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Whenever I have the sense that God is speaking to me, I eat something and wait for the feeling to pass.
There was a time when Being President and Being God's Instrument to Reach a Broken World were, if not mutually exclusive – well, the job requirements were slightly different.
But I hear from Rick Perry that this is not the case.
As Perry says, God "doesn't require perfect people to execute his perfect plan."
True enough.
Scripture abounds in imperfect people. Perry even offered examples: "Moses was this hot-headed murderer who was afraid to speak in public. God used him to lead the Israelites. . . . David was an adulterer and a murderer. God said that he was a man after his own heart."
Great vessels for God's message? Absolutely.
But I wouldn't have voted for either of them for president.
At Liberty University, an evangelical institution founded by Jerry Falwell, Perry spoke of the role of faith in his life. He didn't turn to God because he chose to, he said in words that couldn't help being moving. He turned to God because he had nowhere else to go. And his faith turned his life around.
Beautiful. Poignant. He should go on the speaking circuit.
Why does this make him a viable candidate for president? Why is this not a Handy Sideline but a Critical Selling Point of the Perry 2012 campaign?
This speech makes Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural one look wishy-washy. Lincoln spoke with reference to faith in a time of deep crisis. Perry speaks with reference to faith as though this is his primary primary selling point.
"God uses broken people to reach a broken world," Perry intoned. If anything, Perry's imperfections are a positive boon, because the world we live in is deeply imperfect, and they will get on smashingly at parties.
I understand the distrust for Excessive, East-Coast, Elitist Intellectualism in politics. Intellectuals are people who read Proust for fun – which serves them right.
We don't like people to be too smart. They might put something over on us.
Based on our SAT scores, if we're not actually dumber than we used to be, we're certainly unsmarterer.
Our average critical reading skills have declined, causing dozens of us to mistake the Bible for a scientific text.
Why aren't we castigating ourselves? "My uncle once castigated himself in a terrible accident," we say.
Maybe Perry is the candidate we need. Maybe it's not that he's actually dumb. Maybe he only wants to look dumb. It sets up a nice contrast with Barack Obama, who – say what you will about his actual intellectual capacity — never wants to look dumb.
And that might be a mistake. Auden said, "To the man in the street/Who I'm sorry to say/Is a keen observer of life/The word 'intellectual' suggests straight away/A man who's untrue to his wife."
Auden may have been one, but he knew what he was talking about. Intellectual. Elite. Academic. All vaguely unsavory. It's the last thing we need. The yearning for knowledge is as quaint and out of style as the yearning for casserole.
Why are we proud of our not-smartness?
Why do we blazon it on our chests in poorly spelled tattoos and bind it as a seal on our right hands?
We must keep our heads as empty as possible to prevent distortion when God speaks to us. The sense that you are a flawed instrument hearkening directly to words from the Most High? Traditionally, a trait reserved for prophets and psychopaths — or, these days, Republican presidential candidates.
Why doesn't this bother us?
Once the faith of presidents was a subsidiary issue, not their primary qualification. Was George Washington a man of faith? He certainly clung to a notion of divine providence. Was he elected for being a man of faith? Absolutely not.
"God Told Me To Do It"? Sometimes you say that as you found a series of hospitals and foster dozens of children. Sometimes it's what you mutter as you stagger out of your ex-girlfriend's burning apartment into the custody of the officers of the law.
Guided by faith? Sure. Absolutely. We all are.
By faith alone? That's a more dubious proposition.
"The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our government needs the church because only those humble enough to admit they're sinners can bring to democracy the tolerance it requires in order to survive."
Not Perry. Ronald Reagan.
Perry uses similar rhetoric about humility. "But then," as Churchill once put it, "he has so much to be humble about."
At a certain point it starts to turn into an end-run.
"I don't have any knowledge," Perry seems to say, "not me personally. But this is actually a qualification, as it keeps my mind free to hear what God is whispering."
If that doesn't disturb you, it should.


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VIDEO: Barbra Streisand Performs AULD LANG SYNE
Below, ring in 2013 with legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand as she performs the classic New Year's Eve tune 'Auld Lang Syne' from her 1999 concert!
Streisand's stage credits include West End and Broadway productions of Funny Girl, Broadway's I Can Get it For You Wholesale, and Off-Broadway's Another Evening with Harry Stoones. She is also well known for her performance as Dolly in the movie version of Hello Dolly.
Streisand has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Kennedy Center Honors award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who has won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award. She can currently be seen in theaters opposite Seth Rogan in the new comedy 'The Guilt Trip.'

subset: commoncrawl


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Mary Kay Hydrating Lotion Reviews
This matches our body wash and shave!This smells so good! It's very light: great for an everyday body moisturizer. This paired with our body wash and shave makes a great gift! — 9 years, 2 months agomkmomtracy | 21 reviews
undefinedThis product is fantastic!!!! It really hydrates your skin all day. When I take my nylons off at the end of the day my legs do not feel dry; they feel as if I just put the moisturizer on. It is a must try. — 9 years, 3 months agoMBoucher | 2 reviews
I love thisThs is the only lotion I can use without having a reaction. So to me it's top of the line — 9 years, 3 months agoskyyylar | 5 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
Works Well!!I use this on my young son when he gets really dry skin on the winter. — 9 years, 3 months agodmsise | 2 reviews
Worked for me this WinterI like this product.It helped me fight the dry winter wind in the Rocky Mountains. — 9 years, 7 months agobluescorpion | 16 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
This is a stapleI have to say that I love Mary Kay products! The visibly fit body lotion is excellent for intense treatments, but this is my staple for everyday moisture. I put this fragrance free lotion on my arms, back, and legs. It is handy enough to keep in my purse for touch-ups after washing my hands in the bathroom or to add on as the day progresses. — 9 years, 9 months agomgloden | 5 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 2 people said helpful
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With Love Compact Mirror by Disaster From disaster designs, this gorgeous little compact mirror adds a touch of vintage chic to your daily necessities. Perfect for the pocket or the handbag, it looks really pretty, cute and adorable. It's absolutely brilliant for a gift too! It comes in a cute little envelope that says "With love" on a cute little drawn on tag, with the cutest little details. There's a flower detail on the outside, and a sent letter style on the font. But that's just the envelope packaging, which in itself is well worth keeping. This lightweight compact mirror has two mirrors on the inside and some awesome pictures on the outside, including a greyscale picture of a bird, the phrase "How Pretty!" which is totally suiting and a picture of a birdcage with roses on it and a lace detail style picture. On the back or on the other side, it has greenish polka dots and bunches of red flowers, which is adorable!
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While we highly regard the value of newspaper advertising, we'd like to see local businesses and not-for-profit organizations save money by using free marketing services and techniques as well.
In this day of guerilla marketing and purple cows, it's easy to create cheap systems to spread the word of your special events, products, services, or bona-fide news items ... with handouts, email, Facebook, online newsletters, publicity stunts, business cards, websites, etc. Many of these help our bottom line, with varying rates of success.
We still believe in the strength of print newspaper advertising, and we're convinced that newspaper websites with fresh content continue to build online readers.
While some daily newspapers throughout the country are cutting back or closing, local weeklies remain strong. Some are even growing.
So, before we head you in the direction of free listings, we'd like to remind you that Denton Publications is one of those strong weekly newspaper companies. We reach more homes by direct mail and newsstands with our free products than any other local newspaper.
During the first week in July, we delivered 37,500 papers in the northern zone (The Burgh, North Countryman and the Champlain Valley and Tri-Lakes editions of the Valley News) and 26,500 papers in the southern zone (Times of Ti, Adirondack Journal and News Enterprise).
And we've made a huge investment in our Denton websites and have fresh content every day, not just once a week. Many times we've been the first media outlet to cover news through our websites. We broke the news, for example, when the Adirondack Park Agency voted 10-1 to approve the Adirondack Club and Resort in Tupper Lake earlier this year.
Enough about us.
The Saratoga & North Creek Railway is offering free website listings for businesses in towns along the railroad line between Saratoga Springs and North Creek. The purpose is to create a web presence that tells train travelers, "Look at all the great things to do and places to shop, eat and stay in the Adirondacks!" These shouts of joy, some internal but most loud enough to wake a sleeping baby or dog, are expected to be followed by ticket purchases on the railway to destinations north, toward North Creek.
Railway officials and business leaders are hoping that the ticket purchases will be followed by reservations at local motels, hotels, inns and B&Bs. Multi-day stays are needed to improve the economy.
How can you help? If you are a business owner, list your business with the Saratoga & North Creek Railway (www.sncrr.com) for free and show the world that there are plenty of things to do and see in the southern Adirondacks.
Not-for-profit organizations and businesses that want to distribute news to the public — events, employee promotions and general news items — can send our newspapers a press release. And that's free.
For businesses, we are very picky. The release must be newsworthy. Not-for-profit organizations can get away with a lot more.
We've created an easy guide for submitting press releases to the Denton newspapers. It's called the PR Toolkit, and it's available on our websites (click media, then PR Toolkit).
With the purpose of empowering the public to become part of the newspaper process, we're inviting all civic groups, clubs, community organizations and businesses to submit their press releases, event photos, and calendar items for inclusion in our weekly newspapers and websites.
And it's free.
The PR Toolkit includes contact information for your newspaper's editor.
This is another way Denton Publications is proving that "We're more than a newspaper. We're a community service."


