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I grew up in a fairly left-wing home. As a child I always went to demonstrations with my parents and we always talked about current events at home. It always interested me. But I think that I became really active in the past three or four years.
Can you tell me about your background, how you became active?
I grew up in a fairly left-wing home. As a child I always went to demonstrations with my parents and we always talked about current events at home. It always interested me. But I think that I became really active in the past three or four years.
What made you want to be involved?
Three years ago I lived in Jerusalem. I was living in the city center then, when the intifada1 began, and there were many bombings close to my house. It was really scary. I was fed up with sitting at home and watching television and getting mad. I wanted to do something active to change the situation.
Had you been active in any organization before then?
A little bit, but not regularly. I would go to demonstrations or try to join groups here and there - at the university (my BA is in psychology and my Masters is in History) - but nothing regular, only sporadically.
What do you do now?
Currently I am the Coalition of Women for Peace's2 media coordinator. In addition to that, I'm very active in Machsom Watch,3 and I am their spokeswoman.
Can you tell me about both, how did you come to join them?
Chronologically speaking, three years ago I realized that I wanted to become active, so I joined Machsom Watch in Jerusalem. I started going to Kalandia checkpoint4 every week. After about a year of this activity, the women - we were a smaller group at the time - asked me to be the group's spokesperson. We wanted to reach the public with all the materials we were gathering and with our documentation of what was happening at the checkpoints.5 This is Machsom Watch's goal, and one of the main methods of accomplishing that is using the media. So I started to do that. I also increasingly felt this was where I wanted to spend all my time working and not to have to work in one place and volunteer someplace else. That's how I came to work at Coalition of Women for Peace. My job has two components: the first is performing spokesperson duties for the joint body. The Coalition has nine organizations but there's the joint body of the Coalition's activities, its projects, messages, and campaigns. The second is supporting each of the nine organizations' communications work.
What do you do in Machsom Watch, at Kalandia checkpoint for instance?
Our main aim is to document the checkpoints and what happens there and the breach of human rights. We see their presence as a breach of human rights because they prevent Palestinians from traveling in the regions where they live - I'm referring to the internal checkpoints and not the few lone checkpoints between Israel and the Territories. Our main objective is to document and bring material to the Israeli public and the world and to say: here's what the Occupation looks like and these are the checkpoints. We have other aims besides the main objective; we believe that when we stand at checkpoints our presence there scales down the abuse or human rights' violations to a certain extent. It doesn't transform the reality into something completely different, but it has some impact. Another aim is to meet the Palestinians at the checkpoints. For Palestinians it means encountering a different Israeli - meaning not the settlers6 and soldiers they are familiar with - but people who really aspire to achieve peace. That's the kind of activity we do.
Kalandia is a very large checkpoint between Palestinian North Jerusalem7 and Ramallah.8 It's on the main road, in the middle of an urban sequence of neighborhoods, such as Beit Hanina, A-Ram, merging into Kalandia, Samira Mis,9 Ramallah; in the middle of it runs a main road and the checkpoint. Everything there is changing now as a result of the reality of the wall.10 When we arrived there four years ago it was a major junction between Jerusalem and Ramallah and in the middle of it stood the checkpoint. People from all over the southern West Bank,11 Bethlehem12 and Hebron13 traveled to Ramallah, passing through Kalandia, or traveling from Ramallah to Jerusalem through Kalandia. It's a very central throughway.
The reality of the wall is very complicated because it is constructed on the municipal borders of Jerusalem that were defined in '67,14 annexing East Jerusalem. It cuts off A-Ram from Ramallah and severs Ramallah from Jerusalem. So it isn't all that clear, an underground passage and a huge terminal might be built to replace the checkpoint, but it isn't clear. The current situation - the checkpoint - is far better than what is going to happen with the wall.
What is the current situation at the checkpoint?
What we witness in general at the checkpoints, at Kalandia checkpoint specifically, is that fewer and fewer people are able to pass, and fewer and fewer people are even trying. Carving the West Bank into very small cantons and restricting travel between them is a trend that is only getting stronger, so in Machsom Watch we don't focus on the issue of checkpoints but rather on the larger issue of travel restrictions,15 along with the closure16 and travel permit policies.17 Part of that issue is also the wall.
Can you talk about your experience monitoring checkpoints?
I just want to say that I stopped going to checkpoints because I just couldn't take it anymore. I did it for two years and it became unbearable. It was mainly a feeling of being crushed, as though someone were stepping on you. It was a sense of a lack of control over life, of someone taking your life away from you, just taking it away, a very bad feeling of helplessness and identifying with the people who need to cross the checkpoint then. Young soldiers stand there and they decide who passes and who doesn't. It feels very bad. After two years of seeing that I think that rather than improving, the situation is only getting worse. I couldn't bear it any longer, now I'm dedicating my experience in the field to the issue of the media because I hope maybe that will be successful.
Can you tell me about a certain event that affected you personally?
Certainly. At the end of March 2003 I arrived at Kalandia checkpoint with another woman from Machsom Watch and a child was shot there. The soldiers shot a child, killing him; we were there when it happened.18 That was very, very, very traumatic and it was very difficult for me to return there afterwards. I kept imagining it happening all over again. Every soldier seemed potentially capable of killing a child. The tension was horrible. There was also the feeling that we hadn't managed to prevent it. That was difficult to deal with.
How do you think your work with Machsom Watch promotes peace?
My standing at checkpoints doesn't directly further peace, but there are different stages involved in the process. Currently the groups I'm involved with and the kind of work I do oppose the Occupation. We haven't yet reached the stage of working towards peace. Working towards peace is a crucial stage which I believe must take place. Our standing at checkpoints and documenting is meant to convince the Israeli public that it's in an undesirable situation that is only leading us farther away from a solution, that we shouldn't be there, and that maybe later on there will be an agreement.
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There's the matter of meeting Palestinian people there and that is a very intense encounter that draws us closer and that is significant. One of the reasons that I went to checkpoints for two years was my desire to stop referring to the Palestinians as "the other" and to build relationships with individual people. In today's state of affairs it's so easy to turn people into the collective "they" and to believe that all this is taking place somewhere else when actually everything is very close by. We have to continuously keep in mind that it's not something that's taking place far away from here. It's happening to people like us. We can't think about it in abstract terms.
Did any relationships develop between you and Palestinian people at the checkpoints?
Sure, there are women [Israeli activists] who have been going to the same checkpoints for the past four years. They get to know lots of people who live there and pass through there, exchanging phone numbers. People call to tell them about a problem and they try to help them from home. There are also just plain friendships. If somebody doesn't show up then people ask about her.
What kind of relationships, if any, develop with the soldiers?
We get to know them or recognize them, too, and that's also a matter of personal preference. As an organization, our approach towards soldiers is very businesslike; it is neither embracing nor hostile. Dialogue with them concerns what happened during that day, what the [army's] procedures are. We're a third element at the checkpoint so we don't identify ourselves with the army. We walk a thin line with the soldiers and with the army in general because there are all sort of different interests stemming from different concerns that need to be balanced. That's very problematic.
Can you say more about Machsom Watch's relationship with the Israeli army?
From the army's perspective our presence isn't so comfortable for them because we publish stories that maybe they would prefer people not know about.19 On the other hand, they use us. They claim that because they allow us to be there that shows they support our work. That's a little like us being their fig leaf, and they can then claim that there's a human rights organization basically saying that things are alright. We don't want to cooperate [with the army] because we oppose the policies that the army is implementing, yet we do turn to them and submit complaints. There is ongoing dialogue with them and we have to be careful not to venture to places where, politically speaking, we don't want to find ourselves. There are many forces involved in the matter and it isn't simple. We also have many arguments in Machsom Watch regarding how the relations should be.
How do you think you are perceived by the soldiers at the checkpoint?
In general it's not that pleasant for them, just like it wouldn't be pleasant for anybody in a situation where people stand observing their actions, writing everything down and also approaching them, asking questions and occasionally making comments. In general, that's not exactly what they would like from us! It varies, it varies in that our presence is occasionally actually pleasant for them and they even say things like, "Good thing you're here." They like to tell us what's on their minds and they tell us about how hard it is for them. There are those who hate us, often they are settlers - civilians - but also some in uniform, and we simply drive them mad. They can't tolerate the presence of Israelis who have a stance so opposed to theirs. And there's the majority, which is indifferent. They aren't interested in anything because of the numb state they are in; they just aren't interested.
The army officially permits our presence at checkpoints-- I mean the high ranks do. The soldiers in the field continuously try to get rid of us. They say, "[This is] a closed military zone, you can't be here, move away, move over there, don't speak to them." But we have permission from the high ranks. Sometimes they allow our presence there because even they understand that they won't be able to get rid of us and that if they do, there will be a heave price to pay in terms of publicity that won't serve them well.
How do you relate to the question in general of security and the checkpoints?
For instance, if at checkpoints people were checked for bombs or whatever and then allowed to continue like here at the entrance to a mall, then it would be less of a problem, and maybe we [Machsom Watch] wouldn't have to come to the checkpoints at all. But after you come there you understand that that's not what takes place at all. There is a very minimal and arbitrary physical inspection, which at some checkpoints doesn't even take place. A person's ID card is inspected and if they come from a certain place and aren't supposed to be outside their allotted living area, they can't pass.20 That's how it is. Men between the age of sixteen and twenty-five need a permit to pass through the checkpoint, for example. I'm talking about scores of checkpoints, and the meaning is that they can't really leave their houses to go to the city nearby or anywhere. It paralyzes their lives.
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That's what brought us to the conclusion that checkpoints mostly don't serve security needs. Again, I'm referring to the internal checkpoints. Now even if the checkpoints do fulfill security needs in some way, as the army claims, there are things known to all of us, including the fact that Palestinians who go to apply for a permit at the DCO [liaison office] are often pressured to become collaborators.21 It's a widely known fact; it's really not something that we discovered. "Come help us out and in return you'll get a permit for your child to go to the hospital." So there are many ways in which the checkpoints are used indirectly for security needs.
The matter of "proportionality" came up in the appeal to the High Court of Justice in the case of the wall; let me explain. It means we compare how much the population is harmed to the security benefit. For instance, the High Court of Justice ruled that [some parts] of the wall must be moved because its harm is too extensive [to the Palestinian population]. In relation to the checkpoints, you could claim Palestinian men shouldn't leave their homes at all, and that will contribute to Israelis' security. Maybe it will, but there are things that cannot be done according to international law, and the checkpoints are a violation of international law.
I think we all have our red lines for what we are prepared to let the army do for the sake of security. We could also bomb the cities and be done with it! So the issue is that it seems to be a total imbalance, and to a certain extent, a lie. I say a lie because there aren't physical searches at the checkpoints; rather, the checkpoints pen people into all sorts of areas. Why is this done? That's what a military occupation looks like, that's what control looks like. It states who's in charge; the Israeli army is in charge and that's the situation and "you" must accept that, "you" must let go of your aspirations, we're the strong side and that's the story.
Did the situation at the checkpoints come as a surprise to you?
