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Daughter of Oklahoma Governor Poses in Headdress
Buzzfeed reports that the daughter of Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin posted pictures of herself in a headdress on her Facebook and Instagram account. The pictures were supposed to be promotional material for her band Pink Pony. Buzzfeed captured some of the comments from Twitter users about the pictures.
Maybe she was confused and heard Indian band instead of Indie band.
After enough backlash, the band issued the usual sorry, not sorry apology.
"Please forgive us if we innocently adorn ourselves in your beautiful things. We do so with the deepest respect."
Given her mother is Governor of a state with over a dozen tribes, you would think she would know better?
TOPICS: Blog, Native American Culture
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28 Responses to "Daughter of Oklahoma Governor Poses in Headdress"
Judith Zech says:
Perhaps she needs some of Graham Greene's fresh wound reliever "advertised" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3QOM4JxZQo.
lanette says:
The gov is mary fallin, the girls mother is the gov.
Scott says:
Have you been following Governor Fallin? As a resident of Oklahoma, let me just say that it must run in the family.
Oona says:
Her mother is governor, not her father. But this is a good point, anyhow.
Crowwitch says:
Well let's not get our knickers in a knot. How about you publish a photo of a First Nations sister in a "bra". Do you think that non First Nations people would be all pissed at that? C'mon, there is one race that can think and read, the HUMAN race. We have to get along, stop the petty pissing contests and pull together against what is really important. We cannot ever change the past, we can change the now and the future by letting go of the "you did-they did" pettiness. Let's all play nice. And, by the way, Indians are from India. First Nations Peoples/Aboriginal Peoples do not and I mean NOT use the word INDIAN. The past is gone. Love, Crow.
Obliya Tate' says:
First off, there is a HUGE difference between a bra and a Headdress. As far as identifying yourself…I don't care what you call yourself. The American Government treaties have been made with American Indians. We identify as American Indians in our legal dealings with the government. AIM identifies as American Indian. I personally am Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota. I agree that we need to get along, but this is so disrespectful to our people. The 'real' equivalent would be your Native Sister in a crown of thorns.
Shannon Lusty says:
How is she gonna act all naive about what headdresses mean to Natives when she is from Oklahoma??? SMH..
Josh (muskogee co.) says:
Try 39 tribes. My two cents on the whole headdress thing is not so much THAT a person wears one, but HOW it is worn and how it is made (authentically or mockingly). Yes, this headdress is made with dyed turkey feathers, but as far as the form and design go, I've seen similarly designed articles at powwows, and this photo doesn't look like she's being overtly disrespectful. It's supposed to be artistic. And by the way, I'm in NO WAY a fan of Governor Fallin.
Tina Singleton says:
I personally think it was in poor taste. If she was as connected as she says she is she would know not to do this. No comment from the governor hum just goes to show you Govenor Fallin thinks her children do no wrong and the rest of us are the bad ones. She is making a laughing stock out of Oklahoma and allowing her children to do the same. What do we expect from our political leaders she should have been voted out last term nod took her children with her.
Annie Barnes says:
Do something you know is wrong, give a pissy little apology and get all the publicity you wanted. Oh yeah, remind me not to buy anything by Pink Pony
melissa frenchman says:
I don't know, as native american or Indiana as I prefer, maybe you should just look at it in a different light. Our heritage is so respected and admired that these white people want to be like us rather than be offended at every drop of a hat. None of the "white man" living today did any of the cruel unspeakable acts that our ANCESTOR'S went through. Maybe we should work on breaking the stereotypical crap and change the future that we have control of rather than continue to live in the past. You learn from the past to make a better future. Not to hold grudges and remain where we are.
Fightsbear/Lakota says:
Come on you Native guys ! Get over yourselves ! She looks great in a Headdress; certainly better than the Village People guy or the half million actors who have done "Chief" scenes in films for 70 years. Some of you Native Actors have no ancestral right to wear such a headdress but you do it, on film and for pow wows, where is the cry over that ?
Do some thing to help provide work and food for the unemployed Natives across the country, then you won't have time to sit around and be jealous about some poor white girl.Make your cause HELPING Natives instead of criticizing others…
Josiah says:
She is the Daughter of Governor Mary Fallin, who by the way has shown her true colors to Natives in Oklahoma in the Baby Veronica Case, yeah the apple does not fall far from the tree….
John says:
Disrespectful to all Native Tribes. Mary Fallin is typical of all government leaders in the fact that none of them give a sh*t about the Native Americans. Let's show her how we feel at the ballot box.
Bent says:
When will people quit being offended needlessly. I am quite certain that when Indians are wearing Levi's no white man gets offended and expects an apology …. this is very sad indeed. and pathetic.
Bernie says:
Correction her mother is the Governor or Oklahoma, NOT Tribes. Tribes have their own Government.
maria says:
@bent when you try to compare wearing a geaddress to wearing levi jeans yiu show how ignorant youre truly being thus deeming yourself unworthy of posting that opinion
Shawnee Woman says:
Fallin's daughter is only showing how the rich white people are expressing their entitlement they feel they deserve, why should she care who she insults, she is happy, just like her mommy was happy to team up with Nikki Haley to screw over a war veteran and force his daughter into a unethical adoption because the people who wanted the four year old are also rich white people who are entitled.
Tina Singleton says:
I am reading the white man could get offended by things the native American does. So answer me this has the native American population gone out of their way made promises that they did not keep. This is answered in one word NO. Has the white man always been disrespectful of the Native American yes starting with our treaties and still being disrespected today. Do you realize if it was not for the casinos in this state our school system would suck worse than it does. The white man said the lottery would be for education not its lining the white mans pocket while the tribal gaming systems have almost single handed funded our education system. Think we deserve a little respect especially from someone in the governor's inner circle.
Al Whitaker says:
It is possible she wore the headdress in ignorance. The fact that there are 39? tribes in that state in no way indicates that the white population is taught tribal etiquette. When was the last time an attempt was made to educate the public the ways of our people? Knowledge does not come by osmosis. Each tribal member had to be taught by members of each tribe or you wouldn't know, either.
Timothy Gehrke says:
The first step to "get along" is to be more respectful of people of other cultures. Of course if you know nothing of history that can cause you to misstep. If you live in Oklahoma and don't know that the land you stand on was to be Indian land after all the other land was taken from them…well, maybe you should pick up a book instead of a war bonnet. Timothy
Just Me says:
I see authentic First Nation items for sale by First Nations People — jewelry, beaded clothing, checkbook covers, moccasins … all different kinds of ornamentations for sale to anyone with bank account. Yet, this woman wears a headdress in photograph and she is an object of scorn. Why? This makes no sense to me.
Bailey says:
Not willing any longer to give these spoiled rich white folks a pass…Cher, Christine falling Heidi Klum, Victoria's Secret, Dan Snyder…enough…this picture shows nothing but disrespect. For those who say we Natve people need to stop getting upset. Wrong. Disrespect is what got us dead..
Vance Hawkins says:
Gov. Fallin is a TERRIBLE governor. Even on a windy day, the pecan doesn't fall far from the tree that produced it.
I remember my mother years back talking about my father's family. She'd say, "Oh, those Hawkinses! They never forgive anything!" Hearing that made me try not to hold grudges.
So maybe the daughter will learn to be different from her mother. But maybe like most of us, she won't learn anything at all.
Lucinda says:
I don't think she meant disrespect. The picture was meant to be elegant, art. I see a lot of hate directed at Caucasians by many races because of what "we" did. My father came here at 16, earned his citizenship, learned English, and worked hard his entire life only have public assistance once for maybe 3 months when there was an issue at the factory where he worked. I however face disrespect by other races who take things out on me because I am white. Let's see, if I did that to someone else it would be called racism. Why don't people look at the PERSON rather than just getting overly offended? Maybe take the time to write more for the rest of to learn what it means to your culture rather than just bitching. This is the perfect opportunity to educate and have people see it, rather than whine and bitch. Seize the opportunity and stop judging all white people based on the past. Some of us had NOTHING to do with it!
Vicki says:
I am Native from Oklahoma. When I look at this picture I see a woman who is envisioning the greatness and power of wearing a headdress and the feathers. The disrespect part is she is a woman first and we would not wear a headdress. Of course, the obvious, she is white but there are half-breeds who look white but are half bloods of Natives. And she is wearing the brightest red lipstick, which she should of put some war paint on her face and not her lips. I am optimistic and I am saying is wearing this headdress doesn't make you a Native chief but giving props to the Native chiefs who wear them. She doesn't know any better and if anything she is making a good picture for her art and including the Natives in doing so. Next time wear one feather and not so much lipstick!
Chandra Leigh says:
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (d) of section 16-8a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
[The] NOT LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 1997, THE Department of Public Utility Control shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include the following: The procedures by which a complaint may be brought pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; the time period in which such a complaint may be brought; and the time period by which the department shall render a decision and the requirement that a notice be posted in the workplace informing all employees, and any person, firm, corporation, contractor or subcontractor directly or indirectly providing goods or services to a company or licensee, as defined in subsection (a) of this section, of their rights under this section.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage.
Approved April 29, 1996. Effective April 29, 1996.[footer.htm]


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Categories: Sports
Tags: Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles dodgers. baseball playoffs
You know, they always give SOME sort of false expectation besides merely winning their division, I'm thinking tonight is that road win that will inspire Chicago for up to 24 hours. It's been 80 with no rain here for, roughly the last eight months. Cold and rainy today for that full Wrigley experience.


