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Skip to comments.Must see: Karl Rove vs. Michael Barone On Calling Ohio For Obama (video)
Posted on 11/06/2012 10:18:59 PM PST by i88schwartz
Karl Rove argues with Michael Barone and FOX News' decision, along with all major news outlets, to call Ohio and the race for President Obama.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Irrelevant at this point. Soetoro has enough electorals to carry the election without OH.
A lot of these pundits have destroyed their credibility in this election cycle. I'm looking forward to the day Karl Rove and Dick Morris vanish from the airwaves forever.
So much for him.
They are already gone in my book! I have no interest in listening to a political person for quite a long time.
Barone , Rove and Rush were all dead wrong. I am no longer a Rush Dittohead. He is from another world, culture, and century.
Fox was awful. O'Reilly gave the conclusion of the drama away at 8 o'clock.
Look at those three guys and watch the crowd at obamas victory speech.... we are no longer a majority traditionalist, white, European culture. The GOP needs to wrap itself around a more varying base....
Barone and Morris and Rove were completely wrong.
Silver and the MSM were right.
Intrade was right.
I was wrong.
We were wrong.
I do not know anybody who voted for Obama or Bill Clinton for that matter.
"...The GOP needs to wrap itself around a more varying base..."
The problem with that is Conservatism is NOT about what government can do for people. It is about liberty.
Yup... they are totally irrelevant from here on out... their words mean nothing, NOTHING!!
If it's Liberty vs Free Shit.....Free Shit will win every time.
Sorry, that base is taken. The Dems have locked them up with promises. Now that they are on the entitlement plantation, they cannot escape. The programs are set up that way - they punish people who try to wean themselves off.
Unless you are suggesting the Repubs try to out freebie the Dems. If so, how will that help? Entitlements will destroy this country, no matter who is giving them out.
We should never ignored the markets and odd-makers. They're usually almost always right!
And good people like me, Rove, Barone and Morris can get wrong.
Blame us if you like! We made our prediction on the best available data at the time.
The country just didn't agree with us! I eat crow and accept blame, not for leading people astray, but for always thinking the best of my country.
If you want condemn me for it - so be it! I accept your fury with grace and dignity.
THANK YOU. You're right. Being like the 'RATS would make us no different than the 'RATS.
even if BOR sounded like a racist when he did it
I assume that most of this includes Hispanics.
Did you know that in 2004, 56% of protestant Hispanics voted for Bush? In 2008, 48% voted for McCain/Palin?
Did Rush make a prediction? He did discuss all the anecdotal stuff. I felt the same. I never in a million years thought OFA would get their entire base out like that. Even if Obama won, I thought it would be by picking off Ohio or Virginia. A very concentrated supper ground game. They cleaned up from coast to coast.
The architect's greatest achievement is sometimes tomorrow's condemned building.
Rove's time has past... like a Cold War General he does not understand the current battlefield. That is true for most of the talking heads. They, like us, no longer understand the new America.
Let's see how that demographic plays out this year. Plus, what is the Protestant vs Catholic split in Hispanics? My gut tells me there are more Catholics. More importantly, what is the Christian (P&C) vs. secular mix?
If they went Dem in the face of the attacks on religion we have seen this election cycle along, they are no longer voting their faith - Protestant or Catholic. You will have to gain them with something else, like amnesty and entitlements.
If the GOP beats democrats by becoming more liberal, has the country really won anything?
On that, you're speaking for yourself.
Actually, he is summarizing the election results pretty well.
Well said. I would not have guessed the outcome we witnessed. Losing, perhapsbut a lot closer than this. Like 2000 and 2004, I would have sworn we would not know the winner until sometime the next day at the earliest.
I really thought Romney would win it. I thought between 2010, the Wisconsin recall, the flubs with Benghazi and Sandynot to mention the debates...how could we lose.
I still don't know how we could lose.
You just learned that a sizable portion of the Hispanic vote is about 50/50 republican, and that's it?
I think that it is worth looking into.
Yeah, well the "free shit" as it was put, is about to crash and burn.
This nation is bankrupt, so Ill just say this about "free shit": in a year or two - maybe even less! - the subject will be moot because there will no longer be any money in the Treasury. Social security payments will dry up as will Medicare and EBT financing. Those who are on the dole will face desperate times.
The suffering will be terrible but the problem of bloated government will be solved.
They overwelmingly went Obama and claimed it was about "the economy".
I think it really was entitlements, since the amount of money coming from the Government teat is just as good as a job for many in that economic demographic. And frankly, living off welfare in the USA is way better than the life they left behind, so it's paradise here - until the money rubns out.
Plus, with a little cash-only, tax-free work on the side, they score big time in their minds. Remember, they are comparing this lifestyle to their life they ran from in Mexico.
How you gonna attract this voting block?
According to that, it looks like 70/30 to 80/20 democrat.
He does understand the game, in fact, much better than anyone here. He is right that we cant win with the just the white male vote. For that, we crucify him here, for saying these things that we dont want to hear. Yet he won 2 elections. The hispanic vote needs to be courted, it is a guaranteed way to stop the leftists cold, but people dont want to hear that.
Read my post.
Protestant Hispanics have been about 50/50 republican.
In 2004 they went republican by 56%, in 2008, by 48%, in 2000, by about 48%.
I didn't say Catholic Hispanics.
I did. Please read my response. How many Hispanics are Protestant? He may have alreary gotten them - they could be most if not all of the 30% that went for Romney.
Out of curiousity, how could any of our possible candidates who entered the primaries change the demographic lock the democrats enjoy? Anyone?
Even Herman Cain was going to be defined as a rich guy. The democrats have played every card of division in the deck and amazingly they have succeeded and minority voters voted dem.
We can come up with every logical reason in the world to vote for us because it will make their lives better and it is simply erased by the polarization of race.
I don't like the GOPe and I have said for years they need to reach out to the emerging demographics. Unfortunately, the desires of these demographics are often in direct opposition of conservatism.
You are wrong. You can line up a D and a R and have them both promise Amnesty and the Latinos will pick the D every time. Romney proved it tonight. Mclame proved it in 08. Liberals will never be persuaded to vote for a non D light version of the D candidate. Why should they?
The real issue is takers and makers, who gets what and who foots the bill. The "right" side of that equation has been fundamentally transformed by the Dem's and trying to be more like them to get power is a phyrric victory at best.
I'm telling you the numbers, as far as what percent of the Hispanic voters they are, Pew says about 31%.
The real point is, when you see that a large portion of a voting block can be conservative, why not ask why, and then try to learn to capitalize on it?
Karl was just grasping for anything that would keep him relevant.
Too late you fat POS. You screwed that pooch in 2008 and 2010 by opening your lard trap and working to undermine our choices.
You and me both GoldStateGOP.
I predicted a strong victory for Romney/Ryan. I believe they were the better team. I did not believe anyone could have as bad a record as Barry Soeto and still get re-elected.
Evidently, I fell for skewed reports lock stock and barrel.
Came off looking like a six year old whose mommy told him she'd buy him a new football someday..., (whispering) after you're sixteen.
Well, I've got nobody to blame but myself for being gullible.
Frankly, I am leaning toward leaving the Republican Party. This is only going to play out again in 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028... The party has a death wish, and I'm tired of walking toward the cemetery with them.
If I were the American Socialist Part, er the DNC, pardon me, I'd be very proud of myself tonight.
They have found a way to destroy this nation without a shot being fired. And the Republican party has been their willing accomplice for decades.
So, 50% of the 31% are Republicans. OK, that 15.5% of Hispanics are probably part of the 30% we already have. I guess I don't see what you think there is to gain here.
Because you can't capitalize on a conservative basis with mostly poor people who have themselves or immediate family in need of our treasury through the dole. You buy them, you can't earn them on the merit of good fair reasoning.
Are you an idiot? Protestant Hispanics are voting to the right of Catholic people and the wealthy, and you don't want to find out why, and use it?
Even my wife who talks conservative wants all these social saftey nets due to lots of her family being out of work often.
IMO residents who can't support themselves need to be shown the door home, but that's another story.
After bashing Romney for months and praising Obama for months, the mainstream media creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that gives Obama four more years. The MSM's biased coverage was probably worth billions of dollars, but Obama got it all for free. The MSM allowed Romney to have only 1 good night in the entire campaign. That was the first debate, which they couldn't hide from the American people. The rest of the MSM's coverage was a never-ending pro-Obama informercial that will continue for 4 more years.
I agree. What the hell happened to the (formerly) great Michael Barone? He predicted a huge Romney blow-out as well (300+ EVs?). Perhaps it's time for Barone to retire...
I live in a world of Hispanics as well, it has nothing to do with the voting data.
Hispanics that are "protestant" are about a 50/50 republican vote.
Nope, not wrong. Eventually, there will be a time where 100% of the white vote wont be enough. It isnt all about amnesty, its about first acknowledging they exist, and then explaining why our philosophy is better for them. You dont have to win 50%, even...just enough to take out the Rat advantage. W did this, and won 2 elections in this same electorate.
Good gosh man, think!
When you have an identifiable group of a demographic, voting republican, then examine it, analyze it, find out why, and then try to learn how to use it with the other portion of the demographic.
Quit thinking in terms of race, or "Hispanic" when you find out that they are not all the same.
He was going with the data we had at the time. Remember Ras and Gallup had a + 5/6 R electorate...well, that was a complete fantasy. If Romney wouldve got the 59 million votes McCain got, he would be the next president. All the talk about the Republican excitement, and yet their turnout sucked.
In fact, what thell happened inOhio...I thought the EV was close enough that if Romney got the election day turnout that McCain got, he would win. Well, I guess he didnt get the McCain turnout, another reason why I think the ground game was crap tonight.
I suspect you will find that the are the percentage you speak of are willing the Hispanics who vote values over gimmes. I bet they are also not immigrants, but were born here.
I bet that the vast majority of Hispanics voting Dem today are immigrants (lived in Mexico and came here). To them, our gimmes are a paradise. Why do ex-pats talk about how cheaply they can retire south of the border? Because the economy is worlds' different. That is their world view. Welfare is a lottery payout level score for them in comparision to their homeland.
I am afraid the two parts of this deomgraphic are much like the two parts of the other demographics. Think you are going to sway the white liberals by understanding why conservatism appeals to 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.


