text:
Presented at Tech Jobs LA at Blankspaces, July 21, 2012 The growth of the Web and proliferation of mobile devices has created a huge opportunity for people who can design the look and behavior of digital products. This work spans single-person-single-device interactions through experiences that include multiple people, devices and locations. User Experience Designer (UXD), […]
Archives for the 'Hiring' Category
The Right Stuff: What's in YOUR Portfolio?
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Where the designers are
Friday, 5 August 2011
People often ask me "Where can I find a designer to work with me?" Most of the good matches I've seen have been made through referrals and introductions. If you know designers, or people who work with them, ask them if they know anyone who can help you. Check your LinkedIn connections for designers and […]
Why do we have a shortage of designers?
Friday, 31 December 2010
The creation of digital products is a cross-disciplinary activity that involves groups of people. A successful interaction designer has deep skills in some areas and a general understanding of the entire process. Interaction design is a profession that requires good people skills and facilitation experience. It's difficult to gain this sort of breadth without the experience that comes over time, working on a variety of projects. People who focus on the craft of interaction design as a career require time and practice to develop mastery of the techniques. This process can be improved by regular exposure to more experienced practitioners who can provide advice and support.
Sometimes the way design jobs are structured aren't attractive to senior designers. When interaction design work is broken into research, construction and usability, it's more difficult to have an impact on the product because each individuals' work is structured as a series of handoffs, rather than as an overall objective for a collaborative team. Some of my most skilled IxD colleagues have accepted positions as product managers, to have more of impact on the whole product, having felt marginalized by the design related roles available on the team.
How do we grow the next generation of UX talent?
Friday, 24 December 2010
How can we create work that's appropriate for a new interaction designer as they gain the full compliment of skills? I've observed that there's often a mismatch between academic programs and the demands of employment in the field. As an employer of interaction designers, I've had difficulty finding people who have a work-ready skill set right out of school. Most often, it takes a couple years working in a professional environment before someone picks up the necessary combination of design thinking skills, tools use, collaboration and facilitation skills, client interaction and project management, and general knowledge of how the business world works. When evaluating an applicant, I want to see their process and approach as well as finished work. Most junior level jobs only expose someone to pieces of a project, and don't provide opportunities to experience the end-to-end process of finding insight, creating a concept, constructing a prototype or other artifact and validating that with actual users. It's even less common that someone's had that chance to do that work as part of a collaborative balanced team.
What if we could treat apprenticeship as a form of entrepreneurial exercise? The apprentice creates a portfolio piece that follows an idea from research and concept identification to visualization and validation. With that as a basis, we'd just have to figure out how to extend that individual practice into an ability to participate as a part of cross-functional team. Ideally, we could create cross-functional teams and mentor THEM, but would that still be considered apprenticeship, or an incubator?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Is it possible to hurt your unborn baby??
I'm 27 weeks and I'm so afraid of bending over or not sitting up straight because I fell like I'm going to hurt my baby... Is that possible???
Posted: 10/08/2007 by MzWenDee
Mom Answers
Sort by: best answers | most recent answers
1 - 10 of 20 answers
I felt the same exact way with my first child, and I asked my mom (who has had 6 kids) and my doctor, and they both assured me that the baby is totally fine and would let you know if it was uncomfortable. There is so much room for the baby to move around, and a lot of cushion that bending over won't bother the baby at all.......you have nothing to worry about. Oh yeah and my sister is a certified yoga instructor and teaches yoga for pregnant women, and believe me thats a lot of bending and puting yourself in different positions. So don't worry aobut it your baby is completely fine.posted 10/11/2007 by tash_senior
I am 16 week's, all i seem to do is worry whether i am hurting the baby... i am sitting, standing, bending correctly without harming my unborn baby. I talked to family members for their oppinion and they couldn't believe how i was being so silly! :D The baby is so protected! A woman was made to carry & and deliver life into this world, there's the amniotic sac which protects the baby from any inpact... if you look more on this website you will find diagram's which show you all the different types of wall's which protect your baby :-) everything should be fine sweetheart, but i had the same problem! It's because you feel and care for your baby so much, you'd never want to put it at any harm in anyway :-) Hope this is useful for you, and goodluck with the rest of your pregnancy! :-) Luv Kimberley x x xposted 12/19/2007 by a BabyCenter Member
I had the same question for my doctor and he told me not to worry about hurting the baby. bending over doesn't hurt the baby. it is well protected in there.posted 10/12/2007 by kaymb7
Bending over will not hurt you unborn baby. I worked out through my 41st week of pregnancy with my daughter and everything was fine. (I think I had an easier labor because I was limber.) You do need to be careful not to fall while pregnant. If you feel like you are unsteady when you are bending over, please hold on to something so you do not fall. The extra weight of carrying a baby centered in one area can make you feel unbalanced.posted 11/20/2007 by judisd
I'm 18 weeks pregnant with twins and quickly bent sideways yesterday to pick something up. I felt one of the twins (or an internal organ!) move and felt terrible. I've been trying to reassure myself that they are fine in there, still have plenty of room and were just scooting out of the way. Your comments here are very reassuring!posted 07/15/2009 by 42stargirl
stargirl, I've done the exact same thing.. she definitely has moved out of the way in there.. and then last night, I woke up from a bad dream, and had been sleeping so scruched up on my right side that i think I was squishing her! I moved to my back, and she went crazy! I think she was trying to stretch out or something, but she's never moved so frantically, and so much, since I've been pregnant! I felt terrible, but these answers have made me feel better. She was probably just relieved that she had some more space to move!posted 07/29/2010 by lakegirl171
Hi, I feel the same way as you and I had a similar question, I feel like anything I do or don't do will hurt my baby and that has me really scared. Recently I was seating on my bed and fell backwards, I felt like everything inside me jumped and moved and I am scared that I could've harmed my baby, am I exaggerating or could I really have hurt my baby?posted 04/08/2015 by serranob1997
i have been setting down and bend down to pick up my cup and dident think about hurting the baby until i had already got the cup i felt a quick pressure on the side i had lean on and then nothing this is different than bending down is this ok 36 weeksposted 07/28/2014 by destinywilliams89
These post are so reassuring! Thank you all so much for your input!posted 11/25/2012 by Bk_Chic
I worry about that too I work and bend up and down all the time at 19 weeks (felt the baby kick yesterday for the first time) I have a dr apr Thursday and will ask just to make sure it's ok for me to do all the bending I do ! Good luck :)posted 10/30/2012 by liltinygurl64239
Answer this question


text:
National humiliation
Richard at EU Referendum pounds away at the Brits' bungling of the hostage crisis:
[A]s more details emerge of the snatch, it has emerged that only two boats were initially used by the Iranians. Video footage has been released by Iranian television showing close-ups of one of the vessels, a small speedboat with a crew of three, armed with what appears to be a single 12.7mm machine gun.
This was hardly a formidable force and one which, with the right assets in place and an alert overwatch, could easily have been seen off. Given the enormous repercussions of the kidnapping – to say nothing of the national humiliation – questions as to how the British service personnel were so easily ambushed now become increasingly urgent.
"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said."
March 26, 2016 11:08 PM by Michelle Malkin
Salesmanship fail: Rep. Patrick Murphy channels his inner Neville Chamberlain to pitch Iran deal
August 31, 2015 08:57 PM by Doug Powers
Super Sunday open thread: I'm just in it for the food this year
February 1, 2015 02:29 PM by Doug Powers
Hypocrisy whopper: Warren Buffett helps finance Burger King's US tax reduction
August 26, 2014 10:24 AM by Doug Powers
The novels of Carole Malkin
August 15, 2014 01:51 PM by Michelle Malkin
Categories: Uncategorized


text:
Best Nightclub: Carlos O'brian's
Published Apr 27, 2006 - (Updated Dec 19, 2012)
Featured in Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine, Spring/Summer 2006 issue.
Having just celebrated 34 years in Puerto Vallarta, Carlos O'Brian's, of the Anderson's chain of restaurants, is without a doubt the best nightclub in town. And no wonder! Located at the heart of the Malecon, the atmosphere caters to both locals and visitors, with excellent music and a friendly environment. The prices are neither too lofty nor downright low, and the service is swift, friendly and efficient. The nighttime parties are hot, the people attending being the best-known faces in town and brawls highly unlikely to occur. With a restaurant atmosphere in the evenings (hearty, spicy cuisine) and the bar aspect later on, it is overall the classic nightclub of choice, and no visit to Puerto Vallarta is complete without a Saturday night at Carlos O'brian's! Díaz Ordaz 786, El Centro.


text:
Frozen Dairy Bar & Boardwalk Pizza
6641 Arlington Blvd. Send to Phone
703-534-4200 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
OpenLunch & Dinner daily
- Parking lot
- Dress code: Casual
- Kid-friendly
- No Credit Cards
* Click here for rating key
Frozen Dairy Bar & Boardwalk Pizza Restaurant Review: While the years have wrought changes in this old-timer---from its existence as a standalone shack to an enclosed and shiny modern eatery---the place still serves some of the best and creamiest frozen custard. To keep its business a year-round entity, and as a way to compete with the younger, fresher gelato and ice cream parlors, management has added a hot menu with pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and a few Italian entrées. Yet the savvy know that the real draw is the frozen custard: sadly, you'll find only two flavors, chocolate and vanilla, and a swirl of the two. Also check out the shakes and malts.
Sign up to receive the 2016 edition of GAYOT's Annual Restaurant Issue, which will feature the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. and more.


