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For many, it was an announcement that seemed long overdue.
On March 17, the Vatican announced the formation of a commission to investigate the authenticity of the Marian apparitions centered in Medjugorje. The commission, requested by the bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina, will take place under the auspices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and will begin work almost immediately. Its findings will be subject to the final authority of the CDF.
The announcement was, in many ways, unprecedented.
Franciscan University of Steubenville theology professor and mariologist Deacon Mark Miravalle noted it's typically the local bishop or ecclesial conference that establishes these types of investigatory commissions.
It is possible for that call to come from the Vatican "if it's not pleased with what takes place at the local level" or, if the Vatican "thinks things have not gone ideally, for the CDF to step in and take a more active role."
But, Miravalle continued, it's usually the local bishop who has the final say on the commission's findings, not the CDF.
The announcement is unprecedented, but, in many ways, so is what's taking place at Medjugorje.
It all began in 1981, when six Croatian teenagers, who lived in the small village in Bosnia-Herzegovina, reported that the Virgin Mary had appeared and given them a message to share with others. Nearly 30 years on, some of the visionaries still claim to see the Blessed Mother daily. The rest say she now appears to them only yearly.
For those inclined to accept the apparitions as true, the number of years Mary has appeared to the visionaries — 29 — as well as the number of messages received — upward of 30,000 — are signs that God is at work in Medjugorje.
"In 30 years you have no notable contradictions between the seers, and no observation — to my knowledge — that any of the messages are in any way off the beaten track in terms of faith and morals," said Father Johann Roten, director of the University of Dayton's Marian Library — International Marian Research Institute.
Father Roten pointed out that scientifically and medically the apparitions are among the most studied in Church history.
In addition to the messages themselves — which consist primarily of calls for repentance, conversion and peace — proponents also point to the tremendous fruits that the messages have born in the Church.
To date, more than 30 million men and women have visited Medjugorje, with countless conversions and vocations to the priesthood and religious life resulting from those visits.
"There seems to be an undeniable explosion of supernatural graces in Medjugorje," Miravalle said.
But there also seems to be an undeniable storm of controversy surrounding Medjugorje.
"The good fruits of Medjugorje are undeniable," said Patrick Madrid, director of the Envoy Institute of Belmont Abbey College. "But we can't disregard the fruits that aren't good."
Madrid, who calls himself "a skeptic, not a critic," of Medjugorje, points to accounts of scandal surrounding several key figures as an example of those "not good" fruits.
He likewise finds fault in the very thing that so many proponents find good: the messages.
"From very early on, you see an incitement to disobedience in the messages," Madrid said. "If this really is the Mother of God urging disobedience to the bishops, that seems at odds with her messages to people like St. Faustina, where she urged obedience even in the wake of disbelief and disapproval."
Both proponents and skeptics have ample evidence to which they can point and ample arguments with which to respond to those who disagree with them. At this point, it can feel difficult, if not impossible, for faithful Catholics in the middle to know who's right.
Up until now, however, the Church hierarchy has been almost as divided on the question as Catholics themselves. Both of Medjugorje's local bishops took firm positions against the apparitions, while other bishops, such as Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, have caused a stir by making pilgrimages to the apparition site.
Officially, however, the Church's position remains neutral. In 1991, the now defunct Yugoslav bishops' conference conducted an investigation and concluded there wasn't enough evidence to make a determination. Although that declaration meant parishes and dioceses could not make official pilgrimages to the site, it did allow for individual pilgrimages and pilgrimages sponsored by private organizations to continue.
Neither side in the debate, however, has been satisfied with such ambiguity. Many have wanted a definitive statement.
The question, however, is, "Will they like what they get?"
If the commission affirms the apparitions' authenticity, Father Roten believes, "it will be a great confirmation, a vindication, for those who've believed so long without support."
Likewise, if the Church does sanction Medjugorje, Madrid said skeptics will need to lay down their arguments and open their hearts to what Medjugorje has to say.
If, on the other hand, the commission decides against the apparitions, there are those, like Madrid, who worry about how that conclusion will affect those whose conversions were closely linked to Medjugorje.
But Miravalle thinks such fears are overstated.
"All true members of the Church realize obedience must come first," he explained. "Most of the [pro-Medjugorje] individuals I've met are obedient Catholics, with a great love for the Holy Father. I think that will continue regardless of what's said about the apparitions."
Emily Stimpson is an OSV contributing editor.
Unlike public revelation, which pertains to the doctrines of the faith, Catholics aren't bound to believe in private revelation, such as apparitions. Nevertheless, over the years the Church has affirmed the authenticity of numerous acts of private revelation, even establishing feast days to commemorate some of the most important.
But how does the Church decide which acts of private revelation to approve? There are three main criteria:
Content of the messages: Does it conform or conflict with public revelation?
Character of the visionary: Are they honest, balanced, docile to authority and morally upright?
Spiritual fruit: What phenomena and acts of conversion, prayer, healing and charity are concurrent with revelation?
After a careful investigation, the bishop or authority can issue one of three declarations:
Constat de supernaturalitate, which confirms that the revelation is of supernatural origin and sanctions belief.
Non constat de supernaturalitate , which states that the revelation has not been established as supernatural, nor has it been condemned as being false. This allows for continued private belief, but does not sanction it.
Constat de non supernaturalitate, which denies that the revelation is of supernatural origin and prohibits distribution of the messages and devotion.
Copyright © 1996-2018 Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.


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As young newlyweds, we started out with nothing but a motorcycle and dreams of someday building a mountain cabin, so Mom's generous offer of the basement apartment was heaven-sent. In between school and work we sat together in the apartment designing cabin décor. We'd begun something inspiring and decided to begin selling products. Paul would take our sketches, drawn on napkins and pizza boxes and bring them to life in the shop (Grandma's garage). I looked for buyers through network marketing and the online catalog I'd created at RusticaHardware.com.
In 2007 with the help of a good friend we opened our family business with a cozy 80 sq. ft. basement showroom. Our rustic furnishings sold here and there, but we quickly realized that sliding barn doors and hardware were in high demand.
We were young and passionate risk takers, so we set out to change the way doors and hardware were made. From that point forward our shared vision was to create beautiful hardware and doors of the highest quality here in the USA.
Living on canned foods from Grandma's old food stash, we muscled through late nights and early mornings of designing, building and countless hours staring at our computer screens. Constantly saving every penny, working together through these scrappy long hours, and the support of family and friends became the backbone to our success.
Our enthusiasm continued to grow, and over time, so did the business. While in the process of buying our first building, we'd drive by each day and sketch out ideas and plans for the future. The day we closed and received the keys to the building, our family slept on the floor of the shop where our hardware is now made.
2017 marks 10 years since our founding. It is an understatement to say that a lot has happened between then and now. We've outgrown our first building and created a showroom renovated from a cement factory circa 1938. Our state of the art manufacturing facility is located in Art City, Springville, Utah. Today we work alongside the world's greatest people.
The inspiration to create this company came from many sources- our dreams and ideas, God's graciousness, the children who came into our lives and grounded us to what is most important and the generosity of our family and friends. We humbly say thank you and encourage you to surround yourselves by that which inspires you.
Kate & Paul Allen
This is the measurement from the top of your door to where you'd like the lock handle. This measurement allows you the flexibility to place the locking mechanism where it will not interfere with any existing handles or fixtures pre-mounted to the door. You'll need at least 2-1/8" clearance below. See Picture
Hinge Placement Instruction
Measure the existing slab, that you're wanting to replace, from the top of the door to the top of each hinge. You will format your entry in this format: Hinge 1- 10" from top of door. Hinge 2- 22.
The spice rack is great for holding an assortment of items.
Four shelfs total, our biggest bookshelf.
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text: On October 14, 2003 THOMAS P.; beloved husband of Fortunata (Evelyn, Lucky) Johnston; devoted father of MaryThommen and her husband Robert, Thomas Johnston and his wife Phyllis and Raymond Johnston; loving grandfather of Robert M. Thommen, Geanne McCloskey and Lisa Nelson; dear brother of Robert Johnson of Houston, TX and Nancy Hayes of Centreville, VA; dear brother-in-law of Norma Moore. Also survived by four great grandchildren and many loving nieces an nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Schimunek Funeral Home, Inc., 9705 Belair Road (Perry Hall), on Wednesday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. with a Vigil Service on Wednesday at 8 P.M. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Michael's Church, Overlea on Thursday at 12 noon. Interment Parkwood Cemetery.


