text:
From their opening medley to their stirring tribute tracks – one of which also doubled as their annual Nerdapalooza cover – it's a half-hour of geek rock (and geek sweat) created by Sci-Fried and lovingly recorded by my homie Michael Melchor.
Posted by Z. at 2:03 PM
Labels: culture, geek rock, gig, nerdapalooza, sci-fried, vid
I missed you som much brother!!!
Missed y'all too, man! So happy Mike managed to get all this recorded and posted so quickly. :)
best. show. ever.
*bows* Thank you, sir. Glad you enjoyed and got to see it! You were missed down here this past weekend.
Thanks, Michael! I hated to miss NAP, but I did get to play the Wii U this weekend -- that's at least some consolation.
I sent u a big sweaty man hug via Curtis.. make sure he deilvers it LOL
You know you couldn't sent that hug with Andrea or Denika or, y'know, anyone more huggable. But instead I get Curtis! ;)
Chuck (from Sci-Fried) and I made a pact. NEVER AGAIN, Z. YOU WILL NEVER MISS ANOTHER NERDA. The power of our blood oath compels you.
ZStarter every year!
Nerdapalooza = serious business


text:
Directed by Pamela Yates
The intricacies of the idea of terrorism, its political, economic, and even linguistic facets - are only now coming into the consciousness of most Americans. If we're ever to get beyond jingoistic, racist invocations of the word terrorism for every idea system we don't understand, if we're ever to begin to grasp the complex social and cultural issues that the word "terrorism" surrounds, we'll need to watch more films like Pamela Yates and Peter Kinoy's State of Fear: The Truth About Terrorism.
Yates and Kinoy's case study is Peru, where the depredations of Shining Path, the socialist guerilla movement brought on a fierce response by the national government of Alberto Fujimori. Fujimori folded the crusade against Shining Path into his plan to bring the manifold joys of a free market, heavily corporatized economy to Peru. In his "war on terror" begun in Fujimori suspended many civil liberties in his insistence on constant demonstrations of total loyalty to his administration. Shining Path, which had already been contained by the time Fujimori began devoting vast amounts of the energy of his nation to its decimation, proved a useful tool to generate security-phobia among the Peruvian middle classes. But for the poor, Fujimori's despotic fetish to destroy Shining Path at all costs was deadly. In a dirty war, 70,000 civilians were killed by either Shining Path or government troops. Saving Peru from Shining Path cost Peru much of what was Peru…
Fujimori is gone now, disgraced by influence buying scandals, and the cracking of much of Peru's civil society by the indirect effects of the war on Shining Path. Beginning in 2000, the filmmakers were given access to the records of Peru's Truth Commission. This film is based on those records.
Paul Theroux has said about the film: "State of Fear is a brilliant and moving film, which is both a portrait of Peru and a chronicle of terror and response - fanaticism, bravery, heroism and abject fear and the way everyone is affected by such events. It is what Orwell called the aim of great art, which was both imaginative in its craftsmanship and politically committed at its heart."
The warning issued by State of Fear is not subtle, its allegory not at all hard to decode: be deeply suspicious of any government which uses a "war on terror" to cloak its own ideological and financial agenda. For it will be a war without end, and a war without victors.
— Kevin Hagopian, Penn State University
For additional information, contact the Writers Institute at 518-442-5620 or online at https://www.albany.edu/writers-inst.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Our Services
Experience dentistry like never before.
Our commitment to achieving the best result for you begins with a conversation. We want to know you, understand your needs and concerns, and begin a trusting relationship as your dentist. We are a general practice that is well equipped with the latest technology, high quality equipment and materials, stringent infection control procedures and excellent staff who will see you through the whole process.
Rest assured that our dentists are well-trained and highly experienced in general dentistry as well as dento-facial aesthetics. Their combined years in the field have fostered their relationships with dental specialists who are there to provide their expertise should the needs arise.
Our services include:
- Restorative and Preventive Dentistry
- Children's Dentistry (including Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule "CDBS")
- No Drilling Decay Treatment
- Crowns and Bridges
- CAD/CAM Dentistry (same-day crowns)
- Endodontics (Root Canal Treatment)
- Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatment
- Laser Dental Treatment
- Oral Surgery
- Wisdom Teeth Removal
- Dental Implants
- Dentures
- Dental Hygiene
- Smile Makeovers
- Dento-Facial Aesthetic Makeovers (anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers)
- Teeth Whitening (powered by Opalescence)
- Veneers - ceramic veneers, porcelain veneers, composite veneers, Edelweiss veneers
- Adult Orthodontics (CFast, ClearCorrect and Invisalign)
- Custom Mouthguards
- Snoring and Sleep Apnoea devices
- Bruxism (Teeth Grinding) and TMJ Treatment
- Oral Cancer Screening
- Geriatric Dentistry
- Emergency Dental Care
- Twilight Sedation
Copyright 2017 The Coast Dentists Pty Limited ABN 21 605 920 376 / All Rights Reserved


text: Referring to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copy_protection the Wikipedia page about Copy protection , wouldn't there be a potential conflict of interest between "Internet product activation" and the risk to Bible software users in persecuted countries, if such a method were ever to be adopted? -- David Peter von Kaehne wrote: > > Most of these rigorous steps are rapidly overcome if enough impetus is > there. > > At this moment in time our encrypted modules are better protected > than e.g. DVDs with their dvdcss encryption. > > I think most publishers as such are happy with a token protection which > somehow states "You should not really do this!". Look at e-sword with > its perfunctory protection until recently. And the current form is > probably not much better > > If it prevents the decent people from messing too much (beyond e.g. > private export into other better liked programmes) then this is probably > good enough. > > The problems with us are probably more about perception of being > irrelevant, not worth the effort - and that can so easily become a > self-perpetuating matter. > > Peter > > _______________________________________________ > sword-devel mailing list: sword-devel at crosswire.org > http://www.crosswire.org/mailman/listinfo/sword-devel > Instructions to unsubscribe/change your settings at above page > > -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Printing-an-encrypted-module--tp25167239p25187488.html Sent from the SWORD Dev mailing list archive at Nabble.com.


text:
A staggering 1,500 people were killed in the first 3 months of 2014 in Boko Haram violence in Nigeria. But lately, a new dimension has been added to the sufferings of Nigerian Christians at hands of Boko Haram Jihadis. On 14 April 2014, Boko Haram militants attacked a
secondary school and abducted 276 young girls. In another incident, 8 girls were abducted from a village on May 6, while 12 persons were hacked to death in a separate incident on May 5.
The latest in this abduction saga is the release of an hour-long video by Boko Haram commander Abubakar Shekau, in which he claims responsibility for the abductions and threatens to
continue the same. About the abducted girls, he said:
"I abducted your girls... They are slaves and I will sell them because I have the market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell them. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I will sell."
He also said that he abducted the girls because they dared to
accept sinful western education defying the dictates of Islam and the Sharia.
Far from being against the spirit of Islam, capturing women by attacking non-Muslims and keeping them as sex-slaves as well as selling them in the market is sanctioned by the Quran and tradition of Prophet Muhammad. For example, the holy Quran says that Muslims, aided by Allah, can attack and kill the non-Muslims, and take some of them, namely the women and children, as slave (captive):
And He (Allah) brought those of the People of the Scripture (i.e., Banu Qurayza) who supported them (i.e. the Quraysh) down from their strongholds, and cast panic into their hearts. Some (adult males) ye slew, and ye made captive some (women and children)… [Quran 33:26–27]
The holy Quran (33:50) also gives divine license to Muslims to use the women, captured in war, as sex-slaves:
O Prophet! surely We have made lawful to you your wives whom you have given their dowries, and those whom your right hand possesses (i.e. slaves) out of those whom Allah has given to you as prisoners of war… [Quran 33:50]
These divine writs of Allah, the Islamic God, were also duly put into action by the Muhammad, the holy prophet of Islam. For example, Prophet Muhammad attacked the Jewish community of Banu Quraiza in 627 AD, and after killing all of their grown-up men (600-900 in number), captured their women and children as slave, who were distributed among his followers. The prophet himself took the 17-year-old beautiful girl Rayhana as his sex-slave. (see Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad, Karachi, p. 461-470)
The prophet did exactly the same thing in his attack of Khaybar, i.e. after killing the men, he captured the women and children as slaves and distributed them among his followers. There, he took the exquisitely beautiful 17-year-old Safiyah, wife of the young leader of the Banu Nadir Jewish community, as his own sex-slave. (ibid, 510-518)
Islam is one fucked-up, fascist cult. When your prophet Mohammad was a pedophile and rapist, what would you expect?
Oh, a summary of worldwide Islamic Jihadist attacks for April 2014 totaled 4,000 casualties worldwide:
Monthly Jihad Report
April, 2014
April, 2014
|Jihad Attacks:
|Dead Bodies:
|Critically Injured:


text:
Your 2010 Tamar DA bi-monthly 'Camping Chatter' subscription is due for renewal.
If you are a current subscriber or have yet to enjoy our newsletter, why not download the subscription form, fill in the details and post it to our Chatter Editor (Mark Hunt) with your £3 annual subscription.
The download details is available below. If you have any questions, contact us using the 'Contact Us' page or click here….