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[10 July 2007]
As it turns out, Ferraby Lionheart has some pretty lovable music to go along with that adorable stage-name of his. The Los Angeles-based, Nashville-born singer-songwriter lives in a magical pop wonderland somewhere between the neo-Tin Pan Alleyisms of Rufus Wainwright and the pure sweet melodies of Paul McCartney. His self-titled debut EP—originally self-released and recorded entirely in his own living room and kitchen—boasts six surprisingly polished and infectious tunes. It's as easy to see why he's made a famous fan out of Jon Brion as it is to understand why Nettwerk has snatched him up quick and set him to work on his debut full-length: if these six songs are any indication, Lionheart is one adorable name we're going to be hearing a lot more of.
Published at: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/ferraby-lionheart-ferraby-lionheart/


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Which rifle in .260 Rem.?
View Single Post
January 20, 2013, 03:33 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 15, 2009
Location: Kodiak, Alaska
Posts: 2,118
Originally Posted by
Mr. Whimsy
My shooting technique does not "need a little work". It is disability-related. Thanks for condescending, though.
has been around here for a while, and I've rarely (if ever) seen him be condescending. He had no way of knowing your shooting technique was impaired due to a disability. Had you included that in your OP, that would have avoided a bit of confusion on both ends. He was spot-on in his assessment of a normal shooter's scope placement and the shooting technique, notwithstanding your disability.
Now, since that is out of the way... If you can find a Kimber 84M in .260 Rem, they are dandy rifles. They're not made in .260 Rem anymore, so it may be difficult to find, but they are great shooters. They are very light (6.5lbs), which may or may not be a factor considering your disability. They are not cheap though, expect to pay around $800 for a used one in good condition.
The one I had would group 3 cold-bore shots in a Copenhagen lid at 200yds.
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.
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Standard guitar tuning:EADGBECapo on 1 frete|--0-0-0---0---0--| B|--1-1-1---1---1--| G|--0-0-0---0---0--| Verse Main Riff (Also Intro, C C/F refers to this riff) D|--2-2-2h3-2h3-2--| A|--3-3-3---3---3--| E|-----------------|
VerseI knew that when I saw her, That my life would soon move over from the fast lane, Gone would be the days of all my drinking and my carrying on, But when I settled down, The party king uncrowned, This stubborn memory hadnt faded, Too many dumb mistakes and all the grief it makes, Left nothing else to be debated.
BridgeD7But if you say that you uFnderstand then youre ClyinC, F C C F D7But if you figure that Im Falright now, I cant Cdeny iCt,F C C F
ChorusDmBabys coming back, G7Babys coming back, AmSo Im on my best behaviour, DmI cant take it anymore, GI just woke up on the floor todAmay, (yeah, yeah) DmIve long run out of my last Gchances but shes on her waCy. C F C C F
VerseIf I had a dollar for every single time I fought her, Id buy a handgun, (buy a handgun) But that couldnt shoot away, The bulls eye that she made on my heart.
BridgeD7But if I sound like a Fbeaten man,well then I Cguess sCo,F C C F D7And on her way is the Fsweetest prize I cant Clet gCo,F C C F
ChorusDmBabys coming back, G7Babys coming back, AmIm on my best behaviour, DmI cant take it anymore, GI just woke up on the floor Amtoday, (yeah,yeah) DmAnd Ive long run out my last Gchances but shes on her wayC, C F C C F
BreakAmWhat I told her on the telephone was that Id Gbeen so bad, Dm AmI wouldnt blame her if she mowed down these wild oats IDmd sown, G But when she said shed gFive me one more chanceB♭7, I said to Gknock three tiGmes when you Garrive,
ChorusDmBaby's coming back G7Baby's coming back So AmI'm on my best behavior DmI can't take it anymore I just Gwoke up on the floor tAmoday (Yeah, Yeah) I've Dmlong run out of my last cGhances but she's on her way DmBaby's coming back my dGarling DmBaby's coming back to sGee me And Dmi've long run out of my last cGhances but she's on her Cway C F C C Fe|--0-0-0---0---0--| B|--1-1-1---1---1--| G|--0-0-0---0---0--| x4 D|--2-2-2h3-2h3-2--| A|--3-3-3---3---3--| E|-----------------|End on 4 hard played C's.
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As digital natives we've ridden the wave of technology and innovation that has rendered the old marketing and advertising model obsolete.
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We work with some of the best creatives and communicators in the business, building digital marketing and online communications strategies.
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We believe in honest, transparent relationships where teamwork and trust is paramount. Our team is genuinely committed to understanding your business – and getting the results you want.


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First Skein Cuffs by Marnie MacLean
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First Skein Cuffs
This pattern is available for free.
NOTE: Spindlicity is currently changing its format and archives are being migrated as time permits. If you are unable to access the pattern, please check back later or check the internet wayback machine
The magazine website uses frames, and it can be difficult to find the pattern from the front page, but click on "Contents" and it will be listed under "Projects".
Uses 15 grams of approx. worsted weight handspun yarn.
For more information, see: http://www.spindlicity.com/winter2005/index.htm
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Management And LeadershipThis essay Management And Leadership is available for you on Essays24.com! Search Term Papers, College Essay Examples and Free Essays on Essays24.com - full papers database.
Autor: anton • June 5, 2011 • 1,724 Words (7 Pages) • 630 Views
Home Depot Management and Leadership
Management is defined as the act or manner of managing, handling, direction, or control (dictionary.com). Leadership is defined as an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction (dictionary.com). They do not mean the same thing; however, it is thought that a manager should have leadership skills to be able to manage an organization. Not all managers have great leadership skills and just because a manager does not have these skills does not mean he or she is a bad manager.
The organization that I chose is Home Depot. There are many management and leadership roles within the organization. At Home Depot, dedication to serve their customers and providing the ultimate shopping experience is the highest priority. Helping to maintain this focus and commitment is a leadership team that believes in the company's values. The team also believes that a commitment to great customer service will create value for all stakeholders.
Home Depot is built on the principle of creating value for our stockholders while never forgetting our values. We seek to be profitable, responsible and balance the needs of our communities. Throughout our company, our associates are challenged with finding ways in which we can provide the best products for our customers, provide the best possible work environment for our associates, have a positive impact on the communities in which we operate, and provide excellent returns for our stockholders.
Working in a Store Support Center, rather than a corporate headquarters, their leadership team knows that the most important people in the fabric of the company are the store associates and store leadership teams. Frank Blake was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Home Depot in January 2007 (Sellers, P.). He joined Home Depot in 2002 as executive vice president of Business Development and Corporate Operations and was responsible for real estate, store construction, credit services, strategic business development, growth initiatives, call centers and the Home Services business.
Mr. Blake took over the position, which was held by Bob Nardelli who was forced to resign his post over the controversy surrounding his lucrative pay package. However, the underlying reason had just as much to do with his handling of the transformation of the company after he took the reins in December 2000 (Azzato, M.). With no previous retail experience, Nardelli's gruff management style is said to have alienated several key top-level managers. Mr. Blake and Mr. Nardelli have some similar qualities such as Blake also had no retail business experience before he joined Home Depot but also he has never ran a major business such as Home Depot.
Besides the CEO there are seven Executive Managers, at the corporate level. Tim Crow Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Joe DeAngelo Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Robert DeRodes Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Craigh Menear Executive Vice President - Merchandising, Paul Raines Executive Vice President, U.S. Stores, Jim Snyder Vice President - Secretary and Acting General Counsel, and Carol B. Tome Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President - Corporate Services (Home Depot.com). These individuals all manage these areas within their expertise and in a way they are being leaders to the lower level managers but they are not leading the teams at each individual store.
Next on the management structure are the eight employees that are part of the Senior Leadership Team. Roger Adams, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Diane Dayhoff, Senior Vice President - Investor Relations, Marvin Ellison, President - Northern Division, Joe Izganics, President - Southern Division, Bruce Merino, President - EXPO and Western Division, Ricardo Saldivar, President - Mexico, Brad Shaw, Senior Vice President - Corporate Communications and External Affairs, Annette Verschuren, President - The Home Depot Canada and Asia (Home Depot.com). Each of these leaders are in charge of leading the areas in their divisions. They must report to the managers above them.
There is also the Board of Directors, which consists of eleven members. These members have control over the company, which is in turn divided between two bodies: the board of directors, and the shareholders.
I personally feel that the true leaders are the supervisors and department leads that work at each individual store. They are the ones that work together with all the employees within their store and/or department. They are able to give each employee the hands on experience that they may need to improve their job and to do it sound. These leaders are able to guide and train their employees on customer satisfaction. Home Depot believes in commitment to their customers, so immense leadership is very important not just at the corporate or regional levels but also at each service center.
The four functions of management, Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling are important in every organization. It is hard to run an organization with out these functions; the company needs to have all four functions, especially a large corporation such as Home Depot to run smoothly.
Planning is when management systematically makes choices about the goals and activities that an individual, group, or the overall organization will pursue. This function is veered more towards the upper management. They are the ones that analyze the information that is passed along the organizational structure. Once this valuable information is received they are able to make choices in regards to the company's short and long term goals. Whether to revise the original goals at hand or to maybe implement a new one are all choices that have to be made. It is also important to monitor the short-term goals to make sure they are being met and if they are not being met, then why. There are four different planning functions that break planning down even further and those are Strategic, Tactical, Operational, and Contingency.
Strategic planning is a set of procedures for making decisions about the organizations long-term goals and strategies. This part of planning should come from the Executive Managers within Home Depot. They are the ones that are extra concerned as regards to the company's growth plus have to deal with the stockholders while the leaders that work in the service centers are more concerned about customer happiness.
Tactical planning is a set of procedures for translating broad strategic goals and plans into specific goals and plans that are relevant to a distinct portion of the organization such as a functional area like marketing. I would also think that corporate managers


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74 of 1977
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This patient from Metairie, Louisiana had a complant of heavy tired eyes and facial wrinkles. She particularly did not like the prominent forehead lines. She also had a complaint of brow drooping and desired improvement a "chemical brow lift". Her cosmesis is significantly improved and her brows are elevated with a pleasing shape.


