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Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei - Founder of Aikido Master Koretoshi Maruyama - Founder of Aikido Yuishinkai Michael Williams Sensei - Chief Instructor Andrew Sunter Sensei - Head Dojo Instructor, Sydney
Aikido is a highly refined martial art, developed last century as a means of self-defence and spiritual training. Aikido develops coordination of mind and body. Through its philosophy and techniques, Aikido brings us into harmony with our environment, other people and ourselves. Unlike many martial arts, Aikido requires no advantage in strength or speed, and is practised successfully by people of all ages and abilities. Aikido practice develops flexibility, coordination, concentration, improved health and fitness, effective communication skills and self-esteem. Central to Aikido is the idea of being in harmony with your opponents, rather than in conflict with them. The movement and energy of an attack is redirected without the need for collision or the use of force. The physical practice of this fundamental principle of Aikido, leads to a better understanding of people and nature, while teaching essential skills for the resolution of conflict. The movements of Aikido are circular and flowing. They are designed on the principles of nature and move in circles and spirals. When Aikido is performed well there is great beauty and composure in the movements of both partners.
Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei - Founder of Aikido
The Founder of Aikido was Master Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969). He became known as O-Sensei (Great Teacher). From an early age O-Sensei applied himself to the discipline of Japan's martial arts (budo), becoming an accomplished master in many styles. It was this thoroughly expert foundation in the ways of the fighting arts that led him to develop Aikido. Mirroring his appetite for martial knowledge was the depth of his spiritual explorations. In developing these aspects he saw that budo should follow the laws of nature, be in harmony with them and serve to protect them. O-Sensei believed in universal harmony, that Aikido was a means of attaining that goal, and that violence and aggression could be turned aside by harmony of spirit.
Master Koretoshi Maruyama - Founder of Aikido Yuishinkai
Sensei was born in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, on 5 October 1936. He became interested in the martial arts from his Middle School years, and at his father's urging he took up judo and earned a black belt. In his first year of university, again at his father's urging, Maruyama Sensei entered the Rikidozan School of Professional Wrestling and also trained in weight-lifting and boxing, while continuing his training in judo at the Kodokan.
In the spring of his third year of university, he began to develop doubts about the martial arts of judo, wrestling and boxing, and their emphasis on contests of strength. He joined the Keio University Aikido Club and also began training at Aikikai honbu. He found in aikido what he had been searching for over many years: a martial art that did not depend on strength, and that taught correct attitude of mind.
Maruyama Sensei graduated from the Economics Department of Keio University in March of 1956, after which he continued his training in aikido, while working in the family business, Maruyama Manufacturing.
In 1967 he delegated his responsibilities in the family business so that he could become a full-time, professional aikido instructor under the tutelage of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba Sensei, and dedicate himself to the martial art that taught the principles of mind and Ki. In 1971 he went to Hawaii for four months, to teach aikido on each of the islands.
In 1972, he resigned from the Aikikai to become the Chief Instructor of the Ki no Kenkyukai, founded in September of 1971 by Koichi Tohei Sensei, who granted Maruyama Sensei the rank of 8th dan. In 1973 he became responsible for teaching in Hawaii, and for ten years taught Ki Principles at the University of Hawaii in Hilo, as well as at Keio University Physical Education Research Department in Japan. From 1977 he studied with Haruchika Noguchi Sensei how to heal and help people with Ki and use Ki in daily life. At the same time, he also studied the psychology of Zen from the Zen Priest Shogen Munou, from whom he learned how to use the mind positively.
During this period, he also travelled extensively to Hawaii and many other states of the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines, Guam, the United Kingdom, Italy and other parts of Europe, teaching aikido and ki principles.
Maruyama Sensei became President of Ki no Kenkyukai in 1990. However, he began to have reservations about the direction and policies of the Ki Society, and resigned from this position on 29 July 1991.
From this time he undertook a period of ten years of seclusion in a temple in Saitama Prefecture, intensively training in the philosophy and practice that 'You are fundamentally Mind'. He left the temple on 9 October 2001. During this time he had received permission from the temple priest to establish Aikido Yuishinkai, which he did on 9 May 1996. Sensei continues to develop Aikido Yuishinkai to the present day.
As a result of his ten-year period of training, Maruyama Sensei developed the Motto for Members of Aikido Yuishinkai. This is spoken by members on awakening, after training, and before going to sleep.
Founder's philosophy
Words have a power of their own.
The power of the spoken word was recognised in ancient Japan as 'kotodama', or word spirit. To speak a word is to encourage it to come true. Your life energy responds to sounds and thoughts, as expressed in the spoken word. When you fill your daily life with positive words and thoughts, your life is filled with the power of Ki. In this way you can keep mentally and physically healthy, and have a positive influence on others as well. Words have real power, and can produce practical results in your life.
I have written the following motto for members of Aikido Yuishinkai. I encourage you to say them aloud each morning and night to keep your subconscious in a positive state of mind.
I am mind itself.
If I hold positive thoughts in my mind, good things are likely to happen.
Holding negative thoughts in my mind works against my best interests.
Therefore, even if my body suffers physically, my mind remains optimistic.
Even if I encounter obstacles, my mind is never defeated.
Daily I fill my heart with thoughts of joy, gratitude and hope.
I face each new day with a bright and optimistic spirit,
which I express in word and deed.
I have faith in life, and life responds in kind.
Michael Williams Sensei - Chief Instructor
Michael Williams Sensei was first attracted to aikido while visiting New Zealand in 1974, where he attended demonstrations by Koichi Tohei Sensei. He was a serious student of yoga and wing chun kung fu at that time.
Returning to his homeland of South Africa, he began training with Jean Claude Delgueldre Sensei, Chief Instructor of Aikido in South Africa. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1978 where he continued his training with the New Zealand Ki Society. He moved to Australia in 1981, where he founded Aikido Ki Society Australia and established his first dojo at Griffith University in Brisbane. In 1985 he was appointed Chief Instructor of Australia by Koichi Tohei Sensei. At that time, Maruyama Sensei was the Chief Instructor of Ki Society International and taught many seminars in Australia and New Zealand. He was an inspirational teacher to one and all and during this time, Williams Sensei and Maruyama Sensei formed a special bond.
In 1989, Williams Sensei relocated to Byron Bay in northern NSW where he built Goshinkan Dojo. Bordered by forest reserve, Goshinkan provides a serene haven for people to train together. It was officially opened by Master Koretoshi Maruyama, President of Ki Society International, in May 1991.
Williams Sensei resigned from Ki Society International in January 2002 after a 28-year association with the organisation. At the same time he also resigned from Aikido Ki Society Australia, the group he founded in 1981. After re-establishing contact with Maruyama Sensei, Williams Sensei was requested to act as a facilitator to disseminate Aikido Yuishinkai throughout the world. There are now Aikido Yuishinkai dojos operating in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Argentina, Canada and the United States.
Michael Williams Sensei was awarded 9th Dan and appointed Chief Instructor of Aikido Yuishinkai International in October 2003. Top >
Andrew Sunter Sensei - Head Dojo Instructor, Sydney
Andrew Sunter has been a student under Michael Williams Sensei since moving to the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales at the beginning of 1992. In 1996 he spent four months studying in Japan and training at the Ki Society regional headquarters in Osaka.
On his return to Australia he moved back to Sydney and trained for over two years at the Shin Sen dojo under Ken Mclean Sensei, with whom Andrew had taken his first aikido classes in 1990.
Andrew opened a Ki Society dojo in Crows Nest in February 1999 at the suggestion of Michael Williams Sensei and Iwao Tamura Sensei.
Also in 1999, Andrew met Grant South (Palden) Sensei, Inkajo and founder of the Kufudokan. For over two years Andrew lived within the virtuous community of the Kufudokan, training in aikibudo and studying Buddhist principles under Palden Sensei.
Thanks to the enormous patience and support of both Williams Sensei and Palden Sensei, Andrew was able to maintain the purity of training within two schools simultaneously during this time.
The Crows Nest dojo decided unanimously to follow Michael Williams Sensei when he left the Ki Society and subsequently joined Master Maruyama in 2002. The Aikido in Sydney dojo relocated to Camperdown at the beginning of 2004 and the St Clair dojo was opened in October 2005. Top >


