text:
Foreign Policy / Global Security
- 1 How You Can Resist
- 2 "America First" Foreign Policy
- 3 Current Military Conflicts
- 4 Military Activity/Civilian Casualties
- 5 Impacts
- 6 US Foreign Aid and Its Impacts
- 7 Trade Issues That Could Result in Loss of American Jobs
- 8 Impacts
- 9 Possible Nuclear Threats
- 10 Regional Instability that Could Possibly Cause Wars
- 11 Alliances and Organizations at Risk (NATO/UN)
- 12 Changing Roles of the State Department and National Security Council (NSC)
- 13 Global Health
How You Can Resist[edit]
- Call your lawmakers by dialing tel:844-6-RESIST and tell them to make sure they have oversight over Trump's military actions. Find scripts and ideas for calls here and through the organizations listed here.
- Attend a town hall held by your senators and representatives.
- Find an upcoming event to attend.
- Check out international affairs organizations to learn from and get involved with.
"America First" Foreign Policy[edit]
Trump's "America First" foreign policy is a big change from American policies going back to the 1940s, where the U.S. has tried to promote American values around the world. Trump's policy puts U.S. interests above all other interests around the world.
Although some journalists and experts[1][2] have criticized the Trump administration for being "unpredictable" or "incoherent" on foreign policy, the basic ideas behind the "America First" policy have been echoed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.[3] Addressing the State Department on May 3, 2017, Secretary Tillerson walked back the U.S. commitment to promoting American values throughout the world: "If you condition our national security efforts on someone adopting our values, we probably can't achieve our national security goals or our national security interests."[4]
Trump introduced his "America First" doctrine in his first foreign policy address in April 2016.[5] The term "America First" was made popular by the anti-Jewish America First Committee before World War II.[6] In this speech, Trump discussed his foreign policy goals:
- "First, we need a long-term plan to halt the spread and reach of radical Islam...We should work together with any nation in the region that is threatened by the rise of radical Islam." Here, Trump suggests that stopping "Radical Islamic Terrorism" should take priority over promoting democracy or humanitarian governments.
- "Secondly, we have to rebuild our military and our economy." Here, Trump discusses growing the military and investing in technology.
- "Finally, we must develop a foreign policy based on American interests." Here, Trump generally seems to say that we should work with any country that will help promote U.S. wealth, dominance, and safety, regardless of their domestic policies.[7]
Trump summarized: "No country has ever prospered that failed to put its own interests first...And under my administration, we will never enter America into any agreement that reduces our ability to control our own affairs."
Current Military Conflicts[edit]
On April 6, 2017, Trump ordered the bombing of a military airbase in Syria. The U.S. military fired more than 50 Tomahawk missiles at the al-Shayrat Airfield, trying to cause serious damage to Syrian aircraft.[8] This bombing was a response to Syrian President Assad's April 4th use of chemical weapons against his own citizens in the Syrian province of Idlib. [9] Before this attack, the White House did not seek formal approval from Congress, but the Trump administration did notify Russia, an ally of Syria.[10]
An eyewitness source told ABC News that the Syrian base had been cleared before the bombing.[11] This action was Trump's first direct military command as President. Before, Trump had assigned that authority to his commanders.[12]
Until April 6, 2017, Donald Trump had supported Bashar al-Assad, the dictator of Syria.[13] Trump has also supported Russian military intervention in Syria, even though Russia has targeted many areas that are not held by ISIS. Trump has said that "Assad is bad," but that the rebels fighting Assad might be worse.[14]
On April 5, 2017, Trump said he had changed his mind about Assad, after seeing graphic images from the chemical-weapons attack. Secretary of State Tillerson announced that "steps" were underway to remove Assad.[15] Tillerson also mildly criticized the Russian government's support for Assad.[16]
On March 30, 2017, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Turkey and said "I think the... longer term status of president Assad will be decided by the Syrian people," reversing the US policy demanding that Assad be removed from power.[17] On April 4, 2017, five days after Tillerson announced the change in US policy regarding Assad, Bashir al Assad ordered a chemical weapons attack on a small village.[18] Radar identified Syrian planes dropping bombs and Syrian helicopters dropping barrel bombs. These held a chemical weapon, the nerve agent Sarin, which attacks the entire nervous system. Then, as victims were being cared for in the remaining medical facilities, Syria bombed those as well.[19]
On September 30, 2015 Vladimir Putin launched the first Russian air strikes to aid Bashar al-Assad who has been waging war on Syrian citizens since 2011. The humanitarian crisis has steadily worsened, especially after Russia began active military support for Assad.[20]The regimes of Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad have both committed documented war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war, including:[21][22][23][24]
- Torture and murder of civilians
- Multiple uses of chemical weapons against civilians
- Dropping fire bombs in civilian neighborhoods
- Bombed water supply systems
- Bombing volunteer emergency service centers
- Bombing schools
- Displaced 11,000,000 people from their homes, 5,000,000 have fled the country becoming refugees and 6,300,000 are displaced within Syria. Half of these displaced people are children.[25]
The US military has been in Afghanistan since invading in 2001 and currently has 8,400 troops there. [26] As of January 2017, the Afghan government has control of roughly 65% of the country. [27] The Taliban controls about 15% and the remainder is contested by groups including the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. [28] General John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan, has requested thousands more troops. [29] In interviews, Trump has called the war in Afghanistan a mistake, but suggested that he would keep troops there. [30] Trump has met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani over the phone and has said that he would consider a troop increase to deal with worsening security in the country. [31]
A US-led coalition has conducted more than 11,300 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq since 2014. [32] The Islamic State is currently in control of about 7% of the country, compared to the 40% it controlled in 2014. [33] The Iraqi military, supported by US-led air strikes, is fighting for control of the city of Mosul, which has been occupied by the Islamic State since 2014. [34] The US military has 450 advisers in Iraq as of February 2017. [35]
The US military has acknowledged 220 civilian deaths from air strikes in Iraq and Syria since 2014, but independent monitoring groups estimate the number to be as high as 2,700. [36] In March 2017, air strikes in Mosul were reported to have killed as many as 200 civilians [37] and the US Central Command acknowledged that air strikes had been conducted in the area where civilian casualties were reported. [38]
Recent Updates[edit]
Military Activity/Civilian Casualties[edit]
The Trump Administration has increased the number of ground troops in action, given the CIA permission to conduct drone strikes, increased military airstrikes, and is seeking a $54B increase in military spending. While planning to cut health, climate change, foreign aid, and domestic programs, Trump will use taxpayer money to further build up U.S. tools of war.
Following an increase in troops to Syria to help retake Raqqa from the Islamic State, the U.S. is likely to send up to 1,000 additional ground troops to the country. During the Obama administration, Obama and his Joint Chiefs avoided putting ground troops into action against ISIS/ISIL if other less dangerous options were available. The most common role for U.S. troops was limited to isolated raids or providing training and support for "proxy forces"—armies within countries that were better able to take on fights themselves, with US air support. Furthermore, The Trump Administration has conducted 40 airstrikes in Yemen over a 5 day timeframe, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 civilians. This is more airstrikes than the Obama administration conducted in any single year of civil war in Yemen. Trump has also authorized the CIA to carry out drone strikes, rather than following the Obama policy of leaving that authority to the Pentagon. CIA drone strikes allow the U.S. government to kill people secretly, and will limit the ability of Congress and the public to document and monitor civilian casualties and strike targets.
One of the results of Trump's new military policies is a big increase in the number of civilian casualties. Trump has also sought to reverse Obama-era rules which required "near certainty" that no civilians would be killed before any air strike could go forward. More than 100 (and as many as 200) innocent people may have been killed in a March 17th air strike against ISIS/ISIL in the Iraq city of Mosul. On March 21st, a U.S.-led air strike in Raqqa, Syria resulted in at least 30 civilian deaths. On March 16th, American bombs targeted a mosque where Al Qaeda officials were meeting, and killed 49 people, many of whom were civilians. In January, air strikes in Yemen killed 22 civilians.
Impacts of increased or aggressive military spending/activity include:
- Greater risk to American troops deployed overseas, and a likelihood of increased casualties;
- A reduction of support for other federal services including environmental protection, education, health and housing;
- Increased civilian casualties abroad as the result of more aggressive military tactics;
- Wastes U.S. money by further growing a military budget that far outweighs that of any other nation in the world.
US Foreign Aid and Its Impacts[edit]
The Trump administration has proposed folding USAID into the State Department.[39] This would reduce development aid, and focus on giving money for our own national security. This would leave the entire world more vulnerable to starvation, diseases and pandemics (widespread epidemics), and the effects of global warming. These problems could cause more political instability throughout the world.
One reason that the United States has had such a positive reputation throughout the world is through its commitment to human rights, democracy, and the health and well-being of our allies. The U.S. has supported these values throughout the world by providing (or withholding) foreign aid. Foreign aid may be used to support peace and democracy by providing military funding, help developing countries and trade partners advance economically, build education and health institutions, serve humanitarian causes, or fight hunger and disease. Decreasing this aid may lead our allies to form bonds with less humanitarian nations (such as China or Russia), and destabilize the governments in the Middle East that are fighting against the Islamic State (ISIS).
In addition to possible cuts in foreign aid, the US now has less of a presence in the United Nations and NATO, which could also worsen the international community's opinion of the US.
Some examples of U.S. foreign aid include:[40][41]
- Military aid to Israel and Egypt to secure and defend our allies in Africa and the Middle East;
- USAID to developing nations in Africa to promote democracy, reduce HIV/AIDS and malaria, increase food security, and build industry and infrastructure;
- USAID to many nations to support health, education, and freedom and equality for women and girls;
- Military aid to Afghanistan and Iraq to help build democracy and prevent the rise of ISIS/ISIL forces from taking power.
Trade Issues That Could Result in Loss of American Jobs[edit]
The Trump Administration has talked about changing the way that the U.S. does business with other countries, and has suggested renogiating trade deals and putting high tariffs (or a "border tax") on goods produced in other countries. In the world economy, the U.S. benefits from exporting its products to other countries, and also from importing cheap products into the U.S. This practice allows the U.S. economy to profit when other countries buy our goods, and also lets consumers see savings when goods are produced cheaply in other countries.
The difference between how much we spend for another country's goods and how much that country spends for our goods is known as the trade balance. Trump has taken an aggressive stand towards countries where we have an uneven trade balance, such as Mexico and China, and has suggested adding tariffs to tip that balance in our direction. A tariff, or a "border tax", is a tax that is paid on goods from another country. Putting tariffs on goods makes them more expensive to U.S. consumers. This added cost reduces the incentive for companies to use cheap labor overseas. Under pressure, companies may decide to produce goods in the U.S. instead, creating more manufacturing jobs. Since U.S. labor costs more than cheaper international labor, this new system may (also) make products more expensive. Whether low-cost goods are produced overseas or within the U.S., high tariffs make products more expensive to consumers. Placing large tariffs on other countries could also result in trade wars, where countries respond to U.S. tariffs by putting their own tariffs on U.S. goods, increasing the cost of U.S. products in their own country and making them harder to afford. This can result in a net loss of U.S. jobs, recession, and a slowing of the economy.
Trump has been highly critical of trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and has argued that the signing of NAFTA in 1994 resulted in a large loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs to Mexico. These agreements set up the framework for free-er and multilateral trade between the countries signing the agreement. These agreements also create strong long-term economic bonds between the countries involved. Trump has withdrawn from TPP and is looking to renegotiate NAFTA. While withdrawing from trade deals may bring back U.S. manufacturing jobs, it could also raise the price of goods, hurt trade relationships with strong trade partners, and push economic allies to more stable relationships with other economies.
- Since the US currently imports many goods from Mexico, any major disruptions to trade policy could significantly raise prices on consumer goods.[42][43]
- Damaged trade relations with Mexico could hurt the Mexican economy and lead to rises in crime, drug cartels and drug trafficking.[44]
- Trump's plan of implementing tariffs on Chinese goods could create a trade war and seriously hurt US corporations and consumers.[45][46]
- U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) may push crucial allies such as Japan, Vietnam and South Korea into long-term economic ties with China instead of the United States.[47]
- Trump's focus on bringing back U.S. manufacturing jobs could be short-circuited by coming automation in industrial work, and could deflect resources from more sustainable practices like education and retraining.[48]
Possible Nuclear Threats[edit]
Some reports have suggested that Trump has an unusual interest in the nuclear capabilities of the United States: he reportedly asked about weapon readiness during the transition period, has spoken about revitalizing and even growing U.S. nuclear capabilities, and spoke to Russian President Putin about reversing non-proliferation treaties. Despite Trump's interest in U.S. nuclear capabilities, and an expressed concern about nuclear war, the President has been reckless in his handling of nuclear proliferation throughout the world.
Although nuclear weapons have only been used twice in the history of the world, their destructive power at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was devastating. During the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia following WWII, scientists were able to develop even more powerful nuclear weapons, some of which have the power to destroy huge populations and pollute land and water for years to come. Trump's lack of interest in disarmament could have big consequences in a global environment where more anti-American countries have nuclear capabilities than ever before. Of the 9 countries that have nuclear capabilities, three have alliances or interests that could easily conflict with those of the United States: China, Russia, North Korea. (Pakistan also has nuclear capabilities, but is currently considered to be a U.S. ally.)