text:
Product description
Product Description
The Blackfell 45 Litre pack with a hydration reservoir is our mid-size expedition pack for longer trips into the hills or mountains. It's engineered to carry all your gear and essential liquid with complete ease. It features ventilating mesh back panels supported with a steel suspension frame for comfort in wear, without compromising on mobility. The chest harness, hip belt and straps can all be adjusted for a secure fit during more agile parts of your climb. The hydration unit securely zips away and the drinking tube feeds through a retainer for easy access. All your essentials can be neatly organised with water bottle side pockets, front bungee storage cord and a secure zipped lid pocket, which can be extended for an additional 10 litre capacity (ideal for food). We built it from tough wearing ripstop fabric to withstand bumps and snagging, and added a detachable rain cover for those sudden downpours. A reflective trim finish helps to keep you seen on early rises and late finishes.
Product informationSize: 45 Litre Plus 10 Litre|Colour: Black Technical Details
you may also like
£96.20 £34.40
Save: 64% off
£264.56 £120.52
Save: 54% off
£104.81 £35.43
Save: 66% off
£135.67 £58.72
Save: 57% off


text:
Ruffled Easter Basket
Designed by Julie A Bolduc
This Easter basket has a handle which is ruffled hence the name. It is a fun basket to make and it is an opportunity to recycle! It is also made by carrying yarn up the inside of the work and moving your hook back and forth between dropped loops. You will see what I mean when you get started.
Thank you for visiting this page. You can download the PDF version, of this pattern, from the pattern page only. Please, if you are going to link to this pattern, make your link, on your page, link directly to this page and not to the actual pattern page. That way other visitors can see what other patterns are in this category at a glance.


text:
Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash
November hit and I'm already dreaming of Thanksgiving dinner. It's entirely possible I'm going to be making stuffing this weekend for dinner, just because! Although, I'm not sure the rest of my family has moved on from Halloween. My daughter still makes us watch Mickey's Monster Musical at least once a day…
I feel like this sausage-stuffed acorn squash is the best transition-to-Thanksgiving dinner. I roasted the acorn squash until tender and then stuffed each half with a tasty sausage and rice mixture with some toasty Parmesan and panko on top! It's seriously so good and comforting! I also threw in some spinach for good measure (you could also use kale). You can certainly customize this recipe a bit as well. If you'd rather use turkey sausage, go for it. You can also use different grains like barley or quinoa in place of the rice if desired. This is also a good dinner to prep ahead of time. I made the filling the night before and then just had to stick the squash in the oven to roast and heat up the mixture before serving. And no, the squash isn't just a bowl, eat with the delicious sausage filling too!
Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash
- 2 medium acorn squash (about 2 lbs. each), halved, seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 8 ounces ground sausage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup panko
- Place an oven rack in middle position; preheat to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil. Brush insides of squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place, cut side down, on baking sheet and bake until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the filling. Heat another 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add sausage and break into small pieces with a spatula until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, rice, and spinach until heated through, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Preheat broiler to high. Flip squash halves over and fill with sausage and rice mixture. In a small bowl, mix Parmesan, panko and remaining oil. Sprinkle over squash. Broil until topping is golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.


text:
Innovative Beverage Company getting delicious, low calorie, nutritious beverages into the hands of New Yorkers as a positive step in the fight against obesity
NEW YORK, NY, DECEMBER 7, 2010 – Bad Ass Organics, New York City's local manufacturer of kombucha and organic drinks, today announced it is extending its line of nutritious kombucha beverages to include four new flavors: Super Green, Mango, Grape and Spice (www.drinkbao.com). BAO (rhymes with wow) FRESH KOMBUCHA has seen tremendous growth since launching in April 2010 as the first licensed kombucha brewer in New York State. Using a 100% natural fermentation, BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA is a slightly effervescent, low-sugar beverage filled with probiotics that provides a healthy energy boost with a unique-tasting tart flavor profile.
Different cultures have been drinking kombucha for thousands of years, but its popularity in the U.S. has recently exploded as more people recognize the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. "Providing people with healthier drink alternatives is essential to reversing the obesity trend in America. The beverage business is a $50 billion industry with only a few companies truly mindful of the well-being of the community they serve," said Mike Brady co-founder of Bad Ass Organics. "We have a triple bottom line at BAO that focuses on profits, people and planet, and our mission is to do good for people while making people feel good."
"Fermented foods offer a goldmine of nutritional benefits, and the food and beverage industry needs to do a better job educating and informing people about them," said Mike Schwartz co-founder and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. "One of our newest flavors, Super Green, includes spirulina, which is a rich source of potassium as well as B1, B4 and vitamins A through D, and provides an incredible combination of nutrients when added to our kombucha."
A typical soda or tea will have 140 calories in an eight ounce serving, resulting in many Americans getting more than 25% of their suggested caloric intake per day from drinks offering zero nutritional value. BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA has under 40 calories per eight ounce serving, tastes great and provides functional benefits that aid in digestion, serving as a meaningful complement to any healthy diet.
Moreover, BAO, with its manufacturing facility located in New York City, is filling a demand for local products that contribute positively to the community. A recent Zagat survey found that 68% of participants thought it was important for the food they eat to be locally sourced, organic and sustainably produced.
Listed below are some interesting BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA Facts:
✓ Kombucha is thought to have been first created over 2,500 years ago.
✓ Kombucha is made from black or green tea and naturally fermenting cultures, called probiotics. Probiotics, when taken regularly, have been known to have a multitude of health benefits such as improvement of the digestive system.
✓ BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA is at the center of the biggest 2011 food trends as consumers focus on nutritious, locally made, and organic products that can be part of a healthy diet.
✓ 40% of Americans have gastrointestinal problems that can be improved with probiotics found in kombucha. Digestive health is a top wellness issue for the food and beverage industry, with emphasis on probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber.
✓ Americans consume more carbonated soft-drinks than any other country in the world and soft drinks are 55% of total beverage volume sold (i.e. 1 of every 2 drinks). Fermentation causes kombucha to be naturally effervescent, which is a healthy alternative to any artificially carbonated soft-drink.
✓ BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA is made fresh in Long Island City and delivered daily to leading grocers and restaurants in New York and surrounding areas (suggested retail price $3.49).
Go to www.drinkbao.com for more information on the product line, the growing number of retail locations across the city, company founders and product details. To schedule a desk-side tasting and/or book an interview please write firstname.lastname@example.com. Find Bad Ass Organics on Facebook and Twitter at DrinkBAO– join the community today and share what you think of BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA!
About Bad Ass Organics, LLC
Bad Ass Organics (BAO) was created by two passionate New Yorkers who combined their expertise in organic foods and entrepreneurism to get great tasting and healthy products into their community. The beverage aisle in any supermarket or deli is filled with sugary sodas and teas that add calories to our diet without any nutritional benefits. By using the benefits of natural fermentation, BAO instills all their beverages with probiotics (living bacteria) in low calorie, nutritious drinks. The word bao in Chinese means "precious treasure", which is delivered in each batch of handcrafted BAO FRESH KOMBUCHA. BAO is also an acronym for the company name, Bad Ass Organics, which is a salute to everyone with the bad ass attitude to reject the constant barrage of unhealthy food and drinks and commit to living a healthy lifestyle.


text:
Fundraising with Premium Coffee
Premium Coffee Roasters is proud to introduce the Premium Coffee Fundraising Program, an opportunity for you or your organization to raise money at a very profitable rate. We provide you with an easy-to-use brochure / order form offering a wide range of regular, flavored and decaf coffees available in both whole bean or ground form.
The main element of this program is that it can be an ongoing program offered all year long! It does not tap into a specific season but offers quality products suitable year round!


text:
|f Share
|f Like
|Subscribe by Email
Posted on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 8:25 pm
Sign up for some more free sticker samples available with sign up. Get two different kind one called "the Whomp" which we aren't sure what it is, and another one for snow sports with options like "iSki, iRide, etc…."
Via this link for "the Whomp"
Via this link for "Snow Sports Stickers"
|Free Samples In Your Email
|Subscribe »
Sample A Day posts samples daily that are free with no catch. We double check the offers to make sure they are real. Offers can expire quick so check back daily!
Nick Skeba helped cofound this site back in 2007. He lives in Chicago and loves free stuff! People are always asking him how he gets so many deals? He just tells them, Sample A Day! He writes coupon site as well as this website.
Scott Aaronson also helped cofound this website and even though is a lawyer by day, he's still loves his free samples. Find him eating lunch from the sample ladies at Costco!


text:
Make your festive fundraising events extra special by rewarding competitors with eye-catching Bespoke Santa Medals to cherish forever.
Our Bespoke Santa Medals are available in eight fantastic styles – Europa, Enamelled, Contrast, Silicone, Colour Spray, Segment, Interlocking and Stacking.
Take advantage of our FREE Design Service too and let our expert in-house design team create your medal masterpiece!
Check out the Santa Medals we've previously produced below.


text: Windsor Smith I39-636 - Kirov Bar With Plain Mirror W: 34 in D: 17.50 in H: 36 in "This timeless bar cart brings an elegant entertaining option to your home. The faceted edges and reflective mirrored top makes it suitable for any well appointed home. Designed on casters, the bar can be moved easily from room to room. It is stunning stocked with crystal glasses and collected decanters. Martini anyone?" -Windsor Smith Product Details Material Maple solids and Pin-knotty Walnut veneerMirror insert Distressing Level Very Light Weight 83 lb Volume 19 cft Select Your Finish Plain mirror insert topPolished Silver finish hardware trim and castersTwo open fixed wood shelves Documents Product Care Resources Add Item to Wishlist Find a Dealer Print / Email Print this Page Email this Page Include Additional 'As Shown' Information? Yes No As Shown Finishes Dimensions


text:
Karen`s Net Monitor periodically tests web servers of your choice and attempts to download a specific page, with the option to check for a specified signature or keyword to be present in the source code of the page. It reports any errors that occur, so you can take corrective action. The program... [Read more...]
Search for software
Copyright 1997-2019 WebAttack, Inc. WEBATTACK and SNAPFILES are registered trademarks of WebAttack Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.


