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Democrats are counting on demographic change to help them win future presidential elections, including next year's.
But three developments are pushing the country to the right, counteracting the idea that demography is political destiny. First, the rise of negative partisanship – that is, the intense hostility members of one party feel toward members of the other. Next, the nationalization of elections – the increasing tendency of voters to opt for straight ticket voting at all levels of government. Finally, there is growing income inequality within legislative districts, and this has partisan repercussions that are not necessarily what you would expect. All three trends are interacting with each other to the advantage of Republican candidates in contests for the House of Representatives and for state legislatures.
Alan Abramowitz and Steven Webster, political scientists at Emory University, report in their 2015 essay "The Rise of Negative Partisanship and the Nationalization of U.S. Elections in the 21st Century" that partisans' thermometer ratings of their own party have remained constant, 72 degrees in 1980 and 70 degrees in 2012. The thermometer rating question asks voters to place their feelings toward a particular political party on a scale of 0 to 100, coldest to hottest.
Voter opinions of the opposing party have become more negative. "The average rating of the opposing party fell from 45 degrees in 1980 to 30 degrees in 2012," Abramowitz and Webster write. They go on to point out that
Supporters of each party have come to perceive supporters of the opposing party as very different from themselves in terms of their social characteristics, political beliefs and values and to view opposing partisans with growing suspicion and hostility.
The accompanying chart illustrates the intensification of hostility toward the opposition party between 1972 and 2012. Negativity rules: Hostile views of the opposition party correlate more strongly with straight-ticket voting than favorable views of one's own party.
What this means in practical terms is that the traditional advantage of incumbency for members of the House and Senate has declined. It used to be that predictions of the outcomes of House and state legislative races gave great weight to incumbency; in recent years, the crucial factor in predicting outcomes in a given district is the presidential vote.
From 1960 to 1980, Republican House candidates won just under 60 percent of the districts where Republican presidential nominees performed well.
In other words, Democrats were once able to hold Congressional seats in districts that voted Republican in presidential elections.
In 1994, according to Abramowitz and Webster, both Republicans and Democrat began to win higher and higher percentages of districts in which their respective presidential candidates did well.
By 2012-14 this pattern was so strong, Abramowitz and Webster find, that Republicans had "won a remarkable 95 percent of contests in Republican-leaning districts while Democrats have won 93 percent of contests in Democratic-leaning districts."
The increase in straight-ticket voting has worked more to the advantage of Republican House candidates than of Democrats. Many Democrats in Republican-leaning districts could be defeated and over time they were. The far fewer Republican House members in Democratic-leaning districts limited the potential for Democratic gains. As a result, Abramowitz and Webster note,
the famous comment by the late Tip O'Neill that "all politics is local" now seems rather quaint. In the 21st century United States, it increasingly appears that all politics is national.
State legislative elections have been following the same pattern as contests for seats in the House of Representatives. Abramowitz and Webster tracked the relationship between the Democratic share of the presidential and the state legislative vote. This correlation rose steadily from .40 in the years 1972-88 to a modern record of .85 in 2012.
In practice, this means that voters are now, by overwhelming margins, casting ballots for State Senate and State House candidates who are members of the same party as the candidate they chose for the presidency.
Abramowitz and Webster conclude that "structural forces are likely to continue to work in favor of Republican candidates in future House elections."
Gary Jacobson, a political scientist at the University of California, San Diego, works on similar terrain. Earlier this year, Jacobson published "It's Nothing Personal: The Decline of the Incumbency Advantage in US House Elections," in The Journal of Politics. He writes:
Because Republicans enjoy a longstanding structural advantage in the distribution of partisans across districts, the emergence of a much more party-centered electoral process has given them a firm grip on the House even as they have become less competitive in contests for the presidency.
Jacobson points out that while the South led the nation in the nationalization of voting, the pattern has emerged in all sections of the country.
"Incumbent Democrats have been the big losers from this change," Jacobson observes, pointing out that from 1960 through 1992, they consistently won in more than 50 districts in which Republican presidential candidates were also victors. In contrast, "Republican incumbents have never won more than 28 Democratic-leaning districts."
Jacobson argues that even without Republican gerrymandering of House districts, the geographic distribution of Democrats and Republicans across the nation inherently produces gerrymandered results:
Democrats win the lion's share of minority, single, young, secular, gay and highly educated voters who are concentrated in urban districts that deliver lopsided Democratic majorities. Regular Republican voters are spread more evenly across suburbs, smaller cities and rural areas, so fewer Republican votes are 'wasted' in highly skewed districts.
The inefficient distribution of Democratic voters is not new; it has been present at least since the 1970s, but has more recently become a powerful factor in the tilt of the House to the Republican Party.
Jacobson presents a collection of data points illustrating this inefficiency, showing the disparity between voting patterns nationally and in House elections.
While President Obama won by five million votes in 2012, Mitt Romney carried 226 congressional districts to Obama's 209; more people voted for Democratic House candidates that year, 50.7 to 49.3, but Democrats won 46.2 percent of House seats. If Republicans had carried only those districts that gave Romney two percentage points above his national average, they would still command a 226–209 House majority today, instead of their current majority of 246-188 (they lost one seat to resignation earlier this year).
Perhaps the most counterintuitive finding has been produced by three other scholars, John Voorheis, a doctoral candidate in economics at the University of Oregon, Nolan McCarty, a political scientist at Princeton, and Boris Shor, a political scientist at Georgetown, in their working paper, "Unequal Incomes, Ideology and Gridlock: How Rising Inequality Increases Political Polarization."
The three examine state legislative districts for trends in partisan representation and in inequality and find that Republicans win more elections when inequality worsens. Their analysis demonstrates that:
Income inequality shifts the median ideology within state legislatures to the right, and increases the share of seats held by Republicans.
Rising inequality results in more defeats of moderate Democrats by Republicans than vice versa. Because of this, the legislature over all moves in a conservative direction while the Democratic caucus, with fewer moderates, moves to the left.
In an email exchange with the authors, they speculate that the disproportionate losses by moderate Democrats may result from the fact
that by the time our data starts in the 1990s, Republicans were pretty homogenous on taxes/welfare/redistribution. The remaining centrists were predominantly Democrats. So it's been the Democrats bearing the brunt of the further hollowing out of the center.
Voorheis, McCarty and Shor conclude that inequality begets more inequality:
Increases in income inequality move the entire legislature to the right, while at the same time increasing political polarization. This diminishes both the appetite and ability of state legislatures to engage in redistribution, which in turn further increases income inequality.
The consequences of negative partisanship, of the nationalization of politics and of increased inequality are very different at the federal level than they are at the state level.
In the states, just over half the population lives under one-party Republican rule. While Congress and the White House cannot agree on taxes, spending, immigration or any major issue, leaders in the 24 Republican-controlled states are winning enactment of a comprehensive conservative agenda.
Put another way, in a nation where the two major political parties are roughly equal, Republicans have full control of 24 states with 47.8 percent of the population, 152.4 million, Democrats have full control of only 7 states with 15.8 percent, 49.1 million. The remaining 17 states are under split control.
There are some broad, if tentative, conclusions to be drawn.
The three research papers cited above suggest that the Republican lock on the House will hold at least until 2022 — the first election in which new districts will be drawn on the basis of the 2020 census — but they also suggest that Democrats are likely to face an uphill battle for control of the House after 2022.
If Voorheis, McCarty and Shor are on target, Republicans have a vested political interest in exacerbating inequality because inequality moves voters to the right.
Insofar as elections have become nationalized, Democrats in the House and in state legislatures have legitimate concerns over Hillary Clinton's declining poll numbers. Democrats in close elections are now dependent on winning as many straight-ticket votes as possible, and the fewer votes Clinton receives – assuming for the moment that she is the nominee – the fewer votes are likely to go to Democrats in 2016 in down-ballot contests.
Finally, and most important: Republican success at the state level – in contrast with control of the United States House and Senate – has empowered the party to actually make policy without the crippling effects of partisan gridlock.
More law and regulatory policy – much of it conservative and controversial – has been enacted at the state level than at any other level of government in the past five years. In terms of policy initiatives, the 24 states where Republicans are in full control are the most productive of all: the 11 Confederate states, except Virginia, along with Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska (with a nominally non-partisan legislature), Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming and Utah.
It is in these states that the retrenchment from social and economic liberalism is moving into high gear, as much of the rest of the country and the federal government remains mired in conflict.
The structural changes in the political system have, then, put the Republican Party in the vanguard of action on a gamut of issues from voting rights to union rights to reproductive rights; from taxation to health care and environmental policy to spending on the poor to education.
Democrats may have the edge in presidential elections, but Republicans now have the advantage where it counts: in the states, where they can set the policies that govern a majority of citizens' daily lives.


