text:
Karen Hughes is the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
This week I attended a movie premiere, but without Hollywood stars – this is Washington after all. The stars of this film are the men, women and children of America, shown at work, at play and going about their daily lives. This new film was produced by Disney, at no expense to the taxpayers of America, and generously given to the U.S. government to help us welcome international visitors to our country.
As a communicator, I believe the first principle of effective communications is clarity – and this video clearly says: We want you to come to America, you will be most welcome. At the same time, it quietly communicates the greatest strength of our country – our people.
When I first started working on America's public diplomacy a couple of years ago, a few things became very clear, very quickly. First, all our research shows that people who have visited America and seen us for themselves have much more positive views – in fact, travel industry research found that 74 percent of those who visit here are more likely to feel extremely favorably about America. So, one of my first goals became to attract more people here.
But that collided with another reality – that in the aftermath of September 11th, new security regulations designed to protect both our citizens and our guests had slowed the visa process, made our airports seem less friendly, and generally created a perception that was more off-putting than welcoming. I remember coming through an airport after an international trip – it seemed confusing and intimidating – even though I spoke the language. The only TV monitors were blank, and I didn't see even a single sign that said welcome or we're glad you're here.
I started looking for partners to help us put out a better welcome mat, and realized that the travel tourism industry had a shared interest in bringing people to our country. We started brainstorming ways to make the entire process, from getting a visa to standing in an airport security line, more customer friendly. One of the things we all talked about from our very first meeting was using television monitors to display a welcoming video message as people stood in lines to go through customs.
Providing a warm welcome is more than something nice to do. Attracting people to our country is vital to our economy, our national interests, and especially to public diplomacy. I believe our education and exchange programs have been our single most effective public diplomacy tool of the last 50 years, and I've worked hard to make them more strategic and expand them. We're bringing key influencers like clerics, journalists, teachers, business leaders – and we're sending more Americans overseas to learn languages and more about the rich cultures and contributions of other countries.
I meet with veterans of these exchange programs and they almost all say the same thing – the experience changed my life. It also has the potential to change the world – more than 130 of our exchange participants have gone on to become leaders of their countries, including the current prime minister of Great Britain, the president of France, and the president of Turkey. We want to make sure the same thing is true 20 or 30 years from now.
I like to describe the way others view our country as a complex tapestry that is woven by many different artists from many different threads– from the pop culture of Hollywood to government policies of Washington, from the products of our companies to the personalities of our people. This video will now become one of those threads, illuminating the many smiling faces of America to welcome international guests.
We have already sent the video and associated posters to embassies and consular offices across the world, where it will greet aspiring visitors long before they arrive on our shores. We're going to play it in waiting rooms and at embassy events – and we hope it will inspire many who otherwise might not have thought about traveling to America to come and see it for themselves.
P.I. in California writes:
The short answer might be that if one needs to ask this question about children purchasing tickets to visit America in the first place, then it's logical to conclude there's vast room for improvement on the implementation side of the Peace Corps, UNICEF and World Learning.
Ralph in Greece writes:
What a wonderful video in a way that only Disney does so well! It reminded a bit of "Soaring over California" at Disney's California Adventure park. The concept is outstanding! Welcome to America.
Living in Greece and seeing their antagonistic attitudes towards immigrants, I like to politely remind them that they themselves were welcomed to America many years ago, and should have the common decency to welcome their own immigrants as we do in America.
God Bless America!!
Charles in Ohio writes:
Some observations:
What percentage of the smiling kids in this film do you think will be denied access to decent health care because of GOP opposition to SCHIP?
Why do you think the film fails to depict the wall the U.S is building to keep people out? Our ancestors - remember the ones from Europe? - fortunately did not face such a welcome.
Finally, why go to the number one fantasy corporation in the U.S. to do a movie on our great country? Fantasy? Reality? Ah, no real difference in Bushworld.
Murat in Turkey writes:
This is indeed a brilliant idea and a very necessary step by the U.S., given the world's current social and political conditions. If I were you, I would do just the same! (By the way, I haven't seen the movie yet, so my views about the movie are yet to come.) Despite the underlying principles of the "New World" such as respect for human rights, freedom of speech, rule of law, etc. that are the definite "musts" for a free and democratic society, America is being perceived as a "bad guy bullying around" among many nations all over the world, as far as I observe on global media and internet, as well as in my own country. This is partly due to some deadly wrong steps in the U.S. foreign policy and partly to provocations of extremist evil forces who deliberately spread anti American sentiments as a part of their main policy to prevent anti-democratic and oppressive countries' people from reaching a modern, free, democratic lifestyle. In my opinion, the biggest enemy of the humanity is the widespread hatred among nations of the world that is trying to be resurrected by dark and evil forces. Everybody should keep in mind that humanity suffered a lot from wars in the past. In my opinion; America, for its part, should be severely concerned about the fast rising anti American sentiment among nations mainly in Latin America and Asia, and should work hard to reverse it. This is a good start for such a healing process. I hope this "marketing" work doesn't stay as a "sole marketing" approach and is also supported by some necessary policy changes, too. Only this way, may America begin to be perceived as a symbol of "hope for a better life, real liberty, and real New World" again.
James in Virginia writes:
Ms. Hughes,
That is spot on, and I hope it can be shown around the world as well. The message is subtle and clear -- that's rare these days.
Thank you for sharing it here.
Barborka in Poland writes:
Brilliant! We need more of these great "vignettes" that show who and what we are. Big kudos to Disney.
William in Texas writes:
Not bad, but I missed the clip of a Marine precision drill unit or a seven man firing party at Army veteran's funeral or a Blue Angel flyby or even a snippet of a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The complex tapestry of America is woven in the thread of the United States Armed Forces and dyed in their blood. Just one brief scrap of tape of a Civil War reenactment would have gone a long way in defining why this is the premier destination of those yearning to be free - all of those beautiful, smiling, free faces depicted by Disney. Even tourists perhaps specifically tourists should see that.
Beto in Brazil writes:
Beautiful video!
Hope I feel this welcome the next time I arrive at an American airport.
Philip in New Jersey writes"
Take a look, world!
Kashif in America writes:
Portraits of America was diverse yet it was something that Disney could have shot anywhere in the world, America may be diverse but it does not hold a monopoly on diversity. I personally liked the "It's a small World After All" ride I went on in Disney when I was a kid which was more amusing and had a more universal message I thought was appealing. America is diverse by diversity I mean it has different nationalities in it that consider themselves American as well as Korean for example so that universal bond plays a more important role than a look at us as we are American and we are diverse which to me seems like hey okay I get it you are diverse what do you want me to do with that. Touting diversity as strength is fine so long as you remember it is not a solution to life's problems. It's great that you have Bush running around taking pictures with all these different people all the time like the Dalai Lama but that isn't going to hide the fact that it will take more than photo ops to solve the world's problems.
William in Texas writes:
@ Charles in Ohio --
a) None.
b) Because, unfortunately, it hasn't been built yet.
c) Because your view of America is the same as Murat in Turkey.
Murat in Turkey writes:
Now, I'm back from work and I've had a look at the movie. As I expected, it seems to be a good job and I hope it will serve the purpose. Now, let's make my view about America clear. Personally, I can not feel antipathy to a country which provides a majority of its own people with a free, democratic and prosperous life opportunity. Though I've never visited U.S. yet, I can observe the family values of traditional U.S. citizens-via internet forums, websites, books and media- and can draw some parallels with our way of life. Beginning from my childhood, I generally wiew America as a mighty and civilised country of mainly happy people and home to many opportunities for the people from all over the world. As a person fully in favour of cultural interaction among all nations-so long as no single party oppresses the others- I like the American approach of diversity. However, America has gained much antipathy even enmity from other counries in recent years, and this is partly due to its own foreign policy actions. If only the world's suffering people weren't made to blame their woes on America's policies, sometimes even threats and attacks. So, I'm not among those whose views of America are intended to be changed in the positive way by this movie, but I take this movie as a very good starting point to work against the rising anti-American sentiment, of which I'm also concerned for the sake of a peaceful world. I like hamburgers and cola, just as well as I like kebaps.
Layne in Colorado writes:
Great video! Great cinematography, wonderful music, and a broad cross-section of everything that makes America such an amazing place to live. Democracy breeds a vibrant culture, and this film captures that concept very well.
Charles in Ohio writes:
On SCHIP, see Sen. Cornyn earlier this week:
"Census data reports that there were approximately 8 million children without health insurance at some point in 2005. In the State of Texas alone, there are roughly 500,000 Medicaid-eligible children who are not covered by Medicaid and an additional 200,000 SCHIP-eligible children -- up to 200 percent of poverty level -- who are not signed up for that program." (http://cornyn.senate.gov/)
Make believe cannot overcome the plain, hard facts on the ground.
Three images of the non-existent border fences:
William in Texas writes:
a) There appears to be about 145 miles of the proposed (700 mile) fence completed ã all of it behind schedule. The U. S. Mexican border is approximately 2000 miles long ã that's only 13% and not nearly enough. As an aside, this view runs across political, ideological, racial and ethnic lines. If you doubt the polls, please look at the comments on the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle sites when the topic of illegal aliens is in the news.
b) The key phrase in Senator Cornyn's statement is: "Who are not signed up for that programã" It is simply not the case that there are masses of U.S. Citizens who are not covered whether they are adults or children. As my last word on health care I have no difficulty "contributing" to the destitute, but I have real problem subsidizing those who may exceed 200% of the poverty level, most especially at the expense of my family.
c)What I object to in your comments is the suggestion that America is somehow the focus of evil in the world. I vehemently oppose that this is the case at any level. If it were, to paraphrase and old saw, they wouldn't be breaking in. The tenor of your comments here (any forum to bash America) and, I suspect, your world view in general is incompatible with mine. We are not going to agree.
To get back to the topic at hand, America is not a race or ethnicity; it is an idea and an ideal. It is the very best of ideas and ideals and it is most worthy of sharing and above all protecting.
Wang in China writes:
Fantastic!!! It shows me a more impressing and attracting America!!!
Rapeeporn in U.S.A. writes:
Fabulous!! Yes, it is America indeed. However, I think we can't explain America less than 7 minutes...
John in Greece writes:
Although I am not an American citizen, I strongly agree with the "C" point of William from Texas. America should not be considered as a race or ethnicity. It is certainly an idea and an ideal for all the globe. Moreover, according to my point of view, even if someone is not an American citizen, no matter where he lives, he can consider himself so, by accepting and respecting the political and ethical values of Americaãs democracy, which is a global philosophy for freedom and human dignity.
Concerning the video, "using television monitors to display a welcoming video message as people stand in lines to go through customs" is a great idea. However, I think that they can do a better editing and scene selection, although the video is good enough already. They also can add a welcome title as the video runs in order for everyone -- moreover for those that do not know what they are watching -- to understand that this is a "welcome to America video." When the video is displayed as people stand in "embassies security lines" they can write something like: "This is America."
Nevertheless, the most important is the strategy, since "people who have visited America and have seen you guys for themselves have much more positive views." That's why Karen Hughes is absolutely right in everything she writes concerning the wide scale concept and strategy of the project.
Yan in China writes:
I feel dazed when reading the article in several minutes, do you have to make this background as dark black!? since it is very uncomfortable for my eyes for catching the context with this unfriendly interface.
Murat in Turkey writes:
"America is not a race or ethnicity, it's an idea and an ideal." (William in Texas and John in Greece).I admire this view and fully agree. I also agree that this view is regardless of borders on the map. This is what makes America a global dream rather than a regional-though mighty- state. I hope this movie and other necessary steps I mentioned before will help Amreica be seen this way by many people all over the world, again. This will surely contribute to world peace.
Chris in Canada writes:
Next time America makes a video about America maybe they should use natural wonders that are actualy on American soil. That shot of Niagara Falls is in Canada not America. Just another example of American ignorance and arrogance.
William in Texas writes:
@ John in Greece --
I appreciate your comment. There are too many who were born in the U.S.A. who do not. The American ideal was founded on the soul of a Hebrew and the mind of a Greek; and, I believe that spark exists within all of us. Too many have suppressed it and too many who are immersed in their own depravity scorn it. My best to you and freedom loving people everywhere.
Pamela in Canada writes:
Why did you choose to show the Canadian side of the Niagra Fall, shot from Canada in a video that supposedly shows the beauty of the U.S.???
Rather misleading, don't you think? Oh well...when folks come over to the CANADIAN side, to see the falls you've posted...we'll just ask them to stay. What the heck...it's no big deal, since we're sharing stuff anyways..right?!
Rommel in Maryland writes:
Oh Canada! Everyone knows that the best view and the best set of the Niagra River's falls is on the Canadian side! And Disney, being the money-grubbing, greedy little suckers that they are, chose this set of falls over the Bridal Veil, or the American because of the shear aesthetic beauty and wondrous view from the ground and air which the Horseshoe Falls provide. I have visited Nigara Falls only once, but I have seen all three sets of falls, and without doubt, the Horseshoe on the Canadian side is the most spectacular. Disney's producers and director knew which of the Falls would be most appealing as well, and as any tourist will tell you, its the pictures of the Horseshoe Falls that everyone clamours for. Too bad, U.S., but Canada has us beat on a more beautiful natural wilderness, and much better preserved too, as well as the better of the three falls at Niagra.
Barry in New York writes:
Maybe you all should read this:
And maybe spend more time on promoting American places instead of taking something Canadian as your own.
David in Maryland writes:
Disney has done it again. Another amazing cinematic adventure into, what seems to be, the heart of how we would prefer ourselves to be perceived: Warm, Romantic, Dramatic, Robust, Happy and Healthy.
The question of security "For All" does not seem to be any part of this video and that is how it should be. Those that visit, not just in The U.S.A., but anywhere in the world, should have the freedom to go about and enjoy the wonders of all cultures without the fear of "9/11" happening again. The reality of our situation (border security) is necessary and in my opinion allows us the peace of mind to live our lives and does not take away from enjoying ourselves. However, it does bother me that some people find security measures a nuisance and irritating. These people do not see beyond themselves and are removed from the reality of what would happen if these measures weren?t there to protect and serve.
For those who voluntarily put their lives on the line so we may live our lives as free individuals, I give my thanks and undying gratitude.
Steven in Canada writes:
Ummm, if this is supposed to be a video of the U.S., why does it show the Canadian side of the Niagara falls? Please explain this, we Canadians don't show videos claiming to own Elise island.
Neel in California writes:
You should be ashamed of that shot of Niagara Falls; clearly on the Canadian side and not on the American side. I question the integrity of the rest of the video. Not impressed.
Lee in Canada writes:
I would like to say how nice of a video that is. it quite a complent that they used scenes from Canada. Niagra Falls is 100% Canada not U.S.A. Its ours not yours. I'm sure that if the states is such an awsome place to visit they could have found landmarks thats theres to promote.
Colin in Japan writes:
You would achieve more by sending your airport staff to courses on customer relations.
Bad news travels faster than good and believe me travelers talk about American airports!