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Minnesota resident to meet Pres. Obama after writing letter
A Minnesota woman is meeting President Obama after writing him a letter and asking a question about the economy.
Rebekah Erler asked the president why the economy is still not doing well and why more jobs haven't been created. In a White House video, Pres. Obama reads directly from Erler's letter.
Not only did the president respond, but he is now going to Minnesota himself to meet with...
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Aussie Whip Maker - Links
Below are some whip links you might find interesting. I've also included some links to outback/stockmans related material.
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In Portugal, the headline writers like to trumpet him as the 'King of Africa'. In Egypt, they simply call him 'Mister'. Both monikers sit aptly on the head of Manuel Jose, the Portuguese coach who is again seeking to rewrite football's record books in both Egypt and Africa.
The 62-year-old has become arguably the most successful foreign coach to ever work in the continent, restoring the glories of Al Ahly and masterminding the dominant run they are looking to maintain over the coming weeks. As the Cairo giants, Africa's club of the 20th century, go into their CAF Champions League 2008 semi-final, Jose chases his 19th trophy in just five seasons with the club.
This weekend they are at Aba in Nigeria for the first leg against Enyimba, and are just two games away from equaling another admirable milestone. Indeed, if Ahly get past Enyimba, they will match the feat of TP Mazembe Englebert and reach a fourth successive final in African football's top club competition.
Ahly already share a record of five Champions League titles with compatriots and arch-rivals Zamalek, having fallen to Etoile Sahel at the final hurdle last year in their quest to become the first side to lift the trophy three times in succession. It was a rare failure for Jose, whose list of successes grows with virtually every tournament he is involved in.
His gruff public exterior belies a good-natured geniality he shares with his players, some of whom are effusive in their praise of his leadership. "," said former Al Ahly goalkeeper Essam Al Hadary, now at Sion in Switzerland.
Mohamed Aboutrika credits the coach with turning him from an average players into the star he is today, while veteran Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan signed for Ahly rather than Zamalek because of Jose when he came to end of his contract at Anderlecht.
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Al Ahly have lost just six Egyptian Premier League games in over four seasons, and went unbeaten during their title-winning campaigns of 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. But it is the search for Champions League glory and a lasting legacy in African football that drives Jose.
He says he has had many offers to return to Portugal, where he has coached the likes of Benfica, Boavista and Uniao Leiria, but sees his stay in Africa as much more than an exotic adventure. It is a challenge to which Jose is addicted.
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text: No recent wiki edits to this page. First found within the first Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game and adapted into later iterations of the series, "Collect S-K-A-T-E" is a level-based objective where the player must hunt for the letters S, K, A, T and E to form "Skate". The letters are scattered throughout landmarks within the level instead of being hidden like the Secret Tape objectives. The letters only appear in Career Mode or, in later iterations, only within the mission given by an NPC. They do not appear in Free Skate or any other game mode.


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A new piece of equipment at the Washington County/Johnson City EMS is something officials there hope they'll never need, but if there is a mass casualty disaster here, the agency now has a way to transport multiple patients at one time.
It's called an Ambu-Bus, which is a smashed-up name for an ambulance bus. EMS Executive Director Dan Wheeley said the transport unit can carry 12 to 20 patients at a time.
The Ambu-Bus was mostly funded through a state grant that provided the stretcher system now inside a donated school bus.
"The state contacted us and said they had the kits to equip a bus" as a multi-patient transport unit, EMS Maj. Brad Gerfin said. All EMS had to do was come up with a bus. He contacted the county, and in a short time had a promise from the Washington County School System of a bus that was being taken out of service.
"They were willing to provide us with the bus," and most of the labor to refurbish the vehicle was donated, Wheeley said. EMS purchased the paint and agency decals while Brooks Collision donated the time to paint it. EMS personnel tore out the old bus seats and installed the Ambu-Bus transport system.
"When you think of one ambulance for everyone one of these beds … we don't have 12 ambulances" to send to a scene, Gerfin said. "When you have a mass casualty where you have to transport a lot of people at the same time … it's going to take the burden off the system."
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The bus is an asset for the eight county Northeast Tennessee region and can be used at any kind of large event, such as the races in Bristol, Fun Fest in Kingsport or the many events in Washington County and Johnson City where there is potential for a large number of people being injured at the same time.
"We hope we never have to use it," but it's good to have this kind of equipment available, Wheeley said.
The Ambu-Bus will be on display today and Friday at the 18th annual Northeast Tennessee Emergency Medical & Rescue Conference being held at the Holiday Inn in Johnson City.
That conference will feature presentations from local physicians and first responders about updates in emergency procedures and the equipment responders face and use in the field. For more information about the conference, visit www.ems.org and click on the conference link at the top of the webpage.


