text:
Economic and Social Council
|13 February 1995
|Original: ENGLISH
1. The present document contains the recommendations of the Special Representative following his fifth mission to Cambodia from 19 to 27 January 1995. The first part of his report (E/CN.4/1995/87) contains the recommendations formulated following the fourth visit (16-18 November 1994). Concerning the period from March to October 1994, the Commission also has before it document A/49/635. In a further addendum, the Special Representative will submit to the Commission a list of letters sent to the Government of Cambodia containing recommendations concerning specific cases.
2. The Special Representative wishes to express his sincere appreciation to the Government of Cambodia for the full cooperation extended to him during his mission. As in the past, every door which the Special Representative asked to be opened, whether in prisons, courts or hospitals, was opened to him.
3. The Special Representative records the signal honour that he was accorded in having been granted an audience with his Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Varman, King of Cambodia, on 27 January 1995. His Majesty's position as the constitutional protector of rights and freedoms and guarantor of international treaties ratified by Cambodia and his repeated statements of commitment to the defence of the human rights of all Cambodians have lent sustained support to the work of the Special Representative and of the Centre for Human Rights, which is most gratefully acknowledged by them both.
4. Once again the Special Representative calls attention to the need to upgrade the infrastructure of the health services of Cambodia. The approved health budget for 1995 has been decreased by 10 per cent from that of last year. On a per capita basis, this is one of the lowest rates of official health expenditure in the world. The Special Representative urges the Government to increase expenditure on health care, both in absolute and in per capita terms.
5. The highest priority should be given to providing information and protection to the Cambodian people in respect of the spread of HIV/AIDS. In addition to the measures referred to in earlier reports, the Special Representative recommends:
(a) That the highest Cambodian authorities declare the issue of HIV/AIDS to be a national cause requiring urgent and effective action by the Government;
(b) That it be suggested to His Majesty the King that he lends his support to the work of the national and regional AIDS committees in their vital work of public education and assistance in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS;
(c) That the First Prime Minister consider accepting the chairmanship of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on AIDS as a sign of its importance;
(d) That a multisectoral approach to the issue of HIV/AIDS, as recommended by WHO and other concerned agencies, be considered, promoted, developed and strengthened so as actively to involve and mobilize all sectors of Government and society; in particular, the work and role of the Inter-Ministerial Committee must be enhanced and strengthened, in particular through the establishment of an HIV/AIDS task force or control committee in all the Ministries directly concerned;
(e) That the Cambodian strategy to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS be based upon improved empirical data and that the collection of relevant data be constantly monitored - in particular in relation to HIV tests of military personnel and of the blood supply, in cooperation with the National Blood Transfusion Centre of the Ministry of Health. The monitoring of a control group of Cambodians for HIV status should be introduced without delay;
(f) That consideration be given to the establishment of free testing for HIV and venereal diseases in special clinics established in all provinces in conjunction with major hospitals. At present, there is only one such facility, in Phnom Penh. Such facilities should offer confidentiality of results and counselling for persons testing positive;
(g) That particular attention be given to HIV/AIDS education for: military and police personnel, sex workers, young people, and other persons belonging to groups at risk;
(h) That the decision to close brothels be reversed, on the grounds that this measure will only have the effect of driving prostitution underground and out of the reach of the health care authorities;
(i) That television, radio and the print media, videos and other means of communication be utilized to disseminate information concerning HIV/AIDS, its modes of transmission, its devastating consequences, the suffering caused and means of prevention, including by the use of condoms and avoidance of unsterile injections;
(j) That consideration be given to the legal regulation of the use of needles for injections by pharmacists, herbalists and practitioners of non-formal medicine. Advice on the dangers of the use of unsterile equipment should be distributed without delay to such practitioners and the general public by the Ministry of Health;
(k) That hospital personnel and private medical practitioners be alerted by the Ministry of Health concerning the particular dangers for the spread of HIV/AIDS of use of unsterile needles; in particular, information on HIV/AIDS should be included in the training of all health workers;
(l) That the Ministry of Health explore the provision by international donors of free or subsidized condoms to reduce the risk of the spread of HIV/AIDS, in particular amongst target groups most at risk;
(m) That particular attention be given to AIDS information and assistance in conjunction with the health care of Cambodian women. AIDS education should be integrated into other programmes of concern to the human rights of women and children; in particular, simple and clear information about HIV/AIDS should be included in the curriculum of secondary schools. In conjunction with human rights NGOs and women's organizations, attention should be paid to the empowerment of women in protecting themselves from exposure to HIV and in educating their children about HIV/AIDS. Particular attention should be paid to the education of the wives of military and police personnel. The Special Representative welcomes the offer of cooperation by the Co-Ministers of Defence, which should be followed up by the Centre for Human Rights;
(n) That the effective censorship on government television of accurate media advertisements calling attention to AIDS, its causes and means of prevention should cease. It is vital that such information be made available in the Khmer language and that Cambodians should not have to rely upon international media for such information so vital to life and health. Posters, comic books and leaflets on AIDS in Khmer and minority languages should be displayed or available in public places and government offices and addressed to particularly vulnerable target groups;
(o) That the Government give special attention to the sale by parents of their children into prostitution and the growing numbers of street children in Phnom Penh. The legal age of consent to sexual intercourse should be strictly enforced.
6. The donor community should mobilize adequate funding and technical assistance as soon as possible to assist the Government once it has demonstrated its full and effective support and commitment to fighting the epidemic at the highest governmental level.
7. The Government should ensure that information is readily available to Cambodian women concerning birth spacing and the means, where desired, of limiting family size and avoiding repeated or unwanted pregnancies. This information should be provided in particular to women in rural districts where more than 80 per cent of the Cambodian population live. It should take into account the high proportion of women in the present Cambodian population. It should utilize modern means of communication and be prepared in consultation with Cambodian human rights, non-governmental and women's groups.
8. The Special Representative calls attention to the upgrading of the facilities of the Monivong Hospital, particularly its infrastructure. Attention should be given to the effective use of that hospital for the treatment of prisoners and for forensic tests by the Ministry of Interior. Donors are encouraged to contribute to its rehabilitation and thereby strengthen the links between different areas of human rights.
9. The Special Representative welcomes with great appreciation the important work of UNESCO in relation to the protection and preservation of the Angkor temples and monuments complex which he visited during his fifth mission. He commends the activities of the technical experts working on the restoration of the Angkor site provided by the Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient and the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor. He welcomes the intended participation of experts from other countries under the auspices of the International Coordinating Committee.
10. The continued theft and export of items of the cultural heritage of Cambodia remain a matter of concern. The Special Representative again recommends the adoption of appropriate measures of policing to preserve and protect the cultural treasures of Cambodia. He welcomes the reports of the recent reduction of instances of cultural theft and the successful prosecution and conviction of several cases where the perpetrators have been apprehended. Extensive publicity should be given by the Government to such cases as a warning to others.
11. The Special Representative noted once again the positive approach expressed by Government, the military, the police, judicial officers and others concerning education for human rights. However, there are a number of additional recommendations which he wishes to make to the Government and to the Centre for Human Rights.
12. The Centre should continue to develop means for communicating human rights principles in simpler and concrete terms in the Khmer language for use in schools, for the military and police and in the general community. The Centre's activities aiming at improving the training skills of Cambodian non-governmental organizations, with a view to encouraging targeted and effective training, including police training, should also continue. The use by Cambodian non- governmental organizations such as the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), the Cambodian Institute for Human Rights, the Human Rights Task Force of Cambodia and the Ligue cambodgienne pour la promotion et la défense des droits de l'homme (LICADHO) of cartoons and comics for education of schoolchildren in human rights concepts should be further developed. Whenever possible, such activities should be conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Education as is, for example, the work conducted on the development of human rights education curricula by the Cambodian Institute for Human Rights and teachers at all school levels. The Centre for Human Rights should continue to encourage such activities and see that they include education on the human rights protected under the Constitution, the conventions ratified by Cambodia and the law. The translation of international instruments into the Khmer language is to be welcomed and further developed. Cooperation should be developed in this field with UNESCO, UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO and WHO.
13. A feature of rural life in Cambodia is the high level of penetration of Khmer language radio and video recorders. The preparation of simplified video cassettes, including dramas with human rights themes, should be explored, in consultation with Cambodian human rights non-governmental organizations and others, as an effective means of illustrating the principles of national and international human rights law. Particular attention should be paid to the principles expressed in the Cambodian Constitution and in those international human rights conventions which Cambodia has ratified.
14. Amongst matters of particular importance for education in respect for human rights which continue to require the close attention of the Government and the Centre are education concerning:
(a) Respect for the democratic features of the Constitution and in that connection for the roles of His Majesty the King, as the ultimate guardian of human rights, of the Council of Ministers, of the members of the National Assembly and of the independent judiciary;
(b) Respect for the rights of ethnic and other minorities;
(c) Respect for the vulnerable environment of Cambodia and particularly the relevance of protecting the environment from the current dual problems of flooding and drought caused or aggravated by deforestation and other interference in the environment; and
(d) Respect for honesty in public life.
15. The Special Representative welcomes the job-creation programmes in well-targeted schemes of UNDP, WFP and ILO. In particular, he commends the work of WFP, the Cambodian Red Cross and the non-governmental organization Concern in providing emergency support to internally displaced persons such as those visited by the Special Representative during his fifth mission in the Puok district of Siem Reap and in the province of Kompong Speu. The Food for Work programme and other admirable activities of WFP and other agencies are welcome, although the Special Representative recommends that Food for Work should be implemented with appropriate attention to the special difficulties faced by the aged, the handicapped, pregnant women and mothers of young children. The avoidance of a hand- out mentality and the promotion of self-respect and useful public service should continue to be important objectives of this form of international emergency assistance.
