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U.S. Embassy in Turkey Attacked; Senate Scandal
Aired February 1, 2013 - 18:00 ET
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now: a suicide attack on the United States Embassy in Turkey. A rare joint interview with the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. A sheriff who says he won't enforce new gun control laws. Vigilantes trying to enforce harsh Muslim law on the streets of London. Plus, the Army veteran who lied on "American Idol" about his military service. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. An explosive and deadly message delivered to the American Embassy in the heart of the Turkish capital, Ankara, it was the scene of a suicide bombing that shook the diplomatic compound and rattled nerves all the way to Washington. CNN's Ivan Watson is learning more about the attack and attacker. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Turkish government is blaming a suicide bomb attack against the U.S. Embassy in Ankara on a little known leftist Marxist Turkish militant organization. (voice-over): Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on Friday, the suicide bomber struck, damaging the heavily fortified entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. The explosion shattered concrete and stone and left the bomber and Mustafa Akarsu, one of the embassy's Turkish guards, dead. FRANCIS RICCIARDONE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: Right now, we are all dealing with our sadness at the loss of our fellow member of our embassy. We salute his bravery, his service to Turkey and to Turkish-American friendship. Our hearts go out to his family. WATSON: Among the wounded, a Turkish television reporter named Didem Tuncay, now in hospital. Turkey's prime minister denounced what he and the U.S. government called an act of terror. RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): These attacks are against all the peace and welfare of our country and we will stand tall and we will stay together and we will overcome these. WATSON: Within hours, Turkish authorities identified the suspect bomber as this man, Ecevit Sanli, seen here in 1997 when he was convicted and jailed for attacking a Turkish police headquarters with a rocket. He was a member of a violent Turkish leftist group called the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front, or DHKP-C. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a Marxist revolutionary organization. They have not been active, very active until recently, and they have kind of started to kind of started stepping up their attacks in parallel with the war in Syria. WATSON: Turkey's support for rebels in neighboring Syria has angered some leftist groups and they have taken to the streets to denounce both the Turkish government and its close American ally. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a sense in Turkish left in particular that the Arab spring and in particular the Syrian war is something that the United States is stirring up for regime change all around the Middle East and that, for example, they have been very opposed to the placement of Patriot missiles. WATSON: The Turkish government asked NATO to place the Patriot batteries along its border with Syria to deter any threat of ballistic missile attacks, but leftist groups opposed the deployment and the presence of hundreds of U.S., German, and Dutch troops to operate the Patriots. Friday's suicide bombing was not the first time that Western diplomatic missions have been attacked in Turkey. In 2003, al Qaeda killed scores of people as well as the consul general of Britain in a truck bomb attack on the British Consulate in Istanbul. Five years later, gunmen attacked the American Consulate in Istanbul and six people were killed, as Turkish police fought successfully to protect the building. (on camera): The security measures work. Twice in six years attackers have failed to break into U.S. diplomatic missions in Turkey, but that is due in large part to Turkish guards who lost their lives as the first line of protection -- Wolf. (END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: Ivan Watson, thank you. Let's get a closer look at the United States Embassy right now, and CNN's Tom Foreman is joining us. Tom, show our views how the embassy is laid out in Ankara. TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, Ankara, as you know, is the second largest city in Turkey, and it is the capital, and so it is a sprawling place. There are about 5 million people if you take the whole metro area. It is home to their government is right in the middle of everything and a lot of company, the Germans, Italians, the French right here. The Serbians have an embassy down here. This area is an affluent area, lots of nice restaurants and nice homes and a good place for people to be most of time. And one of the big shocks here when the attack comes because this is the embassy compound, and here is what we know about the embassy. We know that the attack happened right down in this area here, so it actually was a little bit of distance from some of the main facilities of the embassy. BLITZER: What kind of security precautions, Tom, do embassies like the one in Ankara have? FOREMAN: Well, the simple truth is that embassies over the world have become increasingly secure over time. Sure, we hear about some indents where you have smaller outposts, but the embassies themselves in many cases are ringed in, and look at this. This has actually a lot of property around it here that separates it from the roadways. This is the main building right in here, and it's somewhat removed from everything. There is security and layers of security here to keep people away. In fact, Wolf, one of the concerns for some diplomats in the world is that our embassies have become so secure because of the attacks like this, that it makes it difficult to do the job which is connecting to the population and spreading U.S. influence and also listening for the good of U.S. interests -- Wolf. BLITZER: I would rather be secure though, obviously, and you need that security in many of these capitals. Tom, thanks very much. Our chief political correspondent, and the host of CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION," Candy Crowley, had a rare joint interview today with the outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey. And she talked to them about the embassy attack. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Do you have any reason to believe that what appears to be this suicide bombing in Turkey was linked to the Patriot missiles that we sent there recently? LEON PANETTA, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: No, I have no evidence of that. Clearly, this was a terrorist act. Obviously, we have to find out what the motive was here, but as far as I know, it was not linked to that. CROWLEY: Do you have any sense of what this was about? Was this an internal thing and they just chose the U.S. Embassy? GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN: Well, look, we've asked that question but the intel community -- this is a very recent event. And the intel community has exactly that question to wring out and to see if there was a connection. But at this point, as the secretary said, we have no indication that it was. (END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: And Candy is joining us now with more of this rare joint interview. Candy, there are reports, as you know, that both of them will be testifying before Congress on the Benghazi attack. CROWLEY: Yes, I talked to them both. It appears Thursday is the day. Secretary Panetta was not particularly, yes, we are going to do it, but he said we are talking to them about that and, yes, we are trying to work that out. But later the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said Thursday -- when we talked about Benghazi, which was one of the topics for us, he said, well, I'm sure these are the kinds of questions we will get on Thursday. It looks Thursday next week. BLITZER: When is Panetta's last day? Did he give you any indication? CROWLEY: He's not -- he actually said -- this was not on camera, but off the record, he said, I think that I will give my wife a nice Valentine's Day present, so obviously a lot of it depends on Hagel's confirmation. That says to me he's looking for around the 14th of February. BLITZER: The Hagel -- the vote is supposed to be on Chuck Hagel to be the next defense secretary next week some time, right? CROWLEY: Yes, that is supposed to be next week, but we do have some folks on Capitol Hill that said I do not want to confirm Chuck Hagel until we talk to the current defense secretary about Benghazi, so I think the timing there is not coincidental. BLITZER: Was Secretary Panetta sort of update about how the way he is leaving and handing over the Defense Department over to his successor? CROWLEY: It's hard to tell. Yes, he is proud of his record, and we talked a little bit about his legacy and how he looked at his term. But he is also really happy. This is a man, he has done longtime service -- as you know, he was at the CIA as well -- for this administration and other administrations, and I think that he is excited to be going home now to California. BLITZER: He has worked hard. He has given a lot to the country as a public servant, going back to being a congressman from California and he was budget director during the Clinton administration, and White House chief of staff and now CIA director and defense secretary. And he deserves a little R&R. CROWLEY: He is looking pretty happy about going home to California. BLITZER: I'm sure. Carmel, California, it is a nice place and I'm sure he will be happy to be with his wife, Sylvia, a little bit longer, over at the Panetta Institute as well. Candy, thanks very much. I just want to alert our viewers a reminder: this rare interview that Candy conducted with the secretary of defense, Leon Panetta, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Martin Dempsey, it airs this Sunday on "STATE OF THE UNION" 9:00 a.m. Eastern and also noon Eastern on Sunday, and you will want to see it. Serious ethics allegations against a powerful Democratic senator -- first, an FBI raid. Will an ethics investigation be next? Plus, an "American Idol" contestant's emotional war story now exposed as a lie. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: An FBI raid shining a spotlight on an apparent ethics violation by a Democratic senator who has just assumed a powerful new committee post. CNN national political correspondent Jim Acosta has more on the brewing scandal surrounding New Jersey's Robert Menendez. JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Senate's ethics rules are clear when it comes to these free flights Menendez accepted. The senator did not, as required, report them on his financial disclosure form. The question is, what, if anything, the Ethics Committee will do about it. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ACOSTA (voice-over): It was another day of a very public senator keeping a low profile. Outside a dinner Thursday night featuring New Jersey's top political leaders, Bob Menendez only offered a few words in response to the questions flooding his office. SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: I have commented already through my office. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are nameless, faceless anonymous allegations. ACOSTA: Just as Menendez is officially becoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a key member of the Senate Ethics Committee is indicating the panel is now looking into a raid by federal agents on the offices of Menendez friend and Florida doctor Salomon Melgen. In a statement, Republican Senator Johnny Isakson said: "We are aware of the news reports regarding the FBI raid on Dr. Melgen's office. The Ethics Committee will follow its established procedures in this matter." One potential violation of ethics rules, the free flight Menendez took on Melgen's private jet to the Dominican Republic 2010. On his financial disclosure form for that same year, Menendez said, no, he did not receive any reportable travel worth more than $335. His office now says the flights were worth $58,000. (on camera): Menendez reimbursed Dr. Melgen two years after he accepted those free flights, but according to a governor watchdog, that might not necessarily be a violation of Senate ethics rules. MELANIE SLOAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON: It's only in the Senate Ethics Committee where you can pay back money and then sort of get off the hook. ACOSTA (voice-over): Melanie Sloan with the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington says the trips amount to gifts that should have been reported promptly. SLOAN: He should have paid the charter rate for the trips at the time or disclosed them, and he didn't do either of those things. ACOSTA: Sloan's group sent over its own file on Menendez to the FBI last summer, including an e-mail from a man claiming the senator was flying to Dominican Republic to meet with prostitutes, a story that eventually appeared on the conservative Daily Caller Web site. But Dr. Melgen is also a big campaign contributor to Menendez. He donated well over $100,000 to the senator's reelection campaign, as well as to connected Democratic committees. NARRATOR: 2012 was supposed to be his year. ACOSTA: Melgen's company sent another $700,000 to a super PAC that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars get Menendez reelected. At a subcommittee last year, "The New York Times" reports Menendez urged government officials to help direct a port security contract to a company tied to Melgen. The top Republican in the senator's home state suggested it's time for Menendez to address all of the questions head on. GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Senator Menendez has been in public life for, gosh, over two decades. I think he has a complete understanding of what he believes his responsibility is. (END VIDEOTAPE) ACOSTA: When asked why Menendez failed to report those flights on his financial disclosure form at the time, his staff did not respond. Intentionally falsifying these forms is a federal crime, and it says so right on the form -- Wolf. BLITZER: Jim Acosta, thanks very much. The Obama administration is retreating on what critics have portrayed as a war on religion. It is dropping a controversial health care form provision requiring religiously affiliated employers to cover contraception as part of their workers' health insurance plans. CNN's chief White House correspondent, Jessica Yellin, is joining us with now details. What is the latest on this front, Jessica? JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. This policy is meant to help those organizations like Catholic universities that offer their own insurance policies, they self- insure, but object on moral grounds to offer contraception. Does the policy go far enough? The jury is still out. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) YELLIN (voice-over): Obama administration officials say proposed new guidelines would ensure women get contraception for free, and no objecting religious organization would have to pay for it, a seemingly perfect compromise. JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We had to ensure that women have access to preventive services like contraception, and that the policy also respects religious beliefs. YELLIN: The policy would allow a self-insured religious organization like a Catholic university to opt out of providing birth control. Another insurance company would give employees birth control for free. DAWN LAGUENS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD: This just clarifies that there are not going to be some women who get this benefit and some women who don't. All women in America through their insurance coverage are going to have access to birth control without a co-pay, no matter where they work or where they live. YELLIN: Not everyone sees this as a win-win. CHUCK DONOVAN, CHARLOTTE LOZIER INSTITUTE: It leaves an awful lot of the conscience and moral objection concerns uncovered. The private sector does not gain protections. YELLIN: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is reserving judgment while it studies the 80-page guidelines, but in statements the head of the National Association of Evangelicals ripped the new policy as bad news for all who love religious freedom, saying "The Obama administration should have done the right thing and dropped the contraception mandate," and the family values organization Concerned Women for America slammed it as a "blatant attempt to mislead and trample the religious liberties of Americans." This is the second attempt to clean up the original policy since it ignited a firestorm almost a year ago. BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Religious liberty will be protected and a law that requires free preventive care will not discriminate against women. (END VIDEOTAPE) YELLIN: Now, Wolf, this new policy also clarifies which religious organizations actually qualify for this exemption. There will going to be a 60-day comment period before this proposed guideline becomes the new rule. There are about 50 lawsuits challenging the so-called contraception mandate and we will have to wait for that 60-day comment period to expire to see where those lawsuits ultimately stand, Wolf. BLITZER: Jessica Yellin, an important story emerging from the White House. Thanks to you for that. They are targeting women, gays and even people just out for a drink. We have details of Muslim vigilantes on the streets of London. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (NEWS BREAK) BLITZER: Sheriffs vowing to -- quote -- "trade their lives" to preserve gun rights, and they lay out their position in a controversial letter to President Obama. We will talk to the law enforcement official who wrote it. That is next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: We just received some pictures of the new secretary of state, John Kerry, as he was being sworn in a few hours ago. Took place on Capitol Hill. Kerry was joined by his family and about 50 staffers from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, his Senate office. His wife, Teresa, held the Bible. The oath was administered by the United States Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan. The bust in the background, by the way, is the former Senator/Secretary of State Cordell Hull. Congratulations to John Kerry, the new secretary of state of the United States. To news: a new flare-up in the battle over gun control, this one sparked by candid remarks by the vice president, Joe Biden. CNN crime and justice correspondent Joe Johns on the story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After meeting with Senate Democrats, Vice President Biden admitted that while new gun laws can make a difference, they won't necessarily prevent another tragedy like Newtown. JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Nothing we are going is going to do fundamentally alter or eliminate the possibility of another mass shooting or guarantee that we will bring gun deaths down to 1,000 a year from what it is now. JOHNS: And that started off a war of words. Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group started by New York's Michael Bloomberg, said the vice president is right. "No law is going to stop all firearm fatalities, but when you make dangerous acts illegal, it makes people less likely to do that dangerous thing." The National Rifle Association said both are wrong, calling for Congress to stop "these heinous acts by fixing our broken mental health system and by providing a blanket of security to our children in schools." The NRA has said before that new laws are not the answer. The White House played down the vice president's comments, pointing to a similar line from the president a few weeks ago pushing Congress to take action on guns. OBAMA: While there is no law or set of laws that can prevent every senseless act of violence completely, no piece of legislation that will prevent every tragedy, every act of evil, if there is even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there is even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try. JOHNS: And those efforts continue, though the vice president may have gotten ahead of himself by suggesting the Sandy Hook school shooting caused certain groups opposed to new gun control measures to change positions. BIDEN: Now the evangelical groups are sitting down here, we must do something, we must do something. The same with the sheriffs, when you talk about the need to deal with assault weapons or trafficking, they are much more forward-leaning. JOHNS (voice-over) At a news conference today I asked the National Sheriff's Association if they supported some of the more controversial gun control proposals being discussed, including banning assault weapons. They were noncommittal. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For us to take a position on what doesn't exist today, we are not there. And again, the other thing that we want to do is we don't want to talk about what divides us, we want to talk about the ways that we can work together. (END VIDEO CLIP) JOHNS: And we should add that the National Sheriff's Association also stopped short of supporting members who have announced they won't enforce any new laws enacted that they deem an assault on the Second Amendment, Wolf. BLITZER: All right, Joe, thank you. Let's dig a little bit deeper, get some more now on this gun control debate with Sheriff Jim Tracy of Utah County in Utah, who is here in Washington with a group of other sheriffs. Sheriff, thanks very much for coming in. SHERIFF JIM TRACY, UTAH COUNTY, UTAH: Thank you for having me. BLITZER: You and the Utah Sheriff's Association wrote a pretty powerful letter to the President of the United States. Among other things, you write this, "No federal official will be permitted to descend upon our constituents and take from them what the Bill of Rights -- in particular, Amendment II" -- Second Amendment to the Constitution -- "has given them." That is a pretty threatening statement to the president. What do you mean by that? TRACY: Well, we don't believe it's threatening, but we do believe it's powerful. Part of the issue is how do we enforce the laws in our counties. And there's 28 of the 29 sheriffs in Utah that are members of this association. And within that group, there are varying and differing opinions on exactly what each county would do in that exact case, if there were federal officials that did come down. Part of the issue that I look at is, as a constitutional issue, we were hoping that we could send this letter to President Obama and ask him if he would do -- work with Congress and not make executive orders that might countermand something that was not law, and that the law and anything that would come from that point would go through Congress where it should come through. BLITZER: Because there is another line in your letter that says -- and it's pretty tough as well, "We are prepared to trade our lives for the preservation of its traditional interpretation." All right. Those are strong words. If there is a federal law that says you got to do something, you are going to obey the law of the United States of America, right? TRACY: That is correct. We would. And that is not the intent of that letter, is to say that we would not be within the law. The part of the issue is, as states do every day, when there is a disagreement (ph) between the federal law and the state laws, we would take that to court. We indicate in there that it is the right of the Supreme Court to interpret those laws. BLITZER: But while it's being adjudicated in the lower courts, the court of the appeals courts, the Supreme Court, it's the law if the president signs a executive order, saying you got to do something, you got to do it. You obey the law. TRACY: I guess so. One of the things just come up and we put this in the context of the marijuana laws in Colorado and up in -- I think it was Oregon or Washington. The federal law says that marijuana is against the law, and yet those states have voted to take that law and ignore it. So would that be the same situation along these lines until something is adjudicated through the Supreme Court, would we maybe not take action on that? That would be a possibility. BLITZER: So you would really -- if the president said you got to do it, you would violate that? Is that what you're saying? TRACY: We would not violate it; we wouldn't enforce it. And at that point, I would look to the courts and ask that we have a case taken forward. Hopefully we could set precedent through the courts and that we would get a determination from the Supreme Court ultimately. BLITZER: So let's be specific on greater background checks for people buying guns, would you close all those loopholes so everyone who buys a gun would have to be checked so that no criminals, terrorists, could just go out there and buy a weapon? TRACY: Speaking for myself, as a sheriff of Utah County, I do not oppose the background checks. BLITZER: All right. So you're with the -- with the president on that. What about on magazines? TRACY: That I don't support. It seems like there's a push to take inanimate objects like magazines and try to solve this whole issue through enforcing limits on those. I mean, we deal with firearms every day. It takes a quarter-second to a half-second to go from a -- one magazine to change it into another. It really isn't -- (CROSSTALK) BLITZER: So if a magazine has 100 bullets in it, you don't have a problem with that? TRACY: I do not. BLITZER: And what about assault-type weapons? TRACY: I don't have any problem with assault weapons, either. The issue comes down to the issue of what does the individual with that tool do. And we refer to that as a tool. The tool is no more evil or effective than the individual using it. BLITZER: What would you do -- and it's hypothetical; I don't know if it'll happen -- if Congress were to pass legislation putting a limit on magazines or banning certain type assault-type weapons, the president signed it into law, it is then the law of the land, what would you do? TRACY: Well, two things. We would look to our state legislature to see what they would do. If they were to do something contrary to what the federal law would be, we would look after taking that law that was passed by the state and push that forward, hopefully through the federal court system, to get that up to the Supreme Court and look for an adjudication. BLITZER: You'd look -- but that would take a while. That could take a few years. In the meantime, you'd have to limit the sale of magazines or assault-type weapons and you're the sheriff. You're going to do that whether you like it or not. TRACY: Well, I am not sure that I would. In this case -- BLITZER: Well, would you retire or would you resign? TRACY: No, I am not going to resign. I'm gone in two years, anyway. I've been with the sheriff's department for 37 years. But I would not enforce that law based on the fact that I would look for a court injunction to stay that execution. BLITZER: Well, what if you didn't get it? TRACY: If we didn't, then I would look the other way for the time until we got to the point where we got some kind of a ruling from the Supreme Court or a federal court. BLITZER: Because it is unusual to hear a sheriff to say he would violate the law. TRACY: I am not going to violate it. But I'm not going to -- BLITZER: I mean, a sheriff has got to uphold the law. TRACY: Yes. Maybe we put it like the president put it when he talked about the fact that the states were ignoring the marijuana, we have other fish to fry, you know, more -- something more important than that to look at. BLITZER: Sheriff James Tracy from Utah, thanks for coming in. TRACY: Thank you. BLITZER: Sharia law in the heart of London, details of Muslim vigilantes harassing women, gays, people just out for a drink. What's going on? A full report is next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Muslim vigilantes trying to enforce the strictest form of Islamic law. They are a fixture in certainly many parts of the Muslim world, but now they are a growing cause of concern in the British capital. CNN's Dan Rivers reports. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Whitechapel in East London, a hard-line vigilante group is trying to impose sharia law on unsuspecting members of the public. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a Muslim area. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible)? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alcohol bad. This is a Muslim area. RIVERS (voice-over): It is not just drinkers being targeted. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, you're a -- you're a gay man, get out of there, mate. Yes, there, you fag. RIVERS (voice-over): And women wearing skirts above the knee are also being harassed. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You cannot dress like that in Muslim area. RIVERS (voice-over): Only a handful of men are involved in the self-styled patrols. Five have been arrested on suspicion of harassment, but we joined others who have not been picked up by the police. These men claim they are simply tackling drunken behavior where alcohol is already banned from the streets, but they do share many of the same hard-line beliefs as those arrested. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alcohol is causing so much problems in the area, in fact, it is blighting the area. It causes crime. It causes people misbehaving and drunk and disorderly behavior. RIVERS: Would you condemn, then, the more intimidating patrols, where they try to seem to be trying to impose sharia law in parts of London? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am not here to condemn or condone anyone's action, what I am here to say is that there is a problem. RIVERS: Those doing these patrols are reveling in the media spotlight, but actually the number of people involved is very, very small. The vast majority of Muslim people living in this part of East London want nothing to do with vigilantes whatsoever. RIVERS (voice-over): At the local mosque, Muslim leaders are appalled and have condemned the patrols, which they say are stirring up hatred. SALMAN FARSI, EAST LONDON MOSQUE: It has done a huge amount of damage to the Muslim community, and it is no doubt going to increase Islamophobia. RIVERS (voice-over): Police patrols in the area have been stepped up as the authorities take a tough line. DET. CHIEF INSPECTOR WENDY MORGAN, METRO POLICE: We will not accept such behavior. It is unacceptable. RIVERS (voice-over): Leading British Muslims like Baroness Swasse (ph), have warned their community's need to integrate better into wider society to stop extremism. In a speech in November, she said, "We have been treating our communities like foreign embassies where the rules from abroad apply and wider society keeps well out of it. And for too long, cultural sensitivities have often led our leaders to become morally blind." RIVERS (voice-over): But there is evidence that the lack of integration is partly because in many cities across Europe white people are moving away from ethnically-mixed neighborhoods. PROF. ERIC KAUFMAN, BIRKBECK COLLEGE: Even without many whites consciously fleeing, you can get a change that's quite dramatic in the character of an area. So here in London, between 2001 and 2011, an area like Barking (ph) and Dagenham (ph), a third of the white British population has left. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Muslim patrol. Move away from the mosque. RIVERS (voice-over): Enormous demographic changes resulting in profound challenges like the so-called Muslim patrols which the communities, themselves, are now trying to tackle -- Dan Rivers, CNN, London. (END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: Britain by the way is not alone. Denmark, Belgium, Spain, they have all seen similar groups going after what they describe as un-Islamic behavior. An Iraq war veteran brings his emotional story to "American Idol," a story he now admits was false. And we are going live to New Orleans and the Super Bowl countdown. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: You may have heard his emotional story on "American Idol," an Iraq war veteran talking about being wounded in the war. Turns out, it was all a lie. CNN's Martin Savidge is joining us now. Martin, tell us how all of this played out. MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is a remarkable story, Wolf. I mean, you have this young man, comes on "American Idol," he serves the country, so he says, he is there with his little girl. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (MUSIC PLAYING) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sheer cuteness. SAVIDGE (voice-over): It was one of those made-for-TV moments that was guaranteed to melt your heart, 26-year-old Matt Farmer, taking a shot at fame on "American Idol" Wednesday night, holding his precious 3-year-old daughter, and telling a story of valor from his military service in Iraq. MATT FARMER, IRAQ VETERAN: We were on a mission, in Ramadi, Iraq, and we came across an IED, and the IED exploded. I just remember waking up in the hospital in Kuwait. SAVIDGE (voice-over): The only problem, it was all a lie. Among the millions watching and listening was Farmer's former best friend, Nick Betts. NICK BETTS, FARMER'S FORMER BEST FRIEND: No, it is not true. SAVIDGE (voice-over): And how does he know? BETTS: Because I was with him the entire time. SAVIDGE (voice-over): Betts says he deployed with Farmer to Iraq in 2006 and 2007. He says the idol wannabe was never in an IED blast. BETTS: There were numerous IEDs that tour; thankfully nobody was killed by them. We did have a fellow soldier that was maimed, but Farmer was not. He was not involved in any of those. SAVIDGE (voice-over): Betts says Farmer was flown out of Iraq for medical reasons, but he says it was due to Farmer getting drunk and mixing prescription drugs, not the enemy. FARMER: My name's Matt Farmer. SAVIDGE (voice-over): "American Idol" was not the only time Farmer lied. He told a huge church audience of a harrowing tale of survival in Afghanistan, when he said the truck he was riding in ran over two land mines. FARMER: Everyone but myself was killed. I was the only one left alive. SAVIDGE (voice-over): According to Farmer's military buddies and his ex-wife, Farmer was never in Afghanistan. Not long after his "Idol" moment, the Guardian of Valor website dedicated to keeping military records truthful and honest, lit up with outrage. Said one post, "Sickening that this man's allowed to call himself a veteran. He's a disgrace to our true military heroes." Another simply said, "SSOS. Sorry sack of -- (expletive)." Later on that same site, Farmer posted his own statement, admitting, quote, "It was all lies." He went on to say, "To everyone, but more importantly the men I served with, I'm deeply regretful and sorry." Betts was one of those men. And he's not sure sorry cuts it. BETTS: I feel like he took away from those that actually did sacrifice for this country, you know, we lost really good men that year. Some were maimed, some were killed. And to claim that he was with them and involved in this tragedy, is disgusting. (END VIDEO CLIP) SAVIDGE: And by the way, Wolf, I have been having an ongoing conversation over the Internet and e-mail with Matt Farmer, trying to convince him to come on this show to talk and actually to speak. He said he won't do that. Here's what he did tell me. He said, "At this time, I am not in the best of mental states to call and talk. A bit scattered to be honest, but would like to call and let people hear me set that record straight as soon as I get checked out and make sure I'm OK." I guess the good news there is that he is seeking professional help, Wolf. BLITZER: Yes, he obviously he needs some help. All right. Thanks very much for that, Martin Savidge reporting. Excitement is building, meanwhile, for Sunday's Super Bowl, looking at live pictures over there. But there's a serious undertone to NFL football this year as well following recent comments by President Obama about head injuries. The NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league will take more precautions. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER: I welcome the president's comments, because it has been a priority. And the changes we're making in the NFL, I think are changing all of sports. There's a better recognition of head injuries, of treating them conservatively, and that affects every sport. (END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: Joining us now from New Orleans, Rachel Nichols. She's just joined CNN and Turner Sports. So first of all, welcome, Rachel, to CNN. Good to have you on board. Let's talk about these head injuries for a moment, because this whole problem is hovering over NFL football big-time right now. I wonder how it's hovering over the Super Bowl. RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. I mean, Roger Goodell, it was the first question he was asked at his annual State of the State, State of the Union press conference today. And you could tell that he knew it was coming. Once President Obama said that he was concerned about this head injury issue and that if he had a son, he would wonder whether he wanted his son to play football, well, Roger Goodell knew that there would be plenty of people asking. Now unless Ms. Obama hasn't told us all something, that's not going to be an actual concern for the president. But it is echoing the thoughts of many parents around the country. You know, Friday Night Lights, it's such a cultural part of so many cities and towns in the U.S., get your kid into football. And should parents still do this, is this a smart thing? Goodell wanted to assure people that this is a problem that they are continuing to work on, continuing to pour research in. They're going to take an additional step for the players on the field coming up this next season. They're going to have independent neurologists on the sideline. These will not be doctors that are hired by the team with the team's interest in mind; these will be independent neurologists, who will then talk to the player and supposedly be making a more independent judgment about whether they should go back in with a possible head injury. But still, there is a lot of criticism from different sides about whether this is really enough. Because as you know, there have been fines, there have been suspensions, and players say they're concerned there's too much for show on the field and not enough going into what's happening in the training rooms and really preventative care. So the debate here is really raging on. BLITZER: Certainly is. Very quickly, Rachel, is there a story line that you're most looking forward to seeing unfold over the next few days in New Orleans? NICHOLS: Well, Ray Lewis has had a seven-team career; we have seen all kinds of things from him at both ends of the spectrum. And who thought that deer antler spray, a supposed performance enhancing -- enhancement would enter the story line? So you never know what you're going to get. We've had more things go into the catalog just this week, and very I'm eager to see how his story ends. This is a Hall of Fame career, but the punctuation is yet to come. I want to see what comes at the end of the sentence for him. BLITZER: Welcome to CNN and Turner Sports, Rachel, good to have you on our team. Appreciate it very much. NICHOLS: Thanks so much. BLITZER: And please be sure to join Rachel tomorrow on Super Bowl Eve, when she hosts "Kickoff in New Orleans," a CNN Bleacher Report Special, 4:00 pm Eastern. Ted Nugent talks guns on "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT." Erin's here to tell us a little bit more. What's coming up at the top of the hour, Erin? ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: All right. Well, you know, when you talk about guns and who wants to have guns in this country, and is most passionate about gun rights, obviously, you think of Ted Nugent, the rock musician. And we have a special investigation, spending time shooting with Ted Nugent on his ranch in Waco, Texas. That story is coming up at the top of the hour, Wolf. Plus with the horrible story in Texas about the assistant district attorney, Mark Hasse, who was shot and killed in the parking lot of his office, we look at other district attorneys, prosecutors, people who have gone missing, who have been killed, an incredibly high-risk job in this country that a lot of people may not realize just what risks these people take on. So that story coming up at the top of the hour. See you in a few minutes. BLITZER: We'll see you in a few minutes, Erin. Thank you. A pastor leaves an angry note for his waitress, on the receipt. It's the tip everyone's talking about. You're going to find out why. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: A restaurant squabble that may have started small is now growing, going viral, not over the food but the tip and an angry customer whose complaint ended up online. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos. JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If how much to tip leaves you stumped, wait till you hear the story of the waitress, the pastor and the receipt. Make themselves out to kind of be a jerk, but also play the religion card as an excuse? MOOS (voice-over): Pastor Alois Bell was part of a party of 10, eating at an Applebee's in St. Louis. The pastor did not appreciate the automatic 18 percent gratuity charge to large groups, so she scrawled on the receipt, "I give God 10 percent, why do you get 18," and signed it, "Pastor." That was too much for waitress Chelsea Welch, who posted the receipt on the website Reddit. Chelsea WELCH, WAITRESS: I took a picture of the note because I thought it was comically immature. MOOS (voice-over): But Pastor Bell wasn't laughing once the receipt went viral and posters started calling her. PASTOR ALOIS BELL: You hypocrite pastor. MOOS: Now Chelsea wasn't even the waitress serving that table. At the end of the night, she heard about the receipt from the actual server. WELCH: This server calls me over and says, "You're not going to believe this." MOOS (voice-over): The 18 percent gratuity was taken directly out of the pastor's credit card. She wrote "zero" in the space for additional tip but says -- WELCH: And I put $6 on the table. MOOS (voice-over): When the "I give God 10 percent" receipt became news, the pastor called Applebee's to complain. WELCH: That they wanted me fired, the server fired, my manager fired. MOOS: Chelsea was fired. So now instead of worrying about getting tips, she could use some job-hunting tips. MOOS (voice-over): Applebee's acknowledged Chelsea's dismissal, saying, "Our guests' personal information, including their meal check, is private. And neither Applebee's nor its franchisees have a right to share this information publicly." Meanwhile, the pastor seems to have had a change of heart about writing the note. BELL: That was a lapse in my judgment. I apologize for that. WELCH: I am sorry that I violated your privacy in posting your signature. BELL: Would I ever do that again? No, I would not ever do that again. WELCH: But you offended me. You offended me, you offended your server. MOOS: The question is, what would Jesus tip? MOOS (voice-over): And on that subject, God's not tipping his hand -- Jeanne Moos, CNN -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what have you learned from all this? BELL: I learned not to be writing on no receipts. (LAUGHTER) MOOS (voice-over): -- New York. BLITZER: Got to be careful, everything you write out there. That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.