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Daily News Archive
From March 14, 2001
Pressure Treated
Wood Leaks Unsafe Levels of Arsenic
Updated on March 14,
The St. Petersburg
Times finds arsenic leaking unsafe levels from pressure-treated lumber
used to build decks, playgrounds, picnic tables and docks. The special
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Arsenicals are just
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The arsenicals contain mixtures of salts of metals. Copper chromated arsenic
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There are alternatives
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For more information
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text:
Friday, October 22, 2004
Joint News Conference with Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and South Korean Minister of National Defense Yoon Kwang Ung
(Note: The minister's remarks are through interpreter.)
SEC. RUMSFELD: Good afternoon. It's a small room with a lot of people. We apologize for being late.
It's a pleasure for me to welcome Minister Yoon to Washington and to the Pentagon for this 36th U.S.-Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting, and also to be able to personally convey our country's appreciation to the Korean people for their steadfast support in the global war against extremism.
The special bond between our two countries was cemented some 50 years ago as American and Korean troops fought for freedom on the Korean peninsula. Together we've guarded liberty there ever since. Now once again our forces are side by side in freedom's defense. The Republic of Korea is playing a leading role in combating extremists who threaten the civilized world. I recently visited with the Korean troops, the Zaytun unit that's stationed in northern Iraq. They are outstanding soldiers. They have all volunteered to be deployed there. Indeed, I am told that there were 15 or 16 volunteers for each one of the slots that they filled. That says a great deal about the Korean commitment to fight against extremists.
Mr. Minister, we appreciate the sacrifices being made by your soldiers and by their families as well.
Today we are working together to transform our militaries and to adapt to the post-Cold War world. We have, for example, closely coordinated efforts to modernize and improve America's global posture while increasing our commitment to Korea's defense.
(Pause for interpretation.)
As much as $11 billion of U.S. enhancements will directly benefit our collective defense of the Republic of Korea. Our -- (interpreter begins to speak) -- go ahead. (Pause for interpretation.)
Our countries both agree that initiatives to strengthen our combined capabilities, to transfer military missions and to realign U.S. forces based in Korea will significantly strengthen the alliance, while adapting it to changes in the global security environment.
With one of the world's most modern military (sic) and highly trained militaries, the South Koreans are appropriately increasingly taking the lead in their own defense.
They're also playing an influential role in Asia, including their participation in multilateral negotiations with North Korea, a country that continues to pose a threat to the interests of our two countries.
Since the September 11th attacks, President Bush recognized that victory in the global war against extremism would require us to work more closely than ever with our long-time friends and allies.
The government of Korea and the people of Korea were among the first to step forward to offer their support.
Mr. Minister, we appreciate your leadership in the global struggle, and we value the continued friendship of the Korean people. Mr. Minister (Off mike.)
MIN. YOON: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This morning Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and I have held the 36th annual Republic of Korea-United States Security Consultative Meeting. We had an in-depth and productive consultation on security issues concerning our two countries.
Today we began our meeting with an assessment of the security situation on the Korean peninsula, followed by discussions on how the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture could be strengthened and enhanced.
We were also able to have a meaningful discussion on the realignment issue of U.S. Forces Korea, including the Yongsan garrison relocation, and also discussed the future-oriented development of the ROK-U.S. alliance.
Furthermore, we have also evaluated recent international situations surrounding the global war on terror, in which we exchange opinions on how cooperation could be made in rooting out inhumane terrorism.
Having held today's meeting at a time when international situations and the security environment on the Korean peninsula are rapidly changing, I am very satisfied to have been able to display the strength of the ROK-U.S. alliance, as well as share our common views on the future direction of the alliance.
In particular, I found it quite meaningful in that Secretary Rumsfeld and I, having met for the first time, were able to have the opportunity to build trust and friendship on a personal level. Thank you very much.
SEC. RUMSFELD: Very good. Do you want to just open it up?
STAFF: I think we'll open it up for two questions, perhaps from the Korean journalists that are here, and two from the U.S., and we'll alternate.
SEC. RUMSFELD: Should we follow that archaic practice of calling on Charlie first? (Chuckles.)
Yes, sir, Charlie. Oh, I'm sorry.
Q: Mr. Secretary, I realize you don't comment on political issues. Having said that, this is an important issue involving your country. I would like to ask both you and the minister if you feel that direct bilateral talks between Washington and Pyongyang would be constructive and productive at this time, or might they threaten the unity on the U.S. side in the six-party talks?
SEC. RUMSFELD: I'll be happy to answer first. Obviously, the United States government's position is that the six-party talks are the proper way to proceed and that the goal is to achieve a diplomatic success through negotiations with the North Koreans, and that process is under way.
MIN. YOON: It is also the position of the Republic of Korea to pursue the six-party process to succeed and resolve the issue of nuclear weapons of North Korea peacefully and diplomatically.
Q: But do you think that might threaten -- I'm sorry, Mr. Minister -- you think that might threaten the six-party talks? Do you think bilateral talks between the United States and Pyongyang might threaten the unity on the -- in the six-party talks?
MIN. YOON: Well, I think this answer -- should be answered by the foreign minister of my government because if I were to comment on this question, I can tell you that the Korean government have never considered bilateral meetings or talks between North Korea and the United States but if the negotiation -- if that were to happen, I would assume there should be close consultations between Washington and Seoul first.
SEC. RUMSFELD: Take a question from the Korean press.
Q: (Through interpreter.) This question is directed to Minister Yoon. I understand there is talk about replacing FOTA, as it has been -- the FOTA, which has been very effective and very successful in the course of negotiations of the deployment of U.S. forces in Korea. But if you were to replace FOTA with some other mechanism, what type of format that will be and what will be the kind of topics that the new mechanism will be dealing with?
I also heard a comment -- again, this question is directed to Minister Yoon -- that is I heard Korean government would pursue coordination and harmony between Korea's policy of cooperative self- reliant defensive policy and U.S. defense policy as well. So what kind of specific actions or course did you have in mind when you made that statement?
MIN. YOON: The FOTA has been very successful and resulted in very constructive resolutions regarding a lot of issues that we have discussed very closely between the two countries. But in the future, we have a need to continue that type of dialogue. Therefore, we're going to call this new mechanism Strategic Policy Initiative [sic] (Security Policy Initiative) and through which we will continue to develop the solidarity and unity of the U.S.-ROK alliance.
When we say the harmony between the two policies, we meant first of all we will never allow any security vacuum in the course of change. At the same time, we will rather increase defense deterrent against North Korea.
SEC. RUMSFELD: Question from this side. Jamie?
Q Mr. Secretary, we're hearing today about a Pentagon assessment which suggests the insurgency in Iraq might be bigger and better funded than thought in the past. I'm curious if you still think that you're facing a few dead-enders, as you've called them, in Iraq, or is this beginning to look more like a quagmire?
SEC. RUMSFELD: I meant to call on Bob. (Laughter.)
Oh, Jamie. I would -- well, it's not allowed to bet in -- but I would guess that you couldn't find any quote of me saying "a few dead-enders."
It is true that I included among the various categories of opponents of the Iraqi Governing Council and the interim Iraq government and the coalition forces dead-enders. That is true. And there are dead-enders. But I doubt that I said "a few." If I did, I'd love to see where.
So I would submit that the thrust of your question was not only imprecise but inaccurate, the idea that anyone is suggesting this is easy or that there are just a few problems or people. We've said repeatedly that it is tough and complicated and that there are a variety of different elements opposing the Iraqi government and the coalition.
And as you know well, they include a variety of categories, including foreign terrorists -- relatively small number compared to the total, but probably among the most lethal--
-- criminals, people who do things for money
--some -- a relatively larger number of foreign regime elements and, quote, "dead enders," people who have it in their mind that they have a chance to take back that country for a vicious dictatorship.
Couple that with people like the -- oh, the Sadr people, who have been engaged in various unhelpful activities during an earlier period—
--throw into the mix the harm that's being done by a couple of neighbors, Iran and Syria—
--and you have what we've characterized as an insurgency by a group of extremists who are determined to prevent that from becoming a free country.
Now, Jamie, you can call that a quagmire if you'd like to, but it's at your option.
That word was used in Afghanistan after a relatively short period, as I recall, by a few of you folks.
And as difficult as that's been, they have proceeded with a loya jirga, an interim government and elections.
And men and women went to vote, and it was a breathtaking, wonderful accomplishment for the world.
And all the naysayers and the skeptics who said that it couldn't happen, the Taliban would stop it, the al Qaeda would stop it were wrong.
And 25 million people in that country are liberated and voting for their own government for the first time.
And 25 million people in Iraq have been liberated—
--and they have a chance to put that country on a path towards a free, democratic country that's respectful of all elements within the country.
The United States has sent our best young people, men and women, Army, Marines, airmen, sailors over there at the risk of their lives. (Pause for interpretation.)
And 30 other countries, including the Republic of Korea, have sent theirs, and we're deeply grateful for that. (Pause for interpretation.)
And the American people and other countries have sent money. (Pause for interpretation.)
And in Iraq, the schools are open, the hospitals are open--(Pause for interpretation.)
--they have a currency, they have a stock market--(Pause for interpretation.)
--they have food(Pause for interpretation.)
--and they have a good crack at making it. (Pause for interpretation.)
And there are some very bad people who want to take that country back to a dark place(Pause for interpretation.)
--to a place where there are mass graves of tens of thousands of people. (Pause for interpretation.)
And the 25 million liberated people in that country are going to have to be the ones to make that country work. (Pause for interpretation.)
In the last analysis, others can't do it for them. (Pause for interpretation.)
And the Iraqi people are demonstrating courage every day. (Pause for interpretation.)
Members of their security forces are being killed. (Pause for interpretation.)
Innocent Iraqi civilians are being killed. (Pause for interpretation.)
But every indication is that the overwhelming majority of those people want elections. (Pause for interpretation.)
They don't want the coalition forces to stay there forever, but they want them there now so that they can have elections and get on with their lives. (Pause for interpretation.)
And I don't call that a quagmire. (Pause for interpretation.)
Q: Since you meant to call on me, could I ask a follow-up question?
STAFF: Perhaps one last one from one of our Korean colleagues.
Q Yes, I want to ask about the future or status or role of the United States stationed in Korean peninsula to Secretary Rumsfeld.
SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm sorry, could you repeat that?
Q: The future status of the role of the United States --
Q: The future role of U.S. forces --
SEC. RUMSFELD: Wait a second. One at a time. Just a minute.
Q Future status of the United States forces stationed in Korea. The mission of the troops left in the Korean peninsula will be focused against the threat of North Korea, or its main goal will be extended to the regional forces for the security and stabilization? In the latter case, who's going to have the responsibility or the burden of the military expenses? (Pause for interpretation.)
SEC. RUMSFELD: Our forces are in a close, cooperative alliance with the forces of South Korea, and have been for 50 years. (Pause for interpretation.)
The purpose is to see that there is a healthy deterrent that dissuades anyone from thinking that they can disturb the peace on that peninsula. (Pause for interpretation.)
Those same forces for 50 years have also contributed to regional stability. (Pause for interpretation.)
We don't see anything changing in terms of the role of U.S. forces. (Pause for interpretation.)
What will change is the relative responsibilities as between the United States and the Republic of Korea as the facts on the ground evolve. (Pause for interpretation.)
And as the minister and his government have announced, they're going to be assuming some missions and some responsibilities as we adjust our relationship going forward. (Pause for interpretation.)
You want to comment on that, Mr. Minister?
MIN. YOON: (Off mike.)
SEC. RUMSFELD: No?
Q Mr. Secretary, just to follow up on Jamie's question. You summarize the --
SEC. RUMSFELD: It doesn't deserve a follow-up!
Q Well, then let's talk about something else then.
SEC. RUMSFELD: I answered at great length.
Q You summarize the insurgency -- in a report from this building, officials, unnamed officials, are saying that the insurgency is growing, both in intensity and numbers and funding. You characterize -- what's your assessment -- your latest assessment on the insurgency? Also, do you think --
SEC. RUMSFELD: This business of unnamed officials is wonderful. You could -- in an institution this big, with a million-four active- duty military personnel, 800,000 or whatever it is civilians, another 865,000 Reservists and another 400,000 individual ready Reservists, you can imagine -- you could get officials in this building saying almost anything you would want, almost any day of the week.
Now what do I say about that? If the -- it is correct -- if one looks at the data from the prime minister of Iraq, if one looks at the data from General Casey and General Abizaid that the incidents of violence have gone up, as we predicted they would go up, as -- prior to sovereignty being passed and subsequent to sovereignty being passed, as we move towards the Iraqi elections, that is not news; that is something that we said would happen. It has happened.
It is also true that it's very uneven around that country. There are 18 provinces, as I recall. In 14 of them, the number of incidents per day is five or less. In the other four, there are quite a few incidents, Baghdad being the prime one, where the bulk of the incidents a day occur. It seems to me that that's not news at all.
You --
STAFF: The translator has to come up.
SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, I'm sorry. My apologies.
(Pause for interpretation.)
I haven't seen these -- this article about unnamed sources talking about it. But I would guess if they're knowledgeable unnamed sources, it would very closely approximate what I just said.
Q You maintain that the insurgency is just becoming more active, or is it growing?
SEC. RUMSFELD: One second. Let him -- let him -- (Pause for interpretation.)
SEC. RUMSFELD: Pardon me.
Q It's the same insurgency, then, you maintain? It's not growing in size; it's just becoming more active? Or do you assess that it's --
SEC. RUMSFELD: Doesn't "more active," "growing in size" mean the same thing?
Q No, the same number becoming more active, or are more people joining the insurgency movement? Are they getting more funding? Would you --
SEC. RUMSFELD: Well, they've been getting funding continuously.
(To interpreter.) Excuse me. (Chuckles.) I forget. (Pause for interpretation.)
We've known that money has come in from Iran and money's come in from Syria. We've known that, that the Zarqawi network get funding from probably around the world from different countries. We've also known that at the end of the -- during the conflict, the banks were robbed by the Saddam loyalists that are the Ba'athists, the ones that are trying to take back the country, and that we found hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. So you've got to assume that when they took the banks over that they have hundreds of millions of dollars. So the -- I doubt that there's any unnamed or named official who could precisely tell you about the flow of money, but clearly they're funded. We know that. That's no surprise.
Is that it? (Pause for interpretation.)
STAFF: Thank you very much.
SEC. RUMSFELD: Thank you, folks.
MIN. YOON: (In English.) Thank you very much.


