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Talk:Kushina Uzumaki
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More Trivia
What about adding something to the trivia section about her speech tick that Naruto inherited, or is that already included in Naruto's page? CorwinDruzil (talk) 00:23, September 12, 2010 (UTC)CorwinDruzil
- It seems I missed it. CorwinDruzil (talk) 05:40, September 16, 2010 (UTC)CorwinDruzil
Kushina Uuzmaki's jinchuriki forms
Shouldn't we add an article that refers to her jinchuriki forms? Because as you can see in this picture http://animextremist.com/mangas-online/naruto/capitulo-501/naruto8.html , she is freeing the nine tails' chackra; ALTHOUGH It is not possible to estimate completely well in the photo how many tails she is freeing, but one notices that at least it treats about her initial jinchuriki form? I don't know. Give me your opinions, please. And thanks for reading Axel_Carrozzo (talk)
- That isn't Kushina freeing or using the Nine-Tails' chakra, it's the Nine-Tails being ripped out of her. It isn't a jinchūriki form, it's a jinchūriki end. —ShounenSuki (talk | contribs | translations) 01:37, September 26, 2010 (UTC)
Usual clothing
i think we should edit the appearence section to say that she is seen wearing a loose fitting dress and apron, we only saw her once in the anime and got a bigger dose of her in the manga,--Cmcwiki (talk) 22:43, September 27, 2010 (UTC)
- She's seen wearing it on three occasions: Jiraiya's flashback, before Naruto's birth, and in Naruto's mind. Given the frequency and the fact that she isn't seen in any other outfit, "usual" seems appropriate. ~SnapperTo 02:03, September 28, 2010 (UTC)
they are probably just maternity clothes, kurenai wore different clothes when we saw her during the pein arc--Cmcwiki (talk) 16:51, October 5, 2010 (UTC)
The Nine-Tails dying?
About the mention that Kushina wanted Minato to seal the Fox back into her so that she will kill the Fox with her death, (from the translated manga at least) it doesn't say that since Kushina mentioned that she want to die with the Fox inside her so that it will prevent the Fox from 'coming back for a while'. I think we can understand that to mean that when she dies, the Fox will somehow be rendered 'inert'...maybe like disrupting its form or perhaps dispersing its chakra temporarily until it reforms, etc. etc. (the exact consequence is unknown).
If it is that easy to kill a Tailed Beast by sealing the beast into a human and later killing said vessel, people would've done so a long time ago. - Volrath77 (talk) 04:43, January 9, 2011 (UTC)
- From what I gather, killing them is a temporary measure, and when they come back, they do so unsealed and under no-one's control. I'm guessing 3-tails died with Yagura, and it was still running wild until Deidara got it. So, not nearly as good as keeping it locked down. ZeroSD (talk) 06:52, January 9, 2011 (UTC)
Name Similarity
It may be pointless to post this, but Kushina's name is kinda similar to Kushinada-hime from the Kusanagi legend. Something tells me that might just be a coincidence or me thinking too much on it but has anyone else noticed this?--Kohaku-chan (talk) 11:47, February 17, 2011 (UTC)
The Nine tailed fox's Yin & Yang chakras sealed in her?
Was it ever explained how both the Yin & Yang chakras were sealed within Kushina and why they couldn't do the same for Naruto? Minato siad it was not possible to do so, but Kushina had the Fox sealed within her at full power.—This unsigned comment was made by 18.104.22.168 (talk • contribs) .
- It's simple really...because Mianto only wanted to seal the "good"/"Yin" chakra of the fox into Naruto. Jinchūriki normally have the beasts sealed in them completely, yang and all....--Cerez☺ (talk) 23:15, March 11, 2011 (UTC)
- Maybe he didn't have a strong enough seal to hold it all. We don't know who sealed the Nine-Tails in Kushina. Maybe a better seal would require other things, or maybe more time, things they didn't have. We'll probably learn more on this down the line. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 23:20, March 11, 2011 (UTC)
In chapter 94, Jiraiya comments that Naruto's body is too small a container to hold the Nine Tail's chakra, so perhaps sealing just the Yin chakra was all Minato could safely put into Naruto? Mito Uzumaki (first jinchuriki of the kyuubi) was still alive when Kushina was an adolescent, so the Nine Tails wasn't sealed within Kushina until she was older. --Ravarath (talk) 17:37, March 12, 2011 (UTC)
why isn't Naruto listed as her son; let alone family at all? —This unsigned comment was made by Hazel-rah (talk • contribs) .
- He is listed to me. Try clearing your cache. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 00:49, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- I'm dealing with the same problem. How do you clear your cache?Ryne 91 (talk) 01:02, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- Try holding Shift and click refresh on your browser - that's what I do in Firefox. ~ Fmakck© → Talk → Contributions ~ 01:05, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- I tried that. I completely wiped my internet history, cookies, etc. and it still isn't working. I even opened the page up on Firefox, and I never use that.Ryne 91 (talk) 01:09, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- Which browser do you use? I know there's a page somewhere in the wiki preferences that shows how to clear your cache according to browser, so changes made to preferences can kick in. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 01:10, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- I use the most recent version of Internet Explorer. I don't recall what number it is.Ryne 91 (talk) 01:13, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- If you use Firefox, press Shift + CTRL + R. --18.104.22.168 (talk) 00:45, January 13, 2012 (UTC)
- I use the most recent version of Internet Explorer. I don't recall what number it is.Ryne 91 (talk) 01:13, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- Which browser do you use? I know there's a page somewhere in the wiki preferences that shows how to clear your cache according to browser, so changes made to preferences can kick in. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 01:10, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- I tried that. I completely wiped my internet history, cookies, etc. and it still isn't working. I even opened the page up on Firefox, and I never use that.Ryne 91 (talk) 01:09, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- Try holding Shift and click refresh on your browser - that's what I do in Firefox. ~ Fmakck© → Talk → Contributions ~ 01:05, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
- I'm dealing with the same problem. How do you clear your cache?Ryne 91 (talk) 01:02, April 3, 2011 (UTC)
The Orange Hokage?
In the trivia section, the claim that Naruto's epithet is 'The Orange Hokage' and relating it to his parents having 'Red' and 'Yellow' in theirs. Where is this from in the canon? Is this speculation? If so, it has no place on a wikia page. 188.8.131.52 (talk) 22:14, April 5, 2011 (UTC)Oh,how the sea calls
- Naruto called himself that when Kushina asked him about himself.Ryne 91 (talk) 22:18, April 5, 2011 (UTC)
- chapter 498, page 17. SimAnt
Barrier technique?
I think we need to add a page for Kushina's barrier technique, that she set up to help contain the Kyuubi. —This unsigned comment was made by ZeroSD (talk • contribs) .
- Something I proposed a long time ago, which I forgot because it didn't generate much discussion. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 21:27, April 21, 2011 (UTC)
- I still or at least now do think she created it. From what happened and Minato's reaction.--Cerez365™☺ 21:51, April 21, 2011 (UTC)
It was mentioned here that her eyes in the manga were different. Can someone put it here? --Ilnarutoanime 15:59, June 10, 2011 (UTC)
Eyes Revisited
So, I tried looking but to no avail, so could someone post a link to where Kushina was illustrated in colour in the manga please~--Cerez365™ 15:18, September 15, 2011 (UTC)
- She was shown in colour twice: once on the cover of chapter 503 and once on the cover of volume 53. You can't see her eyes on the former, but the latter shows them being greenish. —ShounenSuki (talk | contribs | translations) 21:44, September 15, 2011 (UTC)
- Ah, I was staring at the latter for how long now, I realised they weren't anywhere near violet.--Cerez365™ 21:51, September 15, 2011 (UTC)
- I just looked and even had several others on another forum confirm for me but Kushina's eyes aren't green. Outside of the Anime Violet/Blue no where does Kishimoto colour Kushina's eyes. Where are you guys getting green from? ¥ Super Novice ↔ Talk 2 Me ¥ 22:00, October 7, 2011 (UTC)
- Ah, I was staring at the latter for how long now, I realised they weren't anywhere near violet.--Cerez365™ 21:51, September 15, 2011 (UTC)
- It'd be from the volume cover she was on with Minato and Naruto.--Cerez365™ 22:04, October 7, 2011 (UTC)
- I looked at both of the ones that ShounenSuki listed, the one with Naruto running out the window during breakfast/lunch with his parents and another with Minato and Kushina holding a baby Naruto, and neither have her eyes open enough to see a colour outside of a grey. The Grey could actually be the lining of her eyes so it's best not to use that. ¥ Super Novice ↔ Talk 2 Me ¥ 19:53, October 8, 2011 (UTC)
It says that she goes to join Minato in the afterlife, but isn't Minato sealed in the Death God, not in the afterlife? Also, while we're talking about that, when Minato appeared to Naruto was it really him or just a kind've clone of him leaving him a message?—This unsigned comment was made by AsianInvasion799 (talk • contribs) .