text:
Lady Antebellum will soon be inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The honor is especially meaningful to Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, who grew up in the southern state.
CMT reported on Friday that Lady A will celebrate the honor with fellow inductees Jeff Foxworthy, Wet Willie, Collective Soul's Ed Roland, blues singer Francine Reed, late gospel artist Wally Fowler and record label founder Ed Beard. The latest inductees' honors include recognition for performing, spoken word, group performance, songwriting and more.
MusicRow quotes Dave Haywood as saying:
We've never been a part of something like this before," said Lady A's Haywood. "It's pretty special hearing the words 'Lady Antebellum' and 'hall of fame' in the same sentence. We really feel honored to be included.
It's easy to understand why the members of Lady Antebellum would feel so honored. Even though the band has received worldwide recognition, eight GRAMMY awards, seven ACM awards, six CMA Awards and a host of other industry awards, there's something very special about being honored in the state where you grew up and dreamed of one day making it big in the music industry.
Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood had attended school together in Georgia. When Charles Kelley moved to Nashville to pursue country music full time, he invited Dave Haywood to make the move with him and team up to write songs. Soon after, Hillary Scott was invited to join the group and by the following year, the band's first single "Love Don't Live Here" was climbing the Hot Country Songs chart. The rest, as they say, is history.
According to Georgia Music Magazine, two entities preside over the induction process for the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The Georgia Senate Music Industry Committee and a non-profit organization, Friends of Georgia Music Festival, Inc., review the nominations and determine the final inductees for the year. Anyone can make a nomination, but the nominee must have lived in Georgia for at least one year and received a state national acclaim for achievements in the field of recorded music. The person making the nomination must be able to show the musician or music industry non-performer's ties to Georgia, as indicated on the application.
Lady Antebellum's eight years and twelve top ten hits thus far, plus the multitude of music awards, certainly qualifies them as having national acclaim. Perhaps Lady Antebellum's induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame will be a stepping stone to the Country Music Hall of Fame one day.


text:
Apartment Hotel in Miami from Globe Quarters Corporate Housing
Fall in Love with our Apartment hotel Miami!
Click here to get more information on our property, rates and specials.
Welcome to Globe Quarters apartment hotel in Miami – your home away from home! Whether you are traveling alone, with family, or with a group of friends, you will find the utmost in luxurious comfort and convenience at Globe Quarters.
Sunny Isles Beach luxury residence for stay in Miami offered by Globe Quarters Corporate Housing
Our apartment hotel in Miami is a part of the gated community that includes 3 towers and has everything from 24-hour valet parking to on-site convenience store. Globe Quarters provides outstanding accommodations for a comfortable and relaxing stay. Our suites feature two bathrooms, comfortable beds, spacious rooms and private balcony. Enjoy white sand beach located within walking distance or stay at the sun deck area that features large outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, chairs and sun beds. You are welcome to visit the lounge with billiards table and amazing panorama.
Indulge into the relaxation and tranquility in the suites by Globe Quarters. In its apartment hotel in Miami, Globe Quarters ensures world-class luxury at affordable price. You can enjoy the breath-taking view of the ocean or the bay from your private terrace. For dining-in, our guests can prepare everything they need in the fully-equipped kitchen. For out-door experience, you are welcome to take advantage of the barbeque area for grilling. Your stay will be complete with the convenience of covered garage space or valet parking.
Globe Quarters Corporate Housing is an excellent choice for families looking for a community atmosphere and socializing. You and your kids can engage in fun activities and explore our complex facilities, including an outdoor children's playground, indoor children's play room and gaming area. While staying at Globe Quarters apartment hotel in Miami, do not forget to enjoy the on-site state-of-the-art fitness center and SPA.
Immerse yourself in luxury with exquisitely designed personal living quarters. Your stay is guaranteed to be a memorable one, as you enjoy the close proximity to shopping, fine restaurants, and Miami Beach nightlife. Our apartment hotel Miami provides you with everything you might need for a convenient stay: from a flat screen TVs, cable, wireless internet and spacious dining area to a dishwasher, vacuum, washing machine and dryer in the unit. Globe Quarters ensures that during the stay you can easily run your everyday errands, concentrate on your work or relax and stay in for a quiet evening.
Globe Quarters will meet your every expectation for an apartment hotel in Miami. Our customer service is top notch and able to provide information on everything you might need before and during your stay. We are happy to address your every question and accommodate your every need. You can choose to stay as little, or as long as you like with discounts for extended stay. Compared to others, Globe Quarters is an apartment hotel Miami that offers the most competitive rates. With more space, better location, and far more amenities, we know you will love the extraordinary quality of these apartments and the incredible savings. Guests love the family-friendly atmosphere, as well as the modern decor and beautiful landscaping. You can get the best accommodations in Miami at the price, with which you are comfortable.
With Globe Quarters, the world-class luxury is at your fingertips. Call us today at (212) 842-1202to check availability, rates and specials, or e-mail Globe Quarters email@example.com.


text:
I bought a Stonebridge G20 CM about a month ago. The action was very high and was lowered by the seller. The saddle was very low even before the action was lowered, but now there's hardly any saddle…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Ship of fools Aug 27, 2012.
© 2016 Created by Acoustic Guitar. Powered by


text:
Related pages
Transition to Sustainability: The Inclusive Wealth Report
17 Jun 2012 - 17 Jun 2012The Inclusive Wealth Report 2012 will be officially launched at a side event hosted at the UNEP Pavilion.
UNEP Pavilion, Athletes Park (opposite RioCentro), Avenida Salvador Allende, No.6555, Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
UNEP Pavilion, Athletes Park (opposite RioCentro), Avenida Salvador Allende, No.6555, Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The session will be opened by Achim Steiner, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UNEP Executive Director and Professor Konrad Osterwalder, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UNU Executive Director. Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta and Dr. Pablo Munoz will provide scientific background of inclusive wealth accounting and present the key findings of the Inclusive Wealth Report 2012.
The second half of the side event will feature a panel discussion on �Wealth Accounting in Practice �
a Science-Policy Perspective�.
Moldan Bedrich, Senator and former Minister of Environment, Czech Republic
George Kell, Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact (tbc)
Dr. Pushpam Kumar, Chief of the Ecosystem Services Economics Unit of Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI), UNEP
Dr. Kirsten Oleson, University of Hawaii
Business Representative (tbc)
Dr. Vanessa Petrelli Correa, President of the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Brazil (tbc)
Professor Anantha Duraiappah, Executive Director UNU-IHDP
A corresponding media advisory is scheduled for June 17, 11.30-12.00am at Rio Centro.
For inquiries, please contact Anne Kathrin Raab, UNU-IHDP Communications Manager, at +49 228 815 0616, firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Inclusive Wealth Report 2012 will be published by Cambridge University Press and will be available from June 21.


text:
Cuba presents many interesting and unique opportunities for a photographer.
The embargo and subsequent Russian period of influence that ruined the country economically has created a culture lost in time. Not only are the cars from a by-gone era, surprisingly a majority of the population still relies on horse and ox. Nature has not been ravaged by industrialization, the sort that wreaked havoc on America's rivers during the 1950's and 60's. There are no multinationals or big-box stores to homogenize the city or landscape. "For the first time in my thirty -year career as a "color" photographer I have chosen to present a body of work in black and white". The gritty textures of Havana, the people, retro cars and culture seem to predate color film. Black and white photography strips away distractions and bites deep into the unadorned subject matter.
Nationally recognized and the Hudson Valley's pre-eminent landscape photographer, Nick Zungoli opened the Exposures Gallery in Sugar Loaf Art & Craft Village, NY in 1979. His original fine art photographs and posters have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Nick has contributed to publications such the New York Times, National Geographic and Sierra Magazines. His beautiful coffee table book entitled "Hudson to Delaware / The Great Valley", contains over 140 color photographs spanning 25 years in the region. Nick's digital photo workshops are offered year round at his gallery and occasionally at exotic locales.
Comment posted.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Tuscany 2012 Published December 20, 2012
The 2011 Amalfi "Walkshop" Published December 08, 2011
Mekong Journal Published August 08, 2011
Thankful Acres Farm Warwick, New York Published December 02, 2010
Thankful Acres Farm Summer Published November 17, 2010
Trifecta Published July 04, 2010
Thankful Acres Farm Spring Published May 23, 2010
Thankful Acres Farm Winter Published April 15, 2010


text:
A pilot program arranged by Sheriff Michael Bellotti aims to rehabilitate both prison inmates and injured wildlife. Inmates from the Norfolk County Jail work at the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass. to learn about respect and discipline, according to WBZ4. The program is now complete and has been deemed a success.
Inmates like Lionel and Kenny help around the center, using carpentry skills or feeding medicine to animals in need. While there, they are working hard and learning new life skills.
Chaz, another inmate, who had been released during the program, returned to volunteer a few days a week.
Inmates sit through classes learning the basics of wildlife. Each are assigned to specific jobs around the center. Kenny used his carpentry skills to help keep the foxes from escaping their pens.
"It hopefully bridges that gap from jail to the real world," said Sheriff Bellotti, remarking that the price of the program, $22,000, was well worth it, citing Chaz as a prime example. "That's re-entry."
Another round of inmates is scheduled to go through the program in a couple of months.
In other news:
Memorial to be held for the 25 cats killed in Yonkers, NY
Missouri man killed by car trying to save dog
Dog used as weapon, Pittsfield man gets 3 to 4 years in prison
Baby seal abandoned due to human interference
Puppy abused by worker at Ashland boarding kennel


text:
Players will be able to choose between four fantasy races, several different classes, and their character's preferred gender when Dragon Age: Inquisition releases later this year. While many games limit what classes certain races can be, Dragon Age Creative Director Mike Laidlaw confirmed on March 13 that fans will be able to play any combination of race and class with one exception. Due to the lore of the series, dwarves cannot be mages because of their magical resistances.
Every race and gender can be any class, except dwarves, who still have no mages.
Bioware is currently at work making sure the individual races, and each gender, has their own unique animations to use for each possible class. Aaryn Flynn, general manager for Bioware's Edmonton and Montreal studios, announced on Thursday that the animations for the male qunari mage are now coming along nicely.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is scheduled to release this fall on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. Unlike Dragon Age II, the series' third installment will once again allow fans to choose to play as different fantasy races include humans, elves, dwarves, and qunari.
Follow Game On, powered by Examiner.com, on Facebook and Twitter for more gaming news, reviews, and exclusive content.