16. The Special Representative calls attention to the particular emergency caused by the succession of flooding and drought in 1994/95 which reduced significantly the production of rice in Cambodia and requiring substantial importation of rice to prevent starvation of a large segment of the population. Aggravated by the security situation and the sudden increase in the number of internally displaced persons in late 1994 (since substantially reduced), this predicament called for urgent measures by the Cambodian Government and the Cambodian Red Cross and for international assistance, most notably by WFP. The Special Representative commends WFP for its rapid response to the emergency. He welcomes the opening of the European Union Technical Coordination Office and the interest shown by the EU in technical assistance in the field of human rights, including the right to education, the right to health, assistance to refugees and Cambodian human rights non-governmental organizations.
17. The Special Representative calls attention to the short-term relief provided by WFP and others (see sect. E below) and to the need for long-term strategies to combat the man-made causes of the problems which have exacerbated the serious fall of rice production in Cambodia, previously a major exporter of rice. In providing long-term relief attention should be given to:
(a) The provision of higher yield seed, fertilizer and insecticides;
(b) The supply of appropriate pumps and well-digging equipment;
(c) The revival of overgrown, disused canals and the digging of new canals, dams and wells;
(d) A rational and reasonable exploitation of forest reserves;
(e) The introduction of a major national programme of protected reforestation.
18. The Special Representative commends the priorities advanced by FAO in its Cambodian activities.
19. The recommendations for a national environmental protection plan and for an immediate halt to illegal logging, referred to in the report to the General Assembly (see A/49/635), take on an added urgency by reason of the environmental catastrophes of 1994/95. According to advice received by the Special Representative, the flooding in late 1994, which destroyed a large part of the 1994 rice crop, may be traced in part to deforestation and the removal of natural protection against the loss of run-off water and alluvial soil. The ensuing drought has compounded the water supply problems. The major river system of Cambodia and the main lakes are now at record low levels in many places. A concerted national strategy to prevent deforestation and to conserve the natural environment will contribute to reversing the present perilous trend. The Special Representative recommends that urgent attention be given by the Government of Cambodia and the National Assembly to the steps necessary to protect the environment and to police strictly future logging in Cambodia.
20. The Centre should give consideration to the holding in Cambodia of a seminar on the rights to a healthy environment and to sustainable development. Appropriate experts of international standing should be invited to participate in such a seminar in order to call attention to the fragility of the Cambodian environment and the dangers to it of replenished logging. Such a seminar should include the participation of representatives of the Government, the military, the private sector, human rights NGOs and community groups as well as relevant United Nations agencies. Widespread publicity should be given in the Cambodian media to the findings of the seminar. Videos explaining the peril to the Cambodian environment should be produced and widely distributed throughout Cambodia for official and community education. The seminar should include attention to the revitalization of Cambodia's neglected and deteriorated irrigation system and the replenishment of its internal waterways and lakes. The Special Representative recommends urgent attention to these initiatives on the basis that emergency hand-outs are unlikely to continue indefinitely. They must be replaced by measures which address the basic causes of the problem and initiatives with long-term effects.
21. The Special Representative repeats his call for the enactment of the new laws referred to in his last report, noting that an immigration law (but not a law on nationality and refugees) has been enacted and a draft press law introduced in the National Assembly. He refers below (see sect. K) to certain perceived defects of the Immigration Law. He welcomes reported moves to modify the draft press law, still before the National Assembly at the time of this report. The Special Representative favours the deletion from the draft press law of criminal sanctions in cases of defamation.
22. The Special Representative commends the National Assembly for its serious consideration of the draft laws for the establishment of an anti-corruption board and for the declaration of assets and interests by members of the National Assembly, Ministers and senior public officials. These proposals for laws, made by some members of the National Assembly, have not, so far, secured government support or legislative passage. The need for effective means to combat corruption in Cambodia is essential. Corruption has accompanied the rapid opening up of the country, the influx of foreign personnel and capital, the growth of the economy and endemic low salaries paid to public officials (and most private employees). Unless urgent means are taken to curb official corruption, in particular, it will seriously undermine public confidence in the institutions of Cambodia. In several jurisdictions, watchdog bodies against official corruption have been established, similar to the Independent Commission against Corruption in Hong Kong. The Special Representative believes that the establishment of the proposed anti-corruption board, modelled along similar lines and with similar powers, and composed of persons of the highest integrity, would assist the Government in sustaining the rule of law and public faith in the institutions of society. The Special Representative points out that the absence of such confidence will provide a breeding ground for political disaffection.
23. The Special Representative again calls attention to his concern, noted in his previous reports, for the independence of the judiciary, which has been reinforced by his consultations during his fifth mission. Amongst the most urgent needs are:
(a) The provision of adequate salaries and allowances to judicial officers. Payment of 50,000 riels per month (about US$ 20) is totally inadequate to ensure independence and exposes judicial officers to temptations incompatible with their judicial function;
(b) The provision of basic requirements - including legal texts, paper, photocopiers and funds for investigations;
(c) An appropriate measure of budgetary independence on the part of the judiciary;
(d) Training, including regular seminars and workshops on human rights, providing for the exchange of experience between judicial officers;
(e) Respect for the separation of powers. Judicial consultations with the Ministry of Justice concerning up-to-date laws and legal principles should be replaced forthwith by consultations with an experienced, independent judicial officer or body having no connection with the Government. However, the responsibility for decisions in cases must remain exclusively with the judge hearing the case and must never be delegated or surrendered to any other person;
(f) Introduction of a system of judicial mentors and advisers;
(g) Assigning of public defenders to all provinces to assist, inter alia, in the conduct of serious criminal trials;
(h) Conduct of prison visits by judicial officers (in addition to visits to prisons by prosecutors); and
(i) Provision of enhanced independence of the judicial police and military police in the proper execution of their duties according to law, and provision of improved regional infrastructure for the military courts and military prosecutors, given the high incidence of cases of abuse of power by military personnel reported to the Special Representative during his fifth mission by members of the ordinary courts. In Siem Reap province, for instance, it is officially estimated that 60 to 70 per cent of abuses can be attributed to military personnel. Consideration should also be given to the enactment of legislation permitting military police, prosecutors and tribunals to support the activities of civilian authorities in cases involving both military personnel and civilians.
24. The Special Representative recommends that a high-level interdepartmental committee be established, composed of representatives of the Ministries of Defence, the Interior and Justice, to investigate and report on judicial complaints concerning refusal or failure of military, police or other officials to execute court warrants directed at military police or political figures or members of their families. Nobody should be above the law. The Special Representative continues to receive complaints from the judiciary concerning abuse of authority and the difficulty, in practice, of bringing those responsible (except in the most grave offences) before the courts for punishment. Such an interdepartmental committee should also investigate threats to judicial officers and, where appropriate, initiate proceedings, according to law, for them to be investigated and the perpetrators punished.
25. The Centre for Human Rights should redouble its efforts, in cooperation with international donors and local and international human rights NGOs, to respond to the urgent needs of the Cambodian judiciary set out above and in earlier reports of the Special Representative. The attention of the Special Rapporteur on the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and assessors and the independence of lawyers should be drawn to this subject. The Centre should avail itself of every opportunity to explain publicly the reasons for, and justifications of, the independence of the judiciary.
26. In this connection, the Special Representative notes with appreciation that a law on the establishment of the Supreme Council of Magistracy has been adopted by the National Assembly. However, he is concerned that, despite attempts by individual members of the National Assembly, the law does not provide for sufficient guarantees for the independence of the judiciary; in particular, the law does not contain provisions that would ensure impartial appointment of judges, grounds for disciplinary actions against judges, the types of disciplinary actions that may be taken and the procedure for removal of judges. Given the existing problems in the realization of separation of powers and independence of the judiciary, as noted above, the Special Representative recommends that the necessary safeguards for the independence of the judiciary be secured in the law, including by amendments, in cooperation where necessary with the Centre for Human Rights.
27. The Special Representative welcomes the initiatives of the Centre in its support, guidance and assistance to the officials of the Government responsible for the conduct of prisons. He commends the generally open and increasingly enlightened and humane administration in several of Cambodia's prisons, necessarily within severe financial restraints. In particular, the Special Representative commends the initiatives taken within the Siem Reap prison:
(a) To introduce training for prisoners in literacy and other skills useful to post-prison life;
(b) To introduce sporting facilities and routines, including badminton facilities;
(c) To introduce regular video films (apparently by the use of equipment privately owned by a prison officer);
(d) To improve prison diet and to delegate cooking of prison meals to prisoners.
28. Such initiatives would be suitable for extension to other prisons. In particular, videos present a popular means for education including in such matters as prisoners' rights, court procedures and HIV/AIDS. The Centre should continue to explore these possibilities.
29. The Special Representative welcomes the move by the Ministry of Interior to draft prison regulations, including in cooperation with the Centre for Human Rights. The Special Representative recommends that the Government consult with the Centre to ensure that the regulations, when finally promulgated, fully conform to applicable human rights standards and are implemented.
30. Substantial progress is being made in the improvement of several prisons. The Special Representative wishes to congratulate the Government in this regard. He also commends the Centre for its ongoing work of advice and assistance, which should continue. He has high regard for the regular medical assistance provided by LICADHO and Médecins du monde in several prisons in Phnom Penh. He notes with appreciation the comprehensive report on prison conditions in Cambodia prepared by the Centre for Human Rights and the successful seminar for prison officials organized in Phnom Penh by the Centre in cooperation with the Ministries of Justice, the Interior and Health, which he addressed during his fifth mission. This seminar also benefited from the valuable contributions made by two international experts, Mr. Andrew Coyle, Governor of Brixton prison in London and Dr. Gabriel Otterman of Physicians for Human Rights (United States of America).
31. The Centre should continue to monitor attention by the Government to the recommendations contained in earlier reports concerning prison improvement.
