text:
Timber Queensland provides the timber industry with a unified voice to participate in developing a whole-of-industry position on issues which impact our members.
Our sell-out technical seminars and workshops help you stay on top of your game, register with TQ's event notification service so you don't miss out.
Timber manuals, safety signs, assorted hardware and more delivered to your door with discounts for TQ members.
Timber is the only material to naturally store and lock away carbon.
Who should the public contact for advice on timber design, construction and use?
Be notified of upcoming timber application & use seminars
The Queensland timber industry has welcomed the opening of the Centre for Future Timber Structures (CFTS) at the University of Queensland, and the important role it can play in facilitating the greater use of timber in high rise housing and commercial buildings. Read more
Australia's Forest Industry Advisory Council (FIAC) have released a new plan for the transformation of the Australian forest products industry. Read more
With a record breaking year in new housing activity in Queensland in 2015, innovations in wood technology and new laws allowing taller timber buildings, the future for the State's forest and timber industry is looking brighter. Read more
The Queensland timber industry has called on the Queensland Government to ensure forestry biomass is fully utilised and promoted in the State's renewable energy future. Read more


text:
On Watch in Washington May 25, 2016 Plain Text PDF Version
On May 13, the Department of Education, Civil Rights Division, issued a letter to schools, with a weight and consequence behind it that will forever change religious freedom and child safety in our nation.
The "bathroom bill" was started in North Carolina and became a line drawn in the sand by a brave North Carolina governor, Pat McCrory. It could be the "shot heard 'round the world" for this issue in our nation. Shortly after the bathroom bill standoff began between the White House's Justice Department and the North Carolina Governor, the administration expanded their reach and battle to school administrators across the nation.
The letter cites Title IX, originally introduced to give girls and women equal treatment and access to sports in schools, now being used by this administration to mandate equal treatment and facilities for transgender students. It states in part, "… a school's Title IX obligation to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of sex requires schools to provide transgender students equal access to educational programs and activities even in circumstances in which other students, parents, or community members raise objections or concerns. As is consistently recognized in civil rights cases, the desire to accommodate others' discomfort cannot justify a policy that singles out and disadvantages a particular class of students."
By making this issue a "civil rights" issue, they bring in a whole new classification of prosecution, enforcement, and consequence for those opposed to or not upholding the law. While the letter goes on to say that this is a recommended practice from the Department of Education, they later share a 25-page document that outlines that federal school funding is tied to the compliance of this one issue.
The Obama Administration just doubled down.
Now a civil rights issue in their argument, what are the consequences for good and protective families and administrators who are trying to protect the children in their care from those who would force their transgender and whimsical identity desires on the remainder of those they share a restroom, locker room, and even a dormitory with? The answer is, prosecution for a hate crime. Even talking against this issue will be prosecutable under this administration's Justice Department. Where does that leave parents, pastors, and grandparents who are just as concerned for the children's well-being?
The fight on this one issue alone is a large one. It is not just about bathrooms. It is not about equal access for those confused children who are calling themselves transgender. It becomes a religious freedom issue that threatens the very ability for the Church to speak plainly and clearly on what the Word of God says about issues in our culture. It essentially outlaws free speech by those who cite God's Word. This movement by the administration is calculated and becomes a narrow door to a broad field of applications and implications for our nation.
People are already beginning to formulate a response. The "bathroom bill" in North Carolina brought out protective parents, grandparents, and other decent people everywhere who seek to strike down this ludicrous bill.
"A group of North Carolina parents are joining forces to fight the Obama administration over its policy that forces public schools to allow transgender students into restrooms, showers, and locker rooms that are opposite from their biological sex. "It's not safe for my daughter," Tammy Covil, a mother from Wilmington, N.C. told The Daily Signal. The parents, part of a nonprofit called North Carolinians for Privacy, allege in a lawsuit filed May 10 against the Department of Justice and the Department of Education that the federal government is forcing them to choose between their children's privacy and educational future.
"This is tantamount to extortion," said Donica Hudson, a mother of three from Charlotte, N.C., "to threaten to take away our public funding, for education, no less, if we don't allow them to come in and jeopardize the safety and privacy of our children."
There comes a time for civil disobedience—many are calling for that with this matter. David Limbaugh, a conservative writer, calls this issue a "hill to die on." Writer and theologian Michael Brown states, "Across the nation, parents, school boards, principals, administrators, and teachers must say no to President Obama and his administration. They must do it for the sake of the children. They must do it for the sake of moral sanity. They must do it to honor the Lord."
Brown goes on to share facts about the transgender issue—facts that the Obama administration will not acknowledge or share:
- Kids who identify as transgender represent the tiniest minority of the population, perhaps two or three out of a thousand.
- The great majority of kids who identify as transgender do not do so once they pass through puberty, so for most of them this is a temporary condition.
- Some parents of transgender-identified kids, along with LGBT activists, have rejected compassionate solutions for these kids (such as letting them use a faculty, single-stall bathroom). Instead they insist that the child's struggles be imposed on the rest of the students.
- Parents of transgender-identified kids, along with LGBT activists, have also sought to introduceradical transgender curricula to students as young as 5.
- Schools are ignoring reports of other children feeling violated, embarrassed, and even traumatized by the presence of kids of the opposite biological sex in their bathrooms and locker rooms, and the parents of those traumatized kids have been told that nothing can be done because of laws against discrimination based on gender identity.
- Already one university that introduced gender-neutral shower stalls had tore-evaluate its policy after heterosexual males were caught using cell phones to record the girls showering in the adjoining stalls.
- Some kids have admitted to using transgender identity as a way topush back against the "dominant society."
- In the vast majority of cases, we are not talking about children with biological or chromosomal abnormalities, and mental health professionals and brain scientists still do notagree as to the exact nature of transgender identification. (Is it a mental disorder? Is perception now reality? Is it the best course of action to give hormone blockers to children, followed by sex-change surgery and then hormones for life?)
- The American College of Pediatricians (branded a "hate group" by its radical critics) issued a documented statementurging "educators and legislators to reject all policies that condition children to accept as normal a life of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex. Facts — not ideology — determine reality." (The statement is titled, "Gender Ideology Harms Children.")
How can Americans get behind the movement to stand firmly against this blackmail against families and schools by the Obama administration?
Virginia State Delegate David LaRock shares that in addition to praying about this issue fervently, action is needed to be able to stave off the administration's mandates. He, like many other believing and conservative lawmakers in our nation, are quickly crafting legislation that will help render this action by the Department of Education ineffective. Sharing your thoughts with lawmakers, school board members and school administrators as well as others in authority is an important way to speak out and be counted. This sample information sheet is a helpful source of information for communities to share with the public to educate them about the issue facing their schools and community. The top part of the fact sheet contains a sample email or letter concerned citizens can use in writing to local leaders. This letter was created for families in Virginia—tailor it to fit your state.
Sign a petition. The Family Research Council has one already created. You can sign it here.
This issue is not one that believers should take lightly. It is a turning point for those who wish to see America turn from the traditional Judeo-Christian values, and introduce confusion, and further indoctrinate our young people against the traditional family. It is planned and it is evil. What will you plan to do to stop it? (Contributor: By Kris Kubal for Intercessors for America)
This summary of the issues involved calls for a "faith plus works" response. First, we invite all believers to intercede fervently and urgently due to underlying principles of modesty and personal rights being violated. Second, we ask that you pray about becoming involved in a legal protest, such as signing a petition and writing letters to legislators at both the state and federal levels.
"And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, 'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.'" (Neh. 4:14)
As many as 500 top evangelical and social conservative leaders, including Dr. Ben Carson and Tony Perkins, will have a closed-door meeting with Donald Trump on June 21 in New York City to ascertain what he has to offer to the country.
"Our goal is to be able to have a conversation that could lead to a better understanding of what Donald Trump has to offer to the country," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, according to Fox News, which says Trump has agreed to meet with the evangelical and social conservative leaders.
Perkins, along with Bill Dallas of United in Purpose, worked with former Republican candidate Carson, who has endorsed Trump, to arrange the meeting.
"I want to be actively supportive of a candidate who can help turn this nation around. With Trump – I'm not there yet. I hope to be there – but I'm not there right now," Perkins told Fox News' Todd Starnes.
Those leading the efforts include Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, Faith and Freedom Coalition's Ralph Reed, Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America, Bob McEwen, Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association, Kelly Shackleford of First Liberty, American Values President Gary Bauer, Family Leader President Bob Vander Plaats, and megachurch pastors Jack Graham and Ed Young.
"There is no preconceived outcome here," Perkins added. "I'm hoping we can have a conversation that could lead to helping conservative leaders make a decision about what to do in this election."
SBC's Floyd said the meeting will help Christians share their hearts with Trump. "None of us have endorsed Mr. Trump, nor have we condemned Mr. Trump," he was quoted as saying. "This is about the possibility of being able to appoint the next four Supreme Court justices. This is about the dignity of human life from the womb to the tomb. This is about religious freedom. I'm not about to sit at home and not express something. I'm accountable to God and I believe I'm accountable to my fellow Americans."