text:
Welcome to April Tel-Lynx News!
Text message apps, more software
We're beta testing the Android app that brings your mobile phone's text messages to your telephones and Windows PCs, laptops, and tablets at home. And we're working on phone book management and setup software for Android.
Boxes on a slow boat from China
The plastic boxes that will house TLC's electronics have shipped and are scheduled to arrive at the manufacturing plant by May 9th. Boy, that's been a long road! This means our first build is getting closer!
Tel-Lynx products announcement
Drum roll, please! Go to the Products page to see the three Tel-Lynx products, features, and prices. The temperature sensor will be an optional add-on, cost TBD.
Here's your chance to help decide how to divide the first build.
Please go to the Support page and send us a message. Tell us:
Which Tel-Lynx product(s) will you buy? With or without the temperature sensor?
We appreciate your input!
(Temp Sensor Sneak Peek: I'm on my laptop's task bar, hovering over TLC's telephone icon, and it shows the indoor and outdoor temperature. How cool is that?)
[ Back ] [ Back to News ]


text:
It's been an interesting time since opening my studio. I've gone through some goals, nailed some, altered some, need to refocus on some. I've gotten too busy, I've had slow times, you know how it goes… But there's one thing that keeps happening to me time and time again. And I believe the universe tries to point you to different paths, if you listen.
Last month, I attended Imaging USA in San Antonio. This is a HUGE conference where I was one of 11,000 photographers who signed up to get a week's worth of education in shooting, business, networking, you name it. I met some AMAZING people. Some were just like me, some were astounding, some were a series of "aha moments" as I listened to them. Some of the information came from speakers and teachers in classes and some of the information came from conversations with new friends and conversations over meals or drinks or merely sitting side by side waiting on our next adventure. I bonded with people quickly, as we all had a common thread of learning about our craft. I made friends that I know will STAY friends for a long, long time. It was such a beautiful week. I was inspired, I was excited and I was simply HAPPY.
I came home and immediately met a few new photographers. One? Spent their time telling me how much THEY knew. Smirking at me with a pity face when I'd speak and they'd interrupt with "well, I'm sure that's fine for YOU, but…." and so I listened to them. I listened to the condescending way they spoke.
I met some that speak only of the negative. "This photographer does this…or that…" and they judged. Sometimes judging someone who'd shot a job they'd have LOVED to shoot. They complained about their business. They complained about their customers.
Then I had a few that I didn't know, that reached out to me saying, "can I come to your studio? Can you show me HOW you do what you do?" "Please help me." I loved it. I welcomed them. I told them all I knew, I learned what they knew. I listened to what they said as they left my studio and there was a common theme. Which, when wrapped up as a nice gift along with the other people I'd listened to, was very eye opening.
It actually showed me something and taught me something. Be kind. Listen. Every person wants to be heard. Every person wants to feel like you value them. This is true with whomever you are taking a photograph and every person from whom you are learning and every person with whom you are conversing. It's actually one of the best business models.
As I listened to Sue Bryce and Lindsay Adler and Gary Box and Tony Corbell speak. This was a lesson as the "learner". They all made you feel heard. As I listened to the people who spoke from insecurity and not compassion, and I didn't feel heard, I didn't like it. I took away nothing. They people that came to me WANTING to be heard, we got much more accomplished when we heard each other. When a client comes to me, I have to HEAR THEM, or I miss capturing them as they truly wanted. Sometimes, they don't know. They simply want to feel amazing. I hear that.
When my daughter came to me wanting maternity photos, this was the case. She isn't a photographer, she just wanted a great experience. She wanted to feel "beautiful" in a sliver of time where she doesn't feel that way daily. It's no different than the rest of us, really. As she had hair and makeup done, as she had her shoot, her little girl watched her beautiful mommy feel AMAZING for a day. She wanted that, too. A bit of powder in the hair and makeup room, letting her stand in while her mommy changed clothes, had that baby girl feeling heard and amazing, too. Her little brother? Well, he wanted in on the action, too. He wanted to look STRONG. So, it was incorporated.
My takeaway from the past month? We all have something to offer. From wanting to feel strong, to wanting to feel pretty, to wanting to feel helpful or even just wanting to have someone say, "I get ya. Me, too…" There is the desire. So when I put this all together, I see this: We must all keep listening. We must all keep learning. We need to empower each other, because, in the end. It's our biggest gift. As an artist, it's not always my photograph. It's the experience of getting the photograph. It's that person, seeing themselves in a positive way, of having a print that reflects THAT and also, a beautiful memory of the photographic experience. Listen. Learn. NEVER get so wrapped up in "yourself" that the other person isn't heard, because, well, then you've missed it.
On this note, I will share with you the experience of doing my daughter's maternity session. Our experience, our laughter, our beautiful day that offered more memories from the day than merely just the photograph.


text: Digital Vitrue partners with 7 ad platforms to create loop between paid and owned media By Brittany Darwell|May 10, 2012 Share By Brittany Darwell|May 10, 2012 Share Social enterprise software company Vitrue today announced a partnership with seven ad management companies to give its customers a way to track paid and owned media from its platform without necessarily forcing marketers to switch ad providers. Vitrue's Media Partner Program includes Involved Media, Marin Software, Nanigans, Optimal, SocialCode, Spruce Media and Unified, all of whom work with the Facebook Ads API to manage and optimize campaigns at scale. Vitrue has updated its Social Relationship Management platform with more collaborative workflow tools for community managers and media buyers, which could be increasingly useful as advertisers run Sponsored Stories and other ads that come directly from Facebook page posts rather than traditional ads with a headline, body copy and image. The strategy of partnering with several ad providers could allow Vitrue to serve a wider range of customers than if it had decided to acquire a single company as others in the industry have done. Last year, ad platform Efficient Frontier acquired page management company Context Optional, and in February Vitrue competitor Buddy Media bought Brighter Option to create its new BuyBuddy solution for paid media. Another Facebook marketing software company, Involver, recently announced partnerships with several of the companies now also working with Vitrue. Involver's "Engagement Optimization API" can be incorporated into any ad platform to allow marketers to optimize Facebook campaigns based on post-click engagement within Involver applications. Vitrue's solution works a little differently. Members of the Media Partner Program log into Vitrue's platform to see a brand's Facebook page data and per-post metrics. Community managers have the ability to flag posts that receive high engagement and notify media buyers that the post might be a good one to apply paid media to. In both cases, Involver and Vitrue can remain agnostic and offer customers a number of options for ad platforms. This eliminates the risk associated with acquiring a single company and then convincing customers to switch to a new ad service. Vitrue says it is looking to add more ad platforms to its partner program in the future. Share http://adweek.it/2kl956d copy Adweek Adweek


