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For the most current version of this Note, see Background Notes A-Z.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Area: 803,943 sq. km. (310,527 sq. mi.); almost twice the size of California.
Cities: Capital--The city of Islamabad (pop. 800,000) and adjacent Rawalpindi (1,406, 214) comprise the national capital area with a combined population of 3.7 million. Other cities--Karachi (9,269,265), Lahore (5,063,499), Faisalabad (1,977,246) and Hyderabad (1,151,274).
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Pakistan(i).
Population (2003 est.): 150,694,740.
Annual growth rate (2003): 5%.
Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan (Pushtun), Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, Hazara.
Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.
Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Balochi, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).
Education: Literacy (2003)--45.7%; male 59.8%; female 30.6%. Unofficial estimates are as low as 35%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2003)--76.53/1,000. Life expectancy (2003)--men 61.3 yrs., women 63.14 yrs.
Work force (2000): Agriculture--44%; services--39%; industry--17%.
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Independence: August 14, 1947.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), prime minister (head of government). Legislative--Bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora (100-seat Senate, 342-seat National Assembly). Judicial--Supreme Court, provincial high courts, Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court.
Political parties: Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (umbrella group), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Political subdivisions: 4 provinces; also the Northern Areas and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
GDP (2002 est.): PPP $311 billion.
Real annual growth rate (2001-02): 5%.
Per capita GDP (2001): PPP $2,100.
Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited petroleum, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore.
Agriculture: Products--wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, tobacco.
Industry: Types--textiles, fertilizer, steel products, chemicals, food processing, oil and gas products, cement.
Trade (FY 2002-03): Exports--$9.8 billion: textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather, sports goods, and carpets and rugs. Major partners--U.S. 27.0%, United Arab Emirates 8%, U.K. 7.2%, Germany 4.9% , Hong Kong 4.8%. Imports--$11.1 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, chemicals, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners--United Arab Emirates 13.1%, Saudi Arabia 1.6%, Kuwait 7.1%, U.S. 6.7%, China 5.6%.
The majority of Pakistan's population lives along the Indus River valley and along an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although the official language of Pakistan is Urdu, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pashtu, and 14% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is widely used within the government, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning.
Pakistan, along with parts of western India, contain the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just east of Peshawar, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period.
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity to the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. In the west in the territory of modern Pakistan, the Sikh adventurer Ranjit Singh carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. In a decision that had far-reaching consequences, the British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of Kashmir, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power.
Pakistan emerged over an extended period of agitation by many Muslims in the subcontinent to express their national identity free from British colonial domination as well as domination by what they perceived as a Hindu-controlled Indian National Congress. Muslim anti-colonial leaders formed the All-India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress--self-government for India within the British Empire--but Congress and the League were unable to agree on a formula that would ensure the protection of Muslim religious, economic, and political rights.
Pakistan and Partition
The idea of a separate Muslim state emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom moved with increasing urgency to grant India independence. The Congress Party and the Muslim League, however, could not agree on the terms for a Constitution or establishing an interim government. In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states--India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh.
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into much of the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir has remained in dispute.
After Independence
With the death in 1948 of its first head of state, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the assassination in 1951 of its first prime minister, Liaqat Ali Khan, political instability and economic difficulty became prominent features of post-independence Pakistan. On October 7, 1958, President Iskander Mirza, with the support of the army, suspended the 1956 Constitution, imposed martial law, and canceled the elections scheduled for January 1959. Twenty days later the military sent Mirza into exile in Britain, and Gen. Mohammad Ayub Khan assumed control of a military dictatorship. After Pakistan's loss in the 1965 war against India, Ayub Khan's power declined. Subsequent political and economic grievances inspired agitation movements that compelled his resignation in March 1969. He handed over responsibility for governing to the commander in chief of the army, General Agha Mohammed Yahya Khan, who became President and Chief Martial Law Administrator.
General elections held in December 1970 polarized relations between the eastern and western sections of Pakistan. The Awami League, which advocated autonomy for the more populous East Pakistan, swept the East Pakistan seats to gain a majority in Pakistan as a whole. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), founded and led by Ayub Khan's former Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, won a majority of the seats in West Pakistan, but the country was completely split with neither major party having any support in the other area. Negotiations to form a coalition government broke down, and a civil war ensued. India attacked East Pakistan and captured Dhaka in December 1971, when the eastern section declared itself the independent nation of Bangladesh. Yahya Khan then resigned the presidency and handed over leadership of the western part of Pakistan to Bhutto, who became President and the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator.
Bhutto moved decisively to restore national confidence and pursued an active foreign policy, taking a leading role in Islamic and Third World forums. Although Pakistan did not formally join the Non-Aligned Movement until 1979, the position of the Bhutto government coincided largely with that of the non-aligned nations. Domestically, Bhutto pursued a populist agenda and nationalized major industries and the banking system. In 1973, he promulgated a new Constitution accepted by most political elements and relinquished the presidency to become prime minister. Although Bhutto continued his populist and socialist rhetoric, he increasingly relied on Pakistan's urban industrialists and rural landlords. Over time the economy stagnated, largely as a result of the dislocation and uncertainty produced by Bhutto's frequently changing economic policies. When Bhutto proclaimed his own victory in the March 1977 national elections, the opposition Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) denounced the results as fraudulent and demanded new elections. Bhutto resisted and later arrested the PNA leadership.
1977-1985 Martial Law
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months.
Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979.
Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979 and postponed national elections.
In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned these figures.
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all of its occupants. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place.
After winning 93 of the 205 National Assembly seats contested, the PPP, under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto, formed a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM). The Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI), a multi-party coalition led by the PML and including religious right parties such as the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), won 55 National Assembly seats.
Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order.
In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance acquired control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent Party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly.
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program, involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society.
However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of the IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its perception of PML hegemony. The regime was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into a coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993.
An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial parliamentary elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration.
In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J. The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule--the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N movement, and the insecure provincial administrations--presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as President in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base.
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997 resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/Nawaz, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party lines. The Sharif government engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997.
The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General ISI Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau (think tank) to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in.
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf pledged complete cooperation with the United States in its war on terror, which included locating and shutting down terrorist training camps within its borders and cracking down on extremist groups. This policy was highly unpopular with many Pakistani citizens, and the country was, for a while, plagued by popular demonstrations. However, in a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by 5 more years.
President Pervez Musharraf has been chief of state since June 20, 2001, although he first took power in the October 1999 coup and took on the title of Chief Executive. A prolonged confrontation over authority between Parliament and the President ended in December 2002 with a compromise which permitted passage of the Legal Framework Order (LFO) of 2002, under the terms of which President Musharraf agreed that he will step down from his military position as Commander-in-Chief in late 2004.
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. Selected provisions of the Constitution pertaining to changes that President Musharraf made while the Constitution was suspended remain contested by political opponents.
The president is elected by Parliament for a 5-year term. The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a 4-year term. The bicameral Parliament--or Majlis-e-Shoora--consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve 4-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve 4-year terms). Each of the four provinces--Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan--is headed by a governor and provincial cabinet, who are civilians appointed by the chief executive. The Northern Areas and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The president, cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the chief executive's discretion.
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president, in consultation with the chief executive, appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the chief executive.
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) -- an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-I-Islami --gained significant influence during the last election. Other parties with a strong regional, ethnic, or religious base include the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). After the elections held in late 2002, the Pakistani political system remains highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the legislature, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a very significant portion of seats for the first time.
