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To us townies, a trip to Carmel Valley Village seems like a trek. But after several suggestions that we try Vineyard Bistro, we checked the tires, filled up the tank, donned our driving goggles and made the journey.
Arriving in the waning light of an October evening, we followed the enchanting pathway leading to the entrance. Surrounded by twinkling lights and hand-painted signs "welcome" signs, we felt welcome indeed.
Once we stepped inside the adobe brick building, we felt even more welcome. Graced with a fireplace and painted in soft shades of terra cotta, the room was warmed by candlelight, cozy and decorated with colorful artwork — just the thing for a fall dinner.
While Vineyard Bistro was new to us, it's not new to the Village. It's been around for several years, first as Summer House, then as Daniel's Garden Bistro. The current chef-owner, Jimmy Ugaz, originally from Peru, took over in 2008, following the untimely death of his partner, French chef Daniel Barduzzi. Ugaz' son, also named Jimmy, serves as host and sommelier.
There were four of us this evening, the better to sample a wide range of dishes. Wine-list and menus appeared promptly, along with bread and olive oil made especially for the restaurant. Two birthdays were being celebrated at our table, requiring a bit of extravagance. We started with a bottle of 2008 Far Niente Chardonnay ($103!) from the restaurant's varied and well-chosen list, followed by a 2000 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from our friends' cellar. Corkage is $20, waived if you also buy a bottle from the house.
Our gracious server decanted the red while we sipped the chard and contemplated the menu. A good selection of appetizers, soups and salads ranged from $3.95 for a cup of soup to $11 for an organic beet salad. We settled on three to share: Baked Mushrooms ($8), Grilled Artichoke ($8.50) and Monterey Calamari ($9). The mushrooms were an immediate hit. They were filled with spinach and onion and drizzled with a lovely sauce, mild and delicate, described as "crme of blue cheese." All four of us savored them with delight, and there were plenty to go around.
Opinions about the artichoke, served with a balsamic glaze and a side of pesto aioli, were less enthusiastic. I thought it a bit chewy, though the pesto was good. The calamari, however, was another hit. It was lightly fried in a crunchy batter that complemented the tender strips. Both tartar sauce and Thai chili sauce were available for dipping. The chili sauce was delicious and unexpected, adding a pleasant zip to the dish.
Given the chill of the day and the anticipation of our well-aged red wine, all four of us were in the mood for meat. Mr. Noir decided on the Braised Oregon Lamb Shank ($22). He requested Pommes Frites instead of mashed potatoes on the side, and Jimmy was happy to accommodate. The shank was tender and falling-off-the-bone, swathed in a rich red-wine sauce and right up Mr. Noir's alley. His frites came in a large cone, which he generously offered around the table. They were superb — thin, hot, crisp and just salty enough — and large enough to share without anxiety.
One of our party ordered Veal Scallopini ($24), a tempting-sounding dish with a Madera and wild mushroom sauce. It was topped with an intriguing-looking tangle of fried onions. I enjoyed the bite I tried, but our friend felt that the onions overpowered the flavors of the delicate veal and its sauce, a point well taken. Mashed potatoes and vegetables made up the sides.
I was in a rack of lamb mood, and sure enough there was a roasted rack ($27.50) on the menu. It was crusted in mustard and herbs and graced with a mildly sweet wine sauce. Perfectly cooked at medium rare, it hit the spot. I had debated about the mashed potatoes that came with it, as these can often be ho-hum. But I was glad I stayed the course. Those mashed potatoes were delicious — buttery, dense and coarsely mashed. Jimmy Jr. informed us that potatoes are very popular in Peru, so perhaps that accounts for it. The side of sautéed spinach added a nice bitterish contrast to the richness of the lamb and potatoes.
The bravest of our party ordered the Sauteed Veal Liver ($20.50). She was ecstatic when she saw it on the menu, as it is one of her secret favorites and very rarely served these days. She declared it creamy, velvety and absolutely yummy.
Mr. Noir and I were not planning on dessert. But one of our friends always orders something sweet and offers me a taste. One taste leads to another, and by the time it's gone I've eaten half of it. The Trio Of Chocolate Mousse ($7.50) was a buttery round of white, milk and dark chocolate layered over a thin base of chocolate cake. A fine ending to a fine dinner.
We all agreed that dinner at Vineyard Bistro was a lovely occasion, well worth the drive from town. Everything was tasty, the two Jimmys professional and welcoming, the setting delightful, and the whole experience had an aura of magic about it. So go, but don't delay: Vineyard Bistro closes down for several weeks starting on Dec. 15 while the chef travels the world in search of inspiration.GO! VINEYARD BISTRO
·Address: 6 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley
·Phone number: 659-5020
·Hours: Wed-Mon: 11:30a.m. - 3:30p.m.; 4:30p m.-9p m.; Sat-Sun brunch, 9-11:30a.m.
·Information: www.vineyard-bistro.net


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* The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, other fees required by law, finance charges and any documentation charges.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.
Diehl of Robinson
6181 Steubenville Pike
Directions McKees Rocks, PA 15136

subset: commoncrawl


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Mission Statement:
The mission of the Office of Catechesis is to echo the life, words, and teachings of Jesus Christ. Our focus, under the direction of the Bishop, is to serve as advocates for the catechetical needs of all people. We accomplish our ministry by providing guidance and support to the faith formation of the Diocese.
Vision Statement:
The Office of Catechesis envisions a diocesan community reflecting the light of Christ in today's world. By answering our call to live the Beatitudes, our community engages their Baptismal vocation through lifelong evangelizing catechesis calling all to embrace the unconditional love of God.
"The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only He can lead us to love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity." - Catechesi Tradendae, 5
The Office of Catechesis is located at
Archbishop Noll Catholic Center,
915 South Clinton Street, Fort Wayne IN 46802
Diocesan Sacramental Norms
Please click here to be directed to the Sacramental Norms
Guidelines for Small Group Meetings in Homes or on Property Not Owned by the Diocese
Please click here to be directed to the Guidelines on the Youth Protection webpage
Guideline if an Employee (or Volunteer) is Accused of Inappropriate Behavior or a Boundary Violation with a Minor
Please find Guideline under Downloads & Resources at the right.
USCCB Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities
This document can be found under Downloads & Resources at the right.
Education for Ministry Program
Information and dates for the 2017 - 2018 school year are now posted.
Please check our Education for Ministry webpage to register for courses.
High School and Junior High Theology Applicants
All prospective candidates for a Theology teaching position at one of our high schools or junior high schools:
Please download and complete the Application Packet found in the Downloads and Resources tab at the lower right.
To visit us on Facebook and stay up-to-date on our latest, click here


text: A quarter of a million people have transformed their bodies at exhale, the exclusive mind/body spa. Now you can get these same results at home. Named Best Fusion Class ; by New York magazine, this unique programme is one of the quickest, most effective ways to get a thin, sleek physique. In five segments of 10 minutes each, the Pilates-based moves deliver washboard abs, perfectly sculpted arms and shoulders and a tighter, higher backside - fast. The secret to Core Fusion Pilates Plus is that it works from the inside out, integrating your core with every move. This deep-toning approach goes far beyond the surface muscles, working hard-to-reach areas that traditional exercises miss. Infused with yoga-inspired postures and core-conditioning exercises, this invigorating workout produces real results and will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. Five 10 minute workouts. DVD running time is 60 minutes.Special Features:None ListedCheck stock and price


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Going out to a restaurant with your family is a great way to catch up and an even better way to prove to your parents that you've finally learned to eat without screaming between bites. Reveal the new you with this Groupon.
$15 for $30 Worth of Mediterranean Cuisine
Items on the menu include cevapi ($10–$12), the house specialty. The housemade sausage, made from grass-fed beef, is served on house-baked lepinja with cheese spread and ajvar-pepper dip. The Balkan Bistro burger ($8–$10) tops a housemade, grass-fed, organic patty with baby portabellos, onions, and mozzarella. Grilled trout arrives on a bed of lemon potatoes ($18), and a Croatian spice called vegeta complements garlic and spinach on a plate of Istrian-style mussels with spaghetti ($16).
Balkan Bistro & Bar
Balkan Bistro & Bar has the exposed beams and wood-and-khaki palette of a tudor cabin, but it's also filled with plush booths, cloth-swaddled tables, and bouquets of fresh-cut flowers. This contrast of quaint and contemporary also marks the upscale Mediterranean cuisine, which chef-owner Anja describes as "food from the heart, with an accent." Balkan Bistro & Bar started as a stand at the Charlottesville City Market; but within two years, it expanded into a restaurant where the aromas are universally welcoming, even if portions of the menu seem exotic. A Croatian spice called vegeta, for example, lends to Istrian- and Dalmatian-style mussels, and the more familiar local lamb chops topped with housemade pesto simmer near cabbage stew with organic beef medallions. Chalkboard menus list cocktails at the bar, where rows upon rows of uniquely displayed wine bottles climb so high they require a ladder or a tall stack of books about ladders.