text:
adidas Men's Miami Heat Dwyane Wade Performance Road Replica Jersey
|Eligible for Free Shipping on Orders $39 or More! (see promotion details)
Product Details
Don't let your undying spirit go unnoticed -- throw on this sporty adidas® men's Miami Heat® Dwyane Wade Performance road replica jersey and watch the crowd go wild! Your favorite shooting guard's number and team wordmark are smoothly screenprinted on the front to let everyone know who you're cheering for. You'll yell even louder every time he drives to the net because you'll be decked out in bona fide NBA® fan gear.
- 100% polyester mesh
- Sleeveless
- V-neckline with back-neck taping
- Screenprinted team name and player number on front; NBA® Logoman®, player name and number on back
- Rib-knit collar and armholes
- Contrast team color details on sides, neckline and armholes
- Jock tag and adidas® performance label at left hem
- adidas® logo on right chest
- Officially licensed
- Machine wash
- Model: 7818A3HBAEB549
- Imported


text:
1001 Lafayette Dr. (Hwy. 40 E.) Send to Phone
724-329-6272 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
OpenBreakfast & Dinner daily
- Valet parking
- Dress code: Casual
- Full bar
- Heart-healthy dishes
- Kid-friendly
- Outdoor dining
- Private room(s)
- Reservations suggested
- Romantic setting
- View
* Click here for rating key
Autumn Restaurant Review: In transforming its concept to a sustainability model, Autumn swapped out its original salt and pepper shakers for bamboo models, installed a major water system to eliminate the need for bottled water, adopted a composting system, and planted the large patio with tomatoes. The kitchen aims to source all products it doesn't grow or produce as locally as possible, and the restaurant is committed to sustainable seafood guidelines. Seasonal desserts encompass local fruit and berry cobblers, spice cake, and molten German chocolate cake. The wine list taps the resort's extensive cellar. A private dining room accommodates eight to ten, and there's a notable bar, an appealing solarium and an elegant wine room.
Sign up to receive the 2016 edition of GAYOT's Annual Restaurant Issue, which will feature the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. and more.


text:
3DGPU have an interesting article showing how to copy protected games and CD's. If you've ever wanted to know how to *cough* backup *cough* those types of CD's of yours lying around in case they ever self-destruct, you should take time to read this article.
The CD-MATE software is very intuitive. You start with the Recording Wizard, choose "CD-ROM to Imagefile" then on the next screen, try checking every single box in the "Advanced Options" area unless you have a specific reason not to, click the "Wizard" button and choose the "Source CD Read Type", which should list all the common protections, such as Safe Disc 1 & 2, SecurROM 1 & 2, Laser-Lock and others. Then on the Write page, select RAW+SUB Write Mode, Enable Buffer Underrun and under "Write Options" click the Write option and probably the S.A.M option.More information @ 3DGPU


text:
Irvine-based food processor and distributor Golden State Foods is now the 51 percent majority owner of KanPak China, a company in Xiantao City that produces and packages cold and frozen beverages and desserts for the fast food industry.
Golden State Foods generated $5 billion in revenue last year processing and distributing liquid products, meat, produce and bakery items for approximately 50 fast food companies around the world. The company produces ketchup packets and other products for McDonald's.
"This acquisition is part of our company's strategy to meet the needs of fast-growing international markets," said CEO Mark Wetterau.
Golden State Foods plans to use KanPak facilities next year to produce the company's existing products, said Shellie Frey, the company's vice president of corporate communications. The Xiantao facility has approximately 200 workers.
Golden State Foods bought KanPak China from the firm's parent company, KanPak LLC, which is based in Wichita, Kansas and has other plants in Kansas and Mexico.
Contact the writer: 714-796-3589 or email@example.com


text:
CLAIM: Miley Cyrus is Cutting Herself
"Miley Cyrus Admits to Cutting??" reads a headline from Perez Hilton, who writes, "We really hope it's not true, but pictures don't lie."
The blogger says, "All we want is for her to be happy and healthy, but we're not so sure that she's either anymore," adding, "People were super worried about her weight loss — which seems to be about 20 pound in a flash."
And now, Perez claims Cyrus "has been tweeting some red flags," citing a recent post in which the singer wrote, "Scars remind us of where we've been. not where we're going."
Overlooking the fact that Cyrus just had stitches removed from a cooking mishap, and that she tweets inspirational quotes basically every single day, Perez insists, "When you connect the dots between the quote and things like the picture [right], things paint a bigger picture!"
Wow, that is so deep.
Perez further notes, "Those scars on her arm look like cut marks — recent enough ones, too," adding, "If she is cutting, then we need to stand up with her and give her the support she needs!"
Oh, is that why the blogger posted a story implying Cyrus was cutting without bothering to fact-check the story with anyone in Cyrus' camp?
How thoughtful!
In any case, a source close to Cyrus tells Gossip Cop, "She is not cutting."
Follow @GossipCop on Twitter!
Like us on Facebook!


text:
US Imposes Sanctions On Syria
Updated below
The U.S. announced on Friday a new round of sanctions on Syria, and is seeking support from other governments to conduct similar action.
The sanctions, announced via a White House executive order, are the result of a deadly crackdown on peaceful protesters voicing their grievances with the government of President Bashar Al-Assad, whose family has ruled Syria for four decades. People took to the streets on Friday in more than 30 cities and towns across the country for its latest "day of rage" protests, and nearly 30 people were killed by security forces, according to a Syrian human rights group.
"I have determined that the Government of Syria's human rights abuses… constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and warrant the imposition of additional sanctions," wrote President Barack Obama in a letter to House and Senate leadership.
In the past six weeks, human rights groups say Assad's government has killed more than 500 people.
Monday's Wall Street Journal reported that the White House was preparing this executive order but the officials quoted in the story said it would be ready in the coming weeks. It took five days; the order went into effect at 1 p.m. Eastern time Friday.
Named in the executive order are Assad's brother Mahir, his cousin Atif Najib, Ali Mamluk, the civilian intelligence service and the Iranian Quds force, which the U.S. says is providing material support to the Syrian government to conduct the crackdown.
"Despite the Government of Iran's public rhetoric claiming revolutionary solidarity with people throughout the region, Iran's actions in support of the Syrian regime place it in stark opposition to the will of the Syrian people," a fact sheet issued by the White House said.
Mahir al-Assad is the brigade commander in the Syrian Army's 4th Armored Division, which the U.S. says has played a leading role in the regime's actions in Daraa. Atif Najib is head of the political security directorate for Daraa province, and Ali Mamluk heads the civilian intelligence service, known as Syria's General Intelligence Directorate.
Assad himself is not named in the executive order, but he may be sanctioned in the future.
"Don't think for a second Bashar is not on our radar, and that if these abuses continue we won't sanction him," a White House official told Dow Jones Newswires, referring to the Syrian president by first name.
The order freezes the assets and property under U.S. jurisdiction, and grants the power to the U.S. Treasury Department–in consultation with the State Department–to add names of entities and individuals of those complicit or responsible for the action in Syria, or those materially assisting or financially supporting the crackdown.
"Our goal is to end the violence and create an opening for the Syrian people's legitimate aspirations. These are among the U.S. government's strongest available tools to promote these outcomes, and we are seeking support for similar actions by other governments," wrote Marti Adams, a Treasury spokeswoman, in an email.
Prior to the protests and the subsequent crackdown, the Obama administration had been seeking to improve relations with Syria that had cooled considerably during the George W. Bush administration.
The Bush White House imposed three rounds of sanctions (all pdfs) on Syria.
Update: The European Union agreed in principle to impose an arms embargo against Syria and prepare additional measures to punish the Assad regime, AFP reported, citing unnamed diplomats. E.U. diplomats said they tasked experts to draw up the sanctions.


