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Sunday, 24 February 2013
Not the only good thing: Clouds reviews My So-Called Secret Identity
A lot of great things are happening in the world of comics lately.
A lot of dismal things are happening as well. Ask a feminist (or, often enough, female) comic fan what they think of DC's redesigns of characters like Starfire or Harley Quinn in the New 52 franchise reboot and they will probably shake their head sadly and roll their eyes skywards. So far, we've seen artists conform disappointingly to a tired set of cliches - I could point to Catwoman having sex with Batman on a rooftop, for example, as a low point, as well as recent portraits of Power Girl.
But even the sphere of comics - populated though it is by white nerdy men, a group notoriously insistent in both its sexism and its denial of its own privilege - isn't immune to a spirit of inclusion, and with that in mind we have a gay Green Lantern and a mixed-race Spiderman. We have a flowering of queer characters across the genre. We have a series of one of Marvel's most popular titles, X-Men, devoted entirely to a female task force. The often regressive artistic style is, slowly but surely, starting to change, with no small thanks to the endless source of parody found online.
And in the midst of all this, we have a new title spearheaded by Dr. Will Brooker, a leading academic in the study of comics who has set out to create a woman whose superpower is her intelligence. The resulting comic, entitled My So-Called Secret Identity, stars Catherine Abigail Daniels, an Irish-American PhD scholar in the fictional city of Gloria. Its first issue appeared online this week, and is currently free to view.
It's certainly started well. In addition to a believable and engaging main character, Brooker and his team have given us some intriguing side characters, a fistful of '90s nostalgia (the title's resemblance to popular TV series My So-Called Life doesn't seem to be an accident), and some sharp observations on the status of women in academia: at one point, Cat walks into a meeting where she represents the student body only to be told that the meeting already has a secretary.
Almost as prominent a character is the city of Gloria herself. As befits a connoisseur of the Batman comics, Gloria has as much of a presence and personality as Gotham City in the DC Universe, to the point of being run by superheroes. It's early in the story to analyse this bit much more, but I am really looking forward to seeing where it takes us next.
The only thing I query about the narrative is the rather hasty introduction of a love interest, which I found oddly reminiscent of the playground practice of grabbing a boy's hand and declaring "you're my boyfriend now". And, yes, Cat is white, slim, cis, abled, and ostensibly straight. We'll come back to that in a moment. On the other hand, the writing team seem in firm agreement that Cat shouldn't be a sex object, and so far they are doing a sterling job of sticking to the brief.
So, if I liked it, why is this article so long? Well, readers, that is mostly to do with what Dr. Brooker had to say to the press on the day of the comic's release. Talking to Alison Flood in The Guardian, he made the following statements:
"I walked in[to a comic shop] and I just felt so unwelcome. All the comics on the shelves were featuring women as pin-ups – women with their boobs out, or their clothes falling off … If someone like me feels uncomfortable walking into a comic shop, it's no wonder most teenage girls and adult women wouldn't set foot inside one..."
"I looked around at the [class] room full of young women – so smart, determined, keen and committed – and remembered that in the original comic, Batgirl was meant to be a PhD student. Why do we never see women like this in comics – women who are normal, likeable and just really, really clever?"
I want to say to Dr. Brooker (and to Ms. Flood, who seems to have been happy to take him at his word), that whilst we appreciate the sentiment, you never see "women who are normal, likeable and just really, really clever" in comic books because you're not looking hard enough. Because you're quite possibly only reading a limited selection of titles.
Gail Simone, who is an activist as well as a writer, has written fan-favourite runs of (amongst others) Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and my personal favourite, Birds of Prey. She also founded Women in Refrigerators, coining the term used for violence and violations against women in comics added for no reason other than to enhance a male character's story. All of Simone's women are intelligent, believable, well-realised; no small number are also queer, people of colour, disabled - things that Brooker's hero, for all her excellent qualities, manifestly is not.
Simone is only one of a growing body of women creators across sequential art. I've singled her out here because of her ties to DC Comics: Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, and Batgirl are all DC titles that frequently guest star Brooker's beloved Batman. And, yes, because I'm a massive fanboi. Full disclosure and all that.
I am delighted that Brooker has noticed the problems inherent in comics' relationship with gender, and that he has chosen to do something about it. But in making these statements, I feel he's acting like that guy who identifies as a feminist and participates in feminist discussions, but mansplains over women when they're contributing their lived experience. What he's doing is great, but it's not unique. Judging by the article, he's either chosen not to talk about the excellent existing body of work by female creators in favour of promoting his own series, or he's not searched hard enough in his own back yard to find it there.
I want to say that whilst comic shops very frequently are populated by the assorted cast of Kevin Smith's films, many of us still go in there and even more of us - gasp! - shop online. There's a big old Internet out there, and a lot of people are more than happy to give us non-male-identified types our fix.
I want to say that we are thankfully moving out of a period where women have no voice in the world of comic books, but it seems that we have a way to go before anyone's prepared to hear them when they talk.
What are your favourite inclusive comics?
Posted by theviciouspixie at 00:32
Labels: batman, comics, gail simone, geekery, green lantern, harley quinn, lgbtwtfbbq, my so-called secret identity, power girl, review, spiderman, starfire, x-men
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Taman Wisata Alam (TWA) Puntikayu is the only forest in the Palembang City. Located right at its heart, the Natural Park has since become an integral part of the city. For its tourism, and for being the lung of the city. The overall area is counts for 50 hectares and mostly for conservation purposes. Surrounding by Pines trees, many visits to enjoy the relaxing air and calming scenery. Some others visits to experience the mini amusement park, ride the horses or elephants, or to enjoy the swimming pool.
Do explore our website to know us a bit more!

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Thursday, August 30, 2007
Corowa and Rutherglen weekend
We arrived in Corowa at approximately 12, drove into town and picked up lunch from a place on the main street called Shorty's. We headed back out of town to find out motel. We pulled into the drive way and were greeted by a small dog, before we made our way into reception. The receptionist was friendly, telling us where and when our limo would be arriving for the tour.
We drove up the driveway to our room, admiring the landscaped gardens on the way. The room consisted of an open space dining, fully equipped kitchen that included a stove, and lounge. The bath room was a comfortable size, the main bedroom had a double bed, while the second bedroom had enough room for three people to sleep.
I don't exactly recall every winery we went to, but I'll list the ones I remember, and add others as I go.
After lunch, the limousine arrived, and along with two other couples, we began our tour of the local wineries.
First stop was St Leonard's, where the first vine was planted in 1860, we tried several different types, including the Muscadello. The next winery was All Saints, the sister winery of St Leonard's, was established in 1864 and it's design is based on the Castle of May, complete with turrets and tower. Here we tried the Duriff, a heavy red wine with tannins in it, which gives a furry feeling on the tongue. After that plus a couple of other tastes, we wondered over to the Indigo Cheese Factory, where we tried some delicious cheeses, including a brie, blue vein, marinated and cheddar. While we didn't experience them, I would think it would also be worth while seeing the keg factory, Chinese dormitory and The Terrace.
Next stop was Chambers Rosewood, which had a few friendly cattle dogs lazing about. Here we tried a couple of the Tokays, which had an interesting taste, but weren't really for me. I tried the Muscadello as well, but still preferred St Leonard's.
After that the limo took us to Pfeifer's, the cattle dogs following us out, barking.
At Pfeifer's, I tried another Muscadello, and a Rose. Neither were really to my tastes, however, and Russell and I decided that since the first Muscadello from St Leonard's was still our favourite, we would go back the next morning to buy a bottle.
The limo dropped us off at the motel, and we went inside and had a sleep, before having a dinner of Chinese that we had picked up from Shorty's diner that afternoon. Then we settled in to watch a movie on TV.
The next morning, we woke late, and went for a drive around the motel park down to the river, before driving to Rutherglen, Yarrawonga and exploring some of the Murray River. We hung around Yarrawonga for a bit, and had lunch from a small take away. I decided to try a battered mussel, being I'd never had one before, and found it quite delicious.
That night, we dined at the restaurant that was part of the voucher. While the food was nice enough, and I recommend the prawns with avocado and chilli sauce, it wasn't quite filling enough, so when we finished we went across the road to a small Chinese shop. The prices here were incredibly cheap, and the food delicious. For those on a budget, I would recommend the Chinese restaurant next door to the Globe pub, you could feed the whole family for very little.
The next day we drove to Saint Leonard's winery to pick up two bottles of the 2006 Muscadello, for around $14 a bottle members price. This wine is a sweet white, with a tangy, grapey, fruitful flavour that can be enjoyed alone or with a fruit salad or Pavlova.
