text:
the way i see things
the life through my eyes
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
London rental prices sky high, Could rent strikes be the answer ??
With the housing crisis in teh UK no more accute than in the Xcapital city of London seeing rent prices soar in recent years. Could we start to see the idea of rent strikes between occupants making a much needed return ?? House rental prices in London have risen by 7.7pc in the past year to £1,560 a month, making rental costs in the capital more than double the UK average. Excluding the capital, rents across the UK average £749 a month, having risen 3.5pc year-on-year, according to the latest quarterly rental index from Homelet. The gap between London and the rest of the UK is now the highest on record, the insurer said. However, rents have risen fastest in Scotland, where new tenancies over the three months to October were priced 9pc higher than the same time a year ago. Prices surged to £665 last month, compared to £610 a year ago. Renting is cheapest in the North East, where average prices are £536 a month. The most expensive area outside London is the South East, where new rental properties coming to the market last month averaged £944 in monthly rent. Average price for new rental properties across the UK, October 2015 Region Average price Annual change Greater London £1,560 7.5% South East £944 4.3% South West £872 4% East Anglia £809 -1.2% West Midlands £669 2% Scotland £665 9% North West £635 -4.9% East Midlands £628 5.9% Yorkshire & Humberside £621 2.0% Wales £614 1.8% Northern Ireland £588 -2.1% North East £536 3.9% Across the UK, rent increases are far outpacing wage growth, with average tenant incomes up just 1.7pc over the year. A separate survey last month suggested many renters are paying more than they can actually afford. Affordable rents are defined as making up less than 35pc of net household income. Homelet, which also questioned almost 15,000 tenants about their views on the rental market, said that while 71pc of tenants are keen to buy their homes, 64pc have no expectations of being able to do so any time soon. An overwhelming number cited high deposits as the biggest barrier preventing them from buying. Yet the report suggested more than half weren't taking any steps to save for a deposit. In total, 20-somethings in the UK can expect to pay £66,800 in rent to landlords by the time they are 30. The authors also found price is the most important factor for tenants choosing a home, ranking higher than other factors such as location, a low crime rate and distance to work. Some 71pc of respondents said they rent through a letting agent, with just 29pc renting directly through a landlord. Those who dealt directly with landlords were more likely to be happier than those renting through letting agents. From the daily Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/11984097/London-rents-now-a-record-108pc-higher-than-rest-of-UK.html
Posted by markwrightuk at 10:41 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: average house prices, capitalism, housing crisis, housing market, london, rent strike, rental prices
Monday, 9 November 2015
An update on this blog
So sorry for the lack of posts of late. I've not been that active as I'd have liked. Been quite busy thinking and considering the world we now live in. Since the general election things have as predicted got harder for people including myself. Tory government intent on ripping away our rights and our freedoms in lots of ways. While the labour party my former home has a new left wing leader catching many including myself by surprise. Not least my former party the socialist party of England and Wales who still can't understand how labour can have elected a left wing leader a proper one this time. We were told for years the Labour party is just another capitalist party just like the democrats in the US. But the election of Jeremy Corbyn by a stonking majority has forced many on the left including myself to look again. I have not been shocked at the levels of crap thrown at Jeremy Corbyn. Any glimpse of a turn to the left or anything vaguely mentioning the working class or even socialism has to be squashed and ridiculed before it gains any foot hold. I have had lots of thoughts over the last few months just not got around to putting them down on a blogpost. I've come across many people from different walks of life and continue to be astonished how much people are prepared to put up with. But we can all only take so much and people will not lie down without a fight. I'm proud to say my disabled comrades at Disabled people against Cuts continue to do fantastic work and will always have my full support. The anti cuts movement is in a bit of a mess with no real direction but small local campaigns has found victories here and there. I am still thinking along a libertarian anarchist lines with a form focus on non hierarchical organisations. I still look back at my political past of labourism and Trotskyism with levels of cringe. But I thank them for showing me what not to go for in a movement it's a process I'm and many of us are on we learn and develop our ideas day by day. The fight against the brutal austerity continues all over the globe but in Britain we have not given up. Anarchists, including AFed and Solidarity federation, threw themselves into the struggle against cuts after the election of the Tory/LibDem coalition in 2010. We joined literally millions of others on strikes, protests, occupations, and direct actions, but after 2012 it all got a bit... quieter, and the cuts continued. That's changing this year though, but how can we make sure this new wave of anti-cuts action is more successful? What can we learn from the past five years? What contributions can Anarchists make to the struggle (and what contributions SHOULD we make)? I was close to closing this blog down but something inside me nagged at me telling me. Don't be ashamed of your past cringe worthy ideas heck we all have to start somewhere don't we....
Posted by markwrightuk at 11:00 No comments: Links to this post
Monday, 11 May 2015
This is not our defeat
reblogged with thanks to red and black leeds The results are in, and once again, the British electorate have voted in the party the rich and their friends in the media told them to. Despite pre-election predictions of hung parliaments, "progressive" coalitions, or minority governments, the Conservatives walk away from this election with a slender majority, having increased their share of seats in parliament to 330. Another five years of Tory government now seems assured. There are those on the left who are greeting this news with despair. Despite it's history of betrayal and failure, every election season the British left lines up behind the Labour Party time and time again. This campaign was no exception. The trade unions, of course, backed Labour to the hilt. Even the left-wing nationalist SNP and the anti-austerity Green Party were touting themselves as eligible partners to a Labour government. Many on the radical left were trying to talk themselves into believing a Labour victory would bring meaningful social change just a fraction closer. Even for those of us who put no stock in parliamentary politics it's easy to slip into the habit of rooting for the parliamentary opposition. Just the mere fact of them nominally opposing the repulsive Tory crooks who've been in power for the last five years made Miliband and his outfit instantly seem sympathetic. But the truth is these people have nothing to offer us and we know it. We've been down this road before, for 13 long years of Labour administered misery. This is the party that brought you tuition fees and the Iraq War. They are not friends to the working class. They never have been. As anarchists, we're critical of voting and elections in general as a strategy for change. For a summary of the anarchist arguments against electoralism, it's worth reading the recent series by Phil Dickens for libcom.org - amongst other things, the idea that we can get what we need by just voting for a different set of politicians to run everything fosters illusions in the very system we're trying to oppose. As Phil puts it: parties can't pull the state leftward, but mass social movements can force concessions from it. The former is a massive drain of time, energy and effort from the latter. Worse, it creates the illusion that the latter isn't necessary since we can just vote 'radically' instead of all that inconvenient hard work of organising and fighting. No government, Labour or Tory, will offer us anything unless we fight for it. Left-wing electoralism, when it succeeds in capturing state power, encourages us to trust the state and in state officials, bureaucrats and politicians – instead of trusting each other, and our own collective ability to take action and change things. But the other side of this problem is that when left-wing parties fail, as the Labour party did catastrophically this time round, those who've invested so much, both emotionally and physically, in electoral success are faced with despair. We see friends and comrades who believed a Labour government would bring at least some relief from the horrors of Tory austerity now downhearted, defeated, at the point of giving up hope altogether. This is just another pitfall of the tried and tested and failed strategy of trying to vote things better. So to all of you out there who were disappointed with the result of Thursday's ballot: you have our sympathies, but remember, Miliband's loss is not ours. The Labour Party has failed you, but they would have failed you anyway. Your best chance to make things better isn't some Oxford-educated millionaire with a red rosette – it's ordinary people getting together to fight back. It's your workmates, your neighbours. We're still here. We're not going away. Our struggle will go on, under this government, and the next one, and the one after that, until they have no governments left to throw at us. Until we win. jolasmo | 05/09/2015 at 12:49 | Categories: Blog | URL: http://wp.me/p59VzD-4b
Posted by markwrightuk at 02:09 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: anarchist thought, elections, labour, parliament, the left, the state, tories, working class
Saturday, 9 May 2015
Why I'm scared for our future
You may say what future and you may have a point… Today we saw another government take office this time a fully Tory Tory one and lets be honest not many expected them to gain a outright majority how they managed it is open for debate but they have done and we must face facts. The labour party shouldn't go without comment in their disgraceful backing of tory austerity they have been a hammered in the polls and rightly rejected yet we are left with the proper tories at least we know what this lot stand for and that is outright destruction of the working class if they get their way. As a disabled person I have been worrying all day what will happen to us come the next 5 years. Chills of dread have flooded me and the horrors of the last 5 years tell me with Tories on their own they can get away with so much more not that the Lib Dems stopped them with any of their brutal cuts but this time it feels we are facing the abyss in terms of our welfare state, our NHS and our public sector services. A total of 12 billion pounds is to be slashed from the welfare bill and this will I tell you now directly will hit the poorest the most vunrable in our society I fear for many of us I really do. A leak last week suggested the following cuts have already been drawn up by the Tories The proposed cuts included: • Limiting support to 2 children in child benefit and child tax credit, so cutting up to £3,500 from a family with three children. • Removing the higher rate child benefit from the first child, an average cut of over £360 for every family with children. • Means testing child benefit – cutting £1,750 for a two child middle income family • Removing child benefit from 16 to 19 year olds – a cut of over £1,000 for parents of a single child. The Conservatives have been under sustained pressure to detail how they will cut £12bn from the welfare budget by 2017-2018, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank confirmed this week the Tories have so far disclosed