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In case you haven't noticed, testing new skin care has become somewhat of a past time for me.
This post is in collaboration with Apothederm, via Shopping Links. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. My knack for testing new skin care is actually part of the reason my posts do come many days apart. I mean it takes at least a week to properly test new skin products. 1 or 2 days is not enough. Ok, so story time.
When I was in high school, I had really bad acne. I remember going into my first day of high school, and I had different sized pimples and my face was so red. Back then, my solution was to pack on the powder and just cover it all up so it wasn't quite so red. I used to cry, and feel so defeated that I couldn't control my face and how it was acting out. Over time, my hormones got somewhat in check and the acne was smaller and smaller. To this day, I have acne on my forehead but it's so hard to see it's almost like it's not there. I can feel them creeping back sometimes, especially if I'm stressed or having a tough week (between work, blog, and all the usual responsibilities.) That's why I like to have an acne resistant skin care routine in my back pocket, so I can quickly combat incoming acne before it gets really bad.
The first step in my skin care routine (as long as I don't have makeup on my face since that would need to be removed first) is a cleanser. The Brightening Cleanser is one of the best cleansers I've experienced in a long time. It comes out of the bottle in a gel-like consistency which foams up a bit and spreads beautifully across the skin. Given it's a brightening cleanser, it helps to tone your skin and also add that additional brightening effect. Even though it's really gentle on the skin, it has an exfoliating effect because it helps loosen those pesky dead skin cells so they can easily be washed away. A common element in all good skin care these days is the ability for cleansers and moisturizers to help protect the skin from further damage, which is a huge plus in and of itself. This cleanser helps protect from free radical damage, so you're getting long-term benefits from using this line.
After the good ole cleanse, I use the clarifying toner. Most people I know do not use a toner daily or even often because they don't necessarily see the benefit of a toner. When I explain a full skin care routine, many think it's too much but truthfully I've gone through the motions and while it may seem like a lot, every product has its own benefits and no one product can do the job of them all so it makes sense to use a few products (in this case it's only 3!) to get the job done. This toner will help to get rid of the day's griminess and that's the best way to describe the toner's purpose. It is a liquid that is applied to a cotton pad, and then you run the cotton pad gently all over your face. You will see once you're done that there's a lot of residue on your skin that's brown or black (or a variety of colors.) Toning helps to removes dirt, oil and make-up. I will say I don't use the toner as my main makeup remover, but more so as a secondary makeup remover to ensure it's all off my face. The toner also helps to calm and soothe skin, which is a big benefit for me since my skin is so sensitive.
Now the last step of this skin care routine is using the Bright Skin Serum which is a specialized formula that helps refine, brighten and hydrate in the process of evening skin tone. For those of you who don't know me personally, you would think my skin was perfect through photos but I have unevenness in my skin's texture, and I also have a lot of redness. This serum has helped with texture as well as the uneven skin tone. The SmartPeptide™ technology targets impurities to reduce blotchiness, discoloration and unevenness like my own. I also like the consistency of this serum because it's lightweight and blends easily into the skin. When I wake up in the morning, my skin is brighter and looks more plump and alive. Exactly what we're all going for each day!
After using this three step skin care system in the evenings for the past week, I have really found a significant difference in my skin when I wake up. It's brighter, tighter and looks much healthier. I've had some seriously long nights, and using all of these products has helped keep my skin in good condition.
What's your fave way to keep acne away and make skin brighter?


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Car wash to benefit Bethel fire victims
BETHEL -- A car wash Saturday behind the Bethel Municipal Center will benefit two families whose homes were gutted in a fire July 12 at the Hudson Glen Condominiums off Fleetwood Drive.
The car wash is being run by the Bethel Pro Access Teen Center and is just one of the ways the community has reached out to the families.
The Bethel Youth Commission asked the teens at the center if they wanted to run the car wash, and so far about 30 have volunteered to help Saturday.
"It's been a great response, and the people unable to help have been sending donations," Hilda DeLucia, the director of the teen center, said Thursday.
Bethel Social Services and the American Red Cross are leading efforts to help the families. Additional donations of clothing and money have been left at the Bethel town clerk's office.
Leonore and Francisco Hernandez and their 15-year-old daughter, Jennifer, and 13-year old son, Geordy, lost everything, as did their next-door neighbors, Lisa and Chip Kennedy, and their sons, Nicholas, 12, and Mike, 17.
"People have really helped us out. We really appreciate their help," said Jennifer Hernandez, who will enter the 11th grade at Henry Abbott Technical High School in Danbury next month. Her brother will attend Abbott Tech as a ninth-grader.
"It's still really hard. I know it's just material things, but it's all our memories and childhood things," Jennifer said. "But I still have all my family. We're all together."
The family is staying at a motel now. Jennifer said they hope to continue to live in Bethel.
Officials suspect the fire started in the Kennedy condo, in which the family dog, Natasha, died.
Bethel Fire Marshal Thomas Galliford is working with state police to determine the cause of the fire. He estimates the loss to be up to a $1 million, since the condos on either side of the Kennedy and Hernandez homes also were damaged by water and smoke.
Other groups in town continue to reach out, Town Clerk Lisa Bergh said Thursday.
"Bethel is not a rich town, but when it comes to tragedy or need, everyone pitches in," she said. "It makes me proud to live here. It's really heartwarming."
Contact Eileen FitzGerald at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 203-731-3333.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
how about just [slim]
short & sweet
On Wednesday, November 12, 2003, at 01:26 PM, Kevin Deane-Freeman wrote:
> Quoting andreas <groups (AT) simply (DOT) nu>:
>> Jeff Shanholtz wrote:
>>> Actually, I'd rather see nothing. It just clutters up the message
>>> line to
>>> me. If you just filter the messages into its own folder in your mail
>> client,
>>> then there is no benefit to seeing [slim]. Just my opinion, and
>>> I'm
>>> certainly not complaining - I'm happy to get the messages however
>>> Slim
>>> decides to format them.
>> Well, well... I think I agree with this one! First I was about to say
>> "it was better before..."
>> but I stopped myself...
>> There's loads of headers to choose from for filtering, so why
>> bother...
> so that those who don't filter can see at a glance. i dont care what
> it says,
> just as long as it says something. Its like heading an off topic post
> with OT,
> courtesy. Something short, relatively unique is all that is required.
> However,
> shoudl it be decided to remove it, I wouldn't freak out either. I
> just can't
> see the point in getting fired up over any particular way. I can
> still get the
> messages and i can still read them. Keep with that and I'm happy
> -kdf
Results 1 to 2 of 2
Thread: New Message Board
2003-11-12, 14:34 #1
New Message Board
2003-11-12, 14:42 #2Ron ThigpenGuest
New Message Board
Sean Adams wrote:
> how about just [slim]
and maybe [slim-dev] for the developers?


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New Mexico's Conservation Information and Research Center
You are here
The Natural Heritage Network
The network databases identify species, natural communities, and ecosystems in need of protection at the local, regional, national, and global levels. For species, the network tracks the scientific name, distribution and population trends, habitat requirements, and ecological relationships. For natural communities, databases contain information on vegetation structure and composition, succession patterns, natural disturbances, and the distribution and rarity of specific community types throughout their geographic range. In addition, the network tracks the quality and condition of each occurrence of a community.
Information on both species and communities is compiled from existing sources, including scientific literature, field guides, books, maps, and museum collections, as well as from direct contact with experts. In addition, Heritage scientists conduct field inventories to verify the presence of these species, supplementing the preliminary data with information about the status and locations of each element of conservation interest.
The information contained in the Heritage databases helps facilitate the design and implementation of ecologically sound development projects. If consulted during the early stages of a project, it can help minimize the degradation of resources and prevent costly delays or confrontations over a particular land area. For example, network information might result in rerouting a power line or a new roadway to prevent the habitat destruction of a rare species. The information on rare species also helps scientists and land managers in the stewardship of parks, reserves, and other protected areas.
The Heritage Network is renowned for its objective scientific information. It assigns status ranks to species and natural communities based on their relative rarity. Once a species has been given a global, national, and subnational rank of one to five (with one being the most rare), the Heritage Programs create lists, or scorecards, of species in their region, with the rarest at the top of the list for protection. In effect, these scorecards enable conservation organizations to select the best sites for protecting the rarest species.
By using standardized methods and a computer software package (the Heritage Data Management System) developed and supported by NatureServe™ (formerly ABI), Heritage Programs can exchange and analyze information across geographical and political boundaries. For example, several state Heritage Programs or CDCs can pool information on a region or an ecosystem that encompasses several program's jurisdictions. The Conservancy supports the Heritage Programs by providing training and technical support, computer software and technology transfer, standard methodologies, compatible ecological classifications, and mapping technologies.
The Heritage Programs and Conservation Data Centres created NatureServe™ to represent themselves as a cohesive network. Such representation is valuable in setting policies for data dissemination and exchange, producing joint reports, and determining future systems design. Management of the Network has been transferred from The Nature Conservancy (US) to NatureServe to further strengthen and highlight the activities of the Natural Heritage Network.
Responding to 70,000 information requests annually, the Natural Heritage Network guides decisions ranging from conservation to development. The Nature Conservancy is one of many Heritage Network users. Most users (72 percent) are federal, state, provincial, and local government agencies. Non-profit groups, conservation organizations, researchers, and academics represent 14 percent of all requests, and consultants, corporations, and private landowners constitute the remaining 14 percent.
In many cases, Heritage information is consulted to avoid potentially expensive conflicts involving rare species or natural communities. Heritage information, therefore, helps inform and validate decisions involving rare species and appropriate land management.
In the U.S. Heritage Programs work with the Department of the Interior, including the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Biological Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management, conducting biological inventories and mapping species found on federally owned lands. Other federal agencies that use Heritage data include the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Department of Agriculture, specifically the U.S. Forest Service.
The U.S. National Park Service established a Yellowstone Conservation Data Centre, merging data from the Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana state Heritage Programs to form a complete inventory of the rare species found in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The ecosystem comprises Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and seven adjacent national forests. The Yellowstone Conservation Data Centre will help various federal agencies coordinate management activities in the region, which is threatened by intensifying recreational use, residential building, and resource development.
In Michigan, the state Department of Natural Resources called upon the Michigan Heritage Program when a developer designed a condominium along a stretch of Lake Michigan where the federally and state endangered Michigan monkey flower grows. The Heritage Program provided additional information regarding the location of the monkey flower and other rare plants. The developer avoided legal conflicts with the federal and state governments by modifying the plans for the condominium and even included an educational display on protecting rare plants and their habitats. The developer fenced in colonies of the monkey flower and built a boardwalk from which to view the flowers without damaging them. The plant species was saved, and the condominium was completed.
Arkla, Inc., a natural gas company, planned to build an interstate pipeline from Oklahoma to Arkansas. The company was concerned, however, that the presence of sensitive species along the route might prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from granting the needed permits. The Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory provided information on the rare species during both the planning and the mitigation stages of the project. The Fish and Wildlife staff was able to recommend alternate routes and the Heritage staff was able to successfully identify and inventory a site for a mitigation project, a 2,000-acre area called Cucumber Creek that was purchased and established as a Conservancy preserve.


