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Originally dedicated in 1969, McPhee featured an expansion in 1987 when the Ade Olson Addition was constructed. McPhee serves as the main headquarters for the athletics program. The original building, which was renovated in 2007, houses a 6-lane, 25-yard natatorium plus a main gymnasium with portable seating for 1,000 in which volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling matches are contested.
There is also a gymnastics gym, where the gymnasts hold practice, plus a large, newly-furnished weight room. The Ade Olson addition features an elevated 6-lane, 200-meter track plus four indoor tennis courts and a modern sports medicine facility. The building also features nine raquetball courts.
Outside the McPhee building are eight tennis courts plus the Simpson Field which features a 9-lane, 400-meter all-weather track plus three practice football fields.
Address of
Facility (For use with GPS or Online
503 University Drive, Eau Claire, WI 54701 - Google | Bing | MapQuest
Teams Utilizing Facility
- Men's Track & Field
- Women's Track & Field
- Men's Tennis
- Women's Tennis
- Various intramural events also take place here


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Some good news coming tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Too Many Humans in Fantasy Novels?
Some good news coming tomorrow.
4 comments:
Good news? *curious*ReplyDelete
Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your rant... Uh, post? :D Sounds interesting to me!ReplyDelete
I hope you tweet the link when you publish. This sounds wacky and fun.
It doesn't bother me at all if characters are humanoid, because I love Scifi/Fantasy bc I love looking at our society with different perspectives, alternate timelines, etc.
Btw, my personal favorite non humanoid creature is a Hooloovoo, a hyper-intelligent shade of the color blue. :P
Sounds like you really have nothing to worry about. My fantasy series, so far, has two non-humanoid characters, and they're both dragons. I ought to be the one worrying... but since I'm not, I'll let you worry for both of us! :-DReplyDelete
The Dorads sound intriguing! As for tomorrow's good news...looking forward to it.ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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What Happy Families Know
How Hawaiians embrace the land, its abundance, and their responsibility to each other.
Supporting the bond between inmates and their newborns gives these families a better start.
9 progressive policies to support our families.
Why iconic political singer-songwriter Billy Bragg confronts fascists, Tea Parties, Glenn Beck–and his own fans.
YES! Magazine's executive editor introduces the Winter 2011 issue on what family means today.
Three simple tips for making it work.
Do you know who your fisherman is?
How government and industry are getting behind a new breed of electric cars.
The birth of a new rite for gay and lesbian couples.
Tap into the movement that is doing away with bottled water.
A jumpstart for the safe and fair sourcing of some of our most precious materials.
The U.S. moves toward a tipping point for solar energy.
Celeste Addai had never given much thought to immigration issues–until her Ghanaian husband had to flee in the middle of the night.
In the years since 16-year-old Rafael Regan was adopted, he's learned a lot about what makes unique families "normal."


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Laughing Swan Inn
The Laughing Swan Inn is a popular watering hole, in the village of Thaymor. Owned by Garv The Innkeeper, it is described as a cheery, medieval style inn, with a fireplace and many wooden tables. The inn is visited by several customers, who are seen enjoying their meals and listening to Willowand the Bard, who would play soft strains on his harp, at one end of the common room.
History #1 (Mini-Comics):
In the mini-comics, the Laughing Swan Inn is shaped like a large, pink swan, surrounded by beautiful gardens.
History #2 (POP Filmation Cartoons):
When Prince Adam and Cringer first come to Etheria, they travel to the inn to have something to eat. It is there, they first encounter the Evil Horde, in the form of three Horde Troopers. Adam steps in, when the one called, Marg, begins to bully Willowand the Bard. Here, Prince Adam also meets Bow, who helps him quickly defeat the three brutes.
Trivia (Clawful94): The Laughing Swan Inn production art is reused for the Devlan Inn and the Brightmoon Inn.
POP Filmation Cartoon Appearances:
POP Mini-Comic Appearances:
ALLEANZA : Great Rebellion, The
LUOGO DI ORIGINE : Village Of Thaymor


text: Cloning the Trees of Mount Vernon August 12, 2001 In Virginia, horticulturalists are cloning trees on George Washington's estate in order to save them. Washington himself planted the trees. The restoration is an attempt to preserve the estate according to Washington's vision. Cloning the Trees of Mount Vernon Only Available in Archive Formats. Real Media


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Be prepared: handbag beauty essentials
As modern women, we find ourselves being more and more multifaceted. We can play the role of mother, lover, bad-ass boss, attentive friend, carefree beach babe and international woman of mystery all in one day. And people still argue that is was the Boy Scouts that coined the phrase "be prepared"? I don't believe it – I say it was a working mum.
And why should this fail-safe system of carrying around a Mary-Poppins-style bag filled to the brim with everything from USB sticks to baby wipes come to a screeching halt when making sure we are looking good? Here we break down some key essentials every woman should carry on her to make sure she's ready for the boardroom, the bar or the beach at any given time.
A great way to keep your hair looking fresh is with a trusty dry shampoo, whether you are on day three of your hair-washing cycle or looking to create a bit of volume. Alternatively, if you are rocking a sleek ponytail look, stocking a can of firm-hold hairspray in your purse will help keep those wispy bits at bay throughout the day.
Pictured, left to right: Sancia bag from David Jones, Klorane dry shampoo from Priceline, Valentino sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Oroton Scarf, Cedel firm hold hairspray from Priceline, Michel Mercier detangling brush from Priceline.
Carrying body products on you is particularly important for the cooler months – dry knees, elbows and hands are a constant annoyance in winter. A great tip to finding suitable bag-friendly container sizes instead of huge tubs is to shop in the travel section of the pharmacy, ensuring you don't put your back out for the sake of looking good!
Pictured, clockwise from left: Burberry sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Cellini bag from David Jones, Chloe Fleur de Parfum from Mecca, Frank body cream from Mecca, Lucas Papaw Ointment from Chemist Warehouse, Grown Alchemist Intensive hand cream from Mecca, Byredo Suede hand sanitiser from Mecca.
Who hasn't had the age-old predicament of having dinner plans at the end of an exhausting work day? You must rally – but how to find energy? Nothing aids this problem more than a fresh spritz of facial mist, followed by some punchy red lipstick. The Stila Stay All Day Liquid lipstick in Beso (true red) is a personal favourite of mine – it would stay on perfectly through a hurricane.
Pictured, clockwise from left: Oroton iPhone case from David Jones, Off-White x Sunglass Hut sunglasses, Mon Atelier bag from David Jones, Oroton key chain, Urban Decay pressed powder from Mecca, Bare Minerals Bare Skin concealer from Mecca, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick from Mecca, Aesop Immediate Moisture facial hydrosol.
Australians (myself included) tend to be guilty of forgetting to slip-slop-slap when autumn and winter roll around. We forget that although it may be cooler, winter in Australia also tends to be some of the driest months right across the continent, so it's important to keep up our sun protection. A great way to do this is to invest in a good face and body moisturiser, a foundation and a lip balm that all also contain SPF, so it doesn't need to add time to your morning beauty regime.
Pictured, clockwise from left: Mecca Cosmetica sunscreen, Calvin Klein beach bag from David Jones, Lack of Color hat from Glue Store, Sun Bum after sun lotion from Priceline, Invisible Zinc from Priceline, Jack Black SPF lip balm from Sephora, Vogue sunglasses from Sunglass Hut.


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First Look: Cocktails and More at Gallow Green, NYC
Bleeding cocktails; flaming punches; abandoned, crumbling trolley cars on a rooftop; waiter-actors firmly in character—it may sound like a bit much, but hey, after you've met Lady Macbeth, your disbelief is pretty firmly suspended.
It's hard to explain Sleep No More, the immersive theater experience unfolding in a hotel-styled warehouse in West Chelsea, in just a few words. "Macbeth in a hotel" (thanks, New York Times) does a pretty good job of it. The British theater company Punchdrunk enacts the approximate arc of the Scottish play over a huge, sprawling complex dubbed the McKittrick Hotel, as mask-wearing audience members follow the characters, explore the space, and get pretty amazingly disoriented.
But where do you go on West 27th, after (or before) wandering the halls of the McKittrick? Gallow Green, they're hoping, the rooftop bar they "officially" opened last week (but was open "in previews" a bit before that).
The space itself is the first draw—with artfully overgrown greenery and a precisely worn-down feel, it has the sense of a place just stumbled upon, a bar they found rather than created. While this isn't the case, of course, the team did find more than they expected atop the space they used to create the McKittrick Hotel: an unkempt expanse of roof with—really—train tracks running down the middle. True to theme, there's a gracefully decaying trolley car on the other side of the space—no, that wasn't here along with it. Waiters glide around in white uniforms, lights twinkle overhead, the music kicks up as the night goes on.
But the drinks themselves are the second draw, from legendary cocktailian Dave Wondrich, brought in to design the drink menu. Initially working with Sleep No More on a single Bowmore Scotch event held at the McKittrick, as part of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Wondrich's Scotch punches worked so well that the team brought him on for a permanent project. "We worked with them to do something really unique, something that captured the spirit of all this."