only 10% of these cut in the form of a two-year freeze in working age benefits. With further cuts to benefits surely on its way the DWP have wasted no time in outlining plans to slash the access to work scheme a benefit which is close to my heart and helps me every time I go to work. The attacks on this particular benefit already destroy the lie that the Tories are there to help the disabled in to work and in work they just do not care and are taking the axe to this next benefit. How it will affect me long term we will have to see but be sure I will not let any attacks on me working go unheard. In a piece in the independent tonight it is said. http://fw.to/EMNy4cK The DWP has moved further to examine cutting a scheme that helps disabled people into work – just hours after the Conservatives won the election. The fund helps people and employers cover costs of disabilities that might be a barrier to work. The biggest single users of the fund are people who have difficulty seeing and people who have difficulty hearing. A policy document originally quietly announced in March suggests capping the £108m Access to Work fund. An impact assessment of the policy was released on the day the general election results. "[Spending] has risen significantly over the past five years … One of the significant strategic questions we face is how to establish the right balance between the need to support as many disabled people as possible and what it is reasonable to offer individual users," the assessment says. The first option outlined by civil servants in the document is "to set a cap on the maximum value of support per user". The party's manifesto boats that "last year alone, 140,000 disabled people found work" but says that "the jobless rate for this group remains too high. "As part of our objective to achieve full employment, we will aim to halve the disability employment gap: we will transform policy, practice and public attitudes, so that hundreds of thousands more disabled people who can and want to be in work find employment," it pledges. The overall spend on Access to Work in 2013/14 was £108m, covering 35,540 people. • An earlier version of this story indicated that the policy had been announced in the hours after the general election result. In fact the impact assessment for the policy was issued in the hours after the general election result, while the policy itself was issued in the run up to the general election in March This is just a glimpse of the tories aims in this next 5 years. Be under no illusion they are coming for you and they will not give a stuff about who you voted for or anything. Its time to organise ourselvesin our communities find common allies and fightback in whichever way we can using any means at our desposable. We may never see the welfare state ever a gain if we do not fightback now. The last 5 years was justa warm up for what is coming next …..
Posted by markwrightuk at 00:48 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Access to work, austerity, Benefits, class war, disabled people, DWP, fightback, fighting the cuts, GE 15, labour party, tories
Monday, 27 April 2015
Angry not apathetic: what anarchists do instead of voting
As the 2015 general election approaches, the Anarchist Federation explains the anarchist alternative to voting for social change. The general election is here, and once again the parties are all over us like a rash, promising that they will fix things. But you don't have to be an anarchist to know that nothing changes, whoever gets in. This is why politicians are keen on new methods such as postal voting. Labour, Tory, Liberal Democrat, nationalist (Plaid Cymru, SNP, Sinn Fein), 'principled' or 'radical' (Green Party, or leftists in some alliance), or nationalist-racist (UKIP etc), the fundamentals of the system are the same. Whether we have the present electoral system or proportional representation, or however many people vote or don't vote in an election or referendum, as we have just seen in Scotland, capitalism is at the driving wheel globally. As working class people, we are exploited whether we can take part in 'free' elections or live under an authoritarian regime. Capitalists and property owners continue to control the wealth that we create, and they protect it through the police, legal system, and military. You can't complain Non-voters are told that, "If you don't vote you can't complain". But voting under these circumstances is just pretending that the system we have is basically alright. It lets the winning party off the hook. The fact is, we have next to no say in the decisions that get taken by the people we elect. This is called 'representative democracy'. Anarchists organise by 'direct democracy', where we can have a say in every decision, if we want to. We don't put our power in someone else's hands, so no one can betray us and abuse it. This really could work globally! Ask us how… Campaigning against voting A "don't vote" campaign on its own is just as much a waste of time. The same goes for a protest vote for a leftist or novelty candidate. The time and money spent campaigning could be better used fixing some of the problems we face in our lives. Protesting, whether it is spoiling a ballot paper or marching in the street, fails to offer any real challenge. So, anarchists say, vote, or don't vote. It won't make any difference. What is more important, is to realise that elections prop up a corrupt system and divert us from winning real change. Don't vote, organise! We should organise with our neighbours, workmates, other people we have shared interests with, and others who don't have the privileges that some people have. We are the experts on what we need, and on the best way to run things for the common good. We need to use direct action to achieve this. Direct action is where we solve a problem without someone else representing us. By this we mean, not just protesting and asking for change, but things like occupying, sabotaging, working to rule, refusing to pay their prices or their rent, and striking (but not waiting for union leaders to tell us when we can and can't!). For example, when workers aren't paid the wages owed them, rather than asking the government to give us better legal protection, we take action to force employers to pay. The Department for Work & Pensions has even named the Anarchist Federation and the Solidarity Federation among groups that are a serious threat to workfare, because we have shut down programmes. This was achieved with only a few hundred people. Imagine what could be done with thousands! Taking it back In reality, people are understandably afraid of taking the state on. But direct action doesn't have to mean an all-out fight to defeat capitalism in one go. Anarchists do think that ultimately, there has to be a full revolution. But by confronting the system directly at any point we can start to take control. In fact, all the good things we think of as having been created by the state – free health care, free education, health & safety laws to protect us at work, housing regulations, sick pay, unemployment benefits, pensions – came about historically to put an end to organised campaigns of collective direct action that threatened their power. And where we would fail as individuals, together we can win.
Posted by markwrightuk at 23:47 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: activism, anarchism, capitalism, direct action, Don't vote, electoralism, organise!, reformism, voting, working class
Thursday, 2 April 2015
Hertford and Stortford Ware hustings General Election 2015-
As you may or may not know I'm not the biggest fan of elections. But this coming April the debating society I am a member of are hosting the local hustings for the coming general election. I am on the organising committee and am happy to help. As you may or may not know I'm in no political party at all and am increasingly turned off by all party's whether they be soft left or hard left. I am struggling to mount any enthusiasm for any party to vote for. As an anarchist now I should not vote at all which I stand by I don't think I will. But the local situation has obvious interests to me and I am happy to help out and organise a hustings if that is what people want. I feel it is fair and right that there is such an n event given the heightened awareness of politics in this current year. Whilst I can't lend my support to any of the candidates standing I do wish them well as there is a financial cost and also a physical cost in terms of the work involved. In this hugely Tory Tory seat held by former housing minister MarkPrisk there is lots of hope from candidates hoping to make a dent in his 15 thousand odd majorities and I can't see why not at present. I as people well know am no Tory supporter and detest all that they stand for but as it stands mark Prisk has not agreed to join in with the Ware general election hustings to be held in the Ware Drill Hall on the 24th of April starting at 7.30 pm all welcome and no entrance fee required. Standing for this seat will be the Labour party, Lib Dem's, UKIP, Greens and the sitting MP who is a tory as far as i know there is no one else at this stage . I have my views on the Tories and Mark Prisk as a person given the replies I have had from him and his office down the years in disagreement with many of his ideas and party policies but I would for democratic fairness like to see him turn up on the 24th of April. I would like to see him challenged and held to account as any MP or elected representative should be. We currently have no reason as to why Mark can't attend but I do hope before the 24th he will reconsider and join the hustings with the other candidates who have been more than happy to get involved. As I said earlier I am part of a debating society called Cogers debating society which have continued the tradition of discussion and debate from a very very early time. We are proud to host such an event in Ware but we are aware how big this election could be on the whole. What happens in East Herts on the face of it may not matter too much but everyone in this area has a say and deserves to be heard. If they wish to turn up on the night they will be more than welcome and encouraged to join in and ask the candidates questions from the floor. As a libertarian socialist with roots in economic Marxism and the ideas of anarchism as a practise I am not against all elections as a rule just I am not sure we as a class, the working class can gain much from any bourgeois election. Even whilst I hold this view I still maintain a curiosity on how big elections go and who wins or forms the next government despite what we say will be a big thing and dictate how we react and take things forward as a militant class. Please attend the Ware General Election hustings if you can Venue: The drill Hall Ware, Hertfordshire, Amwell end Time: 7:30 pm start advice to get in early to gain seat Duration: roughly finishing at 10:00 pm with a scheduled interval at 9pm for an all to stretch legs or refresh yourself Hosted by: Ware society of Cogers http://cogers.org/ Entrance: free to members of the public Time: 7.30 pm to 10 pm --- roughly Open to: all members of the public who wish to question the candidates for the Hertford and Stortford seat in the coming general election
Posted by markwrightuk at 00:45 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Bishops Stortford, democracy, East herts, elections, generel election, Hertford, hustings, Mark Prisk, tories
Monday, 30 March 2015
Benefit scrounger rhetoric has gone too far now