The US began deploying a missile defense system in South Korea in response to North Korean missile launches. This defense system, known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, is capable of disarming enemy missiles while in the air, essentially "shooting a bullet with another bullet." The THAAD system also has powerful radar capabilities that could detect missiles launched in the entire region. The system would not be effective against a rapid-fire missile attack, or missiles deployed underwater via submarines. The deployment of this system was originally promised to South Korea by the Obama administration, but the Trump admin moved up the deployment from July to March in response to North Korean missile tests.[49]
Regional Instability that Could Possibly Cause Wars[edit]
The Trump Administration has weakened the State Department, fired career diplomats with expertise on foreign governments, and repeatedly insulted foreign leaders. These behaviors would be problematic in peaceful times, but some regions of the world are showing instabilities that could lead to war. The Trump Administration's aggressive and inconsistent attitudes toward unstable nations could lead to war, causing military casualties, high costs to taxpayers, and global conflict.
North Korea[edit]
U.S. relations with North Korea are different from relations with other foreign countries. North Korea and the United States do not have formal diplomatic ties, which means that the U.S. government does not directly speak with the North Korean government. For that reason, communication between the two nations occur through announcements and public displays of strength. Communication between the U.S. and North Korea also occurs through China, which is a trade partner of both the U.S. and North Korea.
The U.S. and North Korea often communicate through posturing (showing off strength with weapon displays), threats of war, or sanctions (penalties for not following a rule). The U.S. has taken action in the form of economic sanctions in the past. This is not new to the Trump administration, but many fear the recent threats of the Trump administration could push the U.S. and North Korea closer to war.
North Korea often shows its strength through threats of war, or by displaying its weapons capabilities, including missiles that could be used to strike U.S. allies, Japan and Korea. The United States shows its strength by moving ships and other weapons to the seas surrounding Korea, or into South Korea. While the Trump administration has taken a more aggressive public tone towards North Korea, North Korea's recent threats and weapon testing have happened for several years. These aggressive actions often happen when U.S. military is in South Korea, and around national North Korean holidays in April. The military actions taken by the Trump administration are also similar to those taken by past administrations.
Many fear an immediate danger from North Korea is that they may strike a U.S. ally before the U.S. is able to strike them. For this reason, public threats from members of the Trump administration may put U.S. allies in the region at a greater risk of an attack by North Korea.
- Since Trump took office, North Korea has carried out a series of missile tests and has made aggressive gestures towards Japan and South Korea. While these weapons tests and aggressions were also standard during the Obama administration, weapons capabilities in these tests have suggested that North Korea is getting closer to being a nuclear power, which would threaten U.S. allies.
- In addition to tensions with the U.S., North Korea has also had a diplomatic crisis with Malaysia, further adding instability in the region.
- Trump has stated that he thinks North Korea is the greatest threat facing the U.S. and has already deployed an anti-missile defense shields in South Korea.
- The Trump Administration has asked China to "fix" the North Korea situation in exchange for trade benefits.
- Trump admin officials including Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Secretary of Defense James Mattis have all made military threats against North Korea if it does not slow nuclear weapon and missile programs.
- The Trump administration is likely to have deployed cyber weapons in order to stop a North Korean missile test around their nation's April 15th anniversary.
- The Trump administration plans to brief the full congress on North Korea at the White House, sending a strong signal that the President may be seeking war powers against the nation.
Implications: War with North Korea could be devastating to crucial U.S. allies in the Asia/Pacific region, resulting of hundreds of thousands or even millions of civilian deaths, and could even escalate to a nuclear conflict.
- China has been building and claiming small islands in the South and East China seas, many in international waters or territories of other countries such as Japan. Defense Secretary Mattis, Secretary of State Tillerson and Trump have already repeatedly pledged to protect these territories, upsetting China's diplomats and state press.
- Trump began his presidency by questioning the One China policy, a move that angered the Chinese goverment. One China is a policy that has been traditionally respected by the U.S. government. This policy suggests that China and Taiwan are part of "One China," in spite of the fact that Taiwan has its own democratically elected government. The U.S. has had trade relations with Taiwan for years, but has deferred to China's preference for the One China policy, until Trump quickly destroyed it by taking a diplomatic call from the Prime Minister of Taiwan after his inauguration.
Implications: War between the United States and China would be a massive and well-funded war, would draw our allies into hardship, and would have significant long-term impacts on the future of U.S. GDP.
- Trump and Tillerson's rhetoric on Chinese development in the South China Sea could lead to armed conflict between the US and China.[50][51]
- In a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump suggested that he had no clear preference for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, a view that falls to the right of even Netanyahu's government in Israel. This marks a significant change in U.S. policy.
- Trump's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has suggested moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, which would inflame tensions with Palestine and the Muslim world and limit the possibility of a two-state solution, which Friedman has said will not happen under a Trump administration.[52]
- Friedman's hard line on Israeli aggressions in the West Bank—he believes that Israeli settlements in the West Bank, prohibited by treaty, are legal—breaks with US precedent, and could lead to a rise in aggression in the region.[53][54]
Implications: Conflict between Israel and Palestine, or even Domestic unrest within Israel, would harm the United States' most prominent ally in the Middle East and would set back the prospect of a peace agreement in the middle east. A war between Israel and Palestine could also renew and heighten religious tensions in the region.
Alliances and Organizations at Risk (NATO/UN)[edit]
Members of the Trump Administration, including President Trump, have threatened to diminish the U.S. role in NATO and the U.N., or withdraw from these alliances completely. The global power of the United States is not just a result of its strong economy or the strength of its military. The ability of the U.S. to promote humanitarianism worldwide is also a result of its military and peacekeeping alliances, and the country has far less global influence acting alone than when acting with the backing of its many allies throughout the world. Our alliances are important not only because of their military or aid-based actions, but also because of the perception of their strength and unbreakability. The Trump Administration's negative talk towards global alliances has already weakened the perception of these organizations, and has already empowered enemies of the alliances. The Trump Administration has taken more transactional approach to these organizations, describing them as a waste of money with no clear financial benefit, and has argued against having to reach a consensus with our allies when making deals with other countries. In 2015, U.N. contributions represented .0007% of the U.S. budget, and NATO common expense contributions represented .0001% of the U.S. budget.[55]
United Nations (U.N.)[edit]
The United Nations (U.N.) is the largest and most effective peacekeeping organization in the world. Its missions include protecting human rights, providing humanitarian aid, upholding international law, promoting sustainable development, and maintaining peace and security.[56] The UN has 193 member states, but 5 of those hold outsized power on the organization: China, France, UK, Russian Federation and the United States. Of these 5, the U.S. is general seen as the most powerful player (and the U.N. is even located in New York), though Russia and China often invoke veto powers when trying to stop major initiatives led by the U.S. and its close allies. The U.N.'s Security Council is a highly effective body for diplomatically solving crises that could lead to war. The U.N.'s humanitarian outreach programs include UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the U.N. refugee agency. The U.N. also plays a role in enforcing key treaties, and calling attention to (or even prosecuting) human rights violations. The U.N. is funded through dues and voluntary contributions, and in 2015 the U.S. made the maximum possible contribution, 22% of the total U.N. regular budget. The next largest contributor in 2015 was Japan, at approximately 10%, followed by Germany (~7%) and France (~6%). The Trump Administration has threatened to severely cut U.S. funding of the U.N. general fund and has signaled negativity towards the bureaucracy and multilateralism of the organization. Since many foreign aid initiatives are carried out through the U.N., proposed cuts to the U.S. foreign aid budget will directly cut U.S. contributions to U.N. humanitarian missions. For more information on those cuts, see Foreign Aid.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)[edit]
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (or NATO), a 28-member military alliance built after WWII, is the most powerful military alliance in the world. This organization plays a strong role in tying together the U.S., Canada and Europe. For the first phase of its existence, NATO focused on fighting against Cold War Russian aggression. After 9/11, NATO invoked its "mutual defense" clause for the first time, and U.S. allies immediately came to the aid of the U.S. in the fight against terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. NATO alliance troops continue to be the backbone of the fight against ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Contributions to NATO are mostly made through each nations commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense. The Trump Administration has threatened to withdraw from NATO if other countries do not quickly meet their defense spending commitments.
Changing Roles of the State Department and National Security Council (NSC)[edit]
The Trump Administration has reorganized foreign policy responsibilities in ways that give more power to the President and his inner circle and less power to experienced diplomats. The Trump presidency has broken with all modern precedents by not taking advantage of the huge amount of foreign policy experience in the State Department. The State Department is one of the oldest departments within the Executive branch of government, and has been responsible for carrying out the President's foreign policy around the world. Much of this department is made up of career employees, who spend years making relationships within their assigned countries, and building up knowledge about how the U.S. can best achieve its goals in those regions.
Trump has mostly chosen to work without the advice of the State Department and has proposed cutting the State Department budget by 29%. Trump has failed to fill the vast majority of appointed positions open in the State Department and has signaled that he may not fill many of these positions at all. Long-term State Department employees have reported little to no contact with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Tillerson himself has been excluded from important meetings with leaders of other countries. Meanwhile, many of Trump's meetings with foreign leaders have been attended mostly by his personal staff, including son-in-law Jared Kushner, daughter Ivanka Trump and ex-Breitbart CEO Steven Bannon. Ivanka Trump, Kushner, and Bannon have no government or foreign policy experience prior to January 20th, 2017. Since much diplomacy is based on tradition and consistency, the inexperience of Trump's foreign policy team could lead to uncertainty and instability in our long-term global relationships.
The National Security Council (NSC) is the President's closest group of advisors on issues of national security, which includes both military security and trade policy. The National Security Council is led by the National Security Advisor, which is one of the most sensitive roles within the government. Trump has already experienced one scandal in the NSC when his National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign after lying about speaking to Russian agents during the presidential campaign. Flynn later revealed that he had also been working as a foreign agent for the Turkish Government while receiving security briefings. Trump created another NSC scandal by inadvertently appointing Chief Strategist and ex-Breitbart CEO/radio host/movie producer Steven Bannon to the NSC. Bannon is known for being a white supremacist and conspiracy theorist who wants to "destroy the state"--a goal which is directly at odds with the goals of the National Security Council. On April 5th, 2017, Bannon was removed as an official member of the NSC. He stated that his goal had been to "de-operationalize" the NSC and that he had completed that task. He still maintains the highest level of security clearance and may still attend meetings as a non-member.[57] Under President Trump, the National Security Council has already been infiltrated by at least one foreign agent and is regularly attended by advisors who have publicly discussed working against the government's interests.
Global Health[edit]
The Trump Administration has suggested changes in the policy and politics of foreign aid.
2018 Budget
- The White House's 2018 proposed budget would severely cut scientific and medical research, with a $5.8 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a 11% cut, or $776 million, to the National Science Foundation.[58][59] This is despite experts' warnings that the next pandemics could be devastating and it is extremely important to continue to invest in global health to guarantee the US's national security.[60]
- The budget would also cut $2.2 billion from global health, including $1 billion from PEPFAR (one of the leading organizations fighting HIV worldwide) and $225 million from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Family planning would be the most affected, with a call to eliminate almost all funding, but other agencies and programs would suffer too—for instance, efforts to fight malaria would be cut by 11%.[61]
- The budget also includes stopping aid for more than 20 countries, to direct aid not toward the countries that need it the most but to those that are considered most important to US national security. This is very damaging to global health, because pandemics must be fought everywhere they are found if there is a chance of eliminating them.[62][63] Experts and advocates have criticized this part of the proposal, saying it would stop the US's humanitarian and development work almost entirely, and 225 business executives wrote a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson saying development aid helps build markets for US companies and create jobs.[64] Republicans in Congress have also criticized the proposal, so it is unlikely to actually be passed.[65]
"'Global Gag Rule"'
- The Trump administration has announced that it will significantly extend the so-called "global gag rule," which will now ban funding to all organizations that provide abortions or abortion referrals worldwide, even if they do so with their own funds. The new measure will affect work in HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, malaria, global health security, and family planning and reproductive health programs, and will make it harder for health workers around the world to continue to work effectively, especially in women's health. For example women and girls are among the most affected by HIV/AIDS, and the global gag rule could restrict access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services.[66][67][68][69][70]
- By reinstating the global gag rule, the Trump administration has demonstrated that its war against women's health and reproductive rights go beyond their domestic agenda.
Legislative Actions[edit]
Legislation that Supports Equity and Justice
Important bills in Congress related to global health that should be supported:
- SB 210 would permanently repeal "the Global Gag rule".