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To Whom It May Concern, to the decision-makers involved:
To my dismay, I saw that the bus shelters in downtown Ravenna were removed. They have been an important feature to me in my little travels to Walmart and on into Kent for various appointments.
I walk two to three blocks to get to the bus stop there (or where the shelter was) and always appreciated a place to sit, especially since wait time for my buses can be 15 to 20 minutes or more at times.
I know, I understand also that those shelters are or can be hangouts for some people, but can't the abuse be curtailed by a now-and-then visit of police presence? Why is it that abusers dictate usage or non-usage of those of us (and I'm assuming that there are other innocent bus users like me) who cause no unsightly or more serious problems in these shelters.
Because I'm almost 72, and walking and standing can be tiring, I wanted to voice this opinion in hopes that other legitimate users, bus wait-ers, might do so also.
Patricia Lamb, Ravenna


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MODERN LOVE; A Leap of Faith
By RENEE WATABE
Published: July 3, 2005
A LOT of people think I was brainwashed. How else to explain why I would allow the Rev. Sun Myung Moon of the Unification Church to choose my spouse?
Most people regard the choice of a life partner as a deeply personal decision, perhaps the most important decision anyone has the opportunity to make; and if you give up that choice, you must be out of your mind. From the outside looking in, this evaluation makes perfect sense.
Me, I like to look at things once, twice, again and again. When I was a little girl, my father, a chemical engineer, told me that if you chew a piece of bland bread over and over, holding it in your mouth, it eventually becomes sweet. He was trying to explain to me about the breakdown of the molecules into glucose and such.
But what sticks in my mind is the deeper meaning I saw in what he'd said: how anything, any experience, conversation, scene observed or moment reflected upon, is like that bland piece of bread. Look at it a while, chew it, hold it, and it becomes sweet and satisfying. There are hidden surprises and hidden flavors residing in everything and everybody.
So how did I find myself on a spring day in 1987, sitting on a bench by a pond in Central Park with a complete stranger, licking vanilla ice cream cones, watching the toy sailboats racing by and discussing our future together as husband and wife?
I'd met him only an hour or two earlier. He, like me, was a member of the Unification Church and had been invited to the grand ballroom of the New Yorker Hotel where Reverend Moon was to perform a matchmaking ceremony, pairing a thousand brides with a thousand bridegrooms.
''Love your enemy,'' he preached, in echo of Jesus.
As we saw it, the path to world peace was through a coupling of the historically polarized: black and white, East and West, Jewish and Muslim. So many nations and religions are historical enemies. We ''Moonies'' were willing to sacrifice personal choice to spin gold out of the raw silk of ourselves, to help create world harmony through family harmony.
''I put you together not for your own happiness,'' our spiritual leader said, ''but for the beautiful children your marriages will produce.'' Children whose very existence would challenge established notions of racism.
With me, Reverend Moon was preaching to the choir: I was the product of an intercultural marriage myself. Back in the 1950's my white Kansas-born mother had married my Chinese father, who hailed from Shanghai. When they were wed, their marriage was illegal in most of the Southern states. But my mother and father loved each other, and their racially blended relationship was a model for me.
So when Reverend Moon asked for those of us who wanted an international marriage to stand, I stepped forward. It wasn't long before he approached me, grasped the sleeve of my dress and tugged me to the middle of the room. I glanced up at the serious face of a handsome young man whom I later learned was born in Japan. We bowed briefly in silence and went off to get acquainted.
IN a room just off of the grand ballroom, I looked at the young man next to me, born halfway around the world from my American hometown. In a sense I didn't care who he was or what he looked like, only that he was willing, with me, to enter into this commitment to an ideal.
The first words he spoke to me were, ''I never want to break this.''
''Neither do I,'' I answered.
He liked to draw. So did I.
He liked to read good books. So did I.
He was a man. I was a woman.
So far, so good.
I had the feeling God was living in this space between us, and that God, like a baby or a tender plant, needed our care and attendance in order to thrive. There was an undeniable sense of holiness about the whole endeavor.
As is customary, following our engagement and marriage ceremonies several years passed before we consummated our marriage. We were sent on separate church missions: I to South Korea, he to the American Midwest. We understood that a union built upon a foundation of celibacy would purify us for married life and allow us to dedicate our hearts to God and mankind first, spouse and family second.
Was I brainwashed? I sit here writing this, 18 years and three children later, on the verge of divorce. Did he and I finally fail after all we've been through? We certainly haven't turned out to be the ideal picture-perfect family we set out to be. Even so, I still find Reverend Moon's vision a beautiful one, this path remarkable, this project admirable. It's just that my husband and I didn't know how hard and gritty the path would be.
Yet I honestly don't think I was more brainwashed than any young bride, who, starry eyed, says yes to the man of her choosing: the one she met at work, or in a coffee shop, or on a blind date, or in art class. Marriage under any circumstances requires a leap of faith no matter who you are or how your paths may have crossed. My husband and I ate our ice cream, took a chance and leapt.
It was difficult from the start of course. But we soldiered on. After all, why should achieving a peaceful marriage be any easier than creating a peaceful world?


text:
- Recruiter
- Diocese Of Derby
- Location
- Derby
- Salary
- £17,187 per annum (pro rata)
- Posted
- 09 Jan 2017
- Expires
- 22 Jan 2017
- Sector
- Administration & Office
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part Time
Secretary to the Bishop of Repton
Part-time (20 hours a week)
Based at the Bishop of Derby's Office in Duffield.
£17,187 per annum (pro rata)
The Bishop of Repton is seeking a secretary to provide support with diary management, correspondence, and inputting of financial data. The role will require working alongside the Bishop of Derby's office team in the organisation of events, providing hospitality, and assisting with audio typing.
The ideal candidate should have excellent ICT, communication and organisational skills, and the ability to be flexible in a varied workplace. A high level of confidentiality is essential.
For further information and to apply for the role please visit the Diocese of Derby website by clicking the apply button.
Closing date: 22nd January 2017
Interview date: 30th January 2017