Cocktails are certainly named in that fashion, dubbed the Blonde in Peril or the Damned Spot (with a creeping red float of Peychaud's bitters). The punches, Wondrich's real specialty, add a further element of theatricality: poured out into tureens tableside, some warm with Scotch, some indulgent with a whole bottle of Champagne—and some with jumping flames of absinthe alit.
Check out the slideshow for a look at the drinks, snacks, and space.
Gallow Green
542 West 27th Street, New York NY 10001 (map)
mckittrickhotel.com/gallowgreen Reservations required, on website or by phone.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Home > Limassol > 4 florists in "Limassol" > Fresh Events > Products > Pretty In Pink
7 Argyri Eftalioti & Andrea Kalvou,
Cyprus, 3085, Cyprus
out of 5
based on 165 user ratings
(165 reviews) 98.73% positive
recepient very happy with delivery.
prompt service
5 / 5
Mavrikou 14th Oct
This order was for 21st october I hope it hasn???t been delivered
Yvonne 14th Oct
Beautiful bouquet. Thank you so much.
Thekli 8th Oct
Absolutely beautiful arrangement put together by "FRESH EVENTS", even though they fulfilled my order as another florist was unable. Turned out to be better and will always use them for the future. Receipient, loved them. Thank you,
Katia 25th Sep
Thank you very very much for delivering the most beautiful flowers to our daughter in hospital this morning...they were so lovely.
Your service is very good and delivered very promptly ...not long after I ordered them :)
Thank You Again...First Class
Donna 13th Sep
Exactly as advertised. Thanks!
Hennessey 4th Sep
Perfect , fast service. Highly recommended!
Ioannides 31st Aug
Beautiful arrangement, punctual and very easy to use! Would use again!
4 / 5
Lily 23rd Aug
Excellent service.
Contact made before delivery and flowers arrived promptly and very well presented.
Very happy!
Steve 18th Aug
Used twice now (I may have reviewed last year). Awesome service both times and beautiful flowers, which my friend loved.
Thank you ????
Kimberleigh 15th Aug
Enchanted always provide a 5 star service. Great customer service and beautiful flowers. I have been a customer for years and they never disappoint. Would thoroughly recommend!
Caroline 14th Aug
Excellent flower arrangement very good flowers many thanks
Stephen 12th Aug
Beautiful flowers and balloons! Recipient was really happy!
Svetlana 31st Jul
I did not see the flowers (would be nice if buyer was sent a photo of purchase as it is made up in another COUNTRY) But I was told they where very nice.
Katia 29th Jul
Great service, the flowers were delivered the same day I ordered them and the recipient was very pleased with them
A 18th Jul
This was an excellent service and very easy to use the recipients were very happy with the flowers, thank you
Vicki 15th Jul
Very lovely flowers! Thank you!
Sytnik 8th Jul
Very good service, delivered on time.
Joan 6th Jul
Excellent customer service, with prompt delivery. Thank you. Will definitely recommend to anyone, and will certainly use again.
Ashley 3rd Jul
A 50th birthday for my friend in Cyprus. She received them as planned today and sent me a picture, they are beautiful. Thank you so much for taking care of it all. Easy to order, easy to pay and first class service! Thank you.
Lisa 1st Jul
Order within > 25 hours and 43 minutes > for delivery on MONDAY in Cyprus
A beautiful hand tied combination of pinks & cream flowers.
*Fine Print: Every bouquet is hand made and delivered by the local florist. Pictures shown are recent examples of an actual arrangement that were designed by talented florists and later sent out to a customer just like you! Please note that each individual florist cannot guarantee what the flower varieties or colours will be, they do guarantee that your specific arrangement will be fresh, beautiful and that your recipient will love it!


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If you're smart, you already own at least one of the following: Company of Heroes, Dawn of War or Dawn of War II. If you're not smart, you can get smart this weekend on Steam, and for half the price.
All of Relic's recent RTS titles - Company of Heroes (and all its expansions), Dawn of War (and all its expansions) and Dawn of War II - will be 50% off on Steam from now until the end of the weekend.
The whole thing is to celebrate the release of Dawn of War II's "There is Only War" update (which is included if you pick up DowII), but really, we're pointing this out because you can grab the best game of the bunch - the original Company of Heroes - for a crazy $7.50.


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- Home
- Find My School
- Bonita Country Day School
Bonita Country Day School
Welcome to families of Bonita Country Day School !
Educational Outfitters is the approved source for uniform apparel for Bonita Country Day School. Welcome to our site.
Whether you shop our website or store, we are happy to assist with your student's school uniform selection and purchase. In our store you can enjoy a personal shopper who guides you with school uniform selection or you may shop for yourself. Our store is family friendly !
Especially for students who are new to uniforms or to our company, we highly recommend coming to our store for your first purchase where we can help ensure the proper fit for comfort and growth. If you are uncertain of a size, please ask that items be left blank until the sizes are certain and then we will apply the required logos. Shipping is available for a small fee or you can ask to pick up items at our store at no charge.
If you have any questions or need help, please call (619) 466-5437 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Politics & Government
Here are the 'failing school' letters that are now going to parents
This week I wrote about 28 school district superintendents who are refuting the idea that their schools are failing – something they are now being forced to tell parents under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Statewide, districts are now sending out letters informing parents their schools are not meeting progress goals, a consequence of Washington losing its waiver from the federal education law. In 2014, No Child Left Behind says that all students should be passing state math and reading tests.
Districts and high-poverty Title I schools that don't meet that standard – a majority of those in the state – are sending out the unwelcome letters starting this week.
Here are sample versions of what those letters will look like, as provided by the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. One is an example of a letter being sent on behalf of a school district, telling parents of the district's failing status; the other is an example of a letter that might go out to parents of a student at a failing Title I school.
Under No Child Left Behind, Title I schools that aren't meeting standards must offer parents the opportunity to send their child to a nearby, nonfailing school – if one is available (which is a big 'if').
Many of the underperfoming Title I schools also have to offer parents additional tutoring and academic help, known as Supplemental Educational Services (SES).
Those extra services are being offered the letters going home to parents in the coming days and weeks.
Example school in improvement letter:
Example district in improvement letter:


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It's always a joy to receive and recommend a new book by a friend, perhaps especially when the author is a Denverite. The author is Rev. Jane Vennard, a local liberal Protestant author with a growing national reputation. The book is her recently released, "Fully Awake and Truly Alive: Spiritual Practices to Nurture the Soul" (SkyLight Paths, 2013) – a book she'll be introducing and signing at Tattered Cover LoDo 7:30 p.m. April 2.
When it comes to religion, what typically gets media attention is either some big event in one of the world's major religions, such as recent attention to the new pope, or stories about scandal and violence. More "under the radar" are growing phenomena such as ground-level "ecumenical borrowing" among religious traditions and widespread interest in "spirituality" with or without connection to specific religions. Yet both phenomena increasingly pervade our culture and are helpfully addressed by books like Vennard's.
We get a sense of Vennard's own spiritual and inter-faith journey through the many personal anecdotes dispersed through her book. In fact, the two terms "personal" and "anecdote" give a sense of why this new book is at once both delightful reading and provocatively thoughtful. It is, in the best sense, "heart to heart" writing, continuing a long tradition, which, in the Latin of Augustine or Newman, expresses the cor ad cor loquitor ("heart speaks to heart") reality of one person speaking deeply with another, and both thereby speaking with God.
Yet Vennard avoids Latinate or esoteric density. Her writing flows from long engagement with contemporary individuals and groups. It deliberately draws on many different traditions and includes in its reach many who may not believe in God.
Its focus, in other words, is not doctrinal discussion, but practical growth in one's spiritual or inner life. The book's subtitle says it all: "Spiritual Practices to Nurture Your Soul."
Vennard makes no foolish claims about some magical pathway towards becoming "fully awake and truly alive." She knows too well, again from experience and work with many others, that there are various spiritual practices that can and do nurture the soul – and that the key for each of us is finding and following the practices that lead us into such growth.
Nor, on the other hand, is her book simply an abstract, hortatory plea for the whole idea of spiritual practices or a repetition of some traditional listing of such practices. Rather it develops, chapter by chapter, a series of concrete explorations of different areas of practical attention to one's inner growth. Starting with "the practice of caring for your body" and "the practice of rest" and then "silence," the book works outwards to exploration of practices involved in "community" and "hospitality" and "service." And each chapter really is an exploration: a personal and anecdotal invitation, drawing on ideas and practices from many religious and humanistic traditions, to different areas of human life where attention and practice can deepen "aliveness."
Vennard's book makes a significant contribution to a growing body of writing (evidenced by the many others authors praising this new book on the jacket notes) – that speaks to both the ecumenical reality and the spiritual awakening of our times. It's worth reading once and then returning to over time – like finding a new friend for the kind of "heart to heart" conversation we all very much need to counter the clutter and pressure of our typically busy and too often exhausted lives.