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Karyavattom and Kazhakkoottam were once the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram city. Eventually, these sleepy villages became a 'Technopolis'. The Kerala University campus is 50 years old and Technopark is 25. Technocity and The Sportshub stadium are recent additions. High rise flats have mushroomed. The roads have widened and are still being widened. The population is truly metropolitan. Like all new cities that appear like a flash mob, most of its new inhabitants are unaware of the local history while they themselves shape the future of the place and presently, its history too.
Kazhakkoottam Mahadeva Temple |Photo Credit: Achuthsankar S. Nair
Is Karyavattom a place where people (or some argue, the scheming landlords, Ettuveettil Pillamar) sat in a circle (vattam) to chat (kaaryam parayan)? Totally unlikely. Vattom is seen in the names of many places in Kerala such as Kuthiravattom and Aanathalavattom and is merely a generic reference to a place. The name 'Karyavattom' arguably originates from the word 'Kaaryakkar', a reference to temple employees. Personnel associated with Kazhakkoottam Mahadeva Temple/Thrippadapuram Temple near the Kerala University campus may have created settlements near the temple.
The 'karyam' in Karyavattom is seen embedded in other nearby places such as Sreekaryam (Sreekaaryakkaran refers to the superintendent of a temple, according to Herman Gundert). Old timers refer to Sreekaryam as 'Cheeyaram'. There is also a place Kariyam, near Sreekaryam, but the 'Kari' in it may also refer to farmlands as in Raamankari in Kuttanad. To comprehensively prove that Karyavattom does not originate from the story of the Ettuveettil Pilla family, one needs to locate references to the place name prior to 1700s.
What about Kazhakkoottam? 'Kazhakkoottam' may have originated from 'Kazhaka Koottam', kazhakam being a reference to the temple authorities (a temple chiefly considered in its political bearing, according to Gundert). Kazhakkoottam Temple is ancient and lends credibility to the above arguments.
Kumizh Theertham pond | Photo Credit: Achuthsankar S. Nair
There are other theories for the name of the place. 'Kazha' could be timber used for construction or ship building. In Mathilakam Records of 1770 AD, the place is mentioned as 'Kazhai Koottam'. Dense plantation (koottam) of kazha could have been there in the place. One of the traditional houses in the area, near Arasinmoodu, bears the name Kootta thengu. Yet another explanation is that there could have been a Kazhaki temple (village goddess) during the Sangam period. V.V.K Valath opines that 'Kazhaki Koottam', gathering in front of 'Kazhaki', could have become Kazhakkoottam. There is an Amman shrine near the Kazhakuttom Shiva temple to lend credibility to this argument. Naduvattam Gopala Krishnan mentions that Shuka Sandesham, a work of the 13th century, refers to travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kollam through a place full of Kazhukan (eagles). He opines it could be 'Kazhuka Koottam' that became Kazhakkoottam. But the travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kollam could also have been through the sea-side instead of the national highway we see now. Unnineeli Sandeham describes travelling from Thiruvananthapuram towards North and refers to the route Palkulangara-Thirippapoor-Muthala Pozhi-Varkala.
There is then the belief that the temple was consecrated by Kalakkode Maharshi, who lived near Kumizh Theertham, a pond, a few kilometres away from the eastern part of the temple, which is extant even today, and the place was named after him as Kalakkode. That Kalakkode could transform to Kazhakkoottam is not tenable. Among all the explanations, one tracing Kazhakkoottam to 'Kazhakam' of Mahadeva temple seems the most tenable.
Ward and Conner (1818) refer to Kazhakkoottam temple along with the major temples in Thiruvananthapuram. They wrote: "The most ancient building is the pagoda on Terumalla Covil hill. Besides the above, there are Hindoo temples, at the following places viz. Trivandrum, Ooloor, Colatoor, Cullicootum and Cuddanumcolum."
They describe the place thus: "Cullicoottum is a populous village on the high road 7.5 miles N.W. by .5 W of Trivandrum; a pagoda stands on the North of the road, the roof covered with plates of brass, having a gilded minaret on the top. An agarum lies to the South of it dedicated to the Goddess Mahadavee, where a festival is annually celebrated and attended by the Rajah, who has a palace on the bank of the reservoir East of it."
Article Courtesy: "The Hindu"


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Damon Young writes:
1. As I listened to Jason Collins and Oprah discuss the extra "stigma" of being gay and Black, I couldn't help but wonder how true the "Blacks are more homophobic than everyone else" sentiment truly is. I think many of us—myself included—have said it so much that we've accepted it to be true, and since we've accepted it to be true, we don't bother challenging or even testing that theory. And, over time, this widely-held theory is repeated as fact.
I'm not here to argue whether it's true or false (at least not yet), but how do we really know? Sure, we can cite a few rap lyrics or some loosely connected vagaries about black people and Christianity, but all that might prove is that a certain type of black person might be more likely to be homophobic. But, once you control for education, class, location, and any other environmental factors, how would we (black people) fare?
This phenomenon sort of reminds of me of the theory that black people are the worst tippers. Whether or not the theory might be true is inconsequential (And yes, I believe it to be true). It's so ingrained into so many people's minds that they don't even bother challenging it, they use confirmation bias to strengthen their beliefs, and after enough circular thinking it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
2. I think that when people say that black people are more homophobic than everyone else, what they're really saying is that black men are more homophobic than everyone else. Black women generally get a pass, and I think that pass is undeserved.
Read the rest at Very Smart Brothas.
Read More: http://verysmartbrothas.com/on-black-people-and-our-homophobia/
Very Smart Brothas is a culture blog founded by and featuring Damon Young (aka \"The Champ\") and Panama Jackson.