Yes, I mean I really understand it now but at first I kept learning something new about the Occupation22 and how the system works, and also about the large bureaucracy with the matter of permits. It's complicated on purpose and there are many types of permits; orders are changed on a daily basis regarding who is allowed to pass and who isn't. At first I was amazed at the discovery of these mechanisms.
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I don't think that I ever thought that the checkpoints were a security measure, because as I said this was at a time when all the bombings in Jerusalem were taking place five minutes away from my house, and the last thing I felt was secure. I truly believe that the issue of security is symptomatic, meaning that it's superficial and that one must take a profound look in order to view the deeper issues. I think that if we remain at the level of security we won't ever resolve this conflict.
How did you feel the first time you went to a checkpoint with Machsom Watch?
The first time I went to a checkpoint was during Passover.23 During the Jewish holidays, there is always a closure imposed and nobody passes through checkpoints. We went to Kalandia and it was empty; there was nobody there. On one hand, in terms of it being my first time, maybe it was a more gradual introduction, but I did see the physical environment. I felt as though I'd arrived in India, in the third world. It looked so bad-- so dirty, so neglected-- with barbed wire fences and mud. I remember that shocked me even without the presence of people there. When I came back a week later it was full of people and it was overwhelming-- lots of people, children, women and men and taxis and stalls with vendors and it was, wow! It flooded me and for the first months I went to the checkpoint when I came home I couldn't stop thinking about it for hours, I kept recalling the images. I couldn't fall asleep. It was emotionally flooding, the visual images. It is initially very overwhelming. You get accustomed to it. It's amazing how you get used to anything! That's just the way it is, when something is new it is visible and when you get used to it you start to pay attention to different impressions than from that first day. At first it was as though a spaceship transported me to a completely different world that is located fifteen minutes away from my house. This place follows different rules and has a different language, but the encounter with Palestinians was amazing. I had so many conversations with people; I learned so much about what happens there. It's really amazing.
Do you think Israelis are aware of the situation at the checkpoints?
No. Maybe more today, in part thanks to Machsom Watch, I think. But no, in general, we say that you have to be there in order to comprehend. We explain what's going on to people who are distanced from it all. We try to bring people along because when people go there I think they grasp that there is a problem and that the checkpoints aren't a 100% solution. People generally didn't understand what the problem is, where things are taking place or why; I think that today when you mention checkpoints in Israel people know something about it and they aren't comfortable with it, they know it's problematic. The average Israeli still doesn't understand it in full, but whoever is frequently there, sees it.
Why are there only women in Machsom Watch?
There was an understanding that the presence of a male third party at a checkpoint could achieve the opposite of what we wanted to, meaning adding tension to our encounter, which is also complex, as I described. Also, because [Israeli] men also get called for reserve service, meaning that there's a chance they were also involved in this type of reserves service as soliders, they may identify with the soldiers. I'm certain that if there were men in Machsom Watch [our work] would have ended long ago. I'm sure the army wouldn't allow it because of the tension and violence. I'm sure that if I were a man I would have been beaten up by soldiers at the checkpoints by now because there is a lot of stress and anger. Those are the practicalities, but I think that besides that we like being part of an organization that belongs only to women. It gives us more power and allows us to do the things we want to. I think that in mixed organizations men are often the ones who become the decision makers and determine things and women are pushed aside. I feel that I have a better sense of partnership and equality.
What is your approach as women? I know there are women who come as mothers of soldiers and as maternal figures. How did you approach it? How do others?
We adopt a businesslike approach in order to understand the situation and to receive information. As an organization we don't have a common approach to the issue of military service in the Occupied Territories. Obviously every woman has her own personal style, but the organization continuously attempts to manage the manner of activity so as not to become aggressive towards the soldiers, but not embrace them either - a kind of neutrality. We don't call upon them to refuse to serve,24 nor do we strengthen them in their "national mission."
Personally, it's hard for me -- standing at checkpoints I got very irritated at the soldiers! I know it doesn't serve the purpose; it doesn't serve anything, but we are human beings and it's difficult because of the frustration that there is a person who tells people not to pass or to wait, detaining them or worse things than I've described. Again, I have nothing personal against the soldiers but that's the situation. It's also our claim that in such a situation you and I would become very inhumane and immoral. I don't think there's anything wrong with the soldiers as soldiers but rather that the situation is wrong.
Can you tell me about a confrontation you had with a soldier?
I've had many, though I don't know whether confrontation is the right term - we argue over people being detained for long periods at the checkpoints. There was one time when one soldier wanted all the people who were standing and waiting at the checkpoint to move, I don't know, maybe two hundred meters back, and wait there. The people didn't really feel like moving back. They couldn't really understand what he wanted and ultimately they wanted to stay close by in order to hear the soldier who would call to them that it was their turn. So then he decided to punish them and closed the checkpoint completely until they moved. I found myself not quite attempting to convince him, but maybe more yelling at him, "What are you doing, why are you punishing these people? Stop it immediately." It got to the point where he fired his gun in the air. That was very stressful. Of course he couldn't close the checkpoint, and his commander came and reopened it. It's hard to watch when a person has a personal ambition like that.
What are your goals as media coordinator?
As spokeswoman - I'm talking about Machsom Watch still - that's really a difficult question. I think that initially it was very clear to me that I wanted the international audiences and the Israeli public to know that that the checkpoints aren't a security measure but rather a form of collective punishment, an infringement of human rights. Today I'm more skeptical regarding the public, especially the Israeli public. I think that we succeeded very nicely in reaching the international audiences and received a lot of coverage, but in general I see that making the Israeli public take an interest in what happens on the Palestinian side isn't working that well…I'm debating the matter. There's another approach that's gaining momentum: showing the effects of the checkpoints and the Occupation on soldiers and on the army, showing the extent of its harm to our side. Perhaps this is an effective approach but it doesn't really appeal to me; however I see that it's something the press is always interested in.
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The press is always interested if I bring them a story involving a soldier at a checkpoint, a soldier who fired [his gun], injured, or abused [Palestinians]. If there is a soldier involved they are interested. If I tell them that there's been a closure in Nablus25 for a month, or something general like that, because closure is so arbitrary, they are less interested in that. Frankly I'm indecisive; I'm not sure what our objectives are. There is an approach that says we should try to change the [Israeli] concept that we have no choice but to [continue the Occupation], but what the objectives are is a question that hasn't really got an answer currently.
Do you have a specific strategy concerning the Israeli audience?
Not really. We've tried all different approaches; some are pushing for discussing the harm to Israeli society and some want us to present the damage to the Palestinians. We're a large organization and there are many women and many different voices. It's like a choir that sings in many parts, it isn't that focused.
What successes do you see regarding international audiences?
Again, I am usually in touch with the press and ever since I've been in this position, foreign journalists join us at least twice a week at the checkpoints. My estimate is that the checkpoint story has coverage all over Europe, the United States, and I recall journalists from places such as Australia, South Africa, and Brazil. We're told that people hear and know about it and that it receives a lot of coverage.
What do you hope will happen in the future?
Well, the optimal situation would be that it would bring countries to apply pressure on Israel to enter negotiations, to withdraw from the Territories,26 and to do what it takes to make these things happen. After four years I'm pretty skeptical. I'm not sure it'll happen, but we do what we can.
I'd like to talk about the Coalition of Women for Peace; how does the connection between the organizations' work in the Coalition?
A coalition is more intricate because there are many voices, many approaches, and many directions. All in all, I think it's working nicely and that the common denominator is very large. A joint organization strengthens the individual organizations, especially the smaller and perhaps more active ones, and that strengthens joint activities. What we also try to do in the Coalition is to strengthen the groups - the organizations - and also to use all the organizations' resources for the joint work.
What are the drawbacks to the way you currently operate?
The issue of strategy, what the goals are. I think you were there on the day when we talked about the media campaign, I really didn't think that up myself; I was at a media workshop and that was raised. They really stressed the issue of strategy, of naming your objectives and choosing activities accordingly, and not doing scattered activities hoping that they will have some impact. It's even more difficult at the Coalition because every organization has a different emphasis. Sometimes there are issues that are important for women from Machsom Watch that women from New Profile aren't interested in, and vice versa. So there needs to be a shared, yet focused statement.
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It's also difficult finding a statement the Israeli public will be able to relate to. There is constantly tension between what we really think - our most profound truths - and what the public is able to grasp and digest. I think what we lack is strategy, as well as a better connection with the Israeli public. That's a difficult matter because we're a radical organization that is very distant from the consensus. The million dollar question is how to relate - how to influence people and not alienate ourselves - without deterring people. There is the sense of being perceived as an out-of-touch minority.
Israeli society is so diverse. The question of which connections and links can be made to bring people to relate to the issues is a very difficult one.
Which specific roles can women play in a peace process?
I think that women, drawing on feminist approaches - not necessarily every woman by default - contribute to solutions that aren't based on force, where the strong side imposes its will, but rather with a more equality-based approach. addressing the other side's needs. [This approach] doesn't just focus on how I can convince the other side to relinquish those needs. It's an approach that views a range of aspects and not just security, territory, things like that; it asks rather what the implications [of a solution] would be on other aspects of life.
You have been active in the project of tours of the Separation Barrier. Can you tell me about that?
It's a project run by the Coalition of Women for Peace that invites the public to meet the wall. We have a very special, successful approach, and also a very unusual one for left-wing organizations. It is that we provide people with information - information we deem important, and our position is being opposed to the wall and we don't hide anything. We also give people a chance to discuss what they think and to cope, process what they previously thought vis-à-vis having visited the wall - how it contrasts or doesn't.
The approach is true dialogue; you know, when you say dialogue everyone imagines harmony, hearing the same views and emerging alike, and that's not the way it is. In my opinion it's a fantastic opportunity. I stand in front of a group and I can tell them what I think, I can listen to what they think, and when they leave maybe something inside them will change but thanks to the respect and understanding. They won't leave the tour thinking as I do, but maybe in some slight way I'll succeed in influencing them or undermining what they thought prior to that, and make them think more critically and differently. I really love this project. I think it's very successful and has proven to be successful because people are very pleased with the tours and they are also people who aren't convinced, who don't share our opinions. People come from all over. They are pleased with the information they receive, from the reality they don't know and didn't recognize earlier, and from the chance to discuss things.
Who comes to the tours?
People hear about it from other people and groups come. We've had high school classes -of course they don't come through the Ministry of Education or the principal. Some teacher heard about it and decided that in the course of a three-day seminar in Jerusalem, studying the Holocaust,27 she'd get in a tour of the wall. That's a true story. Those poor kids came straight from Yad Vashem28 to the wall. But there were youth movements, such as Beitar,29 a right-wing youth movement with kids from Hebron [Jewish settler children], we've had groups from kibbutzes.30 Now we're beginning a series of tours for students in Jerusalem, together with Hacampus lo Shotek [The Campus Will not Stay Silent] and Ta'ayush31 to take tours from the university to a neighborhood in Jerusalem where there's a wall, such as A-Ram or Abu Dis.32 There are people who sign up on their own, and we gather a group of people and take them.