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[April 29, 2014]
Market Research Reports, Inc. (www.marketresearchreports.com): Worldwide Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) Market to Reach $16.4 Billion By 2020
(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Market Research Reports, Inc. has announced the addition of "Services Oriented Architecture (SOA): Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2014 to 2020" research report to their website www.MarketResearchReports.com Global Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) market is expected to reach $16.4 billion by 2020, from $5.7 billion in 2013, according to a new market research report. This growth is driven by the smart phone and social media in addition to cloud computing market penetration.
This growth is also the result of IT department's efforts to reduce spending on run time, gaining the effect of more hires by decreasing operating costs. SOA delivers more efficient automated process. SOA enables IT to spend a higher proportion of the budgets on growing the business. SOA stacks of decoupled services are purpose built for the enterprise environment that is continuously shifting because of mergers and acquisitions. With decoupled software solutions, the web services and the SOA components can be portable.
To inquire about this report please visit:
Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is the foundation for modern transactional systems. As the Internet extends transaction systems to real time, SOA has been invented to extend the transaction systems appropriately. SOA supports the evolution of Internet based real time e-business and end-to-end business process integration.
IBM is the leader in SOA overall. IBM is the leader because it has invested in integration and analytics technology needed to achieve comprehensive IT systems implementation that achieves support for collaborative systems. The implementation of SOA depends on a broad set of technology frameworks that interact seamlessly to achieve the end point integration needed to manage complexity of modern IT systems. IBM stands alone in the IT industry with that capability of managing complexity.
Cloud and mobile computing redefine SOA, providing ways for companies to implement analytics and mine social media data to create information that is usable for decision making. These initiatives depend on a solid integration foundation, permitting IBM to increase its already large market SOA share because IBM has such comprehensive SOA platforms that hide complexity from users, supporting efficient systems implementation.
SOA, mobile development, big data, API, cloud computing, framework architecture, enterprise architecture, mobile, and infrastructure tools are used to implement business-user-friendly data integration. Coupled with embedded storage and computing layers (typically in-memory/columnar) and unfettered drilling - accelerates the trend toward decentralization and user empowerment of BI and analytics, and greatly enables organizations' ability to perform diagnostic analytics.
Unstructured data accounts for 90% of the data in organizations. Unstructured data generated by machines or as part of social media drive the need for SOA. Smart phones create information on a massive scale, driving needs to manage records of transaction activity, system behavior, application performance, user actions, security threats and fraudulent activity. SOA is used to handle the complexity or scale of massive volumes of unstructured machine data. SOA allows implementation of systems flexibility, it implements real time computing.
SOA supports providing a platform for use by IT in a market marked by big data that sits on widely dispersed resources that are heterogeneous. IT resources are heterogeneous because each business seeks to utilize technology that is best of breed for solving the particular set of competitive situations they address. This creates a variety of solutions in each business.
Spanning over 679 pages and 250 tables & figures, "Services Oriented Architecture (SOA): Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2014 to 2020" report presents an in-depth assessment of the global Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) market from 2014 till 2020.
In addition to covering the business models, market dynamics, product description, technology and key players, the report also presents comprehensive forecasts for the market from 2014 till 2019. The report covers 24 key industry players including IBM, Oracle, Tibco, Fujitsu, Microsoft, SAP, Software AG, 360logica Software, Actuate, CA Technologies, Crosscheck Networks, Fiorano, Hewlett Packard, Informatica, iWay Software, Layer 7, Managed Methods, Nastel Technologies, Oracle, Perficient, Rally Software, Red Hat, SOA Software and WSO2.
For more information visit:
Other Related Reports: The world is moving beyond standalone devices into a new era in which everything is connected. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to uniquely identifiable objects (things) and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure. Stated differently, the concept involves the notion that there are many things (assets, objects, etc.) in the world that may be addressed/labelled/catalogued for various purposes. One term used for this concept is "Object Hyperlink", which refers to the notion of extending the Internet to objects and locations in the real world. In other words, the Internet is associated with (or mapped to) the real world by attaching object tags with URLs as meta-objects to tangible objects or locations.
In all cases, there is a need for communication, which may occur over great distances or within close proximity to the item. Examples include everything from telemetry applications such as monitoring remote electric utility infrastructure via wireless connections via machine-to-machine (M2M) connections to proximity applications such as reader-tag interactions that occur via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solutions involving Near Field Communications (NFC) or other methods.
Leading companies in IoT are the pioneers in establishing the vision, infrastructure, technologies, and solutions for the networks, applications, and solutions that will power the future of non-human communications.
As part of its series of reports focused on Internet of Things (IoT) Leaders, this report evaluates: Qualcomm, Cisco, Intel and Oracle To know more about these reports please visit: Internet of Things (IOT) Leaders: Qualcomm; Visit -http://mrr.cm/Zqw Internet of Things (IOT) Leaders: Cisco ; Visit -
Internet of Things (IOT) Leaders: Intel ; Visit -
Internet of Things (IOT) Leaders: Oracle ; Visit -
About Market Research Reports, Inc.
Market Research Reports, Inc. is the world's leading source for market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest market research reports on global markets, key industries, leading companies, new products and latest industry analysis & trends.
Contact Us: Mr. Amitava Sen General Manager - Sales & Marketing Market Research Reports, Inc.
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text:
Custom Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a custom intake, quicksilver exhaust, powdercoated black rims, and carbon fiber front and rear wings. spotted at Cars and Coffee at Autozone during the Woodward Dream Cruise.
Aston, Martin, V8, Vantage, custom, intake, quicksilver, exaust, tuning, black, rims, carbon, fiber, wings, Autozone, Cars, and, coffee, ferrari, porsche, lamborghini, bmw, carrera, audi, mercedes, auto, lotus, f430, bentley, turbo, gt3, maserati, rolls,


text:
Fair Isn't the Same as Equal6/4/2013 9:48AM
Kevin Noblet, editor of wealth management at WSJ.com, discusses how an adviser helped a widow divide her estate's assets between two sons in a way that was fair, if not equal.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... I am Kevin Okla editor of wealth management to the cheetah ... write a couple of articles lately about the issue of fairness and steeply ... how fair doesn't always mean the same thing is equal ... to a great example came up in a case handling our safer Chief Executive Gorge Etruscan in Nashville Tennessee ... Mr. Shafer was crafting an estate plan for we do in her sixties she had two sons ... one who ran the family business the other was in all he worked for a non profit ... question getting ready to sell the business and she could've brought in outside buyers without a high price to make the division assets ... relatively easy affair ... she decided to set the price low ten million dollars for the Sun ran the business can also set terms AB cities in the four ... she decided against any direct or immediate benefit for the others ... she took a chunk of the proceeds with him and trusting him wrong retirement living expenses tax issues and some ... she simply agreed to help the second son ... was an occasional gift or her life ... then when should I keep it in the journey the assets remain in the state ... as Mr. safer notes this wasn't an equal range ... it was unfair ... aam Kevin Opel as editor of wealth management to Vishay dot com thanks for watching ... mm mm


text:
Insurance Coverage for Breast Reduction
by George J. Beraka, MD (retired)
80% of breast reduction questions on RealSelf are about insurance coverage. Here are some helpful points.
1) Insurance companies try very hard not to pay for breast reduction, even though they should. Even small breast reductions relieve many symptoms such as back pain and shoulder pain, and even some types of headaches.
2) Very big reductions (like from an F cup to a C cup) will usually be covered.
3) Many policies will pay for breast reduction if 500 grams (a little more than a pound) or more are removed from each breast.
4) Some policies take your height and weight into account. So that if you are tiny, smaller reductions will be covered. Find out the details of your policy.
5) DON'T get too much of a reduction just to satisfy the insurance company. You will be unhappy with tiny breasts.
6) Your surgeon needs to request pre-certification IN WRITING, and attach as much evidence as possible.
7) Evidence includes letters from your internist, orthopedic surgeon, and/or chiropractor stating that breast reduction will relieve your symptoms.
8) Some companies require that you try "alternative treatments" such as weight loss and physical therapy first.
9) Don't give up. If the first request is denied, demand an appeal.
10) If there is no insurance, and you cannot afford to pay a private surgeon, go to the plastic surgery clinic of a teaching hospital. There, residents do the surgery under supervision, and the cost is minimal. In New York City, we train residents and fellows at Lenox Hill Hospital, and they do good work.


text:
SANDY — If he could have been around on Wednesday in Utah, the late Lamar Hunt would have smiled.
A sparkling stadium, a boisterous crowd and quality competition were everything he could have asked. Well, not everything. He could also have wished a sellout, though a respectable 14,742 showed up at Rio Tinto Stadium. It still set an attendance record for U.S. Open Cup semifinal games.
Hunt would have asked for financial success, too. Even that finally seemed within reach, 46 years after the late sports tycoon planted pro soccer in America.
These days, Major League Soccer is in major league expansion mode. Soccer was cited in a 2012 ESPN study as the second-favorite sport among Americans ages 12-24. The league recently announced plans to grow to 24 or 26 teams.
Already a 20th team — and second in New York — is on deck. Atlanta, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Ottawa, Phoenix, San Antonio, Sacramento and St. Louis have expressed interest.
What this expansion has to do with Real Salt Lake's 2-1 win over Portland was this: It's the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, named after the high-minded sports innovator from Dallas via Arkansas. He was one who saw this coming. He believed he could plunk a foreign sport in the American pitch and make it stick. In the 1960s, the idea made people laugh. In 2005, when Real Salt Lake joined MLS, Hunt was keeping the league afloat with his millions. Now it has a wait list.
Hunt, who died in 2006, expected soccer to prosper. Or at least he dreamed it. He helped start the American Football League (American football, not soccer). In 1967, he was convinced soccer could find its way into America's heart. So he launched the North American Soccer League, which lasted in various incarnations until 1984. In 1996, he became a cornerstone in Major League Soccer.
The fact the NASL expired seemingly had no effect on Hunt's optimism.
The man had the lasting power of Churchill.
"Maybe these (kinds of) guys don't sweat the details," said Trey Fitz-Gerald, Real's communications director. "They get the big picture."
In that case, Hunt would have loved the feel of Wednesday's match. He died at a time when MLS's future was hazier than today.
Now it's in growth mode again.
For a guy who (up)started the American Football League and named the Super Bowl, you might expect a confirmed soccer hater. Not so. He was a charter investor in MLS. According to Fitz-Gerald, who became acquainted with Hunt when he was working public relations for the league in the 1990s, "he didn't have any enemies."
That doesn't mean he didn't have any plans. Fitz-Gerald said within the first 24 hours of being hired in 1997, he got a 7-page fax of story ideas, pitches and promotions from Hunt.
Hunt was a boots-on-the-ground kind of guy. Fitz-Gerald said he saw Hunt serving lemonade to stadium workers, dishing up barbecued ribs to employees, and picking up glass and cigarette butts in his stadium parking lot.
"He was very low key; a guy everyone loved to talk to," Fitz-Gerald said.
Because of that, and the dollars Hunt contributed over the decades, RSL is around to play D.C. United in the Open Cup title match Oct. 1. Wednesday's game was hard-nosed, animated and colorful. Just as important, it was its own event, more than a pretend European soccer event.
Alvaro Saborio, Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando and Tony Beltran were back home together, on the same team, after serving in Gold Cup play for most of a month. It was a regular hometown reunion, with hometown players — just the way Hunt would have enjoyed it.
Even so, it was new territory for RSL. Though it had played 15 previous Open Cup games, it had never advanced beyond the quarterfinals.
But persistence finally paid off, just as it did for Hunt. Real scored in the seventh minute on a smooth cross by Beckerman and an even smoother header by Saborio. Joao Plata's goal in the 78th minute sealed the deal.
As the crowd happily milled about, enjoying the moment, singing the fight song, it was hard not to imagine that somewhere the tournament's ever-optimistic namesake wasn't singing right along.
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: therockmonster
Blog: Rockmonster Unplugged


text:
"Elegant original jewelry creations with Beauty, Grace and Power™"
Mon, September 25, 2017
Skip navigation.
Alan welcomes you to an exciting and dynamic website devoted to the world of finely crafted jewelry, awesome diamonds and fabulous gemstones. Centuries of tradition have surrounded the giving of jewelry to mark important occasions in our lives and man's history is seen in the antiquities of civilizations through its artisans of which the jeweler has always been an important member of every society. My goal is to create a desire for you to own natural precious gifts from the earth that are transformed into artful pieces of jewelry that will be enjoyed for a lifetime and become a family treasure worn by future gemerations.
I am always available to answer any jewelry or gemstone question. So let your curiosity get the best of you and discover the wonderful world of jewelry and gemstones.
Diamonds ....."No Excuses, We're Ideal™"
I offer you the best in GIA Certified Triple Excellent Cut Diamonds in all sizes, qualities and price ranges
Read my diamond buying guide and you will have 100% confidence in buying your diamond from Royal Jewelry Design ....for more information
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Excite your senses with the natural wonder of beautiful colored gemstones. All varieties, all colors, and prices from $3 per carat and up.
Custom Design ......"Jewelry of Beauty, Grace & Power™"
A step by step personal service creating jewelry to celebrate life's special moments. A treasure you will enjoy for a lifetime and an heirloom for generations..... for more information
"Elegant original jewelry creations with Beauty, Grace and Power™"
Alan Sklut
Royal Jewelry Design
Elegant Original Jewelry Creations
with Beauty, Grace and Power
(302) 832-3285
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The free newsletter to learn about what's in the world of jewelry, fabulous gems at auction and all that makes the world of jewelry and gems so exciting and inspiring.
January's issue features Garnet as it is this month's birthstone.A preview of the Tucson Gem Show with a wrap-up of the Elizabeth Taylor Auction and our monthly reports on the diamond, gem and metals markets.
©2010 Royal Jewelry Design by Alan. All Rights Reserved.


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text:
This is the Problem: I'm building a Large DataMart with a big table and I want to improve the performace using aggregates I mean a set of table that store some specific aggregacion of the main table, like materialized views, I know that this feature is not implemented yet in postgres, And I see a interesting article to implementing this using a set of triggers, but I thing the big problem is not the rate of the updates or the real time consistence between both table, the main and the agregates. I thing the really problem is how to let it know to the RDMS engine that this aggregates exist!, I mean when I run a query I want to the Database engine run the query against the correct table. I thing if some day postgres allow to do this, will could use postgres more confortablement in Data warehouse proyect. I read today the TODO list of postgres and I don't see anithing like this... Any alternative?? or how you solve the problem of the agregates in yours DataMarts??? any commentari is well recived
Next: From: Marc G. Fournier Date: 2004-09-27 23:29:25 Subject: PostgreSQL 8.0.0 Beta 3 Uploaded Previous: From: John Liu Date: 2004-09-27 21:18:41 Subject: Re: core dump on select


text:
"Blue Gender, Volume 3": Roll Dice, And He'll Shoot You
Yuji Kaido has been in a cryogenic slumber for decades. Upon awaking, he found that the Earth had been evacuated because of the Blue—gigantic, destructive bugs that had overrun the planet. But he has been rescued by Marlene, a military official sent to retrieve him and other "samples" from the cryogenic site and take him to humanity's new home on Second Earth.
When we last saw Yuji and Marlene they had just witnessed the deaths of everyone else on their team. But Marlene is still determined to get Yuji to the space station. On the way there they run into Dice, a former military soldier who has been camping out in the desert with an Armor Strike, one of the decently sized military-issued mechs. He's a rougher sort than Marlene (even knocking her out at one point so as to prevent her from messing something up) and isn't above offering liquor to the underage Yuji. He's an interesting character and mixes it up well with Marlene.
With the duo now a trio, they continue to make their way to the shuttle launch site, but Yuji gets separated from his companions during a Blue attack during a sandstorm and is captured by a rogue military group. Among these nomads Yuji meets Elena, the sole female member of the band, and forms a relationship with her. You really get to like Elena, who is a bright spot in this bleak future. She is charmingly naive (for instance, she does not know how big the ocean is, having never seen it) and she is much more plausible than Marlene as a love interest for Yuji. There's also a poignant sense of suspense to her appearing: likable characters have died before in this series, after all.
Extras include "Blue File 2," a visual guide consisting clips and sketches of the various Blue. (Don't watch if you haven't seen the whole series before, as it has a few spoilers.) It also includes an extended version of "Love Taught Me" in the form of a music video that sets this ending song to disturbing images of romantic groping and gruesome deaths. There are character/VA profiles of Yuji, Marlene, Dice and Elena; textless songs; an image gallery consisting of cels, not screencaps; and the requisite trailers for other FUNi discs. The packaging is a standard black amaray case with an insert describing the episodes.
If you've enjoyed (well, "enjoy" might be the wrong word for Blue Gender; maybe "found interesting the deaths and romantic grope sessions") the first two discs of Blue Gender, there's no reason you shouldn't pick up the third. Three episodes isn't much to get on a disc, but there's only twenty-six episodes to the series, so it's not a terrible cheat; and the extras are rather decent. It's not a good jumping on point for the series; nor should it be. But I certainly liked it.
Episodes included:
Episode 7 "Sympath"
Episode 8 "Oasis"
Episode 9 "Confirm"


text: Wyndham Garden Chinatown Hotel rating Quick Specs Commissions 10.0%Rates $191-$699Year Built 2012 View Large Interactive Map Address 93 BoweryNew York, NY 10002 Web http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/new-york/new-york/wyndham-garden-chinatown/hotel-overview Phone + 1 646-329-3400 Fax Toll-free 877-999-3233 Email email@example.com OverviewMeeting SpecsPhotos & videos Description Lower Manhattan; hotel guest rooms & meeting space have sweepings views of the Empire State Building & New York City Skyline.Year Built: 2012Check in Time: 3:00 PMCheck out Time: 12:00 PMNumber of Floors: 17Total Number of Rooms: 106Rates: $191-$499Commissions: Room Only 10.0%Chain: Wyndham Garden HotelsChain Website: http://www.wyndham.com GDS Hotel Reservation CodesAmadeus GDS: WY NYC995Galileo/Apollo GDS: WY 67246Sabre GDS: WY 154906WorldSpan GDS: WY NYCCT Wyndham Garden Chinatown Location & NeighborhoodIn New York, 15 miles from Newark. Canal and Hester Street. Trendy, revitalized chic area of Lower Manhattan. Wyndham Garden Chinatown Rates & PoliciesWyndham Garden Chinatown rates are Daily in USDStandard: $191-$499 - approx 350 sq ftSuite: $291-$699 (USD) - approx 650 sq ftCredit Cards Are AcceptedReservations must be guaranteed with a credit cardMeals: No Meals IncludedCancellation Policy: 24 hours prior to arrival / Group 80% attritionHotel Discounts offered: AAAGroup discountCorporate discountGovernment/ Military discountAARP discountTravel Agents 13.0% Nearby AirportsManhattan (1 mile southwest)E. 34th St. (2.25 miles northeast)LaGuardia (7.50 miles northeast)More Airports » Wyndham Garden Chinatown Room AmenitiesWyndham Garden Chinatown amenities are in All rooms unless noted otherwiseAir ConditioningBalcony/Terrace (some)CoffeemakerDaily Maid ServiceFitness EquipmentIron/Ironing BoardFree NewspaperRooms for Non-smokersTelephoneVoicemailRefrigeratorSafe (In Room)Cable/Satellite TelevisionTelevisionInternet Access (High Speed & Wireless) Guest ServicesATM/BankComplimentary CoffeeConcierge/Club FloorConcierge ServicesCrib/Rollaway BedLaundry/Dry Cleaning ServiceMulti-lingual StaffPaid Onsite ParkingRoom ServiceWheelchair Access to Common/Public AreasCommon Area Internet Access (High Speed & Wireless) Security ServicesElectronic Key/LockSmoke Alarm in RoomsSprinkler in RoomsUniformed SecurityValet Parking ServiceSurveillance Cameras On Site Pet ServicesPets AllowedPet Amenities Available, Pet Services Available, Additional Fee for PetsSize Limit of 25 lbs Nearby SightseeingWorld Trade Memorial Center (1 mile)Barclay Center (2 miles)NoLItaSouth Street Seaport MuseumSt. Paul's ChapelMore sightseeing »DiningElevate (Onsite)CityView Lounge (Onsite)Elevate Lobby Bar (Onsite)Kaffe 1668Saturdays SurfMore dining options » On-Site RecreationHealth ClubNearby RecreationBicyclingBoating/SailingCasinoGame RoomGolf CourseHealth Spa/MassageShopping Mall/AreaTennis (Indoor Tennis, Outdoor Tennis) Wyndham Garden Chinatown Meeting Rooms & Events2 Meeting Rooms holding 74 people.1,720 sq ft of Meeting SpaceBanquet RoomLocation: Floor 1Capacity: Theater- 74, Classroom- 50, U-Shape- 35, Reception- 74, Banquet- 74BoardroomLocation: Floor 1 Wyndham Garden Chinatown Business ServicesA-V EquipmentBusiness CenterCopierFaxMeeting FacilitiesAdministrative ServicesMeeting Room Internet Access (High Speed & Wireless) Wyndham Garden Chinatown Images, Videos, & Virtual Tours Photos & Videos Wyndham Garden Chinatown ExteriorWyndham Garden Chinatown LobbyWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown RoomWyndham Garden Chinatown MeetingWyndham Garden Chinatown MeetingWyndham Garden Chinatown MeetingWyndham Garden Chinatown RestaurantWyndham Garden Chinatown RestaurantWyndham Garden Chinatown RestaurantWyndham Garden Chinatown RestaurantWyndham Garden Chinatown HealthWyndham Garden Chinatown Other Images Powered by Ice Portal Nearby New York Hotels More Nearby Hotels Hotel Elysee, a Member of LHC70 Park Avenue HotelBedford HotelDream Midtown NYCDumont NYC-an Affinia hotelGrand Hyatt New YorkHoliday Inn MidtownMillenium HiltonMorgans HotelNew York Marriott at the Brooklyn BridgeParamount HotelSkyline Hotel NYCSoho Grand HotelSt Giles - The CourtSt Giles Hotel, The TuscanyThe NashThe Time HotelW New YorkWashington Square HotelAlgonquin Hotel, Autograph Collection Hoteliers! Is your listing up to date? With over 130,000 hotels in our database, no other source compares to our depth of information. Click here to review and be sure the travel professional knows your hotel's latest details.