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Wes Bentley Joins American Horror Story: Freak Show
Jul 8, 2014 1:20 PM EDT
From American Beauty to American Horror Story! Wes Bentley has joined the cast of Freak Show, the fourth installment in FX's horror series, TVGuide.com has confirmed. He'll appear in the two-part Halloween episode as Eddie, a… Read more


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The Young Lions headed into their fourth successive tournament riding the crest of a wave, having won nine matches on the bounce without conceding a goal.
However, that run was brought to abrupt end, with defeats to Italy and Norway putting the knock-out stages beyond England with a game to spare.
Restoring pride was the party line heading into Tuesday night's Group A finale against Israel but things would only get worse, with Ofir Krieff's strike securing the hosts a 1-0 win.
It means England return home in shame, having failed to muster a single point from a group they had expected to progress from.
"I think basically if you don't turn up and work hard enough in any given tournament, you won't get any success and that was typical of today and probably the two games prior to it," Pearce said.
"I honestly don't believe I should be here answering questions on behalf of them.
"They should be here answering questions on why their performances were so poor, to be honest with you.
"I don't think it's my responsibility at this stage to answer for a performance as bad as that.
"This is the business end of the tournament and we got what we deserved. I don't think we deserved to win a game. Credit to the Israelis tonight, they deserved to beat us."
Things have no doubt been made harder this past week by the fact players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck were unavailable to Pearce.
Senior team friendlies were deemed more important than the tournament, while there have been suggestions that some of the Under-21 squad would rather have been at the beach.
"I don't think so," Pearce said when asked about that. "I think we've got players here who have not performed.
"Barring Andre Wisdom, I would say, and his performance - that's why he was made captain and I think he should be captain for the next two years. I think he led by example. I think players didn't bring their form here."
The players may take a large proportion of the blame, but the inquest into England's failings could well see Pearce lose his job.
The former international full-back's contract expires at the end of the month but, despite making his desire to stay public, there have been few positive noises from the Football Association.
"It was a real poor performance," Pearce said. "In regard to my future, my mentality has not changed in 10 days, when I spoke to you (the press) and gave you the heads up on what my mentality would be.
"Results in this tournament have not effected that one iota.
"I've no idea [whether this will impact my chances]. When you look around Europe over six years and see that our team is the only team that has been here four times running.
"We've lost very few games, bar this tournament, in tournament football over the years and played some very good football over that time, so there's a middle ground somewhere.
"We've not performed in this tournament that's for sure, there might be a multitude of reasons for that. I have to take it on the chin and obviously the players do as well."
Israel manager Guy Luzon's post-match emotions were markedly different to Pearce's.
In charge for the last time before taking over at Standard Liege, he ran on to the pitch in celebration of Krieff's goal and believes a lack of unity is down to England's failings.
"England is a national team with top-quality players, a lot of talent but Israel are united, organised and because of that reason we can beat them," Luzon said.
"It is a fantastic result for us. We are very proud of the level we played at.
"I am very satisfied about our quality, very proud of my players. It is fantastic with me.
"If we had beaten Norway, we would be in the semi-final but we are not disappointed. I am very proud of my players."
(Edited by Giles Mole)


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Next November Orange County voters will go to the polls to choose 21 members of the Legislature and a county executive. Even this early it is shaping up to be an election like one we have never seen before.
Next November Orange County voters will go to the polls to choose 21 members of the Legislature and a county executive. Even this early it is shaping up to be an election like one we have never seen before.
If you look back four years, you will find that despite the chance to win control of a divided Legislature only 16 of those seats were contested. Ed Diana won over token resistance, outspending his Democratic opponent five to one.
Those contests, like the ones four years before them, tended to be individual and local with party loyalty explaining some results but no unifying theme.
This time we already have two Republicans challenging Diana, an unusual breach of party loyalty involving a three-term incumbent. We also have what will most likely be our only real measure of voter sentiment in the results from two contests to fill vacant terms.
And we have a unifying theme with two familiar components, the Valley View nursing home and the Government Center.
The contest this month to fill the vacancy in the 18th District is essentially tied with the final decision in the hands of a judge who will rule on challenged ballots. The incumbent, R.J. Smith, was appointed to fill the vacancy. The challenger, Roseanne Sullivan, serves with Smith on the Pine Bush school board.
Sullivan made it clear that she disagreed with Ed Diana on Valley View and the Government Center. A vote for her, she said, was a vote to keep Valley View in county hands and to repair and renovate but not tear down the Government Center.
No matter what the judge decides, Smith will continue to represent the district until the end of 2012 so he and the 20 other legislators will be making decisions that affect those two major issues, the county budget and anything else that comes up.
We are not likely to see any scientific public opinion polls on the upcoming elections, but a look at this special election in the 18th District and the one the year before in the 11th District show a clear trend against the decisions that Diana favors, even in territory normally friendly to Republicans.
In the 11th District, a Republican won with 68 percent of the vote in 2009, yet in the special election to fill a vacancy in 2011, a Democrat got 62 percent. In the 18th District, the Republican did even better, getting 72 percent of the vote in 2009. This year, Smith and Sullivan split the vote.
Any analysis of voting results has to come with an asterisk. Races for county legislative seats usually come in off-years with low voter turnout. The 2011 vote in the 11th District came in another off-year, and although Valley View and the Government Center were in the news, they had not become the defining issues they are today. Still, the numbers show that more voters are making decisions based on issues, not on party or personality as they used to.


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If your toddler has difficulty producing Ms, Bs, or Ps, otherwise known as bilabials, then check out the following list of children's books. I have personally selected and reviewed these books because they are enjoyable to read and also contain multiple opportunities to bombard your child with specific sounds. Tips on how to elicit these sounds are also provided. Happy reading!
The "P" Sound
Laden, Nina – Peek a Who
Torres, Cimarusit, Marie – Peek a Moo!
Torres, Cimarusit, Marie – Peek a Pete!
Watt, Fiona – That's Not My Puppy
Ziefert, Harriet – Max's Potty
The "B" Sound
Boynton, Sandra – Belly Button Book
Degen, Bruce – Jamberry
Katz, Karen – Where Is Baby's Belly Button
Watt, Fiona – That's Not My Bunny
Tulip, Jenny – The Wheels on the Bus
Westcott, Nadine Bernard – Down By the Bay
The "M" Sound
Katz, Karen – Where is Baby's Mommy
Cousins, Lucy – Maisy Goes to School
Christelow, Eileen – Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Smith, Sarah – Where's My Mommy
Wells, Rachel – That's Not My Monkey
Tips for Eliciting P, B and M Sounds
- Sit directly opposite your child so he or she can see your face
- Encourage your child to watch you say /p, b, m/ by placing your fingers flat to your lips while you are saying the sounds
- Apply a small amount of flavored chapstick to reinforce pressing of the tips together
- Place a cotton ball on a flat surface and have your child watch you put your lips together and then release a burst of air to produce /p/. The cotton ball will then move across the surface. Encourage your child to do the same.
- Hum a little and have your child feel the vibrations on your lips and cheeks. Have your child do the same. This works for bilabial /m/.
Kimberly Scanlon, M.A. CCC-SLP, is a speech language pathologist practicing in Bergen County, NJ. She provides home based speech therapy for children and adults through her private practice Scanlon Speech Therapy, LLC. To learn more about Kimberly visit www.scanlonspeech.com.


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Feminist News
1/27/2016 - Study Exposes 'Gender Gap' in Media Coverage of Reproductive Issues
A new study by the Women's Media Center has revealed more than half of news stories focusing on reproductive issues are written by men.
According to WMC Media Watch: the Gender Gap in Coverage of Reproductive Issues, men penned 52 percent of bylines discussing issues of reproductive health care - including contraception and abortion - compared to just 37 percent by women. Moreover, the report, which examined 1,385 news stories published by the twelve highest-circulating media outlets, also found quotes from men outnumber those from women, accounting for 41 percent from men versus a mere 33 percent by women. Men are also more likely to include interviews with other men in their coverage of reproductive heath topics as well as frame them as "political issues" rather than matters of "health," as favored by women.
"Since women play a greater role in reproduction, it would make sense for women to be the majority of the sources and authorities in its coverage," said WMC co-founder Gloria Steinem in response to the study's findings.
Unfortunately, women's underrepresentation in media has persisted across subject matter. Last year, WMC found women authored only 37 percent of print news stories, with men dominating coverage in almost all areas including US politics (65 percent), world politics (64 percent), science (63 percent), and technology (62 percent). WMC's most recent findings, however, were released at a time of increasingly dangerous anti-abortion rhetoric and numerous ideologically-driven political maneuvers aimed at restricting women's access to contraception. The study highlights a critical gap in accurate reporting of one of the most urgent issues affecting women today: reproductive healthcare.
"The American public - and especially women - deserve accurate, informed and experienced media coverage on reproductive health, state and federal legislation, abortion and contraception," said Steinem. "This research is offered in the hope of increasing public information about reproductive justice - which means the right to have or not to have children - as a basic human right."
1/27/2016 - Taiwan Elects First Woman President
In a landslide victory, the leader of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen won the country's presidential election, becoming the first woman in Taiwan's history to hold the position.