Why would groups like Beitar bring kids to the tour of the Separation Barrier?
An interesting question. The tour with Beitar was in Lod.33 We give tours in Lod and Ramle34 because there are separation walls there too. I don't know, there must have been a very open counselor there. I don't think that morality belongs only to the left-wing. There are thoughtful and moral people on the other side too [the right-wing]. I think it's nice that people from all over seek information that they aren't receiving any other way. The atmosphere during the tours is that every person will do whatever they want with the information and take it where they want to and not be brainwashed or anything. I think that people think it contributes to their thinking regardless of their opinions. There were youths that said they wanted to volunteer in Lod and assist in Arab neighborhoods! It goes to show that anything is possible, that this is really the right approach. It wasn't easy. We had a Palestinian guide from Lod and he had a difficult encounter with the children, but there's much to be gained.
Who do you most want to take on a tour of the Separation Barrier in Jerusalem?
Actually, from the Israelis - anybody. We had a preliminary tour, just us tour guides in Jerusalem and my immediate response after was that I wanted my family to see it, or my friends, meaning people who mean a lot to me, so that they could understand what I was talking about. But I'm glad to see any group from the Israeli public. We've discovered that people's political opinions don't predict how they will behave during a tour or what will come up, because it raises very profound issues of identity, separation and security, and all sorts of issues that aren't only relevant for the Center or the right-wing, but for all Israelis. That's why the tours I guide with Israelis are fascinating, interesting, and important. It's important for me that people from abroad know about the wall but it's less urgent for me.
Can you give an example of a group you presumed would react a certain way and that surprised you?
The kid from Beitar who said, "I want to volunteer here and help." That was something we never expected to happen. There are people from the left-wing who suddenly say, "Yes, but we need a wall against suicide bombings" or such things. We've learned there's no way to predict certain responses and that there's a wide range of responses.
My approach is not to argue. My approach is to challenge [people's previous perceptions]. I talk about the misery it causes the Palestinians; on the political level I ask them where they think [building the wall] is leading, what kind of reality is being created here for us all, which is very important I think. Also on the level of security and the solutions, is this really a good or effective solution? I try to examine all these questions and hope that part of that will reach people. The last hour of the tour is a discussion group. Often this type of reaction will come up during the group's discussion and then the group responds. People talk amongst themselves and I'm merely a facilitatorI enabling the process, but at this point I don't participate. People don't yell but rather they articulate very painful and intense experiences and really talk to one another. In mixed groups, say a group of Jewish Israelis and Palestinians, the dialogue is very powerful.
What would you like to see happen after people go home from the tours?
As I said, we believe that people can shift their opinions a little. A person who's completely opposed to the wall may become active after the tour. Somebody who didn't know a thing about the wall knows a little bit more, and when they see it on television they will be able to analyze things according to the information they received. We've had groups of right-wing people and during the tour they face the wall's price, which simply cannot be ignored. We aim to make people think beyond and undermine the banal concepts of brainwashing and what people hear from the media concerning these issues.
Do you have any doubts regarding the things you do?
My main doubts concern how effective all this is; how much of a chance this has of being influential, whether it's pointless - maybe what we're doing is nothing more than a drop in the sea. But I tell myself that as long as I live here, this is my way of living here. This is my way of coping with the situation and influencing it. I can't stand on the sidelines or ignore what's happening. There are occasional moments of hope, but not many!
How does your family react to what you do?
They support me and are very proud of what I do. They don't necessarily agree with all the things I say, but they are very much in favor of my being involved and active. They view it as a positive thing.
How does the conflict affect your life?
It generally affects it for the worse because I find myself telling myself that I can't believe that this is the state of our lives, that these are the things we must occupy ourselves with. Enough! I want to live in a normal place where people can busy themselves with more positive tasks, like creative initiatives and things that feed the soul and mind. I feel like we are involved in such a primitive - I hate the term - conflict, a blood feud over land. I don't share those sentiments; that's so remote from the way I want to live. Sometimes I just can't believe that this is how I'm spending my time; I truly believe that this won't occupy me for the rest of my life. But who knows; I know many women who work with me who are fifty or sixty years-old and they've been doing this for thirty years.
On the other hand I see the positive aspects the conflict has on me. I think it forces me to make a huge effort and stimulates creativity and other things, and that's also important to me. We are truly dealing with life and death situations - human rights and vastly important issues. I feel that I'm lucky to be able to take part in it and that I'm not completely helpless. We call it empowerment in our field. I'm discovering things about myself that maybe I wouldn't have in other circumstances.
How do you view peace?
That's a very difficult question. I think that the first stage is ending the Occupation in the Territories and then some sort of self-determination and liberation for the Palestinians in the Territories. But I don't think that can be the end of the process. I view peace as being a confederation or cooperation so that neither side exploits the other, and to avoid us resuming control in an indirect way. This is so that all people will be able to live here and feel secure and be free and enjoy equality. I think that these elements are indispensable; without them we will remain at the level of empty slogans. That's why I feel that we're light years away from peace.
What will the region look like when there is peace?
According to my vision of what peace is, it gets very complicated to even define [Israel]. If there is genuine peace with the Palestinians and with the neighboring countries then it will resemble Europe, and people from all over will immigrate to the region. It's a known fact that after the peace accords were signed with Jordan, Jordanians crossed over at the Dead Sea, it drew illegal workers here because they can earn more here. I can imagine that if there are more or less open borders, people will be able to pass freely and come here from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan. That of course undermines what [Israel] claims it wants to be - Jewish and democratic. This is why I'm skeptical about us ever achieving this kind of peace, skeptical about there being a mass aspiration here for this kind of peace. I think that the result would be that this country would lose the character it's trying to protect.
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Unfortunately, what preserves the state's character is the conflict; it is the conflict that enables people to use excuses and become entrenched in a collective identity that would be likely to melt away and diverge in a state of peace. Currently there isn't much of a collective identity; there are specific groups and sectors - Russian speakers, Arab citizens,35 Mizrachis,36 Ashkenazis37 - but the sense of besiegement and risk is something that unites these people. At checkpoints you can see a soldier who just arrived from the Ukraine; he isn't even Jewish and barely speaks a word of Hebrew yet he is yelling 'don't pass' at a Palestinian. This is a form of socialization that keeps people together here. I think that once the conflict is resolved we will have to face all the internal conflicts, and that includes such intense conflicts that who knows what will happen.
What do you view as the roots of the conflict?
I think the root of the conflict is Zionism.38 I'm very interested in this subject now, far more than the Occupation.
Are Zionism and a Jewish state important to you?
I think that before the state's establishment the goal was to create a normal state for the Jews. From that aspect Zionism served its purpose, it did create a state where Jews live as equal citizens. I think that after a certain point, after Zionism achieved the state's establishment and aliyah,39 the immigration that brought so many Jews here, and greatly reduced security risks by making peace with some of the neighboring countries, it became an obstacle for normal life here. To me living in a normal country can't include adopting apartheid and racist and religious discrimination.
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I think Zionism is an obstacle to normal life here and that's why I'm not in favor of retaining the definition of a Jewish state. I assume there can be a state with a Jewish majority; I'm not opposed to that. I'm not saying we need to get rid of the Jewish majority at any cost. I think that my aspirations have changed, and that I want this to be a normal country where equality isn't sanctioned by religion and for there not to be an ever present census - how many of them and how many of us. I feel I'm always being reminded I'm Jewish; if it isn't in the religious sense then it's in the ethnic sense and I'm very uncomfortable living this way. I want to live somewhere where nobody will care about my religion. That was also Zionism's aspiration: a normal life, people not being conscious which group they belong to, that's what really went on in the Diaspora. That's a problem. There isn't a significant difference between what is being done to Palestinians in the Territories under the Occupation to what's being done to Palestinians in Lod in terms of inequality and viewing them as people who deserve less, excluding them from "us." I don't think we can keep going on like this.
What do you think needs to change in order to change the situation?
What needs to change is the perception of "us" and "them." We need to use civic concepts, and this does happen quite often in practice. I have Arab friends and I feel we are close in terms of being Israeli. We really do live in the same place. Culturally we share a lot, but on the level of consciousness there is a very large barrier between "us" and "them." The "others" or Arab "others" - those are a perceived as a real threat. This needs to change, and I think in practice it is changing because there are many people here that are "others"; it's still very far from the current situation though. I'm aware that that's a sort of utopia.
Which international audience is the most influential in the region, and why?
That's pretty obvious I think, the United States. In many areas-- in their political and financial support of Israel. People say we're the 51st state. We're not entirely an independent country. We depend on the States for many things. It's also the largest force in the world so all the surrounding countries - Syria, Egypt, Jordan - are influenced by it. I'm not saying that Europe or other places have no impact. Unfortunately, the United States is a deciding element and we are paying the price for being their extension in the Middle East.40
Do you think the US has misconceptions regarding the conflict?
The US prioritizes Israeli interests, or alleged interests, over Palestinian interests. The US isn't blind to their interests, it doesn't ignore them, but in terms of importance they see Israel as coming first and not incidentally, since Israel also serves their interests.
Why did former peace processes fail?
I think they failed in truly addressing the other side's needs. In processes such as Oslo41 and Camp David,42 there was an attempt to gain as much as possible. We want as few Palestinians on our lands and to annex as much land as possible. We want to profit financially but not to invest anything. That's the approach, but there needs to be a win-win approach. That means I win but the other side does too, even because of the practical reason that this is how it can succeed or be sustainable. I don't think I see that in any peace process or in any leader here.
Can you give an example of an attitude that needs to change?
Yes, for example the issue of the settlement blocs. Both Likud43 and Labor44 are in favor of them, they say it is annexing only 3% of the lands, 5% of the lands, land exchange etc. But people who deal more deeply with the matter and are in the field understand that for example, Ma'ale Adumim45 or Gush Etzion46 are places that strategically speaking enable maintaining control over the entire West Bank. This is the embodiment of the power-based approach of maintaining as much as possible at the expense of the other side, hoping it'll give in and accept these terms because its situation is so terrible. I don't think that can really serve any kind of stability.
Is a two-state solution an acceptable solution according to the vision of peace you mentioned earlier?
Yes. As an initial stage I think it's pretty much the only solution that can be considered because I think that most Israelis and most Palestinians wouldn't want to live in a joint framework; it's problematic after a history of prolonged struggle and imbalance. I think that in the long term separation will be difficult to maintain, especially in such a small area that is so densely populated, and also according to my vision. Peace means cooperation and open borders and much more freedom. Take the EU,47 where people can live in any of the countries, work in any country there. I think that's the meaning of peace.