text:
Shop is Not a Four-Letter Word, writes Jim Berman on Edutopia. "Technical education is the foundation that can work for many of our students." Berman started his teaching career at a technical high school.
On my very first day, my supervisor, Mr. Wells, walked me through the halls. He introduced me to Mr. Davis, Automotive Technology instructor. Davis explained that his students are almost always in demand, often securing good employment before making the big walk in June.
I saw students working beneath the undercarriage of cars, suspended with myriad of diagnostic cables, wires and hoses that made a surgical suite look plebian.
I saw the Carpentry classroom, complete with a house being built from the foundation, wired by the Electrical Trades students and run with pipe by the Plumbing crew. Mr. Wells hustled me off to Medical Assisting where a patient was splayed out on gurney with all the requisite needles and beeping monitors you would see at Cedars-Sinai or the Mayo Clinic. The Welding room was glowing with the azure, electric-white glow from plasma torches ripping through metal. The din from the Automotive Body Repair garage was deafening. Mr. Wells explained that we were witnessing a team on a hard deadline to finish the repair and paint work on a '77 Corvette that was heading to a car show the following week.
Berman plans a three-part series.
College students need practical skills as well as liberal arts, writes Scott Carlson in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Students learn about "sustainability" in class, but don't know how to cook their own food, much less grow it, he writes. They can't install a thermostat that conserves electricity.
Even science and engineering students lack "a serious enough regard for the way things get made and the way that things arrive on our kitchen table to eat in the morning," says Robert Forrant, a professor of labor and industrial history at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and a former factory-floor machinist.
Instead his students see themselves as designers, divorced from the dirty work of making. "Somehow we have this notion that we are going to be this country that has all the idea people—that all the Steve Jobses of the world will live in the United States," Forrant says. "To somehow think that you can dream something up without really understanding what it takes to make it flies in the face of reality."
My husband, who grew up tinkering in the basement workshop, understands how things work. As an electrical engineer, he holds 30-odd patents.