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The best business advice I've ever been given came from my flight instructor.
"Aviate. Navigate. Communicate. …in that order."
Success in the cockpit relies on managing bandwidth. It turns out, so does success in any business. As my friend Steve [@StephenForce] likes to say, flight training is all about bandwidth packing. Making a business work is no different.
I try to balance consuming ideas and immersion. Much of what I've consumed in the last couple of years has been business advice and counsel. Eighteen months ago I had no idea what a "cap table," was or what the heck, "preferred stock," meant. I immersed myself in the lingo as I went about the business of starting a business. I've come a long way through immersion.
As I consumed most everything I could get my hands on to help me through each stage of the project, it struck me how many aviation analogies you find in business books. (Second only to military analogies by my count.) Startups have, "runway," which is calculated from a, "burn rate." We, "launch," products and we hope the business, "takes off." You get the idea.
Many businesses fail because of distraction. Don't believe the hype. Human beings are terrible at multitasking. Entrepreneurs are notoriously distracted people. (Just ask my team, they'll tell you after the laughter subsides.) Prioritization of attention is a critical life skill for both flying and business. Fixation is the enemy of any good instrument scan, and it can completely blow up you calendar too. Managing a business like we manage a cockpit may not be for everyone, but here's my idea. Cockpit discipline can be a guide for how to structure time and help you manage your bandwidth better.
AVIATE – (Operations, customer service, production, finance, etc.) The tasks that make a business a business are the foundation. When I see businesses disappointing people, it seems most often due to distraction from the basics. My primary flight instructor taught me long ago, "Never drop the airplane to fly the mic." Aviating must come first. If you're a retailer, you should first and foremost be good at selling stuff. If you're a flight school, you should prioritize your focus on tasks that get people flying. If you make stuff, make it better. See what I mean? In my case, since launching OpenAirplane I've tried my level best to always make the operational tasks my priority. Personally, this kind of discipline has never been my strong suit. I've adapted.
NAVIGATE – (Product management, design, planning, strategy, etc.) In flying and in business, we should always be asking ourselves, "What's next?" My friend Jason [@TFPofFLYING] likes to stress how important it is to always, "stay ahead of the airplane." The same discipline can be applied to your work. In every business there are opportunities to look ahead within to improve experience, refine processes, expand or cut offering to make the business run better. Sometimes we get task saturated and get buried in the day to day operations, but unless there's the discipline to regularly step back and turn the focus to planning, we're plowing forward without a map.
I'm a student of the design of business. Our industry mostly evolved; very little around us was designed. Much of the industry doctrine in aviation isn't a product of regulation or design; it's a product of inertia. On the commercial side, look at the lowly boarding pass as an example. Good luck trying to make sense of those things. Recently someone actually took on a redesign of the boarding pass. The results will make you wonder what took so long.
COMMUNICATE – (Marketing, advertising, public relations, promotions, etc.) I've been in some sort of marketing role my entire career. I default to it. But others do not; I get that. Our industry has evolved to be exceedingly efficient at communicating to our own community. Beyond preaching to the converted, the industry for the most part is incompetent. Lack of communications is killing us. Go to Oshkosh, and you'll be saturated by the message of how amazing aviation is. But imagine trying to penetrate the aviation community from the outside. You might as well be holding an iPhone in a camera store.
Communications is a muscle few aviation businesses take seriously. There is a huge market opportunity for those who invest in outreach. Props to the folks at Icon Aircraft [@ICONAircraft] for making it a priority to grow the pie, not just carve it up.
One of our Operators nailed it when he shrewdly observed, "Aviation expects excellence, but it seldom rewards it." Turns out the mental pegboard for achieving the balance we need may already be right here.
I try my level best to attack each day with the discipline I learned in my primary flight training.
It's helped me hack my productivity, and maybe it can help you too. That, and starting every day with the Shepard's Prayer couldn't hurt.
Tags: #crushingit, business, marketing, productivity, strategy, work
The opinions expressed by the bloggers do not reflect AOPA's position on any topic.

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm afraid I can't share in Sal's enthusiasm for the Banzhang. This one tasted weak and fishy to me. I'd only give it two stars.
I just busted open the tuocha (thanks for the instructions, Sal) and really like that one. I'll write more about it after I've had some more.


text:
Congratulations are in order as three Rush teams - Alaska Rush 99G, Fairbanks Rush 01B, and Fairbanks Rush 03B - won the 2014 Alaska Youth Soccer State Cup in the U16G, U14B, and U12B categories respectively. The annual end-of-year tournament, this year held between August 7-10 in Fairbanks, Alaska, is the is the pinnacle of soccer success in the State of Alaska. The winners will move onto the Region IV Far West Regionals in Idaho next June.
'I'm very proud of our girls,' said 99G team Head Coach Mike Montgomery. 'It's funny, we set out with a goal three-repeating as State Cup Champions and we worked extremely hard throughout the whole year to achieve that goal.'
With regards to the Fairbanks 03B team's win, Head Coach Janet Schaefer said, 'I'm so happy for these boys!! We are extremely excited about the challenge of going to Regionals and are looking forward to representing Alaska soccer in a good light.'
Finally, the Fairbanks Rush 01B victory was the last game for Head Coach Alan McGinty, a staple in the Fairbanks soccer community for over 15 years. 'Alan and his family are moving out of state and we wish them well,' said Technical Director Jason Leonardis. 'He's done great things for soccer here and helping build Fairbanks Rush in the community. It's a great way to go out!'
The Alaska Rush 00G, 02B, 02G, and 03B also made it to the finals, but fell short after a successful year that saw the teams travel and compete well at various tournaments throughout Alaska and the Lower 48!


text:
We've been working on a way to help pilots fly more, help flight schools and FBOs that rent aircraft book more revenue, and get more great rental customers. OpenAirplane will make it easy to find, book, fly, and pay for aircraft rental online or with a mobile device. Last week we started giving the world a peek at what our team has been quietly working on for eight months.
The team behind OpenAirplane started with the hypothesis that if together we reduced the hassle in renting airplanes, all our pilot certificates would become much more valuable. We imagined flying on the airlines from Chicago to Miami, easily booking the same make / model we fly at home, learning about local procedures on our own time, and then showing up to be handed the keys and clipboard to fly down to The Keys for lunch. We imagined renting an airplane like we rent cars. We imagined doing a checkout locally, then using that credential around the country without having to invest half a day and hundreds of dollars in checking out, yet again, every time.
Ninety-six percent of pilots we surveyed told us they would fly more when away from home, if the process was simpler. Fifty-one percent said it was the complicated checkout that kept them away. Twenty-eight percent said it was just too hard to find an airplane. How often would we rent cars if we were required to take the kid from behind the car rental counter around the parking lot three times before we got the keys? We see the hassle in renting airplanes today eroding everybody's business.


text:
Torqcut Start-up procedure
Bridgeport CNC Mill
Starting point for information related to the Bridgeport Torq-Cut 22 CNC milling machine. Very much a work in progress.
Start-up procedure
- Power up CNC mill with power switch on back panel. Clockwise is "on", counterclockwise is "off".
Main power switch in the "on" position.
Main power switch in the "off" position.
The CNC mill requires compressed air so the shop air compressor has to be running.
If no one else needs compressed air, don't forget to turn off the compressor after you're done. There's a leak somewhere in the system.
- Valve to shop compressed air at CNC mill.
Compressed air valve closed.
- Lift red air valve on CNC
You'll find the machine's air valve on the left side of the mill. Just raise it.
Machine air valve in the closed - down - position
Machine air valve in the open - up - position
Next thing you want to do before you start using the mill is check that its fluid levels are where they're supposed to be. The first thing to check is the lubricant level.
There's a level marked on the duct tape.
If the lubricant level's where it's supposed to be then check the coolant level.
There are filter screens on both sides of the coolant tank that can be removed to check coolant level.
The screens have handles but they tend to be pretty grimy so be warned.


text: In Haiti, culture has been made to play its vital role for several months now. To reinforce this and to respond to the expectations of the Haitian people, UNESCO is organizing a Conference of Donors for Culture in Haiti. The aim is to mobilize financial support within the international community, among development banks and the private sector, thus facilitating synergetic action and heightened cooperation.