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Reviewed by Quinten L. (age 8)
I liked this book because I felt like Fox when he played sick. I've played sick before too but don't tell my mom or my teacher! My favorite part was when Fox was all mad because his friends threw some tuna fish over the fence and an old cat came along and ate it. Fox was a good character and he was my favorite because he was funny.
I recommend 2nd graders to read Fox All Week because it is a funny book.

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After a week stepping up in class the Lady Tiger Sharks of Port St. Joe Jr./Sr. High School prepped for this week�s District 2-1A tournament
After a week stepping up in class the Lady Tiger Sharks of Port St. Joe Jr./Sr. High School prepped for this week�s District 2-1A tournament.
Port St. Joe, which finished 13-11 overall and 8-4 in district play, earned the number three seed in the district tournament and played sixth-seeded West Gadsden Tuesday night at South Walton High School.
If the Lady Tiger Sharks prevail, they would meet the Blountstown-Bozeman winner at 8 p.m. ET on Friday in the district semifinals. A win would guarantee a spot in the region playoffs and would advance Port St. Joe to the district title game scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The Lady Tiger Sharks played larger schools in the final week of the regular season and split four games.
On Jan. 22 Port St. Joe traveled to Wakulla. The Lady Tiger Sharks jumped to a 11-4 lead after one quarter but by halftime it was 18-16 Port St. Joe.
The Lady Tiger Sharks held a 30-26 lead after three periods but Wakulla took control in the final quarter for a 44-40 win.
Maya Robbins led Port St. Joe with 15 points, Callie Fleshren added eight and Hallie Jasinski five. Alyssa Parker, Shannon Pridgeon, and Brooklyn Quinn each scored four points.
Two nights later, Port St. Joe hosted East Gadsden, which Port St. Joe beat earlier in the year. Port St. Joe jumped to an 18-6 lead after the first quarter, but with a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer the margin was 26-25 Port St. Joe. East Gadsden took a 39-35 lead after three periods. The lead changed hands four times in the final quarter, with Port St. Joe prevailing 54-51 by hitting seven of 10 from the free throw line down the stretch.
Robbins scored six of her 19 points in the fourth quarter and Brooklyn Quinn scored three of her nine points in the final period. Teiyahana Hutchinson had four of her 12 points in the fourth.
Fleshner added 10 points, Jasinski three, and Parker two.
Mosley visited �The Dome� the following night, which was Senior Night and a salute to Parker, the lone senior on the team.
�Alyssa has been a great leader on a very young team of two juniors, two sophomores, two freshmen, two eighth-graders and two seventh-graders,� said Port St. Joe assistant coach Tracy Browning.
Mosley won 54-20. Robbins led Port St. Joe with seven points, Fleshren had five, Pridgeon three, Quinn three and Hutchinson two.
The next night, the Lady Tiger Sharks traveled to Bay High and led the entire way en route to a 38-29 win.
Hutchinson had 12 points to lead Port St. Joe. Quinn added 10, Robbins nine, Parker three, Fleshner two and Jasinski two.


