text:
A risk is anything that may have a negative impact on achieving your NGO´s mission, goals, objectives and strategies if it becomes reality.
It may have an impact on different levels: the organization as a whole, programs, projects, processes, products, services or stakeholders.
A risk that has become real and is getting closer or is imminent is called a threat.
A threat can have been caused intentionally (e.g. a terrorist threat) or be unintentional (e.g. a drought).
Nonprofit organization face risks that can have their origin in the external environment or inside the organization (graphic 1)
Graphic 1: Sources of risks that a nonprofit may face
Importance of Risk Management
Risk Management process
Risk Management is a systematic process that aims to help organizations of any type to deal with emerging and changing risks.
It involves identifying risks, evaluating them, deciding how to respond and then taking the necessary actions.
The focus of Risk Management could be
- The organization: Organizational risk management
- A project: Project risk management
- Security: Security risk management
- Finances: Financial risk management.
A risk management process is made up of a number of stages which will follow normally more or less this order:
Stage 1: Find sources of risks and recognize risks and threats.
Stage 2: Describe individual risks in a structured form.
Stage 3: Estimate the likelihood and magnitude of risks.
Stage 4: Rank risks according to their significance.
Stage 5: Decide about appropriate responses to risks.
Stage 6: Review the existing risk management system.
Stage 7: Develop plans how to deal with a negative event.
Stage 8: Implement risk focused actions.
Stage 9: Monitor risks.
Stage 10: Communicate about risk related issues regularly
Benefits of Risk Management
Managing risk will increase the probability that a nonprofit organization will survive for a long time and be able to work towards its vision.
This is because risk management
- Increases the probability that the organization with be compliant with laws, regulations and contracts.
- Reduces the exposure of employees to health and security risks.
- Makes organizational processes more efficient due to fewer disruptions.
- Improves planning and decision-making due to a better understanding of the future
- Increases confidence of donors and grant-makers that funding goals and objectives will be met.
Building capacity in Risk Management
There are a number of websites that cover risk management in detail. They should provide all the knowledge needed by the typical NGO to build up its capacity in risk management.
Staff members can learn about the topic from numerous publications downloadable free of charge as well as by participating in webinars.
Examples of external and internal risks
- Change of favorable tax laws and regulations.
- New government regulations.
- Exchange rate changes.
- Social unrest.
- Violent crime.
- Price controls for products that the organization sells to earn income.
- Import restrictions for critical raw materials and components.
- Floods.
- Droughts.
Risks in the Micro-environment
- A customer cannot pay his bills.
- An annual donation is cancelled.
- A grant maker changes his priorities.
- Material or energy supplies are interrupted.
- A bank cancels its credit line.
- Local authorities will not support anymore a program financially.
- Parts of a community do not want to cooperate anymore with the organization.
- Another organization offering similar/identical products and services starts to operate in the area where your NGO is located.
Risks inside an organization
- The Executive Director or a staff member with high qualifications leaves.
- Wrong decision-making in a critical situation.
- A staff member does not follow internal guidelines, rules or procedures.
- A staff member does not comply with a law or regulation.
- A project is badly managed.
- Quality issues with products due to poor maintenance of machines and wrong material handling.
- Machine breakdowns.
- Raw materials, components and finished products disappear from the warehouse due to theft.
Examples of external and internal threats
- The Executive Director has resigned and the organization still has not found a suitable replacement.
- Customers have written that they will cancel their contracts if quality issues are not removed immediately.
- A supplier has indicated that he will have to increase sales prices if his input prices do not come down in the next weeks.
- A donor has indicated that he will be reviewing his funding priorities soon.
- A terrorist organization has announced that it will kill all foreigners that do not leave the country within 1 month.
- A new government will be elected in 4 months. A political party which wants to abolish the favorable tax treatment of NGOs will most like win.
- Floods have reached the neighboring town which is not far away from where the NGO operates.
- A financial plan shows that the organization will run out of cash in a few months.
Finding out more about a specific risk (questionnaire)
Looking back
- Was there exposure to the risk in the past?
- Did the risk turn into something that really happened?
- Why did it happen?
- What were the consequences (e.g. loss of life, loss of income, loss of production time)?
- Which actions were taken in the past to deal with the risk?
- How effective were these actions?
Status quo
- Who is responsible for managing risks within the organization (e.g. developing policies, implementing improvements, auditing compliance)?
- What is in place to deal with this specific risk?
- Who is responsible for dealing with this specific risk?
Looking forward
- What could happen?
- What could be the motivation of those who are the source of this specific risk?
- What are the means of those who are the source of this specific risk?
- What is the likelihood that it could happen (again)?
- How can the risk be measured?
- What could be the magnitude?
- When could it happen?
- What factors influence the likelihood, magnitude and timescale?
- Who and/or what would be impacted (e.g. staff members, beneficiaries, customers, IT infrastructure, energy supply)?
- What would be the consequences?
- Is everything in place to deal with this risk or are improvements needed?
- Who will be responsible for dealing this specific risk?
Operational side of Risk management: Responsibilities
The head of the organization, a very senior person or the board will normally carry the overall responsibility. He/they will determine the strategic approach and establish the necessary structures.
Heads of departments and project managers will deal with risk within their area of responsibility.
It is up to individual employees to understand and implement risk management and report anything that caused a problem or might pose a risk.
Organizations should also consider nominating someone who conducts internal audits and someone who focuses on the most critical risk issue.
Small organizations might have a part-time risk manager who keeps the risk policy and risk related documents update, while large organization might even have a risk management department.
Sources / Guide to further reading (available online)
European Interagency Security Forum, at: http://www.eisf.eu
The Institute of Risk Management, at: http://www.theirm.org/
Non Profit Risk Management Center, at: http://www.nonprofitrisk.org/
M.Merkelbach, P.Daudin, From Security Management to Risk Management, at: http://www.eisf.eu/resources/library/SMI%20views%20risk%20management%20-%20May%202011.pdf
- The report looks at risk management in aid agencies and includes recommendations how they should move forward. The benchmark is the recently published approach by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 31000)
European Interagency Security Forum, Introduction to risk management, at: http://www.eisf.eu/resources/library/intro_risk_mgmt.pdf
- The first chapter of a book covering different aspects of risk management. It provides a very detailed introduction to risk management, independent of the type of organization
AIRMIC, Alarm, IRM, A structural approach to Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and the requirements of ISO 31000, at: http://www.airmic.com/guide/structured-approach-Enterprise-Risk-Management-ERM-requirements-ISO-31000
- The guide to Enterprise Risk Management is based on the input of the main risk management organizations in the UK
CCF National Resource Center, Managing crisis: Risk Management and Crisis Response Planning, at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ccf/ccf_resources/managing_crisis.pdf
- The guidebook has its focus on what could go wrong and how to respond if something goes wrong


text:
KERMIT - Ruby Mae Berry, 79, died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Family Services Funeral Parlor Chapel with chaplain Bryan Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Kermit Cemetery.
Mrs. Berry was born Sept. 4, 1929, in Urania, La., to Ira Franklin and Era Mae Johnston Moore. She was a homemaker and a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Survivors include three sons, Gary F. Berry of Dumas, William David Berry of Kermit and Calvin Daniel Berry of Ocean Springs, Mo.; a daughter, Kathy Berry McLaury of Baird; three brothers, Joe Moore of Denham Springs, La., Gene Moore of Kelly, La, and Kenneth Moore of Baton Rouge, La.; three sisters, Irene Clark of Denham Springs, Jackie Smith of Baton Rouge and Linda Williams of Livingston, La.; 14 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be to American Cancer Society, 3915 S. Bell St., Amarillo, TX 79109.
Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 26, 2008
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subset: commoncrawl


