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Violence Against Women in American Indian/Native American & Alaska Native Communities
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)
This page highlights several resources related to violence against women in American Indian/Native American & Alaska Native communities. The organizations listed here provide information, services, and advocacy for American Indian/Native American & Alaska Native communities and those who work on their behalf. Because of the ever-changing and growing nature of the Internet, we encourage you to use these sites as a starting point for your research. * If you would like to suggest an addition to the list, please use VAWnet's online contact form.
Organizations (with Featured Resources)
- Technical Assistance
- Services & Advocacy
- Tribal Justice & Public Policy
- Cultural Resources & Information
Note: The following list was developed by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) with support from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) to serve as a resource for domestic and sexual violence advocates and others concerned about safety and justice for women and their children. VAWnet provides these resources as a source of information that you can evaluate on your terms and for your own needs, and inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement by the NRCDV or NSVRC.
Technical Assistance
American Indian and Alaska Native Violence Against Women - US Department of Health and Human Services
This site provides information on current events, legislation, resources, provider education, public health issues, policies and procedures, clinical tools, sexual assault, community action, cultural appropriateness and access to care.
American Indian Development Associates
"AIDA is a 100% American Indian and woman owned small business that focuses on research guided and culturally relevant development of policies, programs, and community-based systems. As the organization has grown, its ability to provide the adjunct and co-requisite services needed by many Indian Nations has expanded. AIDA provides training, technical assistance, research and evaluation services that are designed to build the capacity of tribes and tribal programs to develop and administer systems and programs that can meet the unique needs of Indian people and communities."
Clanstar, Inc.
"To restore the safety of Native women by addressing domestic battering, sexual abuse, torture, and stalking, Clan Star works with fourteen tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions from across the United States. They provide assistance to their counterparts across the nation, offering help with legal issues, organizational planning, video production for public service announcements, interagency communication and collaboration, leadership training, mentorship and internet access."
Mending the Sacred Hoop
Mending the Sacred Hoop (MSH) is a Native American Women's organization that helps tribal governments and agencies improve their response to Native American victims of violence against women by crafting strategies at local levels that reflect available resources and cultural perspectives. MSH publishes a newsletter, provides assistance and advocacy, coordinates public education events and conferences, and hosts an online discussion forum.
* Featured Resources: Introductory Manual to Domestic Violence in Indian Country [PDF] | Sexual Assault Advocacy Guide [PDF]| Brochures | Wheel Gallery | Newsletters | The Native Women Research Project: A Community Based Analysis of the U.S. Legal System's Intervention in Domestic Abuse Cases Involving Indigenous Women [PDF]
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare and works on behalf of Indian children and families. NICWA provides public policy, research, and advocacy; information and training relating to Indian child welfare; and community development services to a broad national audience including tribal governments and programs, state child welfare agencies, and other organizations, agencies, and professionals interested in the field of Indian child welfare.
* Featured Resources: NICWA Catalog & Product Order Form [PDF]
Praxis International, Inc.
Praxis International, Inc. is a non-profit research and training organization that works toward the elimination of violence in the lives of women and children. Reform initiatives are done on the local, statewide, and national levels. Praxis works with advocacy organizations, intervention agencies, and inter-agency collaborations to create clear and cooperative agendas for social change.
* Featured Resources: Domestic Violence and Tribal Protection of Indigenous Women in the United States by Gloria Valencia-Weber and Christine P. Zuni | Model Tribal Domestic Violence Full Faith and Credit Ordinance by the Full Faith and Credit Project
Sacred Circle, National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women
722 Saint Joseph Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: 877-733-7623
Sacred Circle provides technical assistance, policy development, training institutes, and resource information regarding domestic violence and sexual assault to develop coordinated agency response in American Indian / Alaska Native tribal communities.
The Tribal Law and Policy Institute
"The Tribal Law and Policy Institute is a Native American owned and operated non-profit corporation organized to design and deliver education, research, training, and technical assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples."
The Tribal Court Clearinghouse
"The Tribal Court Clearinghouse has been developed on a volunteer basis by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, an Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation organized to design and develop education, research, training, and technical assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples."
Women's Rural Advocacy Programs-Native American Domestic Violence
The site provides information on Tribal and Native women's sovereignty, why Native women stay, collusion, information for women who have been battered, natural life-supporting power, unnatural life-destroying power, and internalized oppression.
* Featured Resources: Sovereignty | Why Indian Women Stay | Internalized Oppression
Services and Advocacy
Alaska Family Violence Prevention Project
The AFVPP conducts research, develops domestic violence training curricula and provides multidisciplinary training and technical assistance on family violence for health and social service providers, public health professionals, and communities across Alaska. AFVPP works closely with the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to increase awareness about and community capacity to prevent and intervene in family violence.
Cangleska, Inc.
P.O. Box 638, Shannon County
Kyle, SD 57752
Phone: 605-455-2244
Cangleska, Inc. is a domestic violence organization located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It is a tribally-chartered non-profit organization that provides domestic violence services to the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Known nationally for culturally-specific work, Cangleska was named a demonstration project by the US Department of Justice under the Violence Against Women Act. Cangleska also operates Sacred Circle, National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women.
Minnesota Indian's Women's Resource Center
"The Center provides services to Native women. Housing, sexual abuse, and chemical dependency programs are available. Additionally, the Library and Training Program is to increase knowledge, skills and awareness of human services professionals, to work more effectively with chemically dependent Native women and their families."
Native American Circle, LTD
"Native American Circle, Ltd. (NAC) is a non-profit, federally tax exempt victim advocacy organization. NAC's programs are available to tribes operating batterer intervention and victim services programs to aid survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes, as well as to non-Indian programs desiring to offer culturally competent victim services. NAC's programs are designed to foster admiration of indigenous cultures and pride in cultural-connectedness, while fueling interest in recovering non-violent, traditional lifestyles in today's American Indian/Alaska Native communities."
* Featured Resources: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault & Stalking: Prevention and Intervention Programs in Native American Communities Manual | Addressing Stalking Crimes in Native American Communities [PDF] by Jo Hally
Niwhongwh xw E:na:wh Stop the Violence Coalition, Inc.
P.O. Box 309
Hoopa, CA 95546
Phone: 530-625-1662
Fax: 530-625-1677
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Spirits of Hope
"A coalition addressing domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in Oklahoma Indian Country, formerly known as the Oklahoma Native American Domestic Violence Coalition. We here at the Spirits of Hope are uniting and promising to: Educate Oklahoma Tribal Communities on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault; Empower the individuals who have endured and survived domestic violence and/or sexual assault; Protect our Indian families from domestic violence and sexual assault; Strenghten individuals, families, and communities by utilizing traditional values; and Advocate a united approach toward the prevention and intervention of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Tribal Justice & Public Policy
Avalon Project
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School provides full-text documents, statutes, and treaties between the United States and Native Americans.
National Congress of American Indians
"The National Congress of American Indians is the oldest and largest national Indian organization. Among its goals is to protect the rights of Indian Nations and Native Governments. This site lists current NCAI issues, meetings, documents, nuclear waste programs, links, etc. An excellent National Calendar of Indian meetings held throughout the United States is listed."
National Tribal Justice Resource Center
"The National Tribal Justice Resource Center is the largest and most comprehensive site dedicated to tribal justice systems, personnel and tribal law. The Resource Center is the central national clearinghouse of information for Native American and Alaska Native tribal courts, providing both technical assisstance and resources for the development and enhancement of tribal justice system personnel. Programs and services developed by the Resource Center are offered to all tribal justice system personnel -- whether working with formalized tribal courts or with tradition-based tribal dispute resolution forums."
National American Indian Court Judges Association
"The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) is a national voluntary association of tribal court judges. Its membership is primarily judges, justices and peacemakers serving in tribal justice systems. NAICJA is a non-profit corporation established in 1969. The Association is primarily devoted to the support of American Indian and Alaska Native justice systems through education, information sharing and advocacy. The mission of the Association, as a national representative membership organization, is to strengthen and enhance tribal justice systems."
The Tribal Law and Policy Institute
"The Tribal Law and Policy Institute is a Native American owned and operated non-profit corporation organized to design and deliver education, research, training, and technical assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples."
The Tribal Court Clearinghouse
"The Tribal Court Clearinghouse has been developed on a volunteer basis by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, an Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation organized to design and develop education, research, training, and technical assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples."
Cultural Resources and Information
Alaska Knowledge Network
"The Alaska Native Knowledge Network is designed to serve as a resource for compiling and exchanging information related to Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways of knowing. It has been established to assist Native people, government agencies, educators and the general public in gaining access to the knowledge base that Alaska Natives have acquired through cumulative experience over millennia. The Alaska Federation of Natives and the University of Alaska, with support from the National Science Foundation, have formed the Alaska Native/Rural Education Consortium to provide support for the integration of Alaska Native knowledge and ways of knowing into the educational systems of Alaska."
Alaska Native Heritage Center
"In 1987, the Alaska Federation of Natives, the state's largest Native organization, responded to the need for a community gathering place by unanimously approving the concept to establish a statewide Native culture center. The Alaska Native Heritage Center was formed a year and a half later as an independent non-profit organization with tax exempt status. The Alaska Native Heritage Center improves understanding among all Alaskans and encourages appreciation of Alaska Native people and their traditions, history, and contributions to Alaska."
Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC)
"The Center was established in 1972 by state legislation as a center for research and documentation of the twenty Native languages of Alaska. It is internationally known and recognized as the major center in the United States for the study of Eskimo and Northern Athabascan languages. ANLC publishes its research in story collections, dictionaries, grammars, and research papers. The center houses an archival collection of more than 10,000 items, virtually everything written in or about Alaska Native languages, including copies of most of the earliest linguistic documentation, along with significant collections about related languages outside Alaska. Staff provides materials for bilingual teachers and other language workers throughout Alaska, assist social scientists and others who work with Native languages, and provide consulting and training services to teachers, school districts, and state agencies involved in bilingual education."
NativeCulture.com is a portal to the history and culture of Native Americans. The "Update" section presents Native News, on-line Native American periodicals and news sources (both conventional services and Native American News Services), Powwow Calendar, and featured articles. The "Learn" section contains three separate categories: Tribes and Nations, Arts and Expression and Learning, Teaching and Information Sharing. Numerous links are provided to North American tribal government sites, Federal, State, and Provincial Affairs, social justice causes that impact the Native American Community, commerce and business development, and Native American organizations. Recommended books for children, young adults, and adults are also available on the web site.
NativeWeb, an international, non-profit, educational organization is a technological resource for indigenous cultures. Native Web features a Resource Center, Books & Music, Communities, Hosted Sites, News, and People and Places.
WWW Virtual Library - American Indians Index of Native American Resources on the Internet
This site includes links to Native American resources on Culture, History, Education, Language, Health, Indigenous Knowledge, Native American Art, Artists, Galleries, Art Related Sites, Museums, Archaeology, Electronic Texts, Genealogy, Legal Books, Non-Profits, Government, Music, Nations, Video and Film, Commercial Jobs, Announcements, Organizations, Activist Sites, Gaming, Home Pages, Bibliographies and Other Indices, Media, Movies, and WWW Virtual Libraries.
The resources listed on this page are not comprehensive and/or all-inclusive. Each link above will open in a new browser window - NRCDV is not responsible for the content and/or viewpoints expressed on web sites external to VAWnet.