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Edsel and Liz were college sweethearts who met in church, and whose love for each other was tested by time and distance when Ed had to live in Seattle, USA for over 2 years. Taking note of the funny coincidence that he lived in America's coffee capital (Seattle), while his then-girlfriend was in the Philippine's coffee capital (Batangas), Ed thought of proposing to Liz at a coffee shop. So he gathered up a choral group in a Starbucks branch, made them pretend to be customers, and got them to sing a special song in a surprise song-mob that many of us won't soon forget. Watch Ed's proposal here.
Needless to say, Liz said YES, and they began the path to marital bliss.
With a beautiful engagement story like theirs, you can only expect a wedding that is just as beautiful. With the help of their wedding planner, Charris of Chalebrations, Ed and Liz worked on executing the ideas they have for their wedding. They picked an elegant shade of purple as their wedding motif, and the result was stunning.
Liz's mom has attended a wedding before that was catered by Josiah's Catering, which gave her a pleasant first impression. So when they found Josiah's Catering at Getting Married Bridal Expo and tried our cuisines, they booked us right there and then.
It was such a joy to be Ed and Liz's caterers and event stylists. Combining purple with pink accents, their wedding reception was surely a romantic and photogenic evening that everyone—including us!—truly enjoyed.
Great wedding idea: Instagram your wedding! Everyone is going social, as they say, and there's no reason why your wedding shouldn't go social too. Provide a uniform hashtag (they went by #edandlizwedding) for your guests to use so that you can easily find and see your guests' posts and images.
And, of course, there has to be a Starbucks station in the venue to complement our smorgasbord of delectable desserts, their attempt to take their guests back to the day they got engaged at Starbucks. A beautiful personal touch, indeed. Here's how to get a Starbucks booth on your wedding day.
Thank you Ed & Liz for allowing us to witness another beautiful love story and for letting us become a part of it in our small way. May God continue to bless your journey together!
Wedding Suppliers: Wedding Coordinator: Chalebrations by Charris Aguirre-Aclan / Wedding Invitations: Let Agnes Be Designs Studios / Wedding Photographer/Videographer: Photo: Nelwin Uy Photography ; Video: Limelight by Russel Carbonel / Flowers: Ysabella Florist and Fioridella / Event Styling: Ms. Freshnida of JCI / Gown/Suit: bridal gown: Cecilio Abad ; Groom's Suit: Tommy Hilfiger / Bridesmaids/Flower Girls Dresses: Bridesmaids/ flowergirls dresses : Veracruz / Music: Manila Strings Machine (String Quartet)

subset: commoncrawl


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Can You Butter With a Stiff Snowboard?
Karl Weatherly/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Unlike more advanced slope-style tricks, the butter maneuver will allow you to keep your board on the snow. According to ABC-of-Snowboarding, buttering involves rotating 360 degrees while balancing on the nose or tail of the snowboard. While buttering on a stiff snowboard is possible, it can be quite difficult without the proper setup and technique.
Stiff Decks
While a stiff snowboard will help to increase your speed capabilities, it will make the buttering technique more difficult. The lack of flex will make it harder to transfer your body weight between the opposing ends of the board. The length of the deck also will affect your overall success in the butter maneuver. If you prefer to ride a stiff snowboard, choose one that features a more compact design. This will allow you to easily lift the nose or tail off the riding terrain while buttering.
Binding Position
When attempting the buttering technique on a stiff snowboard, you'll need to make sure the bindings have been placed on the centermost mounting holes. Bindings that have been set farther back toward the tail will make it virtually impossible to balance on the nose of the snowboard. The width of your snowboard stance also will affect your ability to perform the butter maneuver. When riding a stiff snowboard, choose a stance that roughly corresponds to the width of your shoulders.
Nose Butter
The nose butter involves balancing on the front end of your stiff snowboard deck. Choose a mellow slope that features a finely groomed terrain, as this will help to prevent you from catching an edge during the learning process. Ride forward with your non-dominant foot in the lead position. Tru Snow recommends winding up your shoulders prior to the butter technique. Shift your body weight forward to balance on your front foot. Spin your shoulders in the direction of the spin to execute the nose butter. Lower your back foot onto the ground as you complete a 360 spin.
Tail Butter
Many novice riders feel more comfortable with the technique of the tail butter because it allows you to balance on your dominant foot. Choose a groomed terrain to avoid catching an edge during your flat ground spin. Shift your body weight onto your back foot as you reach a comfortable speed. Elevate your front foot slightly while swinging your shoulders in the direction of the spin. Lower your front foot onto the riding terrain as you complete the rotation.
- Karl Weatherly/Digital Vision/Getty Images


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About HopeWell
...Because it takes more than medicine
Since 1993, our work at HopeWell Cancer Support has been based on the premise that people affected by cancer need more than just medical care. HopeWell's programs are specifically designed to complement the medical system by helping people with cancer, and their loved ones, cope with the life-changing impact of a cancer diagnosis.
At HopeWell, we recognize that an emotional response to cancer is normal and that being surrounded by people who understand is part of the healing process. HopeWell offers a broad range of programs and activities, including support groups, educational seminars, exercise classes and social activities, that allow people to access a community of support that is unmatched in the Baltimore metropolitan area. All of HopeWell's programs are offered free of charge and are open to people at any stage of their journey through cancer.


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Nitrogen Dioxide (8 day)
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About this datasetNitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a gas that occurs naturally in our atmosphere. NO2 plays an important role in the formation of ozone in the air we breathe. Ozone high in the atmosphere helps us. It is like sunscreen, and it protects us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the Sun. Near the ground though, ozone is a pollutant. It damages our lungs and harms plants, including the plants we eat. Ozone occurs naturally in the air we breathe, but there's not enough of it to hurt us. Unhealthy levels of ozone form when there is a lot of NO2 in the air. NO2—and ozone—concentrations are usually highest in cities, since NO2 is released into the atmosphere when we burn gas in our cars or coal in our power plants, both things that happen more in cities. Ozone pollution is worse in summer. NO2 is also unhealthy to breathe in high concentrations, such as on busy streets and highways where there are lots of cars and trucks. When driving, it is typically a good idea to keep the car windows rolled up and the car's ventilation set to "recirculate" so as to keep pollution out of the interior of the car. It is also important to reduce outdoor activities like playing or jogging if government officials warn you that air quality will be bad on a certain day.
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In case you own your home, anytime repairs are needed or you'd similar to to make some house improvements, the responsibility and the expense is as much as you. Lowe's labored with its agency, BBDO, and Facebook to put together the undertaking, which will entail two videos that act like GIFs. Now's the most effective time to buy patio furnishings at Lowe's, with as much as 35{51d696d640929eff5b0dae1d393bc215b300470ed17db45c26c3890b89a72765} off choose prime items AND free delivery on purchases of $498+!
• Get the within scoop on dwelling enchancment merchandise and see how others use them to perform their DIY and remodeling projects. With fiscal yr 2016 sales of $sixty five.0 billion, Lowe's and its associated businesses operate more than 2,370 dwelling enchancment and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 individuals.
A majority of employees benefit from the 401(okay) plan that Lowe's Home Enchancment Inc. Nevertheless, the gap narrowed in the fourth quarter, helped by better provide chain operations at Lowe's and tougher comparisons at Residence Depot. Based in 1946, Lowe's has grown from a small hardware store to the second-largest home improvement retailer worldwide.
The changes will better align retailer staffing with customer demand, shift assets from back-of-the-store activities to buyer-facing ones, and improve our efficiency and productiveness. The Fortune 500 company, with headquarters in Mooresville, made the announcement ahead of the busy spring season saying it is shifting resources from again-of-the-retailer activities to customer-dealing with ones.
Our Function To help individuals love where they live. YP – The Real Yellow PagesSM – helps you find the correct native companies to fulfill your specific needs. The sluggish housing market has some investing in their present properties as an alternative of trading up. This has strengthened the house-improvement trade and helped retailers such as Dwelling Depot and Lowe's.


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Face Lift 168: Over Their Heads
OVER THEIR HEADS is a 100K novel about a couple searching for acceptance in a cold, cruel dystopia that rejects its past as politically incorrect.
Hearkening back to big game hunters of the Nineteenth century Carol and Tim invite their friends to share in the bounty of the beasts they've killed in an ambience worthy of the great hunters; Tarzan, Mandingo, Wily Coyote and Zulu. As Tim says; me like game, me like big gun: boom-boom, bang-bang. But there is a catch, while most people bury their dead relatives in the cemetery or keep the ashes in urns on mantles, Carol and Tim shrink and mount their dead relative's heads to display in the dining room for the admiration of their guests. As Carol says -- aren't our relatives as exciting as your stamp collection, or a fine piece of art, or bronzed baby shoes, or prized bull semen.
When Carol and Ted unveil their B&B in the bucolic community of Deadhorse, Alaska, they struggle with their friends, their neighbors, the local police, the FBI, the CIA, Interpol. They have that hopey-changey thing going and they can see Grandpa Horace from their porch, but can they convince their dinner guests that deceased relatives deserve a place of honor? Or will they be doomed to eat alone in dark, dank prison cells? Will this query pass muster with EE or will it die in giggling terror; mocked, escoffiered, scorned and defenestrated? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thank you,
Bob and Alice
--Dave F.