text:
Last Friday in the North Texas area, sports fans, fathers, and people in general have witnessed a horrifying event involving a father and son at a Texas Rangers baseball game.
With respect to the deceased, now would be a good time for fathers to focus on the good times at the ballpark. This morning, ESPN is airing a "Top 5 Father/Son Moments in Baseball" during Sportscenter. Last night, Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees won the Home Run Derby with his father Jose, a former pitcher for the Houston Astros, pitching to him.
With labor stoppages in the NFL and the NBA, the Rangers look to the be only game in town for a while. What are your best memories with your children there? Hopefully you have taken in running the bases after a Sunday game, caught a fly ball, or just been a part of a really fun night at the park.
If not, brave the heat and take your son or daughter out to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and create some new memories. Even better, make a "Top 5".
*If you have a great ballpark memory, Rangers-related or not, please post it in the comments section below.
For More Information:
- The Rangers have set up memorial fund in honor of Shannon Stone and donations can be made online.
- Six Rangers, including Josh Hamilton, have been selected for tonight's All-Star Game in Phoenix, Arizona. The Rangers have had many big hits in the recent history of the game, so tonight could be a big night for families to watch their All-Star Rangers.
- Check out the author's previous article, Tips for surviving your first Texas Rangers game with your child.
To join in the conversation:
Please comment below with your thoughts. If you want to read more articles on fatherhood, please click the "Subscribe" button above. You can also follow the author on Twitter as cleanworld or email at firstname.lastname@example.com. Thanks for reading!


text:
tantowel 10 Pack
Self-tanning towlette for fair skin or beginning tanners
Ease in travel with no mess (e.g., leaks, spills, etc.)
Single use application
It generally takes 2-3 towelettes to cover the body.
Tantowel can be applied to the face but, as with any cosmetic, use caution around the eye area.
Tantowel contains no stains or dyes so you will not see any immediate color. The only way any discoloration will appear is if you miss a spot (or if you apply to wet skin), so be thorough in your application.
When applying Tantowel, start with larger body parts and end with hands and feet. There will be a lesser quantity of tanning solution in the towelette after some use and these drier areas will not absorb so much.
To tan the backs of your hands: Have a wet, soapy washcloth prepared before
you apply Tantowel. When finished with your application, rub your palms on the
wet, soapy washcloth and then dry on a clean towel. Another option is to apply
Tantowel while wearing gloves and apply to the backs of your hands last.
Ingredients: Deionized Water, Ethoxydiglycol, DihydroxyAcetone, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Cucumber Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tea Tree Oil, Fragrance, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, FD&C Yellow 5, FD&C Yellow 6
Disclaimer: Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer's discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, please refer to the product packaging.
If you need any help for applying these offers or any other issue please call us toll-free at 1-866-830-6161.


text:
Filed under: Meat & Seafood
Plum Market is excited to have Skuna Bay Salmon out of Vancouver Island's Pacific waters within its amazing fresh seafood repertoire. The waters are fed by glaciers and have the perfect balance of salinity, strong tidal currents, and cold temperatures.
Skuna Salmon see's one of the highest water-to-salmon ratios in the industry with 98.5% available open water which lends a lot a room for the salmon to be in constant motion, allowing the fish to develop strong, healthy tissue.
Skuna hand selects each fish by looking for silver scales, red gills, a thick muscular belly, no blemishes and always firm and thick texture. Because of these high quality standards, only 6% of the salmon are selected each harvest. Once harvested, the salmon is cold packed in recyclable packaging and sealed at the farm. The next person to open that package–only 2 days later– is a Plum Market Team Member.
We encourage you to learn more about Skuna Bay and their award-winning Aquaculture practices on the Skuna Website.


text:
The Diary of Anne Frank
by Anne Frank
The Diary of Anne Frank Monday, May 22, 1944 Summary
- The British invasion of Holland hasn't happened yet, so Mr. Frank loses his bet with Mr. van Daan.
- Anne thinks it's a bit foolish that the Dutch people think it's the duty of the English to liberate Holland. Anne points out that the first priority of the English is to protect their own people.
- More Dutch people are beginning to express anti-Semitism and Anne hopes that the good, righteous Dutch people will prevail over the racists.
People who Shmooped this also Shmooped...


text:
Have you ever had to do a school fundraiser to raise money for band camp, a French class trip overseas or to help pay your way to Cedar Point? Well, think of the Orbitsun's Drunken Bingo: UK Edition as a way for them to pay for their class to go to England. As the school year commences and the summer swings into action, The Orbitsun's will be heading off the the UK in July to play some gigs and need your help!
Now, if you've ever been overseas, you know the Euro is way more than the good ole US dollar these days. In order to help pay their way, Drunken Bingo will have two new additions this time around. Just for the heck of it, this Wednesday these rowdy lads are allowing you, yes you, to bid on what crazy antics they will pull while across the pond. In the Activities Auction, you can bid on any number of shenanigans for these guys to do, including drinking a yard of ale, eating pork pies and getting their pictures taken with a Beefeater. Afterwards, the guys will post pictures of them accomplishing each task to give everyone something to chuckle at.
The second of the new additions will be Brit Slang Quiz. For a small donation, you can enter for the chance to win a twenty-five dollar gift card for the fabulously famous Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlor in Ann Arbor. As always, there will be free Drunken Bingo for great prizes as well as a performance by everybody's favorite rowdy band, The Orbitsun's. Come help these guys fund their way to the UK to spread their lunacy!
The event is this Wednesday, June 16 and the action starts at 9 p.m. Once again, it's FREE. Everyone twenty-one and up is welcome to attend.
Four Green Fields Pub is located in Royal Oak at Woodward Ave and 13 Mile road in the Kroger Plaza.
For more info: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=123350924370694


text:
Update, 1:20 p.m.: Cruise Week has issued a clarification to its initial story. The state of Florida has issued to several Florida agents a notice of intent to issue a cease and desist order from selling travel insurance -- not from selling cruises or other travel products. We'll keep you posted on this developing story.
According to Elliott.org, travel columnist Chris Elliott's Web site, and cruise industry publication Cruise Week, the state of Florida has issued to several Florida agents a notice of intent to issue a cease and desist order from selling travel insurance. The companies are said to have been selling unlicensed insurance policies offered by various companies owned by travel industry veteran Jerry Watson -- most recently Prime Travel Protection, which has gone out of business.
The three companies referenced are Vacation Superstore (Port St. Lucie), which operates Bestpricecruises.com; Legendary Journeys (Sarasota); and Palm Coast Travel (Boca Raton), which runs Smartcruiser.com. In separate filings, Florida's Department of Financial Services alleges that the agencies do not have a license to sell insurance. Also alleged, as mentioned above, is that the agencies sold policies via an unlicensed insurer.
The actual filings, copies of which are linked from Elliott.org, are entitled "Notice of Intent to Issue Cease and Desist Order," which indicates that the actual cease and desist has not yet been issued. The notices, dated March 5, give each company 21 days to contest the action.
At press time, all appear to be conducting business as usual -- Web sites and call centers are up and operational.
Cruise Critic is investigating, so stay tuned for more information.
--by Dan Askin, Associate Editor, and Melissa Baldwin Paloti, Managing Editor
Your Ultimate Cruise Guide
- Reviews
- Find A Cruise
- Deals
- Cruises to
- All Destinations
- Alaska Cruises
- Australia & New Zealand
- Bahamas Cruises
- Bermuda
- Canada & New England
- Caribbean Cruises
- Caribbean - Eastern
- Caribbean - Southern
- Caribbean - Western
- Europe Cruises
- Europe - Baltic Sea
- Europe - British Isles & Western
- Europe - Eastern Mediterranean
- Europe - Western Mediterranean
- Mexican Riviera
- Panama Canal
- How to Cruise
- News
Home >
Update: Florida Alleges Travel Agencies Sold Unlicensed Insurance
Update: Florida Alleges Travel Agencies Sold Unlicensed Insurance
March 12, 2009


text:
Alterna Life Volumizing Spray Mousse
Alterna Life Volumizing Spray Mousse is a weightless, light to medium hold spray foam lifts hair at the root for dramatic body and long-lasting volume while powerful UV protectants defend against environmental damage and color fade.
Fresh water pearl, rare Ho-sho-wu and precious floral extracts are combined with the technologically advanced utilization of silk proteins, essential fatty acids and enzymes to transform the condition and feel of the hair.
Guaranteed AuthenticGuaranteed Authentic
Folica is an authorized distributer of this product and guarantees its authenticity.Close
Spray mousse onto damp hair, concentrating on the roots. Style as desired.
Aqua, hydrfluorocarbon 152a, isobutane, acrylates copolymer, hydrolyzed wheat protein/pvp crosspolymer, glycereth-26, wasabia japonica (wasabi) extract, panax ginseng root extract, zingiber officinale (ginger) root extract, nelumbium speciosum (lotus) flower extract, paeonia albiflora (peony) extract, polygonum multiflorum (ho-sho-wu) root extract, foeniculum vulgare (fennel) fruit extract, saccharomyces (lysate, copper, zinc) ferment, superoxide dismutase, lactoferrin, retinyl palmitate polypeptide, phospholipids, corn oligosaccharides, copper oxidase, acetyl methionine, acetyl serine, amino acyl transferase, papain, bromelain, magnesium aspartate, zinc gluconate, copper gluconate, hydrolyzed peral, silk amino acids, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed wheat starch, melanin, corn starch modified, polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-4, peg-60 lanolin, cyclomethicone, amodimethicone, trideceth-12, cetrimonium chloride, peg / ppg-15 / 15 dimethicone, propylene glycol, tetrasodium edta, aminoethylpropanol, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, polysorbate 20, fragrance.
GreatI love this product. I have used it for years. No longer in local stores. Found on line and ordered several, but now no longer available. Why was it discontinued????? Is there something similar that I can substitute.
Was this review helpful?(Yes)(No)Aug 8, 2012Sandra H.HAIR TYPELight Brown / Curly Hair / Color Treated Hair
Use this link to send this review via e-mail, Twitter, or to post to your blog.Close