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We can help. You can overcome drug addiction and have a better life than you ever thought possible!
Select a City:
We can help! You can overcome addiction and have a better life than you ever thought possible.
There are approximately 783,525 people that currently reside in Delaware as of 2010. Drug and alcohol abuse in is a growing problem.
Alcohol Abuse in Delaware
Out of the 783,525 people residing in Delaware, 360,422 do not consume alcohol and 211,552 report that they drink alcohol once a week or less. So, 564,138 people in Delaware do not drink at a level that would be considered unhealthy or abusive. However, 195,881 people in Delaware drink enough alcohol on a regular basis to be considered abusers of alcohol.
Getting yourself or someone you love into an alcohol treatment center is vital to recovering from alcohol abuse. There are 75,000 alcohol related deaths each year with an annual economic cost of 184 billion dollars.
Studies on the effects of alcohol advertising on adults in the state of Delaware do not show a strong connection between alcohol advertisements and alcohol consumption. However, studies on the effects of alcohol advertising consistently indicate that children in that are exposed to these types of advertisements are more likely to have a favorable attitude toward drinking alcohol and are more likely to become underage drinkers and communicate the intention to most likely drink as an adult.
Drug Abuse Statistics in
Approximately 73,651 people in Delaware abuse some type of illegal drug.
A breakdown of this percentage shows the following:
With such a large number of people in Delaware abusing drugs or alcohol, it is critical to help these individuals get into some type of drug or alcohol treatment program. Addictionca.com provides a wide range of information on all types of drug and alcohol facilities in . If you need further information, you can call and speak to one of our registered drug counselors for assistance in finding a drug and/or alcohol treatment facility. These services are provided free of charge and the call is toll-free.
Counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.1-800-405-8409
Delaware State Facts
Delaware Population: 783,525
Law Enforcement Officers in Delaware: 1,878
Delaware Prison Population: 6,900
Delaware Probation Population: 19,995
Violent Crime Rate National Ranking: 9
2004 Federal Drug Seizures in Delaware
Cocaine: 35.0 kgs.
Heroin: 4.6 kgs.
Methamphetamine: 0.0 kgs.
Marijuana: 11.3 kgs.
Ecstasy: 0 tablets
Methamphetamine Laboratories: 3 (DEA, state, and local)
Delaware Drug Situation: Heroin, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana are the four most available, popular, and trafficked illegal drugs in Delaware. However, clandestinely manufactured drugs, such as methamphetamine, and club drugs, such as MDMA (ecstasy), are also readily available to users of various ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. While OxyContin appears to be less available, other diverted pharmaceutical drugs remain available to users in Delaware.
Delaware's largest city, Wilmington, is located on the Interstate 95 corridor, the east coast's most frequently traveled highway that runs from Boston, through New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, to Miami. Due to its location and proximity to Philadelphia and New York, Wilmington has become a lower-level source city that is accessible both to trafficking organizations looking to move operations from major cities as well as to distributors from within Delaware and from surrounding areas in southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Illegal drugs are primarily distributed by Hispanic and African-American groups that are operating in Delaware and selling drugs that are transported into the state from source cities such as Philadelphia and New York. While Philadelphia's street corner distribution networks are generally considered the main sources of supply for drugs sold to users in Delaware, intelligence indicates that local distribution networks are also directly supplied by trafficking organizations based in New York.
Heroin trafficking and distribution are the DEA Philadelphia Division's top enforcement priorities, especially as investigations reveal that trafficking organizations, in search of new customers, higher profits, and less law enforcement, are relocating from the inner city neighborhoods of Pennsylvania and New York into Delaware. This trend remains a significant concern to state and local law enforcement, community, and treatment officials.
Another concern to Delaware law enforcement officials is the availability of various drugs to teenagers and young adults during the summer months in Rehoboth Beach. Recent investigations revealed that the influx of visitors to this beach community during the summer results in an increased availability of methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), and GHB to individuals who go to nightclubs or attend rave parties there.
Cocaine in Delaware: Cocaine, in powder and crack forms, remains increasingly available and popular in Delaware. Both forms are available in various quantities to users located both in the inner city neighborhoods of Wilmington as well as in smaller cities and towns across the state. Quantities of powder cocaine are also available to local distributors who convert or "cook" the powder cocaine into crack cocaine. Due to its wide availability and relative ease of use (smoking), the popularity and use of crack cocaine continues to increase in Delaware.
Philadelphia and New York City remain the primary source areas of cocaine distributed in Delaware. While some distributors continue to travel to Philadelphia to purchase cocaine and crack cocaine, distributors also travel to New York to purchase large quantities of powder cocaine for distribution to local users or to "cook" and sell as crack cocaine. However, as with heroin, more recent reports indicate that traffickers and distributors from source areas are moving into Wilmington to distribute large quantities of cocaine.
Heroin in Delaware: Heroin is available primarily in northern Delaware, as distributors relocate from source cities (Philadelphia and New York) to Wilmington in order to escape the attention of law enforcement, attract new customers, and sell to existing customers from surrounding areas, including southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland. Although Philadelphia is the primary source for heroin distributors and users in Delaware, reports indicate that larger quantities of heroin were also available and distributed in Wilmington. The relocation of trafficking and distribution organizations over the last few years resulted in the increasing availability of heroin in locations once dominated by powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and other drugs – locations including Delaware.
The increasing availability of cheaper, higher purity heroin over the last few years has caused concern in Delaware over a growing heroin use problem that reaches all socioeconomic backgrounds. Heroin is popular among teens and young adults, who consume heroin either by itself or in combination with cocaine or alcohol, a combination that typically leads to overdose deaths. In Delaware, the perception of heroin remaining a problem only in the region's major metropolitan areas is disappearing.
Methamphetamine in Delaware: Methamphetamine is generally available in limited quantities in Delaware, but according to recent investigations, readily available to those who visit the Rehoboth Beach area during the summer months. The majority of the methamphetamine used in Delaware is supplied by local traffickers who manufacture or produce it themselves as well as by major trafficking organizations operating in California and Mexico. Intelligence indicates that these organizations transport methamphetamine into Delaware using a variety of methods, including private vehicles, commercial bus luggage, and packages shipped via express mail and parcel services.
Though not nearly as popular as heroin, cocaine, or crack cocaine, methamphetamine is attractive because of its longer lasting high and because users can easily produce their own methamphetamine with readily available recipes, precursor chemicals or ingredients, and equipment. Laboratory operators use various means to obtain precursor chemicals, including diversion from legitimate sources and self-production. However, precursor chemicals include commonly used household products/chemicals, such as lye, and over the counter drugs, such as pseudoephedrine, most of which are readily available at retail stores.
Club Drugs in Delaware: MDMA (ecstasy) is primarily available at rave parties and nightclubs in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach (particularly during the summer), but remains available to and popular among teenagers and young adults on college campuses across the state. Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), the GHB precursor gamma butyrolactone (GBL), and ketamine are also available and/or used in popular Delaware nightclubs.
Philadelphia and New York City are the primary source areas for the retail quantities of MDMA available in Delaware. Investigations also indicate that MDMA is smuggled by Israeli and Dutch nationals as well as by members of Russian and Israeli organized crime groups from the Netherlands, through Canada, the Caribbean, New York, and Pennsylvania. Wholesale quantities of MDMA tablets are also shipped and transported directly into Delaware via mail/parcel services or couriers who fly into major international airports, including nearby Philadelphia International Airport, with suitcases or wearing clothing that conceals tablets.
Marijuana in Delaware: Marijuana is readily available in varying quantities in Delaware, such that it is easily obtained and used by individuals from a variety of ethnic populations and socioeconomic sectors. Recreational use of marijuana is popular among high school and college age students, while adults remain the predominant users of marijuana, especially in large social gatherings, such as rock concerts. Reports indicate that marijuana is typically smoked in combination with crack cocaine, heroin, and PCP.
The primary source area of marijuana distributed in Delaware is the US southwest border region, including Texas, Arizona, and California; and Mexico. Various means of transport are typically employed by traffickers transporting large quantities of marijuana into the state, including concealing it among loads in tractor-trailers; private vehicles; passenger luggage on commercial aircraft, buses, and trains; the US Postal Service; and parcel shipping companies (e.g. UPS, Fedex). Smaller amounts of marijuana are "home-grown," as recent reports of indoor and outdoor marijuana grow seizures indicate that smaller growing operations are active in Delaware.
Diverted Pharmaceutical Drugs in Delaware: A variety of diverted pharmaceutical drugs are available to users in Delaware. Oxycodone products remained among the most frequently diverted and used pharmaceutical drugs in the state. According to reports, OxyContin is more expensive and more difficult to obtain in Delaware and as a result, users are switching to heroin. Other oxycodone products, however, such as Percodan, Percocet, Tylox, and Roxicet remain popular in Delaware. Methadone is also popular and available in Delaware. Tablet forms of hydrocodone products, such as Vicodin, Lortab, and Lorcet, and cough syrups, such as Tussionex and Hycodan, remain popular in Delaware.
The most common methods of diverting pharmaceutical drugs are theft, fraud, direct wholesale purchases, physicians and other health care professionals prescribing controlled substances for people with no legitimate medical need, and prescription forgery. According to the Delaware Office of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, another form of diversion, "doctor shopping," has become an increasingly serious problem, such that the number of related investigations increased dramatically in the last several years. Large-scale diversion from independent and chain retail pharmacies remains a problem in Delaware, while illegitimate internet pharmacies are examples of the relatively new phenomenon of employing the internet to facilitate and cover up criminal activity.
Financial/Money Laundering in Delaware: The money raised from drug sales is transported to source areas from Delaware using any or a combination of several common methods. These methods typically fall under one of two categories: physical transportation or electronic transfer. Methods of physical transportation include direct shipment of cash via parcel or mail services and transportation by vehicle employing a variety of concealment measures. Technology developed and advanced in the last several years made the electronic transfer of funds a much more attractive and much less risky method to pay sources of supply around the world. While wire remittance companies are regularly used to transfer money, the use of internet banking to transfer funds into domestic and international bank accounts has become increasingly popular. Money laundering methods include purchasing valuables, vehicles, real estate, and other property with drug proceeds; the creation and use of fictitious front companies and illegitimate businesses, including internet-based companies and businesses; and the "structuring" of electronic transfers over several days, even using several different financial institutions, to avoid transaction reporting.
DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams: This cooperative program with state and local law enforcement counterparts was conceived in 1995 in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. There have been 409 deployments completed resulting in 16,763 arrests of violent drug criminals as of February 2004. There have been three MET deployments in the State of Delaware since the inception of the program: Wilmington (2) and Rehoboth Beach.
DEA Regional Enforcement Teams: This program was designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This Program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States. Nationwide, there have been 22 deployments completed resulting in 608 arrests of drug trafficking criminals as of February 2004. There have been no RET deployments in the State of Delaware.
We have addiction treatment specialists available 24/7, ready to help you find the right treatment choice that meets your financial ability.addictionca.com


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Monday, September 24, 2007
Posted by Annie Ditto at 1:08 PM 6 comments
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Ward Camp Out
Posted by Annie Ditto at 4:26 PM 1 comments
Friday, September 21, 2007
Canning Days
Just in case any of you have recently sat back to wonder "what does Annie do with her extra time?" I thought I'd share my most recent time consuming activity: my attempt at food storage. Now, I don't want to deceive anyone, so I will admit that the peaches and apple pie filling are totally left over from last year, so really all I have done this year (week) are the jars of tomatoes and raspberry jam. There are quite a few jars of tomatoes and tomato sauce due to my mother's habit of buying large quantities of produce at the ever famous Pennsylvania produce auctions...Kelly has informed me that "man cannot live on tomatoes alone"--but if it came right down to it, he probably could.
Posted by Annie Ditto at 2:32 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
First Day of School!
Posted by Annie Ditto at 4:23 PM 2 comments
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Fall is Here!!
Posted by Annie Ditto at 4:45 PM 4 comments
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Proof that Laynie is my daughter...
Posted by Annie Ditto at 9:41 PM 7 comments
Friday, September 7, 2007
A Day at the Park
Posted by Annie Ditto at 1:59 PM 1 comments
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Camping Fun
Kelly had to scare away some pesky raccoons during the night...thank goodness for his bravery! He rescued our peanut M&Ms! How would we have gone hiking without them?!
Posted by Annie Ditto at 4:01 PM 2 comments


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Website OMC
Advertise No. 26 /OMC
Medical Officer-III, E-2 grade recruitment in Odisha Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd.
Qualification: MBBS Degree.Preference shall be given to the candidates with higher qualification & experience.
Age as on 31.05.2019: Not below 21 yrs. & above 32 yrs. Relaxation of age for SC/SEBC candidates as per norms of State Govt.
No.of Posts: 5 (SC -2,SEBC-1, Un Reserved (UR)-2)
Pay Scale : Rs.67,700/- to 1,12,100/-
How To Apply :
Interested eligible candidates are required to download the application format and submit the same duly filled in & signed along with attested copies of Mark sheets & Certificates/ Testimonials in support of their eligibility by Speed Post / Courier in a cover superscribed "APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF MEDICAL OFFICER-III IN E-2 GRADE" so as to reach the General Manager (P&A),The Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd., OMC House, Bhubaneswar-751001 by 20.06.2019 positively.