Reading in the Telegraph today about a blind man who arranged a charity darts event to raise money for Guide Dogs for the blind has now been investigated by the DWP for frauding the system. This idea of scroungers has gone too far now and is causing unnecessary stress and unease on many innocent disabled people. This has got to end. The fact someone would report someone to the DWP for attempting to do normal things as a blind person so thinking they can't be blind is a disgrace and brings real shame on us as a society. I know people who have been refused disabled benefits as they can walk to their local pub all be it in great pain but they do it because they wish to get out and socialize. If we are going to start going down this route of if you are not at home all the time practically bed ridden you are not disabled in the DWP's eyes. This incident roubles me greatly on many levels. It will send out the message that trying to live independent and be active in your community is not to be encouraged as you may be suspected as being on the take in terms of your benefits. What a ridiculous situation we are in. "A blind man who held a charity marathon darts event was investigated over benefit fraud because he was too good. Visually-impaired Robert Boon, 50, organised a ten-hour "arrow" throw to raise £500 to buy two guide dogs. Mr Boon is registered blind as he is completely blind in one eye and only able to see shadows in the other. He scored an impressive 61,000 points on the night by standing and playing darts on his own for ten hours. Mr Boon said due to the repetitive action of dart throwing he was able to maintain some degree of accuracy. But shortly after the event he was called to a meeting by the Department for Work and Pensions to assess his eligibility to claim benefits. He was stunned to discover a member of the public had reported him - claiming someone that good at darts could not possibly be blind. Robert Boon, of Paignton, Devon, said: "I got a letter saying I had to attend a meeting. "I felt humiliated because I don't think it is right to report me when I have tried to do something good. "I rang the hospital to get my medical records on my eye condition. I don't see why people should put me down. "I feel really intimidated now. I am registered blind and can't see virtually anything out of one eye and shadows in the other. "To be fair when I spoke to the DWP they said they would not be taking the benefits away. "I have other things lined up now including a comedy night and don't intend to stop." "It's only right that we investigate a person's benefit claim when we receive information that suggests they may not be entitled." Mr Boon held the charity event at Pond Coffee Shop in Paignton as part of a larger fundraising drive to raise £10,000 so he can buy two guide dogs. " For me this is deeply worrying and something which we should all be aware of. The deep suspicion in this country now that all disabled people if they show near normal signs of living are to be suspected as fraud is a troubling development. This links into disability hate crime where many more disabled people are being targeted due to the scroungers rhetoric coming from our dear media and politicians With extracts from the Daily Telegraph piece http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11503598/Blind-darts-player-targeted-in-benefit-fraud-probe-for-being-too-good.html. Peoples uncaring and untrusting attitudes worry me in this day and age, Where is this all leading, I dread to think.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Golf 2K10
The 2010 PGA season will field 43 events counting the off events during majors and the fall season tournaments following the FedUp Cup. That's really not too bad considering the potential for a sponsor walk out. The majority of the regular tour events have purses in the mid-5 million dollar range, which should keep the Mercedes dealers happy. What remains to be seen is the interest level maintained if Woods doesn't return to the tour for a protracted stretch. I think many sponsors are locked in for 2010 and are nervously awaiting for the recluse to surface and announce his tee tomes for next year. All this adds up to an unsettled start in 2010 for the big business of golf. My prognostication record is woeful, but I'd expect to see Woods at Augusta and be knocked over by the collective sigh of relief. Remember, "Time wounds all heels." In the meantime, with the minor exception of Mickelson, don't rely on "casual" golf fans to fill advertiser's coffers during the Woods void. With typical TV ratings down 50% during a Woodsless tournament, the fact that many remotes are clicked just for the star power, not the golf, is proven. Still, the core demographic of "serious golfers" is an attractive one, just anticipate a shrinkage of the ten or so year gravy train that the pro golf behemoth has enjoyed. After all, why shouldn't they share some of the economic pain that the rest of us have enjoyed? Late in the year I'll have an eye on the Ryder Cup. On the slim chance that Woods is still meditating, the consequences will be worth following. Either way really it should be good theater.
Many have suggested that a Woodless stretch is the opportunity for the Tour to promote it's lesser known stars. Great in theory, tough in practice. I for one doubt I'll use some precious downtime to tune in a Streelman/Thompson duel at the Northern trust Open, regardless of how scintillating. the possible hope is for some recognized stars that haven't been ringing the cash register lately, (see Els, Garcia), to re-surge and prop up the Tour. that is a very large "remains to be seen". No doubt some younger guns, (see Kim, Fowler) will eventually take their place at the head of the class, I just think we're a few years away. Prove me wrong.
The fallout from the "Bivens Bounce" has turned out to be as well as could be expected under the circumstances for the ladies. This was a tour on the verge of collapse. In 2010 they will offer 24 tournaments with 11 being played on foreign soil. I reckon it's a credit to them for the salvage operation. The LPGA is a niche sport within a niche sport. The average golf viewing fan is male. The average male will usually watch men play golf. After a 5+ hour sit down watching a men's event his appetite for golf is satisfied. That's it. That's why virtually no one watches women's golf. The LPGA is wise to embrace a global strategy. That's where the game is growing. Arguing about losing the game to foreigners is like splitting hairs on a gnat's behind. Before long the only thing "American" about women's golf will be the Tour's mailing address and that's not a bad thing. Before you lose all hope however, there is a scenario that would prop up parochial interest. Michelle Wie continuing to win is the Tiger Woods effect for the ladies. Oh sure, a Creamer or Kerr victory helps, but nobody has the star power of Wie. So, you want a comeback of American women's golf? Root for Wie.
Suffice it to say that 2010 will be the LPGA's survival year. Much of their future will be predicated on 2010 results. Network and cable contracts, (Sorry about that Golf Channel), will be decided on the noise they make in 2010. Perhaps they should schedule an annual Solheim Cup. Expect a scaled down LPGA for the foreseeable future and see if Wie can inject some new found excitement and interest.
In the coming days I'll comment on 2010's effect of your personal game.
Til' next,
Merry Christmas!
1 comment:
Hi to all, Northern Trust Open Golf 2010 is one of the tournament in PGA tour. For more details likeReplyDelete
1. Northern Trust Open golf 2010 History
2. Northern Trust Open golf 2010 Prize Money
3. Leadership board (goals or score)
4. Past Champions
5. Northern Trust Open 2010 Schedule or Dates
6. Tickets Information
7. List players and so on
Visit "Altiusdirectory.com". Below is URL
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
From Morsani College of Medicine graduates, a dose of gratitude
Click here for USF Health Morsani College of Medicine 2012 Commencement Photo Gallery
Between the two of them, Dr. William Spellacy and Dr. Michael Flannery have taught USF medical students for a total of 45 years.
On Friday, the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine said thank you.
Friday marked graduation ceremonies for the class of 2012, the first class to exit under the banner of the newly-named Morsani College of Medicine.
But before the doctors of 2012 moved into the future, they paused to honor those who brought them here. Both Drs. Spellacy and Flannery were honored with Dean's Awards, the highest honor bestowed by the College of Medicine.
"Both are amazing, intellectual caring physicians – think of the empathy of Marcus Welby with the intellectual capacity of House – not bad," said Dr. Stephen Klasko, dean of the Morsani College of Medicine and CEO of USF Health. "Most importantly, they have dedicated their careers to teaching your children, our future alumni – not just the science of medicine, but the intangible aspects of being a healer that are embodied in the Hippocratic Oath that these young graduates will recite today."
Dr. Michael Flannery tells the crowd that the College of Medicine is like family.
Graduate Dr. Ryan Buckley, who was selected by the class of 2012 to deliver the class farewell, also focused on gratitude, honoring the family and friends who helped the class arrive at graduation day.
"We wholeheartedly thank you," Dr. Buckley said. "Not only for celebrating this incredible milestone with us, but for making sure we got here ourselves. Now, I mean that in two regards.
"One, we got here. We did it. Your baby boys and baby girls are finally doctors.
"And two, we're ourselves. Through all the trials and challenges, we remained true to who we are, thanks to your guidance. Everything you've done for us throughout the years has been leading to this."
Dr. Klasko challenged the class of 2012 to help lead the transformation of health care.
"Please don't be satisfied with the healthcare system or your role in it. …We expect you to be the change agents for a new enlightened healthcare system," he told them.
Dr. Klasko also gave a Dean's Award to Dr. Frank Chervenak, chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College and a nationally recognized scholar, ethics expert, and leader in his field.
Dr. Chervenak praised the "excitement and enthusiasm" at USF Health and had kind words for its leader as well.
"You are a model, not just for this school, but for the nation and the world, of effective and ethical leadership," he told Dr. Klasko.
Dr. Norman Gant, former long-time executive director of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, received an honorary degree Friday from the College of Medicine.
"You have chosen a profession of service to mankind," Dr. Gant told the graduates. "There is no higher calling or responsibility."
President Judy Genshaft and Dr. Stephen Klasko, dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, present an honorary degree to Dr. Norman Gant.
Dr. Klasko recognized Dr. Spellacy as "a living legend" who has helped shape the modern field of obstetrics and gynecology.
"Throughout his career, Dr. Spellacy has fought to improve access, cost and quality for women everywhere," he said. "If you were having a baby in Tampa Bay, it didn't matter who you were. It didn't matter whether you were struggling though a high-risk pregnancy, hoping against hope for a healthy baby; or whether you lived in rural Florida, having a hard time finding prenatal care; or even whether you were pregnant while incarcerated in the Hillsborough County Jail.
One of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine's newest graduates
"No matter which of those women you were, Dr. Spellacy cared about you and your pregnancy and worked to help you have a healthier baby," Dr. Klasko said.
Dr. Klasko's final Dean's Award went to Dr. Michael Flannery, longtime director of the residency program in internal medicine. Dr. Flannery was diagnosed last summer with ALS, and students and faculty have rallied to support Dr. Flannery and his family.
"We are seeing him face his future with courage and integrity," Dr. Klasko said. "His example recently inspired many of our students, our faculty members and Dr. Flannery's myriad number of friends to join the Walk to Defeat ALS, raising nearly $25,000.
"I could tell you more about how much Dr. Flannery means to the USF Health community, but I think the people who express that feeling best are those we celebrate here today – the students graduating in the class of 2012," Dr. Klasko said.
The students recently gave Dr. Flannery a white coat, personalized with hand-written notes from them. Dr. Klasko went on to read the students' notes to the audience, including this one:
'Thank you so much for your hard work and guidance. You are truly an inspiration to all of us!'
The audience agreed. They gave Dr. Flannery a standing ovation.
– Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine…Class of 2037?


