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The forthcoming congressional hearings on Islamic radicalisation in the United States promise to be a mixture of high theatre and low comedy. The topic is of compelling importance, but the question is whether it will generate more heat than light.
The hearings, scheduled to begin on 9 March, are the brainchild of New York Republican Peter King, whose opposition to Islamic terrorism has more to do with Islam than terrorism. King spent several decades as an avid and very public supporter of the Irish Republican Army and its cause. If there was cognitive dissonance in a conservative American Republican lending his good name to violent Irish nationalists, it never seemed to occur to King – which itself provides a grim foreboding of the probable depth and content of his hearings.
The pity is that Islamic radicalisation in the United States is a topic genuinely worthy of serious investigation. Only one Major Hasan need shoot down fellow Americans in his faith's name to make that clear – and the list of his would-be fellow murderers extends far beyond him. Among the first to tell you this are many American Muslims themselves, who are largely more concerned about the topic than anyone else.
"As a Muslim, I think that looking into homegrown extremism is crucial," says Shahed Amanullah, editor-in-chief of the American Muslim portal altmuslim.com. He points out that "Muslim parents have on several occasions turned in their own children," as evidence of the seriousness with which the community regards radicalisation.
But it's not people like Amanullah who have the full glare of the media spotlight. Instead, discussion of Islam in American life is increasingly dominated by those who infantilise it in a dozen different ways. On the one side are Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush, each of whom adopted a role as de facto Islamic theologian and apologist in the wake of terror attacks. On the other side are those who believe that the faith is intrinsically incompatible with democratic liberalism; media charlatans like Glenn Beck; self-appointed pundits like Pamela Geller; and opportunists like Peter King.
From the perspective of world history, the King hearings are coming at a historical moment that may, in retrospect, seem somewhat embarrassing. As this is written, Muslim Arabs are throwing off tyrannies across North Africa, and struggling to do the same in the Persian Gulf. Libyans, in particular, are shaming the complacent practitioners of accommodation with dictators from Riyadh to Tripoli to Beijing, as they brave mercenaries and death in the pursuit of liberty. It's far too early to know what emerges from the Arab world's convulsions (like the French and Russian revolutions, they could easily end in more and worse oppression), but at the moment, the contention implicit in King's hearings – that Islamic populations are inevitably problematic to liberal democracy – seems debatable indeed.
The fact is that Islamic radicalisation, real as it is, will only be defeated by Muslims themselves. We non-Muslims have no power meaningfully to dictate Islamic discourse and thought, and as non-Muslim Americans, we should not seek it. (In this light, past reports of US government funding of Sufi institutions, on the grounds that they are "moderate", are examples of ill-informed policy.) The accommodation of varying faiths into our constitutional system has a long history. At the extreme end of the spectrum is the 1887 Edmunds-Tucker Act, which disestablished Mormonism until it abolished polygamy. Perhaps Congressman King believes something similar is needed for Islam in America, and that his hearings will provide the groundwork to make it happen. If so, he is indulging in the same magical thinking that cast the IRA as freedom fighters.
The right way to fight Islamic radicalisation in America is to affirm America. This may seem trite, but it is the full truth. At our best, and in our aspirations, we are the nation of opportunity for all, inclusion for all, and liberty for all. Muslims are no less susceptible to the pull of the American dream than anyone else, and as Amanullah notes, the more they are part of the enduring fabric of our national life, the more they will act on their own to defend it – even against co-religionists who are extremists.
The truth is that Peter King's hearings are coming nearly a decade too late. American Muslims are in a different spot now, far from the days when genuinely questionable organisations like CAIR and ISNA ran the show – and so are Muslims worldwide. We need not be naïve about this, but consider the aforementioned Arab revolutions. Consider, too, what Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told me this past Wednesday in Istanbul (from where I am writing), when we discussed the Muslim Brotherhood in a group conversation about Islam and democracy [see footnote].
The Brotherhood, said the PM, "shouldn't be part of the [democratic] process as long as they don't reject violence and extremism ... Anyone who wants to be part of the political process should adopt values that are compatible with democracy."
That's a Muslim democratic head of state affirming some very Burkean basic principles. We shouldn't fall prey to the conceit that Muslims abroad speak for Muslims at home, nor vice versa – but might Congressman King's hearings note that there are grounds for optimism in both camps?
• This footnote was appended on 24 August 2012. We have been made aware that shortly before writing this article the author was a consultant for an agency that had Malaysian business interests and that he ran a website called Malaysia Matters. In keeping with the Guardian's editorial code this should have been disclosed.


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Wolverhampton Hotels and accommodation availability search:
Wolverhampton hotels
Search our hotels near Wolverhampton accommodation guide. Below is a list of budget hotels, luxury hotels, premium hotels and serviced apartments near Wolverhampton. Many Hotels offer last minute deals with up to 70% off the normal rates.
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The George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program honors former US Senator George Mitchell's pivotal contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process. Up to twelve Mitchell Scholars between the ages of 18 and 30 are chosen annually for one academic year of graduate study in any discipline offered by nine institutions of higher learning in the Republic of Ireland. Applicants are selected on the basis of their scholarly abilities, leadership potential, and sustained commitment to community and public service.
The Mitchell Scholarship Program provides tuition, accommodation, a stipend for living expenses and travel.
Institutional Endorsement: The Mitchell Scholarship does not accept direct applications from current U-M students; current students must be nominated by the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships (ONSF). Please see this page for application instructions for endorsement. Graduates and graduate students are not required to seek institutional endorsement.
U-M Nomination Deadline: Fourth Monday of August by 12 noon. Application Timeline
U-M Contact: Henry Dyson, Office on National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF)
- A citizen of the United States.
- At least 18 but not yet 30 years of age. (Applicants must still be 29 on October 1st of the year of application.)
- Sufficiently advanced academically to assure completion of a bachelor's degree before October 1st in the year follow election.
The Mitchell Scholarship does not set a minimum GPA, but successful applicants for U-M nomination will typically have a 3.5 or higher GPA with the average probably around 3.7 GPA. The foundation gives equal weight to their three selection criteria:
- Academic excellence
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Commitment to public service
Application Instructions:
Contact Henry Dyson in the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) to register as an applicant for U-M nomination.
Applicants should submit each of the following to firstname.lastname@example.com by noon on the last Monday of August:
1) A PDF of the online application including at least three potential academic programs at three universities - see this page for a list of universities in Ireland - as well as information about your awards, achievements, service, and leadership.
2) A personal statement* (1000 word limit) stating the applicant's goals and intended program of study. The personal statement or essay is your opportunity to share your personality, passion, and drive with the selection committee that cannot be communicated elsewhere in the application materials. You will be required to affirm that this is your original work and that no one has assisted you with the personal statement in any way (see this page for specific details).
3) Four letters of recommendation from faculty or work/internship/research supervisors sent directly to ONSF at firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Prior to requesting letters of recommendation, you must fill out the ONSF Waiver Form, found here, and submit directly to us at firstname.lastname@example.com. You will then fill out the FERPA Release for Letter Writes and submit that form to you letter writers when asking them to write a letter of recommendation for you. Please advise your recommenders that their letters of recommendation should be entitled "StudentLastName_StudentFirstName_AdvisorLastName" and emailed directly to ONSF at firstname.lastname@example.com with "Mitchell Recommendation" in the subject line.
Applicants are encouraged to work closely with Henry Dyson in selecting these recommenders.
Top candidates for U-M endorsement will be invited to interview with the Mitchell Nomination Committee in early September. Candidates selected for endorsement will work with Henry Dyson to complete the final application before the October 1st national deadline.
Once your application has been received and certified as complete after the initial deadline, you will receive information about the required video interview. You will have approximately 48 hours to submit the video interview. The video portion of the application must be complete and submitted by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on the deadline indicated here. Please see this page for more information about the video interview.
Note: regarding personal statement
The Mitchell Scholarship does not allow applicants to receive any editorial help on their personal statements. All applicants must add the following statement at the conclusion of their personal statement and before their signature:
"I attest that this personal statement is my own work and is wholly truthful. Neither it nor any earlier draft has been edited by anyone other than me, nor has anyone else reviewed it to provide me with suggestions to improve it. I understand that any such editing or review would disqualify my application."
All institutional endorsements must include something explicitly to this effect:
"I am knowledgeable regarding the institutional practices of [name of institution] in connection with applications for the Rhodes Scholarship. To the best of my knowledge and belief, [name of institution] has provided no editorial review of the applicant's[or applicant's name] personal statement."
(Pictured: Mitchell Scholars on Mt. Brandon.)


