text:
Some Onalaska students are being recognized for saying no to drugs and alcohol.
A group of fifth graders graduated from the D.A.R.E. program Wednesday afternoon.
They've been discussing topics like drugs, alcohol, and healthy decision making. And new to the curriculum this year was bullying.
The D.A.R.E. officer says it was nice to be able to talk about bullying and hear how it was affecting each of the students.
"It was eye opening to hear about bullying from their lives, from what it's like to be a 5th grader. The curriculum obviously taught them about the importance of not being a bystander and the importance of standing up to a bully," said Onalaska D.A.R.E. Officer Leah Myers.
Thirteen students graduated from the program Wednesday.


text: Aquarius (20 January - 18 February) Wanna_Believe_3 posted:2/27/2009 1:32:31 PM Hello! My bday is 2/16, which makes me an Aquarian. Are there any others in here?Dayrider posted:8/13/2009 6:23:52 AM Hello! My birthday is 18 02 and most things what they say about Aquarians are true.It is like they are writing about me. Please log in or become a member to add a post.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Offered By: Coach USA
Join us in Atlantic City at The Taj Mahal Casino!
Operates: No scheduled departures
Tour Length: 3 Days / 2 Nights
Departs From: Butler, PA * Kittanning, PA * Natrona Heights, PA * Monroeville, PA
Double Room - $205.00
Quad Room - $205.00
Single Room - $253.00
Triple Room - $205.00
Tour Description:
Includes two nights at Taj Mahal in Atlantic City with free time to enjoy the casinos as you wish. At time of printing the casino bonus was $60 slots (subject to change by the casino without notice). Depart for home at 1:00PM on last day. Must be at least 21 with photo I.D.
Cost Per person:
$ 205.00 double/triple accommodations; $ 253.00 single accommodations
Departure Details:
|Butler, PA
|Butler Motor Tours
210 South Monroe Street, Rear Lot
|Kittanning, PA
|Hilltop Plaza
Old Route 422, Across from King's Restaurant
|Natrona Heights, PA
|Walmrt Parking Lot
4015 Freeport Road, Upper Front Lot near road where the white lines are
|Monroeville, PA
|Monroeville Mall
Light Pole #32 near the bus stop shelter
between the Firestone Building and Macy's
For details contact Butler Motor Tours 724.282.1000 or 1.800.222.8750!
Terms and Conditions:
Prior to 30 days from your departure date a full refund will be made (with the exception of special event and/or show tours, air tours and cruises which will be different - be sure to ask about these details when your booking is made). There is no refund for cancellations made within 30 days prior to your departure date. But you are welcome to send someone in your place and let us know the name change (this does not apply to air and cruise tours which have various restrictions, strict cancellation policies and name change charges).
Butler Motor Tours offers a refund protection plan on all overnight tours with varying restrictions due to the nature of the tour. We highly encourage you to take advantage of it, although it is certainly your own individual decision. This plan is available at an additional cost and will protect your monies due to sickness or death, but it does not cover you if you simply "change your mind". An official written letter from the doctor is required for proof of illness or a statement as to the death in your family. This plan expires 30 days after cancellation, if the documentation is not received within 30 days of cancellation, the refund is forfeited. There is only a small window period of time in which you are allowed to purchase the plan so be sure to ask upon booking.
To ensure passenger comfort, we have a "NO SMOKING" policy on all of our tours, which also includes e-cigarettes. Ample comfort stops are made for smoking and restroom convenience. Feel free to request a smoking or non-smoking hotel room when making your reservations. No alcohol is allowed on any tour at any time. We reserve the right to refuse boarding under such circumstances that these policies are not followed.
Butler Motor Tours reserves the right to cancel any tour that has not reached a minimum number of reservations. We also reserve the right to change tour prices and itineraries if so dictated by circumstances beyond our control. We always avoid canceling a tour if at all possible, as we understand the inconvenience to you - our valued customer. Feel free to ask about any departure, especially if you are taking vacation days at your place of work.
The cost of your tour includes one piece of luggage per person to be checked under the coach and one small carry-on piece. Any additional suitcase is allowed at a cost of $5.00 per day and this must be paid with the final tour payment. You will be responsible for the handling of your own carry-on luggage at all times.
Butler Motor Tours acts as an agent in arranging hotel and other accommodations and cannot be held responsible for non-performance.
Any person or group which requires an ADA accessible bus is requested to inform us at the time of reservation, and must notify us in writing no later than 48 hours prior to the charter's departure.
Charges will appear as "CoachUSA/Megabus" on your credit card statement. We are a United States merchant and all card payments are processed at our corporate office located at 160 S. Route 17 North, Paramus, NJ.


text:
Facebook's oldest user celebrated her 106th birthday yesterday.
ABC News reported that Edythe Kirchmaier officially became the social media website's oldest registered user last year on her 105th birthday. She looked at Facebook as a way to stay connected to family and friends and also raise awareness for her favorite charity, Direct Relief, which provides medical aid to people around the world who have been affected by poverty, natural disasters and civil unrest. Kirchmaier also still believes in more traditional methods of communication, like writing charity donor thank you letters by hand.
Kirchmaier is also California's oldest licensed driver and the University of Chicago's oldest living graduate.


text:
The Geography Blog focusing on all things geography: human, physical, technical, space, news, and geopolitics. Also known as Geographic Travels with Catholicgauze! Written by a former National Geographic employee who also proudly served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Monday, October 30, 2006
France: The Next Britain
The Economist has an excellent article, "The art of the impossible," which surveys France's problem. Because of a Gaullist (pun intended) tradition which simultaneously pushes for revolution, rejects reform, and is ultra-nationalistic France is caught between a rock and a hard place. An example is when the petty bourgeoisie riot because of a threat to their job security so France increases job protections which keeps the unemployed poor, so the poor riot.
France has little to fear from liberalization. Other countries like Ireland and Canada have proven reform can be accomplished while still having a welfare-state structure. However, the Socialist Party and even some on the right have declared their support for renationalization of industry. This would put government in control of vital sectors of the economy (just imagine the same government that manages to screw up toilet seat orders in charge of the economy!)
In 1975 British economists said that if the current course continued by 2000 Albania and the United Kingdom would be on par economically. The Economist says France does not face such dire consequences but I disagree. Combined with its economic problem are a shrinking population and a hostile fifth column which seek to convert or kill anything which stands in its way.
France can still be a powerful player on the world stage. However, the French government has time and time again shown its intent on promoting their own agenda at the expense of France. Let us hope this once powerful lion can reclaim its rightful position as a powerful force for international good.
Category: Geopolitics
3 comments:
- Dan tdaxp said...
You're right about the domestic problem. Thatcher's UK faced trouble from both trade unionists and the Irish. However, the Irish were necessarily limited in their demands to Ulster (I do not recall any Cornwell Irredentists) while the trade unionists didn't reject British civilization as such, but merely wanted a bigger slice of the pie.
- Hoodlum said...
Please, the French Algerian riots are no worse than the average post big win at your average American university. The only difference is the Algerians are unemployed, while the American kids have class the next morning
- Catholicgauze said...
No, you're wrong. An American university victory "party" does not involve over 2,500 police injuries (http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/06/front2454036.086111111.html) and deaths.
I officially invite you to my presentation at the Association of American Geographers convention in San Fransisco during April 2007 so I can show you how the riots and other violent activity is an organized, offensive effort against France and other governments.