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The traffic regulations describe how a road user must behave on public roads, so that traffic flows safely and smoothly. It is expected that all road users know and apply the traffic regulations. Sometimes traffic regulations will appear a bit unclear. However, all rules in the regulations have been well thought through, so it is also important to know the underlying line of thought.
There are many dangers on public roads, drivers have to recognize these dangers and respond in the right way. Here you will find an overview of the most common hazards.
Reduce your speed in rain, snow and sleet. The road surface is much smoother in bad weather conditions, so the tires have less grip. In case of a wet road surface it is best to reduce your speed by about 15 km / h. With snow you can best halve your speed. Use snow tires or snow chains when there is snow on the road. On ice you have to drive very carefully, because a vehicle is not controllable on ice. It is therefore very dangerous to drive on ice.
In case of rain or a wet road surface, most tires have a good grip up to about 55 km / h. If you drive faster, the tires start riding on the water like water skis. We call this 'hydroplaning', in dutch water smoothness or aquaplaning. If there is water on the road surface, the tires can completely lose their grip with the road. Bare or worn tires can lose their grip at much lower speeds. The best way to prevent hydroplaning is to reduce the speed in case of rain or a wet road surface.
In road works, temporary orange colored lines are often painted on the road surface. The orange stripes then replace the white ones.
Crossing animals can cause dangerous traffic situations. In green areas it often happens that animals cross the road.
Help us promote traffic rules on the internet, together we can make the public road safer for everyone. Post a comment or share with your friends on social media!


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Why Babbitt's advice to Obama doesn't quite hit the mark
It was constructed as some advice for President Obama, a call to action for the executive branch, "the best, and likely only hope for meaningful progress" on the environment. But former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt's speech to the National Press Club on June 8 seemed to serve a higher purpose: To educate the press and the public about the legacy of conservation in this country, and to recall how a gang of radically right-wing members of Congress sought to dismantle that legacy in a series of under-the-radar attacks.
It's by now an old, familiar dance, as old and familiar to Babbitt as it is to anybody paying attention. Western members of Congress posture to eliminate wilderness protection laws, loosen up restrictions on mining and drilling or make more land available for grazing, forcing presidents and their delegates to back away from their lofty conservationist goals or weather a backlash that could blow them out of office. And when they don't win, they slap new anti-environmental laws as "riders" on important legislation – appropriations bills, budget compromises – and dare the President to veto them.
But Babbitt's contention to Obama -- that President Bill Clinton held fast to environmental principles with great electoral success – is a misleading bit of revisionism that deserves some analysis.
Babbitt admits that he and Clinton succumbed to the rider trick in 1995, when a shrill Republican House majority, "in thrall to then House Speaker Gingrich," attached a rider to an appropriations bill allowing "salvage logging" in national forests. Clinton didn't veto, Babbitt says, and regretted it later.
"It was a big mistake," Babbitt says, "that set off a prolonged and destructive episode in the history of our National Forests." In its aftermath, "President Clinton vowed to veto any additional anti-environmental riders," Babbitt claims, adding that "Congress, aware that when the President commands the high ground, he will carry public opinion, backed off."
But is that really true? Can a U.S. President in the 21st Century stake out a righteous position on the environment and move the public to follow? Maybe it worked for Teddy Roosevelt, who used his own 1906 Antiquities Act – a law that allows the executive branch to declare national monuments without Congressional approval -- to protect 800,000 acres in the Grand Canyon. But if we're using Clinton as an example, probably not.
Clinton was exactly where Obama is now when he let that logging rider get through – in the precarious third year of his first term. He didn't all of a sudden start vetoing everything with an anti-environmental rider attached right then and there; in fact, he didn't explicitly pledge to veto more anti-environmental riders until close to the end of his tenure in 1999, and then only after environmental groups had ridden herd on him for years to do so. Many sops to ranchers and carmakers were tacked on to the 1998 budget bill, including a law exempting certain grazing permit renewals from environmental review.
And Clinton's own use of the Antiquities Act, the creation of a 1.7 million acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, set off a backlash that reverberates to this day.
That's not an argument to release the pressure on the Obama administration to do better on the environment, and it's certainly healthy to shine a light on the legislative machinations of this machination-happy Congress. A lot of post-midterm political capital was spent or salvaged with those anti-environmental riders in the March budget compromise: House Republicans slipped in language nullifying Interior Secretary Salazar's "Wild Lands" initiative, his move to protect wilderness study areas announced at the start of the year; Montana Senator Jon Tester delisted the gray wolf with a rider, a move that might or might not help him fend off a challenge next year from Rep. Denny Rehberg, a decidedly anti-environment Montana Republican.
But 2011 is a rotten time to hold any president to moral purity on the environment. Elections are won and lost on people's pocketbooks, and from that perspective, Obama faces a much grimmer fight than Clinton ever did. In June 1995, the unemployment rate was at 5.5 percent, the country had fully recovered from the 1991 recession, and Clinton got the credit for it. If Clinton couldn't completely fend off the anti-environment fringe during one of the strongest bull markets in history, how can Babbitt expect Obama to do that now, with unemployment at 9.1 percent and economic recovery uncertain?
My guess is that he doesn't. Instead, he's staking out a position of environmental progressivism that makes Obama look cooperative and moderate by comparison. The reality, though, is that in most of the country, and most certainly in the West, many people have come to the conclusion that environmental laws hurt their local economies. In some cases that's actually true; in others, it's overblown. But public opinion will not be swayed by any presidential moral high ground until the economy improves.
So Obama has a choice: Back down on wilderness protection now, or usher in President Romney -- or Bachmann or Pawlenty -- in 2012. In the meantime, environmentalists like Babbitt can carry on their battle for the wilderness – on the front lines of public opinion.
Judith Lewis Mernit is a contributing editor at HCN. She writes from California.
Image of Bruce Babbitt courtesy Flickr user The Aspen Institute.


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
A while back I saw some immunolocalizations in which fast red was used as the enzymatic substrate, I believe for alkaline phosphatase. Does anyone know if fast red can be used for in situ mRNA hyridiziations? Also, sigma has lots of fast red salts, could someone direct me to the appropriate one? thanks a bunch mary williams williams at mendel.berkeley.edu


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Note that the tenth percentile score for Singapore students is slightly higher than the international average indicating that it is possible for the lowest achievers to learn adequately.
How do we train teachers? Throughout the session we discussed macro factors like these and also classroom factors like the ones below.
Classroom factors - theory-driven approaches.


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It's been a long time since I had updated you on my birthday year goals. Since the beginning of the year is when you talk about goals, this seemed a perfect time to see how many more I have to go.
I have 1.5 months to reach these goals, there are some I am not sure that I am going to make, some I already know I have failed at, and some that I feel pretty good about.
Daily Goals
I have had three daily goals that I have been working toward. One, being content with where I am in life. Two, being a good wife. Three, cleaning the house. Four, being healthier.
I have good days and bad days with being content. It helps me to remember that this is just a season. I am pleased with my progress with this goal. I feel like I have been a good wife, but I guess Adam will have to be the final judge on that, but I feel good about it. Goal number three, I really struggle with cleaning, so this one hasn't been so great. Goal four, totally bombed so far. I got hurt and couldn't exercise and I've been sick, but I am making it a goal to be better at this.
Weekly Goals
I only had one weekly goal, to call my mother, and I think I have done a pretty good job with this one. We do talk more than we used to, so I think we can call this goal accomplished.
Monthly Goals
Write a thank you note to someone I am grateful for–I have done really bad at this. If I write 12 thank you notes this month does it still count?
Have intentional date nights with Adam–I think we have done good at this so far.
Find a craft or something creative to do–this usually happens without me having to think about it.
Have someone over for dinner–I would so far call this one half met and half not, but hopefully I will cover more ground these next 1.5 months.
Do something with my sister–we have done stuff, but not usually every month, since we're not counting hanging out while she is doing laundry.
One Time Goals
I started with 13 of these and I have marked 8 off my list. Not too shabby.
I am hoping to cover some more ground in the next 1.5 months with these goals, but so far I feel pretty good about them.
Coming soon: my next post will be about my New Years Resolutions. I don't usually make any, but this year I have. Read about them tomorrow.


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Vijay Hazare: Kerala beat Andhra by 6 wickets
Off-spinner Rohan Prem removed both the openers and then Sreesanth (4/61) took all the wickets that fell.
Paceman S Sreesanth took four wickets before Robert Fernandez and Raiphi Gomez struck half-centuries as Kerala defeated Andhra by six wickets in a Vijay Hazare Trophy (South Zone) match in Porvorim on Sunday.
Asked to bat, Andhra scored 256 for six with Sirkar Bharat (74) and NJ Sai Krishna (61) scoring half-centuries.
Bharat was involved in a 103-run stand for first wicket with fellow opener Prasanth Kumar (41) and then added 56 runs for the second wicket with Krishna.
Off-spinner Rohan Prem removed both the openers and then Sreesanth (4/61) took all the wickets that fell.
Kerala's reply began poorly as opener Samson was out in the fifth ball of the innings and soon V A Jagadeesh (15) also perished.
At number three Prem scored a valuable 42 and the following middle-order batsmen also responded well to the call.
Fernandez and Gomez carried the side to win after Sachin Baby (29) departed.
Fernandez scored 85 off 98 and Gomez 68 off 46. They shared an unbeaten 126-run stand for the fifth wicket.