subset: commoncrawl


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Today is the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network's Day of Silence, an event meant to bring attention to the "silencing effect" of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. In classrooms across the country, thousands of young people will stay silent throughout the day as part of an annual student-led effort that has been occurring since 1996.
In anticipation of the Day of Silence, People For the American Way recently released a new policy toolkit, Education Without Discrimination: Creating Safe Schools for All Students, which provides activists with the tools they need to advocate for critical safe schools reforms. The toolkit includes lobbying and media tips, talking points, sample materials, and background info on the lead federal legislation, the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) and Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA).
Unfortunately the Religious Right continues to rail against commonsense legislation like SSIA and SNDA that would help make our schools safe for all students. Right-wing activist Gordon Klingenschmitt has warned that the Student Non-Discrimination Act would "give homosexuals and perverts protected status" and "mandate pro-homosexual recruiting of kids in public schools." Just this week, Mission America's Linda Harvey – who once claimed that anti-bullying programs would turn schools into "indoctrination camps" – publicly encouraged young LGBT people to stay in the closet.
To learn more about how to stand up to these hateful attacks and push for positive change, check out the safe schools toolkit.
In honor of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's Day of Silence today – an annual event meant to draw attention to the "silencing effects" of anti-gay harassment and name-calling in schools – Right Wing Watch is re-releasing a collection of some of the most troubling recent claims from the Religious Right about safe schools initiatives.
Relying on harmful myths depicting LGBT people as abusive and "perverse," it is clear from these examples that the Religious Right is far more interested in pushing homophobic lies than in protecting and supporting all students through commonsense legislation. Our elected leaders face a stark choice between protecting students and siding with the dangerous and hateful lies of the far right.
5. Gordon Klingenschmitt: Al Franken is 'Causing More Suicides' by Backing Anti-Bullying Bill (January 2012)
Previously, Gordon Klingenschmitt accused Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) of "homosexualizing kids" and acting like late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il over his efforts to pass legislation geared at preventing bullying because Franken and other progressives have "deified sin as their god." Now, Klingenschmitt is accusing Franken of "causing more suicides" for sponsoring the anti-bullying bill. "Teen suicide is tragic enough without Senator Franken recruiting more kids into homosexuality, which causes depression, self-hatred, self-rejection and self-murder," Klingenschmitt writes, "Franken's plan will result in more teen suicides, not less."
4. Linda Harvey Warns That Anti-Bullying Programs Will Turn Schools Into 'Indoctrination Camps' (November 2011)
Linda Harvey of Mission America urged voters to oppose the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act, warning that such anti-bullying legislation was "using bullying prevention as a tool to force approval of homosexuality and gender bending on children, teachers and families." On her radio show, Harvey urged members of her Ohio-based group to contact Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman to oppose what she called the "promotion of these lifestyles to kids brought into schools in the Trojan Horse of anti-bullying programs." She went on to say that schools will be turned "into indoctrination camps" in order "to fulfill the fondest wishes of those who want traditional morality to disappear" if the safe school legislation passes.
3. Public Advocate: Congress Using Schools 'To Force The Homosexual Agenda' On Children (April 2011)
Religious Right groups consistently try to tarnish anti-bullying initiatives by labeling them as "homosexual indoctrination" and "special rights," among other absurd claims. A Religious Right group called Public Advocate and led by Virginia politician Eugene Delgaudio launched the "Protect Our Children's Innocence" petition to protest the Student Non-Discrimination Act, which it labeled the "Homosexual Classrooms Act."
2. Gordon Klingenschmitt Says 'Sick and Perverse' Student Non-Discrimination Act Will Legalize 'Sexual Assault' (April 2012)
After President Obama announced his support for the Student Non-Discrimination Act, Gordon Klingenschmitt went back on the attack against the anti-bullying bill, warning in an email message that the "sick and perverse" legislation will "give homosexuals and perverts protected status," "mandate pro-homosexual recruiting of kids in public schools," promote "child abuse" as "homosexuals will have full control of classrooms" and even allow for harassment and "sexual assault."
1. Sandy Rios: Schools No Longer Teach Reading and Writing, Now Just Promote Homosexuality (April 2013)
The American Family Association's Sandy Rios hosted Linda Harvey of Mission America to criticize the Day of Silence, the anti-bullying event which Harvey has previously described as dangerous and blasphemous.
Rios, who once said that test scores are dropping as a result of schools "teaching" homosexuality, kicked off the program by arguing that public schools no longer instruct students in subjects like "reading, writing, cursive, spelling, grammar [and] punctuation," but are instead completely dedicated to "cramming, twisting, perverting all academic subjects to the way of supporting homosexuality."
For too many students, school is not a safe place. More than six in ten LGBT students have felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and more than four in ten because of their gender expression. Losing their sense of safety means that they lose access to the quality education all students deserve.
In anticipation of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network's Day of Silence on April 11, an annual event to highlight the silence created by anti-LGBT harassment in schools, today People For the American Way released a new policy toolkit, Education Without Discrimination: Creating Safe Schools for All Students.
From talking points to sample lobbying letters to social media resources, the toolkit is designed to help you understand and advocate for the critical legislation that has been introduced in Congress to address this problem, including the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act.
Together we can send a loud and clear message to Congress: all students deserve safe schools.


text:
October 30, 2006 WIC Update
SUBJECT: HWNE Nutrition Education screen
SUBJECT: Springfield's VENA Training Site Change - Reminder
SUBJECT: Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) Dates to Remember
SUBJECT: New WIC Preschool Activity Sheets Now Available on WIC Works
SUBJECT: Cultural Competency 101 Training and Resource Extra Manuals
SUBJECT: Cultural Competency Resource Materials
- HWNE Nutrition Education screen: When coding the initial contact "AR" code on the HWNE screen, the HWNE screen appears to show that the code is being applied to all members of the family even if they are not due for recert that day.
Example: "Child A" is being recertified today, 10/25/06. There is one infant in the family "Infant A" who was certified 3 months ago on 7/25/06. There is one other child in the family "Child B" who was also recertified three months ago on 7/25/06.
When keying the AR code for "Child A" today on the HWNE screen, the screen pulls up all three participants in the family and populates the AR code to those records on the screen. Even though you get a successful completion on that screen, the AR code is not stored on the records for "Infant A" and "Child B" if the AR code already exists. In other words, it will not duplicate the AR code on a record.
If you have any questions or if you find anything else that you think might be an error with the HWNE screen, please call Melissa Seaver at 573-751-6489 or e-mail email@example.com.
- Springfield's VENA Training Site Change – Reminder: Springfield's VENA Training Site Change - In order to make the VENA program more enjoyable for our attendees in Springfield on November 16-17, the location of the training has been changed to the Clarion Hotel - Ballroom #2 at 3333 South Glenstone Avenue. A map of the training site is attached. If you have any questions, please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) Dates to Remember: Local agency staff that attended the VENA training earlier this month asked about timelines for implementation. We shared the following information during the training:
December 15, 2006 - The State WIC office submits the VENA Self-Evaluation to USDA.
January 16, 2007 - The Nutrition Assessment forms will be available in HANDS. LWPs will no longer be able to use the 24 dietary recall.
March 2007 Program Updates - Training on additional VENA changes in HANDS.
June 1, 2007 - Implement additional changes in HANDS.
August 15, 2007 - WIC State Office submits the VENA Implementation Plan to USDA.
October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2009 - Development and Roll-out of VENA.
October 1, 2009 - VENA fully implemented.
- New WIC Preschool Activity Sheets Now Available on WIC Works: Local agency nutritionists will want to check out the new preschool activity sheets available on WIC Works. These activity sheets could be used in presenting nutrition education sessions for children, for keeping children occupied during a clinic visit, or as a waiting room activity.
The WIC preschool activity sheets are intended for preschool aged WIC participants, in particular 2-4 year olds. Nutrition messages are learned through activities appropriate for this age group based on information from the Department of Education. These activity sheets include basic preschool skills such as counting, identifying shapes, identifying letters in the alphabet, matching alike items (food), and identifying objects (with emphasis on fruits and vegetables).
The materials are available at http://www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks/Sharing_Center/gallery/wic_fam10.htm#fa43a in PDF format in both English and Spanish. They may be printed in black and white or color. If you have any questions, please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Cultural Competency 101 Training and Resource Extra Manuals: The WIC Cultural Competency Training and Support team would like to thank those who attended the Cultural Competency 101 Training in July and September 2006. The training was a success and more than 200 WIC staff members from 62 local WIC providers attended the training. We have about 30 manuals available for local WIC providers who missed the training. If your agency would like to have a manual, please contact Takako Tagami at email@example.com.
- Cultural Competency Resource Materials: An objective of the Missouri WIC Cultural Competency Training and Support project is to assist local WIC providers by providing resources in order to develop culturally friendly clinics. All local WIC providers will receive the following resource materials in November:
- "Health Matters: A Pocket Guide For Working With Diverse Cultures and Underserved Populations" - by Michele Yehieli and Mark Grey
- "Kids' Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fun Around the World" - by Deanna F. Cook
- "American Heritage Pocket Spanish Dictionary: Spanish to English and English to Spanish"
- "My Pyramid" DVD or VHS (in the format requested by each LWP) - English and Spanish - by Discovery Education
A world map will be sent to local WIC providers separately in December. We hope the resource materials above will assist you in providing culturally appropriate services for WIC participants in Missouri through improved cultural awareness and competency skills. Please contact Takako Tagami at 1-800-392-8209 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com, if you have any questions.
- FFY2007 WIC-24: The FFY2007 WIC-24 Monthly Administrative Cost Invoice files have been posted.
The FFY2007 WIC-24 Excel Workbook differs from the FFY2006 WIC-24 in two respects:
- The color of the header on each tab of the workbook has been changed to green to distinguish it from the FFY2006.
- The WIC24-C In-Kind Expenses Reported tab has been revised to reflect the sources of funding for covering un-billed WIC eligible expenses between non-federal and Federal sources. The instructions tab for the WIC24-C has been updated.
Individual WIC-24 files for each of the twelve months of FFY2007 have been posted. However, as in past years, each month's file may be modified to turn it into the next month's file thus saving copying names, rates, etc.
Questions regarding the FFY2007 WIC-24 should be directed to Jim Schindler at the state WIC office, or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Map To Clarion Hotel - VENA Training - Springfield


