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Akalski, Richard
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The new version of Windows, which is available Friday, sees Microsoft tucking the old, desktop-focused Windows skin into its back pocket, and instead donning a colorful, touch-friendly suit of tiles. It's such a grand departure from Redmond's legacy Windows software that most users won't recognize it as Windows at all. And that's a beautiful thing.
I've been testing Windows 8 over the last few months, and I've come to really enjoy using it. Yes, it took a lot of re-learning and adjustment. Yes, I felt lost and baffled at first. And sure, I was a bit sad to see the Start Menu vanish. (There are others who feel the same way and have solutions.) Several small annoyances remain for Microsoft to work out. But if you're willing to put in a little bit of initial effort to learn the ropes, Windows 8 is definitely worth the upgrade.
If you're buying a new computer this fall, or upgrading a recently purchased PC by installing Windows 8, you should expect something equal parts drastically new and comfortingly familiar.The learning curve isn't too steep. The operating system is fun to use right out of the box, and it doesn't skimp on the key functionality you expect from the Windows brand. If you're buying a new computer this fall, or upgrading a recently purchased PC by installing Windows 8, you should expect something equal parts drastically new and comfortingly familiar.
Microsoft has two key goals for Windows 8. First, the company wants to regain its cool. Windows has long been synonymous with a mundane experience centered on "productivity." While Apple offers a visually slick, intuitive, user-friendly experience on the desktop, Microsoft has stuck to the Windows Way. For over a decade, it's been serving scoops of vanilla to compete with Apple's waffle cones of mint chocolate chip with rainbow sprinkles. This strategy has helped Microsoft maintain its stronghold on the PC market, especially among business customers reliant on legacy apps and the host of OEM partners who crank out the devices for their consumption. But Apple simply has more mojo. Walk into any college dorm, tech startup, or big-city coffee shop, and you'll see an ocean of MacBooks, all running OS X. Younger users and creative types favor Apple's computing environment. It's undeniable.
The other thing Microsoft needs to do – desperately – is catch up in mobile computing. Its Windows Phone OS for smartphones is lagging, but it's expected to gain more traction as better devices and apps are released. The bigger worry here is tablets.
As we move further into the "post-PC era," the iPad is still held up as the gold standard for mobile computing, and Android is the scrappy alternative. Windows 7 was a total bust on tablets. It just didn't translate well to the touchscreen world. Redmond's plan for Windows 8, therefore, is to develop a fun and colorful OS that straddles the PC and the post-PC worlds. Windows 8 can run both on tablets and on traditional computers, it can be fully controlled with touches, swipes and gestures, and it still gives users full access to all the good old Microsoft stuff: docs, spreadsheets, and the myriad legacy apps they use every day. With Surface, it's even diving into tablet hardware to prove how well its dual-use approach can work.
See Also:- 10 Best Features of Windows 8
My Windows 8 testing took place on both on a touch tablet and a non-touch notebook. I'll often connect a keyboard and mouse or touchpad to the tablet in order to mimic the "convertible" experience. While I definitely prefer Windows 8 in a touch environment, it's almost as easy and pleasant to use with a gesture-enabled trackpad. By far, my least favorite method of using Windows 8 is touchless, with only a standard mouse and keyboard. But even then, it's not a bad experience.
The main factor for such varying experiences lies in the new Start Screen. The gorgeous spread of colorful tiles makes total sense with touch, and will look familiar to anyone who has used a Windows Phone device, as Microsoft's new mobile OS sports the same interface. We've covered the new environment thoroughly in our hands-ons of the Consumer Preview, Release Review and Release to Manufacturer versions of Windows 8.
If you're a veteran Windows user, the new Start Screen will definitely take some getting used to. But the familiar Windows desktop of yore remains, and is easily accessible as a tile (just like any other app) on the Start Screen. Microsoft is taking a significant risk here, since users who have been loyal to Windows might get very confused or feel betrayed until they find that magic button to take them to the desktop. Whether these people can adjust to Windows 8 will depend heavily on Microsoft's messaging and instructions. If that goes wrong, Windows 8 could fail entirely.
Even more confusing than a bunch of tiles: There are several versions of Windows 8. Most importantly, Windows RT, which comes built-in on the Surface RT tablet and other devices, is far less capable than Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. For more details on the difference, read our overview and Wired's review of the Surface RT tablet. In short, Microsoft will need to clearly explain that Windows RT is a mobile OS that shares the same skin as Windows 8, but is not a fully capable PC. It cannot run the same desktop programs as full Windows 8, only apps downloaded from the Windows Store.
The ambiguity between x86, or desktop, applications and Windows Store apps can also add to the overall confusion. Windows 8 can run them both, but they'll open in different environments. Pin a desktop app to your Start Screen and it blends in nicely, as its tile looks no different than a Windows Store app. But tap it and – surprise! – you're thrown into the desktop space. Microsoft should consider a stronger visual cue to help us distinguish between the two kinds of programs.
These juggling will cause some head-scratching among legacy Windows users when they upgrade. But the first few hours with Windows 8 will likely be more sweet than sour, as there are plenty of goodies: Live Tiles that show animations, a fully integrated search tool, and easy-to-adopt gestures for touchscreens and trackpads. These enhancements, and a host of other new features, are what make Windows 8 worth the upgrade.
Each app's Start Screen tile is alive, in a sense. The tiles display bits of information about whatever's happening within the app, sort of like notifications in a mobile OS. If you get a new e-mail, the Mail app will show the sender and subject. The Calendar app can display your day's meetings.
"Snapping" apps next to one another is a great multitasking feature. Every Windows 8 app is a chromeless, full-screen app by default, which is great for focusing on a single task and making the most of your screen's real estate. But when you want to do more than one thing at the same time, you can simply pull in another app and drag it somewhere on the screen. It will snap into a secondary portion of the screen, where it serves as sort of a sidebar. It's incredibly useful for when you want to keep the Messaging app open while browsing the web, or to check Twitter while watching a movie.
There is one slight flaw in the snapped app experience. When you're using a mouse or a trackpad and you want to scroll up or down in one of the snapped apps, it's not enough to just hover your mouse over the window. You have to actually click within that window before you can scroll it. If you're using touch, you can just reach up and swipe to scroll, since Windows recognizes a touch as a click.
It's a minor detail, but one that shows the need for additional polish. Mac OS X, by contrast, recognizes the intended focus when you just hover over a window with the mouse pointer, no click required. It should be that simple in Windows 8 when you're not using touch.
It's when you reach up and touch the screen that Windows 8 truly shines. Once I learned the Windows 8 gestures, I found it easier than even iOS to navigate. Swiping in from the left to flip through open apps is seamless. Semantic zoom, which lets you zoom in and out of your onscreen elements with a pinch gesture, worked consistently well in various apps. Trackpad gestures are also incredibly easy to use.
I also really like the so-called charms menu that you bring up by swiping in from the right or pointing to the lower right corner. There are five "charm" icons: Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings.
Search is the biggest enhancement, and you don't even need to go into the charms to access it. When you're in the Start Screen, you can just start typing to search for an app, setting, or file. Scroll down the Search Charm menu and you'll be able to search within specific apps, like the Windows Store or Bing.
It's worth the effort of learning your way around the various quirks and wrinkles just to experience this entirely new way of interacting with a Windows machine.Annoyingly, this automatic type-to-search feature doesn't work in desktop mode, even if you have no windows open. It's in these tinier details where Windows 8 struggles the most. Another example: If you're using the desktop in Snap mode, all of your windows will shrink to accommodate the smaller, snapped app window – but once you expand back to full screen, none of the windows grow back to fill the screen. Also, if you sign in to Gmail using the bundled Mail app, it won't be aware of your most-used contacts unless you've entered them directly into the address book, or unless they also happen to be in your People hub. Those addresses should be recognizable based on all of the e-mails that the app has synced, but they're not.
The bundled Messaging app will let you chat with Facebook and Windows Live friends, but it won't allow you to sign in to AIM or Google Talk, arguably two of the most popular messaging systems. And the Messaging app itself is strange as a full-screen app, which is the default state for all apps. Chat is supposed to take place in little floating windows, not on a giant screen.
Most bizarre to me, though, was the fact that the OS only lets you use one browser (whichever one you've chosen as the default) as your Start Screen browser. If you download Chrome for Windows 8, you'll need to set Chrome as your default browser for it work in the Start Screen environment. The same goes for Internet Explorer. If you want to use an alternate browser that happens to not be your default option, Windows will open in Desktop mode, which is jarring.
Just like any new software release, there are many little annoyances – things that you'd expect to work one way, but don't. If these bumps sound minor to you, then yes, upgrade to Windows 8. Overall, I'd say it's worth the effort of learning your way around the various quirks and wrinkles just to experience this entirely new way of interacting with a Windows machine. The touchscreen actions are a huge gain for usability, and the interface is gorgeous. I wouldn't go back to Windows 7 after using Windows 8; I'd miss the touch controls too much. I even caught myself trying to touch my MacBook Air's screen last night.
WIRED Touch and trackpad gestures are intuitive and make navigating the Windows 8 environment a breeze. Snapping apps is useful for multitasking. Desktop gets its own improved tools like Task Manager and File History. Windows 8 is pushing touch and all sorts of new hardware experiences, which is good for consumers. Good price for online upgrades.
TIRED Windows Store is still relatively low on apps. Ambiguity between x86 and Windows Store apps in Microsoft messaging and when pinned on Start Screen. Windows 8 will take effort to get used to, and not all users want to learn a new operating system and interface. Microsoft risks alienating legacy users. Several feature details still need polish.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum honors volunteers at annual reception
CHITTENANGO -- When overgrown dry-docks were located off Lakeport Road on the old Erie Canal 27 years ago, the dream of a museum on the site began. The result became Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, a historic and educational site.
On Sunday, Dec. 9, 184 volunteers who donated 4,635 hours to the museum in 2012 were honored at an annual volunteer reception.
The museum also honored three of the remaining five "Dreamers," Joan DiChristina, Bill Cole and Doug Rainbow, with plaques recognizing their dedication, service and commitment to the museum for the past 27 years. Outgoing president Brian McIntyre was presented the Steersman Award for 2012.
A reception followed with musicians from Chittenango High School providing entertainment for the 115 volunteers present.