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Does anyone remember the chunky crayons that used to be available? ARe they even made anymore? My oldest, who is now in college, and uses a laptop and not crayons anymore! :) Parts of this layout came from kits, Studio Calico and Jenni Bowlin. Tfl!
$4.99 $3.49
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text: Catherine Staite Institute of Local Government StudiesDirector of INLOGOV Contact details Telephone+44 (0)121 414 4999Telephone (2)07775 801042Fax+44 (0)121 414 8452 firstname.lastname@example.com AddressInstitute of Local Government StudiesSchool of Government and SocietyMuirhead TowerUniversity of BirminghamEdgbaston, Birmingham,B15 2TT, United Kingdom Staff detailsMedia informationPolicy information Qualifications Diploma in Executive Coaching and Mentoring ILM MBA, Leeds University LLB, London School of Economics Biography Catherine provides consultancy and facilitation to local authorities and their partners, on a wide range of issues including on improving outcomes, efficiency, partnership working, strategic planning and organisational development, including integration of services and functions. She joined INLOGOV from OPM, where she was Director of Organisational Development and Policy. Previous roles include Head of User Focus and Deputy Head of Policy for the Audit Commission and Regional Partnerships and Planning Manager for the Legal Services Commission. Previous non-executive roles include non-executive director of Rampton Hospital, Vice Chair of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and member of the Board of Visitors at HMP Hull. Teaching Teaching on INLOGOV's postgraduate and executive programmes with a focus on efficiency, partnerships, strategic commissioning and community engagement Research Specialsms Achieving efficiency in public services through tracking inputs to outcomes, process and service redesign and by changing the relationship between users and services. Organisational design and development, especially integration of functions and organisations and the development of shared services. Coaching leaders and top teams to support personal development and ability to lead in challenging times. Leadership and management development, especially managing difficult relationships and leadership in partnerships. Managing the interface between health and local government, particularly joint commissioning, integration of public health and development of Health and Wellbeing Boards. Innovation, including using whole systems approaches to understand and resolve complex problems in public service design and delivery and to reduce waste and improve outcomes. Engagement with users and communities, including a spectrum of activity from giving information to involving users and communities in the co-production of outcomes. Current and recent projects 'Leeds Castle' Leadership Programme for Leaders and Chief Executives for LGA 2012 and 2013 National Graduate Development Programme for LGA 2012 and 2013 'Delivering the Future Council' – major redesign programmes for local authorities for Birmingham City Council, Swindon and Solihull 2012 and 2013 Financial Review of Birmingham City Council 2012 Research project on collaboration, shared management and operations between local authorities Developing a new model of public services focusing on demand management, behaviour change and co-production Organisational development, including process, service and organisational redesign Team development with senior managers and partnerships Publications The World Will be Your Oyster: Reflections on the Localism Act www.inlogov.ac.uk INLOGOV Briefing: Health and Wellbeing Boards www.inlogov.ac.uk LEPs: without trust there will be no progress, LGC, 2nd December 2010, p. 20 LEPs: business led? LGCPlus, November 2010 Efficiency: a public service briefing, 2010 Efficiency: buy, do and change, 2010 www.opm.co.uk Integrating Councils and PCTs: a discussion paper www.opm.co.u Expertise Local government; integration of health and social care; local partnerships; efficiency; shared services and joint management in local government Alternative contact number available for this expert: contact the press office Expertise Local government; integration of health and social care; local partnerships; efficiency; shared services and joint management in local government Alternative contact number available for this expert: contact the press office


text:
I just stumbled upon what I think is my new favorite jewelry designer. Called Alkemie, the company is run by design team Dara Gerson & Ashley Lowengrub. They make all of their bracelets, rings, necklaces, belts and earrings from 100% reclaimed metal. Everything is handcrafted in their LA studio. AND they give 5% of their profits to charity! This month, the donations are going to the Seva Foundation, a Berkeley based non-profit that provides financial resources and technical expertise to help communities build sustainable solutions to poverty and disease. Adding Alkemie jewelry to my wishlist!
Note: it was REALLY difficult to choose the images for this post, I love everything they make! Here are some highlights, though:


