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Bowls round-up: Bridgwater votes to welcome in the ladies
Posted: September 26, 2012|
Bowls will surely never be the same again, now that the historic Bridgwater club in Durleigh Road, which has been an all-male bastion since it was formed 104 years ago, has decided to open its doors to the ladies.
"The old boys will be turning in their graves," joked a club stalwart last week, after an extraordinary general meeting voted overwhelmingly – by 48 votes to 9 – to accept women into membership.
Membership at the Bridgwater club has been dropping steadily over the past few years, and a concerted effort to recruit new members at the start of the summer produced exactly one newcomer, and one new junior member.
Similar decisions have been taken in recent years at other hitherto all-male clubs in Somerset, like Clevedon, Bath and Victoria (Weston-super-Mare), and it is believed that the only genuinely all-male club left in the county is in Banwell.
"We've made the decision, now we must make it work," said club chairman Stuart Vinecombe, who believes an exciting new chapter in the club's history is about to begin.
A Victorian pamphlet once described bowls as 'a graceful game for girls', but the biggest boost to bowls came in the first decade of the 20th century, when Gloucestershire and England cricketer Dr WG Grace founded the English Bowling Association.
The notion of the gentlemen's club was all the rage in Edwardian England – and the Bridgwater club was formed when the sport was in its heyday – and it took many decades before women established that they had a place outside the kitchen.
Just think what may happen in Bridgwater! – When the prestigious Clevedon club did the same and threw tradition to the wind ten years ago, no-one anticipated that the club's women bowlers, most of whom were novices, would blossom to the extent they have.
Eight Clevedon players recently appeared in the finals of the Somerset women's championships this summer, and the club can boast several Johns Trophy players as well as two junior international players – and one who even plays for England at senior level.
As thoughts turn to the winter season, and bowlers started to move indoors, there was little joy for local supporters last week, when the English Indoor Bowling Association announced the names of the players who will appear in the international trialists this year.
Admittedly three Somerset girls – Stef Branfield, Laura Holden and Kirsty Hembrow – have been called up for the junior women's trial at Rugby Thornfield on November 3, while Branfield gets her first chance to challenge for a place in England's senior team.
Dorchester's Annette Hallett has been invited to the senior trial at Melton Mowbray on November 10, but the men's trial the following day will involve only one player from Wiltshire, Gloucestershire or Somerset – and even he, Westlecot's Neil Smith, will have to sit on the reserve bench.
That means there is no reward for the Somerset men who have powered their way into the final of the Liberty Trophy for the past two years, but at least North Wilts youngster Wayne Snook and Dorchester's Nick Voss have made it into the 35-strong junior men's squad.
Somerset will enjoy some reflected glory in the selection of Louis Ridout for the men's senior and junior trials, and of Amy Stanton, who will appear in the women's senior and junior games – but Ridout is now playing out of Devon, and Stanton out of Worcestershire these days.
It is a particularly depressing statistic that not one of the 145 hopefuls called up to parade their skills in front of the England selectors is from Gloucestershire, whose players have been snubbed once again.
Winter in England is summer Down Under, of course, and there was a timely reminder this week that the world outdoor championships will be staged in Adelaide from November 24 to December 9.
An announcement from Bowls England revealed that Graham Shadwell, from the Spencer Moulton club in Wiltshire, will lead for Torquay's Jamie Chestney in the pairs, and play second with Berkshire duo Mark Bantock and Rob Newman, and Cumbria's Stuart Airey in the fours.
More than eight years have passed since the 25-year-old Chestney burst on the scene, so his selection to occupy the coveted singles berth comes as no surprise, and is just reward for the form he showed in the Atlantic championships in Paphos (Cyprus) last October.
Not only did the Norfolk-born Chestney win the Atlantic singles title, but he showed his skill as a skip as he steered Shadwell and Clevedon's John Hick to the triples title.
And, it was in Paphos that his romance with golden girl Natalie Melmore, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist, blossomed, and he made up his mind to move from his native Norfolk to Torquay to be near his girlfriend.
Melmore has been handed the women's singles berth, so, for the first time ever, England's singles hopes in World Bowls will be carried by members of the same outdoor club – the famous Kings club in Torquay.
The women's team in Adelaide will be under the control of Yeovil's Edna Bessell, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer, but who is determined to fulfil her role as team manager.
Rumours that the King Edmund Acro-gymnastics club that was poised to move in to the Yate Leisure Centre and occupy the space that has housed indoor bowls for the past 25 years were no longer going to do so have proved to have no substance.
Last Friday, the gymnasts' 'Sports Shed' website carried news that the 'King Eddie' is expected to take up residence by Christmas, with Chairman Mark Thorne saying, "Once the lease is signed it will be all systems go."
Only a handful of bowlers from Yate have signed up at the Thornbury indoor bowls club, which was named as an alternative venue for them, so it seems as if the rest are going to miss out on bowls altogether this winter.
A match between Somerset and a team representing the British Civil Service at Taunton Deane has become the traditional way to start the indoor season, and is regarded as an important run-out for those who aspire to be part of Somerset's Liberty Trophy campaign.
"The Civil Service always bring a strong team, and can be relied on to field several Welsh internationals, so the fixture is an excellent test for us," said Somerset team manager Don Fowkes, who has named his team to face the pen-pushers.
"I have been delighted with the way we have performed over the past two winter seasons, reaching back-to-back finals," Fowkes added.
"Naturally, losing heavily in both finals was extremely disappointing, but we are hoping that it might be third time lucky this year."
National indoor inter-county championship (Liberty Trophy) – Somerset team for a Liberty Trophy trial against Civil Service at Taunton Deane (Sunday, October 14), Rink 1: R Billington (Taunton Deane), B Smith (Taunton Deane), M Denslow (Ilminster), N Kunc (Victoria Street). Rink 2: M Woods (Clevedon), M Hamilton (Ilminster), T Salter (Victoria Street), R Francis (Clarrie Dunbar). Rink 3: C Doughty, K Bailey, T Perkins, A Colebrooke (all Clarrie Dunbar). Rink 4: A Poolman (Bristol), P Birmingham (Bristol, N Pearce (Clevedon), C Keating (Bristol). Rink 5: S Barnard (Taunton), S Hooper (Watchet), S Wiltshire (Bristol), G Shadwell (Clarrie Dunbar). Rink 6: R Williams (Victoria Street), J Amery (Taunton), P Bryant (Bristol), J Hick (Clevedon).
Reserves: A Rendell (Watchet, J Groves (Watchet), J Sparkes (Bristol), S Steel (Watchet). The next (internal) Liberty Trophy trial will be staged at Taunton Deane on Saturday, October 27.
World Bowls Tour World Indoor Singles Championship (January 11-27) – England play-offs (winners will play at Potters Leisure Resort) at Bournemouth, Quarter-finals: R Gadd (Victory) bt L Prince (Adur) 4-3, 2-8, 2-0; G Fountain (Dolphin) bt W Jackson (Palmerston) 4-7, 13-0, 2-0; B Hawkins (Clarrie Dunbar) bt D Attwood (Taunton) 5-6,7-2, 2-0; S Edwards (Preston) bt R Moses (Preston) 6-1, 9-1.
Semi- finals: Fountain bt Gadd 2-7, 8-3, 2-0; Edwards bt Hawkins 11-6, 9-1.
Final: Edwards bt Fountain 6-1, 6-6.
At Bromley, Quarter finals: P Briscoe (Paddington) bt P Last (Ipswich) 8-2, 2-7, 2-0; S Cook (Beccles) bt M Cheeseman (Bromley) 7-6, 1-9, 2-0; L Rowland (Sudbury) bt J Lopes (Wey Valley) 8-2, 10-0; P Coleman (Wey Valley) bt C Gathercole (City of Ely) 8-3, 6-6.
Semi-finals: Briscoe bt Cook 8-5, 7-4; Coleman bt Rowland 8-4, 2-9, 2-0.
Final: Briscoe bt Coleman 8-2, 7-3.
World Bowls Tour World Indoor Pairs Championship – England playoffs (winners will go to a final play-off) – at Bournemouth, Semi-finals: G Fountain & D Denison bt L Harwood & B Paulley 8-3, 7-3; S Edwards & L Prince bt A Stanton & A Walters 5-7, 8-0, 2-1.
Final: Edwards & Prince bt Fountain & Denison 7-3, 6-7, 2-1.
At Bromley, semi-finals: A White & C Wilkins bt M Jacobs & J Lopes 7-3, 6-4; M Hyde & D Stavrou bt L Blackman & L Rowland 8-3, 2-7, 2-1.
Final: Hyde & Stavrou bt White & Wilkins 8-6, 6-5.
English Indoor Bowls Association international trials – Women's under 25 trial at Rugby Thornfield – November 3: L Bass (Melton); A Bellamy (Spalding); S Branfield (Clevedon); R Carter (County Arts); L Catchpole (Beccles); K Clarke (Beccles); L Clarke (York); J Clinch (Swale); L Copeland (Hartlepool); P Dennis (Swale); Z Eagles (York); R Field (Norfolk); S Gordon (Desborough, M); K Hembrow (Taunton Deane); L Holden (Clevedon); L Kuhler (Adur); C Lenton (Torquay Utd); C Leuty (Spalding); K Rednall (Ipswich); K Richards (Birmingham); A Stanton (Malvern Hills); S Tolchard (Torquay Utd); C Tomlin (Boston); R Wigfield (Desborough, N);
Reserves: S Makepeace (Egham); H Stevens (Torquay Utd).
Women's senior trial at Melton Mowbray – November 10: S Allen (Ryedale); C Baker (Diss); J Baker (South Forest); A Banes (Swale); M Barlow (Riverain); A Bellamy (Spalding); B Bellamy (Torquay Utd); P Bourne (Croydon); S Branfield (Clevedon); T Broderick (Wellingborough); L Copeland (Hartlepool); P Cresswell (Dolphin); P Cutts (Nottingham); T Darnell-Langton (Desborough, M); Z Eagles (York); E Falkner (City of Ely); R Field (Norfolk); C Galletly (Oxford & District); S Gordon (Desborough); J Gower (Cumbria); A Hallett (Dorchester); K Hampton (Egham); K Hawes (Oxford & Dist); S Hazell (Swale); K Jones (Desborough, M); W King (Swale); D Knight (Oxford & Dist); J Leake (Bournemouth); B Lewis (Barwell); S Mart (Nottingham); S McClintock (Royal T Wells); C Popple (City of Ely); S Seymour (City of Ely); R Simpson (Spalding); A Stanton (Malvern Hills); D Stavrou (Desborough, M); P Strong (Lincoln); S Tolchard (Torquay Utd); L Tunn (Colchester); L Woodley (Desborough).
Reserves: L Howard (Dolphin); S Williams (Dolphin).
Men's senior trial at Melton Mowbray – November 11: B Arkley (Stanley); P Barlow (Cumbria); D Bolt (Stanley); I Bond (Exonia); N Brett (City of Ely); J Chestney (Torquay Utd); P Coleman (Wey Valley); M Dawes (Blackpool NH); S Farish (Cumbria); A Foulds (Blackpool NH); G Harlow (City of Ely); P Hartley (Hartlepool); C Height (Wellingborough); D Hubbard (Adur); B Jackson (Lincoln); M King (Gallow); A Kirtland (Darlington); A Knapper (Desborough); P Martin (Swale); N McKee (Kingsthorpe); S Mitchinson (Tye Green); C Moore (Barwell); B Morley (Nottingham); V O'Neill (Hartlepool); M Orrey (Grantham); J Parkinson (Cumbria); R Paxton (Exonia); J Rednall (Ipswich); L Ridout (Torquay Utd); J Rippey (Falcon); P Simpson (Spalding); G Skipp (Hartlepool); G R Smith (Stanley); G Smith (Spalding); M Spencer (Spalding); B Suggitt (Thornaby); A E Thomson (Cyphers); S Tolchard (Torquay Utd); J Walker (Wellingboro); M Whyers (Spalding).
Reserves: N Smith (Westlecot); M Puckett (Moonfleet).
Men's under 25 trial at Northampton – 25 November: B J Byles (Desborough); I Catchpole (Beccles); A Clipston (Alfreton); R Elmore (City of Ely); D Forster (Copeland); J Grant (Croydon); B Harber (Beccles); K Harrison (Cumbria); C Height (Wellingborough); M Hughes (Featherstone); S King (Gallow); C Leuty (Spalding); A Liddell (York); P Martin (Swale); T Meller (Isle of Wight); D Morris (Wey Valley); M Orrey (Grantham); M Pownall (Desborough, N); M Puckett (Moonfleet); L Ridout (Torquay Utd); W Snook (North Wilts); B Suggitt (Thornaby); D Targar (Parks); S Tolchard (Torquay Utd); N Voss (Dorchester); J Walker (Wellingborough); A Walton (St Neots); J West (Boston); R Whitlock (Torquay Utd); M Whyers (Spalding); J Willgress (Norfolk); W Willgress (Norfolk); C Yeomans (The Parks).
Reserves: J Melmore (Torquay Utd); E Last (Ipswich).