On Friday, Trump also sent a two-minute video message to the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference in California.
"We're going to take care of minority unemployment. It's a huge problem. It's really unfair to minorities and we are going to solve that problem and it's going to be solved once and for all," Trump said in the video. "We're going to bring back jobs. You're going to start paying taxes after you make a lot of money. Hopefully that's going to be soon. We're going to make great, great trade deals. So important."
He continued, "We're going to stop drugs from pouring into our country. We're going to strengthen our country. People are going to come into our country, but they're going to come in through a process. They'll come in legally but we're going to stop the drugs and we are going to curb our debt."
Trump added, "We're going to take care of you. We're going to work with you. You're going to be very happy. You're going to like President Trump." (Contributor: By Anugrah Kumar for Christian Post)
Please pray as you are led for this meeting in June. We know the Constitution does not require the President of the United States to be a believer, so religious leaders should build bridges, give a witness, and gain understanding. Donald Trump does not profess to being a Christian, but God can work His purposes through any human instrument. Pray for divine wisdom, and plan to vote.
"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." (Prov. 21:1)
Oil reversed early losses to turn positive on Tuesday, as investors awaited crude oil inventory data from the United States that was expected to show a shrinking supply overhang.
Brent futures LCOc1 had gained 26 cents to $48.34 a barrel by 1242 GMT, after closing down 37 cents in the previous session.
U.S. crude futures CLc1 rose 14 cents to $48.49 a barrel, having settled down 33 cents the day before.
Commercial crude stocks in the United States likely fell by around 2.5 million barrels to 538.8 million in the week ended May 20, a Reuters poll showed.
The American Petroleum Institute releases inventory data later on Tuesday, while figures from the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration are due on Wednesday.
The API is scheduled to release its data at 2030 GMT, while the EIA numbers are due to at 1430 GMT on Wednesday.
"I think the market is preparing for the (U.S.) crude stock data today and tomorrow," said Andy Sommer, senior energy analyst at Axpo Trading in Dietikon, Switzerland.
Oil was stronger earlier in the session, gaining support from a report that Iraq's oil output has reached 4.7 million barrels per day (bpd) and exports are running at a record 3.9 million bpd.
However Falah Alamri, Iraq's OPEC governor and head of the State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO), said at a conference in London that a decision to stop production of 170,000 bpd of Kirkuk crude, and the impact of bad weather and maintenance had slowed output.
A meeting of the OPEC exporter group, including Iran, is scheduled for June 2.
Plans for a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to shore up crude prices by freezing output fell apart in April when Saudi Arabia demanded that Iran, its main rival for influence in the region, participate.
A strike in France limited the market's gains by denting crude demand in Europe as refineries were disrupted by pickets.
French police using water cannon and tear gas broke up a strike picket that was blocking access to a large oil refinery in the southern port area of Marseille in a government-versus-union showdown over labor law reforms.
Sommer at Axpo Trading added that gains were likely to be short-lived, and that prices were likely to fall again in the coming weeks.
"There's an ongoing trend of increasing supply. Supply from unplanned outages in Nigeria and Canada are likely to come back," he said, referring to disruption caused in the two countries by protests and wildfires. (Contributor: By Simon Falush for Reuters News Service - Editing by Dale Hudson and David Evans)
Unless you are an investor in oil stocks, this news affects you by higher prices at the pump. However, our prayer focus is not on lower prices but for a shaky economy that exists on debt credit rather than on real wealth. Tennessee is calling for a return to the gold standard; other states may follow, but our national debt continues to rise toward $20 trillion. When will our nation crash? Please pray.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." (Ps. 127:1)
In one of the last actions of its 10-day General Conference, United Methodist delegates voted 445 to 310 to repeal the denomination's 40-year-old official resolution supporting Roe v. Wade.
Paired with the earlier vote to withdraw from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), the church took "two MAJOR steps in the right direction," tweeted John Lomperis, the United Methodist director at the Institute on Religion and Democracy.
The Book of Resolutions statement in support of legal abortion was adopted in 1976. It reads, in part:
We believe that continuance of a pregnancy that endangers the life or health of the mother, or poses other serious problems concerning the life, health, or mental capability of the child to be, is not a moral necessity. In such cases, we believe the path of mature Christian judgment may indicate the advisability of abortion. We support the legal right to abortion as established by the 1973 Supreme Court decision.
"In our system, resolutions automatically expire after eight years unless a General Conference re-adopts them," Lomperis told CT. "The New York national headquarters of United Methodist Women submitted a petition to this General Conference to not only re-adopt this resolution, but also to amend it to make it even more strongly supportive of abortion."
The resolution was defeated 59 percent to 41 percent.
The quadrennial conference also saw some smaller pro-life victories. Lomperis blogged:
On pro-life issues, we … adopted a resolution decrying sex-selective abortion while describing abortion as "violent" and criticizing those done for "trivial reasons," and allowed the expiration of a 16-year-old official UMC resolution bewailing an alleged "crisis" of some hospitals not offering abortions. While much work remains in more firmly establishing a clear pro-life commitment in our denomination, these were HUGE steps in the right direction.
Evangelicals celebrated the United Methodist Church's decision yesterday to leave a pro-choice advocacy group it co-founded 43 years before.
At its general conference, delegates voted 425-268 to withdraw from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), an interfaith organization whose broad support extends to late-term and sex-selective abortions—a practice that the church's social principles "unconditionally reject."
"This is a necessary and good step towards affirming that the unborn are persons of sacred worth," said John Lomperis, a conference delegate and United Methodist director at the Institute on Religion and Democracy. "This also shows the UMC moving away from other liberal, declining, 'mainline' denominations to embrace a new faithful, global identity."
Lomperis's evangelical colleagues at the conservative think tank praised the decision, as did Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore.
"It's a major victory for all gospel Christians. Let's sing some Wesley hymns in solidarity," the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission president tweeted.
Members of the United Methodist Church are less likely to support abortion than other mainline Protestants (including mainline Presbyterian, Lutherans, and Episcopalians). According to the Pew Forum, 58 percent believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared to 64 percent of all mainline denominations. (Around 36 percent of evangelicals said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.)
The UMC position on abortion states, "we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child." The church supports abortion as a legal option in certain cases, but opposes late-term abortion, sex-selective abortion, and abortion as birth-control.
Given its members' disagreement over abortion, the UMC has debated its relationship with the pro-choice coalition for years, including its past three quadrennial conferences. Supporters said retaining membership in RCRC—despite the clash in views between the church, its members, and the organization—allows them to maintain a "voice at the table," the denomination stated.
This year, though, Methodists from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida North Carolina, Indiana, and Pennsylvania petitioned the UMC to finally withdraw from the RCRC, after being involved since 1973, the United Methodist Reporter (UMR) wrote.
The recent vote comes amid a national wave of pro-life furor, including stricter abortion regulations in dozens of states and plummeting abortion rates. The UMR quoted delegate Katherine Rohrs, who urged fellow delegates to vote against the church's involvement:
RCRC refuses to talk about unborn children as just that. They refuse to condemn abortion as a form of birth control or gender selection.
They affirm abortion in any way….
I don't speak for all young women who are United Methodist, but as a mother of two, I speak for those who have not been surrounded by the church's support to cheer them on to life.
RCRC membership includes mainline Protestant organizations, Jewish denominations, and groups like Catholics for Choice. United Methodist Women and Methodist Federation for Social Action, an independent network, will remain members even after this week's vote. Individual church members and clergy are also still involved; several spoke out to express their disappointment in the UMC vote and urge others to donate to the pro-choice cause.
At this year's conference, the United Methodist Church failed to come to a decision on same-sex marriage. Days after a committee rejected a series of divestment resolutions, the church also voted to cut ties between its missions agency and the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, which some consider anti-Israel. (Contributor: By Kate Shellnutt for Christianity Today)
Give thanks for faithful Christians in the United Methodist Church (UMC) who remain committed to biblical values and vote accordingly. Give thanks for victories in votes that clearly represent Bible-based convictions on the "humanness" and sanctity of unborn children. In other areas, the UMC is slipping away from its biblical foundations. Pray for a widespread return to God's Word.
"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude, verse 3)
With a media blitz, the Islamic State has set its sights on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula as the next shot at expanding its empire and establishing a base from which to attack neighboring Israel.
The terrorist group's propaganda units have gone into high gear for recruitment this month to build a force in Sinai large enough to one day conquer Jerusalem — the same way its fighters took over large parts of Syria and Iraq.
Last week, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned of the Islamic State's presence in Sinai, where the group may have placed as many as 1,000 terrorists. The general's concern is a signal that the U.S. faces another war front against the Islamic State in addition to Iraq, Syria and Libya.
More than a dozen Islamic State media arms in Iraq and Syria have produced videos narrated by a who's who of hardened jihadis, who are surely on a U.S. kill list for daily airstrikes.
Islamic State propaganda promises recruits that they will one day "liberate" Jerusalem and end the state of Israel, according to analysis by the Middle East Media Research Institute, which tracks jihadi communications. The Egyptian army, the force standing in the way, is threatened with beheadings if soldiers continue to fight.