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Support at Camphill St Albans
We are flexible in the support that we offer to each individual. Support can range from a few hours per week to 24 hour care. The local authority that funds the support will complete a formal needs assessment with the individual, family members and other professionals regarding all areas that someone will need support.
From this we work with the individual and people that are important to them to create a person centred support plan. Areas of support include personal care, housekeeping, menu planning, shopping, cooking, budgeting, keeping healthy, managing medication, social and leisure activities.
We ensure that it fully reflects their specific needs and any dreams and aspirations they may wish to be able to achieve.The emphasis is on working towards greater independence in all life skills.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sato is a traditional vodun rhythm from Benin, and has been one inspiration to modernize beninese urban music from the 70s. Here's an early (and scratchy) example with Orchestre Picoby Band, produced between 1972 and 1975, and pressed at Satel local plant.
(GMR is the Revolutionary Military Governement created in 72 by M. Kerekou during transition to marxist-leninist regime imposed in 74).
Avohou Pierre and Orchestre Picoby Band - Mi Do Kou Nou GMR:


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I hate anyone who makes a profit by incarcerating human beings.
Friday, February 24, 2012
End of an Era? Not Likely
I just wanted to drop a quick link to an article from The Crime Report that came out earlier this week that discusses the growing divestment campaign and its potential to dismantle the for-profit prison industrial complex. Though the movement is gaining steam, I don't think it's quite powerful enough to tear down the industry. At least not yet.
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OSWEGO, NY – A brand new addition is in the works for racing at Oswego Speedway and the particulars of this addition will be quite unique to 'The Steel Palace.'
In a combined effort with Supermodified car builder John Colloca, track owners John and Eric Torrese have put plans in place over the past several months to develop a prototype 350 Supermodified for testing at the Steel Palace. This beautiful racer is now complete at Colloca's Oswego shop.
350 Supers run weekly at facilities in New Hampshire, however, they have never seen racing action at Oswego. This is something the Torreses hope to change, and while track management has no intentions of doing away with neither the Novelis Supermodified nor the Pathfinder Bank SBS divisions, the speedway does hope to build a third class for the near future.
"We are pretty excited about this beautiful race car," said track owner Eric Torrese. "Our goal behind this is not at all to poach or do away with the SBS class or the Supermodified class. Over the past two years I have seen at least six cars go east or west for racing and we feel as though those cars would have been valued additions to our field at Oswego, perhaps in the 350 Supermodified capacity. The intent with this idea is to continue to build our two divisions as well as build a third. We want to make our racing as exciting and action-packed as possible for the fans. We want the pits full and believe that taking the steps to begin an Oswego 350 class will allow us to maintain those two goals."
350 Supermodifieds were last on the race track at Oswego in 2013 when a handful of New England region cars appeared for testing, running sub-18 second times. While the expectation is to see something similar with the Oswego-style 350 Super, there is a small difference between the two cars.
"This is a 350 Supermodified with a 602 crate engine that has cast iron heads," said John Colloca. "There is a Chevy distributor in there. Very similar to what they run out east, almost the exact same thing, however their engine is a 604 and what we have in this car is a 602."
2017 will be a gigantic test for this 350 Supermodified along with the speedway to see what comes of the in-depth track time for this freshly re-done machine.
A handful of drivers are expected to get behind the wheel, one of them being Pat Lavery, who is quite familiar with this prototype car in particular.
"Our car that will see track time this year is a former Pat Lavery 22," Torrese said. "We intend to do tons of testing . I talked to Pat today about driving it. Without taking away too much from guys that are racing full-time, our plan is to get it out on the track as soon as possible and just start playing. There are some guys we have in mind."
Torrese feels that this class of cars will eventually produce very equal, quality racing for all parties involved.
"You look at the cars and drivers that stopped running, perhaps because they felt they wouldn't be running for a top ten finish with all the new evolution cars," Torrese said. "My belief is that with a front nose wing and the big rear wing we can glue these cars down. Even if it's a much older car, with not too much sheet metal and equal motors we can really get these things racy. That is our goal."
This season, it's all about learning and seeing how this endeavor, which is brand new for everyone at Oswego Speedway, will shake out.
"2017 is going to be a learning experience," Torrese said. "I hope that by somewhere in July we hopefully have it figured out and from there make up a rulebook and go forward with this as a class in the future. There are cars sitting in garages not being touched right now that we think could be a part of a 350 Supermodified division at Oswego. We hope the fans like it, we hope people support it and hopefully everyone will be as excited as we are."
Oswego Speedway will be back in action May 6 for the annual open testing sessions. Main grandstand gates will be open and free to the public.
Official racing action at the Speedway begins on Saturday, May 13 featuring the speedway's 67th consecutive opening day presented by Mitchell's Speedway Press and highlighted by the Race of Champions Modified Richie Evans Memorial 61 as well as kick-off events for the Novelis Supermodifieds and Pathfinder Bank SBS.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit www.oswegospeedway.com. You can also follow on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway and like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.