32. The Special Representative expresses concern about a number of developments relevant to the freedom of expression in Cambodia, as guaranteed by the Constitution and provided for in article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Cambodia is a party:
(a) The most serious is the succession of attacks upon editors and journalists. Within less than eight months, three journalists were killed (one such case was possibly accidental);
(b) The closure or suspension of newspapers by order of the Government; and
(c) The inclusion in the draft press law, presented by the Government to the National Assembly, of broad provisions for criminal sanctions in cases of civil defamation and threats to national security or national institutions.
33. The Special Representative welcomes:
(a) The support expressed by His Majesty the King for the concerns expressed to the Government by the General Assembly, the Special Representative and the Centre for Human Rights, and the reported moves within the National Assembly to address those concerns;
(b) The continued high level of media freedom in Cambodia enhanced by the large number of local and international journals on sale and the extremely vigorous and often critical role they play in political commentary; and
(c) The initiatives towards an enhanced attention to journalists' ethics. The Special Representative gave the inaugural speech to the Round Table on Journalistic Ethics and Defamation, co-organized by UNESCO and the Centre for Human Rights in Phnom Penh, which was attended by a wide cross-section of local media. He welcomes the initiative of this Round Table to improve the standards of journalism in Cambodia and to encourage a greater appreciation of the fact that with the larger freedom now enjoyed by Cambodian journalists goes the responsibility for accurate reporting and for content which avoids defamation, respects privacy and dignity and avoids grossly offensive departures from generally accepted cultural and linguistic values. The Special Representative respectfully welcomes most particularly the continuous support voiced by His Majesty the King of Cambodia for a high measure of freedom of expression in Cambodia as a necessary element in a society committed to political and economic progress.
34. The Special Representative expresses concern at the widely reported threats to members of the National Assembly who have expressed, both within and outside the Assembly, opinions differing from those of the Government. The right of the members of the Assembly to express their conscientiously held opinions must be vigilantly upheld and energetically safeguarded by the Government and all persons under its control. Threats or even reported threats to the persons of members of the Assembly are incompatible with the democratic nature of the Constitution. Any suggestions of such threats must be vigorously followed up by the Government. Such threats represent a direct challenge to the whole Assembly itself. In an appropriate case, the Assembly would be empowered and even obliged (separately from the Government) to take vigorous steps to defend the privileges and immunities of its members. This would be so even were its members, or a majority thereof, to disagree with the views expressed by the members who were the subject of the threats. The Special Representative recommends that the Government take immediate steps to track down the sources of threats or reported threats to members of the Assembly, and to initiate according to law the prosecution of those responsible so that they may be brought to justice for such a grave attack upon the Constitution. The Special Representative further recommends that the Assembly should itself consider initiating an investigation of its own into the reported attack on its privileges. Unless threats to members of the Assembly are resolutely and promptly dealt with, the inhibitions thereby created may strike a most serious blow to democracy in Cambodia.
35. The Special Representative, having received formal complaints of threats to lives of members of the Assembly, without prejudging the substance of such complaints, is duty bound to treat them seriously and to respond immediately. He must respond in a way that makes it clear that any such threat, if proved, is a most grave attack on the human rights not only of its subject but also of the whole body politic of Cambodia. The Special Representative, in addition to bringing his concerns in this regard to the notice of the Government, therefore, both orally during his fifth mission and in writing, has taken the following initiatives:
(a) He has brought the reported threats to the notice of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions whose mandate includes conduct of this kind;
(b) He has called the reported threats to the notice of the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression as being relevant to a most significant attack upon the freedom of expression of a person whose privilege in that respect is universally protected by the law of Parliaments; and
(c) He has called the reported threats to the notice of the Inter-Parliamentary Union with a suggestion that it should consider, in consultation with the National Assembly, a mission to Cambodia to assist in the promotion of an understanding of the essential character of the freedom of elected members of the Assembly to express their conscientious opinions without inhibition and free from threat of any kind, particularly to their personal safety.
36. To the recommendations concerning vulnerable groups contained in his earlier reports, the Special Representative adds the recommendations set out above, concerning the special vulnerability of women and children, with respect to information and other measures relevant to HIV/AIDS and birth spacing.
37. The Special Representative welcomes the press communiqué issued in Hanoi on 17 January 1995 following the meeting between the representatives of the Governments of Cambodia and Viet Nam concerning their determination to address immigration policy and practice in a way consistent with national legislation and international law and practices. The Special Representative also welcomes the visit to Chrey Thom on 20 January 1995, the day of his own second visit, of the Co-Ministers of the Interior of the Government of Cambodia.
38. The Special Representative notes that during his visit to Chrey Thom, family papers maintained in local government offices dating from the State of Cambodia were matched with five families who have been living at Chrey Thom for nearly two years since they took refuge there after fleeing their traditional places of residence under United Nations protection. In many cases, the family papers provide sufficient evidence that the families have been living for long periods of time in Cambodia, often for more than a generation. The Special Representative recommends that the Cambodian authorities, in close cooperation with UNHCR and the Centre for Human Rights and with the support of WFP, should, with the assistance of Cambodian human rights NGOs, make and maintain a register of families of Vietnamese origin at Chrey Thom. The Centre should also cooperate to obtain relevant documents for presentation to the Government to help establish that the families at Chrey Thom, or as many of them as can establish the fact, are (as they claim) persons with long-term residence in Cambodia, sometimes extending over several generations. In the event of the loss or confiscation of papers, the Special Representative urges that evidence be obtained from neighbours, friends or witnesses to substantiate claims of long-term residence. The Special Representative expresses the hope that earlier suggestions concerning a regular and consistent resolution of the situation of Chrey Thom, in a manner compatible with the Constitution, international conventions ratified by Cambodia and national law and as called for in the Hanoi press communiqué, will be found without further delay. The present predicament of the families, as observed by the Special Representative, involves serious restrictions of the enjoyment of human rights: the Chrey Thom community constitutes a de facto floating refugee camp with limited liberty of movement, access to work and income-generating activities, adequate food, water, medical attention and education of children, despite the commendable regular assistance provided by WFP, UNHCR, the Cambodian Red Cross, Médecins du monde and LICADHO. This situation should be resolved immediately.
39. The Special Representative welcomes the initiative announced by the Government on 30 January 1995 to establish a screening procedure aimed at determining the eligibility of the displaced persons of Vietnamese origin in Chrey Thom to return to their communes of traditional residence, under the provisions of the Immigration Law. He recommends that the Centre for Human Rights and UNHCR continue to cooperate with the Government and provide the necessary assistance as appropriate in the fair determination of the status of these persons. The Special Representative will continue to monitor progress in this regard.
40. The Special Representative attaches the highest importance to the compliance by Cambodia with its reporting obligations under the international conventions to which Cambodia is a party. The Special Representative welcomes the progress being made in this regard. He expresses the hope that the reports will be promptly completed. He recommends that the Centre for Human Rights, with the assistance of the United Nations Volunteers, and UNICEF continue to offer any assistance that may be helpful to the Government of Cambodia to this end.
41. The Special Representative received extensive briefings on the security situation in Cambodia which continues to inhibit the rapid rebuilding of a society adhering to the rule of law, respecting fully human rights and enjoying the benefits of economic growth.
42. A particularly worrying development in the period under review has been the attack on Western tourists visiting Cambodia for its natural attractions and cultural treasures. The Special Representative has expressed to the Government the grave concern which is felt and the hope that the perpetrators of such crimes can be tracked down and brought to justice. The Special Representative recommends that there should be no impunity for persons convicted for such crimes, which inflict great suffering on the victims and their families, represent a callous attack on unarmed tourists and greatly damage Cambodia's international reputation and economic reconstruction. The attention of the Special Rapporteurs of the Sub-Commission on impunity should be drawn to this subject.
43. The Special Representative notes the continuing efforts to clear land in Cambodia of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. He again commends the work of all those involved in such activities, including the Cambodian Mine Action Centre, Compagnie française d'assistance specialisée, the Halo Trust and the Mines Advisory Group. He commends the Government of Cambodia for its support of such activities and foreign donors for their practical assistance. He recommends that all those involved in mine clearance in Cambodia consult with military authorities in countries having a friendly relationship with Cambodia concerning technological developments which may speed the process of clearing land, vitally needed for farming, of mines. The Special Representative was informed that clearance of little more than one square kilometre could take up to six months. Given the extensive laying of land-mines in Cambodia, including of fresh mines, the danger of water-borne mines floating during the rainy season into land previously "cleared" and the constant flow of casualties, the current state of clearance calls out for more radical solutions. What ingenious and gruesome technology has provided, a new technology should be devised to relieve in countries such as Cambodia, Afghanistan and Angola. The Special Representative recommends that the Secretary-General, in conjunction with other initiatives he is taking in respect of the revision of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (1990) and the elaboration of a draft amended protocol on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of mines, booby-traps and other devices (Protocol II), should give consideration to a high-level meeting of technical experts to advise on new technological means that could be devised greatly to accelerate the clearance of mines in Cambodia and other countries where they continue to cause such frightful suffering, insecurity and economic deprivation.
44. The Special Representative commends to the Government and National Assembly the proposed law to ban unilaterally the importation and use of mines by all agencies of the Government.
45. The Special Representative notes the report to him of the disappearance of large numbers of commune and village chiefs, teachers and other personnel who have been captured in the Siem Reap and other north-western provinces, apparently by units of the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea ("Khmer Rouge"). The suffering of the families concerned was emphasized to the Special Representative at the highest level during his fifth mission. The Special Representative would welcome any initiative taken by the ICRC to intervene in order to establish the whereabouts and secure the release of the persons concerned. He requests the Centre to consider the ways in which a comprehensive list of such persons could be established and maintained, in cooperation with the Cambodian authorities. Such a list should be provided to the ICRC for investigation and humanitarian relief so far as that is possible. He requests the Secretary-General to consider ways in which appropriate contact might be made with the Party of Democratic Kampuchea (the political party of the "Khmer Rouge") or its representatives to request, in the name of humanity, that the whereabouts and fate of the disappeared personnel be investigated and reported to the international community and for the relief of relatives concerned.
