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Nuclear Threat Rising in Japan?; More Budget Battles Looming
Aired April 11, 2011 - 22:00 ET
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news from Japan. Good evening, everyone. For weeks, we have been pointing out how Japanese nuclear officials have been downplaying the danger of the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, giving vague statements, contradictory estimates. Well, tonight, there's late word that nuclear safety officials are considering raising the threat level at the damaged plant to seven. That is the highest level. We're expecting word on that at any minute. For perspective now, Chernobyl was a level seven accident. Three Mile Island was a five. Until now, that's what the crisis at this plant was rated, a level five. Japanese officials today also announced they are expanding the evacuation zone around the crippled plant, residents of five additional towns and cities now being urged to leave their homes. In a moment, we will talk with our reporter in Japan and two nuclear experts. But, first, I want to show you some remarkable new video of the tsunami that triggered the nuclear crisis exactly one month ago. Take a look at this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The earthquake must have happened around 3:00 p.m. The sea is getting rough. Can you see that? It's coming over the embankment. The second wave is coming. So powerful. The cars are getting washed away. The seawater is coming. The seawater is coming. So fast! The water is getting closer so fast. So fast! So powerful! (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Literally running for their lives from the approaching water. The tsunami knocked out the nuclear plant's cooling system. Since then, it's been a race to prevent a nuclear meltdown. TEPCO, the plant's owner, now says it has no idea when it will be able to restore normal cooling for the reactors and spent fuel pools. And in the last 24 hours, two more powerful aftershocks have shaken Japan. A 6.6 tremor knocked out power across Tokyo, forced workers at the damaged plant to evacuate. At least one person was killed in a landslide. Hours later, a 6.4 quake struck, killing at least six people. Around the same time came word that a fire had broken out at the plant's number four reactor. TEPCO says that fire has been put out. Also today, for the first time, TEPCO's president visited Fukushima Prefecture. He was hospitalized, you may remember, in late March, allegedly for fatigue and stress. Today, he apologized to the residents of Fukushima and local officials and said he regretted that the apology came so late. CNN's Kyung Lah joins me from Japan, also Michael Friedlander, a former senior nuclear power plant operator, and CNN contributor and international security analyst Jim Walsh at MIT. So, Michael, today Japan's Nuclear Industrial Safety Agency is considering raising the threat level to seven. How significant is that? MICHAEL FRIEDLANDER, FORMER NUCLEAR PLANT OPERATOR: Well, Anderson, there's a couple of different contexts to put it in. Probably the most relevant is, is that the basis for the upgrade is having gone back and looked back at what happened a few weeks ago. It's certainly not relevant to anything that's going on right now. But the authorities have looked back at some of the radioactive release rates that were going on in the early days of the accident, and their calculation of those release rates are what caused them to go back and reconsider it. COOPER: So, basically, though, it means -- if they raised it to seven it means looking back that what happened was far worse than they were saying at the time or that they knew at the time. FRIEDLANDER: Well, you know, again, Anderson, again, to put it in a bit of context, the rating that we apply to these things is sort of separate and different from what goes on to combat the casualty in the moment. You know, again, at the time, we have to look back and see, what were the capabilities, what did they know, what kind of instrumentation did they have and things like that? And so it's easy in hindsight to go back and be critical. But I do think that it underscores one of the elements that we have been talking about on this show for almost three weeks now, and that is given the level of radiation that we found around the countryside, it's absolutely essential that it be monitored much more closely than it has been. COOPER: Jim, what do you make of this? There have been a number now of strong earthquakes just in the past few days, including one that just happened a couple hours ago. How big a concern is that on top of all of this? JIM WALSH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, first, I agree with Michael. This is more looking back than looking forward. And it's saying there's more radiation released than they had originally calculated. And I think that does -- I think there is a little bit of blame here that they were slow to get out into the field. I know there was a lot going down. But it took them a while to get measurements. It took them a while for IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, to get into the field and to supplement those readings. And now -- and I think the extension of the evacuation zone and this finding looking back saying that there was more radiation released than maybe we had anticipated, my guess is, those two things are linked. Going forward, Anderson, you know, I think of that NRC, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission memo that was leaked. It was a memo from late March that expressed concern about aftershocks because these plants have already been stressed. They have gone through the earthquakes. They're filled with water. You know, and there may be damage to some, more severe in some units than in others. So yes, I think aftershocks are going to continue to be a concern. COOPER: And, Michael, now they're expanding the evacuation zone, but they're not doing it based on sort of radius, which is the way we would think. They're doing it based on where they have gotten higher radiation readings and different towns and areas told to evacuate because of those radiation readings. That seems like an odd way to do it, isn't it? FRIEDLANDER: Yes, you know what, Anderson? And again, it's uncomfortable for me to be put in the position of defending people that I have been quite critical of over the last several weeks. I totally get that they're trying to thread the eye of the needle, so to speak, in terms of not inconveniencing anyone unnecessarily. But I do think that this is a very short-sighted approach for handling this. I mean, the situation is, is that there's a lot of radioactivity around the countryside. We don't even know where it's all at. And certainly going back and recovering those areas through a massive decontamination effort would be much more effective and much more in the public's interest by just evacuating the whole zone than trying to do it on a piecemeal basis. COOPER: Yes, I would rather err, if I'm living in that zone, I would rather err on the side of being inconvenienced than risk the radiation risk. FRIEDLANDER: No doubt. COOPER: Kyung, you interviewed a journalist who was actually able to get inside the evacuation zone, deserted, just a couple of miles from the plant. I want to get a look at that video. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): People left so quickly in the wake of the disaster, this dog was left behind, chained, now starving. You can see its ribs. Ogawa (ph) fed his lunch to the dog. But what Ogawa (ph) can't forget, this sign, once a proud symbol of the town, that reads, "Nuclear energy, our hometown's future." "It's ironic," he says." The nuclear power plant was supposed to open the door to the future. Instead, it closed that door." Everywhere they went, radiation levels easily exceeded the legal limit. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought (INAUDIBLE). After that, I'm -- before that, I don't feel anything. LAH (on camera): And it's scary, because you can't feel anything. You can't see it. (voice-over): Across the evacuation zone, Toyota (ph) photographed other empty towns, bodies that have yet to be found or buried. Time, frozen like another nuclear disaster zone Toyota (ph) had just returned from, Chernobyl, on its 25th anniversary. (on camera): You think Fukushima will be -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In this moment. LAH: -- like Chernobyl. Does it make you sad? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Please stop. (END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: You also talked, Kyung, to residents of the area who watched the video. How did they react? LAH: Well, the residents asked to us please bring them this video because they hadn't been home for a month, they really wanted to see what their town looked like. And, Anderson, you have been here in Japan. You know how Japanese people are. They don't express anger. The very first thing they said, that sign we just saw in the piece, that was a lie. They are extraordinarily angry. They are furious. And they place the blame squarely at the front door of TEPCO. They believe that over the last 40 years, TEPCO was selling them a bill of goods, that TEPCO said there would never be a nuclear disaster, we're a good corporate citizen, we're going to protect you. And what it's led to is this disaster. They have no idea if they will ever go home. They have no jobs. They have no cars and no homes. So these people a month later are extraordinarily upset. COOPER: Jim, now U.S. officials had said, remember, during the first week of this thing when we were over there, saying, look, for American citizens, they would want all American citizens to evacuate more than 50 miles from the plant. Now we're hearing they're kind of doing piecemeal evacuations or asking for piecemeal evacuations of other towns in a wider area. Do you agree that the way they're going about those evacuations, that it's sort of odd? WALSH: Well, I think, in retrospect, obviously I think you have to say that U.S. officials got it right. And Michael addressed this earlier. I think it's better to evacuate people out to a zone rather than doing it a little bit at a time in phases. Now, at the end of the day, as long as they do leave I think their radiation exposure will be moderate. But the psychological toll, the uncertainty that that creates, these people are going to wonder why they weren't moved earlier. Have they been exposed to something now? I think it would have been cleaner and more efficient and a stronger public response had they just, you know, moved to a 50- mile limit right off the top and then given themselves some margin of error. Now, having to go back, again, it gets to an issue that you and I have talked about repeatedly during this, Anderson. It's the issue of credibility, because once you lose that credibility, it's hard to get it back. Will they have credibility with other areas nearby going forward? I think that's going to be a big question. COOPER: Jim Walsh, Michael Friedlander, Kyung Lah, thank you very much for the reporting. I appreciate it. We're going to continue monitoring this for any late developments tonight to see about raising that level. Let us know what you think. We're on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @AndersonCooper. I will try to be tweeting some tonight during commercial breaks. Up next who's playing politics in the showdown over extending America's credit limit? Is it President Obama? The White House did some major explaining today. Or is it Republican lawmakers? We will tell what they are up to as well, no taking sides, just "Keeping Them Honest." And later when will Eman al-Obeidy be allowed to leave Tripoli and go home to her family? One of Gadhafi's sons said he would help her, but her ordeal is not over yet. You will hear from her tonight. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: And you're looking at live pictures of Capitol Hill, where tonight House lawmakers are holding a rare late-night session to start finalizing the budget deal to keep the government running. On Wednesday, President Obama's going to speak at George Washington University about the deficit long term and short term, raising the nation's debt ceiling, which is the limit on how much money the government can borrow. Congress has never said no to raising the debt ceiling. Never. Not raising the debt ceiling would mean defaulting on nearly $10 trillion of government paper already in public hands being held by investors here and around the world. Both sides compare that to Armageddon, the last thing you would want to play politics over. But tonight, "Keeping Them Honest," both sides are either doing just that, playing politics, or having played politics with it in the past are trying now to explain it away. Let's start with President Obama. Here's White House spokesman Jay Carney this afternoon. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We cannot play chicken with the economy in this way. It's just too darn risky. It is not appropriate. (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Too risky, not appropriate. Yet here's Senator Obama on March 16, 2006, explaining why he was voting against raising the debt ceiling then. "Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices," he said, "today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better," he said. "I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit." So that's 180 degrees opposite from his position now. And here's how his spokesman Robert Gibbs explained when the question first came up back in January. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROBERT GIBBS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president used it to make a point about needing to get serious about fiscal discipline. (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Well, the outcome, he explained, was certain back then. The bill was going to pass back then. And then Senator Obama's vote wouldn't have made a difference one way or another. You can say he was simply making a point, or you could say he was playing politics back then, wanting to look like he was taking a stand, knowing full well he could do it and still have the debt ceiling raised. Robert Gibbs certainly didn't think Senator Obama was playing politics and said no one else should either. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GIBBS: So I think it is up to and it's important for Congress, because we know not to play politics with this, not to play games, to find a way to raise that debt limit, understanding that we have to, as I mentioned to Matt, we're going to have to take some serious steps to get our fiscal house in order. (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Well, today Mr. Obama's current spokesman was more straightforward about the president's shift. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CARNEY: The president, as David Plouffe said yesterday, regrets that vote and thinks it was a mistake. He realizes now that raising the debt ceiling is so important to the health of this economy and the global economy that it is not a vote that even when you are protesting an administration's policies you can play around with. (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: So Senator Obama then and President Obama now. But he's not the only one saying one thing now and doing something else when the tables were turned. Here's Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: The president's asked us to raise the debt ceiling. And Senate Republicans and House Republicans, and I hope many Democrats as well are going to say, Mr. President, in order to raise the debt ceiling we need to do something significant about the debt. (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: But when Senator McConnell faced what was then an unprecedented explosion of debt during the Bush administration he voted to raise the debt ceiling without complaint. And when he and other Republicans talk about doing something significant about the debt, they're talking about attaching spending cuts to what would otherwise be a simple up-or-down vote on just the debt ceiling. You might call that playing hardball. Some conservatives also want to add policy riders to the bill on controversial items like family planning, same as they did on the emergency spending bill being discussed tonight. You can also call that playing politics. We will have a political panel to discuss this shortly, but first the latest on what's happening tonight and the debt showdown ahead. Dana Bash is on Capitol Hill with some late new information on what's being cut in the budget framework being legislated tonight. Also, Ed Henry at the White House and senior political analyst David Gergen. So, Dana, House lawmakers holding this late-night session tonight. Are they still haggling over what to cut? DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That haggling should be over very soon, Anderson, but they were still haggling over the details all weekend long. Aides were working during the day, at night, and all day today to really finalize the deal that they cut late on Friday night and put pen to paper and actually put it into legislative language. The reason they're in so late tonight is because they need to file that, make it available for every member of Congress to see by midnight tonight in order to get to their goal of actually voting in the House on Wednesday. Why is that? Because Republicans, when they came into power, promised to have legislation online for three days. It's a little close to three days because we're talking about almost midnight on Monday night. But they say technically this will allow them to keep their promise, let people read it for three days. COOPER: And again, we're talking about the budget for the rest of this year, 2011. BASH: Exactly. COOPER: What are we learning so far about what they have agreed to cut? BASH: They have been holding the details very close to the vest. We do have some information that we have gotten from a source familiar with what they're doing. First of all, the EPA, $1.5 billion in cuts, that's actually about half, it's a lot, but about half of what Republicans initially put in their bill that they passed in February. Food safety and inspection services, $10 million in cuts. Again it's a good chunk but a lot less than what House Republicans had passed. And AmeriCorps, this is something that House Republicans put on the chopping block to completely eliminate. That is now back in business, if you will. And one other thing that I think that you will appreciate, Anderson. You know, we talked a lot about those so-called policy riders. Get this. There is a provision in there put by Democrats that would make the endangered -- take the gray wolves, I should say, off the endangered species list. This, of course, has nothing to do with spending. So why is it in there? Well, a Democratic source admitted to me it's a political gift to Montana Senator Jon Tester. He is up for reelection next year. And this would effectively allow people in his state to shoot these gray wolves. They are a very, very big problem for livestock in his state. So this is a big political issue for him back home. COOPER: Right. A lot of ranchers don't like the fact that the wolves have been on the endangered species list because they're killing their livestock. BASH: Exactly. COOPER: Environmentalists have a different viewpoint on it. David, is the fight over the debt ceiling that we're going to be seeing now and going to really be starting up this week, it's going to make the budget battle from last week look like child's play, no? DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It is. As David Walker would say, what we were doing last week was paying the bar bills on the Titanic. Now in the coming weeks we're going to fight over the Titanic itself. And I do think that this is likely to be a huge battle. What's going on right now, Anderson, is, I have to tell you, it was sort of the politics you would expect of each side this early. They're both posturing. They're both jockeying for position trying to get the public to understand. This is one of the few moments that if you're the out party and you want to shake up the status quo as the Republicans do, this is one of the few opportunities you have to do that in the legislative year. So, of course, they're going push it to the hilt. Whereas the Democrats are going to try to scare the hell out of the country, saying if they shut down the government over the debt ceiling or they don't allow this debt ceiling to increase, you know, it's going to be catastrophic. So I think it's sort of a natural politics. The real issue is are they going to be adults and mature and actually trying to come to grips with the program? We will not know that. Let's hear the president's speech, let's see what the gang of six does and then we will have a lot better sense of that. COOPER: Ed Henry, do we know what the president is going to say on Wednesday? (CROSSTALK) COOPER: Because all along, what a lot of folks were saying, what David Gergen, for instance, on this program was pointing out last week is he sort of tried to kind of rise or be seen as rising above the fray. Is that his strategy moving forward? ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That really seems to still be the way they're going at it because if you listen closely to what White House aides are saying is they're saying on Wednesday the president will lay out his approach. They're not saying a specific detailed plan. And I think when you talk about, you know, the debt ceiling the more embarrassing part than the president flip- flopping perhaps is the fact that back then when he cast that vote it was about $8 trillion, the debt ceiling. Now it's around $14 trillion. So it's more embarrassing for both parties, to David's point about the Titanic. And that's why both sides are going to have to come together and do something here. And I think what's interesting is this president is facing a situation where Wednesday he's going to have a lot of liberals in his party who do not want to see any more spending cuts. He's going to see a lot of conservative Republicans who don't want him talking about tax increases. His chance here, the opportunity is to say look, I'm going to rise above that, as you suggested. You know, some in my party don't want more cuts, the folks on the right don't want any tax increases. You know what, folks? We need a little bit of both. And a lot of people in Washington don't want to admit that but maybe this is an opportunity for the president to rise to the occasion. So far he hasn't spoken out a lot on deficit reduction. He's been criticized for that. This is a huge challenge, but a huge opportunity on Wednesday as well. COOPER: And, Dana, in terms of the timeline on this, when does it have to be voted on, and where is the jockeying right now, as David was talking about? BASH: On the debt ceiling? Well, the treasury secretary says May 16 is the day that he believes that the United States will reach that level. You talk to some people up here on Capitol Hill and they say, well, they believe that there might be a little more wiggle room that the government has. But, look, there's not a lot of time left. I think, in the month of May, we're going to see the vote going on, but what's interesting is that Republicans certainly have been using the levers that they think they got from this spending fight late last week to push for some other things to go along with this. They're saying that they simply will not allow the debt ceiling to go forward without either spending cuts or some entitlement reforms or maybe even a balanced budget amendment, but Republicans haven't decided amongst themselves exactly what they're going to push for along with that debt ceiling vote, Anderson. COOPER: Dana Bash, appreciate it. Ed Henry as well. David Gergen, stick around, we're going to talk to you right after the break as well. Up next, we want to bring in Democrat Cornell Belcher into the organization as well as Tea Party organizer Dana Loesch. Get their takes on this as well, as well as David Gergen. And later, Eman's ordeal. She's been through so much at the hands of the Gadhafi regime. Now she's being told she will be allowed to leave Tripoli. But that hasn't happened yet, and she says her life is still very much in danger. We will talk to her and we will have the latest developments from the battleground in Libya. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: Well, we're talking in depth tonight about the next big showdown between the White House and Republicans in Congress. President Obama expected to lay out his budget-cutting approach on Wednesday this week. There's a Republican outline already on the table with major spending cuts and changes eliminating Medicare, replacing it with government vouchers to buy private health insurance. But before any of that is decided there is the debt ceiling vote. Back now with David Gergen, and joining us CNN contributor and Democratic pollster who worked for the Obama campaign and will again in 2012 Cornell Belcher. Also Dana Loesch, CNN contributor, Tea Party organizer, and editor of BigJournalism.com. So, Cornell, President Obama had hoped for what they call a clean bill on this debt ceiling, a bill without riders that the Republicans would put in. He's not going to get that. CORNELL BELCHER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: No, I don't think he's going to get it. And it's going to be another battle. But again, I think the more sort of the way the Tea Partiers are really dominating the conversation on the Republican side, and sort of their extreme agenda where we see, you know, everything from wanting to do away with the EPA to wanting to do away with health care for women under Planned Parenthood, I mean, all these riders and all these sort of extreme sort of social issues, you know, mingling with the fiscal issues hasn't been a winner. I think the president in this battle actually came out looking like even more like the adult in the room willing to compromise. And I think he will again on the issues of the debt ceiling. COOPER: But, Dana, you obviously see it very differently. Why have these riders? Why not have a clean up and down vote? DANA LOESCH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I wish we, I wish we could just all get on the same page and not have and not increase the debt ceiling. But I think when we have to -- when we have to discuss about reducing spending, we have to start cutting somewhere, and I don't know why Planned Parenthood is always used as an excuse because that's not the only outlet that women have, low-income women, to go and get health services. There's the women's health program that's already in Medicare that's subsidized by the government. So we already have that kind of taken care of. But I do think that it's going to be a huge battle and I don't think that it comes to social issues. I think, bottom line, and this is what the grassroots movement has only ever wanted, is to see some fiscal restraint. I hope that we can get both parties agreeing on this. COOPER: Do you oppose raising the debt ceiling? LOESCH: Completely. Absolutely, I do. I look at precedent. (CROSSTALK) COOPER: Even though economists say, look -- economists would say look, it would be catastrophic, apocalyptic, you say what, that's fear mongering? LOESCH: Actually, I do. Some economists have said that that -- that it would be apocalyptic. But others have not so much. I look at precedents. We have raised the debt ceiling 74 times since 1962. And in 10 of those incidents occurred in just the last decade. Now, every single one of those times that we have raised the debt ceiling, we have never taken the initiative to actually reduce our spending. It just is an excuse to keep spending more and more and to continue to add to our deficit. And I don't see how doing it again would be any different. I'm all -- I'm completely opposed to it, because I think there's a number of ways that we can -- a number of methods that we can employ in order to bail ourselves out and take financial accountability besides that. COOPER: David? BELCHER: Really quickly -- but really quickly, here's the problem. And I'm sorry, David. Really quickly, here's the problem. OK. You've got to deal with $100 billion in either cuts or tax increases if you -- if you don't raise the debt ceiling. This is something -- I mean, this is real here. So OK, so you're going to cut -- you're going to make $100 billion in cuts in you don't raise the debt ceiling? That's nonsensical. COOPER: David? LOESCH: Well no, I... COOPER: Well, let David... GERGEN: If I could just say a word. I just want to come out on the debt ceiling itself. The debt ceiling is what -- under the debt ceiling you borrow money. They have to raise the debt ceiling in order to borrow money. If we run deficits, the government will have to borrow more money. And therefore, you have to raise the debt ceiling. Under Paul Ryan's plan, this bold proposal -- I disagree with it, but I concede that it's very bold -- under the Paul Ryan plan, the government does not balance its books. It continues to have to borrow money until 2040. Of course we have to raise the debt ceiling. The question is what Republicans can extract as a deal to raise the debt ceiling. Everybody agrees you've got to raise it. The question is sort of under what conditions? What are the conditions under which we go forward? LOESCH: Right. GERGEN: Do we, in fact, try to really have dramatic cuts in spending or increases in taxes? Or do we just go on willy-nilly and let the debt pile up. which would be extremely dangerous for the country? BELCHER: But David, the Tea Party... LOESCH: I want to make a quick point about Paul Ryan's plan as well. BELCHER: The Tea Party argue that... COOPER: I'm sorry. Cornell, then Dana... BELCHER: Real quick and I'll give you-- I'll give you... LOESCH: I want to make a quick point about that. I want to point out, please. I want to... COOPER: You're both talking. No one's going to listen. Dana go and then Cornell. LOESCH: I want to make a quick point about Paul Ryan's plan. I'm actually not in 100 percent agreement of it for some of the reasons that David mentioned. Plus, I think it's a huge gamble, because in order to have a balanced budget in 26 years, all of the variables have to stay exactly the same. The economic variables, everything. And I think it's really, really risky. But I look at it like this. I think Tim Pawlenty had a really good idea when he was talking about using April and June revenues to pay off America's creditors and then, in the meantime, slash spending. The only way that we're going to be able to not raise the debt ceiling is to make massive, massive cuts in spending. I completely agree with that. And we're not going to be able to raise revenue by having public sector capital grabs. It has to come from the private sector. That has to come from making permanent tax cuts. COOPER: Cornell? LOESCH: That's how we have to do it. COOPER: Cornell? BELCHER: Well, I just don't think it's practical. If you're talking about sort of the level of cuts that you have to make in order for us not to raise the debt ceiling, you're talking about destroying our economic future. You're talking about taking the economy and putting it into a nose dive again. You cannot cut over $100 billion away from the federal deficit all at one time and not have economic catastrophe. You just can't. COOPER: David, Cornell was saying he feels that President Obama kind of came out a victor from last week by being above the fray. Do you agree with that? GERGEN: No. I don't think anybody won that, Anderson. The public CNN poll does approve of what was done. They give a little more credit to the Democrats and to President Obama than they give to president -- than they give to Republicans. But if you look at President Obama's approval rating, it actually went down slightly in this poll. So I think this came out sort of to be a wash. I think everybody -- I think everybody was -- I didn't meet anybody -- everybody I met was relieved that they reached an agreement. I didn't meet anybody who was really applauding wildly. COOPER: Dana, who do you think came out ahead, if anybody, from last week? LOESCH: Oh, man. I know the right is really, really split on the deals that have been made by Boehner, and I'm a little disappointed. I understand that, all in all, there was only -- you could only cut from 260-some-odd billion on the table, and they ended up with give or take like 40-something billion. But I think, ultimately, the Tea Party came out to be a little victorious because now we have the president and his administration talking about make cuts to entitlement. And that's really, really huge, especially considering where we were in this discussion just a couple of years ago. COOPER: David, I sort of see you shaking your head. GERGEN: Well, I'll let Cornell go. I just disagree with some of that. Look, I think Boehner came out as well as the Tea Party, he brought discipline to his party. There was never $240 billion on the table. The most Republicans were asking for. Back during the elections was $100 billion cuts. Then they lowered it to 60, and they got 38 on the 60. It seems like a pretty good deal for -- you know, if you're a minority party in Washington. But even so, I don't -- I think we ought to move forward, not backward about -- on these deficit questions. LOESCH: Right. And... BELCHER: I will... LOESCH: I'd like to correct one... BELCHER: I also... LOESCH: Sorry, go ahead. COOPER: I was just going to say I'm talking about after you pass three CRs ands then after you took the 850 billion in defense off of the table, in all, in order to -- the piece of the pie, there was 260 something that could have been cut that they chose to cut from. And they ended up with the figure that they did. That was the point. COOPER: Cornell, I'm going to give you the final thought. BELCHER: Really quick here, I think I do have to take my hat off to Speaker Boehner because I think he did sort of -- he did have the tiger by the tail here and it was interesting that Michele Bachmann who I think of as sort of the Tea Party leader in Congress walked out on the Republican conference when this deal was cut. However, I will say that I think the president does come out looking better on this. I mean, the margin between Dems' approval on this deal and the Republicans' approval on this deal is ten points. I think the president and Democrats come out a little bit better in this. COOPER: Cornell Belcher, Dana Loesch, appreciate it. David Gergen, as well. Coming up, the breaking news. The late and frankly chilling word we've been expecting from Japanese nuclear officials. Details on that next. Also, Eman al-Obeidy, the woman who says she was kidnapped and gang-raped by Gadhafi forces more than two weeks ago. Speaking out tonight about how she's doing. She told me today she's afraid to go outside, that her only hope is getting her out of Tripoli. We'll tell you the role one of Gadhafi's sons may be playing in that. Still ahead, also some pictures of President Obama led to wild conspiracy theories about what's going on with the side of his head, if you can believe it. It makes tonight's "RidicuList." (COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: Well, as expected, as we reported at the top of the program, we've just gotten word that Japanese officials have raised the nuclear threat level in the Fukushima disaster from a 5 to a level 7. That's the highest level. Until tonight the only 7 ever was Chernobyl. Perhaps the only good news here is that the rating is retrospective, backward-looking, reflecting the disaster's initial severity. It's also a provisional assessment done by Japanese nuclear regulators and is subject to review by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Now the latest from Libya. The opposition has rejected a proposal to end the fighting, because they say they won't agree to anything short of a plan to remove Muammar Gadhafi from power. That proposal came from the African Union. And Gadhafi had apparently agreed to it in principle. But opposition leaders say the plan doesn't give any solution to the violence against the Libyan people. In a moment we're going to talk to David Kirkpatrick of the "New York Times," who has a really revealing look at the bizarre alternate reality that the Gadhafi regime has been trying to show reporters in Tripoli. But first an update on a woman trapped in Tripoli right now, Eman al-Obeidy. This is, of course, how we first met her. Eman al-Obeidy burst into a Tripoli hotel filled with journalists, screaming that she'd been raped by Gadhafi's soldiers. She was dragged off. Since then we've spoken to her several times, heard her speaking through tears about her ordeal: the kidnap, the rape, the torture. This weekend we talked to Eman as she told us one of Colonel Gadhafi's sons, Saadi Gadhafi, told her that she's going to be allowed to leave Tripoli and go back to her family in the east. We contacted Saadi's office, and they confirmed to us that they've agreed to help Eman leave Tripoli. It all sounded like great news for her. After all, she's been repeatedly harassed by Libyan state TV and on the streets of Tripoli. But so far Eman has not left Tripoli. I talked to her earlier today. She's terrified to go outside, terrified also that the world will forget her. I spoke with her earlier. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: You spoke to Saadi Gadhafi. What did he say about the possibility of leaving Tripoli and going back to your home? EMAN AL-OBEIDY, ACCUSED GADHAFI'S SOLDIERS OF RAPE (via phone): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: No, no, he said he is aware of the situation but he did not give me a time or details. COOPER: Did he tell you if he's spoken to his father or his brother Saif about your case? AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: The last time I met him during your interview he said he had spoken to them before but today he told me he would talk to them anew but they were busy with African delegation and the Libyan negotiations. COOPER: Do you think that they're going to let you leave? Are you hopeful? AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: This is my hope in God, and I mean with the efforts of the media and with pressure they may agree. COOPER: What is it like for you going outside where you're staying? Do you still feel unsafe? AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: I have told you before the types of incidents I am exposed to when I leave my home, and I have not left my home for more than a day with the exception of Saturday, Sunday and Monday, I did not go out. I have not left my home for two days because I am always exposed to harassment and the second thing is when I go to pursue my case the public prosecutors avoid and they refuse to meet me and tell me they are not there. COOPER: I knew you went to the courthouse on Saturday, and it's a great risk for you to even go outside and to go there. When you got there, what happened? AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: I went to the criminal court to follow-up on the kidnap case and the deputy prosecutor told me that they cannot do anything for me. I have completed all the legal procedures and the police will not detain the people I've accused. They're not thinking about me. COOPER: Have you learned anything more about -- about your attackers, about the men who kidnapped you? AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: No, I have not learned anything. But two days ago when I went out, I saw one of the men who kidnapped me. I saw him riding in his car and driving around the city. He wasn't scared, meaning he knows he will not be detained. When I saw him I cannot tell you how I felt. There was pain and fear because he was circling and he has not been detained, meaning he could confront me at any moment and kill me. COOPER: You told one of our producers that one of them was a relative of an official. Is that true? AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: Yes. Yes, of course this is true. They are in a war so they need all the members of the family to be united. They would not like the family to break and split on them. COOPER: We'll continue to follow this. Please stay safe. Thank you. AL-OBEIDY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: Please don't forget me. Please remain in touch with me, because my hope relies a lot on you. COOPER: We will not -- we will not forget. We will continue to check in on you and do all we can. (END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Her fear that people will forget her. Eman's story is one of the few that have pierced the veil of Gadhafi's regime. A story they haven't been able to fully manipulate. In a fascinating piece for the "New York Times," David Kirkpatrick today talks about the lengths that Gadhafi's government is going to as it tries to control what information gets out. Kirkpatrick says with the events and tours that are staged for journalists the government lies but doesn't even try to be very convincing or consistent, as we've been pointing out. David Kirkpatrick joins us from Cairo. David, after spending weeks and weeks in Libya, I can only imagine it must feel like you've escaped from living in some sort of alternate reality. DAVID KIRKPATRICK, "NEW YORK TIMES": It feels pretty different being home. It's true. It's -- you know, it's certainly not as hard for us as it is for, frankly, a lot of Libyans. All my colleagues on the eastern side who are just trapped in a pretty nice hotel in Tripoli. But it does feel a lot more free in Cairo. COOPER: You say that, quote, "The most honest trait of the Gadhafi regime might be its lack of pretense to credibility or legitimacy." Explain that. KIRKPATRICK: Well, covering the Gadhafi government from inside their operation -- they had the hotel full of their media handlers and staff and they really wouldn't let us out -- we would see night after night that they would have a press conference, and they would say things which, by the next day would clearly be demonstrably false. You know, for example, "Oh, the city, we've taken it over. No longer in rebel hands. There's just a few pockets of violence." Every night we would hear pockets of violence, a few pockets of violence. We're mopping it up. And then the next day, of course, they wouldn't have taken it over. It was still in rebel hands, and there weren't pockets of violence. There was open street fighting. And this would go on again and again and again and again. And you'd wonder why are they doing this? Or they'd -- or they'd take us out to a funeral, a couple times. A few times they would take us to events that purported to be funerals for civilian casualties, but it wouldn't really add up. It wouldn't be the -- the number of coffins wouldn't match with the number of holes in the ground. Coffins would come and then they would go. And a huge crowd of young men waving green flags would show up, but they weren't sad or grieving. They were just kind of angry and chanting for Gadhafi. And I don't think anyone really expected us to believe that these crowds of young men were grieving for these families. I can only imagine that it was more just to show us that they still could produce huge crowds of men waving green flags. COOPER: But why... KIRKPATRICK: It was more about power... COOPER: Why say stuff that is clearly not true and will be proved, you know, not true within a few hours? I mean, do you think it's just that, like, one part of the government, the regime, you know, doesn't know what the other part is doing, or you know, the handlers have their job to do, and they're not responsible for, you know, following up on whether or not it's true? They're just -- I mean, does one hand not know what the other is doing? Or does one hand just not care what the other is doing? KIRKPATRICK: Well, the truth is I don't really know the difference between those two things. But you are absolutely right that there are a lot of different voices. It was obvious that there were many different people making input into the strategy and contention between them. And that's one of the things about the Gadhafi government. Most of the decision-making is kind of behind the scenes, people -- on important matters people really around the Gadhafi family. So there's not a real defined hierarchy of decision makers. You don't exactly know who precisely is in charge. So a lot of those -- there's a lot of opportunity for sort of contentiousness in the way decisions are made, not only in the way we're handled but the whole government. COOPER: It's a great article -- it's a great article in the "New York Times" today. I urge people to read it. David Kirkpatrick, it's been great talking to you from Tripoli. I really appreciate you taking the extra time to do that on top of your, you know, incredible workload for the "Times." Thank you very much. And I hope you get a well-deserved rest. KIRKPATRICK: Thank you. COOPER: Up next, the latest from the Ivory Coast, where there's finally some good news after weeks of clashes that left hundreds of people dead. And "The RidicuList" is back tonight, and man, we've got something that's, well, just ridiculous. The new Obama conspiracy theory. It's not about the whole birth certificate thing. Donald Trump might want to pay attention to this one. It might give him something new to talk about. We'll tell you what it is, ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: Let's check in now with some other stories we're following. Randi Kaye is with us with the "360 News & Business Bulletin" -- Randi. RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, Ivory Coast president Allesane Ouattara is calling for calm after the arrest of strongman Laurent Gbagbo. He's also vowing to bring his rival to justice. Gbagbo's refusal to step down after losing an election last year plunged the West African nation into civil war. He surrendered today after French troops stormed his compound. In Belarus, state media are reporting at least 11 people were killed and more than 100 were injured after an explosion struck a subway station in the capital, Minsk. Back in this country, a guilty plea from the man accused of trying to help bomb Washington-area subway stations last year. Farooque Ahmed got 23 years in prison. Oil giant BP will pay $30 million to seven counties in Florida's Panhandle over the next three years. The grant is aimed at helping the region's tourism industry recover from last year's Gulf oil spill. And the lawsuit made famous in the movie "The Social Network" may finally be over. An appeals court today affirmed a lower ruling that Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss cannot back out of a settlement deal they signed back in 2008 over the creation of Facebook. The Winklevoss twins alleged Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for the social networking site. Then later they charged Facebook misrepresented its stock value in the settlement. An ugly battle, Anderson, but it looks like it is finally over. COOPER: Yes. All right. Randi, thanks very much. Tonight the return of the "RidicuList." We haven't been doing it now for a couple of months. Yay. Tonight we're adding a charming little group of conspiracy theorists that we have dubbed the presidential scar-gazers. I put "scar" in quotes. There are people out there, especially in that newfangled think tank that is the blogosphere, who have suddenly become very, very interested in President Obama's hair. Or rather what's in between his hair follicles. You see, pictures like these are making the round. We put a little circle over that so you can look at it. Are make the rounds and inspiring a bunch of carefully considered opinions about whether that is a scar or a new scar on President Obama's head. I'm talking really restrained, well-thought-out theories here like did the president have brain surgery and not tell anyone? Or how is that -- and if he did, how has that affected his thinking? Is that why he needs a teleprompter, people have asked online. Is this why he doesn't want anyone to see his birth certificate, people have asked. Don't you just love online political discourse? Makes you rethink the whole high-speed Internet access, doesn't it? Now, I have some personal experience with this type of Internet chatter about hair. In this case my hair. See, I'm told a number of folks online believe that I have a toupee, and they point to pictures like this. All right. Sort of looks like maybe I have a rectangular bald spot above one ear. And look at this one. It does kind of look like -- well, you can't really see it in that. It does kind of look like I'm wearing a toupee there and that I'm in danger of smiling it right off my face. Actually, I think we reversed the photos. We got them wrong. Anyway, I'm here to tell the truth: there is no toupee, although I can do this with my hair. What you see are lines I get because I won't pay more than 16 bucks for a haircut. I have an excellent barber named Isaac, but when my hair grows out, it grows out weirdly. What can I say? As for President Obama maybe it's bad angles, weird lighting, PhotoShop. Those things lie had this minute. Come on, you can go online and find pictures of Big Foot, the Loch Ness monster, the chupacabra. You may find a potato chip that looks like Jesus. Here's the photographic proof that Dick Cheney as a robot. All of which are just as convincing as the cries of Obama has a scar, and it really, really means something. You know, people like the scar gazers have always been around. Once upon a time we nodded politely at them when they cornered us in the checkout line at the grocery store, changed seats on the subway to escape them, carefully avoid them at family reunions. But now their chorus of crazy is louder than ever, and like- minded strangers have a place to gather and cheer each other on. Thank you, Internet. "The Daily Mail" actually called the White House to ask about these scar rumors. A spokesman for the White House said they were not willing to comment and that the claims were -- and I'm quoting here -- ridiculous. You took the words right out of my mouth. Serious stuff at the top of the hour. The rise in threat levels. Japan crippled nuclear plant. Details ahead. (END VIDEOTAPE)