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When you are going to travel to an English speaking Country and an ESOL English language learner. You will be in for a treat because there are lots of countries to choose from and travelling in the country where English speakers live can do wonders for your language skills. Another for the international student which is a huge bonus is that you will get to experience the language and culture.
Australia is the 6th largest country in the world and a haven for unique animals, nature and remarkable cities. Australia also affectionately known as down under because of its location on the earth and distance from many other countries. This hasn't stop hoards of tourists taking the often 24-hour flight to visit Australia every year.
Australia like Canada is a vast land mass that is very sparsely inhabited, all of the countries cities are located along the coastline, and inland the towns are very remote. Like in most parts of the world people flock to the cities for a better quality of life. Wikipedia states that more than 85% of Australia's total population live near the coast.
Australia is full of beautiful nature such as the famous great barrier reef, It is home to unique animals such as Kangaroos and koalas which are native to Australia. It has a popular trekking and road trip routes plus some of the best surfing spots in the world.
The native language and official language of Australia is English, the accent in Australia is distinct and different to English in the United States of America for example. Like all English speaking countries, native English in Australia has its own dialect and words. But as an English learner where it is clear that English is not your first language. It is likely that the locals will speak to you in more international English to help you with your comprehension.
Preparing your trip to Australia will be an excellent intensive learning environment for you to learn English, improve English proficiency and to gain confidence in your English language development. Travelling to Australia, you will find yourself able to have conversations, practice your reading and writing skills and as a whole, your language learning will strengthen through full immersion into Australian culture.
Australia is full of beautiful nature such as the famous great barrier reef. Photo Source: Unsplash
If English is not your first Language, you will find that travelling to English speaking countries will bring enrichment to studying English. English from the UK is very different to Australian English, and also from the English spoken in the USA. So if you like to hear different sounds Australian English will be great.
Australian language and culture are unique. Photo Source: Unsplash
If you would like to apply to study in Australia, then you can apply for an Australian study visa. The visa will be valid for the duration of your education program, Becoming an international student is a great way to build your second language proficiency towards fluency. You could become a full-time English learner, you could take part in an exchange semester or English language placement program. If your school has the opportunity for this, it could help with your overall academic achievement in regards to your language study. Your school teacher in Australia will be able to help you with your ESL classes and support with your English learning.
Australia is a huge country, made up of 6 states, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia. Because of the size of Australia, you should make sure to plan your trip well before booking it.
Australia is very diverse, and your experience will be very different depending on where you go.
The sun is extreme in Australia, much more extreme than you may typically be used to because the ozone layer over Australia is very thin. The UV rays are dangerous even on cloudy days, and you should exercise caution between 11am and 15:00. Make sure you know how to be sun smart and how to protect yourself from UV rays.
For example, you can wear protective clothing made from thicker breathable materials like linen, a big hat, UV safe sunglasses. You can also use protectant creams and make sure you are hydrated throughout the day.
Everyone who visits Australia needs a visa to do so, only Australian and people from New Zealand are exempt from this. There are a few visa options available with the minimum period to stay from 3 months per year. You have the option to get a tourist visa, and you can also get a student visa or a work visa. Once you are clear about your trip, you can apply for the correct visa. I advise getting your visa approved before booking your flight as visas can be refused.
Travelling to Australia gives you a huge advantage when you are learning a language. You have the chance to put your basic skills to the test and learn in a new fun learning environment, as all of Australia will become your English language learning playground. This experience will have a significant impact on your speaking skills, academic achievement.
Western Australia is full of gorgeous landscapes and vast natural areas with Perth as its capital. Photo Source: Unsplash
As you travel your development as an ESL student will only blossom as you find yourself immersed in the language and culture of Australia. Although the ESOL lessons, English teacher and English class helped to support your development of the grammatical and foundation aspects of English.
The classroom cannot compare to how powerful it is to use the language that you are learning actively and to be surrounded by real English communication. Living with the English language all around you will be the preparation that you need to take you toward English fluency.
So if you are questioning if it is worth it for English language learners to travel abroad to English speaking countries. Please do not hesitate to make a plan and book a flight as it will be the turning point in your English proficiency and achievement in your language skills. No matter what you will have a great time on your trip to Australia. Imagine being able to say that you became multilingual by talking to people on the beaches of Australia.


text: The hugely popular Kony2012 campaign aims to raise awareness of the Ugandan 'war criminal' Joseph Kony [EPA]St Louis, MO - On March 4, I spent the day watching the Russian election - not the news coverage of the election, but the election itself. Across Russia, 90,000 web cameras were installed in polling stations in order to ensure transparency and ward off allegations of ballot tampering and fraud. Voting was broadcast through the website www.webvybory2012.ru, where viewers around the world could take-in scenes of Russian life: a Chechen man sprawled out on a couch near a makeshift voter booth, a birthday party at a polling station in Tyumen and ballot stuffing in Dagestan. These videos, while entertaining, were Russian politics as reality TV: a selective spectacle more revealing in what it did not reveal than in what it actually showed. While a few violations were exposed - the Dagestan ballots were eventually tossed - the videos were more notable for what remained blurry (the ballot boxes, in most cases) and for what happened off-screen. Large increases in absentee ballots and supplementary voter rolls, "carousels" of Putin supporters driven to multiple polling stations, and other questionable practices took place beyond the cameras' watchful eyes. Viral video focuses debate on Uganda rebels By beaming the election over the internet, the Russian government managed to have it both ways: they monitored the voter while obscuring the process. Several foreign observers praised the web cameras for their "transparency", encouraging Western countries to embrace the same techniques. Yet the focus on the illusory transparency of a single day distracts from the invisible machinations of the decades-long Putin project. Much like the Western focus on democratic elections can hide an unwillingness to engage with more complex societal reforms, Western emphasis on transparency technologies rewards the documentation of voting at the expense of the complex politics that drive the polls. Putin is popular in much of Russia and the votes cast were, in many cases, legitimate. And therein lies the problem: live cameras can afford to give the illusion of choice when the choice is a foregone conclusion. The seamy factors that propelled Putin's inevitability - crackdowns, corruption, censorship - become lost in the livestream. From Moscow to Kampala Less than 24 hours after the Russian online election drew to its close, a video was uploaded to YouTube that attempted to shift the dynamics of political intervention. Kony2012, the outrageously popular viral campaign to capture Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony, succeeded by eschewing any pretense of transparency: its slickness was the source of its success, and of its controversy. The half-hour production has been criticised for falsely representing the conflict in Central Africa, dangerously simplifying a complex narrative and promoting Invisible Children and its representative, Jason Russell, above the Africans they claim to help, in a way many have deemed borderline racist. As political propaganda, the Kony2012 campaign is the antithesis of the grainy verite vote of the Russian camera stream. It is a Hollywood-style production aimed at snagging Hollywood targets, who will "make Kony famous" by circulating the video, promoting the cause, and, somehow, spurring Kony's capture. Invisible Children has no shame in developing a campaign around the idea that Justin Bieber carries more diplomatic weight than Ugandan policy advocates, because for its audience - Americans, and judging by its YouTube demographics, many under 17 years old - this is probably true. Yet the impact of the video has spread far beyond its targeted youth constituency. Viewed by over 65 million people, the video has been praised for stimulating discourse and dismissed for spreading lies, but no one denies that it represents a pivotal moment in the use of online video for activism. Justice, in the Kony2012 paradigm, stems from visibility: "If people knew who he was, he would have been stopped long ago," the video's narrator claims. By this logic, Kony2012 becomes exponentially more noble with each click - much like in the Russian election, when the presence of hundreds of thousands of informal election "monitors" watching from home were said to increase fairness with every view. And like the Russians who fervently embrace Putin, Invisible Children's acolytes are sincere in their devotion to their cause. The behind-the-scenes politics may be dubious, but the crowd came out on its own, and then watched itself doing so. In both cases, deceptive politics are given click-through credibility, validated by the sheer number of witnesses. That Kony2012 appeared the day after Webvybory2012 is coincidental, but their use of online video shares an important similarity. They are examples of online voyeur justice, in which a cause (electoral transparency, conflict resolution) is made meaningful only through viewership on a massive scale: unless "everyone" knows, unless "everyone" can see, both the video and its allied cause lose validity. A video does not need to have mass circulation to be meaningful: Syria's Shaam News Network, for example, is chock-full of irreplaceable videos of war crimes with viewer numbers in the single digits. But for both the Russian election and Kony2012, scale determines meaning. If Kony2012 does not circulate enough to make Kony famous, then it has, even by its own standards, failed. If the Russian election isn't broadcast en masse, then its claims to transparency - which do not extend outside the online realm - collapse. In their ideology and motivation, the two cases may seem disparate, even opposite. The Russian web camera election was the product of a controlling state trying to make itself seem transparent and natural; Kony2012 was the product of idealistic youth trying to make a chaotic conflict seem easy to control. But they are part of a new kind of online propaganda in which a massive viewership not only receives the message, it is the message. That the message is framed in a way that is entertaining, emotional, and "real" only masks the complex and corrupt politics that lie behind it - and heightens its popular appeal. Sarah Kendzior is an anthropologist at Washington University in St Louis who studies politics and digital media. Follow her on Twitter: @SarahKendzior SOURCE: Al Jazeera Politics Russia Syria's Civil War Uganda