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The food in the main dining room was very good. We did not have one disappointing meal and ending with the Warm Chocolate Melting cake sealed the deal. The buffets were good but nothing extraordinary. We chose to have breakfast in the dining room each day and enjoyed the meals. The dining room was also less crowded for breakfast and very peaceful.
We spent much of our days at sea at the water slide for one of my 13 yr old twins. The other twin joined the "Circle C" group and we didn't see him until dinner and then after dinner he was back for evening activities. He also was the last one back to the cabin each evening well after midnight. Time on the ship was relaxing and we were never rushed like we are in our daily lives. The events at night like karaoke, revues and comedy shows were very entertaining.
We loved visiting the Cayman Islands and Cozumel. We opted not to take any excursions and ventured out on our own. We grabbed a cab on the dock at Grand Cayman with another family ($5pp) to a public beach and enjoyed the beautiful water, jet skiing, banana boats,etc. On Cozumel we took a cab($4pp)to ChankanaabNational Park where we snorkeled and enjoyed drinks and lunch under our private hut by the water. Snorkeling was great and very reasonable. Admission to the park is less expensive if you purchase your tickets in advance online (cost was $88 for 4 adults and 1 child). They also have sea lion shows, swimming with the dolphins and a large pool with kiddie area. We very much enjoyed our day in Cozumel and would love to return.
Embarkation and disembarking was quick and easy. Embarkation was especially quick. From the moment we drove up to the valet until the time we were on the ship was less than 15 minutes. Tampa has this process locked up. I wouldn't hesitate leaving from there in the future...especially with young children who are impatient and eager to begin their vacation.
Only criticism was the pool area. The ship had the water slide park which are sprays and slides that we loved for our kids. The "resort" pool was small and although finding a lounge chair was never a problem, there was never any room in the pool. This was just a small criticism and maybe next time we will try a ship with 2 pools.
Overall, the experience was wonderful and we already are planning our next family cruise.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hello Kitty Baby Mitts New Born Organic Cotton Sanrio. Have your baby run around in this adorable Hello Kitty Mitts design. The mitts organic cotton of materia, soft, absorbent for your baby. Features:●Brand New Item ●Sanrio Licensed product●Size: Free Size (for NEW BORN) ●Material: 100% Organic Cotton●Made in Taiwan.
- Price: $9.95 - In stock
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Biography1) Hit it 'till it dies
2) Don't get hit
3) ?????
4) Profit
Monster Hunter
Signature"Black holes are where God divided by zero."
- Steven Wright
|Recent ActivityView More
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|Ether added SaGa Frontier II to Neoseeker!
|Ether published "Bluetake I-PHONO Cordless Headphone Review"
|Ether published "Bluetake BT400GII Headset Review"
|Ether published "Intel P4 3.2Ghz Review"


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The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs were authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.
Agriculture Loss Coverage-County (ARC-CO)
The ARC-CO program provides revenue loss coverage at the county level. ARC-CO payments are issued when the actual county crop revenue of a covered commodity is less than the ARC-CO guarantee for the covered commodity.
Price Loss Coverage (PLC)
PLC program payments are issued when the effective price of a covered commodity is less than the respective reference price for that commodity. The effective price equals the higher of the market year average price (MYA) or the national average loan rate for the covered commodity.
ARC/PLC Payments as of May 20, 2016
ARC-County Yields, Revenue, and Payment Rates as of Feb 2, 2016
ARC/PLC Helps Producers Maintain Their Historical Benchmark Revenue—
Wheat, Corn, and Soybean Revenue Maps for ARC-County
Background on 2014-Crop ARC/PLC Payments with Examples
ARC vs. PLC Election -- Nationwide, 96 percent of soybean farms, 91 percent of corn farms, and 66 percent of wheat farms elected ARC-County. Seventy-six percent of all base elected ARC-County. Over 90 percent of long grain rice, medium grain rice, and peanut farms elected PLC. Few farms, regardless of the commodity mix, elected ARC-Individual. Election results can vary significantly across states.
Base Reallocation -- The base reallocation results indicate that corn and soybean base increased the most relative to 2013 enrolled base—by 12.8 million and 4.7 million acres, respectively. Wheat base declined by nearly 9.9 million acres.
Yield Updating -- Updated yields are relevant only for the PLC program. For those farms electing PLC and updating yields, the yields for corn, soybeans, and wheat all increased by about 30 percent relative to the counter-cyclical payment program (CCP) yield. For some pulse and minor oilseed crops, the increase was significantly higher. Many CCP yields date back to the early 1980s.


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Begin Your Search
WineAccess Travel Log
Read stories from the world's greatest wine trails.
More About This Wine
Related Products
Additional Vintages
2005 O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Producer: O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type: Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: California
Region: Napa
Appellation: Howell Mountain
90 Points | Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
92(+?) Points | Stephen Tanzer's IWC - May/June 2008
($75) Bright, deep ruby. Red plum, red cherry, licorice and graphite aromas are lifted by an almost Burgundian floral character; very pure and scented. Suave on entry, then sweet and rich in the middle, conveying a sense of brooding power. Finishes with substantial broad, building tannins and a late note of licorice. Winemaker Sean Capiaux says he experimented with extended maceration but this technique resulted in wines that were too tannic. As a rule, total cuvaison time is now just 14 days.
88 Points | Wine Spectator
Your Rating & Review
36 Member RatingsAverage Member Rating: 4.72 out of 5 stars
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7 hours ago, DeanChalk wrote
I had this very same problem - even if I created a brand new Windows 10 XAML app the XAML designer stubbornly refused to show up, with no error message. I tried creating a WPF app, and the designer appeared - so it must be a Windows 10 thing.
After hours of googling, and getting nowhere, I started 'tinkering' with my project properties.
I noticed on the project property page there is a section called 'targeting'
My settings show that a minimum windows 10 version was build 10240, and the Target version was different at 'Insider Preview 10563'. I changed the target version to the minimum version and BLAM!! the XAML designer coughed into life.
I have no idea what that was all about, but at least I can get some work done at last
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing, Dean.


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Anything that crosses the threshold from routine to wonderful is going to cost something. read more
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Directions to Havana HotelAddress: 26 Syria St. Mohandeseen, Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
Average rating: 0%
Rooms from: US$ 50.00
Directions to Havana Hotel
Havana Hotel is located in the heart of Cairo - in Mohandesseen - one of Cairo's safest and Middle Class districts. The Hotel is 5 minutes drive from the Egyptian Museum, River Nile and The Cairo Tower, and 15 minutes drive from the world famous Pyramids + Sphinx at Giza. The immediate area contains a wide selection of Restaurants, Traditional Cafés, Banks, Supermarkets and Shops.