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NEVER SHOUT NEVER Plays the Fox Theatre Tonight
Z2 Entertainment will present Never Shout Never with William Beckett, Anarbor & Me Like Bees at the Fox Theatre tonight, December 8th. Tickets are $20.00 in advance and $22.00 day of show.
Never Shout Never returned with a new album, Time Travel, on September 20th, 2011. The band, led by Singer/Songwriter/Guitar Player Christofer Drew, revealed the album artwork to fans onAltPress.com today. The album teaser video also contains a short clip of the album's title track. Pre-Order information will be announced July 26th.
No longer just Christofer Drew's solo moniker, Never Shout Never is now a full band made up of Chris's longtime Joplin, MO friends and cohorts. Permanently joining Chris both in the studio and on the road are Caleb Denison (Guitar/Drums/Percussion), Taylor MacFee (Bass) and Hayden Kaiser (Percussion). Time Travel is their first recorded effort as a unit. The band holed up at Studio 2100 just outside their hometown in Springfield, MO and produced the entire record themselves, a big change from the last record, Harmony, which was a big budget production by legendary sound doctor Butch Vig. With Time Travel, the band's sound has progressed and matured, resulting in Never Shout Never's most complete album to date.
Christofer Drew and Never Shout Never continue to help raise money for their hometown of Joplin, MO which was devastated by tornados in late May. Christofer put together a campaign with the United Way in hopes to raise 1 Million dollars for Joplin. Text "JOMO" to 50555 to donate $10 to the immediate and long-term relief of Joplin, MO and watch the video of the destruction Chris put together himself, which also contains a clip of "Time Travel."
Never Shout Never's recently recorded Daytrotter session is the #1 most downloaded/ listened to on the site, ahead of The Head And The Heart, Black Lips and The Books. Last week, Peta2 crowned Christofer Drew as 2011's Sexiest Vegetarian, where he joins a hot group of former winners including Olivia Wilde, Gabe Saporta of Cobra Starship, Alyssa Milano and Natalie Portman.


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SmartAsset is a financial technology company that uses data to provide free, actionable advice on big financial decisions. Topics include home buying, renting, retirement, life insurance, taxes, student loans, investing and more. At the heart of the company's software is its patent pending "Automated Financial Modeling" technology (also known as AFM), which simulates how different decisions will affect a consumer financially. SmartAsset is based in New York City, and is led by co-founders Michael Carvin and Philip Camilleri. The company is backed by Y Combinator, IA Capital Group with participation from TTV Capital, Javelin Venture Partners, New York Life, Transamerica Ventures, Quotidian Ventures, North Bridge Venture Partners and Fitz Gate Ventures, among others.


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Jubilee regatta takes to the waves in Lowestoft
PUBLISHED: 16:53 04 June 2012
© Archant 2012
A small army of river cruisers and yachts took over Lake Lothing in Lowestoft for a two day regatta in tribute to the Queen.
Today and on Sunday the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club held a Diamond Jubilee regatta, which saw the craft skilfully make their way around Lake Lothing by Lowestoft's Asda store.
There were two races on both days with dozens of spectators looking on.
As part of the club's proud traditions there was also a commodores and flag officers reception and supper at the club on Royal Plain.
Also docked at Lake Lothing and adorned with bunting was the UK Border Agency cutter the Seeker.


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A new therapy for pancreatic cancer reduced the growth rate of tumors in patients in a pilot trial and, in a separate study, kept mouse tumors at bay altogether. The treatment, reported in today's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, rallies the immune system's "killer" cells to fight the devastating cancer.
Fewer than 1% of pancreatic cancer patients live more than 5 years after diagnosis. "There is no successful medical treatment," says Wolff Schmiegel, a gastroenterologist at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. Hoping to improve this grim statistic, Schmiegel's group set out to exploit the immune system's ability to recognize some cancer cells as enemies by the telltale mat of proteins, such as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs), that stud their surfaces. A cancer cell with lots of EGFRs draws a lot of antibodies that latch onto the receptors; the antibodies, in turn, attract killer cells that destroy the tumor cell. Increasing the number of receptors on tumor cells, the researchers reasoned, would boost the effectiveness of so-called immunotherapy, in which engineered antibodies are administered to attract the killer cells.
Four years ago, Schmiegel and his colleagues found they could raise EGFR levels on the surface of pancreatic cancer cells by adding a protein called tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) to cultured cells. In their latest work, the researchers injected human pancreatic cancer cells into mice, which soon developed tumors. Treating these mice with TNF-a and EGFR antibodies kept the tumors from growing larger, as those of control mice swelled eightfold.
In a second study, Schmiegel's team treated 26 patients at similar stages of pancreatic cancer with TNF-a and a varying amount of the antibody. The tumors of patients receiving the most antibodies grew by less than 10% on average, while those in patients receiving the lowest dose more than doubled in size. The high-dose patients also lived more than twice as long on average as those on the lower dose, but that result was less reliable, because of the small number of patients.
The therapy offers a ray of hope for pancreatic cancer patients, says immunologist Hilary Koprowski of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, who says he is "cautiously optimistic" that the treatment will prove successful in the long term. "I wish there were more difference in survival rates" between the lower and higher dose groups, he says. Schmiegel is now working toward the next step--a study with more patients that could give more trustworthy information on survival times.


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It looks like the Leechpit will be moving — and some aren't happy about it.
Colorado College students and others have held several protests in front of the store in the past few weeks, rallying against the college's refusal to renew the store's lease.
As of Wednesday, Leechpit owner Adam Leech said nearly 1,000 students had signed a petition asking Colorado College officials to reconsider their decision not to renew the lease.
The Leechpit, at 802 N. Nevada Ave., is a cacophony of vintage memorabilia from several decades that caters to those seeking nonmainstream clothing and music. The store's lease with Colorado College, which owns the building, expires in less than eight months, and the college has stated it wants the building.
"Colorado College is one of those art-based colleges where you can be experimental, and you can express yourself freely," said Rebecca Hamilton, a junior from Northern California studying visual arts, "and having the Leechpit there makes it easier to be that way."
The Leechpit's lease expires July 31, 2013, Jane Turnis, the college's director of communications, said in an email to The Gazette.
"The college needs to use its building for student activities," Turnis wrote. "In a good-faith effort, the college offered another location close to campus; however, that offer was not accepted. The college will honor the lease agreement that both parties signed until the lease expires."
Leech said the location offered by the college was a three-story house, which would not be suitable for most retail businesses. In August, the college offered him $6,000 to end his lease early, Leech said.
"That would not cover moving expenses and the deposit for another lease," he said.
Stepping inside the Leechpit is like exploring your grandparents' attic.
A silver, miniskirt prom dress hangs from the ceiling. A steel G.I. Joe and Captain America lunch box are two of about 30 metal lunch boxes that line shelves near Zippo lighters, clumps of silver belt buckles, used cowboy boots, disco clothing and other vintage items that include "ugly" sweaters. But it's the more than 2,000 vinyl Long Play (LP) albums stacked in wooden crates that bring in the majority of Leech's customers. Another 2,000 albums are crammed into the back room, Leech said.
One album, "Songs, Themes and Laughs from the Andy Griffith Show," leans against the store's wooden support beam near the checkout stand. The album is indicative of the off-beat records from the 1920s through the present sold by the store. Forget James Taylor and Chicago , the Leech sells LPs by nonmainstream bands, like "Meet the Rutles."
Brandie Monroe is a frequent Leechpit shopper. For five years, Monroe's family has competed against each other to see who can find the ugliest sweater to wear during the holidays. Monroe, of Little Rock, Ark., has never won, beaten each year by her grandmother. Still, she remains confident she will find this year's prize-winning sweater inside the Leechpit. "I love the Leechpit because the things he (Leech) sells are unique, and you can't find them any where else," said Monroe, a senior at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
"His prices are great, so it's nice for being a broke college student."
Leech, 33, said he doesn't feel like Colorado College is "picking" on him. But, he said, "I think they don't really know what this store is worth to the neighborhood."
The building that houses the Leechpit was previously Toon's Music and Video, Leech said, once the location for midnight CD releases, band concerts and other events. Leech worked there when he was 15. That business closed around April 2008, Leech said.
"The saddest part of having to move," Leech said, "is that this building has been an anchor for the subculture, or the counterculture, or whatever you want to call it, for Colorado Springs forever."
Leech opened his first store in 2003 at 708 N. Weber St. He opened at the current location on Feb. 19, 2011.
Forcing the Leechpit to move too far from Colorado College could do irrevocable damage to Leech's business, Hamilton said.
"I think if the Leechpit was not as close to the college as it is now," she said, "it would not be as successful as it is."
Contact Ned Hunter: 636-0275.