text:
Integrating poor women into city governanceSep 12, 2013
Women in Bangladesh suffer under pervasive gender discrimination. Access to justice and services such as secondary and tertiary education and health remain far lower for women than for men. Significantly fewer women are employed and the ones that are receive considerably lower average salaries compared to their male co-workers.
Decision-making power and mobility are often restricted, while early marriage and motherhood worsen their situation. In a predominantly male society like in Bangladesh, it is rare for urban poor women to be elected for a leadership positions within their communities or government. As a consequence, Bangladeshi women suffer from an inferior social status, limited political influence, high rates of poverty, poor health, and malnourishment.
In that context over the past few years UPPR has focussed on empowering and integrating women into community development structures, with many having taken over leadership positions in their neighbourhoods.
In fact, eight women that have been supporting UPPR community structures have been elected as Councillors in Khulna, Barisal, and Rajshahi in this year's City Corporation elections held on 15 June 2013. They attribute their success to a large extent to the project's empowerment efforts and their communities' support.
"Before UPPR, we were only housewives. We could not talk easily. Now we can speak anywhere, cantake part in various workshops, seminars, and meetings. We can also easily mix with all kinds of people. We have received different trainings from UPPR, so we have been more capable to face any situation in the community," said Jahanara Begum when describing her change from a housewife to Councillor in Barisal.
Like Jahanara, many women have highlighted their lack of decision-making power, restriction of movement, and a lack of respect aggravated by regular verbal and physical abuse by family members, before joining UPPR efforts.
Their active engagement in various activities and interaction with the community members through the project's Community Development Committees (CDC) not only helped them understand what leadership positions entail but also encouraged them to campaign for elections.
Hasna Hena who was elected as Councillor for Khulna says, "If I was not familiar with CDC activities, I would not have contested the election. Before the elections, I shared my intention to compete for the Councillor position with my CDC members. They greatly encouraged me. Community members campaigned day and night for me and helped elect me. My success is down to them."
Having an active role in improving the living conditions of the poor and providing grants for marginalized women encouraged them to extend their reach through political engagement in their local governments. As the eight elected women took their oath as new Councillors, they expressed their dedication and commitment to carry out their duties and bring change to the urban poor in their jurisdictions.
Monira Khatun who successfully competed in the Khulna City Corporation elections put forward her vision, "I wish to continue to work for the poor community with my full efforts. I am committed to helping marginalized women and will extend all my support for them. I also want to be a women's representative for the next term. I want to see the women in a better position. I will encourage all other poor and vulnerable women to become women's representative like me."
UPPR will continue to empower women who on their part will take action to support others, multiplying the reach for the betterment of living conditions for women in Bangladesh. To that end, the newly elected Councillors serve as an inspiration for other vulnerable women to follow in their footsteps.