text:
Having been in the photography game a few years now I have heard many popular photography phrases, some of which totally do my head in, and are getting boring and tiresome. Look at the bios of many photography enthusiasts and professional photographers and I am sure you will see these 'pretentious' (can I say that?) quite a bit. "What are these phrases?" I hear you cry. Well, here they are…………………………….
1. "I only shoot manual"
Keen photographer addicted to cameras, lenses and everything photography related. Feel free to follow me in my photography ramblings, and if you have any thoughts, comments, queries or anything else to add I would love to hear from you.


text:
U čemu je razlika između umjetnosti i reklame?
The film is hosted by Hollywood star Dennis Hopper and is directed by Hermann Vaske. Shot in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Hopper delivers a powerful performance. Arty as you've never seen him before, he puts advertising into perspective of popular culture at the end of the 20th century. Spitting colour, laughing his head off, destroying books, Dennis Hopper sends Hermann Vaske on a mission to talk to the greatest ad men, directors and artists to find out about the crossover between various creative disciplines. In a visually dazzling, wickedly funny slam of creativity and media obsession, Hermann conducts unconventional kinds of interviews.
This long, dense, complex documentary by German filmmaker Hermann Vaske is an exploration of two important questions: What is the difference between art and advertising? And what makes advertising work, if it really does? Dennis Hopper introduces each segment before, thankfully, disappearing to leave the viewer with a series of commercials, interviews with commercial directors, and reactions from various and sundry experts. Anyone with the advertising resistance required to live in this decade probably won't form any new opinions, but Vaske presents his material in such a calculated, clever fashion that it's impossible not to be drawn in. Advertising creators and artists are both given enough rope with which to hang themselves, and by the end of the process, so many contradictory opinions, images, and rationales have been shown that you will be both highly amused and forever immune to almost anyone's marketing schemes. It's hard to say which side-effect is better. - www.avclub.com/
The Fine Art of Separating People From Their Money is a provocative voyage through the evolution of commercials. Dennis Hopper hosts this unique look at the commercial as an artistic medium. The film explores how humor, art and shock-value are used to promote products. Featured clips from classic commercials include the well-known 1984 Apple commercial and the Alka Seltzer "mama mia" campaign. Interviews with directors such as Spike Lee, Hugh Hudson, Tony Scott and Alan Parker offer thought-provoking insights into the advertising world which has strongly influenced the modern feature film and contemporary visual arts. - Sally Barber, Rovi
When I was in high school, I completely stopped watching television because, aside from most of it being soulless garbage and degenerate trash as far as entertainment is concerned, I could no longer bear watching TV commercials and having worthless products and cultural Marxist propaganda rammed down my throat. A couple years later, I completely stopped going to movie theaters largely because most mainstream movies are nothing more than absurdly expensive filmic excrement, but also because I felt I should be the one being paid to watch Coca Cola and shampoo commercials at the beginning of screenings and not be the one paying my hard-earned money so some pornographer of consumer products can attempt to brainwash me and profit from it. In the epic and ridiculously overlooked German documentary The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money (1998) aka Wie man die Leute von ihrem Geld trennt directed by investigative Teutonic documentarian Hermann Vaske (The 10 Commandments of Creativity, Invasion of the Ideas) and hosted by none other than Hollywood actor/auteur Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider, Out of the Blue), the viewer is exposed to the 'art of advertising' and sometimes not so fine line between cinematic art and TV commercials. Indeed, featuring candid interviews and commercials directed by some of the greatest (as well as not so great) auteur filmmakers of the late 20th century, including David Lynch, Federico Fellini, Wim Wenders, Spike Lee, Tony Kaye, Abel Ferrara, Alan Parker, Julian Schnabel, Ridley Scott, and Tony Scott, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money demonstrates that in virtually every artist there is an advertiser and in any advertiser there is an artist. Divided into three segments (Art, Humor, and Shock) that take a look at the power and effectiveness of advertising from an aesthetic perspective (as opposed to in the equally worthwhile BBC documentary The Century of the Self (2002), which takes a psycho-historical approach to explaining how psychoanalytic techniques were implemented by Freud's nephew Edward Bernays to subconsciously brainwash people), The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money discusses, among other things, how Hebrew humor has been implemented in commercials as it brings peoples' defenses down and tricks them into being sold to, how featuring homo pop(con)artist Andy Warhol and big American Negro boxer Sonny Liston in a Braniff Airways advert together was an act of advertising 'chutzpah,' why Jews and Brits purportedly make better humorists due to their distinct histories, how Spike Lee was able to develop a long-term friendship with his favorite basketball player, Michael Jordan, via directing Nike commercials, and why Tony Scott felt he botched his first feature film The Hunger (1983) starring David Bowie because he was used to directing overly-stylized but non-narrative 30 second commercials. Worth seeing simply due to its inclusion of rare commercials directed by David Lynch and Federico Fellini, among countless others, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money is also a shockingly politically incorrect 'no bullshit' doc that demonstrates that Jews dominate advertising, how art and advertising are almost indistinguishable due to the lack of spirituality and organic national culture in the post-WWII Occidental world, and that even great auteur filmmakers don't mind making a quick buck by whoring themselves to a company whose products they would never use in a million years.
Beginning with Dennis Hopper hopping on a small trampoline and saying, "Hi, I'm Hopper" in what is clearly a goofy and intentionally moronic parody of the 'cutesy' and 'quirky' essence of so many bad American TV commercials, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money immediately establishes a tone of cultural cynicism that might offend couch potatoes and philistine commercial connoisseurs. From there, Hopper, who is sitting on a fancy sofa in what seems to be mountains in Bavaria, proceeds to tell a number of anecdotal tales about successful (con)artists, with the following story being a great example of the monetary-motivated joke that is modern post-national/post-traditional art: "Marcel Duchamp once said that the artist of the future would be able to just point his finger at something and say it was art and it would be art, so he picked out a bottle rack and he sold it for $5000. Someone came and asked him, "What's the different between your bottle rack and the one I can buy for $5?," and he said I'm an artist and I chose it. Now, was he a true visionary artist or just a fucking dork?" Undoubtedly, like his fellow culture-distorting comrade Picasso (who Hopper also tells an absurd story about), Duchamp was a fucking dork who used to dressed in drag under the persona 'Rrose Sélavy' for his bud Man Ray and his only talent was juvenile iconoclasm that is typical of modern art, yet he made a ton of money doing it. From there, Hopper introduces director/interviewer Hermann Vaske, who is on a mission to uncover the link between 'feature films and advertising' and how a number of British advertising directors, like Alan Parker and Adrian Lyne, have turned into major Hollywood filmmakers, with belated director Tony Scott (Top Gun, True Romance) being the first person he interviews. Scott confesses that his first film The Hunger, which I think is his best work, was a mess because he was only used to directing 30-second adverts and was a novice when it came to feature-length storytelling. On the other hand, a number of already established filmmakers later decided to get into advertising for mostly monetary reasons. For example, David Lynch had free reign to make an 'avant-garde' commercial for Adidas where the only rule he had to follow was depicting a man running out of hell and into heaven. Needless to say, Lynch's commercial is quite curious, if not totally incoherent, to say the least, as if the Eraserhead director was intentionally attempting to make the product he was advertising the most unappealing thing in the world. When director Vaske asks Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever) what attracts him about commercials, the all-American Negro auteur stoically responds, "money…it most enables me to do what I do and that is to direct. It doesn't have to be films, you know. I enjoy directing commercials and music videos." German auteur Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire) sees directing commercials as a necessity, stating, "And as we're living in a time where one cannot say anymore that advertising is imitating movies or art or whatever…but as we more and more advance to an age where it is the other way around I think it's important and to know how they are done and to know how to do them. And you cannot any longer have an attitude where you say, 'Well, I'm doing this and this is a whole different field and profession and I'd rather not touch it.' Maybe that was a possible attitude during the 60s or 70s, but things are changing." Indeed, as The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money readily demonstrates, Hollywoodization, globalization, and 'democracy' have destroyed anything that was once sacred of the artistic medium of cinema.
During the second segment of The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money, host Dennis Hopper hilariously states, "In the next section we're going to be looking into such questions as: 'Why were all the really great New York creative teams made up of a Jewish copywriter and an Italian art director? Was it because the Jews got the brains and the Italians got the style? If so, what would happen if you had an Italian copywriter with a Jewish art director?'" While it is never really answered as to why it is that most NYC art directors are supposedly of Italian extraction, the Jewish question is beaten to death like a Judeo-Bolshevik revolutionary in a concentration camp. American art director George Lois, whose work for Esquire magazine has been exhibited at the Museum for Modern Art, goes on to discuss how in 1958 or 1959 he got the brilliant idea to "sell a Nazi car to a Jewish town," stating of his successful advert for Volkswagen, "If there ever was a miracle advertising story, it was Volkswagen. We took this German car designed by Hitler and Porsche and sold the hell out of it. It is the magic of advertising." When Lois is asked what the criterion is for good advertising, he states, "Jewish humor…New York humor, which basically derives from Jewish humor, which became American humor." American Hebrew sex therapist 'Ruth Westheimer aka 'Dr. Ruth' backs Lois' claim up, remarking, "I know the value of humor because in the Talmud, in the Jewish tradition, it says, 'A lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.'" As to why members of the Hebraic faith are so good at comedy, a rabbi named Henry Sobel speculates, "I'm convinced that there is a Jewish humor as a consequence of our own history. We had to laugh. Sometimes we had to laugh at others. More often than not we had to learn to laugh at ourselves in order to survive." A British advertising executive gives a similar reason for the prevalence of British humor and its value in Brit society, stating, "In the Victorian times, there was very little humor at all in this country. Queen Victoria said in her famous line, 'We are not amused.' There was very little wit, but it was a very serious country of serious business middleclass aristocracy basically fulfilling their duty to god by running the world […] they had this responsibility, they conquered the world, and they better run it. I think what happened then was Britain started to lose the opportunity to run the world…people left, we had wars, and we've got no money, and suddenly we weren't very powerful. The only mechanism we could find to cope with the loss of power was to laugh at ourselves because otherwise we of cried, so we started to tell jokes, started to make fun of ourselves. It's much easier to, as Jewish people do, to make fun of ourselves than someone else to make fun of you because that you can live with."
In the final section of The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money, the value of shock in humor is discussed in decidedly degenerate, if not insightful, detail. One of the more humorous scenes from this segment is when a British art director gives the following rant regarding a scatological piece of art by the gay concept artists Gilbert & George: "This is one of Gilbert & George's 'naked shit' paintings. Some people find the representation of the turd shocking. They don't find it shocking that there is more goodness, more vitamins, minerals, and protein in a single everyday turd than a starving third world child gets in a week. All the millions of third world children are dying cause they don't even get as much goodness as the everyday turd that we flush down the toilet […] people find the picture of an everyday turd more shocking than the fact our four biggest High Street banks make millions of pounds of profits from these deaths. Maybe people treat children in the third world the same way they treat their turds; they pretend don't exist." Indeed, the bitchy Brit ad-man is certainly right regarding humanity's lack of concern for other humans as it is revealed in a very popular commercial for the 'tough clothes' company Kadu; featuring a killer shark eating a surfer, the commercial concludes with a photo of the dismembered entrails of said killer shark revealing that the eaten surfer's swimming trunks survive the shark attack. Of course, sex also sells as demonstrated by pornographic sexual contraceptive ads, including an image of a black cock in the shape of a gun (the message being: black cock = AIDS), as well as a 'vagina dentata' picture of a vicious vag with wolf fangs. Of course, sleazy degeneracy also sells as demonstrated by the fact that British Jewish art director Tony Kaye directed a cinema-vérité-like Morrissey-esque 'PSA' of a real-life deranged junky shooting up and talking nonsensical mumbo jumbo while high, which led to the director getting noticed by producers and ultimately getting the opportunity to direct American History X (1998), which he later regretted (he was denied the final cut, while dork Edward Norton was given more screen time). Quentin Tarantino's dubious influence on pop culture is also discussed, with Wim Wenders remarking regarding the recent prevalence of ultra-violence in TV commercials, "Seeing PULP FICTION is a great experience…but seeing the imitators is painful." Indeed, it is probably impossible to quantify how negative Tarantino's influence has been not only on cinema and pop cultural, but society in general.
In the end, Dennis Hopper closes The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money by stating with his tongue placed firmly in cheek, "No matter what you thought of this program…at least it was not interrupted by commericials…yet." Undoubtedly, Hermann Vaske's documentary is the most fun I have ever had watching commercial after commercial and talking head after talking head, as if The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money was a MTV documentary with some actual food-for-thought and lacking the usual loony LGBT-Cultural Marxist-miscegenation-propagating bullshit. Featuring a superficial score by Malcolm McLaren, who ironically almost single-handedly invented punk rock by contriving the 'boy band' the Sex Pistols and utilizing sensational advertising techniques via his anti-aesthetic fashion trends, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money is a virtual unintentional manifesto for artists living in the postmodern world, where superficial/sensational images and messages are everything and anything requiring the use of gray matter is considered an abject bore. With the industrial revolution, the rise of the mass man, and globalization, art has been taken out of the hands of cultivated aristocratic patrons and has become proletarianized, thus turning 'art' into something that is mostly special tailored for human rabble and the lowest common denominator. And, of course, the ultimate ideal in a liberalized multicultural world where no one has anything in common is wealth, with the modern artist's 'greatness' and worth being judged by his net worth, as the dubious legacies of Picasso and Warhol certainly demonstrate. Ultimately, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money tells the viewer that serious art does not sell, but humor and shock do, thus one can only assume that advertising will continue to influence people into turning into Judaized philistines who are addicted to mindless violence and pornography and lack any sense of seriousness, cultivation, and intellectual aptitude. During one especially telling scene during the documentary, a Jewish advertising creative remarks, "Not taking yourself serious or, you know, being honest about your shortcomings is again a sort of very American thing that I think Americans find very appealing," which is most certainly true as demonstrated by the anti-reality, humor-addled, and fantasy-driven essence of Hollywood. Of course, one of the most important things that The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money reveals is the power of humor as a weapon, as it enables certain hostile aliens that work in Hollywood to create certain misguided stereotypes/pseudo-archetypes (i.e. inbred redneck racists, Negro-lusting trailer park nymphets, sexually repressed white conservative Christian assholes) in a cultural/spiritual war against the American white majority. Indeed, the Harold & Kumar films, which were all directed and produced by neo-Vaudevillian Judaics, certainly put Veit Harlan's National Socialist classic Jew Süss (1940) to shame in terms of their anti-Europid hatred, but because these pieces of celluloid excrement utilize toilet humor to get their putrid points across, no one suspects they're watching cinematic hate diatribes that have less aesthetic value than Julius Streicher's Nazi tabloid Der Stürmer. Sadly, as a work made over 15 years ago, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money makes it quite clear that the aesthetic metaphysical plague that is American mongrelized toilet kultur has only become all the malignant as time has passed, thus making the documentary mandatory viewing for anyone that takes art and/or cinema seriously. Let's just hope that director Hermann Vaske decides to make a sequel. - Soiled Sinema