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, all of whom are well-trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's normal robust training tempo, which if not reversed, will eventually affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining their aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While the industrial base capabilities have expanded significantly, limited fiscal resources and various sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize the armed forces.
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. The events of September 11, 2001 and Pakistan's quick agreement to support the United States led to a waiving of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States intends to provide Pakistan $3 billion in economic and military aid over the next 5 years.
Principal Government Officials
President--Pervez Musharraf
Prime Minister (head of government)--Shaukat Aziz
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri
Ambassador to the U.S.--Jehangir Karamat
Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram
Pakistan maintains an embassy in the United States at 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-243-6500). It has consulates in Los Angeles and New York.
With a per capita GDP of about PPP $2,100, the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 45.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years or less. The population, currently about 150.7 million, is growing at over 2% annually, very close to the GDP growth rate. Inadequate provision of social services and high population growth have contributed to a persistence of poverty and unequal income distribution. Relatively few resources have been devoted to socioeconomic development or infrastructure projects. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, but the Government of Pakistan has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance--including a major part of a proposed $3 billion 5-year U.S. assistance package--to address Pakistan's long-term problems of high illiteracy and inadequate healthcare.
The government began pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. Market-based reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF(International Monetary Fund)-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises.
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to Pakistan's external and internal shocks, such as in 1992-93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply, and the financial crisis in Asia hit major markets for Pakistani textile exports. The economy averaged a growth rate of 6% per year during the 1980s and early 1990s, but this growth dwindled until 2002. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits. The budget deficit in FY 1996-97 was 6.4% of GDP. Initial data implied a reduction in 1997-98 to 5.4% and in 1998-99 to 4.3%, but revised data indicates that the deficit is probably still more than 5.0%, with an external debt of $32.3 billion in FY 2002. The Pakistani rupee has been continually depreciating against the dollar, and the current exchange rate is around 59 rupees per dollar.
Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998 and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF ESAF/EFF in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club reschedulings. Starting in 1999, President Musharraf began instituting policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation.
In 2000, the government made significant inroads in macroeconomic reform, but more work needs to be done. Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and quickly resolving investor disputes would aid Pakistan's efforts to improve its investment climate. After September 11, 2001 and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001, a trend which is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund recently lauded Pakistan's commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, and the Government of Pakistan plans to issue a sovereign bond offering in the near future, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by continuing concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency.
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, historic low inflation, solid 5% GDP growth, and dramatically lower levels of debt. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. Pakistan has requested additional debt reduction, and it appears likely that about $500 million more in bilateral debt will be reduced in FY 2004.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, and extensive natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 24% of GDP and employs about 44% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, cotton, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton, pulses, and consumer foods.
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but has since declined to less than 4%. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package.
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, the exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic petroleum production totals only about half the country's oil needs, and dependence on imported oil also contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. Regional gas and oil pipeline proposals remain untenable until Indo-Pakistan tensions subside sufficiently to allow free flow to the region. Pakistan announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority, as is the substitution of indigenous gas for imported oil, especially in the production of power. Saudi Arabia also supplies free oil to Pakistan.
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 64% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, and shrimp. As technology and education improve in the industrial sector, it continues to grow, and in 2001 the industrial production growth rate was 7%. Despite ongoing government efforts to privatize largescale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government hopes to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Currently, net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5%.
Foreign Trade and Aid
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In FY 1998-99, Pakistan recorded a current account deficit of $1.7 billion, only a slight improvement over the FY 1997-98 current account deficit of $1.9 billion. Pakistan's exports continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000-01, more than half involving external liabilities. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994-95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 5.3% in 2000-01, close to the target under the Revival Program of 5.2%. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. These, in turn, impair the government's capacity to undertake essential expenditures--including on poverty alleviation, health, education, and infrastructure--thus hampering economic growth and development. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps since its previous review to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made in the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. Over the past 2 years, efforts in several crucial areas have seemingly intensified, with the result that Pakistan is becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners.
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war against terror and the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The United States recently pledged $3 billion over the next 5 years in economic and military aid to Pakistan. If approved, $600 million would be spent annually, half on social development programs and half on security assistance. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan, and in 2002 alone gave $200 million in economic aid and $50 million in military support.
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence within the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war against terror and made a commitment to thwart terrorist camps within its own borders. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wideranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries, and has expressed a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan.
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of Kashmir.
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had an overwhelmingly Muslim population. When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, some of his Muslim subjects, aided by tribesmen from Pakistan, revolted in favor of joining Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops occupied the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part came under Pakistani control.
India addressed this dispute in the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line undemarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed with Indian resolutions which called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future.
Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, Indian and Pakistani representatives met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences.
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the mountain town of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971 cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years.
India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries -- Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border left undemarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949.
Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. (A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991.) In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade.
Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya Mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 resulted in deadlock.
In the last several years, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough.
Unfortunately, in spring 1999 infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 by a suicide bomber further strained this relationship.
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India's Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf.
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban government of Afghanistan. September 11, 2001 caused Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. objectives in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove them from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support of Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million in support for Afghanistan's reconstruction.
People's Republic of China (P.R.C.)
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the two countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The P.R.C. strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.
Iran and the Persian Gulf
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared in the last decade. Pakistan and Iran supported opposing factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian support for the sectarian violence which has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the two countries have improved since their opinions toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban, and the two have both agreed to play a collective role in the reconstruction process of that region. Both countries have contended that with the removal of the main differences which separated them, they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations.
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the two nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2-billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs.
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988-93) $4-billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device."
There have been several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. In 1989, there was an attack on the American Center in Islamabad, where six Pakistanis were killed in the crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi.
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance.
The U.S.-Pakistan relationship changed significantly once Pakistan agreed to support the U.S. campaign to eliminate the Taliban in Afghanistan and to join with the United States in the Global War on Terror. Since 2001 Pakistan has provided extraordinary assistance in the war on terror by capturing and turning over to the United States more than 500 al-Qaida members. The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort at education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States intends to provide Pakistan $3 billion in economic and military aid over the next 5 years.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Ryan Crocker
Deputy Chief of Mission--Patricia A. Butenis
Defense Attache--Col. Cheryl A. Morgan
Counselor for Political Affairs--Lawrence K. Robinson
Counselor for Economic Affairs--Joel R. Reifman
Public Affairs Officer--Andrew W. Steinfeld
Consul General--Kenneth Sackett
Consul General, Karachi--Douglas Rohn
Principal Officer, Lahore--Brian Heath
Principal Officer, Peshawar--Michael A. Spangler
The U.S. Embassy is located at the Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad [tel. (92)-(51)-2080-2000; telex 82-5-864].