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MG University CAP 2014 Second allotment result published for UG Degree admission
Are you looking for MG University UG Degree CAP 2014 Second allotment published for admissiion at MG University thru CAP 2014? If so, find herewith MGU UG Degree admission CAP 2014 second allotment results already published on 20th July 2014 at official site http://www.cap.mgu.ac.in/. The last date for fee remittance and admission is on 22nd Jul 2014. Check the Second results / ranklist announcement for UG Degree candidates and the important dates of MGU 2014 CAP Admission.
This is with reference to our earlier post related to MG University UG Degree admission process CAP 2014 Special Second allotment results and ranklists published for Admission to the respective colleges. It is hereby informed that MG University UG Degree CAP 2014 second allotment results and ranklists are already published exactly as per scheduled at official site http://www.cap.mgu.ac.in/. Students can check the same and student can check their second allotment results and ranklist of CAP from 20th Jul 2014 onward too. Candidates can download Prospectus and Notification from official website for Centralized Admission Process.
Applications from eligible students for UG Degree candidates are invited for admission to the Under Graduate Programmes in the affiliated Arts & Science Colleges / Constituent Colleges of Mahatma Gandhi University for the academic year 2014-15 except UG programmes under the faculty of Fine Arts and those UG Programmes admission to which is based on entrance examinations. Fee remittance date and Closing date of Admission is 22nd July 2014.
Note: The Programmes from MG University leads to the Bachelor's Degree in the relevant subject. The Programme extends for a period of six Semesters. The Programme of study shall be by regular attendance for the requisite number of lectures, practical training and other means.
MG University 2014 second allotment results / ranklist published
Now the time is to announce the second allotment, Second allotment and Supplementary allotment for eligible candidates are announced. However, the commencement of classes will be from 22nd July 2014. Online Registration / Option registration for 'Second Allotment' fee remittance and admission information already given for eligible candidates. Last date for the entry of admission students is up to 22nd July 2014. If you are looking for more information on Admission to UG Degree programmes 2014-2015(UG CAP) for MG University CAP then check the detail herewith.
Important dates of MG University 2014 CAP admission
MG University 2014 Schedule for Admission to UG Programmes 2014-15 through CAP as follow;
1. Online registration / Option registration for Supplementary Allotment 11.7.2014-14.7.2014
2. Supplementary allotment 17.07.2014
3. Remittance of fee due to University at designated branches of SBT & Reporting for admission in colleges (Supplementary Allotment) 17.7.2014 to 22.7.2014
4. Closing of Admission 25.07.2014
5. Last date for the entry of admitted students in the online portal 31.07.2014
Date of option rearrangement / deletion facility will be notified later. Call for any assistance at: 0481-6060014, 6065004, 2731020.
Address of MG University
Kottayam, Kerala, PIN–686560, India
Additional info: CAP is an internet based single window system to give allotments to the various academic programmes offered by the Affiliated colleges and Constituent colleges based on the options submitted by the candidates.
Want to get instant job and recruitment alerts? Join us on Facebook


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Government term
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 results.
The Tourism Attraction Programme is a new cross-agency government initiative that aims to boost private investment into New Zealand's tourism attractions, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today.
Budget 2019 delivers on many of the recommendations contained in the Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction, He Ara Oranga. The Inquiry revealed that a new approach to mental health and addiction is needed in New Zealand which the Government is starting to deliver.
- Hon Dr David Clark
- Housing and Urban Development


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I have written elsewhere about how the current and apparently immutable, {if what you read in the red rag papers is to be believed), political situation is now on its way to reversal. There's no shortage of signs that neo-liberalism, the nifty system of market led economics rigged up to 'liberalise' through the privatization of our public assets, deregulation of the financial sector and concentration of wealth now has its best days behind it – you'd need to be asleep not to have heard the rumblings of dissatisfaction cutting across all strata of our society right now. Of course, this thing is pretty entrenched, thanks to decades of deft manoeuvres and deep pockets a plenty, so I wasn't, and still don't reckon on anything overnight. More specifically though in 'A good thing the tories won…' I was referring to the bizarre situation of allowing the 'Conservatives' (they do anything but conserve wealth for a minority), a party committed more than any other to neo-lib creed, the free rein they gained in the recent election. My argument was simple: indulging a serial offender to do more of the same to solve problems caused by previous behaviour could never result in a happy outcome. You wouldn't employ someone suffering an alcohol addiction to run your bar and expect his wellbeing to be assured – or yours for that matter. Do you think that kind of arrangement would last?
Now, everyone knows that trying to put a face on the future is a fools game but a few months down the track from that assertion I'm not the least bit surprised as to where we are now. We've had promises broken (child tax credits, child benefits, tax free childcare – who said 'anti-family'?), scandals (anyone for pork schnitzel?), and the usual list of affronts to any desire for a humane society. So far so typical Tory. What's more heartening though is the reaction out there in the real world away from the crumbling walls of Westminster. You know, that place where people routinely live without subsidized single malt or immunity from the laws of nature – or those of this country.
Some of those people have gotten their act together quick fire as coherent opposition to the nasty neo-lib ideal of austerity – that practice of pinching from the populace to pamper the poodles; you know, cuts for those that need stuff, breaks for those that don't. The People's Assembly believe that austerity is entirely unnecessary and they're right. Detailing a comprehensive manifesto that dares to actually make sense and have a plan they've boiled up from the simmering underground to quickly become recognisable on the UK political landscape. Of course, you're not going to find them discussed in the silly sidebars of your rehashed dailies (those are owned of course by those with everything to gain by keeping things exactly as they are), but you will find them on the streets in many towns across the UK, outside party conferences and talking freely, and daily in the social media sphere. They have many friends, and even some economists agree that austerity is counterproductive – I don't think it's going to be possible to pretend they don't matter for long but you can be sure that many will give it a good old British try. Can't let the shine come off the silver spoons yet.
Others have done something that might seem radical against the bland background of pay-per-view politicos but is actually just clear thinking: return a mainstream party back to its founding tenets. You see, despite a plethora of pundits paid to predict political outcomes, not one seemed to anticipate the hard left Labour would turn after Ed Miliband's exit stage right. Of course, it's easy to miss the obvious when you spend all of your time in the company of those down the club but you'd have thought someone might have looked outside the window once or twice? Had they done so, they would already have known that the divide between their doorstep and the man on the street had opened beyond the ability of platitudes to repair.
So it is that Jeremy Corbyn is the new leader of the Labour Party. MP for Islington, Chair of the Stop the War coalition and campaigner across a range of issues for some 16 years, Corbyn appears to be everything other MP's aren't: honest, sincere, grounded and willing to stick his neck out. I listened to his address to the Labour Party conference last week and was astonished to hear a man on a podium talk about things that matter to the majority; to stand up and float some solutions – I don't think I've ever seen the likes. Of course, most of the UK media have jumped on the opportunity to sneer and jeer but these days that's just a sign that you're onto something good – something natural and not the by-product or endorsement of a corporate strategy. It's pretty easy to dismiss their bought and paid for 'opinions' as quickly as a prat in a pinstripe. What matters is that at last we have the chance of a real opposition in the House. Who knew?
I've focused on a couple that matter most to me but there's no shortage of signs and backlashes breaking out against the increasingly evident, not to mention depressingly ubiquitous injustice and greed of the neoliberal creed. Across the land we've placards paraded, barricades erected, petitions posted and, in contrast to the message of apathy routinely broadcast, the electorate engaged on a wider range of issues than ever before.
The bottle we've been drinking from for too many years has become bitter, something new is now brewing.


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Reduce, reuse, recycle: these expert tips will help you find new ways to cut waste in the kitchen.
Our experts reveal the most common and surprising kitchen items that could be toxic or dangerous for your health if not used correctly.
Knowing exactly what food thrives in the pantry, and what kind doesn't, will keep you and your pantry in top shape.
From grocery shopping to cooking to using up the leftovers, we've assembled expert tips to help you through the holiday season.
Ready to add some pizzazz to your favourite dishes? These versatile ingredients will help.
An endless list of the same old household to-dos costs you time, money and sanity. Here are some you can just skip.
Don't let these common cooking habits drain your savings.
Learn how to correct the mistakes you might be making with eggs so they turn out perfectly every time.
Instead of throwing away eggshells after breakfast, try saving them for these incredible uses.
Cooking an amazing steak dinner on a budget has never been easier.
Save time prepping food and make cooking easier with these cooking hacks that are pure genius.
Who knew the coldest area of your fridge could house more than just microwavable pizza?
Day in and day out, these professional chefs are surrounded by food, think about food, and make food. That doesn't mean, however, they like all food. Here, chefs and cookbook authors share the [...]
We already know better than to nuke plastic – or heaven forbid, aluminium foil – but certain foods can become downright toxic when blasted in the microwave. Here's what you need to know.
Here's how you can enjoy the experience at tempting buffets while minimising the risk to your health.