text:
Libertines Real and Fictional in Rochester, Shadwell, Wycherley, and Boswell
Date: May 2008
Creator: Smith, Victoria
Description: Libertines Real and Fictional in Rochester, Shadwell, Wycherley, and Boswell examines the Restoration and eighteenth-century libertine figure as it appears in John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester's Satyr against Mankind, "The Maim'd Debauchee," and "Upon His Drinking a Bowl," Thomas Shadwell's The Libertine, William Wycherley's The Country Wife, and James Boswell's London Journal, 1762-1763. I argue that the limitations and self-contradictions of standard definitions of libertinism and the ways in which libertine protagonists and libertinism in general function as critiques of libertinism. Moreover, libertine protagonists and poetic personae reinterpret libertinism to accommodate their personal agendas and in doing so, satirize the idea of libertinism itself and identify the problematization of "libertinism" as a category of gender and social identity. That is, these libertines misinterpret-often deliberately-Hobbes to justify their opposition and refusal to obey social institutions-e.g., eventually marrying and engaging in a monogamous relationship with one's wife-as well as their endorsement of obedience to nature or sense, which can include embracing a libertine lifestyle in which one engages in sexual encounters with multiple partners, refuses marriage, and questions the existence of God or at least distrusts any sort of organized religion. Since any attempts to define the word "libertinism"-or at least ...
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Erie Warrior wrote: Stats are useful. But they've become a religion, and are touted to make definitive statements. To that, I object.
People touting them as religion and definitive aren't using them properly. Read any expert and they're all in the same tone, "due for a regression" not "will definitely regress". "Player A's BABIP of .400 should normalize to the traditional mean of around .300" not "this guy won't get a hit for a month".


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Anna studied theater and history at the University of Portland. She writes and teaches in Eugene.
Rachael Carnes has written for The Stranger in Seattle, as well as Eugene Weekly, since the mid-nineties. Covering dance, theater, performance art, as well as human interest stories, Rachael enjoys meeting new people and seeing their creative process in action. As the founder of a local non profit, Sparkplug Dance, she teaches movement to kids in our community who juggle any number of risk factors.


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Moderators: peeker643, swerb, pup, papacass
by Triple-S » Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:54 pm
Swerb wrote:Go start a blog if you want to tell the world your incomprehendible ramblings.
Cerebral_DownTime wrote:I have a big arm and can throw the ball pretty damn far...... maybe even over those moutains. The Browns should sign me, i'll let you all in locker room to drink beer. Then we can all go out the parking lot to watch me do motorcycle stunts.
by pup » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:09 am
by Orenthal » Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:21 am
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by motherscratcher » Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:58 pm
leadpipe wrote:If Daniel Gibson and Luke Walton are able to run around on an NBA floor, I don't see how this guy is that out of place.
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Open design allows for easy view of all items
To create useful storage for everything from lengths of molding to fishing poles, Club member Dan Moser of Masontown, Pennsylvania, hangs scrap sections of plastic lattice from the rafters in his garage. Because of the open design of the lattice, Dan can quickly see the items stored overhead and has easy access to them. Brought to you by: American Profile