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Dr. Rajiv Shah led the efforts of nearly 10,000 staff in more than 70 countries around the world to advance USAID's mission of ending extreme poverty and promoting resilient, democratic societies.
Under Dr. Shah's leadership, USAID applied innovative technologies and engaged the private sector to solve the world's most intractable development challenges. This new model of development brings together an increasingly diverse community—from large companies to local civil society groups to communities of faith—to deliver meaningful results.
Dr. Shah led President Obama's landmark Feed the Future and Power Africa initiatives and has refocused America's global health partnerships to end preventable child death. Feed the Future, alone, has improved nutrition for 12 million children and empowered more than 7 million farmers with climate-smart tools they need to grow their way out of extreme poverty. In April 2014, USAID launched the U.S. Global Development Lab to harness the expertise of the world's brightest scientists, students, and entrepreneurs. At the same time, the newly formed Private Capital Group for Development forges a more strategic relationship between private capital and development.
Dr. Shah also managed the U.S. Government's humanitarian response to catastrophic crises around the world, from the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
Through an extensive set of reforms called "USAID Forward," Dr. Shah worked with the United States Congress to transform USAID into the world's premier development Agency that prioritizes public-private partnerships, innovation, and meaningful results. He currently serves on the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as well as participates on the National Security Council.
Previously, Dr. Shah served as Undersecretary and Chief Scientist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he spent eight years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led efforts in global health, agriculture, and financial services, including the creation of the International Finance Facility for Immunization.
He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and the Wharton School of Business. He regularly appears in the media and has delivered keynote addresses before the U.S. Military Academy, the National Prayer Breakfast, and diverse audiences across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Dr. Shah was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has served as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, been named to Fortune's 40 Under 40, and has received multiple honorary degrees.
He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Shivam Mallick Shah and three children and has given up mountain climbing for family bicycle rides.
I am delighted to join you at today's rollout of the Agri-Nutrition Resource Manual for Trainers. USAID is proud to have partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health to create a toolkit that helps rural Kenyans improve their nutrition and resiliency. Healthier people are better able to adapt to survive periods of drought or famine. For 50 years, the United States has partnered with the Government of Kenya to reach our joint development objectives. This is one more example of how we can work together to realize a better future.
I am excited to see how USAID is supporting Kenyans as you strive to improve your communities, your health and your quality of life. This water distribution system, built by Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company in a densely populated urban neighborhood is a great example of how USAID is supporting Kenyan-led development.
-As prepared-
I am delighted to join you at this launch of a new series of training that could propel some of you to political office.
-As prepared-
Thank you for inviting me to join you in celebrating the leadership, talent, potential and promise of Kenyan women.
For decades, USAID has been leading global efforts to achieve gender equality – believing that long-term, sustainable development will only be possible when women and men enjoy equal opportunity to rise to their potential.
It is a pleasure to be with you today to celebrate the launch of Wezesha Project. Wezesha Project is a USAID partnership with Lifeskills Promoters, and its partners, St Johns' Community Center and Christian Partnership on AIDS in Kenya, to coordinate the sustainable care of 20,000 orphans and vulnerable children in Homa Bay, Kisii, and Migori Counties.
With support from the Lab, we will ensure that this story—of solutions rigorously tested and applied on a transformational scale—increasingly defines how America works around the world. As we do, our students will have greater opportunities to develop math and science skills—and lend those skills in service of mission bigger and greater than themselves.
Our entrepreneurs will form connections in the markets of the future. And all of us will be inspired by the contributions we can each bring to the task of ending extreme poverty.
The U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, awarded a grant to KUSCCO as part of an open competition for innovative solutions to overcome distribution and financing bottlenecks in the Kenyan cook stove sector, two key constraints to growth noted in recent market assessments by Winrock and the Global Alliance for Clean Cook stoves.
With those opening comments, I just want to say thank you to all of you who have made it your life's work to help fight hunger and poverty around the world. I wish more people around the world—certainly in the United States Congress, but also all around the world—saw that your efforts are in fact succeeding, and that over time, if we all make the right decisions, if we all continue to work together, and if we are all blessed by the kind of leadership like we see here in Rome right now—that we can achieve the end of extreme poverty within the next two decades. Wouldn't that create a more stable more productive world for all of us to live and prosper in?
There is no one model for successful PPPs in general or in support of innovation in engineering education in particular. But many of Vietnam's challenges and the principles I've described at least begin to be addressed by the very effort to form alliances of government, business and educational institutions. We can make a contribution just by trying, and USAID is enthusiastic about trying.
It is my great pleasure to be here today on behalf of United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, to participate with you in the 9th National TB Research Annual Conference and commemorate World TB Day. I would like to thank the Federal Ministry of Health, the TB Research Advisory Committee, and this year's conference hosts, the SNNP Regional Health Bureau and Hawassa University for inviting USAID to underline and reinforce our support for the strong partnership gathered here today to combat this deadly disease.
Last updated: April 15, 2016