Such a massive propaganda effort for one mission is unusual for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL. Analysts says it means leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi views the land as increasingly important to his group's ultimate goal of bringing down governments in the region and expanding its so-called caliphate, or Islamic state.
"I think ISIS sees the Sinai as a steppingstone for launching greater attacks against Israel, which would boost its claim to primacy in championing the Arab/Muslim cause against Israel, an issue that strongly resonates with many Arab Islamists," said Jim Phillips, a Middle East analyst at The Heritage Foundation. "The Sinai cells also pose a long-term threat to Egypt, a key state with the largest Arab population. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but terrorists love them."
Steve Stalinsky, executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute, said the Islamic State is applying lessons learned in Anbar, Iraq, parts of which it controls, as it tries to persuade Egyptians and people in Hamas-controlled Gaza to join. Hamas is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
"One of the videos noted that ISIS in Sinai has learned from the experience of ISIS in Al-Anbar as the two areas are similar in terms of its desert geography," Mr. Stalinsky said.
"They have been calling Egyptian and Gazans to join them. They believe that ISIS in Sinai will be the gate towards the liberation of Palestine," he said.
For now, the Islamic State lacks the firepower to repeat its success in Anbar, where it captured a number of towns including the disputed Fallujah, after invading Iraq.
"Their strategy now in the Sinai is basically hit-and-run kind of attacks," Mr. Stalinsky said.
Egyptian forces on the peninsula are hit by those attacks almost daily.
The Islamic State made an enormous statement in Sinai in October when it placed a bomb on Metrojet Flight 9268, sending the Russian airliner crashing onto the desert landscape. The Islamic State claimed it sabotaged the plane, killing 224 people, with explosives hidden in a soda can. If so, the bomb was likely placed on the plane by an Islamic State insider at the Sinai Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
"ISIS leadership views the Sinai province as a key extension for the organization outside of its core area of control in Syria and Iraq," says an analysis by the Middle East Media Research Institute. "Indeed, the Sinai province is considered one of the most powerful and effective among these extensions."
Mr. Phillips said the Arab Spring uprising centered in Cairo fed the Islamic State the fighters it needed in Sinai as many Islamists were released from prisons.
"Extremist groups flourished in the Sinai, where they recruited disaffected Bedouin tribes, which had long resented what they perceived to be neglect and marginalization at the hands of the Egyptian government," he said. "The Sinai also offered a conduit to Gaza, where extremists received support from Hamas and other radical Palestinian Islamist groups."
A sampling of some of the more than one dozen Sinai-centered Islamic State videos provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute:
- Two jihadis in Iraq, Abu Qaswara Al-Masri, an Egyptian, and Abu Omar Al-Maqdisi, likely a Palestinian from Gaza, urge Egyptians to join the Islamic State in Sinai.
Al-Masri tells the Egyptian army: "We advise you to repent before we manage to find you. If we find you, there will be no other [fate] but beheading for you. There will be no mercy for you and you are aware of that. You have seen what the soldiers of the caliphate have done with your colleagues and you will see. I advise you to repent. I am a truthful adviser to you."
- Islamic State fighters Abu Suhaib Al-Ansari and Abu Omar Al-Ansari, in Iraq's Ninawa province, appear in a recruitment video. Abu Omar Al-Ansari urges Egyptians to attack Egyptian government officials and "spill their blood and communicate with them with guns and explosives and turn them into corpses with bombs." He specifically called on Gazans to travel to Sinai.
- A video produced in Aleppo province, Syria, attacks the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt as mainstream.
A fighter says, "You are the preachers for polytheism and falsehood, you are the ones who issued the fatwa for people to take part in the polytheist democracy, and you are the ones who issued the fatwa for people to vote for the pagan constitution, which puts sovereignty in the hands of the people instead of Allah."
He added: "You have deceived your followers that [adhering to] democracy and entering the parliament will lead to [the implementation] of Islamic Shariah. Now, where is the Shariah, O enemies of Allah?"
The Brotherhood's overriding goal is to spread Shariah, or Islamic law, around the world by undercutting secular governments.
Gen. Dunford, the Joint Chiefs chairman, raised alarm last week about the Islamic State's growing presence in Sinai and said Egyptian forces had begun a counteroffensive against its units.
"We have seen a connection between the Islamic State in the Sinai and Raqqa," Gen. Dunford told reporters, according to a dispatch by Voice of America. "We have seen communication between the Islamic State in the Sinai and the Islamic State in Libya and elsewhere, so we are watching that pretty closely."
Raqqa is the Islamic State's self-proclaimed capital in central Syria, from which it directs media operations and terrorist attacks.
"The Egyptians are taking the fight to the Islamic State right now," he said aboard a flight for a NATO meeting in Brussels.
The Egyptian military said this weekend that it conducted a series of raids in Sinai that killed 51 Islamic State fighters, according to the Arab news site Al Bawaba.
"Just being able to have a presence and cause some disruption in between Egypt and Israel gives ISIS some propaganda value, at the very least, said retired Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington. "It also causes Egypt to look both East and West and may, therefore, provide some operational flexibility to ISIS planning." (Contributor: By Rowan Scarborough for The Washington Times)
This is complicated politically but very clear spiritually. Pray that our U.S. administration, principally President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry, along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be led to issue unequivocal U.S. support for Israel's right exist and to flourish as a Middle East democracy. This will require God's sovereign, over-ruling grace. Committed intercession will help shape history.
"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations. (Ps. 22:27-28)
A week after the Obama Administration issued "guidance" to public schools that would result in students being exposed in bathrooms, showers and locker rooms, a court in California handed a victory to the proponents of a referendum to overturn that state's own "bathroom law."
On Friday, a Superior Court judge in Sacramento granted a motion to compel the production of documents requested by proponents of a referendum to overturn AB 1266. The Secretary of State and 55 counties had resisted production of these documents, citing privacy concerns.
"Today the court gave us a roadmap that we believe will ultimately allow us to prove that the necessary signatures were submitted to qualify the referendum," said Kevin Snider, Chief Counsel for Pacific Justice Institute. "We are pleased that the court rejected attempts by elections officials to prohibit access to this necessary information."
Before bathroom access became a national issue, California passed a statute that would allow access to public school facilities based on gender identity as opposed to biological sex. In the 90 days that followed passage of the law in August of 2013, Privacy For All Students (PFAS) collected more than 620,000 signatures of registered California voters to qualify a referendum to overturn the new law.
But elections officials disqualified more than one in five of the signatures leaving the referendum effort 17,276 signatures short of the requirement to qualify for the ballot. PFAS has been in court for more than two years, battling scores of government attorneys trying to withhold both the disqualified names and the reason for their rejection.
Gina Gleason, proponent of the referendum and member of the PFAS executive committee, was pleased with the outcome of Friday's hearing but was critical of government efforts to keep the referendum off of the ballot. "It is difficult to miss the irony of elections officials using privacy as grounds for opposing production of evidence to back their claims," said Gleason. "Privacy For All Students sought to qualify this referendum to protect the privacy of school children threatened with unwanted exposure under the new law."
In the matter heard Friday, backers of the referendum asked the court to compel Kings County to produce documents related to the invalidation of signatures, including the petitions submitted in support of the referendum. Objections to production of the requested petitions are based on concerns of privacy and confidentiality of voters' records, even though the party seeking these petitions possessed and controlled the petitions up until they were turned over to the counties to be counted. Kings County was a starting point as it is expected that petitioner will return to court to have other counties similarly compelled to produce these documents.
In addition to granting the motion to compel production of the requested documents, the court issued a protective order to assure that documents produced were treated as confidential.
Karen England, a privacy advocate and member of PFAS's executive committee noted, "The people of California object to bullies in bathrooms and bullies in elected office. We are now one step closer to maintaining privacy for all students in public school bathrooms, showers and locker rooms." (Contributor: By Karen England for Christain News Wire)
Give thanks for Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner, who has overturned an earlier judicial attempt to suppress a bathroom privacy petition by claiming thousands of signatures were invalid. Now the door is open again for the citizens to be heard. Keep praying, as (sadly) our federal government does not want the people heard on this issue. (See the first article in this Alert.) Please continue to pray.
"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." (Gen. 1:27)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Definition of bomber in English:
1An aircraft designed to carry and drop bombs.
Example sentences
- These forces are a mixture of assets that includes fighters, bombers, and support aircraft.
- The most ambitious experiment used a large bomber with fighters carried above and below each wing and one under the fuselage on a trapeze.
- In all, the bombing mission cost the Eighth Air Force 37 heavy bombers and six fighter aircraft.
2A person who plants, detonates, or throws bombs, especially as a terrorist.
Example sentences
- A few hours later, a suicide bomber detonated a massive bomb, killing himself and at least three others.
- Last week saw 23 car bombs, six of which were driven by suicide bombers, detonated throughout the country.
- Even Liberty, the civil liberty pressure group, accepts a shoot-to-kill policy to protect the public is needed when a suicide bomber looks set to detonate a bomb.
3 informal A large cigarette containing cannabis: Manny hand rolled a couple of bombers
More example sentences
- I was in my neighbourhood in East Van, smoking a big fat bomber, and I had to go to the corner store.
4A bomber jacket.
Example sentences
- Paired with anything from a blazer to a bomber, suddenly old outfits have a whole new summer life to look forward to.
- While the bomber was huge in the mid-'80s thanks to Top Gun, today's leather bombers are less rugged and more sophisticated.
Words that rhyme with bombercomma, momma, prommer
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: bomb¦er
Definition of bomber in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