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Add to Calendar
December 14, 2019 @ 6:00 pm – 11:45 pm America/Toronto Timezone
Christmas Dinner and Dance – "A December to Remember"
Come join us for a traditional Christmas dinner at the Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church on Saturday December 14, 2019 at 6 p.m. In addition to a delicious meal, there will also be an opportunity to dance to your favourite song. The ticket price is $20.00 per person.
It will be an evening of fun, fellowship and Christmas spirit. Call the church office for more information 905-884-4211.
Tickets are available now. This event is open to the community.


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Money Making has unveiled the full tracklist and album cover to his forthcoming studio effort, Good To Go. The 20-track album has features guest contributions from M Josh, KellyHansome, Gentle, U-Gems, Acharaman, Treasure Gold, Currency, Figo M, Frixoul, 2 Black, Floxy, Prince White, Ryders, CBox, Capslock, and more.
As scheduled, the album release concert will be taking place on Continue reading


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Sponsoring the Shorty Awards
We welcome companies to become our partners and help honor the best short-form content producers on the social Web. To learn about opportunities to sponsor the Shorty Awards ceremony or to sponsor specific Shorty categories, send an e-mail to Natan Edelsburg on the Sawhorse Media business development team at [email protected].
Sponsoring the Awards
The Shorty Awards honor the best people and organizations on social media. The awards are a global effort that engages millions of people to highlight those who produce the best content. The social media community is invited to nominate people and organizations for excellence in social media over the past year. Each award recognizes the content creator's entire body of work, not just an individual tweet or post. Nominations are made by sending a tweet, either through the Shorty Awards site or on Twitter.
We thank the sponsors of the 4th Annual Shorty Awards for their generosity and applaud their leadership in social media. They support our vision and we encourage Shorty Award participants to support their companies, products, and services.


text: Jonah Mixon-Webster is a poet, sound artist, and educator from Flint, MI. He is a Ph.D. candidate in English Studies at Illinois State University where he is currently writing the dissertation "Stereo(TYPE): A Paracolonial Approach to 21st Century African American and Postcolonial Poetry" A Callaloo Fellow, his poetry and hybrid writing are featured or forthcoming in Muzzle Magazine, Kinfolks: A Journal of Black Expression, Spoon River Poetry Review, Blueshift Journal, Assaracus, Callaloo, Voluble, and the anthology Zombie Variations. Along with jayy dodd and Casey Rocheteau, he is a founding member of the collective CTTNN Club (Can't Take These Niggas Nowhere).


