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Toyota RAV4 Maintenance and Repair
mendota101 Posts: 11
marcomeneses Posts: 3RAV4 and Internal Engine Control Module" failure.
My RAV4 2003 (100K miles) actually kicks out of gear on re-acceleration, for stoplights, and heavy stop and go traffic situations.
It revs up to about 2000 rpm before it engages when I accelerate to proceed.
The dealer told me that it was the "Internal Engine Control Module" CODES P0755 and PI760. To replace that module costs 1200 dollars.
My question is:
Can I get that module and install myself?
If yes, where I can get that part and the instructions to install it?
Any help is appreciated, because with the economic downturn of the economy is difficult to pocket out 1200 dollars and I would like to do it myself.
email@example.com -
marcomeneses Posts: 3
gilvkona Posts: 31I was replacing the filter on my 2006 RAV4 today. The filter that was there had an up arrow. The replacement filter had an airflow arrow. Does anyone know what direction the airflow is for this filter so I can replace it properly? Looking at the filter, I don't know how it could matter.
I called one dealer, he told me the flow was from the bottom to the top. The other dealer told me the opposite. -
gilvkona Posts: 31There is a cabin air filter, sometimes called a AC(air conditioner) C(cabin) filter. It is located right behind the glove compartment. The replacement directions are in the owner's manual at the end of the AC operations section. The dealer replaced mine at 15k miles. I now am replacing it myself at 45k miles. It is pretty dirty, I must admit. It is very easy to replace, no kidding.
A third dealer just told me the flow was from the bottom up. So there are two out of 3 votes in that direction. Looking at the filter, I can't see how it matters but who am I to tell. -
typesix Posts: 314It does matter because if the filter airflow is in the proper direction, the filter element will be tightly sealed by the airflow(for better filtering) and will also rest against any bracing. In the incorrect position, the filter willed be pulled loose and not afford a tight seal and will not be supported by any bracing.
wwest Posts: 10,706Don't take this as gospel but I can't imagine any Toyota/Lexus HVAC configuration wherein the airflow isn't downward. From the outside air intake at the bottom of the windshield toward/into the squirrel cage blower assembly below.
In recirculate a damper closes the outside inlet and opens an alternate cabin air inlet above the filter. -
gilvkona Posts: 31As I said previously, the original has an up arrow. The replacement which I bought from the dealer has an airflow direction arrow. So they are different.
However, I concluded the flow is indeed down. I put my hand in the open space and turned on the fan. The air pull down as one writer expected it to be. Also, I could trace the tubing from the blower or whatever I am looking at and it goes to the vents on the dash thus confirming the flow. You really have to look at it to figure out what is going on. And once again, based on my looking at the filter and looking at it fit, I could have placed this either way and it doesn't matter, in my opinion.
At least next time, this will be easy. -
gregorylynn Posts: 38When I did mine on my 2006 on a narrow shoulder it was fun too. Factory overtightens for sure. Use a hollow galvenized pipe just large enough in diameter over the lug wrench to extend the lever arm to increase your muscles for you :-) Also use your legs, not your arms too, way more oomph in the legs and safer too for your back! I bought an oversize T style wrench the next day, and good thing I did as I got a second flat in less than 2 weeks! At least the darn spare is easy to get to!
carolinabob Posts: 537
blindgoldfish Posts: 4
lenny20 Posts: 10RAV4 2007 6 cyl. Less than 36,000 miles Installed new tires three months ago (Nokian). Five weeks ago tire pressure light goes on, stays on steady for one hour.
Then goes off. Dealer checks tire pressure--OK. This happens two more times; on third occasion dealer adds air to spare tire and pressure light goes off. Three days later pressure light flickers and then stays on bright steady. Tire pressure is checked with two (2) gauges--OK. After three hours tire pressure light goes off. Start car two hours latter and light goes on and stays on for now. I will demand of dealer that he do more than just add air.
Thinkinghard Posts: 16Bought a Rav4 2009 last December. Today, I found there were some noises like "flowing fluid" when I turned on the air conditioner. The car only has 2200 miles on it right now. Is there something wrong with air conditioner?
BTW, the car was towed before, will that affect the air conditioner? :sick:
Thanks a lot! -
mark19 Posts: 123Yes I would say there is a problem with the a/c. On my toyota I had the a/c compressor go bad, and when it did that I heard what sounded like water rushing through a pipe. That noise was coming from behind the glove box area. Once the compressor was replaced no more of that noise. From what I understand the compressor being defective couldn't create enough pressure to move the refridgerant through the system, hence that water rushing or "flowing fluid" noise.
Try and find a dealer who will understand what that is, and replace the compressor.
Towing wouldn't hurt the a/c, it's like saying that your radio wouldn't work because the car was towed, doesn't affect it.
Hope that helps you. -
acemechanic Posts: 7Is that the only time that you hear the "flowing fluid" noise? The noise that you heard could be the vents opening - does the vehicle have automatic climate control? You can identify this function by looking at the control panel. If the control panel has an "auto" button, it has auto climate control. Towing the vehicle will not affect the air conditioning system. At this point, your best bet is to take the vehicle to a dealership for inspection. The Air Conditioning system is covered by your Basic Warranty (36 months/36,000 miles)
Thinkinghard Posts: 16
Thinkinghard Posts: 16
wwest Posts: 10,706FWD vehicles, especially those with "surplus" engine power, are patently UNSAFE in the wintertime conditions you will oftentime encounter in your area. There is also the inverse effect that I once encountered trying to buy a F/awd Chrysler minivan in Memphis, not much market there. Had to trailer one in from Chicago.
Keep in mind that with FWD or F/awd when wheelspin/slip occurs due to the use of too much engine torque for conditions you have also lost, momentarily, directional control of the vehicle. That's why TC. Traction Control, is so quick acting and all encompassing on FWD or F/awd vehicle, traction MUST be regained quickly in order to reduce the potential for an accident due to loss of directional control.
So a fairly lightweight FWD RAV4 equipped with a V6 engine would tend to be substantially more dangerous than one with F/awd or even with the I4. -
kkrtrek Posts: 51What I ran into on the west coast (I'm in Oregon) was similar. We were not satisfied (to say the least) with the prices we were able to negotiate from in-state dealers, so we contacted dealers in California and Nevada. They were more accommodating, but claimed they were unable to get the specific 4-wheel drive model we wanted--that they were all being sent to the Northwest or elsewhere. I guess Toyota does this based on what they think will be most popular in different areas.
I *think* the RAVs are all 50-state compliant on emission standards, so I don't see why you could not buy one in another state. You have to work out sales taxes, though. Another solution would be to work with a dealer in finding one to be delivered in the future and swap it with one your dealer is scheduled to receive. I think this is pretty common. It might be difficult to find a dealer who is willing to do that, at least until you convince them you are not going to buy what they have on the lot. -
gjos Posts: 2I am planning on paying $45 to a Toyota dealer to silence the beeps on my 2006 when I open or lock the car. I also want the seat belt beep silenced.
Has anyone had this done and are there other opportunities I should know about to modify the programming while my car is "under the scan"? -
cbmorton Posts: 252Depending on which trim level you have there are a number of settings that have to do with locks, lighting and climate control. I had a few changes made to the auto climate control settings on my Limited as well as the seat belt warning disable. Note that "disabling" the seat belt beeper doesn't disable it entirely, but it does change its duration to about six seconds.


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Must be 18 years of age or older to purchase.
Intimina products are designed to help women feel more comfortable in their bodies and to inspire self-confidence - because that's what being a woman is all about.
Our Hygienic Cleanser is an easy-on spray that cleans products intended for intimate use. The gentle formula contains active ingredients to counter harmful bacteria, while the addition of zinc salts minimizes the chances of irritation.
About IntiminaIntimina be LELO is focused on offering a complete line of products for the benefit of a woman's intimate health, with many more products to launch in the coming months. No fancy gimmicks. No outlandish claims - simply a range of high-quality offerings that complement a woman's natural balance and bring out the best in her.
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Made in Sweden
Please Note: Due to the nature of the product, we cannot accept returns or exchanges.
©LELO, Inc.
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Works well
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Comments about Intimina by Lelo Hygienic Cleanser, 2.5 fl oz:
Gets your toy clean with no residue, no stickiness. lasts long for the bottle size.
Comment on this review
Not sticky
By Averyday
from san jose
I was a bit worried that it would leave a thin layer of weird stickyness and take forever to dry. But none of that happened! Works awesome!!
Must Have
By Eugenya
from LA
This is a must have in your toys' bag. It works great.
close to perfect
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from ATLANTA
When it comes to cleaning I know what I am talking about and this product works!!!
Better than soap
By Saraswan
from New york
I trust this product is more effective than plain soap & water
must have
By Pimkie
from wichita
It's nice because doesn't scream "I am a sex toy cleaner!" nice bottle, punchy color. I would recommend it.
Great cleaner
By Brownies
from austin
makes cleaning so much easier, way more efficient then just soap and water!
SOO useful!!
By Liagiba
from Boston
I bring this toy cleaner wherever I go. Its small size is really convenient and fits perfectly in my bag. I use it not only for my toys but I also tend to clean any other product I want to clean outside of my house.
Very useful!!
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I did not know that such product existed. Very udeful!
By INsEaW
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I recommend this if your toy ism't waterproof. This is a lot quicker and more convenient as there's no water involved, makes this a lot easier.
Simply spray the surface of your intimate product, leave for 5 seconds, and wipe with a lint-free cloth or towel. Intimina Intimate Accessory Cleaner does not need to be rinsed away with water and is suitable for use with all Intimina products.