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Los Aldeanos
Los Aldeanos Concerts 2015
Los Aldeanos Past Tour Dates
Los Aldeanos Tour Dates
Los Aldeanos began as one of many underground Rap Cubano groups based in Havana, Cuba. Dubbed as "underground rappers", Los Aldeanos became a group in 2003, composed of El Aldeano and El B, both of whom are MC's. Los Aldeanos describe themselves as not being the pioneer of Rap Cubano, but credit themselves with producing "real" Rap Cubano, giving to the followers of "real" Rap Cubano and "real" Hip Hop lyrics that not only instill a sense of understanding of the social, political, and economical problems that aggravate Cuban society today, but also with a sense of urgency. The lyrics of Los Aldeanos are largely anti-status quo and as a result express sentiments that are critical of the government of Cuba. Such an example can be found in their song "Libertad de Expresión". With such claims to authenticity and explicit discontent with the status quo, Los Aldeanos are just one among many underground rap bands that oppose the rising popularity of Reggaeton in Cuba. Groups like Los Aldeanos have come to openly disagree with and condemn Reggaeton, calling it unconscious and negative music that detracts Cuban society from the ailments that continue to afflict society and instead focuses attention on the pleasurable acts of self-indulgence and dance.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pamper your pooch or kitty with a first-class flying experience on Pet Airways, and receive 50% off October flights.
Pet Airways exclusively flies dogs and cats in the main cabin of its planes (not as cargo). A kennel is included in the cost of a ticket, and a dedicated "pet attendant" checks in on each pet every 15 minutes of the flight.
Fares start at $49 one way through this promo. When comparing to domestic carriers, pet owners pay at least $250 one way to fly a pet on its own and the pet travels in cargo, not in a comfy kennel in the main cabin.
Sample one-way fares (sample prices based on a medium-sized carrier for dogs 20-30 pounds and 22 inches in height; the 50% discount is already applied):
Click here to see all cities included in the sale. Fares for smaller/larger pets will be slightly less or more.
Note: Pet Airways has weekly flights scheduled between most cities. If a week is unavailable, or there is no scheduled service select an alternative date.
Please go to your email and confirm your subscription.


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As you may remember, I posted a thread last year with a video of our own Alex Navarro playing a surprisingly poignant piano piece, offering a rare glimpse into the secret lives of the Giant Bomb Crew. Yet while Alex had never certainly alluded to his stunning piano skills, it does make some sense that he would choose such an endeavor, considering he was once a Harmonix employee, a company who in 2010 perhaps not so coincidentally released a keyboard controller. Aside from Jeff, it would appear that Alex is the only staff member with any sort of visible music background. On the basis of this information alone, it's easy to see how one could have jumped to the conclusion that Alex alone was operating a cloak and dagger song-smith operation, but as I have recently discovered, this is not the case. In fact, signs indicate that Brad Shoemaker's surreptitious country debut dates as far back as 2004, when he was still working at GameSpot. The album, Land Between the Rivers, is a rousing concept album (something rarely attempted in modern country music) about the history of Iowa. One might find it odd that Brad recorded an album about the state of Iowa, considering he neither lives nor has lived there, at least to our knowledge, but as we have seen time and time again, Brad defies all expectation. Just watch that video of him playing Rock Band.
Because Bradley has done such an expert job of covering his tracks, there existed no YouTube videos to point to, nor did there exist any shady download sites I could link to, not that I would even think about shortchanging Mr. Shoemaker. As a result, I now own a copy of Land Between the Rivers, and according to last.fm, I'm the only person in the world to ever have listened to it. Because it would be absurd of me to assume every other member of this site to exhibit the same level of benignity, I have taken the liberty of uploading two videos to YouTube for your pleasure: the first a music video and the second the entire album for those who wish to hear the entire work as intended. I hope you all enjoy, and I certainly hope Brad enjoys my $14.