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Sound Off for March 31, 2013
To the parents of the teens who were in attendance at Lourdes Shrine Stations of the Cross. I saw a teen couple praying together , and thought their parents must be so proud of the kids they have raised.
In response to the current THS 'situation.' What people need to understand is that Mike McKenna, the current Athletic Director is doing a phenomenal job since 'inheriting' the mess of Torrington athletics. (Please remember that he was NOT the Athletic Director last year.) He has done a wonderful job in his short tenure, and changes do not happen overnight. I have personally seen his test of character, and he has proven that his priorities are to mold character, morals and values in his students above winning games. It is unfortunate that he had to inherit the mess of the current situation, but he is handling things professionally and ethically, and should not be criticized, but supported. The athletic budget he presented to the BOE was extremely well done, proving proposed savings and benefitting all student athletes. Again, Coach McKenna as Torrington's AD is a huge asset to the district and we should be supporting him instead of attacking him. Thank you for listening and supporting.
Obama administration divisive, doom, gloom and blame tactics are the way in which he tries to justify getting his failed policies getting passed. Massive stimulus packages, and sequestration are all pathetic excuses to try and spend Americas money to redistribute wealth and solve the so called social injustices and enable government dependency. While his administration continues to print money faster than he can spend it, while covering up the serious debt problem and giving people a false sense of comfort that will have dire consequences down the road for everyone. The first president in history that can not elicit a budget because he refuses to compromise only wanting it his way having a total disregard for the constitution and the betterment of everyone. When special interest groups and unions can now be considered a political party that can buy interests and receive special privledges with taxpayer money. Without any intention to honestly address our nation problems Obama continues to be a leaderless dictator that preaches fair share but does not lead by example. The citizens have been duped with empty promises that secured his vote while he continues seek the glory of his position without making any significant strides that have benefited the USA. Can anyone name anything?
Bush, Bush and more Bush. Almost five years of unfulfilled promises, and these two idiots at the top of our country keep spending like there is no tomorrow. I guess you think that is still ok. I would like to have the funds that Michele and her kids spend in one month, or Biden in one night, I and my kids would be set for life. A total waste is what they are.
The fact the Bush 2 took far more vacation time than any other president, including Obama is a matter of public record.Also considering he did this while we were at the height of his "War on Terror" is also a matter of public record. How is stating factual information , putting ones head in the sand?
It looks more like you're just trying to dismiss a valid point that you find politically disadvantagous..
Why not just engage in an open an truthful dialog?
Doing so can lead to a better understanding of another's point of view, even if it is different than your's.


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Congratulations to the ELGP 2020 Graduates!
Last week, we congratulated the ELGP graduates of 2020 with our first ever virtual graduation. Unsurprisingly, it has been a very unique ELGP experience this year. We were fortunate that participants got to start their program as normal, with their breakfast launch, site visits and weekend retreat all occurring in person. However, participants were challenged […]
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EA announces free-to-play Tetris Blitz
EA is releasing a new free-to-play Tetris for iOS and Android devices this spring, titled Tetris Blitz.
Tetris has gained the status of video game royalty, and that more-or-less guarantees the puzzle mechanics will be iterated on and repackaged forever. EA's latest take on the puzzler, called Tetris Blitz, is a free-to-play game for Apple and Android smartphones adn tablets. It's due this spring.
The game has you clearing as many lines as possible in two-minute sprints, and triggering cascades to activate the "Frenzy Mode" multiplier. You can also select from a set of power-ups, with a new power-up planned to release every week. Since the game is free-to-play, you can probably bet on those being purchasable. The game will feature Facebook Connect integration as well, for score tracking and friends leaderboards.
EA has released a pay version of Tetris on the iOS and Android devices, and Blitz will use the "one-touch" block dropping controls from those games. For those who prefer more traditional Tetris controls, you can choose to use the "swipe" control option instead.
"Tetris Blitz wraps all of the best elements of the iconic Tetris game inside a bite-sized, frenzied experience that is perfect for smartphones and tablets," said EA All Play senior VP Nick Earl, in the announcement. "The crisp graphics, innovative new controls and social leaderboards are bound to make Tetris Blitz a captivating gaming experience for longtime Tetris fans and newcomers alike."
Steve Watts posted a new article, EA announces free-to-play Tetris Blitz.
EA is releasing a new free-to-play Tetris for iOS and Android devices this spring, titled Tetris Blitz.


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Senegal trial of Chad dictator operational soon
Victims of Chad's ex-dictator may finally have their day in court, as a tribunal set-up to try the former leader is due to become operational in Senegal soon, human rights experts said Monday.
The special court created in Senegal in order to try Hissene Habre, who was exiled here, may start its proceedings later this month, said Reed Brody, a lawyer for New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Senegal's National Assembly is expected to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the case, said Alioune Tine, head of a West African human rights association.
Habre was the president of Chad from 1982 until 1990, when he was deposed in a coup. He is accused of mass atrocities and in 1992, the Chadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission provided evidence indicating he had carried out some 40,000 political murders. He fled to Senegal, and for more than 21 years, the country has dragged its feet on bringing him to justice.
He is seen as a test case for whether Africa can finally try one of its own. All other leaders accused of abuse that have faced proceedings, including ex-Liberian warlord Charles Taylor and former Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo, have done so at the aegis of international tribunals, like the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
In Chad, the head of an association of victims under Habre's regime, Clement Abaifouta, said he is anxiously awaiting the trial and feels that he cannot resume his life until the man that he accuses of torturing him is behind bars.
Abaifouta was a student during Habre's reign. He had just won a scholarship to study medicine in Slovakia and was getting ready to leave for the airport, when security forces broke into his house and arrested him. An uncle living abroad had criticized Chad's regime, and Abaifouta said they came for him since they could not arrest his relative.
Abaifouta said he was thrown into jail, and they beat him every day. When his meals were served, guards mixed sand into his food, to make it impossible for him to eat. He was incarcerated for four years.
"I am waiting for one thing only, that he (Habre) be condemned so that I can find my life force again," said Abaifouta. "My life and my future was completely destroyed."


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Foreboding Joy from Edogenous Series, 2010-2012rr
Foreboding Joy from Edogenous Series, 2010-2012rr, a photo by Chase Alias :)(: on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
Be vulnerable like a child foreboding joy. -Chase Alias
#chasealias #immersionism #endogenous
Will Someone please tell me exactly what is so controversial about a Method Actor/Conceptual Artist creating an artwork to promote HIV awareness? Particularly to his own community. My goodness how backwards has our society become?
So this is Christmas, huh. Another year over and a new one about to begin. "What year is it anyway?" Robert thinks to himself. The last few years have all just sorts blurred themselves together in his mind. Bouncing around from house to house and state to state. Going where the cool wond Takes him. Ya dig! In one of Roberts rare moments of clarity he remembers to take his Atripla. "I hope these work this time" he says. He sure is happy with his gay doctor who understands him and his current lifestyle enough to give him the HIV drug prophylactically. Cuz the last few nights have been so unforgettable they remain a blur. With all of these guys throwing around all of these letters, T, C, G and D and no one stopping for a moment to even ask if he's poz. Let alone put on a condom. Condoms in this world are the taboo. What a word, what a christmas. Oh well, thinks robert, here's to a happy New Year.
David S Pollack aka Chase Alias hopes to bring to light with his new Endogenous Series how backwards moving our cultural standards have become. As an Immersionist he look back in envy at the freedoms which artists used to be able to express themselves without having to worry about cultural and even legal action being taken against them.
Immersionism is a young art movement which combines Lewittian Conceptualism with Method Acting practices and principles. Stanislavsky and Strasberg Acting Methods which utilize sense memory and affective memory are an Immersionist's base. Lewittian Conceptualism adheres to the ideal that the medium is not the message, the idea becomes a machine that makes the art.
This is a role being played by Chase Alias an actor. But for way too many young gay men out in the world, lost and alone, they play this role every day. Lets keep our wits about us when we go to blow our minds.