text:
2012 December Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month
Lorraine Bromley
"I am a calligrapher, lettering artist, painter, illustrator and book maker. My inspirations come from words and images, which I combine in traditional and contemporary ways. I have definitely developed my art over the years, and teaching watercolor techniques has helped me see this and understand what I do. Having opportunities to teach and exhibit work in Wickford is a gift, preparing work, receiving feedback, and sharing my passion as an artist."
Lorraine has served the WAA as President, V. President, Communications/Newsletter‐editor/designer, watercolor teacher, student, demonstrator and volunteer.
Lorraine studied the Studio Arts: Painting, Photography, and Graphic Design at RI College (Class of 79") and studied specifically the fine art of watercolor with Spencer Crooks, Kurt VanDexter, Angelo Marinosci, Tom Lynch, Ted Minchin, Alvaro Castagnet,and Laurie Doctor. She is an avid traveler- independently practicing her art in Costa Rica, Greece, France, Ireland, and England as well as many wonderful places in the states. These places inspire, educate, and bring other discoveries into her art.
"My watercolors now lean a little more into abstract but still traditional subjects. I challenge myself by incorporating calligraphic and mixed media into my studies, but watercolor remains my main medium. I give myself permission to experiment and use my intuition more of a source, instead of only what I see in front of me, I improvise much more now and it is much more fun. My tools are my camera, my calligraphic marks, my computer, my design and painting skills- all integral parts of the ever-changing world around me.
"I am an enthusiastic artist, designer, photographer. I believe that the practice of "ART" is a total experience, involving body, mind, and spirit. In this sense, the practice of painting, drawing, writing and observing only enhances my personal growth. Being aware of my connection with nature, with or without words. I combine the passion for drawing/design and create art in traditional and contemporary words with images. My work comes from not only looking but experiencing the world around me, and then translating these visual and emotional perceptions. With every creation, there is a new discovery, a new challenge, a new solution. Every time I approach the blank white paper, I take a unique journey always unlike the last, and never like the next. It is what keeps me coming back to the passions of painting again and again."
"Born and raised in Rhode Island I have always been an artist and found designing, painting and drawing nature was going to be my life's passion early on. After studying the studio arts in college, graphic design became my profession for 30 years and I now use those tools for painting, lettering, photographing and garner ideas into fine art. I am comfortable with the medium of watercolor and now bringing acrylics into my artwork as a mixed media approach. I admire patterns, texture, color and the practice of brushstrokes, layering techniques and the lettering arts."
My advice to other artists...is to practice, draw, observe, travel and share.
"Sharing what others have shared with me in an artist community like the Wickford Art Association opens awareness to many talented artists, an opportunity to exhibit, sharing ideas, techniques, challenges, and thinking in new and creative ways"
Lorraine is also a member if the Art League of Rhode Island
2012 November Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month
Sally Blitzer, Watercolorist
Sally Blitzer has been a lover of art ever since she can remember. She began as an oil painter and eventually switched to painting in watercolors. Sally studied in New York at The New School and also in Providence at the Contemporary Art School in College Hill as well as studying rivately under the instruction of Carole Berren AWS for over 9 years. She is a member of theWickford Art Association as well as South County Association where she shows her work. She has also exhibited at the Providence Art Club and numerous other venues.
Sally's sense of humor shines through in all of her work. Her philosophy on art is that "People need to look at it and feel the message the artist is trying to convey through the strokes and the shadows and light‐the color and composition. Art is essential for any community and the artist that wants to express themselves through their art needs to love what they do first nd when they do, they will convey their message through their work." Sally believes art brings people together as they create and view it together. "Many fine friendships that last a lifetime have come through art related connections. Some people create art and never show it, but the need to create something beautiful or interesting and thought provoking is part of who they are and it brings them great satisfaction." And for those who do chose to put themselves out there and exhibit or attempt to exhibit their work she recommends that they be true to their heart and soul. "Find your passion! You win some you lose some, it happens to all those who take the risk and put their work on exhibit. When you get in a juried show or win an award it is great affirmation but when rejection occurs you have to remember it is simply a part of the process, don't take it to heart, it is only one person's opinion."
Sally has won several awards in exhibitions and continues to paint and sell her work.
2012 October Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month
Carol Sward Comeau
Oil Painter, Pen & Ink, Photographer
Creating and enjoying art has been an important part of Carol Sward
Comeau's life since becoming class artist in high school. She maintains a
painting studio/gallery in Ashaway,
RI. Oil is her favorite medium, although she works in pastel, pen and ink, and is also an award‐winning‐photographer. Her photographic education and experience coupled with
ownership of two photo studios provided a solid foundation for her painting and drawing studies over the last twenty‐five years. She has studied with well‐known artists' such as
Dean Keller, Foster Caddell, Ron Griswold, Lou Bonamarte, Jack Montemart, Joann Ballinger and other professionals.
Carols' work experience includes the engineering, printing and
sales/marketing industries. She has covered weddings, taken portraits
and commercial assignments, as well as covered
news events for Channels 6 and 12 and the United Press International. She is a published photographer and writer with work in Hasselblad Magazine and the Professional
Photographer's Magazine and numerous other publications.
Carol is a Lifetime and an Elected Artist Member of the Wickford Art
Association as well as an Elected Artist Member of the Mystic Arts
Center. She spent five or six years hanging the
shows at the WAA Gallery and has won several awards and had two 3‐person shows here. Over the years she has also been a member of the Norwich Arts Center, Norwich CT.; South
Shore Artist's Assn.; Westerly, RI; Eastern Shore Art Assn., Fairhope, Al; Pensacola Museum of Art and Quayside Artist's Coop in Pensacola, Fl. She has exhibited in galleries and venues
in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and Florida with her work is also in private homes in all the New England States as well as New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida and Minnesota.
Carol is inspired by that unexpected instant in time when the light and color converge on a subject to provide an extraordinary visual experience. She records those moments
photographically and calls them back when attempting to paint that feeling. Her creative energy is fueled by nature, ignited by a good thunderstorm and inspired by the love of
these things and of those she cherishes.
2012 September Featured Juried Artist of the Month
Jillian Barber
Ceramic sculpture, Photography
Jillian Barber was born in Staffordshire, England, (the home of English pottery!), grew up in Rhode Island, and presently resides in Jamestown, RI on the island of Conanicut in Narragansett Bay An award‐winning ceramic sculptor and photographer, Jillian is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design where she studied clay with Norman Schulman and glass with Dale Chihuly.
Jillian is very active in local art associations and has worked
professionally in the arts for over thirtyfive years. She is a past
recipient of a Fellowship in Design.
Jillian is well known for fantasy masks sculpted from individual portrait castings and imaginative, expressive mythical animals. She is inspired by natural beauty. She creates a headdress to surround each face of flowers or birds, dragons, and shells. They often have the feeling of a temple mask. The masks are richly textured and colorfully glazed combining her love of nature with the realm of symbols, archetypes, and dreams. Masks of both men and women have a peaceful, meditative beauty. One favorite is the Mask of the Greenman. Choosing a handsome, expressive face, Jillian
surrounds the form with leaves and vines, glazing the piece in celadon green. The Greenman is an ancient symbol of male fertility, rebirth, and regeneration. He makes a dramatic fountain as well.
Jillian's clay animals also have a life of their own. They vary from small, whimsical, pea‐eating dragons to large, crouching lion‐like creatures. She loves to make lacy fish, seahorses, mermaids, and turtles for the wall. Each piece is made entirely by the artist's hand of fine, white clay with textures of antique lace and shells. Each piece is individually created, painted with under glazes, and often fired three times with the addition of mother‐of‐pearl luster.
Jillian is also an accomplished photographer. Her work is ethereal, and earthy with a mythological feel. Jillian is a born story teller‐her stories come through her heart and hands and captured and translated through her lens. Jillian's work can be seen at many galleries and shows throughout New England.
August 2012 Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month
Howard Rubenstein
Howard is a long‐standing member of the Wickford Art Association. He has served on the Board as both Vice President and President. Howard's "Out of the Box" Photography course taught here over the years has inspired many artists to be free and think outside the box. Howard's quest to live fully and freely on the right side of the brain has translated into setting many of his students free to enjoy the same liberty that comes from the creative process. Howard also pursues other art forms freely such as wood working and painting.
After three agonizing years of indecision, analysis by art therapists, psycho‐ Therapists and even several astrologists, Howard Rubenstein chose to leave a 25 year, successful practice as a periodontist to pursue a career as a professional photographer.
Initially, to finance his new lifestyle, Rubenstein turned to shooting wedding photography and studio portraiture, both of which he soon found to be quite limiting, stifling his creativity and ultimately leading to another difficult decision. Would he go mainstream with work he knew would sell or would he sacrifice the financial reward to pursue photography as art, for its joy and inner rewards? Choosing the latter, he says simply; "I ended up doing it my way. Given who I am, I had no other choice."
Reviewing his body of work over the years, this art photographer describes his black‐and‐white abstract canyon pieces, exhibited on a national museum tour in 2004‐2005, black‐and‐white and color images of Rhode Island, abstract figurative work, as Bodyscapes, exhibited as a solo show at the Newport Art Museum, abstract night photography, as Nightscapes, African animals, automobiles and oil and acrylic photo‐paintings.
Mr. Rubenstein has also shown in galleries throughout the United States and has been published in several books. Although he has garnered many awards and honors in a variety of media, he feels winning the Rhode Island Governor's award in 2004 his biggest thrill.
2012 July Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month
Joan Thompson Boghossian
A career that began in 1978 because of a successful bid at a silent auction has led to Joan Thompson Boghossian's present status as one of New England's major artists. The University of Rhode Island graduate began her art studies with the late Herman Itchkawitch, and then studied with prominent local and national artists. Encouraged by early successes, she became recognized as an outstanding talent in Southern New England.
Boghossian's paintings have won regional and national awards in
watercolor, oils, etchings and monotypes, and the demand for her work
has steadily increased in art circles. She has won more than 50
significant prizes during the last ten years. One of her watercolors was
chosen for the prestigious American Watercolor Society's Annual
National Exhibition. She has received first prize in watercolor at more
than 20 open shows, including Cape Cod Art Association's All-New England
Show and Mystic Art Association's Annual Regional Exhibition. She is a
four-time winner of the Grumbacher Gold Medallion Award in watercolor.
In 1996 she won a medal at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in
their Annual Exhibition at the National Arts Club in New York. In 1998
she received the Mary Hill Memorial Award in Watermedia at the same
nationally known Art Club. She is a signature member of the New England
Watercolor Society and an elected artist member of other
art associations; the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club of New York, the Providence Art Club, Mystic Art Association and the Copley Society of Boston. Her paintings have been shown in museums, art associations and galleries, primarily in New England, but also throughout the United States and abroad. They are included in private and business collections. A native of Newport, Rhode Island, Boghossian lives in Pawtucket and maintains a studio there and Narragansett.
Copley Artist Member:
The Copley Society of Boston
Elected Artist Member:
Providence Art Club
Elected Artist Member:
R.I. Watercolor Society
Elected Artist Member:
Mystic Art Association
Elected Artist Member;
Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club
Elected Artist Member:
New England Watercolor Society
Elected Artist Member:
Art League of Rhode Island
Juried Artist Member
Wickford Art Association
Carole Berren, AWS
Carole Berren, a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, is an award winning painter and a popular instructor of drawing and watercolor. In the journey that is art, Carole embraces the curious wonderment of continued learning, discovery and experimentation. She has studied art at RISD, the Corcoran School of Art in DC and the Danforth Museum. In addition, she has studied painting with Betty Lou Schlemm, Barbara Nechis, Barbara Delannoy, Skip Lawrence, Charles Reid, Tom Sgourus, George James, John Salminen, Alvaro Castagnet and many others. Carole's recent work with watercolor on Yupo paper has earned her national recognition. She has been awarded the Edgar Whitney Memorial Award as well as the prestigious CFS Medal in the American Watercolor Society's Annual International Exhibitions in New York City. Her work has also received recognition by the North East, Rocky Mountain, New England and National Watercolor Societies. In June 2012, her work will be published in North Light's "Splash 13 the Best of Watercolor" book. In addition, an article on Carole and her award winning work on Yupo will be featured in the Watercolor Artist Magazine October 2012 issue.
I am intrigued by the relationships–the similarities and the
paradoxes–of man to his environment, to the eternal energies of the
magnificent oceans, to the promises of the lotus bud, to the changes in
nature that we try to understand. I look forward to my own learning,
searching and growth as I sit in the cocoon of my own metamorphoses. I
am not yet a butterfly.
2012 May Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month Olive Willis
Fine Art Oil Painter, Pastel, Drawing
Olive became a member of the WAA in the mid 80's and very quickly was asked to be the chairperson of the festival. A year later she was asked to become the President. Being asked to be in these position's came as a complete surprise to her each time. But her memories of those years are full of laughter, inspiration and teamwork. Back in those days they used to meet in a back room of the old Baptist church and Olive would move the tables to one side of the room and each artist that brought their work in would speak about it to the rest of them before the meeting began. It quickly was apparent to Olive that they needed a building of their own‐ a place to cultivate art and encourage artists and art lovers alike. Once the idea was born in her heart and mind she went after it with gusto.
Olive and the building committee chairperson she had appointed, Bob Brown met with a young architect named Gerald R. Brothers in Providence who graciously agreed to her proposal and offered to create the plans for the gallery free of charge. Next came the convincing of the Town of North Kingstown to help them find a place to put the gallery. There were a few sad offers, including Goat Island until one day they were walking and talking on the beach and she was offered a place to build which to seemed to Olive would be susceptible to being destroyed by a storm. Olive looked around and walked right to a nice safer spot on the landscape and said, "There, how about right there?" You guessed it, "there" is where we are located today, on that very spot now considered 36 Beach Street. After 4 years of her presidency and feeling as though she had accomplished what she set out to do she passed the baton on to the next president she had recruited herself.
Olive also has been playing piano and leading choirs for many years and when asked what would the world look like without art and music said, "That would be terrible and sad. Life would be colorless and without inspiration. The community needs "art" and the meaningful beauty that it brings to our daily lives."
Interview brought to by Sarah Tallarico, WAA Gallery Director
April 2012 Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month
Rick Devin, Mixed Media Artist, Sculptor
Rick Devin has been creating artwork and works of art for over thirty years. His work is constantly taking new directions as he believes that repetition is the root of stagnation. His paintings are executed in acrylic. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States. His other work is done in a variety of mixed media. His soft sculptures are done in very limited quantities. No two are exactly alike.
Many of the small sculptures are one of a kind as he uses pieces and parts of costume jewelry and other findings which are unique to each one. These sculptures range in height from four to eight inches. The photo to above is of the artist with his creation "No Time on My Hands" The clock is wood covered with canvas and stands about six feet high.
Rick found the Wickford Art Association when he first moved to Rhode Island and was looking for a community of artists to belong to in the beginning of the 80's. Rick ran the Wickford Art Festival for many years and later co-ran it with Francie Christopherson until as he said; he left it in her capable hands.
Rick maintains a small gallery in Hope Valley Rhode Island which is open by appointment. Please be patient when making an inquiry as he is only a one person operation. Should you wish to contact him he can be reached at: 401-539-8627 email@example.com http://www.devinicals.com
Anne Titus Hoyle
A Rhode Island native, Anne spent her early years in Newport, attended URI then became an RN after graduating from the Newton Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing in MA. She had always carried a camera–beginning with a box camera as a child. It wasn't until the late 70′s that she became interested in photography as an art form. Anne first discovered her creative talents when she purchased her first 35mm camera, especially receiving a portrait lens. She states "it brings everything right to you. You can see the reality of what you are dealing with." When asked what inspires her to keep herself motivated, Anne shares that being in a community of artists helps a person thrive.
As a former president for four years, Anne has played a very important role in the development of the Wickford Art Association. We will always treasure her contributions.
The Wickford Art Association
The Mystic Art Association
Newport Art Museum Gallery
The Atrium Gallery
Scituate Art Association
The Artists' Gallery of Westerly
The Art Festival at Westerly
The Hoxie Gallery, Westerly
The Wickford Art Festival
The Newport Art Festival
The RI Watercolor Society
Newport Art Museum
R&R Gallery
Courthouse Center for the Arts
South County Art Association
Warwick Art Museum
February 2012 Featured Juried Artist Member of the Month Lee Alexander,
Collagist and Painter
Wickford Art Association, South County Art Association, East Greenwich Art Association, and the Warwick Art Club
Lee Alexander was born in Milan, Italy, moving to the United States
at the age of twenty-‐one. While having a clear talent and
understanding of art at a young age, Lee did not begin her artistic
career until 25 years ago. Primarily known for her work in collage,
pastel and oil, Lee's work is seen internationally, with shows in Italy
and Puerto Rico. Lee Alexander has been a member of the Wickford Art
Association for over twenty years and has gained recognition as a Life
Still an active participant at the gallery, she received an honorable mention for her collage, The Alps, at our first show of 2012. When asked what advice she had for aspiring artists, Lee stated that she believes that the artist himself tends to be his own worst critic and everyone is good at what they love. Lee Alexander will always be a valued member at the Wickford Art Association
Norma Cheek
Illustrator, Fine Art Watercolorist
A resident of Cranston,
Rhode Island.
Norma received her training at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her studies included: fashion illustration, graphic design, interior design and portrait classes.
In addition to this she has taken private classes from Rhode Island professional artists.
In her professional career she has worked in Boston and also Hopkinton, Mass. and in several advertising agencies in Providence as a fashion artist. In addition to this she free-lanced for several specialty stores in Rhode Island as a fashion artist, drawing anything from shoes to jewelry to perfume or furs and of course figure drawing. Norma's ads appeared in the National Advertisers weekly magazine for layout, design and art.
Norma has exhibited at and been a member of the Wickford Art Association for many years. Here she developed the "fine" side of her art. She has enjoyed painting children's portraits using an American primitive painting folk art style with acrylics. Her work has also been exhibited at the Cranston library and in the Maritime Provinces in Canada. In 2009 Norma was selected to be an exhibitor in the "Scenes of Rhode Island" show at the Atrium Gallery which hosted a Governors Reception & Awards ceremony.
Over the years Norma had the privilege of traveling extensively throughout the world alongside her husband and the richness of her experiences has enhanced her creative expression.
Norma has been painting and drawing all her life and she continues to do so because she discovered a long time ago that it was not just what shedid, but that is a big part of who she is. Although she was self-motivated and already working as an artist, she attributes her interest and success in her artwork initially to her mother who was an avid seamstress and encouraged her to sew. This skill was part of what brought her to a career in fashion illustration. But when her sewing machine was broken, it was the man who fixed it that became her biggest supporter and inspiration. Norma credits Blaine, her husband with being her greatest supporter enabling her to embrace life with a hope, passion and inspiration that could be expressed in her art. Although Blaine has passed he lives on in her heart and his words of encouragement still ring in her ears.
She paints mostly at home and encourages others to engage in art for life. Norma's biggest collectors are her daughterNatalie and her grandchildren. Her art and her family are her legacy. Norma considers it a privilege to have been able to earn her living doing what she loved, being an artist. She still continues to show her work in exhibits and can sometimes be found on Tuesday afternoons at the WAAs open studio.