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Mr. President; Esteemed Members of the Board of Trustees; Distinguished Faculty; Honored Administrators and Staff; Proud Family and Friends; Surprised Parents; and Relieved Cazenovia Graduates:
First of all, I'd like to thank President Tierno for the invitation to speak here today.
And by the way, Mr. President, that was a very kind introduction. It would be great if you would fax a copy of it to my mother.
When I told her about your invitation to speak to the Cazenovia College Class of 2002, she said, "Obviously Dr. Tierno has never seen your college transcript."
That aside, it really is a great honor to be a part of such a significant event in the lives of the graduates whose accomplishments we celebrate here today.
The beautiful campus and scenic setting of historic Cazenovia College are very striking, but you have something else that is more important -- a great community, full of compassion and caring as well as academic distinction and intellectual inquiry.
Before I address the graduating class, I wanted to compliment your family members, especially your parents, for all their sacrifices in making this day possible.
Parents, you should take great pride in having ushered your sons and daughters into the ranks of distinguished Cazenovia graduates.
You don't have to look very hard to find a Cazenovia College graduate who's made a real difference in people's lives.
Your honorary degree recipient, Janice Grieshaber, has been a wonderful advocate for the rights of crime victims and has shown great compassion in helping inmates better prepare for life outside the prison yard.
We all should honor and emulate public servants like Janice who puts her values to work on behalf of a greater good.
It would be impossible to come before any group of graduates in any ceremony today without acknowledging the horrendous attack against our nation, our people, and our values that took place at the beginning of your school year.
The fact that you're here today shows your resilience and determination to carry on.
My own experience has taught me that no matter what difficulties are thrown our way, we need to move ahead, living our lives as individuals, as part of a family, as part of a community, and as part of our country.
By bearing down and getting through the school year, you have demonstrated your resolve.
Hundreds of police officers, firefighters, and rescue personnel performed heroically on that awful day last September, but you have done your job as well, serving as a great example not just to the underclassmen but to the broader community as well.
That continuum is a crucial part of our success as a nation.
But I'm here today not just to compliment you for putting your head down and marching forward.
I'm here to ask you to take the time to stop and think about where you're going and what you're doing.
I'm here to ask you to resist the temptation to simply follow a route that others set for you.
I'm here to ask you to find your own path in life that provides meaning while upholding the values that lie at the core of who we are as a good-hearted and generous people.
It isn't always easy to question the judgment of others or even push back when their judgment just doesn't make sense for you.
If you think about it, all of us have come to accept a certain norm of social progression.
We go from grade school to high school and from high school to college and from college to a career.
And in choosing a career, a whole set of social pressures, especially the worth attached to making a lot of money and accumulating fancy titles, influences your decisions.
As a result, any original or idealistic thoughts about charting your own course might get downplayed.
If you're good at science, you'll be steered towards becoming a doctor.
If you're skilled in argument and analysis, you'll be turned in the direction of the law.
If you've got a gift for numbers, you'll be channeled towards a career in business.
And if you're good at none of that, perhaps you'll be a politician!
Whether or not these choices are right for you, you feel the pressure to follow them.
If you take one of these paths and excel in your field, you'll find yourself with a career that by conventional standards appears rewarding.
You'll have a good income, community recognition, plaques on the wall, and your name in the paper -- all the trimmings that society provides to those who succeed.
But let's put that into perspective.
I happened to grow up in an environment in Washington where people of great academic and professional distinctions were in our home at all hours of the day and night.
It was a wonderful time, full of promise and energy. However, I sometimes noticed that some of the most successful people I met were also in some cases the most troubled.
And while serving on the Banking Committee in Congress, I saw people with the greatest trimmings of power act at times in the most immoral of ways.
At the same time, many of the poorest people I represented -- who were often the targets of scorn for an "immoral" lack of money -- embraced the highest principles of love and caring in every aspect of their lives.
The experience taught me a great lesson, which is that societal success does not provide true peace and happiness.
Real peace and happiness come from finding your own way in life and in the course of that life upholding the enduring values of love for others and your family.
I know very well the kind of channeling towards a career path that others set out for you.
Just after graduating from college and running a Senate campaign, I chose not to run for office but to work for the federal government's antipoverty agency.
A lot of people were taken aback by my choice, but that was my interest -- to try and understand how to break the cycle of poverty.
So I went to Washington and worked for an agency that my father and uncles had created.
After many months, it became clear to me that the agency had evolved to a point where its bureaucrats were more intent on maintaining their jobs than accomplishing their mission.
So I left, intent on finding another way to help the poor.
Not long afterwards, I found myself sitting in front of a TV set and watching a story on the news about oil companies, which, with the government's blessing, were making record profits from gas, diesel, and home heating oil prices that were going through the roof.
The next news segment showed the home of an elderly couple who were literally shivering in their living room, unable to afford the heat needed to keep them warm in the midst of winter's cold blast.
The contrast shook me to the core.
It was the same old story -- socialism for the rich and free enterprise for the poor.
The answer to the problem so starkly illustrated on the news seemed pretty obvious:
Take the profits from oil transactions and use them to make the oil products needed by ordinary working and elderly people more affordable.
In the case of New England, that meant home heating oil.
In the next few months, I started the nonprofit Citizens Energy Corporation, running the company first from my basement and then from a small office apartment.
I traveled around the world, trying to convince national oil companies to sell us crude oil.
We struck our first deal in Venezuela.
Agreements in Nigeria and Angola soon followed.
We took the crude oil and refined it into by-products -- everything from Vaseline to gasoline -- and sold those by-products on the open market.
We then used the profits to write down the cost of home heating oil to the poor and the elderly.
Through a tremendous amount of luck and determination, the Citizens team used that model to create successful businesses in the electricity, natural gas, pharmaceutical drug, energy conservation, and alternative energy industries, including solar and biomass power.
In each case, we faced great resistance from the incumbent companies.
No one wanted a nonprofit company entering the marketplace and undercutting their profits and they tried very hard to stop us.
We had to take on electricity producers who didn't want us selling cheap juice to the needy across state lines.
We had to challenge gas pipeline owners who didn't want outsiders to crack the industry's monopoly and ship low cost gas to the homes of low income consumers.
Coincidentally, it was Ken Lay, the hero of Enron, who tried so hard to keep out any competition in the gas industry.
We had to take on the drug companies.
We had to go up against anyone and everyone who stood in the way of selling products at their cheapest cost possible to the poor.
My conclusion from all this was that the bumper sticker that proclaims, "Question authority," really does contain a lesson for all of us.
In the course of forging the Citizens path, the corporate interests married to the status quo discovered that our different way of doing business was in fact good business -- for all concerned.
Capitalism doesn't have to be uncaring.
Enough talk about compassionate conservatism! It's time for real compassionate capitalism.
The great wealth of our nation is measured in the annual reports and stock prices of some of the biggest companies on Earth. But in the last year, we've learned that such reports can create a false sense of security.
Enron, Arthur Andersen, and Global Crossing are just a few of the corporate giants whose assets turned out to be as real as Britney Spears's endowment.
At one point, their stock prices helped prop up the Dow Jones index, which purports to measure the health of our economy. At the same time, there are statistics about the health of the world that you won't read about in the New York Times or Washington Post or see on the national news.
They may not gauge gross domestic product, but they're every bit as telling about the human condition of our planet.
Of the six billion people on Earth, one-half lives on less than $2 a day.
Almost one billion people, 1 in every 6 on Earth, is malnourished.
Every day, over 30,000 children under the age of five years old die from a multitude of tragic causes. Fifteen thousand of them die of hunger.
Every year, 2.4 million children die from preventable waterborne diseases.
Almost one billion people -- 1 out of every 3 adults -- cannot read or write. Two-thirds of the world's illiterate adults are women.
Here in our own country, a Third World exists that cries out for help.
Every nine seconds, a student drops out of high school.
Every 11 seconds, a child is reported abused or neglected.
Every four minutes, a child is arrested for drug abuse.
Every eight minutes, a child is arrested for violent crime.
Every three hours, a child dies of gunshot wounds.
Every five hours, a child commits suicide.
Every eight hours, a child dies of abuse.
Every night, over six million children go to bed hungry.
Every year 3.5 million people are homeless. One point three five million of them are children and one-third of the homeless adults are veterans.
Each of us, in one way or another, can act to reduce the pain, the suffering, and the sorrow around us.
You Cazenovia graduates do not find yourselves in the statistics, but you can find meaning by doing something about them.
My grandmother was fond of quoting St. Luke, who said, "[To] those to whom much has been given, much is expected."
Your hard work has provided you with opportunity. And you are equipped with the energy of youth -- one of the greatest commodities on Earth.
Despite society's messages to the contrary, young people like yourselves can and have changed the world.
Every major social movement resulting in positive change for our society would not have been possible without the energy and idealism of young people.
The Civil Rights Movement was created by waves of students taking to the streets, joining the Freedom Riders, marching on state capitals and county courthouses to support the greatest liberation movement of our time.
Students stood at the vanguard of the antiwar movement and forced our nation's leaders to pull back from the destructive war in Vietnam that had wasted so many lives and sapped the moral authority of our nation.
Young people empowered their generation with the right to vote at age 18.
Students, especially young women, created a revolution in the boardrooms and office suites of America by opening the doors to talented women and making equal pay for equal work more than just a slogan.
We should always keep in mind the words of the great Southern writer Walker Percy. He noticed that some of the kids who got straight As still flunked life.
The next 10 years will be a critical time in your lives.
You have a wonderful chance to make your energy and idealism, your education and intelligence count for more than just a paycheck.
And not just in the arena of great social change.
How do you measure in dollars the value of teaching a child to read?
Of comforting the sick?
Of visiting senior citizens idling away their days in loneliness and despair?
Of taking the time to make your community and our country a better place, one person at a time?
The psychologist William James used to tell a story about his son. Just before graduating from college, the young man wrote a letter to his uncle, the novelist Henry James, asking his advice about what he should do in life.
"There are three things I would tell you," wrote his uncle.
"The first is to be kind.
"The second is to be kind.
"The third thing I would add, is to be kind.
"So be kind, be kind, be kind."
Cazenovia graduates, you face a world more fraught with danger than any time in the last 60 years.
It will be you and your fellow graduates across the nation whose intellect, humanity, and resolve see us through in the years ahead.
Looking around here today, I think we will be in darn good hands.
I leave you with the Irish blessing:
"May God help you fulfill your dreams And may you help him fulfill his as well."
Congratulations, Cazenovia graduates. Good luck and a heartfelt Godspeed to you in the many years ahead.


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I must admit, though, that even with fewer ISKCON devotees here, I haven't found it easy to discipline myself to the rigors of increased chanting and hourslong studying and learning verses. The mind is a muscle; if we don't use it in particular ways, it can atrophy. Then we have to gradually build up its strength so that we can sit and hear comfortably for long periods of time. Only after days of practice have I again developed a taste for hearing Srimad-Bhågavatam and Caitanya-caritåm®ta. Now each morning I wake up looking forward to absorbing myself in the nectar of these two beautiful scriptures and I wonder how I have managed to go on for so long over this past year without absorbing myself in them. I know I have been busy with other service, but I pray that when I leave Vrindavana in mid-December, I will continue to find time in my schedule to study for one or two hours a day. I would at least like to follow Cånakya Pa∫∂ita's advice to all aspiring transcendentalists: "Let not a single day pass without your learning a verse, a half a verse, a fourth of it, or even one letter of it; nor without attending to charity, study, and other pious activity." (Nîti-såstra, Chapter 2, verse 13)
Late in the afternoons I try to visit one or two tîrthas for additional inspiration. As a result, I now have a fairly good idea where many of Vraja's sacred spots are located. By tagging along with my godbrother Dînabandu Prabhu, who has been taking devotees on pilgrimage for years, I'm also gradually learning about the pastimes connected with each place. It is important to become familiar with Vrindavana's holy tîrthas, because we seek to enter this abode when we leave our mortal bodies. If we do not know, constantly remember, and most importantly, develop attachment for Krishna's Vrindavana pastimes, what will inspire us to ascend to Vraja at the time of death?
Krishna reveals some of the secrets of the spiritual sky in Bhagavad-gîtå:
na tad bhåsayate süryo
na ΩaΩåõko na påvaka˙
yad gatvå na nivartante
tad dhåma paramaµ mama
"That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world." (Bg. 15.6)
In his purport to this verse, Prabhupåda states, "One should be captivated by this information. He should desire to transfer himself to that eternal world and extricate himself from this false reflection of reality. For one who is too much attached to this material world, it is very difficult to cut that attachment, but if he takes to Krishna consciousness there is a chance of gradually becoming detached."
When several devotees from the Polish festival tour, including Varanåyaka, Jayatåm, Nandinî, Rådhå-sakhî-v®ndå, and Rasamayî arrived in Vrindavana, I requested Dîna-bandhu to escort us on several parikramas. He took us first to BadarikåΩrama, which is located in a remote corner of Vrindavana close to the Rajasthan border. Of course, the original BadarikåΩrama is high in the Himalayas, but Dîna-bandhu explained that by Krishna's mercy, all the holy places in India are simultaneously located in Vraja. For this reason, we need not visit any holy tîrtha outside Vrindavana. I was amazed, though, when after traveling by van for three hours we ar-rived at Vrindavana's BadarikåΩrama and found that it was hilly and forested, a contrast to Vrindavana's usual flat, arid landscape.
At BadarikåΩrama we visited a temple on a large hill, at the base of which sat a small village. It took us more than forty-five minutes to climb the steep steps to the temple, and we arrived exhausted. Still, we were pleasantly surprised to find ancient Rådhå-Krishna Deities there being cared for by an elderly püjårî. A ten-year-old boy sat peacefully by his side. Wearing only a loincloth around his waist, the boy, to my amazement, was reading to the püjårî from scripture.
Dîna-bandhu asked the sådhu where he was from. The holy man replied, "You should not ask a sådhu where he is from but where he is going—what is his final destination. Our birth is insignificant, but our death may be glorious. It is for this reason that I am spending my last days in Vrindavana."
His words impressed me. But what impressed me more was the boy by his side. I had noticed a number of boys in the village running through the streets and causing mischief. I saw one angry shopkeeper chase them away. By contrast, this boy appeared well-behaved, clean, and respectful toward the old püjårî. When the sådhu asked him to do something, he performed the task obediently and cheerfully, then returned to his place. It reminded me of the days of yore when boys lived in their spiritual master's åΩrama, studying Ωåstra and rendering service in humility. It is rare to find such ex-amples today, even in Vrindavana, where television and cricket are fast be-coming the focus of many young people's attention.
I asked the püjårî about him, and to my surprise learned that he lived with the old man. When I asked the boy what he did there, he replied, "I help the båbå worship the Lord."
"What about your parents? Have they given you permission to live up here?"
At that he looked to the sky, indicating that his parents had left this world.
"What about school?"
Surprised, he exclaimed, "I'm serving Båbå and Krishna!" as if to say, "What better education could I receive?"
I was to going to counter that a material education is useful, if not essential, for a devotee living in this world, but then thought better of it. Considering the boy's circumstances and his admirable qualities, I thought of this verse from the Upanißads:
yasya deve parå bhaktir
yathå deve tathå gurau
tasyaite kathitå hy arthå˙
prakåΩante åtmana˙
"Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed." (ÛvetåΩvatara Upanißad 6.23)
We held kîrtana for the Deities' pleasure for over an hour. Then, as we all prepared to leave, I excused myself from our group and went to find the boy. I discovered him in a little hut, preparing the Deity's offering and singing melodious prayers. Wanting to express my appreciation, I held out one hundred rupees, saying, "For you! For you!" He smiled slightly and shook his head, indicating that he wasn't interested. Still, I insisted he take the lakshmî, and continued to wave it in front of him. He wasn't tempted. He simply carried on with his service. I realized that I had misjudged him; he was more advanced than I had thought. His simple life of service to the sådhu and the Lord was more satisfying to him than anything money could buy.
This was the second time I had received a spiritual lesson through a child. Why not? Srila Prabhupåda once explained that in Vrindavana, not even the animals are ordinary souls. Every soul in Vrindavana is a devotee. The animals are devotees who committed offenses in the dhåma in a previous life. They have taken such low births in order to free themselves from their sinful reactions before returning to Vrindavana in the spiritual sky. The incident with this boy left me resolved to be more careful in my dealings with the Brijbasis. I have much to learn from his dedication to his spiritual preceptor and the satisfaction he feels in living the simple, renounced life of an aspiring devotee.
"We offer our respectful obeisances to those who reject thornless kingdoms and beautiful women, who think material happiness most bitter, and who renounce education, noble birth, wealth, and fame, and who go to Vrindavana never to leave.
"To the supremely fortunate, pious, and affectionate persons who live in Vrindavana, which is more blissful than Lord Vishnu's abode, and who, worshiping Rådhå and Krishna with prayers and gifts, make Them deeply indebted to them, we offer our respectful obeisances." (Vrindavana-mahimåm®ta, Ûataka 1, texts 76–77)
For reading other dairies of Indradyumna Swami, please click here


text:
Bunch of 6 stems of professionally produced dyed Navy fluffy feathers on white wired stems. Each stem has 3 individual feathers.
Perfect for a variety of decorative, wedding, craft and floral uses including hat or hair decoration, fascinators and cake decorations.
Overall length including the stem is 22cm (9 inch) with 10cm (4 inch) feathers. As a natural product there is some variation in size and shape.
Warning - this item may not be completely colourfast and care should be taken if placed near clothing, fabrics or other surfaces that may stain.
Due to customs regulations this item can NOT be delivered outside the EU
Actual colour may vary a little from the photo depending on your monitor settings. All sizes are approximate.


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I wrote this here, in my April 12 parking post:
A few months ago, we saw cars with their wheels locked - an equivalent of having your car towed away, I guess - but someone sued the company that was doing it and won, and they had to stop.
The cop who told me about the lawsuit was pretty hopeful about the new mayor, Leonid Chernovetsky.
Well. Guess who filed that lawsuit?
Right. Chernovetsky.
(Ukrainska Pravda piece about it, in Ukrainian.)


text:
A former boss of Porsche Cars and an expert in human resources and people development have become the latest non-executive directors to join Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
CPFT, which provides community care and mental health services to more than 800,000 people per year, has strengthened its board with the appointments of Geoff Turral and Brian Benneyworth.
Geoff (right in picture) enjoyed a prestigious career in the motor industry which led to him being appointed managing director of Porsche Cars GB. A marketing specialist, he continues to work with big-name brands developing digital platforms to improve communications between organisations and their customers.
Brian is managing director of his own human resources and people development company. Previously a director with housing associations, he has also has extensive experience in the care and support sectors. Brian is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) where he sits on the national committee for membership and development.
Chair Julie Spence said: "The Executive team is delighted with the appointments of Geoff and Brian who will bring with them a wealth of experience from both the public and private business sectors.
"Especially important is the commitment they have given to help us to continue to engage with service users and carers so their experiences help to shape the future of our services."
For more information please contact:
Andy Burrows
Media and Marketing Manager
E firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Texas Monthly Traveler has teamed up with Global CommUnity to create an amazing, weeklong itinerary for your family with stays in Venice, Florence, and Rome. Young children will love the gladiator school in Rome and a mask-making class in Venice; teens will love the treasure hunt in Florence; and everyone will enjoy the gondola ride in Venice. Available at 4-star and 5-star price points, the week will also include a community impact experience involving an insider look at the restoration of Florence's Palazzo Martelli, one of the finest residential palaces in Tuscany.
For pricing, availability and reservations, please call 512.975.9737 or email email@example.com.