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From West Jordan, Utah, USA:
I have type 2 diabetes. I have seen my regular doctor and I have seen a diabetes educator, but I want to see other people. What do you think?
By other people, do you mean an endocrinologist? There are some philosophical issues and there are practical issues. First, the philosophical. I believe everyone has a choice to see a physician of their choosing. You are not obligated to see only a given physician when it comes to your health. If you have a good relationship with your primary physician, you may want to tell him or her why you would like to see someone else. This happens all the time. Of course, you want additional product as a result of this interaction. You may be wanting additional expertise, time with the physician, or the comfort of a second opinion. When I talk with large groups of people when this comes up (I am an endocrinologist), I tell patients that there are only enough endocrinologists to see roughly 15% of all the patients with diabetes. Primary care physicians in a variety of areas (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and OB/GYN) see the majority of the patients. However, if your outcomes are not good, as represented by the A1c, you do not have access to someone with expertise in diabetes, or, if you have special needs, these are all reasons to see a specialist. Very often what can happen is that you can see the specialist along with your primary care physician so that you have the benefit of both physicians. You just do not see the specialist as often as you would if you didn't have your primary physician working with you.
The practical issues are bit more difficult. Insurance plans can tell you whether your health insurance policy gives you the choice to see a specialist. If you can, this is not an issue. If you have to be referred by your physician, than you will have to communicate with them as to why you would like to. If you both disagree, there is usually a way to handle this through the insurance company.
Original posting 26 Jul 2006
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This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other health care professional.
This site is published by T-1 Today, Inc. (d/b/a Children with Diabetes), a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, which is responsible for its contents. Our mission is to provide education and support to families living with type 1 diabetes.
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Practice Resources
The BETTER Program has developed several tools for primary care clinicians in order to facilitate their chronic disease prevention and screening efforts.
All of the following tools were identified or developed by BETTER's Clinical Working Group through a rigorous process involving review of the literature and tools available in the primary care setting for prevention and screening and identifying those that had the highest level of evidence. These tools are available as resources to clinicians undertaking the Prevention Practitioner role and included as part of the BETTER Toolkit.
The BETTER Tools
The Spaghetti Diagram
Published by Haydon et al. in 2006, the Spaghetti Diagram is an illustration of the inter-connectivity of modifiable risk factors and chronic disease. This serves as a visual depiction of the complexity of care patients require in order to properly address chronic disease.
The BETTER Algorithm
The BETTER Algorithm combines all of the evidence-based maneuvers used in BETTER for a proactive and comprehensive approach. Two algorithms are available – for diabetic and non-diabetic patients – which provide the specific chronic disease prevention and screening maneuvers used in BETTER, their associated targets and corresponding care paths.
The BETTER Health Survey
Focusing on information that is usually not well documented in patient charts, the BETTER health survey includes tools to capture a detailed prevention and screening history for risk factors such as smoking, physical activity, diet, alcohol, and family history. The survey is typically completed by the patient before their visit with the Prevention Practitioner, but can also be verbally administered by a member of the practice team in cases where there are literacy concerns.
References for the validated tools embedded in the BETTER Health Survey can be found here.
The Bubble Diagram
The Bubble Diagram is a visual representation of the BETTER Algorithm and provides gender specific targets. Visually intuitive, the Bubble Diagram can be used as a patient teaching tool to illustrate the patient's individual risk factors for chronic disease.
The BETTER Prevention Prescription and The BETTER Patient Goals Sheet
The Prevention Prescription provides a summary for both the clinician and the patient of the patient's risk for chronic disease, their discussion with the Prevention Practitioner and in conjunction with the Goals Sheet, provides the patient and clinician with a plan geared toward enabling the patient to achieve their chronic disease prevention and screening goals. In particular, the Goals Sheet is used as a patient action planning tool, allowing patients to reflect on the barriers they may face while trying to achieve their chronic disease prevention and screening goals and how they will overcome them.
The BETTER NWT Program Resources
To facilitate the implementation of the BETTER Program in the Northwest Territories, healthcare professionals, policy makers and content experts were brought together in the North to create lifestyle pathways for use by practitioners to help patients make lifestyle changes. Used with patients who, as a result of the Health Prevention Visit, have a positive screen (i.e. are out of target) for physical activity, weight management, smoking or alcohol consumption, these pathways allow practitioners to actively engage patients in their health, particularly in settings where access to resources may be limited.
Northwest Territories Healthy Eating and Weight Management Pathway
More information about the BETTER NWT Program and other programs currently ongoing in the Northwest Territories can be found on the ChooseNWT website.
Other resources in the BETTER Toolkit
Additional resources were also identified by the Clinical Working Group and included in the BETTER Toolkit. These include existing local, regional and national resources that can be referred to and/or distributed to patients. For a listing of these additional resources, please visit our Suggested Resources and Links page.
BETTER Program Resources
Electronic copies of the BETTER Tools are available upon request. To request a copy of the tools please contact us.
The BETTER website and tools are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Part 1: The race toward barbarism
By Henry C K Liu
The United States defines its global "war on terrorism" as a defensive effort to protect its way of life, beyond attacks from enemies with alien cultural and religious motives, to attacks from those who reject modernity itself. This definition is derived from the views of historian Bernard Lewis, a scholar of Islamic culture at Princeton University, who traces Islamic opposition to the West beyond hostility to specific interests or actions or policies or even countries, to rejection of Western civilization for what it is. To Lewis, Western civilization stands for modernity. This anti-modernity attitude, he warns, is what lends support to the ready use of terror by Islamic fundamentalists.
Samuel Huntington in his
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
argues that the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War will bring neither peace nor worldwide acceptance of liberal democracy. Huntington rejects Francis Fukuyama's prematurely optimistic "end of history" theme that the collapse of communism means Western civilization is destined to spread as people elsewhere seek the benefits of technology, wealth, and personal freedom it offers. Instead, because technology has been reserved for exploitation, wealth obscenely maldistributed, and freedom selectively denied to the powerless, narrow ideological conflict will transform into conflicts among people with different religions, values, ethnicities, and historical memories. These cultural factors define civilizations. Nations will increasingly base alliances on common civilization rather than common ideology; and wars will tend to occur along the fault lines between major civilizations.
Huntington points out that embracing materialist science, industrial production, technical education, rootless urbanization, and capitalistic trade does not mean the rest of the world will embrace the culture of the West. On the contrary, he argues that economic growth is likely to increase the aspiration for cultural sovereignty, breeding a new commitment to the values, customs, traditions, and religions of native cultures. The struggle is not capitalism against communism, but backward civilization against modern civilization.
The fault in both these views is the assumption that modernity is an exclusive characteristic of the West. On the surface, such views appear self-evident, since science and technology have been the enabling factors behind Western ascendance and dominance. But the "modern world" can be viewed as a brief aberration on the long path of human destiny, a brief period of a few centuries when narcissistic Western thinkers mistake technological development as moral progress in human civilization. Many barbaric notions, racism being the most obvious, appear under the label of modernity, rationalized by a barbaric doctrine of pseudo-science. The West takes advantage of the overwhelming power it has derived from its barbaric values to set itself up as a superior civilization. The West views its technical prowess as a predatory license for intolerance of the values and traditions of other advanced cultures.
Chinese civilization has weathered successive occupation by barbaric invaders, all of whom as rulers saw fit to adopt Chinese civilization for their own benefit and contributed to the further development of the culture they had invaded and subsequently adopted. The history of the West's interaction with the rest of the world has been culturally evangelistic, to suppress and encroach on unfamiliar cultures Westerners arbitrarily deem inferior, often based on self-satisfied ignorance. Until confronted by Western imperialism, China might have faced military conquests, but Chinese civilization had never been under attack. Barbaric invaders came to gain access to Chinese culture, not to destroy it. The West is unique in its destructive ethnocentricity. Under the domination of the West, Chinese or other non-Western intellectuals who do not speak or read Western languages are considered illiterate and ignorant, while Western "scholars", including the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, who do not speak or read Chinese or other non-Western languages have written erudite books on Chinese and other non-Western culture.
Gunpowder was invented around the 4th century in China by Taoist alchemist Ko Hong while seeking an elixir for immortality. It is the height of Taoist irony that the search for an elixir for immortality only yields a substance that ends life abruptly. Gunpowder would not be used in warfare in China until the 10th century, first in incendiary rockets called
(flying fire), forerunner of today's intercontinental ballistic missiles. Explosive grenades would first be employed by armies of the Song Dynasty in 1161 against Jurchens (Nuzhen), ancestors of modern-day Manchurians.
In Chinese dynastic culture, the use of firearms in war was considered cowardly and therefore not exploited by honorable warriors of self-respect. Firearms would not develop in dynastic China, not because of the absence of know-how, but because their use had been culturally circumscribed as not being appropriate for true warriors.
In the history of human progress, willful rejection of many technological inventions is traceable to cultural preference. This is the basis for concluding that the technological militarism of the West is of barbaric roots and that a civilization built on military power remains barbaric, the reverse of modernity, notwithstanding the guise of technology.
The oldest picture in the world of a gun and a grenade is on a painted silk banner found at Dunhuang, dating to the mid-10th century, that came to be in the possession of Musee Guimet in Paris in modern times. The museum on Place d'Iena was founded by French industrialist Emile Guimet, a 19th-century Asian-art collector from Lyon. On the silk banner, demons of Mara the Temptress, an evil goddess, are shown trying to harm the meditating Buddha and to distract him from his pursuit of enlightenment, with a proto-gun in the form of a fire lance and a proto-grenade in the form of a palm-size fire-bomb. The fact that these weapons are shown to be used only by evil demons illustrates the distasteful attitude of the ancient Chinese toward firearms.
Crossbows, known in Chinese as
have a shorter range than double-curved longbows and are slower in firing. But they became devastatingly accurate after a grid sight to guide their aim was invented 23 centuries ago by Prince Liu Chong of the imperial house of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).
Crossbows were first used 28 centuries ago in the Spring and Autumn Period (
770-481 BC) when their employment in the hands of the infantry neutralized the traditional superiority of war chariots. The use of crossbows thus changed the rules of warfare and the balance of power in the political landscape of ancient China, favoring those states with large
(commoner) infantry forces over those with powerful chariot-owning militant
The earliest unification of China by the Legalist Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), whose unifying ruler was an antagonist of fragmented aristocratic feudalism, was not independent of the geopolitical impact of crossbow technology.
History records that in 209 BC, the Second Emperor (Er Shi, reigned 209-207 BC) of the Qin Dynasty, son of the unifying Qin Origin Emperor (Qin Shihuangdi, reigned 246-210 BC), who fought 26 years of continuous war to unify all under the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), which subsequently lasted only 14 years before collapsing, kept a crossbow regiment of 50,000 archers.
Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian, author of the classic
Records of the Historian (Shi Ji),
wrote in 108 BC that a member of the Han royalty, the prince of Liang Xiao (Liang Xiao Wang), was in charge of an arsenal with several hundred thousand crossbows in 157 BC.
Two working crossbows from China, dating from the 11th century AD, one capable of repeat firing, came to be in the modern-day collection of the Simon Archery Foundation in Manchester Museum at the University of Manchester, England.
Most triggers and sights used in crossbows in China were manufactured by master craftsmen who signed their metal products with inscribed marks and dates. Shen Gua (1031-94), renowned Bei Song Dynasty (Northern Song 960-1127) scientist cum historian on Chinese science and technology, referred to his frustration over his inability to date accurately an 11th-century excavation, upon finding on a crossbow mechanism the inscription "stock by Yu Shih and bow by Chang Rou", but with no accompanying dates.
Even in 10th century BC, production of crossbows in China had already involved a sophisticated system of separation of manufacturing of parts and mass assembly of final products.
Crossbows were last used in war in China by the Qing Dynasty army in 1900, with tragic inadequacy, against the invading armies of eight allied European powers with more deadly firearms.
The ancient Greeks employed crossbows successfully at Syracuse in 397 BC. After the fall of the Roman Empire, crossbows reappeared in Europe only after the 10th century. They were used at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 by William the Conqueror.
The Second Lateran Council of 1139 condemned crossbows, together with usury, simony, clerical marriage and concubinage. Their use was banned under the anathema of the Church, except for use against infidels. The ban on crossbows was a position of moral righteousness yet to be taken by Christendom in modern times on the use of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction.
Richard, Coeur de Lion (1157-1199), mostly absentee king of England (1189-99) and less-than-successful hero of the Crusades, took many crossbows on his Third Crusade in 1190. Hernando Cortes (1485-1547), Spanish conquistador, used the crossbow as one of his main weapons in subjugating Mexico in the 16th century.
In medieval warfare, the rules of European chivalry required, as those of dynastic Chinese martial arts did, that honorable combat be personal and bodily. Arrows were considered cowardly by medieval Europeans, as firearms were by dynastic Chinese up to the 19th century. The use of bows and arrows was stooped to only by those outside of the socio-military establishment, the likes of outlawed English yeomen of the 12th century, such as Robin Hood and his chief archer, Little John, legendary folk heroes of English ballads. Another famous 13th-century archer was the legendary Swiss patriot William Tell, whose story would be made popular by Friedrich von Schiller's drama and later by Gioacchino Antonio Rossini's popular opera.
European knights, when prepared to suffer calculated losses, were able to survive slow-firing enemy crossbows with limited range. In sufficient numbers, the horsemen were able to decimate in full gallop an unprotected line of much-despised enemy crossbow-men. However, they were not able to overcome fast-firing longbows with long range.
Two millennia after the invention of crossbows in China, the Battle of Crecy of the Hundred Years' War, which took place on August 26, 1346, first demonstrated the effectiveness of Edward III's English archers, composed mostly of newly recruited, socially shunned yeomen with longbows, against the respectable armored French knights of Philip VI.
Similarly, the Battle of Agincourt on October 25, 1415, decisively confirmed the obsolescence of hitherto invincible French aristocratic knights on horseback. In opposition, English yeomen, commoner foot-soldiers, members of a class unappreciated by their social betters in their home society, applied with glory in war a despised killing tool designed for illegal poaching in peace. Armed with a fresh military application of ignoble longbow technology, the socially inferior English yeomen in the form of simple unarmored infantry-archers, proved their battlefield supremacy to the socially superior French aristocrats in the form of powerfully armored mounted knights.
The Battle of Agincourt marked the end of the age of chivalry and announced the obsolescence of its stylized methods of warfare. It also heralded the beginning of a period in which the sovereign would look for military support from the gentry of his realm rather than traditionally from the aristocracy. This gave rise to the resulting political implication that henceforth war would have to be fought for national purpose or religious conviction rather than for settling private feuds among royalties.
In William Shakespeare's
Henry V,
the central scene of which features the Battle of Agincourt, the most glorious in English history, King Henry addresses his yeomen soldiers in a famous nationalistic exultation:
"Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot;
Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry! England and Saint George!'"
After the battle scene, Shakespeare (1564-1616) has King Henry recount the French dead:
"The names of those their nobles that lie dead:
Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France;
The Master of the Cross-bows, Lord Rambures ..."
In ancient Chinese warfare, the code of honorable martial conduct required that combat be personal, bodily and frontal. Combatants were organized according to rank, as per all other social activities in a class-conscious and rigidly hierarchical society.
(generals) were pitted against
captains against captains and foot soldiers against foot soldiers. Social segregation was reflected in the proverb: "Earthenware does not deserve collision with porcelain."
Expertise in corporeal martial skill was so highly prized that
were frequently expected to engage personally in one-on-one combat with their opposing counterparts. Battles were sometimes won or lost depending on the outcome of high-ranking personal duels under the watchful eyes of troops on each side. By Tang time in the 7th century, however, the cult of martial chivalry in which individual valor determined the outcome of battles already had become only a legend of the past. Firepower was still considered cowardly. And the use of firearms was not acceptable to proud warriors as respectable members of the social elite. Until influenced in modern times by popular Hollywood films on the American Wild West, Chinese children playing war would prefer swordfights to gunfights.
Gunpowder remained unknown in the West until the late 10th century. However, Europeans abandoned outmoded rules of chivalry after the Middle Ages and enthusiastically incorporated firearms and artillery into the lexicon of their military arts after the late 15th century. In contrast, thanks to the Confucian aversion to technological progress, Chinese military planners did not modernize their martial code, basing foreign policy on the principle of civilized benevolence. They continued to suppress development of firearms as immoral and dishonorable up to the 19th century, much to China's misfortune.
As a result, European armies arrived in China in the 19th century with superior firearms. They consistently and repeatedly scored decisive victories with their small but better-armed expeditionary forces over the numerically superior yet technologically backward, sword-wielding Chinese army of the decrepit Qing Dynasty (1636-1911).
China's most influential revolutionary, Mao Zedong, proclaimed in modern times his famous dictum: "Political power comes from the barrel of a gun." He was in fact condemning the obsolete values of Confucianism
(ru jia)
as much as stating a truism in barbaric modern realpolitik.
Confucian ethics notwithstanding, morality and honor failed to save China from Western imperialism, because morality and honor require observation from both opponents. It was not a clash of civilizations, but a clash between civilization and barbarism. Militarism is a race toward barbarism camouflaged by technology as modernity.
The Boxers Uprising of 1900, the Chinese name for which is
(Righteous Harmony Brigade), was an extremist xenophobic movement. It was encouraged as a chauvinistic instrument for domestic politics by the decrepit court of the Qing Dynasty, dominated by the self-indulging, reactionary Dowager Empress (Cixi Taihou, 1838-1908). The Boxer Uprising was used by the Dowager Empress as a populist counterweight to abort the budding "100 Days" elitist reform movement of 1898, led by conservative reformist Kang Youwei (1858-1927) around the young monarch, the weak Emperor Guangxu (reigned 1875-1908), belatedly and defensively advocating modernization for China.
The members of
in a burst of chauvinistic frenzy, rejected the use of modern and therefore foreign firearms in favor of traditional broadswords. They relied on protection against enemy bullets from Taoist amulets, their faith in which would remain unshaken in the face of undeniable empirical evidence provided by hundreds of thousands of falling comrades shot by Western gunfire. The term Boxer would be coined by bewildered Europeans whose modern pragmatism would fill them with a superficial superiority complex, justified on narrow grounds, over an ancient culture that stubbornly clung to the irrational power of faith, in defiance of reason.
Historians often trace the source of national predicaments to particular decisions made by leaders based on personal character, rather than to structural conditions of institutions. This convenient emphasis on personal political errors at the expense of deterministic institutional structure tends to nurture speculations that with wiser decisions, a socio-economic-political order trapped inside an obsolete institutional system would not necessarily be doomed to collapse under the strain of its own contradictions. Such speculations are hard to verify, since it can be argued that bad political decisions by faulty leaders are not independent of a nation's institutional defects. The penchant of the sole remaining superpower to resort to overwhelming force against those not willing to bend to its will may well be an institutional march from modernity back toward barbarism.
Ironically, the Boxers Uprising so discredited the public image of the stubbornly reactionary Qing court that, within a decade after its outbreak, the democratic revolution of Dr Sun Yat-sen succeeded in 1911 in overthrowing the three-century-old Qing Dynasty, despite the effective reactionary suppression of progressive monarchist reform efforts in the dynasty's last phase, or perhaps because of it. Extremist reactionaries, in their eagerness to be gravediggers for progressive reformers, usually become instead unwitting midwives for revolutionary radicals. The Taoist concept of the curative potential of even deadly poison was again demonstrated by the pathetic phenomenon of the Boxers Uprising.
Thus a case can be made that extreme fundamentalist opposition to the West may be the midwife for modernization of Islamic civilization. The capitalistic West nurtured and used Islamic fundamentalism as an antidote against communism in the oil regions of the Middle East during the Cold War, the same way it had nurtured and used fascism during the Great Depression. The antidote proves to be more lethal to the capitalistic West.
Western military prowess, with its arsenal of smart bombs and weapons of mass destruction ready for deployment to impose its will on others, is not a march toward modernity, but a retreat toward barbarism. A civilization built on militarization of the peace remains a barbaric civilization. What Western militarism has done is to abduct modernity as synonymous with Western civilization, depriving human civilization of an evolving process of cultural diversity. The effect of this abduction of modernity had been profound and comprehensive.
The West is not the only guilty party in history, only the most recent. Chinese civilization during the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) took a great step forward toward forging a unified nation and culture, but in the process lost much of the richness of its ancient, local traditions and rendered many details of its fragmented past incomprehensible to posterity. Universality and standardization, ingredients of progress, are mortal enemies of particularity and variety, components of tradition. Human civilization deserves a richer vision of modernity than that offered by the West. Until modernization is divorced from Westernization, non-Western civilizations will continue to resist modernization.
Tu Weiming, professor of Chinese history and philosophy and director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute at Harvard University, wrote: "Hegel, [Karl] Marx and Max Weber all shared the ethos that, despite all its shortcomings, the modern West informed by the Enlightenment mentality was the only arena where the true difference for the rest of the world could be made. Confucian East Asia, Islamic Middle East, Hindu India, or Buddhist Southeast Asia was on the receiving end of this process. Eventually, modernization as homogenization would make cultural diversity inoperative, if not totally meaningless. It was inconceivable that Confucianism or, for that matter, any other non-Western spiritual traditions could exert a shaping influence on the modernizing process. The development from tradition to modernity was irreversible and inevitable."
Tu suggests that, in the global context, what some of the most brilliant minds in the modern West assumed to be self-evidently true turned out to be parochial. In the rest of the world and, arguably, in Western Europe and North America, the anticipated clear transition from tradition to modernity never occurred. As a norm, traditions continue to make their presence in modernity and, indeed, the modernizing process itself is constantly shaped by a variety of cultural forms rooted in distinct traditions. The recognition of the relevance of radical otherness to one's own self-understanding of the 18th century seems more applicable to the current situation in the global community than the inattention to any challenges to the modern Western mindset of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. For example, the outstanding Enlightenment thinkers such as Francois Arouet de Voltaire, Gottfried Leibniz and Jean Jacques Rousseau took China as their major reference society and Confucianism as their major reference culture. It seems that toward the 21st century, the openness of the 18th century, as contrasted with the exclusivity of the 19th century, may provide a better guide for the dialogue of civilizations.
According to Professor Tu, in light of the ill-conceived hypothesis of the "coming clash of civilizations, the need for civilizational dialogues and for exploring a global ethic is more compelling. Among the Enlightenment values advocated by the French Revolution, fraternity, the functional equivalent of community, has received scant attention among modern political theorists. The preoccupation with fixing the relationship between the individual and the state since [John] Locke's treatises on government is, of course, not the full picture of modern political thought; but it is undeniable that communities, notably the family, have been ignored as irrelevant in the mainstream of Western political discourse."
In Tu's view, East Asian modernity under the influence of Confucian traditions suggests an alternative model to Western modernism:
(1) Government leadership in a market economy is not only necessary but is also desirable. The doctrine that government is a necessary evil and that the market in itself can provide an "invisible hand'' for ordering society is antithetical to modern experience in either the West or the East. A government that is responsive to public needs, responsible for the welfare of the people and accountable to society at large is vitally important for the creation and maintenance of order.
(2) Although law is essential as the minimum requirement for social stability, "organic solidarity" can only result from the implementation of humane rites of interaction. The civilized mode of conduct can never be communicated through coercion. Exemplary teaching as a standard of inspiration invites voluntary participation. Law alone cannot generate a sense of shame to guide civilized behavior. It is the ritual act that encourages people to live up to their own aspirations.
(3) Family as the basic unit of society is the locus from which the core values are transmitted. The dyadic relationships within the family, differentiated by age, gender, authority, status, and hierarchy, provide a richly textured natural environment for learning the proper way of being human. The principle of reciprocity, as a two-way traffic of human interaction, defines all forms of human-relatedness in the family. Age and gender, potentially two of the most serious gaps in the primordial environment of the human habitat, are brought into a continuous flow of intimate sentiments of human care.
(4) Civil society flourishes not because it is an autonomous arena above the family and beyond the state. Its inner strength lies in its dynamic interplay between family and state. The image of the family as a microcosm of the state and the ideal of the state as an enlargement of the family indicate that family stability is vitally important for the body politic and a vitally important function of the state is to ensure organic solidarity of the family. Civil society provides a variety of mediating cultural institutions that allow for a fruitful articulation between family and state. The dynamic interplay between the private and public enables the civil society to offer diverse and enriching resources for human flourishing.
(5) Education ought to be the civil religion of society. The primary purpose of education is character-building. Intent on the cultivation of the full person, schools should emphasize ethical as well as cognitive intelligence. Schools should teach the art of accumulating "social capital" through communication. In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, schooling must be congenial to the development of cultural competence and appreciation of spiritual values.
(6) Since self-cultivation is the root for the regulation of family, governance of state, and peace under heaven, the quality of life of a particular society depends on the level of self-cultivation of its members. A society that encourages self-cultivation as a necessary condition for human flourishing is a society that cherishes virtue-centered political leadership, mutual exhortation as a communal way of self-realization, the value of the family as the proper home for learning to be human, civility as the normal pattern of human interaction and, education as character-building.
Tu acknowledges that it is far-fetched to suggest that these societal ideals are fully realized in East Asia. Actually, East Asian societies often exhibit behaviors and attitudes just the opposite of the supposed salient features of Confucian modernity indicate. Indeed, having been humiliated by imperialism and colonialism for decades, the rise of East Asia, on the surface at least, blatantly displays some of the most negative aspects of Western modernism with a vengeance: exploitation, mercantilism, consumerism, materialism, greed, egoism and brutal competitiveness.
Nevertheless, as the first non-Western region to become modernized, the cultural implications of the rise of "Confucian" East Asia are far-reaching. The modern West as informed by the Enlightenment mentality provided the initial impetus for worldwide social transformation. The historical reasons that prompted the modernizing process in Western Europe and North America are not necessarily structural components of modernity. Surely, Enlightenment values such as instrumental rationality, liberty, rights consciousness, due process of law, privacy and individualism are all universalizable modern values. However, as the Confucian example suggests, "Asian values" such as sympathy, distributive justice, duty-consciousness, ritual, public-spiritedness and group orientation are also universalizable modern values. Just as the former ought to be incorporated into East Asian modernity, the latter may turn out to be a critical and timely reference for the American way of life.
Henry C K Liu
is chairman of the New York-based Liu Investment Group.
(Copyright 2003 Asia Times Online Co, Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact
for information on our sales and syndication policies.)
Jul 9, 2003
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SproutBrothers needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 31 designs submitted by 9 freelance designers.
International Sprout Growers Association
28th Annual Convention
The ISGA is the professional association of sprout growers and companies that supply products and services to the sprout industry. The ISGA was founded in 1989 as a nonprofit organization to promote the sprout industry and to encourage the exchange of information among sprout growers and commercial suppliers.
ISGA's mission is to promote global collaboration among professional sprout growers and suppliers, in order to promote the health benefits of sprouts, and to work with researchers and government agencies to assure the safe production of sprouted foods.
The ISGA currently has members in North and South America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. All ISGA members are welcome to participate by attending ISGA Board Meetings, joining an ISGA committee or taking an available seat on the Board of Directors.
Blue would work since the convention takes place in Cape Cod, by the ocean. Green for sprouts obviously. We want the feeling of vitality, too.
Please try and include the following information in the logo. Get creative. We'd like the logo to have a location based theme. In this case, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It should include all the information below. Attached are past logo designs. As you can see, they're informational. But we'd like them to be clean, and modern.
Organization Name: ISGA (International Sprout Growers Association).
Convention theme: Sprout Revolution
Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Date: April 23rd - 27th, 2018.
28th Annual
Here are links to photographs of sprouts.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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DTREG is a powerful statistical analysis program that generates classification and regression decision trees that model data and can be used to predict values.
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For his first feature, writer-director Sean Mullin throws a potentially unwieldy mix of story elements into the rom-com blender: post-military life, immigration, free-market capitalism and showbiz dreams. That "Amira & Sam" manages to be engaging and unforced for a good portion of its running time is a considerable feat.
Chief among its pluses is the low-key warmth of leads Martin Starr and Dina Shihabi.
As two people out of sync with go-go Manhattan — the movie is set in summer 2008, just before Wall Street implodes — they help the story get past its more loaded passages, if not entirely overcome them. And though Mullin isn't light enough on his feet to make the happy-ending contrivances transporting, Starr ("Silicon Valley," "Freaks and Geeks") and newcomer Shihabi are a likable duo whose hate-into-love transition plays out with a down-to-earth sweetness.
Sam is a well-adjusted Army veteran, a novelty in movies. He's a would-be stand-up comic whose deadpan humor makes him the perfect foil for feisty Amira, niece of his friend Bassam (Laith Nakli), an interpreter for Sam's unit in Iraq. Having lost her father in the war, Amira distrusts former soldier Sam, but she's forced to rely on his protection after she lands in trouble with the police — trouble that could prove devastating because she isn't a U.S. citizen.
While the inevitable thawing of international relations is underway, Sam takes a sales job for his fast-talking hedge-fund manager cousin (Paul Wesley), a stereotypical finance guy but not without compassion. Complications arise, along with overstated xenophobic idiocy, as Mullin stacks the deck. Nothing feels truly at stake, no matter how weighty the risks the characters face, but there are charming moments along the way.
"Amira & Sam"
No MPAA rating.
Running time: 1 hours, 27 minutes.
Playing: Sundance Sunset, Los Angeles. Also on VOD.