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Hoosiers Urged to Be "Ready: Whenever. Wherever."
The City of Indianapolis Department of Public Safety established strategic objectives around which "the entire public safety department can mobilize to secure the City of Indianapolis Metropolitan Area from the dangerous and evolving threat of terrorism, prepare and mitigate for natural disasters, develop intelligence competencies, and plan and secure special events." It aligns and focuses homeland security functions into several critical mission areas and identifies foundations that cut across all these mission areas. These foundations represent main sources of strength to draw upon in supporting and enabling terrorism-fighting activities.
The Department of Public Safety's made significant positive change by stepping away from the previous efforts or paradigm and redirecting processes, procedures, attitudes, structures and systems into a new high performing – accountable Division of Homeland Security through:
Application of the principles of risk management within the new Division of Homeland Security leads to enhanced safety and security through a redirection of energies on clear, objective risk assessments and measurable performance outcomes focused on prevention, preparedness and mitigation on all hazards versus the current traditional response to a specific situation paradigm. This includes specific roles for the sections under the division and the creation of a Real Time Rapid Analysis Management Section to assist in crime fighting and prevention. The framework shall be structured to maintain the roles and responsibilities of each sector for funding and delivering services and at the same time maintaining situational awareness with the Director of Public Safety for guidance and direction.
The direction of the Division of Homeland Security is that every member of each section will receive an appropriate level of education, equipment and technology to perform their duties. In addition to the recommendation of a paradigm shift for this new division, the initiative shall recommend new duties and responsibilities for the Emergency Preparedness and Management, Metro Police Homeland Security, and Metro Fire Tactical Resources. This opportunity has far reaching potential going well beyond simple change to the creation of a high performing and accountable public safety services.
Visit our About Us page to learn more about the Division of Homeland Security
Click on the video below to watch our public service announcement. Run. Hide. Fight. An Active Intruder Response on Vimeo.
Division of Homeland Security201 N. Shadeland Ave.Indianapolis, IN 46219
Phone: 317-327-3900Report warning siren problems: 317-327-3900
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DHS brochure.pdf


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2016 ASA Softball Safety Awareness Guide - updated 1/1/2016
USOC SafeSport - Mandatory Reporting Fact Sheet concerning Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect, 11/15/2011
Additional information and resources are available at www.safesport.org
Heads Up Concussion Recognition and Response
(Courtesy of the CDC (Center for Disease Control)
Concussion Laws by State
Updated Heads Up Online Training for Coaches Now Available!
We are excited to unveil an upgraded version of the "Heads Up" Online Training Course for Youth Sports Coaches and Parents!
Check it out here:http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/online_training.html.
It is hugely important we provide the latest and best information possible to you on concussion in sports. We listened to your feedback and took action.
The "Heads Up" Online Training Now Offers:
- Mobile and tablet platforms accessibility
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- An updated certificate for 2013
Find us on Facebook: Stay up-to-date with the latest "Heads Up" activities in support of Brain Injury Awareness Month!


text:
Hi Bellas,
How was your weekend? It was a productive yet relaxing one for me. I filmed an airbrush tutorial this weekend. I plan to get a few videos up this week. My boyfriend comes back into town with my laptop tonight so i'll probably get to editing tomorrow. Stay tuned!
I wanted to share with you makeover that I did last weekend. The occasion was a baby shower. The mommy to be wanted something natural and pretty. With occasions like these, you'll want some kind of color on your face with all the pictures that will be taken.
We went for a pink themed look.
She doesn't look 8 months pregnant right? Lucky girl!
Here's What I Used:
-MAC face & body foundation C5
-Craftobian supercream foundation - used as a spot concealer
-Graftobian corrector & MAC studio fix corrector to conceal undereye circles
-MAC Housewine blush
-MAC Light Flush msf
-MAC Shadester sculpting powder
-MAC Accentuate shaping powder
-MAC Prep & Prime loose powder
EYES (All MAC)
-Bare Canvas paint as a base
-Shroom e/s (highlight)
-Jardin Aires pigment (inner lid)
-mix of expensive pink, girlie eyeshadows (middle of lid)
-glamour check e/s (outer v/crease)
-brown down e/s (outer v/crease)
-sketch e/s (outer v)
-Blacktrack Fluidline
-Ardell Falsies
-Smolder eye kohl
-Spiked e/b pencil
-Espresso e/s to fill in brows
-MAC Cream O' Spice cremestick liner
-MAC Viva Glam V lipstick
-Eve Pearl Honey Bunny/Baby Doll Lipgloss
Till next time, Ciao Bellas!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Baby Shower Makeover
Posted by MakeupByRenRen at 10:24 AM
8 comments:
- KiLLaCaM said...
8 months preggo!? where?! man oh man..at my 8 months my face was swollen and she looks soooooo fab! can't even tell. pink themed cuz it's a girl?
- July 27, 2009 at 10:38 AM
- Amina said...
She looks gooorgeous :)
- July 27, 2009 at 11:35 AM
- Jasmin said...
She does not look preggers!!! Lucky her! She looks gorgeous!
- July 27, 2009 at 12:10 PM
- 梅子 said...
WOW! shes beauuutiful!!!!!! good job!
- July 27, 2009 at 1:09 PM
- Crystal.S said...
She looks fantastic!!
- July 27, 2009 at 1:57 PM
- yummy411 said...
she looks beautiful Ren! i can't believe she's preggers!
- July 28, 2009 at 12:45 AM
- FaithLeah said...
OMG, hope I look this awesome when I'm preggers, the look turned out really pretty and soft perfect for a baby shower!!!!!!
- July 28, 2009 at 2:13 AM
- Nina said...
Really pretty, I bet she was happy!
Nina (thelatestgloss.blogspot.com)
- July 28, 2009 at 2:39 AM
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"Corporate Jet Investor" lists possible Beechcraft suitorsThursday, October 25th, 2012
Mahindra & Mahindra
India's largest auto maker supplies components to Boeing and Gulfstream.
Nextant/Directional Capital
Nextant, which already offers the Hawker 400XP aircraft, might want to offer modifications for other models.
China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) has joint ventures with both Embraer and Cessna and owns Cirrus Aircraft.The article states the company could still be interested in Hawker. Other Chinese firms might be interested, Corporate Jet Investor said. Xi'an Aircraft International acquired Austrian composite parts maker FACC in 2009. Hunan Boyun that makes carbon-fiber auto and aircraft parts could possibly be interested in Hawker's carbon-fiber jet.
BAE Systems
BAE Systems sold Hawker to Raytheon in 1993. It had been hoping to merge with EADS, which owns Airbus, but the deal fell through for political reasons, the magazine said. "Hawker could give it a commercial aircraft business of its own," the magazine article said.


text:
'Defiant devil' became fierce conservationist
Irony alert: The man often credited with saving the buffalo from extinction began his crusade by killing 20 of the furry beasts. It had taken five weeks to find even a handful of buffalo in Montana in the fall of 1886, their numbers down from the millions to the hundreds after decades of unregulated hunting for economic gain.
William T. Hornaday wasn't seeking meat or fur or even trophies — well, not exactly. He was the chief taxidermist for the U.S. National Museum, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution, and needed specimens. The hunt led Hornaday to write a book decrying the buffalo's fate and to help create preserves. His efforts, and those of others, kept the buffalo roaming into the new century.
Hornaday came to believe that the extinction of the buffalo was not inevitable. "On the contrary," writes biographer Gregory J. Dehler, "Hornaday maintained that something better could and should have been done to accommodate the advance of civilization with the buffalo's right to existence." As Dehler notes, Hornaday applied that view to the fur seal and other endangered species as he campaigned on their behalf.
"The Most Defiant Devil" is Dehler's noteworthy chronicle of the life and career of this key figure in the conservation movement. He reveals a fascinating American, a man of vision and conviction whose stubbornness and hubris won him allies and enemies among lawmakers, potential patrons and fellow conservationists. He once described himself as an unrepentant sinner in regard to his past as a killer of animals and "the most defiant devil that ever came to town."
Hornaday's advocacy for animal conservation found an anchor in New York at what would become the Bronx Zoo, which he helped found in 1896 and then served as director for 30 years. He was also adept at collecting wealthy and powerful friends, enjoying the support of the wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie and a future president, Theodore Roosevelt.