text:
For those who aren't big fans of my weekly missive, you're in luck. I'm easing my way slowly back into the work week in terms of the opener. Back to normal next week. However, I do have a couple of quick notes . . .
I know that most, if not all, of you saw last week's
press announcement and the accompanying stories regarding the approval of our
Also, I know many of you are awaiting more specific information regarding the program initiatives coming out of the spring session of the 94th General Assembly. As bills are signed by the Governor, we will work to get guidance to schools and districts in a forthright manner. Mobilizing around the 65-plus education bills passed has been the raison d'etre of the Agency over these past few weeks. Like many of you, especially given this spring session, we also have to do "more with less." We appreciate your patience.
Hope your weekend was nice . . . and have a great week.
Randy Dunn
Also included in today's message:
Although a review of each bill appears as it is passed or vetoed on the End of Session report, here is a quick rundown of some highlighted legislation that has been signed into law over the few weeks:
SB 64 (Public Act
94-0014) Effective
SB 226 (Public Act
94-0028): This
legislation amends the Open Meetings Act. If a public body has a website
maintained by the body's full-time staff, this legislation requires that the
public body post on the website (i) notice of any agenda of a regular meeting of
the public body's governing body, (ii) notice of all meetings of the governing
body, and (iii) beginning July 1, 2006, minutes of regular meetings of the
governing body open to the public. It also specifies how long the postings must
remain on the website and states that a failure to post on the website does not
invalidate meetings or actions of the governing body. Other additional changes
are also made to the Open Meetings Act in this legislation. Certain provisions
are effective immediately, with others effective
SB 1815 (Public Act 94-0069): Education BIMP Bill. Among other things, this legislation requires the State Board of Education to test (1) all pupils enrolled in the 5th and 8th grades in writing during the 2006-2007 school year; (2) all pupils enrolled in the 5th, 6th, and 8th grades in writing during the 2007-2008 school year; and (3) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th grades in writing during the 2008-2009 school year and each school year thereafter. The Prairie State Achievement Examination shall measure student performance in writing beginning with the 2006-2007 school year.
SB 1676 (Public Act 94-0105): Effective immediately, this legislation provides that individuals who have successfully achieved National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will be issued a Master School Service Personnel Certificate, valid for 10 years. In provisions concerning the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program, this legislation provides for an annual payment of $3,000 to be paid to each school counselor who receives a Master Certificate and is employed as a school counselor by a school district.
For the complete list of legislation that has been acted upon, please see the End of Session report.
Public Act 093-0946 (Health Examinations and Immunizations)
As of
1. the child presents proof of a completed dental examination;
2. the child presents proof that a dental examination will take place within 60 days after May 15; or
3. the parents obtain a waiver from the Department of Public Health or provide objection to the dental examination on religious grounds.
The Illinois Department of Public Health shall establish a waiver for children who show an undue burden or a lack of access to a dentist.
Each public, private, and parochial school must give notice of this dental examination requirement to the parents and guardians of students at least 60 days before May 15 of each school year.
Every school shall report to the State Board of Education by June 30, in the manner that the State Board requires, the number of children who have received the required dental examination, indicating, of those who have not received the required dental examination, the number of children who are exempt from the dental examination on religious grounds and the number of children who have received a waiver.
Title I carryover waiver modification
Due to a recent United States Department of Education compliance audit that included Title I Low Income, the Illinois State Board of Education is required to revise the current requirements for local education agencies to waive carryover of more than 15 percent of their current year Title I allocation. Specifically, all Title I carryover waiver requests must include a description of why the 15 percent was exceeded as well as the specific activities to be carried out and the amount of funds to be expended for each proposed activity to bring the excess carryover below the 15 percent maximum. This revision is effective immediately. A copy of the new waiver policy can be viewed at http://www.isbe.net/funding/pdf/carryover_waiver.pdf
Questions regarding Title I waivers can be directed to Jacquie Hayes email@example.com or Kim Lewis email@example.com in the Division of Funding and Disbursement Services at 217-782-5256.
Invitation to comment on rules
Two sets of proposed rules that were reviewed by the
State Board of Education at its June meeting are now available for public
comment. These items have been posted on the agency's web site at www.isbe.net/rules; choose
"Proposed Rules and Amendments". Please submit any comments or suggestions you
may have to email@example.com. The deadline for
public comment is
Part 260 (Reading Improvement Program)
This set of amendments results from the comprehensive review of ISBE's rules. Section 2-3.51 of the School Code establishes the purposes for which funds under the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program may be used and also the formula by which the funds are to be allocated to eligible applicants. However, the law also requires that applicants annually demonstrate their eligibility for continued funding based on "performance progress", and it permits them to propose the method(s) by which they will do so.
The rules for this program are complex because of the need to state the criteria by which proposed methods will be approved, as well as the need to define "performance progress". Procedural aspects of the rules also affect staff's ability to meet the first payment date for these funds that is set in the law. In particular, it is necessary to know the universe of eligible entities so that accurate allocations can be made. This, in turn, leads to a need for earlier reporting of assessment results than has been the case in the past, as well as finality in the identification of the assessment methods that will be used.
Despite the statutorily established first payment date of October 30, the current rules provide for a November 1 deadline for the submission of performance reports for the preceding school year. Agency staff involved when these rules were most recently amended had hoped to avoid causing districts to implement extra assessments and thus allowed for the use of measurement early in the subsequent year. However, this has not proven feasible because large numbers of reports have been submitted in the fall, making the October 30 deadline difficult to meet.
It is only fair that the agency make timely determinations of districts' continued eligibility so that their first payment can flow when required. Consequently we are proposing a change in the reporting deadline from November 1 of the subsequent year to June 15 for districts not using ISAT results and 30 days after districts' receipt of ISAT scores if those are used.
We recognize that some districts will be compelled by
this change to propose different methods of measuring students' growth in
reading in order to demonstrate performance progress. We believe it is
imperative to make this change starting with the upcoming school year, and this
means districts must know now that the applications they complete over the
summer of 2005 will need to identify methods to be implemented next spring
(rather than in the fall of 2006). Consequently the change in the reporting
deadline has been placed into effect as of
The proposed amendments are intended to streamline the operation of the program in the respects discussed above and to eliminate some language that is not needed. For example, Section 260.50(b) contains a sentence that is outdated and can be deleted. Similarly, Section 260.55(b), (c), and (d) are unnecessary, because the statute explicitly requires measurement of "the reading growth of students who receive direct instruction as a result of the funding and the impact of staff development activities on student growth in reading". Also, new language in Section 260.55(i) will provide for a preliminary, less formal avenue of review when districts may be facing ineligibility. Finally, we are generally replacing the word "form" with "format" to denote the upcoming electronic operation of this grant process.
Part 675 (Providers of Supplemental Educational Services)
Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
The programmatic requirements, approval criteria, procedures, and reporting requirements for the providers of Supplemental Education Services fall within the definition of "rule" provided by the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and therefore need to be promulgated as rules.
Please note that identical emergency rules were placed
into effect on
You may view last week's news clips at http://www.isbe.net/news/2005/newsclips/050701.htm.


text:
Fantasy Fun with Ashley Cole
Chelsea defender Ashley Cole takes on this week's questions.
Sat February 2 2013
More Football Videos
Thu December 8 2016
What's Beagrie up to in 10 in 10?
Peter Beagrie looks ahead to Sky Sports' coverage of the EFL's 10 in 10.
Thu December 8 2016
Watford prepare for Z Cars showdown
Vicarage Road and Goodison Park might be almost 200 miles apart, but the homes of Watford and Everton do share one thing in common.
Thu December 8 2016
Ranieri: Defeat my fault
Claudio Ranieri stands by his decision to make 10 changes to his Leicester team after they were beaten 5-0 at Porto in the Champions League.
Thu December 8 2016
Disabled fan praises Brighton
We spend match day with Sam Elliott and his dad Pete in one of Brighton's dedicated areas for supporters with disabilities.
Wed December 7 2016
Sanchez to China?
Will Alexis Sanchez be lured away from Arsenal by a mega-money move to the Chinese Super League?
Wed December 7 2016
Bournemouth's festive celebrations
A look at Bournemouth's Christmas celebrations a week after beating Liverpool 4-3 in the Premier League.
Tue December 6 2016
Mkhitaryan: The problem was me
Henrikh Mkhitaryan says he has never blamed Jose Mourinho for his lack of game time and understands why he hasn't started more games.
Tue December 6 2016
Spurs 'can compete with anybody'
Jan Vertonghen explains why he signed a new deal at Tottenham, which could keep him there until 2019.
Tue December 6 2016
Cathro relishing Hearts job
Hearts new head coach Ian Cathro can see his team go second if they beat Rangers in his opening Scottish Premiership game.
Tue December 6 2016
Sheldon QC to lead sex abuse review
Bryan Swanson talks us through the FA's decision to put Clive Sheldon QC in charge of their review into child sex abuse.
Sat December 3 2016
Tyler's Teaser - 6th December
Martin Tyler brings you his latest teaser from the Etihad as Manchester City took on Chelsea.
Mon December 5 2016
Phelan: We haven't got firepower
Hull boss Mike Phelan says his side do not have the firepower needed for the Premier League after their defeat at Middlesbrough.
Mon December 5 2016
Karanka: We deserved win
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka says he is proud of his team after the 1-0 win over Hull.
Tue December 6 2016
MNF: Does Pep make too many changes?
Does Pep Guardiola make too many changes at Manchester City? Jamie Carragher and Sean Dyche discuss on MNF.
Mon December 5 2016
Neilson: A fantastic oppurtunity
New MK Dons manager Robbie Neilson explains his decision to leave Scottish Premiership high flyers Hearts for a battle against relegation from League One.
Mon December 5 2016
Aguero banned for four games
Sergio Aguero has been handed a four-game ban following his sending off during Man City's defeat to Chelsea.
Mon December 5 2016
CL injury boost for Arsenal
An update on the fitness of Arsenal's key players for their final Champions League group game at Basel.
Mon December 5 2016
Karius critics reminded of De Gea
David de Gea's early criticism should be remembered before judging Loris Karius, Chris Kirkland tells Premier League Daily.
Mon December 5 2016
Neville: United are soft
Former Manchester United player Gary Neville thinks Jose Mourinho will be disappointed with the current side's inability to see out games.
Mon December 5 2016
Traore: I've learnt to defend
Middlesbrough's Adama Traore explains how he's improved the defensive side of his game as they prepare to face Hull, live on Monday Night Football.
Mon December 5 2016
10 in 10 returns
19 Sky Bet EFL matches - including 10 games in 10 days - will be screened live in December as part of a festive football feast on Sky Sports.
Sun December 4 2016
Koeman pleased with performance
Ronald Koeman was pleased with his side's organisation and attitude as they rescued a late point against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Sun December 4 2016
Jones: We need results
Phil Jones was left deflated after Manchester United conceded a late equlaiser against Everton and admits they need results quickly.
Sun December 4 2016
Baines snatches late point
Leighton Baines' penalty late on earned Everton a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League.
Sun December 4 2016
Klopp praises 'fighting' Bournemouth
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on Bournemouth's fighting spirit as the Cherries came back from 3-1 down to beat his side 4-3.
Sun December 4 2016
Wilshere: I'm starting again
Jack Wilshere exclusively tells Geoff Shreeves about his form, fitness and future as he seeks to kick-start his career at Bournemouth.
Sun December 4 2016
Is Pardew playing a dangerous game?
The Sunday Supplement panel discussed Alan Pardew's post-match comments where he suggested that Palace's American investors don't know a lot about football and they feel that it could affect his position as manager.
Sat December 3 2016
Redknapp meets Lallana
Jamie Redknapp met Adam Lallana at Anfield to discuss life under Jurgen Klopp and his new role in Liverpool's midfield.
Mon December 5 2016
Preston players fight each other!
Watch as Preston's Eoin Doyle and Jermaine Beckford were both sent off for fighting each other in the Championship clash at Sheffield Wednesday!
Sat December 3 2016
Match in a Minute - Crystal Palace v Southampton
Kammy gives us his thoughts on the Premier League clash between Crystal Palace and Southampton.
Sat December 3 2016
Match in a Minute - Stoke v Burnley
Charlie Nicholas gives us his thoughts on the Premier League clash between Stoke and Burnley.
Sat December 3 2016
Mazzarri unhappy with officials
Watford boss Walter Mazzarri says West Brom's second goal shouldn't have stood and Roberto Pereyra was unfairly sent off during their 3-1 defeat.
Sat December 3 2016
Puel: A bad game for us
Southampton boss Claude Puel says Crystal Palace capitalised on his side's mistakes as they lost at Selhurst Park.
Sat December 3 2016
Ranieri: We're battling relegation
Claudio Ranieri says things aren't going right at Leicester after they were beaten 2-1 by Sunderland.
Sat December 3 2016
Bradley: It was a tough day
Swansea boss Bob Bradley says his side were second best as they lost 5-0 to Tottenham.
Sat December 3 2016
Match in a Minute - Tottenham v Swansea
Matt Le Tissier gives us his thoughts of the Premier League clash between Tottenham and Swansea.
Sat December 3 2016
Tempers flare at Etihad
Watch the unsavoury scenes that happened at the end of Manchester City's 3-1 home defeat against Chelsea that resulted in red cards for Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho.
Sat December 3 2016
Conte delighted with character
Antonio Conte was left delighted after Chelsea's 3-1 victory at Manchester City and was particularly pleased with the character the players showed.
Sat December 3 2016
Kammy enjoys Benteke's goal
Watch Chris Kamara's reaction to Christian Benteke's goal for Crystal Palace against Southampton.
Sat December 3 2016
Match in a Minute - Man City v Chelsea
Alan McInally shares his thoughts on Chelsea's 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Premier League.