text:
If you're still struggling to recognise all 26 films represented in Evan Seitz's ABCinema, you may well hate me for bringing his latest animation to your attention. With 123Films, the talented Atlanta editor & motionographer presents his viewers another challenge, with another 13 films (this time all including numbers) in need of identification.
123Films from Evan Seitz on Vimeo.
Cohabiter on Directors Notes | Co-Curator on Vimeo - WeAreDN | Contributor on Short of the Week | Communicator at @kung_fuelvis | Conan the Barbarian impersonator


text:
So here we have it, the first pics of our newly built demo room. We have a few finishing touches to do to it but it is pretyt much ready for visitors. When we have settled in a little better we will be setting up an open day and letting you all know about it if you are interested.
We are taking bookings for appointments so if you want to come over and have a listen to some XTZ, Cayin or Divine Acoustics equipment then just drop us a line or email us or PM us.
Our demo room is in Mansfield, Nottingham, just off Junction 28 of the M1.
This is a dedicated room that has been built to replicate the average living room. It is a comfortable stand alone log cabin that is 4m by 5m located next to our storage facility. It is the place where we test and trial all of the products we sell, if we don't like what we hear in this room then you won't see it on our site. If there is a product you would like to have a listen to then simply call us or email us to arrange an appointment. You can either bring your own equipment with you to make sure your current system matches with what you have in mind or alternatively we will set up a full system for you based on your taste.
We have all of the products on the site available for demo so just give us a call, just let us know what you want to have a listen to and when you want to come over and we will set it up for you.
Being located in Mansfield, near Nottingham, just off Junction 28 of the M1 we are exactly in the middle of the UK making it easily accessible. Want to come on the train? No problem, we will collect you from the train station, just give us a call when you arrive and we will collect you. We are literally 5 minutes away from the Mansfield train station.
While you are here you can make yourself at home, listening to the music you have brought with you. You will not feel rushed in any way and we will keep you supplied with plenty of tea or coffee and biscuits. When you listen to music you want to be relaxed so we will make sure everything is in place for you before you arrive so all you need to do is take a seat and enjoy.
So whether you want to listen to a pair of interconnects or a full system or anything inbetween contact us now to arrange a demo suitable to you.


text:
Healthy Recipes Sweetened with Maple Syrup
Replace table sugar with pure maple syrup in these healthy recipes with maple syrup.
Pure maple syrup—a natural sweetener that contains antioxidants that quell inflammation—is a healthy substitute for sugar in a variety of recipes. In these healthy maple recipes, we swap granulated sugar for pure maple syrup, which adds a woodsy, sweet taste to granola recipes, pie recipes, pudding recipes and more recipes sweetened with maple syrup. You can also try maple syrup in dressings and marinades to add a hint of natural sweetness.


text:
Eat Your Fruit PSA
A young Gerald Pugliese probably watched this—in between watching Transformers and picking my nose of course.
Enter keywords:
Add this blog to your feeds or put your e-mail in the box below and hit GO to subscribe by e-mail.
So Cool! Haha. I don't recall that exact one, but I do remember the old "School of Rock" and "Figure 8," and "Conjunction Junction," the "ABC's" one, "I'm Just a Bill.." :^D. Same style and sound.
There have been a few good commercials about "eating better," but they are too general and not really for children. I was shocked a few weeks ago when I turned on the television during the Saturday morning children's programming. Wow, it's even WORSE than I remember. Sugar-ladened cereals and treats. It's awful how children are targeted this way. I recall some sugary cereal ads, some McDonald's...but mostly toys were the focus. Poor children nowadays almost don't have a chance :(


text:
Passion for adventure
|Top Adventures
Tour of Mont Blanc
2. Everything Lappland
3. Ski Iceland
4. Everest Base Camp
5. Snowshoeing Lapland
6. Ski in Chamonix
7. Ski in Zermatt
Hello. We are YokmoK. Our specialty is guided adventure travel
in small groups. We provide original, quality vacations. We do small group travel for people who don't like group travel. It would be a pleasure to have you onboard.
We offer the following adventure holidays:
Hiking & trekking in the Alps, Spain, Morocco, Nepal, Romania, Sweden
Mountaineering in the Alps
Bicycle tours in Switzerland
Sea kayaking and dogsledding in Norway
Student trips à la carte
Snowshoeing in Romania and Sweden
Ski mountaineering in Iceland, Morocco, and the Alps
Ski & snowboard vacations in the Alps
Photographic holidays in Switzerland, France and Italy
Don't travel with us if you want average
YokmoK on the Spanish television
View it directly in YouTube
View it directly in YouTube


text:
Federal Communications Commission Open Internet Order
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted on February 26, 2015, on rules governing regulation of U.S. broadband networks. The FCC published rules (FCC 15-24) regulating this order on March 12, 2015. The rules ban the ability of broadband companies to prioritize traffic from sources that pay more and reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service, subject to regulation under Title II of the Communications Act. The FCC news release states that the rules are focused on making networks "fast, fair, and open."
See more in United States; Internet Policy; Digital Infrastructure


text:
Natalie is a long time friend and was ready for a change. I caught a little poll she was taking on Facebook about whether she should cut her hair or not and my vote was YES! I looked forward to her arrival all day because I knew this cut would be great for her texture and lifestyle. She is a fantastic wedding and family photographer, check her work out!
Wondering how to style this cut? Natalie has great natural texture so I encouraged that with Oribe Sculpting Cream and a diffuser. When her hair was totally dry I used my 25mm (3/4″) Enzo Milano curling iron to curl just the very top section of her hair to give it a smoother finish. A little note about my favorite curling iron, if you want a looser curl or wave wrap a thicker section of hair and less hair for a tighter curl or wave. This is truly the only iron I use in the salon.
Are you planning a new cut or color for the Spring? Tell me all about it in the comments!


text:
Graduates represent 14 NIU teams and 19 different majors
Cronin, Schad, Tarter and Totzke earn conference honor
Olson, Cronin, Cronin and Heuer top previous mark by 10 seconds
Five other Huskies claim honorable mention recognition
Latesha Bigby scores three finishes of seventh or better
2014-15: Indoor- Did not compete. Outdoor- Did not compete.2013-14:Indoor- Ran distance at five meets during the indoor season... Won the 3000 meters at the Ball State Quadrangular (2/21) with a personal-best time of 10:21.11... Broke her PR in the 5000 meters at the Indiana Relays (2/1) with a 17:49.18 clip... Finished 18th at the MAC Championships (2/28) in the 5000 meters with a time of 17:58.72... Posted a 3000 meters time of 10:23.40 at the Illini Classic. Outdoor-Ran the 5000 meters at three meets... Set a new PR at the Raleigh Relays (3/28) with a time of 17:36.19... Took eighth at the Chicagoland Championships (4/11) at 17:58.96... Ran 17:50.30 at the Hillsdale Gina Relays (4/24), placing 14th.
2012-13:Indoor- Competed in three different events at five meets during the indoor season... Posted a season-best 3000 meters time of 10:33.70 at the Jack Johnson Classic (1/19)... Crossed the finish line at 18:16.59 in the Indiana Relays (1/26) 5000 meters to finish ninth... Made her collegiate debut at the Illini Open (1/12), where she ran a 5:15.97 in the mile... Finished fourth in the 3000 meters at the Ball State Quadrangular (2/15).Outdoor- Ran at four outdoor meets... Finished second in the 3000 meters at the Bulls Invitational (3/15) with a time of 10:18.91... Notched a 17:56.54 mark at the Huskie Open (4/20) to finish ninth... Earned a fifth-place finish in the 5000 meters at the Sea Ray Relays with a time of 18:20.83.
High School:Named to the Illinois all-state cross country team following her senior season... Took 14th-place at the Class 3A state cross country meet with a career-best time of 17:13.00... Took 26th place at the 2010 Illinois Class 3A State Cross Country Championship, just missing out on all-state honors... Won the Northern Illinois Conference 10 individual championship during the 2010 and 2011 seasons... Also qualified for the state cross country meet as a sophomore... Earned first team all-conference recognition each of her four years with the Huskies... Awarded the cross country team's MVP honor each of her four years at Harlem... Holds three school records (3-mile cross country, 3200 meters, 4x800 relay)... Ranked as the sixth-best senior in Illinois among all classes... Earned Illinois State Scholar recognition and boasts a 4.0 GPA.
Personal:Born Nov. 6, 1993 in Rockford, Ill... Daughter of David and Marla Raffety... Majors in pre-physical therapy... Volunteers at Rockford Memorial Hospital... Enjoys reading and biking.