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Issue Brief #3780 on International Conflicts
November 21, 2012
November 21, 2012 | Issue Brief on International Conflicts
Although the current Gaza crisis is in many ways reminiscent of the last flare-up in December 2008–January 2009, there are important differences this time around. Hamas's terrorist reach now includes Israel's heartland cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv due to long-range Iranian rockets. However, Israel's new Iron Dome missile defense system has mitigated this threat. The "Arab Spring" uprisings have also significantly altered the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East by resetting Egypt's foreign policy, which may have emboldened Hamas to trigger the current crisis.
To broker a stable cease-fire that doesn't harm Israel, the United States should work closely with Egypt, which has strong influence with Hamas and seeks to prevent the fighting from threatening its economy. This will be a litmus test for Egypt's new Islamist leadership. The U.S. must be clear about what is required to build an acceptable and sustainable cease-fire. Washington must leverage its aid to Cairo to ensure an outcome that halts rocket attacks, protects civilians on both sides of the border, limits Hamas's ability to rearm, reduces Iranian influence, and enhances regional security.
Egypt's Diplomatic Tightrope Act
Hamas seeks to galvanize Arab and Muslim public opinion, delegitimize Israel, outflank the rival Palestinian Authority, and gain greater support from Arab states to tilt the balance against Israel.
Hamas recognizes that it cannot win a military victory against Israel but seeks to extract a political victory by reaping the propaganda benefits of playing the victimization card in the face of Israeli military retaliation for its indiscriminate rocket attacks. Hamas knows that Israel is more concerned than it is about avoiding the deaths of Palestinian civilians, so it continues to use Gazans as human shields while launching rockets at Israeli civilians.
Although Egypt's new Muslim Brotherhood–dominated government shares an ideological affinity with Hamas, the Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, Cairo's Islamist leaders have strong reasons to facilitate a halt in the fighting. Doing so will facilitate the continued flow of Western aid they need to address Egypt's rapidly deteriorating economic situation and stay in power.
Egypt's state-dominated economy is on the verge of bankruptcy, in part due to the adverse impact of the Arab uprising on tourism and foreign investment, and soon will be unable to pay for its massive food imports. Cairo is increasingly dependent on foreign aid to ease its economic problems and is counting on annual aid from the U.S. ($450 million), the International Monetary Fund ($4.3 billion), and the European Union ($6.3 billion).
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, therefore, has been forced to temper his Islamist ideological preferences with consideration of Egypt's national interests and his own political interest in retaining power. He has tried to have his cake and eat it too by cautiously trying to broker a cease-fire behind the scenes while publicly lambasting Israel. Like the Mubarak regime in 2009, President Morsi withdrew the Egyptian ambassador to Israel but broke new ground by dispatching Prime Minister Hisham Kandil to Gaza to express Egypt's solidarity with the Palestinians on the second day of the fighting.
Egyptian intelligence officials have facilitated indirect negotiations in Cairo between the Israeli government and Hamas that apparently have made some progress, although the two sides reportedly remain far apart. On Tuesday, President Morsi nevertheless promised that Israel's "aggression" will end and that a "cease-fire" would soon produce "positive results"—shortly before another Palestinian rocket exploded near Jerusalem. Israel, understandably, has refused to halt its air strikes until Hamas ends its terrorist attacks.
Criteria for a Successful Resolution of the Gaza Crisis
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has broken off her trip to Asia and flown to Israel to join efforts to broker an agreement to halt the fighting. The U.S.'s goal should be to create conditions that shore up the long-term stability of the region, minimize terrorism, enhance the security of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, and reduce the risk of another Arab–Israeli war.
Rushing to impose a one-sided cease-fire that restrains Israel without imposing meaningful constraints on Hamas rocket attacks would only reward Hamas for its terrorist acts and lead it to renew the conflict once it has rearmed.
To attain a stable and sustainable cease-fire, Secretary of State Clinton should:
Work with Egypt to Restrain Hamas
The U.S. and Egypt share common interests in ending the carnage in Gaza: protecting civilians and halting the spread of ultra-extremist militants who have killed Egyptians, Americans, Palestinians, and Israelis in recent months. Given America's limited leverage over Hamas, Washington must lean on Egypt to use its leverage over Hamas.
Secretary of State Clinton should incentivize Cairo to rein in Hamas by making it clear that American aid and support for IMF loans to Egypt will be calibrated according to the degree to which the Morsi government exercises a moderating influence on Palestinian militants. President Morsi must be convinced that future Palestinian terrorism threatens not only Israeli civilians, but also Egypt's national interests and his own political future.
—James Phillips is Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs in the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies, a division of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, at The Heritage Foundation.


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A long way from the grime and crime of NYC
I've done a fair bit of traveling during my life, and it's always been interesting to note the first impressions of people when I tell them I'm a native New Yorker. Most exclaim, "Oh! I couldn't live like that, not in a big city."
New York is best known for its great city, but there's rarely a mention of its great wilds. However, after I explain the geography and the fact that I actually live closer to Montreal than to New York City, they usually offer a sigh of relief.
Often, the exchange continues with a bit of disbelief as I describe the proportions and wild character of the Adirondack Park.
"Really?" they'll usually ask incredulously. "There's actually that much wild land? Really?"
And sometimes, they simply walk away shaking their heads, mumbling, "Just another crazy New Yorker. Too bad! All that smog and crime must've affected his mind."
The reactions aren't really much of a surprise. Even though the Adirondack Park is one of the oldest and largest protected wilderness areas in the nation, it often pales in comparison with those such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and others.
However, in reality it shouldn't. The wild character of the Adirondack region stacks up quite well against nearly any other wilderness region in the lower 48 states. And fortunately, it keeps on getting wilder and wider as additional public lands continue to be added to the Forest Preserve.
It's important for those who claim the state already has enough land to note that wild lands are a precious commodity. They simply aren't making them anymore.
Wild land can only be inherited today, it can't be manufactured or replaced. Fortunately, New York has been stocking away millions of acres of wild land for more than a century, and the natural inheritance is considerable.
Despite the worldwide notoriety of New York's great megatropolis located just a few hundred miles to the south, the Adirondack region remains a closely guarded secret.
However, it wasn't always the case. In fact, the region was first discovered by vacationers during the late 1800s, when they "vacated" the grime and the crime of the cities.
At the time, our nation was undergoing revolutionary changes in the thought, attitudes and habits surrounding the outdoor life, and the various sporting pursuits to be found there. Leading the charge in the change of attitudes were a bevy of writers and artists who traveled through the Adirondack region.
Among the principles leading the way was William H. H. Murray, a preacher turned explorer who often wrote in defense of wilderness travel, explaining "I hold that beyond all other men, clergymen should live as much as possible out of doors. Like plants, they need air, they need sunshine, they need the ministration of the natural. In this way, they become simple, devout. Bold and true."
He continued, "Nature inspires no cowards. Nature begets no pedantry. Nature suggests no bigotry. Neither saint nor sinner can truly worship God while he sleeps under a shingled roof go forth into the open leave the city and go into the wilderness in the open air and there, far from human habitation, make your camp, under the stars gentlemen need to know the value and joy of outdoor life."
The Reverend didn't stop there, explaining, "I think gentlemen, as you recall kindred experiences, that you will agree with me when I declare that loafing is a gift, and one of the best ever bestowed on man. A man doesn't need to be lazy all the while, but off and on as it were, and by spells."
He further noted, "And these spells shouldn't be too far apart! As a rule, Frenchmen are generally crazy, but one of that over-lively race was unmistakably sane when he declared that he 'didn't see why a tired man should wake up unless it was that he might roll over and go to sleep again.'"
Today, more than 150 years later, the words of the old itinerant preacher-turned-woodsman still ring true. Figures show New York ranks as third in the nation in terms of the total numbers of hunters and anglers and sixth in nation as a fishing destination.
Although the Manhattan skyline and its surrounding megatropolis continue to get all of the attention, it appears the rest of New York state remains pretty wild after all the years.
Recently, Governor Cuomo announced NY's Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative, which is a statewide effort that's intended to improve recreational activities for in-state and out-of-state sportsmen and sportswomen alike. The effort is also expected to help boost tourism opportunities throughout the state.
The initiative will become effective on Feb. 1, 2014, and it includes measures that are intended to streamline the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, reduce license fees, improve access for fishing at various sites across the state and increase the availability of hunting opportunities in various regions of the state.
Currently, New York ranks among the top states in the country in terms of hunting and angling licenses sold, with an estimated 1.88 million anglers and 823,000 hunters. The same study ranked New York second in the nation in terms of total angler spending on fishing-related items and sixth in non-resident angler spending. This spending generated an estimated $108 million in state and local taxes.
Users must do their part to protect the waters
Anglers and paddlers are reminded to disinfect all fishing and boating gear, including waders, sandals, wading staffs, landing nets and other gear before entering a new body of water.
Since 2007, Didymium, an invasive algae species, has been discovered in the Battenkill and Kayderosseras Creek in DEC Region 5, Esopus Creek and Rondout Creek in Region 3 and the Little Delaware River, West Branch Delaware River and East Branch Delaware River in Region 4.
Didymium can attach to waders, particularly felt soles, and this is believed to be the primary mechanism for its spread from its initial discovery location. Wading anglers are encouraged to use readily available alternatives to felt-soled waders and wading boots.
All gear should be dried and/or disinfected before it is used in a new body of water. Fishing nets, wading staffs and even fly reels that holds water on the spooled line can serve as a vector to transport didymium.
Invasives, such as spiny water fleas, Eurasian milfoil and zebra mussels can also be transported via canoes, kayaks and larger boats.
Methods to clean and disinfect fishing gear can be found at the DEC website.


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'Mothers in Academia'
'Mothers in Academia," a book of essays by and about women studying and working in universities, is not my usual fare, which runs toward novels set in small towns and Adirondack nonfiction. But having always been a very active union member, I wanted to know more about the workplace culture of this segment of society. And I am glad my curiosity got the best of me.
When we become parents, our world changes. Whatever else we were doing – as partner, professional, or sibling, for example – is now shaped and influenced, balanced and stressed, by our responsibilities as a parent. The experience seems universal, impactingall of us. But the impact is modified by gender, race, and employment.
As suggested by the title, "Mothers in Academia," offers a window into the parenting experience of women graduate students,teachers and scholars in universities and colleges. Co-edited by Mari Castaneda of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and SUNY Plattsburgh's Kirsten Isgro, thirty contributors offer observations – both personal and scholarly about being a mother in a university environment.
It is the writers' research that sets this book apart. Indeed, the women describe their experiences as mothers while trying to complete their professional tasks. But they place their lives within scholarly literature on the subject, citing studies, experiments and academic journals. Thus, the experiences they describe are both intensely personal and also representative of a much larger context. While the frequent citations of supporting material can make for slow and even dense reading, they add scope to the authors' experiences.
The book is broken into three sections, each offering a different perspective on the common experience. "Working/Learning in the Academy While Working/Learning as a Mom," effectively describes the difficulties these mothers face. Some, such as six professionals writing from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, are aware that their "difficulties" occur within a world more comfortable than the one many of their sisters inhabit: "We recognize that we are more privileged than the majority of women in America and in the world. We are non-Hispanic white, heterosexual, highly educated, and relatively affluent, and we have flexible schedules." Even with their privilege, these women struggle to accomplish all their tasks.
Other chapters in this section are written by women who face the same mothering problems, as well as gender and professional issues, but with fewer cultural supports. The older, non-traditional student, who is not white and might not have a supportive partner, faces a more daunting world in academia.
In the second section, "Unexpected Challenges and Momentous Revelations," Olivia Perlow of Northeastern Illinois University demonstrates that the stress mother/scholars face is part of the landscape at historically black colleges, too. And Mexican-American Susana Gallarado of San Jose State University, also writes tellingly about race and class.
The third section is devoted to suggestions for making the academia a better place for parents. Rethinking and reshaping the academia so it better accommodates mothers who are scholars will not be easy. Brenda Bushouse, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, however, provides a good review and analysis of family-leave policies. Good family leave policies allow mothers both to care for their children and flourish professionally.
Underlying this book is the common sense premise that society will benefit when women are able to be effective mothers, students and scholars. And accommodating portions of the college population is not unusual. As Perlownotes, "concessions are made for students with disabilities, student athletes, and other student populations."
"Mothers in Academia" allows us to explore the proverbial "ivory tower." The writers describe how difficult it can be to get into the tower, to stay in the tower, and how unpleasant the surroundings can be for women with children. Readers learn that institutions of higher education could be run more intelligently.
This review reflects the individual view of the reviewer, not the views of the Adirondack Center for Writing or the Enterprise.


