text:
"Let's have faith in our judiciary system," Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed told an audience Monday at London's Chatham House, the foreign affairs think-tank.
A day later, press freedom and human rights advocates are struggling to find such faith, after a court in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, sentenced to one year in jail a woman who claimed she was raped by security forces and a freelance journalist, Abdiaziz Abdinuur, who interviewed her. They were convicted for insulting the government, according to news reports. Local journalists told CPJ that Abdiaziz's trial was flawed, with the defense obstructed from presenting several witnesses and little evidence provided by the prosecution. Human rights groups have said the trial of the journalist and his interviewee was politically motivated, designed to deflect reports of rampant sexual abuse by Somali security forces, according to international news reports.
President Mohamed was seeking financial aid in London, where he called on Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street. He later told the group of experts and Somali expats assembled at Chatham House, "My position on human rights is well known." He added, "For years we have been advocating for the rule of law to flourish and for an independent judiciary system--independent from politicians' interference."
However, ahead of the trial in Mogadishu today, senior government officials, including the interior minister, had repeatedly asserted that Abdiaziz was guilty. This was despite the fact that the journalist's interview with the purported rape victim, an internally displaced survivor of the country's two-decades-long conflict, was never published. Abdiaziz was arrested on January 10 and held for 19 days without charge and with limited access to a lawyer, according to local journalists.
In a further contradiction, Mohamed went on to suggest that the case could be mitigated outside the Somali judicial system. Once the case has been heard by the court, "If we are not happy with the results, there are other instruments," he said.
Mohamed noted that Somalia has "a long list of pending cases before the courts because our judiciary and police resources are scarce," and said that "for this one case, when charges were pressed, all I said was that this case had to be brought fast before a judge." The African leader said he was satisfied that "within reasonable time, the police put together the file and brought it to court" and that the alleged rape victim's lawyers had asked several times for adjournment.
Overall, the Somali president was upbeat about the situation in his country, saying, "Somalia is now more stable despite some incidents, and peace and security are improving by the day." The host of the event, Conservative British parliamentarian Henry Bellingham, welcomed him by saying: "No one would have predicted events would have moved in such a positive way since the Somalia Conference" held in London in February 2012. But the veteran African specialist also warned against painting a "rosy" picture of the situation in Somalia.
Mohamed, a 55-year-old former Unicef officer elected in September to run the first federal government of the post-transition era in Somalia, also acknowledged difficulties ahead: "Somalia has been in coma for 20 years. Now we have reached a post-transition stage, but we are still in intensive care", he said.
The audience at Chatham House was mostly sympathetic, but Mohamed did face intense questioning on issues ranging from the newly established federal structures in the country to development issues such as internally displaced persons or water infrastructures. As about two dozen protesters outside Chatham House accused him of having links with the jihadi militants Al-Shabaab, Mohamed said he was determined to hold free elections across Somalia in 2016.
"The big casualty of two decades of violence was the destruction of trust between Somalis," Mohamed said, "and the challenge is to reconstitute a Somali state and institutions that the Somali people can trust again."
Judging from today's jail sentences, establishing that trust will be a challenge indeed.
[Reporting from London]