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The Nike chart recommends size small socks for kids with size 3Y to 5Y shoes or for women with size four to six shoes. Size medium socks are for children's sizes 5Y to 7Y, women's shoe sizes from six to 10, and men's sizes between six and eight. Large socks are for women whose shoe sizes range from 10 to 13 and for men with shoe sizes between eight and 12, whereas extra large socks are best for men with a shoe size between 12 and 15.Continue Reading
To determine a person's shoe size, stand with socks on with the heels flat against a wall and place a piece of blank, white paper under the foot. While standing on the paper, have another person make a mark at the longest part of the foot, and then measure this mark in inches to determine what size of shoe is correct based on the length of the foot.
Nike recommends measuring the foot length during the afternoon, as the feet typically swell during the day and so are at their largest during this time. The company also recommends measuring the length of both feet, as it is common for a person's feet to be of slightly different lengths.Learn more about Shoes


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Dark Avengers #15
- Story by
- Brian Michael Bendis
- Art by
- Mike Deodato
- Colors by
- Rain Beredo
- Letters by
- Cory Petit
- Cover by
- Mike Deodato
- Publisher
- Marvel Comics
With the third issue of its tie-in to "Siege," the role of "Dark Avengers" becomes more clear, particularly in light of the events in "Siege" #3. This issue continues to develop the Sentry's characters and reveals him fully as Norman Osborn's 'secret weapon,' showing what happened in "Siege: The Cabal" #1 in more detail. We get to see how the secret weapon could be the Sentry and elicit such strong reactions of shock from the Cabal members. However, the focus of the issue is really on Bullseye and the Sentry's wife Lindy, as the killer gets his chance to follow through on the mission Osborn gave him last issue.
With Bullseye under order to kill Lindy, he takes the evacuation of Avengers Tower as an opportunity to take her in a plane alone under the ruse of getting her to a safe place. Bendis' writing in these scenes is intriguing; Bullseye makes small talk with Lindy, something we haven't seen before. Lindy's interactions with the Dark Avengers have been almost non-existent, and Bullseye trying to act normal is oddly compelling. He's somewhat awkward and clumsy in his words, not sure how to talk to her. It's not a voice we hear from him too much.
Bendis contrasts this with the comical bumbling of the rest of the team and Victoria Hand in the other plane, all not sure what Bullseye is doing. Moonstone makes an attempt to fly the plane, but doesn't actually know how, playing well off her arrogance and belief that she's smarter than the rest of the team. The only problem is that Victoria Hand is shown up by Daken a little in a way that doesn't quite make sense given her level of competency to date.
Artistically, Mike Deodato continues to do very good work on this issue, but it's overpowered somewhat by Rain Beredo's colors. Beredo has colored the series so far and his choices in this issue are somewhat puzzling. He uses a glossy, almost painterly style that gives the art a much different look, but doesn't use it consistently. He alternates between his normal coloring style and the bright sheen, sometimes from panel to panel without any reason. It doesn't look as good as his regular coloring and is possibly motivated by doing digital inks. It's hard to tell for certain.
The best panel in the book has little colors as Bullseye stands in front of Lindy, bent over to be eye to eye as she sits in a seat. Against a white background, it's mostly shadows, the top of his bow giving the impression that Bullseye has horns, looking positively Satanic. It's a gorgeous piece of art that stands out in this issue.
Acting as a supplement and explanation, of sorts, for the Sentry's behavior in "Siege" #3, "Dark Avengers" #15 works to a degree. It continues Bendis' storytelling pattern of dropping hints and presenting incomplete scenes that are answered and filled in later, but this issue doesn't provide enough oomph to really give a payoff.


text: Episode Info: Link to the full episode, article & today's posted links: http://thepetesantillishow.com/?p=7479 (http://thepetesantillishow.com/?p=7479) Episode #1126 - Thursday December 16, 2015 - Hour 1 Episode #1126 - Thursday December 16, 2015 - Hour 1 (http://thepetesantillishow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Episode-1126-Thursday-December-16-2015-Hour-1.mp3) Episode #1126 - Thursday December 16, 2015 - Hour 2 Episode #1126 - Thursday December 16, 2015 - Hour 2 (http://thepetesantillishow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Episode-1126-Thursday-December-16-2015-Hour-2.mp3) (http://thepetesantillishow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ITUNES_PSS-300x102.jpg) Follow us on Spreaker.com. The Pete Santilli Show is now Spreaker.com's #1 radio show worldwide! http://ow.ly/l7Ma1 ( http://ow.ly/l7Ma1) Want To Support The Pete Santilli Show? Please Visit & Support Our Sponsors: Taco Rack (Made In America!) : http://www.tacorack.com (http://ow.ly/F0U79 ) Pete's Vaping Starter Kit http://gmnvape.com (http://gmnvape.com) Lose Weight with Life Change Tea http://GetTheTea.com ( http://GetTheTea.com) Protandim: Fountain of Youth In A Bottle? http://GMNAntiAging.com (http://GMNAntiAging.com) Michael Anthony's Exclusive Herbal Formulas: http://michaelanthonysprivatestock.com (http://michaelanthonysprivatestock.com) Tahiti Joe's Hotsauces: http://tahitijoeshotsauces.com (http://tahitijoeshotsauces.com) Fair Use Notice: This article contains some copyrighted material whose use has not been authorized by the copyright owners. We believe that this not-for-profit, educational, and/or criticism or commentary use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Fair Use notwithstanding we will immediately comply with any copyright owner who wants their material removed or modified, wants us to link to their web site, or wants us to add their photo Read more »


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A whiblasian is a person of white, black and Asian origin. It is a somewhat more judicious term than caublasian because it equalizes the use of the colors white and black to signify people of Caucasian and African descent who also trace part of their ancestry to Asia.
Tiger Woods is a philandering whiblasian.
by jumpoutthewindow February 16, 2010
Wow, look at that whiblasian!
by Whiblasian111 February 04, 2011
buy the domain for your cat blog


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After hitting the ball in the water three times on the final two holes after he was tied with Tiger Woods in the final round of the Players Championship on Sunday, Sergio Garcia was asked about his flap with Woods the day before and claimed he was the victim.
"It sounds like I was the bad guy here," Garcia said. "I was the victim."
Woods won the Players Championship on Sunday as Garcia collapsed, playing the last two holes at 6-over par.
On Saturday, Garcia and Woods exchanged words through the media after a rain-shortened round. Garcia blamed Woods for his errant approach shot on the second hole that led to his making a bogey.
Even though replays show crowd noise Woods allegedly caused came while Garcia was on top of the ball and not during his backswing, Garcia snapped at Woods, saying Woods should have been more "careful."
Woods retorted that he was not surprised the Spaniard was "complaining."
The two were paired on Saturday and barely spoke to each other during their round.


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Opportunities to Effect Change
Opportunities to Effect Change
This is a multi-entry blog about the American Rising Electorate, authored by a Sr. Advisor, Analyst, and Strategist (#PoppingTheCLUTCH).
In the end, this is a blog about opportunities, as well as strategies for engaging "communities that share the same interests" and ways to encourage them to become a part of the solution through donations, volunteering, social, academic, and civic engagement. Although this blog pulls from my experiences in the organizations listed below, in no way does that render our model ineffective for other non-profits, charitable institutions, businesses, government agencies, or for-profit institutions. Truthfully, I've witnessed these strategies effectively applied in just about every organization and effort conceivable. I learned these strategies while working for the institutions listed below and each provided me a unique set of issues, demographics, geographies, and resources to pull from.
Within these organizations we will explore the nuances of "non-ethnic" vs "authentic" engagement tactics and learn if they work or not. We believe the problem a current collaborative faces is that they're one-dimensional in their approach. Their work is based on an assumption that "non-ethnic" civic behavior is the standard. Therefore, the behavior of people of color is viewed as "deviant" versus being understood as behavior rooted in and reflective of a different set of values, beliefs, experiences and world view.
One problem with this approach is that we fail to recognize opportunities to understand the complex nature of political behavior by people of color. This makes it difficult to learn from experiences that vary from the so-called standard and that makes it almost impossible to put into practice policies that will empower the progressive community to move forward. Instead, we waste time on forcing a square block into a round hole. We direct resources to develop programs, services, methods and frameworks that ultimately do not deliver the desired outcome and do not develop leaders of color who speak the language of the desired voter. Our approach is different and the blog that I have chosen to write will be rooted in our experiences and presented within that context.
Before yours truly arrived in this town, I had no idea that I would become a Sr. Advisor, Analyst or a Strategist. In fact, I came to Washington more than 20 years ago as an intern in the office of Presidential Personnel. Functioning as an intern at the White House not only expanded my capabilities but also set in motion a series of experiences that laid the foundation for what would become the opportunity of a lifetime. As a result of that opportunity I became a Sr. Advisor for PowerPAC+ where I was groomed to be a political tactician. While there, we perfected our work to transform the nescient "Rising American Electorate" to what is now a driver of American politics. This blog gives an account of that conversion and in what way our approach shaped it.
Our methodology was cultivated by way of my personal journey, from the White House, People For the American Way, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation to Common Cause, the NAACP, A. Philip Randolph Institute, the Tavis Smiley Foundation, Maryland Leads and PowerPac+. The tactics learned in these organizations consequently develop into a point of reference for most of our handiwork through the decade. Throughout my time in Washington, I've toiled and tinkered with many strategies, methods, and systems to create a structure to hang our ideas on while we refine and develop innovative ways to edify the models. Within PowerPAC+, there were five people in particular who were significant in advancing these ideas. At the NAACP there were dozens of leaders, members, activists, unit leaders, state presidents, and board members — including individuals whose anecdotes are recounted later in this blog. Note that each and every one played an important part, especially the board of directors for the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and people I regard as friends, they were all ground-breaking innovators who molded these theories and efforts. It is our aspiration that over the course of the next several months you will find something in our learning to help you connect with the information and resources you need to support and further your mission.
Kirk Clay is a partner at Capitol View Advisors — a collaborative acting on its values in creative and strategic ways to connect communities with the information and resources they need to support and further their aspirations.
Pitching and Defense Wins Games Like Organizing + Redistricting Wins Economic Justice
By Kirk Clay
People ask "what makes Kevin Kiermaier so special?" Is it his home run percentage? No. How about his batting average or the RBIs he produces? Nope. He's an average hitter but his 5.0 defensive WAR (a statistic for how many wins a team has with or without a player) in 2015 sets him apart from the pack. What's more, he has ranked in the top ten of "most valuable position players" in baseball two seasons straight.
What makes him and many players like him so impactful is their defense! They catch a lot of balls and that wins games. Accordingly, baseball clubs across the league are investing more in "golden glove" contenders to improve their defensive capabilities in hopes of gaining a competitive advantage. Why? Baseball's new crop of high-powered pitching "stunners" are regularly producing games with 2-1 scores therefore teams have to defend better to win.
The same is true in political settings across America today– economic and social justice initiatives are being decided by close margins. What's sad is that the people who most need our help are falling further behind while economic and social prosperity is thriving in other communities. It's clear that America is at a watershed moment and we have to defend our values to win in communities that are affected by economic and social justice issues.
Meanwhile, teams of institutions and politicians are creating strategies for winning the next decade of policies. State houses, city councils and many other institutions are quietly preparing for what will soon decide electoral boundaries for our representatives – the census, reapportionment, and redistricting. These strategies will have a major impact on who is counted, how much resources a community receives, who votes in what jurisdiction, and who is elected to public office.
The U.S. Constitution states that America will count every person every decade and use the results of that count to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the beginning, we used the population count to levy taxes or property and to pressure people for military service. Also, slaves held in bondage could be counted as three-fifths of a person. In 1868, Congress ratified the 14th amendment, allowing former slaves to be counted as full-individuals.
Times have changed. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1970 there were about 1,500 African American elected officials. By 2010 the number of African Americans in elected offices had passed 9,000. However, improvements to representation must not be confused with improvements in economic and social justice. Based on the number of elected officials reported by the Census Bureau in 1992 – 513,200 – in 2010 African American elected officials surpassed 2% of all elected officials but how do we turn that into a positive for all?
As in baseball, the census and redistricting work for 2020 must maximize civic empowerment by defending past improvements while agitating to move the nation closer to fair-minded policies and representation for everyone.
To achieve this, we must focus on three things: 1) more local level civic action to set up long-term pathways for economic and social justice; 2) the strategic use of grassroots organizing to push for change; and 3) aggressively defend and reject any attempt to harm the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
This work is not just about apportioning seats in 2020, it also impacts local-level elected offices this and next year. In fact, significant shifts in the U.S. population since the last redistricting will influence control of the next congress. District demographics has already changed and in order to maximize economic and social justice we must take action at this critical juncture to make sure there are no unforced errors in policy.
Kirk Clay is a Partner at Capitol View Advisors and a Chief Strategist for Political Contact Management — a collaborative acting on its values in creative and strategic ways to connect communities with the information and resources they need to support and further their aspirations.
A Balanced Viable Plan to Create Opportunity for All
This is a multi-entry blog about the American Rising Electorate, authored by a Sr. Advisor, Analyst, and Strategist (#PoppingTheCLUTCH).
By Kirk Clay
Evidence based civic engagement is a fairly nascent field. In fact, up until 20 years ago what people now think of as civic engagement for "people of color" was characterized naively as just minority outreach. Therefore, it's no wonder that many organizations and efforts struggle to identify what an effective civic engagement plan is and by what method to execute one successfully. First, it's tough to pinpoint a distinct all-encompassing explanation of what civic engagement is. Second, it's equally as difficult to find an all-inclusive formula for putting together a viable program. Lastly, the moment an approach is successful it's dismissed as predictable or characterized as a chance occurrence so we can't learn anything new from those experiences.
This line of thinking is incorrect. On the contrary, civic engagement is the act of balancing priorities and tactics while executing an intentional plan in places where you intend to score a victory. An effort can give rise to a "balanced viable plan" by designing and cherry-picking a unique suite of tactics to capture the attention of people who are ready to take action. As a result, true civic engagement calls for connecting and supporting clusters of people who have broad networks of their own.
Additionally, true civic engagement calls for assembling platforms of engagement around those communities of shared interests. In a nutshell, civic engagement is opportunity. In fact, true civic engagement is a multicultural effort that intentionally creates value for those communities in an attempt to generate opportunity for all involved.
Creating opportunity is a difficult task. The concept of "opportunity" itself may run counter to an organization's short term aspirations. From our stand point, a great deal of organizations and efforts are too unintentional in creating opportunity when creating their plans. They start with good intentions and after a few bumps in the road or after a small set back they lose conviction. Furthermore, the leader of an effort may become overwhelmed with "urgent but not important" issues and set aside what's really important for the organization. Sometimes it seems as though these leaders are awe-struck when presented with a flurry small short-term fires and respond by abandoning thoughtful long-term opportunity building work.
Too many organizations and efforts deal with this problem by using "ineffectual methods" as a substitute for creating opportunity, For example, when they first set out to engage communities of color they define civic engagement as an aspiration. Aspirations are the building blocks of a good civic engagement plan however that's not all there is. Then the organization doesn't put forward a "viable model" or of a clear path forward. If they do put forward a vision it's usually an outline and it does not take into account the aspirations of the diverse communities and geographies the organization intends to score a victory with. Meanwhile, there certainly is not enough attention paid to what creates opportunity for those communities of interest.
Let's look at how this plays out in an organization with a goal of increasing people of color civic representation.
- Immediately following the Civil War over 600 African Americans occupied various elected offices across the nation.
- By 1965, only 300 African Americans occupied elected offices.
- In 1970 there were about 1,500 African American elected officials.
- In 2000 the number of African Americans in elected offices had reached about 9,000.
Based on the number of elected officials reported by the Census Bureau in 1992 – 513,200 – in 2000 African American elected officials were 2% of all elected officials. African Americans were 12.3 % of the population. Overall, that number has declined in most categories for every election since 2000.
This kind of analysis is critical for connecting with communities of color. What these communities want and need is an opportunity to grow. To tap into the power of the "Rising American Electorate" you have to have a comprehensive strategy that spells out everything your organization will do to create that opportunity and where you will do it. A balanced viable plan can be the foundation of a successful effort if it's rooted in evidence based data.
The demographics in America are changing so rapidly that it's unfeasible to assume that business as usual will win the day. Instead, it's the organizations and leaders that learn to embrace these changes that will succeed. Also, they will be the best equipped to capitalize on new opportunities for engaging communities that share the same interests.
Kirk Clay is a partner at Capitol View Advisors — a collaborative acting on its values in creative and strategic ways to connect communities with the information and resources they need to support and further their aspirations.
Expanding Outreach To Alleviate Poverty in America #EP123Vote
By Kirk Clay
Have we spent too many years overlooking the real challenges of our economy? Are there still too many of us living from paycheck to paycheck? After years of cautious and prudent federal spending, the economy is finally turning the corner yet many of America's families are more financially insecure now than their upper income counterparts.
Yes the federal debt has decreased significantly and many of us are beginning to recover from the great recession. However a recent Pew Poll demonstrates that we are also experiencing wealth inequality. We now see a gulf of financial experiences developing between upper income and lower income Americans. Moreover, the enormous difference in net worth for White, Black, and Latino households is becoming a bellwether for income inequality. What's shocking is that the impact of this financial insecurity is felt in white working class families as well as lower income families of color. As demonstrated in a recent Pew Poll:
- People of Color and women make up over 61% of the financially insecure community — about 48% are white non-Hispanic.
- Unmarried women represent over 42% of the community.
- Just under 53% of this community is unemployed — 20% employed part-time.
Today, there are many efforts underway aimed at addressing important issues that impact financially insecure communities–minimum wage, access to quality education, housing, healthcare, and food security. Ironically, in order to participate in these transactional experiences an individual needs to have a sense of financial security. This leaves "good" hard work people living on the margins of society and grasping for a ladder of hope and opportunity. It's hard to take advantage of efforts centered on livable wages, access to education and housing when you don't have bus fare or even worse the buses are not operating in your community.
This leads me to ponder about the old adage– "abandoned voters disengage." How does this dynamic play out in their lives? What impact does it have on our democracy, in particular civic engagement where regardless of one's zip code and bank account each citizen has a vote. What is the correlation between income inequality and voting—one of the most powerful ways to have impact?
The midterm elections are a good place find answers. Wealthier, older men who are less racially diverse make up a large portion of the midterm electorate. For example, in the 2014 midterm, only 20% of the least financially secure citizens voted. Here are additional data points to consider:
- Last year, over 93% of the financially well-off community said they were registered to vote – compared to less than 55% of the least financially secure.
- Less than 31% of the least financially secure cast a ballot in the 2010 midterm elections – compared to more than 68% of the financially well-off.
- Over 33% of the least financially secure community articulated "no choice" in candidates regardless of party affiliation – a clear sign of apathy.
We all know that democracy works best when everyone has a voice and their values are represented. After all, most voters support candidates that reflect their interests. The problem for our democracy is that candidates inclined to create policies that "promote and enforce giving everyone a fair shot" will not have a fair shot if their voters stay home on Election Day. This creates an unbalanced political system that gives the financially "well-off" an unfair advantage over financially insecure Americans.
I believe we are in the midst of a watershed moment. There are many organizations working hard to build social, political, and financial capital for people living at or below the poverty line. Although they have enormous challenges to face in upcoming years they must do more to help our neighbors engage. As the next decade approaches, it's important to keep in mind that our ultimate objective should be to create a nation where everyone in need of assistance receives it and leads a life of respect, dignity and opportunity. Let's try to alleviate poverty in America.
Kirk Clay, Senior Advisor
#GA123: Politicians Should Be About More Than Impeachment – Freedom Summer '64 to Freedom Fall '14
By Kirk Clay
If you read the most popular headlines today, you would think that these are unequivocally the worst of times in America. They say that Congress wants to impeach the President of the United States. They say that the economy has stalled and Americans who work hard and play by the rules don't have an opportunity to live the American dream. They say that our immigration system is broken and that the children of undocumented immigrants should be punished for what their parents did years ago. They say that voters of color have an unjust and disproportionate influence on the political system.
These headlines only tell part of the story. The backstory is far more complicated. For example, our economy has grown every month for the last five years. Unemployment is on the decline and has reached its lowest level in eight years. Added to that, our attitude towards comprehensive immigration reform has shifted to the point that now three fourths of the electorate believes that "deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States is unrealistic." Lastly, most every American wants voting to be a basic right – like the freedom of speech.
So why doesn't it feel like we're making progress? Why are we so ready to believe the headlines? Sure, our economy is doing well but some of us are still nervous about a possible downturn — although there are no signs indicating that will happen. Is it that many of the jobs being created are low wage service sector jobs or tech jobs that involve cutting-edge skills? Is it because these are not the kinds of jobs that people living in poverty or losing unemployment insurance for the first time are positioned to take advantage of?
There has been a lack of progress in comprehensive immigration reform as well. Yes, a bill has passed the Senate and President Barack Obama says he would sign it but the bill has not made it to his desk. In fact, this policy may never be introduced in the House of Representatives for a vote. If it does the bill must also survive a grueling amendment process that is full of "poison pills" and middle-of-the-road compromises.
While politicians find it hard get anything done and continue to stall progress, deportations are at historic levels. In fact, the Congress member who calls for more boarder security seems to be really looking for an excuse to do nothing. Sure, the federal government has the obligation to address our boarder issues and crackdown on companies that knowingly break the law but we shouldn't discriminate against any student that has been here for years, stayed out of trouble, and attends our schools.
Tying all of this together is our democracy and the freedom to vote. Politicians are now introducing policies that would manipulate election laws resulting in seniors and veterans – as well as people of color – suddenly not being able to vote.
In fact, African Americans, Latinos and young Whites are purported to be less likely than others to vote in midterm elections. While the current polling models that political experts use are barely an indicator for accurately measuring voter intensity for this demographic, we have to acknowledge their conclusions. They point to a trend that suggests voter turnout in these communities will decrease 3-5% every midterm election. If they're correct, that would suggest a new negative dynamic in politics – one of our most fundamental freedoms is being inhibited.
The truth is that without the freedom to vote, we don't have a democracy. In 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Right Act into law as an attempt to address widespread racial discrimination. Section 5 of the Act encompassed a preclearance provision that required jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination to obtain permission from the District of Columbia U.S. District Court or the U.S. Attorney General before enacting changes to their voting systems.
In 2013, the United States Supreme Court struck down Section 4b of the law – the formula that determines which governments and locations are tied to pre-clearance. Following the Shelby decision, there are now deep concerns about the impact newly passed voting laws will have on access to the ballot box for all Americans. Especially laws related to early voting and voter identification.
These post-Shelby voter laws and other laws will greatly impact voter turnout for voters of color, women and young people. This is particularly troubling when combined with the demographic and political transformation occurring all over America. Not only will these laws affect turnout potential, they dilute the whole premise of our democracy where voting is intended to be the voice of the people.
Let's look at Georgia for example, a state which is experiencing an extraordinary demographic and political shift. Its voter identification law that was signed in 2005 by Governor Sonny Perdue is one of the harshest. It requires that everyone voting in person has to have a state-issued photo ID for their ballot to count.
This law has a significant destabilizing impact on voters. Now that voters of color make up 33% of Georgia's registered voters (30% Black, 2% Latino, and 1% Asian) this law is reminiscent to a "Jim Crow-era" act. People of color's vote share grew from 32% in 2008 to 37% for the first time ever and Latinos will account for 52% of Georgia's new eligible voters in 2016.
Laws like these only hurt democracy by slowing down the voting process. If we continue to overlook the real challenges of our economy, or neglect the people that our immigration laws impact, things will only deteriorate and foster an atmosphere of additional conundrums – saddling our children and grandchildren with an unfair burden of our creation.
Politicians should be about more than impeachment. They should pass laws to fix these problems. Let's get active. #GA123
Kirk Clay, Senior Advisor
The Children of Freedom Summer 1964 Will Soon Be Leaders of Freedom Fall 2014 #GA123
By Kirk Clay
The seeds planted 50 years ago in Mississippi during Freedom Summer are in full bloom. The children of 1964 — who are now leaders — are positioned to energize this generation of young voters of color and progressive voters for a historic turnout in the midterm election.
By taking advantage of 21st Century demographic data to identify, micro-target and energize voters they can usher in the Freedom Fall of 2014 to make a difference in city halls, state capitols and the U.S. Congress.
The reasons that this year's Freedom Summer activists will be Freedom Fall Game Changers are centered on three actions known as "Get Active 1, 2, 3." This cross-platform effort focuses on the following actions:
- Register to vote
- Vote Early
- Volunteer on Election Day to help others vote.
Background: The stakes are high. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, over 35 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, over 35 state and territorial governorships, over 45 state legislatures, numerous state and local races, as well as various ballot initiatives will be contested.
Yet following the Shelby decision and the new voter ID laws that were passed, there is great concern about the impact that these attacks will have on access to the ballot box for voters who have historically been underrepresented. Especially for voters of color, women, youth, the elderly and voters with disabilities.
Case: Take Ohio for example where the Secretary of State has constantly pushed for policies that restrict the voting options that are the most popular and effective for people of color. This includes early voting, weekend voting, and same day voter registration.
Impact on Election 2014: People of color "vote early" twice the rate of other voters and regularly participate in "Take Your Soul to the Poll" early vote programs on weekends. These strategies energized voters of color and progressives in past elections — making the difference in races for Governor and Senate.
Arguably, the new restrictive voting laws in places like Ohio will affect the voters that had the most impact — Cuyahoga County. In the 2006 midterm, voters from that county represented 12% of the vote share and voters of color made up 14% of the electorate.
The Political Landscape: Concerned about the impact that the Shelby decision will have on access to the ballot box this fall, several civil, human and women rights organizations of all types from all over the country came together to power up for the midterm election.
On July 2, which was the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act, these organizations embraced the first step of the "Get Active" framework and launched a national, non-partisan Power Check Day to encourage voters to verify their voting status. By embracing the cross-platform social media model, they also spoke out on issues like voting rights, women's health, immigration, workers' rights, marriage equality, health care, public education and other high-priority issues. They even posted "selfies" holding up three fingers for the three steps in Get Active.
Participating organizations included the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, American Association of University Women, Election Protection, American Federation of Teachers, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, Unidad Solutions, Rock the Vote, Long Distance Voter, The Leadership Conference, and Get Active 123.
Here are the results: The hashtag #GA123 was the centerpiece of Power Check, which recorded 5,035,716 impacts on July 2 with a reach of 1,562,408 and 3,556 followers per contributor. #GA123 tweets were retweeted 406 times. For the May 20th primary election day the hashtag was also used by voters in many states, generating 244,735 impressions with a reach of 120,903. On that day we recorded 67 tweets retweeted 26 times and 3,556 followers per contributor.
Wrap-up: What does the recent turnout for the primaries and participation in the July 2 Power Check Day say about civic participation 50 years later following the Freedom Summer? Is there a way to keep voters of color and progressive voter turnout consistent? Yes! We have to honor the past and activate the future.
Our goal should be to increase the civic participation rate of voters of color by 3-5% for the 2014 midterm election. We can do this by tapping the power and reach of the progressive community's capacity to mobilize voters who have historically been underrepresented at the polls. We have to invest in early vote efforts that target voters who are at risk of being disenfranchised.
The truth is that we have come a long way since 1964. In order for the children of Freedom Summer 1964 to be the leaders of Freedom Fall 2014 we must all have the courage to organize for our future–NOW.
Kirk Clay, Senior Advisor – PowerPAC
Election 2014: Georgia 1+2+3 = Modern Voting Rights Movement #GA123
"Voting Rights Groups Using Social Media To Amplify Their Political Voice #GA123"
Last week, I participated in #GA123 — one of the most cutting edge civic engagement events this election cycle. This "cross-platform" social media conference attracted over a hundred political leaders from the Southeast region including representatives from labor, progressives, civil rights, women, youth and people of color. Featured speakers included AFL-CIO Executive Council member and United Steel Workers' International Vice President Fred Redmond, House Minority Leader for the Georgia General Assembly Stacey Abrams, League of United Latin American Citizens' Director of Civic Engagement Sindy Benavides, Chairman of the African American Ministers in Action Reverend Timothy McDonald, III, and the Southern Region Director of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) Kermit Moore.
This Southeastern APRI conference was the launch of a plan to unite and mobilize large numbers of white progressive and "voters of color" (VOC) through the use of "predictive modeling" to strategically micro-target supporters. What's even more impressive? You could see #GA123's impact with 200 tweets being reproduced 66 times — a high ratio and strong online activity for a conference of this size. What's more, many in the audience were media personalities and local "influencers" with large followings, therefore #GA123 could have potentially touched over 120,000 people. The concept is simple, mobilize progressive voters to take three important steps: 1) Vote in the primary election, 2) early vote in the general election, and 3) get a friend to vote on November 4th.
Impact on Election 2014: Conservative Tea Party candidates — like those running for Georgia U.S. Senate — rely on low voter turnout to win in off year elections. The majority of their vote comes from precincts where they have outsized support from older white male voters. Therefore, the only hope progressives have of holding on in the U.S. Senate, is with the help of a "Voters of Color Fire Wall." This wall can be built in "States of Influence" – places like Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina that are not necessarily majority/minority but have enough diversity to effect the election. The question is- How does one ignite the "Rising Electorate" in a midterm?
Background: "#GA123" Social media outreach has the potential to ignite Georgia's progressive electorate in 2014. While fostering on-line collaborations in communities that share the same interests, the program could generate enthusiasm in communities that are at risk of high "drop-off" rates. The "sweet spot" is to engage local progressive organizations that are active offline and encourage them to be more active online and "visa versa." Then involve these supporters in a push to get their on-line networks to vote and to be more active in long-term civic engagement work like holding elected leaders accountable.
Case: Georgia is undergoing a remarkable demographic transformation and will soon be an electoral swing state. For these reasons, Georgia is at the center of the political universe as it relates to the "Rising Electorate." As witnessed at the state level in 2012, this rising electorate helped to give President Obama 46% (1,773,827) of the Georgia's vote – only a point off his 2008 performance. More importantly, the VOC vote share grew from 32% in 2008 to 37% for the first time ever. As a result, we now know that a Democrat can successfully win a bid for U.S. Senator with support from 35% of the progressive white vote.
The Political Landscape: The 2010 midterm elections dealt the Democrats a sobering blow. Amidst a hyper partisan ad war, Democrats elected to keep the most valuable weapon in politics — the President of The United States — off the campaign trail. Consequently, they were not able to turnout enough voters to keep the political balance from tilting back to the right.
Here are the results:
1. An estimated 2,576,037 million voters turned out in November of 2010 –a decrease of 1,316,845 votes from the 2008 election and 1,276,478 less than 2012.
2. Republican Governor Nathan Deal won with 53% of the vote.
3. The 8th Congressional district changed from Democrat to Republican by just 10,520 votes.
4. The GOP gained 2 seats in the state Senate and 9 seats in the state house.
What was the long-term damage? Through redistricting, Republicans now control both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats, 9 of the fourteen congressional seats, the governorship, and both state legislative bodies. As a result, Georgia residents live under political leadership that is hostile to public workers, unresponsive to calls for economic fairness, and which fails to fulfill its responsibility of providing affordable health care to all. Can Democrats repair the damage and turn it around in 2014 and beyond? Yes. As the future of Georgia politics begin to take shape, there are a few data points to consider:
- Voters of color make up 33% of Georgia's registered voters (30% Black, 2% Latino, and 1% Asian).
- Georgia has over 850,000 Latino residents and 26% are eligible to vote.
- Nationally close to 52, 000 Latinos turn 18 every month and 9 out of 10 of those are eligible to vote.
- Latinos will account for 52% of Georgia's new eligible voters in 2016.
So what's happening on the ground? We see progressive movement in areas like Georgia's House District 111 (35% Black and 6% Latino with a significant youth population). This seat is in a county that gave President Obama 48% of the vote – just 2,925 votes from victory. Henry County has grown by 2.5% to 209,053 and cities like Stockbridge grew 2.5% to 26,281. Note that areas like this will have more than 14,000 "key" Voters of Color and could be decisive in 2014. Devoting resources to high performing VOC precincts here will give a tremendous return on investment.
Wrap-up: Georgia is ready for a concentrated and multilevel campaign to train, equip, and energize their progressive community. The truth is that #GA123 has the capacity to capitalize on the voting trends listed above and boost voter turnout in "at risk" communities. The use of quantified impression-based targeting, demographic data, and technological enhancements will be a value added to traditional civic engagement tools. This will make it possible to narrow the gap between the number of eligible voters and the number of actual voters. If we can expand the electorate and provide enough momentum to energize voters for 2014 and the 2016 cycles, it won't be long until the Democrats recapture, maintain, and extend the progressive legislative margins in this new battleground state.
Kirk Clay is Senior Advisor at PowerPAC
Election 2014: Governor Christie, McDonnell, and Scott – What Do They All Have In Common?
By Kirk Clay
3 Things You May Not Know About Voters of Color in New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida
What does Governors Chris Christie, Bob McDonnell, and Rick Scott all have in common? They're all from states rocked by scandal? No. They're all from states that President Obama won twice? Nope. Medicaid expansion is a hot button issue in all of their states? Maybe, but that's not all. If you name the variables that will have the biggest impact this election year, the voter turnout rate for Voters of Color (VOC) could be at the top of the list but the amount of resources spent campaigning is close behind.
Paradigm: For the past few election cycles, conservative institutions and their Tea Party counterparts have leaned on their standard campaign issue – repeal Obamacare. The thinking is that if Republican politicians and conservative institutions pump millions of dollars in deterring Americans from participation in the ACA – including Medicaid expansion — then they will win. However, recent bellwether elections have undermined this long-held cliché and there is evidence based data that points to a backlash brewing.
Background: A significant number of voters believe "sabotage" is the driving motive for the GOP's obstruction and it has become an exemplifying issue for the modern Republican party. As a result, the Republican brand is damaged in a number of states refusing buckets of money in opposition to Obamacare. Even in a blue state like New Jersey, there are Tea Party calls for Christie to "rethink his position." To be clear, this well financed push against Medicaid expansion gives insight to a broader set of electoral trends and exposes the symptoms of "Shutdown Syndrome."
Case: In states like Virginia, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers Medicaid coverage to people who earn up to 138% of the poverty line. This includes childless adults and large portions of the Latinos, African American, and Asian American communities. In short, the federal Treasury will pick up the state's tab for a number of new clients in the program's "beginning" years. After that, they will cover a healthy portion of the program for a significant number of years later.
The Fundamentals: In Virginia, Republican Gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli ran for election on a platform that included an "anti- Medicaid expansion" policy. His campaign was bolstered by organizations like Americans for Prosperity and the US Chamber of Commerce — that spent millions of dollars in political advertising to discourage ACA sign-ups. More notably, this advertising was on air in hotly contested media markets like "toss-up" Congressional District VA-2 and State Senate District Six.
The results? Cuccinelli lost to a national DNC leader who never held an elected office, the Republicans lost Senate District 6 — flipping Virginia's State Senate from Red to Blue, and Republican Congressman Scott Rigell is now in the toughest race of his career.
As the fundamentals of the mid-term elections begin to take shape, there are a few data points to consider:
- There was an unexpectedly strong VOC turnout for the 2013 election cycle — with people of color making up 28% of Virginia's electorate.
- Virginia Gubernatorial candidate Cuccinelli, State Senate candidate Colman, and GOP Presidential candidate Romney all carried Virginia's independent voters by double-digits and still lost.
- President Obama's approval is above the critical 46% level in states like Virginia, Florida, and New Jersey — demonstrating his political resilience.
- The Democrats have regained their lead on the Congressional generic ballot (40%-38%) – more evidence that voters prefer politicians that show the ability to take a problem head-on and fix it.
So what's happening on the ground? Districts of influence – areas with enough diversity to impact the election – are becoming more than just a firewall against anti-Obamacare advertising. Note that State Senate Candidate Lynwood Lewis was out spent by Republican Wayne Colman $395,632 to 598,982 and the airwaves were saturated with Anti-Obamacare advertising. However, Lewis invested in VOC and was able to offset a decline in support from independent voters. This was a vital component of his strategy and could prove decisive in 2014.
Example: Virginia's CD-2 is 7% Latino, 21% African American, and 5% Asian with over 52,000 youth between the ages of 18-25 – President Obama won this district with 50% of the vote in 2012. Similar to Virginia's Senate District 6, this seat is based in Norfolk which is 53% People of Color. Remember, Governor Bob McDonnell won this area with 54% of the vote in 2009 then President Obama won with 72% of the vote in 2012. The centerpiece of Lewis' winning strategy was to invest in high performing VOC precincts like 213 (Taylor Elementary School) where President Obama received 65% of the precinct's vote in 2012.
As the campaign season begins, it's important to keep in mind that most voters are not all that interested in why things haven't worked. Why should they? Every morning they get up looking for solutions to kitchen table problems — not excuses. Their goal is to get results for their family which means they will support policies and candidates that help to make ends meet. Imagine how many more insured Americans we would have if Congress did the same? The truth is that voters have little patience for "bumper sticker" solutions and this November they'll be looking for someone to make things better.
Kirk Clay is Senior Advisor at PowerPAC
Election 2014: Democrats Can Win Back the House, By Fixing It
By Kirk Clay
The best part of my Thanksgiving weekend was sitting around the table with family debating the upcoming NCAA national championship game. I have to admit, I love talking with my brother — a lifelong Buckeye – who is always optimistic that Ohio State can go all the way. Then there's my father – a lifelong Alabama fan – that regularly reminds everyone that "It's unlikely for the Bucks to beat 'Bama if they play each other." However, in sports (as well as politics) you can never be certain of the results until after the game. That's why they play the game.
Yes, America loves a comeback story. Watching the excitement generated by Auburn's victory over top ranked Alabama during the last seconds of the game reminded me of Election 2014 and the possible electoral impact the "Rising Electorate" may have. I began to ask myself, "will this mid-term election be decided by last minute local issues or long-term national concerns?" Will this be a referendum on the "Do-nothing" Congress, Government Shutdown or Obamacare?
What's remarkable is how — for reasons hard to explain – 2012 issues and dynamics are being dragged into 2014. Remember 2012 was a hyper polarized political environment where attitudes solidified quickly and "Obamacare" didn't peel off many voters. The Democrats netted 8 seats in the House and gained a foothold in the Senate by winning 80% of the competitive Senate races. Also, they gained 170 more state legislative seats nationwide and took over 8 state legislative chambers including complete control of Colorado. In other words, everyone that hates "Obamacare" has probably already voted against it and everyone that voted for President Obama will probably still vote Democrat.
So what's different? Consumer confidence is at a 6 year high and the GOP driven Government shutdown seems to be sticking. The Democrats didn't have these weapons in 2012 and now the stage is set for an upsurge for President Obama's coalition that includes progressive whites, Latinos, African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, women, youth and unions.
As the fundamentals of the mid-term elections begin to take shape, there are a few data points to consider. As listed in Gallup's recent national survey:
- Congress has a 9% approval rating (the lowest ever)
- 59% say their disapproval is driven by perceived "Gridlock /
- Party identification for Republicans is 6 points lower than last
- The electorate still blames the GOP for the disadvantageous
"Government Shutdown" and Congressional unfavorable ratings are a record high
- Businesses added 215,000 jobs in November (capping a better-than-expected year)
Furthermore, there were fewer than 60 laws enacted this year, so this is officially the least productive Congress ever. In other words, the Republicans will not have a record of "fixing things" to run on while the Democrats will tout saving the economy from default and fighting to keep the Government open. Will these numbers drive voters to throw the bums out and flip the House? No one knows for sure but these issues and others could be the catalyst.
For Example, take Colorado's CD-6 where the district is 20% Latino, 9% African American, 5% Asian and there are over 60,000 youth between the ages of 18-25. The President won this district with 54% (182,464) of the vote and GOP Congressman Mike Coffman scraped by with only 48% (150,587) of the vote. That's a difference of 31,877 more votes for Democrats.
Remember Coffman won by 7,001 votes in 2012, a Presidential election year. This is about 2% of turnout but we expect him to garner 3-5% more votes in a mid-term election. However, there were over 12,000 ballots cast that did not choose a Congressional candidate between Adams and Arapahoe counties (both counties are favorable towards Democrats). Lastly, Colorado recently passed a law requiring all registered voters to receive a ballot in the mail and allowing Election Day registration. These factors will increase midterm turnout for progressives.
Will these dynamics play out in the 17 Congressional districts needed to flip the House? Yes. The truth is that voters in places like Toledo care more about the price of milk, the economy and the Buckeyes –not necessarily in that order – than the healthcare website. It's our experience that people won't vote for politicians that ignore underlying issues or problems but they'll vote for someone to fix them. Simply put, "nothing from nothing leaves anything and doing nothing isn't working." If a candidate can show the ability to take a problem head-on and fix it, they will garner a lot of respect and votes.
Kirk Clay is Senior Advisor at PowerPAC


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One of the most common questions I'm asked about Microsoft Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) is, "How can you programmatically manipulate profile paths for Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition (WTS)?" Unfortunately, you can't use ADSI to directly manipulate the WTS profile-path attributes because the NT SAM stores these attributes in the User Parameters field, which ADSI can't access. Oddly, the ADSI resource kit includes a DLL for managing RAS permissions, which also reside in the User Parameters field, but doesn't include a DLL for manipulating WTS permissions.
To manipulate the WTS profile-path attributes, you can use WTSAPI32. To make WTSAPI32 easier to work with, you can create a COM object that wraps the native WTSAPI32 functions. You can then use the WTS COM object to manipulate the Terminal Server Profile Path, Terminal Server Home Directory, and Terminal Server Home Directory Drive Mapping attributes. This object lets you use the WTSAPI32 functions with the same ease you've come to expect from ADSI.
Although COM object development deviates a bit from the topics I typically discuss in this column, the WTSAPI32 functions are valuable to systems administrators who need to programmatically manipulate the profile-path, home-directory, and home-directory-drive attributes in a WTS, Windows 2000 Server Terminal Services, Citrix WinFrame, or Citrix MetaFrame environment. In addition, this minor deviation provides the perfect opportunity to delve into the creation of COM objects in Microsoft Visual Basic (VB)—an essential step for taking scripting to a whole new level of usability.
Why Use COM Objects?
A COM object is a kind of black box. Input goes into the object. The object automatically performs its job with no interaction from users. The object returns output if needed.
Because COM objects don't require user interaction, you might already be using COM objects without realizing it. Every time you instantiate the FileSystemObject object or use ADSI to bind to an object, you're using a COM object. Using a custom COM object affords you all the same benefits you've come to enjoy with using ADSI, FileSystemObject, and other out-of-the-box scripting objects. In addition, COM objects offer these advantages:
- After you instantiate COM objects, they offer better performance than equivalent Windows Script Host (WSH) and VBScript functions in scripts because COM objects are precompiled.
- COM objects let you reuse code across multiple automation languages, such as VBScript, JScript, JavaScript, and Perl.
- COM objects let you reuse code throughout an organization. You can even create a component repository to prevent duplication of development efforts.
- COM objects facilitate multi-tier application development so that you can separate business logic from application logic.
- COM objects facilitate easier code testing. You need to develop and test a COM object only once.
Despite these advantages, many systems administrators shudder at the thought of developing COM objects. Perhaps their perception of COM object development stems from C++ developers' stories about COM's supposed complexity. Contrary to popular opinion, creating COM objects in VB is easy, and they work properly on the VB platform without any extraordinary intervention.
Using VB, you can wrap your most commonly performed complex tasks (such as creating a new user account, home directory, and share) with a public function that a COM object exposes. Wrapping tasks ensures that those tasks are performed the same way every time. If you use a certain VBScript function often, you can even use VB to create a COM object that incorporates that function.
The Golden Rules
Before you can create a COM object in VB, you must know about two important rules. First, you must use the enterprise or professional edition of VB to compile COM objects. You can't use the learning edition or the version that comes with Microsoft Office. Second, you can't incorporate any GUI elements, such as message boxes or forms. So, for example, you can't use MsgBox or Debug.Print statements or the values they return.
Next Time
Next month, I'll show you how to create the WTS COM object, which will contain the functions to manipulate the Terminal Server Profile Path, Terminal Server Home Directory, and Terminal Server Home Directory Drive Mapping attributes. You'll be able to use this object in any scripting language that supports automation.


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looks stunning on her! we love it.
Not only do I look sexy, I feel sexy!
This dress hugs me in all the right places as well as hiding a few flaws! It's perfectly cut at the top to show off my chest (without making me look like I am falling out of the dress), and the bottom of the dress hits exactly where it makes my thighs/legs look long and lean! I would suggest this dress to anyone who wants to feel sexy!
Fit each curve to perfection
Arrived super early... love how it fits me. Slit is a little high if your thick in the thighs :)
Five Stars
I love my dress
But this is perfect for casual or dress it up with jewelry and .
Honestly, I bought three in three different colors the only one I haven't boughten is the black, and I just might later on. I am about 107 pounds 5'3, get the medium because the small I can't even imagine how small it is. But this is perfect for casual or dress it up with jewelry and heels, Very comftorable and it is thick and not see through. Obsessed with it , it accents your features if you're tiny and even makes no bra look great. I highly recommend this dress
Pretty prompt delivery as well
Stretchy and sexy. Pretty prompt delivery as well!
Five Stars
Great t-shirt. Flows beautifully. Very comfortable.
Ready for fall.
Love the length.
Beautiful pink color.
This is a very pretty color of pink. It is as I expected.


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25 Gorgeous Typographic Experiments
Ah, typography! Is there anything that inspires print designers more? No? Then get inspired by these creative type experiments.
Type Has Muscles
Muscle car-inspired typography. Vroom!
Skate Park Type
Ollie the alphabet
Amped up type made from coffee grounds
Helvetica Experiments
Love it or hate it, Helvetica makes for slick treatments.
George Stoyanov
Design and typography love Hungarian style.
Museum-displayed piece exploring type in daily life—in this case, in cigarettes.
Letterform for the Ephemeral
People as letterforms worthy of Sesame Street.
Type Fluid
An ambitious 3D fluid alphabet.
Breaking Type
When type is pushed too far, it can crack under the stress.
Moving Graffiti
Don't stare too long.
Smoking Kills
And this typography is killer.
Juuvy Theme
Light, fun, and foldy.
Knotty Type
Letterforms go au naturale.
Play Gritty
Tasty typography that will leave bits in your teeth.
Do Not Fear Your Fear
Street art style advice
Lettering Poster
More than 180 letterings (and a few illustrations) combine into one cool poster
DIY Coffee House Type
This one's the result of a tutorial using Photoshop and some grungy old New York sensibilities.
Penguin Drop Caps Covers
Jessica Hische's cover illustrations for the volumes in the Penguin Drop Caps book series.
Amsterdam Art Price
Retro pen-and-ink
Second Nature
An organic render by the North American Quilting Guild
Number One
Fitting branding for a paper company.
LED a Porter
Light-drawn letterforms adorn an LED manufacturer's catalog.
When asked to draw the anatomy of type the designer took things literally—to spectacular results.
Please note: This article links to resources hosted on external Web sites outside of the control of CreativePro.com. At any time those Web sites may close down, change their site or permalink structures, remove content, or take other actions that may render one or more of the above links invalid. As such neither Pariah S. Burke nor CreativePro.com can guarantee the availability of the third-party resources linked to in this article.Tags


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Lots of brands try to newsjack. Rarely do they do it well.
Most often, brands tweet to offer congratulations or join in a relevant holiday or sporting event, with no call to action.
Alex and Alexa, the children's life and style pure play known as the 'the NET-A-PORTER for under 14s', is great at newsjacking. Not just for immediate impact, but to help editorial drive social and search presence.
Here are some examples, including the retailer's recent Prince George inspired range.
I saw the tweet below from Alex and Alexa and decided to check it out.
The copy in the tweet is simple and well-judged. The landing page the brand has constructed is also very simple, in fact it's a blog post on the brand's style blog.
Nine products are displayed with anchor text links below and a short paragraph or two about Prince George on his parents' trip to New Zealand.
This shows how simple it can be to effectively jump on to news, without doing it in a craven or lazy fashion simply for engagement.
Prince George is already proving to be quite the little trendsetter! See our edit here >>http://t.co/SqagrSHZud pic.twitter.com/8wgM8pj7Ub
— ALEXANDALEXA.COM (@alexandalexa) April 11, 2014
The ingredients here are those that most brands have, but rarely use so well.
- The ability to identify trends important to an audience.
- A social media manager and well managed networks.
- The ability to create landing pages or blog content.
- The ability to curate appropriate existing content.
Here are another three examples from just this month of how Alex and Alexa engages with its community through its Life and Style blog. I'd say they give a lesson to any retailer out there, pure play or otherwise, in how to spot the right trends and act on them quickly.
Brooklyn Beckham
In another blog post, the brand simply includes an Instagram post from Man About Town, the magazine that featured Brooklyn Beckham modelling.
In this example they didn't include a product list, but simply some commentary with relevant high fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren internally anchor text linked to relevant Alex and Alexa category pages.
In a competitive market of high fashion, this sort of editorial and social exposure can help the retailer rank for these terms in search.
Product slideshows - Finn Bloom and Prince George
Similar themes here, but with a simple embedded product carousel on relevant blog posts, so readers can click through directly to product pages.
Click on the product images to check out the blog posts in question. I've included the tweets, too.
William & Kate land in New Zealand to a warm welcome with George looking adorable as ever >http://t.co/nGoIee1YA5 pic.twitter.com/yoWctaTXVN
— ALEXANDALEXA.COM (@alexandalexa) April 8, 2014
Miranda Kerr gives son Flynn Bloom, wearing our Stella McCartney Kids jumper, a cuddle > http://t.co/2cdSQHoZNi pic.twitter.com/kjRzxmuvTI
— ALEXANDALEXA.COM (@alexandalexa) April 9, 2014


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DRAMA CLUB RECAP: Joseon Gunman Episodes 21-22 (2/2)
Tanya: Well, it's our last week of Joseon Gunman. Can I ask, are we really surprised with the way things ended? The only person I didn't expect to die was Ho Kyung.
Zombie Mamma: I'm not. I had a feeling there would be a whole lot of dying before the end, and in a way, I'm a little surprised both Yoon Kang and Soo In made it out alive. I was fairly convinced this drama would end rather tragically so I'm happy our OTP finally found their "happy ever after".
Drama Debussie: Anyone who is at least a bit familiar with Korean history is probably not surprised as well as anyone with half a brain. I will say I was actually surprised Sang Chu died. Sure, he could be considered a minor character, but he had such a bright future that I saw no reason to kill him off. I mean, would it have hurt to let someone else live besides our OTP?! Not that's complaining. Our main couple walked away into the sunset and it's hard to complain about that. Although I may have some complaints about Yoon Kang's new look…
Tanya: I was praising whomever let him have long hair again. Could have done without the facial hair, but Joseon. So let's talk about all of this action. The rebellion, the fake one this time, completely backfired because, let's face it, it's apparently all about the double-crossing and then realizing that was a very bad idea.
Drama Debussie: There were so many bad ideas this week that I lost count. Everyone seemed to have this look on their face that was very Gob Bluth once they had finally realized what a huge mistake they had made. I mean, asking the Japanese to help fight a rebellion that should only involve the Joseon people is bad. Of course accidentally shooting your own daughter is quite possibly the worst mistake I saw. I'll admit one or two tears found their way down my face during that scene.
Zombie: I know I shed a few tears over the death of Hye Won. She was such an interesting character. So strong, so determined, with just enough evil in her to be labeled as bad but not so bad that you hated her. In fact, I liked her more than I liked Soo In, so I was sad when she met her untimely end. To be honest, I was a little sad when Won Shin met his maker as well. He was such a good villain and such an intelligent man that, despite his evil ways, I really liked him. He kept this entire drama interesting, always keeping pace with Yoon Kang, sometimes getting ahead and I'm convinced this whole thing would have fallen flat without him. Sure, rebellions can be interesting enough on their own but the added element Won Shin provided, really kept things hopping.
Tanya: I'll agree with that point. I think that the writers deserve some praise with keeping these characters interesting. There was really only one character that I would consider one-note and that was because someone needed to have consistency. I'm looking at you Soo In. I love that fact that you could watch the characters grow though… and not in a "they aged them" physical manner, but rather you could see their maturity level changing. It was reflected in attitude, expressions, everything.
Drama Debussie: Early on in the show I felt that the characters were all over the place because they couldn't decide what side they were on. Towards the end lines were absolutely drawn which cut down on a lot of confusion for me. The argument can also be made that the main characters didn't so much follow one side, but more their hearts and what they thought was right. I don't think either side was the best choice, just one was the lesser evil of the two. I guess that's politics.
Zombie: I think the reason the characters were so likeable was because they did follow their hearts. Rather than being confined to a formulaic set of rules (for example, having the hero always doing the most noble, self-sacrificing thing), the characters were free to follow their feelings, much like we do in "real" life. Yoon Kang spent a lot of time trying to decide if he was willing to set aside his desire for revenge, in an effort to support a more noble cause and I liked that for a long time, he stuck with what was heaviest on his heart. I don't think I would have liked him half as much if he had just given up on avenging his father's death when the king asked him to. I also like that when he did finally decide to pick a side and act, he did so because it's what his heart told him to do. He wasn't swayed by the higher-ups, nor was he swayed by Soo In… It wasn't until he could see the world through the eyes of that little boy that he decided the world needed to change and he could be a part of making that change happen. I admired his compassion, even more so when he decided that helping people was his life's purpose and he continued the cause long after the rebellion failed. He's such a heroic hero!
Drama Debussie: Particularly heroic considering he still kept fighting the good fight after all the ups and downs (mainly downs) he experienced during this entire ordeal. Seemed like every step forward was immediately followed by some event that set him back even more. I can only admire that tenacity and willpower.
Tanya: That is also part of what made this show more realistic. It was hard, although sometimes ridiculous. I enjoyed that they had a struggle bigger than their relationship issues and it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine though.
Zombie: This drama certainly had a much bigger scope than your typical angsty romance, which I suppose should be expected when you sit down to watch a sweeping historical drama. I liked how this story started off sweetly, then turned rather quickly into a story of revenge and then turned again into this epic national revolution, with our hero morphing from a man out for blood to a champion of the people. It's quite a change, both in plot and in character development and it really made this an enjoyable drama to watch.
Drama Debussie: All in all, I felt that no stone was left unturned and no plotlines were left unresolved which is all we can really ask.
Well shooters, it has been fun spending the last 11 weeks with you! How did you feel about the ending of Joseon Gunman? Anything you wish would have happened differently? Anyone you wish was still alive and well in the drama universe? As always, let us know in the comments below or send us love on Twitter! Until next time!
Watch the finale:
You can read more from you drama club authors on our websites or attack us on Twitter!
Zombie Mamma:zombiemamma or @TheZombieMamma
Drama Debussie:@dramadebussie or dramadebussie
Hallyu Tanya:HallyuKnow or @Hallyu_Tanya
Catch up on past posts from the Joseon Gunman Drama Club:
Episodes 1-4: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 5-6: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 7-8: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 9-10: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 11-12: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 13-14: [Part 1]
Episodes 15-16: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 17-18: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 19-20: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 21-22: [Part 1] [Part 2]


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Leech Tishman & The Pittsburgh Technology Council will be hosting a Society [on the] Rocks cocktail reception, the kickoff event for the 2015 Pennsylvania Society Annual Dinner weekend in New York City. This year the reception will once again take place at 620 Loft & Garden, part of the iconic Rockefeller Center. 620 Loft & Garden offers an intimate setting for viewing the legendary ice rink and tree as well as the historic St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Fifth Avenue Place holiday light show.
Due to space limitations, this event is Invite-Only and the invitation is strictly non-transferable. Confirmed RSVP required for admittance.


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With the last ever Dancing on Ice final fast approaching, the remaining three have admitted it will be sad saying goodbye.
"I think Sunday will be quite sad," said final man standing Ray Quinn on today's Lorraine.
"It has gone so fast this time," added Corrie actress Hayley Tamaddon.
The thought of never returning to the rink seems a hard one for the contestants, with all open to the idea of appearing on any future Christmas specials of the popular ITV show.
But all three are committed to making sure Sunday's grand finale is the most spectacular yet.
"We want to make it go out with a bang," said Quinn, who is favourite to be crowned champion of champions.
"At the end of the day, we just want to put in a good performance and it's a great television show to be a part of."
Gymnast Beth Tweddle added: "We're trying to make it intricate and make that wow factor.
"It's going to be a difficult final. But we're all going to go out there and give it our best."
* The Dancing on Ice final starts Sunday at 7pm on ITV


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Examples of goods available for purchase on Craigslist include antiques, furniture, musical instruments, electronics and automobiles. Local sellers use Craigslist to post a wide variety of second-hand items for sale in most U.S. cities.Continue Reading
Additional product categories that Craigslist offers its users include jewelry, heavy equipment, event tickets, tools and collectibles. MakeUseOf.com states that the most commonly listed items are cars, furniture, property rentals and computers. Cellphones, concert tickets, and baby items such as strollers are all also popular selling items on the platform. Craigslist also provides users with posting categories for jobs and services and a comprehensive personals section.
Craigslist warns its users the site's purpose is strictly limited to local use. Each U.S. city and many worldwide cities have unique Craigslist portals where individuals can post classifieds advertisements. The website warns that some users try to sell or purchase goods without meeting their transaction partner in person in order to facilitate a scam. For this reason, Craigslist recommends users insist on meeting in person and accept only cash for payment. Unscrupulous sellers may try to sell counterfeit items or use bait-and-switch tactics, while untrustworthy buyers often try to pay using checks, Western Union money orders, or other payment methods instead of cash.Learn more about Job Search


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Dr. Spatt,
I wanted to take a few minutes to send you an email. I took Izzy, my 13 year old husky mix in for her hind leg to a specialty vet just outside of Detroit who was recommended by my regular vet. They wanted something on the order of $4,000 to operate on her leg. It was painful, but I was prepared to max out my credit card to take care of her. On the day of the surgery, the specialty vet I took her to wanted to run some blood work because of something they found in the paperwork from my regular vet. I left Izzy there with a bad feeling. They then called and wanted to do an ultrasound on her abdomen and they found some sort of growth. The specialty vet told me they wanted to investigate this because it could be more serious than her leg. This would cost me an additional $4,000. In a panic, I started to run through my mind what I could sell in order to cover this additional cost. What threw me over the edge was when this vet is asking me for permission, over the phone, to do this and said to me "if we open her up and it looks bad, we'll call you to see if you want us to put her down". I couldn't take it any more, I hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye to my girl, and all I wanted was for her leg to feel better in the first place.
I got in my car and went to pick her up, paid them $800 for their "tests" and took her home to re-evaluate what I was going to do. I got to thinking about a brace for her leg, since humans have braces, and I found your website. At a couple of hundred dollars, it was well worth the risk of trying something unconventional. My regular vet didn't want to recommend your product because she didn't know anything about it. I didn't care, I ordered it anyway. We got the brace a few days later, and Izzy wore it quite a lot for several weeks afterwards and we weened her off of it.
That took place about 7 months ago. She has been up and around for months now, and while she's slow, I don't think she's any worse off now then any other 13 year old dog. She goes on her daily walk, and even has a bit of fight left in her to wrestle with my two year old husky.
The last round of tests have shown that whatever it is in her abdomen, it's not growing fast enough to worry about. You and your product saved me thousands of dollars and greatly improved the quality of life Izzy has for whatever length of time we have left with her. Our vet has also been extremely impressed and said she would feel comfortable recommending your product after seeing the huge improvement. Before your brace, Izzy could barely put weight on her leg and constantly limped and cried. Now, she's ready for a rumble.
Thank you very much for your product, and the care you put into designing it.


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Central Florida Community Action Agency has funds available now to help pay household cooling bills. To qualify, the calls for assistance are accepted on the first three Mondays of each month beginning at 8 a.m. Appointments are given on a first-come-first-served basis. Some evening and weekend appointments are available upon request. No assistance can be given to walk-in applicants. Please bring all requested documents to the appointment. In Levy County call 352-493-1734.
Two people were arrested at a Chiefland home on May 25 after a probe into electricity theft by Central Florida Electric Cooperative led investigators and drug agents to a marijuana grow house.
Rafael Russinyol, 47, and Katia Calleiro-Russinyol, 61, were arrested by Levy County Drug Task Force and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents at a Northwest 127th Place home.
The investigation found electricity had been rerouted underground in two ditches. One line led to a concrete building where the odor of marijuana was evident.
The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is hosting a celebration of the world's oceans for the entire family from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There will be activities for both kids and adults, including crafts and fun, informative sessions about the oceans and Florida-specific animals such as the manatee.
Learn about sustainable seafood and ways to protect and preserve the world's oceans. This year's theme is based on the Dr. Seuss book, "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish," and there will be colorful illustrations throughout the zoo.
School Board ESE meeting
The School Board of Levy County, through its Exceptional Student Education department, is in the process of reviewing and surveying needs for services within the school district for the upcoming 2011-12 school year.
The Florida Department of Transportation will join local and national law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates across the country for the 2011 national Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement mobilization through June 5.
During the campaign, officers will be cracking down on motorists who fail to wear their safety belts – both day and night.
Some folks might say Brian Smetana, 19, just had a bad weekend. The Otter Creek resident is in Levy County Jail after being arrested twice — once on a charge of shooting into an occupied dwelling and, the second time after being found naked in the bedroom of a 15-year-old — in less than 24 hours.
Three stories were told, and together, led to the arrest of a Williston man on animal cruelty charges.
Wayne Smith, 63, of N.E. 154th Avenue, was arrested May 27 after a neighbor made a call to the sheriff's office.
According to the arrest report, Deputy Clint Anderson, the K-9 deputy, contacted the alleged victim, who told him she did not see her dog when she looked out the window. The dog was on a chain in the backyard, she said, and was now missing.
The following persons were sentenced, found not guilty or the case nolle pros — dropped — in the Criminal Division of the 8th Circuit Court in Levy County. The information is taken from public records. VOP means violation of probation.
A Chiefland man was arrested Friday after a witness said the man appeared to be masturbating in the woodline of a portion of the Greenway Trail. The witness noticed the man during a bike ride down the trail, according to a Chiefland Police report.
The Levy County Sheriff's Office reports the following arrests:
n May 24, Marlena Annette Batey, 25, Bronson, grand theft, petit theft. Bond $20,000.
n May 28, Joseph Paul Beauregard, 38, Williston, domestic battery. Bond $2,000.
n May 30, Allison Davis Berry, 38, Chiefland, domestic battery.
n May 25, Katia Russinyol Calleiro, 61, Chiefland, possession of marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, theft of utilities, possession of firearm during the commission of a felony. Bond $120,000.
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