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Green Power Partnership
Green Power Community Challenge
Green Power Communities
Launched in September 2012, EPA hosted its third national, year-long campaign to encourage communities coast-to-coast to use renewable energy and fight climate change. As part of the campaign, Communities competed to see which one could achieve the highest green power percentage of total electricity use and which one could use the most green power.
And the winners are . . .
EPA declared the winning communities on September 23, 2013:
Most kilowatt-hours of green power: Washington, D.C. Green Power Community
The EPA Green Power Community of Washington, D.C., won the Challenge title of using the greatest amount of green power annually. District Government, businesses, and residents are collectively purchasing more than 1 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, enough green power to meet more than 11 percent of the community's total electricity use.
Highest percentage of green power: Oak Park, Ill. Green Power Community
The EPA Green Power Community of Oak Park, Ill., led the Challenge competition of achieving the highest green power percentage of total electricity use. Close to 92 percent of Oak Park's local government, residential, and business electricity usage comes from green power sources.
The Challenge surpassed its goal to increase the collective amount of green power used by EPA Green Power Communities. At the conclusion of the Challenge, EPA's Green Power Communities were collectively using more than six billion kWh of green power annually, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equal to the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) from the annual electricity use of more than 636,000 homes.
Who Participated?
To participate, a local city, town, village, county, or tribal governments must become an EPA Green Power Community. At the conclusion of the Challenge, 48 EPA Green Power Communities competed in the Challenge. View the final Green Power Community Challenge Rankings.
How Did The Challenge Work?
Over the span of a year, EPA GPCs tracked and reported their collective green power use and green power percentage of total electricity use. EPA provided technical and outreach assistance to participants throughout the Challenge to help them increase their green power usage rates.
GPCs were ranked according to these categories on EPA's website on a quarterly schedule. Learn more about the GPC Challenge (PDF) (2 pp, 811K, About PDF).
Is EPA Planning on Continuing the GPC Challenge?
Yes! EPA is happy to announce that the Green Power Community Challenge will occur again over the next year. For details and more information, visit the 2013-2014 Green Power Community Challenge homepage.