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My psp's battery broke & my charger got bit up by mice i assume & it's december so i'm broke & i really want to play my psp so i went back to prizerebel. ugh i know right but i'm desperate so if anyone could help i think there links work like this www.prizrebel.com/index.php?r=1861980 & if you dont know what. prizerebel, you do surveys for points the more points you save you can buy stuff like a "psp battery or a wii game you want it takes about a week to save up 20 points"
We dont allow such things on here.
Best get saving
Spoiler Alert!
TNOG.ORG - Games events in Manchester
MikeDBloke - PSN
I was into weird games before people knew what they where
@D_Bloke - My inane prattle


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Skip to comments.Do Not Contribute to this Sunday's Second Collection at Mass (Catholic)
Posted on 11/19/2008 7:37:33 AM PST by Columbo
This Sunday (Nov. 23rd) is the annual collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). You may have heard that the CCHD had given over a million dollars per year to ACORN, a radically leftist group which seeks the election of "progressive" anti-life politicians among other things. The CCHD says that they will no longer be giving our donations to ACORN because there was reported embezzlement by ACORN founder Wade Rathke some time ago. (see: http://www.usccb.org/cchd/ morin_acorn_report.shtml )
There is a lot of confusion about what the CCHD is, how it works and whether faithful Catholics can be sure their donations will be put to use in a way consistent with Catholic teaching.
The CCHD is a social justice group established by the US Bishops. They collect money and then farm it out to various local and national organizations throughout the US. This is absolutely a fine and legitimate thing to do. Unfortunately, the groups selected by the CCHD to be stewards of our donations include many organizations which promote either marxist socialism or anti-life/anti- church teaching. A complete list of last years grantees can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/cchd/ 2007CCHDGrantees.pdf
Some random examples:
The Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center: This Seattle-based leftist Catholic group actively promotes women's ordination, radical feminism, socialism, radical environmentalism, and a disregard for Church tradition. Read the brochure for their "Northwest Catholic Women's Convocation" ( http://www.ipjc. org/women/ NWCWCRegistratio nBrochure. pdf ) and ask yourself if this is something you would like to support via your CCHD donation. Also, note that one of the featured speakers is Sister Elizabeth A. Johnson who worships God as a goddess and stated ""every aspect" of the Catholic faith "is not just tainted but perverted by the evil of patriarchy. It is not that the tradition has some problems; the tradition is the problem." (see: http://www.lifesite news.com/ ldn/2007/ nov/07111305. html)
Chinese Progressive Association: A marxist/socialist group. (listed as a "meeting ground" in the communist newsletter "Voice of Revolution" http://www.usmlo. org/arch2006/ 2006-04/VR060407 .HTM) Supports Homosexual Marriage (http://www.marriage equality. org/?page= supporters).
The Somali Action Alliance: lists both the CCHD and the very pro-abortion Women's Foundation of MN as partners. (see: http://www.somaliac tionalliance. org/news. php and http://www.wfmn. org/health. shtml)
Los Angeles chapter of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice: Chairman is Rev. James M. Lawson Jr. who in 2001 stated in a speech: "The U.S. has become the number-one enemy of peace and justice in the world today. He regularly speaks on marxist themes and has stated The revolution this nation needs has not yet begun. (http://www.discover thenetworks. org/printindivid ualProfile. asp?indid= 1004)
As you can see, the removal of ACORN from the CCHD's list of organizations was only the tip of the iceberg. While there are a few praiseworthy organizations listed here and there on the list, the majority is an odd assortment of socialist organizing groups (one can spot these right away by seeing the prominent red banners and power fist salutes on their home pages) and other groups antagonistic to Church teaching, be it social or moral.
A good and simple course of action we can take is not only to with-hold our donation of money from the second collection this Sunday, but also drop a slip of paper into the basket or envelope explaining that in lieu of money you will be donating prayers for the CCHD to be given the wisdom to select better organizations for its list.
So as to not punish the good groups on the list, consider donating to them directly.
Please forward to all Catholics on your list.
We had our collection last Sunday. I did not contribute. I haven't contributed for many years.
The Catholic Church stopped backing ACORN. This may have been true in previous years, but not this one.
This is sickening. We should demand that all Christian denominations make sure that not a penny goes to ACORN, pro abortion groups and pro Islamic groups.
Note this is not anti-Catholic or anti anything. Christian charity should not go to groups who hurt, steal elections or have political aims.
The Church gives sanctuary to a lot of groups and individuals we as conservatives believe do not have our country first in their hearts. Did the CC do enough to get the McCain/Palin ticket elected? I don't believe so!
Supporting abortion rights candidates did not cause the RC Church to stop funding ACORN.
Registering Mickey Mouse and other voter fraud investigations in 11 states did not cause the RC Church to stop funding ACORN.
Only the outright THEFT of money caused the RC Church to stop funding ACORN.
If they kept funding this leftwing group for all those years, isn't it a good idea to see what other groups they are STILL funding?
More info here on the other groups:
Thank you SOOO much! Haven't been to Mass the last few weekends because of family stuff - I know, I know! - but will keep this in mind for future. I'm SO ticked at the curch, especially after this election, and attend a church that is 65% african american - most of whom voted for the pro-abortion crowd's favorite candidate. Also took great acception to the Al Smith dinner and Card Egan on the dias with all dim politicians from NY. Sent a protest email to the Card as well as my own bishop. The power of the computer!
MOst of these collection go to social justice type committees who have an agenda or don't do their homework or owe someone a favor.
Give to Peter's Pence and the Holy Land and throw the rest of the envelopes in the trash. Spend the money that you might have spent on that donation on a charity that you can see.
IN this day and age with the internet, it seems that we could find some worthy causes to back. A church in Africa or India, a seminary, even a small business. I've always wanted to help the "starving children" in Africa but I have never wanted to support some African tyrannical government and so have never felt comfortable with donating money. If I knew it was going to a specific church or person or business that I believed in, I'd be much more willing.
So much of the charity donated is taken up with administrative costs and government red tape and usually ends up in the hands of those who don't need it ro is used as a bargaining tool to control people, in my opinion.
Yes, the CCHD stopped giving to ACORN, but the majority of the other organizations the CCHD gives to are little better if not worse. Check out some of the links in the original post.
They have, in this case, been irresponsible stewards of the money we gave them.
They have, in this case, been irresponsible stewards of the money we gave them.
Buy Bibles and copies of the U.S. Constitution to hand out to people.
I don't contribute to much besides the retired religious fund.
Just put in a note that this organization does not conform to Catholic principles and that you will not support it. That should send a message, and the Pastor will read it, I suspect.
It's not my pastor I have to tell this to. He gets it.
I don't know whether my pastor does or not, but it's not his decision. I'll make an extra donation to the priests' retirement, and write a note to the Bishop separately.
Two Dioceses have already pulled the plug on CCHD and its collection: Charleston (SC) and Birmingham (AL)
I just looked to see what the Charlotte Diocese is doing. Local grants, from what the Diocese retains from the collection, seem mainly to be for sensible projects - tutoring, home repair, and so on - that help people in practical ways. However, the grants from the national CCHD office are "empowerment" garbage.
So my note to the Bishop will include, "I see it's not your fault, but ..." along with my contribution to the Priests' Retirement fund :-).
Good news, any links for this?
Charleston Diocese's collection will be directed to Catholic Charities of Charleston:
Birmingham Diocese will collect for the Church in Latin America:
Informative post: I give to the foodshelf of St. Vincent de Paul; I may just mark on a brown bag "for St. Vincent de Paul" and put a few jars of peanut butter in the bag. I'd bet that'd get their attention.
I have reasons not to look for confrontations with my Bp., but we sho' ain't donating to these irresponsible yayhoos.
My Bishop doesn't know me from Martha Stewart, so I can expect to get a form letter in return :-). He's very fond of form letters; we probably get 30 pieces of mail a year from the Diocese. Maybe I could offer a contribution for the postage bill!
Same here.
LOL. You wouldn't want to enable them, would you? Don't encourage them. Slip a little brochure on the paperless office into your envelope along with your offering. But don't let them have your email address.
From 1994-1997 (or so) I did a little "young adult" stuff in my parish, though I myself was already a senile adult. I STILL get young adult emails from the diocese.
I've been tempted to write to the Bishop and ask him to stop sending us all the reminders and thanks and stuff, but I'm afraid he'd feel obligated to write back and thank me for my thoughtful suggestion. I get the impression his mother was very strict about correspondence!
I've had to remind the Diocese of Tulsa that we moved several times since 2003, most recently earlier this year. "Dear Bishop Slattery, Thank you for thinking of us, but ..."
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.


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4 Things You Might Want to Check Out This Week
Ready for that baby? Get prepped
Weekday preparation for labor classes, today and Nov. 19, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saint Vincent Women's Center Classroom, 311 W. 24th St. $30 per couple. Call 452-5664 to register.
Learn about caregiving for Alzheimer's patients
"Living with Alzheimer's: For Caregivers -- Middle Stage," Tuesday and Nov. 20, the Alzheimer's Association's office, Citizens Bank Building, 1128 State St., Suite 301. For questions or to reserve your seat, call 456-9200 or send e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Fundraiser helps woman with breast cancer
Fundraiser for Amy Smith, group exercise coordinator at LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, Wednesday, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., UPick6 Taphouse, 333 State St. Smith is fighting breast cancer for the fifth time. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/amysmithfundraiser.
You can defend yourself
Self-Defense 101, Tuesday at 6 p.m., Whole Foods Cooperative, 1341 W. 26th St. Justin Lazarz, third-degree black belt, will discuss basic techniques for protecting yourself and gaining confidence.