Emphasizing her party's commitment to maintaining Taiwan's independence from China, Tsai won over young voters eager to usher in a political changing of the guard following some 70 years of dominance by the pro-Chinese unification party, the Kuomintang (KMT), chaired by presidential opponent Eric Chu. In her victory speech, Tsai hailed a "new era" in Taiwan, vowing to cooperate with other political parties to resolve major issues and follow the will of the people regarding the sovereign nation's relationship with China. "I also want to emphasize that both sides of the Taiwanese Strait have a responsibility," said Tsai, "to find mutually acceptable means of interaction that are based on dignity and reciprocity."
A scholar with advanced degrees in law from Cornell University and the London School of Economics, Tsai served previously as chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Office, a government office that mediates interactions between Taiwan and Beijing. In 2004, Tsai joined the DPP, stepping in as the party's chairwoman just four years later. Despite a failed presidential bid in 2012, Tsai persevered, guiding her party to victories in regional elections. Tsai also emerged as a vocal advocate of women's and LGBT rights, advocating publicly for equal employment opportunities for women and marriage equality, respectively.
For now, Tsai has pledged to not only work to establish Taiwan's unique identity independent of mainland China, but also to address Taiwan's flagging economy, low wages and deepening income inequality once she is inaugurated in May.
"The results today tell me the people want to see a government that is willing to listen to people, that is more transparent and accountable," Tsai told reporters following her declaration of victory, "and a government that is more capable of leading us past our current challenges and taking care of those in need."
1/26/2016 - Anti-Abortion Extremists Behind Planned Parenthood Attack Videos Indicted
Two anti-abortion extremists responsible for last year's misleading videos attacking Planned Parenthood have been indicted on criminal charges by a grand jury in Houston, Texas.
On Monday, Harris County district attorney Devon Anderson announced that David Daleiden, the director of the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) - the group behind deceptive videos falsely accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally selling fetal tissue - was indicted on a felony charge of tampering with a governmental record and on a misdemeanor charge related to the purchasing of human organs. Another CMP employee, Sandra Merritt, was also indicted on a felony charge of tampering with a governmental record.
The grand jury, which-formed to investigate Planned Parenthood following the release of the videos, cleared Planned Parenthood of any wrongdoing, and instead decided to indict Daleiden and Merritt. Earlier this month, Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit against CMP, its leaders, and employees - including Daleiden and Meritt - alleging violations of the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) and engaging in wire fraud, mail fraud, invasion of privacy, illegal secret recording and trespassing.
To date, federal and state-level investigations in 12 states have turned up zero evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Planned Parenthood, eight states have refused to investigate citing a lack of evidence of any wrongdoing, and CMP's fraudulent videos have been debunked repeatedly. Despite these many investigations, a Select Investigative Panel has been formed in the Energy and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives to investigate "big abortion providers." The Panel has, so far, not been willing to investigate CMP leaders or other anti-abortion extremists.
With attacks on abortion providers rising, the Feminist Majority Foundation launched a campaign calling on the House Select Investigative Panel to redirect its focus to anti-abortion violence, intimidation, and harassment, or to disband.
"How can House members investigate abortion providers and ignore the activities of key CMP officials and other anti-abortion extremists, or the routine harassment, intimidation and threats against abortion providers?" asked Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal.
Targeted threats and intimidation of abortion providers has nearly doubled over four years. According to the Feminist Majority Foundation's 2014 National Clinic Violence Survey, the percentage of clinics impacted by targeted threats and intimidation increased from 26.6% of clinics in 2010 to 51.9% in 2014.
1/21/2016 - Abortion Providers and Escorts Join with Rep. Donna F. Edwards and Reproductive Rights Leaders to Urge House Select Investigative Panel to Focus on Anti-Abortion Violence, or to Disband
Abortion Providers and Escorts Join with Rep. Donna F. Edwards and Reproductive Rights Leaders to Urge House Select Investigative Panel to Focus on Anti-Abortion Violence, or to Disband
Abortion Providers Share Personal Stories of Harassment, Intimidation, and Threats
JANUARY 21, 2016 - On the eve of the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Feminist Majority Foundation joins Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-04), abortion providers, clinic escorts, patients, and a coalition of women's groups to call on the House Select Investigative Panel to redirect its focus to anti-abortion clinic violence, harassment, and intimidation, or to disband.
Patients and providers across the country routinely experience harassment and intimidation. "There are anti-abortion extremists who frequent the area outside our clinic," explained North Carolina volunteer clinic escort Shana Broders. "They block the driveway and the street trying to prevent people from getting to the clinic. They confront patients who park their cars on the street and then follow them to and from the clinic. They stick their hands into people's cars to throw materials at them. They scream in people's faces. They use vile and threatening language. It's all meant to intimidate and shame patients from getting services or to harass providers and try to force the clinic to close."
"The House Select Investigative Panel must focus on the real threats to women's health - the constant harassment, intimidation, and threats that plague abortion providers and clinic staff who are trying to provide basic healthcare services to women," said Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal. "These tactics, used to scare and harass patients and providers contribute to a climate of violence. No law-abiding business - let alone a women's healthcare facility that provides essential services-should be forced to deal with this unacceptable treatment. When did the right to life become the right to terrorize?"
Targeted threats and intimidation of abortion providers has nearly doubled over four years. According to the Feminist Majority Foundation's 2014 National Clinic Violence Survey, the percentage of clinics impacted by targeted threats and intimidation has increased from 26.6% of clinics in 2010 to 51.9% in 2014. In the past, an increase in threat levels has preceded an increase in violence.
The Feminist Majority Foundation has been joined in this press conference by Congresswoman Donna Edwards (MD-04) and a coalition of organizations, including the National Organization for Women, Planned Parenthood Metro Washington, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda. For more information, see our campaign website.
CONTACT: Beth Rader
(908) 656-1753
1/21/2016 - Holtzclaw Sentenced to 263 Years for Rape and Sexual Assault of Black Women
Former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw has been sentenced to 263 years in prison today for the rape and sexual assault of 13 Black women in 2013 and 2014. State prosecutors successfully requested that Holtzclaw serve his sentence consecutively, noting that each survivor deserved to have justice for the individual crimes committed against them.
In December, a jury found Holtzclaw guilty on 18 criminal charges, including five counts of first and second-degree rape, six counts of sexual battery, four counts of forcible oral sodomy, and three counts of procuring lewd exhibition. The jury recommended that Holtzclaw serve 263 years in prison. At today's sentencing hearing, three of Holtzclaw's victims delivered impact statements, including his youngest victim who was only 17 years old at the time of her assault. She told the court that since the assault, "my life has been upside down."
Jannie Ligons, the first woman to report Holtzclaw, told the court that her life had been changed forever after the assault, according to Tom George, a local TV reporter who live tweeted the hearing. In her fifties at the time of the attack, Ligons' complaint spurred an investigation that uncovered Holtzclaw's pattern of abusing his position of power to prey on Black women.
At least 13 women came forward during the investigation. Many of the women had not reported the assault for fear of reprisals or fear-later confirmed by the jury's failure to find Holtzclaw guilty on all 36 of the criminal charges brought against him-that they would not be believed. At a preliminary hearing in the case, the 17-year old survivor explained her reasoning, "Who are they going to believe?" she asked. "It's my word against his. He's a police officer."
Holtzclaw's attorney said he plans to appeal, according to Talking Points Memo. The judge previously denied Holtzclaw's request for a new trial or evidentiary hearing. He is to begin his sentence today.
"Justice was served today," said Gaylynn Burroughs, Feminist Majority Foundation Director of Policy and Research. "Today, there is some hope that the world will hear that Black women's lives matter. I applaud the courageous women who came forward to demand this justice, and the many Black women activists, especially in Oklahoma City, who took to the streets, filled the courtroom, and worked so tirelessly to bring attention to this case. Black women's bodies are too often the site of state-sponsored violence. Black women are too often ignored and marginalized, and our demand for justice ignored. Let this verdict and this sentencing serve as a catalyst for change.'
1/20/2016 - Obama Declares State of Emergency in Flint Water Crisis
President Obama has declared a state of emergency in Flint, Michigan after a water contamination crisis produced a spike in lead poisoning and other health issues, including possibly Legionnaire's disease, in the city. The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate relief efforts and provide disaster aid, such as clean water, filters, and water test kits.
An estimated 9,000 children under six years old, in a city of only about 100,000 people, were exposed to lead after drinking poisoned water in Flint, and around 200 children are said to have "elevated blood lead levels." Lead poisoning in children can lead to low IQ and developmental problems, hearing loss, and learning difficulties, among other things. In adults, lead poisoning is linked to miscarriage or premature birth, low sperm count, pain, and decline in mental functioning.
Flint's problems began in April 2014 when Darnell Earley, an emergency manager appointed by Governor Rick Snyder, switched the city's water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to a local river in order to save money. Almost immediately, Flint's residents, who are predominately African-American, raised concerns about the water's smell, taste, and color. Snyder, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services repeatedly downplayed concerns about the water, despite being informed about abnormally high lead poisoning rates in Flint's children.
It was not until October of 2015-after a spate of studies showed an increase in lead levels in children-that Snyder announced that the city's water source would be transferred back to the Detroit system. Snyder did not declare a state of emergency until January 5, 2016, and even though Earley is no longer Flint's emergency manager, Snyder has appointed him to be the emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools-a school system plagued by underfunding and crumbling infrastructure.
Flint residents are now wondering what's next for them and their children. Michigan State University and Hurley Children's Hospital in Flint have planned to create programs that may help mitigate the effects of lead poisoning. Residents have also filed two class-action lawsuits against the city and state, and some are calling for Snyder's resignation and/or his arrest.
Even as the Flint water crisis makes national headlines, residents - 40 percent of whom live in poverty - are being billed for the poisoned water and are being threatened with shutoffs if they do not pay.
1/19/2016 - Missouri Politicians Introduce "All Lives Matter" Personhood Bill
In a startling misappropriation of the Black Lives Matter movement, anti-reproductive rights politicians in Missouri started off the new year by introducing the so-called "All Lives Matter Act" - a bill designed to strengthen Missouri's already existing personhood law.
The "All Lives Matter Act," sponsored by Republican state Representative Mike Moon, is one of several anti-reproductive rights proposals that will be considered in the state's 2016 legislative session. The bill would amend state law to define a fertilized egg as "a person," and would require law enforcement officers and other state officials to "affirmatively enforce" fertilized eggs' right to "life, liberty, or property."
Moon's bill is intended to strengthen a law currently on the books in Missouri that gives "unborn children" a "protectable interest in life, health, and well-being." The existing law currently contains a provision that makes it subject to the U.S. Constitution, Roe v. Wade, and other decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, but Moon's bill would remove this language. That Moon's bill is likely unconstitutional has not prevented it from attracting a smattering of co-sponsors.
The "All Lives Matter Act" is also the latest in a pernicious strategy by anti-reproductive rights politicians to use black bodies to promote policies that devalue black women, their lives, and autonomy. That this bill is being introduced in Missouri, the location of the 2014 Ferguson uprising, which served as a major catalyst for a national Black Lives Matter movement, has not gone without notice.
Christine Assefa, an organizer with the St. Louis, Missouri based Organization for Black Struggle, remarked that even though "revolutionary activism . . . overwhelmed the streets in St. Louis City and Ferguson [and] energized a transnational movement around the value of Black lives[,] . . . . it is evident that racial justice in not a priority for Jefferson City's GOP leaders." In a guest column for the Feminist Wire, Assefa also highlighted how the "All Lives Matter Act" is an unmitigated attack on black women:
"By hijacking the prolific chant that has become the title of a movement led by a new generation of human rights activists and recontextualizing it, Rep. Moon in further marginalizing Black women," Assefa explained. "By sponsoring this bill, Rep. Moon suggests that the state of Missouri codify into law the assertion that Black women are killing their own children, are incapable of making decisions about their own bodies, and cannot control their sexual desires. All of these characterizations perpetuate historical, violent, and harmful stereotypes of Black women that reveal the deeply-rooted relationship between race and sexual politics."
This perverted interest in, and misuse of, black women's reproduction is not new, but as RH Reality Check Senior Legal Analyst Imani Gandy has previously pointed out, the misappropriation of Black Lives Matter "is not only offensive, it's ultimately hollow." She continues, "When it comes to advocating for policies that would actually support Black women and help them raise healthy children, far too many anti-choice activists are silent."
1/15/2016 - NC Abortion Providers Must Now Submit Ultrasounds to State Officials
A North Carolina law requiring abortion providers to submit an ultrasound to state officials for every abortion and induced miscarriage performed after the 16th week of pregnancy took effect on January 1.
The law, signed by Governor Pat McCrory in June, demands all doctors performing abortions after 16 weeks to send the State Department of Health and Human Services an ultrasound of the fetus proving the measurements used to determine the fetus' "probable gestational age." Louisiana and Oklahoma have similar ultrasound provisions.
Current North Carolina law bans abortion after 20-weeks of pregnancy except in cases of "medical emergencies." As part of the new requirements, doctors performing abortions after 20-weeks must also submit to the state whatever evidence was used to determine that the abortion qualified as a medical emergency. Essentially, the law forces women to share their private medical information with state officials.
"State bureaucrats have no business coming between a woman and her doctor and collecting medical records that should be personal and private," said Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic Executive Director Melissa L. Reed who has called the law "medically unnecessary and purely politically driven." Reed says that, "The true intent of the law is clear-to shame women and intimidate the doctors that care for them."
Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic has started an online petition to tell McCrory to stop #StockpilingSonos.
1/14/2016 - VA Governor Proposes Plan for Free, Long-Lasting Birth Control
Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam announced a $9 million program proposal on Friday that would make free long-lasting birth control available to women who have little or no health insurance. Funding for the pilot program will be included in Governor Terry McAuliffe's next two-year budget plan.
The proposal would make intrauterine devices (IUDs) and skin implants available to eligible women at no cost through a federal grant. The program budget will also cover patient outreach, clinician training, and a study to assess the program's impact.
"Education and access to family planning services help women and families live healthy and prosperous lives in Virginia. When pregnancies are planned, it is easier for Virginians to achieve life goals like getting a college education or starting a business," said Northam during the announcement. "And when any business looks to come to Virginia, we want that business to know we are a welcoming and open place for women and families to live and work."
In his remarks, Northam, a pediatric neurosurgeon, cited a comparable program in Colorado that led to a 48 percent decrease in the teen birth rate between 2009 and 2013, and saved an estimated $79 million in Medicaid costs from 2010 through 2012. Despite Northam's optimism that the Virginia program could see similar results to Colorado, it is important to note that the privately-funded Colorado initiative was a five-year, $25 million grant. McAuliffe and Northam have yet to announce any further plans past the two-year budget proposal.
The program will now have to be approved by Virginia's Republican-controlled state legislature.
1/14/2016 - China Arrests Prominent Human Rights Lawyer for State Subversion
A prominent human rights lawyer in China was formally arrested and charged with state subversion on Wednesday. Wang Yu's arrest comes as Chinese state officials continue to crackdown on activists and lawyers engaging in rights defense work.
Yu, along with dozens of other lawyers and activists, have been held in secret detention for months, after they were accused of inciting and provoking illegal activism. The group has been denied access to their lawyers since July, when the Chinese government began to detain and question hundreds of human rights activists and lawyers.
"Beijing's hostility towards those who try to use the legal system as a check on state power has been on full display," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. "But efforts to silence such lawyers and activists only amplifies their demands for justice." Human Rights Watch has been calling for the release of the detained advocates which it calls "arbitrary." According to Human Rights Watch, between July and September 2015, Chinese authorities have detained some 300 human rights lawyers and activists throughout the country.
Yu is best known for defending free speech advocates and activists, including a member of the Feminist Five-the group that garnered international attention after they were detained for planning a campaign to combat sexual harassment.
On Wednesday, the State Department responded to the unprecedented sweep of arrests. "The United States urges China to drop these charges and immediately release these lawyers, and others like them, detained for seeking to protect the rights of Chinese citizens," U.S. State Department Deputy spokesman Mark Toner said in a news briefing.
State subversion charges carry the possibility of a life sentence.
1/13/2016 - The Women of NASA's First Gender-Balanced Astronaut Class Considered for Mars Mission
The women who comprised 50 percent of NASA's astronaut class of 2013 might be headed to Mars!
Handpicked from over 6,000 applicants, astronauts Christina M. Hammock, Nicole Aunapu Mann, Anne C. McClain, and Jessica U. Meir completed two years of intense training, mastering skills like T-38 supersonic jet piloting, negotiating tasks while submerged in deep water, and enduring rides in the "vomit comet," an aircraft that simulates weightlessness via free fall.
The women will now join NASA's existing 49-strong elite corps of astronauts, contributing specialized skills acquired through advanced degrees in biology and engineering as well as extensive, branch-diverse military experience. They are all also eligible to compete for a seat aboard NASA's first manned mission to Mars projected to launch in some 15 years.
Making up four out of the eight astronauts selected for the program, the women of NASA's class of 2013 mark the first time in the program's 55-year history that men and women have been equally represented. They are also a part of NASA's smallest group to date despite the agency receiving the largest number of applications since 1978-a detail Janet Kavandi, NASA's director of flight crew operations at Johnson Space Center in Houston attributes to the need for qualified candidates with diverse backgrounds and "a broad spectrum of experiences."
While women may possess certain biological advantages and bring unique skills and strengths to space travel, according to Kavandi, the women were not chosen for their gender. "We never determine how many people of each gender we're going to take, but these were the most qualified people of the ones that we interviewed," Kavandi said following NASA's announcement of the 2013 class. "They earned every bit the right to be there."
For astronaut McClain, a helicopter pilot and West Point graduate who can't "remember ever wanting to be" anything other than an astronaut, the opportunity to blast off to Mars holds the promise of gaining a new perspective on our world.