text:
Congratulations to SOURCE Hall of Fame Inductee Nancy Jones
SOURCE has revealed the six female executives who will enter the organization's Hall of Fame this year. The 2016 SOURCE(…)
SOURCE has revealed the six female executives who will enter the organization's Hall of Fame this year. The 2016 SOURCE(…)
R.L. Hulett on board to negotiate strategic partner & sale Increased sales and demand for George Jones White Lightning Moonshine(…)
A portion of the highway that runs through ten counties from Dickson to Granville, is soon to be renamed after(…)
The best seats in town for "Let Freedom Sing – Music City July 4th" will be at The George, an(…)
A Collection Of My Best Recollection has 12 tracks and features some of George's most memorable songs, including, of course,(…)
Burn Your Playhouse Down – The Unreleased Duets is an album by American country music artist George Jones. This album(…)
BUY NOW Kickin' Out the Footlights…Again is an album by American country music artists George Jones and Merle Haggard. It(…)
Fan Club members receive online access to newsletters, a membership card and access to special events.
Please fill out the form below if you would like more information on George Jones Fan Club or would like to be a part of our mailing list.
George Jones Fanclub
PO Box 396
Arrington, TN 37014


text:
You'll find two premier Arkansas golf resorts in state parks, both of which offer excellent facilities and challenging play for expert and novice golfers.
Check out two of the state's best golf resorts below, and pack your clubs for a getaway.
DeGray is one of the most popular Arkansas golf resorts featuring DeGray Lake Golf Course, a challenging, 18-hole championship public
course that stretches over 6,900 yards. The course offers views of
DeGray Lake and opportunities to view the birds and other wildlife that
abound here.
The front nine offers wide, expansive fairways with
elevated, undulating and sloping greens, and hidden water hazards. The
back nine is carved out of the woodlands leaving little room for stray
shots. The course offers a driving range, practice green, chipping area
and lessons, from the blue tees the course is 7,100 yards, from the Blue
6935 course rating/slope 73.0/134, White 6421 course rating/slope
70.7/128, Gold 6136 course rating/slope 69.4/126, and Red 5178 course
rating/slope 69.3/115
The DeGray Lake Golf Course rating is 72.7 and the slope is 134.
Water comes into play on seven holes.
The Pro Shop offers a snack bar,
cart and club rentals, golf equipment and a wide selection of brand name
golf apparel and accessories for purchase. Call the Pro Shop for tee times and tournament reservations at: 501-865-5830.
Golfers will enjoy The Ridges at Village Creek, the park's 27-hole, Andy Dye signature course. This outstanding public course features the rolling terrain of Crowley's
Ridge, dramatic elevation changes, and the backdrop of the surrounding hardwood forest. These combine for an aesthetically pleasing and challenging level of play at
one of the state's best golf resorts. Since 1923, the Dye family designs of resort and public courses have included world-ranked championship-class
courses including 17 of the world's top 100 courses. Dye designs have a worldwide reputation for their creative, unique designs, and environmentally sensitive integrity.
Depending on the configuration of the two nines you choose to play, the yardage could stretch to over 7,400 yards. The course features MiniVerde Bermuda greens and
Tiff 419 Bermuda tees and fairways. Four teeing areas offer opportunities for golfers of any skill level. Three distinct nines make for outstanding golf.
Water comes into play on 12 holes. The course is open daily and includes a full service clubhouse with pro shop, dressing rooms, snack bar, and full driving range.
Golf carts are included with greens fee. For tee times, contact the clubhouse at 870-238-5226, or book online at TheRidgesAtVillageCreek.com.
These courses are well worth the travel, and you'll find a variety of accommodation options ranging from campsites to cabins and well-appointed lodge rooms. Visit our Deals page to search for savings on a golf getaway in Arkansas–you'll be seeing green in no time.


text:
I just bought microsoft's universal xbox 360 remote on sale for $20. Everything is working except this one feature that is really bothering me. How do you switch the inputs from tv to xbox. The directions say just click the input button, but that doesn't do anything. When i'm playing the xbox I can easily get to the tv by changing the channel, but then I can't get back to the xbox with the remote. If I can't switch back then this remote is useless.
Thank You,
Ms's Universal 360 Remote Question
Started by kessjuice , Jun 09 2007 11:03 AM
No replies to this topic
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
Game Profile
Log in or register to rate or mark played.
0 Votes
|Publisher Name
|Game Status
|Official Site
|Goorm Interactive
|Closed Beta
|Official Site
Astonishia Online is game that tell of the story 13 years after the PC version of the game providing players with 11 unique characters. The appears to be turn based like the original and skills visual.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Please login using the form at the top of the page or register for our community.
No news for Astonishia Online yet.
No reviews for Astonishia Online yet.
No guides for Astonishia Online yet.
Astonishia Online Rating Widget
Copy and paste the following code into your website to display a ggFTW Rating box for Astonishia Online. Total code & image size is ~4.5 KB. ggFTW rating boxes are non-blocking and will not slow your website.


text:
- Report: #932561
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: texas nissan
texas nissan1401 w state hwy 114 grapevine tx 76051 Internet United States of America
texas nissan harassment and humiliation , Internet
*Author of original report: harassment and humiliation
*Consumer Comment: One Of The Oldest Tricks In The Book, But...
Ripoff Report
About you?
Ripoff Report
A business' first
line of defense
on the Internet.
If your business is
willing to make a
commitment to
customer satisfaction
Click here now..
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
At that point I was upset so I ask for a manager. In which never came to see what the problem was. Also at that point I felt harassed and humiliated cause the salesman stated he was not going to get our keys until we test drive a 2012 Nissan Altima. We had ask for the keys for hours no keys to our car. So when the manager final came out he told us to leave. I was upset also at the fact that the manager never said what was the problem or how was our service today. Not only that he jumps in my face and tell us to get out. First I felt as a customer disrepected and harassed like I was forced to buy a car. Your customers comes first not your sale. Being a manager always ask is there anything I can help you with. He never did that. He was yelling very unprofessional.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 08/25/2012 03:25 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/texas-nissan/internet/texas-nissan-harassment-and-humiliation-Internet-932561. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on texas nissan
If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:Search Tips
In order to assure the best results in your search:
- Keep the name short & simple, and try different variations of the name.
- Do not include ".com", "S", "Inc.", "Corp", or "LLC" at the end of the Company name.
- Use only the first/main part of a name to get best results.
- Only search one name at a time if Company has many AKA's.
#1 Author of original report
harassment and humiliation
AUTHOR: delta01 - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, August 25, 2012POSTED: Saturday, August 25, 2012
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
#2 Consumer Comment
One Of The Oldest Tricks In The Book, But...
AUTHOR: Jim - (USA)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, August 25, 2012POSTED: Saturday, August 25, 2012
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


text:
Definition of lightwood in English:
US Firewood that burns easily and with a bright flame, especially dry, resinous pine.
Example sentences
- The third floor was a carpeted hallway of lightwood and floor lighting.
- We might have made it from paper and string and lightwood or assembled it from plastics and hard-to-understand instructions.
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: light·wood
Definition of lightwood in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


text:
Summer may be in full swing right now, but fall classes are set to get underway next month at Meridian Community College.
MCC officials were on hand Tuesday to make sure incoming freshman students have what they need for a successful school year.
Orientation is one way students get a jump-start. They get their schedules, have questions answered, as well as making sure they can find their way around campus.
"I am planning on majoring in Construction Trade and Industrial Maintenance," said freshman Mykel Sullivan. "I have to continue my education as much as I can."
"It's an important thing for new students coming into school to get your schedules, their classes together so you know were everything is," said Rachel Harris, student volunteer.
Fall classes will begin August 17.


text:
Long weekend in Denmark
Book a holiday cottage for a long weekend
Save up to 30%!
Book 3-5 nights at a reduced price and enjoy a weekend stay or a minibreak in one of our many, lovely holiday cottages in Denmark.
Mini breaks and weekend stays are just the perfect opportunity to unwind and get new energy, and at the same, it is inexpensive when you choose a holiday cottage from dansommer.
Find a holiday cottage with the 'Mini'-symbol and calculate the price as follows:
In Denmark it is possible to book a mini break all year around, as long as you book it within four weeks before your arrival day.
Even if you should have a long summer holiday, it can be nice with a couple of extra days of holiday outisde the main season. Many of our holiday cottages offer the possibility to book mini breaks and weekend stays - and remember that dansommer not only offers holiday cottages in Denmark, but also offers holiday homes across Europe.
Note! A booking for a mini break with more than 28 days to arrival will be calculated to a weekly rental price.
Hejlsminde Strand
HouseProperty ID: C2070Book!Show on map
House: C2070
- Size: 98 m2
- Persons: 4
- Pets allowed: No pets allowed
- Water: 75 m
- Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 1/2
Dyngby Strand
HouseProperty ID: D4074Book!Show on map
House: D4074
- Size: 204 m2
- Persons: 8
- Pets allowed: 2
- Water: 10 m
- Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 3/2
HouseProperty ID: A3163Book!Show on map
House: A3163
- Size: 70 m2
- Persons: 4
- Pets allowed: No pets allowed
- Water: 7000 m
- Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 2/1
Skagen Strand
HouseProperty ID: E8105Book!Show on map
House: E8105
- Size: 150 m2
- Persons: 7
- Pets allowed: No pets allowed
- Water: 900 m
- Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 4/2


text:
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) – The Santa watch has begun at NORAD, the military command responsible for scanning the skies for airborne threats as well as for St. Nicholas.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa Web site, noradsanta.org, was activated Tuesday.
Updates on Santa's flight will be posted on Christmas Eve. Santa can also be tracked on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and TroopTube.mil. To track Santa on those sites, type @Noradsanta in the search engine. The Santa Tracker phone number, which will be activated at 4 a.m. MST Dec. 24 is 877-HI-NORAD (877-446-6723). To get email updates, starting at 4 a.m. MST Dec. 24, you can send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com. A link to the Norad Santa site is below.
New this year, OnStar subscribers can get updates in their cars, and noradsanta.org will show Santa's preflight preparations early Christmas Eve.
It's the 54th year NORAD and its predecessor have tracked Santa. The tradition started in 1955 when a newspaper ad mistakenly listed the Command's phone number instead of Santa's.
NORAD is headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.


text:
Please select a hotel from the list of hotels in and near Fordingbridge. The list below displays hotels within 30 kilometers of Fordingbridge.
582 Hotels found.
Showing page 1 of 39, to view the first page click here.
Price Per Night From
Price Per Night From
Price Per Night From
Price Per Night From
Fordingbridge Map
StarStay UK offers wide range of hotels in Fordingbridge at discounted prices. From budget hotels to luxury hotels in Fordingbridge.
All hotels in Fordingbridge can be reserved online with instant confirmation.
Its easy to reserve hotels in Hampshire With thousands of hotels in UK. Using our website booking hotels in Fordingbridge is quick and safe. We select from the best hotels, and all our hotels in Fordingbridge can be reserved online.
For great discount on hotels in Fordingbridge book now.


