text:
38 North
· Do You Want Fries with That? Donald Trump Probably Won't Be Inviting Kim Jong Un Over for Cheeseburgers
Al Jazeera Center for Studies
· The U.S. JASTA (Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act): An Asset or a Liability for America Abroad?
American Enterprise Institute
· Special Operations Forces in the Gray Zone: An Operational Framework for Employing Special Operations Forces in the Space Between War and Peace
American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS)
· Transatlantic Relations in a Changing World Order: European and U.S. Responses to China's Rise in Africa
Amnesty International
Army Combined Arms Center
· Military Review, January-February 2017, v. 97, no. 1
o Against Bureaucracy
o Reducing the Size of Headquarters, Department of the Army: An After-Action Report
o Producing Strategic Value through Deliberate War Planning
o The Need for a Brigade Politics-and0Policy Staff Officer
o Expeditionary Land Power
o Cutting Our Feet to Fit the Shoes: An Analysis of Mission Command in the U.S. Army
o Complex Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield in Ukrainian Antiterrorism Operations
o Operational Surveillance and Reconnaissance Battalion
o From Riley to Baku: How an Opportunistic Unit Broke the Crucible
o Building Digital Lethality
o Sleep Banking: Improving Fighter Management
o Leadership Innovation in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and the Future of the Force
o Crating a Resource: Helping U.S. Army Central Establish a Historical Document Collection Program
o Writing: A Way to Maximize Returns on the Army's Investments in Education
Asia Centre
Asian Development Bank
· Open Windows, Closed Doors: Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Professional Services in the ASEAN Region
Atlantic Council
Australian Army
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)
Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB)
Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Booz Allen - Cyer4sight
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
· State Progress in Record Reporting for Firearm-Related Background Checks: Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence
Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
Center for Climate & Security
Center for Global Development
Center for International Policy
Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM)
Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS)
· #25 Outlawing State-Sponsored Nuclear Procurement Programs & Recovery of Misappopriated Nuclear Goods
Center for Security Policy (CSP)
· "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" Secret Deal Allows Company Tied to Saddam's Nuclear Bombmaker, Iran and U.A.E. to Manage Key Florida Port Facilities
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
· PacNet #94 - What Next for South Korea?
Center for Terrorism and Security Studies
· Perspectives on Terrorism, December 2016, v. 10, no. 6
o Jihadi Terrorism in Europe: The IS-Effect
o Criminal Pasts, Terrorist Futures: European Jihadists and the New Crime-Terror Nexus
o With a Little Help from my Friends: an Exploration of the Tactical Use of Single-Actor Terrorism by the Islamic State
o IS and the Jihadist Information Highway – Projecting Influence and Religious Identity via Telegram
o Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq and the Socio-Economic Environment They Faced at Home: A Comparison of European Countries
o Terrorism and Beyond: Exploring the Fallout of the European Foreign Fighter Phenomenon in Syria and Iraq
o The French "Iraqi Networks" of the 2000s: Matrix of the 2015 Terrorist Attacks?
o Plebeian Jihadism in Denmark: An Individualisation and Popularization Predating the Growth of the Islamic State
o Patterns of Involvement among Individuals Arrested for Islamic State-related Terrorist Activities in Spain, 2013-2016
o Jihadism in Norway: a Typology of Militant Networks in a Peripheral European Country
o Countering Violent Extremism with Governance Networks
o Why States Fail to Counter Foreign Fighter Mobilizations: The Role of Intelligence Services
o The Future of Jihadism in Europe: A Pessimistic View
o Bibliography: Islamist Terrorism in Europe
o Counterterrorism Bookshelf: 12 Books on Al-Qaida and ISIS-related Subjects
Center on Global Energy Policy
Centre for European Reform
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
· Letter from GEN Dunford to Senator Cruz regarding the Hague Tribunal Payment of $1.7 billion to Iran
Chatham House
Clingendael - Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Congress. House. Freedom Caucus [Congressman Mark Meadows]
Congress. House. Homeland Security Committee
· Reviewing the Department of Homeland Security's Intelligence Enterprise: Fighting Terrorism by Addressing Key Gaps
Congress. House. Judiciary and Energy and Commerce Committees
Congress. House. Oversight & Government Reform Committee
Congress. House. Permanent Committee on Intelligence
· Review of the Unauthorized Disclosures of Former National Security Agency Contractor Edward Snowden (declassified/redacted)
Congress. House. Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing
Congress. Senate. Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
· Four Years Later: The Federal Government's Support for Public Health Research on Gun Violence Since Sandy Hook
Congress. Senate. Senator John McCain
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
· Challenges in Estimating the Number of People With Nongroup Health Insurance Coverage Under Proposals for Refundable Tax Credits
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
· Guests or Trash: Iran's Precarious Policies Towards the Afghan Refugees in the Wake of Sanctions and Regional Wars
Department of Defense (DOD)
· Joint Statement for the Inaugural Meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group
Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG)
· DODIG-2017-033 Assessment of U.S. and Coalition Efforts to Train, Advise, Assist, and Equip the Kurdish Security Forces in Iraq
Department of State
· Remarks on the Middle East [Sec Kerry]
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
· Norway Country Analysis Brief - December 2016
European Policy Centre (EPC)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)
Foundation for International Development Study and Research (FERDI)
French Institute of International Relations (Institut Français des Relations Internationales)
Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces
German Council on Foreign Relations
· "Aid and Assistance by All Means in their Power" : The EU Mutual Assistance Clause as a Test Case for European Defense
· Beyond Closing Mosques and Shutting Down Facebook Pages: How Tunisia Can Address the Threat of Online and Offline Terrorist Recruitment
German Development Institute
· Comparing structure and Organisation of Development Bureaucracies in Europe: A Pilot Study of European aid Administrations
· Urban sewage in Brazil: drivers of and obstacles to Wastewater Teatment and Reuse. Governing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Series
German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
· Do Associations Support Authoritarian Rule? Tentative Answers from Algeria, Mozambique, and Vietnam
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
· Declining Resources: Selected Agencies Took Steps to Minimize Effects on Mission but Opportunities Exist for Additional Action. GAO-17-79
· Dodd-Frank Regulations: Agencies' Efforts to Analyze and Coordinate Their Recent Final Rules. GAO-17-188
· Homeless Veterans: Management Improvements Could Help VA Better Identify Supportive-Housing Projects. GAO-17-101
Government of China
Heritage Foundation
· National Academy of Sciences Report Indicates Amnesty for Unlawful Immigrants Would Cost Trillions of Dollars
· Reducing Federal Intervention in Education and Moving Toward Student-Centered Policies: 10 Steps for the Incoming Administration
Hudson Institute
Human Rights Watch
Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD)
Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses (IDSA)
Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA)
· Africa Watch, December 22, 2016
o Libya: The Weak Link in Migration Control
o Zimbabwe: Mugabe, 92, Selected to Run Again in 2018 Election
o Constitutional Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Institute for Science and International Security
· Heavy Water Loophole in the Iran Deal: A Priority is Ending Iran's Overproduction and Sale of Heavy Water
Institute for the Study of War
· The Campaign for Mosul: December 13-19, 2016
· Iraq Situation Report: December 7-20, 2016
· Russian Airstrikes in Syria: November 21 - December 19, 2016
· Syria Situation Report: December 15 - 22, 2016
Institute of International Affairs (Instituto Affari Internazionali)
· Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean
Institute of International Relations
Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS)
International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT)
International Crisis Group
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs
Italian Institute for International Political Studies (Istituto per gli studi di politica internazionale)
Jamestown Foundation
· China Brief, December 21, 2016, v. 16, no.19
o Carrier Operations on Display in the Bohai Gulf
o The Emergence of the Wang Qishan Faction
o The Strategic Support Force: Update and Overview
o Modernizing Military Intelligence: Playing Catchup (Part Two)
o Quantum Leap (Part 2): The Strategic Implications of Quantum Technologies
· Terrorism Monitor, December 15, 2016, v. 14, no. 24
o Islamic State in Yemen
o Foreign Fighters and Sectarian Strikes: Islamic State Makes Gains in 'Af-Pak' Region
o Why Are Egypt's Counter-Terrorism Efforts Failing in the Sinai Peninsula?
Joint Special Operations University (JSOU)
Lowy Institute for International Relations
Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
· Germany-Based Encrypted Messaging App Telegram Emerges As Jihadis' Preferred Communications Platform – Part V Of MEMRI Series: Encryption Technology Embraced By ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Other Jihadis – September 2015-September 2016: Section 2 – MEMRI Research Documents Jihadi Use Of Telegram
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Military Cyber Professionals Association
· Military Cyber Affairs, 2016, v. 2, no. 1
o Military Cyber Professionals Have an Important Part to Play in the Obama-Trump Transition
o Leveraging Lexical Link Analysis (LLA) To Discover New Knowledge
o A Case for Deception in the Defense
o People's War in Cyberspace: Using China's Civilian Economy in the Information Domain
o Evaluating Machine Learning Classifiers for Defensive Cyber Operations
National Academies Press
· Improving Collection of Indicators of Criminal Justice System Involvement in Population Health Data Programs: Proceedings of a Workshop
National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
· Demystifying Gray Zone Conflict: A Typology of Conflict Dyads and Instruments of Power in Colombia, 2002-present
National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC)
National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces
· Canadian Military Journal, 2016, v. 17, no. 1
o Core Competencies and the Army: A Complex yet Potentially Rewarding Relationship
o From an International Strategy to Tactical Actions: How Canada Could Run Campaigns
o Simple Changes, Strategic Gain: The Case for Personnel Recovery in Canada
o Reflections of a Liaison Officer
o Canadian Infantry in North Africa, January–May 1943
o The Missiles of Anadyr: Soviet Cold War Plans That Could Have Included the Destruction of RCAF Station Comox, 1962–1969
o 150 Years of Military History in Downtown Montreal
o Poland's Choice for Patriot
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
· SP 800-184 -- Guide for Cybersecurity Event Recovery
National Security Archive
NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence
· Hedgehog in the Fog: Creating and Detecting IPv6 Transition Mechanism-Based Information Exfiltration Covert Channels
Naval War College
· Naval War College Review, Winter 2016, v. 70, no. 1
o Effective Implementation of the 2005 Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation
o International Law and Search and Rescue
o Changing DoD's Analysis Paradigm, The Science of War Gaming and Combat/Campaign Simulation
o A Himalayan Challenge, India's Conventional Deterrent and the Role of Special Operations Forces along the Sino-Indian Border -
o The Development of Vietnam's Sea-Denial Strategy
o Review Essay - What Is Victory? (The Verdict of Battle: The Law of Victory and the Making of Modern War, by James Q. Whitman)
New America Foundation
Nuclear Threat Institute
Oxfam Policy & Practice
Oxford Research Group
Pew Research Center U.S. Politics & Policy
· Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: A Closer Look at the Origins and Implementation of Controlled Unclassified Information Labels and Security Policy
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Small Wars Journal
· The Dismounted Close Combat Community and Intimate Killing: An Interpretation of 'Scales on War' and the Australian Context
· The Iraqi Military, The US-led Coalition and the Mosul Operation:The Risk of Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
· What's Wrong With SOCOM?: Part I: JSOC Winning the War Against White SOF and the Problems Massive Bureaucracy Gets You in the Conduct of Irregular Warfare
Stanley Foundation
· The Power of the Private Sector in Preventing Atrocities and Promoting the Responsibility to Protect
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Strategic Studies Institute (SSI)
Transnational Institute
Trust for America's Health
UK Ministry of Defense
US Institute of Peace (USIP)
US Korea Institute
· Review of Previous ROK Government Policies for Reunification and Future Policy Options in View of German Reunification
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Wilson Center
White House
· Legal and Policy Frameworks
o FACT SHEET: Presidential Memorandum –"Legal and Policy Transparency Concerning United States' Use of Military Force and Related National Security Operations" and Accompanying Report on Transparency in Legal and Policy Frameworks
o Report on the Legal and Policy Frameworks Guiding the United States' Use of Military Force and Related National Security Operations
· Russian Malicious Cyber Activity
o Executive Order -- Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities
o Annex to Executive Order -- Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities
o Letter from the President -- Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities
o Statement by the President on Actions in Response to Russian Malicious Cyber Activity and Harassment