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Facial lines and wrinkles are caused by a gradual breakdown of the body's collagen and the elastin fibers in the skin. No one is immune from experiencing this normal aging process. Squinting, frowning and smiling also inflict stress on the underlying collagen in the skin and accelerate the formation of these furrows.
Restylane® and Juvéderm™ are safe and natural cosmetic dermal fillers made of hyaluronic acid, a natural substance that already exists in the human body. They restore skin volume and fullness to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds around the nose and mouth. They maintains their shape using the body's own moisture. As hyaluronic acid gradually degrades, each molecule binds to more water and over time, the same volume can be maintained with less hyaluronic acid. This ability of hyaluronic acid to bind to water is what helps provide lasting results. In addition, Juvéderm™ is the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is proven to be safe and effective for persons of color.


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does anyone know where I can buy japanese honeysuckle in GA
I plant it to feed deer. |
Follow-Up Postings:
Japanese honeysuckle is a very invasive plant in Georgia. I'm sure most people think that it would be closing the barn door after the horse has gotten out, but it is best not to plant it. I have it all in my woods and it is growing up my neighbors' trees; used to have a huge stand of it on my power box and surrounding shrubs but I took it out. I saw no evidence of deer munching on it (and they did eat the oakleaf hydrangea that I had just a few feet away from that large bunch). You can buy the native honeysuckle at most nurseries (it is called coral honeysuckle) like Pike's and Home Depot even. |
I agree, but then I have it growing wild around the forest edge. I will suggest you plant a persimmon tree. I had no idea we had one outside the arena... the deer get it first! Let me see, they ate my neighbors entire garden.. (no fence) and then we haven't seen a scuppernog or muscadine or grape since they were planted... little opportunists! Good fence jumpers too! |
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Upgrading Office or Home PC's to Office 07
To request an upgrade to Office 07 for your office PC please call the IT Service Desk at (401) 825-1112. For home use, the distribution of MS Office 07 covered by the license agreement for full-time CCRI faculty and staff can be obtained at the Service Desk for Warwick users and from the IT offices at Flanagan, Liston and Newport County campuses.
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Great story all though combat could use some work.
Brilliant game. Great story, and graphics. The combat could have been better, but brilliant game.
i got this game after hearing how amazing it was but i played it for a few hours and found myself bored not only of the game play but the story it now collects dust with the other games that have let me down
Quite possibly one of the most expansive RPGs ever created. A couple of gripes about the driving and the alleged "cannon" on top of the Mako, but otherwise solid gameplay mechanics and sweet storyline.
Some people just don't seem to understand that this game isn't meant to be a fast-paced bang-bang action game. Mass Effect is for those who enjoy deep storylines and large gaps between fighting. Fortunatly, I am someone who enjoys such a game. I only managed to get about halfway through, but i think it is a damn good game, and is a worthy superior of Knights of the Old Republic.
the story in this game was fanatastic...i lost sleep over this game.
I think this is the best RPG since Star Wars Nights of the old Republic
WOW this is the best rpg out on xbox 360 perfect 10 in every way
great story gameplay sound and graphics
I hate RPGS. But this game had me hooked. If it wasnt for achivments i would never play a game more then once. But this one I would have, Im on my 4th play through and I'm still finding new things i didnt the first few times around.
I'd have to say my fav 360 game I've ever played. btw for 400 microsoft points they are adding another hour and a half of content soon.. So i hope everyone saved there characters from previous play throughs
This game was the least to say epic. I felt i really got to know the characters also, which made it that much more gripping. Definitely one of the best games i've ever played.
utter crap, id rather spend my 60 bux having my ass hair trimmed by a carnie midget
this game is not for shooter fans.... its for rpg fans.. if u like games with a deep story and lots of dialog this is the game for you... the action is fun but its also quick... within 5 minutes any given shoot out will be over and u might have another hour or so of plot to sift through b4 u get to shoot some1 again... im a shooter and an rpg fan so i liked this game.. although i felt the pacing coulda been a little better and they coulda made the gunfights more plentiful and longer
While the story is very deep, I almost felt like the designers didn't want me to play. In my first hour, I only had about two minutes of actual game play. It went something like this:
Cut scene-Cut scene-Walking-Cut scene-Speech Choice-Cut scene-Speech Choice-Game Stopping Info-Cut scene-Walking-Game Stopping info-Cut scene-Cut scene-Walking-Cut scene
I thought I was playing a damn game, not watching a movie.
360 for x-mas and i can't wait to get a hold of a copy of this one.


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Reviewed Yum Yum Brownie Muffins
May 30, 2011 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"I watched this episode yesterday and thought it was worth a try. I was a bit concerned that the pumpkin flavor would be over powering, but it really wasn't. The Devils Food cake mix has an amazingly rich chocolate flavor that shown through really very well.
The only hard part was the mixing, took a bit more elbow grease than a..."


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Undergraduate Visiting Students
We look forward to welcoming you this summer. Visiting Students are welcome at VFMC, complete and submit the Visiting Student Information Form in order to be able to register online for summer classes. By completing the visiting student form, you attest that you are a currently enrolled student and have met the appropriate course prerequisites where applicable.
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Whether you attend college locally or across the country, our online courses provide a flexible opportunity to move closer to your degree goals through our summer and winter sessions. Our accredited classes are open to all college students in good standing. We offer three summer sessions, starting in May and running through mid-August.
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text: The WomenÕs Fallen Angel Costume includes a black corset-style dress, a black halo, and black angel wings. If you donÕt have a guardian angel already, IÕm sure youÕll have a list of volunteers by the end of the night. The WomenÕs Fallen Angel Costume is metaphysically sexy and a great alternative to all of the good-two-shoes angel costumes that are always flying around on Halloween.