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Star Tracks: Monday, May 16, 2016 42 years, 2,191 covers and 55,436 stories from PEOPLE magazine's history for you to enjoy
Latest News!
- Atlanta Attorney Says He Accidentally Fatally Shot Wife as They Drove Home – and Blames Black Lives Matter Protestors
- Read the Cover Story: Brad & Angelina Split After 12 Years: It's Over
- FROM EW: Relive 42 Years of Saturday Night Live Auditions with These Throwback Videos
- Here's a Reminder That You Can Ice Skate on Kim Kardashian's New Engagement Ring from Kanye West
- Donald Trump Told Howard Stern He Thought Paris Hilton Was 'Beautiful' When She Was 12 Years Old
People Top 5
LAST UPDATE: Tuesday February 10, 2015 01:10PM EST
PEOPLE Top 5 are the most-viewed stories on the site over the past three days, updated every 60 minutes
- July 12, 1993
- Vol. 40
- No. 2
Raine's Swain
Diana's Stepmom Speeds to the Altar Alongside a Suave Frenchman
In fact, gossips have been working overtime since May 9, when the Countess, 63, announced her engagement to Chambrun, 56. It seems that not only did Maine's suitor, a divorced Frenchman who owns a water filtration company, ask for her hand 33 days after they met, but that he has a reputation for being an impulsive romantic. Put that together with his alleged financial troubles, add the fact that the ambitious Raine reportedly is worth at least $8 million, toss in a bit of controversy about the groom's renting his threadbare castle near Cannes to a porn-film crew, add some dramatic tension in the form of Di and her sibs' icy relationship with Raine, and you have a juicy tale indeed.
Both Spencer and Chambrun claim that they weren't in the mood for love when they met at an April dinner party given by a mutual friend in Monte Carlo. Although seldom without a man since the age of 19, when she wed the Earl of Dartmouth (from whom she was divorced in 1976). Raine insists that she was "resolutely not looking for romance." Chambrun, divorced in 1989 from American heiress Josalee Douglas (mother of their daughters Elizabeth, 23, and Ariane, 20), has said that he "was enjoying [his] freedom, peace and solitude."
That, however, was before the two "talked all the other guests under the table," as Chambrun has put it. Smitten, he flew to England soon afterward, inspected Elaine's $2.5 million house in Mayfair and swept her off for a week at the Ritz in Paris. When he proposed on May 1, "I accepted immediately for fear he would change his mind," she admitted.
As the wedding plans were firmed up, however, skeletons began tumbling from his closets: On May 13, Princess Angela von Hohenzollern, 52, told the London Daily Express that in 1991, Chambrun had asked her to marry him on their third dale. One month later, French divorcee Nicole Bruggemann, 48, told the press that Chambrun was vowing he still loved her; he had proposed to Raine, she hinted, only to solve his financial problems. (Claiming (hat their affair ended in October, Chambrun dismissed her as a woman scorned.)
Scenting blood, London tabloids reported that his castle was acquired during his divorce settlement, and that although known as a count, he is a second son who has no title. Businessman Jacques Audier came forward in mid-June and claimed that Chambrun and his brother had neglected to pay him in full when the bought his swimming-pool company in 1978. and asked him for the $540,000 balance. On June 18, a bailiff entered Chambrun's 85 million château. drew up a list of contents and gave him 30 days to pay or see the lot go for auction. (On June 28, Chambrun reportedly paid Audier $180,000 and promised another check by July 8.)
It was the filming of Erotic Dreams II, however, that proved the biggest embarrassment: Late in May, Château Garibondy (which is rented for part of the year to visitors) was let to producers of a porn movie. In a spool of a Hello! magazine story featuring Raine and Chambrun, erotic scenes were staged in the spots where the couple had been photographed.
For his part, Chambrun declared himself "not al all upset" about the publicity. In a brief interview in which he suggested that PEOPLE underwrite the redecoration of his dining room, he said that the inquiries into his affairs were "totally inappropriate" and added, ' "rimes are very difficult. It costs $150,000 a year to run this place."
Raine's family seems to have supported her choice: Prince Charles lunched with the two in May, and Diana (who has recently reached a detente with her) sent flowers. Only Cartland has admitted to having doubts. "I am very anxious about her,"" she has said. "Experience proves that if you try to dissuade people...from marrying someone, it only tends to harden their re-solve....I pray she'll be happy."
Even in her rush to the altar. Raine has overlooked no detail: In an interview in Paris, she described her Ungaro wedding gown and the while silk dress she plans to wear at the London civil marriage ceremony on July 8. She also told a reporter that she expects to move into the peeling château, which she plans to refurbish. "I had promised myself I would never live in an old house again," she said. "I had had quite enough of leaky roofs and massive maintenance bills. Yet here I am doing it all over again. It must be love!"
HELEN GIBSON in London
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Every student on the Hill knows Joe Plado, the loquacious campus safety officer with a perpetual smile — often seen chatting with students during sporting events. But few people know his fascinating life story, or of the many hobbies he pursues in his free time.
Born in Sicily, Plado has lived in four countries and speaks three languages. At a young age he moved to France; soon thereafter, his family moved to Montreal before finally settling in Central New York.
For most of his adult life, Plado has owned a barbershop. His first interaction with Hamilton, in fact, was with the students and professors who came to his Utica salon for a trim. He remembers one student — Rob Kantrowitz '82, now a math professor on the Hill — who always came for haircuts. "When I used to see him, I used to see lots of red hair," Plado recalls. "And he had a huge beard. 'Trim my hair Joey,' he'd say, 'and my beard too!' And I used to say to him, 'Man, that's like four haircuts!'"
After a 32-year run, Plado sold his hair salon in 2006 and turned his full attention to Hamilton, where he increased his duties as campus safety officer from part time to full time. While he still cuts students' hair, he's also famous for what he grows: tomatoes, peppers and lots of beans. He also bottles his own wine, primarily reds. And as if that weren't enough, he's a competent auto mechanic and accomplished fisherman.
Last spring Plado, in his 11th year on the Hill, was one of three recipients of the Tobin Employee Award for service to Hamilton. He was surprised because, he says, "I just enjoy doing my job." Make that jobs.


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First Round Of Presenters Revealed For The Primetime Emmys
Preparations are underway for the 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. WithJimmy Kimmel hosting, the program will air live on ABC on Sunday, September 23rd.
A fresh batch of presenters for the awards was announced today (September 11). The list includes comedic actors Louis C.K., Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, andRicky Gervais as well as Ginnifer Goodwin and "The Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons.
As for the nominees, FX' s "American Horror Story" and AMC' s "Mad Men" topped the list with 17 nominations each.
Nipping at their heels is PBS' "Downton Abbey" and History's "Hatfields & McCoys" with 16 apiece. Shortly behind them is Emmy favorite, ABC's "Modern Family."
For more visit GossipCenter


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Australia's Women's History Month (WHM) 2004 will be officially launched on March 8 (International Womens's Day) in Canberra, with a celebration of women publicans. During the month there will be activities around Australia, as well as web-based discussion groups located at www.womenaustralia.info/whm Over 10,000 free postcards, featuring Australian women, will be distributed nationally through 600 venues as part of a wide campaign to raise the profile of women's history in Australia. Also as part of this campaign, posters advertising WHM and concouraging local events have been sent to 2,000 libraries, local government, local historical societies and other organisations.
WHM is project of the National Foundation for Australian Women and, in 2004, is supported through the Women's Development Programme of the Commonwealth Office of the Status of Women