- Sure sweat the small stuff =_=. Why would it be a clone? You're assuming that their souls got sealed into Naruto when it was just their chakra and will that took on form.--Cerez365™ 13:56, July 2, 2011 (UTC)
Should we put that somehow she knew that her baby was a boy?--Spcmn (talk) 00:23, January 13, 2012 (UTC)
- (editconflict)Although Kishimoto has said he doesn't intend for much technology in Naruto they're not exactly backwater o.o There's a fair bit of technology so I don't think it needs to be pointed out that she had an ultrasound.--Cerez365™ 00:26, January 13, 2012 (UTC)
Kishimoto said stuff like no cars or guns. But they have computers and television though O_O --Elveonora (talk) 13:13, January 13, 2012 (UTC)
OR they might have some sort of medical ninjutsu that fill in that gap, just a theory. --Caseather (talk) 20:04, February 10, 2012 (UTC)
Time line... stuff
Sooo, I wondered: How do we know that she became Jinchūriki only after she enrolled in the academy? I always thought she was send to Konoha, became a host and while that happened, she enrolled in the academy. Or even after she already became a host. Seelentau 愛議 20:16, January 26, 2012 (UTC)
She was sent to Konoha to become a Jinchūriki, we don't know the exact order.--Deva 27 20:25, January 26, 2012 (UTC)
- Mito was also still alive back then. And there's that little word of advice she gave her about filling the vessel with love first and stuff.--Cerez365™ 20:33, January 26, 2012 (UTC)
- Well... it seems I really am blind today. I thought the article's describtion of the events was wrong, but I just read it wrong all the time. So, she was sent to Konoha, enrolled in the academy and became a Jinchūriki, too... wow, sorry guys^^ Seelentau 愛議 21:07, January 26, 2012 (UTC)
I've noticed a lot of traffic to the Kushina page now, most of the edits are vandals adding random things and users reversing them. I think this page needs protection added. --speysider (talk) 10:08, January 28, 2012 (UTC)
- Fixed. Jacce | Talk | Contributions 10:56, January 28, 2012 (UTC)
Afterlife with Minato?
She can't be together with Minato in the afterlife. His soul was sealed in the shinigami, he will never reach the pure world. Seelentau 愛議 23:40, February 2, 2012 (UTC)
That's what she said though. Perhaps the shinigami resides in the pure land? Who knows. Skitts (talk) 23:43, February 2, 2012 (UTC)
- Yeah, who knows. We only know that Minato's soul isn't in the afterlife, thus her statement is wrong. Trivia ahoi! :D Seelentau 愛議 23:56, February 2, 2012 (UTC)
Nagato said the same ... most likely not to make Naruto sad. If they have said: "Cool, now we will get tortured for all eternity in Death God's stomach" that would be too dramatic and hard for Naruto ... remember he is dumb about such things. --Elveonora (talk) 00:10, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
- No, those who are sealed within the Shinigami are sealed within the Shinigami forever. It doesn't reside in the pure world, this chunk was taken from the Summoning: Impure World Ressurection page:
"The soul of the intended revived must also reside in the pure world (浄土, jōdo); those whose soul has been consumed by the Death God, for example, cannot be resurrected."
Which lays out the fact that the souls consumed do NOT reside in the pure world. I don't quite understand it myself on how those two would "be together" in the afterlife. Perhaps Minato figured out a way to save his soul from being sealed by sealing it within the seal of Naruto, but that's unknown and will remain unknown until Kishi decides, and even if he decides, to reveal the inner-workings of the technique. SusanooUnleashed (talk) 00:18, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
- It is also completely possible that the pure world and impure world is a bit of poetry on the users part, and that whatever essence that is sealed into the death god is that, sealed within the death god and out of bounds of the Impure World Resurrection. I'm going to assume that Kushina, being dead, knows she is going to see her lover again, and Minato, being a Kage knows not to screw his wife over.--TheUltimate3 ~Keeper of Lore~ 00:47, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
- I also don't see a reason to discredit Kushina's words with out-of-Narutoverse knowledge. That just feel like encroachment. Besides Shinigami might allow conjugal visits or something like that. Kushina should have been well aware of where souls go with that technique, maybe she knows stuff we don't.--Cerez365™ 00:50, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
Well, technically, that was just Kushina's chakra which took on her form. =P Skitts (talk) 00:55, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
Again, I don't think they meant that literary. Nagato said the same when being sealed with Totsuka.
So yeah, I think they said that only to not make Naruto worry ... to create the "illusion" that once Naruto dies all 3 will be together. Or maybe in Kushina's case her soul was sealed as well into Death God so she and Minato can be together for all eternity. --Elveonora (talk) 16:31, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
Kushina' soul wasn't sealed in the Death God because he didn't use Shiki fujin on her, just Hakke Fuin. Skitts (talk) 18:18, February 3, 2012 (UTC)
We have never seen what happened after Minato sealed what left of Kyubi into Naruto. --Elveonora (talk) 02:44, February 4, 2012 (UTC)
But that's what he said he would do. Skitts (talk) 03:05, February 4, 2012 (UTC)
Infobox image
How about replacing the infobox image with a more centred and focused image like this --Salil (talk)(Contributions) 13:13, April 26, 2012 (UTC)
- That was the image that was there before. It was removed and replaced because Kishina's hair colour was fixed.--Cerez365™(talk) 13:16, April 26, 2012 (UTC)
False Trivia
"She is the only known jinchūriki to have survived the extraction of a tailed beast. This was due to her clan's vitality which she inherited" this is not true, as Sage split the Ten-Tails into 9 beasts and sealed it's body into the moon ... he lived afterwards "_" --Elveonora (talk) 05:21, May 18, 2012 (UTC)
- Not sure that applies, since the Sage himself was already dying. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 11:55, May 18, 2012 (UTC)
My point being that the extraction hasn't killed him even in his old age. He lived long enough after to choose one of his sons and to say goodbye to young Tailed Beasts --Elveonora (talk) 15:51, May 18, 2012 (UTC)
We don't know if he selected a son before or after the extraction. The only post extraction bit we saw was him saying goodbye to each tailed beast, and that didn't take long. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 03:54, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
- The point is, Elveonora, we don't know enough about the Sage nor the timeline of events that happened leading up to his death to make an accurate conclusion on how long, after the Ten-Tails was extracted, he died. It is speculation to assume he lived very long after the Ten-Tails was free. We know that the reason he unsealed it was because he was nearing death, and afraid it would run free. In all likelihood, he chose his successor, unsealed the beast, said his farewells and died. The last three points could've taken a matter of minutes to do. If new information comes to light that would support your point, then we can change it. For now, though, Kushina is the only confirmed individual to have lived significantly long after the Tailed beast's extraction. ~ Ten Tailed Fox 07:19, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
^This guy (or girl, don't this person's gender). Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 15:52, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
The point isn't how long he lived after ... all hosts except Kushina have died DUE TO extraction/right after. This hasn't killed him, thus both him and Kushina have SURVIVED the extraction.--Elveonora (talk) 16:01, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
This isn't true. She tells Minato to seal her away with the Kyuubi because she already knows she's going to die.—This unsigned comment was made by 188.8.131.52 (talk • contribs) .
- Well we don't know that do we? The only host we've seen sealed in its entirety was Gaara. While we did see Yugito getting sealed, we didn't see the end product. We don't know for sure when all the other hosts died; whether death was instant or whether it occurred minutes or hours later. We simply cannot base our assumption of things solely on what we've seen of Gaara. Like I said, Kushina is significant because she not only lasted awhile after Nine-Tails was un-sealed, but managed to move her body to help Minato in its sealing afterwards, which no Jinchūriki to date has been shown capable of. There simply isn't enough information. ~ Ten Tailed Fox 16:22, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
Well: "If the tailed beast is removed from its jinchūriki's body, the jinchūriki will die" "The host then died due to the removal of their tailed beast" taken from Jinchuriky and Sealing Technique: Phantom Dragons articles. --Elveonora (talk) 16:33, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
- I'm not questioning if the host dies. We know that is the ultimate fate of those who have the tailed beasts removed from their bodies, but neither of those state how long it takes to kill them. Nor has anyone in the anime or manga stated such. Again - not enough information. ~ Ten Tailed Fox 16:35, May 19, 2012 (UTC)
Was her name based on Susanoo's wife?