"From space, you can't see borders," said McClain. "What you see is this lonely planet. Here we all are on it, so angry at one another. I wish more people could step back and see how small earth is, and how reliant we are on one another."
1/12/2016 - Judge Rejects Order to Block Catholic Hospitals Denying Women Tubal Ligations
A San Francisco Superior Court judge declined to issue an emergency order that would prevent Mercy Medical Center, a Catholic hospital, from refusing a women's request for a tubal ligation. According to the hospital, the sterilization procedure violates Catholic doctrine.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the law firm, Covington & Burling LLP, filed a lawsuit against San Francisco's Dignity Health-a healthcare network of which Mercy Medical is a part-following the hospital's denial of patient Rebecca Chamorro's request for a tubal ligation.
Chamorro is scheduled to undergo a Cesarean section on January 28 at Mercy Medical. She decided, after consultation with her doctor, to get a tubal ligation after the surgery. The hospital, however, has refused the doctor's request to perform the surgery at Mercy Medical, citing a 2009 directive issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calling the procedure "intrinsically immoral" and "evil."
"The refusal of hospitals to allow doctors to perform basic health procedures based solely on religious doctrine presents a real threat to a woman's ability to access health care," said Elizabeth Gill, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Northern California. "Patients seeking medical care from public institutions should not have to worry that religious doctrine rather than medical judgment will dictate what care they receive."
According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, tubal ligation, or "tying the tubes", is one of the most popular methods of contraception and is employed by some 600,000 U.S. women every year. Safe and cost-effective, the procedure consists of the closing off of the woman's fallopian tubes and is typically administered immediately following a Cesarean section, when the woman is anesthetized and the abdomen still open.
Chamorro is the third woman to contact the ACLU regarding Mercy Medical's refusal to perform tubal ligation on religious grounds. Lynsie Brushett, whose baby is due March 26, was also refused the procedure. Last year, Rachel Miller was denied tubal ligation and ultimately filed suit in August 2015. Under legal pressure, Mercy Medical officials retreated from policy, reversing their decision and allowing Miller's procedure to proceed.
The ACLU plans to continue its legal efforts on behalf of Chamorro, despite the last week's decision by the San Francisco Superior Court judge. "It's not ideal. Our client could deliver any day," said Gill. "But there are still physicians who want to provide tubal ligations at Dignity Health hospitals and are being told they cannot do so."
1/12/2016 - Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Public Unions Case
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Monday in a case that threatens to upend nearly forty years of precedent and deal a major blow to public unions across the country.
The case, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, brought by the conservative Center for Individual Rights (CIR), revolves around unions' fair share fees. Once a majority of workers vote to be represented by a public sector union, the union must represent all workers, even non-union members. Every worker, therefore, benefits from the union's collective bargaining. As a result, public sector unions are allowed to collect fair-share fees from non-union members in order to prevent "free riders" from receiving union benefits without contributing to the cost of providing those benefits. No one is forced to join the union, and no one is required to pay any other fees, such as fees used for political activities.
The Supreme Court held in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, a 1977 decision, that it is constitutional for public sector unions to collect fair share fees from non-union members. CIR, however, argues that fair share fees violate the First Amendment and is asking the Court to overturn Abood - a move that some advocates say could reduce union membership and weaken the ability of unions to negotiate fair pay and safer workplaces.
"This case is about our students, our public schools and our country's economic future," said California Teachers Association President Eric C. Heins. "Providing a quality public education for every student starts with educators having the ability to come together and make decisions for their students, as well as negotiating fair wages that attract the brightest minds into our profession. Undermining the collective bargaining process undermines the middle class."
During oral arguments, the conservative majority of the Court seemed to be critical of the unions' argument. In 2014, the Court ruled in Harris v. Quinn that fair share fees could not be required of home care workers because they were not fully public employees. In that case, a 5-4 majority of the Court declined to overturn Abood.
In a statement, Heins called Friedrichs "an attempt to shift the balance away from workers and in the favor of corporate interests," said Heins. "That's apparent by the wealthy special interests funding the lawsuit. This case has nothing to do with what's good for students or working families."
A decision in Friedrichs is expected in the summer.
1/8/2016 - First Woman Commandant of Cadets Sworn In at West Point
Brigadier General Diana Holland made history on Tuesday when she became the first woman commandant of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA).
"I am very honored to be named the next Commandant of the U.S. Corps of Cadets," Holland said in a statement. "It's a privilege to be part of the team that trains and develops leaders of character for our Army."
As commandant of cadets, Holland will be responsible for the development of cadets into Army officers. Holland was previously the first woman general of the U.S. Army Fort Drum & 10th Mountain Division.
When announcing Holland to the post, acting Army Secretary Eric K. Fanning said, "Diana's operational and command experiences will bring a new and diverse perspective to West Point's leadership team. She is absolutely the right person for this critical position."
"For decades, women's discriminatory and systematic exclusion from the military was being used to block the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment," says Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. "It was always a poor excuse, and now it's being exposed as such. At last, these barriers are tumbling down one by one."
Holland's appointment comes a month after Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that all military combat jobs will be opened up to women beginning this year.
1/8/2016 - ICE Raids on Central American Families Spark Nationwide Protest
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) has begun a series of raids this month aimed at deporting Central American families, sparking protest by activists throughout the country.
So far, ICE raids have been reported in California, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. ICE has detained at least 121 undocumented immigrants since the raids started this month. The agency is focusing on families - mostly women and children - who currently have deportation orders.
According to Vox, since 2014, about 100,000 families have migrated from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to the United States. Most of these families are seeking asylum, fleeing increased violence in their home countries. The ICE raids are targeting families who have been denied asylum, but who have not returned to their home countries, many because of continued fear.
Immigration advocates have strongly condemned the raids, and activists have protested in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Oregon, California, and Washington, DC. A protest is planned for today in New York City.
J.J. Mulligan, an immigration lawyer for Atlas: DIY in New York explained the fear and confusion he has been hearing from concerned families since the raids started. In an interview with NPR, Mulligan said, "The government's showing up in the middle of the night at your home, pounding on the door. I mean, that's terrifying. These are people who have lived in the shadows. And that's like their biggest fear realized."
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) President Victor Nieblas Pradis called the raids, "unconscionable and inherently wrong." He continued, "Rounding up mothers and children who have fled the most violent region in the western hemisphere and are trying to find refuge abrogates our legal obligations to provide protection to refugees. The Obama Administration should be ashamed of these actions and immediately suspend them."
Many immigration advocacy groups such as United We Dream, The Immigrant Defense Project and others have been working around the clock since New Year's Day to provide legal assistance to those who are being targeted by the raids.
1/7/2016 - House Approves Bill to Defund Planned Parenthood, Repeal Affordable Care Act
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 240-181 in favor of a measure to defund Planned Parenthood for one year and repeal key provisions in the Affordable Care Act. The bill will most certainly meet a presidential veto.
Wednesday's vote is the 11th time anti women's health politicians have tried to defund Planned Plarenthood during this Congress. It is also the furthest an anti-Affordable Care Act (ACA) bill has progressed since the law's 2010 implementation. To date, Republicans have attempted to repeal or undermine the ACA 62 times.
House Pro-Choice Caucus co-chairs, Congresswomen Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) decried the vote. "Over the last several years, the Republican-led House has wasted far too much of the American people's time trying to undermine and undo access to the health care they rely on," said Reps. Slaughter and DeGette. "This is especially true for women, who have seen their constitutional right to make their own reproductive health choices attacked again and again." They continued, "We should be spending 2016 trying to improve health care options instead of tearing down the constitutional rights Americans have worked so hard to secure."
In December, lawmakers were able to push the anti-ACA, anti women's health bill through the Senate by using a legislative strategy called reconciliation, which allowed the bill to pass with a simple 52-vote majority. The House vote on Wednesday means that the bill will reach Obama's desk this week.
The bill is the latest in a series of attempts by anti-abortion lawmakers to strip federal funding of Planned Parenthood. In September, following last year's release of several deceptive videos by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress (CMP) falsely claiming to depict the illegal sale of fetal tissue by Planned Parenthood, House Republicans called Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee regarding the organization's conduct and practices. Though the committee found no fault in Planned Parenthood's activities, just one month later, House Republicans assembled a select committee - this time under the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee - to continue investigating the organization as well as other "big abortion providers." To date, federal and state-level investigations have turned up zero evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Planned Parenthood and the fraudulent videos have been debunked repeatedly.
The Feminist Majority Foundation launched a campaign calling on the House Select Investigative Panel to either stop investigating abortion providers and start investigating violence, intimidation, and threats directed at women's health clinics, or to disband. "How can House members investigate abortion providers and ignore the activities of key CMP official and Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, or the routine harassment and intimidation of abortion providers?" asked Smeal.
Targeted threats and intimidation of abortion providers has nearly doubled over four years, and the percentage of clinics impacted by targeted threats and intimidation has increased from 26.6% of clinics in 2010 to 51.9% in 2014.
1/6/2016 - Unprecedented Number of Groups & Experts Call on SCOTUS to Overturn Texas TRAP Law
An unprecedented group of medical experts, legislators, legal scholars, business leaders and reproductive justice advocates joined the Center for Reproductive Rights yesterday to announce the filing of 45 amicus briefs, urging the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn a Texas law that threatens to close more than 75% of abortion clinics in the state and deny millions of women access to safe, legal abortion. The Feminist Majority Foundation joined the National Women's Law Center's amicus brief along with 46 other women's rights organizations.
The Supreme Court agreed in November 2015 to hear the case challenging H.B. 2, Whole Woman's Health v. Cole, brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights. The Texas law, which requires abortion clinics to become ambulatory surgical centers and for physicians providing abortions to obtain local hospital admitting privileges, has already shuttered half of the abortion clinics in the state. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for March 2.
Nancy Northrup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, stated, "Never before has such a diverse array of organizations and leaders from the fields of medicine, government, law, business and religion stepped forward to condemn abortion restrictions at the U.S. Supreme Court. These briefs present a thorough record of the undeniable damage Texas' sham law has and will continue to cause, and an indisputable legal argument for why it must be struck down. This deceptive law is an affront to science-based medicine, an insult to women's dignity, and reflects a total disregard for the rule of law and the rights of millions."
Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi joined with Senators Harry Reid and Patty Murray, along with 160 other members of Congress for a bicameral amicus brief stating, "The amicus brief filed by Members of Congress urges the Supreme Court to reject Texas politicians' appalling attempt to deny women their constitutional right to make their own reproductive health decisions.
"No wonder so many diverse groups are uniting. If upheld, this deceptive Texas law-aimed at closing abortion clinics-would result in clinics closing not only in Texas, but throughout the nation. It's a red alert for women's lives," said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority Foundation.
According to the amicus brief filed by American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, Academy of Family Physicians, American Osteopathic Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics in January, 2016, "Far from safeguarding women's health, requirements imposed by H.B. 2 jeopardize women's health by impeding, if not outright preventing, access to safe, legal, evidence-based abortion care."
The Feminist Majority Foundation honored Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO Whole Woman's Health, and a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging H.B. 2 this past November. At the time, Hagstrom-Miller said, "These restrictions have nothing to do with protecting women and everything to do with closing down clinics and pushing abortion out of reach for millions of Americans. At Whole Woman's Health, we know this to be true because these restrictions have directly interfered with our ability to provide holistic, safe, and affordable abortion care to Texans."
1/5/2016 - New NY Law Permits Pregnant Women to Enroll in Health Care Plans At Any Time
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed a new bill into law allowing pregnant women to gain access to health care at any time, eliminating the previous requirement that they wait for open enrollment periods to purchase health insurance. New York is the first state in the country include pregnancy as a "qualifying event" for health insurance enrollment.
The law, signed by Governor Cuomo on December 22, adds pregnancy to the list of "qualifying events" established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that permit individuals to enroll in health care plans through the New York State of Health marketplace outside of designated open enrollment times. Other qualifying events established by the ACA include marriage, divorce, loss of other coverage, and childbirth.
According to a 2015 report released by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, including pregnancy as a qualifying event will result in greater access to prenatal care, strengthening public health and potentially leading to long-term cost benefits to both individuals and New York's health care system.
Additionally, Governor Cuomo is currently considering introducing a bill that will provide 12 weeks of paid family leave to New York workers. This announcement comes after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio last month released plans for a new measure to give city workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
1/5/2016 - Obama Announces New Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence
President Obama announced new executive actions to reduce gun violence today, including expanded mandatory background checks, increased enforcement of gun laws, and increased funding for mental health care.
The new actions, which were released in a statement yesterday ahead of today's official announcement, include provisions to narrow the "gun show loophole" by requiring that all people "engaged in the business of dealing in firearms," including those at gun shows and online, obtain a license and conduct background checks on all purchases.
Currently, this requirement does not apply to those who "make occasional sales, exchanges, or purchases of firearms for the enhancement of a personal collection or for a hobby, or who sells all or part of his personal collection of firearms." But Obama's executive action, consistent with court rulings and ATF principles, clarifies that as few as two transactions, when combined with other evidence "can be sufficient to establish that a person is "engaged in the business.""
The Administration also proposed a new $500 million investment to increase access to mental health services, as well as actions to remove barriers keeping states from reporting mental health information in background checks.
The White House's plan additionally included the announcement that Attorney General Loretta Lynch will issue a memo directing all U.S. Attorney's Offices to renew efforts to coordinate with groups combating domestic violence and prevent domestic violence offenders from obtaining firearms. Research has found that women's risk of homicide in domestic violence situations increases by 500 percent with the presence of a gun, and that more than half of women murdered with guns are killed by intimate partners or family members.
Obama, who pushed for new gun laws three years ago to no avail, acknowledged that the scope of his power is limited without the support of Congress and that the Executive Actions represent his limited ability to stem the tide of gun violence. "Once Congress gets on board with common-sense gun safety measures we can reduce gun violence a whole lot more. But we also can't wait," the President said during today's speech. "There are actions within my legal authority that we can take to help reduce gun violence and save more lives -- actions that protect our rights and our kids."
1/4/2016 - Federal Appeals Court Halts Utah's Attempt to Defund Planned Parenthood
A federal appeals court granted a temporary injunction on Wednesday, halting Utah Governor Gary Herbert's effort to deny state funding to Planned Parenthood.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision comes less than a week after U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups ruled that Herbert had the authority to deny the organization $275,000 in state contracts for sex education and sexually transmitted disease testing programs. Waddoups' ruling reversed a temporary restraining order from September that prevented Herbert from moving forward with his attempts to defund the healthcare provider.
Planned Parenthood Association of Utah CEO Karrie Galloway said in a statement, "We are thrilled with today's decision, which will allow our trusted health care providers and educators to continue serving the thousands of Utahns who depend on us as the appeals process proceeds."
In August, Herbert ordered that the state cut funding to Planned Parenthood in light of "ongoing concerns about the organization," after the release of several surreptitiously recorded and highly-edited videos by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress (CMP). The videos, which falsely accused Planned Parenthood of "selling" fetal tissue, have been debunked repeatedly. Nevertheless, since their release, Planned Parenthood has been under a barrage of state- and federal attacks. To date, zero investigations have found evidence of wrongdoing.
12/23/2015 - Federal Judge Upholds California Law Requiring CPCs to Post Information on Abortion
A federal judge in California ruled on Monday to uphold a new law requiring crisis pregnancy centers to disclose that they are not licensed medical providers and to post notices providing information about California's public programs offering access to family planning, prenatal and abortion services.
U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller ruled that while the notices are compelled speech, the law did not violate pregnancy centers' free speech rights, as the signs required only "truthful, non-misleading information."
The Pacific Justice Institute brought the lawsuit on behalf of three crisis pregnancy centers after the law, AB 775, was signed by Governor Jerry Brown in October. The lawsuit sought an injunction to stop the law from going into effect on January 1.
The law represents an effort to curb the proliferation of anti-abortion, faith-based "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" (CPCs) and address the public health threat posed by their deceptive practices. CPCs frequently pose as comprehensive women's health clinics and advertise under "abortion" and "family planning" services, but do not offer abortion services, contraception, or referrals, and have been repeatedly shown to provide false or misleading information about reproductive health services.
The fight for clear and accurate information for pregnant women has long been a fight for women's rights activists. Last year, in response to a campaign by NARAL Pro-Choice America and efforts by the Feminist Majority Foundation to expose fake clinics, Google removed deceptive crisis pregnancy center (CPC) advertisements from search engine results when users seek information about abortion services. Most of the advertisements claimed that the CPCs provided abortions when they did not.
12/22/2015 - Grand Jury Decides Not To Indict Anyone For Sandra Bland's Death
A grand jury decided on Monday not to indict anyone in connection with Sandra Bland's death in a Texas county jail last summer. The grand jury will reconvene next month to "take up remaining issues," including whether or not state trooper Brian Encinia - the officer who arrested Bland - should face criminal charges.
"After reviewing all the evidence in the death of Sandra Bland, a Waller grand jury did not return an indictment in the death of Bland, nor were any indictments returned against any employee of the Waller County Jail," said Darrell Jordan, one of five special prosecutors handling the case.
Bland is the 28-year-old African American woman who died in police custody in July. Authorities initially ruled it a suicide, but after pressure from the Bland family and the public -which spread news of the death using the hashtags #JusticeForSandy and #WhatHappenedToSandraBland - the Waller County, Texas District Attorney announced that the death would be investigated as a homicide.
"Right now the biggest problem I have is the entire process. It's the secrecy of it all," said Geneva Reed-Veal, Bland's mother, at a press conference after the grand jury's decision. "I simply can't have faith in a system that's not inclusive of my family. We're supposed to have an investigation to show us what's happening. We know what we've been listening to in the media ... but we don't have any real evidence."