text:
Woman keeps hubby's corpse for 3 years
Children ordered to talk to, feed cadaver in Russia
A woman in Russia is accused of keeping her dead husband's body in the family apartment for nearly three years after he died.
A devout Pentecostal Christian with a psychiatric record, the unidentified woman was so distraught after her husband's death in 2009 that she believed he was "bound to resurrect," prosecutors in the central Yaroslavl region told The Associated Press.
She even asked her children to talk to and feed the cadaver, according to the local prosecutor's office.
An investigation was launched after the man's body was found in the trash in July.
Officials told the AP the woman's five children decided to dispose of the body during a move to another apartment.
Distributed by LAKANA. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
JSTL 1.0: What JSP Applications Need, Part 3by Hans Bergsten, author of JavaServer Pages, 2nd Edition
Previous installments in this series gave you an overview of JSTL--the new specification of commonly needed JSP tag libraries--and showed you how to use the core, internationalization, and database JSTL actions, as well as how to use JSTL effectively in an MVC application. In this final installment, we'll look at how you can leverage the JSTL classes when you develop your own custom actions. To understand what I describe here, you need to be a Java programmer and also know a thing or two about how to develop JSP custom actions in general.
The JSTL specification introduces an Expression Language (EL) that can be used to set JSTL action attributes to values computed at runtime, as you have seen in the previous parts of this series. A common question is "Can I also use the EL for setting attribute values in my custom actions?" The answer is: yes and no.
A JSP 1.2 container doesn't know anything about EL expressions, so
they are evaluated by code in the JSTL tag handlers. JSTL 1.0 doesn't
define a public API for this evaluation code, so there's no way to
let custom tag handlers do the same in a way that works with all
JSTL implementations. You can, however, pick one JSTL implementation
and code to its API. For instance, if you're willing to be dependent
on the JSTL Reference Implementation (RI) developed in the Apache
Taglibs project (see the Resource section), you can use
method in your tag handler:
public static Object evaluate(String attributeName,
String expression,
Class expectedType,
Tag tag,
PageContext pageContext);
This method takes an EL expression and evaluates it in the specified
PageContext and converts (coerces) the result to the
specified expected type, according to the rules defined by the JSTL 1.0
specification. The other parameters are used to include details in
a possible error message, such as the name of the custom action and
the attribute where the invalid expression is used.
In This Series
JSTL 1.0: What JSP Applications Need, Part 2 -- Part 2 of our JSTL series focuses on internationization, localization, and database access.
JSTL 1.0: Standardizing JSP, Part 1 -- JSTL offers a set of standardized JSP custom actions to handle common tasks. This article, the first in a series, provides an overview and shows how to use the most common tags.
You must call this method in one of the main methods in the tag
handler (e.g.
doEndTag()), never in the attribute
setter method. The reason for this is that the
setter method may not be
called every time the tag handler is used, as I describe in my article,
"JSP 1.2: Great News for the JSP Community, Part 2"
(in the Tag handler life cycle and instance reuse
Here's a tag handler that accepts an EL expression
as the value of its
name attribute:
package com.ora.jstl;
import java.io.IOException;
import javax.servlet.jsp.JspException;
import javax.servlet.jsp.tagext.TagSupport;
import org.apache.taglibs.standard.lang.support.ExpressionEvaluatorManager;
public class HelloTag extends TagSupport {
private String nameEL;
public void setName(String name) {
nameEL = name;
public int doEndTag() throws JspException {
String name = (String)
ExpressionEvaluatorManager.evaluate("name", nameEL,
String.class, this, pageContext);
if (name == null || name.length() == 0) {
name = "World";
try {
pageContext.getOut().write("Hello " + name + "!");
catch (IOException e) {}
return EVAL_PAGE;
Note that to compile and use this tag handler, you must have the
ExpressionEvaluatorManager in the classpath;
it's available in the standard.jar file that's part of
the RI download.
Related Reading
JavaServer Pages
If you can hold your horses a bit and wait for JSP 2.0, you don't have to do anything in your tag handlers to accept EL expression attribute values. JSP 2.0 (currently at the Proposed Final Draft stage, expected to be released Q1 2003) will include a somewhat extended version of the EL and will evaluate EL expressions before calling tag handler attribute setter methods. Hence, EL expressions can be used with any tag handler that is declared in the TLD to accept a runtime value. JSP 2.0 will also accept EL expressions anywhere in the template text.
The JSTL specification group realized that no matter how many custom actions JSTL defines, there will always be a need for application-dependent custom actions. We tried to make it as easy as possible to develop custom actions that integrate nicely with the actions defined by the JSTL specification by including a number of public interfaces and base classes in the specification. The following sections show you some examples of how to use these classes and interfaces, starting with custom conditional actions.
The generic
<c:if> and
actions, using the Boolean value of an EL expression as the condition,
work great in many scenarios, but not in all. For instance, say you
want to conditionally add some content depending on the time of day.
You could create your own bean with Boolean properties suitable for
use in an EL expression, but a custom action like this may be more
convenient to use:
Sorry, we only accept delivery requests before noon.
It's very easy to implement such a custom action, thanks to the
extendable JSTL classes. Here's the complete tag handler code for the
<xmp:ifAfternoon> action:
package com.ora.jstl;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
import javax.servlet.jsp.jstl.core.ConditionalTagSupport;
public class IfAfternoonTag extends ConditionalTagSupport {
public boolean condition() {
Calendar now = new GregorianCalendar();
return now.get(Calendar.AM_PM) == Calendar.PM;
The tag handler class extends the JSTL
javax.servlet.jsp.jstl.core.ConditionalTagSupport class,
which provides implementations for all standard JSP tag handler methods
and calls the
condition() method implemented by the
subclass to decide what to do. It also includes setter methods for
var and
scope attributes, so a subclass like
the one shown here behaves just like the
action: if the
condition() method returns
the custom action's body is processed; if it doesn't have a body,
the value can be saved as a
Boolean in variable
and scope specified by the
var and
You may expect there to be a similar base class for developing custom
actions to be used, the same as a
<c:when> action
within a
<c:choose> block, but there isn't.
The reason is this: to ensure that custom actions cannot interfere with
the somewhat complex interaction between the
<c:choose> action and its nested actions, only
<c:when> and
actions are allowed as direct children of the
<c:choose> action. But you can combine your own
conditional actions with a
<c:choose> like this
to get the same multiple-choice effect:
<xmp:ifAfternoon var="isAfternoon" />
<c:when test="${isAfternoon}">
Good day!
Good morning!
Simply save the custom conditional result, using the
attribute, and then use this result in the EL expression for a
<c:when> action in the block.
Developing a custom iteration action can also be simplified by
extending a JSTL base class, and custom actions nested within a
<c:forEach> action body have easy access
to iteration status information through a JSTL interface.
Let's look at a custom iteration action first. The JSTL base class you
can extend is
All you really need to implement in the subclass are three methods:
hasNext(), and
This gives you iteration plus support for the same
varStatus attributes as the JSTL
<c:forEach> action. If you want to support the
end, and
step attributes,
the base class provides protected fields and validation methods, but
you have to implement the setter methods yourself (since not all
subclasses need them, and the details differ, depending on if EL
expressions are allowed or not).
To see how you can extend the JSTL base class for your own iteration action, let's develop a custom action that iterates through all days in the current month. The tag handler looks like this:
package com.ora.jstl;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
import javax.servlet.jsp.jstl.core.LoopTagSupport;
public class ForEachDayTag extends LoopTagSupport {
private Calendar calendar;
private int previousMonth;
public void prepare() {
calendar = new GregorianCalendar();
calendar.set(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH, 1);
// Set to last day in previous month, since next() increments it
calendar.add(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH, -1);
previousMonth = calendar.get(Calendar.MONTH);
public boolean hasNext() {
int currentMonth = calendar.get(Calendar.MONTH);
int currentDay = calendar.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH);
int lastDay = calendar.getActualMaximum(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH);
return currentMonth == previousMonth || currentDay < lastDay;
public Object next() {
calendar.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH) + 1);
return calendar;
The base class calls
prepare() once, followed by a sequence
of calls to
hasNext() and
next() until
hasNext() returns
The subclass code is pretty straight forward. The
method creates a
GregorianCalendar instance and
sets it to the last day of the previous month. The
method returns
true if the day currently
represented by the calendar is either a day in the previous month
(i.e., before the first iteration) or a day other than the last
day of the current month. The
next() method, finally,
moves the calendar to the next day and returns the adjusted calendar.
Here's an example of how you can use this custom iterator to generate an HTML table with a cell for each day in the current month:
<xmp:forEachDay var="curr">
<fmt:formatDate value="${curr.time}"
pattern="EE dd, MMM yyyy" />
It would be fairly easy to extend this custom action to support the
end, and
step attributes,
and maybe an attribute for setting the month to iterate over.
I leave that as an exercise for you to try out on your own.
What if you want to do things only for certain items in the body of
an iteration action? The JSTL
<c:forEach> action
and custom actions extending the
LoopTagSupport base
class expose information about the current item through a variable
named by the
varStatus attribute. This variable is an
instance of a bean with properties like
index, and more (see the JSTL
specification for details). For instance, you can use it like this to
get alternating colors for the rows in a table:
<xmp:forEachDay var="curr" varStatus="stat">
<c:set var="bg" value="white" />
<c:if test="${stat.index % 2 == 0}">
<c:set var="bg" value="blue" />
<tr bgcolor="<c:out value="${bg}" />">
<fmt:formatDate value="${curr.time}"
pattern="EE dd, MMM yyyy" />
Sometimes it's impossible to use an EL expression testing the status bean properties (or the current item itself) to figure out if special processing is needed or not. With the calendar iterator, for instance, you can't use an EL expression to find out what day in the week the current item represents. This is where a custom action specifically intended for use within an iterator action body can come in handy.
A custom action can use the knowledge that a JSTL iterator action
implements the
interface to get access to the current item and the iteration
status iformation. Here's the tag handler code for a custom action
that processes its body only if the current item represents a
package com.ora.jstl;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
import javax.servlet.jsp.JspTagException;
import javax.servlet.jsp.jstl.core.ConditionalTagSupport;
import javax.servlet.jsp.jstl.core.LoopTag;
public class IfSundayTag extends ConditionalTagSupport {
public boolean condition() throws JspTagException {
LoopTag parent =
(LoopTag) findAncestorWithClass(this, LoopTag.class);
if (parent == null) {
throw new JspTagException("ifSunday must be used in loop");
Calendar current = (Calendar) parent.getCurrent();
return current.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_WEEK) == Calendar.SUNDAY;
LoopTag interface declares two methods:
getCurrent() returns the current iteration item
as an
Object and
returns an instance of
LoopStatus (the same type as
for the object exposed as the
varStatus variable).
The interface is implemented by the
base class, so all tag handlers that extend this class get the
correct behavior for free.
In this example tag handler, the parent that implements the
LoopTag interface (our
tag handler) is located using the
method and the current item is retrieved by calling the parent's
getCurrent() method. If the current item represents a
Sunday, the
condition() method returns
With this custom action, it's easy to do whatever you want with Sundays:
<xmp:forEachDay var="curr">
<c:set var="bg" value="white" />
<c:set var="bg" value="red" />
<tr bgcolor="<c:out value="${bg}" />">
<fmt:formatDate value="${curr.time}"
pattern="EE dd, MMM yyyy" />
A custom action that needs to do something only for the first or
last iteration, or perhaps only for every second or third iteration,
can use the
getLoopStatus() method to get the information
it needs.
There's one more JSTL class that you may find useful when you
develop custom actions: the
javax.servlet.jsp.jstl.fmt.LocaleSupport class.
This class provides methods for getting localized messages from
ResourceBundle, using the same algorithms as the
JSTL i18n actions for determining the appropriate locale (as I
described in part 2 of this article series).
The class provides the following methods:
public static String getLocalizedMessage(PageContext pc,
String key);
public static String getLocalizedMessage(PageContext pc, String key,
String basename);
public static String getLocalizedMessage(PageContext pc, String key,
Object[] args);
public static String getLocalizedMessage(PageContext pc, String key,
Object[] args, String basename);
The first two methods get a simple localized message for the specified
key. The second method uses the specified basename to locate the
ResourceBundle, while the first one uses the
bundle selected for the current localization context. The second pair
of methods are for parameterized messages, using the
parameter to set the message parameters.
If you've read all parts of this article series, you have a glimpse of what JSTL 1.0 has to offer, whether you're a page author or a programmer. I've covered all features except the JSTL XML processing tag library; it works pretty much the same as the other libraries and if you know XML and XPath, I'm sure you can figure out how to use it on your own. If you don't know XML and XPath, that's where you need to start, and I'm afraid that's out of scope for this article.
While you can get an idea about the possibilities from reading an article, the only way to really learn how to use a technology is to do just that: use it! The Resouce section gives you some pointers to where you can find out more about JSTL and where to ask questions. I hope you'll find JSTL both fun and useful.
Hans Bergsten is the founder of Gefion Software and author of O'Reilly's JavaServer Pages, 3rd Edition.
Return to ONJava.com.
Copyright © 2009 O'Reilly Media, Inc.