text:
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Blog Skin Customization
His exact quote was, "I just changed the default skin on the forums. I'll wait patiently for your head to explode!" I love my guild :)
The past 5 months of learning to customize skins in Drupal (where I'm coordinating 6+ individual css files into a single website skin) paid off in that I felt perfectly at home digging through PhP and CSS and telling it what to look like. I had some fun with it, too... and all my guildies got to watch as my designer-developer humor took over and put various placeholder images around the site pointing out problems and sizes and notes and random doodles. Per the GM's orders, I had to leave one of them up:
Personalized guild forums? I think so. They have my name on them!
For those not viewing my blog through a reader feed, I'm sure you can see the development of my next project: customizing my blog skin :) I'd been using the Scribe template that comes packaged with the Blogger tools, simply slapping in a background screenshot that I liked (Nagrand is pretty!), and customizing here and there to give the sidebar and post titles some way to stand out, but for a long time I've reaaaaaally wanted to make it my own.
So I have. Comparison screenshots:
I still have some things to tweak, obviously, but I'm quite happy with the results thus far. Plus, the background doesn't look weird when stretched to 1600px wide resolution or higher :)
8 comments:
- lissanna said...
Your new blog background looks dreamy!
- December 10, 2009 at 4:17 PM
- Kae said...
I considered going with a green hue for the whole "Emerald Dream" thing... but I like blue better :)
- December 10, 2009 at 4:19 PM
ooo coolness! really nice!
- December 10, 2009 at 4:44 PM
- lissanna said...
I like the blue better than I think green would look for your site.
- December 10, 2009 at 4:46 PM
- Charles said...
I really like the new blue. It does feel a bit sort of cold and wintry, which might get a bit tiring when we start to get sick of winter - even the background looks like snow. But it's also cleaner and easier on the eyes than the previous green.
Though I also wonder if the grey title bars are a little gloomy?
Do druids do seasons and stuff? I'm fairly sure they were important to the Celtic druids... Maybe you could try a bright yellowy version come spring!
- December 10, 2009 at 7:01 PM
- Charles said...
Though, heh, after posting that comment I went to my own blog and found the dominant colours are blue and orange... so I guess I'm a little biased :D
- December 10, 2009 at 7:04 PM
- Kae said...
The title header and menu bar are leftovers from the previous skin, customizations I did that looked a lot more blue against the yellow parchment :) I plan to redo them, but will have to wait til next week!
- December 10, 2009 at 10:37 PM
I like it! =)
- December 11, 2009 at 11:40 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
National Security Whistleblowers Coalition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- August 3, 2006
Contact: Sibel Edmonds, National Security Whistleblowers Coalition, email@example.com
Bill Eliminates Government's Burden to Prove Damage in Prosecuting Whistleblowers
Alexandria, VA---Senators Rick Santorum, R-PA, and Conrad Burns, R-MT, support implementation of Official Secret's Act, S.3774, introduced yesterday by Senator Christopher Bond, R-MO, to criminalize the unauthorized disclosure of classified information. Bond's bill seeks to enable the Executive Branch in prosecuting individuals engaged in disclosure of government secrets. According to the release issued by Senator Bond's office, the legislation seeks to unify current law and ease the government's burden in prosecuting and punishing leakers by eliminating the need to prove that damage to the national security has or will result from a disclosure. According to the new release by Secrecy News reports, the new Bond bill is identical to the controversial anti-leak legislation sponsored by Senator Richard Shelby in the FY 2001 Intelligence Authorization Act that was vetoed by President Clinton in November 2000. The bill was called the "Official Secrets Act," after the U.K.'s repressive criminal secrecy statutes.
The United States has never had a statute generally criminalizing leaks or the publication of sensitive information. Despite consideration at a number of moments in our history, concern for the First Amendment and the principle that the press acts as an important check on government abuse has thwarted all previous efforts to pass such legislation. According to Professor William Weaver, NSWBC Senior Advisor, "Such legislation is subject to a double standard in its application. For example, much information is leaked to the press with the approval of administrators. These sorts of leaks are an unofficial channel for shoring up administration positions and to influence public opinion. On the other hand, unauthorized leaks would be prosecuted when they undermine administration positions or embarrass the executive branch or reveal illegal agency activity. So whether or not a person is prosecuted depends on whether or not the leak is popular or unpopular with the administration in power at the time of the leak. If the statute were to be applied evenhandedly, the jails would be full of administrators and presidential advisors."
Rather than a genuine effort to enhance national security, this legislation is designed to deter legitimate whistleblowing. The result is that the statute would create an "Official Secrets Act" similar to that found in Great Britain. But, obviously, Great Britain does not have a First Amendment and we do. The government has consistently failed in its burden to prove that recent leaks of national security information somehow harmed the United States. Rather, these disclosures have encouraged public discussion on issues of executive abuses that this administration has tried very hard to cover up. Justice Brandeis wrote: "those who won our independence believed . . . that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government." Current law already protects against disclosure of specific types of sensitive information, like the design of a nuclear warhead or a covert agent's identities. Legislation that places the First Amendment entirely in the hands of the Executive Branch, such as Bond's Bill, is unconstitutional on its face. The Nation's Founders chose not to implement an Official Secret's Act on our public servants and there is no need for such a law now.
GAP Legal Director, Tom Devine, stated: "This is a bill to protect the bureaucracy, not America's security. It is about covering up government abuses of power that only can be sustained through secrecy. It is about canceling freedom of speech when it counts, by criminalizing whistleblowers who make unclassified disclosures. Most whistleblowers who would be targeted are those exposing cover-ups of the government's own security breaches."
On June 29, 2006, The National Security Whistleblowers Coalition (NSWBC), issued its list of Twelve Senators and Representatives, its Whistleblowers' Dirty Dozen, who by their action or inaction, have stood against real investigations, hearings, and legislation dealing with government whistleblowers who have exposed waste, fraud, abuse, and or criminal activities within government agencies. Senator Rick Santorum, R-PA, made the list. "Senator Santorum is on our list due to being very consistent in his stand against whistleblowers' protection and his strong support for unchecked and excessive government secrecy. His strong support of this new repressive bill, which takes away congress' right to know in order to exercise its oversight authority, goes a long way to demonstrate why he is an incumbent candidate unfit to represent our people and their interest and rights guaranteed under the constitution. Mr. Santorum acts as an extension of the executive branch that seeks to override the Separation of Powers and expand its power; not as an elected senator who has been vested with authority and a position to serve his constituents," stated Sibel Edmonds, NSWBC Founder and Director.
National Security Whistleblowers Coalition, founded in August 2004, is an independent and nonpartisan alliance of whistleblowers who have come forward to address our nation's security weaknesses; to inform authorities of security vulnerabilities in our intelligence agencies, at nuclear power plants and weapon facilities, in airports, and at our nation's borders and ports; to uncover government waste, fraud, abuse, and in some cases criminal conduct. The NSWBC is dedicated to aiding national security whistleblowers through a variety of methods, including advocacy of governmental and legal reform, educating the public concerning whistleblowing activity, provision of comfort and fellowship to national security whistleblowers suffering retaliation and other harms, and working with other public interest organizations to affect goals defined in the NSWBC mission statement. For more on NSWBC visit www.nswbc.org
# # # #
© Copyright 2006, National Security Whistleblowers Coalition. Information in this release may be freely distributed and published provided that all such distributions make appropriate attribution to the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition.