subset: commoncrawl


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- News
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Wednesday, August 21, 2013 - 5:40pm
EL PASO — Two men were behind bars Wednesday facing charges of shooting and killing a teenager outside his West El Paso home.
George Diamos and Geoff Bond, both 21 are both facing capital murder charges. The pair allegedly shot and killed 18-year-old Saeed Nami Monday night next to Palo Verde Park in West El Paso.
Diamos was arrested last night at an apartment complex in Las Cruces. He's also facing a charge of battery on a police officer, for allegedly head butting an officer after his arrest.
Bond was apprehended on the 6100 block of Tejas in El Paso. Their mug shots are not being released.
Nami was facing drug charges when he was killed, and his mother believes the murder was related.
Read the original story here: http://www.ktsm.com/news/worried-mother-fears-more-killing-after-her-son...


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Yoga Classes in Branson, Missouri
| Yoga Classes in Branson Missouri
|Wholly Transformed, LLC
|Contact:Marie Powers
|Branson, Missouri 65616
|Yoga Style: Anusara Inspired Hatha Yoga
|Send Message
|Teaching all levels yoga on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. at Anytime Fitness on Gretna Road. Free with gym membership or $10 class pass. Teach limited session yoga at area developments and Chr .. More about Wholly Transformed, LLC
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| Yoga Classes in Branson West Missouri
9.13 Miles Away
|Southwest Fitness
|Contact:Jodelle Fitzwater
|Hwy 13 & Hwy DD, below Mule Express, Branson West, Missouri 65737
|Phone:417-272-8456 or 417-230-0554
|Yoga Style: Vinyasa Yoga
|Send Message
|My class is sanity for an insane world. My classes are a place where you leave your stress at the door, and on the way out you are so relaxed, you forget to pick them back up! My students are taught to quie .. More about Southwest Fitness
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| Yoga Classes in Kimberling City Missouri
11.02 Miles Away
|Williams Bros Ski & Sports
|Contact:Bill Lynch
|348 Nautical Circle, Kimberling City, Missouri 65686
|Phone:(417) 207-7983
|Yoga Style: Vinyasa
|Send Message
|Bring your mat* and come by water or land to a mixed level yoga class at the Port of Kimberling Marina inside Williams Bros Ski & Sports on the docks Saturday mornings at 6:00. $15 walk-in or 4 class pass fo .. More about Williams Bros Ski & Sports
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Skip to main content
The Division of Endocrinology provides consultation and long-term management for children and adolescents with diabetes and endocrine disorders who reside in the WWAMI region.
The division's approach to patient care blends clinical practice, research and education. A multidisciplinary team of dedicated physicians, midlevel providers, certified diabetes nurse educators, dietitians and social workers offers family-centered care in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Endocrinologists work with primary-care providers and other subspecialists to manage endocrine disorders in children with complex healthcare needs. In multidisciplinary clinics, our endocrinologists treat patients with sexual-development disorders and cystic fibrosis as well as long-term childhood cancer survivors. We assess and treat skeletal health in the metabolic clinic. Collaborative research efforts are under way in pediatric diabetes, cystic fibrosis–related diabetes, disorders of gonadal function, including disorders of sexual development, and endocrine function in childhood cancer survivors.
New faculty bring additional research projects addressing puberty, gonadal function and childhood obesity. Since 2005, the division has had an ACGME-accredited subspecialty residency program, enhancing teaching efforts and recruitment potential for pediatric endocrine providers.
Endocrinology, Diabetes Research, Disorders of Sex Development
Academic Title: Professor
Catherine Pihoker, MD, is chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes and attending physician at Seattle Childrens Hospital and Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Her clinical focus ... cont.
Endocrinology, Disorders of Sex Development
On staff since April 2009
On staff since November 2006
Title: Medical Director, DSD program
On staff since October 2006
Lipid Disorders, Endocrinology
On staff since February 2001
I'm piloting a new method to help teens and tweens in our insulin resistance clinic set "do-able" exercise goals. Together, we write down goals and come up with a plan to reach them. I call patients once a week to check in and help them overcome barriers. It's exciting to watch patients reach their goals and build on their successes.
Seattle Children's provides healthcare without regard to race, color, religion (creed), sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin (ancestry) or disability. Financial assistance for medically necessary services is based on family income and hospital resources and is provided to children under age 21 whose primary residence is in Washington, Alaska, Montana or Idaho.
© 1995-2014 Seattle Children's Hospital


text: Staples has a super low for the HP NY540AA Presario Cq5210f Desktop Computer. This desktop has a AMD Athlon™ II X2 215 Dual-Core Processor, Windows 7 64-bit, 3GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, DVD burner with Lightscribe, NVIDIA nForce MCP61 Chipset and 6x USB ports. It's $371.98 – $72 instant savings + free shipping = $299.99 shipped!


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Sorry there are no shows for Wu-Tang Clan right now.
What people are saying about Wu-Tang Clan
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We have re-imagined our design in a bold new way. Before we roll it out for everyone, we are giving select readers an opportunity to try out the new design. We welcome your feedback.
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2355 Chestnut St. (near Divisadero)
San Francisco
Tel. (415) 771-2216
When it opened in 2004, A16 carved a niche focusing on food from southern Italy, particularly Campania. Others have followed that lead, but this restaurant remains on top, thanks to new chef Christopher Thompson and owner and wine director Shelly Lindgren. Leave yourself in the hands of the professionals - Lindgren curates an exciting and ever-changing collection of Italian wines - and you'll have an exceptional bottle (or glass) in whatever price range you choose. On the food side, look for such things as tuna conserva bread salad with cranberry beans, celery and Calabrian chiles; or cavatelli with lamb sausage ragu and smoked caciocavallo cheese. The boisterous long, narrow restaurant features an open kitchen and lively bar.
Specialties: Neapolitan pizza; house-cured salumi; tripe Napoletana; maccaronara pasta with tomato ragu and ricotta salata; chocolate budino tart.
Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri., dinner 5:30-10 p.m. Mon.-Thur., until 11 p.m. Fri.; 5-11 p.m. Sat.,5-10 p.m. Sun.
© 2014 Hearst Communications, Inc.


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With quick fold technology you can fold this Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller up using just hand – perfect when you're juggling holding your child with packing everything away.
Suitable from birth up to 15 kg (approximately 4 years), this stroller is packed with features to ensure you can get out and about with ease. The seat reclines to a near flat position that is ideal for newborns or for an afternoon nap, with a padded design so they can snooze in comfort.
The padded shoulders add to the comfy style, while the 5 point safety harness ensures your youngster is nice and secure. The swivel wheels also have added suspension for a smooth ride as you stroll along.
Perfectly designed for urban terrain, this Baby Jogger pushchair has small, lightweight wheels to make it extra compact.
The storage underneath is great for a trip to the shops, while the mesh pocket to the back is the ideal place to store some of their favourite toys.
Useful info:
- Suitable from birth to 15 kg (approx. 4 years)
- Quick fold design
- Reclining seat
- Padded shoulders and seat
- 5 point safety harness
- Swivel suspension wheels
- Storage underneath
- Removable wheels
- Mesh pocket to the back
- Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller
Colour: Black, Purple, Red, Stone, Teal.
This Baby Jogger City Mini Twin Stroller takes the strain out of pushing 2 children around so you can run errands or enjoy a day out with the family.
This double pushchair boasts a smart folding design that means you can collapse it in one quick motion, taking any of the hassle out of packing it away in the car or storing it in the house. The wheels also have a quick release style to make it even more compact.
Each seat reclines to a near flat position that is perfect for newborns and this Baby Jogger pushchair is suitable from birth right through to 15 kg (approximately 4 years) for plenty of use.
The 5 point safety harnesses ensure they will be extra secure while the side by side design means both children will be able to see each other and watch the world go by.
The padded seats include adjustable shoulder pads so your children can get nice and snug, with a retractable weather shield to protect them from any sudden showers.
The under seat storage is ideal for a quick shopping trip, with extra mesh pockets on the back for any of their favourite toys.
- Suitable from birth to 15 kg (approx. 4 years)
- Quick fold design
- Reclining seats
- Padded shoulders and seats
- 5 point safety harnesses
- Swivel suspension wheels
- Weather shield included
- Storage underneath
- Removable wheels
- Mesh pockets to the back
- Baby Jogger City Mini Twin Stroller