text:
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/2812
- Title
- Pack-rat or amnesiac? Memory, the archive and the birth of the Internet
- Author(s)
- Barnet, Belinda
- Abstract
- The American company that promoted the Internet in its early days, Sun Microsystems, conducted research into how people use the Web in 1997. It concluded simply, 'They don't.' They sample words and phrases . The wired world doesn't promote meditation. People scan, graze, forward or download megabytes of information and store it on computers whose memories get fatter and processors faster every few months—the large proportion of it is not even read, let alone understood. There is an ever-growing militia of information carriers, professional and amateur. They have learned to sift through information like superfine flour, to squirrel it away in gigabytes for a feast that never comes. Like Ted Nelson with his glorious barricade of filing cabinets and folders, we have become pack-rats. Archivists are everywhere, official and self-made. But, at the same time, circuit-driven communications encourage a short-term memory. On the level of software and hardware, many of the world's librarians and archivists see a crisis looming. The rate at which we churn through storage technologies is escalating. We discard six-month-old PCs. We upgrade digital networks as regularly as our finances allow it. Archives are often lost to technological obsolescence. In under forty years, we have seen magnetic core memory, cartridges, magnetic tapes, microfilm, 51 4 inch floppy disks, high-density floppy disks, optical disks and now CD-ROM succeed each other at light speed. Old storage media are quickly outdated, and the information they contain, unless it is 'refreshed' as the industry calls it, is always in danger of becoming unreadable. With paper, all you needed was your eyes. The Web is the most dramatic example of this. It is by nature a transient, evanescent medium.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Source
- Continuum : Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, Vol. 15, no. 2 (2001), pp. 217-231(15)
- Publication year
- 2001
- FOR Code(s)
- 200102 Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies; 200104 Media Studies; 220203 History and Philosophy of Engineering and Technology
- Publisher
- Carfax Publishing
- 1030-4312
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2001 Taylor & Francis Ltd.
- Peer reviewed