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An island kingdom
Denmark is made up of the mainland peninsula called Jutland and over 400 scattered islands. The largest of Denmark's islands, Sealand, is where you'll find the capital city, Copenhagen.
Neighboring countries
Denmark is part of Scandinavia and shares a similar geography with the south of Sweden, to which it is attached via the Oresund Bridge, and Germany, with which it shares a land border.
Apart from the 68km-long border (42 miles) with Germany to the south, Denmark is surrounded entirely by water. The furthest you can be from the coast at any point in Denmark is only 52km (32 miles). At its West Coast, it touches The North Sea and this coastline is dominated by long, windswept stretches of sand and dunes. The North Coast runs up into the Kattegat and Skagerrak seas and is also a dynamic coast, with some of Northern Europe's biggest shifting sand dunes. To the east, you'll find a more sheltered coast and the calm waters of the Baltic Sea.
Well-known islands
Around 80 of Denmark's 391 islands are populated. Some of Denmark's main islands include Funen, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, which lies off the coast of Sweden. The island of Møn is famous for its towering white cliffs, the highest in Denmark.
Other territories
The Kingdom of Denmark also includes the enormous, self-governing territory of Greenland, situated near North America and the autonomous territory of the Faroe Islands.
Natural features
Total area: 42.916km²
Total length of coastline: 7.314km (4545 miles)
Highest point: 170,086m (Møllehøj)
Biggest lake: Arresø (39,5km²)
Longest river: Gudenå (176km/ 98 miles)
Land use
Agriculture: 66 %
Forest and heathland: 16 %
Cities, roads and construction: 10 %
Lake, meadow and marsh: 7 %
Biggest cities
Copenhagen (Greater metropolitan area): 1,213000 inhabitants
Aarhus: 252,000 inhabitants
Odense: 169,000 inhabitants
Aalborg: 105,000 inhabitants
Esbjerg: 71,000 inhabitants


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UPDATE: According to results of an autopsy performed Thursday by New York's Westchester County Medical Examiner's office, Mary Richardson Kennedy died of asphyxiation by hanging, ABC News reports, although the death has not yet been officially ruled a suicide. Her body was found in an outbuilding on the family's property in Bedford, N.Y.
A tragic family misfortune has befallen the Kennedys once again. On Wednesday afternoon, Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was found dead at the family's estate in suburban New York. While no official cause of death has been released, multiple media outlets are reporting that she committed suicide — according to some, by hanging herself in a barn on the estate. An autopsy of her body is slated for Thursday, the Associated Press reports.
A statement issued on behalf of the family by Robert Kennedy Jr.'s chief of staff said, "Mary was a genius at friendship, a tremendously gifted architect and a pioneer and relentless advocate of green design who enhanced her cutting edge, energy efficient creations with exquisite taste and style." The family also emphasized her devotion to her children.
(MORE: The Kennedys Face Death: The Agony of Grieving in Public)
The mother of four, architect and designer struggled with alcohol and drug abuse in recent years, according to the AP. Her husband filed for divorce in 2010 after she was arrested twice for incidents involving alcohol and drugs. The latter charge of driving under the influence of drugs were dropped after a judge ruled Kennedy was unaware that medication had impaired her ability to drive.
But through it all, family members and friends vehemently supported Mary Richardson. Robert Kennedy Jr.'s sister, Kerry Kennedy, penned a letter at the time that said, "When I look at my three daughters, my wish for them is that they are as blessed as I have been to have a companion, a confidante, a friend, like Mary Richardson."
Kennedy, born Mary Richardson, had been a longtime friend of the Kennedy family before marrying Robert Kennedy Jr. in 1994 aboard a research boat in the Hudson River. The couple shared a passion for environmental issues. A boarding school friend, she served as Kerry Kennedy's maid of honor in her marriage to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 1990.
The tale of the "Kennedy Curse" has existed for decades, reemerging with every unexpected death that America's beloved family suffers. The assassination of Robert Kennedy Jr.'s father, RFK, and his uncle and former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, are just two of the most famed examples. Robert Kennedy Jr.'s brother, David Kennedy, died in a drug overdose in 1984, and his cousin, JFK Jr., and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, perished in a plane crash a decade later. His uncle, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, died in 2009 after a struggle with brain cancer.
MORE: Jacqueline Kennedy Tapes 'Horrified' Her Granddaughters


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After a quarter-century spent raising the bar on the men's grooming experience — opening a handful of just-for-the-guys salons coast-to-coast and launching an eponymous line of men's hair- and skincare products — John Allan is going underground.
Underground, that is, to the basement level of the recently renovated Saks Fifth Avenue men's store in Beverly Hills, home to the newest John Allan's club. It's a 3,800-square-foot subterranean space appointed in 21st century man cave chic: unfinished concrete floors, exposed metal duct work, walls in a color palette of black and gray punctuated with blond wood accents and framed prints (on loan from a local art gallery), depicting exercises in pugilistic excess. Not far from a row of barber chairs and a pedicure room are a billiards table and a bar.
This particular part of Beverly Hills is hardly lacking in clubby-feeling man sanctuaries — the Shave of Beverly Hills, the Art of Shaving and Gornik & Drucker at the Montage Beverly Hills are barely a hot towel's toss away. But Allan's arrival in early April is noteworthy for two reasons. First is an optional membership model that encourages guys to fork over $1,250 upfront for a year's worth of haircuts, manicures and shoeshines. Second is Allan's successful 25-year track record of getting dudes to darken his doorstep.
The 56-year-old Allan (whose full name is John Allan Meing) is the kind of go-to guru of men's grooming that GQ magazine seeks out for advice on ingrown whiskers. But he'll be the first to tell you that wasn't his planned career arc.
"I really wanted to play baseball," Allan says. "I grew up in New York and New Jersey, and baseball was my first love growing up right through high school. How I got into this business was I met a girl who was a stylist, and that sort of intrigued me a little. But the real catapult was meeting Jean Louis David's wife at the time — she told me who he was and explained that he was coming to the states to open a shop."
Allan moved to Paris to train under the legendary French stylist, who specialized in women's hairstyles. "I was there for six months — '78-'79," he says. "And came back and helped open the store in the Henri Bendel Building."
He worked for David for eight years in a variety of roles — management, education, helping open new stores, hiring and training new staff. Then, around 1986, he decided to strike out on his own.
At first he wasn't sure whether he wanted to open his own women's salon or forge a separate path. so he spent time surveying the salon scene, wandering into barbershops and the like all over New York City.
"One day I walked into the barbershop in the Empire State Building — I figured I'd go right to the epicenter," he recounts. "And the place was empty. Not a soul in it. And the old-time barber was asleep in a chair in the corner. That's when it clicked; that's when I knew what I could do. I left that place, and my brain was just on fire."
Inspired by memories of his Uncle Babe's pool hall (Guys & Dolls in Belleville, N.J., which, Allan points out, is still there and run by one of his cousins), he set out to create a comfortable space that guys would want to visit.
"I wasn't going to even call it a salon. Men don't relate to the word 'salon,'" Allan recalls. "I was going to call it a club. That's something men can relate to, that they want to be part of. I decided to put a billiard table in it and a bar in it and give it this whole new face. And that's how John Allan's was born."
That first club opened in New York City in 1988; today there are eight, inluding four in New York, and one each in Chicago, Toronto and San Francisco.
Along the way, Allan formulated his own line of men's grooming products, starting with haircare (in 2003) followed by skincare (2004). Today the 11-product line is stocked at a range of retailers, including independent beauty supply stores such as Larchmont Beauty in L.A., boutiques like Planet Blue in Malibu and Barneys New York.
Allan's club membership model has been key to his success.
"I think that's what has given [the business] its longevity, that men have a feeling of ownership," he says. "I knew once I got them to feel that ownership, they'd frequent the place more often. And that meant I could keep them groomed."
The club's full range of services is available to non-member clientele as well. But annual membership, which is currently $1,250, entitles a guy to a year's worth of the signature full-service treatment: a 35- to 40-minute all-at-once regimen that includes haircut, shampoo and conditioner, a hot towel treatment for the face, a manicure, shoeshine and a beverage. Non-members can avail themselves of the same treatment for $85 a pop. (Members also get a 10% discount on additional club services, including beard trims, pedicures, massages and facials.)
For Saks, the club is a way to draw more business.
"If a guy is coming in for a haircut and passing through the men's shop on his way to John Allan's, he may come across a new product he might not otherwise have discovered," says Ron Frasch, Saks Fifth Avenue's president and chief merchandising officer.
"John is a cool guy. He provides a high-end service in an elegant way with a bit of an edge," Frasch says.
Next Allan says he plans to "take a couple of deep breaths" and then continue on his quarter-century quest to make men feel at home with good grooming. That includes the launch of a new, higher-end line of grooming products called John Allan Black ("Probably in the fourth quarter of this year," Allan says) and more clubs.
Miami, Washington, D.C., and London are all possibilities, he says.
"But honestly, if I can open in Paris that would really be something — that would be coming full circle for me."
John Allan's at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9634 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.
9634 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, USA
34.066745, -118.404826


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PONTE VERDE BEACH, Fla., May 12 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods carded a 2-under-par 70 Sunday, winning the Players Championship for the first time since 2001 after rival Sergio Garcia crumbled down the stretch.
Woods and Garcia were vying for the lead in the late stages of the final round, but Garcia put two consecutive shots into the water on the par-three 17th, finishing the hole with a quadruple bogey.
Garcia also double-bogeyed the 18th, ending up tied for eighth place at minus-7, six shots off the pace with a round of 4-over 76 at TPC Sawgrass.
Woods, meanwhile, parred the final hole to end at 13-under 275, two shots better than rookie David Lingmerth (even-par 72), Kevin Streelman (67) and Jeff Maggert (70) at minus-11.
Woods claimed his the 78th career victory and his fourth this season, making for his fastest-ever PGA Tour start.
Martin Laird (67), Ryan Palmer (72) and Henrik Stenson (72) knotted for fifth at minus-10.