text:
you are viewing a single comment's thread.
He has been replaced. Hamilton will be the driver to dominate over the next 10 years. One thing that should be remember is that no driver is bigger than the team. It was a team game that kept Schumacher at the top, not just his driving skill.
Hamilton will not be the driver to replace Schumacher, no matter how hard Martin Whitmarsh & co. wish it to happen.Michael Schumacher would have taken the title this year if he had been racing in Hamilton's conditions. In fact, I would venture to say that many of the great drivers from the past would have taken it in the same circumstances, although it's really something we'll never know.All we can do is watch the next few seasons and see whether Hamilton is capable of becoming world champion just once--for starters.Too much hype and not enough substance yielded the result we all saw. Don't worry, it won't be next year either. I'd put my money on Raikkonen or Massa (and I'm not a Ferrari fan), unless Renault get away without a penalty (I doubt that will happen) and someone takes his six tenths to a much improved car.


text:
Shumlin lowers flags to honor MandelaDecember 07,2013Gov. lowers flags
to honor Mandela
Gov. Peter Shumlin has ordered that flags at Vermont facilities be flown at half-staff to honor the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Shumlin issued the order Friday following a Presidential Proclamation.
All U.S., state of Vermont, POW and other flags at state public buildings and grounds will remain at half-staff through sunset Monday.MORE IN This Just In
A two car accident with injuries has narrowed traffic on Route 7 North towards the... Full StoryAn inmate at Marble Valley Correctional Facility died of an illness at Dartmouth-Hitchcock... Full StorySPRINGFIELD The Springfield Select Board took the first step toward endorsing the towns... Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Hello sir, I just switched to your very great theme! Can anyone help me to setup the proper image size for the template.
Have a look : http://informationlord.com
I want all thumbnails to be uniform and also wish to remove greyscale transition and increase the width of template!
Please help!


text:
Reload the page and try again.
Western has like 80 different programs to go into, which is something for everyone.
The academics are very effective and apply to your everyday major. The workload has it's stressful moments but as long as you stay on top of it and on time, you'll be good.
You have to put a little work to get mostly A's, but its not impossible.
I came to Western because they are number one in the state for my major. There are lots of class options throughout the university and you can take more than whats required for your major. Advisers are always there to help you whether through email or face to face.
They try their best to help you. I was stuck with no money and I have to pay for tuition. I went to apply for jobs and told them my story and they helped me as soon as they could. Now I am trying to pay off college and I need your help in scholarship money to do so.
{{review.SectionLabel}} at {{review.EntityName}}:
Sorry, there are no reviews.
Western has a great variety of majors and academic programs, and is most particularly noted for its engineering and aviation programs. In fact, the University is one of very few schools in the nation that offers aviation as a major. The Haworth College of Business, one of the largest business schools in the United States, is among the top business schools in the state, as well as in the nation; Haworth is also one of the most elite business schools worldwide, in that it's accredited at both the undergraduate and graduate levels by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business.
As a larger school, most people may be concerned with class sizes being too large; however, there are very few classes at Western that are large and lecture hall-based. The majority of classes has between 30 and 50 students. For most classes, attendance is required, with only three excused absences being allowed. There are a lot of internship opportunities available, as well. The difficulty of classes varies greatly, depending on the major.
Non-registered users are limited to 5 school profile page views per month.
Register for free to gain full access!


text:
Which One Would You Hit?: Robin Thicke or Cuba Gooding Jr.?
- By Bossip Staff Categories: News, Which One Would You Hit?
Posted by Bossip Staff
Your favorite coked out singer Robin Thicke and Cuba Gooding Jr. were spotted at the Sundance yesterday.
Which one of these interesting looking characters would you hit if you "had" to pick one?


text:
- Report: #424449
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: BLUEHIPPO CAPITAL, LLC
BLUEHIPPO CAPITAL, LLC8000 TOWERS CRESCENT DR. 13th FLOOR VIENNA, Virginia U.S.A.
BLUEHIPPO CAPITAL, LLC I HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE COMPANY'S TERMS AND HAVE NOT RECIEVED MY COMPUTOR AS YET I OPENED SAID ACCOUNT IN 8/16/07 VIENNA Virginia
Ripoff Report
About you?
Ripoff Report
A business' first
line of defense
on the Internet.
If your business is
willing to make a
commitment to
customer satisfaction
Click here now..
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
FRESNO, California
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/15/2009 06:01 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/BLUEHIPPO-CAPITAL-LLC/VIENNA-Virginia-22182/BLUEHIPPO-CAPITAL-LLC-I-HAVE-COMPLIED-WITH-THE-COMPANYS-TERMS-AND-HAVE-NOT-RECIEVED-MY-424449. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on BLUEHIPPO CAPITAL, LLC
If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:Search Tips
In order to assure the best results in your search:
- Keep the name short & simple, and try different variations of the name.
- Do not include ".com", "S", "Inc.", "Corp", or "LLC" at the end of the Company name.
- Use only the first/main part of a name to get best results.
- Only search one name at a time if Company has many AKA's.
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


text:
- Report: #948063
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Able Housing
Able Housing1204 Bombay Lane Roswell, Georgia United States of America
Able Housing Able Housing Temporary On-Site Mobile Housing Adjusters and Inspectors BEWARE Roswell, Georgia
*Author of original report: Finally Paid
Ripoff Report
About you?
Ripoff Report
A business' first
line of defense
on the Internet.
If your business is
willing to make a
commitment to
customer satisfaction
Click here now..
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
I still hadn't gotten paid yet, when I received another call from a Valerie Gomez on 8/10/12 requesting another inspection on the same mobile home, at a different location. The fee I would be paid was $150.00. I told her, I hadn't gotten paid for the last inspection, and she told me she would expedite payment as Taylor Denny no longer worked for the company. I was also to rush out the next day and do this inspection as well. I did the inspection, but when I got back I realized that my some of my pictures weren't very clear. So, I went back to the site the day after and took all of my pictures over again.
This job was approximately 45 minutes from my house, so you can figure 1 1/2hrs. driving time for each inspection, not too mention the time I spent at the inspection site.
I have submitted invoices, registration of insurance, W-9's, you name it I sent it, and every time I talk to Valerie Gomez, there is one more document she want's me to send to her.
To this day I have still not gotten paid for either job.
My advise to anyone who gets a call from Able Housing to inspect a mobile home of theirs or to do any other kind of work for them,
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/28/2012 02:14 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Able-Housing/Roswell-Georgia-30076/Able-Housing-Able-Housing-Temporary-On-Site-Mobile-Housing-Adjusters-and-Inspectors-BEWAR-948063. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Able Housing
If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:Search Tips
In order to assure the best results in your search:
- Keep the name short & simple, and try different variations of the name.
- Do not include ".com", "S", "Inc.", "Corp", or "LLC" at the end of the Company name.
- Use only the first/main part of a name to get best results.
- Only search one name at a time if Company has many AKA's.
#1 Author of original report
Finally Paid
AUTHOR: Louis - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, October 09, 2012POSTED: Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


text:
Events in Riebeek KasteelRiebeek Valley Olive Festival
Annual Festivals Arts & Culture Food & Wine
Where? Riebeek Kasteel
When? 7-8 May 2016
How? Call +27 (0)82 909-1116 or +27 (0)84 207-3820
Overnight? See Riebeek Kasteel accommodation, in Western Cape
The Riebeek Valley Olive Festival is an opportunity to sample an assortment of cuisine favourites in the picturesque Swartland towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West.
These quaint little towns will be showcasing the diversity of olives. Visitors can stock up on a wide selection of olives, olive oils, preserves, tapenades and a vast selection of olive-based beauty products. Known as the Shiraz Valley, wine tastings from surrounding wine farms will also be on offer. Live entertainment at these wineries will ensure a truly relaxing experience and visitors to the festival will be given a taste of the rich heritage and history of the Valley.
Purchase a R125 passport from webtickets or on the day which is valid for the entire festival weekend and provides you entry to the various wine farms, the town based marquees, a complimentary tasting glass and a free tasting of olives or wine.
Venues: Various destinations in the Riebeek Valley.
Please Note
Event and festival details can change. All event information is published in good faith as supplied by the organisers. Please check with the organisers that the event is happening before making your travel arrangements.


text:
The theme I use (Graphene) for our church's site (fbcfloralcity.org) uses the featured image option in WordPress for the front page slider. However, using Gecka Terms Thumbnails to assign an image to a category doesn't seem to work well. The image assigned to the category doesn't come up in the slider, seeming to indicate that it's not a "featured image" (as WordPress defines it), although it's the image category.
My goal: when someone emails in their post, it'a sutomatically placed in category X and published. It will appear in the slider with the image displayed being the "featured image" for that category.