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The Rock a no-go for WrestleMania 30?
It's all in a tweet. In a question-and-answer with fans on Twitter on Tuesday, The Rock made it sound like he will not be a part of the upcoming WrestleMania 30.
Dwayne Johnson said in the tweet that the plan had been for him to square off with Brock Lesnar, but now there are "no plans" for him to take part in WrestleMania 30.
Between Vince, Brock & myself our Wrestlemania 30 plan was ROCK vs BROCK. No plans now for 30 but possibly WM 31. #RockTalk @_JordanMayoral
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) December 31, 2013
UVA Basketball Fans!
Dick Vitale on Team of Destiny: "This is a hoops story you will LOVE! Jerry and Chris capture the sensational and dramatic championship journey by Tony Bennett and his tenacious Cavalier team. UVA was Awesome Baby and so is this book!"
Ralph Sampson on Team of Destiny: "Jerry and Chris have lived and seen it all, even before my time. I highly recommend this book to every basketball fan across the globe. This story translates to all who know defeat and how to overcome it!"
Feedback from buyers: "Got the Book in the Mail Saturday, and could not put it down! Great read and great photography as well! Love all of the books I've received, but hands down, this is my favorite!" – Russell
Buy here.


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1. Ghost pals
One that'll work on all-sized dogs – and you can whip it up in minutes.
2. Burger bulldog
Good enough to eat? This little fella isn't convinced.
3. Shaken not stirred
If your pup's unlucky enough to be sporting a cone…
4. Getting wiggy with it
One of these chaps is happier than the other about his transformation.
5. Belly-dancing dog
She must really, really love her owner…
6. Office dog
Have you got those reports for me, Janet?
7. Count Dogula
If you have two pups, make one the vampire, one the victim.
8. Hotdog
No round-up would be compete without at least one.
9. Scare 'em, spider
Send one of these scuttling down a dark alley and wait for the screams.


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Our custom leather patch hat features:
Current Production Time is 3-4 weeks.
We burn your logo onto our full grain American cowhide patches and then sew them onto a Richardson 112 snap back trucker hat. We don't use glue and we only use the best leather money can buy!
After purchase our art team will contact you immediately through email to get your logo.
Or you can email it to us at email@example.com
No Minimum, buy just 1 hat - $29.99
12 hats - 26.99 each
24 hats - 25.49 each
48 hats - 23.99 each
100+ hats - 17.99 each
Mix and match with our other hat styles for volume pricing.
We are currently 3-4 weeks from proof approval... But trust me it is worth it!!!
Much LOVE will follow!
We started Holtz Leather Co. after suffering some of the lowest points in our life. In short, over the course of five years we suffered four miscarriages, lost our business, our home, and nearly became homeless. Through this time of extreme humbling God taught us that life is more than the things we acquire or the titles we have.
Know who you do business with #BringBackFamilyBusiness