46. The Special Representative once again commends the Centre and its officers, including the UNVs, for their dedicated work in the period under review. He again pays tribute to the vital work of the Cambodian human rights non- governmental organizations.
47. The Special Representative notes the delays in the provision of financial and other support to the Cambodia office of the Centre for Human Rights as reported by the Centre in its report to the General Assembly (A/49/635/Add.1, paras. 8, 60, 63-71). He urges that active and creative steps be taken within the administration of the United Nations Office at Geneva to meet the difficulties there outlined which are so discouraging to the effective work of the Centre.
Meeting with Mr. Benny Widyono, Representative of the Secretary-General in Cambodia
Meeting with the staff of the Cambodia office of the Centre for Human Rights, including on the right to housing
Inauguration of the European Union Technical Coordination Office in Cambodia
Visit to Chrey Thom (Vietnamese border) with MPs, the Chairman of the National Assembly Commission for the Protection of Human Rights and Reception of Complaints, representatives of UNHCR, WFP, ICRC, Médecins du monde, LICADHO, ADHOC and members of the press
Meeting with representatives of United Nations agencies, international and local aid and human rights NGOs; briefing on IDPs, right to food, right to health, right to security
Meeting with staff members of UNESCO, Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient and Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor at the Angkor complex archaeological site
Visit to the provincial prison
Visit of IDPs in Puok district
Meeting with Mr. Tun Chay, Governor of Siem Reap province, and the Vice-Governors
Meeting with Mr. Phlong Chhlam, President of the Tribunal
Meeting with Mr. Tun Chay and the Deputy Commander of the Fourth Military Region
Briefing on de-mining in Siem Reap by Halo Trust
Meeting with Mr. Sam Rainsy, MP for Siem Reap
Meeting with Ms. Saumura Thioulong and two other Cambodian personalities on women and AIDS
Visit to Monivong Hospital
Meeting with the Interministerial Committee for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control
Meeting with Cambodian Women's Development Association and Khmer Student Association
Meeting with sex workers and medical workers in Tuol Kork community clinic
Meeting on health and AIDS at WHO office with WHO staff and other United Nations AIDS officers
Meeting with Minister of Health
Meeting with Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister
Meeting organized by the National Assembly with MPs from provinces affected by food shortages, and WFP and FAO
Lunch with Mr. Kem Sokha, Chairman of the National Assembly Commission on Human Rights, and Mr. Son Chhay, MP for Siem Reap
Visit to affected villagers in Kompong Speu province
Meeting with ambassadors
Reception at the Cambodia office of the Centre for Human Rights for the Special Representative to meet with diplomats, United Nations agencies' representatives, Directors of Cambodian human rights NGOs, and publishers and editors of local newspapers
Meeting with General Sao Sok, Military Prosecutor
Meeting with Mr. Tea Banh and Mr. Tea Chamrath, Co-Ministers of Defence
Meeting with Mr. Om Radsady, Chairman of the National Assembly Commission on Information and Foreign Affairs, and several members of the Commission as well as members of the National Assembly Commission for the Protection of Human Rights and Reception of Complaints
Joint meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Inter-Ministerial reporting subcommittees on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and on the Convention on the Right of the Child, with Mr. Chem Snguon, Minister of Justice, Mr. Uch Kim An, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bjorn Ljungqvist, representative of UNICEF, and Mr Daniel Prémont, Director of the Cambodia office of the Centre for Human Rights
Speech at the seminar on the state of Cambodian prisons (22-27 January) organized by the Centre for Human Rights in cooperation with the Ministries of Justice, the Interior and Health, with the participation of Mr. Andrew Coyle, Governor of Brixton Prison (United Kingdom) and Dr. Gabriel Otterman, Physicians for Human Rights (United States of America)
Meeting with Mr. Ney Thol, President of the Military Tribunal, and court officials
Meeting with Cambodian human rights NGOs
Meeting with the Khmer Journalists' Association
Meeting with Mr. Anthony Kevin, Ambassador of Australia, and Mr. Martin Collacott, Ambassador of Canada
Inaugural speech at the joint UNESCO-Centre for Human Rights Round Table on Journalistic Ethics and Defamation
Audience with His Majesty the King, Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sianouk Varman
Press conference at Phnom Penh Airport


text:
Yellow & Black Pointing Labrador Puppies
Alabama 7 Alaska 1 Arizona 11 Arkansas 17 California 41 Colorado 256 Connecticut 8 Delaware 0 District of Columbia 1 Florida 6 Georgia 9 Hawaii 0 Idaho 11 Illinois 12 Indiana 11 Iowa 29 Kansas 422 Kentucky 3 Louisiana 2 Maine 2 Maryland 3 Massachusetts 1 Michigan 12 Minnesota 16 Mississippi 3 Missouri 41 Montana 12 Nebraska 128 Nevada 7 New Hampshire 0 New Jersey 7 New Mexico 12 New York 15 North Carolina 3 North Dakota 18 Ohio 10 Oklahoma 46 Oregon 5 Pennsylvania 31 Rhode Island 1 South Carolina 4 South Dakota 11 Tennessee 7 Texas 79 Utah 15 Vermont 0 Virginia 7 Washington 11 West Virginia 3 Wisconsin 22 Wyoming 47 and 8 in Canada and 2 in Mexico
GMPR Lankas Labs Brandys Maximillion JH
Sire:Holloway's Montaro "Monte" Dam:Lankas Labs Brandyother APLA certified dog out of our Kennels
* CPR Scanlon's Murphy: Sire Lankas Labs Hunting Machine Dam: Lankas Labs Sage*
*CPR Jacs Rebel: Sire Lankas Labs Rebel Warrior Dam: SPL Maggie May*
CPR Lankas Labs Air Claire Sire: Lankas Labs Rebel Dam: Lankas Labs Black Lady
CPR Browns Mojo Cutter Sire: Holloway's Montaro "Monte" Dam: Lankas Labs Brandy
APR Zig Zags Blue Banana Lake JH Sire: Eichhorn's Duke Dam: Slick Slammin Slider
CPR Witts Ivory Wonder Sire: Eichhorn's Duke Dam: Slick Slammin Slider
APR Ruger's Hershey Kiss Sire: Eichhorn's Duke Dam: CC Cotton Queen
CPR Queen Iz A Belle Sire: Eichhorn's TJ Hershey Kiss Dam:CC Cotton Queen
CPR Little Anne XVI Sire: Sir Duke Hershey II Dam: Lady's Twist and Shout
CPR Lady's Twist and Shout Sire: FC Trieven Twist and Shoult MH Dam: Lisa's Lady Bird
CPR Sandyann's Sunshine Girl Sire: Lankas Labs Buck Dam: Lankas Labs Lady
CPR Holloway's Montaro "Monte" Sire: GMPR High Sierra Kodiak MH Dame: Jade's Foxy Rocksey
CPR: Holloway's Precious Gem "Juels" Sire: Tony's Smoke On The Water Dam: Mueller's Owl Creek Molly
Newest Testimonials
Here is a picture of your dog I got off you. Not many birds where we live so we have been going to a game preserve in Missouri. Bo is a retrieveing fool of the 30 birds we got that day he brought back 25 of them. Pointed about 20 of them and put that old shorthair to shame. Thought you might like to hear an update on him.
Mark Simms
Dear Mike,
I got a pup from your "Simba and Anne" liter back in May of 2009. I was wanting to let you know that "Bear" is one of the smartest dogs that I have ever seen. He is just now a little over 10 months old and weighs 74 lbs. I have never seen a dog as smart as Bear. I am not an expert trainer but Bear makes it easy because he picks up on things so fast. I trained him on the whistle at about 6 months of age. I took him on his first goose hunt about a month ago and he did amazing. Since than I have only been able to take him about 2 to 3 times a week because I am in college and have a part time job. He has brought back every bird I have sent him on, blind retrieves and all.
In the photo I sent you we had a pretty good hunt and killed 17 geese. My buddy had his dog and I had Bear, and Bear retrieved 13 out of the 17 geese. I was just wanting to let you know that I am glad I got a dog from you and am pleased on how good a dog Bear his. Hope to keep in touch.
Thanks, Paul Smith email@example.com
Hi Mike,
I hope you had a terrific hunting season. I've got a question for you about Claire, who is out of Rebel and Lady. She's 8 months old and coming along great. She goes nuts over retrieving and is showing a very stylish tripod point. I'm now at the point where I want to extend her point. I picked up a book by Julie Knutson on training pointing labs, mostly because it was the only book I could find on the subject. She advocates whoa breaking dogs with a verbal whoa and not using check cords in the field. I've also taken Claire out for a couple morning training sessions with a local pointer trainer named Steve Chang, who uses the "silent method" of whoa breaking, using a check cord to enforce the point rather than giving a verbal "whoa." The Knutson book strongly discourages using check cords in the field. Some of the pointing lab forums have some pretty good debates on which method works best. I would normally follow the Knutson book method over the advice of a guy who mostly trains english pointers and brittanies, but then I watched Steve turn Claire's sometimes good, sometimes inconsistent pointing into a very stylish, very long tripod point. I'm talking 2 minutes of being locked on point like a Greek statue – pretty impressive. As the person most familiar with Claire's bloodlines, do you have any opinion as to which method works best?