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Wed, Sep 19, 07 at 9:41
elsiefay and I had a seed exchange recently. She is a generous and thoughtful trader.
Thanks Elsie! Alana |
Follow-Up Postings:
It was my pleasure to trade with Elsie. She is such a sweet, generous person. I would trade with her anytime! Thank you!! |
- Posted by apoppyfield 8 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 18, 11 at 18:46
Wonderful experience. Just got my package and was surprised by two extra seeds I wasn't expecting. Good communication and very generous. I'd trade with Elsie anytime. |
Great trade with Elsie. Great correspondence, generous seed offers, quick shipping and love that the seed packages had additional information on them. I would definitely trade with her again. Thanks! |
Traded with Elsie a few months ago and will trade with her again. |
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Delaware State University students may pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in finance and banking. The concentration is designed to prepare students for careers in banks and other financial institutions, as well as in financial management of a broad range of other firms. In addition, many students choose to work for regulatory agencies and other government agencies.
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At the undergraduate level, the finance and banking concentration consists of a minimum of 18 beyond the required 33 credits of upper level management core courses. Click here for a sample course schedule.
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Finance and Banking Elective
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Delaware State University students gain the access to state-of-the-art facilities with current equipment, hardware and software. The College of Business Financial Network Trading Room is one of the few facilities of its kind at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and it facilitates students' learning in the real world settings. Moreover, two Bloomberg Terminals are installed in the trading room to provide real-time financial data and track market activities, simulating the environment widely experienced by financial professionals and regulatory agencies. The hands-on simulations plus the Bloomberg Product Certification afford Delaware State University students significant advantages in securing internship and career opportunities.
Our students have taken advantage of internship opportunities at such businesses as AIG, J.P. Morgan Chase, Nehemiah Gateway, Ernst & Young, Smithsonian Institute and B.G. PHARM, etc. The internship is typically undertaken after the junior year as finance & banking concentration.
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Blog | Comments |
WoW | 12 Comments |
Recent Comments:
The Lawbringer: Fighting the gold fight -- how the strategy must change {WoW}
Mar 18th 2011 3:37PM Allow me to propose a more effective soultion. Lower the gold-cap to 10K gold.
That would cap each individual account to no more than 100,000 gold per server. It's still a huge chunk of change, but it would prevent anyone from auctioning anything for over 9,900 gold (and change -- remember AH fees).
The key objection I have to this article's premise is the assumption that it is epic flight or repairs and not, say, 20,000 gold epics on the AH that drive players into the loathsome embrace of the farmers.
Lower the cap to an achievable goal, like 10,000 gold, and anyone who is even moderately interested in buying top-teir gear will be able to acquire a large enough pot in less than 30 hours of gaming +/-. It would also force gold sellers to spread their supply out even farther, or lock it up in guild banks that would be easier to trace -- "hmm, this three member guildbank is consistently recieving and distributing 10K parcels of gold which are then promptly mailed off... odd."
Finally, a 10,000 gold cap would decrease the average purchase volume, since a player is unlikely to buy more gold than he can readily carry and therefore use. That would force the gold sellers to either increase prices per transaction, or increase the number of transactions -- either result creates problems for the farmers. In the first, higher prices would drive off more casual buyers. In the second, higher volume will make their accounts stand out in ways that Blizzard could, if they hired an economist to show them how, use to trace the farmers accounts and shut. them. down.
WoW Insider's Cataclysm Launch Giveaway: GeForce GTS 450 graphics card {WoW}
Dec 7th 2010 9:25AM /roll
I win!?
WoW Insider's Cataclysm launch giveaway: Steelseries MMO gaming mouse {WoW}
Dec 6th 2010 6:46PM Meeee pls. K bye.
Where is patch 3.3.4? {WoW}
May 21st 2010 12:27PM Version numbering serves a purpose... in a code database (or in the old days, on the hard drive you stored the raw code in) you create a "version" so that you have a copy you can work on i.e. change code in, without losing the copy of the safe, stable, released code.
3.3.3 was one copy of the source code.
3.3.5 is the copy with ruby sanctum and battle.net code in it.
3.3.4 could be...
an internal development build to test a fix or feature that didn't work out.
an internal development build to implement a feature that wasn't ready to release before development of 3.3.5's ruby sanctum went into high gear, and just got merged into 3.3.5
possibly reserved... but verisioning isn't really a public consumption thing, they could just as easily label a big patch fix 3.3.3a (or, 3.3.3, if you look at the actual build number we're playing now, there's a lot more digits after that trailing 3).
you might want to break one major feature (e.g. the battle.net integration) away from another major feature (say, Ruby Sanctum) so that the development teams for those two projects could each compile and test their implementations without having to worry about the other teams compile errors or system-murdering bugs interfering with proper testing and error isolation on the code each team has written. So, when you have two major features coming out in one patch, it makes sense that the two may be getting developed on two separate versions before being rolled into each other.
Given that they were doing the SCII battle.net testing over the last several months, it makes a good deal of sense that they would have wanted a QA build of warcraft with the battle.net features enabled in order to tests the WOW - SCII battle.net functionality... which they might not have wanted to release until 3.3.5... timing up rather well with the most recent reset of all the battle.net information in SCII. This would be my guess.
The Care and Feeding of Warriors: The homogenization factor {WoW}
Feb 27th 2010 9:12AM We have plenty of multi-mob threat tools. I've got a heroic / trash build that I use as my off-spec (mostly so I can avoid burning piles of glyphs to make the transition).
Thunderclap, Shield Block (+damage shield of course), Shockwave, Cleave, Challenging Shout, and if you glyphed right for heroics, a multi-target devastate.
Oh, and tab, can't forget the best power we share with everyone else.
Cleave is the one that most folks I know who cannot tank heroics with ease undervalue. It has a truly massive coverage area, well beyond your hit box. It hits for meh damage but good threat. It is *not* aoe heroic strike.
If you're rage starving in heroics, you need to switch to a slower weapon. Rimefang's claw is perfect for heroics and trash because it's high damage, tank appropriate, and relatively slow at 1.7 swing speed. (the difference is 5 attacks per minute, about 100 rage per minute less than a 1.5 swing speed weapon if you're converting all your white damage to cleaves.)
The myth of warrior multi-mob tanking is that there isn't a simple priority list or rotation for it. There is, much more so than boss tanking where you have to watch your debuffs. The set rotation is Cleave, Devastate, Tab, Cleave, Devastate, Tab, Cleave, Devastate ... with shockwave, thunderclap, and shield block thrown in whenever they come off cooldown.
Try it, it works.
WoW.com Giveaway: Stormrage by Richard A. Knaak {WoW}
Feb 24th 2010 6:22PM Ooh.. want.
Developers call for focused PvP testing on the PTR {WoW}
Mar 25th 2009 2:42AM er.. he's basically right -- 'locks do well when teamed up with a pally and a DK.
GC: If you're OOM, tell your guildies to get out of the fire {WoW}
Mar 16th 2009 3:27PM Our game is less fun!? It's your fault!
Is Blizzard cutting costs? {WoW}
Jan 27th 2009 11:32AM dude -- almost every piece of equipment in WotLK has the same artwork. Many of the areas and zone reuse chunks of older content. Go run RFC and then take a look at the black dragon shrine, run MC and then go do OS.
They've moved staff over to their other games, and they've been giving us the cold shoulder right along.
The game is fun -- the mechanics of the underlying system are neat -- but Blizzard has pretty obviously moved on to the next cash cow.
Activision-Blizzard September results reveals box sales paradigm {WoW}
Nov 6th 2008 7:54PM It's a tax thing.
If you don't recognize the profits in the 2008-09 tax year you don't pay taxes on that profit till next year (which gives you a little bit more time to invest that money that you will have to pay in taxes and gin up some interest payments).


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United Way held its annual Pacesetters Luncheon in appreciation to those businesses, which have already completed their fundraising campaigns.
The Pacesetters include The Bolivar Commercial, Monsanto, Quality Steel, Atmos Energy, Entergy and Baxter Healthcare.
"When you give to United Way, you are giving to an organization that helps people take care of the less fortunate in our community and that's what its all about," said Funds Distribution Chair Kevin Cox.
"We really appreciate the time and energy that the PaceSetters have invested. This is a terrific organization that provides much needed funding for local groups and organizations, " said Sledge.
Campaign chair Brett Boykin, announced upcoming campaign events such as the kickoff luncheon, the United We Dance competition and the 2014 tennis tournament.
"Next Tuesday is our kickoff luncheon at the First United Baptist Church at noon.
"After the kickoff luncheon, all other divisions will start their campaign. Each division is given a packet and visits with local businesses to discuss what they're going to pledge this year," added Boykin.
According to Cox, United Way assures that all donations are properly invested.
"About every April, we gather a list of community members of about 15 to 20, and we divide into groups. We then ask each agency that wants United Way funds to apply and come meet with our committee. They have to come every year and justify their funding. The process takes about four weeks," said Cox.
He also added, "I believe that this process is the heart and soul of United Way. The people we deal with are the people who are trying to solve the various needs of people in our community."
Cox said each member agency is required to report in detail how the organization funding is used.
The United Way of Cleveland-Bolivar County lends a helping hand to various agencies, such as American Red Cross, Bolivar County Literacy Council, Boy Scouts, Community Counseling, 4-H of Bolivar County, Girl Scouts Heart of the South, Helping Hands/Community Assistance, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
The organization rendered assistance to over 3,000 individuals through the Helping Hands/Community Assistance agency and it has assisted over 200 individuals who participate in the Bolivar County Literacy Council.


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Welcome to my website. I'm Paul Smith, and I am a UK based Lighting and Visual Designer for Theatre, Television, Themed Environment, Concert, and Corporate productions, and I am available for projects worldwide.
This site has been created to showcase some of my work, for clients past, present, and future. Feel free to browse, and if you need to contact me, then please do so. Just hit the contact tab at the top.


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- At the third Publick Occurrences forum of the season tonight at Rhode Island College's Sapinsley Hall, where panelists and the public are discussing what can be done to reduce the number of shootings in Providence and other urban areas, the third panel now has the stage.
Sal Monteiro, training coordinator at the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence; Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré, and state Training School Supt. Joseph Cardin will consider the question, "Is the criminal justice system the only answer?"
"Young men and guns: How do we stop the violence?" is another in the Publick Occurrences forums sponsored by The Providence Journal in partnership with Leadership Rhode Island and Rhode Island College.
Providence averages more than 100 shootings each year.
See what these panelists say -- and help shape the debate -- on Twitter using the hashtag #riguns