text:
Showcase into the powerful new features in the new version of InPhase version 16, codename: Halo (45 mins)
Join us for a free webinar with Tori Keogh and our CEO Robert Hobbs taking you through the latest powerful features in InPhase Version 16: Halo.
Watch the webinar
We'll be taking you through:
- The powerful new MyPage for personal performance.
- The new Word Add-In report creator, set to revolutionise your printed reporting.
- All the new visualisations developed specifically for the new release.


text:
WHITEFISH BAY -- After Friday's mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a midnight showing of the Dark Knight Rises, a child therapist says it's important parents are paying close attention to their children.
24-year-old James Holmes is accused of opening fire in the crowded theater, killing 12 and injuring over 50.
The mass shooting made Marques Hill pause and think twice about taking his kids to the theater.
"I kinda second-guessed myself, but then again you can't always live in fear. You gotta put your hands in the Lord, the good Lord and hopefully he'll look after you," Hill said.
Child and Family Therapist Aaron Heffernan says parents may want to initiate a discussion with children regarding the incident in Colorado.
"Parents need to monitor themselves. They need to to check-in with their own reaction to this tragedy so that they can be the most responsive and the most attuned to their child," Heffernan said.
Heffernan also suggests parents use age-appropriate language to discuss any concerns their child might have. He says parents should be monitoring behavior and conversations to address any abrupt changes.
"Parents know their kids, and behavior that is dramatically out of tune with the way they usually are could indicate that they're dealing with some anxiety, and that might be a time to have that kitchen table conversation with them," Heffernan said.
CLICK HERE for more Colorado shooting coverage from FOX6Now.com.


text:
Related Products
Packed full of Berghaus technology and features the Rg Delta Jacket provides functional use all year round. With a waterproof and breathable AQ™2 fabric outer this jacket will keep you protected from the rain without feeling stuffy.A roll-away hood stores inside the collar and is ready to be unfolded and put to use when the rain clouds appear. :: Men > Jackets. Jacket Shell: AQ™2 100% polyester with DWR (durable water repellent) finishWaterproof: YesSuitable For: Hiking and trekking. walking and everyday useWeight: 644gHood Details: Roll-away hoodHem Details: Dual drawcord adjustable hem for an optimised fitZips: Centre front zip with protective storm flapStandard Pockets: Two zipped hand pockets. zipped interior pocketFit: RegularInsulation: NoBreathable: YesCuff Details: Velcro adjustable cuffs for a snug fit around wrists Size: X-Large,Medium,Small.