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Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary | Behind the Scenes PhotosToday, Secretary Clinton met with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Monrovia, Liberia. Secretary Clinton said:"Today, Liberia is a model of successful transition from conflict to post-conflict, from lawlessness to democracy, from despair to hope. For the last three years, the people of this country have been working to promote reform, reconstruction, and reconciliation. Liberia has adopted sound fiscal policy and seen strong economic growth. We just had a briefing about that, and it is impressive the way that Liberia has decreased its debt, which was run up, of course, during years of conflict, and has had a high rate of GDP growth over these last years. And the government is inclusive, especially for women, which I take great pleasure in noting.
President Sirleaf and I and her cabinet members and the members of government spoke about the work ahead. There is a very clear sense of direction that this government has demonstrated, and, of course, we have to continue to provide the support that Liberia so richly deserves."
Read Secretary Clinton's remarks with President Sirleaf-Johnson or more about her trip to Africa.
BNEF writes:
Well, its great to hear about this fact. The meeting is not so important but the matter discussed in the meeting is most important.
Rebecca in Washington, DC writes:
Inspiring rhetoric clearly reported, accompanied by an apt clip.
Thank you, Dipnote.
Becky in Washington, DC writes:
More ESJ and HRC, please.
Alexandra in the Democratic Republic of the Congo writes:
Dear Secretary Clinton,
This has been my summer of getting to know you. Granted, I've known who you were since I was six years old and your husband became president. I knew very little about politics then, all I know is that when I asked my father if he was voting for Clinton or Bush he told me very sternly that we were a family of Democrats. You see, my father, an immigrant from the Caribbean came to this country in 1958, when cultural, political, and racial revolutions were beginning to take the world by storm. It was the year Ghana became the first sovereign African nation. A combination of his personal history, and my own, as a woman of color in the United States, made me a fervent supporter of President Obama during his campaign, on a political, emotional, and human level, that is still quite ineffable for me. And so, once again, I did not really get to know you during the long months of the primary campaign. And then I came to Congo. Working here in the Congo has been a dream of mine since early in my college career. Not many people dream of working in conflict zones, but it was the era of my own father's emigration to the United States that drew me to the history of this country, and instilled in me a need to understand, and to help contribute to the solution of what went wrong here after the dream of independence and revolution faded into violence and corruption. The first thing I noticed when I started to settle in here in Bukavu was how aware of my gender I felt. I was one of very few women in my office, and only a quick look at the statistics on sexual violence here in Congo makes one shudder. I had gotten used to a certain veil over gender inequality that has descended upon the U.S., that I had taken for granted how damning it can be to be a woman in some of the world's most dangerous places. And then, you arrived. For me, you arrived weeks before you set foot in Kinshasa on August 10. You arrived when I was visiting Kinshasa, sitting in the apartment of my country director, Lena Slachmuijilder, who you would later meet, and I came across your memoirs. I picked up the book and didn't put it down for most of the time I was away from the office. In the early chapters I got to know Hillary Clinton when she was my age, 23, right out of college, and trying to understand how and where to apply her strengths, how to address her weaknesses, and the realities of being a woman in the workplace. I got to know Hillary Clinton when she was traveling around the world, discovering both the plight and the enormous potential of millions of women around the world, harsh truths, but inspiring possibilities that I have encountered all summer. When I saw the picture of Lena and you addressing the students of COJESKI, I felt so proud to be an American woman, slowly discovering what you have spent a lifetime revealing for others. It took me a long time, and a very long trip away from home, for me to get to know you, Madame Secretary, but I am very happy that I did. Thank you for inspiring women around the world even when they don't realize they are being inspired.
With sincere gratitude,
Alexandra Jacobs
Intern, Search for Common Ground, Bukavu, Dem. Republic of Congo
Michelle in Virginia writes:
It's so nice to see coverage of a powerful woman deep in conversation with another powerful woman, for once. Really listening to one another and understanding each other more deeply than a male leader could.