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Thank you to Sarah Falcone for creating the Recycled Paws Rescue Inc adoption van for her Girl Scout Gold award project! It is so useful to Recycled Paws and we offer her our most heartfelt thank you! Good luck in college, Sarah!
Recycled Paws Rescue Inc.'s annual Pet Expo & Volunteer Fair is just around the corner! Come see our newest adoptable pets, visit thing pets from our rescue partners, and see some amazing vendors!
There's something for everyone!
May 18th, 2014
99 Moseman Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY, 10598
We are currently in "Rescue Season": What does this mean?
Rescue Season is a period of time when mother dogs, typically who have never been vetted (given shots) have litters all over the southern states. Owners of the mother dog, don't want the puppies and disregard them.
When these pups reach any where from 5 weeks old to 9 weeks old they will be thrown in a shelter that either does not care, does not have the funds or just is so over whelmed with the influx of pups that they are forced to "gas" these dogs as a mean to make more room for more pups.
I know everyone is stretched to their limit with funds. But we are desperately trying to save these pups and also educate the people of the south in proper care of their animals.
A Shelter Friend Rescue in NC just got passed in the area a Low cost spaying program for people in low income situations! It is a start to major problem ...
With your help (Donations, Fostering - or any other help you can give) we can stamp out this problem and save lives.
We currently need all types of help. Money is the best way to help. If this is not an option we have supplies we need -
Please email firstname.lastname@example.com and you will be sent a link to the purchase some of the necessities we can not do without.
Do you have a dog? Do you need help caring for it? Don't sacrifice a vet visit. There is help for you. Check this out for Financial Assistance for Veterinary Care!
I have been rescuing animals for most of my life. In 2007, I rescued 27 pups from a puppy mill. I was caring for them in my basement! It was then that I decided to start a formal animal rescue group, and Recycled Paws was born.
For the first couple of years I funded the rescue with the proceeds of the grooming and retail business with a large investment of my personal funds. Unfortunately, it is never enough to pay the bills – feeding, vet care, transport, overhead, grooming – the list is never ending.
Recycled Paws is a 100% volunteer organization - We have volunteers from the ages of 10 - 60 yrs old. We are now 501c3 not for profit certified, and do adoptions through Petco. Our animals are kept in foster care.
Since 2010, we have been a proud Ambassador for Pro Plan® Rally to Rescue®, doing more to help rescue organizations help pets achieve greatness.
Our phone number: 914-263-9391
Lisa-Marie Birdsall
President and Founder
Reach us at: email@example.com
Check in often we post helpful tips for the new dog owner!
Recycled Paws is raising funds to build a brand new facility. Our design, once built, will provide beds, toys, indoor and outdoor play area, quarantine chambers, 24/7 monitoring, and much more.
Unfortunately, we can't build this facility without your help. It's going to cost upwards of $100,000. Currently, we're running off of a foster system. Fostering is a period of time where puppies & dogs live in a "foster home" where they are loved and cared for since we're still building our facility.
Visit our store to help us build our facility, one step at a time.
Since becoming a Pro Plan® Rally to Rescue® Ambassador, we have been feeding our rescued pups Pro Plan®. THEY LOVE IT !! The dry dog food that we fed them had Chicken pieces in it.
At many of the local events we attend you can find us by looking for the Pro Plan® Rally to Rescue® tent - Check our calendar for our upcoming events.
Learn more about Rally to Rescue on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rallytorescue


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Our Assisted Living program offers a warm and inviting home environment designed to foster a positive sense of well being and belonging. Our personalized supportive services promote independence, dignity, and a holistic approach to care that focuses on mind, body, and spirit. We incorporate a wide range of programs, entertainment, and social events developed to reflect Residents' interests and enhance their quality of life.
As part of our unparalleled continuum of care at NewBridge on the Charles, we not only offer Residents the finest in housing and medical care but also the most advanced events to stay active and engaged in the community. This participation is personal for each Resident. Those in assisted living have a wide range of opportunities to contribute, enjoy different ways to remain creative and productive, and maintain an important sense of accomplishment. Through interactive community living and a diverse range of programs, we offer:
A Personalized Approach to Maintaining Individuality and IndependenceWe are committed to constant communication with Residents and families to ensure that each individual is experiencing an optimal living environment. This starts with the pre-move in meeting, in which our team learns about our new Resident in detail – his or her history, talents, preferences, and goals. Based on this information, we work with each Resident to develop an individualized service plan.
We focus on wellness - emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental and physical. An individual's personalized service plan might include yoga classes, swimming, concerts, multigenerational activities, lectures, spiritual services and programs, trips to museums and cultural attractions, community gardening, volunteering, as well as assistance with activities of daily living. And we also look to our Residents for their own expertise that they may wish to share with others!
Then, at a minimum of every six months, our team meets again with each Resident and family to revisit the plan and make adjustments to ensure that all needs are being met.
A Commitment to Lifelong LearningAt NewBridge on the Charles, we believe that learning never ends. Lifelong learning enhances daily life. Whether it's participation in a current affairs workshop, listening to a chamber music ensemble, visiting a new art exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, or viewing wildlife from one of our nature trails, we make sure our lifelong learning program is continually current, interesting, and challenging.
The Rhythm of Life ®Art is at the heart of the NewBridge community. The arts keep us stimulated and engaged. Our special program, The Rhythm of Life®, incorporates the arts into life at our Assisted Living Community. Our Residents have the opportunity to enjoy musical performances, dance, take trips to local performances and museums, enjoy plays and poetry readings, and participate in art instruction and art history discussions. Vigorous Minds© - A Computerized Approach To Brain FitnessExercising one's brain is as important as exercising one's body. In our Vigorous Mind Brain Fitness Center, assisted living Residents have the opportunity to participate in a series of brain exercises that focus on attention, memory, language, and reasoning. It's a fun and challenging way to stay active and engaged - as well as potentially prevent or delay cognitive decline.
A Vibrant On-Site Multigenerational Program with The Rashi SchoolNewBridge on the Charles is a multigenerational campus and also the home of The Rashi School, a K-8 Jewish day school, bringing seniors and children together in a setting of learning and sharing.
Research shows that seniors' struggles with isolation, loneliness, and sense of purpose, are significantly improved when children are an integral part of their lives, especially when they have the opportunity to contribute their meaningful skills and wisdom to a younger generation. Through our partnership with The Rashi School, NewBridge Assisted Living Residents read to students, share life stories, celebrate holidays and enjoy other activities together. Through this interaction, our Residents enrich the children's lives as well as their own.
5000 Great Meadow Road (formerly 45 West Street), Dedham, MA 02026-4008 | 781-234-9400