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Search Swinburne Research Bank
Home List of Titles Evaluation of current molecular approaches for genotyping of Campylobacter jejuni strains
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/223413
- Title
- Evaluation of current molecular approaches for genotyping of Campylobacter jejuni strains
- Author(s)
- Ahmed, Monir U.; Dunn, Louise A.; Ivanova, Elena P.
- Abstract
- Campylobacter jejuni has been recognized as the most common bacterial cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, in both developed and developing countries, since the late 1970s. A number of genotyping schemes have been developed to identify the sources and route of transmission of these foodborne pathogens so that proper control measures can be developed. In this review, we provide current genotypic schemes developed for Campylobacter spp. (particularly C. jejuni) over the last decades, along with an evaluation of the strength and weakness of these techniques and their applications.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Research centre
- Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences
- Source
- Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, Vol. 9, no. 5 (2012), pp. 375-385
- Publication year
- 2012
- FOR Code(s)
- 06 Biological Sciences; 09 Engineering; 11 Medical and Health Sciences
- Keyword(s)
- Bacteria; Campylobacter jejuni; Genotyping methods; Molecular genotyping
- Publisher
- Mary Ann Liebert Publishers
- 1535-3141
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
- Peer reviewed


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By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD
and Monica Colvin-Adams, MD, MS, FAHA
Heart failure is one of the few cardiovascular diseases that continue to increase. Heart failure is a leading cause of death and is strongly linked to high blood pressure.
What is "congestive" heart failure? When your heart is too weak or too stiff to pump blood efficiently, fluid can back up in the lungs and tissues causing congestion. This is often referred to as "congestive heart failure." This does not always happen during heart failure, and as a result the term "heart failure" is preferred over "congestive heart failure."
What causes heart failure? Heart failure is the syndrome that is created by a heart that is too weak to pump or too stiff to eject blood efficiently. Continue Reading →


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New York, NY (Sports Network) - The MLS Disciplinary Committee announced
Thursday that it has suspended Chicago Fire defender Wells Thompson one game
and fined him an undisclosed amount for a reckless challenge that endangered
the safety of his opponent.
The incident came in the 12th minute of Chicago's match with the Columbus Crew
on April 20 when Thompson produced a challenge on Agustin Viana. Thompson was
issued a yellow card on the play, but the Committee unanimously determined
that further punishment was warranted.
Thompson will serve the suspension this Saturday when the Fire travel to the
Stade Saputo to face the Montreal Impact.
The Sports Network


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Just me being confused and all. And politics. And Pit Bulls. And a couple of babies.
You hold a baby by the legs. Upside down if possible.
Glad to be of service.
Fatherhood is going to blow your mind.
hahhaha welcome to parenthood!
Dan, thank you for the advice. I'm sure what you actually meant was that you need to hold on to a baby's arm as he hovers above the toilet, and then when he's finished, you sprinkle some water to clean him up. It's the environmentally friendly thing to do.
Enemy, it does seem like a pretty cool thing, I have to say. Our stroller is AWESOME!
Mel, thanks. A week or two. He's coming.
Buying a second Prius does NOT make you assholes.
Insisting that I buy a Prius, for transporting my 4 tall sons and all their athletic equipment, now THAT made someone an asshole, last year. It also made me laugh.
Good luck, what memories - up all night waters, breaking on the carpet and a rush to hospital... then there was the time we had a baby
take care, take baby wet ones and store them under the iced water jug for mopping brows, get your wife to cut her nails or you may get lacerated palms..
I was just in a conversation not too long ago on whether or not being able to work on a project together was indicative of the health of a marriage. For what it's worth, I was voting for no, because it seems like very few couples could assemble a stroller together without an argument or three or seven. And that's pregnancy notwithstanding!
Your "whole new world" is going to be much bigger than that one aisle, but don't be scared.
They can often be miserable bastards, but they're worth it. Everything is worth it.
You'll see.
Christine, honestly, I think even mentioning 2 Priuses in one sentence makes me a bit pretentious... Anyway, it failed the car-seat-plus-one-adult-in-the-back test. We got a Hybrid Camri. Now I really feel like an douche. It's the first time I ever drove a spaceship.
Clowns, oh, I can't wait for her to scratch my palms 'till I bleed--that means she'll actually touch me again!
Jill, I have to say putting up the stroller was frustrating but also kind of magical, you know? We're okay as long as we're not in the same car.
Ajooja, thanks. He's already a miserable bastard because he refuses to put his head in the right place. It was up and now it's on the side under the rib. I already forgave him, but I'm not the one who might need to have staples in his belly. He now has about 9 days to turn around by himself. If only I read The Secret.
No, a second Prius makes you super-duper assholes. Also, according to South Park, you sniff your farts :)
Wow people! Can't believe it's almost that time! Seems like I just read about it a week ago and the kid should be due a long time from now. I'm very excited for you both and wish you the best.
Keep us posted.
Woozie, you're right, of course. So we didn't get a Prius but a gigantic Camry (Hybrid--I smell my farts). Now I feel like I work in a big corporation and I just made a big sale and the boss calls me into his office and he puts his arm around me and says that while he's away on vacation I can use his car.
I just wish my commute was longer.
Ricardo, thanks. It seems like it's been forever. Honey has been ready for the last 8 months. We have the car. We have the car seat. We're ready.
You and Honey will soon be doing the one-arm stroller flip! I don't have children but I've seen parents with a diaper bag slung over one shoulder, toddler firmly gripped in one arm and perhaps supported a bit by a hip if the toddler is heavy and then with the leg that is not supporting the kid, stomp on some sort of release mechanism, then with a flick of the wrist, flip open the stroller. The leg then stomps down again to lock some mechanism, the kid is strapped in, the diaperbag slung over the handles and awwaaaay they go. It's incredible. If the other parent is around, he/she is gathering up other supplies from the car and locking up.
I am in awe.
Ms. Q, I just need to ask for forgiveness in advance if I ever mistakenly fold the stroller while Jr. is still in it. Like Donald Duck stuck in his folding bed.
It is pretty incredible, this whole never-ending process of learning. Maybe the need to learn keeps us young.
Wow, I had no idea you were so close to the due date. How exciting. I can't wait to see pictures (if you post some). Also, you'll be fine. My ex partner never held a baby before Cedar was born. He's a lot of things but a bad dad isn't one of them so even newbies can do it. Just remember to cover that private area during diaper changes so you don't get a mouthful of pee. Yup that's my best tip oh, and stay away from Yo Gabba Gabba. Those should get you going.
Jennifer, I'll put a picture as soon as he's out. Due date was pushed a bit further last week but Honey is basically "at term," so in principal it's coming very soon. Of course, if on the next (next) post instead of a baby you see a picture of Dennis Hopper, then you'll know Honey is still pregnant.
And funny about the pee thing. Honey's grandmother just got us a pee-pee teepee.
I wish they had those pee pee teepee things when my son was born. That kid peed EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think the farthest he got was the CEILING above his changing table. Then again, I didn't buy half the gadgets they made even then, so I probably wouldn't have thought to buy any until ***after*** the ceiling incident.