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NEWPORT COAST — Kelly Perkins might be new to Laguna Beach, but she could look familiar to anyone who has turned on the television or flipped open a newspaper in the last decade. She gained international recognition in the mid-1990s as the first woman to mountain climb with a donor heart.
On Sunday, Laguna Beach residents are celebrating the newest member of their community with a party at renowned architect Pierluigi Bonvicini's Newport Coast estate.
Mike Spindle, a Realtor with Prudential in Laguna Beach, sold Perkins her new home and immediately took a liking to her and her husband, Craig.
When he and his business partner, Paola Porrini Bisson, met them, they said to each other: "We have to adopt this woman."
Spindle thought the Sunday get-together would be a great opportunity for Perkins to meet people in the community and spread the word about her nonprofit, Moving Hearts, which promotes and raises awareness for organ donation.


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- All
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- Biography
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- History
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Bushido and the Art of Living
An Inquiry into Samurai Values
Alexander Bennett
Published by JPIC | ISBN 978-4-916055-86-6 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-4-86658-051-7 (Paperback) | 184 pages | 220mm (h) x 148mm (w) | March 2017
アレキサンダー・ベネット 著
文藝春秋 刊
- About the Book
What is Bushido? What is Budo? How are the culture and traditions of samurai connected with the modern martial arts? Is the ancient wisdom of Japan's feudal warriors truly relevant in the twenty-first century? If so, how can it be accessed? This book addresses these questions, and is a must read not only for martial artists, but also for those who want to know more about the enigmatic Japanese mind and notions of self-identity.
- About the Author
Alexander BENNETT
Alexander Bennett is currently employed as a Professor at Kansai University's Division of International Affairs. Bennett is Vice President of the International Naginata Federation, on the International Committee of the All Japan Kendo Federation, a Director of the Japanese Academy of Budo, and represents NZ Kendo as Head Coach. Recent publications in English include Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai (Tuttle, 2014); Kendo: Culture of the Sword (University of California Press, 2015), Naginata: History and Practice (Bunkasha International, 2016).


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Apart from fire regulations that require certain fire, smoke and heat detectors being installed, it makes sense to ensure your building and your personnel are protected.
Whether you're seeking an integrated control panel system for your commercial premises or business, or simply require a budget system designed to protect your personal residence, we carry a wide range of fire alarms to suit your exact needs and requirements.
Website Design by | Vector 7
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I'm knitting up a pair of lacy socks (for me? my Mom? Dunno yet!), using a wool/silk/bamboo blend with no nylon, so I've decided to reinforce the heel using slipped stitches - not only the flap, but the heel "cap" (the bottom part of the heel, that you actually walk on) as well.
The sock pattern is from Knitting Vintage Socks. I like this book - it gives clear instructions for a variety of heel types and I'm using the "Dutch" or "horseshoe" heel here. It has a rectangular heel cap, one that's ideally suited for continuing the slipped sts that make up the flap part. Here's a generic recipe for a flap with a ridged slipped stitch pattern (note that I slip the sts on the WS or purl side, which I prefer - makes the rows go by faster!):
Heel flap over EVEN # sts:
RS: Sl 1 pw wyif, K to 2nd last, sl 1 pw, K last st
WS: Sl 1 pw wyif, [P1 Sl 1] to last st, K last st
Finish with a WS row. The extra slipped st at the end of the RS row makes for a tighter chain edge. I find it really helps.
Turning the heel (making the "cap"):
Divide sts into thirds, adjusting so that the middle portion has an EVEN number of sts, place markers (those split-ring markers come in handy here).
RS: Sl1 pw wyif, K to 1 st before 2nd marker, sl 1, (remove marker) K1, psso, turn.
WS: Sl 1 pw wyif, [P1 Sl 1] to 1 before 1st marker, p2tog (remove marker), turn.
Repeat these 2 rows until all the side sts have been "eaten", ending with a WS row.
You won't need the markers after the first row - you'll be "eating" one st before and after the "gap" at each row. It's obvious once you start.
Some tips: keep the stitches tight when you psso and p2tog. You might want to substitute an ssk for the K1 psso, but my ssk's tend to be a bit looser and hence don't give the best results.
Because the heel cap has a constant number of sts, it's easy to keep up the slipped-stitch pattern for reinforcement. I find it much harder to do if making a "French" heel, where the cap is triangular...and I find the fit pretty much the same.
Once you've picked up the sts on the sides of the flap and are knitting in the round again, you can revert back to straight knitting (stockinette) on the sole. Or, you can continue the slipped-stitch pattern a bit further into the sole; however, keep in mind that this type of pattern works up narrower than stockinette, so the sock will pull in. You might have to adjust the rate of your decreases at the gusset...


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Learn-do-teach describes the theory that the highest level of comprehension of complex skills is attained through the use of a three phased approach. A traditional learning process, followed by performance of newly learned skills, followed by an attempt to share or teach the skill to another individual. A number of academics believe this cycle provides the greatest level of comprehension and greater competence. To that end, this page is an effort to share information about various tasks, information and skills related to Criminal Defense in New York State Local and State Courts.
This is not intended as a public resource. This page contains information and links to be shared with legal professionals.
This page is a repository for various articles and other items of interest for attorneys that practice criminal defense in Western New York. The items on this page are not intended as legal advice, nor should anyone rely upon the various items that may be linked here. They are nice starting places and resources for admitted attorneys who may use them to develop their practice with further research on the topics listed. I do not claim ownership of any of the information contained in these links, and they are posted for the sole intention of providing educational materials to other lawyers and legal professionals, who are encourages to purchase source materials cited therein.
First Post: 1/21/2014. Last Updated: 1/21/2014.
Using Google to Search NY Case Law. You can filter a search to limit a search in Google Scholar with effective results. Here's an example.
Here's a blank example of a 190.80 motion in PDF: 190.80 Motion (blank)
Client Relations
Attorney Client Relations: What the law says about the decisions made during a criminal case, and who is responsible for making them.
Professor Brunetti on Division of Labor (Courtesy of Hon. M. Pietruszka)
Use the Fifth Amendment. Making Statements to the Police: It's just not a good idea. Sometimes clients refuse to believe they should not talk to the police, and in spite of our best efforts, they talk to Police Officers. Here's the best source I have seen on why you should never talk to a police officer, even if you're innocent!
Finding a client in Custody: Where is my client detained?
In Erie County, the Sheriff's Department lists its guests at either facility here.
Outside Erie County, you may want to try Vine Link.
In a New York DOCS facility, you can use DOCS inmate look up to find people in State Prisons.
The DCJS website is a treasure trove of standard forms and data that comes up in our practice. For example, here's a blank DWI supporting deposition form.
New York DMV's drinking driver program brochure.
Find an OASAS approved evaluator, here.
Cross Examination / Impeachment
Here is a great outline from the Federal Defender's Office by Mary Kennedy. This link is to the Defender's website where the document is stored.
Criminal Trial Jury Instructions, here.
Erie County Commissioner of Jurors, website.
Search and Seizure
Street Encounters (DeBour): Chart on levels of police intrusion: 2012 DEBOUR CHART Debours Four Levels
Street Encounters (DeBour): Outline of DeBour case law: Debours Four Levels
When a client is interviewed by the Probation Department, what factors will the Officer consider when making a recommendation regarding sentence? Becoming familiar with COMPAS and other Risk Assessment Tools may be valuable. Here's a presentation from Georgia that may be a good starting point .Brennan – Risk Needs Assessment Enters the Court.
The PSI, a history. Here's a broad discussion of the Pre-Sentence Investigation that can provide a bit of comprehension on the significance and content of a PSI.
Search this site:


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In all the confusion that surrounds current political debates on providing affordable health care to the people of the United States, it is difficult to predict what the final outcome will be.
Recently, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called upon Congress in its deliberations "to consider important moral criteria, especially pertaining to the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn and those experiencing deep poverty."
The Bishops of the United States have consistently advocated for a health care system in which "everyone should be cared for and no one should be deliberately killed." The Bishops asked Congress to ensure health care coverage for the millions of people who rely upon it.
Noting that the Catholic Church "provides health care, purchases health care and helps to pick up the pieces for those who fall through the cracks of the health care system when it fails," the Bishops urged Congress to adopt "a new spirit of cooperation for the sake of the common good."
As a Bishop, taking sides in partisan politics is not my intention or place here. Rather, my only concern is our responding to the call of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel to show love and compassion for one another in every way possible from conception through natural death. Providing health care is one concrete way of doing that.
My hope and my prayer in these days when so many people anticipate the worst and live in fear is that the "better angels of our nature" will prevail and move those in positions of power to respond affirmatively to the Lord Jesus' call.
– Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M.