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Peter Beinart and 'Zionist BDS'
by: Ralph Seliger on July 23rd, 2012 | 5 Comments »
Rabbi Michael Lerner's May 3rd interview with City University of New York journalism professor Peter Beinart was a polite and illuminating exchange of views. It was especially interesting to see the contrast between Rabbi Lerner's ethical radicalism and Prof. Beinart's pragmatic liberalism. They disagree on some particulars, but obviously are in agreement in fundamental ways. For example, both agree on a targeted boycott strategy (what Beinart calls "Zionist BDS") against Israel's expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
Prof. Beinart's new book, The Crisis of Zionism, is mostly quite good, but I fear that he–along with a majority of our dovish pro-Israel camp–may understate the extent to which episodes of Palestinian violence (e.g., Hamas and Islamic Jihad attacks during the 1990s, the frightful toll on Israelis of the Second Intifada, and the intermittent rocket and other attacks from Gaza following Israel's unilateral withdrawal in 2005) have undermined the trust of a majority of Israelis in the utility of peacemaking–even as Israel's counter-measures have further alienated many Palestinians from faith in a negotiated peace.
Still, his depiction of the failures at Camp David in 2000, the pernicious and inexorable advances of the settlement movement and the ways in which Prime Minister Netanyahu resists a deal that would require a major curtailment of settlements, humbling Pres. Obama in the process—all seem spot on. Since a deal has especially been possible after Abbas replaced Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League has been offering a regional peace since 2002, this is all very sad and maddening.
I share Beinart's concern for Israel's future if a two-state agreement is not reached soon. This is not because I think a one-state solution is a viable alternative, but because I think it is not. One state, whether as an ongoing status quo of occupation, with Israel ruling indefinitely over several million non-Israeli Arabs, or if a unified one-person/one-vote regime is imposed in all of Israel and the Palestinian territories, would mean either Jews or Arabs ruling the roost over the other. In the long run, and we don't know if this means ten years or 50 or more, it is the Arabs who will likely win out, but at a terrible cost.
One would not have expected this line of thought from the editor of The New Republic magazine from 1999 to 2006, known as unwavering in its support for Israeli policies under his then-boss, Marty Peretz, the former publisher and editor-in-chief of TNR. He has sharply turned away from his and TNR's support for the Iraq war in 2003, but it's unclear to me if he has also strayed from the internationalist-liberal hawkishness that defined his first book, The Good Fight: Why Liberals – and Only Liberals – Can Win the War on Terror and Make America Great Again. According to Wikipedia, this book attempted a difficult synthesis (a project I sympathize with, by the way, even as I wince at that overweening book title):
… Beinart argued that, paradoxically, the only way for America to distinguish itself from the predatory imperial powers of the past is to acknowledge our own capacity for evil. Acknowledging our own moral fallibility, Beinart argued, would lead America to embed its power within structures of domestic and international law. This, Beinart argues, was the great accomplishment of early cold war liberals like Hubert Humphrey, Walter Reuther and Harry Truman. The Bush administration, by contrast, carried on the tradition of right-wing anti-totalitarianism – exemplified by cold war intellectuals like James Burnham – which warned that recognizing America's fallibility would lead to crippling self-doubt.
I apparently would find much to agree within his second book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, HarperCollins, 2010, as depicted in this same Wikipedia article:
… according to George Packer in The New Yorker.., [Beinart] "look[ed] back at the past hundred years of U.S. foreign policy in the baleful light of recent events [and found] the ground littered with … the remnants of large ideas and unearned confidence [as demonstrable in] a study of three needless wars", the First World War, Vietnam, and Iraq. … WWI, Vietnam and Iraq were presented as each "based on an oversimplifying ism – Progressivism, liberal anti-Communism, and neoconservativism – and … respectively, the hubris of reason, the hubris of toughness, and the hubris of dominance."
Beinart's view of the closed-minded rigidity of most Jewish community organizations on the one hand and the growing embarrassment and alienation of liberal American Jews regarding Israel on the other, also seems correct. Yet I find his suggestion that public education authorities subsidize general academic subjects in Jewish day schools, so that new generations can afford having a good Jewish education outside of a right-wing Orthodox environment, a non-starter (and off-topic).
I fully understand the logic of his proposal for a "Zionist BDS" to engage in an economic boycott of West Bank settlements in order to emphasize the illegitimacy of the settlement enterprise and to blunt the fundamentally anti-Israel intent of the leadership of the international BDS movement. I see this as making a moral statement and helping to define the issues, rather than a practical way to break the logjam.
I agree on the need to emphasize the legitimacy of Israel within the Green Line, even taking into account Israel's imperfections, and similarly take issue with the international BDS movement for its semi-hidden agenda to undermine Israel as a majority Jewish state. Aside from this, Israel's unequal treatment of its Arab citizens does not rise to the level of legislated segregation and disenfranchisement that was true in South Africa; primarily, this inequality is in the underfunding of Israel's Arab towns and villages and in not insuring Arab citizens equal access to housing and jobs. But apartheid is uncomfortably closer to the truth in the West Bank, where Arabs have no citizenship rights and are systematically denied equal rights and protection under the law.
Yet Israel is nowhere nearly as vulnerable to an international boycott as apartheid South Africa was; for one thing, unlike South African whites, Israeli Jews are not a small minority in their own country. For another, most Israelis (and Israel's American supporters) dig in their heels when they feel under attack. Any kind of boycott action, including "Zionist BDS" that only targets West Bank settlements, tends to get lumped together as anti-Israel.
And I'm not just speaking of right-wingers. Hence, there's the bristling reaction to his book that we see even among some liberal-ish writers and editors, as discussed in a long, insightful article in New York magazine. But I think it's really only right-wingers who have questioned Beinart's loyalty and passion as a Jew. (He happens to attend an Orthodox shul and to send his children to a Conservative Jewish day school.)
I know from my own experience that you have to have a thick skin. It's not easy going against the grain and being an iconoclast. But it's the right thing to do–and not just for moral reasons–but to promote a pathway for a more secure and better future for Israel and for ourselves as Jews in the Diaspora.


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President's Corner
Greeting from President Lallene J. Rector
The Garrett-Evangelical community is currently celebrating over 165 years of providing excellent theological education for exceptional students. We are a United Methodist seminary with ecumenical commitments. More than four hundred students representing nearly forty different denominational groups are enrolled each year. The residential campus in Evanston is at the geographical center of Northwestern University. Each year scores of students also take courses in one of many online or hybrid educational formats. The seminary is committed to preparing bold leaders for the church, the academy and the world. Our purpose statement is "to know God in Christ and, through preparing spiritual leaders, to help others know God in Christ."
As you explore the information available on this website about our school, you will discover a first-rate faculty who are committed to the rigors of academic scholarship. We have nine graduate degree programs at the master's and doctoral levels. Our faculty offer more than excellence in teaching and research - they are also persons who value the church and work to ensure that courageous and talented persons are made ready for ministry in both congregational and non-congregational settings. We hold to the Wesleyan vision of personal and social transformation, so that in every aspect of life, God's intentions and activity can be made known to the world.
Garrett-Evangelical has one of the most diverse student bodies and faculties in theological education in North America. If you sit in our classrooms or join us for a meal in the dining hall, you will be enriched by the conversation with persons from a wide range of cultural, language, and theological backgrounds. Amid this remarkable diversity, we almost daily discover new gifts of community expressed in concrete acts of mutual care and shared responsibility. Or you can take time to worship and pray in the Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful, where chapel is held three times a week. Our small Howes Chapel and the prayer garden are designed as places of reflection and solitude.
Garrett-Evangelical is truly a world-class place for those preparing to be pastors, deacons, chaplains, educators, scholars, counselors, musicians and more. Come and see – and we believe you will recognize how good it is to be a part of this community. You will be stimulated and challenged - intellectually, spiritually and vocationally - by study at this fine school. Our Styberg Library is one of the ten largest theological libraries in North America.
We are in Chicago—a center for music, theater, art, and just enjoying an amazing and globally diverse urban setting. Garrett-Evangelical is one of several theological institutions in this area, and our students can cross-enroll in classes at ten other seminaries in the region.
If you want to know more, just send me an email at email@example.com. I will help you get started in learning to know this exceptional theological school.
Again, welcome!
Dr. Lallene J. Rector, President
Associate Professor of Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Psychotherapy


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Affeldt to test groin strain off mound soon
Infielder Abreu takes break from rehab assignment for exam of injury
SAN FRANCISCO -- Manager Bruce Bochy said Monday that left-hander Jeremy Affeldt might try throwing off a bullpen mound in two or three days, which would reflect progress in the reliever's recovery from a strained left groin muscle.
Affeldt, who last pitched July 20, is currently able to play catch at a 90-foot distance.
"I don't know if I'm strong yet, but the ball's coming out really well," Affeldt said.
Infielder Tony Abreu, who had been on a Minor League injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Fresno, returned to AT&T Park to have a groin injury examined, Bochy said. Abreu, who hasn't played since Saturday, is batting .455 (5-for-11) on his rehab stint.
Bochy had no update on center fielder Angel Pagan, who's recovering from left hamstring surgery and remains expected to advance from the Rookie-level Arizona League to Fresno later this week.