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Stinky Sebas
Stinky, but cute.
That's the only way I can describe his farts. I don't think there's anything Sebastian can do at this moment that'll annoy my honey and I. He's in his cute stages. Although I wish he could stay this way forever, I'm excited to see him hit his milestones.
Yesterday was the first time he let out one of his stink bombs. It was funny. Just the other day I was saying how he would fart without a smell. The best part is when he smiles afterwards.
What can I say, I'm a sucker for gums and chubby cheeks. 🙂
Fatima Torres
Former B2B editor and marketing manager turned Family & Lifestyle blogger. Fatima is passionate about life and being social. When she isn't running around with her husband, three kids, and two pups, Fatima helps other bloggers and local businesses with their online marketing strategy. If you have any questions or would like to connect, feel free to reach out via email: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Join our Sunday Funday Moneyball contest
Join the SATURDAY SLAM Moneyball contest for your chance to share in the massive $4.5K in cash. Also jump in our SUNDAY FUNDAY competition.
There is a new fantasy player on the block; Moneyball.
We have an affiliation with this great new game where you play against like minded people in shorter style of fantasy footy.
Take us and other community members on in our special Saturday league. We have joined forces with other fantasy sites and Moneyball to have the biggest ever contest. 500 places, $10 entry and $4.5K up for grabs.
We have a Sunday league happening. 100 person, $10 entry and $900 in prizes. Enter now.
- Goal 6 pts
- Behind 1 pt
- Kick 3 pts
- Handball 2 pts
- Mark 4 pts
- Tackle 4 pts
- Clanger -3 pts
- Free For 3 pts
- Free Against -3 pts
- Hitout 1 pt
Prices are a little different to what we are used to in AFL Fantasy. In your salary cap of $60,000 you need to choose 9 players (2 forwards, 1 ruck, 4 midfielders, 2 defenders). Be smart with picking your team as there are plenty of bargains to help you fill your squad at an average of $6,667. Prices will change after round four.
Sign up and get all registered to take on us in some different games. Just search up DT Talk and you will find a couple of different options each week.
We will add more contests when others fill up.
* 18+ only and please gamble responsibly.