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At JYSK we all the time have a great provide on garden furnishings. We offer a wide range of basic out of doors furniture in FSC®-hardwood, aluminium and petan to suit any backyard. No matter which backyard furnishings set you select we also have a large choice of garden cushions to complete the look.
Cookies by themselves cannot be used to discover the id of the user. A cookie is a small piece of knowledge which is shipped to your browser and saved on your laptop's exhausting drive. Cookies don't injury your pc. You possibly can set your browser to notify you while you obtain a cookie. This enables you to decide if you want to accept it or not. They will prepare to go to your premises and advocate the appropriate security solution based mostly on your property and business.
NID & PREF cookies – These cookies are third social gathering cookies used by Google. Please check out the Google policy to see how they use these cookies. The very first thing you notice is the large pill built into the entrance, letting you leave notes, watch YouTube videos, create procuring lists and so on. You need to pay your fees up-entrance, in full or in instalments. You will also be requested for a deposit or sponsorship letter for undergraduate courses. Details can be in your supply letter. Spring will see the Backyard Bridge lined in blossom together with crab apples and wild pears, underplanted with spring flowering bulbs and perennials including crocus, narcissus, anemone, grape hyacinth, primroses and violets.
Limited to £1,500 through the interval of insurance coverage, with a claim restrict of £500 per incident. Provides entry to a qualified and authorized skilled for emergency repair, or if it prices no extra, a permanent restore. Claim limits embody the price of name out, labour, materials and VAT. We provide our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel again to the University. Our alumni can call on our profession providers for 5 years after graduation. It might probably take around 5 to 10 minutes to complete these house insurance coverage comparisons and get insurance coverage quotes. Huge financial savings may very well be made when switching to a cheaper insurance supplier.
That is where a M2M Managed Connectivity Servive Supplier helps – enabling the product supplier, the service provider and perhaps social housing authorites or associations to watch and handle units within the area in a extra direct, managed and dependable approach. Connectivity standing will be tracked, investigated, and sometimes reset remotely – removing the necessity for guide intervention. System installation and configuration may also be simplified. Whether it's a facet return or a glass-field extension, adding a single-storey extension can begin at around £30,000, while two storeys are typically about 50% costlier – so from roughly £forty five,000 (before VAT) depending on size and site.