text:
Skip to comments.Kay Bailey Hutchison is not seeking re-election in 2012. Who should replace her?
Posted on 01/15/2011 1:08:17 AM PST by Iam1ru1-2
Senate Conservatives Fund
Dear Fellow Conservative:
I have some very important news to share. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) announced yesterday that she will not seek a fourth term in 2012.
This is a major development because it opens up a Senate seat in a strong Republican state, giving us another opportunity to elect a principled conservative.
The Republican primary election for this seat won't take place until March 6, 2012 but I expect several candidates to enter the race very soon.
The Senate Conservatives Fund will thoroughly evaluate each of these candidates to see if a clear standout emerges.
As you know, we don't endorse liberal or wishy-washy Republicans. Our mission is to elect strong conservative leaders who have the courage to stand up and defend the principles of freedom that make America great.
In order to win the SCF endorsement, candidates have to demonstrate a deep commitment to conservative principles as well as a willingness to stand up to their own party when it's wrong.
They also have to show they can build and run an effective campaign. Texas is a very large state and a winning candidate will need a strong statewide grassroots organization and the ability to raise money to get their message out.
Based on media reports following Senator Hutchison's announcement, the Washington establishment appears to be lining up behind Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R). However, the two candidates we hear about most from conservatives are Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams (R) and former Solicitor General Ted Cruz (R).
As you may remember, SCF encouraged Texas Governor Rick Perry to appoint Michael Williams to Senator Hutchison's seat when she was expected to resign in the middle of her term. Michael is an outstanding conservative leader and he will be at the very top of our list as we consider candidates for an endorsement in the 2012 election.
We will keep you updated as this race develops. If you have information about the candidates or if you want to make a recommendation, please email us.
You can also help us identify and elect the strongest candidate in the field by making a contribution to the Senate Conservatives Fund. The more support we can raise now, the more we will be able to do for conservative candidates next year.
Thank you for being a member of this community. SCF was able to elect strong conservatives to the Senate in 2010. With your help, we can do it again in 2012!
Jim DeMint
United States Senator
Chairman, Senate Conservatives Fund
Senate Conservatives Fund is a political action committee dedicated to electing true conservatives to the United States Senate. SCF seeks to bring bold conservative leadership to Washington by supporting only the most rock-solid, conservative Senate candidates nationwide.
Contributions to Senate Conservatives Fund are not deductible as charitable contributions. Not paid for at taxpayer expense. Contributions from corporations or foreign nationals lacking permanent resident status are not permitted. Federal law requires Senate Conservatives Fund to report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year.
Michael Williams.
I'd vote for Tom Delay.
"Texans For Safe Reliable Transportation (TSRT) was created by Joe Krier of San Antonio in late 2005. TSRT calls itself a coalition of individuals, employers, associations, and public safety organizations dedicated to improving transportation in Texas. At the time of its creation TSRT had three board members. In addition to Krier the other two board members were Lawrence Olsen the executive vice president of the Texas Good Roads/Transportation Association in Austin, and Donna N. Williams a vice president of Parsons Infrastructure & Technology in Dallas.
Donna Williams is the wife of Texas Railroad Commission member Michael Williams.
Press Releases were regularly issued by TSRT from July 2006 through September 2006. Guest editorials were also submitted to various Texas newspapers with a by line of Donna Williams, TSRT.
TSRT has placed numerous billboards throughout Texas promoting the Trans Texas Corridor in 2006 and 2007."
"Kay Bailey Hutchison is not seeking re-election in 2012. Who should replace her?"
I dunno...how about a NON-AMNESTY loving conservative?
I volunteered for Kay
and George Bush in 1994.
big mistake
I wish I had that vote back
A real conservative??? KBH has been a real disappointment.
Probably another Texas RINO.
Dewhurst to the U.S.Senate and Michael Williams to Lt. Governor, then Williams on to be Perry's replacement in the next term.
I would run except it seems that Senators from Texas have some sort of mind altering experience when they get to Washington.
Is there an inoculation against stupidity available?
As long as it is not a Pro-Illegal/Anti-American Open Borders type. A strong National Security/Secure Borders candidate would be needed in a state like Texas....someone to stand up to the Illegal Alien Lobby, North American Union anti-Americans, and the La Raza/MEChA/MALDEF crowd
Thank goodness and good riddance.
Who should replace her?
Michael Williams or John Culberson. Maybe Ted Poe.
I'm sure my recommendation means little. But....I've met David Dewhurst and heard him speak to a small group. I believe him to be a principled conservative. You never know when they get to Washington but I think he would leave here a conservative!
Unlike Rangel. he be gonna be in tthe Pokey.
I hear the Lt. Gov. has mega bucks and can self finance his campaign if he decides to run.
Check out Elizabeth Ames Jones. She would be a great candidate.
I wish Dr. Suzanna Hupp would run to replace KBH, but I think she has a couple of young kids.
Dan Patrick . . . or anyone who can slap John Cornyn when he gets stupid (which is all the time).
There will be a plenty lined up I expect. It remains to see who will be viable in the presidential year........
From the DMN is a note of some potential candidates on both sides of the aisle.
Likely Republican contenders to succeed her include Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert , state Sen. Florence Shapiro of Plano , Railroad Commissioners Elizabeth Ames Jones and Michael Williams, Weatherford car dealer Roger Williams, and Ted Cruz, a former Texas solicitor general and candidate for state attorney general.
Possible Democratic contenders include former Texas Comptroller John Sharp and former Houston mayor Bill White.
end snip
"TSRT has placed numerous billboards throughout Texas promoting the Trans Texas Corridor in 2006 and 2007."
Thanks for that info - there is no way in hell I'll vote for ANYONE tied up in that fiasco - even if he is black. Just no way. I had to vote against Perry twice - the last thing this country needs is someone pushing this type of scheme at the federal level.
see #5
I suggest Jerry Patterson for senator.
Greg Abbott or Ted Poe
Who should replace her?
Who should believe her!
But to answer you question: Michael WIlliams
Dan Patrick.
As a rule I do not contribute to PACs. But I might to DeMint's PAC. At least I know none of my money will be spent promoting RINOs.
Follow Sen. DeMint on Twitter.
There is a long list of highly qualified candidates vying for this seat, because they had originally been lead to believe the seat would be vacated by Senator Hutchison in 2010. There are 3 on my Facebook friend list: Michael Williams, Elizabeth Ames Jones, and Ted Cruz.
Michael Williams.
Hasn't Leppert already been chosen by the country club crowd? If so, the rest of the process is just for show.
Agree.....I like the guy as well but need to do more research before I promise my vote. All I know about him are his efforts on concealed carry etc ...
Whats his stand on border and illegals etc ??
I concur.
Texas has a lot of good Republican contenders like these two for the Senate spot.
Our bench strength is strong. Probably stronger than the current starters. ;)
In before the Paulbots suggest Ron Paul for U.S. Senate. ;)
Not possible, as Dewhurst's 2013 successor as lt. gov. must be a sitting state senator.
Well, upchuck, in 2008 DeMint support the RINO-in-chief, Myth Romney.
Another vote for amnesty—as long as illegal aliens make a trip home to visit their family, etc., etc.. No wonder he's already got a Bush endorsement.
Bush is endorsing ROGER Williams...not MICHAEL Williams.
Michael Williams is the clear choice, with Greg Abbott or Ted Cruz a close second.
My choice would be Michael Williams.
If Dewhurst wants out of lite gov, he'll be hard to stop with all that $$$ behind him.
If Williams moved to lite gov, he would/should stay there and do RiNO/spendthrift abatement in the Texas senate. He'd have a lot more practical impact as lite gov than as governor.
I still like Ted Poe for the U.S. Senate. Ted Cruz or John Culberson would also be acceptable.
John Sharp would probably be the strongest Democratic contender, Bill White having just been beaten pretty badly for governor by a weak incumbent.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
School budget up but levy will fall
Valuation increase covers the difference.
The dice in the crap shoot of the school budgeting process haven't quit bouncing yet but it looks as though Brady area property owners will see a slightly lower school levy on the next tax bills.
Brady school board members worked through the numbers crunch last week and will vote on the 2009-10 budget following a public hearing during the regular monthly meeting on Monday.
The general fund levy, construction levy and capital fund levy are all set to drop despite a 10.75% increase in the district's operating budget. The lower levy is possible because of a 9.38% increase in district valuation.
Superintendent Bill Porter said nearly half of the $232,000 hike in the operating budget can be attributed to salary related items.
Wages, insurance, retirement and social security account for about 69% of the district's overall budget, Porter said.
With the natural pay increases from the step system for certified employees, salaries increased approximately 4% this year or $104,000.
Thankfully, Porter said, state aid will go up roughly $100,000 to cover that change and a jump in property values will take care of the rest.
"It's going to be tight. That's the least you can say," Porter said.
Utility costs will likely continue to be volatile, he said, making estimating that budget line a gamble.
"It's such an unknown," he said. "All you can do is go through the history, look at the trends and make your best guess."
Property owners will continue to pay bond levies for the renovation and addition to the school building approved by voters in 2005.
The 20-year construction bond and 10-year qualified capital purpose undertaking (QCPU) fund are only two years old.
Porter said he hopes to pay off the QCPU fund in another couple of years to help alleviate some of that financial strain on taxpayers.
"As far as the overall budget goes we've kept things pretty tight and we're going to be all right," Porter said. "It's the cash flow situation that could get pretty scary."
Because cash reserves were used to pay large outstanding bills in the past, carry-over is minimal.
"We'll just hope like heck it all evens out in the end," Porter said.
Latest Headlines
- New hospital safety ratings now available to the public
- Mentees, others share value of TeamMates
- Playground equipment tops Lake Helen priority
- School administrators reorganize with one less
- Turning to the next page
- The Crossing gets special use permit
- Hotline brings sellers and buyers together