I was just wondering, is it possible that Kushina's name came from "Kushinadahime", who was Susanoo's wife in mythology? I found her story was:
"The daughter of Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi. About to be devoured by the serpent Yamata no orochi, Kushinadahime was saved by Susanoo in exchange for becoming his wife. Susanoo transformed the girl into a comb and placed her in his hair, then defeated the serpent. He afterwards built a palace in Izumo where he married her."
It sounds probable to me, so I'm asking if it's okay to put this in her trivia section? --Kai Maciel (talk) 09:50, June 4, 2012 (UTC)
Considering her name isn't written with kanji, probably note. I do remember someone else asking something like that, but in a random Naruto forum I used to lurk. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 11:58, June 4, 2012 (UTC)
- From what I saw the name is Kishi indada and the hime suffix which is really clever of Kishimoto if that's where it came from. Given that the manga has a lot of stuff borrowed from or related to the Susanoo tale, I'd be all for the mention.--Cerez365™(talk) 12:07, June 4, 2012 (UTC)
Kushina said that she is going to see Minato in the afterlife,but he is sealed in the death god. Is Minato in the afterlife and not in the death god?--—This unsigned comment was made by Mju (talk • contribs) .
- This isn't a forum. Try not to obsess over technical stuff like that.--Cerez365™(talk) 21:10, July 12, 2012 (UTC)
Four Symbols Seal
why isn't kushina listed as a user of this? the viz translation stated she used it. the viz translation chapter 500 volume 53 page 2 kushina when explaining to naruto about uzushiogakure says "the shinobi of konoha's senju clan and uzushio's uzumaki clan were distant relatives. full of shinobi brimming with vitality uzushio village was also known as the village of longevity. the clanfolk excelled at sealing jutsu. but they were also a bit savage. the tetragram seal on your belly was based on a jutsu originally developed by my village. i taught it to minato , your father along with other sealing jutsu" that specifically says she can use it, though i know that viz isn't the absolute most accurate translators but still the literal translation couldn't be too far off to say she used it.126.96.36.199 (talk) 16:48, August 11, 2012 (UTC) yomiko-chan
- She's not added because of the ambiguity. Kushina said she taught Minato fūinjutsu and that the seal on Naruto's stomach was based of Uzu-styled fūinjutsu, not that she taught him the technique itself. It's possible that Minato created this technique based on what she had taught him and not that she taught him this technique specifically.--Cerez365™(talk) 17:36, August 11, 2012 (UTC)
she's funny kushina is so like naruto like thier,temper and words, i think it's funny who agrees with me--220.127.116.11 (talk) 21:41, January 30, 2013 (UTC)


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50 U.S. Code § 511 - Joint development of unitary plan for construction of facilities; construction at educational institutions
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The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (hereinafter referred to as the "Administrator") and the Secretary of Defense are authorized and directed jointly to develop a unitary plan for the construction of transsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic wind-tunnel facilities for the solution of research, development, and evaluation problems in aeronautics, including the construction of facilities at educational institutions within the continental limits of the United States for training and research in aeronautics, and to revise the uncompleted portions of the unitary plan from time to time to accord with changes in national defense requirements and scientific and technical advances. The Administrator and the Secretaries of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force are authorized to proceed with the construction and equipment of facilities in implementation of the unitary plan to the extent permitted by appropriations pursuant to existing authority and the authority contained in this chapter. Any further implementation of the unitary plan shall be subject to such additional authorizations as may be approved by Congress.
Source(Oct. 27, 1949, ch. 766, title I, § 101,63 Stat. 936; Pub. L. 85–568, title III, § 301(d)(1), (2),July 29, 1958, 72 Stat. 433; Pub. L. 106–391, title III, § 312(1),Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1594.)
2000—Pub. L. 106–391substituted "transsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic" for "transsonic and supersonic".
1958—Pub. L. 85–568substituted "The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (hereinafter referred to as the 'Administrator')" for "The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (hereinafter referred to as the 'Committee')", and "Administrator" for "Committee" in second sentence.
Effective Date of 1958 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 85–568effective 90 days after July 29, 1958, or on any earlier date on which the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration determines, and announces by proclamation, that the Administration has been organized and is prepared to discharge the duties and exercise the powers conferred upon it, see section 301(e) ofPub. L. 85–568, set out as a note under section 2302 of Title 10, Armed Forces.
Short Title
Act Oct. 27, 1949, ch. 766, title I, § 106,63 Stat. 937, provided that: "This title [enacting this subchapter] may be cited as the 'Unitary Wind Tunnel Plan Act of 1949'."
Act Oct. 27, 1949, ch. 766, title II, § 205,63 Stat. 938, provided that: "This title [enacting subchapter II of this chapter] may be cited as the 'Air Engineering Development Center Act of 1949'."
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Just three days after his 2009 Inauguration, President Obama invited House Republicans to the White House to talk about how he might incorporate their ideas into the then-unwritten stimulus bill. At that meeting, Minority Whip, Eric Cantor, distributed a five-point stimulus plan that included tax cuts for the poorest Americans, tax cuts for small businesses, no taxes on unemployment benefits, and a new home-owner tax credit. These policies were not unlike those implemented by Chancellor Angela Merckel as part of Germany's successful response to the recession.
According to Bob Woodward's book, The Price of Politics, Eric Cantor's proposals met a scorched earth partisan black-out from the Oval office:
Obama told Cantor, 'I can go it alone…Look at the polls. The polls are pretty good for me right now. Elections have consequences, And, Eric, I won.' Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was even more frank: 'We have the votes. F–k 'em.' As a result, Obama's final stimulus bill had zero Republican ideas in it. Not surprisingly, it also got zero Republican votes. The tone for Obama's presidency had been set: all partisan scorched earth all the time. And its been that way ever since." Conn Carroll, 'The two defining moments of Obama's presidency', Sunday Examiner, December 2, 2012
Obama then received a second chance. He won re-election. For the first time since 2009, Republicans on Capitol Hill were willing to work with him. President Obama, as I suggested in yesterday's column, is not an intellectually gifted man. Like many individuals struggling out of their depth, they fall back on old tricks, whether those tricks worked before or not.
So Obama fell back on an old trick: partisan scorched earth. He no longer had Rahm Emanuel at his side to deliver the message in the language of the gutter. So he turned to Timothy Geithner – a man whose intellectual ability just about matches his own – to stamp aggressively on those Republican fingers desperately holding on to the top of the fiscal cliff.
"Not only did Geithner's offer ask for $1.6 trillion in tax hikes (double what Obama campaigned on); not only did Geithner ask for new stimulus spending; not only did Geithner ask for an extension of 'emergency' unemployment benefits; but he also asked for an infinite increase in the debt limit. That was the last piece of leverage Republicans had. " Conn Carroll, ibid.
So there we have it folks. Scorched earth all over again, albeit this time from a President who does not have all the votes. History tells us that unintelligent leaders do not bargain. They pursue their own will to the bitter end. King James II of England was such a one; and things ended badly for him. By all accounts King Louis XVI of France was another; with a yet worse outcome.
If Barack Obama refuses to bargain, and forces the GOP to choose between the fiscal cliff and imposing higher taxes on the most productive members of society, there will be no revolution. Heads will surely not roll. But the United States will suffer from a further four years of gridlock:
"that is all Obama will get. He'll get no entitlement reform now, No individual or corporate tax reform either. the rest of the second-term Obama agenda is also DOA. It is going to be all partisan scorched earth all the time, again, for four more years. Obama will have changed Washington. But for the worse." Conn Carroll, ibid.


text:
Republic of Macedonia
Area: 25,713 square km. (slightly larger than Vermont).
Cities (2001 est.): Capital--Skopje 600,000; Tetovo, Kumanovo, Gostivar and Bitola 100,000+.
Geography: Situated in the southern region of the Balkan Peninsula, Macedonia is landlocked and mountainous.
Climate: Three climatic types overlap--Mediterranean; moderately continental; and mountainous, producing hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.
Population (2006 est.): 2,042,894.
Growth rate (2006 est.): 0.2%.
Ethnic groups (2002): Macedonian 64.18%, Albanian 25.17%, Turkish 3.85%, Roma 2.66%, Serb 1.78%.