text:
Local News & Views
Local News & Views
SWCA Newsletter – October 2018
Posted in Local News & Views Comments Off on SWCA Newsletter – October 2018
SWCA Newsletter – August 2018
Posted in Local News & Views Comments Off on SWCA Newsletter – August 2018
SWCA Newsletter – March 2017
Posted in Local News & Views, SWCA News Comments Off on SWCA Newsletter – March 2017
Helping Immigrants Achieve Success
By Susan Stetson Clarke
I met Suni Ton, native of Vietnam, when she was doing my nails two years ago in North Adams. She told me she was going to classes at Berkshire Community College and struggling with English. I said, "Maybe I can help." That conversation began an experience that has given me great personal satisfaction. In our sessions, Suni quickly earned my great admiration with her retentive mind and dedicated concentration on her academic work. We began with pronunciations and grammar, then extended our work to rehearsing oral presentations for school classes (speak slowly, loudly and use words easy to pronounce), and to introducing her to resources in the community (for an environmental studies class, Hopkins Forest and the Rural Lands Foundation). Most importantly, we learned about the Berkshire Immigrant Center.
I knew only vaguely of the Center from serving on a board with Brooke Mead, Program Coordinator. I went with Suni to help her learn about her citizenship application, exam, and interview. Not only did Brooke advise her about what to expect in the citizenship session and how to prepare for it, she told us about the many other services offered by the Center. The mission of the Berkshire Immigrant Center is to assist individuals and families in making the economic, psychological and cultural adjustment to a new land, not only by meeting basic needs, but also by helping them to become active participants in our community. Their services range from provision of food and shelter funds and furniture and clothing donations to citizenship assistance and voter education.
Suni has now completed studies as an honor student at Berkshire Community College and has been accepted for transfer to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she plans to study accounting. With the help of the Immigrant Center, she has become a US citizen, registered to vote, and helped guide her family though the process of arranging for her sisters and nephew to come from Vietnam to join the rest of the family. She speaks highly of the Center, the staff's immediate responses to questions, its affordable fees for services, and its generosity with free books, clothing and household items. After she has completed her studies, she plans to volunteer at the center as a Vietnamese/English interpreter.
I have no doubt that this capable, dedicated and generous young woman is well on her way to becoming a productive member of our society and will contribute in many ways to the betterment of our community. At a time when some Americans are opposed to foreigners, each of us can help new arrivals who will bring many benefits to our society. The Berkshire Immigrant Center welcomes volunteers and donors and provides the opportunity for individuals to experience great satisfaction from helping newcomers adjust to our country and to contribute to its welfare. Learn more at the Center's website at http://berkshireic.com/.
Services offered by the Berkshire Immigrant Center
- Citizenship assistance including application support, disability and fee waivers, English as a Second Language/Civics classes, follow-up and advocacy with the US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Settlement Services: orientation, information, referrals and general counseling for recently arrived immigrants
- Advocacy and public education including consultation, group information sessions and workshops, and outreach to communities and other not-for-profit organizations
- Referrals to and enrollment in English classes or with private tutors
- Work with state and federal legislators in support of immigrants' initiatives
- Monthly walk-in clinics
- Referrals to immigration attorneys throughout the state
- Referrals to other community services to facilitate access of daycare, health care, continuing education, career counseling, housing, and other social service needs
- Voter education and promotion of civic participation
- Interpretation and translation services
- Information and distribution of forms for a variety of immigration issues including adjustment of status, green cards, visas, political asylum, work authorization and family sponsorship
- Distribution of Federal Emergency Food and Shelter funds and furniture and clothing donations
Posted in Local News & Views Comments Off on Helping Immigrants Achieve Success
Waubeeka Overlay District approved at town vote
On May 17th, Town Meeting passed a zoning bylaw that creates a new 'Waubeeka Overlay District' on the 200-acre property owned by Michael Deep, and would allow the development of a 120 room country inn and related buildings and facilities. The resort could include an inn, restaurant, membership club and golf course. The major buildings are restricted to a building envelope of not more than 10 acres.
Any development of the resort would need a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The new bylaw also requires, as a condition of resort use, a Conservation Restriction (CR) on a 67 acre wooded parcel that currently is not part of the golf course. The CR, however, would allow construction of wells, solar panels, and geothermal facilities as well as forestry or tree farming.
Posted in Local News & Views Comments Off on Waubeeka Overlay District approved at town vote
A "Visit My Garden" Invitation from Fanny Culleton
My garden at 386 Oblong Road is open for viewing during the growing season. It took twenty years for me to build the garden around four very old apple trees,recently pruned by John Sherman. It includes vegetables and is easily walkable. You may park in the driveway – no need to phone. Please no dogs.
Posted in Local News & Views Comments Off on A "Visit My Garden" Invitation from Fanny Culleton
Town Dog Park a No Go
The establishment of a Town Dog Park in South Williamstown in part of the field behind the South Center School had to be abandoned because it proved to be divisive. We withdrew our effort on Monday, January 25, and returned all of the contributions on January 26. Forty-nine people contributed and survey results showed great enthusiasm for the project. Two donors requested that we keep their donations for other SWCA projects and we also gained at least two new SWCA members from the outreach we did for the dog park project. Thanks again to everyone who contributed and worked hard to make it happen.
By Bette Craig
Posted in Local News & Views Comments Off on Town Dog Park a No Go
News from Nadia at The Store at Five Corners
The new year brings new things to the Store at Five Corners. We will be introducing Sunday Brunch featuring a well-curated prix fixe menu with live music. We will also be having cuppings with Assembly Roasters and other events. Our catering is under way, both in house or on site as well as our monthly special farm to table dinners. Our market/general store area will house more meats, produce and prepared foods and finally our new website will be launched very shortly. Thank you to those who make The Store at Five Corners a daily or weekly gathering place. How wonderful it has been to get to know and serve you.
Posted in Local News & Views Tagged Local Businesses, Store at Five Corners Comments Off on News from Nadia at The Store at Five Corners
New Full-Timers Are Hiking the Local Trails
By Melissa Cragg
(Melissa and Tom Cragg have recently become full-time Williamstown residents.)
Tom and I have just scratched the surface of area trails. Keep in mind that we're trying to shake off 35 years of sitting behind desks so we're in early days of walking — what we do is too basic to be called hiking! The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation has a great website, www.wrlf.org. There are two trails near us, the Phelps Trail south of Cricket Creek Farm and the Mills Hollow Trail, which is south of that. Both trails connect to the Taconic Trail.
Tom and I have planned our retirement to Williamstown for six years now. We bought our house here on Oblong at the end of 2009 and have traveled back and forth to Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan (a Detroit suburb) which is where we lived for the last 28 years. We retired on October 1st this year. We are both "financial types." Tom retired from the health care trust established by the United Auto Workers in the post-auto company bankruptcy days of 2008 and 2009. I retired as the Chief Investment Officer for a single-family office established for a prominent Detroit-area family. I continue to work part-time for the same family, mostly from here but am traveling back to Detroit once a month or so.
Tom is working on his PhD in US History, something he has done in his spare time for the past several years. He is almost finished with the coursework and will be working on his dissertation soon. He has no plans to teach but loves the research and study. I love "all things fiber" including knitting, weaving and a little bit of spinning. We look forward to making new friends here and encourage people to call us at 413-884-6047 or to visit us at 981 Oblong, just north of Cricket Creek Farm.
Posted in Local News & Views Tagged hiking Comments Off on New Full-Timers Are Hiking the Local Trails


text:
This weekend I showcased my FastFood game (you can find it here) @ Parson's PlayTech event and it was really good. This project is still under development but it was a great place to playtest. Take a look on the instagram video of my experience during playtech.
PLAYTECH is a Design & Technology event where undergraduate and graduate students present their projects to youth enrolled in the Parsons Pre-College Academy program and other visiting youth from various New York organizations.


text:
Tel : +1(646) 111-1111 (Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 6.00 PM (PST)) Fax : +1(760) 111-1111
Tel : +1(646) 111-1111 (Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 6.00 PM (PST)) Fax : +1(760) 111-1111
Scroll for more categories
28 Tablet/s - US$21.00
Fincar 5 mg contains active ingredient Finasteride. It is prescribed to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate and male-pattern hair loss. Fincar 5mg tablet restricts the formation of the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is main cause of enlarged prostate and hair loss.
What is Fincar 5mg used for?
Fincar 5 mg is used to treat BPH (Benign prostatic hyperplasia) or enlarged prostate to make prostate smaller in size and minimize the danger of urinary retention results due to restricted urine flow as the prostate size becomes enlarged. Improving symptoms of BPH with Fincar 5mg tablets also reduces and the need for surgery. Physician may prescribe Fincar 5mg tablets to treat male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) by enhancing hair growth rate and stops further hair loss from all areas of the scalp, including the front.
How does Fincar 5mg work?
Fincar 5 mg works by inhibiting the action of the enzyme type II 5α-reductase that tranform the male hormone testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the androgen primarily cause for enlargement and growth of the prostate gland. DHT is also responsible for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH or enlarged prostate). Fincar 5mg tablet lowers the levels of DHT in the blood stream, so that prostate growth should be controlled in men with BPH permits the enlarged prostate to shrink.
Where to buy Fincar 5mg online?
Fincar can be purchased online at an absolute lowest price on buyviagrasofttabs.info in 5mg strength.
What does Fincar 5mg contain?
Fincar 5mg contains main ingredients Finasteride.
What are the side effects of Fincar 5mg?
Fincar 5mg have few side effects as like other medications and side effects occur if taken high doses.
The most commonly side effects when taking Fincar are:
Temporary impotence
Less amount of semen
Low libido
Skin rash
Swelling of the face or lips
Testicular pain
Call your physician or take immediate medical help if any of these above mentioned symptoms persist or bothersome.
This is not the complete list of all possible side effects. You may or may not experience all of them. In the case you observe any other side effects other than these mentioned in the please inform your physician.
What medications interact with Fincar 5mg?
Always, consult your physician, if you are taking any other medicine, including any that you buy without a prescription from the nearest medical store. Physician will provide you list of drugs to avoid that can have possible interaction with Fincar 5mg.
When should Fincar 5mg not be used?
Fincar 5 mg should not be used in patients with known hypersensitivity to Folic Acid and other components present in the formulation.
How should Fincar 5mg be used?
Depending on the condition your physician will decide the suitable dose. Therefore, it is important to follow your physician's instructions.
How long should you take Fincar 5mg?
You should continue taking Fincar 5mg till the physician advises you to do so. Do not stop taking medicine on your own without consulting your physician.
Missed dose of Fincar 5mg
If you missed a dose of Fincar 5mg take it as soon as you realize. If it is time to take the exact dose is near, skip the missed dose and take your next dose as prescribed by your physician. Do not take two doses at the same time to compensate the missed dose.
How long Fincar 5mg be stored?
Keep the Fincar 5mg away from the site of children and pets
Do not store near heat or open flame
Keep it away from direct light at a room temperature
Use spaces to separate tags. Use single quotes (') for phrases.
Only registered users can write reviews. Please, or register
6 Item(s)
All information contained on the Website, including information related to medical and health conditions or products and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals or any information contained on or in any product packaging or labels. This information is thus often presented in a summary or aggregate form.
You should not use any of the information contained on the website for diagnosing a health problem or prescribing a medication. This information is provided by the manufacturers of the products on or in the product packaging and labels for you to carefully read before using any product purchased on the website. It is always advised to consult your own physician and / or medical advisor before buying it.


text:
I don't know about you, but I use Twitter as a vehicle for telling jokes. I don't take pictures of my food. I don't update my followers on how bad my days are or when my cat is taking a nap. Then again, I don't have a cat.
So I've gathered 15 of the funniest tweets that I've found around the Twitter-verse in a segment called Tweets of the Week.
A lot of these people are local, everyday people who crack me up on a daily basis. Follow them.
To send me your nominations for Tweets of the Week, follow me @MitchellWords.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this blog are the opinions of Mitchell Richards and do not reflect the opinions or views of any other Pioneer employees.
To contact Mitchell Richards, email email@example.com


text:
Road Users across the region are being urged to pay particular attention to road safety ahead of Fatality Free Friday next week.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says he's deeply concerned this year's road toll was higher than at the same time last year.
As of Wednesday, of this week 87 people had already lost their lives on Queensland roads, seven more than this time last year.
Australian Road Safety Foundation founder and CEO Russell White says the reality is that more often than not, the tragic loss of life on our roads happens because of someone's choice.
''People choose to speed, use a mobile phone, drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, to not wear a seatbelt or run a red light.
"We know drink driving remains one of the major causes of death and serious injuries on Queensland roads."
''I'd urge all Queenslanders to make the Fatality Free Friday pledge by visiting fatilityfreefriday.com.''