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Oct. 5, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Now in their second straight week ranked in the Top-20, No. 18 Santa Clara (5-9) travels to Southern California to the Claremont Convergence Tournament where they will face four Western Water Polo Association opponents, beginning Friday morning, October 6th, at 9:00 a.m.
The Broncos earned the No. 18 ranking this week after defeating California Baptist last Saturday 10-9 in a very close match.
"I'd put that up there with the Redlands win from the SlugFest", said head coach Keith Wilbur when considering Santa Clara's best performances this season. "It was nice to have some clutch goals at the end and play good defense and come out with a W."
There are no ranked teams on the schedule for Santa Clara this weekend, but first up they will face Chapman University, who has a freshman who is second on the national goal-scoring leaderboard, just three places ahead of Broncos leader Jack Wall. Santa Clara will take on Chapman Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the Axelrood Pool at Claremont. Following the early morning match, Santa Clara will pack up and travel to Pomona where they will have a 3:30 p.m. match against Occidental College, who is 3-6 this season.
Saturday, the team will remain in Pomona where they will face University of La Verne at 8:00 a.m. followed by Pomona-Pitzer College at 12:30 p.m. The University of La Verne is 5-4 on the season, including a 2-1 record against WWPA opponents. Then at noon, Santa Clara will, for only the second time this season, face an opponent in their own home pool, as they take on Pomona-Pitzer College from the Haldeman Pool in Pomona. Pomona is 3-9 in 2006, including only a 1-2 record in their home pool, and a 1-4 record against the WWPA.
Following this weekend's Claremont Convergence Tournament, the Broncos only have one tournament left, and a handful of both conference and non-conference games before the WWPA Championship, which will coming up in just over one month.