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Have just moved to an acreage property where Kangaroos have free access to our land. Are there any steps I need to take to protect my veggies or will they only eat the grass as they do at the moment?
Hi Alison,
Keeping animals away from your vegie garden can be challenging. We are also on acreage and our own experience has been very interesting. We do not have kangaroos, but there are many possums, hares and bandicoots around and people in our area have problems with them in their vegie patches. We have concentrated on improving the soil fertility of the whole block we live on by using Biodynamic preparations, twice per year. As a consequence growth on the rest of the property is good and the native animals eat what they would normally eat. They leave our vegie patch alone. To me, this creates a more natural balance and recognises the connectedness of everything in and around the garden.
If the grasses around your block are in healthy condition, I think you should be OK with the Kangaroos. If the grass is poor and weedy, they may see your vegie patch as a nice place to go. In this case having a wire fence around the patch would help. I also find that wire fences are great as climbing frames for plants like passion fruits.
Explore using Biodynamic preparations, BD500 and 501. More information on how to get them is on the Biodynamic Association of Australia web site and if you look in our Garden Tips document under soil fertility, you will find information on how to use them. These preparations, made from totally natural materials, have a significant impact on improving humus level in soil and cost very little.
Hi Peter,
I saw you mentioned possums! I think I'm at war with the possums. I say I think because I can't think what else it could be that gets in and eats everything - mice? rats? - and because there are heaps of possums in this area. I live in Dutton Park.
So I've set up netting around the couple of small beds that we've got for veges. See this photo:
Just this morning the buggers found a way in (I mistakenly left a bit of gap after collecting some lettuce and they've nibbled most of the broccoli that seemed to be going along nicely! See this photo
I'm very much the novice gardener, so there's a chance it's something other than possums, and even more of a chance that there are better ways for keeping possums away.
Any ideas?
(and are those broccoli likely to make a comeback from the possum attack or should I just give them up?!?!)
Dealing with possums in your food garden is challeging but there are solutions that work and do not involve waging a war.
Netting is one thing to do but it is fiddly, often does not work, can inhibit your plant growth especially if you have fruiting crops and doesn't look as good compared to seeing the plants in open air.
There are many sprays that can be used. Here are some web site with lists of them:
In my own experience, the best deterrent is to provide food for the possum that is not the food you are growing. They love highly scented plants with nectar. We have a number of jasmin vines around our place and around the vegetable garden. They love these and grevillea is also a good one.
The possum around our house lives in a cupboard in our garage and we feed it occasionally and look in on it at least once a week, so its become like a pet. We care for it and it seems to respect our territory.
So be kind to your possum and experiment with other ways to deal with it. You are living in the possum's territory, but you can both live in harmony if you are both well fed.
Happy gardening
I have my raised beds surrounded with chicken wire which is not taught - apparently they do not like the instability. Never had a problem with possums in the veges but I do have a possum box in the garage and we do put out food for them. I svae apple cores - over-ripe fruit of any sort and always buy a bag of carrots for the times I haven't anything else. Seems to work. I notice they are doing a fine old job on lemons though (thank heavens I have a glut).
Our possum does not touch our garden, its become like a pet. We have not yet mastered the bandicoot, however it seems to like mostly digging in the compost heap and in the edge of our garden beds. Sometimes it will remove a young plant. The only time in many years that I have lost a crop to it was when I had a beautiful crop of carrots this year and the little critter dug over 150 of them up.
I had a few stern words with it then and the damage has been virtually nothing ever since but I see its little holes around the garden most nights.
Happy gardening
Hi Alison. We live on acreage also and have large numbers of Kangaroos that graze right up to within a few metres of the house (and garden). I was really worried when I put in my first vege garden that they would make it their dining room but they dont seem interested in it. (everyone told me that with all of the wildlife in the area I would not be able to have a productive garden.) My gardens are at ground level with no barriers between them and the grass and to date my biggest preditor is the cabbage catapiller!
That's a good story about the predators. I am in a similar situation, though we do get a visit at times by a bandicoot. At the moment we are sacrificing a pumpkin out of a big crop to keep the bandicoot happy.
I feel its important to have good fertility around your block rather than having your garden as an oasis in a desert. We handle this by putting out biodynamic preparation 500 over our whole five acres. We often make this ourselves and at other times buy it from the Biodynamic Association of Australia. There is quite a bit of content on our site about BD500 in Resources, Biodynamics, Practice notes. That's on our public site.
With the cabbage caterpillar, a good companion to keep the cabbage moth and caterpillar away from your food crop is coriander. All good and bad companions for the 130 veg and herb crops in our Gardener subscriber site can be found on the Companion search which is at resources, Plant search tools.
Happy gardening
Hi Peter. Thanks for that. I havn't had a chance to look thru that yet. I actually need to re plant some corrander.
Peter's advice rings true for me. We too put our mandalas in a kangaroo paddock but the BD preps and general care including maintaining a mowed weed barrier around the garden ensures bountiful pick for the roos around the garden and except for an occasional graze on the sugarcane at the edge , they leave the garden alone.
We use a fox pepper to keep the chooks safe but restrict the use of peppers as they are "powerful magic" and you don't want to interfere too much with nature.
Speaking of magic - we had Alana Moore come and deliver a workshop on earth dosing in line with her book "Stone Age farming for the 21st century" a part of the workshop was development of a "Tower of Power" which looks to use radionics as part of the process. we charge the tower with positive affirmations and a few "requests" such as control and balance with respects to Galahs and possums - it seems to work well. Go figure.
regards Mark
I feel that using these types of methods is where food growing will move to for the innovators. Funny how using quite old knowledge is now innovative, but then its pretty obvious that chemical farming or Genetech are not the answer.
Did you make you fox peppers or did you buy them, if you bought them, where did you get them?
Both BD peppers and BD 500 can be applied with radionics.
My brother in-law uses radionics to put out BD500 on his quite large cattle and grain property. He was a chemical farmer for years and once he started using the BD preps he commented on being able to finally smell his soil.
There is quite a bit of controversy in the BD movement about using radionics as is not as pure as the hand stirring process and does not usually provide the opportunity for the intention of the gardener or farmer to enter the brew. I don't have a farm and always use hand stirring, but I can accept that radionics works.
For others reading this post, there is some content on BD peppers at [cityfoodgrowers.com.au]
Happy gardening
It is hand stiring for me always with the BD preps Peter - I feel it is the intent that we put into the water that forms alot of the "active ingredient" and hand stiring is a great way to inject the intent into the process.
The fox pepper was from a roadkill male fox Peter.
To get back on the thread - I have heard it said that a kangaroo will not jump a fence he can't see the other side of and hanging hessian on the fence will prevent them jumping over. Is anyone aware of this or had any experience?
I live on the suburban bush fringewith a suburban size block in Hobart. The density of possums is extreme - with perhaps up to 10 possums on the properties fence line early in the evening. And since a very dry summer the year before last we now have urban wallabies. We have maximised growing areas on our property and after several years of exasperation have netteed and caged everything. I was happy to share, but there had to be something left to share!!! So, I am now enjoying the wallabies doing our mowing of grass (we have lush grass which always needed ridiculous amounts of mowing) and is also freely fertilised by wallabies, chooks and the pet rabbit, the possums can take there chances with whatever they get, the chooks can be moved from one cage to the next and are safe froom aerial predators and I am looking forward to a productive summer garden, at last!!! which I will leave excess produce to feed all the animals - but outside the cages. The only down side is that I don't get the benefit of birds in some areas to control insects, but so far it hasn't been a problem. So I guess it depends on the siutaution and load of possums and wallabies.


text: On this day … 15th May 1937 … Viscount Philip Snowden died. He is the 2nd cousin 1x removed of the wife of my 2nd great grand uncle. 1948 … Florence Espley and George Eric Hughes married at Stockport in Cheshire. Florence is my wife's 4th cousin. Share this:TwitterFacebookEmailLike this:Like Loading... Related


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Posts Tagged 'Keller'
Some Totally Inappropriate Christmas Eve Fiction1
December 24, 2010 by Reader's Connection
I've raved about the Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder series in other blogposts. I love Matt. But I'd like to say a word about the Keller series, which until now I've…
Category Booklist, Featured Author | Tags: Hit Man, In the Heart of the Heart of the Country, Keller, Lawrence Block, Psalms, Robert Alter, The Pedersen Kid, William H. Gass


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by Anton Shilov
Nvidia Corp. said recently that it had begun experimenting with streaming of video games from personal computers to tablets. The technology will help tablet computers to obtain performance and feature-set of modern graphics adapters on tablets and other small form-factor devices.
"Imagine you are playing Crysis 2 on your PC and you are able to stream it around your home to a tablet device, which you could then plug into your TV if you wanted. [...] We are experimenting [with this technology] and that is all I can say," an Nvidia representative told Bit-Tech web-site.
The idea of playing PC or console games on tablets is not something new. For example, it is theoretically possible to use cloud-based game streaming services like OnLive on media tablets provided that gems support appropriate controls. But Nvidia seems to be experimenting with yet another proprietary technology that will bring performance of GeForce and Quadro to slates.
At present Nvidia is working on Quadro Virtual graphics technology that allows to used Nvidia Quadro graphics accelerators located on remote computers. As a part of the initiative, the company is also working on Monterey technology, which delivers remote graphics to any devices "with local look and feel". Potentially, Monterey may help end-users to stream their favourite games from their PCs to their tablet devices or notebooks. With such a technology, Nvidia will be able to provide exclusive feature to those, who own a PC with a GeForce and a tablet with Tegra.
Earlier this year at the Game Developers Conference Nvidia sponsored a session that described how to port games from PC and video game consoles to Google Android and Tegra. Nvidia also showcased its own latest Android debugging and analysis tools that help to design and port video games for Google Android.
While porting or streaming video games to mobile devices is technically possible, it remains to be seen whether it will be possible to efficiently control games designed for mice and keayboards using multi-touch screens.