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on January 2, 2013 - 7:43 AM
NEW YORK – The U.S. shale gas revolution, which has revitalized chemical companies and prompted talk of domestic energy self-sufficiency, is attracting a wave of investment that may revive profits in the steel industry.
Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine said last month that it may build a $661 million factory in the United States to benefit from cheap gas. Nucor Corp., the most valuable U.S. steelmaker, plans to start up a $750 million Louisiana project in mid-2013. They're among at least five U.S. plants under consideration or being built that would use gas instead of coal to purify iron ore, the main ingredient in steel.
"That technology has been around 30 years, but for 29 years, gas prices in the U.S. were so high that the technology was not economical," said Michelle Applebaum, managing partner at consulting firm Steel Market Intelligence in Chicago. "This is how steel will be built moving forward."
The new capacity may signal a turnaround for an industry that has suffered from overcapacity since the financial crisis and collapse in commodity prices four years ago. U.S. steelmakers have struggled to stay profitable amid sluggish domestic demand, depressed prices and competition from Chinese imports. While global steel output has grown by 14 percent since 2008, U.S. production has shrunk by 3.4 percent.
The newest group of steel projects are so-called direct-reduced iron plants, or DRIs, which account for the first stage of steelmaking. DRI technology produces iron for about $324 a ton, Nucor said in a November presentation. That's $82 a ton, or 20 percent, cheaper than using a conventional blast furnace.
Foreign competitors are now following Nucor's lead. A joint venture between Australia's Bluescope Steel and commodity trader Cargill plans to build a DRI plant in Ohio, Biliana Pehlivanova and Shiyang Wang, analysts at Barclays in New York, said in a report. India's Essar Global Ltd. plans one for Minnesota, Barclays said.
Nucor may announce a second DRI plant as soon as 2013, bringing the company's domestic iron-making capacity to 5 million tons per year, according to Aldo Mazzaferro, a steel analyst at Macquarie Capital USA in New York. Nucor agreed last month to pay Canadian energy corporation Encana $3 billion over two decades for a joint venture that will develop gas wells to supply its DRI capacity.
Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," of shale rock formations from Texas to West Virginia has boosted supplies of gas and sent prices plunging by as much as half in the last two years. Gas futures reached a decade low of $1.91 per million British thermal units in April.
"The shale revolution is triggering an avalanche of industrial expansion plans," Barclays' Pehlivanova and Wang said.
There has been a reversal of fortune for U.S. chemical producers after years of decline. Shares of LyondellBasell Industries have more than doubled since it emerged from bankruptcy in 2010. The company is now among chemical producers planning billions of dollars of plants around the Gulf of Mexico to capitalize on cheaper gas. Fertilizer companies also are planning to construct gas-fueled plants.
"Other companies from around the world that consume gas may be attracted to move their facilities to the U.S. market, which would then provide even more steel consumption and manufacturing capacity," said Macquarie's Mazzaferro. "It could result in a reindustrialization of the U.S."
Still, gas may not get much cheaper from here. Prices are up by 82 percent from their April low and are expected to average $3.70 per million British thermal units next year, or about 31 percent more than in 2012.
That price trend may continue if the United States starts exports. A study released last month by NERA Economic Consulting found that the country would benefit more from shipping liquefied natural gas than using it all domestically. Sempra Energy and ExxonMobil are among energy companies seeking export permits.
At the same time, there's no guarantee that steel demand in the United States will improve. Domestic steel industry capacity utilization is at 74 percent, according to data from the American Iron and Steel Institute. Utilization was 91 percent in August 2008, the month before the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings.


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He's swinging a hot bat for West Michigan and settling in at the professional ranks. Plagman is the Whitecaps Player of the Week.
Last week: Plagman batted .333 (9-for-27) in seven games. He hit a pair of home runs, scored four runs and produced five RBIs. Against South Bend on Friday, Plagman went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run to power West Michigan to a 9-2 win.
On the season: Plagman has appeared in 18 games and is hitting .232 with 16 hits, three home runs, three doubles and seven RBIs.
Plagman on Plagman: "(When) I came here I was little late on everything because everybody throws a little harder here. They have better stuff (here) than in college, but I'm definitely feeling a lot more comfortable, especially the last few days. I feel like I'm seeing it well, sitting back on it well and not going out to get it thinking I have to support the power."
Whitecaps manager Joe DePastino on Plagman: "His last three games, he's been putting the barrel on the ball really good. And he's shortened his stride up a little bit. When he first got here he was standing straight up and was kind of long. He's working hard every hard on staying more compact and letting his hands and lower half do the work."
On the adjustment from aluminum bats to wood bats: It's not easy when you switch from aluminum to wood bats. Metal bats are a lot more forgiving and I broke a few bats the first week."
Favorite TV show: "The Office"
Favorite food: Grilled Chicken
Pregame routine: "I eat a lot. I can't go long without eating so I try to eat a lot before the game."


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Since the 1985-86 NBA season, the three-point shootout has been a staple of the NBA's All-Star Weekend. Over the years, it has featured NBA stars as well as lesser-known players to create an interesting and often dramatic showcase of the best three-point shooters in the business.
This year should be no different, as the NBA has once again offered its fans a chance to enjoy six worthy contestants dialing it up from behind the arc to name this season's three-point shootout champion.


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Circus, auto show, RV show this week
Come one, come all
For four days only, take part in a form of entertainment beloved by children of all ages, going back generations. See the Tripoli Shrine Circus on Thursday through next Sunday at the U.S. Cellular Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave. Nine performances of athletic skills with aerialists and acrobats. Watch elephants and big cats perform in one of the three rings of action all lead by Ringmistress Michelle Audrey. Tickets range from $9 to $35; there are also free tickets available for adults bringing a child along. See www.milwaukeecircus.com for information and to purchase tickets. »Read Full Article
Packing House's brunch switches from buffet to entrees
The Packing House, the steakhouse at 900 E. Layton Ave., recently switched from serving a buffet brunch to brunch entrées.
Some of the new menu items are steak and eggs, served with a 10-ounce New York strip ($13.99), bananas Foster French toast ($9.99), and crab Benedict ($12.99). »Read Full Blog Post
Niki Johnson to talk about condom portrait of pope on CNN
Artist Niki Johnson will be interviewed about her portrait of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, crafted from thousands of condoms, on CNN Sunday morning. The segment is slated to air at about 7:30 a.m. Central time.
Johnson will talk about the work, which was inspired by the former pope's 2009 comments about condoms while in Africa. He suggested condom use could increase the spread of AIDS. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Chamber Theatre blossoms again with lighthearted 'Jeeves in Bloom'
Given the miserable spring we've been having, I probably don't need to explain the appeal of a play titled "Jeeves in Bloom," the second of Margaret Raether's three stage adaptations of the P.G. Wodehouse stories and novels featuring Bertie Wooster's ever-capable valet.
Under Tami Workentin's direction, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre produced the first of these light comedies, with Matt Daniels as Jeeves, in 2010. In "Bloom," Workentin again directs and Daniels returns as Jeeves. The remaining characters and actors are all new, as is the setting. »Read Full Article
Haydn blurred, other MSO pieces enhanced by Basilica's acoustic
It's a given that performing music in the live acoustic of the Basilica of St. Josaphat will be a challenge.
What's not a given is how well a given piece will work in the space, as evidenced by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's Friday evening installment of its Basilica series. »Read Full Article(2)
Present Music explores passion, harmony in 'Judgment of Midas'
Which kind of art is better - passionate, heart-pounding exuberance or balanced, elegant harmony?
The answer, of course, has always been that we need both - just like sweet and salty, summer and winter, yin and yang. »Read Full Article


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Bikers protest profiling and police traffic stops for wearing club patches
Phoenix, Ariz. -- A hearing room filled with patch-wearing motorcycle club members broke out in cheers as an Arizona Senate committee passed a bill requiring police to take training highlighting a ban on profiling of motorcyclists by law enforcement officers.
The unusual sight at the state Capitol was prompted by a bill attempting to address complaints from motorcycle club members who say they're frequently stopped by police for no legitimate reason. »Read Full Blog Post(28)


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Judge issues formal order on health benefits for American Airlines retirees
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane has issued his formal order that rejected most of American Airlines' request to be allowed to quit paying for health and life insurance benefits to its retirees.
In the order filed late Wednesday afternoon, Lane reiterated his "memorandum of decision" that he issued April 18. That memo stated that American could cut off the benefits to only a small number of its retirees.
It could not eliminate benefits to the following groups:
– Allied Pilot Association retirees
– Association of Professional Flight Attendants retirees
– Transport Workers Union retirees
– Trans World Airlines retirees
– Other retirees who took an "early-out" option to leave the company prior to normal retirement age
– Employees who were hired or who retired under the 1980 non-union plan document
The class of retirees for whom American could cut off benefits included "those non-union retirees, regardless of whether they prefunded, who are not Early Out Retirees, 1980 Retirees, or TWA Retirees."
American in mid-2012 had asked the judge for a summary judgment that it had the right to modify its plans under federal law. It intended to have retirees pick up all the costs for the benefits. American says the programs cost the airline more than $10 million a month.
American hasn't stated whether it would appeal the judge's decision or if it would proceed with cutting off benefits to the small group for whom such action would be allowed.


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2003 A. A. Ferreira Quinta da Leda Douro
Producer: A. A. Ferreira
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type: other red varietal
Origin: Portugal
Region: Portugal
89 Points | Stephen Tanzer's IWC - March/April 2006
($60) Deep, saturated red. Rich, smoky red berry and plum aromas, with a hint of woodsmoke. Lush and supple on the palate, with dense cherry fruit and a subtle, meaty quality. A gently textured, juicy wine, finishing with round, fine-grained tannins.