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Divers are all supposed to carry a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) to comply with national dive safety standards. That nice, but your safety is important with or without standards, so the smart diver always carries a surface marker buoy on every dive. XS Scuba's Safety Marker Buoy is huge with a 7' (2.13 meters) overall length (6'/1.83 meters out of water) and a 22" (60 cm) circumference. Built tough to last, Surface Marker Buoy meets Military Specification. Buoy is manufactured from Tough Urethane-Backed, Nylon Material for durability and years of service. Buoy has SOLAS reflective tape on both sides for maximum visibility.
Surface Marker Buoy is equipped with elastic loop at top for attachment of a chemical light for night diving applications, and has a Stainless Steel D-Ring for attachment of a slate. An Overpressure Relief Valve with pull for manual release of air, a combination oral and BCD QD Inflation Valve with Cap Cover, Anti-Spill" Bottom with Baffle to allow easy fill from any air device and it keeps buoy inflated until you empty it.
Buoy has an 18" (45.7 cm) Step-Thru Leg Harness with Stainless Steel D-Ring at Bottom and Lift Handle at Top for Easy Retrieval from a boat or dock. Buoy rolls up to a compact size and a Velcro strap keeps it rolled and compact when not in use. Buoy can also double as a lift bag if needed with its 50 lbs (13.6 kg) capacity and lift straps with stainless steel D-ring at the bottom. XS Scuba's SMB is available in Orange or Yellow Colors.
The Scuba Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) is commonly used for All Diving Applications, Cold Water, Professional, Recreation, Warm Water and more. The Scuba Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) is most used by customers who consider themselves to be a Advanced, Advanced Diver, Recreational Diver among others. The Scuba Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) is popular because customers like the following qualities of the Scuba Surface Marker Buoy (SMB): Easy To Use, Functional, Improves Diving Experience, Solid Construction.
This product has a limited warranty of 24 months.
(866) 977-2822


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Nail problems are very common and troubling. Nails often reflect our general state of health and can often be the first sign of serious general health issues.
Nail facts
Fingernails grow out in four to six months. Toenails grow out in nine to 12 months. Individual rates depend on age, time of the year, activity levels and heredity. Continue Reading →


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Marchaka and Michele (Credit: Marchaka)
There have been numerous wedding proposals done via video game modifications, but actually building a game from scratch for the sole purpose of asking for someone's hand? That's a new level altogether.
A Redditor who goes by the name Marchaka has a pretty ideal girlfriend in Michele, as the two share a serious love of video games. That got the wheels in his head spinning when he decided to pop the question.
Using a $70 role-playing game maker called VX Ace, he built Michele's Quest -- a Final Fantasy-style title that consists of four acts and four boss battles.
After successfully completing each act, the player (Michele, obviously) is rewarded with an image showing the location of a real-world key. Sitting beside the computer Michele played on was a chest with four locks. When the fourth was unlocked, there was a note reading "turn around," where she saw Marchaka on bended knee with the ring.
Not surprisingly, she said "yes."
Michele's Quest (Credit: Marchaka)
It took Marchaka -- who only has a little programming experience -- over 160 hours to create the game, which is filled with in-jokes and loads of video game references. And lest you think Marchaka spent the four hours it took Michele to complete the game standing over her shoulder, he even managed to plan ahead for that contingency as well.
"We had some guests over and so I tried to downplay it by cooking a big dinner for everyone," he said. "I spent most of my time in the kitchen but how the place is designed I can see the computer from there. The guests pulled up chairs next to her and chimed in with commentary and jokes…took any tension out of it until the big moment."
Marchaka's proposal makes us think back to Gary Hudston's elaborate proposal to his then-girlfriend Stephy. Working with the community and team members at Valve, he created a trio of levels for Portal 2 that eventually led to a proposal voiced by none other than GLaDOS (the game's AI villain) herself.
As his story has gone viral, Marchaka has made the game available to anyone who wants to play it. Just don't expect him to propose should you beat it. This one's taken.
For game news, free codes and more, Like us on Facebook and follow @yahoogames on Twitter!
- Sports & Recreation
- Video Games


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At LG, we are constantly improving, refining, and updating our products. But all LG products are designed to provide years of use and enjoyment. That's why we continue to make available information, support, and documentation for our discontinued products.
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FC Bayern Munich 2003 ClimaLite home short Raven/White.Features embroidered team badge and logo,elastic waist and an inner draw cord.100% polyester.EU product.
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The County Clerk must keep all court records for the Superior Court. They are classified into the following case types:
* Confidential Case Types - Not accessible to the public
Every person who shall willfully and unlawfully remove, alter, mutilate, destroy, conceal or obliterate a record, map, book, paper, document, or other thing filed or deposited in a public office, or with any public officer, by authority of the law shall be punished by imprisonment in a state correctional facility for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both.
Note:The application of the public records statute to judicial records was resolved by Nast v. Michaels, 107 Wn.2d 300 (1986). The Court held that the statute did not apply to judicial records (case files) held by the county clerk. Disclosure of judicial records is governed by a limited common law right of access as determined by the court on a case by case basis.
RCW 26.33.330 Records Sealed - inspection only on court order. (1) All records of any proceeding under this chapter shall be sealed and shall not be thereafter opened to inspection by an person except under order of the court for good cause shown, or except by using the procedure described in RCW 26.33.343 (relating to confidential intermediaries). In determining whether good cause exists, the court shall consider any certified statement on file with the Department of Health as provided in RCW 26.33.347 (desire to be contacted). (2)The state registrar of vital statistics may charge a reasonable fee for the review of any of its sealed records.
Explanatory note: Accessible to authorized court staff only. Attorney of record may have access to the file, however, once the case is completed - a court order is required for any access to the file. Individuals including the parties must obtain a court order authorizing the clerk to provide certain information or copies. Requests can be made through a Confidential Intermediary.
RCW 26.26.041 - Protection of participants.
Proceedings under this chapter are subject to other law of this state governing the health, safety, privacy, and liberty of a child or other individuals that could be jeopardized by disclosure of identifying information, including the address, telephone number, place of employment, social security number, and the child's day-care facility and school.
Explanatory note: Under the statute all papers and other records are confidential except the judgment of paternity itself - the judgment is a matter of public record. Only parties of record and attorney of record can access the paternity file by providing valid identification to staff. Over the telephone, clerk staff can only verify if a judgment exists and provide the judgment number.
RCW 71.05.390 - Confidential information and records - Disclosure.
Except as provided in this section, RCW 71.05.445, 71.05.630, 70.96A.150, or pursuant to a valid release under RCW 70.02.030, the fact of admission and all information and records compiled, obtained, or maintained in the course of providing services to either voluntary or involuntary recipients of services at public or private agencies shall be confidential. …
Explanatory note: Under the statute all papers and other records are confidential and only open to the patient and the patient's attorney of record by providing valid identification to staff. The proper written consent of the patient shall be obtained, with respect to whom such record is maintained, before information or records may be disclosed. The existence of any case to the public is not allowed.
RCW 13.50.100 - Records not relating to commission of juvenile offenses - Maintenance and access - Disclosure
(2) Records covered by this section shall be confidential and shall be released only pursuant to this section and RCW 13.50.010 …
Explanatory note: Under the statute all papers and other records are confidential and only open to the dependent, the dependent's parents (except not to a parent whose parental rights have been terminated) or to the dependent's or parent's attorney of record (except not when the parent's parental rights have been terminated), a court appointed guardian ad litem, and the attorney general. The dependency hearings are open to the public unless otherwise determined by the judicial officer. Any appointed guardian has access to the order appointing them guardian only. (In summary: If the parental rights have been terminated by the court the file is no longer accessible by those parties to the action.)
RCW 13.50.250 Records chapter applicable to.
This chapter applies to all juvenile justice or care agency records created on or after July 1, 1978.
Explanatory note: Explanatory note: Juvenile offender cases filed prior to July 1, 1978 are all confidential, available only to the juvenile, the juvenile's parents (except not to a parent whose parental rights have been terminated through a separate dependency filing), the attorney of record, and the prosecutor. Juvenile offender cases filed on or after July 1, 1978 are public records.