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Under the Weather
Why do they say "under the weather"??? Supposedly it has nautical origins, but that means nothing to me after having a headache of varying levels of uncomfortable and pain for 3 days. Today turned the tide on this wave of discomfort, I managed to sleep in {8am...for me it is sleeping in} and then was able to nap most of the morning and then about half the afternoon{on the couch}. Most of my normal remedies were not working for my noggin, so a day of rest seemed to be the best option. My babies all behaved wonderfully for me! No loud fights{or bright lights} or destroying of chew toys. I am somewhat paying for it now and am wide awake at midnight. The best part of my evening tonight was at bedtime the kids came in my room to check on me and my son asked me if I needed an ice pack since my head hurt and he could get one out of the freezer for me. He is 5 and never ceases to amaze me on how much he loves to help his mommy. I think tomorrow some homemade brownies are called for to reward awesome behavior!

subset: commoncrawl


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My funky new flower vase filled with pretty flowers.
Citizen Khan, which is currently showing on channel Seven/GWN7. I am loving this BBC comedy series, which follows the trials and tribulations of Mr Khan, self-appointed community leader, and his family.
The series has been subject to criticism that it degrades Islam and contains unacceptable racial stereotyping. My opinion? Get over it! It's funny, and you have to be able to laugh at yourself. There are shows taking the mickey out of every religion or race. If anything, the series should be more offensive to "gingers" (redheads) than Muslims. Thankfully the ratings in the UK have been stellar for the first series, so a second series is in production.
A lowdown on the characters:
Mr Khan, self proclaimed community leader and Pakistani businessman. Terrible fashion sense, and a "tight-arse" who buys in bulk at Cash'n'Carry. Always trying to raise his profile in the community (through the Pakistani Business Association and Sparkhill Community Mosque) but causes havoc and embarrassment in the process. Stubborn and tries to talk his way out of every situation with ridiculous logic, until Mrs Khan steps in.
Mrs Khan, wife of Mr Khan (his "sweetie darling") and boss of the household (although Mr Khan would never admit it). She is competitive with the other women in the Muslim community, keeps a spotless house (which includes sponging the plastic cover on the sofa twice daily) and is terrified of anything that would bring shame on herself or her family. Very dramatic whenever anything goes wrong and always gets Mr Khan to do what she wants in the end.
Dave: a Muslim convert, and the "Mosque Manager" at the Sparkhill Community Mosque. Mr Khan refuses to acknowledge that Dave is Muslim, and refers to him as a "ginger" (referring to his red hair). Dave tries hard, but has difficulty standing up to Mr Khan and sometimes gets carried along with his unfortunate plans. He has a "certificate" in counseling and likes to get involved whenever there is the hint of a family disagreement.
Shazia Khan: the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Khan. Currently engaged and planning her wedding to Amjad Malik. A scruffy dresser, easily pleased, Mr Khan's least favourite daughter.
Alia Khan: the younger daughter of Mr and Mrs Khan. Always heavily made up and wearing super tight jeans and high heels, she quickly puts on a headscarf whenever her father is present. She pretends to be a devout Muslim, and has Mr Khan wrapped around her little finger. She is actually a party animal who loves clubbing, but Mr Khan would never believe it.
Amjad Malik: Shazia's husband to be. A very 'simple' boy who is easily led (and mislead by Mr Khan). He works at a phone shop (where he started out wearing a rubber mascot costume) and is deeply in love with Shazia. He comes from a wealthier family than the Khans, and his mother Mrs Malik makes this known at every opportunity.