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Book II of the Twisted Sisters Club: Sex, Secrets, and Happily Ever Afters is on Pre-sale now and set to release on August 4, 2015
Angel Talbot is anything but pure—in fact some might even consider her a bit wicked. How else would you describe the manager of an 'adults only' store that specializes in helping ladies find that special O. But Angel could use a hand herself. Or two. That is until she stumbles into sexy businessman Travis Wellington.
When the Wellington Family had a problem, they sent Travis to fix it. Being the CEO of his family's multi-million dollar enterprise means Travis is used to getting his hands dirty. But the pressure of looking out for the company, along with his family's well-being was beginning to take its toll…until he found his Angel…
NOTE: Half the proceeds of Sex, Lies, and Beauty Aids and Sex, Secrets, and Happily Ever Afters is going to ROWW, in honor of Paul and Cody Walker and all their hard work for this terrific organization
While some say truth is stranger than fiction, Deb Julienne's experience runs more along the lines of a slap-stick comedy; when life tosses you lemons the only thing to do is to turn it into Limoncello. She resides in her own little bit of heaven in the Sierra Tahoe National Forest Basin, with her husband of 33 years, their three sons and one daughter, and two very precious grandkids.
WEBSITE: http://debjulienne.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Julienne/752399544824095?ref=hl
TWITTER: @debjulienne
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/debjulienne/