text:
At Salon yesterday, I pointed to the most interesting part of the GOP debate on Wednesday — the policy debate over how to deal with addiction. As I point out, one reason this debate is taking place is because New Hampshire is really struggling with heroin addiction right now. But the debate started about pot, not heroin. And even tough on crime candidates like Chris Christie and Jeb Bush struggled to spin their approach as kinder and gentler; Christie pitched his support for decriminalization as another expression of pro-life.
This was the moment, I argued, when the GOP found ways to pitch a more reasonable approach to drugs in GOP ideology (and Rand Paul deserves credit for pushing this).
Even while Christie and Bush, to differing degrees, cling to old-style War on Drug rhetoric, this campaign (and particularly the New Hampshire addiction crisis Bush mentioned) will force real debate about what combination of treatment, decriminalization, legalization, and education might provide some way out of the failed drug war. This discussion framed that dramatic policy shift in rhetoric — states rights and pro life — that Republicans can rally behind.
All this, of course, took place in the Reagan library, the shrine to the man who formally declared the now-failed War on Drugs in 1982. CNN even used his damn plane to ask candidates to project themselves into Reagan's legacy. "Ronald Reagan, the 40th President, used the plane behind you to accomplish a great many things….How will the world look different once your Air Force One is parked in the hangar of your presidential library?" But one of the most constructive policy discussions in last night's debate constituted a renunciation, finally, of Reagan's legacy.
Mind you, the foreign policy and immigration stances of candidates undermines the value of this — few Republicans will give up the excuse of the War on Drugs to big foot in Latin America, no matter how counterproductive that is. And some candidates — such as Trump, who probably hasn't exactly eschewed drugs all his life — weren't clamoring to look soft on drugs.
All that said, amid all the talk of starting new wars in the shadow of Saint Ronnie's plane, I was heartened by a moment that might lead toward ending one.
One of the most contentious exchanges in last night's debate came when Megyn Kelly raised Chris Christie's past attacks on Rand Paul for opposing the bulk dragnet.
KELLY: Alright, gentlemen, we're gonna switch topics now and talk a bit about terror and national security.
Governor Christie. You've said that Senator Paul's opposition to the NSA's collection of phone records has made the United States weaker and more vulnerable, even going so far as to say that he should be called before Congress to answer for it if we should be hit by another terrorist attack.
Do you really believe you can assign blame to Senator Paul just for opposing he bulk collection of people's phone records in the event of a terrorist attack?
CHRISTIE: Yes, I do. And I'll tell you why: because I'm the only person on this stage who's actually filed applications under the Patriot Act, who has gone before the federal — the Foreign Intelligence Service court, who has prosecuted and investigated and jailed terrorists in this country after September 11th.
I was appointed U.S. attorney by President Bush on September 10th, 2001, and the world changed enormously the next day, and that happened in my state.
This is not theoretical to me. I went to the funerals. We lost friends of ours in the Trade Center that day. My own wife was two blocks from the Trade Center that day, at her office, having gone through it that morning.
Never mind that most US Attorneys don't, themselves, go before the FISC to present cases (usually it is people from the National Security Division, though it was OIPR when Christie was US Attorney), never mind that the name of the court is the "Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
The real doozie here is Chris Christie's claim that he "was appointed U.S. attorney by President Bush on September 10th, 2001."
On December 7, 2001 — three months after the attacks — President Bush released this notice of nomination.
The President intends to nominate Christopher J. Christie to be United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Christie has been a partner with Dughi, Hewitt and Palatucci of Cranford, New Jersey since 1987. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and Seton Hall University School of Law.
Christie was confirmed quickly and started as US Attorney in January 2002.
Now, maybe Bush spoke with his big New Jersey fundraiser Chris Christie and assured him the payoff — in the form of a key appointment — would be coming. Maybe that conversation even happened on September 10.
But it is not the case that he was nominated on September 10.
I attribute this fib — like the mistakes about the name of FISC — to be bluster and debate confusion. What I find more offensive is that Andrea Mitchell, when hailing Christie's national security credentials later in the night, literally claimed he was nominated on September 10 and started on September 12.
And there's a far bigger subtext here.
Christie implies he was involved in the dragnet in question. He was US Attorney from January 2002 to December 2008 — so he in fact would have been in office during the two years when the phone dragnet worked through the Servic–um, Surveillance court, and four years of the Internet dragnet. But if, as he implies, he was involved in the dragnet for the entire span of his tenure — and remember, there were huge cases run out of Trenton right out of 9/11 — then he was also using the fruits of illegal wiretapping to do his job. Not Servic — um, Surveillance court authorized dragnets and wiretaps, but also illegal wiretaps.
Which may explain why he's so invested in rebutting any questions about the legitimacy of the program.
Update: Here's what his official biography says about his tenure as US Attorney. (h/t JH)
Christie was named U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey in 2002. As the chief federal law enforcement officer in New Jersey, earning praise from leaders in both parties and drawing national attention for his efforts in battling political corruption, corporate crime, human trafficking, gangs, terrorism and environmental polluters.
Update: In an absolutely hysterical attempt to rebut the clear fact that he was not nominated when he said he was, Christie's people said he was informed he would be on September 10 at 4:30 (as I suggested was likely). But the rest of the explanation makes it clear they hadn't even done a background check yet!
The intervening crisis caused by the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington then delayed action on the nomination. In the interview for the book, Christie said he didn't hear again from the White House for two weeks and that things were slowed because there were no available FBI agents to do background checks, as they had been assigned to investigating the 9/11 attacks.
It's really difficult to say which poor response to Ebola has done more damage to the public health system in the United States. First, we had the series of unforgivable errors at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas that resulted in Thomas Duncan being sent home with Tylenol and antibiotics when he first presented with Ebola symptoms. This was followed up after he was admitted by Nina Pham and Amber Vinson coming down with the disease after they treated him. Now, we have Kaci Hickox, who treated Ebola patients in West Africa, confined to an unheated tent in a New Jersey hospital for 21 days even though she is asymptomatic and has tested negative for Ebola. Twice.
The hysteria over retracing the steps of Craig Spencer in New York City just before he developed his fever illustrates the way the US press has misled the public about when and where Ebola risk exists. Abundant evidence from this and previous Ebola outbreaks demonstrates clearly that there simply is no risk of transmission from asymptomatic patients and that transmission risk grows through the course of the infection.
We see that principle demonstrated very clearly in Duncan's case history. See this terrific ABC timeline for relevant dates quoted below. Duncan arrived in Dallas September 20. No passengers on any of the flights he took have developed Ebola. The incubation period has elapsed, so we know that no transmission of the virus occurred during any of his flights. Duncan had symptoms on his first hospital visit on September 26 but was sent home. He was later admitted on September 28. No patients or personnel from the hospital became infected from his visit September 26. The incubation period has expired, so we know for certain that transmission did not occur for anyone near Duncan that day. Similarly, even though they were in the apartment with him for days after he developed symptoms, none of the residents of or visitors to the apartment where Duncan was staying in Dallas became infected. The incubation period for that exposure also has expired. From this timeline developed by the New York Times, it appears that Pham and Vinson treated Duncan on the day before he died, which would be at the time when the amount of virus being produced by his body was nearing its maximum.
The load of virus in a patient's blood over the course of Ebola infection has been studied. In this CDC review, we have a graph showing the amount of virus over time: Continue reading
I'm so old I remember the time, four years ago, when Democrats hated Deferred Prosecution Agreements.
Back in the days when Chris Christie, former US Attorney, was challenging Jon Corzine, once and future bankster, to be governor of New Jersey, Democrats made hay of the significant numbers of DPAs Christie signed, mostly with a series of medical device companies busted for kickbacks. After it was revealed Christie had picked his former boss, John Ashcroft, to make $52 million monitoring one of those medical device companies, it became a convenient way to show the corporatist corruption of Christie.
There was even a bit of discussion, in early 2009, about whether DPAs made banks more likely to engage in fraud because they assumed they'd get a DPA rather than a prosecution. Those discussions largely centered on the two DPAs AIG got in the mid-00s for fraudulently hiding its risk, which nevertheless didn't prevent AIG from taking on so much risk it blew up the entire financial system. One of the monitors of those DPAs–who arguably should have but didn't see AIG's ongoing fraud–was a guy by the name of James Cole. He's now the Deputy Attorney General.
And as recently as 2010, NJ Congressman Bill Pascrell had this to say, in response to the publication of a GAO report showing some improvement but greater need for oversight over DPAs.
One cannot ignore the spike of 38 deferred prosecution agreements in 2007, up from a mere four agreements in 2003. That proves that what was supposed to be an option to be used in rare circumstances had become the norm at the Department of Justice.
It is imperative that the Congress reign in the unmitigated power that federal prosecutors hold to serve as judge, jury and sentencer in the deferred prosecution process.
And yet I have heard very little about the two DPAs signed last week–perhaps because big corporate impunity has become such a common occurrence in the post-crash era.
First, there's the deal Pratt & Whitney and two subsidiaries signed for evading export restrictions to help China build an attack helicopter. Effectively Pratt & Whitney laundered their production of some development helicopters–plus the military grade engine control module software to go with them–through a Canadian subsidiary. And when they finally admitted they had deliberately avoided US export restrictions on military equipment, they lied to DOJ about doing so. While they have to pay a $75 million fine, some of the charges are being deferred. And no individual has been charged with helping China get a helicopter designed to attack tanks.
So DOJ's punishment for a defense contractor to put Chinese civil contracts ahead of US national security is a big fine, deferred prosecution, but no jail time.
Even more troubling is the Non-Prosecution Agreement signed with Barclays over its manipulation of the LIBOR rate. Effectively, during the heady bubble days, Barclays colluded to lie about the interbank lending rate to maximize its own trades; as finance was crashing and Barclays itself had to pay higher rates for credit, it lied about that to imply the bank was healthier than it was. And while between DOJ, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Britain's Financial Services Authority, Barclays will have to pay around $475 million in fines, and while CFTC imposed the kind of mandated fixes that DOJ normally would under a DPA, Barclays is basically scot-free for colluding to lie about a rate that affects people throughout the financial system.
Matt Taibbi explains why this is so important: because when the banks said the LIBOR rate was lower than it really was, a lot of investors got a smaller return on their LIBOR-tracked investments than they otherwise would have.
A sizable chunk of the world's adjustable-rate investment vehicles are pegged to Libor, and here we have evidence that banks were tweaking the rate downward to massage their own derivatives positions. The consequences for this boggle the mind. For instance, almost every city and town in America has investment holdings tied to Libor. If banks were artificially lowering the rates to beef up their trading profiles, that means communities all over the world were cheated out of ungodly amounts of money.
The Special Agent in Charge of the Newark FBI, Michael Ward, laid into the NYPD's CIA-on-the-Hudson program for its spying on New Jersey's Muslims. He raised several legitimate gripes: that the NYPD was picking and choosing the information it shared, that the NYPD wasn't focused on centers of terrorism, that it has created distrust between the Muslim community and law enforcement.
But there is one complaint that Ward should direct closer to home: that law enforcement officers have a specific articulable basis for mapping out the location of ethnicities. (Ward's comments in this start after 7:00–note what he says on video is slightly different from what he appears to have said later to the NJ Star-Ledger journalist.)
[The public needs to know] you're following leads that are warranted and that you're not out chasing anything but you have a–there's a specific law enforcement reason behind what you're doing, and that you use the least intrusive means possible, when available.
It's also important that [the public] know that Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI, and law enforcement in New Jersey in general, that we take the guidelines which we're supposed to follow very very seriously.
Mind you, I think there should be an articulable basis to map out locations of specific ethnicities.
But just as the NYPD doesn't agree, neither does the FBI. In fact, as the ACLU's FOIA is showing, the FBI is doing precisely the same kind of demographic mapping around the country as the NYPD is doing in NYC with their Domain Assessment program.
While the office is dawdling over releasing the unredacted copies, here's the plan the FBI put into place for mapping out Muslims in Detroit, just as the NYPD did in NYC.
There are more than forty groups designated as terrorist organizations by the US State Department. Many of these groups originate in the Middle-East and Southeast Asia. Many of these groups also use an extreme and violent interpretation of the Muslim faith as justification for their activities. Because Michigan has large Middle-Eastern and Muslim population, it is prime territory for attempted radicalization and recruitment by these terrorist groups. Additionally, Sunni terrorist groups always pose a threat of attack on U.S. soil since it is the stated purpose of many of these groups. The Detroit Division Domain Team seeks to open a Type IV Domain Assessment for the purpose of collecting information and evaluating the threat posed by international terrorist groups conducting recruitment, radicalization, fund-raising, or even violent terrorist acts within the state of Michigan.
And here's how Ward's own office used census data to map out the Latino population in New Jersey as part of their efforts to fight the MS-13 gang (this was done in 2008, before Ward got appointed to Newark, but while Chris Christie was still US Attorney).
MS-13 is comprised of members from Central American countries, primarily El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. According to the 2000 Census, there are 67,320 individuals from these countries living in New Jersey. [redacted] from these countries during the time period of January. 2008 to July 2008. An analysis of Hispanic populations and [redacted] helps the Domain Team assess where [redacted] The Domain Team assesses [redacted] The Domain Team notes that New Jersey has the fifth largest Central American population in the United States. [redacted]