Robin email@example.com
My name is Chris Harris and I purchased a dog from you from your litter 2 years ago (March 15th 2008 11 females in litter). I live in Utah and have been very impressed with the quality of my dog. I have not had her "fixed" yet but was planning on doing so quickly, but I would like to breed her once before I do. I wanted to make sure I was okay to do so. I cannot remember what the agreement was with your kennel on breeding dogs and would of course would want to follow your guidelines and standards before I do so. If I'm allowed to breed her I would love to keep the pointing lines and high quality blood continued in her litter, since I live in Salt Lake and would prefer to keep her close do you have any suggestions? Thanks for your time and thanks for such an awesome dog! we love her to death and has been great to hunt with
Chris Harris
Mike, Rich Wilkens here. Just wanted to update you on the pup that we got back in June out of Maggie (Casey's sister) and Rebel. We originally were going to name her Millie but then settled on Miller. All I can say is that she is fantastic. She is now 50 lbs of go-go at 7-1/2 months when she is in the field. The first time I had her over live pheasant was on a preserve at 6-1/2 months. We put out 12 birds. She turned and locked up on 5 or 6 and broke in on 3 or 4, and these birds we sitting tight. It was a great first time out for her. She has a great nose and the best work ethic….she will not quit and will not range too far. As a house dog she's great. She has not eaten a single thing that does not belong to her and was housebroken by 12 weeks or so. My wife is in love with her and is so happy that I talked her into this dog instead of the golden retriever that she thought she wanted. I'll get some pictures to you when I get a chance. Once again…thanks for a great dog. Rich
mike: fred is fantastic (10wks old) house broke and doing well with his training, he has been working with live quail and that seems to b the trick. also he is 18# again thank you for such a great pup
Paul Bramschreiber firstname.lastname@example.com
I thought I would give you an update on Simba. She is 11 weeks old and she is doing great. What an awesome addition to the family and best of the wife likes her. She is retrieving a bumper to hand and she will do it several times in a 10 minute training session. She already knows the command to sit and currently working on laying down and best of she was potty trained by 10 weeks. When she needs to go she will go to the door and bark letting us know she wants out. I included a picture of her pointing a wing at 10 weeks of age. I will continue to update you on her progress
Ryan firstname.lastname@example.com
Hey Mike.
Wanted to let you know that everything is going great. The puppy is adjusting very well and I'm convinced he is already starting to potty-train! He hasn't had a single accident in the house or his crate. He is the perfect mix between energetic and lazy. He'll play for awhile and then go lay down. I always dread the puppy stage but he hasn't been any problem at all.
Thanks for a great transaction and I'll keep you posted now and then with pictures.
Hi Mike,
We hope all is well with you and your family. I just wanted to take a minute and let you know about our silver lab Thor. He was from the June 23 litter. He and my husband got their first bird together today…a quail. He has done a fantastic job all season finding birds and today they got a quail. Thor did everything he was supposed to do and has an amazing natural instinct and drive to be in the fields looking for birds. Not only is he turning out to be an amazing hunting dog, he is a wonderful family pet. He is so great with our two boys that are ages 5 and 3. He has been nothing but gentle and loving with them and watches over them no matter what they are doing. Attached are pictures taken today after the big hunt!
Erin Thornburg and The Thornburg Family
I purchased one of your dogs over 1 year ago. I recently received an email from a guy loking at your dogs. He saw my testimonial and asked me what I thought. I havent kept in touch but Sammi, our black lab has been a real joy. She loves to hunt! She loves the family and kids too. She is not a pointer as I did not work with her but that is my fault. I could not be more happy with a dog. Everyone who sees her loves her.
I gave a great recommendation and just wanted to again say thanks!
Brett Argeris, Wyoming email@example.com
Just a note to let you see how the girls are doing. They are the smartest dogs I've ever owned, and I couldn't be happier with them. Thanks again, Bruce Douglas.
Thanks so much. Eli brings us joy everyday–and acclaim to your breeding program. He gets the woman with his looks, and the men with his intelligent manner. A couple of local hunters have told me they've never experienced a lab that can just sit down and listen to the "adults" talk. I'm going to learn as much as possible about how to train Eli's kids in retrieving, games like agility for bonding, attraction to birds, etc., but it is the genetics, my desire that have quiet time in the house or when I'm "down" that wins people over. He is just a gorgeous guy.
That said, he's really silly in water. He throws his head in the pool and drinks underwater which must be impossible. The dogs play tag. Home is the pool.
There is so much need here that I'm thinking about paying for a breeding with "otter" or pay for one of his pups to come down Eli's line and continue good hunting genetics.
How are your dogs selling? Bill Crabtree says the sales cycle is much longer. The guy we got our female out of appears to have no sales from his September litter. I suspect I will follow whatever is happening to you because Eli is out of your dogs. If you find yourself mailing more dogs than usual in the future to TN, VA, No. Cal, So. Cal, W. Va it's probably because I send people over to your site to learn about Eli. So a Lankas Lab has meaning in the SW Virginia which should make you very proud of what your're doing. Your dogs are like currency. I've bought two poodles which are a minimum of $1,500 for "trade" from Eli's first litter. In our economy, that's something. The dog is stronger than the dollar.
We think of you often watching our Bailey thrive here in Indiana. She is a great pup. She is full of spunk and is the most affectionate dog we've ever had by far. Perhaps that is the female in her, we've only had males. She is doing well on commands and so far has been less of a chewer than past dogs usually only going for her toys (other than a few dog beds, but that comes with having a pup). She gets walked 2-3 times a day here along the creek and gradually grew comfortable with the water. Now, she charges in and regular joins the kids in our pool. She and Tucker (6) are the best of playmates. We are having her spayed in a week before she reaches 6 months. She spends some nights sleeping with our boys, but mostly sleeps with Tucker in a mud room. They both use the doggie door as needed. She is doing great and has been healthy other than a urinary tract infection a couple of months ago. Here are a couple of pics of her.
Brown, Carol A. (email@example.com
Dear Mike,
Our Billie turned one year old last week and I wanted to let you know that she is a happy, healthy, and well adjusted dog. She is my gardening companion every day and loves to drink from the hose at every opportunity. Billie is an absolute delight! She started pointing last fall and lives to play fetch in the back yard. She is so well built and beautiful. I was looking at your web-site and noticed how much she resembles Monty, her sire. I know that she is Brad's bird dog, but I have become so attached to her. You really do a wonderful job of breeding dogs and matching them to people. She is quite the guard dog as well. Nothing gets in her backyard. She had her first encounter with lightening bugs this past week and that was really funny to watch. She is a very inquisitive dog. In short….I just adore this dog! Thanks for your hard work and dedication to dogs.
Renetta Dawson
Hays, KS firstname.lastname@example.com
We made it home without any trouble. Sammi seemed to adjust well. She is a great dog. She has a terrific disposition. She is a beautiful pup and we couldn't be happier. I have gotten many compliments on her.
I took her to a little pond where I plan to work with her. She lasted 2 minutes before she was swimming around and playing. We go back about every other day and she loves it.
She minds well and is awesome on the leash. My wife likes her a bunch and the training was well worth the money.
Thanks again Mike and I will give you updates.
And if you want to come chase some birds in Wyoming, you are welcome here. I will even supply the bird dog this time!
Brett firstname.lastname@example.com
Kevin thought you might like to see this. She had been doing this for a while. She will either do a three legged or a four legged point. She'll point for him one or two times then she starts trying to get the wing. She had a couple times she wouldn't point and would just try to get the wing. She is doing good and sometimes probably gets bored with it. He tries not to work with her too long.
She is doing much better now. We had her hernia taken care of and she goes to get her stiches taken out next week.
Hi Mike,
Just wanted to shoot you a quick e-mail about RJ (Rocky Junior). He is doing great. It took him a little bit to feel comfortable, but now he is loving it. I take him almost everywhere I go. He has been to football games, cross country meets, work, school and the park. He is socializing very well. He loves people and the kids. I can't believe how calm and good he is, especially good with Maddie who is 4 and loves to love him. He is a lover and listens very well. He is in the house and kennel broke and working on house breaking. We are playing fetch with a sock and having him bring it to us. He is great with the kids. I can't believe his great personality and attachment to us.
Just wanted to thank you and let you know he is a great dog…so far. I told the kids to just wait until he is a few months old and he will be very onery. We are working on coming to us and sitting. Such a cutie!!