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Free speech, in all its glorious ugliness
Barry Rubin sounds a tocsin at Pajamas Media about the way in which political correctness is slowly but steadily eroding free speech in America, leaving us to speech norms more commonly seen in repressive Middle Eastern countries. As he explains, there's a reason "the authors of the American Constitution forbade limits on freedom of speech: because once you start creating off-limit areas the worst thing that happens is the empowerment of people who have a self-interest in setting and misusing these limits. They can administer these no-go zones by declaring anything they don't like to be a hate crime."
Since our Founders were brilliant enough to enact the First Amendment, which prevents the Left from using official channels to shut down opponent's speech, the Left has latched onto social norms as a way of stifling political discourse:
What is needed is a foolproof tactic, one to which there is no institutionalized opposition so that even your enemies must bow their heads in shame and knees in homage when called names.
So how has the Middle Eastern approach revolutionized Western discourse? What slogans are potent enough to shut people up instantly?
Racism! Homophobia! Islamophobia! And to a lesser extent, perhaps, Sexism! The minute you are accused of racism you are finished. There's no effective response.
Thus, freedom of speech, rational discussion, and opposition are trumped by "higher values." The most basic and long-held principles are quickly jettisoned in fear. Newspapers accept censorship, intellectuals embrace telling lies, and women's rights groups cheer the suppression of women's rights in Muslim societies. Those who have spent years fantasizing how they would have been heroic resistance fighters against dictatorship fold, trembling, in the face of a single letter of complaint.
I urge you to read Barry's entire article. Then, when you're done, check out Zombie's illustrated post about a most unusual Easter celebration in San Francisco. (And before you get your hackles up in the wrong direction, read the whole thing). SERIOUS CONTENT WARNING. DO NOT READ ZOMBIE'S POST IN THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN. THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT OPENING IT AT THE WORKPLACE, TOO.
I agree with Zombie's attitude, by the way. The behavior you see is deeply offensive to some (indeed, I would that it's deeply offensive to most decent, moral and honorable people), but that's what happens in a pluralist society that values speech, no matter how ugly, over censorship.
Both freedom of religion and freedom of speech involve the freedom to ridicule religion and speech. We can handle ugly. What we cannot handle is the end of free and open political and social debate. Once we give in to that, the great American experiment is definitively over.
Cross-posted at Bookworm Room
The Bookworm Turns : A Secret Conservative in Liberal Land,
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Even though my father, brother, uncles and grandfather were in the military, I seldom handled guns growing up. That's because unlike many of the other people in my family, I've...Read More
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9/12 Teaser Post
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Teeny Tiny Fringe Minority in Washington, DC: The 9/12 March
If you stayed at home and watched the news this weekend, you may not have heard about the teeny tiny
When you live in a totalitarian society run by demented ideologues, it's safest to keep your mouth shut and your


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Seattle Teachers Expected to Reject District's Contract Offer
Seattle teachers are expected to reject the school district's latest contract offer at its meeting Monday evening, but the superintendent suggests the district is ready to deal on some key sticking points.
The Seattle Education Association is recommending its members reject the contract proposal, and it has a long list of reasons why: not enough money, too much emphasis on testing, and overworked counselors, psychologists and school nurses, to name a few.
And the union is especially irked about a proposal to extend the workday for elementary school teachers. This proposal, first reported by KPLU in the spring, was originally floated as a way to increase the time and quality of classroom instruction. Now the district is proposing to use it for teacher planning and collaboration, but not extra classroom time for students.
SEA President Jonathan Knapp says the plan would extract more work from teachers for less money.
"The real solution here would be to restore the full length of the elementary day. This is just telling teachers they need to sit in detention at school until the bell rings," said Knapp.
But Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Jose Banda says the district is open to other ideas on how that time is used.
"How we identify that half hour, whether it's collaboration time or we use it somehow to support additional instruction, I think that those are conversations that we can continue to have with SEA," Banda said.
Banda indicated the district is less inclined to budge on the raises or on teacher evaluations, which the union wants to untether from test scores.
Banda says if the SEA votes the offer down, he expects to be back at the table Tuesday. That meeting could come early; union representatives plan to deliver the results of their vote to Banda in person at 8:30 a.m. sharp.


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Wide receivers have become a dime a dozen in fantasy football. If you don't own Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, or any of the top tier receivers, then your roster will take a hit.
But if you get lucky on one or two middle round sleepers, they can more than make up for the loss in big named wide-outs.
With some leagues now starting three wide receivers, they are becoming more and more important. Owners can't just take two studs and call it a day. They need to look for the high potential players that can give the team a surprise boost.
Here are some sleeper wide receivers to target in your upcoming fantasy draft.


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Don't Invest Borrowed Money
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Technically, it's not borrowed money, but in this week's column Walter Updegrave writes about how you shouldn't "borrow" against your home's equity and invest the money. Now, you would think that it's not that bad of an idea because you're not really borrowing money from someone else, you're just selling your garage and investing the money, right? Well, the big deal is in the mechanics because in order for you to cash out that money, you will likely have to use a home equity line of credit (or you could refinance, but that's far more expensive) that will have something in the range of 9% (6%+ considering the tax implications), so you will need to be on the better side of 6% in your investment decisions to come out ahead.
When you are investing, you typically want your decisions to buy or sell to be driven by the market itself, not outside factors. Anytime your decisions are guided by non-market related factors, you're put into a bad position. For example, if you want to sell Ford because of their recent earnings announcement, that's fine. However, if you don't want to sell Ford but you have to sell Ford because you need the money to pay off a mortgage payment – you're in a bad spot. This will apply whether the source of the funds is a loan from a bank or a "loan" from your emergency fund.
Getting back to Updegrave's article, the pitfalls of borrowing from a HELOC has to do with the fact that it's a variable rate (ouch!) and that you have no guarantee you'll be on the plus side of the arbitrage play. HELOC rates are around 8%, or 6% after the tax deductibility factor of the interest payments, so you'll have to be on the plus side of at least 6%… that's a lot of pressure especially when you consider the goal posts are going to be moved back from time to time.
Walter finishes up the article by putting things into perspective. It's like 0% balance transfer arbitrage plays, except nothing is for certain and you're taking a lot of risk for not that much return. At least with the 0% balance transfer arbitrage plays, your borrowing rate is fixed and your earnings rate is relatively fixed – neither is the case with borrowing on a HELOC to invest in the stock market.
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25 years of experience
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Obstetrician & Gynecologist (OB/GYN) in Naples, FLTake a minute to learn about Dr. Chris Grevengood in this video. If you'd like to learn more, click on one of the links below.
Meet Doctor Chris Grevengood. Here are his vitals: He's board certified, specializing in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Doctor Grevengood is a highly experienced doctor, with 21 years of practice in the field Highly regarded by his patients they rate him 4 out of 4 stars. They point out easy to set appointment. He has won a number of awards, including Patients' Choice Award 2008 and Compassionate Doctor Recognition 2009. Is affiliated with a top rated hospital. Graduated from Wayne State University. He completed his fellowship at University of Tennessee in 1993. His average waiting time is 16 minutes. He accepts new patients. He has a number of insurance plans accepted. Use Vitals.com to examine Doctor Chris Grevengood from Naples, Florida. See patient comments make an appointment or even let us help you to prepare for your visit. Vitals .com where doctors are examined.


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Main Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Resource Guide
Because symptoms generally come on gradually over weeks or months, you may have hyperthyroidism for a long time before you realize it. If you are an older adult, it may be even harder to recognize that something is wrong, because your only symptoms may be weight loss and/or depression .
There are many symptoms of hyperthyroidism. They are listed below, in general, from most frequent to less frequent.
In individuals over age 65 years, hyperthyroidism may present with the following:
American Thyroid Association website. Available at: http://www.thyroid.org/ .
AACE Thyroid Guidelines. Endocr Pract . 2002;8(No. 6) 469.
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 14th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2001.
National Library of Medicine website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ .
Pearce EN. Diagnosis and management of thyrotoxicosis. Brit Med J. 2006;332:1369-1373.
Last reviewed December 2014 by Kim A. Carmichael, MD, FACP
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Since you mentioned Poo Hurler, I report that today she blocked my driveway with a giant van and then took off to regions unknown in her car. Could it be a moving van? Alas, no. She will never move, and turds will continue to float past my house when it rains. I don't know the purpose of the van, but I just adore that she is so oblivious to anything but her insanity that she made it impossible for me to leave my house.
I'm from North Carolina and down here in the South a pork butt is from the shoulder. And it's a very popular thing. See, I told you -- Donner = reindeer = pork butt.
You can always have Poo Hurler's van towed away for blocking your driveway.
Panda dearest, I have 24lbs to lose - but I'll settle for 20.6 lbs. Wanna race? (This challenge comes from a bottle of wine a night girl). You should beat me easily! But if you take up the challenge I may be compelled to ditch the wine. And you will be doing us both a favour...?
I turned invisible about five years ago. It might have been because I was getting notably porky; it might have been because my hair turned grey. Whatever, I turned invisible because I was no longer sexually attractive. And I love it - love being invisible. Now I can talk to anyone and they don't think I am trying to pick them up. They don't feel the need to pick me up. I am now just an average middle-aged housewife. And one can get away with all sorts of things when one is invisible.
I am not shy like you Panda. In fact, I am being paid at the moment to go to pubs and talk to the punters. It's called Market Research - or summit like that. I love talking to complete strangers in the pub and getting paid for it! (Last week I met a stone carver who works for the National Trust. He carves all those lovely gargoyles amongst other things - he said he would teach me to stone carve! I love my job).
Please remember the art of invisibility - just in case you ever need it. You and I have one over on Harry Potter.
So - are you up for the race?
The same people who hurl poo, apparently.
Today I will: Eat food, not poison. Plan for success, not settle for failure. Live my real life, not a virtual one. Move and grow, not sit and die.
My Primal Journal
2. I became invisible just at the age at which I was first really trying to be attractive. People rarely pick up on giant pandas; nor are they particularly thrilled when a giant panda tries to pick up on them. I started college average-sized: the worst zits of my adolescence were finally on the way out, I had lovely muscles from swimming butterfly for years, I was learning what flattered me and what didn't in hair and clothes, and then suddenly I was hugely fat. It was like three steps forward and forty steps back.
3. Aw, we can't compete! That would drive us nuts! No matter how well I eat, what my body chooses to do with its excess weight is not under my control and that already makes me crazy. I can eat perfectly primal for weeks and lose nothing at all. Competing would make me so frustrated when my body just won't comply. And one of the Panda Flaws, which is embarrassing to admit to you, is that I am competitive even on silly things. But if you would like to post your New Low Scores here as you achieve them, to help motivate you and for Happy Panda Dances performed on your behalf, you are more than welcome!
4. I am truly happy to be unable to drink wine. Temptation solved!
I looked up a pig diagram and you and the Butt are safe. Butt is Shoulder. Ham is Ass.
Cooking Primal with Otter - Journal
Otter's (Defunct) Primal Log
"Not baked goods, Professor, baked bads!" ~ The Tick