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Film 1: previously seen film from 2000 - 2013
Film 2: unseen film from 2000 - 2013
Film 3: film from 1960 - 2004
Film 1: Rachida (2002, Yamina Bachir)
Film 2: Outside the Law (2010, Rachid Bouchareb)
Film 3: Daughters of Keltoum (2001, Mehdi Charef)
Cameroon: Two films by Jean-Pierre Bekolo are included. In fact, I was very close to picking all three films by him but A Trip to the Country has a relevant soccer segment making it a worthy selection.
Film 1: A Trip to the Country (2000, Jean-Marie Téno)
Film 2: Aristotle's Plan (2006, Jean-Pierre Bekolo)
Film 3: Quartier Mozart (1992, Jean-Pierre Bekolo)
Ghana: Shirley Frimpong-Manso could have had all three films for Ghana but I have taken a gamble on Sinking Sands. Also, Ghana is the only nation to have two female directors represent all three films.
Film 1: The Perfect Picture (2010, Shirley Frimpong-Manso)
Film 2: Sinking Sands (2011, Leila Djansi)
Film 3: A Sting in a Tale (2009, Shirley Frimpong-Manso)
Ivory Coast
Film 1: Adanggaman (2000, Roger Gnoan M'Bala)
Film 2: Black Diamond (2010, Pascale Lamche)
Film 3: Burn it up Djassa (2012, Lonesome Solo)
Film 1: Without Shame (2005, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen)
Film 2: Ezra (2007, Newton I. Aduaka)
Film 3: Last Flight to Abuja (2012, Obi Emelonye)


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posted by Bernd Leger
With Apple's Q3 earnings being announced later today, we wanted to take stock of the current state of iPhone 5s and 5c adoption.
Much has been written about the head-to-head battle of the iPhone 5s and 5c including our own research from last week that showed that the iPhone 5c is starting to close the gap on its higher-end sibling. Today, the iPhone 5s and 5c now represent 3.8% and 1.7% of all active iPhones globally seen by Localytics. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5 remains the most popular iPhone with a nearly 40% share.
Global Trends
Japan has the highest concentration of active iPhone 5s and 5c relative to other iPhone models, representing nearly 10% of all active iPhones in that country followed by the U.S. with 6.4% (vs. a global average of 5.5%).
The Germans are the biggest fans of the high-end iPhone model, with the 5s holding almost a 9 to 1 edge over the 5c. Of the top 8 countries with the most new iPhones, the U.S. is actually the most iPhone 5c-friendly.
Localytics is the leading analytics and marketing platform for mobile and web apps across more than 1 billion devices, 20,000 apps and 5,000 customers. Localytics processes 50 billion data points monthly. For this report, we examined over 40 million unique iPhone devices and investigated the breakdowns by country (new iPhones against all visible iPhones) and weekly ratios of 5s/c each week for four weeks. The timeframe for this data is from when the iPhone 5s and 5c were first released on September 20th, 2013 until October 25th, 2013.
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the transcendent beauty of Robbie Basho will breath vitality into your day. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)
Robbie Basho's adroit and beautiful playing style flows freely as a bucolic stream. His vocals are ascendant, displaying an impressive range. Visions of the Country, reissued by Gnome Life Records, sees Basho singing hymns to the natural beauty of North America. Consisting of guitar and piano tracks that combine elements of folk and Hindu music among others, the album is concurrently edifying, intimate, introspective and celebratory. Basho's singular technique paints a vivid picture for the listener. Possessing an enveloping aura, the fidelity of the 140g vinyl allows the music to soar - take it from a person that has been listening to the mp3's for a while. Whether it's the quiet strum and intimate vocals of 'Blue Crystal Fire', or the cascading, echoing keys and affecting vocals of 'Orphan's Lament', Visions of the Country will prove uplifting to the soul.
The way I see it, $17 for a slice of bliss is tantamount to finding a buried treasure. As far as recommendations, I would buy one before the reissue is OOP. Also, it's a first-rate reissue: The artwork is very true to the original. Compared to the original pressing, the reissue is pressed on 140g vinyl and enclosed in a nice paper stock quality sleeve. Additionally, the original insert is included. I purchased my copy at Eclipse. Visions of the Country may also be purchased directly from Gnome Life.
peace and love, friends :)


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It is time for candle number three... I almost forgot. I'm sick with a cold. Again. Yet another weekend spent in chills on the couch with knitted socks and crochet blankets wrapped around me. I hate colds. I really do. They put me in a funky place. I had so many plans for this weekend, and nothing got done. All the energy just poured out of me. I have hardly been able to do the most basic things expected form me. Well oh well, tomorrow comes and maybe the cold will be gone.
When I light that third candle I notice my Amaryllis is in full bloom! Happiness occurs. I suddenly feel warm and gooey inside. Happy Third Advent! Things can only get better. :) I think I'll make myself a hot cup of milk, cuddle up for the X-Factor final with my littlest Emmy Bo and hope for Saara Aalto to win. What are you up to this December night?


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Get Over It, My Toddler Doesn't Want to Talk To You
If you've ever lived in the same house as a toddler, you know that each day is filled with highs and lows. In the span of a few minutes my daughter can go from hysterically laughing at how the dog laps up water to having a meltdown because she can't get the preview guide off the TV screen. There isn't a day where I'm not shocked by the fact that she's learned a new phrase whether it's "Shut up" or "shoes" and most days I feel like even I'm still getting to know her even though she once was neighbors with my spleen. So it always amazes me when family members and total strangers alike utter, "I don't think your kid likes me."
Whether she's seeing one of my friends for what may be the third time in her life or meeting a new co-worker, if my kid isn't serving a huge smile with a "Ms. America" wave because she you've said, "Hi!", don't take it personally. She's not throwing shade, she's being a toddler. And you, my friend, are just one part of the big colorful and confusing world she's still figuring out. When I came across the story, "Sorry, But I'm Never Going to Force My Kid to Say 'Hi' To You", author Latifah Miles reminded me that there are still many people, both parents and child-free folks that could use a crash course in ages and stages, particularly when it comes to social development. Here's the cliff notes version: Most children won't start to fall into formation with society when it comes to social skills until age 5 or 6. Until then, children can be very selfish creatures who don't care about anyone else's feelings or comfort level. And that's totally normal behavior, because until then it's the parent's job to teach them how to conduct themselves in the world regarding manners, social cues, boundaries and other things that contribute to us being able to function in a world alongside one another respectfully.
Miles also reminds us that in addition to understanding a child's developmental stage, there also should be an understanding that yes even children have their own personalities, and like her son, some are more reserved than others:
"Looking back, I understand most of my mother's rules now that I'm a parent but making my kid say hello to strangers is not one of them."
"Outside of close family, he simply never really expresses a desire to entertain conversations with strangers. And honestly? I've never seen an issue with it."
When it comes to my own childhood, I can remember my mother's rules coinciding with rules that are common in African-American culture like, "Respect your elders." "Don't speak unless spoken to." "Stay in a child's place." And "When you enter a room you greet people." I get that these rules are supposed to encourage respect and manners, and while I want to raise my child to be polite (a trait that I worry is becoming a rarity) I also want her to not feel like she has to ever apologize for her personality, whether she's a welcoming committee all by herself or just wants to quietly observe. Miles points out the fact that all too often folks don't take into consideration that children are allowed to have feelings too:
"Often times, society treats babies and young children as these little humans with only two settings: on and off. When they're on, they're expected to be on: happy and smiling and doing something cute. When they're off, it's only because they're asleep. The truth is that my child, and yours too, are human — allowed to have a bad day, irritated emotions, and to be in moods where they don't want to talk to people."
She points out that just as she has bad days as an adult where she's feeling slightly anti-social and avoids small talk, her son has "off days" too and that's OK:
"Sometimes he'll want to speak to every single person he passes — the mailman, the guy walking his dog across the street, it doesn't matter. On any given day his mood towards strangers and friends varies and I have a difficult time seeing the problem why I should force him to be 'more friendly.'"
Whether I'm at a family dinner meeting "Cousin So and So" from down South or I'm dropping my two-year-old off at Grandma's house early in the morning, sometimes she'll get clingy, hide behind my leg or look away when someone says, "Good morning." Before anyone gets all offended I'm quick to remind them that every kid isn't going to be like Caillou greeting the world and getting into mischief; sometimes they just want to be left alone and it isn't about you. I feel like one of my main responsibilities as a mother is to make sure my daughter has a childhood and enjoys it. My first obligation is to her developing feelings and not your insecurities. She'll have plenty of time for awkward small talk and shallow morning greetings with colleagues that she'll forced to do out of the social norms that come with being an adult. For now she has right to observe the world and see what makes sense to her as far as functioning in it, a right that all children should have according to Miles:
"I understand that kids are undoubtedly significantly less complex than adults when it comes to deep emotions, but let's not forget that they still have feelings. The purpose of not forcing my son to entertain the pleasantries of strangers when he doesn't feel like it is because I want to honor and respect his autonomy. He doesn't always have to do things because I said so."
"If he doesn't want to say hi to the neighbor today because the only things on his mind are kicking off his velcro sneakers, sipping on some cold chocolate milk, and watching a Disney channel until he falls asleep, I totally get it. I don't think it's rude. I see it as my son beginning to work through the emotions, desires, and thoughts that are only going to get more and more complicated as he gets older."
I always say that as a parent, my first priority is to raise my child to be the person whose behavior I'd be proud of even when she isn't right up under me. For me that means having a daughter who has manners and can interact with others politely but authentically, be a decent judge of character and be honest about when she doesn't want to be bothered. It's not that I'm grooming my child to be an entitled, impolite jerk, but I am allowing her to express her inner, "I'm just not that into you," instead of forcing her to engage with folks she'd prefer not to for the sake of their fragile egos. And that goes for whether she's three or twenty-three.
Toya Sharee is a Health Resource Specialist who has a passion for helping young women build their self-esteem and make well-informed choices about their sexual health. She also advocates for women's reproductive rights and blogs about everything from beauty to love and relationships. Follow her on Twitter @TheTrueTSharee or visit her blog, Bullets and Blessings.