text:
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text:
Skip to comments.Sandy Victim: Obama is a PHONY and a LIAR! Its been 2 months and no red tape has been cut
Posted on 01/05/2013 5:43:55 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine's brother
Sandy victim Scott McGrath who spoke directly to Obama right after the hurricane hammered Obama today saying that hes a phony and a straight out liar. He said its been 2 months now and that no red tape has been cut.
He also says that even though they need the aid money from Congress, they shouldnt lard it up with pork because tax payers will have to pay for it down the road. Love hearing that, especially from a Sandy victim. Also, he said Chuck Schumer is full of it after lambasting Republicans for not passing it with all the pork in it. This guy needs his own show!
I am confused about the roll of private insurance and acts of God versus Federal Disaster Relief. But these days I'm eadily confused.
The US Congress has PROVEN that its only interests
are itself, its greed, itself, and its own interests.
The US Constitution and the American people are only the
US Congress' pets to be used, flushed, and discarded.
Is ONE member of the US Congress under their own Laws
including ObamaCARE? No, they are not.
I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you.
Did this guy vote for obama on November 6th? If yes, then I have ZERO sympathy for him.
But these days I'm easily confused.
Search Stafford Act,it may help.
Pork is pork and its evil for the usual players,MSNBC,CNN (and the list goes on) to report the Repubs dont want to give aid.
They just dont want to give more free crap to those that don't deserve or need!
Obama is a PHONY and a LIAR!
Did this person just wake up. Obama popped out of the womb a phony and liar!
not bad for Kenyan impostor who started to lie about his birthplace and is getting away with EVERYTHING!! Only handful of people are bringing this up, but are ridiculed and silenced.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
"Sandy victim Scott McGrath who spoke directly to Obama right after the hurricane hammered Obama today saying that hes a phony and a straight out liar. He said its been 2 months now and that no red tape has been cut."
Then do not vote for him again in 2016. You are in a blue state and the democrats overwhelmingly voted for him. My cousin is a big Obama guy, last his house and cars. He blamed the Republicans.
I have no pity.
As far as funds, when a state is overwhelmed, they ask for Federal help. Enter Obama in this case....
The idea that there is ANY pork in that funding is called "stealing"....from you and me. And FEMA HAS money to spend.....this can only be to refresh their kitty....
O hates that he was born illegitimately to a crazy teen whore. He hates the world that he was born into and is here to bring justice to it from Allah.
I was wondering that myself. He probably did.
No sympathy.
Well the election is over. The Sandy victims are not needed now....
Then do not vote for him again in 2016. ...By God! I'll bet noone votes for him legally, again!! That'll teach him.
Based on the last four years, are you really sure he won't be running for President in 2016? (declaring himself president for life does not count).
Notice I said "legally", which this government is wont to do.
You are wrong. Flood Insurance is a Government program. It is not part of the Homeowner insurance policy. (exception is for some mobile home policies ). FEMA sets the rates and the terms for Flood Insurance. Your rates are set based on what flood plain you live in. Some areas are required that you purchase Flood Insurance if you have a Federal backed loan. Others its elective. I suspect that New York and New Jersey with their political clout didn't require Flood coverage so that the Govt would bail them out. Earthquake is another coverage not included in your Homeowners policy, at least in California. You have to purchase it from the State. Some states won't cover you for wind damage either, you have to purchase extra from the state ( Florida and Hawaii for example )
Obama a liar? Where has this guy been. First off, look at the people in NJ who were the most affected by Sandy. Do they look like the Katrina "victims" to you? So, what did he lie about. He is all about helping "his people" and punishing whitey....period, end of story.
When he gets back from his safari back to his alleged home state, he will continue with his mission to destroy white america.
Yeah, but you Northeasteners overwhelmingly voted for the illegal POTUS with nary aforethought...
"A simple prop to occupy my time."
FEMA determines if you are in the flood plain...if you are, you will not get financed unless you carry the insurance!!
"Sandy Victim: Obama is a PHONY and a LIAR! Its been 2 months and no red tape has been cut"
AWWWWWWw really.You jokers that voted for the scum bag deserves everything they do not get..What did the stupids expect the monster changed after four years..Give him time he has four more years to finish the job of distroying America and the people in it.this is just the beginning of the second run you fools that voted for him again will pay he won't stop this time..
Can't get their hands in other people's pockets fast enough so whining about it.
"Red tape" is the bread-and-butter of labor unions and bureaucrats.
Ditto that. We kept telling them this ****er was all image and no depth.
... And Mister, you were just a prop for a photo op.
"Did this guy vote for obama on November 6th? If yes, then I have ZERO sympathy for him."
I've told the old ladies in my quilting group that I have no sympathy people living in counties that went for Hussein. And that includes Newtown. People who vote for candidates who are blatantly and obviously against God and against America need to expect bad things to happen to them. Guess I'm a cold-hearted bitch, but elections do have consequences.
I bet this idiot voted for the bastard.
Of course! He just wanted the media coverage as the "anti-katrina-Bush." He got what he wanted, and now he doesn't even have to pretend he gives a damn.
Give the man some slack, he's on vacation. Ruining the most prosperous country in all history is hard work.
Sorry buddy you're just the little people
Doesn't understand how a person can be a victim of an inanimate object. Being a hurricane victim is akin to being a victim of a tree falling in the woods, or a rock falling from a mountain. Being a victim requires intent, reckless disregard for other humans. Just trying to turn more into victims, to pit 'them vs us'. Ridiculous.
People in NJ will never figure it out. They expect Lautenburg, Menendez, and Christie to solve everything.
"..Sandy victim Scott McGrath who spoke directly to Obama right after the hurricane hammered Obama today saying that hes a phony and a straight out liar. .."
Really??? No kidding!! You don't say!?!
He's just figuring this out because something disastrous happened to him personally...
...as opposed to something disastrous happening the rest of country with his re-selection.
The only reason they pass the bills they do pass is because of the pork. The pork buys the votes to pass the bill.
Silly fool.
No hammering from me. I grew up on the gulf coast because my dad was Wisconsin born and bred and he swore his kids would never shovel snow. But we had those gulf storms and hurricanes. It was a trade off. When Carla hit and we lost most of our house, my dad took off work for two days to file the insurance claim, buy lumber and nails, and to show my mom and brothers how to do repairs. Then after working all day he would join them. They worked day after day until the roof and siding were repaired, fence standing again, and everything cleared away. He took what insurance money he could get, funded the rest, and got over it. I don't recall my dad ever complaining that the government didn't help him.
hes a phony and a straight out liar —
someone's a little Einstein. And it took him four years to figure this out?
"Why are we responsible for covering their losses and what is the lesson learned in the future.....screw buying insurance the government will bail us out!!!"
I agree. The federal government should not be bailing out natural disaster victims. It's a unique local matter, and further involves the type of contingencies which should be based on individual living choices and private insurance coverages.
Just figure that out? He will say anything to win re-election—tell any lie, mouth any feel good saying to get people to vote for him. You aint seen nothing yet! But, all things catch up with people—it will catch up to Obama. It will be fun to watch him de-constructed and go down in flames.
"I suspect that New York and New Jersey with their political clout didnt require Flood coverage so that the Govt would bail them out."
I know people who participate in the flood insurance program in NJ; it is an expensive pain in the butt, since in some cases the homes should never have been allowed to be built. The big problem with Sandy was that many areas had never been flooded before (the flood insurance program looks back 100 years for flooding). I'd imagine the flood insurance program just enrolled many thousands of new members in NJ & NY since the storm...
Yes! That's the first thing I look for in an article about some whining East Coast resident: Did he support Traitorobama? If so, the traitorous co-conspirator gets no sympathy from me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
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text:
Skip to comments.Contrite Giuliani Weighs New White House Bid
Posted on 06/02/2011 9:36:52 PM PDT by lbryce
Rudy Giuliani said Thursday he made a mistake in 2008 by not dedicating more time to campaigning one-on-one with New Hampshire voters. But he suggested he may ask them to give him a second look.
The former New York City mayor, starting a swing through the first presidential primary state, said he would make up his mind about making another White House run by late summer.
"We didn't do it the right way" in the last presidential election, Mr. Giuliani told reporters before a speech at an Italian restaurant here. "We were spending so much time trying to raise money that we forgot about the politics," he said, adding he didn't spend enough time talking with voters directly.
In 2007, Mr. Giuliani held a strong lead in many national polls testing the GOP presidential field. But while he made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshirethe first two states in the nominating processMr. Giuliani focused more on Florida and the so-called Super Tuesday states, which voted later.
The strategy failed: After placing a distant sixth in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire, he failed to gain momentum and his campaign fizzled.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Stay home Rudy... we don't want YOU !
Not happening, Rudy..... =.=
Rudy who?
We need more Republicans in the field, not RINO's!!
"Stay home Rudy... we dont want YOU !"
So, he wasn't contrite about being pro partial birth abortion, just about his politicking strategy.
I think this is why Huckleberry is reconsidering as well because he really does have a shot (even though he's be way down on my list). He would win the evangelicals and is a fine speaker so could get that vote in the general of those who just pick someone by default where it's someone besides Barry as long as they don't scare me.
"Rudy who" is right! Then again, that northeastern elitist kid Hannity must be just drooling over the possibility that the recipient of his nightly 'Lewinskies' of a few years back might be in the race again.
If Rudy can't figure out that he would lose far worse this time with the Tea Party involved, then he really is not that smart politcially speaking.
LOL, you gotta see the humor in this.
I don't know. the more Rino's and the fewer conservatives the better.
Let the rino's split the rino vote. let the tea party/conservatives all vote for one person. It's a sure fire way to get who we want.
speaking of rinos.. any one hear from Newt lately? :)
Rudy's problem in 2008 was that he placed himself above the Republican Primary electorate. He thought that as "America's mayor", he was going to tell us what was important and how we were going to decide who to vote for.
We disagreed.
He's a weak Presidential candidate save his inner RINO.
I've got to to think Grudy's worst blunder, one of astoundingly colossal proportions was his bizarre, mentally deranged request to allow him to stay on as Mayor beyond his term, in the second of the two-termed limitation, in effect suspending the city's electoral process, nullify its charter, to have him carry on in some arch-angel capacity, too fascistic for most of us.
That's because America is not New York City. They might have voted for him, but we didn't.
Tennessee voted on Super Tuesday in 2008. Giuliani didn't have anywhere near a full slate of delegates running. So no, he didn't focus his efforts on Super Tuesday either.
An Ego is a terrible thing to waste.
If Rudy runs he will not be a factor. The real heroes of 911 will swift boat him. Conservatives will remind people of his crimes and that the only reason he wasn't prosecuted was they weren't discovered until the statutes of limitations ran out. There is plenty more that Republican voters aren't going to accept or support.
Rudy will be easy to take out of the running early.
You have some good thoughts.I was at one time a very, very huge fan of Hannity and never missed him on radio or the TV show with A.C. Then along came the rino rooty toot and Hannity's fawning all over him night after night after night. Anyone who supports a rino, (heck, some claim rooty is a full blown liberal), as Hannity does, is not a true conservative I believe. Oh well, just my 2 cents.
So true. Back in 2008 he kept saying he was "saving himself for Florida".....nevertheless he entered every primary and caucus and lost every single one. In Fla, he campaigned 63 days straight and came in a distant third. He spent about $60 million and got no delegates.
A candidate like Giuliani who chooses to be aligned with virulent Christian-haters cannot be seriously considered for office at any level of our government. Among Rudy's huge liabilities is his personal life. Rudy's love life reads like a sordid tale from an X-rated paperback romance novel. Mayor Rudy got involved with his third and present wife, escorting her publicly, and insisted his lover move into Gracie Mansion while he was still married and the father of two. He announced he was divorcing his wife at a presser without even informing her first.
ROOTY'S PARTY LOYALTY As for party loyalty, forget it. Erstwhile Democrat Rudy once endorsed a radical liberal Democrat--Mario Cuomo--over Cuomo's Repub opponent--who won.
RUDI APPOINTED PEDOPHILE TO HIGH LEVEL GOVT JOB: Rudy looked the other way when his patronage appointee Russell Harding -- now in jail for government fraud----was stealing from the city's Housing Development Corp. Harding was enjoying kiddie porn and gay vacations with his gay pals on the taxpayers dime. The pedophile is Liberal Party's Ray Harding's son---and was payback for the Liberal Party endorsing Rooty for mayor.
GUN RIGHTS? WHAT GUN RIGHTS? Rudy would hunt down every gun, of every type, in every household in the USA and melt them down into scrap metal. Rudy doesn't need a gun. Like all rich liberals, he's got armed guards to protect him.
Rudy's vulnerability is his close relationship with Bernard Kerik his onetime driver which he elevated to Police Commissioner. Rooty suggested Kerik to Bush as HomeLandSec Secy (would have been a boon to Rooty's security consulting business). Kerik lied on his federal application and is now in jail. So maybe Rudy ought to tell voters how he planned to use and Kerik's personal, business and political expertise to help him win public office. ROTFL.
Then-Mayor Giuliani with Howard Koeppel, the gay man he moved in with after he stomped on his marriage vows. According to news reports, pedophilia is no longer hidden. For example: (1) There are now on-line chat rooms dedicated to pedophilia---that give suggestions on how to get little kids in pedophiles' cars. (2) Another news report told how pedophiles arrange group trips to toy stores---the pedophiles gather to look over, and comment, on possible sex victims. (3) Even presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani sees nothing wrong with pedophilia.
Mayor Giuliani agreed to appear on Showtimes controversial Queer as Folk dressed in drag so that The Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) could raise $100,000.
Queer as Folk touts graphic sexual activity as one of its biggest draws that would shock a lot of people. The British version featured a 29-year-old man having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy. Giuliani has attended every NY gay pride parade during his eight years as mayor including a parade that included a contingent of pedophile activists marching behind a banner for NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association).
"We didn't do it the right way"
You aren't the right guy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
44, 133 lbs.
Sixth-generation Vermonter Kristi Lovell is the only tester to have skied the sand dunes of Namibia (for a South American cigarette commercial). She grew up in Brandon, Vt., skiing first at now-defunct High Pond Ski Area and then in race programs at Pico Ski Club and Killington Mountain School. She raced at UVM ("I was the one they counted on to finish when the fast girls fell") and then moved to Colorado, working as a sponsored freerider. She organized the original Völkl Carver Girls team in the '90s before managing the Salomon apparel athlete team. She now lives in Stowe with three adorable daughters and still brings it at the Ski Bum Races.