text:
Advance Diwali SMS Wishes Quotes Greetings Messages: Diwali is the biggest festival of Hindu religion. This festival is celebrated all over the world with great pomp and joy. It comes off in the month of October or November.
On this day, people put on new clothes. They go to the market and buy utensils, fruits, and many more things. In the night, you can see lights everywhere. People light lamps and candles in rows. Children play with fireworks and crackers.
In the night, people worship Laxmi and Ganesh, the goddess of health and wealth. They pray for health, wealth, and prosperity. Some foolish people gamble on this day. It is an evil practice. It should be stopped.
Advance Diwali SMS Wishes Quotes Greetings Messages
Here we are providing Advance Diwali SMS Wishes Quotes Greetings Messages. You guys must be searching for Advance Diwali Hindi Saying. Now I think you got that. You can share this to your best friends, Beloved, college friends, school friends, your teachers and family members.
Advance Diwali 2018 SMS
Diwali ka
Holi ka
Christmas ka
New Year ka
Sabka wish karega ra tera faizal
10 din pehle Diwali wish kar raha hu
Happu Diwali
Ab ye mat bol dena ki "tumse na ho payega"
Don ka Intezaar 13 mulkoon ki police kar rahi hai
aur tum chahte ho ki don Diwali wish karne ke liye 30 October ka wait kare
Wishing you a happy diwali in advance.
Ap hamare dil mein rehte hain
Tabhi to hum aapki itni parwah karte hain
Humse pehle koi wish na kar de aapko
Isiliye 10 din pehle Diwali wish karte hain
Advance Happy Diwali 2018 Wishes
Aree mamu Kya Bharosa hai iss;
*Mobile Ka
*Battery ka
*Charger Ka
*Network Ka
*Balance Ka
*Life ka
*Time ka
Isiliye Advance Me
"Happy Diwali-2018 in Advanced"
Aree Chiknee kyaa soch reela hai ree…,
Diwali per apun kafi busy hai…So,
I wishing you Happy Diwali in advanced….
Tension nahi leene ka mamu..Sab set hai….Cheearss….;)
Advance Happy Deepawali 2018 Quotes
Life is a festival only to the wise.
Revolution is the festival of the oppressed.
Blast away your day 'coz it's Diwali and have a crackling time.
You are invited to the festival of this world and your life is blessed.
Let this diwali burn all your bad times and enter you in good times.
Life with you is like diwali, so lets promise to be together like this forever.
Advance Diwali 2018 Greeting Cards
Advance Diwali 2018 Messages In English
I am wishing that the bright lights of Diwali
guides you through your way out of every
streak of trials in this life.
On Diwali, wishes for every joy and prosperity.
Here's hoping, that the beauty of this festival of lights,
bring a world of joy, happiness and contentment to you,
to last the whole year through. Happy Diwali.
If you liked this article, so help other people to find this useful article. Share it on your social networking profiles like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumbler and Stumble too.


text:
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop
desitheblonde [at] msn [dot] com
Enter to win the latest young adult ebook release from Tribute Books.
1) Add Jolene Perry's upcoming May 2012 release, Knee Deep, to your Goodreads to-read list. Click here for the direct link.
2) Leave a comment with your email address.
Night Sky
by Jolene Perry
After losing Sarah, the friend he's loved, to some other guy, Jameson meets Sky. Her Native American roots, fluid movements, and need for brutal honesty become addictive fast. This is good. Jameson needs distraction – his dad leaves for another woman, his mom's walking around like a zombie, and Sarah's new boyfriend can't keep his hands off of her.
As he spends time with Sky and learns about her village, her totems, and her friends with drums - she's way more than distraction. Jameson's falling for her fast.
But Sky's need for honesty somehow doesn't extend to her life story – and Jameson just may need more than his new girl to keep him distracted from the disaster of his senior year.
15 comments:
Thanks for the giveaway! Added Knee deep to my tbr on goodreads. I thought I had already won Night Sky but couldn't find it on my kindle or downloads. Just wishful thinking,I guess!!ReplyDelete
delivery.RN at gmail dot com
added on goodreadsReplyDelete
april yedinak
added on goodreads....heather schrockReplyDelete
gfc red headed bookworm
hschrock24112 at yahoo dot com
Thanks for the amazing giveaway!ReplyDelete
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
GFC: BookAttict
Goodreads: Elizabeth Hyatt (BookAttict)
thanks for the giveaway : )ReplyDelete
gfc: alicia marie ezell
goodreads: alicia marie
ame1184 at gmail dot com
Added Knee Deep to GR: Lauren MackesyReplyDelete
GFC: Lauren Mackesy
Lmackesy at gmail dot com
the both book look great and would love to read them and blog on themReplyDelete
email@example.com thank youReplyDelete
courtnut1990 at yahoo dot comReplyDelete
thanks :)
Thanks for the giveaway!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the giveaway.ReplyDelete
I added it
pulliam_t at yahoo dot com
Added Jolene Perry's upcoming May 2012 release, Knee Deep, to my Goodreads to-read list (Lexie Hogan).ReplyDelete
lexie.bookbug at gmail dot com
I added Knee Deep to my GR to read list. (Brenda Child) I also added Night Sky:)ReplyDelete
bchild5 at aol dot com
Awesome! I added Knee Deep and I already added Night Sky (Victoria Reljin) :) They both sound fantastic! Thank you!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the chance to win :)ReplyDelete
added on Goodreads: Krysta Banco


text:
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) October 8, 2009
With summer fading to fall, now is the perfect time to plan a fall escape to Miami at rates we've never offered before. As Marriott Vacation Club celebrates 25 years of unforgettable vacations, get away to Marriott's Villas at Doral and save 25 percent off room rates starting at $152 per night.*
Located adjacent to the Marriott Doral Golf Resort & Spa, a Marriott Resort, Marriott's Miami, Florida Villas at Doral welcomes guests with two-bedroom/bath villas, complete with a fully-equipped kitchen, spacious living and dining areas, spacious master suite, multiple televisions and DVD player, and a washer/dryer. Two-bedroom villas can accommodate up to eight guests.
Guests will enjoy all of the luxuries home and more with on-site amenities including an outdoor pool and whirlpool spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, The MarketPlace convenience store, as well as access to a variety of amenities including golf and tennis facilities at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa.
With 25 percent off of villa rates, stay longer and experience all that Miami has to offer. Marriott Vacation Club resorts are located in over 30 of the most sought after destinations providing all the comforts of home with plenty of room for the entire family.
Reservations must be made by November 15 for stays between September 8 through November 20, 2009 to receive this limited time discount. To book the 25th Anniversary Rate, visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/miada-marriotts-villas-at-doral/ and use promotional code FSZ or call 1-800-VILLAS-9.
*Terms and Conditions: Promotion rates are valid at Marriott Vacation Club and Grand Residences by Marriott resorts from September 8 - November 20, 2009. Offer not available to groups requiring 10 or more rooms. Promotional rates quoted already include 25 percent off. A limited number of rooms are available and blackout dates or other restrictions may apply. Participating locations only. Some resorts may not be available at the rates shown. A stay is defined as consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/check-out activity. Promotion cannot be combined with any other offer, discount coupon, sale promotion or prior purchase/reservation. Void where prohibited.
About Marriott Vacation Club:
Marriott Vacation Club is the recognized worldwide leader in vacation ownership with a program highly regarded for its quality and unique flexibility. Celebrating 25 years of providing unforgettable vacations, Marriott became the first branded hospitality company by nearly a decade to enter the timeshare industry in 1984. Marriott Vacation Club continues to expand with a diverse portfolio of more than 11,000 timeshare resort villas throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Today, more than 395,000 Owner families around the globe own their vacations "the Marriott way," offering options to exchange weeks with priority within the Marriott Vacation Club portfolio or within Interval International's global system of more than 2,400 resorts in over 75 countries, trade their week(s) for Marriott Rewards points, or rent their week(s). For nightly rentals, please visit http://www.marriott.com.
James Woelbern / Amy Immerfall
Marriott Vacation Club International
407.513.6969 / james.woelbern (at) vacationclub.com
407.513.6968 / amy.immerfall (at) vacationclub.com
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 3,200 lodging properties in 66 countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and had approximately 146,000 employees at 2008 year-end. It is recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the 100 best global brands, by FORTUNE® as one of the best companies to work for, and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as Partner of the Year since 2004. In fiscal year 2008, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $13 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at http://www.marriott.com.


text:
A recent poll has revealed Germany to be deeply divided on Chancellor Angela Merkel's migrant policies, with the majority of Germans fearing a rise in crime associated with increased migrant numbers.
The PolitBarometer, conducted between the 6th and 8th of December, reveals that just over half – 52 per cent – of Germans fear that the number of migrants in the country will lead to an increase in crime.
Of even greater concern is the economic dimension of mass migration with 60 per cent fearing that the government will have to tighten its belt in order to cover costs of accommodating, feeding, and integrating migrants meaning that key services for native Germans will be affected.
The figures by pollster Forschungsgruppe Wahlen also show that 58 per cent of respondents think migrants and their integration in Germany is the nation's number one issue.
In October, research was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, which took the views of thousands of people in 25 nations worldwide, found that Germany had overtaken Britain as the European nation most concerned with immigration – a significant development for a nation which has long prided herself on her openness to migrants.
Since the beginning of the migrant crisis, over one million migrants entered the country leading to a rash of migrant crime, violence, and sex attacks, as well as increased strain on housing and public services.
Figures buried in a report by Germany's interior ministry revealed that without migrants considered, crime rates in Germany would have remained roughly static since 2014. But, in fact, the country recorded an extra 402,741 crimes committed by migrants.
In 2015, German residents were forced to leave their homes by local authorities to make way for Middle Eastern migrants. In July 2016, despite there being nearly 400,000 homeless people in Germany, the government built brand-new apartments in affluent town centres to house single male migrants.
The PolitBarometer also showed that Chancellor Merkel has fallen to fourth place in the list of ten most important national political figures. Ahead of her were Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble (number 3), Minister-President of the state of Baden-Württemberg Winfried Kretschmann (number 2), and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was at number one being considered the most important politician in Germany.