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Round 2: Readers Share Their Favorite Embarrassing Toddler Pics (Again)!Lori Garcia
"No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I'm not talking about the kids. Their behavior is always normal." ~Bill Cosby
A few weeks back I asked for your favorite embarrassing toddler pictures and y'all did not disappoint! In case you missed the first round of toddlers caught in the act of being toddlers, you can catch it here.
And because round 1 was so freakin' fantastic, I decided to put a call out for even more fabulously embarrassing toddler pics! Dare I say the sequel was just as good as the original!
Get ready for a good laugh as we celebrate the amazing world of toddlerhood!
Ooo, what's in here? 1 of 17"From small beginnings come great things" ~Proverb
Photo courtesy of Amy at Using Our Words
(Little) Man in a box 2 of 17"Children make you want to start life over." ~Muhammad Ali
Photo courtesy of Bonnie at Three's Company
Can I help you? 3 of 17"Old men can make war, but it is children who will make history." ~Ray Merritt
Photo courtesy of Bonnie at Three's Company
I think I got a little on me 4 of 17"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring." ~Liz Armbruster
Photo courtesy of Bonnie at Three's Company
Wild man 5 of 17"Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." ~Walt Disney
Photo courtesy of Bonnie at <a href=""Children make you want to start life over." ~Muhammad Ali
Photo courtesy of Bonnie at Three's Company
Fashion faux pas 6 of 17"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." ~Charles R. Swindoll
Photo courtesy of Britta at Hudson and Hill
A la naturale 7 of 17"Children are the boldest philosophers. They enter life naked, not covered by the smallest fig leaf of dogma, absolutes, creeds. This is why every question they ask is so absurdly naïve and so frighteningly complex." ~Yevgeny Zamyatin
Photo courtesy of Ellen Carroll
Asleep during a haircut 8 of 17"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Photo courtesy of Gwen Swire
Awesome Robert Pattinson bed head! 9 of 17"There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it." ~Chinese Proverb
Photo courtesy of Jessica Gorman
I'm stuck! 10 of 17"Never underestimate a child's ability to get into more trouble." ~Martin Mull
Photo courtesy of Jessica Gorman
Took a spill complete with strawberry Pop Tarts in his hair! 11 of 17"Stay a child while you can be a child." ~Stephen Sondheim
Photo courtesy of Katie at MOMMAKT and Milk Smart Momma
Bad season 12 of 17"Children are our most valuable resource." ~Herbert Hoover
Photo courtesy of Maria Higuera
Watching TV can be dangerous 13 of 17"Children's games are hardly games. Children are never more serious than when they play." ~Montaigne
Photo courtesy of Robin at Farewell Stranger
Yes I am the Mushroom Man 14 of 17"The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives." ~Robert Brault
Photo courtesy of Maria Higuera
Just like Daddy does it! 15 of 17"Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate." ~Anonymous
Photo courtesy of Maria Higuera
Kissy face 16 of 17"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them." ~Richard L. Evans
Photo courtesy of Maria Higuera
Showing off an acorn and accidentally flipping the bird! 17 of 17"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven." ~Henry Ward Beecher
Photo courtesy of Shell at Things I Can't Say
More on Toddler Times:
Readers Share Their Favorite Embarrassing Toddler Pics!
13 Things That Don't Make You a Bad Parent
My Kid, My Choice: Readers Share Their Badass Parenting Decisions


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Discussion in 'PC Gaming & Rigs' started by Iccz, Aug 15, 2011.
Will probly go River Plate .. Return them to former glories
sounds like a good idea- might give that a try myself!
My girlfriend txt me this morning to say my copy had came in the post. Couldn't wait to get home from work and Steam says I can't play because it's not been release yet. Party poopers!
we should setup a network game
Just been Googling where to buy from and came across this on The Dugout. Pre-order FM 2012 - Special super price until RELEASE DATE! - The Dugout Football Manager Community
£25 from DLGamer and they e-mail the Steam code. Just did mine and it's downloading as I speak at a rather rapid 800kb/s. Should be good to go when I get back home from work tonight as I assume I won't be able to activate it until after midnight. Well chuffed as Steam themselves would charge me 49.99 euros
trying to buy this from greenman gaming ...browser keeps messing up ,,very annoying ....wish i didnt have the £5 with them
well i've gotten my key from greenman and it's downloading atm 2.3gb
im going to start a network game with a united fan on here anyone else?
Playing Football Manager 2011 Online Tutorial « Aid The Boss
think its the same as the last fm
Unfortunately I play on Mac Bloodzeed
FM12 Susie Real Names for Clubs, Competitions and Awards Fix - BETA now released - Sortitoutsi.net - Football Manager 2011 Forums incase some don't know/have it, real league/club names + germany/japan national sides fix , they should also have a mega face/logo pack for real badges/player pics soonish
and network fm doesn't really apeal to me, it's way to annoying either waiting or taking forever on looking for players
SS'11-12 Kits Download Area for FM11-12 only - Sortitoutsi.net - Football Manager 2011 Forums
it will sure speed up once the window is closed
only 1 hour! cant wait lol
who are you going to buy first? Im going to try and sign ganso
Just loaded my game up as Burgos in Spanish division B2. They have a media prediction of 17th but a decent stadium so they have potential. Fancied going for Spain so I can work my way up and take on the big boys. Better get some sleep before I start my assault tomorrow
4 hours in the game so far time for some coffee
Was on a great run money bags city just ended my winning streak ;/
bug? my scout does not give me a report on my next opponent
But when i look at the assignment it says scouting next opponent ongoing it has givin me a report once every 3 or 4 games strange
How do i have the players names all showing in the match engine
Also this is so annoying when you switch between tactics it keeps putting players out of position
btw did anyone get the TF2 pre-order items ?
Not jealous at all.
Hopefully get some time for FM tomorrow!
Mario Gotze
Oliver Markoutz
Eden Hazard
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Were my stand out players from the demo.
sunday league/un employed has landed me in Brazil Serie C, EC Santo André , team is good enough to win the league on the 1st attempt, media prediction is 1st, have never managed in brazil, hell rarely in europe let alone SA , looks like a sleeping gaint actually, 18500 all seater Stadium and rather high sponsorship deals (700k a year seems insane for this level ).
now to decide FM12 or Batman Arkham City, it came today from lovefilm for 360
both !! play fm on pc ....AA on tv !!
Managed to get this for £23. Seems like a good price to me!
Going to go down the unemployment route aswell.
Lucas Moura
i'm actually close to doing this , and holy hell theres some good players in Brazil Serie C, some players look like they could play in the championship
the only thing i find in SA is attracting big big signings they just wont come ..even if they are Argentinian ( i play a second game as river plate)
don't intend to stay there for too long, will jump ship to europe after afew season, just wanted something new.
99% of my games are in england, the rest spain. this is rather fun already , have never heard of any player or club, and noticed why the manager was sacked, started on the England date, halfway through the season, and they kinda sucked in the 1st half
ok 9 hours in im done time to get some sleep lol
does anyone know if you can get those packs elsewhere ? would like a big file dl but too tight to spend a tenner lol and the small files are annoying lol
tbh i'm still on last years tenner atm , it's a year long sub, works out at 80p a month or something.
it is worth it imo, you get the logos/facepacks and updates + inafew months it'll be the place to go to for new skins , there's normaly a torrent for it, sure somebody will upload 1 sooner or later tho(they've said they won't do a torrent, but ye who can stop it..)
in other news 1st game in brazil..3-0 win..3 players injuried...glad tobe back in FM
Edit: if you find the torrent for 2011 verison, it will work for 2012 and have pretty much most of the same logo's etc in.
Have they improved the training this year?
Football Manager 2012 Wonderkids | FMScout
Never understood articles showing wonderkids, isn't half the fun finding them for yourself?
Separate names with a comma.