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WASHINGTON - President Obama, seeking to regain his footing amid controversies hammering the White House, named a temporary chief for the scandal-marred Internal Revenue Service on Thursday and pressed Congress to approve new security money to prevent another Benghazi-style terrorist attack.
The efforts did little to satisfy Republicans, who see the controversies as an opportunity to derail Obama's second-term agenda.
House Speaker John Boehner suggested the White House had violated the public's trust, and he promised to "stop at nothing" to hold the administration accountable.
"Nothing dissolves the bonds between the people and their government like the arrogance of power here in Washington," Boehner said.
The targeting of conservative political groups by the IRS and new questions about the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year - along with the Justice Department's seizure of journalists' phone records - have consumed the White House for nearly a week.
Of the three controversies, the president's advisers see the IRS matter as the most likely to linger. At least three congressional committees are planning investigations into the agency.
Obama, who was criticized by both opponents and allies for his measured initial response to the IRS targeting, vowed to ensure the agency acts "scrupulously and without even a hint of bias."
"I think we're going to be able to fix it," he declared during a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Soon afterward, Obama appointed senior budget official Danny Werfel to temporarily run the IRS, one day after Acting Commissioner Steven Miller's forced resignation. The White House is expected to nominate a permanent commissioner later this year.
However, the president knocked down the prospect of appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the IRS, saying the congressional investigations and a separate Justice Department probe should be enough to nail down who was responsible for improperly targeting tea-party groups when they applied for tax-exempt status.
The news conference marked Obama's first comments on the government's widely criticized seizure of telephone records of reporters and editors of The Associated Press in an investigation of news leaks.
The president spoke of the importance of striking a balance between "secrecy and the right to know" but said he would make no apologies for trying to protect classified information.
"I've still got 60,000-plus troops in Afghanistan, and I've still got a whole bunch of intelligence officers around the world who are in risky situations," he said. "Part of my job is to make sure that we're protecting what they do, while still accommodating for the need for information."
The president said he continues to have confidence in Attorney General Eric Holder, who has been criticized by lawmakers over the phone-record subpoenas.


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Cast Your Vote:
- Aleksander -- Votes: 5
- August -- Votes: 7
- Luca/Lucas -- Votes: 18
- Sebastian -- Votes: 11
- Harrison -- Votes: 5
- Theodore -- Votes: 3
We are still thinking of baby names, but our favorite so far is Aleksander, after my great grandfather. We would call him Sasha for short, as our family is part Russian, and Sasha is the nickname for Aleksander in Russian. In the poll are some other names we are considering.
Sebastian was on my list but Hubby was iffy :(
My husband liked Sebsatian at first and now he's wishy washy on it. So far he still likes the others but we'll see!
I like Alexander, Lucas, and Sebastian. Nice names.
I voted for Aleksander because you like it.
I also didn't want you to pick Theodore because that's my top pick if this baby turns to be a boy (I don't think it is, but we won't know until next month at the earliest)
I also like Luca and Sebastian.
I love Aleksander/Alexander and Lucas.
Sebastian is an adorable name :)


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Moscow (Mar. 8)
The Ozet, society for settling the Jews on the land, is urged today to liquidate all religious habits in the Jewish colonies. The Charkov "Shtern" points out that in many collectivized colonies the Jews still observe the Sabbath and refuse to eat food that is not kosher, "thus disharmonizing the collective life in the colony."
The Communist paper demands the immediate liquidation of such religious customs.


