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Pasta with Peas and Tuna
Pasta con Tonno e Piselli
3 quarts water
1 box (10 oz.) frozen peas
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cans (6 oz.) solid white albacore tuna packed in water, drained
Zest of 1 large lemon, grated (1 tablespoon)
2 cups clam juice or chicken stock
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. spaghetti, or linguine
Yield: 6 generous portions
Printable Version
Bring the water for the pasta to a boil in a large pot.
Rinse the peas under warm water for a few seconds and drain well.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until sizzling. Sauté the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and half of the chopped parsley until the onion is lightly colored, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tuna and the lemon zest, breaking the tuna into flakes. Add the clam juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil then simmer to a sauce consistency about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the peas cook two more minutes
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and simmer over low heat stirring constantly, until the pasta is well coated, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley. The pasta is ready to be served.
©2015 Nick Stellino Productions


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If you're planning a barbeque this Memorial Day weekend, these cupcakes are an easy to make dessert, and are sure to be a hit with the kids.
Warning: If you are one of those individuals with food coloring issues, stop reading and please, please, I'm begging you… don't let me know how you feel in the comments. I've read other bloggers' posts when they have made colorful creations with food coloring and know that there is a group of food coloring haters who feel it is their mission in life is to educate us regarding the evils of food dye. Colors make me happy, and if indulging in a little food dye means risking my life, then so be it. What can I say, I like to live life on the edge.
I made these red, white, and blue cupcakes in two different ways. I like the layered look above the best. I love how the color seeps through the white cupcake liner, enticing you to peel off the cupcake wrapper. I also made a few by adding spoonfuls in three different sections of the cupcake liner. These are a novelty and fun for kids to join in the baking process. See, food coloring is your friend!
1. Bake up your favorite white cupcake recipe. Divide batter into three bowls. Use blue and red gel food coloring in two of the bowls (see notes about gel-paste below.)
2. For the layered cupcake, spread a tablespoon of one color of batter into the bottom of a cupcake liner. Add a second tablespoon in another color on top. Be careful when you spread it around so that the two colors don't mix. Do the same with the final color. The other option is to place spoonfuls of batter into three different sections. Again, doing your best not to mix the colors.
Food for Thought for My Food Color Loving Friends
There are several types of food coloring on the market. My preference is always the gel-paste food coloring. The color is concentrated, so it does not require a lot to achieve the hue you're going for. It also will not water down the icing or batter. Beware of the liquid food coloring from the grocery store. It is readily available, but because of its liquid form, it will alter the consistency of your batter. Powdered food coloring is also vailable from specialty stores. This is the most concentrated in form of food dye.
Tips on gel paste colors:
- A little goes a long way. Start with a small amount, you can always add more.
- Know in advance that the color you mix will darken over time. When making black icing, you need only mix it until it turns dark gray. Then give it an hour or so and it will be black. If not, add a bit more.
- There are several gel-paste brands on the market. I am a born-again Americolor girl. I originally started with Wilton colors, and do still use them for particular colors.
- The Americolor dye comes in a squeeze bottle which completely eliminates the mess. Wilton and some of the other brands require you to add the color using toothpicks. I've learned with this type of gel-paste to have paper towels very accessible and more toothpicks out than I think I might need.
- The other plus of Americolor is that they offer "Super" colors. I use the super black, brown, navy and red all of the time. These achieve the true color with a very small amount.
- Maybe it's because I'm an 80's girl, but I do have a thing for the neon line of Americolors. They bring me back to my flourescent sweatshirt and socks days.
- Here are a few online stores that offer Americolors, Shop Baker's Nook, Global Sugar Art, Sugar Craft

subset: commoncrawl


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For the past few years, the "men" in my family have been road-tripping up to South Lake Tahoe during the winter months to make our run at the mountain. My father (aka Pops) is not a jock in the traditional sense but has always been an avid surfer. About a decade ago he decided to take up snowboarding as an alternative for winter.
He quickly fell for his new sport and would constantly tell us how free and at peace he felt standing on top of the summit, ready to "shred" down a mountain freshly dusted with powder. And he was anxious to get my older brother, Blake, and me involved.
Mountains' lure
As a little kid, the draw of the mountains was just the simple thought of playing in the snow. The pure, icy white, fluffy stuff, ideal for making snowballs, snowmen and sledding down hills all bundled up and cozy in my snow gear.
But learning to snowboard way back in fifth grade was a whole other thing. It started off just fine with a trip to a local store that sold surf and snow equipment (a common combination, by the way). There I was given the opportunity to pick out my very first snowboard. The actual design styles of the boards were so cool, and I was excited by the chance to express my individuality. The total package was completed with boots and bindings along with a helmet, goggles and of course a cool set of duds.
I was even more excited about the possibilities of spending quality time with my brother and Pops. But my early attempts at "boarding" were dreadfully unsuccessful. In fact, it sometimes felt like I was in a nightmare I'd never wake up from.
Ski lifts and trauma
I vividly remember my first encounter with the ski lift, an ill-fated trip up a steep and intimidating mountain that ended in trauma. I managed to get on the motorized chair all right and was lifted up toward a seemingly blissful winter playground. Then suddenly we were at the top and it was time to push off onto the snow. Klutz that I am, I tumbled face first down the mountain, until I was abruptly halted by a rather massive pine tree.
As I lay there motionless and stunned, out of the corner of my eye, I watched a group of small kids, first-graders at most, shredding from left to right like miniature versions of Shawn White. I had watched many times as Pops flew down the mountain with ease. My brother had caught on relatively easy as well. What part of my DNA was missing?
Luckily, my family never gave up on me. We continued to make that journey up to Tahoe, spending time together, making lots of fun memories along the way, and somewhere along the line I got the hang of it.
Now as a teenager, I still love that peaceful mountain vibe, and with it the fun and irreplaceable time spent with "the guys." Each time I head down a slope, I work a little bit harder and stumble a little less and get constant encouragement from my Pops and brother. Snapping into my board, riding up the now not-so-daunting ski lift, I feel a sense of freedom and triumph. No longer a "newbie," I love exploring the snow-covered slopes and varied terrain at our park of choice, Sierra-at-Tahoe. As it turns out, snowboarding is also a great escape from the daily grind of homework, tests and general drama that is high school.
'100 percent fun'
As my interest and love of the sport has grown, I really looked forward to watching the recent Winter Olympics in Sochi. When I found out that Kaitlyn Farrington, who won the gold medal in the women's half pipe, is the cousin of my world history teacher, I felt like I was just two degrees of separation from the podium.
Even though I will likely never achieve Olympic greatness, I can now truly appreciate the hard work it takes to be a pro snowboarder along with how lucky I am to have the unwavering support of family.
According to Kaitlyn's twitter bio, she's having 100 percent fun as well. And isn't that the most important thing?
The Life in Perspective board is made up of teens who write for the features sections. Brandon Garnsey attends San Ramon Valley School in Danville. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Australian Open 2013 Issue 11: Men's and Women's semifinal previews
January 23, 2013 · Print This Article
by: Tom Cochrane
Rising star Sloane Stephens stunned 15-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in the quarter-finals on Day 10, the young American taking advantage of a back injury to Williams and some generally erratic play from the veteran to claim the biggest win of her career to date.
Day 10 Recap
All appeared to be going according to the script for Williams as she took the honours in a hard-fought opening set and looked set to close out her compatriot in straight sets. But Williams, who has suffered from ankle and back problems so far this fortnight, aggravated her lower back lunging for a drop shot late in the second set and that allowed Stephens to push the match to a deciding third set.
Williams refused to retire, playing through the pain and attempting to will herself to victory. Unfortunately for the 5-time Australian Open champion, she was unable to hold serve in the tenth game of the deciding set, handing 19 year old Stephens a most unlikely victory and delivering Williams her first ever loss to a younger countrywoman.
Stephens will play world number one Victoria Azarenka for a place in Saturday night's final, the Belarusian booking her semi-final berth with a straight sets win over Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova. The dual major champion Kuznetsova looked good early on in the match, going for her shots and establishing a 4-1 lead. Azarenka finally found her rhythm and rallied to claim the opening set 7-5.
Kuznetsova appeared to hyperextend her knee late in the first set, and with her movement impaired the Russian was unable to have much of an impact in the second set, Azarenka taking the set for the loss of just one game to return to the semi-finals at Melbourne Park.
In the men's tournament, third seed and two-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray booked a spot in the semi-finals for the fourth consecutive year, the Scot claiming revenge for his defeat by Jeremy Chardy at last year's event in Cincinnati.
Chardy has upset the likes of Andreas Seppi and Juan Martin Del Potro in this year's Australian Open courtesy of his big serve and powerful forehand, but Murray returned well against the Frenchman and allowed Chardy little opportunity to tee off on his forehand wing. Overall, Murray will be well satisfied with his straight sets win and will now set himself for his massive semi-final clash with Roger Federer.
Federer moved through to the semi-finals courtesy of an electrifying 5 set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the night session on Day 10. Each of the sets was hard-fought and could have gone either way, although Federer always had the upper hand, claiming the first and third sets.
Tsonga never went away though, the seventh seed alternating booming serves and forehands with some deft touch at the net in a display that must have encouraged his coach Roger Rasheed. In the end, a slightly more consistent Federer prevailed, but it remains to be seen how much the match against Tsonga has taken out of the tank of the Swiss maestro.
Matches of the Day – Day 11
1. Li Na vs. Maria Sharapova
Working with a new coach in Carlos Rodriguez (who by all accounts put her through a rigorous off-season training regime), Li Na has bounced back to some of her best form at Melbourne Park this year. The sixth seed was at her uncompromising best against the in-form Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter-finals, and the Chinese star will need to replicate such form against second seed Maria Sharapova, who has been the player of the tournament to date.
Incredibly, Sharapova has dropped just 9 games in total across her 5 games in the tournament so far – a record in the Open era. There's no doubt that the Russian is in sublime form, but I have to wonder whether she has peaked too early in the tournament. Li Na is a formidable opponent and has beaten Sharapova in the past, but the Russian holds an 8-4 career record against the sixth seed and has won the past 3 matches between the pair. In her current form, I'll back Sharapova to return to the Australian Open final. Sharapova in 2.
2. Victoria Azarenka vs. Sloane Stephens
After capturing the biggest win of her life over her idol Serena Williams, how can Sloane Stephens possibly compose herself and refocus sufficiently in order to beat world number one Victoria Azarenka just 24 hours later? To be sure, it's a very tall order, and I suspect Stephens will suffer something of a come-down against the defending champion.
On the other hand, Stephens enters this match having absolutely nothing to lose, as was the case against Williams. The young American has a most promising future, and is assured of entering the world's top 20 regardless of the outcome of this match, but I think Azarenka will record a fairly comfortable victory in this clash. Azarenka in 2.
3. Novak Djokovic vs. David Ferrer
David Ferrer is one of the fittest guys on the ATP Tour but even so I predict the fourth seed will struggle to back up his heroic comeback victory over Nicolas Almagro. Djokovic has had a similarly titanic tussle in the tournament to date, pushed to the limit by Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round before snatching a 12-10 win in the fifth set.
Djokovic bounced back from that marathon reasonably well, holding off a dangerous opponent in the quarter-finals in Tomas Berdych. Having said that, Djokovic wasn't at his sharpest against Berdych, with the Czech left lamenting a lost opportunity after that match. The biggest bright spot for the top seed is that Ferrer doesn't cause him a whole heap of trouble, with the diminutive fourth seed unable to hurt Djokovic either off the serve or from the back of the court. Djokovic annihilated Ferrer in Abu Dhabi last month, and I think the top seed will progress to Sunday's final without dropping a set. Djokovic in 3.
That's it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I'll be back with another serve tomorrow.