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We still follow Ken Kowalski's vision of doing honest work and giving back to the community. That's why we set up the Kennedy E. Kowalski Charitable Trust, where we help children in need and provide scholarships for college.
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The summer of Astroturf
The August recess may not have done much to clarify the health care debate, but it has shined a bright light on one of Washington, D.C.'s secrets:
The town is paved with Astroturf.
Story Continued Below
In the health care debate, well-financed conservative groups battle well-financed unions to get their members to the head of the line at the town halls of hapless members of Congress. The pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance industry push various talking points through giant megaphones. A public relations firm was busted creating Astroturf at its purest, writing fake letters from real groups in support of the oil industry's agenda, while vaguely named new coalitions change their messages, and even their names, to match the latest White House messages.
"Astroturf" was coined in the 1980s to describe fake "grass-roots" efforts. But now "grass roots" and "issue campaigns" are themselves just the names for product lines at dozens of major political consulting firms, among them the one senior White House adviser David Axelrod left behind in Chicago, as the Republican National Committee pointed out under the headline "Axel-Turf" earlier this month.
Interest groups across the spectrum have grown expert at locating, enraging and turning out authentic Americans. And the operatives behind the crowds say there's nothing wrong with a practice as old as American politics.
"You go back to the original Boston Tea Party, and I find it highly unlikely that you had 50 guys dress up like Indians, show up at a boat, bring the right tools, and then leave in an orderly fashion without any kind of organization," said Adam Brandon, a spokesman for the conservative organization FreedomWorks, which has been accused of "astroturfing" because it uses corporate funding to bolster conservative "tea party" protests.
"We hold up this concept that grass roots needs to be 100 percent spontaneous — 50 people showing up spontaneously at the same place at same time. But there always needs to be some kind of organization — we provide the organizational backbone," he said.
FreedomWorks was recently criticized by allies for charging $10,000 to conservative groups for the right to speak and access activists at a Sept. 12 Washington rally.
"Their 'organizing' is tending to dominate and over-formalize what would've otherwise been a more 'freelance' protest," grumbled a conservative activist.
The group cited the event's costs, and Brandon, in turn, questioned whether his group's arch-enemies in the game of town-hall packing — labor and the pro- White House group Health Care for America Now — were really all that authentic.
HCAN is "supposed to be this grass-roots effort and it's funded by $80 million, and you look at their members and it's all unions," said Brandon.
"They have 10 times our yearly budget, and they're organizing buses with their members — and these guys have the nerve to call us Astroturf?"
A spokeswoman for the health care group, Jacki Schechner, responded that "we actually are totally grass roots," and that the bulk of their funding came from a grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies, with unions ponying up a mere $500,000 for membership on its steering committee.
The group has been careful, she said, to work through authentic local groups, and it's contracted with local allies to hire 120 organizers across the country.
The Astroturf, she said, was on the other side.
"There's a whole component of disingenuous information being spread by FreedomWorks or Americans for Prosperity," she said, referring to another conservative group. "That's where the Astroturf comes in: They're putting a lot of money into spreading lies."
"I wouldn't belittle people's actual anger, but it's unfortunate because they're being lied to," she said.