text:
Samsung announces the Galaxy Gear smartwatch: a companion to your Note 3 for $299
0. phoneArena 04 Sep 2013, 12:45 posted on
Samsung has finally announced the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, and we're happy to report that it does not look exactly like the leak we saw last week. The design of the Gear is similar to what we saw, but the bezels are tapered, so it doesn't look quite as big, and what had been a matte plastic, now looks to be a polished chrome finish. There are still the odd screws on the bezel though...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
1. PunyPoop (Posts: 752; Member since: 18 Jan 2013)
Is that the Final Design? or are they just showing the Prototype?
9. LetsBeHonest (Posts: 1442; Member since: 04 Jun 2013)
Design kinda look nice.. At least it looks like a watch..
18. giani (Posts: 269; Member since: 13 Nov 2012)
yeah i love the screws ! let's be serious...it's a joke..
p.s. $299 for that ? only in US..
26. indianapple89 (Posts: 47; Member since: 28 Feb 2013)
Yeah. Considering that the Nexus 4 16GB is now $249 it seems like a big ripoff..
32. rd_nest (Posts: 1593; Member since: 06 Jun 2010)
Try getting that much of tech inside that small watch. How much did google glass cost?? Do you realize how difficult it is to put all that camera, sensors, radios, battery, screen inside such a small device? Think properly before you say something.
49. SuperAndroidEvo (Posts: 4833; Member since: 15 Apr 2011)
You can't wear the Google Nexus 4. lol
I can't wait to get this & root it. The developers on XDA are going to have a field day with this device.
It's going to be CRAZY. I can't wait!!!!!!!
70. rd_nest (Posts: 1593; Member since: 06 Jun 2010)
Thoughts on Samsung Gear — I like to think about it in terms of advancements we made in technology and engineering over past few years. This is basically original iPhone specs inside a watch. That's how much the tech improved over the years.
Infact this has faster SOC, better GPU, 4x more RAM, a higher PPI and a much better display with full colour gamut, a camera that records at 720p. Even iPhone 3GS didn't support 720p video recording, and same storage, sensors, BLE (Bluetooth 4)..All inside a watch..
Amazing to see how tech is improving so fast!
44. PunyPoop (Posts: 752; Member since: 18 Jan 2013)
41. daniel_bargs (Posts: 325; Member since: 27 Nov 2010)
To be honest, I remembered my grandma's hearing aid after seeing the Samsung Galaxy Gear.
43. PunyPoop (Posts: 752; Member since: 18 Jan 2013)
This is a perfect bundle!
71. iushnt (Posts: 1687; Member since: 06 Feb 2013)
first of all z1 is wanna be lumia 1020. sony smartwatch 2 and galaxy gear is not same. Sony watch has no mics, speakers, camera, and health tracking ability. Thus, it serves different purpose and cannot be compared with galaxy gear
16. AnTuTu (Posts: 1580; Member since: 14 Oct 2012)
Great device :)
34. ardent1 (Posts: 2000; Member since: 16 Apr 2011)
Q: Do you know why the Sony PSP Go and Game Boy Micro failed?
A: Screen was too small.
On top of that, now you need to charge two devices each day.
61. Googler (Posts: 813; Member since: 10 Jun 2013)
It's a watch, how big of a screen do you want? Seriously off comment comparing a smart watch to the PSP Go and Game Boy, especially when everyone knows they were phased out because better technology came along. One day these will be obsolete also as technology develops.
66. quesoesgrande (Posts: 217; Member since: 03 Aug 2011)
I already charge my nexus, iPad, Vita, and 3DS nearly every day. What would one more be?
36. darkkjedii (Posts: 21201; Member since: 05 Feb 2011)
Mmmm hmmmm
51. rihel_95 (Posts: 301; Member since: 21 Mar 2012)
Google should quickly release a smartwatch of theirs as so many smartwatches are coming up, with their own set of app standards and SDK. Its getting harder for developers. Google should release it, and standardize the set of SDK for the apps. More help to developers!
54. ardent1 (Posts: 2000; Member since: 16 Apr 2011)
One more thing about the "great device."
Q: Do you know why the Sony memory stick lost out to SD card?
A: Sony's product was proprietary vs the universal SD card. That is to say, had the Samsung Gear been designed to interact with any android smartphone, the Gear would be more successful.
I am reading about Qualcom's Toq that uses e-ink and their smartphone appears to be device agnostic, e.g. it works with several android OEM.
68. Evil_SaNz (Posts: 259; Member since: 20 Oct 2011)
Qualcomm Toq seems a better piece of technology: battery lasts days, wireless charging and always-on display visible with the sun. Don't think any of the smartwatches would do better
52. HansGoneInsane (unregistered)
I think that the design looks much better than the leaked prototype design but I need to see it in real life before I can make my final judgement. I'd like to know the dimensions of the device and its weight. I am really curious how long the battery lasts. Still, $299 is really overpriced. You can buy a good smartphone for that amount of money which offers you a lot of functionality. In comparison, the watch itself is useless without a smartphone. I consider a price of $150 - $200 fair.
64. androiphone20 (Posts: 1654; Member since: 10 Jul 2013)
The guys at Apple must be laughing
there asses off saying "Our iPod
Nano's looked more appealing as a
watch than this thing here ... "
72. iushnt (Posts: 1687; Member since: 06 Feb 2013)
haha, but i think they must be worrying. "We have tons of cash but we have no idea how to innovate and utilize the cash. Lets try to purchase few companies and see how we can use them."
76. schinnak (Posts: 91; Member since: 26 Oct 2011)
PA - Samsung clearly said the battery will last 25+ hours.
77. gaby1451 (Posts: 114; Member since: 30 Mar 2011)
I saw the video, it did say that didn't it?
2. SlimSoulja86 (Posts: 660; Member since: 03 Nov 2011)
Haters in 3, 2, 1...
4. PunyPoop (Posts: 752; Member since: 18 Jan 2013)
Failed countdown :|
10. SlimSoulja86 (Posts: 660; Member since: 03 Nov 2011)
LOL! OK. If u say so......
21. cncrim (Posts: 823; Member since: 15 Aug 2011)
That's exactly what was thinking. Why do we need spend a lot of money that don't even have it own phone radio capable? the still phone FAIL FAIL gear.
73. iushnt (Posts: 1687; Member since: 06 Feb 2013)
hehe, he would have failed with his countdown if you have not commented here :)
3. InspectorGadget80 (unregistered)
nice design but not so sure bout the camera on the wrist.
13. PunyPoop (Posts: 752; Member since: 18 Jan 2013)
That's for spy cam.. You know recording videos while watching in a Movie house :)
62. InspectorGadget80 (unregistered)
spy cam never thought of that.
45. laheelahee (Posts: 213; Member since: 09 Apr 2012)
hmm, i really like the camera... i guess im the only one?
5. tedkord (Posts: 11620; Member since: 17 Jun 2009)
Does it have a poison dart launcher? I want that.
6. emadshiny (Posts: 1144; Member since: 05 Dec 2012)
It looks waaaaay better than that Ugly prototype!
P.S: Still prefer Sony's.
24. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)
but sony paired their smartwatch 2 with colorful straps and they look amazingly stupid.
that angular sony smartwatch design looks best with a formal-like strap, not colorful neon-y straps for kids.
40. emadshiny (Posts: 1144; Member since: 05 Dec 2012)
Dont forget that Gear works ONLY with Samsung devices:
7. McLTE (Posts: 821; Member since: 18 Oct 2011)
I'd say the design is pretty conservative, which isn't a bad thing.
I'm SO SO SO SO glad it looks like a WATCH and not some futuristic dork apparatus.
Overall I'm impressed by their first shot at a smart watch. I do like the sony design better at this point.. so it really comes down to seeing them in person and price.
60. timukh (Posts: 293; Member since: 04 Feb 2013)
Also the battery life should improve. After all its a watch. So nearly a day of battery life isnt good enough.
8. Googler (Posts: 813; Member since: 10 Jun 2013)
Look out d**k Tracy, won't be long before this is a viable reality. Would like to see an update on battery life though.
11. Commentator (Posts: 3684; Member since: 16 Aug 2011)
We really need to censor D*ck even when it refers to someone's name, huh?
That's pretty darn funny, especially when people can get away scot-free with calling people retards and making "trite" comments about rape. Ha ha ha...
...Seriously though, shame on you PhoneArena.
57. sprockkets (Posts: 1611; Member since: 16 Jan 2012)
Just edit it after you post it ;)
12. zachattack (Posts: 621; Member since: 31 Jul 2013)
What would really be dorky is someone wearing this and playing with a note 3 at the same time. How dumb would that look
15. Commentator (Posts: 3684; Member since: 16 Aug 2011)
Imagine him also wearing Google Glass.
14. mayur007 (Posts: 565; Member since: 10 Apr 2012)
i heard people applauding after and while advertisement of note 3
really was nice advert :)
samsung didnt disappointed
17. Atlas (Posts: 158; Member since: 15 Apr 2012)
Eh.. Not really what I expected from a smart watch, but the cameras a nice feature.
19. skullman (Posts: 20; Member since: 01 Aug 2012)
design for alien!
30. androiphone20 (Posts: 1654; Member since: 10 Jul 2013)
epic fail
20. _Bone_ (Posts: 2154; Member since: 29 Oct 2012)
Not bad at all, you can basically use it for calling, taking lower res photos and audio recordings, read your notifications, I guess use maps and S-voice of course.
What I'm really interested to find out is how the speaker works, is it bone conducting technology, so you don't even have to put it to your ears (a little stupid to bring the watch all the way up) just your hand and tech delivers the voice? It would be awesome!
46. laheelahee (Posts: 213; Member since: 09 Apr 2012)
that would be awesome.. but i highly doubt it
22. BillyBoy (Posts: 40; Member since: 01 Jul 2013)
Sony SmartWatch 2 is a better concept.
29. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)
samsung really has no sense for good design. even the note 3 looks awful with the leather back.
we can't deny, though, that samsung offers the most features.
75. iushnt (Posts: 1687; Member since: 06 Feb 2013)
pwn, its personal preference. I like its design and i saw many comments who loved the design. And you cannot say samsung has no sense of good design. Have you seen their, tvs, THeir home sync device, Latest laptop..all are great device and they use metals as well. They choose plastic for their phone for several reasons..
74. iushnt (Posts: 1687; Member since: 06 Feb 2013)
gear and sony watch are designed for different purposes. You find out those purposes on you own. Few hints-sony smartwatch 2 doesn't have mics, speakers, camera..... If you wanna compare those 2 then you can compare all watches. I prefer Rolex over these both :)
23. darkvadervip (Posts: 365; Member since: 08 Dec 2010)
I agree BillyBoy. I rather get the Sony or the iwatch or official Google watch
25. omacmagic (Posts: 25; Member since: 26 Oct 2012)
Was expecting them to incorporate the bendable display technology into their watch and make it look at least futuristic. Looks lime a normal watch to me.
27. lekeola (banned) (Posts: 43; Member since: 24 Dec 2012)
Good device though, but I did prefer to go for something that set d limit on smart watch. "emopulse smile". its a bracelet with built in micro sim, 3 camera for diff purposes , 128 256 gig SSD, NFC . and work as a stand alone.
28. androiphone20 (Posts: 1654; Member since: 10 Jul 2013)
thats it, still waiting for the 10th
31. Blazers (Posts: 428; Member since: 05 Dec 2011)
If it was a stand alone device it MIGHT be worth paying $200 for. But since it has to be tethered to a galaxy smartphone, it should be a $100 or less.
33. darkkjedii (Posts: 21201; Member since: 05 Feb 2011)
Who in the heck designed that watch, Stevie Wonder? Sammy no flexible screen? No style? No purchase from me.