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Water supply and sanitation in Peru
From Perupedia
|Peru: Water and Sanitation
|Water coverage (broad definition)
|Sanitation coverage (broad definition)
|Continuity of supply (%)
|Average urban water use (l/c/d)
|Average urban water tariff (US$/m3)
|Share of household metering
|Share of collected wastewater treated
|22% (2004)
|Annual investment in WSS
|Share of self-financing by utilities
|very low
|Share of tax-financing
|Share of external financing
|Decentralization to municipalities
|Full, since 1990
|National water and sanitation company
|Water and sanitation regulator
|Responsibility for policy setting
|Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation
|Sector law
|Yes (1994 and amended subsequently)
|Number of urban service providers
|50 companies and 490 municipalities
|Number of rural service providers
The water and sanitation sector in Peru has made important advances in the last two decades, including the increase of water access from 30% to 62% between 1980 and 2004. Sanitation access has also increased from 9% to 30% from 1985 to 2004 in rural areas.[2] Advances have also been achieved concerning the disinfection of drinking water and in sewage treatment. Nevertheless, many challenges remain, such as:
- Insufficient service coverage;
- Poor service quality which puts the population's health at risk;
- Deficient sustainability of built systems;
- Tariffs that do not cover the investment and operational costs, as well as the maintenance of services;
- Institutional and financial weakness; and,
- Excess of human resources, poorly qualified, and high staff turnover.
In 2004, out of 27.5 million Peruvians, 74% resided in urban areas and 26% lived in rural areas. The coverage of drinking water service was 83% and 63% had access to sanitation. Urban coverage was 89% for water and 74% for sanitation. In rural areas coverage of drinking water was 65% and sanitation 32%.
|Urban (74% of the population)
|Rural (26% of the population)
|Broad definition
|Household connections
|Broad definition
Source: WHO/UNICEF (JMP/2006). Date for water and sanitation based on Inequalities in Water Access, Use, and Expenditures in Potable Water in Latin America and the Caribbean: Peru (Desigualdades en el acceso, uso y gasto con el agua potable en América Latina y el Caribe: Perú) (PAHO February 2001, based on the ENNIV (1997)) and Demographic and Health Survey (1996).
Service quality
In a national survey conducted in 2008, 64% of respondentes indicated that they were satisfied with the quality of the water they received. Those who were not satisfied complained about turbidity, high levels of chlorine, bad taste and bad smell. This figure apparently does not include the level of satisfaction related to the continuity or pressure of water supply.
Continuity of water service
Urban areas received water service for an average of 17 hours per day in 2005.[1] Only one Peruvian service company has continuous service, the company EMSAP in the Amazon region.[3]
Back in 1997, the total continuity average was at 12 hours per day, 5 hours less than in 2005. Rural areas averaged 18 hours, while in urban areas, service was provided on average for 12 hours. Service averaged 8 hours on the coast, 18 hours in forestal and mountainous regions, and 10 hours in metropolitan Lima.[4]
In 2000, 80% of urban water supply systems used disinfection measures.[5] In urban areas, 43 companies that provided information to the regulator complied with the norms for residual chlorine in the network.
In rural areas, however, in a sample consisting of 1,630 analyzed systems, 59% do not disinfect the water because of lacking the necessary facilities or the lack of chlorine. Considering that locations with less than 2,000 inhabitants have around 11,800 systems, it can be estimated that around 7,000 rural water systems provide water without disinfection.[6]
Wastewater treatment
The share of treated wastewater in 2004 was estimated at 22%. This is to say that more than three fourths of the wastewater generated did not receive any type of treatment prior to its final discharge, which poses a serious threat to the environment.[7] Back in 1997, the coverage of wastewater treatment had only been 13%.[8] In 2005, only two companies treated all of their sewage, one of them being from the Provincia de Marañón.[3]
The great majority of sewage of the Lima-Callao metropolitan area is discharged without treatment into the ocean, resulting in serious contamination of the surrounding beaches. The Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) provided a loan for the sanitation of the Lima-Callao area in 1997.[9] However, the project has not been implemented to date.
Water resources and impact of climate change
On average, surface water in Peru is abundant. Nevertheless, it is unequally distributed in space and time. Especially the coastal area, where the country's major cities are located and two thirds of the population live, is very dry. Lima, with 8m people, is the world's second largest city located in a desert, after Cairo.
The flow of many rivers supplying water to many Peruvian cities depends on glaciers that are rapidly melting as a result of climate change, making the flow of rivers more irregular, leading to more droughts and floods. A report by a team from the World Bank published in June 2007 in the bulletin of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) predicts that many of the lower glaciers in the Andes will be gone in the next decade or so, and that glacial runoff may dry up altogether within 20 years. The last comprehensive satellite survey by Peru's National Environmental Council, carried out in 1997, found that the area covered by glaciers had shrunk by 22% since the early 1960s. Partial surveys by geologists suggest that the rate at which the glaciers are melting has speeded up over the past decade.[10]
For example, the Quelccaya Glacier, the largest ice cap in the Peruvian Andes, has shrunk by 30% in the last 33 years. The streams fed by the glacier provide water to irrigation canals built by the Incas and, further downstream, for the city of Lima.[11]
Water use
Urban areas In 2005, an average of 259 liters/person/day of water were produced in urban areas. Actual water consumption is much lower than this level due to distribution losses estimated around 45%. Per capita water production has decreased by 26% since 1997 when production was at 352 liters/person/day. This decrease may be partly due to an increase in the share of metered users from 24% to 47% (1997-2005). According to the National Sanitation Plan, it is inadmissible that with such high levels of production water supply remains intermittent in many cities.[1] In rural areas, water use is much lower than in urban areas.
According to a 2008 national survey by the Radio station RPP and the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), 38% of respondents indicate that they "take great care" of water in the household. 89% of respondents indicate that they treat tap water before drinking it, primarily by boiling it, and 48% store water in their house because of intermittent supply or because they have no access to piped drinking water.[12]
History and recent developments
The institutional framework for the water and sanitation sector has suffered from many successive changes during the last decades consisting of centralization and decentralization cycles, without achieving an improvement in service quality.
The 1960s: Municipal service provision
In the beginning of the 1960s, the municipalities had the responsibility of providing water and sanitation service. However, this responsibility was transferred to the Ministry of Housing in most cities by the later part of the decade.
In rural areas, investments were realized through the Ministry of Public Health and its Directorate for Basic Rural Sanitation – DISABAR. The systems, once built, were handed over to community-based organizations operation, and maintenance.[13]
The 1970s: A more centralized dual structure
In the 1970s, the large cities of (Lima, Arequipa and Trujillo) created their own Water and Sanitation Companies. In the country's other urban areas, water and sanitation services were provided by the General Directorate of Sanitation Works (DGOS) of the Ministry of Housing and Construction (MVCC).[14].
The 1980s: Centralization and SENAPA
In 1981, the government of Fernando Belaúnde Terry merged the three Sanitation Companies of Lima, Arequipa, and Trujillo and the DGOS in a single state holding company, the National Service of Water and Sewage Supply (SENAPA). SENAPA was composed of 15 constituent companies and 10 operational units distributed around the country. SEDAPAL in Lima was the largest of these. However, 200 cities (20%) were left out of SENAPA and administered their own services. The Ministry of Health continued to support the service in the rural areas.
The Government of Alan García (1985-1990) passed the "Organization and Functions of the Ministry of Health Law" of 1990 (Legislative Decree N. 584) which eliminated the DISABAR, transferring to the regional governments the functions related to rural water and sanitation construction and technical assistance. With the change in government in 1990, these changes did not materialize, as the regionalization stalled.[14]
The 1990s: Decentralization and commercialization
During the 1990s, the water and sanitation sector was decentralized again. In May 1990, the outgoing government of Alan García decided to transfer all SENAPA constituent companies and operational units to the municipalities. SENAPA was to be converted into a company in charge of only giving technical assistance to the municipalities, a decision that was never implemented.[13]
The Government of Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) initiated another restructuring of the sector with the objectives of commercializing and privatizing the service providers.[15]. In 1991, the government enacted the Private Investment Promotion Law for water and sanitation. In 1992, the National Water and Sewage Program (PRONAP) was created. SENAPA and SEDAPAL were placed under the direct authority of the President. In 1994, the General Services and Sanitation Law was passed. It designated the Ministry of the President to be the water sector governing body. It confirmed the role of the municipalities as specified by the Ley Orgánica de Municipalidades and it also created the legal figure of the Municipal Service Providers (EPS) to appoint the municipal companies that would be in charge of providing urban water and sewage services.
The General Law of the National Superintendence of Sanitation Services (SUNASS) was passed in 1994.[13] A tariff restructuring with the objective of achieving financial viability of the EPS was carried out in parallel. According to the national campaign for the human right to water, the contrary effect occurred and the average tariff dropped from US$ 0.82/m3 in 1996 to US$0.56/m3 in 1999.[16]In fact, despite the government's expectations, no single public-private partnership in water supply and sanitation was put in place during the Fujimori government and all service providers remained public.