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 65%, Muslim 29%, Catholic 4% and others 2%.
Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, and others 3%.
Education: Years compulsory--8. Literacy--94.6%.
Health (2006 est.): Infant mortality rate--11.1 deaths/per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy--males 71.79 years; females 76.43 years.
Labor force (2006): 903,576; employed 578,810: services--37.5%; industry and commerce--44.9%; agriculture--17.6%.
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: Adopted November 17, 1991; effective November 20, 1991. Amended January 6, 1992.
Independence: September 8, 1991 (from Yugoslavia).
Branches: Executive--prime minister (head of government), council of ministers (cabinet), president (head of state). Legislative--unicameral parliament or Sobranie (120 members elected by popular vote to 4-year terms from party lists based on the percentage parties gain of the overall vote in each of six election units). Judicial--Supreme Court, State Judicial Council, Constitutional Court, Public Prosecutor's Office, Public Attorney. Legal system is based on civil law; judicial review of legislative acts.
Subdivisions: 84 opstini (municipalities) plus the city of Skopje.
Suffrage: Universal at age 18.
Main political parties: Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE); Social-Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM); Democratic Union for Integration (DUI); Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA); New Social Democratic Party (NSDP); Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party (VMRO-NP); Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP); Democratic Renewal of Macedonia (DOM); National Democratic Party (NDP); Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP); Socialist Party of Macedonia (SPM); Liberal Party (LP); Democratic Alternative (DA); Democratic Union (DU); Democratic Party of the Turks in Macedonia (DPTM); Democratic League of Bosniaks; Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia, United Party of Romas in Macedonia; Democratic Union of Vlachs from Macedonia; Labor-Agricultural Party of Macedonia, Socialist-Christian Party of Macedonia.
GDP (2006 est.): $6.215 billion.
Per capita GDP (2006 est.): $3,042.
Real GDP growth (2006 est.): 3.1%.
Annualized inflation rate (2006): 3.2%.
Unemployment rate (2006): 36.0%.
Trade: Significant exports--steel, textile products, chromium, lead, zinc, nickel, tobacco, lamb, and wine.
Official exchange rate (2005 avg.): 49.3 Macedonian denars = U.S.$1; (2006 avg.): 48.8 Macedonian denars = U.S.$1.
Macedonia is located in the heart of south central Europe. It shares a border with Greece to the south, Bulgaria to the east, Serbia (and Kosovo) to the north, and Albania to the west. The country is 80% mountainous, rising to its highest point at Mt. Korab (peak 2,764 m).
Since the end of the Second World War, Macedonia's population has grown steadily, with the greatest increases occurring in the ethnic Albanian community. From 1953 through the time of the latest official census in 2002 (initial official results were released December 2003), the percentage of ethnic Albanians living in Macedonia rose threefold. The western part of the country, where most ethnic Albanians live, is the most heavily populated, with approximately 40% of the total population. As in many countries, people have moved into the cities in search of employment. Macedonia has also experienced sustained high rates of permanent or seasonal emigration.
Throughout its history, the present-day territory of Macedonia has been a crossroads for both traders and conquerors moving between the European continent and Asia Minor. Each of these transiting powers left its mark upon the region, giving rise to a rich and varied cultural and historical tradition.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the territory of Macedonia fell under the control of the Byzantine Empire in the 6th and 7th centuries. It was during this period that large groups of Slavic people migrated to the Balkan region. The Ottoman Turks conquered the territory in the 15th century; it remained under Ottoman Turkish rule until 1912.
After more than four centuries of rule, Ottoman power in the region began to wane, and by the middle of the 19th century, Greece, Bulgaria, and Serbia were competing for influence in the territory. During this time, a nationalist movement emerged and grew in Macedonia. The latter half of the 19th century, and continuing into the early part of the 20th century, was marked by sporadic nationalist uprisings, culminating in the Ilinden Uprising of August 2, 1903. Macedonian revolutionaries liberated the town of Krushevo and established the short-lived Republic of Krushevo, which was put down by Ottoman forces after 10 days. Following Ottoman Turkey's defeat by the allied Balkan countries--Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece--during the First Balkan War in autumn 1912, the same allies fought the Second Balkan War over the division of Macedonia. The August 1913 Treaty of Bucharest ended this conflict by dividing the territory between Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles sanctioned partitioning Macedonia between The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Bulgaria, and Greece. In the wake of the First World War, Vardar Macedonia (the present day area of the Republic of Macedonia) was incorporated into the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
Throughout much of the Second World War, Bulgaria and Italy occupied Macedonia. Many people joined partisan movements during this time and succeeded in liberating the region in late 1944. Following the war, Macedonia became one of the constituent republics of the new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under Marshall Tito. During this period, Macedonian culture and language flourished.
As communism fell throughout Eastern Europe in the late 20th century, Macedonia followed its other federation partners and declared its independence from Yugoslavia in late 1991. Macedonia was the only republic of the former Yugoslavia whose secession in 1991 was not clouded by ethnic or other armed conflict, although the ethnic Albanian population declined to participate in the referendum on independence. The new Macedonian constitution took effect November 20, 1991 and called for a system of government based on a parliamentary democracy. The first democratically elected coalition government was led by Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and included the ethnic Albanian Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP). Kiro Gligorov became the first President of an independent Macedonia.
President Gligorov was the first president of a former Yugoslav republic to relinquish office. In accordance with the terms of the Macedonian constitution, his presidency ended in November 1999 after 8 years in office, which included surviving a car bombing assassination attempt in 1995. He was succeeded by former Deputy Foreign Minister Boris Trajkovski (VMRO-DPMNE), who defeated Tito Petkovski (SDSM) in a second-round run-off election for the presidency on November 14, 1999. Trajkovski's election was confirmed by a December 5, 1999 partial re-vote in 230 polling stations, which the Macedonian Supreme Court mandated due to election irregularities.
In November 1998 parliamentary elections, the SDSM lost its majority. A new coalition government emerged under the leadership of Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE). The initial coalition included the ethnic Albanian Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA).
During the Yugoslav period, Macedonian ethnic identity was evident in that most of Macedonia's Slavic population identified themselves as Macedonians, while several minority groups, in particular ethnic Albanians, retained their own distinct political culture and language. Although interethnic tensions simmered under Yugoslav authority and during the first decade of its independence, the country avoided ethnically motivated conflict until several years after independence. Ethnic minority grievances, which had erupted on occasion (1995 and 1997), rapidly began to gain political currency in late 2000, leading many in the ethnic Albanian community in Macedonia to question their minority protection under, and participation in, the government. Tensions erupted into open hostilities in Macedonia in February 2001, when a group of ethnic Albanians near the Kosovo border carried out armed provocations that soon escalated into an insurgency. Purporting to fight for greater civil rights for ethnic Albanians in Macedonia, the group seized territory and launched attacks against government forces. Many observers ascribed other motives to the so-called National Liberation Army (NLA), including support for criminality and the assertion of political control over affected areas. The insurgency spread through northern and western Macedonia during the first half of 2001. Under international mediation, a cease-fire was brokered in July 2001, and the government coalition was expanded in July 2001 to form a grand coalition which included the major opposition parties.
The expanded coalition of ruling ethnic Macedonian and ethnic Albanian political leaders, with facilitation by U.S. and European Union (EU) diplomats, negotiated and then signed the Ohrid Framework Agreement in August 2001, which brought an end to the fighting. The agreement called for implementation of constitutional and legislative changes, which lay the foundation for improved civil rights for minority groups. The Macedonian parliament adopted the constitutional changes outlined in the accord in November 2001. The grand coalition disbanded following the signing of the Ohrid Framework Agreement and the passage of new constitutional amendments. A coalition led by Prime Minister Georgievski, including DPA and several smaller parties, completed its parliamentary term.
In September 2002 elections, an SDSM-led pre-election coalition won half of the 120 seats in parliament. Branko Crvenkovski was elected Prime Minister in coalition with the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) party and the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP).
On February 26, 2004 President Trajkovski died in a plane crash in Bosnia. Presidential elections were held April 14 and 28, 2004. Then-Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski won the second round and was inaugurated President on May 12, 2004. The parliament confirmed Hari Kostov, former Interior Minister, as Prime Minister June 2, 2004. Prime Minister Kostov resigned November 15, 2004. On December 17, 2004, former Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski was confirmed by parliament as Prime Minister, maintaining the coalition with the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) and the Liberal-Democratic (LDP) parties.