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Try this Nigiri Sushi (Finger Sushi) recipe, or contribute your own. "Ethnic" and "Hawaiian" are two tags used to describe Nigiri Sushi (Finger Sushi).
Make a paste out of mustard, water, and shoyu. Shape sushi rice into oblongs about 1" x 2 1/2"; flatten slightly. Pat mustard paste on rice; press desired topping on top. Dip in shoyu to eat.
|My private notes
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There are lots of fun games shows out there. Many can be, and have been, adapted as Bible games to play with classes, youth groups, and adults. This page is set up to provide some ideas and material for these games.
Shortly, I will give some material on easy games such as Biblewood Squares.
Family Feud
Wheel of Fortune
The Price Is Right (TPIR)
David's game show galaxy. This website has descriptions (and history) of various game shows throughout the years. Go here for good ideas for games to play with your students.
A website with theme music of many game shows.
Back to main puzzle page
email@example.com (Please put 'puzzle' in the subject) This page updated on: February 17, 2007
You are visitor number since October 29, 2004.
This page updated on: February 17, 2007


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Although they're often hailed as a healthier variant to regular cigarettes or even as a means to curtail nicotine addiction, the status of e-cigarettes or e-cigs continues to be as controversial as it was when they first appeared on the market. In the US, their sale is not banned, but the Food and Drug Administration has just issued a new warning as to the health risks they entail, as well as to them being illegal, WebMD informs.
In the US, e-cigarettes are available both online and in specialized tobacco kiosks, which is why the FDA has taken it upon itself to do some investigating and analyzing of some of the brands currently available for customers. Not surprisingly, it was found that two of the brands analyzed were illegal, as they included ingredients not listed and known as carcinogens, as well as not abiding by the current legal stipulations. Still, the FDA has not yet moved to ban the products altogether because of their legal status as of now.
"The products we reviewed so far we found to be illegal. There is pending litigation on the issue of FDA's jurisdiction over e-cigarettes." attorney Michael Levy, director of the FDA's office of compliance in the division of drug evaluation and research, says, as quoted by the aforementioned publication. "We felt it important that while there is litigation and we are considering options, there is no reason to be confused about FDA's position on this issue." Joshua Sharfstein, MD, FDA principal deputy commissioner, adds.
The products reviewed also included 19 cartridges of two e-cigarettes and, shockingly, almost all did not fit the bill, WebMD stresses. "All but one cartridge marked as having no nicotine actually contained the addictive substance. Cartridges marked as having low, medium, or high amounts of nicotine actually had varying amounts of nicotine. One of the cartridges contained a toxic antifreeze ingredient, diethylene glycol. The devices emitted 'tobacco-specific nitrosamines which are human carcinogens.' The devices emitted 'tobacco-specific impurities suspected of being harmful to humans.'" the publication says of the findings of the FDA.
While the FDA is still to make a decision as regards banning the e-cigarettes altogether, the latest warning does come as a blow to the products, especially since they're often marketed as healthier, better variants to regular cigarettes. Add to that the fact that, because they can be used in non-smoking environments, they actually ruin antismoking efforts on behalf of the government and health groups, and it becomes clear they actually do more harm than good, WebMD also points out.