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Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern The Vine Restaurant Limited's relationship with you in relation to this website.
The term 'The Vine Restaurant Limited' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is 13 Pound Lane, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3TB. Our company registration number is 05781546. The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website.
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Bogotá lies in one of the three ranges of the Andes Mountains, 2,640 m (8,200 ft) above sea level. It is close to the equator, so there are no seasons; and the climate is cool year round.
The average temperature is 10°C (57°F) by day, and 10°C (50°F) by night.
Visas y documents
Citizens of more than 85 countries do not need visas to come to Colombia as tourists. This is a major advantage when organizing any kind of international event.
If you are a national of one of the countries listed in the list given in Decreto 5707 de 2008, and you are attending an event Colombia, you will not need a visa to stay for up to 90 days from the day you arrive.
Power Supply
Electricity in Bogota is at 110V/60Hz. Most wall sockets take Type-B 3-pin plugs, compatible with Type-A flat 2-pin American-style plugs.
If you want a taxi, always ring one of the following numbers (for security´s sake, avoid picking up taxis on the street).
- Radio Taxi: +57 (1) 288 8888
- Taxi Real: +57 (1) 333 3333
- Taxatélite: +57 (1) 222 2222
- Taxis Libres: +57 (1) 311 1111
- Taxi Express: +57 (1) 411 1111
There are also contacts for mobile apps:
- Easy Taxi
Your taxi should have a placard in front of or visible from the back seat, identifying the vehicle, the driver, and a fare chart showing the peso equivalent of the units marked on the meter. "Yellow-cab" taxis only accept cash.
There is a surcharge on the meter units for transfers to and from the airport, trips outside city limits, and services provided at night and/or on public holidays.


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Posted by: Jan Meisels Allen
The issue of identity theft and the Death Master File, also known under the
commercial version, Social Security Death Index (SSDI) has been discussed
on this forum previously- with 4 bills having been introduced late last
year: HR 3475 (Johnson R-TX); S 1534 (Nelson, D-FL), HR 3482 (Castor
D-FL) and HR 3215 (Castor-D-FL and Nugent R-FL). On July 26, 2012 two more
bills were introduced, interestingly by some of the same authors of the
bills already introduced:
S 3432 (Nelson D-FL, co-sponsored by Senator
Tom Coburn R-OK) click on:
or see
original url:
HR 6205 (Nugent -R-FL) click on: http://tinyurl.com/8uq9kos
or see
original url:
of these new bills contain provisions for "certification" and a waiting period of 2 years. This is similar to the bills both authors also introduced
in 2011 [S 1534 and H 3215] . The reason for introducing similar bills in
2012 as in 2011 may be as simple as the first bills did not receive a
hearing and they wanted the bills to be on the "radar" of the committees
they have been assigned. As IAJGS learns more about these bills information
about any potential hearing or other information will be posted to this
IAJGS submitted statements on our position to earlier hearings
on the issue of identity theft and the Death MasterFile/SSDI --the hearings
were not on specific bills, and our statements may be viewed at the
Legislative Alert that is posted to our website: http://www.iajgs.org/pramc/Latest_Alert.pdf
. While this alert was updated in late May it is still valid regarding the
issue of SSDI/Death Master File. An updated Legislative Alert will be
forthcoming shortly and when it is updated it will be announced on this
Jan Meisels Allen
IAJGS Vice President
IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee


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FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman conceded that the Seattle Sounders fully deserved the 4-2 win they posted on Saturday night over FCD -- "It's about right," he admitted -- and it wasn't because of the tactics or the high defensive line his back four tried to hold.
"I don't know if the tactics mattered," he said after the match. "Probably the bigger thing that mattered was that I think our guys lost their composure and emotions with what they considered some of the calls that weren't being made. And then you're just disappointed."
That disappointment eventually peaked in the wake of a call that was made in the 73rd minute, when Blas Perez was shown a red card for elbowing Leo Gonzalez and bloodying his face as the pair challenged for a high ball. The referee's decision had Hyndman urging the local press in Seattle to maintain their objectivity when assessing the call.
"The nice thing is technology today is wonderful," Hyndman said. "I would encourage each of you to take off your Sounders hat and go look at the video, and you can see that if anything, Gonzalez ran into [Perez]. I was just a little confused that the referees couldn't get it right. I think what ended up happening is, it's like a policeman shows up and a guy's got a bloody face so somebody must have hit him.
"I think I wasn't real pleased with it, but it's the way the game goes. You're counting on the right decisions being made by the linesmen and the referees and they really have the best position, so it is what it is."
But it wasn't the referees that ultimately put four goals past FCD in front of nearly 40,000 fans at CenturyLink Field.
"We had too many players that didn't have a real good game and that didn't help us," Hyndman said. "I think we let Seattle dictate the game. It was very fast-paced, and that's something we shouldn't be doing."
Hyndman singled out the play of young centerback London Woodberry, who replaced the injured George John and was victimized more than once by Seattle frontrunners Eddie Johnson and Lamar Neagle, as indicative of the entire backline.
"This is a tough environment for anyone to come into," Hyndman added. "If it's not a game that's controlled, and there's a lot of stuff going off the ball and there's a lot of physical play, I don't know if that brings the best out of our team. I don't know that we ever got on track."


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Letter regarding CDP #55-2006 by Julie Verran Ms. Beddoe, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Hall, CDP #55-2006 should be denied. The only viable alternatives are No Project, or public use as a park with a bluff trail, parking and more native trees and shrubs planted to help shield Highway 1 and the rest of downtown Gualala from tsunami run-up. That would be …Read More »
Expand Gualala Point Park
Published in the Independent Coast Observer on November 3, 2006. Only 70 years ago, in the mid 1930s, most of the central and upper reaches of the Gualala River Watershed still were covered with virgin old-growth redwood forests. The trees shaded the river and its tributaries, and a deep network of tree roots helped prevent erosion of forest soils. Salmon …Read More »
Gualala River Park
Historical Proposals 1955 – Sonoma County Planning Commission Revised Beach and Shoreline Master Plan Excerpt: Priority 1 – F. Gualala Riverbank and coastal shoreline. "This area is proposed for a major park because of its size, its natural beauty of second growth timber and other foliage, and because of its location along the Gualala River and the south fork. …Read More »
Reports on 2006 Fireworks
Two separate reports by Residents of The Sea Ranch Report No. 1 Several of us walked to the bluff next to Gualala Point Island rookery to monitor the fireworks' effect on rookery residents, not knowing WHAT to expect – IF anything. We were amazed and troubled by how immediate and extensive the effect was. Alarm cries from the seabirds began …Read More »
New vineyards sprayed with herbicides
3/20/2006 Peter "All the big new vineyards on Annapolis Road have recently been sprayed with herbicides, and the characteristic brown-out and discoloration is showing up now, demonstrating how extensive the spray area is… and during an intense period of rain and runoff to seasonal creeks. The old Annapolis vineyard and new olive plantations are managed for weeds by non-chemical …Read More »
Changes at Valley Crossing
"At Twin Bridges (Valley Crossing), the big gravel bar at the confluence of the south fork has split into two channels: one running right through the alder riparian zone, and a shallower one that has breached the gravel bar. The gravel bar is very low in height compared with previous years." "The willows planted by Matrix of Change a few …Read More »
Harbor Seals at the River Mouth
"At the tip of the Gualala Point sand spit on March 17, nine small harbor seals were hauled out on the back of the spit, near the edge of the muddly freshwater river outflow. There were no human footprints in the sand because the low beach was overwashed until low tide, barring …Read More »
Muddy River Meets Blue Ocean
3/15/2006 Harmony "New rains have recently joined the Gualala River taking with them all sorts of dirt and debris. As the river flows into the ocean you can vividly see how it is not an instant union." "The colors of the ocean show just how far the river water stays together. Over time it will assimilate and the two …Read More »
North Fork After the Winter Storms
3/7/2006 Britt "A break in the weather provided an opportunity to check out the stability of the soils along the North Fork and Little North Fork of the Gualala River." "A hill slide onto the main haul road which runs alongside the North Fork." "At the convergence of the North Fork and Little North Fork, the haul road is …Read More »
Mud Season
3/6/2006 John "Old-timers say that Annapolis has two seasons… dust and mud. Well, with several days of non-stop heavy rain, I have to say we are definitely still in the mud season." "Here's a mudslide that closed Annapolis Road during yesterday's storm. The Gualala River is down in the canyon to the left." "A small muddy stream is flowing …Read More »
After the Storm
2/20/2006 Peter "The river mouth has formed a double sand spit, an atypical configuration — a small 'counter-spit', growing in the reverse (south) direction of the main spit's growth, overlaps the ocean side of the spit, and deflects the shrunken mouth southward about a hundred feet. It partially chokes the mouth, so the lagoon stands above the low tide." …Read More »
Year-end storm: Gualala Point / Mouth
12/31/2005 Peter "Soon after noon, the northern 2/3 of the sand spit was almost completely eroded from the river side, leaving 4 evenly spaced mounds (beach cusps) with vertical scarps facing the river, and low washover troughs between them. The above-tide mounds were less than 5 m wide by 1:30, and it's likely that most of it will be …Read More »
Storm on Gualala Point Beach
1/26/2006 Jeanne 1/26/06 Storm on Gualala Point Beach; photo credit, Jeanne Gadol"I was driving south from Gualala towards the bridge around noon on a very stormy January 26th when I noticed the waves flowing over the sandbar. I grabbed my camera and settled in along the bank just below the pullout south of the Breakers. There was a small …Read More »
Gualala River gets national attention
1/21/2006 Chris "An Associated Press article, 'Environmentalists Fight Vineyards' Spread,' published in the Washington Post, LA Times and dozens of other newspapers in January, 2006, focuses attention on the destruction of forestland to plant vineyards in the Gualala River watershed."Read More »
Friends of the Gualala River Weblog
FoGR BLoG Friends of the Gualala River's web log of river sightings and commentary on the Gualala River watershed. FoGRBLoG is open to everyone in our community. Send your photos and observations to:email@example.com. Please keep comments and photos focused on the Gualala River watershed and its natural environment . Click on the individual entries below Willows hold their ground 6/13/2006 …Read More »
Willows hold their ground
"The South Fork of the Gualala River at the confluence with the Wheatfield Fork, at Valley Crossing, has changed configuration of its channel and bar." June 2006 March 2006 "The lowered bar was "split" during winter and spring high flood flows, and now the main low-flow channel has stabilized in the middle of the broad gravel bar (above left). It …Read More »
Year-end storm: Valley Crossing
"Here also the entire riparian zone was submerged and part of the channel, with rapid currents among alders. The high water level (mud with ripples, debris lines) went up to the edge of the loggingroad parallel with the river on the N side….highest I've ever seen. A thick deposit of silt (over 20 cm deep) covered the extensive ground that …Read More »
I Have Never Seen the River Flowing With Such Power
12/31/2005 Britt "In the hours after we received our second significant storm of the '05/'06 winter, I made my way to the main stem of the Gualala River to photograph the full and flooding river in conjunction with the 6.9 foot high tide. I first attempted to reach the green bridge where the North Forks join the main stem. …Read More »
Winter is beautiful on the Gualala River
12/2/2005 Jim "Hiking in Gualala Point County Park gives a fine view of the Estuary. It is especially fine as the sun is setting and the shadows lengthen, heightening the peaceful colors of a clear early December afternoon."Read More »
North Coast Watershed Assessment Program: Vineyards
Section 1.1. (p. 1-9), Introduction and Overview, Continuing Challenges to RecoverySome areas of the North Coast have seen rapidly increasing agricultural activity, particularly conversion of grasslands or woodlands to vineyards. Such agricultural activities have typically been subject to little agency review or regulation and can pose significant risk of chronic sediment inputs to streams. Associated with development and increased agriculture, …Read More »


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1 The meaning of this whole canon is very obscure, the text is almost certainly corrupt; and the Greek in many places in no way corresponds to the Latin.
2 Migne's text reads this negatively "ut non constituas," but I have followed Labbe and Cossart and have omitted the "non".
1 The common reading "vinaicent" is almost certainly wrong, and is not even mentioned by Bruns.
1 I have followed the Greek text. The Latin reads: "Instant etiam aliae necessitates religlosis imperitorbius postulandae."
1 This must mean "who had heard the cause or been present at the hearing," and so the Greek has it.


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Anyhow. I am home. SH is washing my lunch dishes. I have just fed the cats.
I am waiting for SH to finish with the dishes so I can start making more dirty dishes, a fact that stresses SH out to no end. Now that he is in charge of dish doing and vacuuming, he doesn't want any activity that might create mess. Even in the kitchen. Which is where food comes from.
I have reminded him of that - that unless he wants to live on canned sardines (and even those are fraught with danger, because the lid of a can of sardines, placed in the sink, will attract cats and cats getting in the sink is Bad even though the cats go in the sink ALL THE TIME and leave only when they are yelled at or when I turn on the tap and get them wet, which often backfires because a wet cat shakes herself and the water goes everywhere) and cheese and crackers, it is necessary to make a mess in the kitchen.
This, of course, is where he disagrees with me. It is not necessary to make a mess in the kitchen, he would say. It is necessary only to be very very careful while one is chopping veg and preparing food and - HEY! DON'T USE THAT DISHCLOTH TO WIPE THE OLIVE OIL BOTTLE! THE DISHCLOTH WILL GET DIRTY!!!!! - to take like seven times as long to make food as it should take.
SH does not like watching me cook. It stresses him out. He likes to eat and he likes what I cook, but I suppose watching me cook to him is like watching the government in action to me: something that is necessary to reach an objective but absolutely revolting and disgusting to watch.
SH is washing dishes. I have just fed the cats and am waiting for him to get out of the way so I can cook.
Laverne jumps onto the kitchen table. She starts to retch. I hear her retching, but think, "She is not getting ready to vomit because she is nowhere near a carpeted surface or a rug or any other surface from which it would be difficult to remove vomit."
So I watch impassively.
She continues to retch and now her back is arching and I think, "Oh she's going to blow!"
I grab her and put her on the floor so the vomit will fall in one place rather than cascading off the table, onto the bench, and then to the floor.
I wait for her to finish.
I walk to the counter and grab three paper towels.
I walk back toward the vomit.
SH, water still running, hands still full of soap, says, "Stop! What are you doing?"
"Walking to the vomit," I tell him.
"But you have too many paper towels!"
I stop. Turn completely around. Look at him. "Too. Many. Paper. Towels?"
"Yes! Too many! That's wasteful. You don't need that many."
"Yes. I do. Any fewer and I can feel the vomit and it makes me retch."
The water is still running. His hands still soapy. He is paralyzed at the idea of wasting paper towels.
The vomit bothers him not at all. The running water - wasteful - does not bother him. But two extra paper towels?
That's a problem.
Because I am such a profligate user of paper towels. I use them for
1. washing windows
2. cleaning cat vomit
For everything else, I use cloth rags. I see years of my old wardrobes in my rag bucket. Rags are fine for everything but vomit. I don't have the stomach for it. I want to be able to throw it all away.
Don't worry about Laverne, by the way. She was vomiting only because she wolfs her food down. We are now feeding her in split shifts - she gets half of her food at 5 and the other half at 5:30.
So SH thought I was using too many of our precious paper towels - we go through maybe a dozen rolls a year, if that - to clean the bodily fluids of a cat from the floor.
My boss' boss told me a joke when I was arguing with him about the specs for a Jira website he wants me to put together.
This old man - 108 years old - was being interviewed about being old.
"What's your secret to reaching such an old age?" the reporter asked the old man.
"The secret is that I never argue," the old man answered.
"Oh, surely you must argue!" the reporter replied.
"Yes, of course you are right," the old man answered.
SH: Too many paper towels! You are using too many paper towels!
Me: You're right.
SH: You're not doing it right!
Me: I better let you do it.
I win.


text:
Fulvic acid is reaching earning quite some reputation in the 21st century. It is one of the essential elements to the health of a human body and researchers are realizing it now more than ever.
With the discovery of the outstanding qualities and the liquid minerals that it contains, it is spreading like wildfire. Researchers have recognized and are eager to tap into the potential that is has shown so far.
Fulvic acid has surely been known to the mankind for a long time. But it was before unavailable in a large quantity and thus the experimentations were just as limited as the resource. It was mostly tested out on the plants and was observed to have extremely pleasing results.
And it is not just the plants that it has a use to. In fact, the human body is known to intake the fulvic acid for years now. Not just that, but the liquid minerals are an essential requirement for the human body. And over a century has gone by since this has been taken as a supplement to boost up the human health, and before that, it was being consumed as a natural ingredient in food for thousands of years.
And even when it has been known for such a long time, the real potential is just now coming to spotlight. And these are not just for the plant's cell or even animals that end up eating those plants but also in terms of agriculture, industries and much more.
The Origin of the Fulvic Acid
The fountain of all the liquid minerals that we require clustered up into one is truly a gift from Mother Nature to us. Let's see where it all starts from.
The Beginning
It all started at the beginning of times when soil was rich and unexploited. It was blessed with all kinds of trace elements, liquid minerals, and really rich humus that worked together with the other microbes.
It was the time when soil was not yet eroded or leached of all the wealthy minerals that it contained, not even by the sea much less by the human and so as a result it used to be extremely fertile. And as you will find in the ancient history, the crops were very lush, green and healthy.
The Humic Deposits
It is amazing how the researchers can look at one thing from such a long time ago and guess what it is and where it came from. Such was the thing they called "humic deposit".
These are the most unusual remains of the ancient times that the geologists have come to believe are from the lush vegetation. And because they were never really exposed to any kind of pressure, they never turned into oil or coal like other deposits.
And it was found that they were really close to the place where the microbial activity took place. These deposits are extremely rare and are found in a very small amount around the world. In these deposits, the scientists have discovered the substance that is now known as the fulvic acid.
Fulvic Acid
One of the most important discoveries in science has been of the fulvic acid. And it is created by a lot of things coming together to make it happen. Millions of "good microbes" spend a lot of time working on the decaying flora and plants to create the little amount of fulvic acid.
Fulvic acid makes up a major part of the humic structure. It contains a lot of qualities, trace elements and liquid minerals that can be and are very beneficial. It contains a lot of organic bio-chemicals like powerful antioxidants, enzymes, detoxification agents, free radical scavengers, antivirals, hormones, antibiotics, amino acids, superoxide dismutase and fungicides.
It is very active biologically and has a very low molecular weight. And due to this low molecular weight, it has the ability to bond with the other minerals and elements readily.
And it doesn't end there, it reacts with the minerals so nicely that they become a part of the fulvic acid complex. Due to this very reason, a fulvic acid complex consists of a minimum of 70 liquid minerals and trace elements as a part of itself. This makes it very ideal for absorption and increases the absorption of other minerals and nutrients alongside it.
That's the reason that it is deemed so healthy for the plant cells. It helps them absorb all the important minerals and nutrients and very quickly so. In fact, it is believed that fulvic acid is very important for a healthy plant growth.
Microbial activity
We have already seen that there was a great role played by the fulvic acid in the ancient plant remains. These ancient plants have been found to be very rich in fulvic acid from the unusual deposits all over the world.
This fulvic acid got there by the decomposition of the plants and vegetation done by the microbes. The occurrence and creation of fulvic acid depend entirely on the microbial activities.
The Lack of fulvic Acid in Crops These Days
It is mostly common sense to think that the crops grown should contain more and more fulvic acid given that it is so important. But sadly the reality is just the opposite. Given that processed food contains compromised amounts of nutrients, but we can at least expect the crops that grow out of the ground to be rich in them, but sadly they aren't.
It is due to the use of the fertilizers and pesticides that we use nowadays to increase the yield and get rid of the crops that actually rob the soil of all its important nutrients. Liquid minerals in the fulvic acid being among them.
And so the crops that are grown and the food that we ultimately eat is junk. For this reason, now there are supplements offered separately for those who recognize the importance of the fulvic acid in their food.…


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This is a dress some of you have seen before, and some of you will even wonder if I ever wear any other dresses while dancing. And I do! I just haven't remembered to take photos, and it's been ages since my last outfit-post. So here it is, an oldie but a goodie!
My hair in flat victory rolls. The hairdo is one I haven't done for at least a year. I couldn't remember why until I tried to make it look smooth... Ah, well. It was for dancing, it got messy anyway. This is the after-dance picture, I'll just blame it on that =)
I of course had to test how it worked with my hat collection! I liked this combination for a summer outfit. Maybe with the dress I'm making? Good or too much when matched with a pink flower-print? (The fabric in question is in the last post before this one).
On a whole different topic: remember I talked a while ago about my passion for sewing
Belting material, zippers, shoulderpads, chalk wheel, bias-tape maker, belt-turner, magnetic pin cushions and... a rotary cutter with a cutting mat. The last ones are apparently great for knits and silk, which means: fabric shopping! Wheee!
It's finally spring for real, I've had a great weekend and now I'm happily playing with my new tools =) This week I hope to finish the dress I cut out last week, only have hemming and inserting sleeves left to do. It's amazing how fast sewing is when one isn't tailoring a coat =)
Love, Erika


text:
Experience an unforgettable and enjoyable evening!
Indulge yourself by the creations of the new barman Nikola De Luca:
Enjoy the neat draft beer on the saving espresso to aperitifs and long drinks everything you can possibly want.
Of course, we offer bar service also on the lake terrace of the restaurant.
We look forward to you.


text:
ARE YOU READY? You'd better be, because it's time to swap again!
To start, please make sure you read the General Guidelines post. If you get to the end of the document and still have a burning question, email me or comment here! I'm always happy to help.
This swap is Christmas themed, or Winter themed if that's better for you. I understand not everyone celebrates Christmas, so tweak it to whatever suits you. The theme is open to interpretation!
The following items are required in your package:
* One book of your choice. It can be Winter/Christmas themed... or not!
* One thing that edible. Cookies, candy, or even peanuts. It's all fair game.
* One handmade item. That's right! You're going to make something. Make an ornament, knit a scarf, draw a picture. Your choice!
* One bookmark. This can also be handmade, or store bought. Give your buddy something to help mark their place!
* A note to your lovely swap partner.
Money Limit:
Your box must contain items that add up to at least $20. Anything beyond that is your own personal choice, if you'd like to add extras. You may also add items that are not on the theme list if you so choose!
* Some helpful hints:
- Check out dollar stores. You can get lots of fantastic and fun items there!
- Shop the dollar spot at local stores like Target or Walmart.
- Go thrift store hunting. This is perfectly okay! Just make sure the item is in good
(A good rule of thumb is to think, "Would I want to receive this?")
- Re-gift something of yours (in good condition of course) that you think fits the box.
- Make something. It's cool to include something handmade. Again, just make sure it's
something you'd like to receive yourself.
Shipping Information:
This swap is open to members with addresses located in the U.S. All delivery confirmation numbers must be in no later than December 19th. This also means your box should be shipped no later than this date. You must procure a delivery confirmation number when sending your package, and include it in the form located here. No delivery confirmation means you won't be eligible for future swaps.
Ready to join in?
Fill out THIS FORM completely to sign up.
I'll match you with a swapping buddy and send out information as to who you will be mailing to. Please know I try to keep this a surprise, so you won't know who is mailing to you unless you specifically ask.
***Sign ups will be open until December 7th***
Late sign ups will not be accepted. I need that time to match people up and still give you ample time to go and do some shopping!
If you sign up, your are promising to send a package. Please make sure you can follow through! I never want anyone to end up without a box. Thanks!


text:
I was a little worried about bringing in Mike as a replacement. He is an excellent cook, but he has trouble following a recipe, so even though I gave him a recipe for Lasagna Soup there was a great possibility I could have come home and found something completely different. In the spirit of SRC he did follow the recipe, but made a few changes and we now have two delicious recipes to turn to when a craving for lasagna soup strikes.
As a thank you to Mike for helping out I have a favor to ask of you. Mike loves knowing what other people eat and he started a Facebook page called "so what did you eat". He just started it and would love to build it up so if you could "like" the page and share what you eat Mike, and I, would really appreciate it. It doesn't matter if you had a gourmet meal or a bag of chips and a soda, just snap a picture and share away.
As I said this month's SRC dish was lasagna soup from Cravings of a Lunatic. There are so many great recipes to choose from, I was initially going to make the Turtle Popcorn, but with all the Halloween candy around I couldn't add another sweet to the house. Even though it didn't make an appearance this month I am sure it will around Christmas time.
Here is Kim's recipe. This is a delicious, quick and easy dish. Perfect for cold days when you need some warm comfort food. Enjoy!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (I didn't have fresh so I used minced garlic)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 box (32 oz) of beef broth, or mix 4 cups boiling water with 1 to 2 tablespoons of better than bouillon beef base (I used the better than bouillon)
- 1 (28 fl oz) can of whole peeled tomatoes (san Marzano), pulsed in blender
- 1 (1 lb 8 oz) jar of pasta sauce ( I used Ragu Sauteed Onion & Garlic)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups broken lasagna noodles
- 1 (5 oz) package of grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella (the new pizza mozzarella is the bomb)
- Brown your ground beef, onion, and pepper in a large dutch oven. It should be broken into fine particles and cooked till juices run clear.
- In the last minute or two add the garlic.
- Now add your brown sugar, tomatoes, sauce, oregano, basil and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the noodles and simmer until they are tender. Stir in parmesan.
- Turn on your broiler.
- Transfer soup into ovenproof soup bowls. Place in oven and broil for 3 to 5 minutes.


text:
See You at ABA TECHSHOW 2016?
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 30th annual ABA Techshow in Chicago. It'll be my first time at the event, and I'm honored to have been asked to speak on two different panels. However, as much as I'm looking forward to those presentations, I'm really looking forward to everything the event has to offer, and I'm hoping to see you there. (more…)


text:
In Škofja Loka I work for PUM-O, where my task is to motivate and inspire young people through my passions and life experiences.
During my free time I enjoy Slovenia and its beautiful nature with my international and local companions: hiking, trying new sports, traveling, playing music, cooking and much more.
I also took part in some video-making projects (short stop motion animation, freshman party promo video, space pirate party promo video) and currently I am developing some music, photography and cooking projects.
If you would like to contact me for more information about EVS, Škofja Loka, Slovenia or anything else, email me at email@example.com.
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text:
When the FCC mandate was put into effect this spring requiring that every station run three hours of educational programming per week, at least one creative person in the kids business wasn't bewailing the loss of creative freedom that the regulation might represent. Rather, Tom Ruegger, executive producer at Warner Bros. Television Animation and senior producer on Tiny Toons Adventures, Pinky & The Brain and Animaniacs under executive producer Steven Spielberg, sat down that day and wrote up a proposal for a show. The history-based concept he devised would develop into Kids' WB!'s upcoming series Histeria, slated for release in fall `98.
'I'm so excited and happy that it turned out so funny,' says Ruegger. 'We started out with a bunch of solid historical facts and anecdotes and the [Warner Bros.] writers and artists here are doing an incredible job of making it entertaining and brilliant.'
Ruegger was no stranger to infusing cartoons with substance. In educational episodes of Tiny Toons Adventures and Pinky & The Brain, historical and environmental topics have been touched on. Animaniacs was highlighted by the National Society of Social Studies and has joined forces with the American Red Cross on a disaster preparedness comic book in which the Animaniacs stars demonstrate life-saving techniques. Now, with the mandate in place, consultants carefully comb through each script to make sure it not only entertains but delivers facts 'in a kid-friendly way,' says Ruegger.
Ruegger joined Warner Bros. Television Animation in 1989, serving as senior producer and writer on several Emmy-award-winning shows. 'I have been very spoiled by my experience working with Steven [Spielberg],' says Ruegger. 'I've had an incredible amount of creative freedom, but with that freedom comes responsibility.' Ruegger explains that, in retrospect, there have been many opportunities to make cartoons more educational, at no cost to the entertainment value of the shows.