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Let's Stop the Sound Leak
Help the Armory raise $70,000 to soundproof the Performance Hall and bring even more great arts events to Somerville.
Help Us Stop the Sound Leak
Since the Armory opened in 2009, sound leaking from performances to the residential neighborhood around us has been an ongoing concern. In one of the most densely populated cities in the US, neighbors are close and noise travels easily.
To reduce the impact on our neighbors, we have instituted strict interior volume limits for all of our performances. But this has had a corresponding negative impact on the range of events we can host. We will never be a loud venue, but some of the events we've had to turn away should be able to perform here: an Air Force touring band, a university percussive dance group similar to "Stomp", like multiple Berklee-related bands, a Japanese drumming group, and more. We would to have these of perfomances — and many others — in our space, but we need your help to make that happen.
Along with providing the opportunity for more events, soundproofing would allow us to continue running the armory's existing programs. We can continue to serve local youth through our Youth Arts Arise afterschool and summer program, local artists through providing low-cost rehearsal and performances spaces, and all residents of Somerville hosting free and low-cost events.
In addition, soundproofing would affect our zoning, which in turn means that we could increase our hours. We could also potentially add a patio, creating potential for new events and presenting new options for where existing events and programs could take place.
The Plan
This project will improve soundproofing by working on the windows in the Performance Hall. The thick brick walls are great for blocking sound, but the windows were identified as the main source of sound leak in a 2010 analysis.
How to fix that? Adding storm windows! The existing windows are set on the inside of the brick walls, so adding exterior windows creates about a foot of dead air space – estimated to cut sound transmission in half.
Donate Now!
It will cost $70,000 to treat the 22 half-moon windows that ring the Performance Hall. We have already raised $ 10,000 and received MCC CFF Grant for $28,000. We need just $32,000 to make the project happen.
→ Help soundproof the Somerville Armory's Performance Hall, allowing a wider variety of arts events while improving quality of life for the local community. To make a donation to this cause, click here.