The General Law of Sanitation Services states that the Ministry of Health will participate in policies relating to environmental sanitation and to water quality, through its General Directorate of Environmental Health (DIGESA). However, certain key functions - such as the support of community-based water service providers and hygiene promotion - were, according to the law, transferred to the Municipal Service Providers (EPS). Nevertheless, these companies are mainly dedicated to the urban water and sewage services. As a result, very few EPS actually support rural water committees.[13]
Currently, beyond DIGESA's role in formulating policies and sanitation and environmental projection quality norms, it also lends limited support in the construction of water and sanitation systems in rural areas, work that supposed to be coordinated with the Board of Health (DISA) in each of the country's departments.[13]
2001-2006: New administrative models – A silent reform?
In 2002 during the Toledo administration (2001-2006), the Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation was created as governing entity of the sector.
In 2004 the PRONASAR (National Rural Water and Sanitation Project) was approved, to be executed by the Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation with the support from the World Bank.[17] The project aims at shifting the government's emphasis in rural areas as well as in the small cities away from pure construction to institutional strengthening aimed at better sustainability. In small towns, it supports new administrative models for water and sanitation service provision through specialized operators and the strengthening of municipal capacities.[18]
In October 2005, the first water and sanitation concession contract in Peru was signed with a private company in the province of Tumbes. The 30-year concession was awarded after open bidding to a Peruvian-Argentine consortium, Latinaguas-Concyssa.[19] The interventions under the concession will be financed with the support of a loan and grant from the German development bank KfW to the Government of Peru.[20] A second concession is at the point of being awarded in the Piura region (EPS GRAU) and concessions are in the preparation process for four other companies in Huancayo, the Libertad region, the Ucayali region, and the Lambayeque region with IDB financing,[21] as well as with financial support from the German KfW and from the Government of Canada.
The Water and Sanitation Program of the World Bank has called this private participation process in the interior of the country a "silent reform in the sector", which works in conjunction with the PRONASAR in rural areas.[22]
"Water for everyone" – 2006 and beyond
In September 2006, the new President Alan García announced an ambitious investment plan for the water and sanitation sector called "Water for everyone" (Agua para todos), promising water access to all Peruvians – mainly to the poorest – by the end of his mandate. The program counts 270 projects, starting in the Carabayllo district of Lima.[23] Detailed advances of the program in each department can be followed on the Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation website. The program was initially criticized for several reasons, including, its over-emphasis on the Lima water distribution without sufficiently addressing the low levels of water production[24] as well as due to making promises that are hard to keep. "The problem is that this program has begun with high goals without a clear strategy of how to reach them however with an abundance of public interest."[25]
In January 2007, during a visit to Colombia, the Minister of Housing, Hernán Garrido-Lecca[26] announced that the Empresas Públicas de Medellín cooperated with SEDAPAL in water and sanitation system operation investments in northern Lima. Furthermore, the Colombian water company Triple A has shown interest in participating in the process of private operators in Peru.
The Vice-Minister of Housing, Jesús Vidalón, in charge of water and sanitation within the Ministry, formerly headed the program of private participation in the sector in the ProInversión Fund.
Responsibility for water supply and sanitation
The Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation is the sector governing entity through the Vice Ministry of Construction and Sanitation (VMCS) and the National Sanitation Board (DNS).[27] The Ministry formulates, approves, executes and supervises the application of the national water and sanitation policies. The Ministry was created on June 11, 2002, through the Organic Law #27779.[28]
Various drafts of a General Water Law for water resources management have been in discussion for two decades. Nevertheless, no law has been approved up to now.
The sector regulating entity is the National Sanitation Services Supervisory (SUNASS), created by law in 1992. Its functions are to regulate and supervise service providers, approve tariffs, establish norms, impose sanctions for violations of the law, and resolve user controversies and complaints. As part of its supervision activities SUNASS has established a benchmarking system to monitor the performance of service providers.
SUNASS is funded through a 2% surcharge on water bills with an annual budget of approximately US$4 million. According to the law, it enjoys administrative and financial autonomy.[29] Its Board consists of five members nominated as follows:
- 2 by the Prime Minister's Office (including the Board's Chairman)
- 1 by the Ministry of Finance
- 1 by the Ministry of Housing, Construction, Water and Sanitation
- 1 by the Office of Fair Competition (Indecopi)
Provision of services
The Peruvian Constitution of 1993 establishes the responsibility of public service provision onto the city councils. The Ley Orgánica de Municipalidades (Law Nº 27972) signals that the function of the provincial municipalities is to directly or by concession administer and regulate the water service, sewage, and drainage. Peru has 194 provincial city councils.[30]
The service providers in the country are:
- Lima Water and Sewer Company (SEDAPAL);
- 53 Municipal Service Providers (EPS) in other cities (SEDAPAL and the EPS have 62% of the country's population within their jurisdiction);
- approximately 11,800 Communal Organizations – Sanitation Services Administrative Committees (JASS) – that are responsible for 29% of the population mainly situated in rural areas; and,
- 490 small municipalities that contain 9% of the total population.[31][32]
The changes in municipal authority generated modifications in the directing committees of the EPS or municipal administrations including within the same municipal management. In 1999 it was estimated that the EPS changed general managers on the average every 17 months.[33] This happens despite that the majority of the EPS are made up of several provincial municipalities, which in theory should decrease the influence of city governments and reduce the political interference in the administration of companies.
Nearly all of the country's service providers become weakened in financial and institutional aspects, as well as in human resources, despite the attempts to strengthen them.
Support to Communal Organizations
A key function in the water and sanitation sector that is frequently neglected is the support to communal organizations that provide services, mainly in rural areas. This function can be assigned to municipalities, EPS, or to national entities with departmental filiations.
The WHO observed that in 2000 the municipal participation in assistance to rural services was insufficient to different extents, ranging from its total exclusion to the need for support in the preparation of the technical records and the complete integration in the planning, financing, and construction supervision processes.[5]
The regional governments have technical and financial supporting functions (also see Peru Regulation).[34] The 24 separate Regional Boards of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation – one in each department – support them in this role.[35]
Many interventions in rural areas during the 1990s were made without verifying the community demand and without their contributions to the execution of the projects. This resulted in overly designed systems that the communities did not maintain thus leading to loss of public funds.[36]
Since 2002, the PRONASAR project supports the Administrative Assemblies of Sanitation Services (JASS) directly and through NGOs as well as municipalities.[37]
Other functions
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) is also participating in the sector through the General Director's Office of Environmental Health (DIGESA) and the Executive Director's Office on Basic Sanitation (DESAB), entities which exert functions in the aspects pertaining to sanitary and water quality for human consumption and the protection of a healthy environment.
Other institutions which act and participate in the sector are the Ministry of Economy and Finances (MEF) that specifically interferes in the aspects of economic sectoral and normative planning related to finances; several NGOs and the private sector, among others.
The National Cooperation Fund for Social Development (FONCODES), created in 1991, channels resources to investing in marginalized rural and urban areas in various sectors including potable water and sanitation. Within the framework of the state decentralization process, since October 2003, FONCODES transfers resources to the district city councils verified for social infrastructure projects, offering technical assistance and contributes to the capacity building for the responsible handling of social investments. The FONCODES depends on the Ministry of Women and Social Development (MIMDES). Since the beginning of PRONASAR, FONCODES has retired from water and sanitation activities in rural areas.
Some 46 service providers have formed the National Peruvian Association of Sanitation Service Providers (ANEPPSA) to "promote the excellence in sanitation services management" through training and exchange of experiences.
Economic efficiency
It is estimated that 45% of the water produced is not counted due to physical and commercial losses, which is higher than the other 40% average of Water and sanitation in Latin America. This coefficient has not change a lot during the last 10 years.[38] The highest levels are detected in the provinces of Marañón and Barranca (greater than 70%). Some companies had water levels not accounted for at less than 10%, however, these values do not seem viable given the low level of household metering (50%).[39]
Financial aspects
Water tariffs in Peru are somewhat low compared to other Latin American countries and water bills are often not paid. As a result, according to an estimate, 95% of the country's urban service providers can be considered bankrupt. In many urban areas it is common to spend significant sums to water tanker operators, which are prevalent because of intermittent supply and deficient coverage. In rural areas, tariffs are even lower than the already low tariffs in urban areas, making it impossible to properly maintain water systems.
Urban areas
Tariffs In 2004, water tariffs in Peru were on average Sol 1.29/m3 (US$ 0.38/m3) in urban areas.[40] Average urban tariffs increased slightly from Sol 1.04/m3 in 1997 (US$ 0.40/m3 with 1997 monetary values) to Sol 1.45/m3 in 2000 (US$ 0.42/m3), however dropped in real terms thereafter.[8] Each provider has its own tariffs, with significant differences between them, ranging from Sol 0.45/m3 in Valle del Mantaro (US$0.14/m3) to Sol 2.60/m3 in Ilo (US$ 0.79/m3) in 2005.[39]