text:
By Deborah Gates
PRINCESS ANNE -- (May 31, 2011) -- Two weeks after turning the tassel that ceremoniously certifies his new undergraduate degree in finance, Nicholas Wiggins is off to launch a professional career at IBM in Bethesda, Md.
He's among an estimated one million students who are earning a college degree this spring. But he stands with fewer than half of them able to land a competitive job in their field of study.
"I am very grateful to the university and the IBM initiative for giving me the opportunity," said Wiggins on a road trip back to his hometown in Colorado. "The trend is definitely toward technology; and technology and finance complement each other very well. I took courses in enterprise computing, a very sought-after field. Being a finance major, that's huge for me. I'm thankful I was advised to pursue the IBM initiative; being a finance major, it puts me in the best opportunity for success."
Unlike many in the Class of 2011 who hold an undergraduate degree in social sciences or liberal arts, Wiggins studied in the School of Business and Technology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where at least a half a dozen graduates have landed competitive-salaried jobs with the global business systems leader or a partner company.
In a recent survey of college graduates in the last five years, almost half polled said they are working in a job that does not require a college education. More than half -- six of 10 -- say their job is tied to their field of study.
Cliff Zukin, a political science and public policy professor at Rutgers who was co-author of the study, said more than 50 percent of graduates worked while in college but can't get a "great" job now.
"Eighty-three percent of them worked when they were in college," he told the Associated Press. "They're making sacrifices to go through with this and they're coming out without a great job and with debt. That's not a great situation."
Bryant C. Mitchell, a professor in the UMES business school, recently touted several students who either landed jobs this year as graduates or interns with salaries that pay at least $70,000. By comparison, the median starting salary for those who graduated between 2006 and 2008 was $30,000. For the 2009 and 2010 grads, it dipped to $27,000, according to the study by the Knowledge Networks for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers.
IBM partnership
Mitchell, a chief faculty contact, credited a partnership under way two years ago that brought IBM engineers together with UMES faculty and administrators in a collaboration that modified existing courses and added new ones to make UMES graduates competitive for IT and computer marketing jobs.
"I was blessed with scholarships for athletics; I was a catcher on the baseball team," Wiggins said. "I am excited to have a full-time job working at a global leader as IBM. I think every student is worried at some point about the next step. I trusted in God that everything would work out, that I'd be at the right place."
UMES President Thelma Thompson took steps to better prepare UMES business students, tapping federal funds to hire a former IBM executive consultant with ties to the computer industry. The idea was to connect with a division of IBM in search of colleges and university with whom it could partner. IBM would then advise on best instructional practices in information technology, business and marketing.
Funding through the U.S. Department of Education led to the appointment of consultant John Thompson, who led a joint initiative two years ago to design an Enterprise Systems program at UMES; then identify and recruit industry partners; recruit student activities and ES job placements with corporate partners; mentor students; and negotiate competitive salaries for ES students.
"UMES already had a solid foundation in its curriculum, which appealed to IBM and convinced the company to become an instructional partner," John Thompson said. The company invested more than $130,000 into the development and deployment of the ES program at UMES, he said. Some $100,000 went for paid salaries for two IBM engineer assignees to develop a test program, and Mitchell won a $30,000 faculty grant for input into the ES program development.
The backbone of the new 21st Century global economy requires that the Top 25 world banks, major retailers, most medical institutions, manufacturers, and industries depend on IT infrastructures centered (on) Enterprise Systems and associated disciplines, John Thompson says.
"The primary focus of the UMES program is to develop a multi-interdisciplinary curriculum delivered across the schools of business, computer science, and engineering to replenish theses specialized enterprise computing skills for which 21st century corporate America now requires," he said. "The majority of these highly technical jobs are currently being held by baby boomers which has created a huge skills shortage and created a very high demand for Enterprise Systems professionals around the world."
Ayodele Alade, professor and dean at the UMES School of Business and Technology, calls the IBM collaboration led to a curriculum tailored for "preparing graduates for the business and information technology sectors."
The IBM partnership, he says, is one of several in which the business school intends to forge a relationship for student advancement.
"The university is always interested in working with partners in the corporate world who can advise us on what our students need academically to compete for the very best jobs they can find," Alade said.
As a bonus, Wiggins' degree is among the firsts awarded to graduates in the newly accredited Department of Business, Management and Accounting in the School of Business and Technology at UMES. The peer credential, granted in the spring of 2011 by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, adds even more muscle to Wiggins' diploma.
"The university and the school of Business and Technology should be very proud," Wiggins said. "It's a very high honor."
Alade said more corporate partnerships with UMES are emerging. "Just as we continue to foster our relationship with IBM in developing Enterprise System instruction, UMES also is committed to developing working relations with the Bill Gates Foundation and Microsoft," he said.
This article is reproduced with permission of The (Salisbury, MD) Daily Times newspaper.


text:
May 24, 2013 —
ALBANY, NY — State Senator John Bonacic has introduced legislation that would create three casinos in the Catskills and authorize up to seven in the state, if voters in November approve a referendum to change the state's constitution to allowing non-Indian gambling.
The legislation is similar to a plan put forward back in 2001, which authorized three Native American casinos in Sullivan and Ulster counties.
"In 2001, three casinos were proposed for the Catskills and three for Western New York. Western New York got their three casinos and the Catskills got none. I am asking Governor Cuomo to help the Catskills get ours," Senator Bonacic said.
Governor Cuomo has put forward a plan that would allow only one casino in the Catskills, and two others initially could be located in other regions around the state.
There are presently four properties under active speculation or development for gaming in Sullivan and Ulster Counties: the Grossingers site in Liberty, the Concord site in Monticello, the Nevele site in Wawawarsing, and the Flaum property off of Route 17 in Mamakating.
Roberta Lockwood, President of the Sullivan County Visitor's Association said, "the Bonacic plan presents a concrete, real plan for the Legislature to consider. We have heard it many times before, but this time with a strong Governor on board, and an intelligent plan offered, we may finally be on the precipice of major new tourism investment in the Catskills."
As for the public vote on the issue, Cuomo last week told reporters that it might be best to wait until 2014 because of the political realities of the election season this year. The most important elections in November will be in New York City where there will be a vote for mayor and one of the candidates is the disgraced, but perhaps rehabilitated, Anthony Wiener.
With no similarly important races in upstate New York it could be that voters from the city will have an out-sized role in determining the fate of the future of casinos in New York, even though there is no plan to locate a casino there.
The Siena Research Institute reported on May 20 that support for a casino gambling constitutional amendment is running at 53% in favor, and 37% against, which is higher than it has ever been in the past, but there is less support in the city than elsewhere.
Additionally, whenever the vote is scheduled, gambling interests outside of the state are expected to launch a large advertising campaign against the constitutional amendment to protect their own interests.
Bonacic press release
Posted by John J. Bonacic on Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
Related issues: Gaming
State Senator John J. Bonacic (Orange County), has introduced legislation, S.5586, which would provide for a process to authorize up to seven licenses for casino gaming if a referendum on the Constitutional amendment to allow casino gaming this November is successful.
"Governor Cuomo gave us a road map, and while this is perhaps a slightly alternative route, we both are trying to reach the same destination. We both want the voters to have enough information to successfully pass a referendum in support of casino gaming this November," Bonacic said.
Bonacic said he felt the more information voters had, the more likely it would be that they would vote for a referendum. He also indicated that he felt many voters on Long Island and the immediate New York City suburbs would be concerned about the potential to have a gaming facility too close to them, with the exceptions of places such as Westchester and Queens, where the facilities have been successful and not created problems that casino opponents typically predict.
"My sense is people in many high density, high traffic areas may want to have day trip access to the type of entertainment venue we are speaking of, but not necessarily want them in their Town. This approach deflates and potentially stops much of the NIMBY attacks that some might use to oppose the referendum," Bonacic said.
Bonacic is proposing up to three casinos in the Catskills, mirroring the 2001 legislation that authorized up to three Native American gaming facilities in Ulster and Sullivan Counties. He is also proposing that the MTA Region (Long Island and the Hudson Valley from Dutchess and Orange Counties South) not be eligible for a casino except in Westchester and Queens Counties.
Bonacic's proposal is similar to the concept outlined by the Governor two weeks ago in that it:
Creates regions in the State where casinos would and would not be allowed;
Does not allow any casinos downstate for the next five years;
Creates a casino siting board appointed by the Gaming Commission to recommend who should receive a casino license;
Ensures that options exist to site a casino in any area that once had an exclusivity zone but no longer does;
Requires local approval in the case of the first five casinos for the facilities (by County and locality resolution);
Requires that 80% of the State revenue generated by the first five casinos go to education and 20% go to property tax reduction (to be split between the host community (20% of the 20%) and the balance (80% of the 20%) to counties across the State).
Since Governor Cuomo outlined his plan, the Governor has settled compacts with two Native American Tribes or Nations – the Oneida and the Mohawks. "Let's be honest here, the Governor drives the bus. The Legislature is on the bus. We all need to get to the destination on this issue – casino referendum passage. I think voters are going to want the type of information this bill calls for. I am hoping the Governor can use this proposal as he puts his own proposal into bill language. I am respectfully asking him to consider three casinos in the Catskills to honor the 2001 law that contemplated that number. He has done an amazing job settling issues relating to the Oneida and Mohawks. In fact it was stunning – it made the job of siting the casinos much easier".
Under Senator Bonacic's legislation:
The first casino would be located in any of the following counties: Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Sullivan, or Ulster;
The second casino would be located in any of the following counties: Broome, Seneca, Tioga, Tompkins, Chemung, Schuyler, or Wayne;
The third casino would be in Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, or Washington;
The fourth casino would be in the Catskills (Delaware, Greene,Sullivan, or Ulster Counties);
The fifth casino would be in the Catskills or in Western New York (the Counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming and the portions of the Counties of Chemung, Ontario, Schuyler, Wayne and Yates West of New York State Route 14);
The sixth and seventh casinos would be in either Queens or Westchester Counties or in an area which previously was part of an "exclusivity zone" but which "exclusivity zone" was no longer in effect.
Casinos would be excluded on Long Island but both Nassau and Suffolk OTBs would be authorized under Bonacic's legislation to operate one VLT parlor in each County. In addition, a portion of the revenue from any casino in Queens County, up to $75 million per year, for five years, would be used for economic development purposes in and around Belmont racetrack.
"My view is Long Island is a key part of the State's economy and a large portion of the State's population. Belmont is a major attraction. I want to continue to successfully grow Belmont and create economic development around it in a manner which is locally determined," Senator Bonacic said.
Bonacic's legislation also asks the State Gaming Commission to report back on the feasibility of expanding VLTs to other resort areas which do not receive casino licenses.
In addition, Bonacic proposes to modify the existing casino gaming commission by making the terms nine years and paying the Members of the Commission as full time State employees. "A nine year term would give the Commissioners actual independence, something I think which would help them make better decisions, removing most, if not all accusations of politics," Bonacic said