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CHICAGO – Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked a state court Monday to force Chicago school teachers back to work and end a weeklong strike he calls illegal.
The union immediately condemned the move as an act of vindictiveness by a "bullying" mayor.
Emanuel spokeswoman Sarah Hamilton said city attorneys filed a request in the Cook County Circuit Court to force Chicago Teachers Union members off the picket line and back into classrooms.
The request argues that the labor action is illegal because state law bars the union from striking on anything but economic issues, and that the work stoppage is focused instead on such issues as evaluations, layoffs and recall rights.
The 700-page filing also contends the strike presents a danger to public health and safety, partly because more than 80 percent of 350,000 public students rely on school meals for their basic nutrition; it says 50,000 others, including autistic students, depend on special instruction. And out of school, children are more prone to fall victim to violence, it says.
"At a critical time in their lives, a vulnerable population has been cast adrift by the CTU's decision to close down the schools, with consequent grave implications for the residents of the city of Chicago," the court document says.
The union blasted the city's decision to resort to legal action.
In a statement released later Monday, the CTU said the filing appeared to be "a vindictive act."
"This attempt to thwart our democratic process is consistent with Mayor Emanuel's bullying behavior toward public school educators," the union said in the statement.
A spokesman for the city's law office, Roderick Drew, said arguments have not been scheduled and that he didn't expect a ruling until later in the week.
"Nothing will be set today," he said. "Beyond that, we don't know."
The union and school leaders seemed headed toward a resolution at the end of last week, saying they were optimistic that students in the nation's third-largest school district would be back in class by Monday. But teachers uncomfortable with a tentative contract offer decided Sunday to remain on strike, saying they needed more time to review a complicated proposal.
That's when Emanuel said he would take legal action.
"This was a strike of choice and is now a delay of choice that is wrong for our children," Emanuel said in a written statement Sunday night.
The strike is the first for the city's teachers in 25 years and has kept students out of class, leaving parents to make other plans.
Working mom Dequita Wade said that when the strike started, she sent her son 15 miles away to a cousin's house so he wouldn't be left unsupervised in a neighborhood known for violent crime and gangs. She was hoping the union and district would work things out quickly.
"You had a whole week. This is beginning to be ridiculous," Wade said. "Are they going to keep prolonging things?"
Months of contract negotiations have come down to two main issues: teacher evaluations and job security.
Union delegates said they felt uncomfortable approving the contract because they had seen it only in bits. The union will meet again Tuesday, after Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year holiday.
"There's no trust for our members of the board," Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis told reporters Sunday night. "They're not happy with the agreement. They'd like it to actually be a lot better."
The strike has shined a spotlight on Emanuel's leadership, and some experts suggest the new contract – which features annual pay raises and other benefits – is a win for the union.
"I'm hard-pressed to imagine how they could have done much better," said Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "This is a very impressive outcome for the teachers."
With an average salary of $76,000, Chicago teachers are among the highest-paid in the nation, and the contract outline calls for annual raises. But some teachers are upset it did not restore a 4 percent raise Emanuel rescinded last year.
Emanuel pushed for a contract that includes ratcheting up the percentage of evaluations based on student performance, to 35 percent within four years. The union contends that does not take into account outside factors that affect student performance, such as poverty and violence.
The union pushed for a policy to give laid-off teachers first dibs on open jobs anywhere in the district, but the city said that would keep principals from hiring the teachers they think are most qualified.
The union has engaged in something of a publicity campaign, telling parents about problems that include a lack of important books and basic supplies.
Some parents said they remain sympathetic to teachers.
"I don't think they're wrong. The things they're asking for are within reason," said Pamela Edwards, who has sent her 16-year-old daughter to one of about 140 schools the district has kept open during the strike to provide meals and supervision.
Others said they understand why teachers are taking their time.
"What's the point of going on strike if you don't get everything you need out of it?" said Becky Malone, mother of a second grader and fourth grader, who've been studying at home and going to museums over the last week. "For parents, it'll be no more of a challenge than it's been in the past week."


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Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk
Articles may require log in credentials to HRinfodesk.
How sleep and exercise may prevent the spread of harmful behavior across work and home life
A recent study focuses on the influences of sleep and exercise, and how these aspects affect workplace stress and employees' home lives.
Yes, Corporations do have rights, part 1
Overall, this decision is helpful for employers faced with long delays in prosecutions of health and safety and other regulatory offences.
Noteworthy findings regarding without cause terminations and bonus payouts
In a recent matter, the Court of Appeal of Alberta made two important findings for employers with respect to without cause terminations and bonus payouts.
Cristina Lavecchia
Latest posts by Cristina Lavecchia (see all)
- Is the first Monday in August considered a statutory holiday? - August 4, 2017
- Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk - August 3, 2017
- Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk - July 27, 2017
Genetic discrimination provisions in human rights legislation: Will Ontario be the first Canadian jurisdiction? Ontario Court of Appeal upholds award of $60,000 in moral damages
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44 photos
$77,000 22 acres 1 Bed | 1 Bath | 512 sqft 3892 Weiler Road, Constableville, NY 13325 - Lewis County
22 acre Year Round Cabin near Lewis County Trails
22 acres land for sale with Snowmobile/ATV Cabin in the Heart of the Tug Hill! 22 acres of Fields/Woodlands! Year-round cabin with all amenities including well, septic, electric and year-round access. Short ride to Lewis County Snowmobile and ATV trails! Incredible buying opportunity if you want a quiet, secluded location on the edge of the wilderness, yet have all the comforts of home. The cabin is a 16 x 32 with living room (with two extra beds for sleeping), bedroom, full bathroom, and two partial storage lofts. Very cozy woodstove and propane monitor for cold nights. 16 x 6 front porch. Ideal location for hunting, ATV, Snowmobiling, and peaceful getaway! Included is a 12 x 12 metal shed for storage and well-built outhouse and
Pete Martino New York Outdoor Realty


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will be given this weekend, on Sunday 6th November at 2.30 p.m by Diana Shervinton, whom you can see in the photograph below,
and who is a direct descendant of Jane Austen's brother Edward. Her talk is on the perennially fascinating topic to we Janeites of Jane Austen and the Navy. The talk is free, and promises to be very interesting, so if you are in the area, please do go.
The talk is part of the Maritime Lyme celebrations which have been on–going throughout the year.
I cannot tell you how desperate I and to go and hear one of these talks! I think its high time I paid another visit to Lyme, the last time I was there was three years ago….far too long a period of time.


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We carved up a few pumpkins last night. This was not my first attempt at a detailed carving but it was the first time I've used a pattern. (And the answer is yes, the relative size of the pumpkins does correspond to my choice for president.)
Along with Yellow Card's Ocean Avenue I purchased Jimmy Eat World's latest, Futures. I'll write something more extensive about that later but I'm about to put Futures on my chicken skin (goose bump) music list. I bring it up because when I hear chicken skin music it always gives me an appetite to perform or write or record.
Speaking of which, I had the pleasure of playing bass guitar for Driven To One last Friday. Playing in a band is so satisfying and Drew and Caleb are so much fun to hang and work with. I really hope we can find a way to continue working together.
At first listen, I thought Yellow Card were yet another punk-pop clone. However, I saw a performance on television that began to change my mind and CW said he was enjoying their Ocean Avenue disc so I purchased it from Shopko for $10.
Now that I've heard the disc, I wouldn't say they're a punk-pop clone. Perhaps they're a second cousin or a step-child to that bothersome archetype. The band's vocals are very much in the punk-pop lineage but a fiddle and some other, less definite touches of style make the disc enjoyable.
The lyrics want some variety though. Before long the breakup songs wax tiresome, climaxing with Miles Apart, wherein the writers freely clod us with "apart", "heart", "start" rhymes. Happily, the breakup songs are interrupted by more refreshing, more captivating, more compelling songs. For example, instead of the oh so predictable "you were a rotten father" gripe, we find in Life of a Salesman an affirmation of an admirable dad. We also find View From Heaven, a cowboy song about a close friend's death, and Believe, a tribute to the fallen firefighters of September 11, 2001.
I think it's worth $10
Went to the mall this weekend. It was nuts, there were 85 bazillion people there because it's been such a warm fall and Saturday was cold. I reckon everone was catching up on his shopping.
We ate at the taste bud extravaganza that is Panda Express. They had a job posted: "Now Hiring: Ass. Manager". At first I thought maybe they had donkeys trained to prepare the food and wanted somebody to control them, then I thought "Nah, that can't be it." Maybe they have a stable of donkeys out back that they're getting ready to butcher to put into the chicken lo mein. Well, it's the only tenable theory I have.
Submitted by M:
Thank God for small graces…
Bob and Brian: now heard on 104.9 in Wausau, WI (however, the music played on this station is thoroughly reprobate).
I went duck hunting on Saturday. Between the 7 of us we got 15-20. It was a lot of fun and I like duck hunting because you get to talk and be with the other guys. I stir-fried some duck yesterday and it turned out okay. To wit, I liked it but more experience will produce a better dish.
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I've had The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, by David McCullough, on my bed-side table for the past few months. I read a couple of pages before I turn off the light at night (to encourage dreams of Paris). Last night I read a fascinating account of what happened to the Vénus de Milo during the Commune of 1871 when the mobs were burning and destroying everything in Paris that they could get their hands and their torches on. This is how the Louvre protected the Vénus de Milo:
"The incomparable Greek statue, dating from before the birth of Christ, had been buried during the siege in, of all places, the cellar of the Prefecture of Police. Packed into a giant oak crate filled with padding, it was taken in the dead of night to the end of one of the many secret passages in the Prefecture, where, as only a few knew, a wall was built to conceal it. Stacks of documents of obvious importance were piled against the wall, then a second wall built to make it appear the hiding place was for the documents. When the Prefecture caught fire the night so much of Paris went up in flames, the anxiety of those in the know about the Venus was extreme. It seems a broken water pipe "miraculously" saved the statue. Once the smoking ruins were removed, the oak crate was found intact and brought back to the Louvre to be opened.
'Everyone leaned forward eagerly to look…. Lying in her soft bed…she seems to look gratefully on her preservers….All her features and limbs were complete, no injury has been done….' [this part is from Galignani's Messenger]
To many her return from the ashes seemed a resurrection of the Paris of art and culture, a Paris that would not die" (327).
What a great story! This video shows a 3D model of the Vénus de Milo based on sophisticated scans and suggests what it might have looked like when it had its arms. Speaking of arms, today's expression "être dans les bras de Morphée" (etruh dahn lay bra duh morfay) means "to be asleep in the arms of Morpheus" the Greek god of sleep. I can't say I dreamed of the Vénus de Milo last night after reading this account, nor of Paris, but it's still a fascinating account. I think it would make a great Mission Impossible-style movie.
Disarmed: The Story of the Venus de Milo


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First of all, what are stretch marks and how are they caused? Well basically stretch marks are caused when your skin tries to stretch more than its elasticity capacity causing the middle layer of the skin to tare. So why does your body try to expand at such a fast rate? Well there are a number of reasons such as kids going through puberty, they grow at a very fast rate and can sometime cause damage to the skin. Other causes are fast weight gain from a bad diet, building muscle, and another very common cause is pregnancy. Woman are also more susceptible to stretch marks then men.
So can supplements help reduce stretch marks or even prevent them in the first place?
Yes. But let me first start of by saying, if you are pregnant, it is always best to get your doctor's advice before taking any supplements or using any creams for stretch marks as they may cause damage to your unborn child. It's not worth the risk without first getting the approval from your doctor.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A does great things for our skin and keeps it soft and stretchy. It can also be used to help prevent stretch marks in the first place or help combat stretch marks already in place. It can be ingested or used as a cream.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C also has great properties to help heal skin. Not generally used as a preventative measure, vitamin C is great for helping the skin repair itself and improves the general health of your skin.
Vitamin E
So you may be thinking by now, 'pretty much every vitamin letter will help'. But no, this is the last one that we know of. Taking vitamin E orally can actually greatly decrease the chance of your skin stretching in the first place. And it is a great vitamin for those who are also looking to remove the visibility of their current stretch marks.
Zinc is also a great way to help prevent stretch marks. Zinc contains collagen which is great for repairing skin and helping it keep very healthy.
Never take more than the recommended dosage of vitamins. If you are unsure of how many vitamins to take or which ones to mix, it is best to see your doctor. Same goes if you are pregnant, always see your doctor for advice. Better safe than sorry.


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If you can imagine it, we'll make it happen. At Azulify we bring a personalized, creative touch to the complex world of branding through custom web development, social media optimization, branding (re)design, unique marketing strategies, and more.
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FREE Consultation.


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And so I forlornly click on my link for Watchrap 2.0 and it repeats the same depressing message. "Watchrap is closed until further notice." And then, I always click on my saved login details, just in case, in hope....... "No access privilege groups are currently available." I guess only 'The 38' or so of us out there have even noticed or are concerned. I'm sure most have contacted TM, as I have, only to hear the grave news that the code of silence was broken - that what happens in Watchrap stays in Watchrap. Thus Watchrap 2.0 has been suspended until it can determined how to operate it successfully; maybe never to reopen. So we wait.
Watchrap was the last place on earth where one could discuss the finer points of everything from aesthetics to the nuances of drawing and locking angles of escapements without the incessant noisy drivel that plagues nigh on every other watch site. Oft accused of elitism, it was in fact a most inclusive watch discussion board if you gave it a chance.
It is a cliche but appropriate to state that you don't realise you're living in a golden age until it has passed and we became complacent and took Watchrap for granted. It could only get better couldn't it? And then suddenly -disaster- the last oasis of horology was taken from us.


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Inspiring Possibilities
For Over 1000 People Every Year
Community Living London is dedicated to supporting people with developmental disabilities to live fulfilled lives in collaboration with families and the community.
The 27th Annual Cohen Highley Charity Golf Tournament
May is Community Living Month- Click Here to Learn More
Club at the Hub: Program for adults 18+ with ASD- Click Here to Learn More
Fee for Service
If you have passport dollars or personal funds to purchase services, click the button.
Valued People. Inclusive Community.
We are committed to supporting people who have a developmental disability live engaging and fulfilled lives. We believe in the inherent value of all people and that everyone has the right to fully participate in their community – to live, go to school, work, play and be active in retirement.
Over 200 volunteers and 250 member families work with Community Living London to support over 1000 people every year. Community Living London is accredited through FOCUS Accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to accountability.


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Humboldt County's marijuana gardens may soon play a starring role in a Discovery Channel television show.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors recently approved a contract between the sheriff's office and a production company, granting film crews access to marijuana investigations and eradication efforts. Meanwhile, production crews are reportedly working to make inroads with growers and other locals involved in the marijuana trade.
The memorandum of understanding entered into between the county and Hoggard Films, a production company out of Colorado, gives the sheriff's office some editorial control over what ultimately airs in six hour-long episodes on the Discovery Channel. Sheriff Mike Downey said he spent a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of allowing a film crew to tag along with his drug enforcement unit but ultimately decided it was in the county's best interest.
"I think it brings to the public nationwide a look at the problems we have here in California," Downey said. "I think that, especially when you get toward the middle of the country, people have no idea of what the marijuana issues are here on the North Coast. When you talk to congressmen and legislators from the middle of the country, they think there are just a bunch of hippies growing stuff to smoke here. I think this can really help put out the complexities of this issue."
It appears the North Coast marijuana trade as a whole is set to be featured prominently on Discovery Channel, as the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors recently approved a contract between its sheriff's department and another production company, Studio Lambert USA, to document its marijuana eradication efforts for a separate show. Mendocino County Sheriff Thomas Allman told the board he felt approving the contract would be good for the county because it would help send the message that the county is tough on marijuana offenders.
Studio Lambert USA — which agreed to give Mendocino County a $10,000 gift in exchange for filming access — is behind a number of popular reality television shows, including "Wife Swap" and "Undercover Boss."
Downey said Humboldt County isn't receiving any gifts or compensation for the Hoggard Films shoot, which is entirely unaffiliated with the one in Mendocino.
Winner of a national Emmy Award, Hoggard Films has produced more than 90 full-length documentaries, including seven major nonfiction television series for clients like PBS, National Geographic Channel, the Military Channel and NBC. The production company did not respond to numerous Times-Standard requests to comment for this story.
Two people involved in the Humboldt County medical marijuana industry told the Times-Standard they have been approached by Hoggard Films in recent months about participating in the show. They said producers told them the show is aimed at offering a comprehensive look at marijuana issues in the county. But the people — both of whom declined to be identified publicly discussing the matter — said they didn't want to participate, fearing it will offer a sensationalized portrayal of the industry.
Humboldt County Film Commissioner Cassandra Hesseltine said she couldn't discuss the details of the production but confirmed she's been in contact with Hoggard Films about working in Humboldt.
"They are a reputable production company that has worked with outfits like Discovery and National Geographic," she said. "They're definitely not making a reality show, and they don't do that kind of television. They do quality storytelling."
Downey said he worked with Hoggard Films to iron out a contract he believes will protect his officers and their investigation while granting crews access. The sheriff said he's hopeful the show will ultimately paint a complete picture of Northern California's marijuana landscape.
"There is a large difference between the medicinal side and the outright commercial side of the issue, with the degradation of our landscape and ecosystem and everything else," he said. "I think it's going to show that contrast."
Thadeus Greenson can be reached at 441-0509 or email@example.com.


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So just how unethical is your dinner?
The definition of ethical is broad and open to debate but four areas are acknowledged as relevant when deciding what to eat. They are: animal welfare, misleading marketing, food kilometres, and products from unsustainable practices or contributing to deforestation. As global warming continues, the amount of water consumed to make a product also becomes more significant.
Australian producers and retailers need only indicate country of origin. Produce such as fruit can travel thousands of kilometres when there may have been a local alternative. A Produce of Australia sticker can mask the carbon debt from food kilometres. Eat local: it's a guarantee the food travels less.
Each year Australia produces 420 million meat chickens. They live less than six weeks and are housed in sheds with as many as 30,000 birds. Conditions can become hot and crowded, causing heatstroke in some and making it difficult to exercise. Animals can suffer from lameness, breast blisters and hock burns from sitting on soiled bedding. A family fast food chicken meal results in greenhouse gases equivalent to a 38 km car trip.
Battery cages will be banned in the European Union in 2012 but battery hens in Australia each live in less space than an A4 page. They can't exercise or peck for food, can barely stretch their wings and cannot satisfy a powerful urge to build a nest. Look for free-range eggs or organic eggs, where the hens are fed organic ingredients and raised under strict conditions.
Palm oil is a major ingredient in most margarines and one in 10 products including chips and biscuits. It often comes from plantations created by clearing forests inhabited by rare species. Friends of the Earth predicts the palm-oil trade could cause the extinction of the Asian orang-utan within a decade.
There is no legislation preventing an item being sold as "organic". Look for a logo saying the product is certified.
How do you know your coffee is Fairtrade? If it doesn't have the logo of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand saying it's certified Fairtrade, chances are it's not. Be vigilant and look for the logo.
Grapes flown from the US can sell for about $8.99 a kilogram. The local variety will be available at the end of January. They will be cheaper and leave a lighter carbon footprint on the earth.
The orange roughy is one of many species the Australian Marine Conservation Society categorises as a no-no because of over-fishing. It is marketed as deep sea perch, so consumers are often unaware they are buying or eating it.


text: drbarbarafreedman.com As a former elementary school teacher, and mother of three sons, I have a keen awareness as to the problems facing parents and children who have received the diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, have learning difficulties, or behavior problems. Working with AD/HD, learning and behavioral issues, is definitely a family matter. You have arrived at the best place to help your children to be successful.


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Friday after Oculi
Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:1-33 (NKJV)
1 And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. 4 The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. 5 I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:
6 'I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
7' 'You shall have no other gods before Me.
8 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 9 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,10 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
11 'You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
12 'Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.15 And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
16 'Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
17 ''You shall not murder.
18 'You shall not commit adultery.
19 'You shall not steal.
20 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
21 'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.'
22 "These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
23 "So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. 24 And you said: 'Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. 25 Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.'
28 "Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! 30 Go and say to them, "Return to your tents." 31 But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.'
32 "Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess."
Deuteronomy gets its name from the translation of the Old Testament into Greek, where it stood for a Hebrew phrase meaning not "second law," but "copy of the law." (Deut. 17:18). Thus, it is not a replacement of the Law as previously given, but a restating and application of that Law. For this reason, some of the wording of the Decalogue will be a little different, but still perfectly in keeping with what was already inscribed upon the tablets of stone already in the Ark of the Covenant. While Moses speaks by the Holy Spirit's inspiration, this also teaches us how to regard preaching today, as embodied in Luther's explanation of the Third Commandment, that we are to hold sacred the preaching of the Word along with the Word itself. Preaching is to put God's Word on display, to make its clarity apparent amid the sin and mixed messages in the world around us (and even in our own flesh). So also hymnody: hymns don't have to be confined to adding tunes to the Psalms, nor even of Psalm paraphrases, but every hymn we use must, in all its parts, not only agree with the Word of God, but proclaim it, helping its clear message be seen and become attached to our hearts.
In this way, the exclamation of Yahweh—"Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!"—has life for us. Understanding that God's voice is "too much" for us brings us to our knees in repentance, that has us beg to hear His forgiving Word once more. When we give heed to preaching and to Holy Absolution, God rejoices to have given us such hearing.
Give to us, O Triune God, a heart that ever hears, that we may penitently rejoice in the restoration granted us in Your Absolution. Amen.