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Vol. 108 No. 1
The International Conference on "Environment, Peace, and the Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures" (Tehran Conference) convened at the Pardisan Eco Park and the Azadi Grand Hotel in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 9-10 May 2005. It was organized by the Iranian Department of Environment and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and co-sponsored by the United Nations University (UNU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Over 70 participants from more than 30 countries participated, including several ministers and other high-level representatives. The purpose of the Conference was to examine the interaction between environment, peace and security in the context of multilateral cultural dialogue among civilizations and discuss the need for multilateralism and meaningful dialogue. The Conference sought to underpin the imperative of multilateralism and meaningful dialogue among civilizations as a means for joint action against dehumanizing poverty, violence, increasing reliance on military might and continued erosion of the democratic practice, both at national and international levels.
The Conference included an introductory session on progress on environment and peace issues and an overview of the nexus between environment, peace and the dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples. A special high-level interactive ministerial roundtable was held during the afternoon of Monday, 9 May on the rationale for the Conference, and working sessions were held on Monday and Tuesday focusing on issues surrounding environment and conflict, environment and human security, and dialogue. An interactive discussion on conclusions from the Conference was held on Tuesday afternoon. The outcomes of the Conference, including the Tehran Communiqué, will be forwarded to the 5-Year Review of the outcome of the Millennium Summit, scheduled for 14-16 September 2005 in New York.
On 21 September 1998 at the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Seyed Mohammad Khatami called for institutionalizing dialogue and "replacing hostility and confrontation with discourse and understanding." In particular, Khatami invited the international community to broaden and encourage dialogue among civilizations on the environment, peace and security. The thrust of the initiative was an appeal to human understanding that genuine dialogue on a global scale, involving all stakeholders, offers the only practical way to ensure meaningful and effective international cooperation.
On 4 November 1998, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 53/22, proclaiming 2001 as the UN Year of Dialogue among Civilizations. It called on governments and the UN to plan and implement cultural, educational and social programmes to promote the concept of dialogue among civilizations, including through conferences and seminars and disseminating information. In the lead up to, and during, the UN Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, several international events and meetings were held, including the International Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations, held in Vilnius, Lithuania from 23-26 April 2001 and the International Conference on Dialogue of Civilizations, held in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan from 31 July-3 August 2001.
An international seminar on Environment, Religion and Culture was held in Tehran from 18-20 June 2001. The seminar adopted the Tehran Declaration on Environment, Religion and Culture, committing participants, among other things, to promote education on the environmental content of religion and to promote environmentally responsible behavior.
The International Conference on the Dialogue among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples convened at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 5 April 2005. At this meeting, Khatami urged open dialogue among civilizations as a necessary condition to improve international relations and development and called for the establishment of a Global Forum for the Promotion of Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures.
MEETINGS AND REPORTS RELATING TO THE MILLENNIUM REVIEW: The UN Millennium Summit convened from 6-8 September 2000 in New York. At the Summit, world leaders agreed on a far-reaching plan to support global development objectives for the new century, and reaffirmed their commitment to work toward a peaceful and secure world in which sustainable development and poverty eradication would have the highest priority. The Millennium Declaration, agreed to at the Summit, outlines responses to these challenges, and establishes measures for judging performance through a set of interrelated commitments, goals and targets on development, governance, peace, security and human rights. The Declaration addresses issues relating to: fundamental values and principles; peace, security and disarmament; development and poverty eradication; the protection of the environment; human rights, democracy and good governance; the needs of the most vulnerable; the special needs of Africa; and strengthening the UN. In the Declaration, governments also agreed to time-bound commitments to, among other things, reduce poverty, hunger, child mortality and the spread of HIV/AIDS, improve maternal health, and increase primary education. These commitments formed the basis of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held from 26 August to 4 September 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The WSSD adopted two main docu-ments: the Johannesburg Declara-tion on Sustainable Development and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI). The JPOI notes that peace, security, stability and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, as well as respect for cultural diversity, are essential for achieving sustainable development. The JPOI contains time-bound targets for the implementation of sustainable development in the following areas: basic sanitation; chemicals; integrated water resources management; oceans and fish stocks; alternatives to ozone-depleting substances; reduction in the current rate of loss of biological diversity; small island developing states; food security in Africa; and energy access in Africa.
On 1 December 2004, the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change presented its report, entitled "A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility." The report contains 101 recommendations addressing a range of issues identified by the Panel as being the greatest threats to worldwide security in the twenty-first century: continued poverty and environmental degradation, terrorism, civil war, conflict between States, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and organized crime. The report also makes recommendations regarding UN reform.
Presented to the UN Secretary-General on 17 January 2005, the report of the UN Millennium Project entitled "Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieving the Millennium Development Goals" underscores the importance of the MDGs, tracks their implementation, and considers various means of supporting their achievement, including through public investment, civil society participation, and private sector contribution. The report outlines ten main recommendations for scaling-up action to meet the MDGs and also identifies the special needs of Africa, highlights strategies for countries affected by conflict, and discusses the need to revamp development aid, calling for targeted investments to address various challenges.
On 21 March 2005, the UN Secretary-General released his report "In Larger Freedom," containing a package of recommendations for action in the areas of development, security, human rights and UN reform. Regarding development, the Secretary-General sets out proposals for developing countries to adopt national strategies to meet the MDGs and urges countries to increase official development assistance levels, redefine debt sustainability levels, make efforts to further liberalize international trade, and ensure environmental sustainability. Regarding security, he urges states to prevent terrorism, halt the proliferation of weapons and reduce nuclear arsenals, and to reduce the risk and prevalence of war, including through the creation of an intergovernmental Peacebuilding Commission. Regarding human rights, he urges strengthening the rule of law, improving the protection of human rights, and facilitating democracy building. On UN reform, the Secretary-General proposes rationalizing the UN General Assembly's work, making the Security Council more representative, having ECOSOC act as a high-level development cooperation forum and institutionalize its work in post-conflict management, create a Human Rights Council, strengthen the UN Secretariat, and improve the coherence of the UN system, including through a more integrated structure for environmental standard-setting, scientific discussion and monitoring treaty compliance.
The International Conference on "Environment, Peace, and the Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures" opened on Monday, 9 May 2005 at the Pardisan Eco Park in Tehran. The Chair of the Conference, Massoumeh Ebtekar, Iranian Vice-President and Head of the Department of the Environment, opened the meeting, emphasizing the need for dialogue, peace and understanding to achieve global peace and sustainable development. She stressed that the world is at a sensitive juncture, noting that political and environmental instability have led to many wars in the past few decades. She said dialogue opens new doors to international cooperation and decision-making, which is not dependent on diplomacy or military action.
Klaus Töpfer, UNEP Executive Director, delivered a message from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcoming the Conference's work. In his message, Annan said people share a common humanity and a common dependence on the environment, and emphasized that people need a clean environment to build a world of peace, freedom and dignity. He stressed that efforts to promote security, development and human rights and to pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continues unabated. Referring to the March 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment report, he stated that almost all ecosystems are in decline and that this presents enormous obstacles to achieving the MDGs. He emphasized that states must work together and that, although environmental degradation can produce flash points for conflict, it can also catalyze cooperation, reconciliation, mutual understanding and peace. He underlined the value of the Conference's contribution to the Millennium review process.
Töpfer also gave remarks on behalf of UNEP, stressing that dialogue and understanding are keys to tolerance. He stressed the need for common security through peace, environment, social justice and sustainable development and said sustainable development policy is akin to a peace policy for the future. He underlined the urgency of taking action to achieve the MDGs. Töpfer also emphasized that the world needs cultural diversity to stabilize the effects of globalization. He said the topics for discussion at the Conference are difficult ones, but that answers must be found. He urged that conferences on these topics continue and said the outcomes of the meeting must be forwarded to the UN high-level event in September at the commencement of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly.
Seyed Mohammad Khatami, President of Iran, stressed the potential for international environmental cooperation to increase peace, stability and friendship, and linked environmental degradation to the expansion of poverty, injustice and insecurity. Khatami noted that wars waged in Bosnia, Kosovo, Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq have inflicted horrible damage to drinking water, health and the environment. He said that now, more than ever, humanity needs a mutual understanding based on intellectual reflection to create a culture of peace and cooperation and a healthy environment for future generations. He underlined that the dialogue of cultures and civilizations can lay the foundations for this and hoped the Conference would provide an opportunity to evaluate the environmental effects of conflict. Khatami emphasized the need for military and economic power to give way to dialogue on a level playing field. Khatami lamented the broken promises of poverty reduction and environmental protection and the "unilateral and willful actions of a number of powers," which he said have made nations distrustful of international governance. He stressed that building trust would require a process of dialogue and understanding and that cooperation to ensure a good future for humanity is needed, but that it cannot be attained within existing frameworks. Khatami said a new UN structure should aim at peace, security, sustainable development and the realization of freedom and democracy and the protection of human dignity. He urged that restructuring should be based on international consensus and a democratic process taking into account the rights and views of developing countries.
Following these opening remarks, participants proceeded to convene in a roundtable and working sessions to discuss issues surrounding environment and conflict, environment and human security, and dialogue. The following summary reviews the proceedings in chronological order.
After a brief organizational session chaired by Conference Chair Ebtekar, Ambassador Wafik Kamil, Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, chaired the introductory session of the Conference, which focused on the problematique of the issue of environment, peace and dialogue among civilizations and cultures. Oliver Brown, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), described progress on environment and peace issues since the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. He said three perspectives have been prominent in the analysis of the relationship between environment and security: conflicts arise over competition for scarce resources; environmental conflict is linked to a society's transition from a subsistence economy to a market economy; and violence in many developing countries occurs when different groups attempt to gain control of abundant resources. He noted the many complex connections between environmental change and human security and underlined that, by addressing environmental concerns, opportunities for dialogue and for strengthening mutual understanding are created.
Hans D'Orville, UNESCO, said dialogue lies at the core of the UN's mandate. He stated that in a complex, multifaceted global community, no single civilization can assume sole responsibility for humanity nor exclusively define how to be a human being. Given this diversity, he said a common understanding of universal values such as human rights and democratic practices has been a major achievement. He urged the international community to deepen understanding of shared values and concepts, to reduce divisiveness, and to help tackle prejudice, ignorance and intolerance. In particular, he emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue. D'Orville also reported on regional and subregional efforts that have driven UNESCO's work, including a series of summits in the Balkans to promote peace through dialogue. He stressed the need for the participation of civil society and the importance of freedom of expression for genuine dialogue.
During the subsequent discussion, participants raised questions on the role of faith groups in the UN system, the perception of "civilizations" as those that leave a permanent environmental impact, the role of athletes in peace and dialogue, the definition of conflict and security, the root causes of conflicts, the environmental and health effects of depleted uranium in Iraq, and funding for UNESCO.
Philippe Roch, State Secretary of Switzerland's Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape, chaired this session on Monday afternoon. He said the environment is the basis for all cultures, and said the principles of dialogue, respect and harmony should be fundamental aspects of globalization.
Conference Chair Ebtekar noted Iran's long history of dialogue between cultures, and respect for diversity and the environment. She suggested that existing mechanisms to govern conflict should be revisited and strengthened to include environmental protection. She stressed the advantages of a "dialogue mentality" over an adversarial "diplomatic mentality" and said this should be integrated into a new environmental institutional order.
Töpfer said bringing people of different faiths together was an end in itself, and had been achieved with this Conference. He said spiritual and cultural values should inform the choice of national indicators and questioned the universal utility of GDP as an overarching national goal, referring to China's "green GNP" and Bhutan's "gross national happiness" as alternatives.
Participants then engaged in an extended high-level discussion on these issues. Several participants stressed the complexity of the links between the environment and peace, and said assessments and solutions should be holistic and address social, cultural, economic and political dimensions. Some participants said this should inform plans for restructuring international institutions. One participant noted the weakness of many central governments' domestic positions and their consequent inability to implement the commitments that they make internationally, suggesting that institutional reform should take this into account by including the voices of civil society and regional or local governments.
Many speakers stressed the need to integrate spiritual beliefs and values into international dialogue and to emphasize shared values. Others urged a stronger ethical commitment to environmental protection during war. One participant said there is a need to form one "planetary civilization," while another suggested that the use of the term "civilization" implies a hierarchy of cultural development.
Other participants noted the limited utility of legal instruments, asked what might be an ethical level of consumption, and stressed that the by-products of war, such as depleted uranium, mean today's conflicts affect future generations. Some participants lamented the loss of momentum since the 1992 Earth Summit and the domination of security issues on the global agenda.
Over the course of the two-day meeting, participants met in seven parallel working sessions, focusing on: environment and conflict, the impact of the Second Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) on the marine environment, protection of the environment and international law, environment and human security, dialogue among civilizations, peace and conflict prevention, and the meaning and implications of dialogue.
ENVIRONMENT AND CONFLICT: Anthony Hill, The Policy Advisory Group, chaired this session on Monday afternoon. Emma Nicholson, Member of the European Parliament, described the impacts of armed conflict on the Marsh people of southern Iraq, emphasizing that opportunities for dialogue were not taken to prevent the forced destruction of the Mesopotamian Marshlands ecosystem and the livelihoods of local peoples. She said such actions demand a response beyond the borders of the nations where they take place, noting that in the case of the Mesopotamian Marshlands, information upon which action could have been taken was available. Nicholson stressed that a forum for international dialogue, as proposed by President Khatami at a recent UNESCO meeting, could promote international stability.
Mohiaddin Mesbahi, Florida International University, emphasized that unless an issue gets into a state's establishment and becomes a threat to national security, nothing will usually be done to address it. Mesbahi stressed that civilizations must determine their own positions before dialogue between civilizations begins. To prioritize environmental issues, he said science needs to be depoliticized and normative positions on the environment need to be developed. He underlined that the environment must be seen as an active agent rather than an end for human activity.
Nils Petter Gleditsch, International Peace Research Institute Oslo, discussed the linkages between resources, the environment and conflict. He described the neo-Malthusian view of resource scarcity, which states that population pressure and high resource consumption lead to resource depletion, scarcity, competition and armed conflicts. He then outlined methodological, economic, political, and demographic-related objections to this view, based on the idea that there is no inherent scarcity of resources and also the idea that conflict arises from resource abundance rather than resource scarcity. He concluded that policy measures must be developed democratically.
Participants raised questions regarding the impacts of upstream water uses in Turkey, the role of democracy in reducing international conflict, the role of the UN in avoiding war and/or maintaining peace, public engagement on environment issues, and human innovation to address environmental threats.
IMPACT OF SECOND PERSIAN GULF WAR (1990-91) ON THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT: This session was chaired by Mohammad Saeid-Hosseini, Iranian Department of the Environment, on Monday afternoon. Parvin Farschi, Iranian Department of Environment, outlined the claim for environmental damages sought by Iran from Iraq through the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) following the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf conflict. She said that, because of ongoing instability in Iraq, the claim has still not been settled and therefore rehabilitation has not occurred. Farschi said that after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, millions of barrels of oil were spilled in the Gulf, although she also noted that even during times of peace, the sensitive coastal habitats of the Persian Gulf suffer from oil spills from tankers, ballast water dumping and harmful offshore activities. Farschi explained that the oil spills and soot fallout have destroyed coral reefs, waterfowl habitat and food sources. She highlighted the difficulties involved with measuring environmental damage associated with the conflict, including a lack of pre-war data, the time that has elapsed, and the lack of access to the majority of the potentially impacted coast areas.
Afshin Daneh-kar, Iranian Department of the Environment, outlined the importance of mangroves within the Gulf's ecosystems and the dramatic losses in Iranian mangroves from 1990-2001, as shown by studies using remote sensing and sediment sampling. He said a significant amount of these losses could be attributed to the Gulf conflict of 1990-1991, when oil, smoke and soot were released and war conditions prevented rehabilitation.
Hayder Mohammed Abdul-Hameed, University of Baghdad, outlined the environmental and health effects of weapons used during the 2003 Iraq conflict. He stressed that dust carrying depleted uranium has had extensive impacts across the region, and linked depleted uranium to the Iraqi population's dramatic rise in infertility, miscarriages and unusual diseases such as leukemia, skin cancers and respiratory diseases. He said tanks used during the war removed the desert's top cluster layer of sand, causing sand storms even in Baghdad, and said warships in the Persian Gulf changed the temperature and ph-level of the water, forcing fish to migrate. He also highlighted issues regarding soil and waterway contamination.
Omid Sedighi, Iranian Department of the Environment, stated that coral reef coverage in the Persian Gulf decreased from 1990 to 2001. He attributed the losses to oil pollution, including during wartime, rural and urban effluent, industrial waste, pesticides, tourism and over-fishing.
During the session, participants discussed: giving the environment the status of a "protected person" and making injury a war crime; the reliability of statistics; the ability of the Iraqi Government to confront the West about damages to its environment; and political constraints on research into the effects of depleted uranium.
PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND INTERNATIONAL LAW: This session was chaired on Monday afternoon by Geoffrey Dabelko, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Focusing on the Caspian Sea, Barbara Janusz, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, discussed progress in dialogue on environmental issues as a means of cooperating and preventing regional conflicts. She said recent work in the Caspian region has strengthened local and regional cooperation and improved civil society inputs into government decision-making. She suggested that dialogue might improve the adoption of international legal standards in the region and strengthen the rule of law. Janusz stressed that current legal principles are no longer sufficient to deal with new environmental, political and economic problems and that more regional legal instruments are needed.