text: I don't think I can take it anymore. It is a constant fight when she nurses now. She always fights to try to hold my other boob, and holds the one she is nursing with her teeth, which hurts. I am constantly having to tell her to nurse nice, and at times, I have cut her sessions short because she's not being nice, but I admit, I probably don't do it as soon as I should. The only times she nurses now is when she wakes up and falls asleep, and now she is skipping nap as often, if not more often, than she takes one these days. And she has a bad habit of biting down once she hits that relaxed stage of sleep. Well, she did it just now, and I couldn't get her to let go! Her jaw is too strong, and I couldn't get my finger in her mouth to unlatch her, and she slept through me squealing, then yelling at her to unlatch! By the time she finally did, I was so upset I had to fight the urge to hit her. Anyway, it's just all these little things like this that add up to me being so sick of it and over it. I know it's her favorite thing in the whole world, but I am to the point that I hate it. And I'm starting to resent her for wanting/needing it so badly still. So how do I get her to stop at this age? I have always nursed her to sleep (besides in the car, and the occassional time she has fallen asleep in front of the tv), so how do I teach her to fall asleep without it? How do I get her to see that she doesn't need it anymore, and prevent it from being a traumatic event in her life? I've tried explaining to her how I feel about it, and that I don't like it anymore, but she always just gets upset and cries and says how much she loves it. And she nurses to so stinking long now when she does. She went from being a 10 minute nurser as a baby to a 45 minute nurser now! I seriously sit and fantasize about giving her a pacifier again, finding something to dry up my milk (are there teas that will do that?), anything, just to get her to stop. She may not be ready yet, but I am. I don't think I can take much more. Any ideas?


text:
This is the cordless prelit holiday trim that can be hung anywhere indoors or outdoors without requiring unsightly extension cords or proximity to an outlet. Only available from Hammacher Schlemmer, the wreath, garland, basket, and sconce are decorated with solid, swirled, and sequined ornaments painted in red, green, or glittering gold. Woody pinecones and clusters of berries nestle among dense greenery that replicate the growth patterns of actual conifer branches. Each piece of trim is festooned with glistening white LEDs that provide cheerful illumination. Boughs are made of weatherproof PVC that will last for years. An automatic timer turns the LEDs on for six hours and off for 18 hours. Requires three D (wreath and garland), four C (basket), and two C (sconce) batteries that will power the lights for an entire holiday season. With 20 LEDs, three clusters of berries, 12 ornaments, and three pine cones. Hangs from 15" chain. 24" Diam. x 12" H. (2 bs.)
Lifetime Guarantee
The Cordless Prelit Ornament Hanging Basket comes with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee at no additional charge. If this product ever disappoints you, for any reason, you may return your Hammacher Schlemmer purchase for exchange, credit, or refund.Should you have any questions, we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please call 1-800-321-1484 to speak with a product specialist or email us at email@example.com to receive a response within one hour.
Shipping charges noted in parentheses apply in addition to our standard shipping & service.
We're sorry, but gift wrap is not available. Please call 1-800-395-7006 for Premium or Express delivery rates.
Oversized items scheduled for expedited delivery (Premium or Express) may incur additional shipping and services charges because of their unusual size. Please call 1-800-321-1484 for an estimate of S&S charges. International callers, please call 1-513-860-3397.
We're sorry, but gift wrap is not available for oversized items.
Shipped via truck and may require customer assistance upon delivery. You will be contacted to make an appointment for delivery.
We're sorry, but gift wrap and gift cards are not available.
GST still applies and will be charged upon processing. For complete shipping & service charges please call Customer Service at 1-800-321-1484.
May we recommend:
(based on 7 reviews)
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(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)
By Sarah
from Lake Oswego
This hanging basket is doing just fine in an uncovered outside location, even survived freezing rain without a problem.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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I would buy this item again
By Sam
from Northwest Washington State
I have hung this article on the entrance patio to our home and it lights up that area in the evening, giving guests both additional light and a cheery reminder that the holiday seasons are here. I do wish the item were a little bigger so that it made more of a statement.
(3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)
Hanging Holiday Fun
By J
from Chicago. IL
It's very attractive but much smaller than I thought it would be. Not sure I like the lights as well as the smaller, brighter Italian lights of the past, even though I know LEDs are the green thing to do. Love the timer feature and that it's battery operated.
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
By Golfer
from Boise, I
It was easy to put up and looks great.
Stunning Baskets
By Deb
from Pittsburgh, PA
I purchased 2 of these beautiful baskets and they are the PERFECT finishing touch for my outdoor Christmas decor! I received TONS of compliments on these.
Nice Looking and Works Well
By Patty1
from Roselle, NJ
The basket itself is a nice well-made decoration, easy to assemble. However, it is not long enuf and hangs too close to the ceiling. I'll have to figure out a "drop".
I was pleasantly surprised
By Srvhlv
from Sanger Ca
The baskets look so festive on my porch. They were so easy to hang and the timer is great.
COPYRIGHT © 2016 HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W106147 E. 57th ST • NEW YORK, NY • 10022 • 1-800-_321-1484


text:
Freedom New Mexico
A call to Portales dispatchers about an armed robbery call Friday afternoon at Portales National Bank turned out to be a false alarm, according to Portales Police Capt. Lonnie Berry.
Berry said the call came around 5 p.m.
Several officers responded to Portales National Bank, but police found no evidence of a robbery, Berry said.
"Police have been working on it for some time," Berry said. "We are trying to get some information from the phone carrier right now in order to get more specifics about it."
Berry said police also checked the other banks in town in case the call was a diversion technique.


text:
"I have listened to Catholic Answers Live for many years now. The show is informational, inspirational, faith building, and funny. I have been in the process of conversion for many years, and now at age 60, I will be joining the Catholic Church. The show and speakers have been my tutor and guide, and I am deeply grateful to all."
"If you should acknowledge and love Christ you would give up not only all the treasures of this life, but even the glory of your crown itself to win eternal life."


text:
Re: Breakfast of Champions........
smokieonefour wrote:OK... here's another silly pic that goes with the 1st pic posted.
It was sent to me by a friend, along with the 1st photo. I have NO idea who re-worked this, how or even why... LOL
Oh my goodness this picture reminds me of what happened to Humpty Dumpty and it looks like all the kings horses and all the kings men didn't do a very good job of putting Tony back together again.
Thank you to those who took a step forward to save the rest who stand still.


