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Find the Cheapest Homeowners Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Florida boat owners aren't required to buy insurance or obtain licenses in order to operate their boats. However, you will typically be required to obtain a boating safety identification card, register and title your boat with the state of Florida, and carry certain safety equipment onboard your vessel. Though boat insurance isn't mandated by Florida law, you may still be required to purchase a policy if you have a lien against the boat. We also recommend you consider coverage, given Florida's busy waterways, the state's hurricane and storm risk, and the high potential cost of damages.
- Boat Insurance in Florida
- Cost of Boat Insurance in Florida
- Do You Need a Boating License in Florida?
- Florida Boat Safety Equipment Laws
- Florida Boat Safety Equipment Laws
Boat Insurance in Florida
Boat insurance isn't mandatory in Florida, meaning it's not required by law to own or operate a vessel. However, if you took out a loan using your boat as collateral, the lender will typically require that you have insurance to cover damages to the boat. And Florida marinas often have boat insurance requirements, so you'll need to provide proof of liability coverage in case of injury or damages to others.
Even when it's not required, if you own a motorized boat in Florida, or one that costs over $1,000, we recommend you consider boat insurance. Many homeowners insurance policies offer limited coverage for boats and watercraft:
- Coverage for damages to the vessel is generally limited to around $1,000 and only applies to certain causes of damage.
- Your homeowners liability insurance may offer some assistance if you caused bodily injury or property damage to others, but there are often restrictions depending on the type of boat.
- Personal property that you bring on the boat may be covered if it's lost or damaged, but not if its use is exclusive to the boat.
A boat insurance policy can provide coverage for:
- Damages to the vessel or your personal property, which are subject to a deductible. Coverage is in place whether damage was sustained on the water or in a trailer.
- Liability coverage in case of damages to others.
- Medical payments coverage in case you, or a guest, sustain any injuries.
- Uninsured boat owners coverage, in case you're injured or your boat is damaged by another vessel that is not insured.
- Towing coverage in case you're stranded and need to be towed to a port.
While boat insurance policies will often cover a dinghy as part of your boat, you would need to purchase a separate personal watercraft (PWC) or jet ski insurance policy if you'd like coverage for one of these. In addition, every boat insurance policy is limited to a particular navigational territory, outside of which you would not be covered. So, for example, if you took your yacht from Florida to the Bahamas, your yacht insurance policy may not provide coverage unless you had already obtained an endorsement to extend your navigational territory.
Keep in mind that the boat insurance policies in Florida can either be for "named perils" or "all perils." An all-perils policy is more comprehensive, as it provides coverage if your boat is damaged due to any cause, except for those explicitly excluded in the policy. And you may be required to provide evidence of risk mitigation measures if you want a broader set of perils included in your coverage. For example, since Florida is prone to hurricanes, you may need to provide your insurer with a "hurricane plan" before they'll include wind coverage in your boat insurance policy.
Florida Boat Insurance Deductibles
Every policy has a physical damage deductible, which may be a percentage of your boat's value or a certain dollar value, such as $500. There may also be a separate deductible depending the type of boat you have. Sailboat insurance, for example, often has a separate deductible for the boat's mast.
As a boat owner in Florida, you'll also want to note if your boat insurance policy contains a hurricane or named-storm deductible. Due to Florida's hurricane and tropical storm risk, insurers often include a second named-storm deductible, which can be as high as 10% of your boat's value.
Cost of Boat Insurance in Florida
The quotes you'll receive for boat insurance depend on a variety of factors, such as:
- Your boat's value
- Where your boat is stored and its navigational territory
- The size of your boat and what type of marine vessel it is
- How often your boat is used and for what purposes
The cost of boat insurance in Florida is typically higher, as many boat owners use their boats year-round, as opposed to just certain seasons in colder climates. In addition, many boats are operated off the coast, as opposed to inland areas, which means boat insurance rates are higher. These areas are also more prone to hurricanes, so Florida insurers will typically offer higher quotes or policies with larger deductibles given the increased risk of storm damages.
How much you pay for boat insurance may also be impacted by whether you're a full-time resident of Florida or only spend a portion of the year in the state. Theft is more common in certain regions, such as South Florida, and owners that don't regularly use or monitor their boats can be considered to be higher-risk. And if there is an event, such as a hurricane or other cause of damage, boat insurance companies want to make sure you're available to move your vessel to a safer area or address the issue quickly.
In order to get cheaper boat insurance in Florida, there are a variety of methods you can consider to get the best quotes:
- You may want to consider a higher hull deductible, so long as it's an amount you can afford, as this will lower your rates.
- Adding an auxiliary motor to your sailboat for emergencies can often get you a discount on your boat insurance.
- If you're in the process of buying a boat, you may want to consider a newer vessel, as older boats often come with higher boat insurance rates.
- You can often get a discount on the cost of boat insurance by taking a boating safety course.
- If you don't intend to use your boat for several months of the year, letting your insurer know may mean cheaper boat insurance rates, as stored boats are often considered lower risk.
You may also see the option to get cheap boat insurance quotes by purchasing an actual cash value policy, as opposed to an agreed value policy, but we recommend you exercise caution before choosing this coverage. Actual cash value boat insurance policies offer some of the best boat insurance rates, but you'll receive a smaller payout in the event of a claim because there's a deduction for depreciation. So, for example, if you have owned a $100,000 boat for three years that was totaled in an accident, the insurer wouldn't pay you the entire cost of replacing the boat. If the insurer applied a deduction for depreciation, such as 20%, you may only receive $80,000 in return.
Florida Boating Laws and Requirements
While insurance isn't required for boat owners in Florida, state law does include regulations with regard to operating and registering a vessel. If you intend to dock and use your boat in Florida, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the state's rules, as you will not only avoid fines but also comply with a number of requirements that improve your boat's safety.
Do You Need a Boating License in Florida?
You don't need a boating license to operate a boat in Florida. But the state law does require anyone born after 1988 to complete an approved boating safety course and have a boating safety education identification card if they want to operate a boat with 10 or more horsepower. The boating safety ID card can be obtained from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and is valid for life, so you won't need to get recertified.
There are certain exceptions to Florida's boater safety card requirement, such as if you're operating the boat on a private lake or can provide proof you just purchased the vessel. However, you'll need to pass the safety course and receive an ID card in most cases.
In order to operate a PWC or jet ski in Florida, you also don't need a license, and you would only need to have a boater safety card if you're under the age of 22 according to state law. And you're not allowed to operate a PWC or jet ski if you're under the age of 14.
Florida Boat Safety Equipment Laws
Florida's boat safety equipment requirements may vary based upon your boat's size and use, but the law typically requires:
- Fire extinguishers and backfire flame control
- Visual distress signals if you operate the boat on the ocean or in coastal waters
- A device that produces sound, to signal to other boats or in cases of distress, such as a horn
- A ventilation system
- Vessel lighting equipment
Florida boating law also requires you to carry at least one personal flotation device, such as a life jacket, per person on the boat. And if your boat is over 16 feet or longer, you will also need to have a throwable flotation device on hand.
If you have children under the age of 13 on your boat, and it's being operated on open waters, they must wear their life jackets at all times unless inside a cabin or below deck. And children age five or younger need to wear a life jacket at all times if your boat is less than 26 feet long. Personal flotation devices must meet the requirements set by the U.S. Coast Guard.
In order to ride a PWC or jet ski, Florida law requires that you wear an approved life jacket at all times. The same applies to anyone being towed behind a boat.
Florida Boat Registration Requirements & Fees
In order to operate a boat in Florida's public waters, it must be titled and registered with the state, which you have 30 days to do after you've purchased a boat. You can apply for a boat title and registration at a county tax collector or license plate agent office, and you have the option of applying for either a one-year or two-year registration. Once you've received your registration, Florida boating regulations require it to be kept on-board the boat during operation. You will also be provided with boat numbers and decals, which need to be affixed to your boat.Alabama Site Form Make Speak The Ids Here – Your Using Buy Fake License Online Words Best Of In
The only boats that don't have to be registered are those that have no motor and are under 16 feet in length, or those that will be exclusively used in private waters, such as lakes or ponds. Kayaks, rowing sculls and canoes also don't have to be registered in Florida.
To apply for a boat title in Florida, you simply need to complete an application and provide proof of ownership. For a new boat, proof of ownership can include the manufacturer's certificate of origin, an official statement of the boat's builder and the bill of sale from the dealer where you purchased the boat. If you bought a used boat, its existing title just needs to be signed by you, the buyer, and the previous owner that sold it to you. You'll also need to pay Florida's boat titling fees:
- $5.25 for an electronic title or $7.75 for a paper title. You may also have the option of receiving an expedited title, which is $11.
- $1 per existing lien on the boat to record these on the title.
- $4 if your boat was previously registered in another state.
Once a title has been issued, you can apply to register your vessel in Florida. You'll similarly need to submit an application with proof of ownership, such as a bill of sale or manufacturer's statement of origin. Florida's boat registration fees vary depending on its length, whether the boat is equipped with an an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), and the county you register the boat in. The following Florida counties charge an additional boat registration fee: Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Volusia.
|Boat Length
|Registration Fee
|Registration Fee (with EPIRB or PLB)
|County Fee (if applicable)
|Less than 12 feet
|12 to 16 feet
|16 to 26 feet
|26 to 40 feet
|40 to 65 feet
|65 to 110 feet
|110+ feet
Comments and Questions
Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, statements or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

subset: commoncrawl


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HAGUE, N.D. — The devil might be in the details, but in the Hague church, God is in the artwork. And artwork is everywhere.
St. Mary's Catholic Church has always been among North Dakota's most lovely churches with its soaring nave above a center aisle. Arching buttresses are beautifully stenciled and draw the eye upward where brilliant murals on the high ceiling tell the story of Mary, mother of Jesus.
It is as compelling to look upward as it is to look forward, where the high altar is flanked by famous Chicago-made Daprato statuary — winged angels, the Holy Family, timeless and gorgeous.
To this add Brian Henning, whose Italian great-grandfather was a skilled stone cutter and who is the fourth generation of what is now Henning Church and Historical Restoration, based in St. Paul, Minn.
Henning arrived at the church in July, prepared to do a relatively small job of repairing some water damage in the ceiling.
The project grew wings, as projects do when someone shows up with the right skills, tools in hand.
It wasn't long and Henning's scaffolding was scaled high enough to repaint the interior of the church in muted cream and tans. While he was up there, he cleaned and touched up murals and decorative stencils before painting in the new stenciling that his artists created to surround the stained glass windows.
Weeks turned into months, summer into fall, and it is only now that he is packing up his paints and brushes, his stencils and scaffolding and moving on to another Catholic church, this one in Lefor.
He will leave behind beauty that survives the generations.
"I'm pretty proud of it. It looks like what people have said it looked like when it was originally built," Henning said. It dates to 1929, when the parish rebuilt after a fire.
As he painted and restored the artwork, his thoughts turned to the children of St. Mary's.
The murals illustrate stories to which they already know the words, he said.
There are not so many children to dream their way through Sunday Mass.
The Hague church is supported by an ever smaller aging parish and it will spend much more on this lengthy restoration than the small repair work planned.
The Rev. Jason Signalness said the church doesn't have much money to start and there won't be much left when the Henning bill is paid.
But money isn't everything. And, God provides.
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"Good church art raises the mind to God. Art leads you to prayer. I can sit for an hour in front of a stained glass window and contemplate the mystery," Signalness said.
It is no mystery — and a bit more of a miracle — how the statuary, the high altar and all of the gorgeous painting survived the tectonic shift of Vatican II, when Catholic churches moved away from Latin and artistic embellishments.
"There was a real shift to simplify the church and focus more on who we are and the Holy Eucharist. Vatican II never called for stripping art from churches, but those were complicated times," Signalness said.
He has heard stories of the parishioners trying to run the then-priest out of Hague during those turbulent years for the church.
Sally Schall came to church one recent morning to recite the rosary and attend morning Mass. A dozen people were scattered in pews built to hold 400.
Schall said she is happy with Henning's work. "It just looks fresh and rich. It looks very rich," she said.
Schall said she remembers the Vatican II era very well.
"They tore out the pulpit and then some of the church men said, 'No more.' The next thing was going to be the communion rail and they said, 'That's enough,'" she said.
Henning said his artists created stenciling in blue, gold leaf and muted red to surround the stained glass that had been painted over back in the '70s. He remembers his grandfather being asked to destroy statuary during those years and said it's wonderful that some churches held fast.
"Luckily, there were places like this that the parishioners were strong enough to stand up to the priest," he said. The Stations of the Cross statuary alone in the Hague church would cost $45,000 and is probably irreplaceable, he said.
"I've never seen anything like these, with power run into them (for luminaries)," he said.
Henning, 42, said he and his father have together restored nearly 1,000 churches, many of them in North Dakota.
"It's a pretty hard way to make a living. We've been lucky. In the last 10 years, we've been working steady, but before that we would do as few as two jobs a year," he said.
Their work speaks for itself and word spreads among the faithful. The Hennings were working at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mandan when the former priest at Hague heard of their work and recommended them to the parish.
He's enjoyed his time there, staying in a parishioner's "hunter house" and eating with the locals at the community-owned Hague Cafe. He admits he favors hamburgers over the daily German specials.
Each church has its own personality, but to Henning, St. Mary's is truly special.
"It stands out for the statuary and for the type of church it is, where it is and for the architecture. It has to be in the top five," Henning said.
"It really is amazing to have this church in the middle of nowhere," he said.
Reach reporter Lauren Donovan at 701-220-5511 or email@example.com.


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UPDATE: Much more here:
"I began with the feeling I didn't really want to do this but was open to the possibility that getting around the country would make me want to do it. That never happened," he said.(Pansies! Are we still talking like that? I thought, post-Macaca, no politician would ever use a slur word again.)
"People have always portrayed me as ambitious. I'm not ashamed of that.
"But I have never had a craving to be president of the United States. I used to say it when I was 5 or 7 years old. But I haven't really been saying it as an adult," said Feingold, who said he didn't rule out running in the future.
Feingold's thinking about the race crystallized in the last few weeks, he said. The Democratic takeover of Congress on Tuesday was a final factor because it added to the appeal of focusing entirely on his position in the Senate, he said....
"This may sound immodest, but I thought, 'I can do this. I can be the candidate, that rational, effective, presentable candidate for Democrats that would not be threatening, yet very progressive,' " Feingold said.
Feingold said he was not concerned about the personal scrutiny that comes with a presidential candidacy.
"I've been through three U.S. Senate campaigns. The people I've run against have not been pansies," said Feingold, referring to the aggressiveness of his opponents. "I feel like my life is an open book."
Anyway, I still want to hear the real story. Something to do with his position within the Senate?


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Whistler & Garibaldi Park in June Hiking Trails by Month
Average low and high valley temps in Whistler in June range from 9c to 21c(48f/70f)
June in Whistler is the first month of the year where you feel proper summer weather, and much like May, Whistler hiking trails are almost completely empty. This is of course due largely to the deep, lingering snow that makes the trails difficult and some requiring snowshoes to access. All the lower elevation hikes will be free of snow such as Cheakamus Lake, Ancient Cedars, Alexander Falls, Brandywine Falls, Nairn Falls, Train Wreck and much of the trails to Taylor Meadows and Garibaldi Lake.
Whistler Train Wreck is beautiful in June as the snow is long gone and the forest alive with colour. The first part of the train wreck is not train wreckage, but instead some amazing views of the Cheakamus River. This extraordinarily beautiful river crashes violently through here and various viewpoints can be found along the trail. After a few amazing viewpoints, the Cheakamus River forces you back towards the train tracks. Walk past this bend in the river by keeping well left of, off and away from the train tracks. The trail picks up again on the left and descends into the forest again. This is the stretch of forest that contains seven train wrecked cars strewn over one kilometre. Some perched at the edge of the Cheakamus River, others mangled against trees. It is amazing to see the impossibility of where they rest.. with huge trees all around. In the decades since they crashed and wrecked here, trees have grown all around.
often gets overlooked by hikers in Whistler. Certainly there are other groves of massive cedars found in other Whistler area hikes. If you hike the short 3k trail to Cheakamus Lake and you will marvel at the size, frequency and wonderful aroma of these massive and numerous giant cedars. The Wedgemount Lake trail also has some majestic cedars along the hike. You can even walk through an impressive grove of huge cedars on the Valley Trail at the north end of the Whistler Golf Club. None of them compare, however, to the hike. They are extraordinarily huge and some are estimated to be a thousand years old. Most of these giants stretch toward the sky, but some lay along the forest floor giving you an even closer grasp of their size. If you bring kids along, they will disappear into the endless, natural playground. The snow usually recedes beyond Ancient Cedars in May, making this an almost guaranteed, snow-free hike in June.
The hike to Russet Lake via Singing Pass is a good option in June. The trail is not too steep, though long. The trailhead is just a few hundred metres from the Whistler Gondola and runs in between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains on the Whistler side. After 3k you walk directly under the Peak to Peak gondola, as it passes far overhead. The trail continues steadily uphill through the deep forest, though very well marked trail which is used continuously in the winter by skiers doing the Spearhead Traverse. Snow will be encountered in June around half way up the trail so having snowshoes might be handy to avoid post holing at times. At 11k you reach the junction where you can turn right to hike Musical Bumps on Whistler (another 4k to the amazing summit), or turn left and reach Russet Lake and the beautiful little hut there (another 3k).
You could easily argue that late June is the best time of year to hike in Whistler. No crowds, not that there really ever is in Whistler, with the exception of the Garibaldi Lake area in the summer and on other Whistler trails the odd weekends. In June there are no bugs. An extraordinarily wonderful thing, as you will appreciate if you can contrast the lack of bugs in June with the swarms of flies and mosquitoes you can encounter in July and August. Not that the Whistler area trails are notorious for bugs. But once you hike in June and suddenly realize you've not seen one single irritating insect. Hiking in July and August take on a previously unnoticed annoyance with bugs. The third great reason June is great for hiking is the occasion to camp on snow, and yet not feel cold. As the snow in many places you will find to camp would have reached 5 metres deep in the winter, it takes considerable days of hot weather to melt it by July, so in late June you may still be putting up your tent on snow, though be hot enough to walk around shirtless and shoeless. What a great time of year to be outside in Whistler.
The difficult answer is when the snow is gone enough to hike comfortably without snowshoes in Whistler. The simple answer is usually late June, but in 2011 and 2017 that date was well into July due to the extraordinarily late accumulation of snow! The BC Parks website has fantastic and frequent trail updates with regards to snow levels. So for June, if you are motivated enough for a little extra exertion hiking in the snow, you will be rewarded with an unforgettable hiking experience. Helm Creek, Panorama Ridge, Black Tusk, Wedge Mountain are examples of these incredible places to try in June.
Wedgemount Lake itself is a magnificent destination for a day hike or spectacular overnight beneath the dazzling mountain peaks and stars. Many sleep under the stars on one of the many beautiful tent platforms that dot the landscape. Solidly built, wooden tent platforms are everywhere you look at Wedgemount Lake. Strategically positioned, these platforms manage to maintain an amazingly secluded feel despite their numbers. In all Wedgemount Lake has 20 of these tent areas. Most are wooden, but several down by the lake shore are gravel, yet every bit as nice. Keep in mind that you will encounter significant snow on the trail in June and often snow persists at Wedgemount Lake well into July. At a fast hiking pace you can reach Wedgemount Lake from the trailhead in just an hour and a half but at a leisurely or backpack laden pace you will likely take over two hours. The trail is well marked and well used. The steepness of the trail doesn't require any technical skill, however that last kilometre before the lake you will be scrambling on all fours quite a bit.
is a cute, meandering creek that winds its way from beyond Black Tusk, down the valley to the wonderful campground that takes its name. From the Helm Creek Campground it descends further along the Helm Creek Trail, until it joins the Cheakamus River not far from where it leaves Cheakamus Lake. The location of Helm Creek Campground is pretty amazing for a variety of reasons. First it is just a great location. About halfway between Cheakamus Lake and Black Tusk it lays in some amazingly scenic areas. Beautiful, climbable mountains all around. Amazing fields of snow that run all the way to the base of Black Tusk well into July. Rivers, creeks and waterfalls everywhere you look from the idyllic campground. A large, grassy field ringed by trees and Helm Creek. What you always want from a campground is a convenient and clean water source and of course Helm Creek is both. Another aspect of a great campground is a variety of beautiful views and a serene setting and again Helm Creek has both of these. The campground is so widespread that even if the area becomes busy, you can still manage to not hear your neighbours.
Brandywine Meadows is a nice hike in a massive flower filled valley high up in the Callaghan Valley. In early June you will encounter quite a bit of snow, however, by late June the flowers should be appearing in the valley between patches of snow. Located 40 minutes south of Whistler, this tough and sometimes muddy trail gains a huge 550 metres of elevation in just 3k (trailhead to valley). The trailhead is tricky to find and involves a fairly long gravel road journey that is passable without a 4x4, but barely. Not that the road is potholed, which it is, but that it is at times very steep and strewn with loose boulders. is used mainly for snowmobiling in the winter months and the bumpy ex-logging road to the trailhead is in poor condition in the summer. The hike is consistently very steep for the first two kilometres. It is at times scenic though, despite being in very deep forest. The trail runs parallel to Brandywine Creek, which is steeply flowing, very loud and quite beautiful at various vantage points.
Panorama Ridge, an unbelievable 30k roundtrip hike that passes the flower filled Taylor Meadows Campground, Black Tusk and beautifully turquoise Garibaldi Lake and of course best done via these other sights over 2-4 days. Panorama Ridge is beautiful and challenging hike and the views from the ridge are unbelievable. Panorama Ridge is easily one of the most amazing hikes in Garibaldi Park. The 15 kilometre hike from the trailhead at Rubble Creek to Panorama Ridge takes you through beautiful and deep forests, across countless idyllic streams, through meadows filled with flowers, and past dozens of jaw dropping viewpoints. The amazing views start once you reach Taylor Meadows and get even more spectacular as the trail progresses.
Joffre Lakes is one of the best hikes in June as it's reliably free of snow, usually. The snow disappears faster from the trail there, and what snow remains is consistently packed down by skiers, snowshoers and hikers. To hike Joffre Lakes in June you just need good warm clothes, good waterproof shoes for the mud and snow patches and the foresight or luck to go on a sunny day. The lake is amazing in good weather so try your best to go on nice days. Lots of trail construction work happened in 2013 and even a new section of trail was built just before the third(Upper Joffre) lake. The third Joffre Lake ends in a U-shaped valley where you will find the far side of the lake towering with glaciers relentlessly crushing down on the lake. The sun fills the valley and the silence is wonderful. July brings quite a number of hikers and campers as well as the occasional tour bus. This is a testament to the beauty of the park, but also a warning that if you are looking for tranquility in July, you may have to venture beyond the third Joffre Lake or just simply avoid weekend hiking.
Cheakamus Lake is an easy, relaxing June hike in Garibaldi Park just a short, 16k drive from Whistler Village. The trail to the lake is in an amazing forest of giant cedars. Running along the beautiful Cheakamus River the hike is short and easy. The trail runs along the lake, passing some small, wonderful campsites, and very small beaches. The first 3k of the trail takes you along the beautiful Cheakamus River to the start of Cheakamus Lake and the first campsite area. There are 10 very nice and hidden tent pads on or near the lake shore. There is excellent water from several creeks in the area and a bear proof food hang as well as tidy outhouses here. Another 3k further on the trail takes you to some beautiful viewpoints on the ever increasingly majestic Cheakamus Lake trail.
The various hot springs around Whistler are great in June as the roads are all free of snow leading to them. Skookumchuck Hot Springs and Sloquet Hot Springs can be done on one trip as they are on the same road (2hrs for Skookumchuck and 3hrs for Sloquet from Whistler). Both have excellent campsites. Meager Creek Hot Springs is still technically closed due to the massive slide in 2010 but can be accessed by the adventurous by wading through the river. Keyhole Hot Springs is also for the adventurous as it's tricky to get to, but well worth the 1.5-2 hour drive from Whistler. Sloquet Hot Springs is a wonderfully wild set of shallow, man-made pools fed by a small, all natural, and very hot, waterfall. The pools stretch from the waterfall to the large and crashing Sloquet River. The large, spread out campsite for the hot springs lies a short 5 minute walk from the springs. You have to follow a dark and quickly descending trail toward the crashing river. As you near, you can smell the unusual, but kind of nice hot springs scent, and you see steam rising all around you, some steam rising, bizarrely, out of the grass clearing on the edge of the river. On your left a rising cliff, on your right the crashing river. The path narrows and steepens, leading to a large fallen tree which the trail seems to run to. So huge though as to not worry you walking the length of. Then, there it is. The massive fallen tree flanks it. Nestled between the tree and a cliff, in a large triangular area, with the river forming the third side are the Sloquet Hot Springs. Sloquet is quite a contrast to its neighbour to the south, Skookumchuck Hot Springs. Skookumchuck is shabby, institutionalized and far from natural. Sloquet is beautiful, natural and serene. It consists of seven pools formed with rocks positioned to segment pools out of what must have been one huge pool. Recently, in late 2013, dozens of volunteers did a massive cleanup of the pools, forming them into a more natural and even more beautiful place to be...
Beaches & Walking Trails from Whistler Village


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Looking at a tangled mass of network cables plugged into a crowded router doesn't yield much insight into the network traffic that runs through the hardware. Similarly, Lynn H. Matthias Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Barry Van Veen says that looking at the three pounds of interwoven neurons that make up the hardware of the human brain doesn't give the complete picture of the brain activity that supports human cognition and consciousness.
Working with multiple University of Wisconsin-Madison collaborators, Van Veen has applied signal analysis techniques to the electric or magnetic fields measured noninvasively at the scalp through electroencephalography (EEG) or magnetoencephalography (MEG) to develop methods for identifying network models of brain function—essentially, traffic patterns of neural activity present in the human brain. "It's analogous to coming up with a new microscope," says Van Veen.
Having a reliable traffic map of normal brain function provides a baseline for comparison for understanding how different disorders, substances and devices affect the brain. "Now that we've got the tool ready, the opportunities to try it out on scientifically interesting questions are really blossoming," says Van Veen.
For instance, network models may provide a better blueprint for how medical devices can interface with the brain. Van Veen recently began working with Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Justin Williams to apply his work toward making better brain-machine interfaces.
But the implications of network models go beyond engineering questions. The effect of alcohol on the brain just begs for network analysis, according to Van Veen. The network model could allow researchers to see precisely which parts of the brain are altered by alcohol consumption. It could provide insight into how short-term memory works, help explain the effects of schizophrenia and monitor treatment, help measure the depth and effectiveness of different types of anesthesia, and even help give insight into the brain activity that precedes—or prevents—a miraculous recovery from a coma. "We're developing this tool as a significant improvement over what people have had access to before," says Van Veen. "The possibilities for using it to study different aspects of brain function are nearly unlimited."
Mark Riechers


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Dec 2, 2019
Call for Applications for the Sixth Annual California Green Medal
Nov 22, 2019
California Wine Shines in Holiday Cocktails
Nov 20, 2019
California Wine 2019 Harvest Report
Nov 19, 2019
Wine Institute Announces New Director for California Wines Canada
Nov 5, 2019
Congressional Support for Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act Hits New Milestone
Oct 29, 2019
2019 Kincade Wildfire Comment
Oct 2, 2019
Wine Institute Opposes Retaliatory Tariffs on EU Wine
Sep 26, 2019
Wine Institute Welcomes the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement
Sep 23, 2019
Travel California Wine Country's Back Roads: Southern California Spotlight
Sep 10, 2019
Explore California Wine Country's Back Roads: Central Coast (South) Spotlight
Aug 26, 2019
Wine Institute Welcomes Progress in Japan Trade Talks
Aug 20, 2019
California Wine Month Kicks Off in September with Celebrations Across the State
Aug 8, 2019
California Vintners Gear Up for 2019 Harvest
Aug 7, 2019
Fifteen Wine Importers from the United Kingdom and Ireland to Visit California on First-Ever Buying Trip
Aug 2, 2019
Wine Institute Becomes a Major Supporter of The Institute of Masters of Wine
Jul 18, 2019
Travel California Wine Country's Back Roads This Summer: Central Coast (North) Spotlight
Jul 11, 2019
Rick Slomka, Director, Canada, to Retire from California Wine Institute
Jul 1, 2019
Travel California Wine Country's Back Roads This Summer: Inland Valleys Spotlight
Jun 24, 2019
California Wine Sales in U.S. Market Hit $40 Billion in 2018
Jun 20, 2019
New Consumer Research Presented at First U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Summit Shows Strong Interest in Sustainable Wine
Jun 12, 2019
Hank Wetzel of Alexander Valley Vineyards Elected Wine Institute Chairman 2019-2020
Jun 6, 2019
Bipartisan Majority of Representatives and Senators Back Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act
Jun 3, 2019
Travel California Wine Country's Back Roads This Summer: Sierra Foothills Spotlight
May 20, 2019
Summer Travel on California Wine Country Back Roads: Part 1, North Coast
May 16, 2019
Wine Institute's MarCom 2019 Explores the Future of Wine Marketing and Communications
May 13, 2019
California's 'Family-Friendly' Wineries Welcome Kids to Wine Country
May 13, 2019
Wine Institute Statement: Latest China Tariff Increase on U.S. Wine
May 2, 2019
Wine Institute Applauds New Congressional Wine Caucus Leadership
Apr 8, 2019
U.S. Wine Exports Total $1.46 Billion in 2018
Apr 4, 2019
Honore Comfort Named Wine Institute VP of International Marketing
Apr 2, 2019
Fifth Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards Recipients Announced
Mar 29, 2019
New Book: Wine Country Table
Mar 19, 2019
California Wines "Down To Earth Month" Kicks Off in April with Eco-Friendly Events Across the State
Mar 5, 2019
New Wine Institute Video Series Spotlights "California Wines: UNRESERVED"
Feb 28, 2019
Millennial Vintners to Watch in 2019
Feb 13, 2019
Wine Institute Applauds Reintroduction of Craft Beverage Bill
Feb 6, 2019
Senators Wyden and Blunt Reintroduce Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act
Jan 29, 2019
CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE 2018 Report Released by CSWA Highlights Continued Growth and Adoption
Jan 14, 2019
Sommeliers Offer California Wine and Food Pairing Tips During Restaurant Month
Jan 7, 2019
Wine Institute Donates Archive to UC Davis
Dec 7, 2018
Wine Institute Launches Mobile Version of DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com
Dec 4, 2018
Wine Institute and Compli Launch Wholesale Rules Compliance Portal
Nov 19, 2018
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) Receives Drinks Business 2018 Green Award
Nov 12, 2018
Fifty Masters of Wine Tour California Regions & Wines: A Photo Review
Nov 5, 2018
Applications Open For Fifth Annual California Green Medal Awards
Oct 30, 2018
California Wine 2018 Harvest Report
Oct 1, 2018
Wine Institute Applauds Market Access Gains Made in U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Sep 19, 2018
Wine Institute Statement: Additional China Tariff Increase on U.S. Wine
Sep 13, 2018
Fifty Masters of Wine Headed to California this Fall
Sep 12, 2018
U.S. Wine Exports to China, 90% from California, Up 14% in 2018
Aug 23, 2018
California Wine Month Events Make September the Time to Visit Wine Country
Jul 30, 2018
Experts Confirm There Are No Concerns About California Wines Due to Fukushima
Jun 14, 2018
Chris Indelicato of Delicato Family Vineyards Elected Wine Institute Chairman 2018-2019
May 25, 2018
Wine Institute Commends U.S. Government's Efforts to Improve Market Access in Canada
May 23, 2018
California Wine Sales in U.S. Market Hit $35.2 Billion in 2017
May 17, 2018
TTB Extends and Expands Alternate Procedure for Claiming New Federal Excise Tax Credit
May 3, 2018
Wine Institute's MarCom 2018 Presents Trends on Influencer & Digital Marketing Communications for Wineries
Apr 5, 2018
Wine Institute Statement: China Tariff Increase on U.S. Wine
Mar 29, 2018
Winners Announced for Fourth Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Mar 27, 2018
Celebrate "Down To Earth Month" in April with California Wine Events
Mar 23, 2018
Wine Institute Urges Resolution to Escalating Trade Dispute
Mar 19, 2018
U.S. Wine Exports Total $1.53 Billion in 2017
Mar 8, 2018
Wine Institute and Compli Launch New DTC Compliance Website
Feb 20, 2018
BMI and Wine Institute Partner on New Music Licensing Discount Program
Jan 25, 2018
First Annual CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE Report Released by California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Highlights Growth and Adoption
Jan 12, 2018
TTB Issues Initial Guidance on Wine Excise Tax Reduction
Jan 11, 2018
Wine Institute Restructures Federal and International Advocacy Operations
Dec 20, 2017
Congress Passes First Wine Excise Tax Reduction in 80 Years
Dec 7, 2017
Fourth Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Dec 4, 2017
Senate Passes Wine Excise Tax Reduction
Nov 17, 2017
Media Update: Wildfires in Northern California
Nov 8, 2017
California Wine 2017 Harvest Report
Sep 21, 2017
Wine Institute Releases Results of New California Wine Tourism Survey
Sep 7, 2017
New Wine Institute Video Series Celebrates "California Wines: Behind the Glass"
Aug 21, 2017
Celebrate California Wine Month in September
Jul 17, 2017
Wine Institute to Host Sommeliers from Mexico for California Wines Tour & Master Classes
Jun 28, 2017
California Wineries Offer Top Wine and Food Experiences Year-Round
Jun 14, 2017
Steve Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Elected Wine Institute Chairman 2017-2018
Jun 8, 2017
Winery Concerts, Festivals, Picnics and More: Great Ways to Experience California Wine Country this Summer
Jun 1, 2017
Wine Institute's International California Wines Summit: A Photo Review of the Program for Top Trade and Media
May 8, 2017
500 Wines, 200 Vintners, 50 AVAs: Wine Institute's California Wines International Summit Convenes Top Wine Trade and Media
May 1, 2017
2016 California Wine Sales in U.S. Hit New Record: 238 Million Cases with Retail Value of $34.1 Billion
Apr 6, 2017
Third Annual California Green Medal Awards Announced: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Mar 27, 2017
Raise a Glass to "Green" California Wines During Down to Earth Month in April
Mar 9, 2017
Explore California's Wine Regions on the Rise
Feb 15, 2017
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Regulations Apply to Wineries
Feb 14, 2017
California Wine Exports Reach Record $1.62 Billion in 2016
Feb 13, 2017
California Wine Economic Impact Website Launched
Jan 26, 2017
New CSWA Research Shows Sustainability a Growing Factor in Wine Trade Purchasing
Jan 18, 2017
Wine Institute Applauds United States' WTO Challenge to British Columbia Wine Program
Jan 5, 2017
Explore Southern California on a California Wines Road Trip
Dec 14, 2016
Explore the Inland Valleys on a California Wines Road Trip
Nov 28, 2016
Wine Institute Statement on British Columbia Wine in Grocery Stores
Nov 21, 2016
Steve Lohr Elected Board Chairman of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
Nov 18, 2016
Third Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Nov 15, 2016
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) Receives Drinks Business 2016 Green Award
Nov 4, 2016
California Wine Institute Names New Trade, Public Relations and Event Representation for the United Kingdom
Nov 1, 2016
Explore Monterey County on a California Wines Road Trip
Oct 19, 2016
Asia-Pacific Regulators Meet to Grow International Wine Trade
Oct 19, 2016
2016 California Wine Harvest Report
Oct 12, 2016
Explore Paso Robles & San Luis Obispo on a California Wines Road Trip
Sep 30, 2016
Wine Institute California Wines Summit Presents Top Trends to Key San Francisco Area Trade and Media
Sep 27, 2016
Explore Santa Barbara County on a California Wines Road Trip
Sep 20, 2016
Mike Falasco to Retire; Tim Schmelzer to Succeed as Wine Institute VP, California State Relations
Aug 18, 2016
Cheers to California Wine Month this September
Aug 4, 2016
2015 Annual Economic Impact Grows to $57.6 Billion in California, $114.1 Billion in U.S.
Jul 8, 2016
2015 California Wine Sales in U.S. Hit $31.9 Billion Retail Value
Jun 28, 2016
Explore Santa Cruz Mountains on a California Wines Road Trip
Jun 17, 2016
Margie Healy of F. Korbel and Bros. Elected Wine Institute 2016-2017 Board Chairman
Jun 9, 2016
Pennsylvania Governor Signs Law Allowing DTC Wine Shipping
Jun 2, 2016
California Wine Country and National Parks Centennial: The Perfect Summer Travel Pairing
May 23, 2016
Evolution of California Wines Highlighted at Vinexpo Hong Kong
May 19, 2016
Explore Livermore on a California Wines Road Trip
May 16, 2016
Wine Institute Honors Congressmen Ken Calvert and Jim Costa with Leadership Award
Apr 21, 2016
Second Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards Announced
Apr 1, 2016
Wine Institute Applauds Arizona Passage of Expanded Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Bill
Mar 24, 2016
Celebrate California Sustainable Winegrowing During Down to Earth Month in April
Mar 15, 2016
Explore the Sierra Foothills on a California Wines Road Trip
Feb 25, 2016
California Wine Exports Set Record in 2015: Worldwide Demand Grows, Despite Strong Dollar
Feb 16, 2016
Explore Lodi on a California Wines Road Trip
Feb 12, 2016
Distilled Spirits Council & Wine Institute Statement on TTB Kroger Letter
Jan 27, 2016
CSWA 2015 Report Shows Wide Adoption of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices in California
Jan 20, 2016
Explore Lake County on a California Wines Road Trip
Dec 18, 2015
Wine Institute Commends Passage of Omnibus Bill: COOL Repeal and TTB Funding Increase Will Benefit Wineries
Dec 16, 2015
Wine Institute Applauds Inclusion of COOL Repeal in Omnibus Funding Bill and Urges its Immediate Passage
Dec 8, 2015
Tracy Genesen Named Wine Institute Vice President and General Counsel
Dec 7, 2015
Wine Institute Urges Congress to Stop Devastating COOL Retaliation by Including Repeal in Omnibus Bill
Dec 3, 2015
Explore Napa Valley on a California Wines Road Trip
Dec 2, 2015
Wine Institute VP & General Counsel Wendell Lee to Retire After 35 Years of Service
Nov 16, 2015
Second Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Nov 12, 2015
Explore Sonoma County on a California Wines Road Trip
Oct 15, 2015
2015 California Winegrape Harvest: Early, Light and Exceptional Quality
Oct 13, 2015
Explore Mendocino County on a California Wines Road Trip
Oct 6, 2015
Wine Institute Supports Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement
Sep 21, 2015
#LakeCountyRising Fundraising Effort Launched for Those Affected by Valley Fire
Sep 2, 2015
Proposed Regulations Offer Guidance on IL Shipping Charges, May Help Resolve False Claims Act Legal Cases
Aug 24, 2015
Experience California Wine Month this September
Jun 24, 2015
U.S. Congress Passes Trade Promotion Authority
Jun 10, 2015
Wine Institute Calls on Senate to Take Action on House-Passed Bill to Prevent Canada and Mexico Retaliation
Jun 10, 2015
Greg Coleman of E. & J. Gallo Winery Elected Wine Institute 2015-2016 Board Chairman
Jun 4, 2015
Five Great California Wine and Food Road Trips
May 26, 2015
Sixty-Four California Wineries Lead Wine Institute's Latest Trade Mission to China and Hong Kong
May 19, 2015
2014 California Wine Sales Grow 4.4% by Volume and 6.7% by Value in the U.S.
May 18, 2015
Wine Institute Urges Congress to Act Now to Prevent COOL Retaliation and Damage to U.S. Wine Exports
May 13, 2015
U.S. Wines Reign Supreme in Canada as First in Table Wine Import Category
May 13, 2015
Wine Institute Showcases California Wines for Top Media and Trade from Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America
Apr 29, 2015
Wine Institute Urges Congress to Prevent Canadian Retaliatory Tariffs
Apr 23, 2015
Wine Institute Urges Wineries to Vote YES on Pierce's Disease Referendum Ballots: Deadline Extended to June 10
Apr 20, 2015
Wine Institute Statement on Trade Promotion Authority Legislation
Apr 15, 2015
Wine Institute Launches Sustainable Winegrowing Certificate Course
Apr 13, 2015
Winners Announced for First Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Apr 2, 2015
Raise a Glass to "Green" for California Wines Down to Earth Month
Mar 31, 2015
Wine Institute Fact Sheet on Arsenic
Mar 19, 2015
Wine Institute Statement on Possible Arsenic Litigation
Feb 25, 2015
California Wines Fuel $1.49 Billion in U.S. Wine Exports in 2014
Feb 19, 2015
South Dakota Governor Signs Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Bill into Law
Jan 22, 2015
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) Receives Governor's Top Environmental Award
Jan 14, 2015
California Wine Export Program Annual Seminar Jan. 27, 2015
Jan 8, 2015
Great Winter Wine Escapes in California Wine Country
Dec 2, 2014
"Down to Earth" California Wine Country Recipes for the Holidays
Dec 1, 2014
Wine Institute Statement on FDA Final Rule on Menu Labeling
Nov 17, 2014
First Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
Oct 30, 2014
Ten Great Places to Hike, Bike and Sip in California Wine Country
Oct 27, 2014
2014 California Winegrape Harvest: Earliest and Third in a String of Great Vintages this Decade
Sep 16, 2014
California Wines Website Available in Seven Languages for 10 Markets
Sep 2, 2014
World Wine Trade Group Agrees to "Tbilisi Statement" On International Wine Regulation Principles
Aug 25, 2014
Wine Institute Statement: South Napa Earthquake
Aug 22, 2014
New Discover California Wines Presentation Available
Aug 19, 2014
Cheers to the 10th Annual California Wine Month: September 2014
Aug 1, 2014
Wine Institute Joins Governor Brown's Mexico Trade Mission
Jul 11, 2014
Massachusetts Reconciles Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Law: Discrimination and Aggregate Quantity Limit Removed
Jun 16, 2014
Carolyn Wente of Wente Family Estates Elected Wine Institute Board Chairman 2014-2015
May 20, 2014
Winery Concerts in California this Summer
May 14, 2014
California Wine Delegations Travel to China and Vinexpo Asia-Pacific in Hong Kong
May 7, 2014
Wine Institute Receives Drinks Business 2014 Green Award
Apr 29, 2014
Four Great California Wine Country Recipes for Mother's Day
Apr 24, 2014
California Wine Sales Grow 3% by Volume and 5% by Value in the U.S. in 2013
Apr 17, 2014
CSWA Newsletter: The Benefits of Self-Assessment
Apr 2, 2014
Wine Institute Publishes Down To Earth: A New Book on California Sustainable Winegrowing
Mar 25, 2014
California Wines Get "Down to Earth" this April
Mar 5, 2014
Free Sustainability Workshops Offered by the CSWA
Feb 26, 2014
California Wine Exports Reach All-Time High in 2013
Feb 12, 2014
California Wine and the Oscars
Feb 4, 2014
Farm Bill Advances to President for Signature
Jan 13, 2014
Sommeliers Recommend Perfect Wine Pairings for California Restaurant Month
Nov 21, 2013
Celebrate the Holidays in California Wine Country
Nov 18, 2013
2013 California Winegrape Harvest Report
Nov 14, 2013
Asia-Pacific Nations Meet to Develop Wine Trade
Nov 11, 2013
Five Great California Wine and Snow Country Road Trips
Oct 31, 2013
Wine Institute to Feature Sixty California Wineries at First ProWine China Trade Show
Oct 9, 2013
Wine Institute Showcases California Wines for Top Media/Trade from Canada, Europe and Asia
Oct 1, 2013
CSWA Newsletter: Communicating Sustainability to Consumers and Trade
Aug 27, 2013
California Wine Month: A Great Reason to Visit Wine Country This September
Aug 12, 2013
California's Wine, Waves and Surfing Winemakers: Pacific Ocean's Allure Inspires Winemakers and Wine Lovers
Jul 19, 2013
CSWA Introduces Online Tool to Measure Vineyard Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Jun 14, 2013
Chris Fehrnstrom of Constellation Brands, Inc. Elected 2013-2014 Wine Institute Board Chairman
May 30, 2013
9th Annual California Wine Month Takes Place September 1-30, 2013
May 10, 2013
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) Receives Drinks Business 2013 Green Award
May 7, 2013
New Research on Sustainability's Impact on Wine Buying Decisions
May 6, 2013
Three Great Ways to Celebrate Moms on Mother's Day and Beyond in California Wine Country
Apr 9, 2013
California Wines Get a Boost from Governor Brown's China Trade Mission
Apr 8, 2013
2012 Wine Sales in U.S. Reach New Record: Record California Winegrape Crop to Meet Surging Demand
Apr 2, 2013
New California Wines Green Tour Video Celebrates Down to Earth Month in April
Mar 25, 2013
Get "Down to Earth" with California Wines this April with Fun Events and Activities
Mar 20, 2013
Charles Jefferson and Linda Ulrich Join Wine Institute as Vice Presidents of Federal Relations
Mar 1, 2013
Wine Institute Applauds Selection of Rep. Duncan Hunter as Congressional Wine Caucus Co-Chair
Feb 21, 2013
2012 U.S. Wine Exports, 90 Percent from California, Reach Record High of $1.4 Billion
Feb 4, 2013
Enjoy the Perfect Pairing: Valentine's Day and California Wine Country
Jan 25, 2013
California Vintners Reach China Market with Virtual Wine Tasting
Jan 22, 2013
CSWA Releases 2012 Progress Report, Third Edition Sustainable Winegrowing Workbook
Jan 9, 2013
California Restaurant Month: A Great Time to Visit Wine Country
Dec 20, 2012
U.S. Extends Permanent Normal Trade Relations to Russia and Moldova: Russian Tariff on U.S. Wines to Be Reduced
Nov 14, 2012
"California Wines Food Tour" Video Celebrates Local Flavor
Nov 7, 2012
2012 California Wine Harvest Report: Ideal Growing Season Assures Outstanding 2012 Vintage
Oct 9, 2012
California Vintners Embark On Asia-China Trade Mission: Launch New Consumer Website For China
Sep 25, 2012
Governor Brown Signs into Law Sweepstakes and Contests Bill for Wine, Beer and Spirits Licensees
Aug 28, 2012
Raise A Glass to California Wine Month: September 2012
Aug 13, 2012
New Wine Country Road Trip Video Previews September California Wine Month 2012
Jul 18, 2012
California Wine Export Seminar July 24, 2012 to Feature China, Prowein and Global Wine Market Updates
Jun 14, 2012
8TH ANNUAL CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH TAKES PLACE SEPT. 1-30, 2012: Dozens of Special Wine Events and Immersion Experiences Offered
Jun 13, 2012
Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars Elected 2012-2013 Wine Institute Chairman: Officers and Board Directors Elected
Jun 6, 2012
CSWA Launches New Video Series on Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Winegrowing Case Studies
May 30, 2012
California Wine Country and National Parks: The Perfect Summer Travel Pairing
May 29, 2012
Largest-Ever California Winery Delegation Embarks on Hong Kong-China Trade Visit
Mar 26, 2012
California Wines Get "Down to Earth" with New April Celebration
Mar 22, 2012
2011 California Wine Shipments Within U.S. Reach All-Time High: U.S. Is World's Largest Wine Market
Mar 19, 2012
CSWA Introduces Performance Metrics to Help Growers and Vintners Measure Water and Energy Use
Feb 16, 2012
2011 U.S. Wine Exports, 90 Percent From California, Reach New Record Of $1.4 Billion
Jan 9, 2012
Winter Getaways to California Wine Country
Dec 16, 2011
2011 California Vintage: Light and Late to Lead to Elegant Wines
Dec 13, 2011
CSWA Newsletter: Performance Metrics Data to Determine Industry Averages
Dec 12, 2011
Lifestyle Release: Holiday Entertaining California Style
Dec 7, 2011
DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com Consumer Website Debuts New Lifestyle Content
Nov 1, 2011
California Wine and Other WWTG Countries Launch International Forum on Sustainable Wine Production
Oct 21, 2011
Mexico Lifts 20 Percent Tariff on California Wine
Oct 13, 2011
Wine Institute Hails Passage of U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement: Pact will Increase California Wine Exports
Sep 21, 2011
Asia-Pacific Regulators Meet to Streamline Pacific Rim Wine Trade
Aug 31, 2011
Wine Institute and Trout Unlimited Applaud Passage of Water Rights Legislation
Aug 24, 2011
Governor Jerry Brown Proclaims September 2011 California Wine Month
Jul 8, 2011
Virtual California Wine Tasting is Latest Wine Institute Export Promotion for China
Jun 16, 2011
David Kent of the Wine Group Elected 2011-2012 Wine Institute Chairman
May 9, 2011
Wine Institute Honors Senator Dianne Feinstein with Annual Leadership Award
Mar 30, 2011
Lifestyle Release: Celebrate Mother's Day in California Wine Country
Mar 17, 2011
Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers Urge Congress to Reject the 'Community Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness' Act of 2011
Mar 15, 2011
Record High 2010 Wine Shipments Make U.S. the World's Largest Wine-Consuming Nation
Mar 9, 2011
Lifestyle Release: Escape to California Wine Country for Earth Day this April With Eco-friendly Events and Travel Deals
Feb 22, 2011
California Boosts 2010 U.S. Wine Exports to Record Year
Jan 27, 2011
Lifestyle Release: Escape to Romantic California Wine Country this Valentine's Day
Jan 20, 2011
California Wineries Celebrate 2011 Anniversaries
Jan 18, 2011
Wine Institute Launches New Global Branding Campaign
Nov 29, 2010
2010 California Harvest Report
Nov 16, 2010
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Receives California's Top Environmental Award
Sep 29, 2010
Wine Institute Makes a Strong Case to Reject H.R. 5034
Aug 25, 2010
Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims September 2010 California Wine Month
Jul 9, 2010
Defeat H.R. 5034. Stop the Wholesaler Monopoly Protection Bill
Jul 6, 2010
Wine Institute Names Tom LaFaille Director of International Trade Policy
Jun 25, 2010
New Research: Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping
Jun 11, 2010
Tom Klein of Rodney Strong Vineyards Elected 2010-2011 Wine Institute Chairman
Mar 12, 2010
2009 U.S. Wine Exports Are Down But Positive Fourth Quarter Gives Cause For Optimism
Jan 13, 2010
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Launches Third-Party Certification Program
Jan 13, 2010
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Launches Third-Party Certification Program
Jan 6, 2010
2009 California Wine Vintage is High in Quality and Quantity
Dec 1, 2009
New Generation Vintners and Growers Exchange Dialogue on California Wine Trends
Oct 15, 2009
New Study Reveals High Use of Environmentally-Friendly Practices in California Winegrape Vineyards
Sep 8, 2009
NEW VIDEO Highlights California Sustainable Winegrowing
Aug 27, 2009
Celebrate California Wine Month With September Winery Events
Aug 24, 2009
Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims September 2009 California Wine Month:
Jul 27, 2009
Lifestyle Release: California-Style Wine and Food
Jul 1, 2009
Lifestyle Release: Fascinating Facts About California Wine
Jun 11, 2009
Wine Institute Celebrates 75 Years
Jun 10, 2009
Ray Chadwick of Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines Elected 2009-2010 Wine Institute Chairman
May 26, 2009
Wine Institute Presents Leadership Award to Congressman Dennis Cardoza
Apr 16, 2009
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Highlights Progress in Energy Savings
Apr 8, 2009
2008 California Wine Shipments Hold Steady Amid Economic Downturn
Mar 31, 2009
New California Wine Varietals Quench America's Thirst For Diversity
Mar 11, 2009
CSWA Offers Free Grower Guide on Reducing Risk Through Sustainable Winegrowing
Mar 11, 2009
CSWA Offers Free Grower Guide on Reducing Risk Through Sustainable Winegrowing
Feb 25, 2009
U.S. Wine Exports Surpass $1 Billion in 2008
Feb 10, 2009
2008 California Harvest and Crush Report
Jan 26, 2009
Winter Is Reason to Visit California Wine Country
Dec 16, 2008
Free Sustainable Management of Winery Water and Associated Energy workshops offered
Oct 14, 2008
Linsey Simpson Gallagher to Join Wine Institute as Director of International Marketing
Oct 10, 2008
New DiscoverCaliforniaWine.com Web Site
Sep 2, 2008
Winery Events Abound This September for California Wine Month
Aug 21, 2008
Wine Institute Elects New Board of Directors
Jul 16, 2008
Comprehensive Guide Published on Sustainable Management of Winery Water and Associated Energy
Jul 16, 2008
Comprehensive Guide Published on Sustainable Management of Winery Water and Associated Energy
Jul 15, 2008
Wine Institute Appoints Allison Jordan Director of Environmental Affairs
Jul 9, 2008
Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims September 2008 California Wine Month
Jun 19, 2008
Margaret Duckhorn of Duckhorn Wine Company Elected 2008-09 Wine Institute Chairman
May 13, 2008
Wine Institute Presents Leadership Award to Congressman Sam Farr
Apr 22, 2008
Drink a Toast to a Healthy Planet
Mar 31, 2008
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH ECO-FRIENDLY CALIFORNIA WINE: 10 Reasons to Toast the Day with Sustainably-Grown California Wine
Jan 31, 2008
Wine Institute and CAWG to Collaborate on "California First" 2008 Campaign
Jan 30, 2008
California Travel & Tourism Commission and Wine Institute Launch National "Land of Wine and Food" Campaign
Jan 28, 2008
Wine Institute and International Partners to Release New Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Accounting Tool
Jan 28, 2008
Wine Institute and International Partners to Release New Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Accounting Tool
Jan 17, 2008
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance to Receive Grants from NFWF and DPR for Survey and Integrated Pest Management
Oct 12, 2007
USDA and CDFA Award Grants to the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance for Risk Management and Climate Change
Aug 21, 2007
California Travel & Tourism Commission and Wine Institute Form Historic Partnership to Promote Culinary Travel
Jul 9, 2007
USDA Awards $607,500 Conservation Grant to California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
Jul 8, 2007
Wine Institute Applauds USTR Challenge to India's Excessive Duties on U.S. Wines
Jun 13, 2007
Jasper Indelicato of Delicato Family Vineyards Elected 2007-08 Wine Institute Chairman
May 18, 2007
Wine Institute Presents First Annual Leadership Award to Congressmen Mike Thompson and George Radanovich
Apr 29, 2007
September is California Wine Month
Apr 3, 2007
California Wine: A Signature California Industry (PDF)
Mar 9, 2007
Wine Institute Applauds USTR Challenge to India's Excessive Duties on U.S. Wines
Jan 17, 2007
U.S. Wine, Grapes and Grape Products Contribute $162 Billion to Economy
Dec 7, 2006
California Sustainable Winegrowing Report Reflects Increased Adoption of "Green" Practices
Dec 7, 2006
California Sustainable Winegrowing Report Reflects Increased Adoption of "Green" Practices
Aug 10, 2006
Wine Institute Statement on WSWA Survey
Jun 14, 2006
Paul Dolan Elected Wine Institute Chairman
May 2, 2006
Governor Schwarzenegger Declares September California Wine Month
May 1, 2006
California Marks 150th Anniversary Of Gold Discovery
Jan 5, 2006
U.S. Wine Consumer Research
Nov 5, 2005
Free Workshops to Help California Wineries and Vineyards Conserve Energy and Save Money
Aug 24, 2005
Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims September "California Wine Celebration"
Jun 15, 2005
Eric P. Wente elected Wine Institute Chairman
May 16, 2005
Wine Institute Welcomes Supreme Court Decision
Mar 14, 2005
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Announces New Officers and Managing Director
Dec 3, 2004
Wine Institute Welcomes Supreme Court Review
Dec 2, 2004
Governor Schwarzenegger Gives Top Environmental Award to California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
Jun 22, 2004
Economic Importance of California Wine is $45.4 Billion to State
Oct 29, 2003
Wine Institute Statement on Direct Shipping
Oct 3, 2003
Wine Institute and CAWG Receive IPM Innovator Award
Jul 3, 2003
Wine Institute Applauds FTC Report on Direct Shipping
Jun 11, 2003
Wine Institute Announces Robert P. Koch as President and Chief Executive Officer
Feb 28, 2003
TTB Lifts Moratorium on Health-related Wine Labels
Jul 10, 2002
Minnesota: Proposed Amendments to Rules for Governing Liquor (PDF)
May 20, 2002
State Clarifies Regulations for Water Use in Wine Production (PDF)
Frequently Requested Documents
CA Wine Industry Profile (PDF)
California and U.S. Wine Sales
Wine Consumption in the U.S.
U.S. Wine Exports
Code of Advertising Standards
U.S. Dietary Guidelines
California Harvest Report
Direct Shipping News
Oct 18, 2017
DTC Shippers Not Required to Pay VA Litter Tax
Sep 26, 2017
Michigan Continues to Actively Enforce DTC Law
Jul 7, 2017
New Reporting Requirement in Maryland
Jul 7, 2017
New Information for Wineries Shipping to Louisiana Consumers
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Parents told not to panic about baby milk rationing
Parents are being urged not to panic after supermarkets introduced rationing on baby milk formula. The company which makes Cow and Gate and Aptamil is cracking down on people bulk buying milk powder to send to China where it can be sold for up to three times the price.
There's been a sharp increase in demand for western baby formula, since a health scare in the country. Claire McGlasson reports.


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Published at Tuesday, July 03rd, 2018 - 06:27:25 AM. Bedroom. By Geraldina Sauer.
Not sure about the difference between Baroque and Rococo? In short, Baroque refers to a period spanning from the 17th century until the beginning of the 18th century and is epitomized by Louis the XIVth and Versailles. It is opulent and a heavier style – more "serious." Rococo is often considered a subset of the Baroque era, sometimes even called late Baroque. It is typically lighter, more feminine and whimsical. Giving a bedroom a touch of Baroque or Rococo is easy to do. Personal preference will drive how much of the look is appropriate for you.
To give the room a sense of warmth and elegance, I suggest looking at lamps with a nice bronze finish. They are often what vintage and antique lamps are made out of. For the more modern rooms, I recommended looking for ceramic lamps (sometimes made out of ivory also) as they are more than perfect that style of bedroom. Asian-inspired lamps (e.g Chinese and Japanese) are quickly becoming popular styles as they provide a real sense of culture and history. These lamps consist of an inner steel frames that gives the lamp shade a distinct Asian-style look.
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The advancing 12 months affiance to be a battleground runmmo.com for football in New Zealand. The FIFA U-20 World Cup will be hosted by the country next year; the better all-around football clash yet captivated in the Land of the Continued White Cloud. Meanwhile, the civic aggregation assume to be ability a adapt beneath new civic drillmaster Anthony Hudson, who says he is rebuilding the ancillary for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ campaign. The apprehension of change even extend to the New Zealand FA area a new administrator and abstruse administrator are in place.
But, in abounding ways, it is a afloat club arena that is a key indicator to the bloom of the game. To that end, it is Wellington Phoenix who are the basic standard-bearer. The basic club attempt in Australia's ten-team A-League, and are New Zealand's – as able-bodied as Oceania's - alone able club. In that ambience there is a amount of added burden and focus on the club.
Under highly-respected Scottish-born Australian drillmaster Ernie Merrick the club are ambience their architect high. "Now is the time for this club to accomplish a statement," Merrick afresh told FIFA.com in advertence to division ten of the A-League which started endure weekend.
Platform for success
New Zealand accept enjoyed a attendance in Australia's civic alliance for 15 years, firstly through the abnormally monikered Auckland-based Football Kingz and then, in the aboriginal canicule of the A-League, via the New Zealand Knights. Success though, has abundantly been harder to appear by for the Kiwis. It took until 2010 afore Wellington Phoenix fabricated their aboriginal play-offs, acknowledgment in allotment to the talismanic qualities of drillmaster Ricki Herbert. The accomplishment advancing just a few months above-mentioned to the All Whites acclaimed best assuming at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Phoenix afresh the accomplishment over the afterward two seasons but accept been beneath acknowledged since.
This will be Merrick's additional division at the club and the amiable drillmaster says endure year was partly a bedding-down process, one area solid foundations were laid. "Now they absolutely accept how to play together, because they accept been calm so long," Merrick said of his side. "And we accept greater abyss too. Our aggregation play is absolutely good, our movement patterns are actual good. I just feel as admitting we're afar advanced of endure year."
There is a audible Spanish flavour at the club this division in the anatomy of Tenerife-raised Alejandro Rodriguez Gorrin and adolescent midfielder Albert Riera, who featured in two FIFA Club World Cups for bounded ancillary Auckland City. Costa Rica all-embracing Kenny Cunningham will afresh line-up, while Merrick believes he has brought a abstruse gem to the A-League in the appearance of Ajax artefact Roly Bonevacia. "Apparently he already gave the brawl away," quipped Merrick announcement his brand dry faculty of humour.
There are aswell several big-name New Zealand internationals apery the club; goalkeeper Glen Moss and ambiguous advanced Jeremy Brockie a part of them. Meanwhile, Louis Fenton and Alex Rufer, nephew of Oceania Player of the Century Wynton, are a part of the adolescent Kiwi brigade. Perhaps, a lot of cogent of all, is Fiji striker Roy Krishna who is set for his aboriginal abounding division of able football, accepting active a two-year accord during the off-season. The pacy Krishna, who denticulate for Auckland at endure year's FIFA Club World Cup, could prove to be a allegorical ablaze for added Pacific Islands' players adulatory to coin a able career in their own region.
The FIFA U-20 World Cup will be hosted by the country
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|Turkey is not in Europe
Fethullah Gulen's Missionary Charter Schools Coming under Increasing Scrutiny in the United States and around the World
Kurdishaspect.com - By Dr. Aland Mizell
Global Outreach
Gulenists' missionary schools are active from Afghanistan to the Sudan, from
Cambodia to France, and, in the US, from Texas to Alaska. Some people have
already started questioning the movement's motives, distorted truth, secretive
global agenda, as well as lack of accountability and transparency, so that the
movement itself is coming under increasing scrutiny. In the US many parents have become suspicious of a lack of transparency, false information about the mission of the schools, and adjusted reports on financial resources. In the global
arena, governments as well as many scholars and journalists suspect that the
schools have more that just education on their agenda, especially in Uzbekistan.
Some Central Asian countries' education authorities have ordered Gulen's
missionary schools to scrap the history of religion from their curriculum. Many
of his schools that operated under the Slim Corporation in Uzbekistan have been
closed due to their hidden agenda and falsified records because the Uzbek
government is highly suspicious of fundamentalism there. Another country that
has been concerned is Tajikistan; the government is worried that the schools
spread a brand of Pan Turkism in the vein of the Ottoman Empire. They fear that
Gülen's missionary schools are promoting the Ottomanist influence in their
country. However, so far only the Uzbek government has taken a firm stance
against Gulen's movement.
With clarity some authorities see behind the façade. The Uzbek government in
Tashkent has expressed its suspicion that Turkish school graduates have been
embedded in government offices and other crucial institutions and from there use
their positions to weaken the secular government as they did in Turkey. Under
President Islam Karimov, the Uzbek government has arrested some of the graduates from Gulenists' schools putting them in jails. When the government closed most of the schools in 1994-95, Gulenists were highly nervous because they were afraid this could be replicated in other Central Asian countries. Central Asia was integral to success for the Gülen movement to have economic and social power. When his followers immigrated to Central Asian countries, they considered themselves like the companions of Muhammad (sahabe, followers of Muhammad) going on their Hijrat (migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Yasrib). Such packaging works. By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, a leader can make people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as heaven. As masters of this strategy, Gulenists use the false propaganda that their teachers and schools are the best in the world; however, in reality they are not. Most of the teachers (many of whom did not have teaching certificates), principals, and dorm directors were not qualified, because they were kicked out of the Turkish military since it feared they would try to replace the secular system, or they graduated from theology schools but were unable to find jobs in the secular government in Turkey. Gulenists made the castaways move to Central Asian countries. Because of a lack of accountability since they were newly independent countries from the Soviet Union, these stan-countries did not have any way to check the schools to see if they were legitimate. If they could have assessed them properly, they would have found that most of the teachers, principals, and belletmen (dorm counselors) were subject to deportation back to Turkey, but Central Asian countries, except for the Uzbek government, did not vet them properly. However, a few of these countries became alarmed because Fethullah Gülen opened so many schools and universities, business companies, and language centers that the officials saw this as a massive invasion from Turkey. They are afraid now that Turks have been colonizing them since the Soviets left power and continue to do so today. The success of the program, however, resulted from the organization's selection of intelligent student, not because they were unrivaled in educational excellence. In addition, they knew that if they were successful in Turkey, they could use the model for a platform globally.
This past year further allegations against the schools raise questions about
their students' performance. In Turkey a Central National Examination, the KPSS,
is required for teacher appointments to public schools; more than 300 people got
a perfect score on 120 questions on the education science section, signaling a
problem with the security of the exam. The case went to court because many
people claimed Gulenists stole the answer key, a charge still under
investigation. Some wanted to close their schools, but the machinery somehow
managed to keep them going. However, last month Gulenists were given notice that they could not be successful in Uzbekistan when the Uzbek government finally decided to close the remaining school, the Tashkent Ulugbek International
School, which has been operating since 1995 under the Slim Corporation. Despite their concerted efforts to portray the Gulenist schools as superlative, some authorities are learning the truth. The Gülen movement, however, solicits famous people to speak on its behalf in advance of charges.
High Profile Personalities as Advocates
Using famous personalities to his advantage even then, in the early 1990s Gülen
was crafty in secretly sending the former Turkish president Turgut Özal to
Central Asia to befriend the head of states to ensure they would not fear the
schools and to claim that these schools were bridges between Turkey and Central Asian countries, indeed sharing a brotherhood. Of course, even President Turgut Özal was secretly affiliated with Gülen. He would not directly communicate with him, but rather had a middleman to deliver messages to his religious leader,
because Gülen knew he had been under surveillance by the Turkish secular
government and the military at that time. Another significant contribution that
President Özal made to legitimize and advance the movement came from his visit to Gülen missionary schools in Central Asia. If the president of Turkey visited
the schools, it meant that the presidents of the countries would visit the
schools as well, presenting themselves in support as a helping brother rather
than decrying the schools as a threat. Great liars are generally great
magicians as well, so movement activists, then as now, use others with high
profiles to propagate their work. As long as individuals do not take a stand
against Gülen or his cadre, criticize them, or object to their methods, these
personalities enhance the image of the movement and particularly of the schools.
The most dangerous untruth is distorted truth. Now they are using the same
tactic of enlisting glittering personalities in the West and in the US. They
lure academics, politicians, and some religious leaders who have nothing to
declare except their genuine ignorance to declare that Gülen schools are
first-class or that they are tolerant and respectful of others' views. The
organization gives conferences, inviting only the supporters and never the
detractors or those who criticize the movement. A quick perusal of any
conference proceedings will demonstrate that opponents are glaringly omitted
from the meetings. Why? The goal of Gulenists' propaganda is no longer to
transform public opinion but to arouse an active and secret global agenda.
Unfortunately, they lure advocates who unwittingly or ignorantly advance this
The greatest ignorance is to reject something when you know nothing about it.
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action. Amazingly, some self-
proclaimed scholars in the US, as well as politicians and businessmen, think the
Gülen movement is committed to promote tolerance and peace and do not accept that it has a goal to raise up another Ottoman Empire of Islamic States. The reason that many Americans have not heard about the Gülen movement is because the members move clandestinely. Their tactic is to open schools, build Turkish cultural houses, initiate interfaith dialogues, finance trips to Turkey, and
bring graduate students as well as businesses to the US, with only one purpose--
to promote Gulen's view of Islam which is to bring back a global Ottomanist
Islamic State. To be able to do that requires social, political, economical, and
military power, which is precisely what Gulenists are aiming for.
The Tenets of Gulenists
Three principles are very important for Gulenists; (1) keeping a secret (in
Turkish sir tutmak), (2) practicing prudence (tedbirli olmak), and (3) calling
upon the conspiracy theory (komplo). Every follower of Gülen must know these
three principles to succeed as a devotee. But, of course, Gulenists believe that
they are the chosen ones and that God is on their side, accounting further, in
their view, for their success. First, the leaders teach how to keep secrets and
not to tell the truth "anywhere or everywhere." Although also advocating
truth-telling, Islam justifies lying in certain contexts: to settle arguments,
to safeguard a life of either one's self or another Muslim, to defend one's
honor, to succeed in combat or jihad, or to spread Islam. To this later end,
Gülen says that his followers "have to know the truth, but do not have to tell
the truth anywhere or everywhere." Thus, lying and deception ("taqiyya") are
permissible and sometimes obligatory. Gülen teaches that "guarding a secret is
the same as guarding one's chastity. Those who keep a secret, whether their
personal one or a friend's, keep themselves chaste. Conversely, those who spread secrets damage their honor and reputation by leaving themselves unguarded. If a follower wants to tell someone a secret, he should be sure that he can trust the recipient with his honor. That person must be as meticulous about keeping the secret as about retaining his or her honor. An unreliable person, one who is ignorant of the value of chastity, should not be entrusted with keeping the
secret." How much do Gulenists tell politicians in the US or tell those who
have written articles or books praising his movement? Gülen continues
propagating these underlying propositions about the importance of keeping secret the details of his many important affairs because they can be protected only if they are undisclosed. Having studied secrecy, he knows the advantages. Often when the involved parties do not keep certain matters secret, no progress is achieved. In addition serious risk might confront those who are involved,
particularly if the matter concerns delicate issues of the entity's life and its
continuation. If a state cannot protect is secrets from its enemies, it cannot
develop. If any army reveals its strategy to its antagonist, it cannot attain
victory. If key workers are won over by the competitors, their employers cannot
succeed. The secret is the bearer's slave, but the bearer becomes its slave if
he discloses it. The necessity of secrecy is a tenet of the Gülen movement.
Gülen explains to his followers that they must never give away all of their
secrets. Those who freely publicized the secret of their hearts drag themselves
and their nation, or their organization, toward an inevitable downfall.
Secondly, prudence and safety measures are important resources for reaching the goal, according to the Gülen tenets. It is a serious error to be careless
because eventually recklessness might cause the individual to fail or to be
accused of indiscretions by others. Clever people envisage all possible
drawbacks and problems before determining a solution or a way to deal with them when they arise. As a traditional maxim expresses it, "It is better to catch a
burglar before he or she breaks in to your house." Gülen reasons that, like
many other bad habits, trying to manipulate the masses with deceitful
crowd-control techniques is a gift to us from abroad. "We reject such practices
because they remind us of a hen announcing loudly that it has laid an egg.
Instead we prefer the slow peaceful road even it if means a longer travail
affected by more sorrow" (Gülen, Pearl Wisdom). Gülen also believes that
premature acts could cost them dearly. Instead he teaches his devotees that if
they act prematurely without total power --social, political and military
might., the enemy could crush them down, and they will look like Pakistan,
Algeria, and other Muslim countries. That is why Gulen's second most important
principle is "tedbir" or prudence, in other words, being cautious.
Part of their prudence is dictated in outward appearance. They dress
fashionably, go to the parties, look secular, listen to secular music, and even
do not pray all the five daily prayers but only the farz. Retaining the farz is
important so as not to alienate their base, so that they can be accepted by the
community and slowly they can get power outside of it. They move wisely, slowly,
and cautiously, believing that they who run fast stumble. Avoiding conflict
guards against controversy, so that the organization never lets anyone speak
against it, but instead, uses the conspiracy theory to discredit the critic.
Thus, the third tactic is not letting people speak against the movement and
threatening to sue them if they do. A little homework will reveal that, for
example, in Turkey, the consequences for those who speak against Gulen and his movement often is a jail sentence. This charge, using the worn technique of
defaming the critic, has been constantly trotted out in Turkey. There, if a
brave individual denounces them, they label it slander and put him or her in
prison, but they cannot do that in the West. Even in the US, however, they
threaten to sue those who expose them. Now in the US a rising wave of criticism
of the charter schools receives the same treatment: threat of law suits,
expulsion of students or teachers, or labels of conspirators. If one group
charges the organization with tax evasion, the leaders cry conspiracy. If
another faction is alarmed at the presence of Turkish Islamic curricula and the
omission of historical content such as the holocaust, the charter school leaders
shout conspiracy. If yet another contingent marches for union options, they
hire the best union-busting attorney to break up "the plot."
The Danger
"The man who fights dragons too long, then becomes a dragon himself," Nietzsche claims. It is always good to fight for injustice, intolerance, hate, and
prejudice, but if the fighter does not apply the counterparts of those principles behind closed door but rather applies a hidden agenda until he accomplishes his goals, then he has become unjust, intolerant, and evil himself. It is often the case that the Gulenists use the same methods against their enemies that the enemies used to fight them. When an opponent stretches the truth, they will snap back. A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future. People no longer believe their games and that is the source of their trouble today. The Salt Lake Tribune published an article that first exposed Gulen's missionary charter schools and said, however, that principals of the charter schools denied any connection with Gülen, and that later parents of students in the schools became suspicious of their motives and lack of accountability, which led them to investigate the schools. However, when I started writing about Gulen's secret agenda and his activities in the US and around the world a couple of years ago, not one site or commenter knew of Gülen, especially in the US. One time I asked Robert Gates, since he was a former CIA agent, what he thought about Gulen's movement and Gülen. He replied that it seems they look like saints. Observers all see the mask but not the spirit behind them. Now when a searcher types "charter schools and Gülen," he will see a grass root movement asking to close the schools and not to renew the licenses because of their lack of professionalism and accountability, and their enigmatic agenda. Gülen knows that the danger of truth is coming to the schools and that is why he used some members of the Texas Senate to pass a resolution honoring him. However, no voice of opposition was heard from the other Senators in Austin. The Gulenists know that Americans are now pursuing the truth about them and are demanding transparency and disclosure of their hidden agenda. Now, they can think that it is not a danger to be affiliated with him, pointing to the
honor he received from the Texas legislature. Their goal is not to be honored
just in the State of Texas but in all the states of the US; soon other states
will follow. Because many Turks somehow believe that there are numerous enemies with power in the world and in their own society who play tricks in order to
weaken the organization (or the nation), they discredit the truth and move away
from it. Since the idea of conspiracies is embedded in the Turkish culture,
Gulenists very often charge the detractors of being in collusion whenever
something comes against them. However, to be successful in the West, they will
use the label of "Islamophobia" as a subset of their conspiracy theory. Anyone
who sounds the clarion call is labeled "an Islamophobe." Fear of being branded
that silences truth-tellers as they fall into the movement's trap. Yet, today
across the US many with courage and conviction are researching the missionary
charter schools and finding their raison d'être: arming the next generation with
a Turkish brand of Islam to rise up a new global Ottoman state.
The following is a brief list of some of the sites that raise concerns about the
Gülen movement in the US.


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All designs have been drawn and designed by Gabriela Elena and are original to the shop.
Gabriela Elena Designs ©


text:
With all the focus on Hurricane Isaac heading straight towards New Orleans, it's so different for me, now that I have actually visited New Orleans. I've walked those streets, seen those buildings and most importantly met some of those people. My prayers are with them during this time and the days to come.
As sort of a tribute to this city, I figured I'd finally do a post on our trip.
In June, Steven, Caleb, Asher and I drove to New Yorleans(as Caleb says it!) for the Southern Baptist Convention.
This convention was historic because Southern Baptists elected the first African American President, Fred Luter. He is a native of New Orleans and pastors Franklin Avenue Baptist. Their church was completely destroyed when Katrina hit and my heart is so concerned for them now. But I've heard his wife's testimony of how God raised the church after Katrina and I have no doubt He can do it again!
On the day of the election, the convention hall was absolutely packed, it was standing room only. You could feel the excitement in the air. Since the election was uncontested, the current President didn't want to take away the privilege from the delegates to actually cast their vote. So he asked the delegates in favor of Pastor Fred Luter to please raise their ballots in the air. The crowd not only raised their ballots but everyone stood and began cheering and clapping! It was something I won't soon forget. It still gives me chills as I type this over 2 months later.
As we were on the way out of the convention center that day, an older man took Steven by the arm and said, "let me tell you something young man." This stranger, with tears in his eyes said, "I was at this convention, in this very same city, back in the 60's. And if you would've told me on that day, what would be happening today, I would've told you you were crazy. But this is proof that God changes hearts." It was a priceless moment.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
New Orleans 2012
With all the focus on Hurricane Isaac heading straight towards New Orleans, it's so different for me, now that I have actually visited New Orleans. I've walked those streets, seen those buildings and most importantly met some of those people. My prayers are with them during this time and the days to come.
Thoughts from Cheryl at 3:46 PM 0 thoughts from Y*O*U
Monday, August 27, 2012
Ever since seeing the movie, UP, yelling "SQUIRREL" at random times has become something that we do in our family. Emma seems to have a knack for yelling it at just the right time. Well, the other day, the scene from this movie played out right before my very eyes!
We had been given a small table and some chairs for our 'classroom'. We were unloading them from the back of the truck and I asked Caleb and Asher to take a chair inside. Asher was slowly dragging his across the driveway and I was walking behind him carrying the other chairs. He's almost to the garage when he looks out into the yard and yells, "LOOK, A SQUIRREL!" He immediately drops the chair and runs off to catch the squirrel.
That boy!
Dougie wasn't home when this happened, so when I was retelling him the story, he asked, "do you teach him to be so funny?"
Nope, it's just comes natural, like a dog chasing a squirrel!
Thoughts from Cheryl at 4:01 PM 0 thoughts from Y*O*U
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
We've reached a milestone!
With school starting this year, our kids all hit a milestone. Emma started high school, Dougie started middle school and Caleb started Kindergarten. If you throw Asher in there as a preschooler, even though he's not actually going to a preschool, we have a child in every age department. Holy guacamole!
Love y'all dearly!
Thoughts from Cheryl at 5:16 PM 1 thoughts from Y*O*U
Labels: first day of school, homeschool