text:
Case Name:
R. v. Rambo
Her Majesty the Queen, and
Alonzo Rambo and Felice Mambo
[2005] O.J. No. 3434
Ontario Court of Justice
Toronto, Ontario
M. Omatsu J.
Oral judgment: April 20, 2005.
(116 paras.)
Ms. E. Winocur Counsel for the Crown
T. Pain, Esq. Counsel for the Accused
M. OMATSU J. (orally):
1 MS. WINOCUR: Good morning, Your Honour.
2 THE COURT: Good morning.
3 MS. WINOCUR: My name is Erin Winocur. I appear for the Provincial Crown. Your Honour, I'm here on the Rambo and Mambo matter. That matter is here — I have it marked for sentencing. I believe that the guilty plea has been entered. I don't know that the facts have been read in. I'm mindful that you have other matters. Do you wish me to proceed at this time or not?
4 MR. PAIN: Good morning, Your Honour, it's Pain, initial T., for the record, and both Ms. Mambo and Mr. Rambo are in the court. I can advise the Court that on the last date there was a plea entered — no facts read in at that point in time. The matter was adjourned for several months to allow Mr. Rambo to improve his position.
5 THE COURT: What was the date that the plea was entered?
6 MR. PAIN: It was in November.
7 MS. WINOCUR: November 18th.
8 THE COURT: November 18th?
9 MR. PAIN: Yes.
10 THE COURT: Okay. Did you want to proceed now?
11 MS. WINOCUR: I'm prepared to proceed now — just checking that the information has made it's way in. This matter was traversed from another court. Yes, I'm prepared to proceed, Your Honour.
12 MR. PAIN: As am I, Your Honour.
13 THE COURT: Okay …
14 MS. WINOCUR: If I may be excused then, Your Honour, and then you're going to do the PARs just after that, I understand.
15 THE COURT: Right, so, what time do you think you should come back? In an hour?
16 MS. WINOCUR: I'll speak to counsel outside, yes, thank you.
17 COURT CLERK: Could I just inquire Madam Crown, did both of these, did both people plead?
18 THE COURT: No, I suspect only Mr. Rambo pled.
19 COURT CLERK: Thank you.
20 THE COURT: Did you want them both to plead?
21 MS. WINOCUR: No, my understanding was that only Mr. Rambo is pleading guilty.
22 MR. PAIN: Yes, Your Honour, Mr. Rambo has already pled guilty. My understanding is that at the end of this sentencing hearing the charge against Ms. Mambo will be withdrawn by the Crown. The facts have not as yet been read in.
23 THE COURT: Okay, and he was arraigned and entered a guilty plea on what date? Sorry.
24 MR. PAIN: Um …
25 MS. WINOCUR: November 18th.
26 MR. PAIN: Yes.
27 THE COURT: Thank you. I did not unfortunately bring my other bench book so I do not have that here. Did you want to proceed now?
28 MS. WINOCUR: If that's agreeable to the Court, yes.
29 THE COURT: Is that all right with you?
30 MR. PAIN: I'm prepared, Your Honour.
31 MS. WINOCUR: The officer-in-charge is here, Your Honour. May he sit beside me?
32 THE COURT: I did receive your casebook and I did have an opportunity to read it.
33 MR. PAIN: Thank you, Your Honour.
34 THE COURT: Did you get a chance to look at the casebook?
35 MS. WINOCUR: Yes, my friend's provided me with the casebook.
36 THE COURT: Okay. So, do you want to read in the facts?
37 MS. WINOCUR: Well, I think you need to hear the facts.
38 THE COURT: Okay.
39 MS. WINOCUR: On the 16th of November, Mr. Rambo applied for general welfare …
40 THE COURT: What year?
41 MS. WINOCUR: … 1992, from the Toronto Social Services of Family — he applied, he was — given the circumstances here of Mr. Rambo's guilty plea I'm going to take the position that he was the primary applicant. His responsibilities regarding the declaration of income, assets, changes in living arrangements including OSAP income, or other circumstances were advised and understood and ongoing assistance was granted. On the 8th of September 1993, on the 13th of December 1993, on the 23rd of August 1994, the 29th of November 1994, the 21st of March 1995, the 22nd of June 1995, and the 16th of April 1996, Mr. Rambo completed present condition reports. No changes were reported. On the 2nd of October Mr. Rambo updated the application for assistance — no changes were reported. On the 10th of December 1996, on the 23rd of April 1997, Mr. Rambo completed a present condition report — again no changes were reported. On the 3rd of February 1998 there was an updated application for assistance — again no changes were reported. On the 16th of April 1998, the 2nd of September 1998, the 26th of January 1998, the 27th of April 1998, again Mr. Rambo completed present condition reports and no changes were reported. On the 31st of July 1999, the file was terminated. On the 29th of September 2000 an allegation was received and investigated that confirmed that Mr. Rambo had undeclared Student Assistance Program income during the benefit period. Mr. Rambo was subsequently arrested for the charge of fraud-over. The amount of overpayment is $30,000.00. And that's the amount which the Crown alleges Mr. Rambo received in circumstances when he should not have and as a result of his fraudulent misrepresentations. Those are the allegations.
42 THE COURT: Thank you.
43 MR. PAIN: I've reviewed those facts with Mr. Rambo, Your Honour, and those are admitted as correct.
44 THE COURT: All right. Is that correct, sir, Mr. Rambo?
45 THE WITNESS: Yes.
46 THE COURT: Pardon me?
47 THE WITNESS: Yes.
48 THE COURT: Okay. There is a finding of guilt on the welfare fraud of $30,000.00. Is there a record alleged?
49 MS. WINOCUR: No, there's not.
50 THE COURT: Okay, submissions please.
51 MS. WINOCUR: Your Honour, it's the Crown's position that this offense ought properly to carry a criminal record. It's my understanding that there is $15,000.00 of restitution that my friend is able to pay up front — I think it's in my friend's trust account.
52 MR. PAIN: Yes, Your Honour, I can indicate I have $15,000.00 in trust which I'm prepared to give an undertaking to forward to the Treasurer for the City of Toronto, Inactive Overpayment Unit, towards restitution. Also, Mr. Rambo is prepared to pay the balance of the $15,000.00 owing, over the course of the probation period, if that assists my friend in her submissions …
53 MS. WINOCUR: Well, I think that the fact of restitution is an important factor in mitigation, and I invite you to consider it. It's my submission that despite the restitution, and bearing in mind that it's not complete restitution, I would ask you to impose a suspended sentence and period of probation for three years. It's my understanding that the remaining $15,000.00 can be paid back in equal installments over the three-year period of probation. I indicated to my friend that if his client can increase the installments, the Crown would consider — would be prepared to join him with a shorter period of probation, but it's my understanding that he needs the full time to make that; so I would ask that it be divided into equal monthly payments. It's my understanding that my friend will be seeking a conditional discharge. I understand why that is in his client's interest, and I don't dispute that it's in his client's interest. My concern is that it's not in the public interest. My submission simply is that these are funds intended for vulnerable members of the community. There's always limited resources available for persons in need of welfare and in my respectful submission, if somebody's taking more than they're entitled to someone else is going with less. And in my respectful submission, that is a significant societal harm. I further ask you to consider that this is an ongoing type of offense. It involves multiple acts of dishonesty as opposed to perhaps an impulsive act or a one-time instance. This is something which went on for years. In my respectful submission that also speaks against a discharge. I also note that this type of offense in my respectful submission is such that it's a large amount of money. Even with the restitution, it's still $15,000.00 — a significant amount of money. And in those circumstances, I invite you to impose a suspended sentence and probation.
54 THE COURT: Thank you. Mr. Pain?
55 MR. PAIN: Yes, Your Honour, perhaps I can start with some background information about Mr. Rambo. I can indicate, Your Honour, he's 37 years old. He's married to the co-accused, Ms. Mambo. She's 31. They have an eleven-year-old son. He came to Canada in 1990 as a landed immigrant, and Ms. Mambo followed him shortly thereafter in 1992. They currently both live in Scarborough at 123 Soup Spoon Road, Apartment 101. When Mr. Rambo first arrived he was supported by his brother. Though he had a B.Comm. from Bulgaria and was a trained accountant, he was not able to find any work in that field. He initially worked nights in a restaurant. He was eventually laid off from that job. His brother stopped supporting him and his wife. It was at that point that he and his wife applied for social assistance. They applied in late 1992; I believe they started receiving it in 1993. At that point, neither had work nor the likelihood of finding good work. Ms. Mambo took an ESL course for one month. Initially, while they were on welfare neither of them were studying. Mr. Rambo's mother was living with them, making their financial strain even worse. Mr. Rambo couldn't find any work, and Ms. Mambo was in no condition to work due to a difficult pregnancy. Both of them, determined to get off of welfare, decided to study. Mr. Rambo studied accounting, and Ms. Mambo studied microbiology at Centennial College. They had their first son in 1994. Despite the birth of their son, things got progressively worse for both of them. In 1995, Ms. Mambos father died, and shortly after that within the span of a month, both her mother and her brother passed away. Ms. Mambo started experiencing serious health problems. It was first thought that she had cancer but eventually she was diagnosed with a rare disease called achalasia cardia. This is a disease of the esophagus. It's basically an absence of any muscular contractions in the esophagus, which make it difficult to eat. She lost 30 pounds within a month, and the situation got progressively worse. She couldn't eat anything, and she tells me that she was vomiting 30 to 40 times a day at that point in her life. In October 1996 she had to have surgery to try to correct the disorder. Otherwise, she was told she would have died of malnutrition. She was put on a liquid diet after the operation, and my understanding is these cans of supplement were $2.25 each. They approached the welfare authorities about getting some compensation for that but they had a very difficult time getting any compensation for that. She couldn't afford to buy the cans. She fell into a depression. During this time, Mr. Rambo tried to find some work. He couldn't find anything. He had no job, he had no money, he had a new baby. His wife was violently ill. She could barely take care of the child. He did most of it; the feeding, the bathing, and the diaper changes. They decided to move to Scotland in 1996 because they both had some family there, and it was her doctor's recommendation that they should move somewhere where they could get some family support. However after six months, Ms. Mambo being a permanent resident, didn't want to lose that status, so they decided to move back to Canada. They …
56 THE COURT: So did they go to Scotland?
57 MR. PAIN: They did go to Scotland, but they came back after six months.
58 THE COURT: Okay.
59 MR. PAIN: Again they applied for Social Assistance. They got approval for Ontario Housing. They weren't studying at this time. Mr. Rambo found a part-time job. He did declare the income from that job.
60 THE COURT: He did or did not?