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Later this spring, if all goes according to plan, Taiwanese
President Chen Shui-bian will receive a most unwelcome visitor: Mr.
Douglas H. Paal. Just over a year ago Paal, a former East Asia and
China policy adviser to the first President Bush, publicly
lambasted Chen for a litany of failures. Chen had "stumbled" in his
first months in office, Paal wrote in a widely noted column in the
International Herald Tribune. His inability to "assemble a working
coalition" had left him "floundering for a strategy to rebuild his
authority. The ineptitude of his administration had the misfortune
of coinciding with a downturn in the global market for Taiwan's
high technology goods."A few months later Paal was at it again. During last April's EP3
spy-plane standoff, President Bush had cheered Taiwanese officials
and China hawks in Washington by pledging to do "whatever it took"
to defend Taiwan from attack by mainland China. But, in mid-May,
Paal beamed a teleconferenced speech to a Shanghai conference, in
which he pooh-poohed the apparent stiffening of U.S. policy, saying
the president had "misspoke." He was equally dismissive of the
president's tough talk on China during the election, describing it
as "bumper stickers" and "campaigning slogans."
All of which makes Paal's impending arrival in Taipei somewhat
surprising. Because if things go as planned, Paal will be there as
director of the American Institute in Taiwan--America's de facto
ambassador, given our unofficial relationship with the island
nation. "I've been in this business for over thirty years, and I
don't know of another instance where we sent someone out as a chief
of mission who had publicly attacked the host country's chief
executive, " says Bill Triplett, a former chief Republican counsel
to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "We're clearly plowing
new ground here."
If Paal's appointment seems a bit awkward, it's likely because it
was the best the State Department could make of a bad situation.
After the 2000 election Paal touted himself for a major foreign
policy position. And why not? Paal's associates from the first Bush
administration are strewn across the second--national security
adviser Condoleezza Rice, Assistant Secretary of State for East
Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly, and Under Secretary of State
for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, to name just three. "There are
a group of people who worked with [Paal] on Bush I," says one
Senate staffer, "who tout him as being a real insider on [East
Asia] issues." Perhaps more important, Paal enjoyed the strong
support of the first President Bush, to whom he'd grown close as
the chief East Asia staffer at the National Security Council (NSC).
"If you wanted to get word to the president, Doug was the channel
you went to," says another Senate staffer who dealt with Paal on
China policy in 1990-1991. "The rest of the people in the
administration gave him a very wide berth well beyond his rank."
But, despite such connections, Paal was passed over for position
after position--assistant secretary of state for East Asia,
ambassador to South Korea- -in the new Bush administration. When
the appointment to Taipei was first floated last summer, according
to sources close to Paal and sources close to the State Department,
Paal was initially reluctant to accept it. (Because Taiwan hasn't
enjoyed formal U.S. recognition since 1979, the job is seen as
second tier despite its diplomatic importance.) Eventually, friends
in and out of government convinced Paal that the posting could be a
stepping stone to a better appointment in a Bush second term, so he
agreed. But though the appointment has been considered a done deal
in diplomatic circles for months, it has still not been officially
Foreign policy hands say there is no shortage of reasons why Paal
might have had trouble getting a high-profile appointment. As the
man most identified with the first Bush administration's
pro-China-engagement stance, Paal was bound to run afoul of China
hawks inside and outside the administration--even before the 2000
Herald Tribune op-ed and Shanghai speech. Personality may also have
been an issue. Paal is a big man with a big ego, as even friends
concede. In his years out of government he adopted the trappings of
a big-time Washington player, with $2,000 suits and a bearing to
match. "When you look up 'fat cat' in the dictionary, you see
Doug's picture," says one Republican Senate staffer. "Every time
you see him, the cuff links are bigger."
Over the years Paal's sometimes abrasive manner earned him a number
of enemies. One of these, Rice--whom Paal repeatedly slighted when
both were on the NSC--is said to have frozen him out of the select
group of foreign policy hands (the "Vulcans") who advised Bush
during the campaign. "Condi is widely known for loathing Doug
Paal," says one Republican congressional source.
But, given the prevalence of Bush I officials in the Bush II
administration and the strong support of George H.W., it's unlikely
that ideology and personal pique alone could have kept Paal out of
the administration for so long. The real problem for Paal was that
even his friends and former colleagues had questions about just
what he had been up to during his years out of government.
Specifically, they wondered about the Asia Pacific Policy Center
(APPC), a boutique think tank Paal had spent his time out of
government running. The APPC was exquisitely well financed. But
under its think-tank veneer, it seemed to function more like a
consulting or lobbying firm on the sly. Most of its funding,
moreover, apparently came from foreign governments and
corporations, some with rather questionable reputations. Which
suggests one final reason Paal may have been tapped for Taipei:
Unlike virtually any other diplomatic appointment, it requires no
Senate hearings and no confirmation.
Doug Paal founded the APPC in 1993 with Anthony Stout, a storied
Washington lobbyist-cum-entrepreneur with a reputation for running
through other people's money in sometimes successful, more often
disastrous, ventures. In the former category was the influential
Washington weekly National Journal, which Stout founded in 1969 and
sold for between $12 million and $15 million in 1986; in the latter
were failed undertakings like the International Reporting
Information Systems (IRIS), a much-hyped "private CIA" that swirled
into bankruptcy in 1983; and the Battle of Normandy Foundation, a
splashy charity devoted to inscribing the names of World War II
veterans on a memorial in Normandy--which fell apart in 1993 when
The Washington Times revealed that $7.6 million of the $8.2 million
the foundation had raised was spent on travel, dining, and
fund-raising or diverted into the coffers of Stout's investment and
lobbying company, GIM Corp. (The foundation's wall was never built.)
Stout, who had a record of using his association with prominent
politicians to lubricate his business ventures, wanted someone with
foreign policy credentials and government access to help him launch
a new venture, capitalizing on the go-go economies of 1990s Asia.
Paal, meanwhile, wanted help funding a group that would pay him
well and enable him to continue working on East Asia issues. So
Stout provided the start-up money for the center and housed it under
the same roof as his company offices, just as he had the Battle of
Normandy Foundation, which was skidding into scandal just as he and
Paal were getting the APPC off the ground.
The APPC's stated goal was "educating opinion leaders, students,
business and organization executives and government officials
worldwide on the US economic, political and security roles in the
Asia and Pacific regions." And, on the surface, the center looked
no different from the capital's countless other small think tanks.
Paal made occasional appearances on respected interview shows like
PBS's "NewsHour," penned op-eds, and appeared on panels at foreign
policy conferences and symposia. But, over time, people in Paal's
East Asia policy circles began to wonder whether the APPC might not
be quite what it appeared. Although the center had a big budget and
posh offices in downtown Washington, it appeared to do few of the
things think tanks normally do: It published no studies; it issued
no public reports or opinion briefs; and it hosted no
conferences--at least none that were open to the public.
Indeed, on the inside the center functioned less like a think tank
than a high-end consultancy or even a lobbying firm. According to
former employees, the center's work was almost entirely geared to
servicing the needs of its governmental and corporate funders--or
"clients," as they were apparently often called. These funders
received a weekly two-page newsletter on happenings in East Asia;
they could also request more detailed reports on particular topics,
meet with Paal to discuss important developments, or get
introductions to key government leaders. Jonathan Clarke, who
worked at the center for several months in 1994, described the APPC
as a combination think tank and consulting firm. Clarke describes
the attraction Paal held for funders this way: "We want you to be
able to make public speeches because we think you endorse a line
that we approve of. And we want you to be able to conduct that in
the public domain. So we will sponsor you sufficiently so you can
have an office and put out policy papers. And in the meantime you
can also keep us informed in the classic consultancy type of role
... tending more in the consultancy direction, but sort of a
hybrid." Only the APPC didn't publish policy papers. Its entire
existence seemed geared to arranging private meetings and giving
advice, with the nexus between services rendered and money paid
drawn exceedingly tight. "Members were paying for that information
through their membership," remembers another former employee.
"There were guidelines ... there was a fee structure."
Paal, in other words, was doing much the same work as countless
other former government officials: advising clients on U.S.
government attitudes and policy; advocating their interests with
important people in Congress and the executive branch; and using
his clout and connections with powerful people to provide access
for those who paid him. The difference was that Paal was doing this
from behind the front of a publicly subsidized, nonprofit
educational institution-- what the IRS calls a 501c3. Running a
nonprofit like a business--with clients and services and
fees--pushes the envelope but doesn't itself violate the law. But a
nonprofit must provide some service or information to the public.
"You have to have some kind of public purpose, some sort of public
undertaking," says Jack Blum, a tax attorney and white-collar-crime
expert in Washington. Paal's center arguably had none.
A nonprofit organization such as the APPC is also required to have a
board of directors that oversees its activities and finances. But,
in the case of Paal's center, that oversight seems to have been lax
if not nonexistent. The APPC's 2000 tax filing lists four
"directors" of the organization: former Indiana Governor and
onetime Ambassador to Singapore Robert D. Orr; former Secretary of
Defense Frank Carlucci, now chairman of the Carlyle Group; former
Congressman Dave McCurdy; and Brent Scowcroft, now president of The
Scowcroft Group and Paal's onetime boss at the NSC. But, of the
four, only Orr appears to have been aware that he was listed as
sitting on the board of directors. Contacted in January, Carlucci
said he thought he was merely on an advisory board for the APPC,
adding "I don't think we've ever had a meeting." Scowcroft declined
repeated requests for an interview, but his spokesperson said she
did not believe Scowcroft sits on the APPC board. And McCurdy, who
also declined repeated requests for an interview, said through a
spokesperson, Kerry Fenelly, that he had told Paal "three or four
years ago" that he could no longer be involved with the center.
"[McCurdy] thought they had disbanded," said Fenelly. The rules for
how often nonprofit boards must meet are somewhat hazy. But the
fact that three out of four board members were apparently unaware of
their status raises the question of whether the part of the APPC's
tax filing naming them as board members was in fact untruthful.
At various points over the course of the '90s Paal rubbed up against
others in foreign policy circles who got a sense of what his real
business was. In 1995 Paal had preliminary discussions with the
heads of the Nixon Center--a smallish D.C. foreign policy think
tank founded as an offshoot of the Nixon presidential library--who
were interested in hiring him as a China policy expert. Paal wanted
to bring his center and its funding with him. But the Nixon Center
balked after finding out more about the APPC's mission and
finances. Dimitri Simes, president of the Nixon Center, said they
opted against the merger because Paal's organization was "much more
involved in the consulting business" than the Nixon Center was. The
APPC's work was "more commercial" than the Nixon Center was
comfortable with, said another source close to the discussions.
And if these questions about the APPC's activities weren't troubling
enough, there were even bigger questions about its funding. In
Washington foreign policy circles, many believed that Paal took
much if not virtually all his money from foreign
entities--governments and corporations--eager to purchase his
services. (Foreign funding also concerned the Nixon Center.)
"Anybody that says that--unbeknownst to them--[Paal] was on the
payroll of the Malaysian businessmen ... the Singaporeans, is
stupid," says one senior Foreign Relations Committee staffer who
worked in the Senate in the '90s. Paal wasn't as crass or as blunt
as your run-of-the-mill foreign lobbyist. "He was a bit more
intellectual and sophisticated," adds the staffer. "He would explain
why the Singaporeans deserve less criticism."
The APPC's funding history remains shrouded in secrecy, since 501c3s
are not required to disclose the sources of their support, and Paal
has generally declined to do so. (Paal did not respond to repeated
requests for an interview for this article.) The only public
documents in which any disclosure details are available are the
center's IRS filings from 1998, 1999, and 2000. (Nonprofits are
required to make their last three years of filings available to
anyone who requests them.) In 1998 and 1999--years in which the
center said it raised $484,000 and $362,000 respectively--it cited
only one "substantial contributor" on its filings: the Embassy of
Singapore. In neither case was an amount disclosed. In 2000,