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Contact our team today if you are looking for a comprehensive approach.
We offer state of the art treatments at our migraine relief center.
Our arthritis relief center offers patients state of the art options for care.
Medically supervised weight loss offers a number of outstanding options.
Don't let your auto injury go untreated. Call our auto injury center today.
Chiropractic care may be the answer for your healthcare complaints.
About 56 Million Americans today suffer from the effects of chronic pain. That's about 20% of all the adults in the United States, and the numbers continue to rise.
What's unfortunate for most people is that their pain could be relieved. They just don't know where to turn for help and many unfortunate people go untreated.
The truth today is that the majority of chronic pain patients can be helped. The difficulty is finding a provider that you can turn to for help. A clinic that has multiple options available to fit the many different problems that exist.
This problem effects people of all ages, but the greatest concentration is people between the ages of 30 and 50.
Our goal is to successfully restore your health and quality of life back to your highest potential; simply put, we want you LIVING life!
We offer a team approach to your conditions.
Our team includes:
As a team, we study each patient's case and create a personalized medical treatment plan to restore your health.
This team approach is not only time effective, but is also cost effective. We can help you heal and get you better faster by offering more services per visit so your cost comes down. This will allow you to get multiple treatments under one roof, eliminating the need to go multiple places for services we offer.
We are focused on treating the individual, and not just the pain or condition you suffer from. By taking this approach we are able to understand your needs as well as the physical conditions causing pain. As a medical practice concentrating on physical medicine and rehabilitation, Atlantic Coast Physical Medicine is able to offer all natural solutions for all types of chronic pain and conditions. We are dedicated to helping you get back on your feet and back into life.
|Auto Injury Assessment & Treatment
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|Pain Management
Make today be the day that you change your life and your health. Schedule a free consultation today with our team so that we can get a better understanding of your needs. We will work with you one on one to help you overcome the pain you are experiencing.
We look forward to hearing from you!
By Heather Lambert D.C.