text:
Sebenarnya dah lama sis syazana tag saya. Tapi tak berkesempatan untuk buat entry Blue Sky Tag. Haa sekarang alhamdulillah dapat post. hehe
Okay ni first time cuba nak speaking-speaking english takpe la. campur-campur la english-malay k.. haha. First of all, a big thanks I want to say to sis syazana because tagging me to do this blue sky tag. hihi. Tak pernah pun sebenarnya terima challenge blue sky tag ni. haha. takpe #MissAcuba. haha
- Thank the person who tagged you (dah thanks dah) haha
- Answer their 11 questions
- Tag 11 people
- Give them 11 questions to answer
1. How do you start a conversation?
- First , I will smile at the person I want to talk to and start to talk about things that I want to talk to.
2. Best compliment you've received?
- I think i didn't have the best compliment that I received until today. But I hope one day, I will received the best compliment by my love ones.
3. What was the last picture you took with your phone?
- This is picture when I hang out with my love.
4. What was the last lie you told?
- I don't remember what the last lie I told. haha sorry
5. If you could wake up tomorrow in the body of someone else, who would you pick and why?
- I would pick Neelofa because I want to felt her condition right now. Because we know that Neelofa always bombarded with gossip and so on. Plus, she is also a successful woman in business. I want to felt this way because I'm also want to be like her. Neelofa is my idol :)
6. What cheers you up?
- The things that cheers me up is watching funny movie and listen to cheering up song like Kpop Song. Plus, I am Kpop Fan. Not a fanatic fan only love to their unique song hihi.
7. Who is your hero?
- Of course my dad.haha
8. What have you always wanted?
- Success. I want to be successful person in world or hereafter. InsyaAllah
9. What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?
- Nothing. If i wake up, my mind is empty. haha
10. What question do you hate to answer?
- A question that look alike sarcastic. I really hate to answer this question
11. What is your biggest fear?
- When someone act very rude to my family even my family does not do anything to them.
Alhamdulillah done answering :)
I want to tag 11 people too to. So get ready okay :)
Blue Tag Sky Challenge to awesome blogger (randomly pickup from my cbox)
1. Nadia
2. Nurul
3. Izzah Alya
5. Sya
6. Anis Nabilah
7. Hayati
8. Lea Azleeya
9. Syadiya
11. Izati
The questions you have to answer is :)
1. What are the things you love the most ?
2. What are the things you hate most ?
3. If you are want to surfing internet with your smartphone, what is the app you open first ?
4. List down your favourite songs (5 songs only) :D
5. If someone hate you, what will you do ?
6. If you have a big problem that bothering your day, what will you do ?
7. What is your dream ?
8. Do you want to be a popular person ? Yes Or No ? Give a reason
9. What are the idols you want to meet to ( list 5 idols only )
10. Which country in this world you want to visit ?
11. What will you do and felt, when someone you love was back-up (defend) someone which is fighting with you ?
Do it for your blog okay :) just for fun. ngeee . Hoping you can answer my 11 questions :)
If you done, don't forget to comment okay :)
Sorry for my bad english language. Sebab dah lama tinggal BI ni. huhu