Thanks again,
Dawn email@example.com
Lankas Labs have been featured in the Dog USA Magazine, the Puppy USA Magazine, Bird Dog & Retriever News, Feature articles on outdoor-z.com and was featured on The Great American Outdoor Trails Radio show in Nov. of 07′ ****
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:59:34 -0500 From: email@example.com To: firstname.lastname@example.com Just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for selling me Gunner. He is doing great and is a very lovable dog. I wanted to tell you about something that happened this past weekend. My wife and I were in the front yard hanging out with my german shorthair and Gunner when I noticed my shorthair was locked up on a dove in the yard. Gunner which is only 9 weeks old, ran up behind Star and honored her point, unbelievable. Thanks again Dana Trojnar E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Hi Mike, I've attached some photos of Dakota an offspring of Lankas Labs Jake and Slick Slammin Slider. We met you near the Denver airport in April when you delivered him to us at 8 weeks of age. Dakota is 8 1/2 months old now and weighs 72 pounds; we really enjoy having him in the family. He is very intelligent and indepedent, both traits that we appreciate. He is a good companion on camping, fishing and hiking trips and as you can imagine really enjoys the outdoors. He's not quite sure what to make of a trout yet and often times fishes the spot in the river before I can make a cast but he's learning to be patience and showing some signs of willingness to stay out of the water until I've made a cast or two or at least wades downstream first. Typical of a lab he loves the water and we're glad he's with us when we fish because for us it's not about the fish anyway. He certainly gives us plenty to laugh and smile about as he splashes around! Anyway, I wanted to send a few photos of him as he looks just like Jake. Dakota is everything that we could have hoped for, we could not be happier. Thanks for being a responsible breeder who turns out terrific pups! Dave, Julie, Chris and Tracy Wenman Denver, Colorado
I bought Maggie from you I asked you that I wanted a dog that likes water… Maggie is in my pool every day…….heheh I hesitate to email as to not bother you.. but you need to know…….. everyone at my vet's office just loves Maggie.. my vet says he has never seen such a beautiful lab and any dog with such a perfect disposition and character…. my vet said you can't train this in a dog… it has to be bred… Next Lab I buy will be from you…. thanks for the wonderful dog………. joe
Mr. Lankas: It has been almost a full year since The Blues landed here in Boston. In case you are interested, here is a report on your pup. The Blues is very healthy, active, intelligent, athletic, sweet of disposition and down right handsome. He weighs 72.5 pounds. I receive compliments on his looks every day from strangers on the sidewalk. He is not aggressive with other dogs but he stands his ground if another dog is aggressive with him. He loves all people. The Blues runs extremely well. He is more graceful than the majority of Labs. When he gets birdy and is casting about he looks more like setter than a retriever with his head up, ears up, chest out and tail held high. he has a super nose and he finds every single training bumper I throw no matter how high the grass or thick the cover. He swims like a fish. We have worked at lot on his retrieving skills and I'm looking forward to the upcoming waterfowl season. He was very good last fall and retrieving pheasants ( even as a 10 month old rookie ) I am very glad I have him. He's a lot of fun and is a good companion. I'll try to get a digital photo of him so you can see just how handsome he is. If he were a human he'd be a Brad Pitt. Thank you for my pup. Paul D. Nachtwey Boston, MA 02116-2809
Mike Hey what's up? just thought I would drop a line. I took Cash up to Utah this weekend, I got a hold of some pigeons, and my brother and I took him out to the fields. I was really nervous of how he would perform he is still only 6 mo. Everyone had been extremely impressed with his basic obedience skills. My dad and grandpa raised Chesapeake and they always bragged how good of dogs they where. After I did a few stay and retrieve and baseball retrieves for them they said we would never get our Chesapeake to do that. Well anyway me and my bro took him out to a sage brush fields and let a few go. I was extremely nervous on his point and how he would do because I haven't worked a lot with him on it. But man right when got on a sent he would narrow the bird down and then hold right on it tell we go up on them. It was a sight to see and only something a proud trainer could feel. One of the last birds my brother shot went way out there in some thick high sage brush. I let cash go and thought to myself it would be tuff for any dog to find that bird. After about 10 min I told my bro, I don't think he'll find that one…. well right after that he come wondering back with the bird in his mouth. All the time money and energy make it all worth it at that moment. I'm sure you have been there and know the feeling. Well thought I would let you know how cash was doing, its been pretty hot down here so he's been inside most of the time. Its hard to get out when its this hot. I took him to a few ponds for the first time few months ago, again I was nervous of how he would do, but he jumped right in marked the retrieve and swim back with no splashes or little effort. It was like he'd been doing it for years. Unbelievable! JB Cox
Dear Mike, We wanted to keep you posted on how our new puppy was doing in his new home. His name is Iso and he has adjusted wonderfully to his new surroundings. He is such an incredible dog. House training was so easy. From the time we brought him home he has had no problem with potty training. After 4 days of house training, he goes to the door and scratches when he has to go out. We find this amazing since our other two dogs took a few months to learn. Iso has managed to win over the other two dogs love. He is quite active, and loves all the kids in the neighborhood. As for the pointing…well this seems to be genetically instilled having that instinct. He comes on command, except for when he is being inquisitive by nature. His curiosity is high. We love his disposition and personality! You picked out the perfect puppy for our family! I have attached a few pictures for you. Thank you so much for the care you provided us with our new addition to the family. We look forward to obtaining another puppy from you in the future! Thanks again, Cathy, John & John Jr. Pagliarello
Hi Mike,
Tanner and Jacilyn Schlosser here in Denver and we just wanted to send you a picture of our black lab, Ranger. We got him from you one year ago today and his mother is Annie and father is Tucker. He is very smart and bold! He is also a graceful runner and a natural hunter. We are very happy with him.
Thanks, Tanner and Jacilyn Schlosser
This is Tammie Robben from Colwich, Kansas. I bought Dessa from you, it will be 2 years in Sept. She is out of Eichorn's Duke & Jessie Miller"s Labs. I thought you would like to know how she is doing? I couldn't ask for a better dog. She does point, and she is doing well, with me working with her around guns and all. I have a friend that will be taking her out hunting this fall, We will see how she does! Dessa does Agility and Obedience classes in 4H, She took 1st in Obed. today Her score was 151 out of 160 possible points. This was her 2nd show she has ever done! We are so proud of her! Their isn't anything that she is not willing to do, no matter what it is, she does well at! She is a fast learner, and she adds so much enjoyment to the Family. I'm going to have her OFA and eye cert. this late Sept, if she doesn't come in heat. I get a lot of compliments about her, and how smart she is. I hide the phone in the House and let the pager peep, and tell her to get it!!!! You ought to see her prick her ears and listen for it. Then she finds it, hits it with her nose, then sits by it, till I pick it up!! I taught her this in about 15 minutes one afternoon! Tomorrow at 4H we have Agility Trial. ( Sunday). I couldn't ask for a better Dog! Love her to death! Thanks Mike for a wonderful pet! Tammie Robben firstname.lastname@example.com
Mike, Just a quick update on Creasy. She has acclimated very well to the household and is truly a pleasure. Well behaved, not a biter, nor a runner. We are very proud of her as you should be in producing such a fine animal. We were watching the DVD you sent this morning with Creasy in the room. She could not take her eyes off the TV while yelping, barking and running circles around the living room. She obviously recognizes your voice and most certainly had some affection for the place she was born as the reaction was something we have never seen before. Feel free to use the Williams family as a reference if the need arises as we couldn't be happier with our Creasy firstname.lastname@example.com
Hi Mike, Got a male from you late October. Boz is a fantastic dog. Super smart and eager to please. His hunt training is coming along great and I even got him out to Kansas about a month ago. He is amazingly birdy and flushed a few pheasants his first day out. Pretty sweet for 4 months old. Obviously, the pointing training is yet to come but I'm really happy with him. Thanks a bunch. Dave Moore
Mike, I just wanted to let you know that Diesel (5 mo.) had his first hunt (2-17-07)with my 10 year old son,Wyatt, along with Steve and a friend. They went to Bunker Hill which is a hunting preserve by Hastings, NE. Diesel had a great first day of field hunting and my son shot his first pheasant and chuckar(?)! Wyatt and Diesel are great companions. Diesel is the perfect dog for our family. He is smart, "birdy", and my sons new "best friend". Diesel waits all day for Wyatt to get home from school so they can "play". Whenever the pellet gun or 410 is in my son's hands, there Diesel is right by him! Steve has stated many times how easy Diesel is to work with. Diesel did such a great job huntinh, that the other guy in the photo, Steve's dog training friend, stated," Where did you get that dog again?". Just thought you would be interested in the story and photos! You can always use us as a reference! Rhonda Schiermeyer firstname.lastname@example.com
Hey cash is doing great…we have become best buds. He has already learned his name and are now working slowly on other commands. He is a very alert pup and I have had nothing but praise from other dog breeders. I hope u know he is in a well loved home..my wife has even went crazy over him since he has been here and has forgotten all about the cost Thank u again for cash and will keep u updated as he progresses. Justin 'JB' Cox email@example.com
Emails from past owners:
Mike, just wanted to let you know that Cinder is doing great. She is a wonderful family dog and so far she has been learning very quickly. Just wanted you to know that I took her to the Gunclub Pointing Lab seminar 2 weeks ago today (put on by PAUL and JULIE KNUTSON) and she did well. She was introduced to birds for the first time at the seminar. Being only 14 weeks old, I was not sure what Cinder would do. But she went right after the quail and once it landed, Cinder pointed it. The bird flew away and each time it landed, Cinder would point it. Also, they were throwing marks for Cinder using frozen pigeons. She retrieved all of them and one of them she actually had to hunt for about 20 seconds because she kind of got distracted and loss track of where the bird was. It was a wonderful sight to see her do that. Anyway, the trainers were real impressed and thought Cinder had some real potential and that they had filmed some of the seminar and that she would be in their next video. Thanks Mike for a great dog. I'll let you know more about her progress in the months to come. David (1. firstname.lastname@example.com)
Just thought that you might like to know that Oakley (2yr old yellow lab) passed the APLA CPR test at Higginsville this weekend on his first attempt…Actually, he could have done it last year (or at 5 months, for that matter) but I had schedule conflicts that prevented me from taking him. Thanks for the GREAT dog! Eric D. Witt email@example.com
Belle (1.5yrs old) passed her CP in Higginsville with flying colors, infact the judges told me that she would have passed the next level too…so I am signed up for the next trial date and we will get it done. Thanks for all your help and letting Belle and I guide for you last season. That turned an 8month old pup into a very fine hunting dog. Thanks again, Rick Sanderbeck Mike: Please keep me on your mailing list. Sierra just turned a year old is twice the dog that I could have hoped for. She should be HR titled this year if I can afford it. She is pointing like a GSP, but being her first season out, the wild birds had her a little confused. Her marking ability is outstanding. Just wanted to let you know you sold e a great dog. I get compliments all the time about how pretty she is……and I can say that she is definately a good looking lab. Thanks Mike. Jeremy McEndree doing great! Had him out to NE for pheasants but the cover was so thick he could barely follow, but he kept up and lasted almost the whole weekend. I had him out at a bird farm a couple days ago and he did awesome! Held some very stylish points and retrieved all shot birds. He looked great for only 19 or so weeks. My old pointing lab never held a solid point til he was at least a year. Thanks for a good dog.