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Snow Patrol - "Fallen Empires" Pop
- Summary
- Reviews / Ratings
- Photos
- Videos
- Events
UK Pressing. 2011 release, the sixth studio album from the Irish Alt-Rock band. Over several months, the five piece began a musical road trip around California. They recorded tracks at Eagles Watch, a topsy turvy house in Santa Monica with widescreen windows and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Backing vocals were drawn from the LA Inner City Mass Gospel Choir in Compton, south central LA. Later, tracks were mixed at the studio owned by longterm collaborator, Garret "Jacknife" Lee--a hacienda tucked away in Topanga Canyon, the onetime hippy commune and former home to Neil Young and Woody Guthrie.
Along the way, R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, US singer Lissie and Queens Of The Stone Age guitarist, Troy Van Leeuwen all popped by to lend a guitar part here, a lyric idea there. Meanwhile, Snow Patrol's new adventures seeped into every note on Fallen Empires. The result is an album that promises to redefine the band as an altogether more ambitious, more expansive, creative force.
More Details


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This article covers the initial steps in securing the default install of Elastix to make it more secure. You should complete this work even if your system is not accessible to the Internet.
If it is connected to the Internet, then not doing these basic security changes will leave your system wide open to attack! You have been warned.
- Changing the default Elastix Admin account password
- Changing the default FreePBX account password
- Setting strong secrets with Extensions
- Securing SIP accounts
- Prevention Tools
- Elastix default accounts
Changing the default Elastix Admin account password
First of all we need to change the default Elastix administration password. Connect to your Elastix appliance via the web interface and select System->User Management and then select Users from the left tabs:
Select the 'admin' user to update:
Next click the 'Edit' button so you can make changes:
You need to enter a STRONG 'Password' and confirm it in the 'Retype password' box too. When I mean strong, you should consider the password to contain:
- Mixed upper and lower case characters
- Digits
- Basic symbols (eg !"£$%^&*()_=+_-<>;:'@#~/? and so on)
- One or more space characters
While you are there, you could enter a suitable name (ie yours) for this account too in the 'Name' box:
And finally you can click 'Apply changes' to alter. You will need to login again after applying.
As an alternative and more secure method, would be as follows:
- Create new account with administration rights with a name that does no infer the purpose of the account.
- Set this account with a strong password.
- Test the account by logging off with Admin and logging in with your new account
- Use the new account to delete the original Admin account.
Note: Don't loose the admin login details or you will be re-installing the software again!!
Changing the default FreePBX account password
Elastix depends on FreePBX quite a lot, and even provides an interface to the FreePBX console itslef. This has a default username and password of admin and admin. We need to start the FreePBX console from within Elastix and change the account details. Following the instructions here, and enter the default user name of admin and password of admin.
Now that you have entered the FreePBX console, you can chage the admin account default password. Selected the Admin tab from the top and the Setup tab from the top of the left panel. Finally choose Administrators to bring up the Administrators controls:
Select the admin user from the list on the right:
And the account details will be displayed:
You can now enter a suitably strong new administrator password (as detailed above) and then you can click the Submit Changes button at the bottom. You will then need to click the Apply Configuration Changes bar at the top to commit the change:
You will be asked to confirm the changes:
Click the Continue with reload to apply. And the changes will take effect. You can logout of the FreePBX console via the logout option in the top right of the console:
As an improved security measure, you could create a new administrator account with the same details, but a new name and a suitably strong password and then delete the original.
Setting strong secrets with Extensions
Extensions are a massive risk to your system. Not because their accounts allow access to your system directly, but because they can be used to make calls. Having a weak 'secret' for an extension leaves your system wide open to fraudulent calls. Once an 'extension' has made a connection (either a physical VOIP phone or a soft phone), then they can start to make calls with that context. This is especially important if you open your firewall up to allow the connection of SIP and IAX based phones and trunks.
Any extension, once registered can make calls. What calls that can be made are dependant on how you have set-up your system. The best approach is to make sure every extension is as secure as possible and this article will help achieve this goal.
Each extension that connects via the network, either a physical VOIP phone or a soft phone running on a PC, needs a shared 'secret' to connect to the Elastix. This 'secret' is entered whenever an extension is created and can be updated at any time within the settings of an extension.
Within the FreePBX part of Elastix, it is possible to configure the 'Weak Passwords' module to help identify poor passwords, but as it only performs very basic checks, it is not very helpful. And you need to enter the FreePBX console to work with it. So I will ignore this facility for the time being as many users don't always want to leave Elastix.
Keeping the passwords strong on creation is probably the best way, rather than finding out afterwards. So create them strong and the first place.
I would suggest, where possible, to use a length of at least 8 characters. And use mixed upper case, lower case and digits. All of which are randomly created. Avoid using actual words, these can be easy to break. Also avoid taking a standard word and making it stronger. This will only delay the inevitable.
being 'strengthen':
These are easily broken as well.
As the passwords are stored in a text file, then you need to avoid most special characters. You also need to be mindful of any limitations that the device may have. Often VOIP phones can only use digits as a secret because they have no method of entering letters or changing case.
If there are limitations, then increase the strength to compensate, but don't be silly. Trying to read out a 100 digit password over the phone to a user is not going to win any 'brownie points' for yourself. 12 digits/letters kmaximum is probably more than enough.
I have a made a basic password generator available here to help. This does not pass any information back to me or anywhere else. It should be strong enough for most PBX extensions. Set up the type of password (without additional characters), set the length between 8 and 12 characters. And click 'Generate Password'. Copy the result in the extension's secret in the Elastix console and there you are.
If a user forgets a password, it is probably a good idea to generate a fresh password. This helps protect your system from 'lost' passwords written of bits of paper or in the back of a journal, that get left in a taxi or on a train.
Securing SIP Accounts
SIP Accounts are a major hacking point of Asterisk based systems and Elastix is no exception, especially if you have SIP accounts that are open to the outside world of the Internet. There are many hacking tools released over the last couple of years that make this an easy task for the Neanderthals out there.
Here are a few useful pointers taken from forums at Elastix and VOIP Tech:
Limit IP Source Addresses
If possible, don't allow SIP connections from all IP addresses (the default). Add the "permit=" and "deny=" lines to the "sip_general_custom.conf" file via the Elastix->PBX->Tools->FileEditor.
This is a problem if you have roaming laptop users that will keep changing ISPs and thus source IP address. In this case you should ensure that other SIP security measures are strong enough.
Preventing SIP Extension Information Leakage
By default, Asterisk can leak back information to help hacking tools target your system and make better use of this information in reducing hacking times. Since about version 1.2 of Asterisk it is possible to block this information leak.
To prevent this leak in Elastix, add "alwaysauthreject=yes" to the "sip_general_custom.conf" file via the Elastix->PBX->Tools->FileEditor.
Use Strong Passwords for Secrets
Don't depend on words that are easy for you to remember, they are also easy for hackers to break. See the article above about strong secrets: Setting strong secrets with Extensions.
Keep the AMI Manager ports blocked to the local sub-net
By default, Elastix has this already configured with "deny=0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0″ and "permit=127.0.0.1/255.255.255.0″ already applied to "manager.conf", just remember not over-ride this setting in this file, or in "manager_additional.conf" or "manager_custom.conf".
The password for AMI is pretty weak, I currently do not know how to harden this from the default.
Anonymous inbound SIP calls
Elastix has the ability to accept anonymous inbound SIP calls via trunks. This setting 'Allow anonymous inbound SIP calls' must be set to 'NO' at all times. You may use it to breifly test inbound SIP calls via trunks, just to get the inital processing correct, but remember to restore this setting after testing.
This setting is found here, near the bottom of the page:
PBX->PBX Configuration->Allow anonymous inbound SIP calls
In order to overcome the security imposed by this setting being 'NO', see this article: HowTo: Elastix Incoming SIP Trunk Calls.
With the 'Allow Anonymous' set to yes, the system will allow ANY call in via this SIP path. At best it will be annoying. At worst with DISA, the caller can make free calls via your system!
Example Hack
Here is a YouTube video showing you a training video for an SIP hacking tool 'SIPAutoHack'. This shows you just how easy it is to do with the 'free' tools being offered.
Prevention Tools
If you have the necessary skills, then you could consider using one or more of the following tools to help defend your system:
- fail2ban, a log file scanner that perform blocking actions. An article on using this with Asterisk can be found here.
- DenyHosts is a very popular port blocker for many *nix distributions and may provide Elastix with additional protection.
I may consider writing articles to help the more novice Elastix administrator implement these utilities if there is some requests.
Elastix Default Accounts
Initial entry in the linux command line in VMWARE
Username: root
Password: palosanto
Initial access to the Web interface
Enter in the Web interface:
Username: admin
Password: palosanto
Initial access to third party applications
To use Sugar CRM:
Username: admin
Password: password
To use A2bill:
Username: admin
Password: mypassword
Username: root
Password: myroot
Operator Flash Panel (from 0.6 version):
Password: eLaStIx.2oo7
For accessing Freepbx (without being contracted) use:
Username: admin
Password: admin
For accessing vtigerCRM use:
Username: admin
Password: admin
For accessing MySQl directly
Username: root
Password: eLaStIx.2oo7
Important Note: This article is still under construction and I have not covered every security issue with this product installation and it is entirely your responsibility to make your Elastix installation secure. I can not be held responsible for any area I may have omitted or security hole found in the system.
Return to: Get your first Elastix system running.


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• An 18-year-old man with left-lobe thyroid hemiagenesis underwent isthmectomy for management of a nodule that failed to take up radioactive iodine during a nuclear scan. The resected tissue, which demonstrated nodular hyperplasia, and the remaining right lobe, were black. The association between deep staining and chronic minocycline ingestion was subsequently recognized. Twelve years later, the patient remained asymptomatic, suggesting that complete resection of tetracycline-stained thyroid tissue is unnecessary.
(Arch Surg. 1992;127:1476-1477)
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