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Yes, it's time to celebrate. We're in a historic bull market. GOP conservatives keep fighting the wrong war, against the Obama economy. Meanwhile, the Obama bull market keeps roaring ahead!. And the long term looks even better: Bullish pundits predict stocks will continue climbing into the 2016 presidential election.
Folks, this stock market has been roaring since March 2009 when the DJIA bottomed at 6,547, a painful 53.9% drop from the October 2007 high of 14,164 during the Wall Street bank credit crash in Bush's last year as president. The S&P 500 also bottomed, at 676, a 56.6% drop.
However, since March 2009 the stock market has been steadily climbing. Over five years. And the DJIA's made a remarkable recovery, to just under its next big milestone, 17,000. While the S&P500 is nearing 2,000, headed up. Yes, market gains over 250% ... and still climbing!
So what can we expect from the stock market by 2016 and the election of the next American president? More! Fabulous 250% gains so far. And bigger gains possible coming in the next couple years till we elect a new president. Maybe over 300%. Gains likely to favor a Democrat.
Get it? GOP conservatives may have been successful in slowing America's economic recovery. But the stock market is actually getting surprisingly stronger from this political war. With every Obama progressive move — Obamacare, ERA regulations, equal pay for women, gay rights, minimum wages, stem-cell research, immigration, Osama bin Laden, deficit cuts and so much more — GOP conservatives and the tea party learn little, only hear enough for another attack on Obama, offer no solutions, just opposition.
But the bull market keeps roaring and roaring. Get it? As the war against all-things-Obama accelerates, as the economic recovery slows, as the GOP fights infrastructure funding, as they fail to pass jobs stimulus programs ... the stock market gets stronger, roars bullishly ahead.
And the Great Obama Bull Market will help Democrats in 2016
No matter how self-destructive conservative opposition gets, demographic trends are also rapidly diminishing the power of the party of "angry white men," as GOP Sen. Lindsay Graham calls it, further fragmenting his party, spotlighting the lack of a strong presidential candidate, and, paradoxically, increasing the prospects of a Hillary Clinton election.
But still, in spite of the intense ideological war, if all the experts predictions are on target with another 30% in the Dow and the S&P500 rising to 2,250, Wall Street and Main Street investors could see a remarkable 300%-plus gain by the next presidential election.
Check out these predictions: "Expect a 30% gain before the bull market ends," is the headline prediction of Decision Economics CEO Allen Sinai in Bottomline Personal. He sees 18,500 on the Dow in 2014. And ahead we don't even "need a robust 4%-to-5% GDP to keep the bull market going," echoing the bullish forecasts of other forecasters, like Nouriel Roubini and Merrill Lynch strategist Michael Hartnett who also see a roaring bull till 2017.
And in "Best Guesses for the Next Two Years," one of America's more accurate market forecasters, Jeremy Grantham, strategist and founder of the $117 billion GMO money team writes: "This year should continue to be difficult." But after October "the market is likely to be strong, especially through April and by then or in the following 18 months up to the next election (or, horrible possibility, even longer) will have rallied past 2,250, perhaps by a decent margin."
Yes, America's headed for a historic 7-year bull by the 2016 elections
Grantham's wrap-up: "then around the election or soon after, the market bubble will burst, as bubbles always do, and will revert to its trend value, around half of its peak or worse, depending on what new ammunition the Fed can dig up." Yes, Grantham is predicting a possible market collapse from a seven-year long bull market. Meanwhile, enjoy a couple more great years, and protect yourself for later.
Grantham admits a black swan could stop the bull early. But his bottom line is clear: The bull "will not end for at least a year or two and probably not before it reaches a level in excess of 2,250 on the S&P 500." But while it will "end badly ... given this regime of the Federal Reserve and given the levels of excess at other market peaks, I think it would be difficult to end this bull market just yet." So the bull will just keep roaring to more records.
OK, so maybe you don't believe him, it does sound too good to be true. Well, run the numbers yourself. The fact is, this bull market did start at 6,547, in the doldrums of the 2009 recession. And it's predicted to just keep roaring, even adding another 30% on top of the current near-record DJIA pushing 17,000. And assuming no black swans, that could put the benchmark DJIA roaring all the way up around 22,000 by the time we vote on a new president in November 2016. Yes, let's all celebrate.
Yes, folks, you are seeing a rare historical event, two bulls back-to-back, end-on-end with no real bear market in between. Yes, rare, over the past century, says IBD Publisher Bill O'Neil in his classic, "How to Make Money in Stocks," the average bull cycle runs up for an average of 3.75 years, then falls into a bear for an average nine months.
Today Wall Street stocks are climbing a wall of worry. A similar event happened in the 2002-2008 bull run. P/E ratios were so high in 2004 Wall Street panicked. The market ignored it, barely paused on its six-year bull run till its 14,164 peak in late 2007.
This time, there's also no real bear break between two bull runs. The Great Obama Bull Market took off in early 2009 and just keeps roaring. We reported on how Gross, Roubini and many gurus apparently thought the IBD/O'Neil data meant the market was headed down in 2013. But like 2004, it didn't drop. Now, both the market and economy could just keep roaring till the 2016 presidential elections. That's over seven years with a potential bull gain of 300%-plus.
Yes, the Great Obama Bull Market would be one for the history books
So, yes, in spite of the relentless GOP opposition, the attacks, legislative gridlock, economic headwinds, and global macroeconomic land mines put in his path, in spite of the ever-possible, unpredictable black swan, the Great Obama Seven-Year Bull Market, as financial history books will likely call it, may just keep thriving, overcoming obstacles, and roaring ahead predictably, hopefully till the next presidential election on November 3, 2016.
And that label will stick no matter who gets elected the next president: From the Democrats corner, the current frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, whose "Hard Choices" book tour has launched her campaign, who is clear choice of the majority of American women who believe it's time for a woman president, and whose resolve now has the added incentive of the conservative Hobby Lobby attack on women's reproductive rights.
Bottom line: the legacy of this long bull run would also be locked in financial history even if a Republican becomes president — whether a loyalist like Jeb Bush, Chris Christie or Mitt Romney again. Even if the tea party takes over the GOP and nominate a favorite like Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio or Rand Paul and they defeat Hillary Clinton. No matter how much conservatives will forever hate to admit it, if the Great Obama Bull Market keeps roaring till 2016, it deserves a chapter in the history books.
Celebrate the birth of our great nation ... a bull run till 2016 ... the Dow roaring to 22,000!


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I put it off for long enough and today, my friends, I finally moved.
After blogging in this space for over 10 years, I have packed up shop: you can find me at somidwestern.com.
Don't let the sparkly new domain name confuse you. I will be writing the same convoluted nonsense that I have been polluting the internet with for the last decade.
So classy, so consistent, So Midwestern.


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Lawn watering and sprinkling with water supplied by the Village water system is permitted seven days a week with the following exceptions. Between May 15th and September 15th of each year, sprinkling and watering of lawns shall be permitted for properties with ODD number postal addresses on ODD numbered calendar days, and at properties with EVEN numbered postal addresses on EVEN numbered calendar days.
Lawn watering and sprinkling with water supplied by the Village water system is permitted between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. and 11:00 P.M. irrespective of the time of the year.
Lake Michigan is next door, why can't I water my lawn?
Chicagoland communities have limits on the amount of water available to them. The Village of New Lenox's, as well as the other communities, regulations are a necessary part of managing the water we receive.
I've seen other people watering during restricted times, why is that?
Some individuals are not aware of the regulations, others decide not to follow them. Those who are aware but do not follow them are subject to fines up to $750 per infraction. To report a concern about water misuses call the Public Works Department at 815-215-4800 or drop us a note at: Report a Concern
Why is the time restrictions 7 am-11am and 7 pm-11pm?
These times are during periods of the day with limited sun exposure, minimizing the water lost to evaporation.
(2) The number of permits to be issued for the watering of new lawns will be limited to 25 for any 15 day period.
(3) A permit fee of $15.00 shall be paid at the time of the issuance of the permit to cover the cost of permit administration.
(4) Permits for watering of new sod or seed will only be issued for new lawns or for restoration of areas meeting or exceeding 25% of the gross area of the existing lawn.
(5) All permits issued must adhere to any EMERGENCY WATERING RESTRICTIONS that may be imposed should drought conditions or water supply emergencies occur, without refunds.
(6) 1 permit allowed per household per year.
The Village of New Lenox purchases Lake Michigan Water from the Village of Oak Lawn. Should drought conditions or other water supply emergencies occur, the Village of Oak Lawn may notify the Village of New Lenox to impose EMERGENCY RESTRICTIONS. Should this be necessary, we ask that residents cooperate in seeing that we have enough water for FIRE PROTECTION, domestic, and other necessary uses. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Village Office at (815) 215-4800 EMERGENCY RESTRICTIONS
Under emergency circumstances or extended drought conditions, water usage may be restricted as defined below:
Tier 1 (conservation emergency):
Sprinkling or irrigation of lawns or gardens shall be permitted only on an odd/ even basis between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. (evening watering is not allowed under this restriction)
Tier II (total ban):
Sprinkling or irrigation of lawns or gardens (manually or by an automatic lawn sprinkler or irrigation system) is prohibited.
Per Village Code, Section 94-141 (c), if a user feels that a significant amount of metered water does not reach the sanitary sewer, the user may request from the Village an additional meter (deduct meter) to be installed to calculate the volume of water not discharged to the sanitary sewer. The user may purchase a deduct meter in person at the New Lenox village Hall. The user is responsible for all cost subject to such meter and installation. The meter installation shall be inspected and sealed by the plumbing inspector or Village representative before the meter is put into service. The user shall make all arrangements necessary for the final inspection.
Click here for additional information on Deduct Meters
Additional information about lawn care and maintenance can be found at the University of Illinois Extension web site www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lawntalk.