With international assistance, the SDSM-DUI-LDP governing coalition completed the legislative implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, which is a precondition for Macedonia's integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. A November 7, 2004 referendum opposing completion of this process failed, freeing the way for the government to complete Framework Agreement implementation.
Local elections were held in March-April 2005 under a new territorial reorganization plan that consolidated the overall number of Macedonia's municipalities and created a number of ethnically-mixed municipalities in which ethnic Albanian populations were dominant. The process of decentralization began in the new municipalities in July 2005 and is continuing.
The July 2006 parliamentary elections resulted in a VMRO-DPMNE-led government assuming power, in coalition with DPA, NSDP, and several smaller parties. The new government, which was confirmed in office by a parliamentary vote on August 26, 2006, stated its commitment to completing Framework Agreement implementation and reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing NATO and EU membership.
The unicameral assembly (Sobranie) consists of 120 seats. Members are elected by popular vote from party lists, based on the percentage parties gain of the overall vote in each of six election districts of 20 seats each. Members of parliament have a 4-year mandate.
The Prime Minister is the head of government and is selected by the party or coalition that gains a majority of seats in parliament. The Prime Minister and other ministers must not be members of parliament.
The President represents Macedonia at home and abroad. He is the commander in chief of the armed forces of Macedonia and heads its Security Council. The President is elected by general, direct ballot and has a term of 5 years, with the right to one re-election.
General parliamentary elections were last held on July 5, 2006. Presidential elections were held April 14 and 28, 2004 to succeed President Trajkovski, who died in office in February 2004. Local elections on the basis of a new municipal division mandated by the Framework Agreement were held in March-April 2005.
The court system consists of a Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and local and appeals courts. The State Judicial Council governs the ethical conduct of judges and recommends to parliament the election of judges. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and is responsible for the equal administration of laws by all courts. Its judges are appointed by parliament without time limit. The Constitutional Court is responsible for the protection of constitutional and legal rights and for resolving conflicts of power between the three branches of government. Its 9 judges are appointed by parliament with a mandate of 9 years, without the possibility of re-election. An independent Public Prosecutor is appointed by parliament with a 6-year mandate.
Principal Government Officials
President--Branko Crvenkovski
Prime Minister--Nikola Gruevski
Deputy Prime Minister (EU Integration)--Gabriela Konevska-Trajkovska
Deputy Prime Minister (Economic Affairs)--Zoran Stavreski
Deputy Prime Minister (Framework Agreement Implementation)--Imer Aliu
Deputy Prime Minister (Agriculture and Education)--Zivko Jankulovski
Foreign Minister--Antonio Milososki
Defense Minister--Lazar Elenovski
Economy Minister--Vera Rafajlovska
Finance Minister--Trajko Slaveski
Interior Minister--Gordana Jankulovska
Justice Minister--Mihajlo Manevski
Appointed Ambassador to the United States--Zoran Jolevski
Ambassador to the United Nations--Igor Dzundev
The country maintains an embassy in the United States at 2129 Wyoming Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel: (202) 667-0501; fax: (202) 667-2131). It maintains a Consulate General in Detroit: 2000 Town Center, Suite 1130, Southfield, MI 48075 (tel: (248) 354-5537; fax: (248) 354-5538).
Macedonia is a small economy with a gross domestic product (GDP) of about $6.2 billion, representing about 0.01% of the total world output. It also is an open economy, highly integrated into international trade, with a total trade-to-GDP ratio of 99.2%. Agriculture and industry have been the two most important sectors of the economy, but the services sector has gained prominence in the past few years. Economic problems persist, even as Macedonia undertakes structural reforms to finish the transition to a market-oriented economy. A largely obsolete industrial infrastructure has not seen much investment during the transition period. Labor force education and skills are competitive, but without adequate job opportunities, many with the best skills seek employment abroad. A low standard of living, high unemployment rate, and relatively modest economic growth rate are the central economic problems.
Five years of continuous economic expansion in Macedonia was interrupted by the 2001 conflict, which led to a contraction of 4.5% in 2001. Growth started to pick up in 2003 (2.8%) and continued in 2004 (4.1%), 2005 (3.8%), and 2006 (3.1%). Living standards still lag behind those enjoyed before independence. In 2007, real growth is projected to reach a rather optimistic 6% annually, with inflation of up to 3.2%. The United States is supporting Macedonia's transition to a democratic, secure, market-oriented society with substantial amounts of assistance.
After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, Macedonia, the former Yugoslavia's poorest republic, faced formidable economic challenges posed by both the transition to a market economy and a difficult regional situation. The breakup deprived Macedonia of key protected markets and large transfer payments from the central Yugoslav government. The war in Bosnia, international sanctions on Serbia, and the 1999 crisis in neighboring Kosovo delivered successive shocks to Macedonia's trade-dependent economy. The government's painful but necessary structural reforms and macroeconomic stabilization program generated additional economic dislocation. Macedonia's economy was hurt especially by a trade embargo imposed by Greece in February 1994 in a dispute over the country's name, flag, and constitution, and by international trade sanctions against Serbia that were not suspended until a month after conclusion of the Dayton Accords. The impact of the 2001 ethnic Albanian insurgency in Macedonia, decreased international demand for Macedonian products, canceled contracts in the textile and iron and steel industry, and poor restructuring of the private sector affected Macedonia's growth and foreign trade prospects through 2004.
Macedonia's political and security situation is stable. This has allowed the government to refocus energies on domestic reforms, boosting economic growth, and attracting increased levels of foreign investment. In 2004, the government passed a progressive Trade Companies Law aimed at easing impediments to foreign investment, providing tax and investment incentives, and guaranteeing shareholder rights. In 2006, the government began implementing a one-stop procedure for business registration that considerably shortened the time required to register a new business. The government's fiscal policy, aligned with International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank policies, helped maintain a stable macroeconomic environment. Legislation that would further liberalize the telecommunications market, and completion of the first phase of privatization of the electricity sector, sent promising signals to investors. However, economic growth remained sub-par in 2005 and 2006, due in part to poor government results in combating corruption and a weak judiciary, as well as high domestic finance costs and continued bureaucratic obstacles to doing business. The new Government of Macedonia that took office in August 2006 put the fight against corruption and attracting foreign investors at the very top of its priority list. In 2007, it launched an expensive marketing campaign promoting the country as a good investment destination. It provided business incentives by cutting rates on profit tax and personal income tax, while implementing a "regulatory guillotine"--an activity which aims to significantly reduce procedures and legislative requirements for doing business.
The upward trend of real GDP continued in 2006 as well. After growing by 4.1% and 4% respectively in 2004 and 2005, it grew by 3.1% in 2006. The growth was broad-based as value added increased in all sectors, except in health and social protection. Mining and quarrying led the growth with a 26.8% annual increase, capitalizing on favorable world prices for various metals. Services grew by 3.6% on average, and trade was higher by 5%. Industrial output in 2006 was 3.6% higher than in 2005. The annualized consumer price index (CPI) rose by 3.2%. The official unemployment rate came down a bit to 36.0% in 2006. A conservative and poorly structured fiscal policy has kept the budget in a negligible budget deficit of 0.2% of GDP, well below the revised 0.8% annual target. In such circumstances, monetary policy provided for credit to households and enterprises to expand by 30.5% in 2006, and interest rates have continued to come down. Although export growth topped import growth by one percentage point in 2006, the trade deficit remained high at 21.9% of GDP. In spite of that, the current account deficit was only 0.4% of GDP, primarily due to large private transfers inflow. External debt remained stable at 39.3% of GDP.
In late 2005, Macedonian authorities concluded a new Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF and a Programmatic Development Policy Loan (PDPL) with the World Bank. In 2006 both financial institutions positively assessed their first review of enforcement of the programs, which resulted in the Macedonian Government withdrawing $12 million from the IMF and $30 million from the World Bank. Since that, the SBA has turned to be only precautionary as balance-of-payment support is not needed anymore. In March 2007, the World Bank Board approved the PDPL 2 arrangement, allowing the Government of Macedonia to withdraw another tranche worth $30 million. In late April 2007, the IMF Board approved the second positive review of the SBA.