Users in urban areas that do not have access to piped water pay much higher prices for water from water tankers.
According to a 2008 national survey by Radio RPP, respondents indicated that, on average, they paid 44 Soles (close to US$ 15) per month and per household for water.[41] 44% of respondents said that they paid "much or too much" for water.[42]
Cost recovery In 1999, water companies billed only 55% of the produced water and of this value only 50% was actually paid. Payment arrears were equivalent to 140 days of billed revenues.[33]
There are significant differences in levels of cost recovery among service providers. For example, SEDAPAL had an operating margin of 35% in 2000, while the EPS had an average operating margin of only 16%. 6 out of 46 EPS had a negative operating margin.[43]
Only five years later in 2005, according to the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program, no more than 5% of the EPS and of the municipalities had the financial capacity to carry out their functions. The rest are considered financially bankrupt.[22] In the same year, the government decided to apply a new tariff regulation model.[44] The government contracted studies for the elaboration of this model with the support from the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), a World Bank trust fund, and later from the IDB.
Rural areas
In rural areas, the water committees apply fixed monthly tariffs independently of use as the use of water meters is not common in these areas. The tariff is estimated to be the equivalent of US$0.50/month and household.[45] At a consumption of 20 cubic meter per month and household this corresponds to US$ 0.025 per cubic meter, or about 15 times less than the average tariff in urban areas. Needless to say, the revenues generated are insufficient for the operation and maintenance of the systems.
Ability to Pay
In 1997, the average the Peruvian household spent 1.8% of their total expenses in water, including water bought from carro-tanques, but without spending in sanitation. In urban areas they spent 1.9% of the expenses for water and only 0.8% in rural areas. The poorest (first decil) spent 2.4% in urban areas and 1.7% in rural areas.[46]
Investments and financing
As shown in the bar chart below, investment levels increased substantially during much of the 1990s, from US$ 39m in 1990 to a peak of US$ 422m in 1997. Since then investments have declined again to US$ 106m in 2004 and US$ 190m in 2005. Total investment between 1990 and 2005 was at US43.3 billion, the average being at US$205m p.a.[47] Investments are financed through a variety of programs providing subsidies to municipal utilities, as well as to a limited extent by internal cash generation and debt. <timeline> ImageSize = width:auto height:240 barincrement:40 PlotArea = left:40 right:900 height:200 bottom:20 AlignBars = late
DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0 till:450.0 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical ScaleMajor = gridcolor:tan1 increment:100 start:0
color:blue width:15 bar:1990 from:start till:39.0 bar:1991 from:start till:79.9 bar:1992 from:start till:109.3 bar:1993 from:start till:182.1 bar:1994 from:start till:243.1 bar:1995 from:start till:257.7 bar:1996 from:start till:378.6 bar:1997 from:start till:421.8 bar:1998 from:start till:370.5 bar:1999 from:start till:361.5 bar:2000 from:start till:192.4 bar:2001 from:start till:115.7 bar:2002 from:start till:119.5 bar:2003 from:start till:109.6 bar:2004 from:start till:105.8 bar:2005 from:start till:190.2
pos:(60,220) fontsize:M text: Annual investment in water supply and sanitation in million US$
In the 1990s Between 1990 and 1998, an annual average of US$228.9 million has been invested for water and sanitation infrastructure, equivalent to 0.5% of the GDP. In this period the investments in the sector increased from US$1.1/per capita in 1990 to US$15/per capita in 1998, the latter being an unusually high investment level compared to other Latin American countries.[5][22] These investments were financed as follows:
- 26% by SEDAPAL, financed by internal cash generation and debt;
- 17% by grants from the central government through the Social Fund FONCODES, destined primarily at rural areas,
- 10% by grants through the Program for the Support of Water Sector Reform (PARSSA), destined primarily at provincial cities;
- 22% by municipal companies, municipalities and NGOs;
- 23% by debt from the National Housing Fund FONAVI; and
- 2 % by the Southern Zone Lima Metropolitan Sewer System Improvement Project (MESIAS), a project to improve the sanitary conditions of southern Lima, reducing the coastal contamination from wastewater.[48]
In 2000 total debt contracted by service providers stood at US$ 1.15 billion, equivalent to the operating margin of all service providers over 9 years. 46% of this debt contributed to reimbursable contributions by the National Housing Fund FONAVI.[49]
From 2000-2005 The period between 2000-2005 witnessed investments of US$833.1 million (US$166.6 million/year) in the sector, carried out by the following entities:[50]
|Share of investment
Future Investments The Government's draft National Sanitation Plan considers that investments of US$4,789 million would be needed in the period of 2005-2015 (US$497 million/year) to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in the sector.[51]
However, billions more would be needed to divert water along tunnels beneath the Andes if glacial melting accelerates.[10]
External cooperation
Multilateral financial institutions - including, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Andean Development Corporation (CAF) - as well as bilateral cooperation agencies (the German KfW and GTZ, the Canadian CIDA, and the Japanese JBIC, among others) play an important role in investment financing and in technical assistance in the sector.
Assistance to different segments of the sector, differentiated by the size of localities, is provided by different donors:
- The World Bank provides support to rural areas as well as to small towns with populations less than 30,000 through the PRONASAR (see above).
- Larger towns and small cities - such as Ayacucho, Cajamarca or Puno - receive support from KfW.
- Larger cities - such as Tumbes, Piura or Cusco - receive support from KfW, IDB and JBIC.
- The CAF, the World Bank and the JBIC support SEDAPAL in Lima and Callao.[22]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 73
- ↑ WHO/UNICEF JMP WaterSanitation
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 (Spanish) SUNASS gráficos promedio 1
- ↑ (Spanish) OMS/OPS 2001, p. 15, based on a National life survey
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 (Spanish) WHO/PAHO 2000
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 76
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 89
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 (Spanish) SUNASS: evolution of indicators, 2005
- ↑ Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) - List of projects
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "When Ice turns to water", The Economist, July 12, 2007
- ↑ "Warming may exacerbate global water conflicts" by Doug Struck, Washington Post, September 20, 2007, p. A23. The estimate of the rate of meltdown of the glacier is based on research by Lonnie Thompson from Ohio State University.
- ↑ Ministerio de Vivienda/JICA/JBIC/Grupo RPP/RPP Noticias/WSP:Construyendo una cultura del agua en el Perú.Estudio de perecepción sobre el agua y hábitos de consumo en la población, 2008, p. 10
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 (Spanish) WHO/PAHO 2000
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 (Spanish) PIDHDD 2006, p. 1
- ↑ (Spanish) PIDHDD 2006, p. 2
- ↑ (Spanish) PIDHDD 2006, p. 3; These numbers are different from those of SUNASS cited below for unclear reasons.
- ↑ World Bank: Natural Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 106
- ↑ (Spanish) SODEPAZ
- ↑ (Spanish) TUMBES: primera concesión de una Empresa de Agua en el Perú
- ↑ (Spanish) IDB Peru
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 (Spanish)WSP Revista Agua No. 19 Junio 2005, p. 4-5
- ↑ (Spanish) Water for all
- ↑ (Spanish) J. Francisco Canaza: Agua para muy pocos, 2006
- ↑ (Spanish) Raúl Wiener: Agua para todos, ganancia para algunos, 2006
- ↑ for the service record of Hernán Garrido-Lecca also see (Spanish) [1]
- ↑ In Peru the term "sanitation" also encompasses water provision, sewage systems, and raw sewage.
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 34
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 69-71
- ↑ Furthermore, there are 1831 district municipalities.
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 72
- ↑ (Spanish) SUNASS technical report, p. 1-2
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 (Spanish) WHO/PAHO 2000, fortalezas y aspectos críticos del sector
- ↑ According to the Ley Orgánica of Regional Governments, Law Nº 27867
- ↑ "Plan 69-71" see also list of regional boards (Spanish)
- ↑ Cockburn 2004
- ↑ World Bank: PRONASAR
- ↑ (Spanish) SUNASS: evolution od indicators, 2005 The 1997 value is probably not reliable due to micromeasurements
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 (Spanish) SUNASS gráficos promedio 2
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 79
- ↑ using the August, 29, 2008 exchange rate of US$ 1=Sol 2.97, see www.oanda.com. It is not clear if this amount includes payments for water from vendors.
- ↑ Ministerio de Vivienda/JICA/JBIC/Grupo RPP/RPP Noticias/WSP:Construyendo una cultura del agua en el Perú.Estudio de perecepción sobre el agua y hábitos de consumo en la población, 2008, p. 19-20
- ↑ USAID/EHP/WSP/OPS 2004, p. 16
- ↑ (Spanish) IDB: Desarrollo del marco tarifario de los servicios de agua potable y saneamiento básico del Perú, p. 3
- ↑ (Spanish) OMS/OPS 2001, p. 17-20
- ↑ Sources: 1990-1997: Ministry of urban development and housing; 1997-2005: Ministry of Economy and finance; investments at the municipal level are not included.
- ↑ Calculated based on USAID/EHP/WSP/PAHO 2004, p. 18-19, quoting the 1999 Sanitation Subsector Assessment by the Directorate General of Sanitation
- ↑ Calculated based on USAID/EHP/WSP/PAHO 2004, p. 17, quoting the Vice-Ministry of Housing and Sanitation
- ↑ (Spanish) National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015, p. 79-80
- ↑ (Spanish) Plan Nacional de Saneamiento
- Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation: National Housing and Water Plan 2006-2015
- Dr. Julio Calderón Cockburn: Water and Sanitation – The case of rural Peru, 2004
- (Spanish) The Inter-American Platform of Human Rights, Democracy, and Development (PIDHDD), a Mercosur Initiative, Peru Water 2006
- USAID/Environmental Health Project/WSP/PAHO: Evaluation of Peru's Sanitation Policies, 2004
- (Spanish) WHO/PAHO: Desigualdades en el acceso, uso y gasto con el agua potable en América Latina y el Caribe, 2001
- (Spanish) WHO/PAHO/CEPIS 2000: Water and Sanitation Evaluation Peru, 2000
See also
- Electricity sector in Peru
- Irrigation in Peru
- Water resources management in Peru
- Water supply and sanitation in Latin America
- WikiProject: Water supply and sanitation by country
External links
- Dirección Nacional de Saneamiento
- MINSA DIGESA (Salud Ambiental)
- WSP Peru