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Jenna finally got back from EDC and we finally had a day to hang out! Turns out we both end up wearing the same boots and headband! Haha. It was fun to walk around like that while we went shopping.
I got this shirt last weekend and I've been waiting until I could wear it in the right setting! I LOVE it. It is so comfortable, nice baggy, breezy and a surprising amount of people did not stare at me! Or, maybe I just wasn't paying attention.
All These spikes remind me on Middle School! 90's Grunge.
Adding a little Sweet to the black. Absolutely Love this Purse. I bought it as a Early Birthday gift to myself!
Lovely new boots I bought for my birthday outfit! (They match Jenna's!)
And of course, my lovely phonecase!
Shirt: Hottopic
Leggings: American Apparel
Jacket: Urban Outfitters
Accessories: Forever 21 & Naked City
Shoes: Ebay
Purse: Sanrio
Hopes you guys enjoy this outfit!


text: We've got no doubt that Verizon and Motorola are working on bringing Gingerbread to the Droid X. We said as much in our predictions of which phones will get Android 2.3 upgrades. And so it's little surprise that we're starting to see (reportedly) official builds leak out. And for all intents and purposes, it looks like how we'd expect Gingerbread to look on the DX. Real question, of course, is when we might actually see an update drop. Check out the full annoying animated GIF after the break, if you dare. [My Droid World via Android Central Forums]


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Christmas Recipe
My recipe for enjoying the holdiay.
My recipe for enjoying the holdiay.
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I am selling my Kenwood TK-2180 portable VHF radio. It was only used for a few months while I was an EMS Supervisor in NY State. It is in mint condition and comes with a rapid charger, lapel microphone, programming cable and software. I paid close to $900 for this radio and accessories. I am asking $650 for everything. The radio and accessories are in perfect working order and guaranteed not to be DOA. I have only owned this radio for 9 months and used it for 3 months. Please e-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com if you are interested. Features: The 2180-Series premium portable line strikes a perfect balance of specifications, features and cost in this broad base platform designed for the public safety, public service, government and private industrial sectors. The extra large capacity and Zone programming facilitate departmental, inter-agency interoperability, mutual aid and tactical channel organization. Inversion Scrambling and Encryption /ANI control permits first level to high level voice security and dispatch functions satisfying homeland security and confidentiality requirements. Emergency Call and Man-down for hazardous environment and corrections personnel is supported with FleetSync, MDC-1200/G-Star and DTMF ANI formats. The VGS-1 option offers a unique zone / channel voice guide for fire and rescue and a voicemail function for missed call recording. Full FleetSync® includes PTT ID, Caller ID and non-voice status and text messaging. FleetSync, DTMF or Two-Tone Selective Call provides built-in talkback paging capability. • Large channel capacity (max. 512) • Wide/narrow channels • 5 watts output • Built-in scrambler • Large dot matrix LCD display; multi-language • "FleetSync" digital signalling and messaging • Emergency keys • GPS connection capable • Compatible with MPT1327 (with firmware upgrade) • Real-time clock for time stamping • Built-in VOX • Ni-Cd, Ni-Mh and Li-Ion battery options • Optional Voice Guide/Recorder (up to 300 seconds)/Auto-Reply VGS-1 • Remote Stun, Revive • IP54/55 Environmental protection • MIL-STD 810 C/D/E/F • Dual Priority scan • 38 MHz coverage; 136 MHz-174 MHz • Optional Noise-cancelling speaker/mic KMC-25 • 7 programmable keys • PIN-code password protection • Option port; 26 pin connector • Companded audio
still for sale
I know this is old but is it still for sale by chance?
Yes it is still for sale. firstname.lastname@example.com


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We provide specialist perinatal and infant mental health services to families living in the Casey – Cardinia area in Melbourne's south-east.
We offer a comprehensive assessment and treatment service for parents affected by anxiety, depression or related mental health disorders during pregnancy and during the four years following the birth of their baby.
Our highly experienced and specialised team including, psychiatrists, services manager, clinical psychologists and mental health nurse, provide a family-centred service that aims to:
- enhance the social and emotional wellbeing of women and their families
- enhance the parent-infant relationship
- support parents in their relationship with each other
- increase parenting satisfaction and coping skills.
Our services are available to all members of the community, you don't need to have been a St John of God Health Care maternity patient or have private health insurance to access our services.
Our services
We provide the following services to people and families in the community. Please note, we do not provide crisis support.
- Support and information
- Counselling and clinical psychology
- Psychiatric assessment, medication and psychotherapy
- Parent-infant relationship therapy
- Services for dads
Referrals and costs
A referral from your general practitioner (GP) is required to access our services. Concession and health care card holders are bulk billed through Medicare.
Contact us
We are open from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
Raphael Services Berwick
57 Fairholme Boulevard
Berwick, Victoria, 3806
Tel: (03) 9707 3988
Fax: (03) 9707 0297
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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July 10th, 2016
Win a trip to see Blake Shelton in Alberta
Enter here for a chance to win a 4-night trip for 2 to Camrose, Alberta to see Blake Shelton in concert. He's the rare country singer who doesn't wear a cowboy hat. Good Luck!
Expires July 11, 2016
Entry Frequency: single
Age: age of majority
One Response to Win a trip to see Blake Shelton in Alberta
Garry Parkin says:
It says it is closed????
Daily Updates
Want updates of new contests? Join the thousands of members who get our daily email!


