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CSREES Update, from the Office of the Administrator, is a biweekly newsletter for research, education, and extension partners at land-grant universities and other cooperating institutions.
In This Issue
Suit Retires
Sandra Suit retired on January 3. She had 37 years of federal government service, of which nearly 17 years were in the CSREES (and former Cooperative State Research Service) Budget Office. While here, she worked on almost all aspects of the formulation, presentation and justification, and execution of the CSREES budget. Best wishes to Sandy for a very happy retirement.
Ferrari Accepts F4-HN IPN Assignment
Dr. Theresa M. Ferrari, from the Ohio State University, will begin a 1-year assignment under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) to work with the 4-H Military Partnership programs in National 4-H Headquarters. Theresa is an associate professor and extension specialist, 4-H Youth Development at Ohio State, and has served as project director for the OH Operation: Military Kids grant and has built strong working relationships with Air Force and National Guard staffs in Ohio.
Ferrari will work directly with Sharon Wright, national program leader for CYFAR and 4-H Military Partnerships. She will focus on providing support and technical assistance to state 4-H Military partnership programs, and supporting interagency agreements with military partners and cooperative agreements with state 4-H programs.
Elrod Joins F4-HN
Brent Elrod joined CSREES' F4-HN Unit as the new program specialist in Family Science to provide support to national program leaders in the Nutrition and Family Sciences Section. Prior to joining CSREES, he served as program director with Generations United (GU), where he administered Seniors for Kids, a campaign engaging seniors in support of high quality early learning for children. In addition, he managed GU's Web site and online resource center, and coordinated GU's biennial international conference.
Elrod has over 25 years of experience developing and leading programs related to civic engagement, strengthening grandfamilies, family safety and preservation, child custody, and substance abuse prevention.
Before moving to Washington, DC, in 2004, Brent was the statewide coordinator for the Florida Kinship Center at the University of South Florida. His degrees include a master of theological letters and a bachelor of social work.
Jochum Joins Competitive Programs
Gera Jochum joins Competitive Programs as a program specialist to provide support to national program leaders for the NRI Plant Biology, Plant Biosecurity, and Plan Genome programs. Previously, Jochum was at the National Science Foundation. Jochum completed a master of science degree at West Virginia University in ecology and evolutionary biology.
February CSREES Reporting Web Conference
CSREES, in partnership with Texas A&M University, begins a bi-monthly CSREES Reporting Web Conference Series in February 2008. This series originated from requests for more information on various topics identified at the 2007 CSREES Planning and Accountability Mini-Conference.
The first conference will be February 14, from 2-4 p.m. (Eastern), covering the following topics:
Future topics for the series may include:
Each bi-monthly Web conference will cover two, 1-hour topics, usually 1 hour on software or report formats and 1 hour on content quality guidance. Half of each session will be reserved for answering questions.
Conferences are scheduled for the second Thursday of even months from 2 to 4 p.m. (Eastern).
Go to the Reporting Web Conference Web site at www.csrees.usda.gov/rwc to register for the conference and for further information.
Approaches for Submitting Via Grants.gov Applications
Grants.gov provides applicants with options when it comes to submitting applications. An applicant organization must determine how best to submit its application(s) to CSREES from the three options below.
Grants.gov Forms-based Submission Organizations using forms-based submission rely on the PureEdge forms viewer provided free of charge by Grants.gov. Grants.gov recently transitioned to Adobe forms; however, CSREES is in the process of transitioning and testing those forms.
System-to-System Organizations desiring a system-to-system approach can work with Grants.gov to develop their own data exchange system (XML datastream).
Disclaimer Note: Information contained on service providers neither constitutes nor should be inferred to be an endorsement or recommendation by CSREES. For more up-to-date information on their readiness, please contact them directly.
Provider Name
Cayuse Inc.
Click Commerce
Clinical Tools
eRA Software Systems
Formatta Corp
iMedRIS Data Corporation
InfoEd International
Research & Management Systems (RAMS)
SciMed Solutions
National Directory of 4-H Educational Materials Now Online
One of the priority outcomes of last June's National 4-H Curriculum Summit was the creation of a National Directory of 4-H Educational Materials.
This directory is now online at www.4-hdirectory.org. It is a searchable national database directory of 4-H educational materials currently available throughout the Cooperative Extension System. It will include National 4-H curriculum, state curriculum, supplementary materials, and guides, all created within the Land-Grant University System and intended either for a youth audience or for adults working with youth.
The goal is to have the full launch on April 1, with materials from all states or programs. Instructions on how to submit materials to the directory will be sent in 2 weeks. Surf the site now to learn about the categories of educational materials and how the database is set up.
Thanks to the New York 4-H program at Cornell for sharing their state directory, which made creation of the national directory much easier. Contact Nancy Schaff for more information.
CSREES News
CSREES Partners Video Examines How Agriculture is Fueling America
USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) has released the latest episode of its Partners Video Magazine series. Episode 20, "Fueling America," shows how CSREES is funding universities and small businesses to power the United States through biofuels. The four featured projects take a look at super yeasts recycled fats, algae and switchgrass as biomass alternatives for making ethanol.
Partners is a video magazine produced by CSREES. It highlights the programs and accomplishments of the partnership between CSREES and the Land-Grant University System in the areas of research, education and extension. Visit the CSREES Newsroom for more information on Partners and other Partners episodes.
CSREES Lists Open Requests for Grant Applications
Funding Opportunity
Closing Date
National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program - Various topic areas
See individual grant program
International Science and Education Competitive Grants Program
January 17, 2008
Hiram Larew
Education Challenge, Higher Ed, HEP
February 1, 2008
Gregory Smith
Higher Education Program: Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program
February 8, 2008
Irma Lawrence
Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 Program
February 22, 2008
Joan Gill
CSREES advertises all of its funding opportunities through "Find Grant Opportunities" on the Grants.gov Web site. This site is searchable and contains summary information on all federal funding opportunities with links to the full announcements. Users can search announcements by topic, funding agency, and date, as well as subscribe to an e-mail notification service based on these parameters.
Conner Names Members to the National Potato Promotion Board
On January 7, Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner appointed 35 producer members and one public member to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board for 3-year terms beginning March 1, 2008, and ending on Feb. 28, 2011. In addition, another member has been appointed to fill a vacancy for a term of office beginning immediately and ending on Feb. 28, 2009. The Potato Board administers an industry-funded national research and promotion program to increase U.S. exports and domestic potato consumption. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release.
Conner Names Members to the National Peanut Board
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner on January 3 reappointed one member and one alternate member to serve on the National Peanut Board. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release.
Conner Names Cotton Board Members
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner on January 3 announced the appointment of 17 members and 17 alternate members to the Cotton Board, as well as one vacant alternate member position in Mississippi created by a resignation. The cotton research and promotion program is designed to advance the position of cotton in the marketplace. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release.
Statement by Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner on the Full Implementation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
"As of January 1, 2008, the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is now fully implemented, opening an historic new chapter in one of the most successful trade agreements in our history. Since its inception in 1994, NAFTA has been a remarkable success story for all three partners. It has contributed to significant increases in agricultural trade and investment between the United States, Canada, and Mexico and has benefited farmers, ranchers, and consumers throughout North America." Visit the USDA Newsroom to read Acting Secretary Conner's full comments.
USDA Issues Disaster Payments for Crop, Livestock and Feed Losses
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced on December 19 that USDA will begin issuing payments to tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers across the country who suffered losses because of natural disasters.
"Numerous agricultural producers suffered financial hardships in recent years because of floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and other weather-related disasters," Conner said. "These funds will provide assistance to producers affected by these disasters."
Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release.
USDA Takes Another Step Towards Advancing Animal Disease Traceability in the United States
Traceability is the key to protecting animal health and marketability. In order to respond quickly and effectively to an animal disease event (whether it is a single incident or a full-scale outbreak), animal health officials need to know which animals are involved, where they are located, and what other animals might have been exposed. The sooner reliable data is available, affected animals can be located, appropriate response measures can be established, and disease spread can be halted.
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS), developed in partnership with State animal health authorities, industry and USDA, will facilitate progress towards improved traceability. NAIS is a state-of-the-art system that cuts across species and extends the benefits of animal identification and disease tracing beyond livestock participating in a particular disease program.
Note: An Extension - NAIS Resource Center, specifically created for extension educators, is available at http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/extension/.
USDA Announces More Than $6.2 Million for Rural Community Development Initiatives
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner on December 17 announced the selection of 38 organizations in 23 states to receive more than $6.2 million in grants to support rural economic development efforts. The funding is being provided through USDA Rural Development's Rural Community Development Initiative Program.