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Bwahahaha! The repukes are going after each other! No GOP'ers asparagus is safe from aspersions cast by their own kind!
GOP Congressman Says John McCain Was Responsible For The Benghazi Terror Attacks
May 31, 2013
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) accused Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on Wednesday of complicity in the attacks in Benghazi, Libya last year which resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including the late Ambassador Chris Stevens, while on right wing radio host Frank Gaffneys show.
When asked what Gohmertt thought of McCains recent trip to Syria, Gaffney also described the Senators trip as hobnobbing with Jihadists. He then pondered whether were going to get a proper investigation of the Benghazi-Gate scandal, a scandal Gaffney said he believes Sen. McCains bad advice got us into.
Gohmert promptly agreed that McCain is to blame for Benghazi because McCain supported and advocated for the U.S. led war in Libya that ultimately helped Libyan rebels oust Muammar Qaddafi, Think Progress reports.
Audio clip: http://soundcloud.com/thinkpro/gop-r...s-mccain-for-1
Gohmert said, Yeah and then we know if it had not been for Sen. McCain and President Obama being for what we knew at the time included al-Qaeda in the rebel forces then we would still have a U.S. ambassador and three others alive today because Benghazi would not have happened. But by giving power to the rebel forces that included al Qaeda that brought that whole mess about and helped create problems in Tunisia and Algeria. So Im not sure what to think about his going to Syria. If history is any lesson the people he met with he wants us to help should be very careful about what Sen. McCains support could mean for them.
Aside from Gohmerts asparagus issues,is he for realsies?
More at Think Progress.


text: Take the stage and grab the mic with this Adult Fozzie Bear Muppets Costume. The officially licensed outfit features a Fozzie Bear shirt with an attached oversized bow tie, as well as a pair of gloves and a Fozzie Bear character mask. If you have friends who are Muppet fans as well, then have them dress up as the rest of the gang. We have costumes for Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal, Gonzo, and the Swedish Chef. Practice your best jokes and wear this Muppet costume to your next Halloween or theme party - just hope that when you do take the stage and get into your act, people will be laughing with you and not at you. If they are laughing at all, that is.


text: Figure 3. Dorsal views of an adult bee louse, Braula coeca Nitzsch, (left); and an adult varroa mite, Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman, (right). Varroa mites are more oval in shape, and have eight legs as compared to the bee louse, which has six legs. Photograph by: Bee louse - University of Florida; Varroa mite - Scott Bauer, USDA


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Visual Thinking
this wiki
Visual Thinking is one of the surviving episodes of Sam and Friends.
Sam and Friends
Muppets: Kermit, Harry the Hipster.
Description: In this classic mix of puppetry and animation, Harry demonstrates the art of Visual Thinking to Kermit; and what it does to you once it gets out of control.
This is one of the most well known Sam and Friends scenes that shows up in most documentaries. A clip was shown on The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years, revealing it to have been from 1959. The entire sketch was uploaded on The Jim Henson Company's YouTube Channel. It's one of the few videos on their channel to feature Kermit, since his rights are owned by The Walt Disney Company.
Kermit and Harry would re-enact the skit as a part of the unsold 1962 pilot for Mad Mad World.
The skit was remade for an Ed Sullivan Show appearance on October 2, 1966, with Kermit as the hipster and Grump as the straight man. The sketch was performed on Ed Sullivan again on June 4, 1967,[1] and on The Dick Cavett Show (with an updated Kermit the Frog) in 1971.
A Sesame Street sketch from the same year featured an Anything Muppet hipster and his square foil, demonstrating a similar lesson about shapes. (EKA: Episode 0448) According to the book Children and Television: Lessons from Sesame Street, "Visual Thinking" was also the inspiration for Sesame Street's "Speech Balloon" letter segments.
- ↑ "Jim Henson's Red Book" entry, 6/4/1967 – Sullivan "Visual Thinking"
External links
- Tough Pigs Anthology -- Hipsters and Squares (Sesame Street "Visual Thinking" transcript)


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FORT WAYNE (www.incnow.tv) - Saint Francis will get a rematch with Midstates Football Association Mideast League rival Marian in the quarterfinals of the NAIA football playoffs.
The sixth ranked Cougars will travel to Indianapolis for a 1pm kickoff against the fifth rated Knights on Saturday..
Marian won the regular season meeting 45-38, but the Cougars were beset by injuries at the time, including tp all four of their linebackers.
They are much healthier now and looking forward to the second season rematch.
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January 23, 2013
Rod Johnson
The final Rivals100 and Rivals250 rankings have been released and this edition of the Commonwealth Football Report examines the Class of 2013 Virginians included... ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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Gels Sunglass Readers$46.00The Gels Sunreaders collection represents the latest advances in rimless eyewear technology by carefully balancing simple frame architecture with a sleek fashionable aesthetic. Each Gels Sunreader style has been infused with a captivating color palette and a precise mounting system to give you the ultimate in flavor and functionality. The Gels are made out of lightweight TR-90 Surgical plastic that provides maximum comfort and durability. Optical quality lenses Scratch resistant coating Handmade frame Hard case included Size - A 48 | B 25 | ED 49 | DBL 20 | TEMP 135