Pekka Haavisto, UNEP, discussed his organization's work on conflict, environmental destruction and post-conflict situations. He outlined direct and indirect wartime causes of environmental degradation and reviewed the UNEP Post-Conflict Unit's work preparing assessments in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq and Liberia. He described how each assessment is unique and stressed the frequent need to take a transboundary approach to the assessments. Haavisto underscored that environmental diplomacy can be used for confidence and peace building, and that environmental work can prevent future conflict.
Said Mahmoudi, Stockholm University, discussed international law relating to environmental protection during armed conflict, questioning whether laws can prevent damage to the environment during war and whether there are enough international rules to regulate the conduct of war so that no damage to the environment will happen. He reviewed examples of damage to the environment during wars and noted competing views on war and the environment, one underlining that existing laws are enough but need implementation, and the other stating that a new convention on war and environment is needed. He noted that there may be opportunities for the growth of environmental law in this area.
Antonio Marquina, Complutense University, discussed environmental challenges to state security, including climate change, ozone depletion, natural disasters and scarcity of water and food. He said these can jeopardize state survival and stressed the need to find means to reduce state and human vulnerabilities through global commitments and by developing analytical tools that integrate knowledge about vulnerability.
During the discussion, participants raised questions regarding the status of environmental treaties after their parties go to war, the applicability of international law to non-international armed conflicts, the applicability of discussions on war-related issues in sustainable development processes, and UNEP's possible role in assessing liability for damages.
ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN SECURITY: Juan Mayr Maldonado, former Colombian Minister of the Environment, chaired this session on Tuesday morning. Hans Van Ginkel, UNU, underlined that environment and human security problems are complex and that solutions to these problems must also be complex, noting that actions to address one problem often create new ones, and that proposed solutions must pay attention to specific circumstances. He noted that the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment focuses on specific problems in specific areas and avoids using "doom and gloom" approaches to the issues. He added that many so-called natural events, such as floods and landslides, are actually triggered by human behavior. Van Ginkel stressed that human security issues must focus on the individual, not the state, and that there is a need for a more balanced approach to environment and human security issues. He said dialogue is the key to understanding environment and human security issues and for mobilizing action. He said binding legal approaches will rarely compel states to agree to take actions.
Kevin Clements, University of Queensland, addressed the need for more conflict-sensitive development policies and programmes, underlining the need to think and act holistically in development, security and human rights debates. He said security should be seen as a relationship between individuals and underlined the need to prioritize community needs and values. Clements said there is a need to ensure that development policies are conflict sensitive, to analyze development in terms of its capacity for peace building or strengthening the chances for peace, and to provide local peoples the powers to find solutions and "own" their development. He emphasized that development and security initiatives must be sustainable and generate peace rather than divisions.
Hossein Fadaei, UNEP, outlined his organization's Environment and Security (ENVSEC) initiative in Central Asia, which promotes peace and security through cooperation. He said the aims of ENVSEC are to: identify and address environmental stresses that carry security risks; identify where and how to foster environmental cooperation; integrate environmental considerations into foreign and security thinking; and focus on building capacity to address areas and issues prone to tensions. Providing examples from work in the field, Hossein said ENVSEC's activities focus on: vulnerability assessment and monitoring; policy development and implementation; and capacity building and institutional development.
Participants raised questions regarding the value of "doom and gloom" scenarios to inspire urgent action, the limits to legal approaches, the relationship between state and civil society regarding conflict-sensitive development policies, how to take these policies forward, the role of women, whether security concerns should be prioritized over development concerns, and the use of genetically modified crops in Africa.
SPECIAL PANEL ON DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS: Lalit Mansingh, former Indian Foreign Secretary and former Ambassador to the United States, chaired this session on Tuesday afternoon. He said participants should reflect on how the philosophies and lessons of ancient civilizations can help with contemporary problems and highlighted the basic unity of the world's religions.
Lawrence Troster, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, described his personal experience with the spirituality of the environment, and noted that sacred texts are filled with environmental references. He said people today are often in situations that traditions do not address, and that through dialogue science and religion can complement one another. Noting that environmental crises are universal and make no religious distinctions, he said the environmentalist worldview also transcends politics and religion and people need the wisdom of all religions to shed light on contemporary crises.
John Grim, Forum on Religion and Ecology, outlined the Forum's work in generating dialogue. He said religious concepts of "eco-justice," such as the sacredness of the commons, should be retrieved and evaluated, and he noted that traditions are often viewed as being continuous and timeless, but that they are in fact internally diverse and constantly reconstructed.
Reza Shabani, Shahid Beheshti University, drew on Iran's long history at the crossroads of civilizations to underscore the relevance of Khatami's desire for dialogue among nations, showing that the initiative is deeply rooted in the Iranian culture and psyche.
Richard Jordan, International Information and Communications Technology Bridge for Caring Communities, echoed the role of spiritual inspiration from nature and the importance of moving from dialogue to action, particularly in implementing the environmental commitments in the Millennium Declaration.
During the subsequent discussion, participants raised questions on the role of dialogue within civilizations, the possibility of redefining rationality, educating world leaders about the environment, integrating the environment into religious sermons, and moving from textual evaluation and dialogue to action.
PEACE AND CONFLICT PREVENTION: Simon Dalby, Carleton University, chaired this session. Bagher Asadi, Special Representative of the Head of the Department of Environment for the Tehran International Conference, presented a paper prepared by Richard Falk, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University, on conflict prevention and dialogue as a strategic imperative, stressing the need for the emergence of a non-violent geopolitics. He stressed that the deepening and widening of dialogue between and within civilizations is a precondition for the emergence of an alternative paradigm and suggested the creation of a voluntary association of people, governments and international institutions, which work out common solutions to common problems.
Paul Claval, Université de Paris – Sorbonne, outlined how changes in the availability of energy supplies, advances in communications, and changes in cultures have affected the environment and people's perspectives on it. He underlined the need to acknowledge: that the traditional values on which the world order was built have changed; the key role of non-governmental organizations in negotiations; and that the definition of sustainable development needs to be continually updated with changing circumstances.
Dabelko described the need to exploit "environmental pathways to peace" by building on environment, conflict and security linkages. He said dialogue on environmental issues could be used for conflict prevention, tension reduction, achieving peace and post-conflict confidence building. He noted challenges, including moving the focus from conflict impact assessment to conflict prevention and peace-making and ensuring that parties, including donors, commit to long-term support.
Bahman Baktiari, University of Maine, said there is a need for greater dialogue among social scientists, scientists and policymakers. He stressed that many multilateral environmental agreements are not effective because they do not address scientific issues properly. He emphasized that agreements are shaped by scientific knowledge and social factors, scientific consensus is not enough to create an environmental regime, and scientific advice must be politically feasible. Jean Fried, University of Maine, then provided an EU project to increase the dialogue between scientists and policy makers. He described the project's four stages: a survey of needs; multidisciplinary regional training workshops; an analysis of the workshops' outcomes and development of a policy document and action plan for high-level decision makers; and ministerial conferences. He said the project showed that when experts have worked together, negotiators will use the scientific content in negotiations.
During the discussion, questions were asked regarding the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in peace-building through environment dialogue, whether the idea of common problems and common solutions is appropriate, how sustainable development is defined, and water conflicts in Palestine.
DIALOGUE – WHAT IT MEANS; WHAT IT ENTAILS: This session was chaired by Nay Htun, University for Peace. He noted that words have evolved with different meanings in different cultures, and proposed that communication be conceived broadly to incorporate art, music, dance and theatre.
Hisae Nakanishi, University of Nagoya, discussed the difficulties associated with implementing "universal" values such as gender equality in different cultures, drawing on her experience in Afghanistan and Japan where traditional groups opposed a universalist interpretation of women's rights. She concluded that just as there are many democracies, there should be many forms of gender equality. Nakanishi warned against using shortcuts to achieve the MDGs quickly, saying local people need time to digest concepts of gender equality and apply them to their own cultures.
Mary Evelyn Tucker, Harvard Forum on Religion and Ecology, pointed out that the only truly shared human value is the continuation of life on Earth. She said we should move beyond individualism and domination of the environment to emphasize participation and kinship with all life systems. Tucker advocated that "species identity" should take precedence over religious, national and other identities and called for more consciousness of humankind's evolutionary responsibilities to safeguard shared resources for future generations. She said dialogue was of singular importance in building a planetary civilization with a global vision.
Hans Koechler, Leopold-Franzens University, questioned the value of dialogue in a world of extreme power imbalance, saying rational debate cannot succeed where one party is able to exploit its economic or military dominance. He called for the Western world to be more self-critical, and for a balanced international order as a fundamental prerequisite of genuine dialogue. He warned that attempts at dialogue will otherwise lack credibility and could generate further conflict.
Ali Paya, National Research Institute of Science Policy of Iran, drew on concepts from science to illustrate the preeminent position of dialogue and its relationship to cooperation and rationality.
Noel Brown, Friends of the United Nations, responded to the panel presentations. He summarized the discussion, stressing the need to develop strategies for dialogue in a hegemonic world. He said the generation that first saw images from space began to perceive the interests of the world as a whole, and that this still needs to be translated into social and political action.
Participants discussed: dialogue with the private sector, the false universalization of Western values, communicating the principles of the conference to world leaders, whether ethical arguments can influence business, reconciling communitarianism and capitalism, and concerns that dialogue might erode cultural heritage or facilitate the imposition of some cultures upon others.
This session took place on Tuesday afternoon and was chaired by Van Ginkel. He reviewed the discussions at the Conference and grouped the topics discussed into three major lines of thinking: environment and conflict, environment and human security, and dialogue. The Chair of each session then provided an overview of the discussions in their sessions.
Van Ginkel said a non-negotiated communiqué from the Conference would be forwarded by the Islamic Republic of Iran to the September high-level event at the commencement of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly. Clements led the subsequent discussion on the issues to be included in the communiqué, suggesting as a starting point: the complexity of environmental problems and solutions; links between the environment and security, development and human rights; the need to celebrate unity in diversity of civilizations; the need for justice, compassion and truth to accompany peace; moving from "national security" to "human security"; the world's complicity in Middle Eastern conflicts; state and societal failure; the inadequacy of the current legal framework; green indicators; the need for "reality-based optimism"; the special role of women and indigenous peoples; and political and cultural diversity as an evolutionary strategy.
Participants then made suggestions for the communiqué, including: proposing that regions declare themselves free of weapons of mass destruction; directing the communiqué to skeptical audiences rather than the converted; supporting proposals for a UN Peacebuilding Commission; strengthening international environmental law, especially regarding conflicts; and calling for civil society to be allowed to participate at the September high-level event at the commencement of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly.
The meeting was adjourned for one hour while the Secretariat prepared the communiqué to be adopted during the closing plenary.
The closing plenary convened late in the afternoon on Tuesday, 10 May and was chaired by Conference Chair Ebtekar. She thanked all participants and introduced the outcome document, the Tehran Communiqué, which was then distributed. Van Ginkel summarized the proceedings of the Conference and the three streams of working sessions (environment and conflict, environment and human security, dialogue). Conference Chair Ebtekar noted that reports from the Chair of each session will be fed into the final report of the Conference. She then opened the floor for amendments or comments on the text of the Tehran Communiqué and, there being none, declared it adopted.
Reflecting on discussions at the Conference, Wolfgang Burhenne, International Council of Environmental Law, said that: policymakers must engage in more general dialogues; there must be greater respect given to culture, religion, and history in dialogue; a culture of dialogue must be developed; issues concerning shared resources must be addressed; the Security Council should designate safe havens in times of war for vital natural areas; and world leaders should use dialogue to strengthen solidarity, respect and tolerance.
Alexandre Kiss, European Council for Environmental Law, said care for the environment is essential due to the growing complexity of problems. He underlined the need for a preventive and holistic approach, long-term perspectives on environmental issues, and a sense of responsibility starting with individuals. He also recommended the use of a human rights approach and said access to justice and public participation issues must be addressed.
Kamal Kharrazi, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the Conference signifies that the interaction between environment, peace and security is increasingly appreciated everywhere. He stressed that people have come to realize that the environment is critical to people's lives and that it is in real jeopardy. He said the promotion of a global forum is another positive development and that dialogue must be inclusive.
Adnan Amin, UNEP, on behalf of Töpfer, thanked the Iranian Government for its vision, leadership and hospitality, and emphasized that the process should be continued and strengthened in the future, possibly through a global forum at UNESCO. He also noted the potential of a future UN Peacebuilding Commission to address these issues.
Conference Chair Ebtekar then closed the meeting, expressing hope that this would be only "the end of the beginning" and inviting participants to conduct inner dialogue and to search for peace within themselves. She closed the meeting at 6:48 pm.
Participants adopted the Tehran Communiqué during the closing plenary on the afternoon of Tuesday, 10 May. The Communiqué provides a brief introduction to the structure and aims of the Conference, summarizes the main issues discussed, and provides nine recommendations and conclusions arising from the Conference.
The Communiqué states that participants at the Conference underscored their "conviction of the common brotherhood of all peoples and a vision of a global civilization enriched by the peaceful interaction among individuals, cultures, religions and perspectives." It notes the currently fragmented nature of global discourse leading to increasing global tensions and insecurity and urges the creation of a new model of dialogue among civilizations and cultures based on mutual respect and recognition.
The Communiqué emphasizes that the environment provides an important aspect of holistic dialogue that can contribute to understanding by, among other things, supporting a revitalized framework for effective multilateralism, confidence building and strategies for conflict avoidance, and effective decision-making. It states that an inclusive approach based on dialogue can be a catalyst for cooperation to ensure that problems of shared resources can produce effective shared solutions. It adds that there is a need for the reconstitution of ethical and spiritual messages that are common to all faiths concerning the protection of the environment and the central message of peace, tolerance and harmony.
The Communiqué calls for vibrant, inclusive and democratic multilateralism based on respect, tolerance, accountable governance, human rights and inclusiveness. It emphasizes that UN reform should reinforce the objectives of promoting peace, security, freedom, democracy, respect for human dignity and respect for creation and must be democratic and accommodate all views and respect the rights of all peoples and nations. The Communiqué also states that intersectoral coordination within the UN must be made more effective through dialogue.
The Communiqué includes conclusions and recommendations stating, among other things: that there is a need for a new shared vision of a common destiny to create a culture of universal peace and solidarity and thus an environment free from poverty, war, fear, violence and insecurity; that there is a need to deepen and broaden the process of dialogue among civilizations and cultures; that UNEP should continue its initiative on environment, peace and dialogue and consider holding annual international meetings; that efforts should be made to develop better understanding of the issues of security and environment and link them to broader discussions on security; that greater efforts should be made to include broader constituencies, including mayors and civil society, in this process; that the proposed UN Peacebuilding Commission should contribute to the objectives of the Conference; that consideration should be given to the development of fora for preventive dialogue and confidence building, conflict resolution and post-conflict restitution; and that cultural, ethical and spiritual values must be fully integrated into strategies of dialogue for peace, security and development.
The Communiqué is to be formally submitted by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN Secretary-General as a message to the UN high-level event in September at the commencement of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly.
SECOND MEETING OF PARTIES TO THE AARHUS CONVENTION:This meeting of Parties to the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) will convene from 25-27 May 2005, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The meeting will review progress to date, make future plans and discuss developments at global and regional levels regarding Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. For more information, contact: Ella Behlyarova, Environmental Affairs Officer, ECE; tel: +41-22-917-2376; fax: +41-22-917-0107; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Internet:
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: Mayors from 60 cities will attend the signing of the Urban Environmental Accords in San Francisco, California, US, on 5 June 2005 to mark World Environment Day. Official celebrations will include a walk entitled "Peace and the Environment at Muir Woods – the UN at 60" plus over 200 community activities in the San Francisco Bay area. For more information, contact: World Environment Day Secretariat; tel: +1-415-355-9905; fax: +1-415-353-9933; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Internet: http://www.wed2005.org
FRAGILE STATES: This conference will be held on 23-24 June 2005 at The
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in London, UK. The
conference will address the challenges to meeting the Millennium
Development Goals in "Fragile States," including states affected by
conflict. For further details, contact Marlene Julien; tel:
+44-0-207-065-0800; fax: +44-0-207-065-0801; e-mail:
The ECOSOC High-level Segment will convene from 29 June to 1 July 2005
at UN headquarters in New York to address the theme "Achieving the
internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the
Millennium Declaration as well as implementing the outcomes of the major
United Nations conferences and summits: progress made, challenges and
opportunities." The substantive session will also involve the following
sessions: Coordination Segment (5-7 July); Operational Activities Segment
(8-12 July); Humanitarian Affairs (13-18 July); General Segment (18-25
July); and conclusion (26-27 July). For more information, contact:
Sarbuland Khan, ECOSOC; tel: +1-212-963-4628; fax: +1-212-963-1712;
email@example.com; Internet:
G8 2005 SUMMIT: The 2005 G8 Summit will convene from 6-8 July 2005, at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland. Under the UK Presidency, the G8�s deliberations will focus on Africa and climate change among other topics. For more information, contact: British Prime Minister�s Office; fax: +44-20-7925-0918; e-mail: http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page821.asp; Internet: http://www.g8.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1078995902703
THIRD WORLD YOUTH CONGRESS:This Congress will meet from 30 July to 8 August 2005, in Stirling, Scotland. Convening under the theme of "Young People working together for a sustainable world community," delegates will seek to highlight how much youth do and are doing to support the achievement of the MDGs. For more information, contact: Ray Bugg, Media and Communications Manager; tel: +44-131-244-7425; fax: +44-795-726-1178; e-mail:
firstname.lastname@example.com; Internet: http://www.scotland2005.org
Organized by DESA and the State Government of Queensland, Australia, this
conference will meet from 14-17 August 2005, in Brisbane, Australia, and
will seek to promote understanding of the concept of engagement and
participative practices and their role in good governance. For more
information, contact: OzAccom Conference Services; tel: +61-7-3854-1611;
fax: +61-7-3854-1507; e-mail:
HELSINKI CONFERENCE 2005 � MOBILIZING POLITICAL WILL: Convening from 7-9 September 2005, in Helsinki, Finland, this conference represents the culmination of the Helsinki Process on Globalization and Democracy. For more information, contact: Pieni Roobertinkatu, Helsinki Conference Secretariat; tel: +358-9-698-7024; fax: +358-9-612-7759; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Internet: http://www.helsinkiconference.fi
SUMMIT: This High-level Plenary Meeting will take place from 14-16
September 2005 at UN headquarters in New York. The meeting is expected to
undertake a comprehensive progress review of the commitments in the UN
Millennium Declaration. For more information, contact: Office of the
President of the General Assembly; tel: +1-212-963-2486; fax:
+1-212-963-3301; e-mail:
firstname.lastname@example.com; Internet:


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5.0 5.0
4.0 4.0
5.0 5.0
Things I liked: Nice trigger, very good fit and finish and great accuracy. A real deal for the price.
Things I would have changed: Offer thumbhole stock and walnut stock options
What others should know: it is possible to pump this by hand. I got the Benjamin pump and its a bit of a work out but very doable if you are only shooting 50 75 rounds. BTW I'm 53 yrs. old so should be even easier for the younger set :)
1.0 1.0
2.0 2.0
1.0 1.0
Things I liked: Nothing as after 2 weeks I cannot shoot this pistol. If you have a foster fitting on your pump/tank you need to order a special conversion fitting for $10 and this is not clear from the product description. Please note the quality of the fitting is horrible. It does NOT fit into a foster female adapter due to poor workmanship and bad tolerances.
Things I would have changed: CLEARLY communicate on the product description the need for proper fittings. Actually inspect and make sure the conversion fittings work and fit their respective counterparts.
What others should know: Gun finish is good but w/out correct fittings the gun cannot be charged,
|By Brandon from USA on 2013-05-01
1.0 1.0
1.0 1.0
Things I liked: Nothing, as this is a POOR quality part and will not fit a standard foster female fitting on a pumo. Please note the quality of the fitting is horrible. It does NOT fit into a foster female adapter due to poor workmanship and bad tolerances. I puschsed this only to find it would not fit my pump causing at least another week at best to get a chance to shoot a new PCP pistol I purchased.
Things I would have changed: Actually QA parts when then come in as well as before shipping
What others should know: Pyramyd Air quality control is slipping and we need to make sure we let them know this is not acceptable and have other alternatives where we can purchase air guns and related supplies.