however, the APPC's filings were a good deal more transparent, and
they showed that the overwhelming majority of its funding came from
foreign sources. That year, with contributions apparently drying up,
the APPC raised just $166,000; listed on the filing as "substantial
contributors" were four entities and the amounts of their
contributions: the Embassy of Singapore ($48,000); a Japanese
company called Mitsui Marine Insurance ($30, 000); the American
subsidiary of another Japanese company, Itochu Corporation of
America ($30,000); and the Japan External Trade Organization
(JETRO), a quasi-governmental entity run by the Japanese Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), a rough equivalent of the
U.S. Commerce Department ($30,000).
Tadao Yanase, a METI representative who works out of the JETRO
office in New York, confirmed to The New Republic that he had
arranged for JETRO to pay the center $30,000 per year in 1999,
2000, and 2001 for the "opportunity to exchange views with Doug
Paal" and to receive the center's newsletter and the occasional
specially prepared paper. Yanase declined to comment about any
payments prior to his arrival in New York in 1999. But another
source familiar with the center's relationship with METI said the
arrangement had been carried on by Yanase's predecessors going back
to the APPC's 1993 founding. (The Embassy of Singapore declined
repeated requests to discuss its funding of the APPC.)
Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, individuals who represent
or advocate on behalf of foreign entities--be they governments,
individuals, or corporations--must register with the Justice
Department as foreign agents. Individuals whose activities are
directed by or done on behalf of a foreign entity must register.
But the Justice Department also uses substantial dependence on
foreign funding as one key factor in determining the existence of
direction and advocacy. In a private briefing during the campaign
finance/ foreign donor scandal in 1997, Justice Department lawyers
told Senate staffers that the Justice Department used 25 percent of
funding as a benchmark for making this determination. In the year
2000, at least, Paal's center was clearly substantially dependent
on foreign funding. And according to congressional staffers and
other sources who observed Paal's activities in Washington in the
'90s, he should have fallen under the representation and advocacy
definition as well. Nonetheless, Paal has never made a foreign
agency registration.
The foreign relationships that have raised the most questions
concerning the APPC, however, involved political and business
elites in Malaysia. Even before he helped Paal found the APPC in
1993, Tony Stout had been pursuing business opportunities in
Malaysia. He had a particular interest in the country's massive
state pension fund, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF)--which
Malaysian law had required to be invested within the country. Stout
was lobbying Malaysian officials to open the fund to investment
outside the country and, hopefully, to give him authority to manage
one of the accounts. But Stout's real aim was grander still. As
Stout described it to one senior American diplomat in the region,
he wanted an arrangement in which he and his investors got
privileged access to business opportunities with Malaysia's
wealthiest ethnic Chinese industrialists and financiers. In
exchange he would bring influential American politicians to spend
time with them in Malaysia. "He wanted basically, as far as I knew,
to get his hands on big bucks," remembers the American diplomat.
"The first thing he went after was, as he put it, the `Chinese
money' ... the largest Chinese business people [in Malaysia].... It
was always, however, at the same time this idea of bringing over
senators ... and doing this policy kind of stuff. That was built in
from the beginning."
Stout and Paal began discussing Stout's plans even before Paal left
the government. And, almost as soon as Stout and Paal founded the
APPC, they began organizing a series of annual conferences called
the Pacific Dialogues, which would bring a delegation of U.S.
senators to Malaysia--something that looked very much like the plan
Stout had been hawking in Malaysia beforehand. Roughly once a year
from late 1994 to early 1998, in conjunction with two government-
affiliated Malaysian think tanks, the center organized elaborate
three-day conferences that brought together the prime minister and
deputy prime minister of Malaysia, various government ministers
from other East Asian countries, and a delegation of U.S. senators
and American CEOs.
Paal hired a recruiter, James F. Kuhn, who aggressively worked the
Senate each year putting together a delegation of a half-dozen or
more senators to attend the conference. He also had key assistance
from then-Senator William S. Cohen, the politician most associated
with the venture. Stout had a reputation for junketing politicians,
and Cohen was the most conspicuous example. Earlier, the Maine
senator had co-sponsored a bill that gave $3 million to the later-
disgraced Battle of Normandy Foundation, and he accompanied Stout on
at least one of the trips Stout made to the region in the early
'90s--a conference Stout organized in Australia--to lay the
groundwork for his Asian ventures. After 1993 Cohen's close
connection to Stout passed seamlessly over to the APPC and Paal.
When the APPC opened, Paal hired Cohen's son as the center's
program director, and Cohen played a key role in persuading other
senators to attend the conferences. Reflecting back on why he
attended the November 1996 Pacific Dialogue, former Republican
Senator Slade Gorton of Washington said, "I went to that conference
because of Bill Cohen."
The conference's stated purpose was to foster ties of mutual
understanding between the United States and Malaysia. And,
according to various participants, the meetings had all the
trappings of a high-minded affair. They showcased Deputy Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was then widely seen as the successor
to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Attendees might take in a panel
co-chaired by Cohen, Henry Kissinger, or Anwar on topics like
Pacific security or global currency markets, or rub elbows with
Paul Wolfowitz. Stout and his business associates, of course, were
also attendees.
But, even for those unaware of the Stout connection, the Pacific
Dialogues raised eyebrows. International conferences where
political and corporate types get together for high-minded chitchat
are not uncommon. But these were unique. Like the rest of the
APPC's work, the Dialogues were conducted in an atmosphere of
exclusivity and secrecy. According to then-U.S. Ambassador John
Malott, Paal not only barred the press from covering them; he even
barred Malott himself from attending--something another senior
American diplomat called "unbelievable. "
In Malaysia it was widely believed the conferences were a vehicle,
funded by Anwar and his wealthy associates, to get intimate access
to U.S. senators and burnish his image in Washington. As far back
as the early '90s friends of Anwar had been looking for a
politically connected American to represent the deputy prime
minister in Washington, and Paal seemed to have become that man.
"There's no getting away from the fact that these [conferences]
were a vehicle for Anwar Ibrahim," says one Malaysian close to the
country's government and business leaders. And in the U.S. Congress
the perception was much the same. "They were co-hosted by Anwar
Ibrahim," said another senior Senate Foreign Relations staffer. "It
was no secret that the government of Malaysia was funding [these
Eventually, allegations arose suggesting that the APPC may have
received more funding from the Malaysians than virtually anyone
imagined. By the late '90s Anwar was growing impatient for his old
mentor Prime Minister Mahathir to step aside, and so began a subtle
campaign to nudge him into retirement using the banner of economic
liberalization and democratic reform. The aging Mahathir sensed
what was afoot and struck back with a vengeance, sacking Anwar from
his posts as deputy prime minister and finance minister; later he
had him arrested on charges of corruption and sodomy. In late 1999,
after one year of legal proceedings against Anwar, one of the
witnesses against him--a former state bank executive named Abdul
Murad--accused of him of controlling a series of private slush
funds used for patronizing friendly organizations, settling the
debts of political friends, and, of course, enriching himself. Murad
alleged in his affidavit that he had been "responsible for
arranging USD 10 million in contributions to APPC and Douglas H.
Paal on ... Anwar's instructions." Murad said he believed that
businessmen friendly to Anwar had also donated an unspecified
amount to Paal and the center. "Although I cannot ascertain the
exact quantum of their contributions," he continued, "I am convinced
they ran into millions of US Dollars. Appc and Douglas H. Paal are
one of the main vehicles used by ... Anwar Ibrahim to promote his
image in the Western countries, mainly in Washington, USA and the
United Kingdom and other European nations. Appc also lobbied
strongly for ... Anwar Ibrahim with the international media
organisations." Finally, Murad leveled yet another charge that tied
Paal's center back to Stout's earlier efforts to get access to the
EPF. Anwar had, according to Murad, "insisted that APPC should
manage [Murad's bank's] reserves of RM50 billion [between $12
billion to $16 billion] and the EPF fund in return for the services
provided to him by APPC. Alternatively a hefty fee of USD 3 million
was to be paid annually to APPC for the cost of running the Centre
in Washington."
Anwar's trial was a thoroughly political affair, and Murad's own
credibility is suspect. (He was himself trying to escape punishment
for a series of alleged financial improprieties, though these
charges were arguably as politically motivated as those against
Anwar.) But, whether or not Murad's charges are true, they could
open an uncomfortable line of questioning for Paal. Although Paal
has publicly discussed his financial relationship to Anwar on a
couple of occasions in the last few years, he has avoided the kind
of detailed examination that would likely accompany, for example,
an appearance before a Senate confirmation committee. Midway
through Anwar's legal ordeal in June 1999, in testimony before
Congress defending the former deputy prime minister against the
charges being leveled against him in Kuala Lumpur, Paal conceded
that the Pacific Dialogue conferences had "generated revenues for my
Center and others through donations from Malaysian, as well as
American, Japanese, and other corporations." He didn't say,
however, how much money the Dialogues had brought in. When
questioned about Murad's charges by the Malaysian National News
Agency, Paal "disputed the amount cited by Murad claiming that the
sum he had received from Anwar and friends was far less than US $10
million." But he again declined to say just how much he received.
Whatever the details of the APPC's relationship with Anwar and his
supporters, the deputy prime minister's fall from grace clearly
helped bring the APPC's high-flying days to an abrupt end. A Fifth
Pacific Dialogue, planned for December 1998, was canceled as
funding for the conferences dried up. In 2000 Paal's center took in
just $166,000 in contributions--about one-third as much as two
years before. During that year, as in others, the APPC produced no
publicly available reports, publications, or events. The center had
provided Paal a convenient sinecure but left him ethically suspect.
"I'm not saying he consciously set out to break the rules," says
one Washington-based Asia policy expert who has known Paal for
years. "I think the guy set out to build an institution and found
the only ones who were willing to pay him were those people he was
willing to provide access to and provide special favors for and to
represent.... But when you [want to return to government] and
you've violated key fundamental rules, it forces fundamental
questions about your judgment."
Knowledge of Paal's ethical problems has been largely confined to
the Asia policy analyst community and his circle of friends from
the first Bush administration. When Paal was first floated for the
Taiwan assignment last summer, the choice was controversial mostly
because of his soft-line stance on China and questions about his
loyalty arising from the Shanghai speech in which he'd implicitly
criticized the president. China hawks in Congress complained to the
State Department and the office of the vice president, while others
from outside government went to presidential adviser Karl Rove, who
placed an informal hold on the nomination. But ultimately Rove
backed off under pressure from Assistant Secretary of State for
East Asia James Kelly and Stephen Hadley, Rice's deputy at the NSC.
"Kelly went to Hadley and convinced Hadley," explained one
Republican congressional source. "And Hadley went to Rove and said,
`You're going to have to fight this one to the death.' And Rove
decided that he wanted to fight on other things another day."
By late January, Asia-watchers in Washington were as perplexed about
why Paal's appointment was taking so long to be announced as they
had been about why he had been chosen in the first place. There
were rumors of difficulties with Paal's background check. But most
assumed that Kelly, who had worked with Paal at the NSC, would
force the appointment through. "The only thing I know for sure is
that Kelly won't take no for an answer," says one congressional
opponent of Paal's appointment. Kelly's reasons, however, appear
more complex-- a response to pressure emanating from the
president's father and concern by officials at the State Department
that, if the Taiwan posting doesn't go through, Paal might be
forced on them in some other diplomatic capacity. "I don't think
really that [Deputy Secretary of State Richard] Armitage and Kelly
were enthusiastic about [Paal's appointment]," says another
Republican congressional source close to the key players at State.
"Kelly is afraid that forty-one is going to go to forty-three and
impose Doug on him as ambassador somewhere [else] in the region....
He's scared to death.... Suppose you put him in front of a
committee and have them asking him unfortunate questions."
As of late February, however, it seems Kelly will never have to.
According to the latest report available, Paal is scheduled to take
up his post as President Bush's chief representative in Taiwan this
By Joshua Micah Marshall


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We want you to understand more about Vertigo Boutique Hotel. We're not shy to direct you to their own website as we're confident that a trip there with us will cost you the same or less than booking it any other way, even directly. So follow the links below for more information.
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Click the link for Vertigo's stylish wesbite with further information about the lodge.


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Next Topic
To learn more
More information from your American Cancer Society
Here is more information you might find helpful. You can order it free from our toll-free number, 1-800-227-2345, or read it on our website, www.cancer.org.
If you or someone you care about is trying to quit
Guide to Quitting Smoking (also in Spanish)
Quitting Smoking: Help for Cravings and Tough Situations (also in Spanish)
Helping a Smoker Quit: Do's and Don'ts
Guide to Quitting Smokeless Tobacco
More information on tobacco and health
Questions About Smoking, Tobacco, and Health (also in Spanish)
Cigarette Smoking (also in Spanish)
Cigar Smoking (also in Spanish)
Secondhand Smoke (also in Spanish)
National organizations and websites*
Along with the American Cancer Society, other sources of information and support include:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office on Smoking and Health
Free quit support line for your state: 1-800-784-8669 (1-800-QUIT-NOW)
Website for quitting: www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/index.htm
The toll-free number takes you to your state's free quit support line, which offers information on smoking and health as well as help with quitting all forms of tobacco. Languages, hours, and services vary by your state of residence; call for more information. The website links to online quitting resources, podcasts, e-cards, and other helpful tools.
National Cancer Institute
Toll-free number: 1-800-422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER) for cancer information
Website: www.cancer.gov
Free tobacco quit line: 1-877-448-7848 (1-877-44U-QUIT) (also available in Spanish)
Smoking cessation online: www.smokefree.gov
Trained counselors provide information and help you form a personalized quit plan Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time using the toll free number. The website has quitting information, live chat, and tools for quitting. Sign up for SmokefreeTXT to get 24/7 encouragement, advice, and tips to help you quit for good. You can also have real-time Live Help text messages with a smoking cessation counselor Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Separate websites for women, teens, and Spanish language are available.
Website: www.quitnet.com
Offers free, cutting-edge services to people trying to quit tobacco
No matter who you are, we can help. Contact us anytime, day or night, for information and support. Call us at 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
Last Medical Review: 12/16/2014
Last Revised: 03/06/2015


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Lindsay Northover, a Liberal Democrat junior minister, began her remarks at a Quaker-organised hustings event yesterday by commenting on how few people go to hustings these days.
"Remember your responsibilities as a citizen for the conduct of local, national and international affairs. Do not shrink from the time and effort your involvement may demand." This is one of 42 challenges and questions posed to members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) by the rather quaintly named 'Advices and Queries'.
Quakers in Britain have become embroiled in a controversy over the dismissal of three workers at their headquarters in London.
Quakers in Britain are calling on politicians to find the moral courage and political leadership to work for a nuclear ban treaty.
Quakers in the Hampshire area are planning a Meeting for Worship at Farnborough International, which hosts an arms fair alongside "family-friendly" air displays.
The Yearly Meeting Gathering of Quakers in Britain which takes place in Bath from 2 to 9 August this year, is oversubscribed and is "regretfully having to turn away Friends."
As the first same-sex marriages take place in England and Wales this weekend, Quakers in Britain are rejoicing with one particular Quaker couple.
A senior Scottish Episcopalian has welcomed the overwhelming Scottish parliament vote for marriage equality, while the Church of Scotland rejects its premise.
Quakers in Britain have warmly welcomed the overwhelming support given yesterday (20 November) by MSPs to the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill.
British Quakers have resolved to end all investment in fossil fuel companies and have begun steps to sell all the shares in question.


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text: http://ubuntuforums.org – Everytime I try to install the newest version of ubuntu desktop I never get the option for installing along side windows 7. Also in the GPR disk program it says "ubuntu unable to satisfy all constraints on the partition". I have an Asus laptop and there's 4 hard drive partitions. In order of biggest to smallest drive (d) os(c) recovery and healthy. I deleted the data one and shrunk the C drive which was combined with the d drive. There's about 120 gb unallocated. So what should I do? If any more details are needed let me know. (Hardware)


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Italian Students And Workers Protest
Italian Students And Workers Protest
Palabras clave
Students protest during a national general strike against the... Fotografía de noticiasAusteridad,Crisis de la deuda de la Eurozona,Estrategia,Estudiante,Europa,Finanzas,Horizontal,Italia,Manifestación,Negocio,Negocio corporativo,Política,Roma - ItaliaPhotographer Giorgio CosulichCollection: Getty Images News 2012 Giorgio CosulichROME, ITALY - NOVEMBER 24: Students protest during a national general strike against the austerity policy in Europe on November 24, 2012 in Rome, Italy. Students in Italian cities protested against cuts to the education budget and school reforms in the first major student demonstrations since the beginning of the school year. Demonstrators across Italy have been protesting the austerity measures taken by their government in the wake of the Eurozone's financial crisis. (Photo by Giorgio Cosulich/Getty Images)


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Here you will find information on events, news, and general happenings at PVS or within the veterinary medical community. Please check back frequently for new updates.
Here you will find information on events, news, and general happenings at PVS or within the veterinary medical community. Please check back frequently for new updates.
Pasadena Veterinary Specialist's own Dr. Mott was honored as the Outstanding Advocate at last year's Paws for Cures Benefit on September 11, 2010. The mission of Paws for Cures is to raise funds to help find cures for disease and illness in companion animals. The benefit is just one of the ways that the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Foundation is helping to support and advance the research that will improve the lives of animals. To learn more about the ACVIM Foundation, please click here.
Below is some more information on Dr. Mott as well as some photos from the event.
Jocelyn Mott, DVM, DACVIM (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
as Outstanding Advocate Award Recipient
Dr. Jocelyn Mott received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. After graduation, Dr. Mott completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Oklahoma State University, followed by a small animal internal medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She then became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). She has practiced as a small animal internist in several small animal referral hospitals in Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and now in South Pasadena, CA. Dr. Mott is the medical director and co-owner of Pasadena Veterinary Specialists. She is also a clinical assistant professor of veterinary medicine for Western University in Pomona, CA.
Dr. Mott is the author of several publications and book chapters. She also has experience in industry as a clinical researcher and continuing education lecturer for veterinarians.
Dr. Mott devotes much of her free time to the non-profit organization, ACVIM Foundation. She started as a member of the Development Committee in 2000. In 2005, she became the chair of the Development Committee for 3 years. In 2005, she also became a board member of the ACVIM Foundation. Dr Mott was the president of ACVIM Foundation for the 2009/2010 fiscal year.
In her spare time, Dr. Mott enjoys horseback riding and competes in synchronized swimming at national and international levels.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- Hearts and Hooves is starting a new program that will bring the thrill of the saddle to men and women who have served in combat.
A long way from the battlefields, there is a place where soldiers returning from war can heal with the help of horses.
Frankie Stovall, program manager for the veteran therapy, said the program will offer help to people who may not know where to go.
"What we're trying to do is to provide a safe place. A place for our veterans to come, feel comfortable, to work and their own pace. To be treated as veterans."
Hearts and Hooves normally serves children with disabilities. Now, the therapeutic riding center wants to help veterans.
Stovall said the therapeutic riding program will help veterans heal their battle scars.
"We take it slow, we develop the human, animal bond, we educate, make them comfortable and we take it one step at a time."
The horses work in a capacity that offers a mix of unconditional trust and affection.
Hearts and Hooves executive director Lisa Davis said it's therapy that helps the rider escape whatever horrors of war they may still carry.
"A horse has an innate ability to bring healing to the person with a disability. There's just a connection there I think between that person and the horse," she said.
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, nearly 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and 30 percent of Vietnam veterans are living with the effects of PTSD.
Stovall said the riding center creates an authentic setting.
"We're not in a room, we're not under lights. We're outside, we have environment, we have horse, we have that interaction that's completely different from a lot of therapeutic environments that these veterans have experienced," said Stovall.
Davis hopes this new program will show them the appreciation that they deserve.
"It's our desire to serve those who have served and to come out and use the horse as an instrument for our veterans to have the opportunity to have some respite," Davis said.
The first phase of this therapy will begin with five veterans on November 11, which is Veteran's Day. Program leaders said they hope veterans who complete the program will return as volunteers.


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A consultant named Nils Pihl believes that video game players have a natural tendency to ruin the titles that they play and says that the best example is the grenade spamming phenomenon that appeared in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
In an in-depth Gamasutra feature the consultant says, "Random interval reward schedules can be incredibly addictive. The fact that you didn't know if you would hit an enemy or not turned throwing the grenade into highly addictive gambling scenario. All you had to wager was a cheap grenade, and you could win very desirable points in exchange."
The combination of low cost and addiction meant that soon almost all the players were spamming grenades.
The full feature goes into more detail about how dedicated player communities tend to create mechanics that sabotage their own experiences and uses Starcraft II as a counterexample.


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Issue 11.11 | November 2003
this article for free.
piracy wars
The Only Thing I've Copied Is My Lawyer!
Haven't been accused of copyright infringement yet? Consider yourself lucky. DirecTV, SCO, and the Recording Industry Association of America are going after hundreds of ordinary users. Soon, you too could receive your own certified letter threatening legal action. Sure, a lawyer would advise you to settle. But why spend $300 an hour when you can take matters into your own hands? Push back with your own intimidating missive. You can thank Wired at trial.
- Mark Robinson and Adam Rogers
Previous Story: A Fair User's Manual
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Amidst the backdrop of frenzied Black Friday shoppers, flying credit cards and mall traffic, on November 29, 2013, StoryCorps quietly celebrated the 5th Anniversary of a new holiday: National Day of Listening. On the day after Thanksgiving, StoryCorps.org asks everyone to take a few minutes to record an interview with a loved one. You can use recording equipment that is readily available to you, such as computers, cellphones, and tape recorders. They offer a free instruction guide on their website to walk you through, as well as list of possible questions and other interviews that you could listen to for inspiration.
Organizers suggest recording an interview as a priceless alternative to holiday shopping excess. It occurs to me as a gift of time that could pay dividends for generations. Oral histories were once an important way to communicate stories and lessons. I remember multi-generational home movies that gave me a sense of distant relatives, but I've realized that I didn't take the time to ask my grandparents deeper questions and missed things I would now love to know more about. For many families, those home movie canisters are lost. And while we likely shoot more digital video footage, it seems less likely that we watch any of it.
Judith Moyer of DoHistory.org writes, "We all have stories to tell, stories we have lived from the inside out. We give our experiences an order. We organize the memories of our lives into stories. Oral history listens to these stories. Oral history is the systematic collection of living people's testimony about their own experiences. Historians have finally recognized that the everyday memories of everyday people, not just the rich and famous, have historical importance. If we do not collect and preserve those memories, those stories, then one day they will disappear forever."
I would love to know more about the happiness and sadness, and the achievements and regrets of my elders. I would love to know more about their favorite trip, favorite color, even their favorite flavor of ice cream. What do they remember about national and international news as they grew up? What were the key messages they'd wish we'd learn? How would they like to be remembered?
Other questions might focus on friends and colleagues, parenting, growing up, school, love and relationships, working, religion, hobbies, military service, serious illnesses and family heritage.
The National Day of Listening has passed this year, but anyone can make time to involve family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and companies to share their stories. Make it a point to gather over the holidays and ask the questions you've always wanted to ask. Or organize a neighborhood or community recording party. Run the audio or video recorder. Ask gently and listen. Imagine what you might learn.
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daw821's Mom Answers Activity
daw821 is a star in these topics:
Pregnancy > Is It Safe? (7 helpful answers)
can i see the gender of my baby 12 weeks
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Hey Gals, am 22w and my recent sono is here, can any body guess? Whether am with gal or boy!!posted by nehalkpd


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Blip Support
posted this on January 17, 2012, 5:01 PM
Some shows that participate in the Blip advertising program make little or no money. Others make tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
There are a number of factors that influence how much you can earn, including:
The best way to determine how much you will make through the Blip advertising program is to try it out. You can always turn it off later. Bear in mind, however, that revenue can often fluctuate from month to month and even day to day as new advertising campaigns begin and old ones end.


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Open Spaces May 1998
Among the Sasquatch-searchers.
Among the Sasquatch-searchers.
How we try - and usually fail - to fight the mosquito.
On "American Dream," a mall under construction in New Jersey that will be the largest on Earth and feature an indoor skiing slope, a tropical area modeled on Hawaii, and a "TV screen that will make Times Square seem like a rec room from the seventies."


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Unique Melody Miracle
" http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/524282/review-unique-melody-miracle-6-driver-custom-iem That's my full review. In summary: These are simply the best customs, and possibly the best headphones of any type, that I have ever heard. I prefer it to my JH13pro due to it's better deep bass response and more natural tone. These sound great paired with a simple portable..." --project86
Unique Melody Merlin
" I've taken down my review of the Merlins and will repost it once I get them back. By now it's been 4 months and I've had them in my posession for no more than two weeks out of those 4 months. Two weeks into the 3-5 week estimated turnaround time for my remolds/fixing and UM have gone back to maintaining radio silence. Not a word, not a single peep, no replies to emails...." --Sorensiim
Unique Melody Mentor acrylic universal/custom
"Unfinished brilliance Okay, well let me just start off by saying I'm big fan of Unique Melody, it was actually the UM Miracle that I got a chance to demo which helped me understand how great an earphone can actually sound. This coming from a pair of Skullcandy's (forgive me Head fi) but we all started somewhere. Getting back to the topic at hand I'm going to typically..." --dnun8086
Marshall Headphones - 'Major' Over Ear (Black)
" This is actually the first "over-head" headphone i ever bought, but compared to my philips and LG tone+ this one is a lot more for 70$, i mainly use it on my gaming rig with sound card installed. i listen to rock mostly, bass heavy stuff and some r&b, alternatives.. i just listen to anything that sounds good basically. anyways, i had some issues with the fit when i..." --Kordz
Unique Melody Aero
" http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/510802/review-unique-melody-aero-custom-triple-driver-iem That's a link to my extensive review. In summary: The Aero has the Unique Melody house sound, which will appeal to some but not all. Lovers of AKG K701, Etymotic ER4S, Sennheiser HD800, AKG K1000, or Electrostatic headphones in general will likely find these to be almost perfect. Fans of..." --project86
Unique Melody Mage
"This is the first review i am going to do on head fi . Firstly i am just a junior teenage audiophile so ya my review might be slightly inaccurate , just slightly. These Unique Melody mages have 4 balanced armature drivers in them, 2 lows 1 high and 1 mid. Now i will start of with build quality. Build quality: The build quality is superb i can say! When i compared it with my friend's jh 16..." --JuzModa
Unique Melody SE530x6
" If you are a fan of the Shure sound and have a broken pair of Shure SE530, or would like to try custom IEM but stay with a familiar sound signature and not spend 1000$ right away, the SE530x6 is the way to go. I am having a hard time finding anything wrong with them as I do not have better customs, but they challenge the best headphones I have (ATH ES10). These IEMs are quite easy to drive,..." --Mimouille
Stanton Dynaphase Sixty
"a tad muddy, but it can be easily fixed with abit of equalizing they're louder then stadium speakers with duel drivers there is a woofer and tweeter in each can, so that= loads of bass and tremble bass tons of bass to go around treble it has it, but that about all I can say sound they favor highs over mids, but 'they're still well balanced sound stage love it deep and rich Comfort fine..." --voodoo do-er
Stanton Dynaphase Fifty
" What can I say, vintage. Honestly well worth the $30 I payed for these. They have a nice sound to them in the $30 price range, not Hi-Fi by any means, but fun to wear around. " --GrandZechs
Unique Melody 3X Hybrid IEM
"Big thanks to djvkool for generously lending me his personal unit for reviewing. *I listen at relatively high volume, so my impressions will be based on this. Please be aware that there are differences in impressions at high volume and lower volume as noted by several members. Setup: Samsung Note 3 (Neutron app) > Meier Corda PCStep. No EQ applied. ..." --fnkcow