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Sunday, May 27, 2018
'We are living through a crisis in our democracy': Hillary Clinton receives Harvard medal for 'impact on society' as she blasts 'authoritarian' trends
The truth is the reverse. America has just escaped from authoritarian trends. What could be more authoritarian than Obama wanting to "fundamentally transform" American society?
And the only "threat to the rule of law" came from Obama, who tried to do and end-run around Congress with his "pen and phone".
Obama signed little of the legislation sent to him by Congress. By contrast Trump has signed legislation put before him by Congress even when he disliked a lot in it. So who is disrespecting the rule of law, again?
And who is threatening the free press? All the censorship is coming from the Left, not conservatives
And who is trashing free elections? It wouldn't be the Leftist attempts to unseat the democratically-elected Trump would it? And the critics of the electoral college are conservatives, are they?
It the usual Leftist style Hildabeest is upending reality and projecting Leftist faults onto others
Hillary Clinton, again wearing a long coat and bulky scarf in hot weather, has lectured a crowd that there is 'a crisis in our democracy' as Harvard University awarded her a medal.
Clinton spoke on Friday in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she accepted Harvard's Radcliffe Medal for her leadership, human rights work and 'transformative impact on society'.
The former Democratic presidential candidate, secretary of state, US senator and first lady said that American democracy is in crisis because of threats to the rule of law, the free press and free elections that are 'undermining national unity.'
She did not mention President Donald Trump by name as she called on audience members to do their part by voting and calling out fake news when they see it.
Kim backs down
Less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump announced that the United States will out of the upcoming summit with North Korea, the regime issued a major statement.
According to Axios, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan released a statement saying the regime is ready to meet "at any time, in any format."
"Leader Kim Jong Un had focused every effort on his meeting with President Trump," Gwan said, adding that North Korea is "willing to give the U.S. time and opportunities" to reconsider talks.
The summit was set to take place on June 12 in Singapore, but White House officials say North Korea refused to accept communications with the U.S. numerous times in recent weeks, leading the administration to believe the talks were off.
On Friday morning, the White House said they are "talking to" the regime and that they will see what happens next based on the regime's behavior.
While the regime is apologizing and begging for the historic summit to take place, Trump made it clear in his statement on Thursday that dictator Kim Jong Un has displayed aggressive behavior in recent weeks, which resulted in the cancellation.
The president said Kim appeared very willing and open to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula a few weeks ago, but said the dictator is now refusing to honor those initial commitments, saying the U.S. is not going to accept a bad deal.
After a speaking very diplomatically and saying he's saddened that North Korea won't respect the idea of peace for the Peninsula and the world, the president reminded Kim that he didn't appreciate his recent threats about nuclear war.
Earlier this week, Kim boasted about the regime's nuclear capabilities and said he could match the United States weaponry in a war.
Trump made it very clear in the letter that America has the strongest and most powerful nuclear arsenal in the world, and that threatening the U.S. would have major consequences.
LATEST: Trump says 'very productive' dialogue with North Korea is underway, hints Singapore meeting may still happen
Trump Walks Away With a Win Over North Korea
Donald Trump's cancellation of the Singapore summit with Kim Jong-un is not a loss for the United States — far from it. Trump understands dealmaking. And, as it turns out, he may also know a bit about history.
Let's go back 32 years to the Reykjavik summit, during which Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev offered sweeping nuclear arms cuts to President Ronald Reagan — provided Reagan stop development of the United States' then-fledgling anti-ballistic-missile defense system known as Star Wars. Reagan refused and walked away. It was arguably the moment that our nation won the Cold War. And it happened because Reagan walked away from an opponent who, as we now know from Peter Schweizer's book Victory, was on the ropes.
North Korea has similarly been on the ropes. The collapse of its nuclear test site set back that rogue country's nuclear weapons program. Sure, Kim has his missiles, but intercontinental ballistic missiles aren't as effective without nuclear warheads. Since that collapse, the North Koreans released three hostages, and then decided to finish by demolition what the collapse had started in the run-up to the summit.
So far, that means the North Koreans have made the bulk of the concessions (the U.S. did cancel one exercise with South Korea, but that can always be rescheduled). As Ari Fleisher, George W. Bush's former press secretary, noted, "It's about maneuvering, lack of predictability and leverage. Considering how often NK has played us in the past, I welcome this development."
Let's be blunt: Our nation's previous efforts have been failures. All along, North Korea still pursued nuclear weapons and missiles (the latter having been fired over Japan, incidentally). Furthermore, there has never been a serious consequence for North Korea's threats until now. It wasn't just about what Trump called North Korea's "tremendous anger and open hostility" exhibited in part when a North Korean official called Mike Pence a "political dummy." North Korea also went so far as to threaten to nuke the United States.
Losing the Singapore summit places Kim in an even tighter spot. North Korea's a basket case of a country, an unequivocal humanitarian nightmare.
The bigger message, though, goes to three countries: China, Russia and Mexico. China has been in talks with the U.S. to prevent a trade war and now has to realize that Trump is willing to walk away from a bad deal. Mexico has to be thinking the same thing with NAFTA renegotiations. Russia also has to rethink whether Donald Trump can be bullied.
Right now, President Trump is in a no-lose situation. If the summit cancellation sticks, we've still secured the safe return of three American hostages from that country, and its primary nuclear testing site is out of commission for a long time. Indeed, his cancellation letter to Kim is masterful in applying a geopolitical carrot and stick for that eventuality.
If the summit is back on, though, even at a later date, the North Koreans will likely have to make more concessions to President Trump. Furthermore, they'll be facing the reality that if they want the summit to happen, their behavior will have to change. That counts as a win, too.
As of this morning, Trump says, "We'll see what happens. We are talking to them now. They very much want to do it. We'd like to do it. It could even be the 12th."
Trump Notices Something To His Right, Then IMMEDIATELY Runs Over And Does Something Amazing
President Donald Trump attended a round table event on Wednesday in New York to discuss MS-13 and combating illegal immigration.
He spoke with and met families who have lost loved ones at the hands of the brutal gang, and spoke about the importance of law enforcement arresting and deporting the "animals" from the country.
When the event was over and Trump was walking back to board Marine One, he noticed a group of law enforcement officers to his right who wanted to meet him.
In a video clip posted on Twitter by Dan Scavino Jr., the Director of Social Media for the Trump administration, Trump can be seen breaking away from the group and literally running to greet the law enforcement officers.
Just let that soak in. The president of the United States stopped what he was doing and ran about 20 feet to shake the hands of every single police officer before he left.
When was the last time a president gave a spontaneous, genuine, and personal appreciation for the police? It has been many years.
I wish there was a button stronger than love on this thing. Classy move Mr. President. Obama wound have NEVER done this
It's unclear what Trump said to the officers, but he was likely thanking them for their heroism, bravery, and everything they do to protect their communities.
The media will never report on or show the American people this amazing video, which shows how much our president loves our law enforcement officers.
Trump Agrees To Stay for 'Hours' To Shake the Hands of Over 1,000 Naval Midshipmen
Trump clearly has a genuine appreciation of the armed forces
After delivering the commencement address at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on Friday, President Donald Trump chose to stay and shake the hands of all the over 1,000 graduates of the prestigious school.
"I was given an option. I could make this commencement address, which is a great honor for me, and immediately leave and wave goodbye," the commander-in-chief recounted. "Or I could stay and shake hands with just the top 100. Or I could stay for hours and shake hands with 1,100 and something. What should I do? What should I do?" he asked.
The midshipmen responded with shouts of "Stay."
GOOD GUY WITH A GUN: Armed Oklahoma Man TAKES OUT Mass Shooter Before Any Casualties Occur
According to the Daily Wire, A good guy with a gun took down a shooter at an Oklahoma City restaurant on Thursday.
Police reported that "A man walked into the Louie's restaurant and opened fire with a gun. Two people were shot. A bystander with a pistol confronted the shooter outside the restaurant and fatally shot him."
The shooter's motivation for the attack is not yet known and his identity has been kept concealed at the time of this report.
Police Capt. Bo Mathews reported that an adult woman and a child were shot when the man walked into the restaurant and opened fire. Also, a man broke a bone on his way running out of the restaurant. A fourth victim reportedly suffered a minor injury.
Police officials say at two people were rushed to the hospital, and are expected to survive. All of the injured victims are expected to fully recover.
Oklahoma City Police tweeted the good news: "ALERT: The only confirmed fatality is the suspect. He was apparently shot-to-death by an armed citizen. Three citizens were injured, two of whom were shot. A large number of witnesses are detained. There is no indication of terrorism at this point."
Typical Democrat fraud
Trump Slashes $6B in Red Tape
The president is cutting government regulations at double the rate he campaigned on
One of President Donald Trump's campaign promises that he has been most successful in accomplishing is slashing onerous and unnecessary federal regulations. He promised to cut two regulations for every new one added. Wayne Crews of the Competitive Enterprise Institute recently calculated the ratio of regulations cut to those added and found that, from the fall of 2017 to spring of 2018, Trump's rate of deregulation had not only met his 2-to-1 pledge but surpassed it by the rate of 4-to-1. He currently sits at an impressive 5-to-1.
This aggressive deregulation amounted to a regulatory cost cut of $6 billion in 2017, and this year it's estimated that Trump's effort will ease Americans' regulatory burden by another $10 billion. While $10 billion is small savings compared to the recent $300 billion omnibus bill, it's certainly a step in the right direction. As James Freeman of The Wall Street Journal notes, "How beautiful is Mr. Trump's $6 billion cut in year one in the regulatory costs imposed by Washington on the U.S. economy? It depends on how you look at it. It is certainly a remarkable and welcome change from his predecessor, who in eight years increased the regulatory burden by some $600 billion."
In spite of stiff resistance from the Washington swamp and the Leftmedia, Trump has been able to succeed where many previous politicians have failed. And he's carrying out the agenda he campaigned on. Americans benefiting from a growing economy are thanking him for it.
That's a big "crumb": United Tech to invest $15 billion, hire 35,000 in U.S. over next five years thanks to GOP tax cuts
United Technologies Corp said on Wednesday it would invest more than $15 billion for research and development and capacity expansion in the United States over the next five years, spurred by the recent tax cuts.
The company also plans to hire 35,000 people in this period and spend about $75 billion with U.S. suppliers to strengthen local economies.
The maker of Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines said about $9 billion of the investment is expected to go towards research and development, including on artificial intelligence and autonomy.
The remaining $6 billion will be used to increase capacity in existing manufacturing facilities and improve efficiency.
For more blog postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, and Paralipomena (Occasionally updated), a Coral reef compendium and an IQ compendium. (Both updated as news items come in). GUN WATCH is now mainly put together by Dean Weingarten. I also put up occasional updates on my Personal blog and each day I gather together my most substantial current writings on THE PSYCHOLOGIST.
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Menticia goes riding and listens to Billy Jonas
This morning I picked Menticia up early and we drove out to Greensboro, where the Gentleman Farmer gave her a riding lesson.
She was quite nervous at first and, to be honest, so was I - I had trouble sleeping last night worrying that she would be too timid to have a good time!
The Gentleman Farmer was quite patient and said "you won't have to do anything you're not ready for." He gave her a brush and she gently (maybe too gently) brushed this patient, elderly horse named Chance.
A running commentary on the difference in temperament between Chance and my donkey Jethro began, and Jethro did not come out very well in the comparison. (The Gentleman Farmer thinks Jethro is crazy and thinks I'm crazy to have him.)
To see what happened afterwards, go to the bottom of the post...
Before you leave your riding lesson, you must kiss the nice horses...
... all of them.
On the way home I put on something I thought there was a fighting chance Menticia would enjoy: the Billy Jonas cd Life So Far. She read the liner notes carefully and said she liked the music. At that point I was so happy and content it almost hurt.
Here is one of the songs (mp3 file at his website).
God is in the child's eyes, see them wide, wondrous, wise
God is in the rain and snow, and each snowflake: this we know
God is in the trees and air; the rocks, the birds, the bees, the bears
God is in the clouds above; God is in each act of love
God is in the oceans deep, some say God goes there to sleep
God is in the mountains high, whistling a lullaby
God is in the darkest woods, God is in your neighborhood
God is in a place that's near; sometimes it's just not so clear
God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in
God is in your strangest pleasure; some say God is into leather
God is into body piercing; in your nipple, lip, and nose ring
God is in your new tattoo, in your scars and birthmarks too
God is in your brand new nose in your control top pantyhose
God is in the latest fad, except for bungy jumping -- thats dangerous and bad
God is in your cellular phone, God will not leave you alone
God is in the internet, wondering why you're not there yet
God is in Vogue, and Spin, and Rolling Stone cuz God is IN! God is in .... God is in ....
God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in
God is in the Christian house; bread and wine and holy cross
God is in the Jewish home; shalom chaverim, shalom
God is in the Muslim, Allah hu akbar salaam
God is in the Hindu way, jai bagwan! namaste
God is in those dancing Pagans, in each drop of perspiration
God is in the Wicken coven; twelve plus one -- a perfect dozen!
God is in the Druid's song, that's why they go on so long
God is in the Buddhist's chair saying "don't just do something -- sit there!"
God is in the Vatican; God goes there for vacation
God is in the Quaker meeting, sleeping 'til they start the singing
God is in your guru; how do you spell that? "Gee, you - are - you"
God is in the atheist, saying "yeah, I don't exist"
God is in the flowing Tao, then and now and now and now
God is in the Rastaman; I and I and on and on
God is in the Moonie wedding; who gets who -- begin the betting
God is in the Hare Krishna, rub their heads and make a wish now
God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in
God is in your bank account, sometimes juggling the amount
God is in your ATM, counting bills and stacking them
God is in your college fund, laughing cuz it's gone gone gone
God is in your IRA, adding interest every day
God is in your pocket change, your job is giving it to strangers
God is in the beggar's cup; sometimes God just fills it up
God is in the empty hand, spent it all on cheap Almaden;
God was in the S & L's but left, that's why they went to hell
God is in the Wal-Mart; greets you with a shopping cart
God is in your old jalopy, makes it go when it should not be
God is in the Greyhound bus, sitting in back, watching us
God is in 'tourist class,' on a frequent flyer pass
God is in the pilot light; dancing through the night
God is in the radio, Wolfman Jack told me so
God is in the microwave, unless you try to use something metal -- then the microwave is
the devil; also don't microwave with plastic wrap cuz it forms molecular bonds with
your food and turns your intestines into Tupperware
God is in your Tupperware, but not the lids so buy some spares
God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in .... God is in
God is in the ozone layer; holier and holier
God is in the atom bomb, or at least the atom bomber's mom
God is in Chechnya, Sobrenica, Slovenica, Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovia, Montana,
God is incredulous at all the stuff we do to us
God is inspired by those who fly and those who try
God is insatiable so sing and dance way past full
God is in you and me, someday God will help us see that
God is in love with love so live and love and that's enough
God is inside of you and all you don't and all you do
God is in your greatest doubt, the jury's out, the doctor's out, but
God is in, God is in, God is in your darkest sin, and out and in, and out and in, and God is
in .... Goddess in .... God is Zen .... Got us in .... God is in
Then we went and stuffed our faces at the excellent Fiesta Grill on Highway 54.