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My Blog
Ten Tips to Succeed In A Job Interview
Your phone rang and you received a call from a company you have applied for a job, inviting you for an interview. Although you are very happy about it and you already start dreaming a day at your new job, you also feel anxiety and you doubt your ability to conduct a professional job interview. First of all, your joy shouldn't be ruined, because now you're just a few steps away from reaching your goal to find a job. If you are willing to work very hard and also follow some of the tips you'll read below, this will surely help you get that job you so covet.
Plan Your Professional outfit. The night before the interview day, it is always good to plan what you are going to wear. It need not be expensive clothing; just something neat, formal and professional-looking is enough. Make sure, however, that you feel comfortable in what you are going to wear and you don't feel like being a soul in somebody else's body. Keep your clothing style as modest as possible and make sure you avoid wearing too may accessories and overdoing it. Neutral color are the best choice for playing safe and a few pieces pearl or silver jewelry, for the women, will do. Model your total look, from your hairstyle to your shoes, the night before, standing in front of a full-length mirror. And when the big day comes, use a breath freshener just before the interview, because part of the good first impression is also your fresh breath!
Make a list. Create a checklist with all the necessary things you have to prepare and to bring with you in the interview. Remember to bring an extra resume, just in case the interviewer asks for it even though you have already submitted one. Also, keep a pen and paper handy, because you may need to write something.
Make a research. Before going to the interview make a research on the company. Check out their website to see information such as how long they have been in the business what is the structure of the company, its nature and everything else you need to know to make you feel comfortable while talking with the interviewer and be able to answer questions, in a professional way, showing you have a familiarity with the company. If the interviewer asks something you don't know about the company, be honest and say you don't know the answer and don't make up stories.
Be on Time. Arrive ten to fifteen minutes earlier in order to have time to relax and reduce your anxieties and worries.
Give a smile to everyone. Smile at everyone who greets you while you are on your way to the building and while waiting for the interview to start. You'll never know if one of the persons you will bump into is your interviewer. And after all, being nice can only bring positive outcomes.
Be Considerate and Courteous. When it's your time to be interviewed, be sure your cell phone is turned off or in silent mode. Extend a handshake and wait till you are asked to take a seat before sitting down.
Be Confident. Feel good about yourself and remember that you are there because your potential employer has seen something in you that would assist the company's interests. So this is a reason to feel confident already. As long as you know what you have written in your resume, and everything reflects the truth, you don't have to feel insecure. Now it's your chance to prove to them that they made the right decision to call you for an interview and as a consequence to hire you. Learn to market yourself and remember that your product to promote and sell is you. And what is the best way to market a product? Believing in its value first! So believe in your own value as professional and support it with confidence.
Make your long stories short. While it is understandable that you need to sell yourself, overdoing it with long conversations that usually get off-topic isn't going to impress your interviewer but on the contrary is going to annoy her or him. Keep your answers short and simple but with valuable content. Be attentive and listen first to what the interviewer has to say before you answer and never interrupt her or him before she or he has finished what was saying.
Ask Questions. It is almost a common procedure at the end of every interview for the interviewer to ask if you have any questions to ask. Most of the times, this is an awkward situation for the interviewee because she or he doesn't know how to react. See it as an opportunity and ask sensible questions and address concerns that you may have in mind but avoid asking issues you have already discussed about, except if you need further clarifications about a specific issue, and also avoid asking questions that are obvious. Ask questions about the company and also about the job position you have applied for.
Follow up. Usually, the interviewer informs you about when to expect a notification. If not, don't be afraid to ask when you will be notified, asking also if it is ok to call them to follow up, in case you don't hear from them. This is a good way to avoid limiting yourself with waiting for an answer for that job, while you may want to contact other companies that have called you up or they expect you to give them an answer. If the turnaround time has already lapsed, call up the HR department to ask about your application.
Image attribute to Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net :
Believing in Yourself When You're Going Through A Hard Time
It's your mindset that will determine how successful you'll be or not. By having a positive mindset you are able to handle difficulties before they become too big.
It may seem difficult to believe in yourself when everything around you seems to be falling apart, but keeping faith is the only way to overcome the tough times and see yourself having better days again.
Try these strategies to help you remain positive and motivated when you're feeling the pressure of tough times:
Look back on the past. Surely you've come across seemingly many challenging situations in the past. How have you succeeded in the most difficult and challenging scenarios? Obviously, your ability to handle these situations speaks louder than the feeling of insecurity you're experiencing at the moment.
In some cases, the way you solved a problem in the past, may be a solution to your current problem as well, with some adjustments to fit your current situation. While, in other situations, your past experience will act as a guide of what not to do this time that you did before and didn't help you overcome a problem.
· Your past needn't dictate your future. It's possible to handle what you're going through now without working up old, unresolved feelings. Think of it as a positive exercise. Become aware of your negative feelings, explain to your mind that you're feeling this way because this is the way you felt last time you experienced the same situation in the past and without dealing with them, make a shift in your thoughts and feelings to more positive ones. This technique will help you increase self-confidence in your abilities.
Act immediately. Rather than shutting in when a situation becomes intimidating, take prompt action. The longer you allow a situation to exist without facing it, the more urgent it will become.
· Design a proactive plan now to avoid unpleasant surprises. Or, better yet, have a just-in-case plan before such surprises ever occur. You may need few hours to have your "action plan" ready but the outcome worth all the work.
· You are the only one who can give you a solution. You are in charge of managing your life and you have full responsibility to make it successful. Take pride in this power. After all, you're your own boss; no one gives you orders on how to live! Your life is what you make it. And you can use your power to start off on the right foot each and every day.
Believe you can make it through. You've found your way out of a difficult situation in the past. You'll do it again now and you'll do it in the future if you need to. There is always a way to swim up to the surface of the water. And each time you do so, you'll get better because you'll become more experienced.
· Remember that you have your family and friends. Your children, spouse, and other family members are cheering you on every day. Chances are that no one doubts your abilities and you are the only who does so. In fact, they have faith in your abilities because you've proven your strength in the past, many times, and they've seen you getting out of difficult situations.
· Now is your chance to show yourself what you can do. Confirm to yourself that you're as strong and tenacious as you've been telling yourself till now. Now it's the time to turn words into action!
Everyone encounters tough times, because this is how life is. And a very important part of how you will handle these tough times is dependent on your mindset and your ability to believe in yourself, even throughout the hardest times of your life.
It's up to you to decide whether you want your mindset to be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you adopt a negative mindset, you'll end up with a negative outcome. Remember, you attract what you think; positive or negative! "Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they're supposed to help you discover who you are." -- Bernice Johnson Reagon
Image attribute to Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net : http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1499
How To Manage Your Anger When You're About To Explode
Are you the type of person who finds it hard to control his anger and each time you get angry you feel like you've reached the end of the rope? But you know, you can have total control of your feelings, and manage your anger to prevent it from being expressed. As a guide for you on how to do that, here are some simple steps to remember so you don't let anger take you over.
Breathe and count backwards. When on the verge of losing your wits, it is much better to pause for a while, count backwards from twenty to zero keeping a slow pace and breathing in and out until you have released all the tension you're feeling inside. You may not believe it, but this actually works, trust me!
Keep your mouth shut. When you feel like bursting and you have the intense urge to shout as loud as you can, bite your tongue to avoid adding oil to the fire. Give yourself a moment to calm first, before you open your mouth to say something. Remember that it takes time to build a relationship and only a word to destroy it. Be careful with the words you use, so you won't regret anything afterwards.
Think of the unpleasant consequences. I understand that making your mind work, especially when you're furious, is hard. Nevertheless, learning to control your emotions will do wonders. It's just putting your mind over what matters. Think of the possible consequences if you act driven by your anger. Try to visualize the things that might happen if you leave your anger take over the situation. What will the consequences be to the other people's feelings and to your relationship with them? How this will affect the outcome of something you've been working so hard on, for a long time? Through pausing to think, you will be able to control your emotions while the anger subsides. Take responsibility in what you do and what you say. Have you seen the movie "The Butterfly Effect"? Then you probably remember the Chaos theory saying that "Everything, even the flap of a butterfly's wings can cause chaos" so be careful with your actions and words, as they will affect everything that will happen in the future.
Detach yourself and do something else. If you find it hard to keep your mouth shut when angry, taking a distance from the situation in the meantime might be a good alternative for you. When your feel that your anger has subsided, talk things over with the person you are angry with like mature and civilized adults that you are. Take a walk or write a letter, that you'll destroy as soon as you feel calmer, to avoid being read by someone else, to express your emotions and let go of them. Keeping your emotions suppressed might lead to anxiety and depression, but going the other extreme and exploding is also as destroying. Allowing yourself to explode may damage your relationships irretrievably and also may cause problems to your work. Walking away doesn't mean that you won't handle the issue at a later time or suppress your emotions forever. This means distracting yourself from extreme anger, calming yourself down, and then dealing with the issue when your mind is able to think logically and take the right decisions. This is when, it is the opportunity for you to express your feelings to the other person and solve any differences or misunderstandings that may have arose and finally forgive the other person and move on.
You have the power to choose. Remember, you are the master of your choices. You have the will and the power to choose, even in anger. And I know you can do it! Let me give you an example: You're walking in the street and someone accidentally steps on you. He smiles and apologizes and, even if that hurt and made you mad, you smile back and you say that it's absolutely fine. How can you do this? How can you then control your emotions instantly and go from being mad to being calm and smiling? It's that simple! It's just what you choose to do with a situation. Therefore, stop saying that emotions are uncontrollable and they're hard to restrain and manage. On the contrary, they are totally subject to your choice. You have the will. Don't fall victim of your own emotions. Practice control over them right now.
Image attribute to Robert Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net:
How About You Procrastinate Your Procrastination?
You might be someone running your own company who has a ton of open tasks to take care of, but instead chooses to surf on the internet to find information that «could» be useful but you end up chatting on Facebook. Or you could be an office worker whose desk seems like Mount Everest from the pile of documents left undone while you talk about your nice time during the weekend with a colleague. No matter who you might be, one thing is common: you are procrastinating.
We define procrastination as the habit of leaving work undone or half done while you turn into other interests with the excuse that we will finish our job later. Everyone procrastinates to some degree but there are people who make it a part of their personality not to finish the work required for various reasons (or excuses) they find in their way.
When a person procrastinates this has a negative impact on her or his productivity and in addition, she or he may eventually experience feelings of depression, stress, disappointment and guilt, all because she or he neglects to do the work when it was necessary. Usually, a person who procrastinates, attempts to avoid the issue by starting simultaneously a lot of new tasks which have nothing to do with the work that needs to be executed. These tasks, of no importance and urgency, may be appealing to the worker but they are no beneficial to her or his work and they are only time and energy consuming.
But why people procrastinate? They do so for various reasons:
Of course there are many other reasons why someone could find it hard to concentrate, or senses a fear about the task (so she or he spends more time and energy on being stressed and overwhelmed than actually working on the task or problem.) Some people would leave negative thoughts take over their mind and feelings and give up the work they have to finish. There is also the fear of failure or fear of success, which both have negative consequences that lead to procrastination. Or a person could have failed before on a similar task, and she or he has convinced herself of himself afterwards that he can never succeed at a new task. This is closely related to being a perfectionist, as personality, where the standards one sets for her or himself are unrealistic. Some people may have never taken the responsibility for themselves to find solutions to their own problems, as there was always someone else there for them to do so. Finally, they may lack time management skills, which is one reason met very often nowadays.
So is there a way to overcome procrastination? A person who wants to eliminate her or his problem with procrastination has to work on her or his time-management and organizational skills. Furthermore, she or he should try to gain more in-depth awareness of the emotional or personal causes of her or his procrastination. By doing so, a person is able to understand and prevent or reduce the feeling of procrastination, every time is about to take effect. Finally, a good way to fight procrastination is to start working on the boring, but also urgent, tasks so that they could be completed before our tendency for procrastination or feelings of tiredness take place.
Feeling like procrastinating is natural when it happens sometimes. But when it tends to be a habit, it threatens our productivity and ultimately our mind and body by becoming stressed. Therefore make it a habit to work against it and allow yourself to procrastinate once a while just to feel like escaping from a busy day.
Image attribute to FreeDigitalPhotos.net : http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2125
Give Your Goals A Crash Test
So you believe you reached the point where you finally know what you want. You have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and you have also planned carefully the action steps to achieve it successfully. You truly believe it can happen. You know you deserve to get what you desire.
But before you put your action plan into practice, especially when it regards a major, life-changing goal, you may want to ask these questions first:
How badly do I want this? Do you have a strong desire to achieve your goal? Or is it something that you think it could wait or it would be "nice to have"?
If your goal is big and it could affect considerably the other aspects of your life, you may set a goal you are passionate about. Having a goal you feel not so enthusiastic about may hold you back from reaching it.
At this point, you may also want to review your motivations for setting that specific goal in the first place. The level of your motivation may help you in answering this critical question.
How will this affect my life? Once you have achieved your goal, what kind of changes do you think will you have in your life? Will certain aspects of your life be affected, such as professional life and personal relationships? If so, in what way will they be affected?
Picture yourself, the people around you and your situation as if you're watching your life's movie in your mind. Do you like what you see? Do you like how you feel at this specific moment?
Will I be sacrificing any of my values and needs in achieving this? Is your goal in alliance with your values, or does it contradict them? What were the values, which were important to you when you set your goal in the first place?
What will the consequences be when you reach your goal, if it contradicts your values? Can you handle the consequences? Will this make you feel good or more stressed and overwhelmed than you felt before?
What is your intuition telling you? At the end of the day, no one knows better than your intuition and your inner voice what feels right for you. If it feels right, go for it. If not, think it twice.
Sometimes, you cannot tell if the goal you've set is the right for you, unless you start the process of achieving it. So even if you've done so, you always have the chance to stop if you realize that the goal you set doesn't make you happy. On the other hand, if you find out you are on the right track, you will feel more empowered and motivated to move closer towards your goal.
Image attribute to for renjith krishnan's / FreeDigitalPhotos.net : http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=721