text:
- Police/Fire/Courts
- Business
- Local
- State/Northeast
- Nation/World
- 2016 Elections
- Special Reports
- Maps & Data
- Military
- Horoscopes
- Dear Abby
- Games & Puzzles
- Lifestyle
- Events & Exhibits
- Food & Drink
- Arts & Music
- Movies & TV
East Lyme - The Zoning Commission did not make a decision last week on an application to change a 24-acre parcel zoned for light industrial use into an affordable housing district and build 69 residential units, but said the proposed development's location did not suit residential usage.
The Rocky Neck Village development, being proposed by JAG Capital Drive LLC of Mystic, would be about a half mile from the Rocky Neck Connector. It would have entrances on West Main Street and Capital Drive.
The area contains businesses involved in manufacturing and product distribution.
The proposed development's proximity to those industrial businesses spurred discussion about safety and public interest concerns among commission members at last Thursday's meeting.
Chairman Marc Salerno said the commission heard "extensive testimony" at a public hearing which closed two weeks earlier. He said that though the commission previously has rezoned other light industrial districts into affordable housing districts, for example at 38 Hope Street, he emphasized that each application stands on its own.
Commission member Norman Peck referenced public hearing testimony from some of the neighboring business owners who worry the residential development would impact their normal work.
"Why should somebody not be able to work 24/7, with trucks coming in and out, in an industrial zone?" said Peck, referring to a comment made at the public hearing.
He said placing residential development in an industrial zone would not be a good zoning practice. Hurting the business operations could eventually lead to lower property values in town, he said.
Commission member Matthew Walker said there were conflicting viewpoints about the appropriateness of residential units in the area, but felt that the business owners in the nearby industrial park had a compelling argument. He said there were safety concerns about having residential buildings so close to an industrial park.
Salerno said he was not opposed to the development itself, but agreed with the commission members that the units were not in the right location. He also explained that the existing industries in the area were more intense uses than in other light industrial zones.
"I concur with everyone's concern here, and I think that concern overrides my desire for this project, because I think it is an attractive project, and the desire for affordable housing in this town," said Salerno.
Commission members discussed if there were possibilities for amending the application, for example to change its boundaries, but hadn't heard adequate alternatives from the developer.
Salerno said he thought the commission reached a consensus that it was in opposition of having residential units in the industrial zone and asked the zoning staff to draft a motion for discussion and a final decision at a later meeting.
The commission will discuss the issue at its March 7 meeting.
New London police, firefighters respond to report of man jumping in Thames River
Miami trio charged in East Lyme with producing fake credit cards
A/Z Corporation has grown from humble beginnings to industry leader
Hovercraft 'flying' travelers across Long Island and Fishers Island sounds
Waterford church continues tradition of Middle Eastern festival
Waterford soldier's remains come home after more than 60 years
Electric Boat delivers submarine Illinois early, below budget
Region still lagging in job gains, but future seen as 'bright'


text:
Work sucks… most of the time. If you're in a thoroughly unisex workplace with a lax dress code, it can be a pretty titillating place to be. Porn's bustiest babes have seemingly been employed at the same company as a bunch of stiff-dicked dudes with little in the way of professionalism. But hey, that makes for supreme adult entertainment as only Brazzers can deliver. Big Tits at Work sees many a stunning pornstar babe strut her stuff across the boardroom only to pass over an executive in favor of that handsome new intern. Risque enough to get your fired, Big Tits at Work is absolutely, positively, completely NSFW.
You might be wondering why a site focusing on opaque and not sheer stockings, leggings, and various other hosiery would interest you, a guy more likely to enjoy a hefty money shot than some tepid literotica. You might be wondering why the women wearing said hosiery are keeping their smooth, slender legs largely covered up. And you'll definitely be wondering if Only Opaques, the site in question, is worthy of twenty-five of your hard-earned dollars. Well, if you ever find yourself getting bored with hardcore, seeing all-nude naturalist erotica as pure fantasy, and praying for a softcore site unlike any other, a site that dares to not bare and instead uses the allure of stockings, lingerie, and a flirtatious smile to charm your gosh darn pants off, Only Opaques will be there to keep you guessing in a surprisingly sexy way.
Bang Bros is one of the net's largest porn networks with 43 sites currently online. Of these sites, most people seem to focus on the more outrageous and irreverent ones, letting the quiet achievers pass by largely undetected. Facial Fest is one such quiet guy, but don't for a second think this 200-plus-scene POV site is anything less than brilliant. With an endless parade of new chicks lining up to receive a nice creamy pasting, each one shown in crystal clear HD that really makes it feel like you're on the giving end of the titular blastings, and consistent weekly updates to an already very impressive catalogue, Facial Fest is a guaranteed good time, even at a slightly slower pace than, say, the Bang Bus.
Seeing a soon-to-be superstar of porn in her very first scene is a thrill few porno fans take for granted. The appeal of an on-screen virgin getting schtupped for the first time never seems to tire, even on a site devoted entirely to that very premise. First Time Auditions captures eager young sluts giving their all before a director and crew in their first on-screen performance. Rendered in HD video formats and featuring some of porn's stars of tomorrow, First Time Auditions offers a thoroughly enjoyable glimpse into the nerves, the anticipation, the sweat, the semen, and the excitement of a momentous occasion, and it does it every damn week!
Girls Out West might sound like it'd be a cowgirl-themed adult site, but instead this exclusive and original offering takes you on a journey into the fields, beachfronts, cityscapes, bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms of gorgeous amateur Australian women as they strip, masturbate, fuck each other, and take on anyone from their boyfriends to a gang of guys whose names they remain blissfully unaware of. As wild and untamed as the long spinifex grasses they can be seen cavorting in, the girls truly are natural wonders of the land Down Under. Isn't time you visited them?
Nope, it's not a site for death-fetishising gun owners, I Shot Myself is devoted to presenting everyday female sexuality in the most honest, sincere, and evocative fashion possible. And that, dear reader, means handing control over to the subjects themselves, the mostly Australian, mostly young, mostly white women grab a camera and shoot themselves in seductive nude poses that seem adventurous and perfectly natural at the same time. Although it is being held back (just a little bit) by its adherence to outdated video formats and image sizes, I Shot Myself is still one of the most identifiable and unique adult websites on the 'net.
Face it: you're not the socially adept debonair ladykiller you always dreamed you'd become. That's ok, though, 'cause very few of us exist! Those still finding frustration as often as pleasure might turn to the live audio-visual intimacy of webcam shows. I'm Live presents more than 100,000 performers giving their all (and doing anything you can imagine) for your entertainment, arousal, and every hard-earned dollar (or, on the site, "credit"). What more could you possibly want?
Once declaring themselves "The motherfuckers of porn," the Mofos crew has since started leaving the MILFs alone and instead targeting younger, less experienced babes. In 1080p HD videos, on 17 exclusive websites, porn's stiffest dicks (and luckiest guys) slide between the lips and thighs of such sexy girls as Dillion Harper and Holly Michaels, and can be seen enjoying creampie, anal, lesbian, threesome, public, and hardcore scenes only at this excellent network.
Copyright © 2016 - Mr. Pink's Porn Reviews - MrPinks.com. All rights reserved.


text:
PETA vs. other animal rights organizations? Differences?
Over a year ago
Hello everyone 🙂
I just had a question for you animal rights activist on certain animal rights groups.
I would like to get some info on the HSUS, PETA, and ALF. Mainly, I want to know what the difference is between these groups? I don't want to shame anyone, especially not my fellow PETA2 activists, so please don't be offended but I am curious about how these animal rights groups differ. For example, (I don't want to sound ignorant but I honestly don't know) why is the ALF not a big of PETA or of HSUS? They seem to be against them, but aren't HSUS and PETA helping animals too, just like the ALF?
I would like a brief description of PETA, HSUS, and ALF and the main differences between them. (Maybe even other organizations like the ASPCA, Friends of Animals, or Animal Aid)
Thanks guys, in advanced.
Please log in to reply.
Over a year ago
HSUS is an animal welfare organization and like most animal welfare organization they care more about domestic animals like cats and dogs though they sometimes do work to help the living conditions of livestock animals but even though they sometimes help improve living conditions they aren't against them being killed still
PETA is an animal rights organization the most well known AR organization probably. They think all animals (including domestic, livestock, and wild animals) should have their own basic rights like life. Then end goal of most animal rights organizations are actually pretty close to animal liberation.
ALF isn't an organization in the same sense that the other two are. This is because what they do is illegal. They are basically a name and set of guidelines or rules that if anyone follows properly they can use the name too. They are for animal liberation. Which is basically a more extreme approach then animal rights at freeing all types of animals. Since ALF supporters are extremists they normally just feel like animal rights and animal welfare supporters aren't doing enough. Just like a lot of vegans don't like vegetarians or omnivores for not doing enough.
The ASPCA is like the HSUS as they are for animal welfare. Most animal welfare supporters care more about dogs and cats or just the living situation of livestock animals. I think animal welfare attracts a larger group of animals because they don't have to adapt the way they live really but they still love animals etc. The reason they say fur is wrong but leather is fine is because wearing fur has become out dated and people are fine with saying it is wrong not to mention the animals used for fur are small cute fluffy animals that most people like. Where as wearing leather hasn't become as out dated yet and cows and those types of animals aren't cared for as much by the general public. So basically they are just playing on societies favorites and not trying to scare away any people from their organization.
I myself am for any steps in helping animals whether it be animal welfare, animal rights, or animal liberation as they all help open peoples eyes to the suffering of animals and encourage people to get involved and do something for animals.You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Over a year ago
@teatowls Thanks that helped a lot. Also, why do a large number of people support the ASPCA because I read on their "stands" that they are for killing animals for food, wearing leather, wool, etc, and animal experimentation. That doesn't help animals at all, that hurts them, why do they approve of it? They said on wearing fur: Wrong. But on wearing leather: It's fine?You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Over a year ago
With the ALF not being supported by other organisations it's because what the ALF does is actually illegal, in fact the ALF is regarded as a terrorist group so other groups don't really want to associate themselves with them. ALF activists I imagine wouldn't be overly fond of some organisations as they may feel these groups don't do enough which is why most people join the ALF to begin with.
ASPCA and RSPCA are not animal rights groups, they are animal welfare so they are different to PETA and Animal Aid in that sense. There's a huge number of animal rights groups but they tend to all focus on different things depending on the country that it's set in or what they're goals are… Sea Shepherd are specific in sea animals, BUAV is specific in animal testing, SHARK tends to focus on pigeon hunts and rodeos… so you see that different groups do different things.
Hope that helps a bit!You must be logged in to reply to this topic.


text:
- Patient Age Group
- Gender
- Male
News & Events
Be a star: Submit a cost-saving idea to the Star Saver program
MGH Hotline 3.27.09 In today's tough economic climate, many people are carefully re-examining how they spend each dollar. At MGH, this approach to remaining financially strong has led to the creation of a new project-- the Star Saver program -- by members of the Supply Management Operational Initiative team, under the auspices of Jean Elrick, MD, senior vice president for Administration.
Facelift: Major renovation project modernizes main campus basement hallways
MGH Hotline 010909 MGHers and visitors should notice a big difference in the basement corridors of the main campus buildings Ð they are brighter, more contemporary and spruced up with new paint, ceiling and floor tiles, modern lighting and an attractive color scheme.


text:
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLocated in the Burbank area of Los Angeles—known as the "Media Capital of the World" and home to such institutions as NBC, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company—English language students are encouraged to take advantage of the city's many destinations. Students can expect to experience amazing weather, a rich and multi-cultural populous, and innumerable ties to the entertainment industry.
New York City, NYThe birthplace and contemporary hub of independent films and an international proving ground for actors, journalists, designers, and visual artists, New York City's 24/7 energy and culture inspires artists to create and achieve at their maximum potential. Studying at NYFA New York is like living at the crossroads of the world. The City becomes part of students' projects and their lives as they shoot in the streets of the five boroughs. NYC thrills the senses and challenges the mind. For its size, diversity of people, culture, and landscape, the city remains unparalleled. One can hear dozens of languages, choose from the cuisine of six continents, and rub shoulders with notable filmmakers, designers, actors, or musicians on any given day.
South Beach, FloridaMiami is a melting pot of cultures, glamour, and unbeatable weather. It is a city rich with culture, contains some of the most extraordinary examples of the Art Deco style in South Beach, and is host of Art Basel Miami Beach—the largest contemporary art fair in the world. South Beach is a world-class destination and inspiring environment for our students to broaden their English vocabulary and spoken English.
San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the capital of Silicon Valley—the gateway to global technology and innovation. San Jose is the safest big city in the United States, a city where English language students can flourish in a comfortable and relaxed environment to hone their English conversation skills.
Level 1: Beginner
Level 1 students have very little practical ability in using English. The initial classroom method with these students is aural/oral drill using pictures to develop speaking pronunciation skills and mastery of basic vocabulary, grammar and survival English.
Skill Goals:
Ability to participate in simple conversation using complete sentences and responding accurately to relevant questions.
Ability to understand simple, clearly spoken phrases and commands.
Ability to understand simple signs and directions, and to obtain information from simple written English. Can sound out new words.
Ability to write simple sentences.
Level 2: Advanced Beginner
Level 2 students have a foundation in Basic English. "False Beginners" often begin at this level as they have yet to really activate the grammar and vocabulary they learned in basic grammar textbooks Students learn to comprehend spoken English in routine and familiar contexts. Communicating about basic needs and participating in basic conversations is emphasized. In Grammar classes, students practice the various grammatical structures and forms to generate sentences related to personal topics and into short, loosely organized paragraphs. Readings include authentic or adapted narratives and descriptive passages.
Skill Goals:
Ability to participate in simple conversation using complete sentences and responding accurately to relevant questions.
Ability to understand simple conversational English when spoken to directly.
Ability to understand simple descriptions, explanations and instructions.
Ability to write connected sentences related to everyday and personal experience and to convey information in memo form.
Level 3: Lower Intermediate
Level 3 students complete the basic course of grammar, which includes students' first practice with complex grammatical forms. They also develop more skills in comprehending spoken and written English containing some unfamiliar words. They learn to participate in increasingly extended conversation on some unfamiliar topics beyond survival needs. They also learn to understand short reading passages differentiating between fact and opinion with some degree of accuracy. At this level, they also learn to write clearly organized paragraphs with relevant ideas.
Skill Goals:
Ability to express self adequately and effectively in areas of personal interest.
Ability to understand spoken English in areas of general and personal interest.
Ability to understand written passages on general subjects and topics of personal interest.
Ability to write accurately on subjects of personal interest.
Level 4: Intermediate
In Level 4 students enter a more experiential stage of learning. Less emphasis is placed on recognizing and understanding language and more on activation and usage. In addition to continued grammar study, realization and broader vocabulary development are stressed. Students learn to understand increasingly extended conversations, discussions or lectures. They also learn to speak about familiar topics with little hesitation. Reading courses emphasize authentic materials identifying the main idea and making inferences. They also learn to write well-developed paragraphs using various approaches, e.g. descriptive, narrative, comparison-contrast, definition, and processes.
Skill Goals:
Ability to express effectively on a range of topics and over the telephone.
Ability to follow standard conversational English spoken to near normal speed, allowing for questions for clarification.
Ability to understand short stories, news, magazine, and technical articles in areas of personal interest.
Ability to write a basic 5-paragraph essay on a familiar subject.
Level 5: Advanced
Level 5 continues the transition from textbook-oriented skills to experiential learning. There is a heavy emphasis on vocabulary development and an introduction to sophisticated reading texts and writing forms. Students learn to understand essential points of discussions or speeches in special fields of interest; communicate about a variety of topics using appropriate syntax; and read authentic material on a variety of topics identifying the main idea, making inferences and drawing conclusions. In addition, they learn to write lengthier and more accurate compositions about previously discussed topics, their own research results, and personal experiences using and expanding the various approaches they have learned at the intermediate level.
Skill Goals:
Ability to converse confidently on unfamiliar topics.
Ability to follow a news broadcast or normal phone conversation.
Ability to follow complex written English on unfamiliar topics.
Ability to write appropriate business/formal letters and to write well-structured essays on research and personal topics.
Level 6: High Advanced (Pre-College)
Level 6 is designed for students who will enter, or are already enrolled in a community college, university undergraduate or graduate program. This level provides academic tasks in the context of challenging topics and advanced vocabulary that parallel college level courses. The purpose of this level is to continue raising the English language and cultural competence of non-native speakers so that they can succeed in credit courses and eventually work effectively in jobs requiring native-like English skills.
Skill Goals:
Ability to converse confidently and present in class both academic and non-academic topics.
Ability to follow a news broadcast/commentary; and lectures on a wide variety of topics.
Ability to follow complex written English on both academic and nonacademic subject matter.
Ability to write appropriate and well-structured essays, research reports, book and magazine reviews.
TOEFL Prep
TOEFL Preparation provides three (3) hours of contact time per week and gives students at the intermediate and advanced levels the skills, strategies, practice and confidence they need to increase their scores on all sections of the institutional-based TOEFL.
Upon successful completion of TOEFL Prep, the students will be able to improve their scores on the Listening Section, the Structure Section and the Reading Section of the TOEFL.
|2016 Tuition
|2017 Tuition
Los Angeles, CA
New York, NY
South Beach, FL
2016 Calendar
2017 Calendar
$3500 per quarter
12 weeks (minimum for I-20 Students)
$3700 per quarter
12 weeks (minimum for I-20 Students)
|San Jose, CA
2016 Calendar
2017 Calendar
$2250 per quarter
12 weeks (minimum for I-20 Students)
$2600 per quarter
12 weeks (minimum for I-20 Students)
|Application Fee (non-refundable)
|Text books
|$150 - $200
|Health Insurance
|$70 per month * - depends on age
|Express Mail
|January 4
|Registration/Beginning of Quarter 1
|January 18
|Martin Luther King Jr. Day
|February 8
|1/2 Quarter Begin – ESN Los Angeles
|March 22
|Tuition due
|March 25
|End of Quarter 1
|March 28
|Registration for Quarter 2
|March 29
|Beginning of Quarter 2
|May 30
|Memorial Day
|June 16
|Tuition due
|June 21
|End of Quarter 2
|June 22
|Registration for Quarter 3
|June 23
|Beginning of Quarter 3
|July 4
|Independence Day
|September 5
|Labor Day
|September 21
|End of Quarter 3
|September 21
|Registration for Quarter 4
|September 22
|Beginning of Quarter 4
|October 3
|Rosh Hashanah
|October 12
|Yom Kippur
|November 24, 25
|December 9
|Tuition due
|December 16
|End of Quarter 4
|Quarter 1
|January 2
|New Year's Day (observed)
|January 3
|January 4
|First day of class
|January 16
|Martin Luther King Jr. Day
|March 29
|Last day of class
|Quarter 2
|March 30
|April 3
|First day of class
|May 29
|Memorial Day
|June 21
|Last day of class
|Quarter 3
|June 22
|June 26
|First day of class
|July 4
|Independence Day
|September 4
|Labor Day
|September 20
|Last day of class
|Quarter 4
|September 21
|Rosh Hashanah
|September 22
|September 25
|First day of class
|September 30
|Yom Kippur
|November 23, 24
|December 15
|Last day of class
LOS ANGELES, CAAddress:
3300 Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505
NEW YORK CITY, NYAddress:
17 Battery Pl., 5th Floor
New York, NY, 10004
SOUTH BEACH, FLAddress:
420 Lincoln Road, Suite 200
Miami, FL 33139
SAN JOSE, CAAddress:
1485 Saratoga Avenue, Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95129


text:
Definition of interknit in English:
verb (interknits, interknitting; past and past participle interknitted or interknit)[with object]
Knit (things) together; intertwine.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: inter|knit
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending