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Seattle's boring winter gets zesty this weekend
It's nothing like the major storms across the midwest and eastern U.S., but western Washington is tasting a little bit of winter, finally.
"After one of the most boring winters that I can ever remember, we are going to be getting heavy rain, good snow. We'll be getting some winds gusting up to 30 to 50 miles per hour, and big waves along the coast," says KPLU weather expert Cliff Mass, a professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington.
That snow is relegated to the mountains, however, keeping the urban lowlands snow-less so far this winter. Some higher elevations, such as the Mt. Baker ski area, could get more than two feet of fresh snow on Friday, says Mass.
All of that should be a frequent occurrence during winter. But this has been an extremely boring winter, says Mass. In fact, he and some weather forecasting buddies created an informal "Winter Excitement Index" for Seattle and discovered this year is tied with 1963-64 for the most boring on record.
For Mass' complete weekend analysis, including why the Stevens Pass corridor will likely see much more snow than Snoqualmie Pass, click the "listen" button above.
The weekly KPLU feature "Weather with Cliff Mass" airs every Friday at 9 a.m. immediately following BirdNote, and repeats twice on Friday afternoons during All Things Considered. The feature is hosted by KPLU's Science and Health reporter Keith Seinfeld. Cliff Mass is a University of Washington Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, a renowned Seattle weather prognosticator, and a popular weather blogger. You can also subscribe to a weekly podcast of "Weather with Cliff Mass" interviews.


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"… The enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table."
This was the cornerstone of the late Justice Antonin Scalia's majority ruling in 2008, the last time the Supreme Court weighed in on the contemporary merits of the Second Amendment.
To this, Scalia added, "It is not the role of this court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct."
Regardless of historical context or any looming public safety crisis, the right of private citizens to keep and bear arms stood, unchanged, in a 5 to 4 decision.
Now, in 2016, following the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, deciding whether the supposed "enshrinement" of any constitutional right outweighs the government's responsibility to provide for the public's wellbeing will inevitably be reopened for debate.
The Islamic State and other geopolitical concerns aside, let's take some time to focus on the Second Amendment and the most recent decision regarding its continued validity.
In the Bill of Rights—the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the second contains a mere 27 words:
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
Regarding the contemporary debate, a question still looms over whether or not the amendment says anything whatsoever about the right of an individual citizen to own a firearm for private use outside the context of "a well regulated militia."
In the 2008 ruling, Justice Scalia addressed this issue by simply splicing the amendment into two parts which he labeled, respectively, "the prefatory statement of purpose" and the "operative clause."
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state…" constitutes the prefatory statement of purpose, which according to Scalia, does little more than make known the reason that the right to bear arms was being protected.
Under Scalia's interpretation, the framers were afraid that the new national government would try to disarm the population, as the British had tried to do.
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms…" is the operative clause, which again, according to the late justice, speaks to the freedom of all citizens and holds over time, regardless of the fact that organized militias are a product of a bygone century. Today, each state's "well regulated militia" is its National Guard.
Contesting that analysis, Justice John Paul Stevens said on behalf of the minority that the Second Amendment's structure was notable for its "omission of any statement of purpose related to the right to use firearms for hunting or personal self-defense."
In essence, Justice Stevens maintained that if the amendment was intended to address the rights of individuals outside of militia service, it would have done so in plain English, which it clearly does not.
For many citizens, however, the right of the people to arm themselves has always been synonymous with the blanket concept of liberty, which is subject to the preservation of individual rights. Moreover, it has been argued that because other amendments (such as the first and fourth) speak directly to individual rights, so too does the Second Amendment.
But does this allow for a reinterpretation of the Constitution's intentions as written? As the Supreme Court decision stands, yes. Nevertheless, as deplorable acts of violence utilizing easily obtained high-capacity weapons continue unchecked, interpretation of the Second Amendment may be up for reexamination—particularly when a new president assumes the Oval Office next year.
What Do You Think About the Second Amendment?
I'd love to hear your take on what the Constitution's framers thought when they wrote the Bill of Rights, and particularly the Second Amendment. Share your thoughts on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed!

subset: commoncrawl


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An article in last week's Tuesday Briefing examined the influence of religion for both Catholic and Protestant teens (see The Influence of Religion: Protestant vs. Catholic Teens.) A further examination of the views of Catholic teens -- as well as those of Catholic adults -- on issues related to sex, morals and marriage shatters the stereotype of Catholics as being more "conservative" or "traditional" on such matters.
A 2000 Gallup Youth Survey* shows that Catholic teens are far more likely than their Protestant counterparts to express approval of marriage between homosexuals, by a margin of 60% to 36%.
Catholic teens are less likely than Protestant teens to say it is morally wrong to have sex before marriage -- 37% of Catholic teens hold this view compared to 49% of Protestant teens. Catholic teens are also less likely to say it is morally wrong to live together before marriage than are Protestant teens, 26% to 34%.
Finally, 52% of Catholic teens think it is morally wrong for a couple to have a baby before marriage, compared to 62% of Protestant teens who think so.
The relatively liberal views of Catholic teens today reflect the attitudes of their elders. A Gallup survey of adults** aged 18 and older shows that a far higher percentage of Catholic adults (47%) than Protestant adults (29%) express the belief that homosexual behavior is morally acceptable. On the issue of sex between an unmarried man and woman, a larger percentage of Catholic adults (54%) say this is morally acceptable than Protestant adults (43%).
Catholic and Protestant adults, however, are in total agreement when it comes to married men and women having an affair: Ninety-one percent (91%) of Catholics and 92% of Protestants say such behavior is morally unacceptable.
*Findings for teens are based on telephone interviews with a representative national sample of 501 teen-agers, aged 13 to 17, conducted December 2000 through February 2001. For this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±5%.
**Findings for adults are based on telephone interviews with a representative national sample of 1,012 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted May 10-14, 2001. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3%.


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Pearson MEGA Technical Manual
- MEGA Technical Manual 2020-2021 (Released on April 2022)
Assessments for Teacher Education & Certification in MO
The following links provide information regarding Missouri's required assessments for all candidates enrolled in a Missouri educator preparation program, as well as educators applying for additional areas of certification.
The Paraprofessional Assessment is for individuals seeking to be employed as teaching assistants residing in Title I schools.
Missouri Performance Assessments will be scored at the educator preparation level. The Office of Educator Quality – Educator Preparation in collaboration with the Missouri Educator Evaluation System/Annual Performance Report (MEES/APR) Workgroup, School Counselor Workgroup, Missouri Professors of Education Administration (MPEA) Workgroup, and the School Librarian Workgroup have identified passing scores for the following performance assessments for the 2021-22 academic year.
MEES for Teacher Candidates – Combined Summative Score (US + CT) of 42 points*
MEES for School Counselor Candidates – Combined Summative Score (US + Site Supervisor) of 25 points*
MEES for School Librarian Candidates – Combined Summative Score (US + Site Supervisor) of 28 points*
MPEA School Leaders Performance Assessment – 10 points*
Candidates must meet or exceed the minimum passing score in order to be recommended for certification.
* Passing scores are only valid for the 2021-2022 academic year.
DESE receives all official score reports directly from the testing company. You may verify the schedule of Score Report Dates at the following website: Score Reporting Dates


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This newsletter captures the latest updates on the implementation of the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in Lebanon. The newsletter includes the key highlights and achievements of the WPHF programme partners' towards enhancing women's participation in the Beirut Port Explosion's response and recovery process.
This rapid assessment examines how the impacts of COVID-19 are threatening women's ability to access justice. The assessment reflects challenges faced by women and girls of diverse backgrounds and socio-economic groups, including those experiencing overlapping disadvantages and those facing amplified challenges in humanitarian settings. Cross-regional and local experiences are highlighted, and quantitative data is utilized where available.
This brief highlights emerging trends and impacts of COVID-19 on online and ICT-facilitated violence against women and girls (VAWG). It provides examples of strategies put in place to prevent and respond to online/ICT-facilitated VAWG and makes recommendations on how different actors can best address this issue. It is a living document that draws upon the knowledge and experience of a wide range of experts.


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Dear Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson,
Earlier this week I went to the movies to see It. I was tremendously relieved to see that you were not cast as Pennywise the Clown. If you were though, it wouldn't have surprised me. While there though I did see a giant display for a new Jumanji movie, starring you, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black. Holy crap that is the worst collection of actors ever put together outside of The Fast and the Furious series. Oh yeah, that's right, you're in that too. There's been so many sequels of that series that I mistake it for a TV series sometimes. In fact, I imagine that in the not too distant future in The Fast and the Furious 27 it will just be you and Vin Diesel racing your wheelchairs to the rest room at the old folks home.
Guess what? I can smell what The Rock is cooking and it stinks. What The Rock is cooking is a career where you will apparently do any movie offered to you and you've got an unexplainable love for remakes that shouldn't be made. Earlier this year you and Zack Efron also ruined the classic Baywatch. I know David Hasselhoff and you're no David Hasselhoff.
Dwayne, let me give you a little career advice. Drop out of sight for a year or two. Buy an island and hole up there with your family and don't appear in public at all. Don't show up to award shows, don't do interviews, don't engage in Twitter drama with anyone, and for cripes sake, don't make any movies! Just spend two years being a mystery, an enigma. Don't you want to be enigmatic? That's a pretty god damn cool term and so few people ever get called that. Think about it, you'd go from being Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson to being "the enigmatic Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson ." In fact, if I'm your agent, I insist that you make that your legal name.
Don't answer your phone. Don't send texts except to let people know you're alive. Do you know what the effect of this two year disappearance will be for you? One, people will think you're enigmatic, and two, the demand for your services and the price you can charge for them will go through the roof. You've created a glut, a surplus of movies. When there's a surplus of something, it becomes less valuable. Create a deficit and drive up the price.
Do you want more movies like that Tooth Fairy piece of crap? No, you don't. If you continue on your current trajectory, you'll make a hundred crappy movies. First it's the tooth fairy, what's next? The Easter Bunny? Disappear for two years and when The Enigmatic Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson returns to the public eye he will be offered the sun and the moon and everything in between to make any movie of your choosing. Hell, if you're lucky, I may even offer you a role in the movie adaptation of my new novel Time To Lie. Maybe. Just maybe.
So, in conclusion, here's a song that I think perfectly captures what I'm trying to say here:
As always, if you enjoy my enigmatic ramblings, feel free to share them by hitting the Facebook or Twitter share buttons below. Have a great Saturday everybody! ~Phil


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Remembering My Dad My dad was a great storyteller and very funny. Being Irish, I guess it is part of the ancestry. He spoke fondly of his college years and was the first in his family to receive a degree. During WWII he was in the Army Infantry. He entertained himself and his platoon by…Read more Father's Day Reflections
Change Takes Vision
Change is hard Whether it is starting an exercise program or healthy eating, change takes effort and is not easy. It takes a vision of a new future. What I mean by that is your old habits are so entrenched that it takes a new vision to move out of them. You need to see…Read more Change Takes Vision
"Live Pure and Free" Book Nominated!
I'm excited to report that my purity devotional book, Live Pure and Free-The 90 Day Game Changer has been nominated for a Christian Indy Award. The Christian Indy Awards honor Christian books by independent authors and small publishers for outstanding contribution to Christian life. This award is kind of a people's choice award. Voting has now…Read more "Live Pure and Free" Book Nominated!
Celebration Tour! "Live Pure and Free"
Live Pure and Free will be on a Celebration Blog Tour starting September 1st and running through September 14th. Every day a blogger will either post a review of the book, have a spotlight for it, or feature an interview with the author. Oh, that's me. Follow the tour and share the link with your…Read more Celebration Tour! "Live Pure and Free"


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The wait is over! We have both, U.S. Customs and FDA release for our Emergency Car Kit!
If you are a new site member, please consider helping us out. We never ask anyone to pay to use this forum, nor do we ask for donations.
Never have asked. Never will ask.
If you feel this site has helped you, please consider returning the favor.
This site, as well as USAREURpracticeTEst.com require quite a bit of time and money to keep going.
All we are asking is that you please consider buying your required first aid kit, warning triangle, and safety vest, from us. You're going to need these items to pass your vehicle inspection, so you're going to have to buy them somewhere. Please purchase your Emergency Car Kit from EverythingKMC.
Currently, we plan to begin shipping on September 1st, so your advance order will be helping us quite a bit.
As a bonus, people who purchase their Emergency Car Kit from us, will receive a BONUS ENVELOPE containing a lot of useful coupons and a gift certificate. The value of the BONUS ENVELOPE is so great, that it actually pays you back for your purchase! Seriously! It is like getting your Emergency Car Kit for FREE!
Remember, this is an advance purchase. Shipping begins on September 1, so be sure to give us an appropriate shipping address.
Get your Emergency Car Kit, here.
Please note: We only ship to addresses located in the U.S., and to APO, AE addresses.


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(source; https://gr.pinterest.com/vettakelepouris/greek-independence-day-march-25/)
Tomorrow it is the 25th of March, the day in 1821 when the Greeks decided enough is enough, we want our independence. They were part of the Ottoman empire long enough. The war of Greek Independence lasted until 1932.
The war started in Turkish held Moldavia when some troops invaded there.
The troops were defeated but on March 25 the real fighting began on the Peloponnese, north of the gulf of Corinth and on several island. Within a year the rebels had gained control of the Peloponnese and in January 1822 they declared the independence of Greece.
March 25 is both a national and religious holiday (Annunciation). March 25 is also the name day for Vangelis, Evangelos, Vangelio, Evangelia and Eva.
On Skopelos students from the high school, the elementary school and the scouts will march from the mayor's office until the entrance of the harbor.
It will be a sunny day. Around 10.30 the students will get ready. At the war monument in front of the harbor some words will be said and wreaths will be laid down. After that the march will begin. Most shops and big supermarkets will be closed.


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Ohio City Akron Imposes Curfew After Protests Over Police Killing Of Black Man
The Ohio city of Akron declared a state of emergency on Monday, setting a curfew and canceling Independence Day fireworks, after protests over the police killing of an unarmed Black man turned unruly on Sunday night.
The protests broke out after police released body camera video that showed eight officers shooting at Jayland Walker, 25, as he fled a traffic stop last week. Walker's body was found to have some 60 gunshot wounds.
Daytime protests on Sunday were peaceful but, despite pleas from the Walker family that demonstrations remain peaceful, Akron police declared an unlawful assembly once property was damaged. Officers in riot gear fired about a dozen canisters of tear gas to scatter protesters, WKYC-TV said.
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said a curfew for downtown Akron was in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice, and a pair of Fourth of July fireworks displays also were canceled.
"There was significant property damage done to downtown Akron. Small businesses up and down Main Street have had their windows broken. We cannot and will not tolerate the destruction of property or violence," Horrigan said in a statement.
The Jayland Walker shooting marks the latest in a series of police killings of unarmed Black men, raising questions about police use of force and equal justice for African Americans, and contributing to increased polarization in the United States.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates told Reuters the Justice Department, including the Civil Rights Division and the FBI field office in Akron, is closely monitoring and evaluating the situation surrounding Walker's death.
"This footage is disturbing," Bates said. "And no family should ever have to endure the horrific pain and loss of a loved one that the Walker family is experiencing right now."
Police said Walker had a gun in his car but left it on the front seat as he fled on foot. Officers believed he fired a round from inside the car before fleeing, police said, and that Walker was "moving into firing position" when he got out of his car, prompting them to react to him as a potential threat, Akron Police Chief Stephen Mylett said.
The mayor praised the peaceful protests, which were led by the Akron chapter of the NAACP. Hundreds of demonstrators marched in the streets of the city of about 200,000 people, waving "Black Lives Matter" flags and chanting, "We are done dying," and "Justice for Jayland."
Horrigan said the trouble began after nightfall, a pattern that was seen in the turbulent summer of 2020, when protests spread across the United States over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Officers were later convicted of various charges including murder and civil rights violations in the Floyd case.
On Sunday, the attorney for the Walker family, Bobby DiCello, told reporters he was "very concerned" about the police accusation that Walker had fired at officers from his car, adding that there was no justification for his violent death.
"I ask you, as he's running away, what is reasonable? To gun him down? No, that's not reasonable," DiCello said.
The Ohio attorney general and Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation are investigating, and the file will be made public at the conclusion of the case, Attorney General Dave Yost said on Sunday.
"People want and deserve answers, and they shall have them. BCI will conduct a complete, fair and expert investigation," Yost said in a statement
The eight officers directly involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave, the Akron police chief said.
Story from peacefmonline.com News:
Published: 2022-07-05 09:20:45
© peacefmonline.com


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Free Stuff for Rental Investors
Because, well, who doesn't like freebies?
Free Tenant Background Check
Want to test drive running tenant screening reports through our online landlord app?
As a welcome gift, we offer a free identity check and SSN trace, including:
- SSN verification (including when it was issued)
- Date of birth
- Current home address
- How long they've lived there
- Alternate names and aliases
If you want to continue on to run a full credit report, criminal background check, and/or eviction report, you can do so with a few clicks. For a quick sample video of how it works, you can view full details on our Free Tenant Background Check page.
Take the system for a spin and let us know what you think!
Free Rental Application
What's better than free?
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Our free rental application is extremely thorough, offering you a detailed look at each prospective tenant's life. What's more, you can send it with the click of a button through our online landlord app, and select to include a credit report, criminal background check, and/or eviction report.
No printing necessary! The rental application is 100% electronic and automatic. The trees will thank you, and so will your prospects.
Free Rental Property Calculator
We talk a lot about forecasting rental cash flow and returns. We even get into all kinds of quirky charts, graphs, and other ways to help you visualize how rental property cash flow works.
Want to dive in and get your hands dirty? Run some numbers? Evaluate a prospective rental investment property.
No problem. You can now access our Rental Property Calculator for free.
Our rental income calculator includes less obvious expenses like vacancy rates and property management expenses, in addition expenses like repairs, CapEx, maintenance, property taxes, insurance, etc.
As we're fond of saying, math is more fun when your calculating your future riches!
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Need a quick, no-frills lease agreement?
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Give it a try; after all, it's 100% free!
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With enough passive income from investments, you can cover your living expenses. It's called financial independence: the point at which your day job becomes optional, and you can retire early if you like. Or keep working — on your own terms.
In this fast-paced course, we take you through a series of 10-minute videos to designed to help you start down the road toward financial independence or retiring early (FIRE) through rental income!
Tenant Credit, Criminal, & Eviction Reports (free for landlords)
All right, so these aren't free in the same sense as the other freebies on this page, since somebody still has to pay for them. But that somebody doesn't have to be you.
Order full tenant credit reports (including FICO score), nationwide criminal background checks, and nationwide eviction history reports. You can select to have the applicant charged directly for them, or you can select to pay them yourself if you prefer.
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Pretty easy, right?
Webinar: Build a Short-Term Rental Business with No Down Payments
Want to start building a rental business, but don't have a hefty down payment set aside?
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He walks you through not just Airbnb and vacation rentals, but also the even more lucrative business traveler market of extended stays. It's a fun, punchy webinar with plenty of real-world examples of how you can get started with little cash.
Free Financial Independence/Retire Early (FIRE) Calculator
How much do you need to save up for retirement? When do you want to reach financial independence and/or retire? How much do you need to save and invest each month to get there?
Our free FIRE calculator helps you answer these questions and more. We take a holistic view of post-retirement income, incorporating income sources from paper assets (stocks and bonds), rental properties, post-FIRE gigs, and even Social Security.
Whether you're new to the concept of financial independence and retiring early, or been at it for a while, our FIRE calculator is both simple and robust enough to help you plan your independence from the 9-5 grind.


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Shimla HPTDC is the part of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation(HPTDC). HPTDC is an initiative of the Himachal Pradesh State Government. The HPTDC has split the state in four different circuits which reflect four different ages, they are :
- Dhauldhar Circuit
- Tribal Circuit
- Beas Circuit
- Sutlej Circuit
It doesn't include traveling charges to reach Manali and back. Moreover, to participate in these sports you need to be physically and mentally fit. Medical Help is arranged at Government Health Centres and private clinics at both the hill stations.
HPTDC also organizes Adventure Camps for 4 days and 6 days. These camps are not only a pleasure and fun activity rather they add to more to your knowledge.
Apart from Trekking and other adventure activities, these camps teach you how to motivate yourself and show faith among others.
In other words, in these camps you can practice meditation. These camps aim at building your over all persona.
HPTDC has listed the names of the hotels as per the circuits in which they lie. You can do online reservation at its homepage.
To travel from one place to another in Shimla HPTDC offers its tourists the service of well equipped Luxury coaches. HPTDC also arranges for some sightseeing activities and excursions.
For this it offers various packages, you can choose the one that falls within your budget.
Last Updated on : 4/26/2012


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Quarterly Communication
10 September 2014
An address by the MW the Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes
Brethren, at the Quarterly Communication held on the second of September 1914, one hundred years ago, the First World War had been underway for just under a month. Thinking back to that time, your predecessors would have known that, even in that short time, the German Army had already defeated the Russian forces at the Battle of Tannenberg and the French and British armies were in fierce contact with the German advance in the South of Belgium.
That Quarterly Communication was presided over by Sir Frederick Halsey as Deputy Grand Master as the then Grand Master, HRH the Duke of Connaught and the Pro Grand Master, Lord Ampthill were away serving their country.
Sir Frederick, in proposing the motion that 'Grand Lodge expresses the deep appreciation of the loyal and devoted service now being rendered to our country by HRH the MW Grand Master, the MW Pro Grand Master, and very many other Brethren of all ranks in the Craft, and its earnest prayer for their continued well-being', went on to say – amongst other things – that it was a time of great anxiety and that every Grand Officer would carry out their work without panic and alarm and show that calmness and confidence which animates the breast of every Englishman and mason.
He added, 'our hearts go out to our friends and relations, to our dear ones, both in the Craft and outside it, who are now serving their country at the call of duty; our prayers follow them, and we trust that before long, in the mercy of the Great Architect of the Universe, they may emerge from this present struggle safe and sound'.
Sadly over 3,300 masons, serving in the four fighting services Army, Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Flying Corps never made it home. This fine building was created as a peace memorial dedicated to them and I trust you will have all seen the magnificent memorial window at the end of the vestibules beyond those doors and which have been recently restored thanks to the generosity of London Lodges and Chapters as well as individuals coordinated by Metropolitan Grand Stewards' Chapter, and below it, the bronze shrine containing the Roll of Honour parchment scroll honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in the service of their country. We should not forget that many sons and grandsons of members were killed – many of whom would have been potential members.
The Library and Museum at Freemasons' Hall has an exhibition entitled, 'English Freemasonry and the First world War' starting next week and which will go on until the beginning of March next year. This major exhibition tells the story of the organisation and members during the First World War and, for example, it explores how lodges coped with members being called up to fight.
Brethren, brotherly love remains as important in today's world as it did in those dark days of great anxiety in the First World War. To exercise kindness, tolerance and charitable support – and to feel deeply interested in the welfare of others – is a source of the greatest happiness and satisfaction in every situation in life. It is, I believe, of the utmost importance today to ensure our long term survival but I am concerned that we are, surprisingly, not always seen internally as a caring organisation with junior members too often marginalised and unsupported. This must change and it is the responsibility of every member to help to retain those of integrity within their Lodges by making them feel included and cared for. By so doing we will ensure that they will gain the same fulfilment and satisfaction from their masonry that we have all been lucky enough to enjoy.


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Toy2R will soon be releases three 8″ Tokidoki Bear Samples. Priced at $80 each, these are limited edition–500 and less depending on the version–and are available at Transworld, Newbury Comics, and Diamond Comics respectively.
Info.Image: High Snobiety
Latest posts by formatmag (see all)
- "My Movember Style" Parody Video - November 1, 2012
- Music Video: Airplane Boys 'Beau Monde' - April 11, 2012
- Junya Watanabe MAN Spring/Summer 2012 Duck Boot - February 22, 2012


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Word's out, and, as in the words of Cleveland's Plain Dealer and others, "Ohio's Supreme Court task force on the death penalty has come out recommending sweeping changes to the state's capital punishment system in its long-awaited final report.
"The task force's 56 recommendations, which state policymakers likely won't act upon in the near future, include creating a panel under the Ohio attorney general that would have to approve death penalty charges before cases proceed, and paying particular attention to racial factors. It also calls for eliminating the death penalty when the defendant suffers from "serious mental illness," as well as in cases of kidnapping, rape, aggravated arson, aggravated robbery, and aggravated burglary; and allowing the death penalty only in cases where the crime is proven by DNA evidence, a filmed confession, or other video footage."
Court News Ohio reported Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor indicated she would review the 76-page report and offer her views on the specific recommendations at a later date, saying in part that "Thoughtful Ohioans of good will may disagree on whether we should have the death penalty, but no one can disagree that as long as Ohio does have a death penalty we should have the fairest and most reliable system possible…"
An equally long dissenting report, also released, authored by two county prosecutors and a deputy attorney general, claimed the task force had an agenda to abolish the death penalty outright -- something that wasn't on the table for the panel to consider.
As the Supreme Court's task force releases its study, the Plain Dealer also had an article on a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University between May 7 and May 12 of 1,174 registered voters finding "Ohio voters favored the death penalty, 69% – 25% for persons convicted of murder -- but when offered a choice, 43 percent of voters favor the death penalty and 40 percent favor life in prison with no chance of parole, while 9 percent favor life in prison with a chance of parole, a total of 49 percent for the two life options."
Quinnipiac University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Hamden, Connecticut, which conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.
Then we have NBCNews reporting that according to a survey of 800 adults by Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies for them in that same time frame between May 7-10, "the botched lethal injection execution of Clayton Lockett in Oklahoma this past April has not chipped away at America's public's support of the death penalty, although two-thirds of voters would back alternatives to the needle, and one in three people say that if lethal injections are no longer viable — because of drug shortages or other problems — executions should be stopped altogether…..But many others are open to more primitive methods of putting prisoners to death: 20 percent for the gas chamber, 18 percent for the electric chair, 12 percent for firing squad and 8 percent for hanging."
USAToday and others are also reporting on the U.S. Supreme Court's blocking the execution of convicted Missouri murderer yesterday evening rather than risk another in what has become a series of botched lethal injections, "a stark reversal from the court's practice of denying last-minute appeals by death row inmates. That could mean a majority of justices are concerned about a shortage of drugs that has forced states to rely on unregulated compounding pharmacies. Some states have refused to say where they get their drugs or specify which drugs are used."
And in the meantime, there are no less than four bills in the Ohio legislature attending to the issue: HB385 (introduced Jan. 22) andSB293 (introduced May 13) seek the outright abolishment of the death penalty; SB183 would - To provide that a defendant cannot be executed if the defendant's race was the basis of the decision to seek or impose the death penalty, to permit a defendant to file a motion alleging that the defendant's race was the basis of the decision to seek or impose the death penalty, to permit a defendant to establish that the death penalty was sought or imposed on the basis of race in the defendant's case by showing that race was a significant factor in decisions to seek or impose a sentence of death in the state, the county, or the prosecutor's office at the time that a sentence of death was sought or imposed in the defendant's case… HB244, on the other hand (introduced last Oct. 10, 2013), would make the statutory authorization and procedure for imposing a sentence of death apply to rape, sexual battery, and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor when the offense is committed by an offender who previously has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any of those offenses or the former offense of felonious sexual penetration….


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Commentary: Primates, Parishes and Politics
The past couple of weeks have not been a good time for The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the United States. On December 2, delegates to the Convention of the Diocese of San Joaquin in Southern California overwhelmingly endorsed a constitutional change that would, if confirmed at next year's convention, declare their diocese to be an ecclesiastical entity in communion with the Anglican Communion but no longer Episcopal. [1] On the other side of the country, members of seven parishes in Northern Virginia voted this week on whether to withdraw from the Episcopal Church, a move to which the Bishop of Virginia, Peter Lee, responded with dire warnings as to the likely consequences of such action. [2] The marked shift in the stance of Bishop Lee – who had previously come to comparatively amicable settlements with departing parishes – was attributed by conservative commentator David Virtue to pressure from the eminence grise David Booth Beers, chancellor (legal advisor) of the national church, not to allow wealthy congregations such as Truro and the Falls Church to take their property with them. [3]
At a time when the situation changes on a daily, if not hourly, basis, it becomes hard to guess how all of this will play out. A parallel shift already seems to be under way within the Church of England, where some conservative evangelicals have proposed a covenant that includes a pledge to no longer be "constrained by an over-centralised and increasingly ineffective control that is stifling the natural development of ministry." Respect for the authority and jurisdiction of church leaders will become contingent upon their commitment to the "clear teaching of the Scriptures either doctrinally (for example, on the supremacy and uniqueness of Christ) or morally (for example, on issues of gender, sex and marriage)." Money and ministry will be allocated where it is deemed to be most conducive to evangelism and support will be extended to those whose relationship with their appointed and elected leaders is compromised by the latter's deviation from the Church's teaching. [4] As Bishop Tom Wright of Durham, a staunch evangelical and an author of the Windsor Report, has already pointed out this covenant demonstrates the same hostility to the catholic nature of the Church that has become evident in the progressive camp and is potentially as destructive. [5]
As we witness the frenzied cut and thrust of the present conflict, we might draw some enlightenment from Allen Guelzo's superlative account of the events leading to the establishment of the Reformed Episcopal Church in the 1870s. [6] I suspect that many liberal Episcopalians (and some not so liberal) see distinct parallels: a small group of perfectionist Evangelicals ranged against a broad spectrum of mainstream opinion, incorporating a wide variety of theological perspectives and willing to allow a spirit of diverse opinion to persist; a conservative leadership disdainful of the traditional catholic understanding of constituted ecclesiastical authority and so convinced of its own righteousness that it lacks the capacity for honest self-criticism; and a body of clergy and laity so wedded to notions of personal conversion that they neglect the corporate pastoral injunctions of the Sermon on the Mount and the Epistle of James.
As with all parodies, there are elements of truth to some of these characterizations. There is a tendency toward evangelical perfectionism, a distrust of authority structures (even conservative ones) and, on occasion, a reflexive objection to certain types of social action because they are understood to be icons of liberal Christianity. [7] The recent controversy over whether the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted by the Episcopal Church in 2006 represent a substitute for a commitment to mission, have become a debate about the motives of the sponsors as much as about the virtues and limitations of specific relief initiatives in the Two-Thirds World. [8]
Where the analogy with the Reformed Episcopal Church falls flat is in the altered global context. When George David Cummins launched the final attempt to rally Anglican evangelicals against the high church tide, he did so entirely within the context of an American environment. Evangelicals had already lost the grip on the denomination which they had enjoyed in the first half of the nineteenth century, due in large measure to their preference for foreign missions, while the high churchmen focused on evangelizing in the domestic field. As parishes were planted in the west and missionary dioceses received into union, the balance of power at General Convention steadily shifted in favor of the more 'catholic' wing. [9] Moreover, establishment evangelicals, like Bishop Charles McIlvaine of Ohio, balked at joining Cummins, whose clerical following was consequently composed largely of the young and restless. [10] The transitory success of the movement in the United States gradually petered out and found little appeal in the Church of England, where evangelicals exercised greater control over the levers of power.
Cummins was not – at least at the time - overly concerned with the principle of episcopal authority. For him, as for many low churchman, apostolic succession was less one of the essential marks of the Christian Church later defined by the Lambeth Quadrilateral (1888), [11] than a form of church governance, valued but not essential. The nature of schism within the Episcopal Church was defined by the example of the Reformed Episcopalians for over a century. For the next 120 years, departures from the denomination (except where they involved a transfer of allegiance to another Christian body) resulted in independent structures that claimed a place in the Anglican family but were not recognized as such by the Archbishop of Canterbury, until recently regarded as the acid test of Anglican authenticity (the Anglican Communion being composed of those national churches in communion with Canterbury). [12]
Since the dramatic consecration of missionary bishops for the Anglican Mission in America (AMIA) in January 2000 by two primates of the Anglican Communion, [13] the whole modus operandi of the traditionalist (or conservative) minority in the Episcopal Church has shifted. Even though the AMIA was not recognized by the then Archbishop of Canterbury and is not recognized by his successor, as a body in communion with Canterbury, it functions under the auspices of primates in Rwanda and South East Asia whose provinces are regarded as in communion. As we have struggled through the turmoil of the last three years, which began with the approval by the 2003 General Convention of the election of Vicki Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, those who have dissented from the current course have self-consciously identified themselves not with an indigenous purified Episcopalianism (the standard course pursued in the Protestant churches for much of the nation's history), but with the primates. Most of the recent departures and new church plants have held aloof from AMIA – with its controversial origins – and requested direct primatial oversight. In 2006, following what was generally conceded to be an inadequate response on the part of TEC to the findings of the Windsor Report, a number of conservative dioceses followed suit. [14]
More heat than light has been generated by the seemingly endless exchanges among conservatives and liberals about who is in communion with whom, who is still Anglican and who is not, and what power the Archbishop of Canterbury has to change any of this. Much of it would have little meaning absent the related issue of title to parish property (this will be addressed below) but there is also an important philosophical dimension not only for those within the Anglican family but also for those outside it. A year ago, Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, addressing the Hope and a Future conference in Pittsburgh, delivered his famous sally: "Are you Network or are you ECUSA?" While an effective rhetorical device for rallying the troops, it nevertheless posed a possible conundrum for those, including, it must be said, his local host Bishop Robert Duncan, who insisted that the conservative dioceses in the Anglican Communion Network continued to be part of the Episcopal Church. How, it might reasonably be asked, can such a circle be squared?
One answer may be found in The Fate of Communion, [15] the new work by Ephraim Radner and Philip Turner that makes the catholic argument for reform of the Church through institutional adjustment rather than impulsive separatism. Both authors make a plausible case for, as far as humanly possible, waiting upon the structures of the Anglican Communion – most notably the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates Meeting – to work through the process mandated by the Windsor Report. Until that has run its course and the status of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada relative to the rest of the Communion has been formally determined, any alternative structure is premature.
Those liberals who feel that the decision of conservatives to remain within the denomination and yet not of it is disingenuous at best need to recognize the possibility that those involved are actuated by a belief that any departure must wait upon the Church Catholic to reach an appropriate determination. Equally, those primates who have been more than usually scathing about conservative American Anglicans who want to have it both ways should bear in mind that the primates themselves have yet to express a collective opinion about what they understand as the future shape of the Communion. To ask people to come out of the Episcopal Church completely, even if "goods and kindred" must be sacrificed, is one thing;, to ask them to come out with no clear indication of what ecclesiastical entity they are entering is quite another. In "The Humiliation of Anglicanism and the Christian Life," Radner draws on the examples of the seventeenth century English Nonjurors and the "Refractory" Church of the French Revolution to demonstrate how renewal is accomplished less by purification of church structures than by "agony":
This is the sort of thing, in other words, that we should expect to experience if "life in communion" is to be the church's vocation and destiny in this world: purity was no guarantee of and granted no rewards; good motives did not preserve moral outcomes; organization led to schism, while confused confession maintained the marks of humbled flesh, "useful" to resurrection; faithful and simple labor, straight ahead, done in the face of persecution and rejection, is seed; holiness and patience is a flame; teaching and catechizing is a gift; where no one triumphs, God reigns. [16]
If the necessary course for some is to remain, what of those who have reached the point at which they feel that their ability to preach the Gospel is irretrievably compromised? As noted above, most of those who wish to retain an 'Anglican' identity have developed ties to the bishop of another province and are now members of the (non-territorial) Seventh Convocation of the Anglican Communion Network (whose moderator, Robert Duncan, is Bishop of Pittsburgh). Thus, in the same way that the Episcopal Church currently occupies a grey area within the life of the Anglican Communion, so the Seventh Convocation churches, while still under their extra-territorial primates, occupy a similar grey area on the American scene.
If the departing congregation – or portion of a congregation – simply removes bodily from its current premises, problems do not arise; the issue is when it seeks to retain its property. At the most basic level, it is clearly absurd to look into the original intent of the founders, as it is doubtful if most of those involved would have approved of recent innovations in church practice; appeals by bishops to the idea that property was bequeathed to the Episcopal Church ignore the fact that such bequests were for the Episcopal Church, as it then was. In the situation that we face today, the only safe ground is to deal with the community of faith as it currently exists. Parishes where the majority is narrowly in favor of secession are unlikely to want to contest the issue of property. Pragmatism and Christian charity alike dictate departure and in the case of an aging structure the new congregation will be freed from the burden of expending an ever-increasing proportion of its resources on plant maintenance.
The problem arises with congregations that are products of the evangelical renewal movement that began during the 1970s. These can either be long-established traditional parishes that underwent a dramatic shift in orientation (such as Truro or St. Stephen's, Sewickley in Pittsburgh) or plants like Christ Church, Plano, founded in 1985, which severed its ties with the Diocese of Dallas and TEC in September. All of these experienced dramatic growth in membership and material resources (which included a related benefit for the Episcopal Church until withholding in the 1990s reduced funding of the national church by evangelicals to a trickle) precisely by adopting methods of evangelization and spiritual formation in which most of TEC, whether by accident or design, expressed little interest. Part of the value of the church plants of these congregations reflects an active response to the Great Commission in which most Episcopal churches have failed to participate. At the very least, these congregations are entitled to compensation for the "value added" to their property by their labors.
The dissenting parishes do have obligations, however. First and foremost, is their obligation to the minority within their congregation, however small. If conservatives have been disappointed in expecting TEC to acknowledge its obligations to the Anglican Communion, they have no license thereby to disregard those who expected their congregation to remain within TEC. It will be essential to reach a settlement that provides for the latter's pastoral care. Beyond this, are any financial obligations to their former diocese, all of which must assuredly be repaid. It would a gesture of good faith, finally, for congregations to make some commitment to their former bishop as to their future health as a community. Should they proceed to wither on the vine or dissolve into factionalism – the best measure of failure to keep the things of God clearly in view – then the bishop should have the right to reclaim the property.
What is evident is that most of the evangelical plants so described will go out en masse, and there is no bishop anywhere in the United States who has too many people and too few buildings. The watchword for the last thirty years from San Diego to Maine has been closing and consolidation of parishes. It seems almost certain that any bishop inheriting a property these days will, at best, keep it open for a year or two with a skeleton congregation and then will have no choice but to sell it. Unless one honestly believes that the seceders are not Christians as well as not Anglicans, the net result will be one Christian community fewer and the money raised is most unlikely to be deployed into the planting of a new parish. Perhaps those set to lose their property should try and force their bishop to commit either to keep the building open for at least ten years or to use any money raised solely for the purposes of church planting!
[1] For the text, see http://surrounded.classicalanglican.net/?p=71
[2] While many of the results will be announced tomorrow, after a week of voting, the lopsided vote from All Saints, Dale City of 402-6 (in a church of 500 members) suggests that the exodus in Virginia will be severe.
[3] See http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5165
[4] See http://www3.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=30650
[5] See http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/news/2006/20061214wright.cfm?doc=171
[6] Allen C. Guelzo, For the Union of Evangelical Christendom: The Irony of the Reformed Episcopalians (University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1994).
[7] Bishop Wright's critique cited in Note Five addresses these issues from an English perspective.
[8] On the MDGs, see http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3654_71627_ENG_HTM.htm Commentators on conservative blogs tend to see the MDGs as the Social Gospel minus evangelism. See Gregg Griffith's comment on Stand Firm: http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/bleeding_heart_do_gooder_frowns_on_the_mdg_gospel/
[9] George E. DeMille, The Catholic Movement in the American Episcopal Church (Philadelphia: Church Historical Society, 1950).
[10] One interesting case is that of Pittsburgh's Calvary Church. On February 15, 1874, Joseph Wilson – its much loved rector - preached a sermon inviting his congregation to follow him into the Reformed Episcopal Church. Despite a supportive petition from many of the parishioners, the vestry immediately surrendered spiritual charge of the parish into the bishop's hands and Wilson was forced to organize a separate congregation to which many Calvary parishioners – including almost all of the Sunday School – followed. When Wilson was called to other duties in the REC, however, the dissident congregation soon collapsed. Today, Calvary Church is amongst the most vocal opponents of Bishop Robert Duncan's effort to uphold a conservative Anglican viewpoint, a course that could ultimately lead to the separation of the Diocese of Pittsburgh (though not Calvary Church) from TEC. How times change!
[11] See http://anglicansonline.org/basics/Chicago_Lambeth.html
[12] Some of these bodies are listed at http://anglicansonline.org/communion/nic.html
For discussion of the schisms of the 1970s, see Bryan V. Hillis, Can Two Walk Together Unless They Be Agreed? American Religious Schisms in the 1970s (Brooklyn, NY: Carlson Publishing Inc., 1991), 99-126.
[13] See http://anglicansonline.org/archive/news/articles/2000/000214a.html
[14] On APO, see http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=2422
[15] Ephraim Radner and Philip Turner, The Fate of Communion: The Agony of Anglicanism and the Future of a Global Church (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2006).
[16] Ibid., 273.


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Some write to entertain; some to educate. Others write to amuse or inspire. Barnabas Piper writes to encourage. He writes to encourage both pastors and their children.
Piper writes from experience. His dad is Dr. John Piper, former Senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Barnabas Piper is a Pastor's Kid. He, like every other PK understands the pressure and pain of living under the roof of a pastor. Any doubters need only read a riveting sentence at the beginning the book: "The call of the father is not the call of the child, but the ministry of the father creates an anvil-like weight on the child … And it is this pressure, in part, that drives so many PK's to break."
Barnabas Piper performs a vital service for the Body of Christ in his book Pastor's Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity. This is a candid inside look at the deep struggle which occurs in many PK's. Some PK's rebel; others hide their emotions. Some actually thrive. But all will admit to living a life of sacrifice; a life that is something akin to living in a pressure cooker or a fishbowl.
Piper alerts readers to the kind of scrutiny that every PK faces: "It creates a tension in which it can be difficult to genuinely make ourselves known, and so PKs become both the best-known and the least-known people in the church. In most cases there isn't a single person or particular group of people doing the watching. It's a collective, disorganized, largely unintentional effort on the part of the church as a whole. At best it is bothersome; at worst it is suffocating and warping."
Piper writes from two angles in this excellent book. First, he has plenty to say to PKs. A lot of the advice comes through the backdoor as the author reminds every PK of this important reality: They are not alone. It's as if he says, "If John Piper's son struggled in many ways, it should not come as a surprise if you struggle too." So Barnabas Piper not only writes from experience; he writes with great empathy and compassion. There is a wealth of wisdom here that every PK should benefit from.
But the younger Piper has much to say to pastors as well. He pulls no punches and shares his wisdom with candor and humility. Most readers will no doubt wonder, "I wonder what his dad thinks about that sentence?" Piper's advice to pastors will cut deep but will in the final analysis prove helpful.
Like Piper, I write from experience. I write as one who has served as a pastor for nearly twenty-five years. But I'm also a PK. So I've seen both sides of the fence. Both sides have challenges but both sides are filled with opportunities for growth and sanctification. Pastor's Kid loaded with practical advice for pastors and their children!
One of my life goals is to teach in Bible College or Seminary; to train and equip the next generation of pastors and theologians. If God opens that door in the future, Pastor's Kid by Barnabas Piper will be required reading for every student. It's that good. I am confident that Piper's work will travel far and encourage many people. May we heed his words, hear his heart, and respond with God-centered resolve.
4.5 stars


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Learning from First Nations experience with NAFTA
Wayne Garnons-Williams
Learning from First Nations experience with NAFTA
Wayne Garnons-Williams of Plains Cree, from Treaty 6, Moosomin First Nation, Founding President of the International Intertribal Trade and Investment Organization, Principal Director of the law firm Garwell Law Professional Corporation specialising in tribal trade and economic development.
View The Transcript
If you are going to remember one thing about this talk, remember this: process for indigenous inclusiveness and collaboration is key to developing indigenous trade. Our organisation has conferences every six months when we look at issues of trade. We have just finished out conference three weeks ago where we looked at NZ as a trade destination. We had great speakers. We convinced the government of Canada to establish the very first indigenous trade mission, and the destination was NZ.
Some background. Canada is a constitutional democracy. The written Constitution was amended in 1982. Section 35 is a very important part that says existing aboriginal and treaty rights and hereby recognised and affirmed. We know what treaty rights are because they are listed in the treaties; I'm a member of Treaty 6. What are aboriginal rights? No one really knows until it is determined by the Supreme Court. The government always says it doesn't accept an aboriginal right until the High Court tells us so. Only then will we actually go ahead and acknowledge that in the form of policy, programme and legislation.
In 1987 the Canada US Trade Agreement was established and then 1994 NAFTA was established. In both there was no indigenous consultation or involvement in their development. The case law in Canada, two cases basically say the same thing: consultation is key with respect to indigenous peoples with respect to the nation state. Both clearly demonstrate what the standard is and how the state has to meet it: full, fair, timely, supported by financial means for indigenous people to analyse what they are being consulted on.
The other important thing to note is that indigenous trade in Canada and the US, and I'm sure here to, has existed since time immemorial. That prior contact trade is reflected, for example the US Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, subsection 3) provides the power of the federal government for trade and commerce. With whom? With other nation states, with the states, and with Indian tribes, specifically listed. That's the only reference in the US Constitution. So its significance is reflected in the building of the nations in North America.
What's the political climate in North America? With respect to an indigenous lens, it's all around the environment. I'm sure it's the same here. Indigenous nations globally want economic development, but not at the expense of our regional climate, water, air and quality of life. Essentially the seven-generation principle is applicable here. You don't adversely affect what would be a gift to the seventh generation, and generation we will never see, that will be alive when you are long dead and gone.
What was happening in relation to NAFTA? We have an indigenous rights clause in NAFTA. We have an indigenous trade chapter which was worked out, and which was not in NAFTA but is being brought out as one of the leading aspects for inter-tribal indigenous trade.
How did that happen? We have a similar vision and attitude to yours. Our Prime Minister, when he was first elected he issued mandate letters to his Cabinet that says this is what I want from you. Typically these mandates are private. Our PM made them public. All 38 Cabinet mandate letters contained this phrase: "no relationship is more important to me in Canada than the one with indigenous peoples. It's time to renew the nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples based on rights, respect, cooperation and partnership." Various Cabinet ministers went out to try to meet that agenda. Our Justice Minister, who is indigenous, met with our national indigenous leaders and said, section 35 on indigenous rights, we don't know what's in it. It's nicknamed the empty section 35 rights box. Until the court determines what it is you have no rights. The government said the best way to solve this is to consult widely across Canada and try to codify what those rights would be based on submissions from indigenous peoples across Canada and then providing legislation that codifies section 35 rights. So there can be legal action alleging failure to live up to section 35 rights written into statute. That's a big step. That's called the indigenous rights framework. It's an election promise that will be passed before the next election.
The other thing that's really important in Canada is the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. You may remember when it was first signed there were four hold-outs: US, Canada, Australia and NZ. Now everyone's a party. What does it mean. In reality it has no meaning whatsoever, it's feel good. Our government said we need to put some meat on these bones. In May this year it introduced legislation, which is now in the Senate, which has basically made the entire Declaration domestic law in Canada. Once that law gets passed indigenous peoples in Canada can rely on the Declaration as a means of enforcing their rights. These include free, prior, informed consent; the right to conservation and protection of the environment; the right to maintain and develop indigenous economic institutions and to freely engage in their traditional and other economic activities. What are economic rights for indigenous peoples? Look at what they originally had. Trade among nations, inter-tribal trade. that is an economic right that is prior, existing and practices since time immemorial until today.
Last year in July, Trump decided to renegotiate NAFTA. The government Canada said to the people of Canada "what should we do? Any issues to add?" My organisation put together a submission based on law, policy and common sense. We asked for the following: participation of aboriginal peoples in the negotiations; recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples in the decision making under NAFTA; development of a framework for a meaningful and increased participation in the process; development of an indigenous peoples chapter and an indigenous rights chapter; incorporation of the UN Declaration; protection of indigenous intellectual property and knowledge.
All this was in our submission. If the 2500 submissions made to the government we were the only one that made an indigenous rights submission. I got a call from the Minister who said she loved it and was passing it on to the Prime Minister to include in the progressive trade agenda for the government of Canada. They asked who do you want on the Canada NAFTA Council advising the Minister of Trade. A national indigenous chief was put on the Council. As well, the aspect of an indigenous rights chapter and indigenous trade chapter was immediately put on the agenda.
Finally, with respect to process the government said we are true specialists in international trade. But we've never really done indigenous trade so we need your help and seek your guidance. We sat down with them and worked out a process and framework that was inclusive. In essence, we kept the circle even wider. We included any indigenous nation or rights holder that had an interest in developing the indigenous trade chapter and clarifying the indigenous rights chapter. Every week for 2 hours we would meet with our external affairs specialists, and look at various topics within NAFTA. The specialists would give their presentation, whether it was procurement or anti-dumping. Then we would look at it from an indigenous lens and discuss it. We asked that they used their ears rather than their mouths when consulting. We also asked that they not consult with the Department of Indian Affairs because they bring a tainted perspective to indigenous affairs. They bring their own perceptions and biases. We also encouraged them to read the relevant case law on consultation and they completely understood it. So we were able to work with them on a regular basis and discuss how we could move each issue along. We did this for a year and a half. Our circle near the end was about 60 rights holders, stakeholders and interest groups that were contributing to make this a robust process.
I can't tell you what's in the indigenous trade chapter, unfortunately, because right now it's still being used as a tool internationally by the government of Canada. I'm happy to say that regardless of NAFTA the government of Canada came back to us and said we have enjoyed this process and we've learned a lot and we think we have learned something about how to deal with indigenous relations.
But secondly, the end state of getting to an indigenous trade chapter that is respectful and empowering, that's really cool. So regardless of NAFTA, we're going to take this indigenous trade chapter and shop it around the world. If there are any other nation states that have indigenous peoples that are looking for indigenous to indigenous trade, we want to present this chapter to them to negotiate in an international agreement. As you know, indigenous peoples are not nation states by designation and cannot by law trade unilaterally with Maori, Haida or others. You need an international framework where nation states respect and protect that opportunity, for example to trade fish for timber.
While I can't tell you the details of the chapter, I can tell you the three principles of the chapter. 1. Recognise the important role that indigenous peoples have played in trade and continue to pay today. 2. Facilitate cooperative activities between the parties to enhance the abilities of indigenous peoples to participate in and benefit from international trade. 3. Establish a committee to oversee this chapter alone.
As well, the government of Canada has invited us to participate on the regular briefings on NAFTA or other negotiations like the Pacific Alliance. We get the briefings just like any other groups. I'm happy to say that the indigenous trade chapter for the Pacific Alliance negotiations was first introduced as a side document with the government of New Zealand. We have been working with the government of New Zealand for some time now, so we are well aware that NZ has done a lot of work. When we introduced our indigenous trade chapter to NZ, NZ said that looks very nice. Have you seen our draft of an indigenous trade chapter. So the cool thing is that you've got two nation states who have exchanged their chapters regarding indigenous trade. We're that close to including a nation state to nation state clause in an international agreement that protects indigenous to indigenous trade. That's cool. That's empowering.
Let's go back to NAFTA. The new US Mexico Canada agreement. We didn't get the indigenous trade chapter because Trump is Trump. We did get the indigenous rights chapter. It says "nothing in this agreement shall preclude a party from adopting or maintaining a measure that it deems necessary to fulfil its obligations to indigenous peoples". Then as a footnote – "for greater certainty for Canada the legal obligations include those recognised and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution 1982." That section is no longer in a box, it is codified in legislation. We are moving from a shield to a sword for trade.
So what's been learned here? From a process viewpoint: the government of Canada initially after reading the leading cases and the law and said we accept two principles: indigenous peoples have a right to participate in decision on matters that would directly affect their rights through representatives of their own chosen by their own procedures; and indigenous peoples have the right to develop and maintain their own decision-making systems within their own territories. So mutual cooperation and joint decision making is key to this relationship. It's an up front recognition of indigenous rights is important and that your history of trading is part of your economic rights. Consideration of indigenous knowledge and rights, and the impacts of rights and culture on trade. and early and ongoing engagement concerning the federal and provincial regulatory and policy process.
When I testified before the standing committee on trade in the Parliament they asked me what happens if there's no indigenous trade chapter? My position was clear that indigenous trade will continue. But we need you to help us move that on. I was suggesting legislation providing indigenous trade zones. Not foreign trade zones, but indigenous trade zones. So for example the Maori and the Haida could have their own designated transshipment points to trade their goods back and forth that are protected with respect to tax. It's that kind of framework for healthy tribal nation to nation trade.
I am happy to say Canada has taken the first step to provide the first indigenous trade mission to NZ and others will follow. We've met with the ambassador to Peru with respect to indigenous trade opportunities and continue to do so in the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples, and trying to develop those aspects.
Two closing points: the indigenous trade chapter and indigenous rights chapter were developed by collaboration, by partnership, by working hand in hand, not a top down approach; and second, true reconciliation includes economic reconciliation, and the recognition of indigenous rights of trade.


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"We have our best minds working on the problem,
so don't worry Israel, we'll figure out how to bargain with genocidal maniacs"
Martti Ahtisaari's deductive reasoning on the Israeli-Arab conflict, is in part, the product of the faulty and skewed reports he receives from "think tanks" and policy institutes like the Finnish Institute for Foreign Affairs (UPI), the Centre for European Policy Studies, (CEPS) and a host of other myopic, self defeating institutions scattered throughout Europe and abroad.
The institution Ahtisaari himself heads, Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), in fact, has a researcher on board as an advisor, Heidi Huuhtanen, with whom the Tundra Tabloids has debated in length concerning Hamas. The best Ms.Huuhtanen could come up with after a plethora of exchanged emails was that, "we'll just have to wait and see".
The woman couldn't deal with the fact that Hamas means what it says, says what it means, and that its charter is carefully crafted to express what they are all about, that being, the destruction of Israel and an Islamic state rising from its ashes. Ms.Huuhtanen couldn't refute the fact that in order for Hamas to recognize Israel, it would have to cease to exist as being Hamas.
The recognition of one dissolves the other, it's a conundrum that these "analysts" refuse to address, because they can't, and since they're in the business of providing analysis for others to help solve difficult problems, they shut their eyes to the facts, ask us to just "hope for the best".
That is what Heidi Huuhtanen did at the end of our email exchanges, hope for the best, that was the best she cold come up with, and it's her "expert" analysis and advice that is helping former Finnish president, Martti Ahtisaari make an international fool out of himself, by expecting everyone "THAT KNOWS BETTER" to believe that Hamas will give up the religious supremacist mandate it believes it has received from on high. Dream on.
These former politicians and analysts are playing with peoples lives, and in spite of their good intentions, are rewarding disingenuous parties like Hamas, with notions of credibility and thoughts of eventual success. And why shouldn't Hamas be encouraged, they can say or do what they wish, and never, ever be made to pay the price for their actions, nor the people that placed them into positions of power?
The useful "goodists" in the West, will come a running time and again to rescue them from the ramifications of their actions. With useful stooges like that, why is there a need to change course, why should they actually want to rescind their goals on the having it all, when the rest of the world seems oblivious, or willfully blind to the obvious? KGS
Bret Stephens: "As for Israel, Goodist pressure is applied almost exclusively upon it for the same reason that people search for lost keys under the lamppost: that is, Israel is the one country in this region likely to yield to Goodist indignation. On the other hand, Goodists are not so effective when it comes to dealing with dictators and other nasties. One problem is that Goodists are too sure of their own cleverness. […]Chamberlain and the other Goodists failed in their respective peace overtures because they were each convinced they could outwit and outmaneuver their opposite numbers. They did not take into consideration the tyrant's perfect willingness to drop out of the whole game of good intentions — to stand up, say "no," and walk out. "
YLE: Nobel Peace Prize winner, President Martti Ahtisaari says that a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is difficult to succeed unless the Palestinians in the Hamas organization, are included in the political process. The United States considers Hamas a terrorist organization.Middle East peace process is progressing with the new U.S. administration, "said President Ahtisaari, who is lecturing in Washington, to YLE news. Also that the economic crisis may advance peace projects.– I am prepared for the fact that now is an excellent opportunity to progress on disarmament. A good side to the fiscal crisis, is that, while the first must of course be of economic order, the political side has now better opportunities for cooperation in a long time, assessed Ahtisaari.President Ahtisaari also sees conditions for more wide ranging peace efforts. Hän toivoo, että Lähi-itä käsitettäisiin kokonaisuutena, johon kuuluvat myös Syyria, Iran ja Irak sekä Afganistan ja Pakistan. He hopes that the Middle East, will thought of as a whole, which also includes Syria, Iran and Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan.
NOTE: Heidi Huuhtanen has previously worked as an analyst at the Office of Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan at the Royal Court in Amman. Now she's back.


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You will love "Sandbridge Retreat" located at The Sanctuary at False Cape. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo boast beautiful views of the sunrise over the ocean and breathtaking sunsets fading in the distance of Back Bay. "Sandbridge Retreat" a very popular vacation rental is centrally located with quick and e-z access to the ocean and pools. If short strolls along the Atlantic Ocean are your thing, The Sanctuary has it! A gorgeous boardwalk for strolls along the ocean, swim-up cabana bar, three pools, two exercise rooms, two Wi-Fi library's, two meticulously maintained clubhouses and a game room for the children, make this a world class resort. Immediately adjacent to," Sandbridge Retreat" is Little Island Park (beach, fishing pier, playground, and basketball & tennis courts) What is not to love!
3 Bedrooms
2 Full Baths
1,589 Square Ft
1 Balcony
Custom Cabinets
Stainless Steel Appliances
Granite Countertops
Granite Bar with built in Glass Cabinets
New HVAC
All Furnishings Convey
Views of Ocean and Back Bay
Condo Amenities Include:
Oceanfront Boardwalk
Beautifully Landscaped Courtyards
3 Swimming Pools
Hot Tub
Cabana Bar & Grill
Poolside Grills
Library WiFi
2 Fitness Rooms
Game Room
Clubhouse with Catering Kitchen
Conference Room and Meeting Rooms
Adjacent to Little Island Park, Fishing Pier, and Back Bay Wildlife Refuge.
Offered at $427,000


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Bingo has been a staple to the gaming community for over two decades. It is always changing and evolving into many different types of games, like the ones being played at PartyBingo.com. People have been playing bingo to pass the time and enjoy themselves in many ways, for a long time.
Bingo is based on the game that was played in Italy in 1530 called as "Il Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia"- this literally means, as The Clearance of The Lot of Italy. Centuries later, in France, many varieties of the said game took place, such as the use of tokens and cards. Meanwhile, this kind of game has been used in Germany for educational purposes. It has been one of the ways teachers teach their students spelling, animal names, and multiplication tables.
On 1778, lotto had evolved from Le Lotto which was created by the French. This is where the modern design of bingo cards originated. And during 1920s, this game gained popularity when Hugh J. Ward brought the game to carnivals in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.
It became even more popular when this game was brought to Atlanta in December 1929. A toy manufacturer, Edwin S. Lowe, then noticed how engaging and addictive the game was. There, he introduced his friends and colleagues to the "Beano" game- following Ward's rules and using dried beans, a rubber stamp, and a cardboard sheet to play. His friends really liked the game, and it started to gain popularity. It is said that when one of Lowe's friends won the game, instead of yelling Beano, he said Bingo- thus giving the game its present day name.


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Have you ever wanted to play your PS3 Slim away from home, on the go? Japanese hardware designers Hori has made this a reality by creating an attachment for the PS3 Slim, allowing for total portable play.
As reported from PlaystationLifestyle, Hori has come up with a 720p HD LCD attachment for the PS3 Slim, allowing you to play this away from home. However, there is no mention of an included battery, so this may be powered by an AC adaptor, meaning that it isnt completely portable.
It is still better than nothing though – and it looks like a pretty slick design. It is available in Japan only at the moment, priced at $275.
Check out the picture below and let us know what you think of it. Would you import this?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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RALEIGH — Rod Brind'Amour doesn't want to be called "coach."
"The only time I ever called someone 'coach' was when I didn't know their name," the now 48-year-old joked after he was given that title by owner Tom Dundon back in May.
But to Dundon, new GM Don Waddell and many in and around the Hurricanes organization, it was the name Brind'Amour that became the obvious choice to replace the departed Bill Peters and carry out a culture change centered on accountability.
"Everything I think about the way people should act, the way people should treat other people, the way they should lead," said Dundon at that news conference, with a nudge of his head in Brind'Amour's direction, "this man does it."
In just over eight months, Dundon has ripped off many of the Band-Aids of Hurricanes' past, hoping that he heals more wounds than the new ones he has inflicted. While Dundon has embraced the team's past as the Whalers, he also jettisoned its two most recognizable figures.
First, the longtime marriage to Ron Francis, a Hall of Fame player who spent the majority of his playing career with the franchise in both Hartford and Carolina and ascended to general manager, ended in what was can best be described as irreconcilable differences when he was first demoted as GM in March and then let go altogether a month and a half later.
Then fellow Hall of Famer Chuck Kaiton, the only radio voice Whalers and Hurricanes fans had ever had, departed after the sides couldn't come to terms on a new contract. It was a bottom-line move for Dundon: the radio broadcast loses money, and Kaiton was its big-tag item.
The new regime also parted ways with goaltender Cam Ward, ending the playing ties to the Stanley Cup-winning team from 2006 with two exceptions: Brind'Amour and his former linemate Justin Williams, who returned last season after winning two more titles in Los Angeles and a stint in Washington.
"What better way to start with than to have a consummate pro and guy who's going to work his butt off," Williams said of Brind'Amour, an assistant with the Hurricanes the past seven seasons. "He worked his butt off playing hockey, and he's going to work his butt off off the ice as well."
The message of perseverance, accountability and dedication — Brind'Amour, Williams, Dundon and anyone with the new-look Hurricanes say — is supported from the very top of the organization down.
The split rosters for training camp, which truly begins Friday when the players hit the ice, are called Team Grit and Team Grind, a nod to the Hurricanes' plan to be harder to play against and, as Williams puts it, become "relevant again."
No one embodies the image of grit and grind more than Brind'Amour, who made a playing career out of outworking opponents and has the battle scars of a medieval knight to show for it.
Make no mistake, the Hurricanes are still ahead of much of the pack in the analytics movement — they shrugged off concerns about defenseman Dougie Hamilton's character to pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade that brought him and Micheal Ferland from Calgary for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm — but also determined Jeff Skinner's lack of defensive commitment was reason enough to ship out a three-time 30-goal scorer for mostly unknown futures.
"It's been too much of average for too long, and things change when things don't work," Jordan Staal, a co-captain last season, said. "So, unfortunately, it was a great player like Jeff that got moved."
The team is pinning much of its expectations on two of hockey's top prospects: 2017 first-round draft choice Martin Necas and 2018 second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov. The company line is both will be very good — even great — players down the line, and they can't and shouldn't be expected to carry the load and lead the Hurricanes back to the postseason in the spring.
That doesn't mean they're not important to the here and now.
"For us to be a great team, they're going to have to be good players for us," Williams said. "We know that."
In a locker room full of new faces and — for the first time in franchise history — a hands-on owner watching, the Hurricanes enter camp with hope and possibilities. And their coach isn't willing to wait for success.
"Patience," Brind'Amour said, adding an exasperated sigh and grimace, "I'm not a very patient person. I didn't take the job not to win or try to win or expect to win.
"Maybe I need to be a little more patient. I don't know. We'll see how that works out."


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The Memorial Building was built in 1907 and 1908 as the Columbia Post Office, with many of the features of that use still evident. In 1940 the cornerstone to another post office on South Garden was laid, and the old post office was given to the community as a memorial to our veterans for use as an assembly hall. Since that time in the late 1940s, the Memorial Building has, at various times, contained the Public Library, the Chamber of Commerce, the Veteran's Service Office (which it still is) The Maury County Historical Society and various other community organizations. The Ballroom and kitchens have hosted thousands of other community events, and as such, it is one of Maury County's most popular venues.
If you'd like to reserve a space at the memorial hall, fill out the Memorial Building Rental Contract (PDF).


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Loud, unpleasant, raucous, or prolonged noise is a public nuisance. Between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., the City Code prohibits gatherings of people from which noise emanates of sufficient volume that it disturbs the peace and quiet, and can easily be heard at a distance of 50 feet from any residential dwelling.
Violation of the noise ordinance is a misdemeanor. See Hopkins City Code Chapter 28, Article III.
Under Hopkins City Code Chapter 6, Article II, Sec. 6-29, any dog making noise that unreasonably disturbs the peace and quiet of any person in the vicinity is considered a nuisance dog. This includes dogs that bark or whine repeatedly over a five-minute period of time.


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There were indications, yesterday, that the Boko Haram sect might have infiltrated Lagos State, following raid of a building in Ijora Badia area of Lagos, suspected to have been used as a hideout by the suspected terrorists.
This came as the Islamist group holding the French family of seven in Nigeria has warned against any attempt to use force to free their hostages who were kidnapped in northern Cameroon last month.
Arrested in the Lagos building were two persons; a Chadian simply identified as Aminu and another man from the northern part of the country whose identity could not be ascertained.
Recovered at the end of the raid carried out by a combined team of Operation Messa, OP MESSA and personnel of the Department of State Security, DSS were AK 47 riffles and some explosives said to have been hidden inside the ceiling.
Vanguard gathered that the operatives stormed the building following information on a terror network coordinated by Iranians in Lagos.
Suspects whisked to Abuja
The suspects were said to have been immediately whisked into the operatives' van which headed straight to the airport, enroute Abuja.
Investigation revealed that the suspects moved into the building located on 24 Oyegbemi Street last month. Their movement reportedly aroused suspicion from residents of the area who alerted security operatives.
Residents of the area told Vanguard that the operatives stormed the building, a bungalow at about 6am and arrested the Chadian, Aminu.
They reportedly came again at noon. "This time, they went round the entire vicinity and arrested some other persons", a resident said.
The suspects as gathered, occupied three rooms in the building. "But we became suspicious following unusual movements in and around the building, with most of the visitors carrying bags. As you can see, the building is located close to this drainage and with the location of the place, nobody was sure of what they were into, until today (yesterday)", another resident said.
Five major oil companies' tank farms are located around the area. The oil companies are; AGIP, AP, Conoil, Oando and NICO.
Reports also had it that eight other persons were arrested, among whom were two soldiers and six civilians.
Although some of those arrested reportedly tried to explain that they knew nothing about the recovered explosives, the officials were said to have replied that their claim would be determined at the end of investigation.
Contacted, spokesman for 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Kingsley Umoh, confirmed the raid but did not state whether the suspects were members of the Boko Haram sect.
He explained that similar raids were also carried out in other volatile areas of the state, adding that yesterday's raid was carried out following a tip-off.
He said: "The OP Mesa as you know, is a joint security body which carried out its routine raids yesterday and made some arrests.
"The raids were simply part of those carried out everyday based on information at our disposal. The raids give the public confidence that security bodies are working.
"It is the way the OP Mesa was designed and once our sources give us tips, we swing into action", he said, advising Lagosians to go about their legal businesses without fear.
He could also not confirm whether explosives were recovered during the raid.
Lagos State Director, DSS, Achu Olayi, confirmed the raid but added that it was too soon to say if the suspects were Boko Haram members or not. He could also not disclose the type of ammunition recovered during the raid.
Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide when contacted, said she was not aware of any raid carried out by policemen from either of the divisions yesterday.
Also, the monarch of the area, Oba Fatai Ojora, who reacted to the incident said he had begun investigation to ascertain the identity of the owner of the house.
When news of the arrest filtered round, residents panicked, with some of them making effort to flee the environment, for fear of possible explosion.


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AVala – Aspirations of Love + Crazy House
Check these fresh singles from new artist AVala, who was recently introduced by DJ Klem back in September of 2012 and also featured as the lead lady in Black Magic's Confam video.
Aspirations of Love is a slow paced track while Crazy House has that upbeat/dance feel to it. AVala is definitely conforming with these singles.
Listen and share your thoughts.
AVala is a singer-songwriter whose sole goal is to create music that represents her life, passion, and the people in her life. Since starring in BlackMagic's "Confam" video, Avala wowed the crowd at Industry Nite and has been performing since. Avala's debut singles, "Aspirations of Love" and "Crazy House" showcase her vocal passion & abilities, while sharing her Afro-House focus with the world. "Aspirations of Love" is written by Avala and produced by the extraordinary DJ Klem (@Deejay_Klem) and Avala. "Crazy House" is written by Avala and produced by Ghana's super-talented DJ Juls (@djayjuls).
Aspirations of Love DOWNLOAD[audio: http://notjustok.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/AVala-Aspirations-of-Love.mp3]
Crazy House DOWNLOAD[audio: http://notjustok.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/AVala-CRAZY-House-Prod.-Juls.mp3]


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Lets face it: You really put your foot in it this time. Why did you do it? You knew better than to buy Mom a toaster for Mothers Day, yet you wrapped up that four-slotter and slapped a rosy card on it (you wouldve been better off giving her Hallmarks sweet sentiments alone). The good news? You can make up for that unfortunate transgression by taking your beloved mum to Art on the Square (618-239-9428 or www.artonthesquare.com), happening in downtown Belleville, Illinois (Highway 159 and Main Street), Friday through Sunday (May 18 through 20). During this multimedia art fair, not only will you and Mommy spend precious time together while watching the musicians and dancers, but you will also have tremendous opportunities to buy her something nice, especially since admission to the art extravaganza is free. May we suggest a stunning necklace, a unique sculpture or a colorful shawl to warm her heart? That, plus the meal you treat her to -- its the least you can do -- will definitely show her you care.
May 18-20


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Here is the link to my WordPress site for my course.
Really, I didn't know what I made to publish my course in the cloud. I simply followed the instructions provided in our DS4OER course and it worked… I don't know why. In this aspect, it has been easy. Anyway, I had two problems about the result:
- The title of my landing page is not its true title ("Landing page") but "User:Grian"
- In the menu, you can see the names of the two learning pathways in my course outline, but not the sub-menus, I don't know why
I've been looking for fix these problems, but I didn't find the reason. In my first problem, maybe I could change the title of my landing page directly in WordPress, but I desisted because the warning in the instructions saying that all changes have to be done on the WikiEducator pages. So I'm waiting for suggestions. Thank you. 😀