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Severus Snape, FTW!
Though he was often described in the "Harry Potter" series as "greasy haired," with "billowing robes" the Potions Master was voted the greatest character in the "Harry Potter" series, according to a new MTV poll.
Bellatrix Lestrange, played by Helena Bonham Carter, was named favorite villain in a separate poll, even over Harry's blonde-haired nemesis Draco Malfoy. Voldemort wasn't even a contender.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
(Spoilers below!)
Snape, who is brought to life by Alan Rickman, had a deceptive and serpentine plotline. Though he's always disliked Harry, we find at the 11th hour that he's protected him throughout the years out of solidarity and love to Harry's mother (read the books—we promise, they're fantastic).
In a NextMovie.com readers' poll, more than 36,000 voters said the death of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was the most unforgettable moment in the series.
As for a magical device mere Muggles wished existed in real life? It wasn't the Put-Outer, and it wasn't the Firebolt. The most popular item, according to the NextMovie.com poll was Hermione's time turner from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
Other heavy rankers? Fans said Neville Longbottom, the forgetful friend of Harry, should get his own spin-off movie or book, followed closely by the Quibbler-reading Luna Lovegood.
Fans also weighed in on the main actor's future careers in Hollywood, and who might be most successful. Voters said Rupert Grint (Ron Weasly) won by 43%, followed by Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) at 22%, and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) trailing behind at 17%.


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Are you interested in donating your
time and talents to Mount Hope Farm? We'd love to have you! Check out
some of the opportunities below and send us an email to firstname.lastname@example.com and please fill out and attach the Volunteer Form or fill out and email the form to us.
Give tours of the Farm, community out-reach, Farmer's Market Welcome Table and other duties as required.
Requirements: Friendly, helpful, articulate, likes to dress for the occasion
Plant, weed, water, deadhead plants, trim and anything else required keeping grounds manicured.
Requirements: Can distinguish a weed from a plant, willingness to work hard, able to work independently.
Painting, caulking windows assist with larger projects and other small repairs.
Requirements: Must have experience using small power tools; able to work independently.
Greet & register guests, direct guests to facilities; parking
attendants, help set up tables etc. and clean up at end of the event;
other duties as required by event.
Requirements: Friendly, articulate, thorough, able to follow through with assignments.
Farm Assistants:
Assist with cleaning animal pens and other assorted grounds work.
Requirements: Friendly; can distinguish a weed from a plant,
willingness to work hard, doesn't mind getting hands dirty; able to
follow through with assignments.


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Improving Education in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities
Educators host conference to examine critical issues and brainstorm solutions
RALEIGH, N.C. - June 07, 2008 -How do you overcome the obstacles that impede quality education for American Indians and Alaska Natives? Educators put their heads together to discuss challenges and potential solutions during the National Education Association's American Indian/Alaska Native Issues Conference.
"There is no question that we have failed as a nation to ensure that the first Americans have an opportunity to share in the American dream," said Reg Weaver, president of NEA. "Children who live in large cities, on reservations and in isolated rural areas have just as much right to a quality education as those who live in affluent suburbs. But there is a deep divide in public education, and it is a divide that threatens our nation."
The American Indian/Alaska Native Issues Conference offered educators a chance to explore ways to improve education in the AIAN community and preserve their rich heritage and culture. The event featured experts and representatives from North Carolina's eight tribes. The group tackled topics like the importance of parental involvement, health issues and dropout rates among American Indian/Alaska Native students. The graduation rate for AIAN students is about 50 percent. NEA has developed a 12-point plan to address the dropout crisis.
Studies show that cultural disconnect is part of the reason for the achievement gap between American Indian/Alaska Native and White students. Weaver stressed the importance of ensuring that educators are culturally competent.
"We need to do a better job of helping students rediscover and reclaim their rich culture," Weaver added. "And we must find ways to weave those stories into their classroom instruction, every single day. We must help our members understand the cultural background of students, and find better ways to engage them."
"Every July, NEA members come together for the NEA Representative Assembly to decide the goals of our organization," said JoAnn Harvey, chair of NEA's American Indian/Alaska Native Caucus. "We set policies to better public education for all students. I am hopeful this conference will spark ideas that will lead to strategies members can adopt to continue to press for quality education for American Indian/Alaska Native children."
The North Carolina event marked the sixth year for the annual American Indian/Alaska Native Issues Conference.
For more information on NEA's dropout prevention initiatives and efforts in the AIAN community: www.nea.org/dropout/index.html and www.nea.org/mco/amerindians.html.
# # #The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.
CONTACT: Ramona Parks-Kirby (202) 822-7823