text:
Married by Terry
Helpful Information
Married by Terry
Wedding Officiant Minister
Leavenworth, Kansas
About Me
Your love is my inspiration.
I am a non-denominational and interfaith minister.
Since 2005 I have had the priviledge of marrying couples. I love the joy that surrounds that day. My job is make your ceremony stress free and memorable and blissful. I am a romantic and believe that love wins.
My service includes free consultation, unlimited emails and phone calls, a customized wedding ceremony. You will recieve a copy of your personalized wedding ceremony and a beautiful framable Wedding Certificate.
My fees are based on the location of the wedding, and if a rehearsal is wanted.
I work hard to make each ceremony intimate and personal to the couple.
I have the flexibility to meet on short notice when time is of the essence.
I am available 7 days a week and holidays. (Holiday fee will apply)
Your ceremony can be:
Spiritial, Secular, Non-Religious
Vow renewals, Second Marriages, Elopements
Add an additional ceremony at no extra charge.
Wine Ceremony HandFasting
Sand Ceremony Rose Ceremony
Baby Blessings Home Blessing


text:
Ashburn, VA
Subtotal: $0.00
Below are the contents of your cart, where you can inspect the name, quantity, if the item is in stock or not and remove from cart if you need.
Your Shopping Cart is empty.
Please note that changing delivery zip code may result in removing your cart items. Confirm your delivery zip code and select your items again.
If you saved items on a previous visit, sign in to access your saved cart.
Continue Shopping
|Below are the contents of your wish list
Your Wish List is empty.
If you saved items on a previous visit, sign in to access your wish list.
Continue Shopping
TEMPUR-Cloud Elite King Mattress Set
Pay only $73.00 a month!*
Combining body-conforming support with luxuriously plush comfort, the TEMPUR-Cloud Elite provides a restorative sleep environment that gently cradles your body's every curve. The addition of advanced TEMPUR-ES material at the sleep surface creates an indulgently soft, cushioned feel, while the innovative SmartClimate System works to wick away moisture, keeping the mattress cool and comfortable. The anti-microbial EasyRefresh cover is removable and washable, adding a whole new level of fresh comfort.
10 Year Full Replacement Limited Warranty
TEMPUR-Cloud Elite King Mattress Set Dimensions
80"L x 76"W x 12.5"H


text:
Let me introduce myself! Day one of Blogging 101!
(Maybe my followers are waiting the news from New-York Fashion Week which will begin today ( i promise i'll post it as soon as i get something, in New York is 4:17 a.m. , sure all designners woke up yet, the Press drink first Cup of coffee and so on…)
Back to Blooging 101, Introduce Yourself to the World:
I am a fashion journalist,i if you take a look of my blog, you will see that it's not a blog but it's a kind of online Fashion Magazine.I worked a few years in the fashion industry , not as Fashion journalist , not as model or desiger, there are a lot of jobs which make the Fashion industry moves ahead. Every job you do is interesting, you must love it, you must love the fashion to be a part of one of the biggest industries, exactly Fashion Industry!
I live in Germany, i speak, write, read 4 languages. I choosed english for my Magazine but in last time i start to think how can i modify my Magazine, have you some idea? I start to think ,must first see how it's works, i mean how can connect than both, so i would like to have a blog ,more personal, post some advices, of course the red line will be Fashion!
The Blogging 101 will be for sure very helpful, i'm happy and honored to be a part of this Program!
Thanks Happiness Engineers Michelle, Paul, TJ, and the WordPress.com Team for this possibility!


text:
May 17 (UPI) -- The birth rate for nearly every group of women in the United States fell to a 30-year low in 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
U.S. women in their teens, twenties and thirties had fewer babies last year than in any year since 1987, the statistical report said.
Data based on more than 99 percent of U.S. birth certificates counted 3.853 million births last year, about 92,000 fewer than 2016.
The CDC said the general fertility rate also fell to a record low of 60 births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 -- a 3 percent drop.
Births for women in their twenties was down 4 percent; slightly down for women in their thirties; 2 percent down for women 30-34 and 1 percent for women 35-39.
The number of teens giving birth fell 7 percent in 2017, continuing a trend since the early 1990s.
The report showed women in their early 40s were the only group with a higher birth rate last year, up 2 percent.
Pre-term babies and low birth weights dropped for the third straight year, and Cesarean deliveries rose slightly.


text:
CCC intervention specialists sensitively and diligently works with the addict/alcoholic's loved ones to create a reasonable and safe plan of action. Our intervention services also include planning and facilitating the intervention meeting, coordinating treatment services based on the client's ability to pay or insurance benefits, supporting and guiding the addict and their family in the transition to the treatment center, ongoing communication with the treatment center, active involvement (if possible) at discharge, and outpatient aftercare counseling services.
Drinking causes consequences.
Compulsion or need to drink despite consequences.
Complete lack of control. Continues despite severe losses and/or consequences.
Since alcoholism and most other addictions are medical and psychological conditions, they proceed in a predictable path, from experimentation to severe addiction. Not everyone who uses a drug or drinks alcohol moves beyond social use. But for those who do, the above may be a helpful guidepost.
CCC is proud of its diversity, clinical depth, and broad range of services through our Arlington Heights counseling.
Clinical Care Consultants specialize in and offer a range of counseling, behavioral health, addiction and psychological services to fit your needs. CCC provides counseling / psychotherapy from a variety of disciplines, theoretical orientations, and styles. Each of our clinicians, who average 19 years in the field, specialize in several counseling modalities, client populations, and problem types, including individual counseling, marriage / marital counseling, couples counseling, and group therapy. Clinical Care Consultants is proud of its diversity, clinical depth, and broad range of services in therapy and counseling. We are conveniently located in Inverness to serve the surrounding communities.


text:
MyLeanBody Boot Camp isn't just for the ladies! Emily and her husband Chris provide personal and small group weight training for women and men!
Are you living the life that you always dreamed about? Why Not? Are you ready to start living and loving every minute of your life? Fitness can do that for you. A healthy lifestyle will change you in ways that you cannot imagine until you experience it.
We believe in being UNCOMMON. We believe in living life, feeling great, and making our goals a reality. You can too, but only if you are truly ready to make a change.
Anyone can go to the gym. Anyone can spend an hour or two exercising each day. But most of them do not make any changes to their bodies or their lives. Look around, how many fit people do you see?
We get results. We train ourselves every day. We eat healthy every day. We are UNCOMMON. We have proof in our bodies. Want proof in yours? Do you actually want to see results this time?
Start being uncommon now!
Learn more by contacting us today!
Rashod Taylor
I started working with Chris for my first physique show in July. I had recently lost a lot of weight and Emily and Chris encouraged me to do a show. I am so glad I did, after 4 months of working out and dieting I have never felt better or looked better. I am in the best shape of my life! It was the first time in my life that I could see my six pack! I am looking forward to competing in another physique show this year. I hope I can motivate and inspire others to achieve their fitness goals.
Thank you for your help!
Steve Fritzen
I just want to extend a big thank you for your awesome wealth of kettlebell knowledge and expertise in strength training. Having played competitive soccer through college, I thought I knew what it meant to be strong and fit. With kettlebell training and solid eating habits at age 42, I have the lowest body fat percentage, more lean muscle mass, huge strength gains, and more cardio capacity than ever before.
Emily and Chris can help anyone attain their goals, whether general fitness enthusiast or serious athletic competitor. Emily is a professional in her personal athletic career, what sets her apart is her passion and love for what she does. She expects no less of you than she asks of herself! She is always on your side and knows how to motivate like no one else.
This summer after only nine months of working hard and feeling good; I hit the beach with more confidence than I have ever felt. This confidence translates to everyday life activities, whether work or play. Start feeling good now!
Scott Richardson
As an IronMan triathlete, I focused solely on swimming, biking and running until I met personal trainers Chris and Emily Reynolds who introduced me to Russian kettlebells in January, 2012. In a matter of a few short months, they've taken my performance to a new level.
Unlike weight machines, kettlebells are the most dynamic strength exercise imaginable. They work the arms, the shoulders, the chest, the back, the core and the legs and rocket my heart rate to new extremes. And, they are so much fun I look forward to workouts. I'm stronger, fitter and faster in all three triathlon disciplines as a result. Kettlebells will always be a part of my training plan.


