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ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
Cynergy Telecom4900 Ivey Road Acworth, Georgia USA
Cynergy Telecom Cynergy, Telecom LLC, Mike Emanuelo, Jeff Cohen, Totalnet, Total Network Solutions, Alicia Landrum Ko Cynergy Telecom stole $36,000, canceled my "partner" contract, blew up service installations for my customers Acworth Georgia
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
Cynergy Telecom will assure you they are unbiased, that they make telecom recommendations based on their "extensive experience" and the unique needs of your business. They will tell you that they are their customers advocate. They will claim they measure their success on their ability to "hold the carriers accountable" (the carriers that will actually be providing your service) not by how much they are paid by the carriers they recommend. They will claim their service won't cost you anything, or in their words, is "free for their customers"
I have learned first hand that all of the assurances, claims and promises they make are not true. None of them.
The reality is they actually make carrier recommendations & telecom service recommendations based on which carrier will pay them the most money. They made promises to my customers they had no intention of keeping, accepting no responsibility after they caused my customers voice & internet services to go down, even lost my customers published main phone numbers. Cynergy Telecom has ruined my credibility with 5 of my customers.
After I called Cynergy Telecom's "customer service" and spoke to Alicia Landrum, the Customer Service Manager. She was absolutely useless and unwilling to help me resolve a long list of issues on behalf of my customers. Shortly after my experience with Alicia Landrum's completely unprofessional behavior & frequent inappropriate comments, I received a letter from Mike Emanuelo (a co-founder of Cynergy Telecom LLC) stating that he was canceling my partner contract because of some fabricated story about hiring his employees. I have never hired or even attempted to hire, any Cynergy employee. After witnessing the catastrophe each of my customers experienced working with Cynergy Telecom, there is no reason to hire their employees.
Based on the contract I signed with Cynergy Telecom, I am due more than a $1,000 per month for the next 36 months at minimum. By canceling my contract for no legitimate reason whatsoever (less than 120 days after I signed it mind you) Cynergy has stolen more than $36,000 from me and my customers.
Work with them at your own risk. They will blow up your communications services, and because the telecom carriers actually don't like working with Cynergy for obvious reasons, they will actually impede your company's ability to act on its own behalf.
The Cynergy Telecom company slogan should be "We won't take any responsibility, but we will take your money"
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 11/21/2013 11:53 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/cynergy-telecom/acworth-georgia-30101/cynergy-telecom-cynergy-telecom-llc-mike-emanuelo-jeff-cohen-totalnet-total-network-1101225. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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text:
UPDATE • Adams says protesters cannot set up camps in other city parks
Portland police say they have spent $186,400 on overtime costs related to the Occupy Portland protests as of last Sunday.
The overtime includes costs incurred during rallies and marches, along with a number of officers assigned to patrol the protest camp that was established after the initial march to protest Wall Street on Oct. 6.
Portland Parks and Recreation estimated last week that the camps had caused $19,000 worth of damage to Chapman and Lownsdale squares. Between 200 and 400 people have been camping in the two parks for the past three weeks.
Although public camping is against city policies, Mayor Sam Adams has allowed the camp to continue in the parks on a day-to-day basis.
Although some Occupy Portland protesters have threatened to set up a similar camp in the Pearl District, Adams made it clear Thursday that he would not allow that to happen.
In a statement released by Adams' office, the mayor, who is traveling in Asia as part of a 10-day trade mission, said that while he allowed the camps in the two downtown squares, 'all parks rules are in effect at all other city parks.'
'We will not allow Occupy Portland to set up an alternative encampment at any other city park,' Adams said. 'Portland police officers have been reminding Occupy Portland participants of this throughout the week, and will continue to use their discretion in enforcing parks rules throughout the city.'
Fox News contributed to this story.

subset: commoncrawl


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A supercomputing race is taking place among leading nations to reap the economic benefits of reaching exaflop speeds, according to Steve Scott, formerly of Cray Inc and now Nvidia's new chief technology officer. "It's really critical for industrial competitiveness, military superiority is not the most important thing anymore," he told us, in the week Nvidia announced it would supply 18,000 of its Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to upgrade a supercomputer at the US's Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Read more
© The Financial Times Ltd 2016 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.


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The New OrderSubmitted by D.C. Geezer on Fri, 01/21/2011 - 13:38
"24/7 Wall Street" posted a piece on January 13 entitled "The Ten Companies that Control the Death Industry." http://247wallst.com/2011/01/13/the-ten-companies-that-control-the-death... The first surprise was that Wal-Mart, Amazon and 800-Flowers were all in the top 10 influencers….Discounters that wouldn't even have been on the radar screen a decade ago.
ICCFA University -- Register Online Now!Submitted by rob treadway on Tue, 04/06/2010 - 16:18
You may now register online for the 2010 session of ICCFA University. Visit http://www.iccfa.com/education-events/iccfa-university/iccfa-university for complete details.
Dwindling time--A silent force with a tremendous impact on cemetery/funeral service
Last week I spent a very nice day doing some training. What a wonderful, professional group of individuals in the group – no grumpy, fussing complaining people – no, not one. It was fun, energizing, focused, and above all dedicated to discussions and knowledge about one major subject – serving families better. It was refreshing, and did this old undertaker's soul a world of good.
Cemeteries and Requests for Genealogical Research
Does your cemetery have a policy to respond to requests for genealogical information? Some people consider the information private and suggest that the inquiry be directed to the family. Others feel the information is basically public and provide it. Any recommended practices in this area? Thanks.
Bob Fells


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Sounds like we may have our first real use of Noisecloud: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Noisecloud

+1 on this effort as well.

-Ani

2009/12/23 Christie Dudley <email@example.com>

So this is probably a message we're getting because (as they tweeted 12 hours ago) they're still down because of maintenance work by their upstream provider. ĀHowever, when looking over the page, I was noticing that they're soliciting help from the community. ĀSomething specifically caught my eye:

"If you can provide rackspace, power and an uplink, or a dedicated server or storage space, for at least 12 months, or software development work for WikiLeaks, please write to email@example.com" Ā

It strikes me that Noisebridge has such resources at our disposal. ĀI think it would be particularly awesome to help out this organization in achieving their important mission. ĀThey assure potential volunteers that "Servers come trouble-free and legally fortified, software is uniquely challenging.", so concerns about liability are pretty much addressed.

(Although that page needs some serious proofreading, particularly in the listing of their sponsors, it would be really really awesome to get our name up there too.)

What are the people who manage the donated space, etc. think of this? ĀWould we want to get a software group to see if we can help with that end of things too?

Christie

_______

Getting to the bottom of the hill is convenient. The view from the top of the hill is stunning. Where would you choose to live?

_______________________________________________
 Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
 firstname.lastname@example.com
 https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss


text: Immigration Reform No Lower Tuition For Undocumented Students By Megan Verlee Apr 29, 2011 An effort to make it easier for illegal immigrants to go to college in Colorado is finished, at least for this year. The bill died in a House committee on a party line vote yesterday. Read More 'Secure Communities' Brings Controversy By Megan Verlee Jan 7, 2011 Outgoing governor Bill Ritter has created a small furor with the announcement Tuesday that Colorado will join what's called the Secure Communities initiative. It's a federal program that allows lo Read More GOP Considering Immigration Legislation By Megan Verlee Nov 30, 2010 Everyone at the state capitol seems to agree that the budget will dominate the next legislative session. But some Republican lawmakers are starting to work on a slate of bills that could be even m Read More What Immigration Inaction Means for Colorado Apr 5, 2010 Major immigration reform appears to have died on Capitol Hill. It could be 2009 before congress takes up the issue again. We get two perspectives on where that leaves Colorado. Read More Pagesfirst previous 1 2 3 Hide Take CPR With You Wherever You Go Stay connected to CPR while you're on the go, with the free Colorado Public Radio app for smartphones and tablets. Get details CPR Explores Colorado News and Stories Thanks to Member Support Join Today


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Slide from Lisa Stone M.D., M.P.H.
|1918 Pandemic
|The Next Pandemic
|Personal Prevention
|The Plan
|Amherst Pandemic Planning Conference
Experts are predicting that the virus that will cause the pandemic will be a result of the human influenza virus merging with the avian flu virus such that the airborne virus can spread from human to human. When a pandemic influenza virus emerges, most humans will not be immune to it because it's strain will be very different than other influenza viruses that has been passed around. As a result, more people die than usually die from seasonal flu, and even more people become infected with the virus. It is expected that about 30% of the population will become infected with this virus, that 4% of those infected with need hospital level care, that 46% of those infected will need care in a clinic, and that 50% of those infected will not need medical attention.
It is unknown when the pandemic flu will hit, but it could be as soon as tomorrow, or in as many as many years away.
Above image: slide from Lisa Stone M.D., M.P.H
Based on the data from the 1918 epidemic and assumptions from the pandemicflu.gov, if a pandemic were to strike in 2008, the numbers would look as follows:
Population from most recent census (2000): 34,874
Would be infected with influenza: 8,852 Deaths from influenza: 141
The infected needing hospital care: 354
The infected needing clinical care: 4,072
Population from most recent census (2000): 4,793
Would be infected with influenza: 1,067
Deaths from influenza: 17
The infected needing hospital care: 43
The infected needing clinical care: 491
Population from most recent census (2000): 28,978
Would be infected with influenza: 3,955
Deaths from influenza: 63
The infected needing hospital care: 158
The infected needing clinical care: 1,819
South Hadley:
Population from most recent census (2000): 17,196
Would be infected with influenza: 2,825
Deaths from influenza: 45
The infected needing hospital care: 113
The infected needing clinical care: 1,300
Note: These numbers are assuming a severe form of influenza, like that of which occurred in 1918.
Assumptions from pandemicflu.gov: the hospitalization rate will be 4% of those infected, and the rate necessitating clinical care will be 46% of those infected.
What these numbers mean for the surrounding area is that there is a need for a plan of action when a pandemic of this nature strikes. Hospitals in the area already operate at capacity or near capacity, and could not handle the sudden influx of such a large number of patients.
In Amherst, the UMass health center does not hospitalize people overnight, and only has one hospital bed used for observation.
At Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, there are 142 beds. If the influenza struck, then the hospital would be overrun. Even if just the sick from Northampton go to Cooley Dickinson, that's still 16 more people that need care than the hospital has room for. This is as well as the fact that most of the 142 beds would probably already be occupied with people sick with other ailments, leaving even less space for those infected with the flu. Since this is the nearest hospital, the sick from surrounding towns (Hadley, Amherst and parts of South Hadley) would also go to this hospital first for care. This would bring the number of sick looking for care at this one hospital to around 600, assuming some residents of South Hadley go to Holyoke Hospital.
If the towns were quarantined individually, this would put less of a burden on Cooley Dickinson hospital, but also leave many without proper health care. Thus, the local towns would need to set up beds for the infected in their respective towns for both hospital and clinical care, and each town should have a plan for this possibility of quarantine and hospital overflow to care for their residents.
It should also be noted that doctors and nurses are also susceptible to the infection, and could also be inclined to stay at home and take care of their own family should a pandemic strike. Thus, the area should be prepared to handle not only an increase in sick, but a decrease in medical staff.
Towns should be prepared to handle a situation like this, and being prepared for such an event would not be regrettable.
Supplies should be stockpiled ahead of time. If there were a quarantine, and supplies could not get back and forth, the towns are left with what they already have. In either basements of town buildings, public schools or colleges, there should be:
General Supplies:
Enough beds for at least the number of those predicted to need hospital care, adhesive tape, Angio caths, bedpans, Biohazard bags, blankets, blood pressure cuffs, disposable thermometers, disinfectant cleaning agents, emesis basins, gauze bandages, gloves (latex and vinyl), hand washing solutions, IV administration kits, IV fluids, oral fluids (Gatorade, apple juice, bottled water, Coke), paper products: drapes, pillow cases, exam table paper, gowns, peak flow meters, pillows, pretzels/crackers, pulse Oximeters, surgical masks, thermometer probe covers, urinals.
Personal Protective equipment:
Respirators, face shields/visors/goggles, Non-sterile long-sleeved gowns (disposable and fluid resistant)
Acetaminophen (suppositories and oral tabs), antibiotics, antiemetics (suppositories and injection), cough suppressants (liquid syrups, lozenges), decongestants, NSAIDs.
(See www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/guidelines/infectioncontrol1/en)
Preventative Equipment:
Enough face masks to prevent the transmission of the respiratory disease. This would potentially help the spread of disease both in the town and at home.
Medical Workers:
Since the amount of available medical staff will be decreased due to illness and those staying home, it will be necessary to find and train volunteers that will be willing to come in and help out regardless of the situation. The towns could send letters to all of its' residents asking for volunteers and setting up volunteer meeting and training times. Volunteers will be needed for non-medical tasks, such as organization of medical facilities and preparation. Volunteers could also be more highly trained to do things such as be a nurses' assistant in order to help the actual trained medical workers with such a large number of patients. Both medical and non-medical volunteers are needed in the Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer program.


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Self-Published Novelist and Filmmaker
For years, I have aspired to become a self-published novelist and an independent filmmaker. I want the world to see my ideas and creations exactly as I envision them in both written and motion picture form, and it is through these mediums that I can do that the best. My creative pieces would leave behind my influence for others to be inspired and motivated to create something beautiful, and show the world that my mind can not only read books and watch films, but make them as well!
My plan to do this would involve writing my first manuscript for my book, then taking it to a full service self-publishing company to print, distribute, and help market my book; I happen to have some experience in marketing, so getting exposure for my book will not be completely out of reach for me. Once my first or second book is published and becomes successful, I will then team up with an independent film studio to help me produce a movie based on my own book!
It has always been my dream to write my own books and direct my own movies out of them. I am passionate about words and the moving picture, because I take deep interest in the natural, the supernatural, and the human condition; this is exactly what I want to show in my work. In all honesty, I am an artist who wants to be recognized for what she wants to share and express to the world.


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The United States launched Friday afternoon a second round of airstrikes on Sunni militants in northern Iraq, sending four Navy fighter jets to strike eight targets around Irbil, according to Pentagon officials.
The attacks came hours after an initial wave of strikes by military aircraft and armed drones, escalating the US involvement in Iraq a day after President Barack Obama announced that the US military was returning to a direct combat role in the country it left in 2011.
Defense officials said they believed the second round of attacks resulted in a number of casualties among the militants with the Islamic State. The Navy fighters launched from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, which has been deployed in the Arabian Sea.
Earlier Friday, two F-18 fighters dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery target that had just begun shelling Irbil, Pentagon officials said. A senior defence official said Friday that the artillery unit hit in the earlier bombing was being towed by a truck toward Irbil.
"We do believe there were some casualties," the official said about the initial strikes, although he wouldn't say how many. He added, "They were shelling Irbil; theyre not firing anymore. I'll tell you that."
The strikes followed President Barack Obama's announcement on Thursday night in the US that he had authorised limited airstrikes to protect US citizens in Irbil and Baghdad, and, if necessary, to break the siege of tens of thousands of refugees who are stranded on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq.
"As the president made clear, the United States military will continue to take direct action against ISIL when they threaten our personnel and facilities," Kirby said, referring to the Islamic State militants by an abbreviation of another translation of their Arabic name.
Kurdish officials said the US bombs struck Friday afternoon in and around Makhmour, a town near Irbil. They reported an airstrike in the same location Thursday, before the president's announcement; the Pentagon denied that US warplanes carried out that earlier attack.
Kurdish fighters hard pressed
Kurdish fighters, known as pesh merga, have been hard pressed in recent days by the militant fighters, who have seized several towns near Irbil from the Kurds and took the Mosul Dam, one of the most important installations in the country. The airstrike appeared intended to help stem the tide.
"The airstrikes are being led by the USA, and pesh merga are attacking with Katyusha," said Halgurd Hekmat, a spokesman for the Kurdish fighters, referring to a type of Russian-made tactical rocket.
Many members of religious minorities in northern Iraq, including Christians, have fled to Kurdish territory to escape the advancing militants, who have imposed harsh fundamentalist rule in areas they control.
Others have been trapped and besieged by the militants, including tens of thousands of Yezidis, who follow an ancient faith linked to Zoroastrianism and are stranded in a mountainous area to the west. Delivering humanitarian aid to that group is one of the purposes of the US operations in Iraq, Obama said.
British, Turkish focus on helping civilians
Britain, a close ally and coalition partner of the United States in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Friday that it would not take part in military action there now but would provide humanitarian aid and technical assistance.
"What we have decided today is to assist the United States in the humanitarian operations that started yesterday," the British defence secretary, Michael Fallon, said in London on Friday. "We are offering technical assistance in that, in terms of refuelling and surveillance. We are offering aid of our own, which we hope to drop over the next couple of days in support of the American relief effort, particularly to help the plight of those who are trapped on the mountain."
Turkey, a NATO ally that borders northern Iraq, said Thursday that it, too, would step up humanitarian aid to the region, news agencies reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration, citing the hazardous situation created by armed conflict, instructed US air carriers on Thursday not to fly in Iraqi airspace until further notice. Turkish Airlines said it had suspended service to and from Irbil indefinitely.
Iraqi reaction mixed
The leader of the militant group sent a defiant message to the Americans in an audio statement posted on Twitter.
"I address this message to America, the holder of the Cross," wrote the leader, known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
"Listen up, those who fight on your behalf will not give you any gains in Iraq and Syria. Soon enough, you will find yourself in a direct confrontation with the sons of Islam, who have prepared themselves well for the day we will fight you."
While Kurds welcomed Obama's announcement of US assistance, the reaction in Baghdad was mixed.
"Obama's speech did not delight Iraqis," said Hakim al-Zamili, a leader of a main Shiite bloc in Parliament, the Sadr faction, who were among the strongest opponents of US involvement in Iraq. "They are looking out for their own interests, not for ours."
"They should have provided Iraq with weapons," he added, possibly an allusion to the US suspension of deliveries of F-16 fighter jets and Apache helicopters to Iraq.
Another Shiite leader, Sami al-Askeri, who is close to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said Obama's call for airstrikes had come "too late".
"They should have made this decision when hundreds of Shiites and Sunnis were being killed every day," he said.
Situation on ground desperate
The decision to announce US air operations on Thursday appeared to reflect a view among Kurdish, Iraqi and US military leaders that a crippling attack by the militants was more imminent than was widely recognised.
The militants seizure of two towns within 20 miles of Irbil, which serves as the Kurdish capital, precipitated panic in the capital and the beginnings of an exodus of residents to Sulaimaniya, the largest city to the north.
Military leaders believed that if the city emptied, it would be much more vulnerable to an militant attack, officials said privately, asking not to be quoted because they did not want to shake morale.
The bombing appeared to bolster morale in Irbil on Friday, at least temporarily, according to people there. Fewer cars could be seen at the city gates attempting to leave, they said.
"The bombing changed the mood of the people," said a pesh merga officer.
The New York Times


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Call for Proposals 2014
You have submitted a proposal for Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place, which will occur September 8-11, 2014, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, in Pittsburgh, PA. Established in 1980, Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place is the largest, and most established walking and bicycling conference in North America.
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Return to www.prowalkprobike.org


text:
May One Cry Prayer Congress
One Cry Network
Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (EDT)
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
On behalf of the One Cry Network, we would like to invite you to be a part of a special meeting called the Congress of Prayer on Saturday, May 11th. Its focus is to discover and understand the purpose and power of prayer, while both equipping and challenging you to a deeper, more intimate prayer life.
As we continue to press on and grow in our faith, we would also like to encourage and help you be as effective as you possibly can in order to experience transformation both for yourself and for your campus. At the Prayer Congress you will be able to engage and interact with your peers in an effort to find out how to pray more effectively, but also how you can apply the tools you have recieved in your own life as well as ministry and prayer times.
The meeting will take place at Hephzibah House, 51 W 75th Street between Central Park West and Broadway. In order to get there, you can take either the 1,2,3 trains or the B or C trains to 72ndstreet. Doors will open at 9:30am and we will begin at 10:00. The training will end at 4pm. Please try to be on time; a light breakfast will be served briefly, and a lunch will be provided. Please let us know if you will be attending so our Core Team can plan accordingly.
You can choose several topics and go to the sessions you choose. Thank you so much for partnering with the One Cry Network! We hope to see you soon!
When & Where
Hephzibah House
51 W 75th Street
New York,
Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (EDT)
Add to my calendar


text:
Edge of Salvation Los Angeles Premiere...
MS|PR (Misty Schwartz PR)
Thursday, December 6, 2012 from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM (PST)
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
VIP Invite:
Edge of Salvation Premiere
Thursday December 6, 2012
Red Carpet: 3:30pm
Film Premiere: 4pm
ArcLight Hollywood
6360 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
About the movie:
This film takes a social-economic look at what our country is faced with today as seen through the eyes of a 14 year-old-boy and a family that loses everything due to a down economy, pride, greed and ultimately "man's inhumanity to man".
It touches on abuse, hunger and poverty, but in the end there's a glimmer of hope that's manifested through undying faith. The message of the film is never to give up no matter how difficult life may seem to be. Adapt and overcome.
Charlene Tilton (Dallas -original and new Dallas, Snow White Christmas (with Neal Patrick Harris), The Love Boat), Jeremy London (Party of Five, 7th Heaven), Kelly Washington and Jonathan Lipnicki (For The Love of Money, Stuart Little 1&2,Jerry Maguire). Introducing D. Michael Beldie.
Written & Directed by Luciano Saber.
For Press/Media/Booking:
Extreme Public Relations
Direct: (323) 570-1328
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
When & Where
ArcLight Hollywood
6360 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles,
Thursday, December 6, 2012 from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM (PST)
Add to my calendar
MS|PR (Misty Schwartz PR)
Some of the services we offer include but aren't limited to:
> Media Relations
> Eco-Friendly/Green Events
> Blogging (Facebook/Twitter/Wordpress)
> Press Kit Designs & Look Books
> One Sheet
> Event Flyers
> Media wall design and printing
> Red Carpet Events (provide red carpet, media wall, etc…)
> Athlete management/appearances/event
> Product Launches (Fragrance, Clothing, Books, Services, etc…)
> Film, DVD, and Book Tour Launches
> Branding/Development
> Placement in News, Media , Television and Film
> Special Events – Celebrity Events/Fundraising Events
> Beauty/Fashion Events & Sponsorships
> Image/Brand Management
> Volunteering – Extreme PR Volunteers With Various Charities
> Corporate Communications
> Gifting Suites (Celebrity gifting events, Eco-Friendly Awareness)
> MSPR also offers exclusive event packages (Weddings, Birthdays, Showers, Spa Parties, Gifting events, Special Parties, etc…)
Extreme PR also offers exclusive event packages (Weddings, Birthdays, Showers, Spa Parties, Gifting events, Special Parties, etc…)
Samples of work & events can be found at: www.MistySchwartzEPR.com


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Politics scramble March TAKS, TAAS, TAKS-M testing schedules
By FAITH HUFFMAN, News-Telegram News Editor
Jan. 22, 2008 - For students who aren't good test-takers or aren't especially good in one or more of the six core test areas - reading, writing, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies - Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills week is especially difficult.
Add the stress of knowing low scores in one or more exit tests means not being able to get a high school diploma, and TAKS week is a nerve-racking thought, to say the least.
This year, a scrambled schedule will only add to the nail-biting mix - and we can thank politics for it.
Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott recently announced the state testing schedule would be adjusted to ensure no TAKS exams are given on election day, March 11.
"By moving testing dates, we can preserve schools as polling places and maintain a calm, quiet, secure testing environment for our students," he said.
He cited three reasons for the decision to change the date: the election date being moved up one week, school being pushed back to late August, and the testing schedule being pushed back two weeks.
Superintendents, test coordinators and education service center directors when presented with the initial draft of the testing calendar voiced no concerns, but as the election draws near have indicated concern "that the steady influx of voters into their building could be distracting to students taking a high-stakes test."
"We know this change causes additional work for our district and campus testing coordinators so we have not made the decision lightly. We had to balance the long-standing tradition of using schools as polling places with children's right to a quite testing environment as they take high stakes exams," the education commissioner said.
So, the schedule has been revamped to ensure voters don't distract students.
For most, that means an extra day to prepare or deal with the butterflies swimming in the tummy. For those taking the exit level social studies tests, it means four fewer days to prepare for the test.
All tests slated Tuesday-Friday, March 4-7 are being pushed back a day. Which means that TAKS third, fifth and eighth grade reading tests; fourth grade and seventh grade writing tests; 10th grade and exit level English language arts tests; and exit level ELA, ELA-online and TAAS exit level writing retests which were slated for Tuesday, March 4, are now pushed back one day to Wednesday, March 5. Also the grades 3, 5 and 8 reading TAKS M, fourth and seventh grade writing field tests, ninth grade reading field test, 10th grade ELA, and exit level ELA field TAKS-M tests slated for Tuesday will now be administered on Wednesday.
The TAKS exit level mathematics, math-online and TAAS exit level math retests will all now be conducted on Thursday, March 6, instead of the original Wednesday, March 5.
TAKS exit level science and online science retests, as well as the TAAS exit level reading retest, and the make up session for grade 10 ELA which originally slated for Thursday, March 6, are now going to be held on Friday, March, 7.
That means the exit level social studies TAKS retests got bumped from the Friday schedule. Since these tests have to be completed no later than Saturday, March 8, the state opted to forgo the usual policy of not administering such tests on Mondays. The exit-level social studies exam affects the fewest number of test-takers, about 10,000 statewide, so those tests were moved up four days to Monday, March, 3.
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text:
Prosecutors in Georgia allege that a group of current and former U.S. military service members created an anarchist militia group that plotted a number of anti-government attacks aimed at assassinating President Barack Obama and overthrowing the government. What's more, according to prosecutors, four Army members of the group killed a former comrade and his teenaged girlfriend in order to keep the whole operation a secret.
The militia members called the group F.E.A.R.—Forever Enduring Always Ready—and were said to have spent tens of thousands of dollars stockpiling weapons and ammunition. It's unknown exactly how many members were in the group.
—Posted by Tracy Bloom.
The Associated Press:
Prosecutors in rural Long County, near the sprawling Army post Fort Stewart, said the militia group of active and former U.S. military members spent at least $87,000 buying guns and bomb components. They allege the group was serious enough to kill two people — former soldier Michael Roark and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Tiffany York — by shooting them in the woods last December in order to keep its plans secret.
"This domestic terrorist organization did not simply plan and talk," prosecutor Isabel Pauley told a Superior Court judge. "Prior to the murders in this case, the group took action. Evidence shows the group possessed the knowledge, means and motive to carry out their plans."
One of the Fort Stewart soldiers charged in the case, Pfc. Michael Burnett, also gave testimony that backed up many of the assertions made by prosecutors. The 26-year-old soldier pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter, illegal gang activity and other charges. He made a deal to cooperate with prosecutors against the three other soldiers.
AP/Lewis Levine
Pfc. Michael Burnett, right, and Pvt. Christopher Salmon, who have been accused of killing two people and are alleged to be members of an anarchist militia group that planned to overthrow the government, are led away in handcuffs after appearing before a judge in Georgia last year.


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international online community for dna barcoding professionals
51 members10 Comments 1 Like
Posted on June 3, 2010 at 12:11pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Many members have joined the Connect site but are not sure how to keep in the loop and stay connected. We all have busy lives and probably don't have a lot of time to visit the Connect.BarcodeofLife.net website on a routine basis. Well, there are a number of great ways to stay in the loop with RSS feeds, email follow-ups, and notifications.…Continue
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60. "Love Shots" – Lloyd Banks
Found On: "The Cold Corner 2″ Mixtape
W.T.F.? Lloyd Banks? Yes 'sa, I can't quite recall whom it was that put me on to his mixtape (which, undoubtedly takes the crown as the year's best cover art), "The Cold Corner 2″, but I can't front. This mixtape is actually half way decent, straight up.
My favorite cut from the mixtape arrives from the most "credible" (at least, by underground standards) producer Nick Speed, with his grainy production found on "Love Shots".
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Footwork February. Four Fantastic Tips for Fabulous Footwork. February 05, 2016 13:39
Good footwork goes a long way for rock climbing. Here are four fantastic tips for fabulous footwork.
4. Fancy Feet
This is a training exercise that will help you to better understand how your feet positions affect your climbing. On easier routes, make a conscience effort to move your feet at least twice for every hand move you make. Work on inside edges of your feet, outside edges, switching feet on a hold, flagging, etc.
3. Strong Toes
This is a mindset to have as you climb. Make a conscience effort to push more with your feet by feeling the pressure of your weight on your toes, and increase it while simultaneously lessening the energy of your grip. Think about it.
2. Be Precise / Quiet Feet
Be deliberate, precise and quiet. Look directly where you want your foot to go, and put it right there.
1. Take advantage of DRCCs February Footwork special and get 10 FREE FOOTHOLDS for every hundred bucks you spend.


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Matthew G. Springer, a scholar who has performed research on No Child Left Behind through the National Center on School Choice, was named a fellow of the new George W. Bush Institute on Tuesday. Springer, of Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, was chosen for his expertise in performance incentives and education finance and policy as well as his skill at appraising "the success or failure of complicated education reform strategies and practices," according to a Bush institute press release.
Matthew Springer, second from right, with former President Bush and scholars and
policymakers at the George W. Bush Institute.
Springer's research with the NCSC includes the examination of theories that schools dealing with the accountability requirements of NCLB would exercise a kind of "educational triage" that produced test score gains among students near the proficiency threshold but disadvantaged others. (He found that generally they did not in the locations studied.) He also has studied the effects on test score gains of Supplemental Educational Services such as tutoring provided through NCLB. He also co-edited two NCSC books: Charter School Outcomes (2008), with Mark Berends and Herbert J. Walberg; and Handbook of Research on School Choice (2009), with Professors Berends, Walberg and Dale Ballou.
Springer will join other scholars at the Bush institute, including James W. Guthrie, formerly of Vanderbilt, and two other fellows also named Tuesday, Jay P. Greene of the University of Arkansas and Michael J. Podgursky of the University of Missouri. All will work on issues related to education reform, with special focus on improving the work of principals as leaders and strengthening middle schools, according to the press release. Each of the three fellows will serve a three-year renewable term.
The institute is affiliated with the George W. Bush Presidential Library, which includes an archive and museum, that is being built at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Read the institute press release here.
Learn more about Springer and his work with the NCSC project School Accountability under No Child Left Behind.


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Causes + Sculptra Aesthetic Q&A
Delayed Bumps Developed Six Months After Sculptra - Why?
I had 3 1/2 sessions of Scultra and was completely bump free for six months following final treatment. Literally over night a large number of bumps... READ MORE
Lump Around my Tear Trough, And It's Painful After my Sculptra Injection. Why?
I find there is a lump around my tear trough on my left and it's painful too. But when I pushed it hard eventually it's gone but maybe a min... READ MORE
My Face Feels Very Tight After Sculptra Touch Up 5 Weeks Ago, Why Is This?
I had a top up of 1 vial of sculptra after 18 months, it is now 5 weeks and my face is becomming so tight and getting so much volume, I also have this... READ MORE
Can Sculptra Injections Cause Scarring? From the Needle?
I had 3 sculptra treatments on my checks and temples I am experiencing little ice pick looking scars on both sides of my face where I was injected. It... READ MORE
Can Scars Occur After Needling with 2.0mm Needle Followed by Sculptra After One Year?
I carried out needling my face with 1.5mm and 2.0mm needles one year ago and combined this with 2 treatments of sculptra in between needling... READ MORE
Can kenalog shots for Sculptra cause weight gain?
I need to get kenalog shots to help dissolve the sculptra on my face. Ive already have two shots the next would be in 6 weeks . Will those shots cause... READ MORE
I have hard lumps after Sculptra. Could this be the cause?
Hi there I had sculptra in a few years indents around my chin area and smile lines over 1 year ago and now i have hard lumps and im freaking out. I... READ MORE
What's the best way to get rid of my lower eye lid bags and line? I've already tried sculptra (Photo)
I am 43 years old. Over the last couple of years I have noticed a significant line running below eye along the orb and above that larger and larger... READ MORE
Does Sculptra cause bone formation and bone growth?
Does sculptra cause bone formation and bone growth in the face? Does it make the cheekbones bigger and wider? READ MORE
Sculptra under my eye - is this glaucoma?
Hello, I had sculptra under my eye , 5 days ago. the next day after injection my right eye got watery or I can say there is tears in my right eyes ,... READ MORE
Sculptra technique for optimal safety?
I was wondering how far in advance most doctors mix their Sculptra? Also what dilution do you use? I have heard that some doctors mix it up to 2 weeks... READ MORE
Can Sculptra form into a nodule within 24 hrs of the injection? What are other possible causes? Can plugged cannula be culprit?
Received two vials of Sculptra three weeks ago, some of which was injected along my jawline. The following day I noticed a fixed, hard 4-6 mm oblong... READ MORE


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Fix Wordpress site bugs
Budget $30-250 USD
Fix WP Bugs unable to Logout , wp-admin not loading, and some css issue.
unable to Logout , wp-admin not loading, and some css issue
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V.B. Apartments Apartment
No. 1, 51, Old Bakery Street, Valletta, Malta
Atmosphere 80%
Cleanliness 89%
Facilities 86%
Location 99%
Safety 92%
Staff 93%
Value 84%
- Free Breakfast
- Free Wi-Fi
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Airport Transfers
- Cable TV
- Cots available
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Fridge Freezer"
- Hair Dryers
- Internet Access
- Iron / Ironing Board"
- Linen Included
- Luggage Storage
- Tea/Coffee Making Facilities
- Towels Included
- Utensils
Check-in / Check-out
Earliest check-in: 13:00
Latest Check-out: 11:30
- Credit Cards Accepted
- No Curfew
Group booking?
Group of 15 or more traveling to Valletta?
Private Rooms
Deluxe 2 Bed Apartment Ensuite
Sleeps 2
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
Deluxe 1 Bed Apartment Ensuite
Sleeps 1
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
Deluxe 3 Bed Apartment Ensuite
Sleeps 3
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
Deluxe 4 Bed Apartment Ensuite
Sleeps 4
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
About V.B. Apartments
V. B. Apartments offer clean, comfortable and affordable accommodation, in the city centre.
The property has been carefully restored to maintain as many of the old 16th Century features with the more contemporary. The walls are mostly exposed stone and the floors maintain mostly the old original cement tiles
As well as providing WiFi and travel information we also take care of your laundry and most creature comforts.
Accommodation Information
Breakfast is provided. Milk, Tea, Coffee, Bread, butter and a variety of Jams
There are two twin bedrooms each with open balconies, a lounge and equipped kitchen with dinning area. The bathroom has a shower, basin, and WC.
Location Information
Valletta, Malta's capital is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is probably one of Malta's main tourist attractions. This baroque city is filled with cafes and wine bars along with the very majestic St John's Co-Cathedral.
Valletta is a myriad of tiny stores and very narrow streets creating a labyrinth of places to explore.
Cancellation Policy
Customers can cancel their reservation free of charge up to 3 days before arrival. After this date, charges will be applied by the property up to the first nights cost of the reservation, unless otherwise stated in the property's conditions. Deposits paid are non refundable.


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Hello All, Please go through the below "Job Requirement" and let me know your interest.
*Position: Mobile Tester* *Location: Greenville,SC* *Job Description:* - *Mobile Native Application Testing(Mandatory)* - As a Senior Test Engineer you should able to devise Test Strategy, review test plan, traceability matrix and ensure usage of tools for optimization. - You should be able to ensure the availability test environment, design test and defect reporting formats and manage the team. - You should update project related data as required in applicable systems and ensure timely reporting and response to stakeholders. - Minimum work experience:3 - 5 Year. Thanks and Regards, *Parvez Akhtar**,* Technical Recruiter || IT-SCIENT || Phone: *510.972.8632* || Fax: 877.701.4872 || Email: *par...@itscient.com <par...@itscient.com>* || IT-SCIENT || Web: www.itscient.com || -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "REQSRESUMES" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to reqsresumes+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/reqsresumes. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.


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GMA repeats myth of Sotomayor as judicial activist
ABC News' Jan Crawford Greenburg uncritically repeated Sen. Jeff Sessions' suggestion that Judge Sonia Sotomayor is a judicial activist, advancing the myth that conservative judges are proponents of judicial restraint while liberal judges practice judicial activism.
On the July 13 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, correspondent Jan Crawford Greenburg uncritically reported what she said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) told her about the confirmation hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, saying that Sessions "wants to make these hearings a teaching moment, in a way contrasting her approach to the law with that of conservatives who think the court should take a more limited role." However, by uncritically repeating Sessions' comments, Greenburg advanced [1] the myth [2] that conservative judges are proponents of judicial restraint while liberal judges practice judicial activism. Moreover, in her report, the only case Greenburg referred to was Ricci v. DeStefano, but the conservative majority's decision in that case wasn't an example of the Supreme Court "tak[ing] a more limited role"; the five-justice majority reversed the determination of the city of New Haven.
As NBC News chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd noted [3] of the Ricci decision: "[T]he majority, actually -- well, to put it bluntly -- legislated from the bench." He further explained: "They put a new rule on instances like this when they said, well, you know, you can't -- you gotta prove that you could lose a lawsuit, not just be sued in order to decide to throw out a test like this," adding that "the irony is that the conservatives criticize this legislating from the bench. Well, it was the conservative majority here that did institute a new rule."
Moreover, not only did conservative Justice Antonin Scalia vote to reverse the city's decision in Ricci; in his concurring statement [4], he suggested that parts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 need to be changed. Scalia wrote that the court's decision in Ricci "merely postpones the evil day on which the Court will have to confront the question: Whether, or to what extent, are the disparate-impact provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 consistent with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection?" He later wrote: "But the war between disparate impact and equal protection will be waged sooner or later, and it behooves us to begin thinking about how -- and on what terms -- to make peace between them."
As Media Matters for America has previously noted, at least two studies -- looking at two different sets of criteria -- have found that the most "conservative" Supreme Court justices have been among the biggest judicial activists. A 2005 study [5] by Yale University law professor Paul Gewirtz and Yale Law School graduate Chad Golder indicated that among Supreme Court justices at that time, those most frequently labeled "conservative" were among the most frequent practitioners of at least one brand of judicial activism -- the tendency to strike down statutes passed by Congress. Indeed, Gewirtz and Golder found that Thomas "was the most inclined" to do so, "voting to invalidate 65.63 percent of those laws." Another recently published study [6] by Cass R. Sunstein (who has been nominated by President Obama to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs) and University of Chicago law professor Thomas Miles used a different measurement of judicial activism -- the tendency of judges to strike down decisions by federal regulatory agencies. Sunstein and Miles found [7] that by this definition, the Supreme Court's "conservative" justices were more likely to engage in "judicial activism," while the "liberal" justices were more likely to exercise "judicial restraint."
Further, the Congressional Research Service recently found [8] that "the most consistent characteristic of Judge Sotomayor's approach as an appellate judge has been an adherence to the doctrine of stare decisis, i.e., the upholding of past judicial precedents." The June 19 CRS analysis of Sotomayor's selected opinions further stated: "Other characteristics appear to include what many would describe as a careful application of particular facts at issue in a case and a dislike for situations in which the court might be seen as oversteping its judicial role." And according [9] to the Politico's Jeanne Cummings, "Sotomayor's history suggests the very sort of judicial restraint that conservatives clamor for in a nominee."
From the July 13 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:
KATE SNOW (co-anchor): OK, Chris, now to Washington, where Senate confirmation hearings begin today for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. President Obama called the nominee on Sunday to wish her luck, which she may need. She'll be facing some tough critics. ABC's Jan Crawford Greenburg joins us now from Washington with more.
Good morning, Jan.
GREENBURG: Kate, she's met with 89 senators, spent six weeks studying constitutional law and sat through countless prep sessions, and, today, Sonia Sotomayor is going to take that witness stand for the hearings that will determine whether she gets a Supreme Court appointment for life.
[begin video clip]
GREENBURG: Judge Sotomayor's seat at the witness table will be ground zero in the latest battle over the Supreme Court, and Republicans and Democrats are spoiling for a fight.
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D-VT): She's had more experience than any other nominee in nearly 100 years.
SESSIONS: I'm going to try to give her a fair hearing, but I am troubled.
GREENBURG: In the hearings, Republican senators will sharply question Sotomayor on race and affirmative action, especially her comments that a "wise Latina woman ... would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male."
The Supreme Court also delivered a recent blow when it reversed one of her decisions in a discrimination case. Sotomayor had ruled against a group of white and Hispanic firefighters who claimed the city of New Haven, Connecticut, was giving preferential treatment to blacks.
WENDY LONG (chief counsel for the Judicial Confirmation Network): Republican senators are concerned, and all Americans should be concerned, when a judge decides cases based on their own personal views and political agenda.
GREENBURG: Sotomayor is an historic pick. She would be the first Hispanic on the court. She grew up in the Bronx, raised by her mother, and went on to elite schools, Princeton and Yale Law. And it was a Republican president, George H.W. Bush, who nominated her to be a district court judge. Her compelling life story and the lack of a so-called smoking gun have softened Republican opposition. With a decisive majority in the Senate, Democrat Leahy is confident.
LEAHY: She will be confirmed.
[end video clip]
GREENBURG: And short of a major misstep or revelation, Republicans know they just don't have the votes to defeat Sotomayor. Senator Sessions told me he wants to make these hearings a teaching moment, in a way contrasting her approach to the law with that of conservatives who think the court should take a more limited role -- Kate.
- Posted In
- Government [10], Nominations & Appointments [11], The Judiciary [12]
- Network/Outlet
- Person
- Jan Crawford Greenburg [14]
- Show/Publication
- Good Morning America [15]
- Stories/Interests
- Supreme Court Nominations [16], Sotomayor Nomination [17]


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Best for printing: koyokukak.pdf (478 KB)
To view PDF files, you can use the Acrobat® Reader®.
Koyokuk, Alaska is on the Yukon River west of Fairbanks with a population of 90. Access is by air and water.
Koyokuk, Alaska
Runway at Koyokuk
Landing at Koyokuk
Planning and Maintenance
Koyokuk has a 5 year transportation plan that has been completed by Tanana Chiefs Council. There is 2.1 miles on the IRR inventory and about 5.1 miles of total roadway.
There is a project underway for the airport and access road to the airport. The runway is maintained by the state. There is no maintenance on village roads summer or winter.
Trail Marking Program
Koyokuk has participated in the trail marking project that has been funded by ADOT. Members of the village set up trail markings on trails and on the river.
Trail Marking Tripods
Village Issues
There are erosion and erosion control issues. There has been discussion of possible relocation of village.
There are currently 115 projects on the BIA needs list for Alaska. With current funding levels, about 6 project are started each year.
To provide Feedback, Suggestions or Comments for this page contact Tim Penney at email@example.com.


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Saturday, October 2 2010 - Legal Response to 9/11
Ashcroft's Post-9/11 Roundups Spark Lawsuit
By William Fisher
NEW YORK, Sep 27, 2010 (IPS) - Hundreds of people who believe they were falsely detained and imprisoned by the Department of Justice in the wake of the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks are now seeking redress through the U.S. courts.
The exact number of detainees is unclear, as no lists were ever released publicly. But according to a report by the Office of the Inspector General in 2002, 475 9/11 detainees were arrested and detained in New York and New Jersey. Hundreds more were arrested across the country.
Some of these men are plaintiffs in a federal class action lawsuit against former Attorney General John Ashcroft and other top officials in the administration of President George W. Bush (2001-2009) who were responsible for their illegal roundup, abuse and detention.
The suit charges that the detainees were kept in solitary confinement with the lights on 24 hours a day; placed under a communications blackout so that they could not seek the assistance of their attorneys, families and friends; subjected to physical and verbal abuse; forced to endure inhumane conditions of confinement; and obstructed in their efforts to practice their religion.
Some of the abuse included beatings, repeated strip searches and sleep deprivation. The allegations of inhumane and degrading treatment have been substantiated by two reports of the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General, and several defendants in the case have been convicted on federal charges of cover-ups and beatings of other prisoners around the same time period.
On Sep. 13, six new plaintiffs joined the lawsuit, which is still a proposed class action; there has not yet been a ruling on class certification.
These plaintiffs include two Pakistani men, Ahmer Iqbal Abbasi and Anser Mehmood; two men from Egypt, Ahmed Khalifa and Saeed Hammouda; Benamar Benatta; an Algerian man who has sought and received refugee status in Canada; and Purna Raj Bajracharya, a Nepalese Buddhist whose prolonged detention after 9/11 prompted outrage not only by civil libertarians, but even by the FBI agent who originally investigated him.
Bajracharya was videotaping the sights of New York City for his family back in Nepal when he inadvertently included an FBI office. He was taken into custody, where officials found he had overstayed his tourist visa, a violation punishable by deportation.
Instead, Bajracharya wound up in solitary confinement in a federal detention centre for three months, weeping constantly, in a six-by-nine-foot cell where the lights were never turned off. Bajracharya, who speaks little English, might have been in there much longer if James Wynne, the FBI agent who investigated him, had not summoned Legal Aid.
Despite the fact that the government never charged any of them with a terrorism-related offence, immigration authorities kept the men in detention for up to eight months, long past the resolution of their immigration cases, according to attorneys at the Center for Constitutional Rights, which brought the class action on behalf of the plaintiffs.
"I was deprived of my liberty and I was abused at the hands of the U.S. government simply because of my religion and ethnicity. Now, nine years later, I seek to vindicate my rights and hold the people who mistreated me accountable," said Benamar Benatta. "My hope is that this never happens to anyone again."
Benatta succeeded in having a criminal charge for possession of false immigration documents thrown out of court when the federal judge in his case ruled that his immigration detention was a "subterfuge" and "sham" created to hide the reality that, because Benatta was an "Algerian citizen and a member of the Algerian Air Force, [he] was spirited off to the MDC (Metropolitan Detention Center) in Brooklyn…and held in the [Administrative Maximum Special Housing Unit] as 'high security' for the purposes of providing an expeditious means of having [him] interrogated by special agents of the FBI."
"After 9/11 hundreds of men were swept up and detained in deplorable conditions based only on their religion and ethnicity," CCR Attorney Rachel Meeropol told IPS.
"Nine years later, my clients are still determined to hold the masterminds of these sweeps accountable, and we will continue this fight until former Attorney General John Ashcroft, and his cronies, are forced to answer for their policy of profiling and abuse," she said.
"No matter what exalted position they hold, cannot get away with ordering abuse and racial profiling. This battle is far from over," Meeropol added.
The suit names as defendants then-Attorney General Ashcroft; Robert Mueller, current director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); former immigration commissioner James Ziglar; and officials at the MDC, where the plaintiffs were held.
It includes additional detail regarding high-level involvement in racial profiling and abuse, including allegations that Ashcroft ordered immigration authorities and the FBI to investigate individuals for ties to terrorism by, among other means, looking for Muslim-sounding names in the phonebook.
In the resulting dragnet, hundreds of men were arrested, many based solely on their physical appearance – "Middle Eastern-looking men."
Many other arrests were based on anonymous tips called in to the FBI. The complaint also discloses, in some cases for the first time, the "discriminatory and nonsensical tips" that led to each plaintiff's arrest and detention, the CCR says.
Lead plaintiff Ibrahim Turkmen, for example, was arrested after his landlady called the FBI to report that she rented an apartment to several Middle Eastern men, and "she would feel awful if her tenants were involved in terrorism and she didn't call."
Among other documented abuses in detention, many of the 9/11 detainees had their faces smashed into a wall where guards had pinned a t-shirt with a picture of a U.S. flag and the words, "These colors don't run." The men were slammed against the t-shirt upon their entrance to MDC and told "welcome to America".
The t-shirt was smeared with blood, yet it stayed up on the wall at MDC for months.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author, who is solely responsible for its content, and do not necessarily reflect those of 911Truth.org. 911Truth.org will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.
Fair Use Notice
This page contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of political issues relating to alternative views of the 9/11 events, etc. We believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond "fair use", you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.


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When we encounter grief as a result of a life situation, how many of us have been given a "road map" so to speak to be able to navigate our way through it effectively?
I ask this question because of having learned about grief over 23 years ago. I was so ill equipped to handle the death of a family's 17 year old granddaughter who I was very good friends with. What added insult to injury was the fact she had taken her own life. That in itself complicated this new sense of grief that now had become my biggest nemesis.
When initially confronted by a grief experience, we learn quickly that whatever we hold true about being in control of our lives can be instantly shattered. All of these raw emotions begin to overtake us and unless we have been sufficiently been role modeled as to how we express this new pain, unfortunately we have a strong tendency to "act things out."
When grief first enters our life, pushing it aside, down, away etc. are all options chosen by many, however to let it in and learn from it can become such a gift in a round about way.
Feeling grief emotions can only bring truth, openness and reality to what you are going through. We learn how to bend, realizing we will never break. We discover tears are an opportunity to release built up toxins and we feel better afterwards. We give of our self to others to help support them also in their time of need. Going through this we find folks to share our feelings with to help carry our load. Sharing our concerns for others only helps us to nurture our own self at such a time with what we are experiencing.
Remember–emotions choose us at these sensitive times, we do not choose them. Also–we all have heard about the varied stages of grief which are all possibilities we may encounter. Reality says we are all as different as our fingerprints as we will be in handling our grief. Just know that grief is not constant because if it were it would kill us. There is not a schedule that you and grief are on. When it appears, do your best not to fight it. Let this toxic, poison out and do not let it fester down deep inside.
We are not on any time table to go through grief or there is a norm to measure up against. The time you are going through will help to heal you. Take extra special care of yourself at this time and allow others to help shoulder your load.
Because we are all mostly creatures of habit, certain things happen in life which send us into reactionary mode. Whether that may be reflective of a person, an event or a group of people, making a choice to be angry can be very easy for us to select. Now, in saying that, I know there are some who may say, "What do you mean Bob I chose to be angry, what he/she said made me angry"? Well, no one makes us do anything that we do not allow. Somehow we forget about that and we put others in charge of our feelings. I am aware of the resistance to this issue, however with a new and different focus, a new mindshift can happen.
There is a lot to be said about emotions choosing us, as we do not choose them. This is especially true when it comes to either intense, overwhelming, sudden grief regarding a traumatic event OR to feel a wave of joy and warmth witnessing a very pleasurable situation.
When going through grief, emotions are very real and common, as it relates to one's own experience.There can be many factors of a situation which usually determines what grief pattern you may feel: the age and manner of death; the relationship you had with the deceased; your spirituality and God; past experiences with grief; your personality makeup; your focusing ability; avenues of support available and a host of others. These just give you an overview of how no one can accurately judge or instruct someone on how to grieve.
The anger people have, when grief suddenly appears, can have an adverse effect on one's healing. Whether the anger is directed at the deceased, the event, others, self, etc., a grievers anger can be all consuming. Anger is a feeling and okay to feel. Even though there are justifiable times to be angry, deep seated hatred and resentments can physiologically attack one's immune system. Anger becomes a learned reaction and as a newly bereaved person, experiencing unhealthy grief can generate disastrous results, the longer you continue down this path. Finding a way to settle these scores can create new beginnings of acceptance and forgiveness. Both of these become gifts you give to yourself first and then to others. It may be easier said than done, understood, however all situations have endings and beginnings. Once you can let go of your anger, you make room for new growth and change to take place-i.e. peace, joy, contentment, love etc.
Having to go through grief is tough enough on everyone, without piling anger and other hurtful reactions on top of it.
Deaths-all types, physical and symbolic have something to teach us. We just need to sit at the feet of our life experiences and be taught by it.
When grief enters our life, especially when we have never experienced it before, it has a tendency to control our life. By educating ourselves about this topic will help to create new ways of behaving in life and with others.
Handling grief no matter how much we intellectually understand it, can and will impact us emotionally. The pain we feel and the emotions we display can overtake us in some way. Who would think that in grief, one would forget to drink water and then become dehydrated, landing them in the hospital. Forgetting to stay properly nourished, following a healthy diet, has been a problem and so has been remembering to take medications in a responsible fashion.
When grief falls on our doorstep there is another very significant reaction people have and that is denial. This is the most troublesome part of grief as it signify's how easy it is to become stuck or frozen in time. As long as you do not acknowledge your grief, you can pretend it didn't happen. Unfortunately our bodies do not go along with this line of thinking, because internally, where you may not let your thoughts go to, physiologically we can, do and will come down with illnesses. Even when we are not consciously thinking of these things, we unconsciously are very busy processing this event feverishly. As soon as you can begin to admit this has happened, acknowledging the death does not mean you have to accept it. Let this be a process of growth for yourself, as you go through stages, getting to acceptance. That may be in question also, however your grief belongs to YOU.
Take your time to learn all about what grieving is about, so to effectively give you the best chance of handling all aspects of this on the front end. This way you will not have to wait for possibly years down the road, to have it come roaring in and take you by surprise.
Nothing about handling grief says you MUST do this, however, there are as many moving parts to this which requires the line of thinking that it is necessary to look at and consider.
On any level of grief you may be experiencing, please know my heart rides with you. I would sure feel honored to work with you on finding your way through this emotional maze. Please feel free to be in touch.
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The Leagues of Women Voters in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties have been there from the start, endorsing the formation of the district, and its expansion into San Mateo County. Today we're supporting the bond measure that will continue the process of protecting some of the most pristine land on the peninsula, including redwood forests and the San Mateo County coast.
Measure AA is a $300 million, 30-year bond that will pay for additional acquisitions, long-delayed repairs, infrastructure and other land improvements, opening up access to thousands of preserved acres via 200 miles of new trails. This is the first time Midpen has gone back to the voters for more funding since it was established 42 years ago.
Through an extensive open review process, Midpen has identified 25 priority projects that provide the broadest public benefit. These are described in detail in the ballot pamphlet.
Several of these projects are located in the south San Mateo County area, including the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve, where multi-use trails would be added and the wildlife habitat restored around Los Trancos Creek. The Hawthorns area would also be opened with trail connections to Windy Hill, and partnerships explored to preserve historic buildings.
Importantly, the La Honda Creek and Tunitas Creek preserves would improve passage and breeding conditions for coho salmon and steelhead in the San Gregorio watershed. At Russian Ridge, trails would be extended, opening up new areas of the preserve to the public for the first time, including spectacular Mindego Hill. At Coal Creek, Alpine Road would be reopened as a trail connection between Portola Valley and Skyline Boulevard. And redwood stands, animal habitats and additional open space would be preserved throughout the region.
The Leagues of Women Voters were impressed by the public, open process that the district used to identify projects and to narrow down the list that is included in the bond proposal. Few public agencies have done as well. The League believes that this money will be well spent.
Each year, funds generated by Measure AA would be publicly reviewed and reported on by a seven-person Community Oversight Committee — so there is accountability regarding the expenditure of bond monies.
This bond measure reflects a significant benefit at a modest cost — from $1 to a maximum of $3.18 per $100,000 of a property's assessed value, or a maximum of $32 a year in property taxes for the owner of a $1 million home.
The Leagues of Women Voters in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties can think of no better legacy to leave our children and grandchildren, and we urge the residents of the peninsula to vote YES on Measure AA.
Linda Craig is president of the League of Women Voters of the Bay Area and a Menlo Park resident.