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A relatively affordable pair of speakers from a traditionally high-end brand, but how do these standmounters stack up against the competition?
A hugely talented and fun pair of speakers. If you have a smaller room, you need to audition these
This easy-to-listen-to pair of earbuds is a great option. A little more punch and gloss would be nice, but you should definitely give these a try
Great alternative to conventional speakers. Though not for everyone, it's hard to better for the cash
A handsome, cuboidal little fellow that can be used in a forward or downward-firing configuration


text: On Wed, 26 Sep 2007, ok wrote: > [Concerning the fact that fmod(x,y) = -fmod(-x,y)] > I wrote: >>> Interesting, perhaps. Surprising, no. fmod() is basically there for >>> the sake of sin(), cos(), and tan() (or any other periodic and >>> either symmetric or antisymmetric function). > > On 25 Sep 2007, at 8:58 pm, Henning Thielemann wrote: >> Why is this particular behaviour useful in connection with trigonometric >> functions? > > Range reduction. > sin(x) = sin(fmod(x, M_TWOPI)). > > Whether that is the *best* way to handle range reduction is another > matter. This would work with any reasonable definition of fmod, not only with the one, where fmod(-1, M_TWOPI) = -1. I still think that this particular definition is disadvantageous. Say, you want to implement a periodic function and you want to implement the core computation only for the smallest necessary range (say because of fast convergence), then with fmod(x, M_TWOPI) you have to add another case splitting, or you must implement it for the range (-M_TWOPI, M_TWOPI). If fmod(x,y) would generate the same sign as y, you had 0 <= fmod(x, M_TWOPI) < M_TWOPI.


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It is interesting how gardening changes from year to year. For example, some years you can tell when spring is over when the lilacs are at the end of their bloom. Not this year. In our area the lilacs bloomed very early and then we had a killing frost that not only ended the bloom, but also damaged early fruit blossoms.
Although some gardeners continue to pick rhubarb well into the summer, harvest should end the first part of July. This is especially true if the patch is a fairly new one. Be sure to continue to cut off stalks that have gone to seed. Rhubarb plants require a lot of organic matter and large amounts of balanced complete fertilizer. Top dress with well-rotted manure or mulch in the fall. Continue to keep the patch weed free and if you need to move or rejuvenate the patch wait until next spring.
Asparagus is another spring crop where the harvest should be winding down the first part of July. It should not be harvested hard until the fourth or fifth year of growth and if the ferns are very small, they shouldn't be harvested at all. Leave the ferns to grow so they can rejuvenate the roots going into the long cold winter. Cut the ferns after they have frozen and dried in late fall or leave them over winter to help collect snow for next spring. Whenever you cut the ferns, remove and destroy in case there are insects or disease in the stalks.
There is still lots of work to do in the asparagus patch. Keep the weeds out of the patch, even though this gets more difficult as the patch ages. Also, don't let the patch dry out as stress always invites insects and disease. You need to keep looking for the asparagus beetle. This orange colored insect likes to eat the ferns especially the small ones. It can defoliate the ferns and can kill the plant if the problem is severe. This beetle lays black eggs on the tips of the spears. This distorts the spears into the shape of a shepherds crook, making the spear unacceptable for harvest. If you are into spraying, be sure to buy an insecticide that says it controls the asparagus beetle. I use a product called Eight by Bonide which seems to be fairly effective. After harvest, add nitrogen fertilizer that will help fern development. The bushier the asparagus, the better the yield next year.
Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed July 19 as University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Day in Minnesota! The program began here 35 years ago and currently there are more than 2200 active Master Gardeners in nearly all Minnesota counties who volunteer over 130,000 hours annually.