text:
Knicks Hall of Famer Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Anthony Mason and Liberty star Kym Hampton joined students from P.S. 161, MillionTreesNYC and employees of Pricewaterhouse Coopers as part of the "Trees for Threes" program.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers promised to donate a tree for every three-pointer that was made during the Knicks' last 39 home games. And while the team hit 369 three-pointers, the company tripled that number at the planting initiative last week.
"PwC has a long-standing commitment to improving the communities where we live and work," said managing partner Brendan Dougher. "Trees for Threes is an important part of our environmental and sustainability efforts in New York, and we're pleased that this year the program is helping to revitalize an area that was so devastated by Superstorm Sandy."
Jamaica Bay Park is home to over 325 species of birds, 50 species of butterflies, 100 species of fish and a migratory stop for waterfowl.
Parks First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh joined the planting team at the 18,000-acre wetland estuary to support the initiative.
"The Knicks and PwC understand the importance of adding trees to city's ecosystem and how valuable care and stewardship is to the health of young trees on the streets and in our parks," Kavanagh said.


text:
osi66 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 51 diseños de 21 diseñadores freelance.
A special kind of workshop where the attendees learn directly from the inventor of a software.
The logo should symbolize that unique feature, so you might play with: communication, source, mouth, workshop, presentation, questions & answers.
Accepted File Formats:
Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .gif or .png); Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai)
We are looking for a logo for a series of workshops on software development. The workshops are special in that the trainer will be the inventor/developer of the software technology/tool to be taught in the workshop. This is to maximize the outcome for the attendees, because they can expect that no question will remain unanswered. If the inventor/developer himself does not know the answer, who should?
Usually workshops are taught by just any person who feels competent regarding a technology/tool. That´s ok - but we want to offer more. We want to go beyond the usual and offer information and advise "straight from the horse´s mouth" (as they say). This is the reason, why the name for the workshop series will be "Straight from the Horse´s Mouth". Each workshop will then of course get a subtitle like "Straight from the Horse´s Mouth #12 - A db4o Introduction by Chief Developer Carl Rosenberg".
Our homepage: http://www.prodevcollege.deÂ
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
With its collections of ancient, modern and contemporary art, the Musée de Grenoble offers you a chance to traverse the history of western painting from the 13th to the 20th centuries. Included are major masterpieces of classical Flemish, Dutch, Italian and Spanish painting; one of 20th century Europe's richest collections; and all the great post-1945 contemporary art trends, right up to the most recent artworks of the 2000s.
Zurburàn, together with Velazquez and Murillo, was the greatest Spanish painter of the Golden Age. This picture, along with the three others, comes from the large altarpiece in the Charterhouse at Jerez de la Frontera, which was taken apart in 1837. The four canvases, which were acquired by General de Beylié in 1904, were immediately offered to the museum.
This triumphal Annunciation associates the requirement that the work be readable with the instructions of the exegetes of the Counter-Reformation. The distribution to left and right of the Virgin and the Angel is relayed by the vertical lines of the columns linking heaven and earth. This arrangement lends the composition a powerfully frontal aspect. The alternating dark and light areas, and the improbable inclusion of the landscape in the background give the décor a marked theatrical look.
Zurburàn rejected the Mannerist decorative excess. He was careful to isolate the objects, which thus take on an unusual monumental presence. The symbolic nature of the still lifes—lilies, white linen, and book—goes hand in hand with a meditative aura emphasized by the solemn, contemplative attitude of the figures. These latter, who are idealized without mawkishness, face the onlooker and bear witness to the fulfillment of the divine will. The colour, modulated by the light, lends a forceful relief to the elements in the lower register. The treatment of the sky and the angels is in a mellowed, more diffuse style. This work, probably the last to be made for the altarpiece, shows Zurburàn's receptiveness to Italian-inspired influences.
Francisco de Zurbàran
The Annunciation, 1638-1639
Crédit photographique : Ville de Grenoble/Musée de Grenoble - Jean-Luc Lacroix


text:
When you play a big time rival in the AFC North you can't help but find ways to make fun of them in any and every way possible. It doesn't matter how good or how bad they are on any given year,the fact is in this case, it's the Baltimoron's and they are worthless in every way possible.
Just like we usually do, have some fun with it. Post up your favorite anti ravens pics, slogans, and whatever else you can come up with.
Save all the game analysis and breakdown for other threads, this one is just why we hate Baltimore!