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A fire burned through the roof of a Longview home Thanksgiving night.
It happened near the corner of Young and Houston Street in South Longview. Fortunately, no one was at the duplex at the time, and firefighters were able to contain the blaze.
We were with the residents as they salvaged what items they could.
Walter and Salendra Williams got a call around 7:45 p.m. that their side of their duplex was on fire. The Longview Fire Department kept the fire from spreading.
"They re-wired it but they didn't re-wire the rest of the top of the house. I guess those old wires just gave out. Luckily a neighbor looked out, and his lights went out. All our lights are hooked up I guess. He came out and saw sparks and called 911," Walter said.
Their children's room had a hole burned through the roof, and their clothes were smoke damaged.
"When the top fell in it just started burning the clothes," Walter said.
Their neighbor Gloria Jackson also had some smoke damage, but the fire didn't spread to her side.
A neighbor, Heber Patel, said his lights flashed and he was able to get some video as the fire was put out.
"We didn't get to eat all our turkey, either. But the main thing is we're all alive. That's the main thing. God was with us on that because we had just left the house," Walter thankfully said.
Even though many of their belongings are gone, the Williams still find reason to give thanks.
The Williams say they are staying at a hotel since their families are out of town. If you'd like to help this family out, contact the Longview Red Cross.
Copyright 2012 KLTV. All rights reserved.
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Preventive Health Screenings
Loyola Medicine is driving home better cardiovascular health in the Chicago area by making it convenient and affordable to have regular preventive health screenings. Our doctors can see inside your heart and arteries using safe and painless ultrasound screenings. Our technicians can perform a series of tests, which look at the major risk factors of heart attack, stroke, aneurysms and even cancer. Get a complete heart screening in the comfort and privacy of our mobile health center in less than one hour. Loyola Medicine has teamed up with HealthFair to bring health screenings to the Chicago area.


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Current And Emerging Tools For Assessing Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
- Volume 23 - Issue 5 - May 2010
- 16651 reads
- 0 comments
Sensorimotor neuropathy is a combination pathologic process with symptoms ranging from pain, numbness and paresthesia to decreased strength and atrophy of lower limb muscles. This form of neuropathy typically affects the smaller intrinsic muscles first. One can readily appreciate how atrophy of the intrinsics can lead to muscular imbalance, particularly about the digits at the metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) level, and subsequent deformity. This motor neuropathy can lead directly to foot deformity, which is a part of the aforementioned critical triad.
An additional form of motor neuropathy, diabetic amyotrophy, affects the proximal lower extremities and can lead to additional muscle atrophy and weakness. This may clinically manifest itself as subjective complaints of difficulty walking, sensations of instability and a history of falls.13 In fact, these patients can have up to 15 times the risk for injury when walking in comparison to those without diabetic motor neuropathy.14 Additionally, research has suggested that Charcot neuroarthropathy may be influenced by diabetic motor neuropathy. Jeffcoate and colleagues have proposed that motor neuropathy results in joint instability and subluxation with altered force distribution throughout the foot.15
The motor portion of neuropathy clearly comes with its own set of associated risks and potential outcomes if it is undetected and undertreated. Some treatment options may include muscle strengthening and gait training through physical therapy, orthotics and bracing when indicated. It is important to note that pharmacologic agents such as pregabalin (Lyrica, Pfizer) or tricyclic antidepressants are antinociceptive in nature, and are unlikely to play a significant role in motor neuropathy management.16
Autonomic neuropathy primarily involves the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and the genitourinary system, but it can have effects on the lower extremity as well in the form of an altered and at-risk cutaneous system. Sweat gland dysfunction may lead to dry, cracked skin while microvascular shunting produces negative effects on capillary blood flow in the setting of this type of neuropathy.
Gibbons and co-workers sought to evaluate the density of nerve fibers innervating sweat glands in healthy controls and patients with diabetes.17 The authors conducted skin biopsies at three sites (proximal thigh, distal thigh and distal leg) and examined the nerve fibers innervating sweat glands. They found that patients with diabetes had reduced sweat gland nerve fiber density, which was associated with a worsening severity of neuropathy.
Autonomic dysfunction presents with significant lower extremity and systemic effects. Edmonds and co-workers studied an interesting facet of autonomic neuropathy in three groups of patients.18 They found that heart rate during deep breathing and stance was significantly slower in diabetic patients with foot ulceration in comparison to normal controls and diabetic patients without a history of foot ulceration. The authors concluded that severely abnormal autonomic function occurs in association with neuropathic foot ulceration but patients without ulcers have lesser degrees of autonomic neuropathy.
Another condition to be aware of is known as "hypoglycemic unawareness." During this, a patient does not experience the normal symptoms of hypoglycemia (sweating, rapid heartbeat) that act as a warning system.
What Are The Best Methods Of Detecting Neuropathy?
It is well accepted that peripheral neuropathy is a risk factor for developing foot ulceration and that early detection leading to adequate foot care can reduce amputation rates by about 50 to 80 percent.19 This emphasizes the need for assessment tools that are simple, objective, reproducible and comprehensive. How well are we doing in this respect?


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HPLEmbed.load({ targetId: 'HPLContent', app: 'hplive_player', width: '640px', ...
We've quietly been collecting our evidence, and feel pretty confident in questioning the origins of the following "people."
Smile: Seriously always the best move -- whether it's a big toothy grin or sexy, cute smirk, looking content with yourself and your surroundings always make any shot look amazing.
Here I am, an independent, confident woman with five pounds around my middle that don't seem anxious to go anywhere. Unlike my ex-husband and much beloved 30 Rock, they are telling me, "Don't worry kid, we're with ya for the long haul." Much to my dismay I knew something had to be done.
I don't know about you, but the idea of attending a fashion show much less Fashion Week in NYC, makes me start to look for a rafter from which I can hang myself. This would be my worst case scenario:
The holidays are still special for DeGeneres, who is a long-time supporter of Toys for Tots. In fact, this season, she is brand ambassador for Duracell's 'Power a Smile' program, which donates up to 1 million batteries to Toys for Tots this holiday season.
Heidi hit the red carpet for this year's bash looking completely unrecognizable similar to past year costumes of ape, cadaver and alien. Her costume was a geriatric version of herself, complete with a walking cane, yellowed-teeth, age spots, random varicose veins, grey hair and a turkey neck.
I catch up with fashion designer Bradon McDonald, a finalist on Season 12 of Project Runway, about his experience on the reality competition show. Some life lessons learned: be careful what you wish for, and be ready to step up to the pressure of big opportunities.
From Heidi Klum's legendary costumes for her annual fete to Roberto Cavalli done up as Karl Lagerfeld, here's proof that big personalities, big costume budgets, and big Halloween parties yield some truly amazing, and amazingly bizarre results.
Please understand that with all the many issues that are facing blacks in the public sphere, hair should be something we should all strive to look past as a debate.
Growing up, my family had traditions centered around the holidays. I remember delivering frozen turkeys at Thanksgiving with my local Rotary club. Las...
I've got some advice for baby boomer marketers. While we use your products, we aren't thrilled that we have to use them. Marketers need to understand the difference between marketing to a generation and marketing products by using a generational spokesmodel.
I have been volunteering for many years for charity organization UNICEF, and just a few weeks ago, I traveled to Haiti to learn more about the recovery efforts.
Now that 2012 is over, it's always interesting to look back and see what our favorite Hollywood couples have been doing in the romance department and make some predictions of what will happen in the year to come.
At AOL, our first value as a company is "We're in the business of helping people -- period." To date, we have shipped over 5,000 boxes of supplies to affected communities throughout New Jersey and Long Island. There is still a lot of rebuilding to be done. And we're going to keep helping!
I have a friend who swears by the practice of mindful meditation. I decided to give it a try. After three breaths, I was lightheaded and nauseous. My mind raced, my thoughts jumbled. I heard a million tiny cymbals clashing together. I was out of control! I snapped out of it, resigned that mindfulness was simply out of my reach.