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*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
The best part about summer is getting to spend lots of time with the kids. I decided to put together a quick list of must-have baby gear for summer. I hope you enjoy it. Leave me a comment and let me know what your must-have baby items are to make summer awesome.
Tomy John Deere 8" Monster Treads Tractor with Wagon
Disclosure: Parenting In Progress receives products in order to conduct reviews. No monetary compensation was provided unless noted otherwise. All opinions are 100% my own. Some posts may contain affiliate links that I receive commission or payment from in exchange for referrals. In the event of a giveaway, the sponsor is responsible for delivery of the prize, unless otherwise noted in the posting. I only recommend products or services I personally use and believe will be a good fit for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 225: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"


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The Eagle has landed!
Ehrm...well...the Duchess has, anyway.
William and Kate just arrived in Ottawa for the start
of their tour of Canada and Los Angeles.
Gone was Kate's version of stewardess chic, replaced by a stylish lace shift--the Erdem Cecile dress. We heartily approva of this choice. Photos via The Daily Mail UK.
|Erdem Resort 2011 via style.com
Accessory-wise Kate went with the L.K. Bennett Sledge2 pumps, that mystery nude clutch and her hair styled half up, likely a real help in the wind.
Kate also wore the cabochon sapphire earrings she sported at her official engagement announcement at Clarence House (worn with that iconic blue Issa dress). We're thinking that the earrings and matching necklace may be from Elsa Peretti's collection for Tiffany's. According to Diana's Jewels these earrings feature "a sapphire oval cabochon set in yellow gold bezel hangs from a bezel set diamond stud."
The site also points out that this isn't the first time we've seen the earrings. Also, they're part of a set--Kate sported the necklace to the wedding of Lady Rose Windsor in 2008. And, seriously, we know there's been a lot of Waifey Katey talk lately, but the girl has never been big. What we can't get over is her face. Sometimes she looks like a completely different person. No? Just us?


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Wild Boys, featuring Andro Quan
Photographer Name: Andro Quan
Length of time doing photos in SL: About 3 years for now, I think, not for sure…. could be… I guess.
Who inspired you to start photography: My RL interest for photography and the art, it is in my eyes.
Favorite settings: (ie windlights, angles, etc): All different, it depends on the pose and the mood mostly.
Editing tools used: LumiPro and Photoshop CS3
Favorite sims to take photos at: My home, I make my own scenes.
Anyone you'd like to shoot you haven't yet: Cliche, but as long as they have an mesh body it is fine with me. Facial emotes even better.


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Batman v. Superman Dawn of Justice Ultimate Editon Blu-Ray to be Rated R
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is getting the R rated treatment. Batman v. Superman Dawn of Justice Ultimate Editon Blu-Ray to be Rated R That is only on the Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray version that is. According to Film Ratings, Bulletin No: 2413 which is the Motion Pictures Rated by the Classification and Rating Administration has given the green light for BvS:DOJ to be rated R. You can pretty much assume that this follows Marvel's money maker Deadpool and the newly announced Wolverine 3, which both carry or will be carrying the R rating, but BvS:DOJ is not only following the footsteps of these two comic book to movie films. Remember The Crow, V for Vendetta, Kingsman, Watchment, 300, the list goes on and on. Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice will be rated R based on sequences of violence. Looks like you won't be seeing Wonder Woman in her birthday suit fellas!
Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice stars Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams and is directed by Zack Snyder. The movie hits theaters March 25th 2016.
More on Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice (Source: Wikipedia)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an upcoming American superhero film featuring the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the follow-up to 2013's Man of Steel and the second installment in the DC Extended Universe. The film is directed by Zack Snyder, with a screenplay written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer. The film stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be the first live-action film to feature both Batman and Superman, as well as the first theatrical film to feature live-action portrayals of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg.
The film was announced at 2013 San Diego Comic-Con International, after the release of Man of Steel. Snyder and Goyer were both brought back in June 2013. Snyder stated that the film would take inspiration from the Batman limited series The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, but that it would follow an original premise. Pre-production began at East Los Angeles College in October 2013, with principal photography starting in May 2014 in Detroit, Michigan, with additional filming in Chicago, Illinois. Filming concluded in December 2014. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is scheduled to be released in the United States on March 25, 2016, in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D.


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Infinity from Marvin Casement Windows | Denver CO
A must have – Infinity from Marvin Casement Windows. Call Gravina's Window Center to order the best fiberglass window installation in Denver 303-794-0490
Source: www.windowsforyourhome.com
If you're investing in replacement windows choose only the best. Certified installation of energy efficient windows that can hold up to Colorado's crazy weather conditions. Lower energy costs, improve functionality, and add curb appeal to your home.
Posted on May 11, 2017, in HOME IMPROVEMENT, Scoop.it and tagged Denver, denver home decor, denver replacement windows blog, denver replacement windows colorado, denver windows, homeowner tips, house hacks. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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See desert birds: Pyrrhuloxia, Black-throated Sparrow, Curve-billed Thrasher and soaring raptors. Then go to the bird blinds in the Tom Mays Unit to see Cactus Wren, Canyon Towhee, Scaled Quail and Gambel's Quail. Meet at the El Paso Archaeology Museum, 4301 Transmountain Rd. in Northeast El Paso. The group will then caravan to the Tom Mays Unit. There is a $2 fee or use your Park Pass. Bring a lunch and water, binoculars and a bird guide if you have them. This event is sponsored by the El Paso Trans Pecos Audubon Society and is open to nonmembers and beginning birders. For more information, contact Mark Perkins, 915-637-3521.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: October 7Desert Sky Meteor Shower
Later Event: October 8Mount Cristo Rey: Hike through Time


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75th Anniversary
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Quality and Awards
SANTA CRUZ, CA (December 11, 2017) – Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has awarded nearly $180,000 in grants to six local nonprofit organizations through its annual Community Grants Program. Each of the nonprofits was recognized for its commitment to providing innovative resources and support to improve quality of life for the Santa Cruz County residents most in need.
"As we observe the work of these organizations, we feel a deep sense of inspiration and gratitude," said Dominican Hospital President Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. "Consistent with Dominican Hospital's mission, they support the disadvantaged in our community by forging new collaborations and pursuing innovative strategies to deliver real, measurable improvements to quality of life. We affirm their leadership, dedication, and creativity in reaching out to those in need."
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has been caring for the Santa Cruz County community for 75 years.
Dominican offers emergency services and is a Certified Stroke Center. Dominican's services include the only comprehensive Cancer Center in Santa Cruz County, a Total Joint Replacement program, advanced neurological and endoscopic services, and an expert heart and vascular team treating some of the most complex cardiac cases in the Monterey Bay area. Dominican has received national recognition for superior patient safety, cardiac care, and stroke treatment from Healthgrades, a leading provider of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Dominican also has received several awards for environmental excellence.
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Claire Henry, PR & Communications Specialist
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People often ask me where I draw my musical inspiration from, and I sometimes draw a blank. Reason being: most of the things that inspire me are not music. Theater, film, art, literature, history, religion, thought...these are the things that really move me the most.
For me, there are few things worse than being stuck in the audience at a bad piece of theater, but the converse is also true: when theater is really effective, no other art form can touch it for the visceral, exciting, startling feeling it inspires. This week I had the opportunity to see The Goodman Theatre's production of O'Neill's DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS, as good and imaginative a production as I've seen on Broadway in a long time. Today I read that the show is closing early (May 24) because of bad box office receipts, mainly due to getting shut out of the Tonys (a travesty). Even if there are some casting issues, I still urge you to go see it before it's gone forever.
In the musical realm (although there was a good deal of theater in this too), I had another opportunity to see Leonard Cohen perform last night in Waterbury, CT. I caught him for the first time last October in Obernberg, Germany, but Leonard and the show have only gotten better in the intervening months. He's absolutely at the top of his game: totally present, giving, and fully cognizant of his tremendous power at this late stage of his career/life. He's in NYC this weekend, then has a few more dates in North America before he heads back to Europe. Amazingly, there are still seats left at many of the shows. Really, if you can, do yourself a favor and go and see Leonard Cohen. You'll never forget the experience.