text:
Tensions mountAugust 30,2013
Nearly all the arguments, both in favor of and opposed to American intervention in Syria, appear to make sense and are based on reasonably logical analysis. Thus the pros and cons tend to cancel each other out.
But that doesnt let President Obama off the hook. He has to decide, with the help of allies such as the British and the French, what is the strategy that most likely would produce the best results, and in this case the best results are those that involve the fewest unintended consequences.
Its one thing to knock out Syrias capacity to use chemical weapons, or to destroy Syrian airfields. Its another to do so without serious collateral damage within Syria and dangerous responses from Syrias supporters.
For example, Iran, a nation that seemed on the brink of at least modifying its long-standing enmity toward Washington, has loudly warned that if the United States attacks targets in Syria, the entire region and in this context, that means Israel will be subject to massive retaliation.
Thats because, in a region where one major branch of Islam is almost always at war with the other, Iran supports the brutal Syrian dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad just as much as it despises the very existence of Israel. In Lebanon, the same holds true with the Israel-hating Hezbollah. In short, the civil war in Syria doesnt respect borders.
And Obama has made it clear his goal is not to remove Assad from power. Thats simply because, wisely, he doesnt trust what would follow in a country where the rebels are fighting among each other and where imported jihadists, sympathetic to al-Qaida, may prevail in the wars aftermath.
Donald Rumsfeld, who as secretary of defense advised President George W. Bush, declared that Obama has yet to provide a reasonable rationale for attacking Syria. He may actually be right, but its difficult to overlook the fact that Rumsfelds judgment comes with some pretty ugly baggage. Just ask Colin Powell, who had the embarrassing task of presenting the dubious evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations.
But what if, in this instance, Rumsfeld is right? Until theres absolute certainty that the Assad regime did use chemical weapons, theres no widely accepted proof that the so-called red line has been crossed. Obama insists he has that proof, but can he convince others, especially those who remember the Bush administrations proof that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs?
But if Obama doesnt take some action to punish Syria, it will be taken as a sign of weakness, not just by his domestic critics but especially by those who expect Americans to rush to their rescue whenever the peace is threatened. Given the realities in the Middle East, that would only give the jihadists more propaganda to convince others that Washington is weak.
An international treaty known as the Geneva Protocol has, since 1928, prohibited the first use of chemical and biological weapons. It was amended twice, in 1972 and 1993, to also ban the production, storage or transfer of such horrible weapons. The treaty forbids the use of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices as well as bacteriological methods of warfare.
But Syria never signed the treaty.
So why, instead of Obama or the United Nations making a decision, shouldnt Assad himself defuse the crisis? He could simply sign the treaty and abide by its rules.
That wont happen. Assad is nothing if not stubborn. And so the debate rages on, just like the civil war itself.MORE IN LettersA sixth-offense DUI gets plead down to a misdemeanor. A breathalyzer is refused. Full StoryBurr Morses recollection (Whats good for the goose, Nov. Full StoryMSNBC news analyst Rachel Maddows report on the election of Republican Rutherford B. Full Story
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text: Cruelty is a deep part of human nature. So just saying "cruelty is evil" is not enough. We need to think constructively about what good there might be in it, what purposes it might serve, and how we can best keep it from doing serious damage to people. [Read more…]


text:
Kelly's (mugsbigsis) gorgeous Winter layout is featured today at Gallery Stand Outs! Yay Kelly! They know good when they see it!
Kelly's (mugsbigsis) gorgeous Winter layout is featured today at Gallery Stand Outs! Yay Kelly! They know good when they see it!
Lynn (also known as Lynnie!)
Woot!!!! Congrats Kelly...that is one amazing page
My Stuff: Nikon D80, Nikkor 50 mm 1.4, Nikkor 18 - 135mm, Nikkor 80 - 200mm, Speedlight SB-600 and my Epiphanie Lola Camera Bag!
Software: Dell Inspiron 17 5000 Series, PSE 14, Intous Pen and Touch
Well I'm not surprised! Way to go Kelly.
My Gallery
My Blog
Camera : Canon 60D and Sony a300
Softwear : Photoshop Creative Cloud
Fun Stuff : Wacom Bamboo
Me either! Such a beautiful page!
Congratulations!!! Always beautiful pages!
Imagine the possibilities...and Happy, Happy, Happy!
Awesome!! Congrats, Kelly!!!
My gear:
Nikon: D700, 50mm 1.4, 24-70 mm 2.8, 17-35 mm 2.8, 70-200 2.8, 85mm 1.4
Tamron:18-270mm 3.5-6.3, 90mm 2.8,
LR 5 (CC), CS6 on a 17" MacBookPro.
Member NAPP
My blog
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Congrats, Kelly!
My Gallery
Camera: Canon 6D
Lens: Tamron SP 24-70mm
Canon EF 70-300mm f.4/5.6L
PSE 14 on a PC
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Congrats Kelly! That page was fabulous... pretty much like all of yours
Well done Kelly!!
My camera: Canon EOS 1000D
My lenses: f/1.8 50mm, 18-55mm
My software: Lightroom 4, PSE 9
Yes, I agree with Beckie, all your pages are creative and fabulous. Congrats on the recognition at GSO.
Mac computer/Adobe Creative Cloud: CS and Lightroom; SonyA57
Woohoo!! Big congrats, Kelly!
Congrats, Kelly!
My Gallery
I love seeing threads like this! Congrats Kelly!
Amy Mallory
Congrats, Kelly!
No surprise! It's an awesome page! Way to go, Kelly!
My DD Gallery: beehive50
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(Lens: 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6, 50mm f/1.8, 70-200mm f/2.8)
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My Platform: Dell PC w/Wacom "Bamboo" Tablet
awesome! congratulations kelly!!
Katie - owner of DesignerDigitals
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Software: Adobe PSE3 and CS3, Illustrator CS3
computer platform: Mac


text:
Cheats and Walkthroughs(112)
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(SPOILER WARNING: This feature contains explicit details about the plot for Modern Warfare 2)
You're greeted by the screen above when starting a new campaign in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It's designed to give a heads up about the much-discussed "No Russian" mission.
"Some players may find one of the missions disturbing or offensive. Would you like to have the option to skip this mission? (You will not be penalized in terms of Achievements or game completion.)."
There are two ways to respond. "Yes, ask me later" or "No, I will not be offended." For now, let's set aside the obvious problem that unless you've been closely following the game's development, you don't even know what you're agreeing to not be offended by. But Infinity Ward wants to make sure you're confident about that decision, so they ask it a second time.
"If you answer yes you will never be asked about skipping levels again. (The skip level option will be available in the pause menu.)"
Neither warning provides any context for what constitutes "disturbing" and "offensive" in the typically realism-slanted Call of Duty universe. There is no reference made to an opportunity to mow down hundreds of innocent virtual citizens during a simulated terrorist assault on a Russian airport. When I stood in line at GameStop to pick up my copy of Modern Warfare 2, not only did I wonder how many parents actually read those screens for their kids not old enough to pick up Modern Warfare 2 themselves, but if any would've changed their minds after visiting the ESRB's website.
See, the ESRB's description of Modern Warfare 2's content is a little more explicit:
"The most intense depiction of violence occurs during a "No Russian" mission where players take on the role of an undercover Ranger: Several civilians are gunned down at an airport as players are given a choice to participate in the killings (e.g., players can shoot a wounded civilian that is crawling on the ground), or walk by and observe without opening fire. In either case, civilians scream and emit pools of blood as they are shot to death."
Certainly, it's not just parents who should have been made aware of the mission's content. There very well could have been plenty of independent adults who said "hey, this isn't for me" as "No Russian" started. It's not a commentary on whether "No Russian" was properly executed, if it's an issue that it's nearly impossible to finish the mission without actually firing a shot from your own gun, or if games should even be touching this kind of material (the "it's just a game" argument).
Rather, it was irresponsible not to provide an opportunity to discover what the definition of "disturbing" and "offensive" was before actually having to experience the content, or practice blind self-censorship and preemptively stop yourself from viewing the content entirely. Games have put us in compromising situations before, but prior to Modern Warfare 2, no other game has attempted to comment on the experience of being a modern day terrorist. In a post-9/11 world, that's precarious, life-altering territory.
I applaud Infinity Ward for including the mission. Whatever you think of it, it's powerful. But Infinity Ward always knew the intention of "No Russian." The game's own writer admitted its purpose.
"People have really strong reactions to the airport scene and it's been fascinating because we all wanted to make it something that would be upsetting, disturbing, but also something people relate to," said writer Jesse Stern to GamePro.com. "There's something instantly identifiable about it when it happens, when you're in that situation and the level begins. Ultimately, our intention was to put you as close as possible to atrocity. As for the effect it has on you, that's not for us to determine. Hopefully, it does have an emotional impact and it seems to have riled up a lot of people in interesting ways."
It's impossible to say if more or less people would have agreed to play "No Russian" if Infinity Ward had been upfront
Even Stern used the word "disturbing," as the game did. Given the evidence, it seems Infinity Ward wanted more people to experience "No Russian" than not. It's impossible to say if more or less people would have agreed to play the mission if Infinity Ward had been upfront about its content, but the reason it's impossible to know is because Infinity Ward never provided the opportunity to become properly informed.
The argument that players could have hopped online and found scenes from "No Russian" isn't valid because the sequence's leak was never sanctioned from the parties involved in the development of Modern Warfare 2. At no point did Infinity Ward or publisher Activision come forward when footage appeared and give people some context.
It's not like Modern Warfare 2's story was a well-kept secret, either. Earlier this year, a much-hyped trailer for the game quickly blew one of the plot's pivotal turns, as the invasion becomes personal and Modern Warfare 2's Washington D.C. becomes a prequel to Fallout 3 as World War III unfolds on the homefront. If consumers were allowed to know about the decimation of our nation's most honored landmarks, why not a heads up about becoming a willing member of a terrorist outfit?
"No Russian" is an important step forward for games as a medium. Rock Paper Shotgun's Kieron Gillen argues Infinity Ward blew what should have been an amazing opportunity. He might have a point. But whether it's done well or not, more people should been made aware of what they were in for.
Optional spoilers next time, please.
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