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Fergesen Design Co. has moved its headquarters from New Jersey to sunny California. They are proud to introduce to the US market their abrasion resistant coating, product number FDX 1115 for plastic and paper applications such as solar panels, window films, protective films and special high performance labels.
Low viscosity
High gloss
Excellent adhesion to plastics
Extremely fast UV cure
Pencil hardness 5H
Scratch resistance OOOO steel wool: Pass
Special Benzo free version if required
Special LED version available if required
The product is used for special high performance plastic window films.
Fergesen Design - Adhesives, Inks & Coatings Manufacturer Moves to LA
Published October 15, 2013
Related Paint & Coatings Manufacturer News
Related Breaking News
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Every Wednesday, we publish our "Investor Toolkit" series on TSI Network. Whether you're a new or experienced investor, these weekly updates are designed to give you specific advice on successful investing. Each Investor Toolkit update gives you a fundamental tip and shows you how you can put it into practice right away.
Tip of the week: "Getting in on the ground floor with a new stock may seem enticing, but there are many reasons why most new stocks promoted as 'can't-miss' ideas do miss."
Some aggressive investors like to get into fast-growing stocks at what they describe as "the ground floor." They think the best way to profit in stocks is to buy them when they are just barely starting out on a growth phase that can last for years if not decades. Ideally, they want to buy the future top performers when they are still near or close to the penny stock range and have yet to be discovered by the broad mass of investors.
These investors rarely find what they're looking for. That's because there's a large random element in investing, especially at the ground floor. Many promising junior stocks fail to thrive as businesses for one or more of any number of reasons. To borrow from the opening lines of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, successful stocks tend to have a lot in common, whereas unsuccessful stocks tend to suffer from their own unique sets of risks and faults.
Sometimes stocks with intriguing business concepts just never get anywhere. They generate a number of encouraging news releases, but these releases turn out to be a series of exaggerations and broken promises.Look at the latest figures from the undisputed independent authority on investment newsletters, Hulbert Financial Digest. They show that The Successful Investor has beaten the Wilshire 5000 Total Stock Market Index with a spectacular 16.7% compounded over each of the last 10 years. That's more than 100% better than the index's 7.9% average! That means that during a decade that included some of the most wrenching downturns in stock market history, The Successful Investor posted remarkable returns for our readers. Pat McKeough tracks three different portfolios for readers of The Successful Investor—one for Conservative Growth, one for Aggressive Growth and one for Income-Seeking Investors. And subscribers get free updates and advice on the stocks they're following every week in the E-mail/Telephone Hotline. We are happy to offer you a bargain-priced, no-risk introduction to The Successful Investor. It gives you the first month FREE. Act now. Click here.
Promising stocks may start out with a brilliant idea or a plan to get involved in a high-profile or fast-growing business area. They may enjoy an initial burst of sales or even earnings. But many just can't keep up the momentum. They never reach the critical mass they need to achieve consistent profitability.
This is more common in junior techs, because they compete with well-established, well-financed senior techs. The seniors have an enormous advantage in well-trained staff, sales networks, media contacts and all sorts of other business assets that can take years, if not decades, to develop.
You compound your risk if you invest in a promising junior that is a "thin" or illiquid trader. When a stock is a thin trader, it doesn't take much buying or selling to influence its price. So if just one important investor decides to sell, it can cause an abrupt stock-price slump. This can spark a cascade of selling and a collapse in the stock's price. The resulting stock downturn can scare off other potential investors. This can make it impossible for the formerly promising junior to raise additional funds when it needs them.
Investors in start-up companies also face one overriding, continual risk: it's easier to launch a promising company than to create a successful business. That's why only a minority of junior companies ever go on to significant success.
COMMENTS PLEASE—Share your investment experience and opinions with fellow TSINetwork.ca members
Do you have an example of a "ground floor" stock you bought in its early stages that turned into a big success? Have you turned down a new stock that was being promoted as a "can't-miss" idea, and were glad you did?
Note: This article was initially published on April 19, 2012.Be the first to comment
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Mark Color Me In Lip Crayon Review & Swatches
Mark is right on trend with their new Color Me In Lip Crayons. Chubby lip pencils have gotten a big push for Spring/Summer and the new Mark Color Me In Lip Crayon joins the ranks in three shades.
I think Mark loses a few points as each of these are $12. Ouch. I think of Mark as a lower end brand that should have prices competitive with the drugstore or perhaps a smidge higher. Considering Revlon, Covergirl, and a slew of other drugstore brands have their own version of these tinted lip crayons at a far lower price (especially during a sale), Mark cuts themselves out of the equation slightly as you might second guess splurging.
Price doesn't account for quality. If they are amazing that would definitely make me lean towards dishing out that twelve bucks faster.
Are they?
And sadly they are not.
These are a skinnier pencil compared to the chubbier editions we are seeing lately. They aren't a twist up design so you do need to sharpen them. This is a both great and not so great. Good because you can regain that precise point and tip not so great if you prefer the more mess free twist up design sans any icky, melt-y chunks of sharpener shavings.
The thinner design allows for an easier way to line and fill. Chubby pencils aren't always easy to line with however, this smaller tip and size allows for easy lining. However, on the down side they don't cover as much area as a chubbier point does so you're going over your lips a few times to get coverage.
Punch Line, Honey Dip, Wine Bar
They are sheer to medium in the pigment department so they do offer fairly opaque coverage and not just a lighter tint. I didn't particularly like the texture as they have a heavier more balm-y feel without any glossiness or shine but a hint of a sheen. On my lips they look a little dry….but they do feel quite moisturizing due to that balminess which keeps over the wear. Wear times vary but I get a solid three hours with moisture through that time.
Honey Dip
Wine Bar
Punch Line
In the end….I wasn't terribly impressed. I think the price point and the quality of the formula just didn't meet up for me. I've tried better unfortunately. There isn't any one thing I can point and say I dislike about them…but comparing them to other formulas I find they are lacking…a little too heavy, the colors aren't particularly flattering or unique, the texture just feels odd on my lips and sits there, shouting, "How you doing?"
I don't think you need 'em!
Tried 'em?
Do share your thoughts!
This review contains a sample
product sent for consideration by PR.
Read my full disclosure statement here.
5/3/13 15:13 Deb:
Is it just me or have all of the Mark prices gotten a little "big for their britches" lately? Old southern saying. I was shopping Avon recently for some basics and I just happened to notice that Mark has gotten a little expensive for what they are. Wonder if it has anything to do with the celebrity endorsement campaign. Not that I would call Ashley what's her name a big celebrity but I did notice that's when they seemed to start raising prices. Speaking of Avon, I have a bone to pick with you Muse I ordered two of their Shine Attract lippies and one of the Totally Kissable. I know you love Avon lippies and you raved about them but of the three I ordered, not a single one had any pigment. Zero. Just showed up nice and shiny and clear. Formula feels great but WTF did they do with the pigment? I'm really just messing with you, I don't blame you at all. But I was seriously confused as to why they were so clear. Your swatches were so nice. Oh well, maybe I just need to try some different colors. Happy Friday!
5/3/13 16:30 Deb:
Nothing to be sorry for, I guess I just chose the wrong shade. But yeah, sadly, zero pigment. I actually like the shine attract formula, it's very moisturizing for me. Just gonna use it as a lip balm. Like you've said, never can have too many lip balms
5/3/13 16:27 hamster:
I got a lipstick from Avon last month that didn't match the shade in the catalog at all. I whinged to their DearAvon email address and they refunded my money on the spot. I didn't even have to ship it back. It was a very pleasant customer service experience.
9/20/13 15:49 JerzJanine:
I bought the Mark. lip crayon on clearance for 4.99 on clearance and I'm not liking that I have to sharpen it at all – considering I don't have a sharpner is really why. BUT I do love the Covergirl Lip Perfection lip balm crayon in a deep plum color and I love it! Heck if I can remember how much it was but I love it! The lip crayon is def my new fav lip enhancer