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Skip to comments.White House denies reportsObama knew of Fast andFuriousin 2010
Posted on 12/04/2011 10:07:22 PM PST by Nachum
A White House spokesman pointed Friday to an account published by the left-wing advocacy group Media Matters for America in its denial of three online claims that President Barack Obama was briefed about the failed Operation Fast and Furious gun-walking program in 2010. According to recently released White House visitor logs, then-Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler was admitted to the White House four times in 2010 between May 7 and May 19. The Los Angeles Times has reported that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives program was at its peak during May 2010.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Does anyone really think 0 would come clean on this?
This whole attack on the Constitution was conspired before Obama invited the Mexicn president to belittle America in Congress.
If George Soros' funded media mouthpiece says it didn't happend, who are we to question it?
The approach to the 2012 elections should be interesting.
Lies have a way of coming unglued.
I wonder what the real reason for this operation was?
If it wasn't exposed by the agents who couldn't stand carrying out their orders, then I don't think using F&F as a tool against gun ownership and sales was the main idea just maybe a useful spinoff.
Must be another reason to go through all the trouble and take a chance of it being uncovered like it is now or are bright ideas just that stupid?
Can't help but think that military heads are involved unless leaving your borders unprotected is SOP. The silence is deafening from a military strategy standpoint.
O'bummer has to low an IQ to hatch such a plan but weak enough to carry out orders dictated by others.
Why the GOP doesn't just try to impeach the whole administration and leave it up to the Democrats to agree or dismiss it is beyond me.
Holder and Obama are culpable.
What stinks is Obama has the Judiciary stacked to defend him.
Yes they do.
They would be lying.
"Must be another reason to go through all the trouble and take a chance of it being uncovered like it is now or are bright ideas just that stupid?"
See UN Agenda 21 (remove all (resistance) firearms
If it wasn't for agents involved ,after realizing that such lack or action was immoral or illegal, it never would have been uncovered or come to light.
" Cant help but think that military heads are involved unless leaving your borders unprotected is SOP. The silence is deafening from a military strategy standpoint. "
See UN Agenda 21, having to do with national soverignty, lack of respect for international borders.
" Obummer has to low an IQ to hatch such a plan but weak enough to carry out orders dictated by others."
He isn't dumb !
He got elected to office and voted " Present" , and his history, youthful developement , education , and political committment remained an 'enigma'. He then sealed those documents , thus eliminating exposure to the document trail .
Furthermore , he surrounded himself with competant 'hatchet-men' who do his dirty work.
I think Obama was on vacation then
The WH lies. Again.
And Bill Clinton didn't have SEX with that woman !
You'll have to call out the exact directive in Agenda 21 that you are referring to since it began back in the 70s. The part about conserving and preserving natural resources along with protecting the downtrodden citizens of the world is a complete failure by just looking at China.
If you can't find any history on O'bummer's college education and work history then he obviously had help in hiding his past, one person is not capable of such a rise without handlers unless you think he is a Hitler type always in the war room directing traffic except he bows down instead of salutes.
>>Why the GOP doesnt just try to impeach the whole administration and leave it up to the Democrats to agree or dismiss it is beyond me.<<
Surest way to start CWII that I've heard yet.
Of course the Denier in Chief would claim he didn't know about our selling guns to the Mexican Drug Cartels...And
such claim seems substantial because it is highly unlikely he
is aware of anything that is not scripted on his teleprompter.
And even 9/10 of the stuff he is prompted he is unaware of.
Other than golf, or b-ball in the drive way,or his revolutionary community organizing (i.e. his focus on being the mouthpiece or transmission belt to soviet communist dictatorship) Except for his jihad I doubt he is aware of anything.
The last time a President lied under oath, he was impeached. Let's put Zer0 under oath. The last time it was Clinton lying about his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky during the Paula Jones lawsuit. This time it's about using the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for illegal purposes. How can we hurry this thing along?
Where is the SPECIAL PROSECUTOR?
Soros needs to achieve room temperature....
"Lets put Zer0 under oath"
OK but it must be without the teleprompter
here we go...Nixon is coming out more and more each day ping
Heck, the Usurping Marxist Onada doesn't even know where he was born.
Obama to Sarah Brady
Matthew Boyle and David Martosko are reporting that a White House spokesman pointed Friday to an account published by the left-wing advocacy group Media Matters for America in its denial of three online claims that Barack Obama was briefed about the failed "Operation Fast and Furious" gun-walking program in 2010.
Media Matters is correct.
Barack Obama wan't briefed about "Operation Fast and Furious" in 2010.
He ordered the operation in March, 2009.
On March 24, 2009, just sixty days after the inauguration, Deputy Attorney General David Ogden announced from the White House that, "the president has directed us to take action.... and Attorney General Holder and I have taken several new and aggressive steps...to fortify its Project Gunrunner... specifically to facilitate gun tracing..."
The video evidence!
Zero was playing golf that year.
So which is it? You either knew about Fast and Furious, or the inmates are running the asylum?
Tyrants Gun-Walking Attorney General:
It matters not, you stupid cracker units.
He is now YOUR King.
{thinks: even if it was by trick}.
And besides your laws,
don't apply to the undocumented anyway, anymore."
Why does everybody continue to call this a failed program?
Otto von Bismarck quote
You have to be kidding right?
.."not one time" (technically correct, it was more than once)
If the repubs played this right they could make an issue either way.
He knew and is responsible or he is ignorant of what his underlings are doing.
No Doofer. Umgud is correct. It was a successful program up and until SipseyStreet started covering it. It was never intended to catch criminals...the program was intended to inflate crime stats with straw purchased guns from the US to propagate the 90% lie.
I could believe he did not know. BOzo probably sits through all kinds of meetings and doe not have a clue as to what they are about.
He has a clue when it concerns his far left progressive agenda.
"...The approach to the 2012 elections should be interesting.
Lies have a way of coming unglued...."
No matter how we feel about Newt, he is a great debater and doesn't hold back. If he is the GOP nominee, he will rip Zero a new one. Ø won't know what hit him. It won't be the same as "debating" McCain this time around.
The White House is comprised of a bunch of liars. People with no honor and no integrity. It's sickening.
I should have added that if anyone can get Ø's goat, it's Newt. He couls loosen some of those lies. The rest of our field would just play nice with the psycopath-in-chief.
Newt is agreeable to Obama having his teleprompter while debating .... I think Obama will avoid debating Newt if at all possible (uh, uh, I have to spend all my time working on jobs for the American people .... anyone got any more suntan lotion? By the way, we ARE having roast goat for dinner, right?).
I know Impeachment is a dead end, BUT the appointment of a Special Prosecutor of Independent Counsel is amply justified and long overdue. If Holder will not do it himself, as he should, then interested parties may apply to a federal court to appint one. It is a recognized process. It is just that no one has the guts to push it. We have to push THEM to do it. Issa? Demint? Grassley? Buehler?
You're correct so how can it be cleaned up when it has gone unchecked for years?
Anyone notice that immigration reform is always a hot topic but no one does nothing about it.If ANYONE in DC were serious about anything they would get rid of the Dodd/Frank bill immediately.
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text:
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Opera by Jacques Offenbach
Fabio Luisi
21, 28, 30 Mar; 2 AprPatrick Furrer
25 Mar
Grischa Asagaroff
|Stage design
Bernhard Kleber
Florence von Gerkan
Jürgen Hoffmann
|Chorus master
Jürg Hämmerli
Philharmonia Zürich
Chor der Oper Zürich
Erin Caves
21 MarMarc Laho
25, 28, 30 Mar; 2 Apr
|Hoffmann (szenisch)
Claudia Blersch
21 Mar
Jane Archibald
Rachel Harnisch
Alexandra Tarniceru
Susanne Grosssteiner
Laurent Naouri
|La Muse/ Nicklausse
Anna Stéphany
|Andrès/Cochenille /Frantz/Pitichinaccio
Michael Laurenz
Benjamin Bernheim
Reinhard Mayr
|Peter Schlémil
Cheyne Davidson
|Maître Luther
Dimitri Pkhaladze
Andreas Winkler
Krešimir Stražanac
Alessandro Fantoni
|La voix de la mère d'Antonia
Irène Friedli
|Le capitaine des Sbires
Christoph Filler
Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich
In French
|Playing duration
3 hrs. 5 min.
After the 2st act after approx. 1 hrs. 10 min.
Introduction 45 min before the performance
21 Mar 2014, 19:00
25 Mar 2014, 19:00
28 Mar 2014, 19:00
30 Mar 2014, 19:30
02 Apr 2014, 19:00
Hauptbühne Opernhaus
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Act 1 – In Luther's tavern
The spirits of beer and wine extol their beneficial effect on people. The muse of the poet Hoffmann appears. She is concerned about her protégé, since a performance of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" is being given in which the singer Stella is appearing as Donna Anna. Hoffmann was once passionately in love with her, but she abandoned him. The muse is afraid that Hoffmann will once again fall in love with Stella and thus be untrue to his vocation as a poet, and hence to her. She turns herself into Hoffmann's friend NikIausse in order to lead the poet to his true destiny, with the help of the spirits of drunkenness. Lindorf, a well-to-do, elderly councillor, enters the tavern. He would like to make a conquest of Stella. As he is aware of her connection with Hoffmann, he uses bribery to intercept a letter of Stella's to Hoffmann, in which she asks the poet for forgiveness, enclosing the key to her dressing room and communicating her decision to wait for Hoffmann, who regularly meets his friends at Luther's tavern. The first act of "Don Giovanni" has ended. A group of people attending the performance, which also includes Hoffmann's friends Nathanael, Hermann und Wilhelm, arrives to take refreshment at the tavern during the interval. They drink to Stella's health. Accompanied by Niklausse, a despondent Hoffmann joins the group. Seeing Stella on stage is a torment for him. In order to distract him from his chagrin, NathanaeI asks him to give a rendering of the song of Kleinzach. However, as he performs the song, Hoffmann's thoughts drift once again to his former great love, and he invokes their first meeting. When his friends tease him for being in love, he vehemently contradicts them. Lindorf interferes in the conversation and quarrels with Hoffmann, who sees the self-satisfied burgher as the incarnation of everything that has ever brought him unhappiness in life. Those involved in the quarrel change sides when Hoffmann insults his friends' mistresses, but as he does so he is once again thinking only of Stella, who in his opinion is a combination of a doll, an artist and a courtesan. He volunteers to recount his adventures with three mistresses, who in fact are one and the same person. Nobody realises that, in the meantime, the second act of "Don Giovanni" has begun. Hoffmann has punch served and starts his narration with the story of Olympia.
Act 2 – A room in Spalanzani's house
The physicist Spalanzani has constructed an automatic doll that he has named Olympia and intends to present at a society party, with the aim of selling her at the highest possible price. However, he is afraid of the optician Coppelius, who has supplied magic eyes for the doll that make her appear to be almost alive. Coppelius, Hoffmann, who has fallen in love with the pretty doll from afar, is willing to give up his poetry and to apprentice himself to Spalanzani in order to be close to Olympia. In front of Hoffmann, Spalanzani refers to Olympia as his daughter and leaves him alone with her. Niklausse has followed Hoffmann, and by singing a facetious little song attempts to make him understand that the object of his raptures is merely a lifeless object. But Hoffmann does not want to listen to him. Coppelius indeed appears unexpectedly and observes with amusement that Hoffmann has evidently fallen in love with the doll. He sells him a pair of magic spectacles, which create the perfect illusion that Olympia is a living creature. When Spalanzani returns, Coppelius repeats his claims to a share of Olympia. In order to rid himself of Coppelius for good and to be able to present himself as Olympia's sole "father", Spalanzani buys the right to the doll's eyes from him, albeit with an unsecured cheque issued by Elias banking house, which has gone bankrupt. The guests arrive, and Spalanzani proudly presents Olympia. She performs a virtuoso aria, while Hoffmann listens to her in raptures. The guests are also delighted by the perfection of this automaton, which, however, occasionally threatens to malfunction and is only kept going by the manipulations of Spalanzani's assistant, Cochenille. While the party moves off for supper, Hoffmann stays alone with Olympia and declares his love to her. He asks her to open the ball with him, but during the waltz the doll spins out of control, causing Hoffmann to fall to the ground and break his spectacles. In the meantime, Coppelius has realised that Spalanzani's cheque is worthless. In order to avenge himself, he pounces on the doll and smashes it to pieces. Amidst the scornful laughter of the party, Hoffmann has to recognise that he has been in love with an automaton.
Act 3 – A room at Crespel's house
Hoffmann is betrothed to Antonia, the daughter of a famous singer and the violinmaker Crespel. However, now that Crespel has learnt that Antonia has not only inherited the singing talent of her mother, who died of consumption at an early age, but also her illness, he attempts to shield his daughter from any exertion or agitation. Above all, he has had to forbid her from singing, which is life-threatening for her. As Hoffmann has repeatedly misled her into doing so, Crespel has moved away with his daughter without her being able to inform Hoffmann. Now she is suffering from the separation. Since Crespel is afraid that Hoffmann could discover their new place of residence, he orders his manservant Frantz never to allow anyone into the house. Frantz suffers due to the contempt with Crespel treats him; however, his efforts at artistic achievement fail miserably. When Hoffmann and Niklausse appear in Crespel's absence, Frantz gladly welcomes the poet. Hoffmann is happy to be able to see Antonia again at last, but Niklausse warns him once more against his love. Antonia is too committed to her art to be able to feel true love. Hoffmann is also able to find real fulfilment only in art. Yet once again, Hoffmann does not listen to Niklausse, but strikes up the love song he and Antonia used to sing. Overjoyed, she rushes into his arms. When she joins in the song, Hoffmann notices that her health has taken a turn for the worse. Crespel's return forces him to hide, and he is the unseen witness of a conversation between Doctor Miracle, who has appeared from nowhere, and Crespel, during which he learns that singing is life-threatening for Antonia. Crespel chases Miracle out of the house, since he considers him responsible for the death of his wife and now fears that he will be also be Antonia's undoing. For his part, Hoffmann now makes Antonia promise him that she will never sing again, but without telling her the reason why. Antonia is left perplexed. In the meantime, Miracle has once more gained access to the house. He talks Antonia into believing that she has the prospect of a brilliant singing career, which she should not jeopardise in favour of a bourgeois marriage. Initially, Antonia attempts to resist his incitement to sing again; but when Miracle invokes her mother's voice she is no longer able to hold herself back. She sings until she collapses. Crespel and Hoffmann come running, only to find that she is dead.
Act 4 – A palazzo in Venice
To forget his lovesickness, Hoffmann has travelled with Niklausse to Venice, where he intends to renounce love forever and, instead, to indulge all his senses. At a party given by the courtesan Giulietta, who is in the company of the cripple Pitichinaccio, he announces his new maxim and pokes fun at the romantic songs wafting through the air. Because Giulietta is flirting with Hoffmann, her lover Schlemil suspects that the poet is a rival. To distract him from his jealousy, Giulietta suggests moving into the dining room. While the guests follow her, Niklausse warns Hoffmann against embarking on a new amorous escapade. The latter, however, denies that he would ever be able to feel anything for a courtesan. Dapertutto, who has overheard these words, decides to make an example. He lures Giulietta with a magnificent diamond. After she has already obtained Schlemil's shadow for him, he would now like her to seduce Hoffmann and demand his reflection. He persuades the initially hesitant Giulietta to do his will by remarking that Hoffmann has just claimed he could never, ever fall in love with a courtesan. Hoffmann, who has lost at cards against Schlemil, challenges him to a return game. The challenge is accepted. Giulietta succeeds in attracting his attention with a melancholy little song. Hoffmann leaves his cards to Niklausse and goes to her. In a few words, Giulietta convinces him that, at the bottom of her courtesan's heart, she yearns for true love. Hoffmann is immediately set ablaze, and swears eternal love to her. Giulietta ends the party and whispers to Hoffmann that Schlemil has the key to her room. It is up to him to obtain it from him. After the guests have left, Hoffmann demands that Schlemil give him the key; Schlemil in turn challenges him to a duel. Dapertutto, who has observed the scene, lends Hoffmann his sword. After a brief struggle, the latter stabs Schlemil, takes the key from him and repairs to Giulietta's boudoir. There, Niklausse implores Hoffmann to leave Venice immediately, before the dead Schlemil is discovered, but Hoffmann will not leave Giulietta. However, the latter also warns him of the risk he is running and begs him to escape. She will soon follow him forever, but as a pledge of his love he should leave her his reflection. Intoxicated by her vows, Hoffmann agrees and allows himself to be led to the mirror. Dapertutto seizes his reflection, and while Hoffmann collapses, almost unconscious, Dapertutto presents Giulietta with the promised diamond. Niklausse rushes in, reporting that Schlemil has been found and that the henchmen are hot on Hoffmann's trail. At the same moment, Giulietta's guests force their way into her boudoir and are astonished to see that Hoffmann has not long since fled. To the amusement of all present, Dapertutto gleefully demonstrates the loss of Hoffmann's reflection. The latter gradually becomes aware of his situation and curses Giulietta, who taunts him. Attempting to stab her, Hoffmann kills Pitichinaccio, over whose body Giulietta collapses, weeping.
Act 5 – In Luther's tavern
Hoffmann has ended his narration. Completely drunk, he renounces women and love. When Stella, who has not found him in her dressing room after the performance as she had hoped, appears in search of him, Hoffmann no longer recognises her. Stella consoles herself with Lindorf, but before he leads her to dine, Hoffmann sings another insulting verse of the Kleinzach song, clearly aimed at Lindorf. The Muse has achieved her goal and urges Hoffmann to surrender himself to his only true love – poetry. The poet willingly follows her, leaving the phantoms of the past behind him.