In August, the Bland family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit naming Encinia as well as the two guards at Waller County Jail. According to the lawsuit, guards at the jail did not check on Bland frequently enough, and failed to act when Bland refused meals. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Encina of using excessive force during the arrest, which "caused Sandra Bland to suffer injury and death."
Attorneys representing the County filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit last month. Last week, however, a federal judge set the trial date for January 23, 2017.
In the footage of Bland's arrest, Encinia yells "I will light you up!" after threatening to drag Bland out of the vehicle. Bland can be heard telling him, "Don't touch me. I'm not under arrest." As the traffic stop escalates, she is also heard saying, "you slammed my head into the ground, do you even care about that? I can't even hear."
"What happened to Sandra Bland is outrageous," said Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal. "She should never have been ordered to leave her car in the first place and never have been arrested. This was a minor traffic violation that the officer escalated because he was challenged by a Black woman who knew her rights. How many more Black and Latino people have to die before we make fundamental change in police recruitment and training, and overhaul a justice system that is permitting police brutality with impunity?"
Bland's death is one in a series of violent incidents against African-American women, sparking a national movement to #SayHerName.
12/21/2015 - The Nation Inks Impressive 6-Year Contract; Includes Paid Family Leave
Last week, the NewsGuild of New York media union and The Nation magazine announced a six-year contract that will provide four months paid parental leave to The Nation's employees, regardless of their gender, and will also give employees a 25 percent pay increase over the life of the contract.
The Nation joins news organizations such as In These Times and The Guardian in unionizing, though agreements of this kind are unique in the media world. In a press release, Emily Douglas, a senior editor at the magazine, commented on the contract:
"The negotiating committee is very proud to have achieved a contract that not only protects our wages and healthcare, but also takes a major step forward in providing fully paid parental leave. Parental leave is a critical benefit for both women and men at our growing company, and will be offered on a gender-neutral basis. Even better, the leave can be taken all at once, or in stages, throughout the first year after birth or adoption of a child."
Parental leave made headlines many times this year when top tech companies, including Facebook, Netflix, Adobe and Microsoft, announced that they would begin providing employees with months of paid leave, and even childcare in some cases. Most U.S. newsrooms are not unionized, but collective bargaining has begun at many outlets, including Vice and Gawker.
Although the debate about whether or not this is a private- or public-sector issue remains heated, the importance of parental leave cannot be understated. A 2011 report found that taking time off after having a child results in a lowered risk of postpartum depression, higher rates of breastfeeding success and better skills development for children. Plus, family leave is cost-effective for employers: Researchers have consistently found that expansive family-leave policies either do not cost employers anything or result in actual savings, and employees are more likely to be loyal to companies that treat them well.
President Obama nailed this sentiment in a CNN interview last year. "Michelle and I have talked about this," he said. "When we knew that employers had our backs and were willing to give us flexibility to look after our family, that made us want to work harder for that employer."
12/18/2015 - Chicago Teachers Awarded $280,000 in Damages for Pregnancy Discrimination
Eight women who were fired from their teaching positions following the announcements of their pregnancies will receive nearly $300,000 in damages and back pay.
In a lawsuit filed against the Chicago Board of Education late last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) claimed the principal of Chicago's Scammon Elementary School fired, threatened to fire, and evaluated poorly the performances of pregnant teachers, with the Board consenting to as many as six of the resulting firings. The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system had previously denied charges of specific targeting of pregnant teachers, insisting the reasoning behind the women's terminations was "legitimate, job-related and consistent with business necessity."
However, with Wednesday's ruling, the school board is required to not only provide monetary compensation to the women, but must also adhere to new discrimination-monitoring guidelines including submitting quarterly reports to the DOJ detailing any complaints of pregnancy discrimination, harassment and retaliation made by school employees. The board also agreed to review its non-discrimination policy and organize training sessions to educate school employees about pregnancy discrimination.
In response to the news, Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal said, "Pregnancy discrimination has been outlawed on the federal level for decades. It's long overdue that Chicago administrators adhere to the law and to basic human rights standards for women."
In a statement Wednesday, head of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, Vanita Gupta, lauded the court's decision to side with the women as "an important step toward ensuring that no woman loses her job, faces discipline or endures threats because of her pregnancy." Added Gupta, "Our settlement establishes critical measures to provide a workplace environment free from sex-based discrimination."
12/17/2015 - Activists Challenge Arizona Sex and Race-Selective Abortion Law
The National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) and the Maricopa County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) are challenging a 2011 Arizona anti-abortion law which requires women's reproductive healthcare providers to racially profile Asian and African-American women seeking to terminate their pregnancies in the name of eliminating sex and race-selective abortion.
San Francisco's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday from both groups, who charged that the bill "targets and stigmatizes Black and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and is based entirely on racially motivated stereotypes and generalizations about Black and AAPI women's reasons for deciding to terminate a pregnancy." According to the law, abortion providers must complete an affidavit stating they have no knowledge that the fetus is being aborted because of its sex or race or face civil action.
The appeal is in response to the district court's dismissal of the discrimination case in 2013, which ruled that the groups lacked standing to challenge the law. The American Civil Liberties Union, on behalf of NAPAWF and the local NAACP chapter, argued that "racial stigma and intentional discrimination resulting from the law causes sufficient harm to warrant standing."
During debate on the bill, legislators purported that because "African-American babies are now aborted at five times the rate of White babies to the point that nearly 50 percent of Black babies are aborted," Black women are getting abortions because of racial bias.
Despite statistics demonstrating no discrepancy in gender ratios of births by Asian-American women compared to those of other races statewide, anti-choice lawmakers argue Asian-American women are more inclined to abort fetuses based on gender.
According to Republican state Senator Rick Murphy, racial profiling is necessary to curtail a non-existent social problem. "We know that people from those countries and from those cultures are moving and immigrating in some reasonable numbers to the United States and Arizona," said Murphy. "And so with that in mind, why in good conscience would we want to wait until the problem does develop and bad things are happening and then react when we can be proactive and try to prevent the problem from happening in the first place?"
Miriam Yeung, executive director of NAPAWF, dismissed the Arizona law as having "no basis in fact," suggesting it is yet another attempt to restrict women's right to abortion via dangerous TRAP legislation.
"The ban would not protect girls - or women," said Yeung. "This ban is a wolf in sheep's clothing and part of a broader strategy to chip away at a woman's constitutional right to abortion."


text:
Relay For Life sets meeting dates
Send a link to a friend
[March 05, 2014]
Relay For Life of Logan County
has set meeting times until the date of the 2014 Relay, which will
be from 6 p.m. July 25 to 6 a.m. July 26 on the Lincoln College
campus. The theme this year is "Cooking Up A Cure for Cancer."
Former team members are encouraged to sign up, and new teams can
register by contacting the Relay For Life of Logan County at
Or call Carol Motley at 732-8032.
Bill Post, at 217-732-7564, is chairman of the luminaria forms
and can accept requests for them at any time.
[to top of second column]
All survivors need to re-register so that address and
information is correct for event mailings to be sent to the
survivors and so survivor shirts and pins can be ordered.
Survivor registration can be done at any of the monthly
meetings, at the Relay For Life table at the Logan County Health
Fair or by calling the co-chairs: Tonita Reifsteck,
217-855-1645, or Esther Boward, 217-445-2627.
[Text from file received]
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text:
- David Haye v Dereck Chisora
Haye: I'll teach bully Chisora a lesson
David Haye has ramped up his war of words with opponent Dereck Chisora by declaring that when he has won he will dedicate his victory to women who have been beaten by men.
Haye and Chisora will fight for the WBO international and WBA inter-continental titles at West Ham's Upton Park stadium on July 14 in a contest not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control.
The animosity between the pair has been well documented, with their highly-publicised brawl at a news conference following Chisora's defeat by Vitali Klitschko in Munich in February souring relations to an all-time low.
Such is the bad blood between the two fighters that Haye is preparing to be attacked by Chisora before they meet in the ring. He told the Daily Star: "If there's an opportunity for Dereck to get within arms' reach of me he will do something at the weigh-in or press conference."
In 2010, Chisora was convicted of assaulting a former girlfriend and given 150 hours' community service, and Haye says he is determined to prevail in the grudge match for all those people that his opponent has 'bullied'.
"I don't know what logically goes on in his brain," he said. "He's not a nice guy and this fight will be dedicated to all the women who have been beaten - and people who have been bullied - by men like Dereck Chisora. This one goes out to them.
"I've always had respect for opponents as human beings, even though I don't let them know it. But there's nothing to like about this guy. He has no social graces and for me to say that - someone who is supposed to be a real bad guy, apparently, shows how bad he is."
Haye has risked attracting further criticism after revealing he has released an iPhone app where users can play as him and decapitate Chisora with a bottle.
The bottle incident mocks the pair's infamous brawl and the game, which sees Haye taking the bottle out of his glove before using it to cut off Chisora's head, is likely to cause more controversy - not that Haye is overly bothered.
"So much fuss was made about the bottle in my hand in Munich that I decided to have some fun with it," he is quoted as saying in the Sun. "People will moan about it but I have a simple message - keep your money in your pocket and don't buy it."