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Member of the week [15 August - 21 August 2011] - AmareshDear Members,
I am really happy to announce the Member of the Week award of Karnataka Spider for the week (15/08/2011 to 21/08/2011). The award goes to Amaresh.
Amaresh has been one of the consistent members of KSR since when he joined KSR. Eventhough he has been a nice performer for the past few weeks, his last week contribution with KSR was comparitively great. So, our beloved member of KSR, Amaresh wins this Member of the week award.
Please join with me to congratulate Amaresh..


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Standard Chartered has been forced to strip its finance boss of his responsibilities to oversee the lender's risk division following pressure from the Bank of England.
Richard Meddings, who has been group finance director of Standard Chartered since November 2006, had to hand over governance responsibility of risk to Peter Sands after the Prudential Regulation Authority said it was concerned with Meddings holding two conflicting roles, according to news reports.
In particular, the PRA, the Bank of England's financial watchdog, was concerned with the potential conflict between Meddings' finance responsibility and his duty to oversee risk operations.
"Risk is run by Richard Goulding, the risk chief executive officer, and this governance change ensures we are well placed to meet future regulatory requirements," said a spokesman for Standard Chartered.
Before joining Standard Chartered Meddings worked a group finance director of Woolwich, and was group financial controller of Barclays.
He was previously tipped to become the chief executive officer of RBS after Stephen Hester announced his decision to resign from the lender after five years at the helm.
The Bank of England declined to comment on individual firms.


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With as many as 10,000 people ready to converge on her home for the next two weeks, Jan Ogurcak can hardly contain her enthusiasm.
After all, the 23,000 square-foot brick structure she calls home has plenty of space and many interactive and state-of-the-art features. She loves visitors of all ages, and believes they enjoy their time at her place, too.
"It's a great place for the young and the young at heart," Ogurcak said. "There's something here for everyone."
Ogurcak's "home" is the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum in South Williamsport, Pa.
She serves as director of the facility that will welcome some 10,000 visitors -- one third of its total for the entire year -- during the Little League World Series, scheduled Aug. 20 to 29.
"It's an exciting time of year for us," said Ogurcak, who earned her Penn State degree in journalism in 1977. "We get some visitors who come every year and many more who come for the first time. No matter how often they've been here, though, you can see them come in the door and just relax -- their shoulders kind of drop and they get this smile on their face."
Orgurcak oversees day-to-day operations of the museum, which gives her responsibility for artifacts and exhibits, educational programs and the museum gift shop. She leads a staff that includes the museum's curator and many volunteers -- a group that swells at World Series time.
Before joining Little League in 2005, she worked for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette for 18 years. She was lifestyle editor at the paper after initially working as a reporter and earning greater responsibilities.
A baseball infield welcomes museum visitors, who can conduct a cell phone audio tour or complete self-guided tours of the facility. A logical layout makes the museum easy to navigate so visitors can follow the development and progress of Little League Baseball while capitalizing on opportunities to use a batting cage or time themselves running from home plate to first base.
A mix of standing and traveling exhibits also makes the museum timely and vibrant.
During the World Series, the museum will play host to "NASA and Little League" and later this fall, from Sept. 18 to Nov. 14, the museum welcomes "Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente," a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution and the first such exhibit to be developed in two languages -- in this case English and Spanish.
"We always have something special, it seems," Ogurcak said. "We had the Phillies World Series trophy last year and this year we also have an exhibit about the Pittsburgh Pirates. Still, it's the Little League stuff that people seem to like most."
A collection of TV highlights from each World Series help bring the games to life, as does Ogurcak's enthusiasm and expertise. Also, when the weather gets really hot some fans move to the museum to watch games from the nearby stadiums on TV.
During the month of August, the museum extends its hours for the World Series, serving visitors from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Admission costs $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens (62 and older) and $1.50 for children age 5 to 13. Children 4 and under are admitted free.


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If you thought Farzi was already twisted, wait till you see the new additions to the menu! I love how this restaurant always manages to have fun with its food and not be bogged down by 'authentic' or 'traditional' combinations. Molecular Gastronomy, Modern Indian food, Artistic Plating and Gimmicky cutlery – not everything might work right off the bat, but it definitely gives your brain and your palate something to chew on. Ready for the Farzi Twist? I sure am and lip-smackingly so!
Drinks are served in funky glasses with even funkier concoctions, but I always gravitate towards the Chai-Pani for it's drama and surprisingly balanced taste. Literally translating to Tea-Water, this drink gives you a smoking drink in a glass kettle with Coffee Liquer, Tea decoction, Apple juice, Earl Grey Smoke and Vodka. The orange peels in your little chai glass make it even more refreshing! Definitely one of my favourite cocktails in Bangalore. The other drink on the table was a Bottle Ka Gin, served in … wait for it…. a bottle shaped like the Eiffel Tower! Gin, lime, vanilla, angostura bitters and cinnamon smoke topped with ginger ale make this a drink with complex flavours.
What followed was an afternoon of food debauchery and I'm glad I had two of my compadres to partake in the feast.
The Amuse Bouche consisted of a Spherification of Mango Yogurt with a mango sauce. Just a bust of summer on my tongue! I could easily polish off a dozen of these yolk-like beauties.
We had a salad next. A Dhokla would probably not fit my idea of a salad, but I'm glad I tried the Dhokla and Farsan Salad with Seasonal greens and Tadka Chilli. The dhokla was soft and spongy and the accompanying tangy chutneys made it a delight to eat. The plating reminded me of a mini fantasy garden and I'm definitely going to repeat this order. But again, not really a salad, because – Show me the greens!
The Dal Moth Matka Chaat is something I would fully support, as a feature on the regular menu. Perfect Delhi-style chaat with a much-loved lentil mixture like Dal Moth. The apple slices provided a crunchy tang and made our mouth water. The smoke from the plate was definitely unnecessary but I heard people from other tables gasp with surprise, so I'm thinking it probably works for most people.
When the next appetizer arrived in a hollowed out rolling pin, I realized I just had to grin and bear the 'creative' cutlery. The dish inside however was a firecracker and did complete justice to the fieriness of the Guntur chilies of Andhra. This Chilli Chicken is a perfect accompaniment to beer and that's exactly why our next round of drinks were a couple of KF's.
It's a good thing we had our beers rolling in, because the Sion Prawn Koliwada demanded it as well. Batter fried prawns in a koliwada marinade from Maharashtra, sprinkled with pomegranate dust and curry leaves are the perfect bar snack. They threw in a couple of prawn crackers as well and we shamelessly competed to fish out the last one.
The Mac and Cheese Parkora Bites made a grand entrance on the back of a cycle carriage, but needed more than that to save them from being relegated food at a kid's birthday party. The Patti Samosas also fell in the same category though the chilli chicken filling scored over the tandoori soya chap one.
I always look forward to the charcoal colored Appam and the impeccable Bheja Fry it is served with. However, the twist menu introduced a veggie version with an Asparagus and Water Chestnut Kurma. The silky gravy provided a perfect bed for the crunchy water chestnuts and the fresh asparagus. The accompanying chutneys on the plate went well with the appam but definitely take the focus away from the kurma. Maybe we should omit these sly show stealers next time.
The opinions on bastardizing our beloved Bisi Bele Bhaath were intense. The bhaat itself was executed like a risotto with Arborio rice, but they also added in charred artichokes and cherry tomatoes to give it a more tangy finish. Did I like it? – No. Did my friend like it? – Yes. Did a friend of my friend like it? – Yes. Did my husband like it – No. So you can see how this is probably a fence-sitter. I'll let you form your own opinion.
I wish I had saved some space for this completely audacious maincourse of Mutton Shawarma and Biryani. I mean, how do you take two awesome standout dishes and put them together in one plate and expect them not to overshadow each other? But guess what, Farzi did – and it totally worked! Reminded me of another experiment of a Biryani-Cheese-Burrito that worked as well. In hindsight, I think I'm just addicted to Biryani like 90% of Indians. It's about time someone named it our National Dish, no?
I expected Desserts to be theatrical. But they just came pretty on a plate, like they already knew how awesome they were and didn't need to try too hard. (Yes, I'm referring to the Mac and Cheese Balls here :P). The Ghewar Malai Tart could rival the ones that you get in quaint Mithai stores of Rajasthan. The saffron foam and Pistachio dust were a lovely addition and for once I can't complain about tasteless bubbles covering my food! The best I saved for last – the Smoked Rasmalai with Rabri and Strawberries. It was too much goodness on one plate and I relished every indulgent bite.
The new menu additions have many twists and turns, but overall the experiment has definitely resulted in some winners. I'd recommend a nice afternoon lunch to fully enjoy the colours and theatrics on your plate. But make sure you book a table in advance – the kitty party aunties seem to grab the best ones.
Farzi Cafe
202, Level 2, UB City
Vittal Mallya Road, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.
Phone : 91 7259400900
Cost : INR 2000 for a meal for two with alcohol