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WILMINGTON, N.C., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- aaiPharma Inc. said today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its M.V.I.(R) (Multi-Vitamin Infusion) and Aquasol(R) product business to Mayne Pharma (USA) Inc., Paramus, N.J., a subsidiary of Australia's Mayne Group Limited .
Under terms of the agreement, aaiPharma will receive $100 million in cash from Mayne upon closing of the transaction, as well as an additional $5 million contingent cash payment upon U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for a new M.V.I. (R) product, subject to certain adjustments. Royalties on certain sales levels of this new product will be paid to aaiPharma as part of this agreement.
"The sale of this business is consistent with aaiPharma's long-term corporate strategy to focus on pain management while leveraging the non-pain components of our business for the greatest value for both shareholders and physicians," stated Dr. Philip S. Tabbiner, President and CEO of aaiPharma. "With its robust portfolio of injectable pharmaceuticals, we believe Mayne Pharma is in an excellent position to fully leverage the enhancements we have made to the product line over the last two years. The proceeds from this sale will be used to further pay down our debt."
Since purchasing the M.V.I.(R) and Aquasol(R) line from AstraZeneca in August 2001 for less than $100 million including the forthcoming final payment of $31.5 million, aaiPharma has brought innovative science to bear on reformulating and extending the product family, consistent with its strategy to improve well-known medicines through science. The company received approval of a New Drug Application (NDA) for M.V.I Adult(TM), a reformulation of M.V.I.-12(R) in single-dose and unit vial presentations in January 2004, as well as approval of an NDA for M.V.I. Adult(TM) Pharmacy Bulk Package earlier this month. Details of the aforementioned sNDA are not disclosed for competitive reasons.
M.V.I.-12(R) and M.V.I.-Pediatric(R) are multivitamin market leaders for patients who require intravenous feeding as a result of surgery, extensive burns, fractures and other trauma, severe infectious disease, or comatose states in which the replenishment of nutrients is critical. M.V.I. Adult(TM), the newest addition to the M.V.I. (R) family, is a reformulation of M.V.I.- 12(R) in which concentrations of four vitamins are increased and vitamin K is added.
The Aquasol(R) brands of nutritional products include Aquasol A(R) parenteral (water-miscible vitamin A Palmitate), for the treatment of vitamin A deficiency and Aquasol E(R) Drops (aqueous vitamin supplement), which are administered for the treatment of infants, children and adults with a vitamin E deficiency.
aaiPharma's sale of its M.V.I.(R) and Aquasol(R) business to Mayne is subject to early termination or expiration of the waiting period mandated by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976 and other contractual conditions.
About aaiPharma
aaiPharma Inc. is a leading, science-based pharmaceutical company focused on pain management, with corporate headquarters in Wilmington, North Carolina. With more than 24 years of drug development expertise, the Company is focused on developing, acquiring, and marketing well-known, branded medicines in its targeted therapeutic areas. aaiPharma 's development efforts are focused on developing improved medicines from established molecules through its significant research and development capabilities. For more information on the Company, including its product development organization AAI Development Services, please visit aaiPharma's website at http://www.aaipharma.com/.
Forward Looking Statements
Information in this press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, including the statements pertaining to future payments and royalties to be received by the Company, the Company's plans for use of the proceeds of the sale, and the closing of the sale after satisfaction of the relevant approvals and conditions. The "forward-looking statements" herein involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties pertaining the satisfaction of the relevant approvals and conditions; the level of sales of products on which royalties would be paid; the commercial and medical attractiveness of the Company's present and planned products in light of sales of competitive or generic products; regulatory decisions by the FDA and other agencies regulating the Company; and the Company's ability to successfully acquire, finance, conduct successful research on, develop, improve, obtain timely regulatory approval for, launch, extend product life cycles of, and sell, on a commercially profitable basis, pharmaceutical products; to obtain, use, enforce, defend and license valid and commercially valuable patents, including, without limitation, in the Company's patent litigation; to obtain and enforce existing and future contracts; and on the commercial success of the contemplated products. Additional factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially are discussed in aaiPharma's recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 28, 2003, including its exhibits; its Forms 10-Q filed on May 15, 2003, August 14, 2003 (including its Exhibit 99.1) and November 14, 2003, its Form 8-Ks; and its other periodic filings.
CONTACT: Media, Andrea L. Johnston, Vice President, CorporateCommunications, +1-910-254-7340, or James B. Sloan, Jr., Senior VicePresident, Corporate Finance, +1-910-254-7690, both of aaiPharma Inc.
Web site: http://www.aaipharma.com/


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Norfolk Wherry Brass to hold 10th anniversary concert
PUBLISHED: 10:00 24 April 2014
A competing brass band will be putting on a special concert this weekend to mark its 10th anniversary.
The Norfolk Wherry Brass 10th Birthday Concert will be held at St Mary's Church, Stalham, on Saturday April 26 at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £7 (£1 for under 16s) and are available from Century Printing at 132 High Street, Stalham, or on the door.
As well as music, the event will include a grand raffle.
Since 2004 the band has won two invitations to national brass band finals events in Harrogate and to two at Cheltenham.
Following the success of the main band, the Norfolk Wherry Brass Academy Band was also formed.
Visit www.norfolkwherrybrass.co.uk for more information.


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- 70 month(s) ago
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The Guinea-Bissau army and opposition parties have agreed to set up a transitional body to run the country, ahead of talks on Monday with West African bloc ECOWAS, which has denounced the recent coup.
The news came before shortly before the new junta said on Sunday it was closing all air and sea borders. That move was prompted by former colonial power Portugal's announcement that it was sending two navy ships and a military plane for a possible evacuation of its nationals.
The "military command" said in a statement that it had decided to shut down all air and sea access, without saying how long the measures would remain in place.
On the political front, all existing institutions will be dissolved to make way for a National Transitional Council, Fernando Vaz, a spokesman for the opposition parties, said.
The size and composition of the council and the length of its mandate will be determined at a meeting on Monday between the political parties, which will then take their proposals to the junta, he added.
The decision was reached at a meeting between the coup leaders and the leaders of 22 of the 35 parties that had made up the opposition to the government that was toppled last Thursday.
Two committees have been set up to run the country in the period leading up to the creation of the transitional council: one would handle diplomatic affairs; the other social issues.
The diplomatic committee will meet on Monday with delegates from ECOWAS, which has already denounced the coup and called for a return to constitutional rule.
The West African bloc has said that a presidential election, which the coup interrupted between the first round and a second-round run-off that had been scheduled for April 29, should be put back on track.
The final round had been due to take place between the then prime minister Carlos Gomes Junior and ex-president Kumba Yala.
Even before the coup however, Yala and other opposition leaders had denounced as fraudulent the result of the first round, which Gomes won comfortably, and had called for a boycott of the rest of the election.
The junta leaders have said they are holding both Gomes and Yala.
And under the terms the military set out to the opposition parties, the new arrangement with the former opposition specifically excludes the former ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which has led the country for almost 10 years.
In a sign of resistance to the coup leaders, the National Union of Workers of Guinea-Bissau (UNTG) which represents mainly public sector workers, issued a call for a general strike on Monday to protest the coup.
The union has around 8,000 members.
Earlier on Sunday, soldiers broke up a demonstration by some 30 people in front of the national assembly, where the talks were being held.
The new junta is setting the terms of the new administration and has told opposition parties that it will keep the defence and interior ministries in any new government. -- AFP
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We regret to inform you that DollarsDirect will no longer be operating as of December 31st, 2016.
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Forex ProfitCaster Review of Bill Poulos Program Updated And Revealed At ForexProfitCasterReviews.org
A Forex ProfitCaster review has been revealed to the public as Bill Poulos plans to release a new version of Forex Profit Caster on Dec 10th. ForexProfitCasterReviews.org reveals whether this Forex trading software that runs completely online and also provides a complete Forex Profit Caster educational system sounds too good to be true.
Houston, TX (PRWEB) December 09, 2012
The crux of being a successful trader is all down to the knowledge level, the quality of the alerts, and knowing exactly what to do with them. For this reason Bill Poulos has updated his program and an updated Forex ProfitCaster review on ForexProfitCasterReviews.org reveals whether this program is actually worth shelling out hard earned cash.
One of the most important aspects of Forex ProfitCaster is that it runs totally online which means that it not platform specific (it can be use on a Mac, iPad, PC, Windows) and can be accessed from anywhere in the world with an ADSL Internet connection and a fully featured browser. The program consists of custom written web-based trade alert software that uses the breakthrough proprietary 'triangle' forecasting algorithms. It also includes trade alert messages, dual trading method and hourly and end of day charts, weekly online group coaching and Q&A sessions with Bill Poulos, etc.
A Forex ProfitCaster review reveals that this program literally leads the novice (and not so novice) trader by the hand. It offers lifetime access to the members' website, as well as a year's unlimited email support is suitable for every level of Forex trader. People can take the wealth of information that Bill's spent the last 35+ years gaining and use it to make their own serious profits trading Forex. To get started as soon as possible, there is a physical home study course including 4 CD-ROM video tutorials, a full color reference manual, trading blueprints and a quick start guide.
A reviewer from http://ForexProfitCasterReviews.org/ says, "You can't be in the Forex world for long without coming across the names of Bill and/or Greg Poulos. Bill is both a trader of many years experience as well as an investment educator. And he learned his trading lessons the hard way – on the trading floor developing the knowledge and discipline needed to be profitable on a basis that sustains itself. And it's the combination of both these educational and trading knowledge that meant that these guys have produced such well-received software programs in the past, such as the Forex Profit Multiplier, to name but one. Whether you're a rookie trader, been dabbling for a few years or have spent a large proportion of your life not gaining the returns you need from your trading, the Forex ProfitCaster could well be right up your street."
To get instant access to the program or to get more information about it one should go to the official website here.
To access a comprehensive Forex ProfitCaster review, visit http://forexprofitcasterreviews.org/forex-profit-caster-review
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebforex-profitcaster/review/prweb10158785.htmView Comments and Join the Discussion!


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Really…An Internet Kissing Machine? This Is Kinda Weird-No, It's Very Weird.
A Japanese computer lab has created a device that will let you "French kiss" someone over the Internet. And by "kiss," I mean waggle your tongue on a plastic straw, thereby making another plastic straw waggle remotely on someone else's tongue. That's so hot. Oooo Baby…..
Whatever. If you are that hard up to get your mouth stimulated that you need to "kiss" with someone online with a straw, maybe you should just end it all right there and then. Anyway, here's the "story" from CNN: Japanese lab invents Internet kissing machine


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Posted 5 years ago
(167 items)
This was my father's, it has been sitting on the edge of the field where it broke down apx. 45 years ago. I can't remember what broke on it & why he left it there, could have been the hitch, without that he couldn't move it.
This is a ground driven 5' mower made in Smith Falls, ON
It had sunk into the ground up to the axle & surprisingly some of the parts still move.
Not sure what I'm going to do with it, my wife didn't sound to thrilled when I mentioned lawn ornament!
I think we need an agriculture category!