text:
My YC Valentine
James '08 and Janette (Sigle) Foreman '09
Elise and I were freshmen in 2004. We had some mutual friends so we got to spend a little time together early on. I was a little intrigued by her and wanted to get to know her better.
She hated me. The word hate was used. Several times.
We had a couple of really, really bad first encounters. We went to Lincoln together very early in school with a group of people to see a movie that was all the rage back then, a little something called Napoleon Dynamite. On the ride we butted heads constantly, which stressed me out and led to me taking a VERY wrong turn down a one way street, where Elise proceeded to scream, "You're going to kill us!! What's wrong with you? Why are you trying to kill us??"
Needless to say, we didn't have much interaction over the next couple of years.
Elise and I went to lengths to avoid one another until we were again brought back into each other's universes by a mutual friend, one Mark Smesrud '10. Mark was one of my best friends and roommates, and Elise's choir folder partner. (I think Clark Roush is taking credit for our marriage to this day.) One night my friends and I sat down to high curb on the street out in front of the women's apartments. Mark called Elise and invited her out to come hang out with us.
Elise (Hart) '08 and Jake Owens '10
Through that re-introduction we managed to spend a little bit more time together here and there, eventually becoming friends, and then very close friends. One night in October, we began discussing the possibility of getting a "group" together to go to Lincoln and find something to do. Elise and I both agreed to ask a few roommates and other friends if they wanted to come on an adventure to Lincoln that night. I, of course, asked no one, and unbeknownst to me, neither did Elise. So when I pulled up to get the "group," out came Elise alone!
We went to Lincoln where I realized we were on an awkward solo night that some might call a "date," and in a panic, called a friend and fellow YC Alum Jesse Anderson '08 to come to dinner with us and help cut the tension. (I still remember Elise getting up to use the restroom during dinner and Jesse staring at me and asking, "What is going on????")
After dinner Jesse cut us loose, and we went to a movie. The tension never went away, and we never exactly called it a date...but a week later, we found ourselves back in Lincoln on our first official date. I got us lost, couldn't find the restaurant, and made a complete fool of myself, but by the end of the night I had at last begun my last and best relationship with my best friend and future wife. Because Elise was kind enough to give me a second chance, we now have a happy home in Omaha with a dog and a bizarre, hairless cat, and I've never been happier!
~Jake Owens '10
The Big Question
When Benny Nowell '93 proposed to Niki Wood '92, he chose his timing well. It was right after choir rehearsal in Gurganus Hall, when all of their friends were nearby to witness the event.
Niki (Wood) '92
and Benny Nowell '93
Benny told the story from the Bible about Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac's servant was sent to find him a wife, but along the way there, he got nervous about choosing the wrong girl, so he made an agreement with God that whichever woman came to the well and offered not only him a drink, but offered to give his camels water too, she would be the one for Isaac. After talking briefly about our year long engagement, Benny told all of our friends that there comes a time in every man's life when he has to ask that all important question. He got down on one knee, gazed into my eyes and said…
'Niki, will you water my camels?'
~Niki (Wood) Nowell '92
Registering for Romance
Jason and I met on a balmy August day while sitting in Sack Hall. We were in line for registration. Registration was completed in the gym, and we were at the President's office. Needless to say, we were at the back of the line. This gave an amazingly bubbly freshman plenty of time to meet the extremely hot junior sitting next to her. We talked, joked and laughed and were getting along famously, when they shut down registration for lunch. President Baker magically appeared with free frosty coupons (which was amazing since it was roughly 115 degrees in that hallway!) and told us to return after lunch. Jason took me, Emily Blanchard and Phil Rowland out to Wendy's. After cooling off, we resumed waiting.
We did not instantly fall in love that day. I did, but it would take Jason many more months of flirting and dating all of the wrong girls before he realized that Miss Right was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM! He asked me to be his girlfriend in Middlebrook Hall (yes, people did live there once!) on April 15, 1998. Ever since, it has been nothing but BLISS! I must say, none of this would have been possible without great people like Emily Blanchard and Phil Rowland who listened tirelessly to me wondering why Jason didn't act sooner. Also, to John Baker III for putting us both on stage crew together at Songfest, he knew what he was doing! However, all things happen in God's time and I am so grateful for York College and my AWESOME husband Jason!
P.S. Should I mention that the night before they put the clock tower on the Mackey Center that we snuck in there and kissed? :)
~Kendra (Sykes) Matkins '03
Kendra (Sykes) '03 and Jason Matkins '00
YC Swing Works its Magic
I met my love at YC. It was in the first week of school. I was a cool sophomore sitting on the swing.
One of my best friends, Donna (Busch) Embray '92, came walking up with a group. She made introductions.
There were two guys in her group. "These guys are from Iowa. This is Steven Kendall."
At least that is what I heard her say.
I sat there and looked...and tried to look like I wasn't looking...and kept thinking..."yeah, yeah, yeah...but what is the name of that other guy?!"
Turns out their names were Steve...and Kendall.
Kendall McCord.
Turns out, I liked his name so much I took it for my own. We're going on 21 years this May.
~Beckie (Luker) McCord '90
Beckie (Luker) '90 and Kendall McCord '91
Love on the risers
Freshman year at YC one of my favorite professors was Dr. Roush. I was impressed by how often he talked about how he pampered and treasured his wife and how he taught his two sons to do the same for their future wives. Though I had firmly set myself against pursuing any relationships at college, I decided that Dr. Roush would make the most amazing father-in-law ever.
Renee (Willard) '10 and Matt Roush '06
His son's girlfriend got wind of this and decided that she and Mitch, DR's youngest son, would introduce me to his older brother, Matt. They pointed him out to me one day in choir and told me that I had to introduce myself to him. Thinking nothing of it, I walked up, shook his hand and said, "Hi. My name is Renee. I am going to marry you someday." (Naturally, I was kidding.) Then I said, "Dang it, now I see the family resemblance. I had missed it before because your curly hair and facial structure kind of reminded me of a Greek mythological god. I have to go sing now. Bye!" I then scampered away, never intending to speak to him again. (To those who would say that I was trying to flirt with him, I truly was not. Matt has very chiseled features, pale marble-like skin and swept-back curly hair. My first thought upon noticing him was that he resembled some Grecian bust.)
After choir I turned around and was surprised to see Matt standing behind me. He said, "Do you like coffee?" I answered that I did. He said, "Good, then you are coming to coffee with me tonight at seven." Befuddled by the fact that this was not a question, my response was, "Um...I...uh...Okay." Sometimes love is very ironic. I jokingly said I was going to marry him. Five years later, I did.
~Renee (Willard) Roush '10
The right moves...toward God
Greg was the star of the wrestling team and I was the wrestling manager. I hung out with him and his roommates a lot, but never seriously considered dating any of them, because they were not Christians in word or deed. They were merely at YC to wrestle. My freshman year, I played Singled Out and won a date with Greg. It was fun, but went nowhere.
Jaclyn (Coehoorn) '08 and Greg Smith '07
About a year later, Greg started studying the Bible with the wrestling coach Russ Dudrey and a teammate. We began having long conversations about his religious background and about mine. He started coming to devos with me, and then began to come to church. After a few months of this, we started dating, and he was baptized shortly after. A year later, we were engaged, and a year after that, we married.
~Jaclyn (Coehoorn) Smith '08
High School Days Sweethearts
When campus minister Mike Rush '84 invited Amanda Tedford to come for High School Days during the spring semester of her senior year, he likely had no idea the impact it would have on her life. One of the first people she met at YC was Josh Couch, who was also visiting the campus. He invited her and a friend to sit with him and his brother in the cafeteria.
Amanda (Tedford) '05 and Josh Couch '05
Josh and Amanda became fast friends and ended up spending most of the weekend together. When High School Days was done, they exchanged email addresses. A few months later after graduation, Amanda moved to York to get a job before starting her freshman year. Josh followed. Their first date that summer was to get ice cream at Petro.
After a year of dating, Josh planned an elaborate scavenger hunt that led Amanda to many places on campus and in town that were important in their history—including Petro and the campus swing where they shared their first kiss. The last clue led her to the East Hill church building where Josh was waiting to propose. Seven months later, they were married.
"We swung on the white swing and I got my ring!" Amanda joked. This June, they will celebrate their ten year wedding anniversary.
Falling Head Over Heels. Literally.
I remember Justin from a history class at York College. He came in barefoot and with a ridiculous grin on his face. We also had one or two defense classes with Mr. Givens. However, Justin doesn't remember me at all from these interactions.
Crystal (Milota) '05 and Justin Stoll '03
Justin and I became friends after college. We both had gone to York College and had separate sets of friends throughout. However, we both found jobs in the York area and stayed a few years after college. Justin started to hang out with the Tandys, whom I call family. He began to work at the ethanol facility with me and we became friends. When he learned that I hadn't been skiing, Justin decided to remedy this by going to visit his good friend Aaron Fletcher '02 and to bring me along to teach me to ski.
I mastered the bunny slope with ease and chose to graduate to a more advanced slope. The terrain park was closest, and I thought I would simply avoid the ramps while impressing my 'friend'. The ice had a different thought and I hit a ramp directly. Flying into the air, I remember desperately reassuring myself "I can land. I can land." As I flipped upside-down, the entire ski lift gasped excitedly, oohing and ahhing as they believed I would do something spectacular. But excited gasps turned to screams as I crashed headfirst, knocking myself unconscious by kicking myself in the forehead with my own ski, leaving a Harry Potter scar, and breaking my leg. I woke up in a helicopter. Justin was given a bag of my cut-up and bloody clothes and sent to the hospital 40 minutes away while ski resort workers shoveled my blood out of the snow to re-open the slope.
The first time Justin met my mother was at St. Anthony's hospital in Colorado. He had to return to work, but called me every day for three weeks. When I returned to York, it would have been a burden for me to stay where I rented an upper room, so Justin moved out of his home and into his brother's basement. He invited Michele Tandy '00 and me to live in his single-story home while I healed. He cooked meals for me sometimes and continued to pay for mortgage and utilities.
We started dating four months later, after another Tandy nudged Justin in the right direction. We courted for six months, and he then asked for my hand. Thirteen months after the ski accident, we were husband and wife.
~Crystal (Milota) Stoll '05
A Barbaric Love Story
My husband Eric and I met at YC the fall of '88. He claims to have noticed me when we had chorus for the first time. He heard my name called and his interest was captured since his sister and I share the same name only pronounced differently. She is S"oh"nja but I am S"ah"nja. He later walked into the switchboard where I worked for Work Study and said "Hi Sonja!" This was alarming because I didn't think I had met him.
Sonja (Kibby) '90 and Eric Jacobson '91
I guess the real reason we got together though is a little known YC cafeteria group called the Barbarian Table. Two of the Barbarians decided to play a trick on some freshman girls, myself included, and pretend to fight each other out a top floor window of Thomas Hall. Then they threw a fake body out the window to make all think the fight had taken a horrific turn. Naturally we reacted like freshman girls would, me especially!
Later that evening while searching for a seat in the cafeteria I was spotted by the Barbarians and asked to sit at the famous table. Well who should be a Barbarian but Eric Jacobson? Love blossomed and I never sat anywhere else! As matter of fact we became the Ma and Pa Kettle of the Barbarian Table. He sat at one end and I sat at the other with all our Barbaric friends in between.
We were married in Aug of '91 and have enjoyed 20 years of marital bliss. We have three beautiful (although Barbaric at times) children.
--Sonja (Kibby) Jacobson '90
When Love Calls
Mark and I were acquainted but he wasn't on my romance radar, since he was a sophomore and I was a senior. The same was not true for him. He had a major crush on me for months before he plucked up his courage and called me one night.
Mark '06 and
Chrystal (Duquette) Houston '03
Now this was in the era before cell phones with caller ID. The phone rang in my dorm room—single ring, on-campus call. I was expecting a call from another guy friend about a project and I assumed this was him. For no particular reason, I answered the phone with a Brooklyn accent. "Joe's Pool Hall, this is Natasha speaking. What would you like on your pizza?"
"Um…pepperoni?" said a male voice. The conversation continued this way for a few minutes before he finally said, "By the way, this is Mark."
I was confused. "Mark who?" (Yes, I really said that.)
"Mark Houston."
"Oh, hi. Sorry, I thought you were someone else." Mark and I had a class together that semester. I asked if he was calling about homework.
"No…I was calling to see if you would like to have dinner with me sometime."
He had the element of surprise on his side. Under other circumstances, I think I might have said no. Instead I said, "um, ok?"
We were married in Gurganus Hall less than a year later.
~Chrystal (Duquette) Houston '03