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NVHS senior picked for top honor
A Northern Vance High School senior has been selected for a great honor.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the 50th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars that included Henderson native Whitney Johnson and four other North Carolina students.
Some 141 high school seniors were recognized for their accomplishments in academics or the arts.
Johnson is ranked second in her class of 170 students and has maintained a perfect grade point average, even while taking Advanced Placement classes and battling a cancer diagnosis her sophomore year.
"For me, this is such an amazing honor," she said. "I am very humbled and blessed to have been selected. I look forward to not only representing my country but also my state, as well."
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Barack Obama, selects scholars each year based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.
One young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from American families living abroad — as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts — are given the honor.
Johnson said she plans to attend the 2014 ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 22, when each honoree will receive a Presidential Scholar medallion.
Susan Westbrook, Johnson's English teacher at Northern Vance, said she first came to know the student as a member of the Key Club, a service organization headed by Westbrook at the time.
"I vividly remember she came in, along with another girl, and wanted to know what they could do to help out mothers on Mother's Day," Westbrook said.
She said Johnson basically took it upon herself to organize the project.
Her initiative yielded Easter baskets for kids and mothers that year.
"I thought it was pretty incredible, not that she wanted to do it but that she was willing to go out and do it on her own," she said.
Westbrook said Johnson was one of the best students in her AP English language class.
"I don't remember a day when Whitney was in my class where she wasn't completely and fully attentive," she said.
After graduating from Northern Vance, Johnson will attend UNC-Greensboro in the fall and hopes to pursue nursing.
Sgt. Jessica West of the Henderson Police Department has known Johnson since she was a little girl.
While a student at Vance-Granville Community College, West was in a class taught by Johnson's mom, Angela Ragland.
West said she is continually impressed by Johnson's resilience as a cancer survivor.
"It absorbs your life, and that's not her," she said. "She doesn't want that to define her. I've never seen her down. I've never seen her being negative. She's always bright and glowing and has that type of personality."
Contact the writer at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The Boat People Inflatable Kayak & Raft Specialists
34 years in the Whitewater Inflatable Kayak & River Raft Business
We have the highest customer satisfaction. Our expertise & experience ensures you will get the right raft, inflatable kayak, cataraft & paddling gear the FIRST TIME, something you may not get at a big box outlet. We will devote all the time that is necessary for you to make your decision.
AIRE's First California Whitewater Raft & Inflatable Kayak Dealer
We carry durable quality river rafts, whitewater rafts, inflatable kayaks, paddles, oars, life jackets, dry bags, pumps... from boating industry titans; AIRE, Innova, Rocky Mountain Rafts (RMR), MTI, Cannon Paddles, Ortlieb, Northwest River Supply (NRS)... and we offer these inflatable boats at the lowest price possible!
At TBP Whitewater Raft and Inflatable Kayak Specialists we've rented river rafts and inflatable kayaks for over two decades, we've seen the worst case scenario for a lot of our inventory. Sharing our rental experiences and retail customer feedback clearly helps you compare similar products to make an informed decision, and we don't gloss over any negative feedback we get.
Oh Captain My Captain Why Abandon Thee? AIRE Yellow Cataraft.
Our Inflatable Raft and Inflatable Kayak Air Pumps are TOP QUALITY too
We carry imported Bravo foot, hand, and electric pumps from Italy & China, as well as American made cylinder pumps off all sizes & styles. These can be used for river rafts, inflatable kayaks, marine inflatables, or anything else requiring high air volumes. Major brands include Carlson, Wildwater Pumps, the Sierra foot pump, K-Pump, Interdynamics, Mastercraft, our own Boat People top-off hand pump, NRS, the Hurricane 12 volt, and we also stock Whitewater Design's EZ-Pump, though it is not shown here. Call is for your needs and we'll give you our best recommendation. Often something simple and inexpensive will do the job just fine. Bravo foot and hand air pumps are a great value!
Ortlieb Dry Duffels - The Highest Quality Dry Duffel for Kayakers and Rafters
No other brand matches these European made products for quality. We stock Ortlieb's duffle-style bags with dry-zippers, as well as roll top "Rack Pack" duffels. They are lightweight, tuff, and highly functional dry storage bags with the best hardware you will find. Rugged 1000 denier polyester base and the acrylic finish exterior is heavy-duty and abrasion resistant. We stock the Ortlieb duffels in five sizes to cover all your rafting and inflatable kayaking needs. In addition we carry many other brands of drybags from large backpack style to small, simple roll-top bags, as well as GSI dry cases.
Lochsa River Idaho Memorial Day Weekend 2014
Canvas Inflatable Kayak Bag
Boat People Canvas Inflatable Kayak Carry Bag. Roughly 15.5" diameter and...
Price: $45.00
AIRE 70 foot Throwbag with Carabiner Pocket
This very nice, full featured throw bag comes with 70' of floating rope...
Sale Price: $35.00
Aqua-Bound Surge Kayak Paddle
Aqua-Bound Surge Kayak Paddle. Carbon shaft, fiberglass blades....
Sale Price: $219.00
Boat People 15'3" Trinity II USA Inflatable Kayak
Trinity II Inflatable Kayak - USA 10 year. warranty- only 41 pounds....
Price: $1,499.00
MTI Big Buoy Small/XS Yellow High Floatation
This listing is for the Small/X-small size in mango only; this size fits...
Sale Price: $105.00
NRS Co-Pilot River Knife
The six inch CoPilot knife is a new knife that releases by squeezing...
Sale Price: $36.00
Ortlieb Large Size Expedition Dry Duffle 85L
New 85 Liter Ortlieb Expedition Duffle Drybag with Drysuit Zipper.
Sale Price: $165.00
NRS See-Thru Lock Top Drybag, Extra Small size
Reinforced SeeThru Bags provide a nice way to always know what's inside...
Sale Price: $17.00
NRS Xtra-Long See-Thru Lock Top Drybag
Large See-Thru Drybag. Reinforced SeeThru Bags provide a nice way to...
Sale Price: $29.00


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High Performance Driving School
Our fully customizable driving schools instill you with the confidence of a professional racecar driver. You'll acquire and apply the necessary skills that serve as a foundation for every level of desire. From simple strategies to advanced competition techniques, we got you covered. Team Stradale takes a 'hands-on' approach; you drive, we teach. Sign up today for one of our exciting programs.
High Performance Driving School ½ Day $895
This program is for those with a busy schedule and little time to play. Team Stradale ½ day school is a condensed version of our full day program that gets you in the driver seat much faster. This is a basic program that covers the same topics as Team Stradale 1 day with limited practice.
High Performance Driving School 1 Day $1395
Team Stradale 1 day school is an intro level program that teaches foundation skills of defensive driving, car control and safety. All necessary rules and procedures to drive/race on track are covered and assessed in the Team Stradale 1 day school.
High Performance Driving School 2 Day $2495
Team Stradale 2 day school is an advanced program that teaches technical skills and techniques to drive fast. This is a continuation program that builds upon the skills learned in the Team Stradale 1 day school while focusing on increasing speed, precision and consistency.
Team Stradale Advanced Lapping $900
After graduating from our 2-day program, you qualify to use our performance fleet for lapping. This is a perfect opportunity for data and video analysis along with Geo-Race Tracking critique sessions with our pros. Best laps are made through repetition and visual discovery of your driving style.
Competition Licensing Program
The Team Stradale Competition School incorporates skills and techniques necessary when racing with your competitors. Participants will experience and practice race starts, proper pit procedure, side-by-side driving, flagging, race scenario analysis and the decision making. The one day course is conducted by our staff of highly experienced racers, using unparalleled technology such as the Google Geo Race Tracking application developed by our head instructor Francesco D'Avola. Open daily to the public, you can complete our Three-Day High Performance School at your own pace prior to enrolling in the NASA Competition Licensing Program. The Competition programs are scheduled to coincide with local NASA events, making it easier for participants to enjoy the thrill of driving following graduation. Team Stradale is the official school of Autobahn Country Club and conveniently located next to the registration building. Our address is 3795 CenterPoint Way Unit #3761 Joliet, IL 60436. Check-in is at 7:30am and the course will conclude no later than 6:00pm.
Class Overview
- Race starts
- Proper pit procedure
- Side-by-side driving
- Flagging communication
- Race scenario analysis
- Decision making
- Classroom sessions
- Discussion and feedback
- $400 using your car
- $1000 using our BMW Z3 Roadsters
Participants must be at least 18 years of age and must have a valid driver's license to enroll.
Eligible participant must have successfully completed Team Stradale's High Performance School or equivalent lapping experience within the last two years or have participated in NASA HPDE4 Drivers using their own race car are reminded that their car must meet current NASA safety specifications per the current year CCR and have a current year Annual Tech Sticker.
Team Stradale is a NASA Certified Tech Shop where you can have your annual inspection completed. Call Team Stradale at 815-727-7234 to schedule an appointment. Tech inspection document can be downloaded at www.nasagreatlakes.com/pages/tech_shops.asp
Participants must wear the required fire protection including fire suit, nomex undergarments, nomex gloves, nomex shoes, and a snell approved helmet. Snell rating changes year to year and must be inspected prior to participation. Helmets are available for daily rental for $20.
Participants using Team Stradale's school cars will be required to sign a liability waiver making you responsible for damages up to $5,000.
Teen Defensive Driving $389
We teach your students skills we hope they never have to use. Learn skid control, accident avoidance, damage reduction and safe practice. This program takes place in a classroom and on a skid pad designed for high-speed drills and vehicle maneuvers. Our mission is to instill knowledge and put to practice the skills necessary to be a smart driver.
Speed Pass $249
Be our guest and experience Autobahn from the member's perspective. Enjoy lunch and excitement of driving fast cars on the racetrack. You will ride along in a few of Team Stradale's high performance fleet. Then take the wheel and buzz around the track for a brief orientation session with an instructor at your side.
High-Speed Ride Along $99
Get an intense ride with a professional racecar driver pushing the limits as you hold on for dear life. Our instructors will demonstrate skills that can be mastered in our Team Stradale High Performance Driving programs. You will be strapped in one of the Team Stradale school fleet for a ride sure to fire you up.