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Turnovers doom Herd
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Cincinnati trapped, thumped, pressed and bullied Marshall from the opening tip in their Saturday matinee at the Civic Center, but the Bearcats couldn't shake off the short-handed Thundering Herd until their shots fell.
When those shots fell, so did the Herd, to the tune of 72-56.
The 11th-ranked Bearcats forced Marshall into 20 turnovers, 11 on its first 20 possessions. They also outrebounded Marshall 40-31, reversing the Herd's domination in the upset last year in Cincinnati.
Those two factors led to the Bearcats' 64-43 advantage in field goals attempted, which usually foretells an easy victory.
But that wasn't the case until Cashmere Wright hit three cold-blooded 3-point goals in a row in the second half, followed later by an eight-point mini-eruption by Sean Kilpatrick. When Kilpatrick's second 3-pointer dropped through the net, the Bearcats were up 68-54 with 5:04 left.
By then, the frazzled Herd still had five missed shots and two turnovers to endure, and many of the 5,432 on hand began their trip home.
The Bearcats (10-0) shot 61.5 percent in the second half, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range - in other words, the shots by Wright and Kilpatrick. That followed a tough first half, in which UC shot 34.2 percent and hit just one 3-pointer in 11 tries.
"The 3-ball broke our back, stretched the game open," said MU coach Tom Herrion.
Those 17 points were most of the 27 combined points from Wright (14) and Kilpatrick (13). They were not consecutively scored, and spread across a span of eight-plus minutes.
But they not only turned a single-digit lead into double digits, they squashed several chances for Marshall (6-5) to get back in the game. The breakdown:
Wright was done scoring his team-high 14 points at that point, but Kilpatrick had to catch up from a two-point first half. His eight-point outburst put the Herd away.
Scarver had Herd fans believing again with a four-point outburst, one on a free throw and a 3 on a long shot off the offensive rebound. When Wright was whistled for carrying the ball, the Herd had a chance to clip a 56-48 deficit.
But Scarver missed an off-balance 3-pointer and Kilpatrick didn't miss his attempt eight seconds later. That started a 7-0 UC run, and Kilpatrick's layup off a Manning turnover finished it.
Pittman answered with five of his 20 points to cut the UC lead to 63-53, but that was the Herd's last hurrah. Justin Jackson scored inside, MU's Dennis Tinnon missed the second of two free throws and Kilpatrick killed the Herd once and for all with his second 3-pointer.
"We were shooting 9 percent [from 3-point] range before that," UC coach Mick Cronin said of the barrage. "You end up going 6 for 17 from the 3-point line; you go 1 or 2 for 17, the game's going to the buzzer."
"They showed in stretches why they're a top-10 team in the country," Herrion said. "I thought defensively, in the second half, we wilted a little bit. They scored it too easy. They broke the game open with the 3-ball, there was no doubt about that.
"We were inept offensively. We could not get into any rhythm or flow offensively; 20 turnovers is going to cause a problem any night. Our assists-to-turnovers (nine to 20) reversed today what it has been often this season."
Cincinnati's pressure-packed trap defense took full advantage of the absence of MU's DeAndre Kane, and the Bearcats scored 20 points off those 20 turnovers. Chris Martin started at point guard in Kane's place, but committed four turnovers in 12 minutes.
Instead, Manning ended up playing 30 minutes. He looked more confident with the ball, but the freshman had no assists and four turnovers against UC's veteran backcourt.
The Herd's problems spread all the way around. For example, center Nigel Spikes was 0 for 6 from the floor and Tinnon was 0 for 3. Neither figure is good, obviously, but Tinnon getting just three shots was very telling.
"Their pressure didn't allow us to get into very much offense," Herrion said. "Let's not look at a stat sheet and say, 'He needs more shots.' Their pressure didn't allow us to get into any offensive flow, rhythm, and [forced] poor execution. That contributed mightily to it."
But there's one more factor in Tinnon's near-disappearance from the scoresheet: All seven of his rebounds came on defense. He was much more of a factor in the Herd's 73-69 overtime win over the Bearcats last year, a game in which Marshall outrebounded UC 43-30.
That was just about reversed Saturday, with the Bearcats owning a 17-11 advantage on the offensive side.
"It's hard for me to watch the tape from last year," Cronin said. "First time in the history of my career, 17 years in college, I couldn't even get through it. I tried to watch it but I couldn't. I had to turn it off."
Now, the Herd will try to turn its offense back on as it returns to action at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cam Henderson Center. The opposition that night is Savannah State, a far cry from UC and a far cry from the Herd's following foe - Kentucky, 4 p.m. next Saturday in Lexington.
Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130, firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him at twitter.com/dougsmock.
Cincinnati 72, Marshall 56
Justin Jackson 20 5-6 0-0 1 3 10
Cheikh Mbodj 22 4-4 1-3 4 0 9
Cashmere Wright 32 5-13 0-0 1 3 14
Sean Kilpatrick 35 5-15 1-2 6 2 13
JaQuon Parker 26 3-8 2-2 3 1 8
Titus Rubles 17 0-5 2-2 8 2 2
Shaquille Thomas 13 3-4 2-4 3 2 8
Ge'Lawn Guyn 6 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Jermaine Sanders 13 2-5 0-0 4 1 4
David Nyarsuk 16 2-3 0-0 5 0 4
Team 5
Totals 200 29-64 8-13 40 14 72
Dennis Tinnon 33 0-3 2-6 7 3 2
Elijah Pittman 35 6-9 6-8 3 1 20
Nigel Spikes 31 0-6 1-4 6 2 1
Chris Martin 12 0-1 0-0 1 1 0
D.D. Scarver 28 7-16 1-2 4 1 20
Robert Goff 15 2-4 3-4 4 0 7
Jamir Hanner 2 1-1 1-2 0 0 3
DeVince Boykins 14 0-0 0-1 1 1 0
Tamron Manning 30 1-3 0-0 2 0 3
Team 3
Totals 200 17-43 14-27 31 9 56
Halftime: Cincinnati 29-25. 3-point goals: UC 6-17 (Wright 4-7, Kilpatrick 2-8, Parker 0-1, Guyn 0-1); Marshall 8-12 (Pittman 2-4, Scarver 5-7, Manning 1-1). Attendance: 5,432.


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Reviewed By Cesar G (Albuquerque, NM) Reviewed for a 2013 BMW 1-Series —2/28/2015 4:13 PM
I don't usually write product reviews but this one really impressed me. The fit on my BMW 135i was perfect leaving no space on either side. The construction is also very high quality and should last a long time.


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Acquisitions, mergers, awards, charity work, certifications, company news and more.
News from industry food companies.
How can you attract Hispanic shoppers? For insight, I spoke with Sue Hamby, Ph.D., owner of Discover Natural Foods, in Temple, TX, a 3,000-square-foot store focusing on vitamins, supplements and natural foods. Dr. Hamby realized that her trade area had become so diverse; she needed a culturally relevant marketing plan, and began to research the Hispanic market.
A close examination of the U.S. beverage industry's collective efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle reveals many divergent trends.
A new court case involving the food industry has got some people thinking we've got another petty lawsuit on the table. But, I'm wondering, should this one have all of us worried?
Farms that produce organic food are economically viable on a long-term basis, and are perhaps more profitable than conventional farms, according to new research. The study, conducted by the University of Minnesota and recently published in Agronomy Journal, analyzed 18 years of crop yields and other farm data. Findings included a lower risk of poor returns for organic corn and soybean crop rotations than for conventional rotations.
Atlanta, GA—Data on outbreaks of foodborne illness occurring in 2008 in the United States have been finalized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and released in a report. Officially titled "Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks—United States, 2008," and appearing in an edition of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the document indicates that for the most recent year with complete disease data, 1,034 separate foodborne outbreaks were reported.
Those who are at the mercy of gripping muscle and joint...
Today's natural consumers are savvy about labels....
Buffalo, NY; Atlanta, GA...
all products


text: Simple, sophisticated storage. Inspired by American modern design, the Mid-Century Media Set borrows its slim legs and beveled edges from iconic '50s and '60s furniture silhouettes. This set offers plenty of shelf, drawer, and cabinet space for all your books and electronics in a streamlined shape that will be the focal point of any living room.


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Students from Angela Hicks' fifth-grade class at Crestwood Elementary joined more than 1,200 protesters at the state capitol at a rally in favor of House Bill 164, the so-called "Stream Saver Bill," Feb. 14. The students have studied Appalachian culture – including coal mining – and chose to support the bill, which seeks to protect Appalachian headwaters from pollution caused by mountain top removal coal mining. The students learned of the rally and planned the trip, including scheduling buses, Hicks said.Students met with State Sen.
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (21Alive) -- Big ideas for higher education. Former Indiana Governor and current Purdue University President, Mitch Daniels, visited Fort Wayne Monday afternoon to speak on 'Purdue Moves.'
Daniels also touched on the potential constitutional convention and pending separation between Purdue and IPFW Universities.
Click the video above for the full story.
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May 2, 2016
Walton County Sheriff's deputies made an arrest in connection with a recent arson case.
Officials say 19-year-old Angus Anderson of Defuniak Springs set fire to a beach house on Thursday after a recent break-up with the home-owner's daughter.
The house is in the Sea Grove area on San Juan Avenue.
Anderson was arrested Friday and booked into the Walton County Department of Corrections. He's charged with arson, burglary, grand theft and criminal mischief.
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Meet Max my first Golden 13 weeks
Hello. Great to see such a useful site dedicated to Goldens! I got Max when he was 11 weeks old from the akc breeder (now 14 weeks). I haven't decided if I will pay to cert him. Any benefits ?
I have been working with him and spending as much time with him that I can allow. During the day he's home with my wife and her dog Mason (shitzu). She works with as well. We have taught him sit, shake, and lay down. I was so proud to be his first shake. We crate him in our bedroom every night since day one. He is doing ok with house training him but he still has a lot of accidedents. He doesn't seem to get to let us know he needs to go out. I find myself watching him and trying to determine how he is sniffing. Lol. Any tips or hints? Is this normal? We have been taking him out nearly every 45 minutes during the day. We have a bell by the only door our dogs use to ring to notify us when they have to go out. We ring it and show him how nearly every time we go out. ( exceptions being emergency runs). He knows were to go and usually goes right away and then listens and comes back inside. I try to control his water intake to only when I feed him and no later then 6. He would gulp down 4 decent size bowls if I would allow him, followed by multiple accidents.
We also have problems with him wanting to bite our other dog. He will nip at his ears and side. It seems like he is only playing but this isn't something I want him doing.
Any help is appreciated!
What a cutie!
Our dog didn't give us any potty signals (and still doesn't). So we took him out after waking, after eating, after playing, and every 20-30 minutes at that age. I think his last accident was around 4 months or so. It's hard to remember now, but I think at 4 months, he could wait about an hour. By six months, it wasn't a factor as he went out often enough that it didn't matter how long he could hold it.
I tried withholding the water late in the evening, more like 9 than 6, but then I read that if you do that, then they will actually drink more water. So I let him have access to water all the time, and he actually drank less in the evening. Also, there is some hormone (so I read) that shuts down urine production while they sleep. Since he was sleeping through the night without problem, I decided not to worry about the water bowl.
Congratulations on your new puppy, he is really cute! What is his name?
House training, you need to take him out sooner, every 20 minutes to start with when he is awake and active. The reason he's having a lot of accidents is that he physically can't hold it 45 minutes. He just isn't old enough and hasn't had enough practice to know how to tell you he needs to go out. Just be consistent, take him out more often and he will learn over time.
Biting the other dog, this is totally 100% normal puppy PLAY. The other dog will tell him when to stop. You can of course decide yourself if you need to stop it, but for the most part it is better to let the older dog teach the puppy what the limits are.
"To my mind, I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
Mahatma Gandhi
Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas
Congratulations on your new Max. He is quite handsome.
We also have a Max. We got our Max at 11 weeks. Sorry to say, have no advice on housebreaking. I am sure he will get it soon.
Great advice so far! Go out before and after eating and drinking. Go again 20-30 minutes later. Plan on lots of short walks.
You will have a potty trained pup in the end! Samantha's last accident was on her 6 month birthday. It can take time. I would invest in some urine odor removing spray and a small steam cleaner. It makes cleaning up quick messes super easy and fast. Be consistent and it will eventually sink in!
As for the rough house, that's how golden's play. If you feel he is too nippy I would try to redirect him to a bone or toy that he can chew on. We call golden play "bitey face" for a reason... it looks brutal! If your shitzu is okay with playing that way I would not worry. Only redirect if it's a problem. Good luck and congrats on your handsome fella!
Thanks for the advise. I was out of town today and when I got home I heard the dog bell ringing. To my surprise it was Max! I opened the door and he bolted over to his area and peed. So proud!
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mylissyk (12-25-2012)
Good job, Max!
He's adorable! Congratulations on your newest addition!
You received some good advice here, and I agree that Max being mouthy with your other dog is normal puppy play. Best of luck with the housebreaking, and hope to see you and Max around here often!
Gotcha 12/15/12.
So adorable!! Welcome to the forum!
As for the play - it is obnoxious, yes, but totally normal. My puppy Winston makes a day job out of harassing my older dog Riley.
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