Thanks again, Darrin Rynders firstname.lastname@example.com
Mike, It has been a while since I have contacted you regarding our dog, Sugar. She is about 16 months old now and we couldn't be happier with our pet. Her focus on finding a down bird is remarkable, her trailing ability is impressive and she is a very smart dog, too smart. Nate Bartell firstname.lastname@example.com
mike hows it going here is marlow on her first points with live birds she is 7 months old she found this one brid before this 1-1/2 year old pointer did and the pointer honored her point she's becoming a good one talk with u soon brian stanley of Arvada email@example.com
Hey Mike I thought I would drop a line and let you know that deuce is the best lab I have ever had!!!!! He points like a mad man and retrieves better than any other dog I have seen!!!! Keep up the good work!! Steve Nelson firstname.lastname@example.com Northstar Labs
My family has really enjoyed the puppy we got from you and we are getting ready for this year.? "Seirra", our pup is doing well, we have already used some pen-raised pheasants this year. You guys have very good dogs and they are a wonderful family member as well as great hunting dogs.? Thank a lot, Allen e-mail address email@example.com
Hi Mike, Just thought I would send you an update. Rocky (aka Rebel) is doing great. We renamed him Rocky, and it seems to fit because he loves to eat and chew on rocks. I am constantly making him spit them out. He is a wonderful dog, and very calm and well behaved. Of course, he has his puppy moments. He is very smart and listens real well. He doesn't seem to care what he points at. He was pointing at our cat the other day, then pounced. Such a puppy. I will send some pictures one of these days. Thanks again for the great dog!! Dawn firstname.lastname@example.com. Just wanted to say hello from Texas. Here's a current picture of Tucker. He's still a great dog (no surprise to you I'm sure! 🙂 )…we get compliments all the time about what a good looking dog he is! I check out the website every once in a while…maybe one of these days we'll get another one! 🙂 Jen Steubing www.jennyandjohn.netMike, Thank you so much for giving us such a handsome new puppy. We've named him Mac. He is acclimating well to his new environment. Bay has not really been so affectionate towards him, but in time he'll realize that we are not replacing him, but giving him a friend. We would love to pass your name onto other friends down the road whom are interested in getting a real dog…a Labrador. That's if you don't mind us passing your name on. We'll send you a picture of the 2 of them…when we get a chance. Thanks again for such a wonderful experience with Lankas Labs. You really have something to be proud of. Dana & Trent Fallin email@example.com
We bought our first Lankas lab in 1995. Ace was a great pet, hunter and friend. He got really sick from some sort of food poisoning and passed away when he was 8 years old. We knew he would be very hard to replace, but we really missed having a dog so we decided to call the Lankas family in Atwood again. Luckily they had a litter of pups that were about ready to sell. We picked out a black male in November 2003 and named him Bud. When he was one year old he retrieved his first ducks and geese. He can see them and hear them way before we can. On his first day of pheasant hunting just recently, he held a point several times. I couldn't be more pleased. He is very strong and muscular and full of energy. When he is not hunting he is the best pet. He loves to play and entertain us. He is mainly outside, but when we let him sleep in the house he stays on his rug and sleeps all night. Hopefully we will have him for a long time. If and when the time comes, I?m sure we will call the Lankas family once again to get another pup. They are very friendly people and prompt with sending the registration papers. If you want a good Labrador with friendly service, we recommend calling the Lankas family. Dennis and Jackie
We have worked Tori a couple of times this week on Quail.? She found the birds every time, including the one that had gotten away from us in the field.? She has a great nose and is a great hunting buddy in the field.? Needless to say, we are very happy with her.? She has become an important member of our family and loves to be with us all the times.? She has settled in well and is a real delight.? I only wish that my other two dogs were as well behaved.? The owner of the preserve was very impressed with and said that he would take her if we ever didn't want her.? No chance of that!!!? You can be sure that when we are ready for another hunting dog, we will call you.? Thanks, Stacey e-mail address email@example.com
Thought we'd let you know that Santa Fe's Babe is now an APLA Grand Master Pointing Retriever.? Babe is out of the chocolate female we had bought from you and your dad 6 years ago (Baylee).? Take care, Ron & Deb Wehner of Santa Fe Pointing Labs
I just wanted to let you know that "Sunny" has passed her APLA pointing certification last weekend.? I'm considering going on to the next levels of certification next spring.? Thanks for a great dog.? Brent e-mail address email@example.com
Zig Zags Blue Banana "Lake" is a very light yellow (near white) female that we brought into our kennel from Lankas Labs in the Spring of 2002 for our youngest son (7 years old). Her parents are both pointing labs, and she points very staunchly. "Raider" (GMPR MHR Riks Risky Raider MH) and "Brock" (Wyvernaxe Audley MH) are in her pedigree, which have both thrown some really nice labs that point. Lake is the kind of dog that picks up on things very quickly and will do anything just to please you! She is a very confident dog, hard in the water, and loves to retrieve. Lake is an APLA Certified Pointer and an AKC Junior Hunter. She is working on doubles and has begun blind retrieve training. We hope to advance her titles in the coming spring.Hi Mike I purchased a female fromyou several years ago. My question is do yo u take females in to breed. I kept a female from one set of my dogs and can't breed her she is coming in heat. the male I had been using was killed by a car so i need a male. She is white adn I would like to breed her to a white or a yellow . I will try calling you this evening also. Cotton the pup i purchased from you is an awesome dog. She raises really good hunting dogs and they have great personalities. Thanks Mike I will talk to you to see if you even do this. Crystal ZionMike. I've been meaning to drop you a note and let you know everything is fine with the pup. We named her Dakota and she is a regular part of the family. The dog is very intelligent but also very much a puppy. She is very alert to birds and other game and she has even pointed. Just wanted to let you know everything is going fine. Take care, Bruce e-mail address firstname.lastname@example.com
I'm just writing to give you an update on Sugar. Last time I talked to you, Sugar had just started flash pointing. In a couple weeks time she has advanced to holding point for up to 20 to 30 seconds. Sincerely, Nate Bartell e-mail address firstname.lastname@example.com
Mike , I thought I would drop you a note. Took Benelli quail hunting for the first time last week and she locked up on point like she has pointed forever. Shot 1 and she retrieved it. Not bad for a 7 month old dog. Mike I have a lot of request for pups out of this dog when she is ready. Any suggestions on a stud you might have or know of? How old should she be before she is bred? She just came into heat Sunday , for the first time. THANKS MIKE Tim Long firstname.lastname@example.com
Hi Mike, It has been a while since I sent you any information on Emitt. He is 15 months old tomorrow. He has been pheasant and grouse hunting since August and has turned out to be a little stud as far as finding and even pointing birds this fall. All of the people I hunt with can't believe that he actually points birds and will flush and retrieve them also. He started out slow on Grouse because I trained him on pheasants but now has gotten the hang of it. He did, however, get his nose in a skunk's rear end about the 3rd week of pheasant hunting but is no worse for the wear. I am looking forward to hunting the rest of the winter through December with him. He is a great dog with a great personality and is about as good a companion as you could ask for. When I look at the picture of Eichorn's Duke on your website, I think I am looking at a picture of Emmitt. I am very satisfied with him at this point and might be looking for a Black Male in the near future. I will try to send you some photos later. Scott Collins Mino, ND (w) 701-857-4730 (cell) 701-720-3569
Hey Mike, I hope your doing well and had a Happy Thanksgiving. Our pup is doing great! Had him out to NE for pheasants but the cover was so thick he could barely follow, but he kept up and lasted almost the whole weekend. I had him out at a bird farm a couple days ago and he did awesome! Held some very stylish points and retrieved all shot birds. He looked great for only 19 or so weeks. My old pointing lab never held a solid point til he was at least a year. Thanks for a good dog.
Thanks again,
Darrin Rynders
Mike, It has been a while since I have contacted you regarding our dog, Sugar. She is about 16 months old now and we couldn't be happier with our pet. Her focus on finding a down bird is remarkable, her trailing ability is impressive and she is a very smart dog, too smart. Nate Bartell firstname.lastname@example.com
I have just about 30 years in raising,training,and competitive hunting of dogs. She is one of the top female labs I have had the privilege of owning and hunting behind. She is the type of dog that will never be for sale. I must commend you on a job well done on the breeding program that created her. Thank You, Herman from RR Kennels 1.
I was just out at their place 2 weeks ago. Went to pick up a pup they were generous enough to donate to DU. Took pup home for a few hours – he did well playing with our dogs, was bold and playful, pointed a butterfly and a tweety bird and chased stuff around. Dam and Sire both happy and healthy and handsome, as were the other pups in the litter. Lankas's are super nice people too. Some folks might argue that b/c they aren't titling their dogs you can't be sure of what you're getting. Raider is in their bloodlines, plenty of Trieven dogs too, as well as a number of FCs. Greg Spade ***I have a black female that is three years old and I could not ask for a better dog. Great blood lines, wonderful natural point and soft mouth retrieve. She is very special. I have also used one of their studs for a litter of pups. They are all doing great. So I would have to say Mike's dogs are hard to beat. Chad Fuller firstname.lastname@example.com. Well, it's been a week now and Hunter is doing GREAT! I have never seen a pup take to house training like him. Hunter is even stating to go to the door when he needs to go out. My wife didn?t even want a pup in all honesty, but she loves Hunter. She said he is the cutest pup she has ever seen. And with his easy house training and almost complete lack of whining it didn?t take long to win her over. Thanks for such a great pup Mike. I will keep in touch to let you know how he does later on. Mark Fadale firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Oscars 2014: Jennifer Lawrence Trips at the Oscars — Again! (VIDEO)
Jennifer Lawrence made our hearts skip a beat at last year's Academy Awards when she tripped up the stairs on her way up to accept the award for Best Actress in Silver Linings Playbook — but at Oscars 2014, the American Hustle actress couldn't even make it to the red carpet without falling!
E!'s red carpet coverage showed footage of J.Law tripping in her red Dior gown, but the 23-year-old actress didn't let that get her down. After recovering from the tumble, the cameras showed Jennifer having a good laugh with her entourage — only propelling our love of her "every girl" aura.