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Pretty Little Liars
Pretty Little Liars Season 3, Episode 16 Is Marlene King's Directorial Debut!
Pretty Little Liars showrunner Marlene King is a multi-talented woman. Not only did she create the show, and pen many of its most exciting episodes, but she's also making her directorial debut with tonight's Season 3, Episode 16: "Misery Loves Company."
That's right, folks! Marlene went behind the camera this week.
So tune in tonight, January 22, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC Family to see Marlene King's skills at work in a whole new way.
Source: Twitter


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By Erich LangerSpecial to American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, July 8, 2008 With the delivery of two large truckloads of medical equipment, hundreds of mothers-to-be soon will benefit from the opening of a refurbished maternity hospital in western Baghdad's Karkh district.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division managed the nearly $600,000 renovation, which includes a new heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system and electrical and mechanical upgrades.
Officials said the hospital had fallen into disrepair, receiving no upgrades and little maintenance during Saddam Hussein's regime. In fact, officials noted, no new hospitals were completed in Iraq since the mid-1980s.
"To date, GRD has completed 21 renovations at 18 hospitals across Iraq that will treat 15,000 patients per day," Army Brig. Gen. Jeffery Dorko, GRD commander, said. "Also, working with our government of Iraq partners, we have constructed 113 of 132 new primary health care centers that will treat 8,000 Iraqis each day. We still have more to achieve in helping provide health care to Iraqis, but we are making great strides in this important area."
The improving security situation is paying dividends, as the GRD Gulf Region Division and its contractors complete more and more construction projects. Dr. Eman A. Atta, Karkh's manager and hospital administrator, worked at Karkh Maternity for only six months, but has seen Baghdad and the neighborhood around the hospital improve dramatically.
"The security situation has improved greatly," Atta said. "It was very, very bad here for so long -- so bad that I refused delivery of vital medical equipment until it was safe from those who would rob and steal from the hospital."
Atta was painfully aware of the poor security situation after one large delivery of expensive diagnostic equipment that included X-ray machines and other high-end medical equipment was hijacked -- "stolen before it ever made it to the hospital," she said with anger and frustration in her voice.
"To keep this from happening again, Dr. Emad Sabry and I arranged to store the equipment in various secret locations around Baghdad until security improved," she said.
Iraqi army Maj. Hussain is in charge of security at and around the hospital, and echoed Atta's reflection of security in the neighborhood.
"It has gotten better; it is much safer here. My soldiers are always watching for any danger that would come to the hospital and its patients," he said.
"We hope to open the hospital to inpatient care, surgeries and deliveries within two months," said Sabry, an anesthesiologist and one of Karkh's 10 senior physicians. "The hospital still needs additional equipment --– all types from beds to incubators and most importantly the pharmaceuticals. The Ministry of Health has promised to provide these required items."
Army Sgt. 1st Class Hector Cruz, a construction representative from the GRD Central District, makes final checks on numerous hospital construction initiatives recently completed. He stays busy helping to manage scores of projects, and is frequently on construction sites four or five days each week.
"We rely heavily on our Iraqi engineers who are on project sites every day," he said. "They work directly with the contractors and provide our office with regular reports, photos and updates on project progress. We just couldn't do the job without them."
To minimize interruptions of essential hospital activities, the local Iraqi construction firm coordinated all construction work with the hospital and Atta.
Besides the HVAC and electrical upgrades, the renovation structural repairs, a reverse-osmosis water purification system, a new medical waste incinerator, a medical gases center, a nurse call system, a data communication network, a TV system, elevator upgrade, and a fire alarm with a firefighting extinguishing system.
"The new medical gases center is much improved over the old Iraqi way," Sabry said. "This is much more modern, efficient and safer, too. The old way had oxygen tanks in each of the rooms. Hospital staff had to frequently move and handle the tanks – very inefficient and more dangerous."
Cruz said the renovated facility is a vast improvement over the old one. "Previously, this was a facility in disrepair after years and years of neglect," he said. "But now, Karkh's patients will be able to come to the hospital and have their babies in a clean, secure functioning hospital. Dr. Atta and her staff will have the tools to provide full-spectrum medical care for women from a population of more than 250,000."
(Erich Langer is a public affairs specialist with the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq.)


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LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Sept. 20) - The New Mexico State men's tennis team opens its fall schedule as host of the Aggie Invitational this weekend beginning Friday at 9 a.m. MT at the NM State Tennis Complex.
The three-day individual tournament features a singles draw of over 30 players that begins on Friday. The 17-team doubles competition will also open on day one. Play will continue Saturday at 9 a.m. and conclude Sunday with the championship matches slated for 9 a.m.
Joining the Aggies on the courts this weekend will be players from four schools including Abilene Christian, Arizona, Northern Arizona and Western New Mexico. Three of the teams finished last season ranked nationally in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) men's rankings. New Mexico finished the year at No. 61. Abilene Christian finished last season ranked No. 11 in Division II while WNMU ended the year at No. 32 in the same poll.
"This will be an informative tournament for us," said head coach Carlos Vargas. "I've seen our guys practice, now I'll be able to see them in competition. We're ready to play. I'm excited to get started with competition. I think this weekend will be fairly competitive."
NM State enters the season without the services of departed senior Matej Stakne who earned First Team All-WAC honors in 2012. Senior Luis Ramirez and junior Marc Westgate will lead the Aggies this season. The upperclassmen earned Second Team All-WAC honors last season as a doubles tandem playing in the No. 1 slot. NM State is a youthful squad this year with as many as six true freshmen on the fall roster.
For all of the latest Aggie men's tennis news click NMStateSports.com.


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A new Texas scratch off lottery game features Star Trek.
To celebrate the launch of the new scratch off Star Trek game, the Texas Lottery Headquarters will hold an event featuring prizes and a chance to break a Guinness Book of World record for Trek fans in costume. William Shatner will be in attendance.


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Last Week's Contest Winners
Cook the Book: 'Cooking in the Moment': ks328, kitchenography, abduffy, PlanetChaos, and icecreamsandwich. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to all who entered! More
Cook the Book: 'Cooking in the Moment': ks328, kitchenography, abduffy, PlanetChaos, and icecreamsandwich. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to all who entered! More
Tart, seedy little blackberries are mixed with slices of crisp apple and baked in a crumbly, lightly sweet cornmeal crust. It's that great sort of juicy, oozy pie where the filling leaks out, making for little bits of caramelized crust around the edges. Since the crust has a bit of sugar in it you can hold back on oversweetening the filling and give the berries and apples a chance to cook down and release their natural sugar More
Marrying the flavors of Southeast Asia with that classic American summertime staple, cucumber salad, this is the kind of salad-meets-pickle that you can easily make and tweak all spring and summer and never tire of. More
Rhubarb is one of the more confounding spring vegetables (or is it a fruit?). Sure, you can bake it into a pie with a handful of strawberries like most folks do, but there have to be other options for these... More
These Garlic and Black Pepper Soft-Shell Crabs from Andrea Reusing's Cooking in the Moment get briefly dunked in fish sauce, coated in garlic and pepper-spiked rice flour, and fried until crackling crisp. Opting for rice flour instead of wheat flour gives these crabs an almost potato chip like crunch, and the fish sauce lends just the right amount of savory, oceanic tang. More
Add the creamy yolk of a gently poached egg to blanched and lightly charred young asparagus dressed in butter and soy—that's it. Hearty and salty in the best way, the kind of plate that makes it easy to think about becoming a seasonal vegetarian because, really, who needs steak when you have perfect asparagus and runny poached eggs? More
On paper, this recipe for Fresh Peas with Lettuce and Green Garlic couldn't be simpler. Virtually all of the dish's ingredients are listed in the title save for salt, pepper, and butter. It's all about tender young peas, earthy leaves of wilted lettuce, mild green garlic, and enough sweet butter to bring the dish together. It's a recipe that's indicative of Reusing's approach to home cooking—simple techniques and superb use of in season ingredients. More
We'd like to begin this week's Cook the Book column by sending Andrea Reusing, author of Cooking in the Moment, warm congratulations, not only on her gorgeous new cookbook but also for taking home the James Beard award for Best Chef in the Southeast last week. Enter to win a copy here. More