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Earth's Best, Organic Barley Toddler Biscuits, 12 Biscuits (6 Packages of 2)
- You earn loyalty credit for every order you place at iHerb!
- Loyalty credit is equal to 5% of the value of your order, excluding shipping charges.
- Your loyalty credit will be applied towards your next order as soon as your current order has shipped.
- Your loyalty credits are valid for up to 60 days from the date of your last purchase.
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Expiration Date:?Mar 2017Expiration Date
The length of time for the expiration date or "best used before" date depends on the type of product, as well as the brand.
Perishable items (such as flax oils or certain probiotics) generally have shorter expiration dates. Although our warehouse is fully air-conditioned, these more fragile items are put in cold storage (freezer or refrigeration unit) for maximum freshness.
Our receiving department does its best to verify and then enter the correct expiration dates for all incoming products. However, discrepancies do occur from time to time. This being said, the exceptionally high turnover at iHerb ensures that our inventory is among the freshest in the industry.
Shipping Weight:?0.41 lbsShipping WeightThe Shipping Weight includes the product, protective packaging material and the actual shipping box. In addition, the Shipping Weight may be adjusted for the Dimensional Weight (e.g. length, width & height) of a package. It is important to note that certain types of products (e.g. glass containers, liquids, fragile, refrigerated or ice packed) will often require protective packaging material. As such, these products will reflect a higher Shipping Weight compared to the unprotected product.
- Product Code: JAS-90016
- UPC Code: 023923900165
- Package Quantity: 12 Biscuits (6 Packages of 2)
- Dimensions: 5.3 x 4.9 x 1.5 in, 0.35 lbs
- For Toddlers 12 Months and Older
- Good Source of Calcium
- USDA Organic
- Made with No Genetically Engineered Ingredients
- Kosher Dairy
- Certified Organic by QAI
Earth's Best Toddler Biscuits are perfect for snacking children who can self-feed and enjoy using their teeth to bite and chew. They're individually wrapped in portable packages of two so busy toddlers can nibble on the go, and mom can feel good about giving her little one a tasty, wholesome snack that's full of healthy goodness—and nothing else.
Is Your Toddler Ready?
- Your Toddler walks well alone.
- She or he easily self feeds with fingers or utensils.
- Bites through hard textured products.
Check Out the Earth's Best Difference
- Organic - Grown without potentially harmful herbicides or pesticides.
- Good Source of Calcium for Growing Toddlers.
- Made with No Genetically Engineered Ingredients.
- No Artificial Flavors, Colors or Preservatives
- Kosher
Earth's Best is proud of the fact that our teething biscuits provide a good source of calcium for growing Toddlers, an important mineral for healthy bones, teeth and cardiovascular system.
Other Ingredients
Organic barley flour, organic oat flour, organic evaporated cane juice (organic evaporated cane juice, organic corn starch), organic sunflower oil, organic non-fat dry milk, organic corn flour, organic molasses, calcium carbonate, leavening (sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, monocalcium phosphate), organic corn starch, vitamin E acetate (vitamin E).
Contains: Milk. May contain traces of wheat. Manufactured in a facility that also uses soy, eggs, peanuts, and other tree nuts.
Earth's Best Organic Toddler Biscuits are made without the use of preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, or ingredients grown with potentially harmful pesticides or herbicides.
Important Information -Earth Best Toddler Biscuits should only be given to children accustomed to chewing solid foods. Due to their hard texture, children should always be seated in an upright position and supervised while eating. Please never leave your child unattended.
|Supplement Facts
|Serving Size: 1 Biscuit (11 g)
|Servings Per Container: 12
|Amount Per Serving
|% Daily Value (Children 1-2)
|Total Fat
|1 g
|Trans Fat
|0 g
|20 mg
|Total Carbohydrates
|8 g
|Dietary Fibers
|<1 g
|3 g
|1 g
|Vitamin A
|Vitamin C
Good structure
Verified Purchase
Good structure
This was great buy for our 10M old daughter, kept her silent for almost a hour while she was chewing one of these. :D
Not what I expected
Verified Purchase
Not what I expected
Those biscuits are really too hard to bite and they contain too much sugar.So it's a disappointing experience that I will not repeat and I will try to find other toddler biscuits that are softer and less sweetened.
so terrible
Posted by 5721406299178134201 on Oct 06, 2016
Very thick
Too hard to chew !
Posted by 5588481098392099935 on Oct 03, 2016
These biscuits are definitely too hard to eat for 1 year-old babies ! They don't melt at all. They taste good, however. I won't buy them again, or maybe when my twin babies will be way older ...
Posted by 5083933130879631454 on May 02, 2016
My girl likes it!
Posted by 4629946293625880756 on May 04, 2015
My kid finished the entire box in a week! Healthy and good taste!
less sugar please!
Posted by 4906225783479253446 on Apr 05, 2015
I find it a little too sweet for small children. But it is hard and gIves a good crunchy bite for the kiddo. Won't buy again because it is too sweet.


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Recently I had an opportunity to visit with the NTSB. Normally any visit with the NTSB would be under circumstances that none of us would like to be in, but this was different. I was invited to the NTSB training center by a flight school owner and his instructors. We had just eaten pizza and I was sitting in the classroom when I really began to see some of the secret sauce of this successful flight training business.
This flight training business has a yearly full-day CFI standardization workshop, but they also bring the group together once a month. The monthly meetings do have the usual updates for standardization and ongoing issues, but they go quite a bit farther. They take the time to really share and celebrate successes in a way that makes it obvious the staff feels like they are part of something important and meaningful. It was such an upbeat and inspiring meeting, I secretly wanted to fill out a job application.
This particular monthly meeting included the NTSB meeting, which consisted of a full program of looking at actual evidence of training accidents and a tour of the NTSB training "laboratory." The obvious effort involved in putting the evening on and having it go beyond the day-to-day logistics and issues of training operations was obvious. The investment of time and energy in the CFI as a person and whole aviator has resulted in such a positive and supportive CFI culture that it overflows into a positive and supportive customer experience at this school.
The CFI is the face of a flight school and the face of aviation as a whole for our new pilots in training. Efforts that show school leadership has an interest and values its CFIs are modeling the behavior we expect to be projected by the CFI to our customers. As humans we tend to emulate behaviors that are modeled for us. So you may not have the NTSB training center with the pieced together remains of TWA flight 800 in your backyard, but there is always some type of experience you can make available for your staff to feed their own desires as a pilot and a person.
What do you do to create a positive CFI culture?
–Shannon Yeager, AOPA vice president of strategic initiatives in the Center to Advance the Pilot Community


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One Society Salon
Tarro Salon is a great place in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The design of the salon is unique - highly personalized and refreshingly intimate.
The salon facilities are warm amd calming, so the client can relax in the care of highly trained professionals.
This design project was completed by Leslie McGwire, ASID, Allied at the Industry Source: Salon & Spa Design Center. John Tarro is a wonderful person and has a great salon!
Leslie McGwire has over 29 years in the business development, interior design, sales and marketing services for health, wellness, fitness, beauty, healthcare, & hospitality environments and retail, salons, hotels,resorts spa-based business industries