But why did J.Law fall at the 2013 Oscars? The Oscar winner has since come forward and let us know that we can blame cake for her fall. "I was at the Oscars, waiting to hear if my name was called, and I kept thinking, Cakewalk, cakewalk, cakewalk," she remembers.
Jennifer is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in American Hustle, and the race between her and Lupita Nyong'o is perhaps the tightest race this year.
Are you surprised that Jennifer Lawrence fell at the Oscars again? Hit the comments and let us know!


text: This one is for the boys. I'm not sure if other people can relate to this or not but I always have a person in the back of my mind who in spirit helps me get through certain difficult situations. I'll be sitting down somewhere; possibly on the Subway or in a restaurant, and I'll be unintentionally 'pitching a tent'. Sometimes I want to take down the tent because I need to stand up to get off the subway or leave the restaurant. But sometimes it's hard to de-assemble the tent, so there is a certain person, of a certain unflattering physical appearance who I picture in my mind to help me to 'bring it down'. I thank this person for always being there for me. It works every single time!


text:
Organic chemist G.K. Surya Prakash's deft manipulations of molecules and atoms, most notably of hydrogen, carbon and fluorine, have led to many advances in research and industry.
Last month, they earned Prakash major recognition from the Southern California Section of the American Chemical Society, which awarded him the 2006 Richard C. Tolman Medal for his outstanding contributions to chemistry.
A professor of chemistry in USC College, Prakash holds the George A. and Judith A. Olah Nobel Laureate Chair in Hydrocarbon Chemistry and is scientific co-director of the USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute.
The medal is named for distinguished Caltech scientist Richard C. Tolman (1881–1948), who, in 1917, famously showed that the electron was the charge-carrying particle in metals and determined its mass. Since 1960, the medal has been awarded each year to a chemist in Southern California for broad achievements in chemistry. Tolman Medal recipients include seven Nobel Prize-winners.
Nobel Laureate George Olah, a USC Distinguished Professor, holder of the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Chair in Organic Chemistry and the 1991 recipient of the Tolman Medal, nominated his former student and longtime colleague for the honor.
"It is a great personal pleasure and wonderful occasion to congratulate Surya Prakash for the Tolman Medal, an award with a very distinguished history," Olah said. "I've been blessed to have an association with him for over 30 years. In addition to his research and contributions to science, he is a great teacher and, most importantly, a great human being and colleague."
Section chair Thomas LeBon presented the honor to Prakash at an awards dinner held on campus April 24.
In a lecture following dinner, Prakash provided an overview of more than 30 years of research in organic chemistry, giving special attention to his work with the dynamic fluorine atom. He called his relationship with fluorine chemistry one of his life's greatest love affairs (the other, he was quick to note, was with his wife, Rama, who along with his grown children, Archana and Arjun, attended the dinner.)
"Fluorine is a small atom with a big ego," Prakash told guests.
From Prakash's perspective, that big ego is deserved. Despite the volatile, reactive and, under some conditions, explosive nature of fluorine, chemists have found a bevy of uses for the element. Prakash discussed many examples of today's "ubiquitous" fluorinated compounds, from drugs that battle cancer, malaria and depression to pesticides relied on by farmers, materials like Teflon and polymers, and coolants that do not harm the ozone layer.
Working with fluorinated materials successfully, Prakash said, requires constant attention to and understanding of "conditions, conditions, conditions." By controlling conditions such as temperature and solvent, fluorine can allow chemists to do "chemical acrobatics," he said, creating scores of potentially valuable and less-polluting new compounds.
Prakash's pioneering work developing new ways to add fluorine to organic compounds has been critical to the boom in fluorinated molecules over the last few decades. In 1989, for example, he developed a chemical compound — trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane and often called the "Prakash reagent" — that helped "tame fluorine," and is now used extensively by pharmaceutical, pesticide and polymer chemists worldwide.
Among many other advances, in 2003, his group developed a novel method that further tamed the fluorination process. This method proved simpler than existing ones and provided a more stable source of fluorinated molecules (trifluoromethyl groups) for applications in the lab and industry. It also has a better environmental profile: Prakash's "environmentally friendly" trifluoromethyl reagent is made from non-ozone depleting trifluoromethane, which itself is an inexpensive, industrial chemical by-product that has had few uses in the past.
Among many other important chemical discoveries, Prakash and his colleagues' work has yielded a method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids and a high-efficiency, zero-emissions fuel cell that converts methanol to electrical energy.
Born in Bangalore, India in 1953, Prakash began his studies of chemistry as an undergraduate at Bangalore University, where he earned a B.Sc. (Hons) in 1972. After completing a master's in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology in 1974, he began doctoral studies with Olah, then at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. In 1977, Olah and his group, including Prakash, moved to USC to establish the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. Prakash received a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry from USC College in 1978, and was appointed to the College chemistry faculty in 1981.
A prolific scientist and writer, Prakash holds 21 patents, has published more than 550 scientific articles and co-authored or edited eight books and monographs, including a major volume on fluorine chemistry. Written with Olah and USC's Alain Goeppert, his most recent book, Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy (Wiley-VCH, 2006), has attracted attention from both the scientific and mainstream media.
Prakash has earned national and international acclaim for his work. He has received two top national awards from the American Chemical Society, one in 2004 for the "breadth, exceptional creativity and impact" of his contributions to fluorine chemistry. He earned the second in 2006 for his outstanding contributions to hydrocarbon chemistry. He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities. This year he has also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from his alma mater, the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras. Closer to home, he has won USC's Research Excellence Award, the Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Recognition Award for Research and Scholarship, and the JPL/TAP Group Achievement Award.
In years past, a number of USC's top chemistry faculty have won the Tolman Medal, including Arieh Warshel (2003), Olah (1991), Sidney Benson (1977) as well as the late Arthur Adamson (1966) and Anton Burg (1961).


text:
It's a good thing I don't actually work.
Otherwise, these utterly useless-to-everyone-but-me personal side projects that pop up at the spur of the moment and take up every waking second of my work day would cost me my job.
Wait, this is my job. Dammit, I'm going to have to have a little talk with myself.
So, yes, in keeping with my extreme train taste trainspotting-esque tendencies that lead to such things as listing corkage fees for every restaurant in LA or calendaring every food+wine event in LA or verbally abusing nouns like "calendar," I am now obsessively, compulsively keeping track of every "food holiday" that we could and should celebrate during the month of June because if there is one month that we should be celebrating every f**king day, it is June, if not for my birthday, then at least for National Doughnut Day.
As a side note, I momentarily lost all control of my senses and resolved to celeblogging every single one of these holidays, but then I remembered who I are. Right.
We'll see how many consecutive months I can keep this up before I'm forced to fire myself.
(For anyone who cares to know, the doughnut in the photo above is from some fancy doughnut store in Orange County. My sister bought them on the morning of my nephew's First Birthday party. I ate it while I was getting hair and makeup done. Yes, getting them "done." I spent more time getting "done" for my nephew's first birthday party than I did for either of my sisters' weddings.)
June is National [Insert Something Weird Yet Wonderful Here] Month
- National Candy Month
- National Dairy Month
- National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month
- National Grilling Month
- National Horseradish Month
- National Hot Dog Month
- National Iced Tea Month
- National Papaya Month
- National Seafood Month
- National Turkey Lover's Month
Holidays and Commemorative Days in June
- June 1: National Hazelnut Cake Day
- June 2: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day
- June 3: National Egg Day
- June 4: National Cheese Day
- June 4: National Frozen Yogurt Day
- June 4: National Cognac Day
- June 5: National Gingerbread Day
- June 5, 2009: National Donut Day (1st Friday in June)
- June 6: National Applesauce Cake Day
- June 7: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
- June 8: Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day
- June 9: National Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Day
- June 10: Herbs & Spice Day
- June 10: National Iced Tea Day
- June 10: National Black Cow Day
- June 11: National German Chocolate Cake Day
- June 12: National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
- June 13: Kitchen Klutzes of America Day
- June 14: National Strawberry Shortcake Day
- June 15: National Lobster Day
- June 16: National Fudge Day
- June 17: Eat All Your Veggies Day
- June 17: National Apple Strudel Day
- June 18: National Cherry Tart Day
- June 18: International Picnic Day
- June 19: National Dry Martini Day
- June 20: National Vanilla Milkshake Day
- June 21: SARAH'S BIRTHDAY
- June 21: National Peaches and Cream Day
- June 22: National Chocolate Eclair Day
- June 23: National Pecan Sandy Day
- June 24: National Pralines Day
- June 25: National Strawberry Parfait Day
- June 26: National Chocolate Pudding Day
- June 27: National Indian Pudding Day
- June 27: National Orange Blossom Day
- June 28: National Tapioca Day
- June 29: National Almond ButterCrunch Day
- June 30: National Ice Cream Soda Day


text: #213: ndimage.rotate creates artifacts (general problem in ndimage.spline_filter) ---------------------------+------------------------------------------------ Reporter: stefan | Owner: somebody Type: defect | Status: new Priority: normal | Milestone: Component: scipy.ndimage | Version: devel Severity: normal | Resolution: Keywords: | ---------------------------+------------------------------------------------ Changes (by zachrahan): * summary: ndimage.rotate creates artifacts => ndimage.rotate creates artifacts (general problem in ndimage.spline_filter) Comment: This is a general problem in ndimage.spline_filter, which causes artifacts in all of the image resampling functions in ndimage.interpolate: nd.interpolation.affine_transform nd.interpolation.geometric_transform nd.interpolation.map_coordinates nd.interpolation.rotate nd.interpolation.shift nd.interpolation.zoom The problem seems to be ringing in the spline around sharp intensity changes, but it appears even in continuous-tone images. It's not related to the numeric precision of the input array type, either. The ringing gets worse the higher-order the spline is. -- Ticket URL: <http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/scipy/ticket/213#comment:1> SciPy <http://www.scipy.org/> SciPy is open-source software for mathematics, science, and engineering.