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Definition of speedboat in English:
A motor boat designed for high speed.
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text:
Germans Do Not Favor Male Circumcision
During the past decade, life has become more difficult for Jews in Europe. They are not only the victims of a rise in anti-Semitic violence and intimidation, mostly as a result of the growing numbers of radical Muslim immigrants in Europe. They are also finding their right to practice their religion restricted as Europe becomes an environment where Jewish dietary rules and ancient traditions are being criticized and even outlawed. This time, ironically, they are being joined by Muslims.
Male circumcision — a medical procedure in both Judaism and Islam that has nothing to do with female genital mutilation or "female circumcision," which is not required by the Koran, and which has no medical benefits, only medical liabilities — could well be the latest victim of misguided political correctness, despite massive medical evidence that male circumcision is "cleaner," meaning that the area involved becomes less prone to harboring infections and transmitting diseases.
Last month, Dieter Graumann, the president of the German Zentralrats der Juden (Central Council of Jews), warned that "Jewish life will become practically impossible" if circumcision of male infants is banned in Germany. On May 7, an appeals court in Cologne ruled that circumcision is an infringement of a child's physical integrity and that it violates the child's right to self-determination. Subsequently, the German Medical Association advised doctors no longer to perform circumcisions for non-medical reasons. The decision to prohibit male circumcision on the grounds of "religion" embodies a breathtaking lack of regard for both personal and public health, and the regressive preference for religion and political correctness over science. In the United States, for example, it has long been considered a fundamental of public health to circumcise all male infants shortly after birth — unless specifically asked not to — regardless of religious affiliation.
Last Thursday, fortunately, the German Bundestag approved a cross-party motion to protect the religious circumcision of boys. The resolution urges the government to draw up a bill explicitly allowing the practice. Nevertheless, it is indicative of Europe's growing intolerance towards religious practices that courts have begun to issue verdicts such as the one in Cologne that prohibits circumcision.
The Cologne Landgericht ruled that religious circumcision of boys is a violation of the child's physical integrity and hence unlawful. The verdict states that circumcision has a "permanent and irreparable effect" on the child's body, which violates the child's physical integrity and infringes on its right later to change its religion. The court added that the child's right to self-determination has precedence over its parents' freedom of religion.
The case began after a Muslim doctor circumcised a 4-year old boy. Two days later, the wound began to bleed and the child was rushed to a hospital. The hospital informed the authorities, whereupon the public prosecutor brought the doctor to court. When the court acquitted the doctor, the public prosecutor appealed the verdict. Although the Cologne Landgericht again acquitted the doctor on the basis that "the legal status (of circumcision) is very unclear," the ruling unequivocally condemned male circumcision. Fearing that the ruling would set a precedent to be followed by other German courts, the Medical Association advised doctors to stop circumcisions for religious reasons.
The verdict was applauded by many organizations. Deutsche Kinderhilfe, a non-profit organization to aid children, said that the wellbeing of children had been served by the court. The German Institute for Pediatric Surgery stated that the verdict conformed to medical ethics. The Professional Union of Pediatricians warned "for the trivialisation of this form of physical damage by the circumcision defenders" and said that the right of children to physical integrity should be society's primary concern.
The International League of Non-Religious and Atheists also welcomed the verdict, stating that religiously motivated circumcision is a form of physical damage and mutilation. Terre des Femmes, an international women's rights organization, also applauded the Cologne verdict. It said the physical integrity of children should not be restricted for religious reasons.
In the German media, psychotherapists stated that circumcision on six- or seven-year old boys can have a traumatic effect. Jewish organizations pointed out that Jews have been circumcising boys on the eighth day after birth for thousands of years, without any Jewish men later complaining about harmful side-effects. They also emphasized that male circumcision cannot be equated to female genital mutilation.Peter Martino
About the Author: Peter Martino is a European affairs columnist for the Gatestone Institute.
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5 Responses to "Germans Do Not Favor Male Circumcision"
Circumcision has no health benefits whatsoever, which is why no pediatric association in the world, not even Israel's or the US, endorse circumcision. Many national pediatric associations actually encourage parents against it. The author seems to be deluded into believing that European and German parents don't care about the health of their babies, and that the leading cause of death is Europe is foreskin. This is patently false and health statistics do not show any any reason to subject babies to the risks of circumcision. People who favor circumcision will claim that it cures everything; from the common cold, to HIV, but if you look at the figures those claims are not supported or are wildly exaggerated.
You are an ignorant fool–you need to educate yourself in the truth–and then WISE UP!
You didn't dare to point out what was ignorant in what I said because I can back up my words with facts. The author of this post has the ridiculous position that European don't care about public health. I guess he thinks they like being sick. The reality is that European are very healthy, a lot healthier than Americans as a matter of fact, despite having a foreskin.
So who is fool?
Female genital cutting is entirely comparable with male genital cutting, when you compare like with like. 50 boys have died of tribal male cutting in one province of South Africa alone this year. Millions of little girls are cut surgically, minimally, by doctors in Indonesia and Malaysia, in the name of Islam, yet that is outlawed in the developed world. The proposed age-restriction will just close this double standard.
The Cologne court simply interpreted the Basic Law, which is based on the Unviersal Decraration of Human Rights, drawn up in 1949 to ensure that the horrors of 1933-45 could never happen again. But it can be traced back to 1765, and Sir William Blackstone:
"Besides those limbs and members that may be necessary to man… the rest of his person or body is also entitled by the same natural right to security from the corporal insults of menaces, assaults, beating, and wounding; though such insults amount not to destruction of life or member…." – Commentaries on the Laws of England.
It will be very hard for the German government to formulate a law that allows any infant male genital cutting, forbids any infant female gential cutting AND upholds the equality of the sexes.
The "massive medical evidence" all comes from societies that already circumcise as a custom (which began in the US to punish masturbation). The health of intact men in, say Scandinavia, is better than in the USA.
"In violation of their Hippocratic Oath to do no harm, doctors are interpreting a medical practice in purely religious terms — choosing religion over science."
The reverse of this statement makes more sense: In upholding their Hippocratic Oath to do no harm, doctors are interpreting a religious practice in purely medical terms, choosing science over religion – as doctors ought, unless they are witchdoctors.
What's funny is that at the end of this article, i has a pretty anti-circ paragraph:
"It is indicative of this trend that the doctors' associations in Germany are mostly in favor of the ban on religious circumcision of boys. Outside Germany similar attitudes are gaining ground. In the Netherlands, for instance, the Royal Dutch Association of Physicians published a paper two years ago advocating a ban on non-medical circumcision of boys, analoguous to the ban on female genital mutilation. In violation of their Hippocratic Oath to do no harm, doctors are interpreting a medical practice in purely religious terms — choosing religion over science."