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Late evening session. I got inspired by two other crossfitters at the gym. They had a long pair workout which they had stolen from the legend himself - Mikko Salo. I went to explore Mikko's instagram for a good half an hour and tried to absorb every piece of wisdom he had revealed to fellow crossfitters. Then I brainstormed with myself and came up with this gem =)
- 3 rounds of:
- 500m row
- 40m farmer's walk @ 113kg
- 500m row
- 40m sled pull @ 110kg (+sled)
- 500m row
- 15 sumo deadlift high-pulls @ 60kg
This was exactly what I was looking for. The stimulus was right on point. Lots of rowing mixed up with strongman elements. Haven't done much farmer's walk or sled work lately. Sumo deadlift high-pulls have been in the program for a reason in the past two weeks because that's pretty much the only thing with barbell that doesn't bother my wrist.
Farmer's walk after a day of deadlifting was interesting. I was able to maintain an upright torso so that didn't stress lower back that much. I like this movement for some reason.
Sled pulls are close to a nightmare. Damn they burn quads big time. First leg of the 40 meters is okay but the comeback is awful. These are far away from comfort zone.
Last strength element was the sumo deadlift high-pulls. I've done them in the recent history couple of times. Before that it was probably something like once a year pace. Now I've done them with 50kg barbell. Today I jumped up to 60kg, and felt okay with that weight. The bar path is a little off from ideal as it escapes a little too far from my shins but at least the barbell moves pretty well up and down.


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Anyone who is familiar with the geography of the Pacific Northwest knows that North of Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada), and on the Inland Passage, the Gulf Islands, lies an archipelago of islands which you must pass to get to Southeast Alaska.
That archipelago was known as the Queen Charlotte Islands since they were discovered by the British explorer, Captain Cook in 1778.
No more.
Apparently, in an act exacting late revenge on the Brits and their local stooges for almost wiping out the entire native poulation of the coastal Pacific Northwest with smallpox back in those pioneer days, the Haida Nation, the original inhabitants of this archipelago rich in seafood, and thereby, existence, has forced the Canadians to rename the island group.
It is now known as "Haida Gwaii", which probably means, "up yours, White Eyes", in Haida.
Please annotate your geography books, charts and maps with the correct name now...
BTW, if this spreads, those West Coast Canadians are going to have to update their National Health Service to provide corrective oral surgery on demand, else how are the local Euro-transplants even going to attempt to pronounce the Haida dialects, which seem to have been copied from the clicks, whistles and hisses of the larger sea mammals thereabouts, with the occasional calls of sea-birds thown in for exclamation relief.
No, really. A visit to any tribal museum, and I have been to the biggest one in Victoria, B.C. several times, will tell you that all the peoples are descended from the spirits of either the Great Eagle or the Raven. As the tribes developed within the Haida Nation, the belief system tells us that the influence of the spirits of sea animals, fish or invertibrates intertwined with the that of the birds. The Eagle, of course, represents power and strength, and the Raven intelligence. In the southern tribes, influences from the spirits of land predators crept in, the bears, big cats and wolves, for example.
You can't sell the Haida short on engineering, either. Their Nation invented a saw to rip tree-trunks into timbers and planks, and their tribal residences and meeting halls were magnificent wood structures, far superior to any other native buildings on the continent, and probably the planet. Their large dug-out canoes were seaworthy enough to fish and hunt from in the sea and weather conditions you have seen on "The Deadliest Catch" or "Coast Guard Alaska".
The Haida even invented Democratic party politics. Their chieftains would hold lavish festivals, during which lavish earthly goods and food worth months and years of labor were given away to attendees, who were invited for the purpose of friendship-making AND buying allegiances. These festivals were called "Potlatches", and they resulted in the transfer of so much wealth among the tribes that the Provincial and Federal governments passed laws forbidding the practice, as some of the chieftains were getting wealthy enough to cause problems for their British colonial masters. The last potlatches were held around the beginning of the 20th century.
I hope this name-change offers some respite from the major guilt trip that Canadians have been flagellating themselves with since the Dominion became a completely independent Nation in 1982.


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During 1971 Monte-Carlo, Alpine got not less than 6 official cars given to several French pilots and to the Swedish Ove Andersson. It is the latter who will win the rally giving the chance to the French team of eventually becoming Constructor champion at the end of the season (with 5 victories out of 8 races, including 4 for the Swedish!).
Jean-Luc Thérier adds some to the twice-scored. Worth noting that Andruet, 4th in the final ranking, actually finished 3rd tied with Björn Waldegård and his Porsche 914/6.
Author Oeildelynx
Release Date: Saturday, August 20, 2016
Current version: 1.1 (Sunday, January 22, 2017)
The files to be replace are in Steam/steamapps/common/DiRT Rally/cars/models/alp
> livery_44 (blue)
I cannot be charged with responsibility if this mod causes troubles to your game.
View attachment 169036
View attachment 169041
Thanks you for downloading
by Oeildelynx
Others Alpine


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Xoom pricing story -- in addition to the $800 off-contract version that's already up for pre-order at Best Buy, you'll be able to sign a two-year data contract and pick up a Xoom for $600 upfront. That's a decent savings, although you'll be getting just 1GB of 3G data for $20/month, so it's not exactly a stunning deal in the end: a Xoom and 24GB of data over two years for $1,080. On the plus side, Verizon has confirmed that the Xoom LTE upgrade will in fact be free when it goes live in Q2, which is terrific news -- but we're waiting to see what the LTE data plans look like before we get too excited. PR after the break.
Update: We're hearing from Verizon reps that the Xoom will also be able to take advantage of the carrier's larger data plans as well -- $35 a month for 3GB, $50 a month for 5GB, and $80 a month for 10GB. Still no word on LTE pricing, though. [Thanks, droiddoesall]


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It is the last week of the semester, classes are over, and I am wishing for snow. This semester has been an interesting experiment in being lost, busy and generally overwhelmed. I can't seem to keep up with taking pictures of knitting any more than I can keep up with anything else.
I haven't spun much on the wheel, but I just got a big box of fiber that I am spinning up for a friend. Sitting down to spin on Wednesday (or whatever day that was) felt so nice though, I missed it without knowing I missed it. I took pictures of all the fiber though and maybe posting them will help me want to blog more. Sadly they are not-too-great phone pics, my camera was MIA.


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This summer, our Camp Ora Summer Day Camp will receive a complimentary set of 24 books from the PJ Library, a program within the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Camp Ora is one of over 50 camps that will receive books this summer to be utilized by campers ages four through eight. Using these 24 PJ Library books in creative, inspired ways to bring Judaism to life for their campers, Camp Ora staff will enhance their daily programming with stories of Jewish values and assorted holidays. Everything from using the stories to adapt into dramatic play, arts and crafts projects, cooking projects, and much more may be implemented at camp this summer.
"The gift of these 24 PJ Library books will be a wonderful way to extend the learning that goes on in our Early Childhood Program. The PJ Library provides books for our classrooms during the school year and the children love getting new books each month. We are so excited for this opportunity to expand the Jewish engagement and enrichment provided by the PJ Library into the summer months with special activities and with our mentoring program with the older campers," said Shara Reiss, Camp Ora Director.
The PJ Library is committed to enhancing Jewish literacy in JCC day camps. This new partnership between the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) and JCC Association reinforces the importance of Jewish literacy at a young age. The partnership is part of JCC Association's Day Camp Initiative – a continental effort to raise the programming and profile of Jewish day camps. "I'm delighted that PJ Library and HGF have chosen to partner with us to add the richness of PJ Library books to the resources that our day camp staff will have available to bring Jewish learning to life," said Allan Finkelstein, President and CEO of JCC Association.
HGF's camping program, JCamp 180, currently provides fundraising incentives and consulting mentors to 18 JCC day camps and 24 JCC residential camps throughout the US. "JCC day camps are the entry point into Jewish life for over 65,000 children each summer, and we believe by providing valuable tools to enhance summer learning and programs, we are connecting campers to a life of Jewish engagement," said Jodi Sperling, Director of Camping and the Merrin Center for Teen Engagement at JCC Association.
"There's also incredible potential to reach the 12,000 young adults who work at JCC day camps each summer," Sperling added, noting that for many day camp staff, working at camp is not only their first real job, but their first exposure to Jewish communal work.
More than 80 campers are served each summer in the JCC's Ora Summer Day Camp program. JCC day camps serve over 65,000 children and engage thousands of young adults as staff. "When we work together, we can make a bigger difference," said Marcie Greenfield Simons, Director of PJ Library.
"By requiring, wherever possible, that a conversation take place between the JCC day camp staff and their local PJ Library program coordinator, we hope to encourage greater collaboration that will lead to greater impact on families." PJ Library often brings out families who have not yet been connected to the organized Jewish community. Working together, JCC camps and the PJ Library provide two key resources which can keep young Jewish families engaged year round.
What started as a small project sending books to 200 children in Western Massachusetts in 2005, PJ Library now delivers more than 130,000 Jewish books per month to children throughout North America. Last month, Mr. Grinspoon personally delivered the five-millionth PJ Library book to a three-year-old in Natick, MA. His foundation also invests over $2.2 million annually in Jewish summer camps, much of which is leveraged by those camps to provide $151 million in total impact. For more information visit www.hgf.org.
To sign up for Camp Ora or any of our other wonderful JCC Summer Day Camps, contact Lauren Barnes at email@example.com or call 614-559-6251.


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Clean, shady caravan park is in centrally located to all regional attractions including the Chillagoe Caves. The park includes 22 powered sites; un-powered sites and 2 self-contained cabins with fans, TV and linen included.
Fully equipped coin operated laundry.
Olympic size swimming pool (September to April)
Gas and wood BBQ's are FREE to use.