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Flirty Fishy – SP – Pendant Only
Out of stock
This fancy fish locket is silver plated and holds one pearl. It also comes with an 18″ silver plated chain! Does NOT include a pearl but oysters can be ordered separately HERE to be opened on our LIVE show in the Kimmie's Pearl Party facebook group!!
They will be shipped in bubble envelopes as regular airmail. If you need tracking and insurance, please contact me for a quote!
Add to Wishlist
Add to Wishlist


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Monday, April 25, 2011
In Search of the Perfect Word
It's a balancing act. Too much repetition and the book sounds amateurish. Too much novelty and I run the risk of sounding like I wrote with thesaurus at the ready.
As always, I write in search of the perfect word.
The Perfect Word Search is a necessary part of both factual and fictitious writing.
When I was working on Geoff Teall's book for Trafalgar Square, shortly before the book was due at the printers an issue arose over the use of a single word: classical. As in "classical horsemanship," "classical techniques," and "classical riding."
Those phrases, and others like them, occur throughout the book. But after in-depth discussions with both Geoff and the publishers, it became clear that the word did not accurately reflect Geoff's intentions. To make matters worse, the phrases that use "classical" as a modifier mean different things to different horsepeople, depending on the discipline of choice.
For instance, Geoff used the word to denote something timeless that was not a modern affectation. He was talking about "correct" or "purposeful" hunt seat riding.
Persons with a background in dressage, however, think of Xenophon and ancient Greece when they think of "classical riding." The dressage rider's body position is considerably straighter in the "classical position" than in a hunt seat position.
And the search for the word continued. Mere days before the project went to press, I found myself going over the entire text and analyzing how we had used the word "classical" throughout it. I also wracked my brain to come up with a better word that more accurately reflected what Geoff meant when he said "classical."
If this seems nit-picky to you, think again. This was not mere word-play. This was our final opportunity to make Geoff's meaning, teachings, and philosophy crystal clear to the reader. The last thing we wanted was for readers around the world to be confused about what is a central concept within the text.
We'd actually been down this road once already on this project.
Months earlier, Geoff and I had the same sort of exegetic conversation about the use of the word "equitation." To me, it meant "proper riding." But to him, it also meant a particular competitive Hunter division and he didn't want people to read the word and misunderstand its use. Of course, he was right.
What we did was define "equitation" right up front, from the very beginning. Then, any place within the manuscript where there might be some confusion, we used the more benign "riding."
When faced with what you've written, the reader does not have the luxury of having you explain things that are unclear. So take the time when the project is still in manuscript form to make sure that every word you use means exactly what you want it to. It's an obvious, but often forgotten truth: When writing, words are all you have. Treat them with respect and use them wisely.
What techniques do you use to help you find the perfect word? How do you avoid sloppy repetition? How do you ensure that your meaning is clear? Share your wisdom in the comments.
And now, if you'll excuse me, the search continues...
5 comments:
Word choice is tricky. You want the word to be perfectly suited but you don't want it to be awkward for your reader.
It is not easy, but I think the main point in writing is to be clear. As long as you keep that in mind you should be fine.
I liked your post and I agree with you: being picky about words is part of a writer's job. Words is what we have after all.
Just one thing I would like to add is that sometimes we overuse adverbs because we're not able to pick the best word. And that is a good symptom to check.
- Monday, April 25, 2011 12:46:00 AM
- Ami Hendrickson said...
Ah, yes, those dreaded modifiers. Sometimes I suspect they are merely beacons that highlight my vocabulary shortcomings.
Other times, however, I can use what I think is the ideal verb or noun, only to discover that its uniqueness bumps people out of the story. (For instance, in my WIP, I called one character a "naif." People in my weekly writing group had issues with it, 'cause no one knew what one was. ~sigh~)
All the best to you in your continuing search!
- Monday, April 25, 2011 3:55:00 PM
- Leah Petersen said...
I often find myself in search of the perfect word because I've read so many books over the years that I know the word I want is out there. I've seen it before. It's perfect and I just can't handle using anything else.
But my memory is absolute crap. So I do write with a thesaurus at hand. (Well, dictionary.com.) But my rule is that I only use words I already knew, I just couldn't bring to mind when I needed them.
If I didn't already know a word that looks like it might be better, well, that just means I need to read more. ;)
- Monday, April 25, 2011 4:14:00 PM
- Ami Hendrickson said...
I know the feeling of *knowing* the perfect word is out there.
In "Packing for Mars," Mary Roach used the word "genuflect" in such a wonderful, ingenious, perfect way that I nearly put the book down and hung up my writing hat.
But I didn't. Instead, I decided to shamelessly steal her brilliance and purloin the word for my own nefarious purposes.
I'm not above letting others do the searching and then using what they've found. :)
And you're right: if we don't read, we don't improve.
- Monday, April 25, 2011 4:33:00 PM
- Orlando said...
It does not come easy to me. Sometimes I think it doesn't come at all. Maybe I need a method. I don't have one, I just write.
I'm new to your blog, found you in Twitter. Good stuff, I enjoyed it.
- Wednesday, April 27, 2011 3:38:00 PM


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Fraser VE Open House!
We are proud to announce that this Sep 28th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 3624 FRASER Street in the Fraser VE neighborhood, Vancouver East. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Fraser VE.
Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Fraser VE Condo for sale.
As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 778-688-5494 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.
Cliff Mytton
Main Street


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Crochet Scalloped Border Tutorial
Over the last few months I have been crocheting like woman possessed for an epic deadline for my new crochet book that will be on sale later this year (Psst! You can pre-order this here!), so I thought that it was about time I shared a crochet tutorial.
This Scalloped Border is just the thing to transform a simple make in to something really special in no time! I love to use to a a fancy finish to a super-sized granny square blanket – which can be made by working a granny square until it is super-sized or by working lots of granny squares then blocking and seaming them together to create a blanket – either way, this Crochet Scalloped Border is a fabulous finishing touch!
Once you've completed your granny square to your desired size, you can continue in the same yarn to create the border or you can fasten in a new colour to create a contrast.
Begin by working a sl st into the last stitch in a cluster of trs.
Work 2trs into the chain space.
Work 2trs into the same chain space.
Sl st into the last stitch in the cluster of trs.
Continue working in this pattern as set, 2tr, 1ch, 2tr in each chain space, sl st into the last st in the next cluster of yrs – this creates the scalloped design.
The corners are worked in a similar way, work 2tr into the chain s
Work 3tr in same chain space.
Work 2trs in the same chain space.
Sl St into the last stitch in the next cluster of trs.
Continue working in the pattern as set along the straight sides and around the corners of the blanket.
Once you have worked the entire way around the blanket adding the scalloped border, simply work a sl st to secure the yarn and fasten off.
These instructions are in standard crochet abbreviations – which you can check out here!
As a side note, because I know someone is going to ask, the crochet hook used in this tutorial is from this beautiful collection of hooks in the Boye Artisan Crochet Tool set.
You can find out more about them in my Tried & Tested review – spoiler: they are as beautiful to work with as they are to look at!
I hope that you love this simple yet really striking scalloped crochet border as much as I do – let me know if you give it a try and be sure to share photos of your finished makes too!
Tags: border, crochet, tutorial