text:
24 April 2017
Your Buyers Are Experiencing Marketing Fatigue; Here's What to Do About It5 Ways to Help Your Content Marketing Efforts Travel Further
MarketingProfs.com - 24 Apr 2017 12:58
MarketingProfs.com - 24 Apr 2017 12:58
Tired As a marketing professional, I use all the tools out there. Marketing automation, contextual marketing, account-based and content-based marketing tactics... You name it, I use it. And...
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 14:08
CONTENT: It's easy to create valuable content that travels far. Image: Muffin Marketing If you've read any digital marketing blog, you'll know that content marketing is an effective means of promoting your brand. Not only can you create high-quality...
Need an Edge? Do A Content Marketing Competitive Analysis
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 10:05
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 10:05
"Business is competitive." No kidding, right? And so is marketing. Content marketing, in particular, is ferociously competitive. Just consider the graphic below. It shows how many pieces of content are created every minute of every single day. ...
Why Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Aren't Using Content Marketing
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 08:08
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 08:08
I recently asked a group of entrepreneurs, "As a small business or solopreneur who's not using content marketing, what is your reason?" The answers were intriguing, read on to see if you have the same questions. Question: I'm not sure what "content...
Instagram Influencer Marketing Expected to Double in Two Years
WebProNews - 24 Apr 2017 12:20
WebProNews - 24 Apr 2017 12:20
With the decline of traditional TV and the growth of social media, influencer marketing has become one of the fastest growing advertising mediums. A recent study by Mediakix found that Instagram...
Mondelez marketing chief leaves
Crains ChicagoBusiness - 24 Apr 2017 11:36
Crains ChicagoBusiness - 24 Apr 2017 11:36
Mondelez International Chief Marketing Officer Dana Anderson is leaving the company, perhaps the biggest sign of major changes to come at the maker of Oreo cookies, which is also announcing two other...
Improve Your Company's Marketing By Keeping Up With Facebook's Changes
CBS Chicago.com - 24 Apr 2017 11:12
CBS Chicago.com - 24 Apr 2017 11:12
The algorithm for the Facebook newsfeed changes frequently based on how individuals use it. As a business, you don't really have the option of ignoring Facebook, simply because it is just too good...
How to filter your brand's Snapchat marketing strategy successfully
The Global Marketing Alliance - 24 Apr 2017 09:07
The Global Marketing Alliance - 24 Apr 2017 09:07
Snapchat's USP when it emerged onto the market in September 2011 was the attraction to send images which disappeared. The app has now evolved into a key player on the social media market, adding new...
IBM debuts cognitive-powered cloud solution for marketing professionals
Computer Technology Review - 24 Apr 2017 08:58
Computer Technology Review - 24 Apr 2017 08:58
IBM announced late Sunday its Watson Marketing Insights with cognitive capabilities that can study the behavior of customers and reason how they might impact the success of the business. Available on...
How Much Do Companies Spend on Content Marketing? [Infographic]
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 07:14
Business 2 Community - 24 Apr 2017 07:14
"How much should I spend on my content marketing?" It's a question that many business owners consider, but few want to ask. Instead, they hold the question to themselves: "If I ask, they'll try to upsell me." " I should be the one to know how...


text:
Profile menu
Emily Ryo is an associate professor of Law and Sociology at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She received a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Stanford University. Immediately prior to joining USC, she was a research fellow at Stanford Law School. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced law at the international law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, and Hamilton. Her research focuses on immigration, criminal justice, and legal noncompliance. She is currently working on a study of long-term immigration detention in the United States; the first publication from this work examines immigration bond hearings, "Detained: A Study of Immigration Bond Hearings" (Law & Society Review). Her publications on unauthorized migration include "Less Enforcement, More Compliance: Rethinking Unauthorized Migration" (UCLA Law Review), "Deciding to Cross: The Norms and Economics of Unauthorized Migration" (American Sociological Review), and "Through the Back Door: Applying Theories of Legal Compliance to Illegal Immigration During the Chinese Exclusion Era" (Law & Social Inquiry).


text:
I know that Neil Livingstone has a somewhat different position on torture and death squads than most Montanans, but it's fascinating to me that he's taking a public position that the U.S. government should coddle leaders of authoritarian regimes and even resist putting them on trial.
Livingstone told Beartooth NBC:
…the United States administration made a mistake not offering leader Muammar Gaddafi an exit strategy.
"They said if you leave the country we may put you on trial at the Hague. We've frozen all your assets and so on. So what incentive was there for Gaddafi to leave and as a consequence we've seen hundreds if not thousands of people killed in the interlude," says Livingstone.
I'd say that Gaddafi certainly deserves to face trial for his actions as the leader of Libya. He has been charged with any number of crimes which individually warrant a trial before a war crimes tribunal and/or the International Criminal Court. It's fascinating—but certainly not surprising—that Livingstone would join the Republican chorus criticizing President Obama for helping remove a leader they have wanted ousted for so long.
Of course, Livingstone's analysis about Libya is suspect on more than just moral grounds. It turns out he was wrong back when the revolt started:
Well, that's where we really need plan B now. I'm not sure that the administration or the allies have thought this through very well. Look, I don't think he's going to be expelled from the country, because he's got more firepower. His army while not terribly well trained, is better trained and organized than the rebels.
And without some type of foreign intervention, he may be able to hold on there indefinitely. So we need a plan for how we deal with him in the future. I don't think we want an angry, sullen, isolated Gadhafi in the future, who has whatever revenues that he can still put his arms around, launching acts of terrorism or striking back at the west in some way.
On another note, has anyone considered telling Mr. Livingstone he's not running for Secretary of State or President?


text:
I have an incredibly soft spot for Warehouse, which is one of my favourite highstreet haunts. I particularly like that they seem to be maturing with me, with their more recent collections exhibiting a definite grown-up vibe.
There's a lot to love in the new collection – from summery, Coachella-inspired cover ups, bright patterns and digital prints to more soothing, elegant pieces that wouldn't be out of place in the most glamorous of coastal resorts.
The 90s and the 50s, two of my favourite eras, were obvious inspirations: there were more spaghetti straps than you'd find in Courtney Love's wardrobe, hanging side-by-side with demure midi skirts and matching tees.
In fact, co-ordinating sets continue to be big, fashion's answer to the boring two-piece suit, emblazoned with graphic floral and palm tree prints.
Neoprene also looks like a big story this season, which makes me feel quite smug as I've been sporting a neoprene skirt from ASOS for the past couple of weeks.
You'll find the SS14 collection in stores and online soon. Anything catching your eye?


text:
'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me'. If there was ever a lie it's that one. Words can encourage and build up, but they sure can destroy and hurt as well.
In my experience, one of the most destructive ways words can have impact is through gossip. Gossip is so often seen as a 'minor sin' in the church and in youth ministry: a bad behavior, but relatively harmless compared to other, far more 'dangerous' sins. Yet gossip has a destructive power that can wound people deeply and that leaves scares that take years to heal. Gossip is anything but harmless and it's a behavior you need to address in your youth ministry.
Now I have to be honest here. I struggle with gossiping, or with not gossiping to be more correct. It's an area that I'm weak in and that I'm trying to grow in. So what I'm writing in this post, I'm not writing out of superiority or with even the hint that I've mastered this, because I haven't. But I have been on both ends of gossip, the giving and the receiving end, and neither one is pretty.
What is gosssip?
So let's talk about gossip and what it can do to others…and to you. First of all, we need to define gossip. Gossip is casual talk about others and their personal affairs and situations. You can debate if the word in itself is neutral, but there certainly is a distinction between the mere sharing of truthful info and the bad mouthing of someone behind their backs, based on false accusations and lies. The second is especially harmful, but the first can easily lead to the second.
The problem is that we live in a culture that thrives on gossip. Perez Hilton and many like him in the boulevard press document each and every step celebrities make and people gobble it all up. They love reading what Lindsay Lohan has done wrong now and they pretty much believe every lie that's written. And this gossip culture starts with teens, because teen magazines and sites promote gossip as much as anything.
The destructive effects of gossip
Living in this gossip culture, one might conclude that gossip is okay, that it's part of life, that it's normal. Teens and adults alike may copy this behavior to their personal lives, to church, to the youth ministry. But it's not okay. And gossip certainly isn't innocent.
Gossip can ruin a reputation
Gossip can destroy friendships
Gossip can lead to bullying
Gossip can humiliate and demean
Gossip can lead to exclusion from the group
Gossip can ruin trust between people
Gossip undermines the morale in a team
Gossip is incredibly destructive and not just for teens. Adults have been destroyed by gossip as well. Recently a book came out in the Netherlands with a story about a woman who had become a prostitute. The writer had accidently used a pseudonym for this woman that was a somewhat unusual name, but not so unusual that there wasn't a real woman with this name. She immediately became the topic of gossip in the very small town where she lived and many assumed the book was about her. She had to sue the publisher to change the name because the gossip was ruining her life, in effect destroying her.
The Biblical argument against gossip
The destructive power of gossip should be reason enough to address this issue in our youth ministry, but there's also a very strong Biblical argument. Gossip is sin, make no mistake about it. The Bible warns against gossip and condemns it in no uncertain terms in several places. The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about it for instance, just look at these three examples:
"A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter." (Proverbs 11:13 NKJV)
"He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips." (Proverbs 20:19 NKJV)
"Where there is no fuel a fire goes out; where there is no gossip arguments come to an end. Troublemakers start trouble, just as sparks and fuel start a fire. There is nothing so delicious as the taste of gossip! It melts in your mouth." (Proverbs 26:20-22 CEV)
So how does your youth ministry do in this area? Is gossip a problem and if so, what are you doing against it? Next week we'll talk some more about this issue and see how you can address gossip amongst your youth leaders and amongst your students.
Do you recognize gossip as destructive? What could we do as youth leaders to fight gossip in our youth ministry?