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Fair ~
High: 56°F ~ Low: 46°F
Monday, Jan. 23, 2017
New MoonPosted Monday, November 23, 2009, at 2:24 PM
The second installment of Stephenie Meyers phenomenally successful Twilight series, the romance between mortafeefl and vampire soars to a new level as Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of only to find herself in greater peril than ever before.
Following Bellas ill-fated 18th birthday party, Edwarn Cullen(Robert Pattinson) and his family abandon the town of Forks, Washington, in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in their world. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year of high school, numb and alone, she discovers Edwards image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.
With the help of her childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), Bella refurbishes an old motorbike to carry her on her adventures. Bellas frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, who has a supernatural secret of his own.
When a chance encounter brings Bella face to face with a former nemesis, only the intervention of a pack of supernaturally large wolves saves her from a grisly fate, and the encounter makes it frighteningly clear that Bella is still in grave danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edwards true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is a far cry from the one she'd hoped for. With more of the passion, action and suspense that made TWILIGHT a worldwide phenomenon, The Twilight Saga: New Moon is a spellbinding follow-up to the box office hit.
[Official synopsis by Summit Entertainment]
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I haven't read or seen any of the Twilight series, though I've read all of Anne Rice's vampire series -- but surely the studly guy in the above picture cannot be a vampire! He must be Jacob Black, the one with a "supernatural secret of his own." If I could sleep at night, I would partake of these grisley, other-worldly stories...
-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Jan 6, 2010, at 3:47 PM
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Public Defender
Dudded by dead gift cards
Archived –, Thursday, February, 27, 2014, (4:56pm)
THE real winners from gift cards are the businesses behind them.
Australians buy $1.5 billion of gift cards annually. Choice's Tom Godfrey yesterday said when it ran a survey in 2010 it found half of recipients "experienced the biggest pitfall of a gift card – it expired before they were able to use its full value".
In the US, gift cards must last five years. Here they can expire after a matter of months.
This means people such as Carole Cutts (pictured) are at risk of being dudded.
Continue reading 'Dudded by dead gift cards'
|0 comments | Permalink
How to avoid losing your Frequent Flyer points
Archived –, Thursday, February, 20, 2014, (11:27am)
AFTER dealing with the deaths of her parents, one after the other, Corinne Le Gall last month decided it was time to use some of her 470,000 Qantas Frequent Flyers.
But her points — easily enough to travel first class to London and back — had disappeared.
"I thought, this can't be right," Ms Le Gall recalled this week.
But it was. Ms Le Gall had fallen prey to one of the ways that millions of Australians have had the value of their rewards slashed — the Flying Kangaroo's decision to halve the shelf life of Frequent Flyers.
Because there had been no activity on her account for 18 months the points had expired. Ms Le Gall made a plea on compassionate grounds. She had been grieving and handling her parents' estates.
Qantas asked for death certificates. They were sent.
Qantas said it had twice warned her that she was at risk of losing her points. Ms Le Gall does not remember receiving either advisory.
Despite being a Frequent Flyer scheme member for 18 years her plea for the return of her points was turned down.
"It shouldn't just be one-way loyalty," Ms Le Gall, 58, of Vincentia on the NSW south coast, said.
After Public Defender's intervention the points have been reinstated.
Continue reading 'How to avoid losing your Frequent Flyer points'
|2 comments | Permalink
Why many more people are checking what's on their credit report
Archived –, Thursday, February, 20, 2014, (11:02am)
THERE's been a big jump in consumers checking what's on their credit report.
Inquiries to the largest credit reporting bureau Veda have risen 31 per cent this financial year. The second-largest, Dun & Bradstreet, has had a 33 per cent increase. But Veda says four in five people still haven't checked what's on theirs and whether the contents are affecting their ability to obtain finance or the rates they pay.
By law, credit reporting bureaus such as Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Veda have to make reports available for free. But Veda's research reveals nearly one in two people didn't realise they could even get theirs.
About 600,000 people have had their credit cut off due to what's in their report.
And there are estimates that 25 per cent of credit reports have errors on them.
Teacher David Blench's did.
Continue reading 'Why many more people are checking what's on their credit report'
|0 comments | Permalink
When a win isn't a win
Archived –, Thursday, February, 13, 2014, (10:03am)
MORE needs to be done to stop consumer enemy Goce "George" Sekuloski.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe says he is "determined to take every action" against Mr Sekuloski, but try telling that to people such as Russell Dalrymple and his daughter, Emily.
Continue reading 'When a win isn't a win'
|0 comments | Permalink
Ellen hits brick wall with her insurer (and how to avoid it happening to you)
Archived –, Thursday, February, 06, 2014, (11:29am)
FEBRUARY 13 UPDATE: LAST week's story about reader Ellen Karas hitting a brick wall with her insurer has triggered a push for change within the upper echelons of the industry.
Public Defender has been asked to provide further examples of shoddy treatment so that insurers can use them to workshop how they can do things better. It's a welcome response.
Although Mrs Karas would like the bricks in her repaired wall replaced with ones that are a close match, she's keener to see others avoid the same experience she's been put through over the past 18 months.
Here's hoping what's happened to her can be a catalyst for change.
THE ORIGINAL STORY: DO these bricks look like a close match to you? Ellen Karas says "no". The position of her insurer, GIO, can best be summarised as "well, kind of".
In July 2012 an out-of-control car ploughed into a former corner store that now forms part of Mrs Karas's Fairfield home.
The claim, her first, was approved. GIO selected a builder who started repairs on November 12 that year. Before beginning, the builder — since given the flick — said he had sourced the closest match available. Mrs Karas took his word for it.
But now, more than 18 months after the accident, we're standing in her backyard and she's showing me bricks that are a much better match and saying if she was able to find them, why couldn't GIO's builder?
Continue reading 'Ellen hits brick wall with her insurer (and how to avoid it happening to you)'
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Johnny Smithson of the Parking Fine Appeals website helps you with ANCP "fines"
Archived –, Thursday, December, 06, 2012, (12:01am)
Choice Magazine put it thus: "Johnny Smithson has become something of a consumer champion when it comes to dealing with potentially bogus parking fines."
Mr Smithson has agreed to blog today, Thursday, to help people who have recently received letters from a solicitor for Australian National Car Parks, demanding sums of $88 to more than $1000—or else.
He is not a lawyer. As he points out on his Parking Fine Appeals website, "all assistance by me is general in nature and does not in any way constitute legal advice".
Mr Smithson says that in "many cases, it is possible to have your parking fine withdrawn"—if you carefully follow his instructions. "In other cases it is possible to stop the barrage of letters. In cases where you simply cannot stop the barrage of letters, there are government resources listed for you to complain to."
So pose your question to him now.
|3 comments | Permalink
Electricity network reliability 'costs' help fill the coffers
Archived –, Thursday, June, 14, 2012, (11:54am)
IPART says the carbon tax accounts for half the average 18 per cent electricity price jump from July 1. Others have said enough about that.
But not enough scrutiny has been applied to the reasons behind the other half of the 18 per cent—"network costs'', which sounds as if it is unavoidable expenditure.
It is not unavoidable. Worse, there are incentives to jack up capital spending.
Here's just one example: improving reliability is a network cost which sounds like a great idea.
Until you run the numbers.
In a November 2010 report, UTS researcher Chris Dunstan observed the NSW electricity system had been 99.97 per cent reliable for a decade. Yet the state plan targeted 99.98 per cent by 2016. That extra 0.01 per cent meant "53 minutes less blackout time per annum for the average customer''.
Funded by price rises, Mr Dunstan calculated it would cost consumers 150 times the then average cost of power.
He then asked: "Are customers willing and able to pay 150 times the average price of power for an extra hour of . . . electricity supply each year?'' The answer was they don't have a choice. It's a NSW government decision.
Last week the Australian Energy Market Commission released draft advice it had given to the government which said there were "significant net benefits'' from "lower reliability outcomes''.
The AEMC said an "extreme'' reduction in reliability (actually only 15 minutes a year) would save $2.5 billion of network costs.
Last night UTS's Mr Dunstan told me he would be "very surprised'' if the state government did not reduce reliability standards after it receives the AEMC's final advice in August.
It's arguable that the right thing to do would be to reduce reliability by even more.
But, I wonder whether the government, as ultimate owner of all three networks, will do anything. Here's why: Previous state budget papers have said network earnings rise "with the substantial increase in capital spending''.
This week's budget papers revealed Macquarie St will rake in $901 million in network dividends in 2012-13, up $262 million on this financial year.
How "enhanced obligations" have added $1.5 billion to bills (Source: AEMC; size: 2.15 MB; see p14)
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How to beat Australian National Car Parks fines (2012 edition)
Archived –, Wednesday, May, 23, 2012, (9:04pm)
If you are one of the nearly 60,000 NSW drivers in ANCP's sights—after Roads and Maritime Services' failed appeals—then this is the blog for you.
You don't just have to pay up. But you do need to take action—once ANCP writes to you.
As today's Public Defender column explained, you need to contact ANCP in writing and state your reasons for not paying.
There are good sources of information to help you draft your letter.
Check them out:
Consumer Action's excellent private carpark fines fact sheet
Johnny Smithson's Unfair Parking Fines FAQ on Roads and Maritime Services letters
The Victorian Court decision NSW Fair Trading says is relevant in this state
And don't forget the first-time offender's defence—mail in your shopping receipt and "fine" as stated in our news story.
If ANCP rejects your request, you can make a complaint to NSW Fair Trading, which may be able to help you.
Fair Trading general complaints online form
We at Public Defender are keen to follow the stories of people who challenge the legitimacy of these ANCP "fines".
Tell us about what has happened to you here and leave your contact email in the relevant field so that we can keep in touch.
Also, if you have information you think can help others in this predicament please share it.
Below is further information about the NSW Government's legislative plan, Labor's tentative backing for that plan and NSW Fair Trading's understanding of the relevance of the Victorian court decision, as well as the information provided to me by Roads and Maritime Services.
Continue reading 'How to beat Australian National Car Parks fines (2012 edition)'
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20 ways to save on electricity
Archived –, Friday, April, 13, 2012, (9:49am)
A few readers are this morning saying they already undertake the five savings measures in my story today.
If you haven't already, you can read the story (and comments) here.
So we've expanded the list to 20, offering ways to save many hundreds of dollars more.
Check out the following list and then share how you'll neutralise the rise.
Continue reading '20 ways to save on electricity'
|12 comments | Permalink
The 4% of households no-one wants to insure
Archived –, Thursday, March, 15, 2012, (9:03am)
That's the proportion of the community in what insurers have deemed to be significant flood risk.
After researching this week's Public Defender column, my strong impression is that no insurer wants this 4% on their books.
I was this week told by one household that they had been quoted a premium of more than $15,000 to insure their $100,000 or so of contents.
No-one is going to pay that and the insurers know it.
But if these at-risk households cannot access affordable cover, what will happen when the Noah's Ark flood hits?
Who will pick up the bill?
|3 comments | Permalink
John Rolfe is The Daily Telegraph's consumer affairs reporter. He can help you with rip-offs and refunds.
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Is there a master list of all the different papa john recipes?
I plan to make a clone of this recipe when I get my new performated disk pan in - http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6758.msg58197.html#msg58197It appears people use pizza screens for this recipe for the most part so I will post my results with this pan. Perhaps a dumb question, but I just got a new oven that offers convection baking - in this recipe, it states: "lowest oven rack position, at around 500 degrees" - is this using convecting baking or the "regular" oven baking?
Pizzalovingal,I use only the "regular" oven bake (my oven doesn't have the convection feature). I have never used a perforated disk for the PJ clones so you may have to make some adjustments for its use in a standard home oven. Basically, that means watching the bottom and top of the pizza to get the right color balance.Good luck. You picked the hardest of the PJ clones to make. Peter
CDNpielover, I'm glad you liked the recipe.Papa John's does not use a two-day dough. Their dough balls (refrigerated) are delivered to their stores twice a week and are intended to last from about five days to nearly eight days. As best I can tell, some years ago PJ changed flours and went to a flour that is lower in protein. That flour is milled exclusively for them. They also use conveyor ovens. These differences help explain why it is hard to exactly replicate a Papa John's pizza in a typical home environment. The 5-8 day PJ clone dough takes a long time to execute. The two-day version was a compromise solution. I would say that the two-day version is the most popular of all the PJ clone doughs in this thread.The PJ clone pizza sauce formulation was the best I could do working only from an ingredients list and without knowing for sure which Stanislaus tomato product is at the heart of the PJ pizza sauce. Peter
Oh just to be clear I wasn't complaining or saying it was inferior to a PJ pie - you did a great job! i think the differences were probablly due to me not being a very experiences pizza maker LOL.
Pete...... so now it's almost 4 months and I'm replying. For some reason, I didn't find your response back in July. I've been using the recipe as a favorite since I posted back in June. Flour (100%), water (56.5%), IDY (0.14%), salt (1.75%), vegetable oil (7.3%), sugar (4.8%), total (170.49%). Lately, I've been making a double batch each time. I freeze half. The frozen dough doesn't work as well as the fresh dough, but it still works pretty well. I've got a double batch in the refrigerator now and I added 4 tbsp of wheat gluten to the mix. I'd like to be able to toss the pizza dough and am hoping that this will help. The dough that I've been making is easily shaped into a crust. It's almost too loose to toss. You mentioned adding some ascorbic acid to the mix. How much do you add and what does it do to the dough?
BardParker, I see Frank's in the photo but don't see where you mention adding it. Do you add that to the wing sauce?Also, is they wing sauce like the typical buffalo wing sauce - i.e. can I use a mix of butter and Frank's?
I just did a tiny bit of googling, and while I didn't come across an official Domino's list of toppings, I did see one site which listed "hot sauce." good thing, otherwise I would have been adding homeade wing sauce to my pizza (butter, franks and garlic). I think i'll try using Franks when I do this, and maybe let people add it to their own liking.


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Confederate Soldiers and Flags in our town
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On December 29, 1890 members of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment opened fire on hundreds of Lakota men, women and children, killing over 150 people.
Over 100 world-class cyclists gathered in Colorado for the fourth edition of the USA Pro Challenge in August. One o
A woman wearing a facemask, as protection from volcanic ash, harvests ash covered chillies and tomatoes at a villag
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Native American Poetry Series organized by Kim Shuck.
Featured Poets
Naomi Quiñonez
Naomi Helena Quiñonez is a poet, educator, and scholar of Chicana/Latina studies. She is the author of three collections of poetry, Hummingbird Dream/Sueño de Colibri, The Smoking Mirror, and TheExiled Moon. She co-edited Invocation L.A.: Urban Multicultural Poetry, recipient of an American Book Award, and the critical anthology Decolonial Voices: Chicana and Chicano Studies in the 21st Century. Quiñonez received a PhD in history from Claremont Graduate University and is currently on faculty at San Francisco State University.
Kim Shuck
Kim Shuck, primarily of Cherokee and Polish descent, holds an MFA from San Francisco State University in fine arts. Shuck's first full collection of poems, Smuggling Cherokee, won the Diane Decorah Award from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas. She has also won a Mary TallMountain Award and a mentor award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. Shuck is a founding member of the Native Advisory Board for the de Young Museum. Her poetry has been published in anthologies and journals such as the En'owkin Journal of First North American Peoples, Yellow Medicine Review, and Sovereign Erotics: A Collection of Two-Spirit Literature. She has co-edited two volumes of poetry for Oakland's Jukebox Press and edits the irregular online poetry journal Rabbit and Rose (rabbitandrose.com).
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Mica Valdez is a native (Mexica), mixed-blood, two-spirit artist working on indigenous global issues to effect social change and protect Mother Earth. She recently edited a love anthology by Native American and Latina women, online at machafemme.tumblr.com. Valdez also founded a poetry contest associated with Macha Femme Press and has organized many poetry readings around the Bay Area. Currently Valdez teaches San Francisco State University.
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Luke Warm Water is an Oglala Lakota. He is a self-taught poet who began writing in his early thirties and cultivated his verse—marginalized and humorous, yet poignant—through spoken-word venues and poetry slams. Warm Water was the first spoken-word poet to receive an Archibald Bush Foundation individual artist fellowship in literature and was a featured poet at the prestigious Geraldine R. Dodge 12th Biennial Poetry Festival.


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Backman-Trummer Group
Backman-Trummer Group provides global logistics solutions and operates ten ports on the west coast of FinlandBackman-Trummer Group main site
Backman-Trummer Group provides global logistics solutions and operates ten ports on the west coast of FinlandBackman-Trummer Group main site
Rauanheimo's thorough knowledge of stevedoring, forwarding and shipping activities is the result of 130 years of experience. Our diversified customer base from trade to industry and wide domestic and international network enable us to offer comprehensive, competitive and tailor-made service solutions that add genuine value to your logistics chains.
As an effective link in the chain of trade between sea and land transport, Rauanheimo provides professional port and mill-site services and, if needed, door-to-door deliveries all over the world.
11.07.2016 Personnel news
Niko Orpana (43) has been appointed as regional director responsible for Rauanheimo's operations in the Vuosaari-Hamina-Kotka area as of 24.11.2016.
11.07.2016 Personnel news
Saila Mäkikangas (34) has been appointed as shipping agent as of 09.05.2016. She has previously worked in the travelling industry as a business travel agent at Kokkolan Matkatoimisto and as a travel agent at the Pietarsaari – Kokkola airport.
Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab has two open vacancies. You can find more information on the Finnish and Swedish Rauanheimo website.
29.02.2016 Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab extends activities to Vuosaari Harbour at Port of Helsinki
Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab and VR Transpoint have signed an agreement on a comprehensive export logistics solution for pulp products, where VR Transpoint will be responsible for the rail transport of the goods and Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab for the port operations.
Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab
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Tel. +358 20 7771 300
Tel: +358 20 777 1315 (24/7)
The operations of Oy M. Rauanheimo, a subsidiary of the Backman-Trummer Group, have long centred at the Port of Kokkola. At the beginning of the year a new phase in the history of Rauanheimo began when the company commenced forwarding and stevedoring at the Port of Hamina.Read more
Finland has long recognized the opportunities provided by international trade and succeeded in making use of them. Today, our exports represent nearly one half of our GNP, which is a substan- tially greater proportion than that of most comparable countries. We are, however, located a long way from the main flows of transport and logistics in Europe.Read more
Yara Suomi Oy and Backman- Trummer's subsidiary Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab have agreed to continue their coopera- tion for shipments of iron oxide. The new agreement is an extension of the previous three-year contract. It mainly comprises temporary storage and reloading of iron ox- ide from Yara's Siilinjärvi plant at the Port of Kokkola for shipment to China and will be in effect until 2018.Read more
Tetra Chemicals Europe AB and Oy M. Rauanheimo Ab, the Kokkola subsidiary of Backman-Trummer, have concluded a partnership agreement according to which Rauanheimo will henceforth handle the entire logistics chain for Tetra Chemical's calcium chloride plant in Kokkola.Read more


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Chevy Game Time App
October 3, 2012
To engage the Super Bowl audience who are more into ads than the game, Chevy developed an app that encouraged second screen viewing while also giving fans the chance to win a new car during the big game.
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