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Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn (THU) is a difficult event to explain because it is very different to any other art gathering. Unlike most other events, the reason to be at THU is actually to be there. Every attendee and speaker is there to learn and to connect. You won't find the speakers hidden away in a VIP room. They'll be at presentations, dinners and breakfasts to talk to their fellow tribe members. The other difference is that these heroes of art are not there to tell you how great they are—they're not their to bask in the glory of their success. Instead their talks are more like conversations with good friends. They'll tell you about their doubts, and the times when they've faked it. In essence, they are there to share their experiences of being an artist. How to deal with the ups and downs, and what they held onto to get them through the tough times. This level of honesty is a very rare offering, and for the many artists starting on their path to a career in art it is a remarkably valuable perspective to know that their experiences are not uncommon.
ArtStation's partnership with THU started last year based on our feedback from friends in the industry that it was something very special. Our expectations were that the event would feature great speakers, and that would be the THU secret sauce. However, after getting off the ferry at Troia, and Andre greeting us personally we suspected it was going to be an experience. It was far more than that. It was closer to a family re-union with the most loving and creative family in the world. The speaker line-up was exceptional, but more than their credentials it was what they had to say that was the most profound and transforming. It's an odd way to think about a conference, but it was a genuinely safe place for artists to share their experiences, and discuss the challenges that are unique to artists working in the entertainment industry.
One of the first rules Andre explained on the first evening was that nobody was to be left alone. It was up to the tribe to make everybody feel welcome, and it was the perfect sentiment for THU. Everybody was there to grow, and it was everybody's responsibility to create a welcoming atmosphere for that to happen. With this simple rule, it meant that you were likely to talk to hundreds of fellow artists throughout the week, and those connections persist long after the last ferry leaves Troia.
There are so many parts to the THU experience, that they've produced a series of videos explaining them.
THU : Ep1 Community Experience from Trojan Horse was a Unicorn on Vimeo.
THU : Ep 2 Networking Experience from Trojan Horse was a Unicorn on Vimeo.
THU : Ep 3 Expectations Experience from Trojan Horse was a Unicorn on Vimeo.
THU : Ep 4 Portfolio Experience from Trojan Horse was a Unicorn on Vimeo.
Tickets for THU 2016 sold out in just one week. Visit the THU 2016 site to sign up for the wait list, or stay tuned for details of the Golden Ticket Challenge for your last chance to attend THU 2016 in person.
While you wait for THU 2016, you can relive THU 2015 with Volume 1 of THU TV with a 33% ArtStation discount (using the coupon code: ARTSTATION_33OFF). All the major presentations are available on-demand with never-seen-before shows unveiled after THU 2015 last year. Watch the new series like Sketchbook, Speed Painting Lab, The Gig Economy, Jump Start, War Stories, Moving On Up, The New Kids on the Block and Speed Sculpting Lab for a pure dose of inspiration.


text: All of you who are in the USMB Warfare region, this is for you. While I'd love to hold on to the UN Delegate position forever (because power corrupts!) I think it is only right that we hold elections. I am up for suggestions on how we go about doing it, but here is how I propose running elections: Elections are held in this forum, via a poll thread. Candidates must announce their intention to run before 12:01AM on the seventh day of each month. The poll thread will go up no later than the end of that day. Elections run for five days. At the end of the time period, the person with the most votes wins. If there is a tie, the top vote getters will have a runoff, lasting for two days, in a similar thread. Whoever wins the election gets all of the UN members' endorsements. This will allow us to show solidarity behind our UN delegate. Elections will be held once a month, unless nobody decides to run against the incumbent, in which case that person gets to retain power for the next month. Open to any suggestions, but if everyone is agreeable to this, then we should begin the candidacy announcement process soon, since today is the 2nd.


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Gale Anne Hurd Honored at the 2013 Deauville Film Festival
Press Release 39th Deauville Film Festival Producers' Day – September 2, 2013 The APC (Association des producteurs de cinéma) and the PGA (Producers' Guild of America) appreciated the success of the 'producers' day' they organized on September 2, 2013, alongside the Deauville Film Festival teams and the 'Commission du Film d'Ile de France'. The day … Continue reading
Vote for your favorite movie produced by Valhalla's Gale Anne Hurd
Check out the new Valhalla reel and vote for your favorite movie produced by Valhalla CEO, Gale Anne Hurd.
Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd on 'The Walking Dead' Season 2
Having worked with James Cameron on his most famous thrillers, as well as numerous other genre films, Gale Anne Hurd is no stranger to difficult shooting conditions. But the veteran producer is tested like never before on the Walking Dead's hot-and-humid Georgia location shoot, where I join a group of other journos in speaking with … Continue reading
Meet Gale Anne Hurd, "The Walking Dead" Executive Producer Up To Her Neck In Zombie Guts
BY Susan KarlinFri Nov 11, 2011 Thanks to a hands-on style and "The Walking Dead"'s success, executive producer Gale Anne Hurd has a full slate of films, TV series and comics, including a project with Frank Darabont. The zombie apocalypse has been very, very good to Gale Anne Hurd. With AMC's The Walking Dead breaking … Continue reading
Producer Gale Anne Hurd Talks Separating The Comic & TV Versions Of 'The Walking Dead'
Prolific Producer Says 'Hulk' & 'Terminator' Franchises Moving On Without Her Gale Anne Hurd has had an incredibly varied (and just plain incredible) career, starting off as an executive assistant to Roger Corman before becoming one of the biggest genre producers in the business, kind of like a lady Jerry Bruckheimer. With her ex-husband James … Continue reading