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Blog | Comments |
WoW | 63 Comments |
Recent Comments:
How to fix that %$!@# mature language filter bug {WoW}
Dec 7th 2011 1:43PM 'The Ice Stone has melted!'
why wasn't I informed of this? :-/
Breakfast Topic: Did you accomplish your Brewfest goals? {WoW}
Oct 6th 2011 9:46AM 85 pally: no mounts, just trinkets and the Tremendous Tankard (so some upgrades to a point). All of my kegs had either nothing or brewfest tokens.
70 Priest: everything upto the brew of the month and Direbrew (that will have to wait til next year)
My wifes rogue had zero joy in getting anything. I fear for her sanity come Halloween if the Horsemans mount doesn't drop (she wasn't best pleased last year that it never showed up)
Breakfast Topic: What's the longest you've ever farmed for something? {WoW}
Sep 30th 2011 8:15AM My wife gave up farming the Headless Horseman's mount last year out of sheer frustration. Didn't help that my new 80 Pally got it on the first run!
That went down well :-/
I dare not ask if she intends to farm it this year
Breakfast Topic: What are your plans for Brewfest? {WoW}
Sep 20th 2011 8:48AM damn, damn, damn!
My gametime expired last night and I was going to take a break. Maybe a quick re-sub in in order if only to go beat on Coren :)
Breakfast Topic: What are your plans for Brewfest? {WoW}
Sep 20th 2011 8:47AM our GM's wife is in a similar situation. Due any day now, best of luck :)
The Queue: I don't know {WoW}
Sep 13th 2011 12:26PM oh heck, I wasn't talking about mixing them! As for whisky, nothing goes with a single malt (well not in my house). Oh and I rather have tonic with my gin too........
The Queue: I don't know {WoW}
Sep 13th 2011 11:23AM mmmmmmmm, coffee and gin (long may it last)
Breakfast Topic: What was your moment of awe in WoW? {WoW}
Sep 9th 2011 8:28AM Violet Citadel view of Dalaran and the surrounding area
Patch 4.3: Leveling 71-80 will be shorter {WoW}
Aug 29th 2011 3:57PM I'm going to need something to free up the rusted plate my 72 DK is wearing then......
WoW Rookie: 8 tips the veterans use in their gameplay {WoW}
Aug 25th 2011 10:06AM Point 3 is spot on. I lost count of the times when I could have 2 mobs right in front of me, hit Tab and I aggro something half a continent away (well at least that's what it feels like)

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK - Apr 14, 2014
Infor, a leading provider of business application software serving more than 70,000 customers, today announced the general availability of the Infor Implementation Accelerator for Infor Optiva within the Food & Beverage industry. Organizations are now able to implement and utilize the integrated Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) product with a preconfigured database and supporting documentation, which is designed to help provide a faster and more cost-effective return on investment. The Implementation Accelerator for Infor Optiva delivers common PLM best practices and documented business processes for the food and beverage industry leveraging the latest versions of Infor Optiva. This pairing is designed to help enable Infor customers to reduce certain risks associated with implementation and to help establish a lower cost of ownership.
The Implementation Accelerators are designed to deliver core industry application processes, and to help reduce implementation times, risk and cost, both in the cloud or on-premise for customers in various industries.
Infor Optiva is an advanced PLM system designed specifically to cater to the needs of the process manufacturing industry, including food & beverage, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. The product is designed to help enable organizations to get products to market quicker and to shrink product development cycle times, while helping to ensure regulatory compliance, supporting processes, including new product development and introduction, formulation, packaging and label management, integrated stage gate process support and project management. The addition of an Implementation Accelerator to Infor Optiva is designed to help enable food and beverage manufacturers to raise their efficiency, lower costs and deliver products to market faster than before.
"In today's market, food and beverage manufacturers cannot afford to undertake time-consuming technology implementations that create costly downtime for the company," said Chris Krechting, vice president, Global PLM Sales, Infor. "The Implementation Accelerator for Infor Optiva is designed to help speed deployment and time-to-market for new products, which can help companies to keep production on track to better meet the rapidly changing needs of their customer base."
Keep Current on Infor:
About Infor
Infor is fundamentally changing the way information is published and consumed in the enterprise, helping 70,000 customers in more than 200 countries and territories improve operations, drive growth, and quickly adapt to changes in business demands. Infor offers deep industry-specific applications and suites, engineered for speed, and with an innovative user experience design that is simple, transparent, and elegant. Infor provides flexible deployment options that give customers a choice to run their businesses in the cloud, on-premises, or both. To learn more about Infor, please visit www.infor.com.
Infor customers include:
Dan Barnhardt
U.S.A. and Canada
Phone:+1 646 336 1731
Claudia Vazquez
Latin America
Phone:+54 11 4010 8079
Richard Moore
United Kingdom, Southern Europe,
Middle East and Africa
Phone:+44 121 615 8189
Tanja Hossfeld
Central, Northern and Eastern Europe
Phone:+49 172 7481 111
Phyllis Tan
Phone:+65 9799 9133
Sharon Sulc
Phone:+1 614 537 6634