text:
Paris-based sales outfit also selling Nanouk Leopold's Panorama screener It's All So Quiet and documentary Parade.
Films Distribution has picked up international sales on Kazakh director Emir Baigazin's Harmony Lessons ahead of its premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival next week.
Set in a crime-ridden school in a Kazakh village, Baigazin's debut feature revolves around 13-year-old boy Aslan who decides to kill a school gang leader and bully who has made his life a misery.
"It's a rare film in that it's coming out of Kazakhstan and is by a first time director… we were initially sceptical about its potential but on screening it we were swept away by its sheer force," says company co-chief Nicholas Brigaud-Robert.
The picture is produced by JCS Kazakhfilm n.a. Shaken Aimanov alongside German Rohfilm and post-production house Post Republic Halle.
Harmony Lessons was awarded the Berlinale's World Cinema Fund Prize earlier this month, becoming the first Kazakh picture to be supported by the body. The film also won the Sarajevo Film Festival's work in progress award last year.
Other festival titles on Film Distribution's EFM slate include Nanouk Leopold's It's All So Quiet, about a single farmer in his fifties living with his aged, bedridden father in the remote Dutch countryside, which screens in Panorama. Films Distribution handled Leopold's previous features.
The company is also selling Olivier Meyrou's documentary Parade about acrobat Fabrice Champion's fight to get back on the trapeze after an accident that left him paralysed.
Documentary maker Meyrou is best known internationally for his 2005 work Beyond Hatred, about a family coming to terms with the violent killing of their homosexual son by three skinheads, which sold worldwide.
Films Distribution will also promo-reel a selection of its upcoming films including Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi's semi-biographical A Castle in the Sky, Kurdish Hiner Saleem's Aga and Eytan Fox's Cupcakes.


text:
By submitting this form, I give OurChurch.Com permission to send me communication by email.
Becky Beery (aka @tijuanabecky) posted a couple of great questions last week to the Are You a Communications Manager or a Communications Leader? post. I thought they were big enough to do a whole blog post on on. Which got me thinking… why don't we pause and just do an open Q&A on the topic of leadership in communications? So, that's what we're going to do. Let me kick it off with Becky's questions.
1) I have to wonder whether or not it's my right to speak up or lead..some situations you need to be on the manager side while others you can do the leader side.
OK, I guess that isn't actually a question, but it begs the question, "Should you always be a communications leader or are there times when you should just manage?"
I think it depends on how you define leadership. I think leadership is making the choice to do your communications job in the way that will help your organization best accomplish its mission. Sometimes that means speaking up and challenging the status quo. Other times challenging the status quo would undermine the organization's mission and the best choice is to do the best you can with what you've got.
The key, in my opinion, is you never do anything out of obligation but always take ownership of the choice you have in every situation to either go with the quo or push for change.
Your thoughts?
2) I sometimes feel that you're supposed to manage for awhile while you're earning the right to be heard and be trusted going beyond what you've been given. Is that right, or is it always right to lead vs manage?
I don't know that you need to earn the right to speak up, but I do think you have to get to know the strengths and culture of your organization before you can develop a vision for its communication. That takes some time. I also think the more you prove yourself you can be trusted and know what you're doing the more receptive people will be to your ideas. That doesn't mean you have to wait to share your ideas, but be prepared to have them shot down or ignored until you gain more credibility.
What do you think?
Thanks again for your questions Becky!
What other questions do you have about leading communications in your organization?
I'll be checking in frequently throughout the day to respond as quickly as I can. But don't let me be the only one who responds to questions. You all have experience and insight and can respond as well.
5) You Have Not Because You Ask Not <– Leadership in Communications –> 7) How to Lead Your Facebook Page to Breakout Interaction and Momentum