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Snow in Federal Way
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text: It's that time of year again. Dark afternoons, cold mornings, pumpkin and cabbage soup on the menu, and… the anticipation of the holidays ahead. This year, I have petrol blue in my head when I think about Christmas! Combined with fresh white stars and glittery gold… Is it a coincidence that there are lots of darling petrol blue dresses in this year's collection of I Love Gorgeous? It fits in just perfectly with what I have in mind! As always, I Love Gorgeous strikes the exact right tone for little and big girls alike — how cute will Sara (6) and Ava (1) look, holding each other's hands on Christmas day, in their perfectly petrol party dresses?


text:
Archive for August, 2013
Wedding Gift Guide: How to say "Thank You" in Style!0
We were so inspired by this beautiful photo from Pinterest that we had to put together a post for you!
The couple looks stunning and we're loving their clever use of Scrabble letters to spell out "thank you" in this dreamy picture.
We LOVE the idea of planning a special photo on your wedding day that you can use later for your thank you notes. What a fun way to add your own personal style to your cards!
With this idea, the bride and groom can be sure that they'll be able to get their personalities across so that when their family and friends open their card they'll smile and say "that's so them!"
Your wedding guests will get a kick out of seeing you both truly happy and that you were thinking of them on your Big Day … it's that extra personal touch that makes them feel special and lets them know just how appreciative you really are.
If you're a fan of this idea, head over to our "Everything Wedding" Pinterest Board- you'll find some other great "Thank You" photo ideas that we loved and hopefully they'll work as inspiration for your own photo ideas!
Work with your photographer to come up with a cute photo concept that you both love and make sure to remember to bring any props you may need (signs, Scrabble letters, etc.) on the day of the wedding.
Once you've recovered from the wedding and honeymoon and are ready to return to your normal, everyday life, it's time to get to those thank you notes!
According to Emily Post, proper etiquette suggests that you send the cards within 3 months of the wedding (Click the above link for the dos and don'ts of thank you note etiquette).
Start out by picking out your favorite "Thank You" photo – once you've decided on the winner use our "Just Us" Photo Note Cards & Envelopes to upload the photo and create your own personalized cards! These fold-over note cards can be personalized with a vertical or horizontal photo in your choice of full color or black and white. They're sold in sets of 24, which includes crisp, white envelopes for mailing. Each card measures 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ and is made from premium heavyweight photography card stock with a glossy finish on the front and a matte finish inside for handwritten messages. One set is usually sold for $24.95 however if you shop now through Sunday (Aug. 25th, 2013) during our Best-Selling Gifts Sale, you can personalize them for just $18.70. The more sets you buy, the more you save!
If you like the idea of adding a personal touch to your thank you notes but aren't sure of a way to incorporate a "thank you" sign in a photo, don't worry – we've got you covered.
Thanks to our "Wedding Thank You" Photo Note Cards & Envelopes, all you have to do is pick out your favorite wedding photo (sans thank you sign) and our design will do the rest!
This wedding design theme features a colorful banner below your photo that displays "thank you" above both of your names in your choice of a beautiful block or script font. You get to choose from 8 different color options (Black, Cream, Navy, Red, Purple, Pink, Blue and Green) - a perfect way to incorporate your wedding colors one last time! These note cards are the same size and have the same finish as the "Just Us" Photo note cards. They are also sold in sets of 24, which includes the white mailing envelopes – all for just $28.95.
Before you head to the post office to send out your thank you notes, make sure you use the Mr. & Mrs. Self-Inking Return Address Stamper so that any wrong addresses can be returned to you! This personalized stamper is one of our most popular gifts – our Pinterest and Facebook Fans go crazy over it! It can be personalized with your married last name and address in your choice of 5 ink colors (Black, Blue, Red, Purple and Green). The personalized stamp is ususally sold for $24.95, but if shop before our sale ends on Sunday you can personalize one for just $18.70!
Brides everywhere love this stamp because it helps save TONS of time and money – and it's easy to use!
Another bonus is that you aren't limited to using it just for your thank you notes, you'll be able to use your new personalized return address stamp for all of your future mail!
If you and your spouse have different last names, feel free to check out all of our Personalized Return Address Stamps – with all of our design styles you're sure to find one you love! If stamps aren't your style, feel free to browse through our Personalized Return Address Labels and pick a design you'll love sticking to your envelopes – they also help you save a lot of time!
Do you have any cute "thank you" photo ideas you'd like to share with us? We'd love to hear and see them! Share your ideas by commenting below or by emailing them to firstname.lastname@example.com.
We hope you found our tips helpful and we wish you good luck with writing out all your thank you notes … remember it helps to tackle a handful a day instead of trying to do them all in one sitting!
Have Fun with Back to School Photos!0
We couldn't stop laughing when we saw this hilarious back-to-school photo on Pinterest (at left)!
We love the idea of taking a "happy mom and dad" back-to-school photo – after all, it's a big day for parents, too! If you like this photo, you should visit our Back to School Pinterest Board where you'll find a couple of other cute parent photos, as well.
We hope this will inspire you to have some fun with your back-to-school photos this year because once you have the perfect photo of your kids in their first day of school outfits, you'll need somewhere special to display them … and we have just the thing!
The 1st Day of School Personalized Picture Frame (at right) can be engraved with any line of text nestled in among the ruler design, while any two lines go below your child's photo to commemorate the date, school name, grade, or whatever you choose!
This adorable wood frame is available to be personalized in vertical or horizontal format for just $24.95 (shop before Monday, August 19th and you can purchase the frame for only $18.70 while it's still on sale!).
If you'd like to showcase your cute new back-to-school photo in a more colorful way, the "My First Day Of School" Personalized Full Color Frame (at left) is another great option! Even though the example says "my first day of kindergarten" that's not all this frame can say!
You can personalize the colorful bus design with any line across the top, along with your child's school name and the year which will be cleverly featured within the bus design. Finally, add your little one's name to the bottom and you will have captured an adorable moment in time! This back-to-school frame can be personalized for $28.95 (or shop before Monday, Aug. 19th and personalize it for only $21.70 while it's still on sale!).
For those of you who are looking for a frame for older children, head over and check out all of our Personalized Photo Frames where you're sure to find the type of design that you're looking for.
Before you send your kids off to school, be sure you also check out our Back to School Supplies – you'll find personalized back-to-school gear for kids of all ages, including backpacks, lunch bags, pencils, folders, notebooks, pencil cases and so much more!
Pack a Fun School Lunch with these Great Tips!0
It's Back to School season and PersonalizationMall.com is having a huge sale on all of our personalized back to school gear!
We have a wide selection of Personalized Lunch Totes designed for teens and pre-teens and Personalized Lunch Bags that feature cute designs for younger kids in grade school but since the teens and pre-teens may be too old for "cute" lunches, we thought we'd focus today's tips on the younger kids' lunches.
The best part about personalizing our adorable Personalized Lunch Bags is that for every bag purchased, $1.00 goes to the charity No Kid Hungry. Every dollar that's donated helps the No Kid Hungry campaign start or improve school breakfast programs, recruit and expand summer meals sites and teach families how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a limited budget. Since the summer of 2011, No Kid Hungry efforts have helped bring more than 34 million additional meals to kids who need them and they continue to engage the public to make ending childhood hunger a national priority.
Now that you know all about the No Kid Hungry campaign, lets look at these cute lunch ideas! It's easy to see why the Butterfly Embroidered Lunch Bag (at left) is one of our customers' favorites. The bright and colorful bag features an adorable butterfly design that can be personalized with any name right on the front so her delicious lunch won't be mistaken as anyone else's. It is fully insulated to keep food both warm and cold and has two compartments for storing extra goodies. Moms especially love all of these bags because they're made of a durable and washable material that makes clean-up nice and easy! If your little girl loves butterflies this lunch bag is perfect for her and the only thing that would make it more perfect is if you filled her new personalized lunch bag with this cute butterfly sandwich (right) that we saw on Pinterest! All you have to do is make her favorite sandwich and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create the butterfly's wings. Add a carrot for the body and raisons for the eyes and you're done!
If you have a little boy at home, the Dino Embroidered Lunch Bag is the best way to go. We'll embroider your son's name on the front of the bag, right next to the dinosaur foot prints! And if your son is going to have a dinosaur lunch bag, then you should give him a dinosaur sandwich! This dinosaur sandwich is probably the coolest one we saw on Pinterest. Once you've used a dinosaur cookie cutter to make the shape of the sandwich, break off the tips of their chips and stick them on the dinosaurs back to create edible spikes! Your little guy will have a blast showing all of his friends the cool lunch his mom made!
Owls are the hot new trend and if your little girl is up on the latest fashion, she'll love the Sweet Owl Embroidered Lunch Bag (at left). Just like the other bags, we will embroider her name on the front of the bag, next to the pink and yellow flower design.
The owl's big eyes are easy to imitate for your little one's lunch (see the photo example at right). Just add two slices of cucumber and two raisons to the top of the sandwich, cut out a carrot for the nose and use a knife to create the wings. You can use the leftover cucumber to form cute flowers or add pretzel sticks to create a tree!
Last but not least we have the Ladybug Embroidered Lunch Bag, which your little "lovebug" is sure to love! Once you've added her name to the front of the bag, you can fill it with her favorite sandwich that you will turn "inside out" so it becomes a ladybug! Build her favorite sandwich and cut around the bread so it takes a circular shape. Then take the cheese out from between the two slices of bread and place it on top. Cut little circles out of the cheese or use swiss cheese and you'll have formed the perfect ladybug wings!
We hope you enjoyed all of these fun lunch tips! We'd love to hear any tips you may have or we'd love to see any of your own personal fun lunch creations! Post them in the comment section below or send them to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Be sure to check out our Back to School shop and remember that when you personalize these lunch bags you won't just be putting a huge smile on your child's face, you'll also be helping put food on the table for children all over the nation!
Keep the Kids Cool with a "Drive-In" Movie at Home!0
Now that August is here, the summer heat is starting to take its toll and your kids may be looking for ways to take a break from the sun.
Luckily we just saw this photo (at left) on Pinterest and have great way for you and your family to beat the heat – by having your own "Drive-In Movie" inside your home!
The "Not Just a Housewife" blog came up with the awesome idea to turn cardboard boxes into cars and place them in front of the TV so the kids feel like they're actually at a drive-in movie theater! It's a great way to get the kids' "creative juices" flowing all while escaping the summer sun and spending quality family time together!
As you can see from the blog post (click the "Not Just a Housewife" link above to be directed to the full blog post), all you have to do is take a cardboard box and have the kids decorate it to look like any type of car they'd like! The blog post suggests covering the boxes with colored or patterned duct tape so that the cardboard becomes more durable and lasts for more than one movie, but if you don't have any colored duct tape on hand, feel free to just let the kids use crayons or markers to decorate the boxes with their own artwork. Don't forget to attach paper plates for the car's wheels for an extra cool effect!
Once everyone has created their own cars, place them in a straight line on the ground in front of the TV and decide what movie everyone would like to watch.
Now that you have the movie picked out there's only one thing left to do – gather up some movie snacks!
Movie snacks wouldn't be complete without popcorn, and with the Old-Fashioned Red Popcorn Bowl Set everyone can have their own bowl to hold onto in each of their "cars." You can personalize the large bowl with your family name or any message you'd like for just $39.95 and the small bowls can be purchased individually for only $9.95 each. We love the old-fashioned look to the bowl and our Old Fashioned Four Seasoning Popcorn Party Set that you can also purchase for just $12.95. The personalized bowls are high quality so you can feel free to use them for more than popcorn on family movie nights. They can be used for all of your dining and entertaining needs, including using them as salad bowls when you're hosting a dinner party or to serve other types of snacks when you have company.
If your kids are a little older, you can also create a learning experience for them by creating a little concession stand in your kitchen.
Have them work on their handwriting and spelling by creating a poster board that shows a menu with the different types of snacks and the cost of each item. Use the My Private Stash Personalized Cash Box as the cash register and have your kids take turns being the concession stand worker.
Whoever plays the concession stand worker takes their siblings' popcorn, candy and drink orders and using play money, will use the math skills they learned during the school year to figure out how much change they need to give back to each of their customers! You can choose a pink or blue cash box and have it personalized with any 2 lines across the top and your kids can use it for all sorts of future make-believe games or to hold their allowance. The cash boxes usually cost $24.95 but if you act fast, you can personalize them now while they're on sale for just $18.70!
Once everyone has their snacks and the concession stand is "closed," have everyone climb into their cars and tuck each of them in with a Personalized Sweatshirt Blanket so they can be comfy and cozy in their little "cars." Since they're in individual cars they probably won't be able to share a blanket, but with our wide selection of Personalized Blankets you'll have no problem finding the perfect design for boys and girls of all ages, no matter what their favorite hobbies or interests are. The kids will stay warm and comfortable in their cardboard boxes and the blankets can help prevent any sticky candy from falling onto your carpet (after all it's a lot easier to throw a blanket in the wash, than it is to try and get a sugary stain out of your family room carpet)! The blankets will be great for the drive-in movie night, but your kids will also be able to use them for years to come, especially when they go on sleepovers, road trips or just when they're sitting on the couch watching TV or doing their homework.
When everyone is ready, dim the lights and start the movie!
The homemade drive-in movie theater is a win-win for everyone. The kids are happy that they get to cool off and watch a movie and the parents are happy that the kids are using their creativity, math skills (without even realizing it) and spending quality time together. It's not only a great way to beat the heat, it's also a great way to make an unforgettable memory that your family will cherish forever!
If you have any ideas on ways to beat the heat this summer, feel free to share them in the comments below and make sure to visit PMall.com's Back-to-School Store so you can get an early start to tackling those school supply lists!