Macedonia remains committed to pursuing membership in the European Union and global economic structures. It became a full World Trade Organization (WTO) member in April 2003. Following a 1997 cooperation agreement with the European Union (EU), Macedonia signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in April 2001, giving Macedonia duty-free access to European markets. In December 2005, it moved a step forward, obtaining candidate country status for EU accession. Macedonia has had a foreign trade deficit since 1994, which reached a record high of $1.362 billion in 2006, or 21.9% of GDP. Total 2006 trade (imports plus exports of goods and services) was $6.163 billion, or 99.2% of GDP. Macedonia's major trading partners are Serbia, Montenegro, Germany, and Greece. In 2006, total trade between Macedonia and the United States was $63.4 million. U.S. exports accounted for 1.1% of Macedonia's total imports. U.S. meat, mainly poultry, and electrical machinery have been particularly attractive to Macedonian importers. Principal Macedonian exports to the United States are tobacco, apparel, footwear, and iron and steel.
Macedonia has Free Trade Agreements with Ukraine, Turkey, and the European Free Trade Association countries. Bilateral agreements with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, UN Mission in Kosovo, and Moldova were replaced with the membership in the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), which the other countries joined in December 2006.
Macedonia established its armed forces following independence and the complete withdrawal of the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) in March 1992. The Macedonian Armed Forces consist of an army, navy, air and air defense force, and a police force (under the Ministry of Interior). Under its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Membership Action Plan, Macedonia has launched a major effort to reform and reconstruct its armed forces with the goal of building and sustaining a modern, professional defense force of about 12,000 troops.
Successive Macedonian governments have viewed integration into Euro-Atlantic political, economic, and security institutions as the country's primary foreign policy goal. In pursuit of these goals, Macedonia is restructuring its military to be smaller, more affordable, defensively oriented, and interoperable with NATO. The Macedonian Government has welcomed close cooperation with the U.S. military and seeks to deepen this relationship as it restructures its forces.
Macedonia continues to play an indispensable role as the Kosovo Force's (KFOR) rear area, hosting the logistical supply line for KFOR troops in Kosovo. As part of these efforts, Macedonia hosts NATO troops, including U.S. troops, in support of NATO operations in Kosovo and to assist Macedonia's efforts to reform its military to meet NATO standards. Close U.S.-Macedonian bilateral defense cooperation continues. Macedonia also contributes troops to international coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and recently deployed troops and equipment to support the EU peace support operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In February 1994, Greece imposed a trade embargo on Macedonia due to disputes over the use of the name "Macedonia" and other issues. Greece and Macedonia signed an interim accord in October 1995 ending the embargo and opening the way to diplomatic recognition and increased trade. After signing the agreement with Greece, Macedonia joined the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP). Athens and Skopje began talks on the name issue in New York under UN auspices in December 1995, opening liaison offices in respective capitals January 1996. These talks continue.
The stability of the young state was gravely tested during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, when Macedonia temporarily hosted about 360,000 refugees from the violence and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. The refugee influx put significant stress on Macedonia's weak social infrastructure. With the help of NATO and the international community, Macedonia ultimately was able to accommodate the influx. Following the resolution of the conflict, the overwhelming majority of refugees returned to Kosovo. A small number of Roma refugees from Kosovo remains in Macedonia, most of them housed in the predominantly Roma municipality of Suto Orizari in the Skopje suburbs, and supported by the UNHCR.
Macedonia enjoys good relations with its neighbors. It has strong trade and tourism ties with Greece, and has developed similarly robust political and trade ties with Albania and Bulgaria. Relations between Belgrade and Skopje are good overall, although a dispute between the Macedonian Orthodox Church and the Serb Orthodox Church has strained ties over the past two years. Relations with Kosovo are good, with Macedonia having signed an Interim Free Trade Agreement with UNMIK in 2005 and with regular bilateral political contacts occurring between Pristina and Skopje since 2005.
Macedonia also has made important strides toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Macedonia is an active participant in NATO's Partnership for Peace and Membership Action Plan, the OSCE, and United Nations, and was accepted as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in October 2002. In May 2003, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, and the U.S. created the Adriatic Charter, modeled on the Baltic Charter, as a mechanism for promoting regional cooperation to advance each country's NATO candidacy. Since then, the Adriatic Charter countries have cooperated closely in regional military exercises, and have deployed a joint medical team to support international coalition operations in Afghanistan. In 1999, the EU agreed to pursue a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Macedonia; negotiations with Macedonia were launched April 5, 2000. The SAA was signed April 2001 and came into force in April 2004. Its trade and trade-related provisions have been in force since June 2001. For Macedonia to successfully integrate within the global arena, continued efforts to strengthen its multi-ethnic civil society institutions, to develop measures to promote economic growth and investment, and to foster strong indigenous non-governmental organizations are necessary. On November 9, 2005 the European Commission recommended EU candidate status for the country. It recommended beginning formal accession negotiations after Macedonia had made further progress on a number of reform fronts, including combating corruption; enacting judicial, administrative, and economic reforms; and conducting free and fair parliamentary elections, in accordance with European standards, in 2006. In December 2005, the European Council granted candidate country status to Macedonia, taking into account the "substantial progress made in completing the legislative framework related to the Ohrid Framework Agreement, as well as its track record in implementing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (including its trade-related provisions) since 2001." The Council also noted the need to consider further steps toward membership in light of the debate on the enlargement strategy, and the need for Macedonia to continue strong progress toward meeting the Copenhagen political criteria, as well as Stabilization and Association Agreement requirements.
The United States and Macedonia have enjoyed good bilateral relations since Macedonia gained its independence in 1991. The United States formally recognized Macedonia on February 8, 1994, and the two countries established full diplomatic relations on September 13, 1995. The U.S. Liaison Office was upgraded to an Embassy in February 1996, and the first U.S. Ambassador to Skopje arrived in July 1996. The development of political relations between the United States and Macedonia has ushered in a whole host of other contacts between the two states.
The United States, together with its European allies, strongly condemned the initiators of the 2001 insurgency in Macedonia and closely supported the government and major parties' successful efforts to forge a peaceful, political solution to the crisis through the Ohrid Framework Agreement. In partnership with the EU and other international organizations active in Macedonia, the United States is facilitating the Macedonian Government's implementation of the Framework Agreement and fostering long-term peace and stability in the country. Macedonia continues to make an important contribution to regional stability by facilitating the logistical supply of NATO (including U.S.) peacekeepers in Kosovo.
Today, Macedonia and the United States enjoy a cooperative relationship across a broad range of political, economic, cultural, military, and social issues. The United States supports Macedonia's aspirations to build a democratically secure and market-oriented society, and has donated large amounts of foreign assistance for democracy and economic reforms, defense reforms, and projects to strengthen rule of law and improve education. Bilateral assistance budgeted to Macedonia under the Support Europe Economic Development (SEED) Act totaled over $320 million from 1990 to 2004, including budget support and other assistance to help Macedonia recover from the 2001 crisis. Macedonia received approximately $37 million in SEED Act assistance in 2005.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs in Macedonia promote accelerated growth, support stronger democratic institutions, and help educate Macedonians for a modern economy. A key focus of U.S. assistance is helping Macedonia implement the August 2001 Framework Agreement; implementing the decentralization provision is a priority. USAID is targeting capacity building for local government officials, who will have more authority and responsibility devolved from the central government, as well as providing grants to fund small-scale infrastructure projects.
A further priority of U.S. assistance is to facilitate Macedonia's transition to a market economy and increase employment and growth levels. USAID has identified and is now assisting the five most competitive sub-sectors of Macedonia's economy. USAID also helps Macedonian enterprises through business resource centers, improved access to credit and equity, trade and investment facilitation, and training. Programs target improvements in the business-enabling environment by helping to bring legislative and regulatory frameworks in line with EU standards and improving the transparency and efficiency of government services through technology. A resident U.S. Department of Treasury advisor is assisting the Ministry of Finance improve strategy, planning and execution, and public expenditure management.
USAID is working to strengthen Macedonia's non-governmental organization (NGO) and community networks, encourage judicial reform, in particular by modernizing court administration, and build capacity and transparency of the parliament and local governments. USAID has helped strengthen the State Election Commission's capacity to administer elections and supported domestic NGO election monitoring of the spring 2005 municipal elections. A U.S. Department of Justice Resident Legal Advisor focuses on strengthening the independence of the judiciary, efficacy of public prosecution, reform of criminal codes, and capacity to fight trafficking in persons and organized crime.