text:
Firmware 4.1 Software Update Problems
Firmware 4.1 Software Update Problems
This is pure speculation, but maybe they did something that stops 4.1 installing???? There are no more 4.1 updates going out. Maybe it is too buggy?
They've stopped disseminating the 4.1 update? Does that info come from headquarters? Thanks.
Unfortunately, it seems like no info comes from headquarters. It is all speculation and hearsay based on what someone hears from their Delivery Specialist, or from the Tesla ownership team. But, there seem to have been multiple sources implying the same thing... the 4.x updates have stopped rolling out for the moment, to address some remaining bugs.
I've actually been very pleased with the accuracy of the comments of my delivery specialist, ownership team and repair shop personnel which apparently may not be the experience of everyone.. Accordingly, a bug fix software update should be arriving "very soon" which to me means within a week. I guess we'll know soon enough.
just did a walkthough with the DS and he says 4.0 is latest software. I didnt ask about 4.1 though.
Got message v4.1 was ready to install Thursday morning. Chose to wait until 2 am that night. Drove Friday and Saturday with v4.1 installed. No problems so far.
My 'no updates going out' was based on a statement from a service engineer in FL who was told not to push any updates to anyone. I guess @sbrizius proves that to be untrue.
There is another apparent discrepancy. I was told that updates cannot be pushed. I guess it just depends on who you ask.
My S was delivered with 4.0 on 12/15/12. I saw the notice on my screen to update to 4.1 on Christmas eve, so I did it and a few hours later, I have 4.1 without any issues. I'm in the SF East Bay.
rebooting the whole system everytime a glitch occurs. annoying....
RWFI -- the Tesla Service Motto.
My understanding that there are two versions of 4.1 (1.19.29 and 1.19.31). Word has it that Tesla is holding up updates to 1.19.31 until version 4.2 is available.
At the Detroit Auto Show George Blanketship has been quoted as saying that the remote applications for iPhones and Android SmartPhones are ready and await another software update to be completed.
At the Detroit Auto Show George Blanketship has been quoted as saying that the remote applications for iPhones and Android SmartPhones are ready and await another software update to be completed.
Can't wait. It's cold here in Chicago, at least if your car is not in a garage, and I need the app to warm up the car in the morning as well as the ability to set the charging on a timer.
There are bugs in 4.1. Occasionally, my radio stops, the trunk and suspension buttons are "greyed out", and some other glitches occur. You need to reboot the display to get things back to normal. I called about this and I was told this was a known bug in 4.1 (and 4.0?) and the new update should be out soon to fix the bugs.
I really wish Tesla would come forward with some official information as to the status of software rollout. The only "official" information we have is the generic post on the Bulletin Board which says that updates should rollout and be complete over several weeks. We obviously know, from circumstantial evidence and hearsay, that the 4.0 update was aborted and that 4.1 started to rollout and had several iterations, and has now stopped rollout as well. It would be nice to hear from Tesla, perhaps on an owner-only page, what the issues are, and what the status is. It would eliminate all of the speculation and disinformation on the forums.
+1 mkh1437 We have waited since first hearing of the 4.0 update and then 4.1. We have received neither update and called Tesla to find out the status. We were just told it happens when it happens, they cannot push the update to us. No mention of 4.1 rollout being stopped, etc. I do think we owners have a desire and a right to more information. Up to date status updates would be most welcome.
4.2 is now rolling out per TMC posts. It is only a bug fix though (sunroof, wipers, door handles).
I think Tesla needs to create a beta test program for updates, before they are widely pushed out.
They need the ability to get wider testing of the updates before everyone gets them.
The could accomplish this, by having an opt-in for a beta release, and once they reach enough people with the beta, and have collected feedback on issues, they can create the GA release and push to everyone, with any issues fixed of course.
They should also consider having a maintenance stream with no new features that people can be on, so that you could stay on a stable release, with no new features if that is what you wish.
These are fairly standard software practices, and considering the much increased role that software plays in the Model S, I think they need to adopt these practices. I'm seeing way too many people talking about having to reboot, and other kinds of glitches. Software quality should become the paramount objective, vs. rolling out new features as fast as possible.
Information management seems to be a persistent problem. Personnel at different levels and positions have dated info, and are always behind the curve. And the latest info, if you can get it, is already awaiting revision so isn't the latest.
Sounds like Tesla does have beta testers - early adopters and current owners.
Gamma testers? (alpha, beta, gamma, delta ...)
They could use their own test drive vehicles as beta testers (assuming they have some sort of control via VIN, that can direct the update to specific vehicles). Why not roll out an update to their own fleet of test drive vehicles, which will presumably get a lot of use, before pushing it to the general owner populace?
They probably do. But the big "real world" gamma sample discovers gliches that the betas missed.
Many of the comments here are full of good ideas. I'm sure that given sufficient time Tesla may adopt some of the suggested processes but at this point is merely overwhelmed. My concern is that Joe Average will become increasingly frustrated that one of their most major investments is being treated as a beta test platform. We should not assume most buyers are like us and are willing to be accomodating.
Thankfully it appears most buyers who are receiving their cars today are early adopters and know what they got themselves into. This phase won't last forever though... I don't envy Tesla's situation but they seem to have many excellent engineers who are diligently working to improve the firmware.