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Thank you for visiting the website for Thompson Trice Realty, Ltd. We are a full service real estate company providing round the clock service for all your real estate needs. All of my agents are heavily involved with the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and the community as well as the recruitment of professionals for Baptist Hospital of Stuttgart, Lennox Industries, Riceland and Producers Rice Mill. Whether you are looking for your next home or a place to duck hunt, you have come to the right place. We provide the professional service you deserve and look forward to working with you!


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Game Info
GAME NAME: Luigi's Mansion 2
DEVELOPER(S): Next Level Games
PUBLISHER(S): Nintendo
GENRE(S): Action/Adventure
RELEASE DATE(S): 28 March 2013
There's something strange in the neighbourhood… who ya gonna call? LUIGI! Luckily Luigi's Mansion 2 isn't nearly as lame as the opening line to this review. As a matter of fact it is the complete opposite and is possibly one of the most inventive, well designed titles to grace Nintendo's 3DS.
In Luigi's Mansion 2 the main goal is to collect the shattered pieces of the Dark Moon which is destroyed during the opening cinematic of the game. Adding to the main plot there are many other hidden gems that can be collected by solving a puzzle of some sort. Some are simplistic where as others will keep you searching for hours on end. You'll often find yourself returning to past missions to either complete the level at a higher rank or to search for those pesky hidden gems.
Luigi's Mansion 2 takes place in Evershade Valley, a very different surrounding when compared to the colourful and vibrant Mushroom Kingdom. However the environments of the various surroundings (and the rest of the game) are far from dull. The colour pallet used can be compared to that of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, while bright they help to create a spooky feel to the mansions. This assists in creating tension in the game but at the same time the experience remains fun rather than gloomy considering that you are faced with ghosts as your primary opposition. The ghosts themselves are far from threatening, going by their appearance at least. Instead they are more mischievous than anything else but don't think for one moment that these spooks don't pack a punch.
Luigi is equipped with the 'Poltergust 5000', a specialized vacuum cleaner which is used to capture the ghosts that stand in his way. In addition to this a modified flashlight is used to stun your enemies before capturing them. The flash light is also used to emit dark light which helps to reveal hidden objects and pathways. The amount of puzzles that make use of these two objects in itself is truly amazing. The creator of these objects is none other than Professor E. Gadd who reprises his role as the narrator/victim of the game. E. Gadd keeps contact with Luigi throughout the missions via a modified DS system or as he calls it a "Dual Scream device". His sense of humour is quirky and overall he is a lovable character which provides you with updates on your various tasks for the game. In the early missions this can be frustrating but these interruptions do gradually become more intermittent later in the game.
The mansions are packed with hidden coins, notes and golden bars. Clearly the previous owners didn't believe in the banking system and rather took an 'invest your money under your mattress' approach. By collecting this cash you increase your rank for each level as well as secure funds to upgrade your Poltergust 5000. Players can also unlock the multiplayer mode. This is a fun addition to the game that can be played either online or locally with other players. Players spawn to a random location where they are tasked to work as a team to capture an abundance of ghosts. While this addition is a lot of fun the main campaign overshadows it in every way imaginable.
Outstanding game design is very often contributed to attention to detail. This is where Luigi's Mansion 2 truly excels. Everything from Luigi's character design to the marvelous use of 3D is in a class of its own. Small things make the world of difference. Small things like Luigi nervously humming along to the background music and suffering from a minor heart attack every time the slightest thing spooks him round off the experience more than any other 3DS title currently available. Not only is Luigi's Mansion 2 a must have title for any 3DS owner, it's a reason to buy a 3DS if you have previously had any doubts about Nintendo's 3D handheld console.


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Blue-chip dividend investors aren't happy campers these days. Their favorite financial stocks have declined significantly, and cut or omitted their dividends. The insult to injury however may come next January, when they find out that since their company didn't make any money, they didn't pay any U.S. Federal income taxes, and therefore, the dividends that they were paid are not dividend qualified, meaning they have to pay 35% tax on them instead of 15%. On the bright side, since dividend investors usually hold on to their stocks for decades, many of them will still show a gain over the decades, that is if the company is still around.
For the record, 138 companies decreased their dividend during the third quarter of 2008, representing a 557% increase from the 21 issues that decreased their dividend during the third quarter of 2007. Reported dividend increases fell 21.2% to 346 from 439 reported in the third quarter of 2007. It was the worst September for dividends since S&P started keeping dividend records in 1956, with 60 issues decreasing their payment. During the second quarter companies were nervous and cautious; during the third quarter they took action, and that action took $22.5 billion out of the pockets of investors. Financial issues accounted for about two-thirds of the dividend cuts and 93% of the dollar damage during the third quarter. Also, no longer is it just blue chip companies cutting dividends, now I am seeing smaller and more regional issues. The problem has trickled down.
However many issues are still increasing their dividend rate despite the massive number of dividend cuts, and given the uncertainty of the markets and the economy, they have to be extremely confident of their future earnings and cash flow to do so – we'll see.


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Stopping the world DEC 01 2010
Oh, this is lovely. Someone took a high-speed camera and instead of pointing it at something fast, they put it on a fast-moving train and shot footage of the platform moving by.
Wonderful illustration of the concept of frames of reference. (via capn design)


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In no particular order.
John Reinstra
Mike Merriweather
Walter Abercrombie
Harvey "The Original Toast" Clayton
Walter Brister
Dwayne Washington
Mark Malone
Tim Worley
Aaron Jones
Printable View
In no particular order.
John Reinstra
Mike Merriweather
Walter Abercrombie
Harvey "The Original Toast" Clayton
Walter Brister
Dwayne Washington
Mark Malone
Tim Worley
Aaron Jones
But what if we had lost? :?:Quote:
Originally Posted by RuthlessBurgher
I'm not a very good hater.
However I still have this great distate whenever I read something that has something written with these catch words.
2. Nodded off.
Funny how these words remind me everytime of how you can be so good and then screw up so bad, but's it's o.k. if the jets give you a lot of money.
My "Most Hated" list?...
1) Neil O'Donnell - Came up small when it counted & wanted to go to NY when he had talent here.
2) Kent Graham - I was embarrassed to have him on the team.
3) Cedric Wilson - A bitchy, whiny player who never lived up to his contract.
4) Barrett Brooks - A human turnstile...Cowher kept this POS around instead of developing young talent.
5) Duce Staley - Hated the signing from the get go & hated seeing him taking up space.
6) Bubby Brister - Has there been a mouthier player who has accomplished so little?
7) Walter Abercrombie - He just epitomized the lackluster teams of the 80's...especially considering who we could've had.
8) Plaxico Burress - Had an attitude despite never living up to his billing.
9) Chukky Okobi - Never got the support for him despite all evidence to the contrary.
10) Jason Gildon - Never seemed to play big when we needed.
Were the Steelers doing something new in the SB? In all of NODs passes over several years I had never seen one INT like the two thrown in the SB. It was odd. Either way you slice it...he came up short when it mattered most. He will always be loathed in the Burgh.Quote:
Originally Posted by RuthlessBurgher
Bentley was drawing a paycheck from the Clowns, but never suited up for an actual regular season game, much like Chris Spielman. I'd forgotten about that, RB, so thanks for the reminder. I guess that absolves him from ever being a Clown, much as it would have in the case of Spielman.Quote:
Originally Posted by RuthlessBurgher
Funny that Bentley and Spielman are both Buckeyes and both signed with the "hometown team" (In Spielman's case, I would dispute that out of hand, since Canton/Massillon is middle ground for the Steelers/Clowns rivalry much like Youngstown is). But both pulled up lame in training camp and were never officially Clowns.
I guess I'm now OK with the Steelers taking that flier on Bentley after all. :tt2