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WASHINGTON — As President Obama, his deficit commission and a bevy of lawmakers urge a concerted push to streamline the federal tax system, Senate leaders have rolled out a sprawling $858 billion tax bill stuffed with dozens of narrow credits and special-interest perks — the very breaks that much of Washington agrees should be banished from the code.
The final package, released late Thursday, would extend tax credits for producing ethanol and for hiring Native Americans.
It would maintain deductions for teachers who buy their own supplies and businesses that donate books to charity.
It has tax breaks for restaurants, movie producers and NASCAR track owners. It has a special "economic development credit" for investors in American Samoa.
Obama even enlisted former President Bill Clinton to help persuade Democrats to support the tax bill.
Clinton, addressing reporters in the White House Briefing Room, comfortably outlined how the pending package of tax cuts, business incentives and unemployment benefits would boost the economy — even though it included tax help for the wealthy that Obama had to swallow.
"There's never a perfect bipartisan bill in the eyes of a partisan," Clinton said. "But I really believe this will be a significant net-plus for the country."
The provisions — long-standing tax breaks that are renewed by Congress year after year — are layered on top of a two-year extension of the larger, Bush administration income tax cuts that Republicans and Democrats have been fighting about for months. Overall, analysts said, the package would sharply increase budget deficits while perpetuating the worst aspects of a tax system that is widely viewed as inefficient and unfair.
"This tax bill is not in line with fundamental tax reform," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a reform advocate who has yet to decide whether to support the package in a critical vote set for Monday. "It's essentially propping up this broken system that we've got today."
The final package — which contains $801 billion in tax cuts paired with a $57 billion extension of emergency jobless benefits — was drafted by the White House and lawmakers in both parties and is intended to boost the economy. But its final shape emphasizes the lingering disconnect between high-flown concerns about the mounting national debt and the ground-level reluctance to raise taxes or demand other public sacrifices necessary to reduce government borrowing.
In recent days, Obama has begun talking about bridging that divide, and he is considering pressing an overhaul of the tax code as his first major attempt to rein in the soaring national debt. Aides said no decisions have been made about whether to include tax reform in the State of the Union address or in Obama's next budget request, due in February. They said Obama also recognizes that a comprehensive effort to simplify the code, lower rates and raise revenue is likely to take several years to enact.
But Obama said in an interview broadcast Friday with NPR, "We've got to start that conversation next year."
"The idea is simplifying the system, hopefully lowering rates, broadening the base. That's something that I think most economists think would help us propel economic growth," Obama said. "It's a very complicated conversation. "… I think we can get some broad bipartisan agreement that it needs to be done. But it's going to require a lot of hard work to actually make it happen."
Obama has asked his economic advisers to review recommendations from his deficit commission, released last week, and from an earlier tax panel chaired by former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul Volcker. Administration officials found the commission report particularly interesting because it calls for raising tax collections by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade, in large part by eliminating or reducing many popular tax loopholes.
Despite those recommendations, the report won the support of all three Republican senators on the panel, including the very conservative Tom Coburn, Okla., who is influential on budget matters inside his party. The commission vote was one of several recent developments that "create much more space for a tax-reform debate going forward than would have looked likely several months ago," said one senior administration official.
Meanwhile, even the package pending in Congress offers glimmers of hope that lawmakers may be ready to start paring back the profusion of loopholes that have crept into the tax code since the last major overhaul in 1986, during the Reagan administration.
The current bill contains two major new tax breaks aimed at creating jobs and boosting the economy. An expanded incentive for businesses would permit them to write off 100 percent of the cost of capital investments next year, while another provision would cut payroll taxes for workers from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent on income up to $106,800 in 2011, for a potential savings of up to $4,272 per couple.
But the bill does not contain a single new perk requested by a lawmaker, congressional aides said — perhaps a first for major tax legislation. And although lawmakers and the White House agreed to extend dozens of tax breaks that have been around for years, they agreed to drop more than 40 others, aides said, including a deduction for property taxes enacted in 2008 that benefits millions of homeowners who do not itemize on their tax returns.
Democratic aides involved in drafting the legislation said House Republicans objected to the provision, which was authored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and costs the Treasury about $2.5 billion a year.
"We thought no one would object to it. Republicans said they didn't want to raise anyone's taxes during a recession," said a Senate Democratic aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private negotiations. "This basically raises taxes on about 40 million people."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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To Richard Kurland, the Vancouver-based immigration lawyer who dug it up, the document confirmed "what everybody in the business has known for a long time." For years, the government has been gathering data on the performance of newcomers and their children based on ethnicity, he notes, and while immigration officials deny they use information to identify the best countries from which to recruit, the numbers tell a different story. Since 1999, China and India have been the top two source countries for immigrants to Canada, averaging about 60,000 landings per year, while the number coming from the Caribbean has fallen sharply. Immigration from the West Indies had fallen 45 per cent below levels seen in the early 1990s, according to figures compiled by Statistics Canada, when more than 16,000 from that region were entering the country annually.
Volume of applications is the main reason India and China occupy the number one and number two spots respectively for source countries of immigrants to Canada. They are the two most populous countries so it should be expected that applications to immigrate from India and China should swamp all others.
The article suggests that the favouritism is more economically practical.
Prosaically titled "Social and Economic Outcomes of Second Generation Youth," the four-page memo showed little regard for the political correctness typical of government correspondence. "Chinese and South Asians are the most likely to have university degrees or higher, and to be employed in high-skilled occupations," observed the summary, which was prepared by departmental bureaucrats and released recently through access to information. Second-generation youth of Caribbean and Latin American origin don't fare so well, the memo went on; they tend to obtain lower levels of education than native-born Canadian kids and wind up in less skilled jobs.
That may be true but how many IT specialists from South Asia or China does Canada need when Canada it expecting a shortfall of tradespeople in the foreseeable future? What advantage is there to favouring South Asian or Chinese immigrants given their aversion to manual labour? How many Asians, be they immigrants or Canadian born, do you see working at a construction site, infrastructure project, or renovating a home?
Asian immigrants may posses advanced degrees but that accounts for little in a Canadian labour market flooded with advanced degrees. Their Canadian born children may go on to university and pursue professional occupations but so what? Canadians do that anyways and the jobs they go on to fill would have been filled were they not born here at all.
The memo the article refers to displays its class bias. It assumes that an immigrant with a university degree is preferable to one who is a tradesman but that is not true. Too much of one and little of the other creates an imbalance and that is what we have in Canada. The Canadian labour market has more people with a university education, be they Canadian born or immigrant, then it knows what to do with. That's why immigrants are having a hard time finding work in their field, if they do at all, upon arriving in Canada. Potential employers feel comfortable enough to wait out hiring someone until the right applicant comes along. They are not as desperate as they make themselves out to be. The only labour they are desperate for is cheap labour and that's where immigration comes along.
The memo stresses that the children of South Asian and Chinese immigrants do well in school and go on to university whereas children of Caribbean or Latin American immigrants do not fare so well. This makes it sound worse than it is. Many Caribbean and Latin American immigrants are employed in trade work as well as European immigrants. Taking Portuguese immigrants as an example they are well represented in construction work yet their children have one of the highest high-school drop out rates in Toronto. The likely explanation for this is that they have chosen to follow their parents and take up a trade and see little use for continuing high school. I don't encourage leaving high school early but in the end they do satisfy an economic need.
So the issue is not as clear cut. Higher education has its benefits but do we need more electrical engineers or more electricians?
Is the government playing favourites? Of course it is though it will not admit it.
It would be simplistic to call this profiling. China and India are better represented in Canada's intake statistics, a senior government official told Maclean's, because they are rich in skilled, educated people willing to emigrate—not because of ethnic traits, real or imagined: "It's a matter of basic supply and demand." As for the memo, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada would say only that it reflects the department's ongoing concern for groups "experiencing less positive outcomes from an immigration, settlement and a multiculturalism perspective."
Don't believe it. Were it true then why does Canada have the only diplomatic mission in Chandigarh, the capital city of the Indian state of Punjab, home to the majority of India's Sikhs? Why did the Liberal party of Canada open the mission if not to reward its Sikhs voters who, incidentally, constitute half of the Indo-Canadian community? When half of all applicants are rejected at the mission (that's officially, some say the rejection rate is 80% even 90%) what purpose does it serve other than to funnel the relatives of Sikh Canadians into Canada? And what is the Conservative government doing about the mission?
Indo-Canadians and Chinese-Canadians are two of the largest voting blocs in the country. Politics has everything to do with it. Imagine the backlash if Canada decided to cut its immigrant intake from those two countries. Indeed, this is what happened when the Chretian government tried to increase the pass score for an immigration application. A lawsuit was threatened by those who failed at the higher score but passed at the lower score pressuring the then Liberal government into scraping the whole idea.
Selective or not Canada accepts too many immigrants no matter where they come from. Even if all of Canada's immigrants came from Europe, too many is still too many. It's the reason why immigrants to Canada are experiencing the following:
Despite the new emphasis on economic immigration, a StatsCan study released in February showed that less than one in four newcomers are finding work in the occupations they'd trained for, while immigrants in general are less likely to be employed than native-born Canadians. It is now trite for politicians to bemoan the professional barriers stopping skilled workers from finding jobs in their field—the proverbial cab driver with a Ph.D. But little has been done to remedy the problem.


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So many people talk smack about January because they're hungover on all the presents and eggnog December brings. I used to be one of those people. I felt like January was just a cold, dreary, frigid friend, but I have decided to turn things around. Just look at some of the happy January moments.
Cute pasteled coat girls making the smallest snowman ever. Olivia couldn't stop eating the sweet sugary snow.
Look at the blue sky snow majesty!
Look who's finally coming back! My violent Kiefer friend, and the hotties from Lost. I just can't get over the greatness that is LOST.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Why I love January
So many people talk smack about January because they're hungover on all the presents and eggnog December brings. I used to be one of those people. I felt like January was just a cold, dreary, frigid friend, but I have decided to turn things around. Just look at some of the happy January moments.
Posted by cold cocoa at 7:09 PM 12 comments
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Time to pass along the traveling pants..
Any takers? These leggings have been a favorite of Olivia's for over a year now. As you can see, they've been worn and loved. Even though her Dad is embarrassed to have her in holy wear out in public, I still let her wear them whenever because I know the love that is the PANTS.
So we're spreading the joy to others. Anyone want their gal donning these babies on the town? Oh, the luck they will bring! They are like a second set of skin- snug in all the right places. Oh- and they go with everything.
Posted by cold cocoa at 11:45 AM 9 comments
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy Birthday to Megz
Anyway, back to Megan. Happy Birthday! Megan has always been great at saying she's the one that came up with all our imaginative games. Closet ghost stories and Elevator, Hot Lava, Store, Lost Children in the Windstorm, Hammockhollow family, the list goes on. As we got older I had to pry her out of her room or off the piano to beg her to create more games. I'll give her credit for 50% of them since it's her birthday.
Get a real sense of Megan as a sister: Megan wrote two messages in my yearbook in '95. One as fake hottie Jason Fernelius, to up my self-esteem and make it look like I had some cool boy write in my yearbook. If you can't read it it says, "Too bad I'm graduating so I can't ask you out. You are one of the cutest chicks I know even though you're so short (just can't resist a warm sisterly dig). Call me sometime and we'll do something so those sophomore boys won't bug you. Jason Fernelious. P.S. I find my mustache sexy."
How creative is she? Her real message is down below but it is very personal so if you can't read it by yourself I'm sorry. Something about boxers. I don't remember that story.
Megan was always my counselor and calming device when I was tantruming or in trouble, which was a lot. She was not a meanie! I can honestly say she was the nicest oldest sister to both me and Diana. She was also brave to be the first girl after 7 older brothers, but I'm not sure she had a choice on that one. Thanks for paving the way! Happy Happy Birthday!
Posted by cold cocoa at 5:27 PM 9 comments