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Events Calendar
8pmSquirrel Nut ZippersPerforming Arts Fear not Zipsters. The Squirrel Nut Zippers Holiday Caravan Tour will return for the third consecutive year this winter.
7-8:30pmMid Shore Band Holiday ConcertPerforming Arts Hear local musicians spread a little cheer through a mix of well-known and lesser-known holiday tunes.
7-8:30pmWilde Reading Series - DecemberPerforming Arts, Visual Arts, Literary Arts This free literary reading features local poets and authors, as well as an open mic for interested audience members. Free of charge, no registration...
Monthly events occurring on this date
Lights on the Bay5-10pmVisual Arts, Nature & Outdoor, Ongoing Drive through 2mile festive light display at Sandy Point State Park. The festival highlights Annapolis and Eastern Shore Culture. Purchase your 3-D glasses upon admission to make the already magical...City: Annapolis
Miracle on 34th StreetVisual Arts, Miscellaneous Inflatable snowglobes, musical trains and blinking angels adorn homes. A few even allow visitors to peek inside. Lights are on every night from Thanksgiving weekend to January 1, including Christmas...City: Baltimore
Festival of TreesVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, History & Heritage Experience the historic 1820 residence transformed for the season with twinkling lights, wreaths and trees decorated by local individuals, businesses and nonprofits. Vote for your favorite. Closed...City: Frederick
Annmarie Garden In LightsVisual Arts, Nature & Outdoor Take a magical tour through the glittering woods. As you stroll, you will be transported to a fantastical place of spectacular lights & amazing "light sculptures." Enjoy music, cafe & ornament show.City: Solomons
Victorian Christmas in BerlinFairs & Festivals Berlin, "The coolest small town in America," celebrates the holidays with a traditional Christmas tree lighting kick-off, caroling, a parade, art stroll carriage rides and a New Year's Eve ball drop...City: Berlin
A Great Small Town ChristmasFairs & Festivals, Nature & Outdoor, Miscellaneous The town of Oakland celebrates the holidays with a tree lighting ceremony, sleigh rides, treats from Santa, music, dining specials and great shopping with handcrafted and curated gifts.City: Oakland
Artists In Action - Cecil County Arts CouncilVisual Arts The Cecil County Arts Council invites you to bring your supplies and set up in the gallery on Wednesdays. Work alongside other artists in an open studio setting.City: Elkton
2nd Saturday Contra Dance8-11pmPerforming Arts, Multicultural, Ongoing, Miscellaneous Baltimore Folk Music Society presents Contras & Squares. You don't need a partner. Attend a workshop at 7:30pm. The Dance is from 8-11pm with a short break.City: Baltimore
Open Mic Night at the Garfield Center for the Arts7:30-10pmPerforming Arts Play music on your own or with a band, read some poetry, do a stand-up routine. The options are limitless. E-mail Ford Schumann at email@example.com to sign up, or for more information. Free to attend...City: Chestertown
Lunchlines Poetry GroupPerforming Arts, Literary Arts The "Lunchlines" poetry group, meets every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month. Stop by to listen or join the fun. Bring your lunch and enjoy the merry, often comical, clever wordsmiths.City: Rising Sun
Spencer Finch - Moon Dust10am-5pmVisual Arts Spencer Finch's impressive light installation Moon Dust (Apollo 17), first presented at the 2009 Venice Biennale, will illuminate the BMA's majestic Fox Court for the next seven years.City: Baltimore
Laugh Riot at Positano Live Standup Comedy Saturdays7-10pmPerforming Arts, Food & Drink, Ongoing Live Standup Comedy Show on Saturday Nights in Bethesda featuring local Maryland standup comedians. Check website for more information.City: Bethesda
Christmas on the Potomac Featuring ICE!Visual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, Miscellaneous Must-see holiday attraction, ICE! features Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Marvel at more than 2 million holiday lights, acres of decorations and holiday activities that will get you in...City: National Harbor
Holiday Tours at Montpelier11am-4pmVisual Arts, History & Heritage See Montpelier dressed up for the holidays on these self-guided tours. Local community groups deck the halls and rooms.City: Laurel
The Maryland Corn MazeVaries depending on dayFairs & Festivals, Food & Drink, Nature & Outdoor Get lost in an eight acre Corn Maze then stay...City: Gambrills
Monday Night English Country Dance8-10:30pmPerforming Arts, Multicultural, Ongoing English Country Dancing is joyous, lively movement to elegant music in a friendly, informal setting. The figures are simple, and each dance is taught and walked through. New dancers are always...City: Baltimore
The Nutcracker presented by Ballet Theatre of Maryland - Maryland HallVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts The Ballet Theatre of Maryland presents The Nutcracker. Discover the possibility of dreams and the magic of Christmas.City: Annapolis
Garden of Lights at Brookside GardensNature & Outdoor, Miscellaneous Step into a magical winter wonderland illuminated with more than one million dazzling colorful lights shaped into hand-crafted, original art forms of flowers, animals and other natural elements. G-...City: Wheaton
A Christmas Carol at Chesapeake Shakespeare CompanyVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts The classical holiday story told with a Baltimore twist! Ebenezer Scrooge lives in Victorian Baltimore in our one-of-a-kind adaptation of the classic ghost story. City: Baltimore
Annual Community Art Show: The Best Local Art of the YearVisual Arts, Ongoing, Miscellaneous Art Exhibit: Annual Community Art Show: The Best Local Art of 2019 December 5 - January 7. Opening Reception: Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 5-7pm. Artist Talk: TBA Please use the A...City: Hagerstown
Holiday Candlelight Stroll - Annapolis7-8:30pmHistory & Heritage, Nature & Outdoor Stroll through Annapolis alongside a colonial guide and learn about holiday traditions. Includes tour inside the historic Hammond Harwood House for additional seasonal spirit. Departs Info Booth at...City: Annapolis
Lights on the Bay - Sandy Point State ParkVisual Arts, Nature & Outdoor, Miscellaneous Don't miss this spectacular drive-through holiday lights show beside the Chesapeake Bay. The event features dozens of animated...City: Annapolis
Annual Community Art Show: The Best Local Art of 2019Varies depending on dayVisual Arts, Ongoing, Miscellaneous Juried Community Exhibit w/cash prizes! December 5, 2019 through January 7, 2020. Opening Reception: Thursday, 12/5 5-7pm. Gallery hours: Tuesdays - Fridays, 11am-5pm & Saturdays 10am-4pm.City: Hagerstown
By Their Creative Force: American Women Modernists10am-5pmVisual Arts, Celebrating Women Acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of women artists to the development of American modernism, this exhibition features approximately 20 works from the BMA's collection. Check schedule...City: Baltimore
Chestertown Second SaturdayVaries depending on dayFairs & Festivals Live music, amazing food and drink, and fun for everyone. Join us in downtown Chestertown for Second Saturdays, sponsored by Bad Alfred's Distilling. This event is held rain or shine. Guests of all...City: Chestertown
Countryside Artisans Holiday Gallery & Studio Tour10am-5pmVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, History & Heritage Holiday shopping in the countryside means you can discover meaningful gifts of local, original, high-quality art and fine crafts on the Countryside Artisans' Holiday Gallery...City: Beallsville
David Brosch: Recent Work by a Printmaker10am-5pmVisual Arts David Brosch has focused most of his artistic efforts in the last few years producing monochromatic and full-color etchings and linocuts. This show will include limited edition hand-pulled prints.City: Laurel
December Saturdays in Downtown Frederick5-9pmVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, Food & Drink December Saturdays mean all day activities, holiday lights, late-night shopping and dining, and a free trolley to guide your way. During each of the first three Saturdays in December, celebrate the...City: Frederick
Every Day: Selections from the Collection10am-5pmVisual Arts, Multicultural Every Day: Selections from the Collection is the BMA's first reinstallation of its contemporary collection centered on black artistic imagination. Nearly 50 works of painting, sculpture, video,...City: Baltimore
Exhibition: On Land and On Sea: A Century of Women in the Rosenfeld CollectionVisual Arts, Celebrating Women, History & Heritage The exhibition features the work of Morris and Stanley Rosenfeld who created the world's largest and most significant collection of maritime photography with more than one million images that are...City: St. Michaels
Generations: A History of Black Abstract Art10am-5pmVisual Arts, Multicultural The exhibition offers a sweeping new perspective on the contributions black artists have made to the evolution of visual art from the 1940s to the present moment.City: Baltimore
Hometown Girl: Contemporary Quilts of Mimi DietrichVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, Celebrating Women, History & Heritage This exhibition features one-of-a-kind appliqué quilts created by Baltimore-native Mimi Dietrich. The exhibition is on view through March 2020. The MdHS museum is open Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm,...City: Baltimore
Mickalene Thomas: A Moment's Pleasure10am-5pmVisual Arts, Celebrating Women The BMA's commission is the artist's most ambitious project to date, completely transforming the museum's two-floor East Lobby and second-floor terrace into a living room for Baltimore.City: Baltimore
Prince George's County Juried Exhibition: Reflections of Self10am-5pmVisual Arts Throughout time, artists have been skilled practitioners of self-reflection and introspection. This year's county-juried exhibition highlights the variety of ideas that artists use to create...City: Laurel
Reflections: A Brief History of Looking at OurselvesVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, History & Heritage "Reflections: A Brief History of Looking at Ourselves" is a new photography exhibition exploring themes of identity and place that are at the cornerstone of human experience and widely examined in...City: Baltimore
Spectrum of Fashion: Celebrating Maryland's StyleVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, History & Heritage This is a visually stunning installation highlighting the extraordinary breadth of the Maryland Historical Society's costume collection across four centuries featuring nearly 100 examples of women's...City: Baltimore
Times of Perception ExhibitionVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, Multicultural A multimedia exhibition that reflects on the experience of Japanese internment, the Muslim Ban, and the treatment of Muslims after the War on Terror.City: Owings Mills
Tinam Valk10am-5pmVisual Arts With subdued colors and layers of texture, Tinam Valk explores land and seascapes. The mixed media paintings depict ambivalent situations that take the viewer on an emotional journey.City: Laurel
Walkersville Southern Railroad Santa Train First ClassVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts, Food & Drink, History & Heritage Ride the train with Santa in our First Class Dining Car. Four people/ table/$100 per table. Have your camera ready as Santa visits everyone. Enjoy hot chocolate and Uncle Ralph's cookies upon...City: Walkersville
Walkersville Southern Railroad Santa Train Regular Excursion11am-12:30pm, 1-2:30pm, 3-4:30pmPerforming Arts, Food & Drink, History & Heritage Ride the train with Santa and have your camera ready. Santa will visit with each family. Choose to ride in open car, closed car, or the caboose. ASL Santa on 11/30,12/1, 12/15, 12/21, and 12/22.City: Walkersville
Seeing the Invisible: INFRARED Photography Exhibition - Walter CalahanVaries depending on dayVisual Arts Stevenson University is proud to feature the infrared photography of Walter Calahan, Art...City: Stevenson
Annmarie Ornament Show & SaleVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, Miscellaneous Looking for a unique gift made with love? The Annmarie Ornament Show...City: Solomons
A Stitch to Wear: Wearable Art Competition & Exhibition11am-5pmVisual Arts This juried competition will focus on art as attire, and will include anything that can be worn, including jewelry.City: Cumberland
Sailing Through Winter SolsticeVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, Ongoing Visit 18 unique lighted boats sailing on Carroll Creek Linear Park. It is a joyous display and it is all for local charities. Dusk 'til dawn.City: Frederick
The Best Christmas Pageant EverVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won't...City: Annapolis
Art For the Holidays Artists' Gallery All Member ShowVaries depending on dayVisual Arts "Art For the Holidays," Artists' Gallery's all member show, features over 25 artists working in a varied of mediums. The show runs November 5 through January 12. A free reception will be held...City: Ellicott City
Artists in Fiction3pm, 7pmVisual Arts, Literary Arts Explore the fictions of your favorite artists, turning the pages of both popular and lesser-known novels, then join fellow readers and art enthusiasts one Wednesday a month to discuss forgotten...City: North Bethesda
Creative Writing Workshops Strathmore Mansion7pmPerforming Arts Bring a pen, a notebook, and an open mind! Whether you're just starting out or have been writing for years, you are welcome; no experience is required.City: North Bethesda
Metropolitan Ballet Theatre's Annual Production of The NutcrackerVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts Metropolitan Ballet Theatre's 31st Annual Production of The Nutcracker.City: Rockville
The Nutcracker Suite - Metropolitan Ballet Theatre10-10:45amPerforming Arts MBT's The Nutcracker Suite, a shorter-length version of the classic holiday balletCity: Rockville
Family Workshop: Create Buttermold Ornaments11am-2pmVisual Arts, History & Heritage Create an heirloom salt dough ornament for your home this holiday season! Using acrylic paint and some of our collection of antique buttermolds, you'll make your own German masterpiece.City: Hagerstown
New Media: Poetry in MotionVaries depending on dayVisual Arts An exhibit that transforms the gallery into a screening room to showcase recent video works by Vin Grabill, Brandon Morse, and Joon Sung. These artists experiment with time-based media to create...City: Ellicott City
A Christmas Carol, the MusicalVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts 2nd Star Productions in Bowie, MD presents this holiday classic, reimagined by Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens.City: Bowie
Winter Festival of Lights - Watkins Regional ParkFairs & Festivals, Miscellaneous Enjoy the spectacular drive-through holiday light show with more than a million twinkling lights. This year's festival features fun new displays. Don't miss the giant, 54-foot LED musical tree!City: Upper Marlboro
Winter LightsVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, Nature & Outdoor The 3.5 mile drive through the enchanted setting of Seneca Creek State Park takes you past more than 380 illuminated displays and 65 animated vignettes that light up the night. 23rd spectacular...City: Gaithersburg
Festival of Trains with Queen Anne's Railroad Society12N-5pmVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, History & Heritage See 10,000 square feet of fantastic model train displays. Enjoy complimentary refreshments, silent auctions, raffles and history displays. Some layouts are even interactive for the kids!City: Chester
The WizVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a joyous modern retelling of L. Frank Baum's classic children's story reflecting contemporary African-American culture.City: Baltimore
Captured Light: Current Photographic Processes10am-5pmVisual Arts Juried exhibit of contemporary photography from artists across the Mid-Atlantic region.City: Germantown
The Polar Express Train RidePerforming Arts Embark on a magical re-creation of the classic children's story on a real train. Families will love their trip to the North Pole, complete with hot chocolate and cookies, caroling and holiday...City: Cumberland
Muddy Creek Artists Guild Holiday Art Show and SaleVaries depending on dayVisual Arts, Miscellaneous It's the Annual Muddy Creek Artists Guild Holiday Art Show and Sale! Come explore unique creations from over 40 local South County artists of almost every medium. You won't want to miss it! Find...City: Edgewater
BARE: Worldwide Musical PhenomenonVaries depending on dayPerforming Arts, Multicultural, Miscellaneous Bare, the worldwide coming-of-age rock musical phenomenon, and one the most significant pieces of contemporary queer musical theatre, follows a group of high school renegades at a Catholic co-ed...City: Baltimore
Bel Cantanti Opera - Donizetti's "Don Pasquale"Varies depending on dayPerforming Arts Performed in Italian with English supertitles. In costume, fully staged, accompanied by orchestra. Norina: Leah Brzyski; Don Pasquale: Andrew Adelsberger; Malatesta: Rob McGinness; Ernesto: Alan...City: Silver Spring
The Secret Life of Earth: Alive! Awake! (and Possibly Really Angry!)10am-5pmVisual Arts, Nature & Outdoor, Ongoing Earthlings - climate change skeptics, the world's leading eco-scientists...City: Baltimore
Bel Cantanti Opera - Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" CANCELLED!Performing Arts All performances cancelled due to illness.City: Silver Spring
Live Music & Santa, Oh My!Varies depending on dayPerforming Arts, Food & Drink, Miscellaneous Cold, Cold, Go Away. Come Inside Where You Can Play! Looking for a fun place for the entire family? A place where kids are encouraged to wiggle in their seats, get up and move? Let your child...City: National Harbor
National Harbor Tree Light Show Presented by Chase5:30pmVisual Arts, Fairs & Festivals, Ongoing Through January 5, ignite your holiday spirit with the nightly lighting of the 56-foot tree at National Harbor. The light show is accompanied by snowfall as two million twinkling lights come on...City: Middleburg
Christmas Shopping with Alpacas at Shepherd's Purse Alpacas10am-5pmVisual Arts, Nature & Outdoor, Miscellaneous Shop for unique alpaca holiday gifts at our It's Alpaca! Farm Boutique. De-stress with the alpacas and shop for sweaters, hats, gloves, yarn, stuffed animals, and other toys and accessories.City: Mount Airy
The Secret Life of Earth: Alive! Awake! (and Possibly Really Angry!) VIRTUALLY10am-5pmVisual Arts, Nature & Outdoor, Ongoing Earthlings - climate change skeptics, eco-scientists...City: Baltimore