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We often discuss the importance of vaccines when it comes to children, but as health care providers, we should be devoting equal attention to vaccinating adult patients.
If they can put a man on the moon, why can't they cure the common cold? If a runny nose caused erectile dysfunction, I bet they'd have a dozen cold remedies by now.
It turns out that scientists know just how easy it is for wayward germs to find a path into your nasal passages in confined spaces like planes, trains and busses.
We don't think of flu as a life-threatening illness in otherwise healthy young or middle age adults, yet it is. In a bad flu season as many as 50,000 deaths may occur due to flu related illnesses.
Here we are just a few weeks into a new year and the flu epidemic has hit our country unusually hard. California has been so devastated that health of...
A study by the Washington-based Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has found that most U.S. states are underperf...
During an interview with CNN this week, Dr. Hans Rosling - iconic co-founder of Gapminder and professor of global health at the Karolinska Institutet ...
Along with colder weather, the cold and flu season has arrived, but you needn't succumb. I've developed an arsenal of tactics to reduce symptoms and recover faster -- and if you're lucky, bypass it altogether -- so a simple sneeze doesn't derail your weekend plans.
Years of research have shown that flu vaccination is the most effective way to protect people from the flu. Adults 65 years and older are an especially vulnerable population, at greater risk of serious complications from the flu compared with young, healthy adults.
Forget everything you've heard about the benefits of Tamiflu, the Roche corporation's blockbuster influenza drug. A new analysis that includes previously-unpublished trials offers a fresh, and very unflattering, perspective.
With flu season in high gear, here are a few commonly asked questions for those in the corporate environment.
When you get vaccinated, you protect both yourself and the people around you. If you don't get the flu, you can't "gift" it to your family and friends.
By Jerry Zezima I am a geezer who believes that being healthy is nothing to sneeze at. I also believe that preventive medicine can be a real shot in ...
Don't let a cold catch you by surprise. As a parent and busy mom, one of my secrets that I pass on to my patients is to begin a cold and flu prevention regimen before the season hits.
Make it a priority to avoid all antibacterial products -- including that antibacterial soap you thought would keep you and your kids from getting the flu. Good old fashioned soap and water works just fine.
The effects of converging people, animals and their products in a planetary mixing bowl have created a new and profound dynamic in our 21st Century. Animals, people and the environment are now elaborately woven together as never before, and our lives are being changed forever by these new levels of human and animal interaction in a deteriorating environment.


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Database Results for Your Selections
Results 1 - 2 of 2
Digital Library of Georgia
The Digital Library of Georgia is a virtual collection of digitized books, newspapers, images, manuscripts and media with an emphasis on material important to the history and culture of the state of Georgia.Expand
Subjects: Archives and Primary Sources, Georgia, History US
Digital Sanborn Maps of Georgia, 1867-1950
The Digital Sanborn Map Collection of Georgia includes large scale fire insurance maps of Georgia produced by the Sanborn Map Company. They are large-scale plans containing data that was originally intended to estimate the potential risk for urban structures.Expand
This includes information such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, location of windows and doors. The maps also give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. Textual information includes construction details, ownership and building use. The digital images were processed from microforms at the Library of Congress.
Subjects: Georgia, History Modern 1800-, History US, Archives and Primary Sources


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The Clean Cities Blog helps Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders access information about alternative transportation topics that affect their coalitions around the United States.
This blog supports the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program.
Learn about the blog policy.
What strategies are used to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and improve overall transportation system efficiency?
October 1, 2012
Contacts | Web Site Policies | U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov
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text: Latest News RSS News Categories Laura Mercier Trish McEvoy Molton Brown ORIBE diptyque NARS Bobbi Brown Fekkai skinceuticals darphin Kiehl's Dermalogica T LeClerc caudalie revive skincare neulash fekkai deborah lippmann Clinique Estee Lauder Latest News and Articles Creating Value: Expand from Your Core (Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:25:46 -0800) When cosmetics giant Estée Lauder decided to play big in social media, it took a serious gamble: its efforts were funded through its budget for traditional advertising. Breast health advocate Evelyn Lauder dies at 75 (Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:11:11 -0800) Evelyn Lauder, the daughter-in-law of cosmetics magnate Estee Lauder who helped create the pink ribbon symbol for breast cancer awareness, died Saturday. She was 75. Estee Lauder has the Highest Sales per Share in the Personal Products Industry ... - Financial News Network Online (Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:27:09 GMT) Estee Lauder has the Highest Sales per Share in the Personal Products Industry ...Financial News Network OnlineEstee Lauder (NYSE:EL) is highest with sales per share of $46.76. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. manufactures and markets a wide range of skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. The Company's products are sold in countries and ... Lasting legacy - Malaysia Star (Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:25:01 GMT) Malaysia StarLasting legacyMalaysia StarEvelyn Lauder, executive of skincare and cosmetics giant Estee Lauder Cos came up with the brainwave in 1992 together with the then editor-in-chief of Self magazine, Alexandra Penney, which began as a small campaign that aimed to distribute litle pink ...and more » Stage Stores Inc. Reports Operating Results (10-Q) - GuruFocus.com (Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:07:13 GMT) Malaysia StarStage Stores Inc. Reports Operating Results (10-Q)GuruFocus.comThe Company continues to focus on growing its cosmetics line of business through the installation of Estee Lauder and Clinique counters, as 1 new Estee Lauder and 1 new Clinique counters were opened during the current year third quarter, which raised ...Vanity fareMalaysia Starall 2 news articles » Penn alumnus Ronald Lauder at center of tax code debate - The Daily Pennsylvanian (Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:27:25 GMT) Penn alumnus Ronald Lauder at center of tax code debateThe Daily Pennsylvanian1965 Wharton graduate Ronald Lauder — son of Estée Lauder and heir to her multi-billion dollar cosmetic company — utilized a number of federal tax code loopholes to avoid paying tens of millions of dollars in taxes, according to a Nov. ... Tracking Jim Cramer: A Look At 5 Bullish New Picks - Seeking Alpha (Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:16:08 GMT) Tracking Jim Cramer: A Look At 5 Bullish New PicksSeeking AlphaLet's see what specifically has been affecting these stocks: Estee Lauder – Recommended at $118.92, now trading at $114.66. As discussed in this Reuters article, Estee Lauder is part of a group of companies that have had success with raising their ... Lauder, maker of breast cancer's pink ribbon, dies - Wall Street Journal (Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:01:32 GMT) The GuardianLauder, maker of breast cancer's pink ribbon, diesWall Street JournalAP In her long career as an executive at cosmetics giant Estee Lauder Cos., the company founded by her mother-in-law, Lauder worked with many shades of red, peach, bronze and even blues, but pink was the one hue that changed her life. ...Evelyn Lauder, who made pink ubiquitous with breast cancer awareness, dies in ...Washington PostEstée Lauder Senior Corporate Vice President Evelyn Lauder DiesRTT NewsBreast health advocate Evelyn Lauder dies at 75BusinessWeekCBS Newsall 602 news articles » The Estee Lauder Cos Inc (EL): Today's Featured Consumer Goods Winner - TheStreet.com (Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:26:33 GMT) The Estee Lauder Cos Inc (EL): Today's Featured Consumer Goods WinnerTheStreet.comBy TheStreet Wire 11/30/11 - 05:01 PM EST Estee Lauder Cos Inc (EL) pushed the Consumer Goods sector higher today making it today's featured consumer goods winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 3.7%. By the end of trading, Estee Lauder Cos ...Estee Lauder sees call selling at highsoptionMONSTER Research (registration) (blog)all 2 news articles » Evelyn Lauder Remembered For Leadership And Cancer Research - Neon Tommy (Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:53:43 GMT) Evelyn Lauder Remembered For Leadership And Cancer ResearchNeon TommyDaughter-in-law of cosmetic giant Estee Lauder and Senior Corporate Vice President of Estee Lauder Companies Evelyn Lauder passed away on Nov. 13 in her Manhattan home. The socialite, active philanthropist and mother of two was 75-years-old and died of ... Estée Lauder: Tapping the Fast Growing Global Anti-Age Creme Category - Trefis (subscription) (Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:41:40 GMT) Estée Lauder: Tapping the Fast Growing Global Anti-Age Creme CategoryTrefis (subscription)Estée Lauder (NYSE:EL) is scheduled to launch its Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme, designed specifically for European women, in February 2012. [1] This marks the company's entry into the growing global anti-aging skin care market. ... Lauder heir's tax strategies typify ultrarich - The Seattle Times (Sun, 27 Nov 2011 06:13:49 GMT) Arkansas TimesLauder heir's tax strategies typify ultrarichThe Seattle TimesThe charitable deductions generated by Estée Lauder cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder — whose donations have aided causes as varied as hospitals and efforts to rebuild Jewish identity in Eastern Europe — are just one facet of a sophisticated tax strategy ...Ron and LeonardArtnetHow Billionaires, like Ron Lauder, Avoid Paying TaxesVillage Voice (blog)The problematic charitable-donation tax deductionReuters Blogs (blog)Gothamist -San Antonio Expressall 22 news articles » Page: Back 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14


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More Cash for Commandos?
U.S. special operations forces are getting all the credit this week for the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. And if members of the House Armed Services Committee get their way, they will also be getting a bit more cash next year.
In a markup Wednesday of the fiscal 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, the committee's panel on emerging threats and capabilities recommended a slight increase in funding for the elite forces that conduct cutting-edge counter-terrorism missions. The bill proposes an additional $5 million over the $45 million originally requested for "expansion of authority for support of special operations to combat terrorism."
What does that mean, exactly? Section 1208 of the fiscal 2005 defense authorization bill authorizes funding for "foreign forces, irregular forces, groups or individuals" that actively support special operations troops engaged in fighting terrorists. In other words, it's a tool for commandos to recruit, train and equip allies.
In a statement, subcommittee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R., Texas), said the panel also recommended increased funding to meet "unmet requirements in ships and radios" for U.S. Special Operations Command, also known as SOCOM.
"This subcommittee takes its oversight responsibilities of SOCOM very seriously," Rep. Thornberry said. "We are well aware that it was special operations forces that conducted the operation on Osama bin Laden earlier this week, and that they do such things time and again with precision and professionalism that is unmatched. They deserve our thanks and our support, and from this subcommittee they get it."
Still, that's not yet extra money in hand for the secretive world of special operations. The markup is just an early step toward passage of the bill, which is paired with appropriations legislation to keep the lights on at the Pentagon.
And incidentally, the markup also would provide for extending the rewards program the U.S. government uses to pay people who provide tips on the whereabouts of terrorists.