61 MR. PAIN: He did. Ms. Mambo started working at Burger King to help alleviate her depression and also meet their expenses. Mr. Rambo decided not to declare that income. And from my conversations with him it's my understanding that their justification for not declaring that income was they knew they were going to get off of welfare, and eventually they both voluntarily did quit welfare. Mr. Rambo started an accounting/bookkeeping/income tax business. In 2000, his wife Ms. Mambo got a job in the Hong Kong Bank of Canada in the business banking section. She's now in the foreign exchange section of the bank. Mr. Rambo has expanded his business and opened — he had a money remittance business much like a Western Union. He had entered into an agreement with the Bulgaria Bank. So the way that business works, my understanding is if there are people here who have relatives in Bulgaria and they want to transfer money to them, they would go through Mr. Rambo's service and the money would be transferred to the relatives in Bulgaria. This business had been going well for a while. Unfortunately, recently, the business experienced some difficulty because one of Mr. Rambo's partners decided to take a large portion of the money out of the business without any authority to do so. As a result, Mr. Rambo and his wife had to sell their house to help pay off the business debts, and they also had to sell the business. This led Mr. Rambo to go into a depression, and I understand as recently as several months ago he attempted to take his life. Anyway, since that time, he's currently maintaining the other aspects of his business. He does the bookkeeping and the corporate tax preparation and payroll accounting. He also works as a mortgage broker's assistant. He tells me that he feels that he has a chance to make a real good go as a mortgage broker. He wants to apply for a mortgage broker's license but with a conviction he will not be able to do that. His wife's condition is being treated but she still has frequent bouts of vomiting. She tells me that sometimes she vomits about five times through the night. She has missed work days and her health continues to deteriorate. It may be a possibility that at some point Mr. Rambo will be the sole income earner in the family. As it stands now Your Honour, she makes approximately $2,000.00 a month. His gross revenues are approximately $5,000.00 a month. Their personal expenses are about $4,400.00 a month. His expenses related to his business, he estimates, are about $1,000.00 a month, and I've already done the math so that leaves about $1,600.00 a month. As I'd indicated before, I have $15,000.00 in my trust account which I'm prepared to …
62 THE COURT: Is this before or after taxes?
63 MR. PAIN: Brief indulgence. It's before taxes, Your Honour.
64 THE COURT: So $1,600.00 a month before taxes?
65 MR. PAIN: I believe so, yes. As I said earlier, I have the $15,000.00 in trust, and he's prepared to pay the remaining $15,000.00 over a three-year probation period. That would work out to $416.67 a month.
66 THE COURT: Times 36 months.
67 MR. PAIN: Now, he's hoping he can actually pay it off before the three years. However, I would be asking that the maximum probation be imposed so he has that cushion if he needs it. I'm asking Your Honour to grant a conditional discharge in this case, with a three-year period of probation. I know Your Honour has had an opportunity to go through the cases that I've provided. There's of course the first case there, R. v. Wilson [2005] O.J. No. 382 (O.C.J.), which was a $44,000.00 welfare fraud. There was no restitution in that. The accused had no criminal record. The Court found that a conviction would affect her work. Surprisingly, she wasn't even ordered to perform any community service. She was granted a conditional discharge. The next case, R. v. Asselstine [2000] O.J. No. 5975 (O.C.J.), that was a decision of Your Honour's. That was a $7,200.00 fraud. In that case, the accused paid half in the beginning and the rest was to be paid over the course of a probation order. That accused had a criminal record, public mischief, a dated record. It was unclear whether a conviction would affect his work. No community service was ordered. He was granted a conditional discharge. R. v. Xavier [1999] O.J. No. 5601 (Ont. Ct. (Prov. Div.)), $8,500 fraud, no restitution, no criminal record, but the Court found that a conviction would affect that person's work. Xavier was ordered to perform 75 hours of community service. I can go through the rest of the cases if Your Honour likes but I think Your Honour …
68 THE COURT: No, I've viewed them all and except for R. v. Shibley [1998] O.J. No. 2323 (Ont. Ct. (Gen. Div.)) they all did get conditional discharges.
69 MR. PAIN: Yes, that was a husband and wife. The husband got a conditional sentence. That was because I think a large part of that had to do with the fact that he had a criminal record. His wife, however, who had become a registered nurse, was granted a conditional discharge and I believe the judge's specific finding there was that it was not against the public interest to give her a conditional discharge so she could continue to work and support the family. I would submit to Your Honour that in a situation where Mr. Rambo may find himself as a sole support for the family — and he's trying to better his career by obtaining a mortgage broker's license, which he will not be able to do with a conviction, and his ability to keep working will ensure that the government is re-paid what it is owed — I would submit that it is not contrary to the public interest to grant a conditional discharge in this case. And subject to any questions Your Honour has those are my submissions.
70 THE COURT: Thank you. Mr. Rambo, is there something you would like to say to the Court, sir, regarding this matter or the sentence you should receive?
71 THE WITNESS: No thank you, Your Honour.
72 MS. WINOCUR: Could I just have a word with my friend? Your Honour, what caught my attention, my understanding just looking through this was that when the Court chooses to suspend the passing of sentence you can impose a probation period of up to three years. My recollection was that if you choose to impose a conditional discharge you can only impose a probation for two years. The reason, I whispered to my friend, was that that was simply my recollection — we were trying to find the section in the Criminal Code.
73 THE COURT: Well, I'm not sure because it seemed to me that all these people who did get conditional discharges were placed on probation for three years. R. v. Trigueros [1997] O.J. No. 6089 (Ont. Ct. (Prov. Div.)); R. v. Lamptey [1998] O.J. No. 6400 (Ont. Ct. (Prov. Div.)) – plea [1998] O.J. No. 6401 – sentencing; Asselstine.
74 MS. WINOCUR: I'm aware that it is done. I'm not certain that — If the Court is satisfied you can do it for three years, I'm, I'm …
75 THE COURT: Well, did you find anything in the Code that indicates that it's …
76 MS. WINOCUR: The section we were looking at is s. 731 which relates to in addition to a fine.
78 MS. WINOCUR: 731(b), but I don't think that applies. I'm not able to find something in the Code and …
79 MR. PAIN: Sorry, if I may interject for a moment, Your Honour, 732.2(5)(b) says, "no probation order shall continue in force for which more than three years after the date on which the order came into force". So I believe that's the governing provision.
80 MS. WINOCUR: Okay. That's fine. Thank you.
81 THE COURT: So, are you in agreement that a conditional discharge can get a probationary period of three years? So what was the section you cited?
82 MR. PAIN: 732.2(5)(b).
83 MS. WINOCUR: That's where a person is convicted of an offense.
84 MR. PAIN: Yes.
85 MS. WINOCUR: Where a person is convicted of an offense.
86 THE COURT: Did you want this held down so you could …?
87 MS. WINOCUR: Could I have a moment to take a look at this?
88 THE COURT: All right, we'll hold the matter down.
89 MS. WINOCUR: Thank you.
90 THE COURT: You can come back.
91 THE COURT: Mr. Rambo, can you come back up, again?
92 MS. WINOCUR: Your Honour, I think the bottom line is that I think I'm mistaken. I'm not quite sure where my thought came from, but I looked at the sections of 730 and 731 and 732 and I'm at this point satisfied that it is open to you if you choose to impose a three-year probation on the discharge.
93 THE COURT: That's a relief. That's a relief, given the decisions that have been given three-year probationary terms with the conditional discharge.
94 MS. WINOCUR: You know, I obviously have not been asking for them.
95 MR. PAIN: It's odd though, Your Honour, it doesn't seem to be specifically addressed. It just talks about convictions and whatnot, so.
96 MS. WINOCUR: I guess the other thing, with respect to Your Honour, it's a bit unclear. It doesn't specifically address — in the language of s. 732 if the Court's interested, speaks of convictions, which may have been the source of my initial confusion. I don't know. But s. 731 seems to adopt the probation procedures for the discharge provision.
97 THE COURT: Thank you. Alonzo Rambo, please stand. Sir, you are charged with welfare fraud. On the 18th of November 2004 you entered a guilty plea before me. You are a man, 37 years of age, without a criminal record. I have reviewed the cases submitted by Mr. Pain, your counsel, and they are, for the most part, six of the seven were defendants like yourself who were found guilty of welfare fraud and who received conditional discharges and probation. I have heard from Mr. Pain the circumstances of your life, and it does sound as though you have had many difficulties. The health of your wife is obviously a pressing problem for you. The fact that you also were depressed and suicidal indicates how difficult at times your life has become. In sentencing you, I have considered the principles of sentence and obviously there should be denunciation of your conduct. I have also taken into account that you are a first offender at the age of 37, and as such, the Court should be interested primarily in your rehabilitation. You have entered a guilty plea, which indicates your remorse and has saved the Court and the State many days and thousands of dollars in having a trial. You have made restitution in the amount of $15,000.00. You do not have a criminal record. You could potentially become the sole support of your family given your wife's health, and your career choice — a mortgage broker — would be cut off from you should I give you a record. You indicate that you believe that you can pay off the remaining $15,000.00 if you are given a probationary period of three years. That is certainly in the public interest, that all monies be returned to the public purse so that other persons who are in need can apply to welfare and get funds. Obviously it is in your interest to receive a discharge.
98 So, having considered all those facts and the cases submitted by Mr. Pain, I am prepared to grant you a conditional discharge, sir, and place you on probation for three years. I am following the math of Mr. Pain, and he is saying that you should be able to make restitution in the amount of $416.67 a month for a period of 36 months, and that is supposed to come up to $15,000.00. Is that correct Mr. Pain; does it come up to $15,000.00?
99 MR. PAIN: That's correct, Your Honour. I'll just quickly re-do that.
100 THE COURT: Does anyone else have a calculator, and they can just make sure that's correct? 416.67 x 36.
101 MR. PAIN: Yes, I've doubled checked it, Your Honour.
102 THE COURT: Okay, thank you. So report, make restitution. Is anything else suggested?
103 THE CROWN: Report as required.
104 THE COURT: Yes. Is anything else suggested, Mr. Pain?
105 MR. PAIN: Not from my end, Your Honour.
106 THE COURT: Okay. Well good luck, sir, and I am making this decision because I believe that you have learned your lesson and you will never commit a criminal offense again, and you will not come back to Court. Is that correct?
107 THE WITNESS: Yes.
108 THE COURT: All right. Did you want Ms. Mambo to come forward?
109 MS. WINOCUR: She doesn't need to. I've asked that charge be withdrawn.
110 THE COURT: Okay, Ms. Mambo, are you here? [Indication that Ms. Mambo is in the courtroom.] The charge against you is withdrawn at the request of the Crown.
111 MS. MAMBO: Thank you, Your Honour.
112 THE COURT: And I suppose we should say that restitution of the $15,000.00 will be made by Mr. Pain …
113 MR. PAIN: Yes, I can …
114 THE COURT: … to the appropriate authorities.
115 MR. PAIN: Yes, I can indicate formally for the record that I'm undertaking to forward a cheque this week to the Treasurer for the City of Toronto, Inactive Overpayment Unit, and I have the address.
116 THE COURT: Thank you.


text:
Two men who became embroiled in a riot in the Ardoyne area of Belfast were both placed on probation yesterday after appearing in court.
Martin Faulkner, 43, from Antrim Road, Belfast, and 25-year old Christopher McDonnell, from the city's Wyndham Street, were each placed on two years probation after admitting a charge of rioting on July 12, 2012.
Belfast Crown Court heard that both men were part of a crowd who attacked police lines at the Ardoyne shopfronts flashpoint. During the serious street disorder, officers were pelted with missiles including petrol bombs.
Faulkner was seen smashing reinforced concrete into smaller pieces of masonry – which a Crown prosecutor said helped to faciliate the riot – and was also observed throwing a small suitcase at police lines.
His barrister told the court his client sustained a "significant brain injury" in a sectarian attack which has rendered him "a vulnerable person who is often utilised by others".
The court heard that during the riot, McDonnell was seen shining a green laser pen at police officers on three separate occasions.
His counsel told the court that his client's IQ was so low that he was deemed mentally handicapped, revealing he was "profoundly illiterate and intellectually impaired".