Next we drove to Rutherglen, where I requested we stop at Rutherglen Estates for more tasting. I tasted the Sangipop, which is berry flavoured, with a fizzy twist and a hint of sweetness. I bought a 375ml bottle of this to add to the other two bottles. While at the Estates, I also tried a Rose and a Muscadello, but declined to buy them.
Following this, we explored the small township of Rutherglen, which is a charming country town.
For lunch we went to a small takeaway in Wangaratta, and explored a little around there. There's a lovely park where we enjoyed lunch.
We then drove to Glenrowan, famous for being Ned Kelly's last stand off. The shops were interesting, and due to time constraints and fact we didn't arrive there until mid-afternoon, we didn't get to experience all that Glenrowan had to offer - but hopefully a trip there will inspire a future post!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Broome Holiday
This is the blog of my 21st birthday trip to Broome.
We chose to stay at Vibe on
Our shuttle bus arrived promptly at , although we feared we had missed it after watching another shuttle bus pause in front of our motel before disappearing up the street. When our shuttle bus came, we loaded out suitcases and scored the front seat. The driver and his bus, unlike several other shuttle buses that could be more aptly named death traps, got us to the airport in under the anticipated half an hour.
We checked in quickly and made our way to the gate, and it wasn't long before we boarded the plane. Finding our seats, a kind gentleman helped me to stow my beloved laptop, and before we knew it the safety talk had started.
The flight was delightfully smooth, and allowed me to read without upsetting my stomach. After a lovely lunch of chicken stir fry (though the braised lamb and veggies also smelt yummy), bread roll and mint chocolate, we experienced a touch of turbulence. Not long after, the air hostesses handed out delicious chocolate ice creams, along with tea and coffee.
Weds 1st
The plane began to descend, and we could see the dry red earth, with large white salt lakes here and there. After a fairly smooth landing in Broome, we walked off the plane into a blast of
We rang the resort again, and after another half an hour, another Maxi Taxi arrived. The two girls asked if the four of us could share, but the driver declined, saying it was too confusing. Mum and I climbed into the bus, feeling sorry for the girls left waiting, but so pleased to get out of there.
We arrived at the Habitat Resort, which is located on
We made our way along the paths, looking for our unit. We opened the door to a room cooled by fans, large and airy, with the lounge, dining and kitchenette. A small hallway with a large wardrobe was on one side, and the door to the bathroom on the other, and the bedroom in the back. The bedroom had it's own exit and verandah, which looked out onto bush land.
Once we had settled in and had a break, we took a walk to the Golf Club, debating as to whether we should go see the Staircase to the Moon from there. The view was amazing, but we decided since dinner there would require us cooking it ourselves, going to
Staircase to the Moon is a phenomenon that occurs a few days each month, where the full moon reflects across the water, giving the illusion of a sparkling stair case.
We called a taxi, a different company this time, and the friendly driver took us to
Walking around the stalls, we admired pretty soaps and candles, hand made jewellery and clothing, Mango wine, art and photography. A wide range of food was also to be had, including Thai and Indonesian delicacies, however we chose to settle for a spicy Croc Dog, a sausage made of spices and Crocodile meat with Mango Salsa. While delicious at first, it did prove a little too spicy by the time I finished it.
After this, we bought hand made ice cream, which were yummy and cooling on the tongue after the spicy Croc dogs.
After wandering a bit, we sat down to await the moon. Eventually it rose, and like everyone else, we rushed down the beach to take a photo, but soon realized the tide had gone out and it wasn't the spectacular image we had expected. I realized not far away was a jetty, and we headed over there, hoping we'd be able to see it from there.
From the jetty, we saw what all the fuss was about, as the moon climbed higher into the sky.
The night air was much colder than we had expected, and we had not dressed warmly for the sudden temperature to drop. After several minutes watching the moon, we decided to go find the taxi we had booked, and head home.
Still in
Thursday 2nd
The following morning, we both awoke at , however I chose to go back to sleep until 8.30. After a breakfast in the room, we checked out the pools and some of the resort grounds, before spending a leisurely afternoon reading, and adjusting to Broome time.
That afternoon, we caught the bus into Broome. While waiting for the bus, we had the pleasure of seeing a small goanna in the driveway. We spent some time wondering around the Boulevard shops, before getting some fish and chips, then heading home in a taxi, we went to bed early after some tv watching.
Friday 3rd
We had lunch at the adeptly named
We went back to the Habitat early, having a quick dip in the pool, which was a little too cold for my tastes. That night, we went on the Astro Tour http://www.astrotours.net/ – which was worth every cent! Thoroughly enjoyed learning about the planets, how the earth moves through the stars, and locating stars. I bought the book and a cardboard guide of the stars – now to get out of
Arriving home from the Astro Tour, imagine our surprise and excitement at seeing we had a friendly visitor on our porch, a tree frog, dining on insects attracted by our porch light.
Saturday 4th
The next day, we went on the bus to
Sunday 5th
The fifth consisted of moving out of the Habitat, and relocating to the Mangrove motel. At first, I wasn't keen on the idea of moving, but am glad now we did since we got to experience both the bush and ocean views. Once we settled into our room on the second floor, enjoyed the view of the pool and ocean, we headed out on the town once again.
We had a counter lunch at a pub near
This was followed by more shopping and going to the Simpsons movie, before stopping at Matso's Brewery http://www.matsosbroomebrewery.com.au/index.sectionFour.335.html.
We bought a Monsoonal Blonde beer – which I can highly recommend.
Monday 6th
Today was an especially big day, being it was my 21st birthday! We started out with a continental breakfast at Charters at the Mangrove. We were then picked up to begin our tour of the town, which was fascinating. Beginning in
After walking back up the path, we drove to Cable Beach, world famous for it's camel rides, where the group split up for the camel riders and those who had declined a camel ride, who would instead watch the sunset while enjoying a drink or two.
Mum and I had decided to ride a camel, and waited patiently in line to get on. We were given the first camel, meaning we would be the last to climb aboard.
As we watched the others get on, and watched them lean back to allow the camel to stand, our nerves started to grow. One of the camels was rather vocal, and as a young girl climbed into the saddle, he started to get up, frightening her. This concerned Mum, and me especially as I'd be the one to climb onto the saddle second so if our camel did the same, I'd be likely to fall off.
The owner of the camels said the camel had arthritis, and that was why he was vocal and had gotten up so quickly, as it was painful for him.
This didn't make us feel much better, but I'm pleased to say our camel was very well behaved. His name was Banjo, and he was about 35 years old. The ride, once we had gotten up, was incredible, and the sunset was worth every penny we'd spent. Before we knew it, the camel was sitting down and the bus driver was picking us up to take up back to town.
We dressed up to the nines and went downstairs to the Tides for dinner. Having chosen very summery clothes, we soon realized our mistake as the restaurant is outside, and we were seated at a plastic table overlooking the Mangroves. Once the sun drops in Broome, the nights get quite chilly. We ordered drinks and the Barramundi, and settled into wait. Sadly, the alcoholic drink I had was not as enjoyable as I hoped, however the Barramundi was delicious. A chocolate tart for dessert and a cocktail each finished off the night. Again, I wasn't overly impressed with how the drinks were made, but I enjoyed the chocolate tart.
We awoke early in the morning to go on the Willie Creek Pearl Farm, where we learnt about how oysters are bred and raised and how pearls are made. Coffee and biccies were followed by a cruise on Willie creek was filled with more information about oysters, and we saw their resident crocodile.
In the afternoon, we waded ankle deep into the ocean at
We took photos of the sun as it set, and then climbed back into the dinghy to get back to shore. I was a little concerned the water would be cold, but to my great surprise, it was an enjoyable temperature.
We were dropped back at the Mangrove, then we took what we hoped would be a short stroll to the Black Pearl Restaurant. Unfortunately, I picked the wrong direction and we ended up walking a km or two. When we finally got there, I enjoyed garlic prawns and another Vodka Twist, before we caught the Broome Nightrider bus home. Because of the route the bus was on, we ended up with a tour of the town at night, before getting dropped off home to pack.The next day, we wondered around the town and I got a lovely hair cut by a forth year apprentice at Shaggazs - before we boarded the plane for Sydney. We stayed at the Vibe again, which was nice apart from the rather snaky girl on the front desk. After a 5 hour plane trip, nastiness was the last thing we needed, and we were glad to go to bed.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Please check out my other blog:
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Copyright Stefanie Flowers 2007


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Everyone hates super PACs. A Washington Post poll found that 70 percent of Americans want super PACs banned. Not really a surprise, but still, that's some bipartisan support.