text:
Federal Student Financial Aid Issue Resolved
Senior Counsel Dee Black answers questions and assists members with legal issues in Alaska. He and his wife homeschooled their children. Read more >>
Home School Legal Defense Association recently assisted an Alaska homeschool graduate who was being denied admission to a New York community college and federal financial aid she needed to attend. The college was insisting that the applicant furnish a letter from the Alaska Department of Education verifying that the state considered her to be a high school graduate.
HSLDA Senior Counsel Dewitt Black sent a letter to the director of financial aid at Jefferson Community College in Watertown and provided him with information about Alaska's homeschool law and the federal law governing financial aid to students. Black explained that Alaska law does not require parents to notify state officials of their decision to operate a homeschool or report any information about their homeschool to state officials. Further, Alaska law does not require a homeschool graduate to obtain any credential from the state to verify that the student has completed a secondary education.
Regarding the student's eligibility for financial aid, Black's letter pointed out that federal law prohibits colleges that receive federal funds from requiring an accredited high school diploma or GED in order for a student to be eligible for federal financial aid if the student "shall have completed a secondary school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under State law." Fulfillment of this requirement is verified during the college admissions process when a student supplies a college with a transcript and other evidence of meeting the credit hour requirements for the completion of a high school education. Under this program, homeschool students may self-certify their completion of a secondary school curriculum, just as public and private high school graduates may self-certify their receipt of a diploma. They are not required to obtain any state certification of homeschool completion unless the law of the state in which they completed their homeschooling provides for the issuance of such a certification.
After receiving Black's letter, the community college admitted the homeschool graduate and processed the student's request for federal financial aid.
Protect Your Family
We greatly value you and your support—it is a privilege to serve you! If you or someone you know is not a member of HSLDA, will you consider taking a moment today to join or recommend us? Your support enables us to defend individual families threatened by government officials and protect homeschooling freedom for all. Join now >>


text:
Several young men from Taos Pueblo were employed to perform the War and Hoop Dances for the evening shows. After every dance, cowboy hats were passed through the bleachers as Mr. Denver's voice blared from the speakers, reminding the audience the dancers would appreciate a tip. My job was to model Southwestern/Native clothing designed by a local non Native seamstress. So right after the Hoop Dance and just before the finale, the Friendship Round Dance, I'd enter the arena and model velveteen pleated "Squaw Skirt" and shirts. My moccasins were made at a local sweat shop and my outfit was topped off with a turquoise, "Squash Blossom" necklace from Mrs. Denver's private collection. I was instructed to smile as I walked slowly in front of the bleachers because according to Mr. Denver, "People like cute little Indian girls that smile".
This experience informed the way I began to see myself. At eight I didn't have the cognitive skills to understand all the social and cultural underpinnings of this particular situation, but I remember sensing that Native people were somehow different, exotic maybe and in my case, a cute "little Indian girl" earned money. This was one of my first and among the most informative experience as a Native person and all I can clearly remember is that I felt exposed.
We are all influenced by one another, but what happens when perceptions of culture and self are modified because of these outside influences? And how does one navigate through these experiences while carving out an identity in a healthy manner? How does one hold onto a sense of cultural integrity? These questions became even more pressing to me when the Always Becoming crew and I spent a couple of months at the National Museum of the American Indian building the Always Becoming sculptures. During the summers in Washington D.C. the population on the Smithsonian Mall grows to enormous proportions. Thousands, possibly millions of visitors to the National Capitol visit the museums on the Mall and include a trip to the NMAI museum. While working on the sculptures, I would turn around and be amazed at the amount of people watching what we were doing. Would this experience on the Mall change the integrity of the work? What were our responsibilities as cultural liaisons? And would our presence in such a public forum actually bring some cultural information to an audience looking for the perfect photo op? At times I also worried about the Morales family and wondered how this would effect them. Of course there was curiosity and with that came questions, many, many questions on both sides of the fence.
Notable questions and comments from the visitors to the Always Becoming site:
"You don't look Indian."
"Is somebody going to live in the Tee-Pees?"
"Is this where Indian's go to the bathroom?"
"I'm 1/16th Cherokee."
"Is somebody going to live in the Tee-Pees?"
"Is this where Indian's go to the bathroom?"
"I'm 1/16th Cherokee."
Navigating through cultural and self identity is challenging enough on a daily basis however experiencing the intensity and magnitude of perceptions coming at us for those two months created a fascinating opportunity to study the ideas of community, culture and of course human beings. On the more challenging days ridiculous questions acted as a lesson in patience. However, it's these very questions that reminded me how America developed their perceptions of the American Indian. Interactions like the Jack Denver's show added to romantic notions of what a Native person should be and these perceptions persist in the American consciousness. To make matters more challenging, many of these interactions affect our sense of cultural identity, think cute little Indian girl, or the men from Taos Pueblo who sang and danced before passing a cowboy hat for tips. Strong childhood impressions remain forever. At it's worst, this kind of life experience distresses cultural identity, resulting in all sorts of social illnesses. But -- and this is what I learned that summer on the Smithsonian Mall -- at it's best, experiences like this can be grand opportunities that demand we define ourselves, not to an audience, but to ourselves. Past the romantic notions of what Natives are supposed-to-be, past feelings of being victimized by these perceptions, straight toward the portal where culture and a sense of self align creating a strong human being. I learned this from watching Don Juan who anchored himself and everyone else around him with a simple nod or smile as he worked. I watched as others entering the Always Becoming site worked together with one goal in mind and that was Creating as a community. Like the sculptures, I was being molded so that previous misconceptions were discarded and a sense of my true self was reclaimed. Anchored and empowered because of this grand opportunity I became fearless.
"We are what we imagine. Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves."
- M. Scott Momaday
- M. Scott Momaday