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We live on close to four wooded acres and our large pond is a very popular spot in this drought, for all manner of wildlife. To keep our garden from becoming the local salad bar for four-legged critters, husband has fashioned a very cheap cage to cover it. It seems to scare most of the wildlife and, when she was alive, Irritating little chihuahua would not go near it.
He found the pattern online but husband is not real knowledgeable about the internet and probably could not find it again. It's made of chicken wire over a frame of flexible electrical conduit and it has its own screen door and a seat on the outside. We had it near the house but the Brown County Garden Club came out and built us a raised bed garden to fit in it. It weighs next to nothing for about seven of us to lift and put over the new garden.
Frankly, I see two more of these in our future. And, thank you so much to the kind people and companies who donated their time and supplies to make our garden successful.


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HARRISBURG -- Penn State Wilkes-Barre Chancellor Charlie Davis addressed the Pennsylvania House Majority Policy Committee today (April 15) at the capitol.
Davis spoke during a session titled "Tying Workforce Needs with Academic Curriculum" before Reps. Dave Reed, committee chairman, and Karen Boback.
"As a chancellor of one of our region's Penn State Commonwealth Campuses, I am keenly aware that our campuses are a reflection of the broader communities they serve," Davis said. "Changes in our local economy, especially those that impact our students and families present challenges, but they also create new opportunities.
"Providing access to fields of study that inspire the interests and careers of our students and serve the changing needs of our local communities remains Penn State's highest priority. We take stewardship of our academic programs very seriously and are committed to producing highly skilled and job-ready graduates."
For a transcript of Davis' comments, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/2014/Davis_House_comments.pdf.
The public hearing titled "Successful Approaches to Preparing College Students for Careers" included input from education leaders from Pennsylvania College of Technology, Wilkes University and Misericordia.


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EDITORIAL: At tax time, gay spouses are far from equal
We celebrate love and marriage on this Valentine's Day and are proud that Connecticut law treats the love between gay men and women the same as love between human beings.
It's also tax season, though, which brings a major reminder of how unequal gay husbands and wives remain in the eyes of the federal government.
The IRS does not recognize legal gay marriages in states such as Connecticut because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, whose constitutionality will be considered this year by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The resulting mess at tax time is enough to send couples into marriage counseling.
"Even though same-sex couples may be able to file jointly on state tax returns, they will have to file as individuals or -- if there is a qualifying dependent -- heads of household on their federal turn," the Associated Press writes.
But your husband or wife does not qualify as a dependent if you're filing as head of household. And couples with children have to choose which parent claims them.
And because your state tax return requires information from your federal return, some gay couples are having to fill out a "dummy federal return" in order to fill out their joint state tax return.
The estate tax also penalizes legally married gay couples, and that's one of the main points of contention in the Supreme Court case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act.
"Either way the Supreme Court rules on DOMA, there will be federal tax questions," the AP quoted National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson as saying in a report to Congress on the issue.
And either way, Connecticut's representatives in Congress should be pressuring the IRS and federal government to respect the state's marriage law and the equal treatment of its citizens.


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Bitch, yuh (on my face)
Fuck yeah (BASEDGOD)
[Verse 1]
Every bitch know that she know what to do
100 thousand dollars and I'll stick it at… yuh
You look so good I'm gonna fuck you
100 thousand dollar bitch I'm talking about you
Bitch let me eat that pussy on you
Your pussy looks so good I wanna fuck you
Put that pussy on my face you bitch
100 thousand dollars bitch I'm rich
We don't know what the fuck I'm talking
About, Yeah
Bitch I'm finna put that shit in your face
BASEDGOD, BasedGod
[Verse 2]
Every bitch know that she fucking with me
100 thousand dollars bitch she sucking on the D
Based Freestyle bitches fucking with me
Young BasedGod bitch I don't do it for free
100 thousand dollars just to fuck with me
150 grand if you stuck with me
Half a million dollars if you front with me
Every bitch know I smoke blunts no trees
Every bitch know I got… already
100 thousand dollars bitch I look like Gary
Yeah. Bitch I'm not Mary
Taylor Gang hoes you know who's the fairy
Every bitch know that I got it on deck
100 thousand dollars I'm a pop that cherry
We all know I got cash on deck
Every bitch know I got racks on deck
We all know I'm finna hit her from the back
Every bitch know I got the shit on the mask
100 thousand dollar bitch BasedGod swag
Based Freestyle is that 2/12 crack
Everybody on the block them niggas know about that
Every bitch know man I'm fucking off racks
Every ho know I might light up the sack
And fuck. Nigga (Yeah)
[Verse 3]
Every bitch know I puts it out on the map
Young BasedGod I got that motherfucking woop!
50 thousand dollars tell that ho what it do
Young BasedGod is the motherfucking truth
Thank You BasedGod just for doing what you do
You the fucking man but I fucks with you
All of you know you fuck with me I fuck with that
You're so rude to the bitch bruh you stick it in that crack
Based Freestyle back in BasedWorld Yeah!
Lil B for low bars I'm on like yeah
I'm on!
We never stop we back on that Based Freestyle
Yeah girl wassup?
Like I said bitch you look so good yeah
Yeah bitch okay okay bitch
(Random auto-tune)
Every bitch know I want her pussy on my face
Girl come up over here and do it all day
Bitch come up over here and sit up on my face
I'm finna eat that pussy from the back all day
Get that bitch on the fucking wall like ay
Get that bitch juicy like the fucking… track
100 thousand dollars bruh I'm sicker than a bitch
White Ferrari and this limo tint
BasedGod nigga fucking with a bad bitch
All day, All day I'm finna get rich
Recording it daily
Based Freestyle