text:
Today , I want to show you what took me 24 hours to make . It's this little girl's coat for Nicole my sister's 10 year old grand-daughter.
I was promised a pic of Nicole wearing her coat which fit her by the way but probably won`t fit next year!!!!
As the photo wasn`t forthcoming I`ll show you Riley in the nightie I made for her.I also made Poppy one but she got it dirty before the picture could be taken.
Like probably most of you, I`m glad that Christmas is over and things are back to normal.
I`ve been sewing. I finished a UFO! and a top which I`ll keep for later in the week.
I`ve been visiting your blogs. I`m sorry if I haven`t left comments. I needed a break from the computer.
My husband and I have been glued to Netflix, a gift from Tamara, instead!
Happy New Year and Happy Sewing from


text:
By Roland S. Martin
Listen to any politician talk, and you'll quickly realize that there are so many crises in America that it's shocking the country is still able to function.
But one that we can agree on is certainly the outrageous number of children being born out of wedlock each year.
In 1980, a little more than 18 percent of children in America were born out of wedlock, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. As of 2009, that number had jumped to 41 percent.
Yet what is even more shameful about this issue is that any time it comes up, some folks get so sensitive that we can't even have a real discussion about the problem.
This week, the Republican candidates discussed the issue at their debate in Arizona. When Rick Santorum was asked about the issue of contraception, he said: "What we're seeing is a problem in our culture with respect to children being raised by children, children being raised out of wedlock, and the impact on society economically, the impact on society with respect to drug use and all — a host of other things when children have children … The bottom line is we have a problem in this country, and the family is fracturing.
"Over 40 percent of children born in America are born out of wedlock. How can a country survive if children are being raised in homes where it's so much harder to succeed economically? It's five times the rate of poverty in single-parent households than it is in two-parent homes."
Mitt Romney also chimed in.
"When you have 40 percent of kids being born out of wedlock, and among certain ethnic groups the vast majority being born out of wedlock, you ask yourself, how are we going to have a society in the future?" he said. "Because these kids are raised in poverty, in many cases, they're in abusive settings. The likelihood of them being able to finish high school or college drops dramatically in single-family homes. And we haven't been willing to talk about this."
As I looked at the various tweets from folks watching the debate on CNN, some chafed at the discussion, as if it were wrong for the GOP candidates to even broach the subject.
One who was particularly perturbed was New York Times columnist Charles Blow, who tweeted, "Let me just tell you this Mitt "Muddle Mouth": I'm a single parent and my kids are *amazing*! Stick that in your magic underwear."
Blow got some pushback because the tweet was seen as mocking Romney's Mormon faith. He apologized, but that really isn't my concern.
What bothers me is that when the issue of single parents arises, too many become defensive without honestly dealing with the question. Yes, Blow's children may be doing great, but a lot of children aren't, along with their single moms and dads.
Trust me, I've seen this play out on too many occasions.
A year ago while speaking on a panel for Alonzo Mourning's foundation, I was discussing the perils of getting pregnant too early and out-of-wedlock to a packed ballroom of middle- and high-school students, and a group of young women who were present — and pregnant — got really upset. As I walked around the room afterwards, one of their counselors told me of their comments and said they wanted to speak to me.
When I walked over, they told me they felt I was insulting them for getting pregnant. I made clear that I wasn't but that I also wasn't going to act like having a baby at 15 was a good idea.
Yes, we must confront the reality of them having that baby, but why should we stop warning folks of the hazards of an early pregnancy out of fear of offending someone?
The same thing happened earlier this year when ESPN aired its town hall of the black athlete in conjunction with the national birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When John Calipari raised the issue of recruiting young ballplayers, he mentioned that he rarely saw a father in the home — mostly single mothers only. Spike Lee immediately jumped in to defend those moms as being hard-working. Calipari quickly retreated, focusing on that point and getting away from his initial issue.
Again, I've seen this too many times to count, and I get ticked off when it happens. Someone will talk about the problem of single mothers raising children, and invariably, someone else will jump up to say that he or she had a strong momma and she did all she could to raise that person to be a good, upstanding citizen. The crowd then begins loudly applaud that person for standing up for the strong sisters.
I get it. It's a natural reaction to stand up for your mom. But we must stop acting as if raising a child alone is a desirable situation for most. As Santorum and Romney said, raising a child alone is difficult, and the economics of a single income in the home makes that even more of a struggle.
There are many reasons why we have single mothers and single fathers. In some cases, a couple has divorced and they're raising the child alone. In other cases, they have chosen to have a child or adopt one, and how that child is being raised is impacting their economic situation.
But if we're honest and not emotional, we'll own up to the reality that too many women are getting pregnant and are being abandoned by the sperm donor (sorry, you have to earn the title of "Daddy"). And when those women are young, they're falling further and further behind because they're trying to care for a child without a strong support system. And if they're in high school, college or neither, their lives will be even more difficult because they're likely in a low-paying job that makes it impossible to afford daycare. As a result, additional stress is put on family and friends to stand in the gap, pushing their goals and aspirations aside to help out.
It's also ridiculous to get mad just because two Republicans are speaking to the issue. It's certainly valid to critique them on raising the question if they're also against providing services in order to help that mother in raising the child.
But the question of help can't be a government discussion alone. We must also own up to there being a moral issue. And just because a politician is doing it shouldn't make us angry. As an African American, I know that the phenomenon of children being born out of wedlock has had a devastating impact on the black community. I'm not going to pretend it hasn't just because two white Republicans are raising the issue.
I've heard black pastors, grandparents, and schoolteachers do so. So why should I be offended if Santorum does it? President Barack Obama has pushed his fatherhood initiative since he was elected. Isn't that also a way to confront the lack of fathers involved in the lives of their children? No political party has the moral authority to own this discussion.
A healthy and vibrant family unit has always been the cornerstone of this country. And if we're going to confront where we're going as a nation, that means looking one another in the eye and asking the tough questions as to why more than 40 percent of kids are being born out of wedlock, and in the black community, nearly 70 percent.
Denial or a fierce emotional pushback gets us nowhere. Acknowledging a problem and seeking solutions is the only way we can reverse this horrible trend.
Roland S. Martin is an award-winning CNN analyst and author of the book "The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin." Please visit his website at RolandSMartin.com. To find out more about Roland S. Martin and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.


text:
Seen above with Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad was the greatest batsman to ever come from Pakistan. Without a doubt, he was the best. A true fighter, with no hang up's, and a 100% team man. Javed is the most loved cricketer of all time in Pakistan. His fan following is tremendous. I remember the last time I saw him bat..It was at one of the league matches during the 1996 World Cup in Karachi. Pakistan were playing against England and were chasing a target of 250. Saeed Anwar had already got them of to a flier with a fluent 72, but once he was out, the crowd began to get restless. Everyone knew that with the start provided by Anwar, the target was well in reach. And we all wanted to see Javed bat, since this would be his last International match in Karachi. So the chant of 'Javed' 'Javed' broke out and it did not stop till Javed came out to bat at the fall of Ijaz Ahmed's wicket. We wanted to see Javed bat so much, that everyone actually cheered when Ijaz got out, and the true Cricketing Icon, Javed Miandad came to the crease. The atmosphere at the National Stadium that day was amazing, and the fact that many got to witness Javed Miandad bat for the last time in Karachi, almost made up for the disappointment of losing at Banglore. Javed Miandad is a source of inspiration for many of today's cricketers. Wasim Akram was nurtured by Imran once he came into the side, but it was Javed who first spotted Akram in the nets and forced the selectors to include him in the touring party to New Zealand. Similarly, today's Pakistan Stars, such as Saeed Anwar and Basit Ali consider Miandad as their cricketing idol and have shaped their game much like Miandad. Today, Javed holds a senior position with Habib Bank and is the Coach of the Pakistan team. It's a real real blessing for Pakistan cricket, with Javed Miandad there to guide the players. The Cricket Board has played around with Javed throughout his career, continuously appointing and then removing him as the National team Captain.. It was the mistake of removing Javed Miandad as Captain in 1993, that led to the troubles that Pakistan cricket has faced since then. Nevertheless, Javed Miandad is still the greatest cricketer and sportman to come from Pakistan and is a source of pride for every Pakistani around the world..Without a doubt, the greatest of all time, the Pakistan Cricketing Legend..Javed Miandad.
Javed Miandad
Born: 12 June 1957, Karachi
Major Teams: Pakistan, Glamorgan, Habib Bank Limited, Sussex,
Sind, Karachi City Cricket Association.
Batting Style: Right Hand Batsman
Bowling Style: Leg Break Googly
Test Debut : Pakistan v New Zealand at Lahore, 1st Test, 1976/77
Latest Test: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Lahore, 3rd Test, 1993/94
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1982
Career Record:
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting 124 189 21 8832 280* 52.57 23 43 93 1
Balls M R W Ave Best 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 1470 32 682 17 40.11 3-74 - - 86.4 2.78
One Day International Record.
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting 233 218 41 7381 119* 41.70 8 50 71 2
Balls M R W Ave Best 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 436 3 297 7 42.42 2-22 - - 62.2 4.08