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Iraq PM Warns Sunnis Could Be Shut from Power
December 29, 2011 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Suadad al-Salhy and Aseel Kami
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq's Sunni Muslim minority rejected a call for all-party talks on Wednesday, ignoring U.S. pressure for dialogue to resolve a sectarian crisis that has erupted since American forces left the country this week.
With fears mounting that the nation of 30 million might one day fragment in chaos in the absence of the U.S. troops who toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned Saddam's fellow Sunnis they faced exclusion from power if they walked out on his ruling coalition.
The main Sunni-backed party, furious at terrorism charges leveled by the Shi'ite-run authorities against Iraq's Sunni vice president on the day Americans left, rejected Maliki's call for all-party talks in the coming days and vowed to try and unseat the prime minister in parliament, a move unlikely to succeed.
Having stuck by a decision to withdraw U.S. forces in 2011, a return of the kind of sectarian blood-letting that killed tens of thousands of Iraqis after Saddam fell could embarrass President Barack Obama as he campaigns for re-election.
Vice President Joe Biden called Maliki and the Sunni speaker of parliament on Tuesday to press for urgent talks among Iraq's leaders. But there was little sign of a thaw on Wednesday, although it remained unclear how far the rhetoric reflected a real threat to the fragile coexistence of Sunnis with the majority Shi'ites and ethnic Kurds, both oppressed under Saddam.
Maliki, calling on the Kurds to hand over Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi who has taken refuge in their autonomous region, said he wanted Hashemi's Sunni-backed Iraqiya block to end a boycott of parliament and of his year-old power-sharing government.
"But," he warned, "If they insist, they are free to do so and they can withdraw permanently from the state and all its institutions."
Iraqiya said it would not attend talks with Maliki, "since he represents the main reason for the crisis and the problem, and he is not a positive element for a solution."
As well as Hashemi, who stands accused of running death squads based on televised confessions by men claiming to be his bodyguards, the other most senior Sunni politician, deputy prime minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, is also under fire from Maliki, who has asked parliament to remove Mutlaq from office.
Hashemi has dismissed the charges against him as a fabrication, a denial that has credibility in Washington, where one U.S. official said he believes the charges were unfounded.
The White House on Tuesday said it was "obviously concerned" about the arrest warrant issued for Hashemi. In his calls to Baghdad, Biden had "stressed the urgent need for the prime minister and the leaders of the other major blocs to meet and work through their differences together."
Shi'ite leaders insist there is no political motive behind the case against Hashemi. But Sunnis, outnumbered about two to one by Shi'ites, see it as proof that Maliki, now freed of the trammels of U.S. occupation, is determined to tighten his personal grip on government and to marginalize the Sunnis.
In a system devised under U.S. occupation to divide power, Iraq has a Shi'ite prime minister with Sunni and Kurd deputies, a Kurdish president with Shi'ite and Sunni vice presidents, and a Sunni parliament speaker with Shi'ite and Kurd deputies.
Having long shunned the U.S.-backed institutions set up when Saddam's decades of one-man rule ended, Sunni voters propelled Iraqiya into first place in a fragmented parliament last year. But Maliki was able to draw on other Shi'ite and Kurdish groups to build a coalition, in which Iraqiya eventually took part.
Tensions among the major groups has, however, hamstrung the government, leaving key posts such as that of defense and interior minister unfilled and obstructing legislation that could clarify rules for investing and exploiting Iraq's vast oil and gas reserves.
Iraq sits astride a Sunni-Shi'ite faultline running through the Middle East, fuelling mutual accusations of foreign influence, whether from Shi'ite Iran to the north or from the Sunni-ruled Arab states to the south.
In an interview with Reuters, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, an ethnic Kurd, said that the country's domestic schisms risked inviting more interference from outside:
"As long as your internal front is fragmented and not united … others who want to interfere will be encouraged," he said. "That's why it is very important to deal with this crisis as soon as possible."
(Additional reporting by Serena Chaudry in Baghdad; Writing by Alastair Macdonald)
Saudi Says Iran Will "Pay the Price" for Alleged plot
October 13, 2011 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Parisa Hafezi and Jeremy Pelofsky
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia vowed on Wednesday that Iran would "pay the price" for an alleged plot to kill its ambassador in Washington and U.S. officials said there could be a push for a new round of U.N. sanctions.
Tehran angrily rejected the charges laid out by a number of top U.S. officials on Tuesday as "amateurish," but a threat nevertheless to peace and stability in the Gulf, a region critical to global oil supplies with a number of U.S. military bases.
"The burden of proof is overwhelming… and clearly shows official Iranian responsibility for this. Somebody in Iran will have to pay the price," senior Saudi prince Turki al-Faisal, a former ambassador to Washington, said in London.
Vice President Joe Biden echoed those hawkish sentiments, telling U.S. network ABC Iran would be held accountable. He said Washington was working for a new round of international sanctions against Iran, warning that "nothing has been taken off the table."
U.S. authorities said on Tuesday they had broken up a plot by two men linked to Iran's security agencies to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir. One was arrested last month while the other was believed to be in Iran.
The motive for the alleged plot was not clear. Iran has in the past assassinated its own dissidents abroad, but an attempt to kill an ambassador would be a highly unusual departure.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are bitter regional and to some extent sectarian rivals, but they maintain diplomatic ties and even signed a security agreement in 2001. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Riyadh in 2007.
The United States has led a global effort to isolate Iran and pile on United Nations sanctions in recent years over Tehran's nuclear energy program which Washington and its regional allies including Israel and Saudi Arabia fear is a front for developing nuclear weapons. Iran denies nuclear arms ambitions.
Those allies fear Washington could take its eye off the ball on Iran. US diplomatic cables from Riyadh leaked by Wikileaks over the past year — in which Jubeir features prominently — show Riyadh repeatedly pushing the United States to take a tougher stand, including the possible use of military force.
Tensions rose between Riyadh and Tehran when Saudi Arabia sent troops to help Bahrain put down pro-democracy protests let by the island state's Shi'ite majority that both governments accused Iran, a non-Arab Shi'ite state, of fomenting.
This month Riyadh accused some among its Shi'ite Muslim minority of conspiring with a foreign power — a reference to Iran — to cause instability, following street clashes in the Eastern Province.
But Iranian analyst Saaed Leylaz said it was hard to see why Iran would risk involving itself in such a plot.
"Killing the Saudi envoy in America has no benefit for Iran," he said. "The consequences of this plot are dangerous … It could cause military confrontation in 2012 between Iran and America."
A Western diplomat in Riyadh said the charges would likely be discussed at the UN Security Council.
"The U.S. and Saudi Arabia and other allies are discussing the possibility of taking this to the Security Council because this is an assault on a foreign diplomat in the U.S," he said.
President Barack Obama, who seeks reelection next year, called the alleged conspiracy a "flagrant violation of U.S. and international law."
The United States said Tehran must be held to account and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she hoped countries hesitant to enforce existing sanctions on Iran would now "go the extra mile."
But also seeking recourse in the world body, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations voiced outrage and complained of U.S. "warmongering" in a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. "The U.S. allegation is, obviously, a politically motivated move and a showcase of its long-standing animosity toward the Iranian nation," Mohammad Khazaee wrote.
Ali Larijani, Iran's parliament speaker, said the "fabricated allegations" aimed to divert attention from Arab uprisings Iran says were inspired by its own Islamic revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah — though Islam has not been the overt driving force for unrest across the Arab world.
"America wants to divert attention from problems it faces in the Middle East, but the Americans cannot stop the wave of Islamic awakening by using such excuses," Larijani said, calling the a "childish, amateur game."
"These claims are vulgar," he said in an open session of parliament. "We believe that our neighbors in the region are very well aware that America is using this story to ruin our relationship with Saudi Arabia."
The State Department issued a three-month worldwide travel alert for American citizens, warning of the potential for anti-U.S. action, including within the United States.
"The U.S. government assesses that this Iranian-backed plan to assassinate the Saudi ambassador may indicate a more aggressive focus by the Iranian government on terrorist activity against diplomats from certain countries, to include possible attacks in the United States," it said in a statement.
At a news conference, FBI Director Robert Mueller said a convoluted plot involving monitored international calls, Mexican drug money and an attempt to blow up the ambassador in a Washington restaurant smacked of a Hollywood movie.
Attorney-General Eric Holder tied it to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), guardian of Iran's 1979 revolution, and the Quds Force, its covert, operational arm.
"I think one has to be concerned about the chilling nature of what the Iranian government attempted to do here," he said.
The primary evidence linking Iran to the alleged conspiracy is that the arrested suspect is said to have told U.S. law enforcement agents that he had been recruited and directed by men he understood were senior Quds Force officials.
The Quds Force has not previously been known to focus on targets in the United States.
A plot against targets inside the U.S. "would be a first for the Quds Force," said Kenneth Pollack, a former CIA and National Security Council analyst who now heads the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution in Washington.
"I do want to hear more about what evidence (U.S. authorities) have and why they believe" that the Quds Force was involved, Pollack said.
U.S. officials said there had also been initial discussions about other plots, including attacking the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington, but no charges for those were brought.
There are no formal diplomatic ties between the Islamic republic and Washington, which accuses Tehran of backing terrorism and pursuing nuclear arms, charges Iran denies.
Iran already faces tough U.S. economic and political sanctions and Washington slapped further sanctions on five Iranians, including four senior members of Quds.
U.S. officials identified the two alleged plotters as Gholam Shakuri, said to be a member of the Quds Force, and Manssor Arbabsiar, who was arrested on September 29 when he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport from Mexico.
Arbabsiar, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen with an Iranian passport, initially cooperated with authorities after being arrested. He made calls to Shakuri after being arrested and acted as if the plot was still a go, court documents said.
Arbabsiar appeared briefly in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday where he was ordered detained and assigned a public defender. He appeared in blue jeans and a dress shirt, with thinning gray hair and a scar on the left side of his face.
Officials said the Saudi ambassador, who is close to King Abdullah and has been in his post since 2007, was never in danger. Obama was briefed in June about the alleged plot.
Court documents say a plot began to unfold in May 2011 when Arbabsiar sought help from an individual in Mexico who was posing as an associate of an unidentified drug cartel and who was in fact a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration informant.
The unidentified paid informant tipped off law enforcement agents, according to the criminal complaint. Arbabsiar paid $100,000 to the informant in July and August for the plot, a down-payment on the $1.5 million requested.
Shakuri approved the plan to kill the ambassador during telephone conversations with Arbabsiar, the complaint said.
As part of the plot, the informant talked to Arbabsiar about trying to kill the ambassador at a Washington, D.C. restaurant he frequented, but warned him that could lead to dozens of others being killed, including U.S. lawmakers.
The criminal complaint said that Arbabsiar responded "no problem" and "no big deal."
In a monitored call, Shakuri told Arbabsiar to execute the plot, saying "just do it quickly, it's late," court papers say.
After Arbabsiar's arrest in New York, he gave U.S. authorities more details of Tehran's alleged involvement, Holder said.
Mueller, the FBI director, said that "individuals from one country sought to conspire with a drug trafficking cartel in another country to assassinate a foreign official on United States soil."
He added: "Though it reads like the pages of a Hollywood script, the impact would have been very real and many lives would have been lost."
The men face one count of conspiracy to murder a foreign official, two counts of foreign travel and use of interstate and foreign commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire and one count each of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism.
Authorities said no explosives were acquired for the plot and the weapon of mass destruction charge can range from a simple improvised device to a more significant weapon. The two men face up to life in prison if convicted.
(Additional reporting by Basil Katz in New York, James Vicini, Mark Hosenball, Tabassum Zakaria, Matt Spetalnick and Andrew Quinn in Washington and Louis Charbonneau at the United Nations; Editing by Alistair Lyon)
Dissent and Defiance in Damascus
April 28, 2011 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Ali Khan
13 April 2011–Young people in Syria are talking about their future. While Bashar al-Assad makes concessions that fail to convince, what is clear is the growing divide between government and people – however anxiously the world looks on.
A Syrian girl in Jordan in a protest in front of the Syrian embassy in Amman 4/24/11. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed |
Dictatorships are built on myths. When people begin to see the lies for what they are, the psychosis of fear melts away. Living in Damascus, one could not help but notice the intricate tapestries of illusions that the government had so carefully woven. The ever-present posters of various potentates across the Arab world are not just the machinations of arrogant and egotistical men but rather serve as daily reminders of the fact that everyone is under constant surveillance. I remember sitting in a coffee shop in Damascus with some friends when the owner came and sat with us because we had begun to discuss Arab politics. The café was empty and we were sitting at the back. The owner asked us if we had switched off our mobiles and taken the battery out. I, being the only foreigner, asked why, to which he replied that the Syrian government could listen into the conversation even if the phone is not making a call.
Obviously not all Syrians believe in these kind of stories but it is helpful in illustrating how the ostensibly mysterious and the brutal nature of regimes compels people to take part in creating these myths, thereby strengthening the hold of the regime over people. Another more popular 'fact,' which many foreign visitors write about, is how a large percentage of taxi drivers work for the mukhabarat or the intelligence service. Of course, there will always be people who are willing to provide information to the government that they deem to be important. Much of it in reality is inconsequential, but again it helps perpetuate the mystery of tyranny. Although the Syrian intelligence services have a fearsome reputation, largely because of their reliance on a massive network of human and not electronic intelligence, the recent events in Syria have started to show fissures and cracks forming in the regime.
Revolutions are unpredictable and hundreds of people can be killed before a small act ignites everyone into taking to the streets. As we saw in Egypt, the 'uprisings' built up momentum for many weeks before finally exploding, although it remains to be seen if the revolution is over yet. There seems to be a similar momentum building up in Syria. There has been much speculation about the role of electronic media, facebook and twitter in catalysing the various movements across the Arab world. Although there can be no denying the fact that facebook and twitter allow for instant dissemination of news and important information, I have also seen them being manipulated by some people. One friend posted a video of a 'protest' at a mosque in Syria with a short clip of people shouting "Allahu Akbar – God is great". However, when another friend found a longer version of the same clip, it turned out to be a group of people who were chanting the takbir (Allahu Akbar) after the Friday sermon of one of the state-vetted clerics.
Over the last few weeks I have watched with great interest a debate take place amongst my friends in Syria about their future. Some people made their profile pictures black as a sign of protest, others have used a Syrian flag and yet others have put up a picture of Bashar al-Assad. When I was living in Damascus, opposition to the government was not as widespread as one might have expected and indeed Syrians might be slower than others about coming out to protest.
Indeed, there was even an implicit understanding about what was perceived to be a trade-off between rights and security. However, high corruption and the brutal crackdowns are fast depleting any goodwill that Bashar al-Assad has.
Fadi as-Saeed, a chemistry student at the University of Damascus, was beaten to death on Monday and it seems the administration is now pointing their guns at students, often the most vocal demographic in protests.
Heading for civil war?
Syria is wracked with internal divisions, which have often been exacerbated by the heavy-handedness of the government. The largely secular ruling Ba'ath party has been at odds with the Muslim Brotherhood since the 1940s. After a particularly violent few years of assassination attempts and car bombs, in 1982 Hafez al-Assad's brother Rifaat, who now lives in exile in London, surrounded and bombed Hama. The town was known for being a base of the Muslim Brotherhood and the bombing killed thousands of people. Subsequently, the Brotherhood and indeed all other opposition have effectively been stifled while the Alawi minority has strengthened its position.
The Alawis are the spiritual progeny of a movement started in the 9th century when Ibn Nusayr announced himself as the bab or the hidden gateway to truth (God). Very close in terms of practice to Christians, Alawis or as they also known Nusayris believe in a kind of holy trinity comprised of Mohammad, Ali and Salman al-Farisi, one of the first Persian converts to Islam. The reason they are viewed as non-Muslims is because of their belief in the divinity of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, who was the fourth Caliph and the first Imam for Shi'as. In a bid to consolidate their power the Alawis managed to secure recognition from the Shi'a leader, Musa as-Sadr, in 1972, declaring them to be Muslims. As early as 1936 they procured a decree from the Sunni Chief Mufti of Palestine, al-Haj Amin al-Husaini, recognizing them as Muslims.
However, many Sunnis and some Shi'a ulama, or scholars, continue to view the Alawis as non-Muslims, or even sometimes as apostates.
Apart from the Alawis, the Christians are a sizeable minority and form about 10% of the population and the Druze constitute about 3%. The Sunnis form the majority of the population. Syria also has a large Palestinian refugee population of 500,000 and more than a 1,000,000 Iraqi refugees.
The problems in Syria today are therefore exacerbated by the fact that Syria could be heading for a civil war, due to these old ethnic and sectarian tensions, and might follow the Libyan scenario rather than the Egyptian or Tunisian model. One factor however, that might hold back an all-out war is that there are a multitude of links between the regime and society through army, government and non-official ties. Bashar al-Assad, although seen by some to be a moderate and a reformer is still presiding over institutions that were created during his father's time. This means that often the 'old guard' is the biggest obstacle to implementing reform. However, there have been some token gestures of reform from the President.
Among the small number of concessions that the regime has made are a few that were pushed for by a group of imams, headed by Ramadan al-Buti, perhaps Syria's most famous cleric. A casino has been shut down and a ban on wearing the niqab, a veil that covers the face as well as the body, in educational institutions is being reversed just as France is implementing its own ban. In other 'concessions' the infamous 1963 Emergency Law is now finally to be lifted, but an 'Anti-terrorism' law is to be passed instead. About 200,000 Kurds who have hitherto not been granted any rights have been given citizenship. But a majority of the Kurds who form 11-14% of Syria's population still suffer from various institutional biases. The Kurds have responded by protesting in Qimishli, in the north-east of Syria, under the interesting slogan, 'we want freedom not citizenship.'
Foreign stakeholders and high stakes
The stakes that many foreign actors have in Syria are also crucial in determining the next steps in the Syrian uprisings. Iran and Hezbollah will fear the loss of an important regional ally and the possible rise of a predominantly Sunni government. Apart from this, even Shi'as who are not ideologically aligned with Iran will be afraid of the loss of the comfort in which the community lives. In particular, the network of religious schools around Sayyid Zainab's shrine in Damascus are already fearful of what may happen if the Alawis lose power. Israel must worry because at the moment it has an enemy that it 'knows' whereas it will be harder to predict whether the new government shall be even more anti-Zionist.
As it is, there is already an air of uncertainty in Israel about what might happen on its western borders, in Egypt. Unlike in Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood were social activists and not involved in politics (until now perhaps), the Brotherhood in Syria has been in exile for nearly thirty years – which means that they have little support on the ground and will need time to carve out a political space. Confessions on Syrian state TV from alleged Brotherhood members stirring up trouble seem manufactured so that the crackdown on protesters can be blamed on 'outsiders.' The Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia have had a deep interest in promoting Sunni interests and in the case of Saudi Arabia, their brand of Wahhabism. The growth of this school of thought in Syria has been aided by the fact that a large number of Syrian migrants live and work in the Arabian Peninsula. In the last few years, America has reached out to Damascus and sent various envoys and feelers in order to improve relations, but often with limited success. It is evident then, that current events and any change in Syria will have a far larger geo-political impact on the Middle East than Libya, though of course Libya might be more important to Europe financially.
History, repetition and farce
Following the killings and crackdown on various protests from the Southern town of Deraa to the coastal cities of Tartous and Lattakia, Bashar al-Assad has attempted a reshuffle of his government by firing various provincial governors and appointing new people to his cabinet. However, it seems that superficial changes coupled with a completely disproportionate clampdown on protesters will only exacerbate the situation. Although regarded as more sensible than his father, it seems that like all other dictators, Bashar is also out of touch with ordinary Syrians.
Vogue magazine, which seems to make a business out of glamorizing the lives of the wives of various Arab potentates, writes in a recent interview of the president and his wife that, "the household is run on wildly democratic principles." It goes on to explain how Asma al-Assad – 'we all vote on what we want, and where' – and her husband are often 'out-voted' by their three children. This in turn explains the chandelier made of comics that hangs above the dinner table. To talk of democracy in their household while a large percentage of people are often detained without any recourse to the law is nothing more than an insult to all Syrians. It is precisely this kind of insensitive, indeed farcical, attitude that might catalyse the current uprisings into a revolution.
About the author: Ali Khan is a PhD student in history at the University of Cambridge whose areas of interest are South Asia and the greater Middle East.
Analysis: Syria Neighbors Fear Future Without Assad Family
April 28, 2011 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Samia Nakhoul
BEIRUT (Reuters) – From Israel to Iran, Syria's neighbors are starting to contemplate the possibility of a future without the Assad family as Lords of Damascus, and, whether friends or foes, some don't like what they see.
Indeed, some are in denial about what they are witnessing.
Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi'ite movement widely seen as an Iranian proxy in the Middle East, purports to believe the government of President Bashar al-Assad is putting down an insurrection by armed gangs of Salafi or Sunni Muslim fanatics.
In its report of the Syrian army's assault on the southern city of Deraa, epicenter of the revolt which began last month, Al Manar, Hezbollah's television, stuck to the official version that the army responded to citizens' pleas to put an end to "killings and terrorizing operations by extremist groups."
Hezbollah greeted with glee uprisings that overthrew dictatorships in Tunisia and Egypt and championed the rights of Bahraini protesters against Saudi military intervention to quash Shi'ite demonstrations.
But it is distinctly unenthusiastic about the risk of losing the support of a Syrian government which is not only its main protector but the conduit for arms supplies from Iran.
Tehran, which regards Syria as a close ally in a mainly Sunni-dominated region suspicious of non-Arab Shi'ite Iran, has called the revolt in Syria "a Zionist plot."
Yet Israel too seems deeply uneasy about any change in the status quo.
Although they are still formally at war, Syria under the current president and his late father, Hafez al-Assad, has maintained a stable border with the Jewish state since 1973 even though Israel still occupies the Golan Heights.
Fear of Islamists
Israel's fear — voiced more openly by commentators plugged in to its security establishment than by politicians — is that a successful uprising might replace firm Baath party rule with a more radical government, or one less able or willing to keep radical forces on a leash.
Although Assad sponsors Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, he has played a cautious hand.
Behind the strident Arabist rhetoric and ties with Tehran he has kept the option of peace with Israel in play and sought acceptance by Western powers.
"The implications are enormous and totally unpredictable," said Lebanon-based Middle East analyst Rami Khouri.
"What makes Syria distinctive is that the regime and the system have close structural links with every conflict or player in the region: Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran, Lebanon, Israel, America, Iraq, Turkey. In all these (cases) there is a Syrian link."
Demonstrations have spread across the country and grown in intensity, he said, and protesters who began calling for reform of the system were now demanding "the overthrow of the regime."
At the back of many minds is the experience of Iraq, plunged into years of chaos and sectarian savagery after the US-led invasion in 2003 and removal of Saddam Hussein.
"Everybody in the region is concerned about the destabilization of Syria, even those who don't like Assad, because there is one thing he brings to the region: a certain kind of predictability and stability," Khouri said.
"He maintained the truce along the Syrian-Israeli border, people know how his government behaves. Nobody knows what will happen afterwards."
Alex Fishman, a military affairs journalist for Israel's best-selling daily Yedioth Ahronoth, summed up Israeli apprehension after the Syrian army stormed into Deraa.
"However odd it may sound, the Israeli establishment has a certain sentiment for the Assad family. They kept their promises throughout the years and even talked about an arrangement with Israel on their terms," he wrote.
"It's hard to part with a comfortable old slipper, but the top members of the political and security establishment believe that the Syrian regime, in its current format, will change within weeks or months," Fishman said.
He added: "The sole interest guiding Israel's conduct is: if what is happening in Syria will ultimately weaken the Damascus-Iran-Hezbollah axis — we'll come out ahead."
For Hezbollah and Iran, losing Assad would certainly be a big blow.
"If it (Syria) splits into mini-satellite states that will be bad news for everybody," Khouri said, suggesting that as in Iraq this might provide an opening for al Qaeda militants.
Across the border in Lebanon, arena of a sectarian civil war in 1975-90 that sucked in regional and world powers and left Syria in control for 29 years, people are also worried.
Any prospect of a new sharpening of tensions between Sunnis and Shi'ites, Arabs and Kurds, or Christians and Muslims, all simmering across the region after being brought to the boil by Iraq, produces shudders.
"I don't think any wise man is not worried about what happens in Syria because it is a neighbor," said Talal Salman, editor of Beirut's daily as-Safir.
"Any earthquake in Syria will shake Lebanon with its fragile make-up. Syria's stability is in our interest."
For now, Assad has decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and resort to military force, not reform, to put down the protests at a cost so far of more than 400 lives, according to human rights groups.
Monday's deployment of tanks in Deraa looks like an indicator of what is to come. A source close to the Syrian military said Assad and his security establishment had taken a decision to wage war on protesters across the country.
But Ali al-Atassi, a prominent Syrian activist whose father was a former president jailed for 22 years by the elder Assad, said "another Hama" was impossible.
In 1982, Hafez al-Assad sent in the army to crush an armed lslamist uprising, killing of up to 30,000 people.
"Syria has reached a turning point. It cannot go back to where it was," said Atassi.
He said the Western habit of accommodating dictatorships in return for stability was no longer valid.
"In Tunis, Egypt and elsewhere for years, Arab leaders and the West gave the Arab people a binary choice: stability or chaos; despotism or Islamism.
"After what happened in Tunis and Egypt, we discovered that there is a third option which is the democratic way. Sure, the Islamists will play a role in it, but they will not have the leading role," Atassi said.
While many analysts argue that life after Assad would be hazardous or that he may prove impossible to remove, others say a relatively smooth transition is imaginable over time because Damascus has institutions that can shoulder responsibility.
They include the army, whose backbone is Sunni although key posts are controlled by members of Assad's Alawite minority.
What most observers now dismiss is the possibility of reforms substantial enough to meet popular demands.
Even if Assad wanted to enact wide-scale reforms, they argue, he lacks the power to prevail over entrenched interests in the security forces and military intelligence.
"He is the prisoner of a certain structure and at the same time part of it," Atassi said.
"The next 2-3 weeks are really critical. They will determine whether he will remain in power or whether his regime will collapse," Khouri told Reuters.
(editing by Paul Taylor)
Saudi Arabia Detains Bloggers over Protest: Activists
April 28, 2011 by TMO · Leave a Comment
JEDDAH (Reuters) – Authorities in Saudi Arabia have detained two Shi'ite bloggers this week for taking part in demonstrations in the country's oil-producing Eastern Province, a Shi'ite website and activists said on Wednesday.
The Sunni Muslim monarchy of Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and major U.S. ally, does not tolerate any form of dissent. It has not seen the kind of mass uprisings other countries in the region have over the past few months.
But minority Shi'ite Muslims in the Eastern Province, who have long complained of discrimination — a charge the government denies — have staged small demonstrations, which have led to some protesters being detained.
Shi'ite website, www.rasid.com, said on Wednesday police had stormed the houses of Mustafa al-Mubarak, 26, and Hussein al-Hashem, 25, arrested them and confiscated their computers,
The website also said a 58-year-old man named Samir Aldahim was also detained for taking part in the demonstrations.
A spokesperson for the Eastern Province police could not be reached for comment.
"The series of arrests are still continuing today," said one activist who declined to be named for fear of being detained.
"Even ordinary people have been detained for taking part in demonstrations. They are summoned while at work or taken from their homes," he said.
A Human Rights Watch report issued this month said Saudi Arabia had arrested over 160 activists since February.
"In this last week there were no less then 10 detentions, and they were all transferred to jail. Their families believe it is because they have participated in demonstrations," the activist said.
(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Sophie Hares)
US Moves to Seize Four Mosques, Claiming Secret Iranian Control
November 19, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Jason Ditz
In a move being touted as "a sharp blow against Iran," the United States government is attempted to seize four Shi'ite mosques across the United States, calling it the largest `anti-terror' seizure ever and claiming the non-profit which operates them is secretly a front for the Iranian government.
The four mosques are located across the United States, in New York City, Houston, Carmichael California, and Potomac, Maryland. The non-profit Alavi Foundation faces formal charges of violating 1995 sanctions signed by President Clinton.
The group is funded principally through rent collected at a New York City skyscraper it owns, which the government also intends to seize. They provide funds to a myriad of Shi'ite religious institutions in the US and Canada and support for Farsi language education programs in US schools. They also provide interest free loans for Iranian-Americans to attend college in the US.
The seizure of the mosques by the federal government will be a serious hardship for worshippers, of course, but the capture of the 35-year old foundation's assets and its dissolution will be devastating for America's tiny Shi'ite community, which amounts to only about one tenth of one percent of all Americans.
Though the seizure of churches by the federal government is not unprecedented, it is extremely rare and fraught with controversy. The seizure of private religious institutions on the premise that they are covertly controlled by an "enemy state" only makes this move all the more controversial and will likely prove troubling to many Americans, Shi'ite or otherwise.


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But there are serious doubts whether renovating train stations will attract passengers to trains without a feeder network of buses and taxis.
The 2006 national household travel survey, undertaken by the national department of transport, found that 52% of Johannesburg residents had no access to train services in their residential areas, compared to 5% of residents who reported that there was a no taxi service near their homes.
Itumeleng Motaung, a young HR professional who works in Braamfontein and lives on the East Rand, said she preferred to commute by taxis because trains were unreliable.
"Taxis do delay (at times), but they are better than trains. Flexibility is important if you are a punctual person," she said.
She expressed doubt that she would use trains even if there was a connection between Park station and Braamfontein because trains were more often full and unsafe.
When President Jacob Zuma took a train on Thursday—to travel with ordinary commuters between the three metros of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg—he found that they were overloaded with passengers. Most of them reportedly complained about the lack of reliability and punctuality of trains when they travel to work in the mornings.
The problem is not confined to Johannesburg alone.
A recent Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report on the integration of Gauteng as a city region found that residents who live further than places of employment were spent more time than those who lived closer to them.
Go to publisher's site: http://witsvuvuzela.com


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We are off away for the weekend tomorrow!
The Vintage Amethyst Boutique is still open but any orders rececived from 3pm today & over the weekend will be posted next Tuesday with it being Bank Holiday Monday next week.
We are off to visit Bath & Oxford so a trip to Cath Kidston will be in store for me & a trip to James' gallery in Bath too. I do hope the weather stays nice but perhaps not as hot as it was last weekend ~ it was 28 degrees here on Saturday & I spent most of the day outside painting garden furniture & blimey was I hot, hot, hot!
So seeing as the sweaty face look isn't an adorable look for me & do hope it is lovely but slightly cooler!
I also wanted to wish my dear friend Catherine from Mollycupcakes & wonderful wedding day for tomorrow.
Have a truly wonderful love filled day with lots of laughter & giggles, sweet pea. I will be thinking of you.
And before I go just a reminder that the *Giveaway* is still open but closes Midnight on Monday!
Thank you to the huge number of people who have entered, both here on the blog & via e-mail.
If you haven't entered & want to join in just pop along *here*
Have a wonderful wonderful weekend everyone ...


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At an event honoring Islam at the White House, Barack Obama completely rewrites history.
The President keeps on driving those nails into his coffin. He's a Big Boy, he know's right from wrong, but live's in a fantasy world. Never did President Jefferson honor a muslim, or a group of muslims. This is another reason this President needs to be removed from the Office of the Presidency. Obama is to amaturish to be in the position he's been in for almost four years, this is one reason why America is in this crumbling state. Obama has brought a curse into the White House, he has done this by lying on many issues, but this one is enough to blow your mind. If Obama is not muslim at heart, he would not have allowed this corrupt religion of islam into the White House, so telling America that he is a Christian when the Truth is, the President is a muslim, even when he was going to the church of satan in Chicago. When a muslim want's something, and by lying to get what you want, it is ok in islam to lie for the good of islam, and that is why Obama has brought a curse upon himself, his wife, and children, and the United States of America. Now, this is why America is in the shape that we are in, unemployment, the deficit, foreign policy, domestic policy, the econmic policy, there is nothing that Obama has done that worked, NOTHING. He has brought a curse to this Nation called America. Citizens, this is why Obama must go, he must go, and NEVER be heard from ever again, as a matter of fact, America we need to wash out this 44th Presidency of Obama, and slip Romney in as 44th, then say, Obama who?


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VIERA, FL – FEBRUARY 21: Cristian Guzman #15 of the Washington Nationals poses during photo day at Roger Dean Stadium on February 21, 2009 in Viera, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
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Dingle is overtaken every year by this carnival of fun, music, books, art, dance, film and theatre - a distillation of the creative energy of the peninsula. Read more
Animation Dingle is an annual event that comes together to celebrate the best animation features, series and shorts that the Irish and international animation industry has to offer. Read more
A unique celebration of the potato and its important role in the lives and diet of the rural community, An Spud-off Mór challenges growers across the Dingle Peninsula to produce the perfect spud. Read more
A half and full marathon takes place around the spectacular Dingle Peninsula - one of the most scenic running events in the world! Read more
Dingle Tradfest provides a platform for artists to showcase traditional, modern and original music as well as the authentic session within the beautifully scenic Dingle Peninsula, located on the Wild Atlantic... Read more
Experience Dingle Peninsula's world renowned scenery, history and culture on foot with Dingle Walking Festival 2015. Includes a choice of walks to suit varying levels of fitness. Read more
A boutique film festival offering unique screening experiences with a high calibre of talent in attendance, along with seminars and workshops. Read more
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Once again we will be holding our annual Library book sale! This year's sale is scheduled for March 8th and 9th in the Moeschle Room.
Used books no longer in circulation will be available for purchase. We also have a large collection of VHS tapes that will be up for grabs!
Watch the newsletters and our website as we get closer for times and other information. There's lots of great deals and it's a wonderful way to show your support for the library! Hope to see you there!
Enter search terms in the box above to search our complete catalog
Check it out! Click here
Click here to search online articles and journals, genealogy resources, and more.
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New TLD Debate Mirrors Health Care Debate
New TLD debate has degenerated into nonsense.
If you live in America, the past several months have been all about loonies on both sides of the health care debate. They'll say just about anything, even if it's not true, to sway opinion on health care. The new top level domain name debate is really quite similar. Like American political issues, you have people on extremes on both sides of the issues.
On one side you have Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA). These fear mongers suggest the world is going to end if new TLDs are introduced. Its latest charge, based on some simplistic math and assumptions pulled out of its (excuse me) ass, is that the launch of new TLDs will cost brand owners $746 million. Like people on the far fringes of political debate, even the ICANN Intellectual Property Consistency is distancing itself from these crack pots.
On the other side you have a lot of the new TLD promoters, who are willing to ignore what has happened over the past 10 years of new TLD introductions. They want to do anything to push new TLDs to fruition. One example is Minds + Machines, which suggests that the cost of protecting brands in new TLDs will be about 10 cents per trademark. (To be fair, M+M puts some actual logic and basis behind its assumptions, unlike CADNA.) These same groups often point to brands owning their own TLDs as some sort of utopia that will erase all of their brand management problems.
What's the reality? Like with all debates, it's somewhere in the middle.
The launch of new TLDs will increase costs for brand holders. But it won't be the end of the world. A handful of companies are spending more money worrying about and fighting new TLDs than they will spend managing their brands when they're introduced.
Instances of cybercrime and phishing may increase. But new TLDs probably won't have a huge effect. After all, most phishing isn't domain dependent today.
Companies that own their own TLDs may get some small branding perks, but it won't prevent them from having to own the same non-.brand domains they needed in the past.
Much like the health care debate, one side is trying to starve out the other. The trademark interests hope that, by delaying the inevitable, the new TLD promoters will run out of money. Ironically, the smart players may end up being the ones who have sat on the sideline and will get involved when the process is finalized.
20 Comments
"Ironically, the smart players may end up being the ones who have sat on the sideline and will get involved when the process is finalized."
Completely agree on this statement. Why burn through money for the past two years trying to be the team that gets .ECO (for example) when anybody can step up to the plate tomorrow and pitch for the same TLD. Who is better off? The team that has attempted to lobby ICANN for the past 24 months?
Your forgot about the death panels if new TLDs are launched
"What's the reality? Like with all debates, it's somewhere in the middle."
Actually, sometimes one side is right and the other is plain wrong.
Although in this instance I think you may be correct.
A small percentage of people (pioneers ? explorers ?) may soon embark on a return to
the SCUBA Model of the Internet.SCUBA – Self-Contained UNI☼ Broadband Apparatus
DNS, as most people know it, is Centralized. It is ironic that many DNS insiders once flamed Centralized (Telco) Architectures.
They now live off their pyramid of non-profit
cash cows. They no longer try to hide their
Eco-System of collusion.SCUBA DNS would first and foremost place
the Domains in the User's hands & in the equipment at the Customer Premises (CPE). Magic network-wide P2P software & services then make all those names appear to be part of a coherent NameSpace. The Network IS the Registry.SCUBA & SCUBA DNS will not be for everyone.
It will appeal to people who want the
Original Internet Architecture, free from
central control & censorship. It has to be
more FUN to experience a SCUBA adventure
than the nightmare that DNS has become. -
@Michael – For community-priority TLDs, going public is not about lobbying ICANN, it's about working with our community in a transparent and open way over the long term.
For the vast majority of people who will
likely will be stuck with Central Orwellian
[1984] DNS the question arises whether the
current Monetized-Model will be able to
out-live FREE domains coming from many
directions.The new American HealthCare system emerges
from an electorate that wants everything FREE
from their Federal Sugar Daddy. FREE DNS will
likely appeal to that same electorate.Since 99.99% of the cost of the Monetized-Model
is collecting the fees, it seems unlikely
that model will survive. Centralized and
FREE is an easy sell and hard to beat.It is sort of ironic that the SCUBA Model
and the Centralized FREE Model blur together
from a user point of view. The difference is
the Capital Expense of the SCUBA model
pays the bills. Uncle Sam will have to
likely pay for Centralized & FREE. That
appears to match with the new American
Healthcare Plan. [Will Doctors & Nurses
continue to work for FREE?] -
The SCUBA Model of the Internet & DNS can work because EVERY participant comes with about
an equal amount of "Gear". Also, to share a
tiny percent of your gear (disk storage) with
others can make the group safer, more secure,
etc.SCUBA – Self-Contained UNI☼ Broadband Apparatus
The SCUBA Model does not work when 30 people
arrive for a DIVE and 25 of those people
have NOTHING. Those 25 expect to breath off
the tanks of 5 others?When the reverse is the case, 25 with gear
and 5 noobs, there is time to train the new
people and help them acquire some gear.
That helps to add to the community of SCUBA
divers. People can not DIVE for FREE all
their life.As we see with the Centralized DNS "Community"
we now have several hundred people who live
FREE from the Eco-System. They have largely
NOTHING to do. They have given each other
lofty titles and collect fees at every turn.
FREE Centralized domains end that game and
they certainly do not support those.Have you seen anything FREE come from the
Non-Profit Eco-System ? except member
recruiting meetings ? They no longer try to hide their
Eco-System of collusion.At least with SCUBA what you see is what
you have to work with. In the ideal situation
EACH domain owner will participate with
about the same amount of "gear". People
with nothing and those that expect FREE will
not be attracted to that community. -
@Jacob — .ECO was just an example. However, suffice to say there is definitely some lobbying going on within the ICANN new gTLD process – that would only be normal. And with 2 organizations, yours and Mind+Machines both going after .ECO, it will be interesting to see if it pays off, or if a 3rd party who hasn't gone public yet ends up being the winner of .ECO once the process if finalized and the applications roll in.
@andrew – thanks for the implied "loony" tag. So nice to be lumped together with CADNA.
I should point out that not only did we try to "put a little logic" behind our reports, but that the methodology is clearly laid out, as well as the actual data, and anyone is free to check this themselves and find out if we made any mistakes.
You may disagree with what the data means, but unless you find a mistake, the data just is what it is.
Did we make a mistake in getting involved in the process, pushing for new gTLDs, and announcing our projects, instead of just sitting and waiting?
Maybe, but it depends on your point of view. There are a lot of benefits that come from being passionate, and willing to put ourselves on the line. Some of the benefits are tangible, others are psychological, and many are completely unexpected. And because so many people are passive, or unwilling to be controversial, or to do the work to add data to the debate, we were able to get a lot of visibility in the industry. When gTLDs happen, that will benefit us.
Each company has to make its own cost-benefit calculus. We are happy with ours.
Hi Michael, for sure, agree and thanks for the clarification.
@Andrew – that is an informational update on what the Stakeholder Council is doing.
Big Room is participating in the ICANN process. That is not, however, the main reason that the company publicly announced its intention to apply for .eco.
Big Room has submitted comments to several of ICANN's public comment periods, most notably here:
and here:
@ Andrew. Thanks for posting the transparency.
I am actually looking forward to seeing how .ECO plays out. One the one side you have a group that has partnered with Afilias for the backend technology, whose CTO is on the board of ICANN (albeit a 'non-voting member'). And on the other side you have what I believe to be a group of people who are very experienced in the space who will definitely add value to the registry vertical and who are in the case of .ECO, backed by the 'father of the internet'. Add to the mix any other potential group who has not announced yet and it has all the makings for a thriller.
Accuracy check: Mindless Machinations
Hi Andrew, Re: .green – that depends on the policies, the process for the creation of which can be reviewed here: http://doteco.info/policy
Re: the letter, can see how that could be misinterpreted – 'as part of a dot eco domain application' or something to that effect, may have been clearer in this case. It is simply an open communication. Happy for you to point it out just want to get the context correct!
AFAIK, ICANN wouldn't have have anything to do with the specific policies for any TLD, aside from providing guidance in the DAG on community-priority requirements.
"Re: the letter, can see how that could be misinterpreted"
LOL. I'm sure the letter sent to the Chairman and the CEO of ICANN was simply to give them a "heads up" as to what you're up to. I'm sure they appreciate it.
Speaking of wastes of time, Big Room has spent the last year lobbying ICANN to consider their .eco project as a community application, when under the current rules it clearly does not come even remotely close to qualifying. Then again, with the CTO of the Afilias, the organization that will benefit most from a .eco controlled by Big Room ($4 per domain registration!!), on the board of ICANN, who knows what kind of shenanigans we'll see in connection with this particular TLD.
it seems to me that this is a ploy from bigroom to get attention.
bigroom can "officially convene their working group", but why should ICANN or anyone else care?


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It's the beginning of February. Have you finally returned all those unwanted/unneeded Christmas gifts?
No matter how bad we feel about it, there are so often times when we receive gifts that we just don't need. You might find yourself guiltily thinking, "Man, I really could've used the money they spent on this expensive coffeemaker instead."
On the flip side, how often do you buy a gift and wonder if it's really what the recipient needs or wants? You might search a million stores (online or off) and still not be 100% sure that you've picked the perfect gift.
That's where GIVTED comes in. They are building a way for people to give money, instead of potentially unwanted gifts.
Check out our Q&A with cofounder Stephanie de Bodinat below.
1) What's your startup called?
2) What's your big idea?
We found a beautiful way to give money as a gift.
3) What's the story behind your idea?
We felt people are overwhelmed by small gifts they don't necessarily want, gift cards included. Resulting in a big waste of gifts in general. With Givted, you give money nicely wrapped in a messages from friends and family. Givted enables you to work together with friends to pool funds into one pot, helping you give a larger amount helping you to get a gift that would have been harder to afford on your own.
4) Where are you located?
NYC and Orlando
5) What's the startup scene like there?
Truly inspiring- Competitive but so energetic!
6) What milestones have you reached?
We raised 1M in Seed Money in 2013 and managed to launch web product and mobile app same year.
7) What are your next milestones?
Getting more people using it.


text: Movie Quotes Quiz gamesBookmark the permalink. Release date: Nov 3rd, 2009 Price: Free Version: 1.2 Seller: June Software Private Limited Buy Now STP SCORE: Not yet reviewed Description Related Games MovieCat 2 – The Movie Trivia Game Sequel! Garfield's Trivia Party Wake the Cat Pudding Monsters Karateka Skee-Ball 2 Mutant Fridge Mayhem – Gumball Power Rangers Legends Pou Mensa Academy


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Meter Cleared for Consumer Use
On March 13, 2006, Abbott Diabetes Care of Alameda, California, announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market its FreeStyle Freedom blood glucose-monitoring system for consumer use.
According to Abbott, FreeStyle Freedom measures glucose levels using 0.3 microliters of blood—"the smallest sample size required of any blood glucose-monitoring product on the market." FreeStyle Freedom also provides results in five seconds and features a large, high-contrast display, making it easy to read and easy to hold.
For more information, log on to www.abbott.com.
Source: Abbott Diabetes Care
Click Here To View Or Post CommentsCategories: Blood Glucose, Diabetes, Diabetes, Food, Meters


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The Morning Call has an article about an Eagle Scout project that has caused some problems with a local union:
In pursuit of an Eagle Scout badge, Kevin Anderson, 17, has toiled for more than 200 hours hours over several weeks to clear a walking path in an east Allentown park.
Little did the do-gooder know that his altruistic act would put him in the cross hairs of the city's largest municipal union.
Nick Balzano, president of the local Service Employees International Union, told Allentown City Council Tuesday that the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing Anderson to clear a 1,000-foot walking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park.
"We'll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails," Balzano told the council.
Read the whole story at The Morning Call.


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I assume they tried 10,000 passwords, I don't know much about that kind of thing. My mistake was not backing up the site often enough.
So I'm rebuilding it now. Sorry for its appearance at the moment. If you're interested in design or brand strategy work, email me: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thanks for saying hi!