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This product is no longer available.
Motorola Oncore VP/UT+/GT+ Interface Board SemiKit by McKinney Technology provides a stable interface point for the Oncore receiver.
- Example of Oncore attached to Interface Board on right
Design Features
- A GPS Interface Board SemiKit for the Motorola Oncore VP/UT+/GT+
- Same size as Motorola Oncore receivers 2" x 3.25" x 0.95" (with stand-offs)
- Major components preassmbled, screws and stand-offs included
- Serial Ports
- RS-232 interface for input and output control of GPS receiver
- RS232 level output of 1PPS signal
- DGPS input (select RS-232 interface between computer or DGPS control)
- Second RS-232 port to support the DGPS input for the GT+ receivers
- Power Supply
- High-efficiency LM2574 step-down regulator provides 5 VDC @ 250ma from 7-30 VDC input without a heatsink
- Reverse voltage isolation diode
- Options (User supplies components)
- Low-Z 1PPS output with LED indication
- Lithium Battery for GPS receivers without onboard battery backup
McKinney Technology


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Stastny scores in OT to lift Avalanche past Starsby Steve Hunt
DALLAS -- Paul Stastny scored the first goal of the game and the final one Friday for the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.
Stastny scored 8:22 into the first period and ended the game with 1:24 remaining in OT when he beat Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen.
Colorado has won five in a row and is 11-1-0.
"Right now, we're playing very good. We're playing solid hockey," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "We work hard. The thing that I like is before games we're always really well-prepared and we focus. When we jump on the ice, we have good starts, and that's what we want."
Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 27 saves in his first start since being arrested on domestic-violence charges Wednesday.
"I think the team played unbelievable today for me," Varlamov said. "We were battling all three periods and we scored in overtime. It was another big win for us and another big win for me."
For Roy, seeing his team pull out an overtime win on the road against what he termed a tough opponent only affirmed something he already knew.
"The guys wanted to do well for [Varlamov]. They wanted to play a strong game in front of him, and I thought that was a great game from our team," Roy said. "We showed that we're a family and we stick together and we work hard together."
Stastny concurred that this was a game in which he and his teammates wanted to perform well for their No. 1 goaltender.
"There's been a lot going on with him, with the team in the last 24-48 hours, and sometimes the best thing is to just get in your comfort zone, and that's being on the ice," Stastny said. "When he's on the ice, when he's in net, he's focused on what he does. He gives us a chance to win every night and he was unbelievable again tonight."
Dallas tied the game when Tyler Seguin, who had a goal and an assist, scored with 3:27 remaining in the third period.
From the opening faceoff, the Avalanche were on the offensive, peppering Lehtonen with a barrage of shots. Colorado went on the power play for the first time at 4:09 when Stephane Robidas was called for slashing. That advantage became a 5-on-3 at 5:10 when Antoine Roussel crosschecked Nathan MacKinnon inside the Stars crease. Dallas killed off both opportunities.
"The first period never should have finished 1-0. We should have been up at least 3-0. Lehtonen was outstanding," Roy said.
The Stars weren't quite so lucky when Stastny flipped in a shot just to the right of the goal to make it 1-0. He initiated the sequence by sending the puck around the back of the net. After Jan Hejda gained possession near the blue line, he passed it to Alex Tanguay, who spotted Stastny.
"You look at the start, we took a penalty and then took another one to give them a 5-on-3," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "[Lehtonen] had to make five or six really good saves on the penalty kill. We dug ourselves a hole. We weren't playing the game quick enough, and as soon as we kill [the penalty] off, we turn the puck over and let them go the other way right away. That wasn't smart hockey, that wasn't good hockey."
The Stars controlled possession for much of the second period, but the Avalanche took a 2-0 lead 1:19 before intermission when Gabriel Landeskog beat Lehtonen on his glove side following a nice backhand pass from MacKinnon, a sequence that began when Dallas' Ray Whitney turned over the puck near the Colorado blue line.
Dallas scored 3:57 into the third when Alex Goligoski one-timed a pass from Seguin from the left circle to make it 2-1. Goligoski's blistering shot beat Varlamov top shelf in the center of the net.
Colorado nearly answered 37 seconds later when John Mitchell tried to slip a shot inside the near post and would have scored were it not for a miraculous play by Lehtonen, who first got his glove on the shot then whipped around his left leg to keep the puck from going over the line. The play was reviewed for several minutes before it was ruled no goal.
"I thought it went in," Lehtonen said. "I saw one replay and thought I saw the water bottle moving because I didn't feel it touching me because I was kind of all over the place scrambling. It ended up being a good save at a great time."
Seguin tied it when he got the better of Varlamov to his left with a wrist shot from near the faceoff circle.
"It is a big point," Ruff said. "We can talk about all the negative stuff in the first [period], but you can talk about all the work we put in to get back in the game in the second and the third. If you would have asked me after the second period if you'd be happy with a point, I would say if we could battle back and get a point, it would be a big point for our club. It's a small step in the right direction."
Dallas had a third-period power play after a fight between Landeskog and Alex Chiasson at center ice; the Colorado captain was also assessed a minor for roughing, giving the Stars a man-advantage with 3:27 remaining.
Stars captain Jamie Benn had a great look one minute later but Varlamov dashed over to the far post to deny him with a glove save. Dallas remained on the attack, forcing Varlamov to stop several shots at close range, with attempts from Shawn Horcoff and Roussel among the better chances.
Lehtonen stopped 26 of 29 shots.
"I think the reason why they picked up a point is because of him," Roy said of Lehtonen. "He kept them in the game long enough for them to come back in the third because it could have been a 3-, 4-, 5-0 game at some point."
The Avalanche play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at Pepsi Center. The Stars begin a three-game road trip Sunday afternoon at the Ottawa Senators.


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Wanderlust is tugging once again at Graham Mackintosh, and that can mean only one thing for the legendary Baja adventurer – a return to the mysterious and magical Mexican peninsula that captured his heart and soul 30 years ago.
Next week, San Diego's Mackintosh, the man who walked Baja's entire 3,000-mile coastline on a whim as a 31-year-old, returns to Baja for another two-year or so journey. The award-winning adventure writer plans to explore the coast, desert and islands and revisit people and scenes that inspired him to write four very successful adventure books – "Into a Desert Place," "Journey With a Baja Burro," "Marooned . . . With Very Little Beer" and "Nearer My Dog To Thee."
"I feel like a fish out of water when I'm not in Baja," Mackintosh said at a recent breakfast meeting. "I just love that place. It is so beautiful. And it's so full of adventure and wonderful people. If I'm not there, I'm dreaming of being there. I feel the 30th anniversary of my first walk is a great opportunity to do it all again."
Mackintosh's four books and thousands of seminars have earned him the role as Baja's most acclaimed adventuring icon. His words and humor that relived his memories, his pictures that showed Baja's "kindly and generous strangers" and his descriptions of unexplored Baja like a "simple meal shared on a remote beach" drove many to explore the undeveloped, underexplored regions of Baja.
His life-long journey of Baja has been as much about his own self-discovery as it has been about him sharing and educating the world about the real, truthful Baja.
"At the end of the day, all of my books are about journeys of exploration, spiritual exploration," Mackintosh said. "All of my books are chronicles of a spiritual journey."
It all led one man, former El Cajon policeman Mike Younghusband, to become a Mackintosh disciple and travel the length of Baja, from Tecate to Cabo San Lucas, with a burro named Don Kay. Younghusband now lives in Loreto and continues to explore the enchanted land, sporting a sombrero and adventuring with Don Kay.
But now it's Mackintosh's turn . . . again.
He'll start at Guardian Angel Island, a protected preserve off Bahia de Los Angeles. At 40 miles long and 10 miles across in some places, it's the second-largest island in the Sea of Cortez. It requires a permit to visit. Mackintosh will hire a panguero to take him and his kayak and supplies out. He said pangueros these days are much more sophisticated and even get e-mail. He knows Baja is a much different place in terms of safety than it was 30 years ago, but he's prepared and fully aware of the dangers of drug-runners and kidnappers. He'll have a SPOT satellite messenger device.
"The dangers will be in the back of my mind on that island," Mackintosh said. "As you get older, you get a little more cautious. I'm aware of it, but the people I've met have been delightful so hospitable, generous and kind that it really makes travel to Baja very pleasant for me."
Mackintosh's last visit to Guardian Angel Island was full of wild experiences. His kayak trips in the rapid currents of tidal waters put him into large schools of yellowtail, and he often saw breaching whales. He spent days kayaking, beachcombing, bird-watching, exploring and hiking the rugged, uninhabited island. He met up with poachers and had to deal with the usual Sea of Cortez challenges of wind, rattlesnakes, scorpions and even some scary-looking feral cats, island dwellers that have developed fangs like mini-Saber-tooth cats.
It all starts next week.
"I'll spend the next two years walking and paddling to some of the wilder, more special places I've visited before or wished I had," Mackintosh said. "I've got a goal to go back to the places that I really enjoyed over the last 30 years, mostly remote stretches where I'll be pretty much on my own. I may not be capable of doing this much longer. So, it's now or never."