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Experience nature at its finest at Evergrene in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a community rich in serenity and lush in relaxation. Welcome to this exciting neighborhood where nature and luxury walk hand in hand. Evergrene and Audubon International teamed up to create environmentally sensitive green communities dedicated to preserving the unique habitats surrounding our communities. Evergrene is the first to have the Audubon International distinction. Evergrene features 19 different models priced from $290,000 to $1,000,000 plus.
631 MoondancerPalm Beach Gardens, FL, 33410
3 bedrooms, 2.1 bath, 2538 sq.ft.
Subdivision: Evergrene Pcd 4
TURNKEY--Available December 15. Annual lease $3500 Four month minimum seasonal $4000. Beautifully Furnished, Turnkey, immaculate. Located on a Desirable Preserve Lot, at the end of a Cul-de-Sac. Surrounded by a Lushly Landscaped Yard. This Home has it all: Rich Wood Cabinetry, Cook's island, tile downstairs, carpet and wood floors upstairs. Open design concept, Large Screened paver patio on preserve for outside bbq's and dining - All nestled in the prestigious resort-style, gated community of Evergrene. Zoned for A rated school district. Clubhouse overlooking a 36 acre lake & pier, largest Infiniti pool in Florida, 2 Jacuzzis, kids' splash park, 2 fitness centers, full service Tiki bar, playground, putting green, 4 dedicated Pickleball courts,
- Type:
- Single Family Detached
- Price / SqFt:
- $1.38
- Year Built:
- 2003
- Construction:
- Taxes:
- Waterfront:
- Cooling:
- Heating:
- Equipment/Appliances:
- Pets Allowed:
- Subdivision Info:
- Interior Features:
- Exterior Features:
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed. The information on this page has been made available by the Beaches MLS and may not be the listing of the provider.
Listing courtesy of One World Realty Inc.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: (561) 685-0976
Phone: (561) 685-0976


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This morning I decided to film a video (Part 1 and 2) about the Bible Stack under my desk. I have such a close relationship with Scripture as it is the vehicle most often used by the Holy Spirit to teach and guide me into timeless truths.
The Journal Enthusiast
20 Apr 2017 1 Comment
in Book Reviews, Spirituality Tags: #readyourbible, Bible, Bible Journaling, Bible Reading, Bible Study, christian living, Scripture, Scripture reading, Word of God
This morning I decided to film a video (Part 1 and 2) about the Bible Stack under my desk. I have such a close relationship with Scripture as it is the vehicle most often used by the Holy Spirit to teach and guide me into timeless truths.
17 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in Poetry, Spirituality Tags: Bible Reading, christianity, devotional life, faith, Faith Based Writing, Inspired Poetry, Jesus Christ, poem, poetry, Trinity
A meditation from my morning Bible reading …I actually wrote this earlier this week as I read and pondered 1 John- one of my favorite letters in the New Testament.
May you be blessed as you read my offering and as you also seek the Living Word today.
15 Nov 2016 2 Comments
in Poetry, Spirituality, Writing Life Tags: Bible, Bible Gateway, Bible Journaling, Bible Reading, Christian Poetry, christianity, contemplative, faith, Faith Based Writing, Life, poem, poems, poetry, Reflections, religion
…we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. Hebrews 12:1
Good Morning, Friends. Do you recall on my last post I mentioned I'd written two poems that morning? Well here is the second, based on my meditation and reflection of the readings in Hebrews. A lot really stood out to me, and as you know, every time we read scripture new insights are revealed. This is why we never grow weary reading the same books. If we approach the Word of the Living God with expectation, humility and sincerity, we will hear new things. I know this is true for me. I pray it is for you too. Our God is an infinite wellspring of inspiration.
Great is His faithfulness!
Morning Meditation: Hebrews Chapters 10-13
09 Feb 2016 3 Comments
in Poetry, Spirituality, Writing Life Tags: Bible, Bible Reading, bible reading plan, Christian Poetry, Creative Journaling, Inspired Poetry, poem, poetry, Scripture prompted Poetry
18 But when Yahweh appointed judges for the Israelites, he was with each judge. Yahweh rescued them from their enemies as long as that judge was alive. Yahweh was moved by the groaning of those who were tormented and oppressed. 19 But after each judge died, the people went back to their old ways and acted more corruptly than their parents. They followed, served, and worshiped other gods. They never gave up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
~Judges 2:18-19
27 May 2015 1 Comment
in Journal Keeping, Writing Life Tags: #readyourbible, Bible Reading, Lord Jesus Christ, Scripture, Thessalonians
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11
So, I had to actually create two posts (the other is right here) about my conclusions, or better stated, ramblings, about 1 & 2 Thessalonians. So many of my favorite verses, and if you have read me for any length of time you know that I have many. OK, so the whole Bible is my favorite (except maybe Leviticus of which I am forcing myself to appreciate because it is still very important in the overall scheme of things ie. basically God is saying this is how it needs to be PEEPS! So probably it will be my favorite SOMEDAY!)


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Im a chick and i just want some guys to stop yammering and watch the friggin game!!!!!
I hate to always be standing on a soap box here but there is something that has happened at the last two games I have been at that I just have to vent about.
At the Purdue game, these two drunk idiots seat jumped to sit behind me, then they proceeded to loudly blab on and on about everything that came into their heads, with no internal filter. they had contests to see who could garner the most high fives from passerbys. they ripped the coach and the players, said Tate sucked and cursed like crazy in the presence of children and elderly. Continually bragged at having smoked pot with a particular player.
They were a coupla fat a**es who probably never played a game of football in their lives.
I wanted to sarcastically yell at them
"I remember my first beer" Sometimes you should just stop flapping your trap like a cast member of The Hills (God, I hate reality T.v.) and just be quiet and let us enjoy the game. it was very distracting! there i feel much better. Its just that the lack of seeing Minor rage in the Osu game had me curled up in the corner rocking and sucking my thumb. Withdrawal has made me quite cranky


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The easiest and cheapest way to make sure your domestic building contract complies with legislation introduced earlier this year is to use a standard form contract produced by the QBCC or a major industry association.
Acting Commissioner of the QBCC, Kellie Lowe, said the changes, introduced on 1 July, helped create a level playing field for all parties to the contract and clearly specified the minimum requirements for domestic building contracts in Queensland.
Using a standard contract also gives you the best chance of getting paid and avoiding potential fines for breaches of the legislation.
If you develop your own contract you will need help from a lawyer to ensure it complies and you must still provide home owners with a copy of the QBCC Consumer Building Guide for all contracts priced at $20,000 or more.
Download a contract for domestic building work.
Download the QBCC Consumer Building Guide.