"These funds support USDA's partnership with rural America. In Wisconsin, for example, workshop training will assist federally recognized tribes in their ongoing efforts to provide healthy, energy efficient affordable housing for their families," Conner said. "This 'green affordable housing initiative' is an excellent example of how rural community leaders are investing in the future of their community."
Researchers Unmask How Harmful Soybean Parasites Operate
Cyst nematodes are menacing, microscopic roundworms that infect and feed on the root cells of many important agricultural crops. One species of cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines, feeds on soybean crops, resulting in up to $1 billion in crop loss in the United States each year. Recent work by scientists at the University of Missouri and Iowa State University is featured on the cover of the March issue of the journal Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. The results from their studies may lead to more effective management tools to combat the agricultural pest and protect this vital U.S. crop. CSREES funded the research. Visit the CSREES Newsroom for more information.
Miller Selected as Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University
David E. Miller has been selected and appointed director of the Cooperative Extension Service at West Virginia University, effective July 1.
Miller earned a bachelor of science in physical education and social studies from Fairmont State College and a master of education in administration from the University of Virginia. He previously served as the executive officer for government and community relations for the University of West Virginia.
Richards Named Interim Dean of Agriculture and Cooperative Extension Administrator at Prairie View A&M University
Dr. Freddie L. Richards, professor in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology and director of the Institute for International AgriBusiness Studies, has been named interim dean of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences and interim administrator of the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University, effective December 1, 2007.
2008 National Women in Agriculture Educators Conference
The 2008 National Women in Agriculture Educators Conference is April 1–2, 2008, in Oklahoma City, OK, with a pre-conference seminar scheduled March 31. The number of women either taking over as the principal operator or beginning new farming and ranching enterprises continues to increase. Educators are seeing a demand for specialized farm management and risk management training focusing on the woman owner/operator.
The 2008 conference brings together private- and public-sector educators, crop insurance agents, lenders, and other agricultural professionals who are involved in outreach education, to share ongoing and emerging successful risk management education efforts directed toward women involved in production agriculture. Conference participants will learn about educational efforts which assist women producers and their families effectively manage financial, production, marketing, legal, and human resource risks associated with agricultural businesses. The pre-conference seminar focuses on agricultural law and will include presentations concerning liabilities associated with farming and ranching operations, estate planning and farm succession, and a session designed to assist those working with farmers and ranchers in designing and executing agricultural legal education activities. Presentations and poster sessions will be offered. Visit the conference Web site for additional information. Contact Janie Hipp, CSREES national program leader for Risk Management Education/Farm Financial Management, in the Economic and Community Systems Unit, for more information.
Registration Open for SARE's 20th Anniversary Conference
Registration is open for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education's (SARE) 20th Anniversary New American Farm Conference, March 25–27, 2008, in Kansas City, MO. Tap into 20 years of groundbreaking SARE-funded research, experience, and innovations. The complete schedule, including details on breakout sessions and tours, along with a link to online registration is available on the conference Web site. Exhibitor registrations must be submitted via registration form and cannot be made online. Exhibits will be available for nonprofit entities only. Space is very limited, so act quickly.
PMN Announces "Focus on Soybean"
Plant Management Network announces its next-generation resource for crop management professionals, serving researchers, extension personnel, growers, consultants, and students.Focus on Soybean is the first in a series of topics targeting the production of specific crops. The central feature of each focus topic will be educational Webcasts presented by recognized experts in crop production and protection. A brief presentation introducing Focus on Soybean and its Webcasts can be viewed on the soybean focus page. Focus on Soybean currently provides 4.5 hours of audio webcasts in 11 presentations with others in the making. Through this and future focus topics on other crops, PMN provides a centralized portal for credible information serving specific commodities. In addition to the Webcasts, focus pages also include search engines for related journal articles, extension publications, images, and other Web-based resources. Focus on Soybean is partially funded by PMN's partners in the soybean industry.
For a plain text copy of this newsletter, please contact Judy Rude. CSREES UPDATE is published biweekly. The next regular issue is planned for January 30, 2008. Submit news items to email@example.com by January 23, 2008.
Editor: Judy Rude, Public Affairs Specialist, CSREES Communications Staff. If you have questions about Update, please contact her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Back issues of CSREES UPDATE are available on the CSREES Web site.
Colien Hefferan, Administrator
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


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MISCIK: Good evening. I'm Jami Miscik. I'm president of Kissinger Associates and a member of the board of the Council on Foreign Relations. Welcome to all of you for joining us tonight. And good courage and skill you've shown in negotiating your way through the traffic to get to the east side of Manhattan during U.N. week.
Housekeeping has already been taken care of. I just want to begin tonight by explaining what we're going to do here. We'll have a brief opening statement from our guest. We will then have a short conversation on the stage, and then we'll invite the rest of the members to join in.
It's my distinct pleasure to introduce the Iraqi foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari. He is -- you have his very impressive bio. He is also the longest-serving minister of the government. So we really look forward to his perspective on the issues of the region and his country.
And with that, Mr. Minister, welcome.
ZEBARI: Thank you.
Thank you, Jami. Thank you so much for that introduction. Thanks also to the Council on Foreign Relations for inviting me to speak this evening.
I'm specifically humbled that you would invite me during the U.N. General Assembly, where you have no shortage of other distinguished speakers from which to choose. For that honor, I really thank you so much.
Our region is, of course, very high on the agenda of this General Assembly, both in the news and at the assembly itself. You may have your own impression of the unprecedented events we are witnessing, but tonight I want to describe to you what our neighborhood looks like from Baghdad and give you an honest assessment, not just what I think you want to hear.
The key driver of change in our region is the Arab Spring, and the pent-up desire for freedom is unleashed. Iraq, in fact, was the first country, thanks to the coalition forces, led by the United States, in our region to make the transition from dictatorship to democracy. We -- so we know firsthand how difficult that transition can be.
We have paid an enormous price in blood and treasure, as have our allies, like the United States, and other countries. And we continue to face many challenges to our security, our process of democracy, and the welfare of the Iraqi people. However, 10 years on, the trajectory of Iraq's transition is clear, and these challenges should not cause the American people to regret -- to regret your involvement in our country over the past 10 years.
Politically, we continue to build a multi-ethnic, multi-party democracy with respect for the rule of law and bound by our national constitution. Local elections took place earlier this year. Regional elections in Iraqi Kurdistan have just been held, and legislative and general elections in 2014 next year will determine our national leadership again.
The Iraqi people have rejected the more recent attempts by Al Qaida and other groups to foment sectarian violence, choosing instead to decide their future with voting for power-sharing and peaceful change, not violence. Economically, we have the world's fastest growing economy. Oil production has increased 50 percent since 2005. And also, the projection for Iraq oil production, Iraq is poised to double its oil output by 2030, emerging as the world's second-largest energy exporter.
We have challenges, an economic dependence on oil, unemployment at 11 percent, and poverty at 23 percent, but we have made significant progress towards meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. And we are diversifying our investing in education development projects and infrastructure, while moving towards a market economy friendly to foreign investment.
The United States can provide what our nation needs through investment and trade, not charity and aid, and the strategy framework agreement between Iraq and the U.S. covers the tremendous investment opportunities available. The people of Iraq are better off now than under the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, and Iraq has resumed its place as a peaceful and a law-abiding partner in the international community.
The people of Iraq will be forever grateful to America's coalition partner for restoring their freedoms. In fact, this has been my 11th visit to the United Nations to attend the General Assembly. And this time, I have a very, very clear conscience that for the first time I feel my country is free from sanctions, from Chapter 7 resolutions. Over 90 such resolutions were imposed on Iraq because of its invasion of Kuwait, regarding weapons of mass destruction, disarmament, the oil-for-food, and you name it. Now we have really cleared Iraq from all these restrictions.
Back to our neighborhood, having so recently lived under dictatorship ourselves, Iraqis also sympathize with our Arab brothers pursuing freedom, dignity, but we also know that as a dictatorship recedes, opportunities are created not just for democrats, but also for the forces of intolerance and sectarianisms, interference by foreign governments, and for terrorism.
Al Qaida is not just America's enemy. It is also our enemy, one that we are facing every day on the streets of -- of Baghdad and elsewhere, an enemy opposed to the vision of a democratic, pluralistic, inclusive society that my government is building in Iraq.
Figuring out the right balance on the -- on the natures, pluralism, of freedom, without investing -- inviting terrorism and foreign interference is the greatest challenge facing not only Iraq, but the entire Arab world. When we look at the Syria crisis, we see not only a critical humanitarian tragedy, but an immediate and grave threat to the security of our country and the region. It is for these reasons that our top priority in Syria is to end the bloodshed.