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In a purchase as surprising as Jefferson buying the Louisiana Territory for a $1.29 (plus Napoleon's recipe for croque-madame), I now own a lifetime pass to every square mile of every US national park.
While this purchase might seem reasonable to all those travelers who enjoy showing off their knees in wooded regions, people who know me are shocked. Because, once again, I have fallen victim to the delusion of "I can...."
So, when I walked into Zion National Park and the helpful ranger asked me if I wanted the pass of a lifetime instead of a onetime admission, I thought, "I can do that!" And when he said I would also get a 50 percent discount on camping, I was certain I had just gotten a spectacular deal, even though, until now, my idea of camping was staying at a four- instead of a five-star hotel.
The belief that I, too, would soon be accosting wild beasts as I tramped up, and, one would hope, down, trails all across America, is typical of the convoluted thinking that leads me to absurdly rash decisions. Like the time I purchased an authentic, hand-woven Panama hat.
"I can wear that," I thought, forgetting that the likelihood of there being a tropical heat wave in San Francisco was only slightly less than there being a ban on organic sprouts at my local supermarket. So, along with my national parks pass, I have that very nice chapeau, which somehow doesn't work with my polo shirt and jeans.
This often expensive "I can wear that" trait surfaced the first time I went to Paris. I came back convinced I could tie a wool scarf in a knot around my neck just like all those intensely brooding Frenchmen.
Yet the scarf, which led to nary a brood, was a lot cheaper than the small checked sports jacket I purchased to replicate those somewhat nonbrooding Parisians who stroll along the boulevard with assured insouciance.
I, too, wanted to be insouciant. But by the time I found a reason to slip on the coat, I had moved on to my Panama hat phase and was deep into South American rakishness, which would have required an absurdly expensive white suit to make it all work together. (My incredibly tolerant wife nixed the white suit idea, along with hiring a brooding Frenchman to give me scarf tying lessons.)
Food, of course, is a constant "I can" problem. After reading a review of a restaurant in New York's Chinatown, I was salivating as the critic praised a dish with sea slugs. "I can eat that," I declared and the next day prepared to devour what I believed was going to be the porterhouse of Chinese food. Unfortunately, it was more like the Goodyear Tire of Chinese food. "You don't like it?" the waiter asked. "I don't either," he continued. "Old men in China eat it to restore their manliness."
I'm not sure what is going to be next on my "I can" adventures. Maybe buying a pair of running shoes to let me pretend I can run a marathon. Or purchasing a sailboat to get me over my fear of being in any waterborne vehicle other than an ocean liner the size of Nevada. Either way, I will be certain that, once again, "I can."
• Chuck Cohen writes from Mill Valley, Calif.


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Tag Archives: advertising
25 Best Commercials Ever
Posted on 06. Jun, 2009 by Vahe.
Simply the best and award-winning commercials from whole world.
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Optical Illusions in Advertising
Posted on 20. May, 2009 by Vahe.
Here's how the major brands of the world uses optical illusions in their advertisements.
ALARMA! High Risk of Dizziness.


text: THE ART OF THE ICON Event date: 5/07/2018 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM Export event THE ART OF THE ICON Thursdays 10am–12.30pm, 8 March to 8 November St Paschal College Franciscan Friary, 90 Albion Road, Box Hill Learn to paint icons in the traditional prayerful way. Led by Br Ignatius Hickson OFM, 'The art of the icon' will teach you how to prepare an icon as an act of prayer and contemplation, using traditional methods. The cost includes all materials required (except paint and brushes). The group will also learn about the meaning and functions of icons in the life of the Church. Br Ignatius donates his time to pass on what he has learned. Numbers are limited. To apply to join the course, please send your name, contact details and a paragraph about why you would like to be a prayerful participant in 'The art of the icon'. Cost: $140 for materials Applications: firstname.lastname@example.com or PO Box 79, Box Hill, VIC 3128 Details: Fr Joe McKay ofm on 9896 4400 Print 10511


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the flamingo does suck, the orleans is flavorless.
M is too far for me to really want to go, hell I 'll go to the
Crazy Buffet at Chyanne and Rainblow.
on the weekend , the Country club restraunt at the Wynn has a brunch buffet with a dixieland theme.
the food is truly encredible. all you can eat raw bar, gumbo, beef filet, prime rib, cheeses from all over the world, eggs any style, many fish dishes, the list goes on and on...
a dixieland quartet plays live music while you eat. the meal comes with bloody mary or champagne. we sit outside when its cooler and over look the waterfall on the golf course.
this cost 49.95 and i know thats alot for a meal. but if you can afford the 50 dollars , it is well worth it.
for less money the buffets at the mirage, TI, Paris, the wicked spoon at the cosmo, Aria are all fine
But take your girl to the Country club jazz brunch buffet. we stayed at the cosmo last month and never made it down to the wynn. I wish we had.
Red Rock Lunch was awesome. If you take in Red Rock Canyon, the Red Rock Buffet is a no brainer
Last year Gordie Brown came with a dinner buffet at the Nugget for under $40 (if memory serves me correctly). Gordie was pretty good, the buffet sucked
The Sunday Brunch at the Bellagio is arguably 'the' best in LV second to no one! the seafood buffet alone will blow first timers minds! nothing is comparable to this LV signature brunch buffet...one thing; the line, expect at least a half hour to 45 minutes waiting period to be seated, locals thrive on this traditional "Sunday Brunch" Las Vegas 'style' and make up 40% of the customers...
Best buffet if price don't matter: M Resort
Best buffet if price matters: Main Street Station
Don't care for Fitzgeralds, had them for lunch, very blah.
Orleans dinner buffet was blah also.
surprised no one mention sunday brunch at sterling bally......nothing compares.....$85 but wow
Delight in the finest brunch in Las Vegas, 25 years running. Start your Sunday with this exquisite brunch served in the rarefied setting of Bally's Steakhouse; voted Best Brunch by the Review Journal. Champagne, Sturgeon caviar and lobster mingle with freshly prepared sushi, omelets and beef tenderloin at our weekend classic that guarantees a diverse dining experience. Tempting desserts and time-appropriate drinks (mimosas, anyone?) round out the selections. If only all Sunday meals could taste this good.
it is unreal
Bellagio and Planet Hollywood are my favorites.


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Woman Has Strange Reaction to Live Televised Wedding Proposal [VIDEO]
'World News Now' makeup artist Tinayn Mahler gets the shock of her life when anchor Rob Nelson suddenly directs her attention to the camera for a "special surprise." But Mahler's stage fright nearly derails the whole event.
In fact, the poor woman looks positively terrified, and when her fiance appears and proposes, things only get worse. Eventually, Mahler sinks to her knees and begins to sob. Um, that's a happy reaction, right? We can't tell.
Watch the emotional proposal (and Mahler's response) below.
[ABC News]


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This is how I incorporated the skirt. Even Elfie has to accessorize. He turned into "Elfina" for a day!
Look at that little notepad & pencil! Guess who made that???? The hubs!
You can see just how little this is! I am obsessed with anything miniature!
Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, I made it out of clay....and when.....I'm stuck. I did have the Dreidel song playing on the smartboard. You can find anything on YouTube!
This was hysterical! I saw I had a message while they were in Gym...perfecto!
Hanging upside down on one of our pop-poms. I had a miniature notepad & a pencil made out of a toothpick with him.
Hey, first grader! What is the learning objective???? You better know it so the teacher doesn't get written up! I'm sorry but my students can't even say the word OBJECTIVE!
This is my whole class bucket filler bucket. I like to call the styrofoam peanuts "nuggets" because...well I love that word!
Elfie is hanging from the classroom beads...ha!
He was found playing around with the warm fuzzies quite a bit! He would take & give them too!
Elfie decided to hangout on the boggle board...tee hee!
Zip-lining across the classroom!
I have this easy button from Staples on my computer tower. After they pass an AR test they get to press the button....they love this! I put books all over the floor & signed in AR & was in the middle of a test when they walked in.
Elfie got into the boy indoor recess shelf. He had a dino fight with the creepy little man. Notice the familiar spectators??
Now he got into the girl indoor recess shelf & took a ride in the Barbie car.
He was found behind the lava lamp...it took them forever to find him! I wrote a note that said "Just chillaxin. Peace Out, Elfie."
Elfie filled a bucket!
This was fun! I had a busy body that is right next to this computer & she is the first one who spotted it!
Elfie was hanging onto the Grinch's back...they were on a scooter!!!! I told them he was trying to stop the Grinch from riding to the North Pole & telling on them.
I had the "Mexican Hat Dance" playing on the smartboard for this one....lol.
Elfie was multitasking in the Barbie kitchen. I left a note that he was trying to impress his new girlfriend & whipping up an elftastic meal.
This is our community crayon bin. I took the crayons out of the tub he is in & threw them everywhere!
The students found their jobs & pictures all turned upside down! Boy, did they giggle!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am looking foward to our elfcapades when I return! I hope I gave you some elftastic ideas to use in your classroom!