Vice President Joe Biden declared today that GOP super PACs could raise up to $800 million to spend in the 2012 election. Is this possible? If we base this off of announced fundraising goals and include nonprofits like Americans for Prosperity and the Chamber of Commerce than that constellation of groups could, potentially, pull in an amount close to $800 million. The two Crossroads groups stated that they will raise $300 million and the Koch brothers announced a goal of $100 million for Americans for Prosperity and their other efforts. If we expect big spenders like the Chamber, American Action Network, and American Future Fund to exceed the combined $70 million they spent in 2010 we'll get closer to $500 or $600 million. Still, this is only if all of these groups meet their fundraising goals, which are very, very lofty.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, fundraising is still in the pits for the super PAC backing President Barack Obama. The group -- Priorities USA Action -- only raised $2 million in February, according to the New York Times. This comes after the Obama campaign announced their support for the group in an effort to help pick up the group's lagging fundraising. The comedian Bill Maher's $1 million contribution accounts for half of the total raised last month.
The biggest donor to super PACs so far this cycle is Texas billionaire Harold Simmons. The Sunlight Foundation runs a profile of Simmons, examining how he has leveraged his money for influence, at both the state and federal level, in the past.
Harold Simmons isn't the only super PAC donor who has played at the state level. According to HuffPost, "Among the big five super PAC donors -- the handful who have donated a full 25 percent of money flowing through super PACs -- Harold Simmons, Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, and Bob Perry have all spread hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars at the state level."
Once upon a time, Rick Santorum decried the influence of PACs in politics.
Should unions embrace super PACs and Citizens United? The Center for Competitive Politics, which supports money in politics, says so and makes a good argument as to why.
FreedomWorks is spending big to remove Sen. Orrin Hatch from office in a primary in Utah.
Watching the primaries tonight: Check out HuffPost's graphic of super PAC spending in Alabama, Mississippi, and Hawaii. Santorum, again, finds himself under millions of dollars from Romney's Death Star. Gingrich's super PAC is trying it's hardest to boost their zombie candidate.
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Committee: Democratic National Committee
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
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Committee: Campaign for Primary Accountability
Candidate Opposed: Judy Biggert
Spot: "Rock the Boat: Send Judy Biggert Packing"
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Committee: Campaign for Primary Accountability
Candidate Opposed: Don Manzullo
Spot: "End Don Manzullo's Cruise"
Market: IL-16.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: American Crossroads
Candidate Opposed: Bob Kerrey
Spot: "Enough"
Market: Nebraska. (Radio ad)
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Committee: Ben Cardin for Senate
Spot: "My Friend Ben"
Market: Maryland.
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Committee: Bob Kerrey for Senate
Spot: "Step Up"
Market: Nebraska.
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Committee: Bob Kerrey for Senate
Spot: "Welcome Home"
Market: Nebraska.
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Committee: Ted Cruz for Senate
Spot: "Delivered"
Market: Texas. (Radio ad)
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Mark Critz for Congress
Spot: "Fight for Them"
Market: PA-12.
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Committee: Jason Altmire for Congress
Spot: "Ethic"
Market: PA-12
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Committee: Jason Altmire for Congress
Spot: "A Lot"
Market: PA-12
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Newt Gingrich (R), $9,836,817 to support, $18,405,716 to oppose. (+$120,900)
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BEIRUT, Lebanon — An Italian Jesuit priest who spent decades promoting religious dialogue in Syria and championed the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad embarked recently on a new mission: persuading an extremist Islamic group to release its prisoners and halt the battles that had spread violence across the country's northeast.
That was a few weeks ago. He has not been heard from since, and unconfirmed reports that he has been killed have become increasingly common.
The disappearance of the priest, the Rev. Paolo Dall'Oglio, has worried Catholic leaders all the way up to Pope Francis, who has called for his release and offered prayers for his well-being. It has also struck many in the Syrian opposition as a dark symbol of where the uprising against Mr. Assad stands and how far some of its principal actors have deviated from the movement's original aims.
"He kept saying to the people in the revolution that we can't lose our goal of building a free, democratic Syria," said Fawaz Tello, an opposition activist based in Germany who knows Father Dall'Oglio. But Mr. Tello said the priest had gone too far by seeking a cease-fire between Kurdish militias and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which is linked to Al Qaeda.
"They are not with the revolution," Mr. Tello said. "He was trying to play a role between these two sides, and it was very dangerous."Continue reading the main story
Father Dall'Oglio is the most recent Christian clergyman to disappear in Syria's civil war between largely Sunni Muslim rebels and government forces that rely heavily on Mr. Assad's Alawite sect, which is an offshoot of Shiite Islam.
The war has left Syria's Christian minority — about 8 percent of its 23 million people — in a difficult spot. While many oppose Mr. Assad's efforts to crush the opposition, Christians have found little comfort in the largely Islamist opposition, not to mention the militant groups linked to Al Qaeda that have emerged as the most formidable fighters on many battlefields.
While most Christian leaders have tried to remain neutral, many have been targeted. Nothing has been heard from a Syriac archbishop, Yohanna Ibrahim, and a Greek Orthodox archbishop, Paul Yazigi, since their kidnapping in April in the northern province of Aleppo by gunmen who killed their driver. Other priests, too, have been kidnapped, with no information given about their fates.
Father Dall'Oglio, a bearded, gregarious priest in his late 50s, stood out among his peers for supporting the uprising against Mr. Assad after it began in March 2011.
He was already well known in Syria. He had lived in the country for three decades, spoke fluent Arabic with a Syrian accent and ran the ancient desert monastery of Mar Musa, where he organized programs to promote interreligious understanding.
"He built very good relationships with all of the sects, not just the Christians," Mr. Tello said. "Many of the Muslim sheiks used to know and like him."
Mr. Assad's government, however, lost patience with Father Dall'Oglio over his sympathy for the uprising and expelled him from the country in June 2012.
Last month, he traveled to Raqqa in northeastern Syria, the only provincial capital that is completely under rebel control, where activists cheered his arrival at a large nighttime protest.
"God willing, Raqqa will be the first capital of free Syria," he told the crowd, according to a video of the event posted online.
In an interview in Raqqa with an opposition news outlet shortly before his disappearance, Father Dall'Oglio said he was fasting in solidarity with Syria's Muslims.
"We are here on a democratic jihad to topple the regime," he said.
Hinting that he was worried that the uprising was heading in the wrong direction, he said he was working to tell Syrians, "Please do something to put the right sign in front of us to achieve the freedom that we all strive for."
At the time, Syria's most radical militant group, the Qaeda-linked Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, was battling Kurdish militias across a wide area of northern Syria and had detained people who opposed its agenda.
Father Dall'Oglio decided to try to ask the group to release the detainees and negotiate a cease-fire with the Kurds, said Friedrich Bokern, chairman of Relief and Reconciliation for Syria, based in Brussels, who had spoken with the priest shortly before his disappearance.
"He was totally serene about the risk," Mr. Bokern said. "He has dedicated his life to dialogue with Islam and to Syria. This is the darkest hour of Syria, and this group is seen by many as the dark side of Islam. He had to go there."
On July 29, Father Dall'Oglio entered the group's headquarters in Raqqa and has not been heard from since, Mr. Bokern said, adding that he has not confirmed information about what has happened to him.
On Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict from Britain through contacts in Syria, passed along activist reports that Father Dall'Oglio had been killed.
The group's head, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said activists in Raqqa had "received information" about the killing from the extremist group but did not know when or how the priest had been killed.
A few days after Father Dall'Oglio's disappearance, Pope Francis mentioned him during a prayer with fellow Jesuits in Rome.
Last week, the Italian foreign minister, Emma Bonino, said her government was following the situation closely but had no confirmed information.
"I am hopeful because in those areas, if you have definite news, it is usually bad," she said in a television interview.
Few who know Father Dall'Oglio were surprised by his decision to try to speak with the most extreme of Syria's militants.
Stephanie Saldana, a writer in Jerusalem who has known him for more than a decade and had spoken with him before his trip, said Father Dall'Oglio was aware of the dangers but believed that dialogue was the only option.
"How do you bring hope to the places where there seems to be no hope?" she asked. "This is what he was concerned with. How do you break the logic of despair?"Continue reading the main story


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Health minister wants in-car smoking ban
Smoking in cars should be banned, according to England's health minister Anna Soubry, on the grounds of "child welfare".
"I would ban smoking in cars where children are present," said Ms Soubry, speaking at the Local Government Association's annual public health conference.
"I would do that for the protection of children. I believe in protecting children. I would see it as a child welfare issue. I think it is something we should at least consider as government."
Soubry, who is an ex-smoker herself, later emphasised that it was an expression of her own personal views, rather than a Government-backed idea.
"I expressed my own views on smoking in cars and the health threat it causes to children. We have no current plans to change government policy," she said.
"It remains the case that smoking is one of the biggest challenges in public health and as such it requires a range of responses, including encouraging people to change their behaviour - which is why we will soon repeat a national marketing campaign to remind smokers of the risks of exposing children and adults to second hand smoke."
The health minister isn't the first to raise such a suggestion, however, with the British Medical Association calling for a ban in 2011. Bans are already enforced in other countries too – including many parts of Australia, which bans in-car smoking when minors under 16 are present.
The House of Lords are also in favour, approving a bill last year that would make offenders liable to a £60 fine if they were caught smoking in a car where a child was sitting passenger. The bill would still need the approval of MPs before becoming law, however, and David Cameron has previously suggested he was "nervous" about introducing such a ban.


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Pay your taxes online using your checking account or credit/debit card. You will need your Assessor's Identification Number (AIN) to search and retrieve payment information.
There is no charge for electronic check payments. You will need to use a Personal Identification Number (PIN), which is printed on your original tax bill, to complete the transaction. Each transaction is limited to $999,999.99.
The PIN cannot be provided by telephone, e-mail or fax. We can only mail a copy of the original bill to the property address or mailing address we currently have on record. For a copy of the original bill contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com, be sure to list your AIN and use the phrase "Duplicate Bill" in the subject or call us at 1(888) 807-2111, press 1, 2, and then press 9 to reach an agent.
For questions regarding online payments by electronic check, please email us at email@example.com.
You may also pay online by using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express) or debit card. However, there are processing fees when paying by credit card/debit card. Each transaction is limited to $99,999.99, including all service fees. Electronic payments can be made 24/7 - Payments are accepted up until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the delinquency date. For questions regarding online payments by credit card/debit card, please email us at email@example.com.
Have your checking account information available or your credit card or debit card information when you begin the online payment process. To make a payment now, go to Online Payments. There is a maximum of 10 shopping cart items per transaction. If you have more items to pay than the allowable maximum, you must complete the current transaction first, then you will be able to select additional items to pay.
Mailed Payments
Please use the envelope enclosed with your tax bill and include the payment stub from the bill. If both installments are being paid, please include both payment stubs. Do not attach staples, clips, tape, or correspondence. Property tax payments must be received or have a United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark by the delinquency date to avoid penalties. If a payment is received after the delinquency date, with no postmark, the payment is considered late and penalties will be imposed, in accordance with State law. Taxpayers who send a payment by mail are cautioned that the USPS only postmarks certain mail depending on the type of postage used, and may not postmark mail on the same day deposited by a taxpayer. To assist taxpayers in understanding how to avoid penalties that could result from postmark issues, the Tax Collector has compiled important related information on how to Avoid Penalties by Understanding Postmarks. Visit our website at ttc.lacounty.gov/Proptax/Postmarks.htm.
Pay by Credit Card or Debit Card Over the Telephone
Credit cards (American Express, MasterCard, and Visa) and debit card payments are accepted over the telephone through a third-party vendor who charges a fee to utilize this service. To pay by telephone, call toll-free 1(888) 473-0835. You will need your Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) Number, which is printed on your tax bill, and a credit card or debit card to complete the transaction. Please retain the confirmation number for future reference. Your current secured payment cannot be more than $99,999.99 to use the telephone system. If you do not have the current year bill, please call us and request a Substitute Secured Property Tax Bill on our automated voice mail service at 1(213) 893-1103.
Pay in Person
Our office is located at 225 North Hill Street, First Floor Lobby, Los Angeles, CA 90012, we accept payments between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific), Monday through Friday, excluding Los Angeles County holidays. Make your payment early to avoid long waits at the cashier windows.
For the first installment, on Friday, December 8, 2017, and Monday, December 11, 2017, the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector's personnel will also receive payments at 335A East Avenue K-6, Lancaster, CA. 93535, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. During the second installment, payments will also be accepted at that location on Monday, April 9, 2018, and Tuesday, April 10, 2018. Payments must be made by check, money order or cashier's check. No cash payments are accepted at this location. We also accept credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa) and debit cards. Each credit/debit card transaction is limited to $75,000.00, including all processing fees. Make your payment early to avoid long waits at the cashier windows.
Online Banking or Bill Payment Services
Many banks and the Tax Collector recommend that you do Not use these services to pay property taxes. The reason is that Revenue and Taxation Code 2512 states that the Tax Collector must process a payment, received after the delinquency date, as of the date of the United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark. Banking institutions use permit imprint presorted envelopes, which the USPS does not postmark. In the absence of a postmark, we apply penalties based on the date we receive payment. Please read Avoid Penalties by Understanding Postmarks to learn more.
For all other questions, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 1(888) 807-2111, press 1, 2, and then press 9 to reach an agent.


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The Mandate of Heaven is an ancient Chinese philosophy in which heaven granted emperors the right to rule based on their ability to govern well and fairly. The Chinese believed if you became a selfish, cruel, and unfair emperor, heaven would decide you could no longer rule and would send a disaster that would kill a lot of people (flood, famine, earthquake, rebellion, or invasion).
Gun Powder
Block Printing
The Invention of gunpowder belongs to Chinese alchemy, and is listed as one of the great Inventions of China. It's an explosive consisting of a powdered mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. During ancient times it was used in dynomite and fireworks.
Block printing is the process of using an object to make an inked impression upon a flat surface. This was invented in 1450 A.D. during the Tang Dynasty.
A compass is an navigational instrument which shows directions using a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the Earth. The magnetic compass was first invented as a device for divination (to ask god a question) as early as the Han Dynasty in 206 B.C.
Silk is a natural protein fiber which can be woven into textiles. The Chinese produced silk by using the silkworm. Chinese legend says an empress, Leizi (His-Ling-Shin) invented silk in the 27th Century B.C. Silk was originally reserved for the Emperors of China for their own use and for gifts.
Tea is a hot drink made by infusing the dried leaves of the tea plant into boiling water. Tea originated in China as a medicinal drink and the first cup was served to Emperor Shennong who worked with agriculture and herbal drugs.
Porcelain (also known as fine china) is a is a ceramic substance made by heating materials like clay in a kiln in temperatures between 1,200 and 1,400 °C (2,200 and 2,600 °F). The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain comes from the formation of glass and the mineral mullite within the high temperatures of the kiln. Glazed pottery originated as early as the Shang Dynasty (1650 B.C. - 1027 B.C.) and Translucent Porcelain came about during the Yuan Dynasty (1279A.D. - 1368 A.D.).
A seismograph is a machine for detecting the time and place of an earthquake. It was first developed in Ancient China in 132 A.D. by Zhang Heng. Zhang came up with the seismograph because it took the emperor one to two weeks to find out about an earthquake and just as long to send support. With this earthquake detector he could tell were the earth quake came from and get help faster.
The Silk Road is a series of trade and cultural routes through different regions of the Asian continent. Over time, this road connected the West to the East by linking traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, and nomads from China to the Mediterranean Sea. Extending 4,000 miles, the Silk Road gets its name from the trade in Chinese silk carried out along its path, beginning during the Han Dynasty in 207 B.C. Camels were used as they were the only animals who could survive the conditions. Over many centuries, trading along the Silk Road assisted not only with the exchange of goods but also ideas, culture, religion and even disease.
Cai Lun invented paper during the Han Dynasty (202 B.C. - 220 A.D.). Paper was orginally made out of hemp or silk but more economical paper was soon made out of worn fishnet, bark and cloth. Paper spread from China through the Middle East to medieval Europe in the 13th century, where the first water-powered paper mills were built.
This is a picture of the oldest paper book which dates back to 256 A.D.
The majority of the people in Ancient China were peasant farmers. Although they were respected for the food they provided, they lived tough and difficult lives. Farmers had to work for the government for one month each year. They served in the military or worked construction projects such as building canals, palaces, and city walls. Farmers also had to pay taxes by giving the government a percentage of their crops. Rice, wheat, millet (grain), beans, vegetables and tea were the main staples of food for people.
Clothing in ancient china was a symbol of status. Peasants wore clothing made out of hemp, a rough material made from plant fibers. The rich wore clothes made out of silk from the silkworm. The Chinese were the first to make silk clothing.
People living in cities worked a variety of jobs including being merchants, craftsmen, government officials, and scholars. Many cities in Ancient China grew very large with some having populations totaling hundreds of thousands of people. The cities of China were surrounded by formidable walls made from packed dirt. Every night each city gate was locked and no one was allowed to enter or leave after dark.
Generations of one family often lived in the same house together and older people were greatly respected and obeyed. The life of women in Ancient China was especially difficult. as they were considered much less valuable than men. Sometimes when a baby girl was born and the family did not want her she was set outside and left to die. Women generally took care of the home and raised the children. Marriage partners were decided by the parents.
Only wealthy boys attended school in Ancient China. They learned how to write using calligraphy. They also learned about the teachings of Confucius and studied poetry. These were important skills for government officials and the nobles.
The Chinese dragon is a symbol of wisdom, power, and luck in Chinese culture.
Around the age of 6, Chinese girls had their feet painfully bound to prevent them from growing as small feet were considered a mark of exceptional beauty. This made it difficult to walk as their feet were severely deformed. Foot binding was banned in 1911.
Three generations (grandparents, parents, and children) all lived in the same house. Traditional homes were divided by courtyards and the inner courtyard was for the primary family. It was open to the sky and was known as the Well of Heaven.
In the Chinese culture, the color red symbolizes fire, good fortune, and joy. Red is found everywhere most especially during the Chinese New Year in February and other national holidays.
The Great Wall is one of the wonders of the world. Like a gigantic dragon, the wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus stretching from eastern China to western China. The total length of the wall is now believed to be 13,170 miles long.
The Great Wall was built by Emperor Qin (221-207 B.C.) as protection for his empire. The wall began as separate walls from different states however Emperor Qin was successful in having all the walls joined together under his rule. The purpose of the wall was to fend off the invasions from the Mongols in the North.
Transporting the large quantity of materials required for construction was difficult, so builders always tried to use local resources. Stones from the mountains, wood, and natural earth were used. Around one million workers were used. Possibly as many as 300,000 people died during the building of the Wall under the Qin Dynasty. The peasants who died while working were buried inside the wall and were later found by archaeologists.
The continued building of The Great Wall was revived during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D). The wall was built on a much larger scale and with longer lasting materials such as solid stones and bricks. At varying points along the wall were towers which were built to store weapons, house troops and send smoke signals.
With a history of more than 2000 years, most of the ancient walls have eroded away and very few sections remain today (8%). The claim that The Great Wall is visible from the moon is a myth because seeing it from the moon would be like trying to see a human hair from two miles away.
There were many different sports played in Ancient China by both men and women. These included archery, swordplay, polo, golf, ice-skating and football. The Chinese also played games which included dice, cards, chess, board games, kites and quick sticks.
Most Chinese people worked from dawn to dusk every day with no regular days off. However, the Chinese calendar had national holidays with the following festivals that are still celebrated today.
: The largest festival was the New Year (February) which marked the beginning of spring. During this 15 day holiday, families would gather to share a fancy meal and exchange gifts.
: This festival is on the last day of the New Year spring festival. Lanterns were lit in honor of Buddha.
: The Chinese swept the graves of their ancestors and left offerings of food for the spirits.
: This festival includes dragon boat racing, eating rice dumplings called zongzi, and wearing a perfume pouch to ward off evil spirits.
: This festival started from a legend of love. Traditionally the day was a day to worship the stars and for young girls to pray for a good husband. Today it has become more of lovers' day like Valentine's Day.
: The Moon Festival is in late September and celebrates the bounty of the harvest.
: The number nine was special to the Ancient Chinese. It was the lucky number of the emperor and the dragon. People would climb a hill or mountain and drink tea to ward off evil spirits.
: This festival signals the shortest day of the year. People took the day off and met with friends and relatives. They also offered sacrifices to their ancestors.
In Ancient China, music was an important part of life. At the royal palace, the court orchestra played when the emperor received visitors or held banquets. Beautiful ceremonial music accompanied religious rituals. Musical instruments included harmonicas, zithers (stringed instruments) and flutes. Later, opera became a popular form of theater based on great historical events. Traditional Chinese opera is still performed today.
Historic Chinese tales have unique characters and exciting plots. Dragons, magic, ghosts and talking animals are just a few of the elements used to deliver a lesson within the plot of a story. Many Chinese legends and tales that are read today were not recorded on paper for hundreds of years. These stories were kept alive by one generation passing the tale on to the next.
China is the world's oldest continuous civilization. From 221 B.C. to 1912 A.D., it was united under a single great empire. This video shows the succession of dynasties in the Chinese empire starting from Qin, the first official emperor of China who unified the country.
In Ancient China, beliefs were divided into "the three ways":
, and
. Throughout history, China was tolerant of all beliefs which made them unique among civilizations. Confucianism and Taoism emerged during the Warring States period (481-221 B.C.) so these two philosophies encouraged peaceful ways of being. Buddhism religion came to China from India in the 1st century A.D., and its gentle teachings became China's most popular belief.
CONFUCIOUS: The great Chinese thinker Confucius (born 551 B.C.) taught people to show respect for one another. He said that a good ruler should set an example by dealing fairly with his subjects and using force only as a last resort. In return, subjects had a duty to respect and obey their ruler. Confucious believed that respect in the family was important to have stability in society.
LAOZI: Taoists were followers of LaoZi, or "the Old Philosopher" (born 604 B.C.). He believed that people should live in harmony with nature by leading simple lives that did not disrupt the balance of the natural world. Taoism was represented by the yin yang sign, which reflects natural harmony.
BUDDHA: Buddhists follow the teaching of Buddha (born 563 B.C.), a north Indian prince who spent his life in search of personal peace or enlightenment. Indian belief was that people were reborn many times and people who lived badly might be reborn as an animal or insect. Buddha believed that by giving up worldly desires people could reach the blissful state of nirvana and end the cycle of rebirth.
Calligraphy, Poetry, and Painting were known as "the three perfections." The combination of these arts was considered the height of artistic expression such as a painting of a landscape with a poem written in calligraphy down one side. From the Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.) onward, the practice of the three perfections was seen as the greatest accomplishment of an educated person. To become a good calligrapher requires years of practice. Chinese writing is based on signs rather than sounds so every sign must be learned by heart and written in the correct sequence. With more than 40,000 characters in the Chinese language calligraphy is not an easy art.
There are four principles to the mandate:
1. The right to rule is granted by Heaven.
2. There is only one Heaven so there can be only one ruler.
3. The right to rule is based on the virtue of the ruler.
4. The right to rule is not limited to one dynasty.
Due to the natural barriers of deserts, mountains and seas, in ancient times, China was protected but also isolated from the outside world. China has three distinct physical regions with diverse geography, climates and wildlife.
1. Highlands: Western area with mountains and plateaus
2. Arid Region: Northern dry area of deserts and grasslands.
3. River Lowlands: Eastern area with the Yellow, Yangtze, Pearl rivers. Fertile.
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Ancient China
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Heather Weston 2 June 2015
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Dear Friends,
I have released 3 new gowns as of late.. All appearing in the Antoinette's Atelier Etsy store..
The Fleur De Lys:
A stunning antique gold damask corset gown with festoons of tulle and velvet ribbons!
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Monday, June 13, 2011
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Wednesday, June 8, 2011
New Rococo Wig! Spring Cleaning with Kathleen Marie!
Dear Friends,
Every once in a while I put wigs on ebay.. As I clean out the studio, and get stock
ready for fall and Halloween orders...
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An auction for a "La Devonshire" powdered wig on Ebay!
These normally sell for $399.95, but the auction is started
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( please note, mini tricorn hat not included, but can be made custom)
Good Luck!
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B.A., Bates College
M.A., University of New Hampshire
M.Div., Starr King School for the Ministry (California)
Mark W. Harris was born in Winchendon, Massachusetts in 1951, and grew up in the nearby towns of Orange and New Salem. After graduating from Bates College (Maine) with a B.A. in 1973, he entered graduate school in history at the University of New Hampshire, where he earned an M.A. in 1975. He attended seminary at the Starr King School for the Ministry (California), and received an M.Div. in 1978. He has primarily been a parish minister during his career. His first pastorate was at St. Paul's Universalist Church in Palmer, Massachusetts (1979-1985).
Harris became the Unitarian Universalist Association's Director of Information, the denominational historian and archivist in 1985. After that he served the First Parish in Milton, Massachusetts from 1989-1996, and he presently serves the First Parish of Watertown, Massachusetts, a congregation which dates from 1630. This is a position he first undertook as a co-pastorate with his wife Andrea Greenwood. Harris has also served brief ministries in Sheffield and London, England. He has taught in the summer at the Northeast Leadership School, and has also taught courses in history and congregational polity at Andover Newton Theological School and Starr King School for the Ministry. The author of many denominational pamphlets, including "Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith," he has also published Among the Dry Bones (1983), a history of rural Unitarianism, co-edited Celebrating Easter: An Anthology of Unitarian Universalist Readings, with Carl Seaburg, and Historical Dictionary of Unitarian Universalism (2004). He is the father of four boys: Joel, Levi, Dana and Asher.
Primary course areas:
Unitarian Universalist History
Congregational Polity
See the Andover Newton course schedule for current course offerings.


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Omnistep Spare Parts
Omnistep Parts & Spares
The Thule Omnistep (formerly Omnistor Omnistep) is a superb motorhome/campervan step, the standard fitment of choice by many motorhome manufacturers and campervan converters, and additionally found on most other van-derived vehicles from a minibus to a works van. It's a well-engineered piece of equipment and lasts for years, but occasionally things do wear out and repairs are needed.
In this section of our shop you will find some spare parts for the Omnistep. The more common parts are shown here but it's clearly not possible to list everything, so if you can't see what you want to please contact us for advice.
If you can see what you want then ordering online is simple and, if we have the part in stock, it'll often be with you the very next day.
IMPORTANT: These parts are sold on an as-is basis, and without advice regarding either step identification, problem diagnosis or component removal/fitting. There are no manuals or instructions available to facilitate owner-servicing and/or repair of Thule / Omnistor steps. If you are not confident in your ability to identify your step, diagnose the problem, and/or safely fit any replacement parts to it without damaging it then we recommend you consult a professional engineer prior to purchase. Parts cannot be returned once removed from the manufacturer's packaging, or if fitting has been attempted. SAFETY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL TIMES.
If you landed here by mistake, please go here for Thule | Omnistor Awning Spare Parts.
12V Motor Thule Single Step V10
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This is a scam. At first it looks OK but closer inspection and there are obvious signs that it's not from whom it purports to be:
Generally be cautious about releasing any personal or financial information online without checking the bona fides of the person or organisation who requests it.
If you become the target of a bogus HMRC email scam you are encouraged to report it to them -just forward to this address: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Heating rates to 105AdC per second are possible with the direct resistance heating employed on this system. ... The widest line on this diagram represents the ethernet backbone, which spans the entire building. ... All of the data collected on the various mechanical test machines (as well as data collected in other labs in the building) are stored on the central file server, named Mustang, which has a currentanbsp;...
|Automation of Mechanical Testing
|David T. Heberling
|ASTM International - 1993-01-01
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.How it works:


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'America's Got Talent' Contestant Tim Poe Lied About Army Injury & Photo
'AGT' producers are reportedly planning to cut Tim from the show. Do you feel betrayed?
Tim Poe, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, stole America's hearts June 4 with an emotional audition on America's Got Talent — but little did viewers know, Tim was deceiving them the whole time. Not only did Tim provide a fake photograph from his time in service, but TMZ also reports that the army has no record of the injury he claims left him with a stutter.
AGT producers are reportedly planning on phasing Tim out of the competition, beginning with "definite edits" of his appearance during the upcoming Las Vegas audition round — and there's a good chance he'll be cut from the show altogether.
Howie Mandel tells TMZ he was "blown away" when the truth came out, adding, "I'm really angry with the guy."
Still, Howie doesn't believe Tim will be immediately disqualified from the competition.
What do YOU think? Should Tim be allowed to continue in the competition, or should his outright lies cost him his shot? Vote below, then take Tim to task in the comments section.
— Andy Swift
More America's Got Talent News:


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Each Friday we will be introducing you to one player on the American Sentinel University team. Everyone works hard to make sure our students reach their goals through supporting students and constantly improving our curriculum. When our students graduate with a relevant, innovative healthcare degree we all win!
Meet Chris Wolfe, Director of Program Strategy and Alliances
If you were a healthcare worker, what area would you like to work in (ER, surgery, etc.)?
I would work in the pediatric department. I love kids!
What is your favorite song or musical artist?
This will date me, but Steve Perry/Journey.
What is your favorite inspirational quote?
"The highest form of wisdom is kindness." – The Talmud
What's your favorite part about your position with American Sentinel?
I get to talk to the market. I love hearing about what the needs are and implementing resolution and change. So gratifying!
Do you have a favorite cuisine?
I LOVE Mexican food. I could eat it three times a day.
What is your favorite thing to do outside work?
Landscaping – I love designing and planting.


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CNET First Look
Seagate BlackArmor NAS 220The Seagate BlackArmor 220 is a good entry-level NAS server for small business and advanced users.
[ Background Music ] >> Dong Ngo: Hello this is Dong Ngo from CNET.com. I have another NAS server here to show you: The BlackArmor 320 from Seagate. This is a simple dual bay NAS server that comes with 2 hard drives already installed. Actually the design of the servers are just that you are not supposed to service the hard drive yourself, there's no easy way to access them. Out of the box the 2 hard drives are configured in red 1 but you can change that to red 0 for better performance and more storage. However red 1 is recommended for data protection. Apart from the included storage the server does not come with much else. It only has 2 USB port to support extra storage and printers on the back and that's it there's no front USB port, no ESATA ports or no support for USB or IP camera either. The server does offer good performance in our testing and it also comes with a very easy to use free vendor assisted remote access solution. The BlackArmor 220 comes with 2 versions 4 TB and 2 TB that cost around $600 and $400 respectively. These are very good prices for the amount of storage you get. Beside from business environment the Black Armor is not easy to use for home novice users however advanced user can figure it out fairly easily. [ Background music ] >> Dong Ngo: For more information about how it performs and it's features check out the full review at CNET.com. My name is Dong Ngo and this has been the first look at the BlackArmor 220 NAS server from Seagate. ^M00:01:30 [ Music ]


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Ishmael Andrews
Ishmael Andrews Poems
- My Proverbs 31 Dear god its me again…i come before you as a ...
- Mistaken Illusion I have found myself intoxicated by a ...
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Comments about Ishmael Andrews
My Proverbs 31
Dear god its me again…i come before you as a servant on call, see i come today before your grace as a reminder of a prayer i made…remember my proverbs 31? ? ? ....yea that's her…well u told me to go and prepare myself and when i am spiritually and financially stable i should come back to you coz u don't want your daughter to lack
I know at times she is going to be that annoying person i adore.
She will at times say corny "ish" but it will make me laugh
She will at times say stupid stuff but i know that she has wisdom beyond measure
At times she will worry but i will be there...
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Sorry to barge in, hijack the thread, and try and talk you into voting. I understand if you are hell bent on not voting and respect that and won't bug you again and corporations do rule us for sure.
But, just want to respectfully ask that you please consider Voltaire's' famous quote "the perfect is the enemy of the good." Meaning, if we will only accept the perfect we pass up chances to do some imperfect good. Some call it the lesser of the evils but it is more than that. In terms of physical or social evolution things happen in tiny increments. Think of your vote as an ultra tiny increment, it actually does influence evolution in the long run.
Think of me as the crazy old atheist auntie down the street that's always trying to get you to vote. :)
The US = Oligarchic plutocracy, and if the 'Republicans' (read: fascists worse for the average person than the Nazis) get their way you can add in 'theocratic' and 'psychopathic/pure-evil' to that description.
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|Spotlight on increased migration from Central America
(Washington, D.C.) July 9, 2014 — The relatively sudden increase in the number of people migrating from Central America—particularly from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala—to the United States is the Hemisphere's most recent migration phenomenon. Although this movement constitutes a mixed flow, JRS/USA is particularly concerned about three sub-groups: unaccompanied children1 traveling without a parent or legal guardian, asylum-seekers, and women traveling with very young children.
Reasons for increased migration
Migration from the Northern Triangle of Central America — El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — has risen steadily as violence has increased. Youth gang violence has intensified in the last decade, and as drug trafficking routes have shifted to Central America, violence associated with the drug trade has risen as well. Honduras has the highest homicide rate in world; since 2005, murders of women and girls have increased 346% while murders of men and boys are up 292%. In both Guatemala and Honduras, rates of impunity are over 90%.
Child advocates, especially from Honduras and El Salvador, report accounts of children and teenagers subject to assaults and intimidation from gangs, and of children being forcibly recruited by gangs who have "join or die" polices. In a survey conducted by UNHCR of 404 Central American children detained at the border in 2013, UNHCR found that 58% of the children might be in need of international protection.
Children and youth in Central America are vulnerable to violence from vigilante groups, sometimes including off-duty police officers, who enter neighborhoods known for gang activity and carry out extrajudicial executions of those they suspect of gang activity. Although the situation is slightly different in each country, corruption within the government, law enforcement complicity in criminal activity, and penetration of the political sector by organized crime erode citizen security and destroy citizens' trust in their own government.
In addition to reasons linked to violence and corruption, many children, young people and families are also migrating as a result of poverty and lack of opportunity. In the UNHCR study mentioned above, more than 80% of children cited poverty or deprivation as a factor that contributed to their decision to leave. According to a 2012 World Bank study, younger workers confront serious barriers to legal employment. The study found that 30% of urban youth in Central America are neither working nor in school. Lack of opportunity also compounds the problems of crime and violence, as many young people in poor neighborhoods see few alternatives to gang membership.