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Rachel Weisz in Talks to Join Michael Fassbender in 'The Light Between Oceans'
Derek Cianfrance, who last directed the Ryan Gosling film "The Place Beyond the Pines," is helming the drama.
Rachel Weisz is in negotiations to star opposite Michael Fassbender in The Light Between Oceans, DreamWorks' adaptation of the M.L. Stedman novel.
Derek Cianfrance is directing the drama, which Heyday Films' David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford are producing.
LIST Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films
Set on an island off the coast of Western Australia after World War I, the book tells of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who find a 2-month-old girl and a dead body in a rowboat and decide to raise the baby as their own. But what seems like a blessing soon turns tragic, as morality and love are tested.
A shoot in Australia is being eyed.
Weisz was last seen in Oz the Great and Powerful and recently wrapped The Lobster, an indie sci-fi romance that also stars Colin Farrell.
She is repped by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Hirsch Wallerstein.


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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April 2010.
Paw prints on the ring will despoil it,
My pans are too small- I can't boil it.
I'm so glad you flush,
But please pause in your rush,
I'll spare all the drama and anxiousness of yesterday and sum it all up with that ugly word colic. Poor sweet Sandy kept trying to get better for us and when we saw the drugs were not working or even making him comfortable anymore it became obvious it was time to let go. He will be missed by all of us but especially Lily and especially in the evenings when she used to go out to give him his grain and have a chat. Newton has not stopped calling for Sandy either-poor guy. Today remains an equally hard thing-the burial. That one I am going to let happen without me.
I am so thankful for the time Lily had with her pony-boy and for our great vet who made 2 emergency trips out here and did who-knows-how-much rearranging of her busy practice and for Scott being home to handle all the practical stuff now when it is over. Also really thankful for Heidi taking the extra time to walk into the pasture in her city clothes and put up with cows trying to nibble her shirt-tails to give us this picture-which is a double treasure now!
Being one of those socially weird but entirely content to be so families (you know, the ones who do nothing commercial like giving gifts etc on sacred holidays like Christmas and Easter?) we have created an entirely frivolous, playful holiday in order to have an excuse to be lazy and play all day and give each other gifts. 😀
Today is the day-it was decreed 2 years ago that Dandelionday shall be on the first Saturday after the first Dandelion is spotted in the yard. Then, this year we decided that it is OUR holiday so we can just do it the first WARM day Daddy is home after we are all READY! 😆
I tell you all this to give you a chance to leave your well-wishes for us as we exchange gifts and play games (there are hidden dinos in the sandbox being dug up as we speak) The bigger boys still have yet to discover that key pieces are missing from their new Lego set too. 😆
I gave Scott something to satisfy his manly love of bacon -and his wish to do things himself–can you guess what? He gifted me with a very special Lefton China sugar bowl and a lovely bracelet.
Besides Dandelionday-the bloom of the Dannyfowlers means so much more here. It means we can stop feeding bees and say with positivity that they survived the winter; and it means things are green enough that the beasts eat more grass than hay and the lazy-easy chore season has begun again! It means soon the lawn will need mowing and I can throw the windows open to fill the house with that wonderful cut-grass scent. It means bare feet and no coats hats mittens etc ad nauseum et al. There will be sweaty-sweet wilty bouquets and nose-gays without stems by the dozen and soon…dare I even hope?…FRESH veggies from my own soil!
and so the cycle continues and we enjoy Him and all He has given us…
we remain, ever, blooming where planted and blowing where He listeth
here at Dandelionend!
All the pups are in their new homes!! It was a busy end-of-week with meeting and delivering etc but every pup loved their new owner obviously. I got a big kick out of how very different each owner is from the others AND how the pups they chose will match well with them. They are all very different but the same in that they are all animal people and ready to spoil these pups! I am soooo pleased.
Thinking of the pups as belonging to other people and of myself as a babysitter really made it easy to let them go too. Using the names they chose instead of mine helped a ton too. Plus now I can do all my playing with my puppy! Those fluffy faces will be missed too. Trapped in the passive voice all of a sudden I am…syntax error! must. find. caffeine!
Heidi came to our house and took REAL, honest-to-goodness professional pictures of our little dandelionenders! She is soooo awesome! nary a word about the nightmare that large groups present for a photog! She laughed, she smiled, she made friends and she took over 400 pictures in creative poses all over the farm! They are now being edited-but she sent me a preview which I cannot keep to myself–I am GIDDY with glee!!
It has been toooo long since we have had pictures taken–TOTALLY worth the wait!! Thanks Heidi!


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Globe University Dental Assistant Schooling Classes
Dental assistant job opportunities have been in high demand in the state of Minnesota. Globe University, this is located in Woodbury, can provide the certified training to become a professional dental assistant. To learn more about the courses offered by Globe University, please speak to Elizabeth Collins at (651) 332-8210 x 10210 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com. Additional information about Globe University is listed below.
School Information
Globe University
Dental Assistant Professional Education Courses
8089 Globe Drive
Woodbury, Minnesota 55125
Phone: (651) 332-8210 x 10210
Website: http://www.msbcollege.edu
Program Details:
Contact Person: Elizabeth Collins
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Degree or Certification Type: Associate, Diploma


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Blowout Brush (Set of 6)
This product is currently sold out.
The Blowout brush set is a new innovative way for you to accomplish salon styling at home.
Ceramic Barrel creates equal heat delivery.Ionic Technology is used to promote healthy, smooth, shiny hair, along with superior quality Boar and Nylon Bristles to reduce static and frizz. The Comfort Grasp brush handle with barrel release button makes styling your hair easier than ever before.
6 brush barrel size 2.00" 1 brush handle 6 butterfly clips Styling Guide Travel Pouch


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It is National Trail Day! That means the National Parks are free today! So, come on an adventure with me through Kings Canyon National Park.
I was itiching to go to Sequoia National Park. After doing some homework, I discovered that Kings Canyon is connected from the North. Being as we were coming from the North, it was only logical to go through both.
The photo above, I am standing in front of a large stump near large stump entrance.
Next stop was a fallen tree. It was probably 200 feet long and I have no idea how wide. I had to stand on the top step inside the tree to be able to tip toe and read the top.
Gamlin Cabin belonged to the Gamblin brothers who claimed the 160 acres surrounding it. The cabin was later used as a storehouse for the U.S. Calvary who patrolled the park. Later it became the first park ranger station at Kings Canyon.
Can you see little ole me? I am standing in front of Grant's Tree. It is the 3rd largest tree in the world.
We did see some wildlife. Mostly stink bugs, giant ants, mosquitoes and this little guy
If you look just right of center there is a deer eating.
I will be posting Sequoia National Park soon.
Make sure you also check instagram for more photos.
Hope to see you on the trails!


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It's the 1st of the month so I, BD, have a technique to share with you.
I love using stamps with clay....
you can make wall hangers, fridge magnets, coasters etc, and these make great gifts....
Christmas is not far away now that we're into September!
You'll need some sort of clay...
deep etched stamps
thick card( i used the board covers off paper pads)
PVA glue
grout (or filler.... i use fix and grout from one of our pound stores)
black paint
metallic wax (the rub-on stuff)
a rolling pin ( or something to roll out your clay)
an old tile or baking sheet ( if your clay requires putting in the oven)
a knife
sanding block or sand paper
small magnets for the backs...if you're making fridge magnets!
choose your stamp and draw round it onto the thick card/board.... cut out 4.... that makes them nice and thick once glued together.
Glue them together...allow to dry.
Make your clay nice and workable.... knead it really well...
roll out fairly thinly.... then place onto your stamp and roll over the stamp with your rolling pin.
remove stamp and cut around your stamped image...
REMEMBER to wash your stamp fairly quickly so that the clay doesnt dry on it.
Lay on an old tile or baking sheet to put in the oven....
if you use air-dry clay put them somewhere to dry.
I dried mine out in the oven
Mix some of the grout with PVA glue smear it on the dry board shape.
Stick on your clay image...and add more of the grout mix to the edges.
Once totally dry, carefully scrape away any excess with a knife...
.... then sand the edges smooth.
Paint your clay piece with black paint.... making sure you get into all the tiny detail.
Once completely dry rub over with metallic wax.... use just one colour or build up depth by using a few.
This is tipped to the light so you can see the lovely shine it has.
Stick a magnet to the back and seal with Matte or gloss sealer.
I hope you'll give stamping into clay a go....
its messy and fun... what more could you want?
SUPPLIES USED (from de-stempelwinkel)