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Japanese crane game plushies
Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
These plush were showcased at JAPEO 2013, an arcade expo in Japan. Looks like the mane six will be available as crane game prizes in two different sizes. Applejack even comes with her hat!
According to sunyshore on MLP Arena, these are likely unfinished prototypes, so the unicorns will be released with their horns. The first set will be released in July and the second in August.
(via Kotaku, MLP Arena)
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Tweets from @TBHomeTeam/writers
MORE from our HomeTeam writers.
Thu. December 9, 2010 | Bob Putnam | Email
ST. PETERSBURG — They have been all over the court and everywhere in the stat sheet, showing up under their own names and in everyone else's line, as well.
St. Petersburg Catholic's starters have been playing at an elevated level, helping the Barons to a 6-1 start and keeping hope alive that they can extend their school-record playoff streak to 14 seasons.
And they're doing it without Jerica Coley.
Coley, the St. Petersburg Times' All-County and All-Suncoast Player of the Year the past two seasons, graduated. She was the team's savior, night in, night out.
Also missing are six other seniors from last year's team. This season's squad has just three players with varsity experience.
The supporting players had been the beneficiaries of the county's best player, the supporting cast in Coley's high-scoring games that helped SPC extend its playoff streak.
Now they have to fend for themselves with Coley playing at Florida International.
But the Barons are having a grand time standing up for themselves.
"We all knew we had to step up," guard Brittney Dunbar said. "Jerica was a great player and will be missed. We can't rely on one person anymore. We all have to come through and score. We've had to spread things out and be more balanced."
Everyone is contributing to SPC's success. Three of the Barons' top four players have led the team in scoring in at least one game.
In the season opener against Tenoroc, Michelle Halapio had a team-high 18 points.
Against Tampa Catholic in a key district game, Annie Artise came through with 27.
Artise fell hard on the court in that game and missed this week with a concussion.
No problem. SPC made up for her loss as Dunbar scored a career-high 29 and had 13 steals in a victory over Academy of the Holy Names on Tuesday.
Nikki Parker, who came back from a knee injury last year, also has been a solid scorer.
"I knew we had the talent, and I knew these four would have to carry us," coach Nick Vandewalle said. "I thought we might struggle early and get better as the season went on.
"But this team has already exceeded those expectations."
The only loss in the first seven games came by two points to Riverview.
Now comes a tough stretch of games starting tonight, with an opening-round matchup against Boca Ciega in the Indian Rocks Christian Invitational.
"I think the biggest surprise for us is how well we've played together so quickly," Parker said. "We're trying to stay focused and make sure we can keep our playoff streak going at end of the year."


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Groene at the Legislature: Shell bills, present but not voting
Groene at the Legislature: Questions for wind farm proponents
More opinion
Hearing your thoughts on the Farm Bill
Cattle feeder appointed to state brand committee
More Ag News
Edy Patterson of North Platte is the second woman president in the history of the Nebraska Diplomats, a goodwill and economic development outreach of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce.
The Nebraska Diplomats, Inc. had more than 325 business executives and community members, the group said in the announcement.
The Nebraska Diplomats Passport Weekend, the annual business recruitment event, began Friday with 200 people attending the CEO Roundtable and evening banquet at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln.
CEO Roundtable panelists included Tony Raimondo, Behlen Mfg., talking about the Dream It/Do It Program; former Lincoln County Economic Development Director Richard Baier, now with the Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce, who talked about ways to forge Nebraskas future, and Joseph E. Knecht, with i2rd, Lincoln; Todd Dickie, Power Sports Nation, Norfolk; and Gordon Whitten, private investor form Omaha, talking about Nebraskas Talent and Innovation Initiative.
The Diplomats hosted business prospects from California, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, as well as China and Korea, the group said.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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Games for the Beach: Water-Balloon Relay
What you need: A pack of water balloons and a half-dozen position markers (sand pails, large stones, or driftwood would work).
How to play: A water-balloon relay is just as tricky as the old egg-in-spoon relay race you grew up with, only less messy—or wasteful. (Running in sand adds an extra challenge.) Mark handoff points (about 30 feet apart) and position runners at each. The first team to make three successful balloon transfers and cross the finish line—balloon intact—wins. Tip: Try using biodegradable water balloons, in case one of the remnants gets buried before you have a chance to collect them ($5 for 250 balloons, fatbraintoys.com).


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Due to variances in monitors, the colors and patterns displayed may vary slightly from the actual product. Physical samples should be ordered prior to specifying.
Throughout the world, patterns have a natural way of repeating themselves; similarly, Sheer Pazzo creates a comfortable flow. This pattern features a slender emboss with undulating grains horizontally waiving along the wall.


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England manager Roy Hodgson has announced Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney as the new England captain, succeeding Liverpool's Steven Gerrard who retired from international duty in July.
Hodgson also named four uncapped players in his squad for next week's international friendly against Norway and the Euro 2016 qualifier in Switzerland.
Arsenal's 19-year-old defender Calum Chambers will be joined by Jack Colback of Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur's Danny Rose and Aston Villa's Fabian Delph, all aged 24, as the new faces in the 22-man squad.
England host Norway at Wembley on Wednesday before they start their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign away to Switzerland on Sept.8.
"It will be exciting but there will be some anxious moments to see how these players step up," Hodgson told a news conference on Thursday.
"We've been a bit unlucky in our first qualifier, it is arguably our hardest one (Switzerland away) and these players may not get the soft introduction they may have had.
"I don't think there is any reason for intrepidation. With these players we are bringing into the squad, and don't forget there's no Theo Walcott, Ross Barkley or Adam Lallana, I see no reason for us to be fearful."
Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Southampton), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Hart (Manchester City)
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Everton)
Midfielders: Jack Colback (Newcastle United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Forwards: Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United)


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Cardinal Brennan Jr./Sr. High School was a Roman Catholic secondary educational institution located in Ftn. Springs, Pennsylvania. The mission of Cardinal Brennan was to provide students with a strong foundation in academic excellence firmly rooted in Christian faith and morals.
On June 8, 2007, after 39 years of service, the doors of Cardinal Brennan Jr./Sr. High School were closed.
Although the school no longer exists, the Cardinal Brennan Community is strong and enduring. We are C.B.! is an independent web site dedicated to serving the Cardinal Brennan school community.
Our goal is to preserve the history, memories, accomplishments and more of Cardinal Brennan Jr./Sr. High School as well as the schools that preceded it, including Cardinal Brennan High School, Immaculate Heart High School and Immaculate Heart Academy.


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Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire (9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867 / Paris)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Far Away From Here
This is the sanctuary
where the prettified young lady,
calm, and always ready,
fans her breasts, aglow,
read more >>
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Anemia is a medical condition when there is a decrease of red blood cells present in the body. One of the major causes of anemia among individuals is the low amount of iron in the body. Iron is one of the primary components that makes up hemoglobin found in red blood cells in the body. In fact, anemia caused by low level of iron in the body's system is the most common form of anemia.
Most Likely Candidates for Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Anemia is commonly seen more among women than men. This is attributed to the loss of blood women experience during menstruation. Any form of blood loss, such as that experienced by women every month, decreases the levels of iron in the body. Unless this is replenished, the body would not be able to compensate for the loss.
This does not mean that men are immune from contracting anemia. Other medical conditions like stomach ulcers can cause either men or women to develop iron-deficiency anemia. This is because these conditions are prone for a person to bleed slightly especially if the person takes antibiotics or over-the-counter pain medications.
The symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia are the following:
• Experiences frequent episodes of fatigue
• Paleness of face and lips
• Events of heart palpitations
• Excessive hair loss
• Worsening of heart problems (for people who have already been diagnosed with some form of heart ailment)
Complications of Iron-Deficiency Anemia
When a person has iron-deficiency anemia and it is left untreated, one of the complications would by hypoxia. This condition occurs when the body is not getting enough oxygen to be able for the different organs and glands of the body to work properly. When a person does not get the dosage of iron required for his or her body, this would affect the levels of hemoglobin in the body. Hemoglobin, in turn, is responsible for the transfer of oxygen to the different cells of the body.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A physician would require a patient to undergo a complete blood count (CBC) test for him or her to determine if a patient is suffering from anemia. Because iron-deficiency is not the only cause of anemia, the physician would also look into the mean corpuscular volume (MCV). This would allow the physician to find out the volume of red blood cells present in the blood sample. A low volume of red blood cells in the sample would indicate that the patient has tested positive for anemia.
The manner on how anemia is treated greatly depends on what caused the onset of anemia on the patient. For anemia resulting from a decrease in the level of iron in the blood stream, physicians would prescribe iron supplements to help the body restore the levels of iron in the patients' body. If the patient has been diagnosed to have chronic iron-deficiency anemia, the physician may need to prescribe blood transfusion to increase the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin levels in the body.


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"Tian Tian and Yang Guan are undeniably cute"
Meet the new arrivals
Edinburgh Zoo's newest arrivals are Tian Tian and Yang Guang - a pair of giant pandas, which are on a 10-year loan from China. They are the first giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years.
Kids will love… Despite weighing more than 110kg each and having razor-sharp teeth, Tian Tian and Yang Guang are undeniably cute, especially when they are chomping on a meal of fresh bamboo.
Adults will love… With more than 1,000 animals onsite, you're bound to find a species that fascinates you, be it penguins, pythons, koalas, leopards or chimps.
GO BY TRAIN: There are regular Airlink services from Waverley Bridge, outside Edinburgh Waverley station, with the journey taking around 15 minutes.
INFO: edinburghzoo.org.uk


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Mine Safety and Health Administration
Contact: Amy Louviere
Phone: (703) 235-1452
Released Thursday, October 11, 2001
News Release
Teams from Pa., Ill., and W. Va. Take Top Honors
2001 Mine Safety and Health Administration National Mine Rescue Contest Results
WASHINGTON-Consol Energy, Inc.'s Enlow Fork Mine of West Finley, Pa., took first place in the 2001 Mine Safety and Health Administration's National Mine Rescue, Bench and First Aid Contest held in Louisville, Ky., last month.
Energy West Mining's Silver Team, of Huntington, Utah, and the American Coal Company's Galatia Mine of Galatia, Ill., finished second and third, respectively. Thirty-eight teams from 10 states participated in the bi-annual competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration.
"The incidents of September 11 have demonstrated to us how absolutely essential are the skills of search and rescue personnel," said Dave Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "Right now, mine rescue teams in Alabama are working around the clock to recover the bodies of their fallen brothers," he added, referring to last month's explosions that killed 13 miners at Jim Walter #5 mine in Brookwood, Ala.
Galatia Mine took top honors in the bench competition, in which miners who maintain rescue equipment must thoroughly inspect breathing devices that have been purposely tampered with and must correct those defects as quickly as possible. Lodestar Energy Inc. of Clay, Ky., and Mingo Logan Coal Co.'s Mountaineer Mine of Wharncliffe, W.Va., finished second and third, respectively.
Eastern Associated Coal Corp.'s Southern Appalachia A Team, of Twilight, W.Va., won the first aid competition, followed by Energy West Mining's Silver Team #2 and Eastern Associated Coal Corp.'s Southern Appalachia B Team of Fairview, W.Va. In the first aid contest, competitors tackle real-life medical emergency scenarios.
Mine rescue competitions require six-member teams to solve a hypothetical mine emergency problem--such as a fire, explosion or cave-in--while judges rate them on their adherence to safety procedures and how quickly they complete specific tasks.
Mine rescue training began in the United States in 1910, the year the U.S. Bureau of Mines was created. Joseph A. Holmes, the bureau's first director, sought a training vehicle that would provide the mining industry with a cadre of mine rescue specialists who would be prepared to respond to mine disasters. The training efforts evolved into local and regional competitions and, a year later, a national contest.


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Best Of :: Arts & Entertainment
A trained artist, Saskia Wilson-Brown is the mastermind behind the Institute for Art and Olfaction, where she promotes the use of aroma molecules to make art you can smell. As with any medium, there are purists who advocate natural over synthetic materials, but when it comes to perfumery, Wilson-Brown embraces both. IAO offers weekly, three-hour, perfume-making workshops, where everyone from earthy hippies and serious artists to chic fashionistas chooses four to six ingredients from the institute's hundreds of aroma molecules, blending them together, using pipettes, vials and beakers while keeping careful record of what they've done. Wilson-Brown likes small groups, because if there are more than 12 people, the place can get really funky — literally. Unlike most department stores, IAO doesn't use coffee beans to clear the nasal palate: Wilson-Brown believes that's a myth: "What I tell people to do is just smell their armpits." 1933 S. Broadway, Ste. 1122, dwntwn. firstname.lastname@example.com, artandolfaction.com. —Tanja M. Laden
Ask the average American to describe the culture of Brazil and he or she may cite the bikinis of Ipanema and Copacabana, the gang violence of the favelas, the popular beauty-salon waxing trend or the off-Strip Vegas casino called Rio. Brasil Brasil Cultural Center is here to spread the rich, authentic and energizing traditions of the proud, ethnically mixed South American nation. Launched by husband and wife Amen and Nayla Eva Santo almost 25 years ago, BBCS is a spacious cultural and community center, which spreads and shares Afro-Brazilian culture through classes in capoeira (a dance/martial arts hybrid), samba, belly dance, Zumba, kickboxing, multiple musical styles and fitness and language instruction. Pra caramba! 11928 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City. (310) 397-3667, brasilbrasil.org. —Adam Gropman
Let's face it, baby music can be a nightmare. Less Wiggles, more rock, right, parents? If only kids could develop the same taste in classic jams that we have. Well, in fact, they can, especially if they're students in Julie Ingram's Scruffin Rock class. Classically trained, with a master's degree in music, Ingram has created a program akin to those Pixar movies that sneak innuendo into their dialogue: entertaining for your kiddo but with elements even adults can enjoy. Toddlers in Scruffin Rock sing, dance and learn rhythm and melody via music inspired by rockers such as Chuck Berry, The Go-Go's, Big Mama Thornton and Neil Young. It may look like they're just batting kiddie tambourines, but they're really learning the fundamentals of good music. With any luck, it will counteract the Bieber craze you know is coming. 3141 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village, facebook.com/pages/Scruffin-Rock/109744712416682. —Ali Trachta
Need an activity that will entertain everyone from your mom to your 8-year-old cousin? Just love being crafty? If you answered yes, then Duff's Cakemix is your place. Located on Melrose Avenue at Sweetzer, it's not far from some of the most popular designer shops in Los Angeles. At Duff's Cakemix you're first given a "Kit Menu" from which you choose your cake size, flavor, filling and canvas (buttercream or fondant icing). Once you've decided on your foundation and gathered your decorating materials from the decorating bar, the team of trained pros at Cakemix helps you as much (or as little) as you please. With the assistance of Duff Goldman's Cakemix crew and its collection of decorating tools — which includes everything from cookie cutters to an airbrush station — even the uninitiated and untalented can create a cake that will impress. 8302 Melrose Ave., W. Hlywd. (323) 650-5555, duffscakemix.com. —Diamond Bodine-Fischer
Some hobbies are just more badass than others, and blacksmithing is about as badass as they come. Adam's Forge is a nonprofit group that encourages students from beginner to pro to express themselves through metal. Their weekly Discovery Days are $20 and feature projects simple enough for anyone. The volunteer staff is passionate about the craft and offers an inviting environment for first-timers. After attending a Discovery Day, if you're interested in going deeper, you can pursue your CBA (California Blacksmith Association) certifications at Adam's Forge. Their calendar is filled with always changing specialty classes like Mokume-gane and Viking Cutlery. If you reach the point where you're confident enough to work independently, they even offer "open forge" times to aspiring blacksmiths and passionate hobbyists alike. 2640 N. San Fernando Road, Glassell Park. (323) 257-5855, adamsforge.com. —Diamond Bodine-Fischer
Need to talk about issues, such as dealing with a homophobic boss or navigating the dating scene, which only another gay man can understand? Want to connect with your gay brothers outside of the loud, sometimes intimidating bar scene? Feeling as if you're all alone in what you're going through as a gay man? Look no further: Go to Tribe, a fantastic gay men's discussion group that meets in the Community Conference Room of the West Hollywood Library. The setting is safe and friendly, with an emphasis on building the self-respect and personal power gay men already possess. Men from a broad age range — 20s to 50s — attend the meetings, held at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. So you'll hear many different generational perspectives, which will be invaluable, and not always easily accessible outside of the group. 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., W. Hlywd. (323) 848-6460, weho.org/tribe. —Patrick Range McDonald