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[Resolved] Not able to get 'Create Group button'
currently using WordPress 3.5.1 + BP Courseware Version 0.9.7 + BuddyPress Version 1.7 + bb Press Version 2.3.1
firstly, i am not able to see 'Create New Group' button anywhere in groups. All the three plugins activated.
Secondly, what sort/ types of questions does BP Courseware caters to?
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Presidential politics and the stock market
Assessing how various election scenarios might impact profits.
By Jim Stack, InvesTech Market Analyst
Even discussing the election, we risk the political wrath of some of our readers. Yet the topic is too important and timely to ignore. And there's a great deal that history can tell us about the four-year election cycle and the stock market.
Few would argue that there are not major differences between the two presidential candidates, or that the outcome won't have an effect on Wall Street and the economy over the next four years. However, there is significant disagreement or even confusion about what that potential impact might be.
What is the market outlook based on where we are in the 4-year presidential election cycle?
One of the first facts that is important to recognize is that stock market returns are not evenly distributed through the four-year election cycle.
The best market gains historically come in the third year of a presidential cycle, which is the year before a presidential election.
In the past 50 years there has been only one recession that has started in a presidential election year (our condolences to President Jimmy Carter).
More important to us today, is the fact that bear markets are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to start between this quarter and the third quarter of next year. So this is the time to be more watchful for warning flags or divergences.
Does a candidate's victory margins impact market performance? In short, the answer is "maybe."
While it would seem that landslide victories might lead to strong market performance, and a marginal or close victory could signal weakness, there is little apparent correlation between the two.
The three biggest first-year gains (1932, 1944, 1996) all followed strong victories (electoral vote was greater than 70%). However, the largest first-year loss (1936) followed the biggest victory of all in both popular votes (62.5%) and electoral votes (98.5%!).
Will a "close" presidential election affect the market outlook negatively?
Looking at the six closest elections, the market gain or loss was almost evenly divided at two weeks, three months and one year out.
Is the stock market likely to perform better under a Democratic or Republican president?
This is always a fun question! The reason is because it defies normal investor perception, but also because the answer can be -- and often is -- manipulated.
When we started InvesTech Research in 1980, it was widely recognized that the market performed much better under a Democratic president.
In fact, the average return of the previous 52 years was four times greater under Democratic presidents than under Republican presidents: 12.0% vs. 2.6%.
Of course, in 1992, after 12 great years of stock market performance under President Reagan and the senior George Bush, the tables had shifted.
In fact, if one chose the correct starting part (i.e., 1952) it could even be shown that the stock market took a slight preference to Republican presidents.
However, in the aftermath of two valuation bubbles (the stock market in 2000 and housing in 2007) under President Bush, the performance pendulum had swung back in favor of Democrats.
When President Obama stepped into the White House in January 2009, with the stock market near its most oversold level in over 75 years, the stage was set for even stronger gains under whoever was president.
The resulting total performance from 1928 until today shows stock market returns being over twice as good under Democratic presidents than under Republican presidents.
However, the more that one knows about history and coincidence (i.e., the stock market valuation bubble was created before President Bush took office), the less importance one places on this statistic.
Will Congressional gridlock "doom" the stock market outlook?
Historically, the answer is "probably not." And that certainly turned out to be the case over the past two years in which the S&P 500 has gained 22.4% in spite of Congressional gridlock.
We should also point out that while historical data show Congressional gridlock is negative for the stock market (average 12 months and 24 months return = -7.7% and -8.5%, respectively), that includes only five data points!
And if not for 1930 nearing the depths of the Great Depression, then average performance during Congressional gridlock would actually be positive.
Far more common is presidential gridlock when one party controls the White House and the other controls both houses of Congress. Ironically, market performance appears much better across all time frames than the overall averages.
Will a Romney victory trigger a post-election rally, or an Obama victory cause a sudden market sell-off?
The two largest two-week gains followed the election of a Republican president, while the two largest two-week losses followed the election of a Democratic president.
Yet, if each presidential term is viewed on an annualized return basis, it becomes obvious that the stock market can do well regardless of which party occupies the White House.
The best annualized gains occurred predominantly under Republican presidents, which appears to give Republicans the edge.
But wait a minute! The worst annualized gains have also occurred when a Republican was at the political helm under Hoover, Nixon and Bush (Jr.).
In the final analysis, it becomes evident that market gains (or losses) are less dependent on which political party wins the White House, and more reflective of economic conditions, trends and risks that are already in place prior to election day.
So personally, I feel there might be a knee-jerk market reaction to the election outcome -- meaning a short-term sell-off if Obama wins, and a short-term rally if Romney wins.
But rather than a Democrat versus Republican issue, it's not political, it's psychological. So before second guessing the election outcome and making a big portfolio bet, let me emphasize that our strategy should be based on solid evidence instead of a possible short-term reaction.
And there are some dramatic changes underway. So far, changes are in favorable support of our firm technical indicators in breadth, bellwethers and leadership.
The first of these positive changes has been in a strong surge of consumer confidence -- particularly in the critical "expectations" component. These are no longer threatening recession.
And instead of acting as a drag on the U.S. economy, the housing sector (15% of GDP) is actually improving the outlook for the U.S. economy.
Bottom line, our strategy will be driven by upcoming changes in leading macro-economic evidence and in our technical models rather than the outcome of the election.
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Traders might want to bite on BABA, but long-term investors have reasons to wait.
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Contributors include professional investors and journalists affiliated with MSN Money.
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Buffalo Campus
18 Agassiz Circle
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 880-2000
(800) 292-1582
Rochester Campus
1880 S. Winton Rd.
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 272-0030
(866) 212-2235
Cover letters are a means of introduction. They are meant to complement your resume and are required with each and every resume you send out. Together, a well-crafted resume and cover letter present you effectively to an employer. A cover letter makes it clear you want the job. It not only summarizes your qualifications and targets them toward an employer's needs, it also takes your resume, a rather formal document, and personalizes it.
Download our Writing for Work Handbook for more information regarding resume and cover letter writing.
Contact Career Planning
Carol Cullinan, Director
Kimberly A. Partyka, Secretary
Career Planning
Medaille College
18 Agassiz Circle
Buffalo, New York 14214
(716) 880-2210


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A great original car fitted with the ultra rare Safari Seat option. This car has just arrived. A complete description is coming soon. Please... More
1963 Mercedes Benz 220SE Coupe '65 Mercedes Benz 220SE Coupe, burgundy with tan interior, missing engine and transmission, an original car for parts or to... More


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FITNESS Editor Kristen Diederich's Playlist
If you're like me, it can sometimes take a little mental trickery to get you off the couch, into those sneakers, and out for a run. I've come to rely on my iPod to keep me pumped for a cardio workout, and I've loaded it with songs that pick me up and make me push a little harder, run a little faster, go a little longer. (Maybe it's because I'm picturing her arms of steel, but Madonna ALWAYS makes me feel like a workout goddess.) Here are some of my favorites -- the songs that keep me going for a few more blocks, and a few that just make me feel like a rock star.
"Suddenly I See" - KT Tunstall
"Little Red Light" - Fountains of Wayne
"Suffragette City" - David Bowie
"Modern Kicks" - The Exploding Hearts
"Since U Been Gone" - Kelly Clarkson
"Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" - LCD Soundsystem
What do you think of this story? Leave a Comment.


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KEWASKUM, WI (WTAQ) - The owner of a car found abandoned on a snowmobile trail in the Town of Kewaskum says he doesn't know why his roommate would leave it there.
Deputies have been searching that area of the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. They're looking for Larry Arnold, a registered sex offender who is wanted on felony warrants from 2010.
People living nearby have been alerted.
Arnold is described as a 38-year-old white man, 5'10" and 160 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.
The public should consider him to be potentially dangerous. The Washington County Sheriff's Office says it wants to question Arnold.


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Science & EnvironmentFrom Torrey Pines, a torrent of trash talk
Sep 30, 2014, 3:54 p.m.
Torrey Pines rangers take out cans and park lovers foresee problems.
Sep 30, 2014, 3:54 p.m.
Torrey Pines rangers take out cans and park lovers foresee problems.
Sep 30, 2014, 9:22 a.m.
The men who died in the 1969 sinking of the USS Frank E. Evans may finally have names etched on Vietnam war memorial
Sep 30, 2014, 6 a.m.
Fundraiser benefits the seventh- and eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C.
Sep 30, 2014, 6 a.m.
A Military Women in Transition Career Symposium is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 9 followed Oct. 10 by a career fair
Sep 30, 2014, 12:06 a.m.
A 14-year-old girl fell from a third-story balcony at her family's residence.
Updated Sep 29, 2014, 5:34 p.m.
Report about Councilman Gary Felien's son omitted from public release folder.
Sep 29, 2014, 2 p.m.
Escondido OKs new operations pact with arts center; Ramona school district eyes budget cuts.
Updated Sep 30, 2014, 10:43 a.m.
A 19-year-old man, shot Monday at West 15th and Orange, remains hospitalized.
Sep 29, 2014, 12:08 p.m.
The final competition in Camp Pendleton's Hard Corps Race series starts early Saturday morning on the northern end of base. Tour de Camp Pendleton, the last of six in the series put on by the base, is expected to draw
Sep 29, 2014, noon
Data for vehicle and other break-ins shows clusters near shopping areas.
Sep 29, 2014, 1:04 p.m.
Oceanside councilman requests red-light camera discussion; San Dieguito district eyes enrollment study group.
Sep 29, 2014, 11:50 a.m.
Two candidates are running for mayor; five candidates are running for two council seats.
Sep 29, 2014, 6 a.m.
Event allows youngsters to climb, crawl and honk various of big trucks and large vehicles.
Sep 29, 2014, 6 a.m.
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and students of all ages are encouraged to apply.
Sep 28, 2014, 11:51 a.m.
Phillip White, of Oceanside, was fatally struck from behind by a Kia, which then drove away.
Sep 28, 2014, 10:07 a.m.
The Chula Vista resident's car overturned and was hit by another car, which then drove away.