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Sandrine Maljean-Dubois*
Ranking among the basic challenges for the implementation of international environmental law in general and the Kyoto Protocol in particular are the monitoring of compliance by signatory parties and sanctions in case of non-compliance. Contrary to other international environmental protection conventions, the Kyoto Protocol is based on economic tools governed by the "invisible hand" of the market rather than by any official regulator. Nevertheless, the efficient monitoring and sanctioning of breaches are vital conditions for the smooth running of the system and are justified by their ability to support economic competition.
The Protocol's negotiators had this in mind from the outset. However, during the Kyoto conference in 1997, no agreement was reached as to the actual content of a non-compliance procedure. This thorny issue was postponed until the first Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP). In 1998 a working group was set up and, after several meetings, it succeeded in drawing up a non-compliance procedure. Particularly controversial, this procedure was part of a package deal represented by the Bonn-Marrakech agreements, adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) in 2001. In December 2005 in Montreal, the first COP/MOP did not reopen the discussion on its content and adopted mutatis mutandis the text the COP1 had proposed. The Kyoto Protocol has thus given rise to a non-compliance procedure, which is among the most elaborate and innovative of its kind, while the Compliance Committee is the most powerful and independent of all committees of its kind. The application of this system was then eagerly awaited.
I. The Outline of the Non-Compliance Procedure
This Compliance Committee operates within the framework of a plenary, a bureau and two branches, the "facilitative branch" and the "enforcement branch". The Committee is one of the most powerful and independent committees of its kind established by an environmental convention.2 Made up of 20 members elected during the COP/MOP in Montreal, it has been operational since March 2006. The members, who are elected for four years, sit "in their personal capacity". They are of recognized competence in the field of climate change and in "relevant fields, such as the scientific, technical, socio-economic and legal fields". Furthermore, members of the enforcement branch must have experience in the legal field.
The functions of the plenary are mostly administrative and budgetary. It is the branches that deal with cases of non-compliance, and the bureau that submits implementation issues to the competent branch.
The procedure can be triggered by the secretariat on the basis of non-compliance reports provided by teams of experts, by "any party with respect to itself" or by "any Party with respect to another Party, supported by corroborating information". The system is complex, heavy, extremely sophisticated and rather intrusive, both in the information gathering process (registry techniques, reporting system) and in terms of information processing (checks, compilation, communication). The procedure followed, at least before the enforcement branch, is undeniably hybrid. It goes beyond a classic diplomatic procedure of conciliation or even mediation and presents some jurisdictional traits.3 Indeed, because they are so sophisticated, the control techniques represent an important qualitative leap with regards to the well-tried procedures habitually used until a certain time in international environmental law. Even if numerous weaknesses and flaws remain, the Kyoto non-compliance system still presents in certain respects the picture of a giant with clay feet.
The role of the multidisciplinary facilitative branch is to provide technical and financial advice and assistance to States experiencing difficulty in meeting their commitments. In order to do so, it must consider the "principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities" of States. This approach is above all educational. The branch can facilitate the provision of assistance outside the conventional sphere; it can also turn to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the different conventional funds.
The enforcement branch has a different purpose. Its approach is more intrusive. The enforcement branch is in fact responsible for establishing whether or not the parties comply with their assigned commitments to limit and reduce emissions, with provisions concerning methodology and the communication of information (inventories, reports), and also eligibility criteria for flexibility mechanisms. In the case of a disagreement between a party and an expert review team under article 8, the Branch can also "apply adjustments to inventories" (art. 5§2) or "a correction to the compilation and accounting database for the accounting of assigned amounts" (art. 7§4).
Among the "consequences" when non-compliance is established, the enforcement branch can make a declaration of non-compliance, which constitutes an initial sanction that works through the reputation effect (name and shame). It can also ask the party concerned to present a plan analyzing the causes of non-compliance and indicating the measures and agenda for correcting this situation. The branch can also suspend eligibility for flexibility mechanisms if a party does not meet the criteria set or if its emissions exceed the amounts it has committed to. In this case, the amounts assigned for the following period will be reduced by 1.3 times the excess amount. The sanctions can therefore be considerable. Few international conventions have gone this far in terms of the establishment of a binding regime to react to breaches. Such measures are possible because the Protocol uses economic tools. However, though very elaborate, the system is not totally fail-safe. A State experiencing great difficulty could choose to override it. Of course, it would be excluded from market mechanisms and be "banished" from the community of parties, but it could on the other hand accumulate environmental debts until they became irrecoverable. Everything will depend in the end on the attractiveness of market mechanisms. If they more attractive, more States will fear exclusion and become more likely to accept greater pressure from the private sector to avoid or reduce the duration of such exclusion. Furthermore, the uncertainty surrounding the second commitment period (post-2012) is somewhat undermining motivation. Finally, as national objectives are negotiated by States, a party could always renegotiate its reduction objectives for the second period, integrating the weight of potential penalties.
II. The Committee's Practical Impact
Set up in March 2006, the Committee has experienced a steady increase in its power. The main part of its function is indeed the verification of compliance with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Yet this substantial evaluation will not be examined before the end of the first period of commitment, in 2012. In the meantime, the Committee is in charge of verifying that the numerous procedural or administrative obligations imposed on the member states by the Protocol itself have been implemented, and that several important decisions from the Meeting of Parties have been added. Though procedural, these obligations are no less essential. They allow for the assessment of the quality and reliability of national inventories on emissions and of how comparable they are. They are thus necessary to evaluate at a later stage the reductions implemented. The verification must also allow the assessment of policies and measures set up to fight climate change and establish that the Party has set up a system, particularly a national register, allowing it to take part in the exchange mechanisms. The obligations are verified by expert review teams that are coordinated by the secretariat and act according to guidelines provided by the Meeting of the Parties. The Committee has already had to deal with five cases: one in the facilitative branch, and the four others in the enforcement branch. In the case involving Greece, the enforcement branch considered that the Greek system for recording greenhouse gas emissions was defective and notably suspended Greece's eligibility to take part in the flexibility mechanisms of the protocol for several months, thereby preventing its participation.
Even if it is still too early to assess how well the compliance procedure works, its future is nonetheless under discussion in current negotiations on post 2012. All options remain open for the moment: will the verification procedure be kept or improved? Or will it be weakened, or cancelled in favor of a decentralized system of verification resting on the power of States alone?
* Researcher
at the CNRS (CERIC-UMR 6201, CNRS Université Paul Cézanne,
Aix-Marseille III), firstname.lastname@example.com.
The author led a research project over several years financed by the
ADEME, which ended with the publication of a collective book: Changements
climatiques. L'enjeu du contrôle international,
La Documentation Française, Paris, 2007.
1 Decision 27/CMP1, Procedures and mechanisms relating to compliance under the Kyoto Protocol, FCCC/KP/CMP/2005/L.1.
2 J. Voïnov Kohler, Le mécanisme de contrôle du respect du Protocole de Kyoto sur les changements climatiques : entre diplomatie et droit, Doctoral thesis in Law, University of Geneva, 2004, p. 139.
3 L. Boisson de Chazournes & M. Mbengue, "À propos du caractère juridictionnel de la Procédure de non-respect du Protocole de Kyoto", in Changements climatiques. Les enjeux du contrôle international, op. cit., p. 206.
Copyright (c) 2010 Sandrine Maljean-Dubois
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Amsterdam Law Forum - ISSN 1876-8156 - is an open access initiative supported by the VU University Library.


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All Rights Reserved.
Aliens Revealed ™
Copyright © 2015
Aliens Revealed ™
Copyright © 2015
The following article is Part 1 of a collection of information regarding the most devastating period in the history of the world. This article is merely speculating on the events that will unfold based on what the Bible states and the current signs of our times. Always refer to the Bible, which is the inerrant Word of God, for the events that are to come. The book of Revelation describes these future events without error. In these last days, I pray that many choose Jesus Christ as their Saviour so that they don't have to go through the Tribulation years that will be Hell on earth.
The Tribulation Part 1 - The Groundwork in Place
It happened in the "twinkling of an eye." The Rapture event. God had warned about this event in the Scriptures and He used his Saints in the End Times as well; but few listened. The faithless were caught like an animal in a snare; trapped. Left behind. Now the Saints who tried to warn the lost are gone. Vanished. God had provided an escape for the Saints as He had promised. A dark time of confusion for those who remain. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:36)
Millions upon millions of true believers in Jesus Christ suddenly disappeared. A moment of chaos across the world as some planes fell out of the sky, automobiles crashed, earthquakes, and various other incidents. People were talking and then suddenly the person vanished before their eyes. Leaving the person left behind dumbfounded and shaken. Two slept in a bed and one disappeared. "I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left" (Luke 17:34). The confusion all over the earth never seemed so strong and in disbelief the faithless tried to figure out and rationalize what had just taken place.
Satan and his servants were ready for the Rapture event. Everything was prepared years in advance before the Rapture. The groundwork was laid. Just as with the Satanic pyramid with the "all seeing eye", Satan's servants were just waiting for the capstone for the top - Satan himself. Satan was just waiting for the Rapture by Jesus. The Illuminati, a secret group of Satanic Elitists, controlled the vast majority of the media. From the television "programming" to Satanic Hollywood- people were being preconditioned for the Rapture and they didn't even know it. The subject of "aliens" from outer space was everywhere for decades before the Rapture. A critically acclaimed director made "E.T." and numerous other movies on "aliens" and served his Illuminati masters well. The seed had been planted. A popular show called "Ancient Aliens" spread their lies for mass consumption. All of this prior conditioning was conducted so that people would readily believe that so-called "Aliens" took the missing. The reality was that the Rapture was done by Jesus Christ. The Lord called up his Bride (true believers in Christ).
Nasa had been lying to the public for decades as well. Most of the "sheeple" believed that man had landed on the moon in what looked like a cheap landing craft made with tinfoil. Signs stuck on the craft with tape. Somehow this flimsy looking craft made it through the radiation belt that should have destroyed the astronauts - or should we say, "astro-NOTS". The astronauts like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were perceived as great heroes when in reality they were great liars who deceived their own - mankind. The American flag on the moon blowing in the wind. Light and shadows in the photographs that defy the laws of physics. If the public had only known about the cables and slowing down the footage for the astronauts jumping to make it appear weightless in another atmosphere. Not to mention that years later they would film the astronauts in large pools of water to simulate the weightlessness of space in front of a green screen.
The Roman Catholic Church was no help to those left behind after the Rapture. Years before the Catholic Church had put out a statement that if there was found to be "alien" life - that they would welcome our "space brothers." This is some of that statement, "If aliens exist, they may be a different life form that does not need Christ's redemption, the Vatican's chief astronomer said..."This is not in contrast with the faith, because we cannot place limits on the creative freedom of God," he said. "To use St. Francis' words, if we consider earthly creatures as 'brothers' and 'sisters,' why can't we also speak of an 'extraterrestrial brother? "he said." (Catholicnews.com). This was the worst possible stance they could have taken which lead to millions of the left behind falling right into Satan's trap. Instead of the Catholic Church teaching that salvation is through faith in Jesus alone, not works, the Catholic Church was actually an aid to Satan to lead many to destruction. Not to mention, that in 2014, Pope Francis stated that it was "dangerous" to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, "In his address, he warned against those who "think they can have a personal, direct, immediate relationship with Jesus Christ outside of the communion and the mediation of the Church." (WTPRS.com) A complete lie from this Pope! You and I need a personal relationship with Jesus to be saved! Religion and the church will not save you. Only putting your trust in Jesus ALONE and receiving him as your personal Saviour will your sins be forgiven by him.
The Satanist Illuminati had also infiltrated the United States government. It was certainly pretty obvious when you saw photos of Obama flashing Satanic hand signs. Obama's campaign slogan of "Yes We Can" played backwards had his supporters yelling "Thank You Satan." America had become a police state years before the Rapture and the sheeple didn't even know it. The United States Constitution suffered a death of a thousand cuts as Presidents over the years shredded it until there was no resemblance to original. The rights had been stripped away from the "sports and reality show" occupied citizens to the point where they could be held in prison with no trial for an indefinite period of time. The intentional and deliberate "dumbing down" of America had served it's purpose. The "Patriot Act" was put into law after the false flag attack on 9/11. "The Patriot Act was established after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and its main point was to protect people from terrorism. Specifically, it allows FBI agents to search personal information of people, to read their emails, and listen to their private phone calls. Before the Patriot Act, the agents were not allowed to do this kind of research. They would need to have the permission of a judge." (Kean.edu) Yes. A police state just as in the times of Nazi Germany. Checkpoints and all.
The Federal Reserve, which is in fact privately owned, bled the USA dry over decades of printing trillions upon trillions of dollars out of thin air and then charging the country interest that it could never hope to repay. The people of the nation were sold out by the Elite. The International Bankers. The Satanic Illuminati pyramid was on the dollar bill all along. The Elite secret societies controlled the government. John F. Kennedy intended to smash the criminal CIA and destroy the criminal Federal Reserve because he knew about these and other secret societies - but they killed Kennedy before he had the chance. In fact, JFK did a speech at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel on April 27, 1961. The following is some of that speech, "The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it. Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment. That I do not intend to permit to the extent that it is in my control. And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know." -JFK (Thepowerhour.com)
Steps were taken prior to the Tribulation period towards the "Mark of the Beast." The Bible describes the Mark of the Beast, "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Revelation 13:16-18) Hitler did not immediately gas the Jews in the Concentration camps. Hitler slowly progressed his agenda over a period of years. First, taking away the Jewish people's businesses, freedoms, spoon-feeding intense Propaganda, and so forth. Hitler knew that if his true intentions were actioned immediately then there could be a rebellion. The same was true for implementing the "Mark of the Beast." First everyone used paper cash. Then debit cards. After the debit cards, chips were inserted into the debit cards. Then the "Flash" where you just needed to swipe the debit card. Cell phones. Then the RFID chips the size of a grain of rice was put under the skin with all the person's information. Finally, the Mark of the Beast where people could not buy or sell without receiving the Mark. A slippery slope indeed. The Mark of the Beast showed the person's allegiance to Satan and they were completely controllable.
The Mark may have also altered the individual's DNA - thus the reason why a person could not be saved once they received the Mark. Just as the Nephilim, the offspring of Fallen Angels mating with human women, could not be saved. It is truly a shame that so many perished in the Tribulation period for lack of knowledge when God so plainly stated His final judgement concerning the Mark, "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:9-12)
The Bible speaks much about generational bloodlines - and therefore it does concern DNA. For example, the sinful nature is passed on physically by the Father. Babies are born with the sinful nature from birth - separated from God. It all goes back to Adam's sin - the first man. This is the reason as to why Jesus had to be born of a virgin. Mary, Jesus' earthly mother, carried Jesus but there was no earthly father. Jesus could not have been born by an earthly father because he would have inherited the sinful nature from his earthly father and thus his redemptive work on the cross would have been null and void. Praise God that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not man! However, still being born of a woman, Jesus is still fully human. Fully God and fully man. The God-Man.
The Elite also made billions upon billions of dollars over the previous decades by plunging the US into wars using false flag attacks. They knew that they could continue to make more money as long as the war machine was well "oiled". Pun intended. When there was no obvious enemy- the never ending "War on Terror" was created. 9/11 was an inside job orchestrated by criminals from within the government. The Elite, International Bankers, the Shadow Government, the Satanists - whatever you want to call them. The bottom line is that they all serve Satan, or Lucifer, or the Dragon , or the Devil - whatever you want to call that particular fallen angel who had created a rebellion in heaven when he tried to make himself like the Most High. The false flag attacks were done so that they could deceive the public and gain support for the war in Iraq. A war for oil and profit and to destabilize the Middle East. Only to move on to other nations from there.
The Rockefellers helped to found the United Nations. While the UN pretended to be a "Peace Keeping" organization, their real agenda was to unite the world under a New Word Order with the Antichrist as the head - and to also enforce and police it. A Global Government. A One World government as described in the Bible. They used clever titles like "Sustainable Development" which sounded non-threatening but was really a sinister plan to centralize all aspects of human life and taking away the right to personal property. In a nutshell, under the lie of protecting the Earth's natural resources, they relocated people in high density locations so that they could be controlled, always monitored, and literally stacked upon each other in housing. "You see, the real agenda behind Sustainable Development has nothing to do with protecting the environment. It is about controlling the natural resources. If the resources are controlled, the people are controlled."(Daniel Beckett, Freedomadvocates.org).
Fema was a sinister organization that pretended to exist and operate for the good of the people. However, the truth was the complete opposite. Fema, or "Camp Fema," had hundreds of concentration camps readily prepared before the Rapture and Tribulation period. "There over 600 prison camps in the United States, all fully operational and ready to receive prisoners. They are all staffed and even surrounded by full-time guards, but they are all empty. These camps are to be operated by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) should Martial Law need to be implemented in the United States....The camps all have railroad facilities as well as roads leading to and from the detention facilities. Many also have an airport nearby. The majority of the camps can house a population of 20,000 prisoners. Currently, the largest of these facilities is just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska. The Alaskan facility is a massive mental health facility and can hold approximately 2 million people."(Freedomfiles.org)
The warning signs existed long before the Tribulation period just by observing the large scale purchases in which the facts could have been researched prior to the Rapture and Tribulation period. "This information suggests that at some point in our future, something unpleasant is planned, and the government fears the people of our country will rise up in protest. They may also be preparing for a possible domestic insurrection. Whatever it is, it will not be popular with the public.The FEMA purchases of food, body bags, blankets, and pre-packaged meals hints that some type of mass population displacement that seems to be anticipated, and large amounts of people who are deceased, in need of housing, food, water, and comfort. We do know that the combined purchases of 1 billion dollars of food, blankets, body bags, and pre-packaged meals by FEMA, coupled with the purchases of 5,217 armored vehicles and large amounts of ammunition DHS itself, tells us that someone within the DHS management structure believes something terrible is going to happen and they are actively planning for it, procuring for it, and receiving assets that are designated for whatever it is. That tells me something is going to happen down the road, and people know it. When this event will happen, I have no idea. But the government seems to believe it's imminent, or they wouldn't be engaged in such large scale purchases at such a frantic pace." (Beforeitsnews.com)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had been stockpiling ammo for years at a rapid pace…
"Although federal agencies are increasingly hiding their purchases by limiting public information on fbo.gov, it can still be conservatively estimated from available data that the feds have purchased at least 2.11 billion rounds of ammunition since April 2012:
That's enough ammo to kill around 30% of the world's population.
Furthermore, U.S. soldiers were shooting around 5.5 million rounds of ammunition per month during the war in Iraq, or 66 million rounds annually. Using that figure, the feds have stockpiled enough ammo over the past two years to fight a 32-year war." (Infowars.com)
The end game result of these Illuminati organizations was to bring order out of chaos. A New World Order. Martial Law. Military exercises, like "Jade Helm," took place with increasing intensity before the total collapse of the U.S. dollar. They knew what was coming. Instead of protecting the American people - they were planning to kill and imprison them. Military vehicles were filtered down to the local police. Not to serve and protect the people, but to protect the police when they were eliminating pockets of resistance. They kept the civilization on the old outdated power grid to keep them controlled when far advanced technology existed. They led an attack on family farms across the nation under the lie that their organic food could be harmful when in reality it was about controlling the people's food source.
The Elite's goal all along was to bring the world's population from over 7 billion people to a manageable 500 million. What was to become of the over 6 billion people? The Elite didn't care because they were "useless eaters" anyway. After all, the Elite had their multitude of underground cities prepared well in advance when the third Nuclear War happened. One of these centers under the earth's surface was under the Denver Colorado Airport. The writing was on the wall - literally. Not just at the Denver Airport. Satan's servants laughed at the hints of their evil agenda with hidden messages, or hints, for decades prior in all of the Media. The sheeple were too dumbed-down to see it. Even when their agenda was in plain site like at the Georgia Guidestones since 1980...
"A message consisting of a set of ten guidelines or principles is engraved on the Georgia Guidestones in eight different languages, one language on each face of the four large upright stones...
- Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
- Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.
- Unite humanity with a living new language.
- Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.
- Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
- Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
- Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
- Balance personal rights with social duties.
- Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.
- Be not a cancer on the earth — Leave room for nature — Leave room for nature.
Part 2 Coming Soon...