Complementing its assistance in Macedonia's political and economic transition, USAID programs improve education and human capacity in Macedonia through projects on the primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. Targets include improving teaching techniques, modernizing vocational education, providing computer labs in all schools, and expanding broadband Internet service throughout the country using primary and secondary schools as a platform. Other programs address crosscutting issues, including interethnic cooperation, assistance to the Roma minority, corruption, HIV/AIDS, and trafficking.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Gillian Milovanovic
Deputy Chief of Mission--Paul Wohlers
Political Affairs--Steve Hubler
Economic/Commercial Affairs--Michael Latham
Consul--Kimberly McDonald
Management Affairs--Gary Anderson
Public Affairs--Brian Shott
Defense Attach�--Col. Chris Benya
The U.S. Embassy in Macedonia is located at Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje (tel: [389] (2) 311-6180; fax: [389] (2) 311-7103).
Short URL: http://m.state.gov/md85077.htm


text: Replicating the benefits of baking in a brick oven, the ceramic bread cloche turns out individual loaves with tender, moist interiors and crispy, evenly golden crusts. The unglazed clay absorbs heat to ensure even baking on all sides, while the porous surface absorbs moisture to give the crust a crispy bite. Use the cloche to both proof and bake your loaf—ridges inside the bell produce proofing lines in the crust for a classic bakery-style finish.


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Modern 2 Light Dual Head Flood Light
2 Light Dual Head Flood Light with Metal Adjustable Shades - 6" Wide
2 Light Motion Detector Flood Light
Modern 1 Light Single Head Flood Light
Dual Head 2 Light Flood Light
9.75" Width 2 Light Motion Detector Flood Light
Essentials 2 Light Dual Head Flood Light
Single Head 1 Light Flood Light
PAR Lampholder Series Single-Light Adjustable Swivel Aluminum Flood Light with Shade
Essentials 1 Light Single Head Flood Light
2 Light 6.25" Adjustable Swivel Bullet
Flood Light 2 Light Dual Head Outdoor Flood Light
2 Light Dual Head Flood Light Outdoor Flood Light with Metal Shade
Two Light Down Lighting Outdoor Flood Light from the Outdoor Collection
Single Light Down Lighting Outdoor Flood Light from the Outdoor Collection
Dual Head 2 Light Flood Light with Motion Sensor
Delta 2 Light Outdoor LED Dual Head Flood Light with Photocell and Motion Sensor
LED Outdoor Single Head Flood Light from the LED Collection
1 Light Outdoor Single Head Flood Light from the Easylite Collection
LED Outdoor Single Head Flood Light from the Nautilus Collection
LED Outdoor Single Head Flood Light from the Sitra Collection
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Energy Star Rated Fixtures:
Energy Star is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
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ADA complaint fixtures are those that do not extend from the wall more than 4", helping to provide a safe and accessable environment for disabled Americans.
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Select this option to view fixtures that are equipped with a motion sensor device.
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Photocells, also known as "Dusk to Dawn," is a feature on some outdoor wall lights that control whether the fixture is illuminated. Save energy with photocells by making sure that your outdoor wall lights are only on when you need them.
Small Wall Lights:
Small outdoor wall lights will generally only consist of a single bulb and are usually smaller than 12" in width.
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Medium / Mid-Sized wall lights generally have 2 or more lights and can be up to 24" in width and height.
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Large outdoor wall lights usually use 3 or more bulbs and can come in sizes up to 36" (3 feet) in height.
Single Flood Lights:
A single flood light fixture usually comes with a tapered shade. Some fixtures will include motion sensors for added security.
Double Flood Lights:
A single flood light fixture usually comes with a double tapered shade. Some fixtures will include motion sensors for added security.
Rectangular Security Lights:
Rectangular security lights usually use high pressure bulbs to burn extremely bright. These fixtures are great to couple with motion sensors for added security in your driveway, backyard or anywhere else.
UL Wet Location:
Wet rated wall lights can be placed in locations where they will be in direct contact with water.
UL Damp Location:
Damp rated wall lights are designed to be installed in locations where they will not be in direct contact with water but may experience damp conditions due to condensation or other indirect water contact.
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Dry location fixtures should only be installed in locations where they will experience no contact with water
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Whether you have a favorite lighting brand or are trying to match lighting that you currently own, you can use this field to narrow your selection down to your preferred outdoor lighting manufacturer.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient Light is designed to splay light in all directions and is usually good for close to ceiling applications.
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Down Lighting directs light downwards by using open or glass bottom shades to minimize the amount of light that is projected upwards towards the ceiling.
Up / Down Lighting
Up / Down Lighting or convertible fixtures are designed to be mounted either way. Although some fixtures may only be pictured in one direction, these fixtures will have specialized shade mounting hardware to eliminate the possibility of the shade detaching from the fixture as well as compensate for heat displament when mounted downward.
Up Lighting
Up Lighting is a quite common form of outdoor wall lighting and although the light is being directed upwards will still provide ample illumination for many applications.
Wall Light Shade Shape Examples:
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Compact Fluorescent (CFL)
CFL bulbs are more and more frequently becoming the norm in the American household. With their long life span and bright shades CFL's are always a good option if you want a fixture that performs and saves you money every year.
Fluorescent tubes are uncommon in outdoor lighting but, when available, come in many different styles such as the most common T4 and T5 bulbs.
Halogen bulbs are known for their brightness and long life spans. Although these bulbs get quite hot they are a good solution if you are looking for ample amounts of light.
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Xenon / Krypton
Much like their halogen counterparts are extremely bright bulbs with long lifespans that will use a Xenon or Krypton gas inside the bulb.
Selecting the Number of Bulbs
Use this section to select the number of bulbs that you prefer your fixture to have. Once you select a given range you will be able to narrow it down further to a specific number of bulbs.
For example, if you are shopping for a 2 light fixture you will want to select "0-3 Lights", and then "2 Bulbs" in the "Bulb Count" section on the next screen.
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May 3, 2016
DETROIT (AP) - Graco Children's Products has added 403,222 child seats to last month's recall of 3.8 million to replace faulty harness buckles.
But the added seats won't end a dispute with the U.S. government's road safety watchdog. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration still wants Graco to add 1.8 million infant seats to the recall because they have the same buckles.
Buckles can get gummed up by food and drinks, making it difficult to remove children. In some cases parents have had to cut harnesses to get their children out. The agency says the problem increases the injury risk in emergencies.
Graco says in a letter to the agency that it found additional toddler and harnessed booster seats that should be recalled. The company still believes the infant seats should be excluded.
Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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- 427Promote
Stationery Cards
Royal Portrait, 1931by Eric Fan
Set of folded stationery cards printed on bright white, smooth card stock to bring your personal artistic style to everyday correspondence. Each card is blank on the inside and includes a soft white, European fold envelope for mailing.
babar, elephant, vintage, funny...
HOW do you think of these things??!! : D
Awesomeness! Love!
Histoire de Babar! As good, if not better, than the original illustrations.
Thank you inourgardentoo, Melissa, Lisa, and Geoffrey (haha, not a chance Geoffrey, but thank you!)
ah- eric- this is super royal thumbs up! ;)
Great work, Eric!
Thank you PAUL and Jacqueline!
This is so beautifully rendered! Awesome work, Eric!
Thanks so much, Brooke!
you are master eric!
hahahaha this is so awesome. great idea. incredible execution.
Muy bueno!
Love this! Perfect!
awesome :D
awesome :)
Thank you noblackcolor, Will, María, Megstuff, zoe, and Börg! Great comments to wake up to. :D
YEs! beautiful work Eric!
Oooh, brings back good memories. I loved Babar as a kid. Wonderful work on this.
LOVE this! :o)
This is absolutely fantastic, Eric! Love your cross-hatching!!
Magnificent Eric!! I foresee this print adorning many humble dwellings across the land!
Amazing! He looks like Babar!
love the textures...he's totally royal and wears a suit well! ♥
lovely eric! truly:)
Yay, Babar!!! I love it Eric!!!
Babar was always my favorite! LOVE THIS!
Thanks so much gwenola, Beth, ElephantTrunkStudio, Judith, Noel, Laura, GaleStorm, Yetiland, Skye, and Brandon! I really appreciate all your support.
Amazing work mate.
Amazing work mate.
I LOVED BABAR!!!! LOVE this Eric!
Thank you Pablo and Ben! :D
Babar! I love this!
Wow. Wow. Gorgeous work, a pristine piece!
Thanks so much Dianah, Rachel, and Luna! :)
Wow!!!Great work, Eric!
the detail in the bg really makes the crown pop.
Genius work Eric!
Thank you Hugo, p-lops, and John!
Isto é muito bom!!!
This is great! Cool remix of Babar!
Love this Eric!
I used to watch Babar religiously! Awesome!
I hope some day to see a book illustrated by you. It seems only right.
I agree with Geoffrey!