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How Can I Avoid Allergens?
Shower or bathe before bedtime to wash off pollen and other allergens in your hair and on your skin. Avoid going outside, especially on dry, windy days. Keep windows and doors shut, and use an air conditioner at home and in your car.
You can reduce the amount of mold in your home by removing house plants and by frequently cleaning shower curtains, bathroom windows, damp walls, areas with dry rot and indoor trash cans. Use a mix of water and chlorine bleach to kill mold. Open doors and windows and use fans to increase air movement and help prevent mold.
Don't carpet bathrooms or other damp rooms and use mold-proof paint instead of wallpaper. Reducing the humidity in your home to 50% or less can also help. You can control your home air quality by using a dehumidifier, keeping the temperature set at 70 degrees, and cleaning or replacing small-particle filters in your central air system.
Pet Dander
If your allergies are severe, you may need to give your pets away or at least keep them outside. Cat or dog dander often collects in house dust and takes 4 weeks or more to die down.
However, there are ways to reduce the amounts of pet dander in your home. Using allergen resistant bedding, bathing your pet frequently, and using an air filter can help reduce pet dander. Ask your veterinarian for other ways to reduce pet dander in your home.
Dust and Dust Mites
To reduce dust mites in your home, remove drapes, feather pillows, upholstered furniture, non-washable comforters, and soft toys. Replace carpets with linoleum or wood. Polished floors are best. Mop the floor often with a damp mop and wipe surfaces with a damp cloth. Vacuum regularly with a machine that has a high-efficiency particulate air filter.
Vacuum soft furniture and curtains as well as floors. Install an air cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate or electrostatic filter. Wash carpets and upholstery with special cleaners, such as benzyl benzoate or tannic acid spray. Wash all bedding in hot water (hotter than 130 F) every 7 to 10 days. Don't use mattress pads. Cover mattress and pillows with plastic covers. Lower the humidity in your home.


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The Big Apple Coaster & Arcade
Get your thrills on the world's first coaster to feature a 180-degree "heartline" twist and dive maneuver, providing more than 1.4 million riders with heart-stopping action and excitement each year.
The fun doesn't stop there! Enjoy the excitement of some of the latest video & arcade games, and attractions in The Big Apple Arcade.
Individual Tickets - $14.00
Scream Pass - $25.00
Includes: all day ride pass, $2.00 off 5x7 photo
Family Fun Flight for Four - $60.00
Includes Four individual ride tickets & 2 (two) 5x7 close up photos
Vegas Locals Receive $10 Admission*
The Roller Coaster Photo
After riding The Roller Coaster, get your own souvenir photo highlighting your own unique reaction to racing at speeds of 67 mph.
Weddings on The Coaster
Thinking about taking the plunge? Why not do it at 67 mph...Have your wedding ceremony at the most exhilarating venue.
More Information
For further details or to book your Roller Coaster wedding please call 702.740.6616
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Recipients 3 Years In A Row!
Open 8am - Midnight Daily
Sunday - Thursday
11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
10:30 a.m. - Midnight
Must be 54" to ride. Hours of operation are subject to weather conditions and other circumstances which may suspend service.


text: A convenient bucket holder for small pails of feed or water. Its size and weight make it handy to move from pen to pen or to take to shows. Made of sturdy 1/4" epoxy-coated rod, holder measures 7" deep with a 10" hole. Will hold a 2 or 3 gallon plastic or rubber bucket. Handle fits over fencing up to 2" wide. (Bucket is not included.)


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Product Description
Product Information
Full Commercial Grade Dual Adjustable Pulley (Functional Trainer) from Impulse Fitness. Twin weight stacks and adjustable pulley positions allow for a range of movement and training options, along with a exercise instructions on the machine frame for ease of use. Included in the pack are a range of cable attachments and a chin up bar that attaches on the top.
Ideal for any commercial gym or fitness club.
Additional Information
|Impulse Fitness
|1040 x 1500 x 2170mm (L x W x H)
|Maximum User Weight
|150 kg
|165 kg
|Weight Stack
|2 x 91 kg
|Warranty Type
|Commercial Warranty
|Commercial Warranty Details
|Structural Steel Framework - Lifetime
Rotary bearings, Weight Stacks, Pulleys, Guide Rods and Structural Moving parts - 2 years
Cable, Linear Bearings and Springs - 1 year
Upholstery, Hand-grips and all other parts - 6 months
Labour - 1 year only.
Delivery and Returns
We offer a range of delivery options, depending on the product you're buying and where you would like your order delivered. Find out more about our delivery options and returns policy below.
Standard Delivery
Please allow 3-5 business days for delivery. Standard delivery from £9.95 inc-VAT.
Free Delivery
Free UK mainland delivery is available on selected products only. Please allow at least 5-7 business days for delivery.
Note: For large or heavy items we currently offer a kerbside pallet drop only. For more details please call 0333 2000 750.
UK postcode exceptions: Free delivery is currently not available to the following postcodes beginning with: BT, KA27, KA28, FK18-FK21, HS1-HS9, IV1-IV63, PA20-PA88, PH17-PH50, KW1-KW17, PO30-PO41, ZE1, ZE2, ZE3, IM, IOM, JE and GY. Postcode exception areas include Scottish Highlands & Islands, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Northern Ireland.
Returns Policy: You have fourteen (14) days, from receipt of cancellable goods, to notify us if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item. For more information on our returns policy please click here.


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After months of rumors and changing plans, Pasadena's goddess baker Sumi Chang has quietly opened a new, larger offshoot of her Euro Pane Bakery & Café in the new building right across Colorado from the Paseo. It's not officially open until May 1, but you can stop by now for a coffee, a pastry and/or a loaf of bread; the breakfast and lunch dishes (yes, including that incredible egg salad) will start appearing in the coming days.
The heart of the space is a spectacular communal table made from a single slab of pecan wood; there are also plenty of smaller tables both inside and on the side patio. The high-ceilinged, light-filled space is a vast improvement over the original location (which is remaining open), however the parking seems trickier, although there's supposed to be validated parking for customers in the building.
The vast glass case is already stocked with the famed croissants, pains chocolats and sourdough boules; the offerings are also expanding to include more whole-grain breads, croissants and pizzas.
Don't bother looking for opening news on Euro Pane's website, because they don't have one. Chang is so cool that she doesn't need a site or a Twitter feed or even Facebook to keep her business thriving.
We'll report back when the kitchen is in full swing.
Euro Pane Bakery & Café
345 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (across from Paseo Colorado)


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Browsing M.A. Psychology by Subject "Interference (Perception)"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Age-related changes in ERPs associated with context-based and response-based interference (Brock University, 2005-11-04)Age-related differences in information processing have often been explained through deficits in older adults' ability to ignore irrelevant stimuli and suppress inappropriate responses through inhibitory control processes. ...


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PARIS — We saw a giant spinning globe at Chanel, heard live music by Antony and the Johnsons at Givenchy and snapped front-row pics everywhere of celebrities, including Jessica Chastain, Naomi Watts, Frank Ocean, Zoe Saldana, January Jones, Kourtney Kardashian, Kanye West and Cher.
Paris Fashion Week, which ended last Wednesday, was entertaining, whether designers presenting their ready-to-wear collections for fall-winter 2013 were dazzling with smoke effects or with an all-out assault of museum-worthy workmanship to remind us of what their ateliers can do, even if, in the end, nobody really dresses like that.
In the age of instant photos and tweets, this is what fashion has come to. Entertainment. Emotion. Seduction. No longer exclusive, it's a shared experience, whether you have a front-row seat at the show or you're on your computer or iPhone at home.
When it comes to designers, there's been change too. It's generational, with new names at the helm of nearly every major house trying to reinvent this international art form for the fast fashion crowd.
It's interesting to watch the different approaches. At Dior, Raf Simons is staying true to the couture tradition of the house but shaking things up with radical shapes, art world references and a major red carpet strategy. At Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane is emphasizing street cool over high design. Was the grunge fest he created for the season a giant middle finger to the fashion system, which expects its rarefied world to go on spinning forever as it always has? Perhaps. Or maybe Slimane is just being pragmatic about how much runway clothes really matter to a luxury brand's bottom line. (The answer is not much.)
Then there is American designer Alexander Wang, who showed his debut collection for Balenciaga. He has the best of both worlds: downtown cred and a new, uptown perch. His own namesake New York label, which epitomizes cool with relatively wallet-friendly prices, already gives him a built-in audience for this new venture. He can use the two labels, Alexander Wang and Balenciaga, to create his own high-low business model.
Runway reinvention wasn't the only take-away of the week. The clothes were pretty terrific too. And there were a number of themes that played out again and again. Among them:
The new femininity
The tomboy look was edged out by a new femininity seen in peaches-and-cream flared skirts and funnel-neck tops with jewelry incorporated into the collars at Celine, rose-print chiffon and lace gypsy maxi skirts and biker jackets at Givenchy and divine feather and pearl gowns at Alexander McQueen.
Tailoring loosens up
Men's-inspired tailoring was reshaped for women, most notably by Dries Van Noten, Stella McCartney and Sacai designer Chitose Abe, who played with pinstripes and plaids with the female form in mind.
Building a coat wardrobe
The days of having a single cold-weather coat are over — at least that's what designers want you to think. Coats were the novelty items of the season with biker, bomber, toggle, fur and plaid variations. Scattered with crystals, Louis Vuitton's plaid topper was so pretty, you might even want to wear it to bed, which is probably how artistic director Marc Jacobs envisioned it fitting into his boudoir theme.
Fuzzy wuzzy knits
Chunky crewneck sweaters, some embellished with feathers and fringe, were shown over pleated skirts and pants as an alternative to a jacket or blazer. One of the best was Chanel's cream knit sweater with giant knit "purls" at the neckline.
Black and white all over
The two-tone color trend started with the Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton spring collections, influenced by 1960s Pop and Op art, and it's continuing into fall. Only this time, it's less a nod to mod and more to elegant simplicity. One of the most stunning examples of the look was at Valentino: a simple black, long-sleeve A-line dress with white lace collar and cuffs.
Super-short story
In other circles, super-short and crazy sexy was the reigning look, as seen in Balmain's rock 'n' roll genie-themed collection, where bias-draped miniskirts were as small as a silk turban, and in Anthony Vaccarello's collection, where strips of chain mail snaked around black mini-dresses.
Ear cuffs rock
Forget crystal collars and cuff bracelets. The statement piece on the fall runways was the ear cuff, seen at Jean Paul Gaultier, Chloe and Dries Van Noten.
Fur flies
Fur on belts. Fur on bags. And, yes, even fur on a dress. Leave it to Celine's Phoebe Philo to follow up her fur-lined Birkenstock-like sandals for spring with a tulip-skirted dress made entirely of mink for fall.
Sensible shoes go stylish
Platforms and extreme heels, be gone. Instead, we saw metallic creepers at Damir Doma, lug-sole flats at Rochas, lug-sole loafers at Stella McCartney and lug-sole boots at Miu Miu. At least when you do step into fall, it will be with feet firmly planted.


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No life without Ethan
Pro-life Reality | Single and alone, Megan Dancisak chose to raise her son, relying on support from her church community
by Angela Lu Fulton
Posted 8/19/13, 11:10 am
Television "reality shows" are often heavily scripted. Our goal at WORLD is to describe real reality. We want to show readers actual life in the world that God made and man often messes up. We celebrate resilience in the face of difficulty and creativity that glorifies our Creator.
This week, we're starting something new in WORLD history: We're beginning two reality shows, and they're real reality. Today you can read about Megan Dancisak, 26, and her 16-month-old son Ethan. She has the pleasure of raising him, and the hardship of doing so as a single mom. We don't know what will happen to her as time goes by, but our reporter will find out and update you each month.
We're also starting a second real reality show tomorrow. It will feature Nathanael and Christina Matanick, young filmmakers who 10 days ago won Best Film at the 168 Film Festival, earning a prize of up to $1 million to make a feature-length film through Echolight Studios. We'll follow them as they work on their movie: God knows how it will turn out. They and we don't. Let's watch together, month by month. —Marvin Olasky
Golden-haired Ethan Dancisak padded across the apartment in a printed T-shirt, a huge smile on his face. The 16-month-old had discovered a treasure trove—the kitchen trash can—and was fixated on retrieving a used straw. "No," his mother Megan said. Ethan turned to look, hand still outstretched, long eyelashes blinking.
Megan, 26, never expected herself to be here: Single, living in Los Angeles, and raising a child. But since the day Ethan was born, she would have it no other way: "How could I imagine life without Ethan?"
While most pro-life work focuses on women in crisis pregnancies and their decision to keep or abort the baby, fewer Christians seem involved with helping women after they decide to have the baby. Megan said once she had Ethan, life as she knew it really did end: She's had to shift her focus from her career plans, social life, and dating relationships to raising her son. Her paycheck from working part-time as a sales associate at T-Mobile now has to cover two people instead of one, and many months she doesn't have enough money to pay for rent, food, and diapers.
But with the help of her church community, she's starting to see a new life, one in which she needs to trust in God daily to provide as she learns about Him through her role as a mom.
Megan grew up in Chicago with her single mother, who cycled through dysfunctional relationships before getting married when Megan was 14. Her mother and stepdad moved to a nice area in Indiana and had two children together. But no matter how hard Megan tried to do well in school and fit into the new family, her mom largely ignored her.
So in college, Megan decided to try a new tactic to get attention—as the party girl: "I had so much hurt and pain and I didn't know how to do deal with it. As I became an adult, I did what the world does—numbing the pain with friendships, sex, and booze."
After college, things got worse: Her mother had a manic bipolar breakdown, her ex-boyfriend died in a car accident, and she continued trying to fill the void with men, antidepressants, and partying. One night, she decided to commit suicide. But all of a sudden she "felt like Jesus came down, I felt an overwhelming peace I had never felt in my life" and heard Him say, "I love you, you were created for more than this."
She started going to church and professed faith in Christ. She began dating a godly man she met at church and felt called to move to Los Angeles to pursue ministry. But once she arrived, her boyfriend broke up with her, leaving her stunned.
"I was so angry and confused about why God let that happen. … I asked 'Why?' for a year and a half," she said. In anger, she went back to her old habits of partying and sleeping around. One night she got drunk and had a one-night stand with an acquaintance. Afterwards at church she felt God calling her to stop drinking.
In the following months, Megan started feeling tired. She noticed her body changing and on a whim decided to buy a pregnancy test. It was positive. In disbelief, she took more tests and even went to the emergency room where a doctor confirmed the pregnancy. A nurse came in and slipped Megan a note with Romans 8:28 scrawled on it: "All things work together for the good of those who love God and who are called according to his purposes."
Later at her doctor's office, Megan started laughing and sobbing at the sight of the already 3-month-old baby inside her. The doctor asked her if she wanted to abort the child right away. Having seen the fully formed baby, Megan knew she couldn't abort, but she also knew she couldn't raise a child. All of a sudden, the overwhelming peace washed over her again. "I heard so loud the Lord give me two promises: He was with me, it wasn't a mistake, and that is your child. It will be hard but I'll never leave you." Megan said she didn't understand what would happen, but felt enough peace to walk out of the doctor's office without scheduling an abortion.
She was torn—she didn't feel mentally, emotionally, or financially able to take care of a baby. She knew the child would grow up never knowing his father like she did, and she feared he would resent her for it. But she also didn't feel at peace with placing him for adoption, especially as she started bonding with him.
She joined a community group at a local church, Reality LA, where she was surprised to find that "the community instead of backing down, stood up and surrounded Ethan and I by praying, serving, and loving us."
Her biggest fear was being alone in the delivery room. But when the time came last April, her mentor and small group friends stood by her side. Outside the door, 20 girls waited, many having seen Megan come full term. When doctors placed baby Ethan in her arms, she was mesmerized: "Now you're holding this little life, you finally get to see the soulmate you had inside you. … It's pretty cool in nine months I had a change of heart from 'What am I going to do?' to 'How can I live life without Ethan?'"
In the 16 months since then, Megan said it's been a series of daily journeys, some dark days, some joyous days. She still struggles with depression and shame. Even seeing Ethan reminds her of her sin, yet she's seeing how God has redeemed even the moments she lashed out at Him. Somedays it's a lonely burden not having anyone to share the responsibilities of being a parent, and she has to go into work even when she would rather stay home with Ethan. While she has some help from WIC, she makes too much money to get welfare, but often doesn't have the money to cover bills.
But through times like that, Megan's seen God's provision. Community group members pitch in to help with babysitting, donate baby items, and help pay for groceries. Recently when she had car trouble, a random parishioner came up to her after church and gave her a $100 bill. Later that day, the car shop told her they could fix the car for exactly $100.
The greatest joy for Megan is watching Ethan grow up. She says Ethan's brought her a lot of love she's never experienced. And by parenting, she understands more about God and His love for her, His wisdom in discipline. As Ethan excitedly embarks on new adventures at the park, at the zoo, or even in the kitchen, Megan is learning about child-like wonder.
When asked what churches can do to help single moms like her, Megan said they should seek Jesus: "Out of [Reality LA's] love for Jesus and what Jesus had done, they loved Ethan. Then out of their love for Ethan and I, they did everything they could for us."
Life as a single mom is often hard. We plan to follow, month-by-month on WORLDmag.com what happens to single mom Megan Dancisak and her son Ethan.
Angela Lu Fulton
Angela is a reporter for WORLD Magazine who lives and works in Taiwan. She enjoys cooking, reading, and storytelling. Follow Angela on Twitter @angela818.


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I'm in a silly mood, because I have waaaaay too much work to do and not enough time to do it, plus I just got my hardcover copies of RUSTY NAIL and they rock and I'm damn happy.
So it's time to goof off.
Here's the game. You have six sentences to add a section to a hardboiled detective story. Sex and violence are good. Funny is good.
Put your six sentences in the comments section. There doesn't have to be any continuity between sections, other than this:
1. The first main character is a Chicago private detective named Skip Fancy.
2. The action all takes place in Skip's office.
3. The second main character is a bombshell named Ilsa. She's trying to hire Skip for something.
Stick to the characters and the setting, but everything else is up for grabs. I'll start:
Skip Fancy was polishing his gun when someone knocked at the door. Normally, Skip liked knockers--they were two of his favorite things--but in this case knockers could only mean one thing; someone was at the door.
"I'm coming!" Skip said. Then he tucked his gun back into his pants and zipped up his fly.
He opened the door and inhaled sharply---so sharply he cut himself, right on that little dangly thing that hung in the back of his throat like a big pink upsidedown exclamation point. What was that little dangly thing called, and what the hell did it do anyway?
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
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Meet singles in South Wootton
You found us! Fantastic! Welcome to eHarmony's South Wootton, East Of England dating page. Now you're here there's no rush, take a look around. All the profiles you see on this page are eHarmony singles from around South Wootton who we're already helping to discover a more meaningful online dating experience.