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New Music: Isaiah Rashad f/ SZA – 'Ronnie Drake'
TDE continues to impress with its talented roster. With Kendrick Lamar on top and Schoolboy Q up next, the label brings together its newest signees, Isaiah Rashad and SZA, on The Antydote-produced "Ronnie Drake."
The Chattanooga MC drops some knowledge on his powerful bars, while SZA sings the soulful hook.
"Came a long way from a boat and an auction/ Now we got names and a vote and a coffin," raps Isaiah.
Check their conscious flow below.


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Sicily's culture has remained true over the years; even in the largest cities you'll experience the Sicilian zest for life. As the summer months come creeping through Europe,
Sicily is one of the liveliest and most relaxing places to spend an unforgettable vacation depending on what you want to do. The people will embrace you,
the history will bedazzle you, the food will amaze you and the summer festivals will be fun-filled.
Check out our accommodation online today!
Sicilian cuisine is a main attraction and greatly reflects the rich Mediterranean diet. Sicily's plentiful bars are full of delicious foods such as arancine (fried rice balls stuffed with meat and cheese or spinach and cheese), crocché (fried potato dumplings with cheese) or sfincione (a local form of pizza) to name a few.
Sicily is also known for its fresh seafood, try the grilled swordfish, snapper, seppia spaghetti (cuttlefish) served with black squid ink or fresh sardines with some lemon.
Most restaurants you will find are very reasonably priced compared to the northern parts of Italy and the quality is second to none. One thing not to miss are Sicilian desserts!
Cannoli, Cassata, Gelato and Granita just to name a few of the best ones that will melt in your mouth.


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It's no secret Google uses links to measure the authority of web pages. If a web page attracts links from other
pages Google's algorithm, the software it uses to rank pages and decide which page is number one for a search result, increases the importance of a page.Link Building is the process of creating inbound links to ones own website.
This can be done by reciprocal links, being listed in e-zines, newsletters, directories, search engines, etc. Link building is one of the best ways to make your site popular. There are few types of linking one of which is reciprocal links.
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This Is How Volunteering Will Help Your University Application
Education is our passport to the future; for tomorrow belongs to those that prepare for it today. – El Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X)
Although volunteering improves the overall quality of life for the served community, it also benefits the volunteer. Many young people often wonder how volunteering will benefit them and if it will truly help their university application. In this post we show you how volunteering will help your university application and future employability.
Reasons To Volunteer Abroad
For almost 40 years Harvard College in the USA has recommended that students take time off before applying to university; the reason being that it makes you more globally aware, broadens your views and understanding of critical issues, develops your skills and makes your more employable.
Travelling and volunteering abroad is a popular way to learn more about yourself and the world we live in. Whether you get to travel for six days or six months, make sure to engage in activities that help you establish and further develop your personal, academic or career goals.
It was found that taking time off before applying to university improves students' overall graduation rates and the personal benefits were uncountable. Most students who took time off to volunteer indicated that they gained a clearer vision of their future career goals and would do it all over again if given the chance.
Gain New Practical Skills and Techniques
Volunteering is exciting in that it lets you continue furthering your education or go down a completely new path of exploration. If you choose to volunteer within your future career path you gain a better understanding of what it is all about; practical experience teaches you things that theory cannot. Most organisations hold orientation on site and support their volunteers throughout the entire project. This means that even if you have never tried something like scuba diving before you can join a program and give it a go!
Develop Your Soft Skills
When travelling and volunteering abroad you get the unique chance to develop your soft skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and listening skills. Of course, when volunteering there will be the goals of the project that you will be assisting with, but it is also important to think about what personal development you want to dedicate time to while abroad.
• If you want to improve your writing skills why not start a blog?
• If you want to test out your leadership wings why not take charge of a project at your volunteer site?
• If you want to improve your communication skills make sure to reach out to as many people outside of the volunteering sphere as you can!
As you volunteer and explore abroad, you come across new people and places that challenge and expand your ideas and beliefs. This is not a bad thing at all, in fact, this phenomenon can put ahead of the rest of the pack when applying to university.
Improve Your Employability
It is a known fact that volunteer experience abroad counts in your favour when applying for university and later on for a job. International experience helps you become a global citizen, improves your intercultural fluency, and personal and professional skills; these attributes will make you more globally minded and in turn, more employable.
A World of Experience is a report about the benefits of international experience released by the British Council, and states that people with international experience are more flexible and adaptable in the workplace. Experience abroad is associated with confidence in a foreign language, an understanding of an intercultural society and innovative ideas. As a global citizen, you can prove that you are adaptable and can conquer any challenges that life may throw at you. While you are volunteering, try and reach out to as many people as possible, all the volunteer staff members are specialists in their field and they know people you might want to get to know too; your networking efforts can help you build contacts to land your future dream career.
Ready to start making a difference? Find out more about GVI's international, award-winning volunteering programs and internships! Choose from community development, animal care, teaching, women's empowerment, and conservation projects worldwide!
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text:
Stephen W. Gibson
"Adopt Habits that Lead to Success"
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Adopt Habits That Lead to Success
Wow. It's really great to be with you. It's exciting to be here. This is a devotional, however, and the word was I was supposed to be myself, so I don't exactly feel it a conflict, but I hope that in the next few minutes that we do laugh just a little bit, and we have just a little fun together. I won't say anything that will embarrass anybody, but I just might as well start right now. I did not realize—I didn't really get the memo—I noticed as I was sitting here and said to … you know, that I was supposed to wear my most professional dress on Tuesday. I didn't even wear a dress. And you know, I apologize for that. I just didn't get that message.


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