Unaccompanied children
Unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries do have some protections in the U.S. However, to understand the current situation and why those protections are being threatened, one must remember that the system for unaccompanied children was designed to handle about 8,000 children per year, the annual average until recently. This year, however, the U.S. government has already taken into custody more than 52,000 unaccompanied children, and estimates that the final number for the year may exceed 90,000.
As soon as a child is taken into custody, deportation proceedings are immediately initiated. Simultaneously, at least for now, if a family member or other responsible sponsor can be located, the child can be released to their custody while he/she awaits the assigned court date, often more than two years away. If a sponsor cannot be located, children remain in government custody or are placed in foster care.
While the U.S. has increased immigration enforcement resources enormously over the last decade, the legal system that processes cases has been underfunded, resulting in a serious backlog of 366,000 cases and an average wait time of more than 570 days.
Opponents of immigration reform in the U.S. have argued that releasing these children while they await their court date rewards irregular migration by reuniting families, albeit temporarily. They also predict that large numbers of these children will not show up for their court date and accuse the government of not exercising appropriate supervision over them.
In response to this critique, the Administration has asked Congress to make a legislative change to allow for the expedited deportation of unaccompanied children (something that is currently prohibited by protections in an anti-trafficking law). The Administration is also exploring detaining, rather than releasing, these children. We do not support either of these changes.
Conversely, the Administration has recognized that no child should face an immigration judge alone, and has therefore taken steps to increase children's access to legal advice. Currently, unaccompanied children navigating deportation proceedings are not provided with legal representation by the government.
While it is technically possible for them to pursue some form of immigration relief in order to not be deported back to their country or origin (asylum, special juvenile immigration visa, etc.), most children will need legal assistance to effectively do so. To this end, NGOs have undertaken a herculean effort to provide pro bono legal support to as many children as possible, and the Administration recently announced a new program to provide stipends for legal screenings and support for unaccompanied children.
The numbers of asylum-seekers from Central America has also increased over the last few years, as many of the root causes expelling children from these countries affect adults as well. The number of people entering the first stage of the asylum process has increased by more than 250% from 2012 to more than 36,000 claims in 2013. Unfortunately, some have interpreted the increase in the number of asylum claims as proof of abuse. However, the U.S. is not the only country seeing such an increase. In fact, from 2008-2013, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Belize jointly documented a 712% increase in the number of asylum applications from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
In fact, far from being overly generous, the asylum system is not favorable to most Central American claims. The asylum system in the U.S. recognizes only the 1951 Refugee Convention, and not expanded definitions like that of the Cartagena Declaration. Asylum-seekers from Central America who have been persecuted by organized crime or gangs do not easily fit into a system designed to respond to persecution by state actors.
The two largest hurdles involve the identity of the victim and of the persecutor. Currently, the U.S. asylum system excludes cases in which the persecutor's primary motivation is determined to be economic, which is how most judges have interpreted persecution by gangs and organized crime. Unfortunately, this fails to acknowledge that some of the most effective non-state persecutors in Central America increasingly penetrate the political arena and often wield more power than state entities. Secondly, U.S. asylum law only recognizes persecution as the result of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. U.S. law has defined "particular social group" in increasingly narrow ways, requiring that a social group be "socially visible," for example. This has also increased the likelihood that Central American cases will fail.
Other concerns include the continued detention of asylum-seekers and a technical, but important, change in the way that the first step of the asylum process—the Credible Fear Interview—is conducted to make it more difficult to pass.
Families and Detention Conditions
In addition to increased numbers of asylum seekers and unaccompanied children, the U.S. has also been receiving a large number of families, especially women with young children. Virtually all Central American migrants are either apprehended by or turn themselves in to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), within the Department of Homeland Security. CBP operates very rudimentary holding facilities that were never supposed to individuals for more than 72 hours.
In practice however, migrants — including children — are languishing in CBP custody for up to two weeks before they are processed and transferred. This is concerning because there are no standards that govern conditions in CBP facilities.
In fact, in light of documented cases of migrants being denied adequate food, water and medical care and experiencing verbal, physical and sexual abuse, it is clear that enforceable standards are needed, and that external observers must have access to the facilities in order to monitor compliance.
After repeated requests, Fr. Sean Carroll of the Kino Border Initiative was finally given a tour of a Nogales CBP facility where as many as 1200 children are being held; however, Fr. Carroll was denied permission to speak with the children and could not ascertain their psychological well-being. Fr. Carroll has subsequently attempted several times to again visit the center, but his requests continue to be denied.
While children are transferred from CBP facilities to the Department of Health and Human Services for release, the U.S. government has been releasing families, especially those with young children, until their court date.
Since closing the T. Don Hutto Detention Center in Texas in 2009 amidst accusations of inhumane conditions and mistreatment, the U.S. has not detained families in jail-like settings. Until recently, the only remaining family detention center in the U.S. was a small shelter-like facility in Pennsylvania. However, responding to the criticisms detailed above, the Administration has recently reinstituted a discredited policy of detaining families and opened a family detention center at a law enforcement training center in Artesia, New Mexico.
JRS/USA and Church World Service have been asked to provide chaplains to ensure that the as many as 700 people detained in the Artesia Family Detention Center have access to religious services.
Unfortunately, many of the detainees' other needs are not being met as no one is currently providing either Know Your Rights presentations or conducting Legal Orientation Programs (LOP) inside the facility. In addition to respecting basic rights, providing correct information through strong LOP can help prevent the development of any inaccurate rumors about current policy and practice (something that many parts of the U.S. government are concerned is catalyzing additional migration from Central America).
Beyond its obligation to treat all migrants humanely, the U.S. has a further obligation to provide protection for unaccompanied children, asylum-seekers and families who are fleeing violence in their countries of origin. Despite strong signals that it intends to do so, the U.S. must not roll back existing protections simply because more people may need them than anticipated.
We must be very clear with all U.S. government officials that this is a mixed migration which includes people in need of international protection. Therefore, the U.S. must protect migrants' due process rights and ensure that all migrants receive Know Your Rights and Legal Orientation Programs.
Children, especially, should have legal representation or at least an individualized legal screening, and the criteria used in the asylum system must be adapted to respond to evolving forms of persecution in the Hemisphere. Children, asylum-seekers, and families should only be detained in rare circumstances, and detention conditions must be humane and monitored by external observers.
The U.S. government must hold on to humanitarian principles of protection and compassion because the implications of its decisions are global. The U.S. cannot continue asking countries like Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon to keep their borders open in the face of large numbers of people seeking protection from violence in Syria if it is unwilling to compassionately review the asylum and protection claims of desperate people who arrive at its own border.
Smart responses to increased migration from Central America
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and the U.S. Jesuit Conference recommend the U.S. government take these steps:
Reducing impunity and violence; strengthening the rule of law
• Provide resources and technical assistance for shelters for girls and women victims of violence and strengthen and expand States' and localities' capacity to respond to and sanction violence against women and girls. Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador struggle with endemic levels of intra-familial violence and have grappled with a sharp and disproportionate increase in the murder rate of women and girls. Additional programming is needed to improve investigation and prosecution of femicide and sexual violence. In Honduras, only one shelter is currently functioning; the two other shelters in the country have compromised security mechanisms. For women and girls fleeing forced sexual encounters with gangs, a swiftly expanding phenomenon in Honduras, none of the shelters in-country are sufficiently secure to offer protection. In Guatemala, approximately 61% of victims of sex crimes reported between 2007 and 2011 were 17 or younger. Gender discrimination, lack of resources, and lack of training – for law enforcement, hospitals, and courts – result in neglect of cases, improper collection of evidence, lack of investigation, and extremely high rates of impunity for perpetrators.
• Provide support and assistance to crime victim and witness protection systems. Mechanisms for offering protection, safety, and shelter for crime victims, including providing for the personal security of witnesses to crimes committed by organized criminal enterprises and police, must be enhanced throughout the region. Investing in such mechanisms will allow witnesses and crime victims to participate in justice processes while staying in their countries of origin.
• Invest in community-based comprehensive youth violence prevention strategies. Programs like the Paso y Paso social education program in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and the Puente Belice Program in Guatemala are being pioneered in cities struggling with some of the highest levels of violence in the world. In Los Angeles, Calif., and Santa Tecla, El Salvador, such programs have yielded verifiable reductions in youth violence and victimization. Evaluations show declines in homicides and gang crimes in Los Angeles over four years, and Santa Tecla, which started its program in 2003, has a 40% lower homicide rate than other surrounding communities.
• Continue to strictly condition assistance to police and military in Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico on compliance with basic human rights standards and use these human rights conditions to leverage gains in combatting corruption and impunity, while enhancing accountability and transparency at the national and local levels. Provide support to strengthen internal and external controls and oversight of security forces.
• Do not support "mano dura" policies that place youth at risk without effectively reducing violence. Do not provide assistance to police institutions in the absence of demonstrated political will for reform. Decline assistance for the use of military in civilian policing activities; encourage governments to withdraw the military from policing. Given high levels of corruption and abuse within police and military forces in the region, and acts of sexual violence committed by members of the security forces, the United States must ensure that funding for law enforcement and military does not in any way exacerbate human rights concerns. Instead, focus on strengthening judicial independence, the capacity of prosecutors to independently investigate police and military abuses, and the ability of civil society to hold government actors accountable for corruption and abuse.
• Ensure that future assistance to the National Institute of Migration (INM) in Mexico prioritizes support for institutional reforms, including formalization of recruitment standards, thorough training of new recruits, and the development and implementation of a robust mechanism for supervision and internal and external control mechanisms to combat corruption and strengthen accountability within the institution.
• Provide resources for successful reinsertion and reentry of ex-offenders allowing children and youth opportunities to successfully leave the influence of organized crime and become productive and working members of their communities.
Supporting sustainable economic development
• Expand successful migrant reintegration programs to help stabilize communities and prevent unnecessary repeat migration.
• Invest substantially and over a sustained period in job training and job creation programs targeted at urban youth, particularly from areas of high violence, including access to credit and technical assistance. This can increase employment and income, reduce the pull of violent gangs, and reduce incentives for migration.
• Invest substantially and over a sustained period in small-scale agriculture, including marketing and technical assistance, to improve the ability of rural communities to provide livelihoods for their citizens.
• Evaluate all U.S.-funded development projects for migration impact to ensure that U.S. programming does not unintentionally undermine social cohesion, family structure or existing livelihoods, thus catalyzing migration.
Strengthening the regional protection system for children and migrants
• Support well-trained, well-resourced and accountable child protection systems in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Several months ago, the Honduran child welfare agency (IHNFA) was dissolved amidst allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse. While new leadership was recently appointed the new agency (DINAF) is not yet operational, and it is still unclear what its authority, mandate or capacity will be. In all four countries, it is critical to have accountable and adequately staffed and resourced child protection systems to protect children at risk of violence and abuse. The Mexican agency responsible for family welfare (DIF by its initials in Spanish) must accept that unaccompanied children from Central America also fall within its mandate, and accept custody of them.
• Increase financial support for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the region as it seeks to assess the magnitude of internal displacement and assist countries of origin in the prevention, protection and assistance of internally displaced persons. Resource UNHCR's participation in the Intergovernmental Displacement Commission in Honduras, which has been meeting since late 2013 to study internal displacement in Honduras, and is now working to operationalize a basic action plan. Support the expansion of UNHCR's presence in Mexico.
• Support UNHCR in establishing refugee resettlement and anti-trafficking processing in Central American and Mexico for people fleeing persecution in their home countries, including a strong capacity to conduct "best interest determinations" for unaccompanied refugee minors. This, as well as other options detailed in the NGO Ten Point Plan2, would facilitate the orderly arrival of people who qualify for refugee status or for protection from human trafficking.
• Work with other international donors to open an office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras, as requested by the Honduran government. This will support Honduras in better protecting the rights of people at risk of migrating, decreasing endemic corruption, and addressing widespread impunity.
• Strengthen the asylum, humanitarian visa and anti-trafficking systems in Mexico. Within Mexico, this will involve expanding the number of offices and personnel of the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees (COMAR) within Mexico's Ministry of the Interior and providing greater clarity about what constitutes a legitimate claim to prevent arbitrary denial of humanitarian visas to migrant crime victims. It will also require additional oversight to ensure that the National Institute of Migration (INM) promptly refers asylum cases to COMAR, that asylum-seekers are not detained unnecessarily, that screenings take place in appropriate settings, and that INM agents do not dissuade asylum-seekers from pursuing their claims by threatening them with extended detention. Encourage additional trafficking and asylum screening training for Federal Police and INM officials in Mexico.
Responding to a humanitarian situation in the U.S.
• Develop and enforce humane standards for all short-term CBP holding facilities. In light of documented cases of migrants, including children, being denied adequate food, water and medical care and experiencing verbal, physical and sexual abuse while in CBP holding facilities, it is clear that enforceable standards are needed, and that external observers must have access to the facilities in order to monitor compliance.
• Improve oversight of the asylum and trafficking screening processes. Ensure that all apprehended individuals are asked if they fear return to their country of origin, and are referred for a credible fear interview if they respond in the affirmative.
• Evaluate and update understandings of "particular social group" and agent of persecution in light of modern day realities facing targeted individuals fleeing fragile states where organized criminal groups exercise social, political and economic control. Some of the most effective persecutors in Central America increasingly penetrate the political arena and often wield more power than state entities. Outmoded legal interpretations requiring a group to be socially visible and excluding as persecutors those with economic motivations fail to account for the very real international protection needs of those fleeing targeted violence and risks sending refugees back to certain death.
• Use alternatives to detention for all children and families when full release is not possible. Do not return to large scale family detention in prison-like facilities as these facilities have been shown to be damaging to child development and the maintenance of family structure.
• Provide legal representation to all children and in-person Legal Orientation Programs (LOP) to all apprehended migrants. At a minimum, all children should receive an individual, child-friendly and trauma-informed screening by a qualified legal advocate. Giving people correct information through strong LOP can help prevent the development of any inaccurate rumors about current policy and practice. Ensure interpretation is provided as needed in all court proceedings and LOP.
• Increase funding for the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) to reduce significant backlogs in immigration court. For years, funding for EOIR has failed to keep pace with increases in immigration enforcement, creating a backlog of 366,000 cases and an average wait time of more than 570 days. In the absence of legal representation, many potential asylum-seekers do not understand that a deportation process has been initiated against them. Unless additional resources are made available to address the backlog, many of them will have missed the one year filing deadline to apply for asylum by the time their court date arrives.
• However, in addressing the backlog, the U.S. must still conduct individualized determinations for those seeking humanitarian relief. These cases must be adjudicated before an immigration judge and determinations should not be made over phone or via video conference. Furthermore, in light of elevated risks of trafficking, existing protocols—especially those in the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act—for children from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador should be maintained.
1. Note that the U.S. government refers to children migrating without a parent or guardian as "unaccompanied alien children" or UACs, and that this acronym has become a common shorthand for referring to these children. However, as JRS does not refer to human beings as aliens, we do not use either this term or this abbreviation.
2. For more information about the NGO Ten Point
Plan, contact Lavinia Limon at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and


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Welcome to the official site for the Black Panther Party Research Project!
This is an academic site designed to provide information for individuals who want to locate primary and secondary sources about the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, the organization co-founded during October 1966 in Oakland, California by Bobby Seale and the late Dr. Huey P. Newton.
The Black Panther Party Research Project (BPPRP) was created during 1997 to locate sources and develop finding aids to assist researchers and the general public with uncovering information about one of the twentieth century's most controversial, yet least researched organizations.
For more information about the Black Panther Party Research Project, please read our mission statement and browse other links on this site.
Thanks for visiting and please come again, as our site is still under construction.


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Just add water
There are a few people theorizing as to what could be contributing to the food-related-stupidity observed in this Washington Post article. I'm going to add my voice to the mix, because I think there's more to it than people being stupider now or shallower or less refined. Advertisers of prepared/prepackaged/fast foods have a stake in convincing people that cooking is hard and they can't do it. I am mystified by a lot of products I see that are no easier to use than making the dish from scratch would be. Instead of using a cake mix, where you have to mix together some eggs, some oil and some cake mix, you could make a cake from scratch by measuring out the flour/sugar/baking powder/salt, taking perhaps two extra minutes doing it. You can buy boxed pasta with "flavor packets" for olive oil and garlic - or you could boil your own pasta, mince up some garlic (or buy pre-minced), warm it up a little, and combine. There is even frozen pre-buttered toast that you have to toast in your toaster oven to serve! These things require only slightly less if not the same amount of work than making them from their component ingredients would, but people will gladly pay the mark-up for the "convenience," the cute packaging and what eventually comes to be the familiar and comforting flavor of partially-hydrogenated soybean oil.
The worst part is that it took me a few years of intent cooking to realize this - it's easy to buy the idea that Pasta Roni is easier to use than spaghetti and olive oil. I don't cook everything from scratch, and I like cheetos and McDonald's cheeseburgers. I am not a paragon of food purity and integrity. I do try and think about what exactly it is that I'm buying when I pick something off of the grocery store shelf instead of out of a bulk bin, however, and I think it's made a huge improvement to my cooking.


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