text:
Browse Reviews :: Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook, Volume 3
Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook, Volume 3
By Dr. O. S. Hawkins
Published by Thomas Nelson
Average Blogger Rating:
All Reviews
On 4/4 Ding Chew Koon wrote: This book has a wide variety of sermons to choose from and great ideas to ponder upon. As a preacher myself, it is a book that adds to my understanding about the passage of Scripture given there. I don't follow them but it allows me to better grasp some topics presented. Somehow I was not really excited ... NELSON'S ANNUAL PREACHER'S SOURCEBOOK, VOL. 3 by Dr. O. S. HAWKINS
On 4/3 soulpadre wrote: O. S. Hawkins has produced a most excellent volume of sermons and outlines for each week in the church year. The Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook, Volume 3 is a great addition to the preacher's toolbox, but even Hawkins warns: "This sourcebook is designed to lay alongside all your other tools..." ... A useful resource for today's preacher.
On 3/18 YouthMinister1204 wrote: Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook is unlike any other book that I have received from Booksneeze. It was interesting to me because I do preach on occasion and teach two different Bible classes at my church and I thought this would be a great resource to have on hand. It is good for what it is, which ... Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook
On 3/11 Paul Gardner wrote: A compilation of sermon outlines, it includes outlines for funerals, wedding and major holiday. It accesses many different sources and the lists of these alone are gold for any preacher researching for an upcoming sermon. As always, you need to be careful not to slavishly follow another person's outline ... The Nelson's Annual Preacher Sourcebook does what it says on the label
On 2/7 Pastor wrote: This is the first time I have gotten a Preacher's Sourcebook of any kind. I am really impressed by this one published by Nelson's and edited by E.S. Hawkins. It contains sermons and outlines for every week of the year. I has sermons for special occasions and holidays. There are full sermons and sermon ... Great Source Book For Ministers
On 2/3 Daniel Smith wrote: O. S. Hawkins, the editor of the Preacher's Sourcebook, has done a fair job of putting together a library of sermons and teaching lessons that young or inexperienced pastors can use to get by. I enjoyed using the resource to prepare a recent sermon on Psalm 100, though I felt guilty doing so. Speaking ... Review of Preacher's Sourcebook
On 1/29 Minterlife wrote: This book is exactly what the title says. It takes a wide variety of sermons from excellent preachers and outlines the main points and ideas. The sermons over specific topics (wedding, funerals, holidays) as well as over specific books of the Bible or specific Biblical topic. I originally got this book for a relative who ... Book Review: Preacher's Sourcebook
On 1/28 Mike Coville wrote: A great resource for both pastors looking for assistance in preparing sermons and laymen who want to expand their bible studies. Each topic is presented with plenty of references to help you get the most out of it. I could see how someone could use the material provided verbatim, but it seems to work ... A great reference book
On 1/25 cathyb wrote: Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook vol 3 edited by O.S. Hawkins. This is a guide for the year of Sunday sermons as well as holiday, funeral and marrage ceremonies. This sourcebook contains quotes, outlines,and illustrations for numerous sermons throughout the year. It also gives helps for difficult ... Preacher's Sourcebook vol 3
On 1/24 Aaron Johnson wrote: If you are experiencing preachers "writing block" (is it called "sermon block"?) pick up this volume and jump start your sermon prep process. This book is divided into two parts: sermons, and articles. The sermons are in an expanded outline form, and include message from the likes of James ... Preachers Sourcebook


text:
As a REALTOR® , I am asked if solar systems increase the value of a home for sale. My short answer is "yes" – solar PV definitely adds a premium to a home's value; however, quantifying that additional value depends to some extent on the appraisal process.
Ben Hoen, a researcher with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Sandra Adomatis, an appraiser and specialist in appraisal of solar systems, authored "Appraising into the Sun: Six-State Solar Home Paired-Sales Analysis". This report was based on a 2015 study of samples taken from a database of 4000 home sale transactions in California, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania, combined with an evaluation of 43 pairs of home sales in local markets within each of these states, thus combining the paired sales method typically used by appraisers, in which the sale of a home with solar PV is compared with the sale of a comparable home without PV, with a statistical analysis of the larger database . The report concluded that the average premium for a home with PV in this study varied from 2.5% to 6.4% of the sale price, depending on the location.
Appraisers need to determine how much particular features such as solar PV are worth, and must be able to justify a corresponding adjustment in value to a mortgage underwriter. It is not practical for the appraiser to point to a large academic study, but a paired analysis of local homes is more acceptable. The challenge in both New Hampshire and Vermont is the (thus far) limited amount of data available – until there is a larger pool of sales of homes with PV in our local markets for comparison, it is challenging for appraisers to quantify solar PV value using the paired sales method.
That being said, the results of "Appraising into the Sun" demonstrate that PV is an asset that should be valued. As sales of homes with solar PV increase, the need for appraisers trained in solar valuation is becoming more apparent. The Appraisal Institute (AI) offers training for appraisers and real estate professionals, as well as a Residential Green Addendum to the standard appraisal format to document a home's energy efficiency features.
As more appraisers become familiar with solar valuation, the appraisal process will document the value of PV more effectively. Use of qualified appraisers and documentation such as the Green Addendum will help mortgage underwriters approve enhanced value. In our area this is a continuing process – but it is clear that solar PV does increase the value of a home for sale.
Dick DuMez, CBR
REALTOR®, Licensed in NH and VT
Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty
8 Glen Rd., West Lebanon NH 03784
603 359 6100 Mobile, firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The Dutch & Their Bikes
The Dutch & Their Bikes
Hardcover with dustjacket, 18 cm W x 23 cm H, 352 pagina's, , ,
By Shirley Agudo
The best collection of Dutch cycling photos ever assembled!
For more than a decade, American photographer and author Shirley Agudo has been photographing the incomparable bicycle culture of the Netherlands, where she now lives. Following the success of her previous book, Bicycle Mania Holland, she has amassed this new collection of 700 photos – The Dutch & their Bikes: Scenes from a Nation of Cyclists.
It's the definitive photo guide to the world's best bicycle culture.
Order Now! We are almost sold out!
In the press:
Algemeen Dagblad
Leeuwarder Courant
House of Cycling


text:
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's interference with investigations conducted by the Colombian Supreme Court and his repeated attacks on the court itself are a threat to judicial independence, Human Rights Watch said today.
Yesterday, Uribe issued a public statement calling for an investigation into allegations that a Supreme Court justice, Iván Velásquez, had sought to persuade an imprisoned individual to provide testimony implicating the president in an assassination. Uribe stated that he had received a letter from this individual denouncing the justice's actions.
Uribe also stated that he directly called Justice Velásquez, to ask him about the allegation. Velásquez is the head of the Supreme Court team charged with investigating links between politicians and abusive paramilitary groups.
"Against all odds, Colombia's Supreme Court has been making unprecedented progress in investigating links between paramilitaries and politicians close to the president," said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "President Uribe's phone calls to the judge charged with these highly sensitive investigations amount to political pressure that could intimidate the court and affect the outcome of the cases."
Dozens of Congressmen from Uribe's coalition, including the president's own cousin, Senator Mario Uribe, are currently under investigation by the Supreme Court for their alleged collaboration with drug-running paramilitaries responsible for widespread atrocities. Fourteen Congressmen are already under arrest as a result.
Uribe's statements come on the heels of a report published by the leading Colombian newsweekly Semana about the Supreme Court's investigation of phone calls by some of the imprisoned Congressmen, in which they appeared to be plotting to pay off witnesses and public officials and destroy evidence against them.
The Supreme Court has defended Justice Velásquez, and called for an investigation of possible obstruction of justice by the president. Velásquez, who has served for two decades in the judiciary, has vigorously denied any effort to involve Uribe in the investigations, noting that in any case the Congress – not the Supreme Court – is the institution charged with investigating the president.
Newspaper reports suggest that Justice Velásquez's account of events has been corroborated by a prosecutor who is reported to have witnessed Velásquez's interview with the imprisoned individual in the course of ongoing investigations. This prosecutor is reported to have stated that President Uribe was never mentioned in the interview.
Human Rights Watch noted that Uribe has a disturbing record of making aggressive statements against the courts and media outlets that are investigating his administration and political cronies.
Earlier this year, when the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution forbade pardoning the crime of forming paramilitary groups, Uribe railed against the court, accusing it of having an "ideological bias." Previously he had lashed out against prominent Colombian media when they had revealed allegations that Uribe's former intelligence chief, Jorge Noguera, had collaborated with paramilitaries.
Just last week, Uribe accused El Nuevo Herald journalist Gonzalo Guillén of seeking to smear him in a book by Virginia Vallejo, the former lover of notorious Medellín drug cartel chief Pablo Escobar. Vallejo asserts in the book that Escobar had introduced her to Uribe. Guillén, who has written about links between the Uribe administration and paramilitaries, and who received serious threats on his life earlier this year, has stated that he had nothing to do with Vallejo's book or the allegations therein. Because of death threats he received after being criticized by Uribe, Guillén said that he planned to leave Colombia on Saturday.
"In a country like Colombia, where journalists and judges have often been killed because of their investigations, the president should exercise the utmost care to avoid even the appearance of intimidating them or putting them in jeopardy," said Vivanco.


text:
While She Naps podcast that airs today. It was such an honor to talk about kid sewing and crafting with Abby Glassenberg and Jean Van't Hul of The Artful Parent, two women I very much admire.
I admit, I am a little nervous to hear myself talk, but I'm also excited, so I wanted to share. Happy listening! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the episode.