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Even under ideal conditions, clearing landmines and other unexploded ordnance is dangerous and difficult work -- and the challenging security environment of southern Iraq makes clearance in the sandy soil and hot climate more challenging. But more help is on the way in the form of some specially-trained four-legged friends, thanks to the Department of State's support of our partners at the Marshall Legacy Institute's (MLI), and their work with the Iraqi Mine Clearance Organization (IMCO), a local non-governmental organization,
Mine-detection dogs are invaluable members of IMCO's mine-clearance teams, whose heightened sense of smell can significantly speed up the search for unexploded munitions. MLI has provided 12 dogs to IMCO since 2010 -- including a group of four new dogs that arrived in Basra in May 2013 for a round of training with their handlers. The U.S. Department of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) sponsors four of the dogs (Paco, Diesel, Friendship Too, and Parkie), while American schoolchildren sponsored seven more through MLI's Children Against Mines Program (CHAMPS). Raytheon sponsored the final MDD.
The training, funded by PM/WRA, brought the new dogs and handlers together with experienced mine detection teams. Working together in dog-handler pairs six days a week, the teams prepared for a series of tests to ensure the dogs met International Mine Action Standards for detecting landmines. The teams successfully passed their certification tests in late September. In early October, the four new dog teams joined the eight teams already operating in minefields in southern Iraq.
The training program also provided instruction on the international standards for Government of Iraq officials from the Directorate of Mine Action in Baghdad and the Regional Mine Action Center in Basra. Participants spent time learning about the International Mine Action Standards, and observing the rookie and veteran teams at work in the field. MLI will also bring in a skilled veterinarian to provide training on preventative care and treatment of working dogs. This training will improve the level of care provided by both IMCO personnel and local veterinarians in Basra.
Several decades of conflict have left numerous communities in Iraq, especially those in the southern provinces, heavily contaminated by mines and explosive remnants of war. The United States has invested more than $234 million in conventional weapons destruction programs in Iraq since 2003 to clear and safely dispose of landmines and excess munitions and weapons, once again allowing civilians to utilize the land for agriculture and other uses. Programs like the one conducted by MLI are an important part of developing a local capacity to tackle these challenges independently.
PM/WRA is proud to support the MLI training program and the Mine Detection Dog teams working for IMCO in southern Iraq. By keeping its teams accredited to international standards, IMCO is ensuring that their human and canine team members can continue sniffing out landmines and other explosive remnants of war for many years to come.
Since 1993, the United States has contributed more than $2 billion to more than 90 countries around the world to reduce the harmful worldwide effects of at-risk, illicitly proliferated, and indiscriminately used conventional weapons of war. For more information on U.S. humanitarian demining and Conventional Weapons Destruction programs, check out the latest edition of our annual report, To Walk the Earth in Safety.
About the Author: Geary Cox II serves as a Program Manager in the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.