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The trap is Set
Four-player action
Unlock the secrets buried beneath the shifting sands of ancient Egypt as you fight to break an evil curse placed upon you by a wrathful god. Team up with friends to crack puzzles and overcome deadly firefights as you explore crumbling tombs and attempt to resurrect the forsaken gods of antiquity.
Following on the from the critically acclaimed Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, take on the role of one of four playable characters, including the gods Horus and Isis, in Lara's first four-player co-operative adventure. Work together to crack the temple secrets or against one another to earn bigger and better rewards in a multiplayer experience that seamlessly blends co-operative and competitive play.


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Did Activists Thwart R.I. Marriage Equality Bill?
Did members of the organization leading efforts to bring nuptials for same-sex couples to Rhode Island actually work with Democratic officials to prevent the passage of a marriage equality bill this year?
A number of sources who asked to remain anonymous have come forward to make these allegations.
Openly gay House Speaker Gordon Fox (D-Providence) shocked LGBT activists on April 27 when he threw his support behind a civil unions bill, noting there was no chance of passing a marriage equality bill due to a lack of support in the House. State Reps. Peter Petrarca (D-Lincoln) and Patrick O'Neill (D-Pawtucket) said, however, there were enough votes to pass the bill in the House.
"Civil unions are unacceptable because they marginalize gay and lesbian couples in very significant ways," said Martha Holt, chair of Marriage Equality Rhode Island. "The General Assembly will essentially be legalizing a two-class system that subject thousands of Rhode Island same-sex couples to discrimination. We cannot support legislation that establishes a second class of citizens in Rhode Island."
With the support of Gov. Lincoln Chafee and Fox, activists were hopeful that Rhode Island would join neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut in granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples.
Hearings were held on a marriage bill in both chambers in February and March. Congressman James Langevin and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian were among the high-profile political figures who backed the bill. And polls showed the majority of Rhode Islanders supported marriage for gays and lesbians.
Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed (D-Newport) remained opposed to same-sex marriage, although she does support civil unions.
MERI has been leading the fight to secure marriage rights for same-sex couples in the Ocean State for the past 8 years. A marriage equality bill has been in the state Legislature every year since 1997, but these measures never made it out of their respective committees for a vote.
A hearing on the civil unions bill was held on May 11. MERI opposes the measure and is calling on supporters to ask legislators to support an amendment that state Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Cranston) introduced that would grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples.
In the past few weeks, however, MERI has been plagued by the departures of several key staffers and board members. Executive Director Kathy Kushnir announced her resignation on April 25, and spokesperson Bill Fischer followed suit a week later.
Sources suggest the effort to secure a vote on the marriage equality bill was on track, until dramatic changes within MERI began to unfold a few months ago.
The man at the center of the storm is former Democratic state Rep. Ray Sullivan, who was hired as MERI's campaign director in late February. "Jamie", who asked to remain anonymous, told EDGE that former state Rep. David Segal, who ran against former Providence Mayor David Cicilline for Congress last year, and Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Edwin Pacheco facilitated Sullivan's appointment.
"Jamie" said the MERI Board of Directors was "out of control", noting there were what the source described as secret meetings among board members and other organizations. "Jamie" said Sullivan, Segal and Pacheco were among those who attended these gatherings.
"The votes were there in February to get (the marriage bill) out of committee, but Gordon [Fox] refused to let the committee vote on it," said "Alex", another source who wished to remain anonymous who claims to have direct knowledge of these secret meetings. "MERI posted on their Facebook page to have supporters call Gordon [Fox] and request that he let the committee members vote and then the takeover started. The secret group met on Monday, Feb. 14, and contacted the board on Tuesday, Feb. 15. On Wednesday, Feb. 16, MERI board members met with representatives from the secret group."
Pacheco told EDGE in an e-mail that these allegations were "ridiculous and absurd."
Not long after Sullivan joined MERI; the Gill Foundation, Human Rights Campaign, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, Freedom to Marry, MassEquality and other regional and national LGBT organizations expressed a desire to become involved with the marriage equality fight in Rhode Island.
"Abby", who also requested anonymity, told EDGE that MERI staffers were required to hand over voter information to the Democratic Party. "Abby" also said HRC and Freedom to Marry were also granted access to MERI's data.
Before Sullivan joined MERI, he had "spent a weekend trashing MERI on both Facebook and Twitter" a few days after the House Judiciary hearings were held, "Jamie" noted.
Sullivan had criticized MERI for encouraging their supporters to put pressure on Fox to schedule a vote on the marriage bill in the House. Sullivan's comments were deleted and he was de-friended. Sullivan reportedly complained to a MERI staffer and was reinstated as a Facebook friend.
MERI board member Karen Loewy, who is also a GLAD staff attorney, defends the organization's commitment to the marriage equality bill. She described the idea that HRC and the Rhode Island Democratic Party tried to block the measure as "nonsense".
"Both on a local level in terms of members of the progressive community, folks within the Democratic party, every action that I have seen, every public statement, every partnership, every offer of resources, has all been consistently with the goal of moving marriage equality forward," Loewy told EDGE.
Holt further dismissed the allegations as "pure fantasy."
"Throughout this legislative session, the unwavering commitment of MERI has always been the passage of marriage equality legislation, and that commitment is one the boards take very seriously," she told EDGE in an e-mail. "At various points in time, MERI heard feedback from members of the community expressing concerns that our existing efforts were not going to be enough to pass the bill. The boards met and made some decisions about staffing to ramp up our efforts, and added resources both internally and externally. We remain committed to those efforts and while some appear busy trying pursue a personal vendetta, our focus is still trying to win the right to marry for same-sex couples in Rhode Island."
"Abby" said MERI had a solid field operation going. Organizers knew the districts and the legislators who were likely to support the marriage equality bill, but "Abby" suggested Sullivan dismissed this work to pursue his own strategy. She even alleged that HRC threatened to cut funding to MERI unless the board hired Sullivan.
"We didn't need these other organizations," explained "Abby". "We had the funding we needed."
If Kushnir was unhappy about HRC's or Sullivan's involvement with MERI, she apparently didn't let on to anyone. "Kathy is a tremendous, amazing leader," said "Jamie". "She would have fought to the death (for marriage equality.)"
"Jamie" suggested that HRC organizers had lied to MERI supporters. "Multiple times, I heard them telling people that the committee vote was definitely happening the following week, when I confronted them, they admitted they knew they were lying, but it helps to 'build a sense of urgency,'" said the source.
Fischer claims he left MERI because he was disappointed with the direction of the organization, but he credited Sullivan for "trying to turn around a rather dysfunctional organization" in an interview with The Providence Phoenix
"We were in great shape," said "Jamie". "We had the votes, we had the numbers, we had the legislative contacts," he said. The legislators knew it, the community knew it. MERI had 100 people out on the streets on Election Day. No one did it better than we did. For Bill to say that is just (horse shit)."
"I thought we were doing a pretty good job," added "Abby".
Fischer declined to comment for this story.
These allegations come on the heels of former Equality Maryland Executive Director Morgan Meneses-Sheets' abrupt departure after a marriage equality bill and a measure that would have added gender identity and expression to the state's anti-discrimination law stalled.
"Jamie" said saw similarities between what happened in Maryland and what has apparently happened in Rhode Island. "It just stinks to high heaven," said the source. "The parallels are frightening."
In a message sent to MERI supporters not long after Fox's endorsement of civil unions, Sullivan claimed a "backroom deal was cut and crafted with the Senate at the expense of and without any input from anyone in the pro-equality community."
"Jamie" described Sullivan's statement an "outright, boldfaced lie." "Jamie" suggested Sullivan had discussed a "compromise" with Fox just two weeks earlier.
Sullivan declined to be interviewed for this story.
Larry Berman, Fox's spokesman, said no backroom deals had been made with MERI to push for a civil unions bill.
"Abby" said MERI could have succeeded in securing a vote on the marriage bill, if only Sullivan and HRC hadn't undermined the work of MERI's longtime staffers. "If we had focused on the Senate, we would've gotten there," she said.
"Abby" remains optimistic about the civil unions bill, but laments the loss on the marriage equality measure. "Jamie" emphatically stressed nobody "has an axe to grind."
"Everybody just wants the community to know the truth," added the source.