Gosh, thanks for all the amazing comments and support nanaug, Michael, Oliver, RokinRonda, and Timothy. Thank you so much Geoffrey and GaleStorm Artworks for your incredible kind remarks. It means a lot to me coming from two artists I respect so much.
Pretty hard for him to put his hands in his pockets, no?
Great work, as usual!
Great work, as usual!
haha YES! AWESOME AWESOME
Amazing master
great art!
Babar! So cool.
babarrrr! love it
Amazing work !!!
Really love this! Used to watch Babar all the time :)
This absolutely made my day. Any chance we could get it as a t-shirt??
Beautiful, beautiful work - and I don't mean just this one...
Beautiful, beautiful work - and I don't mean just this one...
Hahahahaha! This is amazing!
very cool!
What a great rendering Eric! Nice work!
Babar!!! love
absolutely brilliant Eric - impressed
Love this!! Babar!!
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Carry this color and show your support for breast cancer research. Learn more about the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.
This style can be Personalized!
Learn more about Personalization
A shiny silver clip lets you attach the Flap ID to keys, handbags and more or tucks away when not in use. The front pushlock flap opens to reveal a phone-ready compartment while the back features a convenient ID window. It's the perfect addition to your keychain!
6" x 4"
Spot Clean


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On June 28th almost 300 people came to celebrate good, clean, fair food in the incomparable surroundings that are Yew Dell Botanical Gardens. The dinner supported 14 local farms, farmers, cheese-makers, and a winery who produce high-quality and healthy local food and drinks. The dinner featured locally produced meats and produce, all expertly prepared by Kathy Cary of Lily's Restaurant. And beyond the delicious fare, many of the farmers responsible for the food on the table attended. They'll talk about their farms, their traditions, and their products.
The event received generous sponsorship support from the community both financial and in-kind resulting in over $15,000 raised to support food garden programming, children's gardening programs, horticulture and botanical research.
Yew Dell's commitment to Slow Food continues with our Slow and Ugly Tomato Contest August 21st from 2-4pm. Slow Food and local tomatoes just seem to go hand in had. In this session, Slow Food USA Southeast Governor and Brown-Forman chef, Mark Williams will lead a summer celebration of the queen of the veggie garden – the tomato! Bring your own entry for the Ugly Tomato Contest! Register here, $20 for members/$25 for non-members.


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It's a normal day at the office, and then you hear it – a sneeze coming from your cubemate. You know the drill. Grab the Clorox wipes, whip out the Emergen-C, and subtly suggest they head home early. But what do you do when it's your coworker's stress, not cold germs, that's contagious?
Image via mensfitness.com
According to the Wall Street Journal, this is actually a real thing – a coworker's high stress levels are infectious. So that frazzled colleague who's always slamming the phone down, racing from meeting to meeting, and in a 24/7 panic is, whether you realize it or not, giving you secondhand stress. And here you thought secondhand smoke was annoying.
The worst part? There is no Emergen-C for this little predicament – unless doling out Xanax is allowed in your office (and I'm guessing it isn't). Until then, I plan on sending around this study to a select few colleagues. And I'll probably throw in a wink face, because emojis make everything acceptable, right?
Read more about office stress on the Wall Street Journal.
By Keriann Coffey, Associate Editor
What do you think? Tweet us at @ruelala to share.
Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You'll love Rue La La. Join now.


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The Power of Independent Thinking
How Rising College Costs Hurt Families and Society
Recorded: Monday, December 24, 2012
Research Fellow Vicki Alger discusses the increasing debt burden of student loans and the state of college finances in an interview with Joy Pullman on Heartland.
Experts: Vicki E. AlgerType: RadioIssues: Culture/ Society, Economic Policy, Education, Labor and Employment
Paul Krugmans Follies and Public Sector Pension Reform with Robert Higgs
Recorded: Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Senior Fellow Robert Higgs, author of Delusions of Power, discusses the vulgar Keynesianism of Paul Krugman with Martha Montelongo on Gadfly Radio.
Experts: Robert HiggsType: RadioIssues: Economic History and Development (International), Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy


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May 6, 2016
By: Mike Springer
April 26, 2013
Wakulla County, FL-An amendment attached to Senate Bil 1024 is causing concern in some of Florida's coastal communities.
"We need clear-cut language that the RESTORE Act funds that are suppose to go directly to the County are excluded from Senate Bill 1024," said Wakulla County Commissioner, Ralph Thomas.
The federal RESTORE Act distributes money collected from fines imposed on B.P. for the 2010 oil spill. The money is then redistributed to the states affected by the spill. The amendment would create a nonprofit cooperation Triumph Gulf Coast Inc to handle the funds.
The counties worry if the amendment passes, they would have to go through the state in order to get the money rather than the money being given directly to them as originally promised.
Senator Bill Montford represents several of those counties expecting to receive RESTORE Act funds.
"We made it very clear in the meeting that the RESTORE money would not be impacted, would not be touched. The RESTORE money, rightfully so, goes directly to the eight most negatively impacted counties," said Montford.
Montford says an amendment was filed Friday to further clarify the original amendment.
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|This is the article on information on the character. If you are looking for the article on information on the ability, head to Animal Path. For other uses, see Animal Path (disambiguation).
|editFirst Animal Path
|畜生道 Chikushōdō
|Volume #41, Naruto Chapter #371
|Naruto Shippūden Episode #127
|Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3
|Naruto Shippūden: UNSG anime cutscenes
|Appears in
|Anime, Manga, Game
|Voice Actors
He was a ninja that fought Jiraiya in the past, his corpse found by Nagato years later and converted into the first Animal Path. In the anime, the ninja is revealed to may have been the basis of the antagonist from Jiraiya's Tales of a Gutsy Shinobi.
The ninja hair had a light green color when he was alive, tied back in a long ponytail with a fringe hanging down from the right side of his head. He received a scar on his forehead during an encounter with Jiraiya, which was usually obstructed by the Animal Path's forehead protector.
This body belonged to a member of the Fūma clan, due to this many citizens of Amegakure believed Pain to be from the Fūma clan.
Like other corpses, the Animal Path possessed Nagato's Rinnegan and its hair was dyed orange. It had a large bridge piercing through its upper nose which was attached on each cheek with a circular stud, one stud on its upper nose, six studs around the bottom of its face, and one stud on each ear. It does not have eyebrows. While being examined by Konoha, the body was shown to have multiple piercings on its chest and legs as well.
As the corpse through which the Animal Path ability was channelled, this body had the ability to summon the animals under the control of Pain such as a snake-tailed chameleon, a crab, a dog, and a bird. Along with these it could also summon the other Six Paths of Pain corpses and Konan.
Part II
Itachi Pursuit Arc
Activated to confront Jiraiya when he infiltrated the village, Nagato has the Animal Path confront his former mentor. After a brief exchange of words, the Animal Path summons a giant crustacean which it has wash away the oil that covered Konan's body. As the battle ensued, the Animal Path summoned several more offensive and defensive type animals into battle against Jiraiya but is later seemingly defeated until the other three of the Six Paths of Pain arrive. The Animal Path is subsequently sucked into Jiraiya's Gourd Toad where it is taken to Konohagakure.
Invasion of Pain Arc
By the time he begins his invasion of Konoha, Nagato converted another corpse into a new Animal Path. By that time, the mystery of Pain's Paths is revealed when the first Animal Path was autopsied by Shizune, Oyone and Kumadori. However, Nagato sent his Preta Path to retrieve the chakra receivers from the Animal Path and subsequently used it as a shield when confronted by Tsume Inuzuka and Kuromaru.


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This fun and simple costume idea comes with some added features that will really make your unsuspecting friends and family members scream. The black T- Shirt features a demented looking villain gritting his teeth and showing off his pried open eyeball. But even better, download the free app that comes with the shirt and put your cell phone in the pocket on the inside of the shirt and the bulging eyeball will move around!
I've got my eye on you... Wear our creepy interactive Headless Butler Men's T-shirt to your next Halloween party and you'll have everyone doing a double take. This comfortable shirt has an up-close image of a snarling man with sharp, yellowing teeth. He won't need to worry about loosing a staring contest—his eyelid is pinned open by three safety pins. This shirt comes with a free app that will work with any iPhone or Android. Download it and it will sync up with a hidden panel in the shirt to make it look like the man's bloodshot eye is looking around the room. Everyone will get the feeling that they're being watched when you come to the party in this easy Halloween outfit. Get it today and you won't have to worry about any uncomfortable costumes.