According to the 2000 Census, the largest Hispanic communities in New Jersey are Puerto Rico with 366,788, the Dominican Republic with 91,316, Columbia with 69,754, Mexico with 67,667, and Cuba with 55,241. In addition tthheerree are an estimated 1,265,000 African Americans living in New Jersey from which [redacted]
I confess I'm enjoying the spat developing between New York and New Jersey's top politicians over the NYPD's spying on New Jersey Muslims. First Christie dared to call Kelly arrogant.
"He's Ray Kelly, so what're you gonna do? I mean, he's all-knowing, all-seeing," Christie said.
"And I don't know all the details yet, but my concern is, you know, why can't you be, you know, communicating with the people here in New Jersey, with law enforcement here in New Jersey. Are we somehow not trustworthy?" said Christie.
"This is New York Police Department. I know they think their jurisdiction is the world. Their jurisdiction is New York City. So if they're going to leave their jurisdiction and go to investigate a case in another jurisdiction, it could be dangerous," Christie said. "This is the way law enforcement people get hurt or killed, is when they're not cooperating with each other, not communicating with each other."
"I'm not saying they don't belong in New Jersey, but tell us! Share it with the appropriate law enforcement agency," Christie said. "My concern is this kind of obsession that the NYPD seems to have that they're the masters of the universe."
Then there's the spectacle of King defending Ray Kelly as if the latter is a shrinking violet, with neither access to the press nor taste for a fight himself.
Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Gov. Chris Christie crossed a line when he mocked Police Commissioner Ray Kelly as "all-knowing, all-seeing" and said the NYPD's intelligence operation in Newark may have been "born out of arrogance."
"I just found it a real disappointment the way he was conducting himself, the way he was taking cheap shots at Ray Kelly," King said.
Sure, aside from Booker, who seems genuinely concerned either with his actual constituents or appearing that way, this is a giant pissing contest between men defending their turf.
Part of me wonders why most of these men have reacted so strongly. Christie, after all, must have close ties to Newark's FBI officers from his time as US Attorney. That seems to be what this dig is about:
"His main objection seems to be that he wasn't … brought in. But the fact is that he wasn't governor. He was U.S. attorney. And I'm not aware of any major terror plots that he ever uncovered while he was U.S. attorney in New Jersey."
(King forgets, of course, that the NYPD didn't find any of the major terrorist attacks since 9/11–street vendors and the FBI did.)
Part of me wonders whether Kelly, channeling J. Edgar Hoover as he increasingly seems to be doing, has some dirt on King and Schumer to make cow them like this.
But the real sick part of my personality can't help but visualize this ending in a giant wrestling match pitting King and Schumer against Christie and Booker. In fact, I'm even thinking of taking bets.
Sorry about the abundance of brain bleach posts this morning folks–it must be the weather.
The NYDN and NYPost continue their uncritical defense of the NYPD's spying on residents of other cities. In response to continued outrage that NYPD's officers profiled Newark's and Paterson's Muslim community, the New York fearmonger papers' response is basically a taunt that New Jersey should be grateful the NYPD has invaded their state because New Jersey can't prevent terrorism on its own.
What is the matter with New Jersey politicians that they are raising a stink because the NYPD keeps an eye out for terrorists on their turf?
Have Gov. Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Corey Booker forgotten that 746 residents of the Garden State were killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11?
Have they forgotten that ringleader Mohammed Atta met with co-conspirators in Newark?
Have they forgotten that the van used in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing was rented in Jersey City?
(The NYDN, which claims to have read the profile reports on things like girls' schools, seems to have missed that none of the profiling reports we've seen from the NYPD have targeted any of the kinds of NJ establishments the terrorists have used in the past.)
But as a MI resident, what I'm really amused by is the NYPD boosters' claim that Newark is "overmatched" and "incapable."
So why wouldn'tthe NYPD bring its unmatched skills to bear in Newark, whose overmatched police department is simply incapable of monitoring threats as they develop far out of sight?
I can remember only one police department in recent years which has been "overmatched." And that's the NYPD, when faced with the prospect of hosting a terrorist trial in Manhattan.
When DOJ first announced plans to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other 9/11 plotters in New York, Ray Kelly started making the same kind of complaints about not being consulted as New Jersey's politicians are making now.
NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said the Justice Department did not consult the city officials before deciding to send Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others to New York City for trial.
"There was no consultation, no consultation with the police department. That decision was made. We were informed," Kelly said Tuesday.
When asked if the NYPD should have been asked about security and other considerations in advance of sending the accused terrorist to the scene of the attack, Kelly said," The fact is we weren't asked. And we will make the best of a situation. We weren't."
At first Kelly said the NYPD would be up to the task. But then he started rolling out a plan to effectively militarize lower Manhattan and demanded first $90 million then $200 million to pay for his war zone. Ultimately, the DOJ gave up the plan for a civilian trial.
Because Ray Kelly wasn't up to the task of hosting a terrorist trial, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has had at least two years added to his life.
As Spencer reports, former Attorney General John Ashcroft just got named the-Company-formerly-known-as-Blackwater's ethics chief.
The consortium in charge of restructuring the world's most infamous private security firm just added a new chief in charge of keeping the company on the straight and narrow. Yes, John Ashcroft, the former attorney general, is now an "independent director" of Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater.
Ashcroft will head Xe's new "subcommittee on governance," its backers announced early Wednesday in a statement, an entity designed to "maximize governance, compliance and accountability" and "promote the highest degrees of ethics and professionalism within the private security industry."
And while Spencer catalogs many of the reasons this is absurd…
To some, Ashcroft will be forever known as the face of Bush-era counterterrorism, the official who vigorously defended the Patriot Act's sweeping surveillance powers; told civil libertarians that their dissents "only aid terrorists"; and covered up the Spirit of Justice's boob.
He misses one of Ashcroft's key ethical highlights: how he benefited from close ties to his former subordinate Chris Christie when he won a tens of million dollar contract to monitor a medical device company after it signed a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with Christie.
Are federal prosecutors using corporate crime prosecutions to reward cronies?
That seems to be the case in New Jersey, where U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie appointed his ex-boss, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, to be the corporate monitor of a company involved in a $311 million deferred prosecution agreement (pdf) with Christie's office. The company in question, Zimmer Holdings, along with several other medical equipment manufacturers, was accused of paying kickbacks to get doctors to use their artificial hip and knee reconstruction and replacement products.
Ashcroft's consulting firm, the Ashcroft Group LLC, will earn between $29 million and $52 million (paid by Zimmer Holdings) to serve as a corporate watchdog for 18 months. It will oversee Zimmer Holdings, making sure it does not engage in misconduct and helping it adopt corporate reforms. As head of the Department of Justice, Ashcroft was Christie's boss from 2002 to 2005. Christie also served on an advisory panel that consulted regularly with the Attorney General.
Effectively, DPAs under Christie were a means of privatizing justice; Christie even justified limiting fines by pointing to the huge contracting fees his former DOJ buddies would get for monitoring the deal.
And so it's utterly appropriate that Ashcroft would head to the poster child for everything wrong with privatization to make sure it complies with some kind of ethics.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, in one of his first major acts in office, killed the NJ-NY Hudson River Tunnel Project that had already been agreed to and would have brought much needed transportation congestion relief as well as billions in long term Federal construction spending, and related job creation, for his state. Christie said New Jersey could not afford to participate. As a result of Christie's breach of the agreement and withdrawal, the Federal government, via the FTA, formally noticed demand for losses and expenses in the amount of $271 million dollars that resulted.
Christie, of course, doesn't want to honor the government's loss claim any more than he does the tunnel agreement. So Christie has hired the ultra high dollar white shoe Washington DC power law firm Patton Boggs to fight the claim:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has hired a law firm to challenge a $271 million tab the federal government says the state owes for the canceled ARC rail tunnel. Christie says he's approved the selection of the high-powered Washington, D.C. firm of Patton Boggs.
A Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak defended the hire, saying "We're much better off using a firm like this than using our own in-house attorneys or attorneys general. Not to knock their expertise, but let's face it, that's what these attorneys [at Patton Boggs] do for a living."
Drewniak said the firm would be charging $485 an hour. He wasn't sure where the money to pay that rate would come from — only that it would be found. "There are always contingencies for every agency of government for conducting legal affairs," he said. "Everybody has to budget money."
Patton Boggs is listed by the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-profit group that tracks influence in Washington, as the nation's top lobbyist over the last twelve years, with about $400 million in billings since 1998. Its clients include Walmart, several health-care related companies and local governments.
Only $485.00/hr. for a high powered firm like Patton Boggs, the kind of firm where senior level counsel regularly charge $800-$1,000 an hour, looks pretty reasonable on the surface doesn't it? Looks like Christie actually negotiated a pretty fair deal on outside lawyers, if he is not going to use any of the hundreds of state attorneys he already has on the payroll, doesn't it? Well, not so much.
$485 an hour for a firm like Patton Boggs means they are using "blended rate" on their RFP response. They put in an estimate that shows a small number of partner hours at $800+, and large number of low level associate and paralegal hours at much lower rates.
After they get the contract, there will be lots more partner hours billed than in the estimate. The final bill will be a multiple of the estimated bill in the RFP.
This is how big white shoe law firms, with huge and expensive overhead, compete with small firms who legitimately charge less than $500 an hour for partner time on governmental contracts. It is a scam that was invented so politicians can funnel lucrative steady contract money to big powerful supporters and the big firms can siphon money from government coffers.
In the old days, the government would set a maximum "government rate" per hour they were willing to pay, and the big firms would not touch the work. Mid sized and smaller law firms specializing in such work, manned by ex-prosecutors and other government lawyer types who still wanted to do "public good work" would open boutique firms that charged less than 1/2 the per hour rate for senior attorneys the big firms could and would get these assignments because the big firms wouldn't take the government rate. These firms often consisted of attorneys with substantial federal agency or DOJ experience, wanting to actually do more than get rich, and gave the taxpayers a far better deal, and just as good, if not far better, results because the firm was not beholden to Washington DC masters and political and lobbying affiliations.
So, if past practice in such situations is prologue, Chris Christie's contract with Patton Boggs is not only questionable because the State of New Jersey has plenty of capable attorneys already on its payroll, it is also far from the reasonable deal it is being pitched as.
DOJ's Inspector General just released a report on whether or not US Attorneys were living it up on the government dime. It finds that five of the US Attorneys studied were the worst offenders for staying at luxury hotels and billing the government. And though it doesn't refer to those US Attorneys by name, we know the one it calls the worst offender is Chris Christie, because one the trips discussed match the trips discussed when his exorbitant travel first focused attention on the issue of US Attorney travel.
Here's how the report describes Christie:
In terms of the percentage of travel, U.S. Attorney C was the U.S. Attorney who most often exceeded the government rate without adequate justification. The U.S. Attorney provided insufficient, inaccurate, or no justification for 14 of 23 trips (61 percent) that exceeded the government rate. [my emphasis]
In particular, here's a description of his travel to the Nine Zero hotel in Boston and the Four Seasons in DC.
For example, U.S. Attorney C traveled outside of his district to Boston, Massachusetts, for meetings with representatives of a defendant company at the Nine Zero Hotel. U.S. Attorney C stayed at the Nine Zero Hotel at a cost of $449 per night, which was more than double the government rate of $220 per night in Boston.16 U.S. Attorney C's secretary told us that it was a "coincidence" that these meetings were at the same hotel where she had reserved a room for the U.S. Attorney.
In addition to his case-related travel, U.S. Attorney C also exceeded the government lodging rate when he traveled to Washington, D.C., to speak to an association. The U.S. Attorney stayed overnight at the Four Seasons Hotel, where he was scheduled to speak the following morning. The hotel rate at the Four Seasons was $475 per night, more than double the government rate of $233 per night. According to the justification memorandum, the U.S. Attorney stayed at the Four Seasons because his speech was scheduled at that hotel early in the morning.
16 U.S. Attorney C's reimbursements for airport transportation costs were also noteworthy. For example, rather than take a taxi from the Boston airport to the Nine Zero Hotel in downtown Boston, a trip of approximately 4 miles, he prearranged a car service to and from the Boston airport to the hotel, which cost the government $236 round trip. In another example of excessive transportation costs, his car service from a London airport to his hotel in central London cost $562 round trip. [my emphasis]
Here is TPM's description of the same trips.
On the high end, Christie spent nearly $500 in taxpayer money on a night's stay in four star hotel in downtown Boston, claiming government rate rooms "weren't available." On the low end, Christie requested $109 for a night in Warsaw, IN. The majority of the trips for which Christie formally requested to spend more than the government allows fall somewhere in between those two examples.
The Boston trip came on Oct. 16, 2007. Christie stayed one night at the Nine Zero Hotel downtown, which touts its ranking as one of Travel And Leisure magazine's 500 best hotels in the world. The room was $449 per night, which Christie asked the Justice Department to pay because, according to the memo he submitted to the department's budget officer, "due to a high demand for rooms, the government rate is not available for my stay in Boston."
On Nov. 17, 2004, Christie made a trip to D.C. and stayed at the Willard Intercontinental, arguably the city's finest and most prestigious and unarguably among its most expensive. Again, he claimed it was the best deal he could find. "I was unable to locate lodging at the government rate," he wrote in a memo dated Nov. 22. "The only available lodging was at a rate of $449.00 at the Willard hotel."
On another trip to D.C. on Oct. 15, 2008, Christie again went over budget limits to stay at a tony spot — this time, the Four Seasons on Pennsylvania Ave. The explanation for the overage is redacted in the memo obtained by TPMDC. [my emphasis]
As Christie continues to call for austerity in New Jersey, it's really worth pointing out what a big fan he is of billing taxpayers for his own luxury.