We see no hope of a military victory by any side. So we believe that the only way to stop the violence is through a peaceful settlement and through negotiation. Accordingly, we favor all steps that help lay the groundwork of a diplomatic settlement and oppose any actions that will fuel the conflict.
For these reasons, we were very pleased by the diplomatic breakthrough recently achieved by Secretary of State Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov with respect to Syria's chemical weapons. And we wholeheartedly endorse it. We deplore the efforts of anyone to supply more weapons to any party to that ongoing conflict, whether to support the government of Bashar al-Assad or one of the rebel forces. This will only perpetuate the conflict and reduce the prospect of a negotiated settlement.
And the weapons are a pathway for foreign interference in the internal affairs of our neighbors, a problem with which we are all too familiar. Iraq is a sovereign federal democratic country, and we absolutely reject outside interference or influence on our security and policymaking.
Iraq has been very cautious in its position towards the Syrian crisis, specifically out of its own national interest. Any change of the balance in Syria would lead immediately to an impact and spillover into Iraq. Or especially (ph) we see the rise of sectarian tension and in the region and in Iraq itself, and this could fuel even further that conflict.
For these reasons, we are consistent -- sorry, consistent with this policy, we are committed to preventing the territory, airspace, and waters of our country from being utilized by any outside entity or country to fuel the conflict in Syria. There has been repeated concerns about Iranian overflights over -- over Iraqi territory and space to supply weapons and arms to the Syrian regime. In fact, although we don't deny that, but really our ability to prevent that is limited. And up to now, we are trying to build our air defense system, our air force to reinforce any such future decision. And we have given demarches also to the Iranian side that, really, they should respect sovereignty, they should respect the independent policy of the Iraqi government of not taking sides in this conflict.
And also, Iraq's ability, in fact, to enforce this policy, as I said, is limited, but we are doing so to the extent of our ability to prevent any flow of arms or oil or arms into Syria. We have a long border with Syria that is nearly 600 kilometers, with open desert, and I remember even when the U.S. forces were in Iraq, one of the key challenges they faced with their superior technology and counterterrorism was how to manage these borders.
Not only that, but the Assad government was for years complicit in supporting Al Qaida and other terrorist forces fighting to overthrow my government. It is convenient for critics of our current policy to forget that just a few years ago, we sought to hold the Assad government accountable before the U.N. Security Council for its support of terrorism in Iraq. Not even the United States then supported us in that effort. At that time, in fact, the policy saw President Assad as a potential partner in the Middle East peace process, and they didn't want to jeopardize his cooperation in that undertaking over the issue of a few thousand Iraqi murdered by a Syrian-backed terrorist. I was Iraq foreign minister at the time, and I vividly remember our diplomatic isolation in calling for international action against the Syrian government.
We recognize that not all the rebels or the opposition forces in Syria are sympathetic to Al Qaida. To the contrary, some have democratic agendas very compatible with our own, but as long as it is not clear that any rebel-formed government in Damascus will not be controlled by Al Qaida or Al-Nusra, we, in fact, oppose providing military assistance to any rebel group. We can think of no more perilous (ph) development for our security than the emergence of an Al Qaida-dominated government on our border.
We also -- I want also to brief you, really, on our view on Iran's nuclear program. We emphatically supported the right of Iran and all other countries in our region to pursue a peaceful nuclear power program, but if there would be a country that would fear an Iranian nuclear program, military program, it will be Iraq. It would pose an existential threat to the country, mainly because of the history of the background that we have with our eastern neighbor.
And this right is enshrined in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and can be a key driver for economic development. At the same time, we adamantly oppose the introduction of nuclear weapons in our region. This is forbidden first by the NPT and would seriously degrade the security of all countries in the region. Instead, we supported the establishment of a Middle East weapons of mass destruction-free zone to reinforce the prohibitions of the NPT and increased mutual security and confidence among all the countries of our region.
We would also view any evidence of nuclear weapons -- of military nuclear weapons with grave alarm, because, as Iran's neighbor, we could not help but -- but consider such a weapon as a threat. So at the moment, we are not allowed (ph), but even in the absence of any serious evidence, we recognize that Iran hasn't always pursued its nuclear program in ways that minimize suspicion about its intentions.
We -- as a neighbor, in fact, Iraq have played a role in inviting the P5 and Iran to nuclear talks in Baghdad. We have been engaged very closely with the main obstacles of this negotiation, and also we have helped to be a bridge, in fact, to facilitate, to encourage, especially the Iranian side to -- to be more serious, and even with this current visit of the Iranian delegations, in fact, we have as Iraqi government passed messages to the effect to resolve this issue peacefully.
Our regional relationship also offer opportunity, as well as challenges. Over the past two years, relations between Kuwait and Iraq have improved enormously. In fact, there have been mutual visits between the two countries at the highest level, and all the remaining issues of border, of the missing, of the properties, of the many issues related to Chapter 7 obligations have been resolved completely between Iraq and Kuwait. The only remaining issue is their war compensations that still 5 percent of Iraqi oil production has been paid to war reparations in Kuwait. But this is not a controversial issue. There is mechanisms. And already, we are doing our dues, I think, by 2015, all the compensations will be paid by Iraq, so that file will be closely closed. But now we feel really we are free. We are out of Chapter 7.
Finally, I would say, as we rebuild our country, Iraq and the United States will benefit by building a long-term partnership. And together, we can and must develop what President Obama has described as, quote, "a normal relationship between sovereign nations and equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect." With our political, economic and diplomatic progress, Iraq is taking its place as a partner for the United States, our neighbors, and for the family of nations.
As we speak, in fact, Iraq has now over 90 diplomatic missions based in Baghdad, including nearly 17 Arab embassies. Those countries used to look with great suspicions to the new Iraq and the new democratic Iraq. In fact, now the situation has been normalized a great deal.
We are committed to our partnership with the United States, and we are confident that through the partnership, as well as our cooperation with other friendly countries, we will be able to build the kind of society that redeems the sacrifices made by so many Iraqis and to bring us to where we are today.
Thank you very much for your listening and for your attention. Thank you.
MISCIK: Thank you, Mr. Minister. It was a terrific overview and a great place to start our conversation. And you hit on many of the points that I wanted to touch on, so let me repeatedly say -- you mentioned this in your speech, but you mentioned the border in your speech and the spillover effects in -- on the security situation that Syria's having on the inside of Iraq. Tell us about the government's ability to secure that -- or stem the tide of violence inside the country.
ZEBARI: Well, in fact, there is ongoing violence. Here I'm not here to give you unrealistic or a rosy picture about Iraq. In fact, the facts speak for themselves. Still, we haven't succeeded fully to bring the security situation under control. But a great deal, also, is a result of the spillover coming from Syria, and specifically the new terrorist organizations that have been established in Iraq and Syria have an alliance. Now we have one organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Dawlat al-Iraq al-Islamiyya fi wa-l-Sham (ph), is one organization, not to mention Arar Washam (ph), not to mention Jabhat Al-Nusra.
According to foreign intelligence, really, there are nearly 10,000 foreign fighters or jihadists now in Syria. And therefore, really, there are some serious concerns about the lack of any political direction or of any international action to change the balance, let's say, in Syria. And nobody's in control; nobody's in charge. I mean, those forces on the ground could determine the situation in the future.
And this is what worries Iraq most of all. Because of its sectarian demographic composition, in fact, the Sunni provinces of the western Iraq will see themselves as the strategic depth (ph) in Syria. And also, the Shia community will feel that they are threatened by change, let's say, in the region. This is why there is serious concern about heightened sectarian conflict in the region, not to say that Bashar al-Assad regime is a Shia regime or it's an Alawite and so on, but, really, the regional conflict between Iran, between the United States, between the gulf countries, have all led to heightened sectarian tensions.
And we in Iraq feel it. We feel it immediately. The flow of these terrorists groups and actions across the borders has really increased recently. And there are numerous evidence. Now we are trying with the United States to enhance our counterterrorism capabilities and equipment and technology. Only recently there has been some positive response to that, because of the expertise and intelligence-sharing with some technologies, with some border control equipment. In fact, this is happening as we speak, and many because of the concerns of the spillover from Syria into Iraq and into other countries.
MISCIK: And do you think the Iraqi public is confident that the Iraqi government can provide the security that's needed? Or do you fear that they will start to take matters into their own hands and seek to protect themselves?
ZEBARI: The great majority believe that -- they're confident, but whether their security performance is up to the expectation of ordinary Iraqis, no. In fact, they do expect more better performance, more professionalisms in managing the security threat and the terrorist threat. And because of the political divisions in the country that has been ongoing, this has led, really, to deterioration in the security. And this is a fact. Whenever we have more political unity or political consensus, it would have an immediate impact on the level of terrorist attacks or security attacks.
At the same time, most of these security attacks -- terrorist attacks, actually, are not nationwide in Iraq. They are more concentrated in Baghdad in the vicinity of the capital. In other parts of the country, in Kurdistan in the north, in the south, in fact, the situation is more peaceful, is more stable. And business goes on as usual.
MISCIK: Well, let me ask you about the north. You mentioned the number of refugees that are coming across. In recent weeks, large numbers of Kurdish refugees have been arriving in the north. How is that changing the dynamic there? I mean, this is an area you know well.
ZEBARI: Yes, it has, actually. I mean, the number of Syrian refugees, according to UNHCR, has reached over 2 million. And Iraq, especially the Kurdish region, has received nearly 200,000 now. And the total number of Syrian refugees in Iraq is estimated at 207,000. This is the latest figure. But the bulk of them, the majority are in the Dahuk, Irbil provinces in Iraqi Kurdistan.
And there is a great deal of sympathies between Iraqi Kurds and the Syrian Kurds on the other side. But really, there are no plans or intentions for the Kurdish leadership in Iraq to intervene (inaudible) militarily or politically in altering the conditions on the ground. But for humanitarian assistance and accommodations, I think they have been looked after very well or better than other countries.
MISCIK: Let me ask you about the relationship between Iraq and Iran. I'm sure in your meetings with U.S. government officials, you're often questioned or concerns are raised about how close the relationship is. Some may even go so far as to say that on issues like Syria, Iraq doesn't have its own foreign policy, it follows the Iranian lead. You're perfectly positioned to tell us where Iran and Iraq agree and where they disagree on issues that are key to the region.
ZEBARI: Yes. In fact, now the relations between Iraq and Iran has changed strategically from a relation of animosity, of war, of confrontation, to one of good neighborly relations. The majority of Iraqi leaders now have lived in Iran or were refugees or have a great deal of interaction, not to mention also the sectarian affinity between Iran and Iraq. The number of pilgrims, of Shia pilgrims from Iran to the holy shrines in Najaf and Karbala really has exceeded 2 million visitors in one year. And also, Iraqi visitors to the Shia shrines in Qom and elsewhere in Iran have increased.
Not to mention that geographically we have the longest border with Iran. It's 1,300. And we have numerous problems and issues, unresolved issue from the Iran-Iraq war, delineations (ph) of the -- of the land borders, of Shatt al-Arab waterway, of the flow of waters or rivers from Iran into Iraq that have been diverted or stopped, and also the clearance of many parts of the countries from mines. These are all technical issues that we deal with, in fact. And there is good cooperation on both sides.
But to answer your question whether Iran has influence over Iraq, yes, it has. Whether the Iraqis have an independent policy of their own, yes, also, we say we have, in fact, now the new Iraqi leaders who've lived in Iran or in exile, now they have become the owners of this very rich, powerful country, so really they will not be automatically subservient to another country. And therefore, we would disagree that Iraq has become an extension of Iran. I will disagree with that idea, in fact, completely.
And the other thing, actually, historically, the Iraqi Shia have been acting more as Iraqi nationalists. Even if you remember during the Iran-Iraq war, the bulk of them fought for their country, irrespective of the religious ideology or sectarian affinity. But, in fact, there is influences. And in today's world, any country can have an influence, but it should be used in a positive way.
We are aware, mindful of Iranian control or domination, let's say, through many means that, although it's not publicized, it's not mentioned on the cultural levels, on properties, on many other things, there has been an ongoing resistance, in fact, by the Iraqis, by the governorates to accept this extending influence over Iraq.
MISCIK: Well, let me take it in a more positive direction. You were talking about the bridge that Iraq could perhaps play between the Iranians and the Americans. You've been in New York. You've heard both presidents, the president of Iran, the president of the United States, speak at the U.N. On your perspective, where do you think we are in that relationship, in that ability to bridge?
ZEBARI: I think there is a new leadership in Iran, and it has launched a charm offensive or a charm assault, really.
I think they have done it very professionally so far. But everybody expected more from the Iranian president yesterday. And we were at the assembly, meeting people, listening. In fact, we believed they should have capitalized on this sea of goodwill by the international community and positive statement that President Obama made. In fact, he's gone out of his way to reach out to the Iranians on this.
But there are internal pressures, it seems, on the new leadership, on the new president, for the time being. But speaking to them, actually, they have done a number of the right steps so far, in terms of their intentions, their political statement. Yesterday, I didn't hear President Rouhani mention Israel at all, or even not a word. I mean, he talked about the Palestinians, about Palestinians' rights, struggle, but he avoided that. Also, he used a moderate language, not maybe on the -- on the substance, but really it differed completely from previous Iranian messages.
It seems that they are also feeling the pressures of sanctions, of isolations, of the impact, and, in fact, we've been talking to them in a very candid, very direct way, that learn from us, from Iraq, on coming clear, transparent, allow the inspectors, and therefore there is certain procedures that needs to be followed, in fact, to ensure that -- but, really, from firsthand knowledge, I think this talks -- this negotiation will take time. It will not be immediate or resolved in one or two or three meetings between the P5-plus-one or P3-plus-three with Iran, because there are some serious differences between the two sides.
Firstly, I mean, the Iranian would say -- would tell you, well, they don't have any intentions for any nuclear program or military nuclear program. There is a fatwa by the highest religious authority. Khamenei is the supreme leader. And you have imposed sanctions on us to prevent us from developing a nuclear program or militarized -- so we are not doing it. And you need to lift the sanctions before we make the first move.
And the other side now will argue, really, this is your intention, but we need to verify, to see for ourselves whether -- and the IAEA is the watchdog, is the agency that needs to establish this for us before making any move. There has been some concessions to provide them with spare parts for civilian military, with easing some part of the sanctions, but their approach is more general. It's holistic, let's say, than these small concessions.
MISCIK: Let me just ask one last question before opening it up, and that's about another one of your neighbors, Turkey.
ZEBARI: Yes.
MISCIK: There are some who might say that the relationship between Baghdad and Ankara has deteriorated, while the relationship between the Kurdish areas has strengthened and gotten stronger. And there is the pipeline issue that could become operational in the not-too-distant future that could even further tighten those relationships between the Kurdish Regional Government and the Kurdistan in Turkey. Baghdad has said that they might not send money, budget up to the Kurdish areas as a result of that. Just give us your perspective on those different issues.
ZEBARI: Yeah. Turkey is -- is the largest trading partner with Iraq as a country. In fact, the balance of trade between Iraq and Turkey is the largest, is nearly $15 billion U.S. dollar, and it is increasing. So the political tension has not affected the economic and trade cooperation at all.
Yes, there has been serious political tensions between Baghdad and Ankara. And mainly they came from public statements made by both sides. I will not say by one side, but, really, by the Turkish side, they started some of these statements, which we in Iraq felt as if this is some kind of a dictate about how the Iraqi government should act or behave, while at the same time we have an elected government, democratically elected government, and we expect from Turkey, from other countries, to have respect for this government, the same thing from us towards them.
This was the key issue, in fact, for this tension. Before, the Turkish policy was to -- not to deal in any way with the KRG, with the Kurdish Regional Government, or not to recognize it or not to mention the word K, in fact, or -- in many of the meeting and so on. And the irony was now their relations has really developed with Iraqi Kurdistan to unprecedented level.
I mean, who could believe that the prime minister of Turkey one day will visit Irbil under the Kurdistan flag, for instance, or open an international airport jointly with the Kurdish leader? It was unimaginable. My good friend remembers when we used to do some work, and David (ph) -- how to manage this relations. In fact, it has moved.
And there is -- the driving force between Turkey and the KRG's energy, I think there are great potentials of gas and oil in the region, and Turkey needs that, but, really, we have been telling the Turks, improving relations between Baghdad and Ankara will not be at the cost of -- of Ankara and Irbil. And you can benefit from, let's say, both sides.
Recently, we'd mended fences. I mean, both sides, there has been a number of meeting in the ministerial level. Just yesterday, our delegations met with President Abdullah Gul, the president of Turkey, and that delegation here. And we have agreed on improving relations in future mutual visits.
As for the issue of the pipeline, in fact, this dispute between the KRG and Baghdad still unresolved, and mainly because there is no hydrocarbon law agreed between Baghdad and the region. But the -- but things are moving, are working, really. There is a flow of oil, let's say, from Iraq to the international oil market, and that hasn't been a main cause of any friction, neither between Baghdad and the KRG, nor between Baghdad and Ankara, but it is a potential problem, let's say, in the future, unless it is addressed properly. I think it could be divisive issue.
MISCIK: With that, let's open it up to our members. I know there are a lot of people here with lots of questions. If you could wait for a microphone to come around, please stand, state your name, your affiliation. Please try to keep your questions relatively short so that we can get as many members in as possible. And, remember, this is on the record.
So let's start right here.
QUESTION: Trudy Rubin from the Philadelphia Inquirer. A pleasure to see you here.
ZEBARI: Nice seeing you.
QUESTION: You talked about the danger of sectarian war and the problem of terrorist flows across the Iraqi border and also about the problems you had with Assad government before, in letting terrorists cross. Do you believe that the Assad government is deliberately facilitating the presence of jihadist groups in any way in order to create the perfect opposition and to prevent help from the West to the rebels? And given the growth of a belt of jihadis that crosses the Iraqi border on both sides, given the unlikelihood of talks for Geneva II, how do you feel this jihadi belt that affects your country, too, can be addressed, both inside Iraq and internationally?
ZEBARI: Thank you. I remember 2004, Trudy. I was the foreign minister of Iraq, and it was in the early years of the new Iraq. I visited Damascus and had a meeting with President Bashar Assad, with his foreign minister then, Farouk al-Sharaa, and it was at the beginning when we felt that there are some of the terrorists are flowing from Syria into Iraq, with assistance at the airport and border crossing point by the Syrian Mukhabarat.
And I remember telling them at the time, "You are acting like catching the snake from its tail. The day will come when it will bite you." Believe me, I vividly remember this conversation. And now, in fact, these terrorist groups or these networks of Al-Nusra, of Al Qaida, or Aha Hasham (ph) and others definitely are not the creations of Bashar Assad. They have benefited maybe from previous environments or connections or logistics, and they have grown up, but to say that they have been deliberately created, no, they are the one who are doing most of the fighting. In fact, they are the one who are mobilizing, who are recruiting, many, many foreign jihadists, not only from the Arab countries, from European countries, and from Asia, from many, many other Islamic countries.
So they are there. The longer this will go on, I think their influence will increase. And they are intimidating other groups, as well. Nobody has much knowledge about the flow of arms by some of the regional countries where these arms goes to. And this is one of the biggest problem in Europe, in the United States, how we differentiate, recognize the good opposition from the bad opposition or how to ensure that our weapons or sophisticated anti-aircraft, anti-tanks will not fall into the hands -- in the wrong hands. And this has been ongoing debate and discussion.
But I think here we need, really, the support of -- of the United States, of other countries to enhance border security. And it is happening. I was meeting with the -- my colleagues, the Tunisian foreign minister today, and he informed me they're using drones in southern Tunisia against some of these terrorist groups, you see, between Algeria and Tunisia, so this technology is needed. I think the United States started to help us on that, and we think we can do more.
MISCIK: Another question? Here on the aisle?
QUESTION: I'm Carroll Bogert from Human Rights Watch. In your remarks, you deplored the participation, the arms transfers into Iraq as perpetuating the conflict, and you talked about the difficulty of stopping arms overflights over Iraqi territory, but you didn't speak about militias from Iraq entering Syria...
ZEBARI: Yes.
QUESTION: ... and the fact that actually the Iraqi government has been turning a blind eye to Shia militias who enter Syria and cracking down on Sunni volunteers who wish to go into the region. And I believe in June, your own transport minister, after the Deir ez-Zor attack in Syria, said that he would welcome thousands of Iraqi Shia going in to protect Shia shrines in Syria.
MISCIK: Can we just make sure we get a question?
ZEBARI: Yes, OK.
QUESTION: If you deplore the perpetuation of the conflict, what can you do to stop militias from entering Syria from Iraq?
ZEBARI: We deplore that, too. I can assure you. I can speak openly about any participation of any Shia. In fact, it's not sanctions by the government. I mean, any Shia volunteers who go into Syria can tell you there is a declared fatwa by Sistani -- you see, the supreme Shia leader in Najaf -- who forbids any Shia to go and fight in Syria. By other religious leaders, too. And the government does not encourage, in fact, any volunteers to go to fight, let's say.
But to be realistic, when there are calls by Sunni leaders from, like, Qaradawi, like the Mufti of Saudi Arabia, of Egypt then, during Morsi (ph), calling on a mobilization of jihadists to go and fight, let's say, the Alawite or sectarian groups, you would expect that there would be calls from other extremists on the other side to do. That's why we believe that this sectarian confrontation is coming, is happening, because there are interests that promote that.
And who will benefit more of this? Really, everybody can conclude his conclusion, but I think there would be certain parties who will benefit more from an all-out, drawn-out sectarian conflict there. So I can really reassure you that the government does not support or encourage or endorse that. Hadi al-Amiri is a member of the government, but really he doesn't make the policy of the government. He's also a leader of a political party, that's the Badr Brigade, let's say, we has armed people in Iraq, but he doesn't -- he doesn't have the authority, let's say, of allowing volunteers or Shia to go into -- into Syria.
And the numbers we are talking about, really, if -- if there are -- there are -- Hezbollah came to Syria. And the numbers we are talking about, really, if there are -- there are Hezbollah came publicly and openly and fought in Al Qasr (ph) and in other parts of Syria. But the Shia -- the Iraqi Shia numbers are limited. I mean, we're not talking about thousands. Really, we're talking about a smaller number of a few hundreds. And there is a decrease in them, we know, from our own intelligence, because of conflict of interests, of differences. Many of them are abandoning (inaudible) fight.
MISCIK: OK. Here.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) Barclays. I'm wondering if you can talk about how secure energy infrastructure is from attacks from extremist groups, because it seems like the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline has been repeatedly attacked, and also there was a bombing attempt of one of your big ports in southern Iraq.
ZEBARI: Yes. The energy security, actually, in Iraq, the government has just established a new force to protect the oil infrastructure and have allocated the finances and the recruitment for this new force to protect the Iraqi pipelines to Turkey and into the south, to the gulf.
There has been repeated attacks on Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, mainly because it goes really through some of the -- of the hot and disputed territories, let's say. And the oil ministry have been successful in repairing these damages, although it has cost us a great deal.
But in the south, the incident on the port really, according to the investigation, was not specifically a terrorist attack. It was more criminal attempts, let's say, conducted by certain interest groups, let's say, in the port. And there hasn't been any other such incidents. Our terminals, let's say, in the south, in the northern tip of the gulf, are safe and working and operating. And the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, I think we will be able to secure it with more security forces on the ground, yes.
MISCIK: OK. How about over here in the back?
QUESTION: Jeff Lorenti (ph). Minister Zebari, as you noted in your remarks, Iraq has now been welcomed back into the Arab world, but it's happened precisely at the moment when the Arab upheavals have knocked out many of what had been significant players, leaving the field open to the Saudis to essentially drive the Arab world agenda, direct the Arab League and such. What do you see as the Saudi agenda, to the extent that there are religious Wahhabist elements or threads to that? How does that impact Iraq's relations with the Saudis and the rest of the Arab world?
They won a big win with the coup in Egypt, and they've swept Bahrain under the rug. Where are they headed? And is there any alternative power source to balance them out that you see in the Arab world in the near term?
ZEBARI: Yes, well, Saudi Arabia is a very important Arab Islamic international power, definitely. And our relations with them have not been very warm or formal. Only recently, actually, they are planning to re-establish diplomatic relations with Baghdad to send an ambassador. They have a non-permanent ambassador to Iraq, but we've asked them recently to make permanent, to open the southern border points of Ar'ar between Iraq and Saudi Arabia for trade. In fact, the balance of trade between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, it's unseen. It's not seen, but it's nearly $5 billion, but it goes through Kuwait and Jordan, I mean, indirectly.
As for the role of Saudi Arabia in the region, in the Arab League, it is important, really, but -- but sometimes there is an overestimations of the Saudi role or even of the Qatari role in many of the events or developments taking place in the region. Yes, they have the money, they have the media, they have the political support, but they don't have the tools to implement the policies on the ground.
We've seen their role in Syria, let's say. Really, speaking to many of them, they are all frustrated. And recently, in the Arab League, in fact, there are new voices rising against this hegemony, let's say, of GCC over Arab League. Now Egypt is speaking up. Iraq is speaking up. Algeria is speaking up. And I think that that balance has changed recently, I mean, because of everybody's frustration on Syria, on other issues, and all the expectations that they had of an imminent military intervention or change has evaporated.
So now, really, there is a more sense of realism going on, but nobody should underestimate the role, the significance of Saudi Arabia, let's say, in the regions and on events, let's say. But at the same time, not to overestimate that role because of their lack of the means and the tools to implement their policies.
MISCIK: One thing that the council prides itself on is starting and finishing on time. I know there are many hands that are still up in the room. We apologize for that. But, Mr. Minister, thank you very much for sharing your comments with us.
ZEBARI: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. That's very kind.


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How do I call the ambulance?
CAVA is dispatched by the Columbia University Department of Public Safety. CU EMS is dispatched by the Columbia University Department of Public Safety. To reach Columbia University Public Safety in an emergency, dial 99 from any campus phone, or 212-854-5555 from any other phone.
Are CU EMS Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) as good as 'regular' EMTs?
Yes. While we are a volunteer service, all CU EMS EMTs are state-certified through the same 120-hour EMT course and state test that all NYC-EMS EMTs are required to take.
Is CU EMS capable of handling pediatric and geriatric emergencies?
Yes. CU EMS EMTs are trained in the full scope of EMT-Basic capabilities, meaning they can respond to any medical emergency. This includes pediatric and geriatric emergencies. Our ambulance is fully equipped with specialized equipment to treat pediatric and geriatric emergencies.
Where will the ambulance take me if I am sick/injured?
The destination depends on the severity of your condition.
If your condition requires treatment in the Emergency Department (ED), we will generally transport you to the St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center Emergency Department, located at 113th St and Amsterdam Ave. However, if your condition potentially requires specialty services not offered at St. Luke's, we will directly transport you to the appropriate facility. Note, however, that NYC-EMS protocol prohibits us from transporting you to any hospital farther than 20 minutes away from the closest hospital to your location.
For students with minor illnesses and injuries during normal business hours, we can transport you to Urgent Care, at Health Services at Columbia, where you can quickly receive treatment for the minor illness or injury. -
Will I get billed if I am transported by the ambulance?
No. The CU EMS ambulance ALWAYS provides transport free of charge for its patient and their insurance companies, regardless of repeated use. Most NYC-EMS ambulances will charge a $500-$1000 base fee, plus the cost of any interventions they provide. CU EMS will not cover these charges if we are not available, or not sent for your emergency. Patients should speak to their insurance companies regarding payment of such bills.
How confidential is the ambulance service?
By law, we are required to maintain a level of confidentiality about all of our patients. This includes not divulging your information to parties not directly involved in your medical care. After transport, we are not allowed to talk with your parents, your friends, or even the police.
I'm really embarrassed to have to be taken in an ambulance, what should I do?
It is not uncommon to feel embarrassed, but this should never prevent you from calling for an ambulance if you need it. You should not have to feel embarrassed for taking advantage of a medical service provided for your community. If you are hurt or ill, we are here to help. Your situation will be handled with medical professionalism. If you think you need emergency medical attention, you should call for an ambulance immediately.
I know some CU EMS EMTs, and I'm afraid that if I ever need to call the ambulance, one of them will be the one who arrives (how embarrassing). What should I do?
This is a common issue encountered within small communities. By law, EMTs do not reveal information about patients to those who are not directly related to improving the patients' health. Additionally, your level of care will not differ whether you know the EMTs on duty.
What area does CU EMS cover?
CU EMS' primary service area covers the Columbia University Campus and dormitories, primarily between 110th St and 125th St. However, if requested, we are able to respond to locations outside this area.
Will the police come if I call for an ambulance?
When you call x99 or 212-854-5555 for a medical emergency, the Department of Public Safety will respond. This is primarily done for the safety of everyone involved. The NYPD will only be called by the CU EMS crew in the event that they encounter a criminal matter, or a serious threat to their safety.
When is the ambulance available?
The ambulance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What happens if I call 911?
If you dial 911, CU EMS will not receive your call. A NYC-EMS ambulance, along with the NYPD, will be dispatched for your emergency.
NYC-EMS is not familiar with the layout of the campus, or the best ways to access different buildings so they may take longer to respond. -
How fast is the ambulance?
Our ambulance will arrive on scene within minutes of a call. Our protocols require us to be en route within 4 minutes of receiving a call. And since we know the university locations, and the speediest routes, we will reach the patient 3 to 4 times faster than a NYC-EMS ambulance.
I am interested in starting an EMS agency at my university. Whom do I contact?
Columbia University EMS's bylaws and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have served as templates for numerous EMS agencies across the nation. Feel free to contact us about how to begin a collegiate EMS agency.
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So, I finished outlining last week and them jumped right into the next novel.
I'm also in the last 10% of my goal for the year. Way ahead of where I'm scheduled to be.
All of this leads to the fact that I'm not spending as much time editing as I should be. Going to work on turning that ship around. If I don't edit then I won't publish and no one will hear about it. (But you know, if I don't publish it, I can't hear about how terrible they are, assuming anyone actually reads them.)
Filed under: creativity, editing, goals, kicking my own butt, novel, writing, writing


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Secrets of the World's Most Remarkable Natural Materials
- Friday November 30, 2012
At the end of his talk at the Falling Walls Conference in Berlin, Nicola Pugno unfurled a thin fabric and presented it to the audience. It didn't look particularly impressive, with the dimensions and all the visual appeal of an Ace bandage. But as he tossed one end of the fabric across the stage, it landed on a plastic table and, improbably, stuck to the surface. Tugging on the other end, Pugno was somehow able to drag the table across floor, to thunderous applause. It would have been a suitably head-scratching finale to a David Copperfield show (ok, maybe early Copperfield), but Pugno had spent the previous 15 minutes giving away the secrets to the trick.


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Tip Drill on Quitting Stripping, Doing Hip-Hop: "It's Hard to Make People Take Me Serious"
There was no doubt, as 2012 got started, that Kenisha "Tip Drill" Myree was at the top of Miami's stripper food chain. The top-drawing dancer at King of Diamonds, she pulled in as much as 10 grand a shift. There were a couple nights, she says, where she brought home $20,000.
Thanks to a jaw-dropping signature act, which involved sliding headfirst down a 32-foot pole before coming to a stop inches from the ground, and KOD's popularity among high-rolling rap heavyweights, she'd become a hip-hop celebrity, namechecked in lyrics by The Game, among others. An accidental appearance on MSNBC talk show Morning Joe last January even gave her a dose of mainstream fame.
But then things came crashing down -- literally.
See also: Stripper Tip Drill Is Now a Rapper, Unveils Shit Happens Mixtape Cover on Twitter
In the early morning of February 18, Tip Drill's act went horribly wrong. As she slid down the King of Diamonds pole, an unknown object shook her balance and she smashed, face-first, into the stage. While she recovered quickly enough to appear in Nicki Minaj's "Beez in the Trap" video a few weeks later, she suffered a broken jaw, fractured cheekbones, and lost a kidney. She quit King of Diamonds and vowed to stop stripping.
Fast-forward 18 months, and Tip Drill the stripper is now Tip Drill the rapper. With years of hard knocks and even harder partying behind her, the 26-year-old has her sights set on becoming Miami's most successful female MC since another ex-stripper, Trina, left the pole for the mic.
On a muggy night in early July, Crossfade finds Myree, clad in tight black athletic shorts, a matching black top, and a pink beenie emblazoned with the word "Ratchet" over her bleached blonde hair, at work inside CT Music Studios in Sunrise. A cognac-filled Solo cup at the ready, she's recording a track called "No Time For Dat" for Shit Happens, an upcoming mixtape, the phrase referencing both the unfortunate incident at KOD and her fondness for toilet humor.
"I was rapping before, but it wasn't my main priority, so I had to make people understand why I was transitioning," she says of the evocative title. "And it was because shit happens. I had to do it. And then I'm always taking shits."
Her every move at the studio, including our interview, is captured by a cameraman taping scenes for a reality show project she and her close friend, fellow stripper and former New Times sex columnist Skrawberry, were planning to shop about their efforts to transition out of dancing. (The idea's since been scrapped in favor of a live-streaming online chat show based around the twosome's colorful Twitter presence.)
In the year and a half since she's begun rapping seriously, "Tip" has recorded tracks with Trina, Gunplay, and Ace Hood, opened shows for Chief Keef and Jim Jones, and hit the studio with stalwart producers Cool and Dre. But success in the rap world has been slow to come. Her fame is certainly no greater now than it was in the dancing days: Google Tip Drill and the top result is a February 20, 2012 story on her fall at KOD, by rap news site BallerStatus.com.
However, she issued some attention-grabbing artwork for Shit Happens late last year -- the cover shows her lounging on a toilet, pants down at her ankles -- but the mixtape still has not seen release. "Everything is about timing, it has to be right on cue," Tip Drill says of the delay. "Especially since I'm trying to transition from a stripper to a rapper, it's hard to make people take me serious."
While her output thus far -- "Bands," a run-of-the-mill club track with Lil Scrappy; the trash-talking "Yeah Ho!" -- has not been earth shattering, it's clear that she's approaching her new job with total professionalism. She records endless takes of each line, and frets over the smallest details.
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Contributed by Leanne Guenther
You can make a grey cat like the one in the picture or use different colors for an orange, brown, tan or black cat.
Puppets are fun tools for teaching; children are always happy to engage with an activity when invited by a cheerful little puppet. It is amazing how a smiling kitty cat can encourage even
very shy children to take part in circle time.
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This serum contains numerous irritating ingredients and is a problem for all skin types. Far from renewing and not the least bit anti-aging, it instead damages skin's ability to repair itself and generate healthy collagen (that's what potent irritants like citrus oils do). This was once a highly rated product but its latest incarnation is truly disappointing. Believe us, you will see infinitely better cellular renewal results from using a well formulated AHA or BHA exfoliant and following with a state-of-the-art anti-aging serum. You'll find lists for both in our Best Products section.
As we age, our natural cellular renewal process slows. Our skin's underlying support system weakens and expired skin cells are slower to be replaced which creates lines, roughness and an overall dulling effect on our complexions. This light, soothing serum helps support cellular turnover while kombucha helps smooth the skin's surface. A concentrated antioxidant blend of grape seed polyphenols, organic white tea and vitamin C help skin ward off damaging free radicals to help slow future damage. This dual action formula works synergistically to improve skin radiance from inside and outside.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Aqua (Water), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopherol Acetate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Ascorbic Acid, Algin, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool
Avalon Organics At-A-Glance
Strengths: Avalon Organics provides complete ingredient lists on their Web site; excellent lip balm; a few well-formulated moisturizers and serums.
Weaknesses: Several products contain irritating plant extracts and/or fragrant oils; moisturizers contain only a tiny amount of state-of-the-art ingredients; none of the sunscreens have UVA-protecting ingredients; there are repetitive formulas within the sub-brands (and the only differences between them won't make any difference to your skin); average to poor cleansers and toners; no AHA or BHA options; no anti-acne or skin-lightening options; jar packaging, which leaves the air-sensitive ingredients unprotected and subject to deterioration after opening.
Avalon Organics is one of many companies owned by Hain-Celestial, a company that specializes in marketing "natural" products. Along with various food and beverage brands you often see lining the shelves of health food stores, Hain-Celestial is also behind several other cosmetics lines, including Alba Botanica, Jason Natural, and Zia Natural (and just to be clear, none of these are all natural in the least).
Avalon Organics is most similar to Alba Botanica, but strangely enough, Avalon in many ways is the inferior line. Relative to the Alba Botanica line, Avalon Organics products cost more and their formulas aren't nearly as state of the art. A major thumbs down for Avalon Organics is the fact that none of their sunscreens contains sufficient UVA-protecting ingredients. In addition, many more of the Avalon Organics products contain irritating plant oils (lavender, orange), and almost all also feature a plant tea concoction that includes not only lavender but also arnica, a problematic plant if ever there was one (Sources: American Journal of Contact Dermatitis, June 1996, pages 94–99; and www.naturaldatabase.com). It is these natural ingredients that sabotage many of the Avalon Organics products.
It is indeed admirable that Avalon Organics is dedicated to organic farming and to sustainable agricultural practices that improve the environment, but such a mission doesn't translate into great skin-care: farming is one issue, but brilliantly formulated products is another. In this case you can't rely on Avalon products to take care of your skin without some careful consideration. There are a handful of recommended products to consider, especially if you prefer a ratio of ingredients that favors natural over synthetic. (Note, however, this is not an all-natural line, any more than munching on Skittles candy is like eating real fruit.) But taking "the time to honor yourself" (Avalon's statement) by using products only from their line, or being swayed by this brand's "Consciousness in Cosmetics" for the sake of your skin, would be a mistake.
For more information about Avalon Organics, call (888) 659-7730 or visit www.avalonorganics.com.
Note: Avalon uses the term "other essential oils" on their ingredient lists, which does not comply with FDA or international regulations. These regulations state that you must list by name ALL the individual ingredients you include in your product for this category of ingredients.
The Beautypedia Research Team is dedicated to helping you find the absolute best products for your skin, using research-based criteria to review beauty products from an honest, balanced perspective. Each member of the team was personally trained by Paula Begoun herself.
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Mississippi State University established a committee to increase its recruitment and retention of minority and female faculty and staff during its October Faculty Senate meeting.
Holly Travis is still a few months from graduating from Starkville High School, but a few years ago, she was able to step into the high heels of a Rockette.
OXFORD – It had to happen sometime.
When Dan Mullen took over as coach of the Mississippi State football program, beating Ole Miss was on the top of his list.
Saturday night that didn't happen.
The Rebels (6-6, 3-5) beat the No. 25 (Associated Press) Bulldogs (8-4, 4-4) 41-24 in the Egg Bowl in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
OXFORD – Mississippi State may have lost the game, but for one Bulldog senior, the Egg Bowl was a record-breaking performance.
OXFORD – The 109th Egg Bowl did not disappoint.
It also sported the longest run in series history.
After Ole Miss took an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter, Mississippi State sophomore wide receiver Jameon Lewis took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a score.
By MATT CRANE email@example.com
The most wonderful time of the year is getting an early showcase as the Starkville Civic League presents its annual Christmas Tour of Homes Sunday, Dec. 2 from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
David Nagel MSU Extension Service
Wayne Wells MSU Extension Service
Leila Kelly MSU Extension Service
What a painting and what a story. It was 35 years ago on October 10, 1977 when I drove down old Highway 25 made a right turn where the Noxubee River crosses back of this side, and I turned west. Here I discovered the most beautiful autumn scene I have every laid eyes on or seen!


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Hardware news tagged Palm
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
HP Vows to Use Palm's WebOS on Tablets, Printers.
[9:11 pm]
HP to Use Palm WebOS on New Devices
Friday, May 7, 2010
Nokia Leads, Apple Leaps, as Smartphone Market Resurrects.
[3:14 pm]
Smartphone Market Grows 56.7% Annually in Q1 2010 – IDC
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Hewlett-Packard to Acquire Palm for $1.2 Billion.
[1:38 pm]
HP Returns to the Market of Handhelds with the Acquisition of Palm
Thursday, April 22, 2010
HTC Reportedly Not Interested in Acquisition of Palm.
[10:09 pm]
HTC Has No Intentions to Buy Palm
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Palm – Strategic Fit for Many Companies, Analysts Say.
[9:20 pm]
HTC, Motorola, Nokia, LG, RIM, Named as Potential Buyers for Palm
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Lenovo Group May Acquire Palm – Rumours.
[9:17 pm]
Palm Takeover Rumours Continue to Heat Up
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Smartphone OS Battle Will Be Impressive – Say Analysts.
[4:26 pm]
The Great Battle Between Smartphone OSs About to Begin


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Seeing if anyone wants to run Windrock end of july sometime. Throw some dates up and see whats best for folks. I haven't been in a while and the last big meet turned out pretty good. I personally don't know the place very well but have been a few times, so if anyone who has knowledge of the place would be very helpful.
Preferably trails that will require 4x4 and maybe a locker, if enough people came we could split up into groups hard/easy.
At least 33's and armor are recommended but not required, I've ran alot of the moderate trails with 31's. If you come please bring a spare tire, strap, parts and tools just in case something breaks.
Camping at Windrock Park, a very nice campground that's close to the trailhead.


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Wanted: inner-city supermarkets
A fresh idea brings healthy food to low-income neighborhoods.
Courtesy of David Adler/The Food Trust
Grocer Jeff Brown put a lot of sweat into his ShopRite supermarket in inner-city Philadelphia: He built a pork-free meat room for Muslim customers, stocked the aisles with the Jamaican and African cuisine that neighbors requested, and taught job skills to the hires new to the workforce.
Despite skyrocketing commodity prices, Mr. Brown says the store – a venture that he never could have opened without a loan from Pennsylvania's Fresh Food Financing Initiative – is making money.
Brown's ShopRite is more than just a driver of urban development. It's part of a major public-health program aimed at squashing obesity and related concerns such as heart disease and diabetes.
"There aren't any other supermarkets within two to three miles," he says. Without his store, the patrons "would probably eat at McDonald's or shop at a drug store or the dollar store for food – none healthy or fresh."
Pennsylvania's Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI) is believed to be the nation's only statewide public-private funding initiative dedicated to opening grocery stores in underserved areas. In three years, the $120 million fund has provided "gap financing" – money beyond what a grocer normally could receive in grants and loans – to open or update 52 supermarkets statewide, creating some 4,000 jobs in the process.
From its inception, the plan has been admired by policy experts for its merging of economic and public-health innovations. But as gasoline and food prices continue to rise, the FFFI is attracting increased attention.


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Distinct Customs helps finish off the interior with some new custom seat inserts and embroidery on the front head rests. Meanwhile, the Kicker crew is responsible for fabricating the new metal trim panels for the air box, engine cover and fuse box that are designed to give the engine compartment a futuristic look that flows with the subtle Geiger-like theme of the build.
The car rolls on 20-inch KMC Rockstars wheels sporting General Tires and an Air Lift suspension that drops frame to the ground. Blacked-out head and taillights blend into the two-tone paint scheme while accenting the vibrant blue body sides that incorporate a massive K on both sides for obvious reasons. Divine One Customs in Las Vegas gets credit for the paint.
The Kicker Vehicle Design and Fabrication team was rewarded for all of its hard work when General Motors presented the crew with a GM Design award for the 'Best New Chevrolet Interior' at the 2011 SEMA Show. It's a true testament to the team's capabilities. And, if you want to see some behind-the-scenes footage of the actual build, fire up your YouTube and head over to KickerFletch's channel. Who knows? You might just get a sneak peak of what they are up to for this year's SEMA. Whatever it might be, you know we'll be there to check it out.
Vehicle: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ
Owner: Kicker
Location: Stillwater, Okla.
Engine: 1.4L Ecotec turbo
Web site: www.kicker.com
Wheels: 20-in. KMC Rockstars with custom center caps
Tires: Nitto Neo Gen 235/30 R20 (f/r)
Brakes: Baer 13-in. Rotors, six-piston Pro+ calipers (f/r)
Air Lift custom air springs
Factory seats modified with custom inserts and embroidery by Distinct Customs
Modified door panels and Dynamat
Head Unit: Pioneer SPH-DA01
Equalizers: Kicker KQ5 preamp/EQ
Sub Amps: (3) Kicker IX1000.1 (1,000 W x 1)
Midrange Amps: Kicker IX500.4 (125 W x 4)
Subwoofers: (6) Kicker Solo Classic S10C
Midrange Speakers: Kicker QS components
Tweeters: Kicker QS components
Extra Batteries: Kinetik
Fuse holder: Kinetik
Power wire: Kicker
Flatout Auto Design
Air Lift


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We provide sacred creative spaces devoted to surprise and delight you…to stretch your imagination to what is possible in your art, business and life. We approach creativity, self-expression and entrepreneurship with fiery passion and rooted practicality.
We thrive on catalyzing personal and professional breakthroughs by shifting limiting beliefs and creative 'blocks' of the conditioned mind so that you may thrive in a life of your design.
The Fire Tree Method® approach is a unique guide to whole-istic integration of the right & left brain full-body, full mind, full spirit approach to the creative process. We are unabashedly passionate about personal, professional freedom and realize this level of freedom requires a deep respect for vision, purpose, system, structure + raw authentic self-expression. We value creativity, imagination, collaboration and cooperation.
Through this perspective we inspire authentic creative self-expression and self-empowerment as a path to achieving personal & professional freedom.
Our intuitive creativity studio located in Austin, TX, our classes, retreats, Ignite your Life + Business Program, The Phoenix Rising Experience, The Art of Entrepreneurship,™ Program + The Creative Catalyst Training –a facilitator and coach training —and both of these hi-level trainings combined in a 2-year mastery program– The Creative Catalyst MBA— all inspire vision, awakened passion, and development of Self trust to transform vision into reality.
My personal commitment to you.
If YOU make the requested investment in – and commitment to – yourself and the offerings at Fire Tree Studios, here's what you can anticipate from me:
DARE YOU to see your authentic self and be more than you dare to believe you can be.
MENTOR YOU along the path to discovering, embracing and living your truth to your fullest potential.
CHALLENGE YOU to learn to willingly enter the intense fire of the crucible of transformation, to embrace discomfort, recognize its value and use it to ignite you to break through limitations.
INSPIRE YOU to connect to – and believe in – your unlimited power and highest potential.
TEACH YOU the keys to unleashing and claiming your personal power.
GIVE YOU the tools, support, environment, sacred witnessing and encouragement to LIVE YOUR BIG DREAM!
I look forward to seeing you in the studio!
With love + passion + unabashed creativity…
Founder + Director + Master Creative Catalyst
"Love your work Melissa. Really inspiring."
~Deepak Chopra
"My biggest breakthrough was with my relationship with money and really understanding that money is energy. I changed my outlook coming from a place of scarcity to one of abundance, learning to see that money is everywhere just like energy is everywhere. Through the exercises we did in our prosperity intensives around our relationship to Money I got past what was too scary about what I should earn… what I didn't think I could earn. I worked through my money shadows that I didn't know I had. I've shifted to where I don't feel scared of money. I don't feel scared about talking about money or asking for money. I've already began to put what I've learned into practice in my business. I realized that the more abundant I am the more I would be able to bless others. This was the first time I was able to see that my ability to create wealth was for the greater good."
- Claire Weber, The Art of Entrepreneurship Business & Creative Mastermind
"Coming back around to this retreat has shown me how much work I've done through the Fire Tree Method this year and was good timing for continuing integration."
- Brandy Gibbs, Fine Home Dining, Art of Entrepreneurship Personal Retreat Day
"I feel this was an incredibly powerful week for painting at the lovely Martha's Vineyard Flat Bottom Pond. The dynamic energy of this intimate group allowed me to fully step into my process and continue my journey into the unknown, with paint brush in hand. I am truly grateful for the experience, to Melissa, and to each and every participant who made this such and incredibly rich and transformative experience!"
- Valerie Guettler, Martha's Vineyard Intuitive Painting Retreat
"My relationship with Melissa and the Fire Tree Method has taught me the incredible gift of trusting my own internal guidance, recognizing my resistance and acting upon my own clarity. Through our relationship I have learned the gift of authentic and honest communication, holding strong boundaries both professional and personal, and speaking my truth in love whilst releasing the outcome irrespective of the fear welling inside."
- Rebecca Knaggs, Certified Facilitator in The Fire Tree Method


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Justine Dymond
Justine Dymond joined the Humanities faculty in fall 2008 and teaches courses in literature and writing, including Survey of American Literature, African American Literature, and Creative Writing. Her scholarly interests encompass American literature, "ethnic" mysteries, transatlantic modernism, and motherhood memoirs. Before coming to Springfield College, Professor Dymond taught for several years at UMass Amherst, where she also worked in teaching and faculty development.
Professor Dymond's short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous literary journals, including The Massachusetts Review, Pleiades, The Briar Cliff Review, and Cimarron Review. Her short story, "Cherubs," was selected for The O. Henry Prize Stories 2007, and was also listed as a distinguished story in The Best American Short Stories 2006. In literary criticism, she has published articles on Gertrude Stein, Virginia Woolf, Linda Hogan, Mourning Dove, and Sherman Alexie. She edited a special cluster on post-9/11 literature for Modern Language Studies that was issued for the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Her co-edited collection, Motherhood Memoirs (Demeter 2013), includes her chapter on contemporary memoirs of mothers' experiences with postpartum depression.


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Over the last couple weeks we have seen several strong storms impact our area, and once again we'll be dealing with it today with heavy rain and strong winds. The pineapple connection is bringing us tropical moisture again which is going to bring heavy rain at times and high winds to our area. For a quick look at the warnings and watches in effect head to the home page weather video as well as an explainer for what the difference is between watches and warning.
So far this morning we've seen areas of high water in Klamath Falls, Ashland, Rogue River and Langlois as well as strong winds on US 101. The strongest winds will impact areas west of the Cascades through the morning then turning to breezy while the strong winds will impact areas further east for most of the day. The strongest winds will be where they have been in the past with these storms, at the coast, east of the Cascades and the Shasta Valley. Besides the winds we'll be talking about adding more rain to the already high creeks, rivers, and streams so the potential for flooding continues through tomorrow as the rain continues. Depending on the intensity and location of the the rain we could see large rivers flood again. Remember if you see flooding on the roadways, Turn around Don't drown, it only takes an inch of rain to lift your car off the road to hydroplane.
With already saturated grounds the potential for winds to blow trees over is more likely than when the ground is dry. This also means that smaller debris can also easily be lifted up and lead to driving hazards, so especially over the next couple of days be weather aware and drive safely. Also, be prepared for power outages as downed power lines are possible with strong winds.
The strongest wind gust so far has been reported at Squaw Peak at 76 mph, that's a hurricane category one force wind gust. Strong winds will be with us through the morning and start to weaken this afternoon. Stay safe out there! Like me on Facebook and Twitter to find more weather and road reports and to post your weather reports and photos!
Thanks for logging on and have a great Tuesday!
Meteorologist Megan Parry