text:
A third victim has died following a house fire near Oviedo.
Get breaking news alerts sent to your email
The Orlando Sentinel reports Hattie Mae Graham died Tuesday, on her 88th birthday. She had been on life support since the Aug. 11 fire.
Carl Weston, 61, and his fiancé, Mercedean Richardson, 63, died in the fire rescuing Graham from the Jamestown home.
Investigators said an overloaded electrical wire started the fire.
Do you have breaking news photos or video? Upload them on u local and we might use them on TV.


text:
Mechanicsburg company to hire 650 workers
Online store needs employees with flexible schedules
Published 8:01 AM EDT Apr 24, 2013
Mechanicsburg-based Shari's Berries is looking to hire 650 workers.
The online store, which is known for its chocolate-covered strawberries, will hold a job fair from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Company officials said they need employees with flexible schedules to fill customer orders from across the country.
The job fair will be held at the company's distribution center on Market Street in Mechanicsburg.
Copyright 2013 by WGAL All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Over the past several years Macedonia has instituted a number of economic reforms that have substantially improved the country's standing in global rankings such as the World Bank Doing Business reports. Unfortunately the changes are not having the desired positive impact on key economic indicators such as growth, jobs and income. Even before the Eurozone financial crisis, GDP growth in Macedonia was only about half that of its other Balkans neighbors. Economic growth slowed to zero in 2012 as demand for exports decreased. Domestic consumption remains weak as incomes stagnate and the unemployment rate remains at over 30 percent, and approaches 55 percent for youth. Entrepreneurship and workforce skills are inadequate, further inhibiting growth. Macedonia has managed to attract a few foreign investments, however the overall investment level is low and the financial sector has reduced its lending to the private sector.
Microenterprise and Private Sector
In Macedonia, USAID focuses on improving the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in strategic sectors that have the potential for growth and job creation. Activities in this area include:
Strengthening private sector capacity to drive regional economic development and job creation within selected regions of Macedonia. We engage business leaders, local government and other institutions to identify market opportunities, financing and technology to meet the needs of micro, small and medium enterprises as a means of supporting economic growth at the local level.
Providing tailored solutions to up to 180 small enterprises that best address their specific needs and enhance their probability of success.
Fostering microenterprise access to the public procurement system in 20 municipalities in Eastern Macedonia and the Vardar region.
Accelerating economic growth in southwestern Macedonia by providing training, technical assistance, and small-scale finance to start-up and existing small enterprises. USAID is supporting a business start-up center and its business incubator.
Increasing the participation of persons with disabilities in society by increasing their employability skills through internships and trainings, and by supporting them to start their own businesses. USAID will also raise public awareness of the needs, rights, and potentials of persons with disabilities.
Agricultural Markets & Trade
USAID increases economic growth in Macedonia through expanded production and sales of value-added agricultural products in the fresh and processed fruits and vegetables value chains. The program prepares Macedonian producers and processors to compete regionally and globally by educating producers about new markets, facilitating market linkages and value-added exports, and improving management and operational practices.
Development Credit and Access to Finance
Three Development Credit Authority (DCA) facilities provide access to working and investment capital to companies that want to expand their operations or market opportunities. These are loan portfolio guarantee programs through which USAID provides a 50 percent guarantee of the loan amount, thus sharing the risk with partner banks. One of these loan guarantee facilities supports microenterprises, another focuses on small and medium enterprises, and the third supports energy efficiency improvements in municipalities and private businesses.
The Innovation Financing Vehicle is a specialized fund aimed at directly servicing innovation-driven business development in Macedonia. It provides access to finance for innovators and start-ups that have difficulty accessing traditional forms of finance because they lack bankable collateral and a financial history. By providing such financing, the fund fosters innovation and the development of support services that help entrepreneurs bring ideas to market in a commercially viable way.
Economic Policy
USAID also focuses on improving the business policy and investment climate by strengthening the capacity of key economic ministries and agencies within the Government of Macedonia (GOM) to develop and implement economic development policies and programs through the following activities:
Improving the GOM's capacity to increase domestic investment and attract more foreign investment under the framework of the GOM's Industrial Policy. USAID also provides support to develop a comprehensive and effective export promotion strategy, and to develop and institutionalize stronger mechanisms for public-private dialogue on economic policy.
Training internal auditors in the public sector to develop the internal audit profession in Macedonia, improve public financial management, and increase accountability, transparency and efficiency in the public sector. The U.S. and Slovenian Governments have partnered to implement this activity in Macedonia.
- Substantially expanded microenterprise and local economic development support in regions outside the capital city
- Created three lending institutions: FULM, Moznosti, and the Crimson Capital SME Fund
- Established the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED)
- Introduced a number of e-government solutions that improved the Government of Macedonia's provision of services to the private sector, such as e-procurement and a single window for import/export licensing
- Assisted in creating the Public Procurement Training Center
- Established the MyCareer Internship and Job Placement program
- Increased exports of agricultural products such as bottled wine
- Supported the growth and skills development of the digital media/special effects industry
Last updated: June 05, 2014


text: To the woman in the red Jeep who almost ran me off the side of Market Street Bridge, just because you have your turn signal on doesn't mean you can change lanes when someone is already in that lane and right beside you. Why would you pass me and then shove your way over when you could have easily gotten behind me? It's too bad you will probably never understand just how bad of a driver you are because someday you are going to kill someone with your carelessness.


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However although I found the staff to be wonderful and the ship being just as amazing as I remember when it came to the evening menu I was disapointed as there seem to be just a choice of approx four main meals and the same for starter and desert and even though we only went on the mini Cruise at least one of each was repeated.
My other niggle was the drinks and spa prices, I don't live in London and so I'm not use to paying £9 for a cocktail plus 15% service charge - although gorgeous I was not willing to spend a fortune on enjoying cocktails. Therefore the three of us all chose to buy the soft drinks package at approx $5 a day to supplement this. Also I laughed out land at the spa treatments - where else on earth would you pay £70 for a 1 hour massage!!!
Now onto the good points - the ship really does have the WOW WOW WOW factor. The staff will fall over themselves to help.
The gym (which is free) was highly useful for burning off the buffet breakfast.
Plenty of sun loungers to catch some rays.
A spectacular dancing on ice show with Olympic skaters that took my breath away.
Overall I would go again but I'd remember how much extra the drinks cost.


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A social gathering was Aug. 24 at Elkins Motor Lodge. On Aug. 25, the group gathered for dinner at Elks Country Club in Elkins. A farewell breakfast was served on Aug. 26 at Steer Steakhouse.
Article Photos
Class of 1941 — From left are William Carpenter, Carl Semones, Jerry Fisher and James Rice.


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The phone number for the United Way of Pioneer Valley's Dial-a-Ride program is (413) 739-9999. The service is available free to anyone in Hampden County, Granby and South Hadley who feels unable to drive home safely from 8 p.m. Wednesday through 6 a.m. Thursday.
This is a 7:48 p.m. update of a story posted at 8:08 this morning.
By PATRICK JOHNSON
Nothing stops Northampton's First Night.
Not rain. Not snow. Not even a snowstorm will stop Northampton's annual celebration to ring in the new year.
With a major snowstorm predicted to roll over Western Massachusetts Wednesday, Penny Burke said without hesitation that, snow or no snow, the show will go on.
"Five inches of snow is of no consequence," said Burke, executive director of the Northampton Center for the Arts, which sponsors First Night Northampton.
"You don't change the date of New Year's Eve," she said.
This is the 24th year Northampton has celebrated First Night, and none of the previous 23 events have been canceled, even in the most Siberian of conditions, she said.
Snow is expected for most of Wednesday, accumulating up to 5 inches, according to abc40 meteorologist Eric Fisher.
The National Weather Service in Taunton predicted as much as 7 inches, and issued a storm warning in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Fisher said most the snow is expected to be over by 3 p.m., which is good news for people planning to go out to celebrate New Year's Eve.
Most of the roads will likely be cleared by the time the evening gets going, he said.
Motorists should be aware, however, that they may encounter some slippery spots as they drive to their New Year's Eve destinations, Fisher said.
"A little extra caution is going to go a long way," he said.
In addition to the snow, revelers are warned to pay attention to the temperature. With a low of 9 predicted on New Year's Eve, and gusts of nearly 40 mph, the wind child will be below zero at night. Hats, mittens, scarves and multiple layers of clothes are recommended for those venturing out.
Caution is also the watchword put forth by the Massachusetts State Police, which is warning people against drinking and driving.
"We want people to have fun ringing in the new year, but we want them to do so smartly and safely," Colonel Mark. F. Delaney, superintendent of the state police, said Tuesday at a Boston ceremony.
State police are rolling out 410 patrols statewide for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in additional to regular patrols, officials said.
Since Dec. 12, state and local police have had additional cruisers deployed as part of the annual "Drunk Driving: Over the Limit, Under Arrest" campaign. The campaign continues until Sunday.
Delaney announced that drunken driving arrests by state police have increased for the fourth straight year.
As of Dec. 20, state police have tallied a 7 percent increase in drunken driving arrests, and a corresponding 6 percent decrease in alcohol-related accidents, Delaney said.
Locally, New Year's revelers who may have reveled too much have an option for getting home safely.
For the 25th year, the United Way of Pioneer Valley is teaming up with local businesses to offer a dial-a-ride program. Between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday, Yellow Cab, of Springfield, will provide free rides home to anyone who feels unable to drive themselves.
The number to call for a ride is (413) 739-9999.
This year the service has been expanded beyond metro Springfield to all of Hampden County, plus the South Hadley and Granby area.
Natalie Georges, of the United Way, said that last year, 75 people called for rides, which is roughly three times the average number for previous years.
First Night Northampton begins at noon with family activities planned throughout the day at the Academy of Music and other downtown locations. It continues throughout the evening at various venues, culminating with the raising of a lighted ball on the roof of the Hotel Northampton.
In previous years, upwards of 10,000 people have packed in front of the hotel to witness the raising.
Several other New Year's Eve events are planned throughout the valley.
In Springfield, the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield is presenting its first New Year's Eve Gala from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Sheraton Springfield at Monarch Place. There will be dinner, music and other activities culminating with the ball drop at midnight.
The event is open to the public, and tickets are $59 each or $109 for two.
In Holyoke, children are welcome at First Night Junior from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holyoke Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton St. There will be face painting, story telling, merry-go-round rides and other activities. Admission is $6.
Also in Holyoke, Wisteriahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a New Year's gala called "Holyoke Unmasked."
Sponsored by Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke, guests are invited, but not required, to dress in cocktail attire and masks. The cost is $50 per person.
In Chicopee, the Fairview Knights of Columbus will present their annual New Year's Dinner Dance Gala at the Castle of Knights on Memorial Avenue. The party begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner, dancing, a midnight toast and hot beverages. Price is $55, with proceeds going to charity.
Also in Chicopee, the New England Doo Wop Society will present a New Year's Party at the Days Inn on Memorial Avenue.
The Old School Rock 'n' Roll Band will provide the live music, and Rob Anthony of Hartford radio station WTCC will also DJ. There is also a buffet dinner, prizes and champagne. Cost is $89 per couple.


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San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com
SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Direct from Broadway, the smash-hit musical "American Idiot" is coming to the San Diego Civic Theatre on Tuesday.
American Idiot features the music of Green Day, so if you're a Green Day fan you won't want to miss this one.
Winner of two Tony Awards, and the Grammy for best musical show album, American Idiot tells the story of three lifelong friends, searching for the meaning of life in a post 9/11 world.
Full video clip at CBS: HERE
Tickets and full list of 'American Idiot' Musical dates: HERE


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The Nation's Most Awe-Inspiring Memorials
Published On: Aug 22 2011 01:28:25 PM MDT Updated On: Jan 10 2012 11:30:04 PM MSTSorry, Flash is not supported.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


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Police said a standoff at a home in Sugar Creek has come to a peaceful end.
Officers went to the intersection of North River and Gill streets and tried to get the man to come outside. They said they believe he was armed.
After a short time, police said they arrested the man.
They did not reveal why they were looking for him in the first place.


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Europe is the classic romantic continent and the gay lifestyle is widely accepted throughout. In ancient Greece and Rome homosexuality was widely accepted and the tradition has continued to this day. Major cities and tourist destinations such as Rome or Paris see loads of gay tour groups. The major cities have vibrant gay scenes like nowhere else on earth that are infused with a steady stream of homosexual tourists.
- Mykonos, Greece
Although it may not live up to the gay scenes of a Homeric epic, the beaches of Mykonos are a haven of gay culture and tourism.
- Lesbos, Greece
While Lesbos isn't actually that openly gay friendly, for the past several decades hordes of lesbians began visiting the island to honor the 6th century BC poetess Sappho, born in the beach area of Skala Eressos, which has become a mecca for the international lesbian community.
- Berlin, Germany
Schoeneberg is the traditional center of gay Berlin, but the community extends to numerous gay hostels and B&B's, clubs, restaurants, cafes, festivals, monthly parties, and designer boutiques.
- Ibiza, Spain
Ibiza has one of the most boisterous gay scenes in Europe with gay beaches, huge gay clubs, wild dance parties, friendly B&B's, and much more.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam and Holland in general are open minded about a lot of things, including homosexuality. Gay clubs, newspapers, gay friendly and owned B&B's, and a very easy to find gay scene.
- Milan, Italy
This European fashion capital has a vibrant gay scene that extends beyond the clubs to bookstores, cafes, and numerous cultural events.
- Geneva, Switzerland
Switzerland is ell known as one of the most open minded countries in Europe, and Geneva is epicenter of gay culture with numerous gay-owned and gay-friendly bars, clubs, hotels, and guesthouses.
- London, England
London's Gay and Lesbian scene is one of Europe's most vibrant and exciting. The old homophobic attitudes are slowly disappearing and being replaced by open minded people who are offering ore and more gay friendly amenities.
- Paris, France
They don't call it Gay Paree for nothing. The high fashion scene, luxurious hotels, fine dining, intellectual and open minded population are more than open to gay travelers and tour groups.
- Vienna, Austria
Apart from fine architecture and meeting with open minded intellectuals at coffeehouses, you can come to Life Ball, the biggest Charity Event to fight HIV in Europe, or the numerous other festivals and events.


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APSE releases statement Feb. 21, 2012
APSE has been asked by several organizations for a statement related to the coverage of Knicks basketball player Jeremy Lin. It has released the following statement from Michael A. Anastasi, President of the Associated Press Sports Editors: "As professional journalists, we are mindful of the power of the press. Any misuse of that privilege, intentional or not, is simply unacceptable. APSE strives for fairness, sensitivity and the highest standards of sports journalism. We expect our members to adhere to these standards in every form of our business, whether it be print, digital or broadcast."


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Egyptian authorities arrested three suspects, Friday, in the Christmas Eve attack on a church that left six church-goers and a Muslim guard dead.
Three gunmen drove by the Virgin Mary Church in the town of Nag Hamadi on Christmas Eve and randomly opened fire into a crowd walking out, local officials said. Congregants had just finished Midnight Mass in recognition of Coptic Christmas.
Police say all three suspects have criminal records.
Meanwhile, order has been restored Friday after thousands of Christians rioted following the attack.
A recent report by Amnesty International says sectarian attacks on Christians increased in 2008. Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's mostly Muslim population.
Gunmen Open Fire Outside Coptic Church in Egypt
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Speculation over who will be Trumbull County's next engineer will continue through Aug. 9 when Democrats pick a successor for what's left of ex-engineer David DeChristofaro's unexpired term.
But at least now we know the finalists: Randy Smith of Hartford and Gary Taneri of Warren.
Smith at this point appears to have the inside track. He's not the ultimate party insider, but he's inside, at least, having run in political circles for years.
He's been a trustee in Hartford since 1994; his mother is a precinct committee person; and although he was on the losing end, Smith has election experience, which would come in handy for next year's election.
But don't count any chickens before they hatch, especially with what happened last month in Mahoning County.
Ken Carano, who many considered to be a shoo-in to replace Lisa Antonini as Mahoning County treasurer because of his many years of political activity (he's the party's executive vice chairman and was a former Austintown trustee, state representative and regional liaison for former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland), was easily defeated by Dan Yemma, Antonini's chief deputy, who also served on city council in Struthers.
Why? Because Yemma simply outworked Carano.
And it will all come down to who is willing to work the hardest in this race, too, despite previous party involvement.
Let the wooing begin.
Both candidates say they've mailed letters and resumes to all of the party's 237 precinct committee members. There will probably also be calls and home visits made.
Taneri said he is holding a candidate meet-and-greet at Alberini's Restaurant four days before committee members vote. Smith said he would continue to meet with precinct committee members over the next couple weeks.
The only way these candidates can overcome perceptions that surround them is to court precinct committee members.
Smith lost the 2008 Democratic primary to DeChristofaro, which raises the question, can he hold on to the office in the 2012 election if there is a challenger? Also that year, Democratic precinct committee members in Trumbull County endorsed DeChristofaro over Smith, then the deputy engineer under John Latell.
Smith's not concerned, saying the feedback he's gotten so far has been positive. He says people he has spoken with have told him he ran a strong race and presented himself well.
Taneri works for a company that consults D&L Energy of Youngstown, the gas and oil well development and production company DeChristofaro formed with a partner in 1986. According to DeChristofaro's bio, he sold his stock in the company and resigned as president and treasurer of D&L in 1990, but remains a joint venture member.
On his Ohio Ethics Commission financial disclosure statements, DeChristofaro lists D&L as a source of income.
Taneri, the head of engineering at Alidade and Associates, said he has an office at D&L's offices in Youngstown, but is not an employee of D&L.
Taneri said he knows DeChristofaro professionally and hasn't dealt with the former engineer in anyway while consulting for D&L.
The engineer's job pays about $99,000.


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Michigan insurers say they're raising $1 million to fund a new anti-arson program in Wayne County, which faces an increase in fires-for-profit during the economic downturn.
County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says the state's most populous county isn't doing a good job prosecuting arsonists because of a shortage of resources.
Worthy says a lack of staff means arsonists now stand a good chance of escaping prosecution.
The Michigan Arson Prevention Committee announced Tuesday it's raising money to hire two investigators and a prosecutor to handle for-profit arson cases in Wayne County. The $1 million would cover two years, starting in January.
The group also is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for tips leading to arson arrests or convictions.
Tips about suspected arson may be made to the Michigan Arson Prevention Committee at 800-442-7766.


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Cloud deployment options have become increasingly popular over the past few years but the cloud is not right for everyone. This whitepaper answers common cloud questions including:
Download this whitepaper to see if the cloud is the right fit for your organization.
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The Cooler
I've seen my fair share of "loser in Las Vegas" films, and "The Cooler" illuminated no truisms about Vegas that I didn't already know. It brings nothing new to a crowded genre that already includes such films as "Hard Eight," "Atlantic City" and "Swingers."
Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the United States, and part of the conflict in the movie is between the old Vegas, embodied by casino owner Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin), and the new Vegas, embodied by Larry (Ron Livingston). Larry has been brought into the casino to bring things up to speed by accentuating the family atmosphere. Shelly's casino, the Shangri-La, is old-style.
Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is another throwback. He's a cooler, a guy so unlucky that his mere presence drags others down with him. If somebody is on a roll, they call in Bernie to ruin things. Bernie doesn't have to do anything, just be himself. He's a loser and he knows it. Everything is going fine until Bernie meets Natalie (Maria Bello) and they fall in love.
Once again, the filmmakers perpetuate the myth that hot chicks like Maria Bello are just waiting around for old, schlubby guys like William H. Macy with good hearts. Really, it doesn't matter how big a loser you are (and Bernie is the biggest): If you have a good heart you can bed Maria Bello. The filmmakers know enough to show Bello completely naked, because then the losers in the audience can fantasize about bedding Maria Bello and in the process forget that they actually have a better shot at bedding a drunk William H. Macy.
All these characters are completely familiar: the lovable loser, the slut with the heart of gold, the mobster who lacks just enough introspection to always do the wrong thing. With all these predictable characters roaming about this familiar landscape, it should come as no shock that the story goes exactly where you'd expect it to.
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Alice Gregerson
Published: Thursday, December 12th, 2013
Alice Gregerson was born in Long Pine, Neb., on June 9, 1923, to Clyde Roy and Jenevive (Lake) Sandy. Her family then moved to the Buffalo Gap, S.D., area by covered wagon, which she was very proud of and would tell story after story of the adventure. Shortly there-after, she attended school in Buffalo Gap and that is around the time she met and married Leo Gregerson Aug. 13, 1942. The couple had three children:�Ronnie, Linda and Leonard.
Alice enjoyed being a ranch wife and doing anything outdoors. One of her favorite activities was keeping and tending to her garden and her flowers, which still bloom and show their beauty every spring. She enjoyed helping Leo feed cows and she thoroughly enjoyed the calving season on the ranch.
Up until the time of her death, Alice loved to play cards and visit with people. Her favorite visitor who truly made her eyes light up was her great-granddaughter, Autumn Jolene.
Alice died Dec. 6, 2013, at Rapid City (S.D.) Regional Hospital. She was 90.
She was preceded in death by a son, Ronnie Gregerson; her husband, Leo Gregerson; and twin brothers, Clyde and Roy Sandy.
She is survived by her son, Leonard (Patty) Gregerson of Fairburn; grandchildren, Kara (Charlie) Webster, Kelly (Derek) DeYong, Kaycie Gregerson and Kyle Gregerson; one great-granddaughter, the love of her life, Autumn DeYong; daughter, Linda (Steve) Tymkowych of Rapid City; grandchildren, Natalie and Nadia Tymkowych; and her brother, George Sandy of Gillette, Wyo.
Visitation will be 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Kirk Funeral Home in Rapid City.
Services will be at 10 a.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Brent Woodard officiating. Burial will follow at the Fairburn Cemetery. Refreshments will be served afterwards at the church in Fairburn.
Family and friends may sign Alice's online guest book at www.kirkfuneralhome.com.
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text: The Road Trip Diet does not eliminate your favorite treats. After all, what is a road trip if not an opportunity to try new foods? However, while traveling and at home, treats should be eaten in moderation. That is common sense. Food Rules by Michael Pollan is an outstanding book. Rules are powerful, effective, and simple to understand … Continue reading


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MOONSHOT Volume 2 is here!
As backers of our Jewish Comix Anthology you may already know of our latest project launch. But for those who don't, here's the news -... Read more
New Project from AH Comics featuring Jewish Comix Anthology Artists
Hi gang, we hope all is well with you! We, AH Comics, are producing a new project - Mark Twain's Niagara- and would love it if you took a... Read more
More Press for the JCAnthology!
The Jewish Comix Anthology has been featured in the latest Spring 2014 edition of Jewish Review magazine!
Click on the link below to open the viewable PDF of the magazine.... Read more
We're On Our Way - And So Are Your Rewards!
Hey everyone, June is here and we are on target to meet our estimated delivery for most of the Anthology rewards! See below for a breakdown of the individual items... Read more
Preview: Dust Jacket Cover!
Ooh! Ahh! Exclusive Dust Jacket Preview!
Along with the excitement of having the book at the printers as we type this, we're also excited to show you the exclusive dust... Read more
We're Going to Print!
The Jewish Comix Anthology: Volume 1 is Going To Print This Week!
After an exhausting and exciting few months the 252 page Jewish Comix Anthology: Volume 1is finally compiled... Read more
A Quick Update Regarding Some Great Stuff, and Presales!
Good day to all of our backers, fans and well wishers! This is just a quick update to say we are in the thick of production and have begun to... Read more
The Jewish Comix Anthology - Bigger & Better!
How is this possible? How could the Anthology be even bigger and better?!
We're extremely happy to announce that we've been able to negotiate with the printer to raise the... Read more
Thank You for Making the Jewish Comix Anthology a Success!
Thank you to each and every backer of the Jewish Comix Anthology project!
To all 289 backers of our project, on behalf of AH Comics Inc, Editor Steven M. Bergson... Read more
First Stretch Goal Unlocked! 20 Hours Remain in the Campaign!
The first Stretch Goal has been unlocked!
For everyone who pledged for a hardcover copy of the Anthology, they will now receive it with a custom made exclusive dust jacket... Read more
Jewish Comix Anthology: Volume 1 Has Reached its Goal!
Mazel tov and a very large thank you for everyone involved in the Jewish Comix Anthology project! We have reached our... Read more
Frequently Asked Question for the Jewish Comix Anthology: Volume 1
Here is a question we are asked regularly enough: "What about this (insert name here) artist, or that (insert name here) artist? Why won't you have them in the collection?"... Read more
200th Backer for the Jewish Comix Anthology!
The Jewish Comix Anthology project has over 200 backers!
We are very proud to see that over 200 people have pledged to the Jewish Comix Anthology project! Thank you so... Read more
Milestones and Netzers
"Milestones and Netzers" is not just the name of my new band; it is the reason for this post:
1. MILESTONES: We have surpassed $11,000 with 171 backers! That... Read more
Amazing new original art added, and a plug from one of the greats!
First, we have an amazing new 13.5" x 18" original illustration up for grabs by artist David Klein! Check out the image below and then head to the campaign to... Read more
Half-Way Update for the JCA!
Good day to you fine folks, welcome to the half-way point in the Jewish Comix Anthology project's Kickstarter campaign! We have garnered 126 backers and almost $8,000 in pledges,... Read more
Quick Update: New backer reward added!
Just a super quick update to let you know we've added a stripped-down no-frills backer reward level at $30 that includes ONLY the Hardcover edition of the book. No... Read more
As we're rounding off our second week of the campaign we want to thank each and every one of you for pledging to the Jewish Comix Anthology: Volume 1!... Read more
Never Fear - New Original Artwork Will Soon Be Here!
Wow! In just one week all the original art pieces that were up for grabs have been taken! But we have good news: there is MORE original art on the... Read more


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Left Masthead
September 26, 2016
Newt's Exploratory Committee
Posted on Sep 26, 2007
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By rage, September 27, 2007 at 3:32 pm Link to this comment
Newt could definitely win the Republican nomination. Even though he's a repented adulturer, the Christian conservatives still support this rascal. To date, all of his 'wide stances' have been taken with loose women. He's a Baptist. He's right now respectably married. He's pro-life and pro-war. He's reasonably intelligent and presentable, with a resume that is impressive enough, though not outstanding. And, his GOP political pedigree alone would easily advance him ahead of the those nouveau-reich showdogs Ugly Freddy, Slim Fast Huckabee, Rotten Rudy, and Mitt Griswald. His most fierce competition would come from Michael Bloomberg and Ron Paul. And, for old Newt, that's pretty good news.
The bad news is that any of the Democratic, or even the Independent candidates could and very likely would work the chinks in Newt's armor to leave him naked in a landslide, especially after 8 years of Bush-capades. Newt would have his work cut out for him trying to walk away from the stinch Bush-capade flatulence has left to mark the GOP for a number of years.
Still, Kermit the Newt shouldn't have a big problem pulling the money together to run with the current field of GOP turkeys, and actually win the party's nomination. I personally hope he announces, just to cut Rotten Rudy and Ugly Freddy out of it.
By Mariam Russell, September 27, 2007 at 1:41 pm Link to this comment
Rowdy, I understand QuyTran with no problem.
You, on the other hand, might be due some instruction in basic manners and decency.


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According to documents obtained on Wednesday, November 6th, 2013, Louisiana officials have taken into custody Glenn Brown of 36 years age.
Based on Louisiana records obtained by Local Blotter, Brown was charged Tuesday.
Every effort has been made to ensure the integrity of these data, however, Local Blotter makes no claims of guarantee surrounding the accuracy of such alleged facts, as all suspects are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Redactions/Corrections: See our FAQ for help submitting change requests.


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Reader's Guide
The Grapes of Wrath
Written by: John Steinbeck
Introduction by: Robert DeMott
When John Steinbeck accepted his Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962, he described the writer's obligation as "dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement." For some critics, that purpose has obscured Steinbeck's literary value. He has been characterized variously as an advocate of socialist-style solutions to the depredations of capitalism, a champion of individualism, a dabbler in sociobiology, and a naturalist.
While evidence for different political and philosophical stances may be culled from Steinbeck's writings, a reader who stops at this point misses some of the most interesting aspects of his work, including his use of paradox. "Men is supposed to think things out," insists Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. "It ought to have some meaning" (p. 55). But in this epic novel, as well as in Of Mice and Men and The Pearl, Steinbeck seems to question whether the mysteries of human existence can ever be fully explained. In these works that span the grim decade from 1937 to 1947, Steinbeck urges the dispossessed to challenge a system that denies them both sustenance and dignity, and to seek the spiritual belonging that enables individuals to achieve their full humanity. So we have the paradox of the author apparently denouncing injustice while also exalting acceptance of the sorrows visited on humanity, whether those sorrows are wrought by nature or by humans themselves.
All three books examine the morality and necessity of actions the characters choose as they pursue their dreams. The poor fisherman Kino in The Pearl dreams of education for his son and salvation for his people. We first meet him in the dimness before dawn, listening to the sounds of his wife, Juana, at her chores, which merge in his mind with the ancestral Song of the Family. "In this gulf of uncertain light [where] there were more illusions than realities" (p. 19), the pearl that Kino finds lights the way to a more just world and the end of centuries of mistreatment by white colonizers. But the promise of wealth manifests the archetypal evil hidden in the community's unconscious, like the pearl that had lain hidden in its oyster at the bottom of the sea. As the dream turns dark, Kino descends into violence, bringing death to four men and ultimately to his own son. What other choices might he have made? This parable raises questions about our relationship to nature, the human need for spiritual connection, and the cost of resisting injustice.
Steinbeck's most controversial work, The Grapes of Wrath, raises similar questions. During the Dust Bowl Era, three generations of the Joad family set out on the road, seeking a decent life in fertile California and joining thousands of others bound by an experience that transforms them from "I" to "we" (p. 152). Cooperation springs up among them spontaneously, in sharp contrast with the ruthlessness of big business and the sad choices made by its victims, for whom "a fella got to eat" (p. 344) is a continual refrain. Casy, the preacher turned strike leader, wonders about the "one big soul ever'body's a part of" (p. 24).
On their journey to the promised land, the characters in The Grapes of Wrath confront enigmatic natural forces and dehumanizing social institutions. Casy is martyred as he takes a stand for farmers who have lost their land to drought and are brutally exploited as migrant laborers. His disciple Tom Joad, who served time for killing a man in a bar fight, ultimately kills another man he believes responsible for Casy's death. Tom's passionate conviction—expressed in his assertion that "wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there" (p. 419)—stirs our sympathy; but his dilemma, like Kino's, requires us to ask whether taking a human life can ever be justified.
The Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl are also linked by their female characters and the questions they raise about gender roles and family identity. In The Pearl, Juana's "quality of woman, the reason, the caution, the sense of preservation, could cut through Kino's manness and save them all" (p. 59). Is this quality most responsible for the return of the pearl to the sea at the end of the novel? Like Juana, Ma Joad is "the citadel of the family" (p. 74). As the remnants of the Joad family seek refuge in a barn at the close of The Grapes of Wrath, Ma's daughter Rose of Sharon nurses a starving stranger with milk meant for her dead baby. This final scene of female nurturing offers a resolution while also disturbing our long-held ideas about family.
Steinbeck departs from this depiction of women in Of Mice and Men. Confined to her husband's home, and never given a name in the novel, Curley's wife functions almost as a force of nature, precipitating the events that wreck the men's "best laid schemes," as poet Robert Burns wrote. Whereas the women in The Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl suggest hope even in the bleakest of circumstances, Curley's wife leaves only shattered dreams in her wake.
Of Mice and Men tells a tightly compressed story set during the Great Depression. George and Lennie, drifters and friends in a landscape of loners, scrape by with odd jobs while dreaming of the time they'll "live on the fatta the lan'" (p. 101). Lennie has a massive body and limited intelligence, and his unpredictable behavior casts George as his protector. The novel is peopled with outcasts—a black man, a cripple, a lonely woman. The terror of the consequences of infirmity and old age in an unresponsive world is underscored when a laborer's old dog is shot. Is Lennie's similar death at the hands of his protector, with his dream before his eyes, preferable to what the future holds for him? Nearly all the characters share in some version of the dream, recited almost ritualistically, and in their narrow world it is pitifully small: "All kin's a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there" (p. 54).
The ending appears to be at odds with Steinbeck's explicit exhortations for social change in the other two novels. In Of Mice and Men, he seems to appeal to a higher form of wisdom in the character of Slim, who does not aspire to anything beyond the sphere he occupies. His "understanding beyond thought" (p. 31) echoes Rose of Sharon's mysterious smile at the end ofThe Grapes of Wrath.
From the questions his characters pose about what it means to be fully human, Steinbeck may be understood to charge literature with serving not only as a call to action, but as an expression and acceptance of paradox in our world. "There is something untranslatable about a book," he wrote. "It is itself—one of the very few authentic magics our species has created."
John Steinbeck's groundbreaking and often controversial work, with its eye on the common people, earned him both high praise and sharp criticism. In addition to his novels, Steinbeck produced newspaper and travel articles, short stories, plays, and film scripts.
Born in 1902 in Salinas, California, Steinbeck spent much of his life in surrounding Monterey county, the setting for some of his books. His experience as a young man working menial jobs, including as a farm laborer, ranch hand, and factory worker, was transformed into descriptions of the lives of his working-class characters. After attending Stanford University intermittently for six years, Steinbeck traveled by freighter to New York, where he worked briefly as a journalist before returning to California.
His first novel, Cup of Gold, appeared in 1929, but it was Tortilla Flat (1935), his picaresque tale of Monterey's paisanos, that first brought Steinbeck serious recognition. Of Mice and Men (1937) was also well received. The Grapes of Wrath (1939), a book many claim is his masterpiece, was both critically acclaimed and denounced for its strong language and apparent leftist politics. Always shunning publicity, Steinbeck headed for Mexico in 1940, where he made The Forgotten Village, a documentary film about conditions in rural Mexico. He spent the war years as a correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune, for which he later toured the Soviet Union in 1947; he also wrote the novel The Moon Is Down (1942), about Norwegian resistance to the Nazis.
Steinbeck's other notable works of fiction include The Pearl (1947), East of Eden (1952), and The Winter of Our Discontent(1961). He also wrote a memoir of a cross-country trip with his poodle, Travels with Charley in Search of America (1962). Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. He died in New York in 1968. His work stands as testament to his commitment to "celebrate man's proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit."
The Grapes of Wrath
- Are we meant to conclude that Tom's killing of the deputy is justified?
- What makes Casy believe that "maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of" (p. 24)?
- Why does Steinbeck devote a chapter to the land turtle's progress on the highway?
- Why does Pa yield his traditional position in the family to Ma?
- What does Ma mean when she says, "Bearin' an' dyin' is two pieces of the same thing" (p. 210)?
- As Tom leaves the family, he says, "I'll be ever'where—wherever you look" (p. 419). In what sense does he mean "everywhere"?
- Why does Steinbeck interrupt the Joads' narrative with short chapters of commentary and description?
- Why does Rose of Sharon smile as she feeds the starving man with milk intended for her baby?
- What does Steinbeck mean when he writes, "In the souls of the people The Grapes of Wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage" (p. 349)?
- Why do different characters insist at different points in the book, "A fella got to eat" (p. 344, for example)?
- Why does the book start with drought and end with floods?
- Is the family intact at the end of the novel?
- Why does Uncle John set the dead baby adrift rather than bury it?
- What is the source of Ma's conviction that "we're the people—we go on" (p. 280)?
- Does nature function as a force for either good or evil in this book?
For Further Reflection
- As his land is destroyed, an anonymous tenant says, "We've got a bad thing made by men, and by God that's something we can change" (p. 38). Is Steinbeck suggesting that a just social order is possible?
- When the narrator says "men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread" (p. 36), the implication is that this break diminishes humanity. Can spirituality be maintained with increasing automation?
- Casy tells Tom about a prisoner whose view of history is that "ever' time they's a little step fo'ward, she may slip back a little, but she never slips clear back… they wasn't no waste" (p. 384). Do you agree with this view?
Related Titles
The Grapes of Wrath
John Dos Passos, Manhattan Transfer (1925)
The alienating effects of capitalism, technology, and urbanization are portrayed in this montage of life in New York City.
Tomás Rivera,… y no se lo trag— la tierra/… (And the Earth Did Not Devour Him) (1971)
A seminal work of Latino literature, these thirteen vignettes embodying the anonymous voice of "the people" depict the exploitation of Mexican American migrant workers.
Émile Zola, Germinal (1885)
The striking miners in this nineteenth-century tale of class struggle are cast as the victims of both an unjust social system and their own human weaknesses.
The Pearl
Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea (1952)
Winner of the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, this novella tells the story of an old fisherman's endurance as he pursues, captures, and ultimately loses a great marlin.
D. H. Lawrence, "The Rocking-Horse Winner" (in The Woman Who Rode Away and Other Stories) (1928)
This fablelike short story follows a boy to his tragic end as he desperately tries to respond to his family's obsession with money.
Of Mice and Men
Frank Norris, McTeague (1899)
In this pioneering naturalistic novel set in California, a man of large physical but small intellectual powers pursues a dream beyond menial tasks, but is corrupted by "civilization."
Leo Tolstoy, "Master and Man" (in Master and Man and Other Stories) (1895)
The relationship between a greedy landowner and his gentle laborer undergoes a dramatic change in this novella when the two are trapped in a snowstorm
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