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Rauner's attack on Illinois families
Governor Bruce Rauner has manufactured a budget crisis in a bid to enact his political, anti-union agenda. In reality, it's not a budget crisis, it's a revenue crisis, and Rauner is defending a system that places the tax burden on the backs of the working families least able to pay. Meanwhile, Rauner defends tax loopholes and schemes that benefit big corporations, Wall Street banks and the super-wealthy like himself while attacking the caregivers who help our children, seniors and people with disabilities.
Even though social services agencies, prevention programs and universities continue to turn away clients and students, with more shuttering their doors every day, Rauner is refusing to fix the calamity that he created which has vulnerable people as his chief victims.
Who's hurt by Rauner's dangerous cuts?
- 80,000 children lost access to safe and affordable child care
- 5,000 parents and small business owners lost their jobs
- 44,000 seniors are in danger
- Illinois taxpayers are buried in $10 billion in debt
Contact your legislators Sign up to stay informed
Child care
Some 50,000 home healthcare and child care workers have operated without contracts since July 1st, and have been subject to extreme demands at the bargaining table, including stripping them of wages and health insurance.
Though Rauner walked back some of his most egregious cuts to the Child Care Assistance Program at the 11th hour last year, his failure to support key legislation resulted in 48,000 fewer children being served by the state. The program is permanently damaged. (Source).
Thanks to these draconian cuts, Illinois now ranks dead last—50th out of 50 states—when it comes to affordable child care.
Rauner's child care cuts are having massive negative economic effects. Child care is a major economic multiplier, and Rauner's extreme cuts are a huge job killer. Studies show that each dollar spent on child care assistance yields at least $2.03 in economic activity, and up to $3.74 when federal matching funds are added.
Even worse, Rauner's cuts are causing thousands of layoffs to child care providers, and forcing thousands of parents to turn down employment or quit their jobs entirely due to lack of affordable child care.
Contact your legislators Sign up to stay informed
Home care
In February, Gov. Rauner announced $198 million in cuts to the State's Community Care Program (CCP) that provides vital home healthcare assistance to seniors. Rauner's reckless budget would cut the vital program and harm more than 43,000 seniors in Illinois. Half of all seniors in CCP would face dramatic service cuts and sharp reductions in home care assistance and many of these will end up in costlier nursing facilities. (Source).
- The $197.6 million cut represents an average cut of $4,520 in services annually per affected senior.
- $4,520 is a 43% cut in services compared with the average amount of services seniors receive currently.
Bruce Rauner's plan directly affects seniors. Of the 104,000+ seniors in the CCP, they are:
- Mostly women (70.4%)
- Largely racial minorities (61.6%)
- People who live alone (51.7%)
- Individuals with annual incomes of $20,000 or less (86%) ($1,667/month, equivalent to making $9.61/hr FT, year round)
- Only costing the state a mere average of $1,061/month
The average Illinois nursing home costs approximately $4,331.35/month ($144.38/day), or more than 4x the cost of providing similar services at the senior's home (source).
Contact your legislators Sign up to stay informed
Protecting caregivers
Governor Rauner has sought to strip the lowest-paid workforce in the state of health insurance and training, along with other demands meant to diminish if not outright eliminate the workplace voice of these vital workers. He also is demanding a wage freeze for workers earning poverty-level wages. Already, he has stopped payments to the healthcare funds for workers, raising immediate threats of misery and economic hardship on a large scale. (Source).
Thanks to the U.S. Department of Labor, starting January 1, 2016, home care workers were finally extended federal overtime protections. Instead of engaging with stakeholders on this issue, the Rauner administration is attempting to circumvent the rule and avoid paying overtime to workers by capping hours at 35 starting March 1, 2016. Under the policy, the state requires customers to hire additional workers to ensure no one works over 35 hours per week. Home care customers and workers are threatened with loss of services or jobs if they fail to comply with the new policy.
By cutting wages and health insurance for caregivers, services are destabilized and our seniors, children and most vulnerable residents are put in harm's way.


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Frequently Asked Questions - Ayres Hotel Corona East
What time is check in/ check out? Is there early check in/late check out available?
Guest may check in any time after 3 PM. Check out is at noon. Yes, for a nominal fee of $30 + tax guests may check in early at 11 AM or check out later at 2 PM.
What is your cancellation policy?
Room reservations must be cancelled 24 hours prior to scheduled check-in time of 3:00 pm to avoid a cancellation fee of the first night's room & tax, unless booking a non-refundable reservation/rate plan, in which case, the reservation is non-refundable and may not be modified. If your reservation is booked through a third party, cancellations must abide by their policy.
Do you charge at the time of booking?
For most reservations you will charged upon booking. When booking a non-refundable/ advanced purchase promotion reservation/rate plan, the reservation amount will be charged in full at the time of booking. If your reservation is booked through a third party, payments must abide by their policy.
Do you have cribs?
Yes, we have pack and plays available upon request.
How old do you have to be to check in?
If overnight guest is a minor (under 18), please have them contact the hotel directly for appropriate forms to be filled out and returned prior to arrival.
Do you offer discounts for multi-room bookings or events?
For that information, you will need to speak with the Sales Manager. Darlene Smith can be reached via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Do you offer breakfast?
Yes, we offer a complimentary full American breakfast served at 6:30 – 9:00am Monday through Friday and 7:30 - 10:00am on the weekends. The buffet style breakfast includes freshly cooked eggs, potatoes, sausage or bacon, pancakes or French toast, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, cereal, toast, muffins, juice and coffee.
Do you allow smoking in the rooms?
Rooms and suites are non-smoking. If there is evidence of smoking of any substance in your accommodation, you will incur a minimum deep cleaning fee of $125 for rooms.**
**Please note that e-cigs, vapors, hookahs, marijuana etc. fall under our non-smoking policy. Cleaning fees will be applied to smoking in areas that are non-smoking. We do have designated smoking areas.
Do you have laundry machines on site?
Yes, we do it would be coin operated and the front desk will have change should you need it.
Do you offer transportation to the airport?
Unfortunately, we do not offer shuttle services to or from the airport.
What amenities does the hotel offer?
We offer complimentary full American breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi. We also offer and extensive fitness center, heated pool, and Jacuzzi as well fresh baked cookies in the evening Monday through Thursday. In room amenities include, Ayres Elevated signature toiletries, coffeemaker, desk and ergonomic chair, microwave, and a personal refrigerator.
Is Ayres Hotel Corona East pet friendly?
No, at this time Ayres Hotel Corona East does not offer pet friendly accommodations unless it is a service companion.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you want to support children and young people's well-being and education, and increase free access to 'Cause YOU Can's creative and empowering programmes, please, CLICK HERE.
Thank you. Your support means a lot to them and to us.
Thanks to previous donations, yet more children could register for free this year. We facilitated a 12 week project at Brixton Library, from February to April 2015. At the end, the children (aged 6 to 8) delivered an uplifting live performance at the library. They designed and produced all the live acts, with their Facilitators! Many community members attended and supporters' feedback was compelling:
"There is a great need for more projects as these, as it can help a child in a big way."
"Creativity is essential for self-development… It provides young kids with a focus, develops their skills and increases confidence, which can have a positive impact on their academic and personal life."
"It will keep children off the streets as they will be doing things of interest… The children can get out and get educated in a fun way, rather than getting into gangs."
"If more young people were given opportunities to express themselves, Lambeth and its community would benefit."
"I believe that the opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities must not only be available to those from wealthy homes… There are families that are struggling financially and, as a result, the children are held back from their potential… FREE and engaging creative programmes like 'Cause YOU Can's are a must."
All donations securely processed through Localgiving.


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Mammoth Ventures offers investment and advisory services around wellness and cross-border media with a focus on introductions to capital to and from Asia. We work strategically with our sister companies Band of Outsiders and The Wellness Agency.
Band of Outsiders is a content production company with a full slate in the verticals of music, wellness, purpose driven documentaries, and content to and from Asia. Band of Outsiders has a partnership with Red Arrow Studios which provides global distribution opportunities.
The Wellness Agency believes wellness is a new vertical of unicorns and is fostering an ecosystem where all boats rise propelling talent and businesses to new heights by expanding access to growth resources.


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How Ocean Sea Salt Affects Health
You can purchase Celtic Sea Salt, a true unrefined ocean sea salt, from—iHerb
High Blood Pressure
Studies investigating the link between sodium and high blood pressure have produced mixed results. Numerous scientific studies now indicate that a balance of minerals is necessary and more beneficial than eliminating sodium.
Nationally known experts such as Dr. Andrew Weil are recognizing that when minerals are fractionated (broken up) and processed, they undergo a mutation [negative change] that can result in many health problems. Others, like Dr. Esteban Genoa believe that eating a diet with a natural balance of sodium, magnesium and potassium may actually help to lower blood pressure and promote good health.
Dr. Christiane Northrup, author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom says: "I've enjoyed using Celtic Sea Salt for several years now. It enhances the flavor of whole foods and provides me and my family with a superior source of trace minerals."
Why Your Body Needs Ocean Sea Salt
Your body uses high mineral salts to create electrolytes. Electrolytes, the sparks of life, carry electrical currents throughout the body – sending messages and instructions to cells in all bodily systems. Electrolytes are also necessary for enzyme production. Electrolytes are natural minerals found in ocean sea salt.
Enzymes are responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, muscle function, hormone production and more. Electrolytes and enzymes are important for all functions throughout the body, including proper regulation of bodily fluids, digestion, liver, thyroid and adrenal health, and many more – see Vital Functions of Good Sea Salt in the Body below.
Also, Celtic Sea Salt Bath Crystals make a soothing high-mineral soak that many have reported using successfully in the treatment of symptoms associated with arthritis and sore muscles.
Fine Ground Celtic Sea Salt makes a very effective nasal wash and gargle which is a blessing for those who suffer from colds, allergies or sinus trouble.
Vital Functions of Good Sea Salt in the Body
- Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure – in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.
- Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells. Acidity and alkalining balancing is continually being regulated by the kidneys.
- Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element in diabetics.
- Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites of energy need by the cells.
- Salt is vital to the nerve cells' communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.
- Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.
- Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.
- Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh (mucus) and congestion of the sinuses.
- Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.
- Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.
- Salt is vital to prevent excess saliva production to the point that it flows out of the mouth during sleep. Needing to constantly mop up excess saliva indicates salt shortage.
- Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of bones firm. Osteoporosis, in a major way, is a result of salt and water shortage in the body.
- Salt is vital for sleep regulation.
- Salt is a needed element in the treatment of diabetics.
- Salt on the tongue will stop persistent dry coughs.
- Salt is vital for the prevention of gout and gouty arthritis [caused by mineral imbalances].
- Salt is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido.
- Salt is vital for preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.
- Salt is vital to the communication and information processing nerve cells the entire time that the brain cells work – from the moment of conception to death.
- Salt is vital for reducing a double chin. When the body is short of salt, it means the body really is short of water. The salivary glands sense the salt shortage and are obliged to produce more saliva to lubricate the act of chewing and swallowing and also to supply the stomach with water that it needs for breaking down foods. Circulation to the salivary glands increases and the blood vessels become "leaky" in order to supply the glands with water to manufacture saliva. The "leakiness" spills beyond the area of the glands themselves, causing increased bulk under the skin of the chin, the cheeks and into the neck.
- Ocean sea salt contains about over 84 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts. Unrefined sea salt is a better choice of salt than other types of salt on the market. Ordinary table salt that is bought in the super markets has been stripped of its companion elements and contains additive elements such as aluminum silicate to keep it powdery and porous. Aluminum is a very toxic element in our nervous system. It is implicated as one of the primary causes of Alzheimer's disease.
- Twenty-seven percent of the body's salt is in the bones. Osteoporosis results when the body needs more salt and takes it from the body. Bones are twenty-two percent water. Is it not obvious what happens to the bones when we're deficient in salt or water or both.
- De Langre, Jacques, PhD, Seasalt's Hidden Powers, Happiness Press, August 1993.
- Batmanghelidj, F., M.D. Water: Rx for a Healthier Pain-Free Life, Falls Church, Virginia, Global Health Solutions, Inc., 1997.
- Blaurock-Busch, E. PhD. Mineral and Trace Element Analysis, Boulder, Colorado, TMI/MTM Books, 1996.
- Jensen, B. DC, PhD. Come Alive! Total Health through an Understanding of Minerals, Trace Elements & Electrolytes, Escondido, California, Jensen, 1997.
- Bergner, P. The Healing Power of Minerals, Special Nutrients, and Trace Elements, Rocklin, California, Pima Publishing, 1997.
- Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Policitically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, Revised Second Edition, ©2001, Washington, D.C., NewTrends Publishing Inc., pp. 40-45.


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This is the most common temptation in doing good. 4 reasons you must resist.
Ever notice that the things Satan tempted Jesus with, were not in themselves evil?
Bread instead of hunger? - that's NOT evil. Starving people need food. (Mt 4:2)
Safety in the hands of angels? - that's NOT evil. Endangered people need protection. (Mt 4:6)
The whole world bowing before Jesus? - that's NOT evil. People need God. (Mt 4: 8-9)
And yet, we know from this story that the bad guy - Slimy Satan himself, was dangling all these good things in front of Jesus.
And yet Jesus resisted.
What if the temptation we face is NOT the temptation to pursue evil - raping, murdering or pillaging...
...but instead, the temptation to pursue good, in the wrong way?
It's a temptation I face every day in my work with Alongsiders.
I know the non-profit world depressingly well. I've lived in slums and inner cities among the poor for 16 years. I've led humanitarian organizations, a mission agency, and now a grassroots youth movement that is changing the world.
And I'm impatient! I want change for my poor neighbours. Sooner rather than later.
I want to see more vulnerable children being reached, and transformed. I want bread for the hungry, safety for the endangered, and for people to know the love of Jesus.
Bring it on.
But I've also come to understand that there are LOTS of ways to get there. There are many paths to a goal, and the path we choose to a good goal, might actually be a path we should resist.
Oftentimes, the fastest, most direct path is not God's best. There are no shortcuts.
The easiest example I can give you is also the most common one I see. It's the use of money to accelerate our goals for transformation.
It's almost impossible for us Westerners to grasp the power of money in poor places. Or to understand the danger of using it wrongly. Because when we realize how much can happen with a small cash injection, we tend to think, Why not?
Want to plant 100 churches? It's not too hard to find 100 impoverished Christian workers to hire as pastors. Why not? Boom! 100 churches. Mission Accomplished.
Want to feed and educate 1000 low caste children? Those 100 churches will gladly take your money to help 10 children each. Why not? Boom! 1000 children fed and schooled.
Want to mobilize 10000 grassroots social workers? Yes indeed. Your money can make that happen too. Boom!
You may still be wondering why not?!? What's your problem Craig? Change is change. Help is help. Good is good.
I've written about this issue in this post. But here are 4 more reasons on top of those original 10, why using money to accelerate your growth is unwise:
1. What happens when the money gets cut off? As Compassion International and 11,000 other NGO's found in India recently, everything grinds to a halt. Their whole operation had to shut down, because it couldn't continue without outside funding. Money is not wrong in and of itself. It can be used to create ongoing sustainability, or it can be used to create dependency. The problem arises when money becomes the main foundation of our ministry. When it is removed, the ministry collapses.
2. Money distorts the relationship between the wisdom of an idea and the results. So, anything can happen - even the dumbest, most disempowering idea - simply because money is paid to ensure it happens. There will always be poor people willing to carry out your misguided project just because they receive a salary. But the true test of an idea is whether people are willing to embrace it without getting paid. (This is one reason why we never pay the thousands of young Christians who become Alongsiders).
3. Money concentrates power in the hands of donors and those with access to funding, instead of the poor and vulnerable. There is a significant role for donors and funding. After all, almost everything costs something. But they must serve from the periphery, not call the shots. Everyone agress with that statement in theory, but believe me - it's very hard to practise. That's why money-fuelled growth is so dangerous - and so common.
4. The use of money for change can't be easily replicated by local people. A church planted using outside money will likely never birth another church, without the same cash injection. The same goes for any other project or initiative. When we model methods of transformation that can't be imitated - we are left as the only drivers of change - once again marginalizing the poor.
The unwise use of cash is just one example of how we tend to pursue good, with good intentions but bad strategies.
There are many more shortcuts: using corruption or manipulation, cutting corners, exaggerating in our marketing, exploiting our beneficiaries and their stories, using outside power and force rather than taking the time to empower local leaders, and so on.
YES, we are called to pursue good, but according to the timing and guidance of God, not using methods driven by our own impatience. As Brian Zhand says:
"Satan never tempted Jesus with evil;
Satan tempted Jesus with good.
Satan enticed Jesus to go ahead and do good
and to bring it about by the most direct way possible."
It's easy to kid ourselves with the lie that the end justifies the means. That it doesn't matter how we achieve our good goals, as long as people are "helped". But this isn't true.
The lesson I take from the temptation of Jesus is this: the end NEVER justifies the means.
He is inviting us to take the long view, the sustainable road, the best pathway. And in doing so, we trust that God's upside-down Kingdom will come.
Anything else is probably just our own kingdom.
And that, right there, is the very thing Satan hopes for.
So, what's your temptation?


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Hypatia Angelique Porter/2007/15 min/Waste
What is the cost of convenience? For the Price of a Cup of Coffee is a short environmental documentary examining the life cycle of a paper cup and the repercussions of a society reliant on convenience. Why are less than 1% of coffeeshop patrons bringing their own cup? Why do we have so much garbage, and where does it go? What is the true cost of a disposable culture?


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There was something just overwhelming about the fields between Marnay-sur-Seine and Nogent-sur-Seine when I was at my artist residency in France last year. Everything was so expansive and fields of grain were just so bright in the sun. Here's the sketch I did:
in the painting version I wanted to give it the same amount of light and sunshine and brightness and settled on this very bright color scheme:
This painting is for sale on Etsy, here for $140


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Home » Richeson Tote Bag
Convenience to go...This bag comes with carry straps, pockets on each end and a pocket on the front large enough to carry a magazine or note book - plus divided brush pockets on the back that carry up to 15 brushes (10 short handled & 5 long handled). A great solution for any artist on the move. Measures: 15" high, 12" wide and 4" deep.


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Keller Citizen
Keller educators use grants to transform learning
Krisanne Stewart wants to provide a learning environment like none other at Trinity Springs Middle School.
The eighth grade English teacher is working hard this summer to establish an outdoor learning center on campus with an $8,000 grant from the M.R. and Evelyn Hudson Foundation. Stewart's award is one of 12 totaling $55,000 given last month to Keller district teachers, librarians and principals as part of the Keller ISD-Hudson Foundation's Transformation Projects. Each grant is designed to take learning to a whole different level.
Stewart said she got the idea after seeing the courtyard at Timberview Middle School during teacher training last summer.
"I want to help kids learn who don't learn as well in a traditional environment," she said. "I want to meet kids where they will learn best."
As an inclusion teacher, Stewart works with students with different challenges such as autism spectrum disorders, in addition to students who excel in the typical classroom. "This year more than any other year, many of my students struggled to learn in a traditional desk and chair," she said.
Allowing kids to move around, sit outside and observe nature would benefit many students. Stewart wants to have an accessible shaded area that would include comfortable seating and tables, a place to create and display student art, white boards or chalk boards for classwork and maybe even a hammock or two.
She polled seventh and eighth graders for their suggestions and set up teams of Trinity Springs staff members, one to research and propose options and another to critique the plans. Stewart hopes to have the foundation of the outdoor learning center in place this fall, with room to grow in future years.
Creating new learning spaces is also central to several other Hudson grant recipients.
Caroline Carr, librarian at Parkwood Hill Intermediate School, received $5,000 for a "makerspace" in the school library.
The "L-Triple C" makerspace is learning by cutting-edge creativity and collaboration, Carr said.
The lab space will include all kinds of supplies to design and share new information. Students will get to come to the makerspace as a reward for good behavior and good grades. A guest will be invited in for "Mentor Mondays" to show kids how to make a project. Students will complete their creations on "Finish it Fridays."
Carr wants kids to enjoy applying what they learn in the classroom by making things like simple robots or sail cars.
"When you're building a rocket, you're not thinking about math or proportions," she said. "You're thinking, 'Wow! I'm building a rocket and we're going to go launch it."
Another goal is to transform libraries as a place to create since their role has diminished with the availability of information online.
"I want to show a new way of looking at libraries, to reinvent how we're going to fit in the school system and in the culture," Carr said.
Park Glen Elementary Principal Leslee Shepherd got a $4,025 grant to make a technology lab that will be an interactive learning space for students. The funds will provide Apple TV digital media players, tabletops with interactive surfaces and a place for kids to Skype or teleconference with other schools or guest instructors.
"We really want to bring learning to life and have things they don't have in the regular classroom," Shepherd said.


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Concert Review
TheaterJones Dallas, TX September 28, 2013
Chamber Music International starts off its new season at Dallas City Performance hall with a bang.
DALLAS — Chamber Music International is a producing organization rather than a presenter. This means that they assemble players for a specific program. This is not as random as it might appear because they frequently use the same players, in different configurations, throughout the season. In fact, violinist Nai-Yuan Hu has played with the organization from the start. Artistic Director Philip Lewis has impeccable taste in programming, and there is usually something written in the 20th or 21st century on each program.
That said, this opening program was an exception to that rule. Mozart, Mendelssohn and Fauré are hardly adventurous, even though the selections are not performed all that often.
Mozart's Duo in G Major for Violin and Viola received an energetic performance from Hu and the excellent violist, Scott Lee. This piece, ghost written as a favor for a composer friend of Mozart's who was ill and couldn't complete his commission, is an amazing example of the miraculous way music flowed. He dashed this out and gave it away. While Hu was impressive as always, it was Lee's rich viola sound that caught your attention. It was dark-hued yet still had much of the brilliance of the violin. This three-movement piece is the equivalent of a full-blown sonata and requires complete technical command of the instruments. This the two players ably demonstrated. Although limited to two instruments, Mozart's genius filled in the entire work so that you never were aware of the limited palette.
Mendelssohn's Cello Sonata No. 2 in D Major Op. 58 is rarely heard, which is a shame because it is brimming with everything you love about the composer's music. As in most of his compositions, there is never a break in the forward motion, sometimes not even between movements, and even the slow movements have continuous motion. His music is also very difficult to play and full of very fast passage work. All of this is true about this sonata and perhaps its extreme difficulty, for both the cello and the piano, is part of the reason it is not heard more often.
Cellist Bion Tsang and pianist Meng-Chieh Liu were certainly up to the task. Both players gave a definitive performance, technically clean and musically adept. Tsang's tone is so dark and rich that you wondered how light on his feet he would be in the nearly impossibly fast passage work. However, he maintained the depth of the sound no matter how lightly or quickly he played. This piece is written with both parts being equal: the piano is a partner, a collaborative pianist, rather than an accompanist. Liu demonstrated equally nimble fingers and kept pedaling to a minimum so that all of the passage work rang out with great clarity. The chorale in the slow movement, played in big arpeggios in the piano, was Mendelssohn's hat tip to Bach. In a nice touch, Liu lathered on the pedal in this passage so that we were aware of the underlying structure and harmony.
The Fauré Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15 is another piece that is rarely performed and a welcome one to hear. It is a relatively early work, with more Brahms in it than this later style would allow. The three, Liu, Tsang and Hu, gave it an exceptional performance. They brought out the elements that would be the hallmarks of the composer's later style and never overplayed. Hu was occasionally on the inside of the pitch, but not enough to mar the performance. It also would have been better, in both the Fauré and the Mendelssohn, if the Yamaha piano, with its brash bass, had not been played with the lid full open. The half stick would have been served the ensemble.
By Gregory Sullivan Isaacs


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Effective Crime Reduction Strategies: International Perspectives
English | 650 pages | ISBN-10: 1420078380 | PDF | 4.27 MB
English | 650 pages | ISBN-10: 1420078380 | PDF | 4.27 MB
"Effective Crime Reduction Strategies: International Perspectives"
Free 300 GB with Full DSL-Broadband Speed!
Effective Crime Reduction Strategies: International Perspectives
English | 650 pages | ISBN-10: 1420078380 | PDF | 4.27 MB
English | 650 pages | ISBN-10: 1420078380 | PDF | 4.27 MB
The International Police Executive Symposium (IPES, www.ipes.info) coordinates annual international conferences to evaluate critical issues in policing and recommend practical solutions to law enforcement executives deployed across the globe.
Drawn from the 2005 proceedings hosted by the Czech Republic in Prague, Effective Crime Reduction Strategies: International Perspectives contains contributions from the renowned criminal justice and law enforcement professionals who gathered at this elite annual meeting. Dedicated to continued reduction in crime through local and global response, these international experts share effective crime-fighting principles and tried and proven best practices.
Thoroughly revised and updated since the initial proceedings, the reports in this volume are divided into six sections which explore a host of essential topics:
Critical Issues in European Law Enforcement: Highlights efforts in Hungary, Austria, and Norway to revise policies and organizational structures to meet the demands of developing events and political pressures
Contemporary Concerns: Policing in the United States and Canada: Analyzes the impact of international terrorism and transnational crime on police work
Paradigm Shifts: Policing as Democracy Evolves: Evaluates the success of democratic reforms in South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Nigeria, and Cameroon
Revising Traditional Law Enforcement in Asia to Meet Contemporary Demands: Describes how counterterrorism, cultural ideology, and transnational criminal influence affects the traditional nature of policing in New Zealand, Turkey, Indonesia, and Thailand
The Positive Influence of Unionization on Police Professionalism: Addresses the impact of police associations on management decision-making and policy development in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa
Significant Issues Facing Twenty-First Century Law Enforcement: Focuses on counterterrorism, border and transnational criminality, the measurement of police effectiveness, and the investigation of juvenile crime
Supplemented with select papers considered for the official journal of the IPES, this volume represents a thoroughly comparative approach to the challenges police executives face in the 21st century. Exploring a wide range of issues impacting how law enforcement professionals fight crime, experts from virtually all regions of the globe engage in discourse that is destined to shape future policing worldwide.
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Serving Raceland, Gheens, Lockport, Valentine, Larose, Cut Off, Galliano, Golden Meadow, Leeville, & Grand Isle
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Q. What do Santa's elves learn in school?
A. The Elfabet.
Q. What does Santa like to do in the garden?
A. Hoe, hoe, hoe!
Q: What do Santa's elves drive?
A: Minivans.
Q: What do Santa's elves drink?
A: Minnesoda.
Q: What is Claustrophobia?
A: The fear of Santa Claus.
Q: What breakfast cereal does Frosty the Snowman eat?
A: Snowflakes.
Q: What do you call a cat sitting on the beach on Christmas Eve?
A: Sandy Claws.
Q: Where does the snowman hide his money?
A: In the snow bank.
Q: What type of cars do elves drive?
A: Toy-otas.
Q: Why did the Christmas tree go to the barber?
A: It needed to be trimmed.
Q: What kind of motorcycle does Santa ride?
A: Holly Davidson.
Q: What do you call a bankrupt Santa?
A: Saint Nickel-less.
Knock, knock
Who's there?
Merry who?
Merry Christmas!
Q: What do cats and dogs call Santa Clause?
A: Santa paws!!!
Q: What is a parents favorite Christmas carol?
A: Silent night!
Q: What do you get when you cross a Christmas tree with an apple?
A: A pineapple!
Q: What do you get from a cow at the North Pole?
A: Ice cream.
Q: Why do mummys like the holidays?
A: Because of all the wrapping!
Q: Why don't aliens celebrate Chistmas?
A: Because they don't want to give away their presence.
Q: When does New Year's Day come before Christmas Day?
A: Every year!
Q: Why does everybody like Frosty the Snowman?
A: Because he is so cool!
Q. Which reindeer likes to clean?
A. Comet


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Place your business in our hands and we will ensure that you are offered the best prices, best service and total commitment at all times.
Welcome to United Gas & Power (UGP). We value our customers, and our dedicated team of professionals offer their knowledge and expertise to ensure our success in the commercial energy market place. It is this team of experts that also works with our customers to offer them the very best service possible.
We understand how frustrating it can be having to deal with energy suppliers, therefore, we believe that it is important to provide a committed and consistently high level of service to our customers. At the same time, we also know energy contracts are difficult to understand are not welcomed, which is why we have created a flexible and simple supply contract and billing platform that is easy to understand. We believe we have the complete package that will be the ideal solution to your business energy supply.
Our service does not stop there, we also offer a dedicated account manager to help you with your account and dealings with UGP. This appointed account manager will be your point of contact and will assist you with any dealings throughout your contract.
Our commitment to our customers extends to the smallest business, through multi-site operations, right up to the largest corporation. We will not vary our commitment and quality of service to anything less than total for all our customers.
Place your business in our hands and we will ensure that you are offered the best prices, best service and total commitment at all times.
Read more about our range of services, to see how we can help your business.
"Although our old supplier seemed to find new hoops for us to jump through, you managed to guide us through the process and bring us to a very satisfactory conclusion."
"Thank you for assisting us in switching over. You have made the process very easy for us and we have been very happy with the service we have received."
"You gave me back valuable time in my already very busy day, gave detailed information from different suppliers and made the transition in my chosen new supplier very smooth indeed."
On selected tariffs we are able to offer you a gas and or electricity contract with standing charges completely removed making your bills easier to understand.Find out more
We believe that all our customers should be given the same level of excellent service. Whether you are a small business or a multi-site operation, our commitment to you does not change.Find out more
Our specialist billing platform allows us to bill our customers with flexibility to better suit your business.Find out more


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This month we'll be featuring art by Jake Beeson (Tulsa, OK) & Chris Foxworth (Kansas City, KS). Letters & Lyricists will be an artistic tribute to hip-hop music and culture. We are really looking forward to this event and the work that Jake and Chris are creating. To see snippets and sneak peeks, follow them both on Instagram:
@JakeBson & @Designy_Sometimey
The show will be coinciding with LIVE on the Plaza, Sept. 12th from 7-11pm
Don't miss out on this show! Great art by Jake Beeson & Chris Foxworth, plus great music by vinyl DJs, DamnHaze!


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It was, of course, just an elaborate joke:
ESQ: People are accusing you of misogyny and worse. What did you hope to achieve?Right. On video, watching James lure a woman into a situation under false pretenses, where she's trapped on a boat plastered with erotic posters, and supplied with jars of condoms, sexual aids, and fuzzy handcuffs would have been hilarious. To psychopaths and misogynists.
BW: It was humor. There was a joke to it — James isn't a lothario of sexual conquest at all. It was going to be awkward, not sexually aggressive. It was meant to be outlandish and ridiculous. When you dissect and sterilize a joke, it's not funny anymore — when you read the transcript of an SNL skit, you're not going to laugh, but you do when it's performed. It seems one way in print, but the video would've looked very different.
I could get very anxious about whatever the blogs are saying, but it's entertaining. It adds a little spice to life. At the end of the day, this stuff is fun.
Yet CNN, and the rest of the major media, intially spun this as prank and Bourdeau's post focused only on the lack of respect for her work. Me, the advantage of being "just a citizen blogger" is I got to call it a planned assault in a major metro newspaper. As I said there, what would anyone call it if their daughter, or sister, or wife was the intended victim?
Meanwhile, still left unasked and unanswered by the major media -- who paid for the boat?
Labels: conservatism, dangerous idiots, Media


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1300 008 299
Are you paying still hundreds of dollars in annual fees in the chance that your battery runs out? There is a better way!
Car batteries tend to fail at the most inconvenient times and places. Battery Central has a complete range of car batteries for all motoring needs in each of their mobile service vehicles so they will have the resources to get you back on the road in the shortest time possible.
As well as offering competitive prices across all battery brands we also offer expert knowledge and advice. It's our job to make all our customers fully aware of their options before they make a choice.
We are a Southeast Queensland based company servicing Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast with our free to join auto batteries emergency breakdown service operating when and where you need it, you can sit down, relax and you allow Battery Central's breakdown service to place and test your battery.
Our mobile units carry all the major brands of car batteries, as well as the various types of batteries required for everyday life to carry on including, marine batteries, jet skis, deep cycle, golf buggies.
Battery Central has it's own range of premium cheap car batteries that are made to the same exacting standards that other battery suppliers will charge much more than. Combine that with our, cheaper by 10% guarantee and you have an offer that is hard to pass by.
For more cheap battery information you can call us directly on 1300 008 299 or send us an email via our contact page.
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Preschool Prep Program
This is a "Grown Up & Me" class for children ages 2 and younger with an emphasis on French in all activities.
This 3-day Program takes place:
- on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
- from 1:45pm–3:45pm
The Preschool Prep Program:
- is led by two VPC teachers (our 2's head teacher and one of our French teachers) ,
- has fun sing-a-longs and musical activities (in French and in English),
- choice-time activities,
- art projects, parachute, movement, bubbles, and more!
Preschool Prep is not only an enriching experience for young children, but it is also a way to get to know our school. Very often children who attend our Preschool Prep end up applying for our Preschool Program, after going through our regular admission process.
Although we welcome each and every child to apply, participation in our Preschool Prep Program does NOT guarantee an acceptance to our preschool.
Please download and complete this application and return to us in person.
For current enrollment info, please contact us at email@example.com


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Netflix, Earth inhabitants' leading "internet entertainment service" announced that its first Korean original variety show Busted! has started their production activities in good ole Korea. For this production, Netflix has partnered up with Company SangSang, Hyuk-Jae Jang and Hyo-Jin Cho, Korea's most successful variety show producers (Running Man and Family Outing) to create Busted!, which will be shown worldwide on many mortals' Netflix screens in 2018. Touted as an unorthodox variety game show, each episode of Busted! will feature celebrities solving a mystery. Additionally, the show will be filmed in numerous locations in Korea. While the cast are not confirmed currently, the show will have an interesting roster of unique personalities from different backgrounds. To add more spice into the mystery, "cast members who will be taking part in solving each episode's mystery will not know who will participate in the game and what roles they play until it is revealed through the making of the show." Despite all these smoke and mirrors shenanigans, it is reported that the full cast would be announced soon at a later date.
You are Watching Busted. Don't foget to share Busted to your friend! Bookmark out website to get new update dramas and movies. Report issue here


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" A number of Oregon restaurants are implementing new practices designed to decrease income disparity and incentivize good employees to stay."Read More
Hospitality has been hit with many challenges in the last several years, but the entire service sector is now having to adjust to a new and different landscape. Retail, banking, health & fitness, beauty & personal care, even healthcare are under an enormous amount of pressure as the market for talented entry-level workers and career-path interested staff shrink.Read More
Too often when management discusses the team they have working for them, they focus on what isn't going right... What's not getting done. This is called "management by exception." The theory is that if management only needs to divert attention and resources to a situation when it isn't working - they can spend more of their time working on the other functions of management like guest satisfaction, business opportunity, and efficiencies in operations. In theory, this is a great idea and in project management, it is even considered best practices.Read More
Some are calling this the perfect time for the ascendance of tech in restaurants - a golden age. Others find it to be overwhelming. The noise and clutter of endless sales calls. Pitches are being thrown for everything from POS systems without terminals to Reservation Systems that only charge flat fees and have built-in guest retention programs. What are the answers and what does the future look like?Read More


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The Virtue of Forgiveness in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Peter Kadar
I have noticed when children fight and argue, they quickly become friends again and start their play again. It is remarkable how kids are able to forgive and forget; this is what makes them so vibrant and continuously happy. We as adults have a more difficult time in doing this practice.
We can forgive but do we really forget?
Holding on to how people have behaved in the past and to our negative emotions can cause great pain and affect our well-being. From an Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine perspective the anger we experience affects the liver, heart, and spleen. Our anger creates stagnation in the liver: this can cause irritability and frustration leading potentially to headaches, reproductive problems and outbursts of anger. By dwelling continuously about past hostilities our Spleen is affected causing fatigue, indigestion, and an inability to concentrate. Or one will experience insomnia or depression which is a manifestation of Heart and Shen (Spirit) being disturbed by obsessing on the past and being unable to forgive.
Acupuncture is a powerful therapy that can treat these symptoms and help the patient move beyond past insults or conflicts and regain their balance and flow of Qi. The acupuncture point Liver 3 or Tai Chong ("Great Opening" and Yin Tang ("Hall of Impression") are excellent for letting go of past upsets. Chinese herbal medicine formulas, especially Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan or Heavenly Emperor Strengthen the Heart Pill, are very helpful to heal negative emotions.
As an acupuncturist and practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Acupuncture Center of New Jersey in Morristown, I counsel my patients on what's most important. When we forgive someone we are able to restore healthy balance and regain peace within ourselves. We can do meditation, yoga , acupuncture and take Chinese herbs to harmonize our emotions and body, clear our Shen and bring it back to balance, but then comes the question: can we forget?
I feel to forget is very difficult, even though you might have forgiven and resolved the peace within one's self, after meeting the individual who caused harm those feelings return. I feel it is important to open one's mind and look at the other person's perspective. We do not know what surrounding circumstances makes another respond in a negative way, so one practice I find helpful is to remember the positives about the individuals and practice silence and not bring up the incident which would cause the negative feelings to rise again. Eventually with time the positives will allow you to forget and inner peace and happiness and physical wellness will return.
On that note I wish everyone a happy and blessed day!
Post by: Punita Jhangiani, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M., Dipl. A.B.O.R.M.
- Acupuncture
- Chinese Herbal Medicine
- Fertility & Reproductive Wellness
- Rehabilitation Therapies
- Facial Rejuvenation
Contact us for an appointment at: (973) 984-2800


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We were hopelessly frustrated by daily calendars that have the same thing every single day, so last year we made a daily calendar that had something completely different every single day. Around two hundred people supported us on Kickstarter, we got written up on some blogs and all our 2015 calendar-users have been thrilled! Now we're doing it again! And it's even cheaper this time!
What kind of things will be in the calendar?
Every day is different. Some days might have trivia about poisonous plants, others might have miniature models you can cut out, fold and build. There will be poems and stories and games and finger puppets and animal facts and recipes and tiny cards that you can fold and give to your friends. We've got the best year ever planned out and it's going to be super fun but we won't tell you any more details because we don't want to spoil all the surprises.
Does this calendar have 365 pages?
Great guess but no! We're combining the page for Saturday and Sunday so there are only 6 pages a week. We did this because we only had about 313 different ideas for pages and also because we want you to do more exciting things with your weekend than look at our calendar.
Can you tell me some other details about this calendar?
Sure, thanks for asking! The calendar will be on 4.25" by 5.5" paper and it will be sent to the address that you specify during the month of October. It will be printed with black ink, have that sticky stuff on one end to keep the pages together and it will come mounted on a handy little plastic stand. Also, we're printing all the calendars right here in Oregon!
Who's making this calendar?
Brooke and Boaz! We're both writers, and we both live in Portland, Oregon. Brooke's the creator of Sad Animal Facts and Boaz is the creator of The Pedal Powered Talk Show. You can learn more about Brooke here. And you can learn more about Boaz here.
Can you tell me more about these rewards?
Sure! In addition to the calendar, we've also created a few other special items that we'll be sending to supporters. Backers at every reward will get this very special iron-on pigeon patch:
Higher levels will also get this enamel bee pin:
If you select the Sad Animal Facts Reward level you'll also get to choose between a Sad Animal Facts tote bag or t-shirt. We're still sorting out colors and some other details but here's a sketch of the shirt:
We'll be using the same artwork for the tote bags and we're hoping to offer a few other design options too. If you have a favorite animal, comment below and we'll try to incorporate it into one of our other designs!
Risks and challenges
We've only made a daily calendar once before so I'm sure we'll still be learning some things in the process though I think we worked out most of the kinks last year. Now we know a lot more about printing and packaging and shipping and we've built extra time into the schedule to ensure we hit all our deadlines.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (25 days)


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Who would have believed that 2006 kicked off the way it did? It was almost as if 2005 refused to go away and in the first month we were already wishing it were 2007. It even seems as though I have to write about the year that "was" and we haven't even finished off the first month.
Scandals and war continue to plague us, and who would have thought that in the United States we would be talking about possible criminal activity in the White House? Who would have even fancied the idea that the United States is a country that illegally spies on its own citizens and eliminates those who speak out against the fascist activities of the elite?
Who knew?
If this has surprised you, then you are really asleep.
It is time to look through the lenses of those individuals that have already had their eyes opened and understand that politics are dead. There are no Democrats or Republicans, no red state against blue state, just a leviathan state that is against you.
What was once conspiracy theory is becoming our reality. What once got me dirty looks and jeers are now getting me questions on what needs to be done in order to fight back.
I am afraid that we may be too late. All we have to do now is watch as the New World order feeds on those who are too stupid to acknowledge that the great downfall has begun.
The mainstream media is showing us the new scorched earth policy. The media now is an infomercial for the encroaching police state and is being used as a device to uphold the destructive attitudes of fascism.
No longer do we have a media that challenges an empire. It merely stands idly by as the empire grows at an astonishing rate.
While in history a scorched earth policy entailed destroying all land and buildings so that nothing was left for the enemy. The media has liquidated the nation's ability to heal from terrorism. The networks continue to report the so-called dangers of living on this planet and the television dramas are set in courtrooms, police precincts, and morgues.
If we continue on our path of electronic destructive group dynamic there will be many that will feel the need to surrender to whatever invisible enemy that is manufactured by an already crazed and out of control government.
The surrender will be gradual and will be accomplished quietly and willingly.
Those who are in control and those who can see beyond the manipulations will survive.
The Revolution is being numbed into submission. Our passive nation is too preoccupied with paying the bills and watching the Super bowl. While watching your television you will be told to buy more, to be an army of one, to drink more and eat more because you never know when you are going to die.
If you were to believe the hype and propaganda given to us by the White House you would believe that the New Year started off well. We were told by our leaders that the United States is on the fast track to a full economic and emotional recovery from all of the broken promises and lies that we have had to endure throughout this never ending war for the preservation of terror.
If we are to believe the hype and the propaganda we are doing a great job in the Middle East. The repetition of the words "job well done" seemed to be as hollow as a family that applauds on the game show "Family Feud" when the slow member of the family blurts out the most insipid answer.
The trumpeting of the great economy, and reassurance of Iraq's progress, did nothing to take away the pain of knowing that nearly 3,000 soldiers have died fighting a war on a flimsy premise.
So the propaganda had to come with an expected and a not at all too stunning Diabolus ex Machina.
With all of our so-called progress we still have to fear the bogeyman of terror.
We still have to take some time out of our lives to participate the all too familiar Orwellian ritual of gazing upon the face of our own Emmanuel Goldstein, Osama bin Laden.
Goldstein of course was a state manufactured arch-villain in George Orwell's classic book "1984." He would always appear on television screens in the Two Minute Hate ritual and people would yell and scream to be protected by 'Big Brother'."
In 2006 the Orwell estate should sue the Bush administration for copyright infringement.
Osama bin Laden came from out of nowhere speaking of renewed interest in conducting widespread terror attacks on the United States while offering a truce at the same time.
It seemed convenient that bin Laden appeared. His appearances can be timed up to the very minute that the Bush administration sees trouble on the horizon.
It is never brought up in the mainstream media that when Osama bin Laden's threat tapes are released coincidentally at the time when George W. Bush is desperate in trying to drum up support for his outlaw regime.
The Patriot Act is about to lapse and of course the timing of bin Laden's threatening words couldn't be more perfect. It would even be more predictable that before the Patriot Act is reviewed again that we hear of a terror threat or even a terror event just prior to the hearings.
That of course can be called a conspiracy theory or some half-baked speculation but the record speaks for itself. Days before the November 2004 election a bin Laden tape surfaced and many people believe that it created some last minute mind changing with some of the voters.
Why would we want to change horsemen in the middle of an apocalypse? Especially when that madman in a turban has said those frightening words on tape.
Bin Laden appearing again on Al Jazeera in January is no coincidence. It has been planned in order to take the focus off of the Jack Abramoff bribery scandals, George W. Bush's blatant disregard for the constitution in regards to illegal spying on the American people, and Al Gore coming from out of nowhere to take a swat at the president about the wiretap scandal.
Amazing how Al Gore showed up to fight for Democracy some six years too late.
Who would have thought that Al Gore had it in him? Now if we could only get him to admit that there have been other Presidents that have been involved with criminal activity. Perhaps Gore could give us a bit of information on the super secret eavesdropping program called Echelon? Why won't Al Gore speak about how Echelon was allowed to randomly troll U.S. telecommunications systems looking for anyone who may have wanted to plot against the government?
Why doesn't Gore point this out?
It would then be obvious that the NSA was spying on the American people before September 11th, 2001. This would also mean that both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush broke the law and that this surveillance and police state society that we are told we have to get used to is not foolproof.
The Bush Administration has lied again by telling us that the President had the power to wiretap because of executive orders during wartime. Bush claimed that he did not break the law because he was acting with the NSA after the September 11th attacks.
He was spying on us before. So was Bill Clinton.
Bush claims that he did not abuse his executive power and that he is justified in times of war to spy on the American people to prevent further terrorist attacks on the United States.
The NSA advised Bush in early 2001 that it had been eavesdropping on Americans during the course of its work, monitoring American citizens looking for possible terrorists and foreigners that were believed to be a threat to the United States.
This was all done prior to the 911 attacks.
This means that in early 2001 Bush was not using terror threats as the chief reason for spying on Americans. It also means that the intensive spying that went on before 911 did absolutely nothing to prevent the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon from happening.
Are we beginning to see that the lies are no longer working?
How is it that with all of our illegal surveillance of the American people we were not able to stop the planes from hitting their appointed targets on September 11th, 2001?
Anyone want to conclude that it was an inside job?
Or are we still living in a fantasy world where manufactured terror threats are impossible and out of the question?
They seem to be getting away with manufacturing a spook in bin Laden, so how is it so hard to even think that they manufacture terrorism?
They all have their hands dirty.
If Al Gore wants to be a real American hero then maybe he should pull the curtain back far enough to show that even when he worked with President Clinton, there was illegal activity going on far beyond staining dresses in the Lincoln Bedroom.
Does Gore have the balls to be non-partisan and point out that Bill Clinton used the super secret Echelon system to steal trade secrets from companies and sell them to his business friends for political contributions and favors?
Perhaps he could even kick Janet Reno around for supporting the Carnivore Internet system that monitored private e-mails.
But he won't.
The first casualty of war is the truth and our politicians love to keep it from us. And while our media is supposed to keep a close watch on government and keep it honest, it fails to do so.
Sometimes what you hear and see in the mainstream media is not necessarily the truth, and it is a lot easier now to manipulate the masses when they are far too busy to stop down and actually think about what they are being asked to believe outright.
We live in an attention deficit democracy. There are many things that go down the memory hole and are forgotten. Our leaders forget history and attempt to rewrite it in order to change your views on the truth. The independent press attempts to get the word out, and even then we see that it is even dangerous to editorialize or be the "underground messenger."
On December 24th, 2005, veteran news reporter and editor for the New York Times, David E. Rosenbaum, reported that Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito had authorized a 1984 memo arguing that then-President Ronald Reagan had the right to order wire taps without warrants.
The article entitled "DOMESTIC SURVEILLANCE: THE NOMINATION Alito Memo in '84 Favored Immunity for Top Officials" served as a warning about Alito and how he supports the encroaching surveillance society.
This, obviously, is the hidden agenda behind the choice of Samuel Alito by George W. Bush.
The Friday before Alito's confirmation hearings, David E. Rosenbaum was beaten and robbed in front of his home in Washington D.C. He later died of his injuries at the hospital.
It was reported by the Washington Times that Rosenbaum lived in one of the safest neighborhoods in the D.C area. At first police thought that Rosenbaum had a stroke or a seizure. They didn't realize that he was a crime victim until he was evaluated at the hospital. The confusion cost police time that could have been spent combing the neighborhood for robbery suspects.
Rosenbaum's wallet was taken and it seemed a bit odd that he still was wearing his wedding band and a gold watch around his wrist. With his wedding band and watch on there was no reason for police to think it was a robbery
Other problems slowed the response to the crime scene to help Rosenbaum. It took little time for police and a fire truck to arrive, but it took 22 minutes for an ambulance to reach the scene. Fire department officials said that they had launched an investigation to determine why it took so long; they said they strive to get an ambulance to such scenes within 10 minutes.
Police had no leads and no suspects.
Miraculously on January 12th it was reported that 23-year-old Michael Hamlin walked into a police station and asked why his face was on television.
Hamlin was allegedly using Rosenbaum's credit card and his image from a surveillance camera was broadcast on the nightly news. Police said the credit card had been used seven times since Rosenbaum's death, to buy a total of $1,300 worth of merchandise.
Hamlin later confessed to the attack on Rosenbaum.
When the press asked the police why Hamlin turned himself a police spokesman replied "Stranger things have happened."
Yes, very strange indeed.
Here we have some irony as a reporter writes is last story about the illegal surveillance society and then out of the blue his alleged murderer is caught using his credit card on a surveillance camera.
Hamlin was either the stupidest guy on the planet or he was unaware that he was doing anything wrong. According to his neighbors Hamlin was a responsible man, he had a job, and lived with his mother. He had no reason to rob Rosenbaum.
Isn't it obvious that this story needs to be heard and investigated? Doesn't the circumstantial evidence suggest that something certainly is rotten in Washington D.C.?
It appears that perhaps Rosenbaum was the sacrificial lamb, whose blood was the warning for the New York Times to back off on their reports that the President illegally spied on the American people.
Before his murder Rosenbaum had teamed up with writers like Adam Liptak, whose reporting of late has covered the legalities of domestic surveillance, and Eric Lichtblau and James Risen, who broke the story in the New York Times of the Bush Administrations' illegal eavesdropping on Americans.
Of course this story and its connections to the Alito confirmation was not even mentioned on the front page, nor was it even a top story on the evening news. It was buried away with George W. Bush giggling nervously about how his actions were legal and that talking about the program of eavesdropping on the American people is literally helping the enemy.
After his pooh-poohing of the issue of legality he once again took in a deep breath and with all of his patriotic zeal and folksy smirk reminded the American people that the war on terror was real.
He reminded us that we should not indulge in the thought crime of thinking that we are giving up, pulling out, or even pretending to be at war. The repetition again seemed like a programmed oration, or a bad joke that an uncle tells us over and over again still expecting a courtesy laugh.
The President will never tell us what the terrorists truly do not like about America. He can't say that they are fanatical and want to see the destruction of the liberal west. If he did it would then reveal the agenda of the right wing. Their agenda of course is to crush the "liberal rebellion" against the New World Order.
Both Al Qaeda and the conservative right wing hate anything that smacks of liberal secularism.
They seem to be on the same side.
Their words seem to somehow betray them. But complicity seems to be the attitude of most Americans. We seem to be comatose, a sign that the United States is well on the way to its grave.
The Axis of Evil and our conservative supermen seem to have played into each other's hands. They have created a stealth agreement that in order to maintain a controlled populace they must permit occasional shocks to the system in the form of terrorist acts.
Acts that are permitted in order to craft a police state and secure the policies of a leviathan government and executive power run amok.
The ideologies of our religious and political leaders are the most primitive ideologies that when exploited trigger the memes necessary to cause our reptilian brains to activate and become territorial and protective of our material surroundings. In our primitive fear we reject our spirituality and become more bestial.
Line upon line and step by step we desensitize ourselves to others and their pain. We marginalize those who are not of our tribe and demand our isolation in order to feel a sense of security. Our world becomes mediocre and bland, and we are told that anything that goes out of the lines, or thinking outside the box is anathema.
The so-called war on terror is no longer a war against an organized terrorist threat. It is a war against liberal creative thinking, a war against cognitive liberty. It is a war against the truth.
We begin to see the destructive group dynamic being implemented little by little until it consumes the consensus reality.
Radical Islam and the conservative right wing are fighting the same fight.
They both despise western liberalism. They also seem to despise individual liberty because it goes against the "group think" that tells you that big government is doing everything in its power to ensure your safety and lead you to a world of peace and true freedom.
They want you to believe it is self-evident as we witness torture and police brutality on the security cameras that we are told are there to protect us from the criminals.
They want you to watch as gunmen hold news reporters hostage and threaten to kill them if their plans are not met. Reporters over there are murdered, and over here they are murdered as well.
Is anyone seeing the pattern?
Both Radical Islam and the Conservative right wing believe that all of the fighting they do is for a great cause. The cause of eliminating the imperfect for the perfect and creating a New World order that will be lead by the so called anointed of God.
Whatever God that is.
If this is what God wants, then God is most certainly dead and his corpse will generate enough maggots to bring upon us a plague so great that we will want to offer ourselves up to the grave for our own safety.
That is the most frightening part of what is happening now.
We are seeing the great Downfall.
2006 began with as much optimism as it could possibly muster. The positive attitude only lasted as long as it took to crack a smile. Then after the noise of the horns died down and the streamers and paper hats were swept up and thrown in the Dumpster the reminder of tragedy could not be escaped.
The clouds of paranoia still boiled and the storms still continued, leaving many people paralyzed with anguish over current events and how they seemed to be an indication that if there was a God, he hated all of those involved in the mass slaughter of war.
All of the horrible events of 2005 were spilling into 2006 with the news of mining accidents and increasing numbers of the dead in Iraq. Israel has now been pushed to the precipice as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is counting the days to his death with a massive stroke.
The prophecies found in the scriptures that fuel the battles today are being connected and published to an already fearful audience. The Gathering of what is called Gog and Magog puts Russia and Iran on the same team and Iran has now claimed that they eagerly await their messiah's return.
The United States questions the motives of Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and can not fathom why the leader is so "odd," so "reckless."
The answer is simple.
He has a messianic complex just like all of the other leaders of the world who want to begin their own imperial cults and lead them into a promised utopia.
In November, we were all startled by a video that was released showing Mr. Ahmadinejad telling a cleric that he had felt the hand of God entrancing world leaders as he delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly last September.
When a plane crashed in Teheran, killing 108 people, Ahmadinejad thanked the dead, by saying that what was most important is that the dead have shown the way to martyrdom. He then declared that martyrdom is the action that he urges all Iranians to follow. His attitude rings similar with many fanatical Christians and the neo-con right wing. If we destroy the earth HE will come, be it the Christ or the Imam.
If you die for the cause you are a hero.
It comes down to which mad cult leader do you choose to follow?
It seems that in order to keep up with the world you have to stay by the computer and monitor every little thing. That is why it is important to realize that just because you haven't heard of an important event in the mainstream press doesn't mean that it is not really happening.
It is becoming difficult to report on many things in the world that seem to be so unreal. If you happen upon a story that grows into several other connecting stories you can begin to understand how to unravel the news that seems to broadside the average person.
A colleague of mine told me that 2005 was my year because he began to notice that all of the crazy stuff that I had talked about in the past was coming true. I told him that talking about these stories comes with a price and many who refuse to look outside the box would dismiss my credibility and continue to label me as a conspiracy theorist.
Like brushing one's teeth, you have to stand in front of the mirror and mug at your reflection reminding yourself that in this chaotic world you are not crazy.
You can acknowledge, however, that most of the world has somehow lost the ability to differentiate between order and chaos. In fact, the new creed is to create chaos and then restore a New World Order.
The lines become blurred and as you learn by example you understand that if you support the diseased government that continues to grow out of control, you are supporting the same ideology that bred the likes of Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler.
I know that my colleague believes that when I say the word fascist or fascism I am overreacting, but I can assure him that the fanatical conservative right and the fanatical liberal left share something in common with all fanatics, including those who are terrorists.
They all believe in a scorched earth policy where they seek out to destroy those who do not agree with them or propose that if the entire world can't live by their creed then all things must be destroyed in order to preserve what precious ideologies they have left.
The idea is similar to that of the "suicide pill" taken by most cults when they feel that a better life awaits them in the hereafter. Most cults take years to groom their followers.
With the aid of television and a few whistles and bells the "devil from the machine" appears to remind the masses that their fears of doom are very real and that we must rally around the "father" or the "Shepherd."
He may not be the most reliable Shepherd but he protects the sheep from the "devil from the machine."
We have reached a stalemate between belief and action in the United States.
The majority have allowed themselves to be fearful, self-absorbed cattle that move only when told to by those who claim to be the "cult of personality" that is there to preserve certain belief systems while at the same time employing destructive group dynamics.
The thoughts of these groups and their actions towards most problems have not matured beyond the medieval days of the early monarchies. We move throughout the world using our methods of torture and death to bring about a so-called lasting peace.
Some are beginning to ask, why?
Our Government's answer continues to be war and bloodshed and the evidence is mounting that in the silence and the complicity of a majority we have supported the deaths of tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians, perhaps 100,000 in some estimates.
Our leaders and the media continue to program us with the idea that in a war on terror there are no civilian deaths. All of the Iraqis are insurgents and soon we at home will all feel the same way. We will no longer be civilians; we will be martyrs for cause that not everyone can agree on.
There is no united fight. We have been limited in our views and somehow conclude that there are two absolute positions thus eliminating those shades of gray that put us all in the place of mind where we can freely question and express our doubts.
American behavior is no longer welcomed. It is no longer tolerated in the world and we are investing our ignorance into the idea that no one is keeping a list of all the things that our government has done in the name of preserving so called freedoms here at home.
Our self delusion demonstrates that without any guilt or mainstream criticism we can sleep at night knowing that we have supported with our complicity and silence a government that has killed more Iraqi's than Saddam Hussein ever did when he ruled there in the year prior to our country's invasion.
We suffer from the inability to use restraint.
Can President Bush give a numerical figure on how many slaughtered Iraqis it will take to bring peace?
We hear the secular arguments as to why our wars continue, whether it is for oil or land but it seems to be painfully obvious that the world is overwhelmed in religious conflict. The religious fantasy of a final battle in the Middle East and a long line of scapegoat terrorist antichrists continue the cycle of bloodletting that puts the world in a vulnerable position.
The conflict, which has risen from the mixing of religion and politics, has created a great beast. It is akin to imagining the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, carrying a nuclear warhead loaded for bear and used for the fires of purification.
The beast is literally the body of God infected by a darker force encouraged and absorbed through a process of programming the masses with an underlying agenda brought forth from secret theistically Satanic organizations.
Their main goal is to secure the civic religion, create a universal enemy of that religion, and by a unanimous decree of the flock place a heretic on the throne to lead the new Imperial cult.
The agents of the new imperialism have taken advantage of the dogmas of every faith and have used them to create a stealth civic religion bound by the doctrines of vicarious atonement.
The blood letting, if you will.
The United States has been hijacked by ignorant politicians and self-appointed religious figures that believe that they are without fault for its torture and murderous wars. The civic religion that is espoused by the religious right wing indicates that no matter how enormous our crimes are against mankind, the self-sacrifice of Christ washes away all stains of crime and all sins are forgiven.
Are those sins truly forgiven?
The Reverend Pat Robertson, a known Evangelist and "Zionist Christian", came under fire for his comments about the sudden stroke of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Robertson claimed on his "700 Club" that the massive stroke that felled the leader was punishment from God for his dividing of the house of Israel.
Last year Robertson had been expressing some of his deepest bile by saying that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez needed to be assassinated and that Hurricane Katrina destroyed the United States because of our abortion rate.
Now while he came under fire for sounding insensitive about Sharon, I want to point out that Robertson is now speaking like any Islamic fanatic that does not answer to any government that he deems "secular." He claims that anyone who goes against his interpretation of the word of God to appease any government should expect the wrath of God to take them out.
He also speaks as if the United States, the country that gives him his right to speak should equally be destroyed if it can be shown that it is immoral and an unworthy land in the eyes of God.
It is the only way that it can be saved. It is the new scorched earth policy brought to us by the Christian right wing.
Doesn't Robertson sound like a fanatical cult leader on the edge? When should we expect the "suicide pill" to be offered?
Will they force those who are unwilling to swallow the pill to swallow it? They have the power to do it because they have their talons in our government.
Robertson is well known as part of the bulwark of the Christian right wing. He, along with Jerry Falwell, urged his followers to vote for George W. Bush. Robertson has had guests on his "700 Club" show ranging from Bill Frist to Tom DeLay.
In 2005 it was Tom DeLay that declared that the Judiciary had declared a war on "faith" after decisions were made to remove the feeding tube from Terri Schiavo. Tom DeLay fought along side John Ashcroft and others claiming that the battle was to save a judiciary run amok and to preserve our Christian heritage as a nation.
Now we all know about DeLay's indictments and criminal charges, and there are others like Jack Abramoff who are confessing to wrongdoing as well.
Can we not see that this is an indication that there is a downfall in the works? There are criminal elements in our government and DeLay and Abramoff are only the tip of the iceberg that can bring down an entire ship?
Take a look at the connections that right wing conservative Tom DeLay has to Jack Abramoff.
Tom DeLay, once called Abramoff one of his "closest and dearest friends," when he attended a party for Willie Tan of Tan Holdings Corporation one of Abramoff's clients. The party was held in the Northern Mariana Island of Saipan. Abramoff helped DeLay craft policy that extended exemptions from federal immigration and labor laws to Sapian's garment industries.
Meanwhile it was revealed on ABC news that Sapian's garment industries have forced their workers to get abortions in order to keep their jobs.
Tom DeLay, while beating the drum for Christianity and the virtue of a civic religion, is really not acting upon his faith. He along with Robertson have one set of standards that they live by and propose impossible standards to a nation of fearful people who are afraid to rebel because they don't want to anger God.
If you still believe that these criminals can lead us to victory or to a Promised Land you have already accepted the new scorched earth policy.
It is a policy where we as a people have rejected an authentic spirituality for the abomination of desolation.
How can anyone believe that any of these leaders have strong Christian values when they have abandoned compassion and non-violent behavior? Does the idea of manifest destiny give us as a collective people the right to dominate and kill others in the name of God?
If your answer is no, then why is it that religious leaders and political official who say they act on behalf of God have so many followers who are self-righteous, arrogant, powerful, murderous hypocrites?
It is their Jesus who said that you were to love your enemy, not eliminate him with weapons that pulverize them into a pink mist.
How much more mean and vicious do we have to be before we destroy ourselves?
Is silence evidence of complicity?
How can anyone side with these Republican and Democratic liars, bless the attacks on countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, support executions, and cheer on America's global domination without feeling the least bit sick to their stomachs?
How can anyone say that they support our troops when they have been set up to fail and be murdered in a foreign country because of "failed intelligence?"
Meanwhile we are told that they are fighting for some American Dream that generations before us knew about, but for some reason had a nebulous explanation as to why it doesn't feel or look the same way.
Somewhere in our minds eye we see America looking pristine and safe, but now our country is like a decayed tooth that is still usable but is ready to abscess and then be pulled out.
If you feel that what I am saying is unpatriotic, I don't care. I don't care that you are in denial. I see what is coming. I know what is going on.
The spirituality of America has been rejected for the subtle spirituality of empire. It is this empire that abuses power in the name of their so-called God.
It is this God that I fight against.
We should all unite against this God.
Illegal actions committed in criminal regimes often lead to a chaotic downfall. Those who are involved know of what they are doing and believe that there is no turning back and so they have no other alternative but to follow their Shepherd to the cliff and fall as lemmings on the jagged rocks below.
We still have a choice. There is still liberty.
Colonist John Winthrop once called America the Shining City on the hill.
Violence will not save us, might does not make right and the use of nuclear weapons will not bring Jesus to earth any sooner.
We have been living off the comforts of the empire for too long and it has made us self-righteous, intolerant, and ignorant.
If the first days of 2006 seemed dismal and dark to you, then perhaps it is time to shine a new light on the dark corners of reality.
For it is in those dark corners where we find the fattest of rats.


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Carlisle Indian Industrial School
The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was founded in October 1879 and was designed to assimilate students into the mainstream culture. It was housed in Carlisle, PA at the Carlisle Barracks, now the home of the U.S. Army War College. "Carlisle" became the model for 24 off reservation schools with the purpose of acculturation.
Many of the school buildings are still standing. Guided tours are occasionally offered by the Cumberland County Historical Society or visitors can purchase at a self-guided walking tour brochure at History on High.
Click here to learn more about the history of the school and to see which historic structures are still standing.
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India's first anti-poaching tiger force begins work
India's first forest ranger unit charged specifically with preventing tiger poaching has gone into action.
The 54-member force will patrol tiger reserves in national parks straddling the borders of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states in the south.
The Special Tiger Protection Force has received training in jungle survival and weapons use.
Tiger numbers have shrunk alarmingly in recent decades. A census last year counted about 1,700 tigers in the wild.
A century ago there were estimated to be 100,000 tigers in India.
Numbers up
"The force is operational," Karnataka conservation official BK Singh told the BBC. "They will deal with poachers and hunters."
The Special Tiger Protection Force was formed by the forest and environment ministry on the recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Karnataka authorities.
With their special training course completed, the unit has moved into Bandipur and Nagarahole national parks, south of Bangalore.
The forested region has the highest number of tigers in India, according to a census released in March 2011 by the forest and environment ministry.
Karnataka state, which has six tiger reserves, has about 300 tigers, followed by Madhya Pradesh in the north with 257.
The census indicated that tiger numbers had increased to 1,706 from 1,411 at the last count in 2007.
Officials say conservation efforts by the government and wildlife organisations have helped tiger and elephant populations increase.
But poaching remains a threat, with some 25 tigers killed in Karnataka alone since 2006.
A second tiger force will be set up in the eastern state of Orissa.
Senior National Tiger Conservation Authority official Rajesh Gopal said 13 tiger reserves in seven states across the country had been identified for special measures to protect the big cats.
Tiger expert Ullas Karanth said the new force would go a long way toward saving tigers from poachers.


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The Second Oldest Profession/
Pilots. Until this week, I had not thought much about piloting. In fact, a pilot was someone who flew a plane. Get me to Seattle, safe and on-time, so we can pick up our rental and head northwest.
Our pilot this week did what he was supposed to do and we made our first visit to the Olympic Peninsula. We made our first (very long overdue visit) to friends in Port Angeles. We had our first view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca from the house on the hill.
The view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca is superb, even on a cloudy day. Ships and boats of all shapes and sizes are moving through here throughout the day. Some stop for a bit but almost all move on through to Seattle. Every ship has a pilot. Not an airplane pilot, a boat pilot.
Pilots. Pilots are the people who meet the ship in the harbor, via the pilot boat, board it, and guide it safely through the waters. In this area, the pilots guide the ships to Seattle. Every ship is either required to pick one up, or certify (if a US ship) that they have a trained pilot on board. Pilots have extensive maritime experience, undergo training, achieve certifications and are very well-qualified. There is a waiting list, a professional organization and a little bit of "who you know." Pilots do what they do to the tune of $300,000 - $400,000 per year. What other cool things did my guidance counselor forget to tell me about?
It is really very intriguing. We had the opportunity to ride the pilot boat out to meet a Japanese freighter. The Japanese crew dropped out a rope ladder as we approached. We pulled up alongside the ship and held the pilot boat steady while the pilot climbed the ladder. We watched until he was safely inside. This harbor has not lost a pilot off the rope ladder and into the water yet. Superb. Stopping the pilot boat on a dime and pulling a tight 360 - very cool!
Pilots. New to me yet they have been around as long as there have been ships traveling on seas.


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DELAND, Fla - Worried about monsters under your bed? Wary of ghost and ghouls hiding in your closet? Well, Lipscomb pitcher J. Hwang dealt with a nightmare night that makes those fears look like a children's nursery rhyme.
Thursday night torrential rain, wind and lightning stopped LU's game with Florida Gulf Coast in the bottom of the second inning. When Hwang left the mound he was faced with loaded bases and no outs.
Hwang knew he was going to be back on the mound Friday morning when the game resumed. So instead of counting sheep, he analyzed the batters he would be facing. The No. 7 through No. 9 hitters were next in line but that didn't give Hwang much comfort.
"It was a mess that I caused and I wanted to come back to it," Hwang said. "I thought about it for hours and hours. I couldn't sleep.
"All I thought about was pitching sequences...how to pitch to their guys. We broke down everyone of their players from the No. 7 through the No. 9 holes."
Hwang had a 3-0 cushion as the result ofa two-run homer down the left field line by Tyson Ashcraft in the first inning and a sac fly by Drew Adams.
Hwang would need all of those runs as did not get out of the inning unscathed. Sean Dwyer scored from third on a passed ball. Colton Bottomly brought in a run on a sacrifice fly to center.
Hwang recovered and protected the Bisons 3-2 lead by shutting down the Eagles the rest of the way until he was relieved by Tyler Burstrom with two outs and bases loaded in the eighth.
"We wanted to get them out and stop the bleeding as much as possible," Hwang said. "And it worked out.
"I kind of lost it at the end. I wanted to finish it more than anything. But Burstrom came in and did a great job."
The Purple and Gold held on for the win, eliminating No. 2-seed Florida Gulf Coast from the Atlantic Sun Tournament. The No. 6-seeded Bisons return to the field Saturday at 9 a.m. CDT.
LU coach Jeff Forehand never had a second thought about bringing Hwang back to the mound.
"J. threw 20 pitches Thursday night," Forehand said. "He is used to throwing every day. He has a resilient arm that bounces back.
"The team was pumped for him. He has been in so many big situations this season. He was prepared for this game. That is why we shifted the rotation a little bit because we knew he was ready."
Forehand likes the way Hwang works on the mound. He knows how to keep batters off balance.
"Every pitch he throws has movement on it," Forehand said. "He has a good slider. His split-finger fastball is effective. In this heat, he was throwing the ball hard so he had the velocity to go with that movement."
With the Bisons fighting out of the loser's bracket, Forehand was proud of Hwang's effort. In two games in the tournament LU has used only three pitchers.
"We felt like Hwang had the best stuff against a really good hitting team," Forehand said. "That is why we went back with him. It was nothing against anyone else in our bullpen. We had to look at the big picture with the rest of the tournament.
"Tyler came in and got the strikeout to end the eighth and then got them out one-two-three in the ninth. That is what we practice for all year long. When it was time to step up they both did."
It was only the second start if the season for Hwang, a sophomore right-hander. Even though he was starting in a tournament elimination game he did not feel any pressure.
"I always come into games in jam situations," Hwang said. "I wasn't nervous about starting."
It was his 26th appearance and improved his record to 2-0. His work as a reliever helped prepare him to be mentally and physically ready to return to the mound.
"My arm is always in shape," Hwang said. "I am ready to go at any time.
"It turned out my arm felt great. My teammates backed me up. Everything was good."


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Joe Hafkey - Austin Sessions
Episode #37
Comedian Joe Hafkey joins us for this session to talk about his comedy roots, co-hosting Jazz Cigarette, and he performs a surprise television intervention. Follow him on Twitter (@joehafkey) and Facebook. To listen, subscribe to Austin Sessions on iTunes, listen on Stitcher, hit play below, or click here for the direct link!


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Three attorneys general on Tuesday directly challenged Volkswagen's defense over its emissions deception, calling the decision to thwart pollution tests an orchestrated fraud that lasted more than a decade, involved dozens of engineers and managers and reached deep into the company's boardroom.
The accusations, leveled in lawsuits by New York, Massachusetts and Maryland, contradict Volkswagen's portrayal of the deception, representing a new threat to the carmaker's finances, reputation and management. For the first time, the suits connected Volkswagen's chief executive, Matthias Müller, to the scandal, saying he was aware of a 2006 decision to not outfit Audi vehicles with equipment needed to meet American clean-air standards.Read More


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Sign up to volunteer for the After-School Program
After-School Program at St. Paul's Houston
During the school year, the After-School Program at St. Paul's serves MacGregor Elementary students in grades 1st through 5th. Our program aims to provide academic and enrichment opportunities to students while fostering emotional, social, and spiritual growth. Students are encouraged to discover new interests, gain self-confidence, and grow in God's love. An active partnership between students and their families, school administration, staff and volunteers, and the surrounding community has contributed to the success and growth of the After-School Program.


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This week away from home has resulted in the lounge being a tip, as you will perhaps be able to spot in the background of these pictures. What a shit-hole. I would say roll on the weekend, but I'm out all weekend too so… roll on next Tuesday when I have a night in to look forward to.
This dress is that one from George at Asda that has been everywhere – and rightly so, it's a lovely fit, a beautiful shade of coral, a nice length and is nicely lined too. Also wearing that scalloped-edge cream blazer from H&M. Today was full of meetings in sunny Southampton so here's my profesh look.


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I know Christmas is still months away, but this gift idea can't wait. Especially since I read this article that urges anyone ages 6 months and over to get inoculated. Except those with severe allergies to eggs, as that is what they are using (well, chick embryos, really) to grow the viruses for these shots.
New this year is an all-in-one vaccine that protects against the swine flu, as well as a couple of other flu strains. Also new this year is a stronger version of the vaccine for seniors, which contains four times the standard dose for those 65 years and over. Yeah, let's give grandpa a gift that will kill him even faster! He might not get the flu, but he dead sure will get cancer.
In this clip, Bill Gates says:
"The world today has 6.8 billion people. That's heading up to about nine billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent."
Why would he want to do so? Because, he says, we must cut worldwide carbon emissions to zero. As in, stop breathing. It can be accomplished by lowering the population to near zero, as he explains. Near zero, because he wants to be one of the few left standing. Of course, he's already a complete zero of a human being.


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The world consumes about 94 million barrels of oil each day, but only 46% is used to power our vehicles. So how does the world consume the remaining 50 million barrels of oil on a daily basis?
Most non-oil folks only think about using oil to fuel their cars with gasoline, but there are many other everyday uses of oil that would never even cross one's mind. Without oil, we would not have plastics, pharmaceuticals, asphalt, fertilizers, food preservatives, greases, waxes, aluminum, and steel. Odds are, you use each of these products on a daily basis, in some way, shape, or form.
While one barrel of oil consists of 42 gallons, a single barrel yields about 45 gallons of petroleum products due to the processing gain. Take a look at the infographic below to see what is actually in a 42 gallon barrel of oil!