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Sherman Cox Has Burglary, Drug Possession Case Continued [1]
Sherman Cox, a Newhall man being held on burglary and drug charges, was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Don't miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts [4] delivered right to your inbox.
Cox, 24, who is charged with felony burglary and narcotics possession, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing at the San Fernando Courthouse, according to a spokeswoman with the District Attorney's office.
The hearing was continued until Monday, Sept. 9.
Cox was arrested in June after someone witnessed him breaking into a car and stealing a purse in the Granary Square shopping center in Valencia [5]. Deputies set up a containment in the area, and he was arrested without incident. He was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.
Check back at hometownstation.com for further updates on local court cases.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at email@example.com [6].
Sherman Cox Has Burglary, Drug Possession Case Continued
Article: Sherman Cox Has Burglary, Drug Possession Case Continued [1]
Source: Santa Clarita News
[7]Author: Allison Pari [8]


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Black Thought's GrassROOTS Charity Event
GrassROOTS Community Foundation
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 8:00 PM (EST)
Philadelphia, PA
Event Details
Let's Move it Philly! is a charity concert party held annually to raise funds for Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter's GrassROOTS Community Foundation to benefit poor women and girls.
Let's Move It Philly 2012
Exclusive performances at Sigma Sound with:
Black Thought and Questlove of The Legendary Roots Crew
DJ Rich Medina (Rock Steady Crew, Jump n Funk)
DJ Diamond Kuts (Nikki Minaj, Power 99)
Money Making Jam Boys
Nikki Jean
Doors at 8pm
$30 Advanced Tickets
$40 cover at the door
Must be 21+
Photo ID required
When & Where
Sigma Sound
212 N. 12th St
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 8:00 PM (EST)
Add to my calendar
GrassROOTS Community Foundation
GrassROOTS Foundation is a collaborative effort of Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, co-founder and lead MC of the Grammy Award Winning group, The Roots, and sociologist, Dr. Janice Johnson Dias.
GrassROOTS Community Foundation (GCF) is an anti-poverty and health advocacy organization that supports, develops, and scales community-driven solutions to the health challenges facing impoverished women and girls.
We provide funding and technical support to community based health programs. We develop models that are high-impact, evidence driven and context specific. We work with girls, their families and community members.
We are working to create a world where ALL girls grow up to be healthy women.


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|Boston to Washington, DC area GoPack™
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Grab a GoPack™ today*! GoPack offers great value with the ability to purchase a pack of 6 or 10 promo codes, each good for the base fare of a one-way flight between two metro areas. With GoPack's flexibility, you can keep the codes all to yourself or share them with friends and family. (Each code is good for one traveler, so feel free to divide and fly or travel together with whomever you wish). And don't worry if your schedule doesn't allow you to plan far in advance – flights can be booked/ticketed using a GoPack code up to 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure; as long as a seat is available, it's yours!
Purchase a GoPack™ now!


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Gear forum
View latest messages in My Forums
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Topic - Paying out rope to leader with a Wild Country SRC - safe?
iksander on 31 Jan 2013
Last night one of the floor walkers picked me up when belaying a leader with my SRC for taking my hand off the dead rope when paying out slack.
I was cradling the SRC with my left hand and pulling up the live rope with my right. I didn't think I was doing it wrong, so I checked the instructions again:
"Paying Out the Rope (see diagram D) : This technique should be used when paying out rope to a lead climber. Practice holding the SRC/Belay Master system exactly as shown in diagram D, this will familiarise the user with the technique for pushing the SRC against the Belay Master karabiner thereby unlocking the SRC while paying out the active rope with the other hand."
So I was doing it correctly per the instructions but I have to admit that letting go of the dead rope makes me nervous. Would the device lock up if the leader fell while I didn't have a hand on the dead rope?
The best compromise I could come up with was holding a bight of dead rope in my right hand while I pulled the dead rope up with the same hand, but this was cumbersome and limited how much slack I could pay out.
Should I change my technique?
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Jeff wasn't happy with the dough that night, but I thought they were pretty worthy of a face stuffing. Anyone been lately?
October 30th, 2009
4:23 pm
Not yet but after seeing the photo,it's moved up on the to do list.
October 30th, 2009
4:52 pm
It was good, but not "to die for". Much better than Fritti, which the AJC lists as a "best pick" for some inexplicable reason. Best pizza in Atlanta – Baraonda, Hearth and Vintage Pizza. Nothing here compares to Naples, so let's just forget trying. Waiting to try Max's and Buckhead Pizza.
October 31st, 2009
12:32 pm
Thanks, John, I will (and I do). I went to Max's last night and while it's a "neat" place, the pizza was nothing more than typical pizzeria pizza – not NY by any stretch — and parking is a hassle. To me, the closest to NY pizza in Atlanta is Pasta Vino, but since they changed hands and moved upscale, we don't go there much anymore as it got too expensive for what it is.
October 31st, 2009
7:03 pm
yep! Excellent and the zeppoli are like nothing else.
November 1st, 2009
12:51 pm
Does "blistery, chewy crust" mean burned? We almost loved Varasano's pizza, but the crust
was too charred to have any taste. We live 1/2 block from the pizzeria, so we'll try it again. We love thin crust, but burned, no thanks.
November 1st, 2009
9:29 pm
Those pizzas in the photo above look amazing. Gotta get in there.
November 2nd, 2009
8:27 am
Best pizza in town!
November 2nd, 2009
2:27 pm
Get the Nana's with roasted peppers, it's amazing!
November 4th, 2009
2:49 pm
I'm surprised that most of you folks haven't been to Antico Pizza Napoletana yet, especially you John. And you say you're a foodie?!
Once you go you'll realize that this is the real deal. Much better than the aforementioned V and without any of the attitute.
November 4th, 2009
3:18 pm
I too favor Antico Pizza over Varasano's for the reasons Rockindiner cites. I like Varasano's, especially the caramelized onion and clam pies, but for the traditional stuff, I'll take APN any day of the week.
November 4th, 2009
3:53 pm
Where is Antico Pizza


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Downloadable Media Walk-In Clinic
Primary tabs
Last Date:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - 6 p.m.
Need help checking out and downloading digital items from the library? Bring your laptop, Kindle, iPad, Nook or other device in for one-on-one, step-by-step instruction on how to use the library's digital catalog and find out how to download ebooks, audiobooks, movies and music. Feel free to walk in on any Wednesday until 7 p.m.
For more information, call Mia Wisgerhof at 202-541-6100.


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|Available Formats:
|Text | See All
Previously Titled: AICPA's 2012 Individual Tax Review Series: Beyond the Basics
It's time to enhance your tax knowledge with a discussion on the more difficult aspects of individual tax. This fast-paced course will delve deeply into the more difficult tax items you encounter. It offers the most current tax strategies for you to use when working with your clients.
Topics Discussed:
Learning Objectives
This course supports your efforts to provide clients with efficient and effective tax-planning strategies based on the latest tax information. Broaden your knowledge of current developments in individual federal income tax law.
Prerequisite: None
Advanced Preparation: None.


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Stand Apart: Signature Style and Success - Gina Brooke
Gina Brooke is a go-to artist for incomparable names in the industry like Madonna, Steven Klein, David LaChapelle, Naomi Campbell, Britney Spears and Cher. Listen in on this keynote as she offers her perspective on the do's and don'ts of the make up industry as well as offers useful advice to help elevate any artist's career to the next level. Gina will share will the tips to make your mark in different areas of the industry and will give you insight and incentive on developing your own makeup style and paving your own path to success.
Transformations: Fantasy, FX, Beauty and Beyond- Jonah Levy for Temptu Pro
Jonah Levy is one of the leaders in the industry when it comes to bringing makeup magic to a motion picture. From the fantastical beauty of Oz, The Great and Powerful to the powerful messages made by Lee Daniels', The Butler, Jonah Levy leads us into worlds where anything is possible. In his first time keynote at The Makeup Show LA, Jonah offers insight into the behind the scenes world of wonder that comes with working in film. Jonah will show how the airbrush can be used for achieving unlimited makeup looks and let us in on some of his favorite products. Jonah will also examine how film and television has moved beyond Hollywood and into other areas of the country and offer advice on what you can do to make this competitive area of makeup part of your own career.
In addition to keynotes, The Makeup Show LA will feature over 75 beauty brands, including Diamond Sponsor MAKE UP FOR EVER, Platinum Sponsors Crown Brush and Temptu PRO, Silver Sponsors NARS and Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Supporting Sponsors Smashbox, Ruby Makeup Academy, Pinnacle Cosmetics, The Powder Group and On Makeup Magazine.
TFor a complete list of participating brands, educational speakers, schedule of events and prices, please visit www.themakeupshow.com.