text:
Whether you are a parent, teacher, coach, or therapist (like myself), you know dealing with a teenager on a regular basis can be a handful. It can also be extremely rewarding if they feel like they are being treated with care and respect.
I came across this article from the New York Times that discussed anxiety in teenagers and what could explain the difficulties they go through. Some readers cited our current popular culture as a culprit, with its loose morals and values, and our tendency to "infantalize...and isolate them from responsible adults." Others blamed things like over-medication, social media, and some even blamed the parents themselves for not raising children with proper boundaries.
The why part of teenagers becoming so oppositional, rebellious, anxious, or depressed is not nearly as important as the what now. Working with adolescents, as I have over the past several years in a therapeutic group setting, I can tell you that often they don't even know why they do the things they do, and it is frustrating for them to try to figure it out. As one wise reader from the above mentioned discussion shared about her own teenage daughter:
"It wasn't until she reached her mid-20's that she finally became comfortable with herself and her ability to manage her life."
What this tells us is that these teenagers need support, in whatever form they can get it. A lot of families don't think about therapy as a possible option, and a lot of teenagers will resist the idea at first. Speaking from experience, however, I can tell you that when teenagers are around peers experiencing similar life difficulties as themselves, it allows them to open up and get fresh perspectives they might not have considered before.
Therapy is by no means a cure-all, but it can be the first step for teenagers and their families struggling with life problems to start to figure them out in a safe supportive environment.