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A Case Against Marketing Consulting/Coaching
Here's an interview with a consultant that was hating the
consulting biz even though he was getting huge consulting fees.
It's a side of the consulting biz you won't hear from other
consulting offers.
I want to show you a dark side of marketing consulting not revealed
until now.
Go to this link to download the interview.
Here's what happened.
I get this e-mail below from Kory Basaraba
—–Original Message—–
From: Kory Basaraba
Sent: Saturday, May, 2009 10:24 PM
To: Michael Senoff
Subject: Re: Kory how is it going ?
Hi Michael,
I was actually thinking a lot about you and the HMA marketing
consulting opportunity this evening, so maybe it's the timing of
your email that's got me writing.
Here's how it's going…
For the last 8 years I've been a "marketing consultant". More
accurately, I end up implementing everything a company needs to get
their marketing off the ground from copy to websites to graphic
design to video production to database management and coordinating
all the moving pieces.
I've been selling for 20 years. I have worked on websites for
fortune 500 companies, learned how to program databases and manage
large projects, and have been following Jay Abraham and Dan Kennedy
and all the marketing guru's since 1997.
I've never had a problem getting clients. My problem has been
getting the work done once I start and under charging for my
services (Started out charging $3,000 8 years ago.
The last 3 clients have been $30,000 up front plus a % of increased
sales, and that was still under-charging for the amount of work I
end up doing).
I also take on too many projects at once and get way wrapped up
trying to "save" my clients businesses or doing extra work for no
charge because they can't afford to pay for what needs to happen.
Anyway – after 8 years I decided none of it was working.
I wasn't happy.
I knew I created all of it from my choices along the way and that I
had to un-create the situation.
I got sick 3 weeks ago and ended up in bed for almost a month
thinking about all the important things in life.
Now that I'm back on my feet I made some changes.
This week I fired all my clients (walked away from substantial
royalty income) and decided to simplify my life.
My focus is now on copywriting – something I've been working on for
5 years – and also (curiously) the HMA system is regularly in my
I've been following your stuff for about 4 years now and am
constantly tempted to sign up because of the simplicity of the
It has clear expectations, clear budgets, well defined projects and a
FINISH LINE to look forward to.
I hope everything is well with you and that you are on track to
reaching your goals this year. I've seen how consistent you are
about moving forward with your business and you deserve all the
success you can handle.
Best regards,
Kory Basaraba
I called Kory and asked for an interview.
Here's the interview with all the details below.
It's the dark side of marketing consulting not revealed until now.
Go to this link to download the interview.
Or click This Link To Play The Interview
PS. Kory is a hell of a sales person and in this interview he
reveals one simple question that he would ask owners of businesses
that got him appointments like magic.
He told me as awkward as it was, he would just ask this one question
and shut his mouth and clients would invite him in to talk more.
Go to this link below for what you get with the system, the price, offer and risk free guarantee.
If you have not listened to these audio recording and interviews yet, make sure you do so.
You Can Earn A Living – Or A Fortune – In The Booming Consulting Business. Let Me Show You How With 100% Free Marketing Consulting Interviews.
What to Expect as an HMA Consultant
Here are two conversations between a gentleman and myself about what he can expect if he becomes and HMA consultant.
As you will hear, Aria and I had spoken before when I noticed that he was accessing information in my web site, www.hardtofindseminars.com. As it turns out, he was studying information about the HMA System and how to become an HMA Consultant. Being a Marketing Consultant was something that Aria had always dreamed of – to help businesses market their services and products better to realize greatly increased profits. Here, when Aria calls me, he has already almost decided to go for it and join the HMA team. He simply wanted some validation as to the program and what materials would be available when he joined.
This 27 minute recording of our calls is a great crash course for anyone who is considering a new career as an HMA Marketing Consultant. We cover such things as:
√ Exclusive tools and advice that I make available to new HMA Consultants that will greatly help to establish their credibility to potential clients.
√ Ways to train yourself to become an expert and comfortable at completing Opportunity Analyses with your prospects.
√ How becoming an HMA Consultant and having access your training materials are so quick and easy. You'll have access to the online materials immediately followed by a shipment of additional training materials just a few days later.
√ My personal commitment to all HMA Consultants and how I make helping them my top priority.
√ The continuing education that HMA Consultants receive at the online HMA University.
√ Options about setting up your consulting business (sole proprietorship, incorporating, etc.) and my advice to new consultants.
√ Tax advantages of starting your own business.
√ You will get a peek into an invaluable tools and content available to new consultants in the HMA University.
√ …and much more.
If you're curious about the HMA System but want to know what kind of training you will receive and how I will work with you, don't miss this enlightening recording!
Go to this link below for what you get with the system, the price, offer and risk free guarantee.
You Can Earn A Living – Or A Fortune – In The Booming Consulting Business. Let Me Show You How With 100% Free Marketing Consulting Interviews.
Robert Clay Interview Reveals Million Dollar Consulting Secrets
Hi, it's Michael Senoff with Michael Senoff's Hardtofindseminars.com. Here's another recording with a gentleman named Robert Clay. He's the founder and CEO of DSP Solutions, U.K. Limited. He's an author, speaker, and designer of world class, low risk, high return marketing strategies.
The purpose of this interview is to expose you, the HMA Consultant, to other marketing consultants – consultants who are maybe doing things a little bit different but some of the same things you're doing in your HMA practice. It's also to broaden your horizon and show you the potential in this business. Wait until you hear the stories and wait until you hear me uncover Robert's system for generating very high paying clients. You'll hear how he's using seminars to generate these clients in the most efficient manner.
Robert has an amazing history. Let me tell you a little bit about him. At 19, with no capital, in three years he started a business that achieved 40% penetration of initial market potential compared to 17 nationally for all other brands combined. He achieved much press from coverage in the Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph, Guardian, Observer, and many other regional newspapers and industry publications. Then, at 23, he started franchising. He ran successful marketing campaigns which took his business to number three in the U.K. within three years with other franchises worldwide.
He invented the glass sun roof, as we know it today, creating from scratch a market in the U.K. for more than 250,000 units a year within three years when it became the third largest sun roof manufacturer in Europe. Eventually, he sold both of these businesses to one of the largest companies in Europe and was instrumental in taking that business to number one in its field in the world within only four years.
He started consulting with other entrepreneurs and business owners, clarifying and demystifying marketing and transforming their thinking and business results. He set up his consulting firm called DSP in the year 2000 as an experiment and has since helped hundreds of businesses to transform their marketing and business fortunes using low risk, high return marketing strategies.
Some of his successes include helping a number of business startups to achieve market leadership in their in their field or in the U.K. or in Europe or in the world. One was the national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner in 2002 who later appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List and sold out in December of 2007 for £75 million. Another was the Entrepreneur of the Year runner up the same year. Another award-winning client went from startup to £100 million revenue in seven years.
Over the last ten years, DSP has developed a unique and priceless 250,000 page Knowledge Base detailing best marketing practices worldwide in every conceivable industry. Robert continually writes books and regular columns in magazines and newspapers. He's a highly regarded keynote speaker, meeting or exceeding 99.7% of audience expectations. He runs regular workshops and entrepreneurs.
His specialty is in designing low risk, high return marketing strategies for entrepreneurial businesses. He's a provider of knowledge and facilitation in the area of customer acquisition, better conversion of leads to clients, customer retention, increased transaction value, and increased transaction frequency. He runs regular seminars and workshops. He masterminds, creates, implements, and sustains all marketing activities for a limited number of clients without charging a fee but being paid out of the increased profits.
If you're one of my HMA Consultants listening to this, I know you're going to benefit immensely. If you're listening to this and want to become an HMA Consultant, the purpose of this interview is to broaden your horizon and show you how other big players are making it in the consulting business.
Now let's get going. Go to this link below for what you get with the system, the price, offer and risk free guarantee.
You Can Earn A Living – Or A Fortune – In The Booming Consulting Business. Let Me Show You How With 100% Free Marketing Consulting Interviews.


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"DESK"J. J. Lankes, whose woodcuts illustrated New Hampshire, A Further Range, and several Christmas cards shared a friendship with Frost for almost forty years based on their affection for rural life. Lankes had executed Frost-inspired wood cuts before meeting the poet simply for "the sheer love of the thing." Frost in turn noted "I liked your work before I knew you liked mine; you apparently liked mine somewhat before you knew I liked yours. Such a coincidence of taste can never be forseen. It ought to settle it between us."
Lankes painted Frost's Gulley Farm looking north towards Mount Equinox about 1939.
Autograph manuscript of short stories by Lesley Frost and kept while the Frost family lived in Plymouth, New Hampshire."AN IMPORTANT YEAR BY FOUR CHILDREN"
Autograph manuscript notebook dedicated to "Papa and Mamma," written while residing in "The Bungalow," Beaconsfield, England, and containing diagrams, short stories, poetry, illustrations and maps."DERRY NOTEBOOK"
Workbook of Robert Frost, in part childrens' stories, kept in Derry New Hampshire. 44 p. on 32 l.
University of Virginia, 1984
FRANCONIAFrost wrote eighteen stories for his children's amusement during the bitter winter of 1906-1907 while he was teaching at the Pinkerton Academy and the family was living on Derry Farm. The short stories relate the adventures of Lesley, Carol, Irma, Marjorie and their collie Schneider who could make so much noise that President Roosevelt heard them in Washington.
Warren Chappell, University of Virginia artist-in-resident, designed and illustrated this first publication.
Frost's youngest daughter Marjorie Frost Fraser, age 29, died in May 1934, shortly after the birth of her first child Marjorie Robin Fraser. Two years later her posthumous book of poems was printed privately for the Frosts by the Spiral Press.DIGGING DOWN TO CHINA
Frost's oldest daughter Lesley published two books of children's stories, Really Not Really and Digging Down to China. Both contain the adventures of Elinor, Lee, Ricky and the Giraffe, and were based on stories told by Lesley to her daughters and grandchildren.Digging Down to China was illustrated by Frost's granddaughter Robin Fraser Hudnut.


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By LARRY VAUGHT
College basketball analyst Jay Bilas understands the hype for Saturday's Kentucky-Louisville game and the passion both fan bases have for this rivalry. The ESPN analyst also knows many variables factor into who can win the game. However, Bilas doesn't think it's hard to project which player could be the key to his team winning.
"Julius Randle and Russ Smith. I don't think Kentucky will win unless Randle is engaged and fully involved in the offense. Kentucky cannot just put its head down and drive Louisville. Randle has got to get the ball, and he has to want the ball in the right spots and play before he gets the ball," Bilas said. "Smith is capable of taking over the game and getting 35. He is an incredible college player."
Randle is averaging 18.2 points and 11.3 rebounds (tied for third nationally) per game for Kentucky and shooting 54.4 percent from the field. However, he has a team-high 40 turnovers in 12 games. Smith is averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game. He has 29 turnovers. Smith has shown the ability to score at the rim or from 3-point range, but he's also had seven games with five or more assists after having only eight all of last season.
It could help Randle if Willie Cauley-Stein, one of the nation's top shot blockers, can counter Louisville's physical play with a solid overall performance. He's averaging 4.17 blocks per game, fifth best in the nation, along with 9.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
"His mobility and agility are impressive. He has been terrific in blocking and changing shots," Bilas said. "But he can be better in other aspects of the game. Once he accepts and embraces the physical challenge of bigger teams, he will be very good. Right now, physical play bothers him a bit."
Two years ago UK beat Louisville in Rupp Arena and then met the Cards again in the Final Four semifinals. Could one or both of these teams be Final Four-bound again?
"The odds say no. But I still believe that both are among the four most talented teams. If the tournament started today, I'd say no, but Louisville would have the better chance. Thankfully, the tournament doesn't start today," Bilas said.


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WASHINGTON, October 31, 2013 —Charlie Brown and his great pumpkin are back so it must be Halloween. Those of us who have watched the Charles M. Schulz classic as part of a yearly Halloween ritual acknowledge its timeless appeal by sharing it with each new generation. WE also know it is an easy sell, so sharing it with the kids is enjoyed by everyone.
In recent years "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" has attracted as many as ten million viewers. It's a great tradition, but the newest generation of parents are technology junkies. To satisfy their Twitter loving, Facebook posting, YouTube watching needs, Jimmy Kimmel came up with an idea just for all of you.
SEE RELATED: Halloween saftey tips
Go ahead and take the kids trick-or-treating. But not just a little while for some gum, a few suckers and a bruised apple. Take them mega-treating and don't stop till a king's bounty of candy is collected. Then watch Charlie Brown with them and allow them just one piece of candy before bed. Let them salivate over the heaping sack of Kit-Kats, Snickers, and Milky Ways, secure in the knowledge that it will be there when they wake up.
Make sure you rise before the kids so you can be ready to film them when they jump out of bed the next morning and dash for their candy collections. Also make sure you keep a straight face when you tell them you ate all their candy. After traumatizing your children and capturing the action with your iPhone, upload it on YouTube. Don't forget to name it "Jimmy Kimmel's Halloween Prank" or something similar.
After you have uploaded your video and shared it on your social network, get the phone book out of the junk drawer and look up a good child therapist. The last step may be a bit extreme, but there are some things kids don't joke about. Most of us, no matter what age, don't joke about chocolate.
A good compromise would be to show your kids the videos rather than make them the unwitting star of their own. That way their chocolate is saved and you won't feel bad when you lay claim to all the Almond Joys.
SEE RELATED: Gettysburg and Halloween: A spirits-filled combination
Last year's video had over 34 million views.
Happy Halloween!
Tonight's viewing:
All times are EDT:
8 p.m.
ABC: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: (Repeat) Linus waits in the pumpkin patch for the elusive Halloween symbol to appear; a bonus cartoon, "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown," features Linus in a run for class president.
CBS: The Big Bang Theory: (Repeat) When Sheldon's childhood hero, Professor Proton, seeks Leonard's help with an experiment, the slighted Sheldon goes nuclear and decides to get revenge by befriending another TV science guy, Bill Nye.
FOX: The X Factor: (New) Featuring the Top 12 finalists.
NBC: SNL Halloween: (New) Halloween-theme sketches from "Saturday Night Live" are presented.
CW: The Vampire Diaries: (New) Elena meets a sad and secretive student on campus. Later, Elena and Damon attend the Whitmore Historical Ball dressed as Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. While there, Elena receives a disturbing message from Dr. Maxfield. Meanwhile, Nadia reveals her surprising history to Katherine
TNT: NBA Basketball: Knicks at Bulls: (Live) New York at Chicago
8:30 p.m.
CBS: The Millers: (New) Nathan, Debbie and Adam take Mikayla trick-or-treating on Halloween to a house where a witch is believed to live. Also: Nathan and Debbie are furious when they learn the truth about what really happened to their pet parrot when they were kids.
9 p.m.
ABC: Grey's Anatomy: (New) Costumed patients create a challenge for the doctors; Derek and Ben work on a new surgical technique; Richard asks a resident to perform his next surgery, angering Bailey.
CBS: The Crazy Ones: (New) Simon is nominated for a coveted advertising award, as is the guy Sydney had a huge crush on in high school.
FOX: Glee: (Repeat) The McKinley gang celebrate the life of former quarterback and New Directions member Finn Hudson. The episode mirrors the real-life death of actor Cory Monteith (1982-2013), who played Finn.
NBC: Sean Saves the World: (New) When Lorna insults his dancing skills, Sean declares a war on the dance floor.
CW: Reign: (New) A Portuguese prince offers much-needed aid to Scotland if Mary accepts his marriage proposal and break things off with Francis. Elsewhere, Francis' feelings for Mary lead him to put Bash in a risky situation.
9:30 p.m.
CBS: The Big Bang Theory: (Repeat) The guys' competition for a tenured professorship leads them to shamelessly schmooze committee members, including an HR manager who's had a run-in with Sheldon.
NBC: The Micheal J. Fox Show: (New) Annie's plans for a romantic getaway go awry when Mike obsesses on his golf game.
10 p.m.
ABC: Scandal: (New) The team investigates Rep. Josie Marcus; Olivia and Mellie encounter each other at the White House Correspondents' Dinner; Jake and Huck close in on the truth about Operation Remington.
CBS: Elementary: (New) Holmes and Watson investigate when Capt. Gregson's wife is the victim of a home invasion from a masked gunman. Meanwhile, Gregson gives his team some insight into his private life.
NBC: Parenthood: (New) Kristina's campaign swings into high gear; Amber and Sarah make peace and Crosby learns to love his mini-van.
Basic cable:
New episodes of:
The First 48 at 9 p.m. on A&E
Project Runway All Stars at 9 p.m. on LIFE
How It's Made at 9 p.m. on SCI
White Collar at 9 p.m. on USA
Ghost Adventures at 9 p.m. on Travel Channel
Anger Management at 9:30 p.m. on FX
Covert Affairs at 10 p.m. on USA
Beyond Scared Straight at 10 p.m. on A&E
How Do They Do It? at 10 p.m. on SCI
House Hunters at 10 p.m. on HGTV
Pawn Stars at 10 and 10:30 p.m. on History Channel
House Hunters International at 10:30 p.m. on HGTV
This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities @ WashingtonTimes.com. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING TWTC CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.


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Davis resident Daniel Brian Thompson was last seen in Davis on Friday, according to a statement from Davis Police Lt. Paul Doroshov. He was last heard from Saturday.
Davis police have been investigating leads and trying to locate Thompson, Doroshov said.
Thompson is a white male adult, approximately 5-foot-9-inches tall and weighing about 155lbs. Investigators do not have a clothing description. Anyone with information about Thompson's whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Davis Police Department at 747-5400.
Follow The Democrat at twitter.com/woodlandnews


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Manchester magazine Home Page
Philanthropy 101 Planning for retirement and literacy initiatives
AS LINDA MURBACH '62 plans for her own financial future during her retirement, she is helping her alma mater promote literacy initiatives throughout its entire curriculum. The Massachusetts resident has designated Manchester as beneficiary of her retirement plan. And, with current giving, she's created the Avis A. Murbach Literacy Fund in honor of her mother.
The retired educator says her gifts now and in the future help her thank her alma mater for "the positive professional and personal influence that Manchester College has had on my life." The fund will help Education faculty improve and expand literacy education as they train tomorrow's teachers.
Supporting Manchester by making it a beneficiary of your retirement plan can provide significant estate and deferred income tax benefits while achieving a lasting legacy to benefit Manchester students for generations to come.
TALK WITH A GIFT PLANNER Stephen S. Thomas, J.D. Director of Gift & Estate Planning 260-982-5081 or 888-257-2586 email@example.com


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Seein' your world of people and things
zoso June 25th, 2007I was cruising around the Blogipelago over the weekend and found some interesting stuff from Will Wallace, particularly Guilds as Retention Mechanisms, which set me thinking. The MMOGs I've played longest are the ones I've had closest ties to in-game friends/guildmates; is that why I played them longer, or did I play longer because I enjoyed the game, and as a result of that formed closer ties with people? Very chicken and egg. Ahhh! (Stop that! – Ed.)
Anyway, teams, friends, guilds, other players… plenty of food for thought there, enough for a series of blog posts, I think. Unless I get bored and wander off.
2 Responses to "Seein' your world of people and things"
Melmoth Says:
June 25th, 2007 at 7:11 pmI don't mean to alarm you, but it looks as though you have an Editor infestation.
Easily dealt with though; I can give you the number of a good exterminator if you need it.
Zoso Says:
June 25th, 2007 at 7:22 pmStrange, isn't it? Almost like I nicked the idea off another blog…
Damn! Rumbled.


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Facts on Heart Disease:
Symptoms of a heart attack:
As with men, the most common heart attack symptom in women is chest pain or discomfort. But it's important to note that women are more likely to experience the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
What to do during a heart attack:
If you experience any of these signs or symptoms:
Risk factors for heart disease:
Source: Centers for Disease Control


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10 Ways to Be Successfully Lazy in Business
Published on AllBusiness.com
Filed In:
Your Career
Staffing & HR
How to Make Laziness Pay
Ever hear of Hlade's Law? It says that if you have a difficult task, give it to a lazy person -- they'll find an easier way to do it.
Actually, the smartest people are often the laziest because they are always looking for better ways to do things. In the process, they're finding that working smarter, not harder, offers a fast track to business success.
In that spirit, here's our salute to couch-potato business tactics. These 10 suggestions may not make you the busiest business owner on the block, but they just might make you the most successful one. And at the end of the day, isn't that what really matters?
-- Barbara Swenson
More AllBusiness Slideshows


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Live my love,Come and enjoy me as a gift to you.I will share my hopes and dreams,I'll contrive my sense of self, for a while In an effort to honor the meeting of our skins.
Here (my love),You'll fall and loose yourself at my expense,I'll let you express your deepest desires.Lose sight of everything except my senses,imagining a fold our passion can slip into.
Creating love,aspiring to infinity and beyondturning our fall into a leap.Writing reality with the ink of a dream,we will conquer ourselves in the comfort of our sheets.


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| Email | Full Article (TrendHunter.com/id/167955) |
These seasonally sizzling hot Halloween costumes 2012 will make a bold statement at your yearly spooky evening celebrations.
Throughout the year, fashion plays with the taboo to make statements and shock society. These naughty motifs are ideal to find a perfect sensual Halloween costume. This compilation is filled with ideas and costumes to make a bold impression at your Halloween soiree. From naughty nuns to sexy french maids, this list showcases the best of adult hallow's eve attire.
Some of the most risqué kitschy ideas come from the ever-popular Victoria's Secret runway shows. These collections feature lingerie-clad 'angels' that take a variety of motifs and make them suggestive and costume-worthy. Anime conventions and couture editorials also play with the idea of costumed femmes to showcase a variety of princesses, superheroes nurses and felines. This Halloween 2012, embrace the generally accepted idea that Halloween is a time to get flirtatious with dress-up.


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News 2010
TweetPentagon Releases Report, Transgender People Still Cannot Serve Openly(Washington, DC: November 30, 2010) The Pentagon today released results of a nine-month-long study that concluded that the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy will be repealed with little impact on the military's preparedness. The authors noted that many of the objections to service by openly gay men and lesbians were based on stereotypes, not facts, and that the majority of members of the armed forces had already knowingly served with lesbians and gay men without adverse effect. Within the report's Frequently Asked Questions section, the Department of Defense reiterated that a change in DADT would not permit transgender servicemembers to serve openly. Transgender people are currently considered medically disqualified for service and can face other roadblocks if they come out while serving. These policies have to change to allow transgender people to serve openly; a number of United States allies have already repealed similar policies in their own armed forces. NCTE applauds the Department of Defense for recognizing the unfounded basis for discrimination against lesbian and gay servicemembers. We call on the military to also take action to repeal the policies which bar transgender servicemembers from enlisting or serving openly. Like the policies that currently limit service based on sexual orientation, the bans on service by transgender people are also based on stereotypes and a lack of accurate information. It is also important that the report recognizes that the creation of separate bathroom and sleeping facilities only exacerbates the problems of discrimination, by stigmatizing certain troops. It is also important that transgender servicemembers recognize that even though, if DADT is repealed, they will no longer run the risk of being falsely caught up in an investigation about their sexual orientation, but they still remain at significant risk for discharge if they reveal their gender identity. NCTE encourages all transgender servicemembers who have concerns or are considering coming out to contact the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network SLDN hotline to speak with a staff attorney: 202-328-3244 x100. Early this year, NCTE and SLDN released information for transgender servicemembers, which we urge you to consult. The Senate is due to consider DADT repeal in hearings on Thursday and Friday this week. Advocates for DADT repeal are urging people to call their Senators to end this discriminatory policy. Read the action alert from SLDN here: http://www.sldn.org/content/pages/2313/ or contact your Senator by calling the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Transgender Travelers and New TSA Policies As transgender people and our families prepare to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, many have expressed concern about the various new invasive equipment and procedures at the airport announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). NCTE opposes the routine use of full-body scanners and the new invasive patdown procedures. We have and will continue to work with the TSA to minimize privacy intrusions and ensure respectful treatment of transgender travelers. We want all of our members and friends to have safe and uneventful travel this season; here are some ideas and information to help you do that. First, it is important that you KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. Even if TSA personnel are not always familiar with travelers' rights, such as the right to decline a full-body scan, you should know them. You may need to politely inform the officer of your rights and choices. Second, calmly and clearly expressing your choices is very important. This makes it easier for the TSA agents to understand what your needs are and may help you get through the checkpoint more quickly. Here's what is new: Travelers should keep the following points in mind:
If you encounter a problem
Changing the Policy
Setbacks and Victories at the Polls(November 3, 2010) Yesterday, Americans went to the polls and made significant changes as Republicans took the majority of the US House of Representatives and many of the state legislatures. This shift will make it more difficult to pass anti-discrimination legislation on both the federal and state levels. But there is also positive news for transgender people: Victoria Kolakowski has become the nation's first elected openly transgender judge and Kim Coco Iwamoto won reelection to her seat on Hawaii's Board of Education. LGBT candidates won their races in record numbers yesterday and David Cicilline of Rhode Island was elected as the fourth openly gay member of the House of Representatives, joining Reps. Barney Frank (MA), Tammy Baldwin (WI), and Jared Polis (CO) on the Hill. "We are really delighted by the election of two openly transgender candidates. But the changes in Congress are definitely a setback to our work on federal legislation to counter the discrimination transgender people face," noted NCTE's Executive Director, Mara Keisling, "We will continue educating elected officials about who transgender people are and why it is so important to pass laws that protect us from discrimination. Some politicians are obviously harder than others, and the new Congress will certainly be much more difficult than the last one, but we know for sure that education and information will eventually turn the tide. We are going to pass non-discrimination laws in the future and we are going to continue to secure policies that are fair to transgender people." Transgender Candidates Win! NCTE is particularly excited about the number of transgender candidates who won their primaries and were on the general election ballots yesterday. Each of them—all openly transgender— worked hard to communicate with voters about why they were qualified for office. Congratulations to each of them for their courage and hard work this election season that raised the visibility of transgender people in the electoral process. We are delighted to announce that both Victoria Kolakowski and Kim Coco Iwamoto won their races: Two other transgender candidates in the general election worked hard in their races, making a strong showing. Among other transgender candidates who competed in primary elections, former NCTE Board member Dr. Dana Beyer ran for a seat in the state legislature in Montgomery County, Maryland. New study findings show pervasive bullying of and violence toward transgender and gender non-conforming people, alarmingly high rates of suicide attempts"… my suicide attempt had a lot to do with the fact that I felt hopeless and alone in regards to my gender identity." — Survey respondent "[I was] harassed in public during high school, rocks thrown at me in the parking lot of high school, harassed in restaurants, drug-seeking behavior, suicide attempt, nothing about my gender identity is a conscious choice — this is the way I came out." — Survey respondent WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 — More than half of transgender and gender non-conforming people who were bullied, harassed or assaulted in school because of their gender identity have attempted suicide, according to just-released findings from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality. "From our experience working with transgender people, we had prepared ourselves for high rates of suicide attempts, but we didn't expect anything like this," says Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Our study participants reported attempting suicide at a rate more than 25 times the national average." Forty-one percent of all respondents reported that they had attempted suicide, compared with a national estimated rate of 1.6 percent. "These shocking and disheartening numbers speak to the urgency of ending bullying in our nation's schools and ending discrimination in our nation's workplaces. We know from the recent rash of suicides among young people who have been bullied just how critical it is that we act now and act decisively to save lives," says Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Among those who had been bullied, harassed or assaulted while they were in school, half reported having attempted suicide. Most notably, suicide attempt rates rise dramatically when teachers were the reported perpetrators: 59 percent for those harassed or bullied by teachers, 76 percent among those who were physically assaulted by teachers and 69 percent among those who were sexually assaulted by teachers. Of those who reported that they had to "leave school because the harassment was so bad," 68 percent said they attempted suicide. Fully 61 percent of respondents who expressed a transgender identity or gender non-conformity while in school reported significant abuses in educational settings. From elementary through graduate school, the survey showed high levels of harassment and bullying (59 percent), physical assault (23 percent), sexual assault (8 percent), and expulsion from school (5 percent), all on the basis of gender identity or expression. Other findings include:
These suicide statistics are part of broader findings related to health care and health for transgender and gender non-conforming people that will be released next week. Preliminary findings related to employment and economic insecurity, which describes employment discrimination and unemployment rates, were previously released late last year and are available here. Coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights groups calls HHS changes to abstinence-only programs a significant step forward (July 30, Washington, DC) A coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations commended the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today for announcing important changes to the way in which the "abstinence-only-until marriage" program will be administered. The coalition includes national LGBT organizations working on youth issues, including the Family Equality Council; Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); National Center for Transgender Equality; National Coalition for LGBT Health; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National; and The Trevor Project. The changes, which roll back the draconian and profoundly anti-LGBT ways in which the program was run during the Bush administration, will allow states to choose which sections of the program they will highlight and allow them to fund programs utilizing mentoring, counseling and adult supervision programs. In addition, the changes highlight the unique impact these programs have on LGBT youth so that states can work to lessen the harm caused, and they require programs to provide information that is "medically accurate," meaning it cannot be based on unproven or false information. "This is a major step in the right direction for all families. We applaud HHS and urge Congress to finally end destructive abstinence-only programs. All children deserve science-based education programs that are inclusive of everyone, including our LGBT loved ones," said PFLAG Executive Director Jody M. Huckaby. "The abstinence-only program was resurrected from its well-deserved grave during the fight over the passage of health care reform, but today HHS has taken the sour lemon it was handed and is doing what it can to limit the damage," said Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The "abstinence-only-until-marriage" program was created by Congress in 1981 and since then more than $1.9 billion has been allocated to states to implement it. Repeated studies have shown the program to be counterproductive at worst and ineffective at best. The program has been particularly harmful to LGBT youth and children with LGBT parents because the Bush administration interpreted the law to require programs to teach each of the eight definitions of "abstinence-only" contained in the law, six of which hold that sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong and has harmful psychological and physical effects. Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler said, "During the Bush administration, the children of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents were invisible at best and demonized at worst. Abstinence-only education programs either did not include them or discussed their parents as ill. They were marginalized and degraded simply because of who their parents are. By respecting all families and all children and ensuring all who need it get the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their health, these proposed changes will actually save lives." Under the laws of 45 of the 50 states, same-sex couples cannot marry and young LGBT people have been, in effect, taught they can never have sex or fulfilling relationships. Children with LGBT parents have been marginalized and have been taught that their families and their parents are not valued. As a result of this and other deficiencies, a growing number of states have refused to participate in the program; 23 states and the District of Columbia declined to do so in 2009. "These programs have sent young people ill-prepared into the world by denying them accurate information about their health and relationships," said Rebecca Fox, executive director of the National Coalition for LGBT Health. "GLSEN is encouraged by this announcement and the positive effects these changes will have for LGBT youth," said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard. "Not only do many abstinence-only curricula provide misleading and medically inaccurate information about health matters such as the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, they also explicitly ostracize and may even harm LGBT students. GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey found that LGBT students in schools with abstinence-only curriculum reported higher levels of harassment and assault, were more likely to feel unsafe and miss school, and had fewer supportive educators than in schools without such curriculum. We owe it to our youth to make sure that our school policies are inclusive of all students." Under the HHS funding announcement released today, states will no longer be required to teach all eight elements of the law — reverting to the Clinton administration interpretation — but must affirmatively demonstrate that all programs are "medically accurate" and must make a distinction between what is opinion and medical fact. For the first time states will also be obligated to consider the implications of their proposal for and the needs of LGBT youth. Finally, states will now be allowed to use these funds for mentoring counseling and adult supervision. "The Trevor Project is heartened by this move toward the eventual end of abstinence only education and recognizes the Department of Health Human Services for their commitment to better education for LGBTQ youth. Abstinence-only education, which is medically inaccurate and misleading, far too often leaves LGBTQ youth in the margins and at increased risk for health disparities," said Charles Robbins, executive director of The Trevor Project. "Fostering an environment that is inclusive for all sexual orientations and gender identities is integral to promoting healthy outcomes in this community and reducing the risk of suicide." Advocates said their goal continued to be getting the abstinence-only statute re-repealed. Both houses of Congress moved to do so in 2009, but it was reinstated in the passage of the Health Care Reform Act, which included an appropriation of $250 million over five years to continue it. "From the beginning, abstinence-only programs have been harmful for LGBTQ kids and their families because these programs ignore the realities of adolescent sexual behavior and put adolescents' health at risk by denying them accurate information about their health. We urge Congress to eliminate abstinence-only programs once and for all," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. *** ATTENTION TRANSGENDER SERVICE MEMBERS *** As you know, Congress may repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) soon. But you should remember two things: 1) even if Congress votes to repeal the law, actual repeal is contingent on the Department of Defense (DoD) and the President taking some additional steps to finalize the change; and 2) DADT only applies to service members who are gay, lesbian or bisexual—not to transgender service members. Even if DADT is repealed, you can still be discharged for being transgender. The military can discharge you for being transgender in two ways:
Transgender people are sometimes impacted by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": Even though DADT doesn't directly apply to you, transgender people have been discharged under DADT in the past and will continue to be until it is repealed. Investigators may not know the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. If you are serving as a woman, but wear men's clothing or have a masculine appearance, military investigators may assume that you are a lesbian; likewise, if you are serving as a male, but wear women's clothing or have a feminine appearance, investigators may believe that you are gay. Transgender people are also impacted by other rules and regulations: It can be considered prejudicial to good order and discipline to act or dress in ways that don't meet stereotypes of men and women. For example, service members can be court-martialed for cross-dressing. There is also a duty to report any change in your medical status. If, for example, you take hormones, or if you have top surgery, there is a duty to report that "change in medical status" to the military. That information could lead to your discharge for being transgender. Warning about talking to medical professionals and chaplains: You should also be aware that DoD recently made changes to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that allow lesbian, gay and bisexual service members to make confidential statements about their sexual orientation to mental health, medical and religious professionals. These protections, unfortunately, do not apply to you. It is not safe to reveal that you are transgender or that you have questions about whether you may be transgender. Remember:
What we're doing about it Because Congress created a separate law, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," that singles out service members who are gay, lesbian or bisexual, it is important to remember that work on repealing that law is important but different than the work being done to address the right of transgender people to serve openly. The military will need to update its understanding of the medical and mental health treatment of transgender people before you can be open about your gender identity. Both of our organizations will continue to work until all LGBT service members, including transgender people, can serve openly, without fear of discrimination or discharge because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. As you know, changing military policy takes time. We are building the arguments—based on modern medicine and mental health care—to address the wrong and outdated way that the military considers transgender people as unfit to serve and strategizing about ways to address the military's policy of discrimination. We know that this situation is unfair and wrong and we will keep working to change it. But until those changes come down the road, we want you and your family to be safe. -------------------------------- [1]We respect the fact that some servicemembers may feel they need to come out for a variety of personal reasons. However, you should be aware that coming out as transgender will almost certainly end your career in the military, may lead to disciplinary action, and can have other very negative outcomes for you and your family. If you feel you need to come out, we urge you to speak to SLDN first so that you are fully informed and understand the discharge and/or discipline processes that will begin after you come out. [2]
You can speak confidentially to a civilian religious professional, provided that you are specifically seeking spiritual services, such as confession or pastoral care. However, if you seek civilian medical or mental health care, you are required to report this to the military, and so discussing your gender identity with those types of providers puts you at significant risk.
HUD Takes Action to End Housing Discrimination Against Transgender People (Washington, DC, July 1, 2010) Today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided new guidance on the Fair Housing Act, instructing HUD staff that discrimination against transgender people can be addressed under the existing federal law's ban on gender discrimination. The new policy offers additional help to transgender people who experience discrimination. "Ending discrimination in housing is absolutely vital. Everyone deserves to have a safe home where they do not have to worry about eviction or harassment simply because of their gender identity," noted Mara Keisling, the Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Many thanks to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, his department, and the President Obama for their leadership working to ensure fairness in housing for LGBT people and for this important step forward." While sexual orientation and gender identity are not specifically named in the Fair Housing Act, HUD notes that transgender people are often covered by the ban on gender discrimination, and that discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual people may sometimes be covered by other aspects of the law. For example, discrimination against a gay man who has HIV, or is thought to have HIV, could be a violation of federal laws banning disability discrimination, while a woman who is discriminated against because she wears masculine clothing may be covered under the provisions that bar gender discrimination. In addition, HUD today re-stated its commitment to work actively with state and local jurisdictions that do include sexual orientation and gender identity in their laws to be sure that people are aware of their rights. Last October, HUD announced a series of initiatives to address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the country's housing. These commitments included requiring all applicants for HUD grants to comply with state and local nondiscrimination laws, developing regulations to clarify the inclusion of LGBT families in HUD programs, and planning a groundbreaking national study of anti-LGBT housing discrimination. Along with the new Fair Housing Act guidance, HUD launched a web page which provides information for Americans who may be experiencing housing discrimination and lists states which offer protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The web page tells individuals how file a complaint with the federal government as well as with state agencies. Housing discrimination remains a dangerous and prevalent part of life for transgender people. In a survey that NCTE conducted last year with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 19% of the respondents had been homeless because of their gender identity, a staggeringly high number. While the work that HUD has done so far has been very important, much remains to be done. NCTE continues to call for the inclusion of gender identity and sexual orientation in the Fair Housing Act. If you have experienced housing discrimination or believe that you may be about to be discriminated against, we encourage you to call HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 for assistance. VICTORY: State Department Changes Passport Policy (June 10, Washington, DC) Last night the US Department of State announced new guidelines for issuing passports to transgender people. Beginning today, applicants for a gender marker change on their passports will need to submit certification from a physician that they have received "appropriate clinical treatment" for gender transition. Most importantly, gender reassignment surgery is not required under the new policy. The new rules will also apply to changing a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for US citizens who were born outside of the United States. CRBA's are the equivalent of a birth certificate. For years, NCTE has been advocating with the State Department to change their rules about gender markers on passports and CRBA's. Previously they had required proof of irreversible sex reassignment surgery before the gender marker could be changed, although there were exceptions for temporary, provisional passports to allow someone to travel for surgery. NCTE and other advocates have stressed with the State Department that this policy unnecessarily called attention to transgender travelers whose appearance and gender marker were at odds. In some destinations, this had the potential to create an extremely dangerous situation when a traveler is outed as transgender in an unwelcoming environment or in the presence of prejudiced security personnel. Fortunately, the new rules represent a significant advance in providing safe, humane and dignified treatment of transgender people. There are details in the guidelines about what information a physician must provide and we will communicate those to you as soon as possible. However, the State Department notes that applicants will not need to supply any additional medical documentation and that there is no SRS requirement. "We want to extend our thanks to the Obama Administration, and particularly to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, for understanding the need for this change and then responding to make travel safer for transgender people," commented Mara Keisling, Executive Director of NCTE. "This shows how changes in government policy directly impact people's lives, in this case, for the better." In the next few days, NCTE will be issuing a definitive resource that fully explains the new guidelines and outlines the ways in which transgender people can make changes to their passports and CRBAs. Many people—from elected officials to LGBT advocates—have worked for years to change these policies and deserve credit and thanks. Particularly important work was done by Rep. Barney Frank as well as Rep. Steve Israel in the House of Representatives; Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA), which represents LGBT employees and their families working in foreign affairs offices for the US government; all of our allied LGBT organizations who have been committed to this work, including the Council for Global Equality, The Task Force, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, the Transgender Law Center and the Human Rights Campaign; and those working on medical policies, including the American Medical Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). The full policy can be read on the State Department website. Calling on all Trans People & Allies: Send your Resumes to Congress (April 28, 2010) Are you or a friend looking for work? Do you only have a part-time or temporary job? Are you afraid of coming out at work and would like to have a job where you don't have to worry every day about being fired? Are you being harassed at work and wish you had a better job? If so, this important action is for you!! Because we are in the final push to get ENDA passed in the House of Representatives, we are calling on transpeople to go look for work-at your member of Congress' office. We need you to demonstrate to Congress that we need jobs and we are determined to get them. Whether you are a carpenter or a physicist, a politician or a factory worker, ask them for a job and for your rights! We've included a sample cover letter to send to your Congressional office that calls on your member of Congress to support your job search by supporting ENDA. Personalize the cover letter as you see fit, print out a copy of your résumé, and go down to your Representative's office that is closest to your home and hand it in. Here are some tips:
Take your letter to your Representative's office whether or not they support ENDA-the purpose of this action is to demonstrate the need for jobs for transgender and other LGBT people. And, you might get work as well! We hope so. Please also send a copy to NCTE and we will deliver the resumes and this important message to the White House and your state's Senators, asking for their active support in putting transgender people back to work. We need your help NOW to reach every transperson who is unemployed or underemployed and ask them to take action. Will you please help us bring this message home to Congress? We need people in each and every Congressional district in the country to demonstrate the urgency of ENDA for transgender, lesbian, gay and bisexual people. With a trans unemployment rate twice the national average, we need Congress to act now. And if you have a job, support those in our community who are out of work by calling your member of Congress right now and urging them to support ENDA, HR 3017. CALLING YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS To let your members of Congress know how you feel about ENDA, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to speak to your Representative (have your zip code handy and they'll help identify your member of Congress). When you are connected with your Representative's office, give your name and your city and then let them know: I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H. R. 3017/S. 1584), which will protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from job discrimination. No one deserves to be fired from their job because of who they are. Please vote yes for ENDA. If you get voicemail, feel free to leave a message-the messages are listened to and count just as much as if you reach a staff member. You can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you've called in the past, no problem ... call again or write or visit. And if you really can't call tomorrow, call on a different day. And please, forward this message to your friends, family members and allies. WANT TO LEARN MORE? It's time to demand a vote on ENDA (May 17, 2010)
"We've worked and worked and gotten sufficient votes to make sure gender identity stays in the bill," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, "but the bill is not being prioritized." A fully-inclusive ENDA now has the votes to pass the House of Representatives. We believe that Congress has failed to prioritize this important LGBT bill and so, despite all of the education, despite the fact that the American public supports workplace equality, despite all of your efforts and ours-the bill is has not yet moved. People around the country are taking action. Folks in California, please scroll down and see about the actions specifically happening in your state. A big push is underway and we urge you to take part. We need each and every person to take action to get ENDA passed-whether you've been calling your member of Congress every week or whether this is your first action-please, please, please, call them now. We need every member of Congress to hear from constituents who want this bill to pass. For the first time that we're aware of, we're holding our own-and even surpassing-the right wing on phone calls. But that won't last unless we act; we're hearing that anti-LGBT form letters are starting to pour in. We must keep the pressure up. Employment rights are simply basic rights. Further delays on ENDA are unacceptable. Transgender people's lives are in the balance because people must have jobs to live and support their families. Currently, there is no federal law giving us any job protections; under ENDA, we'll gain the rights to be free of harassment and discrimination. It's time to pass this bill. Here's what we're asking you to do:
All of the work we've done to secure these votes shouldn't be wasted .... Let's get that vote to happen! President Broadens Hospital Visitation Rights This is a major step forward for the rights of patients to designate the people in their lives who they wish to be present with them during times of illness and to make critical health care decisions for them if they are unable to do so. It represents an important sign of respect for an individual's freedom to make their own choices about issues that matter most. In his memorandum, after giving examples of people who had experienced discrimination in the past, the President remarked, For all of these Americans, the failure to have their wishes respected concerning who may visit them or make medical decisions on their behalf has real consequences. It means that doctors and nurses do not always have the best information about patients' medications and medical histories ... that friends and ... certain family members are unable to serve as intermediaries to help communicate patients' needs. It means that a stressful and at times terrifying experience for patients is senselessly compounded by indignity and unfairness. When the new rules are issued, people in same sex relationships will secure the ability to visit their partners-an important victory for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. Transgender people will also benefit, regardless of sexual orientation, by the right to choose people in their lives who accept and understand their identities and are therefore best equipped to support them in times of need. Unfortunately, transgender people may still have family members who fail to respect the person's gender identity and may therefore make choices that would run counter to their wishes. By calling for a ban on discrimination based on gender identity and allowing individuals to choose whomever they wish to make decisions for them, the President is helping to ensure that transgender patients are treated with dignity and respect. The President went on to call on HHS to deliver additional recommendations to him within the next 180 days about ways to "address hospital visitation, medical decisionmaking, or other health care issues that affect LGBT patients and their families." This policy won't go into immediate effect since new regulations will need to be drafted, but this is the first step of a process which will have a strong and positive impact on LGBT people. NCTE wishes to extend our heartfelt thanks to President Obama for this groundbreaking step and for his leadership in ensuring that all Americans are able to have our loved ones at our side at the times we need them most. Learn More
Health Care Reform Signed into Law (March 23, 2010: (Washington, DC) President Barack Obama today signed into law an historic bill designed to increase access to health care throughout the United States. NCTE applauds the healthcare reform bill's passage into law. Through this act, more people, including transgender people, will be able to afford health insurance, be covered by existing plans, and obtain the care they need. The impact of this legislation will begin this year as insurance companies will be required to cover children with pre-existing conditions, dependent children can remain on their parents' health insurance until they are 26, lifetime caps on coverage will be lifted and Medicare recipients will find additional help in paying for prescription drugs. Over the next few years, the healthcare reform law will ensure that millions of people in the United States can afford insurance coverage. The law will also subsidize insurance premiums to make insurance coverage affordable. Additionally, Medicaid will now cover every individual up to age 65 (families with or without children, pregnant women, adults without dependent children) with incomes up to 133% of the federal policy level. NCTE strongly supports the expansion of coverage that this bill provides as well as the provisions that would decrease discrimination. We are, however, disappointed that some LGBT-specific proposals that were in the original House bill were dropped from the final version. We will continue to work to address the ways in which discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity leads to a disparity of health access in our country. There are, however, positive impacts that this legislation will have on transgender Americans. WHAT THE LAW WILL DO FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
CONTINUED BARRIERS TO HEALTH CARE Transgender people continue to face barriers to health care that we must continue to address:
US Tax Court Rules in Favor of SRS Deduction In a closely-watched case, the United States Tax Court overwhelmingly ruled on Tuesday in O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue that a transgender woman's medical expenses for hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery were medically necessary and therefore tax-deductible under Federal law. After considering extensive medical evidence and testimony from leading medical experts, the court rejected an interpretation of the law that would consider transgender people's medical treatment different than all other medically necessary treatment recommended by major medical and psychological organizations. Department of Justice Takes a Stand for Equality The National Center for Transgender Equality praises the U.S. Department of Justice for joining a landmark federal lawsuit on behalf of a gender non-conforming middle school student who faced a two-year ordeal of harassment and abuse because of his gender expression. The Department's action last week marks the first time in a decade the US government has gone to court to combat discrimination based on gender expression. In 2007 through 2009, Jacob L. of Mohawk, NY, endured an escalating pattern of verbal and physical abuse and threats throughout his seventh and eighth grade years. By the end of this time, Jacob was so fearful of his abusers that he stopped attending school. Shockingly, school officials had long been aware of the abuse but failed to intervene, not even following their own internal policies. Jacob was essentially denied an education by the school's continual disregard for his safety, and transferred to another district. With the help of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Jacob filed suit last summer, alleging that the District violated his rights under the Constitution and the federal Title IX statute, which prohibits gender discrimination in education. On January 14, Justice Department filed suit against the District on the behalf of the United States, seeking an injunction to force the district to take concrete and ongoing steps to prevent any other student from experiencing an ordeal like Jacob's. The government's suit recognizes and advances the nation's strong interest in prevention discrimination based on gender stereotyping. According to recent surveys by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), nearly 90% of transgender middle and high school students have expressed have experienced harassment because of their gender expression, and two-thirds reported that they felt unsafe at school. These and numerous other surveys have shown that this victimization has harmful impacts on educational outcomes. Mara Keisling, Executive Director of NCTE, commented, "Every young person in our nation is entitled to a public education in a safe environment. Yet evidence consistently shows that transgender and gender non-conforming students face persistent and widespread abuse in our schools, at a serious cost to their learning and their wellbeing. This case can make a great difference for students in Mohawk Central School District. It also shows the need for legislation to require schools to take the kind of responsible preventive steps the Justice Department is seeking. There's simply no excuse for tormenting a child like Jacob and preventing him from getting an education." NCTE looks forward to working with the Obama Administration to advance measures that will protect all the nation's students from violence and discrimination. |
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Lobbying Tracker
Follow Washington influence using Sunlight's Lobbying Tracker tools for keeping up with K street. Keep checking this page as we add more resources and tools to LobbyTrack.
Lobbyist registrations
Bates Capitol Group, Inc. for Altria Client Services
Date received: Oct. 15, 2012
Issues: Budget/Appropriations; Taxation/Internal Revenue Code; Torts
Specific issue: Efforts to close tax and regulatory loopholes. Monitor compliance of laws prohibiting lobbying with appropriated funds.
Bates, G Hunter
(covered positions:
Chief of Staff, Office of Senator Mitch McConnell;
Chief of Staff, Office of Senator Mitch McConnell; Legal Counsel, Office of Senator Mitch McConnell; Chief Counsel for Senate Rules Committee
See original filing


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Volunteer and Sponsorship Opportunities
Volunteer with Bloomington Parks and Recreation
Volunteers Make Programs Happen!
Whether it's helping kids at a special event or getting involved in environmental projects, volunteers are important. Volunteering as a student can build support for your resume or scholarship applications, and volunteering within a group or business emphasizes the importance and value of community to your customers. For more information on how you, your group or your business can become a volunteer, contact Kim at 349-3739 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
All ages are encouraged to volunteer: Girl or Boy Scouts, Youth Extension Groups, church groups, etc. Days and times vary depending on program needs.
- Are you new to the community? We have exciting opportunities for you to meet new people and get involved!
- Are you a leader of a 4-H or scouting troop with requirements to fill? If so, we have wonderful ways to become involved at no cost.
- Are you part of a business or organization interested in supporting the community?
One person or 60 - we have volunteer opportunities for groups of every size.
Volunteer BRAVO Recognition
The BRAVO Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of departmental volunteers who generously give their time and energy to support our programs and activities benefiting the Bloomington community. Click here to see an archive of past BRAVO Award recipients.
Sponsorship Opportunities Currently Available
Increase the value of your business or organization's advertising dollars.
Achieve name recognition for your business or organization by becoming a part of successful programs and events.
Develop future sales and customers for your business or organization through contact with potential future customers.
Make a positive contribution to the community.
Enhance your business or organization's public image and awareness while marketing to a select audience.
Current Sponsorship Opportunities:
- B-Line Backer
- Farmers' Market
Look Who's Sponsoring
The generous support of businesses and organizations allows us to enhance our ability to provide quality recreational services. Bloomington Parks and Recreation facilitates programs and events that have gained national recognition. The following businesses align their name with our programs and events. They assist us in providing important services to the community while we advertise their business through various media outlets.
- Trick or Treat Trail
- Bloomington Youth Basketball
Parks Partner Sponsor Recognition
The Parks Partner Award is presented at the completion of a program season to an individual or business that has contributed to the enhancement of our Department and to the community. Click here to see an archive of past Parks Partner Award recipients.
Information in Volunteer With Parks and Recreation
- Services