is registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so that any donations are tax-deductible. Our mantra is "Seniors Helping Seniors" - we're here to help, and to learn from, each other.
To donate to the Seniors Computer Group, either send a check to the address shown below in Membership, or use the PayPal link below that.
Our objectives are:
1. to encourage the use of home computers as a means of keeping mentally alert and active.
2. to foster computer activities.
3. to provide education on computer use.
4. to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on computers and their use.
Our primary activity is our weekly meeting, which includes a presentation on some relevant topic and a group Question and Answer session. In addition, we usually have a separate Beginners Q&A and have several computers around the room with members available for individual help.
Watch Hank Drayton's short Video about our meetings.
Zoom Meeting
We are now meeting by Zoom at 10:30 on Saturday mornings. To learn how to join those meetings, watch this video:
This website starts with the meeting schedule, but also includes notes from previous presentations, links to other websites, and phone/email info for contacting various sources of computer help. Look around and see what's here.
Studies have shown that older computer users prefer to get help from people their own age, rather than from impatient youngsters. Our members don't have to wait for the next meeting to get help. Look at the 'Computer Help' page for a list of experts and their areas of expertise. You can contact them by email or by phone.
Facebook Page
Our newest venture is our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SeniorsComputerGroup, moderated by President Wil Wakely. Anyone, member or not, can read and post to this page.
It's a good place to get current information about the SCG and to informally post questions and comments about anything computer or SCG related. Make friends, do networking and chime in at this friendly site.
Membership in SCG costs $15 per year. Anyone may join, but you'll have to be over 50 to vote!
To join for the first time, one has to do two things: Fill out the application, and pay dues.
First, fill out this application Membership Application and click "SEND" at the bottom, then return below here to pay:
Second, pay dues.
To PAY BY CHECK, mail a check to the following address:
To PAY WITH PAYPAL, Click Below
To continue membership in subsequent years, just pay $15 dues, either way.
You can pay your dues here, or make a contribution to support the goals of the Seniors Computer Group.
Look at the rest of our website, then
come to a meeting or attend one virtually by Zoom. You're always welcome!
We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours.
Open today
09:00 am – 05:00 pm


text: May 8, 2019 - Dkokie, ILRoka Akor Opens at Old OrchardMediaWith locations in Chicago, San Francisco and Scottsdale, Ariz., Roka Akor mixes sushi with meats grilled in an open kitchen that makes the entire space smell delicious. The plates of lamb chops, skewers of mushrooms in soy garlic butter and lightly charred sweet potatoes drizzled in ginger teriyaki were so popular with the crowd they tended to disappear as soon as they were set down, making it hard to get a taste of everything.While it's smaller than its Chicago counterpart, the Skokie location does have plenty of outdoor seating, with wood tables and chairs surrounded by beds of purple and white flowers. More flowers and a bonsai tree decorate the front of the space and the dining room offers a view of both the robata grill and the restaurant's impressive wine selection. You can also dine at the bar while watching TV and sipping a cocktail like the Roka 75, a refreshing blend of gin, lychee and sparkling wine.The restaurant was also showing off plenty of its non-grilled offerings at the opening. There were plates of sushi including yellowtail topped with thin slices of spicy Serrano peppers, California rolls made with snow crab instead of the all-too-common imitation seafood and the vegetarian-friendly pickled vegetable roll which offers a crispy mix of asparagus, cucumber, daikon, plum and zucchini. Other bites included Hamachi sashimi given some kick by Serrano and a garlic ponzu sauce, gooey pieces of fried tofu topped with wasabi aioli and little paper cups filled with lightly fried calamari with a wedge of lime.Roka Akor owner Jon Kapoor, a Lake Forest native, greeted the crowd and explained the origin of the name. Roka translates as fire gathering in Japanese — akor is just an inversion of the word — a tradition where fishermen would gather around a fire after returning from a trip, which suited the mix of fish and fire you'll find on the menu here. He introduced Jason Alford, former executive chef for the restaurant's Scottsdale location, who will be serving in that position at the Skokie restaurant. Alford, an Evanston resident, has worked in the restaurant industry for more than 15 years. The formal greeting was capped off by opening a barrel of sake to serve to the crowd.The grand opening party was invitation only, bringing in people with connections to the restaurant including liquor distributors, hotel concierges and marketing representatives from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.Chicago resident Diana Maldonado said she's been to the Chicago location, but was happy to see Roka Akor open at Old Orchard since she comes to the mall regularly to shop."It's high-quality seafood, very fresh, very innovative," she said.Deerfield resident James Hull was excited to see the restaurant opening close to home."I've had friends who've been to the one downtown and they had good reviews," Hull said. "When you mix steakhouse with Japanese fusion cuisine it's a good pallet for me."https://skokie.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/roka-akor-opens-at-old-orchard


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We help provide – sustainable homes for orphans in Eswatini, Africa so they can survive and thrive.
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and truth.
1 John 3:17
Reclaimed partners with Heart for Africa to provide self-sustainable homes for orphans and vulnerable children in Swaziland, Africa. It's all about making sure these children have quality care, shelter, food, water, clothing, healthcare, and education. It's about providing hope, love, and a future.


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Two Bandits pull off a bizarre bank heist
Bandits is the kind of movie that gives escapism a good name. It opens with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton escaping from prison in a concrete-mixer truck, and while they're tootin' on down the highway at, oh, 40 miles per hour, you think to yourself, "Well, I haven't quite seen that one before." An odd-couple pairing, Willis' Joe and Thornton's Terry are bank robbers who complete each other ' Joe a low-key ruffian with an eye for the ladies, Terry a high-strung hypochondriac with an eye for the Merck Manual. (He owns a cassette copy.) And between the two of them, they've come up with a brilliant scheme: They drop in at a bank president's house the night before a robbery, hold the whole family hostage and then escort the president to the bank early the next morning to relieve the financial institution of its deposits. Oh, and they adopt ridiculous disguises, which doesn't include one of Willis' least-convincing hairpieces. (That's supposed to be real!)
Like a remake of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Siegfried and Roy, Bandits coasts along amiably, leaving plenty of time to explore its characters' personality quirks. Thornton's Terry is a wonderful grab bag of imaginary symptoms, culminating in a slow dance at a bar that finally leaves him rolling around on the floor like a hooked fish. But Willis' Joe is the movie's real wild card, the "Moonlighting" smirk suddenly turning cold and distant, which is the signal for everyone else to run and hide. We might have been content to follow these two down the California coast, dropping in at banks with premonitory names like San Andreas and Alamo, but the filmmakers have an O. Henry twist in store for us. Her name is Kate (Cate Blanchett), and her marriage is so miserable that she's almost too eager to be taken hostage by the guys now known as the Sleepover Bandits. The question is, who will she sleep over with?
It's not like the fate of the earth hangs on the answer to that question, but the movie certainly gets a lot of mileage out of it. Blanchett, who gradually transformed her face into a mask in Elizabeth, does the opposite here. Her face ' heavy on the blue eye shadow and ringed with fiery red hair ' is an open book, and that book's title is Love Me Now. Director Barry Levinson lets his three leads have the run of the place; you sense a lot of improvisation. And for once the freedom pays off, the actors bouncing off one another beautifully. Bandits is maybe a half-hour too long, and it almost doesn't matter which scenes you take out, so aimlessly does the movie make its way to its big finale in Los Angeles. But if you started eliminating scenes, we might miss Willis knocking over a bank with a magic marker or Thornton quietly cutting up a kid's spaghetti during one of those night-before meals with the family. These guys wouldn't hurt a fly, but they would make off with its crumbs.


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Over the weekend of August 10th, game MVPs from each Game Day USA tournament during the 2019 season in the Milwaukee area participated in an All Star competition. 2019 U14 Aces P/1B/OF Keith Youngs participated in the event, which included games against other teams, a HR Derby, pitching and running contests, and a whole bunchContinue reading "Congrats Keith Youngs!"
Author Archives: fallselite
2020 Falls aces coaches selected
We're excited to name the Head Coaches for our 2020 Falls Aces squads: U9 – Chris Singer U10 – Joe Jagmin (2nd year) U11 – Isaac Alvarez U12 – Larry Hanson (3rd year) U13 – Jacob Windom (4th year) U14 – Rich Ratay (3rd year) High School Travel Team U15/U16 – Dan Born All 2019Continue reading "2020 Falls aces coaches selected"
2022 Selections & 2023 Pre-Season Prospects
UPDATED 3/22/19 3:30 PM: We're excited to see the first Falls Aces players earn a spot on a local high school baseball team, as Oscar Thompson has been placed on the Menomonee Falls High School JV2 team., and David Dell'Agnese has made the varsity team at Brookfield Academy. Oscar is a unique athlete who playsContinue reading "2022 Selections & 2023 Pre-Season Prospects"


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January saw the Egyptian military forces redouble their efforts against Islamic militants and the State of Sinai group in the North Sinai towns of Al-Arish, Sheikh Zuweyid and Rafah. ACLED data recorded 120 fatalities as a result of the 'Retribution for the Martyr' military operation. And as the Egyptian tourism sector struggles to recover from the Russian plane crash in October 2015 – claimed by the Islamic State – militants dealt another blow to the tourism industry on 8 January when the Bella Vista hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada was attacked by knife-wielding attackers, injuring a number of foreign tourists (Daily News Egypt, 16 January 2016).
Protest and riot events formed the dominant mode of political expression in Egypt in the final quarter of 2015, for the first time since January 2015. From October — December 2015, protest and riot events were responsible for an average of 41% of all recorded political activity in Egypt (see Figure 1). This coincided with a rise in deaths in police custody and renewed attention on excessive police brutality. November witnessed the sharpest spike in violence against civilians, where 21 individual acts of violence were recorded; the highest levels in 6 months. The intensification of these protest events was predominantly concentrated in the North of Egypt in the Nile Delta region. Police abuses continued into January 2016 when Egyptian security forces were accused of killing a doctor suspected of involvement in Muslim Brotherhood-led protests (Daily News Egypt, 11 January 2016). Enforced disappearances of regime opposition supporters have been commonplace throughout 2015; the rise in torture, deaths in custody and police violence against civilians holding no political affiliations has caused outrage amongst the Egyptian community (Africa Confidential 8 December 2015).
The recent upswing in staged protests is unlikely to buck the trend that has dominated 2015, where almost all attempts at protest were suppressed. Following electoral success of coalitions and political blocs supporting Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's regime, the Egyptian parliament met for the first time in three years on 10 January. The assembly is tasked with discussing and revising 380 laws passed in the absence of a legislature. Of these 380, the controversial protest law passed by Adly Mansour — that effectively smothers attempts to organise peaceful protest by requiring three-days' notice before protesting and justifies forcible dispersion of protests — will not be considered (HRW, 12 January 2016).
Last year's anniversary of the 25 January Revolution witnessed a number of anti-government protests and riots. Most notably, 17 people were killed in clashes in Matariyah district in Cairo. January 2015 also witnessed a number of small-scale attacks against Central Security Forces (CSF) by local militant groups such as the 'Death Cell', 'Popular Resistance' and 'Revolutionary Punishment'. With the fifth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution quickly approaching, and the continued suffocation of legitimate protests, escalatory attacks by small armed groups may occur next week.
This report was originally featured in the January ACLED-Africa Conflict Trends Report.


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It is rare to see a genuine portrayal of Mexican communities. Being Mexican myself, it is frustrating to see such negative and two-dimensional stereotypes unfold in mainstream American media. Latino men are typically violent antagonists and Latina women are largely sexualized. Not to mention most forms of media fail to show the diversity of Latinx communities – opting to use only Latinx actors with dark features and thick accents.
Changing the Narrative
Jaime Camil, an actor in the 2017 film Coco, puts it perfectly, "As a Mexican person, whenever I see content created in Hollywood that's supposed to represent Mexico, I'm always wary. So much of the vision is filtered through clichés and stereotypes. For once, Mexico was not presented as a drug-ridden land or a place for wild partying, but a culturally rich country with plenty of things to be proud of."
As of recently there have been a few attempts to truly capture the beauty of Mexican culture. Coco is a lovely representation of the heartwarming tradition of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, which celebrates and remembers family members who have passed on. The film focuses on, Miguel, a young boy who dreams of becoming a big musician, despite his families generational ban on music. Miguel soon discovers the land of the dead and goes on a journey to learn about his family history. There are several characteristics that make the film universally relatable, while others are more specific to Latinx and other ethnic cultures.
Making an Effort
Disney put notable effort into making the film as authentic as possible. Co-Director and Co-Writer, Adrian Molina, said the following in a LA Times Interview, "It was very important to the team that it be a true representation of a Mexican family. I wanted the characters to reflect the diversity of the people I knew growing up and the people we met in Mexico."
The driving goal of the film was to "ensure that Mexicans and Mexican Americans felt that their cultural traditions were respected."
The big theme stemming from Coco is that death is not something that should be feared and the driving force of the film is a focus on the family. Whether that be knowing your family history, or healing broken relationships within the family unit. It shows conflict within families – how older generations' expectations don't always translate to their children.
Other Examples
For example, Miguel yearns to play music and is met with harsh backlash from his family members. His beliefs and desires don't line up with the traditional values of his family. These themes are universal and different versions of these themes have been commonly used in Disney films. Disney protagonists always seem to question the status quo and yearn for something larger and profoundly different from the circumstances life has already provided for them. In The Little Mermaid, Ariel wants to be apart of the human world, even though it's forbidden by her father. Moana dreams of voyaging beyond her home island, even though it's forbidden by her father. Mulan disguises herself as a man to fight in the army, even though it's forbidden by China.
However, there are more niche aspects about Coco that seem to reflect more cultural specific traits.
Culture Specific
Mexican families tend to be very large. It's common to have several aunts and uncles, dozens of cousins, and have close lodgings with both immediate and extended family. A staple idea that is conveyed in the film is living with and taking care of your elders in their old age. At the start of the film Mama Coco, Miguel's great-grandmother, is nearly 100 years old. Miguel's family runs a shoe business and lives with the majority of his family, including both his Abuelita and Mama Coco. Mama Coco is confined to a wheelchair and is known to forget things from time to time. Abuelita is very affectionate and protective of Mama Coco.
This is definitely more culture specific. It's common in Latinx and ethnic cultures to live in a more collectivist environment. It's important to put others needs before yourself. If the group is happy, everyone is happy. However, America is a very individualistic environment – it's every man for himself. Americans place great importance on their needs before others. Unlike the family relations depicted in Coco, I've noticed that it's definitely more common in caucasion, American households to utilize assisted living homes and/or live in nurses. I found it very refreshing to see a situation where the family takes care of their older family members, very similar to how my Mexican family operates.
Known Trait
Another big cultural trait is respecting elders and adhering to older family members' rules. Miguel gets strong backlash from his Abuelita and later from Mama Imelda, for pursuing music when they have forbidden it. There is a strong link to grandparents and grandchildren, which is very common in Mexican culture. Miguel has more of a conflict with his Abuelitas than he does with his own parents.
Plus, there are more direct references to Mexican culture thrown in occasionally that might not translate to other communities. For example, Abuelita wields La Chancla – a common disciplinary tool feared by Mexican children everywhere.
Proof of Effort
Coco holds a very special place in my heart. Not only due to it's fantastic animation and storytelling techniques, but to it's authentic representation of Latinx, specifically Mexican culture. It is truly a film dedicated to Mexican culture. Especially in the current political climate, Coco shows universal themes that are capable of bringing cross-cultural communities together, dissuades any negative stereotypes about Latinx people and most importantly, it's proof that if Hollywood filmmakers put effort in authenticity when depicting other cultures – it can truly make a beautiful masterpiece.
Sources: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-coco-latino-culture-20180222-story.htm


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Florida Camp – Big Success!
Once again, the Vince Carter Athletic Center at Mainland High School teemed with activity as over 120 girls and boys ages 8 to 17 on July 13-17, 2009, participated in the Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy-Florida. Vince's academy has two daily sessions that allow Vince to focus on specific age groups at different times of the day. The split-session format allows for more actual on court activity for the campers.
This year's academy drew twenty-three campers all the way from Brazil! What a wonderful experience this was for these youngsters as well as our local campers! The language of basketball is indeed universal and needs no translation.
Vince's camp is unique because it is centered on a basketball to life concept. Vince engages the participants in a variety of activities that include basketball skill building, personal growth and development, life management skills and more. As always, Vince's constant presence at the camp allows the campers an opportunity to interact with Vince on a variety of levels.
In addition to a week of fun and instruction, campers receive a camp t-shirt, Gatorade bottles and towels, and special prizing. Each camper also receives a team picture with Vince and an autograph on the item of his or her choice. Special awards were given each day to the "Camper of the Day". At the end of the week, one camper is designated the "Camper of the Week" for exhibiting a balance of the five factors of success: vision, teamwork, balance, hard work and perseverance.
On the final day, Vince along with his former Mainland teammates, high school opponents, and friends dazzled the parents and campers by demonstrating his skills on the basketball court in the annual Mainland Legends game. Whether focusing on his five factors of success or focusing on the rim for a thunderous slam-dunk, Vince Carter once again provided a special camp opportunity in a way that only he can.
Vince is currently planning next year's camp, which will be held at the Vince Carter Athletic Center in Daytona Beach, FL. There is an energy level at the camp that you simply must experience, and we plan to take next year to another level, so do not be left out. Check Vince's website often for upcoming details on how you can register for next year's camp. Hope to see you there.


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Project Description
In 2014, the County of Riverside Economic Development Agency approved the construction of a new 14,400 juvenile hall court building with associated facilities at the Southwest Justice Center in Riverside, CA, managed by the Judicial Council of California. The mechanical equipment on this project included a free standing mechanical yard and rooftop units.
Athena Engineering, Inc. was engaged by Design West Engineering to assist in the design of the new Lon-based building automation controls system to integrate with the Riverside Superior Court front-end. The system chosen as the basis of design was StruxureWare by Schneider Electric. Athena Engineering worked with West-Tech Mechanical, the HVAC contractor on the project, to install the specified system across the new court facility, including three rooftop VAV units, two split-systems, 32 VAV controllers with reheat, one boiler, VFD's, and other associated equipment. In addition to building automation, Athena Engineering provided monitoring of the main electrical power and the lighting control system.


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While I'd like to think I'm a fairly good traveler at this point in my life, like most people I'm not always great when it comes to inter-personal relationships. Although I'm not technically an only child, the difference in ages had the same effect so I "suffer" from those same personality quirks that afflict most only-children. Add to that a natural predilection towards hypersensitivity, moodiness and introspection and yeah, I'm not always great when it comes to dealing with other people. While I do have a high level of natural empathy, I'm usually too abrupt when it comes to my friends or even closer relationships. That being said, I firmly believe that we all learn and grow as a result of the travel experience, many times in ways we don't even realize. One of the beneficiaries of these experiences are those close to us. Partners, husbands, wives, children and best friends, they all benefit from our personal growth as a result of travel. So today I thought I'd share a few of the more salient ways in which I firmly believe travel helps us become not only better individuals, but better partners as well.
I have my foibles, as we all do; I'm prone to getting annoyed fairly quickly and my personality errs on the side of crankiness. Travel though has helped temper these negative sides of my personality. When commingled with the gentle maturity that aging provides, travel has made me a much more patient and even tolerant person. It's hard not to improve in these areas when you travel; delays, lost possessions and other travel mishaps teach us all to slow down and relax. Tolerance comes from meeting so many new people from around the world and understanding that we're really not so different after all. Patience is of course key in any relationship, biting our tongues when prudent and dealing with the eccentricities of those close to us. Travel helps us learn the fine art of patience, even if sometimes we choose to ignore it.
Happier and Healthier
Yes, it's true, traveling helps us be healthier people. Studies have shown a whole host of benefits including a lower risk of heart disease and coronary death in people who take annual vacations. No surprise there really, taking a vacation helps us relax and calm down in what is an increasingly stressful world. The act of travel itself is also healthy, I know I get much more exercise when I'm on the road than when I'm at home. That same study also showed a lower percentage of depression amongst people who travel, so getting out there and seeing the world helps us be happier people too. Happier people are of course healthier people, so the act of travel helps us physically and mentally. Trips don't have to be long or expensive for you to realize health benefits, the simple act of taking time off and leaving the house, even on a short trip, yields tremendous benefits. In any relationship, if we aren't happy in our own skins then the relationship suffers. I've been taught this lesson again and again and am thankful for those natural endorphins that travel seems to create.
I live in Washington, DC and am therefore a natural born cynic prone to cranky outbursts. Over the years though I have been drawn out of my shell of skepticism through the people I meet, most notably when I'm not at home. All over the country and the world, I have seen countless examples of good acts and genuine kindness from mere strangers. This has a unique pay-it-forward effect. I truly believe that this behavior is imprinted on all of us as we travel and when it comes time for us to aid someone in need, we are standing by the ready to help and assist. Sure, there are always going to be bad actors and unfortunate events that happen when we travel, but on the whole it is a wonderfully positive experience that (almost) always makes me proud of my fellow man. This natural empathy is essential to any healthy relationship. If we can't empathize with our partners or relatives, then WE are the sour apples in the relationship. Understanding and relating to the emotions of others is key, and travel is a great way to hone that natural inclination.
Traveling as a couple
Travel as a couple isn't just about spending time with the one you love, it's an experience. When you travel new challenges and hurdles arise and it's important to solve them together, as a couple. This applies the same to people dating for a month as well as those who have been married for thirty-years. These are skill sets that we use sometimes at home, but never in the frequency at which they occur when you travel. Finding the way to the hotel, trying to read foreign metro maps, agreeing on a restaurant for every meal – these are team-building exercises that many people spend years in therapy trying to replicate. Travel throws two people together and forces them to figure all of this out on their own. In the process couples can argue, you bet, but they also get closer. They earn a little more respect for each other and remember what it's like to work as a team. At home we all have our busy schedules and rarely do we have time to approach issues together. On the road it's a completely different story and so travel, I think, is key to building any healthy relationship.
What else would you add to this list?