text:
Austin Water provides a wide array of environmental services that helps protect water quality and endangered species.
Austin Water's Special Services Division administers and enforces the following programs:
Center for Environmental Research
Austin Water's Center for Environmental sponsors events, classes, and workshops and conducts numerous research projects at Hornsby Bend focused on waste recycling, ecology and hydrology.
Austin Water manages 40,000 acres as the Wildland Conservation Division. These lands provide valuable habitat for endangered species, wildlife and native plants while protecting source water watersheds that help provide safe drinking water to the public. Management of these lands protects 22% of the recharge zone for the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer and provides open space which adds to Austin's quality of life and reputation as a community that values its environment.
Austin Water is owned and operated by the City of Austin.


text:
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to keep lobbying Egypt's government to free jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste.
The federal government on Tuesday summoned a senior Egyptian diplomat to express outrage over the seven-year sentence handed to the Al Jazeera reporter in Cairo.
It was the latest diplomatic overture from the government to Egyptian authorities about the case, including from Mr Abbott who twice contacted the country's leadership to lobby for Mr Greste.
"The Australian government will continue to make intercessions at every level with the Egyptian government and elsewhere to try and ensure that Peter Greste and his colleagues are swiftly released," the prime minister told parliament on Tuesday.
He said the government understood and supported the Egyptian government's crackdown on extremist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, but couldn't comprehend why those reporting on the group were jailed.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Greste's harsh treatment as a journalist stirred "something elemental in the spirit of all free people".
But he supported the prime minister's call for cool heads to prevail.
"These are the times when passions run high but the best interests of Peter and his two colleagues will not be served by inflammatory rhetoric," Mr Shorten told parliament.
The government sought to summon Egypt's ambassador to the meeting at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but discovered Hassan El-Laithy is in Cairo.
Egyptian Charge d'Affaires Sherif Bedeir Hussein was called instead, and he refused to speak to journalists after leaving the half-hour meeting in Canberra.
Attorney-General George Brandis said the government would make a formal request to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seeking his intervention.


text:
SOLAS: acronym for Serendipity On Line Antique Sales. Serendipity: the phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for. That kind of sums up the business. I rarely start out knowing what to look for but when found , it is what I wanted . The kind of things that appeal to me and feel that others would also enjoy thus offering a wide variety of fun affordable antiques, collectible & vintage items . Plus featuring my handcrafted beaded jewelry .
Check out our fabulously wonderful wide variety of antiques collectible & estate treasures.
You'll find the selection interesting, fun & affordable .
Located in Seattle, Washington.


text:
Cookstown B.E. Racing team owner John Burrows admits the tragic death of young prospect Malachi Mitchell-Thomas at this year's North West 200 left him facing one of the toughest decisions of his career.
The former top Irish road racer turned team boss, who hung up his leathers following the death of close friend Trevor Ferguson at the Manx Grand Prix in 2012, was left reeling by the fatal crash involving the 20-year-old from Chorley in Lancashire in the main Supertwins race in May.
Mitchell-Thomas came off on the approach to Black Hill in Portrush and died at the scene. The event was cancelled by Race Director Mervyn Whyte as a mark of respect.
The bubbly youngster had shot to prominence within Irish road racing circles in just a few short weeks after making a sensational debut between the hedges, winning both Supersport races and the Open Superbike race at the Mid Antrim 150.
He then finished on the podium in the Supersport and Supertwins races at the Tandragee 100 but his most eye-catching performance was yet to come at the North West, where 'MMT' sealed a magnificent fourth place on his Triangle bow in the opening Supersport race.
Sadly, tragedy struck and a shining star was wiped out in one fell swoop, casting a dark cloud over the international road race and sending shockwaves throughout the close-knit biking community.
It was a devastating setback for Dungannon man Burrows, who faced a difficult decision over whether or not to continue with his team throughout the rest of the 2016 season. However, encouraged by the steadfast support of Malachi's father Kevin, Burrows opted to press ahead with plans to run Dubliner Derek Sheils at the Isle of Man TT.
"Heading to the North West, I probably had the dream team in the paddock as far as national road racing was concerned with Derek and Malachi - we had enjoyed such a great start to the year. Obviously then at the North West Mal produced that performance in the first 600 race when he finished fourth on our Honda," Burrows told the News Letter.
"Unfortunately, disaster struck after that and Malachi's death was an all-time low for everyone involved with the team. It was hard for Derek too because he had been his team-mate and shared an awning with Mal, so it was a lot for him to take in as well as trying to stay focused on his own racing. Fair play to Derek, he came up to the mark and picked up where he left off when we got back to the national road races again after the TT," Burrows said.
"It wasn't easy to make the decision to carry on racing but as everyone knows, we did so with the full backing of Malachi's father Kevin. It still was a hard call to make and in hindsight we probably did make the right decision because I still had a commitment in place with Derek Sheils and our sponsors. Unfortunately you do get hardened to tragedy in our sport but this time it was obviously much harder to take because it happened in my own team.
"When a fatal accident happens, it knocks you out of your stride but you just go on with it. This time, with our team involved, it made me step back and look at things. We had to sit down and make a decision together and probably 80 or 90 per-cent of the fans and other riders and teams were behind us, but I did get a few people involved in the sport saying I should have pulled the plug."
Reflecting on Mitchell-Thomas's virtuoso display at the Mid Antrim at the beginning of April, Burrows says it quickly became apparent he had signed a rider with the potential to go all the way.
"It was amazing for Mal to come to the Mid Antrim and win first time out in the first race he ever contested on the 600. I'm not sure if that has ever been done before at national road racing level in the main classes," he said.
"I can't recall anyone in recent times winning their very first race in one of the main races before. It was quite an achievement and he went on to win the first Superbike race that day as well for a hat-trick. I knew then the lad was something special."
Following the crushing low of Malachi's death, there was cause for celebration later in the season when the English rider posthumously won the Ulster Supertwins Championship following confirmation of the final standings at Armoy. His father, Kevin, was in attendance on a poignant day for the team.
Sheils went on to win the Superbike crown on Burrows' Suzuki at Faugheen and also lifted the Irish Supertwins title as the year ended on a successful note, albeit with Mitchell-Thomas never far from Burrows' thoughts.
"It was a year of highs and lows and it's just so unfortunate that Mal sadly lost his life. I couldn't have asked for more with the two riders I had going to the North West and then disaster struck," said Burrows.
"Sadly, these things can happen in racing and you have to try and pick yourself up again."


text:
Print, Share, or View Spanish version of this article
Here are some suggestions from Bright Futures experts that may be of value to your family.
Help your teen visit the dentist at least twice a year.
Encourage your teen to protect her hearing at work, home, and concerts.
Keep a variety of healthy foods at home.
Help your teen get enough calcium.
Encourage 1 hour of vigorous physical activity a day.
Praise your teen when he does something well, not just when he looks good.
Talk with your teen about your values and your expectations on drinking, drug use, tobacco use, driving, and sex.
Be there for your teen when she needs support or help in making healthy decision about her sexual behavior.
Support safe activities at school and in the community.
Praise your teen for healthy decisions about sex, tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
Do not tolerate drinking and driving.
Insist that seat belts be used by everyone.
Set expectations for safe driving.
Limit the number of friends in the car, nighttime driving, and distractions.
Never allow physical harm of yourself, your teen, or others at home or school.
Remove guns from your home. If you must keep a gun in your home, make sure it is unloaded and locked with ammunition locked in a separate place.
Teach your teen how to deal with conflict without using violence.
Make sure your teen understands that healthy dating relationships are built on respect and that saying "no" is OK.
Set aside time to be with your teen and really listen to his hopes and concerns.
Support your teen as he figures out ways to deal with stress.
Support your teen in solving problems and making decisions.
If you are concerned that your teen is sad, depressed, nervous, irritable, hopeless, or angry, talk with me.
Praise positive efforts and success in school and other activities.
Encourage reading.
Help your teen find new activities she enjoys.
Encourage your teen to help others in the community.
Help your teen find and be a part of positive after-school activities and sports.
Encourage healthy friendships and fun, safe things to do with friends.
Know your teen's friends and their parents, where your teen is, and what he is doing at all times.
Check in with your teen's teacher about her grades on tests.
Attend back-to-school events if possible.
Attend parent-teacher conferences it possible.


text:
As the UNFCCC negotiations end with varying degrees of welcome outcomes, this infographic sets out to explain the basics.
Share this infographic using the social media buttons in the black bar above, or copy the embed code below to post the image on your own blog.
If you like this, you should also see our DNA of leadership infographic, our China and global sustainable development infographic, our LEDs: Lighting the clean revolution infographic